Disclaimer: The characters of Doctor Who belong to BBC Wales and those of Stargate to MGM but the words are mine.
AU/SG1/DW: The last address of the Stargate opened on a depressing, dim world full with nothing but graves and tombstones where four SG teams already disappeared without a trace. SG1 embarks to locate them only to witness the opening of one tomb that holds the greatest of all secrets in the universe.
The Tomb of the Doctor
Chapter 3
Realizing they were alone on this dim, dark world was something of a blow to SG1. Their good mood definitely disappeared. On top of everything, the gate instead of thirty-nine symbols had forty-two. The DHD one the other hand had thirty-nine and a half and the symbols themselves were not those of the Ancients but something else entirely. Of course this did not explain why they had no contact with the SGC when they first came through the gate.
Panic was the first reaction but soon they calmed down. They had been in bad situations before and they have always found a way home (somehow). There was really no point in panic since it did not help them solve their problem.
"Carter, do you have any theories?" Mitchell asked hoping for some of her usual crazy.
"I would not want to speculate."
"There is a first one." Vala observed.
"Vala, it is not that simple."
"I did not say it is."
"Alright," Mitchell raised hands to calm them down. "Let's focus on what we came to do – find our missing teams."
"That is if they..." Daniel suggested.
"What do you mean?"
"I don't know. The MALP definitely came through so..."
"Oh," Sam exclaimed catching his meaning.
"Oh, what?" Vala looked at both.
"It is crazy but..."
"Crazy is something we know." Mitchell remarked. "So?"
"It is possible the MALP is still here."
"How is that? I don't see it anywhere."
"Well," Sam braced herself for her team's reaction about what she was about to say. "You remember when um we played for the first time with Merlin's device? You and I disappeared and no one could see us but we were..."
"We were still there." Mitchell said remembering that time.
"Do you suggest we are in another dimension?" Daniel asked.
"Um, sort of,"
"Sort of?"
"Well, the MALP is here and the other teams are here too."
Mitchell looked at her and started to understand but this did not make him feel any better. "And what they are also in separate dimensions?"
"It is possible."
"So one of the teams has contact with the SGC?"
"Or none do."
"How many are dimensions are there?"
"Eleven,"
"Oh, great," Mitchell exclaimed. "So we need two more teams to fill in the rest of the dimensions?"
"Yes,"
"Sam, if something is responsible for shoving us in different dimensions then it is logical to assume it is something on this planet and if we can find it then we could reverse its effects, right?" Daniel asked fingers crossed.
"Probably,"
"It is better than nothing." Mitchell said. "Alright, SG1, move out."
They left the gate behind and followed a path down the hill they were on. Reaching the bottom, they had to choose their way. They could go right and left.
"Do we separate to cover more ground or do we stay together?" Daniel asked the obvious question.
Mitchell had the same thought but was hesitant. "No, we stay together. This place is weird enough."
"And we still have two more dimensions." Vala added what everyone thought at this moment.
She was right about that part as when SG1 did not make contact Generals O'Neill and Landry got worried. They sent another MALP but not only did it not see the first but there was also no sign of the teams.
"This is weird." Walter shared.
"Yeah, weird," Jack O'Neill agreed.
"It is the same as before." General Landry observed. "Walter, find me some geeks and bring them here. We have a mystery on our hands."
"Yes, sir,"
Jack was pensive. Something did not add up and was perfectly visible. There were no tracks either of boots or wheels. And yet the teams were there as they did cross through the gate. It was a contradiction. And somehow he thought of the time Sam disappeared when she played with Merlin's device. So perhaps, they were still there just unable to make contact.
This time, he would not sit this one out, Jack thought. He left the gate room and headed to the locker's room. He found his gear and geared up. He made a few phone calls and got some friends to come over. Together they will find the missing teams. General Landry was not fond of this idea but Jack had set his mind on it. The IOA representative was against too but he ignored him.
"Master Bra'tac," Jack greeted him as he came through the gate.
