The planet below
Here's another chapter with the usual thanks and disclaimers to go with it. Brief spoilers for some of the Babylon 5 episodes, particularly Babylon Squared, The Long Twilight Struggle, and any other episode that mentioned Epsilon 3 and the little critters who lived there.
Zocalo
Daniel was standing in the Zocalo, listening to G'Kar – formerly Ambassador G'Kar of Narn, as he had gathered – talk about the menace of the Centauri and how many of the other races were now learning what they had been so stubborn to deny before: that, once Narn had been conquered, the Centauri would not be satisfied and still want to expand. Daniel shook his head. He had read that the Narn-Centauri conflict had ended the peace that Babylon 5 had struggled so hard to maintain. Perhaps he should not have been surprised. One rarely could have constant peace – in any universe. And yet, to Daniel, with the fight against the Goa'uld and the petty conflicts from almost every planet they visited and now the hints of war brewing in this alternate reality as well, it seemed lately that wherever he went he saw only battles.
A hand on his shoulders alerted him from his moody broodings and he turned his attention from G'Kar to see Sam standing beside him.
"So that's how you like to spend your mornings," Sam greeted. "Nothing like listening to a good political speech before breakfast."
"He does have a way with words," Daniel admitted, his attention back to G'Kar.
Sam would have liked to say that it took one to know one. Instead, she looked more carefully at Daniel.
"Are you all right?" she asked. "You seem a bit distracted today."
"No, I'm fine," Daniel said. "Just…just concerned I guess. I have this feeling something's going to happen here and that if we're not out of here soon we'll get caught in it."
"The Centauri have their own people here," Sam pointed out. "I doubt they'd attack Babylon 5."
"I suppose you're right," Daniel conceded.
They fell silent for a while, then Sam was struck by another thought.
"Do you think the Centauri were the ones who commandeered the ship?" she asked.
It was Daniel's turn to glance at Sam.
"Do you think they have the technology to jump realities?" he inquired.
"I don't know," Sam admitted. "They've been using the jump-gate technology for some time, in fact, they're the ones who gave it to Earth. So it's more likely they're capable of doing this rather than Nightwatch."
"Unless Nightwatch has technology they're not sharing with the citizens of Earth," Daniel pointed out. "After all – they're not the only ones, are they?"
Sam shook her head at that. Usually, she agreed with the theory that the world was not yet ready to have knowledge of the Stargate Program. Most of the time she thought Daniel did too. Not today, it seemed.
"You're taking a cheerful attitude this morning," she commented.
"I saw the news earlier on," Daniel replied. "They showed a conversation between the President – Vice-President, actually when the conversation took place – and some other guy and they were plotting to kill the former president."
"Well, we knew there was trouble on Earth," Sam said. "The existence of Nightwatch is pretty much a giveaway. But now if they have proof of foul play, they can arrest their president and set things straight."
Daniel grimaced.
"I don't think so," he said. "While I was watching, the transmission was cut off. Almost as if someone wanted to pull the plug on too many people seeing it. The next time the transmission is resumed, there's this expert saying the video is obviously fake "a conspiracy by forces hostile to Earth". Already they're twisting the truth."
Sam was beginning to understand why Daniel was afraid something was going to happen soon and why he was now standing in the Zocalo listening to G'Kar's doomsday speeches. She was about to suggest that they meet Colonel O'Neill and Teal'c and head for breakfast when a security officer approached them.
"Doctor Jackson, Major Carter," the officer greeted. "Captain Sheridan has instructed me to take you to his office. I assume your colleagues are already there."
Sheridan's office
When Sam and Daniel arrived at the Captain's office, it was to find Jack and Teal'c already there. Sheridan was standing in front of his desk. He looked tired and harassed, like he had a thousand things on his plate and no idea which to tackle first. It was a look that SG1 knew too well. They had seen it a million times on General Hammond's face after all.
And yet, despite that, there was something else they could see in Sheridan's face. His expression seemed much more hopeful than it had been the last time they had seen him. It was clear that he had gotten at least one piece of good news in all the mess he was going through.
