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My Friend, Danny 

Ba’al sat on his throne, gazing out at the stars that filled the view-screen in front of him. In spite of the passage of time – several months according to the time keeper in his chambers – he still found himself mourning the loss of the clone he had created. Even after he’d captured the ‘real’ Casey, her clone continued to tug at his heart. He closed his eyes, struggled against the images that continued to play in his mind again and again…watching her as she shoved him away, her ever expressive eyes revealing both her anger and her love. Watching as the life faded from those emerald deaths, her words echoing in his mind – "I hate you as much as she does…I’m just your creation…a substitute for the woman you’ll never have…I hate you as much as she does…I hate you as much as she does…I hate you…"

As a Goa’uld, Ba’al would never admit to making a mistake. That did not stop him from berating himself over his failure to keep the clone at his side. She had truly loved him. His heart would not be consoled, however. Nor would his mind cease its persistence that the clone had never pleased him as much as Casey. She had been a copy. A very good copy. But not, he thought with an audible sigh, a perfect copy. He’d not been able to replicate the beautiful blonde’s fire…her passion.

He shoved himself to his feet, not even noticing how the Jaffa around him immediately came to attention. He strode from the pel’tak, no real destination in mind. While it would not be appropriate for him to wander the corridors, as he longed to do – a feeble attempt to recreate, in his mind at any rate, the times he would walk the length and breadth of the ship with Casey – he would instead go to his quarters. Determined to win her heart, her love, he had ignored her insistence that she would prefer to walk alone, that she didn’t want him beside her. That she, in fact, didn’t want him anywhere near her. When the clone had began to wander the corridors, she had always welcomed his company.

His heart, and his mind, found it more and more difficult to keep the memories of the clone and the real Casey from melding together. Memories of time with the clone became twisted…entwined…with memories of the days Casey had been his prisoner – no, not his prisoner. No matter what she thought, she hadn’t been his prisoner-

"My Lord," a voice called, interrupting the chaotic thoughts that churned through the Goa’uld’s mind.

Ba’al turned…watched as Laqip, his First Prime, hurried toward him.

"And who are these Tau’ri?" Ba’al asked. He tried to ignore the way his heart fluttered, the sudden pulsing of blood in his veins as the thought of once again holding SG-1 danced in his head.

"There were three warriors, and three scientists…ark…ark-" Laqip shook his dark head. "Forgive me, My Lord, I cannot remember the precise word."

Waving a hand in dismissal, Ba’al frowned. "Did these Tau’ri have names?"

"Not that our spy was able to determine, at least not at the time he sent the message. He is preparing to meet with us. He estimated his arrival to our position would be ten hours," was the immediate response.

If this spy had captured SG-1, he’d know it. The members of that infamous group were well known among the System Lords, and the humans and Jaffa who worked for the Goa’uld. Intense disappointment flooded him.

"Where does he intend to meet us?" Ba’al asked.

"He sent coordinates. He knows the basic route that we are taking," Laqip replied. He visibly braced himself, not certain that his master wouldn’t strike out at him for allowing any such information to leave the ship.

For just a brief moment, Ba’al felt a surge of anger. No one was to know where he was going. Just as quickly as it came, the feeling passed. What difference did it make? He’d just visited Amaterasu on her home planet, determined to learn everything she knew about Anubis and his plans. There was little doubt his presence in the sector had already been noted by half a dozen System Lords and minor Goa’uld.

Ba’al lifted his chin slightly. He had attacked Amaterasu as soon as he’d ringed into her temple. His rage at losing the ha’tak on which his most important…work…was being conducted had driven any thoughts of following the usual protocol from his mind. He needed the information Amaterasu held, and he would have it. Whether or not she lived wasn’t important. When he had left her planet, she had vowed her loyalty to him. And had filled every demand he had made of her. His fingers moved over the pocket which held the data crystals she’d given him, each filled with formulas and schematics. Even though it would take months to decipher most of the data, he had was confident that the information was accurate. That he’d been brutal in his approach…that he’d used ker’nish’ta to discover every secret his enemy held…were thoughts pushed aside. The rules of the Goa’uld Empire no longer mattered to him.

"My Lord?" Laqip asked hesitantly.

