DISCLAIMER: The characters mentioned in this story are the property of Showtime and Gekko Film Corp. The Stargate, SG-1, the goa'uld and all other characters who have appeared in the series STARGATE SG-1 together with the names, titles and backstory are the sole copyright property of the people who made them up. This fanfic is not intended as an infringement upon those rights and solely meant for entertainment. All other characters, the story idea and the story itself are the sole property of the author.

A Snake In The Hand Is Worth Two In The Bush

Part eight

Half an hour later SG1, Clare and General Hammond were in the briefing room, Daniel complaining that he'd been interrupted in the middle of translating an artefact brought back by SG8 from their last mission.

Sam handed each of them a copy of the relevant paragraphs of Clare's story, with the words she'd picked up circled:

Serpens caput.

Aquila.

Piscis Austrinus.

Pegasus.

Auriga.

Eridanus.

'They're our names for the symbols on the Stargate, it has to be an address, sir,' Sam spoke excitedly. 'Clare has no recollection of writing them, and when I asked her to check out the words again she couldn't see them on the page until I circled them.'

'So what do you suggest Major?' Hammond asked her.

'Well, we should dial it up and send the UAV through,' Sam responded.

'Whoa there,' Jack interrupted. 'Remember the last time we visited a planet recommend by Qu'ilar - what happened? We got stiffed. Don't you think a little caution is in order here?'

'Clare,' Daniel broke in on the discussion. 'Do you get any feelings at all about this place?'

Clare, focussing on Teal'c, pulled her attention back to Daniel. 'There's something I'm trying to remember, but I can't quite…' her voice trailed off as her gaze returned to Teal'c.

Sam, glancing curiously at Clare who seemed to be taking too much notice of someone who she could barely be around just a few days ago, turned to Daniel who was now talking.

'General, I think we should at least send the UAV. We've seen that Clare has some control over her memories and has been able to help us out, if she gets a look at the feedback she may remember more.' Sam smiled gratefully at Daniel for his support.

Hammond considered the situation for several minutes before giving the go ahead. 'Very well. Send the MALP and UAV through.'

The co-ordinates were dialled, connecting with a gate at the other end. As the event horizon whooshed towards them and settled back inside the ring the MALP was guided up the ramp.

A short time later Sam's voice announced 'Telemetry coming through now.'

They saw a pleasant wooded area, with what appeared to be farmland in the distance. When no immediate threat was identified the UAV was sent through, flying low over the ground to give them a better idea of what was there.

'What's that?' Daniel pointed at the screen.

The UAV was manipulated to fly over the area again, this time slowing while they looked at what had caught Daniel's attention.

'Looks like some kind of town or village.' Daniel said.

'Yeah, but look…' Jack indicated smoke rising from several buildings and what appeared to be the blackened remains of several others.

Clare looked intently at the pictures, memories starting to come back.

'There's something there, something very important to the villagers. I don't know what, but I do know that…' Clare focussed her attention on Teal'c again and frowned. There was something concerning the Jaffa that she knew was very important, if only she could remember.

'Clare?' Sam's voice was concerned as she was staring at Teal'c again. Suddenly Clare understood what it was.

'The…the…whatever it is, is protected by some kind of shield. It's sensitive to the presence of a goa'uld - Sam and Teal'c can't go anywhere near it, it'll be able to sense the symbiote in Teal'c and that Sam was once a host - I think it may even kill them.' She paused, and frowned again. A name was flittering at the back of her mind - M something? Mack? 'Machello!' She exclaimed as she remembered.

'What about him?' Jack asked warily.

'He set the trap - to protect the object. I get the feeling he didn't like goa'uld much.'

'Well that's the understatement of the year,' Jack said dryly as he remembered the trouble Machello had caused - switching their bodies around, infecting Daniel with an organism that made everyone believe he was crazy, nearly killing Teal'c and incapacitating himself and Dr Fraiser. Well, at least this time they had been forewarned.

'Jack?'

'Daniel?'

'Those people may need our help and the address must have come from somewhere. If Machello took an interest in this place it could be important.'

Jack sighed as he turned to Hammond. 'General, I recommend we take SG9 and see what we can do.'

'Very well. Be ready to leave in an hour.'

