Chapter 14: A New Enemy
Author's note: With the permission of my faithful reader and fanfic writer 'Irrelevant86', I am using one of her Stargate characters 'Adolfina' from her fanfic 'The Apprentice'. Enjoy.
Amun's point of view:
March 2013
It had been over a year since Osiris and Lorenzo escaped. I had received word from several of my contacts among the ranks of the System Lords. Osiris had being spotted from time to time. She had only a few ships and a handful of loyal Jaffa, but none the less she would eventually need to ally herself with a more powerful Goa'uld. She in fact had managed to amass herself an impressive army in a short amount of time.
Lorenzo on the other hand was somewhere on Earth, but I had heard only rumors of his whereabouts; two months ago a nomad spotted him in India. One week later a Japanese coven thought they crossed a trace of his scent in Tokyo. Two weeks after that there was a severely injured 'Child of the Moon' who claimed to a Chilean coven that he had fought Lorenzo in Rio De Janeiro on the night of the full moon.
And the list goes on.
I was working in my laboratory one day, as I usually do, when I received a subspace communications on a basketball sized silver ball which was a Goa'uld communication device.
I turned in its direction and I activated it. The image of a minor Goa'uld who serves me appeared.
"Lord Amun!" said the man in the loud and distorted voice of the Goa'uld. "I was just letting you know as you requested of me...Lord Heru'ur is dead."
This was interesting. I raised my eyebrows in amusement.
"How did this happen?" I asked.
"Killed by Apophis. As you are aware, Apophis commands the armies of So'kar." said the Goa'uld. "Heru'ur, met with him in an attempt to form an alliance against the other System Lords."
"Their combine armies would be a formidable force against the System Lords." I stated matter-of-factly with a tone of concern.
"We don't know what happened exactly, but we suspect some kind of treachery from one of them. The result was a full power blast from Apophis's new super ship."
"I assume Apophis has absorbed Heru'ur's armies?" I asked with concern.
"Yes. He now commands both the armies of Heru'ur and So'kar. He is more powerful than ever now. Powerful enough to over power the System Lords."
This was serious! If Apophis now commands the collective armies of both So'kar and Heru'ur, he could conquer the whole galaxy in a matter of years!
I was already prepared for war, but I took additional steps. I set to work collecting additional naquadah and other materials, building weapons and safe-houses.
One month later
I was again contacted by my Goa'uld contact among Lord Cronos's ranks.
His face appeared on the silver communications ball. "Lord Amun. I am calling to report, Lord Cronos, is dead."
This to was interesting, I had to admit to myself.
"Apophis?" I asked, referring to how Cronos died.
"No. We are not entirely sure, but we think it was an assassination. It was on the planet, Juna. It was on his personal Ha'tak Flagship. As you know, the world of Juna, was under Heru'ur's domain, but Heru'ur and a garrison of Horus-guards hadn't been there since the naquadah mines went dry generations ago, and Apophis didn't want the planet."
It wouldn't have taken much to a sway the human population of the planet from their religious faith in Heru'ur.
"Since Apophis took no interest in the planet, Cronos decided to claim the world as a potential base. We believe it was an uprising...brought on by the Tau'ri strike force know as SG-1. But our intelligence says...now this is rather unusual...intelligence says that there were two SG-1s? It is strange, but they say that Cronos lost his life because he was caught off guard because the second SG-1 was a group of robotic androids?"
Interesting. A few times in the past I had considered such a technology of creating a life-like humanoid android that would look exactly like the real thing. I have been able to create very competent and reliable humanoid androids that are capable of performing very simple tasks. But unfortunately I was never able to perfect the technology. It seems that someone somewhere obviously did.
"This is valuable information to me." I said to him. "Thank you. Who has claimed Cronos's armies?"
He hesitated. He seemed somewhat reluctant to answer. "The power vacuum of Cronos's domain has been claimed by several parties. Some have gone to Apophis. Some have gone to Lord Ba'al, Lord Yu, and Amatarasu. But myself, and the local campaign have been claimed by an all-powerful rogue Goa'uld that has not yet revealed his identity, but came with a fleet of ships and very powerful weapons and shields. "
I grew impatient at this!
"How is this possible?" I asked with disbelief.
"The details are unclear, my Lord. I have merely been ordered by him to await instructions."
"Keep me informed." I ordered him. "If what you say is true, then he will put a great deal of pressure on you. Cover your tracks. Take all precautions to prove your loyalty to him. But, now this is very important, he must never, EVER, find out that you still serve me."
He bowed his head in respect and the transmission ended.
Things have just gone from bad to worse! I continued to prepare for war, stockpiling additional supplies.
One week later
I received a transmission from one of my contacts among Apophis's ranks.
His image appeared on the silver communications ball and his eyes glowed.
"Lord Amun." he acknowledged.
