• SUMMARY: He that increaseath knowledge increaseth sorrow. Ecclesiastes
• PG [D]

The hall was musty, filled with a bitter, dry smell that caught in Daniel’s nose and caused endless sneezing, yet that never cured the itch, never cleared it up. The smell was still there, the dryness still there, the sneezing merely aggravated the irritation. The hall was bleached, its pale stones looming around him as though they still served the god they had been built to protect. The power was all around, the awe, the majesty of a kingdom that once was and would forever be an essential piece of history. The pyramid towered above the horizon, pointing to the sky like a huge transmitter to the gods who watched the events below and interfered whenever possible. Once, long ago, there had been screaming hordes crowding these halls, people frantic in their worship and desperate for salvation from the wrath of those who held so much, those who had a tendency to bleed obedience from their charges by striking fear into their hearts. A society never reigned on fear alone, yet fear was the primary factor in its success. There were those that rebelled, those whose ethics differed from that of the common whole, those who could see the larger picture for what it was and not some minuscule bit that the tyrants desperately clung to in the name of self-servitude. There was rebellion, there was blood shed, there was a race wiped from existence and gods that fled to govern another. All was recorded on the stark walls, engraved in small, precise strokes and chips, figures kneeling then running for their lives as the gods threw flames of wrath down upon them, making them suffer for their insolence, punishing the entire hoard for the acts of a very few. But then, every society had its troublemakers, its pot-stirrers, the ones who liked to stoke the fire for their own amusement and feed the flames until it engulfed everything they knew to be a lie. But if society was the lie, and the flame engulfed the society, then what was left?

Daniel read the markings on the wall like a novel. He was seated on the floor, cross-legged, hands folded in his lap, and his cap turned backwards on his head to allow for a full view. His sunburned face revealed a childlike awe at the story before him, and he read it with all the enthusiasm of a five-year-old boy soaking up a bedtime story, hesitating only to raise a Kleenex to his nose. There was more than a mystery here, the vanishing of a race, there was the prime example of politics and warfare in a culture that was determined to survive against all odds. The level of success of this culture was in line with the success of the Roman Empire, and Daniel reveled in the similarities, analyzing and cross-referencing in his mind the various text he had read, finding that certain pieces fit perfectly. The thing was, this civilization predated the Roman Empire by a good three thousand years. That not only elevated his own theory about the Egyptian Pyramids and UFO’s, as his doubters had put it (a theory which held true, by the way), but made him question the rise of the Roman Empire, and wonder just how many times the earth had been visited unawares.

The sun was setting in a crimson sky by the time he walked out of the great hall and back to base camp, where his tent was set. He climbed inside and after downing some extra antihistamines (need to ask the doc for a stronger shot next time) he grabbed a book, then opened his journal where he had hastily yet carefully sketched samples of the writings he had just read. It was late into the night when, having filled more than fifteen pages with new information, he set the book down and stretched, then lay back. The tent flap was open. Stars peeked in on him, the same stars that had seen all of these wonders in action and were tight-lipped about the whole thing. It wasn’t fair. Sometimes he looked up and knew the stars were laughing at him, as everyone else had in his life, and as much as he tried he couldn’t amass enough knowledge to service any of them. He wanted to yank those stars right out of the sky, smother them in the palm of his hand until they burned his flesh, and their knowledge seeped in. He often wondered if his constant quest for knowledge wasn’t more of a curse than a gift, because he was never satisfied with what he knew. There was always more to learn, more to see, and while the truth of it filled his life with the excitement of constant discovery, the reality of it was that he never felt adequate. Sometimes it seemed there was too much that he didn’t know.

A cool breeze fluttered the flap of his tent and drew him from his thoughts. He sat up slowly and watched as the flap was once again disturbed. Pushing it aside, he gazed out over the sand that piled high in waves all around him, a flesh-tinted sea. The stars were cold ice in a burnt sky. He shivered and forced himself to slowly climb out, climbing unsteadily to his feet. Sand whipped against his face as a rougher breeze pushed past, grinding grit into his sensitive eyes. He threw his hands up to his face, then as the wind subsided he lowered them, wincing into the darkness, and there he saw . . . a figure.

She was tall, shapely, her robes clinging tightly to her bosom and hips. Her hair was as dark as the sky above, her eyes points of black light in smooth ivory skin. She stood as still as a statue, undisturbed, even the wind did nothing to sway her or ruffle her hair. She stared at Daniel, right into his soul. Daniel tried to blink the grit from his eyes and slowly approached her, half looking around for Jack or Sam, somebody, someone who could verify his vision and not chalk it up to a mirage or delusion. He wasn’t certain himself that he wasn’t seeing things. Too much reading, too much squinting, too much thinking . . . then she slowly raised a hand, palm outwards, raised it to him. He braced himself, preparing to duck, for that particular gesture meant, too many times, that he was about to be impaled by a ribbon device. It was an instinct to cringe. Instead, she cupped her palm and turned her hand over. A small jewel appeared, and she started to walk toward him, holding out the treasure for him to see. His breathing quickened as she came to a stop mere feet away from him, her eyes glinting in the moonlight as the white sphere made a late appearance over the horizon. Her body was suddenly consumed by its pale flame, and she spoke softly, her voice a whisper on the wind. "Such treasures," she said, "such as you have never seen. It’s all here, Dani-El. It is all within you." She tilted her hand and the jewel tumbled to the sand. Daniel reached down quickly to catch it before the sand swallowed it whole, but it disappeared into the air.

She had disappeared as well.

"Her hair was curled. She looked like an upper-class woman from Mesopotamia. She had that noble bearing, even the gold lining on her robes suggest noble birth. She was about my age, I think, she had this jewel. I don’t know, maybe I’ve been in the sun too long."

"We have seen stranger things, Danieljackson," Teal`c commented drily. "I for one believe you are unusually capable of bringing extraordinary events into our lives."

Daniel grinned. "Are you saying I’m a freak?"

Teal`c considered. "I do not believe the term fits the context of what I am describing."

"Yeah, well, that’s reassuring." Daniel continued to grin as he carefully used an artist’s brush to clear sand from a newly discovered tablet. "Look at this. The figure, the artistry, it’s Greek." He shook his head. "This is Greek in nature, and there is a Roman chapel inside an Egyptian pyramid. And a woman from Mesopotamia." He sat back on his heels. "I don’t get it."

Teal`c looked at the tablet. "I do not know much about your world as of yet, Danieljackson, but there seems to be a merging of not only different cultures, but different time periods as well."

"Exactly! The Roman Empire came into being around 27 B.C.E. Sumerian history began back in 3600 B.C.E., yet I am positive that woman was Sumerian."

"And what brings you to your conclusion?"

"Her dress. Her speech. The stone she held was lapis lazuli, which indicates status. And this tablet, it closely resembles cuneiform, which was their writing system."

"And what of the pyramid?" Teal`c asked.

"Well, you could argue that the Egypt that we know today reached its height around 2040 B.C.E. That was the time when they really took control of their lives, so to speak, and made many advances." He looked up at the pyramid before them. "I’m not saying that this particular pyramid dates to that age, of course. But you notice that this culture took details from the height of three of the most pivotal times in civilization, barring the discovery of the wheel and fire, which they obviously already had." Daniel’s mind trekked back to his visitor in the night. He looked up at the hot sun, then at the sweat dripping off of Teal`c’s brow, making damp spots in the sand that vanished quickly under the heat. "Let’s go for a water break. I need to clear my head."

The team members of SG1 sat around a makeshift table in the largest tent, listening to a refreshed and excited young archaeologist relay his discovery. "What we have is a society that apparently used the Stargate to extrapolate from different eras the systems of government and social ethics on which they operated. Not only that, but they have been to earth several different times, each time adapting their own culture to what information they brought back with them."

O’Neill looked mildly interested, which was quite a step for him. "You mean they used us as a template."

Daniel nodded. "That would be a good way to put it, yes."

"Why?"

"What, why in general or why us?"

Colonel Jack O’Neill, in his ever-growing wisdom, simply leaned back and quirked an eyebrow. "Both."

"Oh." Daniel thought for a moment. "Maybe at the time we were the most advanced culture they knew. Maybe we fit in with their ideals. My guess is that they simply had the desire to improve, and took the lessons of other cultures to help expand their own."

"Except that they were wiped out of existence."

Daniel’s shoulder’s fell. "Well yeah, there is that."

"Is there any evidence of Goa`uld activity?" Carter asked. She was staring at a stone carving of a woman who, if the imagination was stretched, looked a bit like her Aunt Jean.

"None that I can find, but then, I haven’t been actively looking. I, uh . . . thought that was your job."

"Just thought I’d ask." She smiled.

General Hammond lifted his hat and wiped his brow. "I need to get back to the gate room. I give you two more days here, then we move on. Dr. Jackson, I realize that isn’t much time, but we can mark the address for a future return. Would that be to your satisfaction?"

"Yes, sir, that would be just fine." He nodded as the general rose from his chair, secretly pleased that he had been allowed as much time as two days to further his studies. Jack rose as well, preparing to head back through the gate himself. There just wasn’t much need for him at a dig. Carter had stayed out of curiosity, but now she was slated to return as well. Teal`c was able to help with the manual labor and was available in case something Goa’uld-ish did turn up. Jack patted Daniel on the back with a rather patronizing, "Have fun now, don’t do anything I wouldn’t do," and nodded at Teal`c before leaving the tent. Sam gave Daniel an understanding smile and followed the Colonel. Teal`c started to leave, then realized that Daniel wasn’t following. He turned.

"Is something wrong, Danieljackson?"

"Hmm?" Daniel’s light eyes were slightly troubled. "Oh, no, nothing. I just wish he wouldn’t do that." The scientist followed Teal`c out of the tent and headed toward the Stargate.

"To what are you referring?"

"Jack and that patronizing quality he has. Just because I’ve . . . had my share of trouble he has to take that tone. Sometime I wonder if he thinks I’m more of a hindrance on these missions than a help."

"You are an invaluable member of the team, Danieljackson." Teal`c looked a little surprised at Daniel’s self-defeating attitude, as well as his sudden openness.

"Thanks, Teal`c, I don’t know, I’m just in a mood." Daniel smiled slightly and watched as the event horizon took form. He waved to the others as they walked through and were sucked up by the Stargate. "You know, I hate traveling through that thing."

"As do I. It makes me . . . ill."

Daniel turned to Teal`c. "Really? You never mentioned that before."

"There was never any need."

"I’m sure Dr. Frasier could give you something. A shot, maybe . . . "

"I do not approve of shots." He looked vaguely uncomfortable. "The needles . . . I do not approve."

Daniel was amused at the thought of such a large, intimidating figure been forced to endure travel sickness because he was afraid of needles. But then the warrior was really a kitten underneath all the metal casing that sometimes shrouded his body, and more often shrouded his soul. He clapped a hand on his friend’s shoulder. "Come on, we’ve got a lot of work to do."

Teal`c followed, and a question formed in his mind. "Danieljackson. You said this culture took samples from some of the most successful eras in earth’s history . . . "

"At the time," Daniel interjected.

