It’s Greek to me, Part 1
Disclaimer: The characters Hercules and Iolaus belong to Renaissance Pictures. The characters of Stargate belong to Gekko Film Corporation in association with Glassner/Wright Double Secret Production. No copyright infringement intended. No money is being made from this story. This story is written for entertainment purposes only.
Summary: Hercules and Iolaus save a planet of Ancient Greeks from the Goauld with the help of SG-1 (the Stargate Team).
Author’s note: THIS STORY IS A SEQUEL TO VICTORY OVER THE GOAULD.
This story is designed for those readers who are already familiar with the TV show Stargate and Hercules, the Legendary Journeys. For the uninitiated here goes, the Goauld seek hosts/ human bodies for parasites who need human bodies to live. Once these parasites inhabit the human body, the person inside the human body ceases to exist and becomes enslaved to the parasite (Goauld’s) will. In essence, the fight against the Goauld is the fight for free will and individuality of mankind. (For those of you who are fans of Stargate, I hope I got this right!) The Stargate team travels through a portal to find weapons to fight the Goauld. Their names are: Colonel Jack O’Neill, Captain Samantha Carter, Daniel Jackson (the scientist), and Tealc (he has a baby parasite inside him but he’s fighting to free his people of the Goauld).
CHAPTER 1
General Hammond assembles the Stargate Team for a conference “Okay, SG-1, you are being sent to PS 4911. Our preliminary probes tell us that it has breathable air and that it is inhabited. Good luck team.”
Samantha Carter, Captain O’Neill, Tealc and Daniel Jackson gather in front of the Stargate portal as they discuss their upcoming mission. “As far as Sam and I can tell from the data we received from the probes, PS4911 is inhabited by human life forms. We can also tell that there are no Goauld present there now. But that there have been recent Goauld activity there. We must be on our guard.”
General Hammond gives the OK for SG-1 to depart. “Okay, ensign, open the iris.” Hammond watches as the SG-1 team steps through the portal for yet another mission. Ah, thinks Hammond, if I were only younger, I would gladly join SG-1 on these expeditions.
The portal opens. As usual, the SG-1 team feel slightly disoriented as they travel through the wormhole and arrive unscathed on PS4911.
“Recent Goauld activity huh? Looks like they destroyed everything in sight!” O’Neill and Tealc quickly take up defensive stances.
“These villages have been burnt to the ground. There are massive signs of struggle.” Samantha Carter observes.
“Obviously these people were taken by the Goauld to serve as slaves for those parasites. To be used as Jaffa.” Teal’c observes.
“You know, the survivors are not going to be thrilled to see us. They might think we are also the Goauld. My best guess is that if there are any survivors they probably took refuge in those caves. We have to help them. Judging from the remains of these villages, these people lead a very rural existence and have no defenses.” Daniel Jackson observes.
“Let us head for the caverns then. Keep an eye out in case there are still any Goauld in the vicinity. Keep on your feet team.” O’Neill orders.
Teal’c with his superior vision remarks “I can see the caverns up ahead. I see movement in those caves. There are NO Goauld in the area.”
The SG-1 approaches the caverns. The survivors are dressed in rags. They appear frightened. They run and scatter as they see the SG-1 team approach.
“Don’t be frightened of us..ah..we are the good guys..we are NOT Goauld..we’re here to help you..” Daniel Jackson tries this greeting in as many ancient languages as he can think of.
Daniel Jackson listens to the survivor talk amongst themselves. “Jack, I think we’re dealing with Ancient Greek, very old Greek. I don’t think I know enough Ancient Greek to converse with them.
O’Neill looks puzzled as he listens to the survivors and he remarks to Daniel “You’d better find a way to communicate with them because it’s all Greek to me!”
Daniel finds a piece of paper and starts to write down words in Greek. “I’m sorry Jack, but it’s all Greek to me too! “
Daniel tries to write his message down “Don’t be frightened..we’re here to help you..we’re not here to hurt you in any way.”
The survivors appear to understand a little as they read the message and nod their heads. “Well, at least they won’t run away from us. They understand that we mean them no harm. I’m afraid we’re going to need translators if we want to communicate with them more. The dialect of Greek that these people speak dates back at least 4,000 years Earth time. I’m estimating that’s when the Goauld forced these people into the portal and shipped them to this planet.It’s safe to assume that these survivors are descendents of the Ancient Greeks of Earth from 4,000 years ago” Daniel estimates.
Jack looks confused “Didn’t Hercules and Iolaus bury the portal 4,000 years ago when the Goauld tried to invade Earth? I thought Hercules and Iolaus defeated the Goauld in Egypt? “
Samantha corrects Jack “I’ve been going out with Iolaus for some time now since our last mission together. According to Iolaus, the Goauld invaded the planet before the Olympians took control of Greece which means the Goauld could have transported these survivors before Hercules was born.”
