Previously:
Sam and Kathryn have bonded over very similar personal histories. While Sam imagines a future she will never see, Kathryn dreams of an Earth she might never reach. Meanwhile, Chakotay is determined to find her, whenever and whenever she might be.
Obstacles
Janeway clasped the neatly folded flag tight against her chest with one hand. She was thankful the three members of her team had been included in the memorial ceremony. Although their ranks and origin had not been mentioned, their names had been added to the long list of casualties suffered by the SGC during the attack on the Alpha site. It brought to her the heavy price those people paid for the defence of Earth against the Goa'uld.
She pushed away her persistent nausea and stood at attention as the wreath disappeared into the stargate, on its way to the planet where so many had died. The blue shadows of the event horizon vanished, and the crowd soon split into small groups, talking away in subdued tones.
Eager to return to the lab, Janeway looked around the room for Sam. Given her ambiguous position at the SGC—a guest at most—she always made sure not to take her access to Carter's lab for granted. Besides, she appreciated the help and it felt good to be able to bounce ideas at somebody who was so enthusiastic and knowledgeable. It made her unexpected exile from Voyager more bearable.
Sam was in deep conversation with a man in a muted-tone tunic who fitted amid the uniformed military staff as if he rightly belonged among them. The younger woman waved at Kathryn to join her. "Captain Kathryn Janeway, please meet my father, Jacob Carter."
Kathryn slid the flag into the sling supporting her left arm, and shook the man's hand.
"I am glad to finally meet you, Captain," Carter senior said, his handshake firm. "I have wanted to thank you to help save my daughter's life for some days now, but I did not come back to the SGC until this morning."
His face was lined and his eyes deeply set but smiling, and Kathryn warmed to him. "Major Carter had saved my life only a few minutes before. I was only returning the favour, General."
"Please, call me Jacob. I am not a General anymore."
Jacob lowered his eyes. When he raised them again, somebody else's soul and voice talked through him. "The members of the Tok'ra High Council whom I represent here are also grateful for your assistance in ensuring that the only effective weapon against the Kull supersoldiers escaped Anubis."
Janeway forgot to close her mouth.
"I am sorry," Sam said, grinning. "This is Selmak of the Tok'ra. She and my father share the same body."
"I am honoured to meet you, Selmak," Janeway said, remembering to speak. What other surprises was this world going to throw at her? "Who are the Tok'ra?" she asked to mask her bewilderment.
Sam explained that the Tok'ra had been fighting their brethren Goa'uld for many hundreds of years, and how an alliance spearheaded by the SGC had opened up new opportunities to combat their common enemy, and created new problems. Janeway listened with fascination about how a world just starting to explore what lay beyond its own atmosphere had become so quickly embroiled in a millennia-old galaxy-wide war.
"I understand there are no Goa'uld in your universe?" Selmak's deep voice sounded off-worldly but in no way threatening.
"As far as I know," Janeway said. "There're many dozens of sentient races in what we call the Alpha quadrant and many more in the rest of the galaxy, some very much hostile, but I have never heard of a species of beings with god-like aspirations." A shiver run through her at the thought. Apart from the Caretaker who had acted like one out of remorse, neither the Borg nor Species 8472 had ever pretended to be gods, and Q were too arrogant and too easily bored to be interested in subjugating an entire species to their will.
"Although it means that the Tok'ra don't exist in your world either, it's good to know there are universes which have not tasted the yoke of the Goa'uld. I hope the Tau'ri will be wise enough to leave those worlds alone," Selmak said, giving Sam a knowing look.
Selmak dipped his head, and Jacob smiled back at Janeway. "You'll have to excuse my symbiote. Her people find humans, or the Tau'ri as we are known, reckless at times, especially when we use technology beyond our comprehension. I find myself agreeing more and more with her."
Sam rolled her eyes at her father's words. To Janeway's disappointment, Carter senior was soon called away. He excused himself, leaving the women alone.
"Your father seems comfortable straddling two worlds," Janeway commented, still awed by the conversation with the two people inhabiting the one body. One a human, a military man, a father; the other? If she was honest with herself, she was still not sure whom she had talked to.
"It's a long story, but he and Selmak have become respected mediators between the Tau'ri and the Tok'ra. We are lucky to have both of them working so well together. Having a symbiote, even a friendly one, is not easy to deal with."
Janeway thought Sam was going to elaborate, but the woman just frowned, her gaze following her father in deep conversation with General Hammond.
"I've got a theory about what's happening with the shuttle engines. I'd like to go back to the Alpha site today if possible," Janeway said, not willing to probe any further in what seems to be a difficult topic for Sam.
