As I lay in bed, relaxing and considering the situation, I put my hands behind my head and focused on the ceiling of the room. . 'So lay it on me.' I directed towards Jarvis, 'Just where in the timeline am I? What's the political climate of the galaxy?'
According to the data available from the Goa'uld and the ship's computer, Ra found Tau'ri and the humans at least two thousand years ago. Since then, he's established his power base there, but has been spreading humanity across the galaxy to be used for slave labor and as hosts. Earth has already had most, if not all, of its Naquadah supply mined already. There may be some deposits left, but it is unlikely. For now, Earth is Ra's seat of power because it has been for the past 2,000 years and he has seen no need to change that.
Other Goa'uld come and go from Earth, but for the most part stick to their own territories, though some live on Earth as Ra does. The situation there is not unlike Bubastis, the home of the System Lord Bastet, which the computer, Bes, and the Primta had far more knowledge of seeing as Bastet is whom they were under and served. The only real difference is that Tau'ri is known for being where humans were discovered while Bubastis is not.
"Anything else I should know?" I asked.
For the most part, things would be as you expect. The Goa'uld are not known for change beyond petty border squabbles and the occasional power transfer. Some rise, some fall, but the overall state of the Goa'uld Empire has remained much the same for a while. The Asgard treaty of protected planets is in effect. Anubis is still around. Egeria is Ra's queen, and faithful to him from what is generally known of her. Even the neutral Hasara Space Station that serves as the meeting place of the High Council of System Lords is already around.
"So the only real difference I'm looking at here is an extreme lack of the elements that had risen up to stand up against the Goa'uld, basically?" I asked, troubled, "No Tollan, no Tok'ra, no Jaffa rebellion... just the Asgard?"
Essentially? Yes. You have arrived in this universe at the seeming height of the Goa'uld empire. I would presume that the technology would progress at least a little from now to the point of the show, but there is little difference, enough to be negligible. As for the Tollan, there is no mention of them, so whether or not they exist at this point in time is unknown. And any hint of the Aschen wouldn't be there as they remained undiscovered and isolated from the Goa'uld all the way to the end of the show.
"Yeah, the Aschen are gonna be a problem and a half." I muttered, grimacing, "Even with the tech of the Alterans and Asgard at their fingertips, the Aschen would still give them problems. After all, it was a virus that made the Alterans leave the system, and bio weaponized viruses are the Aschen's bread and butter."
It's a good thing then that the backbone of your technology is nanites that can directly counteract the viral agents.
"Possibly," I responded, nodding, "Still, I would expect that they would learn and counteract them given enough time. A weaponized virus like Blacklight would eat my nanites for breakfast. Thankfully, their one advantage is also potentially their one weakness. Time. The Aschen are so used to waiting out their enemies that I'm fairly certain a blitzkrieg against all their assets at once would completely overwhelm them. Which means they need to stay isolated for now until I can hit them with overwhelming force."
Then, of course, there's the problem of the races that live out of phase with reality.
"Yeah, that's gonna be another problem too. Those bugs that invaded Earth as a staging point to attack the Goa'uld will be a problem. Especially since I don't remember how they countered it at all. Some kind of weapon I think... given to them by the Tok'ra? I can't remember..."
All at once, the memory I was trying to recall opened in a window. It was fragmented, but it did have the information there. Some kind of beam weapon with the equivalent of a flashlight attachment that revealed the bugs.
"Well that's great." I groused, "If they got them from the Tok'ra, who knows where the Tok'ra got the weapons from. Can't exactly ask. Maybe if I'm lucky, I'll find the Tollan, since their big schtick was going out of phase with reality with their tech. Though if they're around, it's entirely possibly they haven't gotten to that point in their technology yet..." I finished with a sigh.
"And then there's Baal and the whole 'going back in time' thing." I added belatedly.
If your memory serves, Baal only got the idea from SG1 and merely created a device to predict solar flares so that he could properly time using the Stargates themselves to go back and forth in time.
"Oh yeah," I realized, "And with no SG1, and no plans on my part to ever mess with time, none of the Goa'uld should get the idea. Not even the Alterans knew about that little function I think, otherwise Janus probably wouldn't have felt the need to invent that time jumping ship of his. Although... there was that machine that got you caught in a timeloop that SG1 got stuck in for a while... Perhaps that was the prototype? So the Alterans had to have messed with time at least a little, even if they decided to abandon it. Even outlaw it, if the trouble Janus got into by creating it was anything to go by... So, as long as I get my hands on that shuttle, or at least take Atlantis, I shouldn't have to worry about the Goa'uld jumping in time. That just leaves the Replicators, Asurans, and the Ori."
