Episode Twelve: White Flag

[Beatrice "Honey" Cutter]

1853 - Alternate Dimension
SGC Zulu Site
Briefing Room

Honey listened to Will discuss his file.She surpressed a giggle. John gave her a questioning look. So she whispered to him You remember that nasty goatee of his? I told you it made him look like a seriel killer.

Honey was embarassed by that thought. She could tell that each member of the team was distressed by the path their alternate self had gone down. But she couldn't help smiling. She had always wondered wheterh some of her team mates had a wild side.

Behind the one way glass Beatrice watched the group. She knew what she wanted. Now how to go about getting it

<tag all sorry this post is not my best too much happening right now>

[Alec "Wildcat" Styles]

1853

The door opened yet again, and two tall men in matching suits with earbuds entered and looked at Alec in slight surprise. With a glance between the two of them, the larger one spoke, "Sir, I'm SSA Davis, and this is Agent Gray, Secret Service. Would you come with us ok please, sir?"

Furrowing his brow, Styles stepped forward and responded, "Why the cheap business suits? And Secret Service? What did my counterpart do, kidnap the President?" Another look between the two, and the Agents smiled forcibly before the shorter one said, "Very funny, Mister President, but we really do need to talk." For the first time in a long time, Sergeant Major Alec Styles was at a loss for words. A glance to the members of SD-1 showed their surprise as well. Realizing this could turn to a crucial tactical advantage, eye contact and a slight nod from Colonel Loveridge made Wildcat turn back to the Agents.

"Lead the way boys," he said, standing up straighter and exiting the room ahead of them.

<Tag SD-1>

[Troy Loveridge]

1853 - Alternate Dimension
SGC Zulu Site
Briefing Room

Taking his folder with some reservation, Troy skimmed over his life in this alternate reality. Everything started off fine; he still had the same parents, same date and place of birth, and the same childhood. He'd gained the same results at high school, and just like in his own reality, he'd enlisted in the Air Force as a Pararescue operator. He'd meet Ashlee, and the two had wed, but that was where things diverged.

In this reality, Troy Loveridge had left the Air Force, citing he wanted a job that would better support his new family. Using his connection he'd secured a job with the National Security Agency as an entry level intelligence analysis. Headquartered at Fort Meade, Maryland, his family had been able to finally settle down. Kirby-Ann and Trent had both attended local schools, and were both away at college, neither of them associated with the military or the publicized Stargate program. At last report, Troy from this reality was still with the NSA in senior management, as the Associate Deputy Director for Operations/ Military Support.

A few questions entered Troy's mind; had his absence from the Stargate program had any impact on this reality, and if so, to what extent? In this reality, he'd never crossed paths with anyone else on his team, a lose to be sure. If time and situations permitted, he wouldn't mind making contact with his 'twin' of this reality, to find out if the grass was truly greener on the other side.

Sergeant Cutter was finally ushered back into the room. "Colonel, what is going on here," John inquired. "I just saw Honey in another room, and here she is." Troy looked to Honey, then back to John. "She's been with us the entire time, must have been the Doctor Honicott of this reality." The Marine took a seat, and Troy slid John's file across the table for him to read.

The Sergeant skimmed the first page. "It says I died.....I was killed on a mission after exiting the gate. I don't exist here......" Troy nodded. "Almost everyone has lived a different life in this reality. Andy was medically discharged, Will never joined the service, Chris remained in intelligence and was killed during an interrogation, Honey never joined the SGC, and I left the Air Force for the NSA....."

Troy turned to Sergeant Major Styles, who had been yet to divulge any information from his file. Before he could ask him any question, two men in suits entered the room. "Sir, I'm SSA Davis, and this is Agent Gray, Secret Service. Would you come with us ok please, sir?" Troy looked to Cutty, who didn't show any visible signs of interrogation or torture, so he assumed Alec would be safe; probably just more questions to sort out the situation.

"Why the cheap business suits? And Secret Service? What did my counterpart do, kidnap the President?" Came the SNCO's reply. There was an awkward pause, before the reply from the suits. "Very funny, Mister President, but we really do need to talk." Troy's heart skipped a beat - either he'd heard wrong or this was an elaborate joke, or in this reality, old AB was the big man in the White House. The Marine looked to Troy, who nodded in reply. "Lead the way boys," Alec said, raising from the table and following them out of the room.

"Well," Troy said, "It seems some of us have been very busy in this reality..."

< Tag SD-1 >

[John "Cutty" Cutter]

1853 - Alternate Dimension
SGC Zulu Site
Briefing Room

Well, Troy said, It seems some of us have been very busy in this reality...

