A crowd of over 2000 Jaffa had gathered on Dakara, drawn from worlds across the galaxy at Bra'tac's invitation. He had not told them the reason for the summons, only that it would have ramifications on their future. Many of his longtime friends and respected adversaries had come, but most notable Jaffa had not, busy elsewhere or not deeming his word of significant value to merit their time. There were also many higher ranking Jaffa that resented his influence, and deliberately snubbed his invite.
Bra'tac, however, was nowhere to be seen. A great flat space had been excavated in front of the gate, and the crowd stood on the sands of Dakara around a large monument, some type of spire, at the center of the rough circle. At the appointed time a hazy white beam flashed down from the sky, lasting no more than a second, and a hidden ring platform at the base of the monument activated.
When the rings resettled into their hidden niche they revealed Stevenson, dressed in his usual Ancient garb. His arrival had quickly drawn the crowd's attention, which he drew on immediately by raising a hand in the air and activating the monument…which burned with a white fire high into the sky, twice the monument's height.
"Millions of years ago," he began, speaking loudly as his image grew in size. By the end of his first sentence he 'stood' 15 meters tall with a booming voice to match. "There was a race of beings that inhabited this galaxy and many others. You know them as the Ancients…their true name was the Alterra. They watched over and protected this galaxy, along with 21 others until a time came when they were ravaged by a plague that they could not cure."
"The sickness did not kill them quickly, and they had years in which to fight against their inevitable doom…yet it proved futile. The disease could not be countered. The only way to beat it was to escape it."
"A few of the Alterra learned how to ascend, and upon the death of their body they transformed into energy-based lifeforms. Many of them probably still exist to this day, but for reasons unknown to us, they spurn the material world and will not interfere in our lives…not even to save us, nor their own brothers and sisters who were dying of the plague. The rest of the Alterra who could not ascend died out…and their civilization was thought dead. That, however, was not the case."
"The Alterra were both powerful and wise. They devised an ingenious plan to rebuild their civilization after the plague. Knowing that they would soon be dead, they engineered a lesser race from their own biology, one so inferior that the plague could not take hold of them. This race was seeded throughout this galaxy in the hopes that one day, millions of years later, the seed species would advance to the point where the Alterrans' plan could be put into effect."
"In addition to this seed species, the Alterra created several devices that they placed throughout the galaxy. These devices were meant to store the collective knowledge of the Alterra in order that one day it could be used to rebuild their civilization. It was the Alterra's intention that once the seed species grew advanced enough, one of them would encounter the Repository of Knowledge, whereupon that individual would be transformed from the seed species into an Alterra, with all their knowledge and power."
"This individual would then be tasked with rebuilding the Alterran race and their civilization…culminating in their final victory over the plague and a return to stewardship over this galaxy and the others that made up their territory."
"It was a risky plan, but the Alterra had no other choice, lest their race be completely destroyed. The seed species I spoke of is your ancestors…Humans. You are the seed species, and the Alterrans' master plan has finally come to fruition."
Up until now the crowd had been silent, but with that last revelation they began to murmur amongst themselves. Stevenson held their complete attention. The Jaffa had always revered the Ancients, and were curious to know anything about them, but the news that the Alterrans' plan was currently active was a shock to them all.
"I am the one of which I speak," Stevenson said after giving them a moment to think through what he had just revealed. "I am the first Alterra in this galaxy in over a million years…and I am free of the plague, my brothers' plan has succeeded. It is now upon me to rebuild our civilization and regain control over our former territory…which is why I have come to Dakara and summoned the Jaffa here."
"A year ago I was but one Alterra…now there are three. Soon there will be more, but not enough to maintain stewardship over our former territory, at least not soon enough. For that reason, along with an admiration of the warriors of the Jaffa and an understanding of the hardships you have suffered under the oppression of the Goa'uld…I am offering the Jaffa, and only the Jaffa, a place in the new order that has already begun."
"What I offer is this…serve the Alterra as you once served the Goa'uld, only this time it will be by your free choice, and the free choice of every generation yet to come. Your service will not be that of a slave, but of an ally acting as protector and peacekeeper of this galaxy. The Jaffa have always been warriors, and I would have you continue as such, only with a new purpose…a mandate to guard the Alterra's home galaxy against any and all threats, whether they be from within or another invasion from forces originating beyond Avalona."
