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The Supernatural characters belong to Kripke Enterprises and the CW, not me. The Stargate franchise is currently owned by Metro-Goldwin-Mayer. No money is being made from this story. It is for entertainment only.
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Camelopardalis
Chapter 12
King Bahlum-Kuk
From Chapter 11
"It is bad," she agreed. "I also believe that it is very painful. It's not just physically painful; I think it is also psychologically painful also. He's sitting there watch part of his body crumble. To make it even worse, there is some deep meaning to the wings of this species that goes right to the core of their being. Why he has not already died I have no idea. I tried for a week to at the very least try to make him more comfortable and I failed miserably."
"At the end he was supporting me more than I was supporting him. Just as I finally gave up and told him I wanted to go home he called in his sons. I think my week with him finally convinced him that it was time to let go and die. He realized the damage he was doing to his sons. When I left the boys were with their father, sitting around that bed in the twilight and weeping."
Janet finally looked up. "When we go back to Celadon again I'm sure that you will find King Bahlum-Kuk has succeeded his father.
Chapter 12
Maya artists often represented Xibalba as being underground but they also pictured it underwater with its denizens upside down relative to the human world. In at least one version Xibalbans lived foot to foot with humans, exactly as if they were mirror people. Xibalba was, furthermore, not always underfoot, for at night it circulated to take its place in the night sky. The Maya saw stars and constellations, the planets and the moon, as living beings who interacted with the cycles, natural and social of the Middleworld.
The Maya Community was embedded in the matrix of this sacred space and time. Socially, the Maya people organized themselves into families that reckoned blood membership through males and marriage membership through females. This method of organizing kinship relationships is known as patrilineal descent. The principle of selecting a single inheritor of supreme authority in the family from each successive generation usually focused on the eldest male child. This is called primogeniture and it is a principle underlying hierarchical family organization.
From "A Forest of Kings" by Linda Schele and David Freidel, copyright 1998
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"Senator Meckelberg, I just don't know." General O'Neill said to the irate politician. "We just received confirmation last week from the base on Seladon that King Balam-Hun has died. We are not aware of the ritual involved with the crowning of a new King."
Jack O'Neill wondered how the Senator had found out so quickly. Someone on the base was getting way too close to this man who controlled the funding for the Star Gate project. He was going to have to find that leak and find it fast. There were too many base secrets that the Senator could use to his personal advantage.
The florid faced man in the expensive, perfectly tailored suit bit his lip, evidently having difficulty holding his tongue while Jack spoke.
"Listen O'Neill," the Senator barked. "I expect to be kept in the loop about important events like a possible coronation. Getting an embassy opened on that planet means a permeant ambassadorship should be in the works. That's quite a plum assignment for someone. I want my input to count for something which it certainly won't if I look like a clueless idiot. I understand that the Asgard and the Nox want to also meet with this new King. Some kind of kid, I understand. I'm sure we can work with that. I expect you to see to it that we are invited to the festivities."
Senator Meckelberg turned his back on the General and headed for the door.
"Certainly, Senator," Jack replied, holding his temper in check. He had lived through a few of these self-important dicks during his career with Star Gate Command.
Jack knew that he was untouchable as long as both The Asgard and The Nox counted him as a friend. Neither race wanted to deal with Earth's political structure which they regarded as downright uncivilized.
When Jack was not available for one reason or another both races had refused to deal with anyone other than the members of SG-1. Daniel Jackson was always first alternate, followed by Samantha Carter. The Asgard had actually worked though the list all the way to Teal'c once when the other three had been called to Washington as a group and they didn't like it. The Asgard were all subtlety and delicate touches. Teal'c regarded them as tricky and undependable. The conversation had not gone well and Jack had a mess to clean up when he got back.
Meckelberg stopped as he reached Jack's office door and turned around. "Another thing General, find out what this kid would like for a gift. Something simple I suppose. They aren't all that civilized I would guess. I hear that they offer blood tribute to their Gods. Maybe they would like some guns or, I don't know, maybe flame throwers? Whatever you think would be a big hit." With that condescending remark the Senator passed through the door and out of Jack's hair.
Jack thought he could hardly wait to watch Dean hand Meckelberg his head on a plate. Someone would have to make sure that that thought stayed metaphorical. The General was sure that Bahlum-Kuk was perfectly capable of making the idea a reality.
