Author's Note: Hi again! I finally finished checking this chapter over. So, now, it's all yours to read. I hope you enjoy and review!

Summary: The Day of Choosing has arrived. And who will be chosen? For what?

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Paradise

Chapter Four:

The Day of Choosing

**Information Center, Level Zero**

As Teal'c walked into Level One of the Information Center, he noticed how excited everyone seemed to be. Many were able to contain their emotions quite well, just like Teal'c, but there plenty who seemed to be acting extremely crazy.

Teal'c knew what the day was; it was the Day of Choosing. It was the day that five people would be chosen- one from Level Zero: Transportation, Level One: Uplink Control Center, Level Two: Repair, Level Three: Implantation and Removal, and Level Four: Monitor Stations.

Every year, one person from each place would be picked according to how good his or her work and conduct had been over the year. If they were picked, they got to spend the day in a room and meet the Council members. Not to mention that they got to help with the newest law that would be created. Mostly it was just an add-on to an old law but, occasionally, it was a brand new law.

The whole point of the ceremony was because the government had been created on that day. It was the four hundredth and twenty-fifth anniversary of the Council's creation. Big deal. Teal's had only enjoyed the day because he could stay outside past eight and remain out there until ten o'clock.

Teal'c walked onto the empty elevator and waited until it reached the next floor: his floor. He easily got off and hung a left. It was only seven thirty so he had plenty of time before he had to be anywhere.

The only thing Teal'c hated about his habit of being early was that he had to listen to the same obnoxious voice tell him the same rules he had been told over and over again since the day he entered school. Why they made adults listen, he would never know. Probably to make sure that they didn't 'forget'.

He stopped in front of room 12 and opened the door. Inside was a small but adequate office. In there was the fifty uplinks he would have to deliver in twenty minutes or so. His own uplink was on his desk, ready to be used. But he knew what it said. It would tell him to go up to Level Four and deliver it to the same fifty people he did every day. It was no big thing. But he wore it just to be a good boy.

Teal'c stepped inside and went to close the door but a foot stopped it. He looked as someone pushed the door back open and walked in. It was the same man from the other day. A doctor that he had mistakenly been given his uplink.

He looked at the doctor. The last time he had seen him, he didn't give much thought to the man for he was in a hurry to get to Level Four. But this time the man was right there. He was average height and weight for his age. His physic was not one extremely well built such as Teal'c or DanielJackson but it was obvious that he was strong. Then Teal'c looked up and saw his hair had begun to gray slightly but his brown eyes still held a young man's humor.

"I, uh, don't mean to disturb you but I wanted to… talk for a second," Jack began. "Um, I'm Jack O'Neill, you delivered my uplink to me just the other day."

"Yes, I remember. Is there something specific that you needed?" Teal'c asked. He had the strangest feeling that he had meet the man before. Not from the previous day but some kind of close relationship. But that was impossible considering he had never met anyone by the name he just heard.

"Right. I was just wondering if… we had met somewhere before. You just seemed, familiar," Jack told him with a shrug.

"You seem familiar to me as well but I cannot recall a time ever meeting you," Teal'c informed him.

"Ok."

"It is 7:46. Perhaps you should consider returning to your own office. You would not want to be late."

"Of course not." Jack turned after one last look at the man and walked away. Teal'c watched him head down the hall for a moment. He could not resist the idea that he knew this Jack O'Neill, but he was sure that he did not. Shaking his head, he retreated into his office.

**Information Center, Level One**

It was how that day worked. They would call off ten names: two from each level. Five would be the "chosen" and would meet the Council while the other five would just be told how good their work was but just not good enough.

Sam had gotten that speech the year before. It was the second greatest honor. She could still remember how proud Jack had been. She also remembered how exciting it had been. She knew that it would be the same as the previous year, so she did not get her hopes up. But she could still wish.

Once she reached the main office, located on Level One, she knocked. It was a soft knock- one that was polite but loud enough to be heard. The door opened to reveal Mr. James. Mr. James was their "boss"; he organized everything in order to ensure the IC continued to run smoothly.

Just like the year before, she would walk in and he would tell her what a great job she was doing. But that's not what happened. Just as she was about to step inside, someone walked up to her. Sam had heard his footsteps and turned to see who it was. She smiled as the man, recognizing his as Daniel Jackson- the man Jack had introduced her to at lunch. He smiled back and accompanied her into the room.

Mr. James smiled when he looked up. "Ah, just the two people I need. You are the last two chosen." Daniel and Sam looked at each other in shook. It seemed they were thinking the same thing. Both had figured they would be the "runners-up".

"A-are you s-sure?" Daniel stuttered.

Mr. James just smiled and nodded. "I am quite sure. Please, just through those doors. The other three are already inside." Daniel and Sam headed for the doors, no longer questioning their good fortune. When they opened the door, they saw something they hadn't expected.

