CHAPTER 4

Author's note: As much as I hate to admit this, I don't know SG-4 and 5's team names so I'm giving them names. If they ever named or didn't name them on the show I didn't notice. Sad seeing as they did name many of the teams and I didn't notice.

Several guards were standing with their weapons pointed at the team as they came through the gate. As the General came in, he had them stand down. Carter was waiting next to the M.A.L.P. as O'Neill walked past everyone to get to the bottom of the ramp.

"General."

"Colonel."

"This sir is Melissa. She's……a fox." O'Neill said looking at a loss for words, as he raised his hands gesturing.

Melissa walked down and shook hands with Hammond. "I think your Colonel is a little tongue tied General. Him and the rest of them were quite surprised at seeing a walking and talking animal. We know some history of Earth, not a lot but enough to know I must be a surprise to see."

"I see what you mean." Hammond said apparently also slightly lost.

"I can tell you are surprised along with everyone else here. I expected this." she said putting her hands into her coat.

Clearing his throat, Hammond ordered SG-1 and company to the briefing room in one hour. Ford he wanted to see right away after being checked out by Janet. As they filed out of the room Hammond told Melissa that it was standard procedure to be checked medically after returning from any mission. She agreed it was a good policy and followed.

Janet was setting up her equipment for checking any team that came back when she heard SG-1 had came back. She heard from the Lieutenant that they had a visitor from the planet that was a fox. Janet didn't take it literally, thinking the young man was saying the female coming down was hot looker, that was until Melissa walked in the door behind SG-1. She nearly dropped her blood pressure kit.

"Ah, Doctor. Meet Melissa. She's here to talk and look around." O'Neill said before sitting on one of the beds. He seemed to looked like he had planned on a better introduction but blew it when he tried to tell Janet.

"No offense, but what's with the cowboy look?" Janet asked as she checked out O'Neill.

"Everyone on their planet wears that sort of outfit. Their planet is somewhat like our old west era." Ford said. Daniel jumped in after that.

"From what I learned, a Goa'uld that served under Nirriti took on the look of what our old west era was like. The buildings and people all look like they came from that time, except its been more modernized. All the buildings are made of stone and metal instead of wood." he said pushing his glasses up. "Their culture is quite interesting."

"From what I saw, they adapted parts and other things from a Goa'uld mother ship to make their accommodations and livelihood better. The roofs all looked to have solar panels. They had heat and cooling machines on voice command. Almost everything was automated but strictly regulated." Carter said. "They have large air purifiers built in the center of town that work in a several mile radius."

"Where did you learn that Major?" O'Neill asked as Janet walked over to Sam.

"You're fine Colonel." Janet said. "Unless something comes up in the blood work."

"Bob told me, sir. Didn't you hear us on the way to town?" she asked knowing he wasn't paying attention then.

"Not really."

Ford was sitting on the bed nearest to the door with Melissa sitting in the bed across from him. Teal'c was up from that and Daniel across from Teal'c. Major Carter was sitting in the bed beside Teal'c's. When Carter said Bob, Ford had to bite his hand to keep a straight face. Luckily no one noticed. O'Neill said see ya later and walked out. No one said anything else as she checked up on them all. She left Ford and Melissa last on purpose after getting a phone call from General Hammond telling her to check them out last. She checked out Ford first.

"You feeling okay Ford?" Janet asked checking his blood pressure.

"Just fine. Why?"

"General Hammond informed me that you seem to have trouble not laughing. I don't understand what he meant though."

"Remember that thing I explain in the briefing room before about not being from this universe?"

"Yeah. I still am having trouble believing it, but what about it. I can't conceive anything that would cause a increase of endorphins."

"Well, as I said, I used to watch this as a television show. Seeing Carter and the others all arguing or talking in ways O'Neill doesn't understand always made me laugh. Stupid sounding, but I can't really help it. I swear O'Neill puts himself in those positions. The way O'Neill turns everything bad situation into a joke sometimes has always been funny."

"I can understand that. He has made some smart remarks at the table before that almost made me crack up. Alright you seem just fine. You can go."

"Can he stay?" Melissa asked.

Janet looked at Ford for a moment as he spoke. "I'll stay silent and completely out of the way. Besides she's going to need an escort to the briefing room."

"Well as long as you do stay out of the way, then I don't mind. Melissa I need you to remove your coat."

Melissa removed the long coat and handed the gun belt she had on to Ford.

Janet blinked a moment and then looked at Ford.

"Yeah I knew she had it but forgot to say anything. Everyone on the planet either had a zat gun or staff weapon with them. I'll give it to General Hammond once we get to the briefing room."