"At the time . . . " Teal`c gave the scientist an impatience glance. Daniel blushed slightly and motioned for him to continue. "And yet the only written evidence we can find shows a barbarous act and the people fleeing for their lives. Surely the two cannot coexist."

Daniel nodded. "I know. The structures, everything points to a time when we made technological and agricultural advances. Yet all they depict is everyone destroying everyone else. It makes you question the real purpose of technology." He shook his head. "That’s what I mean by having a lot of work to do. We have two days to figure this out."

The sands shifted. Long, winding spirals of dust clouds lifted into the air and danced on the horizon, courting the heat and waving about like pale ghosts of a bygone age. A tendril touched down on the pyramid and caressed it, guiding its finger along the cracked and worn stonework, tracing the figures and artwork, giving them life. The figures leapt from their prison with a mighty roar and ran deep into halls within the giant structure. Sounds of anger and pain and torment echoed in halls that were once empty, but now held the suffering of eons of civilizations. The figures ran along the walls, mere shadows and secrets, alive yet still trapped by their past, forever doomed to relive the same instance over and over again in a deadly repetitive cycle, until the one that could break the cycle arrived. The sands listened, watched, waited for the one to come. It would recognize that special being when the time was right, and after freedom, they would consume that being, making certain the cycle repeated no longer.

Daniel woke with a start and hurriedly thrust his glasses on his face. He looked around, puzzled, then reached for his journal which lay open beside him. But he was only able to stare at it, and with a shock he realized that his symbols meant no more to him than chicken scratch. "No." He flipped through the book desperately, but all he found were nonsense words and drawings that looked like nothing more than impressionist artwork. "No!" He flung the journal aside and pressed his hands to either side of his head, squeezing his eyes tight shut against the knowledge that there was no knowledge. There were no memories. Nothing. He slowly lifted his head and squinted through his lenses, then tore the glasses from his face and hurled them aside. He raced outside, skidding in the loose sands before falling to his knees. Before him the pyramid was blurred, but he could see enough to tell that it was vibrating. The ground started to shake beneath him, tossing granules about like jumping beans. As Daniel watched, thousands of people suddenly raced out of the structure, all shadows, all screaming and heading right toward him. He tried to move but the sand pulled at him, holding him fast in place. Daniel cried out, throwing his hands up to protect his face as they rushed at him, through him, and disappeared.

He was lying on his side, gasping for air, scared to move or think or breathe too loudly. Vaguely aware of a troubled voice above him, he swatted it away, then yelled out as a vicious pain shot through his head. The voice insisted, then he felt himself being hoisted up, jostled along the sands, and felt the rush of passing through the event horizon, even felt the slight dizziness from arriving on the other side. He heard more voices, felt himself being placed on something soft, saw the odd lights parade over his head in a single line. He heard his name in a soft, yet persistent voice. He knew he was thrashing about by this point, felt himself being held down, felt the prick of a needle. Darkness closed in around his periphery, but that wasn’t what scared him. He had no idea what was going on.

And he realized with a jolt that it suddenly didn’t matter.

"There was a tremor underneath the sand. At first I believed it was another dust storm passing through, but there was no wind. I walked outside and saw Danieljackson on the ground. I tried to revive him, then made the decision to bring him back through the gate." His voice softened slightly. "I...do not know why he was outside his tent, unless the tremors had awakened him as well. I had heard him cry out, just before I left my own tent." He looked a little ashamed. "I was concerned, but did not realize the danger. I should have been quick to notice."

"No one’s blaming you, Teal`c," Sam admonished. "What do you think you could have done out there?"

Teal`c lowered his head. "I do not know. But I feel as though I should have done something."

Sam smiled sadly and rubbed the Jaffa’s arm. "Dr. Frasier says he’s just fine. Why don’t you go in and see him?" She waited for a response, and ended up leading the large warrior to the door of the infirmary. "He’ll want to see you." She gave him a reassuring smile and walked down the hall, leaving Teal`c to stare at the door, not wanting to move beyond it. He finally did so, pushing it open carefully and letting it close with a faint latch behind him. Around the corner, Daniel was sitting up on a bed, his back to Teal`c, his legs swung over the side, his hands in his lap. He glanced over his shoulder as Teal`c entered. "Hey! You okay? Did you feel those tremors?"

Teal`c stood uneasily at his friend’s bedside. "I did. I cannot explain it, other than seismic activity."

"Doesn’t strike me as a place to get seismic activity, but what do I know? I’m not a geologist." He smiled ruefully, then pinched the bridge of his nose. "I don’t, ah, I don’t suppose you thought to get my glasses."

"I regret that I did not." Teal`c was still standing rather stiffly behind him.

Daniel noticed and shifted, patting the mattress beside him. "Sit." Teal`c raised an eyebrow and slowly walked around the foot of the bed. He hesitated, then carefully sat down. "Now isn’t that better?"

Teal`c merely looked at him.

Daniel sighed. "Look. I know you. And I know you are facing that same guilt trip you face every time one of us has an . . . accident. You need to stop beating yourself up about it. It’s a dangerous job, shit happens, you can’t protect us all of the time." He threaded his fingers together and regarded them. "It’s not your duty, Teal`c. Not to the point that you beat yourself up when, in your eyes, you failed."

Teal`c seemed to be taking Daniel’s words to heart. His dark head was cocked, his whole demeanor burning with attention. After several moments he turned to Daniel. "I understand what you are saying. But you have to understand that I do feel responsible, especially to you. I believe you know why."

"Sha`re."

"Yes."

"Teal`c, when are you going to let that go? I’ve let it go, and she is . . . was . . . my wife."

Teal`c looked uncomfortable. His dark eyes glistened in the artificial light. "I cannot explain it." He looked down at his own hands. "Every time something unwarranted happens, I feel as though I have let you down once again. I hold you in the highest respect, Danieljackson, not only for your knowledge, but for your heart. As I have told you before, I am forever in your debt. I find not being able to repay the debt . . . disconcerting."

Daniel licked his lips, unsure as to what he should say. "Look. I wish I could make you feel better about things, but I guess only time will do that. Although, to be honest, I would have thought that the time for forgiveness had long past. I mean, I was gone for a while, you know? That was plenty of time to sort things out in your head . . . " Teal`c gave him a stony stare, " . . . or not, listen, I would hope that my friendship would be enough for you. I can’t give you anything else, I can’t absolve you or make you do penance for this crime that makes you punish yourself endlessly. Sure I wish she were here, I wish to god she was here, but not as a slave or a host. She’s better off where she is."

"And where do you believe that to be, Danieljackson?"

That troubled him. Daniel had no idea. "I know where she isn’t," he remarked bitterly.

"She did not ascend."

Daniel glanced up quickly, then dropped his gaze back down to his hands. He had known after ascending himself that it was a privilege given to a chosen few, and not the means to an end for everyone. Still, he had hoped. . . . "No." He sighed. "All I mean by this is, let my friendship be enough for you. Please?"

Teal`c considered again. "After what I have done, you found it in yourself to save my son."

"Yes," Daniel said quietly.

"Then I truly believe you when you say I am forgiven." He rose, and the mattress creaked. "But believe me when I say I need some time. You have given me much to think about."

"Sure, take all the time you need."

"I am glad you are well, Danieljackson." Daniel gave a slight smile, then watched Teal’c’s retreating back with a frown.

"There was no sign of seismic activity, no reading of any kind. No temperature gradients, nothing to indicate a distant storm, nothing odd in the atmosphere . . . "

"No little green men jumping up and down . . . " Jack sighed and shut his mouth as Carter glared at him.

"There is no explanation for these tremors that Daniel and Teal`c felt. At least nothing tangible."

"Meaning they imagined it?" Jack was in rare form. He had a snappy comeback to everything that Carter had said in the briefing thus far, and it was getting on her last nerve.

"NO, sir, meaning we simply don’t know what happened out there. It could be a phenomenon peculiar to this planet. Something we can’t measure, as of yet."

"It could be another wormhole." Jack looked around at the stares he received. "What? I’m being serious here."

General Hammond turned to Daniel. "You say you saw beings running from this pyramid you are studying?"

"Yes, sir," Daniel said hesitantly. He was frowning at the text before him, his notes, his sketches, and what he had hoped was a bad dream suddenly transpired as reality. "I-I . . . " he frowned again.

"Doctor Jackson?"

Daniel looked up, wide-eyed. "I’m sorry, I . . . " he glanced at the notes and cleared his throat. "I can’t seem to read my own writing."

"That chicken scratch? Not surprised." Jack smirked.

Daniel shook his head rapidly. "No, no, that’s not it. I-I don’t understand this." He flipped through the pages with growing unease. It means nothing. Absolutely nothing. He pushed himself away from the table and stood, bending over his documents once again, then cursing. "I don’t understand any of it!" His brows drew tight over worried eyes as he continued to study the documents, then ran from the room, with Hammond’s voice echoing after him.

They found Daniel in his office, flipping papers left and right, tossing them into the air in agitation and anger. "Nothing!" He turned blazing eyes to his team mates. "I understand none of this!"

"Wait, what do you mean, Daniel?" Sam tried to steady him, but he pulled away and grabbed a book that was opened to an ancient hieroglyphic text.

"Can you read this?"

"Daniel, you know I can’t . . . "

"Well neither can I." He slammed the book shut, then slammed himself in his seat, burying his head in his hands.

Jack held up his hand. "Wait a minute, are you saying you can’t read any of this? You . . . forgot it?"

Daniel didn’t look up. He just grabbed his hair between his fingers, tugging at it in distress. "Just get out . . . please . . . I need to be alone right now . . . "

"Daniel . . . "

"No. Please, please go."

His friends looked at each other and granted him the solitude he wished.

"No memory loss, other than facts pertaining to his training. He can remember the same details of his life, his childhood, his missions, relationships, everything, he just seems to have lost his ability to function in his speciality. It’s as if he never learned anything about archaeology or history or mythology, any of it. I can’t explain it." Janet Frasier sat back in her seat, one hand playing with a pen while the other toyed with her patient’s file. It had been one week, and Daniel’s memory was showing no signs of returning. She was annoyed by the fact that yet again, there was a medical problem that was out of her control. She was good in her field, damn good, which was why she was assigned to the flagship team of the SGC. But she found herself constantly tested, which was preferable, except there were too many times when she had failed in her duty, only to have it resolved by some means of divine intervention. While she was thankful for that intervention, it didn’t help the insecurity she sometimes faced. And in her profession, with lives on the line, insecurity was the last thing she needed.

