Disclaimer Stargate Sg-1 and its characters are the property of Stargate (II) Productions, Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. This story is for entertainment purposes only and no money exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author. This story may not be posted elsewhere without the consent of the author.

Tarek held the artifact up to study it closer, turning it over in his hands. He made a few notations in his book before carefully setting it down on a table.

He took a moment, indulging himself in feasting his eyes upon the riches before him. Once word had spread about his presence, many of the Followers had brought him item after item. Things they'd discovered as they explored the temple. Many of the items did not belong to Horus. They had been discovered in what was described as barracks rooms, so Tarek believed that they'd belonged to Horus' warriors, people like Teal'c.

Thinking of the visitor, Tarek paused. They would understand these artifacts, perhaps better than he did. He was aware of what had transpired and that Colonel O'Neill and Jonas were no longer in the temple. He did not agree with what Bretan had done, yet he was in no position to voice his opinions. He was but a humble scholar and knew that Bretan could do the same to him if he desired.

He knew that he could ask Marshak for protection, and Marshak might grant it. Yet he also knew that Marshak feared truly testing the loyalty of the Followers. He abhorred violence and also knew that, if they began to fight amongst themselves, they would be facilitating their own destruction.

"Master."

Tarek turned, smiling as Kresha peered around the door jam. "Come in," he invited. "Please."

She walked in, her pace slowing as she stared at their surroundings. "This is our Lord's chamber," she said softly, her voice full of reverence.

"Yes," Tarek confirmed, remembering his own feeling of wonder. His eyes settled upon the burden she carried in her hand. "You have discovered something?"

"Yes," she said, holding it up. "We were exploring another room on the lower levels and we found this."

Tarek motioned and she set it down on an empty part of a table. It was a medium sized dark colored wooden box, a bit larger than one of his many books. The surface was covered with intricate carvings and decorations. "It is a box," he said needlessly.

Kresha nodded. "Yet it is a puzzle. It will not open."

Tarek picked it up, holding it in his hands. He turned it over, searching for a seam and found none. "What can you tell me about where you found this?" he asked, wondering if perhaps this was yet another artifact from the Horus' Jaffa.

"It is a strange room," she said. "There are tables and beds, yet it is not a barracks." She frowned. "If I were to compare it to something with which I am familiar, I would compare it to a medical complex."

"Really?"

Kresha nodded, her long dark blonde hair falling over her shoulder. "That is what it makes me think of. It was tucked away in a corner, almost as it had been forgotten."

"Were there any other artifacts?"

She shook her head. "Nothing of any note. Debris and detris. That box was the only interesting item."

"I have never seen its like," Tarek said. He pointed out some of the carvings. "I believe that this box did belong to Horus. This is his symbol. Yet I do not know why it was not here, in our Lord's chambers."

"Perhaps the answer is within the box," she said.

Tarek shook it carefully, frowning as he heard something move within. She was correct. Something was in there. But he could find no way to gain access to it. "But how to attain the answer without destroying the vessel?"

"You know of all things pertaining to our Lord," Kresha said. "Surely you can divine a way to open it."

Tarek smiled, flattered by her sincere faith. "I do know much of our Lord, however…" he trailed off, an idea occurring to him. "To the best of my knowledge, I am the foremost expert on Tagrea. Yet, I know of others who know more."

"The visitors?" Kresha asked. "Bretan has commanded-"

"Bretan is not the leader of our group," Tarek interrupted. "I have known these visitors for many weeks. They are honorable people." He gathered up the box and directed Kresha to hand him a few other objects that he balanced carefully on top of it. "Please," he said, looking Kresha in the eyes. "It would be best if I went alone and best if you told no one what I was doing."

"Can I remain?" she asked. She looked around the chamber. "I have never seen such beautiful things."

Tarek smiled. "You may look at all you wish," he said. He glanced at the tables covered with artifacts. "These are symbols of our Lord. They are for all to share."

He left the room and slowly made his way down the corridors towards where the visitors were staying. Nodding at the guards, he recognized them as two of Marshak's most trusted men. He rapped gently on the door and waited for Teal'c and Major Carter to acknowledge him, hoping that they were not so offended so as not to wish to speak to him.

The door opened and Tarek smiled, pleased to see that Major Carter looked well and unharmed. "Tarek?" She frowned and looked past him. "What are you doing here?"

"I seek your counsel," Tarek said, holding up the artifacts. "Can you assist me?"

Major Carter looked over her shoulder then stepped back. "Sure, why not."

Tarek stepped into the room and made his way over to the low table that stood at its center. Teal'c cleared away some odd slips of paper and Tarek set the box down. "I have been working to catalog artifacts found in our Lord's private chamber," he explained.
"Many of the items I have seen before, but some I cannot understand. I wish to ask your assistance."

Teal'c leaned forward and picked up one of the items as Major Carter joined them, sitting down in one of the chairs. "Teal'c?" she asked. "Do you recognize any of this stuff?"

"Some," he replied.

"This one's easy," Carter said, holding up an odd device. It looked like a ribbon of gold, twisted into a spiral that ended with five dangling thimbles. "It's a weapon," she explained to Tarek. "Something only a goa'uld can use."

"This is a Jaffa grooming device," Teal'c said, holding up a small tubular device with what looked to be small blades on the end.

"I'm afraid to ask," Carter said. "What's in the box?"

"That is the largest mystery," Tarek said. "There is something in there, yet I cannot discern a way to access it."

Carter picked it up. "It looks like a puzzle box."

"I am not familiar with that term," Tarek said.

"Daniel had one," she said, glancing at Teal'c. "Basically the box is made in such a way that you have to know the secret to get it to open. You have to solve the puzzle, hence the name."

"And you can solve this puzzle?" Tarek asked.

Carter shrugged. "Maybe."

"Tarek Solomon," Teal'c said. "Perhaps while Major Carter applies herself to this box, I can assist you with these other devices."

/\/\/\/\/\

Sam fiddled with the box, glancing at Teal'c out of the corner of her eye. "If I just had my lock picks," she said, setting it down.

"You have discovered a locking mechanism?" Teal'c asked, looking over at her as he set aside the small statue he was studying.

"No. But maybe I can pry something apart." She glanced up as the door opened and Tarek walked in, burdened with other artifacts. This was the second such trip he'd made back to Horus' chamber. To honor Marshak's declaration, neither Sam or Teal'c attempted to leave their room, instead Tarek ferried items back and forth. Between her and Teal'c they'd identified many of the items although the only ones Sam considered remotely useful was the ribbon weapon and a couple of knives.

"I wonder if they have a hacksaw around here," she said softly, abandoning the box to help Tarek set down all the items he was carrying.

"Hacksaw?" Tarek asked.

"Major Carter was contemplating the use of force in gaining access to the box," Teal'c said.

"No," Tarek said, horrified. "You cannot defile Horus' box."

"Don't worry," Sam said, raising her hand. "I was only kidding." She glared at Teal'c. "Mostly," she mouthed.

"It must be a great secret indeed if our Lord Horus guarded it so well."

"Must be," Sam said, retaking her seat. "You know, if we could get it back to Prometheus, they have a portable X-ray in the sickbay. We could at least find out what's in it."

Tarek shook his head. "We do not dare to leave the temple."

"We wouldn't take it with us," Sam said. "Not off world. You could even go with us to Prometheus."

"I do not speak of that. It is not safe to leave the temple."

"Why not?" Teal'c asked. Sam could see a faint expression of alarm flash across his face.

"The Denialists have surrounded the temple. We do not dare leave, especially with an artifact. They would destroy it on sight."

"We're surrounded?" Sam asked.

Tarek nodded. "Marshak fears that they wish to destroy our temple. He has instructed Followers to keep guard."

Sam looked at Teal'c, wishing that they were alone. This information changed things. Up until this point, she and Teal'c had just been biding their time. She knew that Marshak wouldn't keep them forever, and even if they tried, the Colonel wouldn't let it happen. But Sam also knew that there were bigger issues, namely the Prometheus and its crew. She still had hopes that they could arrive at a diplomatic solution of some sorts.

Because of this, they were waiting for word from the Colonel and some guidance as to what to do. But, if Tarek was right, they may not have that luxury much longer.

"Then perhaps, we should no longer tarry," Teal'c said, reaching forward to pick up the box. He turned it over in his hands and studied it for a few seconds before stretching his fingers and pressing the box in three separate areas. Sam heard a small pop and stared as the box opened and a small drawer slid out.

"How'd you do that?" Sam asked.

"You have solved the riddle of Hours?" Tarek said.

"Apophis had one such box," he said, picking a few sheets of parchment out of the drawer.

"And you didn't think this was worth mentioning a few hours ago?" she asked.

Teal'c smiled slightly and looked up at her. "We had no time constraints and you sought a means to alleviate your boredom. I saw no reason to deprive you of that."

Sam smiled, saying nothing but silently promising payback. "What's on the parchment?" she asked.

Teal'c shook his head. "It is a dialect with which I am only vaguely familiar."

Tarek took one of the parchments. "I have found many pieces of parchment, but none intact," he said.

"Can you read it?" Sam asked.

"With time, I believe so."

"Cool." She got up and grabbed the deck of cards Teal'c had put away when Tarek had first entered the room. "Translate your little hearts out. I'm gonna go take a nap." She retreated into her room and plopped down on the bunk. Within a few moments she was asleep, unbothered by the muttering voices just outside.

/\/\/\/\/\

Two dice rattled in a cup, clattering dully against each other. The sound abruptly stopped, only to be replaced by an annoying mixture of shouts and groans.

Kersa Stilon sighed heavily and opened his eyes, gritting his teeth at the sight of the flickering shadows on the tent wall. "Do they never sleep?" he growled, sitting up and swinging his legs over the side of the cot.

He heard wagers being made, then the clatter of the dice, again accompanied by the cheers and jeers of the winners and losers.

Growling with frustration, he surged to his feet and stalked out of his tent, barely missing tripping over two men, sitting quietly and playing a board game. He made his way through the scattered tents and fires and retreated into the cool quiet of the desert night.

"Cursed Zealots," he muttered, finding a large rock to sit on, just barely within sight of the camp. It was their fault that he was here, trapped in this miserable place. Their fault that his fields were going untended. Their fault that his crops were wasting. "Stupid religious fanatics," he said, picking up a small stone and throwing it petulantly into the night.

He missed his wife and he missed his home. And he resented that the selfishness of a few had so disrupted his life. His leaders were fools to be so accommodating to the Zealots. They should not be waiting here, catering to the Zealots' every whim. They should be storming that ship, or, better yet, destroying the cursed thing.

"You are breaking protocol."

Kersa turned, relaxing when he recognized his friend, Talmage Ahlon. Talmage's farm adjoined Kersa's own and the two men often worked together.

"So are the gamblers," Kersa said, moving over to allow his friend to sit on the rock.

"True. But they have not left the safety of the encampment."

"Safety," Kersa snorted. "What are we supposed to be safe from? Sand fleas?"

Talmage chuckled. "I do not understand the reason for the bother. If the Zealots wish to live in this forsaken wasteland, I say let them."

Kersa looked over at his friend. "That ship should be destroyed," he said. "It is a dangerous piece of nostalgia and has no place here."

"They will not leave it."

"Then they should be destroyed with it," Kersa declared.

"You would murder them?"

"They would murder us."

Talmage slowly shook his head. "I do not agree," he said. "I have known some among the Followers of Horus and none of them have ever threatened violence. In fact, most just wish to be left alone."

"So that no one can witness their rituals."

"Rituals? I know of no rituals."

"Because they do not wish you to," Kersa said, shaking his head.

"I have heard of the tales my whole life. Murders and sacrifices. People turned into animals and beasts. Children taken from their homes."

Talmage slowly shook his head. "Those tales are nothing more than foolishness. Made up by those that fear what they do not understand."

Kersa frowned, taken aback by his friend's words. If he did not know differently, he would swear that his friend was a Zealot sympathizer. "Or perhaps tales dismissed by those that fear the truth," he said, getting to his feet.

"Kersa?"

"You are one of them," Kersa said, giving into his fear. He had been warned, they had all been warned that they needed to be on their guard, alert for any subversives. That the Zealots would try to undermine their cause, to destroy them from within. He had been warned, but it was one warning that he had never expected to see brought to life.

"One of what?" Talmage asked, getting to his feet.

"Kalfas warned about you, about your people."

"My people? Kersa, YOU are my people."

Kersa shook his head, frustration and fear fueling his paranoia. "You sympathize with them. You believe in them. You believe in the monster."

"Horus was not a monster."

"So you do believe!"

"I believe what the humans have told us," Talmage said, ignoring his interruption. "He was no monster, he was a parasite inside a human host. He enslaved and murdered our ancestors. We eventually won our freedom, but it came at a very high price."

"How can you believe the off-worlders?" Kersa asked. "They were not here. They cannot know our past."

"I have spoken to some of them," Talmage said. "They are strangers but they are sincere."

"They are the reason we are here," Kersa said. "They insisted upon searching for the ring. They dug up secrets we'd buried. They are why the Zealots are out here. Why we must now fight for our freedom!" Kersa raised his voice, not caring if anyone else heard.

"I do not deny that their presence initiated the change, but Kersa, they just wanted to go home."

"Have you forgotten that they attacked our planet?"

"An accident - one that they explained."

"A lie that we believed," Kersa countered.

Talmage threw his hands up in the air and growled with frustration. "You will not listen to reason."

"I will not listen to lies!"

Talmage glared at him for a few seconds, his eyes sharp and appraising. "The Zealots in that ship are not the ones we must fear," he said, the anger absent from his voice. He sighed and glanced around. "I am returning to the encampment. It would be best if you did too. The desert is not safe."

