Thanks for the reviews guys, hope you keep with me for this.

Miran, hope this story lives up to your expectations.

SJDM12, It's going somewhere, so keep reading.

Jennyvre Moss, Yep pure Naquadah though not refined as such.

Stargate fan, Glad you liked it.

SLEEPING BEAUTY

by LetitiaRichards

Previously:

"Sir...I'm getting some strange readings coming from the castle. According to this Colonel...it's made from pure Naquadah!

"What?" all three men of the team gasped.

Chapter 2

"Sir, these readings are off the scale," Sam said, unable to hide her excitement.

"And? So?" Jack asked wondering what she was driving at with all her enthusiasm. "What exactly does that mean Carter?"

"Sir, this means that if this place is truly deserted and there's no sign of the Goa'uld, then we can safely set up a mine here. This whole place is loaded with Naquadah."

"It just takes one match Carter and then we'll have nothing."

"I know Sir, but the possibilities are..."

"Ack! Save it Carter. Let's see what we got first. Don't go jumping the gun. I think you've been hanging round Daniel too long. I know for a fact that some of his unfathomable zeal is beginning to rub off on you, but caution Carter, that's the keyword here."

"Yes Sir," she replied dryly, her spirit suitably chastened but not dampened.

They walked closer to the castle. And the closer they got to their goal, the more Jack's hair prickled on his nape.

Standing on the wooden drawbridge, the gatehouse to the castle towered above them. The portcullis was raised and the huge doors were standing wide, seeming to welcome them in. They didn't spot anyone as they entered but a loud crackling noise made them swing round to face whatever was suddenly behind them...just in time to see a force-field spring up, cutting them off from the exit and the Stargate.

"Crap!" Jack cried, seeing their escape route cut off. "I sooo hate it when that happens!"

"Automated?" Daniel asked, because they still couldn't see anyone around to work such a device.

"Most likely Daniel if this place is as empty as it looks," Sam confirmed.

"Well, let's take a closer look; see if we can't find out where the power is coming from and drop it again. Carter, you're with me. Daniel, Teal'c you take the left. Keep the radios open kids."

"Indeed," Teal'c rumbled, setting off cautiously with Daniel in tow, although the archaeologists eyes were everywhere except on the way ahead.

Jack shook his head muttering about geeky scientists before he realised what he'd said, and gave Carter a rather sheepish look, but didn't rescind his statement. He set off once again knowing that his 2IC would be right behind him watching his six.

They searched the buildings but came up with nothing. The place was deserted, though it was in good condition and looked as if the inhabitants had just packed up home and moved on for some, as yet obscure, reason.

Teal'c and Daniel explored the kitchens; usually the busiest of rooms in a huge place like this, but they were eerily silent. The two team-mates moved on into the main castle building. As they passed through the curtained archway, another force-field slammed down behind them, keeping them from retreating back the way they had come.

"Curiouser, and curiouser," Daniel muttered the quote from 'Alice in Wonderland' as they walked from one room to another.

Teal'c, impassive as ever, merely raised an eyebrow and continued on.

"It's from 'Alice in Wonderland' Teal'c!"

"Indeed. I have read this book Daniel Jackson. Major Carter lent it to me. She said that it would help me understand."

"Understand what?"

"I am uncertain."

"Why am I not surprised!" he sighed with a wry smile. He turned from his friend to press the button on his radio.

"Jack?" Daniel called.

"Here Daniel." The response from Jack was intermingled with crackles.

"We appear to be...um...well, it's like we're being herded to somewhere. There's force-fields coming down behind us preventing us from go back."

Daniel's information was breaking up but Jack got the gist of the conversation.

"Yeah. Here too. Maybe we'll meet up in the middle."

"Then what?"

"I don't know Daniel," Jack drawled as if talking to a little child. "...and I won't 'til we get there Daniel!"

"Oh! Right."

Jack released the button before Daniel could invoke an irritated response from him and sighed in frustration. How was he supposed to knew where or what they were being pushed towards? He just hoped that it wouldn't prove to be a one-way trip.

"It's the Naquadah sir. It's interfering with the radio waves."

Jack acknowledged this with an irritated look that said, 'I already gathered that fact!'

"Anything yet Carter?" he asked breaking the stalemate between them.

"No Sir, though this signal is getting stronger. We seem to be heading towards that main tower," she said, pointing to a large circular turret that seemed to go upwards for ever.

Jack stood back and looked up, arching his back, but he still couldn't see the top.

"I hope there an elevator!" he sighed dryly.

Sam snorted. She couldn't help it.

"I don't think so Sir."

She poked her head into the arched doorway and turned back to him.

"Just a spiral staircase Colonel."

"Oiy!" he muttered. "Lead the way Carter. I'll be right behind you; that is if my knees are up to the task."

Sam started up the steps and as soon as Jack took the first step onto the stone stairs, a force-field slammed down behind him, leaving them with only one option; to go up.

"Guess that answers that!" he muttered with a resigned sigh.

Up and up they climbed. Round and round they went. Jack stopped for a rest to catch his breath, wondering how many floors they had scaled. He was damn sure by now that even the SGC didn't have this many steps. He climbed a few more steps and peered out one of the narrow slits in the wall that served as a window as well as the only light source to be seen. Jack was glad it wasn't getting dark yet because he hadn't seen any sconces on the walls to hold any lights.

"Are you okay Sir?"

"Sure," Jack wheezed. "Just...give me a minute, okay? I'm not as young as I used to be!"

Sam snorted with amusement making Jack look up at her sharply.

"Somethin' funny Carter?"

"You're not that old really Colonel!" she grinned, "You're as young as you feel sir!"

Jack loved to see her smile and couldn't help the grin that quirked his own lips.

"Yeah, well right now I feel old! Ancient even." But in his head he added, 'and the person I'd love to be 'feeling' right now is a lot younger.' And once again his normally hidden feelings surfaced, causing his heart to ache in frustration. 'Damn the USAF regulations!' he huffed.

He shook his head trying to rid himself of those thoughts, feelings and images that that idea had brought to mind. Thoughts that he shouldn't have considering their positions as Colonel and 2IC.

He shooed her upwards and tried to take his mind off the swaying backside that preceded him up the steps not too far in front of his line of sight. Head down he concentrated really hard on the dizzying steps.

TBC