General Hammond watched her closely. She appeared, well, nervous was the wrong word. Apprehensive. He instantly knew why, and knew it was on the minds of everyone who sat at the table. It was obviously on Dr. Jackson’s mind, because he had asked to be excused from the meeting, and Hammond agreed. It was an uncomfortable situation for everyone, and there was no need for Daniel to sit in the side chair and be stared at in sympathy. He sighed and caught the eyes of everyone in his presence. Dr. Frasier, still toying with the folder. Major Carter, whose large expressive eyes revealed confusion and sadness. Teal’c’s demeanor appeared the same, but Hammond knew him well enough to see the slight slouch in his usually straight posture, his mouth curved in an ever-so-slight frown. And Jack O’Neill . . . he looked at no one. If he could pound his fists right through the table he would have, and General Hammond wouldn’t have blamed him one bit. He closed his eyes for a brief second, then put on his best command voice. "We all know the consequences if a member of the SGC is not able to fulfill his or her duties. Usually the circumstances that allow for that are out the control of the person in question." He hesitated, letting his words hang, and giving his team a moment to prepare for the inevitable. "You know I care for Dr. Jackson as much as you. But the fact remains that without his knowledge, he is of no use to the SGC. Therefore he will be placed on a temporary leave of absence, and pending his condition, may or may not be allowed to return to the SGC."

Silence hung thickly in the air. No one moved, yet you could see the wheels turning in each head of his team, wondering what could be done, what loopholes there were, how they could keep Daniel with them. It was Jack who caught the thought that had coursed unseen through the room. "What about diplomatic relations? We all know he has a way with people. He’s negotiated more treaties than the UN has broken." He sat forward, punctuating each word with a finger jab on the table top. "He knows people. He may not remember his languages, but how many times have we been in a situation where he didn’t understand a word they were saying, and was able to negotiate anyway?"

Hammond nodded. "I know, Colonel. That thought had occurred to me as well, but have you considered the fact that maybe it would be too uncomfortable for Daniel to go to these worlds, knowing that valuable knowledge has been taken from him? You know him. He would feel more useless than anything." Jack merely looked at his hands in frustration. Hammond looked at each team member. "I know this is tough, and I don’t like it any more than you do. But my hands are tied." He turned to Dr. Frasier. "I still want answers. If there is any way to reverse this, I want to know." The doctor nodded with sad determination. "Dismissed."

Daniel was sitting at his desk, his eyes drifting over the various papers and artifacts and books that meant nothing to him. He felt as though he could just reach out and touch them and experience the current of knowledge, but he couldn’t any more than he could stick his hand in a laser beam and understand the vast problems of quantum physics. His breathing quickened, his fists clenched, and with one wide sweep on his arm he knocked everything to the floor. The satisfying crash resounded through his head and brought tears to his eyes, tears he had fought to hold back for so long. He hid his face in his hands, subsequently hiding from his fears. There was a subtle sound, someone clearing their throat. He looked up and found Jack standing with the door open, his hand still resting on the knob. Their eyes met and locked, and at that moment Daniel knew why Jack had come. He sighed and thumped back against his chair. "Start packing, huh?"

"Um . . . yeah." Jack slowly closed the door behind him and stood in the center of the room, hands tucked into his pockets, his eyes roaming over the various articles and belongings that had accumulated over the years, then coming to rest on the broken pile on the floor. Daniel hadn’t moved. Jack wiped at his nose, then made an all-encompassing gesture. "All of this, you can take it all. I mean, Hammond didn’t specify . . . " he paused, "as to what . . . should be left . . . behind . . . " he winced and shook his head, realizing how fatalistic that sounded. A deep sigh escaped him. "You know, when I was younger I suffered a severe head injury. Forgot who I was, forgot how to shoot my gun, everything. It came back. Your’s will too."

A pair of cold eyes met Jack’s. "If that’s meant to make me feel better, it doesn’t."

"Well," Jack scrubbed at his cheek uncomfortably, "I know the circumstances aren’t exactly the same . . . "

"No, it’s not the same at all, Jack. It’s not like you’ve permanently forgotten how to shoot your gun. All you have to do is pull the fucking trigger!" He pinched the bridge of his nose, taking pause after his outburst. "Sorry."

"No," Jack considered, "No, you’re right. It’s not quite the same thing. You have years and years of study. You have a trained brain. You have a brilliant mind. How hard do you think it would be to relearn?" Daniel gave him an incredulous look, against which Jack raised his hand. "It’s got to be in there somewhere, Danny. Think of this as a way to take time to retrieve your memory, to get that knowledge back. I bet the floodgates will open."

"And what if it doesn’t?" Daniel demanded. "This is me, this is who I am. It’s ALL that I am." He picked up a small statuette. "You see this? I used to know everything about her, every detail, where she was found, what she represented, and I know this had personal meaning." His long fingers wrapped around the figure in a death grip. "You know what this means now?" He suddenly reared back and flung the artifact against the hard wall, where it shattered completely. "That’s what it means!" he yelled. "That’s how much I understand or care! So take your sympathy someplace else!" He shoved Jack to the door.

Jack braced himself in the doorframe. "Don’t do this, Daniel."

Daniel’s furious gaze wavered as he fought for control. "I’m sorry," he whispered, and shut the door. Then he crossed the room, picking up the scattered pieces of the statue that had sat on his desk for so long. Jack leaned his head against Daniel’s door as sobs barely escaped the barrier, then reentered.

Daniel continued to sob long after Jack’s familiar arms enfolded him.

Sam was staring at her reflection. She had been staring at it for some time, studying her hair, the texture, the color, her eyes, the fact that they seemed too large for her face. The laugh lines that were just starting to form around her mouth. Her mouth, her lips, that odd shade of pink instead of pale as her mother’s had been. She stared at the physical attributes, none of which she was really ashamed of, and wondered if it had anything to do with making a person who they were. Of course not. But if she stared into her own eyes, deep in the reflection of the mirror, did she see herself then? Was Samantha Carter hidden somewhere in those blue depths? Was Daniel hidden in his?

The man in question was in the kitchen preparing sandwiches. She had come to check up on him, and found that he was doing quite well, all things considered. Daniel had been almost too chatty when he let her in. His mood was almost manic, as though he was trying just as hard to convince himself that things were under control, that he was fine and pulling through. She wasn’t falling for it. He even bragged about reading a few novels he hadn’t had time to look at, and revealed an inner delight at going to a museum and seeing it with the eyes of a child. "I had no idea what I was looking at, and it was refreshing," he had said. "Of course I missed not knowing, but I was able to read the placards and understood what I saw. That was good enough." He had smiled and walked into the kitchen at that point, leaving Sam to scrutinize the objects on his shelves. She had paused at a case with a mirrored backing, and found herself staring at the woman in the glass. Her eyes were troubled, and rightfully so. Daniel was taking this too well. He harped on what his unrequested freedom had given him, and was exploring other interest for a change. There was even an easel set up in the middle of the den supporting a large, half finished painting. Sam always knew the man had a knack for art after seeing his sketches in his journals, but she was surprised to see him tackle such a project. The odd splashes of color were interesting, melding into an obscure shape that could be a planet, or a star, or a supernova. Long streaks streamed from the center, and she was mesmerized by the way the brush strokes carried the paint from thick lines to wispy tendrils, like cirrus clouds. Maybe the break wasn’t a bad thing, but she knew deep down that he was suffering. She knew that when he looked at his reflection he saw thousands of years of learned history culminating in those eyes, not someone banned to sit at home with a canvas. Not that the painting was bad, by any means.

"Here." Sam jumped as a ham sandwich was passed to her. She smiled her thanks and watched as Daniel took a huge bite of his own, nearly consuming half. He chewed for a moment, then used the sandwich to gesture at the painting. "What do you think?" he managed around a mouthful.

"It’s great. I didn’t know you had an interest in painting."

"Neither did I. I was too busy studying." He swallowed and took another huge bite. One more like that and the sandwich would be gone in three bites. He continued to stare at the picture. "I thought this might remind me of something. I know it’s strange, but I don’t even know what this is."

Sam finally bit into her own sandwich. She glanced down at it. "Wow! Where did you get this ham?"

"Like it?"

"It’s wonderful!"

"I’m glad. Kellerman’s, just down the block. Just opened."

"I’ll have to stop by there." She took another bite, a larger one this time, now understanding why Daniel was devouring his food. She made sure to chew thoroughly and swallow before speaking again. "You know, sometimes an artist will have an image in mind and just run with it. He may not know what the picture is until it’s finished, and even then it may not be clear. Sometimes it’s just an emotion."

"Then this would be exploding rage." He smiled, but his face had darkened. He turned away and raised his glass of juice to his lips.

Sam looked down at her sandwich, then at the man who was staring at his glass. He had stopped halfway to his mouth, the liquid threatening to spill over the rim and onto his shirt. Her brows tightened. "Daniel?"

Daniel stared at the juice, then turned an enlightened expression to Sam. "That’s it."

"What’s it?" She set her sandwich down on the table before her, decorum be damned, and walked to him. There was a light in his eyes she hadn’t seen in some time.

"We have to go back."

"Back to the planet?"

"Yes! Don’t you see? That’s how they collect information. They didn’t just visit earth, they collected knowledge from the people. They used the human brain as a library, taking what information they needed."

"They apparently forgot to return the books," Sam remarked.

"God, Jack is getting to you too," Daniel responded wryly. He set his drink down and returned to the painting, turning it upside down. "What does that look like to you?"

Sam studied it. "It . . . it looks like a hieroglyph. I thought this was an exploding sun?" She stared at the painting which suddenly took on a new meaning. The lines from the center formed a set of odd legs, and round center was the head. And the lines over it . . . she turned to Daniel.

"Knowledge. It shows knowledge being extrapolated from the human brain," he said in response to her look.

"Daniel, are you saying this is a subconscious representation of what happened to you?"

Daniel’s eyes burned with a fevered intensity. "God, I hope so," he said softly. "I gotta tell you Sam, if this isn’t the answer, I’m done for."

Hammond wasn’t the least bit happy about sending the team back through, but he conceded, seeing how important it was to Daniel. Sam was insistent and put up a powerful argument. Teal`c was likewise determined to help his friend. Jack was so determined he wasn’t even in the briefing room, instead he was going over the packs to make certain the supplies they needed were available to them. Once on the planet the found everything had been left as before, even down to the tents and Daniel’s books. O’Neill frowned. "I thought we disassembled everything."

"We did, sir," Carter replied as she scanned the horizon. Teal’c’s weapon was ready, and Daniel noticed.

"Teal`c, we don’t want to cause any ill-feeling. Maybe you just put down the weapon." He looked at O’Neill. "They preserved everything, just as we left it. Maybe it’s a way to welcome us back."

"It’s damned freaky, that’s what it is." O’Neill nodded to Teal`c who lowered his weapon. He watched as Daniel picked up one of his reference books and blow sand from the cover. The wind picked up slightly, flipping open the cover and tossing the pages to and fro. Daniel steadied one of the pages, and Jack carefully studied his friend’s expression. "Make any sense?"

Daniel sighed. "No, not a bit." He snapped the cover shut and tossed the book to the sand before looked over his shoulder. "Maybe we should go inside."

"Just what is it we’re looking for?" Sam asked.

Daniel shrugged. "No idea." He started toward the structure with the others in tow.

Everything was the same, the dust on the walls, the carvings that now looked like childish scrawls, the smell. But there was one feature that had been overlooked, or either wasn’t there previously. A small door, a hatch, was seen at the very end of the corridor. Daniel approached it cautiously, going down on hands and knees and examining the decor. "I don’t know what it is, but it’s different from everything else here." He sat back on his heels. "I’m certain this wasn’t here before."

