Stargate Command gets a surprise visit from Jonas Quinn, a Kelownan scientist and former SG-1 member from the planet once designated P9Y-4C3 and now dubbed Langara. But the circumstances of this reunion are not at all happy

Jonas tells SG-1 and Gen. Hammond that he and other scientists from Kelowna � one of three nations on his world � have been analyzing data left behind by Thanos, the Goa'uld marauder who occupied their planet 3,000 years ago. They've discovered that the fuel-source ore Naquadria, long thought to be native and unique to Langara, is not a natural element

That's not earthshaking news, but what follows is, literally: Thanos initiated a process that synthesized Naquadria from the less powerful but more stable element Naquadah while the ore was still in the ground. This started a chain reaction that even now continues to convert the planet's Naquadah deposits into Naquadria. The conversion process now reaches so deeply into the planet that one particular, immense Naquadria deposit is priming to explode with enough force to obliterate Kelowna and throw the world into nuclear winter

Maj. Carter goes to Kelowna with Jonas to help learn how the conversion process works so that they can find a way to stop it. There she meets Jonas' attractive assistant, Kianna Cyr

Back at Stargate Command, the three representatives of the joint ruling council of Langara arrive through the stargate: Eremal, the representative from Tirania; Tarthus, the representative from the Andari Federation; and former ambassador, now first minister, Dreylock of Kelowna. They meet with Hammond, Col. O'Neill, Dr. Daniel Jackson and Teal'c to discuss the partial relocation of their people to a world called Madronus, which is willing to accept many thousands of refugees

Carter and Jonas return to SGC with alarming news. The original deposit of Naquadria was created by a freak explosion in the Goa'uld lab where Thanos created the first sample thousands of years ago. This explosion created the first vein, which would simply have reverted back to Naquadah in another 10,000 years had the Kelownans not mined it. Unfortunately, the Kelownans inadvertently accelerated and intensified the conversion process two years ago, when they tested the Naquadria bomb. In essence, the Kelownans are responsible for the possible destruction of their planet. The news sends the already troubled diplomatic talks into a frenzy

In Kelowna, Jonas, Kianna and Carter try to devise a way to stop Langara from exploding. Carter suggests setting off a large explosion along a fault line that crosses a vein of Naquadah above the large deposit of Naquadria � isolating the advancing Naquadria and breaking it off before it gets any deeper. SGC can supply the nuclear charge � but how can they plant it inside 20 kilometers of solid rock? Jonas then takes Carter to a secret hangar where he and his team have built the Deep Underground Excavation Vehicle, or DUEV. Originally intended to mine Naquadria, the DUEV just might do the trick

The DUEV is not fast enough to reach the vein in time to prevent the explosion, so Jonas proposes the addition of Tok'ra tunnel crystals. The ship is almost ready to get underway when Carter makes a disturbing discovery: The excavator's primary power-distribution circuits are very similar to a Goa'uld design; it was Kianna who designed them

Jonas is heartbroken, because he clearly is in love with Kianna � who now, it is obvious, is a Goa'uld spy. A search of Kianna's quarters turns up a Goa'uld communicator and a supply of the drug she used to mask the presence of her symbiote and avoid detection. Kianna's Goa'uld symbiote then explains that she was dispatched by the system lord Ba'al to find out why fellow system lord Anubis was so interested in Kelowna

The Goa'uld tells Carter and Jonas, correctly, that they will need her to pilot the difficult-to-handle excavator; she is willing to help because her race also wants to save the planet for its Naquadria. The mission proceeds with Teal'c along for security and the crew armed in case the Goa'uld spy tries anything. But in fact she saves the ship when a coolant seal breaks. Jonas still doesn't trust her, even though she tells him he had never actually worked with or loved the real Kianna: Jonas fell in love with a Goa'uld! She confesses feelings for him, even though he is repulsed by her now

The excavator passes through a river of molten rock; the extreme heat threatens to compromise the DUEV's hull integrity. Carter diverts power to the shields, ignoring the Goa'uld's advice to turn back. The ship makes it through but stops a kilometer short of its target, because the forward drills have been damaged by the magma. Jonas suggests they focus the remaining Tok'ra crystals to dig a passage large enough for one person to get through and deliver the nuclear device above the vein. One problem: None of them can survive the noxious gases and intense heat � except the Goa'uld, who volunteers to go because the Goa'uld symbiote will protect Kianna's body. She also has another reason: She wants the Naquadria for herself. She never reported the Naquadria's existence to Ba'al

Like it or not, they realize the Goa'uld is again the only chance for the mission to succeed. The tunnel is dug. The Goa'uld traverses it, reaches position and arms the device. But the ship's generators have been damaged and power is rapidly falling. It's now at 70 percent. The Goa'uld urges Jonas, Carter and Teal'c to leave her behind, but Jonas refuses, demanding that she start back immediately. They wait for her until the power levels drop to almost 50 percent, after which engine startup will be impossible. Just as it looks as though they must leave her behind, the Goa'uld bangs on the hatch. Jonas takes care of her as Teal'c and Carter pilot the ship up and out of the planet's depths seconds before the excavator's power is depleted. The explosion does its job and Langara is saved

Back at Stargate Command, the Goa'uld symbiote perishes but saves Kianna, who passes on a message to Jonas that the Goa'uld deeply appreciated what he tried to do for her. Jonas and Kianna step through the stargate back to Langara, where they will have to get to know each other all over again

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