Argh! I forgot about this story! I started a new mutant X one and gota little caught up! But I've got loads of time now and will try to upload a new chapter at least once every two days! Read and review ;)

Jack sat staring out into the night, half his mind on the trees in front of him, half on the scene they'd witnessed earlier. It was probably nothing, but a funeral being the first sign of…life they'd seen on that planet really gave him a bad feeling about this mission.

Of course that wasn't the first sign of life. There'd been that girl, Jack hoped she'd got home alright. Carter and Daniel had a point, she'd looked like she'd been roaming a few days, and not in the best of health. They'd have to ask around when they checked out the village in the morning, if she was missing maybe they could go find her. Poor kid had looked terrified.

A rustling from one of the tents drew his attention back to the present, and a minute later his second climbed out, albeit groggily, nodding to him as she sat down next to the fire. He checked his watch, 23:30.

"Couldn't sleep Carter?" It was a pretty dumb question. Coming out to watch half an hour early was done only by overenthusiastic recruits and those suffering from insomnia. And occasionally over-concerned colonels. She gave him a tight smile and shook her head. "Thought I might as well relieve you early Sir."

"And it is much appreciated Carter," he stood, stretching. Unable to not ask, "You okay?"

"Fine Sir," another tight smile, and then hesitantly, "I guess runaway kids and funerals don't make for a restful night."

Great minds think alike then…well great minds and the not-so great minds in his case. Squeezing his Second's shoulder he said, "Yeah"

So deep.

With a final "Night, Carter" he squeezed into the tent he shared with Teal'c. But like his 2IC, it would be a long time till he got to sleep.

Sam opened her eyes to a green ceiling. After a few seconds spent staring wonderingly upwards, a loud "Sam!" reminded her where she was.

"Coming!" she grunted, rolling over and sitting up in the USAF tent she shared with Teal'c. It was clearly not a good idea to share one with the colonel unless she wanted to encourage the rumours flying around the SGC. And Daniel was quite absent-minded enough to wander into the tent whilst she was….well, unpresentable. Teal'c was then, the obvious option and a perfect gentlemen. Not to mention he didn't snore.

Of course her 'roommate' was already up and busy about the fire when Sam stumbled, bleary eyed, out the tent. Daniel aka her impromptu alarm clock was preparing breakfast. Well the USAF's idea of it anyway.

"Mornin' Sam" Daniel greeted her brightly. Of course, he'd been up since 0400 for his watch, plenty of time to wake up (or dunk your head in a nearby river as his wet hair indicated. Would he ever learn submerging yourself in water with an unknown amount of foreign bacteria in wasn't a good idea? One of these days he was going to pick up something really nasty.) "Hey Daniel, Teal'c." She mumbled, squinting in the bright sunlight, the sun on this planet being closer than that of the Earth. "Where's the Colonel?"

"I believe O'Neill to be evaluating our surroundings." Teal'c replied solemnly, with a sparkle of humour in his eye. Teal'c came off as a pretty serious, but spending the past seven years among the Tauri, and more specifically, Colonel O'Neill, had made the Jaffa 'lighten up' considerably.

Not that most people would notice.

"Checking out the area?" He smiled,

"Indeed." she returned the smile before slumping down next to the half-hearted fire. Daniel looked at her curiously. "Sam, you okay?"

She smiled back at him, "Yeah, I'm fine." and it was true. Mostly.

She just felt…off. Shivery and washed out, like she was getting over the flu or something. Or coming down with it. That would be typical. The first half interesting mission in….days? Well at least a week, and she was probably getting a bug. Life was so not fair.

Ah well. She could hold out till the end of the mission. Then home to her couch and TV for a long weekend.

Daniel was still looking at her intently, trying to assess whether she was telling the truth or not. Evidently he decided she was as he turned back to the preparations for breakfast, beginning an amiable conversation concerning what they might find today. She smiled slightly and tried to wake up enough to contribute.

A couple of hours later they had packed up camp and were again approaching the village. Daniel scanned the area cautiously for any signs of the previous night. Aside from faded ashes and burnt logs, there was nothing. There was however a small 'watchtower' at the edge of the buildings he hadn't noticed the night before. No walls or trenches however, pretty peaceful. Good, he could use a nice calm mission.

Up ahead a group of kids ran across the open field laughing and calling to each other. Daniel glanced back at Jack, he nodded. Here we go. Taking a deep breath he shouted out "Hey." The reaction was immediate. The children stopped stock still, reminding Daniel oddly of startled deer. Then like deer, they scarpered.

"Strangers!" they heard the cry ring out. Daniel turned bashfully to the rest of the team.

"So much for a quiet entrance." He shrugged. Ahead of them, people were gathering together. Their faces wary and anxious. As they drew nearer, a man stepped from out the crowd. Daniel recognized him as the 'priest' they saw yesterday.

