Harriman over pa: Unscheduled offworld activation.
What the hell was that?
I don't know, sir.
We're receiving sg—1's idc.
They're back early. Open the Iris.
There was nothing on your end?
Nothing out of the ordinary to account for what we heard?
No, sir. It was perfectly routine.
We just dialed the gate and stepped through.
Gate diagnostics showed no irregularities.
Still, I'd like you to double—check
the data once we're done here.
Yes, sir.
Tell me about the planet.
Well, we can confirm that the locals were
visited by a prior about two weeks ago.
He performed the standard miracles.
Healed the sick, cured the blind
and passed out the usual literature.
The natives are easy pickings.
They feel as though they were abandoned by their god,
amaterasu, and...
Ba'al.
Excuse me? You said amaterasu.
According to the background file,
p4—r was once under ba'al's control.
P4—r.
Sir, we went to px7—455.
I believe you have the wrong report.
Anyway, the tok'ra have been monitoring the inroads
that the ori have been making in the region for quite some time.
According to selmak,
they are taking advantage of the relationships between...
Did you just say selmak?
Indeed.
Teal'c, selmak is dead.
Uh, sir.
Selmak and Jacob are very much alive.
Harriman: Offworld activation.
Chief?
It's sg—I's idc, sir.
This is when they were originally scheduled to come back.
Defense teams stand by.
Open the Iris.
Well, according to the tests I've run,
they're both sg—I, identical in every way.
How's that possible?
Well, we know ba'al's able to produce adult clones of himself.
Presumably, he could do the same
with our people given samples of their DNA.
That doesn't explain how they knew sg—I's idc.
And if their intel was good enough
to get their hands on something that sensitive,
then how come they didn't know about selmak?
Yeah, it's like they got the hard stuff right and the easy stuff wrong.
Ba'al would have known better. Mmm—hmm.
You know, the first team was making some pretty wild claims
about people and past events. Hmm.
And since the second team came back from the right planet
at the scheduled time,
it's safe to assume that they're the real sg—I.
Okay, then, who's the other team, and where'd they come from?
Exactly.
We checked their story out.
We went to px7—445, the planet
they claim to have gated in from.
The locals there swore they'd never laid eyes on us.
So this other team is lying.
Carter: Well, not necessarily, sir.
It's possible that they did gate in from px7,
just not the px7 that we know.
The multiverse theory of quantum physics
posits the existence of parallel universes,
an infinite number of ever—growing alternate realities
that exist concurrently with our own.
The theory holds that anything that can happen will happen,
if not in this reality, then in another.
So you're saying that somewhere in an alternate universe,
I got to second base with Amy vanderberg?
Theoretically, yes.
Boggles the mind, don't it?
We're part of a metaverse in which individual sub—universes
are continually being generated.
Our own experience with the quantum mirror proved as much.
Realities can exist where we never defeated the Goa'uld
or the Stargate program went public.
And selmak is still alive.
Exactly.
Now, while it may feel immediate,
the journey between gates is not instantaneous.
It takes, on average,
however, according to the gate diagnostics,
the travel time for the other sg—I team clocked in at 3.4 seconds,
suggesting a significantly longer trip.
Okay, say, for example, we accept the possibility
that this is an alternate sg—I from a parallel universe,
how did they get here?
I got nothing.
Yet.
Sumatra mandheling.
One cream, two sugars.
Lucky guess.
I usually have instant myself.
So I'm guessing this almost feels like home, doesn't it?
Almost like home.
But if it was home,
I'd be sitting where you're sitting,
and you'd be sitting here telling me,
"I'd love to help you, but I have no idea what's going on."
I'm thinking one of two possible scenarios.
A, Carter's right and you're from an alternate universe,
in which case we'll do everything we can to get you back home.
Or b, you're not who you say you are,
in which case we need to find out what you're really after.
Actually, there's a third scenario.
C, you're not who you say you are,
and it's up to us to find out what you're after.
I understand your reluctance to trust us,
but rest assured we're just as eager
to get to the bottom of this as you are.
No offense, but I'm not entirely sold
on the alternate world theory.
There was nothing on our mission to px7 that would even hint at it.
No quantum mirror. No weird alien artifacts.
