SG-1 fic: Choices

[smg01]

Title: Choices
Author: Suzannemarie
Season: Seven, but no real spoilers
Summary: After making contact with a new race, SG-1 find themselves in a new environment, meeting people they do not expect.
Length: 17,057
Rating: PG, Gen

Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 and all of it’s characters, etc. are owned by people who are not me. People like MGM, SciFi, etc., etc. This story is just for fun. An homage if you will.

Many thanks to aurora_novarum for her beta and good advice. Most of which I’ve tried to follow. All errors of grammar, canon, and common sense are mine alone.

SG-1 stood at the bottom of the ramp, ready for departure. They were making their second visit to Malacandria. First contact had come the previous week through a routine cold call of addresses from the Ancient database.

“I can’t wait to get a closer look at their technology,” Sam commented.

“I’m looking forward to learning more about their history,” Daniel said. “They don’t seem to interact much outside their own world. It’ll be interesting to see how their history has developed in isolation.”

“At least they don’t seem averse to visitors,” Sam said. “Or to sharing technology.”

“Indeed, we may have found a valuable ally,” Teal’c added.

Jack sighed and watched the gate’s chevrons engage.

“You don’t think so, sir?” Sam asked.

“Hmm?” Lost in his own thoughts, Jack had barely noticed the conversation.

“You don’t think the Malacandrians might become a useful ally?” Sam asked.

“I hope so,” he said. “But we had the same hopes for the Aschen. I’m not brimming with trust just yet.”

“Do you think they’re like the Aschen?” Daniel asked.

“Probably not. But I do think they’re hiding something.”

“Yeah, but you think everybody’s hiding something,” Daniel said.

“That’s because they usually are.”

The gate kawooshed to life.

Jack shrugged. “We hide stuff too. That’s what the meet and greet is for. So everyone can figure out how much to keep hiding.”

General Hammond spoke from the control room. “Good luck SG-1. We’ll look forward to your return and report later this afternoon.”

“Yes sir,” Jack said. “Let’s move out.”

They stepped through the event horizon and emerged in a large, windowless room. It was spartan, holding only the stargate. The walls and ceiling were a dull grey. The floor was of a darker slate-like substance. Several brightly glowing globes the size of basketballs floated throughout room to provide light.

A tall, willowy man with close cropped dark hair stood near the gate. He had pale skin and violet eyes. He wore a simple, long sleeved, blue-grey caftan. He greeted SG-1 with a dazzling smile. “Welcome,” he said.

“Carroan,” Daniel returned his smile.

Carroan bent his head toward them and then turned toward the door. “We have prepared a room for our meeting.”

A door opened automatically as they approached. They exited into a sunny courtyard. A half dozen white stone buildings, gleaming in the sunlight, surrounded the large square. Paths crossed the space in precise patterns. Mature trees dotted the area. Snow-capped mountains were visible on the horizon. Several Malacandrians were also traversing the paths or sitting on benches enjoying the day. Most of them watched Carroan’s and SG-1’s progress across the courtyard.

Carroan led SG-1 into one of the buildings and down a long hallway to a large room in back. A picture window dominated one wall, affording a view of the idyllic mountain setting. Shelves filled with books and other objects lined the walls. A long table holding an assortment of items stood in the center of the room.

Two waiting Malacandrians turned as the group entered the room. They were as tall and pale as Carroan, with the same violet eyes and dark, short hair. They too wore the simple, attractive caftans SG-1 had seen among the people.

“Colonel O’Neill, Teal’c, Major Carter, Daniel Jackson,” Carroan gestured toward each individual as he spoke their name, “this is Belnara, and you’ve already met Kellahn who is head of our Council. Belnara is our chief scientist,” Carroan concluded the introductions.

Belnara stepped forward. “Major Carter, I understand that are the scientist?” she said warmly.

“Yes, that’s right,” Sam responded.

Belnara looked at Daniel. “And you are the one who is interested in history and culture.”

“Yes,” said Daniel.

“Is that food?” Jack asked with a curious look at one end of the table.

Kellahn smiled indulgently. “We’ve prepared a selection of fruits and pastries.”

Jack walked to the food-laden end of the table with Teal’c close behind. Sam and Daniel rolled their eyes at each other, but followed their teammates.

Jack lifted a pitcher and sniffed the contents curiously. He poured a glass for himself and began poking at the food.

Carroan moved to Jack’s side to offer guidance. “The purple fruit is a sweet one called kita. The orange one is called taka. It has a strong taste that people usually either love or hate. The little blue ones are bandaberries. They’re very tart. And these red ones are allossa. It’s another sweet fruit, very juicy. The drink is a blend of allossa and taka juice. The pastries are a sweet bread filled with flavored creams.” He flashed another of his brilliant smiles and picked up a plate for himself.

Soon each person had a plate of snacks and had taken a seat at the other end of the table. Conversations started to flow with growing animation. Sam and Belnara entered into a highly technical discussion of some of the scientific principles behind the objects arrayed on the table. Daniel and Carroan began an enthusiastic exchange about the respective cultural histories of Malacandria and Earth. Teal’c placidly watched the proceedings while he nibbled his snacks.

“Do you have any prohibitions against sharing technology?” Jack asked Kellahn who was sitting at the head of the table.

“Not really. We do, of course, have secrets that we guard closely. As, I’m sure, do you,” Kellahn was equally circumspect.

“Of course,” Jack nodded.

“Not everyone you have met is forthcoming?” Kellahn said.

“Not everyone, no.” Jack took a bite of taka. He froze, trying not to taste what was in his mouth.

“I don’t care for taka either,” Kellahn commiserated.

“Thank you,” Jack said with a strained voice. Closing his eyes, he swallowed.

Teal’c reached across the table and took the remaining taka from Jack’s plate.

Jack gave Teal’c an incredulous look, then took a cautious bite of the fruit that Kellahn had recommended. He relaxed at the more pleasing flavor.

“Try the allossa. It will take the taste away. Who are these unhelpful people you’ve met?” Kellahn asked.

Jack chewed for a moment, considering Kellahn’s question. “The Nox for one.”

“You know the Nox?”

“We cross paths occasionally. Good people. Excellent sense of hair style.”

Kellahn smiled. “You are not in regular contact with them?”

“No. It’s been years since our last contact. You?”

“We have different interests. Over the centuries we’ve fallen out of touch.”

Jack nodded. He looked at Kellahn thoughtfully. He had the distinct feeling that there was more to the story, but elected not to pursue it yet. “The Tollan had strict laws against sharing technology with worlds not as advanced as their own.” A slight edge entered his voice. “In spite of our saving them more than once.”

“I can see how that might be frustrating,” Kellahn commented. “Who else?”

“For all that they purport to be our allies, the Tok’ra do a lot more taking than giving.”

“What an unfortunate history you have with other cultures,” Kellahn said drily.

“Not all of them,” Jack told him. “The Asgard have been good friends. Mostly.”

“You know the Asgard, then?” Kellahn’s smile became a shade fixed.

Jack gave him a penetrating look. “We do. You?”

“We have occasional dealings with them. Unlike you or the Asgard, Malacandrians do not have a high interest in exploration or in relations across the universe. With our isolationist nature, it’s rare for us to be in contact,” Kellahn said.

“Ah,” Jack acknowledged.

The ensuing silence between Jack and Kellahn was not entirely comfortable. Teal’c, observing the exchange from the opposite side of the table to Jack, became subtly more alert. Kellahn stood and picked up his cup.

“I’m getting a refill. Would you like one too?” he politely asked Jack and Teal’c.

“Sure,” Jack answered.

“Not at this time,” Teal’c told him.

Kellahn nodded and walked to the other end of the table.

Snippets of other conversations overlapped each other.

“--draws its energy from subspace,” Belnara was saying.

“--of the worlds we visit have their roots in an ancient Earth culture. Visiting them is like seeing living history,” Daniel said.

“--It’s so small to carry so much power,” Sam observed turning an object over in her hands.

“--Even with the dangers out there, you remain eager to keep exploring?” Carroan asked.

Jack nodded his thanks as Kellahn handed him a cup. Glancing at the items arrayed on the table, Jack noticed a quartz-like, multi-faceted object. It was sapphire blue and the approximate size and shape of an egg. He picked it up to take closer look. A faint hum emanated from it. Once in his hand, it somehow seemed as if it belonged there.

“I see the keyanna has caught your eye,” Kellahn said.

“Apparently,” Jack said.

“It’s one of our most interesting creations. It’s a tool for exploring possible outcomes,” Kellahn explained.

“What do you mean?” Jack asked.

Sam looked over with interest. Carroan and Daniel also stopped talking to listen.

“It’s quite a clever device. It was invented many years ago by the most brilliant scientist in our history. It is named for her. It is small, but powerful, with an internal power source. It works in concert with a larger, even more powerful machine which holds massive amounts of information. The two devices work together to present an alternate course of action for the user.”

Jack continued to pass the Keyanna deftly through his fingers as Kellahn talked. He looked at the object with interested skepticism.

“Like a virtual reality?” Sam asked.

“Similar to, but something more,” Belnara said. “The keyanna is intuitive. It picks up the thoughts of the user and creates a scenario based on that.”

“Sounds like wish fulfillment,” Jack said.

“Like Aladdin’s lamp,” Teal’c commented.

“Aladdin?” Carroan asked.

“It’s an old Earth story about a fantastic being called a djinn who lives in a lamp. If someone finds the lamp and rubs it, the genie appears and grants up to three wishes,” Daniel explained.

“The Keyanna is more about exploring options than granting wishes,” Kellahn said.

“I thought we decided against including a keyanna in today’s meeting,” Carroan said. His tone was cheerful, but his posture was tense.

“I see no reason not to include it.” Belnara’s said in chilly reproof.

The brief awkward pause was broken by Carroan. “Yes, of course,” he said. “I just wasn’t expecting to see it.”

Jack and Teal’c glanced at each other. Each read the same thought in the other: “something is off here.”

Belnara picked up a shiny, grey, metal object about the size and thickness of a legal pad and handed it to Sam. “I wanted to show you an example of our power packs. We use these to both power some of our machines and to recharge other power supplies,” she said with a warm smile.

“Do they also draw energy from subspace?” Sam asked. She took the power pack from Belnara and began to examine it with interest.

Taking his cue from Belnara, Carroan turned to Daniel. “Dr. Jackson, can you tell me about a world you’ve visited that’s like an older Earth culture?”

As Daniel began talking about K’Tau and Sam continued to ask questions about the power pack, Kellahn struck up a polite conversation with Teal’c by asking questions about his home world.

Jack played with the keyanna absently while he half-listened to the conversations around him. Daniel and Carroan spoke quickly and without pause, often interrupting each other in their enthusiasm. Sam and Belnara were enjoying an equally intense but quieter exchange about power sources and alloys. Kellahn and Teal’c continued to talk about Chulak. When their talk segued into a discussion of various System Lords, Jack returned his attention to Kellahn.

“Do you have many dealings with the Goa’uld?” he asked.

“No,” Kellahn told him. “We are not engaged in hostilities with them, but we are not friends. Infrequently, one will make a play against our world, but our defenses easily repel them.”

