Buluc Chabtan

by Ayesha Jen

The past comes back to haunt Jack in the form of two people who are now Tok'ra, how does he really feel about them now? He would also like to know how uninvited guests got into the SGC? 2nd of a Trilogy Last is Insect Tsunami 1st if missed was Cretaceous

DISCLAIMER:

Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Stargate (II) Productions, Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret productions, and Gekko productions. This story is for entertainment purposes only and no money exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author. This story may not be posted elsewhere without the consent of the author.

There are mentions of Cretaceous a previous fan fiction already posted. There are also mentions of the episodes Fair Game, Show & Tell, The Tok'ra.

The Meeting

The frenzied activities of the previous three days finally died away. The lowest levels of Cheyenne Mountain looked as fit as they ever would be to receive visitors. All the SG teams had been recalled for this important event. The last had arrived four hours previously and the Gate Room was now ready to recieve its important visitors.

The three top SG teams stood in little huddles around the Gate Room. The blues and greens of both air force and marine dress uniforms were in evidence, and a low murmur of voices filled the air. Silence fell briefly as they all looked towards the security doors which opened to admit General Hammond and Arthur Sims, the Secretary of Defence. Major Davis and three other Aides also accompanied them into the room.

General Hammond scanned the room quickly checking that everyone was present and his eyes settled on the first team as the low murmur of voices resumed. Their visitors were the first allies against the Goa'uld who had actually shared technology with Earth. The technology they had supplied already protected the SGC from possible incursion. 'As infuriating as they could be, they were at least more helpful than the Tollen or Nox, or the Asgard for that matter' he admitted thoughtfully. It made them very important to several different factions in the American government.

So here they were yet again, trying to complete the negotiations that began some time ago. This time security was tight as they wanted no threat of assassinations. He noticed the first team was not complete and pursed his lips in mild annoyance. The Stargate chevrons began to light up and all sound ceased as everyone turned to watch the Stargate respond to the dial in. General Hammond looked up at the window of the control room. "Identification confirmed Sir, they are on their way," the sound from the speaker echoed slightly in the silent room.

"Open the iris," Hammond commanded. "Gentlemen, your places please," he called to everyone in the room.

The sound of metal on metal rang through the room as the iris spun open. The final physical barrier between Earth and the dangers beyond the Gate was removed.

Colonel O'Neill glanced at his watch an exasperated look appearing on his face as he glanced towards the open door. "Where is he?" he thought to himself and glanced at Major Carter. Understanding the look she shrugged her shoulders in response as she had no idea where Daniel was. The last chevron lit as Daniel Jackson finally rushed through the doorway. He quickly crossed the room to take his place with his team. He mouthed a 'sorry' at the Colonel and straightened his tie nervously.

"You are late," Teal'c stated quietly without turning to the man at his side.

"Flat tire… bear in the road…grizzly… irritated. I didn't feel like getting out." Daniel whispered back a nervous smile appeared on his face.

"What happened to the bear?" Sam responded in a whisper from his other side.

"Don't encourage him Major," Jack snapped, also keeping his eyes front.

Nevertheless a slight smile appeared om his face. He wondered how Daniel had managed to remove the obstacle from his path or if his surprisingly resourceful friend had been faced with an angry bear at all. The horizontal fountain of energy thrust into the Gate Room briefly before retreating into event horizon and stabilising. 'So' the thought passed through Jack's mind as he watched it 'who are we going to get this time?' The assembly waited in silence for their guests to appear.

Two figures broke the event horizon's surface first, followed swiftly by three more. They all stopped briefly at the top of the ramp and then slowly walked towards Arthur Sims and Hammond who stood waiting for them at the bottom. The bleached desert dress favoured by many of the Tok'ra was worn by all but one of the arrivals. The exception was a tall older woman Jack immediately recognised. She wore a long dress of black and gold and Sam put a name to the face.

"Garshaw of Belote. We haven't seen her since Dad became a host," Sam murmured.

Sam's eyes were fixed on Garshaw's companion, she had not been certain until now that her father would be among the Tok'ra Leaders. Behind them walked Aldwin with another man and Freya. Jack glanced at Teal'c whose expression was difficult to read even for Jack. 'I don't think you've forgiven him for dropping that bomb on us' Jack thought, then returned his gaze to Aldwin and his companions. He eyed Freya uneasily but she seemed not to notice him.

Then the event horizon released further visitors and the ramp became crowded. Another nine figures emerged slowly moving down the ramp. Some in desert dress while others favouring styles reminiscent of various ancient cultures. Everyone's attention was now on the ramp and the arriving guests. SG1 and SG3 both looked for faces they would recognise. Captain Burns, a young redheaded marine caught sight of the face he was searching for. A smile lit his eyes as recognition dawned and he broke rank for a moment to reach up and take his friend's arm. Jack watched the breach but smiled, he was surprised at how much the Tok'ra had come to mean to some members of the SGC. The noise and activity had distracted him and he missed Hammond's opening words of welcome. He did however hear him introduce Arthur Sims to General Jacob Carter, who in turn formally introduced Garshaw of Belote to them.

With the introductions over friendships were renewed as the guests and SG staff mingled. Arthur Sims and Garshaw withdrew to the sidelines and stood watching the reunions, Sims expression was pleased. The friendliness between the soldiers and their guests boded well for the meeting. Garshaw of Belote appeared puzzled by the affection the Tauri seemed to generate in her people. 'A primitive people still, but many have learned to accept what we are' she thought at her symbiote. 'Since their defiance of the System Lords we have gained much strength. Many join us now whom once feared the power of the Go'auld,' her symbiote responded.

Hammond greeted Jacob with a friendly slap to the shoulder. "You look well Jacob… hello Selmak," Hammond finished a little awkwardly. He still found it strange to be talking to two minds when confronted by his old friend.

"So do you" Jacob replied with a smile. "Where is my daughter?"

"Behind you," Sam called as she crossed to him. Sam Carter stepped into her father's embrace, assuring herself that he had fully recovered from his last encounter with the System Lords.

On the other side of the room Captain Burns had been joined by two members of the Tok'ra, all three were smiling and clearly old friends. Jack watched them and wondered which SG3 encounter had blossomed into friendship. 'A few months ago SG3 had a run-in with some Jaffa, didn't they? Hmmm, that marine was seriously injured. I wonder how much of what happened wasn't in the report.' Aldwin stood close to Jacob and Sam, watching them with a smile. Jack watched the little scene for a moment, head slightly tilted and chewing his lip. It was an unconscious response to the puzzle of his mixed feelings about Aldwin. Finally he shook his head, 'will I ever get used to being allies with them'.

He noticed Aldwin turn to stare towards the Stargate as if looking for someone. Jack followed the line of Aldwin's intent gaze idly wondering who was the focus of that kind of attention. A woman and child stood together at the top of the ramp watching the general melee. The child seemed preoccupied as if he was looking for something, or perhaps something was puzzling him. Then he caught sight of Jack and tugged at the woman's arm. The woman turned and the pair stared directly at him.

He recognised Charlie first, even though the difference in him made him seem like a stranger. The shock of seeing the boy disappeared under the second recognition, beside Charlie stood Saya. Jack's chest tightened painfully as he recognised them both. The thick black mop of hair was as unruly as ever he noted. 'No drug floating around in my System and she still has the same effect on me,' he thought as his pulse began to race. He wondered how she would feel about him now. Jetair was in residence and he was responsible for that 'don't go there Jack' he thought, 'no choice…' He still found it difficult to think of what he had agreed to so that she would live, 'so that they both could live.' Jack couldn't help feeling that Saya had exchanged one type of captivity for another.

He made his way up the ramp towards them and stumbled against an unnoticed object. As he caught the rail to steady himself, he looked up at Saya and grinned. "I don't ever seem able to stay on my feet around you," he told her with a laugh. Saya smiled back at him a little shyly it seemed and set his pulse racing again.

Saya looked at this Tauri. He had been her lover for a little while, her first, and her only. Now with what Jetair knew of Colonel O'Neill she was afraid of how he would feel about her. She raised a hand to reach for him but then changed her mind and let it fall. She stepped back and watched as he hunkered down to hug the child. She knew Charlie had been dying the last time Jack had seen him. Jetair stirred uneasily inside Saya, she had met Colonel O'Neill before Saya had become her host. She still remembered his reaction to being asked to be host to Selmak.

"You look real good," Jack told Charlie as he held him at arms length to take a searching look. Charlie really did look incredible considering how sick he was when he left with Jacob.

"So do you," the boy replied with a smile.

"Look, I know I promised to come to see you…" Jack began.

"That would be difficult when you did not know where I was. I understand now why you let Jacob take me. I still wish I could have stayed with you… that you would have been my father… but I know I would not be alive now… still…" Charlie added wistfully proving to Jack, if anything could, that this was still the little boy from the Ree'tou. Jack swallowed the pain that the old memory caused, it was an unexpected reaction. He gave Charlie another hug and looked up at Saya then back at Charlie. "It isn't that I'm not pleased to see you, but what are you doing with the big wigs?"

"Jacob asked if we wanted to come. He thought that you might be pleased to see us," Saya said quietly and the symbiote stirred uneasily. It had been her suggestion to Jacob that had prompted the invitation. Selmak and Jacob were well aware of the difficulties a host's unresolved emotions could give a symbiote. 'Saya has unresolved emotions to spare,' Jetair thought peevishly. 'Wanting to see her family, her people, and the emotional conflict this Tauri caused in her…'

"And you Charlie?"

"It's the first chance I've been given to come and see you. They said it would be safe to bring me here," then Charlie grinned. "I am still very small to be carrying such an illustrious Tok'ra as my Drak. They keep me safe," then he sighed, "it is all very boring at times."

"Let's get off this ramp," Jack commented as he stood up hiding the smile Charlie's comment had caused. Catching Charlie's hand and Saya's elbow, he threaded their way down through the crowd leaving the ramp.

The smile dissipated as he fought to control the conflicting emotions meeting these two people caused in him. How was he supposed to deal with complicated relationships when they came at him two at a time?

Aldwin's Request

Daniel and Teal'c stood together watching other team members greet their friends or in Sam's case, family. Teal'c watched O'Neill with the boy and felt sadness for his friend. He knew how hard relationships were for O'Neill and how vulnerable they made him feel. The tall Tok'ra who had come down the ramp with Aldwin approached Teal'c. He watched him, a slight raised eyebrow his only sign of surprise.

"We have met before," the tall desert clad individual told him, "when you were with Apophis. I would never have expected you to have the courage or desire to defy your god."

"False god," Teal'c corrected. "I always knew Apophis was not a god. But you are right; I would not have believed I would do this until I met O'Neill."

Daniel had wandered towards the doorway, away from the huddle of people on the ramp. He had noticed Jack's stumble on the ramp. 'Now that's not like you Jack' Daniel thought, 'you don't have two left feet.' His eyes followed Jack the rest of the way up the ramp, and watched the meeting unfold. Someone he hadn't noticed brushed past him.

He turned to find Aldwin greeting Teal'c and smiled in response as he walked back to join them. "You're looking a good deal better than when we last met," Aldwin commented by way of greeting. Daniel's reply was lost.

Hammond's voice rose over the babble, inviting everyone to move to the conference room where refreshments waited for them. Arthur Sims escorted Garshaw of Belote from the Gate Room. Tok'ra, marines and airmen followed them. The conversations continued until the Tok'ra leaders and Arthur Sims' people moved into the meeting room. Hammond and Jacob Carter brought up the rear and closed the doors behind them. They settled around the table to discuss past events and future tactics.

What remained of the group in the outer room began to drift off. The members of SG3 took their friends to show them around the facility.

Aldwin took the opportunity to draw Daniel to one side. "I need to talk to you," Aldwin told Daniel in a quiet voice. "There is something I want you to do for me." Daniel looked at him in surprise. "Can we go somewhere else to talk?" Daniel nodded and led him from the room.

"What can I do for you?" Daniel asked as he led him towards the laboratories.

"I have a Stargate address you may be interested in. It is one discovered by accident. As far as we know it is not known to the System Lords."

"Do you know what's on the planet?" Daniel enquired.

"From the information I have been given, I think it may be Saya's home world." Aldwin responded.

Daniel stopped turning to look at him. "What does Saya think?"

"I haven't told her. We have already tried several times to find her home. I want to try again first and then tell her if it seems likely to be the one. She was so disappointed last time we were wrong. Her unhappiness disturbs Jetair. Now she is no longer trapped on that primitive planet, Saya has a wish to return home, to see her family again."

Daniel turned him round and guided him back up the corridor. "We're going the wrong way. We have a list of addresses, none of which are known to the Go'auld. It may be among them." Daniel and Aldwin made their way through the corridors towards his office and computer terminal. He looked at the Tok'ra walking beside him and wondered why Aldwin was so interested in finding Saya's home. The Tok'ra had never struck him as that understanding of human needs, despite their more acceptable attitude to their hosts.

