She was dry, for the first time in a century it seemed. Her chest still hurt, but the ache was bearable as long as she didn't move. A warm, bright flicker nearby punched glowing halo into the darkness around her. A campfire. Night had fallen, and somebody had built a campfire. Deliciously warm.
She rolled onto her side and blinked at the flames and the sparks they sent hurtling into the dark. Without warning a pair of feet appeared between her and the fire. The feet were clad in the rough, chafing leather sandals she'd been wearing, the kind they'd begun making in the village a few months back and-
The village and everyone connected to it was a threat now. Panicked, she tried to sit up, but a firm hand on her shoulder kept her down.
"Easy," somebody said very gently. "Everything's alright. I'm not gonna hurt you."
The voice belonged to Brother Star and he now squatted beside her, looking quite unthreatening, with a bowl with steaming hot, spicy smelling contents in the hand that wasn't pinning her down. But Star had been part of the gang who'd deposited them in the caves in the first place…
"What are you doing here?" she croaked, startled at how hoarse she sounded. Probably from bringing up all that water, though that hardly mattered right now. "Where is Colonel Sheppard?"
Star shifted aside to clear the view and jerked his head at a figure that lay curled up on the opposite side of the fire. "I know he's injured his head and shouldn't be sleeping," said Star. "But he was so exhausted he literally couldn't stand up straight anymore… and that was before he tried to take me on in a fight. Keeping him awake probably would have done more damage than this. I'll wake him in a little while. In the meantime, here. Eat."
He handed her the bowl, threaded an arm under her neck, and helped her situp. Elizabeth figured she probably should ask what had prompted his change of heart, but she was too ravenous to think. Besides, exhaustion or no, John would never have allowed himself to fall asleep if he didn't trust Star. While she wolfed down the stew-fresh fish and potatoes-Star filled her in on what had happened.
"I'm afraid we can't stay here much longer," he said at last. "I told the others I'd go hunting, so they know not to expect me back anytime soon, but it got dark about an hour ago, and if I don't return to the village, they'll come looking for me, which would be-"
— a bad thing," she finished for him.
"Yes." He nodded vigorously. "Especially with the weather."
Elizabeth didn't need him to explain. The three of them and the campfire were sheltered by the sweeping branches of a giant cedar. Beyond its protection the ground was covered in at least a foot of snow, and more was falling steadily. She hadn't seen a speck of snow since finding herself marooned on this planet. Not to mention the fact that it was early summer. Supposedly. "Charybdis," she said.
More nodding from Star. "I guess you can imagine what Brother Moon will make of it. If they find you alive now…" He didn't finish. He didn't have to. "I really don't like the idea of sneaking you into the village."
"We'll do it fast and dirty," came a groggy voice from the other side of the campfire. "I don't think I could manage slow and clean." John sat up unsteadily and squinted over at Elizabeth. "How're you doing?"
"I should ask you that."
"I'm fine. Headache's toned down some." Going by the Colonel's general appearance, it was a bald-faced lie. The only thing about him that looked fine-or normal at least-was that shock of black hair, which stood up every which way as usual and provided a startling contrast to his waxen face. "I've done some thinking," he announced.
"About what?" asked Star.
"Matrices."
"Ah." Nothing else seemed to be forthcoming from John's end, so Star laid out his plan — such as it was. "I'm hoping that most of them will be asleep by the time we get there," he said. "And those who aren't asleep will be… you know…"
"Stoned," grunted John, tugging at the coarsely woven shirt he was wearing; Star must have brought for him, same as the clothes Elizabeth had found herself in when she woke. She decided it was better for her peace of mind not to explore just how she'd gotten into those.
"Yeah. The only thing we need to watch out for on the way is any search team they might have sent for me. Once we get there…" Star shrugged. "You two make a run for your ship, and I'll keep anyone who minds at bay. From then on out, you'd better listen to Elizabeth, Colonel. She'll be able to direct you to a hiding place at a safe distance from the village."
"Not gonna happen, Star."
The man blinked. "What do you mean?"
"The one thing Elizabeth and I can't afford to do is hole up somewhere and wait till it all gets better, `cos it won't. Not unless we make it better, and that means going through the gate."
"But it-"
"Yes. I know. It doesn't work, and Brother Moon won't be volunteering for the trip." John scrunched his eyes shut, suggesting that even the dim light from the campfire was aggravating his headache. "I told you I've been thinking. More specifically, I've been thinking that we may not need the entire alternate to take us to the original."
"What do you-" Elizabeth cut herself off, suddenly realizing exactly what he meant. "DNA."
"Yeah. So much of the Ancients' technology is gene activated, it only stands to reason. Besides, what else would the gate use to compare matrices?"
Star frowned. "I don't know what this DNA is, but you can have mine anytime."
"It's something contained in hair, skin, teeth, any part of your body. And yours won't do us any good, I'm afraid. Thanks for offering, though. We need that of Brother Moon." Turning to her, John added, "He's the next best thing to Rodney… provided that the original hasn't developed a god complex, too."
"How do you plan to get Radek's DNA?" asked Elizabeth.
"Leave it to me," Star said. "I'll think of a way."
John directed a probing look at him and finally nodded. "Now that that's cleared up, I reckon we should break camp."
There wasn't much to break, and they were ready to go in a matter of minutes. Well, willing to go, Elizabeth amended silently, because John was two weeks of solid bed rest away from being ready for anything more taxing than a leisurely stroll on the beach. Which this probably wouldn't be.
Star doused the campfire and in the meager light of a single torch obliterated any sign that there had been more than one person resting here. "Just in case. I'd suggest you two hang back a bit. Keep the torch in sight, but don't follow me too closely."
It was like staggering through the marshes after a will o' the wisp. The flicker of the torchlight weaved in and out among the trees, disappearing completely at times and leaving Elizabeth and John to stumble through the pitch darkness of a moonless, starless night, pregnant with snow. Then it would reappear suddenly, barely visible anymore through the driving snowfall, and they'd run half-blind and at a breakneck speed just to catch up with it a little. Between the errant light and the darkness, the trek was disorienting even for Elizabeth who knew the area well. Still, on the whole she felt as certain as she could be that Star wasn't pulling a fast one but instead was leading them to the village as promised.
As if to confirm that feeling, a more steady glimmer of brightness began to outline trees and bushes and fern fronds. Eventually she could make out the colorful bubbles of tents and the gleam of oil lamps bouncing back brightly from the thick layer of snow. Drifts covered half the village, piled a white mantle over the jumper that still sat where they'd left it at the edge of the forest, and tongues of snow had pushed in under the overhang of the remaining structure that still embraced the Stargate like a band shell. To the left of the gate-safely out of the way, just in case there ever was an incoming wormhole-someone had built a roaring fire, and figures were huddled around it for warmth. In fact, there were far more people than she would have expected up this late, and the debate was heated; even from the distance she could see stiff shoulders and harsh gestures.