Dream World
She woke up in her favorite position - arms and legs draped over her sleeping husband. He'd been gone for almost a week and last night was his first night home. Hugging him tightly and then burying her face in his neck for a few soft teasing kisses woke him.
"Mornin' gorgeous," he said sleepily and tenderly returned her kiss. "I don't know what I ever did to deserve you, but I love you."
Sam gazed at her husband with all the love in her heart. "I love you too, Jack. Welcome home."
She could hear their twins running, screaming through the house and thought briefly about getting up to get their breakfast. He must have known what she was thinking, because he whipsered, "Let the nanny take care of them. You're mine for a while longer."
Three hours later the pair was watching their two hellions racing, screeching through the park chasing falling leaves. The day was one of the last beautiful days of fall before winter set in. The trees were spectacular, bursting forth in colors from the palest gold to the darkest shade of russet. The aspen had dropped their leaves early, carpeting the park with golden circles, crunching under the uncaring little feet of the youngest O'Neills.
Sitting on a park bench side by side, Sam O'Neill and her husband watched their progeny chasing the nanny in some game known only to their three-year-old minds. Laying her head on Jack's shoulder, Sam sighed with contentment and closed her eyes briefly to enjoy the sounds of happy children, her children, their children.
In the short moment of peace, thoughts of work intruded, reminding her of the numerous experiments waiting for her return. SG-6 had brought back three new devices for her to identify and, assuming they were of interest to Earth, backward-engineer the main components. If she couldn't figure out what they were, it was off to Area 51 for the engineers there to work on. Her improved naquadah reactor was still waiting to be debugged. It stubbornly refused to produce power at the rate she felt it should. Plus, her team, SG-7, had...
'Stop it! How often do we get the chance to spend a day like this?' Suddenly, a sharp pain stabbed her brain and she thought, 'I *never* get days like this, except in my wildest dreams. I don't have children or a husband. What's going on? Is *this* a dream?' The scene before her shifted and wavered for a fraction of a second, almost seeming to replay the past few seconds, then steadied. Sam sighed with contentment and closed her eyes briefly to enjoy the sound of her children.
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Gazing down at the young female lying on the dreaming bed, the technician glanced briefly at his superior. "That was close, Master Thuw. Her mind is very strong. She almost woke, but I was able to send her back into their fantasy in time and cover the momentary lapse."
"Very good Technician Fros. Keep a close eye on our newest guests. We've not had their like in many years and may need to recalibrate a few times before their dream is seamless. Never let it be said this world does not give good value to our customers," Master Thuw ordered, then spun on his heel to walk past the three other beds.
Technician Fros adjusted the bands around his charges for their comfort and fiddled with the knobs on his control board, then settled down to observe and monitor their fantasies. Their lives would be under his control from now on.
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Jack reached down and pulled his wife to her feet, wrapping his arms around her, sinking his face into her neck to breath in the scent of her. Just then, their twins swept up like a pair of giggling miniature tornadoes and threw their arms around the legs of their parents. The nanny jogged up a few seconds later, panting hard.
"Come on Darcy; don't tell me these two midgets have run you into the ground already." Jack watched the 19-year-old nanny bend down to place her hands on her knees, easing the stitch in her side.
Sam snickered into his shoulder and interjected before the two could get into another verbal slugfest, "Look who's talking, *Dad*. They ran your legs off two weeks ago at the birthday party. Be nice. Now, let's get these munchkins home for lunch before they start gnawing on *us*." She reached down to sweep little Megan up into her arms and the injury to her hip which had ended her military career after a Gulf War accident sent a twinge through the muscles of her back. As always, Sam ignored it. "Hungry sweetie?"
Simultaneously, the two dynamos yelled, "Yeah!" Jack leaned over and picked up his son to carry him under his arm like a sack of potatoes. Bouncing along, Mikey giggled shrilly all the way back to the car.
'Life just doesn't get any better than this,' thought Jack, his other arm around his wife and daughter.
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Dr. Daniel Jackson ran up the ramp toward the blue swirl that would take him home for the downtime General Hammond granted SG-1. A whole week home with his wife, Sha're, absolute heaven. Teal'c and SG-9 followed behind, off on their own journeys. Teal'c was destined for Chulak to see his wife and son. SG-9 was off on their latest mission. To conserve power - and thereby the taxpayer's money - multiple trips would be combined into one outgoing wormhole. Teal'c and Daniel would accompany SG-9 to P2J-445 and then leave through that Stargate to their own destinations.
The wormhole expelled the six men and two women into a beautiful late afternoon. However, Daniel had eyes for nothing but the DHD, the key to getting home. He dialed quickly, then waved goodbye to Teal'c and the members of SG-9. "See you in a week, Teal'c. Bye, guys."
"Please tell Sha're Tek ma tay, DanielJackson," called Teal'c as Daniel ran up the steps to the Stargate.
Daniel turned quickly to answer Teal'c before slipping through the event horizon to home, "Thanks, Teal'c. Give my love to Drey'ac and Ry'ak."
Teal'c dialed the address for Chulak as soon as the wormhole to Abydos disengaged and was on his way within minutes. He was anxious to get home to his family. Now that Apophis was dead, the people of Chulak had welcomed them home with open arms.
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The nanny was off until noon tomorrow, the twins were at the Frasier's for the night and their parents were enjoying a rare evening to themselves - a leisurely walk through the park, dinner on the deck, and then stargazing and a little cuddling on the roof deck. Sam shivered a little in the growing chill and snuggled closer to Jack, who wrapped his arms around her. He planted a kiss on the top of her head. "Ready to go inside? It's getting late and the clouds are beginning to hide the stars."
"Yeah, I suppose we should go in," Sam answered reluctantly, not wanting to leave the circle of his arms. Amused, Jack bent to kiss her neck and then slipped his cold hand under her sweater. Sam squealed in surprise and swatted his hand away. Jack laughed and nimbly avoided her swipes at his head. Laughing herself, she chased him down the stairs to the lower deck and in through the French doors.
"That was a dirty way to get me inside, Jack O'Neill," she pretended to be mad and he grabbed her around the middle with both arms. Throwing her over his shoulder, Jack walked into their bedroom, plopped his laughing wife on their bed and threw himself down on his side next to her. Propping his head on his hand, Jack stared lovingly down at Sam for a few seconds, thinking, 'She's so beautiful and makes me so happy. This seems almost too good to be true.' A sharp pain shot through his left temple and his wife seemed to ripple in front of him like a line through a television set. 'Whoa! What was that?'
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Technician Fros made another adjustment, hoping to wipe out all memory of the anomaly. After two more corrections to the program, he succeeded. Almost.
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Jack shook his head and Sam asked, "Are you okay, sweetheart? You look like your head hurts."
"My eyes just went unfocused for a second. Maybe I need to get them checked. But not right now. Hmm, where were we?"
"I think you had lecherous intentions toward me," Sam smiled evilly and pulled his head down for a kiss.
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One week later, their downtime over, Sam and Jack drove into the base together chatting about their plans for the day. SG-1 had a briefing for a possible mission where Sam was presenting her proposal for a trip to a newly discovered world, P4J-299.
"Initial reconnaissance shows an uninhabited planet for as far as the UAV could scan. Samples from the MALP hint at mineral riches in the area near the gate. Since the address for 299 wasn't on the cartouche wall on Abydos, it might make a suitable beta site," Sam concluded her presentation. With the recent change in presidential administrations as well as the political party controlling Congress, the military funding flowed like water. The search for a beta site was again a priority.
