PARADISE (PART TWO)

Part 17 (Wendy)

They fell, slipping, sliding, down the steep slope. Sam felt her body jolt as she hit something, probably a tree root. She was thrown sideways, her body twisting, making her plummet headfirst through the mud. Forcing her arms above her head, she tried to protect herself. Jack, a few yards behind, strained desperately to see where she was but his vision was obscured by the driving rain and the splashing mud.

The slope began to lessen and their downward plunge slowed. Sam was aware of approaching trees. She tried to twist sideways to avoid a large tree trunk but only pushed herself into the path of another. Grasping her arms tightly over her head, she waited for the impact. Then, with a bone jarring thud, Sam stopped moving. She was just about to look for the Colonel when she was knocked hard against the tree by Jack sliding into her.

Completely tangled together and covered in mud they lay on the jungle floor trying to regain their senses. Jack raised his head slightly and took in Sam's appearance. She was plastered in thick, oozing mud from head to foot, the brown slime only punctuated by leaves and twigs that had stuck to her as she fell. He wasn't even sure which way up she was.

"Carter!"

Two white circles formed in the muddy face as Sam struggled to open her eyes. "Sir?" she replied weakly.

"Anything broken?"

She tried to push herself to a sitting position but failed to get a purchase on the greasy surface and slipped back down.

"Don't think so... I'm just winded.... but it's difficult to tell when I can't sit up."

Relief washed over him as he righted himself. He laughed.

"What's so funny?" she asked indignantly.

"You look like Swamp Thing."

"And you think you don't?"

Still laughing, Jack wiped his hand over his face in an attempt to remove some of the mud. Then he leaned across and tried to help Sam. "Well, at least I don't smell any more," he added.

She grinned, then clasped his arm firmly and pulled. Losing his grip on the slippery surface he fell back and landed face down splashing her with even more mud. She heard a muffled curse and had to stifle a smile as he struggled to get up. Rolling to one side he managed to get hold of a nearby tree and pulled himself up to a standing position. Offering Sam his hand, he helped her to her feet.

Both plastered in mud, they stood staring at each other. Sam grinned, her teeth showing white against her dirty face.

"I wonder if I look as bad as you?"

Jack studied her carefully, his gaze leaving her feeling exposed and vulnerable. Then he looked down at his own filthy fatigues.

"Worse."

The rain was still lashing down, leaving streaks on them where the dirt had been washed away. Sam tried wiping her face with the back of her hand, but it didn't seem to help.

Jack appeared to be looking for something, his eyes searching the base of the tree and the surrounding forest floor.

"Sir?"

"The shells. Where did they go?"

Sam reached around her and pulled the makeshift water container into view. "Still got mine!" she announced proudly.

"I haven't. But I do still have the knife. Spears?"

"Goodness knows. We should be able to make some more though."

He nodded and swung round, studying their surroundings. He took a couple of tentative steps towards the slope they had fallen down, his boots making loud sucking noises as he pulled them out of the mud. Sam watched him peering upwards.

"Well?" she asked.

"There is no way we can get up there. The mud and water is just pouring down the slope, it's all loose, no footholds. We'll have to carry on at the bottom of it until we can find a way up."

"We'd better get moving then, we need to find fresh water."

Jack nodded his agreement. "We'll make some spears when we make camp for the night."

They began to pick their way along the base of the cliff. Their progress was hampered by the oozing, sticky mud that stuck to their boots and made walking very tiring. The rain eased and finally stopped. Their clothing was beginning to dry out and stiffen where is was still plastered in dirt. Sam fidgeted and rubbed her neck. She noticed Jack, who was walking in front of her, scratch his back and then his arm.

She spoke, "Ugh! I'm beginning to itch. Do you think there could be an irritant in this mud?"

"Now you come to mention it..." he turned to face her, scratching the back of his head.

They carried on, getting more uncomfortable as their march wore on. Sam was beginning to feel like her skin was on fire and the urge to scratch was becoming irresistible. Jack was lost in thought, remembering when Sara had caught chicken pox from Charlie. Her description of the itching had seemed exaggerated at the time but now, years later, he understood what she had meant. He shuddered involuntarily and squirmed, trying to relieve the irritation. They had to find water soon, to drink and to bathe in.

Just as Sam was beginning to think she couldn't stand any more Jack stopped abruptly and she cannoned into him. She looked up at him questioningly.

"Listen," he ordered.

A slow smile spread across her face as she realised what he was referring to. She could hear it as well. Water. Running water. They both turned slowly, trying to get a fix on its direction. In unison, they both pointed in front of them. Enthusiastically, they followed the sound.

About fifty yards further on the jungle opened out at the base of the cliff, revealing a deep, blue, inviting pool. It was in a rocky bowl with ferns and creepers clinging to its sides. As they got nearer, they saw the sound was caused by a waterfall pouring over the cliff and landing on a rock shelf before it gushed into the pool.

Sam was already beginning to strip off her dirty clothes, making ready to dive in the water. Jack stopped her.

"No, we don't know what might be in there. Let's get under the waterfall, that should be safe."

She looked at him sheepishly. "Sorry, you're right. I don't know what I was thinking."

"It's the itching. It's been driving me crazy too."

They made their way over to the waterfall and stripped down to their underwear, both desperate to be clean. Edging along the rock shelf they eased themselves under the cool, cleansing water. Closing her eyes, Sam stretched her arms over her head and massaged her scalp, loosening the mud caked in her hair. The water running over her body felt so good, so clean and soothing. Smiling, she glanced up and met Jack's gaze. He was staring at her, his mouth slightly open. Becoming aware of his closeness and lack of clothing she felt herself beginning to blush.

"You're so beautiful," he said softly, his voice so quiet she could hardly hear it over the roar of the water. He moved closer and put his hand on her cheek.

"So beautiful," he repeated, as his mouth came down to hers.

Part 18 (Jen)

Sam went rigid in shock as his mouth brushed against hers. Her hands rested against his chest, whether to push him away or to pull him closer she didn't know. The kiss was light, sweet. Her lips parted as he deepened it, his other arm sliding around her waist, pulling her closer. Relaxing against him, she responded to him, her mouth opening wider under his.

They stood like that for what seemed forever, the waterfall cascading down over them. As they broke apart for air, they gazed at one another in confusion. Jack lightly stroked her cheek, gazing into her blue eyes, eyes that he could lose himself in. Then reality hit. This was his Captain. What was he doing kissing his captain, an important member of his team?

What was she thinking? Sam couldn't help wondering as she stared into the warm brown eyes of her commanding officer. This was her Colonel, her superior. Why were they kissing one another like that?

Jack took a step back, reluctantly. He didn't want to lose the feel of her in his arms.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that. I don't know why I did that." He could see the same response on Sam's face. Shock over the kiss, confusion and something else neither wanted to deal with.

Sam nodded, understanding. "Everything that has happened to us is just catching up. Battle shock. It didn't mean anything. Right?" She couldn't help asking that last question. It was just a kiss, something done to celebrate the fact that they were still alive after all they had been through. Or maybe not, her inner voice whispered, tantalizing her with her hidden desires for the man that stood before her.

"Right." Jack said, trying to forget the taste of her mouth under his. They were soldiers coming down from an adrenaline rush. This was nothing more than a confirmation that they were alive; wasn't it? Unwillingly, his eyes moved down her body, hesitating on her breasts, noting how the plain wet bra had become almost transparent. With an effort, he jerked his eyes back up and his thoughts back
under control.

They turned away from one another, gathering up their dirty clothes. Retreating to the edge of the waterfall, they cleaned them in the water. All the while, trying not to stare at each other. An awkward silence fell between them, each unsure how to act after that kiss.

Once their clothes were cleaned, they got dressed, willing to put up with the uncomfortable feel of damp cloth rather than wait for the sun to dry them out, not to mention sitting around in nothing but their underwear. The sun was still hot overhead and the humidity was nowhere as high as it had been when they were higher up. Jack looked up at the sun, then back at their surroundings.

"I think we should make camp here for the night. It looks like the sun is starting to set."

Sam nodded and the two of them began preparing for nightfall. They gathered up several fallen tree limbs. While Jack dug a shallow pit for a fire, Sam went off to find some food. She managed to find several trees that carried the peach-like fruit they had discovered yesterday.

Was it only yesterday that they had escaped from the Black Heart, she thought. So much had happened. Not only the snakes and the mudslide but the feelings she was starting to have for her Colonel. When she had first met him, she thought she wasn't going to like serving under him, that he was just another commanding officer she would have to constantly fight to prove her worth as a member of the team. Some of their earlier missions certainly seemed to bear out her first impressions. But then she got to know him and the man he was under the rank. He was someone whom she always dreamed of serving under. He listened to her, valued as an integral part of the team and respected. He trusted her absolutely. Not only that but he was a very good friend willing to go to any lengths to help her and anyone else on the team.

But what was happening between them now? They had been through rougher times than this before without any lustful or romantic feelings popping up. There had been that one time when she tried to seduce him but that was because she was affected by the virus from the Land of Light. What was different now? Was it because it was only the two of them alone and depending on one another for survival? Or maybe it was because it was just the two of them that all her deeply hidden desires and feelings were coming out. But then, what was he feeling. When he looked at her under the waterfall and during the rainstorm, she had seen desire for her in his eyes. Could he also be feeling something else?

"Sam?"

His voice shook her out of her musings. She gathered up the fruit and hurried back to the waterfall. Jack had managed to start a fire. In the evening dusk, it cast a soft light on his features.

"I managed to find several more tree limbs we can turn into spears," he said, gesturing to the branches lying next to him.

In silence, they ate the fruit and started to work on turning the branches into spears. The previous awkwardness between them had disappeared, replaced by the comfortable silence of good friends and soldiers. When Sam went to stretch out in front of the fire to go to sleep, Jack moved to spoon against her as they had did the night before. Although it was warmer tonight, she didn't say anything. Instead, she closed her eyes and relaxed into him, feeling his arm resting over her waist. Jack quickly followed her into sleep.

