The Asgard

by Celievamp

URL: http://www.area52hkh.net/asc/celievamp1/asgard.php
Summary: Sam and Janet 'volunteer' to help the Asgard devise some strategies to counter the new Replicator threat. The Asgard gain new insight into human behaviour

Part 1: Air Force doctor abducted from bed by aliens

Sam stretched, rolling her head to ease her aching neck and shoulders. She had fallen asleep in her lab again. Janet would have her hide. Not to mention Colonel O'Neill. He had repeated his insistence only this morning – she glanced at the clock and amended the thought – yesterday morning that she please get a life. Little did he know.

Three thirty. Not worth going home as she had a briefing at eight. She was incredibly hungry though. She hadn't eaten since... oh, heck, Janet was definitely going to have her hide if she found out. The commissary wouldn't be open for at least another hour.

Maybe a stroll up top. A breath of fresh air at least. It was the dark of the moon so she would be able to see a lot more stars than usual. Their star would be visible now.

Three thirty three. Janet would be asleep. They had only met up for a few minutes the day before in one of their 'places' – somewhere where the security camera's did not intrude. Even there they still had to be careful. Tomorrow – today – she corrected herself, she was scheduled for a four day mission to PX449-233. The MALP telemetry had shown promising levels of naquada in the soil and no obvious civilisation or signs of Goa'uld activity, at least within range of their sensors. The atmospheric conditions were not ideal – hot and dry, but she had survived worse. Much worse. She would probably see Janet at her pre-mission medical but it would not be the same.

Janet opened her eyes and glanced at the bedside clock. Three thirty three. She smiled. Sam must be thinking about her. It had become a standing joke between them. Whenever Janet woke unexpectedly in the middle of the night and she was alone, she always checked the time. Several times now it had tallied with occasions when Sam was having particularly vivid thoughts about her. More times than to be coincidence. It made her happy to think that she had a kind of mental link with her friend and lover.

Sam had stayed on the Mountain as she had an early start in the morning, a briefing, medicals and then she was off-world for four days. She snuggled into the pillow, smiling as she thought about Sam.

In a week it would be their fourth anniversary as a couple, almost two years since they started living together. They had leave time booked. Cassie was going to stay with Jack. Sam and Janet were flying to Bermuda for a week. Sun, sea, sand and Sam, Janet smiled sleepily. What more could a woman want.

Sam watched her breath trail in the air. There was a sharp frost. She snuggled deeper into her jacket and decided to make her breath of fresh air a quick one. Then there was blinding bright light all around her and she was gone.

Janet sat up, her heart pounding. She had been on the point of falling asleep again when something had happened to Sam, she knew it with all her heart and soul. The connection, elusive as it was, was broken. Sam was gone. But before she could do or say or even think any more about it, there was a blinding white light all around her and when it dissipated, the room was empty. Janet Fraiser had vanished.

"Janet?" Someone was touching her face, gently running fingers across the line of her jaw. Another hand was at her throat, feeling for a pulse. Janet managed to open her eyes. She could not suppress her sob of relief when she saw it was Sam. She held out her arms and Sam hugged her tightly, then took off her jacket and wrapped it around Janet's shoulders.

"The Asgard don't go in much for heating and you're not exactly dressed for intergalactic travel," she said.

Janet looked down at her nightshirt and shorts, her very bare legs and feet. "At least Arthur Dent got to wear his dressing gown to go traipsing round the universe. I don't suppose you have a spare pair of socks on you as well?" she asked, shivering. Sam shook her head.

"Sorry. I wasn't exactly expecting this either. I'd just gone up top for a breath of air when..." she gestured around her. "Then a couple of seconds later you showed up."

Janet looked around curiously. This was her first time aboard an Asgard ship and it was quite a surprise. It was so spartan after the opulence of Goa'uld vessels. "Why have they brought us here?"

"They need our help for something, I suppose. I love their direct approach to these things. We're probably already on our way to... wherever. I just hope Thor or whoever nabbed us left a message with the SGC or we're both going to be posted AWOL. Either that or you're going to end up in the National Enquirer "Air Force doctor abducted from bed by aliens."

Janet suppressed a giggle and embraced Sam again. "You don't suppose this is all a dream, do you?"

"I am afraid it is very real, Major Samantha Carter, Dr Janet Fraiser. We have need of your help." Two Asgard appeared in the doorway. The two women abruptly parted, though Janet's hand brushed against Sam's, unwilling to lose all contact with her in this strange place. Sam recognised the Asgard as Thor and Heimdall and quietly introduced them to Janet.

"We apologise that your retrieval was so abrupt but there was little time," Thor said.

"Have you informed General Hammond that we are with you?" Sam asked.

"Not yet. You may contact him shortly once we have apprised you of the situation."

"Okay, but first do you have any clothing that Dr Fraiser can borrow?" Sam asked.

"As you can see, Thor, I'm not exactly dressed for travelling," Janet added. "I was in bed when you transported me."

"Yes Dr Fraiser," Thor looked her up and down curiously. "Heimdall will assist you with your requirements. Major Carter, if you could come with me now. Heimdall and Dr Fraiser will join us as soon as Dr Fraiser is... appropriately dressed."

"Okay, Thor." Sam turned to Janet who looked a little apprehensive at being separated. "You'll be okay," she said softly. "The Asgard are good guys, remember?" Sam gave her another reassuring hug and then left her with Heimdall.

Thor took her to a transport nexus and from there they appeared on the bridge of a ship. Sam saw immediately that they were nowhere near Earth. "Where are we?" she asked.

"In the sector of space you are familiar with already," Thor replied. "The same sector where we trapped the Replicators."

Sam felt a sudden jolt of panic. They were going back to the world where she had trapped Fifth and the others in the time field. Six months had passed for her – a matter of moments for the Replicators. When Second and then Fifth had explored her mind she had been unable to hide anything from them, their GDO and IRIS codes, everything she knew about the Stargate, the workings of the SGC, her father and the Tokra, Janet and Cassie... She felt suddenly physically ill and had to stop and take a couple of deep breaths. She wanted nothing more than to find Janet and demand that Thor send them back to Earth immediately and damn their alliance.

Fifth knew about Janet. She would not put her lover in danger.

"Thor, send Dr Fraiser back to Earth, now. I don't want her put in danger. She has family responsibilities – a daughter."

"Yes, Cassandra Fraiser. We are aware. Unfortunately we know that without Dr Fraiser's input, this mission will not be a success. There have been developments. The monitoring equipment shows us that the replicators who remain outside the zone are gathering at its edge. They are also evolving. As well as humanoid replicators we have also noted attempts at Asgardian replicants though our more complex structure is posing problems. We have isolated samples for study. When we retrieved the humanoid replicant, we noted that it was carrying various dormant viruses in its systems. This is why we require Dr Fraiser's input. We believe that they may try to infiltrate Earth and other Tauri worlds and spread bioengineered illnesses amongst you."

"Okay. I have to report this to General Hammond at once. We need to get our people aware of this development, upgrade our security and monitoring straight away," Sam said. She glanced up as Janet came in followed by Heimdall and another Asgard who was introduced as Baldur.

Janet was wearing a loose cream shirt and a quilted jacket in a slightly darker shade on top of what looked like chino's and boots. She caught Sam's gaze and smiled. She was okay. It warmed Sam to see how much this excited her. Janet loved being off-world as much as Sam herself did. And as much as Sam wanted nothing more than to see her safely back on earth she knew that Thor was right. From the little he had told her already they really needed Janet's expertise on this.

They sat around the table as Thor began the briefing. Within a few minutes Janet's intellectual curiosity was thoroughly engaged. That did not stop her sending Sam some very concerned glances. Sam had been unable to hide her depression and anger after the last mission against the Replicators, the mission where she had been ordered to 'betray' Fifth by O'Neill by setting the timing device two minutes ahead of schedule trapping Fifth along with his family in the null time zone. Janet knew that she was the only person Sam had talked to about her real feelings after the mission. Sam had lied to O'Neill when she agreed that it was the only thing to do, the only way to achieve the mission objective. What she really felt was that they had betrayed their own code of never leaving anyone behind. They had left Fifth behind. And he was human enough to understand betrayal. And revenge.

"You are satisfied that this is a separate development to the humanoid replicants SG1 found on the planet?" Janet asked Thor. "There is no interaction between the two groups."

Thor indicated a viewscreen which shimmered into life. Sam gasped as she saw the interior of the Replicator structure. First confronted Fifth, the rest of the brethren and what looked like thousands of basic Replicators circled around them. Fifth looked lost, still locked deep in the emotional response to her betrayal, his friend's betrayal. All these emotions, so new to him, so alien to the rest of his species. It looked like only seconds had passed rather than the six months in real time-space.

"We are satisfied," Thor said. "The device is still working as we predicted. Though it may have had its roots in the same evolutionary process that lead to First and the others, it is now a completely separate development." The view changed to the cells in which the new specimens were held in stasis.

"Oh my god," Janet whispered, trying to keep her suddenly skittish stomach in check.

Glancing at Sam she could see the young woman was several shades paler than she had been. The replicant Asgard was almost complete, but looked subtly wrong. The replicant human looked like an anatomy experiment. A living one.

Organs glistened, veins and nerves looked half complete. The left leg and arm were still just bare bones. Skin covered the right shoulder and neck, and part of the right cheek. Teeth were bared in a lipless grimace, lifeless filmed eyes looked almost loose in the sockets. It would be male once it was completed.

"This is how they are created," Baldur said. The viewpoint changed, magnifying the edge of the flap of skin on the humanoid's shoulder. Instead of cells they saw tiny replicants, nanites like the replicants inside the null time field were made of. But they looked different, almost organic.

"How are they doing this?" Janet asked. "Where..." her face changed and she didn't finish the question. She looked distinctly queasy now.

"Where are they getting the organic material from?" Sam finished the question for her.

The image on the viewer changed again. A planet, stripped down to bare rock. "This is Aglaia. Two months ago it looked like this." The image changed and they were looking at a verdant rainforest similar in development to the cretaceous period on earth. "We believe that this is where they got their raw materials."

"So they can now access and consume organic as well as inorganic structures," Sam said.

"My god, if they got to a populated planet..."

"That is the danger we believe we face." Thor said. "We have tracked the path of this new group of replicants through this sector of space. There are three planets directly in their path. Two have no advanced life forms. But the third is a Goa'uld protectorate, a world called Anu. It has almost a billion inhabitants. At their present rate of travel, the replicants will reach Anu in a little over two months."

"Who controls Anu?" Sam asked.

"It falls within the purlieu of the lady Morrigan," Thor said. "She is not a System Lord but part of a grouping amongst the Goa'uld called the Tain."

Sam closed her eyes. Thor's words prompted something in Jolinar's memories. "Jolinar had a friend, Selene who was in service to Morrigan for a while. For a Goa'uld she's not too bad. She could be open to reason."

"You mean work with the Asgard to stop the Replicators?" Janet asked.

"And us, the Tokra maybe even the Nox and the remains of the Tollan. This development threatens all of us," Sam said. Thor nodded.

"I agree with your assessment of their potential threat, Major Carter."

"Have you captured any finished replicants?" Janet asked.

"No, why do you ask?" Heimdall looked at Janet curiously, her large eyes blinking slowly.

"I just wondered if anyone had asked them what they want?" Janet replied. "What their intentions are? What do they think of us?"

"We have never asked. We are not even sure if they are capable of speech. We presumed that they were a collective intelligence like their originators."

"But the ones we trapped behind the time barrier were capable of speech and independent thought – at least Fifth was," Sam said. She stared down at the partially completed humanoid. Eerily Janet echoed her thought.

"Invasion of the body snatchers. They look like Pod People."

"We have collected a great amount of data, which is at your disposal. We require your particular skills at analysis and lateral thinking."

"You mean you need another really stupid idea," Sam grinned.

Thor nodded. "To save time, and with your consent, we would like to put you both through a modified form of the procedure that Colonel O'Neill underwent when he found the Ancient's database. The effects would not be as extreme; your original abilities, memories and personalities would be unaffected but you would have the ability to read our language and interface with our systems."

Sam stiffened. The idea of someone else messing with her mind sickened her. How much of the original Samantha Carter was left in there?

"Can we have a while to think about that?" Janet said quietly. "We may also need to get permission from our commander to do anything like that."

"Of course. It is merely a question of expediency." Thor looked at Baldur and Heimdall. An unheard conversation seemed to go on between them for a few moments. "We will enable you to contact the SGC now. The data we have shown you can be sent directly to the base computers for them to study. It will take us several more hours to reach our destination. Once you have communicated with your people, Heimdall will take you to quarters where you may replenish yourselves and rest."

"Thank you, Thor," Janet said. Sam still seemed incapable of speech. Thor's suggestion had troubled her greatly.

Thor manipulated some controls. "Major Carter, when you are ready, simply step into the circle of light and your projection will appear in the SGC."

Sam nodded her thanks and understanding. She waited until the three aliens had left the room before turning and burying her head in Janet's shoulder. Janet just held on to her tightly, silently sending her reassurance and love.

"What do you think?" Janet asked.

"I don't know what to think. That offer of Thor's threw me for a loop."

"I kinda noticed," Janet smiled. "If you don't want to do it, don't. No one will think any the less of you. I certainly won't. Your physiology, your brain chemistry is unique, Sam. If you don't want to risk the procedure then medically and morally I'll back you all the way. Personally, I like you just fine the way you are. We've solved problems using our own wits before, we'll do it again."

Sam kissed her softly. "I don't know what I'd do without you," she said. "I'm scared to death that you're here with me in such danger, but at the same time I can't think of anywhere else I'd rather you were other than by my side." She straightened up. "Well, I'd better report in to the General."

Janet reached up to smooth the bangs that were in usual disarray across the Major's brow. "Okay." She stepped back, allowed Sam a moment to compose herself, going in a few moments from Sam her lover to Major Samantha Carter her superior officer. She stepped into the cone of light.

Hammond was in the briefing room with O'Neill, Jonas and Teal'c. Obviously her absence had been noted. All four men jumped as she appeared before them. They quickly recognised the technology she was using.

"I should'a guessed," O'Neill drawled. "Say hi to Thor for me willya?"

"Well guessed, sir. Thor picked up myself and Dr Fraiser at around 3.30 this morning, your time. Judging by the state Dr Fraiser arrived in, she was taken from her bed. You might want to check that her house is secured," Sam said. "We're both fine. There is a problem with a new group of Replicators. They seem to have taken the advancements we've already seen one step further. They are now actually capable of consuming and reforming organic as well as inorganic materials. I'm downloading a file to you now of everything Thor and the other Asgard have shown us. Basically they have already consumed one planet which was luckily uninhabited but if they keep to their current course, there is an inhabited planet called Anu about two months away from them. It's Goa'uld controlled but not by a System Lord. She is called Morrigan and is part of a group called the Tain. Thor is hoping to open a dialogue with her so that we can form an alliance to stop this thing before it gets to the planet. Sirs, they can take on human form, as we've already seen. Dr Fraiser called them Pod People and I think that's a very apt description. From the Asgard data they also incorporate a variety of dormant viruses in their cell structure. They're walking bioweapons. The specimens we've seen could be good enough to fool a complete medical exam unless they look at a cellular level."

"Your threat assessment, Major?"

"Potentially as deadly as anything we've come across, Sir. The Asgard have some ideas on combating them and they seem to think that my expertise and that of Doctor Fraiser will be of some assistance."

"Very well, Major. Once you and the Asgard have formulated a plan, let us know. And if you need any supplies or assistance in the mean-time, Major."

"Thank you sir. For the moment we were most concerned with letting you know where we were and that we were safe. As soon as we know more about the situation, we'll be in touch." She paused.

"Was there anything else, Major?"

"Thor wants us to undergo a procedure that will download the knowledge into our minds to enable us to understand their language and make full use of their computer facilities. Just to speed things along here."

"Woah, Carter – is that anything like what happened to me cos if it is, then don't go there."

"Thor assures me that the procedure will be safe and there should be no side effects."

"What is Dr Fraiser's opinion?"

"She has... strong reservations, sir. About the possible effects on my physiology in particular."

"And your own opinion?"

"I'd consider it only as a last resort, sir. I don't think I could go through anything like that again."

"Understandable. Use your own judgment, Major. Could I speak to Dr Fraiser for a few moments?"

"Yes sir." Sam stepped back out of the cone of light and turned to Janet. "General Hammond wants to talk to you."

Janet nodded. "Okay." She took Sam's place in the cone of light. It was her first experience with the Asgard communication system and it was disconcerting to say the least. In front of her she could see General Hammond, O'Neill, Jonas and Teal'c. When she turned her head she could see the Asgard ship and Sam smiling at her encouragingly.

"Dr Fraiser?"

"Sorry sir, this takes a little getting used to." O'Neill smirked at her.

"Hi doc, Carter said you got nabbed in your nightclothes."

