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stargatefan.com : episodes > season 1 > next episode : thor's hammer

There's a temple in the distance. Inside, a man dressed in a toga with a crown of leaves on his head is praying to a statue of a warrior astride a winged horse carrying a lightning shaped spear. The man stops praying when he notices the Stargate being activated. The man hides.

SG-1 steps through the gate taking in their surroundings. Daniel examines the statue guessing it might be early Greek, but he admits he doesn't recognize it.

A woman's screams draws the team's attention to a nearby pillar. When they investigate, they find two natives, a man and a woman. The woman is obviously pregnant and in labor.

The team learns the statue is of the native's god, Pelops. They also learn the woman is close to giving birth, and the midwife is gone. The man asks SG-1 for help. Daniel delivers the baby while Sam comforts the woman. It turns out Daniel has delivered a baby before. The father is waiting on the other side of the pillar with Jack and Teal'c. Jack is pacing.

Carter: "Where did you learn how to do this?"
Daniel: "Ah, uh, on a dig in the Yucatan. After the first one, I made friends with the local midwife and they taught me a lot."
Carter: "How many babies have you delivered?"
Daniel: "Uhhh...two...counting today."

A child's cry splits the air. Daniel emerges pulling off a pair of latex gloves. He informs the man that the child is a boy. Daniel calls the man Allekos. Allekos hugs Daniel and rushes off to see his wife and son. Jack grins towards Daniel.

Jack to Daniel: "You never cease to amaze me with all your talents."

Daniel, Jack, and Teal'c examine the room more closely.

Daniel: "Wow, this place is incredible. It's like we just stepped into the citadel at Macenia."
Jack: "I thought you said it was Greek?"
Daniel: "Oh, uh, Macenia was a city in the ancient southern Pelopyneses region."
Jack: "Where was that?"
Daniel: "Greece."
Jack: "Why do I do that?"

Sam and the couple join the others. Sam is trying to get the woman to rest unsure if she should be walking around so soon after giving birth. The woman assures them that she's fine. They show off the baby pointing out a tribal birthmark. They tell the team that they are naming the child Dan'el after Daniel. They invite SG-1 back to their village. They tell SG-1 that they are called The Chosen. Teal'c asks about their gods. The couple tell SG-1 their gods reside in the sky.

Once at the village, the team notices that all the residents are young, beautiful, and extremely healthy.

O'Neill: "Do things feel a little...off here?"
Daniel: "Are you crazy? It's paradise."
O'Neill: "Yeah, sure. Have an apple."

The team is brought food and drink. A beautiful woman approaches Jack introducing herself as Kintia. She offers him cake, but says it's only for Jack. Daniel, Sam and Teal'c tease Jack about Kintia having a crush on him.

Jack eats the cake while the rest of the team discuss the probability that the natives were brought to that planet by a Goa'uld. Jack appears to suffer from a bout of double vision, but he continues to eat the cake. Teal'c responding to the joviality of the natives, suggests that it might have been a good Goa'uld. Jack begins laughing almost choking on his cake. A group of women come and lead Jack away. The team starts to follow, but are blocked by another group of natives gathering around them.

The beat of drums sounds, and Kintia appears. She dances sensually for Jack who still suffers from double vision. Kintia leads him into a dwelling. The rest of SG-1 attempts to follow, but again are sidetracked by other natives. Allekos brings them wine telling them that their god blesses them with "100 blissful days" which shouldn't be wasted. Daniel interprets this to mean the people on that planet enjoy a 100 day celebration.

Later that day inside the dwelling, Jack and Kintia have made love. Jack is startled when some of the other natives enter the room, lie down and fall unconscious. Jack turns to Kintia to discover she is also unconscious. He checks to make sure she's still alive. He wraps a blanket around himself and begins checking the other residents. Sam, Daniel, and Teal'c having witnessed the same occurrence outside enter the dwelling to find Jack practically naked and just as perplexed as they are.

They begin examining the people trying to figure out what's going on. Jack suggest a sleeping sickness, but that theory is ruled out because the people don't show signs of fever, and the team can't figure out how an entire village could fall ill at the same time. Teal'c observes that the people look like they are simply sleeping. Jack suggest that there might be something in the food, but Teal'c points out that SG-1 ate the same food as the villagers. Sam points out that Jack was the only one to eat the cake. Jack realizes that he was drugged. He collapses and passes out the same way the villagers did.