Part 19 (Wendy)

As he emerged from sleep Daniel felt himself being rocked to and fro. It was still dark and the ship still seemed fairly quiet. A familiar voice penetrated the gloom.

"Come on, sleepyhead!"

He felt himself moving more violently from side to side. Peering myopically around his cabin, he realised that Kalen was pushing his hammock. Struggling to sit up he lost his balance and tipped out of the hammock, landing with a thud on the floor.

He heard a muted giggle.

"Whoops, sorry. I think I pushed a bit hard. Are you all right?"

Sitting up, he fished in his pocket for his glasses and put them on. Kalen's shape was outlined by the dim light coming from the porthole. Turning towards her, he stood up.

"Yes, I'm fine." He was very tempted to add, "No thanks to you" but restrained himself. "Why have you got me up this early anyway?"

Kalen walked over to the porthole and looked through. She pointed outside. "It's almost dawn. We're ready to sail and we need every crew member to get going."

Daniel nodded and followed her out of the cabin and onto the deck. The crew were busying themselves with setting sail, untying ropes, unfurling sails and casting off from the moorings.

"OK, what do you want me to do?"

"Go and help your friend with the sail over there." She pointed to where Teal'c was halfway up the main mast loosening a sail from its fastenings. Daniel swallowed hard, this would probably not be a good time to mention his fear of heights.

Sam woke and felt a warm, comforting arm around her waist and a warm, comforting body spooned up behind her. She snuggled back, trying to get closer. Then she remembered who the body belonged to. She froze. What was she doing? Listening intently she breathed a sigh of relief as she realised that Jack was still fast asleep. Sam moved slightly forwards so she was no longer pressed up against him but as she shifted he grunted, tightened his grip around her waist and pulled her back towards him. He sighed contentedly.

She smiled to herself. Then Jack began to stir. She glanced over her shoulder in time to see him open his eyes.

"Morning, Sir."

He yawned and smiled sleepily at her. "Good morning, Captain."

He carefully disentangled himself and stood up. Pulling up to his full height he stretched his arms over his head, trying to work the kinks out of his stiff muscles. Sam couldn't help staring at the way his T-shirt tightened over his chest as he moved and remembered what he'd looked like yesterday under the waterfall. And what it had felt like when he kissed her. She looked away quickly, she had to pull herself together. That was just yesterday, wasn't it? Why was she still thinking improper thoughts about her commanding officer today? She mentally shook herself and rose to her feet.

Jack was all business like, making Sam think that perhaps it was just her that had an overactive imagination.

"We'll have something to eat, fill the water container and then we'd better get moving."

"Yes, Sir."

As they made their preparations for moving on, Jack kept sneaking looks at Sam when he thought she wasn't watching. He'd had some very disturbing dreams about his Captain last night, dreams he felt thoroughly ashamed of in the cold light of day. She seemed her usual self though, hopefully they could get through this without doing something they might both regret.

They set off into the jungle, both preoccupied with their thoughts.

Daniel didn't believe he could ache so much. It felt like every muscle in his body was screaming for mercy. He kept in reasonable shape but he wasn't used to the kind of physical effort Lucia expected from her crew. What he wouldn't give for a hot bath, or even a massage. Sha're used to rub his back sometimes when he was tense, that would be wonderful right now. He smiled wistfully at the memory. Kalen brought him back to reality.

"Penny for them?"

He shifted uncomfortably and studied his feet. "I was thinking about my wife."

Kalen looked embarrassed. Over the last few days she had realised that talking about his wife was painful for Daniel and tried to avoid the subject.

"Sorry, shouldn't have asked."

"No. It was a happy memory."

Deciding that she ought to change the subject, Kalen said, "So...... where is this other set of directions to the Secret of the Ocean's Soul? There's no harm in telling me now. Because of the strong following wind, we'll be there in a couple of hours."

Daniel smiled to himself. She was right, what was the harm in telling her now. She probably wasn't going to be very happy about it though. He pursed his lips and turned to face her.

"OK, they're very close by," he said, cryptically.

Her brow creased into a frown. "I'm not going to play hide and seek for them, you know."

Then she realised he was staring at her chest. Looking down, she followed his gaze. The dawn of realisation hit her hard.

"My medallion! It was my medallion all the time. You..... you..... you....." her voice tailed off as she searched for a suitable insult.

Daniel grinned, "I'm sorry, I should have told you sooner."

Kalen took hold of the medallion and stared at it as if she was seeing it for the first time. "This is going to show us the way to unimaginable wealth?" she asked incredulously.

He laughed at her expression, "It's a set of directions that are just the same as the ones in the book. Perhaps a little abbreviated. There's no description or flowery prose about the Ocean's Soul, that's all."

"I'll go and tell Lucia." She turned and started to head off, then suddenly swung back round, with a worried expression on her face. "If you don't mind, that is."

Daniel shook his head, "Go on, Kalen. You know you want to."

Grinning, she went to find her Captain.

A couple of hours later, Teal'c was standing on deck enjoying the feel of the strong wind that was filling the sails and pushing them closer to their destination. Shortly they would be able to begin their search for O'Neill and Captain Carter. He found these pirates very difficult to understand, but while it suited them they did seem willing to help. A feeling that their alliance with these people could only lead to trouble was nagging at him. He looked up sharply when there was a cry from the lookout in the crow's nest.

"Whale Rock in sight!"

There was a flurry of activity as the crew rushed to look. Lucia brought her telescope up to her eye and let out a frustrated gasp.

"No! They can't be!"

Hearing her outburst, Daniel came over to her and asked anxiously, "What's the problem?"

When she answered him, there was fury evident in her voice, "It's the Black Heart. Andreas has got here first."

Part 20 (Jen)

As they walked through the jungle, Sam found her curiosity growing at the sights around her. It was a welcome diversion from her increasing preoccupation with the Colonel. They seemed to be in a valley of some kind. Due to the lower elevation, the humidity was very weak, a welcome relief from being on top of the valley. Jack was once again on point. They were following the steep slope of the valley wall, trying to maintain the same direction back to the Stargate. They found the wall still too difficult to climb up.

"Jack...Sir." Sam mentally cursed her slip of tongue. More and more, she was starting to think of him as Jack. Not Colonel, not Sir, but Jack.

Jack didn't seem to notice her slip. "Yeah, I see it too, Carter."

Ahead of them rose a stone building. It was still at least half a mile in front of them but it dominated over the jungle.

"I wonder what it is." Sam mused, staring at the building.

Jack looked back at her, exasperation in his eyes. Trust a scientist to always find something to study no matter where they were.

"Well, since it seems to be in the direction we are headed in, you'll be able to find out."

Sam grinned at him, used to his reactions anytime she or Daniel found something of interest to study.

"At least Daniel isn't here. He would be a lot harder to drag away then me."

Jack laughed, acknowledging her dig.

Thirty minutes later, the jungle began to thin around them. In front of them, vibrant shades of crimson and yellow began to dominate over the greens of the jungle. Soon they found themselves at the edge of the jungle.

Jack felt his breath catch, staring in awe at the scene before him. Sam moved up to his side.

"Oh wow!" She whispered.

"Wow, indeed. It's definitely a good thing Daniel isn't here. We would never get him to leave."

The ground sloped downward, away from him. The stone building rose high above them. It looked like a temple, Sam thought. A stone path had been carved into the ground, leading up to the temple. The walls at the base of the temple were covered in brightly colored murals. The colours were so vibrant and alive that Sam and Jack had seen them before the jungle had even thinned out. Crimson and yellow seemed to be the dominant colours.

Without a word, the two of them moved down the slope towards the temple. As they got closer to the murals they could make out more and more of the pictures on the murals.

"Oh god!" Sam whispered, horror filling her as she looked at the pictures.

The murals, lovingly painted in bright colours and with exquisite detail showed horrific scenes of people dancing on dead bodies. The people were dressed in what looked like ceremonial clothes, raising cups filled with blood to a creature descending down from the sky. The creature looked reptilian with its mouth opened wide, displaying long, wicked-looking fangs. Its eyes glowed red as it watched its worshipers praising it. The worshipers had ecstatic looks on their faces as they slit the throats of their enemies. More horrific scenes abounded. Heads, legs, hearts and other body parts were displayed on platters that the worshipers ate from.

Sam tried to tear her eyes from the gruesome murals, only to find another terrifying sight to greet her eyes.

"Jack!"

Jack turned quickly to look at Sam then at what she was pointing at. His eyes widen in further shock.

At the base of the murals, embedded into the temple were hundreds of bones. The layer closest to the ground was nothing but skulls, faces turned towards them. Above them, were the rest of the bones. As the layers rose they became part of the mural, so that the painted worshipers were not only dancing on the bodies but also on the actual bones of their sacrifices.

Jack pulled Sam away from the mural, using his body to shelter her from the sight. As he held her, she buried her head against his chest, shaking badly. She could feel Jack lightly stroking her hair as they both tried to block the horror from their minds.

"Let's get out of here. We'll find another way around this place." Jack whispered into her ear. Sam nodded and pulled away from him. Suddenly she gasped and went rigid. Jack turned around.

Behind them stood several men, dressed exactly the same as in the murals. They carried spears and knives. Advancing on them, they pushed Jack and Sam back against the temple wall. Desperately, they looked for a way out. They were outnumbered and their only way out was through the men in front of them.

Part 21 (Wendy)

"Captain, there's a ship approaching!" The crewman stood rigidly, waiting for Andreas to issue an order. It wasn't wise to look like you weren't paying attention with a man like him in charge.

"Can you identify it?" Andreas enquired.

"We believe it's the Sea Pearl, Sir."

"Pantha!" the Captain shouted, "we may have a problem."

His second in command walked up to him looking bored. "They aren't a problem. We defeated them easily last time."

She glanced over her shoulder at the advancing ship. "Just ignore them, perhaps they'll go away," she added sulkily.

