“Carter, Daniel. Stay put. We’ll be right with you," O’Neill said, his voice sounding distant through the radio.

"Yes, sir. Carter out." Daniel heard Sam acknowledge Jack’s order and sign off. In a way, he was envious of her. She was military and always managed to say just the right thing over that radio, but no matter how many times Jack drilled the proper military radio etiquette into his brain, as soon as anyone put that small black box in front of him all commonsense and training fled.

Even before Jack’s voice faded, he had already resumed his kneeling position in front of the wall. He carefully cleared the dirt away trying not to damage the artifact any more than he absolutely had to. What I wouldn’t give for my brushes, he thought vaguely, although they probably wouldn’t work very well in the mud. But he needed something else…maybe his knife would work. He turned around, his hand searching the ground. He had left the knife around here somewhere. Sure enough, his wandering fingers encountered the hilt of the knife a minute later. This is much better, he thought, as he carefully pried the dirt away from the ribbon device. He glanced up when he felt Sam kneel down next to him.

"Do you want to pack that up now? We have some time and I think I brought some big sample bags with me."

"Sure. Let me see if I can get this out in one piece," he said, digging around a little more, trying to loosen the dirt in which the hand and ribbon device were embedded. If Jack wanted a souvenir, Daniel was determined to give it to him in the best condition possible.

He glanced up again as Sam rose, catching her smile as she carefully picked her way across the clearing to the MALP. Moments later, she returned, a sample bag in hand. "You should probably clean that knife before the Colonel gets here. Didn’t he give you that as a gift?" Sam suggested, leaning down to help.

"Yeah, it was," he said absently. The hand and ribbon device were almost free.

"Why did he give it to you?" Sam asked.

"I know, I know," he said, glancing up at Sam with a rueful smile, his blue eyes twinkling. "I know I’m more likely to cut myself with it than actually do anything useful with it, but that’s not really the point. Jack thought he was being helpful. He was complaining that I couldn’t defend myself, so he signed me up for some self-defense courses and gave me the knife so I had something to defend myself with. He figured some extra hand-to-hand training might come in handy one day, especially since we seem to have the knack of getting ourselves into trouble."

Sam tried not to laugh. "He signed you up for self-defense classes?"

"Don’t laugh. I actually went, not that it did any good, but that’s a whole other story," he admitted with a half grin, wiping the muddy knife on his pants leg. "Sam, bring that bag over here." He lifted the ribbon device and bones out of the dirt while Sam held the bag open. After he tucked it neatly inside, she closed the bag and walked it back to the MALP.

"The colonel has his first souvenir of the trip," she said, placing the bag safely in a carton on the MALP.

"Good, Carter. Glad to see someone can follow orders."

Daniel twitched at the sound of Jack’s voice. That man could be as silent as a cat when it suited him, Daniel thought. This time, it was as if Jack appeared out of nowhere, stepping out of the fog, his P90 gripped tightly in both hands. Teal’c appeared moments later on Daniel’s other side.

"Well, the gangs all here," Jack said, looking around at the assembled group. Rain dripped steadily from the rim of his cap but his focus was on Teal’c. "What’s the consensus? Teal’c, what’s worrying you?"

Jack’s eyes flashed with concern and apprehension, and something else. Was it guilt? Anxiety? Daniel knew something was bothering Jack, but he couldn’t put his finger on it. God knows he had tried to talk to him about it, but Jack just dismissed him, told him to go and play with his rocks instead. Whatever he was carrying around in his head was making him edgy and unfortunately, he was taking all his frustrations and aggravation out on his team—his family—and it was starting to affect everyone.

But Daniel knew that until Jack could work things out for himself, he would just stay silent about it. Jack just pushed his own feelings to the back of his mind once again and concentrated on the situation at hand. Jack had done it dozens of times, maybe even hundreds. Why should this time be any different? It was, though.

"I am unsure, O’Neill. There is something about this planet…" Teal’c said, unsure of how to finish.

"That gives you the creeps? The shivers? The boogieman blues? What?" Jack asked, offering his usual unhelpful suggestions. Teal’c’s eyebrow rose.

"I am unsure of what the creeps, the shivers, or these boogieman blues are, O’Neill. This planet is not what it seems."

"Well, right now all I can see is rain, fog, and trees." He grimaced, looking around.

Daniel knew just by the expression on Jack’s face what was going on behind those chocolate brown eyes. Everywhere they went lately, there’d been a lot of trees. It was the same gripe on every planet. Daniel could imagine the thoughts running through Jack’s mind, ‘You’d think life on an alien planet might look a little different. A little variety would be nice.’ Sure enough, a moment later Jack shook his head quickly as if he was trying to get those very thoughts out of his head.

"Anyone else having second thoughts?" Daniel shook his head negatively and Sam echoed his gesture. Jack turned his attention back to Sam. "Where did the UAV indicate that there was some life?"

"A few clicks to the southeast. There was a pretty sizeable settlement, according to the UAV, sir."

Jack sighed, looking around again and rubbing his hand across his face, wiping away some of the dampness. "Well, since I don’t see any immediate threat to our health and safety, we have two choices here, kids. We can pack it up and head home to a hot shower and a hot meal and come back another day when its nice, sunny, and dry, or we can try and visit with the natives. What will it be?" Daniel tried not to flinch when Jack skewered him with a look, but much to everyone’s surprise, Sam spoke up first.

"Well, if it’s all the same to you, sir, we might as well see who lives here. We can’t get much wetter than we already are. Besides, the trees should give us some protection from the rain. It’ll be better than standing out in the open like we are now."

