Chapter 5

Earth

Briefing room

Present time

"The name of the planet is Jord, it was thought to be a myth, rumored to be a brutal world where unexplainable things have occurred. The inhabitants of the planet, the Lys I believe, have been long since dead, and it passed into legend, then the legend faded to myth. But I am sure that is the name of P3X-105." Selmak said, his voice seeming excessively loud in the briefing room.

"I have never heard of such a place." Teal'c commented as he listened intently to what information Selmak had to offer.

"Dr. Jackson believed that this was the origin of the people from P3R-233." General Hammond filled in. "The planet where we, or rather Daniel, found the quantum mirror; No wonder Daniel wanted to go so bad." Carter added no longer able to add to the silence the room seemed to hold despite all the people talking. "Exactly, Dr. Jackson insisted on going back to study the ruins further, determined to fill in the gap between the two worlds, and why the Goa'uld were so keen on wiping them out."

"Yeah, this is all fascinating, but let's focus on the matter at hand, we have people on this planet, and they can't get back for some reason, and we cannot dial the gate coordinates." Jack snapped growing impatient with the way people lost track of the important things

"We can lend you a cargo ship, none of our operatives are willing to risk their lives on Jord, so you will be on your own." Selmak said looking at the people sitting around the table. "With the engines pushing light speed you would get there in three days."

Everyone at the table seemed to be offended by what Selmak had just said. He knew that three days was too long, but he was not done.

"Sir, I am not sure they have that long." Jack countered

" Three days is the best we can do, I am sorry." Jacob took control. "And I am also sorry that the Tok'Ra high council has a request for you. In exchange for the ship, you must bring back any technology from Jord to the High Council." Jacob finished for Selmak.

Four heads looked up and stared at Jacob as if they could not believe what he was saying. "Why don't you just go yourselves" Jack asked knowing full well the truth behind that question. "As I have said before, Jord is rumored to be very dangerous, and we cannot risk any of our operatives, there are too few of us. However, it was also rumored to be a treasure trove of technologies, as Daniel has pointed out the example of the quantum mirror." Jacob responded in a calm fashion.

General Hammond considered the request, or rather the demand. "We will share whatever technologies we find there, but our primary objective is to rescue our people, and bring them home." Selmak shook his head in understanding. General Hammond always liked Selmak, and not just because of its host.

General Hammond looked around the table at the remaining members of SG1. Hoping beyond hope that three days would be soon enough to retrieve his people and bring them home. It always pained him to lose people, and he knew he wasn't supposed to favor any particular teams, but he was rather fond of SG1 and all four people that made the team. Without a doubt SG 1 was the most unique team in the SGC, and maybe that is why they were so good at what they did. He did not want to lose all that was SG1, and loosing Daniel would cripple them severely. "Alright, SG1 you have a go. Your mission is to bring them home. Dismissed"

Jack lept from the table and practically ran out of the room to prepare to leave, without a word. Carter and Teal'c exchanged glances. "He feels responsible" Hammond filled in as he saw Major Carter and Teal'c exchange confused glances. "Why?" Carter asked. "Because I was not going to let Dr. Jackson go in the first place, that is until he convinced me to let him go." General Hammond finished, as he turned to leave the briefing room.

"I believe it is necessary to depart as soon as possible Major Carter." Teal'c said as he too left the room to prepare for their mission. Sam glanced back at her Dad, "good luck kid" Jacob said, with a hopeful smile. With that, Sam decided it would be best to follow Teal'c's advice, for Daniel's sake.

P3X-105

Present time

After a three hour round trip Daniel was so very relieved to see the ruins again, and despite the events unfolding on the planet, the ruins still held a certain wonder towards Daniel. He still wanted to uncover the secrets, and the events were more of a motivator, then anything else. Daniel was certain that some answers would be found within these ruins.

From a distance he had seen the black smoke covering the vast sky, and now that he was closer to the fire he could smell the stench of burning flesh and hair. He didn't know what he was going to tell these people. Colonel Darnic is dead, and the Stargate simply does not exist anymore. The situation is, they are stuck here, and the only thing they can do is wait and die. What a cheery thought Daniel thought to himself.

Now that he was almost in the court yard he could see the black charred bodies, and the thought sickened him. The surviving members had picked up and moved camp inside the walls of the ruins, perhaps because, he, Bruce, and Benson, weren't affected by the contagion in there, but if you asked Daniel, to him they were grasping at straws.

Daniel shivered realizing that it was almost night fall and the sun had nearly completely set. Sighing loudly, he continued his track towards the rest of the team. The corridors of the temple echoed the muffled sound of soft chatter, and he could smell the MRE's cooking, which was a relief to his nostrils.

