The Mitchell Files X

The Hunted

Author's note: I must be nuts to start yet another story with two already going, but I've done it before, and I really miss writing Mitchell and the Atlanteans. So I'm going to give it a go! This story is still an AU, remember, so things will be different than they are on the show. As for a timeline in the Mitchell Files series, figure that this is only a month or two after the end of the last story.

Disclaimer: I'm not making any money off this story, and don'town any characters I didn't create.

OOOOOOOOOOO

"Seriously, Colonel, if we put this laser guided system in the McKay, it'll be the deadliest ship in the air – on any side of the gate."

Colonel Melony Mitchell looked down at the schematic for the weapons system that Rodney McKay was referring to and turned her attention inward for just a moment.

Well? Is that the one you want? Or do you want to go with Colonel Carter's?

McKay's is better compatible with the rest of the systems, Talon told his host after a moment of contemplation of his own. While Melony was the better military strategist of the two of them, Talon was by far the more scientific, and he knew she'd go along with whatever he decided – unless it was something she was really against. But this wasn't one of those things. We should probably go with his

She nodded, and looked up at Rodney, who had been watching her silently, knowing that she was probably discussing things with her symbiote.

"This is a good design, Rodney," she said. "Talon likes it."

He puffed up at the praise, and couldn't help the smug expression that crossed his features.

"But we're not going to call it the McKay, and I'm not going to tell you that again."

McKay deflated like a popped balloon.

"Aw, but Melony… it's such a good name…"

"It's not like naming a puppy, Rodney."

"But-"

"Is he trying to convince you to name your new ship after him again?"

They both turned at the sound of a new voice, and Melony smiled as Doctor Elizabeth Weir walked over to join them. Since they'd been chatting, neither had heard her enter the lab – or approach.

"He's trying," Mitchell said.

"But not succeeding?"

"Not a chance."

McKay frowned.

"It's a good name."

"For an astrophysicist, yes."

"It's better than Fugly. Or Fuglier, for that matter."

"Tell that to Jack O'Neill," Melony said. "He's the one that named them."

"Well, General O'Neill is-"

"Can I talk to you for a moment, Melony?" Weir asked, interrupting.

Mitchell nodded.

"Sure. What's up?"

"Need me to leave?" McKay asked, sarcastically. He hated being interrupted, even by Weir, who he happened to have a lot of respect for.

She shook her head.

"Only if you want to. It might end up involving you, so you might want to stick around."

"Really?"

Weir looked at Mitchell.

"I'm worried about Colonel Sheppard."

Melony's smile faded immediately, and she automatically looked at her watch.

"He's not due back for another 15 hours."

"I know…"

"But…?"

"He didn't make his last check in."

"It's not the first time Colonel Sheppard ever missed a check in," Rodney said.

"When was his last one due?" Melony asked, ignoring Rodney for the moment – although he was right.

Weir looked at her watch – although she already knew.

"About an hour ago."

"That's overdue…"

It wasn't like it was just a few minutes or something. It was easy enough to lose track of time on an extended mission – especially if you were being hosted by the indigenous people of a planet – but an hour was a considerable block of time. Someone in the team should have remembered that Atlantis would be waiting to hear from them.

"Maybe they lost track of time," Rodney suggested. "The R'hurian days are about twice as long as ours. It'd be easy to do."

They have watches, Rodney," Weir said. She was glad Colonel Mitchell was taking it a bit more seriously than McKay was. While he was trying to come up with excuses, Melony's gray eyes were actually a little concerned.

"You've tried radio contact?"

Weir nodded.

"Right before I came looking for you. Nothing."

"It might not hurt to go check on him," Mitchell said. "Just to make sure everything is okay."

"The R'hurian's are a peaceful society," Rodney objected, not at all enamored of going on a mission when he was so close to getting Mitchell to name her new ship after him. "The away team probably just got distracted."

"Let's hope it wasn't something with big, sharp teeth," Melony said, sliding the schematics to her new laser system into a protective folder and putting it back on the shelf with a couple of other ship models. "Because I don't want to miss dinner."

"Or be dinner," Weir said, relieved that Mitchell was willing to go and check on her away team. Elizabeth could have sent another away team – and she had a lot of personnel to choose from, now – but Mitchell was the best choice to lead one, and she knew that if John and the others were in trouble, they'd have the best backup coming.

"That, too." Melony looked at McKay. "Are you coming?"

"Sure."

It wasn't like he could do anything with the new ship – the McKay sounded so powerful and strong – without her there to approve of it anyways. Right?

"I'll assemble a team and meet you at the operations room in twenty minutes. Full gear."

He nodded.

"I'll meet you there."