Chapter 4

Sam and Cassie were led into the briefing room just off the Gate Room. Sam understood this reality was different and she wasn't sure what or who she would find. She noticed the base seemed to have less people than expected for a fully functioning base of operations. She and Cassie were soon seated at the large table. A young looking man with blond hair and blue eyes entered. He wore blue battle dress and very fine features.

Janet spoke to the man. "Thor! The mirror activated. We got two visitors who came through. Sam and my alternate's adopted daughter. Her name is Cassie."

Sam's mouth dropped. "Thor! Of the Asgard!"

Thor looked upon the alternate of his late friend. "It is a pleasure to meet you. Might I inquire as to my status in your reality?"

"You died." she told him. She the realized in this reality the Asgard had survived. "I see you fixed the cloning issue here."

He gave a nod, "Major O'Neill was instrumental in assisting us."

"So, you are in the S.G.C. here?" she asked.

"I work on Star Gate One." he told her.

She asked surprised "You left your people come work with us?"

He informed. "The Jinn destroyed the Asgard and our home world. Those of us who have survived have relocated to Earth. Your planet is unique. The Jinn cannot sustain themselves long term on Earth. Your planet has a natural ability to repel the Jinn. The Jinn are energy based and feed on energy. All attempts to stop them have failed. They have the ability to absorb energy from dark matter and cross any dimension or alternate universe at will. The Jinn can penetrate Earth's magnetic shield but they cannot stay long."

Sam stated, "These Jinn sound like a nightmare to deal with, Thor. What was I doing to stop them?"

Thor stated "You died trying to stop them. They cannot stay long on Earth but they can create havoc. They attempted to cause a nuclear meltdown a number of times and were successful on more than one attempt. We were forced to take all nuclear power plants off line. There is an energy shortage as a result. You died preventing a meltdown in a power plant."

"Did we find anyway of fight back?" she asked concerned.

"Because the Jinn consume power, we are limited in research." Thor explained. "We were hoping to find a dimension or alternate universe that could hold the Jinn. Thus, the importance of the mirror."

"What about using the mirror to trap the Jinn between alternate universes?" Sam suggested.

"I have already tried and failed." Thor reported.

Cassie asked, "How do these things kill a person?"

Thor addressed her question. "By consuming the natural electricity in your body. Once the electrical impulses have been drained from the heart and mind you die."

"What do these things look like?" she wondered.

"They have no solid form. Most appear as dark shadows. They can project an image they choose but only for a short time." Thor stated.

Sam quickly assed "They can't be killed, can't be captured. What do they want?"

"To consume." Thor explained. "They move from universe to universe looking for energy to consume. There are no ships. They do not have a home world. They do not open dialog and have no regard for other life forms."

Cassie stated, "These things do sound like a nightmare."

Janet nodded, "Pretty much."

Meanwhile - Original Reality

Jack wondered where Sam and Cassie had disappeared too. The last anyone knew they had gone to the storage room to clean up. As he made his way he spied Daniel walking up ahead towards the commissary. "Daniel!" he called.

Daniel stopped and turned. "Jack." he replied.

Jack reached him and stopped. "You seen Sam and Cassie?"

"Last I heard they were cleaning up the storage room." he replied.

"I can't find them anywhere." he stated.

Daniel assured. "I'm sure they are around. Let's go see." He started to walk again with Jack right beside him.

Jack wondered. "You don't think she's avoiding me?"

"Why would she do that, Jack?" he asked.

"It was quiet a fight." he confessed.

"And what were you two fighting over anyways?" he asked.

"Where to build the patio and barbeque pit." he told him.

He rolled his head. "You two are fighting over a patio and grill?"

"I have a septic and I can't build it on that. Choices are limited." he excused. "It's my cabin. I should choose where it goes."

"So, where does Sam want it to go?" he wondered.

"South side. She wants a hot tub." he explained.

He asked, "And what's wrong with that?"

"I got a pond. What do I need a hot tub for? Beside, those things are a lot of work." he ditched the idea.

He gave a deep sigh for the argument seemed rather trivial.

They arrived to the storage room and entered. They looked about. Both took a deep breath upon seeing the mirror.

Jack asked, "That what I think it is?"

He slowly nodded. "I bet it activated."

"Let's get Rodney." Jack sighed.

Alternate Reality

Sam and Cassie continued the debriefing in the room. As they were speaking to Thor a new face came through the door. A short woman with light brown hair and brown eyes sporting green battle dress entered the room. She held a rank of Lieutenant Colonel and appeared in her late thirties.