"You're just smarting because that stranger got the better of you," grinned Andreas.

Pantha looked uncomfortable, then said, "So what do you propose doing about them?"

The crew of the Black Heart had been making ready to go ashore and begin their search for the Secret of the Ocean's Soul. Andreas stopped them. "Battle stations! We'll go treasure hunting when we've dealt with Lucia." He grinned evilly at Pantha. "I'm sick and tired of her causing trouble. This time I'm going to finish it. She won't bother us again after today." She smiled mirthlessly back at him.
 

On the Sea Pearl, Lucia was trying to decide her best course of action. It seemed like every member of her crew was putting forward their own point of view very loudly and all at the same time.

"We should retreat."

"Stand and fight."

"Look what happened last time."

"Let's finish them off."

"They're evil, they are."

Lucia could feel the tension across her temples. She closed her eyes and took a couple of deep, calming breaths. Pressing her lips together firmly she took in the sight of her arguing crew. Enough was enough. "SHUT UP!" she yelled, at the top of her voice. The crew were stunned into silence. "Thank you," she said at a more normal volume. "I'm in charge here. I make the decisions, this is NOT a democracy." She fixed one or two of the more vocal crew members with an icy stare.

She paused, then added, "Does anyone have any suggestions, and I mean SENSIBLE suggestions, on how we could defeat them?" Realising they were all about to speak at once, she added quickly, "One at a time."

The crew stared at her and then each other. One or two shuffled their feet nervously, there were a couple of muffled coughs. Then it went quiet.

The ensuing silence was oppressive. Daniel stood next to Teal'c, fear clutching at his stomach. He was frightened that they would sail back to Larius, without looking for the Ocean's Soul or finding out where Sam and Jack were. He was trying desperately to think of something, anything that would give them the edge over the Black Heart when Teal'c spoke.

"Captain, I have a suggestion," he said, inclining his head politely.

Lucia looked mildly surprised, she had hardly exchanged a word with this enigmatic stranger all the time he had been on board. "Go on," she said.

"There is a battle technique that is used occasionally by the Goa'uld to confuse their enemies. I believe it could prove useful in this case."

Lucia was fascinated. "The... who? Oh, never mind, carry on."

"We have several containers of the tar like substance that is used for sealing the hull on board, do we not?" She nodded. Where was this leading? "I am told this substance burns and makes large amounts of smoke."

Daniel glanced over at Teal'c. How did he know that? The man never ceased to amaze him.

Teal'c carried on. "Because of the wind direction, if we set light to the containers, the smoke produced will blow directly at the Black Heart, rendering them unable to see us and allowing us to attack with less risk to ourselves."

Lucia smiled at the Jaffa. "I like it. It just might work. Whenever we've defeated them it's always been because we've demonstrated that brain power is mightier than cannons."

Daniel's eyebrows went up at the unusual turn of phrase. The knot in his stomach had released slightly. At least they stood a chance now.

Lucia ordered the crew to fetch the barrels from the hold. They were spaced evenly along the deck of the Sea Pearl. Daniel helped drag the last one into place and was looking around for Teal'c when Kalen came up to him. "Who are you looking for?"

"Teal'c. I've been thinking, there's something about this I don't understand."

She half smiled. "I've been on board a long time, perhaps I can help." Then she added encouragingly, "The plan seems fine to me."

Daniel started pacing up and down, thinking aloud. "If they can't see us then we can't see them. How on earth are we going to hit them?"

His face was creased into a frown. The intense concentration was obvious, Kalen was reminded of the evening she had spent watching him translate the book. She smiled gently.

"Daniel, we'll know they are in the smoke. They will have trouble breathing, their eyes will run. Yes, they will know, or think they know, which direction we are. But they will have no idea how far away. It's not perfect, but it will give us an advantage, an advantage we need."

Romario approached carrying a flaming torch that he touched to the contents of each barrel in turn. The orange flames began to take hold, closely followed by clouds of billowing black smoke. The breeze fanned the fire and took the smoke straight to the Black Heart. Lucia and her crew just stopped and watched.

"It's working!" she exclaimed to no-one in particular. Laughing with relief, she ordered that they should sail towards Andreas' ship. "Ready the cannons," she ordered. "I want them ready to fire as soon as I think we could be near enough."
 

On the Black Heart, Andreas was furious. "What are they doing?" he yelled. His eyes were streaming and his lungs felt like they were burning. He held a cloth up to his nose and mouth to try and keep the smoke out. Pantha came up to him, her scarf held tightly over her face.

"I think they're trying to confuse us, Andreas."

"Well, it's bloody well working isn't it?" he countered angrily. "Get the cannons ready to fire."

"Any particular direction?" asked Pantha sarcastically.

"The direction the smoke's coming from, you idiot!"

Pantha tried to focus her running eyes and turned back to her Captain. "I can't tell which way that is, can you?"

Andreas realised she was right. He slammed his hand down hard on the ship's railing. "Damn Lucia. Damn her to hell."
 

Daniel found that the now familiar knot in his stomach had returned. Were Jack and Sam on board? If they were, what happened if they did hit the ship, would they get hurt? And if they weren't on the Black Heart, where could they be? He wasn't allowing himself to consider the option that they could be dead, as far as he was concerned they were alive, and him and Teal'c were going to find them.

He was shaken back to reality by Lucia giving the order to fire. The Sea Pearl shook as the cannons let fly. After a few seconds they heard the unmistakable sound of at least one, possibly two of the cannonballs hitting their target.

Daniel bit his lip and closed his eyes. He murmured to himself,  "Please let them be safe......"

Part 22 (Jen)

Jack and Sam grasped their spears tightly as the men closed in on them. There were six of them, all holding spears and glaring at them.

"Defilers!"

One of the natives moved out of the group toward them, His eyes flashed in rage. He was wearing a blood red robe and headdress. The feathers in the headdress were brilliant crimson and yellow. Earrings, necklace and bracelets adorned his body. Sam was horrified to realise that they were made out of bones. Human bones. She gripped her spear tighter, fear roiling in her stomach. She did not want to be taken by these men. They were more horrifying than Andreas.

"Your presence has defiled our sacred temple. Only we, the priests of Varthes, can approach his temple.

"Yeah, well we didn't see any No Trespassing signs around." Jack quipped.

The leader viciously backhanded Jack across the face.

"Insolence!"

Jack slowly turned his head back to him. Anger simmered in his eyes. He could feel Sam laying a restraining hand on his arm. He gently shook her off, but stayed where he was. They had to be very careful with these natives if they didn't want to end up as dinner. And these guys didn't seem to be too worried about his and Sam's weapons. The leader had totally ignored his spear and knife when he hit him.

"For your sacrilege you will pay dearly. You have seen what we do to our enemies." The leader motioned for his followers to move forward.

"Now you will join them and we will dance on your bones before the dawn rises again."

With that ominous threat ringing in their ears, the natives rushed them. With their backs against the temple wall, Jack and Sam had little fighting room and no place to go. Sam knocked one man down, wounded another badly, before another one managed to catch her in her side with his knife. She gasped in pain, clutching at her side. She could feel blood flowing under her fingers. But she managed to keep her spear and remain upright. Grimly, she swung her spear at another native, desperately trying to ignore the burning pain.

Jack was barely holding his own as well. The spear was knocked out of his hands as he tried to stab one of the natives. Reduced to only his knife and hands, he managed to kill one, before the other two grabbed him. They overpowered him, forcing him down on the ground. He struggled to throw them off but they held him firmly, grinding him into the ground. Dimly, he heard Sam still fighting with the other natives. Then the world went black as something hard hit him on the back of his head.
 

The Black Heart was listing badly. Even through the smoke, Daniel could see that the Sea Pearl had scored a direct hit.

"Fire again!" Lucia's voice rang out over the sounds of the cannons. The cannons roared again. Plumes of water erupted near the Sea Pearl as the Black Heart managed to fire back. The ship shuddered from a near miss.

"Yes!" Kalen screamed in victory as she stood near Daniel. "We've got them now."

Daniel nodded, his heart pounding fiercely. Let them be alright. Please let Jack and Sam be still alive. The litany ran over and over in his mind.

The smoke was starting to dissipate. But that didn't matter anymore. The Black Heart was floundering badly. Daniel could see some of the crew frantically trying to lower the life boats down from the ship.

"Move in and prepare to board the Black Heart." Lucia appeared from the smoke. Her eyes were lit up in victory.

"I want Andreas alive and brought to me."

She turned to Daniel and Kalen. "Well done, stranger." She said to Teal'c who was standing just behind Daniel.

Teal'c inclined his head in acknowledgement.

"Now we will rescue our friends?" he asked, his eyes boring into Lucia's.

She smiled. "Yes. But first we deal with Andreas."
 

His head pounded. That was the first thought that hit him as he regained consciousness. Moving his head slightly, he groaned as pain swamped through his head. Jack stopped moving, keeping his eyes closed. The pain receded slightly. But he still felt like he was moving, or was that the knock on his head.

"Oh man." He touched the back of his head. Wincing, he examined the bump carefully. Nothing wet greeted his fingers. Just one heck of a nasty lump.

"Sir....Jack?" Sam's voice was hesitant. Jack opened his eyes to be greeted by the sight of wooden bars. And air. He was in a wooden cage, suspended above ground. Turning his head to the right, he could see Sam in a similar cage. She was about two feet away from him.

"Are you alright?"

He sat up carefully. "Yeah. Just a nasty bump on the head." Looking around, he could see that the sun seemed to be lower in the sky.

"How long have I been out?"

"About four hours. I was starting to get worried." Sam shifted slightly, the late afternoon sun casting shadows over her face. "It looks like we've been taken back to their village."

The village sat at the base of one of the valley walls. Jack could see that the wall was more like a mountain side then the steep slope they had been walking beside. Their cages were situated over what appeared to be the centre of the village. No huts were near them. They were some distance away. Only a huge pit was near them, filled with wood and stones.

"I take it we're going to be supper tonight?"

