Stargate SG1 Fan Fiction ❯ Reel Of Light ❯ Goodbyes ( Chapter 4 )

[ A - All Readers ]

Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. This story is for entertainment purposes only, it only exists to amuse me (and I am easily amused). I received no money for this story. No copyright infringement is intended.
 
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“SG-1 it has been decided that in the best interests of this mission Miss Kalmin will accompany you...” Hammond started the mission briefing, but Jack cut in.

“Why?”

“She will assist you should you encounter any persons from her reality.” Hammond turned to Jack.

It had been three hours since Eugene Wardle had volunteered and Hammond had decided that SG-1 should be informed of the latest mission change.

Teal'c had spent his time with Kerry talking about his son Rya'c and what Kerry knew about his future. Kerry had replied truthfully, telling him that she knew nothing of Rya'c, which was probably a good thing, as it meant nothing had happened to him. Kerry had then sat captivated, along with Daniel, Graham and Sam, as Teal'c told an ancient Jaffa story.

Jack had sat back and watched as Kerry blended in with his team, as if she had always been there.

“And Kerry?” Sam asked.

“Miss Ramsey will be remaining in the SGC, she expressed no desire to go to the planet.” Hammond's eyes glanced at Jack as he spoke.

“Miss Ramsey is clever.” Jack remarked. “Miss Kalmin is not.”

Hammond ignored him and continued.

“SG-1, you will proceed to P3J 769 where you will spilt into two teams. Colonel O'Neill and Captain Carter, you will assist Dr. Wardle in placing C4 charges around and on the Stargate. This will, hopefully, destroy the gate and the surrounding area.

Dr. Jackson and Teal'c, you will assist Miss Kalmin in evacuating any persons from the other reality through the AR vortex.” Hammond began the briefing again. “Do you have any questions?”

“No Sir.” Jack shook his head, this was going to be a bad day.

“SG-1, Dr Wardle, Miss Kalmin,” Hammond stood up. “You have a go.”
*****

The room was dark and silent. Only the swirling thing at the end of the room provided light, four figures on the floor began slowly to move.

“Stacy!” One of them cried out lifting her head to see and straining her eyes in the dark. “Where are you?”

“I'm here.” The small, young voice of Stacy came from the floor beside the swirling light. “Where are we?”

“I don't know love, but stay close.” A male voice suddenly came from beside the first. “We don't want anyone to get lost.”

An American voice now joined the three English accents. “Yeah, but where the hell are we?”

“I don't know!” The male snapped at the female American voice. “But...” He trailed off.

“But?” The American asked, then stopped. She slowly followed the eyes of the other three to the other side of the room to the large ring. It was glowing. One small red triangle was lit, but then another lit up, then another. Soon the red `markers' were lighting up all around the large ring.

“What is it?” The male whispered hoarsely.

“It can't be.” Stacy started. “Irene, it's...”

“What!” The American woman cut her off. “What is it?”

“Go on Stacy.” Irene put her arm around her student.

“But it can't be.” Stacy shook her head. “That can't be right. It's not real!”

“What is it?” The American screamed again.

Stacy looked at her, almost as if she were in a trace. “It's a Stargate.”
 
*****

“SG-1 you have a go."” Hammond shouted into the small microphone.

“Come on kids.” Jack smiled at his team. “Time to go.”

Sam turned to face Emma. “Are you ready?”

Emma nodded, biting her lip. “Yep.”

“Just hold onto me.” Daniel suddenly appeared at her side and held out his hand. Emma smiled and took it.

“Go.” Jack called from the event horizon. He quickly walked through it followed by Teal'c and Eugene.

“Come on.” Sam smiled once more before disappearing.

“Just remember...” Daniel started.

“It`ll be rough first time.” Emma nodded. “I know.”

“OK.” Daniel smiled. Emma took a deep breath and stepped through the Stargate.
 
The contrast between the rushing light of the Stargate wormhole and the murky dark of the planet hit Emma instantly. Blinking, and clinging to Daniel, Emma stumbled forward.

