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Part 1 - ARC OF LIGHT

Chapter 4 - The Stone In The Altar

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Carter's frowned deepened. "Daniel, try using your radio," she suggested tersely while she scanned the wide brown field.

"I just did. I think that stone may be blocking transmissions."

"So we don't know if---"

"Jack and Teal'c are in trouble or not." Daniel shook his head, fingers anxiously resting on the grip of his holstered sidearm. "Sam, can you use that device as sort of like a compass to determine where the power might be coming from?"

"I don't know, I hadn't really considered it for that purpose before."

"Give it a try," Daniel advised softly, wide eyes scanning the large structure several yards ahead of them. This close, the wall now appeared more impressive. Its sides towered about fifteen feet, constructed with boulder-sized rust-brown rocks pocked with odd craters. To the right, the turret-like edifice built into the wall soared another ten or twelve feet higher. Deep in the recesses of the wall, they saw a tall, arced gate, not as high as the surrounding walls. The iron-looking planked structure, rose to the left of the imposing tower. Upon closer inspection, Daniel noticed that the gate's narrow opening. The cross bar hanging vertically almost flush with the supporting wall.

"Our invitation?"

Sam, standing behind his shoulder, grimly shook her head. "I don't like this, Daniel."

"It's okay." Daniel bent forward, palm resting on a knee to show her shallow tracks in the powdery orange dirt. "Taking a leap here… This is Jack and Teal'c. Government Issue SGC boots. Larger than mine," he added. "Bigger feet."

Sam smiled. "Bigger men."

"Longer legs," Daniel countered. "But in no hurry. At least--"

"As far as you can tell."

"Right. As far as I can tell." Jackson smoothly pulled his gun free of its holster, holding it to his side, tensing. "Which could mean anything."

A few steps behind him, Carter quickly pocketed the device to cover her teammate with her P90 raised and ready. "Try the radio again, Daniel."

Edging up to the gate, Daniel nudged the lever aside and cautiously pressed the cross latch nearly even with his shoulders. The gate yielded. Daniel jumped back, instantly keying his vest radio. Click. "Jack? Jack, if you can read me, this is Daniel. Sam and I… we're here at the gate. Do you… is it safe for us to proceed or…?"

Click. Click. Static. "…invitation? Dan… time…… your butt… now!"

Daniel winced, moving back at Sam by the wall. "Radio's working again," he said flatly.

"Good." Sam turned around to face him. "What did the colonel say?"

Daniel bit the inside of his lip. "Well, uh, he either wants both our butts out of this field or mine in a sling. I couldn't really tell. At least they sound okay."

Carter suppressed a grin. "But we still don't know where they are and our radios aren't much help here." She gestured for him to precede her through the gate. "Stay low to the wall, Daniel, and don't get too far ahead of me."

He nodded and started forward, belatedly bringing his pistol up to his chest. He had barely made it a few yards inside when they were startled by a low, muted rumble somewhere beneath them. The ground shifted violently under their feet, orange dirt trembling, hopping across their boots. Sam stumbled backward out of the gate, fighting for balance, her weapon wrenched from her shoulder and sent flying into the field.

"Daniel!!" Close behind she heard a loud wrenching noise. The gate had been thrown wide open, shaken loose from half of its mooring. Sam fell against the quivering stone wall in horrified disbelief. "Daniel, GET OUT OF THERE!"

To his horror, Daniel saw the vibrating gate above him ripping free of its track. Every instinct screeched run. He tried desperately to obey, but he'd barely been able to stagger back onto his feet when he felt the ground shudder again. The heavy plank gate skidded across the loose dirt toward him, its dragging pole gouging a deep trench behind it.

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Elsewhere - A small village on the Irish coastline.

"Ah, Father Haggardy, have you a moment?"

The elderly priest straightened threadbare robes and shuffled down the short aisle. "If this is another talk about your boozing, lad, I'm done hearing about it when it does no good to--"

"Father, this about the stone."

Haggardy stiffened and hastily crossed himself as he glanced at the altar behind them. "We don't need speak of it as it's gone, Martin," he whispered, almost admonishingly. "No longer in our safekeeping. It cannot concern us now."

Martin lowered his head, eyes shifting nervously toward the high-arched door entrance. "I know, but there was someone, father, a yank from the colonies. He was asking of it, wanting to know if it had really been here."

"What did you tell this man?" Haggardy prompted, leaning into the pew.

Martin shrugged. "What I was told to. That I knew nothing of it."

"And in truth, son, you do not. None of us can say how they brought you here or even why you can't go back. Remember, Mr. Ballard is now one of us."

"And this yank? Do you think anyone here will tell him?"

Haggardy shook his head. "Son, what proof is there? Who'd believe in a fantastical stone that melts into other stones when it's wet?"

"Father, he said he also knows about the museum robbery."

Haggardy rubbed his chin with gnarled fingers. "No matter. Our secret is still safe, son, with the stone gone."

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TBC