CONSEQUENCES
Disclaimer: The characters of Dylan and the crew of Andromeda belong to Tribune Broadcasting. The characters of Hercules and Iolaus belong to Renaissance Pictures. No money is being made from these stories. These stories are written for entertainment purposes only.
Author’s Note: This story is a crossover between Andromeda and Hercules. In my universe, Hercules and Dylan Hunt are the same person. This story is a sequel to my other Andromeda stories. In order for this story to make sense, the reader should have read “The Longest Day”, To tell the Truth Part I and To tell the Truth Part II.
SPOILER WARNING:This story takes place right after the Andromeda episode “The Widening Gyre” which concludes the season cliffhanger from Season One when the whole Andromeda crew was attacked by the Magog and the last shot of the cliff hanger was of Dylan lying unconscious on the floor of the Andromeda. At the end of the episode, the Widening Gyre, the crew makes it back to Andromeda in one piece but Harper is still infested with Magog eggs and the crew of Andromeda have not figured out how to get the eggs out of Harper. This story deals with the consequences of the Magog attack set in the Skylark alternate universe where Dylan Hunt is really Hercules.
CHAPTER 1
Iolaus walks into the medical bay of the Andromeda. Dylan is sound asleep in his chair next to Harper’s bed refusing to leave Harper’s side. Trance monitors Harper’s life signs as she tells Iolaus Harper’s medical condition.
“As you know Iolaus..a few hours ago, the Magog attacked Andromeda..then the Magog captured and infested Harper with eggs..we were able to get the eggs out of Tyr..but Tyr nearly died..but Harper is still infested..Dylan has been besides himself with guilt and hasn’t had a decent night’s sleep..”
“Aw poor Herc” thought Iolaus. Dylan is slumped uncomfortably in a chair next to Harper snoring softly. His head bent forward and soft signs of snoring being emitted from his lips. “Herc..it’s not your fault..none of it is..it’s not your fault that the Magog attacked Harper..and infested him with eggs..I just wish you’d believe that”
Trance injects a needle into Iolaus’ arm and watches as the needle suctions blood out of Iolaus’ arm into Harper’s arm. “Thank you for this blood transfusion, Iolaus. You will save Harper’s life. Your blood will dissolve the eggs. Whatever healed you, will heal Harper as well.”
Iolaus shakes his head sadly “I just wish I could do more. I just wish I could remember who healed me..” Iolaus closes his eyes as he relives the moments of being infested with Magog eggs. The Magog had injected some kind of paralyzing agent into Iolaus’ body rendering him totally helpless and then Iolaus watched helplessly as the Magog ravaged and clawed open his abdomen and then injected a massive gooey green gel into his stomach..the green gooey gel grew into Magog eggs..Iolaus could feel his life force ebbing..nausea and disgust raged in his heart as he felt his body being violated by the Magog..As Iolaus lost consciousness, Iolaus felt the presence of a godly being..a warm shaft of light radiated throughout his body as he felt his body being healed and the Magog eggs being removed from his abdomen..the last thing Iolaus remembers seeing is Aphrodite’s smiling face as she transported a dying Iolaus back to Raisa.
“I’m just glad that my blood can heal Harper and permanently dissolve the Magog eggs infested in his body..it’s the least I can do..how long will it take before the eggs are gone altogether?” Iolaus queries as he shakes his head free of his own horrifying memories with the Magog to focus on the present condition of Harper.
“Judging from how fast the eggs are presently dissolving..I’ll say in two or three hours Harper’s body will be clear and free of the Magog eggs thanks to your blood transfusion. But you know what worries me is not Harper’s physical condition, no, I’m worried about the mental trauma this Magog attack has caused the whole crew!” announces Trance as she twirls her tail in a nervous gesture.
“Tell me about it. As Guardian of the Light, I am aware of all prayers to Michael..and Rev Bem has been praying non-stop asking for forgiveness for the murder and slaughter of innocent humans that his Magog bretheren has caused…and for his inability to save Tyr and Harper from the horros of Magog egg infestation..Rev’s soul is pure..the Light has long ago forgiven him..it’s now Rev who has to forgive Rev..”
“I am partly empathic..and I can feel the crew’s pain..all of them feel guilty in one way or another..Rev with his constant prayers..Beka feels as if she’s let down the crew by not better protecting ‘her’ crew from danger as if she’s let them down in a promise..for a Valentine does not go back on a promise especially Beka..both Tyr and Harper will have to live with Magog nightmares the rest of their lives…”
Iolaus stops Trance in mid sentence as he says “You didn’t mention Dylan..why?”
