Life is a Circle
By: spacegypsy1
CATEGORY: Romance
WARNINGS: Some shippiness at the end
AUTHOR’S NOTES: Thanks to my beta’s – you the best!
AUTHOR’S WEBSITE:
http://www.fanfiction.net/~spacegypsy1
CHAPTER 1: Present Future Sometime around 2140 – off world
The colonel, looking across to the control booth from the gate, had little resemblance to Jack O’Neill, except for his stunning brown eyes. She envied him. His first mission to Earth. The archeologist and linguist could hardly contain his excitement and that made her smile. Even though he was nearly her true age, to her one hundred and sixty odd years he was an infant.
She noted General Rachel Mason’s glare towards the
archeologist and forced her gaze away to prevent an outright burst of laughter.
Oh, those two reminded her of…
Sighing, she dismissed the thought, nodding to the others who rounded out the current SG-1, Dr. Peter Verbekke, their civilian scientist and Lt. Colonel Mattie Hayes.
“SG-1, you have a go,” wearily she sat back as the team filed two by two through the gate, towards Earth, home.
The days she despised still being alive may outweigh those she didn’t, but they didn’t overshadow days like this. Hope was running high amongst the Tau’ri of Earth today.
Samantha Carter O’Neill, former host to Jolinar and now host to Anise, former member of the original SG-1, and now commander of the allied Stargate Command, residing in some far fetched galaxy, had not stepped foot on Earth in over a hundred years. And most of the Tau’ri on this base, with the exception of a handful who blended with the Tok’ra, had never seen their home planet.
“Sam?”
“Vala.” Of course her friend, both in Tau’ri and Tok’ra counterparts, and member of her command team had been one of the first to blend, but then again Vala herself wasn’t from earth. However, her blending with Deetesh of the Tok’ra high council created the leverage the SGC needed to obtain new information and technology. It had been a good decision.
At the time, more dead than alive, Sam felt she herself had no other choice. Besides, of all people, Jack had encouraged her to blend.
Vala, looking towards the gate a moment, commented, “Their off I see,” turning she held out a cup of hot liquid to her CO, “Worried about young O’Neill?”
Sam smiled tiredly, “I’m worried about all of them.” She took the steaming mug, “Thanks.”
“Well he is your great, great, great… I lost count…grandson,” Vala, still youthful and sassy as ever, cocked her head and waited for a reply. After getting none, Vala asked. “And SG-4?”
Sam only shook her head sadly.
“Well, they’re only twelve hours late.” Vala commented a little too casually.
The CO read some computer output on the screen in front of her, sipping her tea.
Vala wandered to the window and stared forlornly at the Stargate, “I could….”
Sam stood and moved to the computer console placed deep in the far back wall, “Not a chance. Teal’c will go if it comes to that.”
Teal’c, her 2IC. The former
With a controlled shake of her head Sam forced the memories out. It wasn’t often she thought back, she’d learned it made her crazy. A hundred years was long enough. And now it made her crazy to think of the harsh life, limited supplies and resources and the people she was responsible for. Yes, she was definitely going crazy.
Anise cut into her reverie, “You are not crazy Samantha, and it is only this new hope for earth that has you dredging up these old memories. And you lie to yourself. You do not hate being alive most days. Nor do I.”
Sam answered, smiling both inwardly and outwardly, “After all these years it still shocks me
when you read me so well. As often as I am reminded that we share everything I
still, no matter what you say, have days it makes me a bit crazy.”
As Sam left her work at the console and returned to her computer to compare information, Teal’c entered the control room. Greeting Sam with a simple bow of his head he made his way to stand behind Vala.
“He will be back.” The
“Of course he will,” Vala whorled away from the window, her emotions masked behind a slim smile.
“Indeed, ValaMalDoran,” he nodded.
“You know, you could have saved an immeasurable amount of time over the last, say, oh, hundred and whatever years if you just used Vala, instead of Vala Mal Doran, or Sam instead of Col. Carter - Samantha Carter - Samantha O’Neill, Commander O’Neill, etc, etc.” Vala’s worried eyes met Sam’s for an instant and then she was out of the room.
CHAPTER 2: Present Future – meanwhile back on Earth
“Jackson, you mangy son of a bitch, move!” Cam Mitchell nearly hit the mongrel dog with debris as he pulled metal pieces, gadgets and wires from the interior of the Ancient puddle jumper and tossed them over his shoulder.
The once impenetrable compound surrounding them looked like a disaster movie set, except it was too eerily real. Most of the buildings were flattened, and the underground portion, obviously blown to bits, left large caverns in the earth, gratefully leaving the ancient vehicle visible in one of them. Some structure that had obviously housed the Stargate lay in ruin around the portal and there wasn’t a hint of a DHD. Mitchell still hadn’t figured out how the Stargate got here, and to be honest, he didn’t know how he got here. However, for some reason he thought it might have been his own Doc Jackson that blew the place to hell and back.
He was hot, hungry and pretty damn sure he was dead. This heaven, hell, purgatory was about to get on his last nerve.
Continuing to move debris from his path into the ship,
Mitchell mumbled on and on to his companion. “Ya know,
The dog cocked his head to the left and eyed his new friend with a question mark look.