They had made camp in one of the smaller chambers of the temple that seemed to be an off shoot of the massive empty chamber in the dead center of the ruins. When Daniel entered the chamber all chatter stopped. Dr. Benson, noticed the talking had come to a halt and turned away from Sgt. Klingman, who was an emotional wreck. After they piled the bodies, they had all moved camp inside, Klingman found a corner and just sat there. Every once in a while he would mutter something, but no one could get through to him. At seeing Daniel enter the chamber he got up and greeted him with a smile.

Everyone watched Daniel as he walked across the room to talk to Bruce. It was as if they were waiting for him to do something. "Bruce." Daniel smiled back in return when he finally was at his side. Noticing Klingman in the corner Daniel began to ask what was wrong, but Bruce beat him to it knowing how Daniel's mind worked, "He's not responding to anyone, but I think he is just in shock, especially after..." Bruce didn't need to finish his sentence. Daniel knew what he meant. "Where is the colonel?" Bruce asked glancing to the doorway yet awaiting the arrival of Colonel Darnic. Daniel simply shook his head and casted his gaze downward, but it was enough, Bruce understood. Chatter in the room began to pick up again and Daniel felt he could finally tell Dr. Berman what was on his mind.

Bringing his voice more to a whisper he began, "I think the answer to what we are dealing with here could be in that inscription I found this morning." Bruce nodded in agreement. "why are you whispering?" he asked not quite understanding this behavior. "if it is not there then it is somewhere else Bruce, I am telling you that if everyone hears this could bias their translations of the text, or create unneeded tension." Daniel glanced around the room making sure no one would hear him. "but I truly believe it is the text I found this morning, the one I was going to tell you about before-"

"Where's the colonel" Benson interrupted yet again. Daniel hadn't even noticed his approach which was a scary thought. Daniel turned to face the major, only to see anger swell up in his eyes. "Dr. Jackson, I asked you a question! Where is Colonel Darnic?" the Major asked again deciding Daniel was taking too long to answer a simple question. He stepped closer towards Daniel to try and intimidate it out of him.

"Now now, major we have had more than enough excitement for one day why don't you just- "Can it old man!" Benson shot at Bruce, defusing his attempt to calm him down. Daniel looked Major Benson in the eyes and began.

"He didn't make it. He knew he was falling ill, and we didn't make it in time to rely the information to base. As of now Colonel Darnic is dead, the base has no idea of our situation, and ..." Daniel paused here not really wanting to tell them the last part of their current predicament. "And the gate is…no longer an available option."

Shock, sadness and anger flooded the room all at once. "I'm sorry" was all Daniel could say to these people, and it would never be enough. They were stuck here, and their only way out of the situation was in that text. Daniel thought for a moment that he should tell them that the answer was here in the temple, but he dismissed it thinking that if it wasn't he would be the number one target in a lynch mob soon to follow the let down. No, it was decided. If the answer was here, he and Bruce would find it.

Daniel looked around the room at all the hate and disgust thrown his way. He turned back towards Bruce and was relieved to see that he offered him a small encouraging smile instead. Daniel sat down next to Sgt. Klingman, and Dr. Berman soon followed. Eventually everyone else in the room lost interest in throwing looks of hate at Daniel and returned to their own business.

When Daniel felt all eyes were finally off him he continued his conversation with Bruce. "I am telling you Bruce the answer is there, I just know it." Bruce looked at Daniel with a small smile. Glancing around the room he replied, "I sure hope you are right." Klingman stirred and mutter more nonsense to himself and then silence returned between the two friends. "Daniel?" Bruce asked as he kept his gazed fixed on the people around him. "Yeah?" Daniel responded intrigued as to what Bruce was about to ask. "I don't look that old do I?" At first Daniel was completely thrown by the question, but soon enough they had a good laugh.

About an hour later the two of them made their way back towards the small chamber that Daniel thought held the answers. With the wall a lit they settled down in front of the massive text and began to translate. It became long tedious work, but eventually they had had the entire text translated, and in the end both were speechless.

Daniel had mixed feelings about the entire thing. He was excited he now did in fact have the answer. The truth was always exciting to learn, but this truth, this story it terrified him beyond belief. "So…not a contagion." Bruce finally said aloud after a long moment of thought. "It would seem as though it were not." Daniel replied sounding a lot like something Teal'c would say, well at least I don't sound like jack he thought to himself. Yet jack's voice taunted in his head. "Daniel, we are in way over our heads." Bruce stated breaking Daniel's bizarre train of thought which he was grateful for. He could only think of one thing to say, "Indeed."