CHAPTER TWO

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"Can you read this, Daniel Jackson?"

"Uh---it looks almost Mesoamerican," replied the archeologist absently. "A sort of combination of ideogram, phoneticism, and pictography." He furrowed his brow and narrowed his eyes, running his long fingers carefully over the words that adorned a wall in one of the small chambers within the temple. "Each symbol represents a syllable."

Teal'c stood silently next to his young friend and watched a very familiar scene unfold; Daniel Jackson once again swept away into the past of an ancient civilization. They'd only been at the ruins for a mere three minutes when the scholar had entered the crumbling temple all alone. O'Neill had yelled out for Daniel Jackson to stop, had muttered something about errant linguists under his breath then had assigned Teal'c to watch their team mate's six. The colonel and Major Carter had then moved on to make certain the ruins were secure.

"Wow," gasped Daniel Jackson, a perplexed expression on his face. "These are the historical records Kaatzál told me about. The entire history of the Alaran people is here, Teal'c. It's incredible. They're---well, they're very detailed." He scowled as he ran his fingertips down the wall.

"And that surprises you?"

"In a way, I guess. It makes me wonder even more why the records stop so suddenly after Teóti's murder." The younger man eyed the strange language as he side-stepped his way further across the dirt-covered stone floor. "Why wouldn't the historian of that time continue his writings? It just seems, with all this detail here that he knew the importance of documenting the Alaran history, yet apparently----ah, here it is."

Teal'c moved to Daniel Jackson's side, tipped his head and regarded the writings on the wall with growing curiosity.

"Um," began the archeologist. "It says that there was some kind of----darkness? Yes, darkness that fell upon the village and several disappeared. Teóti was---afraid for his people."

"Darkness?"

Daniel Jackson nodded. "That's the closest translation I can come up with, Teal'c, although it doesn't quite capture what I think the historian was trying to convey." He dragged his fingers down the wall then knelt. "Here it says that Teóti's body was found, but it doesn't say anything about how he died."

Teal'c knelt beside his friend. "The writings here are not as uniform as the others," he stated.

"Yeah, it looks almost like they were written in haste."

"Indeed."

"Kids?"

"We're in here, Jack!"

Teal'c stood and turned to see O'Neill and Major Carter entering the room, both cradling their weapons close against their chests.

"Hey guys," greeted Daniel Jackson.

"Hey," replied O'Neill. "Nothing out there of interest---well, at least for Carter and me. Daniel, you no doubt would LOVE it."

Major Carter moved to stand behind Daniel Jackson. "Find anything, Daniel?"

"Ah, yes I have, actually. These are the historical records of Teóti."

The major squatted down next to her team mate. "Wow, there's a lot of information here."

"Too much to translate in a few hours," replied Daniel Jackson. He turned and looked over his shoulder at O'Neill with a pleading expression Teal'c had come to know too well.

"No, Daniel, I'm sorry," said the colonel. "Hammond wants us back tomorrow. We have to pull out at first light and head back to the Stargate."

"Jack."

"Daniel?"

"But----."

O'Neill lifted a halting hand. "Ah, no buts." He regarded the young man for a long moment. "You still have at least five hours of solid daylight left, Daniel. What you can't translate, you can tape. Maybe I can get Hammond to let us come back."

Daniel Jackson sighed, nodded his head then turned his focus back to the temple wall before which he still knelt.

O'Neill stepped over to lean over the archeologist's shoulder. "You can really read that stuff, huh?"

"Yes, Jack, I really can."

"Huh," grunted O'Neill again then he stood straight. "Okay---Carter, you and Teal'c go scout out a good place to make camp---outside the ruins, if you don't mind--- and I'll stay here with Daniel."

"Yes, sir," replied Major Carter. She placed a hand on Daniel Jackson's back then rose to her feet, adjusting the hold she had on her gun. "Teal'c?"

The big Jaffa nodded once in agreement. He cast a long glance at the archeologist then turned and followed the major out of the chamber.

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"Come on, Daniel. You're going to ruin your eyesight."

Daniel lifted his index finger absently, his gaze still locked on the fancy symbols at which he was currently squinting. "Just another minute, Jack." He moved his flashlight along the wall. "This section talks about a great celebration, of great joy and laughter had by all." He turned and looked expectantly at Jack.

The colonel frowned. "What?"

"Doesn't that seem odd to you?"

Jack sighed and shook his head. "So they liked to party, what's so odd about that?"

"They don't have a wide range of emotions," Daniel replied then he turned to shine the flashlight on another section. "There are references throughout their history of civil battles, great celebrations, and shared grief---so different than the Alarans we've met."

"So somewhere along the line they decided they didn't like the---touchy feely stuff?"

Daniel took a step back from the wall. "I have no idea. It's almost like these aren't even the historical writings of the Alaran people, but of some other people all together."

