Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Stargate Atlantis or it's wonderful characters.
Spoilers: Through Season 5 up to Brainstorm.
13 – Precarious
Sheppard and Lorne's teams stood in the gate room awaiting orders to move out. Kiryk and Dr. Keller were with the teams ready to step through the gate. This would be the second runner Kiryk located and the teams were excited knowing they'd be freeing another runner from the Wraith.
"Ok," Sheppard addressed the group assembled in front of the gate, "this is going to happen just like last time. Three different planets, we'll find the runner, Caleth, on one of the planets, Doc does her thing and then we all come home. Stay alert, let's go." Sheppard looked up at the gate technicians, "Chuck, dial up the first address."
When the teams came through the gate they immediately saw a man quickly walking toward them. P-90's were quickly raised as they watched the fast approaching man.
Kiryk stepped out in front of the teams and addressed the man. "Caleth, these are those I spoke of."
"I feared you weren't going to come," Caleth exclaimed as he took the last step bringing him up to the teams.
"Sheppard," Ronon said in warning.
"Yeah, I noticed," Sheppard responded knowing Ronon was concerned about the condition the man was in. There was a panic in this man's eyes that spelled trouble, he'd not even bothered to move a safe distance from the gate, but instead looked as if he'd been pacing right in front of it.
"I'm Colonel Sheppard and these people are my team. We've come to help you remove or disable the Wraith tracking device in your body."
Sheppard flicked a glance at Kiryk and then back to Caleth, "My men will secure the perimeter, then we'll move this gathering to a safer location and the Doc will remove the tracking device."
Sheppard gave a nod to Lorne's team and the men moved out beyond the gate and began searching the area. "Ronon, Teyla why don't you find a good spot for this party to take place." After giving the orders Sheppard moved out searching the grounds around the gate and beyond to make sure they were alone. Kiryk followed with his blaster raised to assist Sheppard.
Ronon took a long look at the Runner. This man hadn't been a runner long and the Satedan knew the man wouldn't have been for much longer. Ronon could see in Caleth's eyes the sheer panic for his situation. He was unable to think clearly and would only endanger other people. The sooner the tracking device was out, the safer those that came in contact with Caleth would be.
Ronon didn't like having Jennifer near this man; the sooner they could finish and get off this planet the better. Ronon nodded at Teyla and the two of them moved out in search of a secluded spot leaving Rodney, Jennifer and Caleth standing near the gate.
Caleth looked at Jennifer anxiously, "Are you the Doctor?"
"Yes," she tried to sound reassuring for this man. "As soon as Ronon gets back we'll get to work getting that device out of you."
"I don't know why we can't do this right here," Caleth said looking around at their immediate area.
Absently, while still plucking away at his tablet Rodney spoke up, "This would be a terrible place to be if the Wraith came through the gate and we were in the middle of the procedure." Completely engrossed in the different scans and programs on the tablet, Rodney moved off to the right to avoid a lot of continued conversation.
About that moment the gate activated. "Take cover," Rodney yelled at Jennifer who was already grabbing one of her bags. "Sheppard," Rodney yelled into the com link, "we have company."
"I hear that, Rodney, take cover and let me know who comes through, everyone else back to the gate." Sheppard turned and started jogging back towards the gate. "I thought this was supposed to be an uninhabited planet," Sheppard threw at Kiryk as they made their way back to the gate.
"It is," he yelled back.
"Let's hope that's not Wraith coming through," Sheppard ground out.
Back at the gate Caleth followed Jennifer heading for cover to the left of the gate just as the gate whooshed to life.
For Rodney to the right of the gate and Caleth and Jennifer to left not a breath was taken as they waited to see who was coming through.
Seconds later Wraith trackers began to appear, "Sheppard," Rodney whispered, "they're Wraith trackers."
"We're almost there, Rodney, how many are there?"
"Eight came through before the gate closed down. Oh, crap," Rodney exclaimed, "they're looking at their tracking devices. Jennifer is with Caleth hiding on the other side of the gate."
Rodney fired his P-90 and began hollering as he ran away from the gate… and Jennifer. He hoped the Wraith would follow him away from Jennifer, away from the gate and towards his team.
"I think I have them following me," he shrieked into his com. As Rodney ran and dogged through the forest trying to avoid the Wraith blasts, he fired shots from his P-90 over his shoulder.
"We are almost there, Rodney, hang on," came Teyla's voice over the com.
Jennifer watched Rodney take off with the Wraith on his tail and knew he was doing that to protect her. While she listened to the com link and tried to stay alert scanning the area she didn't notice Caleth had snuck back to the gate with her bags.