"So . . . it’s a new feature?" Jack inquired.

Daniel nodded. "Being that the markings differ as they do, I wonder if the being who put it here . . . wait, listen." He held up a finger, and his eyes turned to the ceiling. The others looked up as well as a grinding noise filled the hall. Jack turned and saw the entrance semi-blocked by a large stone. He frowned and turned to Daniel as the small door before him opened with a click. Daniel’s eyes were wide, and he lowered his hand, then bent down to look inside. Jack started to take a step toward him, but stopped, not wanting to appear too protective. But he had a bad feeling. Daniel was halfway into the door way before Jack could stop him. Teal`c peered in after Daniel’s boots vanished to the other side. Moments later a muffled voice called out to them. "It’s a huge passage way. Come on through." Teal`c examined the entrance a bit dubiously but managed to force his wide shoulders through. Carter followed with little difficulty, and O’Neill brought up the rear. They found themselves in a huge tunnel that suddenly unfolded around them, revealing a sanctuary with mirages of trees, water, and animals, and on the walls, living as they had done for thousands of years, people.

Daniel blinked in astonishment and walked over to the wall, slowly raising a hand to touch the surface. It buckled and faded under his fingertips, much like the event horizon in the Stargate. He turned. "It’s a projection. It isn’t real"

"What?" Sam joined him, reaching out and finding that there was nothing solid to grasp hold of. Puzzled, she ran the palm of her hand over the surface. "You’re right. It’s like it’s not even here."

"So, what, they have a projector hidden behind a wall? This is all one big movie?" Jack rested his arms on his weapon and looked about him. As usual he was frustrated that he had no clue as to what was going on.

"I’m not sure," Daniel replied. He watched the scene played before him, the people going about their lives, hunting, gathering, crafting. He watched as pyramids were built, then flying machines. And he saw a figure as it appeared in his painting, and pointed it out to Sam. They watched as the flying machine disappeared then reappeared. The figure was doused in thought waves, and new features replaced the pyramids. "Skyscrapers," Daniel exclaimed. "Do you know what this means?"

"That they have a replica of the Chrysler Building somewhere?" Jack responded as he studied the adjoining wall.

"Close." Daniel said patiently, "It means they have visited the earth recently."

"Of course they have," Jack commented as he watched the show on the wall. "Uh, Daniel? You better come see this." He waved the young man over, and watched his expression change from puzzlement to surprise.

"That’s . . . that’s the museum . . . where my parents . . . " he didn’t finish the comment, and instead turned to look at the wall where he had been standing. The skyscrapers were there, as well as automobiles, rockets, and "Look. It’s our Stargate." Everyone turned and watched as the representation of the dial spun around and around, then the entire wall erupted into hieroglyphics and cuneiform. Studies that spanned the knowledge of thousands of years flashed before them, and each one knew the facts had been stolen from Daniel.

Jack was impressed. "They picked your brain well."

"But why?" Daniel frowned reached out to touch the wall as images of the Asgard flickered across the rough surface. Suddenly the "film" ended and they were left facing bare walls. Daniel spun around, then tensed as a roaring noise filled the air. "This isn’t good."

Jack was already backing away. "This is SO not good." He looked over his shoulder at Teal`c and Sam. "Time to go, kids . . . "

"W-wait," Daniel stammered.

"No, not wait. Go." Jack grabbed the back of Daniel’s vest and started to pull the man away from the wall, then felt the earth shift beneath him. He yelped as the stone and sand gave way, then felt himself falling. He heard a startled cry and knew he wasn’t alone, which gave him some measure of comfort until he smacked down onto the hard ground. A heavy weight landed on his arm, and he realized he had never let go of Daniel’s vest. Daniel groaned and rolled away. Jack tried to lift his head, then decided the effort simply wasn’t worth it. A moment later a blond head obscured his view. "Sir?"

"Yeah, great, peachy. You?"

"Pretty banged up, but I’m okay." She turned as Teal`c appeared over her shoulder, then hurried over to Daniel.

"Glad to know this place is so stable. Makes me feel a lot better." He sat up with Teal’c’s help and looked to his right. "Daniel?"

"Here, Jack." He was holding his head in one hand while waving away any attempts of help. Sam finally sat back and watched as the young man forced himself to his feet and adjusted his glasses. He squinted then removed them, rubbing the lenses vigorously on his shirt.

"Well, since we are all accounted for, any ideas?" Jack pulled himself to his feet grumpily. He was getting to old for falling into pits in alien pyramids on alien planets.

Daniel replaced his glasses and turned. "I see no way out."

"Nor do I," Teal`c added.

"Very reassuring, both of you. Carter?"

"Look like the only way out is up." Sam raised her hand to shield her eyes from the light that cut into the darkness below.

Jack sighed. "Terrific. That’s what, fifty, sixty feet or so?"

"There appears to be many handholds in the stone. We can climb." Teal`c stopped as Daniel raised his finger.

"Uh, climb? As in up?"

"That would be the general direction one would climb," Jack responded in his best Teal`c voice.

"Yeah, what I mean is . . . " his fingers made a running motion up the wall face, then he looked down. It didn’t take a genius to realize he wasn’t fond of the plan.

"Hey, come on. You weren’t scared in the cavern where that Crystal Skull was found."

"Says who?"

"And you risked your life to save Gairwyn when she nearly fell over that ledge . . . so Carter told me."

"Yes, but . . . "

"You’ve jumped out of a plane before."

"Okay, okay! Please, don’t remind me. I still have nightmares about that." He hesitated. "Besides, anyone stopped to think that maybe we are down here for a reason?"

Jack shook his head in wonderment. "And what, pray tell, would that reason be?" He turned as the wall behind him started to shift and rotate, revealing an inner room.

Daniel walked up to him with a smug expression. "That one." He allowed himself a contented smile and carefully shouldered past the colonel.

Jack looked at the others. "That one," he mimicked, then shrugged and followed.

The walls were covered with writings, pictographs, diagrams, letters, shapes, geometric figures, almost any written form of communication possible. The team stood in the center of the room, shining their lights in straight white lines along the surfaces, illuminating the corners and creating odd shadows. Daniel adjusted his glasses and studied the markings laid out stubbornly before him, taunting him. He sighed in frustration. "Can-can someone help me here? I recognize our alphabet, but . . . " he shook his head.

Sam’s face was pained as she walked over to help her friend. "Um, let’s see, this look Chinese. These would be hieroglyphs . . . "

"I can tell that much. What about here?" He pointed further down the wall, right where it joined another at a sharp right angle.

"That would be Goa`uld," Teal`c said.

Daniel turned. "Really? And here?"

Jack frowned. "Looks like that stuff we saw on P3x242."

Daniel cast his mind back, but found nothing. "Here. This looks like . . . " he turned again, then faced his friends. "This is an Asgard mothership! Is there anything else here? Sam, do you recognize anything?"

"Mathematical equations." Sam had crossed over to the far side of the room. "And . . . wow. Look at this. I’ve never seen anything like it." She pointed to a section of wall to her upper right. "This could be from a species we haven’t even encountered yet." She glanced at Daniel, wishing with all her heart that the man could make something of all this. Daniel was becoming understandably annoyed. He chewed at his lower lip then sat down.

"Okay, we have a room with writings, and a room with pictures, images. A pyramid, a Mesopotamian woman, Roman influences, oriental design, all that is earth-based, so far as we know. Well, no, not really, I mean we’ve seen evidence of it in other cultures, but we assume that they were brought from the earth." He raised his knees and propped his elbows. "Either way, it’s all here. Along with everything else we’ve seen so far," he glanced at the scrawls that Sam had discovered, "and apparently a lot that we haven’t. I wonder how many rooms there are like this?"

"Judging by the size of the structure and the fact that we keep descending, I would say a great many. There is no way to tell how large this facility actually is," Teal’c replied.

"Not unless we explore more." Daniel rose and looked at Jack pointedly.

"Daniel, I think right now getting out of here would be a good idea. Don’t you?"

"Jack, the answer may be here." He gestured helplessly. "I just . . . I need to know what’s going on."

"So do I. I’m just not sure we’re going to find the answer here. This is creating more questions than answers." Not to mention the nagging feeling he had that they really should leave, and soon.

"Jack, please, just . . . " Daniel raised a finger and turned back to the wall. His brows were furrowed, and the Colonel recognized the look. It either meant a long lecture, or. . . .

Daniel turned back, his eyes alight. "I was wrong. They didn’t adapt their culture to earth’s history. This is a collection of history, not just of earth’s either. Look here." He ran his fingers over the letters. "This is something I’ve never seen, and by the looks of it the origins are of an alien nature. This is from a race we haven’t even met yet. And here, this is Goa`uld, which means this must be Tok’ra, there is slight delineation. This," he pointed to wavy scrawls, "The Nox are represented here, I think. And this," pointing to a mothership, "the Asgard. They’re all here, and countless cultures we’ve never seen. It’s like a catalog system." He stood and faced Sam. "Remember when I said they picked the information from our brains, using us as a kind of library? I was wrong, this is the library. A record of the various cultures of the universe, and it’s history." His eyes were wide as he turned back to O’Neill. "God, Jack, it’s all here. Everything. Absolutely everything that has ever happened, updated, intact, ready for reference." His dazed face found Jack’s.

Jack was having a hard time taking it in. It was too overwhelming for his mind. He walked over to one of the stone walls and ran his rough fingers over the surface. The history of the inhabitants of the entire universe, right here, right where anyone could. . . "Daniel?"

"Yeah, Jack?" His expression still held an inner excitement as he examined the walls in pure wonder.

"Why do this?"

"Why do what?"

"Why go through the trouble of collecting all of this information? What is it for? Who would be interested?"

"I’m more curious as to how it was obtained," Sam commented.

"Probably the same way mine was taken from me," Daniel remarked painfully. He made a fist, then released it along with his breath. "Would have been nice if they’d asked first."

"Do you think they asked anyone?"

Daniel cocked his head in thought, then turned to Carter. "You think all this information was stolen?"

"They stole it from you. Why not others?"

"Here’s another thought," Jack broke in. "What good would all this history be to anyone other than a person interested in finding something specific about a culture?"

"Like . . . referencing a book?" Daniel frowned.

"You could say that. Seems to me that this place isn’t so much a library as a warehouse for a very delicate, very unusual intelligence operation."

Sam’s eyes widened. "You mean whoever built this is keeping tabs on the cultures, not out of interest, but as surveillance?"

"Or keeping tabs on the culture’s progress and advancement." Daniel said, his voice low.

"Perhaps they use the information for unwonted purposes," Teal`c added.

Daniel shook his head. "Wait. This is all speculation. We don’t know this is why all of this information is here, this could actually be a library of sorts. An ongoing time capsule."

"Agreed." Teal`c raised his large head. "We should not surmise without obtaining more evidence."

