Resistance Futile
Resistance Futile
by Jennifer Renner
Title: Resistance Futile
Author: Jennifer Renner
Email: jr_moon2001@yahoo.de
Category: Crossover, Hurt/Comfort, Romance
Crossover: Star Trek - The Next Generation
Season: Season 5
Pairing: other pairing, Sam/Jack
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: none
Summary: SG-1 travels to the future, meets TNG and the Borg. And Sam and Beverly get lost. They have to rescue them!
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).
SPOILERS: Stargate: tiny one for Entity and In the line of duty, before Meridian. Star Trek-The next Generation: overall knowing of the characters, "Best of both worlds" and all Eps with the Borg in them, but before "First Contact" and "Generations".
AUTHORS NOTES: Oookay. I once swore I'd never write a Stargate Crossover. So here it is.... This story came to me as I watched the Season 4 of Star Trek-The next Generation (or rather the shippy scenes...). And I remembered how much I love the shippyness between Picard and Crusher (I so hope they'll finally end my misery in Star Trek X, otherwise I'll be veeery angry with them!). So I tried to include that in the story. I left Troi/Riker out. Sorry. Then I thought Worf and Teal'c would be so great together. Or Jack and Picard. Because of what they are and how they are and I really would love to see them together, but I know that won't be. Anyway. I ignored the fact that Jack talked about Kirk etc in 1969. Don't shoot me. I love the Borg, they are my enemy number one because they are eeeeevil. So they are part of it, too. Sigh and btw, I love the Starfleet uniforms...at least the new ones. Uhm, I guess that's it. I'd love to hear what you think.
THANKS TO: Jemma and Sam23 for the wonderful beta!
FEEDBACK: Begging for it! Really, look, I'm on my knees!
(c) Jennifer Renner 2002
~Resistance futile~
"Daniel, dial us up! Now!" Colonel O'Neill yelled from behind his cover. He crouched close to the stone obelisque to avoid the staff weapon blasts directed at his shelter. The little explosions as the projectiles hit the tall stone monument caused severe damage, but the old artefact held on. Occasionally the Colonel left his cover to shoot some of his attackers and to divert their attention away from his team members. Major Carter was ducking behind the DHD, giving the archaeologist cover who was pushing the symbols in a frenzy. Around him, the young man could feel the projectiles flying and he only waited to being shot by one of them. From behind his right he heard the deep voice of the Jaffa. "O'Neill, we must leave."
"Daniel!!!!!"
"I know Jack!" he yelled back and then the seventh chevron moved into position.
"Whoa.... It didn't lock!"
"What?" came the disbelieving reply of the Major, and then she understood. The Gate on Earth must be open. Some SG team must be returning home or leaving. Whatever the reason was, they didn't have time to sit it out. Not this time. There were too many Jaffa, and they were approaching fast!
"Dial P2F-538!" she ordered from behind her hiding place and then stepped out to divert the Jaffa's attention away from her friend.
Daniel did as told and within seconds, the Stargate opened to rescue them.
"Move move!" the Colonel ordered and both Daniel and Sam ran into the event horizon, followed by their two-team members.
The Gate shut down behind them. Leaving an exhausted SG-1 lying at its feet.
"Well.... that was a wild ride..." the Colonel muttered, adjusting his cab.
"What, sir? The mission or the Gate?" his 2IC asked.
He frowned. "Both..."
"Whoa, uh...guys..."
The Colonel's frown deepened. He knew his friend had detected something that wasn't good. He followed Daniels staring eyes and then he saw it.
The obelisque he had taken cover behind on a planet they just left.
"Maybe just a coincidence?" he tried, knowing it wouldn't be possible.
"Sir, we've been to P2F-538 before. Here should be sand and a lake and lots of fish, remember?" Major Carter looked at him with wide, remembering eyes.
He simply nodded. Then he looked back at her. "Sooo, what just happened?"
It was then, as they heard the distant shouting of men.
A shouting that became louder.
"Crap."
"Daniel...." Jack barked.
"Yeah, I know, I know.... Dial it up." With that the young man sprung up and ran to the DHD.... And stopped.
"Jack," he almost whined.
"Don't say it."
"Jack, the DHD..."
"I don't want to hear it."
"...Is destroyed."
"Thank you Daniel."
"Everybody take cover!" In the distance Colonel O'Neill heard men shout at each other, giving commands.
Then he saw them, and couldn't stop staring. They were humans wearing probably the most stupid uniforms, if they were uniforms, in the whole wide world; or at least in his opinion. He counted four men. Two were Blacks, the others white.... or at least one of them. The other was sort of.... white. The one wearing the read uniform, a tall man with brown hair and a beard, shouted orders at the others, leading their flight in direction of SG-1's hiding place. The one sort-of-white man was shot by whoever was attacking them but didn't seem to bother, the smaller of the black ones, the one with the fence or whatever it was over his eyes, spoke into the little pin attached to his uniform.
"Geordi?" the leader queried.
"They are under attack, sir. The Captain is doing what he can, but they can't let the shields down, Commander!" the fence-man answered. They were really close now. Jack could sense Daniel's excitement. He looked over at Teal'c who crouched alert behind the damaged DHD, along with Daniel. Close at Jack's side was Sam, alert as well.
"Sir, look," she whispered. The last of the four, a huge black man wearing long hair looked like.... he couldn't describe it. "What is with his forehead? Is that a ...turtle?" the Colonel joked lamely. Major Carter only shook her head, signalling, "I have noo idea".
Then the SG-team spotted the attackers. Humans or sort of humans with lots of machinery attached to them. "For cryin' out loud, what the heck is going on here?" Before one of his team members could tell him that they had not the tiniest clue, the fence men pointed a finger in their direction, causing his fellow team members to stare at SG-1 surprised. They obviously were unprepared to find other beings on this planet. Like SG-1 was surprised to again be on P9H-286, which they had left just ten minutes ago.
The Colonel took action. "Identify yourself!" he ordered in direction of the four strange men, pointing his P-90 to emphasize his question.
"Who are you?" came the not at least intimidated reply of the bearded man.
"We are peaceful explorers from a planet called Earth. We..." Daniel started only to be cut off by the fence men repeating: "Earth?? Commander?!" And with no other word hell broke lose.
In his head, the Colonel replayed what had happened a few moments ago. He and his team had been attacked by way too many Jaffa and couldn't get home because somebody left the Stargate open. So they went to a nice, peaceful planet with an awesome lake and landed on exact the same planet they just gated away from only to find themselves under attack, again, but this time from some...beings...none of them had ever heard or seen of before. And he was not talking of the strange machine-men that were attacking them. For any reason the four uniformed men decided that they all were friends and took shelter with SG-1 to try to kill the machine-guys they called Borg (what kind of name was that? Swedish?), but somehow failed due to the shields protecting them. So SG-1 demonstrated the combined power of a staff weapon plus P-90's and as their shields somehow managed to adjust to their weapons as well SG-1 felt a tickling sensation and Jack prepared himself to greet Thor. Instead he found himself face to face with a human, equally bald but a little taller than the Asgaard, who looked a little tense.
"Report Number one."
And the bearded man did. He said something about those four, meaning Jack and his team, being suddenly there out of nowhere, and that they claimed to be from Earth.
