Chapter 15 the Siege part III
"…transmit via Home One a pre-recorded statement that Ackbar and I have made, announcing a ceasefire. You could then forward your broadcast to our ship to be relayed immediately. All of our holo channels are standing by." Stated Mothma, "In return we ask that order the ceasefire at once, we in turn will pull our assets back into our space."
"I suspect you already are aware of much of our preparations." Ackbar stated suddenly.
"I have confirmed it through my own sources." Thrawn said, "Yet for all your efforts I still doubt your sincerity Madame president, Admiral Sir."
Mothma glanced irritably at Ackbar for his outburst, "I understand our past hostilities may have cast a pall…"
"Enough." Thrawn said standing and stretching wearily, "This farce has gone on long enough, the Ori are nearly here and I must prepare for them. I'm aware of your plans, I am aware of the existence of your ancient city of Atlantis and its current activities in battle with my own. The moment it exited hyperspace I had two spies on board, one of whom was very very loyal to me." His eyes flashed. Dangerously, "he was treated quite poorly there, his head addled with nonsensical Jedi philosophy and ancient dogma. This ends now." He waved his hand dismissively.
Ackbar reached for his side arm with an aquatic growl but suddenly froze. Mothma did as well.
"Yes, I can control you both." Thrawn drawled from his place at the window, "In fact, I even control your crew. Even now they are providing the access codes to your holonet, and I will begin my address. Unfortunately things will not go as you plan. Your forces will pull back from their defensive positions as expected, but when they regroup and begin their assault on strategic Imperial targets, they will be met with overwhelming and deadly force. Your people will watch you betray the Empire and your government will lose all credibility."
Thrawn strode over to his chair and tapped a button. Imperial guards came in. "Detain them," he ordered, then paused, "On second thought, hold them here a moment.
"I am having your people bring your ship around for a better view." Thrawn explained conspiratorially to Ackbar and Mothma, still frozen in place. The ship obligingly moved into view of the vast window. "Now this is the death star, I could have your ship vaporized in an instant, a display of the power of my army, but instead…" he stretched out an arm, and clenched his fist together. Before them the massive battleship crumpled, deforming visibly, and then exploded. Thrawn turned to the shocked, and growing rapidly more and more terrified Mothma, "You see Mothma, no diplomatic bargaining can persuade an enemy who is all powerful, now half truths and lies can persuade one who can read your mind like a book, who can see to the truth of things in an instant." He stepped over to Ackbar, "And you… I hope this confirms what you've always known. Deep in the pit of your heart Ackbar, you've always suspected. I cannot be beaten. Not by you, not by anyone. You cannot out think me, cannot outfox me. this isn't about ships and navies anymore, I have become that powerful. I will leave you to ponder in despair, just what an enemy you face in me."
The guards half escorted half carried their prisoners out and Thrawn smiled to himself. "Because after all fear is nearly as powerful as devotion."
"You could not resist another pair of morsels could you." Commented a gravelly voice. Baltar appeared from the shadows, still holding his glimmering trophy.
"Ackbar annoyed me." Thrawn admitted, "And Mothma, disgusts me with her prattling. It felt good to give them a little shake."
"You wasted an entire battleship." Baltar observed.
"That creature Adama took my best commander." Thrawn hissed, in a rare display of emotion. He calmed himself. "But no matter, I have what I needed. My forces are already moving to demolish Atlantis so that it can be "Discovered" who is operating it and those mysterious ships. Coupled with the sudden strike by rebel forces after announcing a ceasefire their government, their people will be crushed."
"A brilliant plan, Emperor, except for one single problem." Baltar observed, pointing to the viewport. In the distance the glimmering supergate belched forth a twisting serpent of fire. Though there was no air in space, tongues of flame liked out from the great serpent and Thrawn could see it composed of many writhing shapes. "It seems the Ori have chosen not to wait for you to come to them.
"Chewie set the charges." Han ordered.
"What if your explosives are found?" Athena asked
Crix was going to hold this position while we went to go rescue our friend through the gate." Han replied, "Now there doesn't seem a point so we'll set 'em to go off if they're tampered with."
"I can program the Zero point module to gradually build up an entropic cascade to coincide with your timing." Athena suggested, "it is not reversible."
Han glanced at Lando and Sheppard, "Why are you helping us?"
"Because you freed me." Athena answered simply, "And because I sense the importance of what you are doing, and because… you remind me a little off someone I once knew." Her face became wistful.