Trance turns around to face Iolaus “Iolaus..I didn’t just ask you over here just to cure Harper..it’s Dylan I’m worried about the most..you see the others will recover..I see their futures as bright..they are survivors each and every one of them..I can see into the future..Iolaus..it’s one of my many talents..Rev Bem will absolve his guilt by building a hospital..Beka Valentine will uphold her promise and keep her crew safe..Tyr..well he’s a Nietzchean it goes without saying that he will be alright..no..it’s Dylan who’s giving up..he’s giving up his dream of reestablishing the Commonwealth…Dylan feels like a dinosaur..300 years out of time…out of sync..he wants to hand over the reestablishment of the Commonwealth to Beka..I don’t understand it..Dylan is not a person who gives up easily..can you talk to Dylan and talk some sense into him? I see a very dark future for us all if Dylan gives up his quest to reestablish the Commonwealth..please Iolaus..I know Dylan will listen to you..”
Hearing Iolaus’ voice, Dylan/Hercules wakes up. “Iolaus, is that you?”
“Yes, Herc..it’s me..I heard about Andromeda being attacked from Rev Bem..he’s been praying nonstop since he’s gotten back on board..Rev Bem feels terrible about what happened to Harper and Tyr..I came as soon as I heard..”
“Will Harper be alright? Did the blood transfusion work? Have his eggs been dissolved?” asks a frantic Dylan/Hercules as he rubs the sleep from his eyes.
“Trance says that in a couple of hours all the Magog eggs will be gone..flushed out of Harper’s body..my blood will dissolve all of it..don’t worry..Herc..I’ve got everything under control..well actually it’s my blood that’s got everything under control..”
Hercules waves a hand in Iolaus’ direction and gives his longtime best friend an indulgent smile as he patiently waits for Iolaus to stop babbling “Iolaus..you’re babbling again..”
Iolaus places his hands on his hips and gives Hercules an indignant stare “I DO NOT BABBLE! I’ll have you know that I am Michael’s right hand man and that I am his most important Guardian of the Light and Guardians do not babble!”
“Iolaus..I’m just glad you’re here!” Hercules settles back into his chair and watches Harper breathe.
Iolaus looks into his best friend’s eyes and he sees various emotions warring inside Hercules’ compassionate azure eyes..pain..sadness..guilt..defeat? Trance is right..Hercules is thinking of giving up his quest and handing over the mantle of the responsibility of restablishing the Commonwealth to someone else..Herc is giving up! Iolaus decides right then and there to take the bull by the horn and smack some sense into his guilt-ridden partner.
“Herc..I know we’ve been through this before..you feel guilty..about it all..so what! It’s not your fault that the universe is shot to hell and that the Magog is all over the place infesting everyone..nobody blames you for anything Herc..besides..Harper, Tyr and I we are all alive..free from Magog eggs..no harm done..Herc.. Please..listen to me..” pleads Iolaus.
“Iolaus..I’m 300 years out of step..everyone on this ship views me as a 300 year old fossil..I’m obsolete..Beka Valentine..whom I’ve already promoted to First Officer can take over when I step down as Captain of the Andromeda..I’m retiring Iolaus..it’s time I put myself out to pasture..this would never have happened if…”
“Wait a minute Herc..You are not retiring..over my dead body..”
Hercules gives Iolaus a look of pure alarm at the thought of Iolaus being dead..
“Sorry Herc..let me rephrase that..Herc..you just can’t leave us..Humanity needs you..You were there to make Greece strong..to unify Earth under the banner of Starfleet..to unify the galaxy under a similar banner of the Commonwealth..you were the cement that held it all together for thousands of years..you can’t just walk out now!”
“Iolaus..I’ve been away for three hundred years..this LONG NIGHT that everybody calls it..is my fault and mine alone..if I had only warned the Commonwealth High Guard about the Nietzchean upheaval while there was still time..I could have prevented this Long night altogether..but no.. I was too slow on the uptake..too naïve..I did this..Iolaus..as Hercules motions to Harper’s still emaciated body recovering from the effects of the savage Magog rape..I might as well raped him..I might as well…” Hercules casts his eyes down as he whispers the last part “I might as well raped you..Iolaus..all of it..my fault..I’m so sorry..” Tears of regret and sadness fall from Hercules’ face..as Hercules buries his face in Iolaus’ shoulder and begins to sob uncontrollably.
Hercules continues his heaving sobs as Iolaus comforts Hercules with soft nonsense words.
“Herc..it’ll be alright..You and Me together..we will rebuild the Commonwealth..I will always be at your side from now on..Aphrodite will take care of things on Raisa..Herc..I promise I will never let you go..I will always watch your back..just as I promised you when we were kids..we’ll do this together..just as we’ve always done..when we established Utopia and turned Earth into paradise..the Federation when we unified Earth and her nearest neighbors into one coalition of peace and prosperity and of course the Commonwealth when we unified many billions of planets and galaxies together..Herc..together we can face any enemy..any Dahak..”