"O'Neill," Bra'tac said taking the offered hand in the usual Jaffa salute. "What has happened?"
"Come, we will brief you."
Bra'tac came into the briefing room. There were others there.
"Master Bra'tac," Jack began. "You remember Colonel Harold Mayborne, Jonas Quinn, Majors Marks and Davis."
Master Bra'tac nodded at each.
"General O'Neill, Dr. Gardner is here." Walter announced.
"Get her in here." Jack said.
Walter left and soon returned with her.
"Master Bra'tac you remember Sarah?"
"Yes, I do."
"Master Bra'tac," Sarah greeted. She became officially part of the SGC about a year ago when Daniel needed her help with some ruins on a offworld base.
"Has Aron arrived?" Jack asked Walter.
"Not yet, sir,"
"Inform me when he does." Jack said. "Please sit," He turned to the others. "We have a situation. We explored the last address in the Ancients' database. It leads to a rather dismal world." And he showed the vid they got from the MALP.
"It is where we lost contact with SG8, 9, 10 and 12." General Landry continued. "So um, we sent SG1, 3, 5 and 14."
"And?" Colonel Mayborne asked.
"And we haven't heard from either of them." General Landry replied.
"This is where it gets weird." Jack added and continued. "We sent another MALP and not only there is no sign of our teams but there is also no sign of the first MALP. I checked the footage no tracks."
"Weird and impossible." Mayborne observed.
"Not necessarily," Jonas Quinn remarked. He started having an idea.
"What do you mean?" Sarah asked.
"It is possible they are all there it is just that they don't see each other."
"How is that possible?" General Landry asked perplexed.
"Hank," Jack took the word. "You remember when Carter and Mitchell disappeared while playing for the first time with Merlin's device..."
And then it hit them all.
"Another dimension?" Mayborne exclaimed.
"Yes," Jonas Quinn nodded.
"So what do you say?" General Landry asked to clarify. "They are all in separate dimensions?"
"How many are there?" Major Davis asked.
"Eleven," Another voice replied. They turned around and it was second lieutenant Jennifer Hailey.
"Ah, lieutenant, sit down." Jack said.
"Eleven?" General Landry repeated. "So what each team is in one of those?"
"Yes, sadly that means..." Jonas Quinn did not finish his sentence but it was not necessary as everyone could count. There were two more dimensions anyone could land into.
"So," Jack stood up. "Harry, you will lead one of the teams. You will take with you Major Marks, Lieutenant Hailey, and Aron, when he arrives. I will lead the other one with Jonas, Dr. Gardener, and Master Bra'tac."
"I still object to this." General Landry interjected.
"I know but I have made my mind, Hank." Jack said. "Major Davis, you will have command of the F309 Battleship USS Thor."
"I thought we haven't started building that?" General Landry said confused.
"Actually, we completed it last month." Jack replied. "It was meant as a surprise for the anniversary of their passing."
"I'm honoured, general." Major Davis said.
"USS Thor is the most advanced ship we have and the fastest. We based it on the Asgard ships and it has its shape. Major Davis will take it to where the gate address leads."
"Yes, sir," Major Davis said.
"Good," Jack said. "Well, gear up and as soon as Aron arrives we leave."
Teal'c reached the bottom of a ravine where the graves were closer one to another. He gave his team the sign to advance cautiously. His senses were on alert. He felt movement close by but did not see anything yet. He had his staff in battle readiness while his eyes scanned the area.
Mitchell reached him and knelt. Sam stood just a few feet behind covering their rear while Daniel and Vala occupied a spot in between.
"Teal'c?" Mitchell whispered. He did not consider though such caution for necessary but he had the feeling a louder noise is inadvisable. This place was creepy enough. There was no need for unpleasant surprises.
"Eleven o'clock," Teal'c replied in whisper as well.
Mitchell turned his head in that direction. There was a large mound of rock and dirt, and some of those black bushes but hardly anything else. And just when he thought it was safe a shadow crossed. It happened so quickly that at first Mitchell thought he imagined it.
