Becoming the Fifth Race by dinkydow

Part Five: Destinctively Jack

It was official. I had finally lost my mind, big time. As in crazy, whacko, insane, nuts, three fries short of a happy meal, and bats were in my belfry. At least that was how it felt. If McKenzie and his pals at Shrinks 'R' Us, ever got me on one of their couches, they would definitely haul me off to the funny-farm post-haste. But the guys wearing the white suits and waving the butterfly nets would have to get their hands on me first. Yeah, I could just imagine what their answering service would sound like.

'Hello. Thank you for calling Shrinks 'R' Us. In order to better serve you, our customer, we have a number of options for your selection. Press number one if you have

Delusions of Godhood. Press numbers two, three, and four to use our group rate if you have Multiple Personality Disorder. Press five over and over again if you are obsessive-compulsive, but only after cleaning off the phone first. If you are paranoid, you don't have to press any numbers, because we already know where you are. If you have amnesia or memory problems, press numbers 9782541036. Remember, you must have all your identification records available. Licensed Providers are standing by to attend to all your mental health needs. Shrinks 'R' Us. Because we care about you.' Yep O'Neill, you are definitely a candidate for the loony bin!

The reason behind the fear that I had finally lost all contact with reality was lying quietly in front of me in a medical pod. Talk about deja vue. It was downright eerie. About a year ago, I had spent some time in one of those things myself. It had been instrumental in the recovery from my little vacation in Ba'al's not-so-Fun House. Now, my teenaged duplicate was in there. But I digress.

I was standing in the Asgard version of the Infirmary on board one of their spaceships. The fact that the ship's name was the "O'Neill II" couldn't have been a coincidence. Who says those little gray guys don't have a sense of humor? Thor had taken me and my teenaged clone back with him to Othalla after learning that Loki had been messing around with our DNA. It seems that little Dr. Moreau wannabe thought my genes could be used to solve the problem that the Asgard folks were having with their own clones. Unfortunately for them, their scientists had hit the Xerox button so often, that the copies were no longer accurate. The end result of this habit was that their race was in danger of extinction. I guess the idea of using good old-fashioned sex to keep the human race going wasn't such a bad idea after all. Yep, it was primitive, but effective. Plus, the fact that it feels really good doesn't hurt either.

So now here I was, standing on board the O'Neill II watching them fix Jack O'Neill number two. Kind of ironic, huh. Yep, Thor definitely had a warped sense of humor. Maybe that was why we got along so well together.

Jack Junior looked so peaceful just lying there. I couldn't help but wonder what was in store for the kid. It wasn't as if he had asked to be put in the position he was in. For that matter, neither had I. From what Carter told me before we left, we had both been shanghaied.

Before Thor took me and my copy back to Othalla for repairs, my friends had filled me in. It seems I had missed out on more than just a few potty breaks in the last week or so. While the Asgard were busy with the Replicators, one of their renegade scientists named Loki had sneaked over to Earth to do some unauthorized genetic research on yours truly.

Evidently, one night while I was sleeping, that sneaky bastard had beamed my sorry ass up to his ship so he could play Junior Chemist with my genes. He hit a snag, though, when the clones he made from me wouldn't come out right. Evidently, what he didn't know was that Thor and his buddies had put a marker in my genes to prevent anyone from messing around with them.

So, Loki had tried to cover his tracks by beaming a cloned copy back to take my place while he kept the original, me, for more research. Of course, when a pimply-faced Jack O'Neill who couldn't shave yet showed up at Stargate Command claiming to be me, my friends were able to figure out something was very, very wrong.

At first, they all thought the teenaged Jack was the real me, but after Dr. Fraiser did some in depth testing on my DNA, they figured out that he was a clone. Not only that, but they had to tell the clone that he was dying because whoever had made him had done a real shitty job.

Teal'c and Daniel had even interviewed a bunch of people who claimed they had been abducted by aliens. You know the type. They're the ones that are interviewed by rags like the "National Whisperer" with a headline like "I had wild monkey sex with an alien and gave birth to Elvis' love child".

According to all their research, my team figured out that all the other victims of alien abduction whose experiences matched mine were cloned and the original had been returned in about a week. So my team set up my copy as bait to trap whoever was behind the clone hanky-panky. It worked like a charm, too. Once Jack Jr. got beamed up to the ship, he zatted the Asgard who showed up and tied him up in one of their pods.

In the meantime, back at my house, the rest of my team showed up in my bedroom only to find the real me sleeping like a log. I'll have to admit it was a little disconcerting to wake up and discover three people ogling me. Especially when one of those people was a blonde-haired female that had been the subject of way too many erotic fantasies. Thank God I hadn't slept in the buff that night and had clothes on! It was bad enough to wake up like that. The humiliation of waking up to an audience naked as a jaybird would have been intolerable, unless that certain female obviously liked what she saw. Umm...yeah. Oh, never mind.

Shortly after I got out of bed, my clone managed to beam all of us up to the Asgard ship. Unfortunately, he did this before I could even go pee in the bathroom. The description of my mood at that point could be described as upset. Make that extremely upset, as in very pissed off.

It was a little scary, not to mention confusing, to see my younger self standing in front of me like that. In fact, it was even worse than seeing my mechanical double after Harlan made us "better". Even though my android double looked, talked, thought, and acted like me, I knew he wasn't alive. At least not in the same sense that humans are. In the case of my clone, he was alive and he was me, right down to the last hair on his head. The only difference was that he was a teenaged kid with zits on his face, and I was, well, way past forty years old.

As if that wasn't enough, this teen came equipped with all the memories, knowledge, and knowledge of a soldier who had been though a whole hell of a lot. The scary part was that he knew stuff that could get him killed. Like that downloaded stuff from the Ancients I had taken several years ago. Him and I were definitely going to have to have a little chat once he got fixed up.

Once we all got together on the Asgard ship, I put in a SOS call to Thor on one of those communicator shell things. It didn't take long for him to show up either. Thankfully, he was able to explain just what had been going on. It seems the Dr. Moreau wannabe was an Asgard scientist named Loki who had got his pee pee whacked by their High Council for performing unsanctioned experiments on humans. Unfortunately for us, they hadn't kept very good track of the little weasel, and he managed to sneak off to play with some more genetic strands. Strands that just happened to belong to yours truly. Me.

It really did my heart good to see Thor in his full "I'm the Supreme Commander and you've pissed me off" mode. I must admit I was a little shocked when he spilled the beans about how they had placed a marker in my DNA to prevent any attempts at genetic manipulation. I was going to have to talk to the little guy about that. It would be kind of nice if those little gray guys let me in on their secrets, especially when it concerned my own body. I'll just bet that Ernie had something to do with that.