Hercules lifts his tear stained face from Iolaus’ shoulder and asks in a childish plaintive voice seeking reassurance “You really think we can do this? You really think I’m not obsolete anymore?” Iolaus looks into those long familiar eyes and sees such total vulnerability and trust as if the slightest wrong word would cause Hercules to totally lose his trust..as if his soul were about to fall into a dark abysss of distrust and doubt. Iolaus looks into those trusting azure eyes and carefully words his next sentence.
“Herc..back to back..we can never fail..you and I together..you are my anchor Herc..my best friend..my brother..when have we ever failed one another..we have fought at each other’s side for centuries..Michael would never have allowed me to stay on the mortal plane if he didn’t think that it was our destiny to fight together always to save mankind from destruction..fight we have to fight the good fight..because if we don’t..Dahak will have won..we don’t want Dahak to win do you?”
“Iolaus..I don’t know..look at Harper…Tyr..I..”
“Herc..Andromeda estimates that Dahak will regenerate in less than three months..that the nova bomb that you dropped only dinged it..how are we going to defeat an enemy that strong by ourselves? We need a unified front of many planets..many galaxies because Herc..if you ‘retire’..Dahak and the rest of the Magog will eat and infest everyone in the known universe..so you see Hercules..the world still needs you..you and Me..”
“Iolaus..I know the risks..it’s just..I..”
“Hercules..have you heard anything that I’ve said? Dahak has gotten much stronger..he has managed to spread darkness over the Magog because the Magog was unsuccessful in keeping Dahak out of their realm and now Dahak is about to take over the known galaxy feeding off our fears..our doubts..our hatred..the only way to defeat Dahak is through our love..our unity..our confidence in ourselves and in others..Herc..do you want Dahak to rule..to take over the universe..to consume me again?”
That last sentence made Hercules relive Sumeria all over again when Dahak had tricked Iolaus into letting him use his body and the guilt Hercules suffered then as Hercules eyes locked with Iolaus’ eyes in astonishment.
“No, Iolaus..I will NEVER let Dahak consume you or anyone again..not as long as I am alive..I will protect anyone from ever having to experience that kind of violation again if it takes my death..I wil fight Dahak to the end..” growled a very determined and angry Hercules.
“That’s the spirit..Herc..dig deep into that anger..and we can take down Dahak together..with the strength and unity of a renewed Commonwealth..with you as the leader Herc..and only you..” Iolaus continues.
“Iolaus..will you stand by my side..as my best friend..as my heart..I just can’t do this without you..”
“Of couse Herc..that’s what we Guardians do..we guard humanity and we watch our best friend’s back..I’ve got your back Herc..forever..”
“Oh Iolaus..what have I ever done to deserve a friend like you!” And in one impulsive hug, Hercules squeezes the diminutive blond man into his massive chest and pins Iolaus so hard that Iolaus cannot breathe.
“Ah Herc..you can let me go now..I can’t breathe.”
Hercules, thoroughly embarrassed releases Iolaus from his iron grip.
CHAPTER 2
“Beka..how many planets have signed the Commonwealth charter?” asks Dylan.
“Well..with the Amvushian empire..that makes over a thousand worlds..” Beka replies..
“Thousands? Only thousand? We need a lot more support if we are to defeat Dahak or Enigma or whatever he calls himself these days.” Dylan sighs.
“Well Iolaus is working on getting the Rhumbian government to cooperate..the Rhumbians alone control three galaxies alone and there’s hundreds and hundreds of planets that the Rhumbians control.” A now healthy and hale Harper reports.
“Rhumbians? Aren’t those the ones who love to dance?” inquires a puzzled Dylan his brow knitted in confusion.
“Oh yeah that reminds me..Iolaus sent a message..he says that in order for you to prepare for the Rhumbian delegation..he is sending you a renowned dance teacher who will help you catch up on three hundred years worth of dancing..her name is Widow Twanky..they say she’s the best..she will be giving you dancing lessons so you’ll be ready to dance before the Rhumbian delegation..”
“I have to learn how to dance?” groans Hercules/Dylan painfully as he blushes red when he realizes that even in his own time he was two left feet.
“Iolaus is sending Widow Twanky on the next shuttle we will be expecting her arrival at 0900 hours tomorrow..”
“Alright..alright..I’ll do anything to gain the Rhumbians’ cooperation even learn to dance” admits Dylan very very reluctantly.
_(Well folks..my next story will be amore humorous take on how Widow Twanky teaches Dylan/Hercules how to dance)
THE END