"Lord Sin'ith'ro." I replied. "What do you have to report?"
"Lord Apophis is dead." he said matter-of-factly.
"I've heard that before." I said doubtfully.
"We are pretty sure this time. There is a power vacuum for his domain, but the majority of Apophis's fleet was destroyed in a star that went super-nova right when they arrived. About two days later, we received a distress transmission that he had just came out of hyperspace with a Replicator infested ship that was apparently Cronos's stolen flagship and then moments later crashed into the surface of So'kar's old planet at maximum sub-light velocity."
I broke into laughter at that. Okay, that was funny.
But I quickly got serious again.
"Who commands Heru'ur and So'kar's fleets now?" I asked.
"Apophis's domain was immediately seized by an extremely powerful unnamed foe who hides his identity like a coward!"
"Find out the identity of your new master. And then report back to me." I ordered him. "End transmission."
Curiouser and curiouser? Who is this new rogue Goa'uld that is seizing power, armies, and territory everywhere?
A few months later
I got a call from Carlisle. He informed me that Alice Cullen had a vision of a powerful devastating nuclear explosion in Colorado that would take place in an hour or so.
I looked into it, hacking into the SGC computers and read the most recent reports, and I found that the SGC was in the middle of performing negotiations with The Tollan, to exchange trinium for Ion Cannon Anti-Ship Defense Batteries. Curious? That seemed like a highly unusual move for The Tollan? They don't usually share technology, let alone advanced weaponry. And what would the Tollanians want with the SGC's trinium anyway? Trinium is more than just a really strong metal, but also has several scientific and energy producing applications.
The SGC computers already had the Tollan Ion Cannons schematics on file, given to them by the Tollans. Unfortunately, the humans scientific industrial manufacturing technology was so far behind the level of advancement as the Ion Cannons that it was impossible for them to reverse engineer the giant space-guns on an assembly line.
I thought maybe I could figure it out with Goa'uld technology, so I downloaded the schematics to my computer.
About an hour later Carlisle called again and said that Alice's vision disappeared and that it wasn't going to happen.
When I read the SGCs next report later on, it said that the Tollans had been forced to defend themselves and were then blackmailed by an enemy who possessed shields that could resist the ion cannons. Curious? And then were blackmailed into sending a phase-shifting naquadah bomb to Earth through the Stargate that could pass right through the SGC Stargate's iris. Fortunately SG-1 had managed to thwart that plan and it is believed that the Tollans were wiped out.
I was interested. Who could do this?
Two months later
For the past two months I had received reports from many of my contacts that an unknown enemy, a rogue Goa'uld, had been attacking the System Lords ships, with ships equipped with superior weapons and shields, on several fronts. Most likely the same enemy that's been seizing power and destroyed the Tollan.
Curious? What is going on? For centuries the galaxy has been more or less quiet, now, for years things have been happening! Who is this mysterious foe?
Later
I had received word from one of my contacts among the ranks of Lord Ba'al that, with the recent deaths of Ra, Hathor, Se'tesh, So'kar, Heru'ur, Cronos, and Apophis, there was now a massive power vacuum that has spread the System Lords thin and that there is going to be a summit of the System Lords to agree on how to divvy it up.
I needed to attend. I need to see what is going on. My contacts may have only limited information.
I collected information about the location. A space station near a nebula on about 10,000 light years from here.
How do I attend though? Defenses of the space station will be impenetrable, and the only way in will be by cargo ship and only if you're invited, or call them up and request an invitation. I could attend as myself; some minor Goa'uld do show up to a System Lords summit to offer some reward or bribe for a promotion. I would only attend as an observer, I have no requests or offers for the System Lords. But, no; they would never allow a vampire to attend.
I shall need to go in a disguise. I will disguise myself as a Lo'tar of one of the System Lords. I immediately set to work planning.
One week later
In the giant underground hanger of one of my several personal ships, the giant hanger doors above the ship slid open, a shower of desert-sand falling down on top of the ship.
"Kebi, my love, engage cloaking device." I ordered.
Kebi, flipped the switch.
The whole coven was there. Benjamin and Tia each manned a console.
With the sublight engines we accelerated to incredible speeds leaving the atmosphere.
"Engage hyperdrive." I ordered.
As I looked out the view port in front of me it showed a cloud of energy-like gas appear in front of us which was the hyperspace window. As we then passed through it and were then flying through a river of hazy stars and bright light. Hyperspace! A means of transporting a ship into another dimension with inside subspace in order to travel at speeds many times faster than light. The ship we were in used to be a standard Alkesh midrange bomber, but in the last five thousand years, I have made some significant modifications. The specialized cloaking device makes the ship completely undetectable to sensors or the human eye. The shield generator is a significant upgrade from the old version allowing the force field that surrounds the hull of the ship to take a lot more punishment then the old style version. And then there are the weapons systems. The shock-pulse warheads I invented can tear through the toughest metals without difficulty along with the ultra-high-yield super-cannon which is significantly more powerful than any standard naquadah plasma blaster.
