A Gift Of The Amazons 8

The Explanation

by John O'Connor

URL: http://www.area52hkh.net/asj/john/amazons08.php
Summary: Some of the mystery of the Amazons' origins and technological advancement are revealed

Themyscira - Day Six - Afternoon

"The men all died?" Sam asked incredulously. "How? Why?"

"It was an unfortunate side effect of the genetic resequencing," Hippolyta replied. "An unexpected result was the loss of the male chromosome. It would never be created in resequenced humans."

"You must understand. At the time, our people were being...harvested, if you will. On a regular basis, Aphrodite came and removed people at random. She took women, children, men, any age past puberty. We were desperate.

"When we discovered this option, we took it. By the time the danger became obvious, it was too late. The resequencing caused these new, altered genes to become dominant. And with the altered gene having been spread through a significant portion of our population, it was too late to reverse the procedure." Hippolyta paused and looked into the distance, "The last male child was born a little less than one hundred years after the project was initiated. He, our Last Man, died a little more than an Earth century later."

"But surely this could be reversed? Some other alteration to correct it?" Sam asked.

"After the danger became too obvious to ignore, scientists did try to reverse the problem. Unfortunately, they were unsuccessful. The dominant gene configuration remained in place. Several centuries later, again by Earth standards, some of our top geneticists again tried to return the DNA to the original configuration. They succeeded in removing the genetic barrier to the Snakes but, after several generations, no male children were born. So they returned to the anti-Snake configuration."

"But, no male could be born from the mating of two female DNA patterns. A male sperm is required for the Y chromosome to develop," Janet said.

Wearily, sadly, Hippolyta agreed, "We tried to mate with other humans from other Snake-seeded worlds. It still didn't matter. All children born from those unions were female."

Sam looked confused, "I studied physics so maybe I'm a little dense when it comes to biology... No comments, Janet! How can you have children..."

Hippolyta interrupted, "Please. Let us take you on a little trip tomorrow. We," she indicated Diana, "will gladly answer your questions then."

Sam nodded. Janet stepped in, "Perhaps you'll tell us why you kept this a secret? And why you decided to tell us?"

"We are not proud of our past. Even though the tragedy occurred many, many generations ago, we still feel the burden of guilt for the loss of half our population," Hippolyta said. "For too long we isolated ourselves, except for some trade and communications with the Tollan, and later the Tok'ra. This was both because of fear of the Snakes and also to try to keep this terrible curse from spreading."

"Spreading?" Sam asked worriedly.

"If an Amazon was to journey offworld and have a child, that child would carry our genetic imprint. Should that child conceive, her daughters would also carry the imprint. As would their daughters. Eventually, the entire population of that world would be female."

"Oh. Are we...?" Sam didn't want to finish the question.

Janet shook her head, "No, Sam. It's not like a virus or germ that can infect us. It would require changing our genetic makeup."

"That is correct," Hippolyta confirmed. "As it would not affect you or your team, we originally hoped you would not discover our secret. Unfortunately, I also withheld the knowledge from Paula. She had no way of knowing the real danger in telling you about the resequencing. When she did, I took it upon myself to make any information useless to you. However, Janet, you are incredibly intelligent." Janet blushed at the compliment. "You saw what had been done and realized that the information had been removed upon later examination. I had not counted on that, stupidly.

"After the loss of our ship, and your people, I feared you would become suspicious of any attempt to mislead you. I was also worried that you would not believe our reports of the shipping disaster if you found out we hadn't told you the whole truth of our past. I decided we had to be completely honest with you. We want your trust. We hope to foster your friendship and regain our links to our ancient past."

"We will have to inform our people back home of this," Sam said.

"Of course. I understand. Please extend my apologies for this unfortunate event," Hippolyta replied.

Sam nodded and left. Janet stood for a moment quietly.

"I am interested in how you are able to maintain the population. Do you mate with males from other planets?"

Diana took Janet's arm and began to lead her from the room, "That has been one way. Come, Mother has much to do and I can better explain by showing you."

"Thank you, Diana. I am sorry, Janet. Thank you for your time. I must talk with Paula now."