"Ex-cuse me!" Jack interrupted and got a...tense look from the older man. "Where's Thor? And how did you get one of his ships?"
"Err, Sir. I doubt we are on Thor's ship. This.... ship or whatever it is, seems to function a lot different from the Asgaard's ships, but their technology is not alike," Sam informed him, earning an interested look from both the fence-man and the sort-of-white one.
She looked around, eager to learn more, and then Daniel jumped in, doing his job.
"Uhm, as I've tried to say down on ...uhm...the planet while we've been attacked, we are peaceful explorers from Earth, uhm...Tauri if you know it by that name. My name is Doctor Daniel Jackson, this is Colonel Jack O'Neill, Major Samantha Carter and Teal'c." He emphasized his introduction by waving a hand in direction of his team members.
"Aaand you are..." Jack asked keenly.
The older man looked at Number one who shrugged. "My name is Captain Jean-Luc Picard from the Starship Enterprise." And than he added, in a somewhat puzzled tone, "From Earth."
"What??" Jack asked, looking first at the Captain of the Starship Enterprise, then at a gaping Daniel, and next at a frowning Major. He knew by instinct Teal'c would have only raised an eyebrow. He looked nevertheless at him and found him eying, and being eyed suspiciously by turtle man. "Ah Teal'c, found a new friend?" he smirked.
"Indeed."
Jack looked stunned and then heard Daniel babbling.
".... You are from Earth? But we are, too and we don't...."
"Carter?" he asked a little stressed.
"I don't know sir." She looked at him helplessly. She directed her attention towards the Captain. She was about to ask as...
~Red alert. Red alert. Captain Picard to bridge ~
The addressed man pushed his little pin and answered. "On my way. Number one. Data. Worf, with me. O'Brian, see them to the guest quarters. Gentlemen, this has to wait."
With that he followed his officers out of the swooshing door.
"What??" Jack looked at the plump man who ushered them out.
"Don't worry. Counsellor Troi will see to you. She'll help."
With that the team was lead out of the transporter room and into the long corridors of the Starship Enterprise.
After O'Brian had explained to the team how to order some food or drink, he left SG-1 alone in the huge, furnished room. Sam and Daniel immediately went to order coffee (Sam) to find out how that thing they called Replicator (Bugs? You got those damned bugs on this ship? -Jack) worked and to inspect the various sculptures and paintings (Daniel). Teal'c slowly approached the huge windows, followed by Jack, after he calmed down, to stare out at space. Under them was a planet, obviously P-whatever.
"Sooo, Campers.... anyone?" Jack asked, rising both his head and eyebrows. He got various "This-is-amazing's", and "I've-never-seen-something-like-this's", and so plonked down into one of the comfortable armchairs and sighed.
"O'Neill." Teal'c looked at the door. None of them had heard the door swoosh open, but now all their eyes were on the two pretty women, one of them brunette, the other red-haired, standing in the door way.
"Hello, my name is Counsellor Deanna Troi. This is Doctor Beverly Crusher. She'll have to check that you don't have any diseases." Daniel almost ran to her to greet her and introduce them again. "It's okay, we understand that. We do it the same way."
"Daniel?"
"Jack, if they wanted to harm us, they'd done it already. They are way more advanced than we are."
Jack made a face to signal his disapproval, but let the Doctor point her little beeping thingy at his body. He could already feel Carters longing to be half an hour alone with the little device.
"They are all in perfect health, and definitely human." She looked at Teal'c. "Except this one. He carries a symbiote."
Troi looked at her, guessing. "A Trill?"
"No...." Daniel hesitated, unsure whether they were talking about the same. "He's a Jaffa. He carries a Goa'uld symbiote." The two women looked at each other.
"Wait a minute. You've never heard of the Goa'uld?" Jack asked disbelieving. "You said you were from Earth?"
"I'm from Betazed," the dark-haired woman corrected. "I'm half human, half betazoid."
"Which means?" Jack asked impatiently.
"Which means, Colonel O'Neill, that I can sense your feelings, all of your feelings. That's why I'm the ship counsellor. So I know you are confused, frustrated and angry.... besides other things." She smiled knowingly. "You want answers, all of you. Teal'c is suspicious about Lieutenant Worf, but I can ensure you he is a loyal and true warrior, like yourself." Teal'c nodded. "You," Deanna smiled at Daniel, "are eager to know everything about this place, like Major Carter is. As soon as we are out of danger, the Captain will meet with you again and inform you about everything. I can tell you he is as keen as you are. I can only recommend that you, Doctor Jackson and Major Carter, talk to either Data or Geordi. They will be able to answer all your questions and you could answer theirs."
During her speech, Jack only had one thought: "Sense my feelings?" He looked over at his 2IC who listened in fascination to the dark haired woman. Daniel wanted to know everything from Betazed and what it was like to be telepathic.
The Doctor stood with Teal'c trying to find answers to her questions concerning her assumption that he was a Trill.
Then, from nowhere, came the voice of the older man who had introduced himself as Captain Picard. "Counsellor, please guide our guests into the conference room. Captain Picard over."
"Of course, Captain." She faced the foreign team and motioned them to follow her.
SG-1 was guided through the huge ship, again, and everybody who knew Colonel Jack O'Neill just a little could read on his face that he was everything but amused.
As Captain Picard entered the conference room he found it full of activity. The alien team was still all geared up. The blonde woman, announced to him as Major Carter, was literally fuzzing around a very helpless-looking Data, asking all sorts of question as how he worked and who built them and if she might be able to collect some data from...Data. "This is so amazing, sir. Look. An android." The Captain could see her pinching Data's arm. "How does he work?" the eager woman asked a grinning Geordi. "Actually, Major Carter. You can ask him himself. I'm sure nobody knows more about Data than Data himself." "To us, Data is a member of our team, Major Carter. He is a living and feeling man. Not 'just' an android," Beverly Crusher explained. The other woman seemed to understand and apologized to Data, asking him all sort of other questions. Soon the two of them were in the middle of a scientific talk, of which the Captain didn't understand the half of. The young man, Doctor Jackson (he wondered what kind of doctor he was) was also asking all sorts of questions to everybody present. The huge, black man, Teal'c, was sitting motionless opposite Lieautenant Worf, but Captain Picard was sure nothing would escape the man's eyes. The leader of the team sat uncomfortable opposite Will Riker and was secretly shooting glances at the Counsellor. So they don't know telepaths, he thought.
"Captain," Will nodded as the older man sat down at the head of the long table. Immediately, his crew went silent and looked at him attentive.
"So, let's try to find out what happened to you and who you are." Captain Picard suggested in direction of the four alien people sitting to his left.
SG-1 explained where they came from and why they where on the planet they called P9H-286. The crew of the Enterprise never heard of the Stargate and both Data and Geordi were more than interested to know all about it. Sam and Daniel explained in quick terms. In return, the crew of the Enterprise informed SG-1 that they were in the 24th century and Earth was part of the United Federation of Planets.
"So, probably, we, somehow got transported into another time," Sam theorized.
"What? Daniel, what did you do?" the Colonel asked, shooting the younger man an accusing look.
"What? What I did??"
"Ehm, sir. Daniel didn't do anything wrong. Maybe it was some solar..."
"Fascinating..."
"Excuse me?" Jack shot at Data.
