Teyla could hear a voice calling her name, somewhere in the distance. The voice became more insistent, and a hand, that seemed to belong to the voice, gently shook her. Still Teyla could not force her eyes open. The voice became more urgent, and the hand shook her more forcefully.
She managed to force her eyes open this time, and looked up into the concerned face of John Sheppard.
"John," she said, her voice slightly weak. She looked around the cave trying to get her bearings. There she saw the large figure of Ronon inspecting a corner of the cave. Rodney McKay was standing in the entrance to the cave, looking out over the valley below.
A niggling doubt at the back of her mind was telling her that there was something wrong with the scene before her. But she couldn't force her befuddled mind to think straight.
"Sheppard," the rumbling voice of Ronon said. "There is blood over here."
John turned to Teyla, checking her over to see where the blood could have come from. But the mention of blood cleared Teyla's mind.
"Carson! Where is he? Is he all right?"
"He's not here," said John. "You were the only one here when we arrived."
"Typical Carson," said Rodney from the entrance. "Just like him to run away when the there is a fight going on."
The remark made Teyla sit up suddenly. It made her head spin and she reached out to John to steady herself. "But he did not run away," she said a note of indignation in her voice.
John and Ronon exchanged an anxious glance. "And the blood?" Ronan asked.
"It is his," Teyla said.
"Can you tell us what happened?" John asked gently.
"We had returned to the cave, to await your arrival," Teyla said. "Suddenly, six men appeared. They were heavily armed and when Carson tried to protect the children, they shot him."
"What were they after?" John asked.
"I am unsure," Teyla said. "But one of the men did say that they must not kill Carson."
"Who were these men?" Ronan asked.
"Again, I am unsure," Teyla said. "I have never seen them before. But they dressed in a similar fashion to the other people we have met on this planet."
"Okay," John said. "I think the locals have a lot of explaining to do. They certainly failed to warn us that not all the natives were friendly. And I would like to know just what is going on here. And where Carson may be."
