CHAPTER TEN
"Doctor O'Neill?" General Hammond's voice rang out in the meeting room.
Dan lifted his head, startled out of his thoughts and felt an inquiring hand on his shoulder, John whispering, asking if he was all right. He turned towards the speaker. "Sorry, what was the question again?"
"If you're feeling tired—" Hammond started.
Dan shook his head. "No, I'm not. My apologies. I was thinking about something else."
"We wanted to know what you two can remember about reaching P9H-521 and our reality." Daniel Jackson's voice floated his way from the other end of the table.
A grimace fleeted across Dan's face. "What's with all the weird names?"
"It's a scientist thing, I hear," Jack replied in a dry voice from Daniel's direction. A higher voice, which Dan figured was Sam Carter, laughed in return.
General Hammond cleared his throat. It sounded very loud as he tapped the table with a pen. "Doctor O'Neill, from what your brother told us, there was no mirror you went through to reach from your reality to ours."
"None I recall," Dan tilted his head towards John's direction. "I wasn't really...coherent much at the time. John? Do you remember seeing any mirror?"
The captain shook his head. "No...nada. We escaped to one planet the tablet gave us, then jetted to the one you're calling P9H-521." John frowned, thumb scratching his chin. "All I saw was the Giza on stone on our side, then your Stargate, which we went through to get to this reality."
"You didn't check the other rooms? Maybe a mirror like this was nearby?" Carter asked, her seat next to Janet's. She lifted up a glossy picture of the quantum mirror.
John darkened. "Major, no offense, but we were busy escaping with our lives. I didn't have time to play Richard Burton!"
Jack arched an eyebrow. "Isn't Richard Burton an actor?"
Daniel, Dan O'Neill and John automatically corrected him. "Explorer." The three jumped.
Dan chuckled to himself, dropping his head in his hands and shaking it. "Oh God, that was just too weird."
John grinned sheepishly towards Carter as an apology.
Sam got up from her seat and headed for the wall where the images were shown. "We've sent a few more probes back after you two came, and the MALP found this." Carter clicked the remote, and the enlarged picture of the dead Jaffa came on, distorting her face when she blocked the screen.
"Shit," John breathed. Dan leaned closer to him in concern. "Those are Ra's flunkies all right. How many?"
"We can't tell," Sam said as she continued to the next image. "We can't get the probes to go any further. The damage to the structure was extensive, probably due to the quakes-"
"Quakes?" Dan spoke up, brow furrowing. "What quakes? John and I didn't encounter any of those."
"When we arrived here, the place was pretty shaken, cracks on the walls, electrical storm brewing outside and a lot of minor seismic activity," Sam told him. "It was the reason why we left ahead of schedule."
"I threw some grenades behind me before diving into your Stargate," John said softly. He shook his head, hand massaging the side of his forehead. "What if the thing doesn't work anymore, and we can't go back?"
"I'm sure it's sturdy enough, whatever it was that brought you here to withstand the explosion," Sam stood by the projected images. Facing the screen, she studied the pictures brought back by the probe. "I don't see any serious structural damage."
"But we went through no mirror," Dan insisted. "And we didn't feel like we were transported anywhere. I don't understand how we would have ended up here."
"We're going to have to take a look around, sir," Jack said, looking down to the end of the table. To Jack's concern, Daniel didn't protest. He was just sitting there, eyes on the folder before him. Jack frowned but continued with the general. "I think we need to gauge what's out there before we can make any move."
Hammond nodded. "The President has agreed this new threat warrants a team being sent over to P9H-521 to assess the situation and perhaps...a team going over to Captain O'Neill's reality."
"We were thinking we could try contacting the Asgards like we did with our last encounter," Sam jumped in, waiting until the general had finished.
"John told me about them, but are you sure they can help us?" Dan interrupted. "Ra has grown in power considerably since he invaded Earth. I mean, his power, you could say, tripled just because he conquered the only race who dared to defy him thousands of years ago. Are these Asgards really powerful enough to stop him?"
"Oh yeah," Jack quipped, sharing a grin with Carter.
John shook his head. "But if we need to dial eight symbols, our base..." He paused as if unsure whether to continue. Dan touched his arm saying it was okay. The captain took a deep breath and went on, "Our base...we already have some sort of a naquada reactor running the thing already, but even then we had to run it at bare minimum."
