Maut Ka Mandir

01.04.08 | 15 | Jackson/O'Neill, Teal'c | 15 | 44,489 words

Summary: The search for the Sankara stones takes Doctor Jackson, Teal'c and Jack O'Neill to a palace in India.
Warnings: None.
Spoilers: None.

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Shanghai, 1997

Club Nurhachi was an exclusive place; the kind you visited for business, not just for fun. Inside it was dark with low-lit areas that hid people in quiet conversation. The brightest spot was above a man wearing a brown leather jacket, khaki shirt over a black T-shirt and khaki pants. Daniel could hear his slow laconic American tones from the bar. The man stuck out like a sore thumb amidst the sharply tailored and immaculately fashioned.

It didn't take long to spot Chen Jie as he strode over to Daniel's table in his expensive grey suit, finishing a conversation on his cellphone. Everything about him said money, from his stylish raven hair, smooth and flawless tanned skin to his expensive accessories and perfect movie idol teeth. Young, attractive, expensively groomed and dangerous. Daniel had no idea what he was doing trusting him. But then, these little ventures were his only source of income. It wasn't about trust; it was about necessity.

Chen Jie made it to the table, followed by his stockier brothers. He sat down opposite Daniel and smiled as the taller of the brothers took a seat beside him and the other remained hovering behind. "Doctor Jackson," he said, his accent barely noticeable.

"Mr. Jie," Daniel greeted the man calmly.

“I hear you found the Lao Chi Dragon. I'm impressed. My father will be most pleased by the find."

"That's nice. Despite the fact that someone tried to strangle me last night trying to get it," Daniel said, looking across at the brother who was hovering over Jie's shoulder, still feeling the rope burn around his throat. "I could have sworn he looked just like your brother."

Daniel looked at the brother in question and his newly bandaged hand. Jie's brother angrily muttered something, but Jie kept his eyes trained on Daniel, smiling in amusement. "You must be mistaken.”

Daniel eyes Jie steadily. "You're lucky my friend only broke your brother's hand. He could have done much worse.”

"The dragon," Jie said, pulling out a wad of cash from his pocket and placing it on the table.

Daniel stared at the offering and gave Jie an even look. "The deal wasn't for money, Mr. Jie."

As Jie begun to bring up an objection, a hand clapped him on the shoulder and everyone looked at the man in the leather jacket as he sat down between Jie and Daniel. "Not going to introduce me to your friend?"

Jie looked amused and smiled. "Jack O'Neill, an... acquaintance," he said, watching Daniel closely. "And this is Doctor Daniel Jackson... the famously disgraced archaeologist."

Daniel smiled tightly at the barb as Jack O'Neill reached into his pocket for a cigarette lighter and proceeded to light up.

"Doctor Jackson has found the Lao Chi Dragon and he's about to hand it over to me. Aren't you, Doctor Jackson?" Jie asked before he nodded to his as yet silently standing brother.

Daniel watched as Jie's brother opened his coat and removed a silver-plated pistol.

Jack snorted as he smoked. "Archaeologist? Long way from pyramids aren't you, Doc?"

Daniel reached out quickly and tightened one arm around the American's neck, pulling him close, holding a sharp knife less than an inch from his ribs, the other man going deathly still in his grasp. “China doesn't have pyramids?” Daniel asked, his heart hammering hard in his chest.

"Hey, I was only kidding, you can't take a joke?" Jack asked, cigarette still dangling from his mouth. “You know you're wound pretty tight for someone who makes his living out of dead guys.”

"Tell your brother to put the gun away," Daniel said sternly, ignoring the tremor in his hand and hoping to hell he didn't end up accidentally stabbing the guy in his hold. “I'm not sure another murder in your place of business is going to escape the police's attention.”

Jie's brother looked to him and Jie gave a nod, the pistol slipping back into its pocket.

"Now, how about you stop messing me around and honour your agreement? I wouldn't want to deprive your boyfriend here of the chance to smoke himself to death," Daniel said.

“Hey, I am not his boyfriend, buddy,” Jack seemed to continue smoking the cigarette as best as he could in his position, while Jie watched them both resentfully. Finally, after a moment of glaring, he slowly reached into his pocket and put ten gold coins next to the cash on the table. Daniel leaned forward to look at the gold coins.

"I'm getting really tired of this," Daniel said, poking the knife harder into Jack's ribcage. "You're not going to cheat me on this are you? Pretty bad form for a Harvard guy."

“I dunno, seems about right,” Jack said, jerking away when Daniel prodded him slightly. "Hey, watch it! You got skin there, pal!"

Jie reached into another pocket and brought out a red pouch. He opened it and two large slim crystals fell out onto the table, one red and one a sapphire blue. “You will be depriving a great collection of artefacts.”

Daniel looked at the payment. "Disgraced archaeologists learn to live with a lot of things." He threw the knife into the middle of the table and let go of Jack, reaching for his drink.

Jack stood up suddenly, colliding with Daniel's arm and making him miss his drink. "Okay, you totally put a hole in my jacket. This belonged to my grandfather. It's vintage-"

Jie watched Daniel putting the drink down and angrily snapped at Jack. "Sit down."

Jack raised an eyebrow. "There's a hole in my-"

One of Jie's brother's clapped a hand on Jack's shoulder and shoved him down into his seat. Jie picked up his drink and raised it to Daniel. "To the end of our business association, Doctor Jackson."

Jie drank with a smile on his face as Daniel downed his own drink, his mouth feeling dry. He put the glass down and reached for the crystals on the table, noticing that Jie's brothers were grinning as he put a vial with milky fluid on the table.

Daniel narrowed his eyes and looked at Jie. "What's that?"

"Antidote," Jie said with a smile.

"To what?" Daniel asked, his stomach tightening.

"Poison," Jie said slowly.

“Poison?” O'Neill seemed to echo.

Daniel examined his glass, touching the powdery residue at the bottom. He swallowed nervously, a warm flush beginning to radiate from his body.

"They say the dragon can never be acquired without death or destruction. As you can imagine, I'd rather my place of business remained in one piece. Now, how about you give me the dragon... and the crystals, and I'll give you the antidote?" Jie said, victory written in his expensively capped grin.

Daniel felt a slight tremor in his hand, his face feeling hot and sweaty under the gaze of Jie and all his men.

"The poison works fast, Doctor Jackson. Hand over the dragon and maybe you won't have to be carried out of here."

Daniel finally reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box as Jie and his brothers stared.

"The Lao Chi Dragon," Daniel said as Jie opened the box and pulled took out a jade dragon. "The antidote."

Jie smiled. "Scholars should stick to books, Doctor Jackson. Leave business to worldlier men."

Jie's brother gasped then and everyone turned to look at the tall, dark and built man standing behind him, a glint of silver between them in the dark of the club's shadows.

Daniel nervously looked at up at his friend. "Good service you've got here."

"Probably because he doesn't work here," Jack said as he frowned at the man. Jie shot him a look. “No offence,” Jack added.

“A good friend of mine. The antidote," Daniel said, holding his hand out, feeling short of breath as he spoke.

Jie looked irritated that the game had once again changed course. He pushed the vial across the table. A champagne cork popped somewhere. Jie's seated brother had whipped out his gun and was pointing it as plain as day, right at Daniel.

Jie gave Daniel a steely look. "Tell your friend to put the gun away."

Daniel tried to focus on Jie, his own face sweaty and vision blurring, and then he looked across at Jack, also blurry and maybe slightly concerned. His friend stood deathly still, his gun pointed at Jie, eyes on the gun pointed at Daniel.

Jie smirked, his brothers looking victorious. The background cacophony filled Daniel's ears and he could only think of one thing to do. Make a scene. Daniel pushed the table up quicker than he expected he could. Dragon, vial, money and crystals all skidded across the floor, a gun going off close by. Daniel closed his eyes as he heard the shot. When he opened his eyes, he saw Jie's other brother on the ground and a tray in Jack's hand as he stood over the unconscious body, a surprised waiter nearby. The crowd broke into noisy panic behind him.

Suddenly people were running to and fro and a foot kicked his precious antidote vial across the floor somewhere, along with the crystals. There was fighting too now and gunshots from several directions as if people were taking the opportunity to air their own grievances.

Daniel crawled on his hands and knees, looking for the vial, as his body seemed to become weaker. He spotted Jie across the club, gun pointing at him. Daniel got to his feet and pushed himself with all the energy he could muster to fling himself behind a large couch. He heard the gun firing somewhere on the other side.

He lay there thinking of his next move, spotting Jack embroiled in a fist-fight as Daniel's own friend threw Jie's brother into a table. Jack grabbed a man by his collar and swung his fist, sending the thug onto a cart. The cart rolled away, hit a table and the man fell off, sending an ice bucket across the floor and hiding the crystals for which Jie and his brothers were still looking.

Then Jack caught Daniel looking at him. Daniel watched as Jack's brow creased in thought, as if remembering something. He looked around and ran off behind an upturned table. When he reappeared, Jack was looking at the vial in his hands.

Daniel's eyes widened. "Hey! You! Don't move!"

Jack didn't listen. Instead, he moved, almost ignored by the crowd that was involved in a number of fistfights and arguments. Daniel watched Jack disappear and moved to go after him. A bullet catching the edge of the couch stopped him. The bar suddenly went pitch black. Daniel crawled away from the couch in the first few seconds of confusion, trying to make out shapes in the dark. Especially that of Jack O'Neill.

As he struggled for equilibrium, a strong grip took a hold of Daniel's arm and manoeuvred him away from the chaos. Before he knew it, Daniel was being dragged from the bar and being shoved into a car.

Daniel blinked, shaking his head to clear the cobwebs realizing he knew the car and the man driving it. They were being driven away fast, the chaos being left far behind them. Daniel looked across at his rescuer. Jack O'Neill. Daniel lunged at Jack, his hands searching the man for the hidden vial.

"Hey, hold on there, frisky, we just met," Jack said as Daniel opened his Jacket and pulled the vial from an inside pocket.

Jack watched with an amused smile as Daniel drank down the contents and then sighed with relief. Jack then looked at the man driving. A pair of dark eyes looked back from the mirror. "Quick thinking back there," Jack said, his hands going out to grab something as the car took a tight corner, too fast. “Nice driving too.”

Daniel took a deep a breath; the panic subsiding once he knew the antidote was in his body. "Don't worry. I taught him how to drive," Daniel said as he leaned over the passenger seat and looked out of the window. "Let's just get to the hotel as quick as we can, Teal'c."

"Scratch that. Tell your friend to head for the Wang Poo Bridge," Jack said as he pulled out a cell phone.

"I don't really think we have the time to drop you off anywhere right now," Daniel said. “If it's any consolation, you can have the stolen car once we dump it.”

Jack rolled his eyes. "Not that I don't appreciate the offer of stolen goods, but you really think old Chen Jie's not going to have it figured out where you're headed? He probably already has his goons waiting outside your door. Now, if you want in, I actually have a getaway plan. You're not going to be able to hide from him long. Not in Shanghai."

"I believe he is right, Daniel Jackson."

Daniel thought about it, knowing how far Jie's reach went. He nodded. "Okay, do it, Teal'c."

Teal'c hit the accelerator and the car lunged forward, sending Daniel into Jack's lap. Daniel looked at Jack as the other man stared back with raised browns, cell phone connected to ear. Daniel frowned and moved away with annoyance.

"Hey, yeah, Ray, get her going. I'm going to need to take off fast."

Jack clicked the phone shut and put it away. "Through that tunnel," Jack said, patting Teal'c on the shoulder. "There's a small airfield just off the road on the other side."

Daniel frowned. "Airfield? What? You think flying out of here is going to be that easy?"

"Don't worry. They're expecting me," Jack said. “It's a small courier plane. You just lucked out, Doctor Jackson.”

The car turned onto gravel and came to a stop. Jack got out of the car, followed by Daniel and Teal'c. Daniel watched as Jack stopped to stare at Teal'c for a moment, as if really coming to terms with the man's, height and build. Teal'c raised an amused eyebrow.

"Nice tattoo," Jack said flatly.

"He doesn't like to talk about it," Daniel said slowly.

Jack nodded. "Sure. I get that. Come on, this way."

As Jack led them towards a small plane, Daniel noticed a man in a beige jumpsuit coming towards them.

"Everything on board?" Jack asked the man.

"Yes." The man stared at Daniel and Teal'c. "Hey, you didn't say anything about extra passengers."

"Don't sweat it, Ray."

Ray frowned and then shook his head, as if used to Jack's lack of explanations. “Fine,” he said. “Your problem, Jack.”

Jack ran up the steps and into the plane, waving Teal'c through and waiting for Daniel. Daniel followed, looking back once before sighing with relief as he left Shanghai behind him.

***

They'd gotten away from Chen Jie, but the deal had been blown. They didn't receive any payment and lost the dragon in the process, an artefact that had taken him weeks to track down, hidden away in a long forgotten storage box. On top of that, the tailored inky black suit Daniel was wearing made him feel confined and awkward and he would have given anything for a pair of jeans and a loose shirt.

This excursion had cost more money than he managed to make, the suit a last minute buy. If you were going to walk into Club Nurhachi, you had to look as though you had enough money to know it existed. Chen had an eye for nice, expensive things. Daniel figured the suit would help. Then he saw Jack O'Neill in his well-worn leather jacket, black T-shirt, khakis and messy brown hair. Apparently this was one of the few times Daniel was wrong.

Daniel wasn't sure how he felt about Jack. He was too cocky and sure of himself. People like him usually got you into trouble. Daniel didn't need trouble. He and Teal'c were desperately trying to keep a low profile. Teal'c wasn't going around introducing himself using an array of assumed names for nothing

But here they were on a plane with Jack O'Neill. It wasn't exactly first class flying. Daniel was pretty sure this kind of plane had probably seen its day and was now heading towards extinction. There were only a few rows of seats for a start, much of the space taken up by wooden crates aplenty and a distinct farmyard smell. On taking off, Jack had given them the advice of, 'don't forget to fasten your seat belts...or in this case, hold onto something real tight.'

There were two men in the cockpit, presumably the pilot and co-pilot, whose heads Daniel just about saw before Jack came out and shut the door behind him. Daniel watched as Jack shook a brown baseball cap and then put it on. He stood in front of Daniel's seat, hand resting on the headrest of the seat in front.

"Well, home free,” he said.

Daniel nodded and then offered a smile. "Look... thanks. I'm not sure how we can repay you."

Jack raised his brow and reached into his jacket, pulling out the wad of cash Chen Jie had initially offered Daniel. “I think this ought to cover it.”

Daniel stared, nodding slowly. "You know, I got the distinct impression that you were a friend of Chen's."

Jack smiled. "Well, let's just say, Chen's a complex fella and it was time to say goodbye. Oh, and for your information, I am not his boyfriend," Jack said as he raised his arm to inspect the hole in the side of his jacket.

Daniel's brow rose, accompanied by an amused smile. Jack's eyes narrowed. Daniel cleared his throat. "So, what is all this? You're a courier?"

"You could say that. I take stuff to where it belongs," Jack said nonchalantly.

"What's in the boxes?"

Jack shrugged. "Oh, nothing special. Crap mostly."

Daniel nodded. "Right. Okay. So, where are we headed?"

"Well, we're going to stop off in Bangkok. Refuel and stuff. You're welcome to tag along further if you want."

"No. Bangkok'll be fine. I have acquaintances there."

Jack gave a nod. "I might be sticking around for a few days in Bangkok. You two want to celebrate surviving by getting a drink?"

Daniel gave a smile that probably didn't look entirely truthful. "Maybe some other time."

Jack smiled. "Okay. Some other time then. Well, I'm going to get some shut eye."

Daniel watched as Jack went to the rear of the plane. He sat down in his seat with a sigh, pulling off his cap and placing it over his face, folding his arms and melting back into the seat

Daniel chewed on his lip for a moment and watched the other man. A drink kind of sounded nice. Daniel blew out a breath relaxed into his own seat, loosening his tie and popping open the top two buttons. He looked across the aisle at Teal'c as he sat there with his hands on the arm rests, ready to meditate, looking very calm and comfortable in his smart black pants and fitting dark grey shirt. Not like a man on the run at all.

Daniel took off his glasses and put them on the next seat, squeezing his eyes shut to work out some of the tiredness.

"You are troubled, Daniel Jackson."

Daniel looked at Teal'c who was watching him. "Can't believe we lost the crystals, Teal'c. They could have been useful. The money could have been really helpful too. Would've got us further than Bangkok. We certainly can't risk staying with," Daniel said, nodding towards Jack's sleeping form. "God knows what he's got in these boxes."

"Indeed," Teal'c said, casting Jack an unimpressed look.

Daniel shook his head at the whole situation. There was no more to be done until the plane landed. He sat back in his seat, blinking up at the structurally unsound looking ceiling until he fell asleep.

He awoke sometime later when his ears caught whispering. Daniel frowned and looked ahead at the cockpit. He saw two slightly blurred men standing very close to the plane wall. Daniel reached for his glasses, put them on and looked again. Only as he did this, a gust of wind blew in his face as he watched the two men jump out of the plane.

Out of the plane, Daniel thought.

Daniel stood up and stumbled along the plane that seemed to be on a descent and yanked open the door to the cockpit. No one flying the plane, of course, Daniel thought before spinning around and walking straight out. He looked at Teal'c who seemed to be deep in meditation and unaware. Further up the plane, Jack was asleep with one arm hanging off into the aisle.

Daniel ran back into the main section of the plane. "Teal'c, we're in trouble," he yelled as he ran past the meditating man.

Teal'c jolted aware and was up on his feet within seconds as Daniel removed Jack's cap from his face and shook his shoulders to wake him up. "Mr. O'Neill! Mr. O'Neill!" Daniel said urgently.

Jack opened his eyes groggily and frowned at Daniel. "We there already?"

Daniel gave Jack a level stare and as calmly as he could manage he said, "There's no one flying the plane."

Jack stared at Daniel. "You're really not a guy that comes with good news, are you?"

He jumped to his feet, grabbing a leather satchel and pulling it on as he ran to the cockpit and stared disbelievingly, looking from one empty seat to the next. "So much for discount airlines," Jack said, before sitting in the pilot's seat.

"You know how to fly?" Daniel asked, surprised and looking hopefully over Jack's shoulder.

“No sweat, just as long as everything's working,” Jack said, checking all the readings and counting them off to himself. "Okay, altimeter: check. Air speed: okay. Fuel-" Jack stopped. He banged something on the controls. "Fuel-"

"What about the fuel?" Daniel asked.

Jack looked back at Daniel slowly. "Okay. We may have a little problem here."

Daniel nodded slowly. "I know this may not be an appropriate time to nitpick, but shouldn't fuel be the kind of thing you make sure you have before you take off?"

"You're right," Jack said getting up and pointing at Daniel. "This is an incredibly inappropriate time to nitpick."

Jack grabbed his baseball cap from Daniel's hands, pushing past to leave the cockpit. Daniel watched as he began to throw things aside in search of something. Then he turned and looked at Daniel. "Okay. You might not want to hear this."

Daniel closed his eyes. "What?"

"We're a few parachutes short."

"How many?" Daniel asked.

"About three."

Daniel opened his eyes and stared for a moment before he began to search the cabin for anything that might come in handy. Jack joined in the search for something that could save their lives. Daniel opened a bag, saw nothing of use and tossed it aside.

"You might want to be careful about what you throw around," Jack said, catching the bag. "These crates are kind of loaded with weapons and explosives."

Daniel's head snapped around to look at Jack. "What?"

"Explosives. Boom. Fourth of July. Only more painful."

Daniel shook his head. "I knew we shouldn't have followed you."

"Hey, I saved your ass," Jack found the time to point out.

"From where I'm standing this looks as though my ass is still very much in danger,” Daniel said, trying to remain as calm as any man could in a plane headed towards a mountainside.

“You don't know that,” Jack said, stumbling as a crate slid past behind him.

“We're in a plane loaded with explosives about to crash!” Daniel said, throwing up his hands and losing his balance as something slid away behind him, only to be caught by Teal'c who said, "I have a plan."

Daniel frowned up at Teal'c who propped him back on his feet before picking up a large wad of yellow canvas with the words EMERGENCY LIFE CRAFT imprinted across it in large black letters.

Jack was nodding. "Okay, we're crashing, not sinking."

Teal'c ignored the remark. "Daniel Jackson."

Daniel followed Teal'c to the open hatch. If Teal'c thought this could work, then there was a good chance it would.

"Hold on tight, Daniel Jackson," Teal'c said.

Daniel put his arms around Teal'c, finding the ropes that would be on the sides of the raft when it would inflate.

Jack was staring at them both with a look that said he was dumbfounded.

"Come on!” Daniel shouted over the din of the falling plane.

Jack stopped staring and ran to them, slipping both arms past Daniel and grabbing the ropes of the raft Teal'c was holding in front of himself. Daniel just hoped the raft would stay attached to the ropes that were going to have three grown men hanging onto them.

"Ready when you are, big guy!" Jack shouted past Daniel's ear.

The plane descended towards the ground. Daniel felt Teal'c's body tense as he prepared to jump. Daniel's grip tightened, he took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Teal'c jumped.

As Teal'c fell from the plane, Daniel made the decision to only open his eyes when he could feel the ground under his feet again. Daniel heard the pop of the raft opening and felt their descent slow down slightly. Somewhere behind them, the plane landed and exploded.

Again. And again. And again. It was good to know they had been riding a bomb to Bangkok.

The raft continued to fall until it suddenly hit a snow bank, jarring its occupants. For a moment, the raft seemed to easily slide down a mountainside and they waited for it to come to a natural stop at the next wall of bushes. The raft approached the bushes. Slid through them.

And then plunged over a cliff.

"Hold on!" Teal'c commanded the yelling at occupants of the raft.

Jack and Daniel held onto the sides of the raft as it landed in the river. Teal'c steered the raft around rocks and waves as they sped down, riding the torrents.

"Always wanted to go white water rafting!" Jack shouted over the roar of the water. Daniel's head snapped around to stare at him incredulously.

The raft continued on its dangerous path for a few more heart stopping moments, before suddenly being spat out into calmer waters. Daniel lay on the bottom of the raft, in a pool of freezing cold water, getting his breath back, too distracted by near death to notice that Jack was lying on top of him. He looked up and frowned at Jack.

Jack's head came up. He shook his dripping hair and blew out a breath. "Wow. Was that good for you?"

Daniel narrowed his eyes as he watched Teal'c grab Jack by the collar of his shirt, flinging him into the back of the raft, where he landed on his ass, but looked satisfied nevertheless.

Daniel sat up slowly and looked at Teal'c, drenched but not looking as though he had just saved three lives by jumping out of a plane with the aid of an inflatable raft. Daniel nodded thanks to Teal'c. Teal'c gave a small nod in return. The raft drifted along slowly, nearing a grassy bank.

"Well, I don't think we made it to Bangkok," Jack said, as he rung out his cap and replaced it on his head.

"No," Daniel said. "I think we missed Bangkok by miles. A lot of them actually."

From the sudden silence, Daniel figured Jack noticed the old man, bald and dark skinned, wearing a white wrap around his waist and a light white shawl over his shoulders, standing on the river bank, dark eyes watching them intensely under the forehead markings of the Hindu religion.

“I think we're in India,” Daniel said quietly.

As they moved into shallower waters, the three men jumped out and pulled the raft onto the bank. Daniel went on ahead to the old man. The old man brought his hands together in greeting. Daniel returned the gesture. The man began to speak and Daniel listened carefully, aware that his companions were watching and listening too.

I have never seen men fall from the sky the old man said with a chuckle.

Daniel turned back to look at Jack who was tilting his head and thumping his ear in an attempt to clear his other ear of water, Teal'c looking on with a vaguely amused expression. Daniel turned to the man, asked for a phone, train, anything that could get them on the move. Surely someone would notice a plane of explosives blowing up. Daniel didn't want to be around when the trail would lead to him and Teal'c and their new 'friend'.

The old man nodded and said, 'yes, yes, yes' many times in his language without actually answering any of Daniel's questions.

They followed the old man from the bank until grass turned to dry, cracked earth and their cold, wet clothes dried under a hot noon sun. The old man chose to say no more than he had in his greeting, but Daniel followed. Right now, he was the only guide they had. Behind him, he could hear Jack killing Teal'c with uninvited trivia.

Daniel smiled to himself as he walked on.

They finally reached what must have been the nearest village; a quiet and empty place with women who stood in the doorways of their small wooden homes as they watched the strangers pass through or the elderly who stopped mid-walking to cast a wary eye. Daniel could smell milk burning in someone's home, but it was as if no one cared. It looked a sad and lifeless place. There didn't seem to be many people and those that were here looked as though they'd rather be somewhere completely different.

The old man walked on ahead. They passed a temple of white marble, a silent goddess sitting inside, brass bells waving slowly from the ceiling, sometimes mustering a weak ring.

The village was small and it took no more than ten minutes to walk to the other end and up a dusty, steep path.

Nobody expected to see the huge house at the top of the hill. It was a large white stone structure, three storeys high, horses roaming the fenced ground next to the house. The front yard was large with an untended lawn of dry grass and an empty swinging seat that creaked as it swung back and forth.

The old man beckoned them into the yard and towards the house. As they approached, a woman dressed in a white sari stepped out and stood on the steps, lifting up the rifle in her hands and pointing it at the strangers before her.

***

Jack followed Daniel, Teal'c and their old guide with a sigh. He'd been in worse situations and places than this. He'd definitely gained the trust of harder people. This would take time, but he'd do it.

Once the woman in white put her gun down.

She wasn't terrifying in any aspect, but her unwavering grip on the rifle said she had pointed it at more than one person in her life, which made her dangerous. She was young, of medium height, slim and her hair was covered with the sari she wore. Her large, dark eyes and full lips were devoid of make up.

Jack watched as Daniel looked across at the old man as he broke into a slow and measured explanation. The woman's mouth tweaked in an amused smile. "He says you fell from the sky," she said in a firm voice.

Daniel nodded. "Well, our plane crashed. We have no intention of imposing. If you could tell us where to get the--"

"Rampal will take you to the station," the woman said, never lowering the gun. "There is a train to Delhi first thing in the morning."

"Thank you," Daniel said.

"Look, we've been walking a--" Jack started.

"You can stay for the night. Rampal will show you to the guest house," the woman said bluntly as she finally lowered the gun. "Make no trouble. My staff is very proficient with weapons."

Jack smiled. "You don't say."

The woman gave Jack a stern look as he continued to smile. She swiftly turned around and walked back into the house.

Daniel turned to Jack, annoyed. "Please don't antagonize people we don't know."

"Hey, I'm not the one that was pointing a gun at your head.”

"No. You're the one flying planes filled with explosives," Daniel said.

"And if you hadn't been offered a ride on that plane, Chen Jie would be burying you in his backyard along with all his other business acquaintances."