Her stomach was churning as if she'd been on a dozen rollercosters, one after the other, but she'd known that her first conscious trip through the Stargate was going to be rough. She'd read all the books, seen the episodes but nothing had really prepared her for the waves of nausea passing over her.

She turned to face Daniel who, still holding her hand, smiled.

“It's OK.” He quickly glanced at Jack. “It'll wear off soon.”

Emma nodded and started to move away from the Stargate.

“I can't see anyone.” Daniel squinted into the darkness. “Maybe no one came through.”

Jack shook his head and motioned towards the DHD. Daniel peered over the top of the device to see a mass of red, brown hair.

“Hello?” Daniel half whispered. The hair jumped a mile and spun round. Daniel put his hands up. “ Please, don't be afraid, we're here to help.”

“Oh my God!” The hair whispered.

Daniel started to move round the DHD, he crouched down and smiled at the young girl.

“Hi.” He smiled. “My name is Daniel.”

“I'm Stacy.” She half smiled. “You're from...”

“Yeah, we're from a TV show.” Jack grumbled.

“Are you all right?” Sam smiled down at Stacy, who nodded.

“Hiya!” Emma bounded over to Stacy and grinned.

“Emma!” Stacy stood up and hugged her friend. “Where's Kerry? Is she OK?”

“She's back in the SGC.” Emma nodded. “We're going to stay with them.” She motioned to SG-1. Jack waved.

“Oh.” Stacy looked at the floor. “So you're not coming back?”

Emma shook her head. “There's nothing for us back there. Look, I don't want to live and die in Rochdale. Plus we can help them.”

Stacy nodded.

“But what do we tell your parents?” Irene stepped out of the shadows.

“Err, that's where I come in.” Eugene stepped forward. “I will be going through with you to help explain.”

“Look this is great, but we need to get started.” Jack cut in.

“The Colonel's right.” Sam nodded. “We need to set up the C4 before the AR vortex opens up again.”

“Right.” Eugene nodded.

Daniel turned to Stacy as Jack, Sam and Eugene set about placing the charges.

“Are there any others here?”

“Yes.” Irene walked up to Daniel, staring at Teal'c the whole time.

“Irene met Daniel. Daniel, this is my tutor Irene.” Emma smiled.

“Hi.” Daniel smiled. “Who and where are they?”

“They were stood in front of the Stargate when it opened.” Stacy shook her head and pointed to the smouldering shoes at the foot of the gate ramp. “They're dead aren't they?”

“They are.” Teal'c stated.

“Vaporized by the unstable vortex that the wormholes produce?” Stacy turned back to Daniel.

Daniel was noticeably shocked by Stacy's knowledge of the Stargates. “Err, yeah. That's right.”

“Oh my.” Irene put her hand to her chest.

“What's going to happen?” Stacy turned to Daniel.

“We're planting charges to blow up the area around the Stargate so no one else will ever be brought here.” Daniel smiled kindly. “You and Irene are going to go through with Dr Wardle.”

“Go through where?” Irene leaned closer to Daniel. “Through that again.” She pointed to the vortex.

“Well, yes.” Daniel blinked.

“It's the only way you'll get home.” Emma cut in.

“And you...” Irene started.

“Emma Kalmin is staying with us.” Teal'c boomed at Irene. She jumped and looked at him.

“What?” Stacy looked at Emma. “Why?”

“I can help.” Emma began her list. “I know things that could...”

“Daniel!” Jack called from the mouth of the vortex. “Start dialling up. Wardle, get these people back through!”

“Will do.” Eugene nodded and moved towards Stacy and Irene. “Ladies, shall we?”

“Where are you taking us?” Irene cried out as Eugene took her hand.

“It's all right.” He smiled. “I'm taking you back home. We just need to go through the vortex like Dr Jackson explained to you.”

Irene swallowed and nodded. “Well, all right.”

