The Great Outdoors 2
Previously: "Woah Danny!" Jack's attention was now 100 on the young archaeologist. "Gods?... as in...goa'ulds?"
Chapter 2
"No Jack, I don't think so, first of all I highly doubt the goa'uld would be too pleased with...flowers, um and well, the gate would probably guarded..."Daniel petered off looking less sure of himself.
Jack has to admit that Daniel had a point about the flowers but wasn't completely convinced by his jargon and turned to Sam for confirmation.
"Carter?"
"I agree with Daniel sir, I don't think there can be any goa'uld here. The UAV did a ten mile sweep and found no sign of technology just some basic roads. Even if the gate weren't guarded, there would certainly be something within ten miles of it."
Daniel jumped in the back Sam up "exactly and it's very unusual for a goa'uld to make a settlement of any kind that's that far away from the gate. I mean, they're not known for their love of long walks."
Teal'c decided to throw in his 2 cents. "O'Neill, this address was extrapolated from the repository of the ancients. It is unlikely The goa'uld know of it's existence."
"Thank you Teal'c, now I'm convinced. Isn't it great when we can all work together to solve a problem!" The smile that lit his face proved Daniel's suspicion that Jack had been convinced by his first argument and had thoroughly enjoyed taking them all for a ride.
"Now then, kids let's get moving I don't see a sign for a motel anywhere near." He turned back toward the muddy path and stopped dead in his tracks.
A large group of men stood across the path, watching SG1 in a sort of superior curiosity. Jack was relieved to notice that none carried anything that looked like a weapon. There were six men in uniform, surrounding three men who carried themselves with a air of authority and behind the uniformed group stood two teenage boys with a small girl holding each of their hands. All wore long heavy coats over robes that wouldn't look out of place in a monestary and all in different colours.
The man at the front of the group with dark grey hair pulled back in a ponytail stepped forward.
"Welcome." He spread his arms in a very "welcoming" gesture and smiled waiting for a response.
After waiting a moment for Jack so say something...anything, and deciding they must look like idiots right now, Daniel stepped forward and smiled back at the man.
"Um...hi I'm Daniel Jackson. This is Teal'c, Major Samantha Carter and Colonel Jack O'Neill. We're peaceful explorers from a planet called earth."
"I am Hyden. I am the governor of the nearest city." This is Marshal, my secretary and Karn, my assistant. These" He indicated the three youngsters."Are the three who alerted us of your arrival. They were walking nearby and heard the great ring."
Daniel interrupted the man. "Yes the uh the great ring we were just wondering about the flowers on the DHD."
Hyden's forehead creased in confusion. "DHD?"
Sam took a small step towards the Governor."It stands for dial home device. It's the device used to control the Stargate... the great ring. --"
"That thing!" Jack waved his P90 in the direction of the DHD giving his second a pointed look.
Hyden looked pleased with the development. "Yes, the control table." He beamed around at them all.
"Yes do you use it regularly. I mean... do you know how it works?" Teal'c took the time while Daniel said this to move closer to Jack. "They do not appear to be far behind us in advancement O'Neill but I am certain that they are not in the service of the goa'uld." While Daniel moved toward the DHD along with Hyden, gesturing a the symbols covering it's surface, Sam joined the whispered conversation. "I agree with Teal'c sir but it's hard to tell about their level of technology with just their clothing to go on."
"Hmm.." Jack kept his gaze on the stern looking men in the dark grey uniforms. "What about those guys? Guards?" Sam Nodded
"Possible. They don't seem to have any weapons."
"Perhaps they have no need of them."
"Hey guys." Daniel called to get their attention. "Hyden says that they use the Stargate a lot for trade but they've never seen anybody who could be a goa'uld. Right Hyden."
"No never, and we have never met anybody such as yourselves either. Your clothing and... accessories are very strange to us. The flowers are left by some of the more superstitious of our population. Some believe that to travel across space simply by stepping into a great ring must be the doing of some higher being. Some simply leave flowers as thanks to whoever created the great ring for opening the new possibilities it offers to us."
"So how do you know which symbols to dial? Was there some writing left somewhere?" Daniel's eyes lit up at the prospect.
"No. We only know the symbols for people who have visited us and who wish to trade. They give us the symbols to their planets."