"Commander Ivanova was down on the planet yesterday on a job," Sheridan announced without preamble. "There is someone there who might be able to help you."
"You mean Draal?" Daniel asked.
Sheridan raised his eyebrows but Daniel's friends looked unfazed. They were used to Daniel absorbing the knowledge of every place they visited with astounding speed. To them it was nothing new.
"Yes, Draal," Sheridan replied. "How did you know about him anyway?"
"Oh, Ambassador Delenn mentioned him to me yesterday," Daniel explained. "I asked her to fill me in on what's been going on here. And Draal is, after all, quite noteworthy – with what he did and all."
"Then you also know that there are technologies there on Epsilon 3 beyond our understanding," Sheridan said. "Draal thinks there might be something for you too."
"What, something to start the ship to work again?" Sam asked hopefully.
But Sheridan shook his head.
"No," he declared. "Draal says the ship cannot be used to take you home. Apparently, it can't travel back to a reality it's already been in."
SG1 looked at each other worriedly.
"Then, how are we going to get home?" Jack inquired.
"Draal says there might be ways," Sheridan replied. "He wants you down on the planet to talk to you. He is willing to help, if he can."
"That's great," Sam replied, grinning.
Sheridan, however, did not as much as crack a smile.
"Remember I only said he might be able to help you," he pointed out. "If there is nothing on Epsilon 3 for you – well, I don't know what else we could do."
"What about the Vorlons you spoke of yesterday?" Teal'c inquired. "From what I have heard they are a formidable race. Do they not possess any technology that could help us."
Sheridan sighed heavily at that.
"They were my last hope too," he confessed. "But Draal told Commander Ivanova that they wouldn't help. Don't ask me why, they often do things they do not explain."
"So," O'Neill began, "If this Draal guy can't help us – then what?"
Sheridan honestly did not know. He had not wanted to think much about that possibility until it really turned out to be inevitable.
"We'll just have to cross that bridge when we come to it," he told O'Neill.
And hope it did not break down and cast all of them in deep water, he finished silently to himself.
Epsilon 3
A small shuttle took the four members of SG1 on Epsilon 3 where they were left alone to go on underground and meet up with Draal who was expecting them. Sheridan had drawn them a small map, showing them where to go until they got to the great machine where Draal would be waiting.
The planet looked different from its counterpart from the other reality. Sam could perhaps come up with e theory as to why that was so. No one asked, though. Their thoughts were only on the next stage of their mission, on Draal and the possible way home that he had to offer.
Things changed when they got underground to where the Great Machine was. During their four years of exploring other planets, they had seen many things, some of them so surreal they had had a hard time believing they were true. They had encountered a lot of races with superior technology and that had always left them fascinated. But nothing they had run into during those four years could have prepared the four explorers for their first sight of the Great Machine from Epsilon 3.
"Well, I'll be!" O'Neill exclaimed impressed.
"Sir, this is amazing!" Carter agreed. "This is unbelievable. Sir, the level of advancement to even think of building something like this…It is beyond anything we've seen at home."
It was more than that and they all knew it. Their mandate was, after all, that of seeking superior technologies that would help them with their fight against the Goa'uld. And they all suspected that in that place, they would have been able to find plenty of that.
But that was not what they needed then. That was not why they had come there. They only needed a way home. It was doubtful that they would get that. And O'Neill knew from prior experience that it was even more doubtful that Draal would be willing to share any other type of technology with them, especially if that involved weapons. It always happened that way.
"This place looks old," Daniel remarked. "Like it's been here forever. I wonder who built it."
"I wonder why," Sam said.
"Both reasonable questions."
The four started at the unexpected voice. They suddenly found themselves face to face with an elderly Minbari who was surveying them with an amused glitter in his eyes.
"You must be the Draal Captain Sheridan told us about," Teal'c said.
"But you're a hologram, right?" Sam asked quickly. "The way you appeared in front of us – you're not actually here, are you?"
"I am in many places," Draal replied. "Here is one of them. I maintain the Great Machine, see, and during this time the Great Machine lets me walk on previously unwalked paths and explore the unexplored. And now it seems that it also offers me the chance to greet four strangers from beyond this universe. Quite a privilege I should say."
