"Mrs. Summers, we've determined that there is no Sunnydale, California." The bald man introduced as General Hammond informed them. "On this Earth, I mean. We're familiar with other realities and some of our personnel have interacted with two other realities."

"This is a problem though." The beautiful blond who'd been introduced as Major Carter told them. "Because of something known as entropic cascade failure."

"Oh, I know this!" Dawn said excitedly. "It's why Xander is always so quick to come after me when I end up in another reality. Entropic cascade failure is when the universe recognizes the fact that there are two of the same person in the same reality and treats the one not native to that reality the way my immune system treats the flu, as something to get rid of fast, preferably before we get to the throwing up part, right?"

"That's a good way to explain it." Major Carter complemented Dawn with a smile and Dawn beamed. "We know from experience that any where from 24 to 48 hours after entering a reality where there's a native version of you, entropic cascade failure begins. While Sunnydale doesn't exist here, either or both of you might. The sooner we can get you back to your own reality, the better. What can you tell me about the device you use to generate these portals you use for travel?"

"I don't use a device." Dawn answered. "Xander uses the sling ring, but I don't need it."

"Sling ring? Is that a casual way of referring to a Stargate?" Major Carter asked.

"What's a Stargate?" Joyce asked.

"The device you came out of, we call it a Stargate." The Major replied. "Other names we've heard for it include Astria Porta and Ring of the Gods."

"We don't have anything like that." Joyce told them. "Xander's device is a slightly oversized ring that fits on his finger and Dawn generates her own portals."

Major Carter blinked several times and seemed at a loss for words and then she brightened. "The Nox, an extremely advanced race we've encountered, can activate the Stargate without an external device. They also are capable of invisibility and healing the dead, they never explained how they're able to do it, but given how much more advanced than us that they are, it's likely because they don't believe we can understand it, let alone, duplicate it "

"They did say we needed to grow up some." Colonel O'Neill muttered, he still found it annoying.

"Other realities are created based on decisions made." Major Carter fell into lecture mode. "For instance, Charles Babbage's Difference Engine and his Analytical Engine were devices he developed by 1837. If he could have gotten the backing he needed to bring them to market, that would have been the very first computer. As it is, it would be more then a century before the first actual computer was built drawing on his ideas and designs. In another reality he may have found the backing he needed and ultimately man could have walked on the moon a century earlier."

"Jules Verne." Dawn grinned. "Science Fiction writer in the eighteen hundreds, wrote From the Earth to the Moon in I think 1865. People were dreaming about it and somewhere out there they made it happen sooner then here."

"Exactly." Major Carter nodded approvingly.

"I like reading." Dawn admitted. "And learning, it's fun."

"I never have to worry about your grades, that's for sure." Joyce murmured. "But unfortunately this doesn't get us back home. Dawn can generate a portal but your Stargate might interfere with it again. The others won't leave us stranded out here, they will come for us and Xander's sling ring can pin point and control portals far more precisely than Dawn can. She's learning control, but it's still random."

"And it's possible our people ended up in your reality because we still haven't heard from them." Colonel O'Neill interjected. "Will they be in danger in your reality?"

"Depends on where they land, wars are happening in various places." Joyce answered. "I've heard it said that at any given time there's a war happening somewhere on Earth, but if they landed in Sunnydale. Well, there's other problems in Sunnydale. But if they came out right where we went in, than they'll find themselves surrounded by our family and unless your people provoke them, they'll be alright."

"And if they provoke them?" General Hammond inquired.

"They'll have their butts handed to them, as the expression goes." Joyce smirked slightly. "My daughter was involuntarily drafted but her friends volunteered. The only one of them they'd stand a chance against is Harmony and I wouldn't bet against her, a human protecting someone they love is extremely dangerous regardless of the reality and Harmony only pretends to be a ditzy blond."

"Very well trained soldiers, I take it?" Colonel O'Neill surmised.

"Extremely talented teenagers with attitudes that fought a war against things considerably stronger than normal humans." Joyce answered seriously. "Intelligent beings that consider humans food and preferred children and teenagers. They learned to fight so we could survive. And they destroyed the largest portion of them. Trust me, General, Colonel, pissing off any one of them is a bad idea. Pissing off all of them is inviting trouble you'd have a hard time surviving."

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A/N Charles Babbage is a real person, check out his Wikipedia page. 😉