"Something tells me you were running from Chen Jie as much as we were," Daniel said, his voice low.

"Yeah, well, no one begged you to tag along, Doctor," Jack said replied.

"That won't be a problem anymore. Tomorrow morning, you can go your way and we'll go ours," Daniel said.

"Suits me fine," Jack said with a smile.

Daniel walked away, joining Teal'c as Rampal gestured for them to follow. Jack stood back and watched them before tipping his satchel at an angle and letting some of the local river drip out.

***

Rampal led them around the back of the house where there was a small cottage. Inside, it was cool, decorated with light fabrics and dark woods. Jack instantly went upstairs when Rampal left. Since he'd put up with Doctor Attitude long enough, he would call shotgun on whatever was up there.

Upstairs, there was one locked door and three open doors that displayed the neat bedrooms. Jack took the room that faced the house. He took out his cellphone first, flipping it open to find it completely dead and incredibly wet. He put it away with a sigh, threw his satchel and baseball cap on the bed and looked through the window at the quiet ranch. It seemed a sad place.

Territory marked, Jack returned downstairs where Teal'c and Daniel were seated at the dining table involved in a hushed conversation. They stopped as he appeared, but Jack ignored the blatant secrecy and walked out of the cottage.

It was a nice place, or it would be if Jack didn't keep getting the feeling that there was a lot of stuff wrong. A village with no men or children. A house with a widow that kept a loaded gun. Jack was intrigued by the questions, but he knew he had no time to be hanging around and finding answers. There were other priorities.

Jack went back to the front of the house and stood leaning against the fence that kept the horses in their enclosure. He watched them for a while as he hoped to catch a breeze. A twig cracked under someone's weight. Jack turned around and stared at the woman who had appeared with impressive stealth.

"I didn't mean to startle you," she said apologetically.

Jack nodded. "It's okay. You didn't. Nice horses. Must be hard to look after them all by yourself."

The woman walked towards the fence and looked at the enclosure. "My staff care for them. They were my husband's."

"Where's your husband? If you don't mind my asking."

"A few months ago the village was raided. The attackers killed some of the men, took the children. The men who gave chase disappeared leaving behind the women and the elderly. A village elder came here, asking for help. He knew my father-in-law was a military man and kept weapons. My husband and my father-in-law went to help and the next day they were lying on funeral pyres. I was visiting my parents at the time. I came home in time to scatter their ashes and find out that my children were gone."

Jack nodded slowly. The woman didn't even blink. She just stared ahead, eyes dark and heavy with bad memories.

"You must have noticed the village," she said. "It is like a graveyard.”

"Why would someone take the children?" Jack asked.

"I wish I knew," the woman said quietly.

"What about the police?"

She had a bitter smiled on her face. "The police haven't been here for a long time. Perhaps they fear the stories too."

Jack turned his back on the fence. "What stories?"

"That the old palace is alive with evil. A year ago, a Professor Vijay Kumar bought the ruins of an old Mughal palace. My husband met him briefly. He said he wanted to restore the building to its former glory, the way it would have been in the days of the Mughals. The villagers are sure that he has awoken something evil there. That he stole the sacred stone from the village priest. That perhaps he even knows the fates of our children."

"What do you believe?"

She finally looked at Jack. "The spoiled son of a rich businessman. What would he want with our children?"

"Why would he take this sacred stone?"

She sank into thought. "Some believe the Paras stone is something more than just an old relic passed down into the family of the local priest. That it is connected to the old palace and the only thing that survived the fires of a village that was far from here once, the other side of the old palace." The woman stopped and gave an apologetic smile. "I don't mean to burden you," she said.

"Don't you?" Jack asked, gently. "Don't get me wrong, but why tell a total stranger all this?"

The woman smiled. "Rampal is convinced that someone is coming to help us find the truth. I tell him not to believe in astrological nonsense, but he thinks I am young and naive, that a city education has made me cynical and faithless."

"That doesn't answer my question," Jack said.

She sighed. "Sometimes, one cannot help but hope. Is that so wrong?"

Jack shook his head. "No. Not at all. I just don't think I'm the guy to help you. But, I'll make sure someone comes down here and takes a look at this Pankot place once I get to Delhi."

The woman's smile didn't waver. She seemed to expect the answer. "I am sure you will. I am forgetting my manners. I will have Rampal bring you food, you must be hungry."

Jack sighed belatedly as she turned to leave. "I don't even know what your name is," Jack called out.

"When you leave tomorrow, it will be of no consequence," she turned and replied with a small smile, before walking away.

Even with the afternoon heading towards evening, the heat seemed relentless. Jack suddenly felt tired and worn out; miserable because there was so much to be miserable about. He made his way back to the cottage where Daniel and Teal'c were still seated at the dining table, only now they were eating from an assortment of dishes set in front of them.

Jack walked in and nodded to the pair. "Hey."

"Hey," Daniel said. "You hungry? There's food."

Jack realized he had been pretty hungry, but his mood had changed that. Food was the last thing on his mind. "Maybe later," he said heading towards the stairs.

"You okay?" Daniel asked.

"Beat," Jack said, as he climbed the stairs. “Think I'll hit the sack.”

Jack entered his room and fell back on the bed, staring at the ceiling fan as he thought about a whole village without children.

***

India. So far, Teal'c had only read about India; its myths, legends and people were all stories. Now he was in this strange part of the world. But it didn't matter how beautiful new places were or captivating their people; he and Daniel moved too fast to appreciate it.

In the end, it always seemed as though all they had of the places they went to were stories. Mostly stories of how much Daniel had loved these places the first time he had seen them. Some days, Teal'c just wanted to stop running and hiding. This wasn't a life he would have chosen, but now it seemed he had no alternative.

Teal'c splashed water on his face and looked into the mirror, the tattoo being the first that caught his eyes as ever. He stared at it a while before splashing his face again.

Teal'c dried his hands and face and made his way back towards the stairs, stopping when he heard the quiet sound of O'Neill's breathing. Teal'c went to the bedroom and stood in its doorway.

O'Neill was sleeping, one arm thrown over his eyes, shielding them from the light that was coming through the window. Teal'c stood in quiet observation. He got the uneasy feeling that this man was not all he appeared to be.

The leather satchel on the bed caught Teal'c's eye. Moving slowly, Teal'c stood at the foot of the bed and picked up the satchel gently. He opened it slowly and looked inside. Sunglasses, a wallet, a set of lock picks, cellphone and most importantly, a handgun with bullet clips. Teal'c put the bag down, but held onto the wallet. Quietly, he opened it and looked. Money. A lot of money in more than one currency. No identification, but a small photograph of a young grinning boy. Nothing else.

Teal'c quietly replaced the satchel from where he had picked it up and left the room. Downstairs, Daniel was walking around the room and looking at every little thing of interest he could find. He spotted Teal'c and discreetly looked around before approaching him.

"Find anything?" Daniel whispered.

"He has a weapon and is carrying money from other countries," Teal'c said quietly. "And a picture of a young boy."

Daniel nodded thoughtfully. "No passport?"

"I was unable to find one."

Teal'c watched as Daniel frowned, the possibilities ticking in his head.

"Well, considering he was flying a plane full of weapons, it's not such a surprise that he has a gun. I guess it doesn't matter when we go our separate ways tomorrow," Daniel said.

"Indeed," Teal'c said. "This situation is most... strange."

Daniel frowned at Teal'c and Teal'c regretted the slip-up. It was true that he had been feeling oddly displaced since setting foot into the village, but the longer they stayed, the stranger he felt. His stomach felt as though it was a pit of crawling snakes. It was if his body was sensing evil that his eyes couldn't see.

"You okay?" Daniel asked.

"This place. There is something most unsettling here," Teal'c said, frowning as he tried to place it.

"It is because of the stone," Rampal's voice alerted Teal'c and Daniel to his arrival. “It is why they took the children away.”

He walked into the living room, smiling at both men. Teal'c felt the unease rise within him again.

"Stone?" Daniel asked, looking mildly surprised by Rampal's grasp of English.

"They kill the men and they take the children. It is because of the stone."

"Someone took the children because of a stone?" Daniel asked politely. “I'm not sure that--”

"You must bring it back," Rampal said, pointing at Daniel.

"Um, well--"

"You will go to Pankot and bring back the Paras stone," Rampal said, ignoring Daniel's objections. “It must be kept away from the old palace.”

"Pankot?" Daniel asked, his demeanour changing, eyes lighting up. “We're... we're near Pankot Palace?”

"We would help if it were within our hands--" Teal'c began in an understanding tone.

Then the old man looked at Teal'c and his wrinkled old hand stretched up until a finger touched the gold tattoo. "You feel it. There is evil in Pankot. You must go."

Daniel was staring at Teal'c's stunned face. Rampal looked neither afraid nor wary of Teal'c. He simply smiled. "The three stones must never be brought together," Rampal said to Teal'c. “They will release evil into this world.”

Rampal stepped away and moved to the table, gathering dishes and clearing up. Before leaving, he looked at Teal'c and Daniel and asked them with a smile, "Tea?"

Both Teal'c and Daniel nodded mutely.

***

Jack wasn't sure when he dozed off, but when he awoke it was dark outside and thankfully much cooler. He sat up in bed and tried not to groan. The raft ride from earlier had taken its toll and now his bones were aching.

Jack patted down his jacket until he located the crumpled pack of cigarettes. He pulled it out of his pocket and looked inside. There were two left, not completely ruined by the river excursion.

Jack decided to go for a little stroll, smoke and think. He stopped by the adjacent bedroom for a moment, watching Teal'c sitting with his back to the door, still and deep in meditation. Jack smiled with slight amusement and went downstairs.

Daniel wasn't around and Jack figured the eminent archaeologist must have found out about local lore and missing stones by now. He was probably digging up a crypt somewhere close by.

Jack placed a cigarette in his mouth and sought out his lighter, which thankfully still worked. Lighting up, he walked on to the front of the house. As he walked into the front yard, he spotted Daniel standing next to the enclosure and stroking a curious horse.

Taking a soothing drag of the cigarette, Jack went to join the other man. "Hey," Jack said, as he gave the horse a pat.

"Hey," Daniel said, squinting as cigarette smoke wafted towards him.

"You ride?" Jack asked, gesturing towards the horse with his head.

"A few times," Daniel said. "Never really got the hang of it."

Jack nodded. "Listen, about earlier--"

"Yeah," Daniel said, looking embarrassed. "I'm sorry about that. I'm not used to company, besides Teal'c. I didn't mean to be so rude."

"Right," Jack said. "Yeah, well, me neither. I just get cranky when my plane blows up."

Daniel smiled. "That happen a lot?"

Jack shrugged. "All the time. It's why I just can't have nice things."

Daniel nodded with a smile and Jack wondered if he was breaking through the other man’s defences. "How did you get involved with Chen anyway?"

"I was just taking something that didn't belong to him."

"The weapons?" Daniel asked.

"Yep. But I got a feeling my cover was about to be blown, so I arranged a quick getaway. Obviously, I got sold out. He must have paid the pilots to bail. Guy really knows how to hold a grudge."

Daniel smiled. "I heard he's especially violent towards friends that betray him."

Jack smiled, almost choking on the cigarette. "Friends... yeah. What about you?" Jack asked. "You don't look like the kind of guy that sells artefacts to resolve cash flow problems."

Daniel frowned.

Jack shrugged. "Friends talk."

"Those crystals were... well, worth a lot," Daniel said, with a sigh.

"Yeah, well, being alive is better than being rich," Jack said.

Daniel nodded, his face showing that his mind had drifted to serious matters. "Yeah," he said absently.

"Still think I'm working for Chen?" Jack asked.

Daniel looked up at Jack, not looking surprised by the question. "No. I don't. If you were, Teal'c and I would be dead by now."

"But, you don't trust me," Jack said, brows raised.

"I don't know you very well, Mr. O'Neill."

"Mr. O'Neill was my father. Call me Jack," Jack said throwing the cigarette on the ground and stubbing it out with his foot.

"Well, in that case, I don't know you very well, Jack."

"Not even after Teal'c's little expedition through my stuff?" Jack asked with an amused smile.

This time Daniel did looked surprised. "You knew. Why didn't you say anything?"

"I'm saying something now."

"See, a normal person wouldn't be so calm about it. A normal person would want to know why someone was rooting through their stuff."

"Well, Doctor Jackson, clearly I'm not normal," Jack said.

Daniel stared at Jack, his mouth trying hard not to smile. Jack pushed away from the fence he had been leaning on and they companionably made their way back to the cottage as Jack admired the moonlit view. It was a quiet, serene night and the air was fresh. He briefly glanced at Daniel, who seemed preoccupied. Jack wondered if Daniel knew about the missing stone. He wondered if Daniel was intent on skipping town or going after more treasures.

Jack thought about broaching the subject as they neared the cottage, but something in the distance caught his eye. There was something in front of the thick forest at the back of the land behind the cottage. A small dark smudge, that slowly seemed to be nearing them.

Jack stopped and stared. Daniel walked on for a moment before realizing that Jack had stopped. He looked back with curiosity.

"What?"

The smudge had become larger and took shape and clarity. Jack walked on quick when he realized a young boy was tiredly running towards the cottage. Jack heard Daniel, like he was calling from far away. Jack didn't realize he was running until he heard Daniel running after him.

He and Daniel weren't the only ones to notice the child because in the distance behind them, Jack could hear other occupants of the house calling out to each other.

As much as he tried, the child ran out of energy and stopped. He swayed just as Jack reached him. The boy fell straight into Jack's arms, his eyes closing as he muttered in some sort of delirium, his clothes looking old and worn even in the dark. Daniel crouched down by Jack's side and stared at the child.

"We have to get him inside," Jack said as others suddenly surrounded them.

"Wait," Daniel said as he took the boy's small hand in his and opened the tight fist that was clutching a piece of cloth.

Daniel smoothed out the cloth in his hand, which looked like an old fragment of a larger painting. Daniel looked at the image and his face seemed to drain even in the dark, the moonlight making him look white as a ghost.

"What is it?" Jack asked.

Daniel didn't say anything, so Jack took the cloth from him and looked. On it was part of a face. To be exact, a pair of black-lined eyes, almost completely white as if glowing, above them, faded red writing in a unrecognisable language.

"Pankot," the boy muttered weakly. "Pankot"

***

The boy was rushed back to the house and the doctor called. Inside, Daniel and Teal'c waited downstairs as people rushed up and down the stairs. The house was quiet and airy, the furniture and floor made of dark woods in colonial styles. The walls were white with paintings depicting scenes clearly from religious texts. Daniel moved around the huge room slowly, picking up the occasional ornament. He was looking at a family photograph of their host, presumably with her husband and children when something caught the corner of his eye.

Through an archway, there was a space devoted to an altar with a large statue of an eight armed Indian goddess seated on a lion. At her pale feet were offerings of flowers and incense. In the middle of the arch hung a brass bell.

Teal'c came to Daniel's side and looked at the small shrine.

"Durga,” Daniel said. “Legend has it that when the demon Mahish threatened the existence of the universe, Shiva advised the gods to release all their powers, which fused together in a blinding light and from the light emerged a goddess with many arms; beautiful and deadly. Armed with all the weapons of the gods, Durga rode to the top of a mountain on a lion and in a bloody battle, she defeated Mahish and his army of demons and saved the universe."

"You know the story." Daniel and Teal'c turned around to look at their host, smiling, the end of her sari no longer covering the long black hair.

Daniel nodded. "I'm familiar with the myth."

The woman looked at the shrine fondly. "It was my father's favourite tale. It is why he named me after her and gave me this shrine as a wedding gift."

"It's beautiful," Daniel said.

"I always found it a little over the top," Durga said with a small smile. "My husband insisted she was always watching him. Seeing if he was up to no good."

Daniel smiled. "Was he?"

"Always." Durga's eyes seemed to sparkle as she remembered.

Rampal arrived just then with a small silver tray and a glass of milk. Durga took the tray from him and looked at Teal'c and Daniel. "You should rest. We won't know more about the child's condition until the doctor arrives."

Daniel and Teal'c took that as their cue to leave the house. As they walked towards the cottage, a jeep drove onto the property. Two men stepped out, a younger man helping out an older one, taking a bag from him and leading him inside.

Jack showed up at the cottage soon after to find Teal'c and Daniel seated on the steps outside. He quirked an eyebrow at the waiting men and went to lean against the wall, hands in pockets.

"How is he?" Daniel asked.

"Doctor says he's a dehydrated, exhausted. Hungry, but not starving. Looks like he was one of the lucky ones."

"What do you mean?"

"Kid says there more like him at the old palace. Says there's something up there. Something evil apparently," Jack said, making a face.

"What manner of evil?" Teal'c asked quietly.

Jack shrugged. "Something to do with magic rocks. It all sounds a little nuts if you ask me."

"I dunno," Daniel said, his heart inadvertently quickening. “These stones, rocks, they seem pretty important to someone.”

“Magic rocks? Really?” Jack asked with a smile. He shook his head and pushed away from the wall, walking into the cottage. "Whatever you say, Doc."

Daniel took out the cloth the child had brought with him and looked at it once more.

"What are you thinking, Daniel Jackson?"

Daniel stared at the bright eyes on the cloth. "Magic rocks, Teal'c. Magic rocks."

***

Daniel awoke as soon as the sky turned from dark to light, seeing a fresh pair of clothes hung over a nearby wooden chair, his own clothes gone. After a hot bath and shave, Daniel gladly put on the white cotton shirt and pair of beige coloured casual linen pants. Feeling slightly more human, Daniel went downstairs, after pausing by Jack's empty room for a moment, to find Teal'c flicking through a large book from the collection of many in the cottage.

Teal'c was wearing a pair of white pants and an Indian style white cotton shirt that just reached his thighs with small slits at the sides and an open, delicately embroidered V-neck. The sleeves were rolled up, presumably because they didn't fit Teal'c's frame completely.

Daniel smiled as Teal'c closed the book and nodded in greeting. "I like it, Teal'c. It suits you."

Teal'c smiled and nodded. "Thank you, Daniel Jackson."

"So, looks like our friend is gone," Daniel said, nodding towards the stairs.

"I am as surprised as you," Teal'c said. "Perhaps it is for the best. What is your intention now?"

Daniel sighed. He couldn't pretend that he had been thinking of magic stones all night, the eyes on the rag he'd taken from the child, blinking in the dark. "I don't know, Teal'c. I really don't know."

Teal'c nodded. "Perhaps we should go to old palace."

Daniel stared. "You don't have to chase after myths and legends because of me, Teal'c. I know we don't have the luxury of hanging around any place that looks interesting."

"No. But perhaps that is where the missing children are being held," Teal'c said gravely.

Daniel smiled sheepishly. "Right. Children. That's probably a better reason for checking it out, isn't it?"

"Indeed," Teal'c said flatly.

"You know we could attract attention and get into trouble, right?"

"I am."

"Right," Daniel said with a nod. "As long as we're both clear on that."

A moment later, Rampal arrived with two others servants and breakfast. Both Daniel and Teal'c noticed the absence of a third plate and the fact that Jack wasn't even asked after. As they finished their tea, Rampal announced that Durga wanted to see them before they left.

It was as they made their way towards the house that they noticed Jack O'Neill had far from disappeared. He was standing by the horse enclosure, hand resting on the fence as he talked to Durga. He was also freshly clothed in khaki pants and white shirt, his baseball cap half-stuffed into his back pocket.

"Good morning," Daniel said as he and Teal'c approached.

Jacked turned around, giving a sharp little nod. "Well, good morning, Teal'c. Doctor Jackson."

Daniel suppressed a smile that seemed to want to appear at the amused expression on Jack's face. Ignoring the other man he turned to Durga. "Thank you for the clothes, you really didn't have to. Having a place for the night and food was more than enough," he said, earnestly.

Durga smiled. "It is nothing. Besides, it was Rampal's insistence that you be treated well. He insists that only those who are meant to step past the boundaries of the old palace can do so, and for some reason you are those few.”

Daniel frowned, opening his mouth to say something. But Durga continued.

“Now, I must make provisions for your departure. Kishan will take you to the palace on horseback. I'm afraid the jeep would not last long on that terrain and will not be able to go through the jungle. Until then, please, consider my home yours," Durga said, before turning to leave.

Daniel watched her leave, feeling a little speechless. He and Teal'c turned together to face Jack.

Jack smiled. "I like her. Nice lady."

"Yes. Nice lady who thinks we're going to Pankot Palace," Daniel said. "Any idea why?"

"That? Oh, I told her we'd check the place out. I figured you'd be interested in those magic rocks."

"Oh. You did."

"Sure. I am right, aren't I?"

Daniel studied the cocky man for a moment before him before answering. "What's in it for you?"

Jack stepped towards Daniel, carefully shooting Teal'c a cautionary glance as he stuffed his hands in pockets. "Foliage," he said flatly.

Daniel frowned, genuinely surprised. "What?"

"Foliage. Y'know, trees and stuff. I'm into all that and when old Rampal there said there was a jungle nearby, well, I was just so excited and thought, I have to check it out."

Daniel stared blankly. "Trees."

"Sure. You don't like trees?" Jack asked, not quite managing sincere.

Daniel blinked, feeling his brain shot circuit as Jack smiled.

"Well, I think I'll get my stuff together. Looking forward to the trip boys," he said walking away. "Hey, looking sharp, T."

Teal'c and Daniel watched Jack sauntering off as he pulled his baseball cap from his pocket and put it on, hands going back into his pockets afterwards.

"That guy's got trouble written all over him," Daniel said flatly.

Teal'c nodded. "Indeed."

***

The horses were saddled and Durga had kindly offered up backpacks that included their clothes, blankets and food for the night. Now they were simply waiting for their guide, who was apparently headed to the house and only minutes away.

Daniel was leaning against the frame of the swing in the front yard of the house, waiting to depart as he thought of magic stones and stolen children. He felt a sudden pang of loss for home, though he hadn't really had a home for a long time. But still, a couch to be a slob on would have been nice. Pizza delivery. The History Channel. It was all missed on occasion.

Daniel prodded a patch of drying grass with the tip of his boot and looked across to see Teal'c mounting up like he travelled by horse all the time.

Looking back, he saw Jack on the porch of the house, in conversation with Durga. Hands in pockets, he was listening intently, nodding. Then he said something with a small jerk of his head. Durga smiled. Daniel frowned in thought, trying to figure out exactly what Jack O'Neill was, just as the other man looked up and saw Daniel. He nodded and Daniel nodded back in acknowledgement.

The sound of an engine and screeching tires made Daniel turn around. He saw a seaweed coloured jeep, with black metal frame devoid of its roof, coming to a sudden stop just outside the house. Looking back, he saw Durga and Jack making their way towards him. At the same time, a man got out of the jeep and headed into the grounds.

"That's Kishan," Durga said, coming to Daniel's side. "He will guide you to Pankot."

Daniel nodded, watching Kishan walk towards them as Teal'c joined Daniel at his side. Kishan was about six feet tall, with black hair that was short but still managed to look unruly. Both ears had two small, but thick silver hoops in them. His skin was a shade darker than Durga's and he had dark eyes and a day's growth of stubble. Stalking towards them, he was dressed in khaki shirt with rolled up sleeves, khaki pants and brown leather boots, rifle in hand and a thin black thread tied around his wrist, matching one around his neck with a silver charm hanging from it.

He gave the three men an appraising glance as he neared. Then he looked at Durga and his eyes seemed to soften.

"Kishan, this is Mr. O'Neill, Doctor Jackson and Mr. Teal'c. They are the men I told you about on the phone," Durga said.

Kishan nodded. "You want to go to the palace," he said, his voice deep and his accented English pristine.

"Yeah. Durga says you're the best man to take us there," Jack said, his tone very businesslike, surprising Daniel.

Kishan shook his head and a smile appeared on his face. "Not the best. There is nobody else that would want to go within a mile of Pankot. They are all afraid of curses and evil."

"And you are not?" Teal'c asked.

Kishan looked hard at Teal'c, his eyes settling on the tattoo for a moment. Kishan held up his rifle. "Stories to scare young children, Mr. Teal'c. I am a cautious man, I have no need to worry about curses." Kishan turned to Durga, seemed to want to say something and then settled on, “We should make most of the daylight,” he said and turned to go to the horse enclosure where Rampal was waiting.

Durga turned to her guests. "He is a good man. Trust him. Be safe." She put both her hands together and bowed her head slightly. Teal'c gave a slow bow of the head, Daniel mimicked Durga's gesture and Jack gave a small nod of his head, a somewhat promising look on his face.

Giving a final smile to the three men, Durga turned and went towards the house. Teal'c went on ahead to mount up and Daniel and Jack followed.

Mounted up, Daniel, tried to gain some comfort in the saddle of his horse, one of three black Marwari studs, with ears that curled at the top; obsessions that Durga's late husband had brought back from Rajasthan. Jack and Teal'c sat astride the other two horses; Teal'c sitting ramrod straight as if he were a knight poised to go into battle. Daniel smiled.

Up ahead, Jack was leaning forward and giving his horse a pat and offering words of flattery. Daniel watched the man, comfortable in the saddle, without apprehensive rigidity or discomfort. Jack pulled lightly on the reigns and the horse turned slightly. Jack looked up to see Daniel smiling. Daniel looked away, embarrassed, but it was too late because Jack and his new friend were trotting over to Daniel.

Daniel expected some cocky remark, but Jack gave him an amused look and turned to Teal'c instead. "So, T, you ride?" Jack asked.

Teal'c's head slowly turned, his body remaining in perfect poise. His answer was a lifted eyebrow.

"It's just that you look all excited," Jack said with a smile.

Daniel held back a smile. He knew more than most that Teal'c wasn't exactly the most expressive of men.

"As a boy, I tamed a crazed equine with my bare hands as part of a challenge," Teal'c said flatly. "Then I sacrificed her in a ritual, slitting her throat in one swift movement."

Daniel had never seen a smile wiped so quickly from anyone's face. Jack was staring.

Teal'c moved on up ahead as Jack stared. Daniel bit back a smile as Jack leaned forward and whispered into his horse's ear. "He's kidding." Jack turned to Daniel. "Right? Tell me he's kidding."

Daniel shrugged. "Teal'c's a very complex guy."

Nodding thoughtfully, Daniel went to join Teal'c as Jack remained behind, looking unamused. Sidling up to Teal'c, Daniel had to ask. "You didn't really kill her, did you?"

Teal'c didn't reply, but the satisfied smile told Daniel what he needed to know.

"Teal'c, I'm shocked, really," Daniel said, with surprise and then added in a hushed voice, "On the other hand, he kind of had it coming."

"Indeed."

Kishan galloped past them all then and came to a stop at the gate. "To the palace, gentlemen," Kishan said with a nod. He looked past them and Daniel turned back to see Durga standing in the doorway of the house.

He watched Kishan giving her a small nod before he turned about and galloped ahead of them.