"Still, I say watch your backs." Jack said firmly. He still had a bad feeling, a crawling chill that ran along the back of his neck and down his spine. He didn’t like this one bit. "I suppose even with all this stuff around us, everyone is still clueless as to who these people are." His questioning glance met three blank stares. "Right. Thought so." He eyed the ceiling and noticed a very faint, subtle crack. Frowning, he gestured upwards. "Daniel? See this?"

Daniel followed the Colonel’s finger as it traced through the air to show the crack leading to a corner of the room and down the wall. The two men walked over to it cautiously. "I don’t remember seeing that before."

"Me either. Could we have just missed it? Distracted by everything else in the room?"

Daniel ran his fingers along the fissure. "This isn’t just a crack, this is man-made, or alien-made, I mean it isn’t just a natural occurrence. This has a purpose." His eyes once again tracked the line up the corner to the side wall, across the room, and down to the opposite side. "It splits the room precisely in half."

"Not a result of tremors, huh?" Jack walked along the track, his head tilted upwards, eyes winced in case some of the dirt overhead decided to take a tumble.

"No, the fissure is exactly uniform, and perfectly straight. It’s like the two halves of the room were built to connect with each other."

"Or built to separate," Teal`c commented, and pointed to a large circular indentation in the wall before him. Daniel stared at it, then started to reach out for it.

"No! Daniel, you know better." O’Neill’s voice echoed loudly against the stone walls.

"Jack, give me another option! Do you want to stay down here? This may be the only way out."

The Colonel weighed the pros and cons, then raised his weapon, signaling for Carter to do the same. "Fine. Punch it."

Daniel did so, and the room instantly started to quake. Teal`c grabbed Daniel’s arm and jerked him back away from the wall which shifted and turned on its axis, then pulled away to reveal a larger chamber, a huge, vast open area encased in darkness. The air that rushed past was old and chilled. Daniel’s hair whipped about his head and he squinted, although his glasses protected his eyes. Teal`c continued to hold his arm as they fell to the ground, his other hand trying to wave away the blast. Sam was on the ground as well, and O’Neill was pinned to the far wall by the pressure.

As quickly as it had started, it stopped. Daniel caught his breath and looked around, then walked over to Sam, helping her to her feet. "Everyone all right?"

"Yeah. Not sure what that accomplished though." Jack’s voice was shaky, and Daniel gave him a quick glance.

"You sure you’re okay?"

"Knocked the breath from me. I’ll live."

"Danieljackson." Teal’c voice was urgent yet relaxed, trying not to alarm the others. Of course they recognized that tone, and approached cautiously to find themselves looking thousands of feet into an abyss.

"Well, you were wondering how big this place was," Jack said.

Daniel backed away slightly. "I think I’m going to be sick."

"This is no worse than the cavern in which the crystal skull was discovered, Danieljackson."

"I know. I thought I was going to be sick then, too." He ventured another glance over the edge. "Wait, did you see that?"

"I did not."

"There, guys, look. On that precipice."

Jack flipped his flash light to the area where Daniel had indicated. Still nothing. "Are you sure you saw something?"

"Yes! It was a figure, it moved . . . "

"Daniel, it’s so dark down there, how can you . . . "

"Sam, I saw it, it was there."

"But it is there no longer." A new voice entered the fray, and the team spun and faced an entity. "It is here."

The hostility from the being was unmistakable. Sam raised her weapon only to have it disappear. "Sir!"

"I noticed, Carter." Jack gritted his teeth and back away a step.

"You have come here to destroy us," the entity continued. "I will not allow that."

"No, wait!" Daniel exclaimed. "We came here to understand. See, something was taken from

us . . . "

"It is none of my concern. You will die." The odd voice was calm, as if reading from a menu.

"I’d rather not," Daniel remarked as he backed beside Jack.

"I think a hasty departure is in order, O’Neill," Teal`c said, his face betraying the nervousness he usually shielded.

"I agree," Jack said and grabbed Sam’s arm and Daniel’s jacket as the entity flew at them. "Go!" The four of them ran back to the room and stopped instantly, realizing they had no where to go. Daniel frantically started to pound on the walls as the odd cry filled the air. Sam did likewise, all senses alert for an opening to appear, a portal to safety. Finally a door slowly exposed an escape route, and they ran for it with the shrieks close behind them.

Jack gasped for air as they ran. "Dammit Daniel, I though you said you returned that library book!"

"Not funny, Jack!" Daniel huffed, falling behind. He reached out behind him and pulled Sam forward, placing his hand at the small of her back, urging her to go faster as she tried not to stumble. Teal`c shot past them, grabbing Carter’s hand as her foot caught. His momentum suddenly compromised, Daniel crashed to his knees.

The walls shook with a firm vibration that rocked the others off their feet. "Move!" O’Neill shouted. "Let’s go, let’s go!" He helped Sam up and pushed her toward the exit, then reached back. "Teal`c, come on! Danny, move your ass!" Another blast threw them all down, and the walls started to cave in around them.

"Colonel!" Sam’s cry echoed through the hall, and Jack looked up as she tried to return.

"No! Keep going. That’s an order!" He threw his finger toward her, motioning for her to go and stop for nothing. Samantha understood, someone needed to reach the gate, and at the moment she was closest. She charged ahead, running blindly though the falling debris as she launched herself out to open air.

Jack winced through the flying dust and just made out the large form of Teal`c running toward him. "Come on! Daniel?" He put his hand on Teal’c’s shoulder. "Where is he?" At that moment Daniel burst into view, diving as the entity descended on him. Jack fired, and as he expected the weapon vanished before the bullet fully dislodged. Teal`c forced himself through to Daniel, helping him stand as they looked around for the assailant, but the entity had disappeared. "Go!" Jack yelled, pushing the other two ahead of him. He didn’t know when the ceiling fell in on them, he just remembered choking on dust . . .

Sam had just cleared the passage when her world crumbled in large stones behind her. She flung herself forwards, landing with a sharp pain in her side and all air shoved unforgivingly from her lungs. It was sometime before the air cleared and she coughed, raising her head and squinting in the brightness of sunlit sands. Her hands sank slightly as she pushed up to her feet, and dread filled her as she turned to find the entrance blocked, the pyramid looking like a mountainous rock slide. "Oh, my, god . . . oh god . . . " she ran to the wall and ran her fingers over the surface, then tried desperately to shift the stone, knowing that she was too weak to do so. Teal`c would have been too weak, hell, machines would have been too weak . . . "no. Dammit, NO!" She pounded a fist on the stone and fell to the sand, head lowered, shock coloring every pore of her grimy face. She sniffed and felt in her pocket for her radio, hoping it would transmit through the layers. "Colonel? Teal`c? Come in? Please . . . say you’re there . . . "

Jack groaned as a voice exploded beside his head. "Dammit Carter . . . " his hands flew up to wave the voice away from his pounding head. Unfortunately it persisted in an annoying, desperate tone. It was the desperation that caught his attention, and he forced his head up, feeling in the dark for the radio. He fumbled with it, jumping when a burst of static shot through the speaker. "Sam?" he croaked.

"Colonel? Is that you?"

He winced. "God I hope not . . . "

"Sir! Are you okay?"

"Yes," he shifted and groaned. "No. Give me a minute."

"Colonel, the entrance is sealed tight. I have to return to the SGC . . . "

"Yeah, yeah, go. Now." Anything for some quiet. His head was about to split open.

"I’ll be back . . . "

"I’m sure you will be," he muttered. He tried to look around, but all was dark.

"Daniel, Teal`c? Are they . . . "

"I don’t know Major." Jack’s head was starting to clear, and memories of cascading dust and yelling flooded in. "Go. I’ll . . . just sit here and wait."

"I’ll be back as quick as I can."

"Yeah, yeah. Go." He waved a limp hand at the radio and set it down, then fell to his side as oblivion took possession.

He woke to the strangled sound of coughing, of someone that wasn’t getting enough air. There was still no light, nothing but thick sediment floating in the air like a cesspool of scum. He sat up slowly, pulling out a cloth and holding over his nose and mouth. His headache has subsided, but he was cracked and sore all over from being pelted with stone. His small penlight cut through the blackness, and after a rudimentary scan settled on the dark figure of Teal`c, half buried by rocks. Jack cursed and crawled over to him, gently removing the stones. "Teal`c! Can you hear me?" He grunted and shoved a large stone aside. "Teal`c! Come on, wake up. Not a good time for a nap, not right now." Teal`c remained silent. Jack cleared the debris and searched for injuries as best as he could, then was distracted by another cough. His light whipped around. "Daniel? That you?" He glanced down at Teal`c and stood shakily, waving his white beam about, but could see no one. The coughing persisted, leading Jack to a slight hole in the rock wall before him. "Daniel?" He poked his light through and it settled on a tired, pained, filthy face. "Danny! You okay?" Daniel nodded and tried to speak but was subdued by another fit of coughing. Jack winced. His own nose and throat was clogged with dust, he could only imagine what the allergy-prone doctor was going through. "Are you hurt?"

Daniel rested his head back against the wall behind him. "I’m hurting. But no, I don’t think so. I mean, my leg maybe, but it’s nothing bad." Jack could see a gash just along his brow line, and the beginnings of a bruise on his cheek. He smirked as he pulled back his light and Daniel shone his through. "You look like hell though."

"Thanks. See if I ever take you to the sweet heart dance."

"Teal`c?"

"Out."

"What about Sam?"

O’Neill repositioned himself beside Teal`c, facing the small, makeshift room in which Daniel was now enclosed. "Going for help."

"Oh, that’s good." Daniel shone his light around his surroundings. Stone all around, nothing but solid stone, except for the small crack where he could just see his friend. "That’s . . . that’s good."

"Daniel?"

"Yeah?"

Jack opened his mouth, then shut it quickly. "Never mind." He sighed and rubbed the grit from his eyes, which just had the adverse effect of rubbing more grit into them. He leaned his head back, wincing as it impacted with more force than he would have liked. He heard scrambling and mild cursing. "You okay in there?"

"Yeah, just trying to find a way out." Daniel was on his feet, limping slightly. His knee wasn’t supporting much weight. His thin light danced around, his fingers felt for air, loose stones, anything. He did manage to pull one stone free, which caused a large downfall that drove him back into a corner and had Jack on his feet.

"What are you trying to do, kill yourself?"

"Not exactly." Daniel studied the new hole he had created. More rock behind it. Of course. He sighed and slumped, his sweaty shirt clinging uncomfortably. "I don’t suppose I need to tell you that conserving oxygen is an issue . . . "

"No, you don’t. So stop talking."

Sam hit the gate at a full run and stumbled down the metal ramp as she bolted toward the General. "Major Carter?" he asked, concerned at her ragged, and lonely appearance. She gasped for breath, bending over and bracing her hands on her knees.

"Pyramid . . . collapse . . . need reinforcements. Colonel’s alive, don’t know about the others. Need help." Her faltered speech erupted into a fit of coughs.

"Sargent, escort the Major to the infirmary. Also send the word out that I need SG’s 5 and 8 immediately." He held up his hand at Sam’s expected protest. "Let Dr. Frasier check you out first, then you may join the rescue mission."

