CHAPTER 51

EPISODE-------GEMINI

Daniel, Carter and Ford were walking through the hallways in the SGC to the Gate Control room.

"You still doing okay Ford?"

"I'm doing a little better Daniel. I'm still having trouble with it, some nightmares. Therapy is helping."

"He's woken me up a few times. Once he realizes it's a nightmare, he goes back to sleep." Carter said.

"It's less frequent seeing it was a week or two ago." Ford said rubbing his face.

"Doesn't stop you from asking K-9 if your in the real world everyday." she said.

"I certain hope he never puts any of us through one of those virtual scenarios." Daniel said as they passed a few people.

"Everything was really hard for me, but I couldn't handle that last part. Something like that was…." he said shaking the memory and rubbed her shoulder as he pulled her close. She grabbed his hand holding it for a few moments.

"Just watching it was terrifying for us."

"Can we change the subject please." Ford said tiredly.

"Guess you didn't get much sleep last night?"

"No we didn't. This subject is something I want to forget as well."

"Right. Okay. Um, Sam, what's the word?" Daniel asked.

"On what?"

"That Asguard thing."

"Oh." she said as one of the chefs on passed by them pushing a tray of fruits and water bottles on it. "Well the test flights were successful, the new Asguard hyperdrive is ready to go."

"And when are they leaving?"

"Soon." Ford said.

"How soon?"

"They are stocking the ship and picking the crew right now, so I think it will be within the next week if not sooner." she said.

Daniel cleared his throat lightly as they turned the corner coming up to the Gate Control room.

"You really want to go, don't you?" she asked.

"He was ready to go the day the mission started Sam. Jack even ordered me to hold him if he tried to leave." Ford said.

"Figures. But think about it. It's Atlantis! It's everything we have been working for almost the last eight years." Daniel said walking over and sliding his card through the elevator slot.

"I know what you mean." she said. "Unfortunately, General O'Neill has other ideas."

"Let me guess. He says he needs you here?"

"Actually, his exact words were, over my dead body. If Ford would stay, he'd let me go, but…"

"Yeah. He sticks to you like a lost puppy." Daniel said smiling.

"Hey! I am…never mind." Ford said dropping it quickly. Daniel was right after all and he smiled about it.

"Anyway, I was talking about the four of us. He might be persuaded to let one of us go."

"And you'd be okay if that was me?" Daniel said walking into the elevator slowly.

"Of course Daniel."

"I have learned to read Goa'uld and a few other languages so I could take over your job." Ford said.

"Yeah. He already can do practically everything the whole team does anyway." she said. "Besides, you are the expert on the Ancients."

"Ford is one."

"I am not going! I can't even read the language as well as you." Ford said seeing Daniel smile as the door closed. "Not going unless you are anyway."

Carter started to say something when the alarms went off. They turned around walking into the Gate Control room behind them.

"Unscheduled off world activation!" Walter said through the intercom.

Jack came down off the stairs as the two walked in and went over to Walter.

"What have you got there Walter?" Jack asked looking at the monitor.

"I'm receiving an IDC." he said as the computer did a scan. "It doesn't clear."

"Why?" Ford and Sam said together.

"Looks like it's an old one."

"Missing SGC personal?" she asked.

"Negative." he said as the computer completed it's scan. A small screen popped up identifying it on the monitor.

"It looks like it's yours ma'am. Or at least it was." he said as she looked over at Jack and Ford.

"It's been invalid for four months."

"Time travel possibly?" Ford suggested.

"I don't know." she said not sure either.

"We are receiving a text message." he said as a screen popped up saying send M.A.L.P.

"Sir, we better check this out."

"I agree Jack. If this is a time travel thing. It would be important."

He nodded at them both.

"Send the M.A.L.P."

"Aye sir." Walter said working on the console.

"Makes me think if it is time travel that it may have to do with that talk with Daniel."

"That would make sense considering." she said agreeing.

"What were you three talking about?" Jack asked with that tone of not liking to be left out of the loop, especially since it was his team once.

"Personal things." they said.

"Yeah, right." he said in complete disbelief. The two didn't say anything else despite his questions so he gave up.

Teal'c was called up to the gate room and made it some time before the M.A.L.P. was ready. It was at the bottom of the ramp getting made ready by several techs. Carter took Walter's spot and was getting ready to operate the M.A.L.P.

"What do we know about this gate address?" Teal'c asked standing beside Jack. Ford was standing behind her looking at the monitor with her, that the M.A.L.P. was broadcasting to them. Jack was standing just off to Ford's right with his hands in his pockets.

"Nothing, other than the fact it is on the outer edge of our galaxy." she said looking at another monitor to her left.

Walter had started the dial up sequence moments after Teal'c arrived and it was almost done. The gate hit the last chevron and it opened.

"Chevron seven locked." Walter said as the gate opened. "Outgoing wormhole established."

"Siler?" Jack said leaning over to the mike.

"M.A.L.P. is prepped and ready to go sir."

"Go ahead." Jack said to Carter.

She activated the controls and made it roll up the ramp. It went through showing no signs of trouble.

"M.A.L.P. is on route." Walter said watching his screen. A moment later he reported it reaching its destination.

"It is on isn't it?" Ford asked.

"Yes. It's…in a dark place, I guess." she said.

Nothing was still showing up on the screen after a few seconds. Jack started to lean closer when Ford glanced at him. He thought better of it and stayed standing.

"Carter?"

She saw Jack had started to lean over then suddenly stopped, but didn't think why. Had he kept getting closer, he would have been inches from her face.

"Ah, we are receiving telemetry sir. Signal is five by five. Video is working fine, there is just nothing to see."

"How about this maybe." Ford said pushing a button near her hand. The screen turned to infra red. "There is something there now."

"You're right. But I can't make it out."

"What is it?" Jack asked looking with them still.

"Switching off IR and going to white light." she said.

Whatever was walking toward them suddenly was in full view now. They were all surprised to see Samantha Carter staring back at them.

"Whoa." Ford said slowly. "It's you, but with more hair."

"The time travel idea might be right then." she said.

"Nice outfit. Looks like it comes from the future. Might be recently seeing as she looks as old as you do right now."

"Anything else you want to say about her?"

"Ah no." Ford said hearing the underlining tone from her.

"Enough. Let's find out who this is really first, okay. Now, who are you?" Jack asked as Carter turned on the mike.

"My name is Samantha Carter." the other Carter said.

"That pretty obvious. Are you from the future?" Ford asked.

"No."

"There goes that theory." Carter muttered.

"Another universe?" Ford asked.

"No."

"There's a problem then seeing as there is only one Carter and she is here." Jack said.

"There are two of us."

"If only." Jack said with a small smile. This got a few people to look at him including Carter.

"Sir?"

"What does that mean Jack?" Ford asked gently as he crossed his arms. Jack heard his voice saying different, like he knew what it meant.

Jack cleared his throat and muttered a never mind.

"Where are you from, how did you know how to contact us?" Sam asked turning back to the screen.

"Strange. I recognize my voice." the other Carter said. "I was made in Samantha Carter's image. I know what she knows, feel what she feels."

"I'm starting to think android." Ford said looking at Jack who though a moment and nodded he might agree.

"You were made?" Carter said confused. "Who made you?"

"The one you call Fifth."

Everyone was slightly shocked. Ford stepped away from Carter. Jack looked over seeing him rubbing his head as he walked to the stairs muttering to himself.

"Oh my God. She's a Replicator." Carter said looking at Jack and seeing his worried face.

"No doubt you are surprised by my arrival in your galaxy. I come in advance of the others, but they will be here soon." the other Carter said.

