Chapter 13 Sokar
00 observed the new design of 03's ship, her partner in the Earth mission assignment. 00 had been on vacation since the last negotiations that added Earth to the list of protected planets.
The NID had learned to carry out its thefts from the Goa'uld without emergencies arising. SG1 had also not been on missions risking Earth's security, so 00 was free and preferred spending her free time with the Creator.
Now she was back and saw the new design of 03's bioship, completely abandoning the Goa'uld design. It had a long and wide triangular shape, like a flattened cone, flat at the edges, with twelve large thrusters at the tail. Its color was polished and shiny black.
It was an aerodynamic design created to maximize efficiency and speed. With those engines, 00 was sure that, despite being a kilometer long, this ship would be as maneuverable as a fighter or assault ship, unlike any known vessel.
"03 is strange," concluded 00.
00 had also read reports of how 03 interfered twice in human missions just because it felt like helping them. He seemed to have formed a friendship with them.
00 didn't understand this either. Humans were far inferior beings. Amusing and entertaining, but 00 couldn't see herself becoming friends with them. Still, she didn't say anything because each of them did what they wanted, and she was now working.
00 had another mission assigned by the Creator, ensuring Sokar's downfall as he was a nuisance and didn't fit into the Creator's plans. He even dared to send a fleet into Sokar's territory, something not even the System Lords dared to do.
Sokar gathered strength by attacking lesser Goa'uld, stripping them of their ships and troops, and adding them to his forces. He already had a fleet superior to any System Lord. Her Creator couldn't allow this because Earth still didn't have a fleet to face him. Sokar also planned to attack the System Lords, starting a war that could become a real problem by assimilating the troops and ships of the Goa'uld System Lords.
For all these reasons, 00 was sent to ensure Sokar's fall, to put Apophis, currently Sokar's prisoner, in charge of everything.
Apophis was a System Lord and wouldn't stoop to stealing from lesser lords like Sokar did. His pride would compel him to reclaim his territory and build his own ships, so his forces wouldn't grow disproportionately. Although they also didn't plan to do anything to diminish his forces, having someone else to worry about, and with Apophis's craving for attention, he would draw the attention of the System Lords instead of her Creator.
To fulfill this mission, 00 had returned to Earth's orbit and awaited the arrival of the Tok'ra at the SGC Command to begin the mission.
…
Hours later, the Tok'ra arrived at the SGC, and 03 called 00 for their presentation.
"Wait for them to explain the situation; it's too boring to listen to reports. This view is better," said 00, gazing into space while sitting on the bridge of her ship. She held a glass of red wine in her hand, swirling it gently.
…
03 nodded and ended the communication. If she said to wait, then they would wait. He didn't want to question her motives and disrupt her mood. 00 was a rather special person. She had never adapted to anything and had her own style. She was distant with everyone except her god, even though their personalities were very different.
03 deployed a hologram showing his six siblings and their ships. 00 wore the same outfit she had when created, which hadn't changed. It was a stylized and form-fitting suit that she only changed the color of, alternating between white, blue, or black. Her appearance hadn't changed either, with aquamarine-blue hair and scarlet-red iris. Her skin was also very pale.
The only thing 00 had changed was the design of her ship, which had dragon wings and a dragon-shaped body, though with a stylized and mechanical design, without scales, polished black. It looked like a dragon in full attack. It wasn't an aerodynamic design, and apparently, she had incorporated weapons all around.
03 looked at his other siblings' ships. 01's ship had the same design as his god's, as he remained in the cargo hold. 02's ship still retained the Goa'uld design but was more traditional, just elongated. 04 simply copied his model; he wasn't interested in his bioship, just removed the design that resembled the replicators because he said it scared women. 05 and 06 had chosen a star design, with a circular circumference and a pyramid in the center. It seemed like each of them had their own style, but of all, 00 and he were the ones most distant from the personalities of the others. That was interesting because the two of them worked together.
03 waited, observing the view while reading his book and awaited 00 to contact him again.
…
Sam was barely accepting the news about her father being captured by Sokar when 00 and 03 appeared in the meeting room.
Sam looked at 00; the fact that she was there meant that this matter was considered important to them. With what Martouf had told them, Sam had no doubt, as Sokar was about to launch an attack against the System Lords, absorbing their territories and troops to become a new Goa'uld supreme lord.
Her father, the host of Selmak, a Tok'ra, was monitoring Sokar. Upon learning this information and trying to pass it on to the Tok'ra, he was captured and sent to a hellish prison owned by Sokar. Because of this, the Tok'ra had come to them with a plan to free him and also to put an end to Sokar's ambitions.
"Good morning," greeted 03 upon arrival, and General Hammond welcomed them, offering seats.
00 sat on the other side of the head of the table, and 03 sat beside her.
"The Tok'ra have already informed us of the plan's details. We'll only make a small modification, which is the ship to use to reach the Netu moon. The SGC has a cargo ship that we modified for them. It's faster and also has a camouflage system," said 00.
Martouf looked at them with surprise.
"A ship the Goa'uld left lying around," Colonel O'Neill added.
