For the rest of that day and for the next three days the team ripped, pried, and cut the dense spongy plant from the wall, revealing more and more script as they went along. Each morning the team went out after seeing to it that Lunasa had company, taking with them food for lunch. Each evening they returned, tired and with an excited Daniel in tow, to a dinner in silence with Lunasa, and then bed.
By the end of the second day of labor Daniel was positive that it was in fact the work of the Ancients, though why it was there was yet to be determined.
Jack was forced to keep a close eye on the young archeologist, as every few minutes Daniel would stop to try and read what had been uncovered. Jack knew enough about translations (admitting to himself that the fact that he knew anything about it was more terrifying than when he had switched bodies with Teal'c) to know that everything had to be uncovered before Daniel would be able to make sense of it all, so each time Daniel froze Jack was waiting to snap him out of it…whatever it took…
The team was forced to take frequent breaks, as the warmth in the tunnel increased as they worked their way deeper under the mountain. By dusk on the last day of mourning, almost half of the moss-covered expanse had been cleared.
The next morning when the four friends came cautiously down the stairs to breakfast, they found Lunasa, no longer dressed in the very dark brown homespun that she had worn for the last three days, but wearing a light tan cloth. Instead of sitting silently at the table, ashen faced as friends tried to comfort her, she was up and about setting the table for a breakfast for five. Her features were still thin and pale and her eyes were bloodshot and watering with threatening tears, but she looked up at her guests as they came down the stairs.
"Good morning," she said quietly, her voice wavering and cracking from over three days of silence.
"Good morning," the team chorused back cautiously, unsure what to make of the sudden change in their hostess. As the four took their places at either side of the table, they noticed an unpleasant smell. Apparently Lunasa noticed as well since she suddenly gasped and rushed over to the pot over the fireplace.
Moments later they each had steaming hot bowls of what looked to be some kind of mash in front of them. They each took a careful sniff and then did a poor job of trying not to wince, except for Teal'c of course. Blackened bits could be seen in their bowls, and it was obvious that the contents, though still edible, were badly burned. As they glanced at one another, each trying to goad the others into being the guinea pig, Jack finally shrugged, throwing out a look that clearly said, 'Hey, it beats M.R.E.'s again!' and took a spoonful. When Jack didn't keel over, his team mates began to eat too.
Lunasa, who had taken no notice of this little charade, was eating her food in silence, apparently lost in thought. They watched her apprehensively, each wanting to end the uncomfortable silence, but none really knowing what to say.
"It wasn't always this way," Lunasa said suddenly in a very small voice, finally breaking the silence. The team stopped eating to listen. "Before we were brought to this place our custom was to devote the time from one moon to the next, roughly forty days, to mourn. Now…now if we were to spend that much time we would probably die. So many people didn't survive our first weeks here. There wasn't enough food, water, or protection from the predators…. We had to make doors and shutters, plant crops, hunt and search for food and fresh water…. I can't help but want to keep mourning for my sister," she said tearfully, but before anyone could try and give her a word of comfort or condolence, she straightened in her seat and looked at them, her eyes brimming full of determined resolution rather than tears. "But there is work to be done. Please, tell me, have you learned anything from the writings in the cavern?"
Daniel was the first to recover from his surprise at her sudden change of mood and topic. "Ah, yes…and no. I still can't translate any of what is at the beginning of the wall, but we found more writings farther back in the cave. They were covered so it's really very lucky we found them…"
"Point is, a lot of it is still covered, and we could use some help from as many people as possible," Jack cut in. It never failed to annoy him when Daniel took forever to get to the crux of the matter when they had already missed a scheduled contact by several days.
"And you can understand this writing? It isn't the same as the rest?"
"Actually it's not," Daniel said. "We've come across it several times now, and I even know how to pronounce it…it's very similar to a language we have on Earth called Latin. I haven't been able to translate much of it yet," his blue eyes flashed in Jack's direction, "but from what I can tell it looks like notes of some sort, all about the device."
"We must uncover the rest before we can learn more," Teal'c put in matter-of-factly.
Lunasa looked down at the table for a moment, as though trying to choose her words carefully. "I will most certainly help you, but I am afraid that very few others will be so willing."
The team exchanged wary glances and then waited for Lunasa to continue, hoping she was not about to confirm Daniel's earlier theory, but knowing that, considering their luck, she probably would.
"You must understand that we fear the god, Zipacna. He threatened to punish us if we didn't obey and learn the mysteries of the circle of standing stones and tell him."
"O.K., there's your first problem right there," Jack said. "Alright everyone, place your bets on how well this is going to go over this time."
"The Goa'uld are not gods, Lunasa," Daniel said. Lunasa started slightly, nervousness in her eyes. "It's ok, he can't hear us. I promise."