Daniel gives Samantha an amused look “How’s Iolaus? He’s an all-round nice guy. I still remember when he used to yell “Kewl!” when we rode through the Stargate.”
Samantha adds “Iolaus is quite the charmer. He’s not bad looking either. “ Samantha can feel herself blushing as she keeps thinking of Iolaus and his cute blond hair, his hard muscles, his sparkling cerulean orbs, his charming personality and of course his fascinating stories about his adventures with Hercules. Iolaus really knows how to spin a yarn. Samantha remembers her last conversation with Iolaus.
“I really like you, Iolaus but you know it won’t work out between us. I’ve got my work at Stargate and it wouldn’t be fair to you that you would have to wait for me all the time..I don’t get that many vacations..”Samantha could feel her heart beat faster as she looks into Iolaus’ cerulean orbs pleading for her to stay just a little bit longer.
“Samantha, don’t worry about me. We can make it work. No matter how long it takes Samantha, I will wait for you. Don’t you know how much I care for you?”
Samantha could feel herself melt under his sapphire gaze. “Oh, Iolaus..you have no idea how hard it is for me to say goodbye to you each time I have to leave..” Samantha brushes away tears as she hurriedly gets out of bed and puts on her clothes before she is late for work. “ I don’t want to leave you, I just have to. Please don’t make this any harder..”
Iolaus takes Samantha in his arms “Please don’t cry. I’m sorry if I’m pushing myself at you. Take your time. Just know that whenever you need me, I will always be here for you. You know my pager number. Just call me. I’ll be there for you instantly.” Iolaus whispers softly into Samantha’s ears.
Samantha shakes her head as she tries to listen to Daniel’s conversation. “You haven’t heard a word I’ve said have you Sam?” Daniel gently teases Sam. “You must really be in love with Iolaus.”
Before Sam can answer, Jack walks over to Daniel and Samantha after making a routine patrol of the caverns and its surrounding areas. “As far as I can tell, the Goauld have left PS4911, Teal’c is making additional patrol rounds to cover more ground. We should be safe here for tonight. We will dial-out tomorrow morning. Before we leave, we must find a way to convince these survivors to bury their Stargate to prevent the Goauld from invading them again.”
Daniel responds to Jack’s order “I think we need to go back to Earth and find Hercules and Iolaus..they can act as translators and tell these Ancient Greeks to bury their portal.”
Jack laughs wryly at the idea “I know for a fact from General Hammond that Hercules will be thrilled to bury a Stargate portal. It’s my understanding that Hercules disapproves of the whole Stargate project. Hercules will be the perfect person to tell these Ancient Greeks to bury the portal.”
The SG-1 team settles down for the night after having made the decision to bring Hercules and Iolaus into the project to save PS4911 from further destruction from the Goauld by burying the portal.
CHAPTER 2
Hercules settles back comfortably on the sofa as he grabs the remote control to turn on the TV while munching on some popcorn “So, Iolaus how was your date with Samantha last night?”
Iolaus is in the kitchen looking in the fridge for more snacks to eat as he replies “Well, Sam and I are just friends..Herc..she had to go back to that Stargate project.” Iolaus sees a snack that he likes. He grabs not only the cheese dip but also the cheese nachos, and the chocolate ice cream from the freezer. Iolaus puts down his snack tray with all his snacks piled on top of each other to sit beside Hercules to watch the World Soccer playoffs.
“It’s between Greece and Italy this year, Herc.”.Iolaus says with his mouth full of cheese nachos.
“Just like old times..the Greek pitted against the Romans only this time Greece will kick Rome’s butt and win the playoffs” Hercules watches the game anxiously waiting for the Greek soccer team to score when he hears a knock at the door.
“Iolaus, get the door. I think someone’s knocking.”
“Do I look like a doorman or something? You get the door. I want to watch the game. Go Greece Go!” yells Iolaus at the TV screen.
“Iolaus,” as Hercules gives Iolaus an annoyed look “This is YOUR apartment. You should get YOUR door.” Meanwhile, the Greek Team scores a goal while the Italian team frantically tries to get the soccer ball back. Both men instantly forget about the door as they get caught up in the game. “Go Greece go! “ as both men yell at the TV screen almost willing the Greek team to defeat the Romans.
Samantha Carter stands outside Iolaus’ door as she hears both Hercules and Iolaus yell “Go Greece Go!” Samantha rolls her eyes as she thinks “Men and sports..as soon as a sports game is on TV..Men forget about everything..” Samantha turns the doorknob and finds Iolaus has left his door unlocked. Samantha opens the door as she sees Iolaus jumping up and down in front of the TV as Greece makes yet another goal.
Samantha walks up behind Iolaus and puts her hands over his eyes “Guess who?”
Immediately Iolaus recognizes Sam’s voice “Samantha! You’re back!” as he whirls around and gives Samantha a big hug and a big cheesy nacho kiss.