A very curious Janet left with the beautiful Amazon princess.

~~~

Jack's House - Day Seven - Morning

Cassie sat at the kitchen table looking at Jack and Daniel as they quietly ate cereal and drank coffee. She smiled as she recalled the pained expressions on their faces when they came in earlier looking for aspirin and coffee. 'Only Jack would keep aspirin in his kitchen,' the teen mused.

The night before, Jack had hosted a small poker game. He even allowed Cass to sit in for a few hands. That ended before too long, as she seemed to have a natural affinity for the game and Jack wasn't about to lose money to a teenager. By that time, Cassie was already ahead by seven dollars though.

The older players continued long into the night. Cassie could hear them faintly as she drifted off. The beer and the cards seemed to provoke childish behavior in the adults for some reason.

She wasn't surprised when Daniel joined them for breakfast. But she was curious. "Jack? Can I ask you and Daniel a question?"

"Sure, kid. Waddya wanna know?"

"Are you and Daniel...you know?" Cass waved her hand.

Simultaneously, Jack yelled "Cassie!" and Daniel spewed a mouthful of Fruit Loops and milk onto the table.

Looking innocent while Daniel got a dishtowel and started mopping up his mess, Cassie said, "Well, you both spend a lot of time together and neither of you seem to date much..."

"Cassandra Fraiser, I am not, nor will I ever be, involved with Daniel! Got it?"

Slightly chagrined, Cassie nodded. "Sorry. Sorry, Daniel."

Daniel nodded as he resumed his seat. "It's okay Cass. No harm done."

Now it was Jack's turn. "What about your mom and Sam?" With a wicked glint in his eye, he asked, "Do they ever...?"

Again, simultaneously, Cassie yelled "EEEEWWW!" and Daniel spewed another mouthful of cereal and milk across the table.

"That's my mom! I don't even want to think about her having sex! That's just gross!" Cassie declared.

"Okay, Cass. Just asking. No harm, no foul." Turning to Daniel, Jack asked, "You gonna clean that up?"

Before Daniel could even respond, the phone began to ring. "O'Neill. But, General, it's Saturday... Oh, I see. Yeah, I'll get in touch with Daniel and we'll be in shortly.

"Better get bright, Danny-boy. We've been summoned. Cass, could you...?" Jack eyed the table top, covered by dishes, a box of cereal, milk, and Daniel's mess.

"Sure. Just like at home with Sam..."

Jack guffawed as he headed for the front door, Daniel Jackson in tow.

~~~

Guest Quarters - Themyscira - Day Six - Early Evening

"It seems that there was an end to the Goa'uld's seeding operation about twelve hundred years ago. For some reason, after some Vikings were left in the north, there were no more 'colonists' brought from Earth," Terri Morgan told her assembled teammates. She found talking to them was getting easier as she became more familiar with them.

"No idea why?" Jennifer asked.

Terri shook her head. "But, shortly after that, they made great advances technologically. By the time of the Norman Conquest of England on Earth, they had orbital satellites."

While the conversation went on around them, Janet took a moment to observe Carla Greene, the young naval officer. She was obviously still distraught at the loss of her friend and lover, as well as commanding officer, Marcy Davis, but she was making an effort to follow the discussion. 'Good for her,' Janet thought. 'I hope this doesn't get too complicated for her when we return to Earth.'

In truth, Janet didn't think that was going to be a problem. Mavis Cavanaugh, the other SG-13 member lost when an Amazonian ship sank in a tropical storm, was the most likely person to inform on the personal predelictions of her team members. And even she seemed to mellow in the time before the ill-fated cruise.

The doctor turned her attention back to the discussion at hand.

"That's not unheard of though. They have had contact with the Tollan and the Tok'ra. I'm sure they picked up something from them," Ashley Rand said.

"The Tollan don't share their secrets," Sam countered. "And I don't think the Tok'ra would just give technology to a primitive culture."

"Maybe some Einstein or Da Vinci type came along and, instead of being ignored or persecuted, the people listened to them?" Allison Moore asked.

"There's no mention of anyone like that specifically in the history of that time." Terri looked down, she still had trouble refuting any of her teammates. "There wasn't any specific people mentioned except the Amazonian queen, Penelope. Without saying so, the old texts imply she spearheaded their technological leaps."

Janet stood up from where she was sitting next to Sam, "Well, I think we'll be better able to discuss this tomorrow after our...field trip. I think we can table this until after that? I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm starving."

Sam stood and nodded, "Yeah, let's go get some dinner and relax. It's been a trying couple of days and I think we should all try to relax this evening."

"Uh, Major...I mean, Sam?" Sam turned to the Air Force captain, Liz Harding. "Your toga looks good on you..."

"Well, thanks, I guess. Still feels kind of... Thanks, Liz."

As the rest of SG-13 filed out, Janet wrapped an arm around Sam's waist, "I agree. You look very sexy." Her hand slid under the short skirt. "No undies? Samantha!"