"Maybe we should figure out how to get you guys home first, okay?" Jack broke in.
General Hammond nodded. "Agreed, Colonel. SG-1, I'm going to give the green light for this. Captain O'Neill, do you and your brother wish to—"
"Actually," Doctor Fraiser interrupted. "If you don't mind, Captain. I would prefer if Doctor O'Neill stayed. Major Carter and I are hoping we can block the signal and stop the nanocytes from creating more damage-"
Dan tilted his head towards the doctor. "Nanocytes?"
Sam clicked the button once more, and a still image of Dan's blood sample came into view. "We found these in your blood."
John got up and went to the wall. "This...this is what's in him, right now?" He stared at the black cells surrounding the red ones.
"What are they?" Dan asked softly.
"They're like miniature computers, programmed to do certain things due to signals given," Sam explained.
Fingers gingerly feeling the area around the devices, Dan dropped his hand down quickly, his hair concealing them once more. "My discs...?"
Fraiser nodded, fingering the corners of the folder she brought with her. She glanced down at the file with a sad look. "It's similar to what Colonel O'Neill encountered in a past mission to P3X-8596."
Jack winced. "Now there's something I was hoping to never see again." John spun around towards him. The colonel shrugged. "I had them in a pizza-"
"Actually, Jack. It was a ceremonial cake she offered you. Not a pizza," Daniel pointed out.
The colonel gave him a stern look, and Daniel returned a sheepish grin. "Okay, it was some cake and nearly put me through early retirement," Jack amended and made a face, flexing his fingers as if he could feel the arthritis cramping up the joints.
"What the colonel is trying to say," Hammond translated, "was Colonel O'Neill grew older at a rapid rate and reached over ninety in less than a week."
"Whoa," Dan murmured, turning towards Jack's way, "talk about a faster way to get your pension."
"I know." The colonel grinned. "I was this close," he lifted two fingers and squeezed, leaving a little spot in-between, "to buying some land in Boca Raton to retire!"
"I don't see why," John muttered, crossing his arms in front of him. "Damn place is a virtual desert now."
Everyone on the table stared at the captain.
Dan coughed. "Florida has been drained of all fossil fuels and swamp land. It's mainly a transfer depot for the Goa'uld to move their prisoners and slaves. There's a battleship with a Stargate there."
"That's another thing." Carter turned the lights back on and returned to her seat. "Now, when our Stargate is activated, the other vibrates in resonance with it. And the Goa'uld can sense the naquada in it. I know Hathor was able to find this base the same way."
Daniel bit his lower lip, saying nothing. He fiddled with his pen, not noticing Jack shooting Carter a frown. The major mouthed "Sorry" before continuing. "How was it you guys were able to remain undetected the whole time?"
"Machello." The word was soft. John sat down in his seat, staring at the projected image on the wall. "He contacted my brother when they were both prisoners, and he told him the location of dampeners to absorb...ah...how much was it again, Dan?"
"Ninety nine percent," Dan thought it over before answering. "Yeah, Simmons said it was ninety nine percent."
Carter started, looking at the general. "Wow, we could use something like that!"
"Trade ya," John said lightly, "Your reality for Machello's gizmos."
The laughter was strained around the table.
Dan sighed, leaning into the seat. He nodded when he felt John press a glass of water into his hands. "Before that, it wasn't really a problem anyway. We were more concerned with stealing ore to power the base than being discovered." He coughed and had to stop to sip the water first. Voice raspy, he went on, "Ra took over our planet and littered it with teleport rings, battleships with their own Stargates, patrolling death gliders, and trains filled with ore. Even if their Stargates vibrate or they detect naquada, the Goa'uld generals wouldn't even know where to begin to look for us. They don't know we have a second Stargate. I don't think they're even aware of its existence."
"That's because it wasn't theirs to begin with," Daniel cut in a tight voice. Jack and Sam exchanged concerned faces at the words brimming with anger. "They stole it."
"Huh?" John blinked.
Teal'c finally spoke up. "The Goa'uld did not create the Stargate technology. They took it from whoever built it on your world to begin with. It is the way the Goa'uld survive, taking the resources and technologies needed."
"It was never theirs," Sam agreed. "They're a form of...parasitic race."
