Stargate SG1 - Roswell (52 page)

The ice tunnel appeared and Jack angled the jumper into if
for
what he hoped was the last time that day. When they emerged in the cavern, Carter looked around and, taking a deep breath, said, “Makes you wonder, doesn't it?”

Right now, Jack was only wondering how long it would take to get from the 'gate room to Landry's bathroom. There was a hot shower waiting for him, along with one of Walter's coffees. Saying, 'no' wasn't likely to stop Carter from answering what he wished was only a rhetorical question, so he said, “Five words, Carter, that's it, then dial the 'gate.”

Smiling she ran her hand across the portable DHD. The absence of a kawoosh took some getting used to, but thankfully, this was the last time he'd have to think about that. “Time travel. Could be interesting.” She entered the code on her GDO.

“Maybe you can get a few tips from
General
Carter,” he said, staring up at the control room as the jumper settled onto the newly installed ramp. He was pleased to see the Perspex had been replaced, along with the new .50 caliber guns.

Caroline Lam was waiting for Daniel at the bottom of the hatch. For once, Jack didn't feel like putting up much of an objection when she waited for him to emerge and frowning, crossed her arms and said, “You might have told me about the ribs before you left.”

General Carter, who was standing nearby, had the grace to offer him an apologetic smile when he stepped off the ramp. “Thank you. All of you,” she said, turning her smile to the rest of them. “I know you've been through a great deal, and I'm sorry I couldn't warn you in advance but, well, I'm sure you understand why.”

Carter—
their
Carter—was staring intently at her older self. “How do we know you're actually from our timeline?”

The General turned to her. “Time travel—” She dialed the 'gate using the remote DHD on her hand. “Could be interesting.”

“Oh, you really were quite lovely when you were young, weren't you?” Herbert waddled into the 'gate room and beamed at all of them. Shaking Jack's hand, he said, “Don't worry, I promised you I'd take care of her, and I have. Come, my dear, time to go home.”

Carter opened her mouth to speak to General Carter, but then she shook her head. “Guess there's no point asking.”

“No, and you know why. But I will say that Cassie was also right. Your journey is just beginning.”

She turned and helped An, who was still dazed and less than pleased about all of this, out of the jumper and up the ramp.

“You see?” Vala called to Herbert, “I never stole it.”

“Oh, but you will, my dear. You will.”

Vala opened her mouth to reply, but Daniel got in first. “Nice to meet you Mr. George.”

General Carter stepped into the wormhole with An, while Herbert paused and frowned at Daniel. “George is my middle name. My last name is Wells.” The frown cleared. “And we
will meet again, you can be certain of that.” He turned and strolled into the wormhole.

When the wormhole fuzzed out behind them, Jack rubbed his
hands together. Nothing, absolutely nothing was going to get
between him and that shower.

Daniel was standing there with his mouth half open. “Oh my God, do you have any idea who that was?”

“Herbert
George Wells...” Carter's voice trailed off and she met Daniel's slightly gobsmacked look.

“What?” Jack demanded, already knowing he was going to regret it.

“Better known as
H.G.
Wells.”

Vala looked confused. “You mentioned him before. Isn't that the fellow who started some war between worlds?”

Daniel's brows knitted together suspiciously. “No, he only wrote about it.”

“Oh, so he's another writer?” she said with a beaming smile. “Like Howard?”

“Yes, just like Howard,” Daniel agreed, coming up beside Jack with a look on his face Jack guessed reflected his own. “What did you tell him, Vala?”

She took a step backward, her smile fading. “I didn't tell him anything! I never even met him before General Carter arrived here with him.”

“He seems to know you pretty well,” Jack said.

Vala shrugged, assuming an air of wounded innocence. “Well, that's hardly
my
fault...”

“In all fairness, sir,” Carter said, coming down the ramp with Teal'c and Mitchell. “He did say they were going to meet in the future.”

“Vala might tell him something one day, sir,” Cam agreed. “But she hasn't done anything wrong.”

“Yet,” Teal'c added.

“Thanks for the overwhelming vote of confidence,” she said, frowning at them. “And why are you all looking at me like that anyway? Apparently, while I was busy adding to the depth of your literary history by inspiring some of your most creative writers, you four somehow turned into Jaffa and Mitchell managed a stint as First Prime to a Goa'uld System Lord.”

Jack thought on that for a moment, glanced at Daniel who didn't seem to have answer, either. “Right.”

Vala's beaming smile returned with a vengeance. “Besides, you're missing the most important thing here.”

“What's that?” Daniel asked warily.

“Well, regardless of what I might or might not tell him someday, if I'm going to meet this Herbert Wells fellow in the future, that means we get to do this whole time traveling thing all over again. Won't that be fun?”

[end]

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Sonny Whitelaw

With a degree in geomorphology and anthropology, Sonny Whitelaw decided that a career in academia wouldn't be as much fun as running a dive charter yacht and adventure tourism business in the South Pacific. Photojournalism came as a natural extension to her travels, and Sonny's work has been featured in numerous international publications, including National Geographic. Sonny is the author seven novels includ-ing
Stargate SG-l: City of the Gods, Stargate Atlantis: The Chosen,
and
Stargate Atlantis: Exogenesis,
and is currently working on her next title,
Stargate Atlantis: Blood Ties.
She lives in Brisbane with her two children, and along with Jennifer Fallon is completing a Master's degree in Creative Writing. For more information, visit
www.sonnywhitelaw.com

Jennifer Fallon

Jennifer Fallon lives in Central Australia, where she writes full time. At various times in the past, she has worked as a youth worker, a store detective, managed an ISP, a video shop, an international cosmetics company, and once had a job issuing security clearances for contractors working on classified government projects. A former competitive pistol shooter, she currently consults for various government departments in her spare time while finishing her Masters degree in creative writing. Jennifer is also the author of the international bestselling
Hythrun Chronicles
—
Medalon, Treason Keep, Harshini, Wolfblade, Warrior and Warlord, the Second Sons
series
{Lion of Senet, Eye of the Labyrinth, Lord of the Shadows)
and file upcoming
Tide Lords
series. For more information, visit
www.jenniferfallon.com