It was a routine op.
But you're telling me that somehow
the gate sent us through to a parallel universe,
even though we know it's not supposed to work like that.
And yet here you are.
Assuming, of course, this is the sgc.
Sg—I, six years ago,
wake up in what they think is the sgc.
Turns out they're not really on earth,
and it's all part of an elaborate Goa'uld plot.
Pegasus galaxy. Last year.
A team from the Atlantis base
gates through to what they think is the sgc.
Turns out they're not really on earth.
It's another planet, and they're being manipulated by aliens.
Let me put your mind at ease. We are neither the Goa'uld
nor manipulative aliens.
You'll forgive me, sir, if I don't take your word for it.
We won our freedom in the battle for dakara,
and on that day, not only did we defeat ba'al and the replicators,
you ensured that Anubis would never again threaten this galaxy.
And then all Jaffa were united under our new leader, bra'tac.
Bra'tac?
Really? That hasn't happened here yet.
And with the new threat to this galaxy, I returned to 56—1.
Right, along with colonel Mitchell, myself, and eventually colonel Carter,
who rejoined following her...
Following her honeymoon.
What?
No, I was gonna say following her stint on the prometheus.
H—honeymoon?
Indeed.
(Sighs)
We weren't able to stop the ori
from establishing the second beachhead.
By the time we realized, it was too late.
They'd already sent their ships through.
If it happened in our reality...
There's a good chance it could happen in ours as well.
They destroyed chulak, dakara, most of the Jaffa strongholds.
It's only a matter of time before they attack earth.
You have to find a way to get us back.
I'm working on it. I've been going over the gate diagnostics.
And?
There was an unidentifiable energy spike just prior to your arrival.
It's almost certainly related to the sound they heard,
but I'm still analyzing the data.
We were on px7 for over 24 hours gathering intel.
And yet, when your team went back to the planet,
no one recognized you.
Now, that suggests that our point of departure
was definitely in our universe.
So whatever happened...
Had to have happened between the time
you stepped through the gate on your end
and the time you stepped through the gate on this end.
Except the gate system isn't designed
to transport matter between universes.
It isn't designed to take you back in time, either,
but it has before.
Did you notice any...
No unusual weather patterns or solar flare activity at the time.
Then is it conceivable something else
could have affected the worm hole?
What could possibly exert that kind of influence
on a subspace matter stream?
A black hole. A black hole.
As we discussed the situation,
we realized we could pinpoint the source of the phenomenon
to a precise window.
Specifically, the interim journey between the two gates.
Did she just say "we"?
Pardon me?
She said "we." You said"w
me and myself, I suppose.
The——the other Samantha Carter.
Right. Finally someone who can keep up with you, huh?
Yup.
Okay. This is px7—455, their point of departure.
And this is earth, their point of arrival.
The wormhole that brought them here
crossed this section of space, bisecting this singularity.
The black hole that was created
when we destroyed the ori beachhead.
Exactly.
Now, I'm theorizing that as they bisected the singularity,
subspace was ruptured, creating a rift in the space—time continuum
that brought that sg—I into this universe.
But we've had teams gate in from locations
on the other side of that black hole in our universe.
Why weren't they affected?
One more stupid question.
Oh, sir, yours was fine. Mine is stupid.
Why didn't we end up on alternate px7 when we gated through
to check on bizarro sg—I's story?
I can't answer that.
As far as I know, the deviation was one—way
and specific to that particular wormhole.
However, just to be on the safe side,
I would suggest that we reroute
all gate travel around the singularity for the time being.
Harriman: Unscheduled offworld activation.
What do you have for me now, Walter?
Sir, it's sg—I's idc again.
Do you want me to send a confirmation?
Ifanother team comes through,
they'd just be stranded like the first one.
Receiving radio transmission. Let's hear it.
Mitchell: Stargate command, this is Mitchell.
What's the holdup? We got a situation here.
Sir, if we don't open the Iris...
Stargate command. Do you read?
Defense teams.
Open the Iris.
What the hell is going on?
So much for this phenomenon being restricted to one worm hole.
I may have underestimated its influence.