Their government hadn't informed the Tok'ra that they had three Ha'taks, seven Al'kesh, four cargo ships, and three dozen death gliders, all upgraded by their allies. They were on the base planet, where they had built their shipyards and started constructing their first independently designed ship, with resources stolen from the Goa'uld. That was a strategic secret, crucial for Earth's survival at a critical moment.
"Your ships don't have camouflage?" Teal'c asked.
"The Tok'ra doesn't have ships. We're infiltrators. The Tel'tak we would use was stolen by Jolinar after her escape from this prison," explained Martouf.
"She would be an excellent guide for this mission," Colonel O'Neill said.
"She has refused to speak on the matter. It seems she lived through a difficult situation," Martouf added, shaking his head.
"No need, we already have experience infiltrating hostile Goa'uld territory," said Maybourne, lifting a suitcase containing the infiltration artifacts used by the NID for special missions, which they would use on this mission.
"Given the current situation, the president won't take too long to give his approval. You should proceed to the secure base for boarding," said General Hammond, who was a friend of her father and was concerned about his situation.
…
A few hours later, 00 entertained Martouf and the rest of the team, giving very brief answers to their questions about the Tel'tak modifications, while Sam stayed in the cargo hold. She wasn't in the mood to try to get information from 00…
03 sighed and stepped away from the group, where 00 was talking, and Martouf was trying to gather information, while Colonel O'Neill, Daniel, and Teal'c tried to prevent her from revealing Earth's strategic information. 03 was the mediator but seemed to reach his limit and moved away from the group, walking towards her.
03 hadn't changed his appearance and wore a casual yet formal look, with dress pants and a jacket, but no tie. He didn't seem to be participating in a military mission, but Sam was sure he was better equipped than all of them.
Upon reaching where she was, 03 sat beside her and let out another sigh.
"This is going to be a long journey," said 03 with a dejected tone. Sam nodded; she guessed her team would be on edge until this mission was over.
"Are you okay?" asked 03. Sam nodded, although she was far from calm, as her father was said to be in a hellish prison.
"Don't worry, Major Carter. Your father will be fine, and in the future, this situation will only be a bad memory. You should take a vacation afterward; that could help," said 03. His voice sounded as if he understood her state from personal experience.
"Have you ever been through something similar?" asked Sam. 03 shook his head.
"Sometimes I dream," said 03, and then smiled when she looked at him without understanding. "Remember our origin?" 03 asked. Sam nodded.
"You are creations, and your creator is the emperor of your empire," said Sam. 03 nodded.
"Yes, we are his creations, but we didn't come from nothing. In reality, we are not a creation in the strict sense of the word. We are more of a division, as we are part of our creator in a broad sense. Each of us is a copy of him," explained 03, and Sam was left stunned. 03 smiled. "Yes, our creator has some trust issues with other people, so he created some extra pairs of hands," confirmed 03.
Sam understood that her government had completely underestimated the importance of 00 and 03. They weren't ordinary diplomatic envoys. One could say that Earth was treating on equal terms with the so-called emperor…
Sam shook her head in her mind; this wasn't about politics.
"Do you mean you have his memories?" asked Sam.
"Some. Most he keeps with him, away from our minds. But sometimes, I dream of a life that isn't mine. A life full of pain, helplessness, frustration, defenselessness, misery, hunger, need, and losses.
Sometimes I see close people die and how I am left alone, growing and learning from pain and misery, filling myself with hatred and desperation. Watching as my life ends and how I move forward into the future with no hope other than a lonely death among disease and misery.
Upon waking up, I understand why my god chooses to keep those memories only for himself. And also for that reason, I understand his pain at this moment and can assure you that it will soon pass and will remain as just another memory, a distant dream, perhaps a little nightmare," comforted 03.
"Thank you!" said Sam, and 03 stood by her side watching as 00 played with her team and with Martouf.
…
"Camouflage activated," said Teal'c, who was piloting the cargo ship, upon reaching their destination.
In front of them was a red moon, a result of gases emanating from its core. Sokar himself had excavated this core to create a personal hell to send his enemies to suffer. It was where they held Jacob, Sam's father, who was the host of the Tok'ra named Selmak.
Colonel O'Neill looked at the moon and then at them.
"Alright, people, we're here. We'll stick to the plan: we'll land on the moon, secure the communication device and the rings, and rescue Jacob.
After securing them, we'll take control of the place, taking advantage of the fact that there are only two weapons. We'll incite a revolt to make the snake show itself and bring its ships. When it does, we'll blow up the moon in its face. Everyone on board?" he asked, looking at Martouf. Martouf nodded.
"The Tok'ra are the most interested in rescuing Selmak," said Martouf, pulling out a small device and handing it to Colonel O'Neill. "This is a communication device so that we can talk to Teal'c. We assume it can penetrate the contaminated atmosphere of Netu, and it's encoded, so Sokar won't be able to trace us," explained Martouf as he handed the device to Colonel O'Neill, who took it.
Colonel O'Neill nodded and checked his bracelet, which could provide them with camouflage, shields, or a new appearance if needed. It was a device that the NID used in their assaults against the Goa'ulds and provided them with large amounts of resources each month.