"Parasites," John muttered, his face dark. "How oddly appropriate."
Hammond tapped his finger on the table, signaling they get back to the topic at hand. "Well, then. If it's fine with you, Captain, your brother can stay as you join SG-1 back on P9H-521." He looked around the table. "Agreed?"
Jack nodded, exchanging a look with John. "Yes, sir."
The general stood. "Then you depart in one hour. Captain O'Neill, Major Carter will see to your equipment and pack. Good luck." He walked around the table, patting Dan O'Neill on the shoulder, to John's surprise and left the room.
"I like him," Dan spoke up in a light voice. "Reminds me of George."
"That's because he is, stupid," John pretended to swat him on the head.
"Stupid?" The younger brother sounded indignant. "I'll have you know I've got more Ph.D.s than you've got funny jokes!"
"What? My jokes are funny!"
Dan laughed out loud, not realizing he was getting stares from Janet, Sam and Teal'c for it. He shook his head, amused and got up shakily with his brother's help.
John glared at Daniel as he wrapped an arm around Dan's waist, helping his brother towards Janet. The doctor looked on sympathetically as she waved the waiting medic to come forward with the wheelchair. John looked reluctant about handing Dan over, pausing by the chair and the doctor.
"You really think you'll be able to help him?" John asked, glancing down at the top of Dan's head.
Fraiser wrapped her fingers around the wheelchair, feeling like she should be wheeling Dan herself personally. "I promise you I will do my best."
Dan eased himself down into the wheelchair with a grumble. "So you go off and play Luke Skywalker while I sit here like a ninny and let them play vampires and suck out my blood." The scholar rested his arms on the sides, hands feeling over the edges with a bit of apprehension. He tilted his head up, grinning crookedly. "No offense to you, Doctor."
Smiling gently, Janet pushed the chair around the meeting table. "None taken." She peered over her shoulder and saw both Jack and John staring at her with equal looks of concern. "We'll be waiting, gentlemen."
"Bye," Dan called out faintly, waving a hand over his shoulder as he was wheeled away.
John stared at the doorway. "You really think she can find a cure?"
"If anyone can, Doc can," Jack said. "She's performed a lot of miracles here." Jack coughed, and nodded towards Sam. "Carter can show you to the armory. We'll see you at the locker room and head for embarkation together, okay?"
"Sure," John said in a dull voice, still staring at the spot where Dan had been. He had the urge to follow the wheelchair instead. "Meet you in the locker room." He tore his sight away from the doorway. John wanted to call out to the doctor to bring him back.
"She's a good doctor."
John glanced up at Daniel's face. The man nodded towards the doorway. "I know she's...um...her in your reality...but she's a really good doctor here in ours."
John shrugged, trying to act casual. He stuck his hands in his pockets and turned towards Carter. "I guess we should be going then, Major."
"Uh, sure...right this way," Sam shrugged as well as John went out the door without waiting for her.
"Hey," Jack gave the back of Daniel's shoulder a quick pat. "You okay?"
"Sure." Daniel managed a shaky smile. "Just wondering if Doctor Fraiser can help him."
"Doctor Fraiser has often overcome adverse conditions when all hope seemed lost," Teal'c announced, the respect for her clear in his voice. "She may be able to cure Dan O'Neill."
Jack nodded. "Yeah. Hell, when this is all over, we'll see Doc pull another rabbit out of her hat yet."
Arching an eyebrow, Teal'c repeated, puzzled. "Rabbit out of her hat?"
"Oh for...you know what I mean!" Annoyed, Jack motioned they should be on their way as well and headed for the door, Daniel and Teal'c trailing behind him.
"I do not, O'Neill," Teal'c said after him. "Doctor Fraiser does not wear hats."
Jack's groan was audible all the way down the hall.
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Sam's eyes darted over to the man walking beside her but kept her mouth shut. The captain appeared lost in thought as he followed her to the armory. Facing forward again, she nodded to a few familiar faces as she went.
"Dan would like it here," John commented. He studied the colored lines on the floors, the labels on the doors as he walked by them. "This is like a scientist's dream."
"Was there some sort of base in your reality for the Stargate project?" Sam asked, curious.