John was still in shock after reading he had died. The file slipped from his hands and papers scattered across the floor. I'm dead. was all he could say. The file was laying with the word DECEASED staring back at him. He got up and kicked the folder across the room, then walked in the opposite direction, put his back against the wall and slid to the floor. I'm dead. He sat with his legs drawn up and his head resting against his knees. This was too much for John to take right now. First he meets the alternate version of Honey, then reads about his own death.

The emotions welling up inside him needed a release of some sort. Finally he couldn't take it anymore. He got up and walked to the table, grabbed a chair and threw it at the wall with the mirror. The chair hit the mirror and a small crack appeared, but the mirror did not break.

As john turned around, he noticed that the rest of the team was staring at him. John had never reacted this way, and he knew there would be repurcussions from this.

<Tag SD-1>

[Beatrice "Honey" Cutter]

1853 - Alternate Dimension
SGC Zulu Site
Briefing Room

Honey watched as her usually stoic husband flung a chair against the mirror. She moved quickly to his side. She met his eyes with concern. She did something she very rarely did in front of the other team members,took him in her arms and held him.

She would not let him know that the news of his death in this reality had upset her as much as it had him. It was her turn to be the strong partner. She would not let him down. After whispering words of love to him she released him and turned to face the rest of the team

<tag sd-1>

Alcove off Briefing Room

Beatrice watched with growing anger as the blond replica walked toward John. She snapped the pencil she was holding in hand as the woman put her arms around him.

She watched the womans walk. No confidence. Taking care of her would be as easy as drowning kittens. Still she was rather beautiful. Maybe a few games with her before she eliminated her rival would be pleasurable.

Beatrice almost laughed when the agents led the "President" from the room. They truly believed he was who he said he was. Maybe she could use her duplicates sweeteners to gain some advantage from Styles.

Beatrice opened the door just as the agents were walking the "President" by here. She executed a fall that lead the man no choice but to catch her. In her sweetest voice she smiled up at the man Ohhhhh I will never get the hang of heels. Hi I am Beatrice

[Andy Buchanan]

1854 - Alternate Dimension
SGC Zulu Site
Briefing Room

Andy didn't stare at John, even when he picked up the chair and attempted to smash the mirror with it. Admittedly, the noise made the engineer jump visibly, but he was too absorbed in the bizarre read that was his Other Self's file. It was his life, but all twisted up and messed around. And...

"I have a son."

It was quiet and barely heard. But yes, according to his file, Andrew Gareth Buchanan and his ex-wife, Megan, were the parents of a three year old boy by the name of Rhys. Andy's Megan, in what he was starting to think of as 'the real world' had not wanted children, despite saying at the beginning of the relationship how much she'd like to. It had been just one of the many things that had driven a wedge between them. The file recorded how she had filed for divorce on the grounds that Andy was away from home so much that he was failing to be a good husband/father/human being in general. Apparently, since his exposure to the alien radiation, it had been determined that minimal contact with the child was best, particularly given his mental deterioration.

Andy read on.

Staff Sergeant Buchanan's mental condition is likely to deteriorate to the point where he is no longer able to function as a member of society. At this time, which will not be for several years, we recommend that he be permanently institutionalised and monitored. It is therefore the decision of this committee that Staff Sergeant Buchanan be allowed to continue to work until he is no longer fit and in recognition of the sterling service he has given both the Royal Engineers and latterly, the Stargate programme, all future medical expenses be paid for. In the meantime, the official warning for insubordination must stand as it was this said insubordination that led to the incident involving alien tech and radiation in the first place. Staff Sergeant Buchanan is granted a month's compassionate leave to visit his family.

Andy's dyslexia had always meant that the bigger words in sentences tended to go over his head, but he most certainly got the gist of what was being said. Effectively, his Other Self was in the throes of a complete and utter mental breakdown.

As a result of the radiation poisoning.

He felt his heart race slightly and unconsciously drew several deep breaths to calm himself down. Whilst he had been given the medical all-clear following his heart problems, he had also been warned what to look out for.

"Will," he murmured. "You've still got those anti-whatever-it-is-they-do-to-the-blood tablets, right?"

<Tag: Will, SD-1>

[Will O'Malley]

1855 - Alternate Dimension
SGC Zulu Site
Briefing Room

This is seriously fraked up...
Will fingered his file slightly, not really sure if he wished to open it and see if there was anything else to make him question himself. Unlike most everyone's "conditions" it was either simply not joining, joining and being reassigned, or simpy radiation poisoning...but with Will it was different. His issue was that he was technically insane. This "Alternate Will" was him. It had the same childhood - minus one accident. One turn of a bloody car. That's all it took to change him from the XO of SD-1 in another galaxy, a Major, and a CMO - to a serial killer locked in prison. That honestly disconcerted him - and he foresaw his already present insomnia kick in, even more so.