“I’d be very interested to learn more about those defenses.” Jack showed considerably more animation than he had about any of the scientific devices on the table.

Kellahn smiled. “We can talk about that.”

“Really?” Jack said. He turned to Teal’c. “Way better than the Tollan.”

Teal’c inclined his head. “Indeed.” His eyes still held a look of caution that was matched by Jack’s.

Suddenly the keyanna in Jack’s hand glowed brightly and hummed loudly. At the same instant the air shimmered almost imperceptibly. Just as suddenly, the stone became dormant.

“Whoa,” said Jack. He looked at his hand as if surprised to see that he still held the keyanna. He quickly set it on the table.

Belnara and Kellahn looked excited. Carroan appeared uneasy.

“It’s nothing to worry about Colonel,” Belnara said reassuringly. “The device is merely recharging.”

“If you say so,” Jack said. He pushed the keyanna further away. He checked his watch and got to his feet. “We’re due back home in a few minutes.”

The others began to slowly rise to their feet too. Daniel and Carroan continued to chatter. Sam neatly returned the items that she had been examining to the table. Teal’c and Kellahn exchanged grave bows.

Jack walked to the opposite end of the table to pick up one final pastry. When he returned to the group, Kellahn reached out to shake his hand. “I look forward to our next meeting.”

“Thanks for the hospitality,” Jack said with an appreciative wave of the pastry he held. “We’d be interested in opening formal trade negotiations. Other officials would join the talks too.”

“Certainly.” Kellahn picked up the keyanna. He handed it to Jack. “Here, take this with you. You can bring it back on your next visit.”

“Yeah?”

“Call it a gesture of good faith. You seemed to be so drawn to it,” Kellahn said.

“That’s really not necessary.” Jack started to place the keyanna back on the table.

“Actually, sir, I wouldn’t mind taking a closer look at it back at the SGC,” Sam told him.

Jack paused for a few seconds. He felt uneasy, but could not find a good reason to object. “Okay then.” He shrugged and slipped it into his pocket.

“I will escort you to the stargate,” Carroan said.

After another round of nods and waves, SG-1 and Carroan left the meeting room. They recrossed the courtyard and entered the building that held the gate.

Daniel and Carroan continued their animated conversation the entire way. The other members of SG-1 watched and listened with pleased amusement. It had only been a few weeks since Daniel had returned to them. It was good to see him so engaged and enthusiastic.

They reached the gate room. “Daniel, you want to dial us home?” Jack said.

When Daniel moved to the DHD, Carroan turned to Jack. “May I see the keyanna?”

Jack handed it to him. Carroan turned it over in his hands, frowning slightly. “Keyannas are interesting things. Both durable and fragile. You can drop one or throw one and it won’t break. But you could shatter it by striking it sharply with a hammer.” He looked at them intently. “Do you understand?”

“No hitting it with a hammer,” Jack said.

“Not unless you have to,” Carroan told him.

“Carroan, what is it that you’re trying to say?” Jack asked.

The gate engaged and Daniel input the IDC.

Carroan handed the keyanna back to Jack. His eyes were anxious. “I was only making conversation.”

All four members of SG-1 looked at Carroan curiously. It seemed clear that he was trying to will them to understand something.

“Carroan?” Daniel asked. “Is something wrong?”

Carroan stepped back. He gave them another of his vibrant smiles. “Your people await. I hope to see you again soon.”

“We’ll be in touch,” Jack said.

“Good-bye,” Daniel said.

The others nodded and waved. One by one they began stepping across the threshold.

“Good luck,” Carroan said softly, not for their ears.

Jack, the last one to step up to the gate, turned back with a puzzled frown. “What?”

Carroan smiled anxiously. “I look forward to our next meeting.”

Still looking backward curiously, Jack stepped into the event horizon and followed his team to other side.


* * * * * * * *


“Kree!”

“What--” Daniel began.

“Silence!”

All four members of SG-1 stood shocked and blinking in a sunlit clearing. Six Jaffa stood in front of them with staff weapons poised. Through the trees they caught a glimpse of a pyramid several hundred yards away.

“Daniel. You did dial the coordinates for Earth?” Jack asked.

“Of course I did!” Daniel said irritably.

“Well, you did just spend a year being mostly dead and you’re still getting back into the swing of things. Maybe you mixed up a couple of symbols?”

“I’ve been back for weeks, Jack. The address for Earth is not something I’ve ever been confused about.”

“I’m just saying, if this is the gate room, it’s undergone a lot of changes since we left,” Jack said acidly.

A Jaffa interrupted the dispute. “Silence! On your knees!”

“I’d rather not if you don’t mind. It’s a cartilage thing,” Jack laconically. With his right hand, he reached surreptitiously for his pistol.

The Jaffa who had spoken stepped forward. Applying a short, crisp movement of his staff weapon, he struck Jack’s knee.

“Ow! All right!” Jack dropped to a knee.

The other members of SG-1 slowly lowered themselves as well.

“Relinquish your weapons and everything you carry.”

They complied slowly. P90s, pistols, and knives formed an untidy pile. Assorted miscellaneous objects joined the collection. Jack reached into his pocket. He hesitated as his fingers came up against the keyanna.

“Everything!” the Jaffa barked. He motioned threateningly with his staff weapon.

Jack sighed and added the keyanna to the stack of items.

At a gesture from the Jaffa who seemed to be in charge, two of them began gathering up SG-1’s things.

“Is it my imagination or are they wearing the symbols of--”

“Ra,” Teal’c finished Jack’s sentence.

“How can that be?” asked Daniel.

“I ask the questions,” the lead Jaffa said. “Where did you come from? What are three Tau’ri doing with the First Prime of Apophis? Has Apophis become so desperate that he is making alliances with humans now?”

“I do not serve false gods. I fight for the freedom for all Jaffa,” Teal’c answered.

“You betray your god?” This time the Jaffa swung his staff weapon at Teal’c, hitting his temple with enough force to knock him over.

“Hey!” Jack and Daniel protested simultaneously.

As Teal’c began to pick himself back up, the sound of gunfire filled the air. The Jaffa pivoted to confront the hail of bullets assailing the area. Two Jaffa fell quickly. The remaining four fired wildly into the forested area. SG-1 dropped lower to the ground. Sam and Jack, who were closest to the confiscated items, attempted to retrieve them, but the rain of bullets and energy blasts crisscrossing the area made it impossible.

“Let’s get to cover,” Jack said decisively. He and Sam followed Teal’c and Daniel who were already moving into a more heavily wooded area.

Once out of range of the fighting they came to a stop and stared at each other incredulously.

“Okay, what the hell is going on?” Daniel demanded.

“Why would we run into Ra’s soldiers?” Sam asked.

“Perhaps they have been absorbed into another System Lord’s army,” Teal’c said.

“But that doesn’t explain why they’d be on Earth. Or why the stargate isn’t where it’s supposed to be,” Daniel fretted.

“All good questions,” Jack said. “Let’s keep moving. Walk and talk.”

They could hear rustling in the trees ahead and to the right of them. A lean, dark-haired, bearded man carrying an automatic rifle came into view. He beckoned to them. “This way,” he said urgently.

SG-1 hesitated and then fell in step behind the stranger.

After a ten minute hike, they came to a stop at a small boulder on the bank of a creek.

“Thanks,” Daniel said. “I’m Daniel Jackson, by the way. This Colonel O’Neill, Major Carter, and Teal’c. And you are?”

“Fletcher,” he grunted. His attention was focused on their surroundings.

“Is that your first name or your last?” Daniel asked.

“Yes.”

“Uh, okay. We are on Earth though?” Daniel asked.

“Where else would we be?” Fletcher said.

Daniel opened his mouth to reply and then closed it.

“Things are not as we expected,” Teal’c understated.

“Not as we expected either,” Fletcher said wryly.

“How long have the Goa’uld been here?” Sam asked.

“Six years.”

“One year after the SGC was formed,” Daniel commented.

“Two years after our first trip to Abydos,” Jack added. “What’s going on?”

“An alternate reality?” Daniel asked.

They looked at Sam.

“I don’t see how. But we don’t seem to have gated to the same Earth that we left earlier today,” Sam said.

“Sunspots?” Jack said.

“You mean solar flares? The DHD should compensate for something like that.” Sam was shaking her head helplessly as three other men walked up. SG-1 recognized one of the approaching men with surprise.

“Kawalsky!?” Jack, Daniel, and Sam spoke in unison.

Kawalsky stopped abruptly. “Colonel? Dr. Jackson? What?”

“We don’t know,” Jack said.

“One of the Jaffa got away,” Kawalsky said. “We should keep moving. Green, Campbell, see about laying down a false trail or two. We’ll meet back at camp.” He looked at SG-1. “You four, with me and Fletcher.”

Jack nodded. “We’ve obviously got a lot to talk about. This is Major Carter and Teal’c, by the way,” he said gesturing toward the team members.

Kawalsky and Fletcher looked at Teal’c with obvious distrust. “Why is he with you?” Kawalsky asked.

“He’s part of my team,” Jack told him. “We all share a common enemy in the Goa’uld.”

Kawalsky and Fletcher both looked at SG-1 appraisingly. “Let’s head back to camp and see if we can get this sorted out,” Kawalsky said.

Kawalsky splashed across the creek. SG-1 followed, with Fletcher bringing up the rear.

Kawalsky looked at Jack who had moved up beside him. “So I’d be really interested in knowing how four people, including two men who are dead and an alien came through the stargate together,” he said conversationally.

“We seem to be through the looking glass to some sort of other world,” Jack said.

“Like on Star Trek?” Kawalsky asked.

“Indeed,” Teal’c said.

“I’d be interested in knowing how a Goa’uld that we personally killed eight years ago has shown up on Earth,” Jack said.

“I asked first. Besides, you’re on my territory,” Kowalsky said grimly.

“Fair enough,” Jack agreed. “You did save our asses.”

With Daniel chiming in, Jack began describing the original Abydos mission. They walked steadily uphill while they talked. By the time they reached the top of the long incline, Jack was concluding his description of his team’s return to Earth and Daniel’s decision to stay offworld.

The trail narrowed and they stopped talking as they negotiated the uncertain footing single file. Once the path widened again, Kawalsky paused to survey the horizon, then he took a sharp turn to the right and led them downhill. “What happened next?” he asked.

Jack picked up the story with Apophis and his Jaffa’s sudden appearance through the stargate. All of the members of SG-1 took turns relating the story of the reinstatement of the Stargate Program and everything that followed. Kawalsky listened attentively, asking occasional questions. By the end of the story, Kawalsky and Fletcher were both looking at Teal’c with considerably less suspicion than they had displayed earlier.

Shortly after Daniel had brought the story up to date with their most recent emergence from the stargate, they passed into a large clearing near the creek that had meandered across their route throughout the course of their hike. A handful of men, including the ones from the skirmish near the gate, sat lazily together. Kawalsky shook his head at a couple of men who started to move toward them and led SG-1 to an unoccupied spot. With a look and a head tilt, he dismissed Fletcher to join the other inhabitants of the camp.

“Your turn to give the history lesson,” Jack said, accepting the canteen Kawalsky offered.

