Timeline: SGA: S05, and BtVS: post-Chosen,
Disclaimer: Nothing copyrighted belongs to yours truly.
Author's Note: Written for Day 30 of the 2024 August Fic-A-Day.
The Stargate snapped closed behind Buffy and the rest of AR-1, but none of them really noticed as they had been hit in the face by an icy wind and snow and hail. She instantly lowered her head in an attempt to stop the severe weather from reaching more of her skin than necessary.
Taking a chance, she lifted her head a little to try and see her team, and if there was somewhere nearby to seek shelter. Her team was right there, attempting to create a wall with their bodies. Colonel Sheppard and Ronon were the furthest back as they were the tallest and therefore better suited to protect them against the bad weather. Beyond them were what looked like snowed-down mountains, bumps, and trees. Nothing looked like it would be helpful.
"Does anyone see the DHD?" Colonel Sheppard was turning this way and that in an attempt to answer his own question. The rest of them followed suit but to no avail.
"Perhaps we should attempt to look closer at the mounds that appear to be about the correct size?"
"Good idea, Teyla!" Sheppard tried to see where they were but wasn't very successful. "Okay, we'll split in two, it'll be faster. Ronon and Summers go over there. McKay, Teyla, and I will check this side."
At least they had known it was winter on this world, and they were dressed accordingly. Another team had done a sweep a few weeks prior and detected a signal they believed to be a power source. They had been unable to find it, besides a very general location not far from the Stargate. No one had anticipated walking straight into a hailstorm.
Buffy and Ronon looked at the various piles of snow, trying to guess if it was rocks, a build-up of snow, something else, or the DHD so they could get back to the City and try again another day. Ronon began kicking the nearest one, and Buffy decided he had a good point since she didn't want her hands to get colder. 15 minutes later they had found a collection of rocks, two random piles of snow, and a small tree encased in ice.
They were about to go even further back when McKay suddenly yelled he had found it. All of them congregated around the device only to discover that, like the poor little tree, there were layers upon layers of ice. Hard ice. Buffy frowned and considered whether or not it would be a good idea to reveal her strength so soon, when Sheppard interrupted her internal discussion.
"This isn't going to work. Not in this storm. Let's see if we can find a cave and wait it out, it should only be about five hours given the check-in time is shorter because of the season here."
As everyone agreed, they attempted to see if any of the whiteness around them could be a place for them to shelter from the storm. "Anyone?" He looked at the team.
"Maybe we should try climbing up? Caves are normally not this low." As no one had any better ideas they began carefully making their way up. It took another hour before Buffy finally glimpsed what she hoped was a cave. 20 cold minutes later and they made it inside.
It was tiny and the three men had to almost bend double to get in. Even Buffy and Teyla had to crouch to get inside. The small cave led into a slightly larger room with a much higher ceiling, but it still barely allowed the Satedan to stand upright. Other than some natural debris there was nothing in there.
"Okay everyone, take out the emergency blankets. We need to stay as warm as possible. There is still more than three hours before Atlantis is going to wonder where we are." A lot of rustling, and in the case of McKay, a lot of complaining, ensued after Colonel Sheppard's order.
"We also need to keep moving. It'll generate heat because if we start to freeze we might not get warm again." Buffy added. She followed her own example and walked the small distance inside the cave, turned around, and walked back. Her Slayerness made sure she wouldn't freeze to death or get sick, but it didn't mean she couldn't feel the freezing wind.
Five people trying to move around in a cave where they barely had enough space to stand quickly proved to be a bad idea, and instead, they stood in place and just moved their legs and body in place. It wasn't as effective, but at least it gave them a little heat.
After three very, very long hours, Colonel Sheppard's little headset radio crackled to life. "Colonel Sheppard, this is Atlantis. Do you copy?" She hadn't had a lot to do with the man, but Buffy was fairly certain it was Mr. Woolsey, the civilian commander of the Atlantis Expedition.
"Yeah, Atlantis, this is Sheppard. Listen, we need a lift back to the City. We walked straight into a snowstorm and the DHD is a popsicle."
"I'm sorry to hear that. Are you and the team alright? Are you far from the Stargate?"
"We're fine. A little cold, and not very happy with the accommodations. We're in a small cave a ways up a mountain not far from the Gate. Shouldn't be hard to find us."
"Good," the probably-Woolsey replied. "Stay put, I'll send Major Lorne and his team to get you."
"Copy that. Sheppard out."
Ten minutes later they were all aboard the little tin-can-shaped spaceship, piloted by the same officer Sheppard and arrived with two days before when she had shared her first dinner with the team. Lorne kept grinning at Sheppard, and she was pretty certain he mouthed something because Sheppard gave him a half glare/half grin and rolled his eyes.
Soon after they were back inside Atlantis and its much more comfortable temperature. No one had tried to kill them unless you counter the weather, but all in all, it wasn't too bad for a first mission.