So, after Thor got over being pissed and finished his lecture to Loki, he decided that the only way to save my clone from dying would be to take him back to Othalla. When it came down to it, I just couldn't tell Jack Junior no when he asked for my help to save him. He looked so pathetic standing there, dying, in front of me. For crying out loud, how could I say no to me? Crap, the shit I get into.

Thor had Jack Junior placed in a stasis medical pod immediately to prevent further damage and deterioration. That was how far gone the kid already was. He used his shell communicator thing to call General Hammond back at the SGC and filled him in on his plans to take me and my clone back to Othalla for repairs.

Luckily, before we left, Thor let me go back home first to pee and pick up some clothes and supplies for me and Jack Junior. I remembered the previous time when he had only supplied me with a skimpy towel thing and was not about to let that particular scene be repeated. Nope, those guys already knew way too much about Jack O'Neill than I was comfortable with. No need to put on a show for them. Again.

When we got to Othalla, Ernie, the Asgard version of Dr. Fraiser, met us. He was as hyper and bouncy as ever and insisted that he be called by the name I had given him. According to Thor, ever since they had dropped me off after rescuing me from Ba'al, he had been bragging about his new name. In fact, Thor seemed a little irritated when he told me about it. Who could've guessed that I was creating a monster when I started calling him Ernie? A familiar voice interrupted my thoughts and made me jump in surprise.

"O'Neill. I did not mean to startle you. Eir and I have prepared a program, which will explain your genetic peculiarities and what has been done to preserve your clone. He is awaiting our arrival in the conference room." Yep, it was my pal, Mr. Short, gray, and naked, himself. Thor.

"Don't worry about it, Thor. You just caught me thinking. It's not every day that I get shanghaied by aliens and cloned, you know. How much longer will Jack Junior be in that thing?"

"According to our expert, it will be some hours yet before all repairs and modifications are complete on your clone, O'Neill. We are utilizing much care and precision in the repair of his genes because of who you both are. Eir will be able to explain the specific differences in your DNA in the conference room."

"Yeah, OK Thor. As long as Ernie keeps his techno babble to a minimum, I might even be able to follow along. Knowing him, he's been bouncing all over the room waiting for us. Right, Thor?" As he was heading for the door, I hurried to catch up with him. With one backward glance at mini-me in the pod, I left the room. So, they were finally going to tell me all about what supposedly made me genetically advanced. Well, wasn't that special?

"You are quite perceptive, O'Neill. Yes, he has put much effort into this endeavor. Since his first contact with you over a year ago, he has made the study of your unique genetic structure his main topic of study. The Asgard High Council has been quite impressed with the results of his research thus far. We were all quite chagrined when we learned of Loki's unauthorized experiments upon your person."

"Thor, what worries me the most right now is your use of the word unauthorized. Do you mean to say that you guys have been doing AUTHORIZED experiments on me? Because if you have, I think I really have the right to know about this. You know I really don't like being some guy's science project."

By now we were headed down the hallway and he had paused in front of a panel. With a wave of his hand, it swished open to admit both of us. I paused in the entrance to take in the contents of the room and found I was in a conference room filled with a long table and chairs that looked like humans and aliens could use them. At the head of the table was a console with a bunch of shells on it. Observation ports along one wall showed a panoramic view of Othalla and an orbiting space station.

"All will be explained to you by Eir, O'Neill," replied Thor calmly. He trotted over to scoot up onto one of the Asgard chairs. He could tell I was a little hot about that subject. Messing around with my DNA was a definite no-no in my book. Us humans may be primitive by Asgard standards, but we still had a few rights, self-determination and dignity being a couple of them.

"Jack O'Neill! I have been waiting to show you my research. Please, sit down so that we may begin," instructed Ernie excitedly. He came bouncing from the head of the table to meet me at the door. In all my contacts with Thor and his race, I had grown to think of them as solemn, serious little guys who happened to belong to a technologically advanced race. Since I had met Ernie, he had destroyed that stereotype. He was anything but solemn and serious, and I had never seen one of those flat-assed little guys move as fast as he did. Just seeing him brought a smile to my face.

"Hey, Ernie. Good to see you again. Give me five, pal," I said with a grin as we slapped each other's palms in a high-five. Thor seemed amazed and speechless. Secretly, I was hoping that Ernie would try that with the Asgard High Council. Ooh, to be a fly on the wall when that happened. Now, that I would love to see.

"O'Neill, I have been enjoying demonstrating all the colorful mannerisms and metaphors that you have been teaching me. This subject has been the topic of many discussions of human development and communication. I am looking forward to gathering many more examples to share with my colleagues."

"No problemo, Ernie. Stick with me, and you'll see a whole big honkin' bunch of mannerisms we humans use to communicate." I grinned as he guided me to a chair that seemed to be made for people built like me to sit on. Then he did his bouncey-floaty walk over to stand by the console with all the shells on it.

"Jack O'Neill, I have prepared a detailed model of your DNA which shows the differences that make you so unique," Ernie stated excitedly as he moved the shells around. A hologram showing the double helix of human DNA proteins sprang into existence in front of me. As I watched, it revolved slowly in the air. With closer study, I could see that different areas were highlighted, but wasn't sure what it meant. Hopefully, that would be explained soon.

"So that's me? Cool." I flashed Ernie another grin. He had obviously put a lot of time and effort into his little presentation, so I might as well pay attention. Still, it was kind of embarrassing that I was the subject of all his study.

"I have highlighted specific areas of your DNA strand which make you unique. The sequence in this area gives you a very high pain threshold. It is believed that this trait has enabled you to withstand all the pain and physical hardships you have endured." I watched as one sequence was highlighted with an arrow. Wow! Dr. Fraiser would love to see this. Maybe I could get Ernie to give me a copy. She would go nuts over something like this.

"This sequence over here influences your intelligence and ability to make inferences based on accumulated data. As you can see, this particular combination gives you the ability to strategize and make decisions based on little information. I believe this pattern has allowed you to conquer many of the System Lords." Sweet. So there was a real explanation for my uncanny ability to out-think my opponents. Yeah, that was probably a big reason why I was still alive.

"Sweet, Ernie. What about the Ancients download? Is there anything special that let me do that? Or could any human have done it?" I'd always wondered what would have happened if Daniel or Carter had taken the download instead of me. With all their brainpower, it would have made more sense for them to do it.

