Daniel couldn't believe how difficult he found it to respond to his friend's call for help. He had been sitting outside the flight deck and he wondered if he hadn't gone to sleep. His body felt heavy, as if he'd just woken from a deep, heavy sleep. It was an effort to lift his limbs.

"What's happening to me?" he asked.

There was no answer. Maybe the Entity had gone to sleep too.

He could hear someone banging on the door, a large metal object crashing again and again and again. The desperation was clear. Whoever it was, and Daniel suspected Teal'c, wouldn't give up until the door gave way… or he died in the effort.

"Help me!" he demanded.

There was still no answer and Daniel realised he was going to have to work this one out for himself. Daniel pulled himself to his feet and started to run his hands over the door surround. There had to be some way of opening it from this side, there had to be some kind of override. Surely, a big red button wasn't too much to ask. Something to say, 'escape this way'?

"Come on, come on," he muttered to himself as he backed away a little.

If it weren't in plain sight, then where would it be? There was a sealed panel to the left of the door. Daniel gave it a tap with the butt end of his berretta. The space behind it was hollow. In true Jack O'Neill style, he took two steps back and unloaded his clip into it. Of course, there was the chance his actions would cause irreparable damage to the mechanism, but at this point he figured he didn't have that much to lose. He'd neglected to pack the oxy-acetylene torch and since he wasn't MacGyver, there wasn't any other way in.

The accuracy of his shots was good enough to have blasted a sizable hole. It was large enough that Daniel could use his hands to widen the gap. He didn't have time to put on his gloves and the jagged metal shred his palms. But Daniel ignored the pain. The frantic knocking had stopped and he knew his friends were almost out of time.

There was a space behind the panel and Daniel's searching fingers found the controls. He flicked the switch and the door slid open. Air whooshed into the chamber, closely followed by Daniel.

Teal'c was lying closest to the door. His staff weapon was still clutched in his hands. He'd been banging on the door, the last to give up. Daniel checked his pulse and was relieved to find that he was still alive. Sam and Jack were a little further away. Jack's body was covering Sam's, although what he was protecting her from Daniel couldn't tell.

All Daniel could do now was wait for them to wake up.

XOXO

Sam hated it when Pete fell asleep on top of her. He wasn't the lightest person in the world and he always grumbled when she tried to shove him off. It didn't help that he smelt as if he hadn't had a shower for a week. Sam then realised he'd also managed to wriggle his hand up inside her vest. If he thought he was getting any of that this morning he had another… wait a second… vest? She was wearing her ALICE vest in bed?

It took her fuzzy brain another ten seconds to realise that she wasn't at home, this wasn't her bed and the man on top of her wasn't Pete. Struggling, she pushed the Colonel away with a little more force than she would have used on her boyfriend.

"God!" he protested as his back hit the floor.

Sam tried to scramble to her feet but the second she raised her head, she felt sick.

"Lie still for a second," Daniel's voice told her.

"What happened?" she asked.

"When you turned the power back you also activated the defences."

Next to her, the Colonel sat up and drew his knees to his chest.

"You knew this would happen," he said.

"It told me they'd taken measure to protect themselves, I didn't know what they were," Daniel protested.

"They all killed themselves, did you know that?"

"No."

"And I bet someone had the bright idea of making sure no one left the ship alive… just in case someone chickened out. I bet you didn't know that either."

"Jack…"

"Why else would you insist on waiting outside?"

Daniel didn't seem to have an answer. He turned away from O'Neill, clearly hurt by the accusations, but Sam had the sneaking suspicions that the Colonel might have a point. She didn't think that Daniel would deliberately try to hurt them, far from it, but she had no idea what the Entity might be capable of doing… with or without its host knowledge.

The Colonel climbed to his feet and tugged his vest down.

"Let's go," he ordered.

"Sir?" Sam protested.

"I've seen enough."

"But…"

"No, Carter. We are going home and we're going to get that thing out of him. I want my friend back the way he was."

There was really no arguing with that. Sam let Teal'c help her to her feet. She still felt nauseated although she wasn't sure if it was just the effects of the oxygen deprivation. The fact she could still smell the Colonel's sweat on her skin was causing her some discomfort. Not that it meant anything… He was striding away from them and Sam couldn't help herself glancing at his butt. Thank goodness, she hadn't grabbed it.

She dropped back to walk beside Daniel.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"Fine," was the sullen reply.

So he wanted to sulk too. The two of them were as bad as each other. Sam really hoped Daniel knew of a short cut back to the Stargate. She didn't relish an eight-hour walk back, not to mention the climb at the end of it.

Sam, however, was out of luck. If anything, the journey back was worse. There was no excitement of discovery and she couldn't help feeling a profound sense of failure. She couldn't tell if they'd achieved anything and Daniel had picked up an unwelcome houseguest.

To make matters worse, her back was starting to ache. The Colonel must have fallen on top of her, in which case she probably owed him an apology… assuming he'd stop long enough to talk to anyone. Sam considered asking him if they could all a halt for the night but he probably wasn't in the mood to listen. Anyway, the last thing she wanted was to give herself time to stiffen up.

The rope climb was the hardest part, but there was no way she was going to suffer the indignity of allowing the guys to haul her up. At least at the end of it, the Stargate was in sight and it was brief step from there to the Alpha Site.

"Daniel, Teal'c, Carter… infirmary now!" O'Neill ordered the second they emerged from the wormhole.

"Sir?"

"Jack!"

"Daniel, I want that thing out of you. Carter, get your back checked out and thank you Teal'c for not arguing with me."

"What about you, sir?" Sam asked.

"I get the hot water."

XOXO

Jerry Mason didn't know how long he'd been suspended in the void. All sensation had been denied, a technique he was familiar with, even if he had never experienced sensory deprivation first hand.

When he first heard the voice, he assumed he was hallucinating. She was comforting, gentle, assuring him that all was well. Jerry didn't believe her for a second. The last thing he recalled was being dragged through the Stargate, a moment of intense pain and then…

Nothing.

The whispering became more insistent as time went by. There was a way out of here… a way home, but Jerry knew that was impossible. He reasoned that his ID had been locked out of the dialling computer a long time ago. The same was true of the Alpha Site, even thought the voice was telling him otherwise.

He could go home.

He could be safe.

She would show him how.

Jerry tried to stay resolute, but he was assaulted with memories of home. The more he resisted the more intense the images became.

He could smell his Mom's apple pie, the fresh cut grass as his Dad mowed the lawn.

He could feel the condensation running down the beer bottle his fingers held, the warmth of the woman pressed to his side.

XOXO

The Doctor's diagnosis was as Daniel had expected. Nothing could be done until they got back to the SGC and even then… well he'd known that when he'd agreed to take the Entity. It would leave of its own accord if he asked it to, but Daniel wasn't willing to do that just because Jack was throwing a hissy fit. He was sure General Hammond would agree with him when they got back. Daniel suspected that his friend's bad temper had more to do with being discovered draped over Sam than anything else. Familiar as he was with Jack's somewhat mercurial moods, Daniel felt sure it would pass soon enough.

However, while he was waiting for that to happen, Daniel decided it was best to stay out of his way. Unfortunately, on a base the size of the Alpha Site, there weren't that many places to hide. Somehow, he wasn't surprised to find that Sam was also skulking in the Gateroom.

"I thought you'd be sleeping by now," he said.

"I will," she replied, "I'm just waiting for the pain killers to kick in. How about you?"

Daniel tapped his head by way of reply. Eventually he would have to sleep but he was a little nervous about what the Entity might do with his body while he did.

"It's a little weird, isn't it?" he began.

"What is?"

"Having someone else inside your head?"

"I wouldn't know. Both times it happened to me I didn't exactly have any control. You could always ask Colonel O'Neill."

"Uh… no," Daniel said and Sam smiled at his reaction.

Since the Tok'ra symbiote Kanan had gone AWOL with Jack's body, it probably wasn't a good subject for discussion.

"Any idea what Jack wants to do now?" he asked after a few moments of silence.

"None at all. I don't think he'll just let it drop. I'm kind of hoping that we'll go back to the SGC for a short while."

"Pete?"

"… Can look after himself. I'm more worried about Cassie."

"Is she okay?"

"I honestly don't know."

Daniel felt a surge of guilt at her admission. He wondered if he should have taken a little more interest in the girl's welfare. He'd seen her at the funeral and he'd thought he'd made it clear that she could call if she needed anything, but… Sam leaned over and touched Daniel's hand.

"It's okay," she reassured him.

"Yeah, she's probably having a wild party as we speak."

The both turned to see Jack standing behind them, a semi-contrite expression on his face.

"At least that would be normal," Sam smiled, showing that she had forgiven him… then again she always did.

"Okay, we go home. Daniel can get himself checked out; Carter can see Cassie and I'll talk to Hammond. But first I want you both rested, understand?"

"Yes, sir."

"Yes, Jack."

"Good, now come to bed."

They looked at each other, then at Jack and burst out laughing as his face turned bright red.

"Both of us, or one at a time?" Daniel asked.

