-- Some minutes before the Genii ships exploded --

House circled the device in the centre of the room, while McKay worked on a console. The physicist moved to the window of the shielded room and peered through thoughtfully. He glanced at House and grimaced a little, knowing that he needed to talk otherwise his thought processes would stall. After a moment's hesitation, McKay tapped the glass of the window. He said,

"That chamber houses the sub-space antenna. It, uh, harnesses the static back into sub-space. Well, it will when I light it up."

House frowned as he regarded the physicist in muted surprise. He joined McKay at the window. He said, "What? You can switch this thing on right now?"

McKay nodded, looking significantly affronted. "Of course I can." McKay walked back to the console that he had been working at. "It wasn't broken... to be honest, these idiots could have done it themselves... if they were familiar with Janus' coding style of course, and if they shared a certain genetic attribute with me." McKay nodded in the direction of the device in the centre of the room. "All we need is the device..." McKay smirked briefly. "...and the Ancient gene."

House stared at McKay for a moment. The doctor then looked at Daniel's pod. He said, "Now I'm usually not one to exercise caution, but we need Danny out of the deep freeze before you go doing anything stupid. After all, you did nuke that solar system..."

McKay was about to rebuke House. However, the situation got the better of the physicist. He said, "But they'll kill you! We don't have a choice!"

House rolled his eyes as he surmised that McKay's exclamation was more selfish than compassionate. "Hey, you're gonna die either way. What the hell do you think they'll do when you switch that damn thing on?"

McKay appeared wide-eyed and panicky. "I'm just trying to delay the inevitable. And to be honest, I'm rather fond of me."

"I guessed."

"... and I'd rather do this now while you're here than... you know, when you're... not here."

House frowned as he stood at McKay's side. He looked down at the console, and then shrugged. "Well then, junior American, seeing as we can't shoot our way out like AR-1..."

As McKay looked on in shock, House pressed a button. The two men looked through the window in the shielded room. They watched as electricity bounced off the large device, off the two antennae, and around the room. They then turned to see the Attero device begin to glow once more. Electricity sparked around it, and McKay gulped.

He and House moved closer to the window of the shielded room. A whimpering McKay asked, "Are we still alive?"

House blankly looked around their surroundings. "Lame hell if we are. No flames and pitchforks like the brochure promised." He looked at McKay. "What about those side effects then? They must have been big if a pre-evolved human shut this thing down."

McKay shrugged. "Not a clue, but the point is we're still alive... and they might let us go home."

House rolled his eyes as he looked away from McKay, at Daniel's pod. "Amateurs. I'm surrounded by amateurs... Let's spring Indiana Jones first."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Sam sat in a darkened observation room overlooking part of the Infirmary at the SGC. With tears in her eyes, she watched as Carolyn and Cassie went about checking on the small inhabitants of five beds in the Infirmary below. Sam closed her eyes as she considered how close she had come to losing her family. She sniffed, and then opened her eyes to look down at James, who was sleeping in her arms. She kissed his temple and sighed as she rested a cheek against his head.

She looked down at Cammie who slept in a chair next to her, the little girl's head in her mother's lap. Sam smoothed the girl's shoulder and frowned with worry, knowing to some degree what Merek and Pete had done. Even though the situation had been resolved, the perpetrators dealt with, she still felt a deep anger and a longing for retribution for everything that had been done.

She flinched when Cammie moved, ready to prevent her from falling. However, she started in surprise on seeing older-Daniel seated in the chair next to her, a still sleeping Cammie in his arms. Shocked to see him, Sam stared at him. "Daniel!"

She hushed a now whimpering James when he stirred, whispering an apology to him. She then looked at the Ascended being, who softly glowed in the darkened room. "Daniel." She sighed softly, recalling their fight. She looked away from him, through the glass. "Look... about all that..."

Older-Daniel followed her gaze, pain old and new in his eyes. "It's all over now Sam. Our babies are safe." He looked at Sam, seeing her nod. "And I was there." Sam looked at him in surprise, and he continued, looking away from her once again, "I've just not been good at this whole thing. I mean, when I – we – changed everything... I was just so blind. It was an excuse to have you back. I didn't think about anything else... about what everyone's lives would be like. I don't regret it... even though I still don't have you, I know you're safe and that you're happy." He grimaced briefly. "... overall."

Sam regarded him regretfully. "But Daniel, you were right to get angry with me." She looked down at James and then at the rest of her children through the glass. "I shouldn't have flown at you like that. I mean, I was all stressed out with being on my own again, and dealing with helping Cassie in between her spats with Simon... but that's no reason to have yelled at you."

