Chapter Three: Secrets and Revelations
Daniel Jackson, short of breath, and carrying his suitcase in front of himself as a battering ram slowly edged towards the golden pyramid, his eyes barely able to leave its gleaming structure to see where he was going. The crowds had grown so thick they were like a cocoon around the ship, shielding it from intruders who weren't already close.
"Excuse me, pardon me," he said over and over as he took it one step at a time, a sea of tan covered cloths and brightly colored fabrics pressing in on him. As he moved his thoughts were churning at the prospect of the significance of the ship from the sky. The closer he got the tighter the crown pressed in around him, and as he made his way past a cluster of tents he saw the reason why. The police had established barricades at the base of the ship to keep the crowds at bay. A small group of people were passing through, and Daniel pressed forward harder, using all his strength to edge closer.
As he got up to the barricade he recognized one of the men. "Dr. Hawass!" He shouted, trying to make his voice heard over those of the crowd around him. "Dr. Hawass!!"
The foremost Egyptologist in the world turned towards the voice calling him. Through the roaring crowd he saw a sandy haired man gesturing toward him. "Dr. Jackson," he said to himself. Tugging the sleeve of a nearby constable he brought his mouth close enough to the man's ear to allow him to speak clearly. "Let that man through. He is a colleague of mine," he said. The constable nodded, and as he hauled the man Hawass had indicated into the open, a group of armed men escorting a man in a dark blue business suit came up beside him. "Mr. President," he greeted, bowing his head.
"Dr. Hawass," President Hosny Mubarak replied. "I am pleased you were able to come."
"How could I possibly ignore an event of this magnitude," the Egyptologist replied. "It's not every day a pyramid comes from the sky."
"Dr. Hawass!" The sandy haired man Dr. Hawass had sent the constable to fetch came up to the pair. "Mr. President," he nodded his head.
"Dr. Jackson, I was wondering if you'd be here," Dr. Hawass greeted.
"Who is your friend?" President Mubarak asked.
"This is Doctor Daniel Jackson, a man who has long tried to prove that the Pyramids were not built entirely by or for the Egyptians."
"Yes, but I never thought I'd see something like this," Daniel replied, adjusting his glasses as he stared up at the pyramid. "Has anything happened yet?"
"A few hours ago a small part of the ship's surface opened for a moment, but nothing more," Dr. Hawass answered.
"I wonder what's going on in there," Daniel said, staring up at the massive ship above his head.
"Hopefully we will know soon," President Mubarak replied, wiping a few beads of sweat off his brow.
Suddenly from overhead came a great rumbling, and the ground shook as the golden pyramid began opening up like a blossoming flower. Sections of the ship separated and the outer hull of the upper half flowed downwards in four large sections, allowing the interior of the ship to be opened to the outside. Long strips of fabric shielded the interior from prying eyes, and on each face of the ship a circular indentation with an orb at the center were revealed.
Great gasps and cries came from the crowd as she alien ship completed its transformation.
"Impressive," Daniel remarked as a small portal opened at the ship's base and two armored forms stalked out. "And it looks like they're sending someone out to greet us."
…
Shal'ka heard the portal hiss shut behind him as he and Ra'to stood facing a sea of tents stretching out across the desert. "It would seem a great many people have come to pay tribute to our god," he remarked.
"Indeed," Ra'to replied as he used his helmet's sensors to slowly search the crowd for anyone of high rank. "Master Shal'ka, direct your vision to the base of the ship near the cluster of dark brown tents."
Shal'ka looked where the Jaffa had indicated and saw a cluster of men in dark colored clothing and carrying large weapons which glinted in the sun. Three men stood in their center; one with light tan robes suited to desert travel, the second in a tan cloak and the third in a dark blue suit of some kind. Shal'ka activated the communication device built into his helmet and spoke, knowing the channel would carry his words to Ra. "My lord, I believe I have sighted a group of ranking men near the base of the ship. Three men surrounded by armed warriors."
"Bring them to me, but strip them of their weapons before escorting them to my audience chamber," the voice of Ra replied.
"As you wish my lord," Shal'ka replied, closing the link. Turning to Ra'to he pointed towards the dark garbed group. "Ra wishes them brought to him, but they are too be relieved of their weapons before they are brought before him."
"Understood," Ra'to replied as the two Jaffa began their descent down to the base of the ship where their soon to be guests waited.
…
The two armored forms slowly moved forward, the sun shining on their segmented black armor. One, Daniel noted, wore a helmet representing the god Anubis, the other's helmet was done in a Horus fashion. He also noticed that they carried no visible weapons, which was a slight relief. The police and soldiers moved to form a wall between the President's party and the two warriors.
As the warriors approached Daniel felt a snap of fear tighten in his chest. The eyes of the two black warriors glowed a bright blue and when they passed over Daniel he couldn't help but look away.
The two warriors came to a stop a few paces from the wall of police and soldiers. For several long moments nothing was said, the roar of the crowds the only audible sound. Finally the Anubis helmed warrior turned his head to look directly and President Mubarak. "Follow; our master awaits you," he said in a deep voice backed by an electronic sounding base tone.