He turned on his heel and walked away from Kersa, leaving him alone. Kersa plopped back down on the rock, scarcely believing what had just happened. He thought he knew Talmage, thought that the man was his friend. Instead he was nothing more than a Zealot sympathizer. He needed to warn people, to let Kalfas know that they had an enemy amongst them. Talmage needed to be stopped, sent home before he could compromise them any further.

A scream cut through the stillness of the night and Kersa shot to his feet, his heart pounding in his chest. "Talmage," he muttered, his irritation forgotten as he hurried forward. He regretted that he'd broken protocol and left the camp, not only unarmed but also without a light source. "Talmage!" he called out, fear supplanting his training. "Talmage!"

He heard a sound and he paused, locating it before he moved forward. After a short distance, he stopped, staring in horror as he made out a large dark stain in the sandy soil. The blood trailed off into the distance and Kersa followed it, his eyes settling upon the cave hiding the Zealot ship.

/\/\/\/\/\

Jack climbed down from the vehicle, pausing to stretch and pop his back. Around him, Ronson's crew clambered out of their vehicles, falling into an organized pattern. Sergeant Stark, Ronson's chief engineer, looked at his watch. "They should be dialing in any moment, sir," he said.

Jack nodded. "We'll stay out of your way. I do need to report the situation to General Hammond while the gate's still open."

"Not an issue, sir."

Jack heard the chevrons lock into place and looked up, indulging himself in taking a moment to enjoy the fantastic sight of the wormhole opening. The kawoosh settled into its normal watery surface and Jack looked over to Stark, nodding to give the man permission. "SGC, this is Stark. We stand ready to receive your shipment."

"We read you loud and clear, Sergeant. The first piece of six is coming through the gate. Please notify us when it is clear to send the next one."

"Acknowledged," Stark said. He motioned towards Jack and he reached for his radio.

"Walter, this is O'Neill," Jack said. "Is Hammond around?"

"Colonel, it's good to hear from you, sir. General Hammond was hoping that you'd report in." A FRED trundled through the gate and Jack stepped back, moving out of the way as Stark's crew moved forward, maneuvering the device away from the gate. "Stand by, Colonel. The general is on his way down."

"Standing by." Jack turned to Jonas. "Wanna see if they need a hand?"

Jonas paused. "Sure." He smiled and made his way over to Stark.

"Colonel O'Neill, this is General Hammond."

"Sir, it's good to hear your voice," Jack said. Stark motioned at him and Jack nodded. "By the way, sir, they're ready for part number two."

"Understood. What's your situation, Colonel?"

"We've got a little mess here," Jack said. "Jonas and I were evicted from the ship, Carter and Teal'c are still there."

"What's their situation?" Hammond asked.

"We're pretty sure they're fine," Jack said. "The thing is, they're not talking and we can't get into them." Jack looked around. "The overall political situation has gone to hell. The religious folks are sequestered in the ship, Kalfas' men have it surrounded and won't let anyone enter."

"And Ashwan?"

"Staying out of things so far," Jack said. "And we're ready for part three."

"I'm presuming that you have a plan," Hammond said. In the background, Jack heard Walter talking to the techs sending the parts through the gate.

"Yes, sir. Ronson says he can get the Prometheus flight ready in two more days. Once he has the ship fixed, we're gonna go in and get Carter and Teal'c. We don't dare do it before then, the situation is too unstable and we can't risk losing the Prometheus."

"Sounds pretty risky, Colonel."

"We'll get them back, sir," Jack promised.

"I can send you some reinforcements," Hammond offered.

"No, sir," Jack said. "This planet's teetering on the edge of a civil war. Right now, things are relatively stable, but there are a few too many trigger-happy folks around here. They see personnel coming through and there's no telling what they'll do."

"Understood. And the status of your mission?"

Jack sighed. "Jonas and I were on the ship for less than twelve hours before we were asked to leave. Carter and Teal'c have been out of contact for the past twenty-four. It's possible that they've gotten something from the ship, but I don't know."

"Very well," Hammond said. "Are they ready for part four yet?"

Jack looked at Stacks. "Yes, sir."

"You should know, Colonel, that your mission objectives have changed," Hammond said.

"Beyond getting the rest of my team back?" Jack asked.

He could hear Hammond sigh. "The President is most interested in us recovering the Hatak ship and attaining custody of it."

"Custody?" Jack asked. "It's a ship, not a kid."

"I'm aware of that, Colonel," Hammond said, a long-suffering tone in his voice.

"General, even if we ignore that the ship is inhabited by folks that are a wee bit possessive about their new homes, and that it's surrounded by a rather well armed military presence, the thing's been buried for a few hundred years. There's no way in hell we're gonna get it unburied. And even if we do, I sincerely doubt it's flight worthy." Stark waved at him. "And we're ready for part five."

"Is that your professional opinion, Colonel," Hammond said.

Jack paused, considering his words. "As an engineer? I have no idea. But as someone that's on the planet and dealt with the people, this is a political situation we do NOT want to stick our noses in. This planet's on the brink of not only a civil, but a religious war. We've already got terrorist activity going on with the promise of things escalating. Unless we're planning to choose sides, my tactical opinion is that we get OUR ship, get our people and get the hell out of here." Jack paused. "Sir," he added belatedly.

"Very well, Colonel. Do you have anything else to report?"

"No, sir. Best case scenario, we're gonna have Prometheus in the air and Carter and Teal'c back before the end of the week."

"Understood. If your situation changes, let me know. Hammond out."

"We're ready for part six, and O'Neill out."

Jack looked over at Stark and nodded, giving control back to the sergeant. "Colonel," Jonas said. Jack looked at him. "Am I imagining things, or are they closer?" Jonas pointed off to their right.

Jack followed his gesture and frowned, reaching into his vest to pull out his binoculars. He studied the horizon, turning a slow 360. "You're not imagining things," Jack said.

"They do it every time," Stark said.

"Sergeant?"

"The Denialists. Every time we get a shipment, they come closer. I think they're under orders to make sure that we're not bringing too much."

"Have you had contact?"

Stark shook his head. "They keep their distance, sir. Close enough for us to know they're there, but not close enough to be provocative."

The last FRED came through the gate and it snapped shut, leaving silence in its wake. "Well, then, let's get this stuff back to Prometheus," Jack said. He looked up at the cloudless blue sky and swiped at the sweat on his forehead. "Before it melts."

The odd convoy fell into shape and slowly crawled their way back across the desert.

/\/\/\/\/\

Jonas walked beside the FRED, squinting his eyes against the dust stirred up by the vehicles' tracks. The Prometheus' crew was spread out along the convoy, two people per FRED. One used the remote control to drive the unmanned crawler while the other walked on the other side to assist with any steering.

Sergeant Stark led the convoy and Colonel O'Neill walked by his side. The two vehicles they'd arrived in were bringing up the rear. Despite the offer to ride, Jonas agreed with Stark and Colonel O'Neill, walking in the open was preferable to being cooped up in a hot box on wheels. With nothing really to do beyond keeping up, Jonas let his eyes wander, surveying their surroundings.

The Wastelands of Anhur were certainly living up to their name. The plain through which they walked was rocky and treeless. A few scrubby bushes and clumps of grass grew in scattered randomness. Only the rocks provided any real cover and Jonas found himself studying the outcrops and overhangs for any threat.

He knew that Colonel O'Neill was doing the same, as were the other members of the convoy. They were all on edge. Kalfas' men had promised that the Prometheus crew would have safe passage, but he'd also mandated that the personnel needed to be kept at a minimum. Basically, they were allowed enough people to receive and take the supplies back to the ship, but no guards.

Jonas also knew all too well that the promises of the leaders often meant little to the men in the ranks. All it would take would be one misunderstood gesture, one impatient or inexperienced person and things could go very badly, very quickly.

A hot breeze swept across the convoy, kicking up even more dust and sand. Jonas winced, turning his head to shield his face from the stinging sand. The wind was ceaseless here, he remembered that much form his first trip. He and Teal'c had spent days in the desert searching for the Stargate, and even more after that striving to free it from its stony tomb. The windblown sand and dust had gotten into everything. His ears, his eyes, after a few hours everything had turned a monotonous shade of tan.

He knew the wind had carved the landscape as well. Just like in the American southwest, most of the rocks on Tagrea were soft, sedimentary rocks, easily eroded by water and wind.
Jonas paused, an idea occurring to him. "Colonel!" he called out, jogging forward. "Colonel O'Neill!"

"What's wrong?" Stark asked, his hand tensing on his weapon. O'Neill did the same.

"What? No, no. Sorry, nothing's wrong," Jonas hurried to reassure, belatedly realizing that they'd taken his cries for a warning.

"Well, if you gotta go, you should have gone before we left and you can wait until we get back."

"Actually, Colonel, I think I may have a way to get into the Hatak."

That got their attention and Colonel O'Neill stopped in his tracks. Stark walked on for a few more steps, then he stopped too and retraced his steps. The three of them moved out of the way of the convoy. "What's your idea?" O'Neill asked.

Jonas paused, surprised that the Colonel had taken his idea to heart so quickly. "These rocks are sandstone," Jonas said. "It's soft and easily eroded."

"I'm thrilled."

"Colonel, there's some areas of the southwest where the are massive cracks and fissures in the rocks and they're all eroded by the wind. Do you remember that hiker on the news that fell and was trapped? He fell into a huge fissure that was just a few feet wide but hundreds of feel tall and long."

"Jonas, it's hot, get to the point," O'Neill requested.

"There's a very good chance that the cavern the Hatak is in isn't isolated. When we were here before, we found a lot of these. There's a whole network of fissures and one of them might lead us right to the Hatak," Jonas said.

Stark shook his head. "The Denialists won't let us just explore."

"Sergeant, if we enter the network outside the boundary of the Denialists, they won't even know we're there."

"Use them like a tunnel to get close," O'Neill said.

Jonas nodded. "I know it's a long shot, Colonel. I don't even know for sure if there IS a fissure that leads to the Hatak, but it might get us close."

"The problem is, we could wander in these crevices for days," O'Neill said.

"Chairman Ashwan said that people have been exploring here a lot. Maybe there's someone local that can help us. They might even have a map."

"Yeah, but can we trust them," Stark asked.

"We're trusting Kalfas and he's a bigger pain in the ass," O'Neill said.

"We can have Colonel Ronson call him when we get back, sir," Stark said.

"It's worth checking out," O'Neill said. He glanced over his shoulder as the last FRED trundled past them. He made a motion with his hand and the three of them rejoined the convoy as it continued its trek back to Prometheus.

/\/\/\/\/\

"Some of these terms are unfamiliar to me," Tarek said, looking over at Teal'c. "The words make little sense."

"I believe that is because they are terms that are not originating from this language," Teal'c said.

"How do you mean?"

"The terms that you refer to are terms that someone has introduced into this language. And terms that I am familiar with only because of my familiarity with the Tau'ri language." Teal'c pointed out one of the terms. "This speaks of experiments, and of threats in the darkness." He looked at Tarek. "Major Carter needs to be informed of this."

He got to his feet and rapped on her door. He knew that she did not sleep deeply if she was indeed asleep. "Major Carter?"

After a moment the door opened and she stepped out, stretching slightly. "Any luck?" she asked.

"Indeed," Teal'c said, guiding her to the table.

"There are some terms that neither of us can understand," Tarek said.

"The ones that I do recognize, however, remind me of artifacts that we discovered on Hanka."

"Nirti," Major Carter said.

Teal'c nodded. "I do not know if Nirti was on this planet, however I do believe that similar events have transpired."

Tarek held a sheet of paper in front of her and Major Carter squinted at it. "My goa'uld is beyond rusty," she said. "Pretend I'm Colonel O'Neill and bottom line it for me."

"These papers speak of experiments. I am not certain what, much of the language is unclear to me," Teal'c said.

"What goa'uld hasn't done experiments," Major Carter said. "The personal shield on the hand device for example."

"If we have translated this correctly, these were not technological experiments," Tarek said.

"They were perpetrated upon the humans of this planet," Teal'c said.

"What kind of experiments?" Major Carter asked. Her question remained unanswered s a low rumbling roar echoed throughout the chamber. Teal'c immediately got to his feet and moved towards the door. "That doesn't sound good," Major Carter said.

A dull clattering sound came from over their heads and Teal'c instinctively looked up. "Cave in," he said.

"That first sounded more like an explosion."

Shouts and yells echoed in the hall and Teal'c opened the door, ignoring Major Carter's restraining hand on his arm. Their hall outside their quarters was filled with running people. Alarms blared and Teal'c thought that he smelled the faintest wisps of smoke. "I believe that we have been attacked," he said.

"You don't know that Teal'c. They could have tried to start up one of the engines and had it go critical," Major Carter said.

"Perhaps I could inquire," Tarek offered.

"Do that," Major Carter ordered. Tarek nodded and hurried off, quickly disappearing down the hall.

"Major Carter, it may be wise to avail ourselves of this opportunity to make our egress," Teal'c suggested.

She looked at him, and then back out at the chaos in the hall. He could see that she was measuring their chances of success. "I don't know, Teal'c. We might make it out of here, but if this ship is surrounded by Denialists like Tarek said, we could be jumping from the frying pan into the fire."

"It is also possible that this ship has been invaded. If we tarry, we risk being trapped here and held as hostages."

"We already are hostages," she said. "Teal'c, right now the Colonel knows where we are. And even if we do get out of here, there's miles and miles of desert between here and the city and we don't have any supplies, not to mention having to make our way through enemy territory."

Footsteps pounded down the hall and the two of them tensed, ready to retreat back into their room if they needed to.

Teal'c felt that Major Carter was incorrect, that the ship was not suffering from a natural disaster but an attack. And it was a logical fear to presume that any of the Followers may place the blame upon them, even if they had been locked into their room almost since their arrival. They were, after all, the intruders.

He relaxed slightly when he recognized Tarek returning to them, Marshak Anon at his side. "What happened?" Major Carter demanded.

