Sam jerked awake as a large hand closed over her mouth.
"Shhh," at Jack's whispered command she was immediately silent.
You with me? Jack asked her, lessening his hold.
I'm good, she confirmed, slowly sitting up. They were in a white, sterile-looking room; the walls seemed to have a silver sheen to them. She was still dressed in her BDUs, but they appeared much cleaner than she remembered. Glancing at Jack's attire, it was obvious his BDUs were also clean with any rips mended.
Yeah, my ribs and my clothes are fixed, he confirmed before she could ask.
Where are we? Sam asked.
I was hoping you could tell me. He sent her a worried look. What happened last night.
Sam's memories were fuzzy, but she remembered something shimmery. Gasping as her memory flooded back, she played the scene in her mind so he could see it, too.
So some shimmer-man-thing, lulls us to sleep, kidnaps us, heals me, and cleans our clothes?His look was incredulous.
If it had wanted us dead, I don't think we'd be conversing now, sir. She tacked on his honorific out of annoyance; she didn't know any more than he did.
How do you know we aren't dead?
Without much thought, she grabbed the skin on the back of his arm and pinched hard. His sudden suppressed yelp and subsequent glare gave her a sense of irritated satisfaction.
Ya feel that? Sir. When he didn't respond, she added, guess that means you aren't dead.
Damn, Sam, that hurt. What's wrong with you?
A sharp retort was on the tip of her mind when she stopped short. What waswrong with her? She would never intentionally inflict harm on another person, especially Jack.
I'm sorry, she shook her head. You didn't deserve that; I don't know why I did it.
"Anger is often an after-effect of the healing sleep," a deep voice said as a dark-skinned man walked into the room. His skin possessed the same silver sheen as the walls. "The more a person resists, the more volatile they tend to be upon awakening. You fought hard to stay awake," he reached a hand toward her.
Jack quickly stepped forward, blocking the outreached hand from reaching her, "who are you?"
She stepped sideways to stand even with Jack. "How did you know what we were thinking?"
"Appropriate questions," he said with a smile. "Your reputations are well earned, Colonel Jack O'Neill and Major Samantha Carter." His knowledge and use of their full names shocked Sam, but Jack didn't show any outward reaction. The man appraised Jack, arching an eyebrow, much like Teal'c. "I am T'Mar, leader of Caelitum."
"Shimmer," Sam said. "That's Latin for shimmer."
"Your knowledge always amazed me," T'Mar said with a chuckle.
"Do I know you?" Sam was uneasy, yet her gut told her this man was important, someone to be trusted. His eyes; they seemed so familiar.
"To answer your second question," T'Mar said, ignoring Sam. "I have a similar connection to the one you both share, the same frequency if you will. The bonding ceremony on Creetia altered your DNA in many ways that are beyond your understanding."
"You know us and about our time on Creetia," Jack looked T'Mar skeptically. "What else do you know?"
"Too much," T'Mar clasped his hands behind his back and sighed, "but yet not enough."
"I'm changing my question," Jack said with a sigh that matched T'Mar's, "what are you?"
"Relax Jack," T'Mar smiled soothingly. "You and Samantha are in no danger from me. Of that you can be absolutely certain."
"Forgive me if we don't take your word on that," Jack stared at the man, but T'Mar only chuckled as if amused.
"Are you an ascended?" Sam asked. She'd been watching T'Mar interact with them and one thing was abundantly clear—if he had wanted them dead, they would be already.
"No, I'm not," T'Mar frowned. "Although, we do share similar rules; one I am breaking right now by interacting with you."
"Why aren't the ascended stopping you?" Jack's voice was hesitant as he looked around, as if waiting for something to happen.
"While I may agree with some of their rules, the ascended are nothing like me," T'Mar's eyes snapped with fire. "They know their place," he added, his tone seemed to dare any ascended being to try and interfere.
Sam glanced at Jack. She was at a loss on what to do. He only shook his head, helpless as well. Why would T'Mar interact with them; what did he want?
"Your fate is not written in stone; your destiny fluid," T'Mar suddenly said. "Your choices are your own."
Jack sighed heavily, "why do supposedly wise and powerful beings always spout cryptic bullshit?. For once, I'd like one of you to just spell it out for us; you know, cause I'm not as intellectually advanced."
"You downplay your intelligence, Jack, you always have, but I will do as you ask." T'Mar shook his head, as if accustomed to Jack's antics. "You were not sent here by accident. It was your fate to be here, but so many random elements had to align to make it possible; your choices and the choices of those around you had to happen in a very specific way. The Tok'ra who stumbled upon this planet; your father's blending with Selmac, so he could give the gate address to your General; your choices on Creetia; Kinsey's path to power, so he could force charges against you; your General's decision to temporarily strand you here—so many elements had to align. A single different choice by anyone would have effectively altered your destiny."