***

The first few hours hadn't been so bad as they made their way from Durga's house and back through the village. It became difficult when the terrain turned to parched ground under a cloudless sky. When the noon sun hit, the travellers allowed themselves some respite near a small stream for a few moments, before heading back out.

On their way again, Daniel kept an eye on the mountains in the distance, the home of Pankot Palace. For a moment, it felt good to be here, away from all the trouble. The area was so desolate it felt as though no one would ever find him here.

Ahead of him, Teal'c was riding on, poised and still as if the heat was something that affected other people. He was riding along with Kishan, a man of few words and similarly oblivious to the heat.

Daniel didn't look behind to see what Jack was up to; he could hear it. Slowly and calmly, a tune had been drifting to Daniel's ears for the last few moments. Jack O'Neill was very perfectly and quietly whistling 'Home on the Range'. As the tune came to a slow sweet end, Daniel allowed himself an amused smile.

Yelping in surprise, Daniel smacked his hand to the back of his neck, where something had just pricked his skin. He looked at his fingers and found a small smudge of blood and squashed insect. Grimacing, he wiped it on his pant leg. Daniel urged the horse on a bit when he realized Kishan and Teal'c had struck up a conversation.

"It is a sign of the serpent," Teal'c was saying.

"The serpent is worshipped and revered in these parts. Lord Shiva wore it around his neck like a garland," Kishan said.

"Not all serpents are for reverence. This symbol is a sign of something I do not believe in," Teal'c said, bitterness evident in his tone.

Kishan snorted. "Then we have something in common."

Teal'c looked across at the younger man. "You do not believe in your faith?"

Kishan looked on ahead silently. "The night the children disappeared was an auspicious day. There were celebrations and prayers held in the village. That same night, attackers ransacked the village and took the children, killing many of the men. Durga's husband was my best friend. We grew up together. Went to college together. His children were like my children. I did not expect their lives to be cut short in such a way. The gods sat idly by in their shrines and did nothing."

"What of your local law enforcement?" Teal'c asked.

Kishan laughed. "The police? Every policeman put in charge of this area has been bought, scared or killed. No one will accept a posting here. I can show you the police station. The doors are open and animals use its abandoned corners as their home."

"There must be others."

"There are. I have personally met these others and pleaded the case of my people, but those Delhi officials simply fobbed me off with excuses and promised investigations. I'm sure my complaints are hidden in a file somewhere. This area has always been notorious for bandits that leech off the local people. The authorities don't want to know. Every day I knock on a new door and they turn me away with excuses and paperwork. The Delhi officials aren't interested in these small places unless they need to bulldoze a village in the name of progress."

"What about the palace?" Daniel asked, unable to stop himself from intruding on the conversation and sidling up to Kishan.

Kishan looked across at Daniel. "What about the palace?"

"Well, Rampal said he thought that place was responsible for what happened that night."

Kishan shook his head. "I have been in the palace. Nothing but workmen under the control of an arrogant man."

Daniel shrugged. "Maybe you didn't see everything."

Kishan laughed. "I see you are familiar with local legends. It may have been true of the palace once, cult worship and child abduction, but now it is nothing more than a glorified ruin. What Rampal failed to tell you was that on the night the children went missing, villagers saw men that were identified as belonging to a local band of dacoits. The truth is that those children are more likely to have been sold on than to be in Pankot."

"So, why bother taking us up there?" Jack said, entering the conversation.

"What would you have me tell Durga? That she should lose hope? I am under no illusion about what your intentions are. You are not the first outsiders interested in that place. For a long time no one was allowed to utter the word Pankot, sick of the stories. People do not realize that legends become distorted, stories changing into things far from the truth. There is nothing in that palace, but old stories."

"And what about the kid that got away?" Jack asked.

Kishan sighed. “The boy was sick with fever. Most of his ramblings made no sense. For all you know he came from beyond Pankot.” Jack was nodding, Kishan looking irate. “We must move faster.”

Kishan rode on ahead. They moved at a gruelling pace after that, the heat not letting up for hours as they headed closer and closer towards the mountains, greenery suddenly sprouting around them as they headed into the jungle. Five minutes of the noises in the jungle and Daniel understood why Kishan was riding with a rifle close at hand. Teal'c seemed non-nonplussed by the heat or the jungle as Daniel felt sweat soaking his shirt and his skin burning from heat.

Riding ahead of him, the heat had seeped through Jack's shirt too, covering it in dark patches and making his hair damp and limp. Yet, otherwise Jack seemed to be coping fine with the oppressive humidity that was clawing at Daniel.

Daniel sighed. "Is it just me, or is it actually getting hotter?"

"Probably a little bit of both," Jack drawled. "I thought you'd love it."

Daniel gave Jack a quizzical look. "Why did you think that?"

"Archaeologists. Mummies. Sand. Heat," Jack said with with a shrug.

"Well, there's different kinds of heat. Deserts I can take. This, not so much. What about you?"

"Me? It's not too bad. I've been thinking about topping up my tan for a while."

Daniel shook his head. "You joke about everything?"

Jack looked across at Daniel and smiled. "Yep. You always this serious?"

Daniel looked away without answering, aware that Jack's eyes were on him.

"That a yes?" Jack prodded.

Daniel continued on in silence.

"That's a shame," Jack added.

Daniel sighed and looked at Jack. "You don't actually care if you have to continue this conversation on your own, do you?"

Jack looked away with a smirk. Daniel watched him riding off ahead, whistling a familiar tune.

***

Night came quickly, bringing an unexpected chill, the air cooler than it had been all day. The horses were tied close by as the four men sat in a small circle illuminated by the glow of the fire, everything outside it dark and hidden.

Jack was sitting on a log, swatting away flying bugs, creeping bugs and anything that had way too many legs. Across from him, Kishan was leaning against a boulder, one leg stretched out ahead of him as he intently watched the fire. To Jack's left, Daniel and Teal'c looked as though they were playing poker, Teal'c sitting on a rock and Daniel perched on another fallen tree.

Jack watched Daniel dealing a hand as Daniel absently scratched his chin. Jack had questions, but it felt too early to delve yet. Both Teal'c and Daniel were guarded and between them there seemed no space for new trustees.

Something swooped low enough to brush over Jack's hair and he jerked back, his hands flying out to swat away the offender. "Je-sus!"

Jack saw Kishan grin and then look back at the fire. Jack ruffled his hair, hoping nothing was nesting in there.

"I'll take two," Daniel was saying.

"I will take three," Teal'c replied.

Jack watched as Daniel frowned. "I think you took four, Teal'c."

"I believe I took three, Daniel Jackson," Teal'c said cordially.

"I'm pretty sure that was four, Teal'c," Daniel said with a frown.

Jack watched Teal'c's face turn deathly serious. "I believe this game is finished."

Daniel held up his hands. "Sorry, Teal'c, I just thought I--"

Teal'c's hand shot out to grab Daniel's wrist where he proceeded to extract a card from Daniel's shirt sleeve. He raised an eyebrow.

Daniel shrugged. "You always win."

A small smile appeared on Teal'c's face. Looked like the guy had a sense of humour after all, Jack thought.

Teal'c got up and came closer to the camp fire, where he sat down cross-legged and closed his eyes, poised for meditation. Jack looked at the gold tattoo, glowing in front of the fire. He wondered how much it hurt to have one those put in your forehead.

Something crawled down the back of Jack' neck. He swatted at it until the crawling stopped and a small black bug fell at his feet, scurrying away as he looked on with a grimace.

Kishan got up, rifle in hand and amused look on his face. "I'm going to use the little boy's room."

"Yeah, try not to shoot off anything important," Jack said, hearing a snort in reply.

He sat back on the log and looked across at Daniel who was staring at the small cloth the child had brought back. Again. The man had an air of the obsessive about him. “So, what's so great about these magic rocks, Daniel?" Jack asked.

"You will address him as Doctor Jackson," Teal'c warned, eyes opening for the duration of the warning.

Daniel looked up and smiled at Teal'c. Then he looked at Jack with a small amount of smugness.

Jack rolled his eyes. "Magic rocks," he drawled.

Daniel got up and walked towards Jack, sitting down on the ground in front of the log. He held out the piece of cloth. "This is a piece of an old manuscript. Probably hundreds of years old," Daniel said, his eyes on the cloth as Jack took it in his hand.

Jack looked at the faded red patterns above a pair of dark lined eyes. “What's that? Writing?"

Daniel nodded, the fire catching his eyes as he did, pulling Jack's attention from the cloth to Daniel. "Sanskrit. A prayer.” Daniel looked up at Jack. "Asking the goddess Kali for power. Strength. See the line underneath?"

Jack looked at the script, beautiful even after hundreds of years. "Yeah."

"Sankara," Daniel whispered, as if it wasn't meant to be said aloud.

"What's a Sankara?" Jack asked.

Daniel took back the cloth. Jack noticed a strange smile on his face, coupled with a hungry look on his eyes. "Well," Daniel said. "The legend is, a priest called Sankara climbs a mountain and meets Shiva. There, Shiva gives Sankara three stones with magical powers."

Jack nodded. "So?"

"So, the villagers had a stone in their shrine that went missing. What if both of these stones are the one and the same?"

Jack nodded and then gave a smile. "You know, I can't help feeling you're wasting a very good explanation here."

Daniel leaned closer, as if confiding a big secret. "In 1932 something happened at Pankot Palace. An American archaeologist discovered the palace was being used by a local cult. The cult abducted children from a nearby village and used them to dig for the Sankara stones believing that when united the stones would give the owner immense power. The kind you could rule the world with. The cult was discovered and the stones were lost. People tried to investigate the stories further, find the missing stones, but everyone involved kept quiet. It was like the Sankara stones or Pankot never existed."

Jack gave a thoughtful nod. "What makes you so sure this Sankara is the same stone from the village ? Could be two completely different rocks."

"Not if someone changed the name to protect them. The Sankara legend is reason enough to protect them. Rampal said the Paras stone could never go back to the palace. If someone really believed that reuniting the stones in the palace is dangerous, it's completely plausible that they would change the names to stop it from happening," Daniel said getting up and going to his backpack, back near the log where he had been trying to cheat Teal'c. “I'm telling you, Jack, there's something very odd going on here.”

Jack mulled over the information as Daniel laid out a blanket on the ground, placing his backpack at one end as a pillow. He lay down and continued to stare at the cloth in his hands. Definitely an obsessive type.

"So, bad guys, digging for rocks with magical powers," Jack said quietly. "This doesn't seem insane to you at all, does it?"

Daniel smiled. "It's completely insane."

Jack raised his eyebrows. "Well, as long as we all agree."

Daniel sighed and closed his eyes. Jack looked at him and then Teal'c, who seemed to be sitting and sleeping. Jack picked up a small twig and threw it at Teal'c. The twig hit Teal'c's shoulder and his eyes snapped open. He instantly looked at Jack with accusation.

Jack looked around as if he had no idea about anything at all, anywhere. "Bugs," he said.

Teal'c arched an eyebrow at Jack and continued his meditation as Kishan returned and threw some more wood on the fire. He sat down and sighed.

"Hope you flushed," Jack said.

Kishan smiled in amusement. "That is almost as funny as the snake by your foot."

Jack rolled his eyes. "Nice try."

Kishan's smile widened and Jack looked down and saw the dark, thin, shiny snake slither over the toe of his boot. Jack jumped up and kicked the snake away. The snake landed by Kishan's foot. Kishan stared flatly at the snake and then picked it up with the end of his rifle, throwing it into the dark of the jungle, past Jack, who narrowed his eyes in response.

Jack made a face. “How about I take first watch?”

***

When Jack cracked open an eye, the others were already sitting by the fire and boiling water for tea and opening up their steel breakfast tiffin boxes.

Jack slowly sat up and tried not to groan as a metal cup of tea was shoved under his nose. He had finally fallen asleep in the early hours when the bugs had lost interest in him and it only seemed minutes ago.

They broke camp soon after, hoping to reach Pankot before the end of the day. Jack rode listlessly, waving away mosquitoes without energy, the frame of his sunglasses irritating his sweating skin. Next to him, Daniel was staring up into the sky and at big birds that were flying in circles high above the tree tops.

"Are those what I think they are?" Daniel asked.

Jack's head fell back, as if on a hinge and he watched the vultures, flying in large circles as if they were hanging on a string from the sky. He sighed and rummaged through his satchel, spitting the gum and looking on impressed at the height he achieved on the projectile. His hand came away with the crumpled pack of cigarettes. He pulled out the one remaining cigarette and put it in his mouth. He brought the lighter up and flicked it open, bringing the flame close. His stomach tightened at the prospect of having no cigarettes left after this one and he flicked the lighter shut, stuffing it back in the satchel.

"You forgot to light that," Daniel said.

"I know," Jack mumbled, cigarette still hanging from between his lips. "I'm saving it for a special occasion."

"Oh?"

Jack slowly turned to look at Daniel, cigarette still hanging from the corner. "Y'know, for that special moment."

Daniel frowned as he looked away and Jack smiled to himself. Up ahead, Teal'c was closely following Kishan through the dense jungle, bushes and trees obscuring anything ahead of them.

"So, how are you enjoying the foliage?" Daniel asked dryly.

Jack smiled, sticking the cigarette back in its crumpled box. "It's good foliage. Nice and green."

"Yes. That's usually the case with foliage."

"Ah, I see you're a foliage connoisseur, like myself," Jack said.

Daniel shook his head. Up ahead, Kishan's horse was neighing and refusing to go further, shifting back sharply and almost throwing Kishan off. Jack watched as the man fought with the reigns to get back on track. As Teal'c neared Kishan, his horse reacted similarly.

"What's going on?" Daniel asked.

"Looks like something's spooking the horses."

Kishan and Teal'c rode back towards Daniel and Jack, Kishan looking unsettled.

"What happened?" Daniel asked.

"They won't go any further," Kishan said. “There is another route, but it will add to the journey considerably.”

Jack looked at Daniel who had a questioning look on his face. "Be right back."

Jack urged the horse on, towards the darker thicket ahead. For a moment everything seemed fine. As soon as the sunlight dimmed under the shade of larger trees and branches, the horse reared up his legs, forcing Jack to hold on tight to stop himself from falling. The horse neighed, a terrified sound. Jack let his ride backtrack as he patted and coaxed encouragement.

Jack rejoined the group and nodded to Daniel. "Your turn."

"No thanks, I'll take your word for it," Daniel said, before turning to Kishan. "Any idea what's scaring them?"

Kishan shook his head. "No. But it has happened before."

"How far is it to Pankot from here?" Jack asked.

"Straight ahead. When you come out on the other side, you can see the palace," Kishan replied.

"How long on foot?"

"You could get there by night, maybe evening. The only problem is, I can't take you on foot. That means leaving the horses behind."

Jack sighed as he considered the possibilities. "Straight ahead?"

Kishan nodded towards the ground. "Not far from here is a path. The land is worn by other travellers. It's an old path, but you can still see it."

Jack looked at Teal'c and Daniel. "What do you boys say? You up for a little trek?"

Daniel was looking apprehensively into the dark shadowed part of the jungle ahead, but Jack could swear his eyes were sparkling, like the night before, when he'd been talking about those magic rocks.

Daniel looked across at Teal'c and Jack watched as Daniel waited for a sign of agreement that came in a slight nod. They all dismounted, taking their backpacks as Kishan tried to handle the reigns of three extra horses.

Jack pulled on his backpack and looked up at Kishan. "Any advice?"

"Stay close to the path and be quick. When the sun sets, you do not want to be in that part of the jungle. Some say there are ghosts and evil spirits in there and though I believe in no such things, I am certain there are people who would benefit from such stories to hide their crimes."

Jack gave a nod. "Good. A positive outlook then."

The three men turned to carry on their journey.

"Teal'c," Kishan called out.

Teal'c turned around to see Kishan pulling out a black revolver from his saddle bag. "This might come in useful."

Teal'c took the gun and gave a small bow of the head.

Kishan nodded to everyone and slowly moved on, horses in tow. “You people take care."

Jack looked at Teal'c and Daniel, either side of him. "Well, let's be off to see that wizard then."

Teal'c's eyebrow quirked in question. "We are not searching for any wizard."

Jack frowned. "No, it's a reference. The Wizard of Oz? You know, because we're not in Kansas anymore. Of course, the tin man just left with the horses, so... not so much."

Teal'c was staring right through Jack. Jack could see a small twitch of muscle as Teal'c's jaw remained clenched.

"Tough crowd," Jack said.

Teal'c walked away and Daniel followed, Jack sighing and followed too, not thinking about his last cigarette, air-con, beer or anything else that would have been nice at that precise moment.

They made their way deeper into the jungle, following a worn out path that was partially obscured by fallen leaves and other jungle debris. They hadn't been walking long when Teal'c suddenly stopped.

Jack observed silently as Teal'c stood motionless, only his head moving as though seeking something out.

"Teal'c?" Daniel asked. "What is it?"

Teal'c moved from the path and slowly made his way to a thick mass of bushes and vines to their left. Daniel and Jack began to follow. "Wait," Teal'c said, holding his hand out to stop them.

Jack watched Teal'c's tense back as he moved vines aside and threw branches to the ground. Then he took a quick step back, as if startled. "What is it?"

"Stay back," Teal'c commanded, his voice filled something unsettling that Jack couldn't put his finger on. Teal'c turned around, obscuring the view of his find. "We must proceed to Pankot," he said, looking focused and dangerous.

Daniel was still watching Teal'c, frowning in confusion. He looked at Teal'c and then slowly walked around his friend.

Jack watched Daniel slowly making his way to the find, once again, hiding whatever it was Teal'c had uncovered. "Wow," Daniel said quietly, not sounding wowed at all.

Jack slowly walked towards the big secret, suddenly aware of everything around him, crunching leaves and twigs under his feet, vulture sounds in the sky, the wind in the trees and Daniel's breathing inches away from him. Jack put his hand on Daniel's shoulder, letting him step aside.

He saw it. It was a warning to turn back. Jack saw all the signs right there. The message couldn't be clearer. It was a statue, tall and tied to a tree. A black, four-armed goddess with large blazing eyes, painted bright red, like her tongue, curling down beyond her chin. Around her neck was a necklace of shrunken heads. Her face and breasts were smeared with blood, a belt of human fingers around her waist and skeletal remains lying at her feet.

Daniel stood looking hypnotized. Jack waited for an explanation, but Daniel seemed devoid of words.

Jack reached out and touched the statue's face. His fingers came away bloody. "It's fresh."

Jack heard the click of the safety being turned off on a gun. He and Daniel turned around at the same time and saw Teal'c standing, revolver in one hand, ready for trouble. Teal'c's eyes were dark and foreboding as the shadows of the jungle.

"Let's move out," Jack said, walking away from the statue and joining Teal'c.

Daniel looked back at the statue.

"Daniel," Jack urged.

"Daniel Jackson," Teal'c added, when Daniel didn't respond.

Daniel turned around and looked at Teal'c, snapping out of his daze. "Yeah. Let's get out of here."

The three men walked in silence and walked faster. The jungle seemed different all of a sudden. Darker, murkier and cooler, though really, Jack couldn't see that an actual change had taken place. It was the statue; it had frozen his blood. Teal'c was walking far ahead, revolver at the ready and eyes on the lookout as Daniel and Jack followed yards behind.

"What the hell was that thing?" Jack asked after a while, as they started an uphill path.

"Kali," Daniel said simply.

"Right. What's exactly is that?" Jack asked.

“A warning,” Teal'c replied gravely before Daniel could say something.

Daniel stopped and looked at Teal'c with Jack. Jack was nodding and said, “Yeah, I kind of figured that part.”

“Someone has chosen to be very literal,” Daniel said slowly. “The bones at her feet, the severed fingers, the blood. It's a message. Death.”

Jack was staring at Daniel. He gave a slow nod and said. “Any chance we could be wrong about that?”

Daniel shrugged. “Not about the intention of that statue. Someone wants us to turn back,” Daniel said, looking a little uncomfortable.

“What?” Jack urged.

Daniel shook his head. “No real devotee would be offering up blood and flesh sacrifices to Kali. In a country where the cow is sacred, people don't sacrifice flesh, human or otherwise to someone they refer to as a mother goddess. It doesn't make any sense."

Jack frowned at the back of Daniel's head. He was holding something back. "Except?"

"Except?" Daniel asked, sounding cautious. “Well, except for the Thuggee.”

"The cult, " Jack said, recalling the previous evening's discussion.

"The thing is, the Thuggee were worshippers of Kali who practised human sacrifice, but they usually picked Brahmans for their sacrifices, because they were the highest caste members and representative of the invading Aryans who imposed their religion on the original Dravidian people. The Thuggee saw the Brahmans as the enemies of Kali."

Jack rolled his eyes. "Let's pretend I understand what you're talking about. What does this have to do with anything?"

"Well, what never made sense to me when I heard about the Sankara legend was, why did the Thuggee re-emerge in the 1930s after being wiped out by the British decades before that? And what did they want with the Sankara stones? The original Thuggee were involved in a class struggle. They were killing out of misguided notions of revenge. Not to appease a supposedly blood-thirsty goddess. They were never interested in the stones because they knew Shiva wasn't Kali's enemy. There was no conflict of belief. They had no use for the stones. There's no evidence documenting any search for the Sankara stones by the original Thuggee."

"What are we talking about then? Some kind of cover up?"

"Precisely," Daniel said, turning around and looking at Jack. "I think, in 1932, someone resurrected the Thuggee cult for one reason."

Jack nodded. "Sankara."

"Sankara," Daniel agreed, smiling and pointing at Jack.

"So, someone believed the rocks had power, got a bunch of guys together, declared them the Thuggee and used them to find the rocks. In the meantime, no one bothers them because they've heard the stories about the original Thuggee and don't want to end up in a jewellery box for Kali," Jack said.

"Right. Only, the rocks are lost again and the locals already know about the history Pankot has with the Thuggee."

"Not just the locals, the authorities too," Jack said with a nod, a picture beginning to form in his head.

"Exactly. Whoever is looking for the stones, knows about the local history and they're using it to their advantage. In fact, they're counting on the fact that people will remember and be afraid. That they'll see a bloody statue of Kali and instantly remember everything that's already happened."

Jack shook his head. “You're forgetting one thing, Daniel. You'll recall our happy guide friend went to Pankot and found nothing.”

Daniel gave Jack a long look. “Maybe he didn't see everything.”

Jack sighed and nodded. “Right.”

Daniel shook his head. "These rocks... why are they so important?"

Sparkle, sparkle. Jack wondered if Daniel knew that he seemed to be sinking deeper into the obsession.

They walked on, the path becoming steeper until it felt like a climb and the sky that was peeking through the dense ceiling of the jungle was becoming dimmer. When Pankot came into view it was under a deep pink sunset as they reached a dirt road, casting the aged stone of the palace in a bloody hue where it was visible. Up on its crest, the palace looked more like a deserted castle from a movie about vampires.

“Pankot Palace,” Teal'c murmured.

Jack stood between Teal'c and Daniel as they took in the sight, taking a deep breath before heading down the path that led to the palace.

***

From the outside, Pankot Palace looked huge and sprawling. Once it might have gleamed under the sun, reflecting for miles, but now the exterior was slightly dull, marred by bad weather, the stone discoloured, cracks running around the Mughal curves of the building, some reaching the turrets.

Still, it was an awe-inspiring sight, even with wooden scaffolding in places. The three men walked through a huge courtyard towards the entrance of the palace, a large set of gates behind them. The fountain at the centre of the courtyard didn't work and the pool around it was empty of water, the stone dirty and cracked in places. The courtyard tiles however had remained in place and the next rainfall would probably bring up their colour again.

Daniel drank it all in. He'd known about the palace, but the stories surrounding it had always just been stories. Fairytales to scare children and excite undergrads. But here they were on the path to Sankara. Perhaps.

Next to him, Jack's sunglasses had come off and he seemed to be treading with caution, while Teal'c looked deathly serious. He almost felt like telling them to lighten up. This could be history in the making.

“Looks like there's a welcome wagon,” Jack pointed out as they neared the stone steps that led to the doors.

Walking down the steps was a young man, around Daniel's age. His hair was black and cut fashionably short and he wore a pair of rectangle glasses. There was an overly casual air about him as he made his way down the steps, hands in the pockets of beige pants which he wore with a blue polo shirt. Something about him was familiar.

The man reached the bottom step and smiled. “Lost?” he asked.

“Uh, no. Not really. Actually, my friends and I were in the area and the locals mentioned Pankot Palace. I was hoping we could take a look before heading to Delhi,” Daniel explained.

“That's interesting. It's a rarity in these parts that anyone still uses the old name of the palace.” The man smiled. “And I can't imagine why you'd want to take a look. This isn't exactly a tourist spot.”

Daniel extended his hand. “Doctor Daniel Jackson. I'm an archaeologist. I couldn't be in this area and not be interested.”

Realization seemed to dawn on the man's face. “Doctor Jackson, of course. I've heard of you. Can't think of anyone in our profession who hasn't actually.”

“You're an archaeologist?” Jack asked.

“I am, yes.” The man smiled, finished shaking Daniel's hand and turned to Jack and then Teal'c. “Doctor Vijay Kumar.”

“I have to admit, Dr Jackson, the last place I thought I'd run into the man who disappeared off the face of the planet is here,” Vijay said. “There are a lot of people wondering where you are.”

Daniel smiled tightly. “Well, I'm sure you know about my last public appearance. It wasn't exactly a triumph.”

“I heard you got laughed out of the auditorium,” Vijay said with a smile.

Daniel smiled back. “Well, that might be a slight exaggeration. It wasn't really an auditorium.” Jack and Teal'c both stared at Daniel. “Anyway. I was hoping we could impose on you before heading off again. If it's okay with you, of course. Just a quick look.”

Vijay looked them all over, no doubt taking in the dusty and tired sight, smiling in silent, but apparent amusement. Vijay walked up the steps and then turned to smile at them again. “Welcome to Pankot Palace. Come on in.”

Daniel received a look of caution from Jack, Teal'c arching an eyebrow at his side before he walked on ahead to join Vijay at his side, the other two men following. The awe-inspiring visions continued inside the palace where restoration had progressed further than the outside. Carpets and rugs had been laid down, expensive chandeliers hanging above and artwork with scenes from the Mughal era adorning the walls. The halls shone with polished artefacts whether they were small random ornaments or bronze statues of well-endowed deities.

“Wow, this is amazing,” Daniel said as they walked down a long and wide corridor filled with large wooden doors on either side.

Vijay nodded proudly. “When I'm done with this, everyone will know about Pankot Palace.”

“Why the interest?” Jack asked from behind. Daniel almost laughed because Jack could never understand the lure of bringing dead things back to life. “I mean, no one's polishing up the pyramids of Giza.”