"Daniel?" Jack said, but his gaze was still on Sam. It was almost as if Jack was trying to read Sam’s mind, to find out exactly what she was thinking, but her face was inscrutable. If she was uncomfortable, she didn’t show it.

Daniel watched Jack’s expression. If he hadn’t known any better, he might have thought that Jack was acting as if it was business as usual. But Daniel could see that it was anything but. Jack was unusually tense, his gaze penetrating. Daniel settled for honesty. "I agree with Sam, Jack. I’d be interested in finding out how a goa’uld ribbon device got left behind."

"Teal’c?" Jack turned to the Jaffa, who was still intent on the fog surrounding them.

"I cannot find sufficient reason behind my agitation. I, too, am curious to find a race that has fought against the Goa’uld."

"Okay then, let’s see if the natives are friendly," Jack said, hefting his P90. "Carter, lead the way. Everyone keep alert. I’ll keep an eye on our six."

"Yes, sir. This way," Sam said, indicating a small path with her outstretched hand just to the right of the ruins they had been exploring.
Daniel glanced back at the Stargate as the fog slowly overtook it. A dark shape darted across the sky but he didn’t think much about it. Since they had come through the gate, he’d noticed several bird-like creatures hanging around. Probably looking for some crumbs—not that they would enjoy the rations they were going to have for dinner.

"You know, a lot of those rocks piled around the gate were probably what kept it buried until recently. I wonder why they would unbury it all of a sudden," Daniel said voicing some of the questions that were running through his head. The uneasy silence they had fallen into was disconcerting. Usually, you couldn’t get Jack O’Neill to shut up—whether it was his sarcastic comments or his musings on the latest win or loss of his favorite hockey team. Lately, Jack had been strangely quiet with only brief forays into the "normal" O’Neill. It was almost time for one of their "talks"—with Daniel talking and Jack listening, sort of. Once they got a moment alone he was going to speak up. Daniel stepped carefully over a tree limb that had fallen across the path.

"Daniel, does it really matter?" Jack asked sarcastically, bringing up in the rear. "We came, we saw, we got soaking wet, and now we’re traipsing halfway across the planet to meet the natives. You should be happy."

"Jack, of course it matters!" Daniel exclaimed, glancing back at Jack and tripping over an exposed tree root. A steady hand from Teal’c was the only thing that saved him from sprawling in the mud. Daniel flashed Teal’c a grateful smile. "Thanks, Teal’c."

"You are welcome, Daniel Jackson."

Jack was unconvinced. "Daniel, why does it matter?" Jack insisted. "In the grand scheme of things, you know all that meaning of life stuff," he said, waving his hands to emphasize his point, "why does it really matter?"

"Come on, Jack, you’re not that dense. You should be able to see things for yourself." Daniel ignored the look Jack sent his way. "This is more than just ancient history and it’s different from all that meaning of life stuff and you very well know that," he said, pointedly looking back at Jack, who inclined his head with a half-hearted smile, conceding Daniel’s point was valid. Jack waved his hand for him to continue. "I mean, we have to ask the question, why did they have a gate in the first place? Why did the Ancients put one here? Did the Ancients place the gate here or did the goa’uld? And then, why was the gate buried? Was there a rebellion here? Did they escape a rebellion on another world? Or did they just escape from another world? Obviously, they know what the goa’uld are, so were they worried about the goa’uld returning through the gate? But then, what if the goa’uld returned in ships instead? How could they have escaped if the gate was buried and there was a mothership in orbit? Besides which, it might be nice to find out exactly who buried the gate centuries ago and why all of a sudden they are interested in it now. Anything could have happened that caused them to turn their attention to the gate. There could have been a sickness. The goa’uld could have returned…"

Jack raised his hands in mock surrender. "Ack! Daniel, enough. I’m sorry I asked."

"O’Neill, someone approaches," said Teal’c, stopping suddenly, his staff in hand, aimed through the fog at the unseen strangers. Sam paced back several steps to stand with the group, her weapon raised and pointed the same way as Teal’c’s.

SG1 was intent on the fog and the surrounding trees—not that they could see much. At least the trees helped to keep some of the rain off. Daniel thought absently. Several long moments later, three figures emerged from the fog, in the direction Teal’c was pointing his staff weapon, stopping when SG1 came into focus.

The lead figure was impressive. Tall and muscular with dark brown hair, which hung to touch his shoulders. A short goatee graced his youthful face. He wore a deep, dark blue cloak, clasped at his neck with an elaborately intricate metal brooch in what Daniel recognized as some type of Celtic design. Of what they could see of the stranger’s undergarments, his leggings and tunic were various shades of brown and a leather belt around his waist held several items, including a well-made long metal sword. His two companions, hanging back, wore similar clothes and carried similar weaponry. They were all about the same height as Jack and Teal’c, but solid. They were all muscle and looked like they could wield their weapons with ease and precision.

"Greetings to you, fair travelers. Welcome to the Ildanach," said the first stranger with a slight nod of his head toward SG1. His tone, smooth and pithy, belied his war-like stature.

"Like you’re really happy to see us," Jack muttered under his breath just loud enough for Daniel and Sam to hear. Sam ducked her head, trying to hide her smile. Of course the "normal" O’Neill had to surface now, Daniel thought acidly. He ignored Jack and stepped forward, his hands outstretched, palms facing up, doing his usual "meet the natives" routine.

"Thank you for your kind welcome. My name is Daniel Jackson and we are travelers from a distant place…" he began.

"Have you come through the circle? Are you the leader of this tribe?"

Jack, grinning slightly at the stranger’s exuberance, stepped forward. With a self-conscious half-smile, he raised his hand slightly, wiggling his fingers. "No, that would be me. Colonel Jack O’Neill." He indicated the other two members of SG1 with his eyes and a sweep of his hand. "Major Samantha Carter and Teal’c. And you are…?"