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The klaxon hooted. The awful noise reverberated throughout Cheyanne Mountain's lower levels. All of Star Gate Command was alerted to the activation of the Star Gate.
The select group in the control room watched as the event horizon formed. The waterspout that charged over the platform never failed to startle them even when the habitués knew it was coming. Flinging itself back into the Gate the surface settled into the cool, rippling lake of blue of an active Gateway. A moment later two bodies broke the surface tension and stepped out on to the Gate platform. The Devine Ahauob, Bahlum-Kuk and Yat-Balam had come to visit.
It was the first time Jack had seen the brothers in the flesh since they had appeared three years ago chasing a poisonous white bat. He was shocked. The two definitely were not children any more. They were young men; fairly large and imposing young men. Jack reminded himself that the two were no longer Sam and Dean. They were the King Bahlum-Kuk and his shaman Yat-Balam.
The Seladon natives certainly knew how to put on a show.
The select group in the control room consisted of Chuck Harriman the Gate Operator, Jack O'Neill, Colonel Carter, Daniel Jackson, Teal'c, Thor of the Asgard, Nugul of the Nox and the ever present Senator Meckelberg. It was a tight fit but everyone wanted to be present when the King designate of Seladon arrived.
Bahlum-Kuk was in full regalia. He wore the colorful feathered costume of the Maya complete with the scabbard for his ever present battle axe and the shoulder quiver for his arrows and spear all of which were decorated with complex bead work spelling out mystical symbols. His feathered head dress made him appear even taller than his own six feet. His wings were partially unfurled, creating a dark background for all his finery. The bold tropical colors of his costume contrasted strikingly with that of his brother.
Yat-Balam still wore only his dark Angel feather cape. His own wings were also only partially extended, the liquid rippling of iridescent color flowing over his feathers adding a sense of silent movement to the scene. He appeared as a great shadow behind his brother; a quiet threat guarding his brother's back.
The Gate Room guards were careful to follow their instructions and inclined slightly, not a full bow, to the Seladon Royalty then opened a path for the two to exit the room. Everyone was moving to the large conference room which had been set up for this visit.
It had been Bahlum-Kuk who had decided not to allow the other worlds' representative s to come to Seladon. He was very aware of the designs these outsiders had on his world.
All of the group in the control room with the exception of Chuck Harriman, of course, entered the conference room and selected chairs. There was a slight moment of unpleasantness when the Senator tried to challenge General O'Neill for the seat at the head of the table but one slightly amused look from Jack settled the little tussle and the Senator conceded.
Meckelberg soothed his ego by electing to sit between Thor of the Asgard and Nugul of the Nox. Once they had all settled the doors opened again and the main attractions entered.
Bahlum-Kuk took the chair at the end of the table, opposite General O'Neill. He immediately reached up and unfastened his head dress, handing it off to his brother standing behind him. Yat-Balam placed the pile of arching feathers on a credenza against the far wall. It sat there like an exotic bird adding a touch of the romantic to the starkly decorated room
Then Yat-Balam added to the strangeness of the group gathered around the tale. He removed his cloak and tossed it on the credenza next to his brother's head dress. Under his cloak Yat-Balam wore only a leather loin cloth. Once seated the man looked complete naked. Even so he may have been the most exotic of all of them. Yat-Balam had grown into a gorgeous man. Broad shouldered and noticeably muscled his skin glowed under the lights. His face was a chiseled pattern of high cheek bones accented by foxtail eyes and framed by soft flowing waves of dark brown hair. High on his right shoulder was a tattoo of a fiery sun encircling a five pointed star. He was beautiful.
Jack cleared his throat. "Well if everyone is comfortable let's get started. I would like to thank you Bahlum-Kuk and Yat-Balam for coming to talk to us. The three gentlemen on my right are the designated representatives of their worlds." Jack waved a hand at Thor of the Asgard, Senator Meckelberg and Nugul of the Nox. "They would like your permission to attend your coronation ritual when it occurs. We are all well aware that you have forbidden travel to Seladon without your express permission and they are requesting such permission from you."
Yat-Balam leaned into his brother's side and whispered to him.
"My brother tells me that all three of your governments would like to use this visit as a first step on a path to set up permanent embassies on my world. Why should I grant you such a foothold on Seladon?" Bahlum-Kuk asked.