It's entirely possible that the Replicators would pose no threat to you, sir. Seeing as they have a directionless hivemind based solely around creating more of themselves and a simple adaptation method for problem solving, if you were to hack the replicators, you could bring them under your control.
"Maybe. Even if that were possible though, the Asurans wouldn't be that easy. Hackable though they are, the lot of them are sapient for the most part. Hell, at this juncture I'm not so sure I'm all that different from the Asurans myself!"
I wouldn't say that sir. You started out as a biological entity. While your entire entity is now backed up by the Collective Network, and you have plans to become a virtual entity with multiple platforms, an infomorph that is, the Asurans are a collective with rudimentary consciousnesses constructed by the Altarans as a war machine against the Wraith. A poorly planned one at that. You have distinct advantages over them that they don't, and won't use, knowing their hatred for Alterans, the Wraith, and humans by extension. You, and by extension, us, are more creative, more flexible, and more adaptable. And by the time we come across the Asurans and their single planet covered in cities of nanites, we would be a collective consisting of entire planets worth of nanites and technology beyond theirs.
"Fair enough," I conceded, "So we're adding the Asurans to the list of 'don't bother until we have overwhelming force'. The last potential enemy I can think of at this point off the top of my head is the Ori. No, scratch that, there's one more. Depending on whoever, or whatever, the heck brought me here is, they might prove to be an enemy too."
I should hope the latter isn't the case, seeing as the note you read alluded to you being watched. Anything you might plan to take them down might be easily counterable.
I sighed, "Plan for the worst, hope for the best. Let's just concentrate on the enemies I know of for now."
Your memories on how the Ori were defeated are, unfortunately, about as fragmented as the knowledge of the weapons used to defeat the bugs out of phase with this reality.
"Yeah. The biggest things I remember is the whole mess was tied into arthurian legend. Something about Merlin creating something to defeat the Ori somehow. The Holy Grail I think?" I muttered, trying to remember.
Yes. I find reference to a term in your memory referencing the Sangraal. No memory on what it does, only that it's supposed to defeat the Ori, and to get it, one must go through a series of tests crafted by Merlin and Morgana Le Fay.
"Yeah, I seriously doubt those are their real names."
Most likely, no. I find reference to a Myyrdin, Moros, and Ganos, though aside from the first, the last two have no direct link. Seeing as Myyrdin is clearly connected to Merlin's original name, I would postulate that Moros is another name for Merlin, as is possibly Ganos.
"Maybe. Either that or Moros and Ganos are other names for Morgana. I think a little research is necessary to clear that one up." I countered, thinking, before adding, "I have no interest in ascension, especially if they're so easily defeated by one little doohicky, deus ex machina or not, but Oma Desala could possibly act as a source of information. So I suppose a visit to Kheb should be in the works at some point. If nothing else, Ra or Egeria should know where it is. Hopefully."
Indeed sir. So what should be our first move?
I spent the next hour or so discussing plans, both immediate and long term, with Jarvis. Eventually it felt like there was nothing more to really discuss for the moment, and there was nothing truly to do until the ship arrived at its destination, so I settled down for a nap.
Several hours passed before that nap was interrupted.
Sir, I have information for you.
I blinked awake from my light doze and checked the time. Noting only a few hours have passed, I blinked up towards the ceiling. "What is it?" I asked, punctuated by a yawn.
The Jaffa are getting restless. A majority have settled into Kel'no'reem, but some of the ones who've decided to follow you have taken to leaving their rooms. The biggest concern for most of them is sustenance.
"There's no food?" I said, blinking in surprise.
Or water. The rooms for the Jaffa are fashioned much like yours. While they are satisfied with this spartan arrangement for now, they do have needs.
I frowned as I thought on the issue. The first solution that came to me was to simply use the same method I did, but I didn't want to give them easy control of nanites until they'd reached a certain stage. I would need to plan that out a bit more first and I wanted to first acclimate them to the presence of nanites before offering the option of changing their forms fundamentally. While they each had nanites in them already, all they were doing was monitoring them and preventing the larvae from influencing their minds. I wouldn't give them more without more information to offer them the choice. Which means I'd need a Jaffa or two to agree to allowing me to alter them, and I don't plan on doing that until they've learned enough to make an informed decision.
Which means I have to improvise.