"The pleasure is ours," Daniel said and then added something in a foreign language. The others assumed that it had to be some greeting in Minbari.
Draal's eyes glittered as he heard the words and Jack chuckled inwardly. Trust Daniel to find a way to get on someone's good side.
"Your accent needs work, I'm afraid," Draal told Daniel brightly. "But I see that you are a scholar. Always eager to learn always eager to find out more just for the sake of knowing more."
"That's Danny for you," O'Neill could not refrain from pointing out.
"Well, I…suppose you're right," Daniel said uncertainly. "I think."
"Very few people are like you," Draal went on. "I think I am going to like you."
"Yes, thank you," Daniel said quickly, thinking that there had been enough flattery for one day and as usual not feeling very comfortable with the compliments. "Now, about why we're here…"
Draal raised his hand to interrupt him.
"I know why you are here," he said. "You need a way home."
"We were thinking about having the ship work again," Sam confessed. "But we heard that you said that would be impossible, though I am not sure why."
"These ships have been designed as formidable weapons," Draal explained. "The people who built them obviously had great potential yet even they did not master the art of traveling through dimensions completely. No one can, of course. The element that helps make the journey between realities is unstable. It can take you away but it can never take you back to where the journey started."
"So you're saying if you want to go to an alternate reality you shouldn't bother getting a return ticket?" O'Neill inquired.
"Not with the ship, at least," Draal agreed. "There are other ways, of course. All dangerous and all uncertain. There is no greater risk than that of breaking a barrier the universe has set in front of you for good reason."
He looked gravely at the four in front of him who were looking back as if he was their only hope. His shook his head.
"Come," he said. "There is something you should see."
Babylon 5, Council Chamber
There had not been many councils lately. The League of Non-Aligned Worlds seemed more and more reluctant to meet and discuss whatever business was at hand when one of those presiding the meetings was Londo Mollari. True, Sheridan and Delenn were presiding also and usually the both of them could keep the Centauri Ambassador in check. Or at least, they used to be able. Lately, Londo seemed less and less willing to allow himself to be kept in check. Not to mention the fact that Sheridan had lately been giving the impression that he was considering more doing bodily harm to the Centauri Ambassador than simply trying to keep the later in a reasonable mood.
The Council was over and the representatives of the League Worlds were leaving the chamber. Most of them were grumbling. Londo had left too, as soon as the meeting was done. He had said good-bye to no one, but that did not matter much since no one had shown any inclination to greet him anyway. Sheridan shook his head, watching him leave.
"I swear he gets more and more…" he paused helplessly not knowing what to call the thing that Londo was becoming.
"He has made many mistakes, it is true," Delenn admitted. "And I think that now they are all starting to take their toll on him. I feel sorry for him at times. He is more alone than you and I can realise."
Sheridan cast her a thoughtful glance. It was something that he should have expected Delenn to say. It sounded exactly like her – giving second chances to everyone. And yet with the Shadows pressing close and people like Londo Mollari making things so much worse with their deals with the darkness, Sheridan could not quite bring himself to look at the Centauri Ambassador from that particular perspective.
"Whatever he is, he brought it on himself, Delenn," he pointed out.
Delenn shook her head at that, not denying the truth of Sheridan's words, but denying the judgement behind them.
"He is not the first to commit such errors, John," she pointed out quietly. "We all bring something upon ourselves and we all have to live with it as best we may afterwards. But that is not always easy. In that respect, I understand Londo."
Sheridan frowned thoughtfully, wondering to what exactly she was referring. Of course, he could see her side of the argument, but that was nothing new. Somehow, even when he did not expect it, he always found himself seeing Delenn's side of the argument. That brought his mind back to the conversation he had had with SG1 the previous evening. He cast Delenn a sidelong look.
"Dr Jackson told me Robson thinks I allow myself to be too much under your influence," he said.
"Strange," Delenn said, "My people have been telling me lately that due to my prolonged stay on Babylon 5 I seem to pay more attention to the opinions of humans than to those of my own people. I think they are both wrong – Mr Robson and my people, I mean."