"Gentlemen and ...ladies...." Commander Riker interrupted. "So you think that somehow you got transported through time?" he asked the blonde woman.
"Yes, Commander Riker. The wormhole doesn't transport to alternate realities...."
"Yes, that's because it isn't a mirror," Jack added and earned a puzzled look from the Starfleet crew. "Never mind", he waved.
"Err, thank you, sir. As I was about to say, we've experienced it before. There was a solar flare and we got transported back into the year 1969 and then from there into the future. That's the only explanation I have for this," Sam shrugged.
"Okay, but why don't they know about the Stargate?" Daniel asked.
"Maybe it got lost?" Sam suggested weakly.
Will Riker thought about it and then asked, "Where did you keep that... Stargate?" Daniel told him and after a few seconds, Data gave them the answer. "Cheyenne Mountain was destroyed by a vast explosion in 2...."
"Stop!"
The Colonel looked questioningly at his 2IC, as did the rest. "Sir, he can't tell us what happened. It might happen in the near future and we are not allowed to change the future, that is our future..." with a look at the people opposite her she added, "...and your past."
"What?" Jack just had to ask.
"She is right, Captain," Data nodded. "I'll be more careful about that in the future. Thank you."
Ignoring the Android Jack lent closer to Sam. "Carter, we could still be working there when this happens. Or only one of us, you do know that?" She nodded. "And you do know that we could prevent it from happening. Maybe it was a Goa'uld attack or..." "Sir. We can't." They looked at each other and finally Jack gave in.
"So.... how are we gonna fix this? And who are these...Bocks?" he waved one hand in direction of the space outside the window.
"Borg's."
"What?"
"They are called Borg. You said Bocks," Data explained
"No. I didn't"
"I am certain you did."
"Didn't"
"Di..."
"Jack..." Daniel hissed from behind Sam.
"What??"
Captain Picard sighed. He hardly ever did, but he couldn't stop himself. "Colonel. Data," he said in a firm voice.
Both men went silent. Data out of respect; Jack out of curiosity. He shot android whatever-his-name-was one last look and then listened to Captain Picard's explanations. He told SG-1 that the Borg's way of living was being part of a continuum in which no individuals existed. They assimilated all sorts of races and improved them; that is, put implantations on them and inside of them. They were mankind's biggest threat.
"Bigger than the Goa'uld?" Colonel O'Neill asked disbelieving.
"We've never encountered them," Lieutenant Worf announced. Teal'c raised one eyebrow and explained in few words SG-1's biggest threat of mankind.
As even Data confirmed the Goa'uld's non-existence, Colonel O'Neill couldn't help but grin. "Guess in the end we won."
"It seems so," Captain Picard agreed. "As to your other problem, that is, going home, I'm afraid we can't help you with it at the moment."
"Really?" Colonel O'Neill was no happy camper. He wanted to go home. He didn't like the android, the turtle-guy (Klingon? What the heck is a Klingon?), or the Captain. In the Colonel's eyes, that man really could loosen up a little. He felt someone watching him intently and immediately cursed inwardly. He'd forgotten the Counsellor. He scrunched his face in an apologetic manner and looked back at the dark-haired woman. Counsellor Troi nodded.
"We are in the middle of a battle and we hope to find the mother ship so we can destroy it. If we don't, the Borg will enslave Earth."
That hit home and Jack nodded.
He looked up earnest and directed his question at the Captain: "Well, now that we're stuck here, anything we can do to help?"
The Captain smiled acknowledging. "Thank you. I appreciate it, Colonel O'Neill, but I don't know..."
"Well, for starters, Major Carter here is also a doctor in astrophysics and probably one of the smartest people I've ever met, along with Daniel," Jack declared somewhat proudly. "Doctor Jackson is a linguist/archaeologist/anthropologist, I'm sure he can be of some assistance, and Teal'c and I are warriors, if you may say so. If you need someone to fight, just call us." The Jaffa bowed his head. Jack smiled almost smugly. He loved being the commander of this team. Captain Picard answered his smile with a curt one of his own, and nodded towards Lieutenant Commander Geordi LaForge. "Why don't you show Major Carter the engine room. Lieutenant Worf, please show Colonel O'Neill and Mister Teal'c the Holodeck and give them a program including the Borg, so that they know what to expect. Data, you could show Doctor Jackson how our ship computer works so that he can do some research, provided you all agree." Perfect diplomat, Jack thought. SG-1 nodded in unison. "After you've done so, I want you back on the bridge. We need to find a way to fight the Borg," the Captain added. His officers nodded and led SG-1 away. Jack stood up and told his team to stay in contact. He wouldn't risk anything, even if the Captain and his crew were honest. He didn't feel comfortable. Something was about to happen.
Something bad.
They didn't spend much time on the so-called Holodeck. Jack and Teal'c, fascinated by the realistic holographic simulation, soon understood why the Borg were such a danger. They lost almost every simulated fight. As the two began to adjust to their opponents, managing to win more often, the red alert warning raced through the ship, followed by a big, nasty shake.
"Guess they found them, huh Teal'c?" With that, the Colonel and Teal'c left the Holodeck and went for one of the elevators. Jack tried "Bridge" and the transport obediently took them to wherever the bridge was located. Again and again the ship was shaken as strong weapons, whatever they were, hit it.
As the elevator stopped and the door opened, the two men found themselves at the upper side of a huge bridge. They stepped out and looking to their left, saw a huge screen showing a cube. Jack assumed that this must be the mother ship. Down in the middle of the bridge sat the Captain and his 2IC, giving quick orders. In front of Jack and Teal'c stood the Klingon; pushing on various elements on the console he was standing behind. Obviously, Jack understood, he was responsible for kicking the Borg's butts. Behind the Klingon sat Daniel. Wide eyed, his back to the computer screen he had been reading from minutes ago, now staring out into space and at the enemy.
At the far end of the bridge, opposite them another elevator opened and revealed Carter and Geordi. Immediately SG-1 met at the place Daniel was sitting, watching the situation cautiously.
"Shields are down to 60 per cent," the Klingon growled. "Doctor Crusher announces 20 injured."
"Lieutenant Data...." Captain Picard started.
"Captain!" Worf thundered and a swoosh of his, as SG-1 learned, phaser shot through the air and hit the Borg who had managed to penetrate the shield. Out of nowhere four more Borg's appeared on the bridge at various places. They immediately got accustomed to the phasers, and as Worf was about to attack one physically, Jack zatted the enemy. Once, then twice, and as a demonstration to the stunned Klingon, a third time.
"Zat's," he informed him and then watched Teal'c shoot two Borg's with his staff weapon. Two more Borg's appeared and SG-1 managed to take them out with their P-90's as the Captain continued ordering his crew. His crew in return informed him about the status of the ship, which was continuing to get worse. Another blast shook the Enterprise and three more Borg's invaded the bridge. The two aiming at Captain Picard were killed quickly through the strong hands of Data. "Sickbay to Captain Picard. We need assistance; there are Borg everywhere and..." the almost desperate voice of Doctor Crusher vanished into nothingness. Captain Picard sprung out of his seat, pushing his communicator violently: "Doctor Crusher! Beverly!" But no reply came.
"Sir!" Another female shout darted through the shaken air of the bridge. "Carter!!" came the male response.
And then she vanished, along with the last three Borg's.