"We have been attacked," Marshak Anon said. Teal'c refrained from gloating. "Several bombs have exploded outside the temple."

"There are many injured," Tarek said.

"Major Carter, I will allow you and Teal'c to leave," Marshak said.

"Marshak, our people didn't do this," she said. "We don't work that way."

"I am not allowing you to leave for fear of reprisals," he said. "It is the Denialists that attack us. I allow you to leave because this temple may fall. The explosions have weakened the ground in which it is buried. In fact, it is possible that this temple may become our tomb." He looked first her, then Teal'c in the eyes. "That is a fate my people will accept, but not that we shall not force upon others. You are free to leave, as are you Tarek."

Major Carter sighed and looked at Teal'c. "How bad is it?" she asked.

"A large boulder fell and breached one of the walls," Marshak Anon said. "Some were injured in the original explosions, others in the subsequent rock falls."

"What about the shields?" she asked. Marshak frowned at her. "A shield is an energy barrier that can extend around the ship. It can keep intruders out and can protect it from falling rocks as well."

"I know that you have mentioned these before, but I do not know about such a feature. The core has been untouched since you last saw it. My people have applied themselves to the more immediate threat of the Denialists."

Major Carter looked Teal'c's way and he silently nodded, agreeing to the question in her eyes. "Perhaps we can educate you on this feature," he said.

"Why?" Marshak Anon asked. "You refused to assist us before."

"Before you were holding us against our will and had just attacked Colonel O'Neill," Major Carter said.

"Marshak, they have already assisted me in deciphering some of our Lord's words," Tarek said.

Marshak hesitated for a few seconds. "Very well. If it will save more of my people, I would consider the requests of Kalfas himself. Come." He waved them forward with his hand.

/\/\/\/\/\

Sam followed Marshak through the corridors, Tarek and Teal'c trailing behind her. She could hear the growing sounds of panic as they made their way to the peltac. Followers hurried past them and Sam had no idea if they were running from danger or trying to help.

An ominous boom echoed through the ship and Sam instinctively looked up, reaching one hand out to steady herself when the walls shook. "The rocks around the ship grow more and more unstable," Marshak said.

"Teal'c, how deep are we?"

"Deep enough to make the risk of being buried alive very real," Teal'c said. "It is also possible that the...sek'la'met may crumble."

"Sek'la'met?" Marshak asked, looking to Sam to translate.

"Super structure," she said. "The main system of supports that holds this ship together. It's skeleton."

"But you have said this ship was capable of space flight. Surely it is strong," Marshak said.

Sam shook her head. "Oddly enough, it's just the opposite. This ship was engineered to spend most of its time in space, in a relatively gravity less environment. When it would land on a planet, they'd use shields to bolster its structural integrity. Now, being buried has probably helped since it's been protected from the elements."

"I have never known of a Hatak ship to spend centuries upon the surface of a planet," Teal'c said. "Much less below it."

They arrived at the Peltac and Sam immediately moved towards the main control panel. They needed shields and they needed them now.

"What are they doing here!" Bretan demanded, stalking towards them. There were a couple dozen people on the Peltac, most of them doing nothing more than just standing there. Perhaps they knew that assistance was hidden in those consoles, or perhaps they just wished that it was. Sam glanced up, aware that if all these people were loyal to Bretan, she and Teal'c could be in some serious trouble.

"They are here to assist us," Marshak said, motioning Sam to continue as he stepped between her and Bretan.

"Assist us? We would not need assistance if it were not for them."

"They have done nothing to harm us," Tarek said.

"So you deem being chased from your position nothing?" Bretan challenged.

"Kalfas did that, not them."

"Kalfas only had reason because of them!"

"ENOUGH!" Marshak roared. "If it were not for the humans and their finding of the Ring of the Gods, we would still be hiding in the cellars of the city, too afraid to claim our legacy. Major Carter and Teal'c have not harmed us. If anyone has been harmed, it was Colonel O'Neill, who YOU attacked unprovoked."

He stepped forward, openly challenging Bretan. "An act that was against my wishes. These visitors have offered their assistance in saving our temple. And we shall not only allow them to give us assistance, we shall aid them however we can." He looked up at the people gathered in the Peltac. "These people are under my personal protection. Harming them is to harm me. And you will obey them as you would me."

Sam looked up, the tension in the room making her skin crawl. This was a point of no return. If the people here were loyal to Bretan or held malice towards them, she and Teal'c would likely be torn apart...or just tossed into a cell if they were feeling generous.

"Major Carter believes that she can restore the shields and offer this ship protection from the falling rocks," Tarek said. "Is that not right, Major?"

Sam nodded. "Yes," she said loudly, desperately praying that she was not promising more than she could deliver.

"What do you require to make this happen?" Marshak said.

"I need to scavenge the crystals from the other panels and see if I can get enough to make the shields work," she said.

"You were not optimistic in doing this before," Lyta said, melting out from the crowd.

"Lyta, hi," Sam said. "Before I was trying to get as many systems online as possible. Right now, we just need one."

"Do you believe that this is possible?" Teal'c asked her.

Sam nodded. "Yeah. The shield systems were just missing a few crystals. But, Teal'c, it won't last for long on the battery power that we're running on. Nor will the field be very strong."

"If I can get at least one of the engines online, will that provide enough power?" he asked.

Sam nodded. "Yeah, it should. I don't know if it'll completely protect us if the roof totally collapses though."

Teal'c shrugged. "We shall cross that bridge as it is needed," he said. "I shall journey down to the engine room and attempt to repair an engine."

"I will go with you," Marshak said. "If this temple is to be our home, we must learn its workings."

"I shall remain with Major Carter," Tarek said. He glared at Bretan, who lurked on the fringes of the crowd. "To insure that your final declaration is clearly remembered."
Sam nodded her thanks, grateful that she would have at least one ally.

"Given our lack of radios, I will not be able to provide warning when I bring the engine online," Teal'c warned. "You should prepare for a power surge."

Sam nodded. "I'll make sure that the buffers can handle it." Teal'c nodded. "Be careful," she warned.

Teal'c and Marshak left the Peltac and Sam looked after them for a second, aware that she could very well have seen her friend for the last time. "Can I be of assistance?" Lyta asked.

Sam smiled, grateful to be pulled back to the more urgent matter at hand. She figured that it'd take Teal'c an hour to make his way to the engine room, and anytime after that he could have the engine online. She just hoped that the rocks hanging over this ship defied gravity for that long.

"Thank you," she said. "Yes, I would love your help."

Trusting Tarek to keep an eye on Bretan, Sam motioned for Lyta to join her and turned her attention to the shield control panel.

/\/\/\/\/\

Jack squinted his eyes, frowning at the small piece of paper in his hands as he tried to reconcile the scrawled markings there with the landscape before him. "How old did Ashwan say this map was?" he asked, careful to pitch his voice just above a whisper.

"He didn't," Jonas said. "But I didn't ask either."

"I can't make heads or tails of this mess," Jack complained. He sighed and looked at Jonas. "You've spent more time out here than I have, does any of this look familiar?"

Jonas looked around, trying to pick out familiar land marks. "We never ventured very far at night," he said softly, referring to the days he and Teal'c had spent in the Plains of
Anhur trying to free the Stargate from its rocky tomb and to raise it to a usable state. "The Tagrean workers always cautioned us about animals. Some big man-eating thing. Although it was probably just their way to explain people that got lost or--"

"Jonas," Jack interrupted.

"The Denialists are over that way, right?" he asked, pointing at the faint flickering of distant camp fires.

Jack nodded. "Yeah, about five klicks."

"And they're surrounding the ship." Jack nodded again. Jonas glanced over his shoulder, getting his bearings from the Stargate, just barely visible in the distance. "That fissure over there," he said. He pointed off to his right. "That's the largest one around."

"Large doesn't mean that it leads us to the Hatak."

"I think it does," Jonas said. He reached for the map, and Jack was grateful for the light of the full moon that meant that they didn't need to use any position revealing artificial lights. Even five klicks away, all it would take would be one sharp eyed Denialist for their position to be compromised. And a major component of them sneaking into the Hatak was to sneak in, something they couldn't do if the Denialists knew they were there.

"I think that's what this line is. It represents that fissure. And the fourth one that branches off of that one is the one that will lead us to the Hatak."

"To the left or to the right?"

"Colonel?"

"Do we branch off to the left or to the right?" Jack asked.

Jonas stared at the map and realized that he really had no idea. Left and Right were relative. The map bore no markings as to which way was 'up' or 'down'. He shrugged. "Chairman Ashwan drew it this way, so I'm guessing that the entrance to the fissure is at the bottom, so it's the fourth off shoot on the left," he said.

Jack shrugged, reaching out to take the map from Jonas. He folded it up and shoved it into his pocket. "Let's go then."

The pair of them walked towards the fissure and carefully entered it. It wasn't any warmer in the fissure although Jack was glad to be out of the wind. Predictably, it was cold in the desert at night and Jack couldn't deny the chill that sank into his bones. The outer side of the rocks had shed a little warmth, but the deeper they got into the fissure the cooler the air got as they breached the parts that rarely, if ever, got sunlight.

It was also a lot darker in the chasm and Jack reached for his flashlight, willingly trading a lack of stealth for speed and accuracy. The fissure - presuming that Ashwan was right and it did lead directly to the Hatak - was far from a direct route and he wanted to be past the Denialist lines before they lost the cover of darkness.

He saw Jonas follow suit and twin beams of light revealed their path.

It was sandier in the fissure than it was in the open and Jack could only guess that the fine sand, blown relentlessly across the plains, settled in the fissures where it was protected from the wind. With a form of soil to cling to and shielded from the blistering sun, grasses grew in irregular lumps in the fissure and a few hardy plants clung to the fissure walls, hanging like three dimensional photographs.

Jack pushed his pace as much as he could, ignoring the pounding of his head. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a packet of pills. He ripped it open and dumped them into his mouth, quickly grabbing his canteen and taking a drink to wash them down. Doctor Read had cleared him for duty - as if Jack was really going to accept any other outcome - and declared that he had a minor concussion. Something cured by a little time and a few doses of any over the counter pain killer.

Taking drugs was something Jack ordinarily avoided, preferring to give his liver a break and just let the pain run its course. But he needed to be in as good shape as possible if he was going to try and rescue his people. Thus he needed to be able to think clearly and react quickly, and he couldn't do that with his senses dulled by pain.

"You're keeping track of where we're going, right?" Jack asked, more to fill the silence than anything else.

"Colonel?"

"Should I have brought bread crumbs?" Jack knew precisely where they were, and knew that the sandy soil would help them retrace their tracks. However he wanted to make sure that Jonas did too. Just in case Jonas would have to lead Carter and Teal'c on his own.

"No, Colonel, I know how to get back," Jonas said. "What are we going to do when we get to the ship?"

"You ask this now?" Jack said. "Why didn't you ask back on Prometheus?"

Jonas shrugged. "I figured we wouldn't be out here if you didn't have a plan," he said.

Jack shook his head, wondering if he should be flattered or spooked by the trust. "It's a safe bet that they have sentries. Hopefully we'll be able to get past them without killing anyone."

"But the main entrance is guarded."

Jack nodded. "There's another entrance."

"There is?"

"Yep."

"Marshak didn't mention another entrance."

"Which is why I know that there is one," Jack said. "That body that Teal'c and I found, some animal had been at it."

"It could have come in the main entrance."

"It's possible, but I don't think so. When a Hatak is grounded it has a dozen entry points, if for no other reason than waste disposal. There are exhaust ports by the engines and a few other cracks and crevices we can look into."

"But what if we can't get at them?" Jonas asked.

"We'll find a way," Jack declared. "Worse comes to worse, we'll climb up to one of the balconies. There's a good chance that they're still held in our room. If that's true, we just make our way there and break them out." Jonas nodded and Jack felt like the man was making mental notes of their plan. "If for some reason they're not mobile, we'll make it up as we go along."

Jonas stopped in his tracks and stared at Jack. "Do you think they've been hurt?" he asked, his voice distressed.

"I hope they haven't," Jack said, wanting to reassure him but also enough of a realist to know that what he wanted to happen often didn't. "But Bretan's a fruitcake and I don't know enough about this Marshak guy to trust him very far."

"But Sam didn't seem--"

"Carter said what she needed to say to get you out of there," Jack interrupted. "Jonas, I sincerely hope that they're both okay and have spent the last two days playing tiddlywinks, but the fact is that they've been held against their will by someone that tried to brain me. You're gonna have to give me a little distrust here."

Jonas sighed. "Right. You're right, of course. What if they can't walk?"

"We do what we can to get them as far away as we can, then we call Ronson up for some support," Jack said. "If we're lucky, we'll be able to hide in these fissures for a bit. And if we're really lucky, they won't even notice that we're gone until we're safely aboard Prometheus."

Jonas nodded and they continued walking, trudging their way through the deepening sand. The fissure widened and narrowed unpredictably, going from twenty feet wide to barely three several times. He could tell that some of the erosion was water based, the areas where the fissure was wider at the top and narrower at the bottom. But in other places he could see that it was wind based and it reminded him of some rocks he'd seen once near Lake Meade in Nevada.

Which meant that, when the wind blew from the right direction, it likely whipped the sand up into a bit of a mini sandstorm. Which also meant that they likely did NOT want to be in this fissure if the wind rose. And all Jack could do was to hope that the weather called for calm winds for the next day or so. Or they'd very likely get an up close and personal demonstration of sand blasting in progress.

They walked on a bit further until Jack guessed that they were now a mile from the fissure entrance. The fissure veered sharply to the right and Jack frowned, aware that they were walking away from the Hatak instead of towards it.

"It's supposed to do this," Jonas said.

"Huh?"

"It says so on the map, Colonel." He pulled the slip of paper out of hic pocket. "It will turn back towards the Hatak in a little bit and the next tunnel, I guess, towards the left
will lead us to the ship."