General Hammond glanced at Colonel O'Neill for his thoughts on the mission. Seeing agreement with his opinion, he said, "You have a go for the mission. If SG-1 finds no evidence of natives or Goa'uld, Dr. O'Neill, your scientific team will continue the survey while SG-9 performs a more extensive exploration of the planet. If this planet proves suitable for the beta site, we may have our first permanent off-world base for families. A real Earth colony. Good luck. Dismissed."
Daniel Jackson walked over to Sam. "Congratulations, Sam. You might have found what we've been looking for; a world safe from the Goa'uld."
"Thanks, Daniel. Bring me back good news, okay? Oh, and bring my husband back in one piece, too," Sam teased Jack as he walked up behind Daniel.
"Come on, Doctor. I'll walk you to your lab." Colonel O'Neill took her arm with a mock stern look and guided her toward the conference room door.
She traded amused looks with Daniel as she walked. For just a second, Sam saw not the General's conference room, but a white ceiling, and smelled a chemical tang similar to the infirmary. A wave of dizziness passed through her, causing Sam to lurch against Jack.
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Fors frantically made adjustments and added more sedative to the nutrient mixture for the woman. She quickly settled down and closed her eyes. The technician sighed in relief and briefly considered calling his superior.
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"Sam, you okay?" asked a concerned Dr. Jackson. Jack supported her for a second until she gently freed herself from his hold. Teal'c and Captain Harper, the fourth member of SG-1, drew close wanting to provide support if she needed it.
"I'm taking you to see Dr. Frasier, Sam. No argument." Her husband was alarmed that the woman he considered almost super-human had shown a moment of weakness.
The trip to the infirmary on level 21 was quiet. By the time Sam and the members of SG-1 walked into Dr. Frasier's domain, she was protesting the need for the visit, "Jack, this really isn't necessary. I'm just hungry. No breakfast this morning, remember?"
"Doc, Sam had a dizzy spell in the conference room just now. Would you check her out, please?" Sam rolled her eyes at Janet.
"Come with me, Dr. O'Neill. We'll take your vitals and do a few simple tests. You're probably right about it being a result of skipping breakfast, but let's be sure." Janet was in full doctor mode. SG-1 clustered around their leader's wife and their colleague as she endured the examination.
"Now, Sam. Is this the only dizzy spell you've had?" At Sam's nod, Janet continued, "Did you notice anything strange when it happened?"
Sam O'Neill reluctantly admitted, "Well, you're going to think I'm crazy, but I did see and smell things. It was almost like I was somewhere else for a second." No one noticed Daniel's look of alarm.
"Tell me about it," Janet ordered briskly.
"I.I was looking up at a white ceiling as though I was lying down. And there was a medicinal smell, like a hospital. That's all I remember."
"Was there a man there? A man in strange, formfitting clothes," interjected Daniel.
Sam thought through her experience. "Not that I saw. Why?"
"Um, I had a similar vision while I was home last week. Sha're said it was like I was gone for a few seconds," said Daniel.
"I, too, had a similar experience last week," intoned Teal'c. All five of his friends turned to gape at him. "The man was wearing white trousers and a black jacket with a high neck, and the air did smell medicinal."
"Yes! That's the man," shouted Daniel. "He was working at a computer of some sort." To this, Teal'c merely nodded his agreement.
"Well, as interesting as this is, I haven't found anything wrong with Dr. O'Neill. Sam, I agree with your diagnosis of low blood sugar. My prescription is a hearty lunch, low in simple carbohydrates and high in protein and fiber. Make sure she eats a good dinner too, Colonel."
"Yes, ma'am. Who's ready for lunch?" asked the Colonel of those assembled.
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"So, what did the doctor say about your eyes?" Sam asked Jack on their way home that night.
"Not a thing wrong with my eyes that being 15 years younger wouldn't fix. He couldn't find a thing wrong with them." Jack shook his head.
"Have you seen any more rippling people?" she teased.
"Uh."
"Jack?"
"Well, I . the optometrist's office swam and I saw a wall of equipment, like in your lab," Jack revealed reluctantly.
"This is getting weird, Jack." She glanced out through the windshield and yelled, "Jack, look out!"
"I don't see anything but the road," Jack replied, feeling a distinct unease over the strange events that seemed to happen more and more frequently. "What do you see?"
"The world rippled, just like you said it did for you." Her voice was shaking. "The white ceiling was there and the strange man Daniel described was looking down at me as though I was lying down. He. he looked really concerned."
"You're right, this is getting too weird, Sam. What do you think is causing it all?"
"At this point, I don't have enough data to come up with a theory that fits all the facts," a worried Sam responded and then thought to herself, 'Unless I'm having hallucinations and you're a figment of my imagination.'
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A Possible Beta Site
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SG-1 gated to P4J-299 the next morning, coming out of the gate into a pristine world topped by a brilliant blue sky. The air was clear and crisp in the early morning, dew heavy on the ground making everything sparkle. The ever-present trees were a welcome sight, even to Colonel O'Neill. If their search for a beta site was to be successful, the world must be as similar to Earth as possible.
Colonel O'Neill, seeing no signs of natives, Goa'uld or wildlife, led his team southwest from the gate toward an escarpment the UAV had picked up. "The scans showed a spot where we should be able to see for miles. We'll stop every hour or so to take samples for the scientists to analyze. They want as much information as we can provide on this world. For once, I agree."
Daniel snorted his amusement. "What's the matter, Jack? Sam finally converting you?"
"Well, I have to say that my opinion of scientists has gotten a lot higher since meeting you two. But scoping out a possible beta site, a new home for humans, is a lot more important than your average mission," Jack replied soberly. "Who knows, I may want to bring my family here once it's up and running. Could be a nice place to retire, assuming the fishing's good." His grin was lighthearted at the prospect.
The six-hour trip to the escarpment and the long, meandering walk along the edge turned up no sign of human inhabitation or any visitation by the Goa'uld or the ancients. The night spent beside the cliff edge provided no signs of humanity - no fires or smoke, no lights of any kind below the stars that crowded the night sky. The Stargate was the only sign of intelligent life so far.
"O'Neill, this world is rich in wildlife and they are seemingly unafraid of us. It does not seem they are used to predators in human form," Teal'c reported the next morning at the end of his watch.
"That's good. Let's hope they're edible, too," Jack retorted.
On the way back to the gate, Will Harper caught two rabbit-like animals and a small fat bird using his sling shot. Holding them up for the others to admire, Harper bragged, "Am I good or what?"
"Sure, Dan'el Boone. Bag 'em up and let's get going," Colonel O'Neill ordered with a grin. "We have one more day on this planet to complete our survey."
"This planet is very promising, O'Neill," Teal'c commented as they walked through the wooded valley on their roundabout loop toward the Stargate. "Dr. O'Neill will be most pleased."
"Yeah, but that means I get to live without her for several weeks while she and the rest of SG-7 pick this world apart. We'll probably be on milk runs and short missions until she's back," Jack grumbled to his friend. He smiled ruefully at the Jaffa and added, "Plus, it's funny, but after only five years of marriage, I don't sleep well when she's not there. Never had this problem with Sara."
Teal'c nodded his understanding and commented, "I too never rest well when not with Drey'ac. My people believe it is one of the adjustments we make when married to our ideal mate. We are never completely whole when apart from them."
Jack was quiet for several miles, digesting his friend's words. His years with Sam had been idyllic. The initial physical attraction matured into a friendship based on common experiences and backgrounds. The friendship had blossomed into love after only a few months of working together. Because she was no longer military and had her own SG team composed of scientists to command there was nothing to keep them from becoming involved. The rest was history.
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Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch
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"SG-1, do you read? Respond if you can. Colonel O'Neill, are you there?" repeated General Hammond for the third time that day. They'd been trying for two days to reach the overdue team. SG-1 still hadn't checked in five days after receiving permission to spend time on P4X-987, also known as the World of Dreaming.