Samantha licks her chops after kissing Iolaus and remarks “Nacho cheese..my favorite snack..”
Iolaus blushes “You caught me off-guard. It’s so good to see you again. Listen Sam..wait right here..I’m going to rinse my mouth out..” Iolaus puts his fingers over his unshaven chin and sheepishly admits “I’m also going to shave. I guess I wasn’t expecting company.” Iolaus invites Samantha to sit down on the couch to watch the game with Hercules while Iolaus rushes off to the bathroom to wash up. Sitting comfortably next to Hercules, Sam grabs a nacho to snack on. Hercules takes the remote to lower the volume and turns to talk to Sam.
“You should have seen Iolaus in the old days..the only time Iolaus would even bathe would be when he was about to see a girl. Otherwise, Iolaus would reek for days on end. One time I had to physically throw him into the lake because he smelled so bad…” Hercules comically pinches his nose to emphasize the point.
Iolaus comes back into the room clean-shaven, showered, and with fresh clothes on. Samantha looks at Iolaus in his gray t-shirt, his tight faded blue jeans and red sneakers. His golden curly locks still matted and wet from his shower; Hercules chuckles as he sees how quickly Iolaus washes up for any female. “See what I mean? Now Iolaus is clean. He doesn’t consider me good enough to wash for.” Hercules gently teases Iolaus as he sees Iolaus once again blush red right to his hairline.
“Listen guys, I’ve come here for a very serious reason. This is not a social call. I’ve just been on PS4911. We need you guys to help us.” Sam explains.
“PS4911..that’s the colony you were planning to explore right Sam? You told me about that last night. You had sent some probes and you were worried there might be Goauld activity there. So what happened?” Iolaus asks as he quietly looks worried for he worries every time Sam leaves to go on any Stargate trip.
Sam understands how hard it is for Iolaus to say goodbye to her and then sit back and worry whether or not she would return safely from each trip. “When we landed on PS4911, we didn’t know what to expect. There was massive devastation everywhere. Burnt roads. Burnt houses. Dead bodies. The Goauld had taken a lot of the people as slaves for their parasites. By the time SG-1 arrived, the survivors were huddled in a cave too frightened to talk even to Daniel.”
Hercules still looks puzzled as he asks “How can we be of help?”
“Well, these survivors evidently were brought to PS4911 from Greece over 4,000 years ago. As far as Daniel can tell, they speak a dialect of Greek at least several thousand years older than yours. We think the Goauld came to Earth before the time of the Olympians and forced the Ancient Greeks to PS4911. We need you and Iolaus to come with us and help us communicate with these survivors. You speak an ancient dialect of Greek that Daniel thinks these survivors will understand.” Sam explains.
“What is it you want to communicate with these people that’s so important?” Iolaus asks.
“We want to convince these people to bury their Stargate. The survivors of PS4911 have no defenses. They represent Earth about 5,000-6,000 years ago when the Olympians first arrived and found mortals to be defenseless and easy to conquer.” Sam explains.
Excited by the prospect of another ride through the Stargate, Iolaus tilts his head up at Hercules and exclaims “KEWL! Another ride through the Stargate! A chance to explore another culture..another world..Ancient Greeks..It’ll be like old times! Herc, it’ll be fun!”
Sam looks at Hercules “Unlike modern day Earth, the people of PS4911 have no defenses whatsoever against the Goauld, if the Goauld comes again, they will only take more people as slaves. Will you help us, Hercules?”
“Of course, I’ll help you. I’ll bury that Stargate myself the same way I buried the Stargate in Egypt 4,000 years ago. Come on Iolaus. We have people to save and a Stargate to bury.” Hercules grabs his belonging and starts rushing out the door in an urgent manner.
Samantha whispers to Iolaus “Colonel O’Neill knew that Hercules would only be too eager to help us bury the Stargate. I know that Hercules still disapproves of the whole Stargate project doesn’t he?”
“I think he’s okay about it. He’s just kind of overly protective that’s all. It’s all because a Goauld named Dahak took over my body and killed me in Sumeria many years ago..Hercules has never stopped blaming himself for that. That’s why he sees the Stargate as potential trouble.”
“Iolaus, I hope you don’t think less of me when I tell you that I had a Goauld in my body too. I still have her memories sometimes. It was not a good experience but I’ve learned a lot about the Goauld because of that experience.” Samantha says.
Iolaus looks straight into Samantha’s eyes “Believe me, I think you are the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen. You have a beautiful soul Samantha. No Goauld or any other parasite can ever destroy a beautiful soul like yours.” As Iolaus and Samantha hold each other, time stands still.
Hercules finds himself waiting outside Iolaus’ building impatiently tapping his feet. When Iolaus finally emerges, he has his arms wrapped around Sam. The military driver seats Iolaus and Sam in the back while Hercules sits in the front as they drive to the Stargate project.
