CHEYENNE MOUNTAIN COMPLEX, SGC
"Looks peaceful enough," Jack O'Neill announced as he peered over Carter's shoulder at the images of P5X 218 the MALP had sent back.
"Ah, why so I feel like we've just been jinxed?" Daniel asked, only half-joking.
Sam smiled at the screen in front of her. The colonel was yet to respond to Daniel's question. Rhetorical or not, she knew he'd fire an answer back. At least, he would once he'd finished shooting the death glare Sam could mentally see him aiming at the archaeologist.
"What time are we scheduled to depart, Major Carter?" Teal'c asked in an obvious attempt to change the subject and stop O'Neill's impending sarcastic response from leaving his mouth.
"As soon as the General gives us the go."
The young technician occupying the seat to Carter's right moved from her chair. Daniel pounced on the vacated spot in an instant. Pulling the chair closer to the screen, he muttered, "The 'Gate's in the middle of a large agricultural area." speaking more to himself than anyone else. "There's a path stretching from the 'Gate to a large temple...."
He paused and Carter zoomed the MALP's camera in on the temple without waiting for him to ask. She was afraid if he tried to get any closer to the screen he'd go through it.
"It's Greek," he stated confidently once the architecture had come into focus. "Can you pan up a little to that freize?"
"No problem," Carter told him.
The freize appeared on the monitor and Carter zoomed until it filled the whole screen. It revealed images of men carved into the rock. Standing as close to Carter from behind as he could without any physical contact, O'Neill studied the screen.
"Anyone we know?"
Daniel tore his eyes of the freize and glanced over at Jack, "Know? Yes. Met? No."
"So who are they?"
"Jason, Herakles, Bellerphon, Perseus, Theseus...." Daniel stopped after noticing he'd lost Jack. "Greek heroes."
"Ah," Jack nodded, "So, good guys."
"Well, they had their faults but basically? Yes."
"So, if we're assuming these heroes have visited the planet.. we're also assuming they're Goa'uld?" Carter asked.
"Of course."
"Sir, this planet isn't on the cartouche."
"So are you saying the Goa'uld don't know about it?"
"More possibly they're scared of it."
"Like Kheb," Daniel said unnecessarily.
"Well," O'Neill said glancing back at the screen, "It does look pretty peaceful."
"But the builders of that temple had to get from Earth to P5X 218 somehow and if they weren't taken there as slaves..." Carter trailed off in thought. "Would the Ancients take humans there for other reasons?" she asked, not directing the answer at anyone in particular.
Teal'c cocked his head slightly, "It is possible."
"Have you heard of them doing that?"
"No."
Carter ran her fingers through her hair, "Sir?"
O'Neill was silent for a moment. "Okay, we go. We exercise *extreme* caution. If the Goa'uld are scared of this place there's sure to be a very good reason. I'm hoping for option A myself."
"Option A?" Daniel asked confused.
"A planet the Goa'uld don't know about."
====== P5X 218
"Oh...wow" Carter whispered. The wormhole disengaged behind her but she still stood unmoving on the top step in front of the 'Gate on P5X 218, staring open-mouthed into the distance. "It's so..."
"Peaceful," Daniel finished just as softly.
The team was accustomed to stepping out of the 'Gate and into a forest where no bird calls filled the air or a desert so devoid of life that they felt like they were the only living creatures to ever step foot on it; but none had ever been as silent or deserted as this. The feeling, though, was not at all unnerving. Carter felt calmer standing there staring into the fields than she had in a long time. The feeling was so overwhelming she reached over and grasped Daniel's arm to keep herself from collapsing. Daniel didn't seem the least bit disturbed by her action but the Colonel was eyeing her with concern.
"You okay, Carter?"
"Fine, Sir," she reassured him and removed her hand from Daniel's arm. "I suddenly felt.."
"Really relaxed?" Daniel asked.
"Really, really relaxed," Carter told them, a small smile forming on her lips. "Completely and utterly at ease. I thought my legs were going to give out for a second."
"I also felt at ease, Major Carter," Teal'c told her.
Daniel nodded to indicate he too had felt this way.
"See, told you it'd be peaceful here."
Sam's smile grew at his comment, "You may have been right about this place, Colonel."
