Thank you for your comments, here is a new chapter. I hope you enjoy it. :)
Still no particular warnings.
Happy reading.
OoOoOoOoO
The SGC base echoed with the dull sounds of explosions and cries of combat. Outside, the enemies struck with unexpected force, desperately trying to breach the base's defenses. Though the intruders had not succeeded in breaking through, the damage caused was considerable.
Dr. Carter stood in the infirmary, surrounded by wounded soldiers and bustling medical staff. Every bed was occupied, every inch of space used to treat severe injuries and trauma. Heart monitors beeped constantly, creating a stressful cacophony. The smell of disinfectant and blood filled the air, adding an oppressive dimension to the already tense atmosphere.
"Pass me another IV!" shouted Sam, her face marked by fatigue. She knelt beside a soldier whose face was pale, a gaping wound on his leg.
"Dr. Carter, we're out of morphine," an nurse announced.
Sam nodded, her jaw tight. "Do your best with what we have. Use the emergency reserves if necessary."
The nurse nodded and rushed to follow the orders. Carter stood up, quickly wiping the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand. She scanned the infirmary, her blue eyes searching for a solution to the apparent impasse. The wounded were piling up, and resources were dwindling.
She glanced at the wall clock and made a quick but necessary decision. "I'm going to inform the general of the situation," she declared to her team.
Sam left the infirmary with determined steps, her mind already focused on the upcoming conversation. She walked through the base's corridors, the concrete walls resonating with the muffled sounds of the battles outside. Every soldier she passed bore the marks of the confrontation. Her heart ached at the sight of her colleagues' state, but she kept her head high, aware that she had to remain calm.
Upon arriving at the general's office, she knocked briefly on the door before opening it without waiting for a response. The officer looked up from his files, his face lined with concerns, but a smile appeared on his lips when he saw her.
"Sam, come in," he said in a grave but warm voice.
Carter entered, closing the door behind her. "We're overwhelmed in the infirmary. The wounded soldiers are piling up, and we're critically short of medication. We need more resources immediately or we won't hold out."
The general sat up in his chair, his face hardening at the news. "Outside, the situation is critical, and we're doing everything we can to contain the attacks. It's a miracle that our defenses are still holding, I don't know if I can bring in help from outside, I'll see what I can do."
"Thank you," Sam replied, her voice trembling slightly from stress and fatigue.
The general stood and handed her some documents. "They have incredible technological advancements. Their weapons and shields are formidable."
Sam leafed through the pages of the file, searching for clues. "We need to find a way to counter them, to understand their weaknesses. There must be something..."
He nodded, sharing her sense of urgency. "We're working on it. Our researchers are analyzing everything we managed to recover from previous encounters. But every piece of information costs us dearly, and time is against us."
The general took the file from Sam's hands and placed his hands on her shoulders, looking her straight in the eye. "We've managed to contain their attacks so far, but each assault weakens us a bit more. I'm afraid we have no other choice but to flee Earth."
Sam's face darkened; she didn't really want to hear the rest.
He briefly looked at the floor, searching for his words. "I want you to gather as many people as possible. I'm going to call back our last team on Earth; there's no longer a need to find allies, it's too late. Once they're back, you'll go to the Alpha site to seek refuge."
"Impossible! Who will help the remaining soldiers still fighting? We can't abandon them," Sam replied.
"I'll stay here to coordinate the last defense missions, but you have to leave," he said gravely.
Sam's face tightened; she couldn't accept what he had just said. "No way! Dad, I won't leave without you!"
"There is no other choice, Sam. I regret it, believe me. Unless a miracle happens, you'll have to follow my orders," Jacob said with resigned sadness.
Sam clenched her teeth, feeling the frustration rise, but she didn't insist. She knew her father wouldn't budge. "I'm going back to the infirmary. They need me," she said determinedly, before turning on her heels.
Jacob nodded, but before Sam could leave the office, he called out to her. "How's Colonel O'Neill?"
Sam took a deep breath. "He's not doing very well. He keeps insisting that he's from an alternate reality."
