SGSGSGSGSGSGSG

"Another Gate," said Sam, coming closer to examine the boulder. "The SGC could really use a proper DHD. It's a pity we won't get to go through the Gate though. I can't tell you how much I've missed discovering new places."

"I find myself also missing our missions to other worlds," said Teal'c also approaching the boulder. "The politics of home have become wearying of late and I have often found myself reminiscing the days of old when we explored together as a team."

"You said it," said Jack with enthusiasm. "If I had my life over again, I'd have never retired." He didn't think it appropriate to add that a long drawn out death while he waited for more of his body to give out on him was no longer looking like the best way to go and that if he had his way he'd have gone out fighting the good fight – dying for a cause and all that. At least it was quick. There were days when he couldn't handle the 'elderly' thing too well.

"We should wait for Cam," said Daniel a little reluctantly, although he was itching to solve the puzzle.

"Sam's face fell. "Yeah, I guess."

"Hell no," said Jack. "Cam's got his dream job; he can do his own exploring any day of the week. Come on, at least we can start looking before he turns up." Jack frowned at the uncertain looks on the faces of his friends. "After this week, I get to go home to a retirement village where the local excitement is the lawn bowling scores and the latest knitting patterns. I for one want to have some fun."

Daniel looked at him for a moment and then realised that the rest of them we're all waiting for him to make a decision. "Okay, okay. Just – let me put out the fire and maybe we'd better organise some packs or something. I did manage to bring a few basic tools and things along, just in case, so we can take those. There will probably be some digging to do and we'll need torches and the other usual stuff. "

"Yes!" shouted Jack punching the air. He staggered a little on his sore leg and hurried over to grab his pack. He upended it and reached for the extra bag of stuff that Daniel had brought along. Feeling more excitement than he had felt in ages he began refilling his pack with tools, torches, a water bottle and a first aid kit.

"You're all sure you want to do this?" asked Daniel twenty minutes later. He held a piece of paper in his hands and looked around at his former teammates carefully. "I mean this will probably involve a lot of hard, sweaty work and this is supposed to be a relaxing vacation."

Jack was about to say something impatient and then took another look at Daniel's slightly grey face. "Do you think you'd be okay working in your um … condition?"

Daniel nodded looking away. "Let's just say, I've got nothing to lose."

"There's no harm in finding another Gate," said Sam stuffing a bottle of water and first aid kit into her small backpack. "Just think of the look on Cam's face if we did find it."

Jack chuckled. "Yeah, now that'd be worth a little dirt under the fingernails right there."

Daniel nodded his head and stepped over to the boulder. He felt around underneath the mushroom shaped cap and crouched a little painfully to peer at what he had found.

Jack almost grinned as Daniel started muttering about what he was finding – just like he had done whenever there was some writing found on another planet. It had used to drive him nuts back in those days. But how he had missed it after he had retired!

"The script is well hidden but it's still in good condition considering it's been protected from the elements so well, and there just might be a tiny sensor of some sort embedded here. "There's a few old Welsh words here as well, but thankfully I don't think I'll have to speak them aloud. I'm not that good with the voiceless lateral fricatives in old Welsh. Ah, this is the key part … written in Ancient. Let me see if I can get the phrasing right here."

Daniel straightened, adjusting the small back pack at his shoulder and whispering words under his breath. "Um, you guys might want to step back just a little in case the ground disappears on us."

Daniel waited until the others had moved back before he cleared his throat and then read loudly from the paper in his hands and then repeated the Ancient key phrase that he had found on the rock.

For a few seconds nothing happened. Daniel looked at the ground around the boulder expectantly, but nothing happened – except that the birds in the area all took to flight at the same time, frightened by something that only they could sense.

Then a beam of light swept over the group and they vanished leaving the glade suddenly completely quiet and abandoned.

SGSGSGSGSGSGSGSG

Sorry for the short chapter. I've had about three hours sleep in the last two days. Next chapter will be longer and more exciting.