Cello Suite No. 1

Cello Suite No. 1

“Move!”

There was the sound of hurried footsteps – running – towards her position. Her firing ended abruptly when a heavy weight attached itself to her back without warning. She grunted and tried to swing around to hit at whatever had landed on her back but let out an ear piercing scream instead.

If felt as if two red hot pokers seared into her back, her gun clattering to the ground as her vision went blurry; her knees hitting the ground hard. She tried to put her arms out in front of her as her body began to slump forward, but they didn't want to work. They were heavy and her body and mind was trying to seduce her to sleep, just sleep...

As her face rested against the dust ground, her eyes managed to stay open one second longer and she could swear that she could see the head of Cameron peak over the top of the pillar, his gun quickly following and aiming for something just above her – before her world went dark.

~

“Excuse me?”

“I told you, sir, I just don't know.” his voice was calm, cool; things it shouldn't be after just completely losing a member – albeit, temporary member – of his team. Teal'c and Sam were down in the infirmary with the group of Marines that the General had sent through – a few of them pulled a muscle or strained a muscle in their effort to move the rocks as fast as they could.

Cameron could feel his thighs burning and just seconds away from giving out but he remained standing in front of General Landry, giving him the report.

“Tell it to me, one more time.” General Landry leaned back in his chair, his arms crossing over his chest and his face turned to one of concentration, trying to wrap his mind around what the C.O. Of his flag team had just told him.

“When I went back to the gate to check in and ask about staying over night so that Kah-Sheppard, “ he corrected, “would be able to spend more time with the ruins, the tremors started. They were extremely violent and caused to pillar's to fall down in the temple where Sheppard was working.” the General nodded, still following.

“When I heard that Sheppard was blocked from getting out of the temple – because the two pillars had collapsed and blocked the only way in – I dialed the gate again to get reinforcements so that we could get her out faster, because I didn't know when the tremors would stop, or if more of the temple would fall down because of the pillars.

“As the Marines and I were making our way back to the temple to help out, I was told by Sheppard that there were... spider-like things coming from the ceiling and that they were bigger than your average house cat. She said that there were three of them already out and that they were acting viciously towards each other and that they had big, sharp fangs. The Marines and I booked it the rest of the way to the temple.

“When we got there, we helped move the rocks out of the way, wanting to get her out of there as soon as possible. That's when we heard the gun shots. One of the things was obviously too close for comfort and had reared up in a threatening manner. She shot at is and had to kill another one as it came over the same pillar after she shot the first one.” Landry nodded, still following along with what Col. Mitchell was saying.

“When we finally got enough of the rock moved, we went into the temple, I took point while the Marines came in after me. We saw what looked to be like a nest in the making and shot it down. There were three of them there, which left two unaccounted for. When we heard gun shots coming from behind the pillar, we knew where Sheppard was and went to go help her. I was the first one over the pillar.” Cameron stopped and shifted his stance slightly, drawing in a deep breath before continuing.

“When I looked over the pillar, Sheppard was lying on the floor, her eyes barely open with the last of the spider things on her back. With both of its fangs dug deep into her back. I shot it off of her back and it died.”

“But what about Colonel Sheppard? Where is she?” Ah, back to the original question.

“I don't know, sir. After I had shot the thing off of her back, I looked down to where she was... but she wasn't there. There was no where for her to go. She just vanished.” And again the General got a confused look on his face.

“People just can't disappear, Colonel. She had to have gone somewhere.” Cameron shook his head.

“No, sir. Before we came back, we swept as much of the temple as we could – even called her radio – but she just wasn't there.” General Landry ran his hand over his face for just a moment before standing up.

“I want a team to go back to that planet tomorrow, armed with P-90s and look for her again. You did say you brought back her back pack, right?” Cameron nodded. “Then I want the linguists to start translating what text they can. Maybe what she was documenting will tell us what happened.” Cameron could only nod as he was dismissed to the Infirmary.

His stomach twisted painfully as he thought of Kahlen's eyes as they looked at his – the last time I'll ever see her eyes... he thought as he made he way towards the Infirmary. His thighs were beyond burning now and he would give almost anything to make them stop.

But he knew if he did, the last reminder, the last physical reminder, of Kahlen would be gone.

~

Her head was pounding as light drove into her eyes like axes. Where ever Kahlen was, it was bright, and she hurt.