“Wait, what about Kerry?” Stacy called to SG-1. “Will she be safe with you? I know the sort of stuff that happens to you lot.”

“Kerry Ramsey will be safe with us.” Teal'c assured Stacy. “I give you my word.”

Satisfied with Teal'c's word, Stacy started toward to vortex.

“Daniel, start dialling.” Jack repeated his order and Daniel turned to the DHD and pushed one symbol. Suddenly the room began to shake.

“What the hell?” Emma cried out. “What's happening?”

“That's what I'd like to know.” Jack started to look around almost frantically.

“It's the AR vortex.” Sam pointed to the spinning light. “It's becoming unstable.”

“Why?” Jack started to back away from the light.

“I don't know Sir.” Sam shook her head. “But if they're going to go, it has to be now.”

Eugene nodded and turned to Irene. “Ladies first.” He motioned for her to jump through. A wave of nausea and fear passed over her wrinkled face.

Taking a deep breath, Irene jumped into the spinning light and disappeared. Stacy gasped.

“I can't!”

“You have to!” Jack shouted from the DHD. Stacy shook her head.

“I can't. I'm scared!” Stacy almost cried Emma walked cautiously over to her and put a hand on her shoulder.

“It's all right.” She smiled. “You can go home.”

The vortex gave another violent shudder and the lightening like streaks that shot through it began to grow faster.

“Sir. I really think we should get out of here now.” Sam turned to Jack, who nodded his response.

Daniel turned to the DHD again and started pressing the cartouches he had pressed a hundred times before. The gate began to spin.

The vortex began to shake for fanatically now. Stacy turned to Emma.

“I'm going to miss...”

“Wardle!” Jack cried out as a `bolt' of lightening struck Eugene square on the chest. He flew across the room and hit the far wall with a dull thud.

SG-1 rushed forward toward the fallen scientist.

“He is dead O'Neill.” Teal'c looked down at the gaping hole in Eugene's chest.

“Oh, God damn it!” Jack shook his head.

“The gate must be affecting the reel some how.” Daniel ran up behind Jack.

“Then go!” Stacy called over. “I'll jump now.”

“Some on still has to stay to blow the place after the others have gone through the Stargate.” Jack rubbed his eyes with one gloved hand. “And that would be me.”

“No!” Emma shouted and ran up to Jack. “You're needed. You are really needed to make sure stuff happens like it's supposed to.”

“So what do we do Miss Kalmin?” Jack waved his hands in the air. “Someone has to stay.”

“Yep.” Emma nodded. “So you'd better show me how to blow the charges.”

“No!” Jack shook his head. “You're just a kid...”

“And when the C4 is ready I can go home.” Emma cut him off. Her face grave, Jack had never seen her like this; Emma was serious. “Kerry doesn't know as much as I do, but she knows a fair bit. She can still help.”

“I think she's right Sir.” Sam called.

“You do? She is?” Daniel looked at Sam.

“She is Daniel Jackson.” Teal'c nodded and raised an eyebrow. “If all that Emma Kalmin has seen is to come true SG-1 must stay together.”

“Exactly.” Sam nodded.

Jack rolled his eyes. “Fine.” He handed Emma a small black box. “This is the detonator. You flip up this lid then press the red button. Once you've pressed it you'll have thirty seconds to get the hell out of here, and it can't be stopped. Understand.”

Emma nodded and smiled. “Perfectly.”

“Jack!” Daniel called from the event horizon of the Stargate. “I've sent the GDO code.”

“Wait until the Stargate shuts off before...” Sam started but Emma cut her off.

“I know.”

“Right.” Jack sighed. “Time to go then. Move out people.”

Daniel shot Emma a quick smile before disappearing into the blue light of the Stargate. Sam followed his up the steps quickly and step through the gate.

“It was an honour to meet you Teal'c.” Emma smiled at Teal'c.

“As it was to meet you Emma Kalmin.” Teal'c bowed slightly before stepping through the Stargate.