"For crying out loud!!" Colonel O'Neill stormed down the ramp to stop in front of the Captain. "Where did the son-of-a-bitch take her? Tell me!" he yelled.
"Colonel O'Neill, calm down...." Deanna Troi tried, but the furious man didn't listen.
In front of him, Captain Picard stared motionless at the screen and watched the Borg ship disappear into the cold, endless space that surrounded them.
Jack raised his P-90 and aimed it at the Captain's chest. "I want you to tell tin man here to follow that damn ship as fast as he can. I have no problem shooting you if you don't," he growled. Behind his desk, Worf had already aimed his phaser at the boiling Colonel. "Nor do I." Teal'c calmly pointed his staff weapon at the Klingon's head, and as a reply cocked his head.
"We will follow them, Colonel O'Neill, but not unless you lower your weapons. I know you don't want to kill Captain Picard," Deanna tried.
"Then you should also know that nevertheless I wouldn't hesitate doing it."
"Jack, that won't bring her back. You're only wasting time." Daniel slowly came down the ramp and finally stopped beside his friend. "Jack, please. They've probably lost people, too."
After hesitating some more seconds, Jack reluctantly lowered his P-90.
"Thank you. Mr. Worf," Captain Picard ordered and the Klingon did so as well, followed by Teal'c. "Mr. Data. Follow the ship; warp nine. Colonel O'Neill I'd like to speak to you in my office. Alone. If you don't mind, leave your weapons here in the capable hands of your team. Commander Riker, you have the command. Inform me as soon as we've encountered the Borg ship. I also want to know in what condition my ship is and whom we've lost. And I want to know that now. Colonel, this way." The Captain turned around and headed for a door behind him. Jack frowned, looked at Daniel and then handed him his weapons. Then he followed the older man.
The door swooshed shut, the noise slowly starting to annoy Jack. Captain Picard's voice came out of the attached little room, "Earl Grey, hot, with milk. Can I offer you anything, Colonel O'Neill?" The Captain re-appeared and placed the mug of steaming tea on his desk.
"You're kidding, right? You tell me, you sit here and have a tea break while some techno-guy has kidnapped a member of my team, and very likely yours as well, to do whatever they do to people they. ...how'd you call it...assimilate?" Out of Jack's black eyes, cold rage was aimed at the Captain who stood calmly behind his desk.
"Have a seat." He gestured towards the couch that sat aside of the door, and then he came out from behind his desk and sat down on that couch. Jack only stared at him, in disbelief at what he was seeing.
"I have no idea how you in the 24th century value the life of a friend, but where I come from, we value it more than our own life," he accused coldly.
An almost mocking sound came from direction of the door. "Come in," Picard responded.
Commander Riker entered the room. "The information you wanted, sir." "Thank you, Number One."
The Commander nodded and left.
Picard silently read the names on the little device in his hands, then lay it down slowly and folded his hands in his lab.
At first he didn't look up at the Colonels frustrated face, as he told him: "We do so too, Colonel. I have just lost more than 20 of my people to death or kidnapping, among them Doctor Crusher, whom I call my closest friend. Others are severely injured." He looked up. "I know how it feels to lose someone.... important, Sir. And I can ensure you we never give one single person up. Never. So would you please sit down? I need to inform you of the chances we are facing."
Colonel O'Neill nodded and awkwardly sat down beside the Captain, who now didn't seem so controlled or carefree like he did only minutes before.
"I take it you are a man of the deed, Colonel. Yet, I'm afraid there is not much that you can do." Picard stopped as Jacks face darkened. "The Borg will assimilate their captives as soon as possible. They will make them one of their own; they'll destroy all individuality. And the chances that we'll get Major Carter and my team members back are minimal." He paused again, as he realized what he just said. What it implied for him.
"You don't know that," Jack muttered.
"In fact, I do Colonel, because I once was one of them. They made me Locutus of Borg. I can still hear them in my head."
Jack looked up stunned and stared at the other man's face. He was never a good listener, and he had thought this elderly man was just commanding without being part of the fight. It was now that he recognized the depths in his face. The past of this man made him wise and Jack realized, that Captain Picard knew exactly what he was doing.
"Tell me."
The Captain wasn't used to talking about his emotions or the pain he suffered. He only talked with Deanna, rarely with Beverly. But now he found himself telling a man he didn't know, his most painful experience. But he could see that this man understood. He had been through some kind of similar agony himself.
After Picard finished, O'Neill quietly told him, "They brought you back. So we can bring them back as well. Major Carter has been through something like this before. She was possessed by a Goa'uld and by an entity. She knows how it is to be captured within her own body. As long as we bring her back, she'll be okay. She's a fighter, strong and brilliant. She might figure out a way to destroy them from within."
"I hope we can bring her back, Colonel."
Jack realised that he'd said too much, implied too much, so he added: "She's a very valuable member of my team. Saved us a lot, so...."
Picard smiled. "Of course she is."
"No, really."
"Colonel, I'm not blind or stupid. I don't care about your private life. But I don't want to give you hope where there's probably none." Jack understood that Picard was saying that to himself, as well.
"Right. So what are we gonna do, Captain?"
Way ahead of them, in the chased ship of the Borg, Major Carter was shoved through the corridors. Behind her the woman she knew was a medical Doctor, a thought that calmed her. Behind Doctor Crusher were ten more men and women.
Major Carter attentively observed her surroundings. She felt as if she was trapped in one huge machine. Wires, cables, and sparks. On each side of the dark and muggy corridor, former humans now turned into Borg's stood in honeycombed dents, making the atmosphere even more claustrophobic and dark. The Borg's didn't move and for a second Sam wondered if they might be dead.
As Beverly Crusher caught her curious look, she explained, "They keep them in there until something happens, Major Carter. Remember?" Sam nodded and held her wounded arm closer.
The minute they had re-materialised on this ship, Sam started shooting their attackers and managed to do some severe damage. However, their shields adjusted fast and only after seconds the Borg managed to overpower her and take her weapons away. That was when she got injured.
A grin spread over the blond women's face, thinking 'guess they've never seen a grenade blowing up into their faces.' Subconsciously her right hand lightly brushed over the two grenades attached to her uniform. She planned to use them, and she wanted to cause as much damage as possible.
"So, what are they gonna do?" Major Carter whispered back to Beverly. The woman answered coldly: "Turn us into Borg's."
"Ah." Sam nodded. Then she started thinking. "How?" she asked Doctor Crusher, who slowly started to tell her what they'd learned from Picard's abduction and the Borg they called Hugh.
Sam needed to know the details to find a way out. She needed to understand the Borg's way of thinking, of working. If they were partly machines, Sam was sure she could do something about them. All she needed was to think. And she needed time.
But as the group suddenly stopped in a huge wide room, the Major knew, time was something they didn't have.
Jack suffered. They were in the middle of a mission planning; the Captain, the Klingon, Riker and Geordi LaForge obviously knew what they were talking about. The Colonel however only understood "Aye, Sir." He desperately looked over to Daniel to translate the gibberish, but the younger man looked as helpless as himself. Only Teal'c remained his stoical self.