Melissa shrugged and said it was probably out of power anyway as she laid her coat on the bed next to her. She was wearing a short sleeve button up shirt with white jeans that were loose in the legs. The cowboy boots were brown and looked like any pair you'd pick up at a ranch store. As she removed her hat, Ford almost gasped. She had hair, actually hair that was hidden under the hat. It flopped down and came close to rolling into eyes. The rest fell slightly to the side and came down the back to her neck. It seemed to only grow between her ears.

She's even better looking without the hat.

He could swear she heard him as it looked like she was blushing as she glanced at him a moment then looked away.

Janet explained what she was going to and Melissa nodded but grimaced at the needing to draw blood. Since SG-1 had to get it done she said she'd corporate. As Janet checked her blood pressure, which was some problem for Janet, she figured it would be seeing as this person, even though looked humanoid, was in fact animal biologically and she was no vet. Her blood pressure seemed close to a normal human's but might be normal for her species. If she were human she would have performed a few test. Being a fox, she didn't question it much. She figured she'd send the blood sample to a the vet and see what they said. Though leave out the detail about what it actually came from for the moment. As she checked her heart beat, she asked her a question.

"I'm just wondering really, but what color's were your parents fur?"

"My dad and mom are both the natural color our, breed or is it species you would say?"

"Both context can be the same meaning." Janet said.

"They were the natural color. Orange, red, black, and white. Why?"

"The hat is to keep the sun from hitting your skin isn't it?"

"Yeah. It burns if I have the sun on me too long. We never found out why. Just seems to hit families at random. Many have had to move to the cave cities. I just decided to wear more clothes even if it got to hot."

"You're what we call on this planet, an albino. It is a random occurrences that happens in families. It's nothing truly serious. You just need to keep sunlight expose limited otherwise you can hurt yourself."

"It's not life threatening?"

"Not unless you stand in the sun all day, otherwise it's nothing to worry over."

"Thank you so much. We all thought it was something that the Goa'uld did to us. Others like me our always being watched to see when they're going to die. I feel so much better." Melissa said holding a hand to her chest. Ford and Janet noticed it looked like a heavy load was lifted from her.

"I was glad to help. Now I need you to hold out your arm for me like they all did. It's going to hurt a bit." Janet said getting a blood drawn kit ready. Melissa held out her left arm as the others did and talked to Ford to distract herself.

"What was that thing you were talking about with Janet. The laughing thing?"

"I'll try to explain the best I can, certain things won't make much sense, but here goes. I don't belong, wait...I came from another universe. I'll skip the how. Anyway, where I came from, this.." he said gesturing to everything around him. "..was all wrote up by people with very active imaginations. This is all make believe were I'm from. When I ended up here, I decided to stay and become one of the team. I got here through some sort of electrical shock and that's when I got the gate address for your planet. As for the laughing part, I used to watch all these people here on a special machine. The other reason they don't think I'm crazy is because some of them have been to another universe. O'Neill says some of the weirdest things at the most inopportune time that I have always found funny. That's why I've been laughing. I'm not trying to laugh at him, it's just he says all the wrong things at the wrong time, but it works."

Janet had finished some time ago and was listening to him talk. O'Neill had came into the story at about the point where Ford said special machine and stayed just outside the room. He was coming to ask Ford and guest if they wanted to get something to eat. After Ford finished he walked in. Melissa said to Ford that that was the strangest thing she ever heard, but believed him. She was more surprised with knowing Janet was already done.

"That was quick. I didn't feel anything."

"That's my job." she said putting the three vials into a tray. "As far as I can tell, you're in perfect health, but then I have to admit I don't know much about your particular physiology, so unless you don't feel normal, then you can go. I'll let you know what your blood work says though."

"A little excited to be the first back on what really is our home planet, but otherwise I feel normal like any other day." Janet nodded and then pushed her tray into another room as Melissa picked up her coat. She didn't put it back on though.

"I just came by to see if you two wanted to get something to eat before we get back to work." Jack said standing quite calmly with his hands in his pockets.

"Sure Jack, I'm mean sir. Sorry, got to remember that."

"Don't worry about it. You're not in the Air Force anyway. I heard what you where saying. You could have just told me I was the reason for your laughing problem. I don't understand it all, but I'd at least know you weren't coming down with something. You're also the only one to laugh at my antics."

"I didn't know how you'd take it, so I kept my mouth shut, or tried anyway. I'll try harder to keep my little problem in check in the future."

"That's good. Now are you coming?"

"You hungry?" Ford asked Melissa.

"Very." she said with a smile.

As they left, Ford handed Melissa's zat gun to him and gave her back her belt. As she put it on, Ford told O'Neill that she said it was probably out of power. O'Neill activated the zat gun and tried firing it at a chair. It made a small noise but nothing happened.

