Chapter 21
Lightning Fervor
Helltanz's notes: Sorry for the wait the first part still isn't the way I wanted it, but the stargate portion I liked.
-Chapter begin-
Most importantly, for all involved parties, Yan Lin explained to the five girls that they had a part to play in all this. They were meant to use their powers to repair the tears – called Portals – in the Veil, through which the evil menaces who controlled Meridian could come to earth to threaten the planet. To Irma was given the power over water; to Cornelia the power over earth; to Taranee the power over fire; and to Hay Lin the power over air.
The observing members of the Brotherhood's frowns deepened as they continued to watch, they knew what was next. As for Will, she was to be the leader of the group, uniting the other four girls, summoning and magnifying their powers with the Heart of Kandrakar. Yan Lin explained was a talisman that will was to be entrusted to her. It was the very heart of a world, it was what allowed them to transform into Guardians of the Veil. As the former Air Guardian of the generation before when she was their age, Yan Lin gingerly passed the Heart to Will, the duty onto the new generation, and its new Keeper. Conspicuously Yan Lin failed to explain Kandrakar or that the guardians are supposed to defend earth, but of course long had Kandrakar used Earth's guardians to enforce their wishes on the rest of the worlds who made up their 'domain'. Will, Irma, Cornelia, Taranee, Irma and Hay Lin, were understandably confused - and for some of the girls slightly disbelieving - about these revelations. The Dark Brotherhood members watched as the new guardians of earth made the decision to see for themselves and practice their powers in a secluded spot under a suspension bridge. Their choice for seclusion could have been better.
No sooner had Will lowered the Heart of Kandrakar onto her chest than did the girls transform, and make another startling discovery: as Guardians, they possessed wings and with them the ability to fly. The Brotherhood members around the suspension scattered safe in the assumption dispersed the new guardians would not likely recognize the effects of their chameleon effects of their magic. More experienced guardians with the power of the heart flowing they'd grow to recognize the tell tell subtle auras of magic.
Under the suspension bridge, the Guardians were tentatively trying out their powers over earth, air, fire and water when a Portal opened up before them. For the brotherhood this precisely what they'd been trying to avoid. It'd been good fortune that the last portal they had found had not been used. It had been the hope that they could wait for a much stronger brotherhood commitment to properly watch for tears in the veil.
Out of it flying came the rebel leader Caleb, followed by a roaring Cedric. Phobos's lieutenant snarled, he'd been trouncing through the mountains for more than a day hunting the rebel scum. Not only had they ended, Caleb and his lieutenant, split up, and then that new portal had opened up just as he was nearly about to corner the little rebel bastard. Then they'd dropped into freaking Earth surrounded by not one but all five guardians. NOT AS PLANNED!.
For the Guardians this was a not a good first day on the job. Four of the girls leapt in an uncoordinated fashion into battle with Cedric, as Will fumbled with the Heart of Kandrakar, trying to seal the Portal and rescue the rebel leader.
One of the brotherhood's local slayers reached for his weapon, magic pulsed around his hand. The Speaker was on him before he moved, and smacked him hard. The slayer recoiled tumbling backwards, "Stay your hand," The speaker hissed.
The portal shuddered as the Heart glowed flashing with a rose colored. It was unfortunate Cedric who was not far behind the criminal managed to drag Caleb back at the last second and the Portal closed on both of them.
On top of another one of the nearby roof a figure dressed in black cloak with crimson line across it had observed the event. His annoyance had peaked on the matter of the Speaker of the realm having to actually order a junior member to back off. The figure smiled fangs peaking past his lips as he did so, his hand clenched. "Glorious Dread Father you will be most pleased by this," He whispered reverently, "All is as you have decreed the guardians of earth have been chosen and this day they have awakened their powers." He uttered into the void... and then the Speaker was in his face.
"What are you doing here?" Hissed the Speaker irritated at the intrusion, "I've no patience for you Crimson Scar,"
The vampire shrugged, "Your irritation is noted brother, however we already converge," He remarked, "there is much to be done with the Guardians selected, and with their powers,"
"We should keep an eye on them,"
"Our Dread Father has yet made his plans clear to us, for now such is unnecessary."
– scene break-
For Heru'ur the last months had been delightful. He, and Cronus had been busy, the alliance with Olokun had also proved advantageous. Now they formed a powerful block of the system lords, there together they outnumbered the the whole of the system lord fleets. Hours ago this world had dared oppose him. Of course its minor underlord had been hideously unprepared for his assault. The goa'uld had opposed Heru'ur's fleet with outdated. This had been positively unworthy of his time.