"Daniel, shut up."

"It's just a question…"

Any further teasing was immediately put on hold when the Stargate started to spin and the base alarms started to blare. The chevrons didn't even have time to engage as the 'gate sprang into life. This was wrong, Daniel realised immediately, very wrong. Seemed Sam was thinking along the same lines.

"We should get out of here," she warned.

The alarms had alerted the rest of the base personnel and they found their path impeded by people trying to get into the room. Daniel found himself at the back of the fleeing group, just as something grabbed his ankle. He bent down to knock whatever it was away when he suddenly found himself pulled off his feet.

"Jack!" he yelled.

A strong hand grasped his, and Daniel heard Sam's voice shout,

"Track the wormhole!"

"Carter, get away from it. Everyone out! That's an order."

She screamed. Daniel couldn't believe it, Sam Carter actually screamed. It was so loud that he felt Jack's grip falter slightly and Daniel dugs his fingers into his friends wrist. The Entity in his head was telling him that he shouldn't let go. If Jack was holding onto him, Daniel had to wonder what was holding onto Jack. Jack's other hand gripped his taking a firmer hold and for a second Daniel thought he was safe… but the force pulling him away seemed to sense this. It doubled in magnitude.

Daniel felt himself slipping…

Slipping…

Slipping…

XOXO

Wrenching himself from Teal'c's grasp, Jack hurled himself towards the open Stargate, wanting nothing more than to follow his friends. Before he could get there, the wormhole disintegrated and Jack found himself face down on the floor.

He couldn't believe it. In a matter of seconds, he'd managed to lose Carter and Daniel. Jack pushed himself to his feet, his mind racing. He knew he couldn't afford to dwell on the loss, not yet.

"Pierce, recall all off-world teams and prepare to evacuate," he ordered.

"Sir?" the other man gaped at him.

"That thing knew exactly where to hit us and judging by what happened on P9J-567, the next time will be a whole lot worse."

Pierce nodded and turned away to carry out his orders. Jack took a deep breath. They could be out of here in half a day. The trip back to Earth would take a little longer but they should get home before the Stargate was operational again, in time to give the SGC a warning. For now, all Earth controlled Stargates would have to be abandoned. They could think about getting Carter and Daniel back once all personnel were safe. Jack couldn't believe that the attack on the Alpha Site had been a matter of random chance.

"You are injured, O'Neill."

Jack looked up at Teal'c then down at his hands. There were deep scratches where Daniel's nails had dug into the flesh, bruising where his fingers had gripped so tightly.

"It can wait," he snapped as he shoved his hands into his pockets. Every time he looked at them, he was reminded of his failure to save Daniel. Hell, he hadn't even tried to grab hold of Carter.

"This was not your fault, O'Neill," Teal'c said.

"I know," Jack replied.

"I do not believe you."

"Not now."

This wasn't the time or the place for a heart-to-heart with Teal'c. There were too many people around for a start and he had an evacuation to organise. Besides, Carter and Daniel were the smartest people he knew. They were probably half way home already.

If anything, Jack was more worried about Daniel than he was about Carter. She could look after herself, but even after seven years, Jack wasn't sure that the same could be said about his other friend.

XOXO

Teal'c watched his friend's behaviour very closely on their way back to Earth, but O'Neill was being careful. The only unusual thing about his actions was the fact he was calm, polite and respectful. Three very good reasons for Teal'c not to trust him. He even considered deliberately provoking O'Neill in an effort to force him to express his anger. However, such an action would probably result in severe pain and possible permanent injury. Even without his symbiote, Teal'c was considerably stronger than O'Neill was, but his friend was a cunning and skilled opponent. Victory was not certain.

It wasn't that Teal'c wanted a confession from O'Neill. The sight of his friend sitting eating blue Jell-o by himself spoke more eloquently that any words. He missed the companionship of his friends and the complex interplay of relationships that bound them together as a team.

"May I join you, O'Neill?" Teal'c said.

"Since when have you had to ask?" O'Neill replied.

His joviality sounded forced, as was the sarcasm of his next question.

"How can you eat so much?"

"I asked because I thought you might wish to be alone."

"I swear I'm getting man…"

"O'Neill!"

"Do you think I look fat?"

"I do not."

O'Neill was being exceptionally obtuse… even for him, and Teal'c was on the point of giving up.

"Know what?" O'Neill went on.

"What?"

"I don't even like blue jell-o."

With that remark, O'Neill rose, disposed of his tray and left the room. The conversation had been ended very effectively and unless Teal'c wished to pursue him, which he did not, this would have to wait until they returned to Earth. Then, if it became necessary, he would express his concerns to General Hammond.

XOXO

Someone was screaming at him. Daniel couldn't work out where it was coming from, despite moving his head in an effort to pinpoint the noise. Why was it shouting? He just wanted to be left alone to sleep. The next thing he knew, his body was struggling against the bonds that held him, but Daniel had no control over what was happening. He knew now the force was internal, not external.

"What are you doing?" he demanded.

SAVE

"Save who?"

SAVE YOU

The answers came crashing into his mind, exacerbating the headache he realised he had. The Entity thought it was saving him. Daniel asked it what from and in reply, his eyes were opened.

He was lying on a couch, bound to it by a tough, flexible foamed material. His entire body was swathed leaving only his head free. It stretched as he pushed against it, but it did not break. Daniel managed to turn his head just enough to see that Sam was lying on his right, similarly bound.

Everything around him seemed large and bright. He'd never seen such colours on Earth. The blue was slightly too close to ultraviolet, reds were the many shades of fresh blood and if he looked at the yellow for too long, his eyes started to hurt.

In the distance, Daniel could hear voices chattering. The language was one he couldn't understand. Craning his head around, he tried to catch a glimpse of his captors. Given the immensity of his surroundings, Daniel expected them to be giants, but he estimated the creatures would barely come up to his chest.

And they reminded him of hamsters.

One of them came over and stared at him for a while before moving away again. They certainly weren't human. Bipedal, their brightly coloured clothes covered skin that had a visible layer of hair… not quite thick enough to be called fur. Their faces were definitely rodent-like and Daniel caught a glimpse of rather large incisors. Which probably meant they were vegetarian and unlikely to eat him.

They didn't seem to realise he was conscious and Daniel decided it was best to keep it that way. At least until he figured out how to free himself. Relaxing for a moment, he did nothing more than flex his fingers, digging his nails into the foam. To his surprise, small sections of it came away. Daniel paused for a moment, worried that his action might have been noticed, but the hamster-men were leaving.

Eventually, he managed to free one of his hands and wriggle it out of confinement … almost dislocating his shoulder in the process. He started tearing at the foam, taking advantage of its inherent friability. Once the first incision was made, it tore easily.

Sitting up, Daniel had a far better idea of the dimensions of the room. It contained rows and rows of couches and from what he could see, most of them were occupied. Next to each couch was a control panel. They were vast, twice Daniel's height and three times as broad.

The nearest analogy he could come up with was some kind of life support system. If that was the case, would an alarm sound if he left his couch? There was only one way to find out.

Moving a silently as he could manage, Daniel slipped over to the next couch.

"Sam. Sam!" he hissed.

Her eyelids fluttered, but she didn't wake up. Undeterred, Daniel started to free her. He figured he could carry her out if he had to.

"Come on, Sam," he muttered as he pulled her upright.

Sam's head lolled forward as she showed no signs of waking. Daniel was starting to panic. The Hamster people would be back soon. Realising he had little choice in the matter, Daniel slung Sam's limp body over his shoulders and started to weave his way through the couches, hoping to find a way out. Where was Jack when you needed him?

He would have happily carried Sam leaving Daniel free to look around. As it was, he had to concentrate on walking and not banging into things.

As far as he could tell, most of the occupants of the room were human. Of those that weren't, there were a few who were so alien that Daniel was barely able to look at them without his stomach turning. He had no time to wonder why they might be trapped here.

In the closest wall, he spotted a circular hole. It was set at chest height and it was large enough to walk down… if he bent double or crawled. He assumed it was a ventilation shaft.

Daniel started to push Sam into the opening when he paused. Next to it was a human shaped door. He could hear chattering, but he couldn't tell exactly where they were coming from. Were they using the door or… Changing his mind, Daniel pulled Sam through the door, mere seconds before one of the hamsters popped out of the tube.

If they travelled in little plastic balls… but he wasn't going to go there.

The corridor he found himself in showed signs of disuse. It was not well lit and Daniel thought he could detect a layer of dust on the floor. Sam was, by this time, semi-conscious and moving under her own power, albeit supported. Daniel was doing his best to hurry them along, but she wasn't being particularly cooperative. It wouldn't take the Hamster-people long to realise where they'd gone. They needed somewhere to hide for a while, long enough for Sam to shake off the effects of the drugs.

XOXO

Sam's stomach gave an audible growl as she ducked back down around the stairs and out of view of the search party. Whatever the rodent-like humans were, their eyesight wasn't very good. She couldn't remember the last time she had eaten. On top of the low blood sugar, she also had a blinding headache and she pitied Daniel for being the one stuck with her.

