Monster Mayhem on Mystery Mountain

Chapter 6

The clues are starting to add up!  But what do they all mean?  How will the team catch the monster?  And will Teyla finally lose her temper?

"Huh!  Nice one, McKay."

Rodney's eyes flicked over the sacks.  "Twenty five.  How many were missing?" His companions were outlined in the precious yellow glow of lantern light.  He and John had been alone in the dark and Teyla's voice had been a beacon, showing the way home.

"Mira-Fan did not say." Teyla was watching John.  She reached out to him but he stepped over the rock formation, squatted next to Rodney and examined the sacks.

"So, what does it all mean?" Ronon asked.  "What do the clues add up to?"

"It means…" Rodney began.  He rubbed a not entirely steady hand through his hair, encountering some painful bruises and dislodging a shower of grit.  "It means we've got a painting-and-decorating, hide-and-seek-with-your-cereal-crops monster on our hands.  Which makes no sense at all."

"It's beginning to make a lot of sense," said John.  "You see -"

Teyla's hands had planted themselves on her hips.  "There will be time enough to make sense of this mystery later.  John, your arm is bleeding.  Stop trying to hide it."

"I'm not -"

"Yes, you are."

"What, did that falling rock cut you?" Rodney craned his neck left and right to search his friend for injuries.

"It's fine."

"It is not fine," said Teyla.  "Let me look."

Sheppard gave in and let Teyla examine his injury.  

"I cannot see through all these layers."

"It's cold!  I'm not taking them off."

Velcro ripped sharply as Teyla took a bandage out of her tac vest.  "I will bind it for now and deal with it when we get back to our rooms."

John mumbled grumpily.

Rodney felt his shoulders droop.  Back to their rooms.  Asgard transporter beam, anyone?  No?  His body ached from their fall, and adrenaline seeped away, increasing the trembling in his hands.

"Rodney?"

A sweet, spicy scent bloomed on the air.

"What's that?"

"Fruit cake."

Rodney scrambled back over the rocky floor to claim his share.  "Thanks, Teyla," he said, his cheeks bulging.  

So he was bruised and battered and hadn't a clue how to get out of this treacherous rocky maze?  So what?  His team was around him and he had cake.  All was right with Rodney McKay's world.  And it'd soon be even righter when Teyla had led them out.  She'd know the way.  She always did.

oOo

The cake had been very good and had kept blood sugar levels and, therefore, tempers on an even keel while Teyla led them out of the lava tubes.  Ronon had stationed himself on their six without John having to say anything, which was good because John's arm was hurting and he was cold and increasingly annoyed as parts of the mystery began to align and lead to a culprit.

Then, when they regained their base camp in Rodney's room, the brazier was dark and lifeless, all the coal had been used and the room was freezing.  Teyla went to their other rooms to get more coal and John had an argument with Ronon about whether his clothes, the left sleeves raggedly slashed by sharp rock, were worth saving.