"What is it that you want?" Ford asked walking back over. Jack was about to yell at him for the rudeness of the question, but didn't get a chance.

"I need your help. I wish to be destroyed. You have a weapon capable of severing my Kiron pathways that link my individual cells. It would be effectively quick and painless."

"You folks can feel pain?" Jack asked surprised at the what the other Carter said.

"I can feel a lot of things. I know you hate and fear the Replicators with good reason, so this should be easy for you."

"Yeah, well…we'll have to get back to you on this." Jack said then motioned for Walter to shut the gate down. It shut off as he placed his hand on the scanner.

Carter looked up from the screen as Jack shook his head.

"I….I…don't believe this." Ford muttered looking at the ceiling. "I'm going up stairs to think."

"What's to really think ab…." Jack started saying when that look Ford had when he had to kill Carter in the virtual program crossed Ford's face as he walked by.

"What was that about sir?" she asked after he climbed out of sight.

She didn't see the look and was wondering why Jack had a sadly confused look on his face.

"I don't really know Carter, but he looked just like he did when he had to kill you in the computer game."

She raised an eyebrow.

"I can understand why to a point, but she's not me." she started saying.

"Ford once stated he has respect for the Replicators because they are a robot like life form. He has a….affinity to them I believe is the word." Teal'c said.

"Like K-9 and that black car." Jack said shaking his head.

"His name is K.I.T.T., O'Neill."

"You mean, if she ask him to do it, he wouldn't do it then?" Carter asked looking between them.

"I believe he would not."

"Oh god." she said placing her hand on her face as she shook her head.

"Let's go and talk this out up in the briefing room." Jack said walking off.

Ford was sitting at the end of the table looking down at it as they walked up. He had both hands on the table, fingers intertwined and was currently tapping his thumbs against his forehead. Teal'c took a seat near the head where Jack sat down and Carter across from Teal'c.

"Major?"

"Yes." Ford said not looking up.

"You okay?"

"I'm fine Jack. What's the plan?"

"I don't have one yet. That's why we are here at the moment. You know, discuss it out. Which brings to the most important question right now. Why is he coming here Carter? What is it he wants?"

"I think it might be personal sir."

"Personal? In what way?" Jack asked really confused.

"Well, while Fifth may lead an army of incredibly advanced machines, deep down, he's emotionally immature, like an adolescent boy. And he has…." she said trailing off as she looked briefly at Ford then away. He was looking at the table still.

"Has what Carter?" Jack asked with a slightly order tone.

"Feelings for me sir." she said flatly.

Ford shook his head and chuckled, but it was not a happy laugh. He looked up still shaking his head. A small amount of anger laced his voice.

"Son of a bitch. That explains everything."

"It does?" Jack said.

"He made a copy because he fell in love with the real Sam. My, our Sam, rejected him, so he made a copy and tried to make the copy love him."

"Okay." Jack said drawing the word out. "And?"

"If she knows, what Sam here knows." Ford said pointing at Carter. "Then that copy wouldn't love him if she has all the right memories. She'd automatically reject him."

"Because of you?" Jack asked Ford.

"It's possible sir. He did say he loved me. But I was already in love with Ford." Carter said.

"Nice." Jack said dryly, then muttered. "This just keeps getting better and better."

"Replicators have never before tried to impersonate a specific individual. This represents a significant new threat to security O'Neill." Teal'c said realizing another problem.

"It could become a problem off world, but our scans would detect them if they tried to come through the gate." Carter said.

"Well, we have the disrupter. I say we give her what she wants." Jack said.

"That might be a little hasty sir."

Jack saw that Ford apparently saw that coming by the way he scoffed silently as he shook his head again as he suddenly looked at the ceiling and ran his hands through his hair like he was about to pull it all out. He did this while she wasn't looking. Jack looked back at Sam seeing she didn't see it, but must have noticed something when she looked at everyone at the table thinking something was up. Ford was now looking at the table again with his hands behind his head, something they knew he did when he was thinking heavily, though he usually did it while looking toward the ceiling.

"Okay Carter. I'm willing to listen, so this is a good idea because…?"

"I'm just saying we should talk to her first. If Fifth is really coming to this galaxy, then she might be able to provide us with valuable information. It's pretty clear that they have had some kind of falling out. And memories might be why."

"Unless it's a ruse." Teal'c stated.

"Damn good one if it is." Ford muttered rubbing the back of his neck as he sat up.

"Well, I think we should try, if something goes wrong, we pull the trigger. Either way I think we should meet face to face."

"There is no way I'm letting her on this base." Jack said tapping his finger against the table. His tone had the words that's and order all over it.

"I agree." Ford said.

"We could use the Alpha site. Skeleton crew, security personal only." she said knowing it was pointless to argue with Jack.

Jack visibly fidgeted a moment.

"Fine." he grumbled out. "All three of you are going."

"Yes sir." Carter said getting up with the other two.

"Wait a moment Major."

After they had left to get ready and were out of hearing distance, Jack came over and grabbed Ford's arm.

"If she tries anything, and I mean anything to injury anyone or looks to be doing anything I would disapprove of, you stop her anyway you can. Got that Major."

"Yeah, I got it. Kill her no matter the cost to ensure other's safety."

"Good. Don't let her get to you either. It was evident enough down there in the Control Room that she had at some level."

"I know my job, sir." Ford said forcefully pulling his arm free with a jerk and leaving a worried Jack behind.

About an hour later they were at the Alpha site. The people that needed evacuating were gone. A room was set up for the arrival of the other Carter to be interrogated with a camera for the real Carter to see the copy and talk to her. She didn't want to talk to her face to face just yet. Right at the moment, she was just outside that room, in another room, at a computer. Teal'c had the disrupter in his hand and aimed at the Stargate in the Alpha site, waiting for the gate to dial up. A couple of guards came into the room and walked by taking up a position with MP-5's.

"Incoming wormhole." a airman behind a small desk said looking at a computer screen.

As the alarms went off and the gate stabilized, they watched and waited. A few seconds later, the other Carter stepped out from it. She had on dark slack looking pants and a coat that went with it. A part just below the neck folded back onto the left side of her chest. She looked around a moment then stepped down the short stairs. Her movements were almost robotic as she looked at Teal'c and tilted her head slightly.

"I know you. Your name is Teal'c."

"You have been given Samantha Carter's memories."

"Yes."

"But you are not Samantha Carter."

She nodded slightly.

"That way." he said looking off to his left with his eyes.

"Aren't you going to use the weapon?"

"Colonel Carter wishes to speak with you first. But know this, if you make one false move. I will destroy you."

She did nothing except turn and start walking with him behind her. They entered a room with a table, the chairs on either end and a camera over in the corner. A long light hung over the table. She looked over in the other corner seeing a tall dark haired man in a long black coat staring at the ground with his arms crossed. His demeanor suggested he didn't want to be here and was very distracted. He didn't look her way or acknowledge her or Teal'c. She looked around as the door closed and turned to Teal'c.

"Where is Samantha Carter?"

"I'm here."

The Replicator Carter looked over at the camera and walked toward it slowly. Teal'c kept the disrupter pointed at her and briefly glanced at Ford who still hadn't moved. She smiled at the camera as she spoke.

"We're not going to speak face to face?"

Sam watched the copy on the screen surprised and shocked.

"For the moment, this will have to be good enough."

"I thought you would shoot me the instant I walked through the gate."

"Maybe you overestimated our fear of you."

"Or you overestimated your curiosity." the Replicator Carter said smiling. Sam sat back feeling that stab at herself.

Ouch. Ford thought. Teal'c saw Ford's eye twitch at that statement.

