Book One

Earth

Prologue

The Nandi song of farewell rose melodiously into the evening air, the achingly sad refrain melding with a joyful happiness that spoke of friends that were well met and soon to be missed.

SG1 moved slowly down the avenue of brightly dressed people, reaching out to grasp as many waving hands as possible. The smiles on their faces matched those of the inhabitants of this and the seven surrounding villages who had congregated to farewell the new friends now returning to their own world. The brilliant evening sunset slanted crimson rays across the sky, adding to the colourful display of swaths of vibrant flowering bushes that lined every pathway in the villages. Waving palm fronds shaded the long huts and communal gathering places from the sun. A more idyllic setting SG1 had never before found.

Their week-long mission was over. Trade in medicines and unique technology agreed upon and more importantly a valuable ally made. This area of P6Z 294 was a paradise by anyone's standards, untouched by their enemy's hand. The four seasoned explorers had arrived weary, unenthused and expecting nothing out of the ordinary. A week later they were all feeling renewed, refreshed in both body and soul. The tensions and dramas of the past few months were forgotten. Even better, they were thinking, feeling and acting like a team again - like friends. The uncertainty over Teal'c's allegiances, the bitterness caused by the incident with Reece, the dozens of little gripes and complaints with each other created by five unrelenting years of fighting on the front lines were, if not forgotten, then at least put into proper perspective. Simply put - they were happy.

Jack leaned down to shake yet another chubby brown hand, yelling "Soli sa-au", - goodbye dear one - into the grinning face of the village's baker. He straightened up, his other hand now clutching a bag of freshly baked tarts. "Love these guys," he muttered to himself.

His eye swept over his teammates - easy to pick out even in this crowd of hundreds. Not one of the Nandi people stood higher than three and a half feet high. An unrelentingly cheerful people, they had welcomed the off-world visitors with astonished joy and it had been one big noisy party ever since.

Jack grinned as a long, loud laugh came from Daniel. The archaeologist had bent over to kiss goodbye the mayor's wife and was now swamped with half the female population clamouring for a kiss too. Jack shook his head. He had never seen Daniel smile and laugh so much as he had this week, reminding him of the Daniel he had first met, before grief and war had taken such a toll. Jack made a mental note to recommend Hammond take up one of the Nandi's offers - to encourage other SGC teams to visit their world for R&R.

Jack found himself laughing again at the sight of Teal'c also being swamped with well-wishers, his brilliant smile lighting up his normally imperturbable face. 'It's a good look for him. Have to make sure we come back here,' Jack thought. Turning, he smiled at Carter as she captured the Jaffa and archaeologist love fests on camera.

Grinning back at the colonel, Sam snapped a shot of him as well, noting how the past week had eased the lines in his face and put a new spring into his step. She, herself, felt more relaxed and happy than she had in a long time and was truly regretting leaving this beautiful place. All four of them had made a deep connection with the happy Nandi, the gift of love and laughter far more valuable than the trade gifts now packed onto the four FREDs waiting at the base of the Stargate.

"Dial us home, Major."

"Yes, sir." Sam shot the colonel a look that said, 'I don't really want to, though.'

Agreeing wholeheartedly with his Major's regrets, Jack moved to where his archaeologist was buried under a giggling mound of touchy feely well-wishers. Jack latched onto a pack strap and hauled Daniel upright.

Daniel sucked in a much need lungful of air and waved to his groupies. "Thanks, Jack!" He beamed at his friend. Noting the huge sack in Jack's hand he smiled again and asked, "What have you got now?"

"Snacks. Lots'a snacks, Danny." Jack clapped Daniel on the shoulder and dove in to the throng to extract Teal'c.

It only took another twenty minutes for them to be standing on the Stargate dais, waving with genuine affection at their new friends.

Teal'c could feel his cheeks and jaw aching with unaccustomed overuse. Waving merrily to the crowd and revelling in the feeling that the action now felt so normal, he leant over and bellowed in O'Neill's ear, "I shall regret leaving this place, O'Neill."

"I know we all do, T. Makes looking forward to coming back that much sweeter, though," Jack hollered back over the swell of singing and cheering.

"Indeed it does, O'Neill. Indeed it does."

"Um, Jack? I think my hand's gonna drop off if we keep this up much longer," Daniel grinned.

"Okay kids, let's go home."

With a final wave, SG1 turned and stepped into the wormhole, a final burst of farewell-and-return song ringing in their ears.

Daniel was still humming the song to himself as he stepped into the lobby of his apartment building that evening. The long debriefing had been more like a group of excited children telling their dad about the fantastic camp they'd been on - each of them talking over the others, eager to share the wonderful experience with the general. Finally, he'd laughingly thrown them out and told them not to come back for four days.

Before he was halfway across the lobby, the ever-watchful concierge, Mr Potts, was darting out from his rooms, calling to him.

"Doctor Jackson! Welcome home, welcome home! It's good to have you home again!"

Daniel stopped and smiled at the man. "Hello, Mr Potts. Thank you, it's nice to be home."

"Some parcels were delivered for you while you were away. I have them safe and secure. Just you wait here one moment and I'll get them." With a flash of gummy teeth he was gone again, reappearing in seconds with three large parcels, a bundle of letters and journals balanced on top.

Daniel shouldered his laptop and took the parcels. Picking up his briefcase he started to thank the wiry little concierge, but could only call an unheard "Thank you!" after the man who had already disappeared into his room again.

Stepping into the elevator, Daniel punched the button for the third floor. Alighting on 3, he walked down the corridor to apartment 36 and rang the bell. As he waited he peered at the top letter, recognising the elegant copperplate of Catherine Langford-Littlefield.

The door opened to reveal a smiling woman.

"Hello, Daniel."

"Janine! Hello. How are you?"

"Very well, thanks. You're looking very good, I must say. Have a nice trip?"

"One of the best, actually. Had a ball!"

"Ah, good for you. Just hold on a moment. It's all ready." Janine left him at the door long enough to make out that one of the parcels also bore Catherine's handwriting.

His neighbour returned bearing a large basket piled high with freshly washed and ironed laundry, a pleasant citrus smell wafting around them.

Daniel smiled his gratitude. "That's wonderful Janine, thank you. I'd be lost without you. Did you get the, er…?"

"Yes, too much, as always," Janine smiled as she scolded him.

Daniel grinned, ducked his head and then pondered how on this earth he was going to carry the laundry as well as his other burdens.

With a laugh, Janine made a shooing motion at him. "I'll throw in the delivery, Daniel."

As Janine accompanied Daniel up to the eighth floor, he found himself feeling grateful to have nice neighbours that didn't question his frequent trips away, the fact that he never left or came back with more luggage than a briefcase or backpack, or question the condition he sometimes came back in.

The cool silence of his apartment was a welcome feeling. He kicked off his shoes and wandered over to the windows, opening the blinds to the evening sky. He moved into the study, parcels and letters in hand, stopping in front of the aquarium. Everyone still alive and active thanks to the aptly named Mr Fish on 7. He smiled at them. "Hello, fishies. You're going to have some new Nandi playmates as soon as the bio guys clear them."

The fish managed to contain their excitement and continued on with their lives.

Daniel sagged down into an armchair and opened Catherine's parcel. It was a book. "The Old Kingdom and the IVth Dynasty: Architectural Timelines and their Implications On the Age of Monumental Structures of the IVth Dynasty," by Dr. Catherine Langford and Dr Ernest Littlefield. Delighted he broke open Catherine's letter and devoured the contents. His softly muttered "Oh, hello!" drifted in the silent, twilight-lit room.