The Dumante Council of the Tekani were to organize in the great hall, which amounted to no more than a pile of sticks thrown together into a sort of rudimentary hovel. The Tekani crowded outside, humming and clicking and chatting amongst themselves as though no one could hear, as though their presence outside was inconspicious. Jack O'Neill kept glancing over his shoulder at the commotion which the Council, who were assembled in some sort of powwow outside, ignored. Teal'c was intimidating in his stance beside the door, casting dark looks at those who dared peek inside. "Tell me again why I'm sitting in a hut that looks like it was designed by one of the three little pigs?" Jack asked him wearily.

Teal'c ignored the reference, which he understood as a part of human juvenile culture. "We are to ascertain the whereabouts of Daniel Jackson."

"Yes, Teal'c, I know that. What I'm asking is, why are we on a world that, while apparently not technologically superior to ours, should have proper housing. I mean, at least to the point where I'm not feeling like I'm in a Wicker Man." Jack shifted on the thin mat he had been provided. Teal'c continued to stand, refusing the courtesy of sitting. His ire wouldn't allow it. He and Daniel Jackson had become good friends. This attitude toward his disappearance was not to be tolerated.

"It would seem our hosts have something to hide, and they are responsible for keeping Daniel Jackson from contacting us."

Jack tapped the end of his P90 against the small table before him. "You've been thinking about this, haven't you?"

"I have."

"I think you hit the nail on the head. Don't even. . . you know what I'm talking about."

"I am indeed becoming accustomed to your idioms."

"Which just makes you a barrel of laughs, Teal'c."

"What are we to do about the situation?"

"What? Daniel Jackson's situation, or the need for improvement in regards to your humor?" Jack's tone mimicked Teal'c's.

"I am certain you understand when I say I am not in the mood for humor, O'Neill," Teal'c responded.

"Yeah." Jack lowered his eyes, then punched the air in frustration and stood. "What's keeping these shrimp so long anyway?" Jack countered Teal'c's expression. "Oh come on, buggy eyes, short scaly bodies, long-ass arms, tell me you didn't make the connection?"

"I have not." Teal'c seemed slightly amused.

"Yeah, well, here enters Papa Shrimp." Jack backed away as the small council filed in, chattering, and taking their small stools. He faced the new arrivals with Teal'c at his side.

The lead Shrimp waited until the Council had settled, then stood. "We have convened . . . "

"Where's Daniel? The hell with this protocol. Where is he?"

The lead Tekani blinked in surprise. "And what makes you think we know?"

"Don't give me that." Jack approached and leaned over the table. "You have to know where he is, you knew where he worked, you know what happened. You know, dammit! This is a disguise that anyone can see through, now where is he?"

There were a few clicks. "He is still on Telanos, at Belinrathe. We are told there was a cave-in. . ."

"What?"

". . . Our people were trapped and killed while uncovering a tablet. That's all we know."

"You. . . you sons of bitches! You rule the roost here, how the hell can that be all you know?"

"Was Daniel Jackson with them at the time of the collapse?" Teal'c asked.

"He was."

It was all Jack could do not to crack that vile head against the small table and serve sushi. "He was in the collapse. And you didn't TELL US?" He reached out and grabbed the leader by -what would be - his shoulder. "Where is he?"

"He is surely dead."

"WHERE IS HE?"

The leader pulled himself from Jack's grip and sat calmly. "We cannot say."

Jack gritted his teeth. "You. . . you son of a . . . " He lunged but was pulled back.

"O'Neill," Teal'c's voice was low and hard. "We have a rough map of the area that Daniel Jackson sent to General Hammond. We will go look for ourselves. The destination was not far from their gate."

Jack pointed. "You will answer for this. Treaty be damned."

"Please understand. This is a delicate situation."

"Delicate. I'll give you a delicate situation. Picture yourself on a skewer over a flame!"

"O'Neill. . ." Teal'c pulled the Colonel by the arm, feeling the tight muscle strain back. "O'Neill!"

