The Hammond contacted Atlantis to let them know they were about to come out of hyperspace. They were cleared to land on the east pier and after they'd landed, Colonel Carter ordered the engines checked, they'd strained them to a near redline status to get here even sooner. She didn't want them giving out if they ran into this new enemy.

She, the Pack and Jesse headed for Elizabeth Weir's office to get an update. It was a grim group that met them.

"Another world has been discovered dead. That brings the combined total, human and Wraith to six since we discovered the first one. Nothing seems any different on this one then any of the others. We're at an impass, we've investigated everything we can. Aside from determining they were hunted we've found nothing. I hope you find something, this lack of progress is as frustrating as the discoveries are frightening." Elizabeth said.

"We don't know if we'll find anything, but our methods of investigation are different then yours. We use our senses in ways you can't, so if we do find something, it's because it's not something you could have found with your methods. Which isn't a knock on your methods. Although, it's doubtful we'll find anything on any of the worlds you've already found anyway." Xander said.

"Why?"

"Because the area's been compromised. Other scents and prints have been overlaid on what was there originally. We get alot of information thru our scenting ability, but the more we have to filter, the harder it becomes. Our best bet will be a fresh world. Once we've gone over the ones already found, we'll need to do a grid search, go planet by planet, looking for one that's recently been hunted. And if a new one is found by someone else, get there fast to check it out." Xander answered.

"The Hammond's engines are being gone over now. We strained them to get here as fast as we did. That'll take nearly a day, unless we find something. So you guys should go ahead by Stargate and check out the ones already found. By the time you're done with that, we should be ready to start the grid search. I'll help with the check, that should make it go faster."

"Agreed. Let's get going."

Once they arrived on the first world, the Pack spread out, scenting as they went. They found the graves that had been dug. The decomposing bodies of the animals. Something tickled their scenting ability. But it was so overlaid, they couldn't make it out. There was something there, just not strong enough.

"There is a different scent here, but so faint, I'm barely registering it." Xander said.

"Same here." Cordelia said. "Something I've never scented before."

"If it's also on the other worlds, it may be the aliens." Kyle said.

"Makes sense. I don't think we're going to get anything else here, Sheppard. Let's check out the next world."

That faint scent could be found on each of the worlds that had died. It definitely wasn't familiar. Which meant it wasn't Wraith, human or demon. The only alien races the Pack had encountered were Goa'uld and the Furlia. This scent didn't match either of those. They were pretty sure it belonged to the aliens. Now they just needed to find the aliens themselves.

They returned to Atlantis and after a restless night's sleep, the Pack, Jesse and AG 1 boarded the Hammond and began their grid search.

They were as methodical as the aliens when it came to their search. One world after another. They'd arrive in orbit and scan the planet. If they found human life, they moved on. If they didn't, then they beamed down and searched. Finding a variety of animals meant this world was fine and they moved on. World after world and they found nothing. Not finding anything was frustrating.

And then Atlantis called, a new dead world had been found. The people hadn't been dead long. The Hammond set course and soon arrived in orbit. While Sam ordered the Hammond's sensors to look for evidence of a ship, the Pack and AG 1 beamed down. What they found was devastating. Death everywhere. Adults, children, animals. No one and nothing spared.

Grimly determined, the Pack focused on their task. They found that scent again, much stronger now. Along with the footprints of hunter and prey. And something else. Blood. Grey blood. Not much, a few drops. Not from an animal either, they were sure of that. They'd speculated that the aliens had to have been injured because the people and animals fought back. Here was proof of that. But it still got them no closer to finding these aliens.

The Hammond had also found something. The alien ships hyperspace signature. Now they had found something the Hammond could hunt.

They returned to their grid search. The Hammond checking for that signature. The Pack and AG 1 searching the planets. Once again, world after world.

And then they arrived at a world with an unknown ship in orbit. The Hammond tried to hail them, but got no reply. Sam ordered the shields raised, certain they were about to be fired on. Instead, the ship left orbit. Sam considered following, but if they were the aliens they were looking for, then they had been hunting on the world below them. Which meant they left their people behind. Not to mention, there were humans in danger down there. She ordered the Pack, Jesse and AG 1 to be beamed down. And then things went wrong. A force field appeared around the planet. That was some fearsome technology. Another could be detected around the 'gate. But the worst thing was, the subcutaneous transmitters were no longer registering. Either they were being blocked or the group they'd just beamed down were dead. It was a trap.