Chapter Two: Shards of the Past
The sun slowly rose over the horizon, illuminating the large, smooth pyramid resting atop its much older twin as well as a mass of tents and people ringing the structure. Thousands had come to see the pyramid from the sky, forming a sea of tan fabric like a tattered blanket. Slowly the camp came to life as people stirred, many from a fitful sleep.
Dr. Adjo Satir opened the flap of his hastily erected tent and blinked a few times as his iris adjusted to the first light of the day. Taking a drink from a water bottle, the grey haired archeologist yawned loudly and pulled his wide brimmed tan hat over his head. Looming nearby, the pyramid which had descended from the sky sat, silent and stotic. He could see the occasional flashes of cameras in the forming shadows at its base.
As he began his walk towards the base of the pyramid Adjo mentally ran through every possibility he could think of regarding the situation which would soon arise at the pyramid. The military had already moved units into the area, and he could see scuffles braking out near the pyramid as they tried to clear the immediate are around the landing site. He sincerely hoped that the ones inside didn't decide to take 'action of their own. "Daniel where are you?" He asked. All airports had been closed after the alien pyramid's arrival, so he knew Daniel would be delayed, but he hoped his friend would arrive soon. Though he kept it private, he did put some stock in Daniel's theory about the pyramids' origins. Now that his theories had been proven, he could only imagine the young archeologist's reactions when he beheld the site for himself.
…
"This is taking forever," Daniel muttered to himself as he shuffled forward in the que to board a large boat docked at the port up ahead. During his flight it had been announced that all air travel into Egypt had been cancelled so his flight had been diverted to Cyprus.
After news of the landing had begun to spread it seemed everyone wanted to travel to Egypt. Boats were packed, airlines were experiencing record sales, even taxi cab drivers in many countries were profiting from this. Of course, that also meant waiting times were soaring. Daniel had been in this particular line for nearly four hours and still was only halfway to the front.
Normally he would have enjoyed being surrounded by history, but right now all Daniel could think about was the news footage he had seen two nights ago. He had always postulated that the pyramids had been built by someone other than the ancient Egyptians, or at least that someone else had had a hand in their construction. Now, all the answers were sitting across the Mediterranean. All he had to do was get there. "Easier said than done," he remarked, taking a drink from a bottle of water which was now lukewarm and almost empty.
A welcoming breeze blew across the line, and Daniel sighed in relief as he felt the line move forward. Now he could see the line of people heading up a ramp onto a large blue and grey transport boat, with another moving into place to replace it once the first ship was full. "Well, at least there's no shortage of Captains eager to make some easy money," he said to no one in particular as the line moved forward again, taking him another five steps toward his eventual destination.
…
Ra rose from his sarcophagus, breathing deeply as he got to his feet. Two of his servants were waiting with his robes and slipped them over his shoulders. As Ra moved into the main section of the ship he saw Jaffa cleaning their armor and his servants polishing the floors and preparing food.
"You," Ra said, calling one of his Jaffa to him. "What is the state of the preparations?"
"My lord," the Jaffa replied, bowing his head to his god, "the Jaffa will be prepared within the hour. Preparations for the feast are on schedule, and your servants will have the ship in perfect condition by the time you have set."
"Very well," Ra replied as he stalked over to his private chamber, closing the door behind him. Crossing over the softly padded floor he took a seat in a high backed chair and resumed his reading of the information from Ba'al's ship. So far it had proven itself true enough. The day before he had sent Jaffa to several worlds the database had listed as having large Naqueda deposits and the results had been encouraging. And a report from one of his spies had confirmed that Baal had indeed been seen only one of these worlds no less than a day before. That meant either the body he had seen was a fake, or that the information was true.
As Ra began reading Ba'al's information of various System Lords, the self-proclaimed sun god's eyes flashed in anger when he found a name he had hoped never to see again. "Anubis," he whispered. He had banished Anubis millennia before, when the death god's acts had become so perverse that the System Lords had banned together to defeat him. No other Goa'uld in the history of the system lords had incurred such wraith. Now it appeared he yet lived, and was planning his return. If that was true, then Ra knew he had to act. The two warriors his Jaffa had recovered, Ba'al called them Kull Warriors, possessed armor that had thus far proven immune to all hand weapons tested on it. If he could make more of the armor his Jaffa would become all but unstoppable save for that one weapons recovered from Baal's ship. That weapon apparently not only pierces the Kull Warriors's armor but also kill the engineered hosts under the armor.
