Chapter Sixteen

SGC

Midnight

  A small army of magickal creatures and two Warriors suddenly appeared in the Briefing Room of the SGC to no greeting party. Fiona and the others helped her bring them back on the Astral but Calla had done most of the work bringing the thirty-five of them here in one trip and she was on the verge of falling asleep on her feet. “Are you all right, Lady?” Achilles asked as he was the one closest to her.

“Why don’t you sit down, Ollie? I’ll find Daniel and the others.” Duncan told her. He watched her sit in the chair at the head of the table and lay Excalibur down upon it. From the look on her face she was happy to be rid of its weight though earlier she said it was lighter than a feather.

“Let Daniel sleep its late,” she said a weary voice, “bring Father and Nicholas.” Shaking head ruefully wondering how she could have forgotten “And Lord Thor, please, Duncan.”

“Mother you will stay with her?” Duncan asked.

“I will stay with her.” Achilles spoke before Queen Fiona could answer. “Take some of them bring back their lead along with those she’s asked for, bring food and beverage with you as well.” His tone was sharp and brusque.

Duncan swallowed and stared hard at the ancient warrior. “You have good ideas, Achilles, but you don’t order me around I am not one of your soldiers.”

“So you’re not, I don’t even know if you can fight.” Achilles returned.

“Stop this.” Calla almost whined. “I’m tired. Please do as Achilles asked.”

“All right, Callestah but not because you demanded it.” He said to Achilles before leaving the room.

“It’s been a long time since I saw Ares I hope he does not delay too long.” Achilles said as he sat in the chair next to her. The others around them, the faeries and pixies who followed them here found places to make themselves comfortable in the Briefing Room.

Inside of five minutes the room was bustling with people including those requested. “Calla,” Daniel called out her name as he rushed into the room. “Hi, hon…” his voice trailed off as the sight of so many new gray hairs in her head met his eye. A tall blonde haired man stood in his path. He was dressed in the garb of an ancient Greek warrior. “Get out of my way, Achilles, she’s my wife.” The hard bodied handsome man looked down at the woman in the chair who nodded her compliance and he stood aside but kept a close eye on Daniel. “You did very well,” he whispered as he looked around at all the new people she’d brought with her to strengthen their number and accomplished the task Ares set before her. Dropping to one knee in front of her so he could look her in the eye only to find them more than a tad faded he added. “I bet you’re tired.”

“A little.” She whispered reaching out to him and holding on in a dreadfully weary grip. “Where’s Father?”

“He’s been with Thor we sent a message up and told them you returned. I’m sure they’ll both be here very soon.”

“Then Thor and I will go. Where’s Nicholas?” She asked without letting go. Holding onto Daniel her head finally slowed down and then stopped spinning, Calla was able to ground herself and try to find her second wind by drawing much needed energy from him. Daniel was always so good about it, he never complained, he never told her to stop. Tonight she was very grateful for that.

Feeling her Take from him and only wanting her to be strong, Daniel looked past her shoulder he saw Nick, Annie and Cole standing not far behind her and he motioned for Nicholas to come over to them. “He’s right here.”

“Mom?” Nick knelt down beside her small tired body. “Are you ok?”

“I need you to come with us to Valhalla.” Calla told him.

Nick’s heart dropped while he gazed down at Annie who was shaking her head ‘no’ at him. While his heart didn’t like the idea something deeper than that inside of him was stirring to life, if he said something to his Grandfather Ares would have told him what he was feeling was the call of battle and he couldn’t deny its song. “I gotta go, Annie. We talked about this. I’ll be back.” Nicholas assured her and held her tight in front of everyone. “Don’t worry.”

“Get out of my way!” Snarled a voice from behind.

“Father,” Calla let out a small smile as he came into view but she didn’t let go of Daniel and envelop Ares in her arms the way he would have liked. “I have brought what you asked for.”

“By the Gods!” Achilles cried. “What she says is true then? She is your Daughter? I never thought I’d see you again, Ares!”

“Achilles! Ha!” The two men clasped forearms and then embraced while taking each other in. “Good to have you back old friend.”

“OK, so it’s Fill In the Mortals Time,” Jack chimed and took a seat at the table. “I think some introductions are in order,” he said looking around at all the recent arrivals in the room most of them with their delicate iridescent wings and pointed ears.

“Good idea, I’m all for it.” Sam seconded and also sat.

Once all were settled Calla looked up at Ares, “I have brought the sword as well.” With her slender she motioned to it laying on the table. “Who do you intend to wield it, Father? They said it could not be you or Achilles.”

Ares snorted and then let out a laugh. “No, not us.” He smirked. “But you, you can master this sword.” Ares said looking at Duncan MacLeod.

“Me? Are you out of your mind?”

“No, I don’t think so.” Ares pushed the sword down the table to Duncan. “Go on, pick it up.”

