Chapter Five
Year 82 of the Wraith War
Galeb took his sidearm out of its holster and began to walk down the dark corridor. He stepped over the debris and a few bodies that were scattered along on the floor. Galeb walked as quiet as he could down the corridor, behind him one of the survivors slipped and made a loud crash as they landed in a pile of debris.
He closed his eyes and listened for any other movement. The loud whine had finally gone away but it had circled the ship several times before it decided to leave. Everyone knew what the whine was, it was a Wraith ship coming down to check on the Nona. If the ship had come down then they obviously saw that most of the ship had survived the crash. They would come to make sure no Lantians had survived the crashed ship.
"Sir, we've got to get off this deck and to one of the more damaged ones. Then we can crawl out of one of the breaches in the hull," said Brant from behind him.
"They've probably already landed troops on the ground, we have to be quiet as we move throughout the ship," said Galeb.
Galeb looked back at the other survivors, most of them had their sidearms out and ready to fire at any Wraith they saw. Some of them held their wounds, a few even leaned on another person for support. They couldn't outrun any Wraith even if they wanted to. He turned and started walking down the next corridor, the walls were cracked and crumbling from the crash. The metal was torn and twisted by the force of the Nona hitting the ground. Brant walked behind Galeb in the dark hallway, they're feet clunked down the damaged floor plates.
The ship shook violently and Galeb fell to the ground, he could hear the whump from an explosion in another part of the ship. Galeb felt the fear twinge inside of him as the ship now turned deathly quiet after the blast. He got to his feet and felt the sweat that now began to collect on his brow. It mixed with the blood that was dryinig on his face and made a sick metallic smell.
A woman from behind them yelled. "What the hell was that?"
Galeb got to his feet and looked at her, "I think it was the Wraith blasting a way on board the ship."
She gasped and bowed her head, she quietly began to cry as they all watched her. The woman backed up and fell against the wall, she slowy slid down it and sat on the ground. She held her face in her hands as Galeb walked over to her. He looked down at her, "Why are you doing that?"
"I don't know," she whispered.
He held out his hand, "This planet still has a Stargate. We can still escape back to Atlantis."
She looked up at him, her eyes were red rimmed and tears were dropping down her face. She breathed in deeply, "I don't want to die here."
"You won't. C'mon lets go before they find us," said Galeb as she reached up and took his hand. He helped her to her feet and she wiped the tears from her eyes. Galeb started walking again as she took out her sidearm.
Galeb looked through the massive tear in the side of the Nona, the planets bright sun shone down through the clouds and illuminated the ground. The ground outside had many trees and there was a thick layer of snow on the forest floor. Galeb scanned the treeline closely looking for any sign of movement, the only thing moving was the trees from the light breeze that was blowing through the forest. He listened very carefully and no sounds could be heard except the wind and few a fires sitll burning from the crash.
He reached up and wiped the blood off of his face with his shirt before looking back inside. The survivors waited for what he said, they all had a look of worry on their faces. "Its clear," he told them.
"Alright, you heard him. Lets get to the Stargate...," Brant was interupted as one of the surviving crewmen fell with a loud cry. Everyone looked at the man then down the corridor. Several Wraith warriors and officers ran towards them, they began to fire their stunners at their food.
Galeb took cover and aimed his weapon at the Wraith as they charged for them. He fired and a Wraith warrior fell to the ground doing a tumble as it landed. "Run!"
The fifteen surviving Lantians began their mad dash into the forest outside. The Wraith reached the tear in the ship and began to chase them out into the forest. Stunner blasts flew through the air, hitting trees and throwing up snow as they missed their targets. Galeb sprinted into the forest as the sounds of stunner fire continued to ring through the air all around him. He ducked as a blast flew over his head and hit a tree, the tree shook as the energy dispersed.
