Cause and Effect
Cause and Effect
by Ted Sadler
Title: Cause and Effect
Author: Ted Sadler
Email: ted.sadler@ntlworld.com
Category: Action/Adventure, FutureStory, Romance
Episode related: 220 1969, 406 Window of opportunity, 521 Meridian
Season: Season 5
Pairing: Sam/Jack
Rating: G
Warnings: none
Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. I have written this story for entertainment purposes only and no money whatsoever has exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author(s).
Cause and Effect
Chapter 1
"Continue your report, Major Carter, from the time when you were trying to get the refugees back to the Stargate", General Hammond said with a tone of patience yet an obvious sign of firmness that he wanted the whole story.
"Well, sir," replied Sam, "Colonel O'Neill had gone ahead to make sure that the way was clear and to assist Teal'c, who by this time could hardly walk. His leg was bleeding badly from the staff weapon blast and he was on the edge of fainting on occasions. The Colonel was half carrying, half dragging him for the last kilometre that I could see them across the valley."
"I managed to get the 3 adults and 5 children to stay behind in the tree line. We were to await the all-clear from the Colonel, when it would be safe to cross the open ground. It wasn't easy, as the adults wanted to get out as quickly as possible. We thought that the Jaffa were still some distance away so I wasn't too worried about the delay, and at one point the older man started to run and some of the others began to follow, so I tackled him and pointed my P90 at him while he lay on the ground."
"How long did you wait?" asked Hammond.
"About 10 minutes. That's when we came under fire from a Jaffa patrol that I hadn't seen in the trees. I returned fire and killed two of them, but by this time their staff weapon fire was quite intense. I estimated that there were another 6 or 7 a little further off. Within moments, all three adults in my care were dead and so were three of the children. I was wounded in the left shoulder and was loading my last ammunition clip when a tree branch dislodged by enemy fire fell and knocked the P90 from my hands. I thought we would all die in the next few seconds."
Her voice was breaking a little and her eyes began to fill with tears. The General urged her to take as much time as she needed before continuing, but after a moment she continued, her military training, resilience and sheer guts coming to her aid.
"The remaining Jaffa stopped firing when they saw what had happened to me and walked into the clearing, charging their staff weapons for a last volley. That's when Colonel O'Neill ran in from the other side, firing as he advanced. Four Jaffa fell but the rest returned fire and he was hit two or three times, maybe more. He screamed but somehow kept running and firing until he was right on top of them. As the last one fell he stood over them, shouting at them at the top of his voice. He emptied the whole clip of ammunition into the bodies. Finally he seemed to come back to earth, and turned round. He started walking back to me and the 2 kids, who were hiding behind me. A few metres away he stopped by the body of the boy who had been killed by the Jaffa just before he arrived."
She took a deep breath. "He just collapsed there, staring at the boy. I moved over to him and he looked up at me. He was crying. Shortly after that he lost consciousness from his wounds."
"I checked that the 2 remaining children were OK physically - they were a little hysterical - and administered the field medikit painkiller to Colonel O'Neill, who was stirring a little and moaning. He looked at me briefly again and then passed out."
"You know the rest, sir. Teal'c had activated the Stargate and we were evacuated by SG-5. We owe our lives to Colonel O'Neill."
The tall figure in the background, who had remained silent until now, leaned forward in his chair.
"I don't doubt that all SG-1 members acted according to the best traditions of the Air Force, Major, especially yourself. However the purpose of this enquiry is to determine whether Colonel O'Neill will be fit to resume active service, or whether his future conduct is likely to expose himself or other SG unit members to unnecessary risks."
The Provost Marshall was in no mood to be deflected by the stress that he could see in Carter, nor by the fierce protection that General Hammond afforded all his units.
"Why didn't the Colonel dial out of the Stargate himself and return with an SG rescue unit? Why did he rush single-handedly to your aid and get himself damn near killed in the process?"
Sam's felt the angry response rising within her, and military discipline be damned, she shot back, "Sir, the Colonel has come to many people's aid during our missions and he sure as hell doesn't deserve to have his record and his motives questioned like this in his absence!"
"His record isn't in question, Major", replied Hammond quickly, trying to defuse the situation.
The Provost Marshall continued. "I have reason to believe that the only person who's relatively safe on any of Colonel O'Neill's missions is you, Major Carter. I have heard evidence that he has developed an emotional attachment to you that is clouding his judgement. And the fact that you have spent most of your spare time by his hospital bed these last two months leads me to believe that you are similarly affected."
