STANDING WATCH

Teal'c sits at the edge of the camp, his back to the dying fire. He is very still, and all of his senses are tuned to the darkness surrounding him.

Incredible night vision is one of the boons granted him by his symbiote, and he can discern details in the adjacent landscape that even the best Tau'ri eyes would miss. He knows there are several small animals in the nearby brush, even though they are as silent and still as he. He feels every slight movement of air and hears the faintest rustling of tall grass in the breeze. Any sound out of the ordinary would be immediately noticeable to him—a footstep, a drawn breath. Through his body's connection with the ground, he would feel any approach—animal or mechanical. Even as he maintains this awareness, his body rests, his mind is at ease. Long years of training and experience come into play as he watches.

Nearby, in the tents, the other members of his team sleep. Teal'c can hear the soft snores coming from DanielJackson's direction. The archeologist sleeps deeply, relaxed, oblivious to his surroundings. Daniel has not yet learned to distrust the Universe, his instincts are not honed to dangers that can come from the most innocent-appearing direction. Yet his value to the team is unquestioned, and Teal'c accepts with honor the responsibility to protect the young man.

CaptainCarter's sleep is tense, uneasy. Aware of her surroundings on some level, she is unable to relax completely into rest and wakes periodically to assess her surroundings. Teal'c hears her clearly as she shifts and sighs. Should he raise a warning, she would be awake at once. He knows that the lack of renewal in her repose will eventually hamper her effectiveness. She has much to learn, but in her Teal'c sees great promise.

Neither sound nor movement comes from O'Neill's tent. If Teal'c were to look inside he would see a man completely relaxed, unmoving. However the very fact of eyes watching him would bring the Colonel into instant wakefulness. Teal'c is quite impressed by the level of O'Neill's abilities in the field, including his awareness of everything around him, awake or asleep. This Tau'ri is as good as almost any warrior that Teal'c has ever known.

Movement in the near distance draws Teal'c's attention. After a moment, he can see the outline as an animal grazes on the low brush at the edge of the trees. It is a larger creature, perhaps a deer or this world's equivalent. His hand closes around the zat at his side, in case it should pose any threat. At the small movement, the creature's head comes up, sniffing the air, and an instant later it vanishes into the forest. With a slight nod Teal'c resumes his watch of the world around him.

In the east, the faintest of light announces the coming of dawn.