The four people stood on the stone dias of the Stargate in silent appreciation of the peaceful panarama spread before them. The pictures the UAV sent back had in no way done justice to the beauty of the planet. The Stargate itself was nestled in the foothills at the base of majestic mountains, facing out over a valley cut in half by the tree lined river running through it. The air was clear and smelled refreshingly of fruit trees and wildflowers, the temperature a moderate seventy three degrees.

"I wonder if this is what the Garden of Eden looked like." Sam remarked, a touch of awe in her quiet question.

"I wouldn't be at all surprised Sam." Daniel grinned following her to the DHD. "Is this the same garden that is spoken of in your book of legends?" Although he too appreciated the beauty before him, the jaffa warrior carefully studied their surroundings for any sign of danger to the team. "The place your God created for his first children."

"The bible Teal'c and yes that garden."

"If I remember correctly that garden was also the home of a very troublesome snake." O'Neill quipped with a small smile and a quirk of his head. Slipping his sunglasses on he adjusted the automatic weapon hanging from the strap on his shoulder.

"Which way Major?"

"According to the data, it's probably a day's walk southeast sir."

"Let's move campers. We have a UAV to find." Since the colonel hadn't stated otherwise, the team fell automatically fell into a regular formation with Teal'c at point followed by Sam and Daniel, with O'Neill bringing up the rear.

It was going to be a nice peaceful mission. Retrieve the UAV, take some soil samples to be analyzed for any minerals that might be resourceful to earth and go home. His lunch finished, O'Neill leaned back against the trunk of the enormous shade tree and pulling the brim of his hat down, as if napping and covertly studied his teammates. SG-1. The unit no one gave a chance of lasting through the first mission. This was his team. His friends. His family. Four totally unique individuals who made up the best offworld exploration team in the Stargate Command.

Major Samantha Carter, a diverse blend of woman, astrophysist and soldier. A combination of beauty, brains, femininity and strength. A military brat, daughter of a general, she was all soldier when needed, never failing to do what was necessary to cover her team's six and accomplish the mission. She faced life with a logical mind, often burying her emotions, showing her softer side only to those she trusted and cared for. She was a tower of confidence, trusting her instincts, when it came to her academic or military abilities, but her commanding officer often spotted the little girl she kept hidden inside. The child who dreamed of one day growing up to marry the handsome prince, of holding her new baby or picnicing in the park with her family.

Teal'c, the Jaffa warrior. A mountain of a man who had sacrificed everything in hopes of one day freeing his people from slavery. He left his home world of Chulak, his wife and son, turning his back on everything he'd been raised to believe, to join the people of earth in the fight against the Gou'ald he'd once served. The people of Chulak had originated on earth and O'Neill couldn't help but think how ironic that this black man was still fighting, not for equality but for the very freedom that his earth ancestors had achieved over a hundred years earlier. The man never made a statement he didn't mean or a promise he knew he couldn't keep. He had pledged himself to fight for the people of earth and each of them knew he would give his life to protect his teammates. Teal'c could teach the meaning of the words honor and loyalty to most people Jack knew, including some of his military cronies.

Then there was Daniel. Dr. Daniel Jackson, civilian archeologist, anthropologist and linguist. A multiple Phd with a string of letters behind his name that sorely depleted the english alphabet. Daniel, their boy genius, whose theories were ridiculed by his academic peers, yet he had done in a few days what teams of scientists hadn't been able to do in years, make the Stargate work. If you believed in reincarnation, (which he didn't! Then again when it came to Daniel-) that you were punished in this life for the sins of your past life, then Jack figured he must have been a real asshole for the fates to saddle him with Dr. Jackson. He was a thorn in O'Neill's side, barely following orders, constantly arguing with his decisions, rushing in where angels feared to tread and if Jack was going to be totally honest...Danny was also a constant source of joy. He had the soul of...Where the hell was he?

Jumping to his feet, O'Neill adjusted his cap and frantically searched the countryside.

"Daniel Jackson is at the river, refilling the canteens O'Neill." Teal'c stated.

"You know Teal'c you can be really spooky sometimes."

"I apologize O'Neill. If you will explain this...spooky I will try not to be so again."

"I don't think that's possible." Jack grinned, good naturedly slapping the man on the shoulder. "Pack up kids. I'll get Daniel and we'll head out."

Putting their equipment into the backpacks, Sam tried not to smile as she watched O'Neill from the corner of her eye, stroll nonchalantly towards the river.

"Captain Carter may I speak with you?" Teal'c's training as a Jaffa warrior rarely allowed him to display any type of emotion but after almost four years working side by side with the man, the members of SG-1 knew his moods, whether by instinct or a subtle change in his deep voice. Carter knew the man was puzzled by the colonel's comment. "How do I stop being spooky so I do not offend O'Neill once more?"

"You didn't offend the colonel Teal'c. He was just responding to you telling him about Daniel." She smiled.

"Was he not wondering where Daniel Jackson had gone?"