The great conqueror had expected something more than the pathetic wrecks of cobbled together Type 1 Ha'tak, defending a lone old type 2. The only interesting thing had been the sixty or so Alkesh, and the hundreds of gliders. It had been to borrow a Tauri phrase a turkey shoot between his Cheop carriers anti aircraft guns, and his own fighters. His own new model type twos had lazily spread out taking their time to crush the enemy capital ships.
It had been such a completely disappointing victory he'd ordered all the enemy destroyed, but the wrecks left burning, well smoldering in orbit. All that truthfully mattered was that this was done, it'd been a decent enough test of his fighters. The mobile armors were heavy wings that frame wise were based similar on those of the Death Gliders, attached to a heavier triangular primary body. The new body, and wing was a further refinement from the advanced fighter he'd been developing. The new body, and wings were larger though, and pointedly incorporated newer heavier armaments.
These were the start of his own mobile armor program. Cronus had started his by starting from the Alkesh. The older goa'uld had focused on adding additional point defense cannons to them. "My lord we have secure the stargate,"
Heru'ur was hardly surprised, while Cronus's new design was truly optimized for assaults on fortified positions. He waved the Jaffa off, with the stargate here he knew this was really over. He'd be able to go ahead and move his troops through the gate unimpeded.
"Forgive me my god," The Jaffa responded, "However we have found evidence our foe has been conspiring with the likes of the fell god Anubis." The jaffa announced bowing again.
The Avenger sat up, bolted upright at the statement, that had not been his assumption on coming here, and now his interest was once again peaked. He knew his priority should be able to speak with his allies, if Anubis was truly conspiring so near to their shared borders then they knew that the time was indeed finally drawing near. It had been what Heru'ur had been waiting for, finally a battle worthy of his skills, a war to shake the galaxy once again to its very core. A glorious battle awaited on the horizon, filled with honor to be claimed as they stood over the burning bodies of their enemies corpses. He stood up, a smile crossing his faces, and he swung a mail covered arm outwards, "Then ready the fleet, we will depart for the homeworld, we must prepare for the war to come." Soon, soon Anubis would plunge the galaxy into civil war, and Heru'ur would be waiting.
-scene break-
In Meridian the first thing Cedric had reported to Phobos the existence of a new generation of Guardians. That was certainly the most critical piece of information he had possessed. "So the crystal has indeed passed to a new generation," Phobos murmured, as usual Sithis was right. Such was unsurprising, the prince mused before turning to face the rebel leader. "You will inform me the names of your fellow traitors." Phobos declared imperiously to his captive, and when Caleb refused to answer the annoyed prince has him thrown into the castle's oubliette, and stormed out.
Unnoticed the guard Vathek surreptitiously took the time to hide a key into the loaf bread which he droppe down the hole.
For Phobos though there were other matters he had to deal with. Matters which had been brought to the ruler of Meridian's attention. "Prince Phobos," A guard began, "we have located a portal to the planet earth." He had already learned that the one in the mountain that Cedric had been originally been sent to search around had been close. It seemed that the Guardians were busy. He couldn't afford that
"Use it find and bring me this girl." Phobos swirled his hands and created an image of the keeper of the heart through the use of his own magic. "And do it before Sithis returns," It was simply Phobos overestimating his own importance. "I would like this matter solved before he returns." Unknown to the Prince, Sithis had already been informed of the situation at hand though for the time being he was more than content to simply sit back and watch the progression. So naturally when Will was, at Phobos's command, was successfully abducted from Earth and was brought before the brooding prince Sithis knew about. "Where is the Heart of Kandrakar?" the Prince demanded immediately. He was already envisioning what all possibilities he could use the Heart of Kandrkahar for.
So when her response ended up being, "I don't know."
Phobos lost it and tossed her into the Oubliette with his rebel captive, and once again stormed away to go and brood. He'd so hoped that he'd been able to utilize it, or if nothing else present it to Sithis. So he stormed out leaving his prisoners in the pit.
Will instantly recognized Caleb as she put it to him "that kid from yesterday". Caleb though well he was a bit taken aback by her non-Guardian appearance and responded with "where's her older sister." He paused before demanding, just as Phobos did, "Where is the Heart of Kandrakar?"
"I didn't exactly bring it?" she added a tad meekly.
As if on que the castle trembled. "What do you mean you didn't bring it? I need a rope and some kind of weapon and what do I get a red head with attitude-."
