After they had finished talking to General Hammond, SG-1 made their way back down the cliff and cautiously walked into the village. It was just as deserted as before, if not more so. They made their way to what seemed to be the main building, situated in the centre of a square of houses.

"Hello?" Daniel called out, getting him a very sharp glare from O'Neill.

"What? Do you want me to try the 'we come in peace' routine?" he asked.

"Just… Do what you do Daniel," Jack ordered.

Daniel began to ascend a set of mud brick stairs but before he could get three steps up the team found themselves surrounded by a silent brigade of lizards. They had appeared so suddenly that SG-1 didn't even have time to arm themselves, although they wasted no time. Backs to each other, weapons raised, SG-1 eyed the creatures warily. They slowly rotated their positions, never lowering their guard for an instant. The animals continued to simply stare at them, watching them, their burning eyes following their every move. Daniel couldn't take the tension any more.

"We mean you no harm!" he blurted. The lizards shied like horses but blinked slowly in unison as a group.

"What do they want?" Jack muttered to Carter from the corner of his mouth.

Carter shrugged and Jack observed the lizards' actions. They would gaze at the four intently until someone spoke, broke the silence, and they cringe away.

"We just want to talk," Jack said warily.

The force of reptiles took one simultaneous step back, but their guard didn't waver.

"Sir," Carter whispered, "Have you noticed how they react whenever we speak?"

"Yes Carter," O'Neill replied loudly, "I did see them flinch," he paused when the creatures jumped at the strength of his word, "each time we say something!" He was getting agitated-he didn't like being in this position.

The lizards were now a little over three metres away. Their faces showed confusion at the irregular activity of O'Neill's voice.

"What, so we just scream and run?" suggested Daniel sceptically.

Jack weighed up the idea mentally, and it must have shown on his face because Daniel quickly jumped in. "No. Jack, we have to solve this diplomatically," he was careful to keep his voice low, so he didn't distress the creatures.

Jack sighed.

"I agree with Daniel Jackson. We should make peace with these people."

"That could be a little hard T, when 1) these people aren't people and 2) these people can't speak!" Jack exclaimed with a single fierce hand motion.

The animals had stopped skittering away and were now studying them closely. The nearest fled to the back of the group when Jack swept his arm at them.

"Jack, just let me try to communicate. Please," Daniel asked softly, "You never know, they might recognise me," he added a half-hearted laugh.

Jack glared at Daniel. He knew this tactic all too well. The begging, the quiet-yet-demanding tones and, if things still didn't go his way, the dreaded puppy-dog eyes.

Carter watched them. "I think we should try Sir. And if it doesn't work, we leave, go home, and never speak of it again," she looked hard at the linguist as well as her CO.

"And if they capture us and try to make us slaves? Or pets?" cried Jack.

"We escape," Teal'c stated simply. He had been watching the lizards. They seemed to be waiting for them to do something, as they weren't very eager to make a move themselves.

O'Neill sighed heavily and nodded, "OK," he looked at Daniel, "Go do your thing."

Daniel nodded once and lowered his P-90, letting it hang loosely at his side. He stepped very slowly towards the foremost creature, his hands suspended in front of him so as not to alarm it. He saw that it bared a long white blaze down its stomach and chest. It stiffened as he approached and its muscles rippled but it didn't run.

"My name is Daniel Jackson," he said steadily and lightly touched his chest, "These are my friends," he didn't dare turn to indicate the rest of SG-1, "We came through the Stargate from a very distant planet called Earth," he continued to accentuate each word clearly.

The animals orange eyes glistened as it stared at him. Daniel took its stillness as a good sign.

"We are peaceful travellers, we came to explore this world in hope of finding allies." Daniel returned its gaze resolutely. "Will you help us?"

There was a long silence as the animals blinked and reformed the circle. The leader, the one Daniel had spoken to, stepped forward and touched his chest lightly as Daniel had done. He then stepped to the side and held out an arm toward the stairs SG-1 had started to climb before.

Daniel watched the movements. "Jack," he twisted his head to face the Colonel, "I think he wants us to go in."

"Then lets go," O'Neill replied.

Daniel took hold of the railing attached to the stairs with one hand and began his way up. Carter followed him, and Teal'c followed her. Jack kept a careful watch on the animals the whole time but they never once moved. Finally he turned and walked up the stairs. When Jack could see over the heads of all the creatures, he watched as they disappeared from sight, one by one, returning to their homes silently. Their leader met SG-1 inside the large building.