It's possible the first spatial tear
may have caused a ripple effect across several realities,
transforming an area of their subspace into a kind of funnel
that's redirecting their gate travel to this universe.
Any wormhole passing close enough to the black hole
is being drawn into the singularity and rerouted here.
So you're telling me that we're the hub?
A convergence point. Yes, sir.
It might account for why gate travel
in this universe wasn't affected.
Might account? Colonel Mitchell. Sir.
Inform all offworld teams to proceed to the Alpha site.
Until further notice, gate travel to and from Stargate command
will be suspended indefinitely.
What if there're more teams coming in hot, sir?
I'm willing to make the occasional exception,
but I'm not about to turn this base
into the grand central station of the multiverse.
Dismissed.
Why is it that every team that's come through the gate so far
has been exclusively an alternate sg—1?
I mean, how come no alternate sg—25 or sg—3s?
Well, sg—1 is the frontline team,
the one most likely to get into trouble offworld,
and, as a result, the team we'd be most likely to have to let through.
Right. So far, we've turned back over 50 teams,
and not all of them have been sg—1.
Here's the really interesting part. Each team from each reality
has dialed in from a different point of origin. No repeats.
All originating from a corridor of space starting from earth
and passing within a few degrees of the singularity.
What about that superfluous energy signature?
Has that happened again?
No. Not since the first alternate team dialed in.
Any idea what it was?
I'm not sure,
but it reminds me of the incident on...
Carter 2: K'tau.
In that case, we introduced an unstable, superheavy element
into their sun's nuclear reaction.
When the worm hole that brought us there passed directly through it.
But in this case, the wormhole is passing through a black hole.
So who knows what the effect would be?
I thought we could use the help.
(Laughing)
Yeah. I suppose two heads are better than one.
Harriman: Unscheduled offworld activation.
(Alarm blaring)
Let's get to work.
General.
Oh, I was just about to come find you.
Teal'c: I've contacted bra'tac on dakara.
He has dispatched the mother ship to the location provided us
by the other colonel Carter.
Jackson: If the ori attempt to establish a second beachhead there,
the Jaffa should give us a heads—up.
Presuming, of course, that events play out
the same way in both universes.
To this point, the particulars of the variant universes
have remained remarkably similar.
That's what I wanted to talk to you about.
Another sg—I came through
which puts the count at 12 teams, not including yourselves.
Well, at least we're in good company.
This last team is a little different in terms of personnel.
How so?
Well, there's someone I thought you might like to talk to.
Daniel? Teal'c, where's general O'Neill?
I'm sure you all have a lot to catch up on.
Janet.
Dr. Fraiser.
What's going on here?
Janet, this may look like home to you, but it's not.
This is not the Stargate command you left.
We're not the Daniel and Teal'c you know.
You and your team gated to a parallel reality.
This is an alternate sgc on an alternate earth in an alternate universe.
In our reality, Dr. Janet fraiser died two years ago.
Sixteen different sg—1 s.
Sixteen different points of origin.
But only one point of convergence. This universe.
Now, given the fact
that previous trips through this black hole
didn't produce a rupture in the subspace structure...
They may not have produced the rupture, but it is entirely possible
that their repeated trips contributed to
the deterioration of the space—time fabric
that weakened, eventually ceded to the singularity,
creating the bridge between the various realities.
And I'm thinking that the proximity of these realities
in relation to each other
may account for the absence of the entropic cascade failure,
but it still doesn't help us with the main problem.
How do we reverse the process?
I don't have the answer to that,
because if I did, we all wouldn't be here.
Coffee? No, thank you.
You know, I can't help but think that
this whole thing would be a lot easier
if Hammond hadn't ordered us to destroy the quantum mirror.
We could just use that to send all these teams
back to their proper realities.
How?
I mean, there are a near—infinite number of parallel universes.
The chances of us finding the right home universe
for even one of these teams is next to impossible.
Excuse me, colonel Carter.
My colonel Carter.
Here, sir.
I've brought another volunteer who's offered to help.
Martouf.
Hello, Samantha.
I remember the mission to p3x.
I was tending to a wounded airman.
We came under fire.
You were there. You helped me stabilize him and got us out of there.
No, I didn't.
You were hit by an errant staff blast and killed instantly.