There is also the new hyperdrive-engine. The Goa'uld currently use the standard 'interstellar' hyperdrive-engines, allowing them to travel across the galaxy in months and sometimes years. I figured out how to build from common materials an 'intergalactic' hyperdrive-engine which would allow this ship to travel across the galaxy in days, and even hours, and if I stock piled enough supplies for an extended stay on the ship, I could probably travel to a nearby neighboring galaxy in a month.
The family had convened in the recreational living room on the ship.
"I paid the owner of a slaughterhouse a large fortune to fill a 500 gallon tank with cow's blood." I told them, I looked at Benjamin and Tia who already had yellow eyes which was their habit ever since their first encounter with the Cullens 7 years ago.
"It will suffice I am sure. The 500 gallon tank is also a giant stasis unit so the blood will not go bad. We are on our way to the home base of the System Lord, Amaterasu."
Tia then began quoting out loud, "Amatarasu Omikami, the Japanese Sun Goddess. She has a rather large domain in this galaxy and is very powerful and influential, even among the System Lords."
She was apparently showing off to show that she had done her homework.
"That is correct. I will be using this hologram generator." I held up a specialized wrist device of my own design. "It will make my face and body look like who ever it scans."
I then held it out and a widespread laser swept over Kebi's body. A moment later my physical appearance then became identical to the face, body, and clothing of Kebi.
"Impressive." said Benjamin. "But Goa'uld can sense the presence of vampires. If you get near them, you'll be discovered."
"Actually, I thought of that. The device also emits a thoron-field that will mask my scent, give off false human life-sign readings on sensors, and block my body's vampire aura." I defended.
"Clever." said Benjamin.
"Benjamin, Tia, you two will stay here and watch the ship. Kebi, my love, you and I will go down to the surface and sneak in undetected. We will find Amatarasu's lo'tar, and knock her out with this special sedative." I held up a syringe. "I will scan her with my wrist device, take her place, and you will stash her sleeping body where it won't be found."
Kebi nodded in understanding.
"Kebi, you will then return to the ship. You all will then follow me to the space station and you will keep the ship cloaked. You will then extract me when I am finished there. I don't want to have to stay there a minute longer than I have to. Plus I will need a quick getaway should I be discovered, which I do not think that I will."
Everyone nodded understanding their jobs.
We came out of hyperspace in orbit of the planet of Amaterasu's base of operations and engaged the cloaking device one second later.
We came into transporter range of the rings on the surface. My contact with in Amatarasu's ranks will be waiting.
Kebi and I stepped on to the ring-transporter and Benjamin pressed three buttons on the pad on the wall. The five giant rings came up out of the floor around us and a flash of light later we were in Amatarasu's palace. My contact, a Goa'uld named So'loran, in the the service of Amatarasu, stood in front of us. His eyes glowed, and he inclined his head in respect.
"Lord Amun." he said in the loud and distorted voice of the Goa'uld. He then turned to Kebi. "And my Lady Kebi."
"Lord So'loran." I acknowledged. "You will be rewarded for your loyal service." I promised encouragingly; he fears me, as he should, for he knows the punishment for treachery to me, but it is best for me to keep his loyalty by appealing to his greed by rewarding him for his fear.
"Lady Amatarasu's, lo'tar is this way." he directed us.
"I shall need to hear the woman's voice at least once. With my vampire vocal cords I can imitate her voice precisely."
He nodded in compliance.
We walked to a slave's private chambers. Kebi and I stayed out of sight.
"Isar?" he said to get her attention.
She inclined her head in respect for him. "Lord So'loran." she said
Well, that's her voice, that's all that I needed.
The girl inside was about 20 years of age, of pale human skin with a slight tint of human skin pink, but her face was Asian-oriental in appearance.
She didn't have time to look in our direction as with vampire stealth and speed I ran up to her and put her out with the injection.
"Her name is Isar, my Lord." said So'loran. He then proceeded to explain to me the things that the girl usually does and how she usually speaks and all the information that I would need to know so that I could successfully convinced Amaterasu that I am her Lo'tar Isar.
I scanned the girl's appearance with my hologram-disguise wrist device and the wrist device then turned me into a duplicate version of Amatarasu's slave, Isar.
Kebi hid the sedated girl in a place where she wouldn't be found, but could escape when she wakes up. I then told So'loran to return to his post and act normal. I then told Kebi to return to the ship and follow me and Amatarasu to the summit.