“What the hell are you lookin’ at?” Mitchell asked the mutt now sitting patiently at this side. Yanking with all his hunger depraved strength Mitchell managed to free a jagged piece of junk. With a little more sweating and grunting, the largest section of debris finally came loose.
“Ah, yes, there it is.” He turned to
“I’m starvin’ to death, you don’t look so hot yourself and I
doubt there’s another livin’ soul on this planet. We are getting the hell….”
Mitchell swung around at the familiar sound. “That’s the Stargate opening,”
Snatching the Zat he’d pulled earlier from the rubble,
Mitchell chased after the mutt. “
Mitchell ducked behind debris when he came close to the gate, the event horizon in place, implicating that any minute someone or something was coming through. More than likely that would not be a good thing.
“Damned stupid dog.” Someone was coming through. No, some two and now four. In desert camouflage BDUs with P-90s. Now that’s odd.
The team stopped at the foot of the gate and stared at the dog.
“O’Neill, you sure you can get us back?” The red head with the General’s stars asked.
The colonel nodded. “Absolutely, Sir.” And he patted the laptop case he carried.
“O’Neill? Mitchell thought, then looked at his broken watch
as if it could tell him what the hell was going on. Looking up he eyed the dog.
All four P-90’s aimed in unison.
The group stood over him, guns aimed, “
“Drop the Zat and put your hands on your head,” the Lt. Col. insisted, shoving her weapon in his face.
“Mitchell,” he monotoned, letting the Zat slip from his fingers and placing his hands on his head, “Cameron, Lt. Col. United States Air Force…”
“What?” both the General and the Doctor said in unison.
“Who?” the Lt. Colonel followed.
It was then Mitchell noted the SG-l patch on the general and repeated, “Lt. Col. Cam Mitchell, SG-1 … Sir!”
CHAPTER 3: Present Past – Ancient
“What cha’ doin’?” Jack stood over Daniel watching as he scratched glyphs on stone.
“Leaving some notes, incase.”
“Incase what? We’re just going exploring for cryin’ out loud.”
“We have no idea what’s going to happen. I’m just leaving some final notes buried just incase we don’t make it back.”
“We’re going camel riding, exploring with Katep and friends, we’re looking for…”
“Looking for what? What are we looking for Jack?”
“Trees Daniel, and lots of shade. Maybe some lakes too.”
Daniel paused and looked at his friend. Not the Jack O’Neill he had come to know so well, but the ‘other’ one that had come to rescue him. He didn’t bother to elaborate his concerns about their own chance of survival, or the fact that neither of them really knew why they were leaving. And he didn’t want to upset Jack so soon after their latest tragedy. Daniel knew that this Jack and the other Sam had become close, and losing both Carter and Teal’c in a village raid had been tough on his new friend. And himself. Losing them twice had been almost more than he could handle.
* *
“How do you know it’s the
Daniel’s head dropped in frustration and he sighed loudly, “Because, both Katep and Senbi said it is.”
Jack studied the river. “Doesn’t look like the
“You’ve seen the
“Yep.”
“When? Perhaps about five thousand years from now? Maybe it changed”
“Maybe,” Jack adjusted his sunglasses and peered skyward. “North.” He pointed up river.
The scenery never changed across the harsh landscape as they
followed the
“Ya know, I kind of like riding camel’s now, especially ole Homer here.” Jack rubbed the camel’s neck.
“Hum.” Daniel muttered before riding ahead and catching up with Katep.
“Hum, yourself.” Jack leaned back and let the sway of the camel lull him into a cat nap.
The silence, broken only by the occasional braying of camel’s, lasted for hours as their convoy, consisting of five men - Jack, Daniel, Katep, Neshi and Senbi, and their camels - continued their trek in the direction of the sea.
“Who woulda thought I’d ever be doing this?” Jack asked Daniel later as he caught up with the rest of the explorers.
“Who knew.”
Jack looked at Daniel in question. “What bug got up your ass?”
“What?”
“You haven’t been talking much. I keep feeling like I’m having a one way conversation.”
“I’m just thinking, that’s all.”
“Yeah, right, you’ve been just thinking since…”
Neshi raced back from point and rattled off something in Egyptian that Jack couldn’t quite understand. “What’d he say?”
“He says there’s something up ahead, some encampment.”
“Well, it’s about time,” Jack moved ahead, riding up beside Katep, “You’re with me, let’s check it out.” Riding off with Katep, Jack rattled off instructions for the other three.
“Who put you in charge?” Daniel yelled out, not too happy with Jack’s constant take charge attitude.
“I did.” Came the distant reply.
The other three settled the camels down, sitting in the shade they made, ready to move out at a moments notice. And that moment came within a very short while.
Jack, camel loping, robes flying behind him, followed by Katep was shrieking at the top of his lungs. “Go. Go, go!!!!”
Neshi and Senbi were mounted and racing away by the time Jack and Katep ran past, it didn’t take Daniel long to notice the band bearing down on them, and he too joined in the escape as fast as he could get the camel to run. He not only caught up with Jack but passed him.
Damn, he just has a way with camel’s and women. Jack thought pulling up along side Daniel.
By the time they lost their pursuers it was sunset and they were utterly and completely lost. They all hopped that tonight, with Jack’s help, Katep could read the stars and guide them home.