"Alright can we hurry this up?" Sheppard demanded, "We have no idea whats happening to Starbuck, no plan for getting off the Death Star before this city goes up-"
"Starbuck?" Athena demanded, "You're rescuing Starbuck?"
"You know him?" Sheppard asked taken aback then understanding dawned, "You're her! You're the one he's been looking for!"
"He's looking for me?" Athena asked suddenly excited, "After all this time he never gave up!"
"Yeah yeah, epic love story…" Han interrupted standing in the door way, "Lets talk about it when we're not.." an froze, whirled and drawing his blaster faster than anyone had ever seen fired three shots, dropping three storm troopers taking up positions in the hall.
But there was a fourth. The shot burned through Han's Abdomen. Grunting he stayed on his feet and tried to line up a shot on his attacker. The trooper fired again hitting Han in the shoulder, spinning him around. He fell to the floor, blaster still in hand, arm spasming trying to bring it up once more.
"No!" Roared Sheppard, echoed by Chewie's howl of rage, thrusting out a hand fingers splayed, he shoved with the force, sending the trooper hurtling back down the hall to land with a bone cracking thud several dozen meters away. One of Madine's men rushed to cover the entrance. Athena and Sheppard rushed to han but Chewie obstructed them.
"Chewie let her through!" Sheppard struggled with the massive paw restraining him, "Chewie-" A vice like furry paw closed over his throat.
"Han!" he choked, "There's still a chance to save HAN!" Chewie relented shaking his head in anguish and setting Sheppard down none to gently.
"She's an ancient." He explained to the Wookiee trying to sooth him, "Sometimes they have healing powers."
"He's too far gone." Athena said stooping beside Han, his eyes were already closed, "I can only prolong his suffering." She sat back disconsolate.
Sheppard felt a tingling, a presence in the force, than another. "Wait" he said. "Athena, can Han be… ascended?"
"I don't think I could manage it John." She said despairingly, her eyes ebgan to fill with tears, "I'm just not strong enough yet."
"But.. can you point the way?" Sheppard asked urgently, "Can you feel the force around us Athena? Its calling for him, its humming!"
Athena looked at him for a moment, and impulsively Sheppard took her hand, "When Starbuck touched Yoda…" it was like lightening through his veins, and he stiffened. Nowhere near as adept or powerful as Yoda, Sheppard was overcome by the raw interaction of Athena's power and the Force, and for a moment he lost himself. He dimly heard shouting and more blasterfire, He struggled with the sensations overcoming him and when he regained himself at last, he found two luminescent figures standing beside himself, Athena and Chewbacca. Chewbacca gave a joyful bark and whuffled a greeting.
"You're Luke!" Sheppard realized, the figure bore a striking resemblance to the movies, "And you're Leia!" he exclaimed. They nodded. Athena's hand continued to tingle in his. "Can you help Han? Sheppard asked, "I don't know if I can keep this up for long."
Luke and Leia took places on either side of Han and seemed to be speaking to him, though Sheppard could hear nothing. Sensing his confusion Athena squeezed his hand reassuringly Like this he heard her voice echo in his mind, Listen…
Sheppard listened, and he heard. He heard them call to Han, encourage him. After a long moment Han gave a final exhalation and slumped. Chewie gave a mournful cry but the phantom Luke put a hand upon his shoulder.
"He's with them now Chewie, he's one with the force." Sheppard assured him. "We can't do anything more for him."
"Sheppard! Athena!" Lando shouted, bringing them back to the present, "Chewie! We need you!"
Sheppard cast about. All four entrances to the power core were taking fire.
"Athena!" he shouted above the rising din, "Can we make a way out?" he thumbed his lightsaber. Athena pointed to a portion of the wall.
"Through there is a transport tube." She said "our best chance.." Sheppard set to work plunging the lightsaber into the wall.
Backed by the three ancient warships, Atlantis pummeled the outer portions of Imperial city as the shield retracted. The battered hulk of the Star destroyer burned in space, fighters dueled between both cities. The city ahd launched considerably more fighters than had been anticipated and they continued to intercept drones and harass the ancient vessels alike.
"This is overkill." Wedge muttered, "Send to Atlantis."
A moment later a holo of Yoda appeared obligingly.
"General we should just take the city." Wedge asserted, "We have enough commandos on Atlantis… their turbo laser batteries have been annihilated, and their shields are failing. I don't see why we're holding back"
"A disturbance I feel in the force." Yoda replied, "A trap this most certainly is, General Antilles."
