BURIED...NOT FORGOTTEN

Epilogue.

Melwyn of the Fair-Oak stood as one with the shadows.

And listened.

Nothing stirred on the air...yet.

Behind him 2 scores of elves dug with all haste. Time was in precious short supply and the task ahead was far from near completion.
Melwyn maintained watch as he listened with his whole mind; soul and body.
The answering silence did nothing to calm his racing heart.
He asked him self again why they were doing this.

"Because it's important." Work ceased for a brief eternity before it was resumed.
Melwyn closed his eyes for a brief moment before he turned to face the speaker. A non-elf had approached him without his knowledge.
This was the second time in his 891 years that it had occured and both by the same man.

"Mithrandir. Your presence is welcome."
"Melwyn, glad to see you standing guard as usual," replied the White Wizard in a dry tone.
The elf glanced at the desolute forbidden land that still maintained a dark shadow in broad daylight. "It would be unwise not to be...cautious."
"Too true and once our mission is over; we can leave." He turned to the work behind him.
"And how many will die needlessly for a wasteful pursuit?" asked Melwyn in a harsh whisper. Mithrandair stopped and looked at him with sadness.

"As many as will be needed to prevent further unneccessary death."
Melwyn's puzzled and angry gaze followed the wizard as he went back to the dig.

I.

Daniel almost collided with a small group of soldiers. At the last moment the group divided into 2 smaller units and plastered themselves against the walls.
"Eh...thanks!" yelled Daniel as he ran past; he still heard someone remark.
"Think he'll make it this time ?"
Daniel tried to speed up; the onging bet was that one day; Colonel O'Neil would leave without him just to teach him a lesson. They had been steadily going through the stargate addresses from the Ancient Database that the Colonel had accidently downloaded into his brain. Some had been dead ends and some had just been 100 percent pure deadly.
Jack had ben rather impatient lately ; Sam had been as curious as usual, while Teal'c was just...Teal'c
However despite what anyone thought; Daniel had a good feeling about this particular gate. With that on his mind he reached the gate room hearing the familiar-but-thrilling sound of the stargate being activated.
Daniel actually saw some soldiers in the gate room hiding their grins as he ran in. "Eh-sorry guys."
"Perfect timing as always," remarked O'Neil dryly as he looked up at General Hammond. Sam smiled at Daniel; while Teal'c raised an eyebrow as usual.
"Godspeed SG1," said General Hammond.
The team started up the ramp.
"You know Daniel, one of these days; I'm going to win that bet," said Jack.
Daniel stared at the colonel. "What...you started the bet!"
Jack signed as he neared the horizon "I had nothing to do at the time."
Daniel decided to wisely keep quiet until he thought of a suitable response.

II

Melwyn crouched in the shadows and stared at the artifact.

It was old; the strange metal was intriguing and frightening. The elf knew there were several things in this world that he would never know...and some that should be left unknown. He feared that what he stared at was one of them.

Once the objects had been dug up and positioned, they had waited in an area usually rampart with orcs for 3 days.
The 4th day the circular structure had glowed and the White Wizard had warned them to hide until he gave them the all clear.
A strange metallic looking ...creature with a single large eye had come through the liquid glow. Melwyn had felt...nothing from the creature; it seemed...lifeless. Yet he did not relax his guard.

Even when the liquid glow within the artifact ceased and the creature stopped moving.

Melwyn had wasted no time in going after Mithrandair.
"That was a..."
"Doorway," completed the wizard "and I did not make it and more will come through it; whether they be friend or foe depends on how we treat them; so I suggest that we all be on our best behaviour."
The elf was not done yet.
"We are in orc territory wizard; a safer meeting place would have been ...appropriate."
The old wizard smiled "I agree but we have so little time; and our guests will soon be here."

Melwyn gritted his teeth but said nothing as he returned to his post.
An hour had passed and there had been no activity from the gate...and strangely enough no orcs had been seen. They were suspiciously absent.
Melwyn suspected the wizard had something to do with it; but he was not in the mood to ask.

"Melwyn," he turned to a fellow warrior who was also his sister.
"Scouts have detected nothing; but a sense of unease hangs in the air. Something is coming."
Melwyn signed and closed his eyes for a brief moment.
"We must leave this place now." He moved to go to Mithrandair.
"Wait, " called Salenia "I did not suggest that ...its only for us to be aware. We have a mission to complete." Melwyn stared at her in shock.
A sudden strange metallic noise from the artifact stopped him from replying.

"They come; stay hidden!" ordered Mithrandair as he moved back into the bushes.