There had to be a way out of here. Logically, since a wormhole brought them here a similar means of transport could be used to take them home again. All they had to do was find it.

They were slowly being driven upwards, which left Sam in little doubt as to the intelligence of their pursuers. She had the feeling they were in no hurry to recapture herself or Daniel.

"What do you think?" she asked in a whisper.

"Up the stairs," he replied. "I don't think we have any other choice."

Eventually they wouldn't be able to go any further and they'd be sitting targets. Even so, Sam wasn't about to make their eventual capture too easy. The Colonel would be looking for them. With luck, they could stay at large long enough for him to get here.

'But how's he going to find you?' the voice in her head demanded. 'He has no idea where you are.'

Sam did her best to ignore her doubts. The last order she had given was for someone to track the wormhole and she hoped to God that someone had obeyed. Sam was currently faring better than Daniel was, but only because he'd spent a significant portion of time carrying her. They would both need to sleep eventually.

Ascertaining that the area outside their hiding place was now quiet, Sam signalled to Daniel and they started to creep up the stairs. She wasn't certain how far up they'd come. There were no windows and no way to get their bearings. It wasn't unlike being trapped in the SGC. They could very easily be underground.

"Sam!" Daniel called out from the end of the corridor.

He'd gone ahead, leaving Sam to cover their rear. Although what good she could do, she wasn't sure. They didn't have any weapons with which to protect themselves should the Hamster people approach from behind.

"What is it?" she asked as she hurried to catch up with him.

"I think I found the elevator," he grinned.

They had very little to lose and they might end up somewhere interesting. Despite the fact she should have been in 'military mode' Sam couldn't help feeling a twinge of excitement at the prospect of exploring a new world. Daniel also had a slightly guilty expression on his face as he obviously felt the same way.

Once inside, Sam punched the top button. The car shuddered slightly as it started to move. Judging by the ominous creaks and groans, the mechanism hadn't been used for a while. Sam's guess about being underground had been correct. When the doors slid open, she and Daniel found themselves on the surface.

At first Sam thought it was night, but as her eyes adjusted to the gloom she realised the landscape was bathed in the bloody light of a small star; a red dwarf. They felt the chill immediately. Logically, Sam knew the feeble rays of the sun had to be warming the atmosphere… It just didn't feel that way. There was a glow on the horizon and she could only think it was a sign of civilization. In silent agreement, she and Daniel started to walk towards it.

XOXO

Jack O'Neill always experienced a certain sense of dislocation when he returned to Earth after an extended period off world. Understandably, he found it difficult to return to a more mundane existence, and never more so than on this occasion.

Cassie certainly wasn't throwing the wild party that he and Carter had joked about, Jack realised has he drew up outside the house. In fact, it didn't look as if there was anyone home. Getting no reply when he knocked at the door, Jack used his key to let himself in.

However, he quickly found out that the house wasn't as empty as it appeared. As soon as he walked into the living room, his skull was nearly split apart by a series of high-pitched screams. Before he could say anything, someone had kicked him just above the knee although he suspected his attacker meant to aim a little higher. It was a good thing he was tall.

"Cassandra!" he snapped as he backed off.

He fumbled for the light switch. Finding it, he turned to face his attackers… half a dozen teenaged girls in fluffy PJs. Cassie was closest to him and he guessed she was the one who had kicked him.

"I'm sorry," she apologised, "But we were telling ghost stories…"

"Never mind. I like your attitude," he replied.

"Is that Sam's boyfriend?" one of the other girl's asked in an audible whisper.

"He's hot," another one added.

As flattering as the comment was, Jack had to shake his head.

"I'm her boss."

"Jack… where's Sam?" Cassie asked.

"Cass…"

He didn't know what to say, not in front of an audience. When Janet had died, Carter had been the one to tell Cassie. In Jack's defence, he had been confined to the infirmary or he would have gone with her and shared the burden. This time the task fell to him alone.

"… let's go outside," he finished.

She already knew something was wrong and for a second he thought she was going to demand an explanation right there and then, but she obediently followed him out of the room.

"Sam's dead, isn't she?" Cassie asked as soon as they were alone. Her voice was strangely calm, and Jack knew she was preparing herself to hear the worst.

"I hope not," Jack replied. "But she's missing."

Jack didn't want to lie to her, nor did he want to cause her undue distress. The truth was, he just didn't know. Jack admitted he was clinging to the hope that she was still alive. The attack on the Alpha Site had to be a result of intelligence gathered from SG-7, so whoever was responsible was also keeping their prisoners alive… at least for a while.

Cassie was trying her best to be strong, but Jack didn't know if it was for him or her friends.

"Do you want me to stay?" he offered.

"Yes."

"Shall I take your friends home?"

"Yes."

To their credit, Cassie's friends didn't complain about the fact their sleepover had been cut short. Each of them offered Cassandra a big hug as Jack tried to usher them out of the door. Her cell phone would probably be active for most of the night as they checked up on her but it reassured him slightly. Jack was going to have to return to the SGC in the morning, and he wasn't thrilled about leaving her alone.

When he got back, Cassandra was defiantly drinking a beer. Jack didn't comment. He'd rather she did it in front of him than sneak around behind his back. Since he'd had a very long and a very bad day, Jack grabbed one too. They didn't talk much and Cassandra didn't take more than a couple of sips from her bottle. Jack finished it off for her after she'd gone to bed.

"You can take Sam's room," she'd told him before she'd retired.

Under any other circumstances, Jack would have refused, but he was craving the chance to sleep in a proper bed. Luckily, there was nothing of Pete Shanahan's in the room; otherwise, Jack would have definitely slept on the couch. And he found something that made him smile. There was an old UASF T-shirt slung over the bedpost.

As Jack picked it up, his grin broadened. It was one of his. Specifically, the shirt he'd been wearing during his run in with mini!me. Of course, Sam could have picked it up in error, Jack wasn't exactly renowned for his tidiness, but he liked the idea she kept it for another reason. Besides, it gave him something to sleep in. He did feel like an intruder as he slipped under the quilt, but the lure of rest was too strong. Surrounded by the scent of vanilla and lavender, Jack slept.

XOXO

The smell of coffee finally woke Jack. He rolled over in bed, stretching his arm across the mattress, and then wondered why he thought someone else should be there. A glance at the clock on the bedside table told him he's slept far later than he'd meant to. He'd have to move it if he wanted to get the SGC before his shift started.

Deciding he would wait until he got to the base before taking a shower, Jack pulled his pants on and headed in search of the coffee. He didn't expect to find anyone other than Cassandra waiting for him.

The man in the kitchen was clearly agitated.

"I wouldn't let him wake you," Cassie said.

"Why wasn't I told?" Pete demanded before Jack had time to say anything.

"Cass?" Jack asked.

"I told him," she replied.

"Then you know."

Despite having slept for nearly ten hours, Jack was really too tired to put up with any crap from Pete. The man's little stunt with the whole Osiris case hadn't endeared him to Jack. Sure, he was sorry the guy had gotten hurt. From a certain point of view, he could understand why Pete had acted on his instincts, but he should have had the sense to back away when he'd seen what was going down.

Jack knew if he were in Pete's position, he'd probably be making the same demands… However, he wasn't and it was doubtful he ever would be.

"Technically, we don't have to tell you squat," he went on as he poured himself some coffee. "You aren't listed as Carter's next of kin. And she's just missing."

"Just missing…!" Pete exclaimed angrily.

"Yeah, and I'm going to get her back."

"You're not the only one who cares about her," the other man accused him.

"Maybe not, but I'm the only one who can do anything about it," he replied, almost daring the cop to disagree.

There, the cards were on the table. Jack didn't have the energy to try to deny the accusation. He spoke with more emotion than he'd meant to, but his words had the desired effect and Pete backed off. Cassie was watching the pair of them, her eyes wide. He realised this was probably hurting her far more than she was letting on. Pete and himself were secondary. Jack had to get Carter back for Cassie's sake.

"Pete, can you stay around for a few days?" he asked.

"I have some leave I can take," Pete answered, warily.

"Do me a favour and keep Cassie company?"

"Sure."

"Jack!" Cassandra objected.

"Humour me, Cass. I don't want to be worrying about you while I'm worrying about Carter. Or do you want my hair to fall out as well as the grey?"

The teenager knew him well enough to realise he was speaking the truth.

"I have to go," Jack said.

"Bring her back," Pete said.

"I will."

He and Pete shook hands. Cassie gave him a hug and Jack tried not to feel bad about leaving her.

XOXO

As he looked around the briefing room, Teal'c could almost hear O'Neill's objections… even though his friend had not yet arrived. General Hammond had certainly selected an eclectic group of people to aid their search for Major Carter and Daniel Jackson.

To Teal'c's right sat Lieutenant Jennifer Hailey. Her diminutive form belied her potential as a warrior. He knew that Major Carter had predicted a great future for this young woman, and Teal'c could think of no higher recommendation. However, he could not say they same for Doctor Felger, who occupied the chair to his left. Although the man had been responsible for saving his life, Teal'c still hadn't entirely forgiven him for managing the crash the entire Stargate network. True, the Doctor hadn't been entirely responsible, but it had been his program. He needed to be watched very carefully.