"Very well. Inform me when he arrives," Ba’al said. "I will be in my quarters."

The First Prime nodded, and saluted. "Yes, My Lord."

Ba’al continued to his quarters. He was certain that Amaterasu would be loyal to him. She was well aware that he had no fear of reprisal; that he would treat her as an equal, or nothing more than a slave, at his whim. A smile tugged at his lips. If he were to take the Tau’ri prisoners being offered to him, he could use them to lure SG-1 into the open. He wouldn’t attempt to take the entire team. Not this time. His Jaffa had already been ordered to kill them on sight…all but the beautiful Casey. He would have her. Of that he was certain, as well.

He had the knowledge to build Kull warriors…creatures created for the sole purpose of fighting and causing destruction. It would take time, but he would create an army. Then, he would once again turn his attention to the First World. He wouldn’t hesitate this time. There would be no time for the Asgard to arrive, or for other Goa’uld to attempt to stop him. He would begin attacking as soon as he was near enough. When he was at last in control of the First World, he would be the most powerful System Lord in the Empire. All others would bow to him. He would have ultimate control, with Casey by his side. Ba’al’s smile was as malevolent as his plans.

Taseem guided the old, battered ship into orbit above the planet. It just happened to be the planet from where SG-5 and their ‘rock readers’ had been kidnapped. "I will set the ship’s navigational computer to automatically break orbit in ten minutes." His hand moved over the control panel. "These coordinates are for deep space. By the time they…er…we…are free, we’ll be too far for Hunter to decide to try and fight you on the planet."

Jack nodded. "That’s good."

"We overheard those men talking about a device, something that Ba’al wants. Any clue to what that might be?" Daniel asked.

The Tok’ra smiled brightly. "I might have mentioned a device that the Ancients had left behind. I admitted to Ba’al that I wasn’t able to determine exactly what the device was for, what its purpose was. But Ba’al didn’t care. All he cared about was getting his hands on Ancient technology."

"So…what is it?" Jack asked.

The shrug and widened smile Taseem gave had the team chuckling. "I have no idea. I made the whole thing up."

Daniel laughed. "Well, that’s a relief! Now we don’t have to worry about trying to find a piece of Ancient technology before the Goa’uld."

"What will you tell Ba’al about it?" Sam inquired.

Again Taseem shrugged. "I suppose, given the fact that SG-1 somehow managed find the slave traders he hired and free their people, they took the device as well."

Once again laughter filled the tiny space. Jack stood up, adjusted his P90 at his side. "We really do appreciate the head’s up about Ba’al."

Casey blushed slightly. "Well, don’t be surprised if they don’t like the idea."

Taseem studied the young woman for a moment. "I believe they will find it as intriguing…and entertaining…as I do."

"We should probably get down there before those bastards wake up," Major Wheaton said quietly.

Jack nodded. "Let’s go, campers."

"Wait, I must be as bruised as my ‘shipmates’," Taseem said.

"I hate this part," Jack muttered. He drew back his fist. "What if we just knocked you out the way we did a couple of those guys?"

"I don’t understand," Taseem replied.

Teal’c stepped up behind the Tok’ra. "I beg your forgiveness." He wrapped his arm around the smaller man’s throat and tightened it until Taseem passed out.

"Much better than hitting him," Jack declared.

"He’ll have the same marks on his throat as three of the others," Sam agreed.

"Okay, let’s get those guys untied, and get the hell out of here. We only have about eight minutes left," Jack said.

Ten minutes later SG-1, SG-5, and the three archaeologists were once again standing on P5X-307.

"So, did you see it?" Bernie asked. She noted that the backpacks she and the others had left behind had been haphazardly repacked.

"See what?" Daniel asked.

Mike and Bernie exchanged grins. "He didn’t see it," Mike chuckled.

Major Wheaton laughed. "Stand back, you’re about to be trampled," he said to Jack and Sam. He laughed harder when Andrews and Sanders moved quickly to stand behind him.

"See what?" Daniel asked again, just a bit louder.

Leanna, still shaken from the experience of being kidnapped, shook her head. "The pyramid."

He had momentarily forgotten about the message that General Hammond had handed him in the ‘gate room, just before Casey had dashed in with the news that the group had been kidnapped. "Where is it?"