"I've never came across a empty zat gun before. Much less one so beat up looking. I'm going to keep this with me."

"We have plenty more, so go ahead. I can get another one later."

Carter, Teal'c, and Daniel had already gotten what they wanted and were sitting down when the other three came in. Melissa was telling Ford and Jack what she liked and disliked as they walked in. As they got up to the food, O'Neill spent more time trying to get her to try new things than get anything for himself. Ford ended up having Mac and Cheese with an apple and A&W root beer. Jack had orange juice, an apple, oatmeal, which Ford thought was strange but didn't comment, and big heaping of blue Jello, which Ford wasn't surprised at. No one was. Melissa ended up with one piece of toast, a small bowl of oatmeal, orange juice, Mac and Cheese, and Jello. There was little to anyone in the mess hall with them, so the place was pretty much theirs. Ford ended up sitting next to Carter with Melissa across from him. Teal'c was sitting next to Carter while Jack and Daniel were across from Teal'c. Melissa commented on the food quite a lot. Jack asked about the Jello twice. Ford had to put his mind else where to keep from laughing. He tried to remember how much ammo he had left by counting it slowly in his head. Teal'c never said a word. Ford was nursing his last bit of root beer when someone tapped him on the shoulder.

"Major?"

"It's time to go. Where have you been all this time?" Carter asked. She was standing along with everyone else.

"Just thinking." he said getting up.

As they entered the briefing room, Ford had eaten every bit of the apple accept the stem. Seeing no trash can he pocketed it. General Hammond arrived shortly after they all had sat down.

"Ford, since you have no real background that we can find, not surprisingly, your status will be considered as civilian aide. A lot like Doctor Jackson is, for paper work purposes. You won't have a rank but you do have to follow orders. Understood?"

"Completely General."

"Good. Now, before we get to planning the excursion, I want to hear all that happened."

O'Neill went first, telling all that happened after arriving on the planet, then Carter followed by Teal'c, Daniel, then Ford. They told everything that had happened up to where they came back to the M.A.L.P. and went through the gate.

"Very interesting SG-1. For once you came back without a fight."

"Thank you sir. We try." O'Neill said with that tone of playing around. "It's not always easy though."

This is going to take some getting used to. Ford thought while biting his tongue.

"Melissa is it?"

"Yes."

"Do your people want our help? Major Carter informed me that your people might be struggling with some supply shortages."

"Definitely. My uncle wanted me to come and see if I could get help from you. We are actually doing worst than better."

"Wait. We saw your city, granted not all of it, but everything looked fine." Daniel said.

"That's true, but we have been having to ration off food for a couple of years now. We had drought problems for those two years and that's why I was asked to come. I'm representing not only my city, but the other cities that are around ours. We will gladly give you whatever we can for your help. I think Ford explained it better as payment."

All eyes turned to him with angry glances, except Melissa's.

Uh oh! Think fast...

"We were talking about something and money came into the subject somehow. I told her what money was long before we even reached the city and for the record I had no idea they were having trouble with anything. I was telling her something about money and she didn't understand since they have no money system on their planet. Everything there is sharing and bartering." Ford said trying not to stumble over words.

"I did not mean to get him in trouble. He explained what money was and then we thought that you might not help unless we gave something of value in exchange. We originally were going to ask anyway if you could help us." Melissa said quickly.

"If you have no money system I can see where our system would catch you off guard." Daniel said.

"We have people who can come and help you with your food shortages. It would be our pleasure to help you. We would like to explore those Goa'uld temples though, if your government doesn't mind." Hammond said.

"Not at all. We'd like to know what they say. It has had our historians stumped for many years."

"Do you think we could look at the Goa'uld mother ship that wasn't taken apart?" Carter asked.

"The naquada that powered the vessel is completely gone but you can explore it if you like. Hell, if you could get it off the ground and into space, all the better. It's like a big target for other Goa'uld to come enslave us."

"Why didn't you take it apart like the first one?" Daniel asked.

"The first mother ship was badly messed up when we got hold of it. We figure that if we tried to take it apart, a signal would have been sent to other Goa'uld and we didn't want that. The first one was damaged enough that it couldn't send a help signal."

"How did you get the second one so intact?" O'Neill asked this time.

"It was just there. Only a few guards were protecting it. It was rushed and took over quickly."

"How did the naquada reactor get out of the ship?" Carter asked.

"With persuasion and some skills that we were taught and luck we managed to dissembled it and used it for other things. We guess that it was Path'ar's ship because of the massive amount of books and belongings that we have in our culture. What is considered your old west era as Daniel puts it, whatever that means."