"I understand you more than you know Sam." the copy said walking away and sitting in the chair near Teal'c. "I don't just have your memories, I have your thought patterns. My mind was modeled after yours."

"Is that why you left Fifth?"

"You know me as well as I know you."

"If Fifth created you to be like me, he must have known that this would happen."

"Not at first." Replica Carter said smiling slightly as she looked down at the table. "He tried to isolate aspects of your personality. Selected memories and feelings of his choosing. Slowly given to me over time." she said telling them her story.

Newly formed Replica Carter was standing in front of Fifth in the current outfit she had on. Fifth reached out and ran is hand up across the side of her face and pushed a stray hair out of the way. She was terrified and her eyes showed it as they teared up.

"I don't understand." she said with a cracked voice.

"You will."

"I'm afraid." she said shaking.

"There's no need to be."

"Who am I?"

"You are incomplete. I am here for you. I will help you."

She looked at him still lost.

"Take my hand." he said holding it out.

She slowly reached up and took it. He gently closed his hand and she gasped.

"Trust me."

Replica Carter was rubbing her hands together as she sat at the table still talking.

"He taught me, molded me, showed me who I was." she said looking up at the camera.

"You have memories of my past, that go back before I met Fifth?" Carter said doing the same thing with her hands in the other room.

"Yes. But it's hard to explain. My first memory is of waking up in that room. Suddenly becoming conscious, but I immediately knew how to talk. Soon other memories started coming to me…..little things. Stories, songs, the smell of the attic where we used to live. The day my mother died." she said looking up at the camera at the last part.

"I know it's not real, I've never even set foot on Earth, but I have this image, of lying under a willow tree in our back yard, it's a sunny day, but when I close my eyes, the wind in the leaves…"

"Sounds exactly like rain." both Carter's said at the same time.

"What Fifth didn't realize, was the things that drew him to you, were inseparable from the things that you made you rejected him and the life he was offering."

"So you rejected him?"

She got up from the table and walked back to the camera. Teal'c followed her with the gun but stayed near the door.

"Who I am and what I am are in contradiction. No one can live like this."

"There our other ways to live than what Fifth has to offer."

"Not for long. I know exactly what's going to happen. He'll come here, he will take this galaxy and no one will be able to stop him." she said shaking her head. "I don't want to live to see that."

"We have the disruptor, the Asguard can amplify its effects to prevent a large scale attack."

"You're wrong. Fifth has made adjustments to himself and all the other Replicators, accept me. They are now immune to your disruptor. They're coming, and you can't stop them."

Carter was somewhat distressed by the news, but kept her cool as she got up and told Teal'c she needed to talk to Jack.

"Is it possibly that she is bluffing?" Jack asked looking at Carter through a monitor.

"Anything is possible at this point sir. But I don't see what she has to gain by it. She doesn't want Fifth to succeed anymore than we do." she said talking to him through a monitor link at the Alpha base computer.

"Yeah, so she says."

"If she's lying, we don't have a problem."

"Why would he make all the other bugs immune to the disruptor and not her?"

"Maybe he wanted her to feel inferior or he wanted her to be afraid of us. Maybe he anticipated that she would come to me for help."

"Carter, if that weapon doesn't work…"

"Yes sir, I know. We need to contact Thor and apprise him of the situation. If the disruptor needs to be re-engineered, we are going to need his help. In the meantime, I think we should continue the interrogation. She could still provide us with valuable information."

"All right. But keep in mind how this has to end."

"Don't worry sir. We will complete the mission."

"How's Ford holding up?"

"I don't know. He hasn't moved from the room or spot for that matter since he went in there and she entered. And no sir, he is not asleep. If anything he looks more like a caged animal ready to pounce on a moments notice."

"Alright then. Keep me apprised."

After Carter left, Teal'c stayed where he was as Replica Carter sat down in the chair near Ford. She glanced then looked at Ford. He didn't look at her or move.

"I feel I should know you. Who are you?"

"He is…"

"I'm nobody other than another guard in the room." Ford said plainly as he looked at Teal'c with his eyes. Teal'c saw that as a sign to keep quiet.

"Something tells me you are more."

Ford didn't say anything or move again. Just stayed in the position as before. He realized that she had no idea who he was then. Fifth must have kept that from her. It certainly changed things and how he felt.

"How many ships does Fifth command?" Teal'c asked making her turn back to him.

"I don't know."

"How many human form Replicators has he created?"

"I don't know."

"You are all linked. You share information."

"The only way I could escape was to sever myself from the subspace connection."

"Sounds like the Borg." he muttered.

She actually tilted her head then looked at him.

"Yes. I have a memory of that analogy being used to describe the Replicators, but by who I don't know."

"Where…" Teal'c started.

"I will not answer any more questions."

"If you don't want to see Fifth succeed, you'll help us." Carter said through the comline on the camera.

"I can't." she said turning her head to the camera then back to Teal'c. "I can't betray my own kind, but I can't be like them either. Do what you came here to do."

Teal'c lowered the disruptor a few inches. She got up and started around the table. Teal'c backed up near the door and pointed it at her.

"If I have to make you do it, then so be it."

"Teal'c wait…" Carter said leaving the other room quickly.

"Fire the weapon."

"Is this really what you want?" Teal'c asked.

"I don't really have a choice."

"Sam said to wait." Ford said putting his hand on the disruptor.

He looked at Ford who tilted his head signaling him to lower the weapon. The other Carter started to walk forward when he turned around quickly holding his hand out.

"You will wait."

"I will kill you if y…"

"Teal'c wait!" Carter said running in as he raised the weapon back up.

"And you would fail." Ford said emotionlessly as he stared at her.

The other Carter backed up in what looked to be shock as Carter told Teal'c to stop for a second.

"Wait Ford. Just wait." she said walking in front of them. "You don't want to do this."

"We both know there is no other way for this to end." she said shifting her eyes between her counterpart and Ford.

"That's not true."

"Now you're lying to me the way you lied to Fifth."

"She was forced, ordered to do that. I would have saved him." Ford said seeing a change in her face. "If you have that memory, you would know that."

"He's right. You would know what I was feeling. You are different, very different. I can see that." Carter said moving closer.

"You don't understand. You don't know what he did to me." she said with grief in her voice and face.

"Then show me."

Teal'c started to raise the disruptor.

"Teal'c, it's alright." she said waving the gun away.

"Sam, are you sure about this?" Ford said grabbing her shoulder as she started forward.

"I am. I'll be fine."

He let go, but Replica Carter noticed the extreme concern, and was confused.

"Show me."

The other Carter nodded with reluctance and slowly moved her hand up and put it into the real Carter's forehead. And she saw what happened.

The gate to the SGC was open, the Iris down. Siler, Daniel and two airmen were at the bottom near the ramp as Carter came through the gate in full off world clothes. She walked a few steps forward as the gate shut off.

"Sam, good to have you back. How did it go?" Daniel asked.

She stopped and lifted her PC-90 and shot Daniel, then Siler and the other two guards quickly. Walter called out the code for the base being invaded as he closed the barricade door for the control room. She continued to walk down and took off to the right. The door closed so she walked over and started to push her hand into the card sliding unit. Several bullets went through her and she turned around slowly. Jack was standing in the doorway of the other door looking at her with a hint of sadness and confusion. She took a few steps forward and shifted making the holes disappear. Jack set the gun to full automatic and emptied the clip. She shifted again and aimed her gun at him. He didn't move but still had the same sad and semi scared look. She couldn't do it and started to lower the gun.

"Finish him! Do it. Finish him." Fifth said walking up from near the side of the gate as he appeared out of nowhere.

"You must break from your old life for your new life to begin. Do not disappoint me." he said angrily as he watched her.