"If this is a trap, its baited pretty well." Wedge replied, "We could have destroyed the city twice by now."
"Perhaps, not for us, the trap was set." Yoda replied, "Dangerous it was to send Mothma and Ackbar. Fear for them I do, and more information received have we." A second figure took his place beside Yoda. Wedge raised his eyebrows as he recognized the imperial uniform, and the captains insignia.
"I am Kyle Katarn, former Captain in the imperial navy, and Jedi Knight." He said. "The strike team is walking into a trap. The gate room on the city is lightly guarded, but the one on the Death Star is heavily fortified."
"Our intelligence said the opposite." Wedge protested, "Many Bothans died to bring us that information."
"That is unfortunate. The gate has been moved to a shuttle bay." Katarn replied shaking his head, "When Grand Admiral Pellaeon and is stepped through the gate, we saw two scout walkers and an entire Legion of storm troopers as well. if Thrawn orders it, the bay can be decompressed and the Stargate ejected."
"it will still take out a good portion of the Death Star if its in proximity." Wedge replied, "The gate would detonate."
"Thrawn has likely planned for that." Katarn said impatiently, "he could have it tied to a shuttle by now for all I know, what I DO know, is the strike team sent in to get Starbuck is walking right into a trap, and there's no way to warn them."
"All the more reason to board the city!" Wedge implored, "Master yoda, I could land the Tria…"
"Multiple contacts coming out hyperspace!" Warned his sensor officer.
In space around the three ancient warships and the two dueling cities it had suddenly gotten very crowded. One executor class super star destroyer and twelve imperial II star destroyers erupted into space beside a smaller assortment of corvettes and frigates. The larger ships immediately began pummeling the city.
"Aid them we will." Yoda replied, "Take command you must, Captain Antilles." Withdraw the city will, escorted by your fleet. Travel to the city Adama can, and warn our friends. A distraction will I create with captain Katarn before we go."
"Master Yoda, wait." Katarn protested shouting to be heard over the damage reports and alarms that had suddenly erupted across his bridge. The Tria shook violently., "If Admiral Ackbar and Mon Mothma are in trouble, you're our highest remaining military officer."
"Called by the force I am, elsewhere, my responsibilities lie." Yoda replied, "Learned much have you Jedi Antilles, in good hands are my acolytes."
"Sir shields are taking heavy damage." Wedge's ops officer interrupted, "We are down to thirty percent."
"The Orion is reporting immanent failure, the Aurora is using Atlantis as cover but also reports heavy damage."
"order all fighters to make for the nearest landing bay, we'll sort them out later." Wedge ordered, "All ships fall back, get us out of range of imperial city and prepare for hyper space jump." He turned back to Yoda, "Take care of yourself Master Jedi, your work with us is not yet done."
Yoda nodded and cut the transmission.
"Coordinate our fire with the Orion, have the Aurora provide air support for Atlantis," Wedge replied, "I suspect they're about to lose their gunner."
He looked at the city bathed in fire beside his ship.
"Good luck Yoda, and may the force be with you."
Chapter 16
Han surveyed the dingy cantina.
"Kid what are we doing here?" he asked, Luke shrugged,
"This is how you choose to understand the Force Han, You called us all here."
"Well something's gotta be done." Han answered grumpily, "how come Chewie isn't here?"
"Chewie didn't get himself killed flyboy." Answered Leia fondly ruffling his hair.
"One little mistake…" Han muttered as a familiar figure came over.
"I see we've picked up another pathetic life form." He greeted jovially.
"Do I know you pal?" Han replied reaching for the blaster that wasn't there.
"Ah forgive me." Replied the man, and for a moment he took on the semblance of an old man, "You knew me much later in life than I prefer to appear.
"Kenobi." Han replied, "What do you want?"
"Only to help." Kenobi assured, "The Force is evolving my friend. In the past only the strongest, the purest of heart could pass over into the force."
"Now it seems everybody can do it." Observed the dark man at his side wryly.
"Yeah I had a little help. " han admitted sheepishly, "What of it?"
"Nothing." Kenobi assured him, "But since the cataclysm many crossed over who are untrained, un disciplined. The Force is much more chaotic, than it ahs ever been."
"More organic." Replied a third man striding over, "More vibrant, diverse. Ever changing."
"This is Qui Gon." Kenobi introduced, "This is Windu. I have brought them to you han because of what you seek. We all represent different aspects of the force, we speak better to different desires among those who are here."
"Run that by me again." Han demanded with a confused glance at Luke and leia.