“I was just trying to decide where to start,” Kawalsky said.

“Well apparently, I’m dead,” Jack prompted. “Was it Ra?”

“No, before then--Colombia. I think it was in ‘93.”

Jack frowned. “That mission was a close call. Someone sold us out and we were ambushed. Three of us made our way over the border to Peru. It took a few weeks, but I got home. More or less in one piece.”

“Well, here, wherever here is, you didn’t. I was at the funeral.”

“Was there a body?”

“Yes.”

“Mine?”

“Or an exact double.”

In spite of the seriousness and confusion of the situation, Jack and Kawalsky found themselves grinning.

“And I’m dead too?” Daniel asked.

“On Abydos.”

“So you did open the stargate?” Jack said.

“Yeah. That part of our histories is similar. Dr. Jackson was the one to figure out how to open the stargate. He was part of our mission to Abydos. Like you, we were tasked to assess the danger and use a nuke if we there was a threat.”

“Who led the mission?” Jack asked.

“Frank Cromwell.”

“Cromwell?” Jack repeated with a grimace.

“From the black hole incident?” Sam asked Jack.

He nodded.

“You sound like you’re not a fan,” Kawalsky said.

“We had a falling out that never really got resolved,” Jack said. “Tell us about Abydos.”

Kawalsky sighed. “It was a disaster. For starters Dr. Jackson didn’t really get on well with anybody. But he and Cromwell despised each other from the start.”

“Jack and I didn’t get along either,” Daniel commented.

“It couldn’t have been as bad as between you--him--and Cromwell,” Kawalsky told him. “They hated each other on sight. Neither would listen to the other. Everything was a battle.”

“Sounds familiar,” Jack said.

“Yeah, but you two evidently found a way to work together. Cromwell and Jackson never did. That set everything off on the wrong foot. And we didn’t really hit it off with the Abydonians. Well, Jackson got on with them. But by then he and Cromwell were so at odds that Cromwell wasn’t interested in any of it. Then we ran into Ra and his army.” Kawalsky sighed again. “Between Ra and the Abydonians, things weren’t very friendly for us there. Several of our men died in one of the skirmishes, including Dr. Jackson.” Kawalsky gave Daniel an apologetic look. “By then Cromwell decided it was time to finish it. Cromwell sent us through the gate and stayed behind to detonate the bomb.”

“You blew up Abydos?” Daniel was outraged. “No wonder I didn’t get along with Cromwell.”

“To be fair, Daniel, Cromwell had orders to obey,” Jack said.

“You’re not defending him?” Daniel objected.

“I’m just saying he had a job to do. I could have done the same thing.”

“You never would have,” Daniel told him.

“I was close.”

“But you looked at other options.”

“Which you found.”

“Well, Cromwell did detonate the bomb,” Kawalsky said.

“He always was a by the book kind of guy,” Jack said. “He never really had the imagination to deviate from orders.”

“That about sums it up,” Kawalsky said.

“Mmm,” Jack agreed. “So Abydos got blown to hell, but Ra didn’t. I’m guessing he came calling?”

“We didn’t think the stargate went anywhere else and we assumed the one at Abydos was destroyed. We never got around to putting the gate into storage, so it was still in Cheyenne Mountain a year and a half later when about fifty Jaffa came through. We lost a lot of men, but we did win that day. It was our first real clue that the gate goes to other places besides Abydos, by the way. Some of the Jaffa tried to dial out and couldn’t get a connection.”

Sam couldn’t resist the topic of gate connections. “We never thought to account for stellar drift when we first set up the dialing computer. Abydos was the only gate we were able to connect to because it was the closest. You must have had the same issue. Ra’s soldiers wouldn’t have been able to dial out if they were trying to go somewhere other than Abydos. The dialing computer wouldn’t have had the necessary information to compensate.”

“Carter.” Jack’s tone was quelling, but not unfriendly.

“Sorry sir,” Sam gave a resigned shrug.

Kawalsky picked up his story. “Well. Whatever the case, we took care of the Jaffa who invaded and then put a titanium cover on the gate to keep out any other intruders. We managed to keep news about the invasion from getting out, and that seemed to be the end of it. Then three of Ra’s ships appeared in orbit. We couldn’t possibly match up with them. D.C., Moscow, Beijing, London, Brussels, everyplace--the planet fell in less than a week. At least half of Earth’s population was wiped out within a couple of months.” He stopped talking. His bleak expression spoke volumes about that time.

“It’s been bad,” Kawalsky resumed speaking after a short silence. “Ra built a pyramid palace and placed the stargate near it. He found a dialing device somewhere and added it. We don’t really know why he chose this spot as his base unless it’s because the stargate was already here. Maybe he thought it was a special location. Or maybe he just likes it. Not that it really matters, I guess. Ra’s in control, regardless. Death. Slavery. Destruction.” He was quiet for another minute. “I know what you must be thinking,” he said defensively.

“What are we thinking?” Jack asked mildly.

“That we should have fought harder.”

“Ra was--is--a most powerful System Lord. If you held out for a week before he gained control, that is a remarkable accomplishment,” Teal’c offered.

Kawalsky nodded his thanks. “It’s not over yet. Somehow or another, Ra is going down,” he said defiantly.

“What’s the plan? Guerrilla warfare?” Jack asked.

“Pretty much. We’ve got a number of resistance cells going,” Kawalsky confirmed. “Obviously mine is one of them. There are small groups operating everywhere. Mine operates in this region which encompasses the stargate and the pyramid. We just happened to be in the area when you came through. We make hit and run attacks, like what you saw earlier today. The Resistance has also managed to place a number of operatives within the pyramid to feed us information and commit little acts of sabotage. We move camps frequently to try to stay ahead of the enemy.”

“How many units are at work?” Teal’c asked.

“I can’t say for sure. Every unit is only in contact with one or two other groups. That way one person can’t compromise the entire organization if they’re captured and tortured for information. It also means that if any collaborators infiltrate a unit they won’t have access to information about the entire Resistance. We’re loosely organized, but there’s no central organizing authority.”

“How long have you been operating?” Jack asked.

“It took a long time to really get it going. It’s only been within the past couple of years that we’ve gotten better organized. New recruits are joining all the time. At the least, we hope to become such nuisances that Ra decides it will be easier to just leave Earth.”

“That’s pretty much why Ra left Earth the first time centuries ago. The humans became too difficult to deal with. You’d think he would have learned by now,” Daniel said.

“Ra has undoubtedly nursed a grudge about the first Earth rebellion since the day he left. He would consider this reoccupation as payback. I do not believe that he will give up easily.”

“Neither will we,” Kawalsky said grimly.

“That’s good,” Jack said. “We can help until we figure out how to get back to where we’re supposed to be.”

“I won’t turn you down,” Kawalsky told him. “I sure wish I knew how you got here. This is all just... weird.”

“For us too,” Daniel agreed.

Kawalsky cocked his head and listened. They could hear what sounded like a motorcycle in the distance. He flashed a quick smile and stood up. “It sounds like our operative was able to get away today. He’ll leave his cycle at a drop point. I’ll walk him back to camp and get his report. Wait here.”

Kawalsky walked away. He paused briefly to speak with the other members of the unit and then left the camp. Kawalsky’s men kept their eyes on SG-1, but left them undisturbed.

“All right, what’s going on here? This is an alternate reality, right?” Jack asked.

“It seems so. One where Ra never died, but Daniel and Colonel O’Neill did. And Teal’c never turned. The thing is, without knowing for sure how we got here, I’m not sure how to get back,” Sam said.

“It must be related to the keyanna, don’t you think?” Daniel asked.

“I do. There was that energy surge while Colonel O’Neill was holding it,” Sam said thoughtfully.

“Kellahn talked about how it provided a way of exploring alternate courses of action. Maybe what he was talking about alternate realities,” Daniel speculated.

“He did mention that it worked in concert with another powerful machine. What if that machine is something like a quantum mirror that finds another reality that matches whatever it is the user wants to explore,” Sam built on Daniel’s line of reasoning.

“Kellahn also said that the keyanna was intuitive. He didn’t mention that they apparently can operate with the user knowing it. I must say, the Malacandrians have some explaining to do.” Daniel asked.

“Where you thinking about Ra while you held the device?” Teal’c asked Jack.

“No,” Jack said sourly. “I guarantee I haven’t thought of that snakehead in years.”

“Were you thinking about Earth being taken over by the Goa’uld?” Daniel suggested.

“No,” Jack said curtly.

The others looked at him curiously. Sam was preparing to pose her own query when Kawalsky returned to the camp.

Walking beside Kawalsky was a coltish youth, all arms and legs. He looked like an adolescent in the midst of a sudden growth spurt. They saw and heard him laugh as he talked. Energy and vitality radiated from him. They both waved at members of the unit and began making their way over to SG-1.

“That’s the insider?” Daniel asked.

“He cannot be more than seventeen years of age,” Teal’c said.

“They must really be desperate for bodies if they’re recruiting kids,” Sam said.

“He probably volunteered,” Daniel said. “Plenty of kids have lied about their age so that they could serve in wars.

Jack simply stared at the boy with intense interest.

“Sir, what were you thinking about when you held the keyanna?” Sam persisted.

“What?” Jack asked. His eyes remained fixed on the approaching duo. He sighed and glanced at Sam before returning his attention to Kawalsky and the boy. “I wasn’t thinking about anything related to the Goa’uld or the SGC,” he said crossly. He got to his feet. “If you must know, this is the month that my son died. I was thinking about...” His voice trailed away.

“Dad?!” The boy came to a stop in front of Jack. The water bottle he had been tossing back and forth in his hands dropped to the ground.

“Charlie,” Jack’s voice was barely above a whisper. His expression of wonder and disbelief mirrored his son’s. His eyes traveled eagerly from Charlie’s longish, sandy brown hair to the scuffed boots on his feet. “Charlie,” he whispered again.

“How is this possible?” Charlie asked, bewildered.

“We’re still not sure,” Sam said.

“Who cares?” Jack said shaking his head. He continued staring at his son. “You’re almost as tall as I am.”

“I’ve missed you.” Charlie suddenly looked and sounded very young.

Closing the distance between them with one stride, Jack enveloped his son in a bear hug. He showed no inclination to let go.

“Dad, people are watching,” Charlie finally said, squirming.

“Tough.” Jack released him with a smile and cuffed his cheek gently.

“C.K. said that there were new arrivals. I never would have guessed this in a million years,” Charlie said.

I wasn’t sure that relationships would be the same in this reality, so I didn’t want to say too much,” Kawalsky said apologetically.

“Uh huh,” Jack said. “C.K.?” He looked quizzical.

“Four people in this unit have some form of the name Charles. Somewhere along the way I became C.K,” Kawalsky explained.

“I get it,” Jack said.

Daniel tactfully cleared his throat. Jack turned as if he had forgotten anyone else was there.

“Oh. This Major Samantha Carter, Dr. Daniel Jackson, and Teal’c.” Jack pointed out each person as he said their name. He looked at his team. “This is my son, Charlie.” His face was alight with pride and pleasure.

Charlie and SG-1 murmured greetings to each other.

“You know what he is?” Charlie asked with a doubtful glance at Teal’c.