"No, O'Neill. The Ancients designed their repository of knowledge so that it would only respond to a specific genetic combination. It automatically rejected the Goa'uld and Jaffa, because of their wish that all their knowledge not be used to harm others. Only when you crossed the circle on the floor of their repository those many years ago did their download device appear on the wall. Their technology detected your presence and recognized your ability to assimilate their wisdom and learning. No one else in your party would have been able to activate that device," answered Thor gravely.

"Thor is correct. In fact, this is the section of your DNA, which allowed you to interact with the device from the Ancients. This genetic trait is quite rare, especially in humans." Ernie had highlighted yet another section of the revolving double helix that represented me. My mind was whirling. Crap. This was a bit too overwhelming to take all at once.

I got up from my chair to pace by one of the observation ports. Below me was the black velvetiness of space surrounding an unfamiliar planet that was not my home, a further reminder that I was a long, long way from Earth. Turning to Ernie, I stopped long enough to ask him my questions. I could see where they were heading and didn't like it one bit. They had to know that we were searching for The Lost City of the Ancients in the hopes that we could find something there to use in the battle against Anubis.

"So, what you're telling me is that figuring out this stuff about the Ancients and finding The Lost City is all up to me. That no one else can even activate their devices if and when we find them. Is that what you're telling me?" I didn't stop there. To tell you the truth, I didn't want to hear their answer, because I already knew what it would be. Call it a product of my extraordinary deductive skills.

"Because if you are, then all I have to say is no thank you very much. I don't want that job anymore. For crying out loud, haven't I done the saving the world bit enough times for you guys? Give me a fricking break!" I shoved my hands into my pockets and chewed on my bottom lip while watching their planet revolve below me. The room was silent. I guess my little outburst had shocked them a little. Shifting my attention, I noted a soft touch on my arm. Turning in place, I looked down into Ernie's up-turned face. For once, he didn't look excited. His look was one of serious regret, and I could see that Thor's expression matched his. That was so not the sight I wanted to see right now. Ernie got my attention again.

"I am sorry, Jack O'Neill. The gene that allows someone of your race to activate and operate any device from the Ancients is extremely rare. In all our investigations and research, we have found no other humans that carry this trait except for you. If they exist, they are unknown to us. Now both you and your clone have this ability. I regret that this news upsets you, Jack O'Neill, but I could not tell you a falsehood in matters of this importance." Then my short gray friend turned and walked slowly back to the console. This was the first time I had seen him move without bouncing. Crap.

"What my colleague, Eir has said is true, O'Neill. We have found no other humans who have this rare gene. Regrettably, this trait has not been found in the Asgard race for several generations. Therefore, we are unable to operate their devices ourselves. Thus, we find ourselves turning, once again, to you, O'Neill. Now, especially with the increased threat from Anubis and his armies, it is imperative that The Lost City of the Ancients be located. Without the information hidden there, we all will be hard-pressed to prevail against his destructive powers."

That meant that it was up to Jack Junior and me to pull the rabbit out of the hat and save the day. No problem there. A teen-aged kid who couldn't shave yet and a worn-out full-bird colonel with bad knees stood against Anubis and all his power. Yep, nothing to worry about. No pressure at all. NOT!

Suddenly, I felt a need to see my younger twin, so I turned and headed for the door. Neither of my Asgard friends tried to stop me, so when the door swished open, I kept going into the hallway. Vaguely, I remembered how Thor and I had gotten there earlier, so I headed off to see Jack Jr. When I got to the right section, I moved my palm over the plate beside the door and it opened. I strode into a room filled with the sounds of beeping, swishing noises. In short, it sounded just like the Infirmary back home at the SGC.

My clone occupied the only covered pod in the room, so it was easy to pick him out. Now that I could see him, I was feeling a little less overwhelmed. He looked peaceful, just lying there. The translucent cover allowed me to only see a cloudy image of him. From what I could see, he was OK. Damn, but he looked so young and innocent. Yeah, I knew he was anything but naïve and harmless, what with the stuff he carried around in his head. But, he looked so vulnerable, just lying there.

At that moment, I knew that there was no damn way that I could tell Thor to put the burden of finding The Lost City and defeating Anubis on those young shoulders. For crying out loud, the kid had already been handed a pretty raw deal as it was. There was no use in making it worse. Crap. He should at least have the chance to grow up first before he had to worry about saving the universe. Better to save that job for worn-out soldiers like me, huh, Jack.

By looking around the room, I located a chair that looked like it would hold me without dumping my ass on the floor. Wearily, I moved it over beside Junior's pod and slumped down onto it. Leaning my elbows against my knees, I scrubbed my hands through my hair and sighed heavily. Why did life have to be so damn complicated?

A noise behind me made me turn around in my chair. Thor and Ernie had just walked in. Guess it hadn't been too hard for them to figure out where I would head. It wasn't as if I could hitch a ride home. Whether I liked it or not, when Loki made the kid lying in that pod, he had given me someone I couldn't just walk away from. He was more than my son. He was me, only younger. Since I was older, that made him my responsibility. Who knows? With all the stuff in his head, maybe he could avoid making some of the same mistakes I did. He could really do something with all his intelligence and talent if he wanted to. Yeah, I admit it. Deep down inside, I knew I was smarter than the average bear. You don't make Colonel in the Air Force by being dumb.

"O'Neill, we knew you needed time alone to consider all that we have told you. I regret that we have to lay such a heavy burden on your shoulders. For you have indeed, already given more of yourself than anyone has a right to expect. It is for your compassion and selflessness that the Asgard honors your name and the primary reason that a spaceship bears the name 'O'Neill'. We will await you in the conference room." He turned to go, but saw that his companion hadn't moved.

"Come Eir, leave the man to his thoughts. He deserves the dignity of some peace and quiet." Then he left the room. But, his companion didn't immediately follow. Surprised, I turned back towards him.

"Jack O'Neill. I consider you to be my friend and truly regret that I have been the cause of your distress. I am truly sorry for this and ask your forgiveness." The little guy stood before me with his head bowed. I had never seen a depressed Asgard before, but I think I was seeing one now. Crap.

"Oh for crying out loud, Ernie! It's not your fault that I'm made the way I am. Hell, you're just the messenger. I don't shoot them, because I know that they just bring the bad news. They're not the cause of it. Now, if I could pick someone to be pissed off at, it would be Anubis and his snaky-assed friends. They're the whole reason why I have to do all this crap in the first place." The little guy still wouldn't look at me.