"Charlie told me the mirror activated and Sam came through." she sounded.

Janet looked up from her seat. "Sam did come through, Jackie." She motioned to Sam sitting near.

Sam seemed bewildered for she never seen the new Colonel before. She noticed the badge read "O'Neill" on her uniform.

Jackie asked "Do you know me, Sam?" She noticed what Sam did not do. She did not stand up and welcome her.

"I can't say I do." she replied.

Janet informed. "This is Colonel Jacqueline 'Jackie' O'Neill. Charlie's older sister."

Sam realized. "Jack O'Neill has two kids here."

Janet nodded, "He was a family man."

"You know my dad but not me?" Jackie asked Sam.

"You were never born in my reality." she explained. "He only had your brother and he died as a child."

Her shoulders slunk. "So, you don't have a clue who I am?"

She shook her head. "Sorry."

Janet stated, "Jackie is your stepdaughter, Sam. You married Jack after Sarah died. You helped raise Jackie and Charlie. You became their mom."

Sam asked, "Was I not in the military?"

Janet shook her head. "You were contract. Like Daniel."

Jackie took a seat at the table. She looked at Sam. "So, you have never seen me before in your life?"

"Sorry." she winced.

Janet added, "Don't worry, Jackie. Cassie is my alternate's adopted daughter and we just met too."

Jackie looked at Cassie. She offered a handshake. "Jackie O'Neill. You?"

"Cassie Frasier." she shook her hand. She noticed, "You look a lot like Jack."

She nodded, "I was often called 'mini me' by him." She recalled the nickname fondly. "Is my dad alive in your reality?"

Cassie nodded, "He is."

She confessed. "I wish I could see him again."

Janet reminded her. "He would not know you. You were not born there."

"I know." she sighed.

Sam assured. "He would love to meet you though. The daughter he never had."

"You think?" she asked.

She nodded as a slight grin crept across her face. "He would love to meet you and Charlie both." She looked to Thor, "And you, Thor. He would love to see you. We lost our Asgard."

Thor stated. "I would be most grateful to see him once more."

Sam then asked. "Do you know a Jaffa named Teal'c?"

"Knew." Janet stated. "He died fighting off a Jinn."

Sam's heart sank. "Sounds like you guys lost all of SG-1."

Janet agreed. "The first team is long gone. Charlie and Jackie lead SG-1 now with Thor."

"Who is your forth man?" she wondered.

"Liz." Janet stated. "She's our linguist."

Sam asked, "Liz?"

"Liz Weir." she clarified.

She asked, "You guys know a man named John Sheppard?"

"We had a Major John Sheppard. Lost him battle." Janet stated. "Good guy. Funny."

Cassie asked, "Rodney McKay?"

"Dr. McKay died some time ago." Janet told her. "Earth population is down to two billion now. We lost a lot of people."

"That's nearly seventy five percent." Sam gasped.

"I know." Janet agreed. "Thing about limited power is limited civilization. We lost entire cities. We're talking about an enemy that can consume electricity and take down an entire grid in minutes. Blow power plants. Blow power stations. Take down our infrastructure without firing a shot or using weapons. Grid collapsed and a lot of people died. Can't manufacture with no power. No medications, no food production. Cities collapsed."

Sam slowly nodded. "Best way to bring an enemy to it's knees is to remove the infrastructure. People get sick and starve to death."

"Exactly what happened." Janet told her. "Our saving grace is the Jinn are limited on how much time they have on Earth to do damage. But, there are times when they can increase that exposure depending on gravitational fields. Thor and Charlie were able to isolate the SGC from the Jinn using alternating fields. They can't get into the SGC but they can wreck havoc outside."

Sam asked, "Why not extend that force field around the planet?"

"A global field would require more power than we can produce." Thor told her. "I have attempted that already. It failed."

Jackie smirked. "I wish we could all just go through that mirror to Sam's reality, close the door and leave the Jinn behind."

Thor countered. "There is no guarantee that the Jinn would not find that reality and invade it. The other option would be to use the mirror and the power of the Star Gate to merge the realities. There is a slight chance the energy levels would be greater that what the Jinn could absorb and thus cancel the Jinn out. There is also a chance the two realities would cancel one another out, destroying everything including the Jinn."

Jackie requested. "Let's not blow up the universe, Thor. I know you can but let's not."

Sam smirked. "I blew up a star once. Maybe I can help you while I am here, Thor? We can work together to find some way to isolate these Jinn."

"I would welcome the assistance." Thor told her.

"Great." Sam smiled.

Cassie asked, "Can I do something to help?"

"Of course." Janet assured.