Lee released a whistle. "That is a whole lot of water," she said as she turned a circle slowly and stared out over the vast expanse of water that surrounded the small island where the Stargate sat. A bridge stretched off over the water into the distance.

Oliver frowned at her. "Weren't you paying attention during the briefing? General Carter showed us the pictures the M.A.L.P. sent back."

She rummaged in her pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. "No, I was drawing a picture of Elias being eaten by Rocky's buddies." She unfolded the paper and showed it to him.

Van stepped up beside her and leaned over her arm to look at the picture. "Rocky's fangs were not that big so I doubt his buddies would have bigger fangs."

Mal joined them. "And Elias isn't that short."

"He will be when the squirrels rip his legs off," she replied cheerfully as she replaced the paper in her pocket.

Mal shook his head. "All right, let's get moving. If there's a bridge there must be something at the other end, let's hope whoever is there is friendly.

"Not necessarily. I mean it could be a bridge to nowhere," Oliver said.

"Well then let's go see what's at the other end then." Mal stepped onto the bridge and began walking.

"Yay, a long hike that is exactly what I was looking forward to doing today," Van said with no emotion. "Next time can we bring a couple of ATVs with us?"

"No, we cannot," Mal answered. "Let's move it. I think this is going to be one hell of a long walk."

Van sighed and trailed at the back of the group. He stopped here and there to inspect the bridge. It was well constructed and despite the various trailing vines that crept over it in clumps it appeared to be in very good condition. "Hey, guys, I think the Goa'uld built this bridge."

Mal stopped walking and turned to him. "Are you certain?"

Oliver wandered over to study the bridge. "I think he's right. I'd have to test the material to be certain but it does look like a similar material to what their ships are made of. It makes sense they'd want it to last a long time and stone or timber wouldn't hold up over such a distance."

"Well let's hope that there aren't any of them still hanging around," Lee said in a cheery voice.

"Yes, let's," her brother agreed.

They began walking again. After a long stretch of silence, Van spoke, "I'm telling you we need ATVs. We'd be there already. I'm bringing it up to the General when we get back."

Mal shook his head. "It's good exercise." He could hear Van grumbling. Mal turned and began walking backward. "Do you think this planet has more water than the planet Atlantis is on in Pegasus?" he asked Oliver.

"It would seem so. We should probably get the General to send a UAV to do some aerial recon and see how much land there is," Oliver replied.

"That's a good idea. It would be nice to know what we're dealing with as far as any sort of land mass goes and also if there are any larger cities."

Oliver glanced back in the direction of the Gate. "I do wonder why the Gate is so far from the mainland. Why put it on that island? It would be more convenient on the mainland."

"Maybe we're witnessing a planet that is post-global warming. There may have been land here but it was covered when the ice caps melted. Lord knows how long ago the Gate was placed on this planet. I mean, 10,000 years ago this might have been one huge plot of land with a thriving civilization," Van told him.

"That's a good point." Oliver sighed as they trudged on.

Van focused on Mal at the head of the group, now facing forward again. "Are we there yet?"

"Does it look like it?"

"No," he replied sullenly.

Lee slapped him on the back. "Let's play a game. I spy with my little eye ... something blue."

"Gee, that's hard. Let me think a minute. Water?"

"Nope, you are wrong."

He waved an arm out toward the water that surrounded them. "Seriously?"

"Yes, seriously, Van. I was thinking about the sky." She grinned and stepped past him when he stopped walking.

"I hate you," he muttered.

"Nah, you don't." She grinned back at him before she burst into song. "112,000 bottles of beer on the wall—"

"No! We are not singing that crappy song!" Van shouted.

"Fine, you pick something then."

He was quiet for a moment before he finally burst into song. "Carry on, my wayward son, there'll be peace when you are done, lay your weary head to rest, don't you cry no more."

Lee grinned. "An excellent choice." She joined him. Lee arched a brow at Van when Mal joined in.

"I am not singing," Oliver grumbled.

Lee chuckled. "Of course not because you couldn't carry a tune in a bucket. Colonel, I had no idea you could sing so well."

"Wait a minute, you can't sing!" Van accused. "We heard you when we went to karaoke night!"

He glanced back at them. "I hate karaoke and I didn't want to go if you'll remember. I figured if I sang badly you'd never ask me to go again." He looked at Lee. "Captain, there are a lot of things you don't know about me."

"Oooh, a challenge!"

He chuckled. "Nope, just a fact."

"Oh no, sir, I'm quite certain it's a challenge."

"Trust me, she won't let it go, you might as well tell her your entire life story now," Oliver told Mal with a grin.

"I think I'll hang on to my secrets a little longer."