Primitive Reactions

Meanwhile, Sam and Teal'c walked briskly towards the gym. Teal'c was instructing Sam on the finer points of using a staff weapon. He knew the shape of the weapon made it far more adaptable than the wooden staff or spear used by the Tauri ancestors. It pleased him to have such a good pupil, although having seen Sam fight on several occasions he was not surprised at her aptitude. The training sessions in the Gym had become a regular occurrence for the two of them, when they were not off world. So the Gym's close proximity to the conference rooms allowed them time for their usual workout and shower before they rejoined the guests for dinner.

SG3 and their Tok'ra friends joined them in the elevator, which became very crowded. "I am told you were host to Jolinar for a while," the Tok'ra Al'ya commented as he stood beside her.

"For a short while when she was hiding from an Ashrak," Sam replied.

"Then you know much about our people."

"You know it's not that simple" Sam replied, "I get flashes of memory, but most of Jolinar is too deeply buried for me to access. For example I know your name is Al'ya and that Jolinar knew you, but only because you are here to prompt the memory."

The elevator opened and the two groups parted. Sam felt the hair on the back of her neck stand on end and turned to watch the group walk away. She could not decide what had caused the primitive survival reaction to start.

"Major Carter?" Teal'c asked concerned by the noticeable tension that had appeared in her bearing.

"It's nothing," Sam answered the unfinished question and smiled.

She and Teal'c had such a rapport that sometimes very few words were needed. He knew she was unsettled, but Sam felt the ghost of feeling fade away. The pair walked off towards the gym and the workout they both looked forward to.

Blackout

There was no sign of the intruder on the surveillance camera as the door swung closed on the short corridor to the largest Generators. The whole area was silent and deserted. A single click sounded loud in the confines of the room and then an explosion ripped through it. The door ripped from its seals and blew into the corridor. The SGC alarms sounded loud, triggering an upward spreading alert until a second smaller explosion killed another set of Generators and cut power in another section of the SGC. The alarms died away along with the main light circuits. Security doors across the base slid shut trapping personnel in rooms and corridors throughout the lower levels. Power to the air conditioning units stopped leaving pockets of the base without a cold air supply.

The emergency lights flickered red giving disorientated people a way to check their surroundings. Computers across the SGC slowly died without sufficient power to maintain them. In the Infirmary Doctor Janet Fraiser raised a brief prayer of thanks that they had a separate emergency generator. She was also grateful there were no seriously ill or injured soldiers in her care as the air conditioning units had died and they would soon begin to feel uncomfortably warm.

"Looks like we may be in for a trying time," she told one of the nurses. "Check how many people are stuck in this section and if anyone has been injured. I think those rumbles were explosions."

The lower levels of Cheyenne Mountain ground to a halt as they were cut off from the surface. Containment procedures slid smoothly into place. No one on the upper levels knew the nature of the emergency below, but no one would be allowed up until they were certain it would be safe to allow it. Sirens in the upper level warned of trouble below. Enough had happened on the lower levels in the past to kick personnel swiftly into emergency mode. All external power feeds were cut to deny any invader additional power. The outside of the mountain echoed to the sound of pounding feet as a perimeter was set up and the mountain sealed off. In essence the SGC became a prison.

Where's the Power Coming From?

Daniel froze mid stride as the rumbling sound reached him. He caught Aldwin's shoulder to halt him while he listened to the sound roll beneath his feet. Aldwin heard the sound and waited for Daniel to tell him what was wrong. As the SGC ground to a halt an unnatural silence fell over the whole facility. Muffled banging disturbed the stillness, but the noises were faint and barely disturbed the overall silence. It took Daniel a moment or two to realise why it felt so quiet. The sounds of machinery at work were always present now he could hear nothing. The absence of the underlying noise was disturbing to his senses. He ran the remaining distance to the control centre as the power went down, both he and the Tok'ra made it past the final security door as it slid shut. With the doors sealed, he realised they would be trapped in that part of level 28.

''What the hell is going on? '' Daniel muttered to himself as they entered the control room. "What's going on?" he repeated to the technician struggling to reactivate the computers.

"There's been an explosion in the generator room, and somewhere else… I think. I heard two rumbles."

"The generators are definitely down," Siler commented as he and two marines came into the room. "We seem to have lost all but emergency power."

"Are there any other weapons in this section?" Daniel asked them. Both marines had picked up weapons from a locker in the corridor and he was grateful for their caution. Daniel was nervous, but explosions aside he unable to pinpoint the reason.

"Sir," he heard a nervous voice behind him. "The Stargate control console is rebooting. I don't know where the power's coming from."

He looked at Aldwin who appeared to be staring in an unfocused way around the room and he felt the hair on the back of his neck begin to rise. The look on Aldwin's face crystallised his sense of nervousness. He was being watched.

"Siler," he said quietly, stepping closer to the engineer. "Can you short out the controls to the iris so it can't be opened?"

Siler stared at Daniel for a moment, uncertainty on his face. Siler had come to trust SG1 and their instincts for danger, it had saved them all so many times already. 'Not that it takes much instinct to know something is badly wrong here,' he thought. "Yes Sir," he responded.

"Do it now," Daniel urged, pushing him towards the exit.

Siler left the room hurriedly, hoping that whatever the problem was it wouldn't follow him. Daniel felt Aldwin's eyes on him and turned.

"I know," Daniel answered the unspoken confirmation and picked up a chair as he walked towards the console. As they expected him to seat himself at the computer, everyone jumped as he swung the seat high smashing the console and controls. A bolt of energy erupted from the doorway, scorching his jacket shoulder as it passed. Daniel's action had diverted the invisible enemy from following Siler and confirmed its presence. The marines began firing at the origin of the bolt, sending the automatic fire in opposite arcs and trying to find their target. Suddenly a human figure began to materialise and slowly fell to the floor. They had managed to hit their invisible target before he had the opportunity to fire a second time. The phase shifting technology was not designed to withstand the bullets that had smashed into it. The failing PS generator allowed the falling body to be seen. The soldiers continued to scan the room waiting for more trouble to appear.

Daniel looked at the body of the Jaffa, lying where it fell and began to sweat. 'How many are there? Where are they?' He didn't even need to consider how they got into the SGC. Jack's stumble on the walkway, the unseen person who had brushed passed him, it all clicked into place. He heard the Stargate begin to respond to someone dialling in. "Go help Siler disable the iris controls!" he yelled at the marines and they responded immediately. "It's just as well no-one's off world at the moment, at least we don't have to worry about friends being splattered against the iris."

"How?" Aldwin questioned. "How did they manage to come through with us?"

"It's Ree'tou technology. Nirrti, it has to be the phase shifter Nirrti acquired. I guess the System Lords persuaded her to share the secret," Daniel replied. "Can we get that blast screen up and see what's going on in the Gate Room?" he asked looking back at the technicians.

"There is a manual override," responded one of the technicians.

"Then use it." Daniel responded. It said a lot for the respect the military personnel held for Daniel that no one questioned his orders.

Slowly the blast screen began to respond to the turning of the manual lever. The light from an active wormhole could be seen reflecting under the screen. They waited, praying that the iris had stayed in place. Suddenly Siler came into view looking up at the window. When he realised they could see him, he gave the thumbs up sign. The marine's weapons could be seen covering the two Gate Room doors. Daniel realised that the defensive positions they had taken up were only as good as what they could see. He made his way down to the Gate Room, but found Siler was thinking way ahead of him.

"Don't shoot me!" He yelled the warning as he entered the Gate Room realising that the marines would probably be a little trigger-happy by this time.

He found Siler activating the Transphase Eradication Rods (TERs) the Tok'ra had given them to protect the Gate Room from Ree'tou incursion. Aldwin and Daniel helped him set them up to cover the doors. As they worked, a slow drumming sound began to build up behind the iris. Daniel wandered up the ramp and watched it apprehensively hoping it would hold; hoping that someone would get the power back on soon.

"Shouldn't we try to get a security door open?" Siler asked.

"We should protect the Stargate. They'll come to us... Jack will come and find us," Daniel replied and Siler nodded his agreement.

Something We Can't See

As Sam landed on the mat she felt as well as heard the rumbling explosions. "Teal'c!" she gasped as he steadied himself on a shifting floor. As dust floated down from the Gym ceiling, he held out a hand to pull Sam erect.

The lights in the gym went out and did not reappear. The emergency lighting failed to kick in. "Are you alright Major Carter?" Teal'c asked. "It appears the lights will not be available."

The sound of the nearest security door sliding into place echoed through the open gym door. A dim light from the corridor reassured Sam that most of the emergency lighting was working. "We can see the door just don't trip over anything," Sam responded and let go of his arm.

A quick tour of the immediate area confirmed her fear. They and four soldiers were trapped in this section of corridor directly above the Conference area, but cut off from it. There was no way down to find out if their friends were safe.

"I don't want to worry anyone," one of the soldiers commented, "but I don't hear the air conditioning. Can air get into this section?"

"There is the emergency exit you used when the SGC was invaded" Teal'c replied looking towards the exit Sam had used to escape and bring help.

"Its new security lock is electronic" Sam replied, but walked to the hatch with a thoughtful look on her face. "We have a weapons locker in this section, I think we may need some firearms. I wouldn't worry about the air soldier, there's enough down here to breathe for some considerable time. It might get a bit warm though."

The look she gave the soldiers was clearly an order. They rushed down the corridor to pick up the weapons.

"Can you open it?" Teal'c asked.

"Probably, but I don't think I will just yet," Sam murmured quietly.

Teal'c felt the first stirrings as junior responded to the presence of one of his own kind. The Jaffa glanced up and down the corridor, but he could see nothing that would cause alarm in his Goa'uld larva. None of their Tok'ra guests were close by. He realised that Sam was also sensing the presence and that it was close. Neither voiced their concerns however, it was unnecessary. When the soldiers returned one handed the two weapons he carried to Teal'c and Sam. Another soldier passed his second weapon to the now unarmed man.

"What are we looking for Major?"

"Something we can't see," was Sam's cryptic reply. The soldiers stirred nervously, looking at each other as they realised what she implied. Both had been on base during the Ree'tou incursion. "One of you needs to climb and let them know conditions down here," Sam told them.

"Shouldn't you go?" one enquired.

"No Teal'c and I can sense the intruders. We stand more chance of not allowing them to get past us."

"I'll go then. It won't take me long," he responded.

Sam nodded as she turned back to the hatchway and smashed the weapon into the control panel to reach inside. "The more complicated they make'em, the easier they open," she commented with a quick grin at the surprised faces around her. "Anyway, they are made to keep people out, not in."

The hatch swung open allowing air into the area and the soldier out. She, Teal'c and the remaining soldiers picked their places as best they could and settled to wait for reinforcements. One soldier climbed into the opening and used the shaft as protection. The others used an open doorway a few feet down the hall. Sam settled beside a steel pillar and Teal'c next to the hatch. They had no way of being sure which end of the corridor held the danger.

A pair of eyes watched them. He followed their actions and realised that they suspected his presence. 'They could not possibly know I am here' he thought. 'Perhaps the Sho'va has sensed my presence'. The shutting of the security doors had not been expected when the power failed. The infiltrator found himself cut off from the other members of his group. He wondered how many others had become trapped as he had. 'It doesn't matter. Soon Apophis will arrive. He will wipe out these insolent Tauri and the Tok'ra fools who aid them'.

He Can See Them

Jack O'Neill offered to escort the remaining Tok'ra to their temporary quarters. He took Charlie's hand and led him from the room. The unconscious action brought a smile to the boy's face as he went with him. Saya watched the two walking together in front of her. She wanted time alone with Jack so they could talk, but Charlie also wanted time with him. A sigh escaped as resentment rose at Jack's preoccupation with the child. Saya wondered when Jack would really talk to her, 'if Jack wanted to talk to her'. Jetair stirred uneasily, she wondered if reminding Saya that O'Neill might not respond well to her presence would do any good.

The remaining Tok'ra entourage followed the little group to the guest quarters. They stood in the corridor just outside the rooms. A low murmur of voices drifted towards them against the general hum of machinery. "Charlie, the Infirmary is on this level. Do you want to say hello to Dr Fraiser?"

"Yes, I would like that," Charlie replied.

"We won't be long," Jack told the group, but his eyes were on Saya. A smile crept onto his face, unconsciously lighting his eyes with a soft expression that had been missing for sometime. Saya smiled back in unconscious response and forgot to ask if she could also see the doctor.

Jack and Charlie reached the end of the corridor when the explosion made the floor beneath their feet jump. The lights flickered out as Jack heard the sound of the security doors sliding shut. He swung Charlie into his arms and took an involuntary step back. The emergency lights flickered on in time for him to glimpse Saya's startled face before the door closed between them.

Jack put Charlie back on his feet as the emergency lights above them failed. "Damn!" He growled realising this end of the section would stay black.