Pretending to be the slave Isar, I attended to my duty. The people here all speak Goa'uld. I of course speak the language flawlessly. Isar's, duties were mostly fairly simple tasks, but must be performed perfectly competently at all times, nothing I couldn't handle. I knew all of the local customs, and I was familiarized with how Isar, usually behaves; she attends to Amatarasu's petty needs, helps her bathe and dress, is flawlessly polite and humble, doesn't speak unless spoken to or asks a question, which she never does, and when she does address Amatarasu, she refers to her as 'my Queen'. And whenever Amatarasu gives a request or direct command, Isar, responds with 'as you wish' not 'as you command'. And is a master martial-artist and is supposed to defend Amatarasu with her life if threatened. Hmm, quite a servant. I should have her working for me. Of course there are certain qualities that earn any Lo'tar their position.
I entered what I was told was Amatarasu's private quarters, flanked by two Jaffa with Staff Weapons baring the symbol crest of Amatarasu on their foreheads. Apparently expecting the Lo'tar Isar, they allowed me to enter.
I carried a tray of scented beauty products into the bathroom just as a human woman with her back to me was getting out of a large heated bathtub. She was naked and I saw on the back of her neck the healed scar of a Goa'uld entry wound. She turned in my direction. Her face was Asian-oriental in appearance, she was very beautiful by normal human standards. Her eyes glowed. This was Amatarasu? This is not the Amatarasu that I remember, though obviously she must have changed hosts since we last met.
She stepped out of the bath and walked towards me. I knelt before her in respect.
"My queen. I am at your service." I said in Goa'uld, in a tone and manner of submissive humility. I imitated the girl's voice precisely.
"Dry me off and help me dress." she said in the loud and distorted voice of the Goa'uld. "We will leave for the summit right away."
"As you wish, my queen."
When I was done with her, she was dressed in the formal royal clothing of the ancient Japanese Emperor.
"Come, Isar. We shall leave now."
We ringed up to Amatarasu's Ha'tak where we boarded a cargo ship and flew out of the bay doors. A few moments later we entered hyperspace. I knew that Kebi, Benjamin, and Tia were following. The trip here in the ship with Amatarasu would be manageable. One of the things about being a five thousand year old vampire with unlimited time ahead of you is that you have long since learned to have endless patience; trivial disappointments don't upset me, and I can sit and wait for long periods of time without a concern for how long I have to wait. Of course I was required to serve Amatarasu during the trip, though the trip wasn't that long. I also needed to eat in front of her as part of the human facade. The food tasted like stinky slime, but I endured it.
"I trust you will conduct yourself in a dignified manner in front of the System Lords?" said Amatarasu.
"Yes, my Queen." I said.
"My fellow System Lords can not be trusted," Amatarasu warned, "nor can their servants, and they will think the same towards you. So be wary."
"Understood, my Queen." I acknowledge.
"When the space station hails us, you will introduce me and request permission to dock." Amatarasu commanded me.
"As you wish, my Queen." I acknowledged.
Later
We were coming out of hyperspace. There, out of the front window of the ship, was the space station that would hold the summit of the System Lords.
The control console gave us an alert that we were being hailed. Amaterasu nodded at me to hit the button.
"We have you on our screen now." said a voice over the comm. "Identify yourselves."
"This is the delegation of the Sun Goddess, Lady Amaterasu Omikami The Benevolent. We request permission to dock." I said to the control console.
I had to try really hard to suppress a laugh at that one. A vampire would have heard the nearly silent laugh in my throat, but a human or a Goa'uld would not have. Amaterasu, benevolent? That is a riot!
Alright, Amatarasu has not been able to sense me, but time to see if my disguise will project the false human life signs to the sensors. There was a moment of silence before another response.
"Your ship has been scanned." said the voice over the comm. "One Goa'uld, one human, no weapons, you are cleared to dock at the following coordinates."
Some writing in Goa'uld came up on the screen.
Amatarasu piloted the ship to the airlock where an airtight seal formed around the door.
We exited the ship and were escorted to Amatarasu's quarters.
The suite was lavish and luxurious in the style for the Japanese Emperor. I attended to Amatarasu's needs.
A short while later.
Amatarasu had granted me some privacy.
My hologram generator wrist device, which was concealed by the holographic disguise, had a communicator function. I contacted my ship on an untraceable frequency.
"Kebi, my love, do you read me?"
"We read you, go ahead." said Kebi.
"I am inside. The first meeting of the summit will take place in about an hour or so. Please stand by."
Amaterasu and I walked down the hallway towards the door of what was supposed to be the communal conference room for the System Lords. We passed by a variety of other human slaves that walked up and down the hallways. The doors opened and inside I was able to identify several other familiar Goa'uld while the others I did not recognize. Some of them were minor Goa'uld who had recently ascended to the ranks of System Lord while some of them have been System Lords for centuries if not millennia.
