Diving head first into enemy territory might appear to be exactly what they were doing, but Shezmu knew his Chiefs better than that. If they did not object to his commands, it was because whatever awaited them on the other end would turn out in their favor.

He looked at the company assembled in front of him, and took in their remarkably calm countenances. They spoke of war as though trading stories over dinner, discussing infiltration operations and assassinations with unnerving calm. They were without doubt a force to be reckoned with.

"Seshem, how long have we been travelling?" he asked his First Prime, who stood beside him as diligently as always.

"Three hours, give or take a few minutes. According to the pilots' estimation we should arrive within the next hour." she replied, and smiled widely at his astonishment.

"So soon? Just how fast are we moving, exactly?" he wondered, more to himself than anyone else. However, one of the pilots happened to overhear him, and turned with a grin to match Seshem's.

"Oh, just over two-hundred thousand times the speed of light, my Lord." the man said cheekily.

Shezmu could feel his jaw dropping and swiftly steadied it with the back of his hand. This was beyond expectations. While nothing compared to an Asgard hyperdrive, they had effectively quadrupled the ship's original speed. What should have taken nearly a day of non-stop travelling, now only required a couple of hours.

He concluded that the size of the subspace window held more importance than the drive's thrusters, and catalogued that observation away for future thought. Already, several theories had sprung up in his mind, but now was the wrong time to contemplate science.

Luckily, Delmak was not situated on the other side of the galaxy. If it were, only a miracle would spare them from Sokar's rule. As it was, the planet could be found within the same spiral arm as the Garden. It was no coincidence, as Sokar too had been an outcast. The Goa'uld seemed to have a quirk for relocating the unwanted to the backends of the galaxy, before doing their very best to pretend like they never existed.

Several minutes passed, and Shezmu had begun to sink slightly in his throne, completely lost in pensiveness while staring at the swirling patterns of hyperspace. When they then abruptly disappeared, he jerked slightly in surprise.

"A little heads-up next time, perhaps?" he muttered, before straightening himself and standing up. He was curious to see what their destination looked like, and approached the viewscreen.

"We didn't want to interrupt your daydreaming, my Lord." Qe'det said innocently, while twirling locks of auburn hair around her finger. He could not help but scoff at the display.

She was the daughter of Sa'ret, who had chosen to walk in her mother's footsteps and become part of the Lion Guard. Her mind was more of a strategic one, however, and was therefore better suited for the role of Chief of Strategy. Unfortunately for Sa'ret, that meant her search for a successor had yet to end, and many poor youngsters became subject to her relentless pursuit.

Shezmu thought back to the young boy, Kha'x, and cringed in sympathy.

"Very funny." he deadpanned, while taking in the scene that was Delmak, orbited by its hellish moon. He remembered a time when Ne'tu had been lush with green, going against all rules of universal probability.

The moon had once been even more habitable than the planet it orbited, and it was sad to see it reduced to this state. The atmosphere was visibly ravaged, now containing a greater percentage of toxic gases than essential ones. Lava covered most of the surface, flowing freely where there should have been water.

"Scan the area." he ordered, not seeing any hostile vessels but not wanting to take unnecessary risks.

The pilots obliged, pressing a few buttons on the console in front of them. With a swipe of the neural interface, a generated image was superimposed on the viewscreen. Two red dots appeared on the other side of Ne'tu.

"My Lord, we've detected two ships obstructed from vision. One Ha'tak and one Tel'tak." a pilot informed.

Qe'det picked this moment to speak up. "As expected. Sokar would not have had time to mobilize his entire fleet. We should hold this position for the time being, and keep out of the enemy's line of sight."

Shezmu nodded, and was about to speak when four new dots suddenly came into view, glimmering as they moved towards the surface of the moon.

"The Tel'tak appears to have launched escape pods." he mused, pinching the bridge of his nose in confusion. There was only one possible explanation, and Petekh took the words right out of his mouth.

"They do not belong to Sokar."

Someone was launching a rescue operation, and Shezmu wanted to know who. The only thing that would warrant surrendering oneself to the fires of Ne'tu was a significant connection to a prisoner, emotional or otherwise.

"Of course!" he exclaimed. "The Tok'ra have come to rescue their own."

It was ironic, he reflected, that he as a Goa'uld shared the same goal as the Tok'ra.

"I shall descend to Ne'tu as well." he stated, shocking his Chiefs, who began to voice their objections until he cut them off.

"You need not worry about my safety. I have already acquired sufficient protection, and will beam myself up with the rings should it become necessary."

A nifty little addition he had made to his Kara'kesh granted him the ability to return to his ship as long as he remained within range. It was also a function he chose to utilize as little as possible, since the rings left behind a great deal of collateral damage when used somewhere not intended by design. Using it on his way down would most likely ruin any attempt at stealth, and so Shezmu was forced to board a Glider.

Seshem began to follow him on his trek to the Glider bay, but this time he needed her to stay behind. Not because he doubted her ability, but for the simple reason that remaining undetected would be easier if not needing to keep track of another.