Turning toward Lt. Simmons, Hammond ordered, "Page SG-6 and Dr. Frasier to the briefing room immediately." The General spun on his heel and strode from the control room.
Ten minutes later, SG-6, Dr. Frasier and General Hammond sat around the conference table, "Colonel Arnold, your mission will be to determine why SG-1 is overdue and, if possible, retrieve them. Assuming it takes that long, you will report back to the SGC every 8 hours with a report on the status of your search. If you cannot find them within two days, I will have to re-evaluate the viability of your mission. Find them, SG-6."
"Sir, surely you wouldn't think of giving up on them so quickly," asked an alarmed Dr. Frasier.
"Doctor, I may not have a choice. If they have been compromised, I cannot risk another foothold situation," replied the General sadly. She nodded her head in reluctant agreement and rose to leave as the members of SG-6 exited on their way to the gate room.
Suited up and ready to go within 30 minutes, SG-6 walked up the ramp and turned to face the control room. General Hammond, leaned down to the microphone and said, "SG-6 you have a go. Good luck, people. Please bring them back alive and well."
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Exiting the gate, Daniel stumbled and fell to his knees. O'Neill and Teal'c rushed to his side. Jack started to make a smart remark about Daniel's need to spend time in the infirmary, when he saw Daniel's blank expression.
"Medical team to the gate room. Medical team to the gate room," boomed the loudspeaker.
"DanielJackson, are you well?" Teal'c asked, waving his hand in front of his friend's face. There was no response, no sign of any awareness of anything around him. The medical staff raced into the gate room and lifted his unresisting form onto a gurney. As they began to cover him for the short trip to the infirmary, the young archaeologist gasped and shook his head.
"What happened? Why am I on a gurney?" he whispered hoarsely, still trying to clear the memories of another life from his mind; a life where they'd never rescued Sha're from Apophis, where she was dead.
The corpsman taking his pulse as they hurried him to the infirmary answered, "You passed out after coming through the gate, Dr. Jackson."
The team deposited the archeologist on a bed in the infirmary and began hooking him up to monitoring equipment. "Stop that, I'm fine," he protested.
"You're fine when I say you are, Dr. Jackson," declared Dr. Frasier, walking up to his bed with a stern expression. "I'm told you passed out after exiting the gate, so we're just going to do a few tests. Not too many more than we would have done after a mission anyway, so you're in luck."
Groaning at "just a few more" than the usual torture session she put them through, Daniel begged, "I need to talk with my team and Dr. O'Neill right away. Do you know when they'll be here for their exams?"
"They should be here any time. You know none of SG-1 is ever in the infirmary alone. General Hammond must have delayed them," suggested the physician. Turning at the sound of footsteps rushing toward the door, Dr. Frasier saw the Colonel, Teal'c and Captain Harper round the doorframe. Seconds later, Dr. O'Neill joined them at Daniel's bedside.
"How is he, Doc?" asked Colonel O'Neill, concerned for his friend and teammate. "Hey, Daniel, you're awake. What happened?"
"I had another vision, but it wasn't of the lab. My life was different. I had no family except all of you. Sha're was dead; I was empty," Daniel told them, confused, troubled.
Sam pushed to his side and said quietly to the group, "I had another vision, too. Last night, I was eating dinner with the kids and Darcy, when I was suddenly alone in a strange apartment. Somehow, I knew that I didn't have any children and." she looked at her husband, stricken, "and we weren't married. A few seconds later, I was back at the dinner table with Darcy asking me if I was okay." She reached her hand toward Jack and he pulled her into a powerful hug.
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SG-6 walked along the trail toward the resort they had seen on their last trip to this world. Lt. Colonel Arnold said, "Meyers, Peterson, you two head around back and see what you can find. Talk to any guests you see. Ask if they've seen SG-1. Simpson and I will go talk to the manager." Lts. Meyers and Peterson nodded crisply and jogged in the direction they believed the guest quarters to be.
As they walked into the rather sparse lobby, Arnold and Simpson were greeted by a thin, austerely dressed young woman. She bowed graciously and introduced herself, "I am Greeter Wilsa. How may I help you? Have you come for your fantasies to be fulfilled?"
Taken aback, Arnold replied, "We're searching for four friends who came here five days back. They should have returned home two days ago. Can you help us find them?"
Wilsa calmly stated, "Four dressed such as yourselves came here some days ago and were admitted as our guests. Their deepest desires are being fulfilled, just as yours will be, if you so wish. May I show you to a room?"
"No, uh, thanks. We'd just like to get our friends and go. Will you please take us to them, or have them brought here?"
"It is my sorrow that I cannot do either. They are deep within their dreams and cannot be awakened safely until it has run its course. Likewise, their room is sealed to all but our technicians for the safety of our guests," Wilsa said without emotion.
Unperturbed, Arnold shifted his P-90 to his other arm eloquently and said, "I'd like to see the manager, please."
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What's Real Got to Do with It
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Teal'c should have been deep within Kel'no'reem, but instead was watching the strangely dressed man adjust controls on the beds of his teammates. "What are you doing to them? Desist this minute or I shall be forced to stop you," Teal'c shouted from his own bed where he was strapped down. Straining against his bonds, the Jaffa watched as Fros walked to his side and turned two dials on his bed. The lab faded from sight and Teal'c was back in his quarters surrounded by the candles he lit for meditation.
Quickly standing to reach for the telephone on his worktable, Teal'c dialed an outside number and waited for an answer.
"Hello." Sam O'Neill's voice was sleepy. She glanced at the clock. 0200?
"DoctorO'Neill, something is very wrong. I have seen the lab again. I believe that what we see now is not the truth, that we are in reality being held in the lab," Teal'c reported.
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Let My People Go
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Manager Verall asserted for the fifth time, "I cannot allow them to be awakened, Colonel Arnold. It would be most harmful to their mental health to leave their fantasy. They must be allowed to follow it through to its conclusion."
"And just how long would that take?" demanded an extremely annoyed Lt Colonel.
"It should take no more than six to seven months to complete their chosen lives." Verall was as cool as ever. "I assure you, they are in no danger unless awakened prematurely."
"I see. We must report this to our commander. Thank you for your time, Manager Verall." With that he smartly turned and left, both hands clenched at his sides in anger.
After walking back to the Stargate and opening the wormhole to Earth, Lt. Col. Arnold reported to Hammond. "Sir, I think we've found them, although the natives haven't allowed us to see them."
"Are they all right?" Hammond did not like where this was leading.
Arnold sighed loudly. "Verall, the manager, claims that they're living out their deepest desires and will be fine so long as they're not awakened prematurely. He says it may take six months or more for them to finish naturally."
"Well, I'm not willing to wait half a year for SG-1 to wake up. Dr. Frasier will be joining you shortly. Bring them back, Colonel."
Forty minutes passed before Dr. Frasier arrived, dressed for field work and trailing a FRED which held her equipment in case SG-1 needed medical attention after their rescue. "General Hammond sent some ordinance and orders to get them out no matter what it takes."
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Waking is Such Sweet Sorrow
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The diner they picked to meet at was small, scrupulously clean and comfortable, the vinyl tablecloths worn and faded, the jukebox played nothing newer than 1979 and the employees were all over forty. Jack loved it.
Sam and Jack sat on one side of the booth, facing Teal'c and Daniel. Harper hadn't been included since he hadn't been in any of their visions of the lab; just the four of them had been stretched out on the beds, strapped, bound and attached to a multitude of electronic devices. Sam held Jack's hand tightly between their cooling cups of coffee.
"Why do you think that our visions are of the real world and this is a dream?" asked Jack.