Leanna pointed.

Daniel darted in the direction the young archaeologist had indicated. He stopped, and turned to look at her. "Are you all right?"

She forced a smile. "I will be." 

Major Wheaton cleared his throat. "General, with your permission, I’d like to get my men looked at. I could take Doctor Izett with us. I figure Doc Fraiser would want to see her as well."

Jack nodded. "Good idea. Go. Let General Hammond know what’s going on. Tell him we’ll will give him a full debrief as soon as we can pry Danny away from that thing."

The major grinned. "Yes, sir. C’mon, you two. Gotta see if those bastards broke your heads or just dented them." He turned to Leanna, holding his hand out. "Ma’am?"

Leanna hesitated, looking at the faces around her.

"Go, Lee," Casey said softly. "You’ve been through quite a shock."

"Thank you," the young woman replied. She took the major’s outstretched hand. Didn’t look back as they made their way to the Stargate.

Mike and Bernie led Daniel to the 'hidden' step-pyramid.

Daniel was staring at the step-pyramid. "This is amazing!"

"You’re telling me?" Bernie teased.

"It’s…odd," Daniel said quietly.

Mike cleared his throat. "Um…odd?"

"Someone knew about these cultures. But…these cultures existed at different times, at different places in the Americas," Daniel explained.

Mike and Bernie frowned. "But all of the symbols for each culture are perfect," Bernie pointed out.

"True," Daniel allowed. "But it is possible that it wasn’t people from these particular cultures who made this pyramid."

"Is it possible that some – alien civilization – studied all these cultures?" Mike asked.

Daniel nodded. "Very possible."

"As absolutely fascinating as all this is," Jack said, ignoring the snorts and giggles from Sam and Casey, "how long are you planning to stay here and look at this thing?"

Daniel barely glanced at the team CO. "This is fascinating," he said. "I’ll need some time-"

Jack heaved a sigh. "Colonel, send a message to General Hammond. Tell him it looks like we’re going to be here for a day or so. Rocco, let’s find a place to set up camp."

Sam nodded and hurried back toward the DHD.

Teal’c began to scan the area around them. "It appears that this is where SG-5 set up their camp. I believe it will suffice."

With a nod, Jack walked around the spot where the obvious marks of four tents remained. "Good enough. Let’s make sure there aren’t any unwanted inhabitants." He walked in one direction, Teal’c in the other, as they looked for anything that might signify the presence of snakes…or any other critter…reptilian or mammal.

The archaeologists were still discussing the pyramid, and just exactly who might have built it. Bernie tugged on Daniel’s arm. She began to point at each of the Aztec symbols. "According to this, demons tricked the people into entering a ‘dark cave’. It says, ‘the people were stranded in the cave of darkness for many cycles of the sun, remembered by the counting of the sticks’."

Daniel frowned. "Counting of the sticks?"

Mike cleared his throat. "Sticks were often how Native American tribes kept track of time. There were sticks for each day of each cycle of the moon. Every day, a stick was ‘taken away’ from the pile. When the pile was exhausted, a new ‘moon time’ began."

"What else does this say?" Daniel asked, pointing to the intricately carved stones. He could read Mayan. He wasn’t as fluent with Aztec symbols. Bernie Watson was.

"This is where whoever wrote…er…carved…these inscriptions talks about leaving ‘the dark cave’," Bernie replied. She pointed to each carving as she translated. "Here is where it says, ‘when at last the rock that had closed the cave moved aside, they were in a land lush and filled with life. However, there were already people here. People from many places, who had also been locked in a dark cave."

Daniel’s frown deepened. "So, the Aztec who are represented here, must have talked to the others, and they all verified that they’d experienced the same thing. If the Native Americans had their ‘sticks’, they would have known how long they were in the ‘dark cave’."

"Sounds reasonable," Mike nodded.

Stepping back, Daniel looked up at the other markings. "How many civilizations are represented here?"

"I had it in my notebook," Bernie muttered, glancing around.

"We put everything we found back into the packs," Casey said. "Don’t know if we got the right items in the right packs, but the notebooks are there."

Bernie smiled. "That’s good news." She strode to the crumbled wall where the packs were sitting. She sorted through three of the packs before finding her notebook. She found the notes she’d been taking, the theories she, Mike, and Leanne had discussed. "Here."

