Disclaimer: The Stargate universe belongs to MGM et al. - this is for fun, no copyright infringement is intended.


- Sickbay

The petite, copper-haired woman slowly moved the humming Tok'ra healing device for the final session above the human body on the bed before her, her pretty face a mask of concentration. After a few minutes she opened her eyes with a sigh, let the device shut down and turned away to check the monitors to the side, nodding in satisfaction at what she read there. Slipping the alien technology from her hand she carefully placed it in a padded box and closed the lid securely then picked up a clipboard and started making notes. Done with that she checked the IV in the man's arm, the transparent bag with clear fluid at the pole, tapped it twice with her fingernail. Against her will her eyes wandered back to the familiar features, the so familiar face, relaxed in sleep. Her eyebrows knitted briefly. A male nurse stepped around the privacy curtain and handed her another clipboard. She thanked him with a nod and quickly went over the test results. Slowly the frown returned. She started flipping pages back and forth with increasing haste.

It was that sound that penetrated first the haze around McKay's mind.

That and the strong smell of antiseptics, the thrumming hum of far away machines. Groaning softly Rodney smacked his dry lips somehow registered the surprised movement at his side and made a valiant attempt at peeling his eyes open.

"Kller?"

His tongue wouldn't move as he wanted and he grimaced and blinked and peered blearily at the figure that bent over him. He blinked some more. Female but not the blond head of Jennifer Keller, more rust colored.

"Teyla?" he tried again.

"No," a not completely unfamiliar voice answered while the woman shone a penlight in his eyes then tucked it back into a breast pocket of her white lab coat. And through the new spots clouding his vision he caught the first good look at her face.

"OH MY GOD!" Rodney jerked and scrambled backwards up the head of the bed or rather tried to because he was hindered by the soft but strong restrains securing his wrists to the sides of the frame. "OH MY GOD! You are DEAD!"

The doctor flinched back, surprised by the violent reaction. Involuntarily she held up a placating hand.

"Hey, it's okay. It's okay, nobody is trying to hurt you..."

"No, no, no, no, no, no!" Rodney was still flailing and struggling in his futile attempt to get away from her. "You were SHOT! And years ago! And - SHEPPARD! Teyla, RONON, HELP ME! HELP! I - You - Oh, no, this another one of those brain probing-virtual reality-alien nightmare things, isn't it? Does anyone ever stop to consider side effects? I mean this could do some serious damage to my very valuable brain cells and while I have more that the average human even I am bound to run out of them some time or other! Ever thought of that? Huh? Huh? Hey, wait, no, what are you giving me I don't want to ... I don't ... don't ... don't..."

Doctor Janet Fraiser slowly drew the tip of the syringe out of the IV and watched the sedative take effect. Her brows furrowed again as the agitated man slumped back on the bed, still mumbling an occasional "No" and "Not fair."

"Ma'am?" The male nurse who had bounded back through the privacy curtain as soon as the commotion started gave his superior a confused look. "Any idea what THAT was all about?"

"No..." Fraiser frowned even harder then her gaze wandered to the second clipboard. "Or maybe..."

Abruptly she stepped over to the intercom at the wall and pushed a button.

"Sickbay to Captain."


- Atlantis

"Do you really think it's safe to bring this thing here?"

Woolsey looked far from comfortable as he eyed the mysterious device from M3X-779 standing in the middle of the main science lab. Considering they had not even informed him about their intention to bring it in their haste to get it settled John secretly gave the man credit for his self-restraint. He was also more than happy to leave the answering duty to Zelenka.

"What?" The Czech distractedly pushed his glasses higher up his nose but didn't take his eyes off the laptop. "Oh, yes, yes, quite safe, yes. Besides, here we have much easier access to any equipment we may need than on planet. Will save lots of time, yes."

He became once more engrossed in his work and sighing quietly Woolsey turned back to Sheppard.

"How is it going, Colonel?"