"How can that be?"

The younger man shrugged. "I don't know." He looked up at the stone ceiling over their heads. "The ruins and the writings remind me of the Toltecs or maybe the Aztecs, although there's no reference to sacrifices which the Aztecs practiced. It's actually quite fascinating, the history of the Toltecs and the Aztecs. There's a myth that the Toltecs knew how to transmute, that their entire culture transmuted through the Black Sun to the place of creation----."

"Daniel."

"Oh, right," replied Daniel a bit sheepishly. He shone his light back on the symbols that adorned the wall. "I wish the historian didn't just stop at the point Teóti was killed."

"By that---darkness thingy?" prompted Jack with an absent wave of his hand.

"Yeah, although the more I think about it, the more I think it was an actual entity instead of an intangible."

"What makes you think that?"

"The way the word is used," replied Daniel. "He moved across the floor then knelt in front of the last of the writings, his flashlight still in hand. "He writes that the darkness walked among them. Teóti was afraid and wanted the darkness to leave, but it apparently wouldn't."

Jack moved to stand behind his friend. "It---walked among them? How?"

"Doesn't say, but that's why I think it was a something or a someone and not just darkness, per se."

The colonel puzzled for a moment. "It doesn't say how Teóti died, but does it say how he was found?"

Daniel shook his head. "Not exactly, it just says his followers discovered his body after a long period of absence---maybe months----and he was---um." The archeologist slid his fingers over the odd markings. "Disturbing?"

"Huh," grunted Jack. "Disturbing doesn't sound very good."

"No, it doesn't. It was then that one of his followers killed him."

"Well, like you said, it's a mystery. Now come on, let's get going. Carter and Teal'c are waiting dinner for us."

"Jack---."

"Daniel, I mean it. It's time to go. You've taped all this---scribbling so you can read it to your heart's content when we get back to the SGC tomorrow." Jack reached down and ruffled his friend's short-cropped hair. "And I'll see if the general will let us come back, okay? Now come on, I'm hungry."

Daniel sighed but gathered up his camera and journal and shoved them into his backpack. He stood, gave Jack one of his patented I-don't-really-want-to-do-this-but-I-will half smiles then brushed passed him, tossing his backpack over his shoulder. He headed for the door leading out into the main chamber of the temple.

Jack tipped his head back and stared at the ceiling barely lit by his own flashlight. He let go a long defeated breath. There was nothing more he wanted then to let Daniel spend more time in the temple. For the first time in three weeks, his young friend had finally shown signs of pulling himself from his own self-imposed darkness, but Hammond had been adamant about their return. Jack shook his head; he really was nothing but an old softie, but when one of his kids was hurting, he couldn't help but hurt, too.

The Air Force colonel hefted his rifle and flashlight then turned and hurried to catch up to his archeologist.

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Daniel stood from the camp fire and tossed the remains of his uneaten rations into the nearby bushes. As he rinsed the little metal cup with water from the pot sitting over the flames, he could feel the eyes of his friends watching him. He felt a wave of anger wash over him; anger that they cared so much. He'd done fine all his life alone, he'd handled deaths before and he could do it again.

"Carter, why don't you take first watch," said Jack suddenly breaking the silence that had fallen. "Teal'c second, I'll take third then Daniel, you can take the fourth. Sound like a plan, campers?"

"Yes, sir," replied Sam and without looking up, Daniel could imagine Teal'c's solemn acknowledging nod.

"Daniel?"

"Sounds fine, Jack," replied the archeologist. He lifted his head to meet his friend's dark eyes and saw only concern in them. He sighed and scrubbed a hand over his face, feeling all the previous anger leave him in an instant. "Just wake me up this time, okay?"

"Hey," said Jack raising his hands defensively. "I tried last time, but you wouldn't budge."

Daniel grinned slightly and ducked his head. "Oh, right. It had nothing to do with the fact I'd been up twenty-four hours straight negotiating that treaty."

"Nope, nothing at all to do with that, you just wouldn't budge."

"It seems O'Neill has had trouble rousing all of us at one time or another, Daniel Jackson," intoned Teal'c.

"Well I can't help it if you're all like the proverbial log."

"Of course not, sir," replied Sam lightly.

Jack snorted indignantly, picked up a limb and stoked the fire with purpose.

Daniel exchanged amused looks with Teal'c and Sam then moved his hand to quickly cover his mouth over an unexpected yawn.

"Staring at a wall all day really takes it out of you, eh Daniel?" teased the colonel.

"Though Daniel Jackson was not physically active while translating, O'Neill, I believe he still had a---work out."

"Thanks, Teal'c," replied the archeologist smugly.

"Oh, come on, big guy."

"It's true, Colonel."