"When the Goa'uld held you in bondage, they made sure to keep any knowledge of their technology from you. Because of this there are no Jaffa scientists. No Jaffa engineers. No Jaffa doctors. Your current infrastructure is only the leftover remains of the Goa'uld civilization. You cannot build new ships. You cannot build new weapons. You cannot colonize more worlds, at least not with the technology you currently possess, for the simply reason that you cannot replicate that technology."
"In order to survive the Jaffa must make alliances with others. Indeed, even now you must barter for the very drug that sustains you. Without it you will die, as surely as you would have died if the Goa'uld denied you a symbiot. Your freedom is tenuous. Sooner or later you must submit to another power or face extinction."
"I offer you an alternative. In exchange for serving the Alterra, we will provide you with the infrastructure you lack. We will supply to you everything that the Goa'uld did, only we will not ban knowledge of such things from you. We will teach you to build new ships, new weapons, new colonies. We will give you the capability to become self-sufficient…something the Goa'uld strictly forbid. The Jaffa will no longer have to live in tent cities, scrounging for basic needs as the Goa'uld meant for you to be. You will be treated as warriors should…with dignity, respect, and deference."
"Above all else, the Alterra offer you something you have not yet experienced. True freedom. While servants of the Goa'uld you relied on a symbiot to sustain you, and that symbiot would have to be replaced every few years as it matured, keeping you in their constant service merely to survive. Now, you rely on a drug called Tretonin, which you must take on a regular basis, or you will die just the same."
Stevenson pulled out the white worm that was his technological creation and held it up for all to see, nearly as long as a staff weapon, given the size enhancement of the holographic technology.
"The Alterra offer the Jaffa a new symbiot as a symbol of the new covenant between us. This symbiot will never need replacing. When it matures, it can be split into two new symbiots, which will then also grow to maturity, but upon maturity they do not have to split, nor do they have to be replaced. You may carry a mature symbiot as long as you wish, for it is technology, not a lifeform, and it will not expire."
"I offer the Jaffa this one symbiot…and this one alone. A new covenant can be declared in a single day, but it takes time for the bonds of friendship to truly develop. I entrust this symbiot to the first of the new System Lords."
As soon as he spoke the words the rings activated again and Bra'tac appeared. He was clothed in silver armor, unlike Jaffa standard, and he shone in the sunlight like a beacon. His forehead was smooth…the golden symbol gone. Once the rings settled, he walked out amongst the Jaffa, but did not speak.
"In addition to becoming an Alterra," Stevenson continued, "I have been given a special ability that even my brothers and sisters did not possess. I have the ability to transform others of the seed species into Alterra. I have done this twice, and will do so again when I find an individual worthy to become Alterra."
"Bra'tac was the first to be found worthy. He is now fully Alterra…but in his heart he is still Jaffa. I am proclaiming him the first of the new System Lords, all of whom will be Alterra, not Goa'uld. To him I entrust this new symbiot. Those of you choosing to serve the Alterra will do so by serving Bra'tac. Those of you choosing not to serve the Alterra…go in peace and friendship. Dakara will remain open to all Jaffa, should you choose to one day enter into the new covenant and serve the Alterra."
"As for the newly created Jaffa Nation…the Alterra are not your enemy…unless you make yourselves as such. We may offer you limited trade in order that you may retain your independence and not have to submit to another power merely to survive…but know this, the new symbiot is reserved for only those who serve the Alterra. Should any other Jaffa be found to possess one…it will be reclaimed through whatever means necessary."
"This monument will serve as a reminder of the new covenant, may it never be broken. None of you should enter into it lightly…and I trust the wisdom of Bra'tac to know who is genuine and who merely seeks material gain."
"Now I must take my leave of you, for I have business in another galaxy, rebuilding the Alterran civilization. I leave you in Bra'tac's capable hands."
Stevenson's hologram shrank back to his normal size, and he handed Bra'tac the new symbiot. He walked back over to the rings without another word, yet before he activated them he raised his hands into the air above him.
With a wave of distortion a huge Ancient warship decloaked directly above them. As Bra'tac had guessed, its size and close proximity had a significant effect on the Jaffa assembled. Stevenson activated the rings and went back aboard the Tria. It hung above the flaming monument for a few moments, then slowly pulled up into the clouds and disappeared as it headed for space.