"I apologize for my inconsiderateness. My name is Egan. My companions are Hywel and Turlough," Egan said, indicating each of his companions in turn. Hywel sported a dark russet colored cloak while Turlough’s was a dark brown. For all intents and purposes, these three could have been brothers—really big brothers. "It is not often that we come across strangers in this land."

Daniel perked up considerably. He could have sworn he heard Jack muttering typical Jack O’Neill gripes under his breath, but he pointedly ignored him, as he normally did. "Have you met other strangers recently?"

"There are some from villages many days walk from here whom we consider to be strangers. All of us, however, are considered brothers. Do you come from such a far off village?" Egan had apparently nominated himself the group’s spokesperson. The others stood quietly behind him, but Daniel noticed that their hands were not far from the hilt of their weapons. Jack would be proud that he had noticed that detail, he thought absently. Daniel glanced quickly over his shoulder and saw Jack was still gripping his P90 carefully, probably trying not to worry anyone—let alone himself or the natives. He had that look on his face—curious, but guarded and poised to move at a moment’s notice.

Daniel hesitated before answering. Thankfully, Jack was keeping his comments to himself for now. "Yes, we come from a distant village…"

"You have come from the circle." Egan stated it matter-of-factly and Daniel found it hard to lie to him directly. From personal experience, starting out with lies was generally not a good thing to do when dealing with first contacts—especially when these mild mannered people could quite possibly rip his arms from the sockets without breaking a sweat.

"Yes, we have. Have many strangers come through the circle?"

Hywel spoke up, his voice calm but gravelly. "You are the first in millennia to step through the circle. The Lord said travelers would come once we uncovered the great circle." Hywel almost sounded awed.

"The Lord?" Jack asked, stepping closer, his eyebrows raised questioningly.

"Perhaps," Daniel suggested, "we could meet and speak with the Lord of your village."

"Daniel," Jack warned under his breath but Egan spoke loudly, effectively cutting Jack off.

"Yes," said Egan, "That is exactly what we shall do. The village of Meath is but a short hike down the path. Let us bring you to Lord Kentigern. He will be delighted to meet you. Please follow us." Egan bowed slightly and turned back the way he had come, indicating that SG1 should follow.

Jack mouthed ‘Meath?’ and shouldered past Daniel, muttering under his breath. Daniel caught one comment, something about once more unto the breach, but chose to ignore it. When Jack followed Egan into the fog, the rest of SG1 had little choice but to trail behind. Egan’s friends fell in step beside Daniel and Teal’c, leaving Sam to catch up with Jack and Egan.

Hywel broke the silence that descended upon them, his voice hushed. It was as if his words were only meant for Daniel’s ears. "If my words disturb you, please advise me and I shall discontinue our conversation, but I must know…what is it like beyond the circle?"

Daniel looked at Hywel’s intense and inquisitive expression. His green eyes were wide. It seemed like Hywel was afraid of what the answer might be, but he had to ask, to know. Daniel rubbed his hands together, trying to organize his thoughts. But, where would he start? "Well, our…village is very different. But in other ways, we are very much the same. Family is very important to us—even our extended family—as it is to you. We are curious by nature and we seek to learn about other cultures and about other people, which is why we are here. We seek to find friends and allies."

"What is the village called from which you hail?"

Daniel cleared his throat before he continued. "We are from a place, a planet, called Earth. The village we are from is called Colorado Springs."

Hywel looked confused, but that did not surprise Daniel. "Earth?"

"Yes."

"And you are from Earth as well?" Hywel asked, turning to Teal’c.

"No, I am from a planet named Chulak, but I journey with these ones from Earth. They are my friends." Teal’c replied evenly, his tone matter-of-fact.

Hywel took a moment before he asked another question, gathering his thoughts. If he was surprised to find such willing conversationalists in these strangers, he did not show it. Daniel took advantage of the silence, to ask a question of his own.

"Hywel, if I may ask, when did your people turn their attention to the great circle?"

"The Lady Morgana has spoken of it on many occasions, especially when she retells the tales of old, of how we were brought to this land by Lugh as a protection for his people from the coming plagues in our ancient lands. She is our high priestess, in addition to being the wife of our Lord. Several moons ago, Lord Kentigern decreed that the circle be uncovered. Many worked tirelessly to obey his decree. We are part of a welcoming party sent to guard the circle and greet those who step through. It has only been a fortnight since we completed this project. We had not expected to find travelers," he said, and continued with a worried expression, "especially this night."

"Why? What is so special about this night?" Daniel asked, curious.

Egan answered quietly, surprising him. The rest of the party had stopped to allow them to catch up. Daniel had not even noticed that they had fallen so far behind. A quick glance at Teal’c indicated that he too, was surprised. Daniel risked a quick glance at Jack and wasn’t surprised to see Jack’s jaw tight, his eyes flashing his exasperation and annoyance with a particular archeologist.

"Samhain is soon upon us and it will not be safe to walk these paths once the sun has set. We shall speak of this once we reach the village." Egan again gestured for SG1 to follow. "Please, let us make haste. We still have a long walk ahead of us."

Although Jack did not say anything, his look was enough. There would be words and questions later tonight, Daniel was sure. This time, they made sure they kept up as the group quickened its pace to reach the village by nightfall.

Through the fog and mist, Daniel could see several fires blazing that indicated their arrival at the village nearly an hour-and-a-half later. It had been an arduous walk, the last 15 minutes or so an uphill climb, but their guides seemed to relax as tall stone walls and torches came into view. Daniel had many questions for his guides, but they could wait.