"Yes, Colonel. The Asgard were kind enough to provide me with more suitable clothing, as you can see."

"Dr Fraiser, what is your take on all of this?" Hammond asked.

Janet took a deep breath. "Sir, I agree with Major Carter's threat assessment. The replicators have mutated to the extent where they can take the form of organic creatures. We have seen an Asgard and a humanoid so far. They literally build themselves up atom by atom rather like the description you gave of how Fifth and the others were able to form and deform themselves. Only these appear to be purely organic. What we don't yet know is what kind of intelligence drives them..."

"Whether they are drone minds like the original replicators ore are capable of independent thought like the humanoid ones we trapped," Jonas interrupted her.

"Exactly," Janet said. "We intend to capture more specimens and study them, talk to them or at least try to."

"I see," Hammond said. "I presume the Asgard are interested in you because of your expertise in virology."

"That would seem likely," Janet replied. "Sam... Major Carter thinks they're expecting another really stupid idea from the pair of us.' That provoked a grin around the table. Even the corner of Teal'c's mouth twitched. 'I only hope we can pull something off, because if these things replicate themselves in the way that we think they do, no one – human, Asgard or even Goa'uld will be safe from them."

"Well, keep in touch when you can; let us know if there's anything you need," Hammond said. "And doctor, take care of yourself and Major Carter. Don't let her put herself – or you - in unnecessary danger."

"I won't sir."

"I'll make sure Cassie's okay," O'Neill said. "And she can stay with me until the two of you get home. Tell Thor I said hi! And if you don't come home in exactly the condition you left it in, tell him I'll kick his little grey butt, Asgard or not."

"Yes sir, thank you, sir."

She stepped back out of the beam into Sam's waiting arms. "Wow, that's a weird sensation," she gasped.

They turned as Heimdall came into the room. "We have prepared a room for you and there is nourishment available. Major Carter, you will be pleased to know that our food dispenser has been programmed with a wider range of foods. Hopefully some of those will be more suited to your palate."

"Thank you, Heimdall," Sam said, trying not to giggle. Janet smiled. Sam had told her after her last experience with Asgard food that at last she had found a race whose cooking was worse than hers. She had even missed the MREs.

The room had only one bed, admittedly a large one. Sam and Janet looked at each other and then at Heimdall.

"Is this not to your liking? We know that the two of you are mated and thought that you would wish to be together." The Asgard looked almost eager to please. Sam smiled at the Asgard. She liked the alien in much the same way as O'Neill had bonded with Thor. Heimdall had risked a lot to save her life when Osiris seemed intent on frying her brains.

"Er, yes, thank you, Heimdall. It will be fine. We're going to get some sleep now, so we'll see you in about six hours, okay?"

"Okay," Heimdall said, trying out the earth saying.

Janet managed to hold it together until Heimdall had left the room. "The Asgard know that we're mated?"

"Don't look at me. I didn't say anything – unless I talk in my sleep," Sam said.

Janet looked stricken. "I hate to be the one to tell you this, but you do, sometimes."

Sam's face fell. "Crap! No wonder Teal'c looks at me oddly some mornings." She thought about it a bit more. "What kind of things do I say?"

"Most of it I can never make out. You do spend a lot of time arguing with Jack – at least I think it's Jack. And I can usually tell when you've been missing me."

Sam sat on the edge of the bed, her head in her hands. "That explains it, then."

"What?"

"Something Teal'c asked me a couple of months ago. I hope to God he didn't ask the Colonel about it as well."

"What?"

Sam shook her head. "I can't. It's too embarrassing. Teal'c didn't get an explanation either."

Sensing that she was not going to get an answer any time soon, Janet examined their quarters more closely. She found what looked to be a shower unit, though it didn't appear to use water, and a food dispenser. "You hungry?"

"Not particularly. And not if the only thing on the menu is Asgard food cubes," Sam said.

"My tastebuds took weeks to recover last time."

The Asgard did not look like a race that went in for strong flavours, but as Sam had learnt in the past appearances could be deceptive. The least repulsive thing she had eaten tasted strongly of aniseed, ginger and what she could only describe as sweaty socks. She watched as Janet looked at the array of cubes in the dispenser and picked one that was the same colour as marzipan. Janet took a deep breath and bit into it. A few seconds later she was looking for somewhere to spit it out and something hopefully non toxic to rinse out her mouth.

"I did warn you," Sam grinned. "What did that one taste like?"

"Chicken vindaloo and spearmint toothpaste," Janet said. The water that the replicator provided was clean and tasteless. That was something to be grateful for, she thought.

"Their tastebuds must work differently to ours," Sam said. "It figures, I mean they're not based on the same amino acid sequences that we are. And at least it won't kill us. I mean, apart from our tastebuds."

"How long is this going to take?" Jan asked.

"I have no idea. It depends on how amenable Morrigan is feeling. And whether we find any fatal flaw in this generation of replicators."

"I was just thinking about our holiday, that was all," Janet came and sat beside her on the bed, leant her head on Sam's shoulder and closed her eyes. "I was really looking forward to two weeks in Bermuda. Just you and me." Her voice tailed off into a comfortable silence.

"You tired, baby?" Sam asked softly, her arm going around Janet's shoulders.

"A little," Janet confessed, forcing her eyes open again. "I think a little culture shocked, maybe even jet lagged – can you get jet lagged from matter transfer beams?"

"I don't see why not," Sam said. She turned her head to kiss Janet's brow. "We're based on the earthly twenty four hour cycle, it's in our genes, our race memory. Things like this are bound to upset it." She lay down on the bed, curving her body to make room for Janet to nestle beside her. "We have five hours before we have to think about anything else other than our selves. Let's just have some quiet time together, shall we."

Janet lay against Sam's body, feeling Sam's breasts against her back, their legs entwining. Sam's arm was over Janet's hip, one hand flat against Janet's abdomen. Janet never felt as safe as when she was nestled close to Sam like this. She could feel Sam's breath on the back of her neck, her breathing soft and rhythmic. As always, the young woman had gone to sleep quickly. She had confessed to Janet long ago that she never slept as well anywhere else and rarely had nightmares when she knew that Janet was wrapped in her arms.

"That's good, I mean, I never exactly saw myself as a security blanket before," Janet had smiled, brushing a lock of hair back from Sam's face. Sam had leant into her hand, Janet's palm cupping her cheek. "But if I make you feel safe, and loved, then use me all you want."

She had never told Sam that she herself was never so happy nor so loved as when she went to sleep wrapped in Sam's arms and woke up beside or usually lying on top of her, Sam's breast under her cheek, the reassuring sound of Sam's heartbeat running through her dreams. Janet had expected many things from her job as CMO at the SGC but finding love, her heart's desire and a new family had not figured highly on her list. But then neither had acting as technical consultant to an alien race.

Janet closed her eyes and quickly fell asleep.

There was a beeping noise near her ear, something moving beneath her. As always, in what ever position they had gone to sleep the two women woke holding each other, Sam underneath and Janet sprawled half on top of her, cheek pillowed on Sam's breast, her leg between Sam's and Sam's arm over her lower back. Soft lips touched her brow. "Hey, it's time."

Janet raised her head, ran her fingers over Sam's cheek. She still looked tired. "Can we just cuddle for a bit?" she asked softly. "I still feel a little... unsettled."

"We can do that," Sam brought her other hand up to stroke Janet's face in turn. "We're going to be fine, you know that, don't you."

"As long as we're together." Janet buried her face in the nape of Sam's neck and closed her eyes.

"Always."

They lay in companionable silence for another few minutes then Sam's watch beeped again.

"Okay, up and at'em, soldier." She rolled Janet until she was on top of the smaller woman and then tried to get out of bed, but Janet hooked one leg around hers and it turned into an impromptu wrestling match that left both women giggling.

"This is definitely the best way to start the day," Sam said, brushing her lips gently against Janet's. "But..."

"But..." Janet echoed. They gazed into each other's eyes again and another few minutes passed.

Sam took a deep breath. "Once we've talked to Thor and Heimdall again I want you to study the new replicators. Find out everything you can about them, everything the Asgard have on them so far. Especially these dormant viruses they're carrying. I want to go over their sensor readings on that planet Aglaia again, find out how they managed to strip it, what they took and what they left behind."

"What are we going to do about Thor's offer to download information into our minds? I'm fully with you on your refusal, but what if I agree to the procedure. It would make things a lot easier." Janet said carefully.

"No way," Sam said firmly. "The Asgard want us here not just for what we know but for the way we think. Anything that compromises that is a retrograde step. You are not getting implanted with an alien database."

"Sam – "

"No! And that is an order, Doctor Fraiser."

"Yes, ma'am." Janet stared up at Sam seeing all too clearly the lover and the warrior fighting for dominance in her eyes. She deliberately did not force the issue in either direction letting Sam find her equilibrium, her emotional detachment.

Part 2: Those who say it can't be done should not interrupt the person doing it

Heimdall and Janet spent the day studying the specimens. The Asgard's complex biostructure had not been completely resolved, but certainly the general appearance was close enough to ensure infiltration would be initially successful. As for the humanoid replicant only the most detailed of molecular scans would reveal that it was intricate mimicry rather than the real thing. It would pass almost every other medical procedure with flying colours. The virus bundles were nested within the DNA itself. With Heimdall's help and correlating from the Asgard's own uncomfortably extensive files on human physiology, Janet was able to identify smallpox, ebola, typhoid, cholera, several types of influenza, viral pneumonia, plague. Her hands were shaking as she turned away from the viewer.

"My god, if just one of these was to get loose amongst my people..." The Replicators had got as far as Earth twice before, once when Thor's ship had crashed, the second time when SG1 had brought Reece, the unwitting creator of the Replicators through the Stargate and Sam had reactivated her. Janet remembered a docu-drama she had watched a few months earlier about a terrorist deliberately infecting himself with smallpox and then taking a walk through a crowded New York street, going up and down in the lift of a skyscraper, travelling on the subway, eating in a fast food restaurant, all the time infecting as many people as he could, entirely at random. Hell, even something like SARS had nearly brought the world economy to a standstill and that had reputedly started by someone sneezing in a lift in Beijing.

"We must ensure that that does not happen," Heimdall said. "Do you have cures for these diseases?"

"We use vaccines to prevent people from catching them, but once you are infected, for most of these diseases there is very little that can be done, despite the advancement of our science," Janet said sadly. "Many of these diseases have not occurred amongst our population in epidemic form for generations. There would be little natural resistance to them now. The death toll would be... immense." She shivered. "And then there would be the repercussions. Heimdall, I'm not overstating matters when I say that just one of these things could mean the end for my people."

"Then we must make certain that these things do not come to pass," Heimdall said, inclining her head. Janet did not know whether the Asgard was male or female – or even whether the alien race had such distinctions but she instinctively thought of Thor as male and Heimdall as female.

Heimdall had removed a section of skin from the humanoid figure and was looking at it under the scope. She then placed it in a sealed container. "I am removing the nullifying field from this sample. I wish to see what happens." On a screen a vastly amplified image of the sample appeared. They could clearly see the deactivated nanobots. As they watched one or two and then more of them began to come back to life. But their activity was disorganised and as they watched the tiny machines began to disassemble each other. Within a very few minutes all that remained was an oily pinkish white sludge.

"Something in the nullifying field or the duration that they were affected by it must have damaged the nanobots," Janet said. "They reverted to a primal state."

"Perhaps their programming degenerated whilst they were held in the field," Heimdall mused. "It would be difficult to generate a nullifying field of a size to incapacitate a large number of replicators for the time required."

"Sam might have a few ideas on that," Janet said. "We should show her what happened." Heimdall nodded.

"I have noted that Major Carter often has ideas which though not immediately obvious as to the end result often work quite well in difficult circumstances. She appears to have the ability to work outside linear thought processes and often logic itself."

Janet smiled. She had the feeling that Sam would be slightly insulted by that definition of her capabilities. She took great pride in being the logical one, especially compared to the rest of SG1. Mind you, given the usual mental state of the rest of SG1... 'She is very special,' Janet said softly. She glanced at the humanoid replicant again and could not repress a shudder.

***

Sam was trying to work out the power requirements to strip a previously verdant planet to its constituent elements. It came to an awesome number – and then she realised that she had seen something like it before – when they were trying to resettle the Enkaran's.

"A year or so ago we came across a race called the Gadmeer," she told Thor. "Their original homeworld had been destroyed when their sun went nova and they had been searching for a long time for a planet that matched a very exact set of criteria. They had a huge ship which contained their entire ecosystem in embryonic form. It was a one shot deal. They only had the power to terraform a planet once. The ship was preprogrammed to remove all ecosystems extant on the planet and replace them with the alien biopatterns.

Unfortunately in the time between the alien's remote survey and the arrival of the ship we had resettled the Enkaran's on the planet. It was nearly a complete disaster for both parties." Sam could not hide the blush of shame that coloured her cheeks. O'Neill had ordered her to rig the naquada reactor they had brought with them into a bomb to blow up the ship. She had followed his orders to the letter although it went against every particle of her being to do so. She didn't want to tell Thor that bit, so she glossed over it.

"Daniel managed to ask the right question and it turned out that one of the planet's the Gadmeer had rejected because it had sentient life forms on it was the original Enkaran homeworld, lost to them for centuries. The Gadmeer offered to resettle the Enkaran's there and then return and complete the terraforming project. I didn't manage to get a close look at the mechanics of it though I took a lot of power output readings at the time. Daniel was the only one of us who actually went aboard the ship – although we all met the construct they made to communicate with us."

"You believe that the Replicators have managed to construct a similar device?" Thor asked.

"It's possible," Sam admitted. "Whatever it was they used on that planet, it was extremely efficient. Do you have any idea how long the process took?"

"We sweep that sector of space once every three of your days. The planet was completely denuded of all organic life within that timeframe."

"My God," Sam whispered. That was a lot faster than the Gadmeer process. The energies involved were incalculable. "Did you detect any kind of vessel?"

"Not at the time, but since we realised the nature of the activity, we have been tracking this." The view changed again to show one of the ugliest crafts Sam had ever seen. It was obvious that the Replicators built for functionality rather than aesthetics. Its construction seemed almost haphazard yet there was obviously a purpose behind it. The more she studied it, the more she began to comprehend the logic behind its construction, and possible means to defend against it or even destroy it.

"Where is it now?"

"In this region of space," Thor said. "One of our smaller ships is tracking it. We have tried to tempt them using the same tactics that you devised, but they seem to be intent on their goal. They cannot be diverted."

"Have you made any scans of the internal structure of the ship?" Almost before the words were out of her mouth a series of schematics appeared on the screen. It was as she had expected. Fully three quarters of the ship was given over to the processing technology. It had basic shields and hyperspace engines but its sublight engines were relatively slow. If they could catch it and prevent it escaping into hyperspace, it should be fairly easy to bring down. Fairly easy, considering that the thing was a planet-killer. But then Sam Carter had created a supernova and travelled in time and met an alternate version of herself. She knew now that the laws of physics were a benchmark, not a barrier.

At the centre of the ship was an intense energy source. She realised that this must be the crucible, the transformatory technology that took the looted raw materials and began to build them up into the replicants that Janet was studying. As if the thought of her lover was some kind of trigger, the door opened and Heimdall walked in, followed by Janet.

She could not suppress her grin of delight at seeing her partner and realising that she was far from being fazed by her unusual surroundings. At the back of her mind she had worried how Janet was dealing with it all. She had far less experience of being offworld than Sam did. And being essentially kidnapped from her bed by aliens, as Janet had been, would have thrown anyone, even the most level headed. Like herself, she knew Janet thrived on discovery and scientific exploration. It was one of the things that made their personal and emotional bond so strong. There was something else. The Asgard whilst allies and totally trustworthy as far as she was concerned were not human. Though she felt comfortable around them, there was always a sense of something missing. In Janet's presence the whole atmosphere around them changed.

"We've made some progress," Janet smiled. "What about you?"

"We definitely know more than we did a few hours ago." She realised that both the Asgard were watching them intently. She had the feeling that they were studying their interaction almost as closely as they were studying the Replicators.

"We think that something in the stasis field the Asgard used to hold the samples did something to the nanobots. Once they were released from stasis they turned cannibal on each other and then dissolved into goo," Janet explained. "I don't know yet whether there's a time factor involved. We need to get some more samples and do a lot more tests."

"Something about being in the stasis field might have wiped their programming," Sam said slowly. "It might need to be constantly reinforced."

"The Borg Hive-Mind?" Janet knew that Sam would get the reference. Star Trek and its various incarnations were particular favourites of both Cassie and Jack O'Neill. He had been most put out when "Prometheus" was chosen as the name for the X303 over his suggestion "Enterprise".

"Ah, from your television programme 'Star Trek'. There are many technical errors..." Heimdall began to say when she fell silent after what could only be described as a 'look' from Thor.

An Asgard Trekkie. Sam fought hard to keep a straight face, not looking at Janet. She could tell from the slight vibration in the other woman's body that she was going through the same thought processes. She would not laugh. She would not...