“One of the good guys,” Jack assured him. “He’s an enemy of the Goa’uld.”

Charlie accepted Jack’s explanation with an uncertain nod and curious look at Teal’c.

“You said you were going to catch our dinner if you got away in time,” Kawalsky reminded Charlie.

“I will. Want to go fishing?” Charlie asked Jack.

“Sure!” Jack said enthusiastically. He grinned and followed Charlie who had begun walking across the camp for gear.

“My God, it must be genetic,” Daniel murmured.

“It is a change for someone to ask O’Neill to fish,” Teal’c said gravely.

Sam snickered.

Gentle ribbing aside, they could not help being touched by the father and son reunion.

Kawalsky turned to them curiously. “He acted like he hadn’t seen Charlie for a long time. And you don’t appear to have met him. Had they been separated?”

“Charlie died when he was about eight. There was an accident when he got ahold of Jack’s gun,” Daniel explained.

Kawalsky looked stricken. “I had no idea.”

“There’s no reason you should have. It happened right before the first mission to Abydos. Jack pretty much agreed to go because he thought it would be a one-way trip. As it turned out, I think it was on Abydos that he started to heal. He really bonded with one of the Abydonian boys.”

They watched Jack and Charlie walk away from the camp.

“It will be difficult for O’Neill to leave him when we discover how to get home,” Teal’c observed.

“My God. You’re right,” Sam said.

“Can you take Charlie with you?” Kawalsky asked. “It sounds like that would be a better place for him anyway.”

Sam shook her head. “There’s a thing called entropic cascade. When people are in the--for lack of a better word--wrong universe, their bodies eventually break down. Kind of like a body rejecting an organ transplant. It would take longer to happen since the Charlie of our universe is no longer there, but eventually it would happen. Long term, Charlie would not be able to survive there.”

“That’s too bad,” Kawalsky said. “He doesn’t have any parents here. It would be nice to give him his family again.”

“It would be nice to give Jack his son again,” Daniel said.

They all looked soberly in the direction that Charlie and Jack had gone.

“Do you think someone should go with them?” Sam asked.

“They won’t be going far. They should be fine,” Kawalsky said.

“Then perhaps we should let them have their reunion in private,” Teal’c suggested.

“Come meet the other people in the unit,” Kawalsky invited.


* * * * * * * *


“We follow the creek for a few hundred feet. It feeds into a lake,” Charlie explained as he and Jack walked away from the camp.

“Lead the way,” Jack said. “What kind of fish?”

“Trout and perch. Bass too. Some catfish.”

“I got to take you fishing a few times when you were very small. Who took you later if I wasn’t there?” Jack wanted to know.

“A lot of the time it was Mom. Grandpa Mike too.”

“She always told me that she hated fishing.” Jack sounded put out.

“She did. She used to joke about the O’Neill men’s obsession with fishing,” Charlie laughed softly. “But I think she felt closer to you when we went out together. That’s what Grandpa said once, anyway. The truth is, I did too. I know it was something you loved and so did I. I used to imagine that you were there with us.” Charlie gave Jack a bashful smile.

Jack offered his own wistful smile in return.

They reached the lake and and quietly settled at a spot that provided good access for their lines. Each took a reel, baited their hooks, and began casting.

“Do we fish together often in your universe?” Charlie asked.

Jack hesitated. “Not as much as I’d like,” he evaded. “So you’re in the Resistance. Tell me about that,” Jack said changing the subject.

“I’m in the pyramid. I’m one of Ra’s loyal slaves,” Charlie said cheerfully.

“And you can just leave at the end of the day?”

“Not always. But I’ve moved up the ranks and I’m very trusted. If all of my duties are taken care of, I’m allowed to leave for the night sometimes. Or take off for a couple of hours in the middle of the afternoon with few questions asked.”

“And what makes you think that you’re not followed or watched when you leave?”

“I probably am. But I’m very careful and I’m very good. It’s well known that I like to get away and spend time on my own in the woods. I spend a lot of time “searching” for locations of the Resistance. Gosh darn it, somehow I always seem to just miss them.” Charlie grinned irreverently at Jack.

Jack’s smile was more guarded. Charlie’s youthful liveliness and confidence was engaging, but it filled him with worry. He did not like to think of the risks that his son was taking.

“What about your mom? I can’t imagine she’s all that happy about what you’re doing.”

Charlie’s grin faded. “She died last year. A troop of Jaffa went through town killing at random. They like to do that from time to time. It’s one of the ways they keep everyone cowed.”

“Is that when you joined the Resistance?”

“Yeah.” Charlie’s expression hardened. “If it’s the last thing I do, I will see Ra dead.”

Jack’s heart twisted. He hated learning that Sara was among the Goa’uld’s victims. He hated seeing Charlie’s sudden hardness. This reality, what this Earth was going through, SG-1’s place in it, all of it was wrong. And yet, seeing his son sitting beside him, very much alive, he felt a surge of joy.

Charlie smiled back, then yelped in delight at a tug on his line. “Got one!”


* * * * * * * *


The shadows had lengthened substantially when Jack and Charlie walked back into camp with their fish. Jack’s arm was around his son’s shoulder and both were laughing.

The group who had been sitting companionably together in camp burst into laughter at the sight of Jack. He had the uncomfortable feeling that he had been the subject of a few stories. He glared suspiciously at members of SG-1 as he came to a stop at their side. The innocent looks they gave him confirmed his speculation. He tossed three fish on the ground. Charlie followed suit with his four.

“They don’t look like they’ve been cleaned,” Kawalsky observed.

“I only promised to catch the fish,” Charlie said glibly.

“Oh, I thought the rest of SG-1 could take care of it,” Jack said airily.

“What?” Daniel spluttered.

“This way all of us contribute toward supper. It’s all part of being good guests,” Jack said piously.

Kawalsky chuckled and handed over a couple of knives. “Pete, Chuck, why don’t you lend a hand?”

Two men groaned, but stood up good-naturedly and picked up a few fish. Daniel picked up the rest. He, Sam, and Teal’c followed Pete and Chuck to a spot by the creek.

“This is so typical,” Daniel groused. He glared over his shoulder at Jack.

Sam and Teal’c also looked at Jack through narrowed eyes. Jack grinned back at them cheerfully. He ruffled Charlie’s hair affectionately. The other members of the unit watched the exchange with obvious amusement.

“Jack let me introduce you to everyone else,” said Kawalsky. “You met Pete Campbell and Chuck Green earlier today.” He began identifying other members of the unit. “You met Chris Fletcher at the gate too, of course. That’s Matt Reese, Steve Thomas, Charles Ramirez, Evan Colson, Mike Chen.”

“How long have you been together?” Jack asked as he took a seat.

“Fletcher, Ramirez, Campbell and I have been together for close to two years. The others have joined us within the last year. Colson is our newest recruit at six months,” Kawalsky said.

Jack looked at the men around him. They bore unmistakable marks of having lived hard for a long time. They were ragged, though not unclean. They were thin. They all had the appearance of being perpetually tired. There was also an unmistakable sense of camaraderie among them. The free and easy laughter that he had heard from them earlier indicated that they had not allowed their situation to beat them. They were obviously a close-nit group. They also obviously respected Kawalsky as their leader. That they were allowing the four members of SG-1 into their circle on Kawalsky’s say-so spoke volumes.

“How do people come to you?” Jack asked.

“Word of mouth, mostly,” Kawalsky explained. “Most units have contacts in the towns near where they operate. Some units operate within cities. Not everyone is out in nature like we are. You learn what to look for after awhile. You keep your ears open. If a trusted person recommends someone, we try to find a place for them that best uses their skills. It’s usually done as quietly as possible.”

“No classified ads looking for volunteers then?” Jack joked.

“No,” Kawalsky smiled. “In fact, they have to be vouched for by someone we trust before we let them in at all. There are collaborators out there. Most units have learned the hard way that taking anyone who wants to join at face value can end badly.” Kawalsky said bitterly. “That’s how we lost two of our original members. A new recruit turned out to be a collaborator and betrayed us. We managed to avoid complete disaster, but Branch and Clawson bought it. Needless to say, the collaborator didn’t survive either.”

Jack nodded. “And how did you get hooked up with this cell?” he asked Charlie.

“A little after Mom died, I came into contact with C.K. and Mike. Eventually it came out that C.K. knew you. I suggested the idea of trying to get in with Ra and working for the Resistance from the inside. I think they were pretty sure that I was a collaborator at first, but gave me a try. I managed to get in with Ra, and the rest is history.”

“And none of Ra’s people are the wiser?” Jack asked doubtfully.

“Not so far. I provide just enough “information” to make them believe that I’m a valuable agent. It gives me a reason to be out and about and to frequently check in at places that are suspected hangouts for people who sympathize with the Resistance. The fact that I’ve apparently never managed to find any Resistance members to report on hasn’t stopped me from trying. Or them from believing that it’s just a matter of time until I do.” Charlie contrived to sound both innocent and gleeful.

“You’re using my sixteen year old son as a double agent?” Jack asked Kawalsky unhappily.

“Hey, he came to us,” Kawalsky said defensively.

Jack glared.

“Dad!” Charlie protested. “I’m good at this.”

“You’re sixteen.”

“Lots of kids my age and younger are part of the Resistance.”

“I’m not interested in “lots of kids.” I’m concerned about you.”

“Dad, you haven’t been here for all of this. I had to grow up fast. You don’t know what I’m capable of.”

Jack flinched.

“I’m not blaming you,” Charlie said hastily. “I only meant that because of the invasion everyone had to grow up fast. That would be true even if you’d been here.”

“I understand.” Jack smiled wanly. “That doesn’t stop me from worrying. I know how dangerous what you’re doing is.”

“No one is safe these days. What I’m doing isn’t really that much more dangerous than anything else. You worry too much.”

“It is a father’s prerogative to worry,” Teal’c spoke softly.

Every head turned toward Teal’c. They had all been so engrossed in the conversation between Kawalsky, Jack, and Charlie that no one had noticed the approach of Teal’c and the others who had been working on the fish.

“I’m very good at what I do,” Charlie reiterated.

“That does not matter,” Teal’c said. “My own son is not much older than you. He, too, was forced to grow up quickly. For many years, I was unable to be with him. Today, he fights for a free Jaffa nation beside others older than he. He is a skilled warrior. I am proud of him. That does not lessen my concern for him.

“Oh.” Charlie thought over Teal’c’s words. He gave Jack a look that was half apologetic, half defiant. “I can’t stop. This is too important.”

Jack sighed. “I know.” He smiled sadly at Charlie, then shot Teal’c a look of gratitude.

Daniel made a deliberate attempt to change the mood. “We finished cleaning your damn fish,” he told Jack. “Do I have to cook them as well?”

Jack stood up. “Your past efforts with fish have left a lot to be desired. I’ll cook them.”

“That’s a relief,” Sam said.

Daniel grinned. His distraction had worked.

As Jack reached for the fish, Colson intercepted him. “I do the cooking around here.”

Jack raised his hands in surrender. “Okay.” He turned to help Chen prepare a campfire.

Charlie moved beside Jack. “I’m sorry,” he said softly.

