DISCLAIMER: I do not own the Stargate franchise. The A'a Netjer remain the property of themselves. I do not claim any ownership to the guild name, or any of their character names used within.
Shishka and storyline (c) Me.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: The following FF occurs after the events in Stargate: Continuum, providing the time paradox was never repaired. As such, this is an entirely new storyline in a different timeline, so I can do whatever the fuck I want with it. If you're not comfortable with that, I'm terribly sorry. Well, not really.
CHAPTER ONE
INSIDIOUS TEMPTATION
Shishka stood as a man would stand over vermin on the pel'tak of his Queen's Ha'tak vessel. He could hardly control his overwhelming fury as he gazed out of the viewing screen, surveying the onslaught that occurred below. The skies of Asris were ablaze with war. He had seen it many times before, all this suffering and death. The people below had refused his Queen, refused to convert to the belief in their one true God. There was no hope left for this planet. And yet...he felt something, now. A new sensation boiled within him. What was it? He couldn't quite place his finger on it. And then it came to him, finally. Revulsion. For a fleeting instant, he was completely repulsed by the scene before him. And then it was gone. He shook himself firmly back to the present. That had never happened before.
His Master, High Sovereign Quetesh, had been systematically destroying all the free empires of the galaxy for countless generations. She had established a firm domination over all the species of the galaxy. Countless worlds had been subjugated under her reign. Countless more refused to bow down, and succumbed to her fiery wrath. The remaining System Lords were no more. With the death of her beloved, Ba'al, Quetesh had siezed the most massive Goa'uld fleet ever assembled. Quetesh was all that remained. Quetesh was life. Quetesh was salvation.
He had managed to push aside the sickening feeling in his gut, but the Jaffa could not ignore the fuming hatred any longer. Clicking his tongue in anger, Shishka tore his eyes away from the devastation and strode purposefully across the room to the ship's control console.
He gently pressed the intricate serpentine carving that was hidden along one of the seams of the console, and a small platform was revealed, rising out of the center of the mechanism. Without a moment's pause, the Jaffa slipped his fingers inside the hand device. It sparked to life, drawing energy from the Goa'uld larvae within him.
Three rows of controls were inlaid in a symmetrical pattern on one side of the console. Shishka hovered the hand device over the center one that was pulsating with a blue light. A stream of magnetic energy radiated outward from his hand and streaked toward the control. The blue light of the control began to blink more and more rapidly before it finally dimmed, and then was gone. The Ha'tak's weapons platform had been disabled.
The Jaffa was alone on the bridge. With any luck, it would take some time before anyone realized the ship had ceased its bombardment of the planet's surface.
Shishka languished for a moment, drained from the tremendous effort that was needed to blend the device with the developing symbiote. It was quite astonishing that he had been able to accomplish anything at all. He relinquished control of the hand device, setting the instrument back in its proper place and sealing the platform back within the hidden compartment of the control console.
The fact that he had been serving as Quetesh's First Prime for the past thirty-odd years had given the Jaffa a rather pompous outlook. He had chosen to completely disregard tradition, selecting to wear instead a dark leather tunic and complementing trousers. The material was light enough for battle and thick enough to provide him some protection. The simple combat boots he wore were gifted to every Jaffa upon completion of the Prim'ta ceremony. A silver sash encircled his waist, and he wore polished iron wristbands. A cloak the colour of dried blood was draped down his back and gathered in a few folds around his feet.
He had been born on Chu'lak and taken at an early age to serve under the Sun God, Ra. That was a long time ago. Their positions had ironically been reversed since then. Ra was now a minor Goa'uld that reigned under the almighty Quetesh, and Shishka had been elevated to First Prime above him. The melted gold had been removed from his forehead. Only the scar remained to remind him of his origins.
Shishka turned as the door leading to the pel'tak opened behind him. His Queen Quetesh glided toward him across the floor, flanked by two Jaffa bearing the serpent symbol of Apophis. She did not speak, but merely looked at him serenely. He bowed with as much grace as he could muster in his still-drained state.
Quetesh's host was quite beautiful, he assumed. She wore a low cut bronze coloured dress that was intricately inlaid in flowing patters. Knee high leather boots graced her long, slender legs. She wore a neckpiece that matched the dress, with her brunette locks settling around it elegantly.
"Kel Quetesh", he greeted with a high honorific.
