Chapter 2: The Temple
The sun hung low in the Escuvaran sky, obscured by a mass of grey cloud cover. The wind carried a fine mist of rain, too fine for real rain drops but just enough to be annoying. O'Neill was tempted to call off the mission due to bad weather, but they had been spotted by their welcome committee. With an inward sigh, he marched forward, his boots squelching in the wet grass.
Airtor, the village elder, greeted him with a sober smile. Medran stood next to her, one hand firmly on Ellen's shoulder. It pleased Jack somewhat to find the young woman look as wary and uncomfortable as he felt himself, but not quite enough to make up for the way the back of his neck crawled at the sight of her. Ellen's eyes had adjusted to the planet's radiation, and were now the same shade of pale blue as the Escuvarans'. He suppressed a shudder and walked forward.
"Ellen. How nice to see you."
Her lip twisted in a sardonic smile.
"Jack. I'm pleased you haven't lost your sense of humour."
"Yeah, well. You kind of need it around here."
She exchanged a nod with Daniel and an uneasy silence stretched between the parties. It occurred to Jack that the Escuvarans could be silently swapping their life histories while he and his team stood there, getting drenched. On an unspoken signal, Medran broke away from the group and offered to lead them to the temple. Jack followed, happy to be away from the stare of their too-intent eyes.
Aitor linked arms with Ellen and they followed a few steps behind, with the woman elder dictating a slow pace. After a few moments, Jack noticed Teal'c lagging behind the rest of the team.
"If my presence is not required at the temple, I would be interested to speak further with the Escuvarans, O'Neill. Their insights into meditation are considerable."
Medran halted.
"Ellen, why don't you show our friend around?" he asked.
She opened her mouth in protest, but Aitor gave her arm a firm squeeze and she managed a gracious smile.
"It would be my pleasure."
O'Neill waved them off, for once thankful for the delicacies of their telepathic hosts.
He followed Medran along an overgrown path, muddy from the rain, with Daniel and Carter close behind. Within minutes, they had been swallowed by a thick forest of sycamore-like trees, and out of sight of the gate.
Jack wondered whether he should break out the bread crumbs, but Medran strode on purposefully, and at least the trees kept off the rain. The path wound along a gentle hill, and when they stepped out of the tree line, the clouds had cleared and the bulky shape of the temple lay before them, glistening in the pale sunlight. It was a simple pyramid structure made of rough-hewn stones, some 20 yards squared. The stones were covered in moss and lichen. Only the tall basilisk at the front of the structure showed any decorations or writing.
Jack shook out his cap, wondering if the elderly pile of rocks had been worth the walk, but Daniel went to work immediately, running his hands over the weathered stone and brushing earth deposits out of the relief work. Carter had left with Medran to walk around the structure and check for a back door. All was silent. Too silent.
"It's all right, isn't it?" Jack asked.
Daniel didn't look up.
"Yes, it's an old Goa'ould dialect, but I should be able to decipher it without too much trouble."
"That's not what I meant."
There was a pause while the archaeologist brushed away at a particularly dull-looking piece of lettering.
"I know that's not what you meant, Jack."
"So it's all right," O'Neill said again.
More ancient relief work was restored to its original splendour. The colonel groped for patience.
"Well, nobody has had a nervous breakdown yet, so…" Another minute brush stroke. "I guess we'll see."
"Oh crap."
O'Neill walked into the sunlight and radioed Teal'c for a status report. Daniel seemed fine, but it couldn't do any harm to check. The radio spluttered and crackled, and he had to try several times before he could hear Teal'c through the static noise. Carter reappeared from her little tour just in time to hear the Jaffa praise the Escuvarans' advances in botanical engineering.
"Radio's not working properly," O'Neill muttered.
"The radiation from the Escuvaran sun may cause some additional static, Sir."
She looked at him, her blue eyes twinkling with enthusiasm at the thought of spending the day with the Escuvaran's botanical specialists. He could keep her here at the temple, for company, but…
"Oh for crying out loud. Carter, go and join Teal'c in the village. Find us some new sweet potato or something."
O'Neill watched her walk back up the path, chattering along with Medran about molecules and DNA variants. He settled his back against the temple wall, warm from the sunlight.
"This is going to be boring, isn't it?"
Daniel moved his tool kit to the side of the basilisk facing the temple. He didn't bother to reply, and O'Neill nodded to himself. They could have done a lot worse than dull.
Daniel's voice drifted around the corner.
"You can go and check out the village if you like…"
O'Neill blinked into the sunlight. Maybe a nap?
"No, that's all right. I'm staying right here, watching… bits of stone…"
There was a soft snoring noise. Daniel straightened and peered around the stone column. Jack sat leaning against the lowest row of stones, his cap pulled into his face. He was fast asleep.
The archaeologist dropped his magnifying glass into his backpack and stood silently before the basilisk. He closed his eyes briefly, remembering. He raised one hand and without hesitation pressed a series of seemingly random symbols on the stone. And waited.
A gust of wind rose from the mountains beyond the forest, but he didn't feel the sudden cold. A bird called for its mate, its song low and melodic. Then the valley lay in silence. In the temple, a door swung open noiselessly, and centuries of dust and dry air mingled with the spring outside. With a last glance at the dozing Colonel, Daniel stepped inside the dark hallway.
* * *
To be continued…