--------P3X-454 Sobk Guard camp, afternoon----------
The tent stood out against its more natural surroundings, as if imposing its overly stylized gaudiness on any eye that beheld it. Such was the intent of its designers who saw it as and used it for a traveling palace, a home fit for a god. Its billowing walls appeared to be made of a lavish, but impractical fabric no more able to keep out the elements than tissue paper. Yet looks could be as deceiving as the tent's lone occupant, a slightly built Goa'uld who stood with his back turned and shaven head bowed. Serenity and apparent self-contemplation soothed his ageless brow, lending his swarthy, middle-eastern features a benign, even merciful expression. Amuntep, High Priest of Sobk, however, was anything but serene and mercy was the last thing on his mind as footsteps sounded at the opening of his quarters.
"Lord Amuntep, the patrol has returned." His Prime announced as he stopped to kneel on the sumptuous carpets laid before his master.
Amuntep turned expectantly "Did you find the ruins?" It had not taken his Crocodile Guards as long as he had expected, and he was pleased with the rapidity of their progress.
The Prime did not look up, willing himself not to flinch "No my lord. We encountered a…hindrance."
Amuntep's eyes flashed brilliant white momentarily, before once again returning to their warm gold shade "What hindrance could cause my blessed guard to fail at so simple a task?" He crossed to a small golden stool placed before the throne of Sobk and took a seat.
"We found evidence of a recent presence, my lord. It is the Tauri." The Prime swallowed, though he did not dare raise his head until bidden. His master's voice carried a poisonous undertone that did not bode well.
"What?" Amuntep, his anger now forgotten, pondered this new revelation as he sat forward. The leather armor he wore over his white robes creaked ominously "The Tauri are here?"
"It is unknown if they remain, my lord. We found evidence of their passage as well as their long range reconnaissance device, but there is more." The Prime shifted "We were attacked."
"Enough of this foolishness!" Amuntep growled, letting fly with a backhand that snapped the Jaffa's head to the side "I will have every detail of your actions. If the Tauri did not attack you, who did? This world is deserted, and has been for some time. I demand to know who attacked you and why you failed at my simplest of tasks. Now!"
"Forgive me, my lord!" The Prime moaned from behind his swelling jaw "The search party was attacked by a woman. She appeared Tauri at first, but used technology such as we have encountered only once before. My lord, she was a Gallifreyan. How else could she overpower three of my best?"
"How indeed?" Amuntep growled, his eyes flashing white once more. "I can only hope you succeeded in neutralizing such a threat, or did that also prove too difficult a task?"
"I have done better." The Prime allowed himself a tight smile of triumph that only clenched his jaw in more pain "We defeated the intruder, and I ordered her taken alive and brought here for questioning."
Amuntep said nothing for a long moment. What had started out as an unmitigated disaster had suddenly become a fortunate encounter, and it was now laid at his feet as neatly as a daily offering. "You have done well, my servant." He cooed finally, reaching out a metal tipped finger to caress the rapidly healing damage to his Prime's face "Bring the prisoner to me so that I may question her, and the blessings of Sobk will come to you and his faithful." Amuntep watched the Jaffa scramble to his feet and bolt out of the tent. He sat back on his stool and grinned darkly "The Eye of Harmony is within my grasp."