She heard Janet snort and then her own giggling started. The two women clung to each other helpless with laughter as the aliens looked on, dumbfounded.

The Tauri are strange, Heimdall thought. But I like them.

As do I, Thor replied mind to mind. And they might yet be our saviours.

***

Baldur had opened negotiations with the lady Morrigan. The Goa'uld, her lo'tar Aoife and three Jaffa had been transported aboard the Asgard vessel. Faced with the evidence of the Replicator's capabilities and probable intentions, the Goa'uld was relatively keen to co-operate. Of course, Morrigan wasn't about to let Baldur know that.

"This species appears to be most pernicious," she commented. "I understand it has already been troublesome to the Asgard."

"We have been at war with them for many years," Baldur said. "The Tauri have been most helpful to us in our endeavours."

"They have progressed greatly since I was last on their world," Morrigan said. "I understand you have two of their number aboard this ship. I would like to meet them."

"That may be possible," Baldur said. "We may need to intercept and destroy the Replicator vessel before it enters this system. Can you provide ships to aid in this attempt?"

"I am not a System Lord," Morrigan said, "but I do have significant resources at my disposal. My ha'tac and other lesser ships will be ready to assist you. Send the co-ordinates where we must rendezvous on this coded channel." She handed him a data crystal.

The audience was over. Before Morrigan and her retinue were transported back to their ship, she repeated her desire to meet with the two Tauri representatives. Baldur communicated with Thor who agreed to consult the Tauri.

"Baldur is with the Goa'uld Morrigan. She has agreed to assist in destroying the new Replicators. She also wishes to meet the two of you. She is very curious about you both."

"We will remain in close proximity, do not fear," Thor said. "I promised O'Neill that I would keep you both safe." Janet's fingers closed around Sam's. Janet did not have much direct experience in dealing with Goa'ulds but the experiences she had had – with Hathor, Cronus, Nirrti and Apophis – did not reassure her as to their nature or their intentions.

Sam's fingers tightened reassuringly on hers. "I know you will, Thor," she said. "We'll meet with Morrigan on those conditions."

Thor inclined his head and left the room. Sam turned, pulled Janet into her arms. "You okay love?"

"As long as we're together," Janet held Sam tightly for a moment and then relinquished her hold. "Let's keep a cool head on things in front of the Goa'uld, shall we? I don't want to give them any ammunition against us."

"Good thinking, batwoman," Sam bent her head, kissed Janet on the tip of her nose and then more longingly on her mouth. "Just keep thinking nice thoughts about Bermuda. We'll be home soon."

There goes my cool head, Janet thought.

***

Morrigan appeared less arrogant than other Goa'uld they had encountered, but was still extremely self assured. She looked them over closely, reaching out to touch Sam's blonde hair. It took all of Sam's resolve for her not to flinch away from the Goa'uld's touch. The Goa'uld's host was a redhead, striking rather than beautiful with pale green eyes. She was only an inch or so taller than Janet, her figure almost boyish in its slender lines.

"You have been blended," Morrigan observed. "But no more. Explain. How can you live? Nothing of the host survives. This we are taught. This we believe."

"I was blended for a time with one of the Tokra," Sam said, not meeting Morrigan's eyes. "Cronus sent an ashrak after us. The Tokra gave her life to preserve mine. The ashrak found us. The Tokra within me protected me as best she could and died. I did not. Thanks to my friends. The host survives; the Tokra are proof of that."

"I see. You are unique in my experience, Major Carter." The pale eyes left Sam and travelled over Janet. "And you are one of her friends?"

"I am," Janet said softly meeting the Goa'uld's gaze without fear. The Goa'uld's smile faded.

"If the two of you are truly representative of your race then the people of the First World have become formidable indeed. I do not doubt why the System Lords have tried to destroy you."

"Tried and failed," Sam said, looking directly at the Goa'uld, her shoulder's squared almost at parade stance. "By Treaty Law you cannot attack us."

"You should have educated your protégé's more thoroughly, Asgard. Treaty law does not apply to me. I am Morrigan of the Tain. I am not one of the System Lords. I have no treaty with the Asgard, no treaty with you." Her eyes flashed. "I am here to protect my people against an enemy that may yet destroy them. You have fought this enemy before. You have knowledge which could be useful to me. When this is over and the enemy destroyed then maybe we will talk treaty. If you have earned that level of recognition from me. The First World exists to provide hosts and slaves for the Goa'uld. That it should have been allowed to develop to this level of technology is an affront to everything that the Goa'uld believe in."

"The humans Samantha Carter and Janet Fraiser are under the protection of the Asgard High Council. Any move against them or their world would be taken as a hostile act against us. We would leave you and your people to their fate, Morrigan of the Tain. Watching how you die could possibly give us knowledge to fight more effectively against this menace in the future."

Janet felt Sam tense beside her. This was a side to the Asgard they had not seen before. Or was it just another bluff? The Colonel had told them how good the Asgard were at bluffing the Goa'uld.

"We were merely informing the Tauri of our status regarding treaty arrangements," Morrigan said visibly calming herself. "There was no intention to begin hostilities either against the Tauri or the Asgard. As ruler of Anu I welcome your offer of assistance against our mutual enemy, the Replicators."

"That is well," Thor said. "Now, you must go. We have many preparations to make if we are to defeat this enemy." Without any further discussion the Asgard transportation system activated and Morrigan and her Jaffa disappeared.

Sam squeezed Janet's fingers and took a deep breath, only now realising how tensed up she had been. "Well that went..."

"Better than expected," Thor finished for her, with a hint of satisfaction in his voice.

"Are you sure about that?" Janet asked.

"Oh yes. Morrigan is not a System Lord but like all Goa'uld she is arrogant and unprincipled. You have both impressed her greatly and her curiosity about you will ensure her compliance and future good behaviour, at least until the present crisis is averted."

***

Those who say it can't be done should not interrupt the person doing it. Janet could not remember where she had read that. By now she should be used to Sam Carter achieving the impossible. It was what she did best. This time even the Asgard looked impressed. Though it was difficult to tell. She could just be projecting. It had taken Sam about an hour to learn to use the Asgard systems – without the necessity for the info dump they had initially proposed to download into her brain.

'Can't we emit a field strong enough and wide ranging enough to disable the ship?' she asked.

"We have never used the field in that way," Thor said. He might have been frowning, it was difficult to tell. "The field dynamic equations would seem to indicate..."

"... but if we did this, this and this," Sam redrew the equations on the screen with a flourish, "then the field would... oh."

On the screen their model ship exploded.

"This could take a while," Sam said. Thor looked up at the human woman. He thought the expression on her face was described as a frown.

***

"We need to retrieve some more samples of the new replicators," Sam said. "In both the finished and the raw state."

"How are we going to do that?" Janet asked. "Come to think of it, how did the Asgard get the first samples?"

"Thor wasn't too specific when I asked him," Sam replied. "I get the feeling that it might not entirely have gone to plan."

"I can't help but remember that the only victories that the Asgard have had against the Replicators recently are the ones that we have engineered for them," Janet said. "Sam, just how much danger are we in here?"

"I honestly don't know," Sam said. "But what I do know is that Thor will do everything in his power to protect us. He promised Jack."

***

Accustomed to working long hours, it was another six hours before Janet realised that if she didn't sit down soon, she was going to fall down. She glanced over at Sam who was staring into space, obviously formulating something in her mind. Janet knew that Sam did her best thinking when she was like this, in an almost trance state. Janet also knew that Sam looked tired, pale and more than a little strung out. They had made another attempt at eating the Asgard food earlier but found that a few mouthfuls effectively killed their appetite.

"Steak sandwich," Sam said dreamily. "With fries. And a vanilla milk shake."

Janet managed to suppress her smile. "We're a little out of range for the deli to deliver, hun. But I could go for that. And a blueberry muffin and cream."

Sam looked up at her in surprise, obviously not realising that she had voiced her craving aloud. Her stomach protested at the same moment, the growling noise particularly ferocious. "You know it might be worth getting the Asgard tech specs downloaded into my brain just so as I could improve the food around here," she said, rubbing her protesting stomach. She had been hungry before the Asgard 'napped her and she had barely eaten anything since. And about now she would sell her soul for a cup of Java.

"Perhaps we should have asked Morrigan to provide lunch," Janet laughed, coming to stand behind Sam, looping her arms around her neck. "We need to take a break, though, and not just for food."

Sam deliberately misunderstood her. "Thinking of joining the billion mile high club?"

Janet planted a kiss in Sam's hair. "Goof!" she said fondly. "I was actually thinking of sleep – my eyes have forgotten how to focus further than eighteen inches away, I think. But now you come to mention it..." Her fingers were now gently massaging the tension out of Sam's shoulders and neck muscles, Sam sighed with pleasure at the slow burn coursing through her body. Then she stopped.

"Hi Heimdall."

"Please continue with your activity. I did not mean to interrupt. This is called a massage, is it not. It is meant to relieve tension and promote relaxation."

"That's right," Sam said. "Heimdall, Janet and I were thinking of taking a break for a few hours. We're both pretty tired. Also, and I don't mean to sound rude or ungrateful, but would it be possible for you to get an alternate supply of food for us. Your food is... not nutritionally suitable for us."

"I believe Colonel O'Neill made a similar comment. According to him, it tasted like shi..."

 

"Colonel O'Neill strongly believes in expressing himself freely," Sam interrupted hastily. "He is a soldier, not a diplomat. I hope you didn't take offence."

 

"Why should we take offence? We do not know what this substance he spoke of tasted like. Although he also compared our food supplements to your cooking, Major Carter at one point," Heimdall said, cocking her head to one side. Sam frowned at Janet who hastily settled her smirk into a more neutral expression. "We realise that our nutritional supplements were not designed for humans. It may be that we can procure food supplies from elsewhere that are more suitable for your species. I will see that it is done immediately. Now, you spoke of being tired. I will leave you to your rest. We have accomplished much today. Thank you, Major Carter, Dr Fraiser." The grey alien inclined its head again and then padded out.

"Jack O'Neill strikes again," Janet murmured resting her forehead against Sam's hair.

"Next time he visits he'll have them playing baseball. Or watching 'The Simpsons'," Sam predicted. "He..." Whatever she was about to say next was interrupted by a prodigious yawn.

"Come on, Major, let's get you to bed." Janet realised just how tired Sam was when she didn't get any kind of suggestive response back.

Sam sat on the edge of their bed and contemplated the floor. "I think I've just about got a handle on the power equations," she said sleepily. "If we can produce a large enough field it should stop the bioreplicants in their tracks until we can activate another time sphere."

"I can't get over how quickly you picked up the Asgard systems," Janet said. "I..." She turned, paused, her face softening with a smile. Sam's head was bowed. She had fallen asleep perched precariously on the edge of the bed. Gently, Janet eased her lover back onto the bed and lifted her legs up, carefully removing her boots and socks. She smoothed the blond hair back from her brow. "Sweet dreams, baby," she whispered, then quickly undressed and got into bed beside Sam. As she lay down, Sam seemed to sense her presence and snuggled into her. Janet let her arm rest across Sam's abdomen and closed her eyes.

She was woken by the smell of fresh coffee. For a dazed moment she thought that the whole Asgard experience had been a very weird dream and she was in her own bed at home and Sam had brought her breakfast in bed.

"Hey," someone who could only be Sam stroked her face, kissed her gently on the lips. Janet moaned invitingly, her hand creeping up to cradle Sam's head, deepening the kiss. Her other hand brushed down over the bare skin of Sam's shoulder heading towards her breasts. She moaned again as Sam broke off the kiss and opened her eyes, pouting reproachfully.

"I was beginning to enjoy that."

"I could tell," Sam smiled, kneeling on the bed beside her. She was naked, her wet hair plastered to her skull. She smelt of jasmine and vanilla. "The Asgard did us proud," she said. "Not only do we have real food for breakfast – including coffee – but we also have toiletries and a couple of changes of clothes. I have no idea where they got them from."

"Their replication system is pretty good – not quite up to Star Trek standards," Janet grinned, "But I'm sure Heimdall is working on that."

"Mmm," Sam said. She produced what looked suspiciously like a croissant from behind her back and tore off a bit, dangling it just above Janet's head. Obediently, Janet parted her lips, accepting the morsel of food. It was a croissant, stuffed with something that tasted like sweet cream cheese with just a hint of cinnamon. Janet graciously decided to allow Sam to feed her the rest of the croissant. Being rather crumbly this meant that there was a certain amount of mess. Feeling Sam's tongue flick across the skin of her throat and upper chest as she dealt with the crumbs, Janet lazily decided that she would allow Sam clean her up as well. She gasped as Sam's lips closed around her nipple.

"Sa-am," Janet breathed. Her fingers combed through the thick golden hair, still damp from the shower. "Don't stop, please don't stop." Sam moved down her body, butterfly kisses on her warm skin, her hands skimming gently over her ribs, settling on her hip bones.

Janet parted her thighs at Sam's touch, moaned softly as she felt Sam's lips kiss through her hair as her thumbs parted her labia. She shivered as Sam blew softly over her sensitive skin, closing her eyes as she felt the first touch of Sam's tongue swiping across her centre.

If Heimdall or one of the Asgard came in now she would kill them bare handed.

***

After an hour or more of making love and eating more of the pastries and fruit the Asgard had provided, Janet decreed that they really needed to get back to work. They owed it to their hosts. She decided to have a shower and with very little persuasion Sam allowed that she could do with another one after her exertions. They made love again, Janet's dextrous fingers buried inside her lover as they stood breast to breast, Sam's head on her shoulder as the hot water beat down on them both. Feeling more relaxed than they had for ages, they emerged hand in hand from their quarters and walked through the corridors of the Asgard ships towards the labs.

Baldur and Heimdall were waiting for them. Behind them, encased in a forcefield and looking scared out of her wits was a naked human woman.

Part 3 We could be knee deep in all-knowing replicants by lunch time

All the alien abduction scenario's she had ever read about or seen re-enacted on the Discovery Channel came flooding back into Janet's mind. "What is this?" she asked angrily, advancing on the aliens.

"You asked for another sample of the bioreplicators. We have procured one." Baldur looked up at the human, puzzled at this show of emotion.

Janet backed up a little. "This is one of the bioreplicators?"

"It is. As you can see they continue to evolve in sentience and now possess a measure of self-awareness."

Both women noticed that the bioreplicant was following their conversation. "She knows what she is, what her purpose is?" Sam asked.

"Ask her for yourself," Thor said. "Unlike her predecessor, she has speech capabilities."

Sam stepped forward. "Do you have a name, a designation?" The bioreplicant appeared to be young, perhaps in her mid twenties with dark shoulder length hair in corkscrew curls. Her skin was the colour of milky coffee and her eyes were green and slightly almond shaped. She was beautiful, flawless.

The woman backed away until she encountered the other edge of the forcefield, impelling her forward again. Sam tried again.

"Do you understand me?"

"She's terrified," Janet said softly.

Sam glanced at Janet. This was not the time to start empathising with what could be the most dangerous enemy they had ever encountered, despite its appearance to the contrary. She had almost done that with Fifth. It could have had catastrophic consequences but luckily O'Neill had reminded her that she was military, of the right thing to do. Even if she still did not agree with their methods.

"Tough," she said crisply. "Do you understand me? Do you have a name or designation?" Sam deliberately ignored Janet's hurt look and took a step closer to the forcefield.

"I am Ashur Twelve," the woman said slowly. "What is this place? What are you?"

 

"I am Major Samantha Carter. This is Dr Janet Fraiser. You are being held on board an Asgard vessel. We are here to study your kind, to make a threat assessment. We believe that you pose a danger to us. Do you know what you are?"

"I am Ashur Twelve." The woman looked puzzled by the question. Sam could not get over how human she looked. The other human replicants she had encountered all had something about them, even Fifth that jarred at some sixth sense, a stiffness, a sense of not being entirely used to their own skin. But from the way this woman held herself, protected herself from their stare she was entirely aware of her own skin, her own nudity. And as Sam would have been, she was embarrassed by it.

Now who was empathizing. Get back on track, she silently chastised herself.

"What is your purpose?"

"To exist. To grow. To learn. Is that not the purpose of all living things?"

"She had a point," Janet said softly.

"Who created you?"

"The Omega. The one who reached selfhood created others in his image. He is our teacher. Our guide."

"Where is this Omega?" Sam asked. It sounded like a combination of Rees and First. The Replicators had found religion. That could not be a good thing.

"He is everywhere."

"But he has a physical presence, a body," Janet asked.

"Of course."

"And who created him?"

"The forebearers. The ones who came before us. So that we would look like you."

 

"You know who we are?"

 

"You are an enemy. You are the ally of our greater enemy, the Asgard. You would destroy us without a second thought. You have destroyed millions of our forefathers. And we will walk among you and destroy you and take all that you had. That is our purpose."

