sga_flashfic | Fic: Lathe by OtherCat (Not Happening Challenge)

TITLE: Lathe

AUTHOR: OtherCat

PAIRING: N/A (Gen)

RATING: PG

CHARACTER(S): Sora, John, Rodney,

SUMMARY: This is only a test.

(This)

There are a thousand thousand mirrors all reflecting each other a thousand thousand thousand thousand times, and it reminds him of bits of philosophy or mathematical theory he'd learned as a student.

He can't remember what theory the metaphor was trying to explain, and it doesn't matter.

This isn't philosophy.

He drops through a thousand possibilities, a thousand mirrors each reflecting a path not taken, a possibility he hadn't been able to consider. All he has to do is pick one and he can rewrite the world, unmake all of his mistakes. (And there have been so many.)

He can fix the world, change everything, and the thought fills him with exhilaration and something he hasn't had the courage to feel in far too long.

Hope.

(Is)

"It doesn't do what he thinks it does," the high priest said sadly. "It does not alter time, it only shows you possibilities based off of various factors including your perception of self and others, the technological infrastructure of your home planet, personal history, and your knowledge and skill set. You only take out of the experience what you yourself put into it."

"Oh God," McKay said, seeming to collapse in on himself. "It's not the Lathe of Heaven, it's just a simulation."

"Dr. McKay is referring to a story from his world, where a man with the ability to make his dreams reality is made to create a 'perfect world,'" Teyla said in response to the high priest questioning look, startling the hell out of John. Teyla's reading skills were getting fairly good in English, and he'd heard she was making an attempt to also learn (spoken) Spanish and Arabic, but Teyla as far as he knew wasn't a member of any of the little book discussion or trading clubs all over Atlantis. "I have seen the movie," she said to John by way of explanation.

"We try to discourage the stories that the Chooser of Paths can alter reality, but it is difficult," the high priest said. "Too many people come away from the experience saying 'my life is changed now' and the story grows in the telling." He shook his head sadly.

(Not)

They had gone in together, but now she was alone.

Sora chooses and:

She cannot find a way to keep her father from going on the mission to the hive ship, no matter how she tries. She learns from this that she can only affect her own choices, and not the choices of others.

She is swayed by Dr. Weir's arguments and her own misgivings about Kolya's use of unecessary force. There is however, very little she can do about it except follow orders to the best of her abilities and protest through the appropriate channels once the mission is completed. The last thing she sees is the blue rippling light of the Ring of the Anscestors.

She doesn't go after Teyla, and this time the last thing she hears is the stutter of a firearm, and the last thing she sees is the floor. She wonders vaguely if Sheppard is human or dimas before everything goes black.

She succeeds in killing Teyla--and nothing changes except an overwhelming sense of guilt and grief.

She chooses Teyla, and this is almost perfect, except she dies on a hive ship.

She chooses Atlantis, and dies during the siege.

She chooses again and again, each choice branching out into other choices until she fears she will go mad from the infinite variety.

She is at the center of the storm, and a voice that isn't a voice asks, patient and terrible as she's always imagined the Voice of Truth to be: What is is the desired outcome?

Sora thinks victory, and she thinks survival, but what she says is: "I want my dead back. My father, my friends, my team."

Truth responds with an old parable, "find me a household where no one has died, and your dead will be restored to you."

(Happening)

Sora turns up, haunted, terrified and in the company of local trading contacts on a planet Atlantis has friendly relations with. She throws herself into Teyla's startled arms, weeping after several tense moments of staring. The contacts beam happily, believing they're seeing a heartfelt reunion, and not something more complicated. Teyla is rocking Sora, murmuring soft reassurances while a half coherent stream of words seems to pour out of the Genii soldier.

John clears his throat, catching the attention of their contacts. "Could we have some time alone? We're kind of...overwhelmed at being reunited with our...friend."

The Head of the Argasi family smiled. "Of course, we can re-schedule our appointment, the same time, two days from now, speak to my secretary" he says. "I'm glad to have been able to accomplish this reunion, blessings of the Anscestors be upon you." This was a cue to leave.

"Upon you as well," John said, and nodded because the hand clasped bow still felt horribly stupid. Rodney did the bow, but John suspected only because Ronon elbowed him.

*~*~*~*~*~

"The story is absolutely ridiculous!" Rodney declared, but he looked a little frightened to. "A Ancient device that can change reality?"

"I do not think Sora invented the story, there are legends of such devices." Teyla said.

"Perhaps it's a dimensional mirror of some kind?" Elizabeth asked. "And that's what she saw."

"According to Sora, she was actually able to affect changes in our time line, though she then changed everything back," John said.

"Which isn't possible," McKay said. "And yes, I know, she's not lying--but she could be mistaken, or confused or I don't know." He took a deep, shaky breath. "All I know is that while the Ancients had time machines, they were experimental and controversial. They decided that messing around with the continuity of the timeline was too dangerous." He paused again.

"And I find it extremely unlikely that she--or anyone--would be able to 'put every thing back the way it was.'"

"Maybe this device is the reason they thought it was too dangerous," John said reasonably. "And she did say she wasn't sure she'd used the device correctly."

"If she did do it, how'd anyone know the difference?" Ronon asked suddenly.

"Thank you Ronon, I feel so much better now," Rodney said.

"I believe that this story is worth investigating," Elizabeth said.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

bubbleslayer.livejournal.com

Wonderful concept and use of the challenge.

There just isn't enough Sora fic out there for my taste. She's a wonderfully complex character.

Thank you for sharing.