It was the one question Sheppard would have loved to avoid. Almost five hours. It had been nearly four hours since McKay, Telya and Ronon had disappeared right under his nose and they were not an inch closer to finding them.

"We widened the search parameters for the jumpers. The scientists Zelenka left on the planet are still trying to reboot the Ancient systems there with a generator but it looks like the facility is in far worse condition than anything we ever encountered up to now. And night is falling fast."

"I see." And Woolsey actually looked like he understood. "Well, keep me informed." He started for the door then hesitated and glanced back. "And Colonel... I don't have to tell you that Kanaan is very worried. I asked him to be patient but if this continues much longer we will also have to inform the Athosians of ... what happened."

Sheppard could only nod in silence. Woolsey quietly nodded back and left. Exhaling heavily Sheppard rubbed his neck.

"We will find them," Zelenka said softly.

"Yeah." But somehow Sheppard had a bad feeling about this. He tilted his head towards the device. "Be careful with that thing, doc. Rodney said it uses an amazing power source and it might be a bit shook up from the transport."

"Ah, but that is the really interesting thing about it." Radek waved his hand over the block. "It seems it was specially designed to be transported."

"Seriously?" Sheppards eyebrows jerked up.

"Seriously or I would have never thought of moving it. It has independent internal power source. It was in no way attached to the floor. It weighs surprisingly little in comparison with its rather sturdy construction. And it is remarkably well preserved in contrast to the rest of the outpost."

They both sent a long look at the softly humming device.

"You mean it was built to last while the rest of the outpost was constructed for a more temporary use?" Sheppard asked finally.

"That is what I am thinking, yes." The wiry Czech nodded. "And there is something else. Will you please step over here?"

Obediently John came closer. Immediately several more light lit up on the top of the device, blinked then stabilized when Zelenka tapped a few spots. Sheppard had stopped dead in his tracks.

"Radek, that looks awfully similar to last time..."

"Oh, I should hope so for if I am correct this whole thing fulfills only one purpose. And don't worry, it is gene activated, yes, but I cut the power output considerably down so that it is nowhere near its usual level. Mmmm ... but this is interesting..."

"Did you find something? Life signs as if in a dart storage?" In growing excitement Sheppard closed the rest of the distance to Zelenka and the device; and on the far side of it new lights came alive, flashing briefly then burning steady. He pointed sharply. "There! Those lights came on, too, just before they disappeared!"

"No, Colonel, don't -!"

Zelenka grabbed his outstretched arm but his warning, as well, came too late. The familiar green spike of light followed under Sheppard's pointing hand. The device emitted the deep powerful hum and the lights abruptly disappeared. Any lights. Including those of the ceiling.

"Crap," muttered Sheppard into the sudden darkness, "Did I do this?"


- The prison cell

Teyla Emmagan had always been good with words. To find the right ones at the right time. To use them, if necessary, as a weapon, just like her sticks. She had negotiated countless trade agreements as the leader of her people and later for Atlantis, too. It was, she supposed, what had drawn her and Elisabeth Weir together in the first place, this mutual skill, this command of - for lack of a better expression - language. She still missed her friend. She was sure Elisabeth would have understood the irony that right then when she needed them most - no words would come to her.

"An alternate reality." She heard Ronon's voice but it seemed to come from far away. "We found a machine in a hidden Ancient facility. It must have transported us into an alternate reality. A parallel universe."

It was strange, Teyla wondered almost idly, that while they had all somehow accepted that there was a certain dark potential in John, in Ronon, in herself - had even been aware of what it would take to unleash it ... they had never stopped to think about the possibility that the same kind of darkness might sleep in Rodney too. The muzzle of the gun was cold against the skin of her forehead. As cold as this universe McKay's eyes and voice.

"Come up with something better."

"Come on, the theory must exist in your world too. An - uh - infinite number of dominations, each containing - containing a different possibility of reality. McKay - OUR McKay can explain it. Any possible outcome of any possible decision existing parallel to each other. Even if you never encountered it in this universe we did, on several occasions, it is a fact. There are other devices that bridged the gaps before. Even the Stargate."

