Disclaimer: I don't own Angel the Series, I don't own Stargate SG-1

Thanks to Starway Man for being my beta-reader

Timeline-wise, this fic takes place after episode 3x18 "Double Or Nothing" for Angel, and has some scenes that occur during episode 3x19 "The Price". For Stargate SG-1, this takes place after episode 5x3 "Ascension".

And yes, I'm well aware that the timelines of the two shows don't fit – basically, the Stargate SG-1 timeline has been moved to fit the Angel timeline for the needs of the fic, just as it was moved for the needs of the prequel fic, 'Old Friends'.

If you haven't read 'Old Friends', you should, as this fic will make a great deal more sense once you've done that.

Old Friends: A New Direction

By Alkeni

Chapter 1

April 25th, 2002

Stargate Command, Cheyenne Mountain, Colorado

Daniel checked the clock. Still thirty minutes before the briefing before SG-1's next mission. That meant he had fifteen minutes before he had to leave to get there five minutes before the meeting started, as was his wont. Teal'c would probably be there already – he usually was – and it was a toss up if he'd be right behind Sam or Sam would be right behind him.

Jack, as usual, would come in right on time, usually exactly on time. More, Daniel suspected, out of a desire to push the limits of the rules than out of being busy with other things beforehand.

So, given that he had some spare time, Daniel started sorting through his mail. Most of his personal mail arrived here rather than actually ending up at his apartment, given how often Daniel ended up staying at the base overnight, sometimes by accident, sometimes on purpose. Mail such as his letters from Wesley.

Daniel frowned after he went through the mail, then went through it again.

Nothing from Wes.

This was odd. In fact, Wesley's letters had been arriving later than they usually did over the last few months. They'd long since developed a fairly regular rate of back and forth – not anything deliberate, just each of their own rhythms.

Daniel hadn't thought much of anything of it – he'd just assumed things were busy in L.A., what with Connor and all the threats to the young child born of two vampires.

And hadn't that been an interesting thing to find out about?

Wesley didn't go into much detail about the supernatural side of his work in his letters to Daniel, even though, since his visit to L.A. last October, Daniel knew about it – demons, vampires, magic...the real job of Angel Investigations. At first, Daniel had thought it was because his old friend didn't want to expose him to that sort of thing. Not someone whom Wesley believed was working a normal nine to five job; or at least as much as being a military consultant related to his line of work, anyway. But eventually, he'd figured it out.

The reason for not bringing up all the details of his work in his letters to his friend...Daniel had figured out why: Wesley wanted to have one social contact that wasn't completely overtaken by the supernatural. From Daniel knew about Wesley's upbringing as a 'Watcher'...well, he could read between the lines in both Wesley's letters and the conversations they'd had in L.A. before he'd left...

He'd been raised practically since birth to be involved in the supernatural, including working spells since a very early age – though he didn't know how early – and been at least ankle, if not waist or chest, deep in the supernatural world for essentially his entire life.

But...well, it was hard to leave it all out, and so Daniel had learned about Connor – about Darla and the miracle child that was prophesied to be born to her and Angel. About the way all of them at Angel Investigations were contributing towards helping bring the child up, to protect him, and to understand just what his presence meant.

But, Daniel returned his thoughts to his stack of mail, even given his inconsistent schedule these days, I should have one by now. It had been quite a few weeks since his last letter from Wesley.

And, Daniel thought just a little guiltily, I've been so busy that I've not given it much thought. I should call Wes, see if he's alright – I mean, he's probably just caught up in something, but still. Wesley was his friend – at the very least, a phone call could make sure the man came up for air from whatever new project or translation had taken all his attention – or case, Daniel supposed.

Unfortunately, it would have to wait, Daniel realized. He'd taken longer going through the stack of mail than he'd thought, and now it was time to go attend the meeting...

April 25th, 2002

P5X-194

Daniel shaded his eyes against the alien sun as they stepped through the Stargate onto a new planet. His first move, then, was to put on his sunglasses.

There didn't seem to be anything immediately remarkable about this planet – it was one of those that they'd taken from the Abydos Cartouche, which presumably meant prior Goa'uld visitation, and possibly even occupation. There were no obvious signs of human habitation near the gate, but that was far from unusual.