He wasn’t sure what to expect, but the sight before him wasn’t it—whatever it was. The village of Meath stood atop a tall hill. It reminded him of some of the hillforts he had read about years ago but on a much grander scale. Everything here was huge in comparison to what he was used to seeing.

From what he could remember from the texts about the Celts on Earth, most of the structures they lived in must have been fairly flimsy since very little archeological evidence remained behind. But here, he felt as if he was stepping into a fairy tale of sorts. These were permanent structures, made from stone and wood.

It seemed almost as if the fog had lifted up above the village, hovering over the tops of the trees on the outskirts, blanketing and protecting it. The torches along the main thoroughfare shone brightly in the twilight, leading to a large structure. They were headed for it, so Daniel assumed it must be the house of Lord Kentigern. He took the opportunity to look at everything they were passing. Metalworkers and blacksmiths looked up from their work as they passed by. Children hid behind their mother’s skirts as the strangers walked past. Various peddlers with their carts stopped what they were doing as the strange group tromped through the village.
He tried smiling reassuringly at some of them, but just ended up scaring a little boy. The people could have stepped out of modern England and Ireland for all he knew. They were a striking, distinctive people. Most were tall and fair-skinned with long blonde, brown, or red-hair. Most of the men also had long hair, similar to Egan’s. Teal’c’s baldness was a stark contrast to the thick, healthy hair he saw all around.

Interestingly enough, everyone he saw as they strode down the main street of this village could have easily taken out the entire team with an arm tied behind his back—even the women. There was a strength about them that Daniel found unusual for such an unassuming and mild-tempered people. People like this did not become such formidable-looking warriors overnight. No indeed, there had to be some kind of need, some cause for this type of development. Shuddering slightly, he wondered just what it could be.

They were nearly at the large dwelling—or for lack of a better term, castle—and they were expected—much to SG1’s surprise. "Lord Kentigern is awaiting your arrival," said the woman at the door, bowing in respect of SG1 and their guides. "Please enter. May peace be on you." She held the bow until they had all walked past.

As they went through the main entrance, Jack turned to Daniel, an eyebrow raised in almost a mirror image of Teal’c’s. His face was full of questions, but he held his tongue. Daniel met his gaze and shook his head slightly. Silent communication passed between them. Not now. We can talk later. Jack understood, nodding to Daniel, and turned back to Egan, who had paused in the center of the cavernous foyer under a metal chandelier where close to one hundred candles blazed brightly, causing flickering shadows on the walls and tapestries.

Tapestries! Daniel’s heart skipped a beat when he saw the complicated tapestries lining the walls. A wood staircase was on their left, curving around and leading to the second story.

"Please follow me. Lord Kentigern wishes to make your acquaintance before you prepare for the feast tonight." Egan bowed slightly and led the way through a set of gothic-like double doors. Daniel couldn’t even begin to imagine how many trees it had taken just to create those grand doors.

They entered a large hall, walking on the carpet between two huge wooden banquet tables that were being prepared for the night’s feast. Egan led them forward to the dais where Lord Kentigern waited. Like the rest of the villagers they had passed, Lord Kentigern was a formidable figure, even casually seated. Although he was dressed in a similar manner to most of the other villagers, just by looks alone, Daniel could tell that Lord Kentigern’s tunic and trousers were of a much higher quality material. A cloak of midnight blue was settled around his shoulders and his red-brown hair brushed his shoulders. He radiated an aura of power and strength.

"My Lord," Egan began, bowing deeply, "these are the travelers we encountered on the path to the hill country. They have come through the great circle." Egan indicated they should step forward. Jack bowed his head slightly as he approached Lord Kentigern. Daniel could see the indecision on Jack’s face. Diplomatic stuff was usually Daniel’s job, and besides, Jack wasn’t the best diplomat. Much to Daniel’s delight, Jack settled for a simple greeting. Simple is always good.

"I’m Colonel Jack O’Neill." He gestured to each member of SG1 in turn. "Dr. Daniel Jackson, Major Samantha Carter, and Teal’c. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"Welcome to Meath, Colonel Jack O’Neill. Do you speak for your people?"

"Yes, I do." Jack glanced around quickly, catching Daniel’s eye. Daniel shrugged slightly, indicating Jack should continue. He seemed to be doing all right.

"Again, welcome. We have much to discuss this night, but before the feasting begins, please be my guests. You look both tired and wet. I will have Nerys, my house steward, set up rooms for you and have a bath drawn. Feasting will begin just after the sun sets." Kentigern turned his attention to the woman who appeared, as if from thin air, beside his chair. She was nearly the same height as Jack and solidly built. Her blonde straight hair reached down to the middle of her back and was tied back at the nape of her neck with a leather band. She wore a plain-colored tunic covered by a long russet-colored surcoat of sorts, fastened at the waist by a leather belt. She had a no-nonsense air about her.

"Nerys, please see that our guests are comfortably settled in for the night. Give them the rooms in the east wing and have bath water drawn for them," Kentigern commanded.

"Yes, my Lord. The bath water is already being heated. When news came of their arrival, I thought you might offer accommodations so the rooms are already prepared." She bowed and swept down the steps and past the astonished team. "Please follow me," she said already halfway to the door.

SG1, at a loss for words, took their leave of Lord Kentigern and turned quickly to follow Nerys through the double doors before they lost her altogether. They were apparently just along for the ride.