O'Malley took a deep breath, letting his cheeks poof out as the air escaped him. His eyes danced around the rest of the team - the corners of his mouth being tugged Northward when Alec was pulled away being called, "Mr. President."

"Well," Troy said, "It seems some of us have been very busy in this reality..."

Will snickered slightly at this - watching John's confusion build up within him as he grew a little angrier and attempted to shatter the possible-two-sided-mirror - only to give it a slight crack. O'Malley barely reacted, but simply watched. He was concerned for Cutty. The man seemed to be taking it all extremely hard.

"I have a son."

Will glanced over at Andy next to him. It was strange how they both did better in their love-lives here, rather then at home. Here, they both had children, and got married (even though Andy had been married in their universe as well...), and just seemed...weird. Will was now in his early 30s, had never even proposed, no children in sight - but at least he had a girlfriend. It perplexed him how a serial-killer version of himself would have a wife a twins by the time he was halfway through his 20s.

"I had twins."

"Will," he murmured. "You've still got those anti-whatever-it-is-they-do-to-the-blood tablets, right?"
"Blood thinners so your blood doesn't clot and turn you denser then you already are?" Will smiled, suddenly finding his inappropriate humor a scape goat once again, "Ahh just kidding...well...no, actually. They still have my medical bag," O'Malley admitted, feeling naked without it, "We could probably explain and they'll throw it back...I mean I know the blokes don't want to kill us for fraking up their reality - but I think they forgot they took our guns and medical stuff..."

<Tag Andy/All>

[John "Cutty" Cutter]

1855 - Alternate Dimension
SGC Zulu Site
Briefing Room

John gave Honey a hug as she whispered in his ear, then walked to a corner and sat down, drawing his knees up as he did. He wanted to scream, but he figured his CO would already be upset with the thrown chair. I'm dead.... How can that be? He started to wonder if his parents were still alive in this reality and whether they knew about this.

John closed his eyes and tried to compose himself, but his own death was really annoying him. He slowly began to zone out about whatever was happening in the room, and was slowly drifting into a catatonic state.

<Tag SD-1>

[Troy Loveridge]

1856 - Alternate Dimension
SGC Zulu Site
Briefing Room

With 'President' Styles having been escorted from the room, SD-1 had been left to their own devices. They all continued to ponder over their 'alternate' personnel files, trying to take their minds off the fact they were in fact prisoners in this dimension. Not that they could complain; if this was back in SD-1's 'native' dimension, the same would be happening to their alternate selves. This didn't seem to be sitting so well with John though; the outburst by the normally quiet Sergeant startled Troy.

The more he thought about it, the less he could explain it. He'd never seen Cutty act in such a way. Their was of course one explanation - he'd been 'swapped' with his alternate self, to buy the Zulu Site personnel more time to interrogate the Marine. The personnel file's had taken a long time to be processed, and it wasn't hard to believe that the story of John's death in this dimension was to throw SD-1 off. Troy would be watching Cutty carefully, just to be on the safe side...

Andy inquired about his pills, which Will sadly was not in possession of. "They still have my medical bag. We could probably explain and they'll throw it back...I mean I know the blokes don't want to kill us for fraking up their reality - but I think they forgot they took our guns and medical stuff..."

Troy rose from his chair. "I'll talk to them, see if we can get some sense out of them." He moved toward the door, and again began to violently bang on it until his got the attention of the guards outside. After a short exchange, he signaled a thumbs up to SD-1 and exited the room, hoping to get some answers.

< Tag SD-1 >

[John "Cutty" Cutter]

1856 - Alternate Dimension
SGC Zulu Site
Briefing Room

Cutty sat on the floor in one corner, his brain wandering over possibilities. He saw that Troy was giving him the once over, then headed to the door and start banging on it. After a few minutes the door opened and Troy spoke briefly with a guard. He gave the thumbs up sign and headed out the door. The click of the lock sounded very loud.

<1858>

John was feeling a bit dizzy, so he slid down till he was laying on his side on the floor. He curled up into a fetal position as he lay there. Honey he whispered softly.

<Tag Honey and SD-1>

[Troy Loveridge]

1858 - Alternate Dimension
SGC Zulu Site
Major Valeries' Office

Upon being escorted from the briefing room, Troy was led down the hallway under armed guard, and admitted into Major Valeries' office. As the Chief of Intelligence at the Zulu Site, she'd been handling the interrogation of SD-1, trying to determine their true nature and verify their story. Troy was marched in and seated in a chair opposite the Major, after which the guards were dismissed and returned to their posts.

