Stargate Rejects

Nick's alarm clock woke him at exactly 7:24 a.m. He yawned and switched it off. He couldn't help smiling. His first full day in Atlantis.

His smile disappeared when he remembered that he'd be spending the day with Ritter and Saporta. His team. The thought send a wave of despair through him. These were the people he'd be spending every day with now. He'd rather spend all his time with William. Hell, he'd rather spend his time with Blackington. At least Blackington wasn't an idiot.

Look at the positives, he advised himself. At least Saporta wasn't a permanent member of their team. He'd be starting his own team soon enough. As soon as Ritter chose the rest of his team members. But who would Ritter choose? More military, for sure. He tried to think of a military officer he could stand. None, except Colonel Watkins. And she was a scientist too, so she didn't really count. Besides, she wasn't on Atlantis. She was back on Earth.

Back on Earth... That was starting to sound pretty good to Nick. Sure, he didn't really have any friends there (except Dexter, but he wasn't sure that Stephanie girl was going to give him back when he returned to Earth), but at least he wouldn't have to see Ritter's smug, arrogant, annoying, stupid, gorgeous face every day.

Positives, Nick reminded himself. Let's see...

He was in Atlantis. He was going to an alien planet later today, to make friends with an alien race. They were taking the spaceship that wouldn't have been usable if it wasn't for his own extraordinary intelligence. And, okay, Blackington helped a bit too. But just a little.

Nick sighed, unable to force himself into a more positive frame of mind. Breakfast would help, he decided. He rolled out of bed and started to pull his uniform on. Why did the scientists get the ugly uniforms, anyway?

His radio crackled to life. "Wheeler, you awake?" William's voice asked cheerfully.

"If I wasn't, that would have done the job," Nick grumbled.

"Wanna grab some breakfast?"

"Sure, where are you?"

"Right outside your door."

Nick sighed. "Just let me put some pants on first, okay?" He wasn't sure he could handle a dose of William this early in the morning.

He took his time dressing. Finally, when he could delay it no longer, he opened the door.

"Morning," William said, grinning.

"Hmph," Nick replied.

"Let's go get breakfast. They have blue jello today!"

"They had blue jello yesterday too, Beckett."

"But blue jello's good enough to eat two days in a row, right?"

"Sure." Nick was starting to wish he'd pretended to be asleep.

They were almost halfway through breakfast before William brought up the very thing Nick had been trying to avoid thinking about.

"So... off-world with Ritter and Saporta today."

Nick grimaced. "Yeah."

"Think anything will happen?"

"Well, we're visiting a planet to propose an alliance with a bunch of aliens. I'd say that's something."

William rolled his eyes. "Not what I meant. Do you think anything's gonna happen between you and Ritter?"

"No." Nick said shortly.

William's face softened. He leaned forward, lowering his voice so that the people at the neighboring tables couldn't hear.

"Do you like him a lot?" It was one of those rare, serious-Beckett moments, the kind that reminded Nick of why they were best friends.

"I don't know," Nick sighed. "He's hot, but he's so damn cocky. He turns everything into an innuendo."

"What's wrong with innuendos?" William asked.

"I just don't know what he wants. Does he want to get to know me, or is he just after sex?"

"Don't worry. It's not your body he's after."

"How do you know?"

William couldn't help grinning. "If all he cared about was attractiveness, he'd be hitting on me instead." He stood up and picked up his tray. "I gotta go. Have fun on your trip!"

Nick rolled his eyes, but he couldn't help smiling a little.

"How much further to the settlement?" Nick asked. It was hot inside the Puddle Jumper, and Saporta was starting to drive him crazy. How did someone who couldn't sit still for more than three minutes end up in the military?

"About another fifteen minutes," Ritter replied from the pilot's seat.

"Do the Athosians know we're coming?"

"Of course not. How would we contact them?"

"Well, what if we scare them? What if they blast us out of the sky?"

"They're a farming society, Wheeler. I don't think bows and arrows will do much damage to this baby." Ritter lovingly caressed the control panel of the Jumper. Nick rolled his eyes.

"Fine. So when we meet these aliens, what will we say to them?"

"Can we not call them aliens?" Saporta interjected. "It makes me think of, you know, little green men with big heads."

"But they're from another planet. That qualifies them as aliens."

"I know, but they're people. Can't we just call them people?"

"But -"

"It should be just past these mountains," Ritter interrupted.

"Thank goodness," Nick muttered.

Ten minutes later, the Puddle Jumper touched down at the edge of a clearing. Several hundred meters away was a camp made up of dozens of tents.

"Is that the Athosian settlement?" Nick asked.

"Yup, that should be them," Ritter replied.

Nick frowned. He'd be hoping for a society that was more advanced than campfires and herbal medicines.

Ritter noticed Nick's disappointment and grinned.

"Come on, Wheeler, not all of the planets will be technologically advanced. Don't you have enough new technology to play with back on Atlantis?"

"Hmph," Nick said. Tyson clapped him on the shoulder and set off toward the camp at a brisk pace.

As they neared the camp, a figure emerged from one of the tents, heading toward them. Nick clutched his machine gun nervously.

As the figure got closer, Nick could see that he was a man with long brown hair and a beard.

"Lower your weapons," Ritter whispered. Nick, who hadn't even raised his, awkwardly held it behind his back. Saporta lowered his gun, but looked like he was ready to raise it again at any second.

"Who are you?" the man with the beard asked.

"We're from Atlantis," Ritter said.

The man looked puzzled. "The city of the Ancestors has been uninhabited since the war ended."