"Alright. Teal'c, we'll land, activate the ring platform, and then you'll position the ship," said Colonel O'Neill.
"Colonel O'Neill, I'll await your signal," said Teal'c.
"Alright, let's get into those coffins and launch ourselves onto the volcanic moon," said Colonel O'Neill, though he frowned upon seeing the escape pods.
"Carter, there are only four coffins here, and we are six," said Colonel O'Neill looking at 00 and 03.
"We'll transport directly to the surface. Using these pods is a risk; they could fail, and their occupants would have a very painful death in the moon's atmosphere," explained 00 firmly. Colonel O'Neill grimaced.
"Could you take us with you?" asked Colonel O'Neill. 00 nodded. Colonel O'Neill blinked. "And you didn't say it, why?" he asked.
"I thought you'd enjoy launching in the pods," said 00.
"Please, take us with you," said Colonel O'Neill helplessly.
00 nodded and extended her hand. Her team took it, and they disappeared, appearing on the surface of the moon, a volcanic landscape.
"Alright, we've saved ourselves a difficult trip. Activate stealth and let's find that ring platform," said Colonel O'Neill, and everyone became invisible.
"Testing sound," said Colonel O'Neill to check the short-range radios.
"Received," everyone replied.
"Use zat guns if necessary. We don't want trouble until the rescue is done," Colonel O'Neill warned, and everyone split up.
The team entered the caves, Sokar's prison, to try to take control of the prison guard's room, where the only communication device in the place was located. This meant that if they took control of it, Sokar wouldn't be able to find out what was happening there without coming to check for himself from the planet.
…
03 transported with 00 after separating from the group. They already knew where the main guard's room was, as their sensors had located it. Both arrived directly there to find their target: the Goa'uld known as Apophis, who was a prisoner of Sokar.
00 and 03 transported about fifty meters in a cleared tunnel and then walked toward their target. In addition to being invisible to the eyes of the prisoners, thanks to Tollan technology, they were also intangible and reached their goal directly before the rest of their group arrived.
"It's him," said 00, looking at a man wearing a helmet as a mask and a Jaffa staff.
The man guarded the door to the prison guard's rooms, along with four other men who were also Goa'uld. For a human, it would be extremely difficult to survive a few days in this prison.
00 raised her hand, and they all disappeared, stored as energy.
"Target captured, let's call the others," said 00.
For now, their mission ended there. They had to wait for Sokar to be taken down to bring Apophis to the planet and claim his place.
"There are many minor Goa'uld here, also Jaffas. We could take them with our god as labor," said 03. Since when the moon exploded, thousands of lives would be lost, and considering that these prisoners were enemies of Sokar, there might be innocent people among them.
00 shrugged.
"There's plenty of time, but wait until the main room is captured and the prisoner is freed," said 00, and 03 nodded quickly.
"Colonel O'Neill, we've located the place…" 03 transmitted the room's address.
…
Ten minutes later, the entire group had arrived. They hadn't abandoned stealth, but 03 could see them, as this was Goa'uld-level technology. Although it seemed the same as what he and 00 used, it wasn't. Against Asgard technology, it was useless. They also possessed psychic abilities, and not even Asgard technology would be effective in hiding from them.
"Are we all here?" asked Colonel O'Neill over the radio, and when everyone responded, he pounded on the door with force.
The main guard who was resting inside came out to see who it was and was met with several Zat discharges, making him disappear.
Then, the team entered, closed the door, and deactivated stealth. 03 and 00 also revealed themselves.
"That was quick," said Colonel O'Neill, seeing them appear.
"There's not much to explore in this place," said 03.
00 ignored the question.
"Alright, look for that communication device and the ring platform," ordered Colonel O'Neill.
03 pointed to a place on the back wall.
"Here's the communication device and also the control for the ring platform," 03 reported, while Martouf pulled out a sensor device to track the location.
"Well, now we just need to find Jacob," said Colonel O'Neill.
"I'll keep watch here. You keep working," said 00, materializing a throne and sitting down.
"Matter-to-energy conversion and vice versa," explained 03 when the team looked at him. Colonel O'Neill looked at Major Carter.
"Sir, the Goa'uld don't possess that technology," Major Carter explained.
"Martouf, your technology is disappointing," said Colonel O'Neill.
"I'm not a Goa'uld!" Martouf retorted.
"Whatever you say," said Colonel O'Neill and checked his Zat gun. "Alright, people, first part of the plan completed. We move on to phase two. Activate shields and put to sleep anyone who approaches us. I don't care if it's to ask for the time or the direction to the bathroom. I don't want accidents," warned Colonel O'Neill, looking at Daniel.
"Why are you looking at me?" asked Daniel. Colonel O'Neill ignored him and took the lead to leave the room.
Upon exiting, Colonel O'Neill looked at 03.
"03, can you locate Jacob?" asked Colonel O'Neill. 03 nodded.
"We need a prisoner. I'll check his memories," said 03.
A few seconds later, the SG1 knocked out the first prisoner they found.
03 approached, and in a couple of seconds, he had copied all his memory. This was a technology they had obtained from the world where the android Harlan lived, who made duplicates of SG1. When applying Asgard technology, the improvement was impressive.