"Look at me Ernie," I ordered. It worked. His head popped up like a puppet's. I got out of my chair and knelt down so I could look him in the eye.

"Ernie, there's nothing to forgive. You are my friend and I know you wouldn't hurt me on purpose. Crap, little buddy. You've hauled my sorry ass out of so much hot water in the past that there is no way I could ever repay you for it. Please, Ernie. Are we still pals?" I asked hopefully. As I watched, some of the old sparkle came back into his eyes.

"You bet, Jack O'Neill. Give me five," the little alien uttered triumphantly.

"Right on, pal," I crowed back as we gave each other a high-five.

"Now, let's go find your buddy, Thor. We have some Goa'uld ass-kicking to do," I suggested with a grin. Getting to my feet, I left the room with my Asgard friend. Both of us had a bounce to our steps again. Ernie's was cuter than mine, though. It was probably because of my bad knees. Wonder if there was a gene for that? Better not ask Ernie. He would want to explain it in nauseating detail. He could be worse than Carter when it came to techno babble.

Thor was waiting for us in the conference room. The revolving double helix hologram was gone, but I didn't mind. What we really needed to do at this point was talk. We didn't need high-tech projections or holograms for that. The words would be serious enough. No one spoke as we all took our seats at the table.

"O'Neill, I am glad to see you here as we have much to discuss. Have you come to a decision?" Yep, as usual, he always got right to the point. Well, no sense in beating around the bush about this. Might as well come right out and say it.

"Yes, Thor. I've come to a decision. We all know it has to be me that fights Anubis. There is no way in hell that I'll even consider asking Jack Junior to do that for me. For pity's sake, he's just a kid and deserves a chance to grow up. The only way he'll have a chance to do that is if I can kick Anubis' snaky ass back to wherever in hell he came from."

"Although it pains me that you are being forced to shoulder such a heavy burden once again, I am relieved to hear of your decision, O'Neill," commented Thor. "You are correct in saying that we must commence with our planning. Time is growing short. According to our sources, Anubis is even now marshalling all his might for his final strike against us. His super weapons and Jaffa armies may be our ultimate downfall unless a method to eradicate them is found quickly."

"When I left the SGC, Carter was already working on a weapon to fight them, Thor. Knowing her, she won't rest until she comes up with some gizmo thingy that will do the job," I told them confidently. That was one of the main reasons she hadn't accompanied us on this little jaunt. We all knew that she needed to spend all her time working on something to take out the newest snake technology. I didn't envy her the task of coming up with something. Right now, our prospects of defeating Anubis looked pretty dim. That meant it was vital to locate The Lost City.

"Hey, Thor. Is it possible that I might find more clues about The Lost City if I could access all the data I got from the Ancients? I know that there are still parts of that stuff that I haven't been able to fully examine." Both Thor and Ernie exchanged knowing glances before turning back toward me. It was Thor that confirmed my suspicions.

"O'Neill, there is indeed a distinct possibility that the key that we have been searching for is still locked within your brain. Because of our wish to respect your need for privacy, we have not broached this subject previous to this meeting. However, we will be able to assist you in accessing this information, if this is your wish."

"At this point, I don't think I really have a choice in the matter. We both know that Anubis could really kick our collective asses if we don't come up with some kind of defense against him. But there are a couple of questions I would like answered first, if you don't mind. Especially, considering the fact that your little adjustments to my brain usually end up with me passed out on the floor." I looked at both of my alien friends.

"I think that would be just peachy, Jack O'Neill. You may fire away," stated Ernie. As he took in my startled look, he asked his own question.

"Did I use that correctly?" he asked worriedly.

"Yes, Ernie. You used it correctly. It just took me by surprise, is all," I answered with a reassuring grin. You had to love that little guy. I'll have to admit I was having the time of my life corrupting him.

"Umm, Thor. When you first showed up after we called you, I remember you mentioning something about my being an important step in the evolutionary chain and a missing link. I think that now would be a good time for you to clarify that little tidbit of info for me. Don't you?"

"Yes, O'Neill. However, I believe that my colleague, Eir, would be most qualified to answer those questions." We both looked at Ernie. He looked like he was in his element again. I just hoped I wasn't in for a long session of techno babble.

"I am glad you asked me that Jack O'Neill. Yes, in fact, your genetic structure does indeed represent an important step forward in the evolution of your race. Initially, we had hoped that we would find the missing link that would enable us to solve the issues we have had with our own cloning program. However, this hope proved to be false. For your own protection, I inserted a marker in your DNA in order to prevent any attempts at genetic manipulation while you were in our care a year ago. Any offspring resulting from you, and now your clone, will be monitored for significant changes. Of course, this monitoring will be conducted with your full knowledge and permission." I was relieved that he had added that last bit. Guess those guys had finally gotten the message about my strong feelings on that subject. Well, it was about time. Suddenly, I had a flash of insight. It couldn't hurt to ask.

"Ernie. Have you ever heard about a little science project that Nirrti had going in the field of genetic research?"

"Yes, Jack O'Neill, I remember hearing rumors about her experimentations involving an entire planet of people years ago. In addition, I believe she was also involved with some unsanctioned research that involved you and Samantha Carter about a year ago."

"You're right about that, Ernie. In fact, the snaky bitch had a lab set up on the planet Hanka. She was conducting experiments on the kids there. We ran into them about six years ago. Unfortunately, soon after we made contact, she wiped out the entire population with germ warfare. She killed off all of them, except for one little girl. We rescued her, only to find out later that the kid had been rigged as a human time bomb that was supposed to blow up our Stargate. Anyway, when she turned sixteen, we found out that she was part of Nirrti's project to develop the Hok-taur. Teal'c said that was Goa'uld for Advanced Tau'ri. All those genetic changes were killing the kid until Dr. Fraiser convinced Nirrti that it would be in her own best interests to use her healing device to save her."

"Dr. Fraiser must have used a very strong argument to persuade a Goa'uld to save a human," commented Thor.

"You could say that. Dr. Fraiser had adopted the girl as her own daughter, so had some pretty strong feelings about the subject. Her winning argument was at the end of a gun. She told the bitch that she would shoot her dead on the spot unless she saved her daughter. I've never seen that woman so worked up before. It did my heart proud." I smiled, remembering that tense moment. To tell you the truth, if Janet hadn't been able to pull the trigger, I would've had to stand in line behind a lot of other people for the chance do it myself.