"We only got here yesterday. We come from another galaxy. We came through the Stargate."

"Do you come to trade?"

"Yes."

"I am Mike Kennerty. I am the leader of the Athosians. We would be delighted if you would stay and share our afternoon meal." Mike smiled warmly at them.

"We would be honored," Tyson said, smiling back.

After clearing away the last of the dishes from dinner, Mike sat down across from Nick, Ritter, and Saporta.

"Now," he said pleasantly, "what is it you wish to trade?"

"Actually, we're not really here to trade," Ritter replied. When Mike looked confused, he continued, "We're looking to negotiate an alliance between our people and yours."

"I see. What do you have to offer?"

"Well, we have weapons and ships created by the Ancients..."

Nick lost track of the conversation for a few minutes, allowing himself to watch Tyson's face. All traces of smugness and laughter had vanished; his face was a mask of respect, seriousness, and... concern? Nick pulled himself back to reality to hear what Tyson was saying.

"...no protection at all?"

"There is nothing we can do."

"Can't you fight them?"

"Wraith are difficult to kill. We cannot stop the cullings."

"So they just show up and kidnap your people? What happens to them?"

"They feed upon those who are taken."

"How often does this happen?"

"A large culling has not happened in many years. Most of the Wraith are hibernating."

"Hibernating?"

"Yes. They sleep for many years at a time. However, some stay awake to protect the sleeping Wraith. They hold small-scale cullings to keep their strength up."

"Do you have any way of telling when they're coming?"

"Yes. Myself and some other Athosians can sense Wraith when they are nearby."

"Look," Ritter said. "Maybe next time they come, you can evacuate your people to Atlantis."

"That is very generous," Mike replied. "What do you ask in return?"

"The same thing. We'd like to evacuate here if we're attacked."

"My people and I will discuss your offer, Major Ritter. I see no reason that we should reject it."

"Thank you." Ritter smiled.

"Would you like -" Mike stopped in mid-sentence.

"What's wrong?" Ritter asked.

"The Wraith!" Mike hissed. "They are nearby!"

"How many?"

"Not many. A dozen."

"How soon will they be here?"

"Soon!"

"Get everyone inside," Ritter ordered. "We'll take care of them."

"We will?" Nick asked nervously.

"Yes, we will," Saporta said firmly. He got up and led the way out of the tent. Nick followed him reluctantly, after Ritter prodded him in the back with his machine gun.

As they waited in the dark, Nick clutched his gun nervously, eyes darting around the clearing. An excruciating seven minutes had passed before Ritter whispered, "over there!" He nodded toward a section of the forest where shapes were moving among the trees.

Suddenly, a beam of blue light shot out of the trees, narrowly missing Nick.

"Open fire!" Ritter shouted. Nick clumsily raised his gun and began shooting at the shapes. The shaped left the cover of the trees, and Nick gasped, almost dropping his gun. There were twelve Wraith. The creatures were tall and vaguely human-shaped, with several noticeable differences - such as the green skin, the sharp teeth, and the claws. They had guns, which were shooting more ominous-looking blue beams.

Nick hadn't stopped firing at the Wraith closest to him, but it still hadn't fallen.

"They won't die!" he shouted.

"They've gotta die eventually!" Ritter replied. "Keep firing!"

Nick saw movement out of the corner of his eye. He turned his head, expecting more Wraith, but he was relieved to see Mike and another Athosian.

"We have come to help you!" Mike called.

"Perfect! Take this!" Ritter said, grabbing his hand gun and tossing it to them. Saporta reached for his hand gun too, but as he stopped firing, one of the blue beams hit him square in the face. He collapsed to the ground.

"Gabe!" Ritter shouted. Saporta didn't move. Nick grabbed his own gun and tossed it to the second Athosian. He heard Mike yelling hurried instructions for using it.

The Wraith Nick had been firing on had finally collapsed. He turned his gun to the one that was shooting at Ritter.

Suddenly, there was a horrible scream from behind them. Nick turned and gasped in horror. The creature had sunk its claws into the second Athosian's chest. The man's face was twisted in pain and, as Nick watched, his face grew older and more lined, his hair became dry and gray, his skin shriveled. When the Wraith finally let go, he was nothing but a corpse.

"Nick!" Something heavy crashed into Nick, knocking him out of the way of another blue beam, and landing heavily on top of him. As he struggled to free himself, he found himself looking up at Tyson.

"Pay attention, Wheeler! You almost got hit!"

"I -"

Tyson fired his gun, alarmingly close to Nick's head, and finished off a Wraith that had been approaching them.

"That's the last one," he said, breathing heavily. He got to his feet and pulled Nick up.

"More will come," said Mike's voice. "They were merely scouts. They will come with ships next time."

"Well, we'll evacuate your people to Atlantis before that happens. Tell them to pack their belongings and get to the Stargate. We'll go with them in case any more Wraith show up.

"Thank you," Mike said. He knelt on the ground next to the dead Athosian.

"I'm sorry," Tyson said softly.

Mike pretended not to hear him. "Your friend should be examined by a doctor," he said, gesturing to Saporta. "A Wraith Stunner to the face may have caused some damage."

"We'll get him to the Jumper," Tyson said.

"I will start evacuating my people," Mike replied. He stood up, leaving the corpse behind, and entered the main tent. Tyson and Nick lifted the unconscious Saporta and began carrying him back to the Jumper, not talking.

"That was horrible," Tyson said finally. Nick nodded.

"Yeah. It just... drained the life out of him."

They layed Saporta on the floor of the Jumper. At least it would be a quiet ride back to Atlantis.