Nerys led them up the circular staircase and down a long corridor. Near the end of the corridor, she paused long enough to open a door and usher them through. "I believe this suite of rooms shall suit you fine," she said herding SG1 into the center of what appeared to be a large sitting room complete with a fireplace and what looked like comfortable arm chairs. From where they stood, they could see glimpses of five rooms beyond the sitting room. They weren’t large, but in comparison to the tent they would have ordinarily been sleeping in tonight, they were well appointed.

"Mona and Kelan are preparing bath water for you in the main bath chamber," she said, indicating one of the rooms with her hand. She turned to Carter and gestured to one of the rooms. "I have arranged for you to have a separate room and bathing area from your group. I hope you do not think I am presumptuous. I thought you might feel more comfortable, being the only woman to have something separate from the men." She bent her head in a gesture of respect.

Carter appeared speechless, an amazing and rare event for her, Jack thought, barely hiding a smile. Carter managed to get out a choking reply. "Thank you, Nerys for your forethought. I appreciate it."

"Do you require anything else at this time, my Lord? Additional clothes perhaps?" Nerys asked, looking directly at Jack.

He sent a furtive glance Daniel’s way before answering. Daniel was too busy checking the place out to notice much of anything right now. "No, I don’t think so." He looked down at his muddied and wet clothing and something else occurred to him. "Nerys…" he started, not exactly sure how to continue. He gestured to the soiled and saturated clothing adorning his body. "We have other clothes like these. Will they be appropriate for tonight?"

Nerys looked upset. Yes, my Lord, those clothes are fine. I did not mean to be rude or to indicate that you were dressed inappropriately. I just thought perhaps you might be more comfortable—"

Jack rubbed his hand across his face. They were here for less than five minutes and he was already upsetting the natives. "Nerys, we’re not insulted, on the contrary, you have been more than helpful. I just wanted to make sure we would not show any disrespect to Lord Kentigern." He paused before continuing, a sheepish expression on his face. "I think we’re all set, but I do have one question. When are we expected downstairs?"

"I will send Kelan when the feast is about to begin. You haven’t much time." She bowed deeply and retreated from the room, closing the door behind her.

"Well," he said, turning to his team, "Meath, huh? This is…interesting to say the least. A nice change of pace for us, don’tcha think? Usually we have people shooting at us."

"Jack, I don’t even know where to begin. I feel like I just stepped into a medieval village or something. There are so many people who would just about kill to be able to set foot in a living, working village like this. Just think of all the stuff we could learn." Daniel broke off when a soft knock sounded throughout the room. Teal’c, closest to the door, opened it to reveal several servants holding steaming buckets and basins of water.

"Please pardon the interruption, my Lords. Nerys indicated that you required bath water. I apologize for not having it here earlier."

Daniel gestured them to enter as Teal’c stepped aside, giving them the room they needed. "Is your name Kelan?" he asked the speaker, a tall and lean man. At the man’s nod, he continued. "Please enter, Kelan. Don’t let us get in your way."

"Thank you, my Lord," he said stepping past Daniel and into the bathroom. Within minutes, the tubs were filled and a pleasant scent of pine and rosemary permeated the suite of rooms. Another of the servants stoked the fireplace. Kelan bowed slightly as he departed. "I will be back shortly to bring you to the feast." He closed the door behind him and SG1 was alone once again.

Jack was the first to break the stunned silence that surrounded them. He unhooked his backpack, letting it fall to the floor with a soggy thud. His rain parka followed suit, landing in a heap at his feet. "Well kids, it looks like we have a dinner date tonight. When in Rome…" He sighed heavily. "Okay, who’s first? Daniel, why don’t you go first? It looks like you might need it a little more than we do. Teal’c, you’re next. Is everyone okay?" He eyed each of his teammates. They were all wearing similarly astonished expressions, which he was sure matched the one on his own face. This was a very surreal experience. Whoever thought they would find themselves spending a pleasant night in a castle with servants at their beck and call?

He sighed again and with a satisfied smile, he sank into a large armchair next to the fireplace, thumping his boots on what passed as a coffee table. Thankfully he had managed to bang off most of the mud before they entered the castle. That was one thing he always remembered from his childhood—his mother’s constant reminders about good manners. Don’t track mud into the house. She’d be pleased that her lessons had eventually sunk into his thick skull. But then, she was just another person on his long list of those who had died too young. He exhaled a long breath, trying to pull his thoughts back to the present. He closed his eyes as his body settled into the soft cushions. "Danny, don’t forget to wash behind your ears."

Daniel gave Jack a dirty look that he didn’t see, but moved to the bathroom. He heard Carter’s footsteps hurrying off to her room to get settled in. Teal’c stood before Jack at parade rest, his expression neutral but curious.

"Teal’c, are you going to stand there glaring at me, or did you want something?" Jack asked, feeling Teal’c’s stare and opening an eye.

"O’Neill, I believe I shall perform a brief kel-no-reem, with your permission."

He closed his eye. "Sure, Teal’c. I’ll take the room by the door. Pick any other room you like and relax. I think I’ll just sit here for a while and enjoy the quiet." Teal’c moved to one of the smaller rooms and closed the door. He was alone. The sound of splashes came from the bathroom and from Carter’s room. He smiled to himself. This was one of the stranger experiences they’d had, but also one of the more pleasant. He shivered slightly and realized that he was soaked to the bone. He had picked a chair near the fireplace, but he was only just starting to warm up. Hopefully, Daniel wouldn’t take forever and he could sneak in before Teal’c and before the water got too cold.

He had drifted off a little when the door to the bathroom opened and a noticeably cleaner archeologist stepped out in his boxers. He flicked his eyes over to Carter’s closed door and at Jacks napping form, and scurried to the last remaining empty room, his backpack in hand.

"You done?" Jack asked without opening his eyes.