"Colonel O'Neill, Charlie is very frightened of the dark." A small voice with a symbiotic timber spoke to him out of the darkness. Two pale glowing eyes appeared in front of him. "Charlie has retreated, he needs some light."

"Shit!" After his startled reaction, Jack found Charlie's hand and held it while he guided him towards the Infirmary. A wry grin appeared on his face in the gloom. 'Damned if I can tell friend from foe anymore!' His reaction made him feel foolish, how could he forget Charlie carried a Tok'ra. "The Centre has its own generator. There will be light in there," he reassured the frightened child. "See, you can see the light at the end of the corridor now."

He noticed with relief that the glowing eyes had disappeared. Not that the Tok'ra partnerships often showed themselves that way. He realised that he had been thinking of it as a Goa'uld trait. He entered the Infirmary with Charlie in time to hear Janet Fraiser comment about being in for a trying time.

"What's going on Colonel?" Janet enquired when she saw him. "Hello Charlie. How are you doing?"

Charlie's pale face lit with a smile, "Hello Dr Fraiser."

Jack crouched down and caught hold of Charlie's arm.

"Charlie, I have to go find out what is happening. I want you to stay here and look after Dr Fraiser. Can you do that for me?"

Charlie nodded solemnly, "Drak and I will protect your people here."

The light reappeared briefly in his eyes and a trace of the symbiotic timber in his voice. Jack realised that they both spoke that time, which gave him food for thought. He patted him awkwardly on the shoulder and rose, turning from that puzzle to a more immediate concern. He motioned the four soldiers who had drifted in to follow him. "Weapons locker now" he rapped out, "no way is this good news."

They made their way back to the security door between them and their Tok'ra guests. The sound of an energy weapon penetrated the door and screams followed. Jack hammered on the door. "Saya!" he yelled and when there was no response, "Damn it answer me! We've got to get this door open," he told the men.

"All we have is the equipment in the Infirmary. We don't have anything strong enough to act as a lever," one of the men responded.

Jack spun round to run back to the Infirmary, but stopped abruptly as he heard the door begin to move. As a gap began to appear Saya called out. "Hanta is injured! Help get the door open!"

The soldiers began to help drag the door open and slowly it gave way to being manhandled from both sides. A desk was hurriedly manoeuvred into position, to prevent the door sliding shut again. They lifted Hanta's tall, slim body through the doorway. "What happened in there?" Jack asked Saya.

"We were fired on by something. We couldn't see what but the energy bolt gave its position away. It was a Jaffa and he is dead. Do all your doors seal like this?"

"Yes," responded Jack, "how'd you get it open?"

Saya opened her hand to show him a small devise. "We disabled the door mechanism but we still had trouble moving the door." Suddenly Jetair spoke up. "We have recently heard of these devises acquired by Nirrti. This is the first time we have known them be used."

Saya stepped aside to reveal the shimmering form of a half-materialised Jaffa laying a little way down the corridor. The generator was no longer producing sufficient power to keep him hidden. "He wears a devise which makes him invisible," Saya told Jack.

Jack stared at the body for a moment and murmured to himself, "Ree'tou technology." Suddenly his head came up, his face showing the realisation of their vulnerability.

"The Infirmary!" They raced back down the corridor, Saya catching Jack's fear and following him. Jack hoped that there where no other infiltrators locked in with them but knew there would be. They passed the injured Tok'ra being carried along the corridor. Whining sounds of an energy discharge sounded from the Infirmary and he lunged through the door hoping to surprise the perpetrator.

The sound of shouting down the corridor had brought Janet to the doorway and she peered cautiously out of it. When nothing appeared she shrugged and turned away. A violent push in the small of her back sent her spinning across the room. A nurse picked up the P90 left by one of the soldiers and turned towards the door. A blast of energy caught her squarely in the chest. She flew backward into the wall and bounced off collapsing without a sound. People fled in all directions, not knowing were the danger was.

Suddenly a small body flew across the room to plant himself in front of Janet. "Charlie! No!" Janet managed to yell.

Charlie ignored her and raised his arm towards the opposite corner of the room. It was then Janet realised he was wearing a Ribbon Devise. His eyes glowed, but the jewel in his palm glowed brighter. It sent a pulse of energy across the room. As Jack lunged through the door he caught sight of Charlie firing directly across the doorway and hugged the floor. The pulse passed over his head to hit the unseen assailant in the corner. A strangled scream showed that Charlie had hit his target, even though nothing could be seen.

"He is dead," Drak intoned, the timbre in his voice showing the symbiote control at that moment. Drak let the arm drop and Charlie was there again. He gulped as he stared at the corner. Jack stood up in front of the boy, turning him towards Janet who also got to her feet.

"He can see them," Jack reminded the doctor and Janet took the boy by the arm and led him behind a screen. Charlie did not resist. A sob from behind the screen told Jack that Charlie was shocked but reacting normally.

He ordered the soldiers to feel for the body and remove it. 'At least they can still be felt and hurt.' Jack thought to himself, 'but Charlie is the only one who can see them. No options….' Jack wanted to curse when he realised what he needed to make Charlie do. He walked around the screen and Janet looked up at him. The mother and doctor in her wanted to tell the Colonel that he couldn't ask what she knew he was going to. The soldier in her knew that he had to.

"Charlie, we need to see if there are anymore of them in this section and the next when we get the security door open. We have no weapons in this part of the SGC that will let us see past this technology."

Charlie closed his eyes. It took a moment for Janet and Jack to realise he was discussing his situation with Drak. He opened his eyes and stared at Jack for a moment. "We will help you search for the enemy. They must have come through the Stargate with us. We are sorry."

"That's not important Charlie. We have to stop them from using the Gate or killing the Tok'ra council and our own people."

"Yes, we know." Charlie stood up and walked toward the doorway. As he crossed the room, all eyes turned from him to their Colonel. Jack motioned to them to let him go and picked up the discarded P90. Charlie peered out of the room, up and down the corridor. He looked back at Jack. "This corridor is clear."

Jack nodded and followed him. Together they left the room. Both servicemen and Tok'ra followed in silence, picking up their weapons as they went.

Janet watched them leave and then crossed the room to deal with the body of the dead nurse. The woman had been assigned to the SGC for two years and they had become good friends. As Janet looked at her dead friend it fuelled a growing hatred of the Goa'uld that would surprise most people that knew her. She had seen good people die. They had even used children like Cassandra and Ry'ac to try to destroy Earth. She had never believed in pure evil until these creatures. Intelligent life or not, she would have no compunction about killing any one of them, or the whole race. 'Snakes the Colonel calls them. That's an insult to snakes'.

Not Quite Ree'tou Technology

A slow process ensued of reaching a security door getting it open. Jack would peer under or around it, as it begun to open and then retreat quickly. If the corridor had occupants they would help force the door. If it appeared empty Charlie would take a quick look for the intruders. The last door was forced between them and the elevator and Charlie peered underneath, withdrawing very quickly from the gap.

"There is one trying to open the elevator doors," Charlie whispered. "But he looks wrong."

"What do you mean Charlie?"

"He is different from mother, different from you. I'm not sure I can explain."

"Colonel O'Neill. Charlie means that they are only partially out of phase with us. It would explain why your weapons are so effective. The phase shift hides them, but does not make them invulnerable to weapons fire."

There it was again, that voice did not belong to Charlie. This time Jack didn't shiver in response. 'Guess I'm getting used to it'. "Get back and lie on the floor so you can see under the door. As we lift it, tell us where he is."

Charlie nodded and moved a little way down the corridor. He lay on his stomach against one wall and stared intently under the steel door. A Soldier got down beside him with a weapon pointed with deadly intent. Charlie noticed that the soldier had begun to sweat. The door lifted suddenly and Charlie/Drak shouted.

"Just left of the elevator! He's turning…." Weapons fire started, "running to the right!"

Two bolt of energy sped down the hall; one caught the soldier beside Charlie, and the other hit the wall beside Jack. He returned fire down the path of the energy bolt, but angling right to follow Charlie's directions.

"You got him!" Charlie/Drak shouted.

Daniel had heard the sounds of weapons fire from the direction of the elevators. It was muffled but unmistakable. He heard the soldiers shifting nervously at their posts, and saw the fearful glances the technicians in the Control Room threw towards the exit. The sound of thudding against the iris resumed as if to emphasise their peril. After a few minutes they heard the sound of the Security door along the corridor sliding open. The soldiers grip tightened on their weapons as the sound of footsteps approaching increased in volume. A small head appeared around the edge of the door and disappeared.

Daniel heard a small voice, "It's all clear Jack, but there are weapons pointed at the door."

"Good," Jack responded. "This is Colonel O'Neill and I'm coming in!" With that, Jack walked into the room followed by several soldiers and a young boy.

"Took your time," Daniel commented.

"Well, you know… we had a little company… traded a few arguments…. How long has that been going on?" Jack finished looking towards the Iris.

"Since a few minutes after the explosion," Daniel confirmed, "Siler disconnected the iris control and sealed it shut."

"I bet someone's real mad at the moment," Jack smiled grimly. "Wonder how many more we have on base?"

"We got one in the Control Room," Daniel responded.

"Tok'ra got one upstairs," Jack replied.

"That's two."

"Charlie got one," Jack continued. Daniel stared at Charlie for a second, not quite able to visualise the child killing anything. "We got one by the elevator that makes four. They can't have got many more through."

"I wonder where Sam and Teal'c are." Daniel commented.

"We could use Sam down here at the moment," Jack agreed. "Siler, take a couple of men with you and see what you can salvage. We need more power."

"Yes Sir."

The Stargate shut down again and the room returned to the red glow of emergency lighting. Jack left several more soldiers to guard the Gate room and the rest he split into two parties. They headed out to make their way upwards until they were sure the base was secure. Jack dropped Charlie back with Saya and Janet on his way through.

The Invisible Enemy

Sam was decidedly nervous. It has been sometime since the soldier had started his climb and it appeared that no one was coming down. A sense of foreboding had been building for some time. Teal'c noticed her slide to a sitting position and drop the barrel of her weapon until it came to rest on the floor. At first he thought she had become ill. He glanced up and down the corridor, intending to cross to her position. Suddenly her eyes flashed open staring straight ahead at some unseen object. 'She looks for our enemy' he realised. The other soldiers had noticed her position on the floor and looked puzzled. The one beside Teal'c opened his mouth to speak.

"Do not distract Major Carter," Teal'c instructed quietly.

"What is she doing?" the soldier hissed back at him.

"I believe she is using her ability to sense Goa'uld presence to try to find where he is."

"Can she do that?" he whispered back, awe creeping into his voice.

"I do not know. She has never tried it before."

The security door at the end of the corridor slid open and Jack stepped through carrying a TER. Sam suddenly came to life with a yell.

"Drop!"

As Jack dropped in response, the TER swept the hallway, revealing the hidden Jaffa as he fired twice. Both Sam and Jack fired, lifting the Jaffa from his feet and throwing him down the hall. The energy from the staff crossed over Jack's head, the second blast caught Sam across her knee and side. She dropped the P90 and flipped back colliding with the wall and then sliding slowly to the floor. Teal'c dropped his weapon and crossed the floor dropping to his knees to help her. As Jack swept the rest of the corridors to the closed door with the TER, his face looked grim. When he was sure it was safe, he sent the men to look at the next barrier and returned to Sam. "How is she?"

"She is unconscious, but the injury is not a fatal one," Teal'c responded. "I think the violent contact with the wall has knocked her out."

"Take her to Dr Fraiser," Jack responded with relief.

"Daniel Jackson?" Teal'c's voice held a questioning note.

"He is fine, but we have lost several people, both Tok'ra and SG personnel. This wouldn't have happened if we had the TERs on when the Tok'ra came through."

"It could have been worse O'Neill," Teal'c responded. "A fight with so many important people in the Gate Room could have caused casualties the Tauri could not afford."

"I know. If they had decided to attack at that point, instead of trying to disable the base… well it could have been a very different story," Jack responded, "we could have been overrun, seems damned funny to be grateful for their caution. Look at that star symbol its Apophis again. We need to get rid of that snake permanently."

"I agree," responded a grim voice behind them.

Janet knelt beside Sam and began a quick examination of her injuries. She motioned for the orderlies to put her on the stretcher and take her down to the Infirmary.

"So how do you propose to do it? I think it should be on top of the Conference agenda. Even the other System Lords are not going to be bothered if we take that, that… snake," Janet stumbled over the word, then hissed "out."

The last word was filled with a venom Jack had never heard in her voice before. After that comment, she walked away, leaving the two SG1 team members staring after her. "Remind me not to get on her bad side for a while Teal'c," Jack murmured.

"As you wish," Teal'c responded.

"Jack," Charlie spoke quietly from behind him.

"Oh Charlie, I thought you were in the Infirmary."

