Start Chapter 15
"Getting an IDC?" Colonel Carter asked as the incoming wormhole formed.
"Major Irving's team," the technician called lowering the shield without waiting for the order.
Carter walked over to the technician, "they're back early." As the team walked back early she was relieved to see that none of them appeared to be hurt. As the team entered the gate room she moved down the stairs to greet them and ascertain why they were early.
When he saw her walking down the stairs he looked over the scientist at his side and gave her a reassuring smile it was going to be a long debriefing. "I'm afraid we've got some bad news Colonel."
she had known that since he had first walked through the gate but his tone and concerned look to his teammate and told her that whatever it was it was worse than what she had excepted, "What Major?"
"We've found some of the Athosians," he said giving a sideways glance towards the scientist.
"They were dead," she said sheepishly.
"Are you sure?" Carter's mind was already attempting to deal with all of the ramifications this would cause.
Irving nodded to the rest of his team that they could go and get changed, "Yes we're sure I saw them myself you'll need to send someone to check it out and do a full autopsy of the bodies I don't know what killed them but they weren't exactly normal."
"What do you mean?"
"Can it wait for the debriefing in ten minutes?"
She nodded and headed to her office where she called Rodney and Ronon to the briefing room.
***
"What's up Sam?"
"We've found the Athosians,"
They heard it in her voice but asked anyway, "Dead?"
"Yes hopefully it's not all of them; Major Irving's team will be here in a minute for a full debriefing."
They both took a seat Rodney incessantly hounding Sam for answers she didn't have and Ronon just sitting there. After a few minutes the team arrived took their seats and began the debriefing.
"When we first arrived in the city it looked pretty deserted so we headed into the buildings searching for anything," the Major nodded to the scientist indicating that she should continue.
She took a sip of water nervously before continuing, "I entered what looked like some sort of hospital but when I got inside the technology was much more advanced than what they should have been there. The rest of the buildings looked to be early industrial revolution but the medical technology looked like it might have been wraith. When I got further into the structure it was obvious that it was wraith tech I was seeing and then I saw these well I guess they were some kind of pod,"
"By that point I was there and I saw the bodies to, it took me a minute to see that it was the Athosians but it was definitely them although they were different."
"Different how?"
"I don't know how to describe it just they were different like not completely human."
"What do you mean?"
"Their faces didn't look entirely human I mean they were human but different they weren't hurt but changed like some sort of mutation."
"Ok Rodney I want you to check it out see what the wraith were doing to them Major Lorne's team will be leaving shortly. Ronon I'd like you to talk to Teyla she'll probably want to come back and see who it is."
They nodded at least it was only four or five Athosians but that didn't tell them where the rest were; as the team got up and left they were solemn their closest allies who had been missing for months had just been found dead.
***
The pilot landed the jumper and lowered the exit ramp without saying a word, "Do you need me to stay or is Colonel Sheppard going to take you back?"
"You can head back," he said leaving and jogging towards the ship. When he entered he headed towards where he remembered the command center was. The ship was lighter then he remembered it had been dark and difficult to navigate it was now very brightly lit with blue and white lights as he approached a corner he heard two people talking one he knew was Sheppard but he didn't recognize the second one. They were speaking quickly and their sentences didn't entirely make sense they seemed to be speaking in half sentences as if they read each other's mind and only spoke some things out loud.
He rounded the corner, "Hello Ronon."
"Sheppard I need to talk to Teyla do you know where she is?"
Sheppard turned to the pedestal where the blue hologram resided, "Ancient where is she?"
"Sleeping in the bedroom,"
"Which bedroom?" Ronon asked Ancient nervously.
"There is only one Specialist Dex and I'm sure Sheppard will be happy to escort you there,"
"There's only one bed on the ship?" he asked with a raised eyebrow at Sheppard.
"Yes, I've been sleeping in the observation lounge."
"hmmp let's go,"
"So why do you need to talk to Teyla?"
"We found some of the Athosians," he said sadly.
"Are they ok?"
"No. They're dead," he tried to deadpan it, but John could hear the sadness in his voice.
"Shit that's not good."
"Was Kanaan among the dead?"
"I haven't seen the bodies sorry Sheppard," he said following Sheppard down a hallway towards the bedroom. As they approached the room Sheppard sought out Ancient with his mind and made sure that Teyla was still sleeping. When he saw that she was he opened the door and walked in quietly Ronon followed although he did not enter as quietly and as John sat on the bed and gently woke Teyla he raised an eyebrow at him.
"Teyla you have to wake up?"
"Why what did you turn on now," Teyla groaned sounding slightly bored.
"No Ronon is here he has some news," John sounded sad.
"What is it?"
***
The team entered the hospital however they were armed not with P90's this time, but with body bags. They quickly packed the bodies up before they started their work on the wraith equipment. Rodney ordered the other scientists about the facility while leaving the main and most important room to himself. Doctor Keller sent the bodies back to Atlantis back for a full autopsy while she remained behind where she assisted Rodney with the medical technology.
"Don't touch that," Rodney warned her however she ignored his warning and proceeded to peruse through the console she believed contained medical records.
"Rodney I need you to download this to a computer and bring it back to Atlantis," she said after reading the first few sentences.
He grumbled something but complied as she packed up the chemicals she had found in the lab. She had been able to collect several samples from around the lab along with some data from a wraith terminal. It wasn't the kind of work she was used to but she did it nonetheless. While she didn't relish her task she couldn't imagine how difficult Ronon's task would be. Rodney turned handing her a tablet "Anything else?"
"No, thank you Rodney," she said carrying the bag and heading out the door towards the gate.
End Chapter 15