Netty.

…

Netty!

Hey! Netty! Answer me!

…

Kianna.

What the hell was that? What do you mean by cutting me off from your thoughts while using my body? You promised me you wouldn't do that sort of behavior.

You were distracting me at a critical moment.

…

Sorry.

I may not have known what you were thinking, Netty, but I always feel what you're feeling. Remember that. I know you feel tempted by her offer.

…

I was, perhaps, momentarily allured. However, my resolve remains the same. We oppose Ashtoreth's mission. I have no wish to serve under her.

Would you repeat our mission back to me again, then? I don't think I'm the one distracting you here.

Kianna's body became hers again. The warm waters of the hot springs lapped against her smooth skin. They had gone down to the ground-level terraces following the meeting with Ashtoreth, and were now reclining at the baths. Marian alone was present in the stone-tiled room, and she knelt behind Kianna's head, working fragrant soaps and lather into her hair. It felt amazing.

Kianna. I feel as you do for all sentient life. We must stop Ashtoreth from using her infant children as brainless soldiers to fight and die in Ba'al's name. I believe they can have a better future, and a mutually beneficial relationship with their hosts. Ba'al is now the most powerful Goa'uld in the galaxy. If we subvert his plans, we could change the future of the species. We could change what it means to be Goa'uld. I am no queen, but by giving these larvae the education that Ashtoreth refuses to give them, they would become my children instead. Future generations of Goa'uld would be like me—not like my parents.

What does "like you" mean, Netty?

…

Make sure that it means something good.

Kianna donned her light fabrics again and thanked Marian. She got to her feet and departed from the private bath. It was time to inspect the premises. The first thing they had to do was figure out where Ashtoreth's symbiotes were being kept. There'd been no sign of them thus far.

And why are we wearing these, again? The public baths are that way. It's not like anybody cares.

If you take my clothes off in front of these people and start going around naked like Ashtoreth I swear that I will kill us both.

But—

With my own hand, Netty! The second you give it back to me.

…it would help us blend in…

NO!

Okay, fine. Geez.

She slip-slapped around the terraces on the stone tile, with Marian (unfortunately) following behind at a respectful distance. Some had ceilings, such as the private baths, but most were open to the balmy air, the sky, and of course the trees. Water ran down from shallow pool to shallow pool, separated by dividing walls and short stairs. Some were gardens, with plants amid the flowing water, others were clean enough to drink from. She'd run into the fates once, and they all turned simultaneously to look at her with their creepy gaze, and then blinked at the same time. Bacchus was in the public baths, and one look at him made her strongly regret going in there to begin with.

The doorways were open arches, and she'd seen no closed or hidden doors yet, but had not run into Ashtoreth's lab, or pools containing any symbiotes. Yet if there were young symbiotes, they would have to be near water, and so presumably somewhere near here.

She turned a corner round a fountain with a statue of Ashtoreth in its center and proceeded into the next room.

Kianna stopped her feet abruptly. There in front of her in the room was a sarcophagus.

Ophrenet picked the feet up again. They approached the sarcophagus and walked slowly round, inspecting it. It's really here.

Netty, no. Kianna's threats over the clothing had been exaggerated in annoyance, this was a low, sincere plea.

And yet Ophrenet's temptation was overwhelming. Her memories of the sarcophagus were some of her most fresh and vivid; her aged mother had used the device much before her final spawn.

She trailed her fingertips along, gently brushing the edge of the cushioned bed. She'd had no prior intention to use the sarcophagus, even after Ashtoreth had mentioned it was here. How had her resolve begun to crack so quickly upon entering this room?

Please. Just this once.

It won't be just once! You know what this thing does to people. Think!

It doesn't have to be like that. We may never get another chance. Especially after we make our getaway. Just one time won't kill my soul.

You're rationalizing.

Maybe I am. She paused. I'm sorry.

Ophrenet got up and left the room with the sarcophagus, making only a quick glance back over her shoulder, as though it was following her.

Grain sacks hit the ground at Netty's feet. She stood high on a plinth, with a scythe in her hand, looking down at Aram. She was near the doors of the Temple where Hecate presided, having come over the pass that morning with a small brigade of slaves to assist in her task.