"We came up with Janet," Saya responded. "She is very angry about her dead friend, and something or someone else. She seems…" Saya gave up, as she couldn't put into words what she sensed in Janet. "Vengeful," Jetair filled in for her. "Your Doctor is feeling vengeful."

"I reckon you've hit the nail on the head Jetair," Jack responded. He put an arm around Saya's shoulders and one around Charlie, giving them both a quick hug. Then he turned them both around and walked them towards the now open stairwell.

"See if you can help Janet with the injured while we finish working our way up the sections. I don't think anyone will have got further than this point. When you arrived, all the floors above here were sealed off from the SGC, except on security passes. There was no passage of Personnel beyond this point." Saya looked a question at him. "No-one used their security cards to open the internal perimeter access to the SGC complex after the Stargate was opened. No way for the infiltrators to get beyond this point."

"You did not trust us?" Saya asked, offended for her symbiote and friends.

"We have learned to be cautious," Jack responded, "there have been several successful incursions that we've been lucky to stop."

Clean Up

Daniel lifted a chair in front of the damaged console and sat astride it. He leaned his arms across the back and rested his chin on his hands. He surveyed the damage he had caused and then looked down into the Gate Room. Engineers had started work on reconnecting the iris controls. He smiled sourly, realising they wouldn't be able to open it until they had repaired the console. He rested his forehead on his hands and tried to think calmly about what had so nearly happened. 'We make so many mistakes. How could we not have the TER's in the Gate room… we should always have them in the Gate room... just because Ree'tou can't get past the Tok'ra. How could we forget about Nirrti and the technology she would try to buy her continued survival with?'

A noise on the stairs made him raise his head again. Hammond and Jacob Carter climbed the last few stairs into the Control Room. "Well Dr Jackson, I hear we have your quick thinking to thank for keeping Apophis out of the SGC," Hammond said by way of greeting.

Daniel straightened his glasses and looked uncomfortable, then tried to smile before glancing down at the smashed console. "I'm afraid I caused even more damage Sir."

Hammond opened his mouth to reply as Jack's voice rose from the bottom of the stairs. "Where's Daniel?"

All three turned to face Jack as he entered the room. "What…?" Jack said looking around and back at the three men. Then he caught sight of the damaged console. "Aldwin said you took a chair to the controls… Woww! He also said you had been shot."

The last comment brought several heads around to look at Daniel, who became further embarrassed. "Only got the jacket," He craned his neck and looked at his scorched shoulder. "Oh…"

"You need to get that dressed. Go see Janet now, with the General's permission," Jack finished.

"By all means" Hammond confirmed. As Daniel turned to leave, a low hum began in the background. Lights flickered then came on and computers began to reboot.

"Siler is working his wonders again," Jack commented.

"I think we had better return to our guests. Jacob?" Hammond looked at his old friend.

"Yes Garshaw and the others will be getting nervous about their continued incarceration," Jacob responded.

The technicians began the task of repairing damage to the various pieces of equipment hit by weapons fire, and one hastily swung chair.

The Stargate Address

Sam stirred uncomfortably in front of the computer screen on which Stargate addresses had been filing slowly up the screen for several minutes. Her side hurt; it itched and little sharp stabbing pains pierced her side now and again. To top of it all, it felt like the dressing was stuck and pulling at the wound. Her knee was sore, but not bothering her like the soft tissue damage. If she said anything however, Jack would have her escorted back to Janet as instructed. She wondered briefly about the strange looks both Teal'c and Jack had been throwing at Janet, kind of puzzled and wary.

She dropped her arm beside the keyboard and tried to relax. Aldwin was leaning to close for comfort, but she knew he was concentrating on Stargate addresses rolling up the screen. Still this Tok'ra made her nervous. Something in his relationship with Jolinar tickled at the edge of her memory. She was certain they didn't get on well and wondered why. Teal'c was also watching the screen with interest. He studied some symbols marked on the paper in his hand and then the screen trying to match them.

Jack rested against the railing at the top of the stairwell several feet away. He seemed preoccupied and not very interested in whether the address in question was amongst the Ancients' list or not. He was concentrating on a pen, which he was deftly weaving between his fingers. Suddenly he miss timed a finger and the pen flew over his shoulder and clattered down the stairs. He turned and looked down the stairwell as Daniel came up. Daniel stopped and picked up the pen and then stared up at Jack in mild surprise. Jack shrugged aimlessly and leaned back against the rail. Daniel reached the top of the stairs and looked across at the group studying the screen. "Not found anything yet?" he asked Jack.

"Nope," Jack replied.

"The address Aldwin gave us didn't work then?"

"Nope," Jack repeated.

"And the one he found this morning?"

"Nope."

"Saya know what we're looking for yet?"

"Nope," Jack repeated yet again.

By this time Daniel was studying Jack's face closely, trying to workout what was going on in his head. Jack suddenly seemed to come to a decision and straightened up. Aldwin tapped the screen loudly. The action forestalled whatever it was Jack had made up his mind to do.

"That's it. I'm sure that must be the one. The symbol is almost identical. It's just the additional line radiating from the bottom is no longer there."

"Are you sure Aldwin? This will be the third address we've tried," Sam observed.

"We should inform General Hammond," Teal'c stated.

"Consider me informed" the General called from the doorway. "Is the MALP prepared?"

"Yes Sir," Sam replied.

"Then dial the address Major. If this is unsuccessful Aldwin, you will have to check your information before I will waste anymore time on these attempts." Aldwin looked as if he was going to argue the point. "Its not that we are unsympathetic to Saya's wish to return home, but we cannot continue to expend energy without further clues," Hammond explained.

"The General's right," Jack broke in drawing Aldwin's attention. "Sam has already pointed out the increasing number of permutations every time you try another symbol. It's like looking for a needle in a haystack."

"You would rather we did not find her home," Aldwin snapped back.

"And what is that supposed to mean," Jack responded and the tension increased visibly between the two of them.

Aldwin's shrugged his shoulders. Arguing with O'Neill would not make the truth any more palatable and in truth he agreed with the Tauri. He just would much prefer to hear it from anyone but O'Neill. They already wondered why he was so interested in Saya's people. He was not an archaeologist like Daniel Jackson or Freya, or even a Historian. 'O'Neill is definitely suspicious of me, but then he is suspicious of all of us'. Aldwin knew that as long as Saya patiently waited for O'Neill to make up his mind about their relationship he could not tell her how he felt. Jetair had obviously not told Saya about him. 'I could tell her what Freya said about O'Neill and Major Carter that might alienate her. No he would not risk that'. So Aldwin knew he would have to bide his time. He would wait for Saya to realise her place was with the Tok'ra and that O'Neill would never be able to accept Jetair as part of her life.

"Major Carter dial in the address," Hammond instructed bringing everyones attention back to the Stargate. The sound of the activation filtered through to the Control Room as the chevrons clicked into place one by one.

Jack walked to the window and looked down as the low-level vibrations rippled through the floor. He rested one hand against the window, his fingers spread, leaning lightly on the glass. The MALP stood by the ramp waiting to be dispatched. It had been sent through once before but the world had appeared to be uninhabited. Retrieval had been simple. 'At least we didn't lose another MALP,' Jack mused. From what Saya had told Jack when they first met, the Stargate on her people's world should be stood at one edge of the village and their Temple on the other. The MALP should be able to show them the Temple as soon as it begins transmitting pictures, 'if we get the right planet.'

The wormhole formed within the circle of the Gate and stabilised. As Sam looked at the SG1 leader she realised he wasn't focused on it. He had become distant in the last three days, not really talking to any of his team. All his spare time had been spent with Saya or Charlie. He had shut them out. 'Teal'c watches him with concern. Daniel has his nose in the problem of finding Saya's home… a new archaeological treasure house to delve around in. It's difficult to know if Daniel's even noticed there's anything wrong.' Sam pondered the changes in Jack's behaviour and was unsettled.

In that last thought she wronged Daniel, he had noticed and was worrying over what was happening to his friend. He liked both Charlie and Saya but their present effect on Jack was not good for anyone. 'I can't see it ending well for any of them. How could it?' But there was nothing he could do. He had to wait for Jack to work it out and pick up the pieces when it was over. Daniel just knew there was going to be pieces to pick up. 'Jack would do it for him, hell… Jack had done it for him.' He rubbed his forehead trying to release the pressure in his head. He didn't even realise he unconsciously mimicked his friend.

And Jack's lack of attention, well Sam was right about that. He was thinking of a primitive planet with large predatory beasts and cave dwellings. For a brief few days he hadn't cared if the whole of the universe disappeared, just as long as she was with him. It passed through his mind that he wished they'd been left alone. 'Why bring us back here… Oh yeah, no choice, I was a security risk… Besides if we hadn't come back Jetair would be dead…' It seemed strange that he would even worry about that. 'Jetair is a snake after all… But if we were still there, Saya would still be Saya… She still is Saya Jack…' he told himself, 'you know that when you talk to her. And Jetair isn't that bad… she doesn't have airs and graces like most of them… at least she doesn't seem to.'

"We're receiving MALP telemetry, Colonel." Sam brought Jack's mind to the task in hand.

This time he walked back to look at the screens. As static on the screen cleared a long village street filled it. A large pyramid with steps leading up to a flattened top stood at the end of the street. The place itself was deserted but slowly heads began to appear. People peered from doorways towards the open Stargate. At first they thought fear had driven the inhabitants inside their homes. Then they took in the street and the temple lit by torches and the darkened sky. It was the middle of the night where the Stargate was located. Slowly the village awoke and people began to emerge.

Daniel studied the pictures being transmitted and asked Sam to zoom in on the Temple. He managed to see the writing above the entrance of the Temple. The flickering torchlight did not illuminate it well, but it was clear enough to cause excitement to creep into his voice.

"Mayan! Definitely, Mayan. Fairly modern script too. I would say 6, no 700AD. They're not exactly afraid, but do appear to be nervous of the MALP."

"They must have been taken through the Antarctic Gate," Sam commented and Daniel nodded in agreement.

"You don't say," Jack responded dryly.

"It would fit with what we know. Also what we know of what happened to Saya fits. I've been thinking about how she came to be on the dinosaur planet," Daniel explained. "The Mayans made human sacrifices to some of their gods, their god of war for instance, Buluc Chabtan. He seemed to require more sacrifices than most."

"So…?" Jack drawled. An expression appeared on his face that told Daniel to get on with the explanation.

"Well I think the ritual of the seven children, one to choose each chevron is a corruption of one of those sacrifices."

"But how would they get from ritual killing to choosing symbols?" Sam asked.

"It's still a sacrifice. Look what happened to Saya when the Stargate activated."

"OK, so maybe your right. How does that help her? If Saya has been sacrificed, how can she go back?" Jack asked exasperation beginning to show. Blank faces stared back at him for a moment as they were all puzzled by the building irritation in O'Neill's attitude.

Understanding of O'Neill's point appeared in Teal'c's face first. "They may not be pleased to see her return O'Neill."

"Give the man an apple," Jack responded.

"I am not hungry O'Neill."

"No, I mean… never mind. If we turn up with her alive and well, we may be attacked, cause panic… Daniel, help me out here. These people sacrificed her to this god in exchange for what?"

"It's not certain it was to Buluc Chabtan. I think they sacrificed to several gods."

"And if the sacrifice is rejected?"

"I don't know," Daniel replied. "General, Jack may well have a point. They may even try to give her back."

Hammond digested this bit of information for a moment before responding. "Dr Jackson use the MALP to gather what information you can about these people," Hammond instructed. "Meanwhile, I think it's time someone told Saya what we've found. Find out if she recognises this place as home. It would be a good idea to ask about how her people are likely to respond to her return before we consider moving on this."

"I'll tell her that we've found the humans," Aldwin offered.

"What?" Jack responded, turning to stare at him.

"That's what the Mayans called themselves," Daniel began to explain. "They believed, actually they may still believe… do you know they still exist today spread across America."

"Daniel…" Jack interrupted impatiently.

"Well yes… They believed that they were the only true humans and separate from everyone else… better I guess. You know, the master race, chosen ones thing… it's been in lots of cultures for eons."

As Aldwin headed for the door he heard Jack's voice, "mind if I come along?" the tone told him O'Neill was coming whether he wanted him or not. Aldwin nodded assent but said nothing before turning towards the door, O'Neill followed.

Hammond watched his best man leave the room. It wasn't often he felt like cursing but he wondered when this program was going to cut the man a break. He knew Jack had become increasingly remote since the beginning of the conference. The time spent with Saya and Charlie seemed to have increased his isolation. He hoped Jack wouldn't request to go with the Tok'ra or somewhere else with Charlie and Saya. Special Ops aside, Hammond knew he wouldn't get permission as Jack knew way too much about Earth's defences. 'Besides, the SGC could ill afford to lose his knowledge and expertise.'

