Stepping through the gate onto a warm sunny world Jack immediately went for his sunglasses to survey the area without the glare of the 3 suns that rotated around the planet. Sg3 took up defensive positions around the gate each calling clear as they detected no hostiles in the green meadow surrounding the gate with the odd red or yellow flower dotted around.
Jack ordered 2 members to stay and guard the gate while he took the other 2 members walked with Sg1 in the direction of the temple.
"Reynolds take point, Teal'c get our 6," Jack ordered.
Everyone moved into position carefully watching the surroundings as they marched through the grassland to the temple. It was only 5 miles to the temple but in the heat and the long grass it took them over 2 hours each step a battle against the grass.
Arriving Jack ordered everyone to take 5 minutes for a water break while he radioed the guys at the gate to let them know they'd arrived and to order 1 hour check ins. Swigging his own water he could see out of the corner of his eye Daniel itching to go into the temple, taking another swig of water he decided to make a move before Daniel went in on his own.
"Ok let's go" he ordered signalling for Teal'c to go in first, Daniel was next Jack following and the 2 members of Sg3 tagging along behind. The entrance chamber was empty of all markings but a singe archway made of stone lead deeper. It had no decorations no marking just lead to blackness. Everyone stopped getting their torches out again Teal'c led them in. The next chamber had no door but a table in the middle. Daniel went over.
"It looks like we all have to sacrifice ourselves" Daniel said absently, Jack backed away not liking that at all
"No way" Jack said immediately everyone agreeing, Daniel was listening just muttering Ancient under her breath
"A piece of ourselves" Daniel re-translated
"What like a finger?" Reynolds asked sceptically Daniel shook his head,
"No like something that means something to you more than anything else" Daniel said taking off a necklace that nobody had noticed on any other mission
"Sha're made me this" He said placing it on the table firmly putting his belief in the ancients, following his example Teal'c pulled out a piece of braided cloth from his pocket,
"On Chulak this symbolises a relationship Shay'nac gave me this to me, it is the one possession I own that reminds me of her" Teal'c said placing it on the table next to Daniels necklace.
Reynolds went next placing his wedding ring next to it,
"It was my dads" was all he added but it was enough the emotion in his voice giving away how much it meant to him. Only Grover knowing his dad had died when he'd been little and the wedding ring was the only thing apart from the dog tags that he got back. Grover was the next one to go placing his watch down
"My grandfathers, he was the one who told me to join the Airforce kept me out of trouble" he said leaving just Jack. Jack went into his top pocket pulling out a picture of Charlie and placing it on the table, nobody asked questions and he didn't explain he didn't need to he only had 4 pictures of Charlie one in his house by his bed, one in his cabin in Minnesota, one in his locker and this one.
As it hit the table a light shot out hitting all sides of the room and a door opened on the left side new words appeared in bright white light
"The sacrifice has been made you each chose something close to your heart you make take them back and treasure them" he translated, taking back the necklace everyone following suit
"Daniel what is this?" Jack asked,
"I think it's the ancient's way of making sure you are worthy" Daniel guessed, Jack nodded agreeing with him
"Shall we proceed?" Jack asked leading the way into the next chamber. Stopping as soon as he saw what was in the chamber
"Woah" he called stopping the others, backing away from the edge of a deep crevasse in which his torch light didn't reach the bottom, there was no visible way across no ledge, no ridge nothing for a hook to grasp onto.
"Daniel" he called signalling for him to step forwards
"Any ideas?" he asked, Daniel strained to look round his torch hitting the edge on the other side highlight some writing
"Only the trusting may pass" he read, then without warning he dived forwards into the abyss.
"Daniel" Jack yelled making a grab for him but missing as Daniel feel into the abyss.
Uh oh, Daniel to trusting of the ancients will he live?