Sam could only squeak when Janet pinched her ass before following the other Earth women to dinner.

~~~

SGC - Day Seven - Morning

"Good morning, General," Jack called cheerily as he walked into the Control Room.

"Jack, Doctor Jackson, come in my office, please."

"Uh, yes sir," Jack acknowledged, sending a questioning look at Sergeant Siler. The noncom's response was a non-committal shrug.

"Close the door, Jack," Hammond said as he sat.

"So, who did I piss off now?" Jack said, only half joking.

"Major Carter reported in late last night. I thought you might like to know what she had to say."

"More trouble?"

"Sort of. Our hope to protect ourselves from the Goa'uld... Well, it seems the genetic work they did to defeat the Goa'ulds caused all their men to die off in a couple of centuries," Hammond paused, letting the information sink in.

"Die off? How? Why?" Jack finally asked.

"Apparently Major Carter asked the same questions. It seems that the resequence causes the Y-chromosome to disappear."

"Y-chromosome?" Jack asked, tilting his head slightly. He was clearly about to say something in his usual smart-ass manner.

"Jack, I'm not in the mood for you to play dumb!" Hammond snapped, cutting Jack's sarcasm off.

"No sir. Sorry, sir."

"Jack, the Y chromosome is what makes the fertilized egg a male. Without a male donor, there is no Y chromosome," Daniel explained.

"I knew that. So there are no men on that planet at all?"

"Apparently not," Hammond replied.

"How do they...? Where do the kids...?"

"We don't know yet. But Major Carter said the queen promised to show them something to explain it all tomorrow. Well, later today for us."

"So, the women..."

"C'mon, Jack, I'll explain it all to you. General?" Hammond nodded as Daniel led Jack out.

Hammond could only shake his head as he heard Jack's voice come down the corridor, "So, no men? That means the women do it with the women?"

"I suppose so, Jack."

"Wow. Wish I could..."

Thankful that they turned a corridor before the conversation progressed any farther, the commander of the SGC turned his attention back to the never-ending flow of paperwork that seemed to appear, as if by magic, on his desk every hour of every day.

~~~

Themyscira - Day Seven - Morning

The surviving members of SG-13 were split between two large hovers. They were speeding out of the city in a southerly direction along the coast.

In the lead hover, Hippolyta was standing next to the pilot and talking to Sam and Janet. Also riding on the speeding aircar, listening to the conversation, were Ensign Carla Greene, Jennifer Crue, and Ashley Rand.

The second hover carried, in addition to the pilot, Diana and the remainder of SG-13. Terri Morgan was standing close to the tall Amazon gazing at her. Terri's Air Force confederates, Liz Harding and Lieutenant Allison Moore were at the vehicle's rear talking quietly.

"We have had some of our people leave our world. They wish to see more of the galaxy." Hippolyta looked at Sam, "You know we are lesbian by nature. We find it pleasant and fulfilling. But there are some who find they desire a male."

"Really?" Janet asked in a noncommittal voice.

"Please understand Doctor, as opposed to many on your world, we do not condemn our sisters for showing an interest in males. When one of us decides to leave and explore that aspect of themselves, their wish is granted. But, it does have a price."

"A price?" Jennifer asked.

"Yes, because of the danger of our genetic nature, we sterilize our departing sister to avoid spreading the curse to other worlds. She is aware of this beforehand and has to agree willingly before we proceed." Hippolyta looked towards the sea for a moment, "My aunt, Diana's namesake, was one such. She took the Ring to another world and managed to travel by starship back to our homeworld."

"She returned to Earth?" Sam asked.

"Yes, about sixty of your years ago. She met a man in one of the larger cities of the newly discovered continent and became his bride." Hippolyta chuckled, "She told him of our world and I understand he made a fiction of it that was very popular."

Sam looked confused but Janet snapped her fingers with a loud, "Ah-hah! Wonder Woman! She was the inspiration for Wonder Woman. She must've met the man who created the comic and..."

Jennifer echoed Janet, "Yes, of course! William Moulton Marston! He and your Aunt Diana created the greatest female superhero ever!"

Noticing the quizzical looks from her friends, Jennifer said, "Hey, I love her. I still like to read the comics. And the show... Lynda Carter is a goddess!"

Sam said, "Okay. That was interesting but I'm still dying to know where we're going and when we'll get there. What will we find when we get there, Hippolyta?"

The queen gestured in the direction they were traveling, "The real secret of our culture and science is just down the coast. We should be there in a matter of a few minutes."

"No hints or clues?" Sam asked.

"I think it will be better to show you. It's just past that headland."

As the twin hovers swung out over the surf and around the tall outcropping, Sam felt her heart leap into her throat. "Oh, God! We've been set up!' she thought with rising despair.

Sitting between the coastal bluffs and the surf, was a Goa'uld pyramid. The large, powerful, extremely dangerous landing craft of the Gao'uld interstellar ships.

"Sam..." Janet said, her hand gripping Sam's arm tightly.

Glancing around her quickly, scanning for Jaffa or other dangers, Sam saw the rest of her people looking too.

Just as Sam began to accuse the Amazons of duplicity, she looked more closely at the pyramid. There was something wrong with it...

The large, golden craft gleamed in the morning sun. But the reflected light emphasized gaps in the external plating, large gaps. Around the large structure were scattered hull plates and a myriad of smaller objects. In addition, the ship was not sitting exactly level. The apex of the pyramid was off the vertical by several degrees.