"They are a parasitic race that takes hosts and slaves to use for their own purposes." Teal'c explained. "I was once in the service of one called Apophis, to whom Zipacna is loyal. I betrayed him to join those who wish for him and others like him to fall from power."
"We've dealt with them many times before, and we want to help you," Sam added. She glanced at Jack, who gave her a curt nod. "We may even be able to take you to a different planet, one where the Goa'uld won't find you again."
Lunasa looked from one of her guests to another. She did not seem frightened by these words anymore, nor did she seem to mistrust them. Instead, her fear that such treasonous talk could be heard by Zipacna seemed to dissipate. She did not fidget nervously anymore, but rather sat stone still. Finally Lunasa took in a deep breath.
"So my sister…she…she was right." She made a sound somewhere between a sob and a laugh. "She never believed for a moment… I, though I fought against him, was nevertheless scared that with the snap of his fingers we would die… Now I think I understand."
"Well, I'm glad of that!" Jack said heartily, clearly glad that it had not taken days to convince her, as had sometimes been the case on other worlds.
A tiny smile flinted across Lunasa's lips, but then it was gone. "I'm not sure that it will be so easy to convince my people, Colonel. We're not of a superstitious nature, but many have already told me that they fear you and your team. They think that the accident…was not as accidental as it seemed… that it was punishment from Zipacna for aiding you…" Lunasa looked cautiously p at them, seemingly ashamed of the beliefs of her people.
"We thought that was probably it, and it's very understandable." Daniel said carefully. "But I think we can change that if we can get to the Stargate…"
"We wouldn't want to leave this place," Lunasa said swiftly, understanding where Daniel was going. "Though we were brought here by force, Xanthus is our home now. We've worked the soil, rebuilt the city, learned the lay of the land, and survived a harsh cold season here. We have our pride still, if nothing else, and we will continue on as best as we can right here."
"But what will you do if Zipacna comes back for the device?" Sam asked, concerned.
"Then we will hide it, destroy it, or use it, but we won't let him have it and we won't give up."
"How will you convince your people to fight?" Teal'c asked. "You say that your people fear him, and you have seen that he is powerful. How then will you lead them to believe that a battle can be won?"
"I will tell them what you have told me, tonight at the council," she replied, as though that settled the matter.
"And if they don't believe you," Jack asked, "what's the chance that they'll run us out?"
"None," Lunasa said with no degree of uncertainty. "They will believe because, for whatever reason, they trust me, and though they might not have agreed to my taking you in, they will believe that what I will tell them is the truth."
The rest of that day was spent in the cavern. Lunasa was fascinated by what SG-1 had uncovered, and eagerly ripped and clawed away at the moss to uncover the rest. As the team watched her work along side them, it became more and more obvious that the truth about the Goa'uld had rendered a change in her. Instead of the reluctant young leader they had met when they arrived five days before, Lunasa was now a motivated and strong young woman who hacked away at the plant to placate her desire to harm the one who had caused all her problems: Zipacna.
In the early evening they returned to the house, tired but happy with their progress. Lunasa then set off to the public building for the meeting.
"It will be better if you stay here," she said when Jack protested to being left behind.
"It's just that we've been practicing really hard, and we've had a lot of experience!"
Lunasa looked at Jack fondly, a hint of a smile across her lips. "You remind me of her, you know…" Her eyes went out of focus for a moment, but when she returned from her reverie she said, "Your presence may only make things harder. It will be better if the explanation comes entirely from me. That way it will be less likely that the more suspicious of our number will think that you have affected my reasoning."
Jack reluctantly gave in with a shrug as Daniel and Sam wished her good luck.
About two hours passed during which the four friends sat around the fireplace, chatting amiably and wondering what General Hammond was doing to try and find them. Then Lunasa came through the front door, her face set in an appearance of grim satisfaction.
"They believe you have told me the truth, and so do I," she said calmly as she joined them.
"Really?" Daniel asked, a little more than mildly surprised.
"Yes. It wasn't easy, but like I said, they trust me, and they believe that what you have said is the truth. I also told them of your offer to take us away from here, and I was right in believing that they want to stay. But they are nervous about the idea of keeping the circle of stones from Zipacna. He isn't a god, he is still powerful, and there are many who believe we would die trying," she paused, glancing down at her nervously wringing hands, and quietly added, "including myself."
"Well I think it's safe to say that if," Jack shot Sam such a look that she immediately corrected herself, "when we get back through the gate we will come back and help you with that."
"So how many are willing to help us?" Jack asked.
"Quite a few. I tried to explain that learning how the circle works could be the key to defending ourselves from Zipacna, if he does return. Those who can will join us at the cavern tomorrow. I suggest we all get some rest now."
And with that everyone said goodnight.