"You do?" Sheridan inquired curiously.
Delenn inclined her head.
"I do," she repeated. "As a matter of fact, I think that the reason we are so often in agreement is not because we have the power to influence each other – but merely that we seem to be more alike than even we have first thought."
Twelve years before, Sheridan might have bristled at such a remark, especially if it had been spoken by a Minbari. Now, however – well, now he felt inexplicably warmed by it.
"I think I like that," he confessed grinning. "I think I like that a lot."
Delenn returned the smile, then she made to leave the council chamber.
"I have some business to attend to," she said. "Do let me know when SG1 returns from the planet. I would like to hear what Draal had to tell them."
She nodded to Sheridan, then left. The Captain still remained for a time in the empty Council Chamber, replaying the conversation. He had all but forgotten his previous worry and irritation with Londo Mollari and he was still grinning when he finally left to check how things were in C&C.
Epsilon 3
SG1 were following Draal – or his hologram – through the intricate tunnels that housed the great machine. They could not take their eyes off what they were seeing. The place was amazing, and Sam was sure that there was bound to be something they could use to get home in there. But even if there was not – well, only having seen that place was completely worth it.
"I will take you to those that care for the Great Machine," Draal informed the four. "They know all the things that are here. If there is a way home for you, they will make it possible."
"In our reality we had something called a Quantum Mirror," Sam told him. "It sent us to a few realities at one point. The only problem is, we do not have it anymore. It's been destroyed."
"We can do better than that, I hope," Draal replied. "And anyway, you did not use a mirror when traveling from your reality to this one, did you?"
"To be honest, we still have no idea what we used," Sam confessed.
She supposed the ship had to have been equipped with some…special hyperdrive, for want of a better word. But, if what Draal was hinting was true, it was an unstable piece of equipment and could not be relied on to work more than once.
"But even if we do manage to get our hands on something that can take us back to our reality, that won't be the main problem," Sam discovered.
"It won't?" O'Neill inquired, his eyebrows raised.
"No, Sir," Sam replied emphatically. "Because we have to make sure that we get back to the right time. You must remember, we're in 2260 right now. That's about two hundred years later than our timeline."
"You have travelled through time as well, of course," Draal said. "But do not worry. Taking you back to your own time will be one of the simpler matters in this situation."
The others had no answer to that. They sometimes wondered whether four years on the job had not made them slightly out of their minds. How else would they have believed so easily that travelling back two hundred years into the past was not going to be as difficult an issue as they would have thought?
Draal led them to a small underground chamber and stopped at the entrance. He looked inside.
"Zathras!" he called. "Zathras, are you there?"
No one answered. Draal shook his head.
"He always wonders off," he complained. "I tell him he'll end up where he does not want to be, if he keeps wondering off like this. Zathras! I have work for you!"
There followed another silence. O'Neill and Teal'c exchanged a look and O'Neill rolled his eyes. Whoever the elusive Zathras was, it did not seem too hopeful that he was the one they had to rely on to find a way home.
Then there was a shuffling noise from somewhere in the chamber and a strange voice shouted:
"Coming! Zathras is coming!"
The creature that appeared then took the four explorers by surprise. They were used by now to sentient beings that looked nothing like humans. They had to be. But they had never pictured the so-called caretakers of that incredible marvel of technology looking quite like that.
"You take care of this place?" O'Neill asked, his eyebrows raised. "And you're supposed to be the one who's supposed to fix something for us to get back home."
"Zathras has worked for the Great Machine for many years," the creature replied. "Zathras knows many of the secrets of the great machine – many many secrets. And Zathras is good at fixing things. Zathras is always good at fixing things."
Zathras inspected the four as if he had only now realised that they were there. He shook his head.
"You come from far away," he said in the end. "Very far away. Zathras thought such a journey has not been made for thousands of years. Or so the records found here say."
Daniel perked up at that.
"Records?" he repeated. "You have records?"
"What kind of records?" O'Neill demanded.
"Records of a race from the furthest beyond," Zathras replied. "A race that came and went and was forgotten but it left something behind. It left the way to travel through universes."
"What, you mean like a device of some sort?" Sam wanted to know.
