Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate SG-1 or the characters, I'm just borrowing them for a while for my story and I'm not making any money for it. This is all for fun so please don't sue folks ;-)

AN/ In the first series of Stargate there many times when the dialogue refers to events that have happened outside of the episodes which we get to see. One of them is the events of P3X595. During the episode 'Emancipation' O'Neill refers to a time when Carter was pleased to see the team after drinking something that made her take off… we never find out what it was but by Carters reaction we know that it was embarrassing. All the cultural references come from internet research and are loosely based on Aboriginal Australian Dreamtime Mythologies. If they are incorrect then please remember this is only a work of fiction, and my intention was to write only a story, not to offend anyone.

The Story so far…

SG-1 travel to P3X-959 and discover a civilisation that was taken from Earth thousands of years before Ra ruled in Egypt; a civilisation based on Aboriginal Australian culture. After travelling back to the village Daniel finds out that the resident Goa'uld may have been overthrown by a simple weapon and destroys O'Neill's hope of finding something more interesting. Meanwhile Sam has other ideas and sets up her telescope just outside the village boundary to map the night sky.

Chapter 3

While Daniel took the opportunity to talk more with Rinje, O'Neill watched as the rest of the villagers sang songs and performed dances in honour of their visitors. The dances told various stories of creation, hunting, gods and other mythical creatures that appeared to be crossed between man and animal. Most of it went over O'Neill's head but Teal'c appeared to take interest, whether or not he was enjoying it was anyone's guess, his face certainly gave nothing away. Carter had dutifully checked in every 30 minutes as ordered but he couldn't help but wonder how she was doing up there on the rocky outcrop, part of him felt guilty sitting by the fire at the party while she was out there by herself.

As though reading his mind, the Captain returned and sat down beside him near the camp fire.

"Captain? All finished?"

"Not quite Sir, I have to go back in a few hours when a few more constellations appear over the horizon. I'll go back in the morning before we break camp and make the final recordings. How was you're evening with the locals?"

"Oh, you know...educational. Teal'c's having a great time, aren't you buddy?"

Teal'c simply raised a curious eyebrow in reply to O'Neill's sarcasm and Sam stiffled a chuckle. For a man who spoke few words Teal'c had mastered a thousand phrases with his eyebrows. Seeing Sam smile brightly with the warm firelight reflecting on her face Jack saw a different side to his ever efficient new second in command, one that could relax for more than a millisecond. He found himself caught for moment until her gaze landed back to him. Clearing his throat he reverted quickly back to his patented self defence system while mentally chiding himself for becoming distracted.

"He's such an exaggerator!" Jack gave a wry smile and prodded at the fire in front of him before spotting Daniel on his way back from his talk with the village elder. "Here comes Daniel, I'm sure he'll give you the full run down, Captain"

Daniel almost bounded back towards them as though he had just been told the great secrets of the universe and couldn't wait to tell the first people he could find. With a simple nod of acknowledgement to Sam's return he sat down heavily at Teal'c side and began to explain the reason for his excitement, all the time he was talking his hands were never still, a stark contrast to the Jaffa at his side.

"Jack! I've just been describing the ruins we found near the Stargate to Rinje and he told me that his son found another set similar near to this camp which was used by Namir'kun when he ruled here"

"We ship out tomorrow Daniel" Jack replied, nonplussed at the thought of another day watching Daniel dig around in the dirt.

"But Jack this could be important!"

The tête-à-tête between Daniel and O'Neill reminded Sam of being 15 again, stuck between her father and brother when they would start arguing. Curious about the ruins and overwhelmed by the urge to play the peacemaker again she intervened once more.

"Daniel, did Rinje say what was significant about the other ruin?"

"Not exactly but from what I understand there are a number of constellation symbols like the ones we found on the Triptych, who knows, maybe this Goa'uld was one of the first to understand the Stargate network"

Sam shrugged and hopefully towards her commanding officer, a better understanding of the Stargate network could open up a lot of possibilities to them and she was eager to check it out.

"It could be worth a look Sir, if it's not far from here then maybe Daniel and I could go scout it out and report back"

Suddenly feeling like he was in charge of a couple of kids at a funfair wanting to try every ride, O'Neill didn't dare let the two of them out of his sight for long for fear that their combined enthusiasm would carry them both off and he would see neither hide or hair of them again.

"No. You need to get some rest if you're going to finish off mapping the star chart. Teal'c you stay here with Carter, Daniel and I will check out this wreck and see if merits a longer stay – and Daniel, that means technology or something useful to fight the Goa'uld"

"Great!" Daniel slapped his hands together with the kind of excitement that made O'Neill feel old "I'm telling you Jack, this is important. You'll see!"

Rinje's son led an exuberant Daniel Jackson and a reluctant Jack O'Neill out of the village in the direction of the ruined temple leaving Teal'c and Sam by the campfire. It was the first time the young Captain had been alone with her Jaffa team mate and she was suddenly struck with indecision over making conversation. He wasn't exactly the most talkative Jaffa she'd ever met, but then she hadn't exactly stopped to shoot the breeze with any others they had encountered so far. Just as she pondered the chattiness of Jaffa in general the young girl who had sat near her when they first arrive appeared again offering cups to them both and smiling.