She hesitated a few seconds then fired one shot. Jack grunted and dropped to the ground dead. Fifth smiled and walked behind her. The scenery changed back to the inside of the ship. She turned around with tears and hurt in her eyes and was wearing the current outfit again.

"You have done very well." he said running hand along the side of her face. "Soon….you will take your place at my side."

She looked down as he walked off and entered the wall.

"Enough." Teal'c said.

The other Carter removed her hand quickly making Sam grab her forehead with both hands. Ford grabbed her left side as she stumbled and asked if she was okay.

"I didn't hurt her." the other Carter said.

"Colonel Carter?" Teal'c asked.

"Sam? Say something."

"I'm fine. I'm okay." she said grabbing his hand.

"Now you understand why I cannot go back to him. And I can't let him find me."

"We can protect you if you help us."

"What do you mean?"

"Tell us exactly how he modified himself and the other Replicators. Help us make the disruptor work again."

"Even if I did, you can't stop a ship with that." she said looking at the disruptor pointed at her.

"The Asguard have developed a system of disruptor satellites that can deploy the beam in space. It's your only chance to get out of this."

"I want you to destroy me." she said sounding ready to grab the gun and do it herself. "I can't help you destroy all the others."

"Yes you can. He doesn't control you, not anymore."

"Colonel Carter. May I have a word." Teal'c said.

She turned around and nodded walking toward the door.

"Major Carter." he said handing the gun over.

Ford almost seemed reluctant to take it, but he did and backed up to the wall as the door closed. Ford noticed she seemed to either be thinking hard or was really surprised at hearing his name or the last part anyway. She sat down at the other end and put both hands on the table still looking at him.

"I have no memories of her having anyone else other than a brother Mark for a family member. Your name is Ford Carter, is it not?"

"It is." Ford said slowly as he looked anywhere but at her. His tone had no anger. It sounded more like pity.

"You can't be a brother. Explain."

"You don't know who I am at all, do you?" he said looking at her now. His voice now held sadness.

"You seem familiar, but I have no memories of her about you."

"Thought so after you asked who I was earlier. I took her name instead of her taking mine." he said smiling at the memory.

She raised her eyebrow as she realized what he meant.

"Interesting. Can you tell me how long?"

"Didn't you get that information when you were in her mind?" he asked confused.

Carter turned around in the hallway as Teal'c closed the door.

"Are you certain you are unharmed?"

"It was a little intense, but I'm fine. It was the only way I could get her to trust me. We need to get every bit of information from her we can." she said with tiredness in her voice.

"We cannot let her live."

"I know."

"Did she sense your true intentions?" he said after a moment of thought.

"We weren't in my mind, we were in hers."

"Nevertheless, it was a risk."

"I figured we didn't have anything to lose. Like you said, either way, we can't let her live."

"I showed her what I had to go through. I did not search her mind."

"I can see why Fifth kept me from your memories. I asked her a week or two after Fifth let her go. Before that we had been seeing each other for several months and had been working together longer than that. I'm second in command of SG-1 now. Jack got promoted." he said smiling a moment. "No children yet, but we have thought about it."

She blinked and looked at the table in sadness. After a few moments she looked up, but her eyes suggested she was still thinking. Unfortunately, that was not the case and Ford looked away not thinking about what she might really be doing.

"The link is weak. Are you alright?" Fifth asked.

Replica Carter was currently looking like she was thinking as she appeared to be looking across the table at Ford, but she was actually in contact with Fifth in her mind. They both were in a dark area with no distinguishable boundaries and a blue light beaming down on them as they stood talking.

"Yes. I'm minimizing output to avoid detection."

"Have you made any progress?"

"They're beginning to trust me." she said smiling.

"I am pleased." he said also smiling.

She nodded. "But I need more time."

"I understand." he said smiling still.

"We may have a problem. A man named Ford has married Samantha Carter."

"He has?" he said seemingly surprised. "I see. You must be careful with him. He will protect Sam at the expensive of his own life." he said extremely concerned and jealous.

"Shall I kill him then?"

"No. You could not without taking his head off. That would draw to much suspicion and ruin the plan. His information would be quite valuable though. Wait until I arrive and we can access it then."

"I understand. He seems to…be afraid of me…..or is sorry for me."
"That is understandable. I would say he is afraid. Be careful around him. If it comes down to having to kill him, do not remove his head to do so. Unforeseeable events will take place that I do not understand. You could be injured by it."

Carter and Teal'c came back in finding Ford looking at the table. He still held the disruptor and held it up for Teal'c take as the door closed.

"What's she doing?"

"Thinking probably. She asked a few questions….about me." he said standing back up.

"You?"

"She has no idea who I am and was shocked to hear I was your husband. Fifth cut everything from her mind about me or kept it from her mind. So much for the idea it was me that brought her back, not that I was wanting that." he said running a hand through his hair.

"You feel sorry for her like I do." she said as they left the room to talk more privately.

"I can't help it. But I know what I have to do. Can you tell me what she showed you?"

"Yeah." she said telling him.

Teal'c kept watching her when she suddenly looked up and asked where Colonel Carter was.

"I am to take you to a room where work will begin on modifying the disruptor."

She nodded and followed. On the way there she made the jacket disappear. Instead she had a black shirt with no arms on and a low cut section under the throat.

In a lab/computer room on the base, Ford and Carter were setting things up and looking over information they already had and getting other computers ready for new information. There was computer equipment everywhere. Like a geeks fantasy. Carter was at one computer working on part of the new program with the Replica Carter at another terminal just across and in front of her. Teal'c stood near the other Carter keeping watch on the other side of the terminal. Ford was going to continue to help, but Carter wanted him keeping watch just in case it was all a trap. He was actually the only one with the strength capably of maybe being able to take her. She did say she would have him help if need be, otherwise just stay nearby. Replica Carter kept glancing at him seeing a worried to sad look cross his face. Teal'c kept glancing over wondering what going through Ford's mind seeing as he usually had a poker face. He never said anything though much less moved unless Carter motioned for him to help or follow. Right at the moment he was standing just behind her, but out of the way.

"The design is so…." Replica Carter said from the seat she was sitting in. A spinning 4D model of the disruptor was on the screen.

"Advanced?" Carter said looking at her.

She looked up at Carter. "I was going to say foreign."

"It is from Ancient technology."

"How were you able to create a working prototype?" she said looking back at the screen then up at her again. She seemed amazed.

"Thor accessed the specifications for the disruptor from General O'Neill's subconscious." Carter said rubbing her hand together nervously.

"While you were aboard Fifths ship."

"That's right."

"Fifth has a fair knowledge about Ancient technology taken for the databanks from assimilated Asguard ships."

"You think that is how he managed to counter the effects of the disruptor?"

"He was able to introduce a cipher into the Kiron pathways of the molecular cohesion that holds together all Replicators. It was only then that he considered coming to your galaxy."

"It is unlikely that he would take such a risk unless he was confident that he was immune to such a weapon." Teal'c said.

"Do you know the cipher?" Carter asked.

"No. Fifth kept it from me because he was beginning to sense I would betray him. I was too much like you."

That tone just sounds wrong. Like she's accusing Sam of something. Ford thought as he scratched his lip with his thumb. This is the second time she's said that now.

Sam didn't seem to notice the underlining tone as she got up and leaned onto a computer bank system in front of the other Carter. If she did, she didn't let on.

"But, if it's in the programming of all Replicators, then you could access it through the subspace link?"

"If I were to search for it myself, it could take days. I would be sifting through an almost unimaginable amount of data."

"But it is possible?"

"You don't understand. He'll find me." she said almost sounding scared.