"Each time I return to the lab, it becomes more real and this world less so," intoned Teal'c.
"This whole thing doesn't make sense. Sam, you're not a member of SG-1," Daniel lowered his voice, "so if we're being held on an off-world mission why isn't Harper part of this?"
"I have no idea Daniel. You know I left SG-1 after the first few missions, when General Hammond formed a scientific team."
"You mean when Hammond figured out you two were a lot more than friends," Daniel grinned crookedly at the memory of their courtship.
Just as he was about to jump to his wife's defense, Jack cried out in pain and grabbed his forehead, and then simply wasn't there. "Jack!" Sam shouted, her hand suddenly empty of his warmth.
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SG-6 and Dr. Frasier entered the lobby and were greeted by Wilsa. Before she could voice her stock greeting Arnold spoke, enunciating carefully, "We have come to get our friends. You will take us to them, now."
"They are deep within their dreams and cannot be awakened safely until it has run its course," she repeated her reply from before and the Lt. Colonel grabbed her upper arm, much to her distress. "You must not do this. I cannot help you."
"You *will* help us or I will destroy this facility." Arnold clenched his teeth to keep from saying more.
"You cannot. You would not," she sputtered.
"Then don't make me. Take us to our friends. Now!"
"As you will, but the result will not be to your liking." Wilsa stood taller and attempted to pull away.
"No, I'm not letting go of you until we're out of here."
"This way, then." She sniffed haughtily and pointed toward a door across from the entrance. He pulled her roughly along behind him. Lt. Meyers pushed the wide frosted glass door that pivoted on a single point and held it for the rest of the rescue party.
They passed several rooms that looked like upscale hotel rooms. Meyers snarled, "What are these rooms? Are they where you fool your victims into thinking this is just a resort?"
Horrified, Wilsa replied, "No! They are relaxation rooms where our guests calm themselves before realization of their deepest desires. The beds are equipped with sensors that read the occupant's thoughts and formulate the fantasy for the guest or party of guests."
"Where are they now?" asked the Lieutenant.
"After their dream world has been composed, they are moved to the dreaming chambers where the fantasy is implanted." Wilsa walked on the tips of her toes as the much taller Arnold pulled her down the corridor by her arm.
She directed them to the sealed chamber holding SG-1. When it didn't respond to any commands or actions they tried, Lt. Meyers took his P-90 and smashed the opening mechanism. He pried the door open and entered to face a very surprised Technician Fros.
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Some Days it Doesn't Pay to Get Out of Bed
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Jack woke up feeling disoriented and nauseated. His head felt like someone was playing hockey with it. He heard someone yelling desperately, "No, you must not turn that off. You will bring them out too soon. We cannot be responsible for their mental and emotional well being if it is not done correctly."
"Colonel, just lie still. You've been under sedation for several days," Dr. Frasier explained.
"Where's Sam? Where's my wife?" Colonel O'Neill asked, still mentally in the dream world.
The confused expression on Dr. Frasier's face sent alarms bells off in his head. After a few second's pause, she finally answered, "Sir, Sam is right over there. I've given her and Dr. Jackson something to counteract the sedative. They should be waking up any time now. Teal'c is another matter."
"What's wrong with Teal'c, Doc?" O'Neill attempted to sit up despite the doctor's attempts to keep him lying down.
"Well, the best I can tell, he's been sedated chemically and using some rather unusual hardware." She gestured to the wall of equipment at the head of the bed Teal'c lay on. "I've just turned off the equipment and he should be awake shortly as his symbiote counteracts the chemical sedatives naturally."
The yelling continued as Technician Fros and Supervisor Thuw protested the removal of their *guests*. "We were helping them realize their desires. You must let them finish the fantasy."
"Can you get them to shut up, Doc? My head is killin' me," protested O'Neill. Standing unsteadily, he walked to Sam's bed and took her hand in his. She was just beginning to wake, thrashing about frantically. Cradling her head, Jack felt the shorn hair on the back. He turned her head to see a wide patch of cropped hair. The sight brought another wave of dizziness and he remembered cutting her hair for some strange reason. Something had been trying to kill her.
"Jack," Sam called anxiously and opened her eyes. Seeing her "husband" she sat up and threw her arms about him, relieved he wasn't really gone. "When you disappeared from the diner, sweetheart, I was frantic. Then Daniel disappeared too." Dr. Frasier and the members of SG-6 watched as Major Carter sat up and kissed Colonel O'Neill as if fearing he'd been lost. To their amazement, he kissed her back just as desperately. Separating their lips reluctantly, the pair hugged. A concerned Sam turned in Jack's arms to ask Dr. Frasier, "Who's taking care of our kids, Janet? Lt. Rush again?"
"Uh, Sam, you don't have any children." speaking softly, Janet faltered, as though speaking to people not quite in touch with reality.
Jack's arms tensed around Sam. "Janet, of course we do. You and Cassie were taking care of them this morning while we went to breakfast." Jack was beginning to sense something wrong. 'Why are we in this lab? We were just in the diner.' He looked to his wife and saw her look of horror as she sat back on the dream bed.
"Noooooooooooo." the keening wail came from Sam. She wrapped her arms around her torso and began to rock on the bed. Dr. Frasier rushing to attend to Sam didn't see Jack back away, stepping slowly, mechanically until he met the wall and slid to the floor.
His consciousness of the world around him faded.
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Waking Up is Hard to Do
****************************
The four members of SG-1 lay quietly in the large isolation room. Dr. Frasier stood outside the room talking with General Hammond about their state. "Their levels of serotonin are still dangerously low, sir, and they're barely aware of their surroundings. The abrupt nature of their awakening has had more serious aftereffects than I anticipated. Their immersion into the fantasy world was much deeper than their physiological responses indicated at the time. Technician Fros told me he'd increased their sedatives drastically and adjusted the programming constantly to keep them in the fantasy world. If only I'd listened to Fros and not awakened them so abruptly."
"Dr. Frasier, I'm quite confident you did the best anyone in that situation could have."
"Teal'c is, as usual, in better shape. He's been in and out of consciousness. Dr. Jackson is in better shape than Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter, but not by much."
"Can you do anything for them, Doctor? Will they come out of it?" asked the General, greatly concerned for his subordinates and friends.
Dr. Frasier paused to frame her response carefully. "I don't know, sir. They remain in a state of extreme depression. I gather their lives in the fantasy world were pretty wonderful. Teal'c and his family were living happily on Chulak and Dr. Jackson's wife was still alive. Sha're was rescued from Apophis instead of Ska'ara." She paused again, then continued, "Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter were married to each other with young children. Understandably, none of them want to return to this world."
The General sighed heavily, deeply saddened at the report. "Do what you can for them, Doctor, and please keep me informed." She assured him he would be the first to know of any change. He turned and walked toward the elevators.
"Dr. Frasier." Lt. Connors opened the door and called urgently. "Teal'c is responding to stimuli again."
"Thank you, Lieutenant." The doctor walked to his side. More softly, she asked "How are you, Teal'c?"
"I am better, Dr. Frasier. I was not as deeply wrapped up in the dream world as were my teammates." Although he was never an emotionally demonstrative person, Janet believed he was more subdued than usual. "How long have we been here? How are my teammates?"
"Ten days and they are *not* well, Teal'c. They remain despondent and unresponsive."
"May I speak with them privately? They may respond better to me," Teal'c requested.
"Please do. I'll be right outside it you need me." She was hopeful he could make a difference where medical science had failed. She disconnected the sensors linking him to the monitoring equipment and removed the IV needle from his arm. Then Janet quickly moved to the door and closed it behind her.
