Fubar

The entrance to the underground passage had been easy enough to locate, but it had taken sometime to remove all the foliage that was growing over it so that it could be opened.

The tunnel was in fairly good condition, some tree roots had managed to push there way through the stone roof, but the tunnel looked solid enough. There were however, pillars of stone everywhere, as if the builders of the tunnels had been uncertain if the roof would remain intact, there were pillars every so many feet on either side of the tunnel and in the middle of the tunnel, making it impossible to walk in a straight line, and relying on flashlights to cut through the inky blackness gave the whole thing a nightmarish feel.

"Colonel," McKay said softly, "turn the flashlights off."

John turned back to look at McKay, a ghostly figure illuminated in the light of the life signs scanner. "Why?" he asked.

"Got two life signs heading our way," McKay replied.

"Flashlights off," John snapped to the marines and Ronon, "behind the pillars."

The tunnel was suddenly in darkness, a faint glow could be seen in the distance.

"I picked up a faint energy reading when we entered the tunnel," McKay explained in a whisper to Sheppard. "Part of the complex must have some form of light."

"The life signs you picked up are probably a patrol," Sheppard whispered back.

"Doubt they will come into this tunnel," Ronon said, as quietly as he could. "They probably already explored it and thought it was a dead end."

"Even if they did look up, the plant roots would have covered the entrance hatch from view," Sheppard added.

"They're nearly here," McKay whispered. Everyone pressed back into the walls, McKay holding the detector to his chest, extinguishing the light.

Sheppard cautiously looked around one of the pillars, seeing two shapes moving into the faint glow. They seemed to pause for a few seconds before moving off.

"McKay," Sheppard said.

McKay lowered the detector from his chest. "Moving away," he confirmed.

"Okay guys," Sheppard said, "let's head for the light at the end of the tunnel."

SGASGASGASGASGASGASGASGASGASGASGA

They paused at the end of the tunnel, staying in the shadows as McKay checked the detector.

"Eight life signs, that way," McKay said softly, pointing east. "Sixty meters."

"Rosta, you and your squad set up a perimeter, keep this tunnel clear," Sheppard ordered. "The rest of you, let's go."

They moved into the lit tunnels, moving in the direction McKay indicated, Ronon taking point. They cautiously made their way down the tunnel until Ronon suddenly stopped, signaling everyone to back up against the wall behind the pillars.

They talked silently in hand signals for a few moments, Sheppard nodding his approval. Ronon moved out from behind the pillar and advanced quickly down the tunnel, Sheppard hot on his heels.

The two guards were caught by surprise at their sudden appearance. Ronon stunning them before they even thought of bringing their weapons to bear. The first guard went down like a puppet with its string's suddenly cut. The second guard slammed against a panel near the entranceway to the room, before sliding to the floor.

The door suddenly slammed shut and a wail of an alarm began.

"Shit," Sheppard swore as he ran to the door, slapping a hand on the control panel, nothing happened. "McKay …"

"Hostiles coming in," McKay called, looking at the life signs detector. "Fast."

"Defense positions," Sheppard yelled, just as the first shot ricocheted of the pillar next to his head. "Ronon, keep that thing on stun, " he ordered, "fire above their heads," he instructed the marines, "keep them pinned down."

The noise was deafening in the confines of the tunnel, bits of stone flying in all directions as bullets hit the pillars.

Sheppard let off another quick burst before ducking behind the pillar again; he did a quick visual on the rest of the team and stared in shock as McKay sent a burst of automatic weapons fire down the tunnel.

"McKay!" he yelled. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Keeping the bad guys from killing us?" McKay shouted back.

"Get the damn door open," Sheppard yelled, indicating the door next to him. "Ronon, covering fire."

Ronon let loose a flurry of shots, as McKay dashed from one side of the tunnel to the other, joining Sheppard next to the door.

"What's gotten into you lately," Sheppard growled. "Get Lorne and the others out," he ordered, as he turned to send another burst of gunfire down the tunnel.

"They've figured it out," Ronon yelled at Sheppard. Sheppard peer around the pillar, pulling his head back quickly as a bullet hit the pillar sending up a shower of stone fragments. The quick look he got told him all he needed to know. The hostiles at the end of the tunnel had realized that they weren't being injured or killed, the bullets going above their heads, they were only being stunned.

"McKay, we're going to be over run any minute now. How's that door coming?" he asked, starting to swing round to face McKay.

"Fire in the hole!" McKay suddenly yelled.

"What the …….!" Sheppard said, spinning round to see McKay stick a fuse in a block of C4 which was molded against the door panel. "McKay! What …….?" he came to an abrupt finish as McKay grabbed him and hauled them both behind the pillar on the other side of the doorway.

McKay hit the detonator.