"May have?" Jack turned to her.
"There's a first time for everything," Daniel muttered.
"Hey!" O'Neill switched from glaring at Carter to glaring at Daniel. "I heard that!"
"Would it not be wise to head for the temple now?" Teal'c asked.
Carter gave Teal'c a small 'thank you' smile.
O'Neill nodded at Teal'c in agreement, "Let's head out, kids."
======
The team walked in silence down the path which, at some time in the planet's history, had been cut through the tall crops which grew up on either side of them. The path led them straight from the 'Gate to the temple and although it was obvious the path had not been used in sometime, the team followed it cautiously. No longer feeling so at ease now that they were focusing on the danger that possibly lurked with the crops. Was an enemy hiding out in there, stalking them, they'd never see it coming.
======
Upon arriving, unharmed, at the temple, Daniel instinctively reached out and ran his fingers down one of the large pillars.
"Are they unusual or...?"
"No," Daniel said, interrupting Carter. "They're no different to any other Grecian Doric pillars that have been found on Earth."
"They look like they're about to collapse."
Daniel pulled his hand away from the ridged stone at O'Neill's words.
"Welcome, friends."
SG-1 looked sharply towards the sound of the foreign voice. A figure draped in a thin white robe stood in the centre of the temple smiling at them.
"Welcome to Elysium."
Daniel took a tentative step towards the man and asked him curiously, "I'm sorry, did you say 'Elysium'?"
The man nodded and gestured for them to step into the temple. O'Neill nodded wearily and the team followed the man through the building. Carter fell into step beside Daniel, "Elysium?" she asked.
"Where heroes were sent once they died," he explained. "Only the honourable and courageous were allowed to spend eternity here."
"Only heroes," Carter mused. "That would explain the freize on this temple."
"Yes."
"So...is he a hero?" Carter asked and glanced up at the man in front of them.
"Possibly, but I don't recognise him."
Stepping out into the bright sunshine again, SG-1 was finally able to see more of the planet than the stems of tall plants. Stretched out in front of them were lush green fields scattered with small temples.
Stepping up to the front of his team, O'Neill indicated himself with a movement of his hand, "I'm Colonel Jack O'Neill," he told the man and then pointed to his team members one at a time. "Major Carter, Doctor Jackson and Teal'c."
Looking suspiciously at their guide, Jack asked, "And you are?"
"I am called Icarus."
"Which explains why I didn't recognise him," Daniel muttered.
"It has been many years since we have had visitors here in your condition."
"Condition?" Daniel asked.
"Come. King Kronos will explain."
"Kronos?" O'Neill asked sharply.
Teal'c narrowed his eyes at Icarus,"Kronos is here?" His tone making even O'Neill uneasy.
"Of course," Icarus said confused by their reaction. "He would be nowhere else."
"Oh, I don't know about that," O'Neill muttered.
"I will take you to him."
The team stood unmoving.
"Sir?" Carter asked.
"Is he a Goa'uld?"
Carter shook her head.
"I do not sense the presence of a symbiont, O'Neill."
"There is a possibility this could be a _different_ Kronos," Daniel spoke up.
"There were more than one?"
"Well, no," Daniel admitted. "But in Classical mythology Kronos was the ruler of Elysium. Both he and his wife, Rhea, resided here _peacefully_"
"We must not discount the possibility that this Kronos is the System Lord, Daniel Jackson."
"Oh, I'm not. I'm just saying..."
"Friends?"
The team glanced over to see Icarus standing a couple of feet away waiting for them to follow.
"Sir?" Carter asked again.
Sighing, O'Neill made his decision. "We follow...cautiously."
======
"So these are the Elysian Fields," Daniel mused as they walked.
"Sure are beautiful."
"It's everything I imagined such a place to be, Sam." Daniel told her. "Beautiful. Peaceful. Spacious." "Maybe dying isn't such a bad thing." he added with a small laugh, as if believing this _was_ Elysium.
Playing along, Sam said, "As long as you were a good person."
"I don't think you've got too much to worry about," Daniel told her, smiling.
"You two may not...." O'Neill stopped mid-sentence. "I think we're here."
Icarus had stopped in front of a large Grecian temple. "Please enter," Icarus said as he gestured towards the entrance which was framed by two impressive Corinthian columns. "King Kronos is waiting."
