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 A Face I've Seen Before

Chapter 4

Casey looked around. "Pretty much like the planet we were on," she noted, following as Jack pushed through the heavy brush.

"Doesn't seem that anyone's come this way in a long time," Jack said.

"That could be a good thing. Means they won't find the cavern and our way out of here," Casey replied.

"Good point."

"Just what are we looking for?"

Jack shrugged slightly. "Just lookin'."

The seer nodded. "Fair enough."

Looking at the sky, the general frowned. "Sun seems to be moving faster than normal," he noted.

"This planet must spin faster than Earth. That would make days and nights shorter," Casey mused.

"That’s true."

"So, we’ll make it back to the cavern before dark, right?"

"Of course we will," Jack replied.

"Holding you to that," Casey countered.

Jack tossed a grin at her, and continued walking.

Casey slid down a narrow ridge. While some of the flora seemed wilder here – the grasses taller, the bushes larger – there were no trees. It was as if the ridge were a dividing point. Trees were above the ridge, but hadn’t grown down into what seemed to be a wide valley. They were barely able to move between several of the bushes that were spread copiously on all sides, proof that the cavern had been abandoned for a very long time.

"Stay alert," Jack warned. "Let's try to keep from getting stuck here.

"Jack, nothing and no one has been near this place in decades, maybe even centuries."

"We have no clue what's over the hill," Jack retorted.

"More grass and bushes?" Casey suggested.

"Ha ha. Stay alert."

"Don't know why I should, you're paranoid enough for both of us," the young seer grumbled. "You expect trouble at every turn."

"I practice worst case scenarios," Jack replied.

"Where? In your head?"

"Where else would I be able to practice them?"

"You're just paranoid."

"Yeah, well, that paranoia has saved my ass a time or two."

Casey sighed. "Yeah, mine, too. Okay, Boss. You win." She watched around her carefully, taking note of every bush, the way the grass moved with the slight breeze, the sound of some creature…insect most likely, that could be heard in the air.

Jack glanced at his companion, then grinned. "Good girl."

Casey was about to take offense at the comment, pointing out that she was neither a child nor a dog, but thought better of it. Jack was just remarking on her obvious attention to her surroundings.

"So, how long do you figure it will take the Brains to figure out our little problem?"

"No clue." She paused as what the name Jack had used to refer to Sam and Daniel clicked in her mind. "Why did you call Daniel and Sam ‘The Brains’?"

Shit! Only Radar would demand an explanation for nicknames. Can’t she just accept them…like everyone else? Jack pretended not to hear her.

"Jack?"

"Well, because they are. Brains that is. Smartest two people I've ever met in my life," Jack replied.

"I’m not arguing that. When did you start calling them 'The Brains'?"

The older man cleared his throat. "Been awhile, I guess."

"Uh huh."

"I sorta got the idea from a cartoon I was watching. 'Pinky and the Brain'," Jack admitted.

"A funny cartoon. I've seen it." Casey began to hum, then frowned and stopped. "Okay, who's 'Pinky'?"

"Huh?"

"The title is 'Pinky and the Brain.' If you're calling Daniel and Sam 'the Brains, who is 'Pinky'."

Jack's cheeks began to fill with color. "Don't call anyone 'Pinky'."

Casey watched her friend's face. "Okay. So what name do you use? Because you wouldn't screw up a great title by just using 'the Brains'."

"It's me!" the seer yelped. "So what do you call me behind my back?"

"Nothing! I don't call you anything behind your back that I don't call you to your face," Jack protested.

She turned that thought over in her head. That was true. Jack wasn't the type of person to call anyone by a name he wouldn't be able use in front of that person. Oh, some of his nicknames might be a bit embarrassing, but Jack was never intentionally cruel. He wasn't hateful, or vengeful. What he was, however, was a prankster. A joker. He gloried in finding funny…and most often appropriate…nicknames for his friends and those he worked with. He'd give not-so-nice nicknames to the enemy, but that was just his way of trying to remember who they were, and what their real names were.

"Radar and the Brains," Jack said, after several moments of silence.

Casey glanced at the man who was now walking beside her. "Radar and the Brains?"

"Yep."

The seer grinned. "Catchy."

"I thought so," Jack chuckled. He sighed mentally with relief. Radar wouldn't hold this against him. In fact, he thought, this time chuckling silently, she'd be apt to use the moniker as well.