"Hey buddy I'm a guardian of the veil." She retorted hotly, and sat back in the oubliette. The castle thundered again, and the door to the dungeon opened up.
Well on the plus side, Will though seeing that the other Guardians arrived. 'At least help was her,' The downside though was so were Phobos's guards.
Accompanying them was one irritated dark god.
Swathed in his usual attire Sithis turned to face Cedric, and he verbally let the senecshal have his well earned tongue lasshing. "You were beaten by a bunch amateurs, these children don't even know how to properly use there powers." the Daedric lord berated the blonde, who then waved his hand and blasted the Guardians into the dungeon's walls with magic wave a of concussive force.
Cornelia groaned pushing herself and tried to drop the ceiling on Sithis, though truthfully that was more out of instinct and anger rather than actual desire to kill the god. Sithis smiled whirling rifts in space, roaring voids devouring the pieces of stone and masonry. Irma thrust her hands out summoning as much fire as she could manage. The fire attack suffered the same counter as the voids rippled about snuffing the fire before it even got close.
"Uhm try and gang up on him." Will shouted in suggestion in desperation which merely caused the god to smirk in response, if this was the best Kandrakar could muster against him then his plans would be quite easy to enact. They didn't have experience, and yet the instinct.
Taranee and Hay Lin both attacked, only for their elements, water and wind, to reverse and attack the newly chosen guardians rather than the Dread Father, "I grow disinterested by this." He murmured before ramming his hand through Will's chest and ripped out the Heart of Kandrakar. "Revert." The dark god commanded magic pulsed through the air. He tilted his head in amusement as the Heart burned at his hand. He remembered Akatosh and Mehunes Dagon's death fondly.
All the Guardians changed back to their normal, human, forms, as did Cedric. The Guardians no longer able to fly quickly met everyone's best friend gravity and went crashing into the floor of the dungeon.
"Hey give that back." Will demanded amongst labored breaths, Sithis loosened his grip on her shoulder as she gripped the other one in pain. The guardians even in human form were quite a bit more durable than normal humans.
The dark god smiled, it took a strangeness for something to be both malevolent, and benevolent, "You mean this little one why of course." He commented dangling the Heart above the guardian. "You should learn to stay out of other peoples affairs, the problems of Meridian do not concern you little one. You have your own task and responsibility to address." Sithis stated.
"Phobos is a tyrant he's oppressing these people."
He snorted, did she think such a silly arguments would sway him,"Perhaps you should read the Prince little one. This is not your concern your world is in to much peril for you to concern yourself over this one." He turned his head in Caleb's direction, and uttered one word in the teen's direction. "Kamal." The rebel leader was thus frozen in a block of ice by the dark god's magic. "Now little one I think tis time you leave."
"My name isn't little one." Will growled angrily, even if on some level recognizing that it was the best idea for the inexperienced guardians seeing they were clearly outmatched.
He smiled with a great deal of condescension. "None the less it is time you should return to your own world, little one, and I would suggest not concerning yourself with Meridian." With a gesture he summoned the other four Guardians of Earth and then he sliced open a portal to earth. "Now time to show you home."
-scene break-
Stargate Command was busy, poking around the ancient ruins had been a welcome refresh, but as soon as they'd gotten back it'd been back to the grinder of finding out the latest of galactic politics. In this particular case it was the whole issue with the System Lords busy posturing. Jack crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against a wall, "So were getting a visit by the head snakes any reason why?" He inquired, personally he didn't like this idea especially with the way things were currently heating up between the snakes. War was coming that much was already clear.
"We're being greeted by the neutral portion of the System Lords," SG 1's archeologist and linguist stated, "not all of the System Lords, Jack."
The colonel snorted, "Oh that's much better Daniel." He remarked, "Lets just invite all the snakes over for tea instead." The last few months had utterly sucked due to the fallout from the Thanagarian invasion. "So is the freaking devil coming?" He asked.
"Sokar isn't part of this contingent," Daniel remarked.
Jack shrugged, "Get so no wonder Teal'c holed up in his room," If it was Cronus's faction showing up this was going to be another pain in the ass.
"Col. O'neill," Major Davis began, "I know how you feel but this meeting is diplomatic we need to actually hear what they say."
Whatever Jack was going to respond with was cut off Harriman clicked the intercom on, "Scheduled Off world activation. Incoming wormhole" Cronus and Her'ur step out of the gate.
