Cassie had lost the argument over the dragon's name. Teal'c had raised an eyebrow and that had been the end of the discussion. As Jack had commented, nobody argued with the eyebrow. She grumbled about it to herself as she sat down with everyone else for the mission briefing. Puff sat behind her and she could feel its excitement.

After she and Daniel had convinced Jack that they should try finding the dragons to ask for their help with Sam, they had talked it over with the others at lunch. The problem, as Mitchell had put it succinctly, was how they went about finding the dragons. Given their flight capability, they could be nested anywhere on the planet. Rya'c had simply pointed out that the dragons may have replaced the sentry by the Stargate that had tried to snatch Cassie, and perhaps making contact with it would provide a beginning.

Another discussion had followed on who should go back to the Stargate to find out. Teal'c had won that round with the eyebrow again. He and Rya'c had set off after their meal and had returned just before dinner with the news that the dragon had been replaced.

All of which had led to Jack declaring they'd do a mission briefing early the following day. Nobody had argued.

Cassie yawned; it had been an early start. She looked around the group with interest. Jack had taken position at the nominal head of the make-shift grouping with everyone else arraigned either side of him as though sitting at a table. Mitchell had taken a "seat" immediately on Jack's right; Teal'c and Rya'c completed that side. Daniel had sat opposite Mitchell, Sam was sandwiched between him and Cassie.

'OK,' Jack cleared his throat, 'well, first off; we all can't go.'

'Agreed, sir.' Mitchell said evenly.

The two men looked at each other with shared understanding. Jack knew Mitchell thought he should stay behind and Mitchell knew that he knew. There was an uncomfortable silence.

'Let me start by saying I won't be going on this field trip...' Jack began.

Cassie saw Mitchell's shoulders ease down.

'...and neither will Carter.' He concluded firmly.

'I think that's sensible.' Daniel jumped in. 'Until we establish whether the dragons can help her, we should avoid a repetition of what she went through before and given you, uh, shot at them before...'

Jack gave him a pointed look before he turned to Mitchell. 'It's your mission, Colonel.'

Mitchell sat forward. 'Yes, sir.'

Daniel adjusted his glasses. 'Cassie has to go: she's the only one who can communicate with the dragons at all.'

Jack looked at Cassie.

She tried not to squirm under his intent gaze.

'You up for it?' Jack asked.

Cassie nodded quickly. 'If it helps Sam...' she shrugged. She'd do anything to help Sam, just like any of them would.

Jack gave a resigned sigh. She knew he wasn't happy at her inclusion; that he would prefer it if she stayed behind with Sam. Cassie knew some of it was because she wasn't trained for dangerous missions but more than that, she figured a part of Jack still thought of her as the frightened kid they'd brought back from Hanka.

'If Cassandra Fraiser is going then I will accompany her.' Rya'c said firmly.

Teal'c raised an eyebrow. It was his only protest but it was enough for Rya'c to bristle.

'I am sworn to protect her on this mission.' Rya'c insisted heatedly.

His father inclined his head.

Daniel raised his hand. 'I should go too.' He motioned at Jack and then at the walls. 'I think I understand a lot of their history now and...'

'And you're our first contact specialist.' Mitchell agreed with a nod. 'It'd be good to have you along.'

'I will remain with Colonel Carter.' Teal'c said firmly. He glanced towards his son, his eyes twinkling. 'I am sworn to protect her.'

It was a recognition that Rya'c had declared her his sister, Cassie realised; just as Teal'c considered Sam as such.

'Sounds like you have your team, Colonel.' Jack said. He leaned forward. 'I guess I don't have to state our priority here.'

'No, sir.' Mitchell agreed. 'Make contact; see if they'll help Sam; get back to the pyramid with everyone intact.'

Jack nodded. 'Then let's get to it.'

Preparations didn't take long and before she knew it Cassie was hugging Jack goodbye.

'Stick with Daniel if anything happens.' Jack instructed her gently. 'Even if he ends up dead he always comes back.'

She gave a half-hearted laugh and let go of him to turn her attention to Sam, who was once again writing.

'Sam,' Cassie murmured and crouched down at her side, 'we're going to get you some help.' She stroked Sam's hair. 'Hang in there.'

Sam didn't respond and Cassie felt the lack of response keenly.