Daniel stopped suddenly, skidding a little on the cold tiles in his bare feet. "Yeah. I didn’t mean to wake you. You going to jump in there or should I get Teal’c?"

"You didn’t wake me. I was just resting my eyes. I’ll go. Teal’c is kel-no-reeming. I’ll be quick." Jack groaned as he eased himself out of the chair. He was getting too old for this cold, damp weather. It was starting to bother his knees and his back. He picked up his pack from where he had dropped it and hobbled into the bathroom. Daniel ducked into the bedroom next to Teal’c’s and shut the door.

Jack cleaned himself up and had stepped into a clean, dry pair of BDUs when he heard laughter from the sitting room. Being nosy, he opened the door to find out what was going on. Carter and Daniel were lounging on the chairs near the fireplace. They looked warm, clean, dry, and relaxed. All good things.

Bare-chested, he stepped into the room, a clean shirt in his hands.

"So, how are we doing on time?" he asked, walking toward the fireplace. Nearby, on the backs of several chairs, damp clothes—including his parka—hung to dry from the heat of the fireplace.

"I don’t know, Jack," Daniel said. "Kelan hasn’t been back yet."

Jack shrugged into his shirt and knocked on Teal’c’s door. "Hey buddy, the bathroom’s free." Jack stepped back into the bathroom and grabbed his pack as Teal’c opened his door. Jack examined him with a critical eye. Teal’c still looked a little worn around the edges. Something wasn’t sitting well with the Jaffa. Apparently, he wasn’t the only one who thought so.

"Teal’c, are you okay? You don’t look so hot," Daniel asked, springing up to Teal’c’s side, concern evident in his eyes and his voice.
"I am well, Daniel Jackson."

"Are you sure, Teal’c?" Jack chimed in. "You look a little off your feed. Everything okay with Junior?"

"I will be well, O’Neill. Please do not concern yourself with me," he said moving to the bathroom and closing the door.

Silence descended upon them. Daniel spoke up quietly. "If I had to venture a guess, Teal’c looks worried more than anything. Maybe he didn’t get a good kel-no-reem last night."

"I don’t know, Daniel. I’ll keep an eye on him tonight. He’ll probably be back to his normal joking self in the morning," Jack said, perching casually on the arm of Carter’s chair. While for all intents and purposes he knew he looked and sounded relaxed, he was anything but. Even now as he was laughing and joking around, he could feel the tension in his jaw and shoulders. He could use a good massage right now. He rolled his head, trying to stretch his upper back and neck muscles.

"As long as he doesn’t tell any more Jaffa jokes, we’ll be fine," Carter said smiling.

Daniel and Jack chuckled, remembering Teal’c’s first—and last—attempt at humor. It hadn’t been a pretty sight. The laugh felt good. He hadn’t had the opportunity—or the inclination—to laugh at anything lately.

"So, Daniel, what do you make of all this?" Jack asked, waving his hand around.

"I don’t know, Jack," Daniel said, looking around, his blue eyes wide. "I don’t even know where to begin. From what we’ve seen, they seem to be direct descendants from Earth. They could have walked right out of medieval England for all we know. They seem eager to see us and are pleasant enough. I’d recommend we play along for now. It can’t hurt. Besides, I know I wasn’t looking forward to our usual field rations for dinner."

Carter and Jack grinned broadly. No one liked the taste of field rations. Jack remembered there was a time when Daniel thought field rations were the best invention on the planet. But that was a long time ago when Daniel was naive enough to think that they actually tasted like real food.

"Sounds reasonable, Daniel. Anything I shouldn’t do?"

"Well…" Daniel said, pausing to collect his thoughts. Daniel’s eyes got that far-away look Jack was so familiar with when Daniel was thinking. Jack was sure that he knew exactly what was going through Daniel’s mind—all the times he should have been paying attention when Daniel did his diplomatic "meet-the-natives" song and dance. If he had paid attention before, he wouldn’t need a crash course now. Jack pulled himself back to reality as Daniel started speaking. "Well, Jack, just be yourself. Try to stick as close to the truth as you can, and try to be…nice."

"That it?"

Daniel looked up, surprise etched on his face. Jack even caught the sidelong look he sent Carter, but he didn’t care. "Yeah."

"Piece of cake. I’ll have him eating out of my hand."

Daniel was going to protest, but a knock came from the door. Daniel, still standing, crossed quickly to the door, opening it. Kelan appeared, stepping into the room.

"My Lords and Lady," he said, tipping his head to Carter, "the feasting shall begin shortly. Are you prepared?"

"We shall be ready in a few moments, Kelan." Jack heard Daniel say as he moved to knock quietly on the bathroom door. Apparently, Daniel thought it was a good time to ask questions, Jack thought. He tried to keep an ear on what Daniel was saying. You never knew when one of his questions might prove to be useful later on.

"While we wait, I have some questions. Perhaps you would be able to answer some of them."

"I shall try. What is it you would like to know?"

"I have quite a number of questions, but I guess we have to start somewhere." Jack ducked his head into the bathroom and was quietly conversing with Teal’c. "Someone mentioned the feast tonight was called Samhain if I recall correctly. What is this feast?"

Kelan’s eyes widened dramatically. "You must truly be from beyond the circle if you do not know of the great festivals and feasts." He rubbed his hands together, gathering his thoughts. He began to speak slowly, choosing his words carefully. "For us, Samhain marks the end of one year and the beginning of the next. At this time, the spirits of those in the otherworld become visible to men. This night, it is not safe to walk in the forests outside the light of the village. Come morning, all will be well, but this night we celebrate the beginning of a new year and we honor the spirits of our ancestors."