"You're talking about butterfly effect," Sam's mind spun at what T'Mar was describing.
"Exactly," T'Mar smiled gently, "it's easy for me to see the path that led you to this specific point. Trying to look forward to ensure path is impossible. I see all possible outcomes, but to interfere throws them into chaos. I had to wait and hope what was foretold would come to pass."
"So Hammond did purposely send us here," Jack confirmed.
"Indeed," T'Mar slightly bowed his head, reminding Sam of Teal'c. Teal'c! Before she could put words to her thought, T'Mar continued. "Your friend is safely back home and will not be returning."
T'Mar's eyes suddenly glazed as he stared at a random point in space, much the same way she and Jack did when communicating through their bond. He focus snapped back to them. "Our time grows short, and I need you to understand. Those who stumble upon this planet see what they need to see. The Tok'ra who found it experienced a friendly and open society, which led to your father suggesting it as a type of safe haven for you. In reality, this planet is a gateway between this plane of existence and others. It exists simultaneously anywhere and everywhere, both within and outside this reality."
"You're describing quantum entanglement on a massive scale," Sam said shocked.
"Quantum what?" Jack asked her.
"Imagine us here and now, but also at a different point in time, standing on this planet in another universe—but also still here; still us," Sam tried to explain. "It's been theorized that wormholes are manifestations of quantum entanglement, but what T'Mar is describing is beyond my imagination."
"Beyond your imagination for the moment," T'Mar said.
"Are you implying Carter is going to have a role in creating this place?" Jack gestured around them. "Not that I'd be surprised."
"Perhaps you both do, perhaps you don't. As I said, your destiny is fluid."
Sam watched as Jack studied T'Mar; the famous O'Neill gut was deciding whether to believe him or not.
"Why reveal all of this to us?" Jack finally said, the decision made. "What do you want from us?"
"Even as we speak, the one you call Ba'al approaches. He's learned of your situation and seeks your capture. If he finds nothing here, he'll destroy the planet in an attempt to end you. Destroy it here—"
"Destroy it everywhere," Sam finished for T'Mar. "It can't exist simultaneously everywhere if it ceases to exist at a single point. Gah! This is making my head hurt!"
"If you are so powerful, why not just make the planet disappear?" Jack asked.
"You're here," T'Mar said. "Taking either of you outside of your own space/time journey in this existence would threaten what we've built more than Ba'al ever could."
"I knew it!" Jack exclaimed. "This place does have something to do with us."
"We need you—I need you," T'Mar corrected, "to stop Ba'al. But the choice is yours. You can choose to walk away. Do nothing. Return to Earth through the Stargate, and your present lives will not be affected; Ba'al will not succeed in capturing you."
"If we leave, why can't you just hide the planet once we are gone?" Sam needed to know.
"Ba'al is already here." As if choreographed, a loud blast shook the room. Sam grabbed onto Jack's arm as they struggled to regain their balance.
"If the ascended dare not cross you, then why not just stop Ba'al yourself?" Jack demanded.
"Quantum paradox," Sam answered for him. "He's not really from this time or place. He exists outside the quantum field, so he risks too much by interfering." Sam looked to T'Mar for confirmation, but she was beginning to understand. It finally made sense why the ascended had such strict rules. At T'Mar's silence, she knew she was right.
Sam shared a long look with Jack; they could flee, escape, but doom whatever this place was. Or they could stay; fight Ba'al without any backup. There was no choice to make. "Of course we'll help."
As soon as she uttered the words, T'Mar vanished and the room around them dissolved. Sam gasped at the shimmering city towering around them. The tall buildings twinkled as the sun reflected off of what seemed to be billions of particles.
"Are you seeing this?" She breathed in awe.
"It's beautiful," Jack replied, equally amazed.
No sooner than the city shimmered to life, it disappeared, leaving them standing next to the Stargate where their journey had begun almost 24 hours prior.
The gate whirled to life as an incoming wormhole was being dialed in.
"Ba'al," Jack growled. "Damn, T'Mar, you could have at least given us some weapons, a plan, anything!" He yelled into the sky.
"There's no place to take up a defensive position," Sam frantically tried to come up with an idea. They were sitting ducks.
"The two of us with a just pair of P-90s and berettas don't stand a chance," Jack took her face in his hands. "Our only option is to surrender and fight from the inside." He kissed her hard, before pulling back. "We'll make it through this; we've been in worse spots."
Sam rested her forehead against his, steeling herself for what was to come. Allowing their bond to envelope her, she reached for calm. In the quietness, her subconscious picked through the memory of what had just happened, seeing it through both their eyes.
"Oh my god, Jack," she gasped pulling back and staring into his familiar gaze. "T'Mar, he had your eyes."