The year on Earth is 1901 A. D. Lightyears from that insignificant little planet lies another insignificant little planet. This planet' name is Talsan, and is the scene of a potentially decisive battle between Ra and Apophis. Apophis and all his army are cut off from the planet's Stargate by Ra's Jaffa. The forces of Apophis are outnumbered and outgunned. Ra has heard that his rival is trapped, and is bringing his personal ship and two Ha'tak mother ships to finish him off. Ra is three days away, and Apophis in growing desperate. In the midst of this epic war lies another story, a story with an outcome that will have far more widespread effects than the war surrounding it. This is the story of a brigade of Jaffa led by Ramonet, their Goa'uld commander. But this is most of all the story of one Jaffa.

1

Reveille

I awoke just before dawn to the none-too-gentle prodding of Ramonet's first prime's staff weapon. His name was Mil'tan, a longtime friend and immediate superior. He is five years older than me at forty-two.

"Brother, help me awake the brigade. Ramonet wishes to address them," he said.

Not that one hundred and ninety-seven out of the original four hundred really qualified as a brigade. The fighting had worn us down, and had only gotten worse when Ra's Jaffa realized Apophis himself was here.

"Ramonet? Is there going to be an attack?" I inquired, getting to my feet.

"We shall see."

"Indeed."

I grabbed my staff weapon and zatnikatel and exited the door of our tent. After five minutes of prodding sleeping Jaffa, Mil'tan and I had assembled the company outside Ramonet's tent. The sky was just beginning to brighten. I estimated that dawn was about three hours away from breaking over this miserable planet. We walked down the line, inspecting the 'brigade.' For three hours sleep and five minutes notice, they weren't at a bad state of readiness. We reached the end of the line and fell into our places. Mil'tan leans over and whispers to me.

"I thought I saw a pair of Serpent Guards here earlier."

"Really!" I replied. It was a lifelong goal of mine to join these elite protectors of our God.

"Yes, although I only had a glimpse of them, I didn't get to-"

"Jaffa! Kree!" Ramonet's booming voice cut through the morning air. One hundred and ninety-seven Jaffa warriors snapped to attention. Ramonet was in full battle gear. He was dressed in a gold-plated version of his warrior's armor, and carried a gold-plated staff weapon. A silver zatnikatel was attached to his forearm, and his left hand bore a ribbon device. "Today our Lord Apophis commands us to go forth and attack the enemy! We are to cross this valley and fall upon the servants of Ra and slay them all! Do this, and you will have served your God well this day!" His words were punctuated with a dull thump. Every Jaffa warrior present slammed the butt of his staff weapon into the ground. Ramonet approached us.

"I must speak with you two. You two are my most trusted officers." It was sort of an inside joke the three of us had. As of two days ago, we were his only officers. "You know the terrain. We stand on a low hilltop situated at Ra's left flank. We face approximately six hundred warriors."

"With the aid of our God, we will overcome." Mil'tan replied. Ramonet gave him a wan smile. Nope, I thought, Ramonet is definitely not your average Goa'uld leader. Slowly, silently, the Jaffa brigade, led by its two remaining officers and Goa'uld, begins to cross the valley separating the armies. We started on a small hill. The enemy forces are mostly on a ridge opposite our hill, but one sixth of their number are stationed in a slightly raised ruin of a city halfway through the valley. Before the fighting, it was a fairly advanced city of Ra's followers. Now it was nothing. Not a word is spoken as we advance through the chest-deep pre-dawn fog. The battle begins.