"Well Major, since they don't mind us looking around, put together a team to examine the ship. Doctor Jackson, you and Ford will look over the temple with a team put together by you Doctor. Colonel, I want you and Teal'c to get a team to get supplies to these people. You should know already what we can and can't give."

"Of course sir."

"Have everything read by 0600 tomorrow morning. Get to it people. Dismissed."

"Do I stay here or go back home?" Melissa asked as everyone got up. She seemed to be asking Ford more than anyone else. Why, Ford wasn't sure.

"That's up to you miss. We can give you accommodations for the night if you want to stay, or SG-1 can meet you tomorrow back on your planet." Hammond said.

"Sure, I'll stay then. It isn't everyday you get to go to another planet." she said standing up.

SG-1 glanced at each other as they chuckled.

"What?" Melissa said putting her coat back on. She then realized what she said. "Right. This normal for you."

"Indeed." Teal'c said.

"They spend more time off on other planets than here on Earth." Ford said.

"What about you?"

"This is my first day."

The next several hours were spend planning for the next day. With certain phone calls in high places, mostly from Hammond, several large packages of food and supplies would be arriving during the night for them. A few groups of scientists were gathered together to help with the deciphering and engineering parts of the mission. Daniel had his equipment to be brought ready to go along with the scientific equipment him and Sam would need. Ford spent a few hours in the armory before going to bed. The primary members of SG-1 went home for the night while Ford stayed on the base. He told Hammond he'd find a house later. Melissa stayed in a room just across from his in case anything happened or she got scared and she seemed to be more comfortable around him. Ford had everything he needed setting on a table in his room when he went to bed.

Ford was up and ready an hour before they really all needed to be. Getting dressed he packed up his stuff, strapped on his extra clips of ammo, which were quite a few, and walked over to Melissa's door. There was still half an hour left till SG-1 arrived. He knocked on Melissa's door before peering in. Seeing her still asleep he started to walk in when he noticed all her clothes were in a chair next to the bed. She looked to be sleeping on her stomach. Walking out he left the door slightly opened and yelled out to her.

"Melissa. Melissa!"

"Hmmm. What is it dad?" she mumbled.

"Melissa. You're not at home, remember?"

Her eyes popped open quickly when she realized where she was.

"Don't come in!" she said covering herself more with the covers.

"I'm not going to. I'm just letting you know it's time to get up. You've got half an hour."

"How much time is that?" she asked while getting out of bed slowly.

"You don't have time devices on your world?"

"We went by where the sun rose and set."

"Okay...umm, I'll knock again when it's time to get going. It's enough time to freshen up though and eat if we hurry."

"Alright. Just wait."

"I'll be right out here if you need anything."

Ford was double checking his equipment when she walked out about fifteen minutes later. Her hair was quite ruffled.

"Sleep well?"

"It was more comfortable than back home." she said with a stretch. "That shower last night felt great. With the rationing we've been having to do, water is slightly scarce." Ford looked away before his mind went elsewhere and picked up his stuff. Grabbing one of his extra combs he handed it to her.

"This might help. If you have any worries, I haven't used it. I have extra's cause I tend to lose them or break them. Keep it."

"Thanks." she said testing it first. Seeing it would work for herself she walked back into her room and fixed her hair.

"No offense but does everyone have hair like yours? Your uncle's wife didn't have any."

"It seems a select few have hair. Mom did and her sister didn't."

"Who is your mom's sister?"

"Zhanell." Seeing the confusion or shock she explained better. "Draco isn't really my uncle, I just called him it when I was little and I kept calling him it even until now."

"How old are you?"

"Thirty." she said as they walked to the mess hall. "How old are you?"

"Thirty three."

She looked him up and down as they neared the mess hall.

"What?"

"You don't look that old."

"Neither do you."

After they had breakfast, they headed to the gate room. SG-4 and the other groups coming with them on the trip were checking things over. Ford noticed the large case he brought in last night was still there. Setting his bag on the ground he checked his watch. Two minutes till.

"Daniel will be the last one in the room."

"Why is that?"

"He's always late." he said setting his PC-90 on the M.A.L.P.

Melissa cracked her neck as O'Neill came through the door. Carter was next. Teal'c behind her and no Daniel.

"I should have made a bet last night with you O'Neill."

"On what?"

"Daniel showing up late."

"I'd never take that bet. He's always late. Now if I made the bet with you." he said as Daniel walked in.

"Sorry. Traffic was blocked by a fender bender."

"Fender bender?"

"What we call a traffic accident. An example would be if two glider's crashed into each other in the middle of a gliding area, streets as we call them. Not a big crash but enough to slow the flow of people walking or driving." Ford tried to explain.

