Sam held Daniel's eyes firmly and forced herself to ask the question. 'And which setting is it on?'

'I don't know.' Daniel admitted. 'We need to go back to that previous menu. Maybe there's a way to see…'

'Colonel Carter!'

Teal'c's shout had both of them turning to the doorway to see Teal'c and Mitchell entering the chamber.

'What is it, Teal'c?' Sam asked.

'I can hear a number of voices outside the entrance way to the passage. I believe it is the rest of the Council.' Teal'c said. 'Have you been able to make any progress?'

Sam and Daniel exchanged a quick look.

'This is a control device.' Sam said gesturing at it. 'We think the Jaffa triggered it when they entered this structure and it switched on some kind of dormant security system that was tied to the area where your people have been disappearing.' She sighed. 'But we haven't found out much more than that yet.'

'We'll keep working on it, Teal'c.' Daniel promised.

Teal'c nodded. 'I will speak with the Council.'

Mitchell gestured back at Teal'c as he disappeared through the doorway. 'Should I…?'

'Go with him.' Sam said.

Mitchell hurried back through the passageway and caught up with Teal'c just as he stepped out of the darkness and into the bright Dakara sunlight.

There were five Jaffa stood arguing with Jav'nec and the other two guards. They stopped as they caught sight of Teal'c and Mitchell.

An elderly Jaffa disengaged himself from the group and headed towards them, a younger male following at his heels.

'Teal'c.' There was a cursory head bow from the older man.

'Byn'c.' Teal'c answered respectfully. His dark eyes slid to the younger. 'Cral'k.'

Byn'c's stern visage hardened as his dark gaze landed on the human standing next to Teal'c.

Mitchell gave a small hand-wave. 'Lieutenant Colonel Mitchell, pleased to meet you.'

'What is the meaning of this, Teal'c?' asked Byn'c, ignoring Mitchell.

Teal'c raised an eyebrow. 'My friends have come to assist me in finding Bra'tac and the other missing Jaffa.'

'The Council voted against asking the Tau'ri for help in this matter.' Byn'c snapped.

'I believe the Council made an error.' Teal'c said firmly.

'And who are you to decide that we made an error?' Cral'k said angrily.

'I mean the Council no disrespect,' Teal'c began, 'but we do not understand the technology of the Ancients who built Dakara. Colonel Carter and Daniel Jackson have already ascertained that the device is linked to a security system once used by the Ancients that inhabited this world.'

'They have no right to examine the device.' Cral'k gestured furiously at Mitchell. 'They are not welcome here.' He sneered. 'We do not need their help.' He turned to Byn'c. 'They should be made to leave immediately and the device destroyed as the Council planned.'

Teal'c ignored him and spoke to Byn'c. 'My friends are confident that they will be able to find out what has happened to Bra'tac and the others.'

Byn'c seemed torn. He looked from Teal'c to Mitchell and back. 'Wait here.'

The two Jaffa went back to the rest of the group and a discussion took place.

'You think they'll let us stay?' Mitchell asked quietly, keeping his voice low so the words didn't carry.

'Byn'c is an old friend of Bra'tac's.' Teal'c noted. 'I believe he will argue to give us the time to find him.'

'And Cral'k?'

'He is young and headstrong.' Teal'c said. 'I do not believe he will prevail against Byn'c's wisdom.'

Mitchell nodded and as Cral'k stormed angrily away from the group discussion, he figured Teal'c had been right. Byn'c gathered his robes around him and returned to Teal'c.

'You have until sunset, Teal'c.' Byn'c said. 'At that time, we will destroy the device.'

'I understand, Byn'c.' Teal'c bowed his head. 'My thanks.'

'However, your actions in bringing the Tau'ri have raised questions about your suitability to sit on the Council.' Byn'c said. 'The matter will be discussed at sun-rise tomorrow and your presence will be required.'

Teal'c acknowledged the summons with a nod of his head. Byn'c whirled away and they watched as he and the rest of the Council walked away.

'They going to kick you off the Council, Teal'c?' Mitchell asked casually.

'I believe that is their intention, Colonel Mitchell.' Teal'c said calmly as he turned and headed back to the chamber.

'You don't seem that bothered.' Mitchell noted.

'I accepted such a likelihood when I chose to return to the Tau'ri and ask for assistance.' Teal'c said in reply.

They entered the chamber to see Sam sitting tapping on the computer and Daniel scribbling into his notebook beside her.

'What happened?' Sam asked.

'We have been given until sunset, Colonel Carter.' Teal'c said.

'When is that?' Daniel asked.

Teal'c raised an eyebrow. 'It is four hours from now.'

Sam's eyes widened. 'So no pressure.' She muttered and motioned at Daniel to keep working.

It was a couple of hours later when Daniel took a break and headed out to the entrance-way to talk to Teal'c. He took a deep breath of fresh air and slouched against the red rock. He nudged Teal'c arm with a paper-wrapped sandwich. 'Sam packed an extra turkey sandwich in case you were hungry.'