Had Teyla still had breath in her lungs, had she not been frozen, brittle, shattering, she would have laughed hysterically that it was Ronon - RONON, of all people - who explained quantum physics and explained it well.

"Our McKay is no more a clone than you are. He is you. A you who was shaped by other decisions, other twists of fate but still you. It is the truth."

Ronon's voice came ever faster, more urgent and Teyla felt her breath catch as she heard the hidden fear in it. The Rodney McKay they knew was a loud, brash, arrogant, self-centered, sometimes ignorant man with the social skills of a four-year old. And the same guileless honesty. Rod - while a smoother, glossed over version - had basically displayed the same character elements. This man here ... was dangerous.

"Please," she whispered with dry lips, "I have a son."

Something squeaked and it took Teyla a long moment to understand that is was the radio in the ear of the McKay of this dimension that caused the sound. He tapped it with his left hand.

"Not now."

The radio squeaked again and longer and for the first time there was a small reaction in those eyes of ice. Without another word McKay pulled the gun back, put on the safety and walked through the gap between the chairs and out of the room. The door closing behind him with a soft hiss. Teyla drew in a shuddering breath and shut her eyes.

A long time they sat in silence.

"Teyla?" Ronon asked finally.

Turning her head slowly like an old woman she looked at him. There was concern in his eyes, and sympathy and understanding. She managed a small nod. He quirked his lips and nodded in return.

Teyla let her head fall back against the chair and concentrated on breathing slowly through her nose, felt the beat of her heart, the cold texture of the armrests under her fingertips. And somehow she felt strangely cheered by the thought that sometimes there were no words necessary at all.


- Atlantis

A muted ceiling light flickered back on. As Sheppard looked up about half of the others followed its example, casting a matt shine on Zelenka's wispy hair. He heaved a sigh of relief.

"Well, at least you are still here, doc. Uh - doc?"

Radek's hands made helpless little gestures in front of him.

"Where is machine?" he asked in a voice almost an octave higher than usual.

Sheppard stared at the empty space before them. No device, no laptop, no - as a quick look around the stripped lab confirmed - anything. He used a much stronger curse word than the first time then tapped his radio.

"Sheppard to Woolsey."

Only a dreaded but not really unexpected silence answered his call. Without much hope he tried the control room, infirmary and armory next. Nothing. He swallowed another curse and hefted his P-90 instead; glad he was still in his complete off-world gear. Small favors.

"Stay behind me," he said grimly.

The door whooshed open dutifully at his approach, more lights blinking on in a well-know yet now deadly silent corridor. He carefully checked it up and down. The far ends remained shrouded in darkness, out of reach of his ATA gene. All was still, hovering, waiting... Waiting. Swallowing thickly Sheppard slowly stepped back and let the door close in front of him.

"Reminds you of something too, doc?"

Zelenka shivered slightly. "It ... feels like when we entered Atlantis for the first time; ten thousand years after the Ancients abandoned it."

A long moment the two men stood contemplating the not so good implications of this.

"So, time travel?" Sheppard sounded almost resigned. "Janus?"

"If so then it must have been a prototype he developed and hid before the Ancients left for Earth. Remember, old Dr. Weir said the Council ordered Janus to destroy his work..."

They stared at each other.

"Proboha," Zelenka muttered finally. (means: dear me / good heavens)

Sheppard was already moving, nearly running out of the door and turning right down the corridor, his heart hammering with emotions he refused to consider. Instinctively shying away from the transporters he hastened some levels down, lights coming on readily at their approach and extinguishing slowly again after they passed, windows black and impenetrable in the artificial light. Zelenka's breath was coming harsh by the time they reached the room with the stasis chamber and John stormed right in, not giving himself time to think things over. He came to a dead stop in the center of the room.

The stasis unit was empty, the consoles controlling it as still and inactive as anything else they had passed on their way, reviving only because of his presence.

