Hi! Well it's been, well forever. I wanna apologize, I'm sorry! I got another story alert for this thing the other day and my muse apparently was listening…so here's the next part. I hope you enjoy. I also hope the names don't get too confusing.
Oh yeah and episode material is still italicized as you can see…
Previously:
"Don't worry, Carter, I'm sure I'll figure it out-" Jack was cut off as the Asgard beam took him.
Charlie, Daniel, Sam, and Teal'c took off at a run towards the house when they saw the flash of light from the bedroom window. The four of them were halfway there when another flash of light, this one right on top of them lit up the lawn.
Now:
The flash was blinding. Daniel blinked rapidly trying to clear his vision, but with a surprised yelp, he tripped pitching forward. He managed to turn the sudden gravity test into a roll. Lying in the damp grass, he snapped his head around to find the reason for his fall. The reason made his jaw drop.
Charlie O'Neill dressed only in a pair of boxers and a t-shirt lay sound asleep on the lawn.
"It appears O'Neill was not the only one to have been cloned," Teal'c spoke up from where he and Sam had skidded to a stop.
Sam looked indecisive, she wanted to check on Charlie but she needed to go check on Jack.
"Go check on Jack. I'll take care of sleeping beauty here," Daniel said.
"Did not sleeping beauty require a kiss to be awakened?" Teal'c questioned.
Daniel's eyes widened, "Uh yeah. Thankfully this isn't a fairy tale."
"Indeed."
As his teammates ran on toward the house, Daniel could only shake his head as he turned his attention to Charlie.
The Asgard beam left young Jack lying suspended in the air of an Asgard lab. He quickly checked to make sure he still held the Zat. The weapon snapped into its firing position as young Jack scanned the room.
He looked to his left and right into the eyes of a similarly suspended figure.
"Dad!" "Charlie!" They both exclaimed.
"Asgard!" Charlie exclaimed pointing at the gray figure entering the room.
Without hesitation Jack Zatted the Asgard and with a small shrug that asked 'why not' he Zatted the orange device keeping him suspended.
"Dad!" Charlie screamed as he watched Jack plummet to the floor. "Dad! Dad, are you ok?"
Charlie heard a groan before he saw a flash of Zat fire. Then with a scream of surprise, Charlie joined Jack on the floor.
Jack and Charlie sat next to each other on the bed. They both looked disoriented and kept rubbing at their eyes.
"I get the feeling that we missed something," Charlie said.
"Something important," Jack added.
"Just a little," Sam replied.
"Whoa," Charlie whispered as him and Jack entered the bridge of the Asgard ship.
Jack shot him a questioning look before realizing Charlie had probably never been on an Asgard ship before. "Pretty cool huh?"
"Very," Charlie replied with a grin. "Now which console are you looking for?"
"Hang on let me look," Jack replied inspecting the sleek console in front of him, "Not this one."
"What about this one?" Charlie asked standing at another console nearby.
Jack walked over and nodded, "Yep that's the one."
"Now what?"
"Far right jewel thingy, up," Jack replied as he moved the control device.
They both froze waiting expectantly. Nothing happened.
"Ah, and three o'clock," Jack said as he turned the device.
"Y'know I was having the weirdest dream," Jack was saying.
"You think yours was weird I ended up on the back lawn, and I don't sleep walk," Charlie replied.
"The lawn?"
"What's goin' on?" Jack and Charlie asked.
No one had a chance to respond as an Asgard beam lit up the room.
"There, you see, Carter? I told you it wouldn't be a problem," Young Jack spoke as they materialized on board the Asgard ship.
Both Jacks were dressed identically. Young Jack walked over to check his original out. They both looked each other over in confusion.
The two Charlies were also dressed identically. They circled each other in awe and with a grin began mirroring each other's movements. They waved.
The original Jack looked as his teammates, "What's goin' on?"
They all look away embarrassed.
"Wow, uh, you know, I'm, I'm really much taller than I think," Young Jack spoke up.
Original Jack ignored him, "Sam?"
"Colonel O'Neill, meet – Colonel O'Neill," Sam replied.