"Thank you sir," Sam croaked, and allowed the Sargent to guide her to the massive door that led from the gate room.

No, you don’t. So stop talking. Daniel winced at the tone in his friend’s voice and did as commanded. He carefully sat down and leaned back against the rock wall, closing his eyes against the dark and grit and helplessness he felt. It was all he could do not to panic and give into the fear of being practically buried alive. True Sam had gone for help, but to what end? How could anyone find them deep in the bowels of the cavern? He didn’t want to think about that, didn’t want to think of the tons of rock that separated him from the surface and his life. Jack was right. They should have gone back when they had the chance, now all their searching had proven a moot point. He felt a coolness on his face and lifted his chin, smiling slightly at the brief relief despite his fear. The coolness passed by, followed by another, more forceful breeze. Daniel’s eyes slowly opened.

"Jack?" he whispered.

"Yeah?" Jack voice was low, but it echoed through the area as though they were seated beside each other.

"The air. It’s moving."

"There does seem to be a disturbance in this proximity," a deep voice affirmed. Jack was instantly at his friend’s side. A slight shuffle to his left made Daniel’s presence and concern known.

"Teal`c? How are ya?"

"I am healing."

"Junior?"

"Is fine." The dark eyes blinked in the flashlight that was shown on his face, then over his body. "I heard Danieljackson."

"Other side of that." Jack swung the light to face the new wall, the beam reflecting off a lens.

Daniel cursed. "Watch that thing, huh?"

"Sorry." There was a click, and they were again immersed in darkness. Jack heard Teal`c scramble to his feet.

"O’Neill, would you permit me to use your flashlight?"

"Sure." Jack flicked it back on and handed it over. The beam scored the room and came to rest once again on a glint of glass. Teal`c walked over to the hole.

"Are you uninjured?"

"Well, not totally, but I’ll be fine. Good to see you up and about."

"Is there no way through?"

"Not unless you want to bring the whole wall down on you. Been there, tried that."

"And was evidentially unsuccessful."

"Evidentially."

Jack rose and joined them. "Well, if it’s any consolation, I think you’re closer to the exit than we are."

"Yeah, by about four feet and two plus tons. Thanks, Jack."

"Hey, that’s what I’m here for." He shouldered a boulder, as if it would do any good.

Teal`c ran his light over the surface, then back behind them. "O’Neill. I believe this passage isn’t as blocked as you may have first thought."

"And which passage would that be," Jack asked as he turned. Teal`c walked over to the far side and pushed on a rock, which gave way slightly.

"That must be where the air is coming from," Daniel said, and turned to look around his own prison. "But why was I feeling it?" He flipped on his own light and started another examination of the wall separating them. Rocks crumbled and fell, first in a light rain then a steady stream. Then with a sudden roar half the wall collapsed on him.

Jack turned and cursed, rushing over to the rubble. "Daniel? Daniel! Teal`c, get over here!" There was no need, for Teal`c was already beside him, shifting the heavy load to one side. Jack frantically dug through the rock, reminded all too unpleasantly of the one other time he had to rescue Daniel from a cave in. They were lucky that time . . . and this as well as a hacking cough filled the air. Jack bent down over the quaking form. "Easy! Take it easy, breathe."

"So you say," Daniel gasped. They continued to uncover him and gently pulled him from his load.

"Well, looks like you made it out, Danny-boy."

"In about five pieces," Daniel moaned as he clasped his arm close to him. He laid his head back as they shone their lights over him, checking for new injuries. Jack’s light rested on his face and found wide, astonished eyes.

"Daniel?"

"Look." He barely lifted his head in the direction of the ceiling. A soft pink glow filled the area as Jack and Teal`c looked up.

"I don’t understand." Sam frantically searched the sand for any signs of their tents, the books left haphazardly about, the pyramid. "It was here, it was all here." Scared and confused, she turned to the camera on the MALP. "Sir, its-its gone. Everything’s gone."

General Hammond’s jaw jutted in consternation. He turned away from the camera and asked Siler, "Is there any evidence of anomalies, any disturbances of any kind?"

"Checking . . . "

"Sir," Sam’s voice came through, "permission to set up camp . . . again. The pyramid may reappear . . . "

"Major, what is the chance that the pyramid was actually a Goa`uld ship?"

"I don’t think so sir, judging from the ships we’ve seen in the past."

"But the thought has occurred to you."

There was a hesitation, then a sigh. "Yes, sir."

Hammond withheld a curse. "Siler?"

"No anomalies detected, sir."

There was a lengthy silence as Hammond pondered. He wasn’t sure keeping the teams on the planet would do any good. On the other hand, it was the first time he could remember the Major asking to stay when all evidence had vanished. "Major, exactly what are you hoping to accomplish by staying behind?"

"I don’t know, sir. Maybe we’ll see what Daniel saw, maybe we have some clue as to what happened."

"Major, if that was indeed a Goa`uld ship I don’t want you anywhere in the vicinity. You understand this of course." It wasn’t a question.

"Yes, sir. But I think we’d know if a ship was to land here, we could get back through the Stargate . . . "

"Major . . . "

"Sir, please. Just one night."

Hammond chewed his lip. Siler glanced up and took note of the disturbance on his face. The General was anything but happy, which was understandable, but he had never seen him hesitate so long in the decision making process. The bulky man stood behind him, arms folded, his face ruddy face troubled. Siler tried to curb any impatience he may have felt in waiting for the decision, but Major Carter had no intention of doing so. "Sir?"

"One night only, Major. See what you can find."

The relief on her face made Hammond’s choice worth the effort. Deep inside he felt there was something she had a hold of, whether in her own unique reasoning or within her soul, and he would be damned is he was going to rob her of it. "Yes, Sir, thank you. Major Carter out."

Samantha turned from the MALP. "Captain Briggs, span your men in a fifty meter circumference from this position. Look for anything in the sand; tracks, imprints, depressions, anything that may show that the pyramid was here. Captain Sholpra, prepare to return through the gate for supplies." Both answered with a crisp, "Yes, sir" and headed out to tend to their duties, Briggs barking out orders to his own men. Sam set her weapon beside the MALP and surveyed the horizon as the gate hummed into activity behind her.

The glow continued to fill the cavern. Daniel struggled to sit up and back against the wall but was held by the other two men. The glow settled into a light shimmer, and the woman Daniel had first seen phased into view. She smiled slightly and held out her hand.

"Do not be afraid. I am not here to harm you."

"As opposed to that other being, I assume," Jack remarked in a distrustful tone.

"Jack, wait. It’s her. This is the woman I first saw, the one that appeared before I . . . " he waved a finger around his head.

"Lost it?" Jack asked sarcastically. He wasn’t about to trust any being that suddenly materialized out of thin air.

"We do not wish to harm you. We only wish to explain."

"Explain what? That you’re thieves? That you rob from the intelligent and make them blind?" Daniel sent Jack a puzzled look, which Jack shrugged off.

"Who are you?" Daniel asked.

"I am Amera. I am the guardian of knowledge."

"Stolen knowledge," Jack quipped, frowning as Daniel silenced him with a gesture.

"What he means is, you have an unusual way of going about acquiring your library."

"We do what we must."

"Yes, but why?" Daniel sat up fully, pulling away from the other two, bracing his left arm against his chest. "How does this benefit you?"

The woman turned her raised hand palm upwards, revealing the stone Daniel had seen before. "We are the Collectors. It is our duty to travel the universe and take what knowledge we seek for the benefit of those who are not privileged enough to obtain it."

"And what of that creature back there, the one who attacked us?"

"He is a guardian of those who meld here. He misunderstood."

"Meld?"

"Those who joins us in our travels through their knowledge. You have seen them, on the walls."

Daniel’s eyes widened. "Those people I saw running from the pyramid. They ran right at me, through me, you mean they are real?" He looked around, then back at her. "They’re here, alive?"

"You can say that, yes." Her haughty manner made Jack’s skin crawl. "They have willingly given of themselves so that we may continue our research."

"And what research would that be?" Teal`c asked in a displeased voice. He didn’t trust her any more than O’Neill did.

The woman faced him coldly. "The expansion of our civilization, so that we may meld with other worlds."

"Now see, there’s that word again, meld. What do you mean meld?" Jack asked.

"We must learn all we can if we are ultimately to become one with them."

"Okay, whoa, wait, become one? As in joining?" Daniel hazarded a half-smile. "You’re not talking about merely sharing a world with them. You want to consume them." He shook his head in disbelief. "I’m right, aren’t I?"

"We wish to seek out the primitive cultures so that we may better advance them."

"You mean take them over," Jack insisted.

"If necessary."

Daniel sank back. "I don’t believe this," he said quietly. He had hoped for something grand, some kind of mystical purpose for the place and all the information within, but instead he found a race that was no better than any other power-seeking force. "And I’m helping them. My knowledge is going to help them."

Jack leaned in. "Tell me you’re not going to sit there and blame yourself again."

"No! It pisses me off, that’s all. This whole thing does."

"Once the knowledge has been assimilated, you will join the others."

"Okay, I’m not liking this whole ‘join’ thing one bit." Jack stood angrily. "What I would really rather have happen is for you to return my friend’s knowledge and let us go."

"Jack," Daniel hissed, "we can’t let them get away with what they’re doing."

"One thing at a time, Daniel."

"I am afraid that would be impossible." Amera hesitated and her eyes drew down into half-slits. "They are searching," she muttered, "they will destroy everything."

"Searching?" Daniel turned to Jack. "Sam. She must mean Sam, she’s back."

"They must not be allowed to continue." Amera raised her arms, her robe flying around her in a frenzy.

"Wait, what are you doing?" Daniel climbed to his feet with Teal’c’s assistance.

"I must stop them. They will destroy everything!" The cavern began to shake, and more rocks crumbled around them.

Daniel fell back against Teal`c, who hoisted him to his feet again. "No, you can’t! Those are our friends up there!"

"It makes no difference."

"I thought you said you weren’t here to harm us!"

"It is you who are harming us."

"No, we came here to understand! Please, stop . . . " Daniel cast about desperately for a solution, "What if we can relay a message, tell them to stop, that we are safe? Can this be done?"

Amera lowered her arms and considered. "I can send one of you to the surface. But not you." She gestured to Daniel. "Nor you." She then gestured to Jack, and her finger drifted towards Teal`c. "You will go. We already have all the knowledge necessary of your kind." Daniel and Jack turned to Teal`c, and jumped as he suddenly disappeared.

"Surface?" Jack whispered.

"I hope so," Daniel responded.