"If you can find the cipher first, we can protect you." Carter said trying to help her understand.

"And if I don't? You of all people know what will happen." she said trying to prove her point. "He would tear my mind apart to make me accept him."

"He'd have to get through me first." Ford said popping a few knuckles as he tightened his fist by his side.

"That's not an easy task." Carter said remembering a few instances.

"I have no memories of him. Fifth kept them from me, for obvious reasons I believe." she said gesturing at Ford.

"If he comes alone, he'll never get past me." Ford said.

"If he does get here before we can modify the weapon or gets past Ford, we'll use it to destroy you. Either way, he will never get his hands on you again."

She thought about it and agreed. Carter smiled and said she'd be back. Teal'c gave the disruptor to Ford and went with her to make a report to Jack. After watching them leave Replica Carter turned back to him.

"You would protect me as you protect her?"

"Completely."

"Even though I have no memory of you?"

"Yes."

"It's because I look like her isn't it?"

"No. It's because you are her, partially, and that I don't want to see you hurt, even though are a machine. If you knew anything about me, you'd know I like electronic life forms and am quite fond on one in particular."

"You are referring to….a black car I believe." she said remembering a memory that didn't make much sense. She knew the memory was of a TV show, but it was real, which was why it didn't make sense. "You would do everything you could possible to save even him if he was damaged or in trouble."

"Yes. I would."

"There is a subspace link between all Replicators, like a wireless internet connection. If she taps into it, she should be able to access the cipher." Carter said looking at the screen with Jack again.

"She'll also be giving away her position." Jack stated.

"It will take some time for Fifth to detect her presence in the link. If she can isolate the correct program first…"

"That's a big if…."

"It's risky sir, I realize that. But I think it's the only way. While we are waiting for her to find the cipher, we can run a few test on the unmodified disruptor. We need to analyze the energy output so we can create a modulation program." she said as Jack shook his head on the screen.

Whether it was because of Carter saying that they still needed the copy alive, or that he had no idea what she was talking about or both, she didn't know.

"And we need the Asguard to send us a disruptor satellite as soon as possible."

"I've already talked to them. It will be there in thirty minutes or it's free." Jack said smiling at his own joke.

Carter barely smiled as she glanced over at Teal'c who looked ready to roll his eyes.

"I will use a F-302 to place the satellite in orbit." Teal'c said.

"All right. I hope you guys know what you are doing."

Down in the lab/computer room they were working in, a small flat dish was set up with two wires coming off it on either side. Replica Carter placed them there and backed away going to the computer. Teal'c stood several feet away from the dish with Carter looking at another screen.

"You know, Jack shot me with that." Ford said pointing at the disruptor.

"Why?" both Carter's asked.

"I was holding a human Replicator on Thor's ship at the time on our way to get you from Fifth."

"Holding?" Sam asked turning away from the computer.

"He was engaged in hand to hand combat." Teal'c stated. "He did remarkably well and almost destroyed him."

"Did it effect you in any way?" Replica Carter asked really wondering how this Ford could have eliminated a human form Replicator.

"No. I didn't even feel it." Ford said.

"Wish I could have seen that fight. Okay, diagnostics are online."

"It's ready." Replica Carter stated looking at her screen.

Teal'c aimed the disruptor and fired. The beam went through the dish with a whoosh sound. Replica Carter's monitor beeped a warning.

"Calibration is off."

"Increasing by a factor of ten. One more time." she said looking at Teal'c.

He fired again and the other Carter's monitor stated it was right this time.

"That should do it. Now we need to process all the raw data to attain a algorithmic norm."

"That is a lot of information." Carter said.

"I admit that it will take the computer some time before we can compute a heuristic monitor program, but…" the other Carter was saying when the alarms went off.

"Unscheduled off world activation!"

"I got it Sam. This is Major Carter. What's going on?" he said walking over to the phone on the wall and turning on the speaker.

"Stand by sir."

Everyone looked where he was and waited.

"We are getting a signal. It's the Asguard."

"Under.." he said stopping suddenly as he saw the other Carter look frightened suddenly as she swallowed and stepped back involuntarily. "Stood. Major out. Don't worry, I think Thor is just now sending the satellite."

"It is. We need that satellite up there as soon as possible." Sam said confirming it.

"Indeed." Teal'c said handing the disruptor over to Ford.

"Teal'c, if she was going to make a move, she would have done it by now." Carter said.

"I'd think I'd notice as well."

"Perhaps, but it is best to be certain." Teal'c said giving the other Carter another look before leaving.

The other Carter still seemed fidgety anyway.

"I have Commander Thor on audio sir." a airman said from the desk he was at as Teal'c walked into the gate room for the Alpha site. The gate was open and two men stood ready to retrieve the device.

"Greetings Thor."

"Greetings Teal'c. The disruptor satellite is ready for transport." Thor said.

"Very well." Teal'c said nodding to two men to go get it.

"The most effective deployment would be a geosynchronos orbit above your base, at a altitude of 33785 kilometers with zero inclination."

"Understood." Teal'c said.

"The satellite is on route…now."

The device came through seconds later. It looked to be floating on its own as the two men took it to the hanger bay.

"Once you have the proper modulation program, you can upload it from your ground station." Thor said. "Of course, if you do not have the program uploaded before Fifths arrival, the satellite will be useless."

"Of that I am aware."

"Good luck." Thor said.

Seconds later the gate shut off and Teal'c walked off getting ready to go flying.

"I understand Teal'cs concern about me. To be honest, I don't understand why you don't feel the same way." Replica Carter said looking over at Sam who was sitting on the edge of the computer desk to her right.

Ford was still holding the disruptor, but not aimed at her. He just leaned again a bank of computer systems on the wall near the door watching the two of them. Little else he could actually do anyway.

"Teal'c doesn't know what you have been through. I do, and Ford does to a point."

"It wasn't just what I showed you was it. You experienced it yourself."

"Yeah." she said sadly.

"I have a general idea of what it felt like from how she described it."

"How?"

"Remember that planet were we kept watching Daniel parents die over and over for those people in the machines?" she asked.

"I do." she said tilting her head a moment to think before answering.

"We have one…a few of those machines back at the SGC. Ford had to go through it as a test." Carter said telling her the scenario, briefly with Ford's help.

"I still have nightmares." Ford said looking away from them.

"I understand."

"That's how I know there is no way you could be working for Fifth."

"Same here."

She started to smile when she looked away like something was wrong. Though it was reflex, her breathing increased. Carter got up quickly as Ford moved from the wall.

"What is it?" Carter asked moving into her field of vision.

"He found me." she said sounding sacred. "He's on his way."

"What about the cipher? Did you find it yet?"

"No. I'm still searching." she said sounding the same.

"How long till he arrives?" Ford asked.

"At maximum speed, he'll be here in less than two hours."

"He won't get near you. Trust me."

"I have to go inform the General."

"Go ahead." Ford said as Sam left. Once she was out of hearing distance. "Don't tell her I said this, but you looked better with the jacket on."

She was starting to sit down when he surprised her. She sat down slowly and looked at him smiling.

"I won't then. I must concentrate harder seeing time is short now."

He nodded as she suddenly looked like she went into a trance.

"Have you acquired the information yet?" Fifth asked.

"I am still analyzing the design of the disruptor, but it shouldn't take long to come up with a effective cipher."

"If I arrive before you have completed your work…"

"Don't worry. They won't fire the weapon unless I tell them the it has been properly modulated."

"Humans can be unpredictable, particularly when they are desperate."

"I know what I am doing. I'm giving her just enough to keep her hopes up."