"Can you speak?" Daniel asked it. There was a pause. He tried again. "How do you communicate?" he touched his chest again, "Can you understand me?" Daniel turned to his team mates. "I think it's male, if that helps at all…"

The animal blinked at Daniel and looked around at the four. He turned away from them and walked to the far end of the room, past a long wooden table to a high backed chair, in which he sat. Jack followed and when the creature gestured to four other chairs SG-1 sat down.

In front of the alien sat an oddly shaped object, made from what seemed to be glistening tar. It, he, curled his fingers around it and lifted it from the table. He lowered his head for a moment in an out-of-sync motion, as if he were moving to a badly strewn beat. He raised his head again after only a second, and handed the ball past Carter to Teal'c. The Jaffa looked surprised, but took the dark item from the being. The creature stared at him expectantly, with wide eyes. He re-enacted the motion he performed with his head quickly and nodded at Teal'c.

Teal'c looked down at the object. He closed his eyes and lowered his forehead towards it. When his skin was close to touching the surface he felt a strange sensation course through his skull and down his spine and symbiote pouch. It was a mild feeling, but he jerked his head up in alarm nonetheless.

"Teal'c?" Jack looked at his friend in concern, "What happened?"

"I experience a strange sensation, O'Neill. I am unharmed, but my symbiote seems disturbed."

Jack glared at the alien, who was still staring forcefully at Teal'c. "What the hell did you do to him?" he demanded.

The alien's gaze at Teal'c didn't tremble and O'Neill bashed his fist against the table in anger. "Hey! I'm talking to you!" He was sick to his stomach of cultures that could sense a Jaffa, but couldn't understand that Teal'c was not a bad guy.

The alien snapped his gaze to O'Neill's furious face, and his own took on the expression of fear, his eyes filled with panic. He got to his feet, as did SG-1, and took the object from the table. He walked up to O'Neill and held it out to him, but O'Neill just looked at him, disgusted. The alien moved on and tried to press the object into Carter's hands. She instinctively pulled her hands away and took a step back.

"Carter! Don't touch it!" O'Neill ordered.

"I know Sir," she replied, "but do you really think he means to hurt us?"

"I don't care! He messed with Junior, and that's enough for me."

"But maybe it's meant for another purpose, and because Teal'c carries a symbiote it affected him."

The creature nodded enthusiastically at the tone of her softened voice. He agreed with whatever she was saying.

"Carter…" warned O'Neill.

"Jack-"

"Daniel, you stay out of this, OK?"

"Jack, I think she could be on to something," Daniel insisted.

Jack faced his glare at Daniel, "OK, but if anyone's doing this, I am."

"Sir…"

"Don't want to hear it Carter," said O'Neill. He reached for the item still in the alien's hands, but he pulled it out of O'Neill's reach. "What the?"

The lizard tried once more to push the black shape into Carter's hands. She looked dubiously at her superior. Jack nodded and shrugged.

"If you're totally convinced," he said.

Carter took the object and slowly closed her eyes. She bowed her head to it and the instant her forehead touched it she felt a small shock reverberate through her. She looked up again and replaced the thing on the table. The animal was staring straight at her. Again, she shot a questioning look at O'Neill who only shrugged again. He assumed she was OK.

"You hear me now."

"What was that?" Carter yelped.

The animal's face split into a wide grin, obviously happy with himself.

"What?" asked Daniel.

"First, you must know that we mean you no harm at all."

"They- they mean us no harm…"

"As you may have figured out, we are a telepathic people, and are incapable of communicating by your means. We can understand you by a small amount though, as we are quick learners to new languages."

"Sir! They're telepathic!"

O'Neill groaned. "Right. Well. First thing's first, what is that?" he pointed to the tar-like shape.

"I don't know how to communicate bac-"

"A connection has been made between you and I by way of this rocktangle. I will hear any thoughts that you direct my way."

Carter was startled by this news, but before she had time to question it, the animal spoke to her once more.

"Do not be alarmed, we are forbidden by law to interfere with another's mind."

Carter looked at Jack, "He says it's a rocktangle".

"A what?" exclaimed Daniel.

"Oh, Daniel. My high school music teacher once told us that his small son made them from toast. I wonder if the kid's had any incidents with aliens lately..."

"Sir?" Carter eyed him doubtfully.

O'Neill shrugged, "Well, it's a bit weird that kid Oak's rocktangles look like our lizard buddy's rocktangles after all…"

"Yes Sir," Carter nodded mockingly and grinned.

A/N: Yay! I finally finished this chapter. Not that anyone is still reading this story, but I have great ideas for it. So it will be finished!