"DanielJackson, wake up. You must help me with MajorCarter and O'Neill. They need our help," the Jaffa appealed to his friend. For a few minutes nothing happened as Teal'c continued to speak to Daniel quietly, urging his friend to wake. Finally, his patience was rewarded when Daniel blinked and focused for a few seconds.
Daniel tried to speak but found his throat too dry. Teal'c held a straw in a cup of water to his lips while he drank. "Where are we, Teal'c?"
"We are in the SGC, DanielJackson. We were rescued from the 'resort' on The World of Dreams and have been here for some days while Dr. Frasier has attempted to heal our minds."
"Sha're isn't really alive, is she?" Daniel suspected he already knew the truth.
"No, DanielJackson. I killed her on Abydos months ago to save your life," Teal'c replied sadly.
Daniel turned his face to the wall. "Let me have a little time, Teal'c."
"We do not have any time, DanielJackson. Major Carter and O'Neill need us now if they are to recover from this assault. Their grief has not allowed them to mend the damage done to their minds. You have already come to terms with your grief in the real world. You can do so again. They have need of us *now*."
****************************
Sam couldn't adjust to her barren life - no husband, no children, no real home. She paced restlessly in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows in her bedroom, lonely but not willing to go out or call someone. SG-1 was on downtime until they were judged fit for duty.
'Maybe a bath will help me relax. I can't stay in my pajamas all day. There *must* be something I can do after that,' she thought, desperate to distract herself from her endless thoughts of Jack, Mikey and Megan. While the bath was filling, Sam put out fresh towels and took off her PJs. Just as she was about to step into the tub, the doorbell rang. She turned off the water and slipped on a silk robe from the hook on the back of the door. Silently, Sam padded barefoot to the front door and looked through the peephole. Recognizing the person who stood waiting, she pulled the robe belt more securely around her and opened the door.
"Sir, what are you doing here?" she gaped at him. Lack of sleep had made her usually brilliant mind dull.
"I came to talk with you, Sam. I can't stand the way things are here. I miss our kids. I miss you. If we had the option, I'd go back to the dream world," Jack said standing outside her door. "Can I come in?"
"Oh. Yes. Come in. I'm sorry. I haven't slept much since we left the SGC." She stood back from the door, motioning for him to come in. Jack followed her into the living room and perched on the edge of the sofa. She sat on the other end, curling her legs under herself and pulling the colorful robe down over them. "What did you want to talk about, sir?"
"I wanted to know if you experienced the same fantasy I did. And if it's affecting you as much as mine did me." Jack's voice was harsh with emotion.
She knew if he was openly admitting to being disturbed the effect had to be pretty devastating. Jack O'Neill was not someone who could speak freely about his feelings. "From what Janet told me, a special dream world was constructed, composed, for the four of us to live in." Sam didn't want to describe her experience again. Dr. MacKenzie had interrogated the team constantly for the past two weeks.
Jack apparently had no such qualms and began, "You weren't in the military any more due to an injury in the first Gulf War. You were a civilian employee of the SGC and commanded SG-7, the science team. Hammond took you off SG-1 after we started dating. You and I were married for five years." He stopped, glancing up as she drew in a shaky breath. She nodded for him to continue. "We had three year old twins, Megan and Michael. God, I miss them!"
Sam closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around herself. Corralling her raw emotions, she opened her eyes. "Yeah," stopped to clear her throat, "Yes, sir, that pretty much describes it." Sam knew her face had to echo her pain and vulnerability because Jack stood and walked to her end of the sofa to sit next to her. His arms engulfed her and she finally gave in to the need to cry. Sam thought of the times during their marriage where he had held her like this - when her father was dying, when they thought Daniel died and when Ska'ara died.
"What are we gonna do, Sam? I don't want to be without you. Not after knowing how wonderful it would be, how well we fit together," Jack muttered into her hair. The scent of her was making his very tired head swim.
"It was wonderful, wasn't it, Jack, sir?" Sam nestled into his arms, immensely comforted by his presence and touch. It was making her sleep-deprived body and mind relax for the first time in weeks.
"Yeah," Jack whispered and let a comfortable silence take over. After a while, her breathing evened out and he knew she was sleeping. He carefully picked her up and carried her into the bedroom. It was the work of moments to lay her down and pull the covers up.
Jack was turning to go back to the living room when Sam grabbed his hand. "Stay. Hold me. Just hold me," she asked. With some misgivings, he moved around the bed, removed his shoes and lay down on top of the covers. Sam rolled into his arms and was asleep again in minutes. For the first time in weeks, Jack was happy and his own exhaustion caught up with him, sending him down into a restful, healing sleep.
****************************
I Want It All
****************************
General Hammond was surprised to see Colonel O'Neill back in his office when he was supposed to be on down time. "Colonel, didn't I order you not to come back for at least a week?"
"Yes, sir, but I needed to talk with you about something sort of ... personal," O'Neill grimaced at the very thought. 'What was I thinking this morning, leaving Sam asleep like that to come ask Hammond for advice on my love life?'
"Don't you think Dr. MacKenzie would be a better person to speak with than me, son?" replied the rather bewildered general.
The Colonel frowned with distaste at the mention of his least favorite psychiatrist.
"No, this is more in your area than his."
"Have a seat, then. What's on your mind?"
"You know what happened to us, Major Carter and me, in the facility on The World of Dreams?" At the General's nod, he continued, "We're both having a hard time getting away from the dream world. It was so wonderful. I'm not sure how she feels about this, but I don't want to give up the relationship we found there."
"What can I do for you besides tell you the regulations don't allow for such a relationship unless one of you leaves SG-1?" Hammond appeared concerned at the direction the conversation was taking.
"Sir, Sam was a civilian consultant in that world and ran her own team of scientists for the SGC. Couldn't she do the same here?"
"As much as I'd love to see the two of you happy, let me be the devil's advocate for a minute here, Jack. You know Major Carter's due for promotion to Lieutenant Colonel and should easily make full Colonel in a couple more years. Why would she give up what promises to be a very bright future in the Air Force to marry and lead a team as a civilian? Would that be fair to her, or the right thing to do for the fight against the Goa'uld?" Hammond reluctantly said. "Would you both be happy in the long run if she gives up so much?"
Jack knew exactly what he meant, thinking, 'Why should Major Carter give up her career to marry *me*?' Bowing his head, Jack answered his commander, "Because she loves me and we had the perfect life when we were together."
"In the dream world, you mean," Hammond reminded him.
"Yeah. It was just a dream, wasn't it?" Jack mumbled, disappointed. He stood to leave. "Thanks for your time, sir. I'll see you in a week."
****************************
Sam ran to get the telephone before the answering machine picked up. She slid across the polished wood floor in her stocking feet and grabbed the handset on the last ring, "Hello."
"Carter, is it okay if I drop by again?" The formality in Colonel O'Neill's voice startled her after last night.
"Of course, Ja- sir. Can I ask why?" She had been so positive about everything when she'd awakened after her best night's sleep in weeks. The note he'd left on her extra pillow said he'd see her later. 'So, why is he asking if he can come by if he knows I'm already expecting him? Is he trying to tell me something, to prepare me for bad news?'
"I think we need to talk, but it can wait until I get there. See you in an hour, Carter."
'He called me Carter.' She felt a cold shiver of worry. Sam shook her head and walked to the bedroom to change out of her sweats into jeans and a sweater that she knew Jack liked on her. 'Whatever he has to say, it won't hurt to look good,' she thought as she combed what was left of her hair after Jack's impromptu haircut.
****************************
Jack O'Neill fidgeted in front of Carter's door while he waited for her to answer his ring. 'What's taking her so long? I know what I have to say, and I want to get it over with.'