"That shouldn't be a problem. But first, we'll need to get changed," Sam said.
Janeway nodded. She wore the same dark blue dress and jacket as the major. Like all the military attendees to the sombre memorial ceremony, the taller woman also bore military decorations on her chest, evidence of her distinguished service to this world. In contrast, Janeway felt oddly naked.
Walking side by side, they weaved their way through the thinning crowd and took the lift up to Level 25. "I'll come and get you in five minutes. We can discuss your idea on our way to the gate," Sam said, disappearing down the corridor.
Janeway entered her VIP quarters, put the triangular folded flag on the small table and went straight to the bathroom. She dry-heaved in the basin before sitting down on the cold floor, leaning the back of her head against the tiled wall. She had been sick almost every day since arriving on this world, but this time she put the blame for her nausea squarely on the three bottles of Californian wine she and Sam had demolished the previous evening. Dr Fraiser had peered at her with a knowing look during her medical in the morning. She had said nothing, though. Janeway was beginning to like the dedicated but discreet SGC doctor.
She stood and gargled water to get rid of the bitter taste in her mouth, before swallowing a couple of pain killers. With a bit of luck, the shuttle capacitors were charged by now, thanks to the large generator Sam had jury-rigged the day before to power the shuttle. Janeway had the distinct feeling she didn't have much time to test her hypothesis.
Returning to the bedroom, she changed into the battle dress uniform she'd worn for the past few days. She carefully threaded her left arm into the tank top and jacket, before putting the sling Fraiser had encouraged her to use back on.
As she left her quarters, a young woman stepped in front of her. "General Hammond would like to see you now, Ma'am." The airwoman accompanied Janeway the whole way to the briefing room, leaving her no choice but to follow.
###
"General, you called for me?"
"Yes, Captain Janeway. Thank you for coming. Please take a seat." Hammond's rounded face was flushed, disclosing none of the kindness he had shown her during the memorial ceremony. He nodded curtly at the only other person in the room, a large man bearing markedly fewer decorations than he was. "This is—"
"Colonel Johnson, Ma'am. From the Pentagon." The man lunged at her from across the table, his hand held out.
Janeway retrieved her fingers without flinching at his vice-like grip. She found herself instantly disliking the man. "The Pentagon? Wasn't it once the military headquarters of the former United States of America?"
Johnson stood back and tugged at his uniform. "Yes, well, on this world we prefer to be known as the Department of Defense, and there's nothing 'former' about this country."
The General coughed. "Colonel Johnson has orders to transfer you to the Pentagon for interrogation."
"With all due respect, General, you are misquoting me," the man said, visibly annoyed. "We just have some questions to ask about the various pieces of equipment you brought with you. We are very interested in how your technology could help us strengthen our defence capabilities."
The man smiled widely as he talked. Janeway was reminded of a Ferengi on the scent of a lucrative deal. She lifted an eyebrow. "I thought I made it very clear that this technology was not to be used by anybody here."
"And so I explained to the colonel. In detail," General Hammond said, his jaw tense. She could empathise with his obvious aversion for the man.
"But you are a scientist, aren't you? Why not share what you know with us? Isn't that what a scientist does?"
"I am a scientist," Janeway conceded. How much did the man know about her? Probably a lot if Hammond's simmering silence was an indication. "However, I am bound not to divulge knowledge of advanced technology to worlds that are not ready to receive it."
"If you don't mind me saying, that sounds very patronising. We do know how to handle alien high tech."
Janeway was reminded of Selmak's warning. Not all Tau'ri would be as respectful of her wishes as the SGC commander. "It was not my intention to insult your achievements, Colonel. However, the principles I follow do not allow me to pick and choose the technology I might give you."
She could see the cogs turning in the man's mind as his smile disappeared. "Surely, you can see the need we have to defend ourselves. To defend this Earth. Are we so different from you that you cannot extend us the benefit of your knowledge?"
And there lay the crux of the matter. Who was she to judge if a society which had already done so much with alien technology could not handle something developed by people who were, for all practical purposes, their descendants?
The Prime Directive was more than patronising; it implied that some societies were not considered worthy enough. It belittled the advancement of those cultures which developed along a different path. As if the almighty Federation was the only yardstick against which to measure a society's values. And yet, that rule had been developed over more than three hundred years of space exploration and first contacts. It continued to be upheld because ignoring it had too often led to cultural obliteration by assimilation, if not plain genocide. It was a very rough yardstick, but one she could not afford to ignore.
"Believe me, I know what it feels to be on the wrong end of this particular argument, but there are very good reasons to not loosen that rule."