This, apparently, was the meaning of the food collection. City-dwellers and country tithers had come in bringing their gifts to Ashtoreth, and found themselves presenting them to the new Goddess of the Harvest, whose name had been loudly declared by Hecate and her priestess.

It was to be understood, of course, that she was below Ashtoreth in the pantheon, but this changed nothing about the sickened feeling Kianna felt.

Do they really believe we are a divinity? Are we simply Ashtoreth's messenger or do we have some power over the harvest?

They are probably asking themselves the same question. If we do not answer it, they will make something up.

Let them. Please be silent.

They were silent.

It had been six days since she had arrived in the Veiled City, ten since she came through the Stargate. That was one-third of her time spent already.

One-third!

We promised Jonas we'd be back within thirty days. We have to hurry up and find those symbiotes.

I agree. We don't want to give Jonas any cause for alarm. Let alone allow him to think I've betrayed him for Ba'al. We will go back within thirty days, no matter what.

"My lady!" called Circe. "The last of the food offerings have been made. Bacchus has already departed with the wineskins. Shall your slaves begin to gather them up, my lady?"

"Indeed." She was tired from a long day of walking and standing. Netty carefully descended from the plinth. She had a mild sense that Circe disapproved of her in some fashion, perhaps because giving orders to the slaves was not the priestess's job.

It was better, then, to delegate that task to her own lotar, in order to seem more in control. She looked around, but Marian was not there. There were boxes of cakes, and jars of honey, and bags of fruits along with the grain. She pointed hastily at the nearest slave. "You may begin loading those on the donkeys now."

Then she ducked into the Temple. Where had her lotar gone? Surely the woman knew what it meant to be a personal attendant.

She stood there in the emptiness of the large chamber, deserted by the priestess and her acolytes for the moment. She almost called out Marian's name, but then stopped herself. After the echoes of her own footsteps had died away, she heard something. There was a wooden lattice-screen in the forward corner of the temple near the door, and whispering voices came from behind it.

She moved closer, walking softly this time, and listened.

One of the voices was Marian's. The other was an unfamiliar man with a village accent.

"Yes, I c'n see that, and I'm glad thou'rt well," said the man. "Truly. But hast thou made any progress on thy mission?"

"I—I'm tryin'. I really am."

"Marian. Please. Thou must hurry. The rains still hath not fallen upon our village, and crops're few. And now this new harvest goddess of thine hast taken from us what little we have. Thou must find a way to appease the Great Goddess, and quickly. What hath we done to offend her, Marian?" his voice was pleading. "This winter we'll have no food. People're going to die."

"Inek…" Marian pleaded back to him, then her voice hardened. "I'll do whatever it takes. I swear't."

Sensing that their conversation was coming to a close, and not wanting them to know they'd been overheard, Kianna retreated outside the door of the Temple and waited for Marian to come out.

That's sad, said Kianna.

It is. If we had some control perhaps we could reissue some of the food to her village.

Perhaps. But we don't.

Marian emerged from the temple moments later, her veil covering her face in an attempt, perhaps, to conceal her emotions. There was no sign of the man. She gave out a small gasp on nearly bumping into Ophrenet.

"F'give me, m'lady! I did not realize thou wert there…"

"Fear not, but come with me to oversee our departure. I came to find you when I saw that you were missing."

"Forgive me, m'lady!" she begged again. "'Twas only a moment's business, please. I hath no design of which thou're not aware m'lady. T'was only my father come to meet me from my village."

"Very well. Let us be going. We have a feast to prepare for."

The way I see it, mused Ophrenet, Ashtoreth keeps her secrets close to her chest. That should have been obvious from the outset given the isolation of her domain. If we want to find the symbiotes, we have to get close to her.

And how do you plan on doing that? asked Kianna.

Ashtoreth's Midsummer Feast is in two days, and we and Bacchus are responsible for it. If we can make the feast go well, perhaps we can find a way to gain her favor.

Love this fic? Recommend it to your friends! Hate this fic? Recommend it to your enemies! Somehow ambivalent about it despite reading six chapters? Leave a review and tell me so, you don't have to butter me up I have thick skin