III

Bottom of Form

Colonel O'Neill instinctly steadied himself as he stepped over the gate's horizon. He had done this trip so many times now that it felt like a typical day at the beach.

Or rather the north pole.

It was cold; even though the sun was out.

"No locals," mused Jack as he tapped his weapon "this is becoming a habit." He looked at his team. ""Why don't we just call it a day and go home? Fishing is a lot more fun."

For some reason Daniel looked over Jack's shoulder and turned pale. "Eh... Jack..."

"I assure you; that would be a big mistake, " said a loud voice.

Instantly Jack, Sam and Teal'c whipped round with their weapons pointed at all possible angles of attack.

Where no one stood before was an elderly tall slim gentleman in white flowing robes, shoulder length white hair and beard. He was supported by a long walking stick with a crystal on top.

Jack quickly scanned the suddenly suspicious looking shrubbery and trees. His senses were on hyper-alert mode. No one suddenly appeared out of nowhere without cloaking device.

"Major; feeling anything ?" Sam glanced at her superior.

The same thought had crossed her mind.

"I need to get close enough to...sense if he's gould."

"Wait, " said Daniel the only one not raising a weapon "he looks harmless! "

Jack ignored him and approached cautiously. "Teal'c ; do you see or hear anything ?"

The former Jaffa was silent for a few seconds. "We're being watched."

"That's quite astute of you," stated the elderly man. The colonel decided it was about time he addressed the welcoming committee. Hidden and unhidden.

"I'm Colonel Jack O'Neil with my team from Earth and we..."

"Do you come in peace ?" asked the old man.

Jack was a bit startled "Eh-yeah we do. I know it looks a bit odd...I mean our weapons...but you were not there a minute ago !"

The local smiled. "True; also as your companion stated I am far from being alone."

He raised his right hand and more than a score of men made themselves visible.

They all had arrows pointed at SG1.

O'Neil swore softly under his breath.

IV

"This is bad," muttered Daniel.

You think ? Thought O'Neil as he assessed the all too visible threat before him

20 unfriendlies with their leader up front.

Some part of his brain tried to tell him that there was something odd about their features but he ignored it and decided to concentrate on the main important priority.

Getting his team home without any arrow sized holes in them.

"We mean you no harm," stated the staff wielding elderly man.

O'Neil and Teal'c exchanged a quick glance.

"That's kinda hard to believe with all your weapons pointed at us," replied the colonel.

The old man smiled sadly. "We can stand here and debate all day long. However; if we lower our weapons will you lower yours ?"

One of the men behind the speaker glared at his back.

That was when Daniel gasped softly. "His ears are...pointed."

O'Neil's gaze sharpened at he scanned each of the armed...men before him All except the old man had pointed ears. What were they ?

"I think lowered weapons is a good idea " said Daniel softly in that usual oh-i'm-so-amazed-voice of his.

Jack O'Neil frowned. Nope; bad idea especially with a trigger/arrow happy standing alien before them.

"Please make haste; we' re not entirely on friendly territory here."

Something in the leader's voice caught Colonel O'Neil's attention. He looked at the archers again. The tense outline of their stance clearly indicated that their nerves were as taut as their bow-strings.

"Okay. " It was the turn of his team to stare at him.

"Colonel," asked Sam; worry clearly written on her face.

"Something's going on here and I think we need more facts before all hell breaks loose." Teal'c raised an eyebrow but lowered his weapon.

Sam did like wise. Daniel as usual had not raised his.

The old man nodded an all his archers dropped their weapons ...except The Glaring One. The leader seemed to sense something and turned to look at the sender of the searing gaze.

After an eternity of seconds the pointed arrow went down but the look he sent SG1's way was anything but friendly.

I wonder if he knows how deadly looks can be; thought O'Neil.

The elderly leader stepped forward using his staff as support.

He needs to retire thought the colonel.

"I'm Mithrandair also known as Gandalf," Jack felt Teal'c stiffen beside him "and these are of Lothlorien; Galadriel's Realm."

Jack glanced at Sam. "Feel anything gould?"" he muttered quietly. She shook her head minutely.

Jack nodded and stepped forward.

"As I said earlier; I'm Colonel O'Neil; these are Lieutenant Samantha Carter, Dr Daniel Jackson and Teal'c."

Mitrandair raised an eye brow as if expecting more.

...also known as SG1 of Earth." The old man still looked expectant.

"What of your fifth member?

O'Neil stared at him. "What?"