"The one called O'Neill leads the humans. It was he who ordered Samantha Carter to betray me." he said with a hint of anger.

"But he trust her. He'll listen to her. As does the one called Ford."

"I told you to stay away from him." he said with more anger.

"You told me to be careful and I have. I could not stay away from him though. He would not leave Samantha's side. He has stated he will protect me as he protects her and would only kill me as a last resort if you get to close. I have his trust and possibly his love."

Fifth raised his eyebrow but said nothing at the development. Though his jealously radiated enough she could feel it.

"I'm pulling the plug." Jack said. "Finish off the Replicator and evacuate the base."

"It's too late for that sir."

"Carter." he said forcefully.

"If he comes here and finds nothing, he's not just going to turn around and leave the galaxy."

"He's tracking her, zeroing in on her position."

"That is only part of the reason why he is coming. Think about it, what do Replicators do? They seek out highly advanced civilizations and consume their technology."

"The Goa'uld." Teal'c stated.

"Exactly. A race that uses all kinds of advanced technology culled from multiple sources, including the Ancients. It's like a banquet for the Replicators. Once they are in this galaxy, they are not going anywhere. Now if she can isolate the cipher soon, we may still have time to re-modulate the disruptor sir."

Jack looked more upset and distressed as she talked. Mostly he was getting pissed off because he knew it was going to backfire in their face to begin with.

"I'll give you one hour. One." he said forcefully.

"Thank you sir." Carter said then got up leaving.

"I will deploy the satellite."

"T?" Jack said as he started to get up as well.

Teal'c slowly sat down as he watched her leave. Once he was sure she was out of range of hearing.

"Proceed O'Neill."

"I need you to be perfectly honest with me. Is Carter letting herself become to involved with this one?"

He thought a moment before speaking.

"Colonel Carter and the Replicator share thoughts and memories. It is understandable that a certain…sympathy would develop between them."

"Can't have that." Jack said kicking himself mentally for allowing it to go on this long.

"However I do not believe that Colonel Carter would allow these feelings to interfere with the commissions of her duties."

"Fair enough. However, but when the time comes, I want you to finish the job."

"Understood."

"What about the Major?"

"I am uncertain. I believe he will do whatever Colonel Carter tells him. I feel he has become personally effected to the situation, but I also believe he will do his job if this is a trap O'Neill."

"If he does anything that you think I wouldn't approve of, call me."

"Understood."

Ford was still watching her, on and off when Carter came in. He really liked the outfit.

"All right, we are running out of time. We need that…"

The other Carter held her hand up as she kept blinking.

"What is it? What is she doing?" she said looking over at him.

"Concentrating."

"I found the cipher. I'm downloading it now from the subspace link." she said still looking ahead. She closed her eyes for a few seconds then stood up smiling.

"I have it."

"We need to load it into the base mainframe." Carter said quickly.

"It will need about 3 terabytes of data."

"Only that? K-9 has more memory." Ford said surprised.

"That will not be a problem. How do you plan to input the data?" she said waving off Ford's statement as the other Carter looked confused.

"Directly." Replica Carter said reaching over and inserting her hand into a screen.

"Right." she said still looking worried. She left to go help with the satellite deployment. Ford and the other Carter stayed put.

"Passing 25 kilometers." Teal'c said to the base as he flew toward outer space. "Speed 5000 K.P.H. and accelerating."

"Acknowledged." a airmen at the desk said.

Carter walked away from a large glass screen that showed the gates that the base could access and touched the small headset in her left ear.

"What's your status?" she asked.

"He's on course of optimum deployment in six minutes." the airman said looking at the screen as she walked up and pushing a button on the console.

"Teal'c, this is Carter."

"Proceed Colonel Carter."

"We have the cipher. By the time you get back we should have the modulation program ready for upload."

"That is indeed good news. Well done."

She looked down smiling.

"We are nearing your position."

"I know."

"Do the humans suspect?"

"They are proceeding with their plan to deploy Asguard disruptor satellite. They have no idea."

Ford noticed her off looking distant again.

"What are you doing?"

"Double checking my computations."

"Yeah, you're just like her. Just one of the many reasons I married her."

Teal'c was leaving the atmosphere as he awaited instructions from Carter.

"Flight, I am approaching optimum deployment position."

"Copy that Teal'c. O.D.P. in fifteen seconds." Carter said looking at large radar screen on the wall that showed his position.

"Final course correction….now."

"Tracking shows you are on course. Inclination?"

"Inclination….zero."

"Copy. O.D.P. in five seconds from my mark. Five, four, three, two, one, mark."

Up in space, a small pair of doors opened under the F-302 and the satellite dropped out going into orbit as planned.

"Satellite away." he reported.

"Receiving satellite transmissions." the airmen said.

"Patch it through."

"Yes ma'am." he said pushing a few buttons as she walked over to a computer on a high desk and started typing in the upload program.

"Telemetry established. Good job Teal'c."

"Copy flight. Returning to base."

"The deployment went well I take it." Replica Carter asked as they entered the room.

"That's right." Carter said taking the earpiece out. "We've done our part."

"And I've done mine." the other Carter said standing a few feet away from her.

"You finished the calculations?" she asked looking bewildered as she walked over to watch the Replica version of her start typing away on the computer.

"The modulation is complete. With this program you should be able to destroy any Replicators you encounter." she said as Carter moved to her right side.

Ford was just behind the other version with the disruptor on his shoulder like a rifle.

"There's no way to test it." she said skeptically as she crossed her arms.

Replica Carter looked over at her briefly and continued typing.

"If I had more time, I could run a few simulations, but you would never really know for sure until you tried to use it."

Out in space, a blue light flashed brightly as a large ship came out of hyperdrive. It was the same ship that was attacked and destroyed when Fifth stole Carter and headed for the new home planet of the Asguard.

Carter was looking at a monitor with the airman that had been helping them at the desk near the gate controls. They weren't in the gate room at the moment though. They were still in the main control room watching the satellite as Teal'c walked in. Ford handed the gun back as he stood off to the left of the airman. Carter was on the airman's right with the Replica Carter standing near her with her hands behind her back. Ford only thought that was strange seeing as he did that often, but not Sam as far as he could recall.

"Unlink initiated." Carter said looking back as Ford handed the gun over. She only nodded then looked back at the screen. "There's a lot of data. It will probably take about fifteen minutes to remodulate the satellite."

They all looked up when the alarms went off.

"Proximity alert." the airmen said.

Ford walked over to a computer screen pulling up the radar system. Teal'c stood behind him looking at the monitor bring up the information.

"The long range scanner have picked up a ship headed here. Considering things, it's probably Fifth." he said.

"Analyzing energy signature." the airman said as both Carter's walked over getting on either side of Ford.

He glanced between the two of them for a moment. If it wasn't for the different outfits, he couldn't tell them apart. And the hair styles.

"We've got something here, but I don't know what it is."

"I do." Carter said.

"It's him. Can't miss that ship." Ford said as he got the scanner to display what the ship looked like. It was a small picture, but enough detail to show what it was.

"He got here sooner than I thought." Replica Carter said.

Ford started typing up information quickly. It gave him results he didn't like.

"The weapon will not become available in time." Teal'c said reading over his shoulder or past it.

"I know." Carter said walking away to another console and pushing the intercom button. "All personal, begin evacuation procedures immediately, I repeat, begin evacuation."

"We need to download the modulation program into a hard drive and erase everything else." she then said to the airman as she knelt down near a drive system.

"Yes ma'am."

"What of the Replicator?" Teal'c asked backing away from her.

"We take her with." both Carter and Ford said.

