Thank you to my reviewers, I seriously thought there'd be no one left.

Daughter of Bast thank you :) And thanks for the good luck, I guess it worked.

Veritas, interesting idea but you'll see where I'm headed. I'll think about that for a sequel if anybody wanted one enough.

Horus, no I don't follow but thanks for the review anyway. Would you really die if I stopped writing? That's interesting, I wonder....

So here, just for Dena and Horus, is the next part of Desert Storm.

Chapter 9

The sun was dipping below the horizon, the merest hint of the life giving fireball only just visible. They had reached dry land early in the morning and, after securing enough horses, had set out for a small village not far from the busy port of Alexandria. They hadn't stopped once, even eating had been done on the go. Complete silence seemed to be the way they were doing things. Occasionally Jack would quip or break into song or Daniel would comment on the scenery, but that was it.

"I am going to see what is ahead." The voice came close to Jack's ear without warning and he almost rocketed from his saddle. He hadn't even noticed Ahdeth ride up in the dark.

"Sure, why not?" But the Magi leader had left as silently as he had arrived. They continued on in silence, Teal'c to his left and Daniel to his right. It was completely beyond Jack how the Jaffa was performing Kel'no'reem on horseback. Behind them Rick, Evie, Alex and Jonathan were sticking close together while the rest of the Magi moved around them. Jack leaned back and studied the stars. If things had gone right he would be up there right now. With his Major. And that was yet another problem. They didn't know where she was or how to get her away. A shout in Arabic jerked him from his depressing reverie.

"He says he's found a place for us to stop." Daniel translated from next to him. Jack nodded his thanks then voiced it as he realised Daniel couldn't see him. The horses veered off to the right and Ahdeth began leading them in the direction of a flickering orange dot. As they trailed nearer the dot formed itself into a fire that highlighted a tent. A solitary man was silhouetted jumping up and down and yelling.

"This is it? No welcome party?" Jack climbed down and stretched himself, trying to hide the discomfort in his backside. Daniel wasn't attempting to hide his suffering.

"Ow, ow, ow." He muttered while rubbing the affected appendage.

"Colonel O'Neill." Ahdeth announced his presence, the man from the fire was by his side. "This man has news which may relate to Samantha." The man spoke Arabic a language Jack was hearing often but not quite understanding...at all. Daniel introduced them and the man shook each of their hands. He had a leathery brown face creased with wrinkles and his hair was sparse. Wiry muscles powered his arms and a pair of almost antique blue eyes smiled at him.

"Reuben." He said emphatically with every shake. He seemed to understand that Jack and Teal'c knew nothing about Arabic and conversed mainly with Daniel and waited patiently for him to translate.

"He says that we are welcome to eat with him should we be able to provide some food. He says that he's a nomad and good food is hard to come by. He will tell us what we need to know over a meal." Jack nodded and followed the man to his fire. Evie, Rick and Jonathan joined them while the Magi set up what was needed.

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Evie watched Jack sniff the meat suspiciously and grinned openly. He shot a glare at her and took a bite out of the side stubbornly. That made her smile even more, nobody had been able to reassure him that it was edible. A noise from Reuben's tent caught their attention and they all watched expectantly as the old man shuffled out through the flap. He offered them a smile that showed off his teeth, what little he possessed looked like pegs stuck haphazardly into his gums. He took a piece of meat from the fire and sat down next to Daniel. The young man was seated next to Jack and next to him the Jaffa sat so still it looked like he could be carved from stone. They formed a careless semi-circle with Ahdeth next to Teal'c then Rick, Jonathan and finally herself. Everyone sat in a tentative silence waiting and watching Reuben. He took a bite from his meat and chewed, savouring the taste as if to intentionally inconvenience everyone. Eventually Jack gave an impatient cough and he began to speak stopping every so often for Daniel to translate.

"A long time ago, many years I think for I can barely remember it clearly, a rumour started to spread about dark shadow warriors that had appeared. They were born from the ground of the temple of Sekhmet, which rests on the border of Alexandria. For years after their rise the women in and around Alexandria began to disappear." Jack stopped him with a raised hand and turned to Daniel.

"Ask him if there were any consistencies. Ya know, hair colour, eye colour, age. Anything that might tell us what's going on." Daniel repeated the question while the group waited patiently.

"All were women of child bearing age although some were too old to carry but they had knowledge of medicines." Jack, Teal'c, Rick and Jonathan listened as the information was repeated back. Then the archaeologist began to mull over what he had been told. It was only out of politeness that nobody interrupted him.

"Um...'of child bearing age'. I think that means all of the women are under 45, maybe a little older. The women with knowledge are too old to carry a child, so 50 onwards?" Ahdeth listened to the muttered thoughts, silently digesting the facts.

"I did not believe the rumours," he continued "until I saw for myself that they were true. I was camped by a river when I was approached by a young woman. She was tired and hungry and so I offered her shelter. As dusk approached I spotted a group of people coming towards us. I was wrong. Those things were not human." He shuddered as he remembered the horror.

"They were black as night and yet I could see the setting sun and the horizon - right through them. Their faces seemed to be masked, but the eyes..." he shuddered again "the eyes burned like the fires of hell themselves. I asked them what they wanted but they didn't answer, and then they attacked. They were so strong and powerful it was like I was being charged by lions. When I opened my eyes they had gone - as had my companion."

"This man mentioned a temple DanielJackson." Teal'c began, Daniel nodded and he carried on, an idea beginning to form. "Colonel O'Neill, Ahdeth Bey. It is likely that Sekhmet is holding these women and Major Carter at this temple."

"I don't think so Mr. Teal'c." Interrupted Evie, eager to have her view considered. "Something as large as a temple would attract a lot of attention. I would have thought this Gould woman wouldn't want attention."

"The Goa'uld consider themselves to be Gods." She was informed by Teal'c, "They do, in fact, relish attention." Jack had caught on to his friends idea early on, it seemed the only chance they had right now and he wanted to seize it.

"Reuben," he said sharply, the man's eyes swivelled round to fix on him. "Could you take us to this temple?" Daniel repeated the question and the man shrank back in fear shaking his head. The Magi leader drew some gold from his pocket. Reuben responded immediately changing from a shake to a nod so wild Jonathan feared his head might detach.

So, there ya go. I'm so pleased with the way this has worked out that I'm nearly glowing. Please review, it's good for the soul.

Coffee Bean

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