Jacob frowned. "Do you believe in that theory?"
"I'm starting to," Sam confirmed, her eyes shining with new conviction. "At first, I was skeptical, but he knows things about us, about the program, that no one else could know. He might be able to help us."
Jacob ran a hand over his face, trying to grasp the magnitude of the situation. "Or maybe it's a ruse by our enemies?"
Sam shook her head. "All analyses show that he is perfectly human and that he is indeed Colonel Jack O'Neill. He deserves the benefit of the doubt."
Jacob remained silent for a moment, reflecting on the implications. He had rarely seen his daughter defend someone she barely knew with such conviction. "Alright," he finally said. "I'll order that his handcuffs be removed, but he'll have to stay under close surveillance."
Sam nodded, grateful. "Thank you, Dad."
As she turned to leave the room, Jacob called her one last time. "Sam."
She stopped, "Yes?"
"Be careful, it wouldn't be wise to get too attached to him," he said softly, his gaze full of subtle implications.
Sam remained still for a few moments, then slowly turned around. "I'm a professional, Dad. I know how to keep things separate."
"I hope so." Jacob watched her leave, perplexed. He knew his daughter well, and the glint in her eyes when she talked about Jack left little room for doubt.
OoOoOoOoO
Major Carter paced the corridors of the SGC, her mind burdened with worries. She headed to Daniel's office, hoping to find answers or at least a temporary distraction. The corridors were bustling, personnel moving with palpable urgency.
Reaching the office door, she knocked lightly before entering. The room was, as usual, cluttered with artifacts and scattered documents. Daniel, engrossed in reading an ancient book, barely looked up as she entered. Next to him, a strange object immediately caught Sam's attention.
"Am I disturbing you?" she asked softly, approaching.
The archaeologist looked up, a tired but sincere smile lighting up his face. "No, come in. How's Jack?"
Sam sighed, sitting down on a nearby chair. "He's still unconscious. The doctors don't understand what's wrong with him or how he got that nasty chest wound. His condition worsened suddenly last night, but we managed to stabilize him for now."
Daniel observed her closely, noticing the signs of fatigue and worry on her face. He put down his book and leaned forward, elbows on the desk. "It'll be okay. Jack is a fighter. He'll pull through."
Sam nodded, trying to contain her emotions. "Yes, I hope so."
The archaeologist looked at her with an expression of understanding and support. Feeling his insistent gaze, she cleared her throat and sought to change the subject. She glanced at the object he was studying. "How are the translations coming along?"
Daniel straightened slightly, his gaze lighting up with interest. "This object was found near Jack. I'm trying to understand the symbols to determine its purpose."
Sam leaned in to examine the object more closely, her fingers lightly tracing the intricate inscriptions. The object seemed to emit a mysterious aura. "Need help?"
Daniel shook his head with a reassuring smile. "Thanks, but I think I'm almost done." He observed his friend again, noticing the dark circles under her eyes. "You should go home and rest."
Sam made a skeptical face. "I'd rather stay here."
Daniel watched her more intently. "And Pete, how is he?"
Sam averted her gaze slightly, visibly uncomfortable. "He's furious that the weekend was canceled."
Daniel nodded, understanding the situation. "You should spend the evening with him. It would do you good to get some air."
Sam shook her head firmly. "I won't leave this base until the colonel gets better." She stood up abruptly, her discomfort evident.
Daniel watched her leave, intrigued by this sudden burst of nervousness.
OoOoOoOoO
The violent attack had left the infirmary overwhelmed with wounded. Despite the heroic efforts of the medical team, it became evident that there would not be enough room for all the patients. They had to make a difficult decision: relocate the less critical cases to temporary rooms.
Thus, Jack O'Neill found himself alone, placed in a small, isolated room. His condition had stabilized, but he was still in bad shape, requiring constant care and close monitoring. The SGC was critically short of medication due to the war, forcing Dr. Carter to improvise with what was available. Always concerned about his condition, she volunteered to watch over him during her free time.
