Harsh Reality, by Raven (PG)

[sg-fignewton.livejournal.com]

Rec Category: AU

Pairing: none
Categories: AU, team, gen, angst, Daniel Jackson, episode related
Warnings: spoilers through Meridian
Author on LJ: loneraven
Author's Website: Sleeping With Ghosts
Link: Harsh Reality

Why This Must Be Read: This short, sharp fic seems, at first, to be an earnest discussion about alternate realities, taking place between the members of SG-1 as they sit together in the commissary. Despite the big, honkin' clue, that's all I thought it was at first, myself.

It's fun to watch Daniel insist on a conversation that Jack would be quite happy to avoid, as he muses on the possibilities of alternate universes through the quantum mirror and the onus put upon them by their good fate. The conversation unravels into snark and good humor, and we think that the whole story is just a snapshot of SG-1 in the commissary…

Until. Until you read the final part of the fic, and you realize the timeframe of that conversation, and in just which reality it didn't take place.

And then you wince.

And then, if you're like me, you'll go back and read this powerful little story all over again.

“Wait!” Jack said suddenly. “Why are we holding the flag for all the universes out there? We’re only responsible for one reality – our own!”

“With all due respect, sir,” said Sam, “if that were true, would you have helped Dr Carter and Major Kawalsky signal the Asgard?”

Jack paused. The point had evidently not occurred to him.

Suddenly, Teal’c spoke. He had been silent so far, listening to his friends’ conversation, but he could be silent no longer. “What of the alternate realities in which the Goa’uld do not exist? Would they not be required to help us?”

“This is getting complicated,” Daniel said quietly. “No, Teal’c, I don’t think they would be required to help us. How can you help fight an enemy you’ve never seen or heard of, for people you don’t really know in the proper sense of the word?”

“All right,” Sam said, “let’s put it like this. We don’t help save an entire universe. That’s not what we’re here for. We save people. Individual people, like Dr. Carter and Major Kawalsky. Every so often, we save the planet. That’s as far as it’ll go.”

“It’s overrated,” Jack said thoughtfully.

“What is?” Daniel wanted to know.

“Saving the planet.”

There was another of those thoughtful silences.

Jack broke it, saying, “Does this mean there’s alternate versions of us having this exact same conversation right now?”

“Yes,” said Sam mischievously, “and there’s a lucky universe where Daniel never started us off talking about this.”

“There’s an alternate version of me who could be bothered to think of a good reply to that,” said Daniel lazily.

“That’s just the point,” Sam said. “There’s an alternate version of you doing anything you could possibly imagine.”

“I’m not sure I want to know details, thank you.”

A moment passed before Sam realised what he was implying. “Daniel!”