The two moved on, watching the waist high grass around them. The further from the ridge they moved, the fewer bushes they could see. The only trees in sight were squat looking specimens several miles in front of them. Probably beside a river or a lake, Jack theorized.

Casey began to hum softly. When she tripped on a rather large stone, which the tall grass completely hid, she immediately reached out to the man beside her.

As soon as she was steady on her feet, Jack dropped his hand. Then frowned when a memory rushed forward. A similar incident had happened not long ago. The team was hiking, Radar stumbled, and he just happened to be closer to her than Daniel. She'd reacted instinctively that time as well. She would have automatically reached out to whomever had been close to her, Jack thought. But his memory played back the expressions that had flittered over two faces. Sapphire blue eyes had widened slightly, and for the briefest second, he'd seen pain there. Cerulean blue eyes had narrowed, and suspicion had flickered in those depths. The emotions had been tamped down immediately, and Jack was certain that neither Sam nor Daniel had any clue he'd seen their reactions to the simple, innocent act that had occurred. What he couldn't figure out was what would cause those reactions. When had his touching Casey become a threat to the woman he loved and his best friend?

He was puzzling over the incident when he glanced at Casey once again. They were more comfortable together since Daniel's presumed death…Jack moaned out loud.

"Jack?" Casey said, turning to him immediately.

"I screwed up so bad," he muttered.

"Um…Jack? Totally lost here," Casey said.

"Have you noticed anything…different…about Daniel and Sam since he returned from the dead the last time…well, when he'd been sent to that planet by The Powers That Be?"

Casey frowned, gave the question a moment or two of thought. "No, can't say that I have."

"It hit me when you tripped back there," Jack said, pointing behind them with his chin. "You did that on one of our other missions. I was closer to you than Daniel, or Teal'c."

"So, I reached out for you. I remember."

"Then you didn't see how Sam or Daniel reacted?"

The blonde head moved back in forth, giving a negative response.

"For just a second, I mean, it happened so fast I didn't even realize what I saw until just now," Jack said, "Daniel and Sam were standing side by side…anyway, Sam had this look of hurt, and Daniel…he looked as if I'd betrayed him. I don't know that they were even aware of their feelings in that moment. But…for just a second, those feelings were there, and visible in their eyes."

"I don't understand," Casey said softly, knitted into a frown.

"When Daniel was…missing…I spent every day with you. Twenty-four hours a day."

Realization dawned in green eyes. "Even though nothing happened…I mean, nothing between us-"

"Except for maybe becoming more comfortable in one another's company," Jack pointed out.

"Wow. I never even thought about it. You're Daniel's best friend. You're the man Sam has loved for years. You're my boss and friend. I never…what do we do?" Casey frowned slightly. Had Jack been more comfortable reaching out and touching her? He often clapped Daniel on the back, or threw his arm around the archaeologist's neck in a hug. He even patted Teal'c on the shoulder occasionally. One moment in particular jumped out at her. When she'd been feeling shell-shocked, and not at all ready to go on a mission immediately after Daniel’s ‘miracle’ return. Jack had reached out, and had tugged a lock of her hair around his finger. There wasn't anything suggestive or intimate about the move, but still… "I guess we really didn't do a lot of…touching…before Daniel was declared dead," she said slowly.

"Don't think we're doing a lot of 'touching' now," Jack argued.

"You're not doing any more than what you do with the others. Well, Sam is totally different, but you know what I mean," Casey said.

Jack nodded his understanding.

"It's just…well, you're either tapping me on the nose, or tugging at my hair, or I’m grabbing your arm to keep from falling, or grabbing your arm to get your attention…all innocent things, but…" She shrugged. "I guess for Sam and Daniel, it would seem as if 'all of a sudden' we're touching each other. I'm not certain we did that before."

"I guess maybe we didn't," Jack admitted. He’d never been a ‘touchy-feely’ type person. But with Casey…his feelings for the young seer were complex. She was the reason his best friend in the world was happy. She was the edge against the Goa’uld that the enemy couldn’t counter. And she’d become a close friend in her own right. Most of all, she’d helped him come to grips with his guilt and anger and anguish over Charlie’s death. I’m close to my kids. Only my kids, he thought, somewhat overwhelmed.