"Yes he was but you answered the question before he could ask it. It was like you were reading his mind."

"Not his mind, his reactions."

"I know Teal'c. I knew what he was going to ask too." Anyone who knew Jack O'Neill, knew how protective he was where Daniel was concerned. The two men had been together through more in a few years than most people deal with in a lifetime. SG-1 was a close knit team, caring for each other not only as co-workers and teammates but also as friends and more importantly family. Jack, Teal'c and herself had each in their own way grown up, coming to adulthood, in a military atmosphere, whether by choice, training or family but Daniel was different. And to each of them Daniel was special.

Carter was right comparing this planet to the Garden of Eden. The air was pristine, free of pollution, the river water cold and crystal clear. Daniel stood motionless, his attention caught by something in the distance and Jack wondered how long before he realized he wasn't alone. His friend had a bad habit of losing himself in his own little world when something fascinated him. A habit that often put him in jeopardy.

"Am I seeing things or does that look like a village out there?" Lost in thought, Jack jumped at Daniel's sudden question. Ignoring Daniel's impish grin, he took the offered binoculars.

Spinning the wheel to adjust the lens, Jack brought into focus what had caught Daniel's attention. In the far distance the river seemed to take a sharp turn toward the very middle of the valley. Lost among the trees, Jack saw what appeared to be rooftops. Sighing deeply, he mentally prepared himself for the inevitable argument.

"Sir?" Jack turned to find Carter and Teal'c had joined them, each carrying an extra backpack belonging to their teammates.

"It seems Danny boy here spotted a village out in the middle of the valley and I was just about to explain that our mission is to return to SGC with the UAV data and the required samples." Taking the pack from Sam, he slipped the binoculars into their pocket and passed it to Daniel. "If it appears that this planet has resources we can use, a team will be sent through to negotiate for a mining contract."

"I know that Jack. I was just wondering why the UAV didn't give any indication of humans." Handing each their canteens, Daniel turned and began walking. He smiled slightly, picturing Jack's slack jawed expression of astonishment.

"According to the data sir, the UAV should be right here." Carter shrugged perplexity written all over her face.

"I don't know about the rest of you but I don't happen to see a huge model airplane in the immediate vincinty." Jack cracked, a touch more sarcasm in his voice than he'd intended. What happened to his nice easy mission.

"O'Neill, I believe the people of this planet have taken the UAV." Teal'c stated. Even without the tracking skills of the warrior they could see footprints and broken branches where the wings of the UAV had disturbed the underbrush.

"Sweet." Damn! Damn! Damn! "Well Daniel, it looks like you're gonna have a chance to play with the natives after all. It'll be dark soon so we might as well camp here for the night."

"You feelin okay Daniel?" Jack stooped next to the campfire, accepting the plate the linguist offered. Over time, the team had settled into a routine out in the field and unless he was busy with a translation it had somehow fallen on Daniel to cook the evening meal. No one would admit it but he seemed to be the only one of the four who could make the MRE's edible.

"Yeah why?"

"No reason. You've just been awfully quiet today."

"I didn't argue with you about contacting the people of that village, if that's what it was we saw, because..." A twinkle of amusement in his crystalline blue eyes, Daniel paused, carefully pouring two cups of coffee, handing one to Jack and offering refills to Sam and Teal'c before taking a sip of his own, "I knew it would drive you nuts." O'Neill shot Carter a scathing look as she suddenly choked on her food, trying to smother the laughter churning inside. Even Teal'c avoided eye contact with the colonel, indicating he too found humor in Daniel's answer.

"Okay Space Monkey," Jack's own grin spread. It was good to see the easy smile that seemed to light up the young man's face. See an acceptance of life without Shar're, the final step in the mourning process. There were times when you could look at him and know something had reminded him of moments spent with his wife but now those memories were usually followed by a bittersweet smile instead of tears. "You just keep in mind what they say about paybacks."

With orders to wake him if needed, O'Neill turned the last watch over to Teal'c and silently slipped into the tent being extra careful not to wake Daniel. Jack knew the real reason Daniel hadn't argued about approaching the villagers was he stilled blamed himself for the mishap on their last mission. Teal'c had ended up with an arrow in his shoulder before Daniel understood the language enough to explain that they weren't Gou'ald there to choose hosts. His young friend had an irritating habit of assuming the blame for everything that went wrong. He wouldn't be surprised if Daniel didn't somehow accept responsibility for the Gou'ald's very existance.

Jack adjusted the blanket over the his friend's shoulders, glad to see that Daniel was regaining the weight he'd lost the last few months. He momentarily rested a hand on the shaggy locks. Although he constantly made wisecracks about his less than military haircut, Jack had really disliked the short hair after Hathor had cut it. He suspected Daniel had kept it short to please Jack but absentmindedly lost in his work he hadn't made a trip to the barber in several weeks. In many ways Daniel was the little brother he'd never had and the son he'd lost.