Author's Note - My greatest apologies for not updating sooner. I was held hostage by the plot bunnies, who insisted the threat of a watery grave and subsequent rescue by SGA1 was far too good for our heroes (Jen and Evan), so I was forced to rewrite the next two chapters. The bunnies, who are insisting I refer to them as the Great Lop Ears of North Nagook, (GLENN for short) have finally agreed to let me post the next chapter. And so, without further adieu, I give you, chapter 6. But GLENN has asked me to remind you that just because it looks like a happy ending, doesn't mean squat. :P
- Nika
"Unscheduled off-world activation." Chuck announced over the warning siren echoing through the gate-room.
Woolsey quickly left his office and turned towards the control room.
"Captain Sanchez's IDC." He glanced at Richard. "They're an hour early."
"Ah. Very well." Richard nodded, and moved towards the balcony railing. "Lower the shield."
The security team relaxed from their advanced position on the gate-room floor, as Captain Sanchez stumbled through the event horizon, alone. He skidded to a stop, mud and wet leaves stuck to his legs and arms, a pool of murky rainwater forming quickly beneath him.
The event horizon closed behind him as Sanchez looked up to the balcony.
"I need the Colonel A'sap."
Ronon hit the ramp at a run, quickly followed by McKay.
"Close it up." John ordered, swinging back around in the pilots seat. Ronon slapped the door control, closing the hatch.
Rodney brushed past the Satedan and dropped into the seat beside Teyla, who was sitting directly behind John.
"What happened?" Ronon asked, bracing himself on the bulkhead between the forward and rear sections as Sheppard lifted them off the floor of the jumper bay.
"Booby trap." John answered, letting Atlantis control their descent into the gate-room. "Lorne, Williams, and Keller were in the lab when they were locked in."
"Some kind of blast doors." Sanchez, who was seated in the co-pilots chair, turned to look at Ronon. "Dropped in front of the entrance. We couldn't find any trigger to release it."
"Yes, well of course you couldn't." Rodney snorted.
"Injuries?" Ronon glared at McKay then switched his direct gaze to the Captain.
"They were fine when I left." Sanchez shook his head. "Major sent me back for a torch." He angled his chin towards the case strapped to one of the rear seats. "See if we can cut them out."
"They're not answering their radios." John added. "Chuck's been trying since you got back."
"How long has it been?" Teyla asked quickly.
Sanchez turned towards her. "Forty five."
Silence reflected their combined thoughts. Almost an hour. Too long in the unknown – and too long in Michael's domain.
The Captain turned back towards the Colonel. "You're flyin' into a hurricane." He said to John. "Gonna hit you like a some'bitch on the port side the minute the front end clears."
"Hurricane?!" Rodney exclaimed, staring at the back of Sanchez's head.
"Worried, Sanchez?" John arched his brow and glanced sideways at Sanchez as the jumper dropped down into the gate-room.
"Not if you let me fly." Sanchez shot back. "Younger, better reflexes…"
"What hurricane?" Rodney repeated, leaning forward. "There's a hurricane?"
John nodded to Chuck as the front end rotated towards the already active Stargate.
"Rodney." Teyla admonished. "I'm sure the Captain is exaggerating."
Sanchez glanced over his shoulder at McKay and grinned slyly.
"Oh crap." Rodney muttered, leaning back and gripping the edges of his seat.
John mentally compensated for rough weather as they approached the wormhole. The second they cleared the gate he realized Sanchez wasn't kidding. It was one hell of a storm. He barely had time to register the force of the wind before they spun sharply towards the forest. He pulled them higher, but as soon as they cleared the protective brace of the trees, they were shoved sharply sideways.
It was barely two in the afternoon local time, but the sky was black as coal. Lightning flashed sharply, immediately accompanied by a crack of thunder that made everyone wince. The windshield was blasted with rainwater, swirling and streaking across the surface, making it almost impossible to see.
John fought to keep them on a steady course. If their distance of travel was greater, he'd pull them above the storm.
With a deafening roar, metallic chatter sounded off the top of the hull.
"Is that… hail?" Sanchez braced himself on the console and stared at the white beads bouncing off the windshield.
John called up the HUD, showing a display of the local area and the location of the lab. The image flickered, wavered, then solidified for a few seconds before disappearing again. Life-signs flashed in and out as the tiny ice pellets continued to pelt the jumper.
