In Xanadu did Kubla Khan
A stately pleasure-dome decree:
Where Alph, the sacred river, ran
Through caverns measureless to man
Down to a sunless sea.
Chapter 1
48 hours prior
General Hammond walked briskly into the SGC conference room, immediately drawing the attention of everyone seated around the large table. Sam leapt to her feet, followed quickly by Jack. Even Daniel and Teal'c straightened in their chairs, but Hammond hardly spared them a second glance before seating himself at the head and muttering, "At ease, people."
Sam settled in her chair, but sat up tall and clasped her hands in front of her, preparing herself for whatever piece of information the General was about to impart. The lack of the usual pleasantries was a sure indication that whatever Hammond had to tell them wasn't good news. Without any preamble, he began.
"Just over a week ago, SG-3 discovered what appeared to be a thriving market the size of a small city on P7X-442. After talking with some of the merchants, they determined that the location serves as a trading hub for several planets, all of which were unfamiliar to us and some of which appeared relatively advanced."
"Well, that's unusual," Daniel said. "The Goa'uld don't typically allow civilizations under their control to progress technologically, at least not to any significant degree."
Hammond didn't miss a beat. "Agreed, Dr. Jackson, but this planet wasn't found on the Abydos cartouche. It's one that was downloaded from the Ancient repository."
"So it was never controlled by the Goa'uld," Teal'c surmised.
The General nodded. "That's our theory. And as far as we can tell, it doesn't look like any of the other people who travel to P7X-442 are from Goa'uld occupied planets, either."
Sam was was buzzing with the prospect of imminent scientific discovery. "This is amazing, sir. Think of what we could learn from such a diverse group of civilizations..."
"Not to mention the potential allies," Hammond added. "Which is why we sent SG-11 back to do a more in-depth study of the various cultures that visit P7X-442."
But Jack was not nearly so excited. "I take it from the fact that we're all sitting here that things didn't go as planned?"
With that, the mood of the group grew somber once again. Hammond leaned forward and met the eye of each team member in turn as he spoke.
"Four days ago, SG-11 missed a scheduled report. When they missed a second one 24 hours later, we sent SG-3 back through the gate to find out what happened to them."
"And?" Jack prompted, and Sam knew he was waiting for the other shoe to drop.
"And SG-3 reported that according to some of the locals, SG-11 had traveled to a palace of some sort, called Shangdu, located near the coast. They advised they were going to follow. That was two days ago. We haven't heard anything since."
"Wait a minute," Daniel interrupted. "A palace known as Shangdu?"
Hammond inclined his head.
"I wonder..."
"Daniel?" Jack asked.
"Well, I'm not sure, but it sounds like it could be Xanadu."
"Xanadu? As in Olivia Newton-John on roller skates?"
"No, Jack," Daniel replied, his tone somewhere between amusement and exasperation. "As in the grand pleasure palace reportedly built by the Mongolian ruler Kubla Kahn during the Yuan dynasty. It was known as Shangdu, or Xanadu."
"Well, that certainly fits with what we found this morning." Hammond slid the aerial photos he'd kept in a folder in front of him around the table, and Jack moved in closer to Sam to take a look, his proximity making her heart beat just a little faster. "When SG-3 failed to report in, we sent a UAV through the 'gate. This is what it transmitted before we lost contact."
The team studied the photographs which revealed what appeared to be a large, ornate palace with extensive park-like grounds ringed by a stone wall, through which a river ran down to an ocean.
"Whoa," Jack began. "That's..."
"Big," Sam said, completing his sentence and drawing a raised eyebrow and slightly scandalized look from her superior officer.
Jack drew himself upright. "I was going to say 'well protected,'" he replied, shooting Sam a sideways glance.
Sam ducked her head to hide her smile. The Colonel was teasing her, and she hadn't realized until just then how much she'd missed it, the easy, flirtatious banter between them. She chanced a glance in his direction only to find him still looking at her, the gleam in his eye unmistakable. Nonetheless, she tried her best to suppress the smile that still threatened to turn up the corners of her mouth and tamped down hard on the completely inappropriate twinge of desire that shot through her body. Whatever else they might be to one another, he was first and foremost her superior officer, and right now they had a job to do.
"In any event," Hammond interrupted, as if reading her mind, "I want you all to go to P7X-442, find SG teams 3 and 11, and bring them home."
Jack gave him a quick nod. "Yes, sir."
"You leave at 0900. Dismissed." Hammond stilled as he waited for the others to clear the room. Just as she walked through the doorway, Sam overheard him call to her CO. "And Jack?" Though she knew she shouldn't, she stopped to listen just outside the door.
"Sir?"
"I can't keep sending SG teams through the 'gate to this location, only to have them disappear. If you can't find the others within the next 72 hours, you are to return to the SGC."
It was a simple enough statement, but Sam knew it was what Hammond hadn't said that was more important: if they didn't report back, there wouldn't be any others coming through the 'gate to rescue them.
Of course, Jack knew it, too. "Understood, sir," he replied immediately. He walked out and he and Sam exchanged a look, quick but full of meaning.
They were on their own.
TBC...
A/N - The quote at the beginning of the chapter is from Kubla Khan by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. It's always been a favorite, and I plan to begin certain chapters with an excerpt from the poem.
Also, I changed the title of this story to avoid confusion with the Sam-Jack fanfic Xanadu by Spiletta42. My story is unrelated to hers.
Finally, I want to thank both MidKnight Rider and BethanyActually for the excellent beta. You guys are the best!