"Wouldn't wanna keep the king waiting now, would we." O'Neill muttered, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
Taking a deep breath, O'Neill led his team into the temple...
======
The interior of the temple consisted of only one room. Their footsteps echoed through the large room which, apart from statues of Gods and Goddesses in the corners, was not decorated in any way. A lone chair adorned with gold leaves sat in the centre of the room. Upon which sat a middle-aged man. Turning, Daniel noticed Icarus had not followed them in. 'Out of respect? Or fear?' he wondered silently.
"Teal'c?" O'Neill hissed.
It was obvious now that this was not the Goa'uld they knew as Kronos. But he still could be a...
"He is not a Goa'uld, O'Neill," Teal'c told him softly.
Amused by the small group of people in front of him, Kronos smiled and extended his arms in a welcoming gesture. "I am Kronos," his voice echoed through the room. "Welcome to Elysium."
"Ah, thank you," Daniel said stepping forward slowly. Introducing SG-1, he continued, "We are peaceful explorers from Earth..."
"Earth?" Kronos asked, the term foreign to him.
"They are of the Tau'ri," Teal'c informed him.
"Then they are most welcome here." Looking at Teal'c he noted, "You are not of the Tau'ri."
"I am not."
"But you are friends of theirs?"
"Yes."
"Then you are welcome here also," Kronos told him.
Teal'c bowed his head in thanks.
"Icarus, the man who brought us to your temple, mentioned you had not had visitors arrive here in our condition in some time, " Carter said to Kronos. "What did he mean by 'condition'?"
Kronos smiled kindly at her, "My visitors usually arrive deceased."
"Oh, I see..."
Continuing, he explained, "Once they arrive their bodies are then regenerated by either Rhea or myself."
"His wife," Daniel said softly.
"We restore them to perfect health and then give them the choice."
"The choice?"
"To stay here in Elysium to live for an eternity in paradise or to return to the planet from which they came."
"If they leave, are they allowed to return here once they die again?" Carter asked intrigued.
"If they have stayed honourable, Yes. If not, they must spend the rest of eternity in either Tartarus or the Asphodel Fields."
"Tartarus is a planet like this?"
Kronos' eyes lit up with amusement. "Of course not. Tartarus is where the souls go once the body had died and not been allowed entrance into Elysium."
"I see."
Jack looked at Daniel, "You do?"
"Basically," Daniel began. "Tartarus is like heaven and hell in one. The Greek and Roman underworld had different sections. Souls were judged and sent to whichever part their eternal fate decided." Daniel stopped after noticing the far away look in Jack's eyes. "Nevermind."
"So, do _we_ have the choice to stay here forever or return to Earth?" Carter asked Kronos.
"No. You arrived with life. You are welcome to visit but your souls have not been judged. You must return to your Earth before nightfall."
The Colonel nudged Carter with his elbow, "You didn't really want to stay here, did you?"
"No," She reassured him. "Just curious if we had the choice."
"Are we free to look around?" Daniel asked.
"You are free to do as you please as long as you have left before nightfall and swear to never return until death has brought you here. We have methods of ensuring returning visitors do not survive the journey." The tone of Kronos' voice had lost it's warmth and turned deadly serious. Carter was beginning to understand why the Goa'uld had left Elysium off the cartouche.
"We promise," O'Neill assured Kronos.
======
Once outside, O'Neill noticed Daniel eyeing up temples in a nearby field. "Daniel, go on." He told him and couldn't help smile at the excited gleam in the archaeologists eyes. "Carter, go with him."
"Yes, Sir."
"We meet back here in three hours," O'Neill told them.
"But, Jack, that's not enough..."
"_Three_ hours," Jack interrupted.
"Three hours, Sir." Carter affirmed.
Daniel merely nodded in resignation.
======
Daniel was explaining the different sections of the Greek underworld to Sam as they walked through the field. She brushed her hands over the tall grasses and listened with interest. Before becoming a part of the StarGate program, she hadn't paid a lot of attention to mythology. She knew the basic stories behind the Olympians but had never delved any further into the subject. But now, especially since meeting Daniel, she thirsted for the knowledge and looked forward to uninterrupted conversations on the subject with Daniel.