Sam pulled open her front door and held it open wordlessly for him to come in. He followed her into the living room, and they sat uncomfortably with the coffee table between them.
Jack cleared his throat and began, "Carter, I came to talk about the experiences we shared on the Dream World. We have to face the fact that they were just a dream and the real world would never be as good. Why put ourselves through what could be a painful experience for the sake of a chasing a dream?"
He could see by her shiver that his words and their calm delivery had chilled her. Sam was so still, she appeared to have turned to stone until she tried to swallow the lump in her throat. "You don't think we could recreate that life in the real world. So you want us to go back to being just co-workers? After what we were to each other in the fantasy?" She spoke so quietly Jack had to strain to hear.
"I think its best," O'Neill stated almost as quietly. Saying those lies hurt him much more than he ever imagined it would. He couldn't even look her in the eyes. "I'd understand if you don't want to work with me anymore, but I hope you stay. Please don't let what they did to us break up the team."
Sam stood and walked to the windows facing a quiet arboreal scene outside. She stared blindly out the window, numb. "I need some time to think about it, sir, maybe until our downtime is over."
"Sure, take as much time as you need, Carter. This is too important to rush." Without another word, he left and went to get as drunk as it was possible to do without killing himself.
****************************
Her lab was just as she'd left it, except there was even more work in her in-basket. She had several hundred emails, including some very interesting technical papers to read and three requests for her to speak to professional groups. 'Too bad I don't have time for any of them.'
"Sam, welcome back," Dr. Frasier said cheerily. "I just dropped by to make sure you remembered your appointments with me at 1000 and with Dr. MacKenzie at 1100." At Sam's grimace, she continued, smiling broadly, "You know I don't do this for just any patient."
"Yeah, I know, Janet. Thanks for dropping by to nag." Sam revealed a wry smile.
"Actually, I really came by to invite you over to our house Friday night. Cassie's cooking and wants a friendly group for her experiment. Can I count on you?"
"I'll get back to you, okay? Let me look through my in-box and email before I commit to any time off for the foreseeable future." It was a weak joke considering how close it was to reality.
"Sure. Let me know before Friday so Cassie knows how much to make, okay?"
"Of course. How is Cassie? It seems like months since I saw her," Sam said wistfully.
"That's because it has been months. Two to be exact."
"Wow, I didn't realize so much time had passed."
****************************
The week passed quickly for all of SG-1. There was so much to catch up on between emails, paperwork, backlogged projects, notes from missed meetings and the regular doctor's appointments they were required to make. Somehow, the two military members of SG-1 managed not to speak except through email.
Friday morning, General Hammond summoned SG-1, Major Davis, Dr. Frasier and several of the other department heads to the briefing room unexpectedly. The General greeted them all, obviously pleased, "Good morning people. I have just received some very good news. The new president has *encouraged* the Joint Chiefs to fund the beta site project and they have finally agreed." He glanced around the large table at a wall of stunned and delighted faces. "Major Davis, will you please give us the details?"
The Major stood and faced his audience with relish. "Certainly, sir. The SGC is hereby ordered to find and secure a world not on the list of planets known to the Goa'uld. Once secured, we are to set up and maintain a research station and colony on that world. The colony, designed to support the military base and research station, will consist of military members and their families. Also included are as many of the scientific consultants at the SGC as would like to emigrate with their families or spend time there for study. The funding supplied will allow us to set up a fully functional colony within five years and is guaranteed for an additional five years. By that time, the colony should be relatively self-sufficient and able to trade with other worlds for whatever can't be made or grown."
The General took over from Davis. "Major Carter, you and your technicians will concentrate on the search for addresses to possible worlds. SG-1 and SG-9 will investigate all of the candidate worlds, eliminating any that have inherent dangers or are not favorable for human habitation. Dr. Frasier, your team will begin designing the medical facility for the new colony." Pausing, the General looked around the room at the faces shining with excitement. "This will be the biggest project the SGC has undertaken since the Stargate was first opened. Major Davis has agreed to act as the project manager. From here on in, your assignments will come from him. Please provide him with everything he needs. Dismissed. Colonel O'Neill, may I see you in my office?"
O'Neill followed Hammond into the office next door. "Sit down, Colonel. I have a project for *you* that I think you'll like."
The Colonel suspected where this was going and smirked. "Does it have anything to do with the beta site, sir?"
"I think you know it does, Jack. You were picked to be the commander of the beta site the last time we tried to put it together. I see no reason to change that now. Are you willing to take the assignment? Once we find and secure a world, it would mean handing over SG-1, leaving Earth, possibly for years."
"I was ready to do it before. Nothing has changed that would keep me here as long as I know the fight against the Goa'uld is in good hands," Jack stated firmly, but thought, 'This could be the out that Carter and I need. This past week has shown me I can't keep up the pretense of not loving her and wanting to be with her.'
****************************
A Hunting We Will Go
****************************
The next few weeks were frantic. There were few opportunities for Sam and Jack to even be in the same room, let alone interact. Their communication continued to be strictly electronic.
Sam's anger grew at his continued evasion. "Our not talking is only tearing the team apart, not making it better. Why can't he see it?
During one of the weekly beta site project meetings Sam reported, "We have twice the amount of processing power as usual calculating possible gate addresses, checking them against the Abydos cartouche records and running them through the cold-dialing routines. Already, we've identified six possible worlds for SG-1 and SG-9 to check out. Major Davis and I have worked out a schedule of MALP reconnaissance missions over the next few days. After those are complete we should have mission assignments for the teams within another couple of days."
"Excellent work, Major Carter." Davis concluded the meeting with, "Everyone, please have your progress reports to me by the end of today."
Majors Carter and Frasier walked toward the mess hall talking about the twice-delayed dinner Cassie was preparing for them that night. Janet cautioned Sam, "She's really looking forward to this. Don't get stuck in the lab tonight, Sam."
"I promise I'll be there, Janet! I wouldn't miss it for the world."
"I'm counting on you." Janet shot her a warning look as she paid for her lunch. They took their lunches and searched for a table. "Hey, the guys are over there. Let's join them."
"That's okay, you go on, Janet. I should really get back to my lab." Sam quickly changed course and left the mess hall before a gaping Janet could stop her. Pausing outside the door to let her heart slow down, Sam mused, 'Wow, close call. I almost had to have lunch with Ja.. him. It still hurts way too much to be that close, to act as if nothing happened between us. That's something I'm *not* ready for yet, if I ever will be.'
Back at her lab, Sam set the tray down and logged into her laptop to read her email while she ate. 'What's this?' She looked at an automated email in her inbox from the program searching for and testing new gate addresses. 'A new possbility, hmm. This one's a long way off the beaten path. Not too likely to get many drop-in visits by space ship.'
Sam forwarded the email to Major Davis with a note asking him to add the address for P4J-299 to the schedule for survey missions. 'P4J-299. Why does that sound familiar?' A sick feeling settled in her stomach and her lunch suddenly seemed very unappetizing.
Mechanically, Sam turned back to her email. She was still there, staring at the screen, when Janet came to pick her up for dinner. She'd read through her inbox, but couldn't remember a single message. "Sam, are you ready? You don't look ready to leave."
Sam jumped, not having heard her best friend walk up. "Oh, sorry Janet. As soon as I got back from the mess hall with lunch."
"Which I see you haven't eaten!" Dr. Frasier exclaimed in exasperated with her friend's eating habits, or lack thereof.
Waving away such petty concerns, Sam continued, visibly upset. "I had an email with a new gate address."
"And this caused you to sit staring at your computer all afternoon because.?" Janet raised an eyebrow.
"It's from the dream world." Sam spoke quietly, still preoccupied with the email and the memories it stirred up.
"What?"