"For cryin' out loud...." Jack muttered and lent back in his chair. Daniel knew what was about to happen and he didn't approve of it. "Jack..." his soft voice hissed. "Daniel..." came the mocking answer. Then Jack turned to face the Captain and said in his pissed voice, "Okay, I'm happy you guys are having so much fun. And obviously you know way more words than we do, but one member of my team is missing here and I would be very happy if you'd stop talking techno-babble, because the only person on my team who could possibly understand a single bit of what you guys are talking about, is the said person who's missing." A shadow moved over his face, as the anger threatened to rise even more. Jack was furious, desperate and in agony. He very well understood that this time, he couldn't do anything to help Carter. This time she probably couldn't help herself. And that thought caused him the agony he was suffering. A part of him was preparing to lose Sam, the other didn't. And that second part needed to be involved in the rescue mission.
Captain Picard first looked at the man opposite him, whose eyes were cold as steel. He wasn't used to people being sarcastic and smart-asses. He wasn't used to people saying 'for crying out loud' or other swear words. Yet, he understood the man's feelings. "I want to apologize, Colonel O'Neill. Maybe Counsellor Troi could sit next to you and explain what we talked about? Basically we only discussed the way we could..." he paused, and then added, smiling, "...kick their butts..."
Daniel the diplomat quickly said his thank-yous and so the briefing continued. However, Jack didn't feel much better.
The room in front of the men and women was chaos. Sam shuddered in disgust, Beverly muttered a quiet, "Oh my God." The rest of the captive humans gulped in shock or moaned. The scene that presented itself to the shocked group of people was hard to describe. The room was dim, almost too dark to make out the clear outlines of the Borg walking around. A sick green light provided a gloomy atmosphere. Occasionally sparks or flashes of blinding white light shot through the room, lightening it up and revealing the pure horror that took place.
Sam made out several tables to which people were tied. These people didn't move, but the Major doubted they were dead. She almost wished they were. Borg walked between these tables; busy with the work they were told to do. Single body parts lay on the slippery floor. Doctor Crusher watched in terror as one Borg removed an arm from a young man and carelessly threw it on the floor. He then started to attach an artificial arm at the man's shoulder. Obviously they thought it more effective that way. She swallowed hard, banishing the memories of Captain Picard being treated in a similar way, yet not that cruel. "We are on the mother ship," she thought. "Where's the queen?"
Major Carter turned around quickly and stared at Doctor Crusher. "What are they doing?"
"New Borg's," was the resignated answer of the red-haired woman. Then she added in contempt, "That's what they'll do with us, as well. But first, they'll break our wills; destroy our individuality. Then we'll become...improved." She laughed coldly.
"How? How will they break us?" Major Carter asked. She could see the Borg already dragging some members of the Enterprise away.
"I assume they'll put devices in our heads. Transform us into beings like them. We don't need our brains any longer. They think for us." Beverly fixed her eyes on the woman in front of her. She was surprised, as she didn't detect any fear. Just determination.
"Well, I guess I'll have to disappoint them, Doctor, because I really need my brain a little longer." Sam slowly reached down to pull out the grenades she was hiding. Doctor Crusher, guessing the Majors intention, stopped her. "What are you doing?" "Blow us all to hell, Doctor," came the neutral reply. "Not here. Wait. The queen has to be somewhere...."
The last remaining members of the Enterprise got dragged away, leaving only Sam and Beverly.
"Queen?" Sam asked.
"Think of them as bees, Major," Beverly replied as a Borg grabbed her arm and violently dragged her away. Another one approached Sam.
"Get off of me!" she shouted and fought like hell, but she didn't stand a chance.
Two Borg dragged her away into the same direction as Beverly Crusher.
Their aim destruction of all individuality.
Minutes turned into hours, and Jack felt he would lose what was left of his mind. Obviously the Enterprise wasn't as fast as the Borg ship, so it took them longer than expected to catch up. The Colonel knew, with every second that passed by, the chances of getting Sam back safe got smaller and smaller. He paced up and down the bridge, refusing to leave it just in case something happened. Teal'c stood silently next to the elevator door and Daniel read as much as he could about the Borg. He hoped to find a way to destroy them.
From time to time the younger man looked up to watch his friend. "Jack..." he said quietly. "Why don't you get some rest? You might need it." But the Colonel refused. Counsellor Troi found no way of getting through to him, so she left him alone. She felt that both he and Captain Picard shared the same emotions of lost, fear, despair and love. They only dealt with them in different ways. One battled them out deep within himself, on the outside being as professional as ever. The other wanted to tear things apart, favourably the beings that were responsible for all his agony; and that of Major Carter's.
"This is ridiculous," Daniel heard his friend mutter.
"What?" he asked, stopping reading and facing Jack.
"All this. Daniel, if they as advanced as they claim they are, why can't they follow a flying cube? Damn."
"I don't know, Jack." Daniel frowned. "What if this isn't real?" he asked in silent hope.
"It is, Daniel."
"Why, Jack? How can you be so sure?" The archaeologist watched his friend intensely.
"Because it hurts." Jack looked up. "Because it hurts like hell."
The two men's eyes locked and then Daniel nodded.
Jack shuffled his feet and continued pacing. Daniel watched him for a few seconds, and was about to direct his attention back to the computer screen in front of him before the Android announced matter of factly, "Captain. We've made contact."
Tears ran down their faces but they couldn't control them. They desperately clung to one single thought, one single name to help them stay who they are. One face. Each of them did.
Repeating the name over and over again in their heads. Their own name and identity following. His name. Her name. His. Hers.
Theirs.
We are the Borg; Resistance is futile.
"Mr. Worf, Lieutenant Data, Lieutenant LaForge with me. Number One you have the bridge," Picard ordered, allowing no objection.
Nevertheless, Commander Riker did. "Sir, with all due respect..."
"Not this time, Will. I have to go. I know them better than any of you. If we don't come back, destroy them. Colonel, I'm sure you would like to join me?" the older man asked while entering the turbo lift.
"Daniel, Teal'c." Jack ordered, reaching the elevator at almost the same time. The Captain looked at Daniel questioningly. As if he'd read the Captain's mind, Colonel O'Neill simply said: "He can handle it. And more." Picard nodded.
In the transporter room, the Captain gave the final orders.
"I'm in command. Are the phasers prepared?" His crew nodded in unison. "Colonel, you and your team will first shoot with these phasers." He handed each of them the small weapons. "Now they are on maximum power, which means, they are lethal. The signature will rotate so that the Borg will have some difficulties in adjusting. Once they do, we'll count on your other weapons." He waited for the other man to respond his approval. Jack simply shrugged his shoulders.
"Fine." Picard continued. "We'll try to get our people out of there. That's the priority. If we are too late..." he swallowed his dread back, "we'll destroy the ship, no matter what it takes. Gentlemen," Picard directed his last words at the remaining members of SG-1, "Major Carter may no longer be herself. When you encounter her, think of that. She probably no longer has her own will. She is a Borg...." He left the sentence hanging, implying what he dreaded to say, because he didn't want to face the truth himself. Not yet.
"Well, Captain. I think I'll take my chances to bring her back, no matter what. Ya know, we also have some pretty smart friends in our time."
"As you wish. Gentlemen, good luck."
With that the Captain joined his crew on the transporter platform, followed by SG-1. He signalled transporter chief O'Brien and then they were gone.