Sam fidgeted, paced, cursed. Nothing had been found, no markings, depressions, nothing. There was no sign that anything had ever sat on the sands, nothing other than sand itself. She forced herself to calm down and sit. Never before had she felt so helpless. Sure, there were times when she had come up with a solution to save the world, more than one, actually. One would think she had nerves of steel. What she had was a lot of luck and the reliance of her team to back her up if things should go wrong. And no matter what, she’d always had someone from the team with her. Never before had the entire team gone missing. Anger ate at her and she spat grit from her mouth onto the grains at her feet. Damn O’Neill anyway! If he hadn’t insisted on her leaving them . . . she’d be trapped alongside them. Trapped, yes. But she would be with them. Not here on the outside, desperate for a solution that wasn’t presenting itself. Left behind. For the first time she had an inkling of what Daniel must have felt as the she, the Colonel and Teal`c battled the Replicators without him. At the time she had blown it off, allowing her own concerns to take precedence. Hell, she hadn’t even commented on his being out of bed so soon after surgery. That felt like eons ago. So much had happened since. She’d lost and regain her friends more times than she could count. That everything would be fine turned into a cliched assumption. Now that ‘everything’ lay in her hands, and it was up to her to make it fine. And not the Daniel definition of ‘fine’. This was for real. And so she sat alone in her tent, waiting, wondering, racking her brain for any kind of solution and berating herself for falling short.

She was scared. And that admission pissed her off more than anything.

Daniel cleared his throat, not at all comfortable with the way his friend had just disappeared into thin air, and even less comfortable with the fact that his other friend had remained. "I can understand why you kept me here, but why him?" He gestured to Jack with nod. "Wouldn’t it be better to let him go as well?" It was a vain hope.

Amera raised her head and regarded Jack. "You have remained for a reason. You possess the knowledge of the Ancients. Therefore you are of interest."

Jack sent a confused look to Daniel. "What about you?" he muttered. "Hell, you were with them for a year."

"Maybe there’s something buried in your mind that they want," Daniel whispered. "I don’t think I learned much about the actual ancients while I was with them."

"Could’ve fooled me!"

"Jack, this isn’t helpful."

Jack considered this. As far as he himself, there was nothing to lose. But he had watched Daniel’s struggle, and it pained him more than his friend would ever know, and more than he would ever let on, to see that struggle. He nodded slightly and stepped forwards. "Fine."

Daniel blinked in disbelief. "Jack?"

"I’ll make you a deal. You get what I know, but only if you give Daniel his knowledge back."

"Jack!"

"Shhh!" Jack bent his head down next to Daniel’s. "Got a plan. When they try to access my brain, I’ll simply plant false info."

"And you seriously think that’s going to work?" Daniel hissed.

"NO, but I’m willing to try."

"No, Jack. You can’t do this."

"Look, I’ll have the advantage. I’ll know when they are going to take the knowledge, because unlike you, I’ll be expecting it."

"The transfer is complete," the being said.

"Whoa, whoa, wait, what transfer? You didn’t transfer anything!"

"Actually, I think she did." Daniel’s eyes were wide. Jack snapped back around and looked at him, then bent and peered deeply into the intelligent blue eyes.

He rounded on Amera. "Dammit, you could have waited a minute, warned me, something!"

"We have what we need. You may go."

"GO? What, just leave? No kiss?" He found himself yelling at empty air as she vanished. Jack walked over to the stone where she had stood, then sighed and turned to Daniel. "You okay?"

Daniel was frowning, looking at his hands, feeling the crown of his head. "Yeah. Yeah, I’m fine."

"What, did she have to cram it all back in?" Jack smiled slightly

"No, it’s not that," he responded wryly, "I just suddenly realized, that . . . I feel no different. I mean, I know more, but as a person I feel just the same."

"And you were expecting . . . what exactly?"

"I don’t know. I just always thought that I was my knowledge, that all those facts in my brain was what made me me, and without it I was nothing." He looked around the room, then met Jack’s amused yet sincere gaze with a half-shrug. "Now I know differently."

"I think we’ve all felt like that from time to time." He clapped a hand on Daniel’s shoulder. "Let’s go find the others."

Daniel hesitated. "Jack, the Ancients, these beings have that knowledge."

"Which means squat to me. These people probably have it tucked away somewhere in here already, and just forgot about it."

"You don’t know that. We have to stop them. We don’t know what they may do with that knowledge."

"Provided they even got anything. I don’t remember anything about the ancients."

"That doesn’t mean the knowledge isn’t there. I’m telling you, we have to stop this."

"How?" Jack asked in irritation. "Just how are we supposed to do that, Daniel? Blow up the . . . " his eyes widened. Daniel looked at him, his face revealing his inner struggle. "It would take a heck of a charge."

"Not to mention losing all that history." Daniel said softly.

Jack nodded. "Yeah," he responded in the same tone. "But you’re right. We can’t take it from them, and we can’t condone what they want to do with it."

"I know."

"So. . . . "

"Blow it." Then he grabbed Jack’s jacket. "No, wait, those people. The ones who supposedly volunteered for this, the ones on the wall, the ones that ran at me . . . we can’t just kill them."

"Daniel, I get the feeling all that is left of them is their knowledge. There are no beings to kill."

"No. . . . oh god, Jack! What if you did give them your knowledge!" Daniel grabbed Jack’s other sleeve. "Once that information is assimilated . . . "

"I’m as good as a wall hanging? Yeah, I thought of that."

Daniel released his friend and walked away from him, his eyes tight shut against the horror in his mind, the image of Jack fading away until he was nothing more than a shadow, a dust drawing on the wall. "Then there’s no help for it. We blow it."

"Daniel, are you sure you’re up for this?"

"I’m not letting them take you." The determination in his voice gave Jack pause. He approached Daniel, seeing the stiffness in his back, and the way he still coddled his left arm.

"What, no talk about a sacrifice for the greater good?"

"Jack, you said it yourself that there’s no way to free these people, or what’s left of them. I don’t even know what is left of them, what they are, if they are anything . . . " he paused and looked away, almost embarrassed. "I’m not going to just stand aside and watch you go out like that." There was a hesitation, and blue eyes met Jack’s.

Jack’s eyes softened briefly, and he clapped Daniel on the shoulder. "Then let’s find a way out of here." He turned and found his path blocked by the entity.

"I will not allow you to destroy us," it said ominously.

Jack groaned and rolled his eyes, then pointed a finger at the being in annoyance. "You know, I didn’t think it would be that easy."

"Major Carter!" Sam jumped as her name was yelled out rather frantically. She launched from the tent and found herself colliding nearly nose to nose with a Jaffa.

"Teal`c! Oh, thank god!" She threw her arms around him uncustomarily, an embrace which he returned hesitantly. "What happened?" She glanced around him, still holding onto his arms. "Colonel O’Neill?"

"He and Danieljackson are still underground in the cavern."

Sam breathed a sigh a relief. "Then they are still here."

"That is correct." He looked puzzled, which Sam caught almost instantly. She carefully turned him to face the area where the pyramid once stood, raising her chin at the vacant sands. "We thought you had been taken."

Teal`c face showed little surprise, but his posture stiffened. In a soft voice he said, "I do not understand."

"Neither do we. How did you get up here?"

"One of the beings we encountered bade me inform you that you should stop your digging." He sighed heavily. "DanielJackson and the Colonel are still in danger. I came here only to save you. She would have destroyed everyone on the surface in the name of self-preservation."

"We were harming them, whoever they are?" Sam asked.

Teal`c steered Sam toward the tent. "There is much to discuss."

"You have betrayed us."

Jack planted himself before Daniel instinctively. "Problem?"

"There is no knowledge within you. Not the knowledge we seek."

Jack raised his hands in defense. "Hey, you said it was there, not me." He looked at his friend. "Wanna tell me what’s going on here?"

"The assimilation didn’t work. I. . .guess your knowledge of the Ancients is gone. You said yourself you can’t remember anything that happened when you held that knowledge, you have no way of recalling the information within you. Maybe they can’t access it either."

"Which means I was right!" Jack lifted his chin proudly at the entity, gloating.

"We will have it!"

"From whom? It seems to me that we are now useless to you, so if you’ll just lead us to the surface . . . " His face sobered as the entity let loose an unearthly wail.

Jack backed away. "I have a feeling you’re next on the list, Daniel."

Daniel shook his head. "They already saw all I know."

The entity launched itself toward them. Jack ducked and pushed Daniel to the ground, wincing as the man landed on his already sore arm. He pulled Daniel back behind a boulder and fumbled for his radio, praying it still worked.

"So if they are still here, can we contact them?" Sam asked hopefully.

"I see no reason why not. I am hopeful that they are in the same vicinity."

Sam beamed and reached for her radio, then jumped as a loud voice burst through. "Carter! Are you there? Do you read?"

"Colonel?" Sam’s mouth pressed close to the device as though she could kiss him in gratitude for still being alive. "Where are you? Is everything . . . "

"Major, listen to me! I want you to blow the pyramid! You hear me?"

"Colonel . . . " Sam winced.

"Dammit, don’t argue! Blow it!"

"Colonel, the pyramid isn’t here! It’s gone, sir."

There was a hesitation, a crackle, then a roar. . . .

"What’d she say?" Daniel asked over the sudden noise.

"She said the pyramid is gone!"

"What? But–aren’t we still in it?"

"I hope not!" Jack peered from around the boulder that shielded him from the creature, then pressed Daniel back against the rock. "Down!"

"What do we do?"

Jack looked around the cavern and down at the radio he held that was now useless. He honestly had no idea. The rocks shifted and turned from him, tumbling the two men out into the open. Daniel grabbed Jack’s arm, determined not to be separated from him, and jumped as a voice said next to his ear, "Follow me!" He turned but saw no one, then noticed light creeping through a space in the wall just large enough to squeeze a body through. He yelled out and pulled Jack to his feet as the entity circled overhead, then lunged. It caught Jack on the back and he cried out, cursed, then pulled Daniel to the opening that now yawned before them. They dove through.

It was a wild ride. The two men tumbled and rolled down a curved slide carved into the rock. It reminded Jack of the water rides he used to enjoy, and once he stabilized his descent he let out a whoop like a child. He heard Daniel behind him and wondered if the man had ever been on a slide such as this, and managed to make a mental note to take him on one. The slide unwound in sharp twists and turns and finally dumped them onto hard ground. Jack moaned and rolled onto his side. Water rides always had a softer landing.

He sat up slowly and crawled over to Daniel, who was laying still with his eyes screwed tight shut. "Daniel?"

"I’ll never complain about gate travel again."

Jack smiled and pulled his friend to a seated position. "I take it they didn’t have slides in Egypt."

"Not unless you wanted a quick way down the side of a pyramid on your ass."

"Ouch." Jack took hold of Daniel’s elbow and helped the man to his feet. "So where are we?"

"Uh, I have no clue."

"Thought you knew all about these pyramids?"

"Egyptian, yes. The interior of this particular one doesn’t exactly meet the requirements." He cut a glance at Jack. "Thought you would have noticed."

"Huh. Smartass." Jack walked over to a large stone and shouldered it, not expecting much to happen. To his surprised it shifted and started to turn.

Daniel joined him and cautiously peeked though the opening. "Looks like it goes up. I think you found our way out." He pulled back and turned to see Jack facing the wavering form of Amera.

She stood regally before him, her face full of disdain. "I am told you have no information to help us," she said.

Jack wasn’t sure how to respond. "Well, at least you tried." He gave a brief, weak smile.

"You’re not going to let us go, are you?" Daniel almost hated to ask, but on the other hand he had been left in the dark for so long, it would be nice to know what was going to happen for a change.

