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Part 16 of Beyond Meridian
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Peja's Wonderful World of Makebelieve Import
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2020-11-05
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A World of Mirrors

Summary:

This story was written on 6.7.01 originally, I have adapted it for my alternate Season 6 venture, sparked off after co-writing BEYOND MERIDIAN with SIMON WARREN… Story By: BETHANY S.HEARD… I apologise for the black separation lines in between some of the layout… My computer would not let me erase all of them!

Work Text:


A World of Mirrors …
by Bethany

 

“So, you are saying, Narim that you found this diary entry from Dr. Carter, of the alternate reality, sent through another mirror on another planet?” George Hammond asked.

“My people went to a planet that we had discovered to  be uninhabited, but which gave off some interesting energy readings, indicating that a civilisation had once lived there.” Narim explained. “The survivors of Tollana returned home to the third incarnation of our planet... But before leaving, we searched the ruins, and found many relics. We recorded their presence with our own salvaged technology that some of Tollana’s scientists managed to save. Our records, sketchy, compared to what we would usually be capable of, show an enclave type structure…”

“Just like the Lab where we found the first mirror.” Daniel Jackson said, hesitantly. So far, his encounters with this form of technology had not been pleasant.

“Why would her diary entry have been sent through?” Major Carter wondered aloud.

“It has to be a trap.” Jack O’Neill pessimistically stated.

“I agree.” Teal’c backed him up.
       

 

“Trick or not, we have to go through, sir.” Jack O’Neill tried to convince his commanding officer, as he stood in the man’s office. “The Tollan have said they are willing to send some of their people with us!”

“We’ve already saved these people once, Colonel… Just how many times do you suggest we put our own world in jeopardy for them?” General Hammond asked, and he awaited some kind of answer.

“We can destroy this second mirror, sir, and, if we have to, we can make sure the first one is destroyed…” Jack assured the General.

“Are you suggesting that I let you stay in that reality?” The General asked.

“No, sir. We can destroy the two mirrors because the Tollan found some weaponry at this second Lab site, made by whomever made the mirrors. The Tollan say this weaponry is capable of disintegrating the mirrors, sir.” Jack informed Major General George Hammond.

 

 

SG1 stepped through the gate onto the third incarnation of Narim’s home world, named New Tollana.

Jonas looked around in astonishment. The clean lines, futuristic design, and integrated technology that became evident to him was amazing to a young man who had begun life in a world akin to Earth, circa 1940… What kind of a world did you people live in before your apocalypse??? He thought to himself, as he looked over at Narim.

“We will be able to take you to the planet from here, O’Neill… When my Team joins us, we can use the Gate address my people’s scientists have managed to extrapolate, and we will be able to dial up the planet we desire. It is not far from  New Tollana.” Narim stated.

“Oh.” Jack said simply, wondering whether the close proximity of one of those twisted Looking Glasses was a good thing. He turned to Major Carter. “Carter, you got those hologram wotsits Nareem here said he could help us modify?”

“Yes, sir.” Sam Carter replied.

 

 

SG1 stepped through the mirror, onto a desolate looking planet, hoping to high heaven that if this was a trick being played on them by this reality’s Apophis, and Dr. Carter was actually here, being used as bate, he was expecting them to come as themselves, and not, aided by these alien devices which came from the race who tried to blow up the Gate and the Gate Room, gussied up to look like just another bunch of Jaffa… More accurately, another bunch of Jaffa, and an actual
Jaffa, disguised as a different Jaffa.

 

After several hours of walking, they found a Goa’uld palace dwelling, in which they hoped to find Apophis.

"Hoping to find Apophis! Now, there’s a new one!” Jack O’Neill mused.

“I hope he doesn’t know each of his Jaffa as close personal friends…” Daniel Jackson said.

“I doubt it.” Major Carter assured her team-mate.

“The Apophis I knew never did.” Teal’c replied, monotone.

With that having been said, SG1, a team extended by several disguised Tollana natives, including Narim, moved forward.

“Apophis sent for us, as extra guard for the Prisoners.” The disguised Jack O’Neill explained to a genuine Jaffa.