"You know, Kronos and Rhea are much like the Nox," Daniel said, suddenly switching the conversation from the Punishment Fields of Tartarus and Eternal damnation to the peaceful alien race they'd met three years earlier.
"Their healing abilities made me think the same thing," Sam admitted. "If they reveal the ability to become invisible, I'll be convinced a couple of the Nox got a haircut."
Daniel missed the joke.
"What if they have?" he asked, looking around uneasily as he spoke.
"What? Had a haircut?"
"Well, yes. But I meant turned themselves invisible."
"So what?" Sam asked. "It isn't like we've done anything wrong, or plan to."
"I know. I just don't like the idea of being watched."
Sam was about to reply when something caught her eye. "Holy..."
Daniel looked at her confused and then followed her line of vision. "Is that...?"
"Kawalsky."
======
"Any of these symbols mean anything to you, Teal'c?" Jack asked as they walked around a large stone pillar, which stood in a field by itself, decorated with an unfamiliar writing system.
"They do not, O'Neill."
"Damn. Remind me to show this to Daniel before we leave."
"O'Neill..."
"Yeah?" When Teal'c didn't reply, Jack looked up from the pillar and in the direction he was staring. A look of surprise replaced Teal'c's usually stoic expression.
"Well that's just not possible," O'Neill muttered, unable to believe his eyes.
Walking through the fields towards them was a very convincing Martouf...
======
"Kawalsky?" Sam asked in surprise as he stepped up to where she and Daniel stood.
"Major," Kawalsky greeted her. "Doctor."
Daniel didn't reply and simply stared at the man in front of him.
"You okay Doc? You look like you've seen a ghost."
"Well, actually..." Daniel trailed off.
"What? You thought I'd be sent to hell?" Kawalsky asked amused. "Yeah, I know. I used to shove you around a bit but apart from that I was a pretty decent guy."
"Ah, okay," Sam began as she tried to make sense of it. "You're Charles Kawalsky?"
"In the flesh."
"How?"
"Weren't you paying attention to Kronos?"
"Of course, but.." Sam paused and narrowed her eyes slightly. "How do you know we've talked to him? Apart from the fact I just confirmed it."
"Simple. Kronos speaks to every visitor after he's given them life."
Sam nodded. How else would he have known.
"So, how did I get here? I died, my body was brought here and Kronos, well, you know the rest."
"Sorry, I meant *who* brought you here? Who took your body from Earth?"
"Damned if I know; I was dead."
"Good point," Daniel said. The asked, "So, why do you stay here when you have the choice to return to Earth?"
"Are you kidding?" Kawalsky asked. "This place is paradise. Plus, how could I resist eternal life?"
"You must miss Earth."
Kawalsky shook his head. "Look around."
"Okay, but you miss the people."
"Yeah," Kawalsky admitted sadly. "I do. But at least here I remember them. If I returned...."
"The Lethe," Daniel said and nodded in understanding.
"Wait, I know this one," Sam began slowly as she tried to recall the Lethe. "If the dead drank from the river their life on Earth was forgotten."
Daniel smiled at the triumphant gleam in Sam's eyes. "So if you left here you'd have to drink from it?"
"It's a rule." Kawalsky told him.
"And such a river exists?" Sam asked.
"Apparently."
"Do you know where?" She asked with interest. "I'd love to get a sample."
"Even if I knew where it was, Kronos would never allow you to take even the smallest sample back with you." Kawalsky told her.
Changing the subject, Daniel asked, "Are you at all curious as to how we ended up here?"
"You died." Kawalsky stated.
"Ah, no. We didn't."
Kawalsky looked from Daniel to Sam and asked in disbelief, "You didn't?"
Sam shook her head.
"Oh," Kawalsky said and looked at them confused. The confusion quickly passed and a grin appeared on his face. "You fished the 'Gate address out of the computer."
Daniel nodded. "We're only here for a couple of hours," he told Kawalsky. "Jack's here too. I'm sure he'd love to see you."
Kawalsky smiled sadly. "I'm afraid I can't do that. Rules and all. I shouldn't even be talking to you two." He explained. "Plus, you're due back _now_"
Sam looked at Kawalsky sceptically. Flipping the top of her watch open she was surprised to discover they were indeed due to meet the Colonel and Teal'c back at the temple.