"From what I've gathered, yes. But since they put us in the cages, they haven't even touched us or visited us. I haven't seen anyone for about an hour."

Something in the tone of her voice had Jack glancing back at her. One arm seemed to be pressed tightly against her side and she was moving stiffly.

"Carter. What's wrong?"

"One of their spears grazed me in the side."

"How bad?" Jack gripped the bars of his cage tightly. Now that he knew she was injured, he could hear the pain in her voice.

"I don't think it's too bad. Probably a flesh wound." Sam tried to hide her pain from him, but she could feel his eyes penetrating into her. She felt weak and slightly dizzy. Black spots were starting to dance before her eyes.

"Sam?!" Jack watched helplessly as Sam slumped down in her cage.

Part 23 (Wendy)

When the Sea Pearl came alongside the Black Heart, Daniel and Teal'c were amongst the first to leap on board the deck of the stricken vessel. Taking a quick glance at each other, Teal'c ran to the bow of the ship and Daniel began moving in the opposite direction until he came to the stairs that led down to the cabins.

The ship was listing at a drunken angle and it was slowly getting worse. Daniel found himself leaning against the wall as he made his way along a narrow corridor, trying each door as he passed it. All the rooms were empty until he got to the door right at the end of the corridor, the Captain's cabin. As he swung the door open, Andreas turned swiftly away from the porthole. He appeared to have thrown something out.

"If we can't have it, you can't," he said with an evil leer.

Daniel's eyes narrowed and when he spoke his voice was low and dangerous. "I don't care about the Secret of the Ocean's Soul. I want my friends. Where are they?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Andreas said dismissively.

Daniel was across the room in a flash. He grabbed Andreas and pushed him backwards onto his desk. Pulling a knife from his pocket he forced it against the pirate's throat.

"You wouldn't dare," said Andreas.

"Do you really want to test that assumption?" asked Daniel, a look of pure hatred gleaming in his eyes. He applied a little more pressure to the knife. The pirate flinched. Then they heard footsteps in the doorway.

"Daniel Jackson, what are you doing?"

Glancing quickly over his shoulder at the Jaffa, he answered, "Getting some information from our friend here." He paused, then tightened his grip still further. "But he's not being very co-operative."

"Do you wish me to assist you?"

Andreas looked from one man to the other. He swallowed. Sometimes it was better to lose and get out with your hide intact. "They jumped," he whispered, the knife preventing him from speaking loudly.

Bewilderment crossed Daniel's face. "My friends jumped? Jumped where? When? I want details...... NOW!" He finished with his voice almost a shout.

"A few days ago, during the storm." Andreas licked his lips, then continued, "they escaped from imprisonment and jumped overboard."

Daniel released his hold on the pirate as he absorbed this information. Andreas considered making a run for it then noticed that the massive bulk of Teal'c was now blocking the doorway.

"So where will they be?" asked Daniel, his voice menacingly quiet.

"Either drowned or ashore."

Andreas decided it wouldn't be prudent to mention the dangers that would have faced Sam and Jack on land.

"You better not be lying or I'll kill you myself, no matter what Lucia says." With that, Daniel turned and left the room. Teal'c approached Andreas.

"You will accompany me to the Sea Pearl," he said, grabbing hold of the pirate's arm roughly and forcing it up behind his back.
 

"Sam, Sam...... oh hell........ SAM!" The desperation was evident in Jack's voice as he tried to rouse his Captain. When she had collapsed onto the floor of the cage he had felt so helpless, so useless. He couldn't touch her, feel if she was hot or cold, check her pulse. He couldn't do anything, damn it! His eyes were drawn yet again to the ugly, dark stain that was spreading over her T-shirt. The bleeding seemed to be slowing, that was something at least.

His attention was caught by movement below them. Two of the brightly clad natives were walking towards the pit, one carrying a flaming torch. As they approached they both glanced up disdainfully at their prisoners then threw the torch into the pit. Then they turned and left. Slowly at first, the fire roared into life. Jack felt his mouth go dry. How were they going to get out of this?
 

On the deck of the Sea Pearl, Lucia was inspecting her prisoners. Andreas and Pantha were standing in front of about thirty of their crew who were surrounded by armed pirates from the Sea Pearl. Andreas looked bored, Pantha appeared to be furious and kept giving Kalen filthy looks. Daniel, standing next to Kalen, noticed this. He nodded towards Pantha.

"What's with you and her? Do you two have a history?"

Kalen grinned, "You could say that. I've bested her a few times and there was that little matter of .... er...." she winced then shrugged apologetically, "her boyfriend." Daniel raised his eyebrows. "Well, he was *her* boyfriend then he was *my* boyfriend."

Taking off his glasses, and wiping them, Daniel laughed, "So whose boyfriend is he now?"

Kalen looked sheepish. "He married a woman who owns a food shop in Larius. He decided he didn't like pirates."

Daniel shook his head. "I can't imagine why!"
 

The smoke began wafting past their cages making Jack cough. He tried rousing Sam again. "Captain!..... Captain Carter!" He let out a deep sigh. What could he do? Their situation seemed hopeless. Glancing across at Sam he was struck by how beautiful she looked. Then her eyelids fluttered and slowly her eyes began to open.

"Sam!" he breathed, so relieved that she was regaining consciousness. Her mouth opened and formed the word "Jack" but no sound came out. "I'm here, I was so....." He left the sentence hanging, aware of what he had been about to say.

Focusing her eyes, she gazed straight into his and nodding her head gently added, "I know."
 

While Lucia questioned the crew of the Black Heart, Daniel's mind went back to Sam and Jack. Andreas' story had been confirmed by more crew members. They had jumped overboard during a violent storm. What had these people done, or threatened to do, to his friends to make them contemplate such a dangerous thing. He found himself beginning to shake with rage then he felt a hand on his arm. He looked up straight into the determined eyes of Teal'c.

"Do not worry, Daniel Jackson, we will find them."

"Hope so, Teal'c."

"Take them away, get them out of my sight," ordered Lucia. The Black Heart's crew were dragged protesting below decks. As Pantha passed Kalen she gave her a vicious look. Kalen smiled sweetly in return. "Pantha, if I were you I'd worry about the reception you're going to get in Larius. I understand there's a merchant who wants a word with you about a ship you sold without his permission."

Lucia walked up to Daniel and Teal'c. She looked solemn. Licking her lips she began to speak. "I'm sorry we didn't find your friends." Looking towards Teal'c she added, "Thank you again for your assistance." She paused. "The bargain was that you'd help us find the Secret of the Ocean's Soul. Which way do we go?"

Daniel was horrified. "But we haven't found Sam and Jack. We've got to keep looking."

Lucia carried on, "I'm sympathetic to your feelings but they are almost certainly dead. They will either have drowned or died when they reached land."

Teal'c spoke, "It has not been explained to me fully why the land is so dangerous."

Kalen answered him. "It is said there are cannibals, giant snakes and all manner of evil things on land. They even say the ground is not safe." Her heart lurched when she saw the expression on Daniel's face. "I am so sorry," she added.

Part 24 (Jen)

Daniel turned away from her. Blindly, he looked out over the sea. His arms crossed tightly across his chest. In the distance, the Black Heart finally slipped under the water, going down to rest in its watery grave. His mind was screaming in defiance and anguish at the fates.

They couldn't have come all this way, defeated Andreas and his crew, only to lose Jack and Sam. Drowned or killed on land. It wasn't fair. He couldn't lose them. He wouldn't lose them. There was no proof that they were dead. Besides, Jack was far too stubborn to die and way too hard to kill.

Kalen gently placed her hand on Daniel's arm. Her heart ached for him and the loss of his friends.

"I'm so sorry, Daniel." she repeated. "I wish we could have saved your friends."

"They're not dead." His voice was soft, so soft that she had to strain to hear him. He turned around. Determination flashed from his blue eyes.

"They are not dead." Daniel said again, his voice growing stronger with conviction. "I don't believe that they are dead. We've been in worse situations then what you've described. Jack and Sam are more than capable of dealing with anything that comes their way."

Kalen looked helplessly at him, then looked at Teal'c. The big man's face also bore out Daniel's belief. She turned to look at Lucia and Romario.

"No matter what you have faced before, nothing compares to the dangers on land." Romario spoke up. "Even the most skilled, the most capable of us have not survived for more than a day on land. And these people had gear, food, all the things necessary for survival. It didn't help them. Your friends jumped ship several days ago with nothing on them. They would be lucky to survive to nightfall."

Daniel's face retained its stubborn look, but deep down, Romario's words cut deep. These people live on water. Time and time again, he had been told that land was perilous. That this was why their civilization had developed on water. Could Jack and Sam really be still alive? In his heart he wanted to believe that they were still alive. But where would he and Teal'c begin to search for them? They could be anywhere on land.

Sighing, he rubbed his temples, his hands mussing his long hair. Then he looked at Teal'c. They exchanged a long look. Finally, Daniel turned his gaze back to the three pirates.

"I'll keep my end of the bargain. But I don't want to hear anymore that Sam and Jack are dead." This last statement was delivered vehemently.

The pirates nodded.

"Which way are we to sail in, then?" Lucia asked.

"I need to see Whale Rock up close."

Lucia looked at Romario who nodded at turned, yelling orders to the crew.

Daniel turned to lean on the railing. Teal'c moved up beside them.

"If they are still alive, Daniel Jackson, they will head back to the stargate." Teal'c said, his voice as calm as ever.

Daniel nodded. Then, "Do you think they are still alive, Teal'c?"

"I do not know."

Both men fell quiet, gazing out over the calm waters, their thoughts on their missing friends.
 

The smoke was getting thicker as the bonfire roared, flames growing higher. Jack coughed as the smoked drifted across his face. Once the coughing fit passed, he went back to exploring his cage, sliver by sliver. Both cages were about four feet off the ground. So far none of the natives had even approached them since the fire had been lighted. He wondered why.