"I still don't get how the devil is a member of the neutral contingent, anyway." Jack muttered. "I mean and then we've got Cronus the titan too,"
Hammond was already heading down into the gate chamber, "Welcome gentleman." General Hammond greeted to the two most powerful 'neutral' Goa'uld. Heru'ur and Cronus nodded in response semi polite greeting.
Jack spoke up before things could continue, "So what brings you folks to Earth?" He inquired his own typical way.
"As you are aware the other two factions of the System Lords are preparing to go to war," Cronus remarked, "the last time such an event was the war between Ra and Raiden, and even it will not compare to this war." that had been a few centuries, a minor conflict to intervene in Raiden, and Susanoo's conflict. That had been minor.
Daniel frowned, "I didn't realize Ra and Raiden's fighting were so large." He remarked, "If they had such animosity towards each other one would think they would have moved against each other."
"Both of them were very bitter enemies." Cronus stated, "Though the war never caused them to lose any of their original territories, Ra intervened to stop another conflict" The war in question had been large by Goa'uld standards during the Pax Re had basically amounted to a large super scale Trench War that ultimately ended in a stalemate. "Once Ra was able to briefly have a fleet enter Raiden's middle dominion, the fleet some forty Ha'tak were cut apart by a massive Space battle station in a matter of seconds."
Heru'ur nodded, in those days the System Lords had been largely peaceful, as it was he remembered those days. His father had started it to prevent a larger spiral. "The reason this war is not mentioned prominently in history and lore is because of the way it ended."
Jack perked up immediately, "Well so what happened?" The colonel inquired. "Come on spill." He pressed the pale system lord.
"Both Ra, and Raiden played back and forth for years, neither were pleased by the repeat." Cronus announced, "The Susanoo's cowardly attack failed. Despite being embittered rivals Ra would never condone such an attack."
The second system lord nodded in agreement, "Susanoo's move was a problem, these tactics are the reason why Raiden so loathes the Tok'ra. Raiden operates under a very strict moral principles." Cronus admitted, and there was the little fact that Raiden wanted Ra to die by his own forces, and then Susanoo had redoubled his effort.
"This war will be much worse Raiden and Anubis are far more dedicated to their rivalry," Cronus stated, it was rare for a system lord to get replaced by a non system lord so they all ended up knowing each other. "They may respect one another to extend common courtesy but they will not rest until they have reached a conclusion to this battle." Especially with Ra dead, he knew that. "Anubis's forces have grown strong, that cannot be denied, but it is likely Raiden will win, he has made far greater strides in recent times and he controls the coalition." He conceded, "Anubis's new weapons are strong against the traditional weapons but alas Raiden is much more flexible at best this will end with a stalemate, at worst Raiden will become the new supreme system lord."
"How is that bad again," Jack commented, as far as things went a snake was still a snake but as things did go Riaden was definitely preferable to the likes of Apophis or Anubis. "other then he's a cocky snake of course."
Cronus nodded, while he didn't particularly like the idea of anyone taking Ra's place Raiden was the better choice, at least over Anubis. "If Raiden is to assume control he would drastically change the workings of the power balance, the war is likely to be divided to be separated by forces Raiden will fight Anubis." He announced, though that much was obvious. "His vassals will likely for the most part attack the flank territories while Osiris and Thoth do the same in Anubis's services. And there are many of the minor Goa'uld supporting each side. And the other system lords amongst each alliance will fight an opposing member of defend the allying territories." The system lord frowned, "Suffice to say though Yu is most likely to press his vendetta against Anubis,"
"This conflict will be much more expansive this will mark the first major inter System lord war in millennia. Each side has several System Lords though you are familiar with Raiden's allies, and Anubis has accumulated much of the power of many smaller Goa'uld rivaling the combined might of two to three system lords without his improvements. These upgrades makes his ships much more dangerous."
It was Carter's turn to perk up, "But aren't Raiden's warships much more dangerous?" Carter inquired, the understanding was that was the specialization.
Cronus nodded, rather pleased at the situation. "Indeed Raiden's forces are more dangerous in one on one combat but it is far easier for Anubis to improve captured Ha'tak during a war."
"So Anubis's forces while inferior still have a quality all there owns by number." Jack pronounced paraphrasing the old soviet strategm, eliciting a nod of acknowledgement from both system lords. "And as it was Anubis doesn't have the numbers?"
"Correct," Heru'ur added, "That is why this is has our attention."
– Chapter conclusion -
Helltanz's notes: The station is obviously a Rashomon class vessel.