“Good to see you, Iolaus, Hercules. I’m sure Captain Carter has briefed you on your mission. So just step right this way. The SG-1 team will be prepped to leave in one hour.” General Hammond gives the briefest of salutes and walks away.
“According to our reconnaissance patrols around PS 4911, there has been recent Goauld activity. They have taken many slaves, burnt homes and villages. Our plan is to have you Hercules convince these people to bury their Stargate. Once the Goauld stops invading this world, Daniel thinks that in a few centuries PS4911 will be able to technologically progress just like Earth has.” O’Neill explains.
“Burying the portal will free PS4911 from slavery by the Goauld. It is a good plan.” Teal’c agrees.
“Colonel O’Neill, I will do my best to convince these people to bury the portal. Are there any Goauld presently on the planet?” Hercules asks anxious about Iolaus’ safety as it was a Goauld who had killed Iolaus in Sumeria and Hercules was not about to make the same mistake again.
“Our most recent probes tell us that there are no Goauld at this very moment on PS4911. Daniel is still on the planet surface trying to communicate with the people and keeping them safe and calm. Believe me, Hercules, we know what it’s like to lose someone to the Goauld. Daniel lost his wife to the Goauld and we don’t intend to repeat that mistake again.” Colonel O’Neill reaffirms.
“Very well then, Iolaus and I will be ready to leave for PS4911 in one hour. Where is our gear?” Hercules asks.
“Your gear is back this way, Hercules.” O’Neill and Teal’c give Hercules a tour of the military facility as well as the many defenses they have developed to ward Earth from any future attacks from the Goauld.
Iolaus and Sam have some quality time alone. “So, Samantha where is your office?”
Samantha gives Iolaus a tour of her lab. “I’m more of a science officer. I help Daniel translate the ancient scrolls or sometimes I help the doctor with a DNA sample or I help the General with computer circuitry..I do a little bit of everything..I back up Colonel O’Neill if there’s an invasion..like the time when we had a Goauld escape the facility..it’s a 7 days a week 24 hours a day kind of job…I hardly get to see the outside world”
Iolaus smiles his golden smile “You mean you hardly get to see Earth but you get to visit other worlds right?”
“The Stargate Project is my life. I’ve worked with SG-1 for close to five years now. Jack, Daniel, Teal’c and General Hammond are like family to me. After being on so many missions together facing so many life and death situations, we’ve all bonded.. I think as if we were related…we watch each other’s back” Samantha explains. “I like you very much Iolaus..but with this work..it’s just not fair to you..”
“Listen Sam, we’re just friends okay? I understand. I’ve always traveled with Hercules. I’ve always known since Hercules and I were boys that we were destined to be together..I know what it’s like to be committed to one’s destiny..to watch someone’s back..I promised Herc that I would always watch his back..well with the kind of lifestyle I lead..it’s difficult for me to have a steady relationship..Herc and I used to travel a great deal never staying in one place for long..I never expected anyone to marry me…so Sam I do understand but that doesn’t mean we can’t..you know..every once in a while right?” Iolaus gives Sam an extremely flirtatious look. His cerulean eyes sparkle with mischief of the coming night while Sam feels herself blushing all over.
“Come on Iolaus, we’ve got to join the others at the Stargate, it’s almost time for us to leave for PS 4911. Let’s go get our gear before we’re late.” Iolaus and Sam rush off to their lockers to grab their gear.
CHAPTER 3
“KEWL!” yells Iolaus as the SG-1 team glide through the wormhole towards PS 4911.
“Iolaus, do you mind? This is a serious mission.” Hercules warns Iolaus.
Once Hercules, Iolaus and the SG-1 team arrive on PS4911, the devastation left by the Goauld is still present. Burnt villages. Human remains. Flies on dead bodies. The odor of death everywhere. Not one soul around. Empty farms. Empty marketplace. A sense of eerieness. Deathly quiet. Not even the sounds of birds can be heard. No wildlife in the area.
Hercules immediately takes a defensive stance quickly scanning the area for enemy Goauld. “So much death..those Goauld will pay for the deaths of innocents” Hercules says under his breath.
“This place gives me the creeps.” Iolaus looks around with all his hunter senses tuned to every twig that snaps remotely out of place..Iolaus is ready to react..
Colonel O’Neill states “The survivors are in the caverns above the village. We think the rest were taken prisoner. Let’s head for the caverns. We shouldn’t remain out here in the open like this just in case the Goauld decide to return.”
“Don’t worry, Colonel O’Neill, I WILL convince these people to close their portal so that no more innocent men, women and children are taken hostage by the Goauld.” Hercules states.
Colonel O’Neill looks at Hercules “I have every confidence in you Hercules that you will accomplish your mission. You buried Earth’s Stargate 4,000years ago in Egypt and I know you will convince these people to do the same. Come on SG-1, let’s head out.”