"We mean you no harm." He said calmly, contradicting the expressions of those around him. "But we can allow no victims of the soulstealer here."

Jack looked at him. Come on Daniel, work some magic was basically the idea he was trying to get across. Inwardly sighing, Daniel stepped forward. Why can't this ever be easy?

"We're peaceful explorers, from a long way away." He began with the usual greeting. "We don't know anything about any 'soulstealer', and we certainly aren't victims of anything." Except perhaps bad timing.

A muttering stole over the gathering crowd, their leader frowned. "Where are you from?"

"A planet called Earth." A flash of…something passed over the man's face, "Another world?"

"Yes. We came through the stargate." blank looks, "The big stone ring, a few miles that way" he indicated. The confusion cleared.

"The great circle…" he turned to face his people, "They came through the great circle!" Daniel shuffled uneasily, sharing looks with the rest of his team. This doesn't look good. The muttering was growing louder. Some people were pushing forward to look at them, others seemed afraid. Their leader sank to his knees, "I am Orio, I speak for the Dicori people. Angels or Demons, we beg you to leave us in peace." he spoke haltingly, fearfully. His people had sunk to the ground behind him, regarding SG1 with a mixture of awe and terror. Behind him Jack sighed, "Figures." he heard him mutter, and was relieved when the team leader stepped forward to take over. "Get up." Jack said, a little harshly. "We're not angels or demons, we're people, just like you. Understand?" He shook the man's arm for emphasis. "Come on, get up." Orio stood up uncertainly. His people…the Dicori, watched doubtfully. The leader glanced tentatively at SG1, his eyes took in Daniel's glasses, the graze on Sam's arm, the many scars of Jack and the band aid on Teal'c's hand. "No…" he said slowly. "You do not look like angels. And demons are far more fearsome, or so I have been led to believe." He turned to the group behind him, "I do not believe they are gods, or of their kin. Leave us."

The villagers looked at each other, unsure, then gradually departed, leaving with looks of curiosity now rather than fear. Finally it was just SG1 and Orio. Daniel frowned, wondering what to say next, but Orio beat him to it. "Please, come with me." He invited. Glancing at Jack, Daniel received a barely perceptible nod and taking this for the agreement it was, he smiled at Orio and followed him, deeper into the town.

The man, Orio led them into a small house near the centre of the village. Teal'c looked about him curiously. The house was simply furnished, but elegant in design. Orio indicted they should sit on the sofa-like objects around the room. Teal'c waited until his teammates were seated before sitting down himself. This courtesy was ingrained into him, but today it was a little harder to follow. He was experiencing minor pain in his head, and a persistent weakness in his limbs. As yet it was easy to hide from his teammates, he merely hoped his condition would not worsen. He watched as their host busied himself about the 'kitchen' area. After a few minutes in which the team shuffled and exchanged looks, Orio returned with a tray full of drinks. O'Neill picked one up and sipped it experimentally. When they first began journeying together, O'Neill had refrained from accepting any food or drink from the planet's natives. As time wore on, he had become less cautious however, resulting in several more…embarrassing incidents. And many amusing ones. Several involving Doctor Jackson and once, Major Carter, when she removed her…

Anyway, his teammates were drinking, so he considered it safe enough. But the drink sat strangely in his stomach. He felt…what was the word O'Neill used? 'Queasy'. Putting the beverage down, he noticed Major Carter also looked nauseous. Perhaps it was poisonous? He looked to Orio in alarm, "What is in this liquid?"

Their host looked surprised. "Riso fruit. It grows all around here. Do you dislike the taste?" O'Neill was looking at him with amusement. Daniel Jackson looked puzzled. Major Carter did not look up from her own drink however, which she seemed reluctant to consume.

"It is adequate" He said finally, deciding poison was unlikely in this case. Orio seemed confused but apparently decided to accept the comment without question as he sat down opposite them.

"I need to know what your intentions are here." Orio began, his voice faltering but resolute. "You may be mortal, yet you come through the great circle. Nothing good has ever come through there. Nothing."

"We are just explorers" Daniel Jackson repeated. "We mean no harm to you or your people. We travel to different worlds in order to gain knowledge and make new friends. If you want to us to go, we will, but we'd like to learn more about your people, and for you to learn more about us." the well practised speech flowed easily from Daniel Jackson. His calm and considerate manner had won them a welcome at many places before now. He hoped it would prove the case this time also. Indeed, Orio looked unsure, less aggressive than he had thus appeared. "If I wish it, you will leave us?"

O'Neill nodded, "We'll be gone before you can say 'Begone!'." Orio looked puzzled. "little joke there…"

"The point is," Daniel Jackson continued, "is that we've very much looked forward to meeting you and your people. We think we could learn a lot from you, and you from us."