It only took a few minutes for Daniel to read the theories. He glanced at his wife. "Case?"

"Yes?"

"What does this say to you?" he asked, waving his hand toward the step pyramid.

"Nothing," the young seer grinned. "Pyramids can’t talk."

Jack guffawed, Sam giggled, and even Teal’c laughed out loud.

"You are such a smartass," Daniel sighed.

"Sorry," Casey replied, although the twinkle in her green eyes belied her remorse.

"It just doesn’t make sense," Daniel grumbled. "Bernie, when did the Aztec culture come to be?"

"According to what records we can find, around 1428 AD," Bernie replied. "That’s by comparing their calendars to the European Julian calendars. Of course, they were probably a society long before that, but that’s when their calendars start. Who knows how long they existed before making those calendars."

Daniel nodded. "Incas appeared about the same time, right?"

Bernie closed her eyes, frowned in thought. "I think so."

"And the same assumptions can be made about them," Daniel said.

"Agreed."

"The Mayan…they were nearly as ancient as the Mycenaeans, if I’m remembering correctly."

Mike had already found the reference book he’d brought along. He flipped through the pages. "Here…Mayans were believed to have begun as a society in about 1500 BC."

"Damned near three thousand years before the Aztec, give or take a decade," Daniel mused.

"There were Olmec markings…um…" Bernie scanned the side of the pyramid, then pointed. "Here."

"Olmec are as old as the Mayans," Daniel sighed. He glanced at Mike. "What about the Native American markings?"

"Well, I’ve identified Hopi, Pueblo, Dakota, Cheyenne, Nez Perce, Apache, Salish. There are some that are…well, they look familiar, but they’re not actually markings from any tribes that I recognize."

"I’m guessing there are time…anomalies with those tribes as well?"

It was Mike’s turn to frown in concentration. "Most of those tribes were old…ancient…and had lived in the ways of their ancestors up to the time when white men showed up. So it’s possible that they’re all as old or older than the Mayans."

Daniel nodded his understanding. "The real problem here is the fact that none of these civilizations emerged until after the Goa’uld had been expelled from Earth. Toss in the fact that they’re all separated from each other by several thousand years or so…" he shrugged.

Jack had been listening. Even though the details of the civilizations represented on the pyramid didn’t interest him, the fact that the pyramid existed was a mystery they needed to solve. Because if they’d learned anything in the almost eight years they’d been traveling through the Stargate, it was that the Goa’uld had been busy populating the galaxy with as many humans from good ol’ planet Earth as possible. "You’re not going to tell me that the Goa’uld were still taking people long after Ra got the ol’ heave ho, are you?"

"I don’t think that’s possible," Daniel admitted. Once again he turned to look at Casey.

"I could take a look," Casey asked, noting the look in those beautiful blue eyes.

"It could be important," he said softly.

With a nod, Casey stepped closer to her husband. Wrapped her arms around his neck. "Don’t let go," she whispered.

"Never in a million years," he whispered in reply.

Closing her eyes, Casey began to center herself. Felt herself pulled above the planet…

Casey opened her eyes, looked up into blue eyes that held her entire world. "Download," she whispered.

"What?" Daniel asked, a frown on his face.

"I was playing Twenty Questions with Miss Eloise, and I got a download."

"That’s…new," he replied.

"Yes, it is."

"Take your time, Angel," Daniel said, moving his hands up and down her back.

"It wasn’t the Goa’uld. Ra wouldn’t allow them anywhere near the solar system."

"What about Asgard?" Sam asked.

Casey shook her head. "If the Asgard had taken them, it would have been done more…carefully. They wouldn’t have wanted to frighten the people."

"So you’re saying there’s been someone else hanging around Earth and stealing people?" Jack asked.

"Slave traders. That’s all I can pick up. Ra wouldn’t allow any Goa’uld near Earth," she repeated.

"Probably afraid they’d move back in and become more powerful than him," Daniel muttered.

"That sounds about right," Jack nodded.

"But he…or someone…wanted slaves. Lots of slaves."

"It’s interesting that whoever it was, only took them from what became the ‘New World’," Mike noted.

