"They served the Baals and the Ashtoreths, and the gods of Aram, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the Ammonites and the gods of the Philistines." Judges 10:6

It had now been nearly three days since Kianna had said her goodbyes to Jonas and departed through the Stargate.

She followed the local woman up the dirt path and into the hills. Humidity stuck her clothes to her skin, and she felt slick with dirt and sweat. Surely she didn't look much of a goddess in this state. But at the sound of Ophrenet's voice, the woman had abandoned her laundry, bowed hurriedly, and babbled something about coming up to the village.

The human seemed to speak an archaic dialect of Goa'uld, with a backwater twang that felt paradoxically low-class. It was nothing she couldn't understand, but it would take some getting used to.

"Ah'sh'll take thy majester to the shrine of Ashtoreth, if that's all right with thee, y'majester."

"Alright, alright."

It was another mile or so through thick trees to the village. The place was surrounded by a fence of thick wooden spikes, and at its entrance they passed through an arched gateway with two torches burning on either side. Twisting vines grew over the arch, and two soldiers stood on either side.

The woman ran ahead to greet them. "M'good sirs it's a goddess! She came to me whilst I was washing m'clothes. If ywould so kindly…"

The two men bowed low. They were sparsely dressed, but had on metal chest plates, metal gauntlets, and blue draped cloths knotted about their waists. They were holding long wooden spears—not the staff weapons of Jaffa, but an ordinary bladed weapon.

The woman who had been escorting her turned around. "Y'majester. These honorable men will escort ye. Forgive me, I must return to my duties." Then she started running back down the path the way they had come.

"My lady," said one of the men. "We a' honored to make thy acquaintance."

Ophrenet raised her nose haughtily. "My name is Ophrenet."

"M'lady Ophrenet. We presume—pardon us if we are incorrect—it is thy will to seek the Great Goddess Ashtoreth."

"That is correct." Ophrenet attempted to look as dignified as possible in her current state of dishevelment, but they did not seem to mind this. "Where may I find her?"

"She resideth in the Veiled City, m'lady. Tis a great far off yet. We shalt be most willing to accompany thee, but p'haps if thou wishst thou'd spend a night in the village."

"We'd be most graced by thy presence," the other soldier input hurriedly.

"Very well. I shall spend the night here. What is the name of this place?" Ophrenet looked about as she walked through the gates, rather unimpressed. It seemed to consist largely of stone huts with thatch roofing.

"Our humble village's called Dorth, m'lady."

In the center of the village was another totem, much like the first. This one, however, instead of being carved with a dove, was skillfully carved into a statue of a nude woman, in the Greek style.

"Forgive us, m'lady as we have no temple here, as we are too poor. The soothsayer shall come t' thee and put thee up for the night. The great goddess has instructed that any food offered at her shrine may be eaten by the children of the gods."

"I wish to bathe first," said Ophrenet, feeling sticky.

"Of course, m'lady."

The other soldier had gone to get the soothsayer, and moments later he returned walking towards them with an elderly man in tow. The man jingled and rattled as he walked, and it soon became apparent why—he was veritably covered in beads, bones, charms, and small objects.

"Greetings, my lady." The shaman got to his knees, which Kianna could tell was somewhat painful for him.

"Rise and be blessed," said Ophrenet.

"What is your desire?"

"Please take me to bathe and be rested." Realizing foolishly that she had just come from the town's washing pool, she hoped desperately there was another water source.

In the end, the natural resources of the planet came through after all. There was a small hot springs just outside the village, with a natural rock tub shrouded by foliage and leaf. Ophrenet dismissed the soldiers and then Kianna stripped and sank into the pool. While cold water would have felt better at the moment, it was good to be clean. She could feel the minerals cleansing her pores.

After that she opened back up the pack and put on a new shirt and a pair of shorts. She had brought nothing terribly glamorous, unfortunately, but it was too hot for finery anyway.

And she now had a fierce hunger. Upon re-entering the village, the soothsayer greeted her. "Please m'lady. Settle thyself at the shrine."

Unsure, Ophrenet seated herself cross-legged on the sandy dirt near the totem.

As she did so, two of the villagers came forth. Evidently the offering to Ashtoreth had been delayed to this moment for her sake. They carried between them a wooden board piled high with fruits, vegetables, cheese slices, and two baked doves. It was evidently a fine meal for their village, and the most impressive set piece was even a ceremonial gold chalice filled with… she tasted it delicately. Something alcoholic.

"This meal pleases me," said Ophrenet. She licked her fingers.

"There be anything else thou mightest need, m'lady?"

"This will be sufficient."

The villagers smiled and nodded, and hurriedly backed off. She ate more of the red fruits and broke a wing off the dove.

"Please, my lady," said the soothsayer to her after it was clear she was done eating, "If it please thee, thou wouldst retire to m'house."

The soothsayer's stone hut was decorated with a blue and purple woven rug, showing the moons in their phases, a rather complicated weaving given their place in the planetary system. Ashtoreth's symbol of the dove was everywhere. He had in his house also a number of small carved dove idols next to burning candles, and a table with what seemed to be a glass or crystal imitation of a goa'uld communication device. It was no doubt an homage to one, but she was sure that it did not work.

"Tomorrow I must travel to see Ashtoreth," said Ophrenet.

"Of course, of course, indeed," the old man mumbled, and clasped his hands, causing his necklaces to rattle. "Allow me to consult the will of the goddess for the weather, to see if your journey will be favorable."

"That won't be—" Kianna started, but Ophrenet silenced her. Do you want to blow our cover?

Luckily, the old man hadn't heard, as he was evidently listening for the deeper voice of the symbiote.

"Ah, here we go." He fished out several bones with markings on them and cast them on the table. Then he scrutinized them for several minutes. "Good fortune! Ashtoreth's favor is with ye, she says thy journey shall be fav'rable."

Kianna and Ophrenet both knew that he wasn't communicating with the Goa'uld that way. She smiled anyway.

"Excellent. Now I wish to retire."

At the old man's insistence, she lay down upon the bed, while he stretched out on the rug.

I feel uncomfortable, thought Kianna. We've done nothing to merit them doting on us like this. Rather I feel we've been rather rude to them.

Such is the way of the Goa'uld. If I were to thank them they might find it startling. We are undercover.

I suppose so. But we won't go out of our way to make their lives difficult. I would prefer to cause as little inconvenience as possible. I know they haven't exactly worshipped us yet, but even eating the offerings to Ashtoreth troubles me.

It's all part of the cover. We may have to accept a little worship. The Tok'ra do it all the time. We can't just go breaking our cover for the sake of every civilian we encounter.

Well, let's not solicit it, hm?

I'll do my best. But you have to trust my judgment.

Fine. I just… ugh.