Cameron Balinsky was they final new face at the table. P3X-666… He had risked his life to bring the news that SG-13 were under attack. Teal'c doubted he would ever forget that world… the place where Janet Fraiser died. Judging by his depressed appearance, it was clear the young man was still traumatized by his experience.

"You have got to be kidding me!"

O'Neill's exclamation was exactly as Teal'c had expected … just without the 'for crying out loud.'

Hailey, he noticed, had jumped to attention, as had Felger although Teal'c couldn't fathom the reason why. Balinsky stayed seated. He didn't even raise his head.

"Is this the best you could do?" O'Neill asked General Hammond.

"I've been analysing the data you brought back from the Alpha Site," Hailey said, apparently unfazed by O'Neill's reaction.

"Okay, you can stay."

He took a seat and folded his hands, staring at Hailey expectantly. His undivided attention, however, caused her to stammer. She looked towards the General who gestured for her to continue.

"I… uh… they… there was enough information to track the wormhole."

"And?"

"It disappeared, sir."

"Excuse me?"

"Beyond the usual six co-ordinate system, so I tried to run a model using a seventh chevron."

"And?"

"It still doesn't work. I can only make sense of it if I add an eight and a ninth co-ordinate but…"

"What you're telling me is you have no idea where they are?"

"Yes, sir."

Her lip trembled for a second. She was taking the failure very personally.

"Anyone else?" O'Neill demanded.

There was silence around the table. Then Felger raised his hand. O'Neill's eyes closed in what was possibly a moment of pain, but Hammond signalled for the man to continue.

Felger got to his feet, his eyes glittering with excitement.

"The wormhole," he began and then paused for dramatic effect. "Wasn't like anything we've ever seen before!"

"And why is that?" Teal'c asked since O'Neill had his head in his hands.

"It seems capable of bidirectional travel."

"Carter worked out that much," O'Neill snapped.

Felger dropped the pile of notes he was hold, earning himself a disdainful glare from Hailey. Teal'c sensed there had already been some conflict between these two.

"What if the eight and ninth co-ordinates take the wormhole out of this universe?" Felger said, ignoring Hailey's disdainful laugh.

"Lieutenant?" O'Neill asked.

Under any other circumstances, O'Neill would have asked Major Carter for clarification. He didn't appear as if he fully trusted the young woman's opinion. It was just that he could rely on her more than he could on Felger.

"An inter-universe wormhole is a theory, nothing more," Hailey said. "It would require vast amounts of negative energy. The Stargate system is the only efficient means of wormhole travel that we know of."

"Being the operative word," O'Neill finished.

"Sir?"

"Maybe the Stargate system isn't the only one."

"You are thinking of the device we encountered on P9C-372?" Teal'c asked.

"Yeah."

"Colonel?" Hammond questioned.

The General seemed to be losing the thread of the conversation. Understandable really, since neither Teal'c nor O'Neill had though to explain a mistake that they attempted to rectify.

"We found this huge metal gizmo…" O'Neill began.

"That Major Carter believed to be made of Naquadah," Teal'c added.

"It had something to do with wormholes but it wasn't a Stargate."

The other members of the briefing looked at each other.

"Um… yes, that's very clear," Felger said.

"The point is we saw footage of a wormhole and it could be another way to get to Carter and Daniel. I think we should check it out, sir," O'Neill replied.

"The evidence is flimsy at best," Hammond said.

"I know… I know… but it's all we got."

XOXO

"Chloe! Chloe!" Jay Felger screamed as he burst through the double doors into his lab.

The last time he'd been this excited had been his thirty-fifth birthday when his mom had brought him the original Star Trek series on DVD.

"What is it, Jay?" Chloe asked as she turned away from the computer program she was working on.

"I'm going!" he said.

"Going where?"

"On the Prometheus, to rescue Major Carter and Daniel Jackson. I'm part of Colonel O'Neill's hand-picked team."

Chloe glared at him. Okay so maybe handpicked was a little bit of an exaggeration. He was probably the only person not on leave or injured, but it didn't matter to Jay. He'd been selected to go on the mission, the how any why didn't really matter. He was the right man for the job and he was determined to make Colonel O'Neill realise that.

"You've got to help me pack," he ordered.

"Is it just you?" she asked, not moving from where she stood.

"There are a couple of other people."

He didn't want to admit whom exactly. Jennifer Hailey had no time for him, and she'd said as much. Jay also had the uncomfortable feeling that she was actually smarter than he was... and that Colonel O'Neill liked her more.

"I'll need… all this stuff," Jay said. "And could you make me a sandwich… the same one as you did last time?"

"Yes, Jay," she heaved a long-suffering sigh. "Or maybe I could come with you this time?"

"I don't think so. The universe is a strange and terrifying place. It's no place for a wom… Ow!"

A very large and heavy piece of equipment had suddenly landed on his foot.

"Sorry," Chloe said with an apologetic smile, although she didn't sound very sincere. "So what does that make Major Carter? If she's not a woman, Colonel O'Neill is in for a very nasty surprise."

"Chloe, I don't want to hear you repeating malicious gossip. Colonel O'Neill is…"

"Is what?" the voice of the man in question demanded.

Jay found himself tripping over Chloe's feet in his efforts to greet the Colonel. He slung his arm across the man's shoulders in a friendly fashion.

"Felger! Touching!" O'Neill snapped.

Felger immediately pulled his arm away.

"Well, Jack… Can I call you Jack?"

"No."

"Well… Colonel O'Neill … I was just explaining to Chloe that it's a tough universe out there and how men like us are needed to blaze a trail across the heavens."

For some reason the Colonel didn't seem to be that impressed. In fact, he seemed to be more interested in Chloe.

"You know what, you should come with us," he offered.

"Me?" she gasped, as well she might. She was, after all, just an assistant.

"Sure, I could use your help."

Chloe giggled. If Jay hadn't known better, he would have sworn that O'Neill was actually flirting with her. Why would he do that? Why?

"Isn't it too dangerous? You know, Jaffa at every turn, systems lords…" Felger asked.

"Not really. The moon's been abandoned," Chloe said. "I read the mission reports."

"Why don't we discuss it over coffee?" O'Neill offered.

"I'd like that Colonel."

"Call me Jack."

XOXO

'The four foot nine fighting machine' Colonel O'Neill had called her and Jennifer Hailey sincerely hoped he'd meant it in an affectionate way. Sometimes it was difficult to tell when he was being derogatory. However, he had the reputation of being the finest commander in the SGC so Hailey was willing to put up with a few eccentricities. Having seen the man in action, she knew the reputation was well earned. She still vividly remembered her first trip through the Stargate, M4C-862. Colonel O'Neill had risked his life with his run to the Stargate. He would rather do that than put others in danger and Hailey had learned a valuable lesson. She admitted she'd been prone to a severe case of hero worship ever since.

If anyone was worthy of her undying devotion, it was Major Carter, but the two women were really too similar in nature to ever have a cordial relationship. Jennifer didn't believe Major Carter was always right, and vice versa. Differences in opinion led to conflict between them, and the young lieutenant had to admit to a certain frustration when people automatically deferred to the older woman.

In Hailey's eyes, this was her chance to prove herself. She was ambitious … always had been. Lurking at the back of her mind was the thought that a spot on SG-1 could be up for grabs. Not that she actually wished either Major Carter of Dr. Jackson harm, but if a vacancy came up, Hailey wanted to make certain she was first in line should the opportunity arise.

"Don't screw up… don't screw up," she muttered to herself as she took the elevator up to the surface.

She could do this… She had to do this. Then again, if the worst came to the worst, at least she'd make a better showing than Felger.

XOXO

Balinsky didn't know why he'd been chosen for this mission. He knew the rest of his team were out of rotation, but that didn't mean he was the only archaeologist available. He'd sat silently at the briefing, hoping that no one would notice him, but the technique hadn't worked and he'd gotten his marching orders.

The truth was, after his last mission, he was starting to doubt his usefulness to the program. It had been his decision to stay on that planet. He'd been so enthralled by the ancient ruins that he had spared no thought as to the safety of the rest of his team.

The result…

His friends had been injured.

Janet Fraiser had died.

And it was all his fault.

He didn't trust himself to go out there again, especially not with SG-1. What would happen if he screwed up? Here, on the plane heading towards Area 51, Balinsky was very much keeping himself to himself. He didn't deserve another chance. Hell, he could barely look Colonel O'Neill in the eye. It was lucky the man was pretending to be asleep, having found that it was the only way to stop Dr. Felger talking to him.

It was a technique Balinsky wondered if he shouldn't be employing himself. The doctor certainly had a case of verbal incontinence. Since everyone else was essentially ignoring him, Balinsky didn't have the heart to shut him down.

"And you know Major Carter and I… well, let's just say we connected on an intellectual level."

Felger raised his eyebrows in a suggestive fashion, which coincided with a snort from Colonel O'Neill.