Sam snapped her fingers. "Not if these slave traders didn’t want to be noticed. There was no way that these traders would go anywhere near the places where the slaves rose up against the Goa’uld."

"Interesting theory," Daniel said. "I haven’t found anything that indicates any of the ‘New World’ civilizations were part of the revolt. All we know is that the slaves rose up against Ra, and he ordered all the Goa’uld off the planet."

"So, rather than take the chance that those people might still be a bit pissy about their enslavement, these slave traders opted to find their slaves elsewhere," Casey mused.

"As interesting as all of this is," Jack said, ignoring the snickers from his teammates, "How about we eat and get camp set up."

Daniel gave one last look at the pyramid. "We’ll look for an entrance tomorrow."

Bernie shook her head. "I’ve looked and couldn’t find one."

"We’ll just have to look harder," Daniel said.

Bernie grinned. "You owe me dinner if you can’t find a way into that thing."

Daniel’s grin matched that of his colleague. "You’re on. You pay for my dinner if I do find one."

Mike looked at Casey. "Give me a hint, who should I bet on?"

Casey giggled. "Well, just based on experience, I’d say Daniel."

"That’s where I put my money," Jack grinned.

"Indeed," Teal’c said.

"C’mon, Handsome. Let’s get our tent set up." Casey linked her arm with Daniel’s.

The group moved toward their campsite. Within a matter of minutes tents were erected, and MREs were heating. Teal’c had gathered enough wood to start a fire in the pit SG-5 had dug.

The archaeologists continued their discussion about the pyramid, and the many cultures represented in the markings on its sides.

Sam had been listening; she frowned slightly. "I’m no historian or anything, but didn’t the people in Egypt and Greece and Rome, and then later Europe, didn’t they study the stars?"

Daniel swallowed the bite of stew he’d just taken. "If these slave traders were aware of that fact they’d have avoided those places to prevent themselves from being seen. No doubt they figured if the people were still pissed off about Ra, they wouldn’t take kindly to anyone else showing up."

Bernie nodded enthusiastically. "We know that the Aztecs were incredible astronomers."

"Almost every Native culture named the prominent stars in the night sky, wove stories about the stars and the gods that dwelled in the heavens," Mike added.

"But the slave traders might not have been aware of those facts. Asia and Europe were developing at a faster rate than those in the Americas," Daniel said.

"Mostly because of the simple life of those cultures," Mike said. "They lived in harmony with the land around them. They were part of the land, not its conquerors. Every culture in the ‘old world’ had been founded and survived on conquest."

"Good point," Bernie nodded.

"So, to those slave traders, the peoples in the Americas were more ‘primitive’, and thus, easier targets," Daniel mused. "Like Sam said earlier, they wouldn’t have wanted to go near the areas where the slaves had risen up and revolted against the Goa’uld."

Bernie was frowning slightly. "I always get annoyed at the archaeologists who insist that anything the least bit ‘difficult’ for ancient people had to have been done by aliens." She glanced at Daniel. "Ancient civilizations were far from stupid. They had technologies that have been lost to us because of wars and conquests-"

"And religion," Casey interjected. She turned to look at him when Daniel snorted. "What? It’s true. Just how much is the friggin’ Vatican sitting on? How many instances of the Asgard or the Goa’uld…or hell, even these possible slave traders…how much is known about them that the Vatican doesn’t want getting out, because it would show them to be liars, thieves, and con artists?"

Mike laughed out loud. "Tell us how you really feel about the Vatican, Case!"

The group laughed heartily. Casey shook her head. "I don’t begrudge anyone who finds comfort from the multitude of religions that are available. I do hate the fact that they’re all based on myths, fables, half-truths, lies, and exist only so that the few can control the many. And we can blame the Abrahamic religions for the destruction of centuries of history and information. How much was written down, how much was discovered, that the Vatican either hid, or destroyed?"

"We’ll probably never know, Angel," Daniel said quietly. "But back to our current discovery. The chances are high that the pyramid over there," he pointed over his shoulder, "wasn’t actually built by people from those cultures. But by people who knew about them."

"Children?" Bernie asked. "We were talking about how a group of people could have come together on this planet, if they’d all be taken by Goa’uld. We thought maybe something had happened, and they were able to escape, and this is where they wound up."