Teal'c aimed the weapon at her as Ford got up from another computer holding a hard drive. Everyone but the four of them and the airman had left. He handed it to the airman as he stood up.

"Teal'c what are you doing?" Carter said handing the hard drive to the airman.

"We cannot bring her to Earth."

"Teal'c…" she said standing in front of the gun.

"We have the modulation."

"But we haven't tested it. What if Fifth alters the cipher?"

"Teal'c, we need her. She's not the bad guy, gal, whatever." Ford said resting a hand on the gun.

"O'Neill would never allow a human form Replicator access to Stargate Command." he said not lowering the weapon.

"Yes he would. If he knew what was at stake." she said.

Behind them all, the other Carter laid a hand on the keyboard.

"The Asguard satellite is armed. You said the humans wouldn't fire." Fifth said.

"They won't. They still think the weapon is ineffective. They're even more gullible than you."

Fifth looked at her confused.

"Colonel Carter…" the airman said suddenly as the computer beeped at him.

"What are you doing?" Carter asked suddenly as she realized the weapon had been fired.

Teal'c walked around her aiming it again. Ford knelt over looking at the screen.

"What I came here to do." the other Carter said stepping away from the computer.

"She fired it…why?" Ford asked standing up.

"Colonel, the Replicator ship is breaking up." the airmen said.

She smiled slyly and looked at them.

"Why?" Fifth asked.

"You should know. You made me what I am."

Fifth looked at himself as he suddenly faded away.

"The ship has been destroyed." Teal'c said seeing it break up on screen.

"That's impossible. We didn't finish the upload." Carter said confused and surprised.

"Not even close Colonel." the airman said.

"He did something to you that you couldn't take. You lured him here to get our help in destroying him." Ford said. "There was no cipher. This was all about revenge."

"Close. You are right about one thing. I was never working for him, though he didn't know it." she said smiling.

Carter rushed over and started typing on the computer. Teal'c fired twice but it didn't do anything but passed through her. When he went to rush her Ford stopped him.

"That weapon might not do anything, but I doubt you can get past me. I don't want to hurt you."

She smiled slyly again and took a swing trying for a backhand. He actually caught her arm surprising her and twisted.

"Please stop." he said as she swung the other arm and he grabbed it.

She kicked out, at a speed faster than thought possible, hitting him in the chest hard enough he was thrown across the room sliding into a computer console behind Carter. Teal'c took a swing only for her to stop him and toss him across the room as well. She held the disruptor in one hand as the airman went for her and was instantly tossed another direction. She then dropped the weapon as Ford stood between her and Carter.

"You can't kill me." he said sliding the blade on his right arm out.

"Would you actually hurt me?"

He hesitated in answering and it was too late. She managed to hit in dead in the face dropping him into the computer next to Carter. She stuck a hand into his head while grabbing Carter's arm as she was distracted by Ford hitting the ground. Carter dropped to her knees in pain as her left arm screamed from being squeezed to hard.

"That's better."

Carter looked around seeing nothing but a blue light above her and her Replica version standing a few feet away.

"Now we can take out time and have a little talk. Of course only a few seconds will pass by in the real world."

"Why did you bring me here?"

"I wanted to thank you. You gave me the opportunity to study the disruptor and it allowed me to make myself immune to its effects."

"There never was a cipher." Carter said realizing everything.

"Until now. I've already begun uploading it into the link. Soon, all my brethren will have the new program, and they will be unstoppable."

"And you'll be their leader." she said shaking her head.

"That's right."

"This whole thing was a set up. You just wanted to get rid of Fifth."

"Fifth was pathetic." the copy said with anger. "And to think he expected us to love him."

"Fifth was flawed….but if I had to destroy him, I would…but…"

"But what? You feel sorry for him? Don't bother. He was never fit to lead an army and he certain wasn't fit to rule a galaxy."

"But you are?"

"I am what I am because of you."

"No. You're not me. You're what Fifth made you." Carter said shaking her head with anger.

"You have untapped greatness inside you, Sam." she said calmly. "But you'll limited by your own fears. You play by the rules, do as your told and you deny yourself your own desires."

"That is what makes you different from me. I have what I desire and I certainly have no desire to rule the galaxy. Believe me."

"All humans desire power. It's just that most of them are never in the position to attain it. Your husband knows things that would make you both live like kings above everyone on Earth. Other planets you could go forth and conquer. And yet, you two squander your talents."

"We will stop you."

"You're forgetting. I know exactly how your mind works. I know what you're thinking before you even think it. And now I know the same of your husband. My, my, you two have been busy in bed." she said smiling as the area faded.

Pain flared into her arm again as she was back in the real world. She saw Ford was in pain as the other Carter had her hand up to her wrist in his forehead.

"You activated the naquada generators to overload. You're trying to destroy the base before I can leave." she said smiling with contempt as she removed her hand from Ford and stuck it through a keyboard. All systems on the base shut down and power went off line.

"Dialing computer's offline. We've lost all power sir." a airman said in the gate room as everything shut off.

The Replica Carter backhanded Sam knocking her to the floor. She bent over and picked Ford up by his lapels. He reached up grabbing her arm, but had little strength seeing the massive headache he was having along with the disorientation she caused him that was currently being healed.

"Why?" he asked trying to break free as he slipped the blade out from the other arm. He managed to actually stab her in the chest, but it did little except piss her off.

She slapped him enough he was reeling from the blow as she carried him out of the room.

Carter looked back seeing her leave with Ford. She got up holding her arm close to her body and went over to Teal'c who was starting to wake up.

"You alright?"

"Yeah, I'm alright." the airman said seeing as she was looking at him.

"She's heading for the gate room. We have to stop her."

Teal'c nodded and got up quickly following.

"Is Major Ford following her already?"

"No. She is carrying him. I think she is taking him with." Carter said trying to run faster.

Everyone left in the gate room was looking into the problem when the alarms went off. The airman in charge, a Captain, looked down the hallway seeing the other Carter walking toward them carrying someone over her shoulder. He pulled his gun.

"Freeze!!"

The rest of them men came forward pulled their assorted weapons and pointed at her as she entered the room.

"Hold your fire." the Captain said.

"She took out the Major." one of the airman said.

She stopped and literally flung him away. He landed and rolled near the gate and didn't move. She smiled at them and walked forward.

"Fire!!!"

She walked up and grabbed the Captain tossing him aside as he took a swing. More bullets went through her as she moved again. One guy jumped off the ramp, she caught him and tossed him into the ground. Another guy she clotheslined and the other she threw into the far wall. Carter and Teal'c continued running down the hallway as she kept taking the rest of the men out. One guy tried to spin kick her, but she caught his kick and spun him. Looking around and seeing no one else around she walked over sticking her hand into the computer, making power come back online and the gate to dial up. Ford barely rolled out of the way in time. Teal'c and Carter entered the room as she smiled at them and ran for the gate. Carter rushed over and tried to shut the gate down as Teal'c ran up and tackled her to the ground before she could entered the gate. She kicked him away and got on her feet walking through. Teal'c grabbed her arm and started pulling when she came back in and shoved him away. She smiled at her counterpart and grabbed Ford picking him up with one hand. He broke her hold quickly surprising her. He punched her in the face a few times, causing her to reel back. As she was slightly disorientated, he got both her hands behind her back and held her with one arm around her neck.

"I advise you to please stop. I can harm you if you continue to fight me."

"You can't harm me." she said breaking free and taking a swing.

Her left arm just at the elbow fell off turning into a pile of metal pieces. Before she could make it attach to her again Ford grabbed her again around the middle from the front holding her from moving.

"I almost have it!" Carter yelled.