Saya's Home

Aldwin could sense the Tauri's eyes on his back as they headed for the guest quarters. He could feel the distrust radiating towards him. The Tok'ra's unease was making his symbiote restless. The symbiote wanted to spend time with Jetair/Saya. It missed the bond with its mate. 'When Saya realises she cannot go home, that they will not accept her, she will stay with us,' the symbiote told him. Aldwin's response was not so certain, 'and if Saya wants to stay with the Tauri? Jetair and Saya must agree on where they will go or stay. Saya did not agree to host Jetair. She has not chosen to share her body. Jetair will not coerce her to remain with us.'

"Something wrong Aldwin." The soft drawl from behind brought an end to the internal conversation.

"No, we're just wondering what Saya will want to do."

"So now you wonder," Jack's drawl deepened and there was no missing the sarcastic edge. "Didn't occur to you before that she might have difficulty deciding?"

Aldwin turned and looked back at him as they reached the door of the quarters. "The world is unknown to the System Lords. If she wishes to remain there the Tok'ra could use it. It would be a very useful hidden base."

"I think the inhabitants might have something to say about that. Or do you intend to accept the role of gods they are likely to cast you in?"

"We will not do that. It is not our way," Aldwin snapped, annoyance creeping into his voice as he opened the door.

"Jack knows the Tok'ra do not." Aldwin found himself face to face with Saya. "Why are you angry with him?"

"He has something to tell you," Jack responded forestalling an explanation.

Saya sensed the wall between them had grown again and she wondered what had happened to cause Jack to close up.

"We think we have found your home world," Aldwin began. "Its people look like you, and the buildings are just as you described them to O'Neill."

Saya looked at Jack as he stood by the door watching her. "Are you sure?" she asked him, Jack did not reply.

"General Hammond wants you to look at the pictures they are collecting and confirm it," Aldwin replied.

Saya did not appear to be as excited as he had expected. She stood rubbing her lower arm absently, a vacant expression on her face. An internal conversation was clearly in progress. After a moment her head dropped forward then lifted to reveal Jetair, the timbre of the voice confirming the change. "The Tauri are concerned about Saya's reception if she returns home, is that not so O'Neill?"

"Yes," Jack responded before Aldwin could speak.

"Saya says that no-one had ever returned through the Stargate. They are not expected to return."

"How did you know the Tauri would be concerned about this?" Aldwin asked, curiosity getting the better of him.

"Daniel Jackson has been lending us histories of the Tauri, particularly for cultures he believes Saya may descend from. Even on cursory inspection it is clear that her return would be like someone rising from the dead. I think this would be disturbing for a culture that has never seen a sarcophagus at work, or experienced anything like this. Despite their obvious advanced medical care and techniques this is one experience they would be afraid of."

"You're right Jetair it does concern us. We would not want to put Saya or anyone else in danger," Jack responded. "What advanced medical techniques?"

Aldwin's symbiote stirred uneasily as the conversation between Jack and Jetair continued. 'He accepts her,' it hissed. The jealousy that had been awakening in Aldwin deepened as his symbiote showed resentment of the rapport between Jetair and the Tauri.

"Shouldn't Saya have a look at what we've found and tell us if it is her village?" Aldwin asked.

Jack nodded and held the door open for them. "Where's Charlie?" he asked as Saya/Jetair passed him.

"With Dr Fraiser. Drak is helping her examine the changes in Charlie now that he is healed," Saya explained.

"Why?" Jack asked.

"She wishes to see how much scarring there may be. Although the symbiote can heal us we still scar, but Charlie is different due to the way he was created. Janet says with the Ree'tou developing him, there are differences in his genetic makeup. She is interested in those differences."

Daniel stood studying the MALP pictures they had collected setting up a collage on a board at the end of the table. Several people were already in the briefing room. He saw Saya and Jack enter with Aldwin behind them. Annoyance was written on Aldwin's face, although it vanished as soon as he realised Daniel was looking at him.

Daniel frowned as he tried to decide what had happened to annoy the normally imperturbable Tok'ra. He glanced down at Sam who remained seated beside him at the table. "Any idea what's eating Aldwin? I'd have thought he'd be pleased by what we've found. After all it was his idea."

Sam looked at Aldwin as he wandered away to look down into the Gate Room. Everyone was waiting for General Hammond to arrive and get things started. "Actually," Sam murmured quietly in response. "I've finally found a Jolinar memory that has been niggling at me."

"Oh…" Daniel responded, immediately interested. Teal'c sat beside Sam at the table closing the circle and enabling her to talk to them both.

"Jetair/Lanar had a lot of problems with Aldwin."

"Oh?" Daniel sat on the edge of the table close enough for Sam to keep her voice low.

"Jetair and Tolupi, were mates for many years, before Aldwin became Tolupi's host. They remained so afterwards until Jetair's host died and was replaced by Lanar."

"What happened?"

"The Lanar/Jetair pairing was not interested in continuing the relationship. Aldwin/Tolupi wouldn't let go. They became very difficult. The Tok'ra council kept their assignments separate, on Lanar's request."

"So you believe that Tolupi may be trying to retrieve Jetair's interest now she has a new host?" Teal'c's whispered. Sam was about to reply when she realised their little huddle was attracting attention.

"Something you would like to share with us Major?" Hammond asked as he walked to the end of the table and Sam shook her head. "If not, I suggest we get this started. Saya would you like to take a seat by the screen?"

Daniel began the tape and everyone watched the pictures in silence, with most people stealing furtive looks at Saya. They were all trying to decide if she was recognising anything in the pictures. Finally Saya took a deep breath and her hand stole into Jack's that rested on the table beside her. He smiled encouragingly at her and nodded for her to begin.

"I couldn't see any faces I remembered at first. None of the people looked familiar, but…" she continued, "I haven't seen them since I was a child and that's a long time... The Priest who was examining your… MALP…" she stumbled a little over the unfamiliar word, "his face does look familiar but that's only one face and could be a coincidence. The village itself looks exactly like I remember my village. I am sure this is where I came from."

"Dr Jackson, what have you to tell us?"

"Well the Mayan's had a lot of gods for all sorts of things. I have come across something like 70 names. I believe some are different names for the same god type. The main god was Hunab Ku, the supreme god and creator of the Maya. They also had a serpent god called Gucumatz, I thought this could be a reference to the Go'auld. He was supposed to have taught them agriculture and brought them civilisation. I'm thinking that maybe the fertile area they lived in was used as some kind of food basket for the System Lords. There was a readily available work force to farm for them and plenty of gods to choose from to manipulate the people. Except of course, this address is not on the Goa'uld list it's on the Ancients list. Saya who did your people worship, do you remember?"

"They worshipped Balam. He protects the community from external threats."

"Balam? That's the jaguar god… protector. I don't see how that would fit the Goa'uld."

"Perhaps," Sam suggested, "they called whoever rescued them from the Goa'uld Balam?"

"That would make sense," Daniel agreed.

"That could mean we have two sets of players in this arena," Jack commented.

"How do your people think they got to their new home," Aldwin asked Saya.

Saya smiled a little wistfully and Aldwin immediately brightened in response. "That was my favourite story when I was a little girl. Our teacher would often tell it to explain where we came from." Saya paused for a moment, gathering up her memories of the story. "The humans were created by Hunab Ku to care for the beautiful world he had made. He had flooded the world twice because his first two creations, dwarfs and then the offenders had not taken care of it as they should and were bad people. After a while Hunab Ku went away leaving the other gods to look after the humans. But Au Puch, ruler of Mitnal…"

"That's the land of the dead," Daniel put in, drawing all eyes around the table. "Sorry."

"But Au Puch," Saya repeated," wanted a lot more humans to rule over in Mitnal. He conspired with Chuy Kak, the fire destroyer and Caprakan, the god of earth and mountains…" she eyed Daniel, daring him to interrupt her story again, "to destroy the Mayans with fire from the mountain and earthquakes. But Balam heard them whispering together. When they went to open up the mountains and let out the fire, Balam went to the humans and gathered them in a big ship that sailed the sky. He brought them to the doorway which the humans passed through to their new home."

"That would be the Stargate, I guess," Jack commented. "None of this explains the sacrifices."

"Buluc Chabtan fought with the other gods so that Balam could escape with us. He was a mighty god of war and won the battle. The humans wished to thank him for this as they had always done... One or more humans would be sacrificed to Buluc Chabtan in return for his ensuring their victory… but Buluc chabtan did not want the sacrifices killed on the altar. When he came to visit us, instead of the blood sacrifice, he would receive a human child. He came every seven years and took them with him through the doorway."

They all looked at each other around the table trying to make some kind of sense of the story.

"Well," Hammond commented, "does that make him Goa'uld, or something else?"

"Probably not Goa'uld, although willing hosts… Tok'ra?" Daniel responded.

"We've had no knowledge of this planet. It was not us," Aldwin responded.

"But I do not understand why they would rescue these people, only to take the odd child. What else would they want them for?" Daniel questioned.

"Saya, why the ritual of the seven children," Jack asked her. "Do you have any idea where that came from?"

"One year Buluc Chabtan did not return for his sacrifice. After seven years he did not return for the next one. Balam was angry with us for not fulfilling our bargain with Buluc Chabtan."

"How did you know that?" Sam asked.

"The gods sent Hurakan to our land. Buildings and crops were destroyed and many people died. We would have sacrificed to the gods, but we could not make the doorway work so we continued to be punished. The priests went into the Temple and prayed and fasted for a long time, some of them died were they sat. They despaired of appeasing the gods and then finally, one night, one of the priests had a vision. In the vision he saw the ritual of the seven children and realised that we had to prove to the gods that we were willing to give them their sacrifice. All that the people needed to do was guide the innocent to open the doorway. This way, the gods would choose who would pass through. As soon as the first ritual was completed, Hurakan relented even though the doorway did not open. Then we knew this was the way to appease the gods. The ritual has continued every year since, just before the planting season."

"Hurakan?" Jack asked, looking at Daniel, "that name sounds familiar."

"It's where we get the word hurricane from, you know… wind, rain, big big storms," Daniel waited for Jack's sarcastic response, and looked at him in surprise when it didn't happen.

"Saya, what we need to know from you is how dangerous it might be for you to go back there?" Hammond explained.

"Jetair and I have spoken of this. Jetair is worried but I do not think that my people would harm me if I returned."

"Why are you so sure?" Jack beat Aldwin to the question. Aldwin, eyes narrowing slightly leaned back in his chair and waited for Saya's response.

"I was called Sayalaghom Naom."

"Daniel?"

"I think it means Saya Mother of Minds. Why were you called that?"

"All chosen children were named for the gods. I was born of the chosen, to be chosen," Saya responded.

"With Jetair as your symbiote you will appear to return to them fulfilling your name," Teal'c's comment brought the talk around the table to a dead stop. "She left them as a child and they will believe she has returned to them as a goddess. It would be the goddess after whom they had named her. I do not think her life will be in danger."

Everyone's head swung from Teal'c back to Saya, except Jack who was wondering what was really going through his friend's mind. Saya's eyes flashed briefly and Jetair spoke.

"I believe Teal'c may be correct. We should be able to visit this planet safely even if staying is not an option. If we can find a way to stop them putting their children through the Stargate to unknown destinations it can only be a good thing."

Daniel looked at Jetair and could not prevent a smile emerging at her use of one of Jack's comments.

Jack nodded in agreement with her. "We have to at least try to stop it happening."

Xunantunich

The vibrations started again and Hianna's dark eyes widened. He had been left to watch the doorway and the small child ran to warn the priests that it was reopening. As his small feet pounded down the middle of the street the chevrons began to light up and slide into place. First the hum of the inner circle spinning, then one lit chevron slid noisily into place, then the second, third, fourth… Faces appeared in the doorways and the few people already on the street turned to stare towards the Stargate. Fifth and sixth… The sound of the movements resounded down the street chasing the child towards the Temple. The seventh chevron locked into place as he reached it.

The priests were already aware of the noise before the child reached them and were sorting themselves into order of importance. The leader acknowledged the child with a nervous smile and began the slow ceremonial walk towards the Stargate. The wormhole thrust its way into their world, the energy shooting forward into the street and those closest to the doorway backed away hurriedly. Its previous opening had killed one unwary soul. A woman had been stood in front of the Stargate when it first activated and had not moved. She, like many of the younger villagers had never seen it open before. The older ones who knew were not quick enough to respond to the danger she was in. There had not been much left of the woman for them to remove from the street.

Roughly woven but colourful robes fluttered in the new breeze, one or two headdresses were being held firmly in place by human hands. The wind that started to rise with the Stargate activation was becoming stronger and the villagers glanced nervously at the sky. In the teaching stories the wind always rose when the doorway opened. It was as if the sky and mother earth greeted new visitors. They knew that the previous day their visitor had been a strange object. It had come through the doorway but no gods had appeared with it. Now it stood to one side of the street, unmoving, and unthreatening. Hianna looked at the object curiously. 'It appeared to have life and yet it was not alive… It stood before the doorway now, silent and unmoving since the doorway had closed earlier... When it moved it moved on circles. There had been much discussion about how it had moved but even the priests were loath to investigate to closely… no one was allowed to approach it…' Hianna could not satisfy the curiosity that was drawing him towards it even now, he wanted so much to investigate this strange thing.

