Mitchell Files 4

Author's note: Just a story to warm up on the whole Atlantis thing. NOTE: If you're a Stargate: Atlantis fan, and not an SG-1 fan and you haven't read the first three Mitchell Files, you're going to be completely lost. So you might want to head over to the SG-1 section (or my biography) and start at number 1. They're not short, but they're interesting (If I do say so myself) I fully intend to make a series out of this, so you might as well come along for the ride – that means you others who are regular readers, too, by the way!

That said; here we go!

OOOOOOOOOO

I spy with your little eyes... something small and brown and-

It's the little freckle on the back of Major Sheppard's ear.

Damn

My turn. I spy with my little eyes... something green and brown and sort of-

It's that rock with the moss on it we're passing

Damn.

I spy with your little eyes... something black-

My wristwatch.

You know, this would be more challenging if you'd stop peeking at what I'm thinking

You're doing it, too.

I can't help it

Me, either.

Let's try something else... I'm thinking of a numb-

Five.

Damn it

"Colonel Mitchell?"

Melony turned at the sound of Sheppard's call. The Major was walking point on the small trail they'd discovered leading from the Stargate, right in front of Melony, who was walking beside Ford. Teyla was on their left flank and McKay was bringing up the rear.

"Yes, Major?"

"Look at this..."

He'd stopped at the top of a small incline – to call it a hill would have been charitable – and down below them was a valley of sorts, hidden fairly well in the trees. Nestled in the valley was a small collection of rough wooden houses, fences, and some animals that looked a bit like cows.

"Looks like a farming community," Mitchell said.

"Yeah..." Ford had stopped next to her, shifting his P-90 a little in his hands as he looked down at the valley below.

"This planet is filled with small farms and villages," Teyla said as she came over to stop next to Mitchell as well. "We are here just at harvest, so if they have extra, we should be able to trade for foodstuffs."

Since that had been the whole purpose of this little jaunt – that and finding a massive power source and a way to kill the Wraith, of course – Sheppard and Mitchell both nodded.

"Are these people friendly?" McKay asked, looking over the valley once more. He didn't see anyone moving around, which seemed odd to him. Weren't farmers always moving around, checking on animals and crops and stuff? That's how they were always pictured on TV...

"They will not harm us if we do not give them reason to," Teyla answered.

"Hear that, McKay?" Sheppard said, looking over at the Astrophysicist, "Don't be a jerk."

"I'm not a jerk."

"I'm just telling you... be nice to these guys, okay? No smug attitude or off the wall comments."

"Fine."

Mitchell looked at the sun, which was – as far as she could tell – getting fairly close to setting. That was the problem with gating somewhere else; even if it was morning where you were, it could very well be the middle of the night where you were going – or you could go from Summer to Winter in the blink of an eye. Which was the whole point of sending the MALP first, of course. So you knew what to wear.

"Think these people will appreciate an armed party come down on them so close to dark?" she asked Teyla. "We don't want to frighten them, after all. Or make them suspicious."

"I don't know." The Athosian looked at Sheppard, who looked at the sun and shrugged.

"If we hurry, we can get down to that set of houses before the sun goes down and it gets dark," he said. "Then if it looks like we might have a chance to do some business, we'll withdraw for the night and find a place to camp, then start in the morning."

"Oh, sleeping on the ground, just what I wanted to do this morning when I woke up..." McKay said, sarcastically.

"Perhaps if the farmers welcome us, they might give us shelter for the night," Teyla offered, looking at McKay as if she hoped that would make him feel better about the whole thing. Mitchell didn't know Rodney all that well, but she was pretty sure he would have been a lot happier back at Atlantis in his warm, comfortable bed – and sleeping with farmers wasn't going to make him feel better about anything.

"One way to find out," Sheppard said. "Keep your guns in sight, but try not to point them at anyone..."

With that, they started down the incline, making no effort to conceal themselves, or be quiet as they walked through the brush the trail meandered through, and over a small stream that bubbled cheerfully over the rocks. They wanted the farmers to hear them coming, after all.

OOOOOOOO

The path led right into the center of a clearing that was surrounded by the wooden houses, which looked water-proof, but not much more functional than that. It was obvious that these were not wealthy people – although the houses were well-kept and there weren't holes in the walls. They just weren't fancy.

How much fanciness does a farmer need? Talon asked.

Fanciness isn't a word.

Yes, it is

No, it –

A movement interrupted their silent conversation, and Melony and the others watched as one of the doors opened and a tall, thin man wearing plain homespun clothing walked out the door cautiously, looking at them as if he expected them to open fire on him at any moment.

Sheppard raised his hands slightly, showing that they were empty. Of course, he still had all his weapons close at hand, but he wasn't actually pointing them at the guy – and neither was anyone else.

"Who are you?" The man asked, his voice deep and rough and cautious, but not so challenging that they would take offense.

"We're travelers," John said, giving the guy as reassuring a smile as he could. "We-"

"Travelers?" The man asked, shocked. "Where did you come from?"

Sheppard looked back the way they'd come.

"Um... we came from the Stargate. From a planet... far... far... away."

"How did you get past the Guardians?"

"'Guardians'?"

The man looked appalled at Sheppard's obvious confusion. The fact that the other members of his party were wearing identical confused looks only made him even more surprised.

"The beasts that roam the forests, killing and tearing apart unwary travelers... Everyone knows about them."