STARGATE ATLANTIS: Dead End Read Online Free PDF Page A

coming in hot.”
    McKay closed his eyes. “Ironic.”
    The swirling mass of energy in the forward viewscreen coalesced into the more familiar shape of a bubbling event horizon. The Jumper gave a final, bone-shaking shudder, slamming Rodney hard against the hull. A microsecond later, and they were through the gate.
     
    Sheppard felt like whooping.
    But it wasn’t over yet. Everything skewed, bounced and jumped as the gravitational forces suddenly changed. He compensated. Too late. The Jumper skidded, grazing something jagged and hard, before careering back into the air. The whole ship rolled around like a drunkard.
    “For God’s sake!” cried McKay, hanging precariously on to his seat. “Land the damn thing already!”
    Sheppard ignored him. The atmospheric readings were crazy, the Jumper’s power near zero. Sixty percent of the primary systems were damaged and they’d emerged into the mother of all storms. Perfect.
    “I’m gonna have to put her down now!” he cried. “Keep it tight. This is gonna be bumpy.”
    Flying on little more than gut instinct, Sheppard dipped the nose of the Jumper five degrees. The thick cloud rushing past them got thicker and the Jumper’s entire hull began to judder. The shielding was critically weak.
    Suddenly, a gap appeared in the cloud ahead. For a split-second Sheppard had sight of an ice field. It was enough to mentally calculate the angle of descent. The Jumper responded instantly and they plummeted downwards, the viewscreen white and useless. Somewhere below, the land was rushing up to meet them.
    With a heavy crunch, they hit the ice. Plumes of loose snow billowed up, momentum plowing them onwards, grinding and churning across the ice field. Metal twisted and shrieked, equipment shook loose and crashed into the cabin. Sheppard thought his teeth might rattle loose from his skull. And then the power failed, plunging them into darkness.
    It took an eternity, but at last the Jumper slowed to a painful halt. The viewscreen was still obscured by the white-out and they sat for a moment in a shadowy stillness.
    Ronon broke it. “Good job, Sheppard.”
    John just nodded in the dark, not trusting himself to speak; his hands were still shaking.
    “That was expert flying,” agreed Teyla, unbuckling herself and climbing to her feet. “But I do not believe we are safe here. With power supplies so low, this storm is a danger.”
    “Reckon you’re right.” With effort, Sheppard brought his breathing under control. “Break out the survival suits. If we have to bail, I want something warm and orange to wear.”
    “Now?” said McKay. “You’re
kidding
me. I’m not heading out there until this storm has blown over. Who knows, it might be a short one.”
    “Or a long one,” said Ronon bleakly. “Or maybe it’s always like this.”
    Sheppard nodded. “Can’t stay here without power,” he said. “No light, no heat, no air. I don’t like this any more than you do, but we’re gonna suit up now while we have the chance.”
    McKay looked briefly rebellious, but then a huge surge of wind buffeted the Jumper and the entire ship rocked. From beneath them, came an ominous, echoing sound of ice cracking.
    Rodney swallowed nervously. Even Sheppard felt his heart miss a beat. That sounded pretty bad. Jumpers were robust things, but you still didn’t want to be inside one, without power, halfway down a crevasse.
    McKay began to rummage for his gear. “Having considered the options further, perhaps you’re right.”
    It didn’t take long to suit-up, and soon they were ready to evacuate the stricken Jumper.
    “Take as many rations as you can carry,” Sheppard ordered.
    “We’re going to freeze,” McKay muttered. “More importantly, that gate’ll be fried. Fried closed.”
    There was another long, echoing crack from beneath the Jumper. The cabin shifted slightly to the left and Teyla had to brace in order to keep her footing.
    “OK, time’s up,” said Sheppard sharply.