"So..." the Major asked. "What have you learned?" Troy smiled. "Either they are who they claim to be, or they've been brainwashed. The former seems the most accurate; they know things that can only be explained by inter dimension travel." Valerie leaned back in her chair, twirling her pen between her fingers, deep in thought. Inter dimension travel wasn't exactly an unknown phenomena to the SGC, but it always paid to check things out.

"There's something else you should know," Troy added. "In their dimension, they've made contact with the Olympians..." Major Valerie sat upright in her chair, a new interest in her latest prisoners written all over her face. "They know the enemies language, their technology, probably their tactics. The timing couldn't be better!" That was the understatement of the year; the SGC had only a fortnight ago made first contact with an intergalactic species who called themselves 'The Olympians'. An old enemy of the Ancients, they'd returned to conquer Earth. So far the SGC was holding their own, but unless they had a serious break though, the battle would start to slide in favor of the enemy. This alternate team was the answer to all their problems, served on a silver platter.

"So what's your recommendation?" the Major inquired. Troy took a moment to collect his thoughts. "Return their commander to them, inform them of our current situation, and offer them return to their dimension if they lend a hand." Valerie nodded, and rose from her seat. "Thank you again Associate Deputy Director," she said shaking Troy's had. "We're just lucky the NSA was able to spare you on such short notice." Troy nodded, exited the Major's office and made his way toward the Stargate. His job was done, and he didn't much fancy hanging around to meet his alternate self.



1900 - Alternate Dimension
SGC Zulu Site
Isolation Cell

Dressed in prison issue clothing, and seated alone in the middle of his small one person cell, Troy awaited the return of his captors. He'd been grabbed and knocked out when he'd gone to ask to see the base commander, and when he'd awoken he was in here. He had no idea why he was being held, but assumed it was the same reason why Cutty had been separated from the team when they'd first arrived.

With a loud creak, the door to the cell opened, and the Major who'd first questioned them entered. "Get up," she said, and Troy was helped to his feet by to security personnel. For the first time since they'd arrived, the scrawl on her face evaporate. "Sorry it took so long sir but we've now confirmed your identity. Welcome to the Zulu Site Colonel." Troy, lost for words, was escorted back to the briefing room, this time not under armed guard.


1901 - Alternate Dimension
SGC Zulu Site
Briefing Room

At the Major's side, Troy entered into the room, and was reunited with his friend. As he walked in, they exchanged confused looks with each other, commenting on his prison issue clothing. "Allow me to explain," the Major said. "In order to confirm your identity, we swapped your Colonel for his alternate self, the NSA Associate Deputy Director for Operations/Military Support, who has now confirmed your identities."

< Tag SD-1 >

Once everyone was seated and settled, the women introduced herself as Major Valerie, the Zulu Site's Chief Intelligence Officer. She again apologized for using the alternate Troy to deceive the team, and went on to explain the Olympian threat, and how the SGC had fighting a losing war with them, due to a lack of intelligence and knowledge about their enemy.

"And how does this affect us?" Troy asked, still trying to get his head around it all; this alternate dimension thing concept was still confusing as hell for the Colonel. "Well," Valerie replied. "We were hoping you and your team could come to the front line, and help us turn the tide of the battle. In return, we can get you back to your home dimension. What do you think?"

< Tag SD-1 & Styles >

[Alec "Wildcat" Styles]

1900
Briefing Room

"You don't get it do you?" Styles hollered. "I am not the President! You've got me confused with someone else!" Agents Gray and Davis looked incredibly frustrated by this point. "Sir, we are only trying to help your memory ret--[/b]" Agent Davis began to say when the door opened and several people entered in professional attire. One of the men, a dstinguished-looking older gentleman, said, "Take it easy, Sergeant Major ... I'm Vice-President Derek Goran." Surprised at being addressed as himself for a change, Alec furrowed his brow and responded, "Can I go back to my people? You obviously know I'm not me."

With a glance at a lady from the group that had just walked in, the man received a nod and said, "In our ... reality, the Stargate Program is known to the public and there is huge support. There were factions, of course, that opposed it." Here the man paused and continued, "Three months ago, the President went off-world for a formal change of command ceremony at the Alpha Site, from Colonel Reynolds to Colonel Garcia, and an explosion occurred. It was the fault of a terrorist organization, and the President was killed." Alec responded, "I'm sorry for your loss, but I can't help you ... "

With a slight smile, the Vice-President said, "Yes, you can. We want you to fill in as our President. We'll give you some time to think about it. Bring him back to the others." With that, Alec was led back to the isolation cell and was put inside just moments after the Major and Colonel Loveridge arrived.