"Okay," Jack said, relieved that Jonas was indeed paying attention to their location. Jack heard a low rumble and he stopped, cocking his head to hear better.

"What-" Jack held up his hand to silence Jonas. He raised his other hand and laid his fingers on the wall of the fissure. The rock vibrated slightly and a small shower of sand filtered down from above, knocked loose by the vibration.

"I don't see any clouds," Jonas said. "Maybe it's on the horizon."

"That's not thunder," Jack said. "Thunder doesn't normally make the ground shake, at least not this far beneath the surface."

"I don't understand," Jonas said.

"It was an explosion. And I'm gonna guess it's from the Hatak."

"How do you know?" Jonas asked.

Jack looked at him. "I suppose it COULD be Ashwan's people trying some new mining techniques but given that we have a ship surrounded by hostile forces a few klicks away I'm gonna go with the more obvious choice."

"Right."

Jonas looked away uncertainly and Jack sighed. "We need to pick up the pace," he said, "If the crap is hitting the fan, it might be just the diversion we need to get into the ship."

Jonas nodded. "It's this way," he said, indicating a dark split off the fissure.

"Good. Who knows, maybe we'll get Carter and Teal'c back in time for breakfast."

/\/\/\/\/\

"Will this help you, Major?" Lyta asked, holding up a short orange crystal.

Sam glanced over at it, frowning as she tried to remember precisely what she'd sent the woman searching for.

"You said this would help regulate the power," she prompted.

"Right." Sam smiled at her. "Just set it down on the console please. I'll install it in a bit."

Lyta nodded and squatted at Sam's side, gathering her skirts. "Do you believe that you can make the shields work?"

Sam was kneeling in front of one of the low panels. Some of the control crystals for the shield control were charred and shattered. And it was those crystals that she was trying to scavenge replacements for. "I think I can," Sam said. "I only need a few crystals."

"And then we will be protected?"

"Maybe," Sam said.

"But you said this shield would protect us," Lyta said.

"Lyta, think of it like…okay, you have cold seasons, right?"

"Yes."

"So let's pretend that the rocks outside are the cold. Now, if we get the shield to work, but the engines won't, then the shield is like this t-shirt." Sam pulled at the fabric of the shirt she was wearing. "It's thin and will protect a little. So if it's not very cold, meaning that the rocks stay small, it'll be okay. But if it gets really cold…"

"That shirt will not provide enough warmth."

"Right." Sam held up her jacket. "This is your shield on engines." She plucked at her shirt. "This is your shield on batteries."

"And the bigger the rocks, the more shields are needed."

"Yes."

"I understand now." Lyta smiled.

Sam turned her attention back to the panel and rearranged a couple of blue crystals. She held out her hand and Lyta handed her the orange one. Sam slipped it into place and levered herself to her feet.

She pressed a button and the panel sprang into life. Scanning the readings she saw that they were within normal parameters, barely. She turned to Lyta and smiled.

"We have our…t-shirt?"

"We have our t-shirt," Sam declared. "Now we just need Teal'c and Marshak to get the engine online before the weather takes a turn for the worst."

/\/\/\/\/\

Marshak followed Teal'c through the dark corridors, at times nearly running to keep up with the alien's longer stride.

The torches that he and Teal'c carried flickered wildly, sometimes barely staying lit as they hurried in their quest. Marshak had not heard any more collapses however he also knew that they were deep in the bowels of the ship, and may be too far away to hear or feel them.

As they walked, Marshak often found his attention diverted by their surroundings. He had never explored this deeply into the temple and had only Bretan's recollections to describe it. It was not that he had not wanted to explore his Lord's temple, but there simply had not been enough time. The need to gather and safe guard his people was a far greater priority than to satisfy his own curiosity.

"This is not natural," he said, his voice echoing off the smooth, dark walls. The flickering torches caused shadows to dance enthusiastically along the walls, alternatively filling Marshak with wonder and dread. It was very possible that his master had walked these very same corridors, looked upon these walls, and perhaps visited this engine room.

But he had left. And Marshak could not fathom who had caused his Lord to abandon his people. And then there were the tales that the off-worlders told. Stories of enslavement and horrors. He did not want to believe that they could be true. Yet, something had happened here. Something had caused his Lord to leave.

Horus had not been conquered by another. There were no tales of such a happening. Just as there was no sign of a conqueror.

His Lord had left and Marshak could only think of two reasons. That his Lord had left voluntarily and circumstances prevented his return. Or that his people had forced him to leave.

The latter had seemed an impossible idea until a few months ago. Yet, the appearance of the off-worlders and their discovery of the Ring of the Gods had given that idea merit. Even if Horus had left voluntarily, someone had buried the means of his return. Someone did not want him back.

Many someones.

The fact of the temple's burial also spoke of enmity towards Horus. Burying the temple was a task that had taken years to complete and Marshak could not believe that his own had done it. Even now, the Followers numbers were few and if they had indeed accomplished the feat of burying the temple, there would be record of it.

The only logical conclusion that he could draw was that the people of Tagrea had buried the temple. And that they had sent the ancestors of the Followers into hiding, along with every single artifact that proved Horus' very existence.

"The corridors through which we walk are not part of this planet," Teal'c confirmed.
"These are the lower levels of the ship. The engine room is a level below this one."

"Why did you not repair the engines when you were here last?" Marshak asked.

"O'Neill and I merely ascertained that they appeared undamaged. He wished for Major Carter to examine them before we attempted to bring them to life," Teal'c explained.

"If you fear for the engines, why is she not with us now?" Marshak asked, fearing that he and Teal'c had wasted valuable time.

"Our prior plan took into account the luxury of time," Teal'c said, glancing back at him. "That is a luxury that we no longer possess."

"Is it dangerous to activate these engines?" Marshak asked, concerned for his people and the damage a double assault of stresses from both above and below could cause.

"It may be," Teal'c said. "Yet I believe that danger pales when compared to being buried alive."

They climbed down a few steps and walked into a cavernous room. Marshak held up his torch and saw that the light revealed nothing but black emptiness above him. This room dwarfed even the control room at the pinnacle of the temple. Three large structures stood against each wall and Teal'c made his way towards a low pedestal in the center of the room. He set his long weapon aside, propping it against the console. He began to push buttons while Marshak watched. "If the engines need repair, will you be able to do it?"

"I believe so," Teal'c replied. He knelt down and removed a panel, struggling to accomplish his task with only one hand.

"Permit me to assist you," Marshak offered. He took the torch from Teal'c and held one in each hand, doing his best to help the man.

"One engine should provide sufficient power for the shields," Teal'c said.

"And if it does not?" Marshak asked.

"Then we shall hope that the power from one engine will purchase us enough time to allow Major Carter to come down and attempt to repair the engines," Teal'c said.

"And if she cannot?" Marshak pushed.

Teal'c paused and stared at him. "Then you shall be forced to make a difficult decision," he said evenly.

"You believe that I have made a mistake?" Marshak asked, something driving him to seek counsel from the man. Counsel was a rare thing for him, and something that he hadn't had the luxury of for years.

After generations of persecution and hiding, he knew of no one with whom he could discuss things, not that the discovery of the temple had allowed him much time. He and the other Followers had been enjoying a new found freedom in the past few lunar cycles. Proof of the validity of their belief had bolstered their numbers. Many who had been afraid to profess their feelings openly now felt the freedom to again wear the symbols of their faith and to acknowledge their beliefs.

"You believe that I should not have brought my people here to claim our temple?" he asked.

Teal'c sighed, looking up for a second from his task. "I can understand the desire to possess proof of one's beliefs," he said. "My people have been slaves for many generations and, while some amongst us accept their lot in life, others long for true freedom. To control our own destinies. If we were to discover a trove such as this, we would seek to possess it." Marshak smiled. "However, my people are warriors."

"And because mine are not, we do not deserve such a prize?"

"Deserving and keeping are often at odds with each other. One does not often keep all that one deserves, nor do some deserve what they keep." Teal'c's hand maneuvered inside the console, rearranging and checking the crystals.

"My wish is to give my people a safe haven," Marshak said. "Somewhere where they can live without fear. A refuge from the intolerance of others."

"The god to which you give your loyalty so freely would not repay it in kind. It is very likely that the fear and tolerance of which you speak is born in the memories of generations of slavery," Teal'c said. "It is Jonas Quinn's supposition that the Followers are the descendents of Heru'ur's personal slaves. Those among the Tagreans that assisted in the captivity and persecution of their own kin."

"I would not disagree with his assertion," Marshak said. "Do not misunderstand me, Teal'c, I support and believe in my people, yet I know that time has obscured much of the truth in our past. I have no desire to recreate our past, but I do not feel that we are well served by forgetting it either. We must uncover as much as we can, for only then can we even approach the truth and gain some understanding of what has happened."

"And if that understanding confirms that your people were the enslavers and that knowledge reinforces the distrust of your group?" Teal'c asked.

"Then it does," Marshak said. "And if that knowledge results in the disbanding of my people, so be it. We cannot persist in hiding from our-" Marshak broke off as he noticed a strange look on the Jaffa's face. "Wh-" The man held up a restraining arm.

Marshak felt his senses tingle as his body responded to a threat. Teal'c reached for his staff weapon as Marshak turned, his eyes struggling to pierce the inky blackness of the engine room.

He held the torches up high, his gaze narrowing to one small flicker of movement. "MARSHAK!" Teal'c called out as the shadow poured forth from the darkness.

A heavy force slammed into Marshak's chest and he flew back, the torches falling from his hands. Fetid breath assaulted his senses as deep burning sensations tore into his flesh.
Unable to see, Marshak relied solely on his instincts as he raised his arms, attempting to protect his face and neck from whatever was attacking him.

Vaguely he heard Teal'c's voice as the man yelled at him. A viselike grip caught one arm and Marshak felt his flesh tear as his own hot blood poured into his eyes, blinding him. His own scream of pain was lost amongst deep growls and roars from the creature.

As suddenly as it had attacked him, the weight was gone and Marshak laid upon the floor, his mind struggling to process what had just happened. His breath rasped in his throat and he tried to move, crying out as a wave of pain washed over him and his eyes fell shut.

/\/\/\/\/\

Teal'c stared in shock as the creature dashed out from the darkness and attacked Marshak. He grabbed and armed his staff weapon, struggling to distinguish between friend and foe as the two figures fought in the flickering torch light.

Realizing that he would never be able to get a clear shot, he set his staff weapon aside and threw himself at the creature, wrapping his arm around its neck as he pulled it off Marshak.
Teal'c's own weight and momentum gave him a small advantage, but it soon faded and he found himself struggling with all his strength.

The creature was large and Teal'c felt that it was little more than sinewy muscle. He fought to control the creature's head, aware that, weaponless, his only means to prevail was to choke it.

Claws tore into the flesh of his legs as teeth snapped at his head. Teal'c struggled to get a good grip around the creature's neck, barely perceiving a scant covering of coarse fur. He caught the glint of the torchlight off the creature's eye and he dug at it, gouging into the warm stickiness. The creature roared and Teal'c took advantage of the distraction to grab its neck. He squeezed with all his strength as the creature fought, its claws digging into Teal'c's flesh mercilessly.

After an eternal few moments, its struggles started to weaken. Teal'c refused to loosen his grip, instead he tightened it as he rolled so that he would be on top. The creature's limbs flopped to the deck and Teal'c loosened his grip for a second, altering it slightly until he could twist its neck. A sharp crack echoed through the chamber and only then did Teal'c relax.

Satisfied that it was dead, he leaned back and staggered to his feet, the fortifying strength of adrenaline helping him keep his balance. He stumbled over to Marshak, the man's shape barely visible in the flickering shadows.

Teal'c knelt down and fumbled for the man's pulse. It thrummed weakly under blood drenched skin. The world spun dizzily and Teal'c paused, suddenly conscious of pain radiating from all over his body. He could feel blood trickling steadily down his arms and legs and suddenly realized that he creature had indeed inflicted several severe wounds upon him.

The importance of his task flashed to the forefront of his brain and Teal'c pushed himself to his feet. He only took a couple of steps before he lost his balance and fell to his knees.
Crawling over to the console, he grasped the edge and pulled himself up, unable to smother a groan of pain. In the diminishing torchlight, he fumbled for the controls, the blood on his fingers making them sticky and stiff.

He manipulated the controls, closing his eyes in relief as two of the engines rumbled into life. His task complete, he let his knees buckle, sliding down to sit on the deck. He sat there for a second, breathing heavily as darkness clawed at the edges of his vision. He dug into his pocket and pulled out his vial of tretonin, injecting the serum into a piece of undamaged flesh in his thigh.

Marshak needed assistance. Yet, since he did not have a radio, their only hope of summoning assistance was to make their way up to an inhabited level. And he knew that with his injuries, he would not make such a journey himself, much less burdened by the body of another. He needed to rest and let the tretonin heal him.

His foot twitched and bumped into his staff weapon. He leaned forward, awkwardly pulling it into his lap. It was his only defense, feeble though it may be, and he could only hope that if any more creatures lurked in the darkness, they were as weak as he. Or it would be a very brief encounter.

/\/\/\/\/\

Lyta heard a low hum start from the console and she looked down, smiling as lights flickered on.

"Way to go, Teal'c," Major Carter said, applying herself to pressing controls.

"This is good?" Lyta asked, seeking confirmation for her suspicions.

"This is very good," Major Carter answered. She gestured with one hand, holding the other close to her side. "If I'm reading this right, we have enough power for life support, shields and the water reclamation. With some left over if we shut down a few decks and consolidate people.

"So we are safe?"

"For a little while," Major Carter answered, her tone cautious. "Now that the shields are working, I need to get down to the engine room and see how much naqahdah we have."