Sam's intended reply was stifled and she stood rigid, shocked and glowing red with embarrassment.
"This hearing is adjourned until Colonel O'Neill is in a fit state to undergo questioning" were the Marshall's final words.
Chapter 2
Jack's mind was in the gentle, offbeat turmoil that only he seemed to be capable of practising. He was on his roof terrace, surveying the Andromeda Nebula through his telescope on a warm, gentle night. He actually felt nervous about testing out his theory on Sam, who was due over as soon as debriefing from her last mission had been completed.
The last 4 months had left him with the best and worst of everything. The best, of course, was the fact that he and Sam could openly show their feelings for each other without contravening military regulations, and they had lost no time in doing so. The downside was his retirement from front-line duty - "as a result of wounds received on active service", according to his record. However he felt bad that this short phrase had been used as a cover-up to prevent his and Sam's court-martials for breaking the fraternisation regulations. Carter had not lost rank but had received a severe reprimand in her record ("Welcome to the club," thought Jack). The military would not make exceptions no matter what the circumstances and it had cost George Hammond his place in command of the SG Units to bring about the compromise. Not that General Hammond felt bad about it - he was enjoying his retirement and counted Jack and Sam as good friends. But Jack was frustrated that, although he would soon return to full health, he could not go back.
He hadn't heard Sam's car draw into the drive and was mildly surprised when she sat beside him with 2 open bottles of beer. She looked so tired and he guessed it had been another tough SG-24 mission, where she was the scientific observer. SG-1 had not been re-formed after that final rescue. They held each other for several moments before the silence was broken.
"Wanna talk about it?" he said gently.
She sighed, hesitated and looked straight at him.
"The Goa'uld are building the biggest fleet of mother ships we've ever seen. It's huge, and it's intended for us. I guess we've got about 2 years before they arrive here, and I don't know how we're going to get through this. We're probably going to end up like all those alternate universe Earth's which they've overrun."
Jack knew he wouldn't get another chance.
"Sam, all those alternate universes, all the other Sams and Jacks and Teal'cs and Doc Fraziers and Daniels that we've seen, aren't alternate at all. They are us."
Despite her tiredness, she sat upright in amazement. Her Jack O'Neill didn't have thoughts like this! "What?" she said. "How come?"
"Look through the telescope", said Jack. "I've spent a lot of nights doing just that, and thinking about us, and what we've done these last few years. Just let me say a few things before you interrupt. You're the brains, I'm just a dumb soldier." He playfully punched her arm and she smiled. He moved the telescope slightly.
"That star in centre field is Alpha Centauri, the nearest one to Earth. The image is four and a half years old, `cos that's how long the light has taken to get here. How long does it take to get there through the Stargate?"
"About 20 seconds perceived elapsed time", she replied, not knowing where this was going.
"And how long would it take a mother ship?"
"About 3 months PET" replied Carter. "Nothing is as rapid as matter transmission through the Stargates."
"So, if you had an immensely powerful `scope and saw a Goa'uld mother ship leaving orbit around Alpha Centauri, you could theoretically zip through the Stargate to where it's got to and zap it before it even knew what was happening".
"Ye..s", she murmured. "We've actually done that, though, haven't we?"
"So you've pre-empted a dastardly attack by the snake-heads and hooray for us", said Jack. "Then you zip back through the Stargate and wait another 3 months or 6 months, whatever, before the telescope reveals what's happened. But in that intervening time, two versions of history are going on."
She was now wide awake again. How long had he been developing these ideas?
"Think how many times we and the other SG teams have been through the Stargates these last few years," he went on.
"Not to mention all the other races who've been using them since they were built", she added, starting to see the implications.
"Think how we've seen more and more alternate Sams and Jacks and friends and enemies as we've carried on using the Stargates", he said. He sat back and smiled, but Sam's mind was racing ahead as usual. She added:
"By using the Stargates in this cluster of Galaxies more and more often we are generating a new version of history each time we arrive somewhere ahead of the Universe's natural time. We are breaking the principles of Cause and Effect. We can't even be certain that we aren't jumping into alternate time lines every time we come back home. There's a chance that these alternate universe paths re-unite at some point, so back to one of everything.."