Teal’c gives O’Neill and Hercules a warning “The sooner these people close the portal, the safer they will be. The Goauld WILL BE BACK.”
“Okay, people, you heard the man..let’s move it..up the mountain to the caverns..” O’Neill barks.
Socrates and his son, Isoceles, are standing in the caverns. After having survived the Goauld attack, they have decided to stay in the caverns until the Oracle says that it is safe for them to rebuild. The survivors in the cavern discuss the eminent arrival of Hercules, the Chosen One—the one chosen to save them from the Goauld.
“Isoceles, I think someone has come through the great portal. The Oracle says that the Chosen One, the Olympian has arrived. He will save us from the Goauld. The Oracle says that the Olympian Gods will save us. We will have to prepare the cavern for HIS arrival.”
“Did the Oracle say what the Olympian God will look like?” Socrates asks. “After all as leader of Grecia, (PS4911 to SG-1) I want to give HIM the proper Greek greeting.”
“Father, the Oracle says that his name is Hercules, Son of Zeus. He will have chestnut-colored hair and azure eyes.” Isoceles whispers to his father.
“Then we will do whatever Hercules, our God, demands. Prepare the proper food sacrifices. We will give Hercules a proper greeting to show our profound respect for him and for any other Olympian who may come through the portal. After all that is why we keep the portal open. Remember that Isosceles. The portal is for the glory of the Gods. We are but mere mortals. We must obey the will of the Gods.”
“Yes, Father. You are the wise one.”
“As is tradition, I will give up my throne to Hercules when he arrives.”
“Yes, Father. I will go tell the people of Hercules’ arrival.”
“Make it so.” Isoceles bows to his father in deep respect and prepares for the arrival of Hercules.
Iolaus is the first to notice the odd behavior of the survivors as he leans forward towards Hercules and says “Herc, is it my imagination or are those people preparing the ancient Greek ritual for greeting a God? They are all kneeling and offering food sacrifices. I thought there were no Gods on this planet?
Hercules’ acute hearing picks up the conversation of the survivors “I..I..They..I mean..ah..you know..I’m..only..a half-God..I..They think..I mean..They’re under the impression that I’m..ah..”Hercules looks extremely uncomfortable and embarrassed as he blushes to the roots of his hairline.
“Herc, you only stutter when you become shy. You only become shy when you are the center of attention…I’ve known for centuries that you are a half-God..what is going on Herc?”
Hercules is not able to meet Iolaus’ eyes. “Iolaus, I am NOT a full Olympian. Daniel and the others must not find out..I mean..I ..These survivors are under the wrong impression that I’m..I mean..” Hercules is too embarrassed and shy to finish his sentence.
Realization dawns on Iolaus’ face “You mean these Greeks think you’re a full God..a full Olympian..Oh no..I think I understand..ancient Greek mythology dictates the arrival of the Olympians to save them from the Titans..These Greeks must have interpreted the Goauld as the Titans..and you as the first of the Olympians to save them..Herc, they think you’re some kind of savior…” Iolaus starts laughing so hard that he grabs his ribs for support. “You, Herc,..a savior God figure..that’s just TOO FUNNY!”
“Iolaus, this is NOT funny. This is downright embarrassing. I mean we have to straighten these people out. I do not want God or hero worship. It was bad enough in Greece when the Ancient Greeks of our time thought of me as some kind of superhero and it was a relief when “Hercules” became a legend or myth so that I could live a normal life.”
Daniel notices Iolaus’ laughter “Hey guys what’s going on? You know I recognize the ritual the survivors are undertaking. They seem to be preparing for the arrival of some kind of God.”
Hercules averts the eyes of both Iolaus and Daniel as he carefully studies his feet. “Excuse me Daniel, nature calls” Hercules exits the scene.
“What’s with him? He looks embarrassed. Was it something I said?”
“No, Daniel” Iolaus reassures the young scientist. “It’s just that these survivors think Hercules is a God. Hercules heard them talking even from this distance. Herc’s always been painfully shy. He doesn’t like to be the center of attention, definitely not God or hero worship..that’s for sure.”
“The great Hercules shy?” asks a curious Daniel.
“Herc was so shy that he would stutter in front of a girl, especially a beautiful girl. He was so tongue-tied that I had to do all the talking. Plus when Herc was younger he spoke with a lisp the shyer he was, the more his lisp was pronounced. Even to this day, if Herc is embarrassed enough like what you just saw, he’ll stutter or stammer.” Iolaus explains.
Colonel O’Neill overhears Iolaus’ explanation and proclaims “I think we can use this “God worship thing” to our advantage. This way Hercules will have no trouble at all to convince these people to bury their portal. These Greeks will simply obey the word of their “Godhead”.The big plus is that the Goauld will be permanently out of the picture. And PS4911 will be safe.”