"You've never tried to find out any for yourself?" Sam couldn't imagine having the opportunity to investigate the technology and not doing so.
"We are content simply to trade with people who made contact with us. Many in the government feared that to step too far out of our boundaries would incur the wrath of some less diplomatic cultures that must surely exist in a galaxy so big as ours."
Jack leaned closer to Teal'c and muttered out of the corner of his mouth. "Sounds like these guys have got the right idea."
"Indeed."
Hyden turned and moved back to the large group. "Please." he gestured to the path that lead into the trees. "We have transport waiting at the edge of the forest. We will take you to the city.
SG1SG1SG1SG1SG1SG1
A ten minute walk later and the group stepped out from the thinning trees into bright sunshine. The muddy track joined a wide paved road on which were parked two large vans. Sam stopped walking and Jack collided with her back.
"Christ Carter! Give me a warning next time will ya." Jack murmured rubbing his chest which had caught the butt of the P90 slung across her back and trying to shake his head clear of the delicious scent of Sam that was floating around him.
"Sorry sir, it's just...look at the mountains." Jack moved his gaze upwards from where he had been following the cutely ruffled strands of Sam's blonde hair, from his vantage point just behind her to the view of an incredible mountain range in the distance.
The scenery was magnificent and the setting sun cast stunning colours and harsh shadows across the hills making the snow covered higher slopes glow. Daniel and Teal'c stood a few feet ahead of them also admiring the view until Daniel asked.
"Where's the city?"
Hyden came from talking with one of the uniformed men to answer his question. "On the opposite side of the mountains."
Jack stared at the man in the dress with disbelief written all over his face. "And... those trucks are gonna get us over a freakin' mountain how exactly?"
"They have the ability to disappear from one place and appear in another, travelling through the space between instantaneously. Do you not possess this technology?" He turned to the only woman in the group of strange travellers, who was stood with her eyes wide gaping at him. Blue
eyes. Extraordinary. "You do not?"
Sam replied in amazement. "We have some allies who have the technology to beam from one place to another but we have never thought to incorporate it into existing vehicles. It's genius. Sir this kind of technology would be incredibly useful on earth.
Jack couldn't help getting caught up in her obvious delight at the new technology. "Sure you betcha. I could lie in in the mornings." Sam rolled her eyes at him before turning back to Hyden.
"We'd be very willing to trade for this kind of technology. It would be extremely useful to the people on our planet." She smiled warmly at the man trying to win his trust. Apparently it worked.
"I am sure we can agree on some sort of arrangement but for now we have a short drive in order to be far enough from the trees to engage the transport drive. We will discuss trade tomorrow once you are rested." He turned away from them and began issuing orders to the uniformed "guards" and to his assistant he said. "Send the children in the second van with Marshal and return them to their parents. I will take our guests to their accommodations."
SG1 climbed into the back of on of the large vans and sat on the benches lining the walls. Hyden opened a grille between the front compartment where he sat with Karn. "I hope you are all comfortable. The journey will not be long."
Jack put his face up close to the grille to speak making Hyden move backwards in surprise at the man's strange behaviour.
"Sure Haden." He was grinning like a maniac now, glad to be sitting down and happy to frighten the alien man with his 'Jack O'Neill' antics. "We'll just sit tight."Hyden nodded nervously and closed the grille. A moment later, the van lurched to a start throwing Sam sideways into Jack's shoulder.
"Ouch sorry sir. I guess they aren't that used to driving."
On the other side of the van Daniel and Teal'c had both noticed how little the colonel seemed to be bothered by having his pretty 2IC pressed into his side however briefly. Daniel studied the floor to hide his knowing smile and Teal'c's eyebrow raised a fraction but neither said anything.
In the front of the van Karn was looking nervous as he drove eventually daring to throw a sidelong glance at his boss and ask. "Sir, what if they will not cooperate."
Hyden was looking incredibly pleased with himself as his air of self importance went up a few notches.
Meanwhile in the back the comfortable silence which had followed the uncomfortable moment was replaced with a soft hissing and the compartment began to fill slowly wit red gas from the floor upward. Jack raised his head for a second from studying his hands. "What the --" before the whole sentence was out of his mouth all four crumpled, motionless to the floor in an unconscious heap.