"The point I'm making folks, is the kid was doing some pretty cool stuff before she got healed by Nirrti. Things like being able to float stuff in the air and shorting out all the lights and equipment on the base. Carter said it had something to do with the electro-magnetic fields in the air. Now, just suppose that her Hok-taur DNA were combined with Jack Junior's. Do you see where I'm going with this?" Evidently, they could, because Ernie had started bouncing again and Thor, well he was blinking his eyes a lot.

"Jack O'Neill, this is wonderful news. Is there any way that I could procure a sample of her DNA for study?" Somehow, I knew they had to ask that question. And if the Asgard had learned anything at all about me, they would know the answer I was going to give them.

"That would be a no, Ernie. You're talking about a kid who has already been through hell and back. She witnessed her parents and everyone else on her planet die, for pity's sake. Give her a damn break. The last thing that girl needs is to have some little flat-assed gray aliens poking around and scaring the bee jeebers out of her. I mean it Thor! If I find out you guys have been messing around with her, I will not be happy. In fact, I will be extremely pissed off. Do I make myself clear on this?" Crap. I just hoped that I hadn't given them a reason to start research on Cassie, whether it was authorized or not.

"Any relevant news on this subject will be given to you by me, Jack O'Neill. And if you don't think I'm serious about this. Just remember that the last person who tried to mess with her was Nirrti and Dr. Fraiser, our own medical Doctor, almost blew her head off with a gun. You might want to keep that in mind. This girl is off limits and she has plenty of people who will do just about anything to protect her. Comprende?"

"Yes, O'Neill, we do understand you and will respect your wishes. However, we would be most appreciative of any additional information that you can make available to us. The ramification of this news is truly stunning. Any combinations of their DNA could indeed provide the missing link that we have been searching for," added Ernie hopefully.

"Well, I'll tell you what, guys. If any DNA gets combined, I'll be sure and invite you to the party. Hell, I'll even spring for the cigars and champagne. Because the only way we combine DNA back home is the old fashioned way. It may be primitive, but it's a hell of a lot of fun, and works better than cloning." I'm not sure if they entirely got my drift, but was satisfied that they would keep their promises. Thor hadn't given me a reason to doubt him so far. Hopefully, he wouldn't start.

The way I saw it, if Jack Junior and Cassie ever met each other, they would quite naturally want to spend time together. It's not as if they could talk about their real lives with just anyone. Cassie was an alien living on Earth and I have a feeling that the Toronto cover story she had used was wearing thin. As for Jack Junior, he was me, only in a teenaged body. He knew stuff that made him an outsider to most adults, let alone other kids.

So combine the fact that they were lonely and needed someone they could really be themselves with. Then mix in the fact that both of them were adolescent teenagers whose bodies were gobs of raging hormones. Voila, instant chemical attraction. I figured that if I could just get Junior together with Cassie, well, the rest would take care of itself. Now, I just had to figure out how to get them together.

Of course, I would have to figure out how to keep Fraiser from lynching me too. Somehow, I don't think she would appreciate my clone messing around with her teenaged daughter. Vague memories of previous encounters of the painful kind made me squirm in my chair uncomfortably. Hadn't she mentioned something about an up-coming prostate exam? Oh yeah, and that not-so-veiled threat had been followed by the distinctive thwack that only came from those damned exam gloves of hers. Then there had been those rumors floating around the locker room about enemas and medical instruments that were only stored in the freezer. Couldn't be any truth whatsoever to those stories. Right?

Ooh, maybe this wasn't such a brilliant plan after all, I thought as I continued mulling over my strategy. Umm, what about the possibility of appealing to her compassion for humanity with the spin that Cassie's kids might be the saviors of the human race? Nah. Even I could see that slant was a bit dicey. Oh, well, one step at a time. Gee, I never thought I would be playing cupid. Never went for the diaper and wings look myself, but the bow and arrows were a macho enough image.

"Jack O'Neill, your clone will be awakening soon as his treatment in nearly complete. Do you wish to be present when this occurs?"

"Hell yes, Ernie. What did you think I would say? By the way, when were you planning to wave your glowy hand thing in front of my face again?"

Although, I had addressed the doctor, it was Thor who answered my question. The little guy obviously had an agenda of his own. Well, it's not as if he had an important job or anything. After all, he was only the Supreme Commander of the entire Asgard Fleet and had plenty of time to lay around babysitting primitive humans. NOT!

"O'Neill, Eir will accompany you back to the medical section. I will meet you there after attending to other matters. As you are well aware, time is of the essence in our undertaking. Now would be a fortuitous time to begin our departure for your home planet, because the majority of our business here has already been completed." What did I tell you? This guy had places to go and people, or aliens, to see. Or something like that. I'll bet that guy could make going to the john sound important. Lucky for him, I understood all those big words. Could even use them, when I wanted to. Just don't tell Carter or Daniel. Hell, it's was way too much damn fun keeping up the dumb fly-boy act to just quit.

"Okey, dokey, Thor. We'll meet you on the flip side. Shall we, Ernie?" I bowed and gestured grandly with my outstretched arm. Ernie took the hint and preceded me out the door. The little guy still had the usual bounce to his step and seemed to be taking everything in stride. Knowing him, he had found a way to record our conversations so he could analyze them later.

"Any idea about how long it will take for us to get back to earth, Ernie? Not that I'm in a hurry to get back home. Your hospitality here has been great and the food. Well those yellow squares and pink triangles leave me speechless with wonder." Yep, I didn't lie about that one because their food did make me wonder. Yeah, wonder how in the hell those guys ever survived as a species with such crappy food! Those things made MRE's look like a gourmet dinner with Julia Childs. I've had cardboard that tasted better, and yes, I really have eaten cardboard. We just don't have to go into the reasons right now. OK? But I had choked the god-awful stuff masquerading as Asgard food down my throat and smiled doing it. Who says I can't be diplomatic when I need to? There was just no need to offend my hosts by puking on their shoes. Or whatever. Thankfully, I had packed a bunch of power bars with my supplies. Otherwise, I'd be starving to death by now.

Outside of Loki, the little aliens had treated me and my planet pretty good. Certainly better than our other so-called allies like the "we can't give you any of our cool ion cannons because you're far too primitive" Tollan. Then there were the Tok'ra, our so-called tame-snake allies who wouldn't give us the time of day except when they were asking us to bail their sorry asses out the fire. Again. And as for Anise, the snake who kept trying to crawl down my throat and play tonsil hockey with me, well, I won't even go there. Nope, won't do it. Not a pretty picture. Eeww!

