Events on the Horizon: A Stargate Sequel

Chapter 7

Eleanor

87 sleeps, I wasn't sure that was the exact date but a laugh escaped me. It would have been Christmas Eve. I looked at the calendar on my desk and the little notes around it. The irony was not lost on me. I had gone out yesterday to find the generator that I would need to power up the gate, and saw the void was now encroaching onto the perimeter of the base. I only had one shot of this, one chance for this to work. I had been toiling away at making this single use remote dialer that would enable me to pinpoint a timeline where Daniel was tethered to. Based on all my calculations and reading I believed the healing cuff that Dr. Yoke had left me with created a physical bond between Daniel and I when I used it to revive him, and from that I could create a slingshot in time back to him, but only once. The concept frightened me, truly. If I did this wrong I was gone, but if I didn't do it I was going to be sucked into the void and gone. I knew when I was done, if it had worked, the likelihood of my brain hemorrhaging within a day or two from the same Ancients library download that helped me get back would be my undoing if I couldn't get help. So now, as I was sitting in my office collecting the journals I had written over the days and the trinkets I had gathered getting ready to shove them into my backpack I said my goodbyes in preparation.

"Imaginary Daniel?" I questioned aloud as I gazed over at the table where we finally had kissed. Where he had asked me to come home with him, and how could I refuse myself of every desire that had led me to that blissful night. In that moment, when he wanted me in return, I felt complete and my life had been perfectly and beautifully ruined. I had never truly cared about what lovers thought before. Sure I enjoyed their time, I cared for them in our moments together, but Daniel was different. I ached for him, for his soul. There was something absent within me, crushing and ruthless in reminding me of that. When I was with him, even just listening about his day or seeing him eat dinner going over his work notes, that hole in me was filled. Oh, but hearing his words of affection, that was truly what I lived for. I never wanted to be that lovesick woman, the one who would give up her life for some man. Yet here I was arguing he was never just that for me. As cliche as it was, he was woven into my soul into the fibers of my being, and I never knew love before I knew him. That one thread of Daniel Jackson in the tapestry of my life, when it was pulled away it unraveled all of me, and I could never be the same.

"It was never really fair." I sighed hoping my imagination Daniel would chime in. "You had all of me from the beginning, and even now in the end. But I will always be just a fond memory for you." There was a pause as I just stared at the spot touching my lips with the tips of my fingers, remembering how tender and still claiming he was. How he made me feel like it was as much a build up for him as it was me.

"For once, you're very wrong." I heard him swirling in my thoughts, the softness of his voice tickling my ears as if it were a whisper. "You are, and always will be my everything Eleanor." At least in my ever growing madness, imaginary Daniel was saying what my heart yearned for.

"Well, let's get this show on the road." I muttered and picked up the heavy pack, placing it comfortably on my shoulders. My hair was braided back in two buns to keep from any unnecessary distractions away. I had saved a pair of clean black activewear pants and a matching long sleeve shirt for this very moment. It was becoming hard to find clean clothes the past two weeks, but I would be damned if I came through that gate one last time in week old clothes. Daniel's green coverall jacket and name tag was draped over me with the sleeves comfortably rolled up, and my well worn boots were strapped to my feet. I walked into the gate room and poured the gas into the generator that I had siphoned out of cars from the parking lot with an old hose and my own mouth. I still gagged at the mistake of inhaling gas the first attempt.

With a couple yanks of the cord it started up, and I knew I had about half an hour to get this gate dialed before the fumes would start getting to me in the enclosed room. I pulled the dialing remote from my pocket and put the coordinates into it, double checking it three times before pressing go and slapping it to the side of the ring. The metal started to buzz, warming up and turning with the help of the roaring generator. I stepped back, giving the flush room to kawoosh out and held my breath silently praying. After the sixth symbol spun it stopped with a clank.

No, no God no please. Please work. I mentally pleaded, feeling my eyes well up, please work. And the seventh symbol spun into place. Seeing the wave of blues spin out and snap back made me jump up and down in laughter. I was clapping, and crying tears of joy. It had worked, at least it had spun to another gate somewhere, anywhere, but hopefully where I had dialed.

"Yes!" I screamed out, "yes you son of a bitch I did it! I dialed you!" I laughed, wiping tears away. I turned around and saluted up at where the gate technicians would have sat, grinning in accomplishment. "See you soon old friend!" And I made my way back through to the other side.

Jonas

"Go fish. That's what you say right? Go fish?" I tossed my cards down on the folding table and the four men in front of me groaned, throwing their own cards down on the pile.

"No, that's a flush." The female lieutenant laughed looking over my shoulder as she passed by. "All that cash is yours my friend."

"Ah well, better luck next time I guess." I shrugged, collecting the wad of American currency and shoving it into my pants pockets. "Though I don't know when the next time I'll be visiting Earth again will be, I don't want to offend anyone by not collecting my winnings." I shot a sly smile at them and rose.

"Another game Quinn or are you done fleecing us?" One of them called out and I shook my head no. The heat of the large makeshift building they had resurrected up around the gate until a more permanent structure could be built was getting to me. I had stripped down my overshirt to just the black t-shirt underneath, but even now I was starting to sweat. I didn't realize when I volunteered to be a liaison for the new SGC alpha site from my planet that I was going to be doing guard duty. I had assumed I'd be more of a consultant, but apparently until the structure was built we all took our turn.

My head spun in the direction of locking chevrons and grinding metal when I saw the gate spinning to life. "Unscheduled offworld activation." Called over our radios. My pistol was drawn and pointed at the gate when the whoosh of the wormhole spread and plopped back into place. A woman came walking out, frost glinting on her face and body as she shivered a few steps closer. There were dark circles under her weary eyes, but there was a glimmering hope in them that made me take a second look.

"State your name and purpose!" The major behind me shouted.

"El, Eleanor O, Owens." She stammered holding her hands up and swallowed trying to collect her breath. She bent over putting her hands on her knees looking as if she were going to wretch. The gate snapped shut behind her and we lowered our weapons slowly.

"Purpose?" He shouted again.

"Give her a second," I shot back. "She's wearing your gear. Let her catch her breath." I noticed the casual uniform jacket that was often worn around the SGC. The field pack was in the same camo print as everyone around me, clearly she was someone they knew or she knew them. She raised her head up, all the color draining from her face.

She took in another breath and stood up as squarely as she could. "I need to know Dr. Daniel Jackson of Earth's SG-1 Stargate Command made it through in time."

"To my knowledge he's uh, in the office today back on Earth? I think I called him yesterday." I nodded glancing back over at the Major who shrugged. She let out a shaky sigh of relief, a smile spread across her face and she collapsed to the ground. The lieutenant ran to her side trying to revive her and called for medical attention.

"What did you do now Jackson?" I blew out a puff of air and turned back to the shocked men behind me. "Looks like that trip Earth side is coming up sooner than expected boys."