"Naqahdah?" Lyta asked, puzzled by the unfamiliar term.

"The power source for the engines. Normally there would be a readout up here, but it's not working. How much naqahdah we have determines how much power we have and for how long," she explained.

"So this may not protect us?" Lyta asked, alarmed that they may have spent so much time on something that may not help her people.

"It will," Major Carter promised. "But how long depends on how much power we have to run the shields and how much stress they're put under."

"I still do not understand," Lyta said.

"Okay, umm, think of it like a loaf of bread. If there's only one person eating it, then it'll last for days and days. But if there's a whole family, then it doesn't last as long. It's the same premise with the shields. If we only have a few small rocks falling, then they don't use much power and will last longer, but if there are a lot of rocks falling, then the power is used up faster and will give out sooner."

Lyta nodded. "I understand now."

Major Carter nodded. "I should go down to the engine room."

"We must dress your hand first," she said, gesturing towards the woman's bandaged hand.
Major Carter shook her head. "It's nothing. I don't think it even needs stitches. The price of working with broken crystals." She had cut her hand a few hours before and had responded to the injury is a most peculiar way, simply muttering a few odd words and doing little more than binding the wound with a convenient bit of cloth.

"It will get inflamed," Lyta said. "And you will get ill."

Major Carter smiled. "I'll be fine. Although I probably need a better bandage before I go playing in the engines."

"We can dress the wound," Lyta said. "Come." She led Major Carter out of the control area and down the corridor. "We have discovered sleeping and living facilities, so many of the Followers have moved here from the lower levels of the temple," she said as they walked further down the corridor and down a level.

"A Hatak ship can have a crew of several hundred to a few thousand. It only makes sense for there to be barracks," Major Carter said.

"We have found those, and some private quarters." She led them around a corner and into a large room. Even from in the hall, she could hear sounds that the room was not only inhabited, but full. "We are gathering the injured in this room," she said as they reached the threshold of Horus' personal chambers. "Hopefully with the shield working, there will be no more."

The room was crowded, both with the injured and those caring for them. People lay upon pallets on the floor and a few lucky ones, on beds. Some were visibly injured, hurriedly made bandages attempting to stem the flow of blood or to cover wounds. Others bore no obvious injuries, but had been found unconscious and had been brought to the makeshift hospital ward.

Major Carter paused in the doorway and Lyta saw her eyes scan the room. "None of them are ill," Lyta reassured her. "They were injured when the ceiling collapsed."

"I'm not worried about…Lyta, we brought medical supplies with us. Maybe I can help," Sam offered, setting aside her mission to deal with the more immediate issue.

"But you are not a healer."

"Technically, no. But I have field medic training. I can at least administer some first aid. And we have some pain killers that could help people out."

"You would be willing to do this?" Lyta asked.

"Sure, yeah."

"But the engines? You said that you needed to check on them," Lyta reminded.

Major Carter sighed. She looked around the room again. "This won't take all that long, an hour or two maybe. The engines should be fine." She gestured. "If I can just get back to our room, I'll get the med kits."

Lyta motioned for a friend of hers to come forward. "If you will tell Shabla what to bring, she can retrieve this kit."

Major Carter spoke to the woman, describing the packs that Lyta remembered the off-worlders wearing when they'd entered the temple. It took Shabla only a handful of moments to retrieve not only their packs but most of the items in the room, things that Lyta herself recognized from Lord Horus' chamber. As the caretakers watched, Major Carter first tended her own wound, cleaning and bandaging the cut on her hand, before donning a thin pair of flexible gloves and moving amongst the injured. Lyta followed, assisting where she could. All the while, hoping that the shield would continue to protect them…and wondering just what they would do if it failed.

/\/\/\/\/\

Jonas walked around a corner in the cave and smiled as - instead of rocks and dust - the flashlight beam revealed the familiar golden hull of a Hatak ship.

"The map was right," he said, knowing that it was the closest to 'I told you so' he dared try with Colonel O'Neill.

"Looks like it was," O'Neill said, standing beside Jonas and shining his own light as high up as he could. "And it's in pathetically good shape."

"Colonel?"

"I was kinda hoping for a nice convenient opening for us to get through."

"We could try the exhaust ports," Jonas suggested, trying to remember all the details of the plans he'd looked at months ago.

"If we have to. But I'd rather not go crawling through engines if we have a choice."

"Then I guess we should look for a way in," Jonas said. "Which way?"

O'Neill looked, shining his light both left and right. "This way." He indicated to the left.
The two of them started off, both shining their lights up and down the ship's hull, searching for any way in.

"Colonel." Jonas stopped and shined his light up. "There's one of the balconies."

O'Neill shook his head. "We'd never free climb up there," he said.

"It's not that steep," Jonas said. "I think I can make it."

"And if we fall, we're dead," O'Neill said bluntly. "Corpses can't rescue anyone."

"Oh," Jonas answered.

"We'll hold it in reserve if we can't find another way. Let's keep going."

They walked for a bit further, pausing when they reached a corner. They looked carefully around the corner, wondering if the upcoming side was the one that contained the entrance they'd used earlier. The main entrance would be one very easy and simply way to get in. Unfortunately, that option was also the one that would most likely lead to them being taken captive again. Which would definitely defeat their plans.

The next side was the last side of the ship and conveniently unguarded and they continued their search. "What if we can't find a way in?" Jonas asked.

"There's a way in."

"But what if-"

"Jonas, there is a way in," O'Neill insisted.

"Right," Jonas agreed. He knew better than to contradict the Colonel's positive thinking. "What about-"

Jonas heard a low rumble and felt the ground beneath his feet begin to shake. Dust and small pebbles started to rain down from above.

"What the hell?"

"Colonel?"

"We need that way in now!" Colonel O'Neill yelled. He broke into a run and Jonas followed him, the beams from their flashlights dancing crazily across the ship's hull. The roar grew louder and Jonas could feel a hot wind billowing up from the underbelly of the ship. It kicked up a choking dust and he coughed, struggling to breathe.

"HERE!" he heard O'Neill yell and he tried to follow him. Jonas tripped and he staggered to his feet, his eyes watering fiercely. He felt O'Neill dig his fingers into his jacket, pulling him forward. The pair of them stumbled into a dark hole, the roar fading slightly.
His eyes streaming, Jonas merely followed O'Neill's lead, trusting in the man's skill - or perhaps luck - to get them to safety.

Then he felt O'Neill trip and both of them fell. As suddenly as it started, the wind stopped and Jonas remained where he was. He rolled to his back and pulled up his shirt to try and wipe the dust from his eyes. He heard O'Neill's ragged coughs and knew that the man was alive. "Colonel?"

"I knew the exhaust ports were a bad idea," O'Neill said, his voice choked and raspy.

"Those were the engines?"

"Those were the engines."

"Why would they fire up the engines?"

"Probably so they would have enough power for the shields," he answered.

"Shields?"

"I'm guessing the shields are why we're not being baked right now." Jonas heard a fumbling sound and opened his eyes to see a flashlight beam sweep across the ceiling.

Jonas sat up, realizing that he had managed to keep his own light. He swept it around the room, looking for some sign as to where they were. The room was utilitarian and bare, consisting of little more than matte black walls and a dust covered floor. Dust motes danced in his flashlight beam. He caught sight of something on the floor and he aimed his light at it, studying the odd form for several seconds before he realized what he was looking at. "Aah, Colonel…"

O'Neill trained his light beam beside Jonas' "Ewwe," he said.

He got to his feet and walked closer to the mangled remains. Jonas followed suit, swallowing convulsively as he got closer. "What happened?" he asked as O'Neill knelt down.

"This looks just like that body T and I found."

"It does?" Jonas asked.

O'Neill got to his feet and nudged the corpse lightly with the tip of his boot. "This one is just a few centuries fresher," he said, making a face.

"That looks like a Denialist uniform," Jonas said, trying to make out the details of the remnants of clothing through the dried blood and gore. "According to Ashwan's spies, the Denialists haven't gained access to the ship."

"Unless this happened since we left the Prometheus."

"Would Colonel Ronson have broken radio silence to tell us?" Jonas asked.

O'Neill shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe he did and we were so far under the rocks that the signal couldn't get through."

"What do we do now?" Jonas asked, not sure how this development changed their plans.

"It doesn't matter if the captors have changed, the captives are still the same. We find Carter and Teal'c and get them out of here." O'Neill checked his weapon. "The main body of the ship is that way." He pointed down the corridor. "Let's be as stealthy as we can…unless you happen to see something that looks like it could tear a man to shreds. Then we'll shoot first and ask questions later."

/\/\/\/\/\

The door to his office slammed open and Kalfas reacted, one hand dropping to the weapon he wore at his waist.

"Apologies, Commander," Rysler his aide huffed. "He insisted."

"They have activated the engines," the man blurted out, pulling his hat off his head as a gesture of respect as he stepped sideways, trying to avoid Rysler's hands.

Two guards appeared behind Rysler and Kalfas waved them back. "Who are you and why are you here?"

"My name is Tarmas Lahron. I serve with Commandant Merla. We are assigned to the Wastelands of Anhur," he replied breathlessly.

"Are you saying that the Followers have powered the ship?" Kalfas asked, getting to his feet.

"Yes," Lahron replied. "And there is more. Men have disappeared."

"Deserters," Rysler spat.

Kalfas glared at his aide. Rysler was an older man, rail thin and with leathery skin. He had served forty annuals in the army and was one of the few to reach such a milestone. Kalfas hadn't hired him out of pity or sympathy - rather to gain access to his astute senses and irreplaceable knowledge. The old man possessed definite and very strong opinions, that sometimes disagreed with Kalfas' own. But he had never lied. And Kalfas found that he much preferred the company of a person that would disagree to his face, than lie behind his back.

"These men would not desert," Lahron said. "We have also heard sounds, horrible screams and cries. Commander, there is something else out there." He looked Kalfas in the eyes. "Something worse than even our nightmares." Rysler snorted in derision.

"Stories do not interest me," Kalfas said. "But this time the Followers have gone too far." Kalfas gathered a few things off his desk. "Rysler, gather my men. It is time for the nonsense in the Wastelands to come to an end."

/\/\/\/\/\

Sam put one last butterfly bandage on the woman's forehead and leaned back to survey her work. "That should help," she said, hoping to reassure the woman. "There's probably going to be a scar but-"

"I am alive," the woman interrupted. "And any scar is a mark of my survival." Not able to come up with a response, Sam merely smiled. She patted the woman's arm reassuringly and got to her feet.

She glanced around the opulent chamber, searching for her next patient. Many of the injuries had been relatively minor, cuts and bruises and a few broken bones. But others were far more serious.

Sam slowly walked over to one couple. A woman knelt beside a man Sam guessed was her husband. She knelt at his other side and reached out to pick up his arm so that she could check his pulse. "Horus waits to take him," the woman said softly. She gently caressed his forehead, brushing his hair.

His pulse was slow and Sam checked his pupils, sighing when she saw that one reacted more slowly than the other. "Subdural hematoma," she whispered to herself.

"What?" The wife looked up.

"I think I know what's wrong with him," Sam said.

"But it cannot be healed," the woman said, resigned to her impending widowhood.

Sam bit her lip, not wanting to tell the woman that her husband COULD be treated, if they just had access to the SGC or even Doctor Read's infirmary on Prometheus. Unable to meet the woman's eyes, Sam looked away, her gaze settling on an orange and golden device resting awkwardly in her first aid kit.

Shabla had meant well when she'd gathered up their belongings in search of a first aid kit. But she'd also brought back plenty of unnecessary stuff, including the ribbon weapon and healing device Tarek had brought for them to study. Sam picked up the healing device and stared at it, memories washing over her.

The last time she's attempted to use the healing device had been on Daniel. And it'd been a spectacular failure, her efforts not helping him but sending him into painful convulsions.
That had been a year ago and she'd sworn never to touch the device again.

"Can that help him?" the woman asked, pulling Sam from her memories.

"I don't---the last time I tried to use this, it didn't work so well," Sam said.

"My husband is dying," she woman said bluntly. "I do not think anything could be worse than that."

Sam sighed, unable to ignore the simple plea in her voice. She slid the device on he right hand and held it over the man. She closed her eyes and willed her energy into the device. From her scattered memories of Jolinar, she knew that there were two ways to work it. She could use her knowledge to direct the device or she could simply give it her energy and let it diagnose and repair any damage.

Of course, if her diagnosis was wrong, she could end up killing the man by not fixing the right thing. Directing the device was the most efficient way to use it, since she could reserve her energy and only heal the parts that needed to be healed. But if she let the device direct itself, it WOULD heal the man. But it would also heal any and everything - wasting energy on trivial and non-life threatening injuries.

The latter was the hardest on the healer, but it was the best chance she had to save the man.

Sam felt her energy gather in her chest, pooling and swirling until it flowed down her arm, feeding the device. She never knew if it was real or if it was her imagination, but she could 'see' the wound healing. The bruise on the man's brain shrunk and faded as the tears in injured blood vessels mended and sealed.

She could see the man's body reabsorbing the pooled blood, relieving the pressure on his brain. Blackened and bruised tissue turned a healthy pink and Sam opened her eyes, meeting the befuddled brown eyes of her patient. "You're gonna be okay now," she said, hoping to reassure him.

His wife cried and pulled him close while Sam leaned back, slowly getting to her feet. A hand tentatively touched her arm and she turned her head. "Can you help my wife?" a man asked.

"I can try," she answered, following him over to another pallet.

/\/\/\/\/\

Jack slowly made his way down the dark corridor, his and Jonas' steps echoing slightly off the dusty walls. Dust motes danced lazily in the beams of their flash lights and the air was musty and still.

They arrived at a junction and Jack paused for a second before turning to the right.
"Umm, Colonel." Jack turned back to look at Jonas. "This is the way to the upper levels."

"I know. But we're going to the engine room first."