Ernie just kept bobbing along next to me. I guess he hadn't noticed how preoccupied I was. To tell you the truth, I was a little nervous about my upcoming session with the glowy palm thing because every time it happened, I got all wonky and passed out on the floor. The only time I hadn't was because I'd been sitting in a chair. On the surface, the procedure itself seemed pretty simple and straightforward. Look at the glowy palm thing, Jack's brain got a little smarter, and everyone lived happily ever after.

Well, the down side was that the little adjustment hurt like hell, and gave me a headache that lasted for days. Plus there was all the new information to figure out and understand. Let me tell you, being the janitor for the Ancients library isn't a walk in the park by any means. In fact, it's a pain in the neck, literally and figuratively. And if I could give the job to someone else, I would do it in a New York minute. Well, provided they could do a good job of taking care of all that stuff, that is.

Sure, I know that being guardian to all that stuff is important, but it's still a pain sometimes. Now on top of everything else, I had to worry about how young Jack was going to handle having all that extra stuff in his head. Since he was me, and I was him, I knew that he knew what I knew. Crap, you know what I mean. I know how that kid thinks, because he thinks just like his old man.

Yeah, I admit it. I was beginning to think of the kid as my son. Well, he was, in a weird, science fiction sort of way. While it was true that he wasn't my offspring in the usual sense, he was still my blood kin. So what if he didn't spring from my loins? So to speak.

Wait a freaking minute. At least I HOPE that flat-assed sneaky little alien son of a bitch didn't get his DNA sample from my nether regions. Crap. Don't want to go there either, because if that slimy son of a bitch went anywhere near the family jewels, well let's just say I've killed people for less. Moving right along.

By now, Ernie and I had reached the medical section. The door swished open and I was once again greeted by the efficient sounds of beeping and swishing medical monitors. As I walked towards my son, I could see that he was still asleep, or whatever state of consciousness that pod kept its current resident in. The kid looked peaceful, just lying there.

"Hey Ernie, I was wondering about a few things. Just how much of my memories and stuff does Jack Junior have? What I mean is, everything I ever thought of and learned in his brain, too?"

"Sure thing, Jack O'Neill. Your clone's brain does indeed contain all the information and memories up to the time that Loki separated his consciousness from yours. At that moment, he became his own person and began forming his own thoughts and memories. As for the knowledge you gained from the Ancients, Thor and I removed all trace of it from his conscious memory. It is still there, but he is unable to access it. He is much as you were when you initially returned from Othalla. Thor and I concluded that it would be safer for him if this knowledge was unavailable to him for the time being. I hope you are not offended that we took such liberties with him. We were only thinking of his safety as we are very aware of the dangerous beings that are attracted to such knowledge." He looked nervous again.

"For crying out loud, Ernie. Of course I'm not upset with you. If you hadn't done it, I would've asked you to. That kid doesn't need to worry about the NID goons and snake heads trying to get a piece of him. Just getting past puberty is hard enough without having to look over you shoulder all the time." Actually, I knew that my son would be watching his back anyway. Old habits die hard, especially ones that had kept you alive in the past. And the habit of always watching my six had kept me from getting axed more times than I could count.

"That's great, good buddy. I am relieved to see that we have not offended you. Now, while we are waiting, I would like to prepare you for your upcoming adjustment." Oops, now it was coming. Just stay cool, Jack. You've been through this before and you can do it again. Just breathe deep and slow. It's easy, Jack. A piece of cake, a regular walk in the park. Right Jack? Yep, right. No problemo, senor.

"Sure thing Ernie. So, where do you want me? Hopefully, someplace where I won't end up with my kisser eating the floor and my ass sticking up in the air. OK with you?" I asked optimistically. Nah, I wasn't nervous. Moi? Not me. Never. I was as cool as a cucumber. Right O'Neill? Yeah, and if you believed that I had some prime ocean-side real estate to sell you in my back yard in Colorado. The plain truth of it was that I was allergic to pain and those adjustments hurt like a teenage mother.

"I believe it would be best if you were lying down on this table. It is part of a medical treatment pod we designed for use with your species." Ernie showed me over to the waiting pod. It looked just like the one they used on me before. Who knows? Maybe it was even the same one. Wouldn't have surprised me a bit if it was.

I hopped up on the side and started taking off my boots and socks. It didn't look like I would be needing them in the near future, and I figured I might as well save my friends the bother of having to get them off me themselves. I had to admit I was having a little trouble getting my head around the idea of those short, gray aliens tugging off my boots. Plus, it gave me something to keep me busy while I waited. When the door swished open, I looked up and saw that Thor had decided to join us again. It's show time, folks!

"So Thor, are we heading out to the wild blue yonder yet?" At his look of puzzlement, I hastened to clarify myself.

"What I mean is, have we started for home yet? My home, that is."

"Yes, O'Neill, our ship is even now speeding toward Earth. The O'Neill II will arrive at your planet several days from now. That will enable you and your clone to fully recover to your customary state of good health." Thor kept shuffling toward me until he was standing next to the pod. I had a feeling I knew what was coming next and the butterflies in my stomach started doing the chicken dance. I swallowed nervously with a suddenly dry throat.

"It's OK, Thor. Might as well get it over with," I croaked. Damn, when did my voice get all scratchy like that? Sure enough, Thor raised his palm and it was glowing. Finding my eyes riveted to it, I winced as the pain and pressure inside my head reached a soaring crescendo. Then, like water in a fountain that has reached it peak, the pain and pressure found release and poured out of me in the form of a white luminosity, which traveled from my forehead to Thor's upraised palm, where it vanished. I managed to hold onto consciousness long enough to see it disappear, and then let go. Time for Jack O'Neill to go nighty night.

***

This time I didn't dream. At least, if I did, I didn't remember any of them. There were no visions of an astral Charlie or Daniel. Just peaceful and healing slumber, which was nice for a change. No worlds to save, no wrestling with gut-wrenching decisions, and no demons to chase away. Just peace and quiet. Believe me, I know what I'm talking about. I've had way too many nights full of fighting demons with your eyes closed. Waking up from crap like that was anything but restful. It usually left me feeling like I needed a vacation. But, it's kind of hard to take a vacation from that stuff, when it's all in your head in the first place. Did I mention that just sleeping was nice?

***

I was floating in a sea of light. Slowly, I became aware of sounds. Rhythmic beeping noises that reminded me of home and a certain Napoleonic power monger in a skirt and heels wielding big honkin' needles. Infirmary? Nope, probably still with Ernie and Thor. Couldn't have been out that long. Right? Voices. I could hear soft murmuring voices through the beeping noises. It felt so comforting, just lying there, and I really didn't feel the need to open my eyes yet. Not just yet. So, I remained the way I was and let the beeping lull me back to sleep.