"So which way do we go then, Jack?" Daniel asked the USAF Colonel, looking around.

The Gate was in an open clearing, trees around them on all sides. As usual, they looked like Pacific-Northwest trees, and not for the first time Daniel wondered why it was so many planets with gates in forested regions had that. The largely temperate nature was likely part of it...

Jack had joked that the Gatebuilders must have had some sort of love affair with the Pacific-Northwest. Daniel guessed it was likely coincidence – the trees weren't the same as the ones in the similar climate zone on Earth, but it made sense that, given how Earth-like a planet had to be to support human life, that similar circumstances might create similar creatures and plant life.

Superficially similar, anyway.

"Carter, the M.A.L.P. still isn't picking up any obvious energy signatures?"

Sam checked the machine once more, then looked back up at the Colonel. "No, sir, nothing."

Jack seemed about to select a direction at random when Teal'c called out from the clearing's edge over on the left, "O'Neil!"

"Well, I guess we're going that way." Jack said philosophically and the three humans went over to where the Jaffa was. When he saw the large stone pillar hidden from obvious view by the tree cover, Daniel realized why Teal'c had called them over.

"It is a Goa'uld warning." Teal'c said, pointing to the symbols on the stone, carved large enough to be read from some distance.

"What's it say?"

"I am unsure of the direct translation," Teal'c admitted, frowning, but Daniel could come up with a fairly decent paraphrase.

"It's the Goa'uld equivalent of 'here there be dragons'," Daniel explained.

"Dragons?" Sam didn't openly question his word choice, but he could pick it up in her tone.

"Well, not actual dragons. But it's the same kind of thing that saw sea monsters be drawn on the edge of European maps in the Middle Ages. The region in question was unknown or frightening – something there meant people trying to go there didn't come back. This is the same kind of warning – whatever this is about, it's something the Goa'uld are scared of enough to admit it, and leave a marker about it. And to sign it." Daniel crouched down and pulled some vines off the bottom of the stone.

"The symbol of Nirrtii." Teal'c said softly.

"Nirtii?" Jack frowned, and Sam looked angry just at the Goa'uld's mention. Hardly surprising, given...well, that it was Nirtii. "Something actually scared her off?"

"Enough to leave this marker and sign it." Daniel confirmed, standing back up. "Of course, whatever it is could be long gone." Not that he necessarily believed that...

"Or it might not be." Sam pointed out. "Some kind of hostile native life, like the bugs on BP6-3Q1." She saw the looks on the others' faces, "Well, obviously not them," she rushed to explain, "If they were here, they'd be coming at us already. They'd have to be."

Before Jack or anyone else could say anything, they heard the sounds of people moving around them, and a half-dozen men and women in worn but well-made leather armor, crossbows leveled at them, stepped out of the tree cover to the north and south, three in either direction.

They hadn't been stealthy enough to stop SG-1 from having their own weapons at the ready.

"Howdy, folks?" Jack offered, by now unfortunately used to the locals pointing their weapons at him.

"You came through the Great Ring." One of them said.

"That we did." Jack agreed, "Is that a problem?" He kept his tone level and calm. Fortunately, the one talking didn't seem all that jumpy, which was always a plus.

"It would be a greater problem for us both, had you come through when the sun was down." The man told them, "But you brandish weapons despite being guests."

"Well, you're pointing weapons at your guests." Jack pointed out in turn.

"This is true." The man replied, "But you are also strangers. We do not receive many visitors through the Great Ring – only ones such as this one." He gestured to Teal'c. "He is Jaffa."

"He's not on the side of the Goa'uld, not anymore." Daniel said immediately. "He no longer serves them, and fights to defeat them. You don't need to be afraid of him."

"We aren't afraid. No Jaffa that come though the Great Ring ever stay long, even if they survive here."

Teal'c decided to be unusually expressive and raised an eyebrow. "Your equipment does not appear to be sufficient to defeat trained Jaffa warriors."

Rather than taking offense, the locals laughed. After a moment, the leader saw fit to explain, "It is not we who drive off or kill the Jaffa."

"Who does?" Jack asked, his tone the same it would be if he was asking 'ya think?'

