Goa'uld translations
Hassak: weakling
Hol mel: hold your fire
Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate.
Just a Normal Day
How could such a normal day go wrong so quickly? This is the question I have been asking for the last eight hours.
I awoke this morning, excited to get started with my day. I've been working as a healer's apprentice for the past three years and today we were supposed to go through the Chapp'ai to a planet full of medicinal herbs. I'd been waiting for this day ever since I began my apprenticeship. It meant that my years as a student were nearly over and I would soon be a healer. I only needed to pass this one final test.
Having been born the daughter of a thief, no one ever believed I could be anything more but I was determined to prove them all wrong. My mother had known of my desire to become a healer from a young age and made sure I had every opportunity to fulfil my dreams. When she died, I became even more focussed on my goal. I never wanted to see anyone suffer like that again. So I threw myself into my studies, ignoring everyone who told me I'd never amount to anything. Trying to ignore Adria had been the most difficult. My stepmother has the ability to seek out a person's greatest weakness and chip at it until they break. But I did my best to keep Adria away and when I reached my seventeenth year I was chosen as an apprentice to Morot, the best healer in our village. I packed my things and left Adria's house without ever looking back.
There were only two other apprentices and, even though we were not in direct competition, I sill felt the need to outshine them. Alon was a girl around my own age, brought in the same day as me. We were fairly evenly matched in skill but not in temperament. She is sweet and quiet whereas I am focussed and defiant, but we somehow became great friends. Tabor was the other apprentice and he'd been with Morot for over a year. He is a talented healer and has a gentle soul. I was instantly attracted to him and I knew he liked me but I refused to allow emotions to get in the way of my goals. That was the only good lesson Jacek ever taught me. But Tabor soon knocked down all of my walls and we fell in love. On the marking of my twentieth year, he proposed and I said yes but I made him promise to wait until my apprenticeship was over before we wed. He'd been dismayed by the stipulation but agreed after a time. Now the marking of my twenty-first year is less than a month away and I would have been a full healer then. We'd planned to wed the very next day.
It was early afternoon when we made our way to the Chappa'ai and I was feeling euphoric. Soon everything I'd worked so hard for would come to fruition. When we reached the ring, however, there was a commotion as it activated and a group of Jaffa led a beautiful blonde woman through. The moment I saw Morot kneel and bow his head, I knew who the woman was. Alon, Tabor, and I followed his lead. This was our goddess, Qetesh.
I had never before laid eyes on her for she hadn't visited our planet since I was a babe. Jaffa were sent on a regular basis to collect naquadah from our mines and dispense punishment whenever necessary. I knew her visit here was going to be an important one and I got a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. Something bad was going to happen. I knew I was right when she pointed to Alon and commanded her to stand. When she didn't immediately do as told, Qetesh ordered her Jaffa to bring Alon to her. They grabbed her roughly by the arms and pulled her upright, dragging her to stand before their god. I watched in horror as Qetesh studied Alon and cringed when she threw her to the ground in disgust.
Alon whimpered and I heard Qetesh's laugh ring out. "Hasshak. I feel you would be most enjoyable to torture but I am afraid you are far too feeble for the task. Jaffa, kill her!"
"No!" I shouted and ran toward Alon, placing myself between her and the Jaffa. Qetesh studied me curiously. "Please don't kill her."
"Hol mel, Jaffa. This one has fire. I will take her."
"Take me where?" I tried not to show how frightened I was but knew I'd failed miserably when I saw the malicious grin on Qetesh's face.
"To my temple, pet. You are to have the great honour of becoming my new host."
"No! Vala!" Tabor cried out but the Jaffa aimed their weapons at him before he could come to my rescue.
"Wait!" I yelled, pulling the focus back to me. "If I come with you willingly, will you promise to keep them alive?"
"Oh, this is a strong one, indeed. I will have fun breaking her spirit. Lower your weapons, Jaffa. We will take this one, leave the others."
With that, Qetesh went back through the ring and the Jaffa dragged me along behind them. I didn't bother to look back, not even when I heard Tabor calling my name. This was for the best. They'd understand in time.
It has been eight hours since Qetesh took over my body and she is finally allowing me access to her thoughts. I try to back away from some of her more vile memories but she forces them on me. I refuse the let her break me, though. I know I am stronger than that.
After a while, she must realise that her tactics aren't working because she quickly switches to a new one. A far more appalling one.
"Now, my pet, it is time to have some fun." she says, using my own voice before changing back to the altered Goa'uld one. "Jaffa, bring in the prisoners."
I can only watch in horror as Tabor, Morot, and Alon are brought before Qetesh and forced to kneel.
You promised! I shout in my head but she only laughs.
I never said I would not kill them eventually, she responds malevolently.
I try to close my eyes as she raises a staff weapon and aims for Morot, but I have no control over my body. I am forced to look on as she murders my teacher then aims and shoots Alon. Their screams echo in my head, mingled disturbingly with Qetesh's laughter.
When she aims for Tabor, I beg her to stop but she refuses to listen. Just before she shoots him, I see black hatred in the eyes that once shone bright with love. I start to weep and Qetesh's maniacal laughter grows louder.
"Yes, my pet. I shall have great fun breaking you." she says as she throws down the staff weapon and leaves the room.
As I shrink back into the small recess of my mind that Qetesh cannot reach, the same question that has been in my head for the last eight hours replays over and over again.
How could such a normal day go wrong so quickly?
The End
