2005 part 1, Strange Old Faces

How long should I wait?

How long am I going to pace laps around this Stargate until I ought to try dialing it and seeing if...

Would I know if they succeeded? What if they hadn't? What if... I sigh to myself. There would never be any going back to the Earth I knew: if they succeeded or not. I check my watch again. Fifteen minutes. They should have opened the gate by now.

I soon as I had stepped through the gate to Chulak, I had signaled to Teal'c to go on through.  I wanted to go back with him right then, but they wanted me to explain why they did this... if they failed.

They can't fail. Too much is at stake, or was at stake.

Just in case they would try and track me down, which I knew they wouldn't do right away, I had automatically dialed a different Planet after Teal'c's wormhole disengaged. So here I am, waiting in the beautiful building in the Land of Light where Tuplo's people had moved the Stargate.

Ugh! I can't stand it any longer. If I can establish a wormhole to Earth, something would definitely have gone wrong. Who cares about the truth? If I can help, I'm going back!

Wow, I didn't even realize that I had already begun dialing up Earth as I made up my mind. Well... It's a bit scary. I hate a fear of the unknown. There have been way too many unknowns in this whole ordeal.

My hand is shaking, but I finally push the DHD's center jewel and it glows up. I look up to the Stargate. Did it just flicker as it established? Or is my mind playing tricks with me?

I'm sick of thinking. With a quick deep breath I run towards the gate and throw myself into it.

I feel the normal bizarre feeling that comes with gatetravel, but I feel like I'm also being put through the agitate cycle of a top-loading washing-machine. Next thing I know I'm being thrown out of the event horizon, freezing cold.

I see my friends.

They're all dead.

Then it disappears, my whole surroundings fade to... an airport? My heart rate increases. Well, Janet, we're not in Kansas anymore.


Busy crazy airport.  I forgot what these were like. Being in an unfamiliar place, not even knowing why, I head towards the exits without even thinking about it. This place brings back so many memories, but it doesn't fit. If only Sam was here, she'd be able to figure it out.

Taxi. I should try and get to one. Money. Do I have any money with me? It's not like Teal'c's or Tuplo's people would have done much with it. I find I do still have my wallet and some cash. My hands are shaking.

Will they take my cash? This isn't the Earth I left less than a half-hour ago, so what should I expect?

I find I am standing next to a taxi with a bored driver who's wondering what I'm trying to decide.

"Colorado Springs," I say.

He stares at me and responds politely, "I can take you to a bus station that can send you in the right direction."

I smile nervously, "that'd be alright."

I barely breathe this whole trip. I don't know what's happening, plus I just realize that I'm in a bit of shock. One awful trip later, I arrive at the familiar surroundings I lived in for several years... several years ago.

I wasn't too hard to get to Cheyenne Mountain.

As I feared, it was a different Cheyenne Mountain than the one back home...

I didn't have an ID or anything. That could be a problem.  I approach a guard, "Hi, I was wondering if I could speak to someone inside."

The security guard looks at me with a cocked eyebrow, trying to tell how serious I am, "and who would you like to contact?"

Would the people I knew be there? How about I just try... Dr.? Major? Colonel? "Samantha Carter, please," I respond boldly only after a moments contemplation. "Last I checked she had an office on level nineteen."

The guard studies me some more, and then grabs a list from his desk. He picks up the phone in his limited space, dials something, and hands me the phone.

"Carter."

"Sam?"

"...yes?" she sounds unsure, but it wasn't a normal call anyway.

"Hi, I'm here at the Mountain's entrance and I need your help." Please understand... Please understand...

"Who is this?" she demands sharply, startling me.

I swallow, "Dr. Janet Frasier."

There's silence at the other end and then the phone is hung up. I don't have to wait long for a contingent of soldiers to come and take me down to a holding room at the SGC.

Welcoming bunch.

Fear creeps up my spine, but I still have some lingering Air Force training and I hold myself together. Why do I feel so at home when I know I'm so far from it? And I know that I am most likely stuck as well.

I sit in the holding room for a few minutes until a doctor I do not recognize comes in and gives me the basic examination for strange people... including a blood sample and a Goa'uld check.

Over the following ten minutes, I rediscover some nervous habits that I had thought I left behind in grade school.

Finally, my official welcoming committee has arrived. It's Sam, looking very nostalgic in her generic green pants and black shirt. Behind her is another familiar face, as crabby-looking as ever, but do I notice... he's got stars on his uniform... that's very different.