Vijay stopped in his tracks with his serene and amused smile. He turned to look at Jack. “True. But who's to say someone didn't want to? You know, I heard about this place for the first time when I was an undergraduate, about how they tried to restore it once before, during the rule of the British, but it never happened. Not completely. Of course, why would the British let a local landmark of significance be restored when all it would do was undermine their own authority? Why would anyone want to restore it now with all the bad history attached to it? I'll tell you why. The world has enough ruins and empty shells, but some places call to be brought back to their former glory. This is one of them. Too much has happened here. I want people to walk in here and be able to feel it.”

“Can't be cheap,” Jack said.

Vijay seemed to bristle at that. “No. Most dreams have a high price. I'm just lucky enough to have generous benefactors, Mr... sorry, I didn't get your name.”

“Didn't give it,” Jack said with a smile. “Jack O'Neill.”

Vijay seemed to think it over, as if he was searching for the significance. Then he simply turned to Teal'c, his eyes lingering on the gold tattoo. “And you are?”

“Karim,” Daniel said quickly, noting Jack's amusement. “Karim... West.”

Vijay looked at Daniel. He smiled and turned back to Teal'c. “That's a rather interesting tattoo, Mr. West. Looks as though it's embedded in your skin. I must be mistaken.”

Teal'c smile spread and though it was warn and welcoming, his eyes said something else. They said some questions were not for asking. “You must be,” he said.

Vijay smiled, gave another nod, shoving his hands in his pockets. “I have some things to take care of, so I'll send someone up to give you a little tour, then maybe you'll like to clean up and join me for dinner tonight. You're a very long way from Delhi. You might want to start back out tomorrow morning.”

Daniel smiled. “That would be great. Really, thank you.”

“Not a problem, Doctor Jackson,” Vijay said. “I must admit it's a thrill showing this place off to someone other than bored investors.”

“I can imagine,” Daniel said amiably.

Vijay gave a small smile and excused himself, leaving Daniel, Teal'c and Jack to be taken care of by the help.

“Karim West? Really?” Jack asked with a smirk once they were alone.

“Long story,” Daniel said, not nearly as interested in the painting he was looking at as he pretended to be.

“I don't like this Doctor Vijay Kumar. He smiles too much,” Jack said flatly, standing at Daniel's shoulder, a bit too close.

“Because smiling too much is clearly a sign of the criminally insane,” Daniel said absently as he looked at the painting of a woman in regal clothes.

“Sure it is. Ever read a Batman comic? There's a reason the Joker was a bad guy,” Jack said looking up at the painting. “I think I know her.”

Daniel rolled his eyes and walked away to where Teal'c was handling a delicate object that belonged on its display table. Daniel carefully extracted it from Teal'c's hand and put it back down, earning an eyebrow from Teal'c.

“I must concur with O'Neill. I do not trust this man,” Teal'c said.

Jack turned around and flicked his hand back at Teal'c. “Thank you. That's all I'm saying.”

“No,” Daniel said slowly. “What you said was you don't trust him because he smiles too much.”

Jack looked to Teal'c for help. Teal'c seemed to think it over. “I do find it annoying.”

“There you go,” Jack said.

Daniel stared. “Well, you obviously proved your point.”

Daniel didn't add that Jack smirked too much. What the hell was that supposed to mean?

***

Teal'c was shown to his room by one of Kumar's assistants, a polite and shy young man who obviously found Teal'c's larger presence a little fascinating and perhaps daunting. Teal'c thanked him with a bow of the head and a polite smile before closing the door and facing his room.

Like much of the restored building, this room was decorated in an opulent fashion with heavy luxurious looking fabrics, dark woods and crammed with artwork in the form of paintings, sculptures and other ornaments. Teal'c couldn't help but smile because he could just imagine Daniel's face in the next room, his fingers reverently reaching out to touch everything, as if the barest press of skin might break history.

Teal'c went to the bed and put his rucksack down, unpacking it to retrieve his clothes. They had survived the journey from Durga's house relatively uncreased and it would be best to look a little more imposing. Vijay Kumar was hiding something, that much was written in his eyes and too inviting smile. There was something sinister behind his casual demeanour.

***

Jack changed back into his khaki shirt, leaving his jacket to rest which was still recovering from it's incident with Daniel's knife. The night air was getting cooler and he could get better use out of the white shirt when they left this place to travel under a hot sun. Besides, Doctor Kumar hadn't exactly insisted on a black tie and dinner jacket.

Showered, shaved and ready, Jack mooched around his room, turning over every object and poking every pokable thing. He could appreciate the grandeur of the place, he really could, but something about the way luxury was just dripping off the walls made his skin crawl. He remembered walking through that childless village, a ghost town that had lost everything, yet not far from it was Pankot Palace, enjoying a rejuvenation. Something about it didn't sit right with him.

Daniel on the other hand, his eyes hadn't stopped glowing like magic rocks since they got here. He had a look of the obsessive about him. His eyes showed thirst and passion. Jack figured Daniel could spend a lifetime without noticing anyone around him. All it would take would be he right cause.

Giving his reflection a brief look, Jack straightened his collar and left his room. He took advantage of the quiet corridor to have as good a snoop he could before dinner. All he had to do was pick a passage and wander off, declaring a wrong turn. Of course, as soon as he reached what looked like an area still undergoing work, one of Dr, Kumar's kindly servants popped out. He didn't say anything, but he did gesture in the opposite direction with a polite smile.

Jack smiled back and said, “Took a wrong turn.”

Jack was directed all the way back to the accessible part of the palace and to a large room which obviously served as someone's living quarters. Jack was left in the living room in the midst of elegant furnishings under an expensive chandelier and not far from him was a set of doors through which he could see a dining table being dressed for dinner. Another pair of doors opened somewhere behind him and Doctor Kumar walked in dressed casually and smile in place.

“Mr. O'Neill,” he said as a greeting.

“Doctor Kumar,” Jack said with an amiable smile. “Looks like I'm early.”

Kumar waved a hand. “Gives us a chance to get acquainted. Drink?”

“Sure, love one,” Jack said amiably as Kumar disappeared into the dining room to return with two perfectly chilled bottles, handing one to Jack.

“Cobra, huh?” Jack said, looking at the label on the beer before taking a swig. It went down smooth and blissfully cold. Jack shook his head and held up the bottle. “Nice.”

Kumar smiled a little wider and took a swig from his own bottle. “So, Mr. O'Neill.”

“Jack. You buy me a beer, you can call me Jack,” Jack said, leaving out what he'd do for a second beer.

“Well, in that case, Jack, I was just wondering how you knew Doctor Jackson,” Kumar asked. “Through work?”

“Nope,” Jack said. “We shared a plane ride. We were headed to Delhi, but the good doctor said he just had to pay a little trip to this place first. Since him and Mr. West are the only company I've had on this trip, I figured I could take a little detour.”

Kumar was listening closely, and something about his expression said he wasn't buying it. Still, he said, “Of course. Who wouldn't? So what it is that you do? Your line of work.”

“Foliage.”

Jack and Kumar turned around to see Daniel walking into the room with Teal'c towering behind him. Both men were dressed like they had been the first time Jack met them. Teal'c was dark and imposing and Daniel was sharp and... could Jack think 'stunning' about another man? He'd never really set that straight in his head.

Daniel looked good. He'd left his tie off and opted for leaving the top two buttons of his black shirt open, hands in the pockets of his black pants, pushing back the black jacket that went with the suit. The night was cool enough that he could get away with wearing the whole suit – even if it meant Jack was suddenly feeling the weather a little more acutely.

“I'm sorry?” Kumar asked, snapping Jack out of his trance. He took another swig of his beer to look busy.

“Foliage,” Daniel said with a small smile as he neared. “I understand it's one of Jack's interests. I suspect it's vocational in origin?”

Jack held back a smile. “You got me. I'm a tree doctor.”

Daniel held Jack's gaze for a moment, before smiling and looking at Kumar who seemed a little confused by the whole thing. Daniel said. “This is an amazing place. I can see you've done a lot of work.”

“Thank you,” Kumar said. “It's certainly coming together.”

At that moment a butler of sorts popped out of the dining room and spoke, Kumar turning to listen. He turned back and smiled at Jack, Daniel and Teal'c. “Dinner's ready.”

***

Half-way through the meal, Daniel had started to wonder if the food was meant to be a distraction from his questions. He wondered if Jack had noticed too, because after finishing his one beer, he had stuck to drinking water to counteract the effect of the spices. Kumar himself seemed to be picking at his food, while his guests ate with watering eyes and burning mouths. The food was good, not doubt about it, but Daniel found it suspiciously over spiced. Even Teal'c's upper lip showed signs of sweating.

Daniel finally put his spoon down when he thought his head might shoot off. Kumar asked, “The food's not to your liking?”

“Actually, it's wonderful,” Daniel said with a smile. “I think I'll stop before I make a pig of myself though.”

“Please, not on my account,” Kumar said, smiling and Daniel finally saw what Jack hated about Kumar's smile so much. The guy was incredibly smug about something.

“All the same,” Daniel said politely. “I'm not sure I could eat another bite. So, um, what was I saying?” Daniel tried to remember the thread of the conversation just before his tongue had tasted a chili. Kumar didn't help jog Daniel's memory. Jack however, took a spoonful of spicy daal and said quite casually, “I think you were talking about the locals.”

Kumar gave Jack an unfriendly look to which Jack said, “This daal is great. Think I could get a recipe?”

“Yes, the locals,” Daniel said after taking a generous drink from his glass of water. “They don't seem to like this place very much.”

Kumar snorted. “Doctor Jackson, you're talking about people who are born in little villages, spend their whole lives there and then die in the same place, having spent the entire time regurgitating the same old stories over and over so people like you and me can come along in a few hundred years and figure out where it all began. They fear Pankot in the way children fear there might be a monster under their bed.”

Daniel gave a polite smile. “You can't really blame them. I mean, not with the history this place has. Like you said, it's a rarity that people even mention the name of the palace.”

Kumar laughed. “Old stories about cults and magic stones, right? Stories to frighten little children.”

“Doctor Henry Jones-”

“Doctor Henry Jones was a disgrace to his profession,” Kumar said evenly. “He was no better than a grave digger and I think you'll find that the academic community found more than plenty of his claims too preposterous to be true. The holy grail? The ark of the covenant? He was a pariah, laughed at by his peers, Doctor Jackson. He is not a man I would use to back up my assumptions.”

Daniel sat deathly still, something raging angrily inside him. He remembered exactly how his peers had laughed at him about his theories too and the sting of it didn't go away easily.

“Sometimes.” Teal'c said, suddenly commanding everyone's attention, “People only believe what they want to believe. Especially when the truth is too frightening to accept.”

Kumar smiled at Teal'c and then looked at Daniel. “Like aliens building pyramids?” he asked. “Like crystal skulls?”

Daniel smiled the smile he always used to smile when people discussed his work with him, watching him for signs of madness just like his grandfather. “Something like that.”

“I think maybe it's time for dessert,” Kumar said with a smile and Jack watched the exchange closely.

Daniel politely placed his napkin on the table. “Actually, I'm not sure I could eat another bite and it's been a long day. We have to leave early tomorrow morning. I think I'll turn in for the night.”

“I meant no offense,” Kumar said, not really looking remorseful.

“No offense taken,” Daniel replied. “Really. You've been more than hospitable. Thank you.”

Daniel held his smile in place long enough to leave the room.

***

Jack knocked on the door lightly, wondering if Daniel was even inside. He seemed the sort to just wander off and explore without a thought. The door to the next room opened and Teal'c stepped out with a serious look on his face.

“That is not your room,” he said.

“Yes. That's why I'm knocking,” Jack said with a smile.

Teal'c said. “What do you require of Daniel Jackson?”

“Well, that'd be telling,” Jack said, still smiling.

Just as Teal'c was probably about to wipe the smile off Jack's face, the door opened and Daniel stood there with sleeve cuffs unbuttoned, shirt pulled out of his pants and looking quizzically at Jack. “What's going on? What did you do?”

Teal'c arched a brow at Jack and Jack said, “Nothing! I just wanted to ask you something. In private.”

Daniel shrugged. “You can ask me anything you want in front of Teal'c. I trust him.”

“Exactly,” Jack said with a smirk. “It's why I have to ask you in private.”

Jack wasn't sure, but it looked as though Teal'c's eyes narrowed further and he may have sighed wearily inside himself, where he hid things like emotion. He gave Daniel a look that no doubt conveyed some kind of secretly coded message like 'remember to use your elbows and knees' before he turned and went back to his room.

Jack looked back at Daniel who was frowning in a way that Jack was beginning to recognize as 'maybe there's a mental institution missing a patient right now'. Then he opened the door wider and walked away, letting Jack come into the room of his own accord as he went to sit on the end of bed.

“So? What?” Daniel asked quietly, looking up at Jack as the light in the room made his eyes just that much brighter behind his glasses.

“Actually, I have something for you,” Jack said.

Daniel gave a narrow-eyed smiled. “Somehow, I really doubt you have anything I would want.”

Jack shrugged. “Okay. Your loss.”

Then he turned his back on Daniel and reached into his pocket where incredibly Daniel hadn't noticed the huge bulge. Unfortunately, that said way more about Daniel than Jack wanted to know. Jack took out the cold glass bottle and twisted off the cap, the gas escaping with a loud hiss. Then he took a large gulp of the drink, sighing as it went down. Suddenly, Daniel was standing in front of Jack and staring at the drink.

“What the hell's that?” he asked, his voice comically high as he pointed accusingly.

Jack held up the cold glass bottle of Coke. “Sweet and chilled. I figured you could do with it after you left. Stole it out of Kumar's stash. For a guy who likes to serve up a spicy meal he sure does like his sweet drinks. Had a box of candy too.”

Daniel frowned and reached for the drink, fingers slowly closing around it before he pulled it away and then downed what must have been half of the drink. He brought the bottle away from his mouth with a sigh and held it back out to Jack with, “Thanks.”

Jack smiled and took the bottle. “No problem.”

Daniel walked away to his bed, sitting down at the foot as Jack took another swig. Daniel was picking up the piece of cloth the runaway child had brought with him. No doubt he'd been sitting here staring at it, asking it questions. Even now he couldn't tear his eyes away from it.

“So,” Jack said. “Aliens building pyramids.”

Daniel seemed to sag. He sighed and stuffed the cloth in his pocket before looking up at Jack. “Long and incredibly complicated story.”

“No kidding,” Jack said. “What are you guys doing out here anyway? You and Teal'c. You're both obviously far from home.”

“You mean, like you,” Daniel said with an amused look.

“Hey, you already know what I'm doing out here.”

“I'm not carrying a picture of a young boy in my wallet, which I think officially makes you much further away from home than me.”

Jack arched a brow at Daniel.

“Teal'c told me,” Daniel said.

“And?” Jack asked.

“And... I don't know,” Daniel said with a shrug. “It's none of my business.”

Jack pointed in Daniel's direction. “Yep.”

Daniel smiled and looked away. “That's fair I suppose.”

Jack rolled his eyes and went to sit next to Daniel. “He's my son. Charlie. Lives with his mother in Washington and her husband the lawyer, who by the way, is a gigantic ass of a man.”

Daniel smiled, chuckling a little as he nodded. “Okay.”

Jack waved his hand, feeling a little disgruntled. “I get to see him during summer breaks. I figure there's no point being at home when he's not around. So, here I am.”

Daniel nodded slowly. “Yeah, here you are.”

Jack looked at Daniel who was watching him closely too. “What about you, Daniel?” Jack asked softly. “What are you doing out here?”

“There's nowhere else to go,” Daniel said quietly.

Jack smiled. “Come on, it's a big planet. Must be somewhere you feel at home.”

Daniel nodded. “You'd think so.”

Jack didn't push the subject. It was obvious Daniel would never let on more than he wanted to. “So, what do you think, Doctor Jackson? We anywhere near your magic rocks?”

Daniel gave a small smile. “I dunno. Maybe it is just a myth. Maybe Doctor Jones was losing his mind.”

“Or not,” Jack said.

Daniel looked up surprised. “No? I didn't have you down as the type to believe in these things.”

“Oh I don't. It's all a bunch of rumors, lies and fairytales if you ask me,” Jack said.

Daniel 's eyebrows went up a little. “You know, mythology is one of the primary motivations for cultural development.”

“I thought that was pornography,” Jack said.

Daniel smiled as though he was trying to hold it back. “I could be mistaken.”

“Well, sometimes it's hard to tell, I mean, like that for instance,” Jack said nodding towards a painting on the far wall.

It was a woman, as black as night, naked except for a girdle of bony fingers, blood smeared on her breasts and adorned in bony ornaments. She had four arms with bloody hands and three eyes drunk with some kind of lust as she danced in the midst of war. Her hair was black and wild, a hurricane of movement and her limbs sinewy. In front of her was a man with a dark snake coiled about his neck, his hair lighter, long and calm. His skin was pale and his face serene as he danced, a small drum in his hand, other hand still in movement towards it. Around this man and woman, eerily similar to each other despite their differences, there were other men with swords, engaged in battle.

Daniel got up and walked to the painting as Jack followed and stood at his side. “It's Kali and Shiva,” Daniel said. “They say that when Kali dances, the world can spin out of control. It's up to humans to decide if they're going to get caught up in her dance or not. Help her in her dance of life and death, destruction and creation.”

Jack nodded slowly. “And this Shiva guy?”

“Even he's caught up in it,” Daniel said. “There are stories about how their dance with each other threatened to destroy the world. Look, he's playing his drum while she dances,” Daniel said with a small smile, shaking his head.

Jack gave Daniel a smirk. “You think it's all pretty cool, don't you?”

Daniel tilted his head, scrunching his face a little. “Well, cool's not the word I'd use, but... actually, yes.”

Jack chuckled, looking at the painting and giving a shake of the head.

Daniel looked amused. “And you're thinking who in their right mind would want to worship someone like her.”

Jack gave a tight smile. “The thought had crossed my mind.”

Daniel nodded. “Well, there's more to her than just her appearance. A force of creation, born from the brow of the goddess Durga. A sword in one hand,” Daniel said pointing at the painting, “the head of a demon in another and the other two hands calling to her worshippers.”

“The reaper look's not exactly... friendly.”

Daniel nodded. “The black's not just about death, it represents the way Kali absorbs and embraces everything. She's naked because she's stripped of any kind of illusions. That girdle of bones is made of human hands, fingers, because those are the tools of human action and karma. Skulls around her neck, one for each letter of of the Sanskrit alphabet, offering her worshippers gyanagni, the fire of knowledge. It's what the sword's for, cutting down ignorance, offering a path to freedom. Three eyes, one for the sun, moon and fire. One each for watching the past, present and future.” Daniel took a deep breath and turned to Jack. “That thing we saw back in the jungle? Someone took everything that's frightening about her on the surface and left it there as a warning and I think it was for anyone coming after the Paras stone.”

Jack frowned. “How can you be so sure?”

“The Paras stone was stolen from the village priest, right?” Daniel asked, getting a nod in reply. “He would have seen the statue, been shocked by the human flesh and blood. He would have known anyone capable of such an act could be capable of much more. A blasphemous warning for a religious man.” Daniel looked back at the painting. “It's all about what's going on under the surface, Jack.”

Jack gave a nod, watching Daniel for a while. There was definitely a whole lot going on under the surface. “Yeah,” he said quietly. “Always the way.”

Daniel nodded, giving Jack a curious look. “Always.”

Jack shook his head and blew out a breath. He looked down at the bottle in his hand. “Here. You finish this.”

Daniel smiled. He looked down at the offered drink and took the bottle, looking at it long and hard before he set it down on a nearby table. He tentatively stepped towards Jack, eyes glittering under the soft lighting of the room. Uncertainty was written all over his face, in the set of his mouth, the flushed cheeks and tense shoulders. He stepped closer and Jack could see the small sharp breath he took before deciding on a kiss.

Jack stiffened up at first, feeling the hard bump of lips against his own stubbornly resistant mouth. But Daniel's kiss was warm and soft, coaxing open Jack's mouth. Before he knew it, his hands were going to Daniel's face, holding it as they kissed, Daniel's fingers light and lazy on Jack's side. Jack felt the sweetness on Daniel's tongue, tasting it as his heart sped up and he grabbed Daniel by his arms and slowly pushed him away.

Daniel frowned, looking confused. “What?”

Jack let go and stepped back, holding up his hands. “It's not a good idea, Daniel.”

Daniel licked his lip, his mouth looking wet and pink. “I thought... sorry, I thought you were interested.”

Jack grimaced. “It's a little complicated.”

Daniel nodded slowly. “Embarrassing too actually.”

Jack felt as though he was going to squirm right out of his own skin. “Look, I-”

“No, it's okay,” Daniel said, his eyes shifting to a corner of the room he probably would have liked to have hidden in. “I obviously misread the signals. My fault. You don't have to explain.”

Jack considered telling Daniel there was no misreading and actually quite a lot of explaining to be done. Instead he nodded, giving a laboured sigh and lamely offering a, “Sorry.”

“No, I should be sorry for presuming. Look, it's been a long day,” Daniel said, with a rather kind smile. “Maybe you should go to bed. On your own, obviously.”

Jack made a face.

“Goodnight, Jack,” Daniel said, putting his hands in his pockets and watching Jack with an amused look.

Jack rolled his eyes at himself, shaking his head and turning around and walking out of the room. He turned back in the hallway to see Daniel right behind him, reaching to shut the door. He pushed half of his body back into the room and said, “Thing is, you really need to know some stuff before we can... be really good friends.”

Daniel looked like he was going to smile, but his mouth remained judgementally pursed. “Okay. Go ahead.”

“Only, now's not the time to go into it all,” Jack added. “So, I guess you're going to have to believe I'm an ass for a while.”

“Easily done.” Daniel nodded and smiled. “Goodnight then.”

He started to shut the door and Jack smacked his palm against it, keeping it open. “Wait. That's it?”

Daniel looked as though he was thinking it over. He gave a nod. “Pretty much. Sleep well,” Daniel said, promptly shoving Jack out and shutting the door.

***

Teal'c had been deep into his meditation, yet he still realized something was not quite right. He opened his eyes, seeing the door ahead, still shut. Candle light flickered though, an errant breeze disturbing the stillness. Teal'c stood, aware of the presence before the attacker struck. He turned into the attack, grabbing a wrist that held a large curved dagger. He looked into a pair of dark lined eyes, the face covered by a scarf, the body under robes.

The attacker punched Teal'c in the stomach and his hold on the attacking arm loosened as he stumbled back. The attacker advanced again, dagger at the ready and Teal'c managed to turn, grab a decorative sword from the wall and turn right back into the oncoming dagger. Both blades met in mid-air, sending out sparks. Wisely, the attacker backed away when he saw the sword. They circled each other for a moment, Teal'c holding the sword at ready while the other man held his dagger aloft. Probably sensing that his dagger was no match for a sword, the attacker threw it from a safe distance. Teal'c moved from it's trajectory, but not in enough time to avoid it completely. The dagger flew past him but not without tearing his shirt and grazing his arm, leaving behind a generous cut, shocking enough to his senses that the sword fell from his hand.

The attacker rushed towards the dropped sword and Teal'c rammed his whole body into the other man's midsection, toppling him. They both fought to grab either the sword or dagger on the floor, both tantalizingly within reach. Teal'c managed to reach back enough to throw a hard punch that dazed the man beneath him. Steadier, he sat back and dealt another hard blow, one that made the other man go limp beneath him. Teal'c left the man on the floor and went to the windows, grabbing a thick silken cord that held the drapes together. He pulled it away and went to his attacker, tying the man's hands behind his back before removing the scarf and tearing it in two, using one half to gag him and the other to tie his ankles. That done, he dragged the man onto the large bed, just as he seemed to recuperate from his dazed stupor.

“I could have killed you,” Teal'c said calmly. “But then I would be an ungrateful guest.”

With that, he pulled the blankets over the struggling man, put on his shoes and stepped into the corridor to find O'Neill standing there with his hand raised to knock on Daniel's door. The other man turned and looked at Teal'c.

“Insomnia?” he asked.

“Something has transpired,” Teal'c said calmly and turned back towards his room, hearing O'Neill say, “I guess that means I should follow you.”

Teal'c went to the bed and pulled back the covers. O'Neill stared at the man and said, “Crap.”

“Indeed,” Teal'c said. “He was sent here to kill me.”

“Tell you anything?” O'Neill asked as the man in the bed glared at them.

“I have not had the chance to speak with him,” Teal'c said.

O'Neill gave Teal'c a look before tentatively reaching out to remove the gag. As soon as it became a little loose, the man opened his mouth to yell and alert whomever was close by. Teal'c and O'Neill both covered him, muffling his objections and replacing the gag tighter.

“Okay, yeah,” O'Neill said. “Forget that. You think he was going to come after me and Daniel after he finished with you?”

“Perhaps,” Teal'c said. Then he wondered. O'Neill had been in the corridor. Someone could have been waiting for him inside his room. Someone could be with Daniel right now.

Teal'c turned to look at O'Neill. “Daniel Jackson.”

“Read my mind,” O'Neill said, running from the room, Teal'c right behind him.

***

The doors literally burst open and Teal'c and Jack stood side by side like they were about to take on an army. Daniel put down the vase he was examining and stared at them both with a frown.

“Um... hey,” he said as both men suddenly started to search the room, looking behind drapes, looking out on the balcony, in the bathroom, under the bed,

“Guys?” Daniel asked. “What's going on?”

“Someone just broke into Teal'c's room and attacked him,” Jack said, apparently satisfied that no one was hiding under the bed.

“What?” Daniel asked. He noticed Teal'c's right shirt sleeve soaked and a gash visible high up on his arm. “You're kidding.”

“He was able to enter the room without my noticing,” Teal'c said, looking as disturbed as he could ever look.

“He must have been hiding in there before you went inside.”

“He was not,” Teal'c said. “I am sure of that.”

“So, what? He just beamed in from somewhere?” Jack asked.

Daniel looked around the room and then went to the open doors and said, “Let's go find out,” before walking out, Jack and Teal'c behind him.

Daniel saw a lump on the bed, moving around and making muffled sounds under the covers. Daniel turned to look at Teal'c and Jack. Jack shrugged and Teal'c tilted his head in a manner that suggested there was no other option but what Daniel saw. Daniel shook his head and moved further into the room as Jack closed the doors behind them.

“I was performing kel'no'reem when he appeared from behind,” Teal'c explained.

Daniel nodded and pointing down at the rug in the centre of the room. “Here?”

“Indeed.”

“What's kel'no'reem?” Jack asked absently as he poked behind some drapery.

Daniel looked at Teal'c, Teal'c looking a little caught out. Daniel said, “A form of meditation. It's kind of rare.”

Jack gave Daniel a look and then nodded, not pursuing the explanation further.