Iolaus shakes his head. “No, Herc will never let these people accept him as a God. I know Herc. He has spent his entire life to be accepted as a human, not as some kind of half-God freak or as a superhero. If Herc convinces these people, it will be as man to man. Trust me, I know Herc. We fought the ancient Greek Gods all our lives…the last thing we want to do is perpetuate the myth that the Greek Gods will save these people’s lives. Herc has always believed that we each should follow our hearts..each of us carves out our own destiny. And that’s the message Herc will deliver.”
“Well Iolaus, here goes.” Hercules approaches the Greeks. Isoceles and Socrates kneels before Hercules as does all the Greeks.
“Rise” Hercules states in a rather embarrassed voice “I am not a God. I am a man like you. There’s no need to worship me.”
The Oracle approaches Hercules and gives him an inquiring look “You say you are not a God. Are you the Son of Zeus, the King of the Gods?”
Hercules cannot deny the answer as he nods “Well..yes, I am the Son of Zeus…”
The Oracles places his hand on Hercules’ shoulder “Son of Zeus, why do you deny your Olympian heritage? It is your right to be worshipped by the people. We have kept the portal open awaiting for the Olympians to rescue his from the Goauld Titans who ravage our people.”
“Sir, I am only a half God. My father was Zeus, but my mother, Alchemene was a mortal just like you. I am not a God. I cannot shoot thunderbolts and bolts of energy. I’m a man like you.” Hercules explains patiently. “I have come to Grecia in order to relay an important message. I’m here to convince you people to close your portal.”
“Son of Zeus, to the people of Grecia, you are a God. If you tell us to close our portal, we will obey you. We obey the will of the Gods. Tell us, how do we close the portal? Son of Zeus?”
“Listen, I’m not a God. You have to close the portal for your own safety. Once the portal is closed, the Goauld will no longer be able to take your people to be slaves. You are closing the portal to save yourselves. Do this for yourselves, not for me.” Hercules pleads.
The Oracle and the rest of the people of Grecia are puzzled by Hercules denial of his own birthright as a God. “We do not understand what you ask of us, O Great one, you ask us to close the portal..how will you return to Olympus if we close the portal?”
At this point O’Neill steps in “We have a portable device that Hercules can access to manually dial home. Only one person can use it and it is a one way device. Hercules, your mission is to bury the portal deep in the desert so that future generations of Grecians will not find it until they are ready to. The SG-1 team will leave PS4911 before you and then you will stay behind to bury the portal for these people, then you will activate this portable device to dial yourself home.”
Iolaus interrupts the conversation at this juncture and adds “Oh no, you don’t, I won’t leave Hercules behind. I’m staying with him. I helped him bury the portal last time and I will watch his back in case the Goauld come back.”
O’Neill gives Iolaus a frustrated look as he asks Daniel “Is it possible to program the portable device for two people to dial home?”
Daniel plays with the wiring of the device as he says “Give me a couple of hours but I wouldn’t advise it.”
“Iolaus, now who’s being the mother hen? I’ll be alright. You leave with the others. I’ll stay and help these people bury their portal and then I’ll use the portable device to dial myself home.” Hercules takes Iolaus by the shoulders and looks deep into his cerulean eyes as he says “I’ll be fine. Don’t worry about me. I’ve been the Chosen One before and I’ve survived it.”
Iolaus assents. “Alright, I’ll agree, but I don’t like this at all. If you don’t come back, I’ll find a way to rescue you. Is that clear?”
Samantha, Teal’c and Jack together say “We will wait 24 hours Hercules. If you do not make it back to Earth in that time frame, we will jerryrig another portable device to find you.
“Come on team. Let’s dial-back to Earth. We want to give General Hammond a full report. Hercules, see you in 24 hours. Good luck”
Iolaus gives Hercules a warrior handshake “Be careful, Herc.”
With a heavy heart, Iolaus jumps through the portal back to Earth. The SG-1 team return to Earth to give General Hammond a full report of PS4911.
At the mountain base, Iolaus paces the floor back and forth as he worries about Hercules. “Samantha, all this waiting is driving me crazy. It’s been 12 hours. How long does it take to bury a portal? I should have stayed with him. He can’t take care of himself without me. Sam, Herc and I are partners..partners don’t leave each other…”
“Iolaus, you’re wearing out the carpet. Hercules will come to no harm. Teal’c and Jack ran several scans over the planet and there were no Goauld in the area. So far, the portable device that Hercules has is still functional which means he is alive and well. Daniel is tracking Hercules’ movement as we speak. Come on, I’ll show you.”
Samantha shows Iolaus her lab. “See that red bleep on the computer screen, that’s the tracking device on the portable transporter that Hercules is wearing.”
“You mean that red bleep is Hercules?”
“Yes, according to the sensor logs, he’s traversing a desert terrain carrying a very heavy object.”
“Herc must be burying the portal for them.”
Iolaus gives Samantha a grateful look “Thanks Sam. I still won’t feel better until he’s home.”
