![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
marblegloveWhen I wrote A Square Peg in a Round Hole, I had a whole set of ideas for how to get Methos in contact with the SGC crew. At request, I’m posting what ideas I had at the time that I didn’t go forward with. Of them all, this was the closest second. I almost went with it a number of times and it wound up being more random chance than any particular reason that I went with Square Peg instead. .
The second of three Methos/Stargate plot-bunnies:
The bar was closed to the public but full of Watchers. They were all trading stories and just generally debreifing each other as they did every couple of weeks. When you had a secret life it was important to find some time to speak freely.
When teh phone rang, Joe Dawson, bar owner and area supervisor, delegated the task of answering it to one of his subordinates both in watcher training and in bar tending. He didn’t even think much of it until the young watcher put his hand over the mouthpiece and called out, “Guys? It’s someone calling for Methos.”
Dead silence.
Joe gave an agonized look at Adam Pierson whom he alone, of all the watchers, knew to be both immortal and that most elusive of the immortals, Methos. But everyone was looking around, confused and worried. Was Methos here? Did someone know they were watchers? Were they in danger? What should they do?
Finally Adam stood up. “Unless someone here is going to admit to being immortal, being my immortal...?” He paused and looked at each person in turn, studying them for some sign. “I’m going to answer and see what I can learn.”
There were nods of comprehension and approval and a few mouthed “good idea”s but everyone sat silent as he took the phone. “Yes?”
The Watchers watched and listened, straining to hear every word.
----------------
The Watchers milled around the bar quietly unhappy. The fact that Adam Pierson was fluent in multiple otherwise-dead languages had never before been so frustrating. Only two watchers, who had had previous assignments in Egypt, stayed still and focused near the bar, trying to understand a language that was like and yet unlike that which they knew.
But everyone perked up again when ADam spoek loudly in English. “If you harm him in any way before I get there I will personally skin you alive with a red hot spoon!”
The Watchers were pretty evenly split between looking appalled at the normally mild and gentle researcher’s threat and looking greatly impressed by it.
The phone back in its cradle, Adam slumped on a stool with his head in his hands. One of the more impatient of the Watchers finally said, “Well?”
Adam’s eyes were tired and his smile weak. “False alarm as far as Methos goes. A contact of mine wanted to get through to me without giving away my name. He doesn’t know who or what Methos is, just that its a word I keep track of, that I would respond to. He’s been arrested by the US military and is slated for execution.”
“I’m sorry, Adam.”
“Harsh.”
“But due process!”
“Who was your contact?”
“Why does a researcher have a contact?”
The responses came more or less at the same time, but the last one had a few of them puzzled. Active watchers might have “contacts” to get them past security checkpoints or into places they couldn’t get on their own but researchers stayed in libraries, right? Occasionally traveled to see the sights but not following dangerous individuals.
“Black market antique rings and tomb raiders. Smuggling weapons on the side. Occasional forgery.”
Adam rubbed his eyes again and they all remembered that it was late at night (or early in the morning, as the case may be) and they'd all been drinking. “The military was almost certainly monitoring that line so the security of this bar has been compromised. I’m sorry, Joe.”
“Don’t worry. It’s not the first time I’ve been investigated and I doubt it’ll be the last.”
“Be careful. That goes for all of you. Something screwy is going on. He had some of the best security I’ve seen but they caught him anyway. And they were just waiting to shoot.”
“Uh-huh,” Joe agreed warily. “And what about you?”
“The name Methos is used in a mysterious situation... I’ll investigate it, of course,” Adam spoke in mock surprise.
“You said it had nothing to do with Methos.”
“Yeah. But it does have to do with my friends and its still a mysterious situation.”
----------------
The SGC agents looked up from Daniels translation of what their most recent prisoner had said on the phone before they had managed to subdue him.
“Seriously?”
“That’s the translation.” Daniel shrugged with some bemusement of his own. “That’s what was said.”
“He is a goa’uld, isn’t he?” Jack asked.
It was a serious question. Sure, their prisoner had the goa’uld voice and the flashing eyes, but still… “the host called his dad?”
-------------------
The plot is that Methos had a son some two or three thousand years ago. He did not want him to die. And he was friends with a goa’uld. So for the last couple of thousand of years Methos has had a friend and a son who are immortal but not part of The Game. He loves having an immortal family and now someone is threatening that.
The second of three Methos/Stargate plot-bunnies:
The bar was closed to the public but full of Watchers. They were all trading stories and just generally debreifing each other as they did every couple of weeks. When you had a secret life it was important to find some time to speak freely.
