For all the power he held, Gorul couldn't control the weather. Unfortunately. The rain was coming down even harder than ever as the group walked to SG01's camp. The fire was still going, but Teal'c built it up even higher with some of the dry firewood Jack had stacked close at hand earlier, causing what was already a fairly warm space under the canopy to become even warmer. The Hyl – which was what Gorul had told them the floating hand people called themselves – had left. All except for Y'soa, who would remain and be a part of their 'talk', even though the only one who spoke his language was Gorul. Gedloi had had enough trauma that day, and her father – who it turned out was Y'soa – had sent her back to her people, with an escort to make sure she arrived there.
They were all soaked to the skin, and Daniel, Jack, Teal'c and Jaffer were all muddy from having been thrown to the ground during their battle with Gorul, but none of them bothered to change. Jack and Daniel both felt awful. Teal'c and Jaffer had been healed by Gorul, who'd brought them back to consciousness, but Daniel and Jack had fought their way back to reality on their own, and their heads were pounding from the ordeal. They were pale, and looking slightly dazed, but aside from downing a few aspirin there wasn't much that could be done for them. It was an affect that would wear off eventually, but would have to do so naturally, since they were already awake and couldn't be healed by Gorul.
Sam told Jack and Daniel to sit down, and she brought them both coffee, which Daniel accepted gratefully, and Jack set aside. He had his hands full with Jaffer, who was reacting to the underlying mistrust Jack still held for Gorul and was casting an occasional warning look at the being, accompanied by a low growl that plainly said he wasn't quite yet ready to forgive and forget. O'Neill wasn't, either.
He kept Jaffer close. Sitting on the ground leaning against a fire-warmed rock, Jack had Jaffer's big warm body between his knees with the damp black fur pressed closely against his chest and belly. Their comfort position. Sam sat on his right, and Y'soa sat on his left, with Daniel next to him. This placed Gorul across the fire from Jack, which was fine, since O'Neill didn't want to have to move his aching head to look at the being any more than necessary. Teal'c remained standing, and even though his fingers itched to hold his staff weapon, he wasn't carrying it, although he was watching Gorul intently, as though expecting a repeat attack at any moment.
The Hyl had accepted a cup of coffee as well, and Jack wished he had some more Oreos to offer him to go with it. The man obviously liked the coffee, though, since the first cup went down quickly, and he smiled gratefully when Carter poured him another, which he nursed a little longer this time. Gorul had declined refreshment, although he did accept a bandage for his bleeding hand, and Sam helped him wrap it up. He was more intent on finding out who these Humans were, though, and he looked at Jack intently, knowing he was the leader.
"Where are you from?"
"Earth."
Jack rubbed his aching head, wishing that he could leave this conversation to the others, but knowing that he couldn't. Daniel wasn't feeling any better than Jack was – maybe even worse, to judge by the way he was leaning so heavily against his rock – and Teal'c wasn't going to have a friendly conversation with the being that had pretty much sucker-punched him. Sam would have been able to manage it, and Jack trusted her, of course, but it wasn't fair to leave it all to her. So he did the talking for SG-1.
"Earth?"
"Yeah, it's... um... out in space. By the sun. And Mars, and Venus and Saturn. You know, the planet with all the rings?"
Gorul didn't have a clue. Daniel leaned forward and drew the Tau'ri symbol in the dry dirt on the ground in front of him with the hand not holding the coffee cup. Not the whole address, of course, just the one symbol the being might recognize.
"We're from here." Daniel said. "We came through the Stargate to explore this planet."
"To what end?"
Gorul, of course, knew all about the Stargate, although he didn't recognize the symbol, except that it was one found on the Stargate itself.
"We have a lot of reason to explore," Daniel said. "We know that many of the people from our planet's history have been taken by the Goa'uld and are out here somewhere, so we look for them. We're also interested in other cultures. Other people. Like Y'soa here."
The Hyl smiled when he heard his name, even though he didn't understand the rest of what was said. Gorul translated for him, and his smile broadened.
"We're also looking for allies," Jack said, taking over for Daniel, who looked about ready to pass out. He was pale and shaky. Of course, that was how Jack felt, too, although he hid the shakiness behind Jaffer. "To help us fight the Goa'uld."
"The Hyl are a peaceful race." Gorul said, protectively. "They will not join your battle against the Goa'uld."
"We didn't even know they were here," Jack said, shrugging. "We came to check out the ruins. Some of our people found them a few weeks ago, and we wanted a better look."
Gorul could understand that. He, himself, was an explorer and loved nothing more than to see new people and places, after all.
"You intend no harm to the Hyl?"
"Nope." Jack shrugged, resting his chin on Jaffer's head. "As a matter of fact, they've been far more help to us than we ever could have asked." He went on to tell Gorul about the attack of the felines, and how he and Jaffer would definitely have been kibble without the intervention of the Hyl, and then gestured to the canopy overhead, mute testimony to their help that morning.