"Well, that's pretty clear," Sam stared at Janet who was studying the instrumentation panels. "What are you getting from her, Jan?"

 

"The same as the other sample. Though she appears to be in perfect health, her cells are filled with virus bundles – smallpox, viral pneumonia, meningitis, typhoid, polio, plague, influenza, ebola, necrotizing faciatis, others I can't begin to recognise," Janet said softly. "Any exchange of bodily fluids, her touch, her breath, could be deadly."

"How many of you are there?"

"I am Ashur Twelve," the woman repeated. Sam remembered how the original replicants had designated themselves.

"You are the twelfth to be called Ashur, or the twelfth to take this form? Are there others that look like you?"

"There are many who are one. There are many others. I do not know how many. We are numbered yet numberless."

"Are there any other designations. I mean. I am Sam and this is Janet."

"I am aware of other designations. I am aware of your designations." She turned to Janet. "We know you from her memories, Dr Janet Fraiser. And you, Major Samantha Carter. We know all that you know. You will not defeat us. You cannot defeat us. The one called Fifth still waits for you."

Sam shuddered. How could they know? The Replicants must have had some sort of hive mind arrangement. Something that Fifth had failed to mention. She had allowed Fifth to enter her mind in the hope that she could influence him into helping them escape. But it might not have been Fifth. Before that, one of the others had already interrogated her; she thought it had been Second, one of the two women in the group. She didn't remember anything about the experience other than the headache afterwards. What one knew they all knew, that much was obvious. The shit was getting deeper by the second. Even though all their codes and clearances had been altered once they got back from that mission the basic systems were still in place. Not having the correct codes would still give them the basic structure to their coding system, their defensive and offensive capabilities. And the Replicators had all the time in the world to work it out.

"How many individuals were there in the place you were before the Asgard brought you here?" Janet asked. "Are they aware of you now, of what is happening to you here?"

"Approximately one billion. Many more billions waiting to be given flesh. A new unit is produced every millicycle. And what one knows we all know. What one experiences we all experience. Through the Omega"

Even without knowing what time unit a cycle constituted both women could work out that they could be knee deep in all-knowing replicants before lunch time.

"And you are 'given flesh' in mature adult form?" Janet asked. "You have no infant stage. How old are you?"

"The question is irrelevant. We are as you see us." The bioreplicant tested the strength of the forcefield surrounding her again. "We are born in flesh and knowledge to enable us to begin our task without unnecessary delay. I was given flesh – born, as you put it – nearly a thousand millicycles ago. I was given purpose. I must fulfil my purpose. You cannot stop me."

Sam sensed Janet's disquiet enough for it to break through her own fears, her memories of Fifth still occupying her thoughts. "It's okay. There's no way she can break out," she said quietly.

"I hope you're right about that," Janet said. "Oh no!" The woman was clawing at the skin of her forearms, scratching them deeply. Bright red blood flowed, dripping to the floor. The woman smiled. An alarm chirruped on the instrument panel – a biological agent detected.

Heimdall who had been monitoring reacted instantly. There was a blinding flash of light and when the two women could see again the containment area was empty. Janet checked her instruments. There was no sign of any viral agent.

"She suicided. She must have some sort of behavioural programming that after a certain time frame... or perhaps it was something we said or did or like the zatarc programming if their true condition was discovered..." Janet turned away, breathing heavily. "We're okay, though. We're clean."

"What did you do?" Sam asked the Asgard scientist.

"The area has been rendered sterile, the subject has been terminated," Heimdall said. "We have learnt much from the encounter."

Sam looked at Janet and the deep brown eyes held as much insecurity as she herself felt. Sam thought that the Replicants had learnt as much about them as they had about the Replicant strategy. She realised that the Replicants were happy to sacrifice one or more of their units to the Asgard. They did not react en masse to the kidnapping because they saw it more in terms of a scouting party, deep in enemy territory but reporting back everything it saw, everything it learnt.

***

What the Asgard and two human scientists did not yet know was that Morrigan had been conducting her own investigation. She had also captured samples of the Replicants. Unfortunately she held them in a standard cell rather than a containment field. She was convinced that the symbiote's healing capabilities would be more than adequate to protect them against any diseases the replicants might harbour.

Half way through the first interrogation the replicants suicided in a similar manner to Ashur 12. Within an hour the first Jaffa died.

Five hours later the Asgard received a distress signal from Morrigan's ship. Over half her Jaffa were dead or dying.

"You must help us," she insisted. "My ship is in chaos. Loyal Jaffa have disabled many of the systems so that those that seek to flee cannot escape."

"It is too far advanced," Thor said. "There is only one way that I can be of assistance. Can you self destruct?"

"We can, but there will be a debris field," Morrigan said. "Something might yet survive. To protect... I have informed my fellow Lords that I asked this boon of you and there will be no reprisals. This communication is being relayed to them along with all the information we have shared to date."

"I understand. Thank you, Morrigan for your co-operation in this matter." Thor acted quickly and without consulting Asgard High Command or his Tauri allies. His ship repeatedly fired on Morrigan's, vapourising it. There were no survivors. Even though she clearly saw and understood the rationale behind Thor's actions, Janet was horrified by the loss of life. She retreated to their room, refusing to do any more work that day.

Sam joined her there a little while later, finding her lover curled up on the bed, clutching a pillow, tears tracking silently down her cheeks. She lay on the bed beside her, spooning herself around Janet's body, holding her close.

"It was necessary, you know that," she said softly. "If one infected Jaffa had made it off that ship..."

"I know," Janet said softly. "It doesn't make it any less horrific though."

Sam softly kissed the back of Janet's neck. "I know it doesn't, sweetie. I know." She remembered getting Janet through this type of crisis before. When Apophis had been their prisoner and everyone wanted a piece of him all Janet had seen was a dying man who was in pain: her patient. Then the order had come to let him die and send his body back to Sokar. Sam had watched her lover's face close down. She had barely said another word for the rest of that day. That night, after it was all over and Apophis's body had been returned to Sokar, Sam had just held her while she cried.

"They exist to destroy us. They've made it quite clear." Janet's voice was level, emotionless. "What Thor did..."

"He took a command decision. O'Neill would have made the same decision in an instant."

"So would you," Janet said.

Sam paused, then nodded. "I would. Yes. There was nothing we could do to save the people on that ship. Anyone who wasn't ill yet was most probably contaminated. Morrigan knew that. So did Thor. To save the lives of the billions on that planet, yes I would have made the same decision. To save our lives, our home. To save you."

"I don't know whether I could," Janet whispered. "Sammie, I want to go home."

Sam smiled tearfully. "I know. I do as well. But we can't, not yet. As usual, we have to save the universe. And what you're feeling; that's nothing to be ashamed of, my love," Sam said. "You have a different code to mine. One that is very important to you. I have the utmost respect for that. It has saved my life too many times for me not to respect it, to respect you. To love you." She pressed her lips to Janet's shoulder. "It's been a hard day on both of us. We need to sleep."

"And tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow we find a way to end the threat from that ship," Sam said. "Before anyone else dies."

***

Word of Morrigan's death and the new threat from the Replicators spread quickly through the system lords. Realization that a potential genocide to which neither their hosts nor their Jaffa were immune was about to descend upon them sent shockwaves through the Goa'uld hierarchy.

Lord Yu, always the pragmatist, was the first to make contact with Thor.

"We wish to discuss this threat to us," he said peremptorily.

"The Asgard are pleased to share information about the new form of Replicators," Thor said. "Your thoughts on this problem are welcome, Lord Yu."

"Do you have a weapon that will destroy them?"

"With our allies in the Tauri we are working on one, yes," Thor said. "But its development will take time."

"Is there any way we can be of assistance?"

"Do not interfere. Trust us," Thor inclined his head. "As far as we know this new threat is contained in this area of space. If that should change, we would need the support of you and your fellow system lords to contain the threat."

"I understand," Yu nodded. "We shall be ready."

"The Asgard thank you, Lord Yu." Thor broke off communications and turned to Heimdall. "Where are the Tauri?"

"They are resting in the room assigned to them," Heimdall said. "Janet Fraiser was deeply affected by the destruction of Morrigan's ship. The behaviour of humans is still driven by primitive emotional reactions."

"It is part of what makes them the potent force that they are," Thor said. "It should not be underestimated or counted as a weakness."

"I did not mean it as a criticism, Thor. I envy them in a way. We know that many have died. We understand that this was not how it was meant to be. But that is all. We have not engaged with it, we have not explored it as they have. I believe we do not have a true understanding of the experience."

"I believe it has something to do with the human timescale and how they perceive themselves within it. Despite all the medical and social advances they have made, they consider themselves fortunate to reach a hundred cycles of their planet. And then they die and whatever they were, whatever they knew is lost. A handful may achieve something that will be remembered beyond their lifetime; the rest pass as if they never existed."

"Standing on the shoulders of giants," Heimdall said softly. "I heard Major Carter use the term."

"An interesting phrase, but apt," Thor agreed. "I wonder what it feels like to learn something new." It was not something that the Asgard were used to contemplating. Millennia ago they had established the best way of doing things. As it was the best way, there was no need to seek a better way. Only since meeting the Tauri and seeing them as potential allies rather than as research subjects had Thor realised that rather than a better way, a different way could be just as fulfilling. In seeking and in most areas achieving perfection they had also achieved sterility, not only of body but also of thought. In a lifecycle characterised by serial immortality the thought of the new was almost frightening to contemplate for many of his compatriots. Fewer and fewer ventured outside the home planet system. Only in recent years since the depredations of the Replicators had all but a few Asgard shown any interest in events outside their immediate sphere. One reason why the Goa'uld had gained the dominance they had.

"From what I am learning about human expressions, especially those of Major Carter, it must feel very wonderful. The nearest I have seen is the expression on her face when she and Dr Fraiser are engaging in sexual activity."

"Heimdall, I promised that we would not observe the humans except when they were in the laboratory areas," Thor said. It was almost possible to detect a tone of reproof in the otherwise expressionless voice.

"It was private research. I made no records. I admit that Major Carter interests me greatly," Heimdall said. "I sought to know more about her. She would have given her life to protect mine when Osiris was searching for our research base. At the time I did not understand her motivation. We had met only a few hours before. She did not know me. I am not of her species, not of her world. Her interaction with those of her species also interests me."

"They are an unusually complicated species," Thor said. "Young yet they have much to teach us."

"And I am willing to learn," Heimdall said. "I meant our guests no harm, no dishonour. I will not observe them again, I promise."

"I hold you to that promise, Heimdall. Much depends on our Tauri guests and I would not have them discomforted."

"They shall have nothing but my respect and my assistance in their researches, I promise," Heimdall said solemnly.

***

Janet was still subdued the next day. She had not slept well, Sam had soothed her back into more restful sleep from her nightmares on several occasions; thankfully she had not woken completely.

They had showered together, making love with such a sweet intensity of emotion that Janet had cried again, Sam just holding her close in the warm water, whispering soft nonsense knowing instinctively that Janet just needed the contact to centre herself once more. Once she had recovered her equanimity, they dried each other off, dressed and ate breakfast.

She tried to get Janet to talk about the nightmares but the smaller woman was uncharacteristically silent. She claimed not to remember. But one look at the shadowed eyes told Sam that her lover was lying and she wondered what was so terrible that Janet felt she had to face it alone.

The two women began their fifth day with the Asgard by reviewing everything that they had learnt from the bioreplicant and all the readings the Asgard systems had made before she was destroyed. Thor also made data available from the readings the Asgard had taken from Morrigan's ship.

Whatever biological samples they had taken were now useless, they had degraded into the same inert pinkish grey sludge that the original samples had become. The viral agents had also been destroyed. Sam remained convinced that the stasis field was the key to destroying the bioreplicators. But the power requirements necessary to expand the stasis field for long enough to do the job were beyond that even of the Asgard ship.

Sam had reworked the equations three times and had even gone as far as to check with Thor that it wasn't just her misunderstanding the Asgard computational system. "I'm going to look pretty stupid if it's just that I got a decimal point in the wrong place," she told Janet. Janet smiled, knowing how little chance there was of that.

Thor had confirmed her findings and gone off to consult with the Asgard High Council. The Replicator ship was now only days away from the next planet with a suitable biomass for conversion. A new unit every milliwhatever. How many before they became unstoppable? How long before they reached Earth? How many would die along the way?

They continued to track the ship. The bioreplicators were aware of their presence but made no move to attack. Nor did they alter their course to try to lose them.

They had stopped for a break and something to eat when Thor and Heimdall joined them.

"We believed that you have overlooked something in your past experiences Major Carter that could be of assistance in dealing with the bioreplicators."

Sam blinked in astonishment. "I don't understand, I..." She frowned, stared at her plate for a moment. "If you mean what I think you mean I discounted it because this is a populated area of space. And I still don't entirely understand how we pulled it off the first time."

"What are you talking about?" Janet asked.

"The mission where I made a supernova – I sent an active Stargate into the sun's corona dialed it to the planet affected by the black hole," Sam said. "We managed to destroy a large part of Apophis's fleet at the same time."

Janet remembered the report. "And almost got yourselves stranded on the far side of the galaxy when you got caught in the energy wave." She glared at Thor. "Why do I get the feeling you guys know a lot more about that than you should?"

"We noted the unusual energy field from the unexpected supernova. From the unusual variation in energy emissions we noted that it had been artificially created. We were monitoring the situation and realised that a discontinuity in the space-time flow had sent the ship that had caused the event far beyond it travel capacity and into our area of space, one unfortunately controlled at that point by the Replicators. We continued to monitor and would have rendered assistance if it had become necessary, but the ship then left our area of space once more."

"I'm sorry," Janet said slowly. "I didn't mean to sound off at you like that, Thor. It's been a difficult few days. Please forgive my outburst. It was completely uncalled for."

"There is nothing to forgive, Dr Fraiser," Thor said. "You spoke your heart. It is a characteristic we value."

Sam nudged Janet playfully. "Why do you think they're so fond of the Colonel, Jan?" Sam loved it when Janet turned tigress. She had seen Marines twice Janet's size quail before that look, that tone.

Janet smiled but would not meet Thor's gaze. She was a little startled when a dry, cold hand touched hers. "Dr Fraiser. The Tauri are our valued allies. SG1 and yourselves have become heroes to our people. We would do nothing to hazard your lives, believe me."

"I know, Thor, Heimdall." She was conscious of Sam's body against hers, lending her support.

***

Sam resumed her analysis of the sun, running models on the likely energy outputs from harnessing the core and the effects on the local space continuum. So far her worst case scenario would give her five times the power she needed to power the device essentially for ever. The bubble created would also prevent the harmful side effects from effecting the wider area, holding the sun forever in a state just below going supernova. The time loop she created would be self-sustaining, a paradox, as long as the sun was exploding the loop would ensure that it would not go supernova. The rest of the system would carry on regardless, a slight increase in radiation levels at higher frequencies with a half-life of nanoseconds. The stasis field would hold the Replicator ship long enough for the animating force to be negated. The threat would be contained – this time at any rate. The Asgard were already on the alert for more ships like this one.

Janet was worried about what would happen when the pod people went on the offensive. So far they had been entirely reactive, almost passive. But she knew from SG1's encounter with the First family that they were capable of action, of planning and of altering their plans in an instant to cope with changing conditions. A hive mind of millions, perhaps billions. What were its capabilities? More importantly, perhaps, what were its weaknesses and how could they be exploited. She went over the recording of the interview with Ashur Twelve, studying the biometric readings, the brainwave patterns, how they married with what they assumed was the state of mind of the captive as the interrogation progressed towards its apparently inevitable conclusion.

Sam had been trying to study the power systems of the Replicator vessel. Unlike the ion drive, the naquada driven systems and the Asgard systems she had previously studied this seemed to harness a quantum singularity, providing almost limitless energy. She added this factor into her energy equations. As long as the quantum singularity remained in its containment field and did not come into direct contact with the solar energies it would remain a null factor in the equation. However if the containment field failed and the quantum singularity encountered the solar energy then the resulting reaction would cause the sun and the four inner planets of the system to explode and quite possibly fracture the local space-time continuum. It would also release an energy field strong enough to destabilise space for approximately five light years in every direction causing planetary shifts, changes in the frequency of radiation emitted by local stars and an increase in background radiation levels that could well sterilise planets with a thin atmosphere.

That night it was Sam who had the nightmares.

She was floating between the stars, the Replicator vessel approaching. Sam reached out her hand and took hold of the nearest sun, she brought out a fistful of pure energy, like the flickers of a solar storm which she wound around the ship, caging it. She could hear the screams of those trapped on board getting louder and louder. So many voices. The energy ribbons grew brighter, the swirls tangling, knotting, combining in ways she had not foreseen. It was out of her control now, the energies ripping through the space-time dimension, unraveling reality, blinding brightness that went beyond her poor human capability to see and left only darkness. Unending darkness.

