Chapter Seven:

She shifted uncomfortably on the grass, detached as she watched her hands work, blood staining the dirt around her, the flesh of her arms, and the BDUs the soldier wore.
A med-team was out tonight, an unexpected call from an off-world team who required immediate assistance; members were injured and couldn't be moved to the gate.

Like most of the members of the med-team, she had been sleeping when the call came through, and had barley enough time to grab her supplies and a vest before being rushed though the gate.

It reminded her of the SGC, there had been times when she had gone though the gate in her pajamas, entering a forest to deal with a patient downed by an angry native, or blast from a staff-weapon.

Adrienne would have preferred to work with an injury from a staff-weapon…the energy blast would cauterize a wound, making it easier to clean and treat.

As she worked, the only thing she could be thankful for was that the Wraith weren't attacking.

SGA teams had been encountering the Wraith more often, much of the time having to retreat back though the gate, ill-prepared for combat.

Her own team always seemed to meet them at the most inopportune time.

She sighed softly and focused on the task at hand, somehow the sight of exposed and pulsing organs having no effect on her at all, while one of her assistants blanched and looked away.

This one would be buried on the mainland.

There was no emotion as she gathered weapons and handed them off, they would be needed, supplies were low, and even with assistance from Earth, there was rationing of bullets.

She looked away as she stood, stumbling on feet that had gone numb, there would be time to mourn later, now was time to move on.

A vague suspicion nagged at the back of her mind, the people of this planet had seemed so peaceful…

She would never know the truth.

Most of the races in the Pegasus Galaxy feared the Wraith, many of those held a grudging respect for them.

Still others worshiped them as Gods.

The people of Atlantis had encountered these people before, and had marked off those worlds as dangerous, they would make attempts at trade, but there could be no alliance, no trust there.

However they didn't think that some of these people could be bought off.

They hadn't expected it.

In exchanged for the safety of their people…a promise which would not be honored, the people of this world would cause a distraction, some incident which would draw the attention of the Lanteans long enough for the Wraith to move in from their hiding place, just out of the long range sensors.

Oh the teams would be re-called, and it would take time for the Hive to reach the hidden city, but hopefully the Lanteans would be caught off-guard, un-prepared for the attack.

Doctor Zelenka was the first to notice the Hive ship on their perimeter as he worked near the sensors' console, repairing a piece of delicate equipment that a clumsy gate-tech had spilled coffee on.

It didn't take long for McKay to confirm it, and Weir was already sending orders though the gate, re-calling teams.

Adrienne's med-team was one of the first on a short list to be recalled, the victims of the attack being practically dragged back to the gate, kept in the infirmary.

'All non-essential personnel are to report to the gateroom, immediately.' Weir's voice cut sharply though her ear-piece, people were being sent to a safe site off world, jumpers were already heading to the mainland to transport the Athosians to the same place.

There was a mingled sense of relief and fear as Adrienne realized that she would not be sent to the Alpha-Site. She would be needed her in the infirmary should there be injuries.

And there would be.

She shook her head, heading to the infirmary to wash the blood from her arms; there would be no point in trying to remove it from her shirt or pants, she would have to get a new pair when all of this was over, the blood seemed to flow off her arm-band.

Once finished cleaning up, she tied her hair back and reported to Doctor Beckett, who sent her to Colonel Sheppard; she might be stationed in one of the jumpers as she had been learning how to fly one.

No.

She was sent back; a gun pressed in hand, which she stared at in disbelief.

She couldn't hit the broad-side of a barn and would likely injure one of their own, should their defenses be breached and the Wraith enter the city.

This was explained, and she was told the keep it…just in case, and a combat knife was given to her.

No complaints there, while she had no skill with projectile weapons, she could fight hand-to-hand.

She went back to the infirmary and began to help the preparations.