"He's in a closed cell, follow me," 03 informed and led the way.
In the prison, there were hundreds of people, but their entire group was armed, and anyone who tried to get in their way was stunned.
…
About ten minutes later, they stunned a couple of guards and entered a cell to find Major Carter's father, who was injured, in a kind of underground cell.
03 hurried to heal all his wounds, and he stood up to embrace his daughter and look at 03.
"03 and 00 have come to help us," explained Major Carter, and the man nodded.
"Let's return to the guard room," ordered Colonel O'Neill, seeing that their target was safe.
…
As they returned, no prisoner tried to approach them.
…
Upon returning to the main guard room of the prison, 00 was still sitting on her throne.
"Martouf," said Colonel O'Neill, and Martouf took out a small gray sphere.
"This will destroy this room as soon as we leave," Martouf said.
"Can't we do anything for these people?" asked Daniel. "I mean, if they're Sokar's prisoners, they probably aren't such bad people after all. And when the moon explodes, they'll face the same fate as him," explained Daniel.
"I'll transport everyone before the explosion. I've marked them all," said 03, who, during his tour, had spread his bionanites on all the prisoners, and now they were within his reach.
"There are hundreds of people here, and there's no space in our small ship," said Martouf. "Besides, most of Sokar's prisoners are Jaffa and Goa'uld," he added.
03 materialized a small metal box in his hand, five centimeters on each side. "They will be stored here," explained 03.
"People, tell your emperor that he is welcome to visit us whenever he likes. I'll invite him to go fishing," said Colonel O'Neill, who also saw no need to leave Sokar's prisoners behind.
"Sir, I think we should talk later," said Major Carter with some discomfort.
"O'Neill, I'm in position," said Teal'c over the radio, interrupting the question that Colonel O'Neill was about to ask.
…
A minute later, they returned to the Tel'tak using the ring platform. He and 00 could locate the ship and return to it, but there was no problem in using the Goa'uld ring transporters.
"Jacob, take a seat. I think you'll like what comes next," said Colonel O'Neill. Jacob nodded.
…
A few hours later, Sokar, who had received no reports from his prison, took his flagship to his planet and approached the moon to demand explanations about what was happening there.
Martouf sent the Tok'ra weapon they would use to destroy the moon, and everyone waited to see how long it would take Sokar to realize that the moon was about to explode in his face.
A few seconds before the explosion, Sokar's ship tried to fly away, but it was already too late, and the moon's explosion destroyed his ship.
While this was happening, 03 and 00 left a couple of hard light holograms and headed to the planet to implant a new memory in Apophis, making him believe he had escaped from Sokar's prison on his own. Then they returned to the Tel'tak and headed back to the SGC Command's safe base to go home.
…
A week after the SG1 mission to rescue Jacob, Maybourne still had some paperwork and reports to submit. In this mission, they had used the infiltration bracelets, an extraterrestrial technology closely monitored by all the major intelligence agencies in his country. These agencies feared it would fall into the hands of any enemy, be it Goa'uld or from Earth itself. Each artifact they possessed required a significant amount of paperwork before use.
Maybourne thought that his superiors would never lend this technology to rescue a Tok'ra, even if this Tok'ra was a former military from their own country. However, Jacob was not an ordinary person; he was the father of Major Samantha Carter, part of SG1. This group had secured its current alliance and was highly valued, to the point of fulfilling some of their whims.
Given this context, intelligence agencies took into account that rejecting a request for help from SG1 could result in disapproval from their allies and the withdrawal of their support. So, whenever SG1 asked for help, their superiors were quick to offer it.
Initially, Maybourne disagreed with this, as he believed they should only respond in the case of a true threat to the lives of their main team. However, after working with SG1 for almost two years, he had developed some trust in them, as much as he could trust anyone else. Therefore, he didn't mind lending them the infiltration equipment…
A silent alarm reached his computer, interrupting his thoughts. Maybourne was somewhat surprised because this alarm was related to an enemy infiltration code through the portal. This alarm system had been recently implemented, thanks to their allies, after a species using optical camouflage managed to infiltrate the base undetected.
Maybourne didn't hesitate and activated the alarms for an invasion, alerting his personnel to rush to the location with a complete interrogation team. Now, this team included Orbanian nanites, allowing them to extract information directly from the brains of the interrogated, rather than relying on lie detectors.
Maybourne stood up from his chair and headed to a safe in a corner. By activating the enemy infiltration code and alarms, the safe discreetly opened. He took out a briefcase containing an infiltration bracelet, stun grenades, a Zat gun, a P-90, and a sensor artifact, the latest military technology produced on the base planet.
Armed with all this, Maybourne activated the stealth and rushed to the portal room. However, he decided to wait for a moment as the infiltrators were being taken to the infirmary. He felt empathy for Dr. Fraizer, but a room with a single exit would be more beneficial for a lone agent than a hallway where enemies could escape. His actions at that moment could prevent a larger operation in the future. If he could capture the infiltrators without triggering their alarms, they might take the initiative and gather more information from the enemy.
Maybourne allowed the infiltrators to be taken to the infirmary for a routine check and followed them silently using stealth until they entered their destination.