"I shouldn't have said what I said to you Sam. I still feel so much anger about what happened... what the Wraith did. Just like with the Goa'uld, no matter what I do now, I'll never truly get back what I lost."

Sam sighed as she rested her head on his shoulder. Tears in her eyes, she said, "Daniel..."

Still holding Cammie, he put an arm around Sam, a wistful longing in his heart for times gone by. Not wanting to talk any more about what he had gone through, he changed the subject. He looked through the glass. Being brave for her, he said, "How are the babies doing?"

Sam blinked back more tears as the lights of the Infirmary noticeably flickered. She sniffed, and said, "They're... fine. Carolyn found traces of the same sedative that they'd used on Daniel before, in their blood. I've neutralised as much of it as I could... but I made them sleep just in case. No complications so far tonight." She looked down at James and at Cammie. "These two weren't injected with anything... but I think they've been traumatised by those imbeciles." She sighed, still looking down at her eldest children. "I should have known though. All these stupid Ancient abilities and I didn't know they were gone until it was too late... and then it took me so long to find them."

Older-Daniel appeared troubled at the anger and the self-loathing evident in her tone. He shook his head. "Sam... it's early days for you and that guy just yet. You've still got so much further to go... so much more to learn. Don't hate yourself for something beyond your control. All that matters right now... all that should matter right now is that the babies are back and safe."

He smiled a little as looked down at Cammie. Remembering better times, he smiled at Sam bashfully. Despite her pain and her worries, Sam smiled back at him, knowing what he was thinking. He still spoke though, even though there was no need to do so. He said, "These two started us out... it feels so weird. It's been a long time since Cameron fell asleep and drooled on me."

Sam suddenly laughed quietly, and then she looked embarrassed. She was about to wipe Cammie's mouth when a smirking older-Daniel shook his head. "I wiped it already. I just thought it was funny." He chuckled. "She'll give me such a glare when I tell her." He smiled softly as he looked at James clinging onto Sam in his sleep. The Ascended man looked at Sam. "Can I?"

Sam nodded, and they exchanged children. Older-Daniel smiled emotionally as he looked down at the boy. He glanced up at Sam, and said, "Junior was such a happy kid. He still is..."

Sam looked at him sadly, knowing what the older version of her husband had been through. Before she could say anything however, older-Daniel shook his head. "It's okay, Sam. Well, it's not okay... but you know, I'm learning to live with it. It's been quite helpful not being constrained by this corporeal form."

"You shouldn't have to deal with it..."

"It doesn't matter... what matters is that things are better now." He smiled as he gazed at her, remembering the good times that he had had with the Sam whom he had lost. "... and Daniel won't have to tell stories about you to our babies. Before you say anything, you and all of our babies remind me of everything that I've lost; everything that was taken from us. But seeing you here like this, reminds me of everything that my younger self has gained... and everything that our babies have gained in the long run."

Sam looked at him fearfully. "You're not going to disappear, are you? I really want you, and our duet to still be a part of my life. I know it's not fair and it could be cruel, but..."

Older-Daniel looked through the glass, and down at the children that he and Sam held. He sighed. "Sam, I don't know what the right thing is right now. I want to, believe me, but I can't help thinking it's just making this all worse. But..." He rubbed her shoulder. "... no matter what happens, when you need me, I'll be there for you."

"But it won't be the same."

He gazed at her wistfully. "It never will be." He shook his head a little. "Anyway, let's just sit here, okay? I don't know what will happen tomorrow... or whenever, but it's nice being here with you like this."

Sam vainly brushed away the tears that rolled down her cheeks. She nodded, her voice rough with a great many emotions, some conflicting, others not. She said, "It is nice."

When he moved his arm from around her, she held his hand, and gazed at him. She said, "No matter what you decide, Daniel... I want you to know that..."

They suddenly turned around on sensing something. Behind them stood Jack, who looked from one to the other with some awkwardness. The old General raised his eyebrows briefly as he looked at older-Daniel. "Hey, how's it going, ya old coot?"

Older-Daniel nodded. "Right back at ya."

Jack appeared mildly surprised at the retort. He then looked at Sam, who was now quickly drying her eyes. "Carter, hate to break up the moment an' all, but I need you..." He paused, feeling awkward at the perceived double entendre. "... well, Walter does. You know what he's like... can't get enough of you, that randy old fella."