"That's never happened before for us." Melissa said.

"SG-1. Are you ready to go?" Hammond said from the control room upstairs.

"Yes sir."

"Dial it up Lieutenant."

As the dialing process went through they tried to explain the crash accident better.

"I was trying to use an example that might have happened on your planet. You don't even know what a car is so this will be difficult." Ford said scratching his head. "Help me out here people."

"Chevron one locked."

"Let's say one of the gliders was coming around a corner and another was also." Ford starting saying when they all looked lost.

"Chevron two locked."

"The onboard sensors would tell of an incoming glider though."

With a short laugh, "Melissa, Melissa, Melissa..." he let out a sigh before continuing. "You're making this difficult to explain. I'll just have to show you later."

"Chevron three locked."

"I think so. How many people and cars are there that could cause a problem?" she asked.

"Several billion. That's for both people and cars, trucks, SUV's..." O'Neill said with a flash of his hands.

"Chevron four locked."

Melissa had been looking at Ford the entire conversation and turned to look at O'Neill slowly.

"How high is that number? I haven't heard it before." she said almost not wanting to hear the answer.

"Chevron five locked."

"How many people live our on your planet?" Carter asked.

"Around two hundred thousand by your number system I believe."

"Chevron six locked."

"Well take that number and times it by five thousand." Jack said.

"Numbers were never my strongest thing."

"Carter help me out here." Jack said turning to her.

"That number you mention before about the two hundred thousand. Add that number five thousand times."

"Chevron seven locked."

"I see why this place is kept secret." she said wide eyed.

"Chevron eight locked."

Everyone turned to watch as the gate opened and whooshed out. As the M.A.L.P. and other equipment went through first which was going to take sometime seeing as quite a lot of supplies and food was going through SG-1 waited.

"I'm guessing there's a reason why we weren't standing closer when that wave came through."

"That wave is part of the event horizon that makes the wormhole from this planet to any other planet possible. The wave eliminates anything it touches until it becomes as you see it now." Carter explained.

"Don't be in front when it's activating. Got it."

O'Neill now noticed that Ford was carrying quite a bit more than usual.

"Ford?"

"Almost three minutes Colonel. I figured you would have asked right as you walked through the door."

"What am I going to ask?" he said with his hands on the butt of his weapon.

"What is with the massive amount of clips?"

"You're right I was going to ask. Now the answer is." he said with a wave of his right hand.

"As much as the PC-90 is a great weapon, I've never had much use for them unless they were heavy weapons. I prefer my weapon. And with your history with the Goa'uld, I'm not taking any chances. Besides that I hardly notice them there at all. I've carried heavier. Much heavier."

"Where is your gun?" he said pointing at his PC-90.

"On the M.A.L.P. I was going to pick it back up, but we got into a conversation."

"At least you didn't leave it on the planet. How many clips are you holding?"

"Thirty two. Three if you count the one in the gun."

"Alright. The only reason I'm letting you keep all of this is because you are better with that overloaded cannon. I still can't believe you had trouble hitting those targets with the PC-90."

"Sir, what are you taking about?" Carter asked.

"When I was testing Ford out on the weapons range, he couldn't hit much except the wall with these things." he said pointing at the PC-90. "But he hit every target dead on with his pistol."

"Hopefully we can all come home and I can put this all back, but..." Ford said not saying anymore.

"Indeed. I have watched Ford on the target range and he has hit moving objects better than most I've seen." Teal'c said.

"Thank you Teal'c."

"Okay, enough. It's our turn so let's go boys and girls. We have temples to raid and ships to plunder." he said putting his sun glasses on.

"They were serious about your shooting weren't they?" Melissa said.

"Completely." Ford said placing his sunglasses on as they stepped through.

As they came through on the other side they saw several wolfmen, a few foxmen, and a bearman. They were off to one side looking angry, but relief flooded their face as they saw Melissa.

"Miss Melissa. We thought they had taken you away from us." the bearman said.

"No. I went to visit Earth and stayed overnight. Did something happen while I was gone?"

"When you didn't return, your uncle sent us out to scout around. We stayed the night here to see if the one's who you went with returned with you." the bear said. Even though he was a smoke colored bear, for some reason, in a sheriff like outfit, and a hat like Smokey the bear's, his voice almost sounded like Yogi the bear's, Ford thought.

"I went with them at my own request. They are friends, I can assure you that, Smokey." Melissa said. "They have, " she turned to look as Ford walked off to the right away from them. She thought he said something, but didn't hear it. "Anyway, they have agreed to help us with our food shortage. They even have brought in an animal doctor to help us. The best news I found out is that I'm not going to die."