Even if the specifics of the Prime Directive hardly applied here, God knows what the consequences of merging technologies from different universes would lead to. She had no right to play around with that most fundamental of principles. She had done enough damage trampling Starfleet regulations to help Voyager and its crew survive in the Delta quadrant; she would not be able to live with herself if she messed with an entire universe just to get herself out of a tight spot.
Not that it would matter much at the end if her hypothesis was correct.
Johnson examined his fingers. "I would like to remind you that you are only a guest here. Your rules do not apply on this world, but ours do."
Before she had the time to throw back a sharp repartee, Sam Carter and Janet Fraiser burst out the stairs, O'Neill and Teal'c close on their heels. "General! We've just heard."
"Please join us," Hammond said with a sigh, showing them the seats.
Janet sat beside Janeway, her face all serious. Sam, O'Neill, and Teal'c took the seats on her left, in effect leaving the Pentagon man sitting alone across the briefing table. As much as Janeway would have preferred to deal with Johnson alone, she felt boosted by the support SG-1 was giving her.
"I see news travels fast in this facility, General," the colonel said. "I must say that I am less than impressed. This is another reason to move Janeway off this base as soon as possible. Too many possible leaks."
"It's Captain Janeway, actually. Colonel…?" O'Neill said with an uptilt in his voice.
"Colonel Johnson. Pentagon."
"Do they make clones out of you guys in Washington? Kennedy a few years back. Who's next? Dear old Nixon?" O'Neill's smile did not waver.
"General, I won't stand here and be insulted. Given the circumstances, I want Janeway placed into custody while I finish my information-gathering mission here."
Hammond leaned over, his hands flat on the tabletop. "As you said yourself, the captain is a guest of my facility. I will not have her put in a holding cell."
"I object, General. I must—"
"Captain Janeway is in no shape to travel," Dr Fraiser interrupted.
"What?" said Johnson and Janeway at the same time.
What was Janet talking about? Admittedly, her shoulder was a bit bothersome, but she needed to return to the shuttle to confirm her growing suspicions she was forever stuck in the wrong universe.
Johnson gave Fraiser a menacing glare. "I don't know what you are up to, but if this is a trick to keep Janeway here—"
"I believe the captain should not be exposed to crowds which might harbour diseases her immune system is not adapted to," the doctor said, her voice firm.
Janeway breathed a sigh of relief. Crowds were the least of her problems. She'd just shaken hands with half of the SGC before the memorial, and Janet had not objected.
"Explain," Hammond said, settling back in his chair.
"General, this is intolerable. This is just a ploy by your people to—"
Hammond pinned the Pentagon man with a cold stare. "Dr Fraiser is the Chief Medical Officer at the SGC. We will listen to what she has to say."
"Thank you, sir." The woman stood. "The blood samples I have taken from the captain since she arrived here show a gradual decrease in white blood cell count, and her shoulder wound is not healing as fast as it should be. These are classic symptoms of an immune system disorder, making her more liable to catch infections, especially from people outside the SGC. It's all in my report and—"
Johnson waived his hand. "I am sure our own medical staff will assess your report with due care, Doctor. Now let's get on with my purpose here."
Fraiser opened her mouth to interrupt, but Hammond shook his head. She sat down, her lips drawn tight.
"Yes, tell us all about why you're here," O'Neill asked, fiddling with a pen.
"My orders are to move Janeway to Washington and ask her a few questions about that small spaceship of hers and the energy weapons mentioned in the report the General sent to High Command. I will take those weapons with me so they can be properly examined."
"Why not let us continue to do that instead?" Carter retorted, obviously looking for time. "After all, you'll need to go through the stargate to access the shuttle."
"That won't be necessary. We'll send the Prometheus to pick it up. In a few days, the shuttle will be safely stored in Area 51."
Janeway could not believe her ears. These people had a ship which could reach the Delta quadrant in a matter of days? What kind of technology could beat Starfleet warp drive hands down? Maybe it was her universe which was the one still struggling in the stone age. She filed the information away, promising herself to ask Sam what that ship was all about.
Carter faced Hammond, eyes wide. "Can they do that, sir?"
"I am afraid so, Major. The Prometheus doesn't belong to the SGC."
"That would be a mistake," Janeway said.
"I am sorry?" said Johnson, his face turning a shade of red.
"The shuttle's energy source is unstable, and we still don't know why. Moving the shuttle to Earth is too risky." Not quite a lie, all things considered.
"I concur," Carter said, playing along. "See, Colonel, the captain is not only from the future but from a different universe. We've been looking into what is causing the—"
"I am quite aware of this woman's origin, Major Carter, and I look forward to reading your preliminary findings after our people take over. Or are you implying you are the only authority in the US military on multiverse theory?"
