Alternatives

Chapter IV: View Point

Based upon Stargate: SG-1

Rating: PG

- EAR - Based on the Season 3 episode: "Point of View," Doctor Carter's reality; takes place approximately three days before said episode within said alternate reality -

- . - - - . -

Doctor Samantha Carter pinched the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes. The numbers on her computer screen were blending together. She took a deep breath and tried to think. She was trying to finish the analysis of the Goa'uld vessel in orbit.

Unfortunately, it looked as if there were absolutely no weaknesses to exploit. They had no chance of taking it down.

Their last option was to simply try to hold the mountain. They had evacuated a lot of people, but they were hoping that if they could hold the mountain, everyone could eventually return to Earth.

She scoffed. Not likely.

"How long have you been awake, Doctor?" a voice asked from behind her.

Her eyes snapped open and she turned around to see the voice. "Good evening, General. I didn't hear you come in."

"How long, Doctor?" the Texan asked again.

Sam tried to add in her head, but the numbers wouldn't stay still.

He smiled and nodded. "Exactly. Go get some sleep."

"Sir," she tried to protest.

"You don't know how long you've been awake. By my count, it's been at least a few days. Go get some sleep." He smiled gently and put his hand on her shoulder. "Your daddy was in the Air Force, I know you know how to follow orders."

She clasped his hand, thinking of her father -- who had died last year after losing a battle to cancer. She smiled. "Good night, Sir."

- . - . -

General Hammond watched the young Ph.D. walk out of her lab and head towards some base quarters. He had promised Jacob he would protect her, but he wasn't sure that he could. He left her lab, looking for Colonel O'Neill, that man needed some sleep, too.

When George found him, he was sitting in the briefing room, watching the latest security report, his eyes slipping closed.

"If you're going to sleep, Colonel, you might as well do it in a bed. Preferably one with your wife in it."

O'Neill snapped upright, pretending that he was wide awake. "I'm fine, Sir."

George tried not to laugh. The man wasn't a good actor, even when he wasn't dead tired. "No you're not. You haven't slept in days. Go sleep."

"I will, Sir, tomorrow."

"It is tomorrow, Colonel." He smiled and dropped his 'General' voice. "Go get some sleep, son. There's nothing you can do in the next few hours that isn't already being done."

O'Neill smiled, stood up, and closed the folder he had had open. "You're right, Sir."

George watched the Colonel leave, slowly. He was walked like he was tired. He smiled to himself, trying to lighten his own mood, knowing that it wouldn't work. He sat down in his chair and stared at the lack of reports on his desk.

The reports stopped coming in when the Goa'uld arrived in orbit. Apparently, no one wanted to be reading (or writing, for that matter) reports when cities were literally being blown off the face of the planet. He didn't know what he could do twenty-eight levels underneath a mountain.

Just about every military asset on the planet had been expended and none of it made any difference. He was pretty sure that a few well placed trident missiles would have done wonders if the Goa'uld didn't have shields.

The only thing they could do was fight hand to hand, and the Goa'uld were avoiding that.

George knew that the Jaffa would eventually come and they would have to fight for this mountain. He had the awful feeling that they were all going to fight and die for this mountain.

- . - . -

Sam wasn't asleep when she heard someone come into the room. There hadn't been a knock, and whoever it was was trying to be quiet. She knew it was Jack. She heard him take off his boots and drop his jacket on the floor and then she felt him climb into the bed next to her.

He sidled close to her. Brushed some of her hair out of the way, he placed a gentle kiss on her neck before wrapping his arms around her and holding her tight.

She relaxed into his embrace, feeling safe, at least for a short time, once again.

- . - . -

They were awoken by klaxons blaring, causing them both to jump and Jack to tighten his grip on Sam. They both laid frozen on their bed, trying to figure out what was happening.

"Assume perimeter defense stations," Sergeant Harriman's voice came over the 1MC. "This is not a drill. Repeat, this is not a drill!"

They jumped out of bed, donned their shoes, and rushed to the control room.

"Sir, what's going on?" Jack asked General Hammond as they walked into the control room.

Hammond simply pointed to one of the monitors hanging from the ceiling. It showed a unit of Jaffa firing their weapons at one of the large doors at the entrance to the mountain.

"Sir, I have to get up there," Jack said.

Sam shot her gaze from the screen to Jack. She almost shouted in protest, but he silenced her with a single glance.

Hammond nodded. "Go ahead, Colonel. We'll monitor you from here."

Sam followed Jack out, and she knew he knew she was on his heels because he rounded a corner and stopped abruptly, pulling her into his arms as she caught up to him.

"C'mere," he wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. He kissed her forehead. "I'm coming back."

He released her and flashed a cocky smile.

She faked a smile in return and watched him walk away before returning to the control room to watch the Jaffa's slow progress. Another screen had pulled up the image from the other side of the door where a group of Marines and Airmen were setting up a barricade.

They watched for what seemed like hours while the Jaffa slowly made their way through the blast door. It was an excruciatingly long process.

But, once they made it, they were through, and everything hit the fan.

They all watched in silence as both Jaffa and humans hit the ground.

She watched Jack give up his position from behind a corner and advance, taking some fallen man's place. Time seemed to slow as she saw an energy bolt catch his shoulder and send him flying backward.

"Jack!" she let out a small shriek and covered her hand with her mouth.

Sam quickly became aware of a presence behind her and tore her eyes from the monitor just long enough to know that it was General Hammond. She continued to stare at Jack even after she noticed the weapons fire cease.

The Jaffa advanced unchallenged, checking over the bodies for survivors. One of them kicked Jack, who grabbed his pistol and fired a round into the Jaffa's face and fired at the other Jaffa until his clip was empty. Sam gasped when another Jaffa kicked him in the chest.

Jack and the other survivors -- two Marines and an airman -- were lined up on their knees. Nothing happened, as it appeared the Jaffa were waiting for something. Moments later, the First Prime walked in. He was a very large black man with a thick tail of hair from the center of his bald head.

He spoke words they could not hear.

Jack replied, most likely flippantly.

The First Prime spoke a few more words and lowered his safe weapon towards one of the Marines. Jack didn't move. The First Prime fired.

Sam jumped as the Marine fell back, dead.

The First Prime spoke again, and Jack didn't answer. He shot the other Marine and turned to the Airman. When Jack didn't answer, he shot the Airman as well.

Tears were in Sam's eyes, ready to fall. She knew exactly what was going to happen. She prayed that it wouldn't.

The First Prime spoke again, presumably asking the same question that had gotten the others killed.

Jack looked up at the camera at the end of the hall. Sam felt like he was looking right at her. She knew that he was holding her image in his mind by the way he smiled before turning back to the First Prime and saying something; mostly along the lines of 'Go to hell.'

Time slowed again as the First Prime fired his weapon into Jack's chest, sending him sprawling backward.

Sam let out another shriek as the tears in her eyes fell loose.

She couldn't tear her eyes from screen. She didn't realize she was shaking until General Hammond turned her away from the horrible sight and pulled her to his chest.

Sam sobbed, trying to breath.

Jack was dead.

What was she going to do now?

- . - - - . -