Jack turned and faced his teammate. The Jaffa sent him a message in one glance, that further discussion was futile and Daniel didn't have time for it. "Where is this dig?"

"We will get the map."

Jack threw one more venomous look at the leader and followed Teal'c out of the hut.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"They offered no assistance whatsoever?" Hammond had heard of alien races that kept to themselves, but this one . . . "Not even to rescue their own?"

"Sir, whatever cockeyed excuse they try to give you for not going down there, forget it. They're scared. Daniel obviously found something that they didn't like, and I think they're trying to hide."

"And you want to go look for him at this dig."

"Yes, sir." The response was a formality. Jack was going with or without the general's blessings.

Fortunately the general was easy to reason with. "They've offered us very little in return, and put the life of one of my men in danger. How many teams do you need?"

"At the moment, sir, just one to guard the gate. We'll send for reinforcements once we get a handle on what's up."

"You have a go. I'll send SG5 to back you up. Contact me as soon as you can."

"Yes, sir." Jack shouldered his P90, and Teal'c leaned his staff weapon against his side. Hammond nodded and retreated to the control room where he ordered SG5 to the gate room for immediate deployment, and laid in orders for activation.

He didn't understand it. He couldn't believe they would just leave their own kind to perish, and the fact that Daniel, who acted in good faith, was there, riled him more. His teeth clenched and he glanced at his watch. The second had was moving too slowly. Where the hell was SG5? He snapped at Sgt. Siler, who was walking through, and the man merely replied that last he saw they were in the locker room gearing up. Siler always had a calm "at work" demeanor that Hammond admired. Not today. He yelled at Siler, to tell the team to get their asses to the disembarkation room, NOW. Siler had seen that particular look on the General's face before, and his stoic frame broke as he hurried off, running into Carter on the stairs. Hammond sighed and braced himself on the table. "Major . . . "

"I know, but I heard Daniel's in trouble."

"You should be in bed."

"I'm fine, sir. Request permission to . . . "

"Denied, Major, and you know better than to ask! Last report had listed a fever of one hundred and two. You should be back in the infirmary, or home."

"You can't expect me to just stay in the infirmary, sir! Not now."

She was right. What's more, he realized he wanted her presence nearby. But she looked weak, her blue eyes dull with fever, her cheeks flushed, her motions uncertain. Not to mention the whole contagious thing. "Major, you may have to sit this one out. You can't risk getting the whole of the SGC sick, never mind contaminating another world." He saw the familiar flash of temper, followed by reasoning. That's my girl.

"Of course you're right, sir. Just one thing. . ."

"I will keep you fully informed, no question. Now will you return to the infirmary, or should I call Dr. Frasier to send for an escort?"

Sam nodded, not pleased, but having little choice. She inhaled and winced, then carefully made her way back down the stairs as SG5 filed into the gate room. Hammond could hear O'Neill give a quick briefing on the situation, and saw him look up. The chevrons started to activate, and the team and a half vanished into blue.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Damn!" Jack whipped out his bandana and covered his nose as the white sands grated his skin. Teal'c did the same, as did the other team, and they ducked down and ran for a nearby shelter, a tent whipping about in the winds. Jack pulled the fabric down over the poles and tried to secure it. "They're shrimp, for god's sake! What the hell do they want with the desert?"

"I believe their genetic makeup is geared more toward this type of environment than water, O'Neill!" Teal'c yelled over the roar. "Their armor would protect them against storms of this nature!"

"Still don't know what they want with this place!"

"Daniel Jackson was not forthcoming in his objective?"

Jack managed to shake his head. "All I know is they wanted help finding some altar. Supposed to be proof that they originated from this planet. Think it's some kind of domestic dispute, two races each putting claim to this piece of garbage!"

Teal'c nodded and frowned into the distance. "We aren't going anywhere at the moment, O'Neill."

"Yeah, I caught that." Jack sighed and turned to the rest of the team. "Check your supplies," he said loudly. "If this doesn't let up in the next hour, we'll head back and try again." No point in trying to find anything now. He couldn't even see the Stargate for the sand.