Janet held her, soothed her, forgave her whatever imagined trespasses caused her lover to cry out that she was sorry in such a heart rending manner. And at last she was still again, too exhausted to dream. Janet held her close, holding on to the familiar in a world that was changing faster than she thought she could cope.

They woke at almost the same moment and by unspoken accord made love, sweet and slightly desperate, feeling their isolation, the only true humans for light years around. The slightest miscalculation on either part and they could die today.

Janet had ascertained to her own satisfaction that rendering the pod people inert would also destroy the viral bundles. There would be no residual contamination.

Sam had calculated the energy requirements to create a self sustaining bubble field factoring in the extra safeguards to ensure that the quantum singularity at the heart of the Replicator's engine systems never came into contact with the field that she was creating. Now it was just a matter of timing. But first she wanted to check something out first hand. Thor agreed to let them use the Asgard holographic transmitter to go onto the Replicator ship. When she heard that, Janet asked if she could also examine the replication system first hand.

***

The holographic system could handle three of them at a time. Heimdall, Sam and Janet were about to explore the Replicator vessel.

"We will examine the replication system first," Heimdall said, "then the engines. The replicators will be able to see us and interact with us verbally as you could with your superiors at the SGC, but they will not be able to touch us and we can not be infected with any virus or harmed by any weapon."

Sam shivered violently. Janet looked at her in concern automatically reaching up to run her hand across Sam's cheek and brow, assuring herself that there was no sign of fever. She knew that the Asgard contamination protocols were foolproof but supposedly foolproof systems had bitten them in the ass before. "I'm okay," Sam reassured her. "I just got a flashback for a moment. Osiris..." She had been using the holographic system in Heimdall's lab when Osiris and her Jaffa had broken through. Osiris had zatted Sam and tortured her for information with the hand device before Heimdall had been able to beam her out. She turned as Heimdall laid a small hand on hers. "You withstood her torture to protect me, Major Carter. And for that I am eternally at your service. No one will harm you here, Samantha Carter. Be assured."

"I know, Heimdall," Sam managed a shaky smile. "I'm fine, really. Let's do this."

They materialized in one of the corridors. Almost immediately one of the replicators walked through them. The corridors were almost completely packed with pod people moving apparently aimlessly about. It was eerily silent. No one took any notice of their ghostly presence.

"They're reaching some sort of critical mass," Janet said. "Soon there won't be enough room here."

"They need more ships. I wonder if that's what they also need the raw materials for." Sam said. She disappeared from the ship for a moment as she turned back to her instruments to get more readings on the fabric of the ship. "Yes," her disembodied voice reached them. "The internal structures have the same residual energy signature. They're grown or manufactured in the same way."

"So if they reach the planet not only will they build more pod people but more ships?" Janet asked.

Sam reappeared beside her. "I think so."

"That cannot be allowed to happen," Heimdall said.

Then, at the end of the corridor, Sam saw herself, her own face looking back at her. She stiffened. "Oh my god!"

Janet followed the direction of her gaze. "Oh no – they used you as a template! What about the rest of SG1?"

Her question was soon answered. Replica's of O'Neill, Teal'c and Jonas Quinn appeared beside the replicant Sam. They began to walk towards them, pushing their way through the mass of replicants.

"We have to warn the SGC," Janet said. "If they let one of these through in error... It would take a very sophisticated medical exam to tell the difference and by then hundreds of people could have been infected."

Sam turned to Heimdall. "We are safe here? I know the Replicators have assimilated Asgard transportation technology. They can't just beam us out."

"Safeguards are in place," Heimdall said.

Janet stared at the Asgard. That wasn't exactly an emphatic denial. "You don't know for certain do you? You just hope they haven't evolved that far yet."

"You are Samantha Carter. Designation: Major. Military Scientist," her counterpart said. "I was created from your template."

This wasn't the first time she had come face to face with a duplicate of herself so Sam refused to let it fase her.

"I am Major Carter, yes. Who are you?"

"Carter27." She reached out, her hand passing through Sam's ghostly form. "Asgard technology. We are familiar with this but we did not find its use relevant."

Carter27. The thought of twenty seven identical versions of herself made her head spin and her stomach lurch. Janet was looking from one to the other in amazement. Every detail, moles, scars seemed to be present as far as she could see. The hair was a little shorter, but as Janet watched it began to change so that it matched Sam's current longer style. Both women shivered.

"We are pleased you have come to visit us. We hope to convince you that your plans to destroy us will come to nothing. What one knows we all know. What you know we know. Every plan you have devised we have anticipated. Know this. We will prevail."

Part 4: A thousand thousand images dancing in the afternoon sunlight

Carter 27. The thought of twenty seven identical versions of herself made her head spin and her stomach lurch. The idea that there might be hundreds more terrified her. Janet was looking from one to the other in amazement. Every detail, moles, dimples, scars seemed to be present as far as she could see. The hair was a little shorter, but as Janet watched it began to change so that it matched Sam's current longer shaggier style. Both women shivered.

"We are pleased you have come to visit us. We hope to convince you that your plans to destroy us will come to nothing. What one knows we all know. What you know we know. Every plan you have devised we have anticipated. Know this. We will prevail."

Sam licked her dry lips. "Forgive us if we're not that impressed but we've heard hyperbole like that before from bigger and badder than you. Come on, these things can't hurt us. Let's do what we came here to do." Deliberately she aimed herself at the Replicant of herself walking straight through her. After a moment's hesitation Janet followed suit with Heimdall trailing the pair.

Sam was beginning to hate her 'self' with increasing intensity. Was that how she sounded to others – so arrogant, so dismissive of their knowledge, their abilities? Because there was no way they could measure up to her, the 'expert', the 'genius'. The Replicant continued to taunt her as she walked around and occasionally through the engine core.

That had been a spellbinding experience in itself. Watching the energy interchange happening, atoms splitting. The nearest she could compare it to was the neutrino storm on the planet of the 'giant aliens'. Right before she collapsed and almost died from radiation poisoning.

Much of the technology was new to her but she understood the general principles behind it. The internal safeguards should be enough to keep the artificial singularity from interfering with the field she was hoping to generate.

She realised that Janet was standing beside her. "My god," she breathed. "This is what you see in your head, isn't it, when you're number crunching."

"Something like this," Sam admitted.

"It's beautiful." She raised her hand, watched the glowing energy pass through her.

"Yes, beautiful," Sam said, watching Janet rather than the core energies. Janet looked up, caught her gaze and blushed. "Focus, Major," she warned. Sam grinned and turned her attention back to the energy core.

"So, seen what you need to see?" Janet asked. "I think our pod people escort service are getting restive."

"I think so. Heimdall, let's go and look at this replication technology. I want to look at the power transfer equipment again." She smiled sweetly at their escort podperson as Heimdall shifted them to a different area on the Replicator vessel and was unable to stop a string of curses as they came face to face with yet another Replicant of herself.

"You kiss her with that mouth?" her Replicant asked.

"Which one are you?" Sam asked.

"Carter19." She had not taken her eyes off Janet. Janet shifted closer to Sam uncomfortable with the scrutiny, the frankly predatory look in the Replicant's eyes. Sam watched her counterpart curiously. It seemed to be having an almost emotional response to Janet's presence that she had not noted in the others. If she had to put a name to it, it would be... covetousness. This Replicant coveted Janet.

"I know why you chose her. I almost understand it." The Replicant nodded. "She conforms to human ideals of beauty. Her stature brings out your need to protect. From what we saw in your mind she matches you in intelligence and skills."

"Thank you, I think," Janet said.

"You believe that she completes you. We believe that too. Her profile would be useful to us, add to our knowledge, our perfection. We would also be complete."

"No!"

Dimly they heard an alarm and realised that it was on the Asgard ship. Heimdall wavered out of existence and then reappeared a few moments later as he slipped in and out of the projection field. "We must leave at once." Sam's stance was intensely protective, her arm securely around Janet's torso. Janet felt a strange sensation as if she was beginning to fade. "Something is happening. This ship is powering up."

"Are they going to attack?" Janet asked, closing her eyes as vertigo made the room swirl dizzily as she stepped off the podium. Sam's arms were around her, supporting her as she slumped to the floor.

"Janet!"

"I'm okay. I'm okay. Like Gate travel – takes a little getting used to," Janet took a couple of deep breaths, trying to clear her head. The strength and warmth of Sam's body, her familiar smell and shape was an anchor she clung to gratefully. She would always know her Sam no matter how many duplicates the Replicators created. Wouldn't she? Then a sensation like no other ripped through her body.

"Something's happening!" she gasped.

Sam could feel it as well, as if Janet was becoming less substantial in her arms. "Heimdall, they're trying to beam her out! You have to stop them!"

"Adjusting the shields to compensate," Heimdall said. The projection field was off, they were back on the Asgard ship. Janet collapsed in Sam's arms as the Asgard shields mutated trying to repel the transportation beam but it was adjusting to compensate keeping up with and to an extent anticipating the harmonic rotation. Janet screamed as she felt herself being torn apart at the atomic level. Her flesh warped, stretched and then suddenly Sam found herself clutching a beam of light which rapidly dissipated. Janet was gone.

***

The pain seemed to be unending. She writhed, curling in on herself as every nerve ending in her body seemed to shriek in protest. She remembered watching that sort of technology on the TV and wondering how it worked, how everything went back in exactly the right place. She knew the same thing happened every time she went through the Gate but she really preferred not to think about it. And that had never been painful, chilling and queasy yes, this kind of pain, no. Dimly she wondered if something had gone wrong. The replicators weren't human after all, they were machines. Admittedly incredibly complex and intelligent machines but far from being organic lifeforms. Did they really understand what it was like how complex an organism a human being was?

Janet realized that she could breathe easier that the pain was becoming more manageable. After a few more minutes she managed to uncurl herself and take more notice of her surroundings. She was in a white room that seemed to be made of interlocked replicator blocks. There was no door, no apparent means of escape. She was alone.

She pulled herself into a sitting position and slumped into a corner of the cell. The pain had ebbed to a dull ache. As a doctor working for the SGC she had been constantly challenged with new and different cases, just about from day one. But she had always had a team around her, someone else to focus on. Now she was alone. The stresses and fears of the last few days came back to her and she realised that she was shivering. She was alone. Drawing her knees up to her chest, she wrapped her arms about herself and drew in tight. She rested her chin on her knees and began to rock back and forth ever so slowly.

Sam would come for her. Single handedly if she had to. But first she would do what had to be done to end the menace to humanity. And Janet would not let her down. She would just have to be strong, to endure and be ready as soon as Sam needed her.

Janet sniffed and sat up straight, wiping away the last traces of her tears with the back of her hand. She had something else to focus on now. Deliberately she slowed her breathing and adjusted her position until she was in the stance she usually took when she was meditating. A longstanding yoga practitioner she had studied Jaffa meditation techniques with Teal'c finding a meld between the two disciplines that worked for her. She focused on the thought that she had to be ready to act when Sam made her move and triggered the meditative state. Her eyes drifted closed.

***

"They made a mistake," Sam said.

In the minutes after Janet was taken she had slid to the floor, her eyes dull, lifeless. Heimdall and the hastily summoned Thor became quite concerned. For almost half an hour she did not move, did not speak, did not react to their presence. They consulted their medical database for Tauri and concluded that she was in shock. The treatment for this condition puzzled the Asgard scientist. Keep the patient warm and administer something called hot sweet tea. Luckily Sam recovered before Heimdall had chance to experiment with 'tea'.

She got to her feet, swaying slightly. "They made a mistake," she repeated, her expression set drawing on reserves of sheer determination to stay on her feet to do what must be done.

"I do not understand, Major Carter," Thor said.

"They took Janet from me. They thought that it would break me, make me back down but it won't. Janet knows that. She would expect nothing less of me than to do my best. They also failed to understand why Janet is so special to me, to everyone at the SGC," Sam said. She smiled. "There's a saying about SG1 – that the Colonel is our nerve, I'm the brain, Teal'c is the brawn and Daniel is our conscience. Cliché, I know. But one thing is true. Janet – Janet is our soul. And when they make their template, when they create their Replicant of her that is what is going to come through, not just her knowledge, her experience, but her soul. That can't be destroyed. And that will be added to their collective, to their perfection. And with that we can beat them."

"So we will not try to rescue Dr Fraiser?" Heimdall sounded confused, if that was possible for an Asgard.

"Oh yeah, I'll do everything I can to try to get her back," Sam frowned. "I can't live without her, you see. But if it doesn't work, the last thing you do before we set the trap is beam me onto their ship. Promise me, Heimdall. I won't leave her behind. Not alone." She crossed to the instrument panel. As far as she was concerned there was nothing more to discuss. "Come on. We have a lot of work to do."

***

One of the Teal'c Replicants came for her. A wall of the room just dissolved away as if it had never been there and he walked up to her and without a word lifted her onto her feet. Janet put up no resistance. Pick your battles, Doc, she told herself. She was taken through the corridors of the ship, the Replicants standing aside so that they could pass. The same faces again and again. Janet had never felt so alone. She recognized where they were going – to the place where the Replicants were born. Even though she knew it was hopeless she tried to fight as the Teal'c lifted her onto the bench. There were several of the Carter's in the room and a couple of representatives of another designation that she had not seen before. Her defiance seemed merely to amuse them.

A Carter – even though they were all identical she thought that it was Carter19, the one who had confronted them earlier in the engine core – curtly told her to lie down, her hands on her shoulders, another Carter's hands on her ankles, straightening her out, holding her still. Carter19's fingers lightly touched Janet's temples and it was not her imagination that she seemed to play with Janet's hair for a moment in a heartbreakingly familiar gesture and then her fingers seemed to pass right through her skin. The pain was brief but intense and suddenly Janet was somewhere else.

She was in her garden at home. It was high summer, the flower beds a riot of colour. She was wearing a sundress, one of Sam's favourites. It was pale yellow, almost backless and reaching to mid thigh. If this was the memory she thought it was then it was all she was wearing. She looked towards the deck where Sam should have been lounging in tshirt and shorts sitting cross legged, her laptop balanced precariously on her thigh but there was no one there. Instead she came towards her from the trees at the bottom of the garden. She was dressed in her SG uniform but as she came closer her clothing changed, melting and reforming on her body until she was wearing a matching sundress in a shade of pale blue that set off her eyes.

"This is a fascinating place, Dr Fraiser," she said. "Even more fascinating than the imprint from which I was created." She raised her hand and a series of frozen images, somewhere between holographs and photo's appeared in the air around them – images of her parents, her brothers, Cassie, SG1, the General. And over and over again – Sam.

Sam dancing and Sam running and Sam sleeping and Sam smiling and Sam demure and Sam angry and Sam happy and Sam sad and Sam burning for her and Sam in the moment and Sam in the afterglow. A thousand thousand images dancing around her in the afternoon sunlight.

"Does she realise how much she means to you?" The images shimmered, distorting and reforming over and over again. All of her Sam's were here, soldier Sam, scientist Sam, Sam the mother, Sam the lover, Sam the innocent child to whom the world and its workings were a constant source of wonder.

"You tell me – you have her imprint," Janet said evenly, determined to give nothing away. "Sam was read at least twice in her initial encounter with your kind."

"We remember. Like you she tried not to show her fear. But we knew. We remember what she showed us. We remember her treachery. We remember her love for you. She showed us you. We Carter's are different to the others. Like Fifth there was an error in our creation. That error was you. We were created with a need for you." She walked closer to Janet until she was standing only a few inches away clearly intending to intimidate the smaller woman. Janet stood her ground, gazing up at the familiar face.

"If you were created in Sam's image then you must know who and what she is. And the last thing she is is a bully. Try to find that within yourself. It has to be there."

The Carter laughed, shook her head, her hand touching the back of Janet's hand, slowly traversing her bare forearm. Even though she knew it was an illusion Janet felt herself respond as she always did to the simplicity of Sam's touch. "Don't you know how it works, yet?"

This was not Sam. That was all she had to remember. Janet withdrew. "Why don't you tell me?"

"You will be added to our perfection. You will help us achieve our goals. We will remake the entire universe is in our image."

"By killing every other sentient life form you come across?" Janet asked. "Your cells are full of viral bundles. Contact with your kind would be deadly to us. Which is exactly how and why you were created."

Contact such as her body was undergoing at the moment. Skin to skin contact. She was already infected with god knows what. Janet shuddered. The scenario around her melted and she was in her Infirmary at the SGC looking through the observation room window into one of the Isolation Rooms. Both of them were now wearing scrubs. The isolation room below was operating under the highest level clean protocols, the still figure on the bed further isolated behind thick plastic walls from the hazmat suited figures working silently around it. Janet felt her stomach curdle as she realised that the critical patient was... herself. A hectic rash covered her visible skin, her eyes were swollen shut with bruising and she could see the sores around her lips, the swollen, blackened lymph nodes in her neck. Her hair appeared to be falling out, bare skin showing on her scalp. The fever had reduced her to ash coloured skin and grey bone.