When teh phone rang, Joe Dawson, bar owner and area supervisor, delegated the task of answering it to one of his subordinates both in watcher training and in bar tending. He didn’t even think much of it until the young watcher put his hand over the mouthpiece and called out, “Guys? It’s someone calling for Methos.”
Dead silence.
Joe gave an agonized look at Adam Pierson whom he alone, of all the watchers, knew to be both immortal and that most elusive of the immortals, Methos. But everyone was looking around, confused and worried. Was Methos here? Did someone know they were watchers? Were they in danger? What should they do?
Finally Adam stood up. “Unless someone here is going to admit to being immortal, being my immortal...?” He paused and looked at each person in turn, studying them for some sign. “I’m going to answer and see what I can learn.”
There were nods of comprehension and approval and a few mouthed “good idea”s but everyone sat silent as he took the phone. “Yes?”
The Watchers watched and listened, straining to hear every word.
----------------
The Watchers milled around the bar quietly unhappy. The fact that Adam Pierson was fluent in multiple otherwise-dead languages had never before been so frustrating. Only two watchers, who had had previous assignments in Egypt, stayed still and focused near the bar, trying to understand a language that was like and yet unlike that which they knew.
But everyone perked up again when ADam spoek loudly in English. “If you harm him in any way before I get there I will personally skin you alive with a red hot spoon!”
The Watchers were pretty evenly split between looking appalled at the normally mild and gentle researcher’s threat and looking greatly impressed by it.
The phone back in its cradle, Adam slumped on a stool with his head in his hands. One of the more impatient of the Watchers finally said, “Well?”
Adam’s eyes were tired and his smile weak. “False alarm as far as Methos goes. A contact of mine wanted to get through to me without giving away my name. He doesn’t know who or what Methos is, just that its a word I keep track of, that I would respond to. He’s been arrested by the US military and is slated for execution.”
“I’m sorry, Adam.”
“Harsh.”
“But due process!”
“Who was your contact?”
“Why does a researcher have a contact?”
The responses came more or less at the same time, but the last one had a few of them puzzled. Active watchers might have “contacts” to get them past security checkpoints or into places they couldn’t get on their own but researchers stayed in libraries, right? Occasionally traveled to see the sights but not following dangerous individuals.
“Black market antique rings and tomb raiders. Smuggling weapons on the side. Occasional forgery.”
Adam rubbed his eyes again and they all remembered that it was late at night (or early in the morning, as the case may be) and they'd all been drinking. “The military was almost certainly monitoring that line so the security of this bar has been compromised. I’m sorry, Joe.”
“Don’t worry. It’s not the first time I’ve been investigated and I doubt it’ll be the last.”
“Be careful. That goes for all of you. Something screwy is going on. He had some of the best security I’ve seen but they caught him anyway. And they were just waiting to shoot.”
“Uh-huh,” Joe agreed warily. “And what about you?”
“The name Methos is used in a mysterious situation... I’ll investigate it, of course,” Adam spoke in mock surprise.
“You said it had nothing to do with Methos.”
“Yeah. But it does have to do with my friends and its still a mysterious situation.”
----------------
The SGC agents looked up from Daniels translation of what their most recent prisoner had said on the phone before they had managed to subdue him.
“Seriously?”
“That’s the translation.” Daniel shrugged with some bemusement of his own. “That’s what was said.”
“He is a goa’uld, isn’t he?” Jack asked.
It was a serious question. Sure, their prisoner had the goa’uld voice and the flashing eyes, but still… “the host called his dad?”
-------------------
The plot is that Methos had a son some two or three thousand years ago. He did not want him to die. And he was friends with a goa’uld. So for the last couple of thousand of years Methos has had a friend and a son who are immortal but not part of The Game. He loves having an immortal family and now someone is threatening that.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
Re: Oh I do wish you would write this one
Date: 2010-03-11 09:53 pm (UTC)Re: Oh I do wish you would write this one
Date: 2010-03-11 10:10 pm (UTC)Re: Oh I do wish you would write this one
Date: 2010-03-11 10:18 pm (UTC)Re: Oh I do wish you would write this one
Date: 2010-03-12 12:06 am (UTC)They may just want to ensure that the SGC realizes that they are accountable to someone. They don't have complete free reign to do what they want.
It would be a good story but I have too many stories in the works already. I'll give this one a pass.
Re: Oh I do wish you would write this one
Date: 2010-03-12 12:11 am (UTC)In fact, keeping up the actions might make negotiations with other countries easier, since there's a time element involved.