Sam gently pushed open the door to Jack's room, carrying a plate of food and some basic medication. The room was modest, lit by a bedside lamp that cast a soft, soothing light. Jack lay on the bed, eyes closed, breathing heavily. His skin was clammy and pale, marked by the signs of fever that wouldn't leave him. He was connected to an IV, the liquid slowly dripping into his veins, providing the necessary medication to stabilize his condition.
Seeing him like this, a wave of emotion overwhelmed her. She felt an increasingly intense attachment to him. His features, even marked by fatigue and pain, exuded a strength and resilience that deeply touched her. His graying hair added to his allure, and every time she looked at him, she felt her heart tighten a little more.
Sam placed the plate and medication on the bedside table before approaching him. She checked the IV, ensuring the flow was correct, then adjusted the blankets to make him more comfortable. She sat on the chair next to him and leaned in. "Colonel," she murmured softly, lightly touching his shoulder to wake him. "It's time to eat something."
Jack slowly opened his eyes, blinking to adjust to the light. He turned his head towards Sam. He attempted a weak smile, but he couldn't manage to say a word.
"I brought some painkillers. They should help a bit," she said softly, handing him the medication. She delicately opened Jack's palm, placing the pills one by one. Then, she took a glass of water from the bedside table and brought it to his lips, tilting it slightly so he could drink without effort. Jack took a sip of water. Sam gently encouraged him, holding his hand to steady the glass. "You need to try to eat. Your body needs to regain strength."
Jack made an effort to sit up, but every movement seemed to cause him pain. Sam immediately leaned in to adjust the pillows behind him, arranging them carefully to support him. She slipped an arm under his shoulders to help him sit up more, her movements delicate but firm. Taking the plate of food, she cut a small portion and brought it to his lips, gently encouraging him to eat. He accepted a few bites, each gesture accompanied by grimaces of pain.
"Thank you," Jack murmured.
Sam smiled softly, a glint of tenderness in her eyes. "It's nothing," she said, placing a comforting hand on his.
Jack nodded slightly, exhausted by the simple act of eating and talking. He let his head rest against the pillows, closing his eyes for a few moments.
After a moment of silence, Carter took a deep breath. "Colonel, we need to talk about what happened to you. You keep saying you're from an alternate reality. Can you explain what you experienced?"
Jack opened his eyes, gathering his strength to speak. "We were on P4X-739, exploring a temple of a vanished civilization. I touched an artifact, and in an instant, everything changed. I found myself in the middle of a battlefield. I decided to return to Earth, but I was injured crossing the Stargate."
Sam nodded, listening intently to every word. "The object you touched, do you think it's the key to all this?"
Jack nodded weakly. "Yes, I believe so."
Sam sat for a few more minutes, her thoughts swirling around everything he had just revealed. The idea of an alternate reality where everything was different but familiar deeply troubled her.
Gently, she stood up, taking care not to disturb him. She lightly placed her hand on his, her fingers gently brushing his skin. "I'll come back later," she murmured. "Rest."
Jack barely opened his eyes, blinking softly before closing them again.
As she left, she closed the door behind her, leaving him in the soothing dimness of the room. She took a deep breath as she walked down the hallway, trying to calm her thoughts.
OoOoOoOoO
Teal'c walked briskly, heading towards the briefing room where he had been urgently summoned. Upon arrival, he found General Hammond and Major Carter already present. Sam seemed anxious, her fingers nervously tapping on the table. General Hammond, on the other hand, looked grave, his gaze fixed and focused.
The Jaffa sat in one of the chairs around the table. "You called for me, General?" he asked in a calm but attentive voice.
Hammond turned to him. "We're waiting for Dr. Jackson. He seems to have found something."
At that moment, the door burst open and Daniel rushed in, documents in hand, his glasses sliding down his nose. He looked excited and hurried.
"I've managed to decipher part of the inscriptions on the object found near Jack!" Daniel announced with a voice full of energy. He spread out the documents on the table, pages filled with symbols and notes.
Sam straightened up, her attention fully captured by the archaeologist's words. "What did you discover?"
