From their various hiding places, the members of SG-1 silently watched the two women standing at the riverbank. Hearing the quiet voices before seeing anyone, unsure of how many villagers they might be facing, Jack had signalled his team to take cover. Tall, well endowed and curvasous, the red blooded American male in Jack noted with appreciation the beauty of both women. Dressed in flowing robes, one of the women, her jet black hair held in place with a jeweled headdress, was chanting, her body starting to sway with the words.

"Any idea what's going on Daniel?" He keyed the radio mic, keeping his voice barely audible.

"It's a prayer of offering to their God. I think she's a priestess." Jack raised a hand to the earpiece at Daniel's low response, glancing away from the women only long enough to secure the area. They didn't need any irate husbands sneaking up behind them. "Sounds like a mixture of Mayan and Aztec." The sound of a baby's cries filled the air as the second woman raised the bundle she carried skyward, before tossing it into the swift current of the river. He didn't need the radio to hear the shout of denial as Daniel burst from the trees. Shrugging off the backpack and shoving the women aside, he made a dive into the river that would have won a gold medal at the Olympics.

Followed by Carter, Jack rushed along the bank searching for a way to help his impetuous friend who now struggled to keep his and the child's head above water as the current rapidly swept them toward the rocks further downstream. He cringed inwardly as Daniel slammed into a large outcropping of rocks jutting out from the riverbank, almost creating a natural bridge, somehow finding a handhold and gripping it in desperation.

"Hold on Danny! Hold on!" Damnit that better not be a goat or something equally stupid, tied up in that blanket! His eyes on Daniel, being buffeted by river water, as he struggled to push the bundle onto the rock out of harms way, a pain shot through O'Neill's knee as his feet slipped on the wet smooth stone.

"Shit!" Jack made a last frantic lunge almost knocking the bundle back into the river as the slim fingers relaxed, releasing their hold and disappeared beneath the water. One hand locked around Daniel's wrist, the other gripping the collar of his jacket.

"You can't have him!" O'Neill screamed at the river. His muscles shaking with fatigue, the colonel tightened his grip as the swift current tugged relentlessly at the body of his unconscious friend, praying this wasn't a battle he would lose and then Teal'c was there helping to pull the limp archeologist, onto the stone.

"Damnit Jackson...don't do this!" Vaguely aware of an infant's soft cry and the furious glances from the green eyed priestess, they eased him onto the soft grass and finding no pulse O'Neill began CPR, alternately counting chest compressions and preforming mouth to mouth. Relief surged through him as Daniel gagged, spitting up water, before dragging deep breaths of air into his oxygen starved lungs. Sam had discarded the infant's blanket and wet clothes wrapping it in her jacket.

"J-Jack?"

"Easy Danny. First lesson in anatomy...humans breath air, not water." Pulling a medkit from the pocket of his BDU's, as Daniels eyes slowly closed again, Jack brushed the wet hair off the younger man's forehead to examine the wound that, without the water to wash it away, now streamed blood down his friend's pale face. Seated where Teal'c had forced her to the ground, the priestess suddenly jumped to her feet and made a grab for the baby cradled in the major's arms. O'Neill grinned as Sam's fist connected with the other woman's jaw with a teeth rattling crack.

"I am sorry O'Neill, the other woman eluded me." Taking the priestess by the arm, Teal'c lifted her to her feet and led her to a seat near the colonel, conveying a look that clearly said she wasn't to move again.

"Carter, you and Teal'c take the kid and get back to the base. I don't know what the hell is going on but evidently it won't live long if we don't get it outta here."

"What about you and Daniel sir?" The second woman had no doubt alerted the villagers and it didn't take a rocket scientist to see the archeologist was in no shape at the moment to travel with any speed.

"We'll be right behind you but if we're not back twenty four hours after you, feel free to come and get us. Now head out before company arrives."

The priestess had sat stiffly, her back turned, refusing to look at either of them as Daniel had begun to stir, slowly regaining consciousness.

"Jack?"

"Right here buddy." Supporting his shoulders, Jack helped him sit up. "Don't make any sudden moves, we're about to have visitors." He'd heard the villagers approach a moment before and taking a leaf from Daniel's book had carefully laid his rifle aside, hoping to avoid getting either of them killed.

"I'm sorry Jack."

"For what?" Surprised by the quiet apology and thankful they hadn't been tied for the march to meet their fate, he placed a steadying hand on Daniel's elbow as the scientist weaved slightly, his eyes on the ground, his concentration solely on staying upright. "For saving that baby? I don't think that calls for an apology on any planet."

Obviously strangers were an oddity as the people stopped their work to stare at the prisoners being led to an enormous building situated in the center of the village which Jack determined to be some kind of palace or communal gathering place. Like the small houses that surrounded it, this building was also made of stone but whereas the houses were plain with thatched roofs, this building was completely made of stone and lavishly decorated with ornate carvings, tapestries and murals. Somewhere along the way, the priestess had disappeared.

Jack tried to protest as Daniel was pushed to the floor in front of a large alter that reminded him of a judge's bench, struggling as two of the massively built guards dragged him further into the bowels of the building before roughly shoving him into a small poorly lit unfurnished room.