She looked at him one moment longer. He could not tell what her gaze said. "Ma'kree!" She ordered.
He did not hesitate. The Jaffa had already concocted a suitable story beforehand, anticipating this moment. "My Lord, there appears to be only a few villages on the planet's surface. The inhabitants pose no threat whatsoever." He paused. "However, after an extensive scan of the planet's surface, we found something far more interesting."
She leveled her gaze at him. Her eyes shined with fire. "What have you discovered?"
Shishka lowered his eyes to her feet. "Underground life signs. I sent an Al'kesh down to the planet to be sure, but my Lord, there can be no doubt. There is a Tok'ra base of operations on this planet."
"Go'tak!" Quetesh screamed, fumid. "Send a fleet of Al'kesh down to the planet's surface. We will draw the Tok'ra out of their holes like rats!"
"My Lord, I--"
"Kree shak nel!" Quetesh commanded him. "You will do as you are told or suffer the consequences." She turned and marched from the room, trailed by her Jaffa.
Shishka stayed in his bow a moment longer, mulling things over in his mind. Ready to face his fate, he straightened and followed Quetesh out of the pel'tak.
He wandered the ship's corridors for a short time before coming across two Jaffa patrols. They were Horus Guards, formerly in service to the family of Ra, as he had been. "Jaffa, kree!" He snapped at them. The two Jaffa fell in behind him. He spoke as they walked down the corridor. "Your God Quetesh has commanded that we lure the Tok'ra out of their tunnels. We must prepare a squadron of Al'kesh for bombardment."
Shishka paused as movement from the corner of his eye caught his attention. "Kel nok," he turned to peer into the small alcove off-set from the hallway. An old man stood poised there, calmly directing a zat'ni'katel at the three men opposite him. The two Jaffa raised their staff weapons, waiting on the order to fire.
Shishka raised his hand to stop them. "Kree tol," he ordered. The Jaffa lowered their weapons. Shishka regarded the man calmly. "Kel shak?"
The old man spoke briskly and confidentially. "I am Selmak of the Tok'ra. I have boarded this ship because I believe your life may be in danger. There are others who believe as you do, but we must go now!
Shishka was astounded. "What is this?" he demanded. "Of whom do you speak?"
"There is no time," Selmak said hurriedly. "I must return to the planet and assist in the evacuation. If you value your life, you will join me!"
Shishka hesitated only a moment. Then he nodded, barely perceptible. "Ona rak," he said.
Selmak eyed the Jaffa suspiciously. He looked at Shishka, but before the question could be asked, the First Prime answered him.
"These are loyal to me. You have my word they will not prove troublesome."
Selmak nodded and motioned for Shishka and the Jaffa to follow him down the corridor. "We need to get to the ring platform. Once we get down to the surface, you will meet up with your new allies. Collectively, in time, you may prove to be more than a match for Quetesh. All in good time."
They rounded the last bend that led to the ring platform and Shishka and Selmak ran to stand in the center of the rings while the two Jaffa guarded the entrance to the room. Without further ado, the rings rose from the floor and they were transported down to the planet's surface.
The old man turned to regard him as the rings returned to the ship in orbit above. "Your people are awaiting you at the Chappa'ai. It is just a short trek to the west. I must now return to the tunnels and do what I can. Good luck." Selmak gave a nod and left him standing out in the open amidst the sand dunes. He wrapped his cloak around himself and took the Tok'ra at his word. He headed west.
The relentless sun of the desert planet blazed down on him, threatening to sap the remainder of his energy before he had even reached the Chappa'ai. The Jaffa stumbled in the sand several times, even tumbling down one rise that had proved to be particularly troublesome. But he would not quit. He could not stop.
The sun was setting when he topped a high rise and finally caught sight of the circular device in the valley below. Beaming inwardly, and exhausted beyond comprehension, the Jaffa started down.
Upon arriving at the Chappa'ai, Shishka was surprised to see dozens of Goa'uld, Jaffa, and even a few of what appeared to be Lo'tar crowded around the ancient device. As he came closer, one dressed in a somewhat religious garb approached. "Greetings, Shishka. I am Neith. And we, we are the A'a Netjer. The True Gods. Welcome home."
Shishka had indeed come home at last.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Please leave feedback, it is greatly appreciated! I will update this as soon as possible. I have published several stories now, none of which have been forgotten. I promise I will update everything!