Ra smiled as he selected a report from his First Prime on the weapons built into the Kull armor. These wrist-mounted devices were weaker than the staff weapons his Jaffa used, but much smaller and able to fire much faster. Once he managed to replicate the technology of the Kull Warriors, his plans for the other System Lords would begin.
As he moved on to an entry about Baal's assets, the communication device resting in its indent to Ra's left activated, displaying the face of a Jaffa. "My lord, I apologize for the interruption."
"Speak," Ra replied, setting his tablet down and gazing calmly at the Jaffa.
"Our sensors have detected a Goa'uld power source on the surface. It is located on another landmass and appears to be inside a large structure."
"Is it located near any large settlements?"
"No my lord. The structure is several miles from any settlements," the Jaffa replied.
"Take the special Tel'tac in my hanger, I have blessed it with the power to allow you to approach the source without being detected," Ra ordered. "Report to me with you what you find."
"It will be done my lord."
…
In orbit Ra's ship floated silently in space, invisible to any sensors below. Without the central structure the ship resembled a large black triangle with a tan rise at the center. If one looked closely enough a small sliver of silver-grey metal could be seen emerging from a large opening in the ship's underside. The Tel'tac cargo ship immediately shimmered into invisibility, a heat trail the only sign of its entering the atmosphere.
On board Dar'ac managed the ship's controls as the rest of the Jaffa did their best to remain standing. "We will reach the surface in one minute," he called back to his brothers. The shaking was quickly easing as the ship entered the lower atmosphere. The terrain quickly turned to jungle as the ship's sensors homed in on the Goa'uld power emissions.
"There!" Ter'al called out, pointing to a temple poking out of the canopy.
"I am setting us down," Dar'ac said as he slowed the ship and landed it close to the base of the temple. Opening the cargo bay doors he allowed the eight Jaffa to disembark fist before placing the ship on automatic and following his brothers out into the humid jungle air. The temple rose before him, a series of levels composed of grey stone with stairs leading to the top. "Jaffa, with me!" He said as he began the climb. The steps were worn with the passage of time and several times his foot touched a section which crumbled and sent pebbles bouncing down to the base.
Once the Jaffa reached the top they found a broken stone door. Entering cautiously, the Jaffa glanced around the room with their helmet sensors. Ter'al was the first to spot something. "Over here," he called, pulling a stone out of the wall and revealing a Goa'uld control panel. "I believe this is a control for a ring platform," he said as he tested the controls, finding them in working order.
Dar'ac scanned the floor, finding the rings near the center of the chamber, appearing as soft blue lines on his vision screen. "Jaffa, gather here," he ordered. "Ter'al, activate the rings."
Ter'al nodded and set the rings to delay long enough for him to join the other Jaffa within the rings. The five rings rose up and with a flash the Jaffa were whisked from the temple entrance and deposited in a dust clogged chamber. Fanning out, the Jaffa searched the three passageways which branched out, finding two to be dead ends. Ter'al however, found a stone portal with symbols unknown to him. "I have found something!" He called to the others.
"What is it?" Dar'ac asked as he appeared at Ter'al's side.
"It appears to be a portal, but there is no mechanism to open it."
"Then we shall use our own," Dar'ac said as he placed his arms at the side of the circular stone portal and pushed with all his might. Ter'al joined him, the two other Jaffa behind him assisting as well. Slowly the stone started to budge, then with a grating crash it rolled open, revealing a small chamber with a Goa'uld sarcophagus in the center. Brushing dust from its lid he found the symbol of the Goa'uld Hathor, which he had seen several times on Ra's ship. "This is what he have come for."
Six Jaffa took a position on either side of the sarcophagus and with a collective grunt lifted it up and slowly carried it back to the rings. The sarcophagus barely fit inside. "Ter'al, take five Jaffa and go first. Move the sarcophagus when we send it up next. I will follow."
"Jaffa Kree," the dark skinned Jaffa commanded the other five warriors to move into the pyramid. As soon as they were gone Dar'ac and his remaining Jaffa pushed the sarcophagus back inside the rings and sent it up. Waiting a good minute to give their brothers above time to move the sarcophagus before the remaining Jaffa took their places and joined their companions above.
"Take the sarcophagus to the ship. I will inform our god," Dar'ac ordered. As the other Jaffa slowly took their find down the temple steps Dar'ac pulled a communication device from his belt and squeezed it. After a minute the face of Ra appeared. "My lord, we have discovered the source of the energy readings. A sarcophagus bearing the symbol of Hathor was discovered in the lower passages of a temple."