You were honored with a hero's funeral.
Lucky me.
Hopefully you'll be able to return to your world soon.
Hopefully? Yeah.
For the moment, it looks like your trip here was only one way.
No.
No, you have to find a way to get us back as soon as possible.
Yeah, Sam and Dr. Lee are working on something.
No, you don't understand.
We have been targeted by the ori.
Earth is being ravaged by a plague.
Hundreds of thousands have been infected.
If we don't find a cure, the entire planet will be wiped out.
So,
how are things in your universe?
You mean between us?
I'm a little curious.
Things developed,
but with you being on the other side of the galaxy, well,
long—distance relationships can be difficult.
I eventuallyjoined the Stargate program to be closer to you.
We worked together, even lived together for quite some time.
But in the end, things didn't work out.
You're with someone else now.
Who?
I think I have something.
This is the post—mortem analysis of the p3w—451 incident.
A planet whose orbit strayed too close to a black hole.
One of our teams was attempting to gate back at the same time,
and as a result, the sgc couldn't
shut down the gate from this end.
I don't see what this...
We were unable to sever the connection,
because Stargate command was still connected
to the singularity's gravitational field through the open Stargate.
But we're not trying to...
In that case, we used a shaped charge
to deliver an energy surge to the matter stream,
forcing the matter stream to jump to a different gate,
thereby severing the connection.
That could explain the sound they heard
and the superfluous energy signature
that accompanied the matter stream
from the first wormhole.
It was some sort of...
Maybe a supernova or a gamma—ray burst
discharging at the exact millisecond
that wormhole passed through that singularity.
It's a one—in—a—billion fluke
that ruptured subspace and created the point of confluence
that drew the affected realities into this one.
Then, to seal the bridge between the multiverse,
we have to target that point of confluence.
Basically recreate the circumstances
thatcaused the breach in the first place.
But how is that possible?
You said it yourself.
It was a one—in—a—billion freak incident.
Well, the odds would increase significantly
if we took the wormhole out of the equation.
Then what happens to us?
We'd be stranded here.
I considered not telling you about this.
I understand why you hesitated,
but you made the right decision.
By sealing the rupture, we'll ensure
that no other teams get stranded here.
That's provided that this actually works.
Well, we still have one major obstacle to overcome.
How do we deliver an explosive device into the singularity?
We get help from a friend.
Thor sends his apologies for not attending personally,
but he and Heimdall are in a neighboring galaxy
dealing with a most sensitive matter.
In his stead, I have conveyed the time—dilation device as requested.
We appreciate your quick response, kvasir.
So what do you think? Will this work?
I prefer not to prognosticate.
Well, don't prognosticate.
Just tell us what your gut feeling is.
Speculating on the matter would serve no practical purpose.
Joseph and Mary. What are the odds?
Less than 12%,
and that is provided you are able to enact the plan
before the black hole's gravity
decimates your ship.
Damn, that's cold.
Colonel Mitchell, colonel Carter,
I'm giving you the green light.
Shut this thing down.
You know, I read all the mission reports on the asgard.
They're not what I expected.
What were you expecting?
Well, pants for one.
Kvasir: The distance between the launch point and the target is crucial.
And you must be precise in your calculations.
I know.
The slightest oversight in either the timing of the explosion
or the proximity of your ship to the singularity
could result in a failed mission at best, certain death at worst.
I'm sorry.
I'm having a hard time concentrating.
I understand. You are tired.
Allow me to complete the calibration for you.
Knock yourself out.
(Sighs)
Time and again, we've managed to save earth and its allies
from the most dire threats.
Situations in which we faced insurmountable odds,
almost certain defeat, but we always managed to find a way
to prevail in the end.
I'm sorry.
I wish there was a way I could send you home,
or in the very least delay the mission so...
You have no choice but to do what's best for your world.
I assume yours is not the only sg team in your reality
that's actively searching for a cure to the plague.
No.
And I have a feeling that your Samantha Carter is back home
working on the problem.
She stopped being my Samantha a long time ago.
I've missed you.
(Footsteps pattering)
I have completed the calibrations.
Thank you, kvasir.
General, sorry to disturb you.
I was wondering if I could have a word.