"Next guest, The Sun Goddess, Lady Amaterasu Omikami The Benevolent." introduced one of the Lo'tars, who was standing beside the door to await each guest.
Everyone looked in the direction of myself and Amatarasu, I kept my eyes on her feet or at least that was what I made it appear as while with vampire ability I was able to give cursory glances around the room without being noticed.
A Caucasian man with a slight middle-eastern appearance came up to us. Lord Ba'al.
"Lady Amatarasu, your host is looking exceptionally lovely, as always." he greeted in a seductive voice, and then took her hand and kissed it.
"Lord Ba'al, you are such a charmer, as always." said Amatarasu in a deceptively flattering voice.
Ba'al always exuded the pretense of an honorable and trustworthy System Lord, but he could be the most treacherous at the moment you least expect it.
Ba'al then slightly altered his demeanor.
"Surprise attacks on my forces have been happening?" Ba'al said with a raised eyebrow of suspicion. "I can't imagine who could be doing that?"
His implication being that it was Amatarasu who's been doing it.
"If you are referring to our skirmish in the O'daro star system over it's rich naquadah deposits 41 years ago," said Amatarasu in a tone of extreme impatience, "that star system fell under my domain, and you stole it from me!"
"Agree to disagree." said Ba'al. "I am referring to the surprise attack on one of my Ha'tak in the Sel'ro system, one month ago."
"And they attacked in my name?" asked Amatarasu with a tone of doubt.
"No. But a sneak attack in no one's name seems like the very thing you would do!" said Ba'al, dropping all pretense.
"That is a very serious allegation!" said Amatarasu angrily. "You dare say such a thing to my face! and for your information, I to have sustained surprise attacks from a nameless enemy for the past few months. and I actually suspected that it was you. Though of course they were just suspicions and I would not accuse you directly." said Amaterasu trying to shame him.
Ba'al then turned around and walked off to another part of the room. Amaterasu then wandered over to the window to look out at the stars and the nebula.
"Next guest." said the slave at the door which I had determined was Ba'al's Lo'tar. "Lord Yu-huang Shang Ti."
Into the room walked Lord Yu, with his young female Lo'tar. Lord Yu was looking old? His hair was dark brown, no grey. And his skin was not wrinkled, but my vampire senses could detect an odd internal weariness in him. My best educated guess is the fact that his symbiote is older than any other symbiote, and that he has had the same host for 5000 years. A healthy symbiote can last virtually forever as long as it has a healthy host, and the Sarcophagus can only maintain a host's life for so long. The difficult maintenance of an unhealthy host will significantly speed up the effects of old age of the symbiote. Though, Ra, did have the same host for 10,000 years without complications, but there may be varying fluctuating circumstances with, Yu.
I then recognised his Lo'tar. It was Adolfina Anderson of SG-1, and Daniel Jackson's apprentice. I heard about her countless times in the SGC's reports, and I saw her in person in Osiris's tomb over a year ago. What in the world is she doing here? Reconnaissance, like me? Or...something else? And why is Lord Yu allowing her to stand in as his Lo'tar?
Best for me not to ask anyway.
Yu, and Adolfina of SG-1, began pacing the room. With my vampire hearing, I listened to the conversation that Yu, and Adolfina were having from across the room.
"Behold, my faithful Becca." said Yu. "My future allies."
Yu calls Adolfina, Becca. Curious?
"Bastet, and Kali the Destroyer." said Adolfina of SG-1 in observation to Yu. "They formed a treaty with Sobek. During a celebratory feast they moved against him. Rumor has it his head still decorates Bastet's palace in Bubastis."
"You have a good memory." complemented Yu. "You are worth my allegiance."
They paced for a few more seconds.
"Do not accept any gifts from Ba'al." warned Yu.
"Understood my lord." said Adolfina of SG-1 respectfully. "They have a tendency to explode. Especially when he feels he has been slighted. He wiped out the inhabitants of two star systems, sixty-million lives, rather than lose them to So'kar in a territorial dispute."
"Poor loser!" responded Yu.
They then looked at me.
"Be wary of Amaterasu's slave." warned Yu.
"She is a trained Master Assassin, and will kill anyone at her mistresses whim, with twice the strength that of a normal human." said Adolfina of SG-1. "Rumor has it she killed an Ash'rak twice her size with her bare hands."
Is that true? When I agreed to impersonate Amatarasu's Lo'tar, I didn't know that was in the job description. Though I'm not technically allowed to complain; this whole operation was my idea.
"Do not consort with Morrigan's servant." commanded Yu.
"He will attempt to draw out strategic information by seemingly idle conversation." said Adolfina of SG-1. "You're last servant unwittingly gave away the location of one of your secret bases in Melloan. He was killed in the surprise attack, which is what has given me the honor to be here with you now in his place, my Lord."
Well, it seems she's done her homework.