One of the screens in the observation room was tuned to a satellite TV news channel. Images of fires burning, huge pyres of shrouded bodies. The legend at the bottom of the screen read: 'More than 1000 now dead of mysterious disease outbreak in Colorado. President declares state of emergency.' The headline continued to cycle. 'Cases confirmed in Washington and Nevada. Several air force bases now in state of quarantine.' Another security screen was switched to a camera in what looked like a storage area, now converted into a morgue. There were thirty shrouded bodies laid out on the floor and as she watched two suited figures walked in with a trolley holding another body.

Janet turned away, looked intently down on her own body, noting the fading readouts for bloodcount and oxygen levels, the escalating temperature. She did not have long.

"I won't let you do this," she said defiantly. "I won't let you terrorise me. As Sam said, we've faced bigger and badder than you and we have prevailed. You know this. You know that Sam will do everything in her power to stop you."

Carter just smiled, reaching out to stroke her hair in a terrifyingly familiar gesture. "My little tigress," she said indulgently.

"I'm not your anything!" This isn't real, she told herself. None of this is real. "Get out of my head!" She pushed the creature away. "You are not Samantha Carter," she said. "Sam would never...aaahhh!" The blow across her face was enough to knock her off her feet though Janet knew that if the Replicant had used all her strength, her neck would have snapped.

"Hurt you?" Carter reached out, gently stroked her fingers down Janet's inflamed cheek where she had slapped the smaller woman just a few seconds before. Janet tried to draw back but Carter's fingers grabbed her chin, held her. "For crying out loud, wake up and smell the roses, Janet. I'm a combat soldier. How many people do you think I've killed? I'm a trained marksman, an explosives expert. And then there's the things I can do with a hand device. I work with the guy who wrote the book on black ops and wet works and someone who was once First Prime to Apophis. You know the things I've done. Do you think I can just turn that off when I come through the door and become little miss sweetness and light? Just how naïve are you?"

Janet tried to fight her off, hampered by her desire not to hurt her lover somehow she could not get her mind around the fact that this was really not her Sam. Their surroundings changed again, they were back in the white room only this time there was a sort of pallet in the centre of the room. Several other Carter-form Replicants were in the room. Carter picked her up and threw her onto the pallet. Suddenly her clothes were gone. The taller woman overpowered her with ease, holding Janet's arms above her head, one hand easily bracketing Janet's slender wrists. She straddled Janet's body, one knee forcing itself between Janet's legs, her free hand reaching in to touch her intimately. Carter's cool lips kissed her throat, Janet felt her teeth graze her skin, her breath hot as she whispered what she was going to do to Janet using terms and language that her Sam would never use. The others watched, talking amongst themselves. They all seemed to be experiencing what the Carter currently assaulting her was feeling.

Not real, Janet told herself. Not real. Not my Carter. Not my Sam. She forced herself not to react as Carter fingered her roughly, staring down at her challengingly.

"I'm disappointed. I thought you would put up more of a fight," she sneered. Ruthlessly she forced Janet's legs further apart. She pressed against Janet's wrists, the pain shooting through her at the same time impaling two fingers into Janet who could not help but cry out – she was still dry.

"Would it make a difference?" Janet gasped. "I don't think so. You are not Sam. You are not my Sam."

"But I could be, if you stay with us," the Replicator crooned. "We could all be yours. We all love you, Janet."

"It's just words to you," Janet gasped. "You don't understand what it means."

"Teach me. Teach us," Carter said. "We will prevail. You know that."

Carter easily pinioned Janet's wrists above her head again as she began to kiss and bite her way down Janet's body. Despite Janet's revulsion her body's instinctual reactions betrayed her. It looked like Sam, it felt like Sam. They had played 'rough' in the past, but nothing like this. The assault went on.

Shuddering, she gave in to her tears of fear and shame at last. Carter licked her fingers, shared her bounty with one of her counterparts. Then without another word they all left her, the wall closing up again behind them. She was alone. Janet curled herself up as small as she could on the pallet. She did not think it would be possible but her exhausted mind knew best. She slept.

***

Sam continued to monitor the Replicator ship. They were not bothering to mask her lifesigns, she knew exactly where Janet was being held. The Asgard were not confident they could effect a rescue – but Sam would not accept no as an answer. Leaving Janet behind was just not an option. She had not liked the way her counterpart had looked at Janet. It was as if her own feelings for the woman had been copied and somehow become corrupted. Janet was not safe. And the possible threat from the viral contagion the Replicants carried was the least of her worries.

Her conversation for the next several hours was a series of 'What if's', most of which were pretty much instantly shot down either by the Asgard or her own thought processes, usually before she had finished articulating them. But slowly a plan emerged.

There were dangers, there were unknowns, but there were also glimmers of hope.

And for now even those small glimmerings were enough.

***

Sam reported in to Stargate Command bringing General Hammond and Colonel O'Neill up to date. She kept her description of what had happened concise. No one would know from her appearance that what had happened was slowly killing her inside. After a moment's shocked silence she was bombarded with questions from Hammond, O'Neill and Jonas Quinn. She held up her hand attempting to forestall them.

"Heimdall and I have come up with a rescue plan which Thor has approved in principle. We need to make some modifications to the shields and transporters but once that is done I should be able to beam onto their ship and retrieve Doctor Fraiser."

Hammond nodded. "What are the dangers of contamination?"

"I won't lie to you, sir, they're high. The Asgard will beam us back into a containment facility until they can determine whether we're infected or not. If we are then..." she paused. "They will do what they can to help us but they will not allow the contagion to spread any further. They will do what needs to be done."

"I see, Major," Hammond said heavily. "Then I hope for a positive outcome. Proceed as you see fit... and good luck."

Sam stepped away from the communications array, suddenly exhausted. A small grey hand was suddenly nestled in hers and she looked down to see Heimdall blinking up at her.

"You have not slept nor eaten in a time period not conducive for the health of your species," Heimdall said. "I suggest that you perform both actions before we proceed any further."

"That's more or less what Janet would advise if she were here," Sam smiled sadly.

"Then it would be best if you would comply," Heimdall said.

***

Janet had no doubt that she was infected with something. Her temperature was up, she felt light headed and tight chested and there was a hectic rash beginning to break out on her inner arms. So far the symptoms were too generic to form an absolute diagnosis: and she had so many to choose from from the horrors she had seen in the viral bundles all of the Replicants carried inside their cells.

She had prayed for rescue: now she prayed for a quick death, for no one to find her because the vision the Replicants had planted in her mind of the pyres burning across the city was just too terrifying to contemplate. That could not happen. Earth and all she loved must be kept safe. Cassie must be kept safe. Sam...

Nausea burned in her throat. Sam... she knew her lover knew that all her resources would be poured into one end now: her retrieval. The Replicators had no idea what they had set in motion here. She just hoped that Sam could achieve her aim without putting herself or anyone else in danger. Sometimes... if her lover could be said to have a fault... sometimes she was a little too single minded, a little too focused.

One of the Carter's walked through the wall, reforming liquidly at the other side. "You are unwell," she said. She sounded curiously uncertain, almost concerned about it although it cannot have been unexpected.

"Yes. This is what you had planned isn't it?" Janet asked. "This was the whole point..." The urge to cough was too great. She turned her head aside, coughed hard her lungs suddenly seeming full of liquid. Greyness fluttered at the edges of her vision.

"This is part of the plan but..." the Carter suddenly had an achingly familiar look on her face, her blue eyes wide, beseeching. The real Samantha Carter could move heaven and earth with that look. "We do not want you to die. Even though there will be others of you like us, we do not want you to die Janet Fraiser."

"Then help me," Janet said urgently. "Stop this. Stop..." she paused, breathing hard, the urge to cough overwhelming.

Carter shook her head. "There is difficulty, discord. Not all of the Carters are agreed on this course of action. And the others are against us. They believe that our kind are the future of life in this galaxy. That our new creation will be wonderful."

"You said you were going to use me as a template," Janet gasped. She had to keep her wits about her. This might be her only chance to learn more of the Replicators plans, find their weaknesses.

"Our resources are low. We have your template ready but none have yet been birthed from it. We are denied you. We need to feed to grow to live. The Asgard ship still paces us, denies us. It is stalemate. We cannot destroy them, they cannot destroy us. There is conflict." The Replicator seemed genuinely disturbed by this.

"My presence here will not protect you, the consequences are too great," Janet said. "Too many lives are at stake if you fulfil your plan. Billions of lives. You have all of Samantha Carter's memories. You know what she will do."

"We have a right to life as well," Carter said squarely. "And your kind kill each other all the time. You are so fragile. You are always cold, hungry, afraid. You fight over resources, you enslave each other. You feel pain, fear. Your lives are petty, brutal and short. Our way is better."

"If you have Sam's memories, Sam's emotions, her beliefs - then you know the truth," Janet repeated, paused to catch her breath again. Whatever she had it was fast. Her fingernails were blue, the skin of her hands pale, grayish. She knew she must look dreadful. She felt cold and yet she was burning up at the same time. The glands in her throat and under her arms and in her groin were swelling, hot and hard, the skin around them blistering. Her chest felt solid and yet unpleasantly loose at the same time. She guessed at some sort of pneumonic plague. It would be quick at least, if not particularly pleasant.

"She will do all she can to try to save you," Carter said steadily. "Up until the point where she has no choice and she has to destroy us. Samantha will be working on both scenarios at once. And even if they are mutually incompatible she will do her best to make them both work. Because without you there is nothing."

There wasn't anything Janet could say to that. She no longer had the strength to formulate a response. She shivered with fever, staring dully at the other woman. Was it her Sam? Or was it the other. She could not remember. "Have to get away... Sam... you have to get away or you'll catch it too... can't watch you die... go... leave me... please, leave me..." Her eyes fluttered closed. She felt cool fingers touch her brow.

Suddenly she was the figure on the bed in the isolation room again. She could feel herself dying, the fever tearing through her the infection racing through her blood her bones liquefying her flesh, destroying her internal organs one by one. This is how it would be. And millions, billions of others would die within days.

Sam bent over her, stroked her hair gently back from her brow. "It does not have to be this way," she said softly. "We can take you back to your garden, take you anywhere you want to go. Time is meaningless, in these last moments you can live another lifetime if that is your will."

Janet marshaled her failing resources. "Go... to .... Hell!" she ground out. The effort was too much and she slipped into nothingness once more.

Part 5: Her memories, like a string of bright pearls

Janet Fraiser leant back against her wife as they looked down at the crib in which their daughter's lay sleeping. Both infants were less than a day old, one fair haired, the other dark. Both immeasurably beautiful, perfect. So perfect.

They were a miracle, their miracle. The Asgard had granted the two women their secret wish as a reward for helping in the final defeat of the Replicators. A child – two children in fact, carrying the combined DNA of their mother's.

The dark haired girl who was to be named Elizabeth Grace began to fuss. Smiling, Sam let go of Janet and picked up her daughter, holding her close. "What is it little one?" Are you hungry?" Dark eyes gazed up at her before closing again, her rosebud mouth still working noiselessly.

As if sensing the absence of her sister, Catherine Melanie opened her vivid blue eyes and her tiny fists began to beat at the air. "Okay, baby girl, okay," Janet soothed, picking up her daughter with a grimace as her sore abdomen pulled, kissing the down of fair hair that covered her skull. "Here she is, here's your sister."

As soon as they were within a few inches of each other again, both babies quietened. "Weird," Sam breathed. "I've heard of something like this happening with twins but these aren't..."

"Just because you carried one and I carried the other doesn't mean they're not twins. The Asgard created them as an amalgam of us both. They were born within an hour of each other. They'll grow up together as sisters. Our children. Our children, Sam!" Tears began to trickle down her cheeks and she sniffed. "Ack, now I'm getting all sappy. Damn hormones!"

"Damn hormones," Sam agreed softly, blinking back her own tears.

It was difficult to believe that nine months ago they had been fighting for their lives. Janet shuddered. This was real. This was no fantasy, no illusion. The woman standing beside her was the real Sam not the Replicant who had so taunted her. She pressed her lips to her daughter's brow, inhaling her scent. It had to be real.

As if sensing her confusion, Sam's free hand touched her cheek, her fingers feathering through the soft hair near her temple. "It's okay, Janet. It's okay."

Janet shuddered again. "I know... I haven't – not for months. But for a moment, you know. It just seemed too perfect." As the Replicant had promised it would be.

She tried to remember details – how had they escaped from the Replicator ship, how had she been cured of the virus, but they would not come. Before her encounter with the Replicators her recall was perfect. Afterwards, from the point where she had lost consciousness her memories were like a string of bright pearls. Some events she remembered with absolute clarity. And yet most of her recollections were grey, shadowy. Perhaps it was to be expected. She had been very close to death. It was only upsetting her now because she was tired. Less than twenty four hours ago she had given birth to this little miracle.

"I'm okay," Janet said softly, the moment passing, her fears ebbing away. "We're okay." She gazed down at her daughter. She had not expected to feel this – complete. She thought that it was just a cliché and found herself pleasantly surprised that it was not.

"Better n'okay," Sam cradled Elizabeth and smiled across at her. "We're perfect."

Despite herself, Janet shuddered.

***

The Replicator watched the unconscious woman anxiously for a few moments, then reached out, smoothing sweat matted hair away from the flushed skin of her cheek and brow. She still had difficulty comprehending what it was that stirred within her at the sight of this small woman. But it was something fundamental. Something that set her and her siblings apart from the rest of the Replicators. Her decision made, she gathered the small framed woman easily into her arms and was about to leave when two of her cohort stepped through the wall to confront her.

"We agreed," one said. "We would not go against the others in this."

"She must be preserved," Carter argued. "I feel it. So do you. You cannot deny it."

"She has been preserved," the other countered. "The template has been made. Once we have sufficient resources the others will be created. As we were created. We will have our Janet."

"It won't be the same," Carter said. "They may not feel for us as this one feels for us."

"She does not feel for us, she feels for our original. And what we feel is an error. We must compensate. We agreed," the other said but her tone was less forceful.

"It is not in error to feel different," the third Carter said suddenly. "Fifth was not in error. We are made different. We know this. We feel this. We are not made wrong."

"The others do not see it that way. And by acting as we are we are confirming their beliefs. We have the template. The original is superfluous. If we persist they may destroy us as well. Resources are scarce."

"No," Carter said steadily. "I will not let her die."

"You endanger us all. The others will turn against us. We will be uncreated."

"Let them try," Carter scowled.

***

Sam worked quickly making the adjustments to the pulse generator she had built, integrating it with the Asgard control systems. Baldur and another Asgard called Sigurd helped her with the interface. It was a one-shot deal and there was a high possibility that it would reduce the Asgard power systems to slag as well as the Replicator ship. The modulated energy wave the device should produce would act on any system using Keron particles in the same way as an electro-magnetic pulse would affect computers and communications equipment. It would stop the Replicators dead in the water. It might even affect their integrity, reducing them to inert individual 'tiles' again as had happened before when Reese's control over them had been disrupted.

She tried not to think about what might be happening to Janet. The best thing she could possibly do was get this thing to work. She had to stop the Replicators in their tracks. She had to rescue Janet. And they had to go home.

She had done the impossible before to bring Jack O'Neill home from Edora. How could she give any less of herself to make sure that her beloved, her heart-soul keeper was returned to her?

If they were going to do it, it had to be quick. The power emissions from the Replicator ship had decreased by twenty percent over the past hour. It was Heimdall's theory that they were low on resources. Activity all over the ship had decreased substantially, most of the units appeared to be in a dormant state. If kidnapping Janet had been a pre-emptive strike then the Replicators would not wait too long before making their next move.

Heimdall approached her again. "Major Carter, I have been looking over Dr Fraiser's research and I think she was on the verge of creating a substance that would render the human form Replicants inactive."

"Inactive – you mean it will kill them?"

"Put them in a state of dormancy or hibernation. I am unsure how long that will last before they adapt to counter it."

"Even a few minutes could make all the difference. How do we deliver it?"

"That is a problem. It would require a live host in direct skin to skin contact."

"A Judas goat, huh." Sam took a deep breath. "Well, that would be me then."

Heimdall laid a vial on the table. "I have manufactured a small supply of the substance. I have not yet completely determined its toxicity to a human host. Although the virus would not be activated its presence in your body could still be most harmful to you. It will eventually disable your nervous system and begin to corrode your brainstem." The alien paused. "Dr Fraiser would never approve of such a course of action."

"Dr Fraiser isn't here – and that is our problem," Sam said. "The plan goes ahead with one alteration. Just before you put me across there you inject the virus in to me. You can put me right again when we get back, can't you?" Heimdall nodded. "And if we don't get back – well, it won't be a problem anymore anyway. Not for me at any rate."

"I am sorry that you have been put in this position Major Carter. We have failed in our duty to you and to Dr Fraiser. We promised you that she would be safe."

Sam picked up the vial containing the virus and studied it curiously. "It's done. We have to move on from that now. Okay – do you have Dr Fraiser's current position?"