"I represent order, loyalty, responsibility." Kenobi replied, "I can rally the force around me for we have an obligation to those we left behind. You are my foil, the rogue, the maverick. Qui Gon represents compassion, and diversity. Luke here is youth, and optimism, he is our new hope, Leia represents cooperation and unity."
"What about him?" Han jabbed a finger at Windu, "What's he represent?"
"Vengeance." Replied Windu wolfishly.
"Justice" corrected Qui Gon. "he's still working on that."
Han grinned at Windu, "You didn't go quietly did you." He observed. Windu gave a predator's smile and shook his head.
"here we will wait, until called for." Kenobi explained, "For one more element must come into play, to be wielded by the last and greatest Master of the Jedi."
"Yeah, whats that." Han asked uneasily.
"Selfless sacrifice." Kenobi said sadly.
"This is it! The gate room is just down that hall!" Sheppard whispered. A dozen storm troopers stood ready at an intersection, one manning an E-ll on a tripod.
"We can't slog through that, and we used our last grenades when we evaced the power core." Madine objected. He was down to only two of his six man team.
"And whose idea WAS that anyway, tossing thermal detonators around the power core we rigged to explode?" Sheppard demanded testily.
"What you were going to cover our retreat with your light saber?" Madine sniffed.
"I've been practicing." Sheppard said defensively, but you know what fine, mock the Jedi whose about to save your bacon. Everyone ready?"
"For what?" asked Lando warily hefting his blaster.
"This." Said Sheppard smugly. He flung out a hand. One of the storm troopers flinched and turned to his cohort, "Hey watch it." He shoved the second trooper.
"You watch it!" retorted the second.
"Stow it both of you." Hissed the leader, "Stay alert for intruders, I ehar they have a Jedi with them."
Madine raised his eyebrows at Sheppard.
"That wasn't what I meant to do." Sheppard grumbled, "I was aiming for the E-web."
"Like this." Athena said furrowing her brow. The E-web sprang to life, and swiveled opening fire on its crew. Amid the panicked shouts and diving soldiers, Madine's team made their move advancing.
"Looks like her powers are returning." Lando observed.
"Show off." Sheppard grumbled
They encountered little resistance as they moved through the hall,. Sheppard shouted a warning a split second too late as the force screamed to him. "Everybody down!"
Defensive turrets descended from the ceiling and one of Madine's men took several hits. The man made an abortive attempt to crawl to safety, and madine broke his cover trying to reach him. Both fell under withering fire. The final commando rose from his cover screaming in ffury, blasting one of the turrets to pieces even as he was cut down. Chewie blew the other off the ceiling with his crossbow.
"Damnit!" shouted Sheppard, "How many more people have to die?"
"Welcome to Imperial city my friend." Lando said grimly, "I'll be more than happy when I get out off this place.." Chewie warbled something softly. "It DOES feel cursed." Lando agreed.
"Oh what the hell is this." Sheppard grumbled as he surveyed the gateroom controls, "I'm a little rusty on my ancient-Ancient."
"Its New Kobolan." Athena replied taking a station, "We can't dial out until Atlantis disconnects their wormhole."
"What are they doing up there?" Sheppard demanded.
"Risking their lives to save yours." Answered a warm familiar voice.
"Adama!" Sheppard whirled, Athena flew past him embracing the man.
"Father!" She cried joyfully.
"Athena!" Gasped the man, "My daughter, I never dreamed I'd see you again, what happened? I thought you lost, how did you get here?"
"As you can see this is Atlas." Athena explained, "The goa'uld found kobol, and took me prisoner. I've been in stasis all these years."
Adama gazed at her sadly, and hugged her to him again. "Oh my dear girl you've been through so much more than that I am so truly sorry."
"She's his daughter?" Lando whispered to Sheppard.
"Starbuck sure can pick 'em." Lando answered. He pecked at the controls, and blast doors closed around them. "I think that'll do it for now. According to the power readings the city will blow in just under an hour. If Atlantis doesn't cut their wormhole…"
"Yeah, how come you didn't tell us about that." Sheppard demanded, "We lost Han Madine and some good men taking this place, and we could have just done it from Atlantis."
"I did not know this was Atlas." Adama replied, "It has the more limited third generation gates while Atlantis has the fifth. There are other ancient cities still about, and I had no way of knowing, I am terribly sorry. In this form, I fear my knowledge is somewhat limited. Nonetheless I'm afraid our plans have changed a bit as well. Thrawn has set a trap on the other side, but we believe we can disarm it."