************

Jack and Teal'c had already secured the gate before Daniel, Sam and SG9 stepped through. Jack, surveying the scene before them, was unable to see any noticeable threat to their mission but years of experience had taught him never to take anything for granted. That village had been attacked by someone or something and taking precautions was second nature. Leaving Johnson and Hillyard from SG9 to guard the gate, Jack led the remainder of the group in the direction of the village.

They had walked through what appeared to be an unending forest but at last reached the village having met no-one and could see no evidence that anyone had come this way recently.

'Carter, take the others and secure the area. Daniel, DANIEL!' Jack sounded exasperated as Daniel had already started making his way toward the structure in the middle of the village which appeared to be the location of the artefact Clare had spoken of.

'Sorry, Jack,' Daniel said, not sounding particularly apologetic.

Sam and Teal'c returned at that moment accompanied by a tall, willowy man dressed in baggy linen-type pants with his upper body covered by a long length of brightly striped material wrapped around him like a shawl.

'Greetings and welcome travellers.' He spoke to Jack as the eldest of the group and the one who seemed to possess authority. 'I am Anadryl Corsec. Forgive me asking, but you have with you one of the servants of the Evil Ones yet you do not appear to be Evil Ones yourselves?'

'Evil Ones?' Jack asked.

'I think he means goa'uld,' Daniel interrupted. 'My name is Daniel Jackson and we are peaceful explorers from the planet Earth. The one you refer to is Teal'c and he was once a servant to the Evil One Apophis, but he no longer serves him and fights with us to defeat the Evil Ones.'

'You are from another world?' Anadryl Corsec asked. 'You travelled through the Circle of Light? Are you then the Enlightened Ones for whom we have been waiting?'

At that moment Jack's attention was caught by Sam and Teal'c who were approaching a building on the opposite side of the village, their movements indicating they had seen something and were going to investigate. Before he could say or do anything, Sam motioned urgently for them to go over.

'Sir, there's someone trapped under here,' Sam reported. 'They're still alive, but I don't know how much longer they can last.'

Within moments they were frantically digging out the survivor, knowing that time was not on their side. After what felt like hours of pulling stones and debris from the collapsed building, Teal'c was at last able to pull out a small figure, a child.

'He's stopped breathing,' Sam yelled, immediately beginning an attempt to resuscitate. Several tense minutes later the boy gave a deep sigh and started breathing on his own, coughing weakly, a little frightened and confused but alive.

'You have our thanks and gratitude,' Anadryl's voice was filled with emotion. 'This one is the son of my son and we feared he had been killed in the attack.' He turned to Jack and spoke more formally.

'Welcome to our humble village, Enlightened Ones. You have proven who you are by your actions. No ordinary visitor would be capable of such an act of unselfish behaviour to help one who is not of their clan. You must partake of mishrah with us and we will speak more of the reason for your arrival.'

'Mishrah?' Daniel pondered. 'That's like telling legends in a clan gathering, the history of the tribe being handed down from generation to generation.'

'Oh great, it's story time.' Jack muttered under his breath, earning himself a glare from Daniel.

As they talked the village filled with people and changed from a deserted ghost town to a bustling, lively environment, full of life.

'Where did they come from?' Jack asked taking a good look at what was happening.

'The servants of the Evil Ones come here at times. When they come, they destroy our homes and would destroy us if we stayed. We go to the refuge and remain there until all danger has passed.' Anadryl informed them.

'Oh, well, that explains everything.' Jack said, a touch of sarcasm in his voice. 'Now what happens?'

'Mishrah will begin as the sun sets. While you wait we can offer you refreshments and a place to rest.'

'We came here prepared to offer assistance. Could you use our help in any way?' Sam asked.

The look of horror that came over Anadryl's face was completely unexpected.

'I think you've offended him,' Daniel said quietly to Sam. 'Anadryl,' Daniel turned to their host before any more harm could be done. 'We did not mean to give offence. One of the purposes of our travels is to meet new people, to share information about our different cultures and to offer help when we see it is needed. It is part of who we are.'

Anadryl's face relaxed as he accepted their offer.

'It is your custom then to do this?' Daniel nodded. 'Then we would be pleased to accept what you have to offer. We would not wish to offend the Enlightened Ones by not accepting their ways.' Anadryl bowed and left them to tend the wounded and help restore order.