“For what?” Jack asked.

”For the argument.”

Jack elbowed him gently. “Don’t worry about it. It goes with the territory.”

“Still...”

“It’s nothing,” Jack said.

“What am I doing where you came from?” Charlie made another attempt at getting information.

“It doesn’t matter,” Jack said vaguely.

“I’d still like to know,” Charlie persisted.

“The only reality that matters is the one we’re in right now,” Jack told him.

“Charlie,” Kawalsky said loudly, “you said something earlier this afternoon about Ra changing the structure of the guard units at the pyramid. Come over here and tell me more about that.”

“Uh, okay,” Charlie looked curiously at Jack, then walked over to Kawalsky. They began a quiet conversation, punctuated with many gestures from Charlie.

Jack exhaled slowly. The other members of SG-1 moved nearer to him. They watched Charlie and Kawalsky confer.

“He’s so much like you,” Sam said.

“You think so?” Jack asked.

Charlie made a gesture with his hands and tilted his head in a way that looked exactly like Jack.

Daniel laughed. “Oh yes.”

“Indeed,” Teal’c agreed.

“I see a lot of his mother in him.” Jack smiled fondly in Charlie’s direction.

Unnoticed by Jack, who continued to watch his son, Daniel, Sam, and Teal’c looked at each other uneasily.

The camp bustled with activity around them. With the fire lit and established, Colson began to prepare pans and the fish for cooking. Rodriguez and Thomas hauled water from the creek. Reese retrieved a supply of apples and nuts from one of the tents. Soon, all was prepared and they were sitting down to eat.

Full darkness had descended when Jack got down to business again with Kawalsky. “What’s your next move?” he asked.

“As a matter of fact, we’re making a run at assassinating Ra. Want in?”

“If we can,” Jack said with feeling. “When?”

“Thought you might feel that way,” Kawalsky smiled. “Tomorrow.”

“What is your strategy?” Teal’c asked.

“We’ve been working up to this for a couple of months. We’re working in conjunction with a couple of other units. There’s some sort of ceremony tomorrow at 4:00 in honor of Ra. We think that the time just prior to the time of the ceremony is our best window to make a move. There will be more Jaffa around, but their attention is also most likely to already be divided. We’ll be the first team in, then fifteen minutes later, team number two, then fifteen minutes after that, team number three. Charlie’s job is to sneak us in. At the same time, other operatives inside the pyramid will be setting explosions to create distractions. From there, it’ll be more explosions, sharp shooting, and skill.”

“It is a risky plan,” Teal’c said.

“It is,” Kawalsky acknowledged. “Luck is going to play a factor in our success or failure. But it’s time to make a bold move.”

“Maybe we can add an additional distraction,” Jack said thoughtfully.

“What are thinking?” Kawalsky asked.

“We could use Teal’c. If we can get hold of a Jaffa uniform, we could infiltrate by having Teal’c bring us into the pyramid as prisoners. I assume that we would be taken directly to Ra?” Jack appealed to Teal’c.

“That is probable,” Teal’c confirmed.

“So if we could be on the way in to Ra at the same time that you’re coming in, and explosions are going off, that should help create additional confusion that we can use to our advantage,” Jack said.

“This might be a good time for you to finally get a lead on some Resistance members,” Fletcher suggested to Charlie.

“What do you mean?” Charlie asked.

“I get it,” Campbell said. “If you tell them you know where some rebels are located, you can lead some Jaffa into an ambush.”

“You could tell them that you’ve found out where the strangers that came through the gate and escaped are hiding. Teal’c could be the lone Jaffa to return with O’Neill, Jackson, and Carter as prisoners, ” Fletcher embroidered.

“That would get us a Jaffa uniform and set it up so that they’re expecting incoming prisoners,” Campbell said.

“That could work,” Kawalsky said.

“I think so too,” Jack agreed. “Think you can sell it?” he asked Charlie.

“Yeah, I don’t see why not. I think I could probably get them there by midday. We’d easily be able to get to the pyramid before 4:00. I don’t think they’d send out more than five or ten Jaffa with me.”

“That would be expected,” Teal’c said.

“The location of our last camp would be a good place to lead them. There’s a lot of cover there and limited escape routes once they get into the clearing. That’ll make it easier for us to pick them off,” Fletcher suggested.

“I worried about that happening to us the when we camped there,” Chen commented.

“I did too,” Kawalsky admitted. “That’s why we moved on so quickly.”

“I know the place. I can make it work,” Charlie said confidently.

They spent the rest of the evening fine tuning their plan. They tried to work out solutions for every conceivable problem that might arise. It was late before they were satisfied with the plan. They all felt that the opportunity before them was a good one.

Charlie yawned and looked at his watch. “I didn’t realize it had gotten so late. I should be getting back.” He got to his feet.

Jack also stood up. “Be safe,” he said.

“I will. I’ll see you tomorrow,” Charlie promised. He saluted him as had when he was a young child.

Jack returned the salute. “See you tomorrow.”

Charlie turned to the group at large. “I’ll aim to arrive at the old camp around noon.”

“We’ll look for you then. Good luck,” Kawalsky said.

“You too,” Charlie turned and walked away.

Jack looked like it was all he could do not to call him back.

“We have a big day tomorrow,” Kawalsky said. “I suggest that we all get plenty of rest tonight.”

Once Kawalsky assigned the watches for the night, members of the unit dispersed. SG-1 was on their own at the dwindling campfire.

“Do you really think this plan can succeed?” Carter asked Jack.

“It’s risky, but we’ve beaten long odds before.”

“Shouldn’t we be concentrating on how to get home?” Daniel asked.

“Of course. But while we’re here, we might as well do what we can to help out,” Jack said.

“But we do need to be thinking about getting back. I doubt that we’re going to find a supply of tretonin anywhere around here for Teal’c,” Daniel reminded him.

“How long can you go?” Sam asked Teal’c.

“I always carry extra with me when we go off world. I kept ahold of it when our things were confiscated. If I am extremely frugal, I may be able to go as long as a month.”

“Can we bring Charlie with us? There wouldn’t be a cascade issue. At least not for awhile.” The hope and longing in Jack’s voice was palpable.

“I don’t think we can, sir,” Sam said reluctantly.

“Why not?”

“I’ve been thinking about this all day. I don’t think a potential cascade issue is the real problem. I’m not sure that we’re in an alternate reality per se,” she said.

“How do you figure that?” Daniel asked.

“I keep thinking of the Malacandrians explanation of the keyanna. They talked about it as a way of exploring other scenarios. I speculated at first that the device that it’s connected to is like a quantum mirror. But the timing of the energy surge doesn’t seem consistent with going into an alternate universe. You usually have to do something active to get there. I think the intuitive portion of the keyanna picks up what’s on the user’s mind. In your case, sir, it was Charlie. Then the machine looks into history and creates a situation that accommodates the thought. Remember that shimmer that passed through the room? Belnara mentioned it as being similar to a virtual reality. I think we might be in some sort of really advanced simulation.”

“Like on PJ7-989?” Daniel asked

“I haven’t noticed any observers in veils yet,” Jack said doubtfully. He involuntarily began scanning their surroundings.

“Well, the point of the simulation is probably not for the amusement of the Malacandrians, like it was with the Gamekeeper on 989,” Sam said.

“This all feels awfully real to me,” Jack said. “Why do you think it’s not?”

“Well, I’m not really sure. It’s a gut feeling mostly. The Malacandrians have technology that’s way beyond us. Maybe even beyond the Asgard. This just doesn’t have an alternate universe feel to me. I suppose it’s possible that the machine somehow changed history and we’re in an altered timeline,” Sam laughed at herself derisively. “But that seems way more far-fetched than being caught in a simulation. Whatever the case, whether it’s a parallel universe, an altered timeline, or an illusion, we can pinpoint the change in personal history that has created this situation.”

“Which was?” Jack asked.

“It was when you died on the mission before the stargate was activated,” Daniel realized. “You were gone, so Charlie didn’t find your gun. He never died. But you also weren’t there to go to Abydos. Cromwell didn’t change the nature of the mission like you did, or come around to me or the Abydonians like you did. It’s not just your history that changed when you died, it’s Earth’s history. And Abydos.

“And my history as well,” Teal’c said.

“Exactly,” Sam said. “One event casts a lot of ripples.”

“The keyanna is like a Djinn,” Daniel said, recalling Teal’c’s reference to Aladdin’s lamp. “It grants your wish, but in the worst possible way. The Malacandrians might have warned us something might happen. And told us how to resolve it.”

“Actually, I think in his way Carroan tried to. He didn’t seem very happy that the keyanna was on display in the first place. Then remember what he said at the gate when Colonel O’Neill made the joke about not hitting it with a hammer?” Sam said.

“Not unless you have to,” Daniel repeated.

“I think he was trying to tell us how to get out of the simulation. The device that Kellahn sent with us must be what holds the illusion in place,” Sam said.

“Then we simply need to find the keyanna and destroy it,” Teal’c said, returning to the main topic.

“Oh, is that all?” Jack said.

“It will probably be in Ra’s treasure chamber. They will not know what it is, but they will not wish to discard it. If our mission is successful tomorrow, we can locate it then,” Teal’c said.

“It’s a huge risk to take for an iffy theory,” Jack objected.

“At the least, I think we need to recover the keyanna. I really believe that Carroan had a specific reason for telling us that it could be destroyed,” Sam said. “It’s a leap, but I don’t think it’s an unreasonable one.”

“What happens to everything here if it succeeds?” Jack asked.

“It would be as if none of it had happened.”

“And everyone here?”

“They would disapp--” Sam stopped abruptly as she realized Jack’s real concern.

“I won’t do it,” Jack said.

“Jack, I’m sorry, but I don’t see any other way. Millions of people have died here--wherever here is. Millions of other lives are at stake. This affects the entire galaxy,” Daniel appealed to Jack’s sense of duty.

“I don’t care! We’re here now. We can make things better here,” Jack insisted.

“Sir, I know how you must feel--” Sam began.

“Don’t say that. You have no idea.” Jack’s voice was dangerously quiet.

No one dared speak for awhile.

“I care about one thing right now. I will not lose him again. The universe can go to hell.” Jack’s voice was thick with emotion.

“Jack, you’re not the only one with family to think about. I’m sure Teal’c would like to see Rya’c again and Sam would like to see Jacob,” Daniel pointed out.

Conflict was evident on Jack’s face. “Can you think of any way to bring Charlie out of this, or leave me here?” Jack asked Sam.

“I don’t--” Sam paused and gathered herself. “I don’t see how,” she said sadly.

“Then we’re not doing it. That’s final. It may make me the most selfish son of a bitch alive, but so be it. ” Jack stood up. “I’m going to join Fletcher on watch.”

Jack stalked away, leaving Daniel, Sam, and Teal’c staring miserably at each other.

“How can we bring him around?” Daniel finally asked.

“I do not believe that we will,” Teal’c said. “He knows what should be done. It will not matter to him.”

“We’re going to have to do this without him, aren’t we?” Sam said.

“I’m not sure he’ll ever forgive us,” Daniel said. “We’ll be the ones who took his son away again.”