Daniel ignored the remark and continued looking around the room. He didn't dare mention secret passageways, at least not until he found one and the way a cool breeze seemed to be blowing directly at him from a large portrait on the wall, he figured he was pretty close.

Daniel looked up at the portrait to find a pale-skinned maharani shyly smiling back at him with large Kohl lined eyes and a white translucent scarf draped over her head, delicately held by her henna tipped fingers. Daniel felt around the portrait for something, anything that might trigger a mechanism.

“Don't you think you should get to know each other a little first?” Jack asked, suddenly at Daniel's side. Daniel rolled his eyes. Jack gave a look of concession before nodding. “Find anything?”

“Not yet,” Daniel said. “I think this wall, or part of it might be a door. Explains where the breeze is coming from when the windows are shut and why Teal'c didn't notice anyone sneak up on him.”

“So what? We're looking for a-”

“A lever or something. Something invisible, but in plain sight,” Daniel said, stepping back from the painting. He gave it a look and then leaned up against the wall, pushing back hard. Nothing. He sighed and stayed leaning. “He had to have gotten in somehow.”

Jack nodded as he wandered around the room. Daniel tried not to feel irked by how Jack seemed to fall back into his normality after they'd almost christened what looked like a newly furnished room. Maybe Daniel had gotten the signals wrong, not that Jack had exactly been subtle.

“What's this?” Jack was asking, pointing at a pure white marble statue.

“That's a statue of Lord Shiva,” Daniel said, noting that the serenity of the statue's smile and the comfort of its seated pose somehow gave away the reverence the sculptor must have felt.

“This thing real gold?” Jack asked, pointing at the trident in the statue's hand.

“Looks like it,” Daniel said. “I wouldn't touch that.”

“Can you believe this thing? Solid gold,” Jack was muttering, totally not listening to Daniel has he touched the pole under the trident and pulled it from the grasp of the statue.

At the same time, the wall behind Daniel's back swung back and he landed on the floor with a loud thud, left staring up at the dark ceiling of an even darker passageway. “I think you found something.”

Jack's face appeared above Daniel's with an annoying smile. “You don't say. How about that?”

Daniel let himself be pulled up, glaring at Jack . He peered down the passageway that led away from the bedroom. The wall still had hundreds of years old inscription with small drawings of long gone people. “Look,” Daniel whispered. “It's all here. Some kind of uprising. The sacred stones are hidden away by priests, where they await the return of Kali. We need to see what's down here.”

“I got a better idea,” Jack said. “Teal'c and I check it out, you stay here in case we don't come back.”

Daniel looked back and stared. “Okay, small change though. I will go with Teal'c and you can stay here.”

“You wouldn't say that if you saw the guy we tucked up in bed,” Jack explained.

“What makes you think you're better equipped?” Daniel asked, finding Jack O'Neill more annoying by the second.

Jack made a face and said, “You're an archaeologist. I'm thinking you're not really equipped to handle anything that isn't already dead.”

“And you are?” Daniel asked.

“As a matter of fact, I am,” Jack said.

“I'm not debating this, Jack. I came here for a reason and I'm not going without-”

“What? Your magic rocks?” Jack asked. “Because I thought there might another reason we're here.”

Daniel felt at a sudden loss for words. For a moment all he could think of was the Sankara stones, hiding away somewhere, waiting to be found. Fortune and glory. He took a moment and said, “I know why we're here.” Daniel turned to Teal'c. “You coming, Teal'c?”

Teal'c was watching Daniel closely. Daniel wouldn't reveal what he was thinking. He gave a small nod.

Jack shook his head. “Fine. I guess I'll stay here. But don't come running to me if a ton of history falls on your heads.”

Daniel tucked his shirt in and buttoned the cuffs of his sleeves as Jack helped Teal'c make two torches from chair legs and pieces of drapery. It broke the heart.

“Okay,” Jack said. “I'm waiting twenty minutes before I come after you. You two watch your backs.”

“Don't worry. We do this all the time.” Daniel gave Jack a small smile, taking a torch from his hand, and stepped into the passageway.

***

“Okay, Teal'c. Stay behind me. Don't touch anything. Step where I step,” Daniel murmured as Teal'c shook his head and removed a huge spider that had dropped onto Daniel's shoulder, unknown to the other man.

Daniel stopped for a moment, his attention going to what looked like a door, covered in dust and cobwebs. Daniel reached for the knob on the door and pulled. A moment later two skeletons came flying out from behind it, straight at Daniel and Teal'c. They pushed the skeletons away, letting them fall to the floor.

Daniel visibly shuddered and looked at Teal'c. “There's just no getting used to that.”

Teal'c nodded. “Indeed.”

They walked on finding more skeletal remains, some still wearing manacles, some with remnants of age old finery. The walls still had fading paintings from when this might not have been such a secret place. Daniel carefully ran his torch over all the paintings, his eyes bright in the dark as he scanned the images.

“It's all here,” he whispered. “My grandfather said Doctor Jones talked about secret passageways and underground caverns in the lost paper, but the Indian government denied everything when they cleaned up the palace. Said it was all a big hoax, the stones, the child abductions. All of it. The ravings of a mad man, they said.”

Something crunched under their feet and Teal'c looked down, pointing the torch low to find a carpet of crawling insects. When Teal'c looked back up, Daniel's jaw was clenched.

“It seems someone has gone to great length to dissuade anyone from attempting to explore this part of the palace,” Teal'c said.

“I would have to concur, Teal'c,” Daniel said, slowly making his way. “Over there. I think it's a room.”

Teal'c followed Daniel into an oddly open part of the tunnel. He ran his torch along the walls and then noticed grooves in the ground. Like something fit into them. Teal'c watched as Daniel stepped right on top of a groove. Something rumbled.

Suddenly a wall smashed down hard behind Daniel. They both stared at it and as realization dawned, a second wall had already smashed down on the other side of the room, trapping them both in the little room.

Teal'c said, “Did your grandfather mention this predicament?”

Daniel's face was unreadable in the dark, his tone dry when he said, “It must have slipped his mind.”

***

Jack had quickly run back to his room to put on his jacket and grab his bag, just in case the situation called for a quick exit. He checked the clip in his gun and kept a hold of it while he watched the lump under under covers on the bed still fidgeting and grunting.

Jack went to the bed, threw back the covers, showed the man his gun, making sure he heard the safety go off.

“Gonna be quiet?” Jack asked, gesturing to his gun.

The man didn't say anything, but he narrowed his eyes and stilled considerably. Jack took a chance and loosened the gag, pulling it away.

“So, want to tell me what's going on here?”

The man said nothing, giving Jack a sullen look, his eyes flicking to the gun for a second.

“Doctor Kumar send you?” Jack asked quietly.

The man looked at the gun and gave a resentfully slow nod.

“Why?” Jack asked.

The man smirked a little and said in heavily accented English. “You ask too many questions.”

“Yeah. Bad habit.” Jack smirked back and pulled the gag back into place and covered the man again, letting him resume his grunts of objection. That was when Jack heard the yelling.

Jack could just faintly hear Daniel shouting 'Jack!' and Teal'c shouting 'O'Neill!'.

“Way to be discreet, fellas,” Jack said as he took off into the tunnel, satchel swung across his body, gun in one hand and a fiery torch in the other. He grimaced at the human remains and bugs he found on the way, finding it all a little too cliché as far as scare mongering went.

Jack followed the urgent yelling to a large wall. “Daniel? Teal'c?”

“Yeah, we're in here!” Daniel yelled, sounding a little relieved. “Jack, we're in a little trouble. We need you to pull a lever that's probably on the outside of this wall.”

Jack sighed and shook his head, tucking the gun into his pocket and waving a hand at the wall. “I don't see anything.”

“Look closer. It's probably hidden!” Daniel yelled, panicked.

Jack nodded. “Of course it's hidden. How could I be so stupid?” Jack waved his torch over the wall, getting a better look. “Okay, I see at least a dozen holes here, Daniel.”

“The far right one, reach into the right one. It should have a handle or something,” Daniel said.

Jack looked at the furthest right hole, filled with goo and bugs. “You sure?”

“Jack!” Daniel yelled.

Jack swore under his breath and rolled up the sleeve of his jacket before reaching in, only something came out and grabbed his hand almost making him yell. He recognized Teal'c's muscled arm very well. The hand let go of his wrist and Jack peered into the gunk free hole to see Teal'c's face, which was expressionless and his voice flat as he said, “This is the wrong hole.”

“This thing is full of holes!” Jack snapped.

“Jack, you need to hurry up or that wall's not going to be the only thing full of holes,” Daniel said.

Jack nodded and ran to the other hole, even gunkier more attractive to the bugs inside it. He made a face and shook his head. Then he shoved his hand in, reaching out for anything that felt like a handle or lever. His fingers brushed something hard and cold, metal, but it was too far too grip and he had to lean in close enough to see the bugs crawling up his arm in clear detail. He looked away only to find something crawling up his arm and his neck instead.

He made a noise of objection somewhere in his throat and shoved his hand just a little further, grabbing the rod that came into his hands and then pulling it back with all his might. There was a series of heavy clunking noises, machinery grating. Jack pulled out his arm and shook off the bugs, ruffling his hair just to be safe.

In front of him the wall lifted up and Jack could see another wall a few feet away also disappearing into the ceiling. In front of him Daniel was crouched on the ground looking a little stunned and shaken while Teal'c was staring at Jack with a look that said someone was making assumptions about someone else's brain cells.

“I think the words you're looking for are thank you,” Jack said dryly as he pulled his baseball cap out of his back pocket and slapped it on his head to ward off creepy things that might otherwise be attracted to his head. “Okay... gyah.”

Daniel was up and out of the room quick as Teal'c seemed to take a deep breath and compose himself.

“You guys really need to be more careful,” Jack said. “Maybe a rule. One where you don't touch anything.”

“Indeed,” Teal'c said heavily just as Jack sighed and put out a hand to lean against the wall, receiving a 'Jack!' and 'O'Neill!' simultaneously, followed by the room rumbling.

A wall slammed shut behind him and the one opposite started a slow descent. Daniel was already out and Teal'c running and turning and watching for Jack as he watched the wall. The guy was crazy because Jack could see it in his eyes that he had every intention of trying to hold up that descending wall if it came to that. Fortunately, Jack was quick. He ran and skidding across the fall, falling low as he did, his head missing the wall by inches, but his cap falling off. Without thinking, he reached under the almost descended wall, grabbed it and then pulled.

The room behind them closed off and Jack sat on the floor breathing hard. He took a deep breath and brushed off the baseball cap, putting it on his head as he got to his feet, finding Teal'c and Daniel staring at him like he had an extra head.

Jack shrugged. “It's my favourite.”

They were careful as they walked away from the death trap and through the dark winding passageway ahead of them, cold and dusty. Teal'c was behind Jack and Daniel leading the way in front, holding their dimming torch as he looked for clues along the walls.

“Wait,” Teal'c said, stopping behind Jack.

Jack and Daniel turned around to look at him, his head tilted as he frowned. He turned away from them and towards a boarded up part of the passageway. Teal'c made an easy task of pulling away the rotting wood and revealing a hidden passageway. Even in the dark, there seemed to be a source light that gave it a dim glow at the end.

“Light,” Daniel said. “Someone's down there.”

“Sure,” Jack said. “Or something.”

Daniel frowned at Jack. “Thing?”

“I've seen this movie. There's always a something,” Jack said.

Teal'c arched an eyebrow, something he seemed to do an awful lot. Then he reached behind and brought out Kishan's revolver, the click of the safety audible in the silence. Jack nodded and reached back to the waistband of his pants, pulling out his own gun.

Daniel looked at Teal'c and Jack and nodded. “You realize that one shot out of either of those guns could probably collapse this whole place on our heads?”

“No,” Jack said. “I realize you might be jealous though.”

Daniel looked at Teal'c who definitely had a quirk to the corner of his mouth. Who knew, Jack thought, the big fella had a sense of humour after all. Daniel on the other hand gave them the skunk eye and headed into the newly revealed passageway.

The passageway seemed to get brighter and brighter as they made their way, even though it was by a very little amount. Still, when their torch burnt out, there was enough light to carry on down the passageway. It took them out to a ledge and the definite sound of breaking rocks. Jack motioned to Daniel and Teal'c to crouch down behind a low rock wall that allowed them some view of the people down below.

Guards in black were walking back and forth with large staffs as they watched men and children working on the rocky walls, filling up small baskets that were then taken to be carted away. They ranged from the very young to adults that had the heavier and harder tasks. Jack clenched his jaw tight when he noticed the shackles that held them in place, binding them to their partners.

Daniel was turning to look at Jack, eyes troubled. Then he looked across at Teal'c. “Teal'c?” But Teal'c was staring down at the scene of chained workers and guards, the light from the numerous torches flickering wildly in his dark eyes. “Teal'c?”

Teal'c remained entranced. Jack reached out carefully and put a hand on Teal'c's shoulder. “Teal'c?”

Teal'c suddenly turned to look at Jack, snapped out of his thoughts. There was something like fear and perhaps anger on his face. “Rampal said there is evil here. It appears he was right.”

Jack nodded mutely, waiting to see what his companions would do. Neither said a word. Jack took a deep breath and said, “Look, let's get a lay of the land here and get the hell out. We'll come back when we can help these people. Right now, three guys with two guns between them isn't enough.”

Teal'c looked at Daniel and nodded. “O'Neill is right.”

Jack gave a sigh of relief. “Okay, let's move.”

***

Daniel noticed a little more urgency in Jack after they witnessed what had happened to the kidnapped men and stolen children. It made Daniel wonder if Jack had any intention of coming back. Oddly, somewhere in the pit of his stomach he believed that Jack would keep to his word. But then, who could walk away from what they had seen?

“I don't understand,” Daniel whispered as they virtually jogged down a passageway in the hope of finding their way back out. “What's Vijay getting out of this? It doesn't make any sense.”

“Magic rocks,” Jack muttered.

Daniel shook his head. “No, there's something else going on here. He's got Pankot, he's got credentials and he's got financial backers. Why would he risk all that by resurrecting an old myth and abducting all these people? It's insane.”

“Not if he is acting on someone else's wishes, Daniel Jackson,” Teal'c said quietly.

Daniel stopped in his tracks and looked at Teal'c, stopping the other two men as well. The look on his face said they were in the middle of something terrible and maybe Teal'c knew what it was. “What?” Daniel asked.

“Look, we can talk about this out of--” Jack started, but stopped when he obviously became distracted by the sound they were all hearing. His gun was raised and ready in a second. “Hear that?” Jack asked.

Daniel nodded, listening to the faint sound of music. He could hear a low thump of drums, the sharp tinkle of bells and the thrum of low voices in prayer. It was hypnotic and low, lulling and lifting. “Prayer,” Daniel said, looking at Teal'c for answers.

Teal'c turned towards Jack, but didn't look at him. “We must investigate this.”

“Teal'c-” Jack started, looking weary.

Daniel nodded. “Jack, we have to know what's going on here. The more we know, the better we have a chance of getting the police involved.”

“I told you, you don't need to worry about that,” Jack said.

Teal'c didn't wait for an answer from Jack and walked away towards the sound as Jack let out an exasperated, “Damn it, Teal'c!”

Daniel gave Jack a look. “Look, if Teal'c thinks something's not right here, I think we need to check it out.”

Jack shook his head, letting out a weary breath. Then he nodded towards where Teal'c had disappeared and let Daniel lead the way.

Daniel jogged down the passageway, saw the opening ahead, walked into the shadow and found himself in the dark on a ledge where Teal'c was lying on his stomach and watching. Daniel lay down next to him, Jack catching up and taking a place next to Daniel.

The ledge overlooked a vast cavern lit by hundreds of torches, it's ceiling resting on stony pillars. Below he could see lines of men standing deathly still and staring ahead where their was a huge statue of Kali, her arms out at her sides and her red tongue stuck out under wide glowing eyes. Inside the cage of her rings was a small altar that held three stones. Three stones that were glowing bright.

“Sankara,” Daniel whispered, almost unable to pull his eyes away from the site to take in everything else.

Below the statue was a stone altar on a raised platform that left all the observers looking up from where they stood. Guards dressed in black stood everywhere, ramrod straight with veils that covered half of their faces, attached to small, round, black turbans, each one wearing a single thick black mark on their forehead, stretching upwards from between their eyes.

“What the hell is this?” Jack whispered.

Daniel shook his head. “I don't know.”

“They are waiting,” Teal'c said gravely.

“For what?” Jack asked.

“I think we're about to find out,” Daniel said, even more hushed as someone started to sound a gong, prompting the lines of men to start chanting. Daniel could just about make out the words, the prayer for Kali. The prayer for strength.

“What's going on?” Jack asked, voice hushed.

“They're calling for Kali.” Daniel said, eyes fixed on the scene below, the low hum of prayer buzzing in his skull.

A sudden hush fell throughout the cavern. A lone figure was making its way to the huge statue of Kali. Her steps were slow and careful, like the measured movements of a dancer. Her skirt fell around her legs like water and shone like the colour of a black cobra's skin, her corset the same material. A translucent veil covered half of her face, the same material as a train that fell from the back of her corset. Her wrists were adorned with heavy gold bracelets and earrings like drops of melting gold hung from her ears. Even in the vastness of the cavern, the sound of ankle bells echoed with each footfall, sometimes with a matched glimmer where the light caught under her skirts. Dark, almost black, henna decorated her hands and beyond, right to the crook of her arms. Her eyes were lined black too, thick and dark against her dusky skin. She turned towards the chanting crowd and held up a hand, her bracelets making a sudden and sharp sound. Silence followed.

Her head turned slowly to a guard and she gave the slightest of nods, her body otherwise still, tall and regal. The guard disappeared for a moment and when he returned a minute later it was with two more guards following him, holding up a man between them. The man was dragged kicking and yelling to the altar beneath Kali's statue, the mysterious woman following. The man wasn't going to lie down of his own accord, so it was a surprise when the guards stepped away from him. He looked at them in surprise and then confusion as he saw the woman approach, one hand gingerly holding her skirts. Her other hand came up swiftly, spread out in front of his face, which was engulfed in bright light. The tension from his body disappeared and he simply stared into the light, easily pushed back on the altar by the guards.

As he lay there, another guard brought out a bronze jar. The woman put her hand into it and pulled out what appeared to be a snake at first glance, but then Daniel noticed the small pin pricks of red and the opening and closing of a strangely square mouth on the writhing reptile.

“Crap,” Jack whispered as Daniel turned to stare at Teal'c.

Teal'c face was stern as he watched, jaw clenched. Daniel turned back to the scene and watched the woman placing the snake on the man's stomach where it slithered and curled before slowly moving up the body towards the man's throat. Teal'c tensed next to Daniel and Daniel found his hand shooting out to grab Teal'c wrist, to remind him they couldn't let themselves be found out.

The snake reached the man's throat, slithered around it, went as far his chin and then simply slithered away back to its original spot. The woman reached out and picked up the snake, letting it wrap around her wrist for a moment before replacing it in its jar. She held out a hand then and a moment later a guard handed her a smaller bronze jar. She neared the man on the altar, still lying almost comatose. A guard held the man's mouth open and the woman began to pour its contents into the man's mouth. The jar clattered to the floor when it was presumably empty and she stepped away to watch the man suddenly come to life, only to writhe on the stone altar, crying out in pain before rolling off the altar and falling to the ground. He lay at her feet for the longest time, before beginning to slowly rise to his knees with a drunken sway. She held out her hand, the one with device that made him easier to control, fingers tipped in gold casing. He looked up and sighed, body relaxing before he smiled and fell at her feet.

“Kali ma... khush huyi,” the woman spoke and the unnatural timber of her voice seemed to echo throughout Pankot as her eyes lit bright with an unearthly light.

***

O'Neill moved quick, hauling Daniel up by his arm and dragging him back into the shadows of the narrow passageway. Teal'c followed, somewhat numb and dazed.

Daniel was slowing down, quite predictably. He wrenched his arm from O'Neill's grasp with a hushed yet harsh, “Jack, stop!”

O'Neill seemed resolute, something besides fear flickering in his eyes. Teal'c listened silently as the other man spoke. “Look, whatever that is back there, we can't take it on, Daniel. Not three of us. But I know people who can, so right now we just have to get the hell out of here.”

Daniel seemed to struggle with whatever it was he wanted to say. Teal'c could almost see the way he was desperate to lay their secrets and struggles of the past months bare. “Jack... you don't understand what's going here. That woman... she's more dangerous than you think. We can't just leave.”

O'Neill was grim and Teal'c sensed that their situation was not about to improve. “Daniel,” O'Neill's plea was a weary one. “If we get caught, we can't do anything, but if we leave now we can save those people down there.”

Daniel closed his eyes in frustration before explaining, “You have no idea-”

“Goa'uld, right?” O'Neill said, his voice hard. “Parasites that live in host bodies. Trust me. I know people who will know what to do.”

Daniel took a step back as if someone had pushed him away. He seemed unable to say anything, so Teal'c took matters into his own hands by punching O'Neill hard in the face, sending him to the ground. Daniel remained where he stood, silent and shocked, a betrayed look on his face, so painfully visible it made Teal'c want to hit O'Neill again. O'Neill cursed and got back on his feet, shaking off insects he'd acquired while on the ground. He held his hand to his nose, sniffing and scowling at Teal'c.

“Who are you?” Teal'c asked.

“Hey, I was coming to that part before you decided to give me a concussion,” O'Neill said, shamelessly accusatory.

“You're from the SGC,” Daniel said quietly. “It's the only way you'd know about the Goa'uld.”

O'Neill appeared a little more remorseful as he looked at Daniel. “Daniel... I couldn't say--”

“How quick can you get them down here?” Daniel asked, his face closed off now, cold under the small flickers of light that crept into the passageway.

“I have some friends, they could be here pretty quick,” Jack said.

“Are they close by?”Daniel asked.

O'Neill sighed and shook his head. “I don't know. I think our little dip in the river might have damaged my tracking device, but if I can find a phone-”

“Tracking device?” Daniel asked with a raised eyebrow.

O'Neill sighed and lifted one foot. “It's in my shoe.”

Teal'c glared at O'Neill and his shoe, Daniel seemed too stunned to say anything. Teal'c asked, “How will you contact your people?”

“One phone call,” O'Neill said. “Five minutes tops.”

“You see a phone nearby?” Daniel asked dryly.

O'Neill gave Daniel an even look. “Kumar had one in his room.” When Daniel seemed to have nothing to say, O'Neill added, “We can help these people, Daniel.”

“I suppose me and Teal'c have to come with you,” Daniel said quietly. “Wouldn't want to lose track of us now, would you?”

O'Neill stiffened and spoke evenly. “I've been following you for two months, Daniel. You think I couldn't have called the SGC and had you hauled away by now? Do you even want to know why I didn't do that?”

Daniel stared back at O'Neill. “Right. How could anything you're saying right now possibly be a lie?”

O'Neill stepped back with a nod. He turned to Teal'c. “We can't stay here.”

Teal'c nodded slowly. “And we can not come with you.”

O'Neill nodded back. “I need to contact the SGC, tell them we have have a Goa'uld on the loose. You two get of here.” O'Neill looked at Daniel, but Daniel appeared uninterested. O'Neill told him, “I'll see you around. Both of you.”

O'Neill gave Daniel a final look and ran off down the corridor. Daniel watched him for a moment before turning to go in the other direction.

Teal'c grabbed his arm. “Daniel Jackson.”

Daniel looked at Teal'c. “The SGC works fast, Teal'c. They're not going to wait around to make friends with the local authorities. If they've been keeping track of Jack, they'll be here in no time.”

“What are your intentions?” Teal'c asked. Daniel said nothing, but a twitch near his mouth gave him away. “You intend to go after the stones.”

“There's a reason that Goa'uld wants the stones, Teal'c. That reason could spell freedom for you,” Daniel said.

Teal'c stepped in close to Daniel. “We must leave this place. My freedom is worthless if the SGC takes you as a prisoner, Daniel Jackson.”

Daniel gave a slow nod. “Then I guess we'll both have to get away as far as we can from this place.”

With that Daniel was pulling away from Teal'c stalking away with purpose. Teal'c followed, more than hopeful that he might face the woman with glowing eyes and squeeze the light out of them with his own bare hands.

***

Jack rushed back into Teal'c's room, gun held out and ready to shoot the first pair of bright eyes that might have glowed at him. He was almost by the door when he realized something was amiss. Jack turned and went to the bed and pulled back the covers. The man that Teal'c had tied and left in the bed was gone and no doubt others had been alerted about the entrance to the tunnel. There was no way he would get to Kumar's room unnoticed. There was only one chance left and it was a hopeless one at that.

Jack slipped out of the room carefully and down the hall into his own. The room was empty, but that didn't mean no one knew he was back here. Jack went to his satchel, tipping it out and picking up the cellphone that dropped on the bed. He made one last attempt to turn it on, but he figured that even if it worked despite the water damage, the battery was probably beyond dead by now. He was right, the phone remained dead. Jack grunted in annoyance and threw it across the room where it hit the rug with a muffled thud. And then began to glow.

Jack saw the screen light up and rushed towards the phone, only by the time he reached it, the door to the room swung open and a group of men dressed in black robes and turbans walked in. Jack's gun was aimed to shoot in an instance, but something silvery was flying through the air and something sharp cut the back of his hand, the gun falling on the ground. Jack swung around from the force of the missile that flew past him to see a knife embedded in the wall as if it had always been there. When he looked down at the back of his hand he saw a large angry gash, a bloody gaping smile turning his hand red.

He looked up and saw the man that had thrown the knife. The man that had been left tied up in Teal'c's room. He had a malevolent smile on his face that told Jack to brace himself.

***

By the time they crept down to Kali's statue, the cavern had emptied out, taking with it the sounds of hypnotic prayer. There weren't as many torches here, which meant most of the cavern was now plunged into darkness, save for Kali's statue and the bloody altar in front of it. Daniel could feel his heart thundering inside his chest as he waited to get close to the stones, Teal'c holding him back several times when he realised there were still guards lingering here and there. Finally, when the cavern was empty, Teal'c let go of Daniel's arm and he almost ran.

There they were, three stones ominously glowing on a plinth built inside Kali's black ribs, each stone marked with three lines. “Sankara,” Daniel whispered. “They're real. I can't believe this.”

He stood there, watching in fascination everything around him so dark and cold, the warmest place inside this dark cavern inside Kali's heart.

Someone touched his shoulder and Daniel almost jumped out of his skin, turning to see Teal'c looking concerned. “We must hurry.”

Daniel nodded and reached for a stone, watching the glow inside dim as it was taken away from the others. He brought it closer to the others again to see the glow return. “Look, it stops glowing when it's not with the others,” Daniel said.

“Daniel Jackson,” Teal'c said more firmly.

Daniel nodded and handed one stone to Teal'c, taking the other two. He turned to Teal'c only Teal'c seemed entranced by something.