“Daniel?”
“Yes, Jack?”
“I wonder what
“From now?” Daniel teased, knowing what he meant.
“Our future, the one we each left oh so many years from now.”
“I know what you’re thinking Jack, but
“Oh, no, no need. Never mind.” Jack was about to walk out
from camp for a better look at the millions of stars. Looking back at Daniel he
asked, “
“Not much going on in
* *
“Daniel.” Jack said later, in that one word tells the story tone, as he approached the archeologist.
Daniel’s head dropped, “Yes, Jack?”
“We’re heading back, and we are taking that damned puddle jumper and getting the hell outta here. I want a zip code where the men wear pants and there’s water and green trees everywhere. So find me another civilization where I can have a real house and trees.”
“Okie dokie”
“Okie dokie?”
“Yeah, Jack, I guess I’ve been trying to do the right thing and stay here, but I just don’t want to do it anymore. I’ve lost Sam and Teal’c twice. I know we can’t time travel, but I say we explore our possibilities in this time. I need some new scenery. If Sam where here I’m sure she would talk us out of it. But she’s not.” Daniel’s quiet confession came out of the dark night and touched Jack’s senses.
“Ya bet cha, she would have talked us senseless until we gave in from exhaustion. She was one hell of a woman.”
“Yep, she was Jack, I know it was tough on you.”
“Let’s change the subject, or go to sleep.”
“Sure, but I can’t sleep.”
“Why not?”
In the light cast by the waxing moon, Daniel looked in Jack’s direction, “Well, why do you think?”
“Could be that pretty lady back at the camp?”
“Neferu? No, nice and pretty but not for me. Like you, I’ve been thinking a lot about getting out of here.” Daniel stared out across the darkness a quiet pensive look on his face. “Actually, lately I find myself thinking about Vala.”
“Vala?”
“Yeah, the women on Prometheus.” At Jacks bland expression Daniel added, “Right, I forget sometimes. You don’t know about that…”
Jack kept shaking his head.
CHAPTER 4: Present Future – Area 51
Gen. Mason motioned with her P-90 for Mitchell to stand.
He struggled to stand with his hands still on his head. His eyes stayed on Col. O’Neill. “Please tell me you’re not some botched cloned Jack O’Neill.”
“My name is Col. Jonathan O’Neill, and while there are several Jack O’Neill’s in my family tree none have been cloned to my knowledge. And, Col. Cameron Mitchell was lost in the Ori galaxy over a hundred and thirty years ago. After years of search and rescue attempts he was never found.”
“That’s enough information, Colonel,” the general ordered.
“Yes sir.”
Mitchell eyed the General and pulled his hands slightly away from his head, Gen Mason nodded in agreement and he slowly lowered his arms. “What year is this?”
Dr. Verbekke answered, “2140.”
Mitchell’s knees went weak as his whole body jerked in
reaction, “Well when I left it wasn’t even
The team looked at him doubtfully.
“Oh, come on! If you’re really some future SG-1 you know all the crazy stuff that happens. I am Cameron Mitchell. Where the hell or when the hell did you guys come from anyway?”
“Shut up.” General Mason commanded, adding skeptically, “Colonel.”
“Rachel,” Dr. Verbekke approached the general almost tripping over debris, “I’m not sure which direction, and I might need a little time to study the area and the map.”
General Mason took the map from him and studied it herself. She finally passed it to Mitchell. “Recognize this?”
From his perch on a lump of concrete
“Not who you say you are, or not cooperating?”
Mitchell shrugged his shoulders.
The general turned away, “Let’s spread out and search the neighborhood. Colonel you watch the colonel.”
Damn,
“Why do you call the dog,
“He reminds me of a buddy of mine.”
“Daniel?”
His brow furrowed and he looked at her carefully a moment. “You know who Daniel is?”
“I know about Daniel Jackson. History shows Daniel Jackson went missing following a lead to your whereabouts, some ..”
“I know, hundred something years…” he looked off to where the three team members searched before he continued, “and you are telling me this why?”
“Because I know who you are.”
“And you know this how?”
“Because I know things, feel things, read people. That’s why Gen. Mason left me here with you. To give me time to read you, without others being too close.”
“Kinda like a Betazoid?”
Confused, she asked, “A what?”
“Nothing, never mind.”
CHAPTER 5: Present Future and SG-4
Dr. Svetlana Markov swatted at pesky insects, thrust overgrowth out of her way and muttered arguments in Russian with her symbiote. She’d been doing it for five hours as Sg-4 struggled to make their way back to the Stargate.
General David Dixon, along with the rest of his team – Col. Simon Wells and Col. Nick Jackson had long ago become accustomed to her ranting. Their brilliant, as well as beautiful scientist, hosted Lantole, the Tok’ra’s most valued political diplomat. At no time since the blending did they ever agree on anything. However, this was not the bane of their existence. As the frontline relocation team SG-4 lived with frustration. In a continuing search for a viable planet to relocate their ever expanding population, they found few worlds large enough to sustain their people – and those that were had been so utterly destroyed by their enemy as to be rendered useless.
“Nit! Not nearly enough resources, Lantole” she retorted in her native language, “only for a short period, no more than fifty-maybe sixty years, we would only have to relocate again.”