“I'd say see you around but, I won't so there's no point.” Emma grinned at Jack. He returned the smile.

“You'd better get ready.” He almost whispered to her.

“I'll watch you every day I promise!” Emma called to Jack as he walked up the steps to the Stargate. “Make sure Kerry's OK!”

“I'll take care of Kerry for you.” He said as he stepped through.

Emma and Stacy stood alone on the alien planet. The two young girls looked at each other as the Stargate closed.

“Time to go Stacy.” Emma grinned.

“No one is ever going to believe this.” Stacy grinned back.

“Well here we go.” Emma lifted the lid on the black box and pushed the red button underneath. The box made a small beeping sound.

“Off we go.” Stacy grabbed Emma's hand and pulled her into the reel of light.

*****

“We stand here on the site of the phenomenon, where the two girls originally disappeared.” An English accent commentated. “No one knows what it is, police have issued a statement saying that, as of yet, it does not appear to be man made.”

An American accent shouted into a microphone.

“Emma Kalmin and Kerry-Anne Ramsey were the first. But later the thing, scientists are calling a vortex, claimed another four people. Irene Ronark, Stacy Clunes; tutor to the original girls and their best friend. Mike O'Marrar, police officer called to find them, and Candice McKinley, CNN reporter, were next. Scientists are fascinated, but religious leaders are claiming that this is a sign.

“Only moments ago the vortex reappeared and Mrs Ronark fell through. Now the world is waiting with baited breath to see if the others will follow.”

The road in front of Hopwood Hall College, Rochdale campus was filled with news reporters and news vans. Everyone wanted to know what had happened to the six people who disappeared; the entire world was on the edge of their seat.

“And it's opening again!” All the reporters seemed to cry at once.

Two figures fell from the light, followed by pieces of stone and metal as the world they left exploded. “It's them!” A cheer went up.

Reporters and police rushed forward towards Stacy and Emma. They lay there, quite still, relieved that they were alive and home.

“Miss Kalmin can you tell us were you've been?”

“Miss Clunes where are the others?”

“Girls how do you feel?”

“What are you going to do now?”

Questions rushed at them as paramedics hurried forward to tend to their cuts and bruises.

“What happened?” Irene called from the ambulance. “Where's Dr Wardle?”

“He died.” Emma called back. “I had to do it to save the others.”

“What others?” A policeman next to Stacy looked at Emma. “Where's Mike.”

“Dead. So is that reporter woman.” Stacy looked up at him from where she lay in the road.

“Where's Kerry?” Someone from the crowd shouted. “Where's Miss Ramsey?”

“Yeah, where is she?” Others joined the first voice.

Emma and Stacy looked at each other and smiled.

“She's dead.” They said together.

*****

“Welcome back SG-1.” Hammond smiled at his team. “Where's Miss Kalmin.”

“She had to go back to her reality.” Daniel pushed his glasses up his nose. “When Dr Wardle died.”

“Died? How?” Hammond was taken aback.

“The vortex became unstable when we dialled the gate and he was hit by some sort of energy blast.” Sam stepped forward. “He died instantly.”

“Emma Kalmin stepped forward to take his place.” Teal'c concluded. “She was most brave.”

“Colonel?” Hammond strained to see Jack stood at the back, looking at the iris opening. “Do you have anything to add?”

“No Sir.” Jack shook his head.

Hammond regarded Jack for a moment before continuing. “SG-1, debriefing will be at 1600.”

“Yes Sir.” Sam nodded and plodded out of the gate room, followed closely by Daniel.

“O'Neill?”

Jack turned to face Teal'c. “Yeah?”

“Are you well O'Neill? You seem unusually quiet.”

Jack smiled. “Yeah. I just didn't think I'd miss that bossy brat.”

“Emma Kalmin?”

“Yep.” Jack nodded. “She was OK though. A good kid.”

“What of Kerry Ramsey?” Teal'c cocked his head. “Should she not be told of this?”

Jack rolled his eyes and sighed. “I'll go. I need to talk to her anyway.”
 