"I know he...or she sleeps but an introduction would be nice," Mithrandair gestured at Teal'c midriff.
Jack stole a look at Sam. She looked stunned ; so did Daniel and Teal'c in his jaffa way.

"Em-m Junior is his name," contributed Daniel weakly.

Mithrandair seemed satisfied. "I regret the steely welcome; but you have stepped into the middle of a war; right now we are on rough border between us and the enemy..-We need to leave this place."

O'neil stared at him. "Are you gould ?"

Mithrandair returned his look. "A few days ago I had no knowledge of who they were. However I can assure you that my men and I are not your enemy."

"You were waiting for us." It was not a question.

"Yes; I knew that you were coming. I'm just glad you were the first ones here. There is a lot you need to know and do before you return-to Earth. May we move to a safer area in the meantime?"

The Colonel studied the group before him.

They could have filled SG1 with arrows the moment they stepped through the gate but they had not.

"Fine; let me discuss this with our command center back home and assure them that we are safe or more of us will come through the gate."

Lone angry archer rushed to Mithrandair's side and whispered angrily in his ears. The old man listened and nodded once.

He turned back to SG1.

""Agreed; please be quick."

O'neil turned to Daniel. "Dial home."

V

SGC Command; Cheyenne Mountain.

"The gate's being activated. It's SG1's signal sir."

"Open the iris," commanded General Hammond.

The seven chevrons went on one by one and before long the glittering liquid mirror image of the event horizon lit up the gateroom.

"A transmission is coming through; audio and visual," informed Harriman.

"SGC; this is SG1," the monitor showed the colonel crouched in front of the MALP.

"How's Z0H29 Colonel?" A dry smile appeared on O'Neil's face.

"Fascinating sir, we had a welcome committee the moment we stepped through; I believe they were waiting for us."

Hammond frowned. "Gould?"

"We...we are not sure. Sam can't detect anything ; however they knew of ...Junior but they didn't call Teal'c Jaffa," interjected Daniel as he popped his head into view as O'Neil glared at him.

"I take it they're friendly or we wouldn't be having this conversation," contributed Hammond.

"We think so," agreed O'Neil "their leader here is called Mithrandair; but I think they need our help. We're sending the mount back. We'll try and contact the base as soon as we have all the facts and by the way they're not technologically advanced."

"As far as we know," interrupted Daniel again; earning another glare from O'Neil.

"However General I feel this place needs a quick once over. Something is odd about this place."

Hammond's brow furrowed. "Okay; at the first sight of trouble I need you back at the base. On another note; why not leave the MALP until you are through?"

"No can do General. There's a war going on and its of the bow and arrow/sword and spear variety. We can't let out technology fall into their hands."

He sounds like a Tollan thought Hammond and from the looks on O'Neil's face the same thought must have crossed his mind as well.

"Harriman; pan the camera so that you can see our new friends," suggested O'Neil.

Harriman was silent as the MALP's camera showed a good number of men with long flowing bound hair. They were dressed in tunics reaching the mid thighs and close fitting trousers that ended in knee length boots.

In addition they were armed with bows, arrows, long daggers and swords of every description. They appeared to be on high alert sending furtive looks in every direction and even towards the MALP.

On figure stood out. An elderly man in long flowing robes; white hair and a long beard. He seemed to be leaning on a wooden staff for support.

It looked like a setting out of Sherwood Forest.

"Focus on the elderly gentle man." Harriman complied and the visual enlarged to reveal a large smile on the old man's face. He nodded towards the camera.

He knows we're watching him. Hammond suddenly realized.

"Send the MALP and we'll dial in for your report in 8hrs. If we haven't heard from you; I'll send SG2. Hammond out."

O'Neil nodded and cut the transmission. It was followed by the wormhole disengaging.

"Keep me updated," ordered Hammond. He turned to leave.

"Sir," he turned to face a confused looking Harriman. "I'm not sure I heard correctly, did the Colonel say the leader was called Mithrandir ?"

"I believe so; does it mean anything to you?" asked Hammond

Harriman stared at him for a moment before recovering. "Yes...yes sir it does. It's ...elvish."

"Meaning?" asked the General impatiently.

"It means Grey Pilgrim sir," explained Harriman in a relevant tone. That was when Hammond realized that most of the technicians in the command room were staring at him.

"Does this mean anything to any of you?" There were several enthusiastic nods. There were a lot of people who would disregard the advice or ideas of technicians especially when they tried to advice on areas outside their expertise.

Fortunately Hammond was not one of them.

"Study the tape from the mount; prepare a report and submit it in 6 hours."

The happy smile on Harriman and his colleagues' faces told him he had made the right call.