"Interesting theory," Daniel said.

"But what if…what if it was their children? What if somehow, in spite of being slaves to the Goa’uld, they were able to maintain their individual cultures? Taught their children the stories of their people. Taught them their ways of writing," Bernie continued.

"We’ve come across people out here, who live as their ancestors, people who have no idea that their ancestors are from Earth, and whom the Goa’uld have…abandoned…for lack of a better term," Daniel mused. "I just can’t figure out how all of them managed to come together, build this pyramid, and then leave nothing else behind."

"We could have one of the 303s do a scan," Sam offered. "We know that satellites have been able to detect ancient roads and walls from space above Earth. We can run the same sort of scans from one of our ships."

"I didn’t think something like a scan for information would be important enough to pull one of the ships from orbit around Earth," Bernie said.

Sam smiled. "Well, it really wouldn’t take long to do a few scans. It wouldn’t take but a couple of hours for a ship to get here. I figure it could be done in eight or nine hours."

Daniel’s cerulean blue eyes lit up. "You really think the General would sign off on that?"

Her smile widened. "Well, I don’t think he’d refuse outright," Sam replied. "He understands that learning about what the Goa’uld have done in the past will give us an idea of what they might do now."

"If they could do the scans while we’re still here…" Daniel looked hopefully at his teammate.

"I’ll contact the general first thing in the morning," Sam promised. "I’ll explain that this is enough of an anomaly that not knowing what happened here could be something that could come back and bite us in the ass later."

"Thanks, Sam," Daniel smiled. "We can see about finding a way into that thing tomorrow."

"Is that really necessary?" Jack asked. Usually temples and pyramids and ziggy-whatevers – especially ziggy-whatevers – held a lot of nasty surprises. He wasn’t eager to have his team, and a couple of civilians, caught off-guard and tossed into a situation that would try their very souls, and possibly beat the bloody hell out of them as well.

"Dunno, boss," Casey said, licking a bit of enchilada sauce from her finger. "Could be a big honkin’ space gun in there to use against the snakes."

Sam ducked her head to hide her smile. Daniel snickered. Even Teal’c grinned.

"Yeah, yuk it up," Jack grumbled. He turned his attention to the young seer. "Why don’t you just do your mumbo-jumbo-voodoo thing and let us know what’s in there?"

Casey grinned. "Because my mumbo-jumbo-voodoo thing doesn’t always work that way."

"Annoying," Jack muttered. But his brown eyes twinkled merrily.

"Usually," Casey retorted. She glanced in the direction of the step-pyramid. "I could take a look, though."

Jack studied his young companion. "Tomorrow, Radar. We’ve had a hell of a day, and I’m ready to get some sleep."

Mike started. Had it only been a day? He remembered waking up…having coffee and breakfast – if an MRE could be considered breakfast. He remembered the laughter and the speculation over Daniel’s excitement about their find when the Stargate had activated. Then…He shuddered slightly.

"Mike?" Daniel asked quietly. "Are you okay?"

"Longest damn day of my life, I think," he replied honestly, giving a weak smile.

"Hey, we had you out of there just a matter of hours after you were taken," Casey protested. "Sometimes it takes SG-3 or SG-6…or whatever team comes after us…several days before they get us out of the sling we’ve gotten our asses into!"

Mike managed to laugh out loud. "Yeah, well I’ve heard that’s because of the slings you wind up in!"

"Stop talking to Ferretti," Casey mumbled, to more laughter from her friends.

"I don’t think I’ve said thank you," Bernie said softly. She looked at each face around her. "Thanks for coming after us."

"We never leave our people behind," Jack said softly. "We never let the bad guys win. Not if we can help it."

"This actually was a fairly easy rescue," Sam said.

"Indeed," Teal’c replied. "Not once did any of us suffer physically."

Casey rubbed the still sore spot on the back of her head. "Speak for yourself, Big Guy. I had three of those assholes determined to get down and dirty with me. Had to beat the snot out them."

"I stand corrected, Casey Jackson," Teal’c said, unable to hide his smile.

"You’d have been proud of her, Teal’c," Daniel said. He launched into a narrative of his wife fighting off the men who were determined to molest her. Everyone laughed at his detailed, blow-by-blow description of how she dissuaded the men from their goal.

