Anyone who said they'd never been afraid was either lying or a psychopath but the fear Major Hai had instilled in Jack was a soul shattering cowardice that for months afterwards had caused tremors of trepidation each time the mere thought of the man who murdered for the sheer pleasure of it entered his mind.

As he had told Daniel, the major had beaten Jimmy Adams to death. What he hadn't told him was the torturous manner in which he'd accomplished that goal. How he'd hung Jimmy upside down from a tree, using him for a punching bag. How he'd staked him spread eagle to the ground, flogging him with green switches, tearing the skin open, branding the bare flesh with the red hot buckle of his belt, never letting him lose consciousness. He couldn't bring himself to think of the uses the major found for his knife. Jack saw the smiles casually tossed his direction, the lunatic gleam in the man's eyes and knew when he finished with Jimmy it would be his turn.

A noise suddenly penetrated his thoughts and he looked up sharply. Jumping to his feet, Jack backed away. Terror filled his brown eyes as the very person he'd been contemplating stepped through the tent flap. Shaking his head in denial, he blinked several times as the major faded to be replaced by the rumpled figure of Daniel, confusion and consternation in his expression.

"Jack?"

"Yeah." It took a moment for O'Neill to find his voice, reassuring Daniel everything was as it should be even as his mind screamed denial.

The Apakians sat silently listening to Daniel translate Jack's words about Earth and its wish to make a trade alliance with their world. Jack knew the words were probably phrased a hell of alot more eloquently in Daniel's translation than they were coming out of his mouth. Unlike the celebration that had welcomed them that first night, there would be no food or drinks until after all their questions had been answered.

Each of the SG team carried one of the packs Daniel had added to F.R.E.D and one by one they presented them to Meelay to be divided among his people. The anthropologist passed the colonel a exceptionally fancy knife in a leather sheath to be presented to the cheiftain from the colonel. The handle itself was beautifully carved with designs with Meelay's name engraved on the blade. Afterwards Carter, Teal'c and himself in turn emptied the packs onto spread blankets, surprised to find them filled to capacity with hunting knifes, beads, small mirrors, silk ribbons, hair brushes and combs. Explaining that the pack he carried was especially for the children, Daniel turned it upside down, spilling chocolate bars and hard candy all over the blanket. 'The kid must have blown a whole paycheck on this stuff.' Seeing the Apakians delight at the good will offerings, O'Neill grinned making a mental note to be sure Daniel was reimbursed for the gifts.

Everyone was seated in the largest of the buildings, the members of SG-1 facing the tribe. Meelay, with Bannock seated on his right and Shelaya on his left, with the rest of the tribe behind them. O'Neill was pleased to see that the medicine man appeared much more open minded. For the moment at least the open hostility he'd exhibited during their conversation in the chief's tent had been toned down to more of a mild irritation.

"O'Neill we welcomed you to our world, provided you with shelter and food, yet Na-air-tay tells how you guard your Spirit Stone refusing entrance to your world." Daniel translated.

"We guard our world against people who wish to destroy us. We welcome friends and have taken in refugees from other worlds. We've even given refuge to those enemies who want to kill us." Jack cast a quick glance at Carter and Teal'c who nodded approval as Daniel repeated his answer.

Daniel didn't bother to translate Bannock's next question. He'd been prepared for this since the previous afternoon. He turned to the others as the Apakians stirred up by his answer mumbled quietly among themselves.