The next morning, the villagers arise perfectly normal. Sam and Daniel are talking to the villagers trying to find some answers when Jack awakens. He stumbles out of the dwelling immediately putting on his sunglasses. Sam ask him how he's feeling, and Jack responds that he feels hungover. He goes to the fountain, immerses his head in the water. Daniel explains that the natives act as though what happened is normal. They celebrate all day, fall asleep at sunset, and awaken at sunrise. Jack tells Daniel to take Teal'c and go back to the temple. He tells Sam to keep questioning the villagers. Jack reclines on the fountain edge.

At the temple, Daniel is videotaping the statue while Allekos is explaining it. He tells Daniel that Pelops was the giver of days. That the villagers keep the temple as it was when Pelops lived among The Chosen. Teal'c inquires why the people are called The Chosen. Allekos explains that Pelops chose the villager's ancestors and brought them to that planet. Daniel asks about writings, but Allekos doesn't understand what he means. Daniel points to symbols on the bottom of the statue. Allekos says the symbols are of Pelops.

Teal'c: "It is Goa'uld, an obscure dialect."
Daniel: "Why did you not tell me that before?"
Teal'c: "You never before inquired."

Teal'c recognizes that the symbols are not words. He begins pushing stones until one of the stones moves forward revealing a tablet and a stone. Teal'c takes them. When he passes the stone over the tablet, symbols appear. Each pass of the stone changes the symbols like turning a page in a book. Teal'c believes it is a journal written in an old Goa'uld language. He tells Daniel he might be able to translate it.

Back at the village, Sam is taking soil samples. Dan'el's mother, Setes approaches carrying a child of two in her arms. She sets the child down. Sam tells her that she found a shell that Dan'el might like to use as a rattle. Setes points to the two year old child telling Sam she can give Dan'el the rattle herself. Sam thinks the woman has misunderstood her. She says she meant baby Dan'el. The woman explains that the two year old is baby Dan'el. Sam is shocked but looking at the child more closely she can see the birthmark.

Sam takes Dan'el to Jack. Jack is just as shocked and confused as Sam. Setes doesn't understand. She asks them if their children "change and grow." Sam points out an older boy and asks Setes how old he is. Setes tells her the boy, Phillipos, is twelve. Sam says that twelve years old is about right. Setes doesn't know what the term years is. Sam attempts to explain that a year is one rotation of the planet around the sun. Jack, frustrated, breaks in and explains that on Earth there are 365 days in one year. Setes tells them that there is no such thing as a year on their planet. She says Phillipos is twelve days old. Sam asks how old Setes is. Setes tells them she is 21 days old. Jack asks about Kintia. Setes tells them Kintia is 31 days old.

Sam goes to the temple to fill Daniel and Teal'c in. Daniel and Teal'c have been attempting to translate the tablet. Daniel tells Sam that he and Teal'c believe Pelops was a Goa'uld who brought humans to the planet to experiment on them. From the tablet they have figured out that Pelops wanted to study the evolution of hosts by shortening the lifespans of the natives. Teal'c explains that they don't know how Pelops did it. They haven't been able to completely translate the tablet.

Sam can tell Daniel is holding something back. He tells her that he wanted to be certain before he said anything, but he thinks it might be a virus. He points out that the virus is probably spread through bodily contact. He tells Sam he thinks this because Jack was the only one affected by whatever caused the villagers to pass out.

Sam, Daniel, and Teal'c return to the village to inform Jack about their suspicions. Jack at first is disbelieving. He asks if they think the virus will kill him. Daniel points out that the virus seems to cause the villager to age five years in five days. He asks what will happen in one hundred days. Jack collapses. The sun is setting. The village is entering its sleep pattern. Jack orders Sam back to Earth to try to figure out what's happening. Daniel and Teal'c stay behind with Jack.

Back at the SGC, Sam is working at a computer. Dr. Frasier comes in bringing Sam the analysis of the blood samples she and Teal'c brought back. The samples show some kind of organism in the villagers blood. Jack's blood sample contains the same organisms, but his sample has more. Sam reports to the General.