'All will be well, Cassandra.' Teal'c murmured beside her.

Cassie rose and briefly hugged the Jaffa. 'Look after her.'

Teal'c let go of her and she moved to join Daniel by the doorway.

Jack looked over at a restless Mitchell. 'Good luck.'

Mitchell gave a brisk nod. 'Let's go, people.'

They headed out.

It was a two hour walk to the gate and Cassie felt her stomach churn uneasily as she followed Daniel through the jungle. It was butterflies, Cassie told herself; just butterflies.

Monster butterflies.

She was nervous about approaching the dragon at the Stargate which was only natural given the last dragon had attempted to carry her away. She wondered at that. Maybe it had sensed the naquadah in her; maybe it would have attempted to communicate somehow when they had landed somewhere.

Puff skipped back to her and sent a wave of reassurance. It was happy. She could tell it was hopeful of something. She figured it wanted to help Sam too.

Cassie repressed a sigh. She had walked through the Stargate; she had faced off against the Cult of the Dragon; she had been carried away by a dragon and survived. She could do this. She could attempt to make first contact with the dragons and convince them to help Sam.

An hour into the walk and Cassie was finding the heat oppressive. She could feel a trickle of sweat travel down her spine, cutting its way through a layer of sun-cream Teal'c had insisted she put on. She really had to learn a defence against the eyebrow.

She breathed in deeply. There was a heavy scent of perfume in the air from pink and orange flowers that looked like someone had crossed an orchid and a rose. It was stifling; like walking into the front of a department store clouded with spray perfume. But Cassie loved the riot of colour that bordered the pathway. Daniel had told her that formal processions of the Goa'uld's retinue would have made their way back and forth down the same path.

A shiver went through Cassie.

'You OK?' Daniel asked, falling back to walk beside her.

'Just creeped out at the idea that the Goa'uld once walked along here like we're doing now.' Cassie admitted.

'Well, the Goa'uld is long gone.' Daniel said.

'You said the Goa'uld lost control of the Dragon Queen.' Cassie murmured.

'If I had to guess I think the Queen found some way to free herself.' Daniel rubbed a handkerchief over the back of his neck. 'There's a roughly drawn picture in the lower corridors of the pyramid of the dragon losing the necklace. I think it was drawn by one of the fleeing human servants.'

'Ah.' Cassie grimaced. 'So, just to recap; we're going to face dragons who helped defeat a Goa'uld?'

Daniel grinned at her. 'Well, not the same dragons.' His brow creased. 'At least I don't think they're the same dragons although who knows how long they live.'

'That's not reassuring.' Cassie pointed out dryly.

'Well,' he offered with a smile, 'we've defeated our share of Goa'uld too.'

'You.' Cassie corrected, carefully stepping over a large vine strewn across the path. 'You've defeated Goa'uld.' She had stayed on Earth hiding in the bushes.

'Don't underestimate yourself.' Daniel advised. 'You can do this.'

Cassie fell silent. She wished she was as sure as he seemed about her ability to communicate with the dragon.

'We'll be right beside you.' Daniel continued.

Puff ran back to her and another wash of confidence flooded over her. Puff believed in her too. Cassie took a deep breath. She could do this; she could. Sam's life depended on it. But she really wished her flask contained vodka and not water. She shook away the feeling.

In the distance, the Stargate glinted brightly under the glare of the two suns. They were almost there. They had decided a direct approach would be best but as Cassie continued walking, she was aware of the open space between them and the Stargate; open space that left them vulnerable to attack.

There was a movement by the Stargate and Cassie felt the hairs on the back of her neck prickle; her skin broke out in goose-bumps. They had been spotted. She knew it as well as she knew her own name.

Mitchell signalled them for them to stop and she realised that he had spotted the same movement ahead. The Colonel squinted down the path. 'What are we thinking? Do we continue?'

'Let's keep walking.' Daniel said firmly.

Mitchell tilted his head and sighed. 'You sure about this about, Jackson?'

Daniel shrugged. 'Apparently I'm the first contact specialist.' He said dryly.

Mitchell sighed. 'Yeah, that's what I thought.' He took a step forward.

Ahead, the dragon by the Stargate took flight.

They all froze.