"What can I say? The ladies appreciate brains over brawn," Felger continued.

He was probably going to talk for the entire flight but in some ways, it was a relief. At least it stopped Balinsky thinking. All he had to do was nod in the appropriate places and maybe it made the other man feel a little better too.

XOXO

Everything Daniel looked at spoke of ages past; from the vegetation to the road, he and Sam were now walking along. They'd come across the causeway not long after they'd left the underground facility. It made sense there'd be some connection between that and the city, but it was obvious it hadn't been used in years. The paving stones were cracked in places, uneven in others. It didn't make for easy walking. Anywhere else and the road would have been overgrown… but not here.

Daniel doubted that anything grew here anymore. There were a few stunted trees, moss, lichen but not much else. What could grow without light? Very little changed as the sun crossed the sky. The 'day' didn't get any brighter or warmer. In a world this dark, it was no wonder there was always a glow on the horizon. Daniel was glad of the guiding light. He hated to think they might get themselves lost here. Unless they particularly wanted to scrape lichen from the rocks, they'd quickly find themselves without food and without shelter. Once the sun went down and the temperature dropped…

Even so, Daniel was hoping there was civilisation at the end of their march and it wasn't just some false hope. Who knew what was actually over the horizon? It might not be a city at all. His spirits rose, however, when they reached the bridge and he could see buildings on the other side.

Since they had reached the surface, there had been no signs of further pursuit. Of course, their former captors could be nocturnal and the attack would happen once the sun went down. The thought made him even more eager to reach the city. Given the condition of the bridge they still had to cross, a little enthusiasm wasn't a bad thing.

The graceful suspension bridge spanning the vast gorge must have been beautiful once. Now, the rail was missing in places and there were gaping holes in the surface they were walking on. The river that had once carved its way through the rock was now no more than a pathetic trickle. As Daniel looked down, all he could see were jagged rocks, just waiting for him to fall on them. If there had been anything in his stomach, he might well have been physically sick. He'd forgotten how much he hated heights. Over the years, the fear had diminished somewhat… just to attack him with full force at the most inopportune moments. Sam, he noticed, unhindered by such phobias, had stopped to wait for him at the crest of the span.

"Don't stop," he hissed through gritted teeth as he drew level with her.

"Are you okay?" she asked in concern.

"Just keep going."

He needed someone to focus on otherwise he was going to fall prey to the old cliché and put his foot through a hole in the surface. And Jack would never forgive him. If Sam was in front of him, he could walk where she did… even if the matter of their differing weights did prey on his mind. The technique worked. A few more steps and Daniel found himself on solid ground.

They had entered the outskirts of the city and seemingly, empty buildings surrounded them.

"Doesn't look like anyone's home," Sam said.

"There may not be enough people," Daniel suggested.

It made sense. The lights were still ahead of them. A dwindling population may well have migrated towards the central section. Not that it mattered. They didn't have any choice other than to go on.

The architecture hinted at a once prosperous civilization and it was all Daniel could do to stop himself darting into the ruins. There was no sign of the skyscrapers that were found in the major cities on Earth. At the most, each building was two or three stories high, but way above them, creating an intricate network across the sky was a series of causeways that Daniel could only imagine had formed the transport system. Whether it had carried people or vehicles, he couldn't tell.

"Do you recognise any of this?" he asked the Entity.

THIS IS NOT MY WORLD

"I realise that. I was thinking about the shape of the buildings. Are the like the ones the organic life forms built?"

I NEVER SAW

Daniel had no way to tell if it was lying.

The first person they saw screamed and ran away. Daniel could only imagine that neither himself, nor Sam presented a very appealing appearance. They were both somewhat dishevelled after their long walk. What he didn't expect was, ten minutes later, to hear the distinctive chatter of their former captors. How they had got there so quickly, he couldn't imagine… unless they had some kind of underground transport system. The more he thought about it, the more logical his theory seemed.

The streets were full of them. Daniel and Sam had no choice but to force their weary bodies to move just that little bit faster. If they could just keep far enough ahead then maybe, just maybe they could find somewhere to hide until…

Until what?

Jack and Teal'c came to the rescue?

Daniel admitted to himself that the chances of that happening were slim to none. Yet he didn't even consider giving up. Even if their capture was inevitable, he wasn't about to make this easy. He wasn't going to spend his life strapped to a machine. Without a second thought, he followed Sam as she headed up a flight of stairs. It was a wise move. The bodies of their pursuers weren't well adapted for climbing stairs since their legs were far shorter than adult human's were. However, Daniel's relief was short lived when one of them dropped to all fours to climb the steps.

He and Sam came to a halt, dropping flat and waiting to see what the creature would do.

They were on a platform suspended high above the city and the causeway ran through the middle of it. Like so many areas of the city, it showed signs of disrepair. Daniel found himself lying unnaturally still, barely letting his chest rise and fall as he drew breath. If they moved, it would find them. His face was pressed against the cementitious surface, and he didn't dare to raise his head to observe the creature's progress.

Daniel didn't know why, but these humanoids really freaked him out. Human, but not quite… somehow that was worse that something that had been outright alien. They didn't look particularly violent, but perhaps that was the problem. Physical violence he could handle. He knew it couldn't be that far away. Slowly, carefully, he reached out a hand and picked up a chunk of masonry that was lying nearby. Hardly raising his arm, Daniel managed to toss it over the edge of the platform they were laying on and down to the street below. The noise of the stone hitting the ground was enough to send the creature scuttling back down the stairs again.

"Let's go," Sam whispered.

Still keeping low, they rolled off the platform and onto the causeway. Now he was closer, Daniel could see a metal rail ran the length of the surface. There was little doubt in his mind that it must have been used for vehicles of some kind.

They continued to head towards the lights. After all, they had seen a human here. Where there was one there would be more. With luck, he and Sam could lose themselves in the native population.

And wait.

XOXO

It was definitely getting darker. Sam estimated that the sun had taken almost fifteen hours to traverse the sky. Assuming they were located at the equator then the night would last just as long. She was acutely aware that they needed to find shelter some time soon. As the sun dipped towards the horizon, the air was growing colder, and a chill wind had sprung up from somewhere. Eventually they were going to have to head back down to street level. Sam just hoped they'd managed to shake off their pursuers.

Daniel, she noticed, was doing his best not to look down and she couldn't exactly blame him. The local equivalent of train tracks wasn't the most comfortable place to walk. Although the track was wide enough, there was no railing at the side … Nothing between themselves and a long fall. They couldn't spend the night up here; that much was certain.

They had passed several of the platforms that Sam assumed served as stations. Each one was accompanied by a set of stairs leading back down to street level, like the ones they had come up. However, it had been a while since Sam had seen any way down. She really didn't want to retrace their steps, but she was starting to wonder if the didn't have any other choice. Despite the fact that Daniel was more than capable of looking after himself, Sam couldn't help but try to watch over him. Despite their similar ages, she couldn't help but see him as a younger brother. And the Colonel would never forgive her…

Damn.

Not someone she wanted to think about right now. Her mind gave a guilty start as she realised she should have been worrying about Pete.

Before long the tracks started to slop downwards and Sam started to think they might end up back down at street level after all. But they dipped lower... well below the surface of the ground.

"What do you think?" she asked Daniel in a low voice.

"At least it isn't up," he replied.

The tunnel wasn't dark… at least no more so than the rest of the city. Sam could see lights set into the walls at regular intervals. It was certainly warmer once they were inside and out of the wind. Although they had seen no sign that the transport system was still in use, Sam was stuck with the irrational fear that a train was about to appear and run them down. The lights showed that there was still power somewhere in the city.

As they walked down the tunnel, Sam noticed other tracks joining theirs. It looked as if they were heading towards some kind of nexus. There were definite similarities with the chamber they had found beneath the surface of the moon. Another vast room, lit by some unknown source from the ceiling above and Sam could see more of the metal rings embedded into the walls.

"I think we hit Grand Central," Daniel breathed.

"Daniel… this must have been a whole wormhole network."

"Like the Stargates?"

"I think so… except without a dialling system, they need a new gate for every destination hence… It's amazing!"

"Do you think they still work?"

Sam couldn't help grinning at Daniel. His mind was working along the same lines as hers. One of these Gates could possibly take them home… or at least back to P9C-372. Despite the fact the lights were on, none of the gates appeared to be active. They were smaller than the one they'd seen on the Entity planet, the size of vehicles rather than space ships. Sam theorized that these Gates needed a lot less power to activate the wormholes.

"I'm guessing here, but it looks like the people here could just catch a train to another planet," she said.

"Is it my imagination or are these the same as the one we found on P9C-372?" Daniel asked.

"Yeah, they are."

"I guess we found out where they went."

They climbed off the tracks and onto one of the platforms. Hunger, weariness, the need to take a shower was forgotten in the excitement of finding something new.

A set of ramps led away from the platforms. Sam and Daniel followed them upwards until they found themselves in a waiting area. Rows and rows of benches lined the room and on one wall was a vast mosaic. At least that was what it looked like at first. On closer inspection, it proved to be something far more valuable.

