Disclaimer – You recognise it, I don't own it.
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"Does this thing only come with two setting?" Jack O'Neill mock-complained as he emerged from the Stargate, "All we seem to get is desert or forest! Desert or Forest!"
"Indeed." Teal'c agreed.
"This has been repaired." Daniel announced, looking at the Stargate, "Relatively recently, too."
"You sure?" Sam frowned slightly.
"I know restoration work when I see it." Daniel reminded, "What I don't get is that it isn't Goaul'd work."
"Anything you recognise?" Jack pressed.
"If we were on Earth…" Daniel shrugged, "I'd say it was a top-notch expert. But nothing unusual."
"So, about our level of tech?" Jack declared.
"At least." Daniel agreed.
"Well, campers," Jack stepped off the platform, "Let's pick a direction."
"How about the direction the 'gate faces?" Sam suggested, "We nearly always find something in that direction."
"That is true." Teal'c nodded.
"Alright campers!" Jack chirped, "Let's move out!"
All four quickly adapted to the shifting sands beneath their feet. Many trips through deserts meant they were well accustomed to the terrain. They had been walking for about an hour and a half, when they spotted what looked like a sandstorm coming towards them.
"That's no sandstorm," Daniel shielded his eyes from the sun, "That's a vehicle. Maybe a few."
"He's right," Sam nodded, looking through her binoculars, "Two jeeps."
"Don't you mean hovercraft, Carter?" Jack frowned.
"I said, what I meant, sir." Sam countered, "Take a look. Two jeeps."
"They're wearing those funny little red hats." Jack had swiped Sam's binoculars.
"Fezzes?" Daniel guessed.
"That's the word." Jack nodded. "A comedian wore them."
"They should pass us." Sam declared, "Do you think they'll stop?"
The pair of jeeps were obviously designed for the desert environment. Tan brown in colour intended to blend in. Open backs to allow for easy loading. They weren't the newest of jeeps, but they weren't old either.
However it was the people on board that SG1 were more interested in. Five in total, two in the leading jeep and three in the other. All wore red hats to cover their heads. Four of them were dressed the same; purple baggy trousers, with a matching purple shirt over the top. A yellow undershirt peeked through at the neck. A dark blue sash pulled everything together at the waist. While a darker purple waistcoat was on top of everything.
To a colour-blind person, the passenger of the leading jeep was dressed the same. However, his undershirt was white. His trousers and over-shirt were a dusky sort of green. The sash was a greeny yellow; his waistcoat a greeny blue. The only other distinguishing feature about his appearance was the pair of shades that perched on his nose.
After the clothes, they were very different, but also very similar. They seem to be a random collection of people taken from any street in Arabic nation. Their hair was dark in colour, different shades and different cuts. Their skin colour varied, but they had all seen the sun.
All five were smiling broadly. Curiosity was visible on their faces, but they were none the less welcoming.
"Where did you come from strangers?" the call was in Arabic Daniel quickly noticed.
"What did he say?" Jack whispered.
"Oh, I apologize," the Arabic speaker switched to English, "I didn't realize you wouldn't understand. We'll speak Common from here on."
"Thank you," Daniel smiled, "We're travellers from the Chappa'ai."
"The Chapp'ai?" the lead driver frowned, "Never heard of that."
"The Stargate?" Daniel ventured.
"Nope." All the locals shook their heads.
"The big stone circle thing." Jack tried.
"Oh!" One nodded, "The Standing Circle. You guys remember… Master Quatre asked after it a while back. We repaired it."
"The Standing Circle!" the driver agreed, "Yes. I remember. Haven't been there for a while. It is a little out the way."
"Master Quatre did say it was a portal of some kind." Sunglasses noted.
"Yeah," One of the men in the second truck called out, "He said something about wormholes. I don't understand much about them. Plain mechanic, me."
"Come on," the first driver looked at SG1, "We'll give you a lift. You can talk with our Captain. I'm sure Rashid would be interested."
"Thanks," Jack stared, "What about your Master?"
"Master Quatre, has other duties," the second driver put in, "When he's not with us, Rashid is in charge."
"Who are you?" the man in the passenger's seat spoke up, "I'm Abdul. This is Bahir," He motioned to his driver, "The other truck has Faisal driving, with Hashim in the passenger seat and Jarrah in the back. We're part of the Maganac Corps."
"I'm Colonel Jack O'Neill," Jack smiled broadly; "This is Daniel Jackson, Major Sam Carter and Teal'c."
"Nice to meet you," Abdul grinned, "Hop aboard! We'll take you to see the Captain."
"Thanks." Jack nodded, "You heard the man. Everyone aboard."
"Best you ride with us," Bahir suggested, "Faisal's truck is a little loaded. Supplies and all that."
"That," Abdul leaned forward conspiratorially, "And he's an energetic driver."
"Right." Sam agreed, "If you don't mind, sir?"
"Climb aboard." Jack leapt into the truck, followed swiftly by the rest of SG1.
As they drove on, Daniel started to frown.
"Maganac…" Daniel muttered, "Maganac…"
"What's up?" Jack looked at Daniel.
"It's an unusual name," Daniel frowned slightly, "Maganac translates roughly to 'family'."
"That's right." Abdul turned to face SG1, "We're family. The Corps always has been."
"Yeah!" Bahir agreed, "We look out for each other."
"It's the Maganac way," Abdul declared, "We protect each other. We protect Master Quatre. And Master Quatre protects us."