Maybourne wasted no time and pushed the door guard aside to throw a stun grenade and close the door.
Then, he deactivated the stealth and looked at the guard he had moved out of the way to prevent him from interrupting his containment plan.
"Soldier, we have an intrusion. Cover me," ordered Maybourne. With the Zat gun in hand, he opened the infirmary door as the soldier hurried to his feet.
Maybourne entered to find seven people unconscious, who were the team that had just entered, and three other people who were infirmary staff, including Dr. Fraizer.
"Examine them thoroughly," ordered Maybourne to the soldier while pointing at the unconscious infiltrators' team. Then, he approached the wall to activate the base alarms. His plan had succeeded; they had captured the infiltrators without causing a commotion, and now they would have more options when acting.
…
Ten seconds after activating the base alarms, a group of soldiers arrived at the infirmary, and Maybourne ordered them to assist in checking the infiltrators.
General Hammond arrived a minute later, when the soldiers had already removed four small disc-like artifacts hidden in the chests of the infiltrators. These camouflage devices revealed their true appearance: strange humanoid beings lacking a mouth and resembling a mix between lizard, slug, and insect.
"Colonel Maybourne, I want your priority to be bringing my team back," ordered General Hammond, without even asking what was happening, as the situation was evident.
"An intelligence team will arrive in five minutes. We'll do our best," responded Maybourne.
Maybourne hadn't thought about the lost team, as it was most likely that they were all dead. However, General Hammond's positive attitude would also benefit the mission since his collaboration was necessary. Even if his team had already perished, Maybourne would have done everything he could, so he nodded.
"Sir, I believe we have the technology to obtain the information we need from these infiltrators," said Maybourne.
"The nanites," said General Hammond.
This was one of the latest technologies they had acquired thanks to SG1. It had also caused quite a stir due to its potential uses. Maybourne nodded.
"Are they extraterrestrial? Do you think they will work on them?" General Hammond asked with doubts.
"I think we should try. Other forms of communication might alert the enemy, and that would make us lose an initial advantage," explained Maybourne, and General Hammond nodded, giving his consent.
…
When the intelligence team arrived, nanites were implanted in the intruders' brains, and a couple of minutes later, the computers gave the green light to start the memory exploration process.
…
Fifteen minutes later, Maybourne entered the meeting room where General Hammond awaited him, accompanied by some Pentagon executives.
"Do we know anything about my team?" was the first thing General Hammond asked as soon as he entered.
Maybourne knew that would be the first topic to address, so he nodded as he sat down and handed over several reports he had in a briefcase.
"They are alive. The infiltrators needed them alive to interact with them telepathically and mimic their behavior. Thanks to that, they could adapt quickly and begin their infiltration of our base. However, they did not take into account that we have sensors against camouflage artifacts like the one they used," explained Maybourne.
"Artifacts of which I was also uninformed," said General Hammond.
"Sir, intelligence agencies are here to handle this kind of risks. If everyone in the base knew about these sensors, these aliens might have taken countermeasures or simply changed their infiltration plan," explained Maybourne.
"How can we rescue my team?" asked General Hammond.
"Sir, I'm afraid that will be a bit difficult. These infiltrators have an infiltration protocol that involved these initial infiltrators taking control of the gate and calling for reinforcements. Those reinforcements would capture the base, and only after establishing a control point, they planned to send SG6 here to continue transmitting their thoughts to the infiltrators, and the invasion plan would proceed," explained Maybourne.
"Are you saying there's no way to rescue my team right now?" asked General Hammond. Maybourne shook his head.
"Actually, we have a plan. We are going to contact them right now, notifying them that everything is in order and that reinforcements are needed to secure control of the base. When they believe the base is under their control, they will send SG6 as planned to annex their thoughts to the infiltrators," explained Maybourne. "Sir, I must inform you that this plan has an execution window of no more than ten minutes," added Maybourne as he looked at his watch.
General Hammond stood up and nodded, then headed out of his office, where his intelligence team was waiting, already using the infiltrators' camouflage artifacts.
"We have the codes to transmit, but we haven't been able to conduct deep scans of their memory. Only recent memories. Therefore, we still don't have all the information. However, we believe the codes will be valid," explained Maybourne as they walked towards the portal room.
…
The portal activated without issues, and Maybourne transmitted the codes indicating to the extraterrestrial infiltration group that the operation had succeeded, and they needed reinforcements to secure the rest of the base. Then the portal closed as three members of his intelligence team entered the portal room. Two of them looked like the abducted SG6, and one like the invaders.
"Clear the gate room!" ordered General Hammond to his troops, and they left the intelligence team alone.
General Hammond looked to Maybourne for more explanations as they exited, as there was no time to discuss matters in the meeting room.
"Once the infiltration group crosses, one of my agents will use a stun grenade to render them unconscious. I've proven it's an effective weapon against them in the infirmary. However, I suggest the rest of the personnel be equipped with Zat guns, just in case we miss something. According to their memories, SG6 should arrive with them," explained Maybourne. General Hammond nodded, and the door began to activate.
"Unscheduled off-world activation," reported the control operator.