"We are?"

"If I want an answer of why the engines are online, our best chance of finding that out is in there."

"Okay," Jonas agreed.

Jack sighed softly and wished that he had anyone but the Kelownan with him. Jonas meant well, he really did. And he tried. Jack had to give him that much. He really tried. The alien had spent hours with Carter and Teal'c, training and drilling on military procedures. He was doing everything he could to fit in and be a part of the team. Jack couldn't fault him for his enthusiasm.

But Jack didn't think that he could be blamed for wishing that he had someone with more experience watching his six at the moment.

The pair of them crept down the corridor, Jack's P-90 held ready. As they approached the engine room, Jack could see a faint light spilling out the open door. He held up his fist, signaling for Jonas to stop. He could see the light, but he couldn't hear much over the distinct hum of the engines.

But he could smell something.

He found it morbidly fascinating that people never realized that blood had a distinct smell. Sharp and metallic and slightly sweet. Maybe it was because most people were never around a large enough quantity of spilled blood to ever notice its unique aroma. But it was a smell that Jack was all too familiar with.

And it was a scent that he smelled now.

He motioned for Jonas to kneel and he did the same, holding his weapon over his head to sweep the flashlight's beam around the corner. He picked out the shadowy form of at least two bodies on the floor, and heard the distinct snap hiss of a staff weapon arming. "Teal'c?" he called out, taking a chance that his friend was the only Jaffa in the Hatak.

"O'Neill?"

"Yeah, you okay?"

"It is safe to enter."

Jack glanced back at Jonas then he turned his attention back to Teal'c. He again peered around the open door, this time slowly sweeping his flashlight around the room. The beam lingered briefly on two figures on the floor before settling on Teal'c. Seeing that the Jaffa wasn't under duress, Jack got to his feet and entered the room, his weapon at the ready.

"Check those two out," he ordered Jonas as he made his way to Teal'c's side.

"O'Neill," Teal'c said, his staff weapon at his side. "It is good to see that you are well."

"Jonas did a good job of dragging my ass back to Prometheus. What the hell happened to you?" Jack looked his friend up and down, noting the series of deep gashes across his chest and legs.

"That creature attacked us."

Jack looked to Jonas and the man shook his head. "It and Marshak are dead," he said.

"At least you got it in the end," Jack said, pulling his first aid kit out of his pack. He started to dress Teal'c's wounds, starting with the most serious looking gashes on the man's thigh. As far as they were from the SGC and Prometheus, Jack could only hope that Teal'c could hold out until the Tretonin kicked in and helped to heal some of the injuries.

"It was a most formidable creature," Teal'c said. "And one that I have never seen before."

"It almost looks human," Jonas said. He was standing over the corpse, shining his light upon it. "Or at least humanoid."

Jack secured the last dressing and got up, joining Jonas and examining the creature. It had claw like feet with two inch long pointed nails. Its legs were long and muscular, covered in dark skin and short coarse hair. The hair grew thicker on the creature's torso, now looking more like a pelt. Its arms were as sinewy as its legs but instead of fingers, it's hands were tipped with thick and long claws.

Jack examined its head, not surprised to see a short snout and a large jaw full of sharp looking teeth. "If we were on Earth, I'd call this a werewolf," Jack said.

"Werewolf?"

"Half human, half wolf," Jack explained.

"I've never heard of those before," Jonas said. "Maybe Sam was right and I should watch more than the weather channel."

"You'd need to be watching the monster channel for this one," Jack said. "Werewolves don't exist." He nudged the corpse at his feet with his boot. "If the goa'uld imported something like this to Earth, I can see where the legend came from. I just hope we never run into the home planet of this thing. Silver bullets are gonna be a bit hard to requisition."

"What if we already have?"

Jack shook his head. "That's one requisition that I'd remember."

"No, I mean, what if we're already on the creature's home planet?" Jonas clarified.

"You think these things came from here?" Jack asked.

"I have heard tales of many monsters, but none such as this," Teal'c said, still sitting beside the control console.

Jack shook his head again. "If the desert was teeming with man eating monsters, you would think that Kalfas or Ashwan would have said something."

"Not if they didn't know it was here," Jonas said. "Colonel, until a few months ago, no one had any reason to come out here. Not until we found the Stargate and they found the Hatak. If there's a good enough food source, there'd be no reason for the creatures to go anywhere near the city."

Jack nodded. "We'll talk to Ashwan when we get out of here. Right now, let's track down Carter and get the hell out of here." He moved back to Teal'c and helped the Jaffa to his feet. Jonas moved to the man's other side, offering his support.

"What about Marshak?" Jonas asked.

"There's nothing we can do for him. We'll send people back to retrieve the body," Jack said.

"Major Carter is on the Peltac," Teal'c said.

"Does this have something to do with the engines and the shields?" Jack asked.

"An explosion weakened the rock structure around the Hatak. There were several cave-ins and many were injured. Major Carter sought to activate the shields to protect the ship and those within it."

"And you needed engine power," Jack said.

"Yes. Marshak Anon and I came down here to activate the engines."

"And he ended up monster food. Do you think that there are more of those things around here?"

Teal'c shook his head. "It has been several hours since we were attacked. If there were more creatures, I would have expected them to scavenge the remains."

"Or they are outside the shield and can't get in," Jonas suggested.

Jack shrugged. "What's our reception likely to be?" Jack asked, seeking a threat assessment. He wanted to rescue his people, and he WAS going to rescue his people, but he didn't want to start World War Three while he was at it. And he was not going to hand Bretan three more hostages.

"Marshak banished Bretan soon after the attack. I do believe that he is cowed, however I cannot be certain how he will act once word of Marshak's death spreads. If we can make contact with Tarek Solamun, he will grant us safe passage to retrieve Major Carter."

"Aren't we trapped in here with the shields up?" Jonas asked.

Jack shook his head. "I don't know. Maybe Carter can rig something. Or maybe we can drop them long enough to ring outside the ship. We'll cross that bridge when we get there. We're going to take the back halls until we get closer, try to fly under the radar. Teal'c, you may have to go in alone. Maybe tell people that Marshak is injured. If we're lucky, that'll distract them long enough for all of us to slip away."

/\/\/\/\/\

Tarek walked around the chamber, doing all he could to keep his footsteps light and quiet. All around him, people slept. Some were the injured and their families, others had been healed by Major Carter but wished to remain in Lord Horus' quarters for fear of another collapse.

The woman had truly worked miracles, healing those that were destined to die. He did not fully understand how the device worked, nor did he fully understand how she'd been able to make the device work. But he was grateful to her for the lives she'd saved. It had done wonders for the morale of the Followers and restored their hope that they were not doomed to perish.

There were a few that had even tried to elevate the woman's status. They were in awe of her ability to use the healing stone and some muttered amongst themselves that she had to be a descendant of Horus, or perhaps an agent of his, sent to deliver them from their current home and unto the promised land.

Tarek knew better. He knew the stories of the goa'uld and he knew full well that his Lord Horus was no benevolent god. But that was not a topic to be broached now. The Followers needed the strengths of their beliefs to sustain them through their trials.

"Tarek? Tarek, help me!"

Tarek hurried towards the voice, barely noticing that a few of the sleeping were rousing. He jogged into the corridor and then hurried more, assisting Lyta as quickly as he could. "He came into the control area," she said breathlessly, supporting Teal'c as she struggled towards the room. "He was looking for Major Carter."

"You are injured," Tarek said, noting the man's blood stained and torn clothes. One arm was wrapped loosely over Lyta's shoulders while his other hand grasped his weapon, using it as a support.

"I will survive," Teal'c said. "Where is Major Carter?"

"She is within. She is well. Where is Marshak?" Tarek asked, looking past Teal'c for some sign of his leader.

"He has not returned," Teal'c said.

The three of them entered the room and Tarek guided Teal'c towards a chair, motioning at the man currently sitting in it to get up. Teal'c sank down, his eyes surveying the room. "Lyta, Major Carter is over there," Tarek said, motioning towards a pallet in the corner.
"Please wake her so that Teal'c may be reassured that she is well." Lyta did as she was bid and Tarek looked to Teal'c. "Marshak?" he asked softly.

"He is still in the engine room," Teal'c said. Tarek frowned at the man's careful words.

"Teal'c." Tarek looked up to see Major Carter coming towards them. She was rubbing her face as if she hoped that the action would assist her in shaking off the vestiges of sleep.
"What happened? Are you all right?"

"My injuries are not life threatening," he said, his tone reassuring. "They are a mere inconvenience."

"They'll be less than that. Hang on a second." She left them and made her way to her pallet, returning in a few seconds with the healing stone in her hands.

"Major Carter." He held out a staying hand.

"It's okay, Teal'c," she said, smiling a bit. "I've had a little practice."

Tarek watched as the woman slid the stone on her hand. She closed her eyes and an orange beam spilled from the device, bathing his leg in light.

Teal'c tensed for a moment, then relaxed. She repeated the procedure a few more times until Teal'c reached out and wrapped his hand around her wrist. "That will be most sufficient, Major Carter," he said. "The tretonin will take care of the rest."

She smiled and nodded, slipping the stone off her hand. "Tarek, you need to let us go," she said, looking up at him. "This isn't our fight."

"But you have assisted us," he protested.

"To save our lives, and to save the lives of innocent civilians. But this isn't our battle. It's only a matter of time before Colonel O'Neill and the Prometheus comes to get us. Trust me, you don't want to be on their wrong side," she warned.

"You are the only hope that my people have," Tarek said. "Many would have died today had you not been here to assist them."

"Tarek, I'm glad that we could help, but we can't stay," Major Carter said, getting to her feet.

"We shall let Marshak decide when he returns," Tarek said resolutely.

/\/\/\/\/\

Colonel William Ronson walked into engineering, not minding when none of the personnel noticed his arrival. They were, after all, under orders to get the hyper drive fixed as quickly as possible. And that was more important than protocol.

"Sir," Sergeant Stark said, coming to greet him.

"Status report," Ronson asked.

"About six more hours, sir," the man reported, using a rag to wipe off his grimy hands.
The man's sleeves were pushed up and Ronson could see that the dirt and grime didn't just stop at his hands. His arms, uniform and even face was marked with dirt and oil. Ronson picked up the sharp twang of sweat and knew that his engineer had been working non-stop since they'd retrieved the parts from the Stargate two days ago.

"We'll be ready on schedule, sir," Stark said. "We're going to start running the last of the diagnostics within the hour."

"Good job," Ronson said, making a note to recommend Stark and his crew for a commendation.

"Bridge to Ronson." Ronson heard the page and instinctively looked up.

"You can take it over there, sir," Stark said, motioning towards a console.

Ronson nodded and walked over to the console. "Ronson here."

"Sir, I have Chairman Ashwan on the radio. He says that he needs to speak to you immediately," Lieutenant Meyers said.

"Put him through," Ronson ordered. He heard the static sound of a transmission.
"Chairman?"

"Colonel. I apologize for being brief, but I do not dare to talk to you for very long," Ashwan said, speaking quickly. "I have just been informed that Commander Kalfas' troops have begun to move. We estimate that the number of troops surrounding the ship will triple within a matter of hours."

"Do you know what their plans are?" Ronson asked.

"Not for certain, no. However, they are transporting a significant amount of heavy armament. Our tacticians theorize that they are either seeking to destroy or to take control of the ship. I must warn you, Colonel, while we will tolerate the former, we cannot permit the latter." The man's tone was still unfailingly polite, but resolute and Ronson knew that, despite their desire to know and learn about their past, they weren't in the position to fight for it.

"What are you going to do?"

"While I cannot divulge my government's plan, I can reassure you that any troop movement that you may see is not directed towards you. Please do not interpret it as an act of aggression. But I also need to warn you that any events that are about to transpire are no concern of yours. Please do not attempt to offer assistance and we shall make every attempt to leave your ship unscathed."

"What about our people?" Ronson asked.

"I have informed my troops about the hostages, however I cannot take any responsibility for anything that may happen to them. Now Colonel, I must end this conversation. I hope to speak to you soon."

"Something tells me that the sooner we get this bird in the air, the better," Stark said, speaking up as the radio fell silent.

"Your something is right," Ronson affirmed. "Let me know as soon as we're flight ready."

"Aye, Aye, Skipper," Stark quipped.

Ronson shot the man a tolerant glare and then left engineering. He made his way up to the bridge, deciding his next course of action as he walked. "Lieutenant Meyers," he said as soon as he stepped onto the bridge. "Break radio silence. I need to speak to Colonel O'Neill."

/\/\/\/\/\

Teal'c sat next to Major Carter, watching as the refugees moved around the room. He could not avoid noticing the curious and speculative looks shot their way. "It would appear that you have made friends," he said softly, glancing over at his teammate.

"What? Oh, I don't think I'm what they'd call a friend," she replied. Lyta had brought them some food - a plate of bread, cheese and fruit - and the pair of them picked at it, taking turns. Teal'c raised his eyebrows as she pushed a piece of brown bread into her mouth. "I healed a few injuries. They're probably waiting for my head to spin and my eyes to glow," she said, quickly chewing and swallowing the piece of bread.

He studied her, noticing how her eyes didn't meet his, instead they remained focused on the plate or her hands.

He knew that this was the first time she had even attempted to use the healing device since her failed attempt to heal Daniel Jackson. In fact, he had been rather shocked to not only see her use it, but to see the casual nature with which she handled the device. It spoke to him of someone who had not only used the device, but used it with some success. "Have you not been attempting for many years to gain mastery over the device?" he asked.

"Mastery?" she snorted. "I'm no master. Hell, I'm damn lucky that I didn't kill someone." She sighed. "I just couldn't sit here and watch them die," she whispered. She looked up and shrugged. "Then again, maybe that wouldn't have been such a bad thing."