"So mean." Lee was grinning.

"Hey, I see land up ahead," Mal called back to them.

"Thank God! I thought we were going to die on this bridge!" Van hurried past Lee to catch up to Mal. They stopped at the end of the bridge and stared out over the landscape. "Well, someone lives here if there are thriving crops."

Mal nodded in agreement. "Let's see if we can find anyone. I don't see any structures that indicate a village."

"That's a little odd, don't you agree?" Van was frowning as they passed the fields. "The workers need a place to live and you need to store the crops."

"You there, who are you?" a man called as he emerged from one of the fields.

Van plastered on a smile. "Hello, we're explorers and we've come a long way."

The man eyed their weapons. "Who has sent you here, how did you get here?"

"We came through the Stargate."

"The Stargate?" the man asked in confusion.

"Yes." Van turned and pointed at the bridge. "The big ring thing on the island at the other end of the bridge."

Several more men slipped out of the field. They all carried weapons.

"Well, that isn't the warm welcome we were hoping for," Lee muttered.

Van shot her a glare before he refocused on the first man who had confronted them. "I'm sorry, we didn't mean to upset your friends. We're just explorers."

The man pointed at the Zat gun in the holster on his left leg. "You carry one of the weapons of the Oppressors, did they send you?"

"No, they didn't. We took these weapons from them after they were defeated. The Goa'uld are no more."

"Sir, we have more hostiles coming at us from the other side," Lee said quietly.

"I see them."

"Look, there's no need for this to escalate, we mean you no harm," Van said frantically.

"That is not for me to decide, you will be taken to the Lidder and she will pass judgment on you for breaking one of our most sacred laws."

"Whoa, hold up a minute, what law did we break?" Mal asked.

"You have come here from the Zvenetai."

"The, what now?"

"Ring," Van informed him. "Their language is a form of Russian."

"Hold up, so no one is allowed to come by Stargate?" Lee asked the man.

"It is one of our most sacred laws. The oppressors used the Zvenetai, we do not want another like them to come here. It is forbidden for anyone to use the Zvenetai, we do not cross the bridge and no one is allowed to come through it. "

Mal lowered his gun and turned to the man. "We don't like the Goa'uld any more than you do."

"Yeah, those snakey bastards give me the creeps," Lee told the men.

"We have come here seeking friendship," Van said.

"It doesn't matter, you broke the law."

"Ya know, if this is such a huge deal to your people then perhaps you should have, oh I don't know ... maybe buried the Gate or put up a warning sign to let folks know they'll be arrested if they try and pay you a friendly visit," Mal said with a scowl.

"There is a sign posted at the other end of the bridge," the man insisted.

The three of them looked at Van.

"What? Why are you looking at me like that? I didn't see any sign!"

"You are famous for finding warning signs. How did you manage to miss this one?" Lee asked him.

"I didn't see a sign!"

Mal sighed. "Look, if it's a problem for you then we'll leave. We apologize for bothering you."

"The damage has been done. You will come with us," the man insisted.

Mal raised his P90 when the men took a collective step forward. "I don't think so."

"Sir, we have a problem."

He glanced over his shoulder and cursed. They were surrounded. The only way out of this would be a firefight. Something he wasn't willing to risk. Slowly he lowered his weapon. "All right, we'll go with you and hope your leader is a little more friendly and willing to listen to reason."

The men took their weapons and led them back to the coast where they turned and walked down the coastline.

"Sir, where do you think they're taking us?"

Mal shook his head when Lee asked the question. "Maybe their village is further down the coast."

"Or under it," Van told them.

"Under it?"

Van looked at Mal then pointed. "Those look like submersible ships of some sort."

"This is fascinating," Oliver said in a quiet, awed voice. "I wonder how they managed to build those ships."

"Probably stole the tech from the Goa'uld," Mal told him as they were ushered aboard one of the ships.

"Sit," the man ordered.

"Can we at least learn your name?" Van asked. "I'm Dr. Evander Walsh. This is Captain Kain, her brother, Dr. Kain, and the leader of our little troop, Colonel Malachy Hughes."

"You do not need my name."

"Fine, Mr. Cranky it is," Lee announced.

The man sent her a glare before he moved away to take up a position at the controls of the ship. The doors were sealed and the ship dove beneath the surface of the water.

Oliver sucked in a loud breath. "Holy Neptune. How did they manage to build that?"

"I have no idea but I'd like to find out." Van stared at the underwater city that sprawled across the ocean floor. It was protected by a huge shield that formed a dome over the city. In contrast to what they had seen on the surface, simple fields of crops with wooden fences surrounding them, this city was vast with towering spires and buildings that sprawled across the seabed. It was simply amazing to look at.