John shrugged. "You could call it that. We were under NORAD, but only about fifteen levels or so. It was like borrowing office space. They were still trying to figure out the damn thing when I signed on; then Dan got...recruited as well." The captain surveyed the labs with their glass doors as they made the corner. "He got the symbols figured out and had been pushing for us to go through the damn thing for months. Government was sitting on their hands, wondering what to do." He paused as they reached their destination. "Then Ra came, waving a false sign of peace."
Carter swiped her card. The green light blinked, and the door made an audible click before she tried the door. Nodding towards John, she waved towards the filled shelves. "Well, this is one of our armories."
"Nice," John said in a stiff voice, eyes counting the numerous weapons before him. "Mind if we borrow a few? Like say...a few thousand?"
Laughing awkwardly, Sam handed him a holster for the hip, a Glock, and an assault rifle. "Uh...Supply was told to send a uniform and vest to the locker room."
"Fine." John gathered his gear, ready to head for the locker room when he heard the major run up to catch him. He turned to her, puzzled.
"I was wondering." The major appeared nervous for some reason. She stuck her hands in her pockets as she trailed slightly behind him. "You know me...I mean...my twin back there?"
Grunting, John nodded. "You mean Sammy?"
"Yeah. Is she...is she a doctor or something?"
The captain skidded to a halt. "Sammy? A doctor?"
Carter blinked, wondering why he looked shocked. "Yeah...of astrophysics." She pursed her lips. "You mean she isn't? I recall you calling me Commander when you first arrived."
John didn't know whether to laugh or not. "Her a doctor? No way. She's military all right. All the way through."
Surprised at this, Sam almost stopped right there, but she hurried beside him. "So...what's she like? I mean...she's..." Her mouth dropped open when John looked at her sideways. "She's...you...you two are not engaged or something, are you?"
John nearly crashed into the corner he was turning to. Stunned, he spun around and gaped at her. "What?"
"Uh...I take it from your reaction, the answer's no."
"God, Major. If you...I mean...she and I were engaged, I wouldn't have lived this long!" He shook his head, veering for the locker room. "And I'm happy with my wife Sara, thank you very much."
Now it was Sam's turn to run into a wall in surprise. "Sara? Oh...you mean you're married to her? I mean...uh..."
"You mean Colonel O'Neill isn't?"
"Oh no. He was. He's divorced now." Carter shut her mouth with a snap, wishing she hadn't asked. She was saying too much and of someone else's life besides hers.
Shaking his head, John reached for the locker room door. "Divorced? Why would he...oh..." His hand paused over the knob. A sad look crossed his face, and the captain sighed. He scrutinized the major. "Why'd you ask me such a weird question like that? About us being engaged?"
Sam fumbled for an excuse and to her dismay, couldn't think of any. So she mumbled, gaze dropping, flushing. "Well, so far, the last two alternate realities had me and the colonel's counterparts either engaged or married." She lifted her head, grinning. "I had five bucks riding we're not. He had five betting we were."
John rolled his eyes. " You just got five bucks." He swung open the door and ducked in. "Later."
"Captain," Jack greeted as he saw who entered. The colonel finished tying up his left boot and stood straighter. "See Carter got you set up. Supply left your things over there." He nodded towards the bench.
Studying the folded fatigues and vest, John nodded listlessly. He picked up the vest and arched an eyebrow at the dangling straps.
"That's for the backpack," Daniel explained, emerging from behind the row of lockers already dressed. He motioned towards a similar pack on the bench. "They connect together."
"Okay," John grumbled to himself as he zipped up. He hoisted the assigned pack. "I...let's see..." He fumbled with one strap before grunting when he couldn't tell where it went.
"May I?" Daniel extended his hands out, offering.
Jack watched as his double threw up his hands, muttering "Please". He stood there, leaning against the lockers, looking on as Daniel strapped the pack to the Velcro on the vest with ease. John gave a brief smile, muttering thanks as he patted down the vest, exploring the pockets.
"How does it fit?" the colonel asked as Daniel backed away.
"Fine. I-what the hell?" John pulled out a small bottle. He squinted, trying to read the text and arched an eyebrow.
"Foot powder," Daniel explained as he zipped up his own pack with his usual brushes and tool kit.
"Foot powder," John repeated, shaking his head. "Unbelievable—" He stopped when he saw Daniel check his weapon before he slipped his sidearm into his holster with a practiced hand, then tucking in a few clips of ammo in his hip pockets.