Teal'c knelt as well but his eyes narrowed. His index finger moved to the trigger of his staff.
"What was that?" Daniel asked.
"I have no idea." Vala replied.
"Shush," Mitchell said putting a finger on his lips.
There was another shadow that crossed just as fast as the previous one. Of course it could have been the same shadow. It was difficult to tell from this distance. Mitchell gestured his team to advance slowly.
They ran stooped some twenty meters and stopped, and waited. The shadows did not seem again but they waited and continued observing the area around the mound. They started relaxing and like clockwork the shadows reappeared.
Mitchell had almost the feeling the shadows waited for them and it gave him shivers. It was best when one can see its prey or enemy but this was uncomfortable to say the least. He gestured his team to move out again and so they ran another twenty meters and stopped. In his mind, it felt like they played this old game – green light, red light.
This time the shadows passed slower than before but it was still too fast to make out the shape of whatever left it. SG1 waited patiently. The shadows slowed even more and now they could make out the shape. It was a stunning one too.
The shadows belonged to men dressed from top to bottom in Victorian long black tailcoats with white shirts and black ties and bowler hats. The shoes also black were neat and well polished. But the faces – oh man, the faces, they were the scariest thing SG1 has ever laid eyes on. The faces were faceless. They were paint white with some resemblance to eyes and ears, and the mouth it screamed like that horror movies Scream.
What were these things? This thought crossed all their minds. What did they do here? Were they the indigenous people? 'Oh, please say no,' Daniel thought as he fought the fear these things induced in him. He had the funny feeling his teammates felt the same way.
The scary figures stood absolutely still. The one good thing was they did not look in their direction but somewhere to the north. They also looked like they waited for something or someone.
The minutes passed slowly and uneventfully. SG1 felt cold sweat on their foreheads but stayed just as still as the horrid figures. The minutes turned in an hour or maybe two. Time passed differently on this world. They had this sensation ever since they left the Stargate area.
Movement caught their attention and still almost out of nowhere another Victorian figure appeared. This one though had a face. It was the face of a fifty or fifty years' old man with straight long hair and a seasoned look, and perfect, well-educated mannerism. His facial expression however was hard and cold as was the look in his eyes.
"I have found it." Even his voice streamed with coldness. The faceless figures opened their mouths and a hindering the ears scream came out of them. "Go collect them and bring them here. He will not resist then. He will come too. Go now."
The faceless figures then melted away and only the man stayed. His eyes turned in their direction and SG1 hit the ground as quickly and as invisibly as possible. They hoped the cold eyes will not find them. They feared them. The man's look passed over their place and climbed up the mounds of hills and graves. The cold look completed the circle and then the man walked away and SG1 somewhat relaxed.
Still, SG1 did not leave their place for a very long time. They stayed still and did not even move each with his or hers thoughts. Fear is not something that they usually experience so profoundly and from a distance. They usually faced anything. But in this one instant they were afraid like never before. The cold sweat on their foreheads certified it.
This fear paralyzed them. It was the fear of the unknown. They had faced many enemies but none so scary. It felt like they were in a horror movie or in a place that could easily qualify as hell. Who were these faceless figures? Who were they after? Why bring whoever it was here and for what reason? All these thoughts raced in their minds but still they did not dare to move. They feared the man will return.
Each of them paid close attention to every breath they took. They did not seek each other's eyes. Each stayed in his place perfectly still, the cold sweat still present on their foreheads. How many hours they stood still on the dusty ground they could never tell. Slowly the coldness they felt dissipated and they could breathe normally again. And just as cautiously and slowly they stooped and then stood up.
"Perhaps, it was not such a good idea to look for the source after all." Daniel shared. His voice was shaky and weak.
"Perhaps, it was never a good idea to venture through the Stargate." Sam said. "But we did anyway."
"Who shall we pin this on this time?" Vala said and though still shaken it brought a smile to everyone's face.
Somewhere to the east from them, an object with the size and proportions of a 1950s England blue Police Box crashed on the surface of this dismal, depressing world.
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