Teal'c frowned, the woman's words striking him as odd. Even when they fought their most sworn enemy, Major Carter never relished the deaths of their foes. She accepted the necessity and acknowledged the inevitability, but Death and killing were not aspects of her chosen profession that she embraced.

And if she disliked the death of an enemy, it made no sense for her to wish for the death of those 'caught in the crossfire', as O'Neill would say. Teal'c sighed softly. "You believe that if you had failed in your attempts to heal, then Tarek would not so enthusiastically wish to keep us here."

She shrugged. "Maybe they wouldn't want to keep us here if we didn't have a use."

"Our time amongst the Followers will soon come to an end," Teal'c said softly. She frowned and looked up at him. "I believe the Earth term is Prodigal Son," he prompted.

She stared at him for a few seconds, then smiled. "The Colonel and Jonas?" she whispered.

Teal'c inclined his head slightly. "We but wait for the appropriate opportunity. They are hiding nearby. I returned alone in the hopes of us making our escape unnoticed and without bloodshed."

"So, we're just going to leave these people?"

"The safety of Prometheus is the primary responsibility," he said, repeating O'Neill's words. Teal'c himself did not wish to leave the Followers vulnerable and alone, however he could not fault the decision to secure the Prometheus and its crew first. Earth could not afford to lose its only space ship to the chaos of another planet's civil war.

She nodded. "I was afraid that it'd play out this way," she said softly. "How do they plan to get off the ship?"

"O'Neill desires our input into that part of the plan."

"With the shields up, we can't ring out. And we can't walk out either," she said, unconsciously repeating O'Neill's assessment.

"Indeed."

She drummed her fingers on her thigh for a few seconds. "If I can get to the Peltac without them suspecting something, I can program the shields to drop for a few seconds. It would give us long enough to ring out. The problem is, ringing out into a cave could have an…unwelcome outcome." Teal'c raised his eyebrows. "If the walls are too close, there might not be enough room for the rings to materialize us. I'm not quite sure how it'd turn out…but it might not be pretty."

"I would not suggest that we egress through the ship's lower levels," he said. She looked up at him. "It is not a safe passage."

She glanced at his injuries but did not comment. Something for which he was grateful. Unlike his human friends, he drew no enjoyment from sharing the tales of his adventures. He knew that the occupants of the ship did need to know that there may be more monsters in their midst. However, given that they had been in this ship for several days and the only victim had been Marshak Anon, down in the very lowest levels of the ship. Which suggested to him that, as long as the Followers remained in the upper levels, they were safe.

"Okay, so the rings are out. So's the main door." She shrugged and looked away for a second before looking back. "The balconies."

"Major Carter?"

"You said that these ships have balconies. We can use them. The balconies will be inside the shield. Get some rope, rappel down, I can program the shields to lower at a certain time and we'll just walk right out of here," she said, smiling enthusiastically.

Teal'c smiled slightly, picking up a piece of fruit and eating it. He was glad that they now had a plan. And he knew that O'Neill would also be pleased. Now all they needed was for O'Neill to make contact with them, for them to find a way to escape Terak's custody and to leave this ship, preferably without doing harm to anyone.

"Our packs are in the corner," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Major Carter?"

"I asked Lyta to bring our stuff so that I could get the first aid kits. She grabbed everything. I don't know if we have enough rope to rappel all the way down, so it might help if we find the lowest balcony possible."

"That would be wise," Teal'c agreed.

"Okay," she said, sighing. "Now all we need to do is to find a way out of here and to rendezvous with Colonel O'Neill and Jonas."

A murmur swept across the chamber, growing in volume. Both of them turned to see what was going on as O'Neill and Jonas Quinn strode into the room. Teal'c saw O'Neill's eyes sweep the room, settling on him and Major Carter for a second before he continued searching. He nodded in recognition.

"Colonel O'Neill!" Tarek called out, stepping forward.

"Tarek, we need to talk," O'Neill said loudly, his hand resting on his weapon.

"That was disgustingly easy," Sam said, helping Teal'c to his feet.

/\/\/\/\/\

"I do not understand. We have done nothing to threaten Commander Kalfas," Tarek protested, his voice echoing off the walls of the deserted Peltac.

Jack sighed and found a large wooden box. He sat down, gesturing dramatically. "You fired the engines."

"Which we only did to power the shields to protect the ship from the cave-ins caused by their bombs," Carter said, also taking a seat. Tarek and Teal'c did the same while Jonas fiddled with one of the computer consoles. Jack glanced at Carter, but she didn't seem
concerned, so he ignored Jonas.

"And Kalfas probably wouldn't have set off a bomb had the Followers not taken over the ship." Tarek opened his mouth and Jack held up his hand, silencing the man. "Which you wouldn't have done had they not been persecuting you. I know. The blame game is a waste of time and it still doesn't change the fact that Kalfas' army is bearing down on this position. And if what Ashwan told Ronson is true, the Protectionists aren't going to raise a finger to help."

The five of them were gathered on the Peltac, one of the few rooms that no one had claimed as their own, and one of the few rooms that they could secure and talk privately in.

"Even if we could convince these people to leave, we'd never get them across the desert," Sam said.

"There are too many women and children to move efficiently," Teal'c said.

"And injured," Sam corrected. "Of course, if all Kalfas really wants is this ship maybe-"

"My people will not abandon their temple," Tarek interrupted. "Many of them have waited their whole lives to see this."

"Tarek, Kalfas is likely going to blow this place to bits," Jack said. "If your people stay, they're gonna die."

"They would rather die within the Temple than surrender it," Tarek said.

"They're probably gonna get their wish," Jack said, rolling his eyes. Fanatics, he hated dealing with fanatics.

"Tarek, the 'God' to whom you are so loyal, is not only dead, even if he were alive, he would not repay it in kind," Teal'c said.

"You've said that all the Followers are here," Sam said. "If you let Kalfas bomb this temple, not only will your people die, your religion will die too."

"It is better to die with your convictions intact, than to surrender them for convenience," Tarek said. "Colonel, I know that you wish us only the best, however, after generations of hiding, my people can no longer lurk in the shadows, living in fear. We shall make our stand here, and if Horus demands that our lives be sacrificed, so be it."

"What if your people don't feel the same way?" Sam asked.

"We shall inform the people. Anyone that wishes to leave, may. I will not force them to remain. But I shall not leave. Not until Marshak tells us that we are to leave."

"It's not Marshak's decision, not anymore," Jack said.

Tarek shot him a look. "Teal'c said-"

"Marshak's dead," Jack said bluntly. "Some animal ripped him to shreds. Almost did the same to Teal'c. Whether you like it or not, it's your decision now."

"I think I know what did it," Jonas said, speaking up for the first time. They all looked at him. "They kept records." He pointed at the computer console.

Jack shrugged and got to his feet, leading the others over to Jonas' side. "What'd they keep records of?"

"Horus, or Heru'ur, as we know him, wasn't the only Goa'uld here," Jonas said, pushing buttons on the console. An unfamiliar male face appeared and Jonas looked at the others.

"Did I miss a memo? Cause I'm not recognizing this person," Jack said.

"Nirti," Teal'c said.

"Nerdy's a girl," Jack protested, looking again at the swarthy face Jonas had pulled out of the computer banks.

"Nirti has not always been in a female host," Teal'c said. "Several years ago, she was forced to abandon her male host for the one we knew," he explained.

"I never knew that Nirti and Horus were allied," Sam said.

"Goa'uld often base their alliances upon the potential for gain," Teal'c said. "Nirti most likely allied himself with whom ever would gain him the most profit."

"Or most subjects," Jonas said.

"You think she was experimenting on the Tagreans like she did Alobran's people?" Sam said. Jonas nodded. "But nobody's found one of her machines."

"Yet," Jack said. "Three fourth's of this ship's unexplored."

"It is possible that Nirti's laboratory facilities do not lie upon this ship, but in a subterranean facility like they did upon Hanka," Teal'c said.

"Does the record say how many of those things they might have made?" Jack asked. Having seen what the creatures did not only to the old body, but to Marshak and Teal'c, Jack didn't want to run into any of them. "Cause, you know, Kalfas' troops might be the lesser of evils if this ship is infested with giant man-eating things."

"If this is right, they made dozens," Jonas said. "But that was hundreds of years ago. What attacked Teal'c might very well have been the last of its kind."

"Sir, Nirti's experiments have a long standing reputation of being unstable. And I would imagine if there were too many of them around, the death toll would be a lot higher," Sam said.

"Or they're just staying to the lower levels," Jack said. "And it's a matter of time before they figure out that we have an all you can eat buffet up here."

"We can always seal off the lower levels," Sam suggested. "Lower the emergency bulkheads. Hope that if there's any more of them, they're on the other side of the doors."

"I think I know how to stop this," Jonas said, interrupting their discussion.

"What?"

"Colonel, I think I know how it all started and I think I know how to stop it."

/\/\/\/\/\

Marcin Reina paced tensely, his hand lingering on his weapon. He felt naked without his uniform and exposed standing in the middle of the desert with only darkness to protect them.

"This is not a wise action, Chairman," he said, his eyes scanning the horizon for some sign of movement.

"Yes, as you have said," Chairman Ashwan said, sighing from his place sitting on a rock.

"Kalfas' men could kill us where we stand, and it is unlikely that anyone will even find the bodies. All for the sake of some religion obsessed zealots," he ranted, aware that he was pushing the boundary of their relationship, yet unable to stop himself. He did not feel that they should be wasting their time here, seeking a private meeting with Kalfas - the man who just a few moons ago, attempted to start his own war. Their time would be better spent rallying their own troops to prevent the Denialists from taking custody of the ship -and its weapons.

"For the sake of avoiding a civil war," Ashwan said. "And if you do not wish to be here, please leave."

"While I may feel that you are being foolish, Chairman, my job demands that I protect you, even if I protect you from yourself," Marcin said.

"A noble gesture, although I warn you that he will not appreciate it."

Marcin spun, pulling his weapon from his holster as Kalfas walked close enough to be seen.

"If I wished you harm, you would be dead," Kalfas said dryly.

"Mister Kalfas, thank you for coming," Ashwan said, standing up and crossing over towards Kalfas.

"I am not sure why I am here," Kalfas said. "But I do know that I am quite busy at the moment so I do not have time for any lengthy speeches."

"Do you have time to attend a summit?" Ashwan asked.

"The time for talking is over," Kalfas said. "Perhaps if you had taken the time to talk when the off-worlders first arrived, events would not have transpired as they did."

"As I recall, you did not wish to talk, you only wished to fight," Ashwan said.

"That was my job…the job you took from me," Kalfas said.

"The job you gave away when you attempted to mutiny," Ashwan retorted. He sighed and deliberately calmed his voice. "Kalfas, for the sake of the friends we used to be, please come with me to this summit."

"The time for talking is over," Kalfas said. "It is now time for action."

"Yes, yes it is," Ashwan agreed. Before Marcin could react, Chairman Ashwan struck out, punching Kalfas in the face. The man fell heavily upon the sand, only a grunt escaping his lips.

"Chairman!"

"He was right, we have no time to talk," Ashwan said, shaking his hand and grimacing in pain. "Pick him up please, Mister Reina. We have an appointment to keep."

/\/\/\/\/\

"Look what the Jaffa dragged in," Colonel O'Neill said, nonplused by the glare Teal'c shot his way. Teal'c, now healed of his injuries, led a quintet into the peltac. Carter and Teal'c were just returning from escorting Ashwan and his group into the Teltac, the Chairman showing an amazing amount of trust, basically handing himself and Kalfas over into 'enemy' hands.

"Colonel O'Neill," Chairman Ashwan greeted. He glanced behind him. "I do hope that this summit is not something that we will regret."

Marcin Reina followed his boss, leading a very irate looking and gagged Kalfas while Sam brought up the rear, Colonel O'Neill's borrowed P-90 in her hands. Lyta and Tarek both got to their feet as Sam moved straight over to the sensor controls. "Carter?"

"Just like you thought, sir. Kalfas' troops are closing in."

"Where is Marshak Anon?" Ashwan asked.

"I lead the Followers now," Tarek said.

O'Neill nodded. "Jonas, you're on."

"Colonel?"

"The Readers Digest version of what you just spent the last two hours telling me," he explained as he motioned for Teal'c to remove Kalfas' gag and to untie him.

Jonas nodded. "Right, umm…okay, a few hundred years ago, all of your ancestors were slaves to Horus. Your ancestors," he pointed at Tarek. "Were likely workers for the goa'uld. That's how they operate. They can't do everything themselves, so they recruit people from among the local population to take care of them, wait on them…"

"They call them Lotar's," Sam said. "Body servants, cooks, dishwashers." She shrugged. "It would take dozens or hundreds to run a ship this big."

"Your ancestors." Jonas pointed at Kalfas and Ashwan. "Were probably slaves in the naqahdah mine. That's what else the goa'uld do. They use the people on the planets they conquer like a resource. Your people were probably worked until they died."

"It sounds like we had a good reason to rebel," Kalfas said.

"Probably more than you know," Jonas said. "Tarek has been helping me search through the computer data bases and through some records that he had with him. When the slaves," he winced apologetically. "Rebelled, they did it with a vengeance. According to Terak's records, the rebels systematically hunted and murdered every single Lotar they could find. That's why the Followers of Horus have been underground for so long. It was the only way they could survive."

"They were collaborators," Kalfas said. "They deserved to die."

"They survived," O'Neill interjected. "You can't judge them for what they did. Cause I'm willing to bet you'd do the same damn thing if the choice was getting food for your family or slaving your life away in a mine."

"They were hunted down," Tarek said. "Men, women, even children, they were all killed."

"But we think we know why," Jonas said. He crossed over to a shrouded figure lying on the floor and pulled back the blanket. Kalfas, Ashwan and Reina openly winced and Jonas even saw Major Carter glance away. Retrieving the corpse of the creature and Marshak had been what he and Colonel O'Neill had done - with some help from the Followers - while Major Carter and Teal'c escorted Ashwan, Reina and Kalfas into the ship.

