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Teal'c sat bolt upright. "What?"

Sam turned from the console she had been examining and went to kneel down by Teal'c. "Hey, Teal'c, how are you feeling?"

Teal'c frowned at her, scanning her uncertainly before his eyes shifted to take in the room behind her. "What has occurred?"

"Somehow, these crystals are emitting some sort of amazing regenerative substance. We've all been de-aged a bit by this place. It is me - Sam Carter – although I know I look a lot different."

"You are … much altered, General Carter, but still quite recognizable," said Teal'c frowning still distractedly. His eyes unfocussed a little as his attention shifted inward.

"Hey, are you alright, Teal'c? "

Teal'c's eyes widened and he felt at his stomach. Quickly he lifted his shirt to show a flawless flat stomach where a large X shaped scar had once been. "I no longer bare the remains of a symbiote pouch. How can this be?"

Sam shook her head. "I don't know, Teal'c. Maybe the crystals thought it didn't belong there and needed repairing."

Teal'c slowly pulled his shirt back into place and tilted his head to the side thoughtfully.

Sam smiled at the look on his face. Teal'c was as close to giving a full grin as she had ever seen him. "Jack will be back soon. He's doing a little reconnaissance. I've been looking the machinery over. I've had enough time in Atlantis to recognise Ancient machinery and writing when I see it, but I wish Daniel was awake. He could read some of this stuff for us."

Teal'c rolled gracefully to his feet making his way across to the prone Daniel. "How is Daniel Jackson?"

"Unconscious still and he's turned young – really young," said Sam.

Jack stepped back into the room. "Hey, looking good there Teal'c, my friend," he said running an eye over Teal'c.

'Teal'c's head nodded once in acknowledgement. "I feel very well indeed, O'Neill. You and General Carter also appear very … ," he eyed them both critically, "youthful."

Jack nodded. "Sam thinks that this room just might be trying to cure Daniel as well, which might explain why it's taking longer for him to come around."

Teal'c looked down at his friend, Daniel Jackson. "He appears to be a child," he murmured, "What is this substance that flows about him?"

"That's courtesy of the crystals, I think," said Sam. "I watched it heal Jack's shoulder wound. I'm hoping ... well, I haven't dared move Daniel yet until it's finished doing whatever it's doing."

Teal'c frowned. "But he has already been moved. When I first regained consciousness, I noted that he was lying face down beside a circle of some kind. I attempted to move closer but was unable to."

Sam frowned and glanced around. "I don't see any circle."

"No," said Jack. "But there are some scorch marks here in the shape of a ring. Is that what you saw buddy?"

Teal'c frowned and gave a half nod. "It is not as I recall it. I remember a more solid object – but perhaps I am mistaken." He crouched down to touch Daniel's shoulder gently. "His body temperature is higher than normal."

Sam nodded, "I don't think that's too much of a concern, Teal'c. Both Jack and I had elevated body temperatures when we first woke up. Maybe it's a sign that the healing is nearly finished."

Jack frowned at the boy in concern. "Damn, I wish I had one of those tricorder thingies from Star Trek. I wanna know if Daniel is completely cured or not."

Teal'c squeezed Daniel's shoulder gently. "Daniel Jackson?"

Sam almost held her breath waiting for a sign from Daniel, but he remained still and showed no signs of returning consciousness.

"The blue shimmery stuff is fading away," noted Jack.

"Perhaps he will return to consciousness soon then," said Teal'c straightening up to look around the room.

Jack nodded. "I've had a quick look around. Lots of dust and long corridors. On the surface, it looks like this place isn't used much. I did find a courtyard garden complete with what I swear are well maintained apple trees and a fountain full of fresh water. I'm guessing this place is not quite as abandoned as it might look. At least we have a food and water supply close by."

Sam nodded at the machinery. "We could use a team of people here to analyse all of this equipment. As far as I can tell, none of it is damaged, but I haven't got a clue what it would be used for. This just might be the Ancient find of the century – next to Atlantis, of course."

Jack stepped over some of the crystal rocks and used his sleeve to dust off the top of the DHD. "This thing looks okay, but it's just an ordinary DHD; no extra buttons or larger base. Do you think it could take us back home after Daniel wakes up?"

Sam shrugged. "We won't know until we try it, sir uh, Jack. The other DHD had an awful lot of extra crystals installed and I still don't understand what that Key-gate is all about. Maybe …," Sam's eyes widened as she looked at the equipment ranged around the room. "Maybe that's what some of this Ancient equipment compensates for. Maybe this stuff helps send travellers back through this Key-gate thing, using technology as a booster instead of crystals." She made her way around some of the rocks on the floor to look at one of the machines more carefully.

"But we do not have a return address," noted Teal'c, moving to take a guard stance near the exit.

"Damn, I didn't think of that," said Jack. "We might be here a little longer than we … really … didn't plan on. Cam is gonna be so pissed with us when we get back. If we get back."

"Indeed," said Teal'c. His head titled to the side. "O'Neill, I believe I hear approaching footsteps," he said turning to look for some sort of weapon.

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I'm a tad under the weather with a throat infection at the mo. sigh. DDB tells me that her Stargate novel THE DRIFT will be out by the end of the month so I'm looking forward to that. Read a snippet for it and it looks great. Please R&R for me - I could use a pick-me-up or three.