“Like now,” Col. Jackson interjected in flawless Russian. “While the Tok’ra have adjusted to planet hopping,” he spoke to Lantole, “the Tau’ri prefer a more permanent solution.”
Dr. Markov shared a knowing smile with her friend and teammate.
“Hopefully, SG-1 will have good news of earth,” Simon Wells turned to watch his teammates a moment. Nick Jackson was the spitting image of his father. His symbiote, a remarkable scholar, rarely spoke. Unlike Simon’s who never shut up. He ignored the symbiote’s scathing comments. Simon shook his head and returned his attention back to the underbrush and tangled greenery he was pushing his way through. He’d almost turned down the offer to join SG-4 when he realized Nick was the team’s archeologist. It was a bit creepy. Simon and Daniel had shared a close friendship, and then he had watched Nick grow up, looking more and more like his father everyday. Col. Wells had barely finished his thoughts, when the Stargate appeared in a clearing ahead.
“Ah, at last,” Nick pushed his way past the team and the undergrowth. With resources low and limited MALP’S and radio’s, all off world teams resorted to distributing equipment by the luck of the draw. SG-4 had been out of touch with base for the entire time they’d been off world.
Dialing home, Nick waited until all the team members where in position before entering the last symbol and sending their IDC.
*
*
“Incoming wormhole … and it’s SG-4!”
The two women standing at the window sighed in relief. As the gateroom filled up with friends and family, Sam smiled. Some things were not exactly military around here.
All four SG-4 members came through the gate and down the ramp looking well, but obviously unsuccessful. General Dixon looked across at Vala, then Sam and shook his head. Both women turned their attention to Svetlana, “Nothing.” She mouthed.
Removing gear as they walked, SG-4 had barely cleared the platform when the gate started spinning again.
“Incoming wormhole!” Klaxon’s blared and lights flashed. Sam stood behind the man at the controls trying to read the screen.
“It’s a radio signal, Commander, and it’s SG-1”
“SGC, this is SG-1, do you copy?”
“It’s good to hear your voice, general.”
“Thank you sir,” Gen. Mason responded, “mission accomplished.” She ended matter of factly.
The entire control room went silent for a brief moment, then every one began to cheer.
The radio crackled again and Rachel continued, “We’ll need a technical team to get her flying, but she’s in great shape, and the device appears to be in one piece. And Commander, we found something else we think you might like to see, we’ll be bringing it along. The team will recon the area until dark, and make a last swing through in the morning then head to base at 0800 tomorrow. SG-1 out.”
Sam smiled, “close it down Walter,” she said looking behind her to the cadets he’d brought in earlier for practicals.
“Yes Sir,”
“Nice group you’ve got there professor.”
“We’ll see, sir.”
“Something else?” Vala asked Sam, “I wonder what that might be?”
Sam shrugged her shoulders, “Go on, I know you are dying to see him.”
Vala smiled, heading for the infirmary.
CHAPTER 6: Present Future – Earth – the whole story
“We’ll leave at 0800 for base,” Gen. Mason announced as the team settled down for dinner, “and, Mitchell, thanks again for digging out the ship for us.”
“Yeah, sure, ha ha.” He answered, then turned to O’Neill. “So, colonel, what’s been going on since… Tuesday?”
Jonathan grinned, “anything in particular you’re interested in?”
The two men sat, backs to some twisted unrecognizable metal,
eating MRE’s. Mitchell paused examining the bright blue packed meal. There were
several odd markings on the outside, “I guess these things aren’t made in
“I can tell you about a few, those who were off world or evacuated during the invasion.”
“Of Earth?”
“Earth.”
“Go on,” Mitchell tossed another piece of food to the dog beside him.
“My own ancestor, Jack O’Neill was seriously wounded and taken to the Alpha Site by Dr. Lam in the first wave, he survived…”
“Carolyn Lam?”
“The same. His son…”
“Who’s son?”
“Jack O’Neill’s, his son, Jacob, my great, great…”
“I get the picture.”
“…is still part of the command team of the Alpha base, along with his symbiote, Reynaud, who initially was the leader of the High Council, but now there’s no leader, they’re all equal. Anyway, let’s see, his sister, Janet’s still around.”
Mitchell raised his brows in surprise, then nodded for O’Neill to continue.
“So Jack O’Neill is...”
“No, when he got to the base, the Tok’ra were already there, but O’Neill refused a symbiote. He survived anyway, and died about twenty or so years later in the line of duty.”
“And Jacob’s mother.”
“Samantha O’Neill, Commander of Stargate Command, host to Anise. She was mortally wounded in the fight, by the time Teal’c dragged her and Vala through the gate…”
“Teal’c? and Vala?”
“Both still a vital part of the SGC, Teal’s is 2IC, Vala next in line.”
Mitchell pondered this a minute, “Teal’c took a Tok’ra Symbiote?”
“No, he’s stunned both the Tau’ri and the Tok’ra. It seems
Tretonin had unknown benefits for the
Mitchell watched O’Neill, intrigued.
“Vala, was the first to blend, still, she almost didn’t survive. She became host to Deetesh, Tok’ra high council member. Those two are a force to be reckoned with!”
“I’ll bet.”