Daniel looked up at John and saw the frown. "Captain O'Neill?"
John stared at the hand gripping the handle, then at Jack. His frown grew, and he looked down at his own holster. "I'll be outside," he muttered and strode out, boots heavy on the floor. The door quickly slammed shut behind him.
There was a brief moment of silence before Daniel glanced over his shoulder to Jack. "What was that all about? Did I do something wrong?"
"No," Jack muttered. "You did something right."
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"I said no." John glared at the older woman standing in front of his porch. The sharply dressed lady didn't even wince when he clenched his jaw, sitting on his swing porch, the beer forgotten in his fist. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Sara discreetly slipping back inside the house, shutting the screen door. "It's a military project. I agreed to be reactivated and come on as part of security detail because of my Black Ops experience, but what reason do you have to want him in on this project?"
Catherine Langford showed him a folder, but he refused to even glance at it. She sighed. "I told you before. The symbols are beyond our reach. We can't get them to work—"
"Maybe they're not supposed to work," John pointed out. "And you could forward the symbols to him for translation—"
"He needs to see the," Catherine lowered her voice, "device in order to understand what the text means. If you'd just let me talk to him instead of intercepting every message I left him the past few months. This is very important. The symbols on the coverstone might explain how it works."
"Or maybe they're telling you to leave well enough alone!" John crossed his arms, glaring at her standing uncomfortably in the hot summer sun. "I won't have him involved in another god damn military fiasco!"
"You're just uneasy about your brother associating with the military because of the Iraqi incident a little more than two years ago—"
He stood, towering over her. The woman flinched. "Can you blame me? You read the background files, I'm sure. He nearly got himself killed heading there with Frank Cromwell! He shouldn't have been there!"
"From what I read, Doctor O'Neill only volunteered to act as liaison between Colonel Cromwell's team and the Iraqi government in hopes of finding you," Langford started to say, but she took a step back when John leaned closer, his eyes narrowed.
"Do you know what they do in the Middle East to Americans who are involved with the military? Do you even know what they did to him when they caught him snooping around? Frank and Dan never told me, but the guy doesn't stay in a hospital for three god damn weeks with me simply because he misses me!"
"I didn't see any report about him getting injured," Catherine trailed off when John's face turned red.
"Of course they wouldn't say anything! How would it look that Uncle Sam let a civilian jump into the frying pan not even okayed by the State Department?" he hissed, stalking closer until the woman was pressed against the wooden rail. "They went rogue, and he nearly got himself killed running along with the big bad military boys! I saw the bandages! I heard his bad dreams! They didn't have me doped up enough for him to hide them completely from me!"
Speechless, Catherine clutched the folder to her chest like a shield.
John scanned her up and down, snorting. "You're damn right it's because of the Iraqi incident." He stressed the words by framing quotation marks with his fingers. "He's not going to get dragged into this shit. He's a damn good archeologist and a respectable professor at Colorado U and that's how it'll be! I swore I was not going to lose another member of my family because of me!" He spun on his heels, reaching for his screen door.
"We have many consultants there. I'm one of them. There's no real danger," Catherine tried again lamely, her courage returning with John's back turned.
He glanced over his shoulder. "Then why is that thing hidden under a nuclear silo, miles underground? Why are they asking hundreds of soldiers from all branches to come and guard the damn thing?"
Catherine couldn't give him a reply.
"My answer still holds, Doctor Langford. No." John slammed the screen door hard.
He never thought he would see the day his brother would be holding a gun.
Not Dan...Daniel, John had to remind himself again. He stared at the locker room. His hand curled around the handle grip of the pistol in his holster and tightened.
"Are O'Neill and Daniel Jackson ready?"
"Shit!" John flew around, hands whipping out the pistol at—
Teal'c.
The Jaffa stared unblinkingly at the gun aimed right for his head, hands behind his back.
John lowered the gun, chest heaving. He gaped at the alien. "Where the hell did you come from?"
"Chulak," Teal'c solemnly told him.
"No, I meant...ah hell, never mind." John reholstered his sidearm and crossed his arms. "You all set?"
"I am ready," Teal'c told him and repeated his last question. "Are O'Neill and Daniel Jackson ready?"