"Hathor," Ra replied. "Has the sarcophagus been opened?"
"No my lord; it is being loaded into the cargo ship as we speak," Dar'ac reported.
"Bring it to me at once. I will deal with Hathor personally."
"As you command my lord," Dar'ac said as Ra's image vanished and he races down the steps to find his Jaffa loading the sarcophagus into the cargo ship. "Lord Ra wishes the sarcophagus brought to him unopened. We will travel from here directly to his ship."
"He was pleased?" Ter'al asked.
"I believe so. Once we arrive I will take the sarcophagus to him."
The sarcophagus was loaded aboard a few moments later and the still invisible ship flew off, a light breeze and a source-less dust cloud the only evidence it had ever been there.
…
Ra sat silently as Hathor's sarcophagus was brought into his throne room. The winged statues on either side of him gazed coldly as the Jaffa set the golden device on the floor, bowed and took up position off to either side. Shal'ka, fully armored and with his Anubis helmet activated, twisted the symbol of Hathor set at the head of the sarcophagus. With a slight grating sound the two halves of the lid began to open, allowing light to spill out. A moment later a lightly tanned hand gripped the side, allowing the rest of the body to emerge. Bright auburn hair framed a delicate face, and a red and gold dress set low covered the rest. Golden armbands wrapped around her upper arms, and attached to the left hand was the gold structure of a ribbon device.
Light brown eyes opened as the goddess Hathor gazed at the world for the first time in millennia, and after a moment widened in shock. All around her were statues and golden walls inscribed with ancient hieroglyphics. Incense burned from two censers in front of her. To her sides stood Jaffa wearing the armor of Horus Guards, but one wore the armor of an Anubis guard and regarded her through the cold blue eye lenses of his jackal helm.
But when her eyes focused straight ahead she emitted an audible gasp. Sitting on a throne of gold, surrounded by children both young and older, sat a boy dressed in red and orange robes, with an orange sun globe framing his face. "Ra," Hathor whispered, feeling an unwanted shiver pass through her body.
"It had been a long time since I beheld your face," Ra replied, standing and taking a few slow steps towards his wife from long ago. Even with the memories of her betrayal, he could not deny the charge which passed through his body as he gazed at hers. "I have not forgotten your words the last time we met." Ra's eyes flashed as he stepped to the end of the sarcophagus. His Jaffa took a step back and armed their staff weapons, the snaps of energy causing Hathor to flinch.
"We know how you must feel," Hathor said, keeping her voice calm despite the growing apprehension building inside her. "But we have always served you well, loved you well," she whispered, moving slightly towards Ra when he suddenly raised his ribbon device and blasted her clean out of her sarcophagus and sending her flying into a pillar. "Arhhh!" She cried as she impacted. She raised her own ribbon device, a grimace of rage set into her features when a strong arm reached in and threw her arm up, the ribbon device's blast shredding a draping before being torn from her hand. Ra was upon her a moment later, and, holding his ribbon device close to her head, allowed a stream of orange light to enter her skull. Arcs of power raced along the insides of her forehead and she began convulsing as if molten metal flowed trough her body, burning and terrible weight in the feeling of the torture. Then it suddenly stopped as Hathor dropped to the floor, her breath coming in short quick gasps.
"Do not patronize me. The last time I allowed you into my trust you attempted to kill me," Ra said as he grabbed a golden collar from a nearby servant and clamped it around Hathor's neck, drawing a drop of blood where he snapped in shut. "If you attempt any sort of treachery this collar will explode, killing you instantly. Also, whenever I wish this will occur," he continued as he pressed a control on his ribbon device, causing the collar to sent out jolts of power and drawing a scream from Hathor as her neck and chest burned. A thin trail of steam wafted upwards from the collar. "I trust you will have no trouble following my commands now?" He asked innocently.
"We...will do as you ask," Hathor replied, "our Beloved," she added with a smile. "If you had wished the dominant position, you had only to ask."
Ra turned and regarded her for a long moment before turning away with a slight smirk. "Much has changed since we last met, and your platitudes hold little meaning to me" he said as he retook his seat on the throne. He gestured with his hands and his Jaffa snapped their weapons shut. "The humans of this world have advanced much since my departure. They have harnessed the power of the atom, created vast domains on this world, and even now they prepare to go through the Chaapa'ai to Abydos."
