The probe footage from P5X-487 was satisfying, if not downright encouraging. The Stargate was inside a building, in a room full of various objects, strewn over several tables. It looked like some kind of restauration room, indicating a civilisation close to Earth's technology level, though hard to establish just how close.

The temperature held steady at 18 centigrades, the atmosphere was breathable, there was minimal, downright negligible, levels of radiation, and even though the room was dark, this was most likely because the room had no windows, rather than because it could have been abandoned.

All in all, SG-1 was suited up and ready to go in one hour.

---

The first thing Daniel did upon passing through the Gate was sneeze. There was an overwhelming smell in the room, something akin to pine needles and possibly some sickeningly sweet fruit.

"Well, looks like these people haven't invented air conditioning yet," Jack commented displeased.

Daniel sneezed again, frantically searching for a napkin. As the light from the Stargate disappeared, SG-1 turned on their flashlights.

There was complete silence. Sam suggested this may be because it was night on the planet. Jack suggested this might be because strange aliens might have killed everyone. Considering their past experiences, both possibilities were equally likely.

There was no time for debate, however, as the distinct sound of a door being unlatched sent the team scattering for hiding places. Luckily, the tables throughout the room were all rather large and solid, enough so to hide even Teal'c.

Daniel tried very hard to sneeze, but he seemed to have hidden very near the source of the smell in the room, which he assumed was an open bottle containing a translucid green liquid, right on top of the table under which he hid. He sneezed one last time before he door was pushed open.

Peering from their respective hiding places, each member could see the person entering the room.

She was an old woman, though not very much so. Her hands were wrinkled all over, but her hair was still a steady shade of black, albeit with quite a few stubborn strands of white, and her face had a youthful energy to it. She was also wearing glasses (small and round), which was always a good sign as to a planet's technological level.

She was dressed in a white shirt and another black, vest-like garment ove that, as well as a pair of worn trousers. She shuffled into the room, her attention completely absorbed into the journal in her hand. She turned a knob near the wall, and a series of glass tubes around the room burst briefly, then settled into steady flames.

She was nearly halfway across the room when she raised her gaze to look at the Stargate... and saw the MALP. She gasped and dropped the journal, placing a hand over her chest.

Fearing the poor woman might have a heart attack, Sam slowly rose from her hiding place.

"It's okay--"

"Who ARE you?"

"We're peaceful explorers! We came through the Stargate," and she pointed to the object in question. "We mean you no harm."

The old woman looked downright mistrustful.

"Did you say 'we'?" she asked skeptically.

Jack saw this as his cue to intervene. Rising up from under the table, he put on his best "friendly face" and waved.

"Yep, hi there, nice to meet you."

The woman flinched again, now looking almost insulted.

"I'm Col. Jack O'Neill, that's Major Carter, Dr. Jackson and Teal'c."

As he pointed to each member of the team, the woman crossed her hands and looked at him over her glasses.

"I'm matric Orva from the Great School of Devowah, and YOU are tresspassing!"

"Ooookay..." Jack raised his eyebrows at the woman's straightforwardness. "Did we mention we're from another planet?"

"We're sorry," Daniel interjected, then sneezed. "We had no idea we were tresspassing."

"You're inside a locked room," matric Orva retorted dryly. "On this planet, locked rooms are off limits. Is it not the same where you come from?"

Daniel winced at her harsh tone. "I see you don't believe us."

"Of course I don't. What you call 'Stargate' is an old relic, possibly predating the First Ages. You can not possibly tell me it's--" Orva stopped suddenly and took a long, hard look at the Gate. "The Pass of the Worlds?"

"Uhh... Yes, if that's what you call it," Daniel cleared his throat. "It's a nearly instantaneous way of travelling between different planets."

"Yes... Yes! The Pass of the Worlds!" Orva approached the Stargate and wrung her hands excitedly. "Oh, how fortunate! You see, it was considered lost after the goddess Bendis died. We considered it might be hidden somewhere in the Lower Lands! We traced it to the first human settlements-- oh, it's quite amazing. It's said our ancestor were first brough through the Pass of the Worlds! This is wonderful! My colleagues at the Great School will be-- oh, but this is wonderful!"

"Yes, well, your ancestors might have been brought here from Earth," Daniel nodded, getting caught up in Orva's excitement.

"Earth?" Orva repeated, her hands now shaking.

"That's the planet we came from," Jack quipped.

"Then you must tell me all about it! You!" Orva pointed to Daniel. "You seem to be a scholar yourself! Tell me all you know!"

"Easy, Daniel, she might keel over from the excitement," Jack whispered in Daniel's direction.

Orva promptly made her way to Jack and smacked him overhead. Daniel and Sam recoiled, surprised. Teal'c merely raised an eyebrow.

"Ow!"

"I may be old, but that doesn't mean I'm deaf!" she said, waving her finger in Jack's face. "So don't you dare take me overfoot!"

"Overfoot?" he mouthed pathetically, trying to keep in mind that she was only a defenseless old woman.

"Overfoot! It means to patronise!"

Orva waved her finger some more in a universal spectacle of old woman rage, then turned to Daniel again.

"Let's move to my study. The smell of vroina in this room is enough to cause headaches," she said finally.

"Ah, yes, we were going to ask about the smell. What is it?" Sam asked.

"Vroina. It kills vermin. Not dangerous to humans except in much larger quantities," Orva replied, adjusting her glasses.

"But not MUCH larger, I'll bet," Jack muttered while they all followed Orva out of the room.

The hallways were large and cold. There were no glass tubes with flames burning inside here, but ordinary electrical instalations along the walls.

"But tell me, why come here?" Orva asked.

"We travel through the Stargate to many planets," Sam explained, "searching for allies and weapons against the Goa'uld."

"Never heard of them," Orva shrugged.

"Well, we can still negociate a treaty and... and open trading relationships between our respective planets," Sam continued.

"Oh, you'll have to go to the proper authorities for that."

"Great! Who would that be?" Jack asked, finally thinking it safe again to talk.

"Our goddess, Delmis," Orva replied.