As he examined his cage, he kept one eye on Sam. She was still conscious, although in a great deal of pain. Despite her words saying she was alright, Jack could see the pain in her face and eyes whenever she shifted. And her wound was far worse than a flesh wound from the blood staining her T-shirt. When she had started to examine her own cage, he had told her harshly to cut it out and stay still. A flash of confusion and hurt emotion had crossed her face, but he couldn't bring himself to reassure her that she had done nothing wrong.

He couldn't lose her. That thought kept running through his mind. It also had been growing in strength. He couldn't lose her. Not now. Not when he was so unsure of what he was feeling for her. Since jumping from the Black Heart, his feelings for his captain had been changing. Or had they been there all along, only now able to make themselves heard in his conscious mind. She was his captain, his teammate, and one of the few close friends that he had. But now he thought he was falling in love with her. And it scared him.

Suddenly, he was jolted out of his thoughts. His fingers were running over a length of vine that was frayed. Before he could tell Sam of his discovery, he caught sight of the two of the priests that had captured them. Jack moved his hands away from the vine. The leader of the priests came up to them, smiling broadly.

"Soon it will be night. Once the sun sets, you will be spitted and placed over the fire. By dawn, your flesh will be ready for us to eat as we celebrate the rising of another dawn under the protection of Varthes."

They remained silent, Jack biting his tongue. What he wouldn't give to strangle the priest with his bare hands. The priest looked disappointed that they had nothing to say. After checking on the fire in the pit, he turned and went back into one of the huts. The second priest remained near the cages.

Jack watched the guard for several minutes as he moved around the cages. His eyes fell on the knife sheathed on his hip. Then he turned to look at Sam. Keeping his hands out of sight of the guard, he gestured to her. She watched his hands then nodded her understanding.

When the guard started back in front of Sam's cage, her foot shot out of the cage, landing squarely in his back. The native fell forward against Jack's cage. Jack grabbed him. A quick twist of his hands knocked the man out. Jack grabbed his knife from the hip sheath. Letting the guard fall down, he went back to the frayed vine he had discovered.

The frayed vine cut quickly. But the other vines were harder to cut. When the last one was cut, Jack kicked on the bottom of the cage. The floor swung open and he jumped out. Crouching on the ground, he looked around. After making sure that no one had heard anything and come out to investigate, he made his way over to Sam's cage. In several minutes, he had the cage open. Sam slid into his arms as she left her prison. Jack held her in his arms longer than was necessary.

Still using hand signals, he asked if she could run. She nodded. Then, he gestured to the mountain wall at the farthest edge of the village. When she signaled that she understood, they silently made their way out of the village.

Part 25 (Wendy)

As the Sea Pearl approached Whale Rock Daniel borrowed Lucia's telescope and began studying every nook and cranny of the huge bulk. He lowered the telescope and sighed. Turning to Lucia, who was watching him intently, he asked, "Can we sail around it? I need to see the other side."

The Sea Pearl's Captain nodded and gave the order. She looked puzzled. "What are you looking for?"

"A teardrop," replied Daniel, as he resumed scanning the rock.

Lucia was baffled by this, but not wanting to appear stupid in front of her crew, stayed silent. Kalen had no such qualms. "Daniel, it's soaking wet anyway. How on earth are you going to see a teardrop?"

He frowned at her. "I'm looking for something that looks like a teardrop. A mark on the rock, an outcrop..... or...." He broke off and turned to them, a beaming grin on his face. Then he pointed. "Or a smaller rock shaped like a teardrop!"

The pirates followed his gesture. A few feet from the base of Whale Rock there was a smaller stone pinnacle in the unmistakable shape of a drop of water. It was rounded, tapering up to a point at the top.

"I need to see the back of that," said Daniel. "That's where the next instruction will be."

Lucia ordered a small boat to be launched and Daniel and Kalen got on board and started rowing towards the rock. As they got closer, the massive shape of Whale Rock loomed over them oppressively. Sea birds wheeled and screeched overhead. As their tiny boat came alongside the teardrop, Daniel felt very grateful that the sea was relatively calm. Kalen threw a rope around the rock and secured it.

Daniel stood up carefully and grabbed hold of the rock. Finding a foothold he climbed onto it and began to make his way round to the far side. Kalen was worried that he might fall into the sea and when he disappeared from sight behind the rock she shouted, "Are you still all right, Daniel?" "Yeah, no problem." There was a pause, then he shouted, "I've found it!"
 

Under the cover of the trees, Jack looked at Sam. She was ashen white, sweating and obviously in a great deal of pain. He put his arm round her waist to support her, she smiled gratefully and rested her arm over his shoulder.

"Come on Captain, we've got to find somewhere to hide."

Sam nodded weakly, her world was starting to spin and go dark at the edges.

They carried on, Jack almost carrying her when they heard shouting behind them. Glancing nervously over their shoulders they tried to speed up. "I guess they've noticed we're missing," said Sam. "Go on without me, Sir. I'm holding you up, you'd be able to move much faster on your own."  She took a deep, gasping breath, then with her voice almost a whisper, added, "There's no point in both of us dying."

Jack stopped dead, grabbed Sam's shoulders and said roughly, "I am not leaving you. Not here, not anywhere! Do you understand?"

Flinching at the emotion in his voice, Sam nodded. The sound of drums could now be heard echoing through the jungle. Jack cast his eyes around for somewhere, anywhere to hide until the natives had gone away and Sam felt better. He led her into denser vegetation, being careful not to leave an obvious trail. They were climbing steadily uphill, Sam seemed to be getting weaker every step, putting more and more weight on Jack. It was then he heard the sound of running water ahead of them. A shallow stream with a rocky bed came into view.

"Come on, Carter. We'll walk up the stream bed, it'll make it harder for them to track us."
 

"Daniel Jackson, were you successful?" asked Teal'c as the archaeologist climbed back on board the Sea Pearl.

Daniel hesitated then spoke, "I found a carving on the far side of the rock as I expected."

"Does it tell us which way to go next?" asked Lucia.

He grimaced. "You remember I told you that to find the Secret of the Ocean's Soul we have to use one instruction from the medallion, then one instruction we find on the ground, in this case on the teardrop, then another instruction from the medallion and so on. So what was on the teardrop should lead us to a place where we can use the medallion again. Therefore, I was expecting directions. But the carving isn't a set of directions. It's a description of the place. I'm hoping you recognise it otherwise I don't know what to suggest. If we don't get there, we're not going to be able to follow the next instruction on Kalen's medallion"

Lucia called Kalen and Romario to them and said, "Fire away."

Daniel fished in his pocket and produced a small notebook, which he opened. Pushing his glasses back up his nose, he began to read. "The three peaked land with golden trees where only brave men tread and no birds shall sing." He looked up hopefully at the pirates. "Well?"

Romario rubbed his chin, Lucia frowned and Kalen looked frustrated.

"I know," said Lucia suddenly. "Soraya!"

"Of course," agreed Romario.

Kalen was nodding excitedly. Daniel and Teal'c waited for an explanation.

Lucia smiled. "It is an island about a half day's sail straight out to sea from here. Soraya has no animal or bird life so it gained the reputation that it is haunted. Men fear to go there. The trees are quite yellow in colour and it has three mountains in the centre of the island."

"Have you ever been there?" asked Daniel.

"Yes, many years ago. It was an eerie place. But what I remember most clearly was a magnificent grotto with sparkling walls. It had a beautiful dark green pool that seemed bottomless."

Slowly, a smile spread across Daniel's face. "Enter the Emerald Cavern," he said quietly.

"What?"

"It's the next instruction on Kalen's medallion - 'enter the Emerald Cavern'."
 

Struggling on up the stream, Jack could hear the sound of the pursuing natives behind them. Sam was trying desperately to keep up and not admit how injured she was but he could tell she was on the point of collapse and couldn't go on much longer. The slope became steeper, then the trees cleared slightly and they saw a cave mouth ahead of them. The stream was flowing out of the opening.

He glanced round. There didn't seem to be any signs of life. The cave would be a good place to hide, it even had its own water supply. Below them, he could hear the natives calling to each other. Hoping fervently that the cave wasn't the home of some huge predatory creature, he led Sam inside. When they were a few yards inside he spotted a wide rock shelf above the water and gently lowered Sam down onto it.

She let out a small gasp as she lay down. He sat next to her, still holding her hand. She gazed up at him, her eyes struggling to focus. Jack smiled gently at her. "You get some rest. You need to get your strength back."

"Yeah, so tired....."

He watched helplessly as she slipped into unconsciousness.

Part 26 (Jen)

Jack touched Sam's cheek, then her forehead. Her skin was clammy and hot. He feared that her wound was becoming infected. In the distance, he could still hear the sounds of pursuit. They seemed to be getting closer. Leaving Sam where she was, he went back to the cave entrance. Several boulders provided him with cover.

The dense vegetation blocked his view of their back trail. He hoped that they had left no evidence of their passage. A flash of red appeared in the corner of his eye. He turned his head quickly. There, between the trees, he could see more flashes of bright colour. The natives were nearby. But from their movements, he thought they had lost their trail. He hoped they had. Sam was in no shape to go anywhere.

Carefully, he moved back into the cave to where he had left her. Dropping down by her side, he could see that she was still unconscious. Her skin seemed to be hotter under his hand.

Now that his eyes had adjusted to the dim light of the cave, Jack began to examine their surroundings more closely. The cave was narrow at the entrance. But just beyond the rock shelf they were sitting on, he could see that it widened and curved several yards away. The stream also followed the curve of the cave wall. He wondered if the main source of it came from deeper in the cave. The ceiling was several feet higher then his own above six feet height.

Sam moaned weakly. Jack turned back to her to see her eyelids flutter open. Overly bright eyes blinked, trying to focus on him.

"Hey." he said softly. "How are you doing?"

She licked her lips. "Thirsty." Her voice came out slurred and raspy.

Having no container to hold water, he ripped a piece of cloth from his shirt then soaked it in the stream. Then he carefully wrung it out over Sam's mouth. She managed to swallow some of the water. Jack moved to repeat the process over again when he heard a shout.