"Jarvis, give them toilets, sinks, and showers. Use one of the rooms for it. Just recycle the water and excrement. As for food, you're going to play the part of the computer from Star Trek and form what they want with an alternate version of the Replicator. We have plenty of mass for that, and I'm sure you can put up a simple touch screen that'll allow them to swipe through what offerings are available so they can make selections. We do have examples of their food, right?"
Yes, there was a store of food available in the form of rations for the Jaffa, and various... 'delicacies' from around the galaxy for the Goa'uld.
"Good," I said, relieved, "Then do it. And monitor their responses. Let's see what their reactions are to their first major example of what nanites can do."
Yes sir.
R'san was having an off day. It had all started when word came through the rumor mill that a prisoner had been picked up from the desolate third world from this system's star. Everyone who was anyone knew no one could possibly be alive, and seeing as he happened to be Lord Bes'... former Lord Bes' First Prime, he should know.
R'san had gotten a bad feeling upon seeing the strange white substance creeping over much of the planet from orbit. Then that odd house surrounded by false trees and an honest to god's lake had been detected. Of course Lord Bes had ordered two Jaffa to take a Tel'tak down to investigate. Then not long after they reported back that they were transporting back a prisoner, one that hadn't even shown up on the scans.
Then Lord Bes had ordered him to meet with the prisoner and escort them to him, which was the only reason why he survived what happened next. The first sign that something was wrong was when all the doors and bulkheads had slammed closed. Then the very air in the room had started getting sucked out through the vents.
It was only through controlling his breathing and practicing kel'no'reem that he even survived. Even then, he knew he would likely die.
But then the air had come back, and he took a deep breath of fresh air, taking advantage of the reprieve, for he knew not it would happen again.
Then the announcement had come over the entire ship. Someone had taken it over and vented their atmosphere like it was nothing, opening all the outer doors and removing the god's magic shields preventing them from being swallowed by the void of space. The announcement that Lord Bes had been easily defeated this way came as no surprise then, and R'san could only wonder at the sheer brutality of it.
And yet... this new being, this Lord Matthew, was not without mercy either. R'san saw the return of their atmosphere for what it was. The new Goa'uld could have killed them all, and while it would have been easy, it would also have been dishonorable and R'san had a feeling this Goa'uld knew it.
Then the ship had landed, and they'd been called out to the surface of the barren planet, and things began to get strange. For one, the white substance covering the planet was simply gone, upon exiting the ship it was like it was no longer even there, and in front of them was this Lord Matthew, who admitted up front that he was not a Goa'uld.
Thus followed was an impassioned speech revealing much about the nature of their God's, and R'san was no fool. He had noticed easily that the more devout and zealous of the Jaffa were nowhere in this gathering. These were the Jaffa most likely to accept what this strange alien being was saying.
R'san couldn't help but wonder what that said about him seeing as he was part of this crowd.
He'd seen that others had noticed the lack of those most zealous to the Goa'uld and what it must mean. That among those Jaffa in the crowd were generally the most keen and intelligent as well spoke volumes.
But he doubted any of them took that to the logical conclusion. If this being, Lord Matthew, Goa'uld or no, was able to gather a group like this, with the disposition that they might actually listen to him? That spoke of either a mind far more frightening in power than the Goa'uld, or an omniscience that the disputed Gods themselves lacked. And if this being had power beyond even the gods? That leant more weight than this being's words alone.
Then came the challenge from Genra, and what R'san had already realized quickly became apparent to the rest of his brothers in arms. One punch. That was all it took for this being to drop Genra, and he didn't even dodge Genra's hit either. And the hit didn't look like it even phased him. No one had even heard of a Goa'uld being able to do such a thing. They were never without their powers and tools that they wielded with great effect, but to go toe to toe with their own warriors, fighting them on their own level? Never. No Goa'uld would do such a thing, and most suspected that any Goa'uld who tried would never outclass one of their warriors in martial prowess.
The former First Prime of Lord Bes could see in that moment that the rest of his brethren now saw. And then the being took it a step further and displayed a level of honor that outstripped the Goa'uld as well. The fact that he'd then gone on to reveal the massive ship that dwarfed the old Hatak by a large margin, revealing yet more powers the Goa'uld couldn't hope to possess, and outlined their ability to choose, the freedom to choose whatever they wanted to do with their lives just cemented the beginnings of a loyalty unseen except maybe by those in the service of Lord Yu.
Upon boarding the new ship, yet even more changes were revealed, the likes of which R'san would have never dreamed of let alone expected to see. The personal strips of light leading each Jaffa to their own rooms, the well lit white and blue corridors that seemed to shift color depending on where you wished to go, the overall look and feel... It was all so utterly strange and alien to what they were used to, just like their new Lord, and yet... R'san felt as though he could get used to this new aesthetic.
