They were brought a meal. A large meal that consisted of three platters with different foods and plates for all of them – including the dogs. One platter held a steaming roast, sliced neatly into thin pieces and covered in a rich gravy, another platter held what looked like mashed potatoes – although it smelled a bit like turnips in Jack's opinion – and the third held a variety of fruits that had been sliced and dried. It looked delicious, but Jack still held reservations – especially now.

He looked over at Ian when the women who had delivered their meal retreated back to a communal fireplace that was obviously designed specifically for cooking.

"Do we trust them?"

Since Ian had some background of these people in his head, now, Jack figured they might as well take advantage of it.

The New Yorker shrugged.

"They're not going to poison us. They're not equipped for it."

"You're sure?" Daniel asked, looking at the meal appreciatively.

Ian nodded.

"They don't have anything like that."

"At least none that Fisai knows about…" Teal'c pointed out.

"Yeah."

He didn't know what the others had, but he did know – after thinking about it – that Fisai didn't even have a concept of poisoning someone in his mind. Which was somewhat reassuring, anyways.

"Then we might as well eat," Jack said, reaching for a plate. It looked good – and the drink they'd been given hadn't had any adverse affect on any of them.

The others followed suit, except for Teal'c, who wasn't hungry anyways – and still didn't necessarily trust their hosts. Of course, Teal'c didn't trust many people, so it wasn't that big of a surprise. If something was in the food, between Teal'c and the two labs, the rest of SG-1 would be protected, and this way they wouldn't unintentionally give offense by refusing a meal offered to them.

OOOOOOOOOO

"Colonel!"

Sam groaned, and rolled her eyes, recognizing the voice immediately. Unfortunately, there was no way she could realistically pretend she hadn't heard the call. She stopped in the middle of the corridor and waited for Rodney McKay to catch up to her.

"What are you doing here, McKay?" she asked before he could say something annoying to her by way of greeting.

"Looking for Ian."

"He's offworld."

"I know. When will he be back?"

"Why don't you ask the general?"

"Because I don't think he likes me. When will Ian be back?"

She debated not telling him. Just because he was going to be going to Atlantis with Ian didn't mean that he needed to know everything about the mission he was on just then. But if she didn't tell him, McKay would just keep pestering her until she did – or until SG-1 returned, which was even worse – and Sam didn't even have Jaffer around to make McKay go away.

"Later today. Why?"

McKay gave her a smug grin.

"I'm going to see if he'll come to Scotland with me."

Now Sam couldn't help but smile.

"You know he doesn't like to fly."

McKay waved his hand, as if that small matter didn't even bother him.

"He'll go for this."

Sam highly doubted it, but she couldn't help but ask.

"For what?"

McKay looked around as if to make sure no one else was listening – an act that almost made Sam roll her eyes again – and grinned.

"There's a Scottish doctor who thinks he might have figured out the Ancient gene. He's going to check me for it."

Sam frowned.

"I thought Ian said you couldn't use the Ancient equipment in Atlantis?"

"So?"

"So… doesn't that mean you don't have the Ancient gene?"

Now his smug grin faltered, but only for a moment.

"It's an inconclusive way of testing," he replied. "I mean, who knows if the Ancient devices in Atlantis even work? It might just be that they would only work for someone who had-"

"Whatever, McKay."

She was pretty sure it was as good a test as any, and it was amusing that he was having so much trouble dealing with being left out of things.

"I probably have it, you know," he persisted.

Sam shook her head, and started to continue down the corridor the way she'd been going when he'd interrupted her.

"If you say so."

He fell into step beside her.

"You could come, too."

"I'd rather not."

"But-"

"McKay. I have things to do. Go pester someone else, will you?"

There was only so much of him she could handle at one time, and the invitation had pretty much been the end of her patience. She turned and headed for her lab, leaving McKay standing in the middle of the corridor watching her retreating back.

"She wants me."

With that happy thought firmly in his mind, he headed off to get something to eat and find a place to wait for SG-1's return.

OOOOOOOOO

"They've returned…"

Not surprisingly, Teal'c was the first to notice when Berag and several other older men and women returned to the cave they were in. The others all looked at the strangers, but it was only Fisai and Berag who walked over to talk to them, and Jack, Daniel and Ian all stood up to meet them.

"You have eaten?" Berag asked, looking at their empty plates and platters.

Daniel nodded, speaking for all of them.

"It was delicious, thank you."

The older man gave a slight bow, but turned to Ian.

"It has been decided. You cannot be allowed to return to your world bearing the knowledge of my people."

Jack frowned. He hadn't really expected that. He looked at Daniel, wondering if the archeologist had something he could say to make them change their minds. Fighting their way out wouldn't be that hard, but there were a lot of women and young children in the area, and he didn't like the thought of someone maybe getting hurt.

Before Daniel could say anything, however, it was Ian who spoke up.

"You can't stop me from leaving."

"It is not a decision we've made lightly, Ian. but you carry knowledge of our people, and we have ever been elusive..."

"I don't give a shit," Ian told him. "I'm not staying here."

Berag seemed more amused than anything by the statement.

"Without the Stargate, you cannot leave. We control the Stargate, and can disrupt its operations. You will remain here, with us."

"But-"

Ian held up his hand to stop Daniel before he could say anything.

"You don't understand what I'm saying," he said, almost pleasantly – and definitely confident. "I'm not staying here. Do what you want to the Stargate, but short of blowing the sonofabitch up, you're not going to be able to make me stay."

Fisai frowned, but Berag's look was thunderous, his former amusement gone.

"Who do you think you are, you impetuous whelp? I-"

Fisai suddenly gasped, looking at Ian in shock and interrupting his grandfather.

"You carry the knowledge of the Ancients!"

Into the silence that followed that statement, Teal'c spoke.

"It would appear that Fisai remembers more of his connection with Ian Brooks than he thought."