Daniel took a deep breath, adjusting his glasses with a quick gesture. "The object is some sort of transport device. The symbols speak of a portal between realities, allowing a person to move from one reality to another."
Teal'c frowned, intrigued. "Like the quantum mirror?"
Daniel nodded. "Exactly. Jack probably activated the device by accident. He was projected into an alternate reality."
Sam shook her head, skeptical. "Daniel, that doesn't make sense. If he had been transported to another reality, we wouldn't have found him."
"I think Jack improperly activated the device and was sent to another reality while still remaining partially in ours. That would explain why we can't wake him," Daniel explained.
Teal'c squinted, looking concerned. "Do you think this device could be the cause of his injury?"
Daniel shook his head. "No, I don't think so. It's possible he was injured another way."
General Hammond listened attentively, his face relaxing slightly as Daniel's explanations clarified the situation. "Dr. Jackson, how can we bring him back?"
Daniel pulled out a page of detailed notes. "I still have some translations to study. For now, I haven't understood how to operate this device."
Sam leaned over the notes, her eyes scrutinizing every detail. "You think that by correctly reactivating it, we can bring him fully into our reality?"
Daniel nodded. "I believe so, yes."
General Hammond straightened up, adopting a determined posture. "Alright, then continue your research, Dr. Jackson. Keep me informed of any discoveries."
The meeting ended on that note of determination, each team member feeling a renewed sense of motivation.
OoOoOoOoO
Dr. Carter had just finished her long day. A few hours earlier, she had failed to save a soldier who was too severely injured, and it weighed heavily on her morale. Every loss was a hard blow, and the relentless attacks made the situation increasingly desperate.
Leaving the infirmary, she automatically headed to Jack's room to check on his condition. She gently opened the door and entered, scanning the room. O'Neill didn't seem to be in good shape, and she noted with a touch of annoyance that he hadn't touched the evening meal on the bedside table.
She sat on the chair next to him and lightly touched his shoulder to wake him. "Colonel," she murmured softly. "How are you?"
He slowly opened his eyes, blinking to adjust to the light. He attempted a weak smile, trying to hide his pain. "Can't you tell? I'm in Olympic shape."
Sam smiled but didn't let herself be softened. "You haven't eaten anything. You need to regain your strength."
Jack made an effort to sit up slightly, but every movement seemed to cost him. "I know, I know... but this food... it tastes like sawdust."
Sam sighed, shaking her head. "You won't get better if you don't eat."
Jack tried to maintain a light tone. "I promise, I'll eat... as soon as you bring me a beer and a pizza."
Carter smiled again, appreciating his effort to lighten the mood. After encouraging him to eat a few bites, she finally saw him fall asleep, exhausted.
She stayed by his side, watching over him with tireless vigilance. She regularly got up to change his bandage, ensuring the wound remained clean to prevent infection, a necessary precaution to preserve the stock of antibiotics. Her movements were precise and gentle, each bandage change carried out with meticulous care despite her own fatigue. She couldn't help but think about the harshness of the situation, intensifying her desire to see him recover quickly.
During the night, Jack woke up with a stabbing pain radiating from his wound. He slowly turned his head, his vision adjusting to the dim light of the room, and saw Sam. She was asleep in an uncomfortable position, half sitting on the chair, her torso leaning forward, her head partially resting on the bed. Her right arm was extended towards him, her hand placed on the bandage covering his wound, as if trying to keep it in place even in her sleep.
The sight of Sam in this state deeply moved him. He could see the signs of fatigue etched on her face and the deep circles under her eyes. Every breath she took was slow and steady, a testament to her exhaustion. The way her hand held the bandage firmly, even in unconsciousness, revealed her determination to watch over him.
He couldn't help but find her beautiful. The delicate features of her face, even marked by fatigue, exuded a softness and inner strength that touched him deeply. Her blonde hair framed her face, adding an aura of serenity to her natural beauty. Even in this reality, he realized the extent of his feelings for her.
Unable to bear seeing her in this uncomfortable position any longer, he murmured softly, "Carter," attempting to wake her without startling her.