“What?” Daniel said.

Teal'c turned around and Daniel saw they weren't alone. A woman stood there, only her eyes visible, the rest of her face obscured by a silky veil. He could still tell she was smiling, her eyes fixed on Teal'c. She wasn't moving to do anything, which prompted Daniel to turn around only to find a group of guards armed with swords and shotguns staring him down.

“I believe you have something that belongs to me,” the woman said.

Daniel turned back to see her holding out her hand, fingers spread out and a crystal glowing in the palm of her hand.

A flash of light then and nothing else.

***

Jack was sitting in a musty cell when Daniel and Teal'c were unceremoniously thrown in by some big guards. Teal'c seemed hard to throw under any circumstances and was really more pushed in before he came to a stop to glare at the guards while Daniel landed hard on his side. When Daniel looked up from the ground he seemed out of breath, blinking and squinting, his glasses gone. There was bruise on his cheek, red and raw skin, almost as red as the bloody cut on his bottom lip. Teal'c similarly had a deep cut running down his forehead and into his right brow, a bloody tinge to the left of his mouth.

Daniel sat up slowly as Teal'c went to stand by the cell door, all quiet simmering rage. Jack reached out to help Daniel sit up against the wall, receiving a half-hearted shove that flared up the pain in his ribs where a guard had booted him good.

“Nice one, boys,” Jack said with a smile.

Daniel gave him a frosty look, his face a contrast of colours, all pale skin, blue eyes and angry bruising. “I don't see your friends anywhere either.”

“About that,” Jack said.

Daniel closed his eyes and sighed, letting his head drop against the wall. “Great. That's just great.”

“Hey, don't forget, there's still the...” Jack said, prodding Daniel's ankle with his boot.

Daniel looked down at Jack's foot. “Great. It's good to know out fate is in your shoe.”

Jack gave Daniel a long look. “Okay, so we've got some trust issues.”

Daniel rolled his eyes and looked away with a shake of the head.

“You know, instead of shaking your head from up on that high horse of yours you could let me explain,” Jack said. “I'm not here for my health. I'm using vacation time here.”

“Explain?” Daniel asked. “What? How you followed me and Teal'c so the SGC could take us back to the place we're running from? I was such an idiot, willing to believe that you were...”

Daniel tailed off, his mouth becoming aimless around whatever he was about to say.

“What?” Jack asked quietly.

“A friend,” Daniel said with a nod. “I was hoping we'd found a friend.”

“You did, Daniel,” Jack said. “You've got the wrong idea about why I'm here.”

“The SGC didn't send you to find us and bring us back?” Daniel asked, looking straight into Jack' s eyes.

Jack made a face and scratched the back of his head. “Look--”

“This issue is of no consequence,” Teal'c said from the cell door.

Both men looked up at him. Jack asked, “What do you mean?”

“It does not matter why you are here. We must all work together now,” Teal'c said.

Jack pointed at Teal'c. “I like the way you think. Got a plan?”

“No,” Teal'c said gravely.

Jack nodded and then blew out a breath before looking at Daniel. “Seriously, I could have been catching some bass right now.”

Daniel was back to glaring full throttle. Jack opened his mouth to speak, or make things worse knowing himself, but Daniel spoke before he could say anything. “Explain then,” Daniel said. “Explain what you're doing here.”

Teal'c was turning around slowly to look at Jack too. Jack nodded. “Okay. I will. General Hammond hauled my ass out of retirement to look for you guys and bring you back to work for the SGC.”

“From inside a prison cell?” Daniel asked.

Jack made a face. “No. Look, Hammond reviewed all the files of everything that's happened since the gate program was reopened. He figures you'd both be an asset to the SGC. And I happen to agree with him.”

Daniel's eyes said he didn't believe this for a second. “I've never heard of this General Hammond.”

“He's the new guy. West left before he could get fired by the Joint Chiefs,” Jack said. Daniel still looked as though he didn't believe word. “Look, nothing I can say is going to make you believe me, but anything's got to be better than the way you two are living. I've been tailing you for two months and you're not going to be able to keep going like this. You're pretty much running out of planet here.”

“Right,” Daniel said. “So, if we refuse to come back with you?”

“The SGC drags you back to remind you about the confidentiality clause and then waves you goodbye,” Jack said. Then he looked at Teal'c. “You'd still have a place at the SGC, Teal'c, whether you're interested in helping or not.”

“They'd lock Teal'c up?” Daniel asked.

“Look, he's been on Earth for eight months. The guy's a security risk, don't give me that look, those aren't my rules,” Jack said. “On the other hand, Teal'c, if you worked for the SGC, proved your loyalty by helping to protect the planet against these Goa'uld... well, Hammond's a real reasonable guy. No one's waiting to lock you up and throw away the key. I'm not here to catch you guys. I'm here to tell you that you can stop running.”

Daniel was nodding. “How long did it take you to come up with that winning speech?”

Jack stared at Daniel. “Probably not as long as you think.”

Daniel glared at Jack and said, “Teal'c saved the lives of a whole unit. He turned his back on his people and got us all home safely and General West wanted him to be carted away to Area 51 so they could experiment on him. If it wasn't for Teal'c, I'd probably be a member of Apophis's family right now.”

“I know,” Jack said. “Kawalsky told me. So did Ferretti. ”

Daniel was silent for a moment. Then he shook his head and said, “You have no idea.”

“Hammond read your report and he agrees we should be looking at the addresses you found on the cartouche in Abydos and he happens to have the Joint Chiefs backing. He's got his own people coming in and West's people are on their way out. You can trust this guy.”

Daniel looked at Jack, held his gaze. “The Abydonians saved my life and the lives of Colonel Cromwell's men. There was this one woman, Sha're, she died saving us from Ra when her people rebelled and now Apophis has her brother. I promised his father I'd find him. We should be out there, looking for him, stopping these Goa'uld. General West, all he wanted to do was send more nukes to the addresses on the cartouche. He wouldn't even listen to me and Teal'c. I lived with those people for a year and the SGC just wanted me to walk out and never look back. Why should I work for them?”

Jack looked at a loss for words, but Teal'c broke the silence and said, “Perhaps, it is for the greater good, Daniel Jackson.” Daniel stared at Teal'c who looked back with a gentle smile on his face. “If there is a chance we can fight the Goa'uld, then we must.”

Daniel cocked a thumb at Jack. “You honestly believe this guy?”

Jack gave a protest of, “Hey!”

Teal'c looked at Jack as if searching for the truth, his gaze dark and focused. When Daniel looked at Jack he found Jack was not evading Teal'c's look, looking back unflinchingly.

Jack said, “Look, I trust Hammond and right now, we're not really in the best place for telling more lies, so believe me when I tell you I'm on the level here. You can trust me. Just... give me a chance. You know, providing we actually make it out alive.”

Daniel looked at Teal'c finding the other man looking all too willing to believe Jack. It was amazing, but Daniel had never thought he'd see this day. The day when he couldn't trust Teal'c's judgement. Teal'c gave Jack a thoughtful nod, which could have meant anything, but probably meant Jack had somehow earned one chance to prove himself. All he earned from Daniel was another glare.

Jack, looking to be of the shameless variety smiled and said, “Give it time, you'll learn to like me.”

“If we live that long,” Daniel said calmly.

***

They remained in the cell for what felt like the duration of the night and when the torches lighting the passage outside the cell began to dim, six hefty guards appeared with rifles slung over their shoulders attached to leather straps and daggers attached to leather belts. Teal'c could find no signs of Goa'uld weaponry and in the place of an identifying tattoo on the foreheads of the guards was a simple black line painted on in the centre and shaped like a stretched tear drop.

One guard opened the door and motioned for Teal'c to leave, while two others came into the cell and grabbed Daniel, pulling him to his feet and shoving him towards Teal'c. O'Neill sat watching with eagle eyes. Teal'c knew O'Neill was looking for the opportunity to attack or steal a weapon, but one guard had his rifle trained on Daniel, using it to shove Daniel in the back. Teal'c was pushed from behind until he stood with Daniel, their hands being manacled behind their backs as a guard closed the cell door.

O'Neill left behind to watch their retreat as Daniel and Teal'c were harshly poked and pushed down dark winding passageways until they reached a large round chamber. It was brighter than all the catacombs, torches and thick candles illuminating every crack in the old rock walls. Teal'c watched as Daniel's manacles were unlocked and he was pushed to his knees, while Teal'c was pushed towards a wooden post before his manacled hands were tied high to a chain that was pulled over a bar, hoisting his hands high above his head. Teal'c could see an array of metal instruments on a wooden table by one wall and reminded himself to remain fearless.

The guards assembled themselves around the room and Teal'c could hear the sound of bracelets clinking together, perhaps the slight tinkles of a pair of anklets. The woman appeared soon after, her eyes glowing upon seeing Teal'c and Daniel.

“Jai, Kali,” the guards all greeted her in unison.

Kali, Teal'c thought, unheard of for a long time, lost to some old world. He had never thought he would find her here, on the first world.

She reached for the veil across her face and pulled it aside to reveal a face with sharp features, thickly black lined almond eyes, a full red mouth and shining dusky skin. She moved towards Teal'c as if she were slithering across the ground. She leaned in, looked at him, smiled and turned away to look at Daniel.

“Daniel Jackson,” she said, her Goa'uld voice deep and vibrating within the walls. “I am told you are a scholar.”

“You are?” Daniel asked, trying not to look unnerved, but Teal'c heard the breathlessness in his question. “By whom exactly?”

Kali smiled. “By my most faithful servant.” She turned back to beckon someone further into the chamber and Vijay Kumar walked in, a look of pride on his face. “Come, beloved.”

Daniel was staring at Kumar. “You have know idea what you're getting yourself into.”

Kumar's lip curled in clear disinterest as he stood there, hands in pockets, presumably already having assumed some misplaced sense of importance in Kali's presence.

“You said there was a third one,” Kali said.

“He's of no use. A travelling companion. Jackson is the one of interest as you may recall from my mention of his rather interesting theories,” Kumar said, smiling down at Daniel.

“You are mistaken,” Kali said, turning towards Teal'c. “This is our most cherished guest here. What is you name?”

Teal'c remained silent and staring ahead of him, but Kumar answered, “I heard one of them call him Teal'c.”

“Teal'c,” Kali said as she reached up and touched his tattoo. “The cherished sign of the serpent. First Prime to Apophis. That is a high honour. Where is Apophis?”

Teal'c said nothing, ignoring the way Kali tilted her head from side to side, as if waiting to for the right moment to bite. She surprised him by turning her back on him and focusing her attention on Daniel again.

“I intend to leave this planet and will not spend a moment longer than necessary here. Lead me to the surya chakram and you will be rewarded,” she said.

Teal'c saw Daniel glance at him. Kali was looking for the sun ring.

“And if we can't?” Daniel asked.

Kali didn't even wait a second before raising her hand and stretching it out above Daniel's forehead, encasing his whole face in the glow of her hand device. Teal'c clenched his jaw as he watched Daniel shudder and clench in pain. Kali pulled her hand away moments later and Daniel's whole body sagged under the release as he breathed harshly.

“Then you will die,” Kali said.

Daniel looked up at her weakly. “Why can't you go back the way you came here?”

Kali didn't say anything, she just seemed to stare at Daniel in a resentful manner. Daniel couldn't leave it alone. “Let me guess. It's what you have all those kids digging for. Not the stones. A way to get home.”

Kumar was laughing. “You disappoint me Doctor Jackson. Don't you understand? The Sankara stones are the way home.”

Daniel was staring at Kali and Kumar, shock visible on his face. Kali seemed pleased by the reaction, smiling and walking away to sit on a throne that was half in shadows. Kumar went to kneel by Daniel.

“I take it you've heard of the lost paper of Doctor Henry Jones, one where he made wild claims about resurrected cults, child abductions and magic stones,” Kumar said with a knowing smile. Daniel just stared past Kumar, looking at Kali who smiled from the shadows as Kumar continued. “Little did he know that perhaps even Mola Ram didn't have a clue to why he needed those stones.”

“He was working for you,” Daniel said, eyes wide and unmoving from Kali who grew further pleased.

“Under Kali's instructions Mola Ram resurrected the Thuggee and had the local children abducted to dig the catacombs for the remaining stones... and her ship,” Kumar said, smiling and standing up.

“The crystals were hidden in the stones that passed into numerous human legends,” Kali interrupted. “While my ship lay safe from the prying eyes of Ra. How is Ra?”

“Dead,” Daniel replied.

“Good.” Kali smiled. “When my life was in danger, a loyal follower put me to rest in these catacombs where Mola Ram once again awoke me.”

Daniel nodded slowly. “But you can't remember where you buried the stones.”

“The stones were buried by my followers... as was my ship,” Kali said. “I have the three stones I require. Once I find my ship, I can leave this place. But, if there is a surya chakram on this world, then I do not require the ship. And there is most certainly a chakram on this world,” she said, turning to throw Teal'c a look.

Daniel nodded. “Well, maybe there is, but we don't know anything about it.”

Kali looked amused. “The Jaffa are not of this world and your friend, he is Jaffa.”

Kumar look confused, something that Daniel seemed to notice. “Let me guess, you have no idea what she's talking about.”

Kumar ignored Daniel and looked at Kali who was now transfixed by Teal'c. She approached Teal'c and in one move bunched up the material of Teal'c's t-shirt in one hand and pulled at it, tearing it apart and revealing his pouch. Teal'c swallowed down the instant shame he felt at that part of him so openly and easily exposed.

Kumar seemed enthralled and confused, but stepped closer. That was when Kali ruthlessly drove her hand into Teal'c's pouch and pulled out the symbiote. Teal'c knew it would take minutes before he would feel the effects of its loss, but his body almost immediately felt hollow at seeing the worm writhe in Kali's hand. Kali brought it close to her face, her smiling mouth as she breathed in the parasite's presence.

Kumar was stumbling back and looking on in horror. “What is that thing?”

“It's a larval Goa'uld,” Daniel said. “It hasn't matured yet. When it does, it'll need a host and once it has a host it lives off that host like a parasite. Just like Kali is doing right now. I guess she didn't share that little secret with you.”

Kali, still holding up the symbiote, turned her head to smile at Daniel. “You know much of the Goa'uld for one who has never seen the chakram.”

Daniel said nothing, but looked at Kumar instead, probably wondering just like Teal'c about how much consideration Kumar must have given his allegiance and how much of the truth was really known to him.

“If you are of no use to me, I have no need of you,” Kali said quietly, pulling Daniel's attention from Kumar. “Tell me, where is it?”

“I don't know,” Daniel said.

Kali nodded. “So be it.” She back handed him hard enough that he toppled side ways, smashing hard onto the rock floor. Daniel lay there stunned, bleeding from a cut high on his cheek, eyes slit in confusion.

Kali turned to Teal'c and returned the symbiote that had remained clutched in her hand in an achingly slow manner. She then leaned in close to whisper, “What is a Goa'uld queen without a Jaffa? A First Prime. I long to return to the old ways. You will serve Kali now.”

Teal'c gave her a steady look. “I serve no one.”

“You are Jaffa. Born to serve the Goa'uld,” Kali replied.

“I choose to be free,” Teal'c replied, watching the increasing glow of her eyes.

“Then you will die,” Kali said with a smile.

Teal'c smiled back. “Then I shall die free.”

Kali stepped away as if she had been stung. “Insolence,” she whispered.

“The Goa'uld are not gods,” Teal'c said, stirred on by the venom he felt in his heart for the parasite that had taken the body of the woman before him. “And though the Jaffa are misguided and serve your kind today, the day will come when all Jaffa will be free.”

“You dare speak to me in such a manner?” Kali spat. She stepped closer to Teal'c, grabbing his throat, Goa'uld strength coursing through delicate hands. “You will serve Kali and you will end the life of that human with your own hands in front of me.”

Kali let go of Teal'c and motioned to the guards who started to release him from the chain. The manacles weren't off, but Teal'c took the first chance he found and head-butted a guard, kicking another in the stomach. But, with his hands tied, other guards were able to get behind him and subdue him, someone wrapping a thick chain around his neck, squeezing the air out of his body. Teal'c fell to his knees after what felt like an eternity of struggling against a number of guards kicking and kneeing him until he could do nothing but fall.

As Teal'c knelt on the ground, tilting sideways, hands manacled behind his back, he caught Daniel's eyes from where the other man was lying, still dazed. Then Teal'c line of sight became obscured by Kali's shining black skirt as she stepped in front of him. She took his chin in her hand and tilted it up. Teal'c saw the brass goblet in her hand and the gleam in her eyes.

“Drink this,” she said. “You will forget your thoughts of freedom.”

Teal'c pulled away from her touch, the feel of her hand on his skin unbearable. But she grabbed his face with more force and this time her eyes glowed when she said, “You have no choice. The destiny of the Jaffa is to serve, Teal'c.”

Teal'c let out a loud cry that echoed throughout the chambers as he surged upwards, his arms tensing like rocks as they worked to be free of the manacles. Kali's guards worked to subdue him once again, using their rifles as weapons to beat him until he fell once more, hoping he could die before ever having to serve the Goa'uld again.

Kali knelt by his side as he lay, floating in a haze of pain. She reached for the corner of his mouth, wiping away blood with her thumb, staring at it for the longest time before she used the same blood to decorate his forehead in one upward movement of her thumb pressed against his skin.

Teal'c felt other foreign hands on him, holding him down, someone holding open his mouth as Kali tipped the goblet against his lips and said, “This is the blood of Kali. We will be as one. Kali as your god and you as her beloved servant. You will praise her for she redeems you,” Kali whispered over him as the cold thick liquid went past his lips and touched his tongue.

Teal'c spat it out instantly, aware of the numerous methods the Goa'uld employed to brain wash people. But someone held him more steadfast, squeezing his nose so he had to open his mouth to breath and then, in it went, the so called blood of Kali. For all its coolness, by the time it touched his stomach his body felt ablaze. For a moment there was struggle between the hands over his body and the chanting of Kali and in the next moment there was a haze of blood red where everything became clammy and heated, where nothing made sense. Until...

Teal'c opened his eyes and saw the face of Kali, the glow of her eyes and the red of her smile. She told him, “You are my most loyal servant, Teal'c. The First Prime of Kali. Do not disappoint your god.”

Teal'c heart seemed to beat out a message, to remind him something, but the red haze covered everything and made him sick to his stomach when he tried to remember. Only Kali's voice seemed to touch him like a cool breeze and calm his nerves.

“Jai, Kali,” the guards said around him.

“Jai, Kali,” Teal'c repeated, ignoring an unconscious man on the floor, but wondering why he seemed so familiar.

***

Soon after Daniel and Teal'c had been taken, Jack was unceremoniously hauled up by the scruff of his neck and dragged away from the cell. He was shoved and poked along a passageway until it opened out in a large chamber filled with men and children lifting old fallen stones, breaking them into smaller pieces with hammers and pickaxes. The air smelled like damp, dirt, sweat and misery. Jack looked around at the men in the chamber, young, fit and healthy. He wondered why they didn't just pick up a hammer each and fight the guards whom they outnumbered. Given the right time, manacles could be smashed open with a hammer or pickaxe. Why were these people still here?

Jack received a hard shove that landed him on a pile of rubble. When he looked up he saw the guard he and Teal'c had momentarily subdued. He was smiling with satisfaction as another guard manacled one of Jack's ankles to a long chain. Then he was handed a small hammer and pointed towards a rock wall.

Jack lifted the corner of his mouth in what he hoped was an amused smile and perhaps a discreet message of 'you'll get yours'. He held up the hammer and said, “Got it.”

The guards moved on, leaving Jack with his pile of rubble and hammer. Once they were far enough, Jack grabbed the thick chain attached to his manacle and yanked it hard. Unfortunately the chain appeared to run through the manacles of many other men in the chamber and the nearest to Jack fell hard, losing his basket of broken rocks.

“Crap,” Jack muttered as guard saw the man fall. The behemoth of a guard reached for a coiled whip hooked on his belt. He unfurled it in one movement and raised his hand to whip the fallen man. Jack dropped his hammer and managed to get between the guard and other man, hands held up.

“My fault,” Jack said. “I got it, okay?” Jack backed away slowly, kneeling on the ground and retrieving the basket before refilling it with the rocks. He looked back at the glaring guard. “See? I got it.”

The guard took a menacing step towards Jack at which point Jack pretty much figured where this was heading. The backhanded punch to the jaw came first, knocking him to the ground and next came a booted foot resting on his back, pushing him and keeping him down. Jack got the message and stilled at which point the boot went away.

Jack heard the whip lash against the ground first and he swallowed hard, knowing that first lash against stone was a warning. A warning to him and all those watching. Jack clenched his jaw, waiting. The first lash struck and it was a shock of hot and cold, like being slashed with the sharpest knife edge. Jack clenched his fists tight against the ground. The second lash made him close his eyes as sweat almost broke out across his body in one moment, his heart hammering hard in his chest. The third lash made him cry out feeling like an electric layer of pain upon pain. Jack's swallowed hard and his hands seem to scrabble at the broken stones that lay just at his fingertips. He was breathing hard, his body a mass of tremors.

There was quiet behind Jack and he figured his cry had satisfied the guard. A moment later Jack was grabbed up by his arm and pushed against the wall. Through a haze of pain he could feel the hammer being placed in his hand. He had the foolish thought of smashing in the skull of this guard right now, but instead Jack promised silently, 'no, you'll get to be first later.'

The guard gave Jack a final shove and moved on, nudging the other fallen man with the tip of his boot as he left. Jack let out a breath and slid to the ground with a thump deciding that the chain and manacle around his foot was the first thing he was using that pickaxe on.

***

Teal'c's hand wrapped tight around Daniel's throat as he bodily lifted Daniel from his feet and smashed him up against the stony wall. All the while Kali sat on her throne and watched approvingly, Kumar standing just behind her throne, not looking as smug as he had initially appeared. He looked afraid.

“Where is it?” Kali asked.

Daniel wheezed, his hands trying to find purchase on the walls. “Why don't you just ask Teal'c?”

Kali appeared amused. “When a loyal servant drinks the blood of Kali-”

“The brainwashing causes memory loss,” Daniel managed to choke out. Kali looked annoyed. Teal'c was frowning. “Teal'c, it's why you don't remember me. She drugged you.”

“Enough!” Kali snapped.

Teal'c let go of Daniel and stepped back, almost robotic in demeanour, though there was something painful and dark glistening in his eyes. Daniel massaged the soreness around his throat as he gulped in as much air as he could.

Kali came to his side and knelt down, hissing, “If you can be of no use, death awaits you.”

“What happens once you find the chakram. You just disappear? I know what happens,” Daniel rasped. “I'm not helping you to enslave more people.”

Kali smiled. “I come to save these people. The men will worship me and the children, they will be as my children, my new Jaffa, once I have my ship. They will help me begin my new reign.”

Kali's eyes were glowing like bright jewels, like the bright eyes on the cloth Daniel had been obsessively staring at for so long. Daniel looked at the guards in the room, all unflinching, all dark eyed like Teal'c, trapped under Kali's spell. He wondered how many were loyal to this snake queen without even knowing it.

“I know what you are, what your kind are capable of,” Daniel said “Mola Ram should have left you where he found you. If he knew what you really are, maybe he would have.”

Kali reached out slowly, the clenching of her jaw visible. Her hand snaked into Daniel's hair, the music of her bracelets playing in his ears. Her fingers closed, her hold on his hair tight as she yanked his head back.

“I shall have you,” Kali whispered. “Kali ko bali chahiya. Bali mangti hai Kali ma,”

“No,” Daniel said. “Not Kali. A Goa'uld is asking for sacrifice. You're not Kali.”

“So be it,” the Goa'uld whispered, her voice distinct and without human sound at all. “The Goa'uld shall have you.”

***

Jack slumped with a grunt of pain, realizing that his shirt was sticking to his back where he was bleeding from the lashing. He reached behind to touch his back, finding a ripped and soaked shirt. Three good lashes was all it took. His hand came away bloody and he grimaced, wiping it on his pant leg.

A dented metal appeared in front of his face. Jack looked at it and the young boy who was offering him the cup of water. He couldn't have been older than nine or ten, a skinny kid with torn and worn out t-shirt and pants.

“Water,” the boy said in heavily accented English.

Jack nodded and took the cup, drinking the warm and gritty water in one gulp. “Thanks.” The boy nervously looked around and Jack said. “It's okay, the guard's gone.”

The boy relaxed a bit and nodded.

“I'm Jack. What's your name?” Jack asked.

“Arun,” the boy said. “That's my brother, Anil.” Jack turned and looked, wincing when the movement caused pain. Not far from them was another boy who looked around the same age, crouched on the ground and hammering away, his dark face covered in white dust.

“How old are you?” Jack asked, watching the boy working away in a miserably automatic manner.

“I'm eleven. Anil's going to be nine,” Arun said. Jack heard Arun shuffling moving around before coming to sit right in front of Jack. “You are an American.”

Jack shrugged. “Most of the time.”

Arun looked bemused, but was undeterred from adding. “Only people from the villages are brought here.”

Jack frowned at Arun. “You from one of the nearby villages?”

“The big house on the hill.” Arun nodded. He opened up his arms wide.

“With all the horses?” Jack asked.

Arun grinned and nodded.

Jack nodded, suspicion about the boy's parentage confirmed. “Tell me something, Arun. Anyone ever try to escape out of this place?”

Arun looked shocked and shook his head. “If any of the children try to escape the guards take them and change them.”

“Change them?” Jack asked. “What do you mean 'change'?”

Arun looked around and Jack saw him eyeing some of the slightly older boys and the men, all of whom were moving in a robotic vacant eyed fashion.

“You mean like those guys?” Jack asked slowly, catching Arun nodding again, looking grave and serious. “What happened to them?” Arun said nothing. Didn't even move. Jack could tell the young boy was clearly afraid. “Come on, I thought we were buddies here.”

Arun gave another cautious look around the room. Then he turned to Jack and whispered. “If the children don't do what they are told they are made to drink the blood of Kali. It makes you forget things. Changes you. Some of the children would not understand and asked to go home. They made them drink it.”

Jack slowly turned and looked back at Anil who seemed to have no care in the world and continued hammering at rocks, filling his little basket, unaware that there were others around him. Arun said, “Anil was crying. So they made him drink. I was supposed to look after him.”

Jack couldn't tear his eyes away from the lost boy, his own pain slowly fading, drowned out by the numerous sounds around him, the breaking rocks, metal on stone, the heavy shuffle of unthinking slaves who had fallen under the spell of Kali. In the distance someone was sounding a drum, the beats deep and far apart.

“What does that mean?”

Arun was listening to the sound and looking scared. “Someone will be sacrificed.”

Jack stared up into the dark of the cavern and listened to the sound. He couldn't help but think of the poor bastard they'd seen earlier, only now he was imagining Teal'c or Daniel in the man's place. The guards were beginning to gather. Jack stood up, pulling Arun with him and gesturing for him to get some distance.