“Then we had better not delay our god’s wishes.” The Jaffa stated proudly. “They are being held in that room.” He pointed to an ornate looking door.

“Is our lord inside?” Teal’c asked.

“No. He is in the throne room.” The Jaffa explained. “Why do you wish to know?”

“We wished to be prepared to thank him for trusting us with this important assignment.” Daniel Jackson said, the in-built Tollan translation device turning his words into the ancient Egyptian dialect he could already speak flawlessly.

Jonas Quinn crossed his fingers, as he had been told by Teal’c once that this was a prayer to someone called Lady Luck.
       

 

“You’re not taking her, or the kid! Take me.” Charles Kawalsky announced to the newcomers defiantly.

“We thought you might be here!” The disguised Jack O’Neill said.

“What???” Kawalsky was understandably confused at the tone of voice the stranger used. He was ready to defend himself when he saw the same Jaffa reach deeply into the chest area of his armour.

The Tollan shield device around the alien technology read Jack O’Neill’s DNA, and allowed his hand to pass through to the deactivation mechanism. The Jaffa image shimmered away, and, in its place, there stood Jack O’Neill.

“How’d ya manage that?” Kawalsky relaxed slightly. “And who the hell’s he?” The alternate reality Kawalsky pointed accusingly at Jonas Quinn, whose Goa’uld image shimmered slightly.

“Some friends helped us out.” O’Neill replied, restoring the Jaffa image that protected him.

“And I’m the newest member of SG1.” Jonas said.

“Be careful with your disguise, new boy…” O’Neill warned, for Quinn’s own safety.

“Is Major Carter here?” Dr. Carter asked, concerned.

“I’m here, Sam.” One of the ‘Jaffa’ stepped forward.

“You shouldn’t be here, Sam… What about the Entropic Cascade?” Dr. Carter asked, wishing only to protect the woman who had come to save her and her son.

“I’ve got another hour or so, yet.” Major Carter assured Dr. Carter.

That’s why we’ve gotta get ya all,” Jack O’Neill paused, seemingly for the first time noticing the infant who must be his son, “outta here…”

“How will you do that?” Dr. Carter noticed Jack looking at their baby.

“We’ve constructed a few more of this disguise devices.” Narim, himself currently disguised, explained.

 “And how do you suggest she hides Jack?” Kawalsky asked.

Jack O’Neill looked at Kawalsky, and then, at the baby in Dr. Carter’s arms, realising. He looked at mother and son again, for a long moment.

“If we can strap the baby to her, the holographic disguise device should enfold him as well.” Narim seeing Dr. Carter’s worried expression, assured her.

“Then, all we have to do is walk out of here, as a bigger group of Jaffa than we came in!” Daniel said, sarcastically.

“And we have to get started on that plan now!” Jack O’Neill Snr. impatiently urged them all.
       
       

After they had managed to knock out the two Jaffa guarding the door to the Prisoners room, the increased party had hastily escaped the Palace. Luckily for them, no more Jaffa guarded the entrance to this grand abode. Not this time. This was a rather desolate planet, and Apophis wanted SG1 to be able to just wonder in…

That’s why getting back to the mirror worried Jack O’Neill. Would Apophis and more of his guard be awaiting them there? He already felt bad that his careless remark about a reality in which, at the time, Apophis had been believed to be dead, may have caused the capture of his alternate reality friends.

“It’s not your fault, Jack,” Dr. Carter said, “That bastard needed taking down a peg or two!”

“How d’ya know?” The still disguised O’Neill said.

“Because I knew my Jack…” She said, wistfully.

“Ahh.” It dawned on him exactly who he was speaking to. The disguise device really did hide up the child strapped to her chest.

“Is he alright in there?” Jack O’Neill asked awkwardly.

Dr. Sam Carter smiled warmly, “One of the Tollan just scanned him… He’s fine! The hologram doesn’t restrict his breathing, and he shouldn’t be getting hungry for another four hours.”

“We should be able to get ourselves home before that.” Jack said.

“We have to, for Sam’s sake.” Dr. Carter said.

“Yeah…” O’Neill looked over his shoulder, worriedly.

Dr. Carter smiled, knowingly.