Teal'c took it almost hesitantly but unwrapped it and bit into it enthusiastically.

'So…' Daniel began as he unwrapped his own sandwich.

'Have you and Colonel Carter made any further progress, Daniel Jackson?' Teal'c asked.

'Some.' Daniel said. 'From what I've been able to translate from the information in the system itself, there was once an outpost here much like on Antarctica on Earth. Now we think there was some kind of natural cataclysm which buried the outpost under heavy rock. Maybe a volcanic eruption, a violent earthquake, something.' He chewed and swallowed a bite of his sandwich hastily. 'The Ancients abandoned the lost buildings but at some point they rebuilt the city on the rock above which are the ruins you've been using for shelter.'

'I see.' Teal'c stated with an understanding stare.

'Now we think the security system transported Bra'tac and the others to a holding area like a jail or a…' Daniel gestured with his sandwich, 'a jail of some kind in the city.'

'Where?'

'That's the thing we haven't been able to work out yet.' Daniel admitted. 'Sam's still working on it.'

'I have much confidence in your and Colonel Carter's abilities to find a solution.' Teal'c stated.

Daniel nodded. 'I know.' He cleared his throat. 'You know this is really an incredible find for the Jaffa. The knowledge and information your people could gather from the database of an Ancient outpost could be immensely valuable. There may even be a working ZPM or another chair somewhere on Dakara.'

'I do not believe the Council will agree with your assessment, Daniel Jackson.' Teal'c said.

'But you've seen what an Ancient outpost can do, Teal'c.'

'I have indeed, Daniel Jackson, but many of the Jaffa have not.' Teal'c finished his sandwich. 'And they will no longer listen to me.'

Daniel sighed and looked briefly at the ground before he looked at his friend. 'Mitchell mentioned about the Council and…you.'

Teal'c's lips firmed.

'What's happened since you came back here, Teal'c?' Daniel asked quietly. 'It can't all be related to a…a dislike of the Tau'ri.'

Teal'c was silent for so long Daniel thought he wasn't going to answer him. 'I remember Sho'nac once said to me that I had become as feared on Chulak as once the Gods were.' The Jaffa murmured. 'So it is here.'

'They fear you.' Daniel said. His quick mind worked out the rest. 'The other leaders realised that you were the most likely person to lead the new Jaffa nation. You're the one who had the strength to rise up against the Gods, and free your people. You have support across the Jaffa that few others have. So what? They decided they had to reduce your influence and your power so they can keep hold of theirs? Is that why there's been a rise in this anti-Tau'ri movement? To undermine you?' He sighed as he read the truth in Teal'c's harsh face. 'I'm sorry, Teal'c.'

'It is not your fault, Daniel Jackson.'

'It's not yours either, Teal'c.' Daniel said softly. 'Will you be OK? Tomorrow, I mean.'

'I will.' Teal'c looked over at him.

'I could stay.' Daniel offered.

'Hey, guys!' Mitchell's excited yell had both of them turning as the young pilot stuck his head through the opening of the passageway. 'Sam's got an idea.'

They all hurried back into the chamber.

'Colonel Carter?'

'Have you figured it out?'

Teal'c and Daniel spoke almost at the same time.

Sam looked up from her laptop. 'I began thinking what if we were looking at this the wrong way?'

'The wrong way?' Daniel questioned with a perplexed frown.

'Well, we've been searching for where the device sent them as though it were a physical location.'

'Yes?' Daniel agreed hesitantly.

'But what if it's not?' Sam gestured. 'What if the holding area refers to a buffer of some kind in the security system? Maybe even an area of sub-space itself.'

'I guess that makes sense. We know the Ancients use sub-space all the time in their devices right.'

'Right.' Sam nodded happily. 'So I began to scan the memory of the Ancient device for recent additions.'

'And?'

'And I've found eleven new entries that all correspond within the time-frame.'

'OK.' Mitchell said. 'If they're stored in that thing, how do we get them out?'

'Well, thanks to Daniel's translations, I've been able to work out how the transportation system works.' Sam said simply.

'As I knew you would.' Teal'c stated proudly.

'It should just be a question of resetting the controls.'

'You can do that?' Mitchell asked astonished.

Sam blew her bangs out of her eyes. 'I think so but I'm going to need Daniel's help with the language.'

'Let's get to work.' Daniel said.

It took time to translate and reset the parameters. Teal'c watched anxiously at the entrance to the passageway as the sun began to set. He could see the approaching Council members approaching; the fire of their torches bobbing in the distance.

He made his way back to the chamber. 'The Council approaches to destroy the device.'

'I need a minute.' Sam said. 'This one?' She asked Daniel who pointed at the right symbol.

'I don't want to hurry you guys but,' Mitchell said nervously, 'we're kinda on a clock here.'

'We're done.' Sam said.

Daniel nodded. 'We're done.'

Sam took a deep breath. 'Well, here goes nothing.' She hit the enter key.