*****

The TV flickered as the pictures changed in rapid sequence. But not a sound could be heard as Jack peered round the door to Kerry's new home; her quarters at the SGC. Only the quiet sounds of Kerry breathing in her sleep could be heard as Jack crept closer. Jack smiled and turned the TV off.

“Is she asleep?” Daniel whispered from the doorway, making Jack jump.

“Yeah.” He whispered back.

“She's going to be on her own.” Daniel shook his head. “I was about her age when I was first alone. My parents were long dead and I'd just been taken out of another home when one of the adults working there was arrested. They shut the whole place down and put us all in separate, temporary, homes with strangers.” Daniel looked at the floor, half smiling yet not. “I felt so lonely, as though I didn't have a friend it the world, no one to take care of me.”

“Well Kerry has us.” Jack put his arm about Daniel's shoulders. “She has you, you won't let her go through what you did. I won't let her go through, well I won't let what happened to Charlie happen to her.” Jack took a deep breath. “Carter and Teal'c like her. She'll be fine.”

“You think?”

“I know.” Jack grinned at Daniel. “Come, let's get washed up. We can tell her later, she'll be in the debriefing. Come on Danny boy. Let's leave her to have a good night's sleep.” Jack started to steer Daniel out of the room and closed the door behind them.

“Yeah. I have a feeling it's going to be the last one for a while.” Daniel nodded as the two friends walked down the corridor away from Kerry's room.

*****

The light above Emma flickered, off, on and them off again.

“Irene! This light still doesn't work!” She shouted out.

“Then move Emma.” Irene responded. “No one asked you to sit under it.”

“No!” Emma shook her head. “I'll put up with it; until it's fixed.”

She turned to Stacy, who was working on the computer next to her, and smiled.

“What do you think Kerry's doing right now?” She whispered.

“Not NVQ Administration level 2.” Stacy whispered back, then she added seriously. “She's probably very busy with her new job.”

“Yeah.” Emma nodded, still smiling. “I hope she's OK. I wish I could have stayed.”

“What about me?” Stacy laughed. “You had to save me. My hero!”

Both girls laughed then, with a sigh, continued to do their work. Tuesdays were long busy days.

*****

It had been a week since Kerry and Emma had both appeared through the vortex on P3J-769. After the briefing Kerry had been very quiet, she had smiled and nodded to Daniel, Sam and Teal'c, however she had refused to look or speak to Jack. In the end Sam had volunteered to take Kerry home with her; to allow the young woman rest and company at the same time. Now on Kerry's first day back in the SGC, her first day in her new job as Daniel's assistant, Jack was nervous.

“Calm down Jack.” Daniel leaned over to his friend from his seat at the workbench. “She's not going to blame you.”

“Ya think Daniel?” Jack spat back, then shot Daniel an apologetic look. Daniel nodded his response.

“I do not understand why you are nervous O'Neill.” Teal'c cocked his head. “Kerry Ramsey stated she understood the circumstances under which Emma Kalmin left our reality.”

“I know she understood Teal'c.” Jack stood up and started pacing. “She's an intelligent young woman, it's just....”

“Just what?” Kerry's voice came from the doorway.

“We're back.” Sam announced with a smile.

“It's just I think you blame me for Emma leaving you.” Jack squinted, waiting for Kerry to shout, hit him or do something.

“I don't blame you.” Kerry smiled. “I think you've forgotten that I know you guys.” She motioned to SG-1. “I know that you are called the good guys for a reason.”

“Thanks.” Daniel smiled. “Now come on. SG-7 brought back some scrolls while you were away. We have to...”

“Daniel.” Jack cut Daniel off with a grin. “How about you let me give Kerry an official tour as her new CO first, then you can get her to do you work for you? OK?”

Daniel nodded and smiled as Jack extended a hand to Kerry. She took it and the two left the room to start the tour. Daniel's smile grew as he watched his friend walk away with his new friend. The newest member of the SGC.