Chapter 3
Teyla slowly raised her head listening to the faint voices around her.
"Ow…" Rodney managed sprawled on the floor. "I think I have been seriously injured."
"Knock it of McKay." Came a reply from somewhere beside her.
She felt pain, opening her eyes she realized she was half lying in a wrecked jumper.
"Teyla are you all right?" Came a soft worried voice, the same voice she had heard before.
"Yes John I am fine." She managed to get into an upright position holding her head. "Are you okay?" She knew he hid his injuries very well.
"No." Rodney answered. She heard steps coming from behind and then a complaint as Ronon grabbed Rodney's hand and hauled him back on his feet.
"Sheppard what happened?" Ronon asked ignoring the scientist.
"I don't know the jumper disconnected from me and powered down."
"No no that's impossible." Rodney said his so called injuries forgotten. He moved past where Ronon stood behind Sheppard and opened the control circuits.
"I know how it sounds but that's what happened." John looked around then got up from his chair stiffly and helped Teyla out of her chair.
"We have to find shelter. With the jumper inoperable it is going to be like an oven in here." The Colonel said.
"And just exactly where did you think we should go in this wasteland uh?" Rodney asked.
He fidgeted with the controls trying to find something that could explain what had happened.
John knew McKay well enough to know that he was actually scared of the situation and that it helped him to annoy others.
"Well I have no idea why don't we take to the left?" He said sarcastically.
The scientist glared at him and turned back to the circuits. Well it seems we are going on your little trip because the circuits…he sighed frustrated…just won't connect again.
oooooooooo
Ronon licked his dry lips. After walking for miles in the hot desert he felt tired. The sun blazed the sand making it difficult to open the eyes to more than slits.
Rodney had said nothing for hours and Teyla wondered if their missions really had been this nightmarish before.
John tried not to think about his conversation with Woolsey before heading out. "The planet has no life, you would certainly be alone there."
Rodney suddenly stopped as he reached over a dune.
John looked at him. "McKay?"
"I am hallucinating."
Ronon made his way over to him. "If that's true I see it too."
"What is it?" Teyla asked.
She stared down from the dune in amazement.
"That's definitely not a hallucination Rodney." Sheppard said.
oooooooooo
It was early night at Atlantis.
Woolsey walked up to Carson as he spotted him on the balcony. "Doctor Beckett."
Carson turned around to greet him. "Mr. Woolsey." He acknowledged. "So how are ye settling in?"
"This is quite a remarkable place." He studied the doctor for a moment before speaking again. "I have to apologize."
Carson frowned. "I am sorry ye just lost me there I am afraid."
"Back on earth it was so easy condemning what all of you had done on Atlantis, your missions to other planets, the war with the Wraith, everything."
He looked directly at Carson. "I am beginning to understand what it takes to command and even to be on this base."
Carson smiled a little. "I see well I suppose it will come to ye."
He switched subject becoming more serious even worried. "Have ye heard anything about Colonel Sheppard's team?"
Woolsey sighed. "I am afraid that all attempts to contact them have failed."
"What's their situation?" Carson asked.
"It was supposed to be a simple mission…an orbital gate around a deserted planet. I don't understand it." Woolsey said as he recalled his talk with Colonel Sheppard before they headed out. "It will be a piece of cake Mr. Woolsey. Of what I can gather from your Intel it might even be a vacation trip." The Colonel had given him a cocky grin.
"First rule Mr. Woolsey; nothing is simple when it comes to Colonel Sheppard's team."
He looked at the man in front of him lightening up a little. "Please let me know if there is any change. And I do take it ye are going to look for them?" It was more of a demand than a question from Carson's side.
"After the last rescue mission I am afraid I will have to be more careful." Atlantis new leader said.
Carson nodded. "I see what ye mean Mr. Woolsey but please keep in mind that it is Colonel Sheppard's team we are talking about here."
Woolsey folded his arms. "Am I under the impression that a specific team means more than all the others?"
Carson looked at the civilian and studied him carefully before answering. "Take it as ye want Mr. Woolsey."
oooooooooo
"This can't be." Rodney said more to himself then to anyone else. "This planet indicated no life, nothing."
"Perhaps it was once a flourishing place." Teyla said taking in the massive ruins in front of her.
"It's ancient." Ronon stated.
John glanced upon what had once been a big gate leading to a closed city. "And it's huge too."
They slowly made their way into the ruins. One of them seemed much more intact than the others. It was difficult to see in the dark. They switched on their P90 weapons light and walked down a big corridor.
Ronon took the lead at a steady pace. John brought up the rear with Teyla and Rodney in between.
"Rodney?" John asked noticing that the scientist stiffened a little. "What do you see?"
He turned to the Colonel. "Not much I assure you." He answered annoyed.
The ruins turned out to be enormous and their energy reserves started to drain. The place was definitely ancient and it was vaguely similar to Atlantis but that was it. The systems had long ago stopped functioning and some of the pathways had been blocked by sand. John felt a chill down his spine; this was so familiar to his future meeting with Rodney.
oooooooooo
Several hours later the temperature had dropped to the level that it was hard to stop your teeth from clattering.
"I hate desert planets…" Rodney muttered.
John rolled his eyes. "I thought we agreed on not to mention that again."
Ronon stopped as the corridor they had been following stopped at a cave wall. "What now?"
John leaned heavily on the side wall. "Perhaps we should call it a day?"
"I agree we are exhausted and will do no good." Teyla said as she sat down.
oooooooooo
Rodney fought to keep his eyes open but to no avail. Teyla studied John as he slowly walked over to the other side of the cave. She got up and followed him. Ronon had left to search for something to light a fire with.
"John?" She asked softly.
"Hey Teyla."
"It is not your fault."
"Always right on spot are you?" He said looking at her.
"There is no one else that I trust more than you." She put a hand on his shoulder and he grimaced even so slightly. "Are you injured?"
"No I must have bumped it in the jumper that's all."
She nodded and continued. "I have been around you long enough to know when you blame yourself."
"I do not Teyla I do not."
She smiled at him. "No one knows what happened to the jumper and no one could predict this situation."
His eyes locked with hers as he turned to face her. "Teyla this planet has no gate…we are trapped, stranded, stuck."
She swallowed. "I know."
oooooooooo
To be continued