"The time we spent together, mourning for Daniel…it's just natural for two people to become closer in that situation. I spent time mourning with Sam and Teal'c and Janet, too. I feel closer to them than I did before," Casey said.

"I should have been more aware of the problem," Jack said. "It nearly broke Sam and I up."

Green eyes went wide. "What? Oh, no!"

"Well, it was more that I was pushing Sam away…she said that she was wrong for not being there with us…with you…when Daniel was dead," Jack said, a slight frown on his face as the memories played through his mind. "I didn't even know that was what I was doing. I was just focused on getting you through the worst of the grieving. Wanted to get you back to normal. I knew Sam and Teal'c were okay, hell, we'd gone through the same thing often enough we should have known that Danny would make it back okay." He offered a cheeky grin.

Casey smiled in return.

"I think, when we get home, maybe the four of us should sit down and have a little talk. Maybe hearing it from us will help them," Jack suggested.

"Good idea."

The two resumed walking, their silence one of easy camaraderie. Until Casey began to giggle.

"What?"

"You like to pretend you're totally obtuse. But you see things other people don't. At least, when it comes to ‘your kids’," Casey said.

Jack gave her a crooked grin. "Well, usually I see it," he admitted.

"Every time, Jack. You were the first to pick up on the relationship between Teal'c and Janet. You're the one who picked up on this…thing…with Daniel and Sam. You don't miss anything when it comes to your team."

The smile faded. Brown eyes became serious. "Because I'm the CO. It's my job."

"It's more than that, Jack," Casey said gently. "It's because you care. You love each of us, in your own way."

"Except for Sam, I will deny that to my dying day," Jack replied, although his brown eyes were once again twinkling.

"Deny away. I know the truth." Casey grinned broadly. "But, I'll keep your secret. Wouldn't want the cadets to think you might be soft."

Jack chuckled. "Thanks, I think." He stopped, and sniffed the air. "That's smoke. Wood burning somewhere."

The two dropped down into the tall grass and carefully examined the horizon. Jack found the trail of gray smoke that lazily curled toward the sky.

"We'll just take a quick look," he said. "This grass should hide us, if we move slowly enough."

"Lead the way, Boss. But you've only got thirty minutes of that hour left, and we still have to hike back to the cavern."

"No worries, Radar."

Teal'c raced into the village, determined to reach the Chappa'ai as quickly as possible. His presence had been noted, however, and the leader himself, Mvemba, waited in the center of the cluster of homes, effectively stopping the Jaffa in his tracks.

"What has happened? Where are those who came with you?" Mvemba demanded.

"They remain in the cavern," Teal'c responded. "Colonel Carter has determined that she needs the assistance of those who have similar skills. She also feels the need for another team."

"More people from your world?" The leader frowned. His expression made it clear that the thought of more strangers wandering around was not one that pleased him.

"Necessary in order to completely destroy the devices left behind by the Ancients. Once that task is complete, we will all leave your village in peace," Teal'c explained. His outward demeanor remained calm, although his heart was pounding with the need to get the others, so that he, Daniel Jackson, and Colonel Carter could go after their now missing teammates.

Mvemba nodded, apparently appeased by the response. "It seems that we will have much to celebrate, when you have accomplished your task."

"So it would seem," Teal'c agreed. "I must hurry. The colonel is most eager to begin her work."

Mvemba nodded again, and stood to the side of the path. There was worry in the eyes of the warrior-leader as the stranger ran toward the Great Circle. Worry caused by the concern he had seen in the dark eyes of the Jaffa. He was certain that something was wrong. But…the Jaffa hadn't seemed overly concerned. Perhaps he was just anxious to complete his task of returning with more Tau'ri. More strangers in…near…his village. In spite of the reassurances, Mvemba couldn’t help but worry.

Teal'c carefully 'dialed' the DHD, waiting impatiently for the wormhole to establish, and open a link to Earth. "SGC, it is Teal'c," he said into his radio.

"Go ahead, Teal'c," General Hammond's voice commanded.

"Colonel Carter requests that Doctor Lee and Doctor Coombs join us immediately. We also need any available SG team to join us."

"Is something wrong?" the general asked.

"There has been a mishap. Colonel Carter and Daniel Jackson are certain the problem can be rectified most easily."

"I see."