Jack watched as the guards rounded up a large majority of the men in the cavern, pushing them towards one of the many passageways. Jack slipped the small hammer into his sleeve, the handle flush with his arm and the heavy metal bulk nested in the palm of his hand. The men were being led out of the cavern and Jack had every intention of going with them,

He had almost reached the line of zombie like workers when a muscular arm shot out in front of him. Jack followed it to the grim face of a guard. The guard shook his head, saying nothing. He then pointed back at the heaps of rock still waiting to be pounded into rubble and then pointed down at the chain linked to Jack's manacled foot.

“Let me guess,” Jack said. “Not invited to the party.”

The guard didn't flinch or respond. He just stared at Jack until Jack turned away from the glare. As he turned Jack thought two things. He could smash his hammer into the guard's skull right now and make a break for it or he could wait until half of these guards left with the workers they were ushering away and then get the hell out. But he figured he stood a better chance with the other guards gone. Then he was getting the hell out. And he was taking everyone with him.

***

Teal'c was carrying out the instructions of Kali like a zombie, his eyes dead and cold, catatonic almost. He thoughtlessly ripped Daniel's shirt off and placed a garland of pink and yellow flowers around his neck, their scent almost sickly sweet, making Daniel feel unsteady on his feet. He fell to the ground, sliding down against the rough rock wall, feeling all the bruises where Kali and inflicted Teal'c on him.

“Teal'c,” Daniel said, his body shuddering with exhaustion. “This isn't you Teal'c. You have to remember. You don't serve the Goa'uld. Kali is a false god.”

Teal'c tilted his head, like he was some kind of machine processing Daniel's words bit by bit. He slowly crouched down on the ground, frowning, his mouth turning down in disdain.

“Kali is my god,” Teal'c said simply, without an ounce of doubt in his voice.

Somewhere beyond the dark Kali was laughing, her laughter bouncing off the stone walls. “Take him to the cage,” she ordered.

Without hesitation, Teal'c pulled Daniel up by his arm while another guard took Daniel's other arm. Between them both men dragged Daniel out of the chamber and down a dark passage until they were out on in the largest of caves, the one where he had seen Kali for the first time, where he had heard the hum of her zombie followers.

“Teal'c, listen to me,” Daniel gasped out. “Think back, think back to Chulak. You betrayed Apophis to help me, to help Cromwell and his men. You came to Earth to help fight the Goa'uld. You have to try and remember.”

Teal'c let go of Daniel, but only long enough to shove him into a cage that was built only big enough to hold a person in securely. When Daniel saw his hand about to be shackled into a corner he lurched forward, the strength appearing from nowhere.

“Dammit, Teal'c, listen!” Daniel yelled out in panic, jumping away from the cage and between Teal'c and the other burly guard.

Kali's hand appeared from nowhere, spreading across his face. He was bathed in a bright glow. He could feel his own heart thumping slower and slower as if suddenly it might just stop altogether. Daniel was vaguely aware of his limp arms being lifted, warm metal snapping shut around his wrists, his shoes and socks being pulled off before his ankles were shackled. He slumped against the wiry wall of the cage. It suddenly felt so hard to keep fighting.

The glow went away to be replaced by Kali's bright eyes and smiling red mouth. Daniel could almost see the snake behind the flesh, waiting to strike.

“Teal'c, it is time,” Kali said.

Daniel tried to speak, but the breath uselessly stuttered in his chest and stayed there, too powerless to fire words. Meanwhile Teal'c closed the doors of the cage on Daniel, his eyes so dark and his face so serene.

“Teal'c, please,” Daniel managed to say, but the chanting had begun. The cave was filling with the sound of prayer, a low hum of voices praising Kali.

Teal'c slowly raised a hand to Daniel's face. Daniel flinched away, but Teal'c didn't stop until his thumb pressed against Daniel's forehead, before sliding upwards. Daniel looked at the other guards who stood like shadows in their dark clothes. On their foreheads he could make out the single tear drop of black. Teal'c had just marked him with the same symbol. A symbol of victory, marking him for death.

Daniel let his head drop back as he swallowed. “Okay, I tried. But trust me, when you snap out of this, you're going to be pretty hard on yourself.”

Teal'c frowned at Daniel, tilting his head in that fashion where he found something about Earth too bizarre to comprehend.

Daniel stared long and hard his friend, saw the smallest light of humanity left in his eyes and said, “If you're in there, Teal'c, it's okay. I know this isn't you.”

The cage started move, lifting from the ground and swinging a little. Daniel tried to breath without panic as his head cleared from a sudden rush of adrenaline. He swallowed and looked down at the ground where the cage was lowered, noticing a distinct groove in the stone ground. The ground began to open and though it was pointless he tugged on his restraints.

As the ground gave way, the cage jolted down a few inches, Daniel's heart banging against his rib cage. Kali was coming towards him again, looking hungry and dangerous, all dark painted colours and slithering black silk. Daniel looked down beyond his feet and through the wiry bottom of the cage. There was a pit below and he could feel the heat coming of it, cloying and sickly. Something in the pit moved. Under the red thick liquid which at first appeared to bubble, something else moved.

Kali stood by the cage, reaching forward to stroke Daniel's cheek before looking down at the pit with a smile. “They could not mature inside a Jaffa, so my children are eager for a warm body. The strongest shall have you.”

Daniel stared down into the pit and that was when it became clear. It was filled with Goa'uld symbiotes, Kali's so called children and Daniel was going to play to host to one of them.

Teal'c didn't even look at him as the cage began to lower.

***

Half of the place had emptied out to leave a few guards, some men and mostly children. And Jack. In the distance the drums kept beating, constant like a heartbeat. Jack had asked Arun how long it took for a sacrifice. The boy had answered that it took as long as the drums kept beating. When the sacrifice was made, the drums stopped.

Jack watched with an eagle eye from his rocky spot of the cavern, wondering when the next beat of the drum would be the last. Four guards walked the length and breadth of the cave, each one doing rounds in his portion. There was a guard walking circles near Jack, cracking his whip whenever he walked past. Hopefully the next time he'd walk by would be the last time he'd get to use that whip.

Above Jack the drum continued its ominous beat, making each breath settle heavy in his lungs. He had no way of knowing Daniel or Teal'c were being sacrificed, but his gut didn't need a reason to know the two men were in trouble up there. A nearby crack of the whip snapped Jack out of his musing. He turned to see Arun crouched a few feet away from him, concentrating just that bit too hard on the rocks in the basket at his feet. His dusty hands shook as he loaded. Jack struck the rock before him hard with his small pickaxe and Arun looked up, wide-eyed and worried. Jack gave him a small nod and Arun immediately averted his eyes.

Jack struck his pickaxe again and finally a third time at which point he pulled on a rope that had been hidden under rock and dirt. At the same time Arun yanked on the rope hard with both hands and the guard tripped hard, falling a like a tree severed at its roots. Jack jumped immediately, taking a quick look to see if anyone had noticed and then going for the fallen man's rifle. Unfortunately the guard wasn't dazed enough to allow it and turned onto his back, opening his mouth to call for help. Jack decided against the rifle and aimed a fist at the man's mouth instead. One punch stunned him so Jack immediately followed up with another. The third was on its way when the guard's hand came up and slammed something hard into Jack's head, knocking him to the ground.

Jack felt himself being shoved on his back as everything swam in front of his eyes for a moment. The guard was straddling him and reaching back for something. A glint of light as the object was brought up told Jack it was a knife. Jack's vision cleared in time to see a bloody smile.

“Apne maut ko bulayia hai tumhne,” he said malevolently before pulling back to strike with his knife.

Then he yelled out in pain, the knife dropping from his hand and falling aside before he himself fell to the ground, curling up on his side and moaning. Jack then saw what had been hidden from his view by the guard. Arun stood behind where the guard had sat, a burning torch clutched in both hands and a look of terror on his face. Jack blew out a breath and shook his head before remembering the guard was down and not out. Jack scrambled to his knees, grabbed the rifle and looked out to see if more guards were on their way. They had to have heard the yell. Or maybe they were used to hearing pained screams.

Jack poked the fallen man's shoulder with the rifle. “Hey,” Jack snapped.

The man slowly turned onto his back with a grimace, pain etched across his face. He sat up slowly, anxiously looking around and then staring at Arun. Jack pointed the rifle at the man, cocking the trigger so the guard heard it loud and clear before adding, “Shhh. No noise. Got that?”

The guard shook his head, something different about his face and eyes. Something hard and dark gone from them. He was looking at Arun again. The young boy took a step back. He hurriedly started saying something to Arun in hushed tones, breathless and distressed.

“Hey,” Jack snapped, making the guard quieten and turn his attention to Jack. Jack looked at Arun. “What's he saying?”

Arun looked bemused. “He... he said... he said the blood of Kali made him do everything.” Arun looked at Jack. “She made him drink it. She made all the guards drink it.”

The guard looked at Jack and spoke, Arun translating straight away. “He said he wants your help to wake the others.”

“How?” Jack asked and Arun looked at the guard and said, “Kaise?”

The guard frowned at Jack and then looked at the torch in Arun's hand. Jack looked at the torch and then at Arun before looking back at the guard. “Yeah. Had to be sure.”

Arun frowned. “What are we going to do now?”

Jack stood up, slinging the rifle over his shoulder and taking the torch from Arun's hand. “We're getting out. All of us.”

***

Daniel had stopped struggling to be free of the manacles. Even if he could get out, he was in a cage that was going nowhere down. The chamber was lit by oil lamps on chains that were lowered from the opening in the ceiling, illuminating the slick, slow and soft waves at the bottom of the pit as they undulated with the movement of Goa'uld symbiotes. The air was warm with a sickly sweet smell that made Daniel's stomach roll and made his head feel heavy and in a spin. The closer the cage got to the pit, the harder he found it to breathe. Struggling seemed pointless, the manacles tightly biting into his skin, his body feeling crushed under his own weight and no one to call out for help.

Only then Daniel caught sight of a symbiote that flew up from within the slimy pond of its incubation. He watched as it flew up and back down quick, but not so quick that Daniel didn't see the glint of alien eyes and an unnatural mouth, it's slick reptilian skin scaly and loathsome.

Daniel struggled against the manacles until he felt the metal break his skin.

***

Somewhere behind Jack there were more screams of awakening in the stomach of the cavern. He tried not to think of the children whose minds had been warped by the blood of Kali, but a moment's burn was better than the dead cold of their unfeeling eyes. He and Bhim, the liberated guard, set about getting the other guards on their side first. Once the guards turned back, bringing everyone else to their senses wouldn't be a problem. First they fell in the main cavern and then in the passages that led up to the palace. Manacles were opened, chains dropped and digging tools forgotten as men and children awoke from what their newly awake eyes said had been a nightmare.

Jack held Bhim's rifle firm in his hands as he edged his way down the passage Bhim said led to a room where Kali carried out her blood rituals. The fiery torches on the walls flickered wildly as if even the air was daring to escape from this terrible place today. Jack rounded a corner and found the small cave of which Bhim had spoken. It was filled with candles, thick opulent rugs and wooden furniture as well as blood stains on naked parts of the stone floor, a pole above which manacles hung from a chain. The only clue to whether Teal'c or Daniel had been here was Daniel's ripped black shirt and Teal'c's torn grey shirt on the floor . He also found his satchel, along with his gun and Daniel's broken glasses. The opening opposite Jack was filled with echoes of chanting, the beat of the drum closer and louder and he figured whether he knew who was being sacrificed or not, he was sure as hell going to do something about it.

Jack grabbed his satchel and then took a torch from the wall, holding it one hand, his gun in the other. There was no way he was getting close to the sacrifice without running into more guards. He followed the sound of the drum, the echoes of the chants. Any moment now the chanting crowd would be set upon by the freed with their liberating torches, the guards awaking other guards. It would come down to a hell of a lot of people and one Goa'uld.

He saw the large stone stage of Kali. She was standing right at the front, facing her worshippers, chanting with them, guards standing in the shadows as if they were sculpted out of the stone of the caverns. Jack saw Teal'c too and couldn't help but still in shock. Teal'c was unmoving, his gaze fixed on an open square in the ground into which two large chains were hanging, a wheel by the side of the opening, turning slowly, groaning as the mechanism seemed to struggle.

Jack couldn't see Daniel anywhere. Jack looked at the spot Teal'c's eyes were focused on. “Great,” he muttered.

Jack weighed up his choices. They all seemed to end with killing the bad guys and saving the archaeologist and their currently vacant-eyed friend.

“Put the gun down,” Vijay interrupted Jack's plan, holding what felt like a gun to the back of his head.

Jack swallowed, knowing the smallest move could result in a huge hole in his head. Jack looked out at Teal'c, still lost to the living. Right, Jack thought.

“I serve only Kali,” Jack said flatly, not moving from the spot. “Jai Kali.”

Vijay was silent for a while, but then Jack heard the safety click off before the gun was lowered. Vijay said, “What are you doing here?”

“Kali wished for me to watch,” Jack said flatly. Vijay seemed to snort. Jack turned slowly and looked at him. “You don't like watching?”

Vijay caught on in half a second, but it was half a second too late and Jack was knocking the gun from his hand, before smacking him in the head with the side of his own gun. Vijay slumped on the ground, passed out in a heap.

Jack turned to leave, seeing a guard headed right towards him. Jack didn't hesitate and shot the guard in the arm before he could fire the rifle aimed at Jack. At the same time the crowd before Kali began to erupt, men with torches appearing amongst the worshippers who cried out in pain, guards rushing forward to contain the situation as Kali looked on in surprise.

She turned to see Jack, his gun pointed right at her. “You,” she hissed. “What have you done?”

“Jig's up. They're on to you,” Jack said before firing.

Something sparkled around Kali, the bullet sparking off some kind of invisible shield.

“Crap,” Jack said, before firing again. Kali stretched out her hand. Nothing seemed to happen until Jack felt as though someone had flung a wall at him. He landed hard on the floor as chaos broke out, the worshippers waking and setting upon the guards that still remained under Kali's spell.

Jack watched from the ground as Kali yelled, “Teal'c! Finish it!”

Kali was looking at the stones hidden within the huge sculpture that dominated the stage, something desperate in her eyes. She was going to take them while Teal'c would beat Jack to a pulp. Teal'c was coming for him right now as Jack thought of his next step. Jack stood up, pretended to stumble and as Teal'c made a grab for him, Jack escaped the hold, rolling across the ground and stole a knife from a shelf of what looked like torture ornaments, running towards the statue. Kali saw him and stretched out her hand to attack once more. Jack flung the knife even as her fingers opened and shortly after she received the knife in the palm of her hand, through the hand device. She cried out in pain and stumbled back, Jack advancing towards her. Kali turned from him, holding her hand close to herself before she pulled on a nearby torch which stood in the grasp of a black metal stand. The ground beneath her seemed to swallow her up and she was gone just as Jack was grabbed and thrown across the ground.

Jack scrambled to the edge of a nearby pit in the ground and looked down at the cage descending inside. It was virtually touching the surface of whatever the hell was at the bottom of it, a figure lay prone inside the metal cage. Jack looked across at the wheel and the lever next to it. He got up and took a step towards it, only to be hauled by his shirt and thrown half way in the other direction. Jack quickly got to his feet to see Teal'c walking towards him, slow and filled with promises of pain.

Jack held out his hand. “Teal'c, buddy, listen to me. We've got to get Daniel out of that thing. Come on, you've got to know she's using you.”

Teal'c remained unflinching, robotic as he moved towards Jack, while Jack looked for the nearest torch. Teal'c made a grab for Jack with one hand, punching Jack in the stomach with his other hand. The first punch left Jack winded, the second taking his legs from under him. Jack landed on the ground with a grimace and as he recovered, Teal'c picked him off the floor and flung him bodily at the stone altar they had seen the first time in the cavern. Jack rolled off the top and fell on the other side. Jack lay on the ground, peering around the altar to look at the wheel that was right now sending Daniel to death. Near it was metal stand that held a burning torch. Jack rolled his eyes and shook his head just as Teal'c grabbed him by his collar, turning him and shoving him up against the wall.

“That it? That's all you got in you, big guy?” Jack wheezed as hands closed around his throat.

Teal'c's lip curled, one hand releasing his throat and curling into the material of his shirt, another hand following before Jack felt himself leave the ground. The next thing he registered was falling hard, his body knocking aside metal ornaments. He lifted his tired head up and saw a black metal stand just out of reach, a torch blazing in its grasp.

“You will die for Kali,” Teal'c said, his voice lifeless somewhere behind Jack, the din of prisoners escaping from the caverns even further away.

“Not today,” Jack said and pulled himself up before lurching forward, grabbing the torch and rolling onto his back as Teal'c reached for him. He pressed the fiery head of the torch against Teal'c's side, pulling away when it made a sickly hissing sound and Teal'c fell to his knees with a yell, stunned into stillness.

Everything seemed to quieten at the same time, leaving behind the sound of debris trickling in corners and sound of flickering flames. Teal'c moved slowly to stare at the burn on his skin before turning to look at Jack who still held the torch. They shared a silent look, with no time for words before jumping to their feet. Teal'c started turning the wheel to raise the cage as Jack took a breath and pulled himself upright. The cage emerged, half covered in slime and Daniel lying limp inside. Teal'c pulled the lever and turned a smaller wheel to create a floor for which to land the cage before turning it upright and opening it.

Jack opened the cage doors and unclasped a manacle from Daniel's wrist as Teal'c pulled off a rather ruined garland of flowers from his neck.

“Daniel Jackson,” Teal'c said, guilt literally rolling off him in beads of sweat and shining in bruises Jack hadn't been witness to.

Daniel crumpled to the floor without the restraints, looking semi-conscious, his skin flushed pink. Jack grabbed his chin and shook his face hard until Daniel opened his eyes slowly and said, “What the hell took you guys so long?”

Jack smiled. “You're welcome.”

“I think a Goa'uld tried to get in through my ear.” Daniel rasped, breathing heavily.

Jack made a face. “Could be worse.”

Daniel closed his eyes for a moment, before opening them and seeing Teal'c. Teal'c sat crouched by Daniel like a tower of guilt. Daniel seemed to regain his breath a little and he nodded at the silent man. “That wasn't you, Teal'c. It wasn't your fault.”

Teal'c opened his mouth to say something, but Jack cut him off. “Look, let's leave the reunion until later. We need to get out of here and contact the SGC,” Jack said.

Daniel sat up and twisted around and looked at the large sculpture of Kali. Jack watched as the other man clumsily got to his feet and made his way to the statue, still having problems remaining upright on his own, Teal'c at his side like a shadow if Daniel should fall. Daniel was staring into the ribcage of the beastly sculpture, at the shining stones glowing inside.

Daniel turned to Jack. “She's can't go anywhere without these.”

Jack made a face. “Then she's not going to let anyone else leave with them either.”

“Well, we're taking them,” Daniel said. “It's too dangerous to leave them here.”

Jack nodded. “Figured as much.”

“Trust me,” Daniel said. “It definitely is.”

Jack nodded, turning around to look at the room he'd left Vijay in. He could hear sounds, loud footsteps and many of them. Perhaps belonging to remaining guards still under Kali's spell. Jack reached for the stones in the sculpture. “Okay. Grab them, We're moving.”

Daniel nodded, helping to stuff the stones into Jack's satchel as Teal'c stood on guard. Once ready they started to move out. Only Daniel stopped.

“What?” Jack asked.

Daniel turned and looked back at the pit in the ground. Jack watched closely as Daniel's eyes seemed to glitter with something sharp and cold. Daniel left Jack and Teal'c to grab one of the numerous fiery torches from the walls before calmly going to the pit and dropping the torch in. Whatever sludge was at the bottom of the pit caught fire instantly, flames shooting up before black smoke began to rise.

Daniel turned away from the fire he had caused and nodded to Jack and Teal'c. “Let's go.”

***

Every passage that led back up to the palace now seemed lost to them. As they searched for an escape route, the sound of marching guards could be heard ahead, already having cut off Teal'c, Daniel and O'Neill. The only other option seemed to go further into the bowels of the underground temple and through the mined passageways that would lead out near the river.

“I don't suppose old Doctor Jones mentioned anything about getting out did he?” O'Neill asked Daniel as they tried yet another passageway.

“Actually, he was oddly quiet on that subject,” Daniel replied before suddenly stopping and pointing at the ground. “Tracks.”

They all looked down at the old metal tracks, partially damaged and buried under dirt and rock. They might have been used to transport heavy rocks once, but it appeared no one had used this route to the outside for a while.

O'Neill nodded. “Follow the yellow brick road.”

Teal'c frowned at Jack. “There is no yellow brick road here, O'Neill.”

O'Neill frowned back. “Wizard of Oz? Dorothy and Toto. Nothing? Never mind, it's overrated.”

Teal'c watched as the other man seemed to give up on his conversation before walking on ahead, Teal'c and Daniel casting each other bemused looks.

After a few minutes of walking O'Neill stopped and said, “I really hope that's not a sign of things to come.”

Teal'c and Daniel followed his gaze to an old upturned cart and pile of rocks. It looked as though it had fallen decades ago and just been left there to rot, half of the wood looking as though it had suffered water damage. Teal'c guessed this part of the cavern had probably been flooded at some point. He wondered if this bode well for their escape or not.

“What happened to all the prisoners?” Daniel was asking O'Neill.

“With any luck they should be topside by now,” O'Neill said. “They had a head start on us.”

“How did you get them all out?” Daniel asked, looking awed perhaps.

“Well, apparently all it takes to snap out of the blood of Kali is a good fiery jolt. All I had to do was start a chain reaction,” Jack said. “Light. I see light. Put out your torches.”

Teal'c put out his torch followed by Daniel and there was indeed light at the end of the tunnel. Small, but visible. They picked up the pace and hurried towards the light. O'Neill took off the satchel containing the stones and handed it to Daniel before bracing himself by the side of the entrance of the tunnel and looking out. He was back in immediately, giving Teal'c and Daniel a pensive look.

“What?” Daniel asked.

“Small problem,” he replied.

Daniel walked past O'Neill and leaned out, instantly coming back in. “That's a long way down.”

Teal'c went to the side of the entrance and peered out. It was indeed a long way down with a shallow river below, more rocks than water, nestled between two mountainsides. There was a thin ledge just outside the passageway and next to it were the remains of an old rope bridge, the rope still very much there, but the wooden slats rotten, hanging or missing altogether. Still, some remnants of the old bridge appeared sturdy enough to climb up even now.

“The bridge,” Teal'c said.

“That or free climbing,” O'Neill said.

Daniel peered back outside and then peered at Teal'c and O'Neill. “I'm sorry... but that doesn't look very strong.”

O'Neill nodded and moved forward. “Which is why I'm going to check it out first.”

Daniel stopped him with a hand on his chest. O'Neill looked down at the hand and Daniel instantly withdrew with a look on his face that Teal'c couldn't quite read. Daniel said, “You could get killed. You have no idea of knowing if it'll even support your weight.”

O'Neill nodded. “Right. Which is why I'm going to go and find out, climb up and make it secure enough so you can both climb up too.”

“Then perhaps I should go first, O'Neill,” Teal'c said, not wanting to cause anymore pain than he already had to both men.

“No,” O'Neill said slowly. “Not until I know that rope can hold you.”

“And what exactly will be holding you in the meantime?” Daniel asked.

“Good fortune?” O'Neill said with a shrug.

“Jack,” Daniel said, annoyance clear on his face.

O'Neill sighed and nodded. “Daniel, it's our best option out of here. I know what I'm doing. Trust me.”

Daniel was watching O'Neill closely before he shook his head slightly and said, “Fine.”

O'Neill gave a sharp nod. “Right, okay. I'll climb up, secure the rope. Then, Daniel, you climb up and then Teal'c, me and Daniel'll haul you up.”

Daniel nodded and Teal'c gave an acknowledging nod of his own. O'Neill climbed out before anyone could offer him luck in his endeavour. A moment later he was gone, leaving a trail a of falling dirt and debris from above the passageway's entrance. Daniel was pressed against the side of the tunnel wall, peering outside, satchel swung across his chest, one hand possessively pressed on the stones inside as if the bright bruises marring his skin were irrelevant.

Noise in the tunnels broke Teal'c out of his musings, attracting Daniel's attention too. Daniel came to Teal'c's side and asked, “Did you hear that?”

Teal'c nodded slowly. “Indeed.”

“I think they know we're down here,” Daniel whispered.

Teal'c looked at Daniel. “Remain here.”

Daniel grabbed Teal'c's arm. “Wait. What are you going to do?”

“The stones must not fall into the wrong hands, Daniel Jackson,” Teal'c said. “And Kali must not escape this place.”

Daniel was silent for a long time. He gave a small nod. “Right.”

“You must keep the stones safe and join O'Neill when he has reached top,” Teal'c said. “I will meet you both there.”

Daniel gave a more firm nod. “I'll see you up there, Teal'c.”

***

When Jack finally felt the edge of the cliff side he stayed in the same spot for a good few minutes just breathing a sigh of relief. The decrepit old bridge remains had only lost a few more wooden slats on the way up and a few more years of Jack's life, but otherwise the thick rope was still strong, providing a good sturdy anchor as Jack climbed, using other natural ridges and vines to climb securely. Taking a deep breath to make his muscles strong again, Jack hoisted himself up, getting one leg over on to solid ground first before he pulled himself completely up. Jack took a moment to look down over the edge. It was a long way down. A very long way down.

Jack stuck the tips of his finger and thumb in his mouth and let out an ear piercing whistle. A moment later Daniel's head poked out from the passageway below. Jack gave him a thumbs up and waved a hand to start climbing. Jack watched as Daniel emerged carefully, Jack's satchel swung over onto his back now. Jack realized Daniel wasn't wearing a shirt or any shoes. It was going to make some parts of the climb harder. The other man's glasses were also missing. Hopefully he could still see what he was climbing and not be able to see how far off the ground he was.

“Come on, Daniel,” Jack quietly urged on the other man.

Jack might have stayed there and shouted out encouragement if it wasn't the for the distinct sound of a whip cracking somewhere behind him, Jack turned over and sat up. He recognized the guard. The one who had added a whole new set of scars to Jack's body. His eyes said he was still in Kali's thrall and the whip in his hand said he wasn't finished with Jack.

Jack slowly got to his feet, moving away from the mountain edge. “I don't suppose we could talk about this, could we?”

The guard simply eyed him, taking the whip in both hands and pulling it taut before lashing it hard in Jack's direction. Jack just escaped it's tip, feeling it lance through the air, far too close.

“Okay, I guess that's a no then.” Jack said just before the guard came at him again. Jack ducked and rolled forward, grabbing a hand full of dirt and throwing it up at the guard. The guard coughed and shook his head, stilling and squinting, blinking hard.