"How?" asked Sheppard, "What kind of trap?"
"he has moved the Stargate to a launch bay and fortified its defenses." Replied Adama, "A recent defector however will gate through with Yoda as his supposed prisoner, they will attempt to decompress the bay as a diversion."
"We can't very well enter a decompressed bay." Sheppard objected, then his eyes lit up, "But this city must have jumpers!"
"The bay is upstairs." Athena interjected.
"Alright Chewie Athena you're with me, Lando, you and Artoo see if you can bring the city's sensors online, I want to see what we're getting into."
"Atlantis just jumped to hyperspace with the rest of the ancient ships." Lando reported, "Wormhole disengaged, we better move fast."
Grabbing his gun Sheppard sprinted up the stairs followed by Athena and Chewie, "lets move!"
"I'll dial the Death Star before anyone else does. Lando called. Then looked back to his readings. "That's odd…" Lando muttered as he worked, "Those ships took a different heading than Atlantis…"
"What is your little friend doing?" Adama asked, as Lando finished dialing. The wormhole stabilized and Lando moved to the Sensors.
"Artoo? He's probably looking for a socket to plug in, these sensors are friend and…" Lando looked up in surprise as Artoo trundled up the ramp, "Artoo no wait!"
"Incoming wormhole." Reported the technician from the control booth. "Gate diagnostics confirm, its Imperial city."
"Good." Replied the commander, "Our first catch of the day."
As the vortex stabilized however the only thing that arrived was a lone droid, making fearful noises and swiveling its dome.
"What is it, a bomb?" asked the confused commander.
"No sir, it is an old R2 series astromech." Reported the technician, "Scans reveal now explosive or… wait sir its scanning us, its relaying back to imperial city."
"Disable it!" ordered the Commander. As blasters tracked him Artoo squealed and shot forward pushing his treads to their maximum speed. A dozen storm troopers fired stun bolts at it and with an electric squeal of despair, Artoo fell over electricity coursing about him. The station shook again.
"Wormhole disengaging." Reported the technician.
"Very well bring the prisoners up here." ordered the commander, "Emperor Thrawn wants to meet personally with this defector, and perhaps ask him how could be so stupid as to try to stroll right in the front door."
"Is that wise bringing them up here sir?" asked the technician, "This could all be a ruse to give the Jedi access to the bay controls, the security systems…"
"Ah but Thrawn thought of that of course, he knew exactly who would come.." Replied the Commander, " do you see those stands the storm troopers carry? They are Ysalimiri cages. Those Jedi are powerless." His statement was punctuated by a crack off thunder and a distant groaning of metal, the lights flickered momentarily.
"By the Emperor what IS going on up there." He demanded glancing for a moment at the lift.
The tech stared steadfastly at his console. "Our duty is to follow orders sir." A signal beeped from his console, "Sir, incoming wormhole!"
"Hallowed Are The Ori."
Across a galaxy the same call countless worlds, hundreds of millions of followers prostrated themselves. Separated by a vast expanse a similar scene played out.
"Honor, loyalty, Allegiance to Thrawn."
Billions upon billions of sentient beings watched a holonet update, a battle played out, and their minds focused on one man.
Adama sensed this and considered. What Thrawn had did was intriguing tos ay the least. Drawing not just from humans in his galaxy, being not quite human himself, he drew not on affinity of race, but affinity of purpose. Adama recognized this process for what it was, less efficient surely, but an order of magnitude more productive on the whole. Thrawn was brilliant to be sure, he had taken the complex and seemingly unobtrusive methodology of the Ori, and blended it with the diverse, and all encompassing way of the Force. He had put himself at its center. His followers would not be subject to the manipulations of the subconscious, the darkness of the force magnified by the darkness of their desires, the light of charity and compassion dampened by the disinterest of self satisfaction, and inner peace.
An element remained however, that Adama believed Thrawn lacked awareness of. The Force flowed like water, Ascension offered the serene stillness of air, the consuming fire of passionate devotion… he lacked a root in will, the stubborn entrenchment in this plane and its affairs. Where the force was elusive, Ascension, indifferent, and the Ori possessing of unquenchable hunger, Thrawn was losing himself, consumed by the powers he wielded.
Confrontation could not be avoided, and this changed everything.
Yoda and Katarn, being hustled towards the lift, hands still upraised, half turned, even as the storm trooper commander order "Target the gate!"
All were surprised however when instead of the customary chevron by chevron dialing, all of the chevrons ignited and a vortex erupted from the Stargate. There was absolute silence as the gate rippled, and for a moment nothing happened.
