If there are words I can tell to you
to help you on the way down the road
I couldn’t quote ya no
Dickens, Shelly or Keats
‘cause it’s all been said before
Make the best of a bad joke
laugh it off
You didn’t ask to come here anyway
So remember
Every Picture Tells a Story, don’t it?

Every Picture Tells a Story
Rod Stewart

"Hey, Calla?" Daniel called from the den and waited a few moments. Soon her head popped into the door way. "Are you busy?"

"No, the children have finally gone to bed. What can I do for you?" She asked as she stepped into the room where Daniel was working at the computer. The screen had three different windows open, the side plates of the desk were pulled out and on them were piles of papers and the notebook/manuscript that she gave him at Christmas.

"I want you to read something for me, come here and sit down." Looking up at her with pensive eyes he pushed the notebook toward her and watched while she glanced at it.

"You don't need me to read this. You can read this." She protested as her eyes took in the ancient Greek text which had been copied into the notebook in Nicholas Ballard's very neat hand.

"I didn't say I need you to read it. I want you to read it. Start here."

Calla huffed a sigh and leaned over the book, tracing the words with her fingertip as she read aloud. "Seeing the havoc his son had wrought, Grandfather . . . " she stopped and cleared her throat. "Sorry, Zeus, sent down a thunderbolt which struck his son harshly upon the head. Grand . . . Zeus appeared in the cave and took from Fath . . . Ares, the symbols of his Lordship." Calla stopped and looked up at her husband.

"Keep going," Daniel encouraged. "Don't stop now."

"Daniel," she began and pushed the book away, "this is not something we speak of." She tried to explain but his eyes begged her to continue. Burying her head in the book with a heavy sigh, she finished the passage he outlined earlier. "Zeus took from Ares his Crown and Scepter, he took them far away, to a cold place where the Great Eye of the Earth opened and the items disappeared forever." With a cold feeling in her heart, Calla eased back in the chair. "Did I do it right?"

"You know you did. So, what do you think?"

"Grandfather took Father's Crown and Scepter through your Stargate a long time ago." She told him. "I was unaware that this news was known outside the Family."

"Read some more, see if you can find out where Zeus took them."

"Why?" She asked quickly and refused to look at the book. "Are you not listening to me? This is not something we speak of."

Daniel Jackson who had been focused solely on finding the coordinates to the planet where Zeus took the Crown and Scepter now took a hard look at his wife and gave her a hard listen. "What happened?" He asked. "C'mon you can tell me, I'm your husband."

"And a very interested historian." She mocked. "What's wrong, the beginning of the story not in your book?"

"No, it isn't. Nick came across this while he was in Greece back in the 40's." Daniel began. "I think it's in some cave in Athens." Ares obviously did something that pissed his Father off enough to want to strip him of his power. Taking away the symbols of said power was as close as he could get. Since he had the privilege of meeting his Father in-law and Calla's Uncles, Daniel noticed that Ares was the only one among them who did not carry the traditional Crown and Scepter, while Hades and Poseidon were never without theirs. Even Morpheus had his Laurel.

“Do you really want to know this story, Daniel?”

“Yeah, I do.” He said slowly and began to get that ‘I’m shrinking’ feeling again.

“We do not speak of it outside the family, you understand?”

“I’m your husband.” He reminded her.

Calla looked him through and through. Husband? Yes. Four months ago she asked him to return to SG-1. It took Daniel two months to do so and another month before General O’Neill allowed him back on the team. Even now it was only temporary and only on a limited basis. Dr. Daniel Jackson still retained the title and position of Head of Cultural, Archeological and Linguists Research at the SGC.

Four months ago she confronted him with Rowan and he said he would have her transferred to some other base, yet she was still there. Few were the nights he came home smelling like her but, then again, there were those that he did. Those annoying telephone calls continued to this day. They came from Rowan MacNeal’s cell phone. Calla knew that because she had caller-id added to their phone line two months ago.

“So you are.” She finally agreed in a flat tone. In her hand appeared a clear crystal goblet filled with the Nectar Ares left her. The casks in the basement now stood more empty than full. Gazing across the room at Daniel’s artifacts her eyes took in the spear Ares gave Daniel at Christmas. She smiled a coy little grin to herself and no one else as she raised the glass to her lips and took down a greedy sip. “I don’t have to tell you about the Trojan War, do I, husband?”

“I’m very familiar with it.” Daniel returned as he sat back in his own chair and followed her gaze. While Daniel turned away his head, she finished and refilled the glass. “I won’t tell anyone.”