Of course, doctor. Come in.
Thank you.
Sir, I would like to make a request on behalf of all of the teams
stranded in this reality.
Please postpone this mission until we can find a way to get home.
I can't do that.
We need our teams out there gathering intel on the ori threat
instead of sitting on their hands here
waiting for normal gate operations to resume.
And that won't be possible until this problem is dealt with.
While I can empathize, sir, believe me,
I think you need to take a look at the bigger picture.
This goes beyond this world, beyond this galaxy, this universe.
Hundreds of billions of lives are at stake.
Their survival could hinge on not just our return
but the return of every sg—1 stranded on this base.
Sir, back in my universe, earth is facing a global pandemic.
One that your planet has already faced and beaten.
You have the cure that could save my world.
All I have to do is get it to them.
I can also empathize, but at the risk of sounding callous,
my priorities are with this world.
How can you prioritize
the lives of one group over those of another?
What makes my earth any less important than your own?
We have the top minds from 18 different universes
working on a way to get you home.
Now hopefully they can come up with a solution
before this mission is completed, but if they can't,
then I'm sorry, doctor.
We finished loading the warhead
in the time—dilation generator.
Once the system's checks are complete, we're good to go.
Where's the crew?
You're looking at it.
Given the dangers we may face,
it was decided that we would proceed alone.
So if this plan goes fubar, we're the only
ones that go down with the ship?
Well, there's plenty more where we came from, right?
The perilous nature of this mission should not be taken lightly.
There is a chance that the prometheus may not survive this voyage.
But courage and a steadfast resolve
will prove the most valuable assets
in this undertaking.
Well, good luck to you all.
I miss Thor.
Of course, by the time he actually
got around to drinking that orange juice,
it'd been sitting in the back of the fridge for, what, a month?
Yeah, yeah, yeah! Oh!
He was so damned thirsty, he knocked it right back.
It was a second or two before he actually breathed in, at which point...
The spit—take of all spit—takes.
There was orange juice on the table, the chairs...
On aunt Emma. Aunt Emma.
Oh, big, old, fat Emma sitting across the table.
Little bits of bacon on her face.
Orange juice dripping off her nose.
(Both laughing)
Reminiscing over old times?
Yeah, hell, I could talk to this guy all day.
No doubt.
You finish your shift?
Yeah, I'm exhausted. I'm going to bed.
Speaking of which, I think it's past my bedtime.
And you need your beauty sleep.
Oh, look who's talking.
So how'd it go?
I found a way around all the security protocols. Everything's set.
Perfect.
By the time they figure out what happened, it'll be too late.
Showtime.
Carter 2: We're approaching the singularity.
Calculating minimal prime distance to warhead launch.
Come on, Carter.
I've got it. Relaying the information.
Received.
Engaging sublight engines.
Proceeding to coordinates.
We've reached the target location.
Yeah, I heard.
Yeah, I think they'rejust circling, looking for parking.
(Grunting)
I should warn you,
I've been practicing those sodan moves.
You were warned.
Wouldn't it have been easier just to zat him?
Easier, yes, but far less gratifying.
Did hejust insult me?
What's going on?
There's been a change offlight plans.
You wanna tell us what's going on?
We're making an unscheduled detour.
Yeah? And just how far out of our way
is this little detour gonna take us?
About three weeks.
You're planning on taking this ship to Atlantis.
Carter: Given the parallels between our two realities,
I can't think ofanywhere else we'd be going.
As soon as we complete our mission,
we'll drop you at the nearest habitable planet.
Until then, have fun.
Three weeks. Well, that gives us time to think of something.
Ideas, anyone?
Given the unique circumstance we find ourselves in,
it is possible to anticipate their actions and reactions.
All we must do is think like them.
Well, it shouldn't be that hard.
The other colonel Mitchell wishes to speak with you.
You'rejust gonna ignore him for the next three weeks?
You guys seem reasonable.
And you haven't hurt us much.
You don't have beards,
so you're not from the evil twin universe, right?
Good.
All right, so, if I know me like I do,
I'd have a pretty damn good reason
to be doing what you guys are doing.
Bottom line is that I'd understand better than anyone.
So level with me.
What's going on?