"Lovely weather we're having…" John muttered, banking the jumper into the wind.
Sanchez pointed out a section on the map while it was stable. "The lab's here." The HUD fizzled and disappeared, then flickered back on again.
"McKay…" John glanced at the scientist, who looked up from his tablet.
"What?" Rodney made a face.
John angled his head towards the flickering display.
"Yeah, and I can fix it because I control the weather…" Rodney glared back.
"Now!" Evan yelled at Jen and she took a deep breath, plunging herself beneath the surface. Cold water crested over her skull and she nearly climbed back out from the sheer shock. Someone's hand hit her shoulder and shoved her further into the darkness. Her boots connected with the floor and she gripped the pipes with both hands. Hands firmly covered hers, and a body pressed her against the wall. She could feel the sharp lumps of the TAC vest jabbing into her spine.
The concussion of the explosion rocked her forward, banging her forehead against the back of her hands. She nearly lost her grip, and if not for the clutch of fingers over her own, she would have floated up.
Darkness descended, and she could no longer see anything through the chill of the water… then with a clouding brightness… everything lightened.
Daylight?
She turned to look, coming face to face with Evan. His hands peeled hers from the pipes and he pointed up, yanking her forward.
Jen shoved herself off the bottom, her lungs aching for air, her body straining to reach the wonderfully happy vision of the grey light that called from above.
She was heavy in her clothes, and the boots didn't help either. Using the pipes she hauled herself to the surface, then had to kick off the wall to reach the hole in the ceiling. When her head broke the surface she gasped in a lungful of air, then sank quickly when she forgot that she needed to keep swimming.
With a sharp kick, she broke the surface again and screamed in shock when a face appeared in the air above her.
"Doc!" Edison shouted as she blinked up into the rain that fell in torrents from the cloudy sky above. "Grab my hand!"
A huge rumble of thunder clapped over head and she winced, blinking against the blinding flash of lightning. Rain pounded the water, bubbling it around her. She stuck out her fingers and the Lieutenant grasped her wrist. He was lying on his stomach on the rocky ground, his shoulders and arms hanging over the edge of the hole. He grabbed her waist and she wrapped her arms around his neck. With a heave, Edison hauled her out of the water and rolled her onto the rocks. He quickly released her and moved to grab for Evan, who'd broken the surface behind Jen. Williams popped out immediately beside the Major.
Jen scrambled forward and helped drag both men out of the freezing cold water that was now bubbling out of the hole and onto the rocks. The storm gusted around them, whipping Jen's heavy, wet hair around her face.
"Fancy meeting you here." Williams yelled at Edison.
"I figured you two would try something stupid." Edison shouted back, helping Jen to her feet. He looked as wet as the rest of them, although his drenched status was due to the rain, and not a fifteen minute soak in an icey tomb.
Thunder cracked and Jen jumped, nearly losing her balance on the wet rocks.
"Well." Jen snorted, wrapping her arms around her torso and digging her fingertips into her armpits, bracing her feet as the wind shoved her around. "T-t-this has certainly been f-fun."
"Whassa matter, Doc?" Edison grinned, grabbing her hand and helping her slide down the muddy embankment to the narrow gorge below. "You don't like rain?"
"She's just mad… because she forgot… her umbrella." Williams called out, tucking his own fingers into his armpits as they headed towards the mucky trail.
Jen trembled, her teeth clacking violently as she tried to glare behind her at the Lieutenant.
She only succeeded in making him laugh.
She sighed and shuddered, her legs wobbling as she tried to concentrate on following Edison as he loped down the path. Water squashed loudly between her toes and she grimaced with every step. Within a few moments, Williams was still snickering, causing Evan to chuckle. Jen couldn't help the grin when Edison boisterously launched into the chorus from Singing in the Rain.
"Y-you're all ins-s-sane, you… you know that, r-right?" She chattered. She felt like a fully dressed ice-cube, and these guys were singing movie-tunes. Nuts. Completely nuts.
Edison glanced over his shoulder and smiled. "Just another day in Pegasus, Doc."
"Yeah." Jen mumbled turning forward so she could better concentrate on putting one shaking foot in front of the other without falling. "Yay for P-P-Pegasus."
That only seemed to make them all laugh harder.