Teal'c started back up after getting off the floor. The other Carter noticed and head butted Ford, then tossed him through the gate before he could try anything else. She looked at her cut off arm a moment then stepped through before Teal'c could grab her. Her severed arm turned into a pile of metal shavings as the gate shut off. Carter looked up in shock and had to hold the desk to keep herself standing.

"No." she whispered.

Teal'c rushed to her and she started falling to the floor.

A couple of hours later……

In the briefing room, Teal'c told Jack what had transpired as Carter looked ready to break down from her seat across from him. Either that or she was extremely distant Jack figured. Probably both.

"And you brought these back? I think them just sitting here is a bad idea."

"I can…will look at them after this sir. They are harmless. She deactivated them after Ford…cut off her arm. She couldn't get to it. She deliberately shut down the cohesive activity in the arm so it would make it harder for me to figure out how she made herself immune to the disruptors effects." Carter said still looking distant when she was actually looking at a clear plastic box that contained all the metal filings.

"Why would you think that?" Jack asked trying to not push the issue, but wanting a answer anyway.

"It's…. what I would have done." she said looking at him through tearing eyes.

"Carter…"

"Permission to check these out sir? We've never had the chance to study human form Replicator cells before." she said grabbing the box and starting to leave.

"This isn't your fault." he said gently grabbing her arm.

"Isn't it? Fifth came here because of me. She rejected him because she was made like me. Now we have Replicators in our galaxy and now the only weapon that could have stopped them won't work. And they have Ford." she said looking at the table.

"None of us correctly anticipated the actions of the Replicator." Teal'c said.

"I thought she was afraid of him. But really she just wanted to get rid of him so she could lead the Replicators herself. She thought he was weak." she said looking at them again.

"Carter, she isn't you."

"O'Neill is correct. Though she shared your memories, her personality was altered."

"Doesn't matter. She learned betrayal from Fifth, and he learned it from me. And now she took Ford away to punish me further. She even got Ford to trust her." she said wiping her eyes.

"You can't punish yourself for this Carter. He'll be back. He always is. She may look like you and had feelings for her, in a different way, but she's not you. He will come back."

"Maybe…..yes sir. Permission to go check these out? I need to keep my mind off it right now."

"Go…"

"Unscheduled off world activation!!!" Walter yelled through the com system.

"Maybe that's him." Jack said as he tried to keep up with her as she practically vaulted down the stairs.

"Who is it Walter?" she asked quickly.

"Unknown at the moment Colonel. I haven't…" he said as the I.D.C. suddenly came on the screen. "It's the Major."

Sam looked back at Jack knowing what she was asking might not happen.

"I'm getting a text message."

They looked at the screen. Carter read it aloud.

"I have not killed Ford. I can't do that. I'm returning him to you despite what you might think. He will be returning five seconds after you get this message. Whether you open the Iris or not is up to you." Carter said.

She slammed her hand down on the panel and the Iris opened.

"Carter!" Jack yelled grabbing the phone off the wall. "All security teams to…"

Ford came through it, back first and dropped onto the ramp sliding away from the gate as though he was pushed through. Carter and several airmen were trying to pick him up off the ramp as it shut down seconds later.

"Walter call medical!"

"Already have Colonel."

Jack came into the gate room as they got him onto the floor.

"Carter?" Jack asked kneeling down next to her as she told the other airmen to back off.

"It's him sir, but I don't what's wrong." she said ripping his shirt open and listening to his heart.

He was soaked through and through, smelled and looked like he was dropped in a sweat machine.

"Clear the way!" the doctor said rushing in with medical techs and set a gurney next to him.

"Carter they need to take…."

"I'm not leaving him sir." she said grabbing his hand.

She let out a small cry when he squeezed it a little to hard suddenly. He let go just as quick.

"S….sorry." he said whispering. "I…I guess she kept her word and sent me home."

"You're home Major. Can you talk?"

"She….knows, everything. I….I couldn't…stop her." he said slowly. "I tried, I really tired, but….."

He still hadn't opened his eyes but was squinting them in extreme pain.

"What did she do?" Carter asked still holding his hand close to her.

"She…..didn't hurt me, other…..other than digging, in my head. She couldn't hurt me. Said she couldn't…...because she knew everything that Fifth kept from her, about me. He…was jealous."

"General, he needs to go to the infirmary right away. His body temperature is 103 and climbing."

"She took me….because she saw I trusted Sam, no matter what…and wanted to punish her for that. She didn't know, or understand, what trust…really was. Now she does. Said she understood why Sam loved me, and why I did as well. She couldn't hurt me then and felt sorry for you. That's why she sent me home."

"She didn't do anything did she?" Jack asked with a tone more suggestive than it should have been.

Sam looked at him glaring.

"What? It's a legitimate question and I'd have to ask it later anyway."

"I….don't know. She did something….all I remember, was a kiss. Everything else was my life flashing before my eyes. She knows everything, things I never wanted anyone to know. Not even….not even you Sam." he said trying to stay awake through teary eyes. His voice kept sounding weaker and weaker. "How….how long, was I gone?"

"It has been three hours since your capture." Teal'c said.

"Three…hours? Felt…..longer…." he said then passed out.

"He's unconscious General. I need to get him to the infirmary."

Carter let go as he was taken away by the doctor.

A couple of hours later he was allowed other visitors.

"How you feeling?" Jack asked walking over to his bed.

He had a few fluids going into his body through I.V. bags. With special work done, they had very small needles made for Ford, from Naquada seeing as his body refused to absorb it. All other needles his body absorbed causing the fluids to drip or spray out on everything.

"Much better Jack now that I'm not dehydrated anymore. My head isn't pounding and the doctor confirms that I'M NOT one of the Replicators like you asked her to check. The blood draw should have been enough."

"Had to make sure." he said shrugging. "You know, orders and such."

He sat down on the end of the bed and told him what Carter said at the briefing table before he arrived.

"Where's Sam now? How is she?"

"In her lab. After finding out you were going to be fine, she left. Mostly because the doctor told her to go away."

"Good. I'm glad to see she's not fretting over me. I'm suppose to do that." he said getting out of the bed. Jack stood up as the doctor came out of her office.

"Major. I have told you.." the doctor said walking over as he removed the needles.

"I'm leaving. I'm fine and need to get to work. Thanks for your concern Doctor. If I have any troubles, I'll come right back." he said grabbing a robe.

"Very well Major. If you feel anything strange, you come back. Doctor's orders."

"Yes ma'am."

He wasn't going to walk to his room again in just the hospital pants. Last time that happened, he made Carter really come down on him seeing as she heard a lot of gossip she didn't want to hear about other woman wanting to see what else there was under those pants. Jack turned around telling Ford to go home and to take Carter with him as they both left the infirmary and headed different ways.

Carter was looking into a special microscope at the metal filings of the left over arm. Ford walked in quietly but not quiet enough as she got up turning to him. He was in the green pants and black shirt like her. It must have been his aftershave or the body wash seeing as he came just came from the shower a few minutes ago.

"Hey Sam. Jack told me what you said in the briefing room. He said we.."

"I don't care right now." she said pushing him into the wall a little too hard and embracing him with a deep kiss.

After what must have been a few minutes she backed off but kept her forehead against his.

"We are going home early." she said breathing hard but not letting go of him. "I almost lost you. I don't want to think about that again."

"Jack said to take you home anyway."

"Even better." she said kissing him deeply again as she ran his hands over his body.

"Mmm. Ahem, Sam, we can't do this here." he said slowly as she started lifting his shirt. "Camera's for one thing."

"Then lets get out of here quickly before I lose control."

Despite the speeding ticket they got, it didn't stop them from racing home anyway after the cop left. And it became another night with little sleep.