Original Jack looked at young Jack before looking back at Sam.
Sounding both irritated and confused original Jack again asked, "What's goin' on?"
"We're pretty sure that this ass-gard over here kidnapped you and Charlie and attempted to replace you both with clones. For some reason yours never matured," Daniel replied.
"How long was I asleep?" Jack asked looking bewildered.
"Seven days," Sam replied.
"I'm guessing that goes for me too." Charlie asked still eyeing his identical clone in wonder.
Sam nodded in reply.
"That's a record," Jack said.
"Speak for yourself," Charlie replied.
Jack ignored his son and turned to his clone, "So you're … me?"
"You," Both Jacks corrected simultaneously.
"Yeah, uh, believe me, if you think it's weird, imagine how I feel being the copy," Young Jack said.
Loki moans piteously as he regains consciousness.
"He is awakened," Teal'c said.
At Teal'c's words, Daniel marches over to the Asgard followed by Sam. Young Jack watches them while the original Jack watches him. Both Charlies just watch each other.
"What's happening?" Loki asked sounding very confused.
"We were kinda hoping you could tell us," Sam replied.
"No, no, no, this is all wrong," Loki said.
"Hey!" Original Jack exclaims as he storms over to the Asgard, "I'll tell you what's wrong. I just woke up, haven't had a coffee, let alone a pee in seven days, and I find out you stole my ass and made a – mini me. Carter, I should be irked currently, yes?"
"Yes, I-I would be."
"Why don't you tell us who you are?" Daniel asked.
"Loki," The Asgard replies.
"According to Norse mythology, that's the god of mischief," Daniel explains.
"What did you want with Colonel O'Neill and his son?" Sam questioned.
"I have nothing more to say to you," Loki replied.
"He! We saved your flat little white asses from the replicators. This is the thanks we get?" Original Jack demanded.
"Hey, at least you're gunna live," Young Jack spoke up.
"What?" Original Jack asked shocked.
"Maybe you're a little put out, but this guy didn't hit all the right buttons on the Xerox. This body is gunna fall apart if he doesn't fix me," Young Jack said.
"I cannot. All the clones suffer the same fate," Loki replied.
"All the clones?" Clone Charlie asked with a sick look on his face.
"Okay, I'm going back to my original question. What's going on?" Jack asked.
"I am a scientist, a former geneticist with the Asgard Ruling Council," Loki replied.
"Former?" Sam questioned.
"I was stripped of my stature after I was caught performing unsanctioned experiments on humans."
"What? You've got sanctioned ones?" Jack demanded.
"I merely had the courage to do what was necessary to advance our cloning technology."
"Instead of courage, some might call it lack of morality," Sam said.
"Our population cannot withstand the duplication process for much longer," Loki said.
"Well, how can experimenting on humans change that?" Sam asked.
"Your bodies are similar to our original form thousands of years ago. Using your physical makeup as a template, I had hoped to find a way to construct a clone that could contain our massively superior intellect. My research was unsuccessful," Loki explained.
"So much for massively superior intellect," Young Jack and both Charlies spoke simultaneously.
"I was gunna say that," Original Jack said.
"I was going to say, it was unsuccessful prior to my being caught and banished. I would have found what I needed eventually," Loki replied.
"Why risk coming back here and breaking the law after nineteen years?" Daniel asked.
"Because, I thought O'Neill was the one," Loki replied.
"Me?" Both Jacks asked simultaneously.
"I believed his genetic code contained the key," Loki explained.
"Mine?" Both Jacks asked simultaneously.
"Stop it," Original Jack snapped.
"What was I, your backup plan?" Demanded original Charlie.
"The elder O'Neill was physiologically advanced enough to carry and utilize all the data from the ancient repository of knowledge. That would not be possible for any human one generation ago. He is a significant step forward on your evolutionary path. As are his offspring." Loki said.
"You just found this out recently?" Daniel asked.
"I learned about it when all of the Asgard did. O'Neill is legendary."
Daniel, Jack and Sam are amazed.