"Very well," President Mubarak replied as he stepped forward, his guards holding their weapons at rest but clearly ready to draw them at a moments notice.
The two warriors led the President's party up towards the towering pyramid. As they got closer smaller details became visible. The golden hued hull had more than a few dents and craters from space travel, and within fabric could be seen fluttering in a breeze none of them could feel. Up close they got a sense of just how large the craft was. It towered over them, easily doubling the height of the pyramid it rested on, and Daniel's mind was going wild trying to explore all the cultural and historical possibilities that lay within.
When they reached the entrance they found two more warriors standing guard. They wore different armor, more scale-like and they each held a long staff in one hand. They turned and regarded their comrades and the guests they brought through glowing blue eyes before turning back to staring at the desert. One tapped his wrist and the wall of the ship slid open, revealing a small entryway.
Their guides moved on into the ship, and Daniel had to fight from gasping. He felt as though he had just stepped through time. Hieroglyphics adorned the walls, and statues and pottery he had previously seen only in museums stood gleaming against the walls, untarnished and intact. Soft light shown from yellow strips set into the high corners of the walls and a gentle vibration rumbled through the floor. The cool air momentarily shocked Daniel's skin as the door shut behind him as the last of the President's guards stepped through.
Their guide stepped forward, leading the group down the corridor while the other brought up the tail end of the group. None of the men spoke as they were led on, instead the men observed the amazing layout of the ship. The artifacts lining the corridor and the hieroglyphics on the walls made it seem as though they were inside an ancient Egyptian temple. Daniel was the most impressed, his eyes drinking in sights he had never imagined seeing; stories told in the walls of battles and conquests only vaguely known of written alongside passages about the arrival of gods on Earth millennia ago.
Daniel's reading was interrupted when he collided with the back of their escort who turned and regarded him for a long moment, his glowing helmet lenses sending a shiver down the archeologist's spine. "Uh sorry," he said, taking a step back and fighting to keep his hands from shaking. The Anubis guard turned and continued walking, the echoes of its metal footsteps rebounding off the walls.
After about a minute the group emerged into a chamber about a hundred feet across. A ring pattern was set in the middle and around the perimeter stood nearly thirty of the armored warriors, their staffs held in one hand and still as statues. Their guide turned back to them and gestured to the ring emblem set in the floor. "No weapons beyond here," he said, shifting the gaze to the President's guards. "My master wishes to meet you on the next level."
"It is our duty to escort the President anywhere he goes," one of the guards, a man with deep brown eyes and a faint scar across one cheek said as he stepped between the president and the guide.
"Then come, no weapons," the guide repeated, gesturing to an open crate sitting off to one side.
"Do as he says," President Mubarak said eventually. "We do not wish to start an incident in this place, surrounded as we are," he added with a sweep of his hand. "I came here to meet those responsible for bringing this ship here, and I intend to do just that."
Under the eyes of the armored warriors the president's guards deposited their firearms in the chest and returned to their positions, eying the warriors carefully. The Anubis guard directed the now unarmed group to stand in the center of the ring symbol before he joined them, touching a sapphire jewel set into his gauntlet. A loud buzzing came from above as part of the roof peeled away and ten rings descended around the group. There was a bright flash of light and then the rings descended into the floor, but to their collective shock the group saw they were in another chamber, much larger than the first. Tan stone walls rose around them, covered in hieroglyphics and with eight stone columns holding them up. High gaps in the walls allowed the outside air in, rustling the thin lavender drapes covering them.
"This is incredible," Daniel and Dr. Hawass said at the same time as their eyes ran over the symbols etched into the columns and as they walked forward the two wing-armed statues which stood vigil over a throne chair. Beyond that a massive stone door marked the passage into the next chamber.
"I feel as if I'm standing in ancient Egypt in the Pharaoh's court," the president said in awe to himself as he stepped forward. As a young boy he had visited all the ancient sites across the country, but here he felt as if we had actually stepped back in time. He saw three more of the grey-armored warriors standing guard off to the sides, and he noticed his men change position to block any possible incoming fire.
By this time the group had reached the edge of a series of raised steps and were stopped when their Anubis guide held out an arm. Looking back at his guests he tapped his staff twice on the floor, the cracking sounds echoing across the room. A moment later the stone door split and began sliding into the walls, revealing a well lit chamber beyond. A large coin shaped metal banner with the eye of Ra set into it hung from the ceiling, and below it figures were moving. As they passed into the main chamber most were revealed to be children ranging from nine to around seventeen years old, but in the center was a figure draped in golden hued robes with a bronze breastplate, and with twin trails of fabric held up by two young girls and two boys wafting after him. The dominant feature however was the mask which hid his face; it resembled the masks carved into the sarcophagi of pharaohs with the exception of two crimson streamers framing the face.
As the new group made its way down the ramp the armored warriors went down on one knee and bowed their heads. President Mubarak bowed to the figure but remained standing, as did the rest of his group. Their escorts glanced at them but said nothing as their leader took his seat on the throne. Four of the oldest boys stood behind him, while the younger children sat around the base of the throne and steps, looking at the guests with curiosity, but not one of them smiled.
