Interruptions

Chapter Four

SG1 assembled in the gate room. The MALP had given the all clear for them to go.

"But be warned." Landry said. "It's pretty horrific."

Sam was muttering to herself as they walked up the ramp. "Friggin' mission at friggin' two in the morning with friggin' half an hour's sleep, without my friggin' contacts…" She trailed off at the look she was getting from Cameron. "What?" She snapped.

"You okay?"

"Yeah fine. I seem to have misplaced all my contacts and now I have to go offworld with glasses!"

Daniel raised an eyebrow.

"No offence." Sam said quickly. "But I spend a lot of time fighting, and glasses really get in the way."

"Good luck SG1." Landry said over the PA. "Your scheduled check in is at 0800 hours."

And with that parting message, SG1 strode confidently, or was it tiredly, through the gate.

"Wonder what he meant about horrific." Cameron said as he strode through the event horizon. He realised pretty soon. SG1 stopped, and stared.

"Oh my." Vala said, grabbing Daniel's arm.

Everyone else was silent.

Sam stared out in horror. This wasn't horrific, it was 100 times worse. No words could describe it. Nothing was left standing, no buildings, no trees. Sam knew the Stargate on Langara, like on Earth, was housed underground, but they'd come through into a large area, the ceiling had collapsed and they could see out easily.

"Let's go." Sam said, and they began to climb out of the wreckage.

"What happened Daniel?" Vala asked quietly.

"I'm not 100% sure." Daniel replied.

"What do you think happened?" Vala asked.

Daniel didn't answer, but Sam knew what he was thinking.

"Sam?" Sam heard a voice calling her name. "Teal'c? Daniel?"

Sam turned to see a familiar face. "Jonas!" She walked over to him and gave him a hug. "I'd ask how you are, but I don't think I want to."

Jonas Quinn looked almost the same as when he'd left the SGC, except for a slight beard. He looked curiously at Vala and Cameron.

Sam followed his gaze. "Oh! This is Colonel Cameron Mitchell and Vala Mal Doran. Members of SG1. Vala, Cam, this is Jonas Quinn, former member of SG1."

"Pleased to meet you. Wish it were under better circumstances." Cameron said.

Vala smiled at Jonas.

"Jonas, what happened?" Sam asked.

Jonas looked both sad and bitter. "Atomic bomb." He sid.

"What? Why?" Daniel asked.

"After I returned to Kelowna, the other nations of Langara wanted diplomacy and world wide co-operation. It worked at first. But not for long. Before today, we were in a state of cold war. We're not sure who was responsible for this attack, but it's more than likely because we still have the Stargate."
Sam nodded in agreement. Then she surveyed the surroundings again. "It's…" She couldn't find a world to use.

"I know." Jonas replied.

"Jonas?" Another voice sounded from behind him.

He turned. "Ah, Shaya, come meet my friends."

A pretty, young woman walked over to the group. She was followed by a small child. The child clung to Jonas' leg as soon as she reached him. Jonas smiled. "This is Shaya." He said, indicating the woman. "Shaya, this is Samantha Carter, Daniel Jackson, Teal'c, Vala Mal Doran and Cameron Mitchell. SG1."

Shaya nodded politely at all of them.

"Shaya's my wife." Jonas explained. "And this is our daughter, Carrisa."

Sam smiled down at the child, who looked up at her with big brown eyes. She was still clinging to Jonas' leg.

"Congratulations." Sam said.

Jonas sighed. "Yeah." He looked up at Sam. "What now? What do we do now? Everything's gone, and I know what's going to happen next. I researched Hiroshima while I was on Earth. We face being outcasts, lingering radiation, not to mention radiation sickness." Jonas bent down, picking up Carrisa and holding her close. "While the rest of the world just moves on and forgets."

"Can I suggest something?" Sam asked. "Come to Earth with us, we can discuss what we're going to do there, if General Landry and the President actually let us help."

"Landry" Jonas asked.

"I think you'll find a lot has changed since you left." Daniel said.

"Yeah, I was going to ask, Colonel O'Neill?"

Sam smiled, despite the gloom. "General O'Neill is currently Head of Homeworld security in Washington."

"After a stint as CO of the SGC." Daniel added.

"Wow, good on him." Jonas said. He turned to his wife, then looked back at Sam. "I'll come if Shaya and Carrisa can too."

Sam nodded. "That's fine."

"Well, let's go." Jonas said.

Sam yawned suddenly, fatigue hitting her.

"You tired?" Jonas asked.

"Well, I've had half an hour's sleep, and it's…" She checked her watch.

"Late." Vala said.

"Or early, depending on how you look at it." Daniel said.

"0300 hours." Sam said.

Jonas raised an eyebrow. "Sorry for waking you up."

"Not your fault, don't worry about it." Cameron said. "She's just grumpy 'cause she couldn't find a pair of contact lenses."

Sam punched him on the arm. Hard.

Cameron punched back.

Sam gave him a warning look. "You really want to get into a fight with me?"

"Eh, probably not." Cameron said, dropping his fist.

"Good, let's move out."

"Uh… I thought I was in charge." Cameron said.

"Don't push it." Sam said. "I've got more off-world experience than you, and I'm running on adrenaline. DON'T argue with me."

Cameron just nodded.