As older-Daniel hid a smile, not feeling the need to defend Sam, Sam glared at Jack reprovingly. She said, "Jack, cut the crap. What's going on?"

"We tried calling Atlantis – they're not picking up."

Sam didn't need to be told twice. She quickly passed Cammie to older-Daniel and bolted out of the room, leaving Jack looking mildly stunned. He raised his eyebrows and looked at the Ascended man. "You of all people know I rarely say this... but you did good, Space Monkey."

Older-Daniel nodded, looking serious. "I'm learning to live with how things are, but what's important is that Sam's happy now."

Jack nodded, familiar with some of the other man's pain. "Yes. I know what that feels like."

"You gonna follow Sam?"

Jack shrugged. "I think I'll hang with you... otherwise I'll just get bombarded with technobabble when she forgets that she's gotta bottom line stuff for me."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Meanwhile, in the Pegasus galaxy, House impatiently paced the room while McKay continued to work at a console, glancing at a wallscreen every so often. House rolled his eyes as he felt his boredom grow, the doctor not liking the feeling of not being able to do anything in the situation for once. House glanced at his watch for what must have been the hundredth time, and he said,

"Ten minutes. We can't free Danny without an angle grinder... and whatever this thing does, it's done it already. Or it's broken... or you're an idiot."

McKay froze when he glanced at the wallscreen once more. He then shook his head in denial, and then closed his eyes for a moment. He checked the wallscreen again, and suddenly looked very scared. The physicist said, "Oh boy."

House immediately rounded on him when he didn't elaborate. The doctor grumpily said, "What? What could be so harrowing to earn that white-bread exclamation? You know, real men swear."

"I think I found a log entry that tells us what the unforeseen side effect was."

House blinked slowly. "It's not a massive electric shock, is it? Been there; done that; annoyed my best friend... again."

McKay shook his head, still looking panicked. "No, no... we're okay. We're safe. The rest of the galaxy isn't... including Atlantis. I need to shut this thing down."

Suddenly the doors of the room opened, and two of their captors entered the room. One of them brandished a gun and aimed it at McKay in a threatening manner. House slowly raised his hands, glancing at the physicist, who ignored the aliens and resumed working.

The alien with the gun was just about to shoot McKay in order to stop him, when a noise caught their collective attention. House and McKay, and the aliens looked into the corner of the room where Daniel's pod was, to see it open up. Out came Daniel, swinging his legs out. He raised a forearm defensively when the alien with the gun trained its weapon on him. The alien discharged a shot from the weapon but the yellow energy bounced and scattered off a sheath of white light.

Everyone stared as Daniel got to his feet, looking very serious. The archaeologist slowly advanced on the aliens, who understandably shrank back a little on seeing the fierceness in his eyes. Daniel cocked his head a little and said, "You're Asgard."

McKay exclaimed in shock as House looked confused, "What?? The Asgard?!"

Daniel ignored the physicist as he continued, "I don't know how or why just yet, but I know who you are. What I don't get is why you're doing this." Daniel pointed to the Attero device in the centre of the room. "Look, I don't think you're aware that this device, when activated, is very dangerous. It makes Stargates explode."

Another alien entered the room just then, evidently the leader. It said in an emotionless voice, "We do not use Stargates."

"Okay, but lots of people use them."

"They are of no concern to us."

Daniel shook his head, determination in his eyes. "So you're just going to let them die? Millions of people across the galaxy?" The leader regarded him silently. "I cannot and I will not allow it. It's genocide, whether that is your intent or not. You're not better than the Wraith were."

"We have no choice."

Daniel stared at the Asgard, galled at what was implied by its statement. "Why? What could lead you to dismiss millions of people's lives as though they were just dust in the wind?"

"Our planet has not sufficiently recovered from the time that the Wraith controlled the galaxy. It can no longer sustain us. For the first time in countless generations, we must venture out into this galaxy again – a galaxy which contains an unknown weapon of unimaginable destruction. If we do not destroy it, it will destroy us. This is the way it must be."

Daniel furiously rounded on the Asgard leader. "I am not going to let you kill millions of people! How could you be so callous? And why are you so afraid? Why are you still in your battle armour? I won't hurt you, and I already knew who you are the minute you bundled me into that pod."

The first two Asgard remained immobile as the leader turned away from Daniel. He walked away a few steps and then stopped. McKay gaped in shock as House looked on in fascination as the suit slowly opened from the back, revealing the small grey frame of an Asgard. The Asgard stepped out of the suit and approached Daniel. He asked,

"You know of our kind?"

