Sheppard was watching the people below him intently, with his own eyes and with the ship's sensors, while at the same time keeping track of the other Jumper and the Light Ones who were flying in a loose formation just above the two Ancient ships. Even watching like he was, however, he almost missed what happened next.

Kale, who had been in the very lead of the group of scouts, suddenly vanished. No bright light, no explosion. Nothing. He was just gone. A moment later, Teal'c and Ronon vanished as well, and a moment after that the rest of the ground party disappeared as well – including the other two wolves.

"Colonel!"

The instant alarm from the other Jumper told him that Sergeant Pascal hadn't missed it, either.

"I saw it," he said. "Let's get do-"

There were flashes of movement caught on the external sensors just then, and Sheppard focused the arrays on their escort of eagles. The large birds had plainly seen what had just happened as well, because all four had suddenly gone into instant dives, steeper than he'd believe any bird that size could ever go. The eagles swooped low, easily tilting their wings to avoid the trees as they entered the forest from above – they were well used to flying through the forests of their home world, after all, and these trees were nowhere near as thick and plentiful. It was apparent that while the eagles probably didn't see anything more than Sheppard and Duck had, they knew where they were going, because they never slowed.

"Follow them," Sheppard ordered Sanders, even as he put the Jumper into a dive and locked the sensors on the eagles.

"Yes, sir."

Behind him, the other Jumper went into a steep dive as well, but Sheppard didn't have a chance to think about that, because now he was in the forest, and was desperately trying to avoid slamming himself and his ship into a hanging branch or a tree trunk as he swooped along behind the screaming eagles.

OOOOOOOOO

She had him. Dead to rights she had him, and she knew it. Even more, he knew it and she could see it in his expression. His pale eyes went from surprised to fearful – even though it was only momentary – and there was no way Melony could have missed it. Then the fear was replaced by an implausible attempt at bravado.

"You're friends are safe, Colonel. Put down the weapon before I'm forced to have them hurt."

Mitchell's eyes narrowed in fury at the threat, and she knew from the way he recoiled that he felt that anger. She activated Ronon's weapon – which was a lot like cocking a Beretta, although without the intimidating sound – and the Light One who wasn't really a Light One lost his bluster instantly. There was no way he could do anything to keep her from killing him, no matter what he tried – or who he called (even mentally) and he knew that, too. Suddenly the self-styled god of the Shasari was face to face with his own mortality, and Melony could see quite plainly that he didn't like the introduction.

"Have someone bring them here," Melony said, not bothering to use any threat other than the weapon in her hand. "Now."

He hesitated, careful to remain completely still lest he trigger something (literally) that he didn't want.

"I cannot."

"Can not? Or will not?"

"Can not," he repeated, his mouth suddenly dry. "They are not here."

He started to lift his hand – perhaps an innocent gesture to wipe the beads of sweat that had formed on his hairless upper lip – but Mitchell scowled. She'd seen what a gesture from him could do – and had felt the concussion of the blast he'd made.

"Don't move, Hu. I don't want to have to kill you."

The hand froze, but suddenly the pale eyes of the Shasari godling seemed distant, as if his attention had suddenly been pulled elsewhere – even with the threat he was facing.

"No… they can't!"

"What-"

A brilliant light appeared suddenly in the room, and Melony suddenly felt the weapon in her hand vanish, only to hear it clatter to the floor a few yards away.

"Stop! This must not be."

The voice was penetrating and awesome, but Mitchell's eyes were watering from the sudden light, and she couldn't see anything. Aware that she could hear the sound of some kind of uproar outside the building in the distance, she reached with her left hand for the Beretta that hung at her hip, certain it was a trap – or perhaps that Ronon and Teyla had managed to make their own escape.

"Colonel Mitchell! Stop!"

Again the voice, but this didn't stop her from pulling her gun, even though she felt like there were a million darts stabbing her eyes all at once. The light had been too brilliant for Talon to shield it, and blinded – at least momentarily – she didn't have a target – and would never fire blind when there might be friendlies in the way.

OOOOOOOOO

Teal'c couldn't believe what he'd seen. Wouldn't have ever believed it if it hadn't happened to him. One moment he was following Kale. The next, he was out of the forest completely and at the edge of a small hill overlooking a valley. In that valley was a village and a river, and from the sudden exclamation from Ronon Dex beside him, it was exactly where they'd wanted to be.

"This is the village!" Ronon said, looking down at the place with amazement that it had been so easy to get there. "Come on!"

Kale was already on his way down the hill, following a scent, or a feeling, or maybe just eager to run. Behind him the other wolves followed, all running full out.

Teal'c gestured to the Jaffa and humans that were with them.

"Watch for the cats," he called, as they all trotted after the Light Ones, their staff weapons ready and the safeties on their P90s off, now. There was really no danger of an ambush until they reached the village – not with the few trees that the valley held – and the wolves themselves would warn them if something or someone was waiting. "Go!"

He ran after, his blood boiling and eager for a fight.

He was a Jaffa, after all, and that was what they did best. Right?