Sam returns to the planet. Daniel alerts Jack to Sam's return. When Jack enters the room, he has aged considerably. Sam is shocked to see how much Jack has changed in the short time she was gone. Sam tells Jack that it's not a virus that the villagers and Jack are infected with, but she and Dr. Frasier don't know what it is. She also delivers the news that Jack's blood has a level of 100 times more organisms than the other villagers, and they are multiplying. She and Dr. Frasier believe Jack seems more infected because the organism is compensating for Jack's age. His lifespan has already surpassed what's normal on the planet.

Jack still doesn't comprehend what this information means. Sam explains that within two weeks Jack will be one hundred years old. Jack finally understands that in two weeks he will most likely be dead. Sam tells him that she's not going to let that happen if she can prevent it. She tells Jack that she wants to set up a lab in the temple. She wants to try to find a way to slow down the process until they can find a cure. Jack vetoes the idea. He orders them back to Earth. He says he doesn't want the virus getting back to Earth. Teal'c offers to stay behind since his symbiont will protect him, but Jack rejects the offer telling Teal'c that he should go help Daniel translate the tablet. Daniel interrupts, but Jack is adamant. He tells them not to say goodbye, that they better return.

Sam, Daniel and Teal'c return to the SGC. Sam and Dr. Frasier work in the lab with the samples they have while Daniel and Teal'c work to finish translating the tablet in the observation room above. Sam makes a startling discovery. She informs them that the organism reproduces by replication rather than multiplication. Daniel asks what the difference is. Sam explains that machines replicate. That they are dealing with some sort of nanotechnology.

Back on the planet, Jack is sitting alone in the temple. Jack talks to the statue. Kintia hears and thinks that Jack is able to talk to their god. Jack tries to explain that the statue has no power. It can't hear him. Kintia asks about the others. Jack tells her they left, but that he is staying. Kintia is happy. Kintia explains that the cake Jack ate was a marriage cake. They are married by Kintia's customs. Jack tries to tell her that she is not in love with him. That love doesn't happen that fast. Kintia tells Jack that they celebrate the life their creator gave them.

Jack is growing frustrated and angry. He tells Kintia that her creator didn't give them life. He tells her that Pelops robbed them of their lives. Jack even tells Kintia that the people of her planet were an experiment. He tells her he is forty years old which on his planet is thousands of days. Kintia is shocked. She doesn't understand how Jack could be telling her the truth. He also tells her that most people on Earth live up to 70 years some even to 100 years. Jack tells her Pelops was an alien. That he took years off of their lives. Kintia runs away.

Meanwhile back at the SGC, Sam and Dr. Frasier are continuing to try to study the nanocytes. Sam attempts to see how they associate with living tissue, but the nanocytes won't do it. Dr. Frasier speculates that there must be something on Argos that the nanocytes need to cause the aging. The nanocytes begin eating through Sam's rubber gloves. She gets her hands out of the gloves and closes the isochamber. She realizes the nanocytes are trying to spread.

Back on the planet, Jack has continued to age. He's still sitting alone in the temple. He has his notebook out and has started a letter to his ex-wife, Sara. Unable to write the letter, he closes the notebook and tosses it down. Allekos enters. Kintia has told him what Jack told her. Allekos asks Jack if he really has lived thousands of days. Jack berates himself for interfering in their culture, but thinks they deserved the truth.

Allekos begins talking to the statue. Jack again tells him that the statue cannot hear him. When Allekos asks the statue why Pelops has done this to the people, it is Jack who answers telling Allekos that it was in the name of science.

Jack asks Allekos what he would do if he could live for thousands of days. Allekos answers that he would explore beyond the village. He tells Jack that it is forbidden to travel beyond the borders. Jack asks how Pelops has forced them to stay within the village. That Pelops is no longer there, and the statue is only rock. Allekos explains to Jack that they were taught that Pelops would strike them down. Jack tells him it won't happen. He encourages Allekos to explore.

The next day, Kintia returns to the temple. She asks Jack to return to the village so he won't be alone. Jack tells her the time he has left is his to spend the way he chooses. Kintia doesn't understand. She tells Jack that he is wasting the time he has. Jack disagrees. He tells her that he is reflecting on his life, and trying to find a way to save himself, and that is not a waste.