"Open the iris," ordered General Hammond with determination.
Maybourne activated his own camouflage to appear as one of the extraterrestrials and pretended to attend to the controls, while General Hammond hid alongside the operator.
When the portal stabilized, the extraterrestrials began to enter, carrying a large amount of equipment. They were a group of twenty. They brought several containers with gear. Thanks to the memories downloaded with the orbanian nanites, Maybourne knew exactly what was there and how to use each piece of that technology. There were also four stretchers with the SG6 members.
Maybourne smiled satisfied with the success of his plan and waited for the portal to close. At that moment, one of his agents pulled out a stun grenade unnoticed. After a flash, everyone in the room fell to the floor. His agents were unaffected, as they wore personal shields, just like him.
General Hammond approached Maybourne after the flash to observe as the military personnel entered the gate room, checked for any conscious extraterrestrials, and disarmed them of their weapons and other equipment.
"Colonel Maybourne, good job!" praised General Hammond and hurried out of the control room to check on the status of his team.
Maybourne understood that for him, the most important thing was to have recovered SG6; numbers and benefits were not a priority for General Hammond. That's why he quickly gained the trust of his men.
Maybourne had gotten used to it, and in cases like this, he and his agency devised their plans considering this mindset. He was getting used to it; it was something strange. He had even grown accustomed to Jack and his sarcastic humor; maybe he was even on the verge of getting along with that bespectacled guy.
…
Daniel Jackson crossed the portal to the SGC after nearly drowning in a torrential rain, only to find a military team pointing their weapons at him.
"It's them," said Maybourne's voice from the control room, whose protections activated and began to lower when his voice was heard.
The military personnel began to withdraw from the gate room, and the control room protections started to lower.
"We've had some unwelcome visitors," explained General Hammond as the doors lowered completely.
…
"In summary, they've been here receiving extraterrestrial equipment until they no longer needed it, and then they cut communication," said Jack. Maybourne nodded solemnly.
"We haven't managed to download more than three months of memories. It seems that, being a civilization with the technology to read memories and thoughts, they had their own security measures. But we have a lot of information about their infiltration tactics and a detailed knowledge of their camouflage technology. Their mind-reading technology is quite interesting," said Maybourne, and Daniel felt chills.
"Maybourne, you could write horror novels. You have a talent for that," said Jack, and Maybourne smiled at his comment.
"Jack, you're jealous because another team has brought us benefits," retorted Maybourne.
…
Korr read the SGC's final report on the infiltration attempt on his base and nodded satisfied. He was sitting on his throne on the bridge of the Leviathan.
The SGC had dealt with a serious alien threat, and as always, they had survived. Moreover, this time they had managed to gain benefits without needing help from their envoys. They hadn't even called them. It was a minor threat at their level and was easily resolved. It seemed like their plans were yielding results. Additionally, Maybourne had handled this threat, and it appeared he had already learned to collaborate with the SGC…
A growl pulled Korr from his thoughts. He looked at the screen in front of him, where Apophis appeared. He seemed to have borrowed Sokar's wardrobe and had changed his usual appearance for a red suit and a checkered golden cape. He also had some mechanical additions on his face.
"You dare to ignore me!" reprimanded Apophis.
The last time they spoke, Apophis didn't dare to respond, but now he had taken control of Sokar's fleet, and his ego had grown significantly.
Apophis was seated on a throne, and two average-looking women in Korr's eyes were giving him shoulder massages while some Jaffa guarded around him; he seemed a bit paranoid about being attacked.
"Apophis, you know my conditions for releasing your queen. Join me, and everything will be settled," said Korr casually.
"Korr, I will go after your head!" declared Apophis and cut the communication.
Korr grimaced. He didn't expect Apophis to focus on him after having sent him to liberate; it seemed that catching his queen had altered the things he knew, but he wasn't too worried about that. If Apophis attacked him, he would respond, as he still had some time before he fully settled, and Herur-ur was still disputing territories around there, now that Sokar was gone. Korr put the problem of Apophis aside for later because he had another call.
Korr received the call, and Apophis looked at him angrily again, but this time he wasn't alone, and he didn't say anything since this was a meeting of the System Lords, and they appeared one by one, with Ba'al being the last.
"Apophis, tell us your intentions," said Yu, once everyone was there.
"I am a System Lord; I will not act with the same dishonor as Sokar," declared Apophis. Yu nodded.
Korr nodded as did the others, even Herur-ur, who had invaded Apophis's territories, causing some skirmishes.
The only one missing was Nirrti, who, after attempting to kill Cronos in an official meeting of the Asgard, escaped and became a fugitive.
"Alright, now let's discuss the second point that brought us here," said Cronos.
"The lesser lords," said Ba'al with a smile.
"They are a problem," growled Amaterasu.
"Indeed," said Korr, as the lesser lords had facilitated Sokar's rise, and although the System Lords didn't yet know it, they would also be the cause of Anubis's rise.
"I think the solution is simple: no more lesser lords," proposed Ba'al.
"And what about the larvae maturing in the Jaffa?" asked Amaterasu.
"And what about the current lesser lords?" added Korr.