The seven men re-materialised in one of the many corridors, flanked with Borg's in their cells. SG-1 watched their surroundings attentive. "Remember. As long as they aren't attacked, they aren't attacking themselves." Picard informed the three men. Jack nodded. "Lieutenant Worf, as soon as we've found Doctor Crusher, Major Carter and the rest of my crew, you'll destroy their shield generator." The Klingon nodded.
"So which way?" Colonel O'Neill asked impatiently. Data gave the answer. "This way." He pointed his tri-corder into another corridor at Jacks right.
"After you. We'll cover your six," the Colonel grinned and the Crew from the Enterprise took the lead.
Daniel watched his surroundings with wide eyes, Teal'c attentive and Jack in disgust.
"Captain. I have Doctor Crushers communicator right in front of me."
"Thank you, Data." Picard nodded and Worf immediately went out to the left to circle the group of -people? Borg?- walking ahead of them. "Teal'c," Jack hissed and the Jaffa went to the right, mimicking the Klingon. The two warriors, who mistrusted each other, at that moment, sensed that the other was at least as capable as themselves.
Finally the Captain's communicator announced that Doctor Crusher was amongst the beings in front of them. "Teal'c?" Jack spoke into his radio. "I see no sign of Major Carter. However there appear to be more abducted people. I assume Major Carter must be close by."
"Okay."
The Colonel looked at Picard. "Well, then let's get them out, don't ya think?"
The Captain nodded, seeming distracted for a while. "Are you okay?" asked a concerned Daniel. "I am, Doctor Jackson. I just know where they are going." He briefly closed his eyes in remembrance of a similar room.
"Let's get them back. Lieutenant Worf, Data."
And with that they attacked.
The first Borg's died like flies. One shot, one dead. But then they adjusted to the phasers. Jack handed his zat to the Captain, thinking the Klingon and Android capable of winning a man-to-man fight.
Daniel shot with his zat; Jack emptied his P-90 and Teal'c his staff weapon. From behind and in front of them more Borg's entered the corridor, adjusting to the bullets. "Well, let's see," Jack muttered, grabbing his knife and throwing it at the first Borg approaching him. The creature went down immediately. "Yep, always works." He quickly bent down and slid the knife out of the Borg's body.
At his side he only heard one word. "Beverly." He looked ahead and held his breath. In front of him stood the woman he knew as Doctor Crusher. She was barely recognizable. She wore a torn uniform. Out of one part of her body tubes emerged, only to vanish in another part. Her left eye was covered with a metal plate out of with a red laser beam was aimed directly at the Captain. She simply stood and didn't move. Behind her a door opened into a wide room illuminated with pale green light. Jack felt sick. He knew what he was about to face.
Picard carefully moved towards the woman he once knew, his heart racing in his chest. It was the first time he remembered to be glad that it wasn't real. He was sure, if it had been, it would have stopped beating this very minute.
Jack left the man alone. He looked around to check on his people and was relieved to see Teal'c taking care of Daniel. Slowly, the Colonel passed the former Doctor. She didn't look at him once.
He entered the room and suppressed vomit. In a second he understood that here the humans lost all humanity that was left. He panicked, searching for Sam in the bodies tied to the tables. But she wasn't there.
Then he finally looked straight ahead of him. She was so close he hadn't recognized her. She stood sideways, glancing at him emotionless over her left shoulder. Behind her the green-lighted room, the red laser beam attached over her right eye aimed at him. Jack let his eyes wander over the woman he loved, or rather what was left of her. His heart stopped beating as he realized the paleness of her skin. He face was glimmering somewhat oily, covered with fine dark-grey lines. Over her right eye said laser and artificial eye, under her left a tube left her face and re-entered her body at her shoulder. Her black T-shirt was ripped and he detected more attachments along her ribs and stomach. Her left hand was hidden in a prosthesis at which end a little grip arm slowly opened and shut. Jack prayed she still possessed her hand underneath. Her left eye was fixed at him, and as he realized how cold and dead it was, he almost choked.
"Colonel!" he heard someone shout behind him, his name reaching him as through fog. Slowly Jack moved to the woman in front of him. "Carter?" No reaction. "Sam?" Nothing. "I'm sorry."
And then he pulled the trigger.
They managed to escape the ship unharmed. Fleeing through corridors, planting bombs and Jack's grenades at tactical points. Then they blew them up and managed to beam out.
Will Riker awaited them in the transporter. But two of the men were missing.
"Where are Captain Picard and Colonel O'Neill?"
"They thought it would be better to beam straight to sickbay," Data informed his superior officer. Will nodded, concern showing in his eyes. "How are they?" He could see Doctor Jackson crumple his face in worry and waited for Data to tell him they managed to rescue Doctor Crusher and Major Carter but they probably came too late.
"I'm sorry to hear that." The Commander looked at the two foreign men. "Yeah, me too," the younger one answered. "May we go there?" "Of course. Data, you have command. Doctor Jackson, Teal'c, please follow me."
Meanwhile Picard and O'Neill stood aside the women they cared for, more than they were allowed to. Worry and concern clearly written over their faces. Picard knowing that the most capable person on this ship to undo this was one of the women who needed to be saved.
Behind them, Counsellor Troi entered the room and shortly after her Riker with Teal'c and Daniel. They stopped and stared at the unconscious women they once knew. "Oh my God," Daniel muttered and lowered his head. He folded his arms in front of his chest. In the rush and hurry on board of the Borg ship he didn't have time to realize his friends condition. Now it hit him whilst he was unprepared.
Nurses were fiddling with devices and the second Doctor onboard tried his best, but Picard knew he wouldn't succeed. He heard the man who stood in front of the other bed mutter silently. "Come on, Carter. Fight it. Don't do this to me, not again. Come on."
As if the woman heard his silent plea her artificial arm moved in twitchy movements. Up, down, the grip arm opened and closed again. "Carter?"
Her head snapped up, followed by her upper body. Within seconds she sat up, stiff in a robot-like movement, totally un-human. Almost synchronic to her, the former Doctor Crusher did the same. Both women looked around, their implanted eyes and laser scanning their surroundings.
"Whoa, Carter, do you hear me?" Colonel O'Neill took on step closer but the woman didn't seem to recognize him at all.
"Lieautenant Worf," was all Riker had to say and the security officer immediately stood aside Major Carter. Data took position at Doctor Crusher's side. "We have to get them locked up.... safely, Captain," the Commander carefully advised. The Captain only nodded and after contacting O'Brien, the two former women, now Borg, were beamed into a holding cell.
"Follow me." And with that, Picard rushed out of sickbay, followed by SG-1 and Counsellor Troi.
"Colonel, we might have gotten them out of the mother ship. But that doesn't mean that Beverly or Major Carter are safe." Picard looked at the woman in front of him, pacing through the cell. "We probably won't be able to save them at all."
"See, that's stuff I really don't wanna hear, Captain," Jack snapped at him angrily. He stood in front of the cell, containing Doctor Crusher. Daniel watched Sam in the attached cell. "I'm not giving her up, understood?" Jack turned around quickly and marched past Daniel. He looked through the force field at Carter. She suddenly stopped pacing, scanned the cell and approached the shield. Inches away she stopped, looking at him intently yet without showing any emotion. Jack frowned and buried his hands deep in his pockets.
From his right Daniel softly called her. "Sam?" The woman's head snatched to watch him, but she didn't respond. It was only as if she wanted to know who was speaking.
