A/N: Wow. It's been a while since I posted. Things seem to have calmed down, so hopefully I can get back to posting regularly. Anyway, I hope you like the new chapter.
SGCSGCSGC
Carter blinked. Kowalski? "Uh, yeah. It's good… to see you too." She shook her head. This is beyond weird.
Kowalski seemed to draw himself back to reality. He sat heavily on one of the kitchen chairs and stared at Carter and Teal'c. He licked his lips. "So, um… how are you here? The last we heard, you were all dead. One of the Tok'ra in Apophis' ranks told us that Apophis killed you."
Carter nodded. "That's what Yokan told us."
At Kowalski's baffled expression, she clarified, "We're not actually your Major Carter and Teal'c. We're from an alternate reality, where we escaped Netu. We came here accidentally, when I touched an artifact of some kind. So, your Major Carter and Teal'c are dead." She paused. "I-uh, I'm sorry, if we got your hopes up."
Kowalski was nodding, seemingly taking in everything she said. When Yokan handed him a cup of tea, he thanked him absently, and continued processing.
He finally looked up, and smiled. "Even if you're from an alternate reality, it's good to see you. We miss you guys. Are your Doctor Jackson and Colonel O'Neill here, too?"
Carter shook her head. "No. Teal'c was helping me collect soil sampled, and we were separated from Daniel and the Colonel. They probably have no idea what happened."
Kowalski shrugged. "Well, at least I know you're all doing okay, even if it's not here. Do you have a way to go back?"
Carter sighed. "No. We'll have to work on building one, or figuring out how to use the device that brought us here." She leaned back in her chair, wondering if she would ever see home again. She shook that off, though, and concentrated of the present. They could only go back if she focused on finding a solution.
When she looked up, Teal'c caught her eye, and gave her one of his familiar head nods. She smiled. She was glad that he knew how she felt, that he would be there for her. They were always there for each other, she and the rest of her team.
Yokan interrupted her reverie by saying, "We will help you as best we can, Major. Perhaps with your insight, we'll make faster progress."
"Yeah. Our scientists are working with the Yetri to figure it out. After you start helping, it should be a snap." Kowalski sounded enthusiastic.
Carter laughed a bit. "I appreciate your faith in me, but I don't know if I really deserve that much of it."
"Sure you do," Kowalski replied.
"Indeed, Major Carter. We have always had great faith in your ability to learn and create new technologies," Teal'c said.
Yokan nodded, as his grandson climbed into his lap. "I'm sure it will be daunting at first. But, if you're anything like our Major Carter, you'll be fine."
Carter smiled. "Thanks. I appreciate it."
"So, how is everything here? What's going on, on Earth and the SGC?" She asked Kowalski.
He shrugged. "General Hammond is fine. He's not even close to thinking about retirement, anymore. My team's trying to honor SG-1's, uh, your, memory by being the best we can." He grimaced. "That sounds really weird, talking about you like you're dead. Well, you are, but…" He trailed off.
Carter smiled. "It's okay, Kowalski. I mean, Colonel. Er, should I call you Colonel?"
He seemed to think about it for a minute. "Well, I'm fine with Kowalski, but at the SGC, Colonel might be better. Of course, I'm not sure if military etiquette applied to you, seeing as, well, you're not from here." He looked at her. "Whatever you think, Major."
Carter nodded, thinking about Daniel and Colonel O'Neill. What were they thinking? Would they find any clues as to what happened? She desperately hoped so. As nice as it was to see Major…Colonel…Kowalski again, she wanted to go back home, where she was actually… alive.
SGCSGCSGC
Teal'c listened, as Major Carter and Colonel Kowalski talked, rarely inserting his own comment.
Yokan invited them to follow him to the village laboratory, where they would meet Darrow, the head scientist in the alternate-universe project.
Teal'c took in their surroundings, as the others conversed, keeping half his attention on them, should he need to add to the discussion.
He noticed that these Yetri seemed a very peaceful people. Everywhere he looked, adults worked at their crafts, often taking breaks to chat with neighbors. Parents entertained young children, while older children played games, racing each other and eventually collapsing, only to get up and begin again.
He smiled, watching how carefree the children seemed. It was a wonderful thing, that they enjoyed their childhood, playing and laughing.
He followed Major Carter and the others into the laboratory, hoping that they would soon find a way to go home. As pleasant as it was here, he was painfully aware that it was not their place. Their home was in their SGC, continuing their duties as SG-1. He hoped Major Carter would find an answer, soon.