"Does – whoever drives off the Jaffa. Is it related to this?" Daniel put his hand on the warning stone.

"It does." The leader replied, "But that which protects our world from the Goa'uld is no boon upon us. The Nightwalkers are enemies of all, human and Jaffa alike." The man lowered his crossbow and gestured for his fellows to do the same. "But the Nightwalkers are not a matter to be spoken of between strangers. I am Jaresh, and these are my fellow hunters – Nejan, Taris, Keth, Naria and Fala." He pointed to each in turn.

"Colonel Jack O'Neill." Jack lowered his own weapon, and the rest of SG-1 did the same. "That's Teal'c, Major Samantha Carter and Daniel Jackson."

"We're peaceful explorers from the planet Earth." Daniel explained. "We'd like to learn about your people, your culture – maybe about these 'Nightwalkers' you spoke of."

Jaresh considered Daniel's words a moment, then shook his head, "I will not speak of the Nightwalkers to you – it is not my place to do so. But if Sister Agata deems you worthy, then she will speak of them to you."

"Sister Agata?"

"The Voice of the High Powers – those who spoke in our forefathers' dreams and told us how to hold off the Nightwalkers after the Goa'uld abandoned this world to them."

Daniel wasn't sure what to make of all this. The obvious conclusion was that there was some kind of native race that had posed a threat to the Goa'uld occupation of the planet, and driven them off. The humans left behind had then been forced to fend for themselves.

It's probably a local myth perpetuated after the locals found out how to fight these 'Nightwalkers'. Or there could be some kind of further truth in these 'High Powers'.

Daniel turned to Jack, "If these 'Nightwalkers' are enough to drive off the Goa'uld, then we should learn more about them, if we can."

"I'm right there with you, Daniel." Jack agreed. "Though I'm not sure how I feel about having to be judged worthy by the locals first. What happens if we fail?"

"If the Voice for Tellis deems you unworthy, you will not be told of the Nightwalkers, nor be welcome in Tellis or any other towns of our people. But you will be free to leave this world unmolested by us." Jaresh explained.

"How far is this 'Tellis', then?" Jack asked, guessing that Tellis was some kind of village or town.

Jaresh looked up to the sky a moment, then back down, "It is midday now. We would be there before the afternoon was truly upon us, if we hurry."

"Alright. What the hell." Jack gestured for Jaresh to lead them to 'Tellis'. "Lead on, Macduff." At the confused expression on the man's face, Jack added, "Sorry. We'll follow you."

April 25th, 2002

P5X-194

The walk took, by Daniel's watch, about an hour to get them from the Gate to 'Tellis'. The forest was not, as it turned out, as thick as it appeared in this direction – they were out of the tree cover in a little under thirty minutes, coming out into an open plain, some hills in the distance. The flat openness of the land all the way to the hills allowed them to see structures in the distance.

That, as they'd been informed, was Tellis.

Overall, however, Jaresh and his fellows hadn't seemed that interested in talking. When Daniel had tried to get them to talk about other things – these 'High Powers' for example, or just anything, really. Unfortunately, he didn't get much.

The locals were less hostile than they could have been, but also less friendly. Still, he could work with that. SG-1 wasn't a threat to them, or a threat to their way of life. He'd managed to convince people on dozens of planets of that.

Confidence, yes, but confidence Daniel had earned. And he never rested on it.

When they drew closer to the town, Daniel noticed two things immediately. One, all the buildings were made out of stone, which seemed odd for a community that appeared to be at a middle ages level of technology. Not only the crossbows themselves, but the methods used on the farms they'd passed along the way – interestingly though, there hadn't been any farm houses or huts either. It seemed all the farmers lived in the town.

Buildings of stone were usually, in societies like this, reserved for public structures, or homes for the wealthy or elite of the society.

But the thing that really drew the eye was the large strange, stylized axe – well, it looked kind of like an axe, though not any kind of axe he'd seen before – made of a very familiar metal out in front of the town.

It was clearly an art object, a symbol of some kind – it was too large to be practical for all but the tallest people, and even the handle was made of that metal.

"Carter." Jack asked slowly, "Is that thing made of what I think it is?"

Sam looked at it, "I think so, sir. I'll need to examine it more closely, but I'm pretty sure it's Trinium."