Chapter 5

"Do you think they saw us?" Carter ducked down the escarpment, followed closely by O'Neill. It had taken hours of focus and concentration to navigate the sheer mountain trail without being seen by any eagle-eyed Jaffa. After having experienced the sensation of being so exposed for so long, the group, now hidden in the high-altitude forest and enclosed on all sides by trees, felt strangely imprisoned.

"Doesn't seem like it" Jacob whispered from his vantagepoint behind some boulders.

"They have, however, discovered the tel'tak" Teal'c dropped down to land almost noiselessly beside them.

"Alright, we need to keep moving" O'Neill slung his gun over his shoulders again. "Where's Jonas?"

"Colonel!" The Kelownan's voice was almost a stage whisper through the trees ahead.

O'Neill set his jaw and quickly moved in that direction. The trees parted to reveal Quinn crouched on the ground studying some boulders. He looked up as they approached. "There's a symbol here on the boulders," he said softly, gesturing. "I think it's a hieroglyph"

O'Neill's eyes narrowed at that and he glanced over Quinn's shoulder. The symbol certainly looked pictographic, although he wasn't sure what it was supposed to represent. It seemed to be some kind of spotted flag. "What does it mean?" he asked.

Quinn had already pulled out a notebook and was flicking through it, frowning. "It is familiar" Teal'c admitted slowly. "But I am uncertain as to what it means. It is not a symbol I have seen the Goa'uld use often"

"Selmak thinks it's familiar too" Jacob muttered. "But it's not a symbol he's seen for a long time"

O'Neill was silent for a moment. "Alright, let's move," he said moving around the boulders to follow the barely visible trail behind it. He stopped a few feet down the trail. He didn't need to look behind him to know one person had fallen behind. "Jonas, ya coming?"

"Yeah" Quinn finished scribbling a sketch of the symbol in his notebook, grabbed his backpack and hurried after them. O'Neill shook his head and muttered something under his breath. Even Teal'c, who was standing next to him, didn't hear what the Colonel said but he did hear Daniel Jackson's name mentioned amongst the unintelligible muttering.

"Nice of you to join us" O'Neill said dryly and continued onwards.

The trail seemed to lead downwards, snaking before them like some dark serpent. Gradually, they lost sight of the sky completely and found themselves completely encased in darkness. Even though they knew it was still daylight, it was as if this land was forsaken, forever shrouded in night and before long, they found themselves having to use flashlights to prevent injuries on the steep, treacherous trail.

For how long they travelled, they weren't entirely certain, but eventually the terrain began to level out slowly, and the canopy thinned out, allowing light to once again find its way to them. When they eventually stopped, it was in a clearing that was enclosed on all sides by forested cliffs. O'Neill turned slowly, eyeing his surroundings warily.

"This would make one hell of a trap" Jacob commented, looking upwards.

"Teal'c, take a look at this" Quinn said softly, moving off to the rocks. The Jaffa joined him immediately, peering at the symbols the Kelownan had noticed. Quinn shook his head as his hands lightly trailed the hieroglyphs. Almost everything was serpentine. A snake reared up, looking deadly and hostile, surrounded on either side by two faceless but intimidating figures. With them was a shallow boat being towed by four figures. Another serpent encircled the cabin of the boat. All around the central figures were rising cobras that appeared to be spitting fire.

"Goa'uld" Teal'c said softly.

"Where?" O'Neill asked immediately, turning to look at them.

"We have entered the domain of a Goa'uld, O'Neill. Only those who are chosen by the Gods to be here can pass"

"Nice" the Colonel muttered.

"Which Goa'uld?" Jacob asked.

Quinn shook his head. "The hieroglyphs indicate this is a sacred path that only the worthy can enter but I can't find any sign of which Goa'uld lived here"

"There is no such name present" Teal'c agreed.

Carter frowned "If this is a sacred path, why does it end here? There's nowhere to go except back the way we came"

They all looked at each other.

"Oh for crying out loud" O'Neill muttered and stalked over to them. He stared at the symbols. "Someone seems to like snakes. Apophis?"