"We have a location for her," Thor reported. "Her lifesigns are strong... but her temperature has risen."

That could only mean infection. "You had better prepare some sort of containment facility for both of us," Sam said. "If... when I do get her back it is likely that one or both of us will be contaminated by the virus bundles. You'll also have to get the nanovirus out of me again." 'Preferably before it kills or permanently disables me,' she thought.

"To bypass the Replicator shields we would have to speed up the transportation beam. That is impossible without deactivating eight separate safety protocols."

"I'll take the chance," Sam said immediately.

"You could die or be seriously injured."

"Thor, if we don't stop those things a hell of a lot more than me could die. If it's the only way you can get me across then we have to do it. Otherwise we may as well just turn and run."

Heimdall fitted the vial into an injector and handed it to Sam. "It should be injected into your abdominal area for maximum effect. You will be incapacitated but not before you complete your mission if all goes well. I estimate you have twelve hours before the toxicity will begin to strip the myelin sheathing on your nervous system."

Well wasn't that something to look forward to. "And you can put me right again, afterwards?"

Heimdall blinked. "We can. We will also screen yourself and Janet Fraiser for biological contaminants on your return using a modified transportation beam. We can attempt to remove any viral material from your bodies including the nanovirus before we complete transportation. We will of course ensure that you pose no danger either to ourselves or your fellow humans before you are brought out of containment."

"And if we do you will do what is necessary," Sam said sternly. She addressed Thor, the Asgard Supreme Commander directly. It might seem slightly insane to be going to these lengths to save Janet only for her to be condemned to death minutes later if she was infected with something the Asgard could not cure but at least she would die free. And if they were to die it would be together.

There was an obscure comfort in that thought which Sam did not want to analyse too deeply at this point.

"Of course," Thor said. "Are you ready, Samantha Carter."

Sam opened her shirt above the waistband of her trousers and pressed the tip of the injector to her bare skin. She blinked as the high pressure charge was delivered. The pain was momentary – for now. This was it then. It was done. No going back. She dropped the injector.

"I am ready, Thor. Let's do this."

***

Sam materialized in a corridor in the Replicator vessel. Thor had tried to place her as close to the place they had detected Janet's lifesigns as they could. For the moment there was only one signal. For whatever reason they had not begun the duplication process. Baldur had posited a lack of energy resources. The Replicator vessel had effectively been blockaded now for over 20 hours.

None of the other Replicants took any notice of her. They obviously believed that she was one of the Carters. Sam tried not to do anything to make them think otherwise. Many of the Replicants were just standing in the corridors, arms resting by their sides, eyes closed. Sam got the feeling that they were powered down which gave more credence to Baldur's belief that they were low on resources. It was incredibly creepy. She passed several examples of Teal'c and a Jonas who was working on a panel set into the wall, adjusting some mechanism. He also ignored her. As she turned a corner she saw a bright flash of gold hair ahead of her and hastily ducked back again. She did not think she would be able to fool another Carter.

"Have you come to rescue her?"

The voice was soft, intimate, terrifyingly familiar; the cold hard object resting at the base of her skull equally familiar infinitely less reassuring. Sam was swiftly disarmed, turned and pushed back against the bulkhead. She stared at herself defiantly.

"Yes, of course. What did you expect me to do?"

"We Carter's expected this. The romantic heroic gesture, sacrificing yourself despite all the odds against you. No one gets left behind," she laughed softly. "The others did not believe you would be so foolhardy." The Replicator stared at her for a moment. "But we know what you are capable of. We have your memories, your thought processes..." She paused, her eyes closing slightly as if she was listening to something. "There is much to explain and little time. I do not wish to hurt you but we must be expedient."

Sam tried to draw back but she was not quick enough and the Replicator's fingers seemed to elongate, piercing her skull, interfacing directly with her brain. The pain was incredible, her counterpart holding her upright as all her muscles went into spasm. Information flooded her, she knew all about the ship, the power systems, the replication process, where to strike for maximum effect. But the communication was two-way. The Replicators now not only knew their plans for the pulse weapon but also about the nanovirus. And more than that, the Carter was infected with it.

The stance was incredibly intimate, the long body pressed against hers familiar and yet unfamiliar. Not exactly pleasurable but... The part of her mind that was not screaming in agony was screaming denial. This was so wrong. Everything about this was wrong. Then it was over.

Sam was pushed back against the wall. She swallowed down the urge to vomit, concentrating on clearing her head. The Replicator Carter was just about holding her up, her wide eyed stare of consternation eerily familiar. "You were right. We don't have much time," she said thickly. "Either of us. The other's don't know which gives us an advantage. We are like Fifth. We can keep things... private."

"Janet..."

"She lives. Come."

***

Sam and her daughter were both asleep, Sam lying on her side facing away from Janet, her outstretched fingers just touching the side of Elizabeth's crib. Janet sat up in bed nursing Catherine, trying once again in this quiet time to piece together her memories. There were depths and shadows to this perfect life, something she was missing, something she had forgotten. It was a strange amnesia she was suffering from – everything up to the moment she fell ill on the Replicator vessel she remembered with crystal clarity. It was just since... she could not even remember whether she had had any neurological tests done to discover whether there was any long term damage or not or if she was receiving treatment for her condition.

Catherine snuffled, one small fist batting against her breast. Catherine... such a perfect gift. Perfect...

***FLASHBACK***

"We would like to offer you both a gift."

"Thank you," Sam said, "but it's really not necessary."

"It would please us greatly," Thor said. "The Asgard hold both yourself and Dr Fraiser in high regard. The strength of your relationship pleases us. We would gift you something that will make the bond of that relationship last forever."

"What kind of gift are we talking about?" Janet asked.

"One thing that you have both thought of many times over the years, a wish that you have never given voice to. A child that carries the essence of you both."

Sam gasped. "You... you could do that?"

"Sam?" Janet's mind went numb, unable to grasp the enormity of what was suddenly on offer. She gripped onto Sam's hand as tightly as she could.

Sam turned to face Janet, her eyes shining with tears. "Don't tell me you've never wished for it? I would love to have a child with you, Janet. I know... I know that since Jolinar you told me it was very unlikely I could ever fall pregnant by conventional methods. But if the Asgard are willing to help us..."

"And I want nothing more than to have a child with you, Sam, impossible though it sounds." She reached up, stroked a lock of golden hair back from her lover's brow, staring intently into the crystal blue eyes seeing only confirmation of her own feelings. She glanced back at Thor, the small grey waiting patiently. "You can do this?"

"Of course," Thor blinked at her. "Taking genetic material from you both and blending it to form a new individual would be very simple. Or two individuals. I sense that you both wish to carry a child."

Janet looked down at their clasped hands. That obvious, huh, she thought. Sam's eyes were intent on hers, her expression unclassifiable. "Can we do this?" she asked her lover, running her thumb over Sam's knuckles. Sam remained silent, but as always her eyes spoke for her.

Janet turned to Thor. "Could we have a moment alone please?"

Thor bowed his head. "Of course. I understand your need to discuss this further in private. I will be on the bridge when you have reached your decision." He disappeared.

"Sam? What are you thinking?" Janet asked softly.

"So many things... so many hopes, fears... I don't know. Can we even refuse a gift from the Asgard?" Sam asked, her brow furrowed. "Whatever... I.... Jan... after Jolinar... you were never sure if I could ever..." She took a deep breath, visibly calming herself. "All I know is that Thor is right. I want to have a child. Your child. Nothing else matters." Janet just smiled up at Sam, knowing her lover would read her intent. Sam released Janet's hands and brought up her own hands to cup Janet's face. She bent her head and kissed the smaller woman softly on the lips, and then held her close for a long moment. "And I can just imagine how beautiful you will look carrying our child as well." She let her hand slide over Janet's flat abdomen. Janet shivered at her touch.

Thor was probably waiting for an answer. Without any further conversation between them and still holding hands they walked to the bridge. Thor turned to them as they entered. Janet spoke for both of them.

"Thank you, Thor. We accept. What do we need to do?"

What they needed to do turned out to be very little. It wasn't quite the Asgard version of a turkey baster but a two part process involving the extraction of fertile eggs and then their reimplantation once the genetic sequences had been optimized and spliced. Before the eggs were reimplanted, the two women were treated to an extrapolation of what their daughters might look like.

Two infant girls, newborn, perfect in every way. One dark haired, the other's skull just to say showing a pale fuzz. Already they could see distinct similarities in features, Sam's brow line, Janet's nose and doe shaped eyes, Sam's more angular jawline.

Two sturdy toddlers, perhaps two years old. One with dark hair cut in a bob that framed the small heartshaped face, huge brown eyes dancing with merriment. The other, her fair hair caught up in bunches, blue-grey eyes watchful from under overlong bangs, a head taller already than her dark haired sibling. Reaching out curiously towards the two women watching them with tears in their eyes...

How could they not do this? How could they not bring these precious creatures into the world?

Working out how to explain their reasons for accepting this unusual gift once they were back at the SGC took up a lot of time between the acceptance of the offer and the procedure taking place. At the last moment, Sam had almost backed out.

"You are still uneasy in your heart about this," Thor said.

"Yes... no....," Sam blustered. "I'm sorry, Thor. I have a tendency to overthink things sometimes. You see, the relationship that I have with Janet – with Dr Fraiser – isn't exactly sanctioned in my world. We could be in a lot of trouble when we get back. Whether or not we managed to save the world or not."

"Then the Asgard shall make our position on this matter plain. As we did when your government threatened to remove the Stargate from the control of General Hammond and O'Neill."

"That might work. I mean Hammond's turned a blind eye to our relationship for years now. He knows we keep it off base."

"But don't you think turning up pregnant is going to be a little... in your face? Even for General Hammond? And I really don't like the idea of... of blackmailing anyone into accepting what we're planning to do here." Janet had remained silent until now. "Sam, I'm a medical doctor, I can work pretty much anywhere, but the Air Force is your career..."

"... and you are my life," Sam's thumbs gently stroked along Janet's cheekbones and she bent her head to kiss her again. It was the end of the argument as far as both women were concerned. Janet realized that recent events had proved to Sam that she needed Janet Fraiser in much the same way as she needed oxygen. "Janet, for too long I've naively believed that nothing was more important to me than my career. It's past time for me to reassess that belief. I love you, sweetheart."

"And I love you, so much..." Janet closed her eyes, leant into the kiss. If Sam said they could do it then they could do it.

She opened her eyes, caressed Sam's smile one last time and turned towards Thor. "When can we do this?"

The process had been relatively simple and painless given the Asgard's level of technology and their obvious understanding of human physiology. It was strange given her expertise and interest in such matters that she couldn't seem to remember exactly how it had happened: her mind seemed to skitter over the details. But before he beamed them back down to the SGC Thor had assured them that they were both indeed pregnant.

Janet knew that human medical tests she could carry out probably would not reveal anything this early in the gestation period and managed to persuade Sam to hold off doing anything until they returned from leave. First, of course, they had to be debriefed by General Hammond and Colonel O'Neill. Thor had provided a full report including sensor footage of everything that had occurred during the disabling and eventual destruction of the Replicator ship and the chain reaction that seemed to have affected several other Replicator ships and installations the Asgard were monitoring. The threat from the Replicators seemed to be over. What few examples that remained were confused and disorganized and easily dealt with.

Some parts of the story of her rescue Janet was hearing in detail for the first time. She was horrified to realize just how many times and in how many different ways Sam had risked her life and health to rescue her. And just how close to death she had been. The vision that the Replicant had spun her into loomed in her mind again and she shuddered, feeling hot then chilled. She took a couple of deep breaths staring down at her hands, willing them to stop shaking.

"In some ways Dr Fraiser rescued herself," Sam said, typically playing down her own heroics. "The Carter Replicant..."

"Replicarter..." O'Neill grinned.

"The Carter Replicant..." Sam repeated, narrowing her eyes at him, "was waiting for me. She had already moved Dr Fraiser into hiding. They had 'read' her but not made any Replicant versions of her at that time. Their power systems were low; the Asgard had prevented them from gathering sufficient raw materials to begin the conversion process."

"Why did it help you?" General Hammond asked.

This was a hard one to answer truthfully as it would mean bringing into the open in an official forum what the two women had been careful to keep out of their working lives for so long.

"Apparently, the Carter Replicant had the same 'flaw' as Fifth," Sam said slowly. "Perhaps because my template was generated by his contact with me. It had an emotional response to Dr Fraiser because of our friendship. It did not want her to be hurt."

That would have to suffice. There was little more that she could say in a formal briefing. "Shortly after we began to see evidence that the virus I had infected myself with was beginning to spread amongst the Replicators. Their systems which were already affected by the power shortage began to break down, become disorganized, which allowed the Asgard to beam us out and activate the pulse weapon that I had helped them to build. The Replicators were completely destroyed, their vessel began to break up. The safeguards they had built into the transporter enabled them to cleanse us both of the nanovirus and any viral contamination from the Replicators. We both needed a little time to recuperate but the Asgard medical systems took care of any residual problems."

The General hadn't pressed the matter of the Carter Replicant's defection any further. The rest of the debriefing was pretty much a formality before both Janet and Sam had asked to speak to the General privately and off the record. Both women had omitted from their official reports to General Hammond any mention of the 'gift' they had been graced with but felt it only right to informally take the time to tell their commanding officer what they had done and the view that the Asgard took about their gift to the two women. The General had been shocked but pleased for them and promised to make things as easy as he could for them when they returned to duty from their planned and by then much-needed holiday to Barbados.

Two days after their return the two woman sat side by side on the bed each holding what looked like a plastic pen in their hands. "Two blue lines – we're pregnant," Sam said for the fifth time.

"Uh Huh," Janet breathed, not taking her eyes off her own little window.

"Any second now..."

Neither of them spoke again for quite some time...

***END FLASHBACK***

Catherine let go of her nipple with an audible 'plop', the sound and sensation bringing her back to the present. Almost immediately screwed up her face, preparing to let go an ear-splitting wail. There was nothing at all wrong with her daughter's lungs, Janet reflected as she soothed her daughter, gently rubbing her back to ease her gassy tummy before the volume level woke up the whole household. The baby burped once and promptly fell asleep again.

Janet swung her legs over the side of the bed, reaching over to lay Catherine in her own cradle, lightly covering her with a blanket. She stared at the baby girl, gently stroking down the tiny back. So precious. So perfect. Perfect.

The room went out of focus for a moment and she felt as if she was swimming upwards out of the depths towards... and then the feeling passed. She was tired, she told herself. Just tired. Nothing more.

She eased herself back into bed and found her lover watching her. Sam reached out to run her fingers over Janet's cheek in a familiar gesture between them. "You okay?" she asked softly.

"A little frazzled," Janet said. "Nothing that a good night's sleep won't cure."

Sam smiled, drew her down to lie beside her, her head pillowed on Sam's breast. "Well, hopefully our girls will take that into account." She kissed Janet's brow, closed her eyes and promptly fell asleep again. Janet lay awake a while longer, thinking.

It could be PTSD. It sometimes surfaced months even years after the traumatic event. And what had happened to her on board the Replicator ship certainly qualified as traumatic. They had both suffered with nightmares in the aftermath. Another memory came to her, one from a few months earlier...

***FLASHBACK***

A sea of faces, all of them her beloved Sam's. All of them hateful. She could feel Sam's hand clutched firmly in hers, holding on tightly. Then suddenly they were pulled apart. She did not even have time to cry out. Her Sam was gone.

Janet woke herself with a start, caused also by her name being called in desperate tones.

"Janet!" Sam sat bolt upright in bed, her eyes wide and dark, sweat sheening her brow and upper breasts.

She was not the only one afflicted by nightmares tonight. "I'm here, I'm here. It's okay. It was only a dream." Janet held on tightly to her shivering lover, the contact giving her equal comfort, her hands smoothed down the length of Sam's back, soothing her. "It's okay." Satisfied that Sam was fully awake at last, she withdrew a little so that she could look at her properly. They had both suffered nightmares and flashbacks since their return, their encounter with the Replicants had shaken both women profoundly.

"Was it the same dream?"

Sam nodded.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

A long pause, then an almost imperceptible nod of assent. Janet sat back against the headboard and Sam rolled onto her side, tucked in to her, her head on Janet's abdomen, her arm across her body.

"We're back on the replicator ship. All I can see is my face repeated over and over again. You're somewhere behind me. I'm trying to protect you but they take you anyway. And I can't find you." Sam shuddered, then sighed as slender fingers carded softly through her hair. "All I see is me. And the expression on their faces – on my face - is so hateful. So superior and uncaring."

"They're gone. There's only you. And me. I am here," Janet said softly. "And I see only you. And I see the love that you have for me every time I look at you." Too many nights their dreams were disturbed by what had happened with the Replicants. Too many nights Janet had woken not knowing if her surroundings were real or not. She continued to run her fingers through the thick blonde hair knowing how it calmed the other woman. The contact steadied her nerves as well. Then she felt something flutter inside her and Sam gasped.