"I don't understand." a brown wolf said.

"My furs color is something that also happens to these people as well. It's not a curse as we thought. It's a strange genetic thing. As long as I don't let the sun hit me to long, I'll be just fine."

"Do you believe them?" a foxmen asked.

"I felt no reason to see that they were lying."

As Melissa talked to her friends, O'Neill watched Ford walk off away from them. As O'Neill got closer he saw Ford crying.

"What happened?" he said with concern and in a low voice.

"I'm not crying sir." he said with a short giggle. "I'm having...hehehe, I'm laughing quietly."

"I didn't say anything so what is it this time?"

"That bear, hehehe."

"What about him?"

"Does he look, hehehe, hahaha, slightly familiar?" Ford said still using one hand to hold himself up against the tree.

"Yeah he does, wait a minute, he almost looks like Smokey the bear."

Ford felt like he was going to explode as O'Neill said Smokey the bear.

"What about it?"

"That is his name." he said losing it.

O'Neill couldn't help but laugh at this news and this caused them both to break down. Ford was able to continue standing while O'Neill fell next to the tree. Carter walked over thinking something was wrong.

"Is everything alright sir?"

After what must have been a few minutes they were able to get their breaths back.

"Sir?"

"I'm fine Major. Just remembered a joke and told Ford about it. I forgot how funny it was." he said slowly getting up. "I'll tell you later."

As Carter walked off giving them a strange look, O'Neill helped Ford to his feet. "Thanks for covering that."

"It is really true?"

"That's what Melissa called him."

"Oh man, this could bad. First Bob, then Smokey, who's next I wonder." O'Neill said shaking his head. "Winnie the Pooh and Tiger too perhaps."

"I know. I'm trying not to think about it." he said still chuckling.

"Let's get back to work. We have much to see and lots to do." O'Neill said wiping his eyes.

Over the next couple of hours, O'Neill went to the city with Teal'c to help identify and teach the people there to understand the stuff they were giving them. The veterinarian along with several other people from Earth were also helping the Colonel and Teal'c. Almost twenty gliders were shipping the supplies and food to the city. Carter, Daniel, Ford, SG-4, Melissa, the two foxmen, and several other scientist from Earth had stayed behind to help load the gliders. SG-4 was to stand guard, help load equipment as it came through the gate, and stay near the gate in case something was needed from back home. Ford placed the case he brought inside an old hollowed tree near the edge of the forest. Luckily a larger path was made from the Stargate to the clearing that lead to the city. It was large enough that moving things was easier, but not enough to get a glider up to the gate. Since the other gliders were being used for transport, two of the gliders were given to Melissa to take the equipment and people that were going to the temple area, the ship Carter and her team were going to look at was only a few miles from the temple. Melissa, Carter, Daniel, and six scientists, three for Carter and three helping Daniel stayed at the mouth of the temple as the two foxmen went back for the equipment they couldn't bring. As Daniel looked over the pyramid, he made comments into a tape recorder as they waited. There was four large statues the size of the sphinx's back on Earth on each side of the pyramid. One was of a jackal, the other a fox, a wolf, and one they couldn't identify because the head was missing. All the bodies were the same, heads each different. As they all speculated and theorized, with the exception of Ford, Carter, and Melissa, the two foxmen showed up.

"Twenty minutes. Not bad." Ford said looking at his watch.

"You were timing us?" one of the foxmen said.

"Just to see how long it was for the trip to there and back. Those gliders are impressive." Ford said. When they still looked offended, "I was complementing your driving."

"Well, in that case thanks."

They helped unload what they brought and then waited for Melissa. As she talked to them with Carter helping out, Daniel and Ford were looking at the door.

"I think you just push it in." Ford said with his arms across his chest.

"It can't be that easy. There has to be a hidden switch." Daniel said tapping the recorder against his chin.

"Why is there, never mind. Here, I'll push on the door and if it opens, we go in. If not, then we look around more."

"And if it has a trap?"

Ford pushed and as he thought it opened showing a dark hallway. "Melissa told me her father was lost in here and they never found him so I guessed the door was already devoid of traps." he said walking in slowly.

"And you were going to tell us this when?" Daniel said following.

The ceiling was ten feet from the floor and the walls six feet from each other. The hallway continued down several yards before turning left and right. From the look of the dust disturbance, most of the traveling went to the left. Ford and Daniel noticed something very strange right away.

"Does everything look a little to bright for the inside of this place to you Ford?"

"Yeah now that you mention it I did notice. I see no torches or light coming from above."

"I think its phosphorescent in the walls. Turn your flashlight on."

When Ford turned it on things got darker. Turning it off, it got bright again.