"Then We assume you are taking steps to resume your control over your slaves here?" Hathor asked, having unsteadily regained her ability to stand. Looking into the eyes of her beloved she could see that they had changed little, still having the cold shine to them which she had come to admire greatly during their long nights so long ago. Even now she desired him, desired his aloof attitude and his vast power, but she knew when to control herself.
"Things have changed," Ra said slowly. "The Tau'ri have become great in number, and created weapons unlike any we have previously seen. Though no match for our power, they would make the conquest of this world long and difficult. Instead, I have chosen to take a different route."
"You would bargain with slaves?" Hathor frowned. "Hardly an act worthy of the Supreme System Lord of the Goa'uld," she declared before a sudden blast of energy hit her neck, spreading a burning sensation all along her body as her spine arched dangerously from the pain.
"Do not presume to question my actions, or even my logic!" Ra drawled out, his eyes flashing as he once more took to his feet and paced around the twitching figure before him. "I have not remained Supreme System Lord of all Goa'uld by failing to take advantage of opportunity."
Looking down at Hathor, Ra again spoke, his voice more contemplative. "Hmm, how the mighty have fallen. You were a Goa'uld who were feared as much as worshiped, were you not Hathor?" Ra asked while moving his arms in a slow wide arc, gesturing his arms in a motion that seemed to hold the attention of all in the room, even the quivering figure at his feet. He began to speak again in a slightly louder tone, allowing all to hear him with ease. "Yet look at where you stand now. You ruled vast worlds all your own. You were my queen! Now, you are little more than a slave, and you dare to question me on what I should be doing?"
"No our lord Ra, we do not presume anything. Please, we," Hathor began to retort before Ra once again interrupted her.
"I owe you no explanations Hathor. None. Yet I will give you one anyways."
"How... kind of you, our beloved," Hathor spoke, her voice still raw from the torture she had endured but a few moments earlier.
"I..." Ra began slowly, "have seen a vision of the future."
"A vision of the future?" Hathor asked in confusion.
"Yes. A future which... disturbs me," Ra stated, watching as Hathor's eyes widened slightly.
"Our beloved, whatever our... past actions, we still hold ourself your queen," Hathor spoke, only once again to sharply be cut off by Ra as his eyes glowed fiercely as he scowled at her.
"I have a queen Hathor. One which has not tried to have servants kill me. More than can be said of you," Ra said, while taking note of Hathor's flinch at the brutal honesty of his statement.
"Your actions have earned my anger Hathor, do not think otherwise, but perhaps there are ways in which you can redeem yourself," Ra said as he reached out to cup her chin tenderly.
"What do you ask of us?" Hathor asked through half-lidded eyes as she breathed in her husband's scent. It had been so long since she had had the opportunity to even be near a man, let alone one who gave off the aura of power and control Ra exuded, even if he was currently using it against her.
"For the moment, I suggest you bathe," he smirked as he waked off, his Jaffa and most of the servants trailing behind him, though two Jaffa remained behind, watching Hathor from the far end of the room.
"Bathe," Hathor hissed at the obvious insult, though since she had been confined in a sarcophagus for several millennia she decided a bath wouldn't hurt. Calling upon her old memories she located Ra's bathing room. She was pleased to find it already filled with hot water. Shedding her dress she slowly sank into the water, giving a sigh of pleasure as she began planning how to get back into the arms of her Beloved.
…
…
Seth stared at the image on the television in front of him, watching the footage of a Goa'uld mothership landing in Egypt. "How can this be?" He asked, fear easily notable in his voice.
"Something troubles you my lord?" One of his servants asked as she gently polished the golden material of his throne. Outside stars shone brightly in the night sky, though they seemed to agitate her master this night rather than calm him as they usually did.
"I had always feared this day would come," Seth said slowly. "The System Lords have returned to this world. Worse, it in the very System Lord I attempted to take this world from five millennia ago." On the television a close up of the ship had shorn the symbol of Ra engraved on the hull.
"What are your commands me lord?" Another of Seth's servants, a young man with a short goatee asked.
"Shut down all the Goa'uld technology here, and do not use your Zat'nikitals under any circumstances," Seth ordered. "If we can evade detection by that ship's sensors we may yet have a chance to survive." As he spoke Seth heard the gentle groan of the rings powering down, and he even deactivated his ribbon device. "I will not allow all I have built here to be destroyed," he promised. Somehow, he would survive the return of the Supreme System Lord of the Goa'uld. Somehow, he had to get off this planet.