"On the contrary," Amera said, "you are of no use to us."

". . .Right." Daniel looked about him, then asked, "What of the others? The figures on the walls, those shadows, the ones that ran at me before you took my knowledge?"

"What of them?" Her tone was harsh, yet unconcerned.

"Well, it’s not much of an existence, is it?"

"They do not exist. They simply are."

"Okay," Jack threw his hands up in the air. "I’ve been patient, but that comment has raked on my ever-lovin’ last nerve. You said you were going to let us go?"

"Yes."

"Then do it!" Daniel turned to him, but Jack raised his hand. "Daniel, there’s nothing we can do. We have no weapons, no way to negociate, and no freakin’ idea what is going on. I suggest we leave while we still can."

Daniel fumed for a moment, then nodded stiffly. Amera raised her hand, and once again the blue stone appeared. "There are some here who did hope." She slowly walked to Daniel, and turned his hand palm upwards, placing the stone in his hand. "They hoped you were the one to free them from the curse."

"Curse?"

"The curse of the Collectors. Doomed to forever wander as mere husks of what they once were. Nothing but cold facts. No soul."

"Then . . . they are alive."

Amera’s face saddened. "Yes."

"They are trapped here. Their knowledge has been collected and assimilated, and they are doomed to live as mere fragments of what they once were." Daniel shuddered. "What happened to their humanity, or whatever passes for it?"

"They are nothing but their knowledge. It is all that remains, that and shadows of memories of their former lives. They remember it as a dream of long ago."

"And there’s no way to help them, to restore their humanity? I mean right now they are nothing more than machines, essentially. They are responsible for the images in the pyramids, aren’t they? The pictures, everything we saw up above . . . "

"You were tapped directly into their consciousness. You saw what they remember."

Daniel shook his head. "This is horrible. They can’t live, they are doomed to just . . . collect? Record? They can’t live it?" Amera was silent. "Are you a Collector?"

"I serve them."

"Do you enjoy it?"

"I do. We all do."

"Then what do you want from the Ancients?"

Amera lowered her head. "We wish to forget. Some of us still retain the memories of our lives, and it is too painful. We wish to forget."

"But . . .those memories are worth living for! They are worth keeping and cherishing, aren’t they?"

"They are a hindrance. They are full of emotion. We wish to remember our facts as facts so that we may serve the greater good. Most here are at the stage where they do not feel, where they are nothing more than their facts. I retain some emotion. Those who are like me, wanted you to free them, but you didn’t have the knowledge."

"What knowledge?"

"The Ancients knew of the Collectors. They have knowledge that would help."

"So. . . . you knew I carried knowledge. You sensed it. You took it. And through that you knew I had contact with the Ancients, but not the knowledge you sought. Then through me you found out about Jack’s experience, only he didn’t have the knowledge either."

"And so we continue." She smiled sadly, then winced. "You must go, I have said too much . . . " she doubled over.

"Amera?" Daniel started toward her, but Jack caught hold of his arm. She raised her head, shook it, then cried out in pain as her form suddenly folded in on itself. Daniel and Jack both grimaced and backed against the rock wall as her body blackened, then flattened, then became a shadow that leapt onto the wall, joined by many other drawings that had suddenly sprung to life. The let out a terrible wail and scoured the walls like hundreds of insects searching for a victim.

Jack pushed Daniel behind him. "Go!"

They ran through the opening and upwards, closely followed by the pursing mass. Rocks tripped them, cut into them, barred their path. The two men pressed on, forcing themselves along the odd path, air burning in overtaxed lungs, dirt and grit filling their nostrils and closing their throats. Behind them the sounds of pursuit closed in, filling Daniel with panic. "They aren’t going to let us go!"

"Wanna bet?" Jack reached back and pulled Daniel to him, then shoved him ahead. They ran forever, feet aching, ribs twisting, muscles crying out with every jolt. Jack stopped mere inches from a huge pile of sand. "Dammit!" He glanced behind him. "Dig!"

"What?"

"Do it!" Jack cupped his hands and frantically clawed at the grains, coughing as it fell in sheets around him. Daniel did the same, and together they started to push their way through.

Sam noticed a slight ripple in the sands, and looked to the sky, then placed her hand palm down on the surface. There was nothing, no sign of seismic activity, no ship overhead. She was about to return to her tent when Captain Briggs called out and started clawing at the sand. She winced, then eyes widened in shock as a hand emerged. "Teal`c!" She rushed over to the activity as more people joined in the digging. A hand, a wrist, forearm; they fought the crumbling sands that refused stubbornly to shift and release its prisoner. The hand clasped desperately to the Captain’s, finally exposed to the elbow, then with a sudden yank was pulled to the shoulder joint. Jack’s face slowly melted into view, and he opened his mouth to gasp in the wonderful hot air his lungs had been craving.

He fought to pull his other arm free, hacking and gasping. Sam grabbed his left hand as Teal`c pulled his torso from the sand and rolled, freeing his legs. Jack continued to cough, waving away further help as he crawled back to his hole, now once again filled. "Daniel," he croaked.

Teal`c was instantly clawing at the sands at a frantic pace. Jack joined him, as did Sam and anyone else who could get a hand in. The sands continued to slip stubbornly until Jack caught something thin and hard, something that barely had the strength to curl around his thumb. A finger. Daniel’s. "Here!" he exclaimed and continued to scoop as a hand emerged. Jack caught hold and held on for dear life. Another small sand-slide revealed another hand, and as more grains tumbled down there was glimpse of hair. Daniel was forcing himself up at an angle, using his legs to shift the sands in substitute for his injured arm. Jack cleared the grains from his tired face as the others pulled him up and over. Like Jack he rolled, gasping for air, no longer wanting, or needing, to move.

Jack sat beside him and patted his leg while waving away the impending questions. He didn’t know what to tell them anyway.

General Hammond listened to their report with an expression of confusion and disbelief. "So you don’t know where you were."

"Underneath a lot of sand, sir," Jack replied.

"And you don’t know who these people are."

"They’re known as Collectors, sir." Jack’s tone held a note of impatience.

"And what do they do?"

Jack leaned in. "Would you believe . . . collect things?"

"General," Daniel broke in, seeing as how the discussion was going nowhere, "they didn’t really tell us a lot, I mean, they did, but nothing really useful."

"Except that they sound like a fancy version of the Borg," Jack interjected.

Hammond decided to talk only to Daniel. "Are they a threat?"

"To the planet as a whole? I don’t think so. At least not yet, that was left rather vague as well."

"I see." The General sat back in his chair, obviously not happy. "And that’s all you can tell me?"

"Well, they have a very advanced way of cataloging facts, albeit a rather inhumane way. As far as I can tell, the people they take the knowledge from remain with them, and are drained of their life essences until they are nothing . . . " he stopped suddenly, sheepishly.

Jack grinned and turned. "You were going to say, ‘nothing but the facts’, weren’t you? Why didn’t you set me up for that one?"

"I wouldn’t dare," Daniel muttered.

Hammond sighed. "I’ll mark that address. What is the chance of another encounter with these people?"

"No telling, sir."

"Daniel," Sam asked, "you said the others were taken and drained of their life forces . . . "

". . .the drawings on the wall. It was them."

"Right. Why weren’t you taken? Why did they just access your knowledge and send you back?"

Daniel opened his mouth, then closed it and looked at Jack. Jack was frowning, perplexed, and opened his mouth, looked at Daniel, then closed it. They both shrugged.

"Yet another mystery?" Hammond asked.

"Yeah, um . . . "

"Yes sir."

"I see. Well, this has been the most frustrating debriefing I’ve had in a long while. I suggest we adjourn and try again tomorrow, unless there is something you would like to add, Colonel?"

"Just that sand really stings when it gets up your . . . "

"Enough, folks. Dismissed."

Jack found Daniel in his office later that evening. He walked in quietly, taking in the tired face and the sling, and decided not to subject the younger man to his usual flurry of nonsense.

Daniel noticed and appreciated the fact. Still, it bothered him. "Something on your mind, Jack?"

Jack sat down with a heavy sigh. "As a matter of fact. . ." He looked his friend in the eye, then glanced once more at the sling. "How’s the arm?"

"Sore."

"You were holding out in there earlier."

"As were you."

"But he expects it of me. What’s your excuse?"

Daniel thought about it for a while, eyeing his desk. One hand supported his chin, then fisted in front of his mouth as thought he were afraid to speak. He exhaled, thought some more, then turned. "You know I’m pretty cut and dry on my views, right?"

"I’ve caught that a time or two."

"Right. Well, I’ve thought this over, and I honestly don’t know where I stand." He chewed his lip, his eyes cut over to the shelves that lined the walls. "Part of me understands their quest. Sure I don’t approve of the way they go about it, but on the other hand it is the most efficient way of collecting facts that I’ve seen. They have endless storage, endless volumes and volumes . . . "

"Endless slaves."

"You said yourself there was nothing left of those beings but their knowledge. And how do we know they didn’t volunteer? Maybe my going into the pyramid was taken as a sign that I was volunteering myself."

"Look, there’s no easy answer here. I don’t know what that place really was, or why we got out, or what their purpose was. All I know is I have a gut feeling that it can’t be good, and I’m glad to be out."

"Yeah, I know." Daniel’s voice was soft. He turned back to his desk and picked up a sheet of paper. "I just couldn’t explain it to the General. I didn’t want to risk tampering with what they had, I didn’t want them to be seen as a threat. Despite what happened, we don’t know that they are a threat. They were protecting themselves. I didn’t want to mess that up."

"Because it’s information we may be able to get our hands on one day?"

Daniel froze, then leveled with him. "Yes."

"Ever the scholar." Jack smiled. "You say you’re confused about how you feel, but I think you just clarified it rather nicely."

"Ever the linguist," Daniel said with a touch of self-depreciation, and held up his paper. "Think I’ll stick to more traditional methods of finding information for the time being."

Jack took the hint, and nodded, giving his friend a pat on the back before walking out. "Mac’s Grill at seven, don’t be late," he called around the corner.

Daniel stared at his paper as the words floated over his head. His journal was opened before him, salvaged from his visit, and he flipped the pages to his earlier notes. And flipped again. Pages crackled and threatened to rip as he vainly searched for the notes he knew were there, notes he knew he had written about the writings on the pyramid, the woman he saw, everything.

There was nothing but blank pages.

Daniel closed the book and leaned back. Of course. He had "taken knowledge" from the pyramid. They merely exacted a fair trade. Maybe those beings on the walls were volunteers after all. He’d never know.

And he would just have to be satisfied with that.

© December, 2003 The characters mentioned in this story are the property of Showtime and Gekko Film Corp. The Stargate, SG-I, the Goa'uld and all other characters who have appeared in the series STARGATE SG-1 together with the names, titles and backstory are the sole copyright property of MGM-UA Worldwide Television, Gekko Film Corp, Glassner/Wright Double Secret Productions and Stargate SG-I Prod. Ltd. Partnership. This fanfic is not intended as an infringement upon those rights and solely meant for entertainment. All other characters, the story idea and the story itself are the sole property of the author.