Jack quickly surveyed his surroundings, noting five adults could sleep comfortably in the bed which seemed to dominate the elegantly decorated room. The stone walls kept the temperature cool in the heat of day and held in the heat provided at night by an enormous fireplace. Each of the rooms were connected, except Daniel's. The archaeologist had been separated from the rest of the team, and Jack's only appeasment was the younger man had been placed in a room directly across the hall from his own.

The soldier stood by the door, waiting impatiently as servants scurried in and out of the rooms, delivering wine, fruit and cheese, turning down the beds, assuring them, they would bring water so they could bath and attempting to unpack their knapsacks before acceding to the soldier's wishes that everything was fine, backing from the room.

"Give me an assessment." O'Neill sank into one of the overlarge chairs, Teal'c having taken his place next to the door, which he held open a crack giving them the opportunity to know the minute Norita left Daniel's room.

"We were not followed or watched, O'Neill." Teal'c stated somberly. "This is all I can guarantee."

"Unless, like the Nox or the Reetu, they have the power of invisability....or phase shifting." Sam pointed out with a shrug.

"Breetan seems to have taken a special interest in Daniel Jackson," So Jack wasn't the only one who'd seen the look in the leaders eyes. "I am not happy he has been separated from us even if only by a hallway."

"Me either. It's bad enough always dealing with lovesick females without the male gender getting in on the act, too, but if he's got a crush on our favorite civilian, he's in for a big surprise." The colonel attempted to make light of the situation. "Not knowing the full situation, everyone keeps an eye on Daniel......and try to do it discreetly." While Jack didn't want to cause their friend any undo embarrassment he thought it best to inform the others of what had been bothering the linguist the past few weeks.

"That's why he's been avoiding us?" Carter slowly sank onto the bed, her expression relating the shock Jack himself had felt. "He thought we didn't trust him?.....Where the hell would he get a stupid idea like that?"

"Why he thought it doesn't matter....We don't want to-"

"Understood O'Neill." Teal'c interrupted, nodding almost imperceptively to the doorway.

"Jack?" Daniel carefully closed the door behind him.

"What'd ya find out?"

"Nothing much....It's more like a feeling.....you know...." His arms folded around himself the anthropologist paced the large room. "Like something isn't right....Does anyone else find it a little disconcerting they seemed to be expecting us....From what we've seen so far, I haven't found any sign of Goa'uld influence. The only thing I can say for sure is that Malina is the head priestess and Norita is her apprentice. Evidently we do have the run of the place. Norita said any room not open to guests is guarded."

"Okay....By the way what was that crap you fed Breetan about being uncomfortable with the women standing while we were sitting?"

"I had to say something!"

"Because....?" Jack urged.

"Breetan said Malina told him our names....but that means Norita would have had to tell her and unless I'm suffering some wierd form of amnesia, she never left our sight."

"Couldn't one of the guards have told her." Sam suggested.

"I guess it's possible.....it's just....."

"A feeling?" Jack offered. "You just keep paying attention to those feelings Dannyboy. We all know they're usually right." He squeezed the younger man's shoulder in encouragement, steering him to the door. "Well kids, shall we take a look around?....We are peaceful explorers from Earth after all."

*****

"I mean no disrepect and bow to your wisdom but I do not believe these are the ones spoken of in the writings." Malina watched the other woman pace the chamber, a habit she'd had childhood. "They seem to know nothing of the prophecy."

"Sit, child. You make me weary just watching you." The older woman pat the seat beside her, and began brushing Norita's hair. Another ritual from her childhood, Norita had always found soothing.

"Mother, I know you have never believed in the righteousness of the Kom'Ki ritual and agree only because of the present necessity but I think we must talk with Breetan. I am almost certain-"

"Listen to me Norita," Malina set the hairbrush aside, turning her daughter to face her. "As you know the Kom'Ki ritual has been performed since the beginning of our world and you are correct, I do not believe it is the path our leader should follow but Breetan is our leader and his words are final." Seeing the disappointment in Norita's expression, Malina smiled, cupping the woman's chin in her hand and placing a light kiss on her forehead. "You are very wise for one so young. I will study the prophecy again and we will both talk at length with the visitors. If it is as you say, we will try to convince Breetan." 'However do not be disappointed when he does not listen.' The priestess added silently.

"Thank you mother!" Quickly embracing Malina, her eyes bright with excitement, Norita jumped to her feet. "I will return shortly to prepare for the feast, I wish to talk with the travelers again."

Tears welled in Malina's eyes. She wanted to call after her daughter, to warn her against becoming close with the travelers, knowing it would only make it harder when Breetan decided on the Kom'Ki as she had no doubt he would. Her daughter was so tender hearted, each time the ritual was performed Malina saw a small piece of her soul fade away and watched the light in her eyes dim.

The priestess hurried through the palace corridors, ignoring the bows of reverence offered by the guards and servants, slipping into the Chamber of Power. If there was a chance of stopping the Kom'Ki, the answer lay in the Book of Prophecy.

*****

His eyes remaining closed, Jack's hand casually slipped under the pillow, gripping the sidearm he'd placed there before falling asleep, as the door was cautiously opened. He lay listening as quiet footsteps crossed the room coming to a stop next to the bed.

Quickly rolling to his feet, his gun aimed with deadly accuracy, Jack started the servant woman who squelched her cream as the tray she carried clattered to the floor.

"No, no, no,....Oh hell.....I'm sorry,.....it's habit....sorry...." Flustered, O'Neill replaced the sidearm under the pillow, kneeling to help clean up the mess. "I didn't mean to scare you.....I apologize.....I-I-"

"Our leader, the Great Breetan, thought you and your friends would wish to sleep late after last nights festivities. He ordered us to leave this mornings food and drink by your beds." The woman explained, her hands trembling. "I will return shortly with another tray. If it pleases you I will have the men draw your bath immediately."