"It is not prudent to go into details at this time," Teal'c said carefully, watching as the villagers went about their business. He had no doubt that every word was being carefully examined. The villagers may not know the language of the Tau'ri, but emotions could be heard as easily as the words. If the general were to become agitated, the villagers might become uneasy. That could prove to be problematic when the teams were ready to leave.

"Understood. SG-3 is here. I'll have them ready to leave in ten minutes. Doctors Lee and Coombs will be with them."

"Very well. I shall wait here for their arrival," Teal'c replied. The event horizon collapsed. He glanced at the watch that O'Neill insisted that he wear. It was a most useful device, he admitted silently. Although he was quite sure that he'd never have the need to use it as an alarm clock, as O'Neill insisted could be done.

His stance, arms held loosely behind his back, feet shoulder-width apart, indicated that he was doing nothing more than patiently awaiting others to join him. If he seemed placid to those who silently observed him, it was only due to the years of training he'd had as a Jaffa. His mind was racing with worry – who knew what dangers O'Neill and Casey Jackson might be facing?

He understood that Samantha Carter and Daniel Jackson were certain that they would be able to get themselves, and him, to the reality where their teammates had disappeared. And back again. He understood the reasons that Samantha Carter had requested the two scientists and the SG team. What concerned him was the fact that if anything happened to the colonel or the archaeologist in the other reality, neither he nor his companions would have a clue how to return. He forced his thoughts to slow. The two scientists that Samantha Carter had requested would be shown what to do. He and his teammates would not be abandoned to a different reality. O'Neill and Casey Jackson had been able to 'send' a message through, if it became necessary, surely a message could be sent through a second time. The SG team on stand-by could certainly come to their rescue if need be.

Teal'c took a deep breath, blew it out slowly. When he took another breath, his concerns had lessened. He worked with extremely bright and capable people. The fact that he was still alive was proof of that. This…mishap…was nothing in comparison to some of the situations in which SG-1 had found themselves. A smile tugged at the corners of his lips. No doubt Casey Jackson would declare the entire event nothing more than an adventurous escapade to relieve the boredom of the diplomatic mission.

The inner circle of the Chappa'ai began to spin, each chevron locking into place with a customary 'clang'. Standing behind the DHD, Teal'c waited for the event horizon to open, and then stabilize. Moments later Major Ferretti walked down the steps, his team just behind him. Following on their heels, Doctor Lee and Doctor Coombs looked around. The latter looked slightly green.

"Is this your first trip off-world, Doctor Coombs?" Teal'c asked. As ill as the scientist looked, he feared the man would be little use to them.

"Uh…no…" Coombs managed to reply. He closed his eyes, then opened them again. "I just don't deal with 'gate travel very well."

Ferretti snorted, trying to hide his laughter. "Yeah, well, you didn't throw up this time," the marine offered. "That was the first thing you did when you got to Hell, remember? Although, you actually did pretty good after that, considering."

"Considering what?" Coombs asked. His color was beginning to return, and he was standing straighter than he had been immediately after stepping through the Stargate.

"Considering the fact that you're an ivory tower intellectual. Hell, I lost a bet on you," Ferretti grinned.

Doctor Lee chuckled. "That's pretty good."

Coombs grinned. "Yeah, well I suppose the fact that I was in the Navy when I was a younger man might have had something to do with that."

Ferretti grinned in return. "No doubt. That was a little fact you managed to keep to yourself when you first came to the SGC." Smile fading, he turned his attention to Teal'c. "Okay, what's going on?"

"We have located a device that appears to send travelers to a different reality," Teal'c said. "O'Neill and Casey Jackson have disappeared. Daniel Jackson is certain he knows where they are, and he and Colonel Carter are most certain they know how to retrieve them. However, it seems that O'Neill and Casey Jackson have left the immediate vicinity. We must go and locate them in order to return."

The Marine major nodded. "Okay, I assume that's what the good doctors are for, to help get you back?"

"It is."

"And we're here for backup."

"And to prevent any curious villagers from moving too closely to the cavern," Teal'c replied.

"Good enough. Lead the way, Teal'c," Ferretti said.

Teal'c nodded and offered measured smiles to the villagers who watched as the strangers moved through the village, toward the path that they were forbidden from taking. Most of the villagers smiled and nodded in return. Several even waved enthusiastically as the men strode by.

"Friendly enough," Lieutenant Patrick Driscoll remarked.

