Authors' Note: Hi there, just so you know, this story was co-authored with my friend Nimeria. This story is as much hers as mine.

Disclaimer: We don't own anyone or anything you recognize. Except for ourselves. And that last bit's only a "maybe" on a good day.

Why to Always Have an Escape Route

Chapter 15

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(Jessie runs and hides behind Taylor.)

Taylor: What?

(Ronon looks for Kolya's men. Teal'c stands with his gun raised.)

Jessie: IT BIT ME!

Mary: It did not bite you.

Jessie: Well, then it moved!

Jack: (wakes up from a light nap) What now?

Taylor: (looks over at jack) Jessie touched the panel (Sam glares at Jessie, who smiles her innocent Cheshire cat grin back) and it lit up.

Ronon: Why was she screaming?

Jess: It bit me!

Mary: It didn't.

Jessie: Fine. Then it not-bit me.

Ronon: And you screamed?

Jessie: Yes.

(Ronon stares at the girl for a minute, notices the way Taylor is glaring at him and the fact that Mary seems to be daring him to continue)

Sheppard: Let it go.

Ronon: She-

Sheppard: (glares) I said let it go.

(Ronon glares at Jessie, who has sidled nervously closer to her twin, for a moment longer before nodding and sitting back down. Taylor shoots Sheppard a thankful look which he acknowledges with a smile.)

Sheppard: So what's with the lights? McKay? (He looks at Rodney who is now examining the panel with Sam.)

McKay: Well, it...ah, moved.

Jack: ...and?

(McKay gives Jack a look.)

Jack: Right. Keep on it then. (closes eyes again)

Taylor: (pokes Jessie who is now unsuccessfully trying to stare down Ronon) Twin? Do it again.

Jessie: What?

Daniel: Are you sure that's wise?

Jess: Yeah, it BIT ME, remember.

Mary: It DID NOT bite you.

Jess: Oh, right. (glares at Ronon)

Ronon: Would you stop doing that?

Taylor: Here. (she escorts Jessie to the pedestal) Do it again so we know what you did in the first place.

(Jessie tentatively pokes the grid again. The grid piece she poked clearly moves to the right and the others slide around as well.)

(silence for a moment)

McKay: Cool.

Sam: Very Cool.

Jack: (with his eyes still closed) What happened?

Teal'c: The panel shifted.

Jack: Just tell me when there's something for me to do.

Jessie: Was that a bad thing?

(Sam and McKay shrug. Mitchell comes quietly sprinting down the little hall)

Mitchell: What happened? I heard a faint scream.

Jessie: (pouting) IT-

Mary: (in a warning tone) Glitter...

Jessie: Nothing's wrong, I guess. I got scared when it moved.

Mitchell: (confused puppy face) What moved?

Sheppard: Shouldn't you be guarding or something?

Mitchell: I set up some Claymores.

(Taylor rolls her eyes and mutters something about testosterone and explosions while Sheppard glares at Mitchell.)

Sheppard: You set up claymores in the city? And not just in the city but in the hallway we have to run back up to get out of here? Tell me you're kidding!

Mitchell: Oh. (blinks) I never thought of it that way.

Sam: I'm just gonna keep my opinion to myself.

Taylor: (to jess) Poke it again.

Jessie: But-

(In the background the military goons are having a debate over something to do with claymores and escape routes.)

Taylor: Please twin.

(Jessie hesitates and pokes the panel again. The tiles slide around yet again. One of them slides into a corner and makes a chinking sound. Confused Jessie tries to move it but it won't budge.)

Jessie: Ummm. Guys? (everyone turns to look at her.) Now this one won't move.

Daniel: Maybe it means that that's where it's supposed to be.

Sam: So like a sliding puzzle.

Daniel: Yeah. I guess. I mean I really have no idea. There's writing on the tiles but its gibberish. I assume that means there's a certain order they're supposed to go in. There's little figures down in the bottom right-hand corner that probably signify where each tile is supposed to go in the grid.

Jack: What? Tile? Grid? Figures?

Sheppard: Don't worry about it sir. We've got it covered. (turns back to them) We do have it covered right?

Daniel: No. The tiles chink into place and won't move when they hit the right spot but we have no way of knowing what goes where. And if too many tiles chink into place before we get a basic idea of what it should look like, we run the risk of not being able to move some of the tiles into their spots.

Sheppard: Oh.

McKay: So who wants to try and not screw up the puzzle?

Mary: Let Jessie do it.

Every one but Mary and Taylor: What?!

Taylor: No. Mary's right. Jess is pretty good at these kinds of things and she was the one who activated it in the first place so...

Mitchell: But she has no idea what she's doing on this one.

Jessie: (sits before pedestal and happily begins poking away at the tiles) I never do.

Jack: (glares at Mary) If this doesn't work...

Mary: Yes, yes, you'll cut me up into little tiny pieces and dissolve them in acid.

McKay: Eww.

Taylor: Jack? You wouldn't do that would you? That's mean.

Jack: What? It wasn't my idea!

(Mary and Taylor giggle.)

Jack: Oh, you two, just, Go Sit Over There!

(Mary and Taylor giggle more and walk to the designated time-out spot.)

Sam: So, Jessie, do you have any idea what you're doing?

Jessie: I poke them. They move.

Sam: Yes, but, what about...

Jessie: I think I've got it.

Sam: (dejected) Oh. Well, if you need help...

Jessie: (looks up and smiles) I'll ask you first, okay?

(Sam smiles)

Daniel: Hey, why not me? I'm good at puzzles.

(No one answers, as all are settling in again.)

Daniel: Hey?!

Jack: It's no use. Cards?

Mitchell: Fine. But we're not done with this.

Sheppard: Indeed not.

(Mitchell takes a seat. Mary and Taylor resume the game of tiddlywinks.)

Ronon: Any idea how long this is going to take? We're on enemy territory here, and everyone else is locked up.

McKay: (gloomily) Oh, who knows. It could be minutes, hours, Days...

Sam: Cheer up. You're making ME feel depressed.

McKay: Hmm? Oh, sorry. I'm sure this will all work out just fine. Unless we all die first.

(Sheppard just shakes his head.)

(Some time later, now Mary and Teal'c are playing tiddlywinks, while Taylor

coaches Teal'c on how to play.)

Jessie: (piece slides in with a chink) Uh, Guys? I think that was the last one.

(Everyone looks up, but no one really gets up, knowing this would probably just be a waste of effort.)

Daniel: (walks over) Hmm...

(A few minutes later…)

Jack: WHAT?

Daniel: It's no use. It's still gibberish.

Jack: (getting angry) Jessie...Mary...just how are you going to fix this, huh?

Daniel: Oh, no, the pieces are all in the right places. The markers on the tiles tell us that. It's just that the symbols don't make coherent since.

Sheppard: Now what?

Taylor: (looks at Mary pointedly)

Mary: What?

Taylor: (nods at the panel)

Mary: What?

Taylor: (nods at the panel again and phases her hand through the floor)

Mary: Taylor use words!

Jessie: She wants you to see if it makes sense to you because your power is you can read languages.

Mary: Why couldn't she just say that?

Jessie: Because she's trying the stoic silent thing and just signed it.

Mary: Why?

Jessie: Because she-

Jack: Ladies! (they look up guiltily) Mary could you please just look at the panels.

Mary: Okay I guess.

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