They stare at me, mouths hanging slightly unhinged. I break the ice. "Look, obviously things are very strange for you at the moment, but believe me, it's nothing like the spinning world I'm getting overwhelmed with."

Sam and... General Jack exchanges glances. Sam paces slightly, faces me, crosses her arms in front of her chest, and prepares herself to begin her interrogation, but not sure where to begin. "First off, do you know where you are?" She trying to figure out just how foreign I am.

"Yes," I reply simply, "this is Stargate Command, a location at which I was stationed for four or so years." I state as-a-matter-of-fact-ly. "I am Doctor Janet Frasier, but I think you might already know me."

Sam nods more to herself than to me, "how did you get here?"

My shoulders sloop. I think about the events of the last week. So much has changed. Everything I knew... everyone I knew... are probably gone... or ceased to exist or something. My mind flashes to an image that I had in my head just as I got thrown into the Airport. My friends all died, with no one to know of their heroism. Did I see my reality just for a moment before I fully entered this one? Tears start to sting my eyes and I think Sam noticed my abrupt change in mood and seemed ready to change subject, but I answer her.

"To be honest, Sam," I look up to meet her eyes, "I was hoping you could help me figure that out."

--

"Ahh, there," O'Neill says as Sam and I sit down, "That's more comfortable."  There are guards posted around the briefing room.

"Oh, I'd prefer the infirmary," I say nervously.  "I miss being an old fashion doctor." O'Neill raises an eyebrow. Sam looks at me like she's trying to solve a puzzle, oh, I sure hope she can figure this one out.  

"Ok," O'Neill starts as nicely as is possible for him, "Let's start at the beginning, who are you?"

Uhg!  He doesn't believe me?  How can I make them understand!  "I'm Janet Nicole Fraiser, I was born in Kansas City, Missouri, I received my doctorate at University of California Medicine.  I joined the Airforce in 1989, I joined the SGC in 1996 where not too long later I found myself trying to discover the cure for a disease that made Sam seduce you in the locker room..."

"Ah!"  O'Neill interrupts me.  Sam is blushing but smiling.  "Look, we know who you look like, but we know you're NOT Janet Fraiser."  He sounds angry and unconvinced.

I don't understand?  Wherever I am, they have their own Janet?

O'Neill continues, "now, our medical staff did check for one of those funky devices that those funky aliens used when they strung us all up in that one room with gooy webs." O'Neill was making hand motions as he talked to suggest his discomfort, "but we didn't find anything...so we're just waiting for those blood test results to prove...."

"Not necessarily sir. She may still be genetically the same person as Janet, but we may be dealing with an alternate Janet."

Hello!  I'm still here!  So I interrupt, "but I didn't go through any 'Quantum Mirrors' or anything.  Wouldn't you like me to tell you how I got here?"  

O'Neill blinks, "From where?"

"Well see, I was at the Land of Light, and I dialed Earth, and when I got here, I remember seeing the Earth I remember, but you..." No, I don't want to see them dead anymore, they're ok, they're right here. "...Well, and then all of a sudden I was in a different Earth?  An airport in DC to be more exact."

The general looks at the colonel, "Sir, I don't think it's possible for inter-dimensional travel with the Stargate but I'd have to research it..."

"...Hey Jack!"  A new voice is heard entering the room, "remember those tablets we found an P2C-749?  Well, I think it a derivative of Goa'uld but with actually a Spanish flav-.... uh, what's with all the guards?"

I turn around quickly, my heart leaping, "Daniel!"

His jaw drops, and so do his papers, his face goes pale.  "Janet?"  He finally whispers.  I don't understand, what is so different about me?  I don't think I want to know.  I'm so tired, I hardly got any sleep on that bus. I rub my eyes and aching head.

Sam breaks the silence.  "Daniel, please meet, who we think is probably an alternate-Janet."

"Or an imposter," General O'Neill mumbles.

Daniel is still staring, "Alternate?  As in Jack-and-Sam-are-married-where-you-come-from alternate?"

My hands are still rubbing my head,  "No, she married a civilian."

"Pete?"  Sam smiles.

"No, Joe. Joe Faxon."  

Sam's eyes widen at this.  "The ambassador? He died nearly three years ago."  

I cock an eyebrow, but then sigh deeply.  Sam says, "You must be tired..."

O'Neill interrupts her, "Daniel, will you and the guards escort 'Ms. Fraiser' to some guest quarters?  Carter, a word?"

I get up nervously.  As I leave the room, I hear Sam say something about "benefit of the doubt." I think that it's going in my favor.  

