Rating: PG13, humour

Spoilers/Warnings: Point of View

Summary: Missing Scene from 'Point of View'

Notes | Disclaimer

Sam hurtled through the gate to land with bruising force on the other side. Sam had often wondered what it would be like to travel through the gate. She had heard so many stories, some exhilarating, some terrifying, but all of them amazing. It was, therefore, only natural that she would want to try it for herself. After all, she was the one that had figured out how to open it in the first place. But as she carefully pulled herself into a sitting position and swallowed against the nausea churning in her stomach, Sam decided that maybe this one trip was plenty for her.

She shifted slightly and began to massage her right hip where it collided with the top step. Sam winced as she touched the tender spot and she knew that it would be black and blue tomorrow. That is if she lived to see tomorrow.

That thought sobered her immediately and helped her to focus on the task at hand. Sam carefully pulled herself upright and peered at her surroundings. She was alone in the middle of a large room, bathed in the bluish glow of the stargate. A high ceiling curved overhead and when she turned, she could see corridors branching off from the central chamber. It was, she reflected, a bit like being underwater, in an aquarium, perhaps

The gate closed with a whoosh, casting the chamber into shadow once more. The sudden silence was disconcerting.

"Hello?" Sam called into the emptiness. Her voice echoed loudly off the metal walls.

"Hello? Is there anyone here?"

Sam walked farther into the chamber, her own footsteps her only companion. She peered into one of the corridors and considered her options.

"Hello? I'm Doctor Samantha Carter from the planet Earth. Can anyone hear me?"

Sam tried not to dwell on the possibility that she was alone on an alien planet, God only knew how many millions of light years from home, and that maybe these Asgard didn't even exist in this reality.

A brilliant white light interrupted her musings. She quickly turned her head and raised a hand to shield her eyes. When she opened them again, it was to see a group of alien beings They gazed at her with dark eyes set within their oversized heads and their gray skin blended with the metal wall behind them. She remembered Jack's comment about "Roswell gray" and she knew that she had made contact with the Asgard. She gave a soft sigh of relief.

"Hello, I'm Doctor Samantha Carter from the planet Earth," Sam repeated."Are you the Asgard?"

Several pairs of eyes studied her intently, but no response was tendered. She plowed on.

"I've come here to ask for your help. My planet has been invaded by the Goa'uld. They've leveled cities and started to enslave the population. You're our only hope," she pleaded.

The creatures continued to study her impassively, or at least what she thought what was impassively. Getting a PhD in astrophysics at MIT didn't exactly prepare her for future meetings with little green men after all. Obviously they needed to update the course offerings to include "How to Read Alien Physiognomy when the Entire Future of Your Planet is Resting on Your Fucking Shoulders."

Sam could feel a touch of hysteria bubbling up inside her. This was insane, totally insane. No, she reminded herself sternly. Not insane, just insanely desperate. She straightened her shoulders and addressed the creatures again.

"Look, I've come a really long way to find you guys so the very least you can do is answer me. Are you the Asgard?"

They remained silent and Sam could feel her frustration edge up a notch. She was about ready to tell them to go to hell and to take the horse they rode in on with them when finally one of the beings stepped forward.

"We are," he, it, whatever replied.

Sam's sigh of relief was explosive this time. "Thank you. I'm Dr. Samantha Carter. And you are?"

"I am Thor, commander of the Asgard fleet."

She nodded in acknowledgment. Thor simply blinked at her slowly. "Can you help us? Please."

"We cannot."

"Why not?"

"We do not interfere in the affairs of other planets," Thor explained in his oddly mellifluous voice.

"That's not what I've heard," Sam challenged. "I know about the Protected Planets Treaty. I also know that you've set up protection devices on other planets to ward off the Goa'uld. The Hammer on Cimmeria, for example."

Thor blinked again. "You are quite well informed," he said.

Sam shrugged. "I have some inside intel."

"We are surprised. Although we are aware that the humans of Earth have begun to use their Stargate, we have as yet had no direct contact with your race. Most curious."

"Well, that's true," Sam said, "at least in this reality."

"What do you mean?"

Sam hesitated. She wondered whether it was wise to share this information. She didn't know whether the Asgard were aware of alternate realities or had any experience with the quantum mirror. She might not be military, but she was a damned fine poker player and she knew better than to tip her hand early. Still, there didn't seem to be much choice. The Asgard seemed reluctant to get involved with Earth's struggle so she didn't have anything to lose. She forged on.

"What I mean is that in an alternate reality humans from Earth have made contact with you and that Earth is currently covered in the Protected Planets Treaty."

Thor blinked again. Sam decided to take that as a good sign and continued.

"Two days ago I crossed over to another reality to escape the Goa'uld. We, myself and a companion, that is,  found ourselves in a facility virtually identical to our own, inhabited by many of the same people, on a planet that was free of the Goa'uld. They were the ones who suggested that I try to contact you. They provided the co-ordinates and the power generator that made the trip possible and, well, here I am."

"Interesting," Thor said.

"So, will you help us?"

"We do not have the resources to devote to such an undertaking at this time."

"Please, you have to help us!"

"I am sorry."

Sam could feel tears sting the back of her eyes. No! It wasn't fair! Not after she'd come so far.

"But you have to!" she all but wailed. "Jack said you would!"

"Jack?"

"Colonel Jack O'Neill. He is...was the 2IC of the facility that housed the Stargate. He's...dead now, but another Jack O'Neill traveled to this reality to help us."

Thor moved closer, his expression suddenly, surprisingly intense. "Colonel Jack O'Neill? The one who led your people through the Stargate? The one who helped to defeat Ra?"

"Yes!" Sam said excitedly. "That's him!"

Sam's heartbeat quickened and her relief was so palpable she could almost taste the emotion on her tongue. Thor's familiarity with Jack's exploits was unexpected but surely advantageous. It was always harder to refuse an acquaintance than a total stranger. She smiled.

"This is the same Jack O'Neill who encountered the Nox and the Argosians?"

"Yes!" Her smile grew wider,

"The same Jack O'Neill whose pastimes include fishing and playing chess and who enjoys drinking the fermented beverage known as beer?"

Sam was thrown by that last comment and smile faltered slightly. "Um...yes?"

Thor had moved closer and Sam could see his body was so tense it was practically twanging.

"The same Jack O'Neill who often wears a dark leather jacket and who prefers to wear leggings made of a soft, faded denim fabric that molds itself around his strong muscular thighs and spreads tautly across his firm rounded buttocks?"

Sam's eyes widened and her jaw dropped. "Yes?" she squeaked.

Thor gave a short nod. "We will help you. I must return to the control chamber of my ship and set a new course for your planet. There is no time to waste."

And with that a brilliant white light appeared once more, taking the now ebullient Thor with it, leaving a bewildered Sam in its wake. Sam stood there for a long time, unsure of what to say or do. She became aware of voices speaking softly nearby.

"God of Thunder, my skinny gray ass," one of the aliens said, "Asgard sex god more like."

"Damn Thor and his denim fetish."

"I still don't understand what he means by the term 'butt monkey'," a third alien whined petulantly.

As the aliens moved and their voices faded from hearing, Dr. Samantha Carter couldn't help but wonder if there was something about the other Jack O'Neill that she didn't know. Deciding that ignorance was definitely the way to go in this case, Sam settled down to await the trip back to Earth.

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