Jack made a grab for the whip, but the guard was fast, twisting him around and soon enough using the whip to strangle Jack, both of Jack's hands caught up in the weapon he had tried to steal and Daniel ascending the mountain with no idea of what awaited him.

***

Teal'c walked slowly back the way he O'Neill and Daniel had escaped from. Without a torch it was dim and shadowy. He could hear water dripping somewhere, slow and deliberate and elsewhere the inside of the caverns carried on their continued decline, crumbling into falling debris. Teal'c let his senses guide him, carrying out a search for the presence that made his own symbiote stir within him.

He found something in the distance, a prone body. Teal'c slowly approached it to find Kali lying on the ground, her eyes wide open and staring, but lifeless. Teal'c crouched down and felt her pulse despite knowing she was already gone and so was the evil within her.

“This one is more suited to my needs,” a familiar voice said, but now with added depth and resonance.

Teal'c stood up and turned to see Vijay Kumar with Kali's twisted smile on his face. The face and body belonged to Vijay, but Teal'c saw Kali as clear as day in the other man's eyes, in his demeanour and even more so, in himself, in the stirring of his own serpent.

“His knowledge is far superior. I require a more... worldly host,” Kali said, looking at his now discarded host. “If I am to survive.”

“You will not survive,” Teal'c promised.

“I will. If I do not recover the stones, I shall find the surya chakram, for if there is one on this planet, my blood will seek it out. Once I find it, I will rejoin my kind, restore balance to this universe where slaves wish to be free of their masters,” Kali said.

Teal'c stiffened. “There is no going back to the way things used to be for some. Not for me and not for you.”

Kali held out a hand. “Join me, Teal'c. Serve me as my First Prime. Out there, away from this world I can rebuild, have power again. By my side, you can be someone. The Tau'ri are beneath one who might serve the gods.”

Teal'c thought back to the day he left Chulak. The day he turned sholva, turning his back on everything he knew and leaving for another world, all for one simple word that had kept him running since that day. For freedom. If the Jaffa never found freedom, he would be spat upon as a sholva until the day he died. And yet here he was, free to make the choice. To restore balance to his life or two tear down the house of the Goa'uld, brick by brick.

“False gods,” Teal'c said, years of his service to the Goa'uld flashing in his mind. Every man and woman that died, every world that fell and every smile on the face of Apophis. “I serve no one.”

Kali's mouth twisted in disgust as he came for Teal'c and grabbed him by the throat. “So be it. I will give you a death deserved of a sholva.”

Teal'c's feet lifted off the ground and he flew backwards into a rock wall, more than willing to die as long as he died a free man.

***

Daniel took a deep breath and hoisted himself further. As his foot came down on the rock he felt a sharp edge, maybe a vine or the rock itself. He yelped in pain, losing his grip for a moment, left dangling with only one hand clutching the remains of the old rope bridge. Daniel would have yelled out, but the sudden fear of falling left him breathless. The river below was blurred, but Daniel still see it was a long way down. The world seemed to tilt around him for a moment, along with his stomach.

Daniel swung his body towards the rock face, grabbing a wooden slat with his other hand and letting his feet find purchase again. Above him dirt seemed to rain down, rocks and pebbles missing him by inches. He looked up with a frown, not finding Jack looking back down at him. Below him there was no one looking up to see his progress. It made Daniel climb a littler faster.

***

Jack fell to his knees, breathing becoming harder and harder to accomplish, his hands still trapped by the whip wrapped around his neck and wrapping tighter still. The man trying to kill him was like a machine with only one purpose and Jack knew he wouldn't relent until the job was done. He struggled with the rest of his body, trying to find some way of knocking his assailant off balance. Jack struggled to push his body backwards, pushing right from the balls of his feet, pushing until the guard slipped. His hold on Jack only loosened marginally, but it was enough for one hand to slip free and allow Jack to elbow backwards, catch the guard and further loosen his grip so Jack had both his hands back. Still, the other man recovered fast, just in time to make a fist and slam it into Jack's face, sending him into the dirt.

***

Teal'c landed on his back with a thump, Kali striding over not even having broken a sweat and beginning to look bored. He leaned over Teal'c, one foot on a rock. “Where are the stones?”

Teal'c gave the same answer he had given before. Silence. Kali looked as unamused as all the previous times. He gave a tight smile. “Tell me now and I may even spare you.”

Teal'c barked out a laugh though it made all his bruises hurt and made Kali's eyes light up like they were on fire. “The Tau'ri will never let you leave this place,” Teal'c rasped.

Kali seemed to still, straightening up and looking around. “Where are they? Your precious Earth friends.”

Teal'c's gaze didn't stray from Kali's eyes for a even a moment, but even so Kali was looking at the direction Teal'c had come from, turning towards it. Teal'c gathered all the strength he could and lunged at Kali, but the strength of the Goa'uld was too much. All it took was one single punch from Kali that sent Teal'c flying into a wooden beam that held up the ceiling of the passage. Once he hit it, breaking it in half, the weaker part of the passage fell, giving Teal'c barely a moment to register that he was about to be buried alive.

***

It was when the second rain of dirt came down that Daniel wondered if something was wrong above him. Jack hadn't looked over the side again and something about that seemed odd. Daniel tried to climb as fast as he could without putting a foot wrong or causing the fallen bridge anymore damage. From what it looked like, the river below wouldn't break his fall. Daniel continued on up until he felt the rope become more taut. He cautioned a look down only to find Vijay climbing the rock face with no worry on his face about the state of the rope he was using.

“Vijay!” Daniel shouted down. “This rope's not going to hold two people.”

Vijay ignored him and kept climbing and it was only as he neared that Daniel noticed the flash in his eyes and the arrogant look he had seen on Kali's face. Daniel looked up and climbed faster. He was close to the top of the mountain, he could make it if he just kept going. Of course then Jack's head seemed to pop over the side and before Daniel could yell up for hell, Jack seemed to get dragged back, his hands flailing out in front for a moment. Daniel blinked and then remembered he had a Goa'uld right under him, which begged the question of what had happened to Teal'c.

Daniel lifted a foot as he made a grab of the rope to climb further, but a hand had clamped around his ankle. Daniel kicked down with his other foot, stamping on the hand, but it was flesh against flesh and made little impact, not stopping Vijay... not, stopping Kali from climbing further up, holding the same rope in one hand, one foot on a wooden slat and another balanced on a protruding part of the rock face.

“The stones,” Kali said, his voice deep and reverberating. “They belong to me.”

Daniel shook his head. “Not anymore.”

Kali made a grab for the satchel containing the stones, snarling at Daniel. “You dare steal what is mine!”

Daniel stared straight into Kali's eyes. “Isn't that what you do? Steal what belongs to other people. Their knowledge, their technology. Their bodies. You took innocent people and warped their minds just to get what you wanted. I won't let that happen again.”

Kali's eyes were glowing with white hot fury and before Daniel could see it coming, a hand had wrapped around his throat, making it hard to concentrate on not letting go of the rope.

“No one defies me,” Kali hissed. “I am your god and you will obey me.”

A shot rang out loudly, followed by the flurry of birds flapping their wings and escaping from the trees, high into the sky. Kali's grip around Daniel's throat loosened, a look of confusion crossing his face.

He stared at Daniel. “Doctor Jackson?” he murmured quietly, the Goa'uld gone from his voice.

Daniel's eyes widened and just as tried to hold onto Vijay, the other man fell back, so slow and graceful that Daniel couldn't believe he was falling to his death. Daniel looked around for the source of the shot, certain it wasn't from above or below. He caught a figure on the opposite mountainside, someone sitting astride a horse, blurred, but the curtain of dark windswept hair visible and the weapon raised high in her hand. Daniel swallowed and pressed his head against the wall of rock, exhausted and bruised.

“Daniel Jackson!”

Daniel sighed and looked down to see Teal'c's head poking out of the passageway's entrance below. Even without Daniel's glasses the other man looked awful, like Pankot had possibly fallen on top of him. Daniel nodded down to him and then continued his climb. As he reached the edge he stilled, something odd flooding his chest as he felt the weight of the Sankara stones in the satchel resting against his hip. He found himself unable to move.

A hand appeared above him and as Daniel frowned at the unfamiliar pale hand, an accompanying head appeared with a large grin and head of short blonde hair.

“It's okay, I'm here to help,” the woman said, accent American.

She grabbed Daniel's hand in both of hers, pulling him up before hooking an arm under his and then helping him the rest of the way over until he lay on the ground, on his back and staring up at the bluest sky he could ever remember seeing. After a moment he looked over to his side to see an unconscious guard lying on his stomach, his hands tied up behind him and Jack sitting on a rock, smoking a crooked cigarette. The woman was standing between them both with a small smile.

She lifted up a hand and said. “Hey.”

“Hey,” Daniel said slowly. Then he looked at Jack. “Jack. Friend of yours?”

Jack got up, holding out a hand to Daniel and hoisting him to his feet as the woman said, “Dr Samantha Carter.”

Jack frowned at her and went to the edge of the mountain, looking over it and making a face as he said, “I thought you wanted to be called Captain,” he mumbled around the cigarette.

Carter rolled her eyes a little and Daniel couldn't help but smile. He looked at Jack and frowned then. “Jack? When you said your people could be here in no time... what did you mean by people?”

Jack was crouching by the side of the mountain, making Daniel question his sanity. Again. Jack simply replied, “Carter's people. A Captain and a Doctor. With C4.”

Carter was smiling. “The colonel's pulling your leg. Ferretti and Kawalsky are here too. They're with the kids and other prisoners and some of the locals we persuaded to come with us.”

“How did you manage to find us?” Daniel asked.

“We were able to track Colonel O'Neill until we lost the signal about two days ago. Found out that you guys had stayed at a local's place. We met Durga and she told us her friend brought you here.”

“Speaking of good old Durga, that her?” Jack asked, hand shielding his eyes from the sun as he looked across to the opposite mountainside and the woman on the horse.

Carter nodded and smiled. “That's her.”

Jack nodded. “Always liked her.”

Daniel nodded. “And the local authorities know you're hunting aliens?”

Carter smiled, looking guilty. Then she looked at Jack who looked back at Daniel and smiled, explaining, “And that is the kind of classified information you will be party to once you join the SGC.”

Daniel looked at Carter's apparel. Jeans, a white shirt, a backpack, sunglasses, sneakers. Either the SGC had changed its uniform policy or Carter was pretending to be a tourist and probably carrying a ton of weapons in her backpack.

Daniel smiled and said, “I'm not sure the uniform will suit me.”

A loud thump sounded against the ground. They all turned to see one dark, dusty hand with raw knuckles flat against the ground, body hidden over the edge of the cliff.

“Teal'c,” Daniel said, rushing to the hand, Carter behind him and Jack already holding an arm and hauling Teal'c up. Daniel and Carter got to Teal'c's free hand and the three of them brought him to the surface, holding onto the exhausted looking man who was dusty and dirty.

Jack was smiling at Teal'c, patting him on the shoulder. “Good to see you, buddy.”

Teal'c nodded breathlessly. “Likewise, O'Neill.”

Daniel looked at the four of them there on the mountain, the Sankara stones safe, the prisoners free and one dead Goa'uld. He couldn't help feeling that there was something very right about this.

***

The first time Sam heard about the Stargate she promised herself that one day she would step through it and see what Daniel Jackson saw. That dream was laid to rest for a year after Colonel Cromwell and his men returned without Daniel Jackson and rumours of his death. A year later the Stargate opened and the Goa'uld came through and Sam sat in her lab waiting for the call that would tell her to report for duty and finally step through the gate using the dialling program she had worked to develop day and night. The call never came. Or, it came, but not for her and from where she sat the only difference between her and the man who got the call was that he had a penis. Though it wasn't a very large one, but she kept that information to herself.

Sam told herself that General West was a professional and he wasn't going to pass over the recommendations of her peers simply because she was a woman. Or at least she tried to tell herself that. Then the call came from General Hammond, asking her to report to the SGC for duty immediately. He would never know that she had possibly started packing even before he had a chance to hang up the phone. Sam arrived at the SGC, ready to report and ready to step through the gate, only fate seemed happy enough to screw with her a little while longer. She was going to be part of a team tracking down Daniel Jackson, the man who opened the gate and Teal'c, the man who came back with Daniel from a different planet. Leading the mission was Colonel Jack O'Neill. All Sam knew about him was that with his past record, he had been first choice for the first gate mission until someone in his family had an accident. Since then he had been retired, but apparently not retired enough that he couldn't be easily lured back to work.

Sam didn't know Daniel or Teal'c well, neither did Colonel O'Neill for that matter, but Ferretti and Kawalsky had things to say. They seemed to find Daniel endearing against their will and Teal'c impressive. Sam could tell that Ferretti and Kawalsky had witnessed courage from both men and they openly agreed that their treatment at General West's hands had been less than cordial. Then Sam saw the pictures of the cartouche room on Abydos. Teal'c had told the SGC of other worlds with gates and West had wanted to use the cartouche for pre-emptive strikes. She had almost laughed. The opportunity of a lifetime and someone wanted to blow it up. Of course Daniel and Teal'c had left.

Colonel O'Neill seemed more guarded about his opinions, happy to listen to Ferretti and Kawalsky, but not giving away his own feelings. Not even when they began their trek to find Daniel and Teal'c, Colonel O'Neill always ahead, Sam close behind and Kawalsky and Ferretti in the shadows, further back. All of them back up plans if the colonel failed. All of them trying to form a path that would be parallel to Daniel and Teal'c's at some point where they could finally cross paths. Predictably it had been Colonel O'Neill that crossed paths with them first in Club Nurhachi.

She hadn't been able to see it before, but now Sam saw on the colonel's face what he finally thought about the two men he'd been chasing. There was admiration and affection in the way he spoke to Teal'c and Daniel, the way he cracked a joke and Teal'c smiled, Daniel rolled his eyes. He seemed at ease with them, like he knew what he needed to know about them.

Even now, the three of them sat in Pankot's courtyard under a setting sun, perched on the edge of an old fountain, Daniel and Teal'c looking amused as the colonel talked, the recent occupants of Pankot fanned out across the courtyard, re-grouping, the adults taking the children into their care, guards discarding parts of their uniform in disgust, some looking broken.

Sam felt a hand on her shoulder and turned around to see Durga, still dressed for riding, rifle slung over shoulder and her hair as wild as that of the idol in her home. Stuck to her side was a young boy, like he might never let her go. Sam couldn't help but smile at him.

“Nice shot,” Sam said.

Durga nodded, though there was regret around her eyes. “The police will not think so.”

Sam made a face. “The crocodiles didn't really leave much for the police to find. My friends checked it out.”

Durga nodded. “Still. He was human like you and I.”

Sam placed a hand on Durga's arm. “You did the right thing. I wish I could say more than that, but there was nothing else you could have done.”

Durga gave a tight smile. “Kishan will phone the police in the morning. They may come here tomorrow, next week or perhaps never, but I thought it best to let you know. I am sure if they arrive you will be questioned about your involvement and I feel that perhaps you are not meant to be here.”

Sam smiled, but said nothing, evading Durga's questioning look.

Durga was looking at Daniel, Teal'c and Colonel O'Neill. “They are your good friends?”

Sam opened her mouth but had nothing to say. She didn't really know these men, not even Colonel O'Neill who for the past months had been a disembodied voice over the phone. Sam settled on, “I hope so.”

Durga gave her a curious look before noticing Kishan waving her over from where he stood with another little boy, talking to a group of men, one of them in guard uniform. Durga gave Sam a nod and went to Kishan and Sam turned to see Daniel heading towards her.

“Captain Doctor Carter,” Daniel said warmly.

“Or Sam,” Sam said with a smile.

Daniel nodded, smiling back. “Okay, Sam.” He reached into the satchel he was carrying and pulled out a dark rock with a smooth surface except for the three deep lines etched across it. He held it out to Sam.

“What is it?” Sam asked.

“It's one of three stones Kali had in her possession,” Daniel said as Sam took it, feeling the weight and temperature before running her fingers over the lines.

“Any idea what it's for?”

“We think it might be like a power source or an ignition key,” Daniel said.

Sam stared at it. Power sources and ignition keys were good things. “What happened to the other two?”

Daniel was a terrible liar because he looked incredibly guilty. Still, despite the lumps in his satchel, he said, “They met with an unfortunate accident.”

Sam arched a brow. “Don't you think it's a little greedy keeping two for yourself?”

Daniel smiled. “One. Just one.”

“What about the second one?” Sam asked.

Daniel looked back at Durga, still hugging her two children. “It belongs to someone else. Besides, what matters is that they don't come into the hands of a Goa'uld and Jack tells me you're probably smart enough to make Kali's ship fly without these things.”

“I'm sorry, Kali had a ship?” Sam asked.

Daniel looked innocent. “Didn't I tell you? Yeah, apparently it's buried somewhere under Pankot. Maybe one day you can help dig it up.”

Sam gave Daniel a long look and then smiled. “I knew I'd like you.”

***

“So, we killed the bad guy, saved those good folks and recovered the stones. I'd say that's a good day's work,” Jack said with a nod, while closely watching Daniel and Carter.

“I believe Durga killed Kali,” Teal'c rectified.

“Okay, but we totally saved the locals,” Jack said, giving Teal'c a look.

“Once the guards came to their senses along with the prisoners, they did did in fact save themselves,” Teal'c said flatly.

“Stones?”

“They have always been in plain sight,” Teal'c said.

Jack nodded. “So, basically we just came all this way to get beat up.”

Teal'c seemed to think about it long and hard, tilting his head a little. “It would appear so.”

“You always this cheerful?” Jack asked.

“I have been told I have a pleasant disposition,” Teal'c said.

“I think you're yanking my chain,” Jack said flatly. Teal'c smiled. Maybe he understood a lot more than he pretended.

“So,” Jack said, looking down at the ground. “Think you can trust me enough to be on my team? I could really use a guy like you.”

Teal'c seemed to straighten and there was something unreadable in his face, but something that said the man before Jack felt many more things than he let on, perhaps things like fear and sadness, loneliness.

“It can be a trial,” Jack said. “If I'm no good, you can fire me after three months.”

Teal'c smiled and gave a slow nod. It could have meant yes, it could have meant maybe, but it was good enough for Jack.

“So,” Jack said. “That story about the horse. Not true, right?”

Teal'c smiled, arching a brow and saying nothing. Jack figured he'd just stop asking the questions most likely to get whacked answers.

***

That night when the moon came up behind Pankot, lighting it up like a fairytale castle, there seemed to be no foreboding aura. No promise of something terrifying. Pankot was finally proving useful rather than serving as a local nightmare. Food for everyone had been gathered to eat as well as for the various journeys home. Some had already started heading back before sunset, unable to stay here another moment. Others took shelter for one final night before they would leave in the morning.

Durga sat in one of the main rooms of the palace, one son asleep in her lap, the other lying beside her on a chaise as she stroked his hair under Kishan's watchful gaze from where he stood in a doorway. Daniel went to stand beside him, the other man noticing and turning. He gave Daniel a nod and smile.

“I did not think I would see this sight again,” he said. “I thought they were lost to us.”

“Well, they're not,” Daniel said with a smile.

Kishan nodded. He stepped away from the doorway, lowering his voice further as he asked, “What happened here? The stories... they are unbelievable.”

Daniel nodded. “Someone warped the minds of those people out there so they would see something frightening, something that had to be worshipped.”

“I came here. Many times. How could I have seen nothing?” Kishan shook his head, jaw clenched. “They should tear this place down. Nothing good will ever come of it.”

Daniel sighed and looked at Durga with her children, thinking of countless worlds enslaved by the Goa'uld who masqueraded as their gods. “Maybe,” Daniel said. He dug into the satchel then, pulling out one of the two remaining stones. “Still, all is not lost.”

Kishan frowned at the stone. “What is it?”

“You're really not a very religious man, are you?” Daniel smiled. “It's the Paras stone, from your local village. Rampal was insisting its return and I'd hate to be the one to let him down. Especially after all the tea he made us while we were at Durga's place.”

Kishan took the stone, nodding in amusement. “He can be a frightening old man. You will not give this to him yourself? I am sure he would like to see you again.”

Daniel shook his head with a smile. “We're kind of headed out of here tomorrow.”

Kishan nodded. “I will give this to him. You won't wait for a guide?”

Daniel shook his head. “We'll be okay.”

Kishan held out his hand. “Then, if I do not see you tomorrow, have a good journey my friend.”

Daniel shook his hand. “Thanks.” Then he looked at Durga and her children and smiled back at Kishan. “You too.”

***

Teal'c sat meditating in a large room where many of the guards and prisoners were now camped down with the children, sleeping or talking in hushed voices. He opened his eyes when he felt someone take up a place in front of him. He opened his eyes to see Captain Carter, a deck of cards in her hand and a mischievous smile on her face.

Teal'c gave her a nod. “Captain Carter.”

She smiled. “Hey, Teal'c. Kawalsky and Ferretti are camped outside. I thought I'd take the opportunity to get to know you better.”

Teal'c smiled. “What do you wish to know, Captain Carter?”

Captain Carter held up the deck and grinned. “Mostly? What kind of poker face you have.”

Teal'c arched a brow. No one was ever pleased with the outcome of that curiosity.

***

When Jack found Daniel it was in that same room he'd been given on their arrival. Daniel had found a pair of shoes from somewhere and the white shirt and khaki pants Durga had given him. He stood looking at the painting of Kali's destructive dance, the world spinning out of control at her feet.

“I guess we got caught up in it after all,” Jack said, looking at the battleground of humans behind the deity.

Daniel looked at Jack, his expression unsettled. “It's what the Goa'uld do. Live the myths at the expense of innocent people. Kali, Ra, Apophis... and god knows who else.”

Jack nodded. “So come back to the SGC and help fight them.”

“And what happens when someone like General West comes back and decides it's a waste of time?” Daniel asked.

“You'll have me in your corner this time,” Jack said, meaning it.

Daniel gave Jack a long look before shoving his hands in his pockets and smiling. “So. Colonel, huh?”

Jack nodded. “Or Jack. You know, whatever works for you.”

“You were retired for a while?” Daniel asked. Jack nodded and Daniel said, “What happened with that?”

Jack thought about it. “My pond has no fish.”

Daniel smiled. “Okay.”

Jack sighed. “I thought quitting might keep my family together. It didn't.”

Daniel gave a nod. “Okay.”

Jack felt himself slowly clamming up. It had been so much easier when Daniel didn't know who he was, where he came from, whom he worked for. Now he was Colonel Jack O'Neill again, working for the Air Force, for the SGC, wrapped up in rules, uniforms and metal toe-tags.

Daniel seemed to sense Jack's apprehension. He smiled and said, “I guess it would be nice to stop running.” Jack nodded slowly. Daniel frowned and added, “Plus, you know, Stargate.”

Jack nodded. “Exactly. Also, the menu in the commissary has vastly improved since you were there last.”

Daniel smiled, nodding. “Well, I guess that settles it.”

“Yeah,” Jack said. “I guess so.”

They stared at each other a while and Jack felt a little mad at Daniel for not even attempting to bring up the kiss that had gone nowhere. He had no intention of making it easy on Jack. In fact, it was hard to tell what he was even thinking.

“Big day tomorrow,” Jack said. “Rest up.”

Daniel nodded. “You too.”

Jack gave a firm nod. “Right.”

He turned on his heel and walked away, out of the room, down the corridor and then realised he had no idea where he was heading and exactly why he was heading there.

“Tough bastard,” Jack muttered, turning around and shaking his head as he walked back the way he came, back down the corridor, back to Daniel's room, back to the spot where he had stood to find Daniel smiling at his return.

“Hey,” Daniel said.

Jack nodded and said, “Come here.”

Daniel stood firm, shaking his head. “You come here.”

Jack thought about it. “Yeah. Okay,” he said and stepped forward, taking Daniel's face in his hands and kissing him stupidly long and hard. As Daniel's hands found the buttons of Jack's shirt, Jack let one of his hands roam into Daniel's hair and beyond to cup the back of his head while the other hand reached out and shut the door with a resounding clunk.

***

New York, 1998

The door opened and Daniel was immediately face to face with a rather irate woman. Daniel suddenly regretted his decision to come here.

“Hi,” Daniel said. “You must be Doctor--”

“Stop right there. Not that I don't appreciate you spending the whole day parked outside my house to decide whether you have the nerve to knock or not, but I'd rather you just go away. My grandfather is ninety-nine years old. Let him be. I'm sure you can poke holes in his exploits from the comfort of your own home.”

“No... I would never...” Daniel stared at her, wondering what manner of person had camped out on this doorstep before him. Daniel held out the box in his hands.

The woman frowned at it. “What?”

Daniel lifted the lid and took out the final Sankara stone. The woman went still. Like perhaps until now this stone had only been a story to delight a young child. She reached out for it almost reverently. Daniel could see her staring hard, her skin turning pink as she smoothed her fingers down the three lines etched into the stone. She looked at him, frozen.

Daniel gave her a steady look. “We found all three, but I, for reasons I can't go into, couldn't bring them all,” he said, pausing to think of what else he could possibly add. “I thought he might like to have at least one.”

“Who are you?”

“Daniel Jackson,” Daniel said. Then he held up a hand and gave her a small smile. “Archaeologist.”

The woman was nodding slowly. “I've heard of you.” Daniel nodded, watching as she pushed the stone towards him and said, “Give it to him yourself. You found it, you should be the one to give it to him.”

Daniel stared at the stone, thinking back to only single picture of the man he'd ever seen, an old black and white print of the archaeologist leaning against a jeep, hands on hips, the desert behind him, bright eyes squinting, the sun in short but still unruly hair, clothes askew and a dazzling grin, full of life.

Daniel shook his head and pushed the stone back. “You give it to him.”

The woman smiled, nodding slowly. “Thank you.”

Daniel gave a firm nod. “You're welcome.” Daniel turned to leave, but found himself turning back and asking. “What's he like?”

She looked down at the stone in her hands and smiled, as if awed. “Amazing.”

Daniel nodded, smiled and turned from the house. When he got into the car and looked up at the house, for a moment it looked as though the drapes moved in one of the windows, perhaps a shadow of a man behind it, but Daniel looked away before he could see more.

“You okay?” Jack asked, starting up the car.

Daniel turned to look at Jack, giving him a slow nod. “Yeah.”

“Back to the hotel?”

Daniel nodded. “Back to the hotel.”

Jack gave him a long look, nodding, before pulling out into the street as Daniel thought of Doctor Henry 'Indiana' Walton Jones Jr, seeing the Sankara stone again after all those years, after people had stopped believing it ever existed, knowing that when Jones would run his fingers across those three lines on the smooth stone, it would feel the same as watching a wormhole open for the very first time.

- the end -

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Notes: Some dialogue from the original movie has been used | The title of the story translated from Hindi means 'Temple of Death'.
Alternative link: AO3

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