Duncan had to admit it was a very blade and an even finer offer but as he reached for the hilt a tiny hand came down over it. “Why my son?” Fiona shot.

“Do you think him worthy of this, Fiona?” Ares asked. “Do you not think him, your own son, capable?”

“Of course I do!” She hissed. “This is vengeance! You believe my Mother stole your Daughter from you so you will steal my Son from me!” Fiona accused.

Ares saw the interest in Calla’s eyes, she’d like to know what he thought on this subject. “I don’t think Maeve stole her nor do I believe she did right by Callestah either.” His jaw set tight he laid down his main charge against the Faery Queen Maeve. “She kept her mouth shut too long kept my Daughter hidden from me. She played god with our lives and took away years that we can never get back. More than that when she was called upon to HELP Callestah she did much more harm than good. The spell she laid on her was worse than the curse Psyche did before her. She put my Daughter in harm’s way, she knew Eros could touch Callestah and she said nothing.”

“What are you talking about?” Fiona railed. “Maeve loved her.”

“Stop talking about me like I’m not in the room,” Calla said, “please?” the two of them ceased their bickering. “Duncan? What do you want?”

“I don’t mind giving it a shot,” he said easily and reached for the sword again. “I don’t agree with you Ares, Maeve kept her hidden because Aphrodite told her you’d harm the baby. They all knew Zeus barred you from having female offspring.”

“It wasn’t her place to keep Father from Daughter.” Ares spat. “Are you going to wield it or not, Highlander?”

“Aye, I will.” Duncan agreed. “Not because you want me to.”

“Why then?” Achilles asked.

“Something about it just feels right. What do you say, Achilles, up for a sparing match after our strategy session?” Duncan held the mighty blade to the fluorescent lights in the room. “Been sleeping a while I imagine you’re rusty.”

“I’ll show you rusty, Celt.” Achilles shot back.

“You three play nice,” Jack ordered. “The sword is cool and all and I’m sure he’s a great warrior, read all about ya,” he said to Achilles, “but how is this going to help us save the world?”

“Ye of little faith,” Ares quipped, “you’ll just have to trust me, Jack.” He grinned a wolvish smile.

“Yeah, ya see now, I got a real problem with that.” Jack returned. “I don’t think you’re a trustworthy kinda guy.”

“I know,” Ares smirked, “sucks, doesn’t it, Jack? Being between a rock and hard place with no where to go but up.”

“No more friction,” Calla said in a tired voice, “Lord Thor, are you ready to go?”

Daniel didn’t give him time to answer. “You need to rest, to get something to eat, something to drink. Wait a little while, ok?” He held Calla’s hand tightly knowing she was going to say ‘no’.

“The sooner we finish this part the sooner you can get on with defending the world.” She said in as light a tone as she could muster.

Daniel just couldn’t let her go so quickly. Looking around there were at least four people sitting at the table who might be able to answer the question burning in his mind. If nothing else, it would buy Calla a little rest time. “Nick, my grandfather,” he stuttered, “his notes indicate something about a machine in Zeus’s palace that banished Hecate from Earth. Any of you know anything about that?” He looked from Calla to Ares to Achilles and then at Thor.

“Grandfather’s Palace?” Calla asked and shook her head. “I’ve never been there.”

“She’s right,” Ares spoke quickly, “Zeus’ Palace is on Olympus and by the time Callestah arrived we had long abandoned the mountain.”

“And the machine?” Sam asked. “What about that Ares? Why didn’t you say something?”

Ares stared at his one-time lover with a callous eye. “Why would I believe it still works?” He asked her and then turned to his attention to his own hands. “There was an obelisk in his Palace which when he operated it opened a worm hole like your Stargate but it did not work the same way. There did not have to be a corresponding gate for it to work. The device made an opening wherever you wanted it, no matter how far.”

“Convenient.” Jack intoned slyly. “How do we get to it and how do we make it work?”

“Zeus’ Palace is secreted away at the very top of Mount Olympus, you can’t reach it, O’Neill.” Ares said snidely.

“Correct me if I’m wrong,” Daniel mumbled, “but Olympus isn’t insurmountable.”

“No, it is not. But few men have conquered it and no mortal man has ever discovered its secrets. They never will no matter how long Olympians are banned for their home.” Ares sat back in his seat. “Olympus’ glaciers are formidable and only the hardest of men ever reach the summit.”

“I bet you can get there, can’t ya, Ares?” Jack asked with a grin. “You and Calla.”

“I know where my Father’s Palace lies but no one can travel the astral to enter the astral will only take one so far on Olympus.” Ares cautioned. “Then you must travel the rest of the way on foot. It is a perilous journey at best especially since no one has tended the paths in a thousand years. Such a journey would be pointless anyway,” he scoffed, “After Zeus banished her he used the machine only once more and that was to break it ensuring she would never return.”