"Human," a metallic voice that once might have been Sam's announced. She looked over to Teal'c. "Unknown species. Contains a symbiote." Her head moved back to Jack. "Human." From the cell left of her another metallic voice spoke up. "Assimilate. Resistance is futile." Jack and the rest of his team turned and watched Picard standing motionless in front of the shield. Then they heard him say in a cold voice. "I'm Locutus of Borg. Who are you?"
Jack looked back at Daniel. The younger man stared at him, his lips forming a silent "What?" Deanna Troi stepped at their side. "He once was assimilated," she explained to him. "He can still hear them in his head. He is somehow still connected to them." Daniel nodded and looked back at Major Carter.
"We are Borg." She looked at all of them. "Resistance is futile."
"C'mon Carter, cut the crap."
"Jack?" Daniel muttered.
"Carter, I know you are in there somewhere. You can stop this!" Jack's frustration of seeing his 2IC like this welled up in him. "Let me in there!" he demanded. "Colonel..."
"Captain Picard. I'm not gonna ask twice," he threatened but somehow knew that the older man wouldn't be impressed at all. "You can't do anything. We are too late." Yet the Captain understood the man's feelings. He nodded to the inferior officer behind him to lower the shields. "You better be careful. She...it...will kill you without hesitation if it feels threatened."
Jack stepped in the cell hearing the shield reactivating behind him. He moved further into the little prison, every step watched by the Borg Samantha Carter. She slowly followed him further to the far wall, stopping as he stopped. Jack moved to face her, standing only inches away from her. He knew well that she could now kill him with one single move of her artificial arm. But he didn't care. All he could think of was bringing her back. Bringing Sam Carter back.
"Sooo..." he started. Jack realized he had no idea what he should do next. He only wanted to be in here with her. That he now did.
"Resistance is futile," she declared again.
"I know," Jack muttered. "Found that out a while ago." He focused his eyes on her face. He tried to ignore her skin or the machinery. He searched for any sign of humanity. Of Sam Carter. "Okay, listen. I want her back. Understood? I want Carter back. Right now."
From far away yet only outside the cell he could hear Daniels voice: "Jack. She's not possessed. Her mind has been altered, her brain. Everything that she is...was.... is deleted."
Jack shook his head. He didn't want to hear that. "No," he almost whispered. "No. It's not." He slowly raised one hand to touch her face. He shuddered in horror, as he felt the slippery skin. He never touched anything that felt so un-human, yet knowing that it was only skin. He withdrew his hand immediately.
"Assimilate," the Borg in front of him said emotionlessly.
"Get me outta here," Jack growled and fled from the truth he knew he couldn't stand.
Hours went by. None of them left. Jack couldn't give up hope, yet it didn't look too good. Anger and frustration built up in him, and as he heard Picard say the words, he wished he had some bullets left to shoot him with. "Let them go."
"Excuse me?!" Jack snapped at him.
"Colonel O'Neill. I know this is hard. Believe me it is as hard for you as it is for me." The Captain paused. Looking away from the furious man opposite him and back to the woman in front of him.
"Oh I don't think so," came the cold reply.
Picard raised his head and looked at O'Neill. "It is. Trust me. And because we...care for them as much as we do, we have to end this. I know what it is like. Believe me. You don't want Major Carter to suffer like this." He lowered his eyes again.
Jack didn't say a word. And then, Daniel's head snapped up. "Whoo, wait a minute."
Immediately all eyes were fixed on him. Out of Jacks' were the first signs of hope for hours.
"You said it yourself, Jack. We have smart friends in our time, they probably don't." Daniel looked around, exited.
"The Asgaard."
"Right, Teal'c." Daniel looked from Teal'c to the irritated Starfleet crew and then to Jack. He found him smiling at him.
"Danny, I know why my team would be lost without you," Jack grinned.
"Who?" Riker asked confused and in few words Daniel told him all about the little grey men. He used better words than Jack once did, back on a planet protected by Freyr, but the Enterprise crew got the message.
Immediately Picard ordered Geordi and Data to find a way to get the Enterprise back into the past.
A few more hours of techno babble later, the Enterprise popped up in the 21st century.
"So, where is the Asgaard's home planet?" Picard wanted to know.
"Well, that's the problem. They aren't easy to make contact with," Jack informed him, his hope of rescuing Carter quickly shaken.
"Couldn't we use the thing you once built, Jack?" Picard shot Riker a glance as Daniel ended his sentence. "Probably, but didn't we leave that in the alternate reality?" More puzzled looks where exchanged. "Yeah, but I'm sure, Sam made some notes as she put it back together with the help of...uhm...herself."
"Gentlemen, can you do this?" Picard asked somewhat impatient. He looked at the emotionless standing figure in front of him. The first time, Picard allowed himself to hope.
"Yasureyabetcha!" Jack smirked. "Daniel, find us a safe planet with a Stargate, we fly there, you take Teal'c, gate home, get the plans, get beamed up here again, you guys build it, we contact the Asgaard, they come here and heal those two."
Picard looked sceptical, but finally gave in, ordering Data to help Daniel searching.
The hours of waiting tore at the men's nerves. Both were battle-proved soldiers. Each of them had the scars. Yet these two men were like the moon and sun. One of them calm and thoughtful; the diplomat. The other sarcastic and willing to kill instead of dealing; anything but diplomatic. Yet they were united in one single emotion. Fear. Not the fear of dying, but the fear of losing. Of losing the chance to hold where had never been hold, to kiss where there had never been a real kiss. Of never saying the words that where never said, but buried deep down inside.
Each of them dealt with it in their own way. The one, the Colonel, sat without showing any emotion in front of the force field that separated him from the creature, the woman he loved, had been turned into. Staring in her eyes as she did in his. Inside, however, memories of a long past tore at is heart, as they sat in this position for the first time. Had he known back then what he knew now; how often he would be in similar situations, he would have done things differently. For now, all he could do was wait.
The other, the Captain, wasn't here. He occupied himself with commanding his ship. Although there was nothing he could do. He stoically sat on the bridge, well aware that the betazoid woman beside him knew about his charade. He waited for the Android to announce they had rebuilt the device Doctor Jackson and Teal'c brought back. He waited for something to happen. And he thought of the love that he tried to get over with since the day he met Beverly Crusher and her husband for the first time, 20 years ago.
Finally, the long awaited message came. "Data to Captain Picard."
"Speak Data."
"Captain, we completed the device. Doctor Jackson will beam down to the planet and insert it to the Stargate."
"Make it so." Picard knew, now was the moment of decision. He stood up, gave the command to Riker and went to inform the Colonel.
As he entered the holding room, he found the Colonel still sitting in the exact position he had left him hours ago. "Colonel O'Neill?" he addressed him.
"Yeah." The man didn't look away from the woman in front of him. "Mr. Data just informed me..."
"Yeah, I know," O'Neill interrupted. He pointed toward his uniform. "Radio." "Right." Picard nodded. He watched the stranger. Everything the Captain thought he knew about Earth's past had turned out to be wrong. He'd come to know that somewhere, buried deep under a mountain lay a device to travel to distant planets, way easier than flying around in spaceships. But nobody knew hundreds of years ago because it was a state secret. The Vulcan's weren't the first aliens to contact Earth. It had happened thousands of years ago, and it started in Egypt. The archaeologist had told him everything about it one hour ago and Picard had listened in fascination. His hobby was archaeology, and he had now learned that all he believed to be true was only just a little part of the whole. It was a shock to him and somehow a relief. Maybe things could be a lot easier with the re-discovery of the device. Maybe, having a family and saving the universe might both be possible. But then he realised the man in front of him; he didn't manage, and the rest of his team also sacrificed their private lives.