"This same email, with the same address was in the dream world. It proved to be a very promising world. What if." The Major's voice faded away. She shook her head, not wanting to go down that path.
"Sam, you can't dwell on what happened to you there. It wasn't real."
"I know that, Janet. It's just that the coincidence startled me. I forwarded the new address to Major Davis for an initial MALP survey." Sam began packing up for the night.
After leaving the SGC, Janet drove them to Sam's apartment. The two grabbed glasses of wine from the bottle in Sam's fridge and carried them in to her bedroom.
"No, wear that dress, Sam." Janet pointed to a pale blue and white confection. "Cassie is taking this really seriously and wants us to dress up a little. I'm wearing a dress, so you can too." Janet smiled wickedly at Sam.
Sam wriggled into pantyhose and slipped on the heels that went with the dress as Janet picked though Sam's jewelry box for the perfect accessories. "I hope she appreciates the effort we're making." Sam smiled wryly, taking a sip of the excellent Fumé Blanc.
****************************
A Table for Two Please
****************************
They filled the trip to Janet's house with talk of Cassie and her big plans for the night - what she was serving, the preparations and kitchen disasters that had gone into the meal, and what had brought up the idea in the first place. Janet had several amusing stories about Cassie's rehearsals leading up to the evening's meal
Laughing heartily at her *niece's* grand experiment, Sam said, "Well, it'll be nice to take an evening off for once."
Cassie had decorated the house with summer flowers and foliage, and a wonderful aroma pervaded between the fragrant bouquets and the delicious smells from the kitchen. Janet and Sam looked at each other, delighted. 'Perhaps tonight won't be an ordeal after all,' thought both women.
"Cassie, are you home, sweetie?" called Janet. Her voice brought Cassie out of the kitchen with a rush and a squeal.
She stopped a few feet from her mother and honorary aunt. "Thanks for coming tonight and letting me experiment on you. The others are already in the family room." Her eyes twinkling, Cassie waved them toward the hall to the back of the house.
'Others?' thought Sam frowning. 'I thought it was just the three of us.' "Can I help with anything, Cassie?"
"No, thanks, Aunt Sam. I have everything under control," the suddenly adult Cassandra said regally. "There's some white wine in the carafe on the bar. Help yourself."
Again, Sam and Janet traded amused and astonished glances. They walked smiling into the family room and saw Teal'c, Daniel and . Colonel O'Neill. Sam eagerly greeted her two friends, but froze when she saw Jack, bitterness on her face. Determined not to spoil Cassie's big evening, she stalked to the bar and poured herself a glass of wine. "Janet, can I get you anything?" she asked, her back to the room.
"No thanks, Sam, I'm going to see how Cassie's doing. She probably has everything under perfect control, but, call me paranoid, I just *have* to check." Cassie's mom walked to the kitchen door.
The three men were standing together, so Sam stayed by the bar sipping her wine. Shortly, Daniel walked over to join her. "So, Sam, how's the search for addresses going?"
"Actually, pretty well. Another popped up this afternoon," she said casually. "Maybe you remember it. P4J-299."
"Does sound vaguely familiar." He frowned slightly. Then, his eyes got big, as he remembered. "It.it's got to be a coincidence, right?"
"I don't know," she said staring down at her glass, blinking to keep the moisture in her eyes from escaping. 'I will *not* cry. I will not cry. I never cry.'
"Does anyone else know yet?"
"I forwarded the address to Major Davis and mentioned it to Janet." Sam looked up at him, her eyes begging for understanding and silence. She could see he understood and would help however he could. Teal'c and, especially, Daniel had been very supportive since she'd woken up in the isolation room. 'Why couldn't I have fallen in love with him?'
"Well, I guess that means we'll be going there soon. If it's as nice as the *other* 299 we visited, we've found our beta site. Congratulations, Sam," Daniel said as he hugged her.
Her smile was ironic as she pulled out of his arms. "Let's wait until we know more before we celebrate. It has to pass the initial MALP survey, perhaps an overflight by a UAV and the manual survey by a team."
"Somehow, I know you've found it, Sam," he said proudly, squeezing her arm. Jack glared at them from across the room.
"Dinner's ready, guys." Cassie stood nervously by the kitchen door. Her mom was carrying dishes filled with food into the dining room. Cassie pushed Janet down into the seat at the head of the table and bustled around with last minute details. Finally, she was ready and sat at the other end.
Sitting back after eating the first two courses, Jack said, "This is fantastic, Cassie. I'll eat at your restaurant any time." Despite trying to sit between Teal'c and Janet, he had somehow ended up sitting next to his major and feeling inhibited. It was becoming more and more evident to everyone that the two were each trying to pretend the other wasn't there.
"Don't say that yet, Uncle Jack. There's two more courses to go," she said nervously, hopping up to serve the next course.
The dinner continued to be a success. If perhaps some of the courses weren't done perfectly, no one would have said a thing to Cassie to save themselves from a squad of Serpent Guards.
Jumping up to help clear, Sam moved quickly away from Jack, relief evident. Daniel worked with her as the others gathered in the living room for coffee. In the kitchen he cornered her and asked, "What's going on with you two, Sam? You acted like you'd explode if Jack so much as spoke to you tonight."
"We're still trying to work out everything from the dream world, Daniel. Just give us some time."
"Sam, it's been almost six weeks. How much time do you need?" Daniel asked softly.
She felt dangerously fragile under his intense stare. Breathing deeply, Sam said with a shaky voice, "Daniel, how long did it take you to get over losing Sha're?" At his startled expression, she resumed, "It isn't any easier for us, giving up what seemed like five years together."
"But. "
"He doesn't want us to be together, Daniel, and I accept that. End of discussion." Major Carter was now firmly in command. Seeing Daniel was about to protest, she wrapped her arms around him and whispered in his ear, "Please, Daniel, support me on this. Okay?" He nodded and kissed her on the cheek. They were so intent on giving and receiving comfort, they missed Jack watching them.
"Didn't take her that long," Jack muttered through clenched teeth. He stepped back out of sight and went to say goodnight.
The party broke up soon afterward. Daniel drove Sam home then took Teal'c and himself back to the base.
****************************
The next morning, Major Carter and Dr. Jackson were back in her lab working on optimizing the gate calculation program. Mathematics was her forte, computer programming his hobby. Together, they were a formidable team.
"I still think if you take out this subroutine and put in this function, it'll work faster," Daniel asserted.
"But, Daniel, the function is only used in five out of 20 passes. The subroutine contains formulae needed by the other 15 passes," Sam replied. "If we add a test for the 25 percent of passes that use the function, we reduce the gains from using the function."
"I need some coffee. Let's take a break." They'd been going at it for four hours and had made some small gains, but nothing dramatic. Unless the pair made a breakthrough, they were down to the point of chasing diminishing returns.
Just as they were getting up to leave, her email program notified her of an important message from Major Davis. "Hold on a second. I need to check this." As she read, her expression changed first to surprise, then disappointment, then foreboding. "Daniel, General Hammond cancelled most of the week's missions and dedicated the gate time to MALP surveys of the seven potential worlds. They've completed the survey of the first four, including P4J-299. The first three are either inhabited or not suitable. 299 has been judged as worth a second look." She glanced up at him, seeing concern to match hers in his eyes.
*************************
A Beta Site, Redux
*************************
The UAV overflight showed P4J-299 to be as promising in real life as it had been in their dream. Davis assigned SG-1 to do a manual exploration.
They gated to 299 the next morning, coming out of the wormhole into a pristine world topped by a brilliant blue sky. The air was clear and crisp in the early morning, dew heavy on the ground making everything sparkle. The ever-present trees were a welcome sight, even to Colonel O'Neill. If their search for a beta site was to be successful, the world must be as similar to Earth as possible. The three who had been to this world in their common dream felt a jolt of shared déjà vu.
