Midnight on the water
I saw the ocean's daughter...
And I can't get it out of my head
No, I can't get it out of my head
Electric Light Orchestra
Chapter 14
Phaeton strode back to his luxurious quarters and dismissed the bobbing servants and noxious hangers-on. He was too distracted to enjoy his harem although he did give a moment's consideration to the new gift awaiting him in his audience chamber. When the family with the girl in tow first appeared the girl walked with a lithe grace, her step always accompanied by the delightful music of her adornments. She obviously wanted to attract his attention without appearing to. Now she was still and withdrawn into herself, a frightened little virgin, soundless except for an occasional annoying jangle. She was not that ravishing nor her father that rich, so he would let the family sit and stew a while and not appear too anxious lest the father think he would possess more influence because of the girl. Maybe he would sacrifice her to his beloved father on the feast just to put the girl's father in his place.
Phaeton needed to think about the strangers who appeared through the chappa'ai. They had not come before his throne to throw themselves at his feet. The blood of the Gods, Titans and Heroes ran through his veins. He was the God and ruler of this world, the Omphalos, all citizen and any stranger should bow down before him. He was Goa'uld and all should tremble before him.
He was working himself into a frenzy and he had to think clearly.
He caught his image in the mirrored glass. He was resplendent in his luxurious garments and handsome host. Yes, indeed, who could behold such greatness without envy. Was it vanity to admire oneself, one so marvelous? He was a god.
He had to think.
There were four in this strange group of individuals.
The Jaffa was nothing. Yes, he was a First Prime to that god of darkness, Apophis. He could be absorbed in his forces or eliminated. The man, his First Prime had brought before him, said that Apophis, dark god of the Egyptian underworld, was dead. How fitting, yet how can this be? Is this how he came into position of this Jaffa?
The woman was nothing. She was too old to be taken into his harem although her coloring was unusual, perhaps she could be kept as a slave for a favorite.
The younger man could be used as a slave.
But the older man, the gray hair, he was the one who held the power of the group. He was the one who brought them here for a reason and that Phaeton needed to know.
Was he one who had been foretold or was he sent by an enemy?
Was he really a slayer of gods?
Was he a tool or a threat?
And what had the old hag said to him?
On top of that they were found near the ancient device. Are they the children of the builders coming to reclaim this world? It had been eons ago, why now?
And what of his weapons, strange and of great power?
Or was he a spy for the other Gods?
The Egyptian Gods, Ra and his cohort, had their own source of the sacred element and did not seek them out here.
His beloved father, the great God Helios, had the courage to come to this planet and populate it and reap its bounty. The wealth of this world made Helios great among the gods but its location served divergent purposes. It protected them from being easily conquered by ship but it isolated them from the power struggles among the System Lords.
The other Olympians, his brother gods, had not visited for quite a while. Surely they lived. News of the other kingdoms was sorely missed and had Phaeton feeling somewhat paranoid. That, as well as not having a queen to supply new symbiotes for his Jaffa, had Phaeton on the edge of disaster. His father, that old fool, had failed miserably to lure the lovely and fertile Aphrodite, he was too busy lusting after Ocean's daughters. And his union with Rhode spawned the long line of Crones who perhaps could see the future but more likely told blatant lies to all who came before them. And Ocean, that fool, he thought he could control the waves of matter and energy through out the galaxy and where was he now?
Perhaps he had not heard from Cronus or Athena because they had found new sources of naquadah and gold. Phaeton supposed there was quite a bit of these precious elements to be found in the many worlds that flowed like milk from the breast of Hera.
At least that foul Ba'al had not tried to conquer Ka'Risa since Helios ruled.
Could this mere man have been sent by one of his fellow gods to probe his kingdom for weaknesses in order to plunder its riches?
Should he allow the nobles and priests to decide the stranger's fate? They, of course, would scramble to ken what Phaeton wanted done. It amused him to think of their panic to please him. But even this was too much power to accede to the rabble.
The priests wished to used their potent drugs to open the mind of this man and Phaeton would allow them to use the Egyptian magic. This stranger would not withhold any secrets from him. And then Phaeton could use the man. If he were the one foretold Phaeton would be sure to have the man worship at his feet. If he were a spy then perhaps a very public execution as a sacrifice to his father on the feast day. Or perhaps not. Would this show the people the kingdom was vulnerable? This man has proclaimed himself a god-slayer. It would be best to turn him and use him as a servant obeying Phaeton's every whim. Phaeton would need a means of controlling him and keeping his completely subservient. He thought back to his loyalty to his father and how he had bided his time until he was ready to strike. If only these strangers had been brought to him secretly instead of marched through the entire city. The errors in judgment of his First Prime would soon no longer be a problem.
In a few days, as was the custom on the feast day, he would go before the Oracle for her prophesy and then make sacrifice to Helios. He would display his divinity to all and keep the masses as well as the priests and climbers under his foot.
However, there was the Oracle to content with. Phaeton feared the old woman. She saw what no one else did. But the evil old hag mislead everyone. She told his god and father Helios that with the assistance of his son he would rise into the heavens and all his subjects would fall down and worship his might. Helios had sought to trade for a Ha'tak and thought that this meant he would be successful. However, what the crone had predicted was Helios' murder at Phaeton's hand and the people's belief that he had ascended to the heavens.
Last year in the guise of congratulating him on being a loyal and loving son, she said that he should wear a red scarf around his neck and let it trail down his chest. Rather than a fashion statement she obliquely told him to cut his own throat.
Phaeton would have to be careful and parse out her words; the bitch was evil incarnate. He could not suffer this affront to his godhood, he could not allow her to live. But how could he do it with out her knowing? She was weak, an old woman, he could snap her scrawny neck in his bare hands. He would send her to dwell with Helios and install a woman of his own choosing.