"What the..?"
"I'll see you all again soon," Kawalsky assured her. "But not too soon."
Sam smiled slightly. Her mind still trying, unsuccessfully, to recover the lost time.
Daniel nodded at Kawalsky and turned to leave. Sam was about to follow when Kawalsky stopped her.
"Major?"
Sam turned back and asked, "Yes?"
Taking a step towards her, Kawalsky said, "If you truly care for him, don't let anything get between the two of you."
Sam blinked and asked, confused, "Who?"
Kawalsky only smiled at her and walked away. Leaving her still standing there awaiting an answer.
'The Colonel?' she wondered to herself.
Kawalsky chose that moment to glance back. Sam couldn't help but smile at the large grin she saw on his face before he turned his head away from her.
"Kawalsky, wait!"
He showed no sign of having heard her call as he continued to walk away.
"Sam, we have to go."
Sighing, she nodded at Daniel and then led the way back to the rendezvous site.
======
O'Neill stood and listened in confusion to what Martouf was saying. "Hold up, Marty. Who dumped you here?" he asked.
"I do not know. I was dead before I arrived."
"That's true," Jack said and nodded slightly, still a little confused by the whole thing.
Looking around uncomfortably, Jack added, "Oh, hey. Carter's out there somewhere," he gestured in the direction from which he and Teal'c had come earlier. "We're due to meet back in an hour, or so. Tag along. She'd love to see you."
"I, too, would love to see Samantha but I think you'll find you are due to rendezvous with her and Doctor Jackson now."
"No, actually," Jack paused as he checked his watch to prove Martouf wrong. And failed. "Woah, when did that happen?"
"O'Neill?"
"Martouf's right. We're due back." Jack told Teal'c, although he couldn't quite understand where the past couple of hours had gone.
"It was good to see you again, Colonel. Teal'c."
Jack nodded and said rather convincingly, "You too."
"Colonel," Martouf said suddenly, stopping O'Neill before he turned to walk away.
"If you care for her, do something about it _now_. Before it's too late."
"What?" Jack asked confused. "Who?" 'Carter?' he thought to himself.
"I think you know," Martouf said. He smiled at Jack and then walked off, back towards the fields.
"Martouf?"
"O'Neill, if we do not depart now we will be late."
======
"Colonel," Carter greeted O'Neill once he and Teal'c had returned to Kronos' temple.
"Carter," he replied. "Sorry we're late we, ah, we ran into someone."
"So did we, Sir."
"Oh?" he asked. "Who?"
"Kawalsky."
"Kawalsky?!"
"Yeeaah," Daniel said, drawing the word out. "That was pretty much our reaction too."
"How 'bout you, Sir?"
"Hmmmm?" Jack asked, his mind still on Kawalsky.
"Who did you run into?"
"Martouf."
Carter smiled sadly. "So, he was trustworthy and honourable after all, huh, Sir? She asked playfully.
"Yeah, well..." Jack trailed off.
"We..." Sam stopped after a movement in the temple had caught her eye.
Kronos stood at the entrance smiling down at her. A woman, who bore an uncanny resemblance to the king, stood next to him.
"Have a safe journey home friends."
The team smiled at the couple.
"Before we leave, I'm just curious about something," Carter told Kronos.
"You wish to know why Elysium is not more densely populated," he stated.
"Yes, but how...?"
"My people have always had the ability to see thoughts. The images your mind conjures up and the words you think come through clearly to us."
"Creepy, yet fascinating," Daniel muttered.
"We are sorry for invading your minds. But we are not used to visitors arriving with life." The woman explained, speaking for the first time.
Kronos nodded at his wife. Turning back to Sam he added, "And to answer you question, Major Carter. We have not had visitors here _at all_ for many, many years. The race who originally brought Rhea and I here seem to have forgotten us. But we do not mind," he paused to smile at his wife. "We rather like it this way."
Kronos tilted his head slightly causing SG-1 to vanished.
The team reappeared, alone, at the bottom of the steps which led up to the, already activated, 'Gate.
Blinking, Carter looked at her team mates. Clearing away any lingering disorientation from the swift location change, she asked, "But if no one has visited here in that long..."