Let me ask you something.
How far would you go to save the lives
of every man and woman on earth?
Don't bother, I already know the answer.
And if you were in my situation,
you'd be doing the exact same thing.
What, going after the zpm?
Come on, why else would you go to Atlantis?
Our zpm is depleted.
We need yours to power the ancient weapon in Antarctica.
All right, screw our earth to save your own.
All that zpm is doing right now
is allowing one—way travel from the Pegasus galaxy to earth.
The billions of lives that we save
is worth more than the inconvenience
of schlepping back and forth on the daedalus.
We need that zpm to cloak Atlantis.
If the wraith come back and discover the city wasn't destroyed,
they'll launch another attack.
If Atlantis falls,
this galaxy is the next target.
If the wraith return.
If they attack.
If the city is destroyed.
The threat we face is more immediate.
That still doesn't give you the right to do this.
Well, say it works.
Say that you can beam the zpm off Atlantis.
How do you plan to get it back to your own universe?
You have a way back.
You've planned this all along.
Well, we were right. They're going after the zpm.
Are you sure you can open the door?
Hey, I helped build this thing.
Opening the door is the easy part.
It's taking the ship back that'll be tricky.
(Crackling)
The armory is this way.
No, Teal'c, go to the armory on the next level.
It's less likely you'll be spotted.
Daniel and I will head to the engine room and pull the control crystal.
Once they come to investigate the problem,
we'll get the drop on them there.
Very well.
(Beeping)
Hey, you had to give it a shot.
I know I would.
So now that we know how you get out, well,
we'll just have to make sure it doesn't happen again.
(Electricity surging)
No hitting.
So while we were up here...
We were down on the next level
breaking into the other armory.
How did you know I wasn't your Mitchell?
Easy. If we were in your position,
we would have done the same thing.
Let me get this straight.
We figured that you guys would try to escape,
and we set this trap for you,
not realizing that you'd figure out that
we'd figure you out and you set your own.
Indeed.
Now, can you take us to our colonel Mitchell?
Sam disabled the power relay running
through these walls, so I wouldn't bother.
Ideas, anyone?
Walter.
Sir, it's a subspace communication from the prometheus.
Let's hear it. Yes, sir.
Sir, this is colonel Carter.
Good to hear from you, colonel.
I take it the mission was a success?
No, sir. In fact, we're scrapping the mission
and heading back home.
Colonel?
Sir, I think I've figured out a way
to send these teams back to their proper realities.
And how do we do that?
By doing exactly the same thing
the first team did in order to get here.
You're telling me they planned this from the get—go?
Yes, sir, it accounts for the boom
you heard and the extra energy signature
the gate diagnostic picked up in the first matter stream.
They opened the wormhole through the black hole
and then blasted a bridge into this universe.
Isn't that how Carter described it?
I don't know. I just remember,
"wormhole, black hole, blast."
Man: Standing by.
(Buzzing)
Colonel Carter.
Sir, we've established a wormhole to px7—455.
Now, when sergeant siler is finished,
we'll fire the directed—energy weapon through the gate.
If I'm right, it should reverse the space—time rupture,
effectively inverting the convergence effect.
Each team gated in from a different point of origin.
Once the convergence effect has been reversed,
we'll dial those different points of origin
and create wormholes that will follow the interuniversal pathways
already created by their initial trips here.
I got it. I got it. They're going back.
Ready when you are, sir.
Clear the gate room.
I will need the weapon back once your work here is completed.
It is, after all, only on loan to you temporarily.
I know. You'll get it back when we're done.
Lower the blast door.
Fire the weapon.
We have a stable wormhole,
it worked.
Open the blast doors. Bring them in.
Hey, Mitchell.
When the time comes,
cut the green one.
What the hell did that mean?
I don't know.
I have a feeling that someday you're gonna find out.
Have all the other teams left, sir?
You're the last ones to go.
It was nice working with you again, Sam.
Your presence has been sorely missed on our team.
Just out of curiosity, where did I go?
Maternity leave.
We have something for you.
The cure to the prior's plague.
Thank you, general.
It's good to see you again.
You too.
May it not be the last time.
Well, we'd love to stay, but we have a planet to save.
Bye.