The wind died while they waited to see who had come to visit them. The doorway had not opened for many seasons but now it opened twice in two days. The shimmering surface broke flowing over the four strangely dressed men as they appeared. 'Not four men,' Chay Chac, the head priest thought, 'one is a woman but dressed like the men... They are warriors' he decided, 'the woman too. The things they carry are surely weapons.' The surface continued to be breached as more strangers entered the village. Another three dressed differently from the first, but Chay Chac noticed they also carried weapons. Even so the priest allowed a small sigh of relief to escape. 'These people are not hostile… cautious yes but not hostile. The tall one in front… he watches everything, that one, undoubtedly the leader.'

"Jack," Daniel spoke softly.

"What is it Daniel."

"Look to your right. Do you recognise the symbols on that pedestal?"

Jack looked at the pedestal, and then closer, focusing on the symbols. "Those are the same as on the protective spire… on the dinosaur planet," Jack responded.

"I think so too. It explains how Saya knew they would help her understand our language."

"So…" Jack pursed his lips, "whoever brought them here also has a connection with the dinosaur planet."

"The people who made the Stargate… the Ancients?" Sam guessed.

"Maybe," Jack responded with a lopsided grin and a shrug, "I'm kinda past caring who built what and why."

"And who did what to whom?" Sam responded a moment later, returning the smile. 'Jack seems to be more approachable today,' she thought. She felt the lessening of the strain within the team and relaxed. Jack strolled in front of the camera mounted on the MALP and waved.

"Come on in, the waters fine… the natives are friendly, well... not hostile." He added the rider to the comment as he took in the frightened faces in the crowd. 'And fear in a crowd can be a dangerous thing,' he thought and checked that his team were paying attention. A few moments later Saya and Charlie stepped out of the event horizon. Saya's arrival caused even more of a stir as the villagers recognised that she was Mayan. Jack could hear the speculation mounting.

"Who is she?" "Where has she come from?" "From the old world." "From the gods…"

He also realised he understood the words that reached him. He could see no sign that the rest of his team did. Except… Jack's eyes settled on Daniel watching as he listened intently to the small crowd.

Saya and Charlie joined Jack at the front of their party. He smiled encouragingly at her and waved her onward. She nodded and moved towards the priest as she decided to greet the one person she was certain she knew.

"May Balam continue to protect you and those you lead Chay Chac."

Chay Chac looked startled. He did not recognise the child who went through the doorway in the adult stood before him.

"Now would be a good time for the rest of you to use the pedestal," Jack quietly ordered the rest of the team.

"What about you, O'Neill," Teal'c asked.

"I can understand them. I guess the effect doesn't wear off... Saya?"

Saya turned away from the priest to help her friends. It also gave the priest time to decide how to react. She showed Daniel how to use the correct symbols. He put out his hand eager to use the pedestal and then returned to try out his increased knowledge of the Mayan language on the priest.

"We come in friendship."

"If you come in friendship then you are welcome in Xunantunich," Chay Chac replied, but he was watching Saya, not Daniel.

Daniel looked back over his shoulder following Chay Chac's gaze. 'Only one person' the priest told himself 'has gone through the doorway, Sayalaghom Naom, the child sacrificed to Buluc Chabtan.' Daniel watched nervously,realising that the priest had worked out who Saya had to be.

"Saya returns to us?" the question in his voice was clear to them. It also confirmed the need for them to be careful. There was something else Daniel could hear and he was sure it was fear. "How is this possible?"

"The gods do not kill the people you send through the gate," Daniel told him. "They are sent to live in other places, on other worlds."

"They serve the gods on these other worlds?" Chay Chac asked.

Jack opened his mouth to reply but Daniel's shook his head. 'Don't say anything Jack', he thought. Jack noted the shake and refrained. He wondered how many of the children had been cared for by other cultures, how many had died alone? He grimaced, he wanted to just tell them to stop sending the kids. 'Why is it always the kids that suffer?'

'His world, his move', Daniel thought as his eyes slid back to watch what Chay Chac would do.

Finally as the last of the visitors finished at the Greeting Stone the priest made up his mind. He waved a graceful hand toward Saya and around towards the villagers. "If you are Saya then you may wish to know that your parents still live."

Saya walked eagerly towards the small crowd in the direction the priest was pointing. It took her away from the Stargate and towards the Temple. In the sea of faces that confronted her, she found it difficult to pick out just one or two. Urgency gripped her as she walked down the centre of the street peering intently into the crowd. First to her left and then her right, she searched for the faces that haunted her dreams. The crowd gave way in front of her, partly from respect but mostly from fear. The whisper had travelled through the crowd of who she was. They could not understand how it had been possible for her to return.

"She's brought the gods," Jack heard someone whisper. "Perhaps she is Laghom Laom and only looks like Saya," he heard a man murmur to the woman beside him.

Jack and Charlie followed nervously watching the crowd for signs of hostility. Charlie slipped the ribbon devise onto his hand. Jack noticed the movement and wondered whose idea it had been Charlie's or Drak's. 'Caution's never a bad idea,' he thought and made no comment. Then Aldwin joined them glancing at Jack. For once the two were in accord, they both wished to protect Saya. The three followed a little way behind her as she looked for her family. An old woman stepped out of the crowd in front of them and Saya slowed.

"Mamma?" Saya all but whispered.

There was a look of hope on the woman's face as Saya moved towards her. "Saya, is it really you?"

"Where is Papa?" Saya asked looking beyond her mother.

Two men moved out of the crowd to stand beside the woman. Saya realised that tears were forming in her mother's eyes and felt the welling in her own. They wrapped their arms around each other and began to cry in earnest. The older man put a hand on her shoulder, drawing her from her mother so that he in turn could hug her. The younger man looked on in bewilderment until the father pointed to him.

"This is your brother Tamar and that," he said pointed to the young boy who ran from the Stargate "is his son Hianna." The crowd drew closer now, waiting to hear Saya's response to the introduction. Fear and curiosity were still evident on the faces of the crowd.

A scream ripped down the street from the direction of the Temple disrupting the reunion. The crowd began to scatter as a child fled towards them in terror. Hard on her heels was a wild boar. Jack took in the large black body and huge yellowed tusks at a glance and lifted his P90. The boar appeared to be enraged. Foam streamed from its mouth and ran in streaks across its jowls. Its squeals of rage echoed between the buildings, as it chased the child down the middle of the street. Jack lifted his weapon trying to get a clear shot through the scattering crowd. Saya's father made a grab for his daughter's arm, to pull her away from the danger.

He stopped as Saya's eyes suddenly glowed with an inner light. Jetair tried to focus and take control in the sudden confusion. Tamar and his father backed away, a startled look on both their faces. Charlie raised his arm as his eyes also reflected Drak's intervention. Aldwin lifted his staff weapon. They all moved apart trying to get a clear shot at the animal racing towards them. The street seemed to clear all at once and they fired. Even Saya had been carrying the small concealed hand devise and responded to the threat. The boar was blown from its feet by the multiple blasts, and the child fled into a nearby doorway.

The street was no longer crowded the charging boar had cleared it. The people who had dived into the doorways and alleyways along its length did not return. Fear of the strangers was now much stronger than any curiosity they felt. Jack was pleased to see that Saya's family had not run but they had put some distance between themselves and the visitors.

"Your eyes," the father said loudly, "they have the fire of the gods."

"Also the boy," Tamar continued, "how can you be my sister?"

"It's a long story and I will tell you, but believe me I am Saya," she replied. "We will not hurt anyone, we just wanted to stop that creature from harming the child."

Jack noticed a single lone figure standing between them and the rest of his group who had still not moved away from the Stargate. It was Chay Chac the priest. Even at this distance Jack could sense the calculation going on in the man's head. 'Well, you're a cool customer, I wonder how you're going to deal with us. Are we gods or devils you're asking yourself? Or have you realised we're neither. If so… how do you intend to react?'

"You saved the child from serious injury if not death. You are welcome in Xunantunich."

"Xunantunich," Daniel repeated as he joined Jack, "know that name, it's a Mayan ruin in the Yucatan region of Central America."

The Welcome Meal

The evening drew on and the sun disappeared below the horizon, preparations for a feast were well underway. It was a thanksgiving for the return of Saya and the life of the child saved by the strangers. The carcass of the boar had been taken by the women and prepared and cooked. The children had been sent to collect fruit and vegetables from the field. Small bright coloured flags fluttered in the breeze from many homes. Torches burnt brightly in the street and before the Temple. The priest had accepted the strangers and pronounced them friends so the villagers hid their fear and welcomed them. Curiosity reasserted itself and children gathered around different members of the group intent on finding out about these unusual people.

A group followed Daniel as he examined the village and it gradually grew larger including adults as well as children, he began asking questions about their homes and how they lived. It did not take him long to lose himself in a world of living archaeology. The people following him began to whisper and giggle amongst themselves. 'Why did he need to ask such simple questions?' He became so wrapped up in his opportunity to study a thriving Maya culture that he did not notice the absence of two or three members of the team.

Hianna and the little girl they'd saved from the boar followed Teal'c's every move, they seemed fascinated by him. He looked very different from anyone they had ever seen before. After a while Teal'c tired of looking back to find the two little ones behind him. He sat on a low wall and waited to see if the children would approach him. Hianna sidled up to him first. Timidly he reached up and touched Teal'c on his cheek. He rubbed the cheek and then looked at his hand. The little girl, Cheela approached and stared at his hand as well. When this action elicited nothing more serious than a questioning tilt of Teal'c's head, Hianna reached up and traced the path of the gold symbol on his forehead.

"You wear a sign of the gods but your eyes do not glow like the others do," Hianna whispered.

Teal'c did not respond. He knew the boy had stated the truth as far as it went, it did not require an answer from him. He nodded in agreement and smiled at the child in an attempt to appear less threatening. Cheela slid her small hand under Teal'c's massive one and he allowed her to lift it. She wrapped her hand around two of his fingers and smiled up at him shyly.

A worried Tamar watched his son from the doorway of his home a short distance away. The huge stranger appeared to be tolerating the attention of the children and he tried to relax. He looked back inside the building at the woman who sat with his mother. She had come home with them and sat beside their fire. She, 'Saya' he told himself looked so vulnerable as she warmed her hands and stared at the flames. Finally she had begun to tell them what had happened to her after she had passed through the doorway. It was a story of years spent alone. A story of a world filled with fantastic monsters. The images she painted were frightening but they seemed not to disturb her at all.

For Tamar it was easier to believe that she had been with the gods, than to believe this incredible story. And these strangers who she has said took her from that place, they had defied the will of the gods, 'how could any good come from this'. Tamar realised that he was afraid of something he had no control over and it made him angry, 'but who am I angry at? Her rescuers? Saya for coming back with them? Maybe at the gods for not being what he believed?' Tamar felt confused, 'If these people are not gods, then who are they? They cannot be humans, only Maya are human. They must be gods, but will they bring prosperity or ruin to us? And where is their leader?' he suddenly thought as he looked around, 'I have not seen him for sometime.'

Jack was missing because he had left the village. He and one of the Tok'ra had decided to check the area surrounding the village. They were looking for signs that things were not as they appeared to be. A suspicion that had no basis other than Jack's belief that something was bound to go wrong. His current Tok'ra companion appeared to share his belief that it was always good to check out the surrounding terrain. A lush wooded area on one side of the village looked like ideal covert cover and they made it their primary target. Something about this place made Jack nervous, something about this whole mission was making him nervous. After an extensive search through the wooded area Jack had to concede that only animals crept through the undergrowth.

"Its getting dark in here, lets get back to the village," Jack commented to his companion.

"As you say," the Tok'ra replied and they made their way back.

"Where did Aldwin disappear?" Jack asked.

"I did not see. Our group is very diverse and everyone seems to be interested in different things. Now me," the Tok'ra demeanour suddenly changed and he smiled, "I can smell the evening meal from here."

"Yeah," Jack responded and grinned. "It won't be difficult to find our way back even in the dark."

The night came suddenly under the trees and they had to make their return to the village in virtual darkness. After making their way carefully in the direction of the smell of food, they began to see the glimmer of lights through the trees. They walked out of the night into a village brightly lit with torches. Villagers and guests could be seen already gathered around a large central fire in front of the Temple. The sound of strange music drifted towards them. Jack listened to it as he approached. The sound was off key to his ears but still haunting and beautiful when you adjusted to it. Soft drum sounds, pipes, and somewhere in the sound was an instrument he could not identify. His companion nodded as he left him and made his way toward Al'ya. Jack noticed he was seated beside the fire talking to Chay Chac.