"Radek?"

"I don't know."

"Radek -"

"WEAPONS DOWN! DOWN I SAID! ON YOUR KNEES, HANDS BEHIND THE HEAD! DO IT! NOW!"

"Whoa!" Sheppard had whipped round fast as a snake but they were two and they had P-90 and they were soldiers with the emblem of the SGC and unfortunately not the least interested in what he wanted to say. "Whoa, slow down here, soldier. I am Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard..."

"DOWN WITH THAT WEAPON! NOW! DOWN WITH IT!"

Beside him Zelenka made a high sound of terror with his hands in the air and cursing inwardly Sheppard carefully moved his right hand first away from the trigger then with exaggerated slowness up his vest so he could unclip his P-90 and place it on the floor. Showing his hands clearly all the time he let the 9-mm follow and stepped back.

"Easy there. As I said I am -"

"ON THE FLOOR! HANDS BEHIND THE HEAD! HANDS BEHIND THE HEAD!"

Nodding to Zelenka to follow his lead Sheppard grimly stretched out on his stomach and folded his hands behind the head as instructed. He did not like the flicker in the soldiers' - or rather marines' - eyes, the underlying trembling in their young, shouting voices. A frightened man was a dangerous man. A frightened, inexperienced soldier... He tried to make his own voice calm and authoritative.

"I am Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard of the United States Air Force. I -"

"SHUT UP! NO TALKING!"

One of the soldiers pushed Sheppard's weapons farther out of his reach and circled on around them while the other clicked his radio.

"Sir! Intruders secured in Level K, Section Delta, Room one-o-four!"

Sheppard drew a deep breath. "Soldier, this is a misunderstanding, I -"

A savage kick to his ankle stopped him short.

"I SAID NO TALKING!"

Approaching footsteps in the corridor outside made John swallow any reply he might have been thinking of. Craning his neck in his uncomfortable position on the floor he caught a glance at the door just as four more men came through it. His mouth fell open.

"Colonel!" snapped one of the first marines.

The leading man gave him a fleeting nod and then focused his sharp-eyed attention on the two men on the floor. The bill of his cap shadowed his haggard face, accentuated the prominent ears. All in all, his expression was not so far from the first time he had set eyes on Sheppard ... and disliked him instantly.

"Oh my," Zelenka breathed weakly from the side.

"Sumner," whispered John.


- Alternate reality. Sickbay.

The brooding silence in the sickbay seemed to make the not really big room even smaller. Two serious-looking guards stood watch in front of the privacy curtain at the far end. The few medical personnel on duty made a point of being busy around the three occupied beds in the main area. The patients did not seem to mind. They, too, knew better than to come between the man and the woman standing behind the windows of the office for the doctor of the shift. Naturally it didn't mean they failed to strain for any word they might catch despite the firmly closed door.

Inside Colonel McKay thoughtfully regarded the display of the terminal in front of him, his arms crossed tightly. When he finally spoke he made it sound more like a fact than a question.

"So he can not be a clone?"

"No." Dr. Fraiser shook her head with authority. "The telomere length in his chromosomes is exactly within the percentage expected of someone his age. And there is still his reaction when he woke up earlier and saw me. No, I think it is safe to say that he is as real as you and me."

McKay snorted. "Is that the opinion of both of you or just your own?"

Fraiser's eyes sparked briefly with anger. Her voice became sharper. "It is the opinion of both of us. Unless you think it possible that some alien got its hands on your DNA shortly after you were born and immediately started growing a clone because it magically saw the potential of your baby genius right away."

McKay's unreadable gaze wandered from the monitor to her then slipped through the window and to the privacy curtain further down the room. There it rested for several long heartbeats. Finally he uttered a short "Huh" and simply left her standing.

Watching his silent exit of the sickbay Fraiser huffed as soon as the door was closed, and pinched the bridge of her nose. After a second she abruptly lifted her other hand in a halting gesture.

"I know," she ground out through gritted teeth, "I know - just... I know."