"And the furthest back in time we've gone is 1969, so no encounters with our parents before we were born or the young us", she continued, "So the Sam Carter that never joined the Air Force was generated around then by... by me! And the other Sams and Jacks go through Stargates and generate even more paradoxes and multiple personalities!"
She stared hard at him. "Why didn't I think of this before?" Her expression changed suddenly and she frowned. "Where did you get this idea from? You're not an alternate Jack, are you? Where have you stashed my Jack?"
"D'oh, Marge!" he replied. "While I was in the wheelchair I read about some English professor called Hawking, who's spent all his adult life in a wheelchair with Motor Neurone Disease. Didn't stop him from writing a book and getting married, and all that. Funny enough, there was a copy of his book in the hospital library. It was called "A Brief History of Time" and I wasn't going anywhere so I read it. Not much at first, but more after I started wondering how come all the other Sams and Jacks were getting it together when we weren't." Sam knew the book, of course, but never thought that anyone would read it in pursuit of sex.
Suddenly the sparkle disappeared from her eyes. "But if we're going to be wiped out in less than 2 years we'll never be able to explore all that this implies. All my time here is now going to be spent trying to develop weapons and delivery systems powerful enough to try to stop them. And I have no idea what so many naquadria explosions in sub-space are going to do to the space-time continuum this close to Earth."
This was his now-or-never moment. "Unless we went such a long way from Earth by a series of Stargates - much further than we've travelled up to now - that a return journey would land us back here, so far back in time that we could destroy or damage the first Goa'uld before they got so powerful", said Jack. "Be a one-way trip, though. No time loops. We know that machine didn't work on P4X693."
Sam involuntarily opened her mouth and stared at him.
Chapter 3
Jack was amazed to see General Hammond, now unretired, in the briefing room at SGC. And standing to the side, with a rare smile on his face, was Teal'c. He bowed to them in his usual manner but did not speak.
"Sit down, Colonel, Major" commanded Hammond, without a shadow of a smile or other welcome. "Teal'c, please summon Doctor Frazier."
That Sam and Jack were uncomfortable and full of foreboding as they remained silent was obvious for all to see. They could not understand why Teal'c looked so pleased. The decision to re-form SG-1 had taken away their chance to be together, but defending against the Goa'uld attack was obviously their duty and first priority - otherwise there would be no future for any of them. Their conversations on this subject after the recall of all ex-SGC personnel had veered from going AWOL together, to stoic acceptance of their responsibilities. The taste of what could have been lingered on.
After Janet arrived, Hammond instructed his aide over the intercom to prevent any interruptions.
"You know that my recall has given me responsibility for a special project, not overall command" said Hammond. "This project has the backing and support of our allies, The Asgard and the Tollan, who will provide material assistance. For the SGC, I am required to select a team. Under normal circumstances, SG-1 would just be detailed to conduct the mission and this would be the mission briefing."
"Teal'c is already briefed and has given his assent to be selected," continued Hammond.
"Sir, orders are orders, so why ask for his - our - assent? asked Carter.
"Because no-one will return from this mission," replied Hammond. "It's a one-way trip to the distant past, as you discussed with SGC several weeks ago, Major."
The short silence that followed was broken by O'Neill. "Teal'c, why in hell are you so happy about this?" he asked.
"Because we will succeed in saving many lives, O'Neill", replied the Jaffa. "I am content to be given the honour."
"Then, sir, I request that Major Carter be transferred back to SG-24 with immediate effect!" snapped O'Neill. "Apart from anything else, her contribution to the weapons program overrides any other priorities."
"Excuse me, Sir!" Carter angrily interrupted. " I get a say in this too."
"No you don't!" shouted Jack. "As team commander I pick the team members.."
"For once in your life, shut the hell up, Colonel!" ordered Hammond. "The three of you are going on this mission, subject to a quick check. Doctor?" he added, turning to Frazier.
O'Neill expected the Doc to whisk him away for further, deeper medical tests to see how well his wounds had healed - and he knew he still wasn't 100%. The fear of the other two going and him being grounded hit him at once. But Frazier's question left him speechless.
"Major Carter, Sam..." she asked, "are you in love with Jack?". Teal'c's smirk became an open smile in the background. Sam stared aghast at the woman she thought was her friend.
After opening and closing her mouth a few times, and turning crimson with embarrassment, Sam looked at Hammond and replied "Sir, you know what has happened in the past. However, the Colonel and I realise that his recall to duty and reactivation of SG-1 has eliminated the opportunity to pursue a, a.. relationship."