"Hi, oh, um…thanks"

A little unsure, Sam picked up her cup and cautiously sniffed the liquid before looking over at Teal'c who bowed thanks to their young host.

"Um, Teal'c, do you know what this is?"

"I do not, Captain Carter." He brought the simple wooden cup under his nose and inhaled the aromatic vapours slowly. "It does not appear to be alcohol"

Examining the contents of the cup carefully by washing the liquid around the inside she considered what Colonel O'Neill would have done. Using some caution he'd let them eat off world, the villagers were all human and so long as there was no alcohol she couldn't see the harm.

"Well we ate a little of the food earlier and that was fine. I guess it can't hurt to try it"

"Indeed. Perhaps we would offend these people by refusing"

With one swift easy gulp Teal'c downed the warm liquid raising a look of surprise from his younger companion. Once again, he bowed his thanks and set the cup on the ground in front of him.

"Down the hatch I guess" Sam mumbled as she raised the cup to her lips and began to drink.

It didn't taste all that bad but it didn't taste as good as it smelled either, it was smooth, flowery and tasted slightly earthy. However it had been getting pretty cold out on the outcrop over the last few hours and she was grateful to feel the warmth of the liquid heating her core. Finishing her drink Sam smiled at the young girl and set down the cup in front of her just as Teal'c had done, nodding her head in thanks remembering that neither party spoke any language that the other understood. The little girl just smiled at both of them collecting up their cups and beckoning for the two of them to follow her. Getting up from their place by the campfire and curious to where the little girl was leading them they followed gingerly, passing unsure looks between them as they went.

Leading them into one of the huts they saw four small beds that had been newly constructed, carefully woven from tree branches and soft leaves from the upper canopy of the forest. Earthy red swathes of cloth covered them as blankets and a small fire burned in the centre of the hut that was shaped like a rounded Tepee. It was simple but clean and comfortable looking.

"Wow, these folks sure know how to make you feel welcome!"

Taking the little girls hand, Sam gave her thanks both in English and in a deep nod of her head which was returned before the girl grinned and skittered out of the door in excitement.

Sitting down on the far bunk, Teal'c tested the bed and seemed vaguely satisfied while Sam bit her lower lip in amusement at the large Jaffa. He was well above average height and most of the villagers were fairly small people. As a result Teal'c perched awkwardly on the small bed giving him a truly giant like appearance.

"Teal'c, are you going to be comfortable like that?"

"It will suffice for Kel'no'reem"

Sam furrowed her brow in confusion at her team mate, she had started to pick up a few Goa'uld words from working with Daniel and Teal'c but she was certain she had never heard that particular term before.

"What's Kel'no'reem?"

"As a Jaffa, I do not require sleep. However I must enter a deep state of meditation to allow the symbiote I carry to make necessary repair to my body" He explained matter-of-factly.

"So, you don't sleep at all?" She asked, incredulous, sitting down on the opposite bunk to face him.

"Extremely rarely. It is not a necessity once a Jaffa receives a symbiote"

"Teal'c, that's amazing!"

Teal'c raised his eyebrows somewhat surprised at his team mates interest with his routine lifestyle. He had never before experienced such curiosity from humans regarding Jaffa rituals, but then in his previous life humans were seen only as slaves to the Gods. The humans of the Tau'ri were as much a source of fascination him just as he was to them.

Envious and curious at her Jaffa team mate's ability to forgo sleep, Sam began to wonder if she would miss dreaming if she had the same ability. Cocking her head to the side and frowning slightly she hesitated for a moment to question Teal'c further.

"Do you dream while you… uh… Kel'no'reem?"

"I do not."

It was the longest conversation that Samantha Carter had ever had with her new Jaffa team mate and it was getting difficult to tell if he was uncomfortable about answering questions about his sleeping habits or if he just wasn't the conversational type. He certainly applied a good deal of thought to his every word, as though his time as first prime of Apophis had taught him to be mindful of his tongue. For the time being Sam decided to leave the subject alone and started to unpack her sleeping bag from her back pack.

"Right, well, speaking of sleep - or rather lack of it, I should probably get some rest before I go out to complete the star map. Are you ok to keep watch for a while until the others get back?"

"Indeed"

With that, Teal'c stood, bowed once and left Sam alone to take his post outside the hut that their team had been given for their stay with the Aborae people. Watching him leave Sam shook her head in wonderment at the large Jaffa.

"Ok, well, wake me up if you get bored and need someone to talk to"

Climbing into her sleeping bag Sam didn't feel the least bit tired but knew that she needed to be alert and ready for the next day, she couldn't afford to let the Colonel down. Taking a sleep breath and releasing it slowly she forced herself to relax and imagine that she was in her own apartment instead of on a new world far from home. Her body obeyed dutifully but her mind refused to cease as one thought after another bombarded her consciousness as though she was wired from too much caffeine. Since the arrival of Daniel Jackson she had been drinking much more of the bitter liquid batting around ideas in each others lab while getting to know each other.