When the laughter had died down again, Jack looked around. "Let’s call it a night, team." He reached into his pocket, pulled out five toothpicks, reached for his pocket knife and quickly marked each one. Then held them in his fist, only the very tops visible.

Mike and Bernie watched as each member of the team pulled one of the toothpicks free. "Um…none for us?" Bernie asked, a bit timidly.

Jack offered a reassuring smile. "We’re drawing for watch. You and Mike," he nodded toward the archaeologist, "aren’t on an SG team. As such, you don’t have to do things like stand watch."

"Uninterrupted sleep," Casey grumbled. "Must be nice."

"I’ll let you know, in the morning," Mike replied quietly.

"If you do have nightmares, we’re here," Casey said, reaching out to take his hand. "We can listen really well."

"That’s right," Daniel said.

"We keep the coffee going, too, just in case," Sam added.

Mike nodded. "Thanks."

Bernie rubbed her hands up and down her thighs. "It’s been an…interesting…day. And I’m suddenly more tired than I realized. I’m going to turn in."

"Goodnight, Bernie," Casey said, offering a warm smile.

"Goodnight, Casey." That she was able to smile back, and be sincere, surprised her. The thought that she and the slender blonde might actually become friends danced across her mind. That, upon reflection…given what she knew about the seer…was a very nice realization. She stood to her feet, gave a nod, and then hurried to the tent she shared with Mike. She heard him say goodnight as well. She turned around to face him when he entered the tent.

"Are you okay?" Mike asked immediately.

She contemplated the question, searching her mind for a moment. Then smiled. "Yes, I really am. What about you?"

He smiled in return. "I am too. I was scared shitless, there for awhile. Then…then it was just…" 

"An interesting adventure," she said softly.

"Very interesting," he agreed.

She unbuttoned the BDU shirt she was wearing and tossed it aside, then pulled the tee-shirt over her head. "I never want to go through anything like that again."

"Me, either."

"But…if we’re going to work at the SGC, and if we’re going to do digs on other planets, it’s a risk we’re going to have to face."

Mike studied her face. "Berns?"

"I know we haven’t been at the SGC very long. But, Mike, I can’t go back. I can’t teach at a university. I’m not sure I could even be satisfied on a dig somewhere…not even in the oldest known temples of the Aztec. Not now. Not after knowing about…" Bernie waved her hand toward the top of the tent, "all of this."

He frowned, and searched his own thoughts, his own heart. "The thought of having to face something like we did today…or worse…scares the hell out of me. Next time, our rescue might not be so quick…or so…well, easy."

"I know," Bernie said softly.

"But I understand how you feel. My god, what we’ve found here…it could be so important. Might even answer some questions about what happened to several of the civilizations that just seemed to…vanish. What if they were all taken? What if some Goa’uld, or slave trader, or even some other alien civilization that we don’t even know about yet, what if they took all of them? What if they’re still out there, somewhere? What if they tell stories of their ancestors being taken from their homes…" Mike’s eyes had widened, and filled with excitement. "Do you know what we could find out here?"

Bernie smiled. "Answers. Answers to so many of our questions."

Mike gave a deep sigh. "Okay. So we agree. We’re staying in Colorado."

"We’re staying at the SGC," Bernie agreed.

"Let’s talk to Adam and Tina when we get back. We’ll find out which realtor they recommend."

"House or condo?" Bernie asked.

"Condo. I don’t want to have to deal with yard work," Mike grinned.

Bernie chuckled. "A man after my own heart. Okay. And as soon as we’re moved in and settled, we’ll have them over for dinner. We owe them…three times, I think."

"What about Daniel and Casey?" Mike asked cautiously.

"I’d like to invite them over as well," Bernie replied. "But we already know that even working in the same department, we’re not going to see them often…or for very long when we do see them."

"True. Okay. Guess we’ll have to see about a trip back to Seattle to get all our stuff packed and shipped."

"I doubt it will be difficult to get a few days off."

Mike nodded. He stretched out on the bottom sleeping bag, waited until Bernie was snuggled beside him to pull the other over the top of them. "Night, Berns."

"Night, Mike."

"Love you."

"Love you, too."

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