"Olokun is still seething over a recent loss to my forces." said Yu. "It is possible that he may attempt to kill you out of spite towards me. Do make me look foolish by allowing yourself to be murdered."
"I will not fail you my lord." said Adolfina of SG-1.
Okay, Yu, it was unnecessary to ad the last part, Olokun's own death threat should have been incentive enough.
Yu and Ba'al then approach each other.
"Yu." greeted Ba'al.
"Lord Ba'al." greeted Yu.
"I am surprised that you were able to join us. I heard that your fleet suffered some heavy losses."
"I am not the only one. I heard that your new flagship was destroyed."
"I lost 2000 Jaffa." said Ba'al in irritation.
"Such is war." stated Yu.
"This is different." said Ba'al. "This enemy attacks like a coward. Bastet and Kali have also suffered similar setbacks. These attacks are becoming more frequent while this new antagonist continues to elude us."
"I am sure that you have your suspicions." Said Yu.
They both separated and then walked to different parts of the room.
"Come Isar." Amatarasu commanded me.
Amatarasu then walked over to Lord Yu.
When we got to where Yu, was standing, my vampire nose detected something that no one except a vampire would be able to detect. I could detect the scent of a Reol, an humanoid alien life form that is capable of infecting other life forms with a biological chemical that alters their memories of him and effects the area of the brain that controls facial recognition. I had had the opportunity several thousand years ago to study one in the lab out of scientific curiosity. I still have several stored samples of its chemical but I was never able to utilize its use on a large scale because apparently it has no effect on vampires. So therefore if there was a Reol in the room, everyone here would be affected by it's chemical to make them believe that it is one of them...except me of course. But I don't see one in here meaning that the chemical must be somewhere in this room giving off the scent. My nose was then able to detect that the scent was coming from the girl, Adolfina Anderson. I then quickly came to the conclusion that she was using a sample of the chemical on Lord Yu, to make him believe that she was his slave. Clever. Why hadn't I thought of that? Well, too late to worry about that now.
"Lord Yu." said Amatarasu casually.
"Amatarasu." replied Yu, but less interested.
"These mysterious attacks have been getting out of hand." said Amatarasu in an accusatory tone.
"One of your ships was attacked in the Da'rulas sector." said Yu as a statement of fact.
"Right where your domain borders my domain." said Amatarasu.
"You accuse me of attacking you?" said Yu with angry indignation.
"Your words, not mine." said Amatarasu casually shrugging off Yu's remark. "Though, it wouldn't be the first time."
"I have suffered from the attacks of this mysterious enemy as well." defended Yu.
"A likely story." said Amatarasu. "An explanation that is a little too convenient if you ask me."
"How do I know it wasn't you who attacked me?" countered Yu.
"Point taken." Amatarasu conceded.
"This meeting is now in session." said Lord Ba'al, interrupting everyone in the room. "Please take your seats."
"Is there not one more guest?" Amaterasu asked Ba'al.
"This guest represents a third party to the summit and has not yet arrived. We shall not wait for the final guest. When they get here they will get here."
Everyone sat down in thrones, their Lo'tars close at hand. My job was simple, I was to stand over Amatarasu with a pitcher of her favorite drink and top off her gold goblet whenever she says.
The total System Lords in attendance were 8, Ba'al, Yu, Amatarasu, Camulus, Morrigan, Bastet, Kali, and Olokun. And still expecting a ninth rogue Goa'uld who wishes to sit in. Probably just some low ranker who used to serve a dead Goa'uld, who now wishes to barter favors for power. This rogue Goa'uld yet to arrive will promise anything.
Conversations began with formal matters. They discussed certain trade routes, and political government issues for about an hour, and then they brought up the topic of the mysterious new enemy.
They spoke of fleets of Ha'tak class ships that kept appearing from almost anywhere and attacking each of the System Lords smaller fleets. And then stealing supplies and naquadah from their raids.
"This enemy attacks by surprise like a coward, killing without mercy leaving no witnesses, without honor!" said Lord Camulus.
'Yeah, like you haven't?' I thought.
"This enemy speaks no words when he attacks. He shows no face or identity. His ships bear no mark or crest of their allegiance. They have more powerful weapons, more powerful shields, and significantly faster hyperdrives." said Ba'al. "Such a strategy allows them to spread discord among us."
'A clever strategy that you wish you thought of first.' I thought.
"And yet is there no one here who has even seen the symbols on the foreheads of this new enemy's Jaffa?!" demanded Yu.
'That is a good question.' I thought.
They all pause in silence for a while. all of them waiting for a reply from someone else. The silence dragged on for a few more seconds.
"I have." said Kali the Destroyer.
Everyone looked at her as she spoke.
"One month ago, a single enemy ship attacked one of my larger fleets, biting off more than they could chew. My ships managed to disable this one ship and board it. Unfortunately we gleaned no information of any kind; they wiped the ship's computer memory core before we could get to it."
