[dinosaur expedition]

[gate_expert]

Sam had been pleasantly surprised by the number of people gathered in New Atlantis to go on the dinosaur-studying expedition. It was a group that was big enough to be interesting, but not big enough to be unwieldy and unmanageable, and in some ways it was like going offworld again even if they were just going through the jungle. Her existence for

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[jill_langston]

After all this time, the fact that Jill hadn't gone to see the dinosaurs just seemed absurd. That was why she'd agreed to go on the expedition. Well, that and she didn't want Rodney heading off to look at dinosaurs alone. Even with people there to protect them all, she was a little worried he'd end up getting himself eaten.

Or worse.

Shouldering her pack, she looked into the jungle and grinned, feeling a sense of adventure she hadn't felt in a long time.

[gate_expert]

"Hey, Jill," Sam said, falling into step with her. She and the general were taking point most of the way, but that didn't mean she wasn't going to hang back and talk a bit to pass the time on the walk. "You doing okay so far?"

[jill_langston]

"You know, I'm not big on physical activity most of the time and two years ago, this walk would have done me in," Jill admitted, giving Sam a faintly embarrassed grin. There had been a time when every day had been spent commuting and in the lab. Nothing more.

"But after having to hike back and forth from where I live every day... I guess I'm not the lab potato I once was."

[gate_expert]

Sam laughed a little. "It's kind of embarrassing," she admitted, "but I'm probably going to be hating life by the time we get back. The Air Force has some pretty tough PT standards, but this last year I've been so far away from active duty that I'm more out of shape than I've been in my life." She intended to remedy that, though, and her morning runs with the general were helping already.

[jill_langston]

Jill couldn't help but grin at that, fully aware of the fact that she was probably as healthy as she'd been in her whole life and that she was still probably in much worse shape than Sam was currently in. "I guess the island helps the regular Joe, but not the people who do this sort of thing in their sleep," she said with a laugh. "Have you looked at joining the Task Force? I know they have fairly rigorous training."

[gate_expert]

"Thinking about it, if they need more people," said Sam. "If only to keep an eye on Mitchell," she added ruefully. He'd gone and gotten himself banged up pretty well and still had wanted to come along on the expedition. She hated to see anybody hurt, but a member of her team... well, it was a little different now when it came to Cam or Daniel.

[jill_langston]

"You think you can keep him from getting himself hurt again?" Jill asked dryly, because she doubted anyone could do that. With everything that had happened between Cameron and Morgan, she wasn't sure if her presence was welcome or if he just found it painful, but that didn't stop her from being concerned. "I saw him in the clinic the other day. He looked pretty rough."

[gate_expert]

"Doubt it," Sam admitted. "But I have to try, at least." She shook her head. "He's out of the clinic now, but still in kind of rough shape. He wanted to come along with us today but I kind of... talked him out of it." That had not been a fun conversation, not at all.

[jill_langston]

"Probably for the best, although I doubt he sees it that way," Jill said, shaking her head as well. "Have you met Morgan?" she asked, and although it might have seemed like a change of topic, Cameron and Morgan would always be connected in her mind.

[gate_expert]

"Morgan le Fay, the Ancient?" Sam asked. "No, I haven't, but I've heard she looks a lot like you." That was kind of a bizarre idea for Sam, to have someone look like you yet be different; everyone who looked like her was her, or a copy of her, or... something.

[jill_langston]

"Mm," Jill confirmed in a tone that made it clear she still found it a little strange. Knowing that David's clone still lived in the Hamlet didn't bother her much, but having one of her own hadn't been as easy to get over. "She and Cameron were involved for awhile. Not that it's my place to talk about it, really, but I think he finds having me around... strange."

[gate_expert]

"Huh," Sam said thoughtfully. "He didn't mention it. He's been kind of... I don't know. Different, lately. Not that he shouldn't be, as long as he's been here," she added, "but still. Everyone's a little different, really. Rodney, Vala, Daniel, Colonel O'Neill... not in a bad way. It's just taking a little bit to get used to."

[jill_langston]

"Enough time somewhere like this changes everyone," Jill agreed, having felt the same before. "Or coming from different time lines, experiencing things they expect you to remember... it's definitely an adjustment."

With Mayko gone, there was no one on the island from Jill's home, but she still understood what Sam meant.

[gate_expert]

Sam shrugged a little, looking for the right words. "It's weird," she said. "I mean, I dealt with this kind of thing every day on the job. Alternate timelines, parallel universes, even other versions of myself. You'd think I'd be used to this kind of thing, but somehow is just... different."

[jill_langston]

Although Jill hadn't experienced such things back home, she could imagine how it might be different. There was no coming back from the island, not unless the island decided it was done with you.

"It's very different," she said. "In a lot of ways. Has anyone told you about the... sometimes out of body experiences?"

[theunascended]

Daniel smiled when he saw the familiar face. The one he hadn't realized looked like Morgan for maybe too long. "Hey, Jill. Ready for a little fun? I'm pretty sure Rodney thinks we're all going to die, so I'm trying to be the optimist to balance out his pessimistic streak."