"Welcome," the pharaoh masked man said in ancient Egyptian, his voice seeming to echo through the chamber for a second after he spoke. "I am Ra."
President Mubarak tried but couldn't understand what their host was saying. He knew a few words of ancient Egyptian but not nearly enough to converse with. "Dr. Hawass, Dr. Jackson, can either of you translate for our host and tell him we're honored to meet him?"
"That will not be necessary," Ra said, speaking this time in Arabic. "I have studied several of your languages. Perhaps this tongue is agreeable to you?" He asked.
Stunned for a moment, Mubarak recovered himself quickly. "This is perfect, thank you. I am President Hosny Mubarak of the Arab Republic of Egypt," the president replied. "Your arrival here was a great surprise to us."
"I know," Ra replied, leaning forward slightly. "Many centuries ago I and my brothers and sisters visited your world, finding it in a state of chaos. We used our power to bring peace and culture to your world, but some of your people began worshipping us as gods due to our technology. Eventually a rebellion erupted when those who feared our power lashed out. Not wishing to harm you, we left and have watched your world since, waiting for a time when you would be ready for our return."
"And you believe that time is now?" The president asked.
"I have watched the evolution of your world. You have advanced much since our departure, and I do believe you are ready. I plan to meet with all the leaders of your world, but as this is where contact first occurred between my people and yours, it was here I chose to make my return."
"We are honored," President Mubarak replied. "This vessel is astonishing; it could easily be mistaken for a historical monument from within."
"I wished to preserve as much of your culture as possible, in the event the unrest on your world reached the state it was prior to my arrival. It pleases me to see that has not occurred. I have prepared a feast to commemorate the reunion of our two peoples," Ra said, slowly rising to his feet. The children gathered around him quickly, four taking the ends of his fabric trains in their hands. The armored warriors formed a perimeter around him as he slowly made his way into the chamber he had emerged from.
The president's party followed Ra at a distance. When they passed into the second chamber they found it fairly large, with a long table dominating the center. "Sit wherever you like," Ra offered as he sat himself at the table's head, his Jaffa standing off to either side the far side while President Mubarak, Dr. Hawass and Daniel took the closer side. The president's guard took their own places behind him. "Please, eat," Ra said, sweeping a hand at the food. "I assume you have question, and I will do my best to answer them," Ra spoke while directing his gaze at the man he assumed to be Daniel Jackson. The table had already been laid out with dozens of different dishes. Some the men recognized as delicacies enjoyed in ancient Egypt, while others smelled strange but delicious, all set in bronze dishes with bottles of wine set at even intervals.
The younger children hurried off through a side exit while the older children served the adults, filling wine goblets and dividing up portions. Everyone was pleased by the quality, but President Mubarak could not help from thinking of other reasons besides the one he had given that Ra had returned. "Lord Ra?" He asked. When Ra looked over to him he continued. "A question has been crossing my mind. If I may be so bold, is there another reason you have returned other than to assess our state of development?"
"You are perceptive," Ra answered after a long silence. "Long before we came to Earth, I and others like me have fought against an alien race which would conquer and enslave any who oppose them. Observe," he said as he pressed a jewel on his hand and a small globe rose from the middle of the table. Light shot into the air, resolving into a video of three pyramids under construction, with thousands of people milling about the bases. "This was a world under my protection. We had only recently resolved a massive civil war and were in the process of restoring peace when we were attacked." On the screen a large silver-grey vessel came down from the clouds. The ship had a broad front section which narrowed towards the back where two tall towers stood off to the sides. A pair of small struts extended from the ship's middle and several bright blue lights shone on the underside. "Once the ship descended they hailed my commander on the planet." The view changed to a grey skinned alien with large black eyes. He sat in a chair which seemed to be missing a middle, and a column of golden light was pulsing behind him in a steady rhythm. "I am Thor, Supreme Commander of the Asgard fleet. You will leave immediately," the alien spoke, its voice underlined with subtitles in Arabic so as to eliminate the need for translation.
"This world is under Goa'uld protection and we will not allow you to seize it or its people. It is you who will withdraw," a voice replied in Egyptian.
"Very well, you will be destroyed," the alien replied, and the view shifted back to outside where the silver ship began firing beams of white light at the pyramids and men on the ground, causing them to simply vanish in bright flashes. The person holding the recorder threw it through the air, and the last images showed a ring platform identical to the one which had taken the president's group to Ra's chamber activating before the feed shut off and the projector retracted back into the table.
"Over seven thousand died when our enemies took that world. The same has happened on dozens of other worlds throughout the galaxy," Ra explained, his tone darkening as he continued.
"Who are they?" President Mubarak asked in a low voice laced with apprehension. He had never believed in aliens, but now he knew of not one but two races, one apparently bent on the conquest of alien worlds.
"They have visited your world before and will likely return in full force to enslave you. They are the scourge of the galaxy, bent only on destruction and enslavement," Ra said, his voice now filled with rage. "They are called the Asgard."