Through the Labyrinth

The rest of Sg-1 stared at the closed door, all of them hoping that their team mates were alright. Meanwhile, on the other side Daniel and Vala realised with a sudden rush of dread that the only way they were going to be able to go is to the left.

"Well this is just great." Daniel mumbled as he tried to get the door to open again. "This is just great…"

"Don't get angry at me Daniel," Vala protested, "It was those guardians who told us to go that door."

"I know, I know." Daniel nodded, knowing that Vala was right. "I just hate when things close behind us."

"Daniel….Vala….?" Sam's voice crackled over Daniel's radio and he breathed a sigh of relief that they could still keep in contact with their friends. "Are you there?"

"Yeah, we're here Sam." Daniel responded into his radio. "Listen, I don't see how Vala and I are going to get out though this door- so we're just going to go ahead and see what we can find alight?"

"You do that Jackson." Came Cam's voice over the static of the radio. "We'll wait here."

"Be careful Daniel."

"I always am Sam," Daniel replied with a small grin. "Daniel out…." Daniel turned off his radio and turned to look at the path beside him. "Well Vala," He stated with grim determination as he held out his hand, indicating that Vala could go first. "I guess we go this way."

As Daniel and Vala walked through, what Daniel deduced was a labyrinth, on the other side of the golden door in the anti-chamber of the temple, Teal'c approached Lya like he had many years ago after conferring with Sam and Cameron.

"Lya…."

"Yes Teal'c?" Lya asked turning to look up at her friend.

"Have the Ori visited your world?"

"Yes." Lya replied calmly. "They came, found nothing and left again."

"I am pleased to here that." Teal'c responded with a small smile. "I am in need of your assistance."

"My assistance?" Lya asked, confused- but not really confused on what Teal'c had come to speak to her about. "Of what do you speak Teal'c?"

"The Free Jaffa Nation has fractured," Teal'c began, hoping that Lya would agree to his plan. "My brothers and sisters are fighting each other and are falling into servitude of false gods once again."

"I am truly sorry to hear that Teal'c," Lya apologised. "But what can I do? I am of the Nox."

"Yes, and just as before I required your help to protect the Tollan, I need your help once more."

"Go on." Lya insisted, nodding to Teal'c to continue.

"The Ori are winning their crusade to convert this galaxy," Teal'c explained. "And I believe that if we can stop them from converting the Jaffa and Human populations that inhabit the thousands of planets in our galaxy then we will win a great portion of this war."

"How can I help?" Lya asked, "I cannot assist in the destruction of another race. It is not the Nox way."

"We're not asking you to do that." Cam interrupted, overhearing that Teal'c wasn't getting anywhere.

"Right," Sam agreed coming over. "All we're asking is that you share with us the technology to hide the people of this galaxy. It would be a defensive method only."

"You only want to hide the Ori's potential followers?"

"Yes." Teal'c confirmed. "That is all we want to do."

"I will have to bring this up with our council." Lya responded after a couple of moments of thinking. "But I do believe that you have grown wise enough for our help."

"That's great!" Cam exclaimed with a smile. "We can save a lot of people from worshiping the Ori with your help."

"Indeed, we can."

While the remaining three members of SG-1 celebrated the prospect of having Nox technology to help defend the defenceless planets across the galaxy, Daniel and Vala came silently to the centre of the Labyrinth.

They arrived in a circular room, with a golden pedestal in the centre and a white light illuminating it and the chamber. The pedestal had a large circular top that was on a forty-five degree angle towards them. Daniel stepped towards it curiously and saw that around the very edge of the top were the four languages of the great alliance all saying the same thing.

"Well," Daniel began as he deciphered the writing. "Looks like this is it."

"How can you tell?"

"Well," Daniel began slowly observing their surroundings. "It seems like we're at the centre of the labyrinth- and then there's this." Daniel paused to look back at the pedestal. "This is a good indication."

"What does it say?"

"Oh…." Daniel paused to translate the ancient writing into English. "You have travelled through our mountain sanctuary. Here the power of the stars shall be given to those who are pure of heart and noble of spirit. Here you shall witness the arising of the new dawn for only the pure of heart and noble of spirit can raise the stars."

"So what does that mean?" Vala asked looking over Daniel's shoulder at the pedestal.

"I don't know." Daniel admitted squinting at the edge of the pedestal where he saw more writing. "But there is more written here, on the rim of this top."

"So, what does it say?" Vala asked with interest.

"It says, 'Patience, Generosity, Kindness, Wisdom and Faith have led thee thus far,'" Daniel translated as he walked around the pedestal. "To find what you seek, be who you are. If you are pure of heart and noble of spirit, then the power of the stars shall be yours if you are willing to extend your hand to greatness."