Turning over onto her side she sighed aloud and tried to relax her mind by closing her eyes and focusing on an imaginary blanket of stars in an obsidian sky, expanding it ever wider until all other thoughts were pushed to the far corners of her mind.

"Just because they look like old rocks to you Jack, doesn't mean they didn't have any other significance to someone"

Sam's eyes sprang open at the sound of Daniel Jackson's voice.

Had she actually managed to get some sleep? It felt like they had left only a few minutes ago.

Checking her watch she realised she had actually been asleep for almost an hour just as Daniel blustered into the hut they had been given before Teal'c could finish warning him. He saw her at the last second laying in the sleeping bag looking at him beneath heavy eyelids.

"Oh, I'm sorry Doctor; I didn't mean to wake you"

"It's ok." She lied, propping herself up on her elbows "What did you find?"

"Nothing, just some sweet folks some old rocks" Colonel O'Neill stepped into the hut answering her before Daniel could get a word in. He looked around taking in the sparsely furnished accommodation. "Nice place, are the beds comfy?"

"I'd hardly say we found nothing Jack!" Said Daniel ignoring the older mans question. "Doctor you have to see this place tomorrow, there are paintings all over the ceiling of the temple. It's similar to the one we found near the Stargate but smaller and in a better state of repair."

Jack sat down on bunk nearest the door behind where Daniel was getting over excited for what seemed like the hundredth time that day, and rolled his eyes. Didn't the man ever get tired? Even Carter looked like she was having a hard time keeping up with his rapidly verbose descriptions.

"I think maybe the Aborae people painted over the top of the Goa'uld markings and incorporated them into the artwork in some places, it seems to tell a story of their history. I think it may be some kind of...um...pictorial calendar – "

"Daniel, aren't you tired yet?" Jack interrupted "It's been a long day, it's time to put the notebook away and get some sleep"

"Sleep? Are you kidding me? Jack this is the find of the decade and you want me to sleep?" Daniel paced flicking through his notebook as the young Aborae girl gingerly stepped into the hut carrying two cups in her hand which she offered to the Colonel and Daniel.

"Oh, wow, thank you… er… what is this?" Daniel asked as she handed him the cup. Seeing the confused look gloss her face he asked again using some of the local words he had picked up throughout the day.

" Amarina pache pittalliko. Alkoomie" she told him, nodding her head and gesturing for him to try the beverage she had given him.

Searching through his limited vocabulary of native words to understand the meaning the Archaeologist paused for a moment frowning at the cup in his hand. Jack's eyes passed from the girl to Daniel and back again waiting for any of what she had just to make sense.

"Daniel?"

"Um, if I'm right then this is some kind of tea made from...uh…Rain flowers? I think"

He sniffed at the drink and instantly sneezed spilling the entire contents of the cup over himself.

"Damn it!" he flapped the t-shirt fabric to dry it off "Yep, definitely flowers in there"

The young girl rushed to help Daniel clean off his clothing concerned that she had been the cause of the accident but he quickly assured her that he was fine, handing back the cup and smiling in a way that made her laugh at him. Bowing her head and saying something in her native tongue she took the cup and left them in peace for the night.

"I've always been more of a coffee man myself" said O'Neill as he set his own cup down beside his bunk. "Speaking of which, Daniel you should really lay off that stuff if this is how excited you're going to get every time we find something new off world"

"Well it's either coffee or I fall asleep during mission briefs, the anti-histamines the new Doctor gave me are great to help counter the worsening of my allergies from gate travel but they make me a little drowsy without the caffeine boost. Besides, why break the habit of a lifetime?" He smiled with a certain amount of pride for his coffee vice.

"So that you don't drive us crazy with the incessant chit chat?" O'Neill replied dryly.

"I do not talk incessantly, Jack" he retorted.

"Do too"

"Do not!"

The giggle from Sam's bunk caused both men to pause and turn towards the young Captain who was still tucked inside her sleeping bag.

"What?" They said simultaneously.

"And you said…we were like…kids" Sam eventually managed in between fits of giggles, motioning to herself and Daniel.

"Yes, well…" The Colonel cleared his throat at a loss for a moment as he got up from the edge of his bunk, he had never been laughed at by his second in command before, or at least not before a few beers. "I'm going to take over watch from Teal'c for a while. Daniel, get some sleep no more talking, and Carter?"

"Sir?"

"No more giggling – that's an order"

A/N - I know, I know, when are you going to find out what Sam actually does that's so embarrassing?? Don't worry, it's coming up in part 4 which is written and currently being Beta read - thanks Linwe! The suspense won't be for much longer.

If you like the story it's always nice to hear, and if you don't then equally I'm all ears - without the feedback I can never improve. All I ask is you give a reason so that I can learn from any mistakes or do more of the things that work. Thanks for reading:-)