"Always nice to have the natives on our side," Willy Lopez agreed.

"They seem most anxious to have the device removed or destroyed," Teal'c told the men. "The loss of three young people several years ago has made the cavern taboo to the villagers."

Glances were exchanged between the members of SG-3. "You know she's gonna want us to haul it back to the SGC," Lopez muttered.

"I do not believe that would be feasible," Teal'c said.

"You just be sure to tell Colonel Carter that, okay?" Airman Rueben "The Kid" James retorted.

"I will do so," Teal'c replied. "I do not wish to be forced to drag, pull, or carry the pieces of the console, and the power modules from the cavern to the Chappa'ai."

Ferretti laughed out loud. "Good thing we brought a little C-4 with us, then."

"Indeed," Teal'c said, just a hint of a smile on his face.

Crawling through grass now, the two teammates came to the edge of low rise. Just below was a very small village. They were able to look down at the slightly scattered buildings. Several were obviously homes. There was blacksmith's stall as well. Standing in the very center of the cluster of stone and wooden structures was a temple. Big and white and very much in use.

They watched as half a dozen men spilled down the steps of the edifice. There was a bit of calling back and forth between the men and those who had been gathered near the open fire. The villagers started moving in the same direction as those who had left the temple. Another large group suddenly appeared on the opposite side of the village – Jack counted twenty men and seven women. This group was walking toward the first group.

The new arrivals were dressed similarly, in dark cotton trousers and dark shirts. From the distance, Casey thought, the trousers resembled cargo pants. Most of the men wore the shirts with the sleeves rolled up. One of the women among them, however, was wearing a long cotton dress, and a flowing cape over her shoulders, both in light blue.

"Well, hell," Jack muttered.

"Let's go back," Casey murmured.

"Right," Jack replied.

Both were turning around when raised voices drifted toward them. Not alarm. No, it almost seemed to be…celebrating? Or at least the sounds of people who were enjoying themselves. The two groups on the path had converged, and the newly arrived group were greeted enthusiastically.

Those people are close, Casey thought, watching the way they reached out to one another to clap backs, or take each other's heads between their hands, and rest foreheads together. Lots of laughter. Sounded like a bit of teasing. They were too far away to make out distinct words.

Jack watched the villagers carefully. It seemed that everyone was gathering around the group that had sauntered into the village. He carefully scanned the crowd. Took note of the way the men stood. That guy, with the green coat…he'd be the first to raise the alarm. The women, nearly two dozen of them…would probably start screaming at the sight of strangers. Unless…his gaze moved over the village, looking for one thing. There it was. He frowned slightly. Had the new group come from there? He hadn’t noticed any lights or heard anything. But this rise was on the other side of the village, and he’d been focused on the folks in front of him. Okay, they might be accustomed to having guests arrive. But not from this barely discernable path in the tall grass. Nope, someone coming from this direction would definitely be a surprise. Probably not a good one, in the opinion of the villagers. He gave a mental sigh. This village wasn't made up of half a dozen different African tribes. So it was totally different from his reality.

"So, are we leaving?" Casey whispered, her own miniature binoculars against her face.

"I think we should-" The moment the man in the middle of the crowd turned, and Jack saw his face, it was nearly impossible to keep the flow of curses that he wanted to sling from leaving his lips. He didn't completely succeed. "Son of a bitch!"

"What?"

"Black hair, black eyes, copper skin," Jack said, clipping each word. "Seems to be the leader, there in the center of the group."

"Got him. Someone you recognize?"

"Apophis."

Casey's jaw dropped, she stared at her commanding officer for a moment, then shook her head. "You're kidding!"

"Wish I was," Jack lamented. He put his hand on Casey's shoulder as the group of men, including the Apophis look-alike, moved closer to where the Tau'ri lay hidden. When the four stopped, they were just a few feet from the small rise where he and Radar were hidden. Jack put a hand over Casey's, then nodded at her P90. Both weapons were moved into position. If they were forced to fire, they would do so, and then hope they could disappear back into the tall grass.

"…I'm certain that what Joseph reports is accurate. He has never failed us before," one of the men was saying.

"I want to believe him," one of the others said. "But if it is true that he was captured…" His voice trailed off. The men around him were nodding.

The two hiding in the grass exchanged shocked looks. English? These people spoke good ol’ American English?