Inside was a huge, beautifully furnished room. Jack had settled down on a huge, fluffy couch and seemed quite content where he was. Teal'c stood stoic in the far corner, seemingly observing everything in front of him with great interest. And the third person was a young female. She had long flowing dark brown hair and sharp blue eyes. She, too, was lounging in a couch, much the same as Jack's red one. As Daniel and Sam continued to look at her, she seemed strangely familiar.

The three in the room looked up at the sound of the doors opening. The unknown woman looked for only a second before looking back at the spot on the ground. Teal'c nodded at the two before looking away. Jack, however, smiled and said, "Well, now it's a party."

Sam smiled at Jack and headed for the couch he was on. Just as she reached it, Jack had shifted his position to allow Sam to sit next to him. She brought her legs under her and leaned against Jack, making herself as comfortable as possible. At the same time, Daniel had gone to the other side of the room and plopped down on the other couch. His body sank back into the feathery cushions.

Not long after, Mr. James walked through the door followed by three others. Two were male and the third was female. All three of them appeared to be about twenty-five. They all were definitely related for they were identical to the others. Each was about 6'2" and had bright, crystal blue eyes. The men had short, neatly cut black hair while their sister had long flowing black hair.

The five other occupants of the room stood. All of them knowing who the three were even though they had never seen a picture at all. They were going to be the new members of the Council.

The three Council members were chosen at birth along with four other triplets and go through years of training and schooling. Once they were twenty, only two sets remained. The better of the two after five more years, would be picked as the new three. And so begins the next cycle. After the Day of Choosing, the ceremony for the new Council to replace the old would be held.

"It seems as though you have been doubly honored, today. As I know you've already figured out, these are the three to replace the current Council. You have the honor of meeting them before anyone else," Mr. James began. The five merely starred, speechless, at the triplets. "This is Alexander," he said, pointing at the closer male. Then he gestured to the other man and introduced him as, "Andreievich, and Anastasia," he said as he indication the woman.

**SGC, Control Room, Monday at 1649 Hours**

General Hammond had heard about both Daniel and Jack's mysterious awakenings. Janet had kept him informed of all her findings but he found no reason to go to the Infirmary considering that they had merely fell back asleep.

Again, SG-1 was completely asleep and not likely to wake very soon. So he had been organizing a reckon mission to the supposedly uninhabited planet. There wasn't supposed to be anyone there but, apparently, there was or had been.

Hammond watched as the chevrons spun into place. As the last chevron was about to lock, Hammond looked down at the 'Gate Room below him where the guards, M.A.L.P., and SG-6 were. SG-6 was the team being sent through to check out the area, but first they would send through the M.A.L.P.

"General, the seventh chevron won't lock," the technician informed the General. Hammond looked at the Stargate, his face betraying his shock and frustration.

"What is it, Sergeant?"

Walter looked up at his CO and shrugged his shoulders. "I'm not sure, General. Perhaps they shut down their 'gate after sending SG-1 back," Walter suggested.

"Perhaps. Try again."

**Unknown**

"Where is Rebecca?" The man's voice boomed as it echoed through the empty room. He stood holding a strange weapon, his piercing crystal eyes following the other man, identical to him.

"She is in the dream," the second man answered as he walked across the threshold of the giant room. Inside was a little more than tall columns holding the ceiling up and a window at the very back.

The second man looked at his brother, who was clothed in nothing but baggy shorts. His tight stomach and muscular arms were dominant features with no shirt on.

"And our sister?"

"She was helping Rebecca the last I checked," the man told him. He merely stood straight and with his hands behind his back while his brother walked over to a box and place his weapon inside before putting his shirt on.

"Just like her. How much longer is this going to last? It won't work, it can't."

"That's not what you said when this began!" The second man exclaimed, talking a few steps closer.

"Before was different, if you haven't noticed!"

"How could I have not? I am not an idiot, I just…"

His brother waited for an answer but never go one. "Exactly."

**Information Center, Level One**

For all five of the chosen, it had been quite interesting to meet the new Council. And, for the Council, it had been rather nerve-racking. The whole point of making the new three go was to allow them to experience and run a situation such as that.

For hours, the chosen worked with the new Council to decide and adjust a certain law. Even though it was strongly suggested by Jack to change the curfew, the group decided on changing the major 'broadcasting' in the morning: the announcements repeating all of the important laws.

In the morning, once the first person enters any facility or school, the laws started to echo over the PA. Although it wasn't a "law", it was still considered a rule that everyone followed. Just like Teal'c, it annoyed most everyone else in the room. Which lead to the newest rule: the announcements would only start at twenty minutes to rather than when it did.

By the time they had decided and written everything down, it was almost three o'clock. Since the drafting was done and everything official was cleaned up, the Council announced that they would pack up and leave.

Anastasia stood and gave an elegant bow to the five people in front of her. "It was a pleasure to meet you all."

"And you," the other five replied, bowing their heads.