"Most recently, the Asgard fleet has been distracted by the war with the replicators and then I learned that the legendary O'Neill had a son."
"So, you took the opportunity when no one was looking to sneak back here." Original Jack said.
"I do not regret my actions. I am trying to save my people," Loki replied.
"Look, I know this isn't all about me, but come on, seriously. I'm dying here," Young Jack spoke up.
"You're not the only one," Clone Charlie added.
"I cannot reverse your fate. Nor can I explain why one of you did not mature to the proper age as you should have." Loki replied.
"Well, easy to see why they kicked you out of the science club," Young Jack said.
"All right, I've hears enough," Jack spoke as he returned to the control console. "Sam, can you call Thor on this thing?"
Sam walks over to the console.
"Please, do not," Loki begged.
"We already tried contacting the Asgard multiple times," Sam said.
"You know, you'd think if Thor knew about this?" Jack replied.
Carter adjusts the console, "Okay, pretty sure that's it."
Everyone waits. And waits.
"All right how long are we go-,"Young Jack stumbles slightly closing his eyes.
"You alright?" Original Jack asked.
"Actually, no," Young Jack replied.
"Dad, I don't feel so good," Clone Charlie mumbles swaying slightly.
"Let's, uh, sit you down," Charlie spoke guiding his clone to the floor.
"What do we do if Thor doesn't show up?" Daniel asked.
Thor beams aboard the ship.
"Never mind," Daniel said.
"Well it's about time," Original Jack said.
"I apologize for not coming sooner," Thor said as he walked over to where Loki is restrained, "Loki, what have you done?"
"Yeah, it seems he's been playing Dr. Moreau behind your back," Young Jack said.
"Yes! Dr. Moreau!" Original Jack added.
"You know why I am here. You should have known O'Neill's genetic code was safeguarded for his own protection," Thor said.
"Excuse me?" Original Jack said.
"A marker was placed in your DNA to prevent any attempts at genetic manipulation," Thor explained.
"The abnormality?" Daniel asked.
"That's why the clone didn't mature," Sam said.
"Yes," Thor walks over to both Jacks and both Charlies. "Loki will be punished for his actions."
"Is it true that they are the key to solving your cloning problems?" Sam asked.
"No," Thor replied.
"But I thought I was advanced?" Original Jack whined.
"Indeed, you are O'Neill, but our scientists have already determined that while you are an important step forward in the evolutionary chain, the missing link we have been searching for still eludes us," Thor replied.
"I'm sorry," Original Jack said.
"Again, I apologize for any inconvenience Loki may have caused," Thor said.
"Yeah that's what I'd call it," Young Jack said, "What about you Charlie 2.0?"
"Inconvenienced, yeah that's what this is."
"It's nice to see that sarcasm is a genetic trait," Daniel said.
"Unfortunately, the eventual genetic breakdown of the clones is not my doing, but rather a result of Loki's inept methods," Thor explained.
"There was no need for the clones to survive," Loki replied.
Young Jack and Clone Charlie look horrified.
"Look, Thor? Is there anything you can do for them? The whinning's starting to grate." Jack asked.
"Yeah Thor, there's got to be something you can do," The original Charlie spoke up.
"You wish your clones to live?" Thor asked amazed.
"You can't just let me and Charlie 2.0 die!" Young Jack exclaimed.
"Yeah I'm with him, not wanting to die," Clone Charlie added.
"They're just kids," Original Jack said.
"Are you certain, O'Neill?"
"Yes," Original Charlie replies.
When original Jack doesn't answer, immediately young Jack smacks him in the arm.
"I'm thinking!" Jack replies before answering, "Yeah."
"Very well," Thor replies. "I will attempt to repair their DNA. If successful, they should continue to mature at a normal human rate.
"Thanks," Original Jack and Original Charlie reply.
Thor bows.
Sam walks over and wraps her arms around Original Jack who steals a quick kiss.
"I think we need to work on getting Sarah a sister," Sam said.
"Oh yeah, and why's that?" Jack asked pulling her close and resting his chin on her head.
"I just realized we now have two sets of triplets and they're all boys."