"They are guardians, O'Neill" Teal'c corrected. "Many Goa'uld use the symbol of the snake to protect their domains and doorways"

"So this is a doorway?" O'Neill looked doubtfully at the solid rock. "You sure?"

"It probably needs a password or key of some kind" Jacob joined them, studying the rock closely.

"Open Sesame?" O'Neill suggested hopefully.

Jacob ignored that.

"Because I don't know how to say "friend" in Elvish"

"Jack" Jacob said painfully.

"What?" Jack looked innocent.

Jacob gave his daughter an even stare. She cleared her throat and carefully arranged her mouth to hide her amusement. The Colonel was baiting Jacob deliberately, she knew that. Her father probably knew it too. They had a similar sarcastic sense of humour and had become very good at using it as a weapon against each other. Part of her was quietly pleased that both men had met their match in the other.

Teal'c turned to O'Neill. "I am not familiar with the Elvish language"

"Really?" O'Neill looked surprised. "You've never met an elf? Or a dwarf? How about a little guy with hairy feet who eats all your dinner?"

"I have not" Teal'c replied evenly, his patient tone indicating he was aware that O'Neill was making him the butt of some obscure Tau'ri joke.

"Not even a big scary eye that glares at you from the top of a huge tower?"

"The Eye of Ra?" Quinn looked at O'Neill quickly. "Where?"

O'Neill blinked at Quinn incredulously. "What?"

Jacob bit back a chuckle as the Colonel's joke fell flat and turned his attention to the rock face as O'Neill glanced at him. At that moment, there was an odd grinding sound, and one of the spitting cobra's glowed. The rock shivered and then split apart, earth tumbling as an ancient doorway opened slowly to reveal darkness in front of them.

The five scattered, taking up defensive positions as the door shuddered to a halt and a wary figure stepped outside holding a zat gun confidently in front of her.

"Anise" Jacob stepped forward almost immediately.

"Selmak" she nodded, her eyes scanning the clearing as SG-1 slowly brought themselves into view. "Colonel O'Neill"

"Are you okay?" Jacob asked. "What's been going on here?"

"We will speak in the Hall of Apophis" she said. "Come" Before they could say anything, she turned away and disappeared into the darkness.

"Apophis?" O'Neill demanded but even Jacob looked taken aback by that comment. With a muttered sigh, the Colonel turned to his team. "Keep your eyes open" he ordered and gestured for Jacob to lead the way.

"Thanks" Jacob said sourly, walking into the darkness.

"Hey, they're your people" O'Neill retorted, following.

"Believe it or not, Jack, the Tok'ra are on the same side as Earth" Jacob muttered to O'Neill as the door crashed shut behind them, plunging them into darkness. SG-1 broke out their flashlights and watched as Anise activated the Tok'ra version of one, continuing on down the corridor without looking back to see what they were doing.

"Could have fooled me" O'Neill muttered glaring at the back of her.

"Jack.."

"I know, I know, you aren't all like her. But come on, Jacob. Even you've gotta admit she's got something of a vaudeville act going on"

Jacob threw him an exasperated look then suddenly his gaze defocused.

"Dad?" Carter asked immediately, sounding concerned.

He held up a hand, then chuckled. "Selmak wanted to know what a "vaudeville act" was."

There was silence for a moment.

"And?" O'Neill broke the silence first, looking curious.

Jacob chuckled. "Takes one to know one" he picked up his pace and disappeared into the gloom looking for Anise.

The Colonel winced and there was a sudden silence behind him. "Jonas?" he asked without turning round.

"Colonel?"

"Are you grinning?"

Behind him, he heard Quinn hastily clear his throat. "Not this time"

"Carter?"

There was a pause. "Sir?"

"It's not funny"

"No sir"

O'Neill sighed, shook his head and stalked off up the tunnel after Jacob knowing someone was amused but not sure which one was the traitor. Quinn and Carter glanced at each other wryly, then looked at Teal'c. With a tiny smile, the Jaffa tilted one smug eyebrow at them and continued on his way.