“He’ll understand eventually, won’t he?” Sam said.

“Understanding and forgiving are two different things,” Daniel observed.

“Nevertheless, it must be done,” Teal’c said.

“What’s our plan?” Daniel asked.

“I will do it,” Teal’c told them.

“Teal’c,” Sam objected.

“I think we should do it together,” Daniel said.

“I agree,” said Sam.

Teal’c bowed his head in assent. “Very well. If we make it into the pyramid tomorrow, our priority must be finding and destroying the keyanna.”

“We should make a break to get to it as soon as possible. It’s most likely to be in the treasure room?” Sam asked Teal’c.

“Indeed.”

“Will you be able to find the room?” she asked.

“I believe so. The Goa’uld construct their structures in predictable ways. We should be able to find it with little difficulty.”

“What if it’s not there?” Sam asked.

“We must keep looking until we find it,” Teal’c said.

“If succeeding groups are able to invade the pyramid at the same time that we’ve gone in as prisoners, it might create enough confusion for us to operate,” Daniel suggested.

“That would be a great help,” Teal’c agreed.

“Then we have a plan,” Sam said. “While everyone else is going after Ra, we go after the keyanna.”

Teal’c suddenly stared at the edge of the encampment.

“What?” Daniel asked.

“I thought I heard movement in the trees,” said Teal’c. He walked softly to the spot where he had heard motion. He checked the area, then walked back to Sam and Daniel.

“Anything?” Daniel asked.

“Not that I could see.”

“Probably just an animal passing by,” Daniel said.

“Probably,” Teal’c agreed.

“Well, like Kawalsky said, we have a busy day tomorrow,” Sam said. “I’m going to turn in.”

The others followed suit. In the distance a motorcycle engine turned over. The sound gradually faded as the bike moved away.


* * * * * * * *


The camp was quiet and thoughtful the next morning as everyone prepared for the day ahead. Campbell and Rodriguez dug up weapons for SG-1. They all talked through the plans again to make sure that everyone was on the same page. If any of the men noticed the careful politeness between Jack and his team, they tactfully avoided making any comment.

Late in the morning, they geared up and began hiking to the spot of the planned ambush. Upon reaching the site, they gathered together for one final consultation.

The little clearing was bounded by the ever present creek on one side. There was a small cliff face on another side. The entire area was surrounded by heavy forest. The options for concealment and attack were plentiful.

“I can see why you didn’t stay here very long,” Jack commented.

“Yeah, it’s a beautiful spot for a camping trip. But the whole time we were here, we were looking over our shoulders. It was a relief to move,” Kawalsky said.

“So, they should be coming from the east?” Jack pointed that direction.

“Yeah, I expect them to be coming along the creek,” Kawalsky confirmed.

“My team will be here, then,” Jack said pointing at a spot by the remains of a campfire. “Keep your weapons at hand, but out of sight,” he added to SG-1.

Kawalsky pointed out the general areas he wanted his men. “Don’t shoot until they’re all in the camp,” he reminded them as they started to move to their spots. He turned to Jack. “Are you sure you want to be exposed like this as bait? You’re really going to be vulnerable.”

“Yes we will. I’m not wild about it, but it’s what will sell the ruse,” Jack said quietly.

“Okay,” Kawalsky nodded. “Good luck.” He began to move to his chosen spot.

“Good luck,” Jack replied.

SG-1 took their places. They arranged themselves so that they could be alert to the expected path the Jaffa would take.

“We’re taking a gamble that they want us alive and aren’t just going to kill us on sight, but we have to wait with drawing or using our weapons until Kawalsky’s men fire,” Jack said. “Otherwise, these guys are going to know right away that they’re walking into a trap.”

“We know Jack. We were there the other twenty times we went over the plan,” Daniel said with some irritation.

“Well, now you’ve been there for a twenty-first review,” Jack said mildly.

“I believe that it is safe to assume that they want us alive. They will want answers to where we came from and why. An execution will be scheduled, but not before Ra has done his own interrogation,” Teal’c said.

Everyone nodded. Teal’c’s words were also a reiteration of thoughts that had been expressed before. There was nothing new to say about the plan.

Jack looked at his team. He started to speak, then looked away. After a moment’s hesitation he looked back at them. “I’m sorry about last night,” finally said.

They looked at him cautiously. He was uncharacteristically regretful.

“Have you reconsidered your position, O’Neill?” Teal’c asked.

“No. I’m sorry, but no. I can’t do it. I won’t.”

“Not even to save world?” Daniel asked softly.

“I’m responsible for him dying once. I won’t be responsible for it again.” Jack could not meet their eyes. “I know what you must think of me.”

There was both pity and anger in the faces that looked at Jack.

“We think you’re a father who’s missed his son,” Daniel finally said.

All conversation halted. They checked and rechecked their weapons with nervous energy. After nearly an hour, Teal’c looked to the east.

“Hear something?” Jack asked.

“Indeed.”

Everyone stiffened and looked in the same direction as Teal’c. Suddenly Jack exhaled sharply. “This is no good,” he admonished. “Stop looking like we expect an army of Jaffa.”

“But we are expecting an army of Jaffa,” Daniel said logically. He flashed a quick grin.

“Well stop it,” Jack said. He smiled too.

In spite of the imminent danger, the tension had eased.

Now they could all hear a stealthy approach coming nearer to their position.

Charlie came into sight. He gave Jack a bright, insouciant grin. He turned to the Jaffa behind him and spoke with a carrying voice. “The eight of you should be able to take care of them easily enough.”

“Looks like the whole party is here,” Jack said to his team under his breath. “Get ready.”

As they took defensive postures, gunfire sounded. Bullets ricocheted around them. SG-1 hit the deck and drew their own weapons. SG-1 and Charlie scrambled for cover while the opposing Jaffa turned to meet the weapons fire coming from behind and beside them. Once SG-1 joined in the attack, the Jaffa were well and truly surrounded.

The battle was short but fierce. Within ten minutes it was over with eight Jaffa lying motionless on the ground. Kawalsky’s men, SG-1, and Charlie met in the middle of the clearing.

“Everybody okay?” Daniel asked.

“Ow,” Jack replied. He grabbed at his left upper arm. There was a scorch mark along his outer sleeve. “Son of a bitch!” he added feelingly.

“Are you badly injured, O’Neill?” asked Teal’c.

“No,” he said disgustedly. “It’s just a flesh wound. Hurts, but it’s not serious.” He caught sight of Sam. “What about you?”

Sam looked puzzled. Jack pointed at her right cheek. It was oozing blood. She touched her face.

“I didn’t even notice,” she said. “It must have been a ricocheting bullet. A spent one at that. It’s just a little cut.”

Kawalsky looked around at his own men. “Where are Steve and Pete?” he asked.

Colson joined them, limping badly. He pointed to a spot near the creek. “I think one of them was hit,” he said.

“Are you going to be okay?” Kawalsky asked.

“Yeah. I caught my foot when I was diving for cover and twisted my knee,” Colson said sheepishly.

Kawalsky nodded. “Pete? Steve?” he called.

“Over here,” Campbell’s voice came from the trees.

The group trooped across the clearing to the location of Campbell’s voice. Thomas’s limbs were flung about in unnatural positions. His vacant eyes stared upward. Scorch marks marred his midsection. Campbell was kneeling beside him. He reached out to close Thomas’s eyes.

“Damn it!” Kawalsky said. He ran his fingers through his hair in agitation. “I had hoped our set up would prevent casualties.”

“He was shifting position to get a better sightline and shifted into a random shot. It was pure bad luck,” Campbell said sadly.

“He would have been twenty-one tomorrow. This has to end. I’m tired of losing good kids,” Ramirez said angrily.

“We’ll have to mourn later. Right now we have a job to do,” Kawalsky said briskly. “Teal’c, you need to get suited up. Colson, O’Neill, Carter, let Reese take a look at you.”

“I’m fine,” Sam and Jack spoke simultaneously.

“Let him take a look anyway. Matt was a medic before all of this happened,” Kawalsky said sternly.

They acquiesced meekly as Reese came over to them carrying a pack.

“I’ll help you,” Charlie said to Teal’c.

“I do not require assistance--” Teal’c began. Seeing the expression on Charlie’s face, he amended his statement. “But company is always welcome,” he concluded.

They walked the fifteen yards to the fallen Jaffa and began searching for the one who was the closest to Teal’c’s size with the least damaged armor.

“Is there something you wished to say to me?” Teal’c asked.

Charlie checked to make sure that no one was within earshot. “Last night as I was leaving the camp, I dropped the key to my bike. It took me awhile to find it in the dark. By the time I did, I was close enough to hear my dad and all of you talking.”

Teal’c paused briefly in his task to give Charlie his full attention. “How much did hear?”

“I missed a lot because you were all talking softly, but I got the gist.”

Charlie stopped speaking. He was clearly trying to work out how to say what he wanted to say. Teal’c waited patiently.

“This place--how things are now--it’s not supposed to be like this, is it?” Charlie finally asked.

“It is not,” Teal’c answered.

“And you know how to change it back?”

“We believe so.”

“But Dad doesn’t want to?” Charlie’s question took the form of a statement.

“He does not.”

“Why not?”

Teal’c turned back to the Jaffa bodies as he formulated his answer.

“It’s because of me, right?” Charlie asked.

“Teal’c glanced at Charlie. “Yes,” he said.

“Teal’c, where am I in this other timeline or reality or whatever we’re talking about?”

“I think your father does not wish for you to know,” Teal’c said.

“I need to know.”

Teal’c studied Charlie. “I do believe that you have the right.” He looked at the body that was lying near his feet. “This one will do.” He knelt and began to remove the armor from the dead Jaffa.

“Teal’c?” Charlie prompted.

“In the timeline we come from, you died at eight years of age. O’Neill’s weapon discharged when you were handling it without supervision. He has always held himself responsible for the accident. Your father and mother separated sometime after that.”

“Oh.” Charlie thought for a moment. He helped Teal’c remove and gather the body armor. “I wondered why Dad acted like he hadn’t seen me in forever. I kept trying to ask him yesterday afternoon, but he wouldn’t say.”

They were both quiet as they finished retrieving the armor.

“Help me carry this to the trees over there so I can change,” Teal’c told Charlie.

Charlie followed Teal’c, still thinking hard.

“My dad’s pretty important isn’t he?”

“Indeed.”

“He died here, which means that I’m still alive. But it also means that Ra was able to invade Earth.”

“It would appear that O’Neill’s presence made a great difference in how events transpired,” Teal’c agreed. “He is also the reason that I made the final break from the Goa’uld.”

“Why doesn’t he care enough to make it right?” Charlie sounded confused and angry.

“He does care. He would fight until his final breath to rid this world of Ra. But right now, you are the only thing that he can see.”

“I’m not more important than the world. He’s just being stupid.” Charlie looked and sounded remarkably like Jack.

In spite of the gravity of the situation, Teal’c almost smiled at the similarity between father and son. “Perhaps. But to him, you are more important than anything else. If there was one day that he could undo, it would be the day that you died. In this timeline, that day never happened,” Teal’c said. He began laying out the armor that they had retrieved and prepared to don it.

“You plan to do something about it,” Charlie said.