"Now what does that mean?" Vala asked exasperated at all the cryptic words

"I think," Daniel began slowly returning to Vala who stood right opposite the pedestal. "I think that one of us has to put our hand on that."

"Really?" Vala looked at the pedestal again, and in addition to seven odd shaped indents there was a hand shape indent in the centre of the pedestal. "Well then…" Vala walked up to the pedestal and raised her hand, ready to place it on the pedestal when out of nowhere Daniel grabbed her wrist and prevented her from doing anything, "What?" Vala exclaimed exasperated as she whirled around to face Daniel. They stared at each other for a moment and Vala figured out what Daniel's silence meant and for a moment she was really and truly shocked and hurt.

"Oh Daniel," She whispered, chocking back the involuntary tears that suddenly threatened to fall down her face. "I thought you said I had changed, that I had proved you right for taking a chance on me." Vala let her arm drop and she turned away from Daniel. "I've never known you to be a liar Daniel."

"I didn't lie." Daniel insisted softly as he turned Vala back around to face him. "You have changed, and you have proved me right a hundred times Vala, I swear. But look-" Daniel turned Vala's attention back to the pedestal and an odd looking raised symbol that was situated in the palm of the hand indent. "You see this symbol?"

"Yes." Vala confirmed with a nod as she blinked her tears away, realising with some growing embarrassment that Daniel was probably being noble in stopping her from placing her hand on the pedestal. "What about it?"

"This isn't any ordinary symbol." Daniel explained carefully.

"It's not?"

"No." Daniel stated, shaking his head. "It's not. It's the symbol for death in the ancient language.

"D-death?" Vala asked clasping her hands around her back. "That mean death?"

"Yes," Daniel answered with small smile as he realised he had gotten through to Vala. "I think it was meant for a warning. Merlin probably didn't want this 'power of the stars' or what ever it is taken unless the person seeking it was actually building the device."

"How can you tell that's what Merlin wanted?"

"By these recesses in the pedestal," Daniel replied pointing to the seven odd shaped indents on the pedestal.

With out saying another word Daniel took his backpack off and was immensely glad as he rummaged through it that he had chosen to take the devices with him. Silently Daniel placed the five personal shield devices face down in the recesses that were spread out like a five pointed star. The control panel from Proklarush-Taonas went in the recess closest to him and the large spherical device was paced in the upper right-hand recess.

The moment Daniel had finished placing the devices in their proper places there was a click, and the white light changed to blue. The moment the light changed Daniel stepped back warily allowing Vala to try and place her hand on the pedestal again, when Daniel once again stopped her by grabbing her wrist.

"Daniel?" Vala asked with confusion as she turned to face him.

"You are not doing this." Daniel insisted softly.

"Yes I am." Vala insisted trying to shake her hand free but Daniel's grip held.

"No you're not." Daniel insisted again dropping her hand. "I am."

"Daniel," Vala began, knowing that she would have to explain to him why that was a bad idea. "If this doesn't work then they-" She paused and pointed with her free left hand to the way that they had come indicating to the rest of SG-1 who were waiting beyond the labyrinth. "-they are going to need you."

"I need you." Daniel muttered quickly and quietly letting Vala's hand drop.

"What?" Vala asked, shocked and surprised that Daniel had said what he said- if he said what she thought he had said.

"I mean, we need you." Daniel answered quickly, amazed at his quick timing. "Adria is still your daughter and there is still a chance, a good chance of you getting through to her."

"Do you really believe that?" Vala asked sceptically placing her hands on her hips watching as Daniel realised that his quick cover had crumbled.

"No." He admitted as he hung his head. "Do you?"

"It doesn't matter if I do or Daniel." Vala insisted. "I am going to do this."

"I can't let you do it." Daniel countered grabbing her shoulders in an attempt to stop her.

"But I want to do this Daniel." Vala insisted. "Even if I'm not as pure of heart and noble of spirit as this thing requires. I still want to do it- I have to try."

"I know." Daniel replied softly looking Vala in the eyes. "And I don't know if I am any more pure of heart as you are but I need to do this……" Daniel let his sentence trail off as he looked straight at Vala. "Please….."

"Alright." Vala agreed after a sigh. "Alright Daniel, go ahead." Vala smiled softly as Daniel nodded his thanks to her. She stepped aside and Daniel took his place in front of the pedestal and was about to place his hand on it when Vala interrupted him. "Daniel…be careful."

"I always am." Daniel insisted, echoing his words to Sam earlier.

Daniel took a deep breath and placed his hand in the hand print on the pedestal. Vala closed her eyes and waited for something horrible to happen, but all she heard was the sound of something clicking. She opened her eyes and saw the pedestal spinning and after a moment the handprint opened allowing a small disc to levitate out of the opening. It was shining with an internal light and the light was pulsating like a light beat.

