Chapter 1: A little recon
"It's no problem, sir," Major Samantha Carter told her CO. "It's the same kind of malfunction as P9Q-281."
"Mid-dial lock-up," Daniel helpfully supplied while slathering his nose with sunscreen.
"Exactly. I'll have it fixed in ten minutes and then we can send the MALP back." She was already pulling out the crystals.
"Alright. Let's do a little recon. Daniel?"
"Oh. Right." He shouldered his pack and followed. "You know, if this temple really was built by the Ancients, it should look…"
"What?"
"Well, dirtier. The ceiling has obviously had small rocks fall down, it's cracked and crumbling, but the floor is clean."
"Huh. You think maybe the Goa'uld?"
"Well, I can't really see a Goa'uld using a broom."
"Good point. Teal'c?"
"I will remain with Major Carter."
"Alright. Keep 'em peeled."
"Keep what peeled?"
"Never mind." They headed out through the corridors. "You do know which way we're going, right?"
"This is impressive," Daniel said.
"Ya think?" Jack was staring out at the view.
"Actually I meant the stone."
"With the invisible writing on it?"
"Jack, this column is bearing the weight of the entire section of the roof and it's less than a metre thick."
"Tough stuff," he said after a bit, turning to look. "Any idea what it's made of?"
"What's that?" Daniel pointed. "Just there… whoa!" In the distance a fireball was rising.
"There," Jack had whipped out his binoculars. "Look." Deathgliders were circling the area. Adjusting the focus, he could see numerous glints of armour and weapons. The Jaffa had arrived in force. "Why are they over there?"
"Well, this temple does have a peaked roof and it's a long drop down to the forest canopy," Daniel pointed out. "Where are they supposed to land?"
"Then what was that explosion?"
"A better question," Daniel had leaned forward, "is who put that ladder there."
"What?" Sure enough, trailing down from the outside of the column was a good old-fashioned rope ladder.
"Sam, Teal'c, you read?"
"Yeah. We just sent the MALP back. Why?"
"The Goa'uld are here. They're bombing a section of forest."
"Why?"
"I have no idea, but we're not the only ones. I just found a ladder down to the forest."
"Right. Someone better stay behind to guard this…"
"Why?" Daniel asked.
"Well, if it gets damaged or destroyed, how do we get back up?"
"Good point."
"I'll stay, sir," Carter offered.
"Knee still bothering you?"
"Just a little, sir."
"You should have something."
"It's not that bad, sir." The three males swapped looks and started climbing down.
"Carter, what do you see?" Jack O'Neill radioed up.
"The Jaffa are spreading out in all directions. They look like they're searching for something. Wait… wait a minute… there's fighting, and a bunch of people running our way. Following a game trail… to your right a little…"
"I found it," Daniel called, having tripped and landed on the little track. "What do these people look like, Sam?"
"They're all wearing the same kind of clothes, and they're running pretty fast."
"Distance?"
"Couple of miles."
"I see them," Daniel called. "There." Up ahead a bright flurry of red lights went back and forth.
"Two sides with energy weapons?"
"Interesting," Teal'c noted.
"What are they doing?"
"Let's get a bit closer."
"Is that wise?"
"Well, if they're fighting the Goa'uld…" He moved out briskly, P-90 at the ready. The others sighed and followed.
"It's no problem, sir," Major Samantha Carter told her CO. "It's the same kind of malfunction as P9Q-281."
"Mid-dial lock-up," Daniel helpfully supplied while slathering his nose with sunscreen.
"Exactly. I'll have it fixed in ten minutes and then we can send the MALP back." She was already pulling out the crystals.
"Alright. Let's do a little recon. Daniel?"
"Oh. Right." He shouldered his pack and followed. "You know, if this temple really was built by the Ancients, it should look…"
"What?"
"Well, dirtier. The ceiling has obviously had small rocks fall down, it's cracked and crumbling, but the floor is clean."
"Huh. You think maybe the Goa'uld?"
"Well, I can't really see a Goa'uld using a broom."
"Good point. Teal'c?"
"I will remain with Major Carter."
"Alright. Keep 'em peeled."
"Keep what peeled?"
"Never mind." They headed out through the corridors. "You do know which way we're going, right?"
"This is impressive," Daniel said.
"Ya think?" Jack was staring out at the view.
"Actually I meant the stone."
"With the invisible writing on it?"
"Jack, this column is bearing the weight of the entire section of the roof and it's less than a metre thick."
"Tough stuff," he said after a bit, turning to look. "Any idea what it's made of?"
"What's that?" Daniel pointed. "Just there… whoa!" In the distance a fireball was rising.
"There," Jack had whipped out his binoculars. "Look." Deathgliders were circling the area. Adjusting the focus, he could see numerous glints of armour and weapons. The Jaffa had arrived in force. "Why are they over there?"
"Well, this temple does have a peaked roof and it's a long drop down to the forest canopy," Daniel pointed out. "Where are they supposed to land?"
"Then what was that explosion?"
"A better question," Daniel had leaned forward, "is who put that ladder there."
"What?" Sure enough, trailing down from the outside of the column was a good old-fashioned rope ladder.
"Sam, Teal'c, you read?"
"Yeah. We just sent the MALP back. Why?"
"The Goa'uld are here. They're bombing a section of forest."
"Why?"
"I have no idea, but we're not the only ones. I just found a ladder down to the forest."
"Right. Someone better stay behind to guard this…"
"Why?" Daniel asked.
"Well, if it gets damaged or destroyed, how do we get back up?"
"Good point."
"I'll stay, sir," Carter offered.
"Knee still bothering you?"
"Just a little, sir."
"You should have something."
"It's not that bad, sir." The three males swapped looks and started climbing down.
"Carter, what do you see?" Jack O'Neill radioed up.
"The Jaffa are spreading out in all directions. They look like they're searching for something. Wait… wait a minute… there's fighting, and a bunch of people running our way. Following a game trail… to your right a little…"
"I found it," Daniel called, having tripped and landed on the little track. "What do these people look like, Sam?"
"They're all wearing the same kind of clothes, and they're running pretty fast."
"Distance?"
"Couple of miles."
"I see them," Daniel called. "There." Up ahead a bright flurry of red lights went back and forth.
"Two sides with energy weapons?"
"Interesting," Teal'c noted.
"What are they doing?"
"Let's get a bit closer."
"Is that wise?"
"Well, if they're fighting the Goa'uld…" He moved out briskly, P-90 at the ready. The others sighed and followed.