"Such as?"

"Well, we'd be very interested in your history for one. For instance, you thought we were demons, or angels? Do you often get such creatures through the stone circle? Or is it a legend?" A clever way pf discovering if the Goa'uld were active here. Orio shook his head.

"The demons have not show themselves for several generations, though their curse remains." Daniel Jackson's head picked up, curse?. "However the dread angel…" Orio's expression was grave, "she appears most moon cycles from what we can tell."

"Dread angel? What is she?"

"We do not know. She comes in the night to take the ghosts away. She wanders among the sick and bids them to follow her. When she comes to you, you know you are doomed to die."

Teal'c exchanged a look with O'Neill. This did not sound like Goa'uld behaviour. "What does she look like?" O'Neill questioned, his face unreadable. Orio laughed without humour.

"Look? Why like an angel of course. When she first comes she is a being of light, pure and blessed. When she comes to our sick however, she takes our form and walks amongst us. She comes to take our loved ones from us, and when any dare approach her, she retakes her original form and evades us. She is an angel of death, and much feared amongst the Dicori." One of the ancients perhaps? But why would they come here?

Daniel Jackson was obviously very much interested in this 'angel' but sensed as Teal'c did, that Orio had no wish to discuss it further. "And the demons?"

"I have never seen them in my lifetime. It is said they look like men, but their eyes glowed with hell's light. They used to rule here many generations ago. Till they grew tired of our people and set the curse. Now they have no further use for us."

Goa'uld. The false gods. It was not unlike them to assume the names of 'demons'. Evil was their nature after all. Orio had noticed the team's looks of comprehension. "You know these demons!"

"We know of them." O'Neill corrected dryly. "And though they sure act like them, they aren't demons. They're mortal like you and me." Orio shook his head.

"What you say cannot be true. They laid the curse upon us. That is an act of ungodly power surely!"

"They have no power! Just some very cool technology. What is this curse anyway?" O'Neill demanded, his frustration showing. Orio shook his head.

"The soul stealer is our curse. It takes the young, the old, the strong alike. They endure days of agony before their soul is ripped from them and doomed to wander alone. Few recover, and fewer still escape the dread angel when she comes to collect the wandering souls. Only those whose families dare to catch them escape her." Orio went into another room and returned with a jar made of some glasslike material. Inside a light glimmered and danced. Yet there was no discernable source.

"I had a wife and two daughters. My wife's soul left peacefully before the soul stealer could tear it from her. One of my daughters was afflicted however, and it was too late to bring her peace." SG1 exchanged looks, peace? "However clothed in protective robes, I went to her, and caught her soul as it left her body. This material," he tapped the jar, "is holy and the only thing that can keep the spirits from leaving us. My daughter is with me now, and shall stay here till the day I die." He gazed fondly at the light, Teal'c was disturbed by his speech. He noticed his teammates seemed troubled, Major Carter looked faintly nauseous.

"You imprison the souls of your people in these containers?" Teal'c asked, trying to confirm what they had just heard.

"It's either that or allow the dread angel to take them." Orio replied, slightly indignant. "I would never doom my family to that!"

"So where is your other daughter?" O'Neill spoke very quietly, but his eyes were fixed on the glimmering jar. "You said you had two, where is she?"

A wave of sadness passed over Orio's face, "My other daughter caught the soul stealer plague from her sister. She refused to accept the fio'kek in a peaceful way so she has been banished to the forest."

"You banished your own daughter? What kind of man are you" O'Neill was angry.

"A law abiding one! Any afflicted who will not accept the fio'kek must be banished or imprisoned till they are no longer a danger. It is law! Otherwise the plague would pass to others and the soul stealer would catch us all!"

"So she's sick and you threw her out because you were afraid of catching it?"

"I banished her because it is our law! When she is near death I shall go to her and again offer the fio'kek. If she refuses to accept it I shall wait and retrieve her soul. She shall dwell with her sister and I again. Someday"

"What of the fio'kek? What is this you offer your child." Teal'c intoned, imagining Ry'ac in this place and shuddering. Orio took a deep breath and exhaled, calming,

"The fio'kek is a gift to those afflicted. It tastes like heaven and dispatches the drinker speedily there. There is no pain, and no suffering, and the soul takes its rightful course."

"You kill them." Daniel Jackson said, shock clear on his face. "You give them poison, so the plague can't spread."

"We do what we must."

"You murder them."

"We help them! The soul stealer kills slowly and rips the soul away. No one wants that!"

"So you kill them first!"

"Major Carter!" Teal'c stood and strode towards his teammate, who turned a suddenly pale face towards him, before collapsing onto the floor.