Teal'c, Sam, Daniel and Tal were standing at the bottom of the ramp in the gateroom. Tal stood on the left, a few steps away from the others, chewing on her lip nervously. Daniel walked towards her and stood next to her.
"He was a little annoyed wasn't he?" he said in an undertone, aware of Teal'c and Sam's eyes, and ears, on them.
"Understatement." Tal sighed.
"You okay?"
"Don't worry I've known Jack for a long time, I'd say about half that time he was pissed about something, I can handle him being mad." Daniel nodded understandingly as the gate activated. Jack walked in a few seconds later.
"Move out." He ordered curtly. Carter glanced at Daniel before making her way up the ramp behind Teal'c, Daniel and Tal followed and Jack trudged behind them.
They stepped out onto an arid desert planet, on the horizon there was a large and impressive stone temple.
"Teal'c your with me." Jack said. "Carter you can escort the archaeologists." He said snidely before walking to the left of the Stargate, Teal'c following him. They stood still for a minute watching their retreating backs.
"Well," Carter finally said "lets get going then shall we?"
"Right." Daniel muttered as he and Tal followed her towards the temple.
Daniel glanced across the room where Tal was frantically scribbling down notes from the wall of the room they were in in her journal.
Jack and Teal'c still weren't back, he wondered whether Jack was purposely taking his time so he could avoid Tal. Daniel had rarely seen him as angry, but in those situation Jack had tended to take the anger out on the individual involved, Daniel doubted Jack would voluntarily injure Tal and so his fury didn't have an outlet. Eventually Daniel knew his curiosity would get the better of him though and he'd seek her out, probably him too.
"Daniel." Someone tapped him on the shoulder, he looked up. "You spaced out for a minute then." Sam said.
"Yeah. Sorry." he smiled.
"No problem." She said. "So . . . what's the story here then?" she asked.
"Well it's definitely a temple for the worship of Aton, it's all 'bow to his greatness' this and 'crumble and his wrathful gaze' that." he commented, Sam smiled.
"Anything for me to play with yet?" she asked.
"Not that I've found." He said.
"Daniel! Major Carter!" Tal called to them. They quickly walked over to where she was working.
"What is it?" Sam asked.
"I think . . ." she said as she ran her hands over the wall, "that I've found something for you to do." She ran her hand over the symbol for water, for fire, ear and wind. When she'd touched the last one they all lit up and the section of wall in front of them sunk back to reveal an entrance to another room. Without even looking back she walked into the room.
It was wall to wall, floor and ceiling, all in black marble. There was a counter across the back wall and a black marble table in the centre. Walking to the centre, Tall crouched down and felt underneath with her hand. The cover of the table retracted to reveal an array of different crystals.
Sam went forward straight away and began fiddling with things. Tal stepped back and stood next to Daniel in the doorway. He looked at her.
"Well done." He said, she shrugged.
"She looked bored, had to find something for her to do." She said. They turned round as they heard the thudding of heavy boots on the floor.
"What the hells going on?" Jack demanded.
"What?" Daniel asked.
"We got buildings growing outta' the ground out there!" he said.
"Ooops." Tal said, Jack glared at her.
"Sorry sir." Carter said coming out of the room to join them. "I may have inadvertently triggered something." She said.
"Right." Jack said in a tone that said 'I should of known' without him actually having to say it. "Teal'c, Daniel stay in there and make sure Carter doesn't blow us all up." He said, they all nodded and went into the room, Daniel glanced back at Tal before he entered.
"So . . ." Jack began.
"So?" Tal questioned
"Why exactly are you on our little field trip with us?" he asked in a completely fake uninterested tone.
"I was in charge of the dig that-"
"I was in the briefing." He stopped her. "Really. Why?" She sighed, not knowing what to say, she had to say something.
"I gave Daniel the tablet with the gate co-ordinates, I wanted to get you guys away for a while." She told him.
"Somehow I don't think it was so you could plan us a surprise party." He said.
"No."
"Then why?"
"I-" she hesitated. "There's a contract out on you." she murmured. He looked at her steadily.
"As in . . ." she nodded. "Well it was only a matter of time." he said.
"All of you." she told him.
"As in . . ." he gestured towards the room the rest of SG1 occupied.
"Yeah. I remembered this tablet I got from the sight so I gave it to Daniel and he had a word with Hammond and there you go, off world where no-one can get you." she said quickly. He gaped at her.
"Let me get this straight." He said slowly. "You told DANIEL?" She nodded at him as the others came outside after hearing raised voices. "Daniel." He said softly disbelievingly. "Instead of me, you told Daniel?" he questioned again, gripping her forearm. She flinched. He frowned at her and looked down at her arm where he held it. She pulled it out of his grip and took a step back. "And who told you?" he asked softly.
"I-" she stammered.
"Please don't tell me it was who I think it was?" he asked her. "Tal?"
"He . . . I . . ." She angrily wiped a tear away from her face and fled the room.
"Crap." Jack growled, kicking the wall, thankful for his steel tipped boots.
"O'Neill?" Teal'c questioned. Jack glanced up to see the three of them gazing at him in concern.
"Back to work kids." Jack said distractedly, gazing up at the door Tal had just walked out of.
Holy hannah it's been a millenium since I updated! I apologise sincerely if there's anyone out there still reading! Thanks to the reviewers of previous chapters!
Please review, even if it's just to rant at me for my tardiness!