Teal'c was now seated beside the fire. On one knee sat Cheela feeding him pieces of cooked meat from a small plate and laughing. A boy had his arms wrapped around the other leg. An animated conversation appeared to be continuing between mouthfuls of food. Teal'c looked relax, the smile on his face was one of the most natural Jack had ever seen him produce. Jack smiled in response, Teal'c appeared to be comfortable with these people.

On the other side of the fire, Sam and Daniel sat on the ground. Saya's brother sat close by listening intently to the conversation. The discussion had become quite animated by the time Jack had joined the circle round the fire. Daniel waved a large vegetable he could not identify in front of Sam's face. Sam responded by pushing his arm to one side and grinning as she shook her head, appearing to disagree with him. The conversation continued. 'What important discovery are they arguing about now?' Jack's smile broadened slowly as the waving arms continued to become more heated. 'I don't wanna know,' he decided. He looked around for others of his group and saw Charlie. He appeared to have made some friends of his own age. Sat in a circle of children, he concentrated on some kind of game with stones. Jack liked that, he decided Drak obviously allowed the boy time to be a child. He wondered what Drak was doing while Charlie played, watching or sleeping?

As he started to seat himself he felt her eyes on him. Jack looked up and across the fire and picked Saya out immediately. She was helping her mother pass food to the people at the fire. He changed his mind, straightened up and moved around the fire to her. "The food is ready Jack, do you want something to eat?"

"Sure," Jack responded, "where is Aldwin?" For some reason Aldwin's continued absence bothered Jack, he wondered what he was up to.

"He went down to the Stargate,he's telling our people that everything here is as it should be. Al'ya is talking to Chay Chac about some of us staying here. He's telling him about the System Lords… the war we are involved in. I don't know how much he will understand."

"Oh Chay's a bright lad. I think he will surprise you with how much he understands," Jack responded. Saya turned pink with embarrassment as she realised that Jack was defending her peoples' intelligence instead of the other way round.

"We didn't mean…." Jetair began to intervene. Saya's father looked at her daughter, the strange voice unsettling him. It was the first time Jetair had spoken since their arrival.

"I know you didn't," Jack interrupted and cursed under his breath. Why do I always have to do that?' "Look if you've finished here…" Jack changed the subject.

Saya nodded and they walked away from the fire passing between two of the buildings. Jack knew he needed to talk to Saya alone. It seemed to be the one thing he'd been unable to achieve since the attack on the SGC. There was always someone else around, Charlie, Aldwin, and even members of his own team. It seemed that they were finally going to get away.

A shape moved in the shadow of one of the buildings. It drifted along the wall and followed them away from the main street, but the shadow was noticed. Sam had watched Jack and Saya leave the fire. She bit her lip and began to turn away burying the uneasy feeling the picture elicited. 'If this was what Jack wanted' she thought. Her eyes drifted away from them back towards the fire, it was then that she noticed the shadow on the wall. The uneasiness she had been feeling increased as she watched it disappear after them.

"Something wrong Sam?" Daniel spoke a little loudly to reach her over the increasing volume of music and party atmosphere.

"It's OK" Sam replied in a raised voice. "I will be back in a few minutes."

Sam picked up her P90 and walked off towards the buildings. Daniel watched her for a moment, misinterpreting her action as a response to the call of nature. He wondered briefly why Sam had taken a weapon. 'Habit I guess, once a soldier…' then he turned back towards Tamar and continued the conversation.

The distance muted the music and voices and the tall walls hid the fire from view. Jack and Saya slowed their pace towards the wooded end of the alleyway. Saya leaned against the wall feeling the warmth of the day's sun still radiating from the thick-coated brick surface. Jack swung his P90 behind his shoulder and leaned one hand against the wall above her shoulder. He stared down at her in silence for a moment. "Funny," Jack murmured. "There is so much I want to say but I'm not sure were to start. Damn, that's a clique."

Saya lifted a hand to his cheek and slid her fingers down and along his jaw line. The roughened feeling of a day's worth of stubble had already appeared. It reminded her of another place, another time. It brought a sweet smile to her face that made Jack forget to breathe.

"I've missed you," she whispered, and lifted her face in mute invitation. Jack leaned forward and brushed her lips lightly but Saya leaned into the kiss. Jack slid his arms around her waist, pulling her away from the wall and kissing her with sudden passion. Then he lifted his head and stared down into her eyes.

"Saya…" he hesitated. "Jetair…?" Jack wasn't sure how to continue.

Saya waited a small painful knot forming in her chest. Jack would have to resolve the conflict himself, 'if he can't accept you Jetair…' Saya thought at her symbiote. 'He must choose for himself or we must leave him,' Jetair murmured into her mind. Jack grimaced as he tried to put his feelings into words.

"How does Jetair feel about me?" Jack asked.

He was remembering a very one-sided conversation with Freya some time ago. Anise had preferred Daniel, what if Jetair preferred someone else. He wanted Jetair to like him, he was concerned the she might not. He found the thought even more inhibiting than her being able to feel and hear everything Saya did.

Saya was surprised by the question as it was not the one she thought was worrying Jack. It was certainly not what Jetair expected to be a problem for the Colonel. At that moment it crystallised Jetair's feelings about this Tauri.

"I like you Colonel O'Neill," Jetair responded for herself.

Jack brought up a hand and took hold of Saya's chin. He wanted to ensure that he looked directly into her eyes, to be certain that there was no misunderstanding. "I have missed you too Saya but it feels strange when I look into your eyes… To know there are two people staring back at me."

"I am still Saya. To tell you the truth…" Saya continued hesitantly, "Jetair is attracted to you. She… What I mean is… Oh for crying out loud," Saya finished in frustration.

Jack put his arm back around Saya and pulled her close. He rested his cheek on the top of her head and closed his eyes. Saya slid her arms around his waist pulling close and burrowing into his chest.

"It's alright Saya," he murmured. Saya looked up through his arms and bit her lip.

"We both want to be with you," they whispered, he could hear Saya and Jetair's faint timbre in the voice.

Jack's heart raced. Not with the panic that Freya had caused him, but with the realisation that he loved and wanted this woman, them. 'As she is now, whatever they are now, just as much as I wanted her before. Jetair is a part of Saya… and I don't mind.' The realisation was a surprise to him and suddenly he laughed.

"Why are you laughing?" Saya asked a little uncertainly.

"When people have written or talked about love triangles, I don't think they ever had this in mind."

"Love triangle?"

Jack dipped his head and kissed her again, crushing her in an embrace that left her breathless.

"Jack."

"What is it?" Jack murmured into her hair.

"This jacket you wear is very lumpy and uncomfortable."

"Then I guess I'd better take it off," Jack responded with a laugh.

He pulled her into his arms and they wandered off the shelter of the woodland.

The shadow moved behind them following to the edge of the woodland. Then as they disappeared, it moved away down the outside of the village. Sam stood watching as the shadow drifted along the buildings. She strained to see who had been watching the two of them. She looked back towards the darkened trees, pain briefly flittering across her face. Then she looked back at the retreating shadow and the pain was replaced by suspicion. 'Who the hell was following them?'

The Sickness

Jack awoke to the sound of running feet. The soft springy undergrowth felt damp, he shifted his weight and rose up on one elbow to look at Saya sleeping beside him.

"O'Neill! O'Neill! Where are you?"

He shook Saya gently awake and helped her stand up.

"Over here!" Jack yelled.

Teal'c appeared hurrying from the direction of the village. "O'Neill, Daniel Jackson is very sick. So are several of the villagers."

"What!" Jack barked, "do we know what's wrong with them?"

"Major Carter is trying to ascertain, but as she has often said, she is not that kind of doctor," Teal'c replied as he kept pace with Jack.

Saya caught up hurriedly worry on her face, but it was Jetair's voice that asked what was wrong. Teal'c repeated that Daniel was sick and the three hurried down the alleyway to the main street. Carter looked up as they came in fear for Daniel clearly evident on her face.

"Colonel, Daniel has a high fever and he is hydrophobic!"

Jack's mind immediately flashed back to the wild boar charging down the middle of the village. Sam read his mind easily as she had been remembering the same moment.

"It was just furious Sir. And the incubation period is much longer than this, two days at least. For symptoms to be this severe, usually much longer… so quickly… too quick," Sam stammered and shrugged as she looked on at Daniel's distressed state.

Chay Chac had followed the hurrying figures into the building. He stood by the door listening and then came over to look at Daniel. One look was all he needed to confirm what he had come to tell them. "He will die as will all our people who now have the sickness. We have no medicine that will cure it. It comes, it takes who it will and when it is finished we bury our dead."

"Does this happen often?" Jack demanded.

"Not every season. Sometimes not for a long time," Chay Chac replied, "but when it does it causes much suffering, many die."

"Ah Kin punishes us for allowing the strangers into the village," Tamar called from the doorway afraid to enter the cursed room. "Hianna and Cheela are both sick, my son will die because of you." Tamar shouted at his sister and fled down the street back to his home.

"Ah Kin?" Jack asked

"He is the god who controls drought and disease," Saya explained as a little sob escaped.

"Your people seem to have a lot of gods to worry about," Jack commented putting an arm around her shoulder in an attempt at comfort. He then knelt beside his sick friend worry for Daniel on his face. "Daniel can you hear me? We're going to get help. Dr Fraiser will sort this out, just hold on."

Daniel's eyes fluttered open for a moment but he stared straight through Jack. It was obvious that he was not registering anything in the room. "Nooo…" he moaned and raised an arm and tried to push Sam away but he was too weak to more than flail about. Then he seemed to realise something else was to close to him and pushed at Jack instead.

"He doesn't know anyone Sir," Sam muttered as she tried to calm him down.

It was clear that Daniel was in the grip of some nightmarish hallucination brought on by the fever. Jack grabbed his gear from the corner of the room and delved into it. A moment later he pulled out couple of sample bottles, which Carter immediately grabbed. She disappeared into the street to return a short while later with the bottles full.

"This is sample of the water, this of the meat we were eating last night. And this is blood and saliva samples from Daniel," she continued as she picked up vials from beside Daniel. "These samples need to be taken back for Janet to test and bring us a cure… I hope."

"Teal'c you take them back," Jack told him. "Junior protects you so you shouldn't be carrying the sickness back to the SGC." As Teal'c took the samples and turned to leave, Jack called after him, "don't take to long Teal'c."

"I will not O'Neill."

By the time the Stargate reactivated to allow Teal'c to return over twenty-four hours had passed. He now exited the Stargate followed by SG4 with Major Jamieson and Dr Fraiser. They followed Teal'c to the Greeting Stone and he helped the Major to use it to adapt to the local language then left him to process the others. Teal'c walked away from the Stargate and stared down a street that was empty of people.

As the soldiers moved forward looking for the villagers and members of SG1, Charlie appeared from one of the doorways. He searched the faces and saw Janet walking behind the soldiers. "Dr Fraiser!"

"Charlie," Janet called, "are you OK?"

"Oh yes, Drak protects me… but Dr Jackson and Major Carter are sick. They are in here."

Janet grabbed a case from amongst the supplies and hurried across to join him in the doorway. "Where is Colonel O'Neill?" Janet asked worriedly. Charlie looked up and acknowledged Teal'c who had walked up behind her.

"He is with Chay Chac helping to put the sick villagers in a separate building from those who are not sick."

"The Colonel is not ill?"

"Not yet," Charlie replied. "Not everyone is getting sick. Jack thinks it is because he did not eat last night."

"Well that is not the way this virus is normally spread but he could still be right about that Charlie. The little microbes were in the meat juices, I've never seen anything like this."

"Janet," Sam called weakly from inside. Janet responded to her friend's call and began to layout the injections for all that had become sick.

"It's Rabies," Janet told her conversationally, "but I expect you had guessed as much.

Sam's fevered face reflected her minds ability to still function but she was too exhausted to do more than nod. "It's a very virulent strain and multiplies faster… but that appears to be its major weakness too. The virus cells are weaker because all the energy is centred on multiplying. The treatment we have for our variant should work for it. Five injections, it's going to take some time."

"Daniel?" Sam asked breathlessly concerned for his condition.

"I don't know he has been sick the longest and the symptoms look a lot more advanced. You know the longer you have the virus the less the chances of recovery. Rest now and let me do my job."

From the doorway an unfamiliar voice asked. "Do you mean you can cure this sickness?"

Janet turned to look towards the doorway and got her first glimpse of Chay Chac. She didn't know who he was but immediately realised that he was sick.

"Come sit here and I will give you an injection," Janet instructed.