“Break it?” Sam asked with wondering eyes. “What’d he do to it?”

Ares let out a sigh. “Zeus took the centerpiece of the device, the piece which he used to wind it up and while the hole was opened, he ripped it out of its place and tossed it through never to be seen again.”

“To wind it up?” Calla asked in wonder looking at her Father.

“Yes,” Ares agreed.

“What made it work, Father?” Her eyes lit up. “Could it have been the power of Grandfather’s memories?”

“How did you know that?” Ares asked in equal astonishment.

“Daniel! Go home! Your tablet, the one that brought David forth, it’s the missing piece. Mr. Ramis said it fit inside something else and that it may have been used to wind something up.” The color rushed into her face as the words rushed out of her mouth. “Colleen take him, quickly. Thor, Nicholas and I will go to Valhalla, we won’t be gone long. This should be easy once we find the right path.” The light shone brightly in her eyes. “Father, go to Olympus, bring the device here. Take Duncan and Achilles with you.”

“Humm,” Ares growled. “I don’t know about this, Daughter.”

“I do,” she said lowly, “She will come here because this is the only Stargate left and she will want to bring all of her troops through. When she comes we will be ready for her, we will lure her here so we can send her away forever.”

“And those that she brings in by ship?” Teal’c asked. “What do you intend for them?”

“Them,” she pointed to the newcomers at the table, “the Valkyrie they will defeat them by air along with your ships and those of the Asgard.” Calla said with confidence. “And the Ladies of Avalon freed the dragons, they are at Fiona’s call. We will defeat them swiftly and soundly.” Calla brought her emerald eyes up to meet Jack’s gaze. “Well, General, what do you think?”

“Sounds like a plan.” Jack concurred.

Calla stood up and put an arm around Nicholas. “Then it’s time.”

“Please, Lady, allow me to be responsible for our transportation.” Thor said.

“Just a little rest, please, Cal?” Daniel begged. “A cat nap?” He smiled for her.

“I’ll be home soon my love. Go and get the tablet.”

“I’ll take you, Dad, it’ll be quicker that way.” Colleen said. “Lilly’s asleep for the night but pop in on her, ok, Annie?”

“Yeah,” the teenage girl muttered looking at her husband standing there with his arm around his Mother. “Give me a hug?” She asked him. Nicholas didn’t hesitate he left Calla’s side and sweeping her off her feet, he took his wife up in his arms. “I love you.” Annie whispered. “Come home soon we’ve got a whole life ahead of us.”

“I know, I can’t wait to get to it.” Nick whispered back. “I love you, Annie, don’t worry, everything’s gonna be just fine.” Kissing her cheek he settled her back to her feet and returned to Callas’ side. “I’ll be home before ya know I’m gone.”

“Kiss?” Calla asked looking up at Daniel. “I’ll see you soon.”

“Very.” Daniel agreed and laid a soft kiss on her lips. “I wish you’d stay just a few minutes.”

“I wish there were time.” She said in return before the three of them disappeared from the Briefing Room.

“All right,” Jack said rising to his feet and clasping his hands together. “They’re on their way, it’s our turn. What do ya say?” He asked Ares.

“Think you can keep up, Jack?” Ares dared.

“I think I can manage it.”

“Fine with me. We’ll stop at the Cave and pick up some supplies.” Ares looked at Daniel and then rest of them in the room. “I wouldn’t expect us until some time tomorrow.” Ares warned. “It’s a grueling journey to Zeus’ Palace. I hope she’s right about this.”

Yeah, well that made….well…all of them. “Let’s go Dad,” Coley said. “I think I wanna pick up a few things at the house anyway.”

“OK,” Daniel agreed. “We’ll be back.”

“We won’t be here,” Ares said heartily. “Aren’t you happy?”

“Tickled pink,” Daniel intoned before disappearing with Colleen.

“Well, what are we waiting for?” Ares asked the men about to travel with him to the top of Mount Olympus then he looked over at Sam. “Guess this leaves you in charge for a while my dear. I know how much you get off on power.” He cooed at her while licking his lips. “You always like to be in the driver’s seat.”

“Get outta here,” Sam said through a tight set jaw. Then looking at Jack she added. “Careful, ok? Don’t turn your back on him.”

“I won’t.” Jack said easily.

“Oh, I’m hurt.” Ares said with a false tone in his voice. Under his power the four of them disappeared from the room only to reappear in Ares’ Cave where the gruesome sight which met their eyes brought about an unbridled rage in the God of War. His women, his beautiful women, raped and slaughtered like cattle. Their broken battered bodies lay strewn all over his home, his throne, his bed, floating in the bath. Their throats slit, their bodies mutilated, all with frozen gasps of horror on their once lovely faces.