“And Carolyn? Still…”
“Yes, the perfect blending with Isola, Tok’ra healer, and with Selmak gone, the oldest living Tok’ra.
“You? You’re blended?”
“Nope, most of the Tau’ri descendents, only a few thousand of us, along with the two to three hundred thousand human survivors of other planets are, like you, mortal. There’s less than a hundred Tok’ra left, now all blended with the Tau’ri.”
“You call yourselves the Tau’ri?”
“Earthling did not sit well with the original people from Earth.”
Mitchell laughed, accepting the second MRE O’Neill offered.
O’Neill looked over to Dr. Verbekke, “who else, Peter?”
“Hum.. my favorite, Svetlana.”
“The Russian?” Mitchell asked the doctor.
“Yes, she was off world and found her way to the Alpha Site, I don’t remember them all. Siler died of old age, Simon Wells and Gen Dixon blended and let’s see, Dr. Felger…”
“Jay Felger?” Mitchell asked, incredulous.
“Yes, Dr. Felger blended with a Tok’ra scientist, not a good combo, really.” O’Neill told him.
Mitchell took another bite of the MRE and studied the flames of the camp fire a moment, “Dr. Jackson never made it back?”
“No, his son….”
“Who’s son?”
O’Neill sent him a disgruntled look, “Stay with me here. Vala and Daniel had a son, Nicholas Jackson. Dr. Daniel Jackson as the story goes, had no idea Vala was expecting when he left in search of you – they were not a conventional couple. They often lived apart.”
“Imagine that.”
“Vala, along with Teal’c, raised Nick and when he came of age, he took the symbiote Rotesh, the Tok’ra’s rendition of anthropologist/archeologist, creating our very own super, super smart SGC, Dr. Jackson.”
Having finished his second MRE, Mitchell felt full in both stomach and information, “One more thing, O’Neill.”
“Yeah?”
“Do I have a pack of kids running around somewhere?”
They both laughed.
The next morning Mitchell waited anxiously with the team, and Jackson at the gate. He looked around taking note that SG-1 was leaving with nothing other than what they came with, “You’re not taking the device?”
“Dial it up, O’Neill,” Gen Mason commanded, she handed a laptop to O’Neill and stepped back.
O’Neill grinned at Mitchell as he dialed the gate with the laptop, “We’ll be back. Recon, Mitchell, recon.”
Mitchell had been shown the advanced technology of their ‘laptop’. O’Neill had explained how Sam/Anise, along with Svetlana/Lantole had finally gotten a power source built into the programmable DHD that could be carried around by the teams. No more stranding off world. Except, that after a hundred years and with resources dwindling, there were only two in operation. Still, what a great discovery. Way to go Sam, he thought stepping through the gate.
CHAPTER 7: Present Future – It’s a Plan
Standing as close to the ramp as was safe Sam waited.
“Nervous?”
Since Gen. Mason had radioed that they’d found the device, along with ‘something else’, she didn’t explain, Sam had been more than nervous.
“Yes,” she confessed to her symbiote, “Are you laughing at me?”
“No, Samantha. I do
not laugh.”
“Anise, you are.”
“Not really, you are
so excited. I am merely smiling with pleasure.”
With a big sigh, Sam continued, “yes, at least now we have hope. I truly never thought that I would
do this…time travel, but, apparently I’ve done it before. There’s just no other
choice.”
“Agreed. If we don’t,
the human race will not survive, nor will the Tok’ra.”
“Yes, and without an
enemy firing a shot.”
“Incoming Wormhole.” The announcement brought most of the SGC into the gateroom.
The gate came to life. The familiar surge of blue shot into the room, then settled into a shimmering pool. And then they came.
First out of the gate was a rather cute, scruffy dog that trotted down the ramp as if he was expected.
Next, Dr. Verbekke and Gen. Mason. Followed by Col. Hayes.
And, at last, Jonathan.
And …
“Oh My God!” Sam whispered and could hardly keep from running to the man and throwing her arms around his neck when he stopped at the base of the ramp.
Vala grabbed Sam’s arm, “this can’t be.”
Teal’c moved towards the grinning man. “Col. Mitchell?”
* *
They sat at the crowded conference table. Mitchell had spent hours with Carolyn Lam and been introduced to her symbiote, poked and prodded and tested, interrogated and coddled over by Sam and Carolyn. At last, he was accepted for who he was and the hugs and back slapping had commenced.
Now, they were back in command mode. He’d kept up with the discussion and had never let the oddity of the situation get to him. “So, why did we leave the device on Earth… Sir.” He added, watching Sam, his blues eyes sparkling with mischief.
Sam could not stop grinning at him. “Because we need the ship.”
“For?”
“We have no idea what we might run into, we can’t just gate to Earth in the past. If we take the ship,” she paused.
“Cloaked.” Mitchell said understanding.
“Cloaked, we won’t be quite so vulnerable. We’ll gate to earth, get the ship up and running and then we’ll use the device.”
“So, who’s going to make it work?” and he looked at Jonathan O’Neill.
“I will,” Jacob Carter O’Neill said entering the room. He moved over to Mitchell, and held out his hand, “Jacob O’Neill.”
Mitchell realized he was looking at near replica of the Gen. Jack O’Neill he had known, “Ah, the gene carrier.”