“We do.”

“What does it involve?”

“There is an object that O’Neill carried. It is called a keyanna and was given to us by an alien race. It was confiscated by the Jaffa that met us when we came through the stargate. We believe that smashing it will end this situation and restore the proper one.”

“And all of this will go away,” Charlie commented.

“So we believe.”

“Or maybe our world will continue, but Dad and the rest of you will disappear from it and return to your own world.”

“Perhaps,” Teal’c aid.

“What does this kaytana look like?”

“Keyanna,” Teal’c corrected. He slipped the Jaffa body armor over his head. “It is blue. It looks like a large gemstone. It is between two and three inches in length. One of the aliens indicated that it could be destroyed by smashing it with a tool.”

“I’ve seen in!” Charlie exclaimed softly. “No one knew what it was or what it did, so they just put it aside in the treasure room.”

“As I anticipated. Where is this room?”

“From the font door, you go to the back of the pyramid. If you go down the stairs near the back wall, you come out in the treasure room. They keyanna is on a shelf that runs along the same wall as the stairway.”

Is the room usually guarded?”

“No. You’re going to try this afternoon aren’t you? While everyone else is going after Ra?”

“We are,” Teal’c affirmed.

“Dad’s going to be pretty mad at you isn’t he?”

“Indeed.” Teal’c looked closely at Charlie who stared resolutely back at Teal’c. Teal’c was again struck by how much his manner resembled Jack’s. “Are you angry that we are planning this?” Teal’c asked him.

“No,” Charlie said quietly. “The way I see it, I’ve had at least eight years that I wasn’t supposed to have. Since Ra invaded Earth, it’s been hell here. Wherever you came from has to be better than this. If you can end it, you should. It’s the right thing to do.” His voice wavered as he finished speaking.

Teal’c looked at Charlie with undisguised admiration. He clasped Charlie’s shoulder. “I cannot say with any certainty what will happen. This I know: for as long as your father has memory, and for as long as I have memory, you will not really be gone.”

“Thank you,” Charlie whispered.

“Shall we rejoin the others?” Teal’c asked.

Charlie straightened his shoulders. “Yes.”

They walked out of the trees and back into the clearing. Everyone looked at them curiously.

“What’s with the confab?” Jack asked. His left arm had a freshly applied bandage. He was putting on his shirt with a now-tattered left sleeve.

“Charlie was offering additional information about the habits of Ra’s guards,” Teal’c said.

“Such as?”

“Oh, things like there are always a minimum of two guards around Ra at all times. And the name of the guy whose armor Teal’c is wearing was Rik’tin,” Charlie said smoothly.

“Ready to do this?” Jack asked Teal’c.

“Indeed.”

“Let’s move out then,” Kawalsky said. “Colson, I think you’re going to have to sit this one out.”

Colson nodded his understanding. “I’ll only slow you down.” He looked at Thomas’s body which they had brought to the edge of the woods.” I’d hate to leave Steve alone, anyway.”

“We’ll do a proper memorial when this is over,” Kawalsky promised.

After more glances at Thomas’s body, they deliberately focused their attention on the mission at hand.

“Let’s go,” Kawalsky said.

Campbell nodded and began walking. Charlie followed, with Jack on his heels. One by one they all stepped onto the path.

“Good luck,” Colson called softly.

From the end of the line, Fletcher turned to look at Colson. “We’ll see you soon. I would think that someone should be back here to catch you up well before nightfall. If any of us make it out, that is.”

Colson nodded. Fletcher turned to catch up with the group.

Once the path widened, they allowed themselves to spread out a bit. Jack lengthened his stride to pull even with Charlie.

“You have any trouble selling the story?” Jack asked.

“Not really. When I told them that I knew where the fugitives were, it was like I said the magic words. All they cared about was getting hold of you.”

“How long a hike do we have?” Jack asked.

“About forty-five minutes. Probably closer to an hour since we have to be a little more stealthy,” Charlie said.

They subsided and walked beside each other in comfortable silence. Very little conversation took place among the group as they hiked for the next hour. They moved carefully, remaining vigilant for enemy patrols or other threats. After skirting the lake and cresting a short incline, they stopped at the edge of the forest. They could now see a pyramid dominating the landscape. It looked just like pyramids that SG-1 had seen on Cimmeria, Juna, and dozens of Goa’uld occupied planets.

“Do those things come prefab?” Jack asked.

“The design rarely varies from Goa’uld to Goa’uld or planet to planet,” Teal’c agreed.

“It’s showtime,” Kawalsky said. “Everybody ready?”

There were nods all around.

“I’ll run ahead to lay the groundwork,” Charlie said. “I’ll let them know that only one of the guards survived and that he’s coming in with three prisoners. Give me ten minutes or so and then follow.” He turned to Kawalsky. “If you circle around to the back,” he pointed out a direction that allowed for cover, “I’ll get you in the back way.”

Kawalsky nodded. He checked his watch. It was 3:30. “Whenever you’re ready,” he said. “Good luck. See you on the inside,” he added.

“And to you. See you in a few,” Jack said.

Kawalsky nodded and led his men in the direction Charlie had pointed.

Charlie started toward the pyramid, then stopped. He turned back and impulsively gave Jack a quick hug. “It’s good to see you. I love you Dad,” he said softly.

“I love you too.” Jack looked suspiciously at Charlie. “What are you up to?”

“You know the plan,” Charlie said.

“Charlie,” Jack admonished.

“Got to go. There’s a schedule to keep.” Charlie turned and began moving toward the pyramid.

“Jonathan Charles O’Neill. Get back here right now!” Apprehension underlay the authority in Jack’s voice.

Charlie turned around but made no attempt to move back toward Jack. The two of them locked eyes. Time seemed to stand still for a moment.

“I’ve got a job to do.” Charlie gave Jack a salute and an impudent grin. “You should call Mom,” he said.

“What?”

Charlie began sprinting to the pyramid.

SG-1 was left on their own at the edge of the woods. They waited restlessly, checking their watches frequently.

“Seriously, what’s Charlie planning?”

Sam and Daniel looked at Jack blankly.

“I know of no intent to deviate from our plan,” Teal’c said, activating his helmet.

“You didn’t put together some sort of Plan B while you the two of you were chatting earlier?” Jack remained unconvinced.

“We did not.”

“He’s up to something,” Jack said uneasily. He looked at his watch again. “It’s time to move.”

“Shouldn’t we be shackled or restrained or something?” Daniel asked.

“Indeed.” Teal’c pulled a long thin chain from within his uniform. He wrapped it loosely around each of their hands, connecting Daniel, Sam, and Jack to each other. “Hold on to the chain. Once we are inside, you may drop it and operate freely.”

“Okay, then. Let’s go,” Jack said.

They began the trek across the clearing, following the same route Charlie had taken a few minutes earlier. Their demeanor was grim. The realization had set in in for all of them that their plot would require a great deal of luck in order to succeed.

“We’re going to have to act quickly once we’re in the presence of Ra,” Jack said.

“I will begin firing as soon as we enter the room,” Teal’c said.

“The second he does, drop the chain and follow suit,” Jack instructed Daniel and Sam. “We’ve got to take as much advantage of the surprise as we can.”

“And count on Kawalsky’s group coming in at the same time,” Sam said.

“That would help,” Jack said.

They were about twenty yards from the pyramid. Two Jaffa stood at attention on either side of the entrance. SG-1’s steps slowed involuntarily. Noticing that, Teal’c prodded the other three with his staff weapon.

“Move!” he said sternly.

“All right, all right!” Jack said irritably.

One of the Jaffa began moving toward SG-1.

“This might be a problem,” Jack said. He moved his hands closer to his own weapon.

“He is likely coming forward to provide an escort,” Teal’c said.

At that instant, they heard an explosion and the sound of gunfire. Both Jaffa shifted their attention to the pyramid. The commotion within the pyramid and the distraction of the guards prompted Teal’c to action. Hefting his staff weapon he shot both Jaffa without hesitation.

“Dammit! They’re early. We’ve got to move,” Jack said. He threw aside the chain that they were using as a fake binding and drew his own weapon.

All four members of SG-1 ran for the pyramid. They crossed the threshold into a chaotic scene. They could hear the sound of weapons’ fire coming from the back. Another explosion could be heard in a distant part of the pyramid. The Jaffa in sight were either running for the hallway to the rear of the pyramid or facing that direction. SG-1 began firing, working their way through the room from one place of cover to another. Confused Jaffa turned to face this new, unexpected threat.

The intensity of battle increased. They could hear more explosions. They caught a glimpse of men running across a hallway in the distance and firing. A few Jaffa had come to the front part of the pyramid to lend support to the embattled guards. Gunfire and staff blasts echoed through the chamber. SG-1 had held their own, but they were unable to advance. Sam called out a warning and turned her weapon on a Jaffa who had Daniel in his sights. As both of them prepared to fire their weapons, the air shimmered around SG-1.


* * * * * * * *


“What?” Daniel blinked confusedly.

Teal’c retracted his helmet. “We appear to be in the Malacandrian meeting room.”

“How did we get back, though? None of us found, much less destroyed the keyanna,” Sam said.

“Or went through the stargate. Obviously,” Daniel added.

“Charlie.” Jack’s voice was strained.

“I believe so,” Teal’c said. “He overheard our conversation last night.”

“I must congratulate you,” Kellahn said, leading Belnara and Carroan into the room. “No one else has figured out the solution to the keyanna before. Even the ones who are given hints.”

Carroan flushed slightly at Kellahn’s pointed glance, but he offered SG-1 a weak smile. “I am pleased to see your safe return.”

SG-1 looked anything but pleased.

“Was it real?” Sam asked. She touched her cheek, tracing the cut she had received earlier in the day from a stray bullet.

“Oh yes, it was genuine,” Kellahn said.

“Not a simulation then,” Daniel said.

“Oh no. It was very real,” Belnara explained. “The keyanna jewel forms an empathic connection with the person holding it. Then the device that the jewel is connected to finds and alters an event in the user’s personal history that will create the new course. The jewel is what holds the new timeline in place. Destroying the keyanna restores the original timeline.”

“I was joking when I suggested that. I can’t believe that’s true,” Sam said.

“That is the way it operates,” Kellahn said.

“If the keyanna had not been destroyed, would the newly created timeline have permanently replaced the original one?” Sam asked.

“A new timeline will continue as long as nothing is done to interrupt it,” Belnara said.

“Of course, it helps to actually know that going in,” Daniel said testily.

“What would be the fun of that?” Kellahn asked with infuriating calm.

“Fun for whom?” Daniel demanded.

“Fun for us.” Kellahn said. He spoke as if he stated the obvious.

“How many altered timelines are running because unsuspecting people have been pulled into a keyanna’s scenario? Are we living in the midst of someone else’s changed history right now?” Sam asked.

“A handful of outsiders have used a keyanna. After a period of time goes by without the user ending the scenario, we do it from here. You may be assured that while any of the altered timelines could become permanent, it is our policy to assure that they do not,” Belnara said.

“And if any of us had died in that altered timeline, would we still be dead when the original timeline was reset?” Daniel wanted to know.