"No...no that's not necessary....I'll just wash up with......basin......Thank you." He called another apology as she hurried down the hall.

"Colonel?" O'Neill whirled to find Carter standing in the connecting door, her own sidearm in her hand. "Is everything alright....I heard a-"

"Everything's fine, Major. I just scared the hell outta the maid."

"Well you are quite a sight, sir." Carter pressed her lips tightly together in a futile attempt to suppress a smile.

Realizing he was dressed only in his tee-shirt and boxers, the soldier grabbed the clothes from the end of the bed, quickly slipping into the fatigues, surprised to find they'd been laundered while he slept.

"Where's Teal'c and Daniel?"

"Unknown, sir." Carter stepped across the hall, quietly opening the door to Daniel's room. "Neither of them are in their rooms."

Jack was sure where ever the archaeologist was, the Jaffa was not far away. The previous evenings festivities had resembled something from an old movie, with mounds of exotic food and drink, musicians and half naked dancing girls, the only guests being themselves, Breetan, Malina, Norita and several officers of Jalana's army. Breetan had spent much of the evening moving about the room, talking with each of the team members separately.

O'Neill, while still finding something not quite trustworthy about the leader had found himself listening to stories of a war that had raged for years with renegades determined to take over leadership of Jalana and had offered stories of his his own combat experience.

Comparing notes afterwards, Teal'c and Carter had each reported his questions to be disguised in general converstion, curiously, he had questioned , not only about each of them personally but their teammates as well, and Daniel especially. Only the archaeologist seemed unaware of Breetan's pecular interest as he had excitedly informed them Malina was Norita's mother and the two were somehow psychically connected.

"Norita says they know what the other is doing at all times! That's how Malina was able to tell Breetan our names and what happened in the marketplace."

"I don't think I would want my mother knowing what I was doing at all times." Jack had joked.

"Your mother would have had to put a x-rating on her mind." Daniel grinned. "Unfortunately, it seems only the high priestess and her apprentice...daughter are born with this ability."

"Why, unfortunately?"

"Sir, if others had this ability and we made an allience with them, it would give a whole new meaning to covert operations." Sam explained. "The Tok'ra send operatives into Goa'uld strongholds but have to wait for a chance to send information out. With this ability, the person on the outside would immediately know everything the person on the inside knew."

"Actually, I was thinking.....nevermind...." Daniel shook his head slightly, understanding they would be most interested in the military ramifications. He had thought Sam would find the scientific aspect interesting though, expecting her to start discussing the possiblities of isolating and possibly cloning the gene that caused this ability. To the scholar it seemed his friend had begun looking at things less like a scientist and more like a soldier since having been a host to Jolinar. "Breetan agreed to let me see their written history tomorrow. Hopefully it'll tell us alot more about this world."

"Major, find Teal'c and Daniel! Get em back here ASAP." Jack pulled his mind back to the present.

"I am here O'Neill." The door opened as Jack was strapping on his sidearm.

"Out for a morning stroll were you?" Sarcasm overrode the concern in Jack's voice. "Where's Daniel?"

"He has once again returned to his room. I believe him to be resting."

"Resting?"

"Breetan summoned him. There was a chamber he thought Daniel Jackson would find interesting." Teal'c explained. "They spent the last several hours there talking."

"A chamber?" Jack scowled. "What kinda chamber?"

"It was not a sleeping chamber O'Neill." The Jaffa assured him. "I myself saw the inside and stood guard at the door." The warrior didn't have to tell Jack he would die before intentionally allowing any of them to come to harm. In the beginning, Teal'c had taken it upon himself to watch over their youngest teammate, out of guilt for his part in Sha'uri's abduction and subsequent death but in the years SG-1 had been together the Jaffa had found in the scholar an understanding friend who did everything possible to help the warrior acclimate to life on his adopted world. Unfortunately, at certain times, Teal'c could be as naive as the anthropologist. O'Neill was afraid he didn't realize the Jaffa was not aware a bed wasn't always need for what the colonel feared Breetan had in mind for Daniel. A knock at the door, prevented his asking any further questions.

"I have brought you another morning meal. Please accept my apologies for earlier." The woman set the tray on the table, bowing once more. "When the Chosen One awakes, he need only call for me and I will bring his food."

Jack reached out and caught her by the arm. "Excuse me.....The Chosen One?"

"The one you call Daniel Jackson." The woman stated. "I am to be his personal servant. I will see to his every desire."

Jack's tone was light as he arched his eyebrows up and down several time. "His every desire?"

"What do you mean when you call him the Chosen One?" Carter asked suspiciously, tossing the colonel a look of disgust at his luscivious comment.

"That is the great honor Breetan has bestowed upon your young friend. Do not fear I will make these next days most pleasurable." Aware they were getting nowhere fast, Jack pushed past her, rushing into his friend's room. The chamber was obviously reserved for those Breetan considered special. It was twice the size of their's and much more elegant. Unlike theirs which was filled with flowers, here, the servants had removed the offending objects. Daniel looked lost in the enormous bed, his face peaceful in sleep.

"Daniel?....Daniel!" Climbing onto the bed Jack shook his friend's shoulder, alarmed when the young man didn't respond. "Daniel?....Come on Daniel it's time to wake up!" His own heart racing, Jack placed his fingers against the linguist's neck searching for a pulse, relieved to find the heartbeat slow and steady, his breathing deep and shallow.

"Stay here! Don't let anyone near him!" He ordered as he jumped from the bed striding purposefully toward the door. "I'm going to have a chat with our host!"