"The current lesser lords will be dealt with in due time," said Yu.
"As for the maturing larvae, they will be consumed," decreed Cronos.
Korr had erased that from his memory, but he knew of the Goa'uld's cannibalistic ritual to prevent their population from growing. Not all symbiotes were consumed, but this ritual marked the beginning, like a sentence.
Korr, whose Jaffa did not carry symbiotes, looked at them with disgust.
"Don't expect me to join you; do as you please. In my territory, there are no lesser Goa'uld causing problems," said Korr, eliciting a growl from Yu.
The other lords looked at him with disdain, and the meeting ended. Korr knew that the lesser lords would continue causing problems until Anubis showed his face. But at least, no more lesser lords would be created, to create Ha'taks for thieves like Sokar and Anubis.
The problem now was the number of Ha'taks. Without a supreme lord, the Goa'uld acted independently, and now the lesser lords had more ships than the System Lords. That was a problem the System Lords couldn't face at the moment.
…
The Unknown.
The Unknown emerged from the portal. In front of him, two hundred meters away, stood a temple whose façade was supported by stone columns.
The Unknown took a step, using a small portion of his psychic abilities to, in the eyes of inferior beings, appear on an altar in a large hall with a dark floor that reflected his presence. On the altar, illuminated by torches that cast everything in perpetual twilight, was a throne of black marble with veins of white lightning.
The Unknown sat, placing his hands on the armrests. Although he smiled, his shadowy face showed no hint, only a deep and infinite darkness beneath a cloak that seemed made of the same night.
The Unknown was not happy, only satisfied. From the moment he descended to the material plane after being discovered stealing knowledge, surprisingly, he was offered a more favorable deal than he ever thought. They even allowed him to retain much of his knowledge, while the rest was sealed.
The Unknown experienced momentary satisfaction at that time, but he knew that the Ascended wouldn't grant gifts without reason. He set out to find out their motives.
The Unknown chose not to use his psychic abilities to investigate, as he sensed a psychic network covering the entire galaxy. Since the current situation had been sealed in his mind, he decided not to risk it. His opponent couldn't be underestimated, and their power didn't seem Inferior to his own. So, instead, he remained hidden, using his psychic power to mask his presence while exploring the extent of his rival's influence.
One day after infiltrating the territory of a small Goa'uld lord and establishing his base, stealing his knowledge, the Unknown began to glimpse the current situation. He understood why his knowledge and abilities hadn't been completely suppressed. He realized that his rival had been active for years. Although their knowledge and abilities might be similar, their bases and resources differed significantly. If he tried to confront him, he would be easily overpowered.
The Unknown didn't like these kinds of confrontations, so he decided not to participate in them. He moved to an unknown world to the inhabitants of that galaxy, where there was a somewhat special Chappa'ai.
Once there, the Unknown used artifacts and programmed his destination a hundred years back. He believed that traveling to that moment would eliminate any trace of his rival, as his presence seemed recent, only a few years old. Going back in time would give him a quick victory without the need for a fight.
However, upon completing his preparations and activating the Chappa'ai to go back a hundred years, it didn't work. The Unknown didn't consider it an error. He was a god and, therefore, infallible. The activation failure must have had another cause. Shortly after, an overwhelmingly powerful psychic presence settled upon him. It was a brief second, as if someone had opened and closed their eyes, but the Unknown understood. He wasn't allowed to use that resource.
The Unknown wasn't bothered; he smiled. When devising that plan, he had considered the possibility that his rival could use it against him, given that he had been acting for a longer time. It was obvious who would have the advantage and could have planned countermeasures. Now, those possibilities were ruled out.
With his failed plan, the Unknown left the planet and set out to discover the identity of his rival. He already had two candidates in mind. One of them was a small larva who had recently become a System Lord. According to the memories of the Goa'uld whose memory he had copied, this small larva named Korr had taken control of a shipyard of Ra after his fall, as well as a new power source and a formidable ship.
The Unknown suspected that Ra planned to showcase this ship as his crown jewel, keeping it a secret from the System Lords. However, Ra died, and Korr got everything.
The second candidate was Sokar, an ancient exiled Goa'uld who had amassed a large fleet, superior to any System Lord. His sudden return made him the favorite to start the Unknown's investigation. It had taken time to approach Sokar without attracting attention.
The Unknown had spent a couple of weeks studying his potential rival. However, two weeks ago, this rival was suddenly killed, leading the Unknown to understand that he had misjudged the situation. He quickly changed the course of his investigation and infiltrated the territories of the small larva.
At this moment, two weeks later, the Unknown smiled sitting on his throne.
"Little larva… no, Korr, you are cautious and have recognized the decay of our species. Under different circumstances, we could be allies, but since there can only be one supreme god in this universe, one of us must step aside," said the Unknown with a dark and artificial voice, a product of his psychic abilities.
The Unknown found it ironic that he had once tried to bring common sense to the System Lords, creating a true Goa'uld empire, but he was exiled. Now, he returned with the power to carry out his will, only to encounter another Goa'uld with the same vision.
The Unknown laughed with his artificial voice, and his laughter echoed on the walls and floor of the temple.