“Resetting the timeline undoes the change that created the alternate in the first place. It does not undo anything that might happen to individuals who were in it. It is regrettable, but there have been occasional deaths,” Kellahn’s casual indifference was shocking.

“We frequently employ keyannas for our own use and enjoyment. Outsiders often appreciate the experience too. You appear to have had quite an adventure. We are eager to hear about it,” Belnara added.

Jack made a strangled sound in response to the invitation. Daniel took one look at his face and stepped between Jack and the Malacandrians. Teal’c stepped closer and laid a hand on Jack’s shoulder. It was a gesture of both support and restraint.

“We’re due at home,” Sam said coldly.

“As you wish,” Kellahn said. “We would, of course, welcome your return at any time. Your ability to solve the timeline issue on your own is most impressive.”

“Oh, well, thank you very much,” Daniel’s voice dripped with sarcasm.

Kellahn chose to accept his words at face value. “You are most welcome. Carroan, will you escort our guests to the gate?”

“Certainly,” Carroan said. “I’ll take you now if you wish.”

SG-1 followed Carroan out of the room without comment. Teal’c, Daniel, and Sam took covert, concerned glances at Jack as they walked across the courtyard one more time. No one knew what to say to him.

“Will this trip through the stargate take us to our proper destination and time?” Teal’c demanded.

“Yes. I promise,” Carroan said.

“For what that’s worth,” Sam said crossly.

“I understand your mistrust,” Carroan said regretfully. “I assure you that you will be returning to your expected time and place.”

Despite her anger, Sam could not resist the puzzle presented by the situation. “I’m not sure that I understand. At first I thought we would be returned to the moment when the keyanna first engaged, but it seems that time has passed here since we left. Has it?”

“About a day,” Carroan told her.

“The same amount of time as for us,” Sam said.

“Yes.”

“If we’re a day overdue, has the SGC been making enquiries or sent people after us?” Sam asked.

“Time does not always move in a straightforward manner here relative to outside worlds. We can make adjustments. In this case, you will find that while a day has passed for you and for us, when you return to Earth, you will not be overdue. All will be as it should,” Carroan explained.

They arrived at the stargate. Daniel turned to the others in alarm. “I just realized--we don’t have a GDO. It was confiscated along with everything else.”

Sam pulled a device from her pocket. “I have it. Kawalsky’s men opened fire before Ra’s Jaffa picked up all of our things. The GDO was still in front of me so I snatched it when the bullets started flying.”

“Way to go Sam,” Daniel said.

“Thanks. Let’s go.” she said.

“Well, until we meet again,” Carroan said softly.

“Yeah, don’t hold your breath,” Jack said flatly.

“I don’t always agree with the things we do, but as one of the youngest ones here, I don’t have the standing to override tradition. I don’t know what happened where you were. I am truly sorry for any pain you may have experienced. But in the end, no real damage has been done has it?”

“I don’t think we know what the damage is yet,” Daniel cast another quick, concerned look at Jack’s closed face. He pressed the glyphs on the DHD with more force than necessary.

The gate engaged. Sam submitted the iris code. SG-1 took a last look around the room and then stepped into the puddle. This time, they exited onto the familiar ramp inside the SGC.

“Right on schedule. Welcome home, SG-1.” General Hammond was in the gate room to greet them.

“It’s good to be home,” Daniel said.

“We had some concerns. Shortly after you left we received a message from Thor. He advised caution with regard to the Malacandrians.” Hammond stopped speaking as he observed Teal’c’s body armor, the cut on Sam’s face, and the distraught state of the entire team. “I take it that the warning was warranted?”

“You could say that,” Daniel said. “Did Thor say any more about them?”

“He said that they basically keep to themselves and they don’t get involved in outside events, but that they do enjoy manipulating situations. He referred to them as sprites.” There was a question in his voice as Hammond finished speaking.

Daniel thought for a moment. “They do strike me as an entire race of Pucks.”

“How does hockey pertain to this?” Teal’c wanted to know.

“Uh, it doesn’t. Puck is a character in play by Shakespeare. He’s a fairy and a trickster. He gets enjoyment out of playing tricks on people and manipulating their situation for his own amusement,” Daniel explained.

“Lord what fools these mortals be,” Hammond said.

Daniel gave Hammond a surprised smile. Teal’c frowned.

“It’s a line from that play,” Daniel clarified.

“My daughter played Titania in her high school play,” Hammond smiled. “She was very good.” Hammond said. He noted again Jack’s pale, forlorn face. “Colonel, are you all right?” he asked with concern.

“Not really.” Jack gave them all an unhappy look, then walked dejectedly from the room.

The rest of SG-1 watched his departure with worried eyes.

“I was thinking of when Malakai put us in that time loop a few years ago,” Daniel said. “I remember when Jack argued with him he said ‘I could never live that over again.’ I knew what he meant, but I’m not sure that I ever really understood it until now.”

“What in God’s name happened?” Hammond asked.

“It’s a long story,” Sam said.

“I’d better hear it. Let’s go upstairs.”

“Should Jack be alone?” Daniel asked.

“I will check on him,” Teal’c said.

They reached the door of the gate room. Hammond, Sam, and Daniel turned in the direction of the briefing room. Teal’c turned down a different hallway.


* * * * * * * *


In Hammond’s office, Daniel and Sam gave a quick rundown of everything that had happened. He listened quietly, interjecting questions from time to time. By the end of the recital, his indignant anger matched SG-1’s.

“Emotional reactions aside, do you think there’s potential for a real alliance with the Malacandrians?” Hammond asked.

“Their technology is enviable. Way beyond ours. At the very least it’s equal to the Asgard. Maybe even be beyond. But...” Sam said.

“How can we trust them?” Daniel finished Sam’s thought. “They used us for their own fun. And they didn’t have the smallest concern about what it might do to us. I don’t think there’s any assurance that they wouldn’t continue to do that. I’m not sure what we could do to stop it.”

“It sounds like you’re telling me that with friends like them, we wouldn’t need enemies,” Hammond said.

“Pretty much,” Daniel said.

“Everything you say supports Thor’s advice. Ultimately, it may not be our decision to make, but pursuing an alliance with the Malacandrians sounds like a dicey proposition.” Hammond sighed. “All right. SG-1’s leave time begins now. We’ll see you in a few days.”

“Thank you sir,” Sam said.



* * * * * * * *


Teal’c stood in the locker room doorway. Jack was sitting on the bench in front of his open locker. His forearms rested on his knees. He stared blankly into his locker.

“I don’t want company,” Jack said without moving.

“I know.” Teal’c removed the torso section of his armor and tossed it aside with distaste. He walked softly across the room. He gripped Jack’s shoulder briefly, then sat down next to him.

Jack gave a small, resigned shrug. Teal’c’s undemanding presence was not unpleasant.

The two men sat quietly for several moments.

“You can be very proud of Charlie,” Teal’c said.

“I was always proud of my son,” Jack said fiercely. He reached for his locker door and slammed it shut with such force that it bounced open again, hitting the adjacent locker. It swung gently for a few seconds before coming to rest.

Teal’c neither recoiled nor spoke. He waited calmly.

“You never get over losing a child, but you get used to it,” Jack said dully. He continued to stare ahead into his locker. “Someone quoted that to me once. It took me a long time, but I had gotten used to it. To see and talk to him, only to lose him again. It’s--” He stopped, his voice breaking. He looked away.

“I am very sorry O’Neill.”

“I know.” Jack looked briefly at Teal’c, then away again. “You were planning to destroy the keyanna weren’t you?”

“I was.”

“How did Charlie know about it?” Jack sounded tired.

“He overheard part of our conversation of last night. He had questions. I believed that he deserved to know the truth.”

Jack nodded. “Did you ask him to do it?”

“He did not disagree with the plan, but I neither expected nor asked him to participate.” Teal’c paused thoughtfully. “In retrospect, his action is not a surprise.”

“Why? Why would he do this?”

“He is his father’s son,” Teal’c said simply.

Jack faced Teal’c. He started to speak, then stopped.

“Many times I have seen you follow the most difficult course because it had to be done,” Teal’c said.

“Not this time,” Jack sighed. “If I had it to do again, I’m not sure I could make a different choice. I know I was wrong, though. For what it’s worth, I am sorry.”

“In your place, I would have felt the same,” Teal’c said. “Charlie made the choice for all of us. It is a tremendous gift that your son gave you--and us. He showed great courage.”

“Yes, he did. Well,” Jack said rising to his feet and moving toward the door, “I’m going to check in with Hammond and then head for home.”

“Do you require company during your leave time?” Teal’c asked.

Jack faced Teal’c. They exchanged a long look filled with understanding.

“That won’t be necessary.” Jack paused. “I’m not okay, but I will be. Thank you Teal’c.” He started to turn away.

“O’Neill.”

Jack halted again.

“It was a privilege to meet your son,” Teal’c said.

Jack turned back to Teal’c. His face held immense sadness, but a hint of his usual spark was also there. “For me too,” he said quietly. “I’ll see you on Tuesday.”


* * * * * * * *


Jack knocked on General Hammond’s door.

“Come in,” Hammond said. “Have a seat Colonel.”

“Thank you sir.”

“Major Carter and Dr. Jackson brought me up to speed on everything that happened. I won’t bother asking if you’re all right.”

“Yes sir.”

“They are not inclined to favor establishing further relations with the Malacandrians. I assume that you feel the same?”

“You could say that,” Jack said wearily.

“Based on everything that has happened, I will not recommend entering formal negotiations.”

“Good.”

“As I say, though, others may decide that the potential rewards outweigh the risks.”

“I realize that I may be taking all of this a bit more personally than most, but that would be a monumentally stupid decision,” Jack said bitterly.

“I agree. Others may take more convincing,” Hammond said in a level voice.

“Sir,” Jack fidgeted uncomfortably. “It’ll all be in my report, but I think you should know that my decisions were not entirely proper.”

“I gathered as much from what Major Carter and Dr. Jackson said and left unsaid.”

“If I’d had my way, that timeline would not have ended.”

“As I understand it, the timeline would have ended eventually regardless of your actions or inactions,” Hammond said.

“I didn’t know that then,” Jack said doggedly. “I can’t say that I wouldn’t do the same again.”

Hammond sighed. He spoke bluntly. “You let personal feelings get in the way of your judgment, though anyone would understand why. I won’t say it’s “all right,” but I see no reason to dwell on it or for recriminations. No one could foresee a situation like this one.”

“Thank you sir,” Jack said quietly.

“Your scheduled leave begins now,” Hammond told him. “Dismissed.”

“Thank you sir.” Jack rose to his feet.

“Jack.”

Jack stopped.

Hammond had dropped his official manner. He looked at Jack with compassion. “If there’s anything you need from me, all you have to do is ask.”

Jack nodded. “I know.”

“Have a good long weekend.”

“Thank you sir. I’ll see you Tuesday.”


* * * * * * * *


Nighttime found Jack on his roof, studying the night sky as he often did. He was not sure whether knowing that everything that had happened was real made things better or worse. He was exhausted and emotionally drained, but as he watched the stars he could feel his mind begin to clear. He had survived worse. He knew that he would survive this too.


* * * * * * * *