"Curious-er and curious-er," Casey whispered. Jack could only nod his agreement.

"We cannot discount the report of his capture," the Apophis twin responded. "Until he has been fully examined by our doctor, I will suspect that he has been turned against us."

"Apophis!" a voice called from near the center of the village.

The four men turned, saw the waving figure, and retreated the way they had come.

"Goddamned sonuvabitch!" Jack swore.

"Jack, he's not Apophis," Casey whispered.

"Radar, I know that snake. I know that's him. Hell, they just called for him!"

"I can't explain the name, but I do know he's not Goa'uld," Casey insisted.

Jack studied the seer for a moment. She'd never been wrong. There's always the first time, his brain pointed out, rather snarkily, he noted. No, Radar has never led us wrong. He clung stubbornly to that thought.

"I don't sense Goa'uld. I don't even get a sense of symbiotes in any of them," she continued, frowning slightly.

"Well, that's just screwy as hell," Jack muttered.

"We've looked around. Let's get back to that cavern. Daniel and Sam will have figured out how to get us home by now. There's probably even a very nasty note waiting for us…something about staying in one place long enough to be rescued."

Jack grinned. If the Brains had figured out how to get them back, and all they got was a rock and a note...yep, nasty return mail should be expected. "Okay. Nice and easy. Just slide back into grass. We'll have to crawl for a bit, then we'll run."

Before they could move, one of the village dogs trotted toward them. It took note of their presence. The dog, which looked like a Golden Retriever, began to bark, tail wagging furiously. Apparently the dog didn't believe the two strangers to be any threat, but rather two friends waiting to be greeted.

"Shh! Good doggy," Casey whispered. "Go home! Go home, doggy!"

All attention from the village was on the dog now. Men and women were picking up weapons, and moving slowly toward the rise.

"Shit!" Jack swore silently. His eyes widened as he examined the weapons several of the men, including the Apophis clone, were carrying. "M-16s?" he muttered.

"What?" Casey whispered.

"Those guys are carrying M-16s," Jack replied.

"Aren't those kinda old?"

"The version those boys are carrying is. Looks like the same weapon as the guys in 'Nam carried," Jack told her.

"Okay, next question. How did they get M-16s?"

"Wish I had an answer for that, Radar. Are you sure you're not picking up any bad vibes?"

"None," Casey replied. "Just, different, and weird."

"As long as you don't see us getting into any trouble," Jack sighed.

"Well, technically, I never looked to see if we got into trouble," Casey admitted.

"Oy. Now's a hell of a time to tell me that."

"Don’t blame me! I wasn't the one who wanted to tear out of that cavern to go exploring. I wanted to wait for Daniel and Sam to figure it out and get us home," Casey pointed out waspishly.

Jack tossed a grin at the young seer. "Right. This is all my fault."

"And don't you forget it."

"I'll keep it in mind," Jack teaased.

"I know that we aren't going to be hurt, and that this mission will end…okay. But it's gonna be really weird," Casey said.

"Certainly is weird, I’ll grant you that!" Jack declared.

By now the dog had scampered up the rise, and was pressing its nose against Casey's cap.

"Looks like you made a friend," Jack grinned.

"Ha ha. Dog, don't even think about-" The dog licked Casey's face before she could finish her threat.

"You! On the hill! Stand up, put your hands in the air!"

"Well, at least we can understand them, and they’ll be able to understand us," Casey sighed. "No having to worry about a language barrier and inadvertent mistakes that could get us killed." She slowly rose to her feet, held her hands above her head.

"Radar!" Jack hissed.

"Jack, they know we're here. Fido here has confirmed it. You were the one who wanted to know what was happening on this planet. Here's your chance to find out."

The general heaved a sigh, then slowly rose to his feet beside the young woman. His hands went above his head as well.

The gasps of those who pointed weapons at them could be heard clearly. "How did you get here?" The Apophis clone demanded to know.

"Oh, you wouldn't believe me if I told you," Casey replied. "What I want to know is how did you get human…er…Tau'ri weapons? And where did you learn to speak English?"

"You are in no position to ask questions, Jaffa," the clone retorted.

"Huh? Jaffa? Are you blind or something? Do you see any tattoos on our foreheads?" Casey blurted, her confusion as clear in her voice as it was in her expressive eyes.

