Title – Fight the Future
Author – Cali/Ash
Disclaimer – I don't own any of the Stargate cast but I do own all the rights to a certain Lieutenant ;)
General Hammond raised a hand to scratch his head in wonder. All teams, save for SG11 who weren't due back for another six hours, were on Earth, of that he was certain. The Tok'ra weren't expected but they did have a habit of just turning up. Whatever the reason, the Stargate was spinning and he wasn't in control of it's movements.
The seventh chevron encoded and the 'gate fell still but the event horizon didn't jump forward in the usual blue rush. Instead something amazing happened and General Hammond had to rub his eyes to make sure he wasn't just delirious in his exhaustion.
The Stargate began spinning anti-clockwise at an increasing rate creating smoke as it rubbed against it's supports. A crackling like static electricity broke into the silence of the gate room and, just as suddenly as it had started, the 'gate stopped.
General Hammond exchanged a look with the technician seated next to him. The technician's wide-eyed wonder assured Hammond that he was not seeing things, but he could only bask in the knowledge for a matter of seconds before his eyes were drawn to the 'gate once again.
The event horizon shot forward in a blaze of green and settled back into the characteristic water-like wall. But instead of being calming and serene, it seemed to radiate a lurid green stirring nausea in the security personnel that surrounded it.
Tearing his eyes from the liquid lime, General Hammond looked intently at the fluctuating readings on the computer screen though he could make neither head nor tails of it; it may as well have been a game of tic-tac-toe.
'Do we have a signal?' he asked the technician who seemed to have a firmer grasp of the technology than he did.
'Yes, sir' He furrowed his brow and reread the screen, double-checking something that bothered him. 'This can't be right.' He turned to face the General, looking up at him with confusion etched into his features. 'Sir, its SG1.'
General Hammond frowned. He knew for a fact that SG1 were on Earth. Only an hour ago he had had a brief and, frankly, confusing talk with Colonel O'Neill. If they had gone off-world he would have noticed or at least been notified. The technician was right; it didn't make sense. But then neither did the 'gate's behaviour. He had never known it to spin anti-clockwise and the speed had been phenomenal, close to a hundred miles per hour he estimated. Then there was the colour; what had happened to the cerulean?
He was now faced with a dilemma; should he close the iris or not? On the one hand the off-world activation was unexpected and procedure called for him to order the iris shut. But, on the other, an SGC signal indicated someone or something friendly and closing the iris would extinguish it.
However before he could make a conscious decision, the sickly green surface rippled and a petite figure all but fell through. Bathed in the green light it looked almost inhuman but, as far as General Hammond could see, it had two arms, two legs, and a head, then again so did the Goa'uld.
The security personnel immediately raised their weapons and took aim, carefully following the figure's movements, but waited for the order to fire. An order that never came. To General Hammond the unexpected visitor looked as harmless as a puppy, it wasn't even carrying a gun.
In a second the green dissolved revealing the blank, reinforced concrete wall that stood behind the Stargate. Looking somewhat more human, the figure stumbled forward a few steps before regaining a shaky balance.
Looking more closely, General Hammond saw that the frail form was shaking but he was unable to see the expression on it's face because it was shielded from view by a peaked cap that was not unlike those worn by SGC members. He watched curiously as the figure lent forward with hands on it's knees and an incredulous gasp escaped it.
It breathed deeply several times and then retched, spewing the meagre contents of it's stomach over the surface of the ramp. It spat a couple of times; trying to rid it's mouth of the foul-tasting bile. Standing straight again but still wobbling on it's unsure footing, the figure looked around taking in it's surroundings for the first time.
'I'm back!'
The joy was easy to read in it's tone but the voice was weak, clearly the figure was short on energy. Just as the thought crossed his mind, General Hammond saw the figure throw it's arms out trying to retain it's balance. But it's efforts were in vain; it collapsed backwards and remained flat on the ramp, not moving an inch.
All eyes watched warily for several seconds, then the highest ranking security guard turned and looked up at the control room where General Hammond was standing, His gaze held the same question that Hammond was asking himself; what should he do?
There was only one thing he could do and he did it.
'Doctor Fraiser to the gate room … and hurry.'