"Athena's mother ship!" Hippolyta declared. "This is where it crashed long ago."

"Crashed? When? What happened?" Sam asked.

The hovers neared the ship and settled slowly onto the sand. The dull sheen of corrosion became apparent to the Terrans upon closer inspection. The ground was littered with plating and hundreds of smaller, indefinable objects.

"I will try to use your time frame for reference. Thankfully my daughter tutored me in Earth time."

"Thank you, Hippolyta, but it's not necessary," Sam said diplomatically. Truthfully, she wanted it in Earth time. While she could handle the different time frame of the Amazons, she knew it was over the heads of many of her teammates.

"Approximately twelve hundred years ago, Athena returned with another cargo of slaves to abandon on our world as our ancestors had been a thousand and more years before.

"Shortly after her arrival, another Godship appeared in the sky. It fired some type of laser beam and dropped concussion bombs around our city and Athena's ship. Athena took to the sky and an aerial battle ensued. For over a day and a night, the sky was alight with the fury of their combat. In the end, Athena's pyramid ship crashed here on the beach. She seemingly escaped in her orbital craft.

"The night sky of our world was lit by the explosion of either her ship or that of her foe's in orbit. Later, another bright explosion was seen in the sky. That was the other starship. We later deduced the star drive overloaded and destroyed the ship. To this day, a large hole is visible in Sappho's Veil in the northern climes." Hippolyta paused.

"So both Goa'uld warlords were destroyed?" Janet asked.

"We believe so. In any case, no Snake has returned to our world since the great God-battle," Diana responded.

Nodding, Hippolyta went on, "Our people were understandably reluctant to approach this ship." She gestured to the gutted hulk looming over them. "But finally, one of our warriors, Ariadne, led a small group to the ship. They found several Snake warriors guarding it. The battle was short and fierce and the aliens were defeated.

"As our people realized what had happened, they entered the ship. In a frenzy of vengeance, they killed the few living beings still aboard and began to destroy anything and everything inside. Fortunately, Ariadne regained her head and put a stop to the wanton destruction. She knew we would be benefit from learning what we could of the Snakes' ways."

"You learned and progressed because of this ship." Sam stared at the pyramid, "Sounds like Von Daniken, again."

"I do not know this Vondonakin but you are essentially correct. Our brightest were sent to examine the ship and it's contents. They discovered the central computer was still running and were able to save so much of the data base. While one group worked on saving the information, another began to remove instruments and equipment. Within a few dozen solar revolutions, my people had progressed from farmers and bow and sword-laden warriors to scientists and scholars.

"Within a few centuries, we mastered genetics. That was when the Great Experiment began. While we slowly, unknowingly condemned half our race to extinction, we also mastered chemistry, physics, and the other sciences. We made Themyscira a paradise."

"But one with a terrible price..." Diana said.

They entered the ship. Sam, the only one who had actually been in a Goa'uld ship visibly shivered as she entered. They wandered the empty, echoing galleries and chambers, the stripped labs and control rooms.

Standing at a gap in the outer hull, looking out to sea, Sam marveled at the self-control the ancient Themyscirans. They overcame their hatred and managed to salvage a future for themselves from the crashed ship. Would her ancestors have had the foresight to do the same?

Janet came up behind Sam, admiring her shapely silhouette beneath the sheer material of the toga. "What does Jennifer know about goddesses?"

"Oh, hi Janet! What did you say?"

"Nothing, honey." Janet slipped her arms around Sam and kissed her. "Wanna make out in an alien spaceship?"

"Janet!" Sam pretended to be shocked but the woman in her arms turned on in so many ways. "Actually I'd love to take advantage of you right here and right now but I think it's close to the time we head back to the city."

Smiling to offset her words, Janet said, "Damn! Well, tonight you're mine!"

"It's a date." Sam took her love's hand and led her out of the wrecked spaceship.

As they were heading back to the city, Hippolyta drew Sam and Janet aside. "Even if Diana hadn't pointed it out to me, it's obvious you to love each other deeply."

Sam blushed and darted a glance at Carla, Jennifer, and Ashley. They were deep in a conversation, virtually oblivious to anything else.

Janet replied for both of them, "Yes, your majesty. We are. Sam is my life and soul. And I think she feels the same way."

"It is apparent to those who wish to see that this is so." Sam managed to nod but she still didn't dare voice her feelings.

"Why do you ask?" Janet inquired.

"I believe we can give you a gift unparalleled on your world. If you wish to accept it.

"And do not worry if you choose not to accept. I will not take offense."

"What...uh, what is it?" Sam finally managed to ask.

Neither of the young lovers could believe their ears when Hippolyta told them.

Next: The Gift