"We're not?"
Jamal shook his head.
"No."
Sam frowned.
"When did you have other Tau'ri?"
"It's been several years. We don't usually get visitors – and we never go off world ourselves looking for company – but we frequently get people such as yourselves; brought to us by pure circumstance."
"And you're certain they were Tau'ri?"
"As far as I remember they were," Jamal said with a shrug. "I can't imagine why they would lie. They didn't have a Jaffa, though," he added.
"Can you remember anything about them?" Daniel asked.
"I didn't speak with them," Jamal admitted. "However, I am sure you will find their story interesting, and I will try to find some of our people who did."
"Thank you."
Jamal gave a slight bow.
"Come, I will show you to your quarters."
They left the large room, and their guide took them down a hall toward a wide flight of stairs.
"When our ancestors realized long ago that our Stargate would be constantly bringing us visitors, they built sleeping quarters into this building. At first it was for our own security – and to protect our technology from would-be thieves – but now it is simply convenient to have our guests quartered here where we can easily locate them when conditions are favorable for sending them back to their homes."
As he spoke, they were walking up the stairs, and now they were in a long corridor that looked more like a hall in a hotel than anything else. Jamal stopped in front of the first door, now looking uncertain.
"We have plenty of room… would you prefer to have your own rooms, or did you want to be together?"
The others looked at Jack, clearly waiting to hear what he wanted to do. He shrugged.
"Let's take a look at the rooms, shall we?"
Jamal opened the door to the first room, and the four of them looked in. There was a large bed, a dresser of sorts and a door that was opened to reveal a bathroom of sorts. The walls were white, but the severity of the color was broken up by several large paintings or prints that were hanging on every wall – including above the bed.
"I'm all for having our own rooms," Jack said, deciding that he'd be the one who was stuck with Daniel if they doubled up, and Daniel snored. These people seemed to be friendly enough – and Jack was a pretty good judge of that kind of thing. Besides, if they turned out to be hostile, SG-1 still had all their weapons. "If you really do have the rooms to spare."
Jamal nodded, smiling.
"There is plenty of room, Jack."
OOOOOOOOO
There was, too. Apparently SG-1 was the only group of visitors just then, because the entire upper floor was completely vacant. Jack took the first room, with Teal'c taking the last, effectively putting Daniel and Carter in the middle where they would presumably be the most secure in the event that something actually happened.
"Nice place…" Daniel said, looking around his room after Jamal had excused himself, saying he'd send someone for them in about half an hour.
Jack was in Daniel's room with him, just double-checking to make sure there weren't any secret walls or hidden dangers – even though he hadn't found any in his own. He grunted an agreement.
"It's better than sitting in the dark," Daniel pressed, trying to figure out why Jack seemed so moody.
"I suppose."
That was true enough, really. But it didn't make it better than being home.
"What's wrong?"
"We're stuck here."
"Yes."
"That's what's wrong."
"It won't be for long."
"It's Christmas Eve, Daniel."
"I know. And I already reassured you that General Hammond will undoubtedly find someone else to hand out the toys to the kids if we don't make it back by evening our time."
Jack scowled.
"That's not what I'm worried about missing…"
Daniel gave him a curious look.
"What are you worried about missing?"
O'Neill hesitated, and then shook his head.
"It's nothing. I'm going to go check out my room again. Come get me when Jamal comes back."
"Jack…"
"What?"
"What are you missing that can't wait until-"
"Nothing, Daniel. Don't worry about it."
He left the room, leaving the door open behind him, and Daniel frowned, watching to see if maybe he'd change his mind and return. Little hope of that, really, and he wasn't surprised when he heard the door down the hall close, telling him that Jack wasn't coming back any time soon.
Giving a mental shrug, Daniel decided that Jack would eventually tell him – or he'd figure it out another way. So he turned his attention to the room he was in, looking with great interest at the paintings that were hanging on the walls. They were interesting subject matter, and it wasn't like he had a whole lot of other things to do while waiting for Jamal to return.