"It's a map," Daniel said.

"Are you sure?" Sam asked.

To her, it didn't look much more than a jumble of colours and shapes. With this place serving the transport needs of hundreds, may be thousands of people, there had to be a map… or something to tell them where these Gates went.

"There's lettering, look, next to each of these…"

He pressed what appeared to be a circle of blue and the writing was instantly illuminated.

"Blue blobs? What language is it?"

"Ancient… or a derivation of… and these lines are connecting the…"

"Blue blobs."

"Worm holes… are you channelling Jack by any chance?"

"I'm sorry."

Sam was always amazed that Daniel could see so much from a cursory examination. It didn't seem to matter what civilization or what time period… or even if it was a language he'd never seen before.

"What does the writing mean?" she asked.

"I don't know… I can make a guess but it won't mean anything," he answered with a helpless shrug.

"Why not?"

"Because all it's listing are destinations. This one here, literally translated, means the planet where the sky is blue."

"I take your point. Do any of them sound like somewhere we might know?"

"This might take a while."

They didn't exactly have any place else to go. Although there was nothing to eat, it was warm, dry and quiet. It was as good a place as any to stop and rest… and Daniel would be kept amused for hours.

"Daniel, could you keep first watch?" she asked.

"Sure," he replied, although Sam suspected he wasn't listening.

Choosing one of the benches, she stretched out along its length and tried to sleep.

XOXO

Now he'd been aboard for four days, Jack wasn't as keen on the Prometheus as a means of transport. If he'd been left alone, he would have been okay, but Felger kept following him around… despite Chloe's best efforts to keep him occupied. Jack didn't know what was wrong with the guy. Why Felger kept on chasing him was a mystery. Especially considering Chloe clearly had the hots for the scientist. She was cute. If Jack had a woman like that interested in him, he'd be doing everything he could to make sure she knew he was interested.

Felger was just weird.

The truth was Jack had never been comfortable with the hero worship thing. It wasn't as if he'd ever really done anything to deserve his reputation. People like Daniel, Carter and Teal'c were the real heroes. Jack just stood around, asked dumb questions and shot at stuff. His job was relatively easy. People like Felger creeped him out. They wanted him to be more than he was and Jack wasn't comfortable with that. It reminded him of that interview he'd given. If it hadn't been for Fraiser… Jack had taken the opportunity to talk about the doctor, and those like her. He hadn't said a word about himself despite Bregman's gentle prompting. No one wanted to know what Jack O'Neill ate for breakfast…

Hailey was almost as bad as Felger. Okay, so perhaps she wasn't quite so annoying, but she was always cornering him and trying to discuss some kind of theory that only Carter would understand. As soon as she mentioned quarks, Jack would snap at her, she'd get that look on her face… and Jack would feel like he'd just kicked a puppy. He couldn't work out what was going on with her. Sure she was young and that probably accounted for her over enthusiasm, but he couldn't help feeling she wanted something else from him. Jack was pretty certain it wasn't just a crush.

What worried Jack was that she didn't seem to have any patience with those she considered less intelligent than herself. A personality trait had almost gotten her thrown out of the academy. She certainly didn't have Carter's tolerance or general good nature. Still, Hailey had the makings of a fine officer, and with luck, she would mellow with age.

The final member of the team did actually know how to keep himself to himself. Cameron Balinsky had hardly said two words to anyone since coming on board. This in itself was something of a concern. The staff at the SGC were generally a friendly garrulous bunch, and Dave Dixon certainly hadn't had any complaints about the young man. Jack could only think that it had something to do with SG-13's previous mission. Although Balinsky had been medically certified as fit for duty, mentally he wasn't there yet. There wasn't much Jack could do about it. He just had to hope the man could hold it together.

Hammond had believed these were the best people available and Jack had to respect his commanding officer's decision … even if he felt like he was playing nursemaid to a group of raw recruits. There wasn't much else to do until his new team had figured out a way to activate the wormhole. Not for the first time, Jack really wished he'd paid more attention in science class. He'd be a whole lot happier if Carter and Daniel were on the case.

He and Teal'c would have their part to play in this. Assuming they could activate the wormhole, and assuming they could find a way to get an X-302 down there… Jack wasn't going to risk anyone else flying through that thing. Hell, they didn't know where they'd end up. Or if they'd find Carter and Daniel. If they could stop whatever was attacking the Stargate system.

A whole lot of assumptions.

Not to mention the risk to Earth's last line of defence… if Anubis chose to show up…If Jack was forced to spend the rest of his life with Felger, then he would personally find the Goa'uld and rip the snake out through his butt.

Although this wasn't the first time he had seen this world from space, Jack still found himself marvelling at the perfect smoothness of the globe. It looked like a machine, he mused to himself.

The Prometheus took a tour of the other moons as she settled into orbit. There were two that appeared habitable… or they would have been at one time. If anyone had ever lived there, no sign remained. Jack didn't know why he was surprised. Living, active worlds such as these hid their secrets easily. Who knew how long it had been since people had lived there…

… And he was starting to sound like Daniel.

Next, he'd want to go down there and dig something up. The thought made him shudder.

The airless moon was exactly as they had left it… near as he could tell.

"The ship is booby trapped," Jack advised as he briefed his team. "Do not, I repeat do not, go anywhere alone. Keep radio contact at all times. Am I making myself clear?"

"Yes, sir," Felger replied a little too enthusiastically.

Jack took a deep breath. How could he ever have found Daniel annoying? It was all a matter of perspective.

"Get yourselves geared up, we leave in ten minutes," he finished.

XOXO

"So, bet you're looking forward to this, huh?" Jay Felger said as he followed Colonel O'Neill towards the living quarters.

"No, I'm not," the Colonel replied.

"All getting a bit routine?"

"Two of my best friends are missing."

"Oh… right."

"And no, Felger you can't watch me get changed."

And Jay realised he'd been about to follow the Colonel into his quarters. He found himself flushing with embarrassment as he hastily backed away. Jay hoped that no one had witnessed his latest embarrassment, but a derisive laugh told him otherwise. He turned around to see Lieutenant Hailey standing behind him.

"Why don't you just try and kiss his ass, Felger," she laughed.

"That's Doctor Felger," he shot back.

He had a PhD and he wasn't afraid to use it, but rather than being impressed, she just shook her head and walked away.

Not for the first time since he'd started working at the SGC, Jay felt like crying. No matter how hard he tried, he didn't think he'd ever really fit in. O'Neill hated him, Hailey despised him … Felger wished he could go home. All he wanted was for people to like him. What was so bad about that? But the more he tried the worse it got. People started to laugh when they saw him coming. The only person who was nice to him was Major Carter. But she was nice to everyone… and everyone liked her… Jay wondered how she managed it. Then again, O'Neill was a grouch and no one hated him.

Perhaps he would be better off back in academia. Life was certainly much easier when the only people he had to deal with on a day-to-day basis were recalcitrant students.

He was going to screw up again. He just knew it. Major Carter and Dr. Jackson would stay lost and Colonel O'Neill would probably... Jay's imagination gave out. There wasn't a punishment invented that would truly express the man's wrath. At the best, Jay would find himself stationed in Russia. Or perhaps Antarctica?

"Jay?"

Chloe's voice surprised him. Jay cleared his throat,

"Uh… hi… Colonel O'Neill and I were just, you know, deciding on the best way to proceed with the mission."

"Okay… but shouldn't you be getting changed?"

"I was just on my way."

He started down the corridor, and then paused.

"Are you coming?" he asked.

"No. I'm staying here."

"Oh."

"Is everything okay?"

"Yeah… I just… I wish you were going to be there."

"That's sweet. I'll be here when you get back."

"If I get back."

Jay wished he had her confidence. He also wished she'd kiss him again, as she had done the time he'd gone with Major Carter. As she walked past him, he considered grabbing her and mashing his lips against hers, but before he could make the decision, she had moved out of reach.

XOXO

The Prometheus flew low over the moon, close enough so they could use the rings to transport themselves directly into the main dome. Teal'c wished they had time to do something about the human remains. No one lost the contents of their stomach but even Lieutenant Hailey looked a little pale at the sight of the bodies that still littered the area.

"I've never seen a dead body before," Doctor Felger whispered.

"They have been dead for many years," Teal'c attempted to reassure him.

"That doesn't really help."

"Let's move out!" O'Neill ordered.

He was wise to move them from this place. They had to divorce themselves from the death. These people did not matter. They were several thousand years too late to save them. However, rescuing Daniel Jackson and Major Carter was well within the realms of possibility. At least that was what Teal'c chose to believe. SG-1 had made their reputation from beating the odds, and he had faith that this new team would live up to the honour. He was well aware that he was the one who had to remain strong, that even O'Neill might falter in the face of insurmountable odds. Anything was possible where the fate of his teammates was in the balance. If nothing else, he would want hard evidence of their deaths and even then…

Teal'c wasn't sure what would happen if they found it.

