"Next time I find something interesting on the scans remind me to see if it is reachable by Jumper." McKay wheezed as he traversed the alien terrain.
"Next time perhaps you should not assign all the bad jobs to Zelenka." Sheppard said before offering. "We can go back if you want." Secretly wanting off the planet as much as McKay.
"After hiking ten miles? I've made it this far, I'll go on." The physicist wheezed.
"How magnanimous of you." Sheppard shot back.
"Yes well, I'm a team player." McKay replied, seemingly oblivious to the sarcasm in Sheppard's voice, moments before he nearly walked straight into Ronon's back. Assuming Ronon's abrupt stop was due to imminent danger he quickly drew his revolver, nearly dropping it in the process, and crouched down.
"Everything ok buddy?" Sheppard asked carefully scanning the surroundings.
"Yeah."
"Then why'd we stop?" McKay asked standing. Ronon didn't answer, instead he started walking.
"I'll talk to him." Teyla assured Sheppard as she moved to the front of the group to walk along side Ronon.
"Is everything ok?" Teyla inquired.
"Yes." Ronon replied without turning his head.
"Then why are you grimacing?"
"I'm not."
"Ronon, you are frowning and pulling a face, two signs that you are suffering some discomfort."
"My head hurts." Ronon confessed.
"Badly?"
"No." Ronon answered, although Teyla was not convinced.
"Why are you squinting."
"Cos it's bright."
"It is not that bright." Teyla argued, growing more concerned.
"Yes it is." Ronon growled in an all too familiar tone Teyla immediately recognised as her queue to drop the subject. Instead she dropped back, carefully keeping an eye on the former runner.
"What's up?" Sheppard asked having hurried to Teyla's side.
"I think he is unwell." Teyla said.
"How bad?"
"He only admits to a headache, but he is clearly in pain."
"Crap." Sheppard muttered before turning back to McKay.
"McKay how far 'til whatever it is we are looking for?"
"Not far."
"How far?" Sheppard pressed.
"Ok the source of the energy is coming from right over there." McKay said pointing to a solid looking rocky structure.
"That's a cliff face Rodney." Sheppard pointed out before calling Ronon back.
"Well there must be a hidden entrance." McKay said.
"A hidden entrance?" Sheppard asked cynically.
"Yes."
"Well then you'd better find it." Sheppard said.
"That's Conan's job." McKay argued.
"No that's your job."
"Fine. I'll do everything, like normal." McKay muttered as he started scouring the cliff face for an entrance.
"However, you could help Chewie." Sheppard said when Rodney was out of ear shot. Ronon, however, just stood staring into the distance. "Ronon." Sheppard said louder.
"What?"
"I said you could help find the entrance."
"Entrance?" Ronon asked.
"Which leads to what we're looking for." Sheppard explained. "so you could help find it." He added slowly. Ronon shrugged and walked off.
"Ok that was weird. He is definitely not ok. Did you notice anything before we left?" Sheppard asked.
"He was fine during our sparring session last night." Teyla replied.
"Stay close to him." Sheppard ordered. "If you think he is getting worse we'll abort."
Nodding, Teyla walked off to become Ronon's shadow.
"Found it." McKay eventually shouted.
"When you say found it are you referring to what we are looking for or the way to find what we are looking for?" Sheppard queried.
"Seeing how I was looking for a way into the solid rock I found what I was looking for." McKay replied.
"But not what we are actually looking for?" Sheppard pressed, wanting to wrap the mission up.
"No, but according to these readings we are close."
"Then lead the way and find it quickly." Sheppard ordered, leaving the physicist feeling like he was missing out on some vital information.
McKay squinted his eyes at Sheppard before leading the team through a narrow passage that led into the rocky cliff. Sheppard and Teyla watching Ronon's every step.
After thirty metres the narrow passage opened up into a giant cavern. McKay looked at his scanner again before changing his bearing and marching off.
"Ok it's over there." McKay eventually said pointing across a very shallow gully.
"So?" Sheppard asked.
"So I need you and Conan to go get it."
"Why can't you get it?"
"Because it involves scaling a wall and the threat of a fifteen foot drop."
"So?" Sheppard continued to probe.
"So I hate heights. I'd probably look down, get dizzy, fall, break a leg and then you'd have to carry me back with me complaining." McKay argued.
"I see your point." Sheppard conceded. "So what do we need to do exactly?"
"You see that stoney type thing on the alter type thing?"
"Yes." Sheppard replied, unimpressed by Rodney's description.
"Bring it back."
"Will it cause us to swap bodies?" Sheppard probed.
"Unlikely."
"That's not a no." Sheppard pointed out, his doubts growing.
"Highly unlikely, but to be on the safe side let Ronon touch it so you don't activate it."
"What if it is already activated?" Sheppard asked.
"That's why you are going across." McKay explained.
"Ronon, we need to go get that stone thing." Sheppard called over.
"Why doesn't McKay go?" Ronon growled.
"He's afraid of heights." Sheppard answered.
"You want me to go over there and grab the rock because you are afraid of a fifteen foot drop?" Ronon asked in disbelief having walked to the edge and seen just how shallow the gully was.
"Yes." McKay answered, causing Ronon to growl. However, wanting to return to Atlantis the big Satedan found a foothold on the cliff face and began to edge his way across.
"Umm you should probably go to incase it is already activated and you need to turn it off." McKay said turning to Sheppard. Rolling his eyes Sheppard followed Ronon across.
By the time he had made it to the other side Ronon had already placed the rock-type object in his pocket.
"Lets go." The Satedan growled trying to find some purchase.
"Um ok." Sheppard replied, as he reversed his path. "Something wrong?"
"No." Ronon growled as he started to edge across. He was half way back when he gasped in pain. Snapping his head round to look at his friend the Colonel asked.
"Ronon, what's wrong?"
"Hurts." He managed to say through clenched teeth.
"Where?"
"Si-" Ronon started to say before he screamed out in pain. The wave of intense agony that washed over his body caused him to loose his grip on the cliff and fall down the fifteen foot drop.