--

Wow, everything looks the same!  

Daniel is still walking with me to my quarters, but he hasn't said anything.  But still, it does feel nice to be home.  When we get to the door, he says good night.  I can't leave it like that, so I add, "Daniel...I-"

"I know."  He said softly and left before anything more awkward could be said.


I cried myself to sleep.


I was there again, in the Stargate departure area, I'm looking up at Daniel as I wave him good bye, goodbye for good.  Then to Teal'c , I put my hand on his shoulder as he leaves Chulak, and then I'm alone, afraid.  I'm back in DC again, and there are my friends dead on the floor, I rush to their sides, I try to save them.   My hands shake, I'm useless.  There's a knocking, the door opens, in enters Borren, I yell at him, and then he says, "Janet?"  in Sam's voice.  I sit up quickly.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you,"  Carter says gently as she sits on the side of my bed.  I'm sweating and shaking.

Sam continues, "You've been asleep for nearly twelve hours."

"I haven't slept well the last few days."  I say groggily.  The last couple days I could hardly sleep on the bus, and then before than I could barely sleep after I gave my Sam that examination...

Sam asks me gently, "I was just wondering if there was anything unusual when you went through that gate from the Land of Light."

I didn't want to talk about it.  Sam could tell from my expression.  There was a knock at the door.

"Teal'c!"  Sam looks pleased to see me smile.

He bowed his head (which had hair on it! It looked very good!), "I thought perhaps you would enjoy breakfast?"  He came bearing gifts on a tray. I note that he still had the golden first-prime symbol of Apophis on his forehead. Then again, where I came from, Teal'c had gotten rid of it a couple of years after the SGC shut down and turned into a museum.

Teal'c sits next to Sam as I start sipping my orange juice.   My eyes widen as I taste the drink.  "Wow!"  Sam and Teal'c look at me confused, "It's been a long time since I've had real orange juice."

"Your enjoyment of the food reminds me of Jonas Quinn."  Teal'c smiles.

"Who?"

Sam smiles, "An alien who took Daniel's place when he died."

My eyes shoot open in shock, "he died?"

Sam laughs, "He got better, we'll explain it all later."   There is a pause as I slowly eat.  Sam starts again slowly, yet very curious.  "Janet?"

"I don't have any of the answers you want, Sam.  I have no idea what has happened."  Of course, there is more I'm not telling her.  

"Well, if there's anything you can tell me that was unusual..." Sam trails off.

I ask, "is it possible that a solar flare can cause me to switch realities?"

Sam is startled by this, "No, I don't think so, as far as we know, it can only cause time travel."

I say softly and solemnly, "I doubt it matters how I got here, I'm stuck here."

Sam says, "But you can't stay permanently in another dimension..."

"I know," I say, "I remember.  But I didn't go through a quantum mirror..." I stop.  I don't really want to continue.  This toast looks good.

Sam sighs but asks, "Do you have any idea why the Stargate took you to DC instead of Colorado?"

"Because in my reality, the Stargate is in DC.  They moved it there when the Stargate was opened to the public."

Sam's eyes lit up at the idea, the possibilities.  "I wonder if the general will allow me to go to DC and see if I can find any evidence..."

"I doubt it,"  I interrupt.  "I doubt he'd let you go.  No offense, I'm sure O'Neill makes a great general, I just..." I hang my head, "miss George."

"George?"  Sam questions, "George Hammond?"

"We can contact him in DC if you would like," Teal'c offers.

"He's alive?"  I smile.  Sam and Teal'c raise eyebrows.  My face falls, "and Cassie?"

"She's doing great!"  Sam smiles

"Really?!"  I look at Sam shocked.

"She got into Cornel, and she's majoring in Bio-Physics."

Tears came to my eyes.  Sam guesses and pats me on the back.

Suddenly the alarm rings.  Sam and Teal'c run out of the room to see what's going on.  I am left alone.  "What's going on?"  I ask the guards at the door.  

One of them pulls up a radio and asks that same question. "SG-11 encountered some of Ba'al's Jaffa, wounded coming in."

"Who's Bahl?"  I ask, expecting no answer.  Probably staff blasts... Wait! I had four years of experience with staff weapon damage, "I can help!" I call after them.  I wait anxiously, there but no one let me help.  Teal'c later tells me that the injuries weren't too bad and I probably would have just made the medical staff uncomfortable.  Once again, I'm useless.


Continued on in part 2 www.deviantart.com/view/259814…
or can be found in full at www.gateworld.net/fanfic/archi…