"Almost. Jackson's getting his gun checked." John grated out and glowered at the locker room. Pursing his lips, he stood there scrutinizing the door as if he could see through it. "Does he use that thing?" John abruptly asked. "The gun, I mean."
Thinking carefully, the Jaffa gazed at the locker room as well. "Only when necessary."
Sighing, John ran a hand through his hair. "I guess he must have been doing okay if he's lasted three years."
Teal'c nodded. "Daniel Jackson has often surprised me with his...ability to survive grim situations."
"Huh," John murmured. He blinked at Teal'c. "Just one thing."
Teal'c arched his eyebrow questioningly.
"What's the deal with all this Daniel Jackson stuff?"
Before Teal'c could answer, the door opened, and Jack emerged out of it with Daniel trailing behind as he put on his boonie hat. Sam arrived at the same time, nodding a greeting towards her CO as she waved a meter.
"Geiger counter," she explained to John. "There were trace amounts of radiation before, and the probe detected increased temperatures. This will tell us if the place gets too hot for us."
"I know what it's for. Stargate travel didn't suck out my brains, Major Carter," John muttered, irritated. He walked along with the rest of the team, heading for the elevators. As the double doors shut and it began to move, he shot her an annoyed look.
Surprised, Sam shrugged. "Sorry, was trying to be helpful."
John looked surprised as well. "You were? Sorry...too used to you being bossy...automatic reflex."
"Bossy?" Jack called out from the back of the elevator. He grinned over at Daniel who was patting down his pockets, searching for something. The archeologist lifted his head as well at the term and chuckled. "Gee...here I was thinking it was my job!"
John rolled his eyes while Sam gave the colonel a dirty look. Shaking his head, wondering why Jack even found time to joke, he studied the younger man standing beside him, still feeling around his pockets for something. "What you're looking for?"
"Glasses...I hope I didn't leave them in my locker." Daniel peered in one pocket and sighed when it came up empty. "Nuts...maybe it was the lab...did I have them in the meeting room? Maybe back at my office...I...maybe this pocket? No...darn..."
"Daniel," Jack called out.
Daniel looked up in time to catch the eyeglass case tossed to him.
"Next time, use one of those rope things so you won't keep losing them, okay?" Jack pretended to grouse. "Next time, I'm stapling them to your forehead!"
Sheepishly, Daniel mumbled his thanks and grumbled when he saw a fingerprint on the lens. He glared at Jack in the back of the elevator, which the colonel dutifully ignored, whistling softly to himself like he didn't know. Sighing, Daniel cleaned it off with a corner of his sleeve. Putting them on, he blinked owlishly through the lenses, squinting for a second until he could adjust. He caught John staring at him and gave a shy smile.
"Captain O'Neill?" Daniel saw the worry lining the man's forehead. "Are you okay?"
"Fine," John grated out. When the elevator stopped, he left the compartment before the doors completely opened.
Jack made no comment. He just motioned towards the group, leading them down the hallway to the Stargate. As the heavy doors slid open, the Stargate inside burst into a pool of shimmering light, brightening the chamber to a sea of sparkles.
"SG-1, Captain O'Neill. You have a go for P9H-521." General Hammond stood in the observation booth. "Good luck."
Jack waved jauntily at the general. Suddenly his hand stopped in mid-air, and John turned around to see what caught his interest.
Behind the general, Doctor Fraiser was rolling Dan's chair closer to the window. Pale face, blank eyes not seeing John staring right at him, mouth a thin, anxious line.
"We'll be back soon," Jack murmured. The captain nodded absently, eyes glued to Dan.
Fraiser bent down and whispered something in Dan's ear. The young man turned his head until he was facing John. And smiled. He leaned closer to the microphone Hammond tilted towards him. "Hurry back, John. We'll be waiting."
"Later," John whispered. He turned back towards the Stargate and took a deep breath.
Jack waited until his double put on his helmet and gave him a brisk nod before going up the ramp. He could sense Daniel and Teal'c catching up. Teal'c went past him and was through the Stargate first to check for safety before he, Daniel and Sam were swallowed by the wormhole.
John lingered at the event horizon and looked over his shoulder.
The captain gave a wave before jumping into the Stargate. Seconds later, the wormhole flashed and was gone.