"Then that wasn't really Kawalsky or Martouf," Daniel finished for her.
"So why did they chose to take on the persona of people we knew? Did they think we wouldn't be comfortable talking to them in their true form?" Carter asked. "Did anyone think that while we around them?"
Jack looked at Sam and said, "Oh, I think maybe they just wanted to give us some advice from people we trusted."
Sam smiled shyly at him. "I think you're right, Sir" she told him.
"Only, they kinda messed up a little, don't ya think?" Jack asked, referring to the fact he'd met Martouf and not Kawalsky.
"They sure did, Sir," Sam confirmed. "They sure did."
======
Still standing at the entrance to the temple, Kronos and Rhea smiled at eachother.
"We never said we were perfect," Kronos told his wife.
Their faces shimmered slightly and their features changed from their own to those of Martouf and Kawalsky.
Rhea shook her head, causing her face to regain it's original feminine features. "Think they'll take our advice?" she asked her husband, and brother, Kronos.
"Guess we'll never know."
THE END.
Story Notes: E-MAIL: Becc_Carter@yahoo.co.nz
SPOILERS: The Enemy Within, Divide and Conquer.
AUTHORS NOTES: Response to challenge. "Write a fic about SG-1 gating to a planet that is basically the Greek version of the underworld. Try to incorporate characters that have died (Kawalsky, Martouf, Charlie O'Neill, etc) and how SG-1 meeting up with them affects them (especially Sam and Jack)." Well I tried to make this as original as possible. Not sure if I succeeded. The challenge said "underworld" which automatically made me think of Tartarus. So to be different I sent our heroes off to the Elysian Fields.
THANKS TO: Julia and Jamieson for looking over the fic and helping it make a little bit more sense :-)
SPOILERS: The Enemy Within, Divide and Conquer.
AUTHORS NOTES: Response to challenge. "Write a fic about SG-1 gating to a planet that is basically the Greek version of the underworld. Try to incorporate characters that have died (Kawalsky, Martouf, Charlie O'Neill, etc) and how SG-1 meeting up with them affects them (especially Sam and Jack)." Well I tried to make this as original as possible. Not sure if I succeeded. The challenge said "underworld" which automatically made me think of Tartarus. So to be different I sent our heroes off to the Elysian Fields.
THANKS TO: Julia and Jamieson for looking over the fic and helping it make a little bit more sense :-)
End Notes: NO, there wont be a sequel. *EG*
Feedback: Becc_Carter@yahoo.co.nz or Sesheta@paradise.net.nz
MORE NOTES: Kronos, in classical myth, wasn't the peaceful, nice guy I've made him out to be. He murdered his father and tried, unsuccessfully, to murder his children. Zeus, his son, exiled Kronos to Tartarus but later allowed his broken and defeated father to rule Elysium. Maybe life in paradise turned him into a *really* nice guy *g* Also I spelt it 'herakles' instead of 'heracles' which is why I'm spelling it 'Kronos' instead of 'Cronus'. Plus, it helps separate my Kronos from SG-1's Chronos. Ugh, last time I do one of these mythology-based fics
"If you find yourself alone, riding in green fields with the sun on your face, do not be troubled; for you are in Elysium and you are already dead."
http://www.geocities.com/becc_carter/main.html
Feedback: Becc_Carter@yahoo.co.nz or Sesheta@paradise.net.nz
MORE NOTES: Kronos, in classical myth, wasn't the peaceful, nice guy I've made him out to be. He murdered his father and tried, unsuccessfully, to murder his children. Zeus, his son, exiled Kronos to Tartarus but later allowed his broken and defeated father to rule Elysium. Maybe life in paradise turned him into a *really* nice guy *g* Also I spelt it 'herakles' instead of 'heracles' which is why I'm spelling it 'Kronos' instead of 'Cronus'. Plus, it helps separate my Kronos from SG-1's Chronos. Ugh, last time I do one of these mythology-based fics
"If you find yourself alone, riding in green fields with the sun on your face, do not be troubled; for you are in Elysium and you are already dead."
http://www.geocities.com/becc_carter/main.html
DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognisable characters, settings, etc, are the property of their respective owners. Any original characters and plots are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended. ... [ read more ]