“Ares!” Achilles cried out. “Who could do this to you? Who would dare?”

Ares took in a great breath and the stench assaulted his nostrils. “Aphrodite isn’t the only one free, she’s taken Eros with her. Those women of mine that he did no kill he took with him.” Was Enya one of them? Had she returned here and been taken captive? Ares didn’t know but one thing was for sure she wasn’t here. On his bed lay poor little Krystal her hands tethered to her throat at one end and her ankles at the other. With the ropes Eros strangled her to death while he raped her, the more she wiggled and indeed even just the more he thrust the tighter the rope around her throat became until she suffocated below him. “He doesn’t deserve to draw breath! I’m going to kill him.”

“Eros, huh?” Jack asked and didn’t receive the news with any joy. “Guess that explains what happened to your painting.” Jack cast his eyes downward. All saw the painting Calla did of he Father and Daniel, it lay smashed to pieces on the floor and cut through with the blade of a knife. “We better tell Daniel and Calla as soon as we get back.”

“Yes, we must be swift about this.” Ares agreed still taking in the room around him. The fire in the hearth died out long ago and above it was a large empty spot where the Chains once sat in victory. “Eros stole the Chains!” He raged. “What does he intend to do with them?”

“Maybe one of us should go back now and tell them what’s going on. Why don’t you use your head and talk to Calla.” Jack suggested. “Those chains could be used on her again or your Grandchildren.”

”Yes, it seems Callestah was not wrong about what her Mother intends only her timing was off.” Ares agreed. “Highlander, go back and protect my Daughter, O’Neill go protect your base. Achilles, you and I must reach the summit we will bring the obelisk down from Zeus’ Palace.”

Back at the Jackson house Daniel took his time with the tablet, he even sat down at his wide comfortable desk while Colleen packed another bag for the baby. There wasn’t any great rush to get back to the base.

Just east of the island of Brunholm in the Baltic Sea, Thor, Calla and Nicholas appeared on another island. One much like Avalon and those upon which Callestah grew up but it was cold and shrouded in mist. “You guys like islands, don’cha?” Nicholas asked.

“They’re quiet, out of the way.” Calla said in return. “The opening to Valhalla is down that way.” She pointed toward a long sloping path. “At the end we will find a great boulder and beyond we will find Bragi.”

“Who?” Nick asked.

“Bragi is the guardian of the gate, she is the Norse goddess of poetry,” Thor said in a quiet monotone voice. “That is if one believed in such things.”

“You will not believe until you see will you?”

Without waiting for an answer they all walked on. Thor walked ahead of them remembering much younger days when he walked around this very island in the guise of a very large human male with striking red hair. Like Ares he was considered a God of War but unlike Ares Thor was well liked because he had a reputation of fighting for the common man in Just causes.

Staying close to Nicholas Calla slipped her hand into his. “It’s not true you know, what you Grandfather said. I don’t want you to be upset about it.”

“About what? Daniel Jackson not being my Father?” Nick asked. The last time this subject came up ended badly and he’d broken her wrists. It was time the subject was discussed. “You don’t know that, Mom. Now, don’t get all upset on me. I love Dad, he’s my Dad and my only Dad forever and ever amen, ok?” Nick asked but then went right on. “But he might not be the guy who donated the DNA that made me. It’s OK, Mom, I’m a’right with dat.”

“I’m not,” Calla whispered with a furrowed brow. “How can you be so calm and callous about it?” She didn’t want an answer. “Janet said David was sterile…”

“I asked Dad, he said Dr. Fraiser said Uncle David was ‘clinically sterile’, I looked it up Mom. That means he was still shooting a few good ones but not enough so that it was anywhere near likely he’d ever have kids but not impossible.” He watched his Mother’s eyes roll back in her head and she raised a hand to her graying temple and the other stroked her belly. “Would you love me any less if I was David Jackson’s son?”

“Of course I wouldn’t but you’re not,” she reminded him. “I hate Andy for putting up that web site, you never should have had to see that.”

“You mean you never wanted me to know what Uncle David did. He tricked you, didn’t he? Into thinking he was Dad.”

“Why? Why do you insist that you’re his son and not that Colleen is his daughter? Both are just as likely.”

Mom was starting to babble and grasp at air for any type of stability. Nicholas didn’t want to push her too much further but he was rather raw himself having just lost his wife. “Cause she’s got Daniel Jackson’s eyes and I don’t.” Nick answered. “I look just like Umpa. Didn’t you ever wonder why?”

“No.” The last thing she wanted to do was to discuss the details of this with Nicholas. “You are Daniel Jackson’s son and that’s the end of it.”

“A’right, Mom, whatever you say. But I got more questions you promised to tell everything.” Nick reminded her. “Let’s get going.”

End of Chapter sixteen
The Cradle Will Fall
Continue to
Chapter Seventeen