"They've been nothing but kind to us," Sam said, smiling brilliantly at Y'soa, who echoed the smile.
"They are kind people," Gorul agreed. "With extraordinary innate powers of their own."
"Yeah, we've seen them," Jack said, nodding. "It's not a technology?"
"No. It's just an ability."
"A very handy one..." Teal'c said in his deep voice from where he was standing behind Jack.
"Yes."
Gorul looked at Jack and Daniel, who both looked awful, even though he was hardly a judge of Human health. "I need to go speak with the Hyl and make sure all is well with Y'soa's people," He told SG-1. "I would like to continue this conversation, however, at a later time when you've had a chance to rest."
He didn't mention that it was his own fault they looked like they did, and Jack – for once – was diplomatic enough to not mention it, either.
"That's fine. We'll be here."
Gorul stood, as did Y'soa and Sam, but Jack and Daniel couldn't have gotten up if their lives depended on it just then. Jaffer watched the being suspiciously, his head down and just a hint of a growl rumbling in his chest. Jack stroked the still-damp black hide, and the growl subsided, but the suspicious look remained. Until Y'soa came over and knelt in front of Jack and Jaffer, and put his hand on Jaffer's head.
"Ja-fer, hes'akiltuf al sheckil'a."
Jaffer didn't know what it meant, but he recognized the cheerful tone of voice readily enough, and his tail wagged idly as he licked Y'soa's hand. Jack looked at Gorul, waiting for a translation.
"He told Jaffer that he was looking forward to seeing him again."
Jack nodded. "Tell him he's welcome here anytime."
Gorul passed the message on, and Y'soa smiled, and bowed slightly, then stood once more.
"We shall return when the rain ceases in the morning." Gorul said.
"That's assuming it's ever going to stop," Sam said, handing Y'soa a canteen filled with coffee for the Hyl to take with him. Might as well, since he liked it – and they had plenty to share.
"It will stop."
Gorul and Y'soa raised their hands in farewell, and turned and left, walking back into the woods through the driving rain, although they both phased out so the rain didn't touch them.
"This is great," Daniel said.
Jack looked over at him.
"What?"
"We can find out what happened to the Mayans, and we can communicate with the Hyl, now. And the name Hyl is a lot shorter than calling them the floating hands people, isn't it?"
"Well..." Jack was rather fond of the name he'd given them.
"You guys need to go get some rest," Sam decided, before they could get into a lengthy conversation. They had half the day left and all night before Gorul would be back to talk to them again, and since they didn't need to do any more translating on the wall, they had plenty of free time to relax and get over the aches and pains of the day and to talk about what had happened.
"I'm not going to argue that," Jack said, nodding. "Teal'c? Help Daniel get to bed, will you? Sam? You mind helping me?"
They were all soaked to the skin, and Daniel, Jack, Teal'c and Jaffer were all muddy from having been thrown to the ground during their battle with Gorul, but none of them bothered to change. Jack and Daniel both felt awful. Teal'c and Jaffer had been healed by Gorul, who'd brought them back to consciousness, but Daniel and Jack had fought their way back to reality on their own, and their heads were pounding from the ordeal. They were pale, and looking slightly dazed, but aside from downing a few aspirin there wasn't much that could be done for them. It was an affect that would wear off eventually, but would have to do so naturally, since they were already awake and couldn't be healed by Gorul.
Sam told Jack and Daniel to sit down, and she brought them both coffee, which Daniel accepted gratefully, and Jack set aside. He had his hands full with Jaffer, who was reacting to the underlying mistrust Jack still held for Gorul and was casting an occasional warning look at the being, accompanied by a low growl that plainly said he wasn't quite yet ready to forgive and forget. O'Neill wasn't, either.
He kept Jaffer close. Sitting on the ground leaning against a fire-warmed rock, Jack had Jaffer's big warm body between his knees with the damp black fur pressed closely against his chest and belly. Their comfort position. Sam sat on his right, and Y'soa sat on his left, with Daniel next to him. This placed Gorul across the fire from Jack, which was fine, since O'Neill didn't want to have to move his aching head to look at the being any more than necessary. Teal'c remained standing, and even though his fingers itched to hold his staff weapon, he wasn't carrying it, although he was watching Gorul intently, as though expecting a repeat attack at any moment.
The Hyl had accepted a cup of coffee as well, and Jack wished he had some more Oreos to offer him to go with it. The man obviously liked the coffee, though, since the first cup went down quickly, and he smiled gratefully when Carter poured him another, which he nursed a little longer this time. Gorul had declined refreshment, although he did accept a bandage for his bleeding hand, and Sam helped him wrap it up. He was more intent on finding out who these Humans were, though, and he looked at Jack intently, knowing he was the leader.
"Where are you from?"
"Earth."