Chay Chac eyed the syringe suspiciously but did as he was bid. From stories and a time when he was a young man, he realised he was going to die. He had nothing to lose by obeying this stranger. Chay Chac sat in silence and watched as Janet plunged the strange instrument into Major Carter's arm. When the liquid within the container emptied into her arm the Major stirred restlessly but did not resist. Then he watched as the stranger repeated this strange action with Dr Jackson. Then Janet finally turned towards him and he realised she had allowed him to watch to reassure him. As Janet approached he raised the sleeve of his shirt to allow her to treat him as well.

"When I put this needle," Janet said pointing to the sharp end of the instrument, "into your arm, it is going to hurt. Please do not move or it will hurt more. If you can relax it will hurt less." With the instruction completed Janet administered the injection. She had been worried that he would change his mind but Chay Chac sat quietly until she was finished.

"Lie down and rest, you will need more injections before you heal. You will need to sleep and let the medicine do its work," she told him.

After making sure her first three patients were comfortable she picked up her case. 'It is going to be a long few days,' she thought as she went to distribute injections to all that had been infected.

The Unexpected

It was several days before Daniel began to respond to the treatment. His fever remained high and other symptoms began to appear. Janet began to fear that the disease had been to far advanced by the time she begun treatment and that it would prove fatal. One villager did die, he had been too old and too weak to cope with the virus, there had been nothing she could do to save him.

Eventually Dr Fraiser and her team began to win the fight and people began to recover. For the Mayans this was a miracle from the gods. None who suffered from this illness in the past had survived. It had decimated their village population many times and it always took a generation or two for the village to recover its numbers. With the recovery of Hianna even the pessimistic Tamar finally believed that the strangers had not brought disaster with them but were a blessing. Chay Chac had agreed to allow the Tok'ra to remain if they wished, and for others to come in. In exchange they had offered to trade goods and medicines. There was joy in the air that all this good fortune was being showered on them, and sadness that their new friends were to leave them soon.

Daniel tottered out of his temporary shelter looking for Sam. It was the first time he had seen the sun properly for some while. Its bright morning light made him squint and he shielded his eyes with a hand as he tried to adjust to the glare. Daniel saw Sam seated alone at the well edge, staring into it apparently lost in thought.

"Daniel Jackson, you should not be up. Dr Fraiser will not like you disobeying her."

Daniel swung his head round and squinted into the sun. He watched as Teal'c strode towards him, a small human bundle in one arm and another trotting beside him. "I see you still have your fan club," Daniel laughed at him.

"Fan club?" Teal'c repeated clearly not familiar with the phrase.

"Doesn't matter Teal'c. Where is Jack?"

"He is with Saya. He has been with Saya whenever he has not been hovering over you or Major Carter and pestering Dr Fraiser. In the end she became very annoyed with him and sent him away."

"Where?" Daniel asked again a little impatiently.

"She did not care where he went as long as he was not there."

"Oh," Daniel responded and looked back at Sam. He couldn't help wondering what Sam was feeling about Jack and Saya. After all everyone knew how much she liked Jack. 'Well I thought…' He pondered the changes that seemed inevitable within their team and sighed. Changes happen, but for SG1 the relationships had appeared to stay the same for a long time. Daniel allowed Teal'c to seat him close to the door and out of the sunlight. Hianna trotted back to Daniel with a drink and Teal'c took his charges away leaving Daniel to his thoughts.

Sam raised her head and glanced around the street, saw Daniel and smiled. She stood up and stretched, rotating her neck to loosen the muscles and then moved across the street to join him in the shade. Throwing herself onto the small stone seat beside him she stretched again. She fully intended to restart the argument about who brought the Maya to the planet. The conversation never began.

The Stargate hummed and stirred and the chevrons lit, it was obvious someone was dialling in. Daniel put a hand to the wall and stood up as Sam rose beside him. They both stared down the street at the Stargate.

"Are we expecting anyone?" Daniel asked.

Sam shook her head and disappeared into the building. She returned a moment later grasping two P90s. She passed Daniel his weapon and began to move toward the Stargate. From various points around the village the Tok'ra appeared, they also had picked up their weapons. Daniel saw Charlie running towards them. Major Jamieson called down the street. He, Eddings and Pearson began to make there way towards the Gate. "No-one we know," it was a statement of fact not a question.

The last of his team appeared, armed and ready for trouble. Jack reached Sam's side from inside Saya's home. He glanced at Daniel then caught Charlie's arm as he tried to continue past, towards the Stargate.

"Not so fast, Charlie. We don't know what's coming through. You OK, Daniel?"

"I'll manage," he replied weighing the weapon in his hands. "You do realise," he continued glancing at Sam, "that I will hit even less than normal in my current state."

"Maybe you won't have to try," Sam responded.

The villagers sensed the change in the mood of their guests. Women grabbed children who had been playing in the street. In a few moments the place looked deserted. Men stood in the doorways watching the scene unfold uncertain of what they should do. The Mayans had been told of the System Lords, those who would be gods. It appeared that the evil gods of the past were returning. Buluc Chabtan and Balam had rescued them once. Perhaps this is why the strangers had come. The gods had sent them to protect the villagers because the evil ones threatened them again.

"This doesn't have to be bad news," Jack commented. "Besides us, only the Tok'ra know this planet exists."

"And the Ancients," Daniel amended hopefully. "Maybe it's the Ancients."

"Yeah, right," responded Jack as he returned to his normal pessimistic level.

The first Serpent guard to break the event horizon's surface immediately fell in a hail of bullets. The number of Serpent guards coming through the Stargate ensured that the bodies in front protected those behind. As Jack threw Charlie over a wall and dived after him, he hoped Saya would stay were she was.

"Carter!" Jack yelled.

"I'm OK, Sir. So is Daniel."

A Golden clad figure walked out of the Stargate and Teal'c stared at him in disbelief. "O'Neill! It is Apophis!"

Jack looked at the figure as a cold anger started up inside him. 'There is only one way you could have the address to this planet,' he thought.

He fired at Apophis, causing him to turn and stare directly at him. The bullets bounced harmlessly from the screen, Jack knew he had just wasted them.

"O'Neill," Apophis hissed and waved the guards forward as he strode away from the Stargate towards him.

An energy blast flared past Apophis, taking out the Serpent guard at his side. He raised the ribbon devise and threw its energy at the Tok'ra who had shot at him. The energy bolt lifted the man from his feet throwing him across the street, to lie unmoving against a wall. Jack stood up and moved round the wall, unclipping his knife as he went.

Daniel saw a guard aim at a small head in the doorway behind him. He threw himself at the child, his weight carrying him and the child into the building and under the blast. Sam shifted her aim and shot the guard, then shifted back and caught one attempting to enter their temporary Infirmary. The guard seemed to try to go two ways at once. Sam grinned as she realised Janet was protecting her patients. A tremendous pain started in the back of her head and she dropped as if pole axed. Aldwin looked down at her briefly, dropping the stone beside her. He continued to work his way closer to Jack.

Jack left the shelter of the wall, concentrating on getting closer to Apophis without getting shot by him. Aldwin stepped into the open, raised and fired his weapon.

"No!" Saya screamed and shot out of the building behind Jack. She threw herself over the wall and cleared it, colliding with Jack, pushing him beyond the line of fire. The blast from Aldwin's weapon caught her shoulder and bit into her neck. Aldwin faltered a look of horror appearing on his face. Al'ya turned from the threat of the Serpent Guards with a curse and shot him. The blast caught Aldwin in the chest throwing him backwards.

Apophis slowed, surprised by the sudden turn of events. One look at O'Neill and he realised this time he would not recover quickly enough to save himself. An unpleasant smile appeared on his face, this time he would kill him. So intent was he on killing O'Neill that Apophis was too late to hear the sound of running feet. As he started to respond to the threat behind him, a short sharpened flagpole caught him in his side. He was driven across the street and to his knees and found himself looking up at Janet Fraiser a look of fury on her face. She dragged the pole out of his body widening the hole in his armour intent on putting the spike through his chest completely unaware of the danger she was in. A blast from a staff weapon grazed her shoulder and the next snapped the pole in two. The force of the shots threw her to the ground. A Serpent Guard at the Stargate began dialling out. Two of the remaining Serpent Guards grabbed Apophis and ran with him to the Gate. The invading force retreated with their mortally wounded god in a hail of bullets. The raid was over as quickly as it began.

The SGC soldiers and Al'ya, rose slowly from their positions. Everyone just stood and gazed at the carnage. All eyes turned to Janet Fraiser lying on the ground and Colonel O'Neill on his knees beside the unmoving body of Saya.

Daniel ran out of the building and reached Sam as she crawled to her knees. He helped her up as they took in the bodies strewn across the street. "Saya… Janet!" Sam gasped and staggered over to assist her friend.

She helped Janet sit up and checked the shoulder. "It's just a graze," Janet told her, "hurts like hell, but it will heal."

Sam nodded and then plucked up the courage to look at Jack. Saya looked like a broken doll lying on the street. People hurried out of the buildings now that the fighting had stopped. An injured Serpent Guard found himself surrounded by angry Mayans who dragged him towards the Temple.

"Jack," Daniel said nervously as he reached him. He hadn't expected a response so when Jack didn't move or speak he appealed to the Jaffa. "Teal'c."

"What is it, Daniel Jackson?"

"I don't know about this group, but the Mayans sacrificed their captured enemies to the gods."

Teal'c looked towards the Serpent Guard being dragged into the Temple and then back at Saya and the two dead Tok'ra.

"It is their world, their choice," he responded. Daniel stood undecided beside the growing group of people.

"Let it go, Dr Jackson," Major Jamieson ordered him as he joined the growing number of people around Saya and Jack.

Charlie knelt beside them silent tears streaming down his face. He put a hand on her arm and shook it, not quite believing her to be gone. Jack lifted her into his arms and sat just holding her to his chest. No one knew what to do. A silence fell as they waited for Jack to let her go or for one of his team to do something.

A quiet symbiotic voice whispered his name. He looked down, not believing what he had heard.

"Jack…"

"Jetair? How?"

It took a few moments, but then he heard Saya this time, her voice a little clearer.

"Jetair is not injured… She's trying to stop the bleeding… very difficult."

"Janet! Janet!" Daniel yelled pushing people out of his way. He found Sam helping Janet toward the crowd. "Saya's not dead."

"I saw her hit. That's not possible," Janet replied.

"She's still alive but I don't know for how long. She's bleeding badly from the neck wound, Jetair can't stop it."

"Get my bag," Janet instructed.

"Janet, you need treatment yourself," Sam protested.

"I'll treat Saya and you can treat me."

"But can you save her?" Sam asked as she looked down at the injury to Saya's neck and the blood now pooling beside Jack's knee.

"Can you?" Jack asked looking up at Janet. She had never seen such a pleading expression on her favourite Colonel's face. She couldn't tell him that Saya's chances of survival were slim to non-existent.

"I will try," she answered as she knelt to look for ways to stem the flow. Janet dragged a drip bag out of her case. "It's a major artery Colonel," without looking up she continued, "she should already be dead. I don't know how Jetair is keeping her alive."

"Saya," Jack whispered.

Saya responded, her eyes flickered open briefly.

"Find another host… for Jetair," she barely whispered.

"No," Jack responded.

"Then Jetair will die with me."

"A sarcophagus, we need a sarcophagus," Jack said suddenly.

"But Jack, the Tok'ra do not use them," Daniel muttered not wanting to dampen the hope that began to appear in his friends face.

"I know where there is one," Al'ya responded. "We do not use them, but I know where there is one... but the risk?"

"She will die if we don't…" Jack argued. "Janet?"

Charlie jumped to his feet his tears forgotten as he ran to the DHD. He immediately began dialling out as Drak knew where Al'ya meant. Even if they couldn't save Saya there might be a host there for Jetair.

Janet's name was the question she did not want to answer but she looked the Colonel in the eyes and told him straight. "I can't save her, even if I could get her back to the Infirmary quickly. She has a few minutes at most. Jetair can't keep her alive when she has lost so much blood. This transfusion is useless if we can't stop the bleeding."

Al'ya stretched out his arms and Jack allowed him to lift Saya from him. He turned and headed for the Stargate. The vortex pulsed into the street and the event horizon appeared. In a moment Charlie and Al'ya were gone, taking Saya with them. Jack stared at the Stargate for a moment, eyes narrowed and then he swallowed and turned. "Major Carter."

"Yes Sir."

"We need to find a planet to relocate these people quickly before Apophis or one of the other System Lords arrives."

"Yes Sir."

Then he strode through the dead Serpent guards towards the Stargate. His friends watched him walk to the DHD, swing his P90 over one shoulder and dial home. Daniel turned to Chay Chac breaking the stillness that had fallen over everyone. Major Jamieson ordered the remaining personnel to begin packing equipment.

"You had better get your people ready to leave, it shouldn't take us long to relocate you. Apophis will return, if you stay here your people will be killed or enslaved."

"You want us all to go through the doorway and leave this place?"

Daniel waved a hand at the bodies strewn across the Mayan street.

"Do you really want to stay?"