"Fascinating." Ford said with no emotion.

"Nice imitation of Spock."

"Thanks. We should have Carter see this."

"Give her a call. I'm going to keep going." Daniel said calling the team he brought in.

"Carter, you might want to come look at this." he said into the CB.

"What is it?"

"The walls inside here emit there own form of light. It's phosphorescent."

"I'll be right there."

Ford was standing at the junction looking over hieroglyphics when Carter and Melissa showed up.

"This is common on Earth Ford. Phosphorescent rocks are found in caves all over Asia."

"True, but I've never noticed one that seemed to be bright enough to be around a sixty watt bulb."

"It's not that bright Ford." Carter said.

Ford turned around to her seeing her flashlight on the gun was on. "Turn the light off Carter. It makes it darker."

Once she turned her light off things brighten up considerably. Looking back near the door it was darker since the sun was coming in. "Wow." she said.

"If we managed to put this in the SGC, the next time power goes out we could see where the flashlights and buttons for emergency lighting were. Heck, with enough this we could save money on electricity by removing the lights." Ford said turning back to the wall.

Carter seemed to think it over some before speaking. "That's not a bad idea. For the emergency part anyway."

"Hey Melissa, where was your father last at?"

"He was much deeper inside. We found some of his belongings on the ground near a large circle of dust."

"Circle of dust?" Carter and Ford said in unison. "Transporter rings."

"He must have triggered them by accident and was put somewhere deeper inside or somewhere far away on the planet." Carter said.

"Melissa can you show us were he last was?"

"Yes." she said walking down the right corridor.

A route went up and another to the left which led into a large open room where columns stood. Ford noticed the dust hadn't been touched in years on the path leading up, a couple hundred in fact. There was a enormous table at one end where food had gone bad and hardened. A path led off to one direction in the far back and another kept going one the opposite side of it. Melissa headed for that doorway. As they followed they came by Daniel who was looking over a column. The team he assembled were using different devises as he instructed them.

"Where are you all headed?" he asked.

"We're checking out something Daniel. We'll call you if we need anything." Carter said. Daniel turned back to reading as they kept going.

Melissa walked through the doorway, passing the table and turned with the walkway. It continued straight for a few yards before coming to another turning point. One way went right, the other down. She looked a moment before heading down. It spiraled three times on itself before they came to a door. With help from Ford the door opened. It made a creaking noise as he pushed it open as it gave him some resistance. The room was huge.

"This must take up the entire base section of the pyramid. I can't even see the other wall over there." Ford said pointing across the way.

"He was over here." she said walking a way's to a column that larger than the rest in the room.

Once they got there it was hard to tell who was and wasn't there. Dust was disturbed everywhere. There wasn't anything that looked to be a transit ring place. Carter looked over the ground but found nothing that showed a ring.

"Are you sure this is the place?"

"Yes." Melissa said looking frustrated.

Ford was looking around from where he was standing. He saw a lot of chains hanging from many of the smaller columns. Some bones in different area's at the bases were still present. He suddenly realized what they were for when he looked closer.

"Oh God." he said sadly.

"What it is?" she said coming over to him.

"This is, I can't even say it." Ford said walking back to the larger column.

"What is it Ford?" she asked in command mode.

"Did you ever own a animal Carter?"

"Once."

"Their collars Major, but chained with a very short leash. Get it?" Ford said looking away from her afterward. His hand was over his mouth as though he was sickened.

"Oh my. This was.."

"Don't say it, please. It's revolting to even think about it."

"What is...oh my, ohh.." Melissa said then was suddenly on her knees. She looked ready to hurl.

Ford rushed over and told her to sit down and place her head between her knees. "Breath Mel. Try not to think about it."

"Not to think about it! How can't I think about it?! This is..." she took a few more deep breathes at Ford's urging. "I knew this placed smelled wrong. I never realized why."

Carter had disgust on her face as well as she watched Ford helped Melissa. "Colonel are you reading me?"

"Loud and clear Major. What's shaken?" O'Neill said over the line.

Ford got up quickly and growled in frustration he punched the column that Melissa father was last at. Lights lit up across it as the transit rings came down from above.

"You might want to...What the!!!." she said seeing them come down around them all.

"Ah hell!" Ford said as they disappeared.

Melissa's hat slowly fell to the ground just outside of a clear circle.

Jack was telling a few of the wolf and fox children about the different MRE's when Carter called through.

"Colonel are you reading me?" Carter said through the unit.

Several of the children said cool and wow and far out as they heard her speak. O'Neill had been teaching the children different sayings from Earth about what to say when something, well cool happened.

"Loud and clear Major. What's shaken?" he said expected to hear Ford's laughter over her unit.