Sam slowly opened her eyes, slightly disoriented. She blinked to shake off the sleep. "Yes?"
Jack looked at her tenderly. "Let me. You need to sleep."
She shook her head, refusing categorically. "I have to change your bandage regularly to prevent infection."
Jack looked at her with a mixture of tenderness and concern. He couldn't stand seeing her like this, but he knew, from the determination in her eyes, that she wouldn't relent. "Come closer," he said softly, gesturing for her to come closer while lifting the blanket, inviting her to lie next to him.
Sam looked at him, weighing the pros and cons. Finally, aware of her own limits, she gave in. She carefully slid close to him, making sure not to touch his wound, and gently adjusted the covers.
"Sleep now," she murmured. She placed her hand on the bandage again, delicately checking its condition. She then fully lay down, and they fell asleep like that, finding some comfort in each other's warmth and presence.
OoOoOoOoO
Dr. Carter woke up with a start, immediately feeling the comforting presence of Jack beside her. She was nestled against him, her head resting on his shoulder, her body fitting the contours of his. Jack had his arm around her waist, holding her firmly against him.
She then realized their closeness. She could feel the warmth of his body, the steady rise and fall of his breathing. She looked up at him and realized he was awake and watching her.
Their eyes met, Jack's eyes revealing a mix of pain and something else, something deeper. Sam felt her heart beat faster. She briefly lowered her eyes, trying to contain the emotion rising within her. Her gaze slid from Jack's eyes to his lips, a slight warmth rising to her cheeks. A wild urge to kiss him overwhelmed her, but she restrained herself, aware of the situation and the fragility of the moment.
She straightened slightly, uncomfortable with the closeness and the confused feelings boiling within her. "Is something wrong?"
Jack looked at her with an expression hard to decipher. He took a deep breath. "Tell me about these enemies you're fighting."
Sam took a moment to process the question, her mind still foggy from sleep. She moved away slightly, straightening up more on the pillow. "The enemies..." she murmured, searching for the words to explain the complex situation they were in.
"They arrived on Earth with ships," she began softly. "Their attacks were immediate and devastating. We were quickly overwhelmed by their technology, far more advanced than ours. For reasons unknown, they seem determined to exterminate us."
Jack nodded slowly, absorbing the information. "Are they the Goa'uld?"
Sam shook her head. "No, the Goa'uld tried to help us, but their ships were all destroyed. Despite several missions through the Stargate, we haven't found any other allies powerful enough to defeat them."
Jack struggled to hide his disbelief. "The Goa'uld tried to help you? You're kidding!"
Sam, visibly surprised by Jack's remark, remained silent for a moment.
Jack felt a wave of despair wash over him, but he forced himself to stay focused. "And the Asgard? Have you been able to meet them? They could help you."
Sam seemed intrigued. "Describe them to me."
Jack continued, trying to keep his tone light despite the gravity of the situation. "Well, imagine small gray men, with large almond-shaped black eyes. They're thin, almost fragile at first glance, but don't be fooled. They possess incredibly advanced technology. Thor, one of their leaders, is pretty nice for an alien."
Sam suddenly pulled out her phone from her pocket. She scrolled through pictures, her fingers trembling slightly. Finally, she chose one and showed it to Jack. "This photo was taken by a soldier during the first attacks."
Jack stared at the phone's screen, his heart racing. On the screen, he saw a familiar figure: a small gray creature, with smooth skin and eyes that seemed inscrutable. The alien was wearing some sort of suit, and in the background, flashes of light and explosions indicated a fierce battle.
"Yes, that's an Asgard," Jack murmured, incredulous. He looked up at Sam, his expression was disoriented. "Don't tell me these are the enemies you're talking about!"
Sam took a deep breath, her face hardening. She nodded slowly, her eyes filled with sadness and resignation. The silence that followed was heavy with meaning, confirming the terrible truth.
Jack felt the shock course through him, his mind refusing to accept this reality. "That's impossible..."
To be continued...
P.S.: The next chapter will be published next Sunday. In the meantime, feel free to share your thoughts with me.