Before she managed to catch up, an input of will to his Kara'kesh called the transportation rings down around him, and he vanished in a flash of light. The last thing he heard was her angry yell and indignant stomping.

The five Ashrak awaited him when he materialized in the bay. All but one of them had already entered Death Gliders of their own, igniting the engines and settling into a low hover above the floor. The fifth assassin, the one ordered to shadow him, nodded in acknowledgement and motioned for Shezmu to move closer.

Once they were all seated, the handful of battleships took off, leaving through the hangar which had now opened to reveal the pitch-black void that was space, illuminated only by the light of distant stars.

The trip to Ne'tu was short, and only one other Glider followed him to the moon's surface, most likely piloted by the Ashrak ordered to deal with Apophis. It stood to reason that Sokar would have sent him here, and if not, he was probably dead.

The cockpit opened with a hiss of air, and Shezmu was immediately presented with almost suffocatingly hot and humid air. He leapt out of the Glider, stretching his limbs and feeling extremely glad that he wore light clothing.

Ne'tu was as awful seen from the surface as it was from orbit, perhaps even more so. The crackling of fire and lava could be heard constantly, along with rumbles of distant earthquakes. Both assassins that had accompanied him were already gone, hiding away in the plentiful shadows cast by the moon's tall mountains.

The escape pods used by the Tok'ra lay scattered around him, each in a small crater, making him pause in thought. If they had landed here, there must be some sort of structure nearby.

He wandered around randomly for a while, until spotting a trail of footprints leading off to a mountainside. Following them curiously, he eventually reached the entrance of a cave. Wails of anguish and despair reverberated in the gloomy cavern, and while unpleasant, it meant he was in the right place.

Shezmu carefully strode down a poorly lit tunnel, in the direction of the screams. The only source of light came from scarce embers, where rests of organic material had been set on fire by seeping lava. It was probably best not to dwell on just what that organic material might be.

Just as he wondered how deep the tunnel was, beginning to feel uncomfortable with the increasing heat, it branched out to reveal a large underground settlement.

'Settlement' being a complimentary term, considering it was more of a literal hellhole.

He arrived in time to see a group of people leered down upon by a grotesque man, who must have had one of his eyes brutally gouged out given the unnatural way the socket had mended.

"Take their weapons." the man commanded, voice giving him away as a Goa'uld. His sneer grew even more crooked, and a sting of hatred worked its way into his tone when he continued.

"Throw them in the pit." he spat, before turning around and returning from whence he came.

If that was not an ominous decree, Shezmu did not know what was. He watched discreetly as the group was led away to wherever this 'pit' was, and stalked them silently once the denizens and servants had left.

Unsurprisingly, it was situated even further down underground. He snuck quietly behind the lieutenants, amused at a man's ceaseless sarcastic comments about his surroundings. Curiously, he did not speak like a Tok'ra, and only the presence of a single symbiote could be felt from the group. There was a chance that these were actually the elusive humans, who had proven to be such a nuisance for the Goa'uld.

The deeper he walked, the worse the environment became. The air grew even hotter and more stale, elements of rotting flesh and dried blood producing a pungent odour. Hearing the footsteps subside, Shezmu stopped just around a corner, peeking over the stained walls of rock.

The assumed rescue team was, quite literally, thrown into a dark pit. A moment later, bars of metal slammed together, and he heard the sound of locks clicking into place. While assessing the advantages and disadvantages of busting them out, he suddenly found himself face to face with the two lieutenants.

"Who are you?! What are you doing here?" one of the men demanded, moving to grab him. Shezmu decided that absentmindedness was something he needed to work on, and was about to make his move when the men dropped like rag dolls, collapsing onto the ground in dead silence.

Blood spewed forth from their throats, cut deeply by a blade sharper than imaginable. They remained alive long enough to look up at him in shock, but unable to make a single sound due to their vocal chords being severed.

While watching the life gradually leave their eyes, he was reminded why Ashrak were feared by Jaffa and Goa'uld alike.

Approaching the pit slowly, he casually placed his hands behind his back and listened to the chattering from beneath.

"This doesn't look encouraging." a voice spoke out in a rather sardonic tone, and Shezmu decided to make himself known.

"Oh, I differ. You will find that my presence has turned many things in your favor."

Raising his left arm, he blasted the bars apart with his Kara'kesh, forming an opening.

"What the hell?" a short-haired man exclaimed as he jumped to his feet. "Who're you?"

"Quite possibly your savior, if you behave." he replied, and the man drew back slightly, likely not used to being scolded. He muttered something under his breath, which caused the blonde woman beside him to slap his arm and shush him into silence.

"Well, at least one of you has manners. Now, if you wish to escape I recommend that you stand close to me in a circle." Shezmu advised, entering the pit himself.

All of them looked at him like he was insane. "Why should we trust you just like that? And even if we did, there's someone here we're not leaving without." said the woman.

He was spared a lengthy discussion when his assassin appeared before him, landing in a kneeling position from where he had leapt. He spoke quietly, in barely more than a whisper.

"My Lord, all of our missions have been completed."

The god grinned. "Excellent."