Daniel nodded. "Yes. I even considered a few of them as my friends. I and my friends have worked with them." The archaeologist sighed. "But of course, the Asgard that I knew were a noble race, who actually helped the human population of my galaxy." Daniel suddenly stopped, realising something. He stared. "But most of them didn't choose to save themselves by unethical means. You experiment on humans... because our physiology is similar to what yours used to be."

"What of the Asgard of your galaxy?"

Daniel grimaced. "They're dead. They were clones of clones of clones, going back generations. They suffered severe genetic degradation..."

"Because they did not do what was necessary. Surely humans understand self preservation? We must survive otherwise thousands of years of Asgard civilisation, scientific progress, will be lost. We have already lost so much – our ships, much of our technology – but we cannot lose who we are. Our identity."

Daniel's expression was once more steeled with determination. He turned and raised a hand in the direction of the device. As the Asgard attempted to fire on Daniel, the Attero device silently exploded in white flame. Daniel, now glowing, turned back to the Asgard. "I will stop you from destroying innocent people. The galaxy is far safer than it was. I don't know what weapon you mean, but there is nothing to be afraid of."

The leader regarded him coldly, or as coldly as an Asgard could. "We had no choice but to retreat from all our settlements during the time of the Wraith. We hid on a planet with a toxic atmosphere so they would not look for us. But something destroyed the Wraith... a huge, powerful weapon known only as 'the Duality' and which we believe operates via subspace. We do not know what this weapon is, but a weapon which is capable of destroying an entire race..."

Daniel stared in shock at the Asgard, realising what they were so afraid of. His children. Evidently the Asgard didn't understand what it was yet feared its power greatly; fearing it to such an extent that they were willing to counter it by any means. The archaeologist could sense their fear and desperation, dark and cloying; mixed with a longing for retribution for their ordeal. Daniel said, "You honestly have nothing to be afraid of. The Duality was not designed to destroy you."

The Asgard peered up at him curiously. "You speak as if you know what it is."

"I do... and I promise that it won't hurt you." Daniel's gaze softened with sympathy. "I'm sorry for what you had to go through, and I'm sorry about your planet... but there is another way. I can help you relocate and rebuild yourselves. But if I do this, the experimentation on humans must stop."

The Asgard replied reluctantly, "But we will perish. Already these exoskeletons that we wear will not last much longer. But as for our genetic degradation, we cannot let it happen. We must do all that we can."

Daniel slowly and reverently took the Asgard's hand. "There's another way, but you're gonna have to trust me."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

In Atlantis, Teyla rushed out of a transporter, trying to evacuate the remaining personnel to a lower level of the tower so they could escape the impending explosion of the Stargate, which was inexplicably overloading. She stopped suddenly as an explosion from a higher level rocked the tower, the roar almost deafening. Then came the screams of the people being thrown about and injured as the tower was plunged into darkness when the power went out.

Sickened to the stomach that Sheppard and Radek might have perished in the explosion, she activated her headset. She called into it, "Colonel Sheppard, are you all right?" Not getting a reply, she called again, "John? Can you hear me?"

Teyla sprinted into the control room with a nurse and some soldiers. The control room had been destroyed, charred debris strewn everywhere. She peered through the darkness, seeing that the Stargate had gone; the wall behind it destroyed too – the sky and the ocean visible through the gaping hole. More fear welled within her as she contemplated the loss of two of her friends.

She and her team ran up the stairs, using torches to look for any sign of Sheppard or Radek. Teyla stood next to some consoles, and called, "John?"

Teyla turned to the nurse that had joined their party. She said, "They were right here when I left them."

The nurse shook her head regretfully. "Teyla... if the explosion was hot enough, there might not be anything left for us to find."

Teyla shook her head, not wanting to accept the real possibility that her friends were dead. She and the rest of the party shone their torches around some more, resuming their search for anything. Seconds later, they heard a faint groan. Hope rose in Teyla as she looked around at the nurse again. "Did you hear that?"

The nurse nodded and Teyla shone her torch in the direction of the sound. They heard the same sound again, this time a little louder. A medic, who had gone ahead, called to them, and Teyla led the team through a doorway.

Scared yet hopeful, Teyla rushed forward on seeing Sheppard lying protectively over Radek. She eyed the copious quantity of broken glass on and around the two men in worry as she called his name. "John!"

She and the nurse helped a confused Sheppard up, who said, "We didn't take cover."

Teyla asked, very worried, "Are you all right?"