<Tag Anyone>

[Will O'Malley]

1901 - Alternate Dimension
SGC Zulu Site
Briefing Room

As Will's eyes followed Cutty's breakdown, without staring, he heard Troy's voice respond to his admittance to not having his medical bag, "I'll talk to them, see if we can get some sense out of them."

"Good idea, sir," the CMO nodded, glancing over at Andy, "MPD and Pica...you must be an interesting person over here," O'Malley smirked, "Yet you managed to hook that Major from earlier. You, sir, have game," Will nudged, hearing Troy walk over to the door - slamming his fist into the surface until the door swung open slightly. They muttered incoherently for a moment, as Troy got pulled away.

"Bloody hell...couldn't they just bring it here?" the Major mumbled, wondering if they just kidnapped the CO, "Don't worry mate...he'll be back in a sec," Will assured Buchanan, as he attempted to assure himself.

As a few minutes passed, Will found his attention span grow thin - his fingers flipping through his file once more, his eyes asphyxiating upon his mug shot. He had the same slightly unbalanced smile...but something was obviously different about the way he gazed into the camera. Did Evie getting hit by a car when he was sixteen really affect that much of who he turned into? Apparently so...

The door swung open, dragging the Major's eyes upwards.

Troy was beside another - now clad in prison garb.
"Oh...what the frak?" Will whispered.
"Allow me to explain," the Major said. "In order to confirm your identity, we swapped your Colonel for his alternate self, the NSA Associate Deputy Director for Operations/Military Support, who has now confirmed your identities."

The CMO blinked, unsure how to take this.
"Well, I feel like a bloody idiot for not realizing what happened," he announced, "Even though I feel tricked - that was a smart tactic on your part, Major."

"And how does this affect us?" their-Troy asked,
"Well," the Major replied. "We were hoping you and your team could come to the front line, and help us turn the tide of the battle. In return, we can get you back to your home dimension. What do you think?"

"How can we really change anything?" Will asked, "We're only a small group of people," he continued, too lazy to count, "Wouldn't just asking us for information make more sense, rather then throwing our valuable knowledge into harms way?" he paused, "And can I have my medical bag, back? I'd rather not have Buchanan curdle up and die."

Andy wasn't even in any danger, at the moment...but he felt like overstating things. Being in an alternate dimension, finding out that he was capable of being a serial killer, learning his CO wasn't really his CO for the last while, and being asked to go to the front lines of their war - warranted a little overstatement.

<Tag All>

[Andy Buchanan]

1903 - Alternate Dimension
SGC Zulu Site
Briefing Room

"With respect," added Andy to Will's statement, "I'm quite keen on the idea of not dropping dead either." A pause, then the customary "Sir." The young engineer managed one of his more infectious grins. Like Will, he was aware that he was not truly in any immediate danger from the lingering medical condition his act of heroism/bravery/stupidity had left him with, but he felt reassured at the idea that Will would be able to administer medication if needed.

Like Will, he registered his surprise at the 'trick' that had been played on them and narrowed his eyes more than a little suspiciously at the rest of the team. Maybe they were all alternatve selves - but no - he felt pretty sure that this was not the case and relaxed his stance a little.

In growing incredulity, he listened as the request to help was made.

"I can offer some info up on their level of alien tech," Andy suggested. "I got pretty close to it for a while when we had to blow that place up that time and I've done a lot of studying of it - it's not a military tactic, but it might give you some small advantage. And I for one would be very glad to get back to my own dimension. The idea of staying in a world where I apparently snack on Chesterfields and have a collection of personalities isn't exactly appealing."

He rubbed at the back of his neck, waiting to see if his offer was worth anything to their 'captors'.

<Tag: All>

[John "Cutty" Cutter]

1903 - Alternate Dimension
SGC Zulu Site
Briefing Room

In order to confirm your identity, we swapped your Colonel for his alternate self, the NSA Associate Deputy Director for Operations/Military Support, who has now confirmed your identities.

John didn't notice when the Major walked in, and the sound of voices barely registered. He was carefully helped to his feet and practically carried to the briefing room, where he was placed in a chair.

We were hoping you and your team could come to the front line, and help us turn the tide of the battle. In return, we can get you back to your home dimension. What do you think?

John started to come around as the conversation went on around him. The mention of Olympians drew him back to the conversation. Excuse me Ma'am, but, can you tell me if what my personel file said was a fact? He was hoping to hear it was fiction, but he was slowly coming to grip with the fact that it might be the truth.

<Tag Anyone>