Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate SG-1. I only play with the people...on the planets...and the Gate... but I don't own!!


Jack and Sam made their way down the path through the lush forest. It didn't take long for them to come to the ruins that Daniel had spoken of. Currently Daniel was in the ring of ruins trying to remove the dirt and moss that had collected on top of the oddly designed altar. Teal'c stood just outside the ruins with a look of general disapproval on his stoic face.

"Daniel...do my orders mean anything to you?" Jack sighed.

"Well, since I'm not in the Air Force...technically no, they don't," Daniel replied with a smug smile.

"So, what is this place?" Sam asked, before things could escalate between the two men.

"I'm not really sure, I haven't found any writing yet," Daniel admitted as he uncovered more of the altar's surface. "If I had to guess, I'd say it has some sort of religious function. It's close to the Stargate, yet seems to be isolated from any other structures. Perhaps it was used for sacrifices."

"Sacrifices?" Jack repeated. "As in human?"

"It would have been hundreds, if not thousands, of years ago."

"And that makes it OK?"

"No, it just makes us safe," Daniel replied, annoyed.

"Not if the Gou'ald decided to come back and open the place back up again."

"I can't imagine the Gou'ald having interest in this. So far, it's just a rock." Daniel pulled some more moss off. "Oh, wait...here's something."

"What is it?" Sam asked as she stepped up to the alter to see.

"Some sort of gem inlaid into the stone."

Jack rolled his eyes and joined Sam and Daniel. Teal'c remained at his post watching the forest with keen eyes. In an attempt to clean off the stone, Daniel rubbed his palm against it. He pulled back sharply when the stone depressed into the altar beneath his hand.

"Maybe I shouldn't have touched that."

"Ya thi..." Jack was cut off as an searing white light blinded him. A breath taking pain suddenly gripped his frame and threw him and the rest of the team violently back into darkness.