“One and the same. Good to meet you. I’ve endured a hundred years of stories, it’s nice to see you’re only human.” He laughed and took a seat at the table.
As SG-1 and SG-4 exchanged information, Mitchell took the
time to study a few of his companions. Jacob O’Neill and Nick Jackson looked so
much like their fathers, Mitchell found it a bit disturbing. Wells and
“
“Yeah, I was listening. I don’t see any other choice. So, who’s in this dog and pony show?”
“Myself,” Sam began, “Teal’c, Vala, Jacob and…”
“And me,” he finished.
“I was hoping you would say that.”
* *
The infirmary was decidedly different from the one he was used to. He sat minus pants, on the bed as Carolyn examined him for his pre-mission work up as well as the large cut on his knee. A recent basketball injury.
“Ya know, you just did this about five days ago.”
She ignored him, he was sure it was Isola that had last spoken to him.
“Time travel gives me a headache.”
“I beg your pardon?” definitely Isola, that voice was not Carolyn Lam’s.
“When I think about it, like, am I gonna run into myself, or my parent’s, like ‘Back to the Future,’ stuff. And then, if it’s gonna change everything or some things, I won’t be me, or will it… see, it gives me a headache.” He rubbed his forehead, squinting his eyes shut tight.
Carolyn laughed, “Only you, Cam Mitchell would get a headache from just thinking about time travel.”
Ah, Carolyn’s voice this time.
“Hey, how’d that Lt. Col. Hayes figure out I was me?”
“Probably, her Tollan-Nox ancestry.”
“Whoa, now that’s a story I wish I’d be here long enough to hear.” Mitchell paused a moment and then added, “I’d like to ask you out sometime, Carolyn, I’ve kinda been thinkin’ about it before last….”
“Tuesday?” She smiled in understanding.
“Yeah, but I won’t be here tomorrow, and when I get back, you won’t be you, and I’m a little bit afraid to ask her out.”
She cocked her head to the side, “Why?”
“Why? Why what?”
“Why are you afraid to ask me out? And I will definitely be
me,
“I just meant that if things change, I won’t know they changed, and if I did, it might change everything and I won’t know you are you and you won’t know it’s me…”
“Now I have a headache.” She laughed.
“How about dinner tonight?” He asked surprising them both.
CHAPTER 8: Present Future – Present Past – Holy Hannah, Times Collide
“Ok, where’re we going?”
“I’m not sure,
“What about
“We’ve discussed that, Jack, there is no
“None?”
“Sorry, no.”
“Trees, Daniel.”
“I thought you were sick of planets with trees, anyhow.”
“Not on my planet.”
“
“What about
Daniel ignored his suggestion. “The
“Sure, we can always come back here, Besides, I’m sure you’ll pick up the language as soon as you hear it. If not, off we go to check out another place. Let’s go.”
* *
“I’m sure I parked the sucker right here.”
“Jack, it’s cloaked.”
“Oh, yeah,” Jack produced the control from under his robes. The puddle jumper shimmered into view. “All aboard.”
“Okay, think,
“I just get this eerie feeling that Sam is staring over my shoulder.”
“And, she’s not happy.” Daniel added sitting in the chair beside him. “Now think of the place we talked about.”
Jack put his hands on the console and the ship came to life, lifted and slowly took off in a westerly direction. “Look, we’re just jaunting across a continent, not time traveling or heading off to another planet, which in itself is not a bad idea. If I was going back, ah, I mean forward in time, I’d high tail this thing to Area 51 and hide out.”
“Jack! Don’t think of the future or Area 51, or home while you’re…driving.”
“Well, for cryin’ out loud! I was just thinking that if things changed where else could we land this thing.”
“Jack I’m warning you. Do not think of the future…or any other place…empty your mind. That shouldn’t be too hard.”
“Fine, we’re moving,” Jack gestured out the front view screen. “What was that?”
“What was what?” Daniel slowly turned to look out the screen.
“You didn’t feel that slight lurch?”
“No. Jack?”
“Daniel?”
“We’re going over a very large ocean.”
“So?”
“So, there shouldn’t be that much ocean. Jack, can you take it up higher so we can get a better perspective?”
Later, as they approach land mass, both stood up out of their seats to peer far out the window.
“Oh, God,” Daniel sighed.
“Hey,” Jack asks, “Doesn’t that look like
Daniel plopped back into his chair.
Jack retook his seat, hands again on the controls. “I saw trees, Danny boy, lots and lots of trees.”
“And ruins Jack, lots and lots of ruins. Like cities in ruin. Not ancient cities, Jack.”
Jack took another look, “where the hell are we?”
“I think the question is…when in the hell are we.”
* * * *
Jacob Carter O’Neill had waited several life times to experience this. His hands settled easily on the console and the ship lifted off without a hitch. He wanted to look back at his mother and the ancient device and ask her, “Hey, mom, how’s it coming?” But he knew better.
“Sam, how’s it goin’?” Mitchell asked from his seat beside Jacob. He had seen the concern on both Sam and Teal’c’s faces when they had gated into Area 51. The past weeks were a strain on everyone, but more for Sam who struggled with both the mechanical aspects and psychological implications of the time device.