"Did you take any prisoners?" asked Yu.
"They fought to the death." said Kali. "Every single one of them had their brains damaged to the point beyond the healing power of the sarcophagus. We examined the dead crew of the enemy ship; there were a few nameless Goa'uld, a handful of human slaves, and mostly Jaffa. Their foreheads bore the symbol crests of mostly Apophis, Heru'ur, Cronos, and So'kar...except for one...there was one random Jaffa who's forehead bore the symbol crest of, Amatarasu."
They all looked at Amatarasu.
"How do you explain this?!" demanded Yu.
Amatarasu then looked uncomfortable, but only for a moment.
"I have only one theory." said Amatarasu. "Three months ago, one of my Ha'tak was transporting a large shipment of weapons grade naquadah, when it was ambushed and boarded. The enemy stole both the ship, and the naquadah, and...the crew. Rather than fight to the death with honor, like they swore in their oaths to me that they would, they surrendered like cowards and the enemy showed mercy and took them prisoner, alive...it is possible, however unlikely, that they may have switched allegiance."
Betray a System Lord to serve a rogue? Not entirely unheard of, but rare.
"A likely story. An explanation that is a little too convenient if you ask me." said Yu throwing Amatarasu's own words right back at her.
"How do I know it wasn't you that my former servant defected to?" said Amatarasu.
Yu paused for a moment before going on.
"Point taken."
"ENOUGH!" shouted Camulus. "This is exactly what our new enemy wants; for us to blame each other and turn against each other!"
"I agree." said Amatarasu. "I possess some highly experimental stealth detection technology that I have been developing that I will be willing to share with all of you. Combined with some other experimental technology that some of you are keeping secret, we may be able to come up with a 'counter-measure' against the adversary."
The talks continued for a while, when Ba'al's Lo'tar received a silent word and went over to the door as it opened.
"My Lords. Final guest has arrived."
I looked in the direction of the door, and in walked the human female British archeologist and historian, Dr. Sarah Gardner. She was wearing the formal white clothing of, Isis.
'OSIRIS?!' I thought with hatred.
I had a look of shock and surprise on my face, but only for a moment. I think Adolfina of SG-1, caught the look on my face but I quickly composed myself.
Osiris's eyes glowed and he smiled.
"I hope I haven't been missing all the fun?" said Osiris in an evil voice as though he had embarrassingly caught the System Lords red-handed doing something naughty.
Adolfina of SG-1, was a friend of Sarah Gardner, and would be recognized. I saw her turned her back to the System Lords and retreated into the shadows.
"Osiris. Welcome." said Ba'al.
"Normally your petition to attend this meeting would have been denied. But recent circumstances have allowed it." said Olokun.
This was infuriating! Osiris is a criminal against me, sentenced to death under my jurisdiction, and here she is right in front of me and I am not allowed to kill her!
"Becca." Yu summoned.
He then held out his hand to take the cup that Adolfina of SG-1, was holding.
She turned back towards us, filled the cup and handed it to him. Osiris then looked right at her. On his face I saw a hint of recognition. But for some reason Osiris did not blow the whistle on Yu's servant.
"I think you will find that I have much to offer."
"Just before you arrived we were just about to adjourn for a brief recess." said Ba'al. "We shall resume this meeting and hear your proposals afterwards."
Amatarasu granted me some privacy.
I thought about Osiris. I had a rare opportunity. I have decided that I am going to abandon my mission to seize the opportunity to kill her.
I followed the scent of Sarah Gardner down a hall that led towards Lord Yu's quarters. When I approached the doors they opened. Where I then saw that Adolfina Anderson had her hand on Osiris's wrist while Osiris was holding a knife. I was prepared to leap at Osiris at vampire speed and sink my teeth into her neck, but, I then decided that I couldn't do such a thing in front of Adolfina.
When Adolfina took her hand off of Osiris's wrist, Osiris then looked very confused.
"Lord Osiris," said Adolfina. "My name is Becca, I am Lord Yu's servant. These are my masters quarters."
In that moment Osiris seemed to forget who Adolfina was and take her at her word. My only guess was that Osiris had been infected by the Reol's memory chemical and her subconscious was filling in the blanks in her long-term memory.
"It must be all of the twists and turns of the hallways, they become confusing to get lost. If you wish I could tell my master that you came to see him."
"No." said Osiris. "That will be unnecessary."
They both then looked at me as I was standing in the middle of the open door. They probably both think that I am Amaterasu's master assassin here to kill one of them for some reason. I will quell there worries by acting submissive.
I bowed my head, spread my arms wide with my palms towards them to show I had nothing to hide, and put on a face of remorse as though I feared punishment.