"Why don't you look at her?" O'Neill asked. He sounded tired.
Picard hesitated, not knowing. "Maybe because I don't want to be confronted with.... what I lost?" He looked at O'Neill with compassion and sorrow, but the man didn't direct his attention away from the woman in front of him.
"She's not lost, Captain. She's still there, calling for help."
"No she's not."
"Haven't you told me, you remembered what you did when you were a ...Borg?" he paused. "How could you, if you weren't there anymore?" For the first time in hours, Jack broke the spell and looked away from Sam and at Picard. "And I know, because I can still see her in there. You gotta look in her eyes."
Picard didn't move. He was afraid to look at Beverly and to see what the other man believed he saw. But he also didn't know what to do if he couldn't see it. And so he turned and walked in front of the force field, holding back the Borg who once was Beverly Crusher. He slowly raised his head and looked and...
She was gone.
"You just gotta love those guys!" Jack exclaimed; jumping up from his seat and yelling, head raised to face the ceiling. "Thor, buddy, I owe you one. A big one."
And then he whirled around and grinned at Picard.
"The Asgaard?"
"Yep!"
Thirty minutes later, everybody stood on the bridge, anxious, nervous but full of hope. Jack stood with his hands buried in his pants to stop himself from fiddling with things, which the Klingon didn't like. Daniel frowned and Teal'c got...that look. The Captain tried to sit in his chair, but didn't manage, and after a while started pacing. The Android watched with interest and the Klingon with awe. "I hope they are a peaceful race," he muttered. "Oh, yes, they are." Daniel eagerly told him.
"And they are sooo advanced, you wouldn't even realize they'd killed you," Jack helpfully added and then grinned.
Suddenly in front of them a white light filled the room. As it vanished it revealed three figures. A tiny grey little alien and two pale, but very human women. The alien blinked in wonder. The women looked around confused.
"Carter." Jack darted forward and took her into his arms. He didn't care whoever was watching, he just wanted to be sure she was back again. That he'd gotten another chance. He felt her hold him tight. "I'm sorry," he mumbled. Then he moved a little and took her face in his hands. A very intimate gesture he never would have done under normal circumstances. But he just had to look at her face, at her eyes. And he had to make sure it felt human, again. "Hi," she weakly smiled.
"Hey," he whispered back.
From the corner of his eye he saw Picard doing the same. Almost. He awkwardly walked over to Beverly Crusher, as if not trusting his eyes. But as he stood in front of her he equally embraced her. Not as passionate as Jack did, more tender. He whispered into her ear, lost in the relieving feeling of her warmth floating into him. Picard closed his eyes and within those few seconds all his buried emotions tried to burst out of him. He loved her. He wanted her to know, he wanted her to feel. But she once told him she didn't want a relationship. He took a step back, afraid he would read in her face she still didn't dare. But her eyes gave him the answer he needed to hear. She was okay, she would recover and she wanted him close to help her getting over it. This time she wouldn't step back.
Finally Jack spoke, not letting go of Sam. "Guys, ladies. Say hello to Thor. Thor, the Crew of the Starship Enterprise from the 24th century." The little alien's eyes widened with astonishment. "It's a looong story." O'Neill added. Data jumped up to ask Thor thousands of questions, the little alien in return stared with interest at the Android.
"Uhm, I'm sorry to interrupt, but Sam, are you okay?" Daniel carefully asked and got a smile in response. "Yeah. Tired. A lot of voices in my head, but Thor told me that I'll be okay. Thanks to you." "Nothing to thank us for. Jack, would you mind?" Daniel asked grinning. "But just a minute, Dannyboy, I want her back the way I gave her to you." Jack grinned; Sam made a face and then hugged Daniel. "It is good to see you well, Major Carter." Teal'c bowed smiling lightly. "Thank you Teal'c," Sam smiled back. Jack placed a hand on her back to signal he was there, and to help him believe she was as well.
Picard approached him. "Colonel, I must thank you and your team." "Well, no offence, but we didn't do that just for you, ya know!" But the grin on O'Neill's face told him the man was in the best mood, just like everyone else. They were chatting happily for the next couple of minutes, clarifying if the Asgaard were still around somewhere in the 24th century and how to get the Enterprise back into their time.
"I hope we didn't do anything to change the timeline," Sam muttered worriedly. "We'll see when we are back home, Major Carter." Picard smiled at her. "But it was worth the risk," he added with a sideways glance at Beverly. "Ya think?" Jack grinned. He looked at Carter, still attached to his body, and then called his fellow team members. "Let's get home kids. It was a looong day." Picard nodded. They all made their way to the transporter in silence. Thor had left minutes ago and everybody let the recent events replay in their heads.
"It was a pleasure." Picard told Jack and the rest of SG-1. "Maybe we can find the Gate."
"Good luck," Daniel wished. He was sad that Sam hadn't allowed him to get more information about the future, but he understood.
One after the other they said their goodbyes, Jack muttering a "Don't do what I wouldn't do" to Picard, giving him a wink.
"You are indeed a great warrior." Teal'c lightly bowed in front of Worf and then put his right fist over his heart. Worf looked both in surprise and in respect at the familiar gesture. "So are you," he growled in a friendly voice. Then he put his right fist swiftly over his heart saying "Quapp'la!" Teal'c nodded and then stepped on the transporter platform where the rest of SG-1 was waiting for him.
"Made a new friend, Teal'c?" Jack grinned. "The Klingons are formidable warriors of great skill and cunning." "Hey you exchanged addresses? We could need some warrior friends..."
"Jaaack..."
"Daniel?"
And then the tickling feeling told them they were already re-materialising on the planet.
"Uhm, Daniel...where are we?"
"P3D-944."
Jack looked at him blankly. "Uh, friendly, no inhabitants, no artefacts because the Goa'uld destroyed everything ages ago?" Daniel clarified.
"Ah, there. Why don't you dial us home?"
Daniel nodded and walked to the DHD, Teal'c on his heels.
Jack stopped Carter who was about to follow them. He stood awkward in front of her, asking in a low voice: "Hey...you really okay?" She looked up. "Yes, Sir."
"If you wanna talk..."
"Thank you, sir. I will." A shadow passed over her face as she remembered. Behind him Jack heard the Chevrons moving into position.
He held her gaze and then quickly bent down to kiss her lightly on her lips. "Sorry. Just had to make sure..." "That's okay, sir. I understand. Is there anything more I can help with?" she grinned weakly.
"Jack? Ready?" Daniel shouted from behind.
"Yes, Daniel, why don't you just step through, get a medical team ready, we'll be there in just a minute." Then he smiled down to Sam. "Well..."
"Okay, Jack." Daniel shouted.
Sam burst out laughing. "Well, I guess the moment's gone, then...." Jack sighed.
She shook her head. "No, sir. It won't ever be."
With one last look in his eyes she took his hand. "Let's go home."
He nodded and followed her through the gate, and into a new future.
~FIN~
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