Calla’s eyes sparkled with that devilish light as she leaned forward. “Good.” She said and then leaned back again. “This is all long before I was born.” Calla began, her devilishly gleaming eyes began to cloud over as the thoughts came to her and the Nectar began to fill her. “Father never cares about Win or Loss, you know?” She laughed. “Such notions do not bother him. He only cares about the Battle. Conflict. The heat and the smell of it drive him . . . mad.” Calla finished the glass, refilled it before his eyes and offered it to him. Daniel, as always, refused. “I don’t think Grandfather would have cared if Father played his both-sides-against-the-middle game before the battle broke out, but when he continued to do it, right through the entire ten-year war, Grandfather got a little miffed.” Calla smiled and laughed again, as though she were recalling some terribly funny tale from long ago and relaying to no one other than herself. “So when Pallas Athene severely injured Father in the battle, Ares went to Grandfather for his aid. Grandfather turned him way. Mother rescued him, healed him, nursed him as she always did. Why should she do any less? Were it not for Paris the whole thing never would have started! She never would have chosen Helen for him. History lays most of the blame for this at my Father’s feet. She always did know how to get him going.“ Calla grumbled and then continued. “As punishment for not letting Father die, Zeus sent Mother away. It was many years before she found her way back to Father’s side. As punishment for living, Grandfather relieved Father of his symbols of power. It is the only time this happened in all of our history. Father is the only Olympian to have his Crown and Scepter taken from him. A disgrace my Father bares to this day.” using her entire forearm, Calla pushed her hair away from her face.

“Zeus didn’t just take them away.” Daniel prodded. “He took them off this planet. Why would he go to such an extreme? If it didn’t take Ares’ powers away from him . . . ”

“Because he never wanted Father to have them back!” Taking down the last of her third glass in less than twenty minutes, she leaned forward again. “Many things about your world and mine are different. In your world this is not seen as such a big deal. In mine it is the biggest humiliation through which an Olympian can suffer.”

Sitting there thinking about his own affiliation with the military it came to him; they still stripped men of titles, ribbons and metals, didn’t they? “It is a big deal.” He commented. “It still is.” This brought him back around to his starting point. “Do you think you can find where Zeus took them?”

“What do you want me to do? Ask Father what he thinks of this?” She snarled. “There are many things upon which I can push my Father and get away with it, this is not one of them.” She warned. “If the answer were in your book, I would not be sitting here.”

If Ares wasn’t into talking about the matter and really, who could blame him? “How about your Grandfather? Can you ask him?”

“Why do you want them? Why should I do this for you? Just to satisfy some morbid curiosity on your part?”

Daniel decided to appeal to the Daughter in her. “If we find them, we can give them back to Ares.”

Calla laughed hard and slapped her knee. “That’s a good one, Daniel!” She exclaimed. “Yes, I’ll just ask Grandfather where he took them and when he asks me why I want to know I’ll tell him I think it’s time Zeus returned them to Father! I’m sure he’ll love that!”

Jesus, he hated it when she drank that damn Nectar. She always got so . . . so . . . so . . . Grand and out of control. Just as the thought completed itself in his mind, her glass was full again. Daniel took it away from her. “I think you’ve had enough for now.” He commented and placed it on the desk. “Are you going to help me here or not?”

Looking at him with a thorough eye Calla came to a decision. “You know, it does cause an amount of physical discomfort when I try to get in touch with those inside me. Nevertheless, I’ll tell you what, Daniel. I’ll call Grandfather forth, and you can ask him.” Sitting cross legged in the chair with her eyes closed, Calla chanted her Grandfather’s name without further regard for her husband.

A bright purple light appeared. It emanated from her and then engulfed her while she sat still and quiet. A form took shape in the light. It stepped from her and into the den. Daniel shielded his eyes while it grew brighter and more intense before dissipating. In the room stood an old man with a white beard that fell almost to the floor at his feet. Upon his head was a thick gold crown engraved with olive trees, doves and laurel. In one hand was a wooden staff and in the other a gold scepter. Ancient eyes stared at Daniel Jackson while a strand of purple light kept the apparition tied to Calla who was not moving at all.

“You’ve something to say to me, boy?” Zeus asked.

With his heart suddenly pounding thickly in his throat, Daniel was altogether unsure that either of them had done the right thing. He shouldn’t have pushed her to this. “I’m Daniel,”

“I know who you are. The question is; what do you want?”

“Yes, right, well, ah.” Daniel stuttered as he mustered up his courage. “I want to know where you took Ares’ Crown and Scepter. I don’t suppose you’re willing to share that information.”

“For what purpose?”

“Study.” He stammered.

“I know what you do, boy.” The God of Gods warned. “I’ll ask you another time; for what purpose do you want them?”

“Study.” Daniel said stronger this time. “I only want to study them. It’s 2005, they’re archeological items of interest.”

Zeus gazed him with keen dark eyes. “I don’t fully believe you, boy.” He said darkly. “I will show her where they are, however, if you return them to my son I will not be responsible for the consequences which will follow.”

“I understand. I’m not going to give them back to Ares.”

“Ah, but once you bring them back here, my son will know it. He will want what I stole from him.” The purple light grew bright again as Zeus retreated into the body of his granddaughter and was gone.

Calla’s eyes opened and darted around quickly as she sat up and grabbed for the notebook and the pencil beside it. Daniel watched as she drew the pencil across the paper and finally handed it over to him. “I see you were successful.” She commented as he took it from her. “You have to go here.” She pointed at the Gate symbols she had drawn, the ones Grandfather told her to draw. “Have I aided you enough for one night, husband?” Her tone was cold and so were her eyes as he looked up at her.

“Yes, thank you Calla. It always amazes me when you do things like that.”

“I’m glad to be of service.” She turned her back and left the room but the chill remained.

End of Chapter One
Daughter of the Gods: Blood Ties
Continue to
Chapter Two