"Be right back." He told Sam, who nodded weakly.

As he approached the entrance, he could hear the voices more clearly. They sounded like they were coming up the slope now. Risking a quick look out, he could see the natives gathered in a group just a few yards away from the entrance. They were talking and gesturing, obviously still looking for them. Then one of them, the head priest pointed to the cave. Cursing, Jack whirled around and hurried back to Sam.

"We have to go further back into the cave. It looks like the locals are going to start looking for us here." As he spoke, he slipped one arm under her shoulders. She swayed drunkenly as he helped her stand up.

"I can make it." Sam stated with determination, seeing the look of concern in Jack's eyes.

He nodded. Keeping one arm around her shoulders, and her leaning heavily on him, they moved farther back in the cave. The going was rough. Once around the corner, they found that the cave narrowed. The stream ran up the middle, leaving only a few feet of ground on either side of it. Rocks and sand made their going hard. Sam gritted her teeth in pain as she stumbled over another rock.

Jack tightened his hold on her as they both stumbled over the rough ground again. Behind them they could hear the natives. The sound of their voices was echoing loudly, bouncing off rock walls. Dust and several rocks fell down behind them. Jack looked back but the curving wall blocked his sight. More rocks began to fall.

"Oh hell." Jack cursed as the ground seem to start moving under them.

"Earthquake!" Sam yelled as the ground continued to shake violently. Rocks and dust fell around them in a roar. Jack threw himself over Sam, driving both of them to the ground and shielding her with his body. Debris continued to rain down on them, as the ground's shaking increased in violence. They both looked back to see a wall of rocks tumble down. It felt as if the entire cave was coming down on them.

Andreas paced in his small cell in the depths of the Sea Pearl. Rage rolled through him. Rage at Lucia sinking his ship. Rage at being held prisoner on her ship. She would pay dearly for the damage she had caused him.

"Relax, Andreas." Pantha told him from her cell across the aisle from him. She was leaning against the back wall.

"Relax?!" He bellowed. "How can I relax when that witch has cost me my ship. When she has locked me up."

"If you don't relax and calm down, you'll be in no shape for when we take over this ship."

Andreas stared at her in disbelief.

"Pantha, have you lost your mind? We are prisoners. We are locked up."

"For now." She smiled lazily at him. "When the time comes, I'll be able to get us out of here. You should know by now how well I can get out of or into locked areas."

She watched as that reminder sank into his mind. He stopped pacing and flopped down on the ground.

"And when do you suggest we make our move?"

Her smile widened. "When Lucia has the Ocean's Soul in her hand. Why should we go to the trouble of finding it when she also wants it."

Andreas' smile grew to match her own.

"Why indeed?"

The ground had stopped shaking. Rocks and dust stirred as Jack moved. He shook free of the rocks, pushing them away from his and Sam's body. The still floating dust made him sneeze. Looking in the direction of the cave entrance, he could barely make out a wall of rocks blocking their way in the dark.

Turning back to Sam, he gently shook her shoulder. She didn't move. Jack felt his heart stop until he felt her pulse under his fingers. It was weak, but steady. Carefully, he turned her over onto her back. His fingers encountered something wet and sticky. In the dark, he couldn't see what it was but deep down he knew. It was blood. Her blood. Her wound had reopened and was bleeding heavily again.

Part 27 (Wendy)

"Sam," he said quietly, "hang in there. Please." Jack felt like his heart was breaking, she couldn't die now, not when she was beginning to mean so much to him. He brushed her hair away from her face, showing pale in the dim light. "For me," he whispered, bending down and gently kissing her forehead. It was then he realised that he could see, and that with the cave entrance blocked that should have been impossible. Glancing round the cave, his eyes now used to the low illumination, he could tell the light was coming from near the roof. Keeping one eye on Sam, he carefully stood up and reached his hand out to the source of the light. He touched something soft and springy. Getting closer, he could see that it looked like moss and was glowing with a pale green light.

He pulled some of the moss away from the roof and using it as a makeshift torch sat back down next to Sam and lifted her shirt carefully to look at her wound. She stirred slightly and grunted as he pulled the cloth away. The wound was ugly and oozing, he thought it could be infected. He tore up some of his shirt, soaked it in the stream and, after folding it up, pressed it against the wound in an attempt to staunch the bleeding. With his free hand he stroked her head gently, feeling her soft blonde hair run through his fingers. Even when she was so ill she looked beautiful to him.

As the sun rose over the sea, Daniel and Teal'c were standing on deck looking for Soraya. Lucia had said they would get there around dawn. The two men were anxious to find the treasure and get back to the Gate where they hoped they would find Sam and Jack. Neither was willing to consider the possibility that their friends were dead.

"I wonder what they're doing, Teal'c."

"I am sure they are safe, Daniel Jackson." Teal'c turned to Daniel and gave him one of his rare smiles. "Remember, as O'Neill himself said, 'where there's a will there's an or'" Daniel shook his head and laughed at the memory of their trip back in time.

Teal'c stared out to sea. "Is that the island?"

Daniel squinted in the direction the Jaffa was pointing. "Guess so, it has three mountains. I better get Lucia."

After sitting next to her for what felt like hours, Jack realised with relief that Sam's wound had finally stopped bleeding. He kissed her on the forehead and murmured, "Back soon, don't go away."

He stood up and approached the rockfall. He tried to move several of the boulders but they were too big and heavy and in any case, he suspected they could be supporting the ceiling. Investigating the back of the cave, he found that it led off into a twisting passageway. The air coming from it felt cool and fresh. There could be another entrance to this cave but Sam was too ill to be moved for now. Feeling helpless and frustrated, he went back to her and sat down.

"We can't go anywhere until you wake up, Sam, so I guess I might as well get some rest."

With that he lay down next to her and took her hand in his. She still felt hot but her breathing seemed steadier now. He wondered whether it was day or night and then his thoughts drifted to Daniel and Teal'c. What trouble could they have got into? He smiled to himself and shuffled a little closer to Sam. Lying there, listening to her steady breathing, sleep overtook him.

The Sea Pearl was moored at one end of the island, bobbing gently on the waves. Soraya seemed heavily forested, with rocks all around the shoreline. Lucia and Kalen had joined Daniel and Teal'c on the deck. Lucia pointed towards the island.

"The entrance to the cave is just there." She noticed that Daniel's eyes were flitting all along the coast, he couldn't seem to find the cave mouth. Smiling, she continued. "It is quite small, just big enough to allow a rowing boat through. I suggest that the four of us go and have a look, I'll leave Romario here to look after things."

She gave the order for a boat to be launched. They climbed down to it and began rowing towards the island.

As they got nearer, they were reminded of what Lucia had said about there being no animals or birds. The land was eerily quiet, the only sound being the lapping of the waves against the rocks.

"Captain, this place is unnaturally silent," commented Teal'c.

Lucia agreed, "Yes, it is easy to see why it is supposed to be haunted."

They approached the cave mouth and had to pull the oars into the boat to fit through the narrow space. Pushing against the walls with their hands they propelled themselves into the cavern. They all gasped at what they saw.

The cavern was enormous, easily fifty yards across with a high curved roof. The sunlight coming through the entrance was dancing on the water creating a dazzling twinkling effect. There seemed to be thousands of green lights moving across the ceiling and reflecting in the pool. Waves gently washed up the sides of the cavern, there was nowhere to land. Daniel gazed about him, open mouthed.

"That's some kind of crystalline rock on the roof, isn't it? I wish Sam were here, she'd probably know what it was. The way it catches the light is incredible, isn't it? Oh wow, and the water's so green. It must be really deep."

"Daniel, it's all very interesting, but what are we looking for?" asked Kalen.

"Wha-what?"

"What... are.... we.... looking.... for?" she said very slowly.

He grinned apologetically. "Sorry, I get carried away sometimes." Teal'c looked at him and raised an eyebrow, then Daniel continued. "The writing on the wall. The medallion says 'enter the Emerald Cavern and read the writing on the wall'."

They all swivelled around trying to see where the message could be. "Over there," said Lucia.

Turning to look, they could see a small stone tablet set into the side of the cave. They rowed towards it until they could make out the lettering. Daniel pulled out his notebook and began writing. Kalen trailed her hand over the side of the boat in the dark green water.

"This would be a nice place for a swim," she remarked. Teal'c and Lucia ignored her, they were watching Daniel intently.

When he finished, he looked up at them and licked his lips. Looking at Kalen, he began to speak. "I think you might get your wish. It says 'dive down to the arch and pass into the cave. There you will begin your perilous quest for the Secret of the Ocean's Soul'. So I'm guessing it's down there somewhere." He gestured vaguely at the water.

Before they realised what she was doing, Kalen had stood up and said, "I'll have a look, shall I?" and dived overboard into the water.

"Kalen!" shouted Daniel.

Lucia seemed less worried. "She is a strong swimmer. Kalen will be perfectly safe." She sighed. "But I do wish she wasn't so impetuous."

They waited for her to reappear. Daniel could feel his heart pounding. Where was she? No-one could hold their breath that long, could they? Then with a splash, Kalen's head bobbed back above the water. She was grinning from ear to ear.

"There's another cave. You have to dive down a couple of yards to the entrance, then you can swim through to it. It has a beach and there's a passageway leading from it." Swimming up to the boat she added, "Come on in. What are you waiting for?"

Part 28 (Jen)

"Don't go doing that again." Daniel said, worry and anger in his voice. "You don't know what is down there. There could have been traps or...or..." He trailed off, at a loss for words. Kalen's impetuous dive had scared him. She could have been hurt or worse, killed.

Kalen looked up at him, unconcerned that she had scared him. She was treading water and kept one hand on the boat to keep herself near them.

"We needed to know what is down there. How else were we to find out unless one of us dove down?" She tilted her head, a coy smile crossing her face. "Were you really worried about me?"