O'Neill would certainly push these people to their limits. Although they'd probably be the first to deny it, he and Major Carter were very similar in this respect. It was not up to Teal'c to comment as to the reasons why.

They retraced their footsteps, down into the hanger where the ship waited for them. Teal'c noticed that the lights were still on.

"Wait here," O'Neill ordered. "Teal'c you're with me."

He was being cautious, Teal'c realised as he followed O'Neill onto the ship. Judging by their last experience a certain amount of care was justified. Who knew what other booby traps the designers of this ship had built into the vessel? Teal'c still didn't entirely understand the nature of the threat they had faced. These Entities's were not unlike the Goa'uld. Taking human's to serve their own needs was their modus operandi, but from what he could tell, their desire to do so had been a sudden one.

"This place gives me the creeps," O'Neill muttered.

"Indeed," Teal'c agreed.

Even with the lights on the sense of disquiet was just as strong. Although Teal'c didn't believe in ghosts, he felt the dead were walking with them. They couldn't search the whole ship. Such as task could wait until the other members of the team had started their work. However, they retraced their steps back to the Bridge, checking out the familiar territory to make sure that nothing had changed. It was all exactly as they had left it… apart from a discarded candy wrapper.

"Daniel's," O'Neill said quietly.

Teal'c didn't think he had ever heard his friend sound so despondent.

"You do not believe that we will find Daniel Jack son a Major Carter alive?" Teal'c asked.

"I don't know, Teal'c. I mean, how many times can we do this? How many times can we go looking and find them alive and well? The luck's got to run out at some point."

"I do not believe in luck."

"Right."

It was an effort to stop himself smiling at O'Neill's expression of sarcastic disbelief.

"We've been lucky," O'Neill asserted. "I mean, look at Daniel. How many times can a guy die?"

"I cannot answer that question."

"Exactly… and he's still got that thing in his head…"

His voice trailed away.

"And Major Carter?" Teal'c questioned.

But the expression or rather the lack of one, on O'Neill's face was more than enough to describe his feelings. Teal'c decided that the subject was one best dropped.

"All appears secure, O'Neill," he said.

"Good, let's call the eggheads in."

XOXO

Hailey kept her P90 raised as she watched Colonel O'Neill and Teal'c disappear into the bowels of the ship. She wasn't going to be the one who dropped her guard while they were out here. To her left, Felger was practically hyperventilating at the sight of the ship. Balinsky however, didn't seem to care. He was staring down at his boots. Once again, Hailey found herself wondering what exact circumstances had led to these people being assigned. She was fairly certain that Colonel O'Neill felt the same way. Jennifer would have preferred to have gone with the Colonel and Teal'c, but she realised someone had to protect these people… someone who knew one end of a gun from the other.

If only the rest of her class at the Academy could see her now…

She was willing to bet good money that none of them had managed to get such a plumb posting. Being assigned to the SGC was an honour, but not everyone was allowed to go off world. Hailey had always been a little annoyed that Elliott had been assigned before she had, especially considering her previous off-world experience. She'd sometimes wondered if Major Carter had put a wrench in the works because Hailey had dared to argue with her. Then again, Elliott had died… which wasn't something she particularly wanted to think about in any detail. Dying alone on an unremarkable planet wasn't anything she planned for herself. People talked about him as if he was a hero, but Hailey couldn't really see the reasons why. He'd had a Tok'ra inside him, what was heroic about that? No one knew if Elliott had actually decided to lay down his life… Or if the snake in his head had made the decision for him.

"Hailey, this place checks out. Get your ass in here," the Colonel's voice sounded unnaturally loud. There was a clatter as Felger dropped his gun.

"On our way, sir," she replied.

"He wants us to go in?" Felger questioned.

"Not much we can do out here."

Of all the stupid questions… Hailey had few qualms about leading the way into the ship. Although she did wonder if she should bring up the rear, just to stop one of them shooting her in the back by mistake.

Her first impression was one of vague disappointment. It didn't look very alien. Hailey didn't know exactly what she had been expecting.

A few more flashing lights?

Some kind of alien life form ready to jump on someone's face?

She had the sudden realisation that maybe this mission wasn't going to be as exciting as she'd first expected.

"What kept you?" the Colonel demanded when they finally found him and Teal'c.

"Sir?" Hailey replied. She didn't know what he expected. They couldn't have gotten in any faster.

"Never mind."

It was difficult to judge his mood. He was definitely her commanding officer now and not the cool guy who thought her theories were neat.

"Hailey, get onto the flight deck. Teal'c found a video recording system go through it and see what you can find."

"Yes sir," she replied.

"Balinsky, take Teal'c and see if you can find some kind of library. If these folks were planning to start a new civilization the chances are they'd be taking their history with them."

"Yes sir," he answered, his voice dull.

"What about me, Colonel?" Felger asked.

Hailey fought back a smirk at the expression on the Colonel's face.

"We're going to check out the gate."

The smirk turned into a full-blown laugh, earning her a glare from her commanding officer. She supposed it was a mark of a good command, being willing to take on the rough jobs.

"Keep in radio contact," was the final order.

XOXO

The map was complicated. From what Daniel could tell, this wormhole network was almost as extensive as the Stargate system and the planet they were on seemed to be the hub of the web. At least twenty gates found their origin here, leading to twenty other worlds. Those worlds had other gates... the web spreading out until it encompassed a thousand planets… maybe more. It wasn't possible to dial any gate in the system. You would have to navigate this one the same as you might do a rail network. Who was to say which system was the most convenient? Here the Gates were larger and could certainly handle more than a few people and, if you were very careful, a small spaceship.

Daniel glanced back at Sam. She'd been sleeping soundly for the past two hours and showed no signs of waking. His own fatigue had diminished in the face of the new discovery. He found himself wondering if there was a way of getting one of them working again. There was power here but it took huge amounts of energy to create a stable wormhole. Surely, someone was going to notice if he switched it on. Assuming he could work out how… Sam could probably do it. Unlike other areas of the city, this place seemed to be undamaged. He had no idea as to why it had been abandoned, but he was certain the answer was out there somewhere. This civilisation was dying and Daniel wondered if there was even any life on those other worlds.

There was only one way to find out.

He started to walk around the perimeter of the room, hoping to see something that might resemble a control centre. There were only two exits. The one they had come through, leading to the gates, and one directly opposite. Daniel took a few steps up the gently sloping tunnel. He assumed it led to street level.

"Daniel where are you going?" Sam's voice was sleepy.

"I was just…" he began.

She swung her legs off the bench and came to join him.

"Just what?"

"Seeing if there was a way to make one of these gates work," he admitted.

"And go where?"

"Anywhere's better than here right now."

"Colonel O'Neill and Teal'c will be on their way. If we go charging off to another planet they'll never find us."

"We could leave them a note?"

"Daniel…"

"What are the real chances of them finding us? They have no idea where we are."

"This is all academic. I don't know how this works."

"Couldn't you find out?"

Sam glared at him.

"You spend far too much time with the Colonel."

"Well?"

"Okay Daniel, on one condition."

"What's that?"

"You get us something to eat."

Easier said than done.

Muttering to himself, Daniel started back up the tunnel towards the street. Sam was right they needed to eat and stealing food was probably the only way they were going to manage it. He didn't consider himself an expert thief but he'd been in enough dodgy areas of Earth to pick up the basics.

A frost was forming over the city and Daniel seriously thought about stealing some clothes too. The lights were on in the surrounding buildings and the shadows of the city's inhabitants could be seen in the windows. There were a few people in the streets and Daniel did his best to stay out of sight. Taking a closer look, he noticed they had one distinguishing characteristic…

They were all old.

Not just middle aged, but in their seventies and eighties. They moved slowly, purposefully, with the deliberation of age. No wonder the sight of himself and Sam had caused panic. They were lucky they hadn't given the man a heart attack. But he wasn't here to feel sympathy. Moving purposely through the buildings, Daniel tried to find an open door. He was out of luck. The people here didn't leave their doors or windows unlocked at night.

Though this was essentially a dead world, the population had to get their food from somewhere. Even the hamsters had to eat. He was just about ready to go back, when he heard the sound of a vehicle approaching. Every city had its dark alleys and Daniel ducked down one of them as he struggled to remain hidden.

The truck was as dilapidated as the rest of the city. Fumes belched from the engine and Daniel found himself choking on the stench of diesel. If it wasn't diesel, then it was something close, which was anachronistic to say the least. Why would a civilisation that had been able to build star ships and wormholes rely on fossil fuel? Unless it was the only power available… or the only one they could still understand.

As he watched, the truck drew to a halt. Two tired old men climbed out and took several packages from the back. They deposited them in nearby doorways before moving on. As soon as they'd vanished, Daniel dashed out of his hiding place and grabbed one of the bundles. He hoped his guess had been right and this was a food drop.

XOXO

There was bread, dried meat and a crumbly substance that reminded Sam of cheese. She was too hungry to question the source of the comestibles. Somehow, the sleep she'd managed to steal hadn't been enough. Now she'd eaten, Sam was feeling weary again.