The new rooms, individual rooms for each Jaffa even, were sparse, but most were used to less. The lack of a place to get food or relieve themselves was unfortunate, but R'san assured them that their new lord would most likely see to their accommodations soon and recommended kel'no'reem to pass the time or reading from the material left available to each Jaffa in their rooms. R'san had read through the gist of it quickly, noting even further the changes being made to his and his fellow Jaffa's lives.
Lord Matthew had seen fit to provide them with an education. There were simple basic primers on how to read even better than some of them could already, including basic knowledge on maths and sciences, things that the Goa'uld had expressly forbid. Unsurprisingly, quite a few were hesitant to read and learn further, since there was no going back after that point. Any Goa'uld upon realizing they were educated in such a manner would declare them shol'va, traitors, and have them executed for partaking in such forbidden knowledge.
And yet their Lord had seen to this too, for the very first page of information was a very basic outline of what was expected of them, along with a treatise on the Goa'uld themselves, providing information on what they were and examples of how they were not, in fact, divine in any manner, all of it coached in a way so that each Jaffa would understand in the simplest terms, and this knowledge too, would probably see them killed. No, the instant they'd picked up that prisoner, the strange being who forwent clothing and had skin so impossibly white, with their life blood so black as to stand out from their skin, there was no going back.
"Greetings, R'san." a voice spoke from everywhere, prompting R'san to look up from his contemplations. Who was this then?
"I am Jarvis, Lord Matthew's... First Prime, for lack of a better term you would understand at this juncture, though it would not be wrong to refer to me as the ship's computer either. I have informed Matthew of a certain lack of amenities that you require, and he has seen fit to provide. Observe."
R'san could do nothing but that, his eyes widening slightly as the room around him changed slightly. Through his still open door, left that way so as to provide access to any Jaffa who might seek him out, he heard some of the other Jaffa reacting as well. In front of him, a counter appeared from the floor, and a recess appeared in the top. The end result of which was strange, but could still easily be identified as a spiggot for water, along with several other strange items, including some sort of box.
"You will find in the room to your left accommodations to allow for bathing, a toilet, which is like an advanced chamber pot that empties itself, and a sectioned off stall with a spiggot called a shower for cleaning oneself. The spiggot and basin in your kitchenette is known as a sink and serves much the same as the one in the bathroom does, and the device you've noticed is called a replicator. All you have to do is speak and think of the food or drink item you want, and if it is available, it will be provided. Please note if the food item you desire is unavailable at the moment, there may be opportunity to bring an example of such aboard later and loading it into the ship's computer, thus making it available from then on."
"You can do this?" R'san asked, in awe as he tried to wrap his head around such magic.
"Indeed I can, though be aware that it is not magic. There is a saying from my Lord Matthew's home planet. Any significantly advanced science is often mistaken for magic. The easiest example of this, for instance, would be the discovery of fire. Any being that first discovers it might mistake it for something mysterious and magical, but upon understanding, it becomes obvious that it is not magic so much as it is an expression of science, which is the study of understanding the universe around us. You may not understand how this ship works and all the things in it, yet, but the more you learn, the more you will understand."
R'san nodded. "Very well. I will accept this for now."
The majority of the Jaffa appear to be taking it well. Some are congregating around the First Prime and taking cues from him for how to react, and thankfully he is taking his new circumstances with a surprising amount of acceptance.
"That's good to hear," I responded. "You say that the former First Prime of Lord Bes is there?"
Yes sir. He is surprisingly adept and intelligent among the Jaffa, understandable as he would have to be to survive long as a First Prime when the Goa'uld often tend to take the Darth Vader approach to their underlings. He was among the first to realize the greater implications of what your state of being means regarding the Goa'uld.
"He doesn't think I'm a god, does he?" I asked, worried.
He is currently uncertain as to what manner of being you are, sir. He has not ruled out the possibility of you being divine and has decided on a 'wait and see' approach.
"Great..." I deadpanned, "Well hopefully I can convince him that I'm no God. Worship is the last thing I want. Respect? Certainly. Worship? No way."
You will most likely not need to worry about that, sir. I predict that your plan for those who follow you will preclude them ascribing divinity as an explanation for your abilities in their ignorance.
"I would hope so," I said sighing. "Anything else in particular that needs to be taken care of?"
Not at the moment, sir. I will inform you if anything comes up.
"Thank you Jarvis." I told the interface, before settling in to go over what I would need to do upon arriving at our destination and making notes on future goals.