As before, seeing no signs of natives, Goa'uld or wildlife, O'Neill led his team southwest from the gate toward an escarpment the UAV had picked up. "The scans showed a spot where we should be able to see for miles. We'll stop every hour or so to take samples for analysis."
Their first two days followed the exact same pattern as before. They found no sign of inhabitants, past or present. The game was plentiful and unafraid. The first night, Sam shared Daniel's tent, Jack shared with Teal'c. The military members were formal and polite, purely professional, with one another. For the first time since she was a child, Sam cried herself to sleep.
On the way back to the gate, Teal'c caught two rabbit-like animals and a small fat bird using his zat'nik'atel. Rather than soliciting praise, he quietly stowed them in a sealed bag and moved on.
Colonel O'Neill ordered, "We have until nightfall on planet to complete our survey. Let's split up to see how much ground we can cover. Teal'c will go with me to the north. You two head east. Meet us back at the gate before dark."
The tension decreased markedly after the two separated. Sam actually found herself enjoying her time on this picture perfect world. Humming as she walked along animal trails, Sam noted and took samples of several unique types of plants. Crossing a stream, she sampled the water and picked up a few rocks from the streambed.
"You're happier than I've seen you in weeks, Sam." Daniel was pleased at her good mood.
"I love getting time in the field. And it never hurts to have a sunny day to walk through the woods." She turned around on her heel to smile at him, then continued on around playfully until she was walking forward again. "And I decided I was tired of being unhappy all the time."
"Too bad it's time to turn around and head back to the gate," Daniel announced.
"Trying to spoil a girl's mood, Daniel?" she teased her friend, grinning, refusing to be upset.
"Never," he answered and proceeded to tell her every joke he knew until they reached the Stargate.
****************************
Jack and Teal'c heard the two scientists long before they came into sight. Sam was laughing at Daniel's latest attempt at humor as they almost skipped along the trail, giddy with laughter. He'd quickly run out of jokes so he was telling her stories of his life on Abydos.
Ignoring her commander's sour look, Sam greeted her other teammate. "Find any new wildlife, Teal'c?"
"We saw several larger animals similar to your antelope, MajorCarter."
"Ready to go yet, Carter," the Colonel asked coldly.
She ignored his sarcasm and answered professionally. "Whenever you are, sir."
"Then dial us up, Daniel. Let's get home," O'Neill almost snarled, irritated that he couldn't anger her with his rudeness.
****************************
And The Answer Is.
****************************
"Analysis of the animal and plant samples collected shows them to be not only edible, but quite wholesome. The air and water are clean. No harmful microbial life is detectable. The soil is fertile and seems ready for farming. From a medical perspective, this world could easily support human life."
"Thank you, Dr. Frasier. This is very good news. Lt. Colonel Josephson, your report on the mineralogical survey." Paul Davis turned to Josephson, a mineralogist from the Army Corps of Engineers assigned to this project.
The geologist stood to speak. "The samples SG-1 brought back from 299 contain a remarkable mixture of materials and two unknown minerals. The bad news is that these samples show almost no naquadah. However, the good news is that the samples show a generous percentage of precious metals, plus iron, tin, and lead. Trace amounts of phosphorus, coal, sulpher and gypsum were also present. The two unknown minerals are extremely dense and both bear further study. One is similar in appearance, but not composition, to diamonds. Based on this quite small sample, P4J-299 could be a very rich world and could provide a viable source of income for the colony if the sample is indicative of the general mineralogy."
"Thank you, Colonel. Again, very good news. Major Carter?"
"Analysis of the local stars leads to the conclusion that 299 is on the opposite side of the galaxy from the strongholds of the predominant Goa'uld system lords. No Goa'uld worlds are within a reasonable distance by ship. We detected no signs whatsoever of habitation by intelligent beings, barring the Stargate, of course." She grinned along with the rest of the room. "The Stargate is situated in a small valley and quite defensible. Larger valleys to the north and east are easily accessible through low passes. Both are quite suitable for locating the colony. The escarpment to the southwest overlooks a huge river valley. We saw large herds of animals migrating through the valley."
Pausing to sip from a cup of water, Major Carter continued with her report. "Of the seven potential worlds identified so far, only two can readily support human life. P4J-299 and P3Y-945. 945 is well within the sphere of influence of two of the major system lords. I don't know why it wasn't on the cartouche wall, but they must surely know about this planet. It's unsuitable for our purposes."
"It appears we have only two options, then," Colonel O'Neill addressed the project members intently. "Accept P4J-299 or start again. If we have any doubts about 299 we should continue searching for new worlds. I'm in favor of accepting this world as the beta site and starting the next phase of the project - securing the world. General?"
"I concur. Does anyone have any objections? Major Davis?" The General glanced around the conference table for any signs of disagreement. He saw none. "Major Davis, Colonel O'Neill, you have a go to secure the planet for human colonization."
****************************
If the project team thought the previous weeks were busy, the frantic pace of the next two made them all long for calmer times. However, the General made sure there was time for one small ceremony.
"It is my pleasure to announce the promotion of Major Samantha Carter to the rank of Lt. Colonel." With as much fanfare as the thinly stretched facility could muster, everyone celebrated her long-awaited advancement.
Even O'Neill seemed genuinely pleased for her and offered his rather stilted congratulations. "So, the brilliant career continues. This promotion is well deserved, Sam. Congratulations."
"Thank you, sir. If you'll excuse me, the General needs to talk with me." Sam marched stiffly in the other direction. She'd avoided him except during missions and mandatory meetings.
"I see you still have your touch with women, Jack."
"What can I say, Daniel? The O'Neill charm never fails." Jack flashed a weak smile, almost a grimace, at his friend. With his hands in his pockets, a subdued colonel turned and walked down the hall away from the party.
****************************
The second and more significant change was the largely unheralded transfer of Colonel Jack O'Neill from the command of SG-1 to the command of the beta site on P4J-299. One day he was there, the next he was gone, accompanied by a small group of specially chosen troops. O'Neill and Hammond agreed it would be best if the transition was as smooth and understated as possible. Hammond merely let it be known that Colonel Carter was looking for a fourth member for *her* team.
Story Notes: Spoilers: Redemption
Sequel to "It's a Small World - And Getting Smaller"
Author's Notes: Technically, this story stands alone, but some reference to incidents in the first story may be confusing. Feedback would be much appreciated. If you want these to get any better, you gotta help. Thanks go to my excellent beta readers Eleri, Zoe and StarShadowHE. Any remaining mistakes are my own.
Email: carhop6506@yahoo.com
Sequel to "It's a Small World - And Getting Smaller"
Author's Notes: Technically, this story stands alone, but some reference to incidents in the first story may be confusing. Feedback would be much appreciated. If you want these to get any better, you gotta help. Thanks go to my excellent beta readers Eleri, Zoe and StarShadowHE. Any remaining mistakes are my own.
Email: carhop6506@yahoo.com
End Notes: Continued in Eden Obsession
Due to a "mysterious" accident with Word, Eden Obsession is having to be re-written from scratch, so it'll take a little longer than this section of the novella. Positive feedback will make the writing go faster, I promise.
Email: carhop6506@yahoo.com
Carhop
Due to a "mysterious" accident with Word, Eden Obsession is having to be re-written from scratch, so it'll take a little longer than this section of the novella. Positive feedback will make the writing go faster, I promise.
Email: carhop6506@yahoo.com
Carhop
DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognisable characters, settings, etc, are the property of their respective owners. Any original characters and plots are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended. ... [ read more ]