Galeb turned and fire off a shot back at the Wraith warrior who was chasing him, its grey armor glinted in the bright sunlight. It was getting closer to him now, he could hear its heavy footsteps and laboured breathing. Galeb jumped over a fallen tree and continued to sprint away from the Nona and the Wraith who had boarded it. He could see his breath in the cold winter, it was quick and short as he ran from certain death. He reached a small hill and he tried to stop. His footing slid out and he began to tumble down the hill. The world spun and flipped upside down as he fell in an uncontrollable roll down the hill. His shoulder hit a fallen tree and it tore into his flesh, the wound began to bleed rapidly.
He finally hit the bottom of the hill and Galeb layed on his back for a second trying to get his barings. He looked back up the hill and saw the Wraith coming down the hill towards him. Its blue skin was visible as it slowly and carefully ran down the hill towards him. Its face plate designs could easily be seen as it came down towards him. Galeb slowly got to his feet and fired off a shot at the Wraith, the blast hit a tree next to him. The tree ignited into a fire at the spot he had hit.
The sound of trees moving and braches snapping off to his left caught his attention. Another Wraith was coming through the forest towards him, it was an officer this time. Its dark blue/black trench coat shined as it ran towards him. Galeb fired at the Wraith on the hill, and the blast hit it square in the chest. It gave a howl of pain before it fell and rolled down the hill throwing up snow and breaking braches as it tumbled.
Galeb turned and began to run as the Wraith to his left fired and the blast hit the snow throwing it up into the air. He began to sprint again, his leg throbbed from the wounds he had on his leg. The blood continued to pump out of the wound on his shoulder as he ran. He was beginning to become winded from all the sprinting and blood loss. He continued to run from the Wraith who chased his food with a blood lust.
The sounds of screaming in the distance caught his ears, followed by more screaming. The sounds of Wraith fighters flew overhead as they searched for the survivors from the Lantian ship who had challanged them. Laser fire rang out in the distance and was followed by the steady reply of Wraith stunners. He dug his feet in the deep snow and continued to run from the blueish green creature. Galeb continued to run as the Wraith shot again, it missed and flew off into the forest.
Galebs right foot caught on a tree branch in the densely packed snow. He fell into the snow and his face burned from the cold snow touching it. He rolled over and onto his back as the Wraith caught up, it stood over him looking down at its prey. The slime and sweat on its face glinted in the sunlight, its large teeth were bared as it looked down at him. Its white hair hung down losely over the trench coat, as it caught its breath for a few seconds. Galeb raised his weapon at the Wraith but it hit from his hand and it landed in the snow several feet from him. Galeb gazed up into its eyes as it bent down to feed. The coldness in its eyes burned into him an image he would never forget for the last few seconds of his life. The Wraith raised his right arm and swung down.
The sound of a laser blast echoed through the air and the Wraiths chest burst into sparks and charred flesh. The creature fell down onto Galeb and he sat gazing up into the sky as heavy footsteps approached. Whoever had shot the Wraith was now a few feet from him and getting closer. Brants face looked down at Galeb who still layed in the snow with the Wraiths body on him. Brant reached down and threw the Wraith off of him, its dead body was limp as it landed in the snow.
"I thought I was too late when I fired," said Brant as he took Galebs hand and pulled him out of the snow.
Galeb stood, he was still in a state of shock as to how close to death he was, and not just death but brutal extremely painful death. If the shot had been a tenth of second later the Wraith would have started to feed on him. He looked over at Brant in disbelief, he hadn't died.
"Thanks. I thought I was gone," replied Galeb.
"Well," Brant said looking off into the forest as another scream of pain rang out in the distance. "I think were just about all thats left."
The sound of a Wraith fighter echoed from overhead as the Wraith continued to track down every last Lantian. "Our only chance is to get to the Stargate," said Galeb looking at Brant.
Brant nodded and they began to jog through the forest as more stunner fire echoed through the forest, it was followed by Lantian weapons fire. They both ran off towards the Galinishi Stargate as the Wraith continued to search.