"Foreheads? Goa'uld stopped doing that years ago," the clone spat. It was obvious to Jack that the man had unintentionally responded to Casey's wide-eyed reaction.

"Oh. Wow. Major differences in this reality," Casey said, not actually realizing she'd spoken out loud.

One of the men beside the Apophis clone started, then stared hard at the two interlopers. "What's that about realities?"

"Well, we're not exactly from here…this reality," Casey explained. "You know about different realities?"

"The mirror is inside the temple. It is guarded. How could you have stepped through it, and manage to get to that hill, without anyone noticing?" the man asked incredulously.

"That mirror isn't the only device the Ancients left behind that tosses people into different realities," Jack drawled. The fact that the M-16s – or what looked like M-16s – while still raised, weren't directly pointed at them, led him to believe that being shot wasn't in his immediate future.

"Walk down here," the Apophis clone ordered. "Keep your hands off your weapons."

Exchanging a worried glance with her CO, Casey led the way. She slipped twice, but managed to stay on her feet.

Both expected to be divested of their weapons and gear immediately, and handcuffed as well. Instead, the Apophis clone walked around them, examining them carefully.

"You are from the First World." It wasn't a question, but a statement of fact.

"In our reality, yes," Jack replied.

"You are Jaffa for Anubis."

Casey's eyes went so wide that two of the men took a step backwards. "Say what? Are you out of your minds? That freaky bastard is here?"

The clone gave a small smile. "He took over the First World about twenty years ago. I was ten years old when my family escaped from there."

Jack ran a hand over his face. "Radar, you're not picking up any symbiotes?"

"None," Casey confirmed.

"Your identification is unlike any I've seen," the Apophis clone continued, pointing to the patches on their arms. He reached out, took Casey’s right hand, pushed her sleeve up. Held her wrist so that the men around him could see the unmarred skin. "No tattoo. So, maybe you aren’t Jaffa."

"No, we aren’t Jaffa. We’re from a different reality," Casey said. "There's a cavern in the hills back there," she pointed. "The Ancients left one of their toys there. The mate to that device is in our reality, and we accidentally triggered it."

"We didn't," Jack clarified immediately. "Our teammates did."

"But not intentionally," Casey insisted.

The woman wearing the blue dress and cape approached. The breeze toyed with the ends of her long black hair. Eyes as blue as the summer sky appraised the strangers. She hesitated for a moment, her gaze moving immediately to Casey.

Casey felt the 'power' as soon as the woman had moved close enough. "You're a seer," she said softly.

"As are you," the woman replied. Her voice was sultry, her accent heavy.

"I am," Casey confirmed.

"These people speak the truth. And I believe they could offer much help to us," the woman told the Apophis clone. They stared at one another for several tense moments. Whatever message she had been sending with her steady gaze, it had been received. The Apophis clone nodded once. Satisfied, the dark haired seer nodded once in return.

"I am Pedram," the Apophis clone said, relaxing visibly. "I am the son of Muhammad Ansisi Hussain-"

"I’ve heard that name before…" Jack frowned, unintentionally interrupting. The general’s frown deepened, then his eyes widened. "Muhammad Ansisi Hussain was one of our spies. His intel was always spot on! He lived in Baghdad."

"I was born in Baghdad," Pedram confirmed. "You say my father helped you?"

"Yeah. Well, in my reality. The Muhammad Ansisi Hussain in my reality worked with us. We were…the US and Iraq, were enemies," Jack muttered. No need to mention the still tense relationship between the two countries. They were more ‘frenemies’, to quote Cassie, than allies. Divulging information like that could see him and Casey held as prisoners; totally ruining the cordial, if cautious, greeting.

"As were we, before the Goa'uld arrived. Now we all work together to rid the galaxy of these monsters."

"We're fighting them as well," Casey said. "Although it's just a handful of us. The rest of the planet doesn't know about the Stargate."

"Stargate?"

"Chappa'ai," Casey explained, pointing at the device that stood near the temple. "I'm Casey Jackson, this is my CO General Jack O'Neill. We're pleased to meet you, Pedram."

"I will wait to decide whether meeting you is a good thing or not," Pedram replied dryly, although his dark eyes were filled with warmth.

Jack silently agreed with the man who looked exactly like his dead nemesis. "They called you 'Apophis'," he said, nodding at the group of people who had gathered to listen to the conversation.