Nugul of the Nox spoke first. "So it is true. You are descended from the Oldest and have their gifts. Can you both read minds or is only the younger brother so gifted?"
Bahlum-Kuk smiled broadly. "Very good, Nugul. Our brothers, The Nox, are welcome on my world. To answer your question, yes we both have the blood of the Oldest but my brother is the strongest and most pure of those who have been born as far back as birth records have been kept. I can hear only him well but he can hear all of you clearly. I suggest trying very hard not to lie in his presence."
Thor of the Asgard was the next to speak. "It is true that we wish to have a permanent presence on your world. In return we can only offer you immediate entrance to the Protectorate of the Asgard and inclusion in the treaty between the Asgard and the Goa'uld as a protected planet. We will give you access to all of our technology although I wonder if you even need it. The fame and power of The Oldest has been whispered about forever. I am humbled in your presence."
This time Bahlum-Kuk laughed out loud. "The silver Asgard and their silvery tongues are also welcomed to our world."
Finally Bahlum-Kuk looked at Senator Meckelberg. The Senator was all at sea. There were things happening at this table he did not understand.
He understood the power of the Asgard; it had been described to him in a number of secret briefings. When he was tapped to head the Appropriations Committee for the space programs he had no idea of the existence of anything like Star Gate Command. It had only been a year and he was still learning to accept the presence of aliens on U.S. soil.
He was a politician. He understood the levers of power and desired to integrate himself into the upper circles of what he regrettably regarded as an alien conspiracy. He hated Jack O'Neill and the power the General held through the friendship of these powerful aliens who seemed to answer his lightest call. The Senator had been prepared to act as a protector of a backward civilization of superstitious natives. But here he was faced with the idea that these people who he had been so ready to patronize were held in high regard by the other beings, both alien and human, in the room and seemed to be worthy of the greatest respect.
After staring at the Senator for a few long heart beats Bahlum-Kuk turned to his brother for another whispered exchange.
The Boy King finally leaned back in his chair and spoke. "Senator Meckelberg I understand that you may be experiencing some confusion. The superstitious backward natives are not acting in the way that you expected. Am I correct?'
Bahlum-Kuk stared directly at the confused and embarrassed Senator. "You cannot hide your thoughts from Yat-Balam. You want to know what you can offer me for access to Seladon. Whatever would entice me to allow you to set up your long desired embassy? You know of nothing but there is something that I desire."
A wide grin spread over Bahlum-Kuk's face. Yat-Balam leaned in and elbowed his brother in the side. With a startled huff Bahlum-Kuk swiped at his little brother, pushing him off.
"Let me have Daniel Jackson for a week or two. Then I'll let you come to see the ritual of succession. We can talk about your embassy after that. Perhaps in the meantime you could possibly learn some manners. Get some pointers from Teal'c. He knows how to talk to us without being insulting."
Daniel Jackson looked up, started at the request. "Excuse me? You want me to come to Seladon with you? What for?"
"Come now, Daniel." Bahlum-Kuk replied. "Why would I not want to spend some time with my good friend? If that is all I want to allow this pig access to Seladon how can you refuse me?"
The Senator felt that the entire conversation had left him behind. He was also working his way up to be insulted at being called a pig. Then he thought of the thrill that the merest taste of power had brought into his somewhat boring life. If all that this feathered King desired was the company of an archeologist for a few weeks then Daniel Jackson should be pleased to go and serve his planet, the great county of the United States and the future political career of Randall Meckelberg.
"Tell me, General" the Senator asked. "Is there any way you could possibly spare the good doctor for a week or so?"
"Hey," Daniel Jackson spoke up. "Not that it's a problem for me but I would like to be asked first. After all, I'm not in the Air Force; I'm a consultant and can't just be ordered around."
"Daniel," Bahlum-Kuk called out. "Would you please come to stay with me on Seladon? I have wonders to share with you, I promise."
He then addressed the entire room. "Gentleman, the ritual of my succession will be held sometime later this month of the rising of the waters, on a day propitious according to the Celadon astronomers. The blood rite will be performed in the evening as the world of Xibalba rises into the sky. The exact day has yet to be determined but the hour is set. We will give enough warning when the correct day has been found.