"Who is Master Quatre?" Daniel asked.
"The kindest man I know." Bahir declared, "He's a very busy man though. So usually Captain Rashid deals with everything."
"I wish he wouldn't work so hard," Abdul sighed, "We don't get to see him enough. If it wasn't for us and his friends, he would work himself to death."
"Sounds like Daniel." Jack snorted, "I usually have to go visit him with food to get him out of his office."
"Definitely like Master Quatre," Abdul laughed, "Where have you travelled from?"
"We're Tau'ri." Daniel explained.
"Never heard of them." Abdul smiled, "But I wouldn't mind learning. And I doubt anyone else would."
Conversation continued as they neared the village, in a very short amount of time. To SG1 the village appeared many other desert villages they had seen before. Admittedly the radios, televisions, electric lights and computers were new, but outwardly the village was very normal. Even the people seemed normal. They welcomed the visitors with open arms and plenty of food. There was dancing and music and food and drink (non-alcoholic but the thought was there). They told stories about a war, about love, about little incidences that had happened. In deference to SG1 all conversation was in Common, so that all parties could join in.
Not long after they had arrived there, Abdul, who had wandered off at first, came back face beaming.
"Master Quatre is coming!" Abdul declared loudly, "Captain Rashid has gone to fetch him!"
The announcement was met by cheering, and the setting up of the party.
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They had arrived about mid-morning, and it was nearly halfway through the afternoon, before a car approached the village.
Every single member of the village converged on that vehicle like it contained the Holy Grail. Cries of "Master Quatre" rang out loudly, from various throats.
Daniel had forced his way through the crowd, curious to see this Master Quatre. The first figure out the vehicle was huge; taller than Teal'c by a few inches, if Daniel was any judge. He was built like Teal'c as well. Brown hair was cut short, and he had both a beard and sideburns. Like Abdul, he didn't wear standard Maganac clothing, his waistcoat was dark blue, the shirt beneath a lighter blue. His trousers were white, and the cummerbund was a mid-blue. He radiated authority. Daniel could see why the other Maganacs deferred to this man. He had to be Master Quatre.
A flash of movement caught Daniel's eye, so he turned to the other occupant of the car, who had just vaulted over the car door. The blood drained from his face. He turned, knowing that he would not be able to make his way through the crowd before the other occupant spotted him. Even now the Maganacs were crowding around the smaller figure, unintentionally drawing Daniel closer.
"Jack!" Daniel yelled, "Run! It's 04!"
That was all Daniel managed to get out, before the Maganacs, after staring at him in shock, mobbed him.
Jack didn't even think, after all this time, he had learnt to trust the younger man. Before Daniel had even identified the threat, on the single command, Jack had already obeyed. Sam and Teal'c were in hot pursuit. It went against the grain to abandon a team-mate, but they were out-numbered.
Much to Jack's surprise, there was no chase. Daniel had been detained, but no-one was chasing out into the desert after them. The village implemented basic patrols, but nothing major.
"Okay," Jack leant against a sand-dune overlooking the village, "What just happened?"
"It's 04!" Sam declared, peering through binoculars, "You remember, sir? Cattie? 04? Of the Gundam boys?"
"You're certain?" Jack shamelessly stole the binoculars, "You're right!"
"We should have seen it!" Sam hit the ground with her fist, "It was so obvious!"
"I do not follow." Teal'c allowed a little confusion to show through.
"Quatre," Sam started to explain, "It translates in French to four… 04…. Quat…re… Cattie. It was all there."
"Even my French is good enough for that." Jack nodded, "We just didn't think. I mean… we thought they came from… that other planet."
"PX-38581, sir." Sam supplied.
"Well, obviously they're here now." Jack sighed, "And I'm betting on all of them. We need to get Daniel back. But I'm not sure how to do it."
All three proceeded to stake out the village for several hours. During that time they had seen Daniel firmly escorted into a building. Apart from the patrols there was very little movement. An enclosed truck passed by the village, but as it didn't come anywhere near the members of SG1 or the village, they ignored it, only noting the direction for future reference.
It was starting to get dark, when they saw Quatre again. He left the building that had Daniel in it, and seemed to call all the Maganacs together.
"If I'm any judge, they're going to start on the search parties soon." Jack muttered, "Look, they're getting more and more organised."
"Then they're coming after us, sir." Sam agreed, "We should move."
"Anyone got a preference in direction?" Jack asked, "Hang on! People coming in."
A motorbike was tearing up the dust, the driver appeared to be well used to the environment. Behind him was a jeep with both a driver and a passenger in it. Behind that was a quad-bike, obviously trying to catch up with the other two. Jack paled slightly upon sighting the small convoy.
"That's the rest of them." Jack muttered, "03 on the motorbike. 01 and 05 in the jeep. 02 on the quad-bike. He's not wearing a helmet either."
"I don't think now is the time to talk about his safety precautions or lack thereof, sir." Sam countered.
"Good point, Carter." Jack nodded, "Let's run. We can figure out what we're going to do and how we're going to rescue Daniel later."
They ran.
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Read and Review please.
Second chapter currently being sorted.
Thank you to all those who have encouraged me to put this together. And especially to those who pointed out my stupid mistake in the last one. Duo – God of Death – not war. I'm an idiot.
Also for those wondering in SG1 timeline this takes place in Season 7, before Janet dies. I like Janet.