Title: Nabu
Author: P.L.S.
Rating: PG /PG-13
Warning: Alternate Universe, Exploitation of a Minor- and now Slavery and Abuse in many forms from chapter 7 on up. I promise not to go into detail on any rape or sexual assaults, but they will be mentioned as will other things that I have yet to dream up. This is DannyWhummping, make no mistake about that.
Summery: AU- Project Nabu was created by a stroke of luck on the NID's part but luck runs out and sometimes fate won't let you wander off your path.
Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 tv series, and are copyright property of MGM-UA Worldwide Television, Gekko Film Corp, Glassner/Wright Double Secret Productions and Stargate SG-I Prod. Ltd. In other words, I don't own it, I'm not making money off of it, so please don't sue.
Author's Notes: I thought you might want a rundown of who all came on the mission since I didn't bother to introduce them- Major Harry Maybourne- Field Commanding Officer of Project NABU1 USAF- NID (The man is a backstabbing ahole. Anything more need to be said?)
2nd Lieutenant Greer- USAF- NID (Bit of a coward. Intelligence gathering and analysis and is a brilliant sniper if needed.)
Master Sergeant Hamilton- USAF- NID (Expert in observation and re-con. Older than all the officers but Maybourne- has been around the block one too many times and is only on the trip because Maybourne trusts her to do what she has to.)
Sergeant Lee- USAF- NID (A bit of a geek at heart, but also has top notch skill at survival in most conditions and will follow orders to the death if told to do so up front.)
Corporal Miggs- USAF- NID (Bit of an idiot as far as logic goes, but when faced with a fight does very well, also expert marksman w/ some expertise in explosives)
Dr. Waters- Field Medic of Project Nabu1 - NID (Former EMS until he realised that he wanted adventure along with the rush of saving lives.- Reacts well under pressure but has a great dislike of fighting off the battlefield. Non-Confrontational and almost passive with others unless a life is in his hands.)
Dr. Watanabei- NID- (Astronomer- Cold & dispassionate about everything, Nabu creeps him out and he prefers labs to field work but he is the best available and was blackmailed and shuffled around so much that he ended up taking the job.)
Dr. Raines- NID- (Physicist/ computers- Quick mind but motivated first by money then morals. Doesn't care too much about hurting others but won't stand for an animal being abused. Nabu hates him, but won't say anything about it.)
ooOooOoo
Chapter Seven- Trading Lives
Thoth smiled as he surveyed the captured people who dared to make camp inside the landing site and storage area for Ra's little mysteries and trinkets. He had been given leave by the Supreme Lord to visit and collect an artefact that Thoth was looking into, as well as collect a few new scribes or slaves, as Thoth really never worried to much with the upkeep of his worlds, unless they held ruins from the Ancients, Furlings, or some other older people, a library, or research laboratories.
He knew he was unusual for his kind, often he stayed neutral among the System Lords and the maverick Gou'alds, but his allegiance was to Ra. Often he was called to act as an arbitrator, and all knew that he required puzzles or knowledge as payment.
He was the only System Lord who dared let his people see him as less than a god and so long as they pleased him, he was a kind ruler. But if he was displeased often the guilty vanished, and he would sell the slave or give him to another master. His priests were loyal and while free thought was encouraged in the sciences, any thoughts against him were weeded out before they could become anything like rebellion.
And now before him were five people who looked nothing like the people he knew to live upon this world. Five who burned with those rebellious thoughts that he enjoyed killing. And he had perfected breaking people just right, so that the knowledge is saved but the will vanishes.
Who are these strangers?asked Thoth. His first prime was at his right hand and glaring at the restrained people.
My Lord Thoth, they seem to have travelled though the choppa'ai. Their camp shows signs of habitation for seven sunrises, and habitation by at least three to four others, but there has been much travel in an out and already local food were found cooking. The last set of tracts seems to lead to your Navigation Catalogue Room. I have my best scout looking into that, but right now none of us speak their language and they do not understand us.That is unusual for visitors from the choppa'ai. I wonder if the Supreme One did not remove the translator crystals from the pedestal.It is likely, but My Lord, if they are in contact with the local population, at least one of their party could talk with us. The local population is primitive and only speaks the root language of Ra's worlds.Yes, this is true. But, Mik'ek, what do you see in their eyes?Greed, wilfulness, hate, and fear.Yes. I want these taken to separate cells all over the ship. Keep them restrained and give them only what the need to survive. Have them guarded at all times, or simply knocked out. When you capture the others, bring the one who can communicate to my quarters, even if I am not there, but imprison the others like you will with these. Feed the speaker from my plate, let him drink from my cup, fill his mind with my books, and treat him as you would me. Dress him as a prince, bathe him in nothing less than the best, and answer his questions. Do not tell him anything of his companions other than they are being treated well. The day I leave I will kill the non-speakers in the city by my hand under the light of the moons. I have my gift from Ra, so then we will depart with my new scribe or slave depending on how intelligent this stranger I have yet to meet is.
As you wish, My Lord Thoth. With a half bow to show respect he turned back to his soldiers and the humans they guarded. Each of you give your prisoner one shot from the zat'nik'atel then hide them as our lord has commanded. He ordered with total control, and as one the five jaffa fired their weapons at the humans then either carried or dragged their prisoners off through five of the man doors to the central audience chamber of the ha'tac's landing craft. As he was about to take his leave to go see to the search as well as start the preparations his lord requested, a runner, one of his jaffa's sons brought to get his first taste of service, came in and prostrated himself.