"I understand," Daniel said, nodding his head. "Many cultures have similar customs." Jack and Teal’c stepped up to Daniel’s side. Teal’c looked a little better, but Daniel was sure he was just hiding it well. "Are you ready, Jack?"

"Yep. We’re all ready and I’m starving. Let’s get moving." Jack gestured for everyone to move toward the door. "Kelan, please, lead the way."

Various aromas wafted up the stairs from the great hall and Jack’s stomach growled, loud in the silence of the hallway. He grinned and rubbed his stomach. Meeting Daniel’s gaze he said, "Sorry about that. I told you I was hungry."

Carter grinned. "Sir, you’re always hungry. Sometimes it’s just more obvious than other times."

"Fine, Carter," he said, grinning wider. "Rat me out, why don’t you!" Kelan looked on with a questioning gaze. They walked down the stairway and stepped toward the wide open doors leading to the great hall. This time it was filled with people, sitting and drinking all along the banquet tables. Lord Kentigern saw them pause at the door, trying to remain inconspicuous as they searched the room for an empty seat. He quickly rose to his feet and waved them forward.

"Please, do not be shy. Come, there are seats up here," he said, indicating several empty seats toward the front of the room, near his table. Beside Lord Kentigern stood an elegant woman with auburn hair and bright green eyes, dressed in a flowing purple-red gown. She stood regally beside him, calmly watching SG1 approach. Lord Kentigern waved Jack up to the empty chair on his left side. "Colonel Jack O’Neill, please join me here. We have much to discuss."

Jack turned to the rest of his team, shrugging his shoulders in surrender, a smile playing on his lips. He moved up the stairs to join Lord Kentigern. Egan, Hywel, and Turlough were also seated nearby and quickly arranged for Carter, Teal’c, and Daniel to sit beside them. They still had many questions.

"Colonel Jack O’Neill, please meet my wife, Lady Morgana."

Jack took her hand in his and bowed over it, a gentleman. For moments like this, he wished he had eyes in the back of his head. He was sure Carter’s mouth had dropped open and she was staring at him. He knew she didn’t think he had it in him to be such a charming guest. She had probably never seen him act so properly. As much as he hated to admit it, some of what Daniel tried to drill into his head had sunk in. He just took a perverse pleasure in needling Daniel about it.

"It is my pleasure to make your acquaintance dear Lady." He released her hand and introduced his team as they settled into their seats. Thankfully, his team had put their eyes back in their sockets by the time it came for him to make introductions.

As soon as they were seated, servants descended upon the tables bringing food and drink for all. Dishes of various meats and fish appeared before them along with cheeses, some vegetables and different kinds of fruits and berries. Wine and ale also appeared on the table and a healthy portion of ale found its way into Jack’s glass. He never reached the bottom of the glass because every time he turned around one servant or another was topping it off.

A musician playing what could have passed as a guitar strolled throughout the great hall, providing delightful background music. After a few hesitant tastings, SG1 dug in with gusto, imitating their hosts. Everything was good and, soon enough, they leaned back in their chairs, warm, full, and pleasantly content to listen to the singers, chat with their dinner companions, and drink the wine and ale.

All through the night, Lady Morgana watched O’Neill. Although he looked to be participating fully in the feasting, he was attentive to what was going on, drinking cautiously, keeping an eye on the rest of his companions. She was curious to know more about him, but it was more than curiosity that drew her to him. He was special, powerful, dangerous, a warrior through and through. At one point during the evening, he caught her gaze and smiled pleasantly at her. His eyes though, told the truth of the matter. He knew she was watching him and he let her know, with just a simple glance, just how much he was aware of what was going on. She smiled back and tipped her head slightly, acknowledging his gaze. She smiled slightly to herself. He would be perfect.

Daniel’s eyes were starting to close on him from a combination of factors. He was full—stuffed actually. He had also consumed quite a bit of the local wine and ale. He was warm and it was probably close to 0300 back at the SGC. Add all that to the three hour-long hike this afternoon, and it had been a long day.

He glanced up at Jack who was still going strong, conversing at length with Lord Kentigern. Apparently, Jack had found a friend. Probably trading war stories, Daniel thought. A twinge of jealously crept in. No matter how close they were as friends, Daniel knew that there were some things he and Jack would never see eye to eye about—war stories was one such thing. It was a subject that was simply off-limits. Even when Daniel brought the subject up, trying to learn more about his best friend, Jack always managed to deflect the questions, quickly changing to a different topic of conversation. No matter how hard anyone tried, Jack kept most of his friends an arms-length away. It was almost as if Jack tried to protect Daniel from the nastier parts of life—especially his life.

Most of the guests had already taken their leave hours ago. The servants were cleaning up around them. Soon, Daniel thought, they would just sweep them out with the rest of the trash. Teal’c was looking better as he sat observing. Sam had struck up a conversation with Lady Morgana, although from the looks of things, they were about ready to call it a night.

Sure enough, Lady Morgana touched her husband’s elbow and he immediately realized the lateness of the hour. He stood, a little unsteady on his feet, bid everyone a good night, and cautiously walked out of the great hall with Lady Morgana on his arm, leaving SG1 looking at each other. Moments later, Kelan appeared looking tired and drawn.

"Kelan, did we keep you awake?" Daniel asked, standing. He swayed a bit once he reached his feet, but didn’t fall. Teal’c magically appeared at his side. Teal’c’s hand on his elbow helped to steady him. That wine and ale had sure crept up on him, Daniel thought.

"No, Daniel Jackson, you did not." Kelan said and then turned his attention to Jack, who was stepping down from the dais. "My Lord, may I show you back to your rooms?"

