[ 1: Discoveries (PG-13) | 2: Fighting (PG-13) | 3. Through the Looking Glass (PG-13) | 4: A Goa'uld (PG-13) | 5: A New Reality (PG-13) | 6: Earth (PG-13) | 7: A Minor Goa'uld (PG-13) | 8: The Human Slave (PG-13) | 9: Egypt (PG-13) | 10: Ra (PG-13) | 11: Goa'uld Entertainment (R) | 12: Back in Space (PG) | 13: Comfort (NC-17) | 14: Next Morning (PG-13) | 15: Solving A Puzzle (PG-13) | 16: Queens (PG-13) | 17: Hathor (PG-13) | 18: Going Home (PG) ]

Chapter 18: Going Home.


Summary: SG-1 and Martouf/Lantash are finally going home to their own reality.
Warnings: None
Rating: PG


Lantash told the Jaffa to take his naquadah to Shiren and wait there for him and his people. They immediately left to follow his orders.

Lantash and the others went through the Stargate to a planet with a market place where they could buy the parts they would need for the bomb. Having gotten what they needed, they quickly returned to Shiren, not wanting to risk Segomo changing his mind...not that they thought he would have the presence of mind to think of them at all for the next very long time. 

On Shiren, Segomo's Jaffa waited, guarding Lantash's naquadah. They were sent away and Sam and Lantash/Martouf quickly constructed the bomb, connecting it to a time-delay and then to the machines in the laboratory.

They activated the quantum mirror, and to their surprise, they found the mirror had not changed reality while it had been turned off. Apparently the aliens had managed to solve that problem. Turning off the mirror, they went to make the last preparations on the bomb.

"It will arm the moment we activate the quantum mirror." Martouf explained. "We will then have exactly 2 minutes to get through and close it down, so as not to risk anything flying through from the explosion."

"OK, get ready, then!" O'Neill ordered.

They all lined up near the mirror, prepared to touch it as soon as it was activated. Sam pressed a button and the quantum mirror activated. They all hurried through, then shut it down as soon all was in their own reality again.

"Is the quantum mirror and the other stuff in that lab gone now, you think?" O'Neill wanted to know.

"Presumably, the amount of naquadah we used should have been enough to remove a large portion of the planet." Martouf said.

"We can attempt to connect there again, but we should wait a few minutes to allow the explosions to die down." Sam said.

"OK. We'll wait."

After several more minutes had passed, they activated the mirror again, after having made sure it was no longer short-circuited in such a way as it had been the other time, when they had all been pulled through.

The quantum mirror activated, and for a short time showed nothing, then blinked and shifted to another reality, close by. There everything looked peaceful and untouched. Apparently the mirror had not been found again there. They quickly closed it down.

"So, it's gone. We're safe!" O'Neill looked happy.

"Well..." Sam looked unsure.

"We are safe from Segomo and others in that reality, but we can never be certain someone from another reality does not find the quantum mirror and use it to go here. It is, however, not very likely they will end up here. It is more of a problem that someone here could use this machinery to change our reality. However, the solution to both would be to destroy this laboratory. Of course, this may not be the only one..." Martouf said.

"OK, we'll have someone nuke this place. For now, no one except Segomo seemed to know of it, correct?" O'Neill asked.

"Correct." Martouf said.

"Good. Let's get home!"

"Uh, we've been gone for several months..." Daniel pointed out.

"Yes, they've probably declared us missing and locked out our iris codes." Sam said. "We could go to the Alpha Site, though."

"What about the Tok'ra?" Martouf suggested.

"After the latest devastating attack, they have begun utilising many smaller bases instead of a few bigger ones and some smaller outposts. We don't currently have the addresses for any of them, though they may have reported back with one or two contact addresses since we have been gone." She looked apologetic. "Our relationship with the Tok'ra have started to deteriorate."

Martouf nodded, sadly. "The Alpha Site, then."

"Listen..." O'Neill looked divided. "...for what it's worth...we've probably been a bit unfair towards the Tok'ra. I know I have. I'll make sure people know you've actually done a lot for this Galaxy..."

"Yeah, I'm sure people will show you more respect when they hear how bad it was without you guys." Sam smiled.

"We owe you any chance of freedom this Galaxy will ever have." Teal'c added. "I will make sure the Jaffa does not forget."

"Teal'c's right. If it weren't for the Tok'ra, we'd have all been slaves - or dead." Daniel said.

Martouf looked very surprised at all this praise. He smiled. "I will do my best to help ensure our allegiance does not falter." He bowed his head, giving Lantash control. He looked even more surprised than his host.

"Thank you." Lantash smiled, gratefully. "I must admit, it was...a revelation to see a Galaxy were the Tok'ra never came to be. I will make sure the other Tok'ra learn of it. After being a resistance for so long, you tend to see the failures more than the successes, and it's easy to feel everything is pointless. Easy to only see the losses and become paranoid. This will help reaffirm our believes that what we do is the right thing - and that it's worth risking our lives for. Perhaps it will also help some Tok'ra behave better towards the Tau'ri and our other allies. Show us that we must take some chances in order to succeed. Show us the importance of treating everyone with respect and not behave as if we're above them. That is what the Goa'uld do - and we must continue to distance ourselves from them."

Together they walked through the Stargate, ready to fight for a future were the Tok'ra, the Tau'ri, and the Jaffa had a strong allegiance and treated each other with respect. Fighting together like brothers.



THE END


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