Jack rubbed his aching head, wishing that he could leave this conversation to the others, but knowing that he couldn't. Daniel wasn't feeling any better than Jack was – maybe even worse, to judge by the way he was leaning so heavily against his rock – and Teal'c wasn't going to have a friendly conversation with the being that had pretty much sucker-punched him. Sam would have been able to manage it, and Jack trusted her, of course, but it wasn't fair to leave it all to her. So he did the talking for SG-1.
"Earth?"
"Yeah, it's... um... out in space. By the sun. And Mars, and Venus and Saturn. You know, the planet with all the rings?"
Gorul didn't have a clue. Daniel leaned forward and drew the Tau'ri symbol in the dry dirt on the ground in front of him with the hand not holding the coffee cup. Not the whole address, of course, just the one symbol the being might recognize.
"We're from here." Daniel said. "We came through the Stargate to explore this planet."
"To what end?"
Gorul, of course, knew all about the Stargate, although he didn't recognize the symbol, except that it was one found on the Stargate itself.
"We have a lot of reason to explore," Daniel said. "We know that many of the people from our planet's history have been taken by the Goa'uld and are out here somewhere, so we look for them. We're also interested in other cultures. Other people. Like Y'soa here."
The Hyl smiled when he heard his name, even though he didn't understand the rest of what was said. Gorul translated for him, and his smile broadened.
"We're also looking for allies," Jack said, taking over for Daniel, who looked about ready to pass out. He was pale and shaky. Of course, that was how Jack felt, too, although he hid the shakiness behind Jaffer. "To help us fight the Goa'uld."
"The Hyl are a peaceful race." Gorul said, protectively. "They will not join your battle against the Goa'uld."
"We didn't even know they were here," Jack said, shrugging. "We came to check out the ruins. Some of our people found them a few weeks ago, and we wanted a better look."
Gorul could understand that. He, himself, was an explorer and loved nothing more than to see new people and places, after all.
"You intend no harm to the Hyl?"
"Nope." Jack shrugged, resting his chin on Jaffer's head. "As a matter of fact, they've been far more help to us than we ever could have asked." He went on to tell Gorul about the attack of the felines, and how he and Jaffer would definitely have been kibble without the intervention of the Hyl, and then gestured to the canopy overhead, mute testimony to their help that morning.
"They've been nothing but kind to us," Sam said, smiling brilliantly at Y'soa, who echoed the smile.
"They are kind people," Gorul agreed. "With extraordinary innate powers of their own."
"Yeah, we've seen them," Jack said, nodding. "It's not a technology?"
"No. It's just an ability."
"A very handy one..." Teal'c said in his deep voice from where he was standing behind Jack.
"Yes."
Gorul looked at Jack and Daniel, who both looked awful, even though he was hardly a judge of Human health. "I need to go speak with the Hyl and make sure all is well with Y'soa's people," He told SG-1. "I would like to continue this conversation, however, at a later time when you've had a chance to rest."
He didn't mention that it was his own fault they looked like they did, and Jack – for once – was diplomatic enough to not mention it, either.
"That's fine. We'll be here."
Gorul stood, as did Y'soa and Sam, but Jack and Daniel couldn't have gotten up if their lives depended on it just then. Jaffer watched the being suspiciously, his head down and just a hint of a growl rumbling in his chest. Jack stroked the still-damp black hide, and the growl subsided, but the suspicious look remained. Until Y'soa came over and knelt in front of Jack and Jaffer, and put his hand on Jaffer's head.
"Ja-fer, hes'akiltuf al sheckil'a."
Jaffer didn't know what it meant, but he recognized the cheerful tone of voice readily enough, and his tail wagged idly as he licked Y'soa's hand. Jack looked at Gorul, waiting for a translation.
"He told Jaffer that he was looking forward to seeing him again."
Jack nodded. "Tell him he's welcome here anytime."
Gorul passed the message on, and Y'soa smiled, and bowed slightly, then stood once more.
"We shall return when the rain ceases in the morning." Gorul said.
"That's assuming it's ever going to stop," Sam said, handing Y'soa a canteen filled with coffee for the Hyl to take with him. Might as well, since he liked it – and they had plenty to share.
"It will stop."
Gorul and Y'soa raised their hands in farewell, and turned and left, walking back into the woods through the driving rain, although they both phased out so the rain didn't touch them.
"This is great," Daniel said.
Jack looked over at him.
"What?"
"We can find out what happened to the Mayans, and we can communicate with the Hyl, now. And the name Hyl is a lot shorter than calling them the floating hands people, isn't it?"
"Well..." Jack was rather fond of the name he'd given them.
"You guys need to go get some rest," Sam decided, before they could get into a lengthy conversation. They had half the day left and all night before Gorul would be back to talk to them again, and since they didn't need to do any more translating on the wall, they had plenty of free time to relax and get over the aches and pains of the day and to talk about what had happened.
"I'm not going to argue that," Jack said, nodding. "Teal'c? Help Daniel get to bed, will you? Sam? You mind helping me?"