"Yes!" He almost yelled. "You could have been injured or killed or...or...." He broke off seeing Teal'c smiling at him, laughter flashing in his dark eyes. "... and I'm starting to sound like Jack aren't I?" He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "If Jack hears about this, he'll never let me live it down."

He heard the Jaffa chuckle, a sound he very rarely heard. The women were looking at him and Teal'c in confusion.

"Never mind. I'll explain it to you later."

He looked at the women. "I take it both of you are going down with me."

Lucia raised an eyebrow in reply. Kalen laughed.

"Do you really think any pirate would willingly stay behind when there is treasure to be discovered."

Daniel ignored her, turning to his friend. "What about you, Teal'c? I don't even know if you can swim."

"I can swim but not very well. It is a technique that all Jaffa are required to learn but few ever have the opportunity to practice it. I will also come with you." His expression also conveyed his distrust with the two pirates.

Leaving the rowboat to bob gently in the water, the group, with Kalen leading them, took a deep breath and dove under the waters. Daniel kept to Teal'c's side, guiding him when he seemed to falter. True to Kalen's description, they dove down several yards before entering the cave. The entrance was narrow with rocks protruding from every direction.

Just as Daniel felt his lungs burning with the need to breathe, they broke through to the surface. He took a deep breath. The air was fresh, unexpected in an underwater cave. The beach was white sand, reminding him of the beach near the stargate. That seemed like such a long time ago. He hoped Jack and Sam were alright.

"Now where do we go?" Lucia asked, ringing out her long hair before tossing it back over her shoulder.

"Now we have to go through that passageway. The clue said that we begin our 'perilous quest for the Secret of the Ocean's Soul when we enter the cave'." Daniel said. He licked his suddenly dry lips.

"Why do I get the sense that we are in an Indiana Jones movie?" He wondered.

"What is an Indiana Jones?" Teal'c asked patiently. He was growing used to always trying to figure out the strange ways of his friends.

"I was just talking to myself, Teal'c. When we get home, I'll show you one of the movies. Although they don't accurately portray archeology and its methods."

"Hurry up!" Kalen shouted. She and Lucia had already started down the passageway. The men hurried to catch up with them.

The first thing she noticed was that the pain in her side had subsided to a dull ache. Sam stirred slightly as she opened her eyes. The world was dark with a greenish tinge to it. She blinked, realizing that the ceiling was glowing.

"Hey. Welcome back." She turned her head to see Jack lying beside her.

Jack watched as she weakly smiled at him. He had woken up when she had stirred. Now, he placed his hand on her forehead, pleased to feel cool skin under his palm. In the dim light of the makeshift torch, he could see that her eyes were clear and not clouded by fever. A wave of relief and joy swept through him as he realized that she was going to be alright.

"How are you doing?"

His voice was still soft, almost caressing her. The look in his eyes warmed her, tugging at her heart. She tried to speak but found her voice cracking. He soaked a piece of his shirt in the stream and wrung it out over her mouth. She swallowed most of the water. Its moisture flowed down her throat, enabling her to speak.

"I'm fine. Sore and a little weak." She looked around the cave, her eyes stopping on the rockfall. "Are we trapped in here?"

Jack took her hand in his, idly stroking a finger over her skin. "The entrance is blocked, but there may be another exit further into the cave. We have some light from moss growing on the ceiling. When you have rested some more, we'll check it out, see where it leads."

He hesitated, suddenly unsure of what to say next. Her eyes were watching him, encouraging him to continue talking. He looked down at their entwined hands then her eyes again.

"I was afraid that you weren't going to make it."

Sam had to strain to hear his whispered words.

"These last couple of days have shown me how much you have come to mean to me. Not just as a friend and Captain, but something more."

"Jack..." The rest of her words were lost as he leaned down. His lips were warm and soft against her own. The kiss was almost a benediction, so gentle and sweet. Pulling back, he smiled at her. Stroking her hair away from her face, he leaned down and kissed her forehead.

"Get some sleep, Sam. You need to regain your strength."

"Jack" She tried to speak again, but he stopped her words with a finger on her lips.

"Sleep. When you're stronger, we'll talk about this again."

Sighing, she closed her eyes as a wave of exhaustion hit her. Drifting off, she felt Jack's arms slide around her, carefully pulling her closer to him.

Part 29 ( Wendy)

"Lucia, Kalen, wait! We ought to stick together, who knows what's down there," shouted Daniel.

As he and Teal'c raced to catch up with the two women, he noticed occasional holes in the roof of the passageway were providing enough light for them to see by. Looking quickly up at the holes as he hurried past, he estimated that they were about fifty feet underground and getting deeper the further they moved.

The walls of the passageway were uneven and in places were decorated with crude cave paintings. They depicted boats and sailors on rough seas. Daniel wished he could stop and study them properly. Teal'c was just in front of Daniel and the archaeologist nearly ran into him when the Jaffa stopped very suddenly.

"Teal'c! What's the mat........." Daniel's voice trailed off as he saw what Lucia, Kalen and Teal'c were looking at.

Illuminated from above, as if in a spotlight, there was a human skeleton pinned to the wall. Fragments of cloth still hung from the gleaming white bones. The skull grinned malevolently at them. They all stared at it, transfixed. Kalen was the first to speak. "I'm guessing he didn't die of natural causes."

Daniel's insatiable curiosity got the better of his shock. "How is it held like that?" he said, and began to move towards it. A strong arm shot out and held him back.

"NO!" Teal'c almost shouted.

Daniel swung round and stared incredulously at the Jaffa. "It's only a skeleton, Teal'c. It's been dead for years, it can't hurt you."

"That is where I think you are wrong, Daniel Jackson. I believe this is what is called a booby trap."

"He's right," interrupted Lucia, pointing to the ground in front of the skeleton. "There's a trip wire."

A few inches from the ground they could see a line stretched taut across the passageway. Kalen picked up a small rock. "Let's see what happens, shall we?"

She threw the rock at the wire. There was a creaking sound, then the noise of rushing air. The skeleton shook against the wall as about ten projectiles shot into it.

Daniel gasped. "That thing fires six inch nails," he said, "imagine what it could have done to us."

"I'd sooner not," replied Kalen, wincing.

Teal'c moved forward carefully and stepped over the wire. He glanced over at the crack in the wall from where the weapon had fired. "I think we are safe if we do not touch the wire." After a moment's hesitation, the others followed him.

Jack propped himself up on one elbow and watched Sam sleeping. She looked so peaceful. He smiled to himself, remembering what he'd said to her earlier. Perhaps he should have waited until she was well, but he was frightened of losing his nerve. But she hadn't seemed shocked or annoyed with him, in fact when he kissed her she'd kissed him back. He frowned. Of course, she could have been delirious and might not remember any of it when she woke up. Well, in that case, he'd just have to tell her again. For someone trapped in a cave on a strange planet, in a life-threatening situation he felt absurdly happy. He wanted to shout at the top of his voice that he loved Sam Carter.

As Sam drifted up into consciousness, she recalled a wonderful dream. Jack had kissed her and told her that he cared about her. Her eyes fluttered open and she found herself looking straight at the smiling face of her commanding officer. His brown eyes were full of love. Then she remembered, it wasn't a dream.

"Hi there," he said quietly.

"Hi," she replied shyly.

"How are you feeling?"

"A lot better, I think. I'd like to sit up."

Jack put his arms round her to help. When she was sitting up, she realised he was still holding her tightly. They sat motionless locked in the embrace, unsure of what to do, neither wanting to end the physical contact. Finally, Sam spoke.

"Jack?"

"Mmmm," he murmured.

"Did you mean what you said before?"

He pulled back from her slightly so he could see her face. Looking deep into her eyes he whispered, "Yes."

"Good."

She smiled gently as he brought his lips down to hers. The kiss was loving, worshipping. He explored her mouth slowly, wanting to make the kiss go on forever. Sam put her arms around his neck and pulled him closer. She sighed at the feel of his body pressed against hers. Running the fingers of one hand through his hair she let her other hand begin to explore his muscular back. Reaching his waist, she started tugging at his T-shirt trying to gain access to him.

Jack broke off the kiss. He stroked her face reverently and looked wistful. "Much as I'd like to Sam, I don't think you're well enough for...." There was an embarrassed pause, then he continued, "We've got all the time in the world. I want the first time with you to be special, just like you are."

Sam looked disappointed, then shrugged, "I guess you're right." Smiling mischievously at him, she added, "Is kissing allowed?"

He grinned. "I think so...."

"Well, I don't see how we're going to get across that," said Daniel. They were standing side by side at the edge of a chasm that cut straight across the passageway. It was at least six feet across with sheer sides. Peering experimentally over the edge, Daniel couldn't see the bottom. He picked up a pebble and threw it down. After a pause of several seconds they heard a faint sound far below. "It's a long way down," he said, raising his eyebrows.

"We'll have to jump," said Lucia.

"Across that?" Daniel asked, panic beginning to set in. He didn't like heights, and he'd never been any good at the long jump. This felt like a recipe for disaster.

"Yeah, like this," said Kalen, taking a few steps back. Before Lucia could say anything, Kalen had easily cleared the chasm and was standing grinning on the other side.

Teal'c looked sympathetically at Daniel. "I will go next, Daniel Jackson, then I can catch you on the other side."

"Thanks, Teal'c," Daniel muttered, then added under his breath, "Of course that relies on me getting somewhere near the other side."

Daniel was the only one left on his side, the others had all got across with no problem. He could feel his heart pounding and his breaths were coming in short gasps. He felt like he was rooted to the spot.

"Come on, Daniel," shouted Kalen, "Just take a run up and jump."

She was right, he had to do this. Taking a deep breath he took several steps backwards. He shut his eyes and tried to calm himself. Looking up, he saw Kalen smiling encouragingly and smiled back.

"OK, here goes," he said as he began to run.

When he got to the edge, he glanced down at the chasm and jumped. He fleetingly wondered if this was what flying felt like, then his feet hit solid ground and he was grabbed very firmly by Teal'c and pulled away from the dangerous drop.