Pedram grinned. "My unit killed that Goa'uld two days ago. When we were able to prove our kill-"

Jack's eyebrow went up. "Prove?"

"We had to deliver both the host body, and the dead symbiote to the Resistance Council," Pedram explained. "By doing so, we proved the kill. To honor us, our unit was given the name of the former Goa'uld. I am known now by that name as well, as the leader of the unit."

"Must piss the Goa'uld off when you take their names," Jack grinned.

"Which is exactly why we do it. It also helps when we 'claim' the worlds that had belonged to the Goa'uld," Pedram said.

"You claim them?" Casey asked, slightly alarmed. Were these 'resistance fighters' no better than the Goa'uld they fought against?

"More or less. We establish a presence, as much as possible, on each planet. See that the people have what they need: food, clean water, clothing, medical attention. But most importantly, freedom," Pedram explained. "Free people are much more willing to fight to keep that freedom than subjugated people are, especially if their basic needs have been met."

"You must seem like true gods to some of those people," Casey smiled.

"Some of them find it difficult to believe we are not," Pedram confirmed. His dark eyes were filled with more sadness than amusement. While being seen as ‘gods’ was an easy way to motivate people to help the Resistance, only people who truly valued freedom made strong soldiers.

Casey looked around. There were at least a hundred people that she could see. And if these resistance fighters were establishing a 'presence' on every free world…"So how many people managed to escape when Anubis slithered onto Earth?"

"Not as many as we had hoped. But with the 'help' of three of his ships, which we took command of, we were able to get about a million off Earth and set up on other planets. The Resistance on Earth keeps Anubis too busy to actually be much of a threat elsewhere. When he took over, he took over the military apparatus of every country. Used the soldiers in the same manner that other Goa’uld use Jaffa. He even calls them Jaffa," Pedram reported.

"Because he has no symbiotes, nor access to them," the black haired seer chuckled. "He pretends to be the most powerful of all Goa'uld, when in reality, he is no more powerful than Camulus."

"Yeah, Camulus is a weakling in our reality, too," Jack nodded.

"The war against the Goa'uld has taken a bad turn, however," Pedram sighed.

"They're working together," Casey surmised.

"Yes, they are. And while we have…liberated many ships, and many Jaffa, who gladly fight beside us, we are no match for them."

"What about the Tok'ra, or the Asgard?" Casey asked.

Pedram, two of the men, and the black haired seer, exchanged glances. "We do not know of these…‘Tok'ra’, nor ‘Asgard’."

Casey grinned broadly. "Well, if your reality is anything like ours, those two groups are about to become your best allies. Especially the Tok'ra."

"'Against Ra'?" Pedram raised an eyebrow.

"Yep. Rebels who helped start the revolution on our planet that tossed Ra out way back before the first Egyptian Dynasty was established," Casey clarified.

"Ah, yes. Ra. He was ousted from our Earth as well," Pedram said. "So, we did not know of the Goa'uld until Anubis appeared. We were angry, not frightened. We fought long and hard, even now the Resistance prevents him from completely ruling the planet."

"Nobody had discovered the Stargate…er…Chappa’ai before Anubis arrived?" Jack frowned. That was certainly a distinct difference between realities. Or had the device, and perhaps even the DHD, been discovered, but after experiments during the Second World War, if the two planets mirrored one another, had the device been packed away and forgotten about? Maybe there wasn't a Doctor Catherine Langford in this reality; and without her, there had been no one to badger the president into studying the giant monument?

"We have just learned that the Chappa’ai, as the Goa’uld call it, was discovered on Earth, but hidden away. We’re not certain where it is, or whether the device that activates the great circle is with it," Pedram told them. "The information is in old, classified military documents that we were able to sneak out of the White House. There’s nothing left of the building but rubble, but we knew about the underground storage. So our people have been searching for whatever information can be discovered."

Jack nodded. "Should be interesting, to say the least. Never know what those politicians were hiding."

Pedram chuckled softly. "Very true."

Casey shivered, then glanced over her shoulder. "We should probably expect the rest of our team to show up here," she said.

Jack nodded. "Yeah, they'll follow our tracks."

"Which is good, because Sam and Daniel will remember the details for contacting the Tok'ra and the Asgard," Casey smiled.

Pedram nodded his understanding. "While we wait, let us eat, and discuss more of the differences in our…realities."

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