Turning his attention back to Dr. Carter, Jack gratefully said, “It’s a good job you guys still have your mirror intact.”

“It should be fine… We kept it just in case, but our Asgard helped us deactivate it. It is capable of working again though, with the help Narim has assured us the Tollan are capable of giving.”

“They’re handy, our Tollan and Asgard friends, aren’t they?” Jack asked.

“They’re the best!” Dr. Carter said, smilingly.

The extended team of SG1 had been able to step through the mirror un-hindered, no Apophis or any of his Jaffa ahead of, or behind, them.

“They couldn’t have had any death gliders to catch us up with…” Major Carter said.

“And Apophis must have been expecting you alone, O’Neill.” Teal’c stated. “That must have been why he was not immediately aware of our presence, or the absence of Dr. Carter and Major Kawalsky.”

“Lucky for us…” Kawalsky added.

“Now, we have to see about getting you folks home…” O’Neill said fondly.

“Jack’s just about ready for his bedtime…” Dr. Carter said.

Colonel O’Neill smiled, “I’d like the luxury!”

Dr. Carter smiled.

Major Carter felt a little awkward.

 

 

“Narim, are you sure that your people will be able to help us permanently deactivate our mirror?” George Hammond asked his world’s Tollan friend.

“Yes, General Hammond…When we stepped through the mirror on the Goa’uld controlled planet, Major Carter planted some C4?” Narim looked at the woman he loved, and she nodded that he had remembered correctly, “ This was on a timing mechanism, and enhanced by some of our own explosive materials, our scanning devices detected its successful eradication of the mirror, shortly after we stepped through. We then permanently deactivated and dismantled the mirror on this side, eradicating it by using the weaponry we found. We should be able to do the same with your mirror, once the Doctor and Major Kawalsky have stepped through…”

“And just before they do that for you, they’re going to help us put a timed detonator on our Mirror as well…” Kawalsky said.

“I hope we don’t ever need it again…” Dr. Carter said.

“The Asgard are good friends. They’ll help you out if ever you need it… We’re leaving you in good hands.” Jack noticed the finality of his last sentence, and wasn’t sure he liked it.

“Are we as sure as we can be that the two explosions, either side of the mirror, will not cause some kind of temporal rift?” Daniel asked.

“You’ve been watching too many episodes of Star Trek!” Jack O’Neill teased his friend good-naturedly.

Jonas looked at Teal’c for explanation of this reference.
 
“I shall explain later…” Teal’c stated, knowingly.

“No. That’s a reasonable question, sir…” Major Carter admonished him slightly.

Jack gave her an ‘I’m hurt!’ look, but he didn’t really mean it.

“We are more advanced in our understanding of Quantum mechanics,” Narim stated, “And, in this circumstance, there is no need for concern in this area.”

“In this area???” Jack and Daniel both asked.

“You shouldn’t experience any further problems, I assure you…” Narim said to them both.

“I feel so much better…” Jack O’Neill dryly announced.
       

“I guess this is goodbye, again…” Dr. Carter said, wearily. Then, more brightly, she continued “I better get this little fella back home!” The mother looked down at her son, whom she cradled as he slept. “I’m sorry we caused so much trouble for you all… I should never have taken this little one with me to the planet where Apophis found us! We were setting up one of my projects, and when I couldn’t find anyone to babysit, I took him, because we’d been there before…”

“It’s not your fault! Jack emphasised. “You two look after each other…” He said, with definite affection.

“We will!” Dr. Carter said. “Jack will be keeping an eye on us…”

“I’m sure he will.” O’Neill felt a little odd speaking of himself like that.

“Well, we’d better get going, before Narim and his people blow these things up!” Dr Samantha Carter indicated the mirror, which led to an identical mirror in her reality. She stepped forward, and kissed O’Neill on the cheek.

He put a hand on her shoulder, and looked deeply into her eyes, gently holding her in his gaze for a moment. Then, he lent forward and kissed her baby’s forehead.

Dr. Carter’s heart ached at the sight, but she didn’t begrudge Jack the gentle action. She smiled at him.

Jack O’Neill watched mother and son walk out of his life, again…            

THE END

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