Sheppard looked around, his eyes not focussing on her or anyone. He muttered, sounding confused and distant, "Huh?"

Teyla's worry grew as a hundred different reasons for his behaviour rushed through her head. She said, a little louder this time, "Are you all right?"

Sheppard groaned in pain as he stretched a little. He said, "Oh, my ears. I think I've got glass in my back."

The nurse helped Sheppard to walk to the Infirmary so she could treat him. Teyla, meanwhile, bent down to help Radek to his feet. The scientist appeared to be relatively unharmed as he put his glasses back on, and uttered in shock, "We lost the Stargate. We lost the control room in the blast."

Teyla gazed at him warmly, relieved that he and Sheppard were still alive at the very least. "But we did not lose you."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Aboard the Apollo, a weary and preoccupied Carson decided to take a break from her work. She walked the corridors deep in thought as she contemplated returning to Earth with her daughter on a permanent basis. The right thing to do, she knew, was to talk to Rodney, but she didn't want to; not after he had broken her heart and humiliated her in front of their friends... all for a linguist, who was reputedly cheating on him as well.

Carson chuckled humourlessly to herself at the irony. It was in low moments like this that Carson regretted ever being brought back to Atlantis from the Asgard facility that she had been found in. Life had been better there – simpler.

With a sigh, she was about to enter the ship's Mess when a hand grabbed her by the arm, dragging her out of view just as a group of Genii soldiers beamed onto the ship further down the corridor. She stared in confusion from her new vantage point, and then in surprise at who had grabbed her. She blinked.

"Colonel Lorne?"

Lorne didn't reply until the soldiers had passed them, going towards the bridge. As Carson looked at where they had been, Lorne said quietly, "The Genii have taken this ship."

Carson felt even more confused. "What the hell for? I'm just about ready to administer that bloody vaccine!"

Lorne hesitated before replying, "Long story. Right now, we've got to find some way to get the ship back. Ronon is trying to get to Engineering to disable the ship. We've got no other help coming... everyone else got knocked out. It's just the three of us."

Carson regarded Lorne sceptically. "Three of us against that lot? Are you mad?"

Lorne reloaded the weapon he carried as he stepped out into the corridor, the Colonel making sure that there weren't any more Genii. He said, "Not mad, Doctor McKay; just determined."

Carson shrugged. "Good enough." She looked down at the 9mm which Lorne suddenly placed in her hand. "You know, I'm a doctor – not a soldier."

"Come on, Doctor M, you know how it is... you gotta do what you gotta do." Lorne glanced around the corridor once more to check that it was clear. He then looked back at Carson. "Let's go. Running would be a good idea."

"Need I also remind you that I'm not a bloody athlete?"

They began to run towards the end of the corridor. Lorne smirked as he said, "No, you needn't, Ma'am."

Soon, they saw Ronon, who was running in the opposite direction, towards them. The burly Satedan waved his blaster as he yelled, "Go the other way! They've activated a lockdown. Move! Move! Move!"

The three of them soon ran the other way, glancing behind them on hearing the clunk of a bulkhead door closing behind them. Lorne held his P-90 close to his chest, ready to fire as Ronon held his blaster up. Ronon yelled as they ran towards another doorway, "That one's next. We've gotta run faster. Move!"

Carson breathlessly retorted from behind the two men, "Easy for you to say... bloody hell!"

The door began to close, and Lorne glanced back at Carson, "Doc, come on!"

However, before even Ronon could reach it, the door closed with a cold thud. Ronon roared in anger as he punched and kicked the door. Lorne sighed in disappointment as he looked away from it, looking for any other routes that they could use. Carson watched Ronon sympathetically, and she said,

"My sentiments exactly." She patted him on the shoulder as he began to strain against the door. "Ronon, give it up, mate... that thing isn't gonna budge. Does this thing have Jefferies tubes?"

As Ronon growled something about watching Star Trek with Sheppard, Lorne looked around the corridor. The Colonel then shook his head. "Not in this section. We're gonna have to get through..."

Lorne trailed off in surprise, and he and Carson stared at Ronon, who had managed to prise open the doors with his bare hands. Carson asked in worry, "Ronon? You okay?"

Ronon growled as he continued to run down the corridor before them, "I'm fine. Let's go."

Lorne asked as he and Carson followed, "We still going to Engineering?"

Carson appeared sceptical once again. Feeling rather tired from the physical exertion, she asked, "Disabling the ship? We haven't a bloody clue!"

Ronon smirked as he skidded to a halt before an access ladder. "Watch and learn."