Kintia realizes that Jack is angry. Jack asks her how she can't be angry now that she knows the truth. Kintia explains that even knowing the truth, there is nothing they can do but continue living their lives the way they always have treating every minute as precious. Jack tries to explain his feelings. He tells her he is a warrior. Kintia blames herself for Jack's condition. Jack forgives her. Kintia tries to comfort Jack. They kiss.

Back at the SGC, General Hammond has ordered all samples of the nanocytes destroyed. SG-1 protests that without the samples they won't be able to help Jack and the Argosyians. General Hammond points out that the nanocytes posses artificial intelligence which makes them a danger. Daniel argues that they can't just write Jack off. The General responds by saying that Jack is a soldier who would make the same decision as the General if he were there. The General says Jack is a good man, and it will be a great loss, but the decision is final.

On Argos, Jack is watching a video communication from the rest of his team. Sam, Daniel and Teal'c are on the vidscreen. Sam tells Jack that they are working with simulations now, but a cure could take years. Daniel tells Jack that General Hammond has forbidden gate travel to Argos, but they can still send equipment through the gate if Jack needs anything. Teal'c tells Jack that he has learned a lot from him, and he says thank you.

The Argosyians bring food offering to the statue. They are trying to get Pelops to return. Jack tries again to get through to them by telling them that Pelops doesn't care about the people. He tells them that Pelops brought them there from another world to be slaves. Finally the Argosyians believe Jack and decide they will no longer worship Pelops. They tie ropes to the statue and pull it over.

Jack and Kintia walk by the sea. Kintia is afraid that they have walked past the barriers which was forbidden, but Jack reminds her that Pelops is gone. Night falls and Jack realizes that he and Kintia didn't pass out. When they return to the village in the morning, none of the other villagers have awakened. Jack asks how important the law was that the villagers not leave the boundaries. Kintia tells him that it was Pelops first law. Jack realizes that whatever causes the villagers to sleep at sunset and awaken at sunrise is present in the village.

Jack and Kintia go to the temple and examine the overturned statue of Pelops. Jack finds a Goa'uld device in the base of the statue that is sending out some kind of a signal. He contacts the SGC.

Daniel, Sam and Teal'c return through the Stargate wearing protective suits. They remove their suits and study the device Jack has discovered. Sam figures out it's a transmitter. Daniel explains that there were two symbols that were difficult to decipher. Teal'c discovered that the symbols were numbers. Sam explains that they were two frequencies, one to cause the villagers to sleep and activate the nanocytes and the other to wake them up and deactivate the nanocytes.

When the statue was turned over, the device was damaged. The device no longer transmitted the wake up frequency. Jack asks if Sam can fix it. She tells him no, but SG-1 brought equipment with them. When she turns it on, the villagers awaken. They are confused because they slept longer than normal.

Sam, Daniel, Teal'c, Jack, and Kintia return to the village. They explain to Kintia that without the transmitter to activate the nanocytes, their immune systems will clean their blood of the nanocytes, and the village will start aging at a normal rate. Jack jokes that he'll retire in Florida.

O'Neill: "I'll probably move to Florida, get into a little retirement home of some kind."
Carter: "You'll look pretty out of place there at your age."
O'Neill: "Why? I look like my grandfather!"
Carter: "'Look' is the operative word here. If our hypothesis is right, the nanocytes in your system were only meant to imitate aging. They weren't meant to start the process in a full-grown adult."
O'Neill: "What are you saying to me?"
Carter: "Without these little buggers in your system to maintain the changes you should return to normal within a week or two."
Kynthia: "That is wonderful news!"
O'Neill: "I don't know. I was kinda looking forward to a little shuffleboard with the fellas."

The rest of the team move away to give Jack and Kintia a chance to say goodbye.

Kintia is sad that Jack is leaving. Jack tells her that the SGC will send people back to check on the Argosyians to make sure Pelops hasn't returned. Kintia tells Jack she hopes Jack returns. Jack tells her he learned a lot from her, and he will treasure the rest of his life because of her. Jack kisses her on the cheek.

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