"What is that?" Ashwan asked.

"We found this on the lower levels. Along with the body of Marshak Anon," O'Neill said.

"It's one of your ancestors," Jonas said. "Or maybe a descendant of one of your ancestors."

"I do not understand," Ashwan said.

"Horus wasn't always the only goa'uld here," Major Carter said. "They found evidence that one named Nirti was allied with Horus."

"Nirti?" Kalfas asked.

"She is a goa'uld who is obsessed with creating a hok'tar," Teal'c said.

"An augmented human, the ultimate host," Carter explained. "We've seen her experiments before. She's obsessed with telekinesis, super strength. The last experiments of hers we ran across…you could barely tell that they had once been human."

"This is right up Nirti's ally," O'Neill said, gesturing towards the corpse.

"She experimented upon her slaves?" Kalfas said.

"Chances are she experimented upon anyone she wanted to," Carter said. "Lotar or slave, it wouldn't have mattered to her." She shuddered slightly and Jonas glanced over at her, hoping to give her a reassuring smile. Both of them knew all too well just how ruthless Nirti was when it came to her experiments.

"This is why we rebelled," Tarek said.

"We?" Kalfas asked, his tone openly skeptical.

"The Lotars found out what Nirti and Horus were doing," Jonas said, picking up a scroll. "They spread the word amongst the other slaves and the rebellion began."

"You cannot know what happened," Kalfas said while Ashwan stepped forward, reaching out to look at the scroll himself.

"Not all of the Followers were murdered," Tarek said. "Some survived."

"Chances are, those that were captured, were kept alive," Carter said. She motioned at the computer consoles surrounding them. "With Nirti and Horus gone, along with whatever Jaffa survived, they were likely the only ones that knew how to work the technology on the ship."

"They were," Jonas confirmed. "What Followers that survived the first purge were rounded up. They were used to move the ship here, to blast the hole in the ground and to get it ready to be buried. Then they were killed."

"But why?" Ashwan asked. "They were no longer a threat."

"Yeah they were," O'Neill said, looking at Kalfas.

Kalfas stared at him for a few seconds then looked away for a second. "We had to," he said. "We had no choice. We knew what horrors Horus was hiding in this ship. Horrors that the Followers were determined to recreate out of loyalty to their lord." He sneered the word, glaring at Tarek.

"We had no knowledge of the horrors," Tarek said. "Not until my ancestors carried word of them to your ancestors. Our Lord kept these activities secret, even from us. If we had known…"

"What did you do?" Ashwan asked, ignoring Tarek's distress.

"The same thing your ancestors did," Kalfas shot back. "We exorcised the evil that was taking over our world. We made sure that it could never be recreated by silencing any that knew of its existence."

"You knew?" Jonas asked.

Kalfas turned to look at him. "I knew that my ancestors committed acts that they refused to speak of. Acts that haunted them, yet were as necessary as breathing." He glanced down at the corpse. "We never believed that it was real."

"I do not understand," Marcin Reina said.

"Nirti and Horus were experimenting on your ancestors, changing them into monsters," Carter said.

"They were attempting to create the ultimate soldier," Teal'c said. "And since their experiment was a success, they would have continued, likely turning every one on this planet into a creature just like that one."

"I'm guessing that the slaves told Kalfas' and Ashwan's ancestors, who led the rebellion. What they couldn't anticipate was that, once the goa'uld were evicted, the rebels turned on them," O'Neill said. "Probably doing everything the could to eradicate every last trace of the goa'uld."

"And every experiment," Jonas said. "Anyone that was in any way, touched by the goa'uld, they killed."

"That's murder," Ashwan said.

"It is." Teal'c said. "But it is also survival. Such a creature, even just a few, would quickly decimate the population of a planet." He sighed. "The slaves were but…unfortunate bystanders, caught up in the eradication."

"It was genocide," Carter said. "Genocide that Kalfas' ancestors were so ashamed of that they erased it. They rewrote their history and did everything they could to forget that it had ever happened. What they didn't count on was people like you, Chairman." She looked at Ashwan. "People who weren't content to simply accept the rewritten history and who would later question it."

"If this was true and Horus and this Nirti had an army, then why have we not had dozens, hundreds of unsolved deaths?" Ashwan asked.

"Because I think only a few of those things survived. And they've been trapped inside this ship for a few centuries," O'Neill said. "It's likely that the Followers let it out when they found and adopted this ship." Kalfas glared at Tarek. "And before you blame them, if you had just shared your knowledge instead of hiding from it, people would have known that this threat existed," O'Neill said.

"We forced them to hide," Ashwan said. "Both of us," he said to Kalfas.

"You may think that the Followers want this ship as a weapon, but they don't," Carter said. "They just want somewhere to live."

"If not for their worship of Horus--"

"You all would be like that thing over there," O'Neill interrupted. "If they hadn't spread the word, you wouldn't have known to rebel until after you had an army of these things to fight."

"And you repaid them by genocide," Teal'c said.

"Do not condemn me," Kalfas said, staring at Ashwan. "Your ancestors are just as guilty as mine."

"I think there's enough guilt to go around," Carter said.

"What matters is what you guys are going to do next," O'Neill said. "Are you going to finish what Horus and Nirti started, or are you going to survive and move on?"

"How do you suggest that we move on?" Ashwan asked.

"The Followers want to keep this ship," O'Neill said. "They don't want any weapons," he said quickly to Kalfas' glare.

"We know what the weapons are, Tarek has agreed, we can disarm them and remove them. The only thing we'll keep running is the power to run the environmental systems and the shields to protect it from rock falls. All he asks is that you guys leave him and his people alone."

"And us?" Kalfas asked. "What grand plan do you have for us?"

"We have a saying on Earth, those that do not remember the past are doomed to repeat it," Carter said. "Mister Kalfas, I think you and your people know more about what happened on this planet than anyone else. Maybe if you and Tarek worked together, somewhere between the two sides of the rebellion is the truth. A few hundred years ago, ALL of you worked together to free Tagrea from the goa'uld. Maybe if you all work together now, you can find a way to put this planet back together."

"There's a lot of cool stuff in here," O'Neill said. "We can help you understand it all. Tarek just wants this ship as a refuge for his people, he's more than willing to share the information in the ship's computer."

"There's information in here that can help ALL your people," Jonas said. "Medical information, technological advancements. Things that can help the whole planet."

"And Tarek is willing to share all this?" Reina asked skeptically, his voice slightly hesitant, as if he wondered if it was really his place to speak up.

"Yes," Tarek said. "We have no need to hoard information. We will gladly and freely share. All we want is a place to live in peace."

"What about these monsters?" Ashwan asked. "What if more of these creatures lurk in the belly of this ship?"

"We can use the internal ship sensors where they work. And if we drop the shield, the Prometheus can scan the ship for life signs," Carter said.

"I'll even round up some Marines to help you sweep it," O'Neill said. "I think the one thing we can all agree on, no matter how much a victim these things are, they're too dangerous to allow to survive."

"And your 'fee' for your assistance?" Kalfas asked. "Will you be relieving us of the weapons you find?"

"Only if you let us," O'Neill said. "If not, we'll destroy them, nice and publicly if you want. Tarek has agreed that we get a copy of the database, just like you guys will get."

Kalfas and Ashwan looked at each other. "I cannot answer until I have spoken to my people," Ashwan said.

"Nor can I," Kalfas agreed.

"In the interests of a good faith gesture, I do think that we can withdraw our troops, however," Ashwan said. "Presuming that Mister Kalfas agrees."

"You have my word, we shall not attempt to harm you, or your men," Tarek said. "I will even go with you as a hostage if it would ease tensions."

Still Kalfas hesitated.

"Mister Kalfas, everyone thinks that you're the villain here," Jonas said. "But you're not. Your people did what very few planets have ever done, they overthrew a goa'uld. It's not something to hide, it's something to be proud of."

"And will they remember that pride when we are put on trial for genocide?" he asked.

"I believe, if we look closely enough, no one is blameless," Ashwan said. "I shall stand beside you," he declared. "As Mister Quinn has said, all of our ancestors fought this battle. If there is to be any blame, we shall all share in it."

"Commander," Jonas said as Kalfas hesitated. "On my home planet...I don't even know if I still HAVE a home planet because the last time I was there, the three factions were ready to go to war with each other...over things that happened so long ago we don't even remember what they were. I don't want that to happen here."

"Very well," Kalfas finally said. "I can TENTATIVELY agree to a truce. As much as I personally believe that the past is best left in the past, perhaps the gain will outweigh the risk."

/\/\/\/\/\

General George Hammond studied the group of people around the table, then he glanced down at the report lying on the table. "So you would call the situation on Tagrea to be stable?" he asked.

Jack shrugged. "As stable as it can be. The Followers are perfectly content to set up housekeeping in the ship."

"We have the environmental systems online, water reclamation and waste disposal. We've also got the heating and cooling systems online," she reported.

"And the engines?"

"They'll never have enough power to get the ship off the ground, even if they could. But we rigged the shields to a minimal level to protect the ship. Our estimates are that the ship can support up to three hundred people for about five years before they'll need more fuel. That's presuming that they practice conservation techniques."

Hammond nodded. "And the weapons?"

Jack shook his head. "All we found were some staffs and zats. The ship's main weapons systems were destroyed, probably during the rebellion."

"As per our agreement, we removed the power supplies of the weapons, rendering them relatively harmless," Teal'c said.

"They could beat someone to death with them if they wanted to, but they could do that with any old piece of lumber," Jack said.

"Tarek also wanted to keep them as artifacts," Jonas said.

"And the creatures?"

"They let us bring back the one that Teal'c killed," Sam said. "Doctor Frasier is going to autopsy it."

"We used Prometheus to scan the ship and didn't find any others," Jack said. "We offered a troop of Marines to help them sweep the Hatak, but I don't know if they'll take us up on it."

Hammond nodded. "We'll cross that bridge if they make the request."

"After she scanned the Hatak, the Prometheus made it into orbit safely. We got their hyper drive online and they should be back to Earth in a couple of days," Sam said.

"Ronson offered us a ride but…I heard rumors about a drill or ten," Jack said, rolling his eyes.

"Besides, we needed to retrieve this," Sam said, motioning at a tray of six data crystals.

"Tarek was true to his word," Jonas said.

"That is the whole database?" Hammond asked.

"Every byte," Sam said. "It'll take us months to go over all this."

"And I understand that you promised the Tagreans a copy?"

"Yes, sir," Jack said. "We're their objective third…fourth party."

"Anything pertaining to the rebellion and their history, we're going to hand over to them," Jonas said. "It'll be a way to double check their own translations."

"What about this whole salvage the ship garbage?" Jack asked.

"Has something happened to change your opinion that the ship was unsalvageable?" Hammond asked.

Jack shook his head. "The only way we'd get the Followers out of that ship would be to kill them."

"They were ready to die rather than abandon it when Commander Kalfas' troops surrounded them," Jonas said.

"General, there is no way to get that ship space worthy," Sam said. "Presuming we could have dug it out from under tons of rocks," She shrugged. "It would have been dicey before the rock falls. There are enough hull breeches that the ship will never fly again. The most we could have hoped for would have been to salvage the data banks. Which we did."

"Then that answer will have to suffice for Senator Kinsey," Hammond said. In truth, he certainly was not looking forward to the telephone conversation to come. But he trusted his people and their assessment. "Then I think the topic of salvaging the ship is closed," he said. He looked down at the report one last time then closed the folder. "I think this briefing is at an end," he declared. "Good job, SG-1. I believe your next mission is some time next week, so you are on downtime until then."

He got up, picking up his folder as the other people in the room got to their feet. Retreating into his office, he closed the door and sat down at his desk. Maybe this mission wasn't exactly what everyone wanted, but what everyone wanted didn't matter. His team was home and in one piece and that was what really mattered to him.

/\/\/\/\/\

Jack watched Hammond walk into his office, not relishing the task that the man had before him. At least they'd gotten what they'd set out for, the database of the ship, that should count for something.

"Do you think we can still make it?" he heard Jonas ask. Jack turned his attention back to his team.

"I don't see why not," Sam said "Presuming the weather is still good up top." She got to her feet and the rest followed suit.

"Still going to New Mexico?" Jack asked.

"We do have a long weekend, sir," Sam answered.

"Do you have room for one more?" he asked, giving into the impulse.

"Sir?"

"I haven't been to New Mexico in a long time either," he said, hoping that he was not pushing his welcome.

"I have never been to New Mexico," Teal'c said.

Sam looked at Jonas and shrugged. "More the merrier," she said.

"Sweet," Jack said. "How about 0900 tomorrow morning. I'll pick you up, then we'll come by the mountain and grab Jonas and Teal'c."

"Fine with me, sir. But you're driving." Jack frowned at her. "Unless you really, really like the backseat of my car."

Jack stared, his mind temporarily overwhelmed with all the comments he could make about the backseat of a car, and shouldn't. "Fine," he said, being sure to put the necessary amount of annoyance in his voice to disguise his enthusiasm. "I'll drive. Just no eating in the car. I value my upholstery too much."

"This will be so much fun," Jonas said, leading them out of the room. "The weather should be just perfect for the hike up to the ruins."

Jack glanced over at Sam, raising his eyebrow. "Hike?" he mouthed.

"Yes," she said, smiling broadly. "Didn't I tell you? This park has about thirty miles of hiking trails." She rubbed her hands together. "The good news is, I think he only wants to see about twenty of it."

She walked past him, hurrying to catch up with Jonas and Teal'c. Jack stared after them for a moment, then shook his head, resigning himself to his fate. When compared to going home to an empty house, a hike through the desert didn't seem all that bad.

~Fin~

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