The Lost and the Forgotten

Chapter 11

Rodney and Zanta had gained an escort in the form of Breckna, his two security guards and Dennet, all of them rather subdued at having been running in circles while a certain Dr McKay effected a heroic rescue.  He had taken charge and begun to lead them out, but they had instead emerged from a tunnel to see the inclined plane of an underground railway, and then to witness the comprehensive destruction of the Getter leader by the red blast of an energy weapon followed by his consumption by the inexorable progress of the great toothed cog beneath the climbing truck.  A fitting end, Rodney thought.

The owner of the energy weapon stood before him in the lantern light, grinning tiredly, and Rodney grinned back and almost relinquished his hold on Zanta's waist and hugged his friend.  But then a pounding of ballast was followed by a sobbing cry, and Ronon was engulfed in Teyla's arms, her head buried beneath his hair.  His arms enfolded her and there were murmured apologies and reassurances and, no doubt, declarations of undying loyalty until Rodney was rolling his eyes with impatience.

"We still haven't found Sheppard!"

Teyla broke away from Ronon, wiping her eyes. "He is on the platform, Rodney.  Down there."

"Franks 'n' Griffin are down there too," said Ronon.

"What's Sheppard up to?  What's he done to himself this time?  What about Jordan and Bell?"

"They're dead," Ronon said, bluntly.

"I believe we can easily find the way out from here," announced Breckna.

"Yes, I'm sure," Rodney said, dismissively.  "Come on, Zanta, I'm going to find Sheppard!" Her hand in one firm grip, the lantern in the other, he began to make his stumbling way down the side of the track.  "What we need is some proper food and some proper light," he grumbled, stumbling in the rolling ballast, and tripping over the end of a sleeper.  "And some smooth walking surfaces wouldn't go amiss.  With transporters for long distances."

"And your friends around you?" suggested Zanta.

"Yes, or at least, back where they belong.  Teyla pummelling Ronon in the gym, me in my lab doing something of intergalactic importance, and Sheppard lolling about avoiding paperwork, knowing him!"

"Sounds good, McKay!" The voice came from the huddle of slumped shapes on the platform.

Rodney hopped up onto the surface, helping Zanta up after him.  He looked down at his team leader.

"Correction: make that Sheppard lolling about in the infirmary!"

"I'm okay, Rodney," drawled John.  "We're just waiting here for the next train to Atlantis."

"Where do we buy tickets?" Ronon asked.

John turned and looked at him.  "Thought I heard the dulcet tones of an energy weapon, Chewie," he said.  "Nice timing."

Rodney watched for the classic Teyla eye-roll at her friends' battened-down emotions; he wasn't disappointed.  "Ah!  Together again!" he said, with satisfaction.

"Not Jordan and Bell, though," said John.  There was silence and the two surviving teammates shuffled closer together, shivering.  Teyla pulled out an emergency blanket from her vest, shook it out and wrapped it around Captain Bell.  Rodney did the same for Griffin.