He then looked back to the woman. "If you're referring to the Tok'ra Selmak, he is now in my custody."

The trio of humans goggled at him in shock, while the one with a symbiote within him stared at the Ashrak in poorly concealed fear.

"That's… That's an Ashrak." he said softly, placing reverent emphasis on the final word, causing the humans to begin questioning what was so special about that.

He began to grow impatient. "I am going to be blunt - in five seconds I am out of here. Come with me if you want to live."

Shezmu started a countdown for dramatic effect, and it seemed to work because as soon as he reached 'one', they all huddled around him and his still kneeling assassin. He raised his left hand into the air, willing the transportation rings to beam them away from the dreadful moon.

All matter bent to the power of the rings. Rock and soil was torn apart as they came crashing down around them, creating a path straight up to where his ship orbited, and he expelled a sigh of relief, pleased to be off Ne'tu despite the short visit.

Of the myriad things awaiting him once he returned, his angry First Prime was probably the worst. The restrained and screaming Apophis came at a close second, vicious threats spewing forth from his mouth and reverberating across the bridge.

The disgraced god fell silent upon his arrival, however, his furious expression giving way to fear and skin growing pale.

"You…" he whispered, and Shezmu shot him a look of pure displeasure, his eyes turning golden as he did so.

"I shall deal with you shortly." he snarled, clenching his teeth in anger.

The group of humans backed away from him warily, with a bespectacled man making an obvious observation.

"You're a Goa'uld."

Shezmu had no time to respond since Seshem marched right past them and lodged a fist deep in his stomach, before answering for him.

"Well of course he is, and a very mischievous one at that." she said, throwing him a vexed glare. "I still can't believe you just took off like that, my Lord, and for what, this ragtag bunch of humans?"

"And a Tok'ra." he added, straightening himself from the solid punch only to see her glare intensify.

"That doesn't help your case." she said, rosy lips tightening in a way that was as terrifying as it was adorable.

The chatty, short-haired human attempted to worm his way into the conversation. "Sorry to interrupt your... uh... reunion, but I have two questions. What's freaking Apophis doing here, and can we please get the hell out?"

Shezmu laughed, enjoying his candidness. "Did we not just get out of hell? And yes, you may leave. Soon - after you have introduced yourselves."

The group parted when he walked between them, taking a seat on his throne and motioning for them to sit by the round table.

"I couldn't help but notice you didn't reply to my first question." the man muttered, but sat down and went on to present himself as Jack O'Neill.

With two 'l's.

The other humans followed suit, with the Tok'ra finally introducing himself as Martouf.

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance. My name is Shezmu, and this is my First Prime, Seshem." he responded, motioning to the miffed woman who had not left his side. Fortunately his Chiefs had wondered off sometime during his excursion, which kept the multitude of names at a manageable level.

"Never heard of you." Jack stated blankly, but quieted when Daniel spoke up.

"I have. Ancient Egyptian texts describe him as the Lord of Blood, Devourer of the Gods and He Who Dismembers Bodies."

Jack looked at his friend and raised his eyebrows. "Lovely. Does he have any more nice titles?"

Without paying attention to the thinly veiled sarcasm, the archeologist seemed to contemplate something for a while, and eventually replied.

"One particular section in the temple of Dendera does speak of him as 'He Who Propitiates the Heart of Hathor with What She Likes', whatever that means."

Shezmu let out a roar of laughter, making them all jump in surprise. "Ra was not happy about that one, let me tell you!"

Sam was the first to realize the implications, and once she did her cheeks became tinged with red.

"Oh." she said, only to be collectively quoted by the others once they also made the connection.

"You're awfully nice for a Goa'uld." the blonde commented in a bid to change the subject, and he tilted his head at her remark.

"There is nothing to be gained from animosity. I wish the rest of my kind would come to understand that as well. Besides, you are my guests, and shall be treated accordingly."

The sudden noise of transportation rings activating had them all turning around. A pair of Ashrak materialized, one of them holding a small shadowy figure in his hands. They both approached the throne and knelt.

"My Lord, we present to you the corpse of Sokar." they chorused in a breathy tone. The one on the left raised his hands as though in offering.

The object he held was revealed to be a symbiote, its gleaming red eyes open in a blank, unseeing stare. Shezmu grasped hold of the snake-like creature, examining it in deathly silence for what seemed like an eternity.

"You have done well." he said eventually.

The Ashrak rose and nodded in deference at his words, beginning to walk away. They paused mid-step when he continued.

"Your deed this day will never be forgotten, and tales of your triumph shall grace the walls of Aaru forevermore."

The assassins remained still for a few seconds before briskly vacating the bridge. Apophis, who until now had remained silent, looked at him with eyes as wide as his guests'.

"You killed Sokar." he said, no longer bothering to struggle against the Jaffa tasked with subduing him.

Seshem smiled from where she stood. "Do you finally understand, Serpent Lord? The Lion Guard is taking control of Delmak as we speak, and its forces will serve a new god now." she stated, her voice containing a very smug quality.

All the while, a single thought occupied Shezmu's mind.

It was good to be back.