Daniel just looked at Vala who shrugged in ignorance. She hadn't seen anything like it ever before but she figured that the little disc was the 'power of the stars'. Daniel reached out tentatively and grabbed the device. He opened his hand to look at it and saw that it had six tiny holes that looked like something thin was to be inserted into it.

"Well Daniel," Vala began slowly, interrupting Daniel's analysis of the device. "I guess you are pure as heart and noble of spirit after all."

"Yeah," Daniel agreed with a sigh of relief. "I guess I am."

Daniel turned to Vala with a smile when suddenly the room began to shake. Daniel and Vala instantly turned to where they had entered the chamber but found that it had completely disappeared. However, before any of them could say anything there was a low grumbling sound like two rocks moving against each other and before their eyes the walls of the chamber changed, allowing a straight and narrow path all the way out of the central chamber to the golden door that they had entered though. Needing no further encouragement, Daniel placed the disc in a zip-lock bag and placed it along with the rest of the devices back in his back pack and then he and Vala exited the labyrinth.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the golden door the three remaining member of SG-1 had heard the rumbling sound and had panicked. They had their guns trained on the golden door and were pleasantly surprised when it opened revealing Vala and Daniel in once piece and un harmed.

"Jackson…" Cam began walking to Daniel. "Mission accomplished?"

"Etiama," Daniel confirmed in Ancient. "Ega usu vax uta astram. Nostram vax frabrici"

"Uh- Daniel…" Vala began warily indicating to her throat to let Daniel know that he had been speaking ancient.

"Yes." Daniel restated again after a groan of frustration. "I have the power of the stars. Our power device."

"It's getting worse." Sam stated looking worriedly at Daniel.

"I can handle it." Daniel insisted with a look of determination on his face.

"We could take it away Daniel-" Lya offered, stepping closer to him.

"No." Daniel refused shaking his head. "No thank you. Not yet."

"Daniel-" Vala began placing her hand on Daniel's shoulders in a silent attempt to get him to agree to Lya's proposal.

"Daniel Jackson-"

"No Teal'c." Daniel insisted to his old friend. "No," He insisted softer to Vala. "Not yet, we're not peraga—finished." Daniel continued, concentrating hard on speaking English. "– we're not finished yet. I still need this knowledge."

"You do not have to prove yourself to anyone Daniel Jackson." Guinevere stated with a knowing look in her eyes.

"I'm not trying to prove myself to anyone," Daniel insisted, frustrated. "I am trying to put an end to something that I started."

"Jackson-"

"No." Daniel interrupted Cam. "No we need to get going."

"Alright Jackson, whatever you say."

"Thank you all" Daniel said to the guardians after a sigh. "K'than I'm glad our two races finally got to meet."

"As am I Daniel Jackson."

"Take care Daniel Jackson." Odin stated. "And you must know, that whenever you need it, the Asgard will-"

"Will be there to help me out when I need it." Daniel finished Odin's sentence with a smile. "I know, and thank you."

"Daniel Jackson…" Guinevere began

"Guinevere." Daniel answered back.

"Daniel, there is more contained in your mind than you know. More than even Merlin let on. Guard it well, for it has made you a target of the Orici and her army."

"Etia-" Daniel stopped and closed his eyes and concentrated again on speaking English. "Yes." He stated with a nod. "I will be careful."

"Come on Jackson." Cam ordered, and Daniel took one last look at the guardians and Lya and then turned to join the rest of his team who were heading towards the temple opening.

"The Nox will be in contact with you," Lya promised as SG-1 left the temple. "Even if the council chooses not to help you, they will contact you."

A/N- Hey guys! Sorry that I didn't update sooner- but at least I am in time for my weekly update! First off a big huge THANK YOU to Briar Elwood, ilovedanieljackson, BKWurm1, Janiqua and AT Fan for reviewing chapter 9 (the end of chapter 7) and a even bigger HURRAY! And an enormous THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!! To every single of you dear reviewers because this story has 49 reviews… 49! The person who has the 50th review gets a cookie and a gold star!

As for this chapter, hoped you liked it- it was like pulling teeth towards the end….but I managed to turn out 7 full pages so it's all good. Please take a bit of your precious time to review because you all know how a writer likes to know her work is being read and enjoyed- not to mention the fact that your reviews make me want to write more!

The next chapter (Chapter 9- Misdirected) should be up next Friday or Saturday at the latest- oh, and you guys should feel special- never in my entire life have I constantly kept up this updating schedule….so enjoy it… ...oh and just a statistical update, this story is now 66 pages and 21, 953 words...