***

The beeping noises were back along with the voices. But this time, they seemed much more annoying. The kind of annoying like when a fly lands on your nose and you can't scratch it because your hands are full of your sleeping six month old son who just spent all night screaming his lungs out from the croup. You know that if you move to scratch your nose, your son will wake up and start screaming again. So you scrunch up your face, hoping the fly will get the hint and go buzzing off to bug the hell out of somebody else. Only, it doesn't, of course. It just keeps moving its hairy little fly feet all over your nose until you want to scream, but you can't, for all the reasons previously listed.

The beeping noises were getting a bit faster, but were still extremely irritating. The voices were louder and more distinct too, and sounded like my Asgard friends. They sounded worried. Crap, I guess I might as well get it over with and open my eyes. With effort, I slitted them open. Turned out that was a wise precaution to take, because they were immediately assaulted by bright lights. Crap, this was as bad as those damned penlights.

"Shit, turn off those damn lights!" I shouted. Well, that was my intention. I distinctly remember my brain ordering my mouth to shout. What came out was a hoarse croak. What's with this croaking thing? My voice was stronger than that. Wasn't it? I cleared my throat to try again. The inside of my throat felt all gummy, like it had a coating of half-congealed furniture varnish on it. Yuk. Tasted like it too. Double yuk and eww. Someone was tugging on my arm, trying to get my attention.

"Rise and shine, Jack O'Neill. It is time for you to awaken." Damn, but that little guy was just too damn cheery.

"Perhaps this will help." I felt his skinny arm under my head, supporting it as he tipped a glass off water toward me. God, the wonderful taste of water. Honest to God, clear soothing water. There was nothing like it in the world, mine or anyone else's, for that matter. Just sipping at it was washing the varnish taste out of my throat and chasing the cobwebs from my mind. Now I remembered what had happened. I was on the Asgard ship, the O'Neill II, headed back for Earth with my son. Thor had just finished waving his palm thing in my face, with the usual results. The face of the Asgard version of Doc appeared over me.

"Hey, Ernie. How ya doin'?" I tried to give him my best and brightest smile, but I have a feeling that it looked more like a grimace of pain.

"I am OK, Jack O'Neill. As are you and your clone. According to our monitors, both of your medical treatments have been concluded with optimum results," he stated proudly, puffing out his chest.

"That's great, Ernie. Where are we?" I asked while I attempted to position my arms under me. With some maneuvering and cursing, I finally got the job done and managed to sit up in bed. Wow! What a head rush, I groaned and squeezed my eyes shut as I cradled my head in my hands. Maybe that way, it wouldn't fall off my shoulders and roll into a corner somewhere. My throat constricted in an attempt to keep the meager contents of my stomach where it belonged. As bad as the Asgard version of food tasted, I had the feeling that it would have tasted even worse coming back up.

"You continue to suffer the aftereffects of your adjustment. The pain, nausea, and dizziness should ease after a few moments." Promises, promises.

"Could I have a written guarantee on that?" I took my hands away from my eyes long enough to glare at my friend.

"If a written guarantee is necessary, I will provide you with one. However, I thought you trusted me with your care. Do you not trust me, Jack O'Neill?" Crap. Now I had hurt his feelings again.

"For crying out loud, Ernie. It's just an expression. Just give me a minute. I'll be fine. Just peachy, as a matter of fact." He was right, the pain was fading and the room had stopped tilting crazily. My stomach had even decided to cooperate with me. Things were definitely looking better.

I took my hands away from my face and looked curiously around the room. Thor wasn't there, but Jack Junior was. From the smirk on his face, I knew he was laughing at me. Well, I would've been if our positions had been reversed, so it was a pretty safe bet that he thought watching his old man in pain was funnier than a barrel of monkeys. Since he was me, he couldn't keep his mouth shut either.

"Whatcha doin', Jack? Feelin' like puking on your shoes?" What did I tell you? This kid was a real charmer. NOT!

"And a lovely hello to you too, Junior. Having a good time? You know, it's not every day that you can give yourself a hard time. Is it?"

"Yep, as a matter of fact, I've been having a wonderful time. Ernie here, was just telling me that he fixed me up, kicked my tires, changed the oil, and topped off my gas tank for good measure." The smirk was back on his face, but I could tell he looked more relaxed. Not being in danger of imminent death probably had something to do with that.

"Hey, I'm glad to hear that you're going to be alright. You had me worried there for awhile," I answered awkwardly. We exchanged knowing glances before breaking off eye contact again. No need in getting all mushy about it or anything. I looked up as he cleared his throat.

"Ernie says we should be entering Earth's orbit in an hour or so. Just thought you would like to know that we're almost home." He had his hands stuffed in the pockets of his jeans. Now that I had gotten a chance to really look at him, I realized he was dressed in the clothes I had brought for him. Although I'd had to guess at his size, it looked like I had gotten it right.

"Home? We're almost home? Hey, that's great. Can't wait to see the place again." My younger twin had a frown on his face.

"Yeah, home, Jack. Your home. But what about me? Just where do I fit in with your home?" His questions floored me. Guess I hadn't thought far enough ahead to consider the unique problems he would be faced with. It was clear that he'd been doing a lot of thinking about it, though. I didn't say anything. Knowing him as I did, I figured he still had plenty to say, and probably even had a solution all worked out. It would be easier on us both if I stayed quiet and allowed him to get it all out. There were some advantages to the relationship we had. Not many, but this was one of them. I didn't have to wait long.

"The way I see it, Jack. We're going home to a planet that holds your entire life. Your job, your house, and your friends, but that's the point I'm trying to make. They're YOURS, Jack. So where does that leave me? Well, I'll tell you where it leaves me. It leaves me SOL. As in shit out of luck, up the creek without a paddle, and the fat lady has sung and left the building with Elvis. I feel like the proverbial redheaded stepchild. Your life has no room for an extra Jack O'Neill." By now he was pacing and gesturing with his hands, but I knew he wasn't finished yet.

"So, I've been doing some thinking." Yep, right on schedule. What did I tell ya? Now, for his solution. Can I call 'em or what?

"Here's where we go our separate ways. From now on, I'm no longer Colonel Jack O'Neill. I'm John O'Neill, a sixteen-year-old emancipated minor who just moved to Colorado Springs. When we get back to the SGC, I plan to ask Hammond to draw up all the identification papers to make it official. You know, birth certificate, social security number, that sort of thing. Then I can start living my own life and let you get on with yours." Was I right on the money or what? To tell you the truth, I was impressed. He had worked out a pretty good plan.