"My apologies." I said to the both of them. "I was sent here by my queen to deliver a message to Lord Yu."
"You can give the message to me, I will deliver it to my master." said Adolfina.
"No. That will be unnecessary. My queen instructed me to deliver it to him personally. My Queen will make sure that he gets it at a later time."
I then decided that this opportunity to kill Osiris was a lost cause and I backed out of the room without saying anything more.
Before I was out of sight of Adolfina and Osiris, Adolfina asked. "My lord, apologize for asking but are not weapons forbidden at this summit?" she said referring to the knife in Osiris's hand.
Osiris sheathed the knife and spoke very firmly.
"You will speak of this to no one or else it will be the last thing you ever say!"
"As you wish." said Adolfina.
She then turn to me, "And you as well!"
"As you wish, lord Osiris." I said in a respectful tone of voice.
I now decided that perhaps the information that Osiris holds and was going to deliver to the System Lords was more valuable than her death to me.
I then became more curious as to what Adolfina of SG-1 was doing. I listened from around the corner with my vampire hearing.
"Jacob." I heard quiet and muffled but clear through the wall.
I then could hear a voice coming out of what must have been some kind of communicator.
"What happened?" said the one called Jacob.
"I got into a little scuffle with Osiris. I pricked Osiris with the needle. She thinks I'm Lord Yu's servant now and doesn't recognize me."
"Why didn't you just release the poison?"
"Because it would have killed Sarah."
Release the poison? I see now. She must have some kind of undetectable airborne poison that is intended to kill the System Lords. Clever. Except this will not allow me to get the information that I need, unless of course she doesn't release the poison until after I collect the information. If all of the System Lords here at the summit die at once it will drive the Goa'uld across this galaxy into chaos. They'll be too busy fighting among themselves to worry about Earth. But then what about this mysterious new enemy that keeps attacking the other System Lords. He probably would have the most power and would try and seize all the power at once. What should I do? Should I stop her? Or should I let her do it? No. I came here for information and I'm going to collect information, and if an agent from Stargate Command wants to kill the System Lords then I will let it be done. I just hope she waits until after they give their information. The only thing now is that the assassin that they sent has a conflict of interest.
I kept listening through the wall.
"The Tok'ra can take symbiotes out of a body, can they not?" asked Adolfina. "They've done it before."
"Yes, but we would need to get her off of the station first. It would be too much trouble to do that. Adolfina, we sent you here for this mission now. You are in place to carry out your mission, you can't let conflicts of interest interfere. There is a bigger picture here, killing the System Lords here at the summit is more important than any one person's life."
"You're right." said Adolfina with a voice of reluctant resignation. "I will wait until the System Lords reconvene and release the poison when they're all together in the same room."
That was all that I needed to hear from her so I walked away.
I hit the communicator button on my wrist device.
"Kebi my love, this is Amun, do you read me?"
"I read you." said Kebi on the other end.
"Scan the area for a cloaked Tok'ra vessel."
I waited a few moments.
"Confirmed. There is a cloaked cargoship a distance from here. The sensors of the station would not be able to detect it. I'm detecting one Goa'uld life sign on board."
"Just curious. Let them be."
I then went to Amatarasu's quarters.
When I got to Amaterasu's quarters she was standing beside a full bathtub.
"Isar." said Amatarasu. "Help me wash my hair."
"As you wish, my Queen."
She then disrobed and was completely naked. Most human men would think that they were the luckiest man alive to help this woman bathe, but in my mind my sexual lust was reserved only for Kebi's naked body. I attended to my duties as the slave that I was impersonating, and when we were done she was then fully dressed again and she took a rest for 20 minutes in the sarcophagus.
We were back in the conference room and Osiris was about to make her case as the third party.
"Weakness is befalling the System Lords." said Osiris. "If this tenuous alliance crumbles it will leave the Goa'uld vulnerable to threats that exist outside of the galaxy. We must put aside our differences and individual struggles for power and better strengthen the Goa'uld as a whole and ensure our supremacy over those who would threaten our domination."
"You speak of grand principle." Said Ba'al. "But you have no official seat here."
"Then I propose that you officially recognized my status here."
"What exactly do you offer us in support for your position and claim as System Lord?" asked Ba'al.
What? Osiris shows up here acting as a third party and they are going to make her a System Lord, or him? I have had female hosts before when I was a symbiote, but I'm still confused about our own pronouns of either feminine or masculine. I guess Osiris is a him as his symbiote has a male persona.
"Nothing." said Osiris in answer to Ba'al's question. Curious? She shows up here to make a proposal but yet she offers nothing in return, just grand principle and sentiment?
"I am here to represent the vote of another." said Osiris.
All of the System Lords looked at each other in confusion to process what she had just said.
Lord Yu then looked at her, "Who do you serve?"
"Anubis." said Osiris.
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