She did not want to voice her thoughts aloud in case she was wrong, but if it was all that simple and if there were any of those devices left on Epsilon 3, then they could be out of there and back home that very day.
"And do you have the means that enables travel through universes in your possession?" Teal'c inquired.
But Zathras shook his head sadly.
"The devices that did that have been buried on many worlds and no one knows now where they are to be found," he announced. "But Zathras has something better. Inside the Great Machine there are many things stored to be preserved by the passing of time. Inside the Great Machine, there are also instructions on how to build such device."
That was not as good as having the device already at their disposal. But the four members of SG-1 were used by now to make do with what they had, otherwise they would have been unable to function long in their job. And what they had was good enough.
"It will take time," Draal felt the need to point out. "A few weeks, maybe even a month. It will not mind in the long run, if you get home. You will be sent back to the day when you first entered the ship in your reality."
"Well," O'Neill said heavily. "If that's the best that can be done…"
It was not that he was not enjoying the place – because he was, however much he would deny it to Daniel. But considering the hints they received about the simmering situation on Earth, not to mention Delenn's darker warnings about some kind of war, Jack would have preferred to be universes away from Babylon 5 when things blew up. If they had to stay there a month, he doubted they would be able to do that.
"It is the best that can be done," Draal confirmed. "It is not an easy thing, what you are asking us to do."
"Well, I'd like to try and help," Sam announced. "If I can understand the technology, I think I could help and Zathras could always use an extra hand, right?"
Captain Sheridan's office
SG1 had returned from their expedition on Epsilon 3 after discussing with Draal the final particularities on handling their situation. The devices that would take them back home were small, and they needed to make one for each of them. Therefore Zathras and his family – they had not met the rest of his family yet, but from what Draal had hinted they were in for a treat – would start working on the first device right away. The next day Sam would join them, perhaps accompanied by one of her other team-members. O'Neill was against all of them making daily trips to Epsilon 3, claiming that with all the spies on the station their absence would surely be missed and that would most certainly draw attention. Daily flights to that planet would to, but they had decided to take a Minbari flier for that. Since it was common knowledge that the keeper of the Great Machine was Minbari most of those on the station would find the visits odd, but not unexplainable.
That was the plan that SG1 reported that evening to the captain. Sheridan had listened to them attentively and finally had nodded his approval.
"Sounds fine to me," he stated.
"Better than fine," Sam pointed out. "Draal seemed fairly confident it would work,"
"Only, it seems it'll also take some time," O'Neill clarified. "I'm afraid you're going to be stuck with us a while longer, Captain Sheridan."
Sheridan waved that aside.
"You, I can handle," he said. "All the people that seem to be after you…well, we'll try to deal with them too. The good news is Nightwatch's attention will be somewhere else for a while."
"Yes, I saw the news about your former president this morning," Daniel remembered. "Do you think they can prove his murder?"
Sheridan sighed heavily. He looked now more tired than he had when they had seen him before that morning.
"I think they could if they wanted to," he muttered in the end.
Teal'c raised his eyebrows at the admission.
"Do you believe your people are engaged in some kind of conspiracy?" he inquired.
"I know they are," Sheridan admitted then. "And I'm afraid I can also predict where this train is heading. I just hope it won't blow up in our faces before you can get home. That might make things difficult for you and I don't want you caught in affairs that are not your own."
SG1 had no reply to that. They could have pointed out to Sheridan that for the past four years they had found themselves repeatedly involved in affairs that were not their own. But they knew that would not make Sheridan less convinced that, since they were now his responsibility, it was his duty to keep them away from all the mess that was heading their way.
Before leaving the office after the rest of his team, O'Neill stopped at the door and turned to face the man still sitting behind his desk, moodily staring at the paperwork in front of him.
"Hey, listen, Captain," he began, "If the problems do start before we leave, and if you need any extra help, you should know that you've got it."
Sheridan frowned a little as if digesting the offer and trying to see what lay beyond it. His eyes met O'Neill's and, after a while, his face broke into a smile.
"Thank you, Colonel," he said earnestly. "I'll take that into consideration."