“I know the feeling. None of us will rest easy until Hercules is home. I think I’ll link with Hercules to see what he’s feeling.” Iolaus enters Hercules’ mind and his emotions.
Iolaus continues to explain to Sam what he is feeling
from Hercules while Sam watches Hercules as a red bleep on her sensor screen.“I
can feel Hercules straining his muscles. I can feel Hercules carrying a heavy
object. Herc is thirsty…” Iolaus closes his eyes as he telepathetically
bonds with Hercules.
Hercules walks across the desert in the hot sun carrying a heavy Stargate
portal across his back. ”This thirst is killing me. I can’t believe this
portal is so heavy” thinks Hercules as he hauls the heavy portal across the
desert.
“Hercules, we the people of Grecia, are grateful for your assistance. I still don’t understand why you won’t let us worship you as a God even if you are only half-Olympian, it still makes you a half-God does it not?” asks a puzzled Socrates.
“I am also half-mortal. My mother taught me that each person must decide for him/herself his own destiny. It is not up to the Gods to decide our fate. It is not necessary to worship me because I am not a God. I have never asked anyone to worship me. With this portal buried and the threat of the Goauld gone, Grecia can progress like Earth has and you will come to understand that mortals do not need Gods to protect them or tell them what to do with their lives.” Hercules explains.
“I see” Socrates puts his hand to his chin in a pensive manner. “You are trying to tell me that at one time the mortals on Earth worshipped Gods. Now the mortals on Earth decide their own fate. Because you buried the portal on Earth, you allowed mortals the ability to grow without the interference of the Goauld and other Gods.”
“Not quite, on my planet, the Olympian Gods were destroyed by their own arrogance. I do believe in a greater God..A god of the Light. The Olympian Gods only existed in Greece..but the God of the Light exists everywhere..on every planet..anywhere where there is goodness and love. Someday when your people are ready, you will find the portal again and use it to explore the galaxy like Earth.”
“So we are friends then?” Socrates asks.
“Friends” Hercules gives Socrates a warrior’s handshake.
“Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve buried your portal. I’d better take this transporter device and dial myself back to Earth before Iolaus worries himself to death. He’s thinking about me right at this moment. I can tell he’s telepathically linking with me trying to see if I am safe or not.”
“Please, Hercules, one small favor, before you leave. Could you help find what became of the prisoners the Goauld took? The Goauld took my daughter, Alana. Can you find her for me?” Socrates asks.
“I am not a God. I am only a man”
“Please Hercules, I know you are only human. I only ask you to try. Man-to-man.”
“Alright. I’ll have SG-1 look into it. I’ll try to help you locate Alana and the others.”
“Thank you so much”
“Just promise me that you’ll keep that portal buried!”
“Yes, Hercules I promise.”
“You must understand that I might not be able to return again since the portal is buried”
“I understand. Find Alana a home on Earth. That’s all I ask if you find her.”
“You have my word. I will do my best to find her before the Goauld take her.”
“Thank you Hercules”
“Have faith, Socrates. SG-1 will find your daughter. I have faith in humanity.”
Hercules dials the address of Earth and then finds himself transported through the wormhole back home. “Okay guys, I hope you remember to keep that iris open. Incoming Hercules!”
Iolaus gets excited “General Hammond, Herc’s coming through the wormhole. Keep that iris open. Herc’s coming!”
General Hammond confirms Iolaus’ statement “Someone is dialing in the correct SG-1 code. It’s Hercules dialing in. Okay folks..open the iris..Correct SG-1 code confirmed.” The lights flash as the great iris of the Stargate is opened and Hercules comes through.
Hercules walks through the Stargate portal with a big grin on his face. Iolaus runs up to Hercules and gives him a big hug. “It’s so good to see you in one piece, Herc!” exclaims a relieved Iolaus.
“Glad to see you have such faith in me” teases the big man.
“Ha..Ha.. I wasn’t worried at all. I knew you could take care of yourself. It was Sam who was worried about you.” Iolaus counters.
“Iolaus almost wore out the carpet worrying himself sick over you” Sam confesses.”I think I speak for the whole SG-1 team, welcome back Hercules. Good to see you back.” Sam gives Hercules a brief hug herself to express her relief and gladness.
“Glad to be back. If there’s one thing I’ve learned it’s that the people of Grecia are NOT ready to have a portal..whereas Earth is. I’ve come to appreciate SG-1 and her crew. I’m sorry if I ever doubted General Hammond’s ability to guard Earth’s safety. Those were especially my thoughts as I was traveling through that wormhole wondering if you guys remembered to leave the iris open for me..I wasn’t sure I made it within the 24 hour window.”
General Hammond approaches Hercules “Congratulations on a mission well done. The people of PS4911 will now be forever safe from the Goauld thanks to you.”