"My lord, is something wrong?" asked a Jaffa who arrived hastily, accompanied by two others.
The one who asked was his new First Prime, appointed among the servants of the lesser Goa'uld he had killed.
The Unknown continued laughing for another minute. Then, he raised his hand and used his power to disintegrate the annoying being into particles. The other two Jaffa understood their place immediately and knelt.
The Unknown was neither angry nor felt wrath. He only experienced a slight disappointment in the decay of the Goa'uld, evidenced in the disrespectful behavior of the Jaffa slaves, daring to question their god.
The Unknown attracted the particles he had turned the Jaffa into, reforming them into a metallic insect composed of blocks. The Replicator took his form and descended to the floor.
While this technology was interesting, it was also dangerous. If the Asgard discovered that he possessed it, they would act against him immediately before he could take measures. However, if he didn't use it, he would be easily surpassed.
The unknown considered his next step. Korr had killed Sokar. It didn't suit him to let a Goa'uld sow chaos, so he eliminated Sokar to establish his empire in order. However, the Unknown couldn't allow rigid order, as that would limit his freedom of movement and make him vulnerable. He needed to discard order, and the easiest way to do that was by eliminating Apophis.
If the Unknown could take another System Lord with him, he would have a larger space to maneuver. But for now, he couldn't act openly. He had to gather resources in secret while ensuring Apophis's downfall and the rise of chaos. This way, he could obtain enough resources to match his rival, as there were currently hundreds of lesser Goa'uld with Jaffa and Ha'taks that he could recruit to form his army quickly, without alerting the Asgard with their technology, until he was ready to face them.
The Unknown knew that the Asgard wouldn't intervene until it was too late, as they were busy with their war against the Replicators. As long as the Replicators weren't detected, he would have a chance.
The Unknown also didn't fear for his life, as he was immortal. None of these little creatures could harm him. As for Korr, his presence was enigmatic. Despite his psychic power not seeming inferior to his own, the Unknown couldn't sense an immortal body in him. In fact, he experienced an immense physical presence.
This puzzled the Unknown, as the Ascended didn't grant advantages. If his rival possessed the same knowledge, he should be able to ascend. In theory, he himself should have ascended at some point, so it was strange that he preferred a physical body while having access to immortality.
Korr also didn't actively use his abilities, which concerned the Unknown a bit, as this could indicate that he was hiding. In fact, that was the reason why he initially couldn't locate him with certainty. Did Korr know of his existence? Wondered the Unknown.
NA 1: The Ascended have not overlooked the MC and have reacted to his presence in the galaxy, making the corresponding adjustments in their intervention in the story. As the author of this fic, I'm not going to ignore the existence of the Ascended, as they are the only ones who could notice the change in Korr, and of course, if they had to intervene, as in this case, they would take it into account.
NA 2: Korr's rival is already present and has made his move, outlining his plan of action to act in the shadows while gathering strength. Apophis is an unfortunate individual, as everyone plans to kill him.
NA 3: Korr's rival will have his own point of view each time he acts, and when he starts to intervene directly in the story, he will have half of the plot in his favor, with his own characters and perspectives.
NA 4: In this brief point of view, I wanted to provide an idea of the current psychic power of Korr and his rival.
NA 5: My intention was to delay the introduction of the antagonist, but since we have already reached the halfway point of the story, and this is the moment he begins to act, I assumed you would be interested to find out. Personally, I'm not a fan when an author introduces a character and then reveals that they have been acting in the background, so I'm not a fan of suspense or detective movies.
NA 6: I used Unknown to name the antagonist for now because in the original series, he himself hid his name until he decided to reveal it to the System Lords. Therefore, I will follow the canon, and he will be the Unknown here until he decides to name himself and present himself to others, but don't come up with crazy theories; the Unknown is Anubis.
NA 7: I haven't deviated from the canon regarding the intervention of the Ascended. They are aware of Korr and all his technology, so they left Anubis at his same level. Still, there are differences between the knowledge of Anubis and Korr, which you will see as the fic progresses.
NA 8: By mentioning that we are halfway, I refer to the halfway point of the Goa'uld saga because I haven't started writing about the Ori yet.
Author's Note 9: I forgot to give you a reference on how ships 00, 02, 03, 05, and 06 look:
Ship 00 is identical to Nezard from Lost Universe.
Ship 02 is similar to Apophis' main ship, with which he destroyed Heru-ur in the original story.
Ship 03 is identical to Ragudo Mezegis from Lost Universe.
Ships 05 and 06 are the same as Anubis' mothership in season 8, the ship he used when attacking Earth.
Remember, these are bionaves and can adopt any configuration and appearance. However, they cannot be adjusted as quickly as human replicators. These ships are one kilometer in size, and changing their shape and configuration is almost the same as recreating them.
NA 9: WARNING! This may be considered SPOILER:
"The Ascended have intervened because they know Korr's plans and prefer Anubis to conquer the entire galaxy rather than Korr carrying out his plans. However, I won't talk about Korr's plans until the end of this Goa'uld saga because he hasn't shared them with anyone yet, only his other parts know about them, namely, the human replicators, and I won't talk about them until the rest of the galaxy knows."