"Does that matter to you?" asked Frazier.
"We'll get over it," Sam replied in a smaller voice.
"And you, Colonel?" asked Frazier. "Your past actions leading to your court-martial suggested that you were in love with Sam. Is that still the case?"
"What she said," replied Jack. "Stopping the Goa'uld is all that really matters now."
Janet turned back to Sam. "If circumstances were different, how far would you wish to pursue your relationship with Jack? Believe me, Sam, your really honest answer is going to decide a lot more than you know right now."
Sam stared at Janet's eyes, looking for something to guide her. Jack gripped the arms of his chair until his knuckles were white.
After what seemed like an eternity, Sam looked down and replied "I'd marry him tomorrow."
Frazier turned to Jack. "Same question for you, Colonel. There's a lot riding on your reply."
"What she said" repeated Jack, looking straight at Sam. But he had no idea why Hammond and Teal'c were smiling, considering that they were being ordered to go to their deaths.
Chapter 4
"Doctor, please start the video," said Hammond.
They all swivelled round to watch the screen. Sam and Jack started in surprise as Daniel Jackson's image appeared.
"Hi gang!", said the recording. "Look, this is kind of hard, because if you're watching this recording then I didn't make it. I hope you miss me!"
As SG-1 swallowed hard, Daniel's voice continued.
"General Hammond, Janet and Teal'c already know the details but we had to keep them from you two. The timing wasn't right, and I know either of you might go and do some lunatic thing that would jeopardise the future if you knew."
"Last year I conducted an excavation in Egypt when we came across a previously undiscovered tomb. It took weeks to enter and initially I had some difficulties translating the hieroglyphics, which interestingly, were in a dialect that resembled.."
"Dr. Jackson, stick to the point!" came Hammond's voice from the recording.
"Well, the translation turned out to be the history of a warrior-priest who had served and protected two minor Gods. It had been written from the stories told to several generations of descendants of these three. Apparently they had scourged the land of other, malevolent Gods around 1500BC, as far as we can date this."
The recording showed a roving camera view of the tomb during Daniel's excavation. The images of Gods, soldiers, snakes, pyramids and bright lights in the sky danced before the camera.
"We found these images rather well preserved. But the real discovery was the mummified remains of the Gods and the priest in a tightly-sealed inner tomb. The inscriptions in the tomb revealed their names: Ja'ac, Xaman'tha and Teal'c. The deities' dwelling place was known as Onil."
"The story relates fierce battles to rid the land of false Gods. Afterwards they stayed in the locality. The Priest eventually took 6 wives and fathered many children. Ja'ac and Xaman'tha remained because she was regarded as a prophetess who could predict floods and other disasters, and showed the locals how to dam the river in the right places to prevent the worst. Ja'ac was revered for his skills as a fisherman. They named the river after his house! Oh, yes - and they had several children."
"We took DNA samples from the Mummies," continued Daniel. "And, there's no getting out of this, guys! Janet confirms that it was, or rather, is you. I have no idea how you got there, but enjoy the trip!"
In the briefing room, the silence that followed was absolute, until Jack said, "How come we're only minor Gods?"
"How many children?" said Sam.
Chapter 5
"How do we know that this mission helps us stop the Goa'uld from invading?" asked Sam.
"The Asgard and the Tollan calculate that your mission has/will reverse an interference in the time line that they detect has taken place. Their ancient records suggest that the Goa'uld were not the threat that they now appear to be." said Hammond. "They believe that we will see - and remember - a change in our situation at the point in local time when you set off on this mission."
"Why the interrogation about our personal lives, General?" asked Jack.
"We had to be sure it was the SG-1 team from our universe, and not an alternate one, that was/is going to make the difference," replied Hammond. "If you and Major Carter were really planning to live separate lives then it would have been a sign that a Mr. and Mrs. O'Neill in another reality would undertake the mission. Daniel's discovery in Egypt found two people, along with their close friend and ally who were obviously going to stay together."
"When I think about this all at once, my head explodes." said Jack. "And Teal'c, don't give me any of that crap about honour! For crying out loud! 6 wives?"
He looked round. "Xaman'tha, are you OK with this?", he said.
And the rest, as they say, is history.
If you enjoyed this story, please send feedback to Ted Sadler
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