Puff growled a warning as the dragon in the sky approached. It sailed over them; the backwash of its wings slamming into them and sending them staggering.

Mitchell swore. 'Take cover!'

'No!' Daniel countered, holding his ground. 'Just wait!'

The dragon circled overhead and suddenly plummeted out of the sky with an eerie cry.

Cassie raised her arms to protect her eyes as it landed on all four legs in front of their small group, sending a shower of dirt into the air. She coughed violently as the dust hit her lungs. She couldn't see through the cloud of debris.

'Weapons!' Mitchell ordered.

'Wait!' Cassie ran forward and grasped his arm before he could aim.

The large red dragon in front of her focused on her; its head snapping in her direction. It opened its mouth...

And suddenly, Puff was in front of her, its wings fully extended to protect Cassie, its head lowered to the ground and a cry of warning screaming from its mouth.

Emotions bombarded Cassie as her baby dragon seemingly communicated with its own kind. Anger, she recognised immediately; protectiveness – it considered Cassie its family just as deeply as Rya'c did, Cassie realised. It wouldn't let the larger, and presumably, adult dragon hurt her.

Cassie caught another emotion from the red dragon as it reared back; surprise. It was surprised although Cassie couldn't tell whether that was because Puff was with them or because Puff was protecting her.

The red dragon sat back on its haunches and regarded the younger blue-green baby with a faintly quizzical air. Puff folded its wings into its sides and also sat down.

Cassie closed her eyes as she felt Puff's emotions; a remembered emotion of hurt and pain; of loneliness. Her heart ached. She'd felt that same way once. All alone and so scared. But then the emotions changed; joy, its pain healed but regret and worry...Puff was telling the red dragon of their meeting, she realised.

'What's going on?' Mitchell whispered.

Cassie cleared her throat and tried to speak. 'They're talking, I think.'

The red dragon's head swivelled towards them and its yellow eyes blinked at them.

Mitchell lifted a hand in apology. 'Don't mind us. We'll just be over here minding our own business.'

The red dragon was relieved. Cassie read its emotions as it apparently conversed with Puff. There was an overwhelming sense of relief at the baby's survival; at its return. But there was also concern. It considered them as dangerous; as an unknown quantity. Puff tried to reassure the red dragon but it sent Puff a wash of emotion that Cassie couldn't figure out.

'Cassie?' Daniel inquired softly.

'I don't know.' Cassie answered reluctantly. 'I think Puff is trying to convince it we're the good guys but I don't think it's buying it.'

'Try talking with it.' Daniel encouraged.

Right. Talking with it. That was what they were here to do. Cassie cleared her throat.

The red dragon's head turned toward her abruptly and Cassie took a startled step backwards. Mitchell held his ground as did Rya'c and Daniel. They surrounded her, Cassie noted; all of them protecting her.

Cassie stilled. She straightened and looked directly at the adult dragon. Please, she thought strongly; please; we need your help. She thought of Sam; of the brilliant woman Sam was, of how injured she was. Please, Cassie reiterated; help us.

There was a flicker of shock that emanated from the red dragon. It sent a look towards Puff who gave a huff as though to say: 'I told you so.'

Cassie focused as a storm of emotion ran through the red dragon. It was disturbed by her. She couldn't help think she had made things worse.

The dragon sent a wave of something towards the small baby. A command, Cassie surmised given the way Puff lowered its head to the ground in disappointment. The red dragon gave a sudden cry and took to the air. They all ducked and raised their arms again as another cloud of dirt rose into the air. When Cassie looked up she could see it hovering above them expectantly.

Puff turned to her and gave a small whiny cry. She could feel its regret as though it was her own. It bumped its head into her legs and she knelt down to hug it.

'You have to go home?' Cassie asked sadly.

Puff burrowed its head against her chest. Sadness at their parting filled her up until she couldn't tell what of the emotion was Puff's and what was hers. Puff moved away from her and with an inelegant run, leapt into the air to join the adult, its wings flapping wildly as it lurched unsteadily in the air.

The dragons turned and flew away, towards the Stargate and beyond.

'Cassie?' Daniel asked urgently.

Cassie shook her head; blinking back tears. 'They're going home.'

And taking with them the hope of healing Sam, Cassie thought; defeated. They had failed. She had failed.