In a similar way, Andreievich stepped forward after his retreating sister. He too bowed and said, "I hope we meet again." This time, the others only nodded and Andreievich retreated with his sister who had already left the room.

Alexander took a more powerful step up. Throughout the day, Jack had realized that he seemed the dominant of the three- perhaps because he was the oldest. But Anastasia had always been the most spoken for she had the best way with words, at least from what Jack had seen. While Andreievich remained silent for a large portion of the time- as if he only spoke when he needed to speak.

Alexander merely bowed before turning and leaving the room. Once the door had closed, Jack turned around to look at the other five and said, "So, what now?" The rest shrugged at Jack so they merely stood there in an unpleasant silence.

After a few minutes, Daniel addressed everyone by saying, "You know, um, considering that the, uh, lunch they served us was, uh, awful, anyone want to go out to, uh, dinner? As, um, a celebration?"

For a second, no one spoke. Then Jack said, "Sounds good. Not much else I can think of doing in my extra hours outside." Sam smiled when she felt Jack's arm slide around her waist.

"I'm in," Sam stated, looking up at Jack who smiled back at her.

"I, too, will join you," Teal'c announced with his monotone voice.

With Teal'c's announcement, all eyes turned to the only other person in the room. Rebecca, as they had learned, looked easily back at the other four. She hesitated for only a moment before telling them, "Sure, why not. It would be nice to actually talk to you guys."

**Restaurant**

Looking around the place, it would be hard to recognize. The lighting was darker than normal with colorful lights riding it of its calm and tranquil scenery. Not to mention it was far more crowded than it was on any other day. The Day of Choosing was a day for celebration- even for those who were not chosen. And the scenery- along with the loud music- it was hard not to celebrate.

Jack worked his way through the dancers and crowd, holding the tray of drinks above his head. As he closed in on the table he and the others managed to weasel from the worker, the crowd became slightly less dense and he was able to lower the tray to his chest.

Finally getting close enough to the table, he put the drinks down and allowed everyone to take their own. None, of course, were alcoholic for alcohol was strictly against the law to own, sell, buy, or use.

Daniel was the first to take his, which was a tropical juice. Both Sam and Rebecca had a type of juice that paralleled fruit punch. While Teal'c had a tall glass of water and Jack had ordered a carbonated beverage.

Sitting down, Jack listened in on the conversation, which had been about IC efficiency. Deciding not to join in, but having something of his own he wished to speak about, he tapped on Daniel's shoulder. After seeing that he had gotten his attention, Jack said- his voice spoken at a normal tone but heard by Daniel as only a low whisper he had to strain to hear-, "You remember that dream we both had not long ago?"

"Yea."

"I had it again. Only this time… it was different. I talked a lot more to Janet and she told me about this Colonel O'Neill," Jack told him, trying not to raise his voice too much.

"Do you think it's real?" Jack merely looked at Daniel but said nor did anything else.

Rebecca sat in the seat next to Daniel, but managed to hear every word they spoke and kept up her conversation with Sam. The thought of what they might be remembering or speaking about could be a bad sign, but then it could be an entirely new idea.

When Jack didn't responded to Daniel's question, she gave up on listening to them and focused completely on Sam. The more she talked to her, the more she realized that Sam wasn't all that different from Major Carter, of whom she had had the pleasure of meeting.

But, in many ways, that could be a bad thing. Though she couldn't rewrite her personality any longer- only in an extreme case- so she would have to merely keep an eye on her. And Jack and Daniel, they seemed to be recalling things or thinking up things she might find is bad.

**Unknown**

"Rebecca, report," Alexander told Rebecca as she entered the room.

"I believe, somehow, Colonel O'Neill and Dr. Jackson are remembering. Exactly what and how, I don't know, but I know they are," Rebecca told him.

"That could be bad. I want you to keep an eye on them, if they remember anything more… have the Police take them," Alexander ordered.

Rebecca sighed but nodded her head. "Yes, sir." Turning on her heels, she headed toward the door but stopped and turned back around. "Sir, how is… everything?"

Alexander looked away and said, "Not well. This project may be our last hope. I don't want to see it dissolve because of something like this."

"Yes, sir."

**Infirmary, Monday at 1813 Hours**

Janet had noted a pattern in Jack's awakenings: they were all about two hours apart. Which meant he would wake up any moment if she was right. Watching his screen closely, the same as normal happened: the readings changed slightly and he started to come out of his deep sleep.

Janet smiled as he slowly opened his eyes. "Hi, how are you feeling?"

Jack smiled as well and answered with, "Not bad. Tired, but not bad."

"Good."

"Hey, Doc?"

"Yea?"

"Can I ask you some more stuff?" Jack asked, his voice sounding even more childish than she recalled it ever being.

"Sure. What do you want to know?"

"What is it life like? Really? Here… for you?"

Janet paused and thought about it momentarily. "I don't know. Maybe if you tell me about your world, I can explain this one."

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Please R/R, I want to know how everything's going.