"No, of course not." Carter clenched and unclenched her jaw.
Johnson continued, unapologetic. "I've done my homework as you can see, and your little charades will not prevent me from carrying out my orders. Janeway will come with me to Washington with or without your cooperation." He stared at each one of his interlocutors in turn. "I don't need to remind you that she is a non-citizen on this planet."
O'Neill dropped his pen with a flourish. "There we go again. Kennedy tried that song and dance with Teal'c when he first arrived on Earth. Then it was Maybourne with the Tollan. They were arrogant bastards, I give you that, but he had no right to want to imprison them. You didn't get your hands on any of them at the end, so why don't you go and find somebody else to bully around."
"The Tollan got away thanks to you and some voodoo stuff typical of those advanced species you seem to like so much. As for Teal'c, his strategic importance was limited," Johnson said. "No offence," he added with a quick glance at the hard-faced man.
Teal'c tilted his head towards the Pentagon man. "None taken, Colonel Johnson." He resumed looking straight ahead. "Yet."
Janeway refrained a chuckle. She had become quite fond of the Jaffa, relating to his silence, dry humour and obvious skills, but she did not want to get him or anybody else from the SGC in trouble. Given General Hammond's dour expression, Johnson's orders clearly trumped his authority.
"This woman has knowledge and technology which could not only enable us to combat the Goa'uld but also expand our own space program. The Stargate system is too restrictive, and the cost of the Daedalus warship program is astronomical. We need to research alternatives and prepare for when the galaxy is free of the threat of the Goa'uld. This shuttle of hers is a good start, and I am surprised you, of all people, would refuse to take advantage of the situation."
O'Neill lifted his eyes. "To do what? Explore or colonise?"
"General, I am not here to explain Pentagon's long term strategic plans. I expect Janeway to be ready to depart from this facility tomorrow morning." Johnson stood, tapping his finger on the table. "And if you try to obstruct me, please remember that none of you is indispensable to the Stargate program."
"I'll go," Janeway said before anybody had the chance to get into more trouble with Johnson. She knew the ilk of him. As much as he was a pompous man and acted like he owned the place, he was just the messenger. His orders came from far above. "General, you and your teams are all doing much too valuable work here defending Earth. I am a distraction and a hindrance. I'll go with Colonel Johnson."
The man was almost prancing. "Good, good. A voice of reason at last. I want to see you ready to go at oh-eight-hundred hours. And General?"
"Colonel?" Hammond's tone was just about glacial.
"Make sure Janeway is ready on time. My superiors won't be too pleased if she goes missing under your watch."
The man left the room, people seething as the door closed behind him.
"General, we can't let them do that," Carter pleaded.
Hammond leaned on his elbows, apologising with a shake of his head. "My hands are tied, Major. I've already checked with the President, and he's confirmed Johnson's orders. The withdrawal of the free Jaffa and more importantly of the Tok'ra from our side has rattled Washington. The Pentagon people want something, anything, which will help Earth defend itself without having to rely anymore on what they see as shaky and one-sided alliances. And you've heard the man. They are already thinking past the Goa'uld."
"What will happen if they crack your shuttle wide open?" O'Neill asked, always the pragmatic man.
Janeway allowed herself a wry smile. "Not to belabour the point, Colonel O'Neill, but I have more than three hundred years head start in computer science over whatever the Pentagon can throw at the shuttle. And I've got another ace up my sleeve. I assume you've never met the Borg?"
She looked into a sea of blank stares. "No, I didn't think so. Let's just say that I have one on my crew who is very good at designing security algorithms. Once the Pentagon realises they can't access any of the systems, they'll have no choice but to let me go."
O'Neill gave her a sceptical look but said nothing.
"Requesting permission to go back to the Alpha site, General." Janeway stood, feeling slightly light-headed. "I need to check something which might render Colonel Johnson's mission null and void."
"Doctor? Is the captain well enough to travel through the gate?" Hammond asked.
"I don't think there is a problem, if she does not exert herself." Fraiser turned to face Janeway. "I'll give you an injection to boost your immune system before you go," she said, looking at her with the same stern glare as Voyager's EMH. She knew her charge was not keen on jabs.
"Teal'c, Major Carter, you've got the green light to go with the captain to the Alpha site. Jack, in my office. Let's see how many favours we can ask from the Pentagon between the two of us."
This chapter is dedicated in a very small way to Carmen Antimo Argenziano (1943 – February 10, 2019) who played the well-liked role of Jacob Carter.