CHAPTER 11 - MEANWHILE...

Meanwhile back in the Pegasus galaxy John's team had gathered together around the stargate on P8T198 . He had been missing for two hours now and they had radioed Atlantis to inform Elizabeth. She had advised them to continue the search and she would send through another team to assist them.

Rodney was cold, miserable and feeling more than just a little resentful towards the missing Colonel. "I bet he's curled up somewhere nice and warm, sound asleep and likely already got hold of a hot cup of coffee while we, on the other hand, are stuck here on this freezing cold ball of rocks looking for his rather disobedient and selfish person."

Ronon glared at Rodney. "Shut it McKay. Sheppard's missing. I saw him head in that direction..." he pointed towards the rock structure that John had indeed been heading in and had inadvertently discovered was some sort of time machine.

Rodney took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "Ok Ronon. What was the last thing you can recall seeing him do. Did he touch anything? Did he disturb anything? Did he appear to be engaged in any sort of activity that looked remotely suspicious?"

"He waited until I had acknowledged he was leaving - as is his usual protocol, then I watched him turn and walk in that direction. I didn't see what he did when he got there. I didn't see anyone else around. The next time I looked up to check where he was, he was gone. That's when I went over to investigate. Nothing, no sign. Just his tracks leading there just as I told you."

Ronon was not accustomed to long speeches and that one certainly took him more than his usual amount of effort. But John was his friend, and if the man was missing, then he'd jump through hoops if necessary to find him. As Sheppard would do for any one of them.

Rodney gave Ronon a quick glance, then pressed his radio to contact Atlantis again. "We'll keep searching Elizabeth until the new team arrives. We'll use Ronon's tracking skills and see if we can at least ascertain whether he left the area voluntarily or was taken by force." He waited for her response, then looked at Ronon. "Lead on."

Ronon gave his usual brooding look to Rodney, and as usual Rodney managed to sidestep him to keep from getting too close. The big Satedan scared him. The strong silent type and very protective of his friends. Sheppard being one of them. And he did not appear to like scientists very much. That much had been made clear to Rodney on more than one occasion.

Ronon was able to track him quite clearly to the stone structure and from there the tracks stopped. They did not turn and leave the area, nor did they move forward in any way. They just stopped. Ronon got down on one knee and moved some of the stones around. He could see the scuffing that John's boots had left on some of the larger rocks, a clear sign that he had stood there for some time.

Rodney was particularly fascinated with the stone structure, and the smoothness of the rocks was a direct contrast to all the other rocks found in the immediate area. They were varying sizes, but all very sharp and these stones appeared to have been repeatedly tumbled to gain the smooth finish that almost glossed them. Teyla went to reach out a hand to touch the structure but Rodney immediately grabbed her wrist to halt her.

"Teyla! Sheppard's tracks stop here. Whatever happened to him, whereever he has gone, it seems to have been to do with that structure. There are no life signs on this planet, not in the immediate vicinity anyway... whatever happened to him, it began here." He released Teyla's wrist at the sharp glance she sent his way. "We can't risk the same thing happening to us Teyla. Not until we know that these rocks are... bad enough that we have to mount a rescue for one, can't afford to have any more disappearances."

Teyla withdrew her hand from his,nodding once. What he said made sense and while she wanted to find their commander as much as anyone, she understood the need for caution.

Rodney started moving his hands through the air, taking small steps in all directions and keeping his hands outstretched. Teyla was alarmed. "Rodney? What are you doing?"

"This device might render him invisible. He may be standing there right now, looking at us - hell, likely yelling at me to solve the damn puzzle and get him out. Actually... I can almost hear him... anyone else hear that?"

Ronon snorted derisively. "That's the other team coming through the gate McKay. I can't hear Sheppard. I can't see Sheppard. He's not here. We need to find him, not stand around waving our hands at invisible people or whatever it is the hell you are doing!"

"Don't knock it Ronon!" Rodney tampered down his rising anger a little. It didn't pay to show any form of anger toward Ronon. He was bigger. Much much bigger. "I've been on missions before, with SG1 where one of the team members went through a field that was a portal to another dimension. And the whole time they were right there, but neither dimension could interact with the other. This may have happened. We can't touch these stones until we have had time to study them and find out what sort of properties they contain. I'm going to get a special science team put together along with a lot of warm clothes, the means to build a big fire, and lots of coffee... did I mention lot's of coffee? Then Ronon, I will find what happened to Colonel Sheppard. If these stones have acted as some sort of portal, I'll find out what it was and open it back up. And we'll bring him back."

He rubbed his hands together now, the intense cold of this planet starting to get to him and he closed his eyes imagining the first sip of that cup of hot coffee. Damn Sheppard... couldn't he have found a more comfortable planet to disappear on. Hell!

Ronon's sharp voice interupted his thoughts and he knew that the big man would not rest until Rodney began work and would likely stand over him with a whip the whole time to make sure there was no slacking off.

"Do it Rodney. Stop talking and just do it!"