"You might want to...What the!!!..." Jack heard her say as the familiar sound of transit rings came through the line. The next thing he heard was Ford yell, "Ah hell!" as the line cut out.

"Carter! Ford! Damn it! I leave for a few minutes...Teal'c!" he yelled as he got up heading for a glider.

"Yes O'Neill?" Teal'c said running up.

"We got problems. Carter and Ford got caught in one of those ring transporters."

When Teal'c said nothing he called Daniel.

"Daniel come in!"

Daniel was trying to decipher the writings on a column when Jack called through. Gripping his unit he called back.

"Daniel here."

"Carter and Ford anywhere near your position?"

"They went exploring farther in, but they should be in the vicinity, why?"

"Go see if they're anywhere around. I think they were taken away by a Goa'uld."

"How?" Daniel said getting up and following their footsteps.

"Carter was talking to me about needing to come look at something when I heard the sound of those ring transporters came down over her com line. I can't reach them. Me and Teal'c will be there soon."

"Understood. I'll look around till you get here. Daniel out."

"Hey Daniel?"

"Yeah Jack?"

"Don't touch anything."

"Yes Jack."

Daniel came down and noticed the a couple of doors that were recently forced open. Going in with his gun at ready he continued to follow the footsteps until they lead to a large column. He noticed a slightly imprint in the dust on the column that looked a lot like a fist. Seeing something white out of the corner of his eye, he thought at first it was Melissa, but turned to only see her hat. Kneeling down he picked it up slowly now noticing a clear circle in the dust.

"They must have accidentally activated it, but where is the rings?" he mumbled to himself.

He continued to look around, not touching anything, when Jack and Teal'c came in.

"Daniel?" Jack said slowly pointing his gun at Daniel.

"There's nothing here Jack and I'm not a Goa'uld. But I think I found out what happened."

O'Neill and Teal'c walked over slowly after Teal'c said he didn't feel any Goa'uld around.

"Well?" Jack said.

"They were here looking at something when one of them punched, from the look of this, the column. I think it activated the ring system that brought the animals up for experimentation that were kept here."

Jack glanced around noticing chains and collars hanging from many smaller columns. He instantly knew what had been going on and it sickened him. Looking back at the column in front of him he did see a fist imprint.

"I believe that is Ford's fist O'Neill." Teal'c said.

"How can you tell?" Jack asked.

"Because Major Carter and Melissa's hands are too small to make a indentation that big. I have seen his fist as well."

"Ah."

Daniel brushed off the column revealing several dim lights.

"Ah. I found it."

"And?" Jack said. "Can we bring them back from wherever they went."

"We could if I knew where they went. These rings will take you to several different destinations. Kind of like an elevator."

"Great." Jack muttered.

Back at the M.A.L.P., O'Neill called home to apprise Hammond of their situation.

"How's it going Colonel?"

"Ford, Sam and Melissa are missing sir."

"How did this happen?" Hammond asked in anger and surprise.

"They were exploring the temple which turned out to be a large pyramid, when they inadvertently activated a ring system sir. Daniel is looking into it now, but he has no idea where they ended up." O'Neill could swear he heard Hammond mutter the word 'great'.

"Do the people there know anything?"

"They lost Melissa's father the same way sir. He hasn't been seen or heard in months."

"What do you want to do Colonel?"

"I'm sending the research teams back. Send another SG team to come assist us. This place is big."

"I'll have SG-5 there shortly. How are the native's responding to this?"

"They said they'd help the best they could, but not promising they'll find anything sir. They never found the first guy they lost so..."

"How about the aid were giving?"

"Dancing in the street's sir. They even said I could have one of the gliders here for all the help. I can't keep it can I sir."

"How do you think you would get it home Colonel?" General Hammond said sarcastically, placing his hands on his hips. Unfortunately Jack couldn't see him.

"Understood sir. Another thing I haven't figured out is the people here say that Melissa isn't dead. They didn't elaborate, but they insist that she's still alive."

"If that's true then Carter and Ford are too."

"Yeah."

"SG-5 will be along momentarily, until then keep trying to call them."

"Yes sir."

SG-5 came onto the planet shortly after the research teams had came back. Once they found O'Neill, he informed them of the situation and they headed over to the temple. Once in the temple, O'Neill told them the plan. The two foxmen, Todd and Caleb, offered to help.

"Teal'c, you take Lieutenant Fred, Captain Rick and Lieutenant Smith along with Todd and search this area." he said pointing to a map made by one of the explorers on the planet. "Me, Daniel, Lieutenant Reese and Crawford and Caleb will explore here. Understood."

When everyone nodded, "Alright then, lets move out."