“General, I want to apologize about my earlier attitude towards Stargate. I guess I was just angry that the Stargate people dug up a portal that I had taken so much trouble to bury..but now I’ve realized that Earth is ready for portal exploration when I saw how unprepared PS4911 is. PS4911 reminded me so much of Greece and Egypt back in the day when it was MY responsibility as Hercules, the Son of Zeus to protect Earth and keep it safe. Now I’ve realized that that mantel has long since passed to others like you General Hammond.” Hercules blushed as he reached this conclusion.
Iolaus eyes Hercules curiously. “You know General Hammond if I didn’t know Herc better, I’d swear Herc is about to ask you for a VERY BIG favor! I think Herc’s buttering you up..”
Hercules gives Iolaus an annoyed glare “I am not buttering HIM up. I’m telling General Hammond how I truly feel!”
“Yeah right!” Iolaus says sarcastically.
“Listen, Iolaus you’re not making this easy for me” Hercules shifts uncomfortably on his feet while he nervously puts his hand through his chestnut hair in a nervous gesture.
Iolaus whispers to Sam “Just watch, Herc’s going to ask for a really big one. I bet you he made a promise he couldn’t keep. Herc’s never one to say no. I just know it. I can feel it in my bones.”
“General Hammond, Socrates asked me if I could help him find his daughter, Alana. She was taken by the Goauld right before SG-1 arrival on PS4911. Is there any way to track the Goauld and get her back? I promised Socrates that I would try.” Hercules asks in a rather sheepish manner.
Iolaus whispers to Sam “What did I tell ya! Now that Herc understands the importance of Stargate exploration, now he wants to use the Stargate to save people. Typical Herc..can’t turn down a request for help!”
General Hammond considers Hercules’ request for a moment and then he gives the SG-1 team a stern look “You have 8 hours of rest. Your next mission is to find Alana. I’ll have Teal’c track down the Goauld ship. Teal’c doesn’t need to sleep so he will work an extra shift to do this. It’s R &R for everyone. Meet back here at 0600 hours.”
Hercules gives General Hammond a grateful look “Thank you General Hammond for granting my request. I promise I won’t let you down.” He gives General Hammond a military salute.
“So Herc, we’re going through that Stargate again, aren’t we?” Iolaus asks.
“Yes, Iolaus..you don’t have to gloat, you were right all along. The Stargate is a good project and Earth is safe. Let’s get some rest. We will have a long day tomorrow..” Hercules stifles a yawn to signal Iolaus to go to bed.
Iolaus waves goodnight to Hercules. Iolaus turns to talk to Samantha “Sam, one more adventure together through the Stargate.”
Samantha finds herself staring into those mesmerizing blue orbs “Iolaus, it will be fun going on another Stargate mission with you.” She wishes this would not be their last mission together for she knows now that she is in love with Iolaus.
Iolaus looks into Samantha’s kind gray eyes “Herc has to find Alana, Socrates’ daughter before she becomes a Goauld. I hope Herc has a plan.” All the time Iolaus is thinking how beautiful Samantha’s eyes look.
Samantha and Iolaus cannot stand to leave each other as they stare and grin foolishly at each other. “You know, Sam, when this is all over, I will wait for you..as long as you need.” Iolaus pulls Samantha close to him as they draw together for a long passionate kiss.
“Goodnight, Sam. I love you.”
“Goodnight Iolaus. I love you too.” Samantha walks on air as she reaches her bunk and dreams about kisses with Iolaus.
As Iolaus arrives at his bunk, Hercules is looking at some maps trying to formulate a plan to save Alana. Iolaus still is thinking about his goodnight kiss with Sam and wishing that he could marry Sam.
“You know, Iolaus, Teal’c has found the coordinates to the Goauld ship. Teal’c also knows where the prisoners are being held. He thinks we can use the transport devices and transport ourselves into the prisoner’s cell and transport the prisoners directly back to Earth, but we need a distraction.” Hercules is still looking at the maps and then he notices the faraway expression on Iolaus’ face.
“That’s good Herc. Goodnight.” Iolaus gets on his bunk to go to sleep.
Hercules notices the lovesick look on Iolaus’ face and knows that his best friend has NOT heard a word he says. Minutes after he hears Iolaus crawl into his bunk, he hears Iolaus snore. Hercules shakes his head and thinks I hope that Samantha lets Iolaus marry him. Hercules prays that his mission to save Alana is a successful one.
Somewhere on a crowded prison Goauld barge, a frightened prisoner huddles in the cold as she prays for safety. Alana has seen so many survivors taken away and when they come back, they have orange eyes and strange voices. She knows they have become Goauld. Dear God, please send someone to rescue me. I don’t want to become Goauld. I’d rather die than become a parasite and have that parasite force me to do things I don’t want to do. Alana shudders as she thinks of the horrible things the Goauld have done to their hosts. Alana hopes and prays for a miracle…
NOT THE END
Continued in It’s Greek to Me, Part II