A/N: Okay this is a shorty chapter but I only have a few minutes to type this up before I have to go back to work (I'm working a double today, jump for joy – note the sarcasm) and I didn't want to leave you guys hanging…too much anyway.
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John didn't get very far before the sounds of explosions and gunfire reached his ears. Turning around he quickly rushed back in the direction of Tiran. Reaching the edge of the village he paused at the carnage before him. The Ishtan forces had moved quickly and thoroughly through the village, he couldn't have been gone more than an hour but homes had been completely destroyed, fields were burning and…John had to force himself not to be sick when he saw all of the bodies of the children, and elderly every where. By the looks of it they had been drag from their homes lined up and shot, execution style.
Moving through the village almost trance like John prayed he didn't find the bodies he was looking for. Reaching the other side of the village he dropped to his knees in sorrow when he found the bodies of Lenora and Merkin. Kneeling there in thier blood John felt a rage unlike anything he'd ever felt before wash through him, it was one thing for those Ishtan beasts to kill a wounded soldier but to kill civilians that was crossing a serious hatred line in his book – a line not even Kolya had crossed.
Hearing something moving behind him John twisted around ready to take on any Ishtan soldiers that might still be around.
"Wow, easy Sheppard it's me Jaden." Having managed to get up close behind John before being heard Jaden was able to effortlessly shove the nuzzle of John's rifle to the side sending the bullet into the side of a near by building.
"Damn Jaden don't you know it's a bad idea to sneak up behind an armed soldier?" John growled, lowering his gun.
"And don't you know that it's a bad idea to drop your guard in a war zone."
"Point taken," John turned back to survey the massacred.
"Killed because they would not be ideal slave labor, to the Ishtan they would have been a waste of resources." Jaden explained.
"What about the rest of your infantry?" John finally noticed that Jaden was alone.
"Either dead, captured, or separated like me…mostly dead."
"You tell the truth when you name them beasts. What will you do now that your men are gone?"
"Join up with the twelfth most likely. There trying to free the captured."
"I'll go with you."
"No. I'll take you to command. They'll have a way for you to contact your people."
"That can wait. Right now you need my help freeing your people from those beasts." Nodding his head in approval Jaden turned and led John away from the village.
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"Dr. Weir?" Chuck poked his head into Elizabeth's office.
"Yes, Chuck?" Elizabeth looked up from the reports she was going over.
"Major Lorne's ready to bring Ambassador Lar through the gate, just waiting on your final approval."
"Tell him to go ahead." Elizabeth nodded as she stood up and started for the door. As Chuck radioed Lorne through the open wormhole Elizabeth contacted Rodney, Teyla, and Ronon, telling them to meet in the conference room.
Elizabeth reached the bottom of the stair case just as Lorne's team and the ambassador stepped through the gate. "Ambassador Lar it's a pleasure, I'm Dr. Weir." Elizabeth put on her diplomat face as she greeted the Ambassador. "Welcome to Atlantis."
"The pleasure's mine, Dr. Weir." Lar inclined his head in greeting.
"I would like to thank you for agreeing to help us find Colonel Sheppard."
"Your thanks are unnecessary, Doctor. Any victims of those savage Delran beasts will always find friends among the Ishtan people."
"And we appreciate that," Elizabeth started to turn intending to lead Lar towards the staircase. "I would like to have a team of my men on your world as soon as possible looking for the Colonel."
"Of course but I should warn you that given the situation in the killing fields, there is a very high probability that any teams you send in will sustain heavy casualties. May I suggest that you keep your team as small as possible? I of course will send a commando unit along with them."
"Fine, when do we leave?" Pausing, Elizabeth spotted Ronon walking into the gate room checking then holstering his weapon. Next to him both Teyla and Rodney stood in full mission gear. She gave Rodney a questioning look.
"It's my turn." Was the reply she got from him. That got him a raised eyebrow, "Sheppard and me we've gotten into this habit of saving each other's lives…it's my turn." Rodney explained further as if it should have been common knowledge.
"You honor you friend well, willing to risk your lives for him." Lar spoke with admiration in his voice. He turned to Elizabeth, "I would be honored to send my men into combat with your people Dr. Weir."
"Of course, whenever you're a ready." Elizabeth smiled diplomatically.
Lar inclined his head then moved back to stand next to Rodney as they waited for the gate to dial. Rodney had to force himself not to shudder as he stood next to the Ishtan Ambassador; he was never going to be able to watch the 'Predator' movies again after this, which was a shame because he'd actually liked those movies oddly enough.