"Sure," Jack said, waving him on. "Lead the way."

Jack had noticed Daniel’s too-much-to-drink sway and was grateful Teal’c had caught it as well. It saved Daniel a little self-respect, but he knew Daniel wouldn’t appreciate the hangover he’d have in the morning. Carter too, Jack detected, was also a little uneasy on her feet. This shouldn’t become a habit, he thought critically, but from the way the talks went tonight, they would have a very valuable ally in these people.

They climbed the stairs and stumbled back to their rooms, exhausted.

Kelan opened the door and led SG1 back into their rooms. All their damp clothing was carefully arranged near the fireplace, drying out. Apparently, the servants had been through. Not only had they tidied up, they had turned down the beds as well. Right now, they looked very inviting.

"My Lord, I would recommend leaving your doors ajar to allow some of the heat from the fire into your rooms. By morning, you will appreciate the warmth. The mornings are quite cold. One of the house stewards will make sure the fire remains strong. Goodnight. May your dreams be pleasant." He bowed slightly and left the room, closing the door quietly behind him.

Jack took one look at his motley bunch and chuckled. What a pitiful sight they were. Teal’c still looked a little green around the edges. Daniel and Carter were tipsy and he was tired—exhausted even. It was time to call it a night.

"Okay kids, let’s hit the sack. We’ll have time to talk and visit some more in the morning before we have to head back to the gate. I’d recommend we get as much sleep as we can while there’s still some night left." He turned to his room, the closest to the door. He’d chosen it subconsciously, out of habit. He was still protecting his team, even while he slept.

Carter and Daniel muttered something that passed as goodnight and stumbled off to their respective beds. Jack stuck his head out of the door. "Don’t forget to take two aspirins before you go to bed. You’ll thank me in the morning." He chuckled to himself as he sat on the edge of the bed, removed his boots, socks, and fatigue pants, dropped them in a crumpled pile on the floor, and climbed into bed.
They were all sleeping minutes after their heads hit the pillow.

An hour later, two figures quietly entered the room and stood in the sitting area listening to the sounds of slumber. The fire caused strange shadows to flicker across the walls and across the faces of the intruders.

Quietly, so as not to wake the slumbering figures, Lady Morgana, dressed much more plainly than at dinner, in a simple tan tunic, indicated the first room, "Turlough, be careful with this one. He is the one we were awaiting." She pressed a damp cloth into her accomplice’s hands. "Place this over his nose and mouth, but do not wake him. One breath of this and he shall slumber for a long time. Now go."

He hesitated for a moment, but moved to follow her instructions. He slipped through the open door and approached the bed. Jack O’Neill was fast sleep, the covers askew. One arm was thrown above his head while one of his legs was tangled in the blankets. Quickly, before he doubted himself, he pressed the cloth to O’Neill’s face as he had been instructed. Still asleep, O’Neill tried feebly to push the hand away, but quickly succumbed to the drug. His hand dropped, a dead weight. Turlough held the cloth for a few beats longer to make sure and then quietly crept back to the sitting room.

"It is done," he said in hushed tones.

"Good. You know where to bring him. Make sure you secure the door and do not leave anything in the room with him. Now go," she ordered, firm, but quiet. They must not be discovered. Turlough jumped to obey. Pushing the door open, he lifted O’Neill easily over his shoulder and carried him from the room.

Once they were gone, Morgana moved to the woman Carter’s room. She had work to do and it was going to take time.

Pulling another cloth from her pouch along with a small vial, she emptied some of the liquid onto the cloth and pressed it against Carter’s nose and mouth. After a moment, she removed the cloth and placed her hand across Carter’s forehead. Crinkling her nose and forehead in concentration, she spoke several ancient, alien words. Carter shifted in her sleep, as if she was aware of the intrusion into her mind and her memories.

These strangers had a fierce loyalty for one another, even unconsciously. Lady Morgana’s powerful mind, with the assistance of her herbal extracts, was slowly able to erase Carter’s memories of O’Neill. One by one, they vanished until they were no more.

Once Lady Morgana was sure the memories had all been removed, she removed her hand. She was tired, dead tired, but there was still work to do.

Peering into what was O’Neill’s room, she noticed Turlough had returned and had quietly and efficiently cleaned and straightened the room. The room looked as if no one had slept there at all that night. O’Neill’s pack and damp clothing hanging by the fireplace had been removed as well—the other articles of clothing moved so as to not draw attention to the missing items.

She gathered her strength and walked across the sitting room to where Teal’c lay. His deep meditation had moved to a deep sleep. For some reason, being around her race caused all kinds of reactions with the Jaffa, including peculiar sleeping patterns. But when it came to this kind of mind control, the Jaffa were easy to manipulate, she recalled. She had done these very things years ago when they had first rid this planet of those who thought they were gods. They were nothing but power hungry parasites. She finished quickly with Teal’c and moved onto Jackson.

This one, she knew just by looking at him, would be a challenge. She added an extra dose of the extract to the cloth before she applied it to his nose and mouth. Sure enough, he struggled and tried to push her hands away. His eyes flew open, settling on her but unseeing. Sleep quickly overcame him and he settled down again. Concentrating and focusing her thoughts, she placed her hand across his temples and began reciting those ancient, alien words she had spoken twice before this very night. If Jackson had been awake, he wouldn’t have even been able to decipher them.

As she had figured, it was a struggle. He did not want to let his memories go. But sure enough, one by one, they freed themselves from his mind. One by one, they vanished.

She lifted her hand and brushed it across her face. She swayed on her feet, exhausted, but aroused by her victory.

In the minds of his closest friends—his team—Colonel Jack O’Neill was no more.