I think this may be one of the shortest chapter of the whole thing, sorry about it being so little, I'm not happy about it. The good news is that the longest are the last two, so if you're still reading when I put those up you've got something to look forward to.

By the way, is this story really bad? I've lost all faith in it.

Elizabeth had given up shouting after a just a few minutes. The cell next to hers was quiet leaving her to assume Harris had been taken along with Shann. She couldn't help but wonder what they were being taken to, what nightmare lay in store for them. Not content to just sit and wait any longer Elizabeth followed Shann's example and pushed her arm through the bars, trying to find the switches Shann had felt, disappointed but unsurprised when she found them as unmovable as the lieutenant had. Pulling her arm back Elizabeth began a systematic search of the cell, running her hands over the smooth walls and floors, searching for any imperfection on the cool, damp surface. After hours of searching, Elizabeth slumped down in the corner feeling defeated. There was nothing, not even a scratch, just bone numbing cold emanating off of every surface, chilling her skin where she touched it. Curling in on herself Elizabeth shut her eyes and tried to think of Atlantis, her mind conjuring up images of John, the way his smile reached his eyes and how safe she felt when he held her. For now, she would have to be content in her certainty that he and Rodney would be doing something to fix this.

Hours had passed when the lights flicked on again, startling Elizabeth from her daze, her eyes squinting closed while she got used to the light. Jumping to her feet and moving towards the bars, Elizabeth watched as the creatures moved down the halls, the clicking coupled with heavy, harsh whispering. Between them a body was being dragged, the limp form hanging between the creatures with their head bowed causing a shiver to run along her spine. He wasn't someone Harris had mentioned earlier. Opposite her the bars on a cell dissolved and the body was dropped to the floor with muted thuds, the form remaining still as the creatures retreated allowing the bars to reform, sealing him in.

Having been so focused on the arrival of another member of the expedition, Elizabeth didn't realise she couldn't move until the bars dissolved under her hands, the face of one of the creatures only inches from her own. The white eyes were watching her with a curiosity that made her shiver, made her feel that all it wanted to do was peel her skin from her bones just to see what was underneath. The sharp teeth stretched its mouth into a grin when her face reflected her thoughts, enjoying the terror it caused. She watched as it stepped back allowing two of its company to pass, Shann hanging heavily between them, drops of blood leaving a trail on the floor which were quickly smeared by her socks as they dragged her. They released their hold on her arms simultaneously, letting her drop to the floor before retreating, letting the first creature back in. Elizabeth could do nothing as it stalked its way over to Shann and rolled her onto her back before scraping its sharpened nail down her cheek leaving a thin line of blood. Looking back at Elizabeth it made sure she was watching, the featureless face holding her gaze for a moment before it turned back to Shann. The nail continued its journey down her face and neck until it reached her shoulder where it stopped and began to press down, puncturing the fabric of her shirt and then her skin, sliding through the muscle, finally breaking through the skin on the back of her shoulder, tearing another hole in her top. Still the creature pressed down, its elongated finger disappearing until the first two joints vanished and its knuckles was pressed against her skin, the finger curling against the back of her shoulder. Pulling its hand back, it stood and turned to Elizabeth again reaching up to its own shoulder and pointing with its blood smeared finger. Realisation dawned on her as she remembered the shot Jennifer had fired when they had been in the 'gate room. Sweat broke out on her forehead at its meaning, clearly this species inflicted on its victims what had been inflicted on them. It grinned again, seeming to know what Elizabeth had concluded before it retreated from the cell and the bars reformed.

Her knees hit the floor as her muscles were released. Sudden shivers racked her body at what she had witnessed, her hand trembling and she reached out for the lieutenant. Pressing her fingers against her pulse point Elizabeth held her breath as she waited, releasing it when she felt the gentle thrumming of her heart under her fingers. Quickly crawling closer she pulled her shirt away from her shoulder looking at the puncture. Blood welled up, running freely down her skin and pooling a little on the floor. Sliding one hand under her shoulder and pressing down as much she could, Elizabeth applied as much pressure as possible on each side of the wound, struggling with feeling of blood running between her fingers, her own heart pounding painfully in her chest.

When, finally, the bleeding stopped Elizabeth rocked back onto her heels and looked at the young woman lying in front of her, seeing for the first time the blood staining other patches on her shirt. Again she reached out and began examining the lieutenant, this time pulling the blood stained top up her chest, leaving Shann's abdomen exposed to cold, damp air. Running below her ribs, Elizabeth was shocked but not surprised to see an incision that had been crudely closed, the same thread she had seen on Bonadan woven through her skin. "What have they done to you?" she couldn't help but ask, knowing there would be no answer. Fortunately, the bleeding had eased, leaving only a bloody patch on the front of the lieutenants' shirt and dark red smears on the floor. Gently Elizabeth pulled the young woman towards the back of their cell, a weak attempt to keep her as far away from the creatures as possible.

For a moment Elizabeth debated sitting down next to the lieutenant, do nothing but trying to keep her warm and prevent any further bleeding but Jennifer wasn't the only member of the expedition here. Again Elizabeth gripped the bars, the cold metal almost burning her hands as she tried to see through the dark and into the cell opposite. Shouting came to no avail. Whoever it was hadn't woken yet and she didn't think anyone was in the cell next to them anymore. The though made her heart sink; how many more people would die before this was over?