A/N: This version has been cut/rewritten from the original NC-17 rating, to achieve a PG-13 rating (which I hope I was succesful in). You can read the original version of the chapter on Symbiotica. The link to Symbiotica can be found in my profile. Go there, click 'TITLES', then 'T', and scroll down until you find the story 'The Rescue'.
"Look... over there." Sam pointed to an area near the forest they were approaching, partially hidden behind some large rocks. "It looks like fog... some kind of water vapour at any rate."
Lantash nodded. "Yes. It's probably hot springs. They mentioned in the town where we slept that they are common around here."
"Really? That sounds nice! Why don't we take a short break and go check them out. Maybe we can even take a dip, if it looks good."
"Martouf and I agree. That would be pleasant." He looked at the sky, and tried to gauge how long it would be before the sun would set. "I'm estimating it's a couple hours past noon. We have made good speed, so let's take a break."
They continued towards the forest for another maybe ten minutes, then came upon a water stream that ran under the road. Sam dipped her hand in it.
"It's somewhat warm, but not much more than tepid. Let's follow it and see if there's a pool or something over behind the rocks," she suggested.
They walked on, following the brook as it grew wider while meandering through a hilly terrain. The water became warmer and now held few plants and no fish.
After perhaps fifteen minutes, they reached the large rocks - more like small mountains - they had seen from the road, and behind them were a couple large pools, with the hot water streaming into them from openings in the rock face furthest from where Sam and Martouf/Lantash stood.
The pools were fairly shallow, and the largest of the two was about seventy to eighty feet across, while the smaller and closer one was perhaps half as wide. There were sandy beaches along the ponds, and the water was clear and beautiful. You could see the bottom, which consisted of white sand and small rocks.
Here and there along the sides grew shrubbery and some hardy grass, but there were only a few mosses and a single type of aquatic plant in the water, probably because it was too hot for other lifeforms.
"It looks beautiful, and very appealing, but also fairly hot - and I wonder if the water is safe? There could be bacteria, or chemicals could be dissolved in it, I guess. That's not uncommon," Sam said, as she studied the water.
"Let me examine it," Lantash suggested. He carefully dipped a hand in it. "I do not know how you measure temperature. It's somewhat below the temperature of a human body here." He scooped up some of the water and took a small amount in his mouth, tasting it slowly.
"What can you tell from that?"
"More than you may think." He swallowed some of the water. He was silent for some moments. "The water is harmless. There are no dangerous chemicals or lifeforms in it. No... micro-organisms, I believe you call them?"
Sam nodded. "Yes. Okay, well then let's take a dip! The water looks wonderful!"
"Agreed." Lantash immediately started removing his clothing, and moments later he was naked, and looking at Sam with an amused challenge in his eyes.
Sam rolled her eyes, then undressed as well, deliberately not turning away.
Pleased, Lantash leaned against a pleasantly warm rock behind him and watched her, ogling her shamelessly. When Sam was naked, he held out a hand to her. She took it, and together they walked out into the water.
"It's very warm. As you said, almost body temperature," Sam observed.
"We'll get used to it quickly." Lantash stretched out his hand in the direction opposite of where the hot water spewed into the pool. "It is cooler over here."
They waded in that direction, until they came to a place where the water was some ten degrees cooler, then stopped there. The water was deeper there too, reaching them almost to the middle of the chest.
"Mm, this is perfect!" Sam smiled. "And there's a small flat rock over there. We can sit on it and eat and sunbathe, in the middle of this pond - or maybe just use it as a table, and stay standing here in the middle of the pleasantly warm water!" She took a few steps towards the rock, finding the water was shallower there.
"We can do other things in the water too..." Lantash smiled naughtily and pulled Sam to him, kissing her deeply.
She put her arms around him and returned the kiss. "If you're thinking of the same as I do, then that sounds like a great idea..." she ran her hands down over Lantash's back, caressing him. "I want you!"
"Then you shall have me!" He kissed her deeply, before pulling her over to the flat rock Sam had spotted. It would serve perfectly for what he had in mind...
It was much later than intended when they left the hot springs, but fortunately the nearest town was not far away, and the sun had only just set when they walked into the small inn.
There were only few rooms available to rent, since there were few visitors. The inn lived mostly on locals coming there to drink beer and ale, and sometimes eat their evening meal there.
After eating the inn's speciality - a type of fruit-meat stew made with rabbit and two kinds of fruit, served with a local ale, and freshly baked bread - they withdrew to the room they had rented.
The weather changed during the night, and a rain storm was raging outside when they looked out through the window in the morning.
Since they expected to reach the large city by the Stargate that day, they were in no hurry, and decided to eat a relaxed breakfast for once, and see if the weather cleared up later in the day.
Sam leaned close to Martouf/Lantash as they sat down to eat breakfast. She kissed him, then whispered into his ear, "I have some ideas for what we can do in the room while we wait for the rain to stop..."
"In the bed, perhaps?" Lantash asked, using Martouf's voice - should anyone happen to overhear and notice the distortion.
Sam smiled. "That was my hope."
"Then we are more than willing." He kissed her softly, before they focused on the delicious food.
The inn might be small, but their food was certainly good!
It was close to sunset when Sam and Martouf/Lantash could see the city by the Stargate, and the palace, in the distance.
"What now?" Sam asked. "Do we gamble the Goa'uld is not there, or what? Does it even matter?"
"We dress up as a minor Goa'uld with his lo'tar. I doubt we can get through the chaapa'ai tonight without a good excuse, but tomorrow it will probably be open for traders and other travellers. Also the guards will probably not be the same as today, and no one will doubt we came through today or so, to do some business," Martouf said.
"What kind of business would a Goa'uld, even a minor one, have on this planet? Unless the local Goa'uld are here, I mean?"
"That would be none of the Jaffas business, and unless the Goa'uld is here, they would not dare or care to ask."
"Okay, let's find a place to change. You said you had some clothes we can use in the bag?"
"Yes. Fairly thin silk clothing, as that was all I could fit in the bag, but fortunately it has become reasonably warm again. We may wish to buy more clothes in the city, though."