"Sounds great, John. Couldn't have come up with a better one myself. We can probably get Hammond to make arrangements for an apartment for you. The way I figure it, it's the least we can do. I could even set up a checking account for you and chip in with a monthly deposit too."

"But..." As he made his expected protest, I interrupted him. I knew it was his pride speaking, but it wouldn't hurt him a damn bit to accept a little help from me. It's not as if I was telling him to move in with me. Not that I would. He was right, we needed to start living our own lives.

"Ah! Don't say it. It won't kill you to accept something from me. It's not as if I'll be checking up on you all the time. Is it? Do we have a deal?"

"Yeah. We have a deal." He sounded resigned and sad, somehow. Well, I would be too if I were saying good-bye to everyone and everything I had ever known.

"Ernie? Will John have any way to contact you guys if he gets into trouble? I would feel a hell of a lot better if I knew he had backup if any bad guys from my, no our, past came back to haunt him." That was the least I could do. What he didn't have to know was that I would arrange for him to have a little protection Earth-side. It would only take a short chat with my boss to get that little detail taken care of. From previous experience, I knew what it felt like to be left dangling in the wind, and I wouldn't wish that on anyone. Well, maybe Kinsey, but not anyone else.

"Yes, Jack O'Neill. John O'Neill has already been briefed on our arrangements and has indicated his understanding of them. He will be monitored in much the same manner as you have been." Well, that was a relief. No need for him to keep paying for my sins, even if they had been his too. From now on, they would be mine, alone. We were interrupted by the sound of Thor swishing open the door.

"Gentlemen, we have arrived and are now in orbit around Earth. I have taken the liberty of initiating contact with your General Hammond and he has informed me that all is in readiness for your arrival. If you are ready, I will transport you both directly to his office." I looked at John and raised my eyebrow in question. He nodded his head once back to me to indicate his readiness.

"As ready as we'll ever be. Thanks for everything guys. Be seeing you around. OK?" Ernie nodded eagerly at us and Thor just cocked his head and blinked.

"Fire away, Thor," I ordered as our world dissolved in a wash of white light.

***

It was a Monday morning and I was chauffeuring John O'Neill to his first day of high school. Over his very strong objections, I might add, but age does have some advantages. Sometimes. Hammond had fixed up all his identification paperwork as promised, and he had included a fake school record. We had already visited the school to get him registered the week before. He hadn't liked the fact that I was there with him, but since I was listed as his next of kin, he didn't have much of a choice.

Needless to say, my little chat with the General had gone just fine. John's school record had some pretty impressive, as in good, grades listed in them. They would be high enough to make sure that he got into some of the honor's classes if he applied himself. And I had a feeling that he was going to. Who knows what new friends he could make in those classes? Would I meddle in his life? Me? Never. Not much, anyway.

It helped that Fraiser seemed to like the kid. It was a sure bet that Cassie would too. And since she was attending this very high school and was in those same honor's classes... Well, I planned to leave the rest up to them. I watched him as we pulled up in front of the school.

"You're sure about this?" I asked. I already knew what his answer would be. What it had to be. But I had to ask anyway.

"I've thought a lot about it. And, you know, you...me...I mean we...never really did embrace high school. I don't know. Haven't you ever just wanted to go back and do it all over again? I mean, especially with all you know now?" He just kept looking at me. That was an easy one.

"No," I answered with absolute certainty. It was true, I'd done a lot of dicking around in high school and got suspended a couple of times. The end result from hanging around with the wrong crowd had been measured in missed opportunities. If it hadn't been for a couple of caring teachers who saw through my tough-kid act, I probably would have ended up just like my hooligan buddies, either dead or in prison.

"Well, from here on in, you and me are different. Which is why I'm gonna do this." He opened the truck door and stepped out, turning back to the open window at the sound of my voice.

"Hey, listen. Do me a favor. Huh?" I called out the window.

"Don't worry, I...I wasn't gonna keep in touch." Oops, not exactly where I was planning this little conversation to go. But, it wasn't my place to force myself on him. Not anymore. Crap.

"Yeah, it would be a little..."

"Weird," John finished.

"Weird, yeah," I agreed sadly and looked away.

"Yeah," he echoed. He shifted his feet nervously and turned, as if to go.

"But, look, if you need anything, just...you know...," I added knowing I couldn't just shut the kid out of my life like that. He was my son, for crying out loud.

"Air Force has set me up. I'll be fine," he added resolutely, as if daring me to object.

"You're sure about this? I mean, it's high school." His attention was drawn from me as the sound of giggling teenage girls reached our ears. John glanced at them and then turned back to give me one of the patented O'Neill looks. The one that said, 'ya think?'

"Yes! Go forth, young man!" I smirked and watched as he pulled out a pair of sunglasses and patted the side of my truck. Clearly, he was in his 'I'm a cool dude' mode and had just given me my orders to clear out before I cramped his style.

As I pulled away from the curb, I kept an eye on him in my mirror and watched as he sauntered up to those two teenaged bimbos and turned on the charm. He was getting on with his life. In spite of everything, it looked like he was gonna do OK. Now, hopefully, I could get on with my life too.

Next

Original Header/Footer Information:

Title: "Distinctively Jack" Part 5 of the "Becoming The Fifth Race" Series
Author: dinkydow
Email: jd3031@socket.net
Category: Missing scene for "Fragile Balance" from Jack's point of view, Drama, action-adventure, angst, humor, sequel to "Descending Jack".
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: Mainly from "Fragile Balance".
Warnings: Some language because both Jack's get mad and swear.
Summary: Jack travels back to Othalla with Thor to fix his clone.
Disclaimer: Nope, still don't own any of them. Couldn't afford to if I did and don't have a mountain to hide them in. Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, Gekko Productions do. I wrote this for entertainment and still won't be making any money for it. (heavy sigh).
Author's Notes: First of all, I am not, nor to do I claim to be, an expert in human genetics. The last class I took on that subject was back in the seventies. So, please forgive me if I got the that part of my story wrong. My God, Jim! I'm a shrink, not a genetics expert. Whew! That felt good. And now for something completely different. A big honkin' thank you to Alice for keeping me going on this thing. I couldn't have done it without you. The Asgard character of Eir (Ernie), is still mine. If you want to use him (her, it, whatever), please get my permission first. As for feedback, yes, yes! I do like to hear from other fans who read my stuff.