“Almost there, when we reach the correct time, we’ll circle back and if the coast is clear we’ll land her again.”
“Sounds like a solid plan,” Vala assured her with a little bit of a nervous grimace on her face.
“Indeed.” Teal’c agreed.
They all knew what to do. And every one of them knew it was a mission that could not fail.
“Jacob,” Sam finally spoke.
“I’m ready,” Jacob took a deep breath, closed his eyes and concentrated.
Sam came up behind his chair and laid a hand on his shoulder. She wanted to tell him his father would be proud of him, but she knew better. “Ok, then. You’re on.”
Sam traded places with Mitchell and watched Jacob closely.
“Nothing’s happening,” she turned to watch the device, but it remained unlit. Retreating to the rear she began to fiddle with the instruments.
Suddenly, with a groan of metal and failing lights, everything stopped and all eyes looked ahead to see the earth rushing up to them, and the ship heading straight for a lone figure standing on the earth.
* * * *
“Daniel?”
“Jack?”
“Damnit, Daniel. Desert!”
“You’re driving this thing…” he looked out the view screen, “move closer.”
They skimmed over the rubble and desert.
“What’s that?” Jack flinched pointing across the sky.
As Daniel looked up, Jack returned his focus on the scene below them.
“It looks like a ship, Jack.”
“Daniel, there’s somebody standing down there.”
Daniel took his eyes off the other ship for a quick look. He could just make out a robed figure standing in the midst of rubble and debris.
The ship rumbled once and lights flickered before all systems went down. Jack frantically started pushing every button and touching everything he could reach as the ship began a rapid descent towards the ground.
“Daniel!”
Daniel continued to stare at the figure below.
“Damnit, Daniel, this thing’s going to crash, and so is that one.” Jack jabbed a finger toward the other ship headed straight for the figure on the surface.
“Christ, why doesn’t he move, we’re going to crash….” The instant before the blinding white light exploded in his brain, Daniel called out, “Shi’fu?”
CHAPTER 9: Life’s a Circle – Present Perfect
Part 1 – What?
Jack stood in the middle of the gateroom staring at Daniel who stood beside him, his vacant gaze locked on Jack’s face.
“What!?” Jack asked almost in a screech.
“What?” Daniel squinted his eyes at Jack and pulled back. Then he blink, looked around the gateroom and finally back to Jack.
Jack also scanned the room, “What were you saying?”
Daniel’s eyebrow’s frowned, “Didn’t say anything.”
“Ah, yes, Daniel, you did.”
“Jack, I’d know if I said anything.”
“Daniel, I’m warning you.”
“What?”
Jack took a look back to the empty open doorway as though he had forgotten something, “I gotta go check on something,”
“Oh, sure, I need to…ah…go…to…”
Jack tried to mouth words to help pull the information from Daniel. “…to…”
“Oh, yeah, I have to go somewhere. Else. Too.”
Jack pursed his lips and nodded in understanding. “See ya,”
Daniel watched him exit, then burying his hands deep in his pockets he headed out the opposite door.
Part 2 – All’s well that ends in Technobabble
Lights blinked and computers hummed in the dimly lit lab. One desk lamp illuminated the laptop where Col. Samantha Carter sat. She stared blankly at the computer screen, confused. Then, with a shrug she went back to work.
Gen. Jack O’Neill stuck his head in the doorway observing her a moment before he spoke. “Sam?”
She looked up with a bright smile, “Sir, what are you doing
at
Walking halfway into the room he stopped, “I came by to see if you’d like to have dinner with me tonight.”
“Love too,” she began shutting down the computer.
“Great! Thought I’d take you someplace fancy.”
“Oh,” Sam looked down at her blue BDU’s.
“Yeah, hey, I could take you by your place to change, maybe you could pack something and stay for breakfast.”
She could only stare at him for the longest time before she was able to move. No more second judging his intention. This is what she wanted and she was going for it. She smiled, took a deep breath and moved toward him, “Sounds good to me.”
Side by side they walked toward the elevator.
“So, what were you working on?” his hand moved to the small of her back.
She spoke technobabble and he smiled dazed and happy.
Part 3 – Confusion
The infirmary’s buzzing and beeping as well as the antiseptic smell was comforting to Cam Mitchell. He sat on the exam table, alone in the room, a patient patient.
Dr. Carolyn Lam’s desk, littered with files and books, seemed to hold her attention. Her small office, just off the main infirmary exam rooms, was peaceful. Staring blankly at an open file, her brow furrowed in consternation. Whistling interrupted her trance and she headed out the door to follow the sound.
What was Cam Mitchell doing in her infirmary? “Colonel?”
“Dr. Lam.”
“You need something?” She studied him curiously.
“Hum? Oh, yeah, I felt kind of disoriented.”
“When?” Carolyn’s curiosity was instantly replaced with concern.
“Now.”
“Now, as in now? After you got here?”
He looked around the room as if he’d find the answer there. “Yeah,” he finally answered nodding his head and looking back at her.
“I’m confused.”
“You’re confused?”
She felt the need to get a handle on this conversation. “Why are you here?”
“I have a headache?” He wasn’t quite sure.