Sam had been busy while Daniel had been away. Further exploration of the 'gateroom', for want of a better word, had revealed a staircase leading up into the roof. It was there that she found the control centre. It was a disconcerting room. The floor was transparent and Sam found herself standing as if suspended above the platforms. Great for watching the ebb and flow of traffic but not so good for vertigo. Since arriving, Daniel had spent the whole time sat in a corner with his eyes shut. She wasn't sure she could blame him.

"Worked it out yet?" he asked for the fifth time.

"Daniel I'm still eating," she replied.

"Soon would be good."

"I'll be as fast as I can."

She still wasn't convinced of the wisdom of the idea, but as the hours past the doubts were building in her mind. Sam had faith in the Colonel. She was certain he'd do everything in his power to find them, but she had to accept that might not be enough. At least trying to activate one of these wormholes took her mind off the prosaic reality of never seeing her home again.

The systems were old. There was a thick layer of dust everywhere and Sam was certain this wasn't helping. A dirty connection could be all that was stopping her turning the power on. It wasn't as if she kept a naquadah reactor in her pocket.

Naquadah…

Like the Stargates, these were also made of Naquadah. Theoretically, all she needed to do was find some way to charge the capacitors. But for that she needed power which she didn't have…

Unless…

The map. It lit up so it had to have a power source of some kind.

"Daniel…" she began.

"What?"

"Back downstairs."

"Thank you!"

The map wasn't quite so attractive, or quite so functional, by the time Sam had finished with it. By dint of cannibalising the control room, she managed to run a cable back to one of the Gates. Now all they had to do was wait and see if the capacitors would charge. This was a really dumb idea. Sam knew that, but she couldn't stop herself being swept along. Anything was better than sitting here waiting for someone to find them. She knew they could probably survive here indefinitely.

But where was the fun in that?

Two hours later and she had her answer. Without warning, without prelude, the area within the gate started to glow. Sam and Daniel approached it cautiously, treating the unknown phenomena with a healthy respect.

"What do you think?" she whispered.

In reply, Daniel stretched his hand out, watching as it sank below the surface of the wormhole. He drew it back again, clenching and stretching his fingers as he tried to ascertain if any damage had been done.

"Feels okay," he said.

If they went through there and couldn't get back …

Sam though of home, of Pete and Cassandra, and all of the things she would be leaving behind. She thought of the Colonel and how desperate he would be to find them… The logical course of action was to assume they wouldn't be rescued. In which case, didn't it make more sense to get themselves as far away from their captors as possible? She was in command here. It was her decision and she knew Daniel would abide by it.

"I think we should go through," he said, sensing her dilemma.

"But what if…" she started to argue.

"Jack comes to find us?"

"Yeah."

"If he does, then he'll be able to follow the trail."

"Will he?"

"It looks pretty clear to me."

He indicated the wires trailing out towards the map and Sam realised he was right. Besides, she wanted to do this. It burned within her, the same way as her original need to go through the Stargate. She stood before the glowing surface of the active wormhole feeling the same reckless rush of excitement.

"Let's do it," she said.

And together they stepped into the unknown.

XOXO

Felger hadn't spoken a word since they'd left the ship. It was unusual enough that Jack was starting to get worried. He almost considered asking the man what was wrong… almost. Jack really didn't want to get familiar with Felger. As soon as this mission was over the man would be banished back to the labs and never heard from again.

He had been tempted to send Hailey with the Doctor, but his better sense had prevailed. The Lieutenant was young and had a reputation for not being able to hold her temper... okay, so Jack wasn't exactly a saint but he had enough rank to get away with it. And he knew he'd stop short of physical violence.

The silence was starting to get to him and Jack decided to make a wild stab in the dark and find out what was bugging the other man.

"You know if you like her, you should just tell her how you feel," he suggested.

"What?" Felger asked, doing a good impression of a frightened rabbit.

"Chloe."

"Chloe?"

"Your assistant? I just thought maybe…"

"No… no… it would be unprofessional."

"Okay, sorry I spoke."

Jack had never been any good at touchy, feely type conversations, and he wasn't about to hug Felger. They walked on in silence.

"Anyway, what would I say to her?" Felger said suddenly.

"Excuse me?" Jack questioned.

"Chloe… I mean she's beautiful, smart..."

Finally, something that Jack could relate to.

"Maybe you don't have to say much," he suggested. "Maybe all you have to do is be yourself. She might like them dumb."

"Dumb?"

"Relatively speaking."

Jack knew that Felger wasn't dumb, not by any stretch of the imagination. However, his PhD wasn't enough to make him worldly wise. Working in academia all of his life, Felger hadn't ever really left school. The SGC had probably been quite a culture shock.

Not that Jack was really in any position to lecture him on women. Over the past few years, his record had been dismal and the reasons weren't something he wanted to go into. He was relieved when he realised they'd reached the Gate.

Felger was instantly distracted.

"This is amazing," he breathed.

"Whatever. Just find a way to get it working."

The other man just nodded in a Daniel-type fashion and Jack did what he always did. He stepped back and let the professional work.

XOXO

Teal'c did not know how to interpret Cameron Balinsky's silence. People usually attempted to start some kind of conversation, taking Teal'c's natural taciturn nature as a challenge. Balinsky had said nothing. In fact, now he thought about it, Teal'c couldn't recall him speaking at all since they'd set off on this mission. Lack of conversation aside, there was more than one reason to feel uncomfortable. Teal'c did not know what O'Neill do if their mission was not successful, but he imagined the response would not be pretty. The pressure to succeed was felt by all.

O'Neill had ordered them to find a library, although what he hoped to discover wasn't entirely clear. Or he could have just been making work for them? It was difficult to tell. This was a new team and more or less unknown, O'Neill was probably wise to test them. Teal'c didn't like to consider the possibility that Major Carter and Daniel wouldn't return. If they did not, would he and O'Neill continue their travels? It was hard to imagine working with a team other than SG-1.

"Does this not appear to be a laboratory?" Teal'c asked his companion as he flashed his torch around the dusty room.

There was no show of interest from Balinsky. He took a cursory look around before moving back out into the corridor. Teal'c was on the edge of becoming annoyed with the man's apathy. They could miss something important.

"Cameron Balinsky!" he called after the man… only to find himself being ignored.

This was not satisfactory. Reaching out a hand, Teal'c grabbed Balinsky by the shoulder and pulled him around.

"You will conduct a satisfactory search of this room," he ordered.

"For what? Dusty beakers?" Balinsky objected. "There's no sign of any data retrieval system."

"How can you be sure if you do not look?"

He might be correct in his assessment but Teal'c was not prepared to take that risk. With very bad grace, Balinsky did as he was ordered.

In one respect, Balinsky had been quite correct. There was a great deal of abandoned equipment. However, there was a door at the other end of the room, which led to another lab, and another. Each was as dusty and deserted as the first. Teal'c could imagine that they had been reserved for the specific disciplines. It also convinced him that they were on the right track. Every scientist needed access to literature.

The final room appeared to be completely empty, but there was something about the wall panels that seemed familiar. Teal'c brushed his hand across one of them and it lit up. Information was flowing across the screen too quickly for him to make any sense of it.

Over his shoulder, he noticed Balinsky was following his example and had activated a second screen.

"Is there any way to slow it down?" he asked.

"The device on the flight deck responded to touch," Teal'c replied.

He tapped the screen in demonstration and the picture froze. As near as Teal'c could tell, each panel appeared to access different information. Video, still pictures, writings… as O'Neill had surmised, the history of an entire civilisation was recorded here.

Teal'c found himself staring at a world totally unlike the others he had seen. The horizon was closer, which suggested the world was a moon rather than a planet. Its small size and corresponding lower gravity, was the only possible explanation for the appearance of the plant life. The trees were taller than any that grew on earth, yet they appeared weak. They grew in isolated groups amongst the long grass, the foliage of both being the palest of green. Boulders of white rock littered the grasslands, standing out against a sky that was deep orange. Although Teal'c could see no dwellings, groups of people could be discerned hurrying across the never-ending plain.

As Teal'c watched, the camera panned around and he was treated to a view of the moon's mother world. It was the Entity's world, gleaming with understated menace.

"Teal'c, look at this!" Balinsky called out, gesturing towards his own screen.

The view showed the depths of space and three ships hanging in the night.

"They must have been built in orbit," the other man went on.

"Indeed," Teal'c agreed, fascinated by the view.

As they watched, the perspective changed and they found themselves gazing down on the outpost on the barren moon. The ships were descending towards the dome, which was opening to receive them. All of a sudden, one of the ships veered away from the others. Its new trajectory was taking it straight towards the planet but it never reached the surface. Before the collision, explosions wracked the infrastructure and there was nothing left but a fireball, evaporating into space.

Balinsky's face was bleak as he witnessed the destruction. It was impossible to say how many lives had been lost, and Teal'c knew it was useless to speculate.

"We must report back to O'Neill," he announced.

"But what about…" the other man started to argue.

Teal'c allowed himself a small smirk. Anything was better than Balinsky's previous indifference.

"Now," he finished.