Jennifer snuck closer to him, "What are you doing?" she hissed as she watched him dial the gate. She could hear gun fire in the distance and knew the teams would take care of the Wraith on the ground.
"I'm preventing any more Wraith from coming through the gate," he called back as he made his way back to her and the gate whooshed to life.
He grabbed her upper arm and began hauling her toward the gate with some of the medical bags slung over his shoulder, "We need to get out of here before more Wraith show up."
"I can't leave without my teams," she answered him while trying to dig her feet in. The man was stronger then she thought and despite her struggling they were fast approaching the gate.
"Sheppard," Ronon yelled over the com.
"I hear it," Sheppard answered back while taking out another of the Wraith. "How many are left?"
"I think three," Ronon answered.
"Colonel," Teyla called over the com, "they're heading back toward the gate."
"I hope those aren't reinforcements coming through," Sheppard shouted out as they all were making it toward the gate at high speeds.
As the gate came into view Sheppard heard Ronon roar, "No… Jennifer…no…"
When Sheppard finally got a good view he saw the gate was open and the Runner was pulling Jennifer toward the gate. The remaining Wraith were closing in on them quickly.
Ronon's blaster took out another of the Wraith, but the other two were about to reach Jennifer. Ronon watched as she gave him a long stare before she relented, grabbed her two bags remaining by the gate before allowing Caleth to pull her through the gate. Ronon fired his blaster many more times, but only took out one of the two remaining Wraith, the last one made a lunge at the gate and made it through right before it shut down.
Ronon was pacing back and forth in front of the gate while Rodney made his way to the gate with Lorne's team right on his tail.
"Rodney get over here, we need to know where they went, now," Sheppard hollered, he too was pacing in front of the gate. "This is not good." He turned toward Kiryk, "Does Caleth have a weapon?"
"No, I don't think so," he said with worry evident in his voice.
"So he has a tracking device in his back, a Wraith hot on their tail and the jinxed doctor with them, and no weapon, that is not a good combination," Sheppard ranted.
"She has a gun," came the low voice of Ronon.
Everyone looked at Ronon with shock on their faces.
"I've been teaching her," he ground out.
"Any time now, Rodney," Sheppard prodded the scientist.
"If you just would've used the Jumper like I suggested this would've never happened. We could've been cloaked if needed and would've had the ability to fly and fire drones if necessary." Rodney looked up to see if anyone was listening and found several sets of eyes glaring at him, "I'm just saying…"
Sheppard looked over at Kiryk, "Where do you think he would've gone?"
"I'd try the next planet in the list," Kiryk replied, "He knows it should be uninhabited."
"Ok then," Rodney said as he turned to start dialing the gate, only to find the gate already dialing.
"I'm not doing that," Rodney yelled, "incoming."
"Everyone take cover, be careful… it could be the Doc and Caleth, but most likely it's more Wraith coming through," came Sheppard's orders.
Four more Wraith trackers came through before the gate shut down. It took the teams about four minutes to take out the new Wraith hunting party.
"Ok, let's go find the Doc," Sheppard announced into the com as they all made their way back to the gate.
While he was dialing Rodney snuck a look at Ronon who was pacing back and forth near the DHD. "I'm sorry I left her at the gate, Ronon," Rodney said with regret in his voice.
Ronon stopped pacing and walked toward the scientist, causing him to cringe. When he stopped in front of Rodney he spoke, "You did the right thing. They'd never have been able to hold off eight Wraith until we could get back to them."
By this time the gate had established the worm hole to the next planet on the list, "He's right, Rodney, you did good," Sheppard said as we walked by Rodney and through the gate, his P-90 raised.
Rodney was the last to come through the gate and his jaw dropped for a moment at the sight. There, lying on the ground about 20 feet from the gate was a dead Wraith.
Ronon walked up to the Wraith and looked down at it. "That's my girl," they heard Ronon say proudly before he and Kiryk started following the tracking signal on Kiryk's tracking device.
Lorne chuckled when he saw the looks on the faces of his men; they were all grinning ear to ear. "Sanchez, Reynolds, guard the gate," Lorne ordered, "Jacobs, you're with me."
Rodney quickly retrieved the tracking device off of the dead Wraith, excited to finally have his own working tracking device and took off in the direction the rest had taken.
Lorne looked at Sheppard and Teyla who were the only others not following the trail yet. "We better be there when Ronon catches up to Doc and the Runner if you are hoping to do any of the yelling or punching."
Sheppard gave a short chuckle before taking off at a trot in the direction the others had taken.
A/N: I feel the most out of my comfort zone writing the teams offworld, hope that the scene was clear and not confusing.