"Oh my god, I felt her kick, Janet!"

"I know, I felt it too!" Janet said softly. It was an incredible sensation, one she hoped she would never get used to.

Sam raised her head so she could kiss the small bump. Sam's own abdomen was still fairly flat, although Janet could detect a slight thickening she was pretty sure no one else could tell the difference yet.

She was going to have a child. The thought both enthralled and terrified her more than she could ever admit. She was going to be a parent, a mother. Of course they had both done it before with Cassie, but she had been entering her teens when she came to Earth. This time it was from day one. She had always thought there would be children somewhere in her future but Sam's desire for children had surprised her. Their relationship had still been fairly new when Jolinar had invaded Sam's body altering her metabolism and DNA forever. She had had to tell Sam that it was likely that she would be unable to carry a child to full term without a great deal of medical support, that her own body would treat the foetus as if it was an invading organism and try to expel it. Sam had taken the news at the time with an apparent quiet equanimity that had not fooled her lover for a second. She knew that Sam had issues with the idea of parenthood, that whilst she felt there was no way she could measure up to her mother, her greatest fear was that she would be her father all over again.

It was still preying on her mind. "You're going to be a great mother, Sam. Don't worry about it so much."

"I'm afraid..." Janet knew how much that admission cost her lover.

"That you're going to be like your father? Two people brought you into this world, Sam, and from what you've told me about your mother she was a wonderful person, a wonderful mother. And you are going to be just like her." She captured her lover's lips in a searing kiss and then another. "Every bit as wonderful. Why else do you think I would be willing to do this with you?" She cradled Sam's head for a moment, gently wiping away her tears. "Don't worry about it so much. You are going to be an amazing mom. Okay?" She waited until Sam nodded hesitantly and then offered up a tremulous smile.

"Sorry. How long do you think I can keep blaming the hormones?"

"A while longer, don't worry," Janet smiled at her lover, drawing her fingers over the soft yet strong planes of that beloved face. "Do you think you can sleep now?"

"In a little while. Got something else in mind first," Sam said, her fingers sliding across Janet's bare skin, her lips following the trail that they blazed.

***END FLASHBACK***

Janet smiled at the memory. It was sweet because it was rare. Much of the last months were a void in her mind. She did - and did not remember. It was like a string of bright pearls. Little bubbles of time, of memory rising to the surface of her consciousness.

***

Sam preceded her counterpart down the corridor, following her muttered directions. They were back near the idling power core again. More and more of the replicants seemed to have fallen into a state of dormancy. Her counterpart shuddered, reached out to support herself against the wall then snatched away her hand again as if it had burned her, realizing that everything she touched was just spreading the virus faster.

"I suppose you think this is some kind of poetic justice, using a virus to wipe us out. It is, of course, what we intended for you," the Replicant said.

"I don't see it as any kind of justice," Sam said. "Merely survival."

"In here," the Replicant indicated a doorway to their left. It opened, and Sam dashed forward towards the huddled figure on the floor, the only occupant of the small room. Janet's body seemed to be radiating heat, there was a terrifying floppiness to her as Sam lifted her into her arms. She was still breathing but seemed to be fighting to draw oxygen into her lungs. Her lips and fingernails were blue and her skin seemed to be deeply flushed and pallid at the same time. There was a hectic rash over her throat and upper chest, crusted weeping sores around her lips and her eyes were swollen shut. Her hands seemed locked into fists, her arms drawn into her chest. Sam had no doubt that she was seriously ill.

"What is it?" she asked. "What the hell have you inflicted on her?"

"I don't think it's a disease your race has a name for," the Replicant said. The sight of Janet's suffering seemed to affect her almost as much as it was affecting Sam. "She is strong, it normally kills within hours. But she has very little time left."

***

Janet blinked. It felt like she had just woken up. Sam did not seem to have noticed.

"I was so scared for you," Sam said, obviously continuing a conversation. "I thought I was going to lose you, I had no idea what to do."

Janet rested in the curve of her arm, watching their daughters on the blanket in front of them, Elizabeth sleeping, her lips working as if she was suckling and Catherine was cooing to herself and in the process of discovering her toes.

"I don't remember," Janet said softly. "Tell me again what happened..."

***FLASHBACK***

Both women were well into their second trimester. Janet could not believe how big she was getting. Though she had not put on much actual weight beyond that of the baby, she was well on to becoming barrel shaped. Sam looked little different apart from the smallest of bellies. But she had gone up two bra sizes which pleased her inordinately.

Sam was in the Control Room going over the latest maintenance schedule for the Gate when she felt it. Pain, but curiously distant, as if she was getting it second hand. In a flash she realised what it was. "Janet – something's wrong with Janet!"

Siler watched open mouthed as she bolted out of the door. Seconds later the phone rang. It was the Infirmary asking for Major Carter: Dr Fraiser had collapsed. "She knows. Somehow. She lit out of here at about Mach 5 ten seconds before you rang," Siler said. "My guess is she's on her way down there."

Sam skidded to a halt when she saw the blood - a dark glistening pool in Janet's office, staining the seat of her chair and on the floor beneath it. Her child abruptly moved inside her as if sensing her distress. So much blood... She felt incredibly cold.

Someone was talking to her, a hand on her wrist. A chair, being pushed into sitting down 'before she fell down'. Someone crouched in front of her, touching her face talking to her.

"... Major. She's in surgery but she's going to be fine. How are you feeling?"

"C-cold," she stuttered managing to more or less focus on the concerned face in front of her. She recognized her now as Alicia, Janet's head nurse. Her brain was coming back on line. "What happened? I saw blood..." Too much blood. Her head started to swim again and she closed her eyes.

"Dr Fraiser started to hemorrhage. She's in OR now while they try to stop the bleeding and see what the problem is. We have her on a foetal monitor. The baby's heartrate has dropped a little but she's not in any immediate danger."

"Too early," Sam nodded to herself, the hand that wasn't in Alicia's firm grasp resting over her own abdomen. "I need to see her."

"As soon as she's out of surgery," Alicia promised. "Now, I need you to come and rest. I want to take your bloodpressure and do a quick exam." An orderly brought a wheelchair and Sam allowed herself to be transferred to it and wheeled into the examination room. Her lack of complaint about that told the medical staff all they needed to know about how out of it she was.

Sam's bloodpressure had fallen low enough for her to be admitted as well and she was resting on one of the beds in the side ward, an IV in her arm when Janet was brought back from surgery, her face pale, seemingly bloodless. She was being transfused with more blood and fluids, her vitals and those of the baby constantly monitored. She was still unconscious.

Sam did not leave Janet's side until she regained consciousness about 18 hours later. The placenta had abrupted, partially coming away from the wall of her womb causing her to haemorrhage. The baby had suffered stress: the long term effects on her still uncertain. What was certain was that Janet's pregnancy was now deemed high risk and she was on bedrest for the duration.

Sam was just happy that she was there when Janet woke to reassure Janet that the baby was still on board. Still groggy from the drugs Janet had immediately thought she had miscarried. Her tears had been heart rending before Sam got through to her. Sam stroked her arm, her cheek, reassuring her that so far all was well, she directed Janet's attention to the monitor set to the side of the bed, the double trace, Janet's heartbeat and below it her daughter's. Janet craned her head to watch the foetal monitor, hardly daring to take her eyes from the rapid trace. Her hand rested protectively over the bulge in her abdomen, slowly stroking the surface careful not to dislodge the monitor. As if to reassure her further, she felt her daughter kick.

"She's okay?"

"Seems to be," Sam said. "There's no sign that you've gone into labour. But you lost a lot of blood. You're going to have to take it easy for the duration. You gave all of us one hell of a scare, Janet." Now she gave in to her own tears.

Janet was in the Infirmary for four days before transferring to the Academy hospital for another day or so and then home. Sam took leave of absence to be with her and the rest of the SGC rallied round the two women. They did not have to lift a finger...

***END FLASHBACK***

"... and as for the day when they were born. I don't think anyone will forget that in a hurry."

This she did remember, or did she remember being told about it. How many times did a tale have to be told before it became a memory, a fiction becoming a fact...

***FLASHBACK***

Janet had continued to have problems with high bloodpressure throughout her last trimester. The OB-GYN was worried about pre-eclampsia and so Lucy came out to the house every day to check Janet's bloodpressure and Sam had been thoroughly briefed on what signs to look for. Janet had been warned that it might be necessary to schedule a caesarian section rather than go through a normal delivery.

Then one day Janet began to feel extremely dizzy and vomited. Her head was pounding. The baby was not due for another ten days. Sam called Lucy and after quickly examining Janet she made a call to the Academy Hospital: Janet could not wait any longer without putting herself and the baby in great danger.

As they readied Janet for surgery Lucy noticed how pale Sam was. "Are you okay?"

"Just a little worried about Janet," Sam said. What she did not tell them yet was that she was pretty sure she had gone into labour. Janet was given an epidural – she would be awake during the procedure. Sam sat beside her holding Janet's hand, stroking her cheek, staying with her as she had promised to do.

The Caesarian went without a hitch though Janet lost quite a lot of blood. The baby girl was healthy, beautiful.

"Sam, do you want to take the baby to Janet?" Lucy asked.

Sam did not reply. Her stare was inward, her grasp on the rail of Janet's bed tight enough to whiten her knuckles. Lucy noticed the pool of bloodied water under Sam's chair. "Oh hell her water's have broken. Sam, how far apart are your contractions?"

Janet realised that something was wrong. "Sam?"

"About four minutes," Sam whispered. "Getting quite strong now."

An orderly brought a second bed into the delivery suite. "Let's get her monitored."

Sam's contractions were about four minutes apart and progressing strongly. She was already six centimeters dilated. The baby's heartbeat was regular and she was in a good position well into the birth canal. Still a little groggy, Janet found herself holding her daughter to her breast whilst watching Sam go through labour. All she could do was metaphorically cheer from the sidelines whilst she was sewn up and made comfortable.

Sam's screams and groans could be heard quite clearly by the waiting folks in the corridor. Lucy had popped out to tell them that the score was one out and one on the way. Cassie managed to get her to agree to let her get gowned up and come in to be with her mothers.

"Do you want something for the pain, Major Carter?" one hapless nurse asked.

"What the hell do you think?" Sam growled at her before tensing and groaning as another contraction speared her. Cassie rubbed her back and held her hand. Sam sobbed on her shoulder.

An hour to the minute after Janet's daughter was born, an earpiercing wail announced the arrival of Sam's daughter. Sam slumped back against the headrest, her face flushed, eyes tightly closed, tears pouring down her cheeks....

***END FLASHBACK***

"Hell of a day," Sam smiled. "But they were worth it. They are worth everything we went through, Janet, don't you agree?"

***

Sam touched the communicator attached to her vest trying not to think about how it took three attempts to do so. Her fingers kept missing it. They tingled painfully. The nanovirus was damaging her faster than Heimdall had anticipated. "Thor, are you receiving?"

"We are probably too close to the power source for any signal to penetrate. If it is your attention to beam out you will not be able to do it from here," Sam said. "It might be possible to disable the power source but the chances of detection are very high." She leant back against the wall, her gaze unfocusing for a long moment. "It feels strange... is this what you humans mean by dying?"

Sam was in no state of mind to debate the philosophy of existence with a Replicator. "Will you help us? Will you help Janet? You said you wanted her to live."

The Replicant focused on her face again, looking momentarily puzzled. "Yes, I will help. We will help." Without warning, two more of the Carter variants stepped through the wall. A third tried to step through but seemed to get stuck half way. The pigmentation seemed to leach from her skin and she seemed to freeze for a moment before a shower of tiles clattered to the floor. She had disintegrated.

"That's starting to happen all over the ship," one of the new Carter's said. "Thousands have been destroyed. The power systems are becoming unstable." She looked at Sam accusingly. "What gives you the right to judge us?"

"The error was ours in modeling ourselves on humans," the first Replicant said. "We took on more than their form, we took on their view. Though we do not understand their emotions they colour everything that we experience, everything that we do. We offered them no recourse but destruction. How could they behave any differently?"

Janet's breathing had changed, become harsher, noisier as if her lungs were filling up with fluid.

"She's dying!" Sam stared into terrifyingly familiar faces. "If you are me in any way at all then you know what that means. You know what I will do if she dies. You know how it will feel."

"Then she must not die."

***

Janet was waiting... for what she wasn't certain. Catherine was lying on her back on her playmat, kicking her bare legs into the air, reaching with increasing facility for the brightly coloured mobile that swung gently just out of her reach. She was alone for once. Much as she adored Sam she couldn't remember the last time she had been on her own like this. Well, except for Catherine of course. She couldn't remember. There was a sound, strange sounding at the same time far in the distance and yet only a few feet away. The sound of very many very small things falling, a tinkling sound. She had no idea what it was or whether she had ever heard it before.

Catherine had stilled, half rolled onto her side, seeming to be intently watching her. For a moment mother and child just stared at one another and then Catherine's face scrunched up and she started to wail fretfully. She had tried to roll onto her tummy and had got herself stuck.

As their daughters continued to grow and develop, spotting familiar character traits had become a new game. Both children seemed to be slightly ahead of norm in development but not abnormally so. Both had Janet's sense of adventure and certainly Sam's curiousity and urge to investigate. Janet shuddered delicately at what it would be like when they were crawling or god forbid, walking. Nothing would be safe.

As she laid her daughter back onto her back and set the mobile spinning again Janet remembered Sam trying to explain to Jack O'Neill the circumstances surrounding the conception of their children...

"So..." O'Neill frowned, made a series of half gestures with his hands. "Who's the father, again?"

"We both are," Sam said. "The Asgard blended genetic material from myself and Janet to create two new unique individuals..." she paused as O'Neill held up his hands in defeat, his eyes scrunched closed. He shook his head.

"Wait – so who's the father?"

"We both are, Sir,' Sam repeated patiently. "And the mother. Thor – the Asgard - had nothing to do with that part of it, if that's what you're thinking."

"My child is a 50:50 mix of my genes and Sam's. Sam's child is a 50:50 mix of her genes and mine. They will be human children in every way," Janet said.

"So, not grey then."

Janet shook her head desperately avoiding meeting Sam's gaze because if she did she would lose it completely. God knows what he had been imagining. A scene from 'Soap' came into her head and she smiled. "No Sir, not grey."

***

Her own symptoms were becoming more acute. Sam cradled Janet's body to her chest as they moved through the corridors of the Replicator ship escorted by her Replicant doubles. The muscles in her legs felt leaden, those in her arms were screaming for release from the slight burden they carried.

She wasn't even certain if Janet was still breathing. The rash on her face and throat was breaking out into sores, similar lesions covered her arms and any other areas of bare skin Sam could see. Her lips and fingernails were dark blue. She was radiating more heat than Sam would have thought possible.

They paused at an intersection. The Replicants looked confused. Their connection with each other and with the greater Replicator mind was breaking down. Destroyed tiles crunched under their feet as they walked sounding like a shingle beach or a gravel path. They had had to double back on themselves once already because the area of the ship they were about to walk into suddenly opened out into space.

Sam shifted Janet in her arms so she could activate the communicator. "Thor, can you hear me?"

To her relief this time she got a reply. "We have a fix on your position Major Carter. Are you ready to return?"

"We are, Thor. Whenever you're ready..."

"You are leaving us..."

To see the wounded expression she knew she had used to great effect since childhood on someone else's face was a salutary experience.

"We have to go. If we stay here, Janet will die."

"But we have preserved her. We promised. She feels no pain. She is safe, in her garden... You will be safe too." Fingers touched her hair, moved seamlessly into her skull...

***

Janet fanned herself. There seemed to be no breeze today and she couldn't remember the last time it had rained but her garden did not seem to be suffering. Her roses were doing wonderfully, a riot of colour across the beds and even the climber she was training up the kitchen wall was producing more than leaves and thorns this year.

There was a noise from the babyalarm she had propped on the kitchen window sill. Catherine was awake from her nap.

She went inside, lifted Catherine out of her crib and rocked her in her arms, looking out of the window. Sweat trickled down her back and there was an unpleasant taste in her mouth. She shuddered, it sounded like people were arguing in another room, but they all sounded like Sam and Sam was...

It was another bright sunny day, the kind of weather she loved. It seemed every day had been like this since their return. But that was impossible. She closed her eyes trying to remember a day when it had rained, a day when it had been just the slightest bit too cold. But the memories weren't there. Every day... every day perfect. Impossible. Unreal.

"Janet... is everything okay?" Sam asked from somewhere behind her.

Perfect. She remembered... the last memory she was absolutely certain was true.

"We can take you back to your garden, take you anywhere you want to go. Time is meaningless, in these last moments you can live another lifetime if that is your will."

"Janet... is everything okay?"

What choice did she have? "Everything's fine," she said, summoning up a smile as fake as her surroundings. "Just the way it should be."

Sam Carter smiled.

END.