As for the killing of Ra, I'm not sure what the military rules are regarding the self-defense killing of a country ruler. I'm guessing that there are occasions when the life of a soldier is considered less important than the life of a foreign ruler. Maybe they had to do it but they could potentially be in deep trouble afterwards.
Re: Oh I do wish you would write this one
Date: 2010-03-12 12:14 am (UTC)It's like Freud: if you fantasize about your parents, then you have Oedipus complex; if you don't fantasize about your parents, then you're suppressing it, and you have an Oedipus complex. There's just no way out.
Re: Oh I do wish you would write this one
Date: 2010-03-12 12:16 am (UTC)Re: Oh I do wish you would write this one
Date: 2010-03-12 12:17 am (UTC)Re: Oh I do wish you would write this one
Date: 2010-03-12 12:47 am (UTC)Re: Oh I do wish you would write this one
Date: 2010-03-12 09:05 pm (UTC)I've read stories about Daniel and Jack being Immortals, but has anyone read a story where Sam is Immortal?
Re: Oh I do wish you would write this one
Date: 2010-03-12 09:07 pm (UTC)Re: Oh I do wish you would write this one
Date: 2010-03-12 10:44 pm (UTC)And I bet Daniel would have to be extremely careful.
There's a hilarious crossover story in which the SGC goes public and it's decided that Daniel needs to have a bodyguard. (The last time he went out in public, a mob of fans tore all his clothes off.) So the President hires Buffy. Hee.
Bodyguard Buffy by PaBurke
http://www.tthfanfic.org/Story-5009/PaBurke+Bodyguard+Buffy.htm
Re: Oh I do wish you would write this one
Date: 2010-03-12 10:47 pm (UTC)http://mightygodking.com/index.php/2008/06/09/from-the-slushpile/
Re: Oh I do wish you would write this one
Date: 2010-03-13 12:07 am (UTC)Re: Oh I do wish you would write this one
Date: 2010-03-13 10:34 pm (UTC)Now, I'm imagining someone sponsoring "The Methos Conversations" where they get as many potential Methoses in one room and get them talking. After all, if any of them are trying to prove that they're not Methos, the best way to do that is to identify the real one; and if any of them are trying to prove that they are Methos, they'll need to disprove all the others who say they're Methos. Let the sniping begin...
Re: Oh I do wish you would write this one
Date: 2010-03-14 04:55 am (UTC)Re: Oh I do wish you would write this one
Date: 2010-03-14 05:13 am (UTC)""How many governments has Jack helped overthrow? How many Gou'alds has he destroyed thereby destroying someone's religious beliefs?" Xander explained. "How many time have his actions led to the death of someone or the start of some war?"
"Hey! We help free people from the Gou'alds!" Jack exclaimed.
"Did they ask for it?" Xander replied. "If you gave someone CPR and they survive but end up being permanently mentally disabled, did you do a good thing by saving them or a bad thing by forcing them to live as less than they were?""
Re: Oh I do wish you would write this one
Date: 2010-03-14 05:15 am (UTC)Re: Oh I do wish you would write this one
Date: 2010-03-15 02:17 pm (UTC)Rupert Giles (he could cite his sources but they'd be these ancient books that no one else has a copy of... very suspicious.)
some evangelical preacher (who wants the fame and attention. Maybe has a research team behind him?)
Zero Cool (from Hackers. Very up on technology, doesn't know anything much about history... or so he claims. Is clearly a kid... isn't Methos tricky.)
It would be completely crack fic, but hilarious.
Re: Oh I do wish you would write this one
Date: 2010-03-15 02:20 pm (UTC)But you're right: I like a balanced portrayal of characters. It's okay to show a character I like as being the bad guy or make one character super strong, but at least do it without gratuitous bashing.
Re: Oh I do wish you would write this one
Date: 2010-03-16 11:46 am (UTC)Re: Oh I do wish you would write this one
Date: 2010-03-16 11:53 am (UTC)I suspect that at one point, Daniel or Giles would try to calm everyone down and then suggest trying to get into Methos's head to predict where he is instead of assuming that he's on the show. I'm not sure whether they'd succeed or not, considering all the conflicting information flying around about Methos.
Re: Oh I do wish you would write this one
Date: 2010-03-16 02:43 pm (UTC)Re: Oh I do wish you would write this one
Date: 2010-03-16 02:48 pm (UTC)Since immortals are so thoroughly in the gray zone between good and evil--they're all serial killers but it's always and serially self-defense?--it's probably hard to get loyal bodyguards. Easier to just protect yourself than to trust an armed person at your back.