An hour later, Lara sat in Dr. Jackson's office with her booted feet up on his cluttered desk. She was absently holding the pyramid shaped stone in her hands, a thoughtful frown on her face. "I can't place those symbols." She said. "The ones on this face, if what you say is true, must be Goa'uld and I recognise the others as ancient Egyptian. But these ones I just can't place."

Lara continued to stare at the familiar looking symbols, as she went through all the languages she knew. "I know I've seen them before."

Jack was sitting in the corner of the room, his arms folded across his chest. "Well don't look at me." He said. "I don't know."

Daniel looked at Lara and smiled cheekily. "Jack's just grumpy because the General let you have a look at the stone." He told her. "He still thinks you'll run off with it as soon as we turn our backs."

Lara hefted the stone, and cocked her head to the side. "Well, it's not that heavy . . . I could probably get out of the base before you realised."

She grinned wickedly at Jack when he sent her an angry look. "Quit joking around and hurry up."

Daniel rolled his eyes and Lara laughed. Then she looked down at the stone in her hands. "I've got it!" she cried, and looked up. "Those symbols aren't a language - they're constellations!"

"Yeah." Daniel said looking very impressed. "They are. How did you know?"

It struck Jack at that moment, just how beautiful Lara was. When she smiled, her brown eyes lit up with a glow and she suddenly looked a lot younger than she had before. With her full lips, high cheekbones and arching eyebrows, she looked ever inch a beautiful English Lady. Jack sighed. That was half the problem.

"Astronomy is a hobby of mine. My father loved watching the stars, and as a result we have a rather large telescope at home." Lara explained.

"Really?" at this news, Jack perked up. "What kind?"

Lara looked at him and raised an eyebrow. "Do you like looking at the stars, Jack? I wouldn't have thought you would."

"I love it." Jack said. "Although, they don't look quite the same since I've probably visited most of them."

"Yeah." Daniel said. "He sits up on his roof and freezes. I think he's mad."

Lara looked at him. "Everyone needs a hobby." She said. Then she turned to Jack. "Did you see the planetary alignment a few years ago?" she asked.

"Yeah, I did."

"What I saw of it was beautiful, but I missed the alignments of the last three planets." She smiled wryly. "I had to save the world. It plays havoc with your schedule."

"You're telling me." Jack said.

Lara smiled. "By the way," she asked sweetly. "Which gate address is this?"

Jack looked surprised. "You're good." He said. "It took even Daniel here a couple of days to figure those out when he saw them."

"Ah, but I knew about the gate system. He didn't." Lara said.

"Well, I'm still impressed." Daniel said. "It's the gate address to Abydos."

"Abydos?" Lara said. "Well, I guess that makes sense." She sighed. "Oh well."

"What's wrong?" Daniel asked.

"I was going after the Eye of Ra." Lara said.

"Ah." Jack said. "Yeah, that was on Abydos, but I think we blew it up when we destroyed Ra's mothership."

Lara looked sideways at Jack. "So there's no way I'm going off planet, then?" she asked.

Jack laughed. "Not today."

That surprised Lara. "What?"

Jack looked at her, and tried to keep a grin off his face when he saw her eager expression. "Well, since you know about the Stargate Program, if we ever need your expertise we'll call." He looked at her. "Aren't there enough undiscovered corners of the world left for you?"

"Compared to the rest of the Universe? You have got to be kidding." Lara said.

Jack laughed. Lara smiled for a minute, before reluctantly giving Daniel the stone. "I'd better let you have this. It seems I don't need it anymore."

"Thanks." Daniel replied.

"Come on." Jack said to Lara as he got up. "I'll show you the Stargate. I'm actually surprised you didn't ask earlier."

"I saw it from the briefing room window." Lara said.

"Yeah, but it's much better in person." Jack said. "Trust me."

* * *

"Wow."

"Not bad, is it?" Jack asked.

"It's certainly impressive." Lara agreed.

The pair stood in the middle of the gateroom staring at the stargate. "Incoming wormhole. Stand clear." A voice said over the speakers.

Lara watched in amazement as a splash of what looked like water jumped out of the gate towards the centre of the room, before settling back into a thin film. Lara was even more surprised when six men in military fatigues came through, and then the gate disappeared. "Wow." She said again.

"Colonel O'Neill." One of the men greeted as he walked past.

"Major Hart." Jack returned. "Have fun?"

Major Hart nodded to three of the men. "I was baby sitting a bunch of archaeologists. So, yeah, it was heaps of fun."

Jack smiled. "I know what you mean."

Lara looked at the two men. "Should I get offended at the disdain in your tone?" Lara asked.

"Huh?" Major Hart was puzzled.

"Major Hart, may I introduce Lady Lara Croft. She's an archaeologist." Jack said. "But Lady Croft here gives you a run for your money. I think I was attacked at least twice by a Goa'uld while I was trying to keep her out of trouble."

Lara rolled her eyes. "It was his fault."

Major Hart laughed. "If you'll excuse me, Lady Croft, I'd better get over to the infirmary before the Doc thinks of something horrible to do to me."

Jack chuckled softly as Major Hart left. Then he turned to Lara. "So, you want to see anything else?"

"Hmm . . . " Lara said as a wicked looking grin formed on her face. "Now that you mention it . . . "

Jack winced inwardly. What had he gotten himself into?