The boy came with good news, the search was over. Four more strangers were found. There were three adults who were the first to fall because they were protecting their speaker. The one who was able to speak was a child dressed as a native, using the native dialect and inflections, but pale in colour.
It was odd, my Lords, he struggled far more than the adults, and we saw that the sandy colour of his skin was not his true colour. It is a very pale white, much like the moon that watched over me before I saw your face my Lord Thoth. He fought like an ashsrak, with twists and using a warrior's weight and movement as if they were his to control. I think that it was because the other three were his protecters that he had a chance to fight. said the boy almost breathless. Thoth smiled.
A child assassin? Ah, this will be an interesting puzzle. Mik'ek, you have my orders, send a message once the child is recovered and rested. I think tonight, yes, tonight I will send my message to the poor people of the city. Thoth said as he stood and left flanked by five attendant slaves, two scribes and an artist and their assistants, and ten jaffa.
Mik'ek smiled at his lord's obliviousness to the grand picture he created with his court of intellectuals and scholars. Thoth wasn't strong, he wasn't daring, and he wasn't trying to be anything more than what he was, the cleverest and most wise of the gods. And Thoth didn't require much from him as first prime, only that he do his best and be ready. Of all the gods to serve, Mik'ek, knew he was blessed with peace and a lack of fear. Serving Thoth wasn't as glorious as serving Ra, Apophis, or Ba'al, but rather he had the security that jaffa only knew under one other, Lord Yu, who happened to be Thoth's brother and friend.
Mik'ek shook his head of his wandering thoughts, it was time to be sure that the newest addition to Thoth's court was well cared for and to be sure that all would be ready for the moonlight execution. All knew that Thoth was Ra's eye during the night, and that Thoth's word was like Ra's during the time of the moon. Mik'ek knew just what to do.
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Daniel looked around the room, he was finally alone and able to think. At first he was still dazed from his fight with the big royal guards who jumped him once they had reached the outside of the, well, treasury, for lack of a better term. Then he had been blown away by the treatment he was being given, at some point they did something to strip him of all his tan, then they bleached his hair even more than it was already, and now he was clad in a thin white homespun robe and bewildered at the wealth of knowledge he was given before the attendants left him to read, eat, and rest.
But something niggled at the back of his mind, something didn't quite add up. The people on this world worshipped Ra, the sun and the man who came under his name from a flying mountain of gold. As Daniel looked around, the colours he saw were cold; white, grey, silver, blues, and black. The ibis or baboon were featured on a number of works of art in a great many styles, and in the odd places where a seal would have been appropriate a lunar eye was portrayed. In the myths Ra had an advisor, one he trusted to work magic, to talk to the most feared foes, and the one who never seemed to betray him.
Daniel heard the door open behind him and he stood and turned, trying to look as cool and unflappable as the adults in his life had shown him to be. The man was tall, thin, and had long grey hair that was tied in a simple plait at the nape of his neck. The man wasn't in the same sort of clothing style as the rest of the people he had seen. Despite the simple look, Daniel just had a feeling that this was the one who ordered him to be brought here. You must be the lord of this palace. Thoth? Am I correct? asked Daniel in his original version of Egyptian. The man looked extraordinarily pleased to hear him speak.
Indeed I am, child. Daniel was surprised at the odd vibrato quality, it was just so alien compared to the voices of his friends from the city. I feared you only spoke the simple peasant dialect, but now I see you speak the courtly dialect as well.This was my first dialect, the only one that has survived the ravages of history and time. said Daniel with a polite nod. Thoth sighed.
That is the case on many worlds, it also explains why you are the only one who can speak out of the nine others who seem to share your world of origin. Thoth said thoughtfully as he sat upon a backless couch. The man gestured for Daniel to take a seat near him and so Daniel sat upon a hassock just out of arms reach. You fear me?I do not know you, I do not know where I am, I do not see my guardians. I see every reason to fear you. said Daniel and Thoth smiled.
Clever, clever. I can see why you would need almost ten warriors to watch over you. You must be a prince in your nation. Daniel shook his head.
In my world there are two groups of people who are both holding each other prisoner with the threat of destroying the world utterly. I was raised as a tool, one who could decipher puzzles, think in ways that others could not, and able to learn and adapt to new languages and cultures in less than five days. I am one of the only people to know how to read and speak this language along with many others. Daniel said honestly, I was brought on this journey to act as interpreter for any people we found, the others are mostly scholars and the soldiers who were to figure out if there were any weapons they could take back to end the stand off.I see.The soldiers and scientists, where are they? asked Daniel.
You did not ask my servants. Why do you now ask me?I knew that they would only tell me what you would tell them to tell me, but I know you will not lie to me unless you wish to lose my trust so early in this game. Daniel said and Thoth laughed at the answer's bluntness.
Again you show how clever you are, child. He smiled at Daniel in an almost fatherly fashion, I will tell you the truth because you have earned it. They are in holding cells, under the guard of my loyal jaffa. All are awaiting death under the moonlight.What will it take to let me get them back to their home and for the safety of the people of Nagada?What does a tool have to bargain with?My life, my mind, and my loyalties.But not your soul?I don't know if I have one. It would be unfair to offer you something that doesn't exist. Daniel looked at his hands and bit his lip, trying his best to look small, hurt, and sincere.
I will take your loyalties for the safe passage of your people though the choppa'ai. Your mind and your life will be payment for the continued safety of Nagada's people. But I will still kill the soldiers.But they will be breathing as they pass through the choppa'ai. I can work great miracles. If you know the old stories of me, you will know this to be true. Thoth smiled at Daniel's incredulous look, patted him on the head and left the room.