"I knew you could do it," said Kalen, patting him on the back. They turned their backs on the chasm and continued on down the passageway.

Part 30 (Jen)

Jack lightly stroked Sam's hair as he held her in his lap. She had drifted off to sleep again. His eyes moved over her face, noting how relaxed she looked, her features no longer pinched with pain. Her lips were slightly swollen from his kisses. Contentment and love filled him as he watched her sleep.

Stirring slightly, Sam opened her eyes. Jack smiled down at her.

"I could get used to this very easily." She said as he leaned down, kissing her lightly.

"So could I." Raising his head, he study her for a moment. "Think you're up to some walking?"

"I think so. My side aches a little but I'm feeling stronger, not to mention hungry." She said as her stomach rumbled.

Jack laughed. "That's always a good sign. I'll check your wound. I want to make sure it's healing properly."

With some reluctance, he shifted Sam from his lap. If it wasn't for the fact that they needed to get out of here, he could have stayed with Sam like that for a long time. Her eyes followed him as he moved to her side and lifted her shirt. Carefully, he pulled back the makeshift bandages. Sam barely flinched when he removed the bandages. The wound no longer looked infected. The skin around the wound was pink and looked to be healing properly. Using the rest of his shirt, he cleaned the wound again and fastened another bandage.

"Well, it looks like it's healing fine. I think there won't even be much of a scar after all."

"Sounds like you're a better medic then me." Sam said, referring to her medical attempts when they were trapped in Antarctica.

"Tell me that again, when I have to set a broken bone." teased Jack.

He helped her stand. She swayed slightly when he moved his arms away from him. Carefully, she walked a few paces, trying out her strength. Turning, she walked back to Jack, her steps growing firmer. Jack slid his arms around her waist, pulling her close. She rested her head against his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart.

Finally, they moved away from one another. Jack moved to the back of the cave, where he had discovered the twisting passageway. The glowing moss covered the ceiling, lighting their way. The passageway was narrow, forcing them to walk single file. Sam tilted her head, trying to see more of the moss. It intrigued her. What was making it glow? Seeing the direction of her gaze, Jack grinned. She was definitely feeling better if she was curious about moss.

"How are you doing, Teal'c?" Daniel asked.

He couldn't turn his head to see how the big Jaffa was doing. The passageway had narrowed so much that the four of them had to turn sideways to continue through it. At some points, Teal'c was barely able to make it through. He had to literally hold his breath and suck in his chest and stomach to squeeze through the tighter spots. A grunt was his only reply.

"I think it's getting wider up ahead" Kalen said.

"I hope so."

Daniel gritted his teeth, feeling his claustrophobia rising up again. His fear of heights dimmed by his fear of closed spaces. A fear he had since the death of his parents. As if sensing this, Kalen touched him every so often. He found her touch reassuring.

The passageway started to widen, just as Kalen thought it would. Soon, they could turn around and start walking properly. They all took several deep breaths, the first in a long time, without rock digging into them. The passageway continued to widen until it was at least ten feet wide.

"Daniel. You better get up here." Lucia said.

Daniel moved up to her. She had stopped. In front of her, the passageway split into two directions. One was small, so small, they would have to get on their stomachs to crawl through. The other was slightly smaller than the current passageway.

"Which way do we go?" Kalen asked.

Daniel looked from one to the other. He could didn't see any sort of inscription or clue on the walls.

"I'm not sure. This could be a test of some kind. I don't know." He licked his lips nervously.

"Then I say we start with the bigger one." Lucia said, starting towards it.

The others followed. They walked for several minutes before finding their way blocked.

"This looks like fun." Kalen quipped.

Stalactites and stalagmites filled the passageway. Little space was left between them.

"I think we can still get through them." Kalen said, moving towards the rocks.

Teal'c's hand shot out, grabbing her arm. She looked up at him in question.

"Wait."

He moved ahead of her. Keeping his back against one of the walls, he peered around the obstacles, trying to see beyond them. Turning back to them, he motioned them forward. They moved towards him, wondering what he had found. Their eyes widened in shock. Several human skeletons, their bones gleaming white, lay slumped against the rocks. Teal'c directed their gaze to several dark patches gleaming wetly on the rocks.

"The rocks look to be covered in some type of poison." He said. "The humans are not impaled on the rocks, but they are slumped near several of those dark patches."

"Lovely." Lucia commented. "Then we go through the other passageway."

The group made their way back to the other tunnel. Although small, there was more room in it then through the passageway they had come through. Teal'c took the lead, getting down on his stomach to start crawling. A few feet inwards, the tunnel started to slope downwards gently.

Part 31 (Wendy)

After what felt like an eternity the tunnel began to get larger and veered sharply upwards. They could get up on their hands and knees and then, after a few more yards, they managed to stand up. They all stood still for a moment and rubbed their sore knees and elbows.

"I hope we don't have to do that again," said Kalen with feeling.

"I concur," added Teal'c, who had suffered the most in the tight space.

Lucia dusted herself down and said, "Come on, let's get moving."

"Yeah, the treasure awaits," added Kalen, with a grin.

They carried on in silence, on the alert for possible booby traps. The tunnel levelled off, then sloped downwards and gradually began to get wetter underfoot. Soon they were paddling through several inches of flowing water, that seemed to be getting deeper with every step.

After another fifty yards they were up to their knees and soon after that up to their waists. The roof was getting lower too. Daniel peered up at it warily. "I don't like it. If we carry on like this, in another twenty yards we'll be under water."

The water was rushing past them, tugging at their bodies, making it difficult to keep their balance. Teal'c took hold of Lucia's arm after she was almost swept away. Daniel held his hand out to Kalen.

"Oooh, Daniel, I didn't know you cared."

"Can't you ever be serious about anything?" he snapped back. She grinned and moving towards him, grasped his hand.

They struggled on, then Daniel stopped when he saw a strange green light in front of them. "What on earth....?" he muttered.

The others leaned round him as best they could to see what he was talking about. Below the water in front of them there was a light, in fact the water was shimmering and glowing a beautiful deep green.

"There must be a way through to another cave," observed Lucia. "Let's get a better look," said Kalen, pulling Daniel towards the light. He had been lost in thought and when she tugged he was taken by surprise and stumbled. Losing his footing, he was pulled forwards by the current, dragging Kalen with him.

"Kalen, let go!" he yelled.

"You need looking after!" she shouted back as they tried to stop themselves.

Daniel couldn't seem to touch the bottom any more, the water had got a lot deeper and the ceiling was getting a lot lower too. It was rushing towards them at a frightening speed. Desperately struggling against the water, they were sucked under the surface. The green light was getting brighter and brighter. Daniel couldn't breathe, he was swallowing water. So this was what drowning felt like. Kalen's hand slipped away from him. Feeling light headed, he was beginning to lose consciousness.

Suddenly, he was thrown out of the water into a very bright light. He felt himself falling, then plunging into more water. Gasping for breath, he managed to touch the bottom with his feet. There was a loud splash next to him. He heard a muffled curse. Kalen was floundering in the water a few feet away from him. Grabbing her arm, he dragged her to the side of the pool.

They pulled themselves up onto a rock and took in their surroundings. The water had emerged in another cavern, forming a waterfall about ten feet in the air. They had landed in a pool at the base of the torrent. The cavern was very like the one where they had started but it had a large  natural archway in one wall that was open to the outside. The sunlight streaming through made the rocks glisten and shine with a sparkling green light.

Daniel turned to Kalen. "Are you OK?"

She nodded weakly, "I thought we'd had it then."

He smiled reassuringly, then shielding his eyes against the light, stood up and began walking over to the archway. Kalen got up and followed him. The view was tremendous. They gazed out over the treetops to the sea, where they could see the Sea Pearl at anchor.

Two loud splashes made them swing round towards the water. Lucia and Teal'c were in the pool and beginning to struggle their way to the side.

When they were out of the water Teal'c explained what had happened. "We believed you had emerged in another cavern, so we let ourselves be taken by the current. We decided it would be better if we stayed together."

"Well, at least we won't have to go back that way. We should be able to walk back on the outside," said Daniel, gesturing towards the archway.

Kalen had been wandering around the cavern and suddenly gasped. "Over here, look what I've found!" she shouted excitedly.

As they approached they could see she was leaning over, staring at something on the ground. It was a wooden box, about two feet square and a foot deep with ornate painted decorations on it. She turned to them, a look of incredulous happiness on her face.

"This is it, isn't it? We've found it at last. The Secret of the Ocean's Soul is in here."

Jack and Sam were now climbing steadily, the passageway had been twisting upwards for some time. Jack kept a careful eye on Sam, trying to make sure she didn't overdo things and make herself ill again. He had to bite his tongue to stop himself asking her if she was all right every few minutes. She broke the silence.

"Jack, do you think it's getting draughtier in here?"

"Yeah, I think you could be right."

When they turned the next corner they found out why. The passageway made one last sharp twist almost straight upwards and opened out to the sky. Sam swallowed hard, she wasn't feeling up to rock climbing.

Jack, noting her look of alarm, put his arm round her. "We'll make it, there are plenty of hand holds. We'll just take it slowly." He kissed her gently on the lips. Smiling up at him, she nodded. He made her feel like she could do the impossible.

Taking the lead, Jack began to climb. He went slowly, so Sam could keep up with him. Several times they had to stop to let Sam rest. Her side felt sore, she was exhausted, but she wasn't going to give in. She had to get to the top. Not far now. It was getting harder and harder, her vision was beginning to blur and her breath was coming in ragged gasps. Jack took hold of her hand and pulled her, almost lifted her, the last few yards to the top.

They collapsed onto a grassy bank at the cave mouth. Sam felt her world was spinning and she couldn't think straight. Jack helped her lie down, stroked the hair away from her sweat soaked face and murmured, "Rest, I'll see if I can find us some food. Don't go away." Smiling at the loving tone of his voice she drifted off to sleep.

Part Three

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