"He stared at a wall all day!" exclaimed Jack. He met Daniel's eyes in an attempt to look incredulous. "A wall!" he added for good measure.

"Yes, Jack, I stared at a wall all day and you stared at me staring at that wall all day."

As if in response, Jack suddenly yawned. Sam chuckled and shook her head while Teal'c tipped his head to one side and regarded the colonel with an amused glint in his dark eyes.

"What was that, Jack?"

Jack mumbled something under his breath then stood. "I'm heading to bed. Just wake me when it's my turn, Teal'c."

"I will, O'Neill."

"Good night, sir," said Sam, a smile still touching her lips.

"Night."

Daniel watched his friend disappear into their shared tent then turned back to his remaining teammates.

"I'm sorry we have to leave tomorrow, Daniel."

"Me, too, Sam."

"I believe General Hammond will allow us to return."

Daniel shrugged. "Maybe Teal'c," he replied. "But somehow I doubt it. There's nothing on that wall of any military value." He waved a dismissive hand. "Just---unimportant squiggles."

Sam gave Daniel an understanding smile. "Why don't you get some sleep?"

"Yeah, good idea. Good night, guys."

"Pleasant dreams, Daniel Jackson."

"Good night, Daniel."

The archeologist reached down and grabbed his backpack then turned to walk the few paces to the tent. He stooped and crawled through the low opening into the small shelter. He tossed his pack in the corner by the foot of his sleeping bag then carefully moved around Jack's stretched out form.

"Good night, Daniel."

Daniel smiled at his friend buried beneath the sleeping bag next to his. "Good night, Jack," he responded with the same sing-song inflection then he stretched out on top of his own bed roll. He took off his glasses and laid them carefully aside then settled onto his back. He folded his arms cradling his head in his hands and stared at the canvas roof, his thoughts focused on the Alaran history and the darkness mentioned within it. He still had the feeling that what he'd read was not about the Alarans, but about another civilization altogether, but then he wondered, if that was the case, why Kaatzál hadn't mentioned it. Whoever's life was depicted in the symbols, it was clear to Daniel that they had met with an abrupt and perhaps violent end.

He closed his eyes and sighed tiredly, feeling sleep approaching rapidly. His mind immediately went back three weeks. He'd tried so hard to hold on to Eric, but he'd just been unable to find any purchase. He'd scrambled, his toes working to dig in to what remained of the fragile trail, his hands clawing desperately at the young lieutenant's wrist, his throat hurting from yelling for help, but it was all to no avail. He could still remember the helpless feeling of being pulled over the edge.

Then Daniel saw it; Eric's expression still so vivid in his mind's eye. He felt the wrist to which he held slip from his grip, the look of fear in the wide young eyes as the body fell away from him.

"No!"

Then hands were grabbing him, pulling him back from the precipice. Daniel fought against them, calling Eric's name over and over again.

"Daniel!"

He'd let him go. "Oh, God!" he screamed to the gray sky overhead.

"Daniel, wake up!"

The hands gripped his shoulders hard and he could feel himself being shaken. He tried to pull away, tried to reach for Eric again.

"Come on, buddy."

Daniel's eyes flew open and he stared into a shadowed face hovering over his. "Jack?"

"Yeah----you with me now?"

The archeologist swallowed convulsively. "Yeah, I---I think so," he managed. He covered his face with shaking hands. "Oh, God, Jack."

Jack remained leaning over Daniel, one hand resting supportively on the heaving chest. "Let it go," he urged.

Daniel swallowed again, but shook his head. "I can't."

"O'Neill, Daniel Jackson."

"Everything's okay, Teal'c."

Daniel dropped his hands from his face and looked away from his friend's concerned eyes. "I'm fine, Jack. Go back to sleep."

"Daniel."

"Really, Jack. I'm fine now. Thanks."

"Right," the colonel sighed, disbelief evident in his voice. He rolled away then flipped off the cover from his watch, the glow from its face softly illuminating the inside of their shelter. He slapped the cover back in place then sat up. "Time for me to relieve Teal'c," he announced and Daniel knew from the flat tone he'd angered his friend.

"Try to get some more shut eye, Daniel," continued the older man brusquely as he crawled from his sleeping bag, grabbed his boots and threw back the tent flap.

"I'm sorry, Jack. I just can't----."

Jack turned back and in the light cast by the campfire burning outside, Daniel could clearly see his friend's face relax. "I know," he replied and reached to gently pat Daniel's leg. "Go to sleep. I'll wake you for your watch."

Daniel watched the older man crawl from their tent then drop the flap back into place, returning the interior of their shelter to shadows. The archeologist scrubbed his face and heaved a long despairing sigh; he was just so tired. He tucked his hands back under his head as sleep pulled him down once again. His last conscious thought before he slipped away was of how cold the night had suddenly become.

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TO BE CONTINUED