“Ah, now we’re getting somewhere.” She pulled the stethoscope from her pocket and began to listen to his chest. Replacing the instrument to her lab coat pocket she produced a pen light to check his pupils. After a few minutes of examination she stood back and looked at him carefully, “Colonel?”
“Uh huh?”
“Where are your pants?” Sam had told her about is tendency toward losing his pants.
Mitchell looked down, “damn, I’m not really sure, doc.”
She nodded, “I don’t find anything on exam; I’ll need to run a few more tests.”
“Ok, hey, how about dinner and a movie, or something like that sometime?”
Taken by surprise, Carolyn Lam stood openmouthed. She just looked askew at him a moment, then started to respond, stopped to gather her thoughts and finally said, “I’m not sure but I don’t believe I have ever been asked out by a man in his underwear.”
“And?”
Part 4 – All is well in our world
The full moon, high over the Hak’tyl village, cast it’s brilliance through tent fabric bathing the occupants in soft ethereal light. Even the candlelight from dozens of candles was muted by the moonlight.
Ishta studied the
“I am.” Teal’c could not reconcile the vision experienced tonight as they shared Kelno’reem.
“Your vision?” Ishta pulled the soft blanket closer to her bare shoulders.
“It is indeed an incredible story. One that I will share with my comrades when I return to Earth.”
“Was I in this future?” she let the blanket drop slowly, and brushed a hand across his forearm.
“I do not know for sure, however,” he took her hand in his, “I would hope you were.” He leaned forward and Ishta meet him half way.
After the lingering kiss, Ishta sighed, “And you are sure your friends will accept this…information?”
Teal’c answered with a slight smile, “Let us talk of other things, Ishta.”
Part 5 – I don’t think anybody in the universe deserves to be happy more than you.
He was sweating from exertion. But so was she. Vala tried to fake him out to the right, but he read her well and she missed her shot, the ball glancing off the rim. They moved like a couple waltzing, always in sync. She waited, watching, looking for her opening.
Daniel rushed the board but failed to reach it as Vala stole the ball and made the shot. He laughed. Damn, she’s good!
She did that Vala dance of triumph. “Let’s do that again.”
Hands on hips, he waited to catch his breath. “Damn,” he muttered.
But he was smiling and she thought he looked happier than she had ever seen him.
Daniel watched her rhythmic move around the floor, as though to entice him. To what he wasn’t sure, but he know, yes, at last he knew just what he wanted to be enticed to. He was crazy about Vala Mal Doran, and he didn’t care who knew it. If he searched every planet with a Stargate he couldn’t find anyone more opposite of what he thought he wanted. He’d been wrong. This was what he wanted. And for all her postulating and pretending, she could not hide her feelings for him. And that made him smile.
To her, he looked like a man with a secret and she needed to wheedle it out of him. Vala tossed her pigtails around then wiggled her hips. “Guess what?”
“What?” Daniel dribbled the ball around the court.
She rushed him, then backed off, guarding carefully. “I have a secret and I’ll tell you mine, if you will promise to tell me yours.”
He grinned deliciously, blues eyes gleaming, “Deal.”
That was too damned easy! He faked the ball in a couple of directions and she skipped around trying to anticipate his moves. “You really promise?”
“Cross my heart,” he rushed the goal and slammed one in.
But she snatched the rebound and took off, him trailing close behind, watching her every move. “Sam and Jack went out to dinner. On a date.”
In the middle of his swipe stealing the ball, his shoes squeaked to a sudden halt. The ball fell unnoticed and dribbled aimlessly across the floor.
“Not really?” he questioned her.
“Oh, yes.”
“You’re sure?”
“Positive.”
“No way.”
“Way.” Eyebrows raised and head nodding she answered him.
“Sam and Jack?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll be damned. I think they’ll be happy together.”
“Romance is in the air.” She grinned, all teeth and batting eye lashes. “You know I’m not one of those women who needs saving, that most men find romantic.”
“I held the title of damsel in distress around here for a long while, no need to worry about that.” He grinned back.
“I know your history, I know you’ve lost at love before, I don’t need saving, though. I’m a survivor…”
“Vala,” he took a step closer…
“Please don’t interrupt…”
“You don’t have to convince me.”
“I don’t?”
“No.” he closed the gap between them.
“Really Daniel? I don’t think anybody in the universe deserves to be happy more than you.”
His arms embraced her fully. “There is only one person in all the universe that could make me happy.”
“You’re sure?” she leaned into him, her lips hovering over his.
“Absolutely.”
CHAPTER 10: Life’s a Circle – Future Perfect – Level 27 –
Lt. Col. Mattie Hayes stood gazing down at the Stargate from the conference room.
“Hard to believe,” Gen. Rachel Mason commented from her seat at the table.
“You’re sure about this?” Dr. Verbekke asked the Tollan-Nox, knowing full well she would be sure of it.
“Positive.”
“I still don’t understand,” the general continued, “If what you say happened, happened. If they were successful, it seems everything would have changed.”
“I’m sure it did.” Mattie assured the general returning to her seat.
“It’s damned confusing,” Dr. Verbekke commented running his hands through his hair in frustration.
“Everything in
“Yes, sir, general it definitely is.” Rachel laughed in agreement with the Brigadier General.
“Retired, Rachel, call me Jonathan.”
** The End **
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