"Received IDC from imperial city." Reported the control room, "incoming travelers!"
The puddle rippled once more and the air seemed to shimmer, the momentary whine of Jumper engines was drowned out immediately by the sickening crack and screams of distress as storm troopers were suddenly hurled forward, their armor crushed. One of the walkers suddenly dropped as a leg collapsed beneath it. The walker seemed to scrape along something and its leg hooked with the sound of scratching glass, skittered across the viewport of the Jumper to topple over. An internal explosion lifted the Puddle up, which was in momentary danger of rolling over, before settling at a haphazard back atop the crushed walker.
"Oh crap." Muttered Sheppard inside the Jumper, he toggled the weapons online but received an error.
"The nacelles are jammed in the wreckage, the weapon can't deploy." Athena shrieked, earning a mildly surprised and irritated look from Sheppard.
The second walker turned to orient on the jumper, which was sluggishly dragging the wreckage of the walker beside it as it attempted to lift off. The walker was levelling its weapons when a lightening bolt erupted from the Stargate blasting it to pieces. Before the Stargate hovered a being of pure radiant energy, pulsing ominously. Even as they opened fire, storm troopers were struck by chain lightening, falling in a smoking ruin. Chewie and Lando emerged from the gate and took stock of the pandemonium. Lando beckoned towards Katarn and Yoda, and both dropped to one knee to fire upon the ysalimiri. Automated turrets in the ceiling began tracking towards them.
As the force returned to him Yoda felt a surge of energy. "Follow Adama we must!" he cried inhaling deeply, green lightening crashed forth into one of the turrets. Katarn cast about for a weapon and spied Sheppard clambering down from the Jumper. Stretching out a hand and sprinting towards the gate Katarn stripped Sheppard's light saber from where it hung on his belt and snapped it on as he reached Lando and Chewie, deflecting a hail of blaster fire from the final turrets. Yoda was a blur sprinting out of sight, as Sheppard jogged over to the others. "Keep it." He told Katarn who proffered his light saber, "I was never any good with the damn thing.
"Yoda and Adama are heading to Thrawn's throne room to rescue Starbuck." Athena reported, "John I have to go with them."
"We need to rescue Ackbar and the president." Sheppard replied
"I'll go with her." Katarn replied following Athena, "Go!"
"Come on Chewie, Lando, " Sheppard grunted as he started sprinting for the other lift, "We have 31 minutes until the city blows and I don't think we want to be around when that happens."
Baal and Apophis cautiously entered the gate room brandishing stolen blasters.. A single man stood before the gate.
"We must deactivate the gate." Apophis stated, "And dial a new address."
"I have the perfect place in mind." Baal replied, "A failsafe if anything should ever go wrong you might say, back in our home galaxy."
"Who is this fool before us." Demanded Apophis, "Kneel before your gods!" he commanded raising his blaster.
"Perhaps you can play God this time around." Pophis, "I would play the Devil."
"I was known as Garm, Bel Iblis, in this galaxy, but I have many names." The man replied with a chilling smile, "I don't think I will be kneeling to those such as you."
Baal's head rotated 180 degrees, Baal's eyes flashed once in rage, and he died. Apophis was flung up into the ceiling, hard onto the ground up once more and finally came crashing down his back broken over a console.. Within Apophis his symbiote struggled in vain to keep the host alive despite its injuries. Iblis strode casually over and stooped to watch the twitching Goa'uld. He watched as the Symbiote struggled in vain.
"I gave your people life." Iblis hissed, "Memory of me is encoded into your very DNA. I leveled worlds, threw a galaxy into chaos, I killed the Cylon race with those robotic monstrosities, and threw their scraps to your world, and what have you come to after thousands of years? This." He spat
"I cannot die." Raged the Goa'uld weakly, "I am a God!" he spat blood at iblis.
"Such spirit, such will. I'll tell you what my little friend, I will save you if you will pledge your self to me."
Apophis looked into his eyes, and what he saw there terrified him more than death. "You are the devil." He gasped before he died
"He's right you know." Iblis said as a figure rose behind him. Iblis flicked his wrist and Baal's head spun back in place. Blinking the Goa'uld reached up to feel a now healing neck. "You heard my offer, and you seem a bit more… flexible in your thinking, yes?"
"Of course my lord." Replied Baal sinking to his knees, "After all one must give the Devil his due?"
Iblis chuckled in a manner that made Baal's skin crawl.