Disclaimer:
Stargate does not belong to me, nor do any of the images shown. This fic was created by me for entertainment purposes.
NA: I have translated this chapter using Chat GPT.
Stargate Korr 13
00 observed the new design of the ship belonging to 03, their partner in the Earth mission assignment. 00 had been on vacation since the last negotiations that added Earth to the list of protected planets.
The NID had learned how to conduct its Goa'uld thefts, and no emergency situations had arisen. SG1 hadn't been on missions that jeopardized Earth's security either, so 00 was free and preferred to spend their free time with the Creator.
Now she had returned and seen the new design of 03's bio-ship, which had completely abandoned the Goa'uld design. With an elongated and wide triangular shape, like a flattened cone, being flat at the edges, and with twelve large propulsion engines at the tail. Its color was polished and gleaming black.
It was an aerodynamic design created to maximize efficiency and speed. With those engines, 00 was sure that, despite being a kilometer long, this ship would be as maneuverable as a fighter or assault craft, unlike any known ship.
"03 is unusual," 00 concluded.
00 had also read the reports on how 03 interfered twice in the humans' missions, just because it felt compelled to help them. It seemed to have struck up a friendship with them.
00 didn't understand this either. Humans were far inferior creatures to them. Amusing and entertaining, but 00 couldn't see herself becoming their friend. Still, she didn't say anything about it, because each of them did as they pleased and she was now working.
00 had another mission assigned by the Creator, which was to ensure that Sokar was brought down, as he was a nuisance and didn't fit into the Creator's plans. He had even dared to send a fleet into Sokar's territory, something that not even the System Lords dared to do.
Sokar was amassing forces by attacking minor Goa'uld lords, stripping them of their ships and troops, and adding them to his forces. He already had a fleet superior to any System Lord. Her Creator couldn't allow this, because Earth didn't yet have a fleet to face him. Sokar also planned to attack the System Lords, starting a war that could become a real problem as he assimilated the troops and ships of the Goa'uld System Lords.
Because of all this, 00 was sent to ensure Sokar's downfall, to put Apophis, currently Sokar's prisoner, in charge of everything.
Apophis was a System Lord and wouldn't engage in stealing from minor lords like Sokar did. His pride would compel him to reclaim his territory and build his own ships. So, his forces wouldn't grow disproportionately. Although they also didn't plan to do anything to reduce his forces, as having someone else to worry about, and with Apophis's attention-seeking nature, he would be the one to attract the attention of the System Lords instead of her Creator.
To fulfill this mission, 00 had returned to Earth's orbit and was awaiting the arrival of the Tok'ra at the SGC to begin the mission.
…
A few hours later, the Tok'ra arrived at the SGC, and 03 called 00 to make their introduction.
"Wait for them to explain the situation; listening to reports is too boring. This view is better," 00 said, gazing at space while seated on her ship's bridge. She held a glass of red wine in her hand, gently swirling it.
…
03 nodded and ended the communication. If she said to wait, then they would wait. He didn't want to question her motives and disrupt her mood. 00 was a rather special person. She had never adapted to anything and had her own style. She was distant with everyone except her god, despite their very different personalities.
03 displayed a hologram showing his six siblings and their ships. 00 was wearing the same outfit she had when she was created, which hadn't changed. It was a stylized, form-fitting suit that she only changed the color of, alternating between white, blue, or black. Her appearance hadn't changed either, with blue hair that looked like aquamarine and scarlet-red irises. Her skin was also very pale.
The only thing 00 had changed was the design of her ship, which had dragon wings and a dragon body, albeit with a stylized and mechanical design, without scales, in a polished black color. It looked like a dragon in the midst of an attack. It wasn't an aerodynamic design, and apparently, she had incorporated weapons all over.
03 looked at the ships of his other siblings. 01's ship had the same design as that of his god, as he was still in the cargo hold. 02's ship still retained the Goa'uld design, but it was more traditional, just elongated. 04 simply copied his model; he wasn't interested in his bio-ship and only removed the design that made it resemble Replicators, as he said that scared women. 05 and 06 had chosen a star-shaped design, with a circular circumference and the pyramid in the center. It seemed that each of them had their own style, but among all of them, 00 and he were the ones who deviated the most from the others' personalities. That was interesting because the two of them worked together.
03 waited, observing the view as he read his book and waited for 00 to contact him again.
…
Sam was barely coming to terms with the news of her father being captured by Sokar when 00 and 03 appeared in the briefing room.
Sam looked at 00; the fact that she was there meant that this matter was deemed important to them. Given what Martouf had told them, Sam had no doubt, as Sokar was about to launch an attack against the System Lords, absorbing their territories and troops to become a new Goa'uld Supreme Lord.
Her father, the host of Selmak, a Tok'ra, was monitoring Sokar. Upon learning this information and attempting to pass it on to the Tok'ra, he was captured and sent to an infernal prison belonging to Sokar. Because of this, the Tok'ra had come to them with a plan to free him and also put an end to Sokar's ambitions.
"Good morning," 03 greeted upon arrival, and General Hammond welcomed them, offering seats.
00 sat on the other side of the head of the table, and 03 sat beside her.
"The Tok'ra have already communicated the plan's details to us. We'll only make a small modification, which is the ship to use to reach the moon Netu. The SGC has a cargo ship that we modified for them. It's faster and also has a camouflage system," 00 said.
Martouf looked at them with surprise.
"A ship the Goa'uld had left lying around," Colonel O'Neill said.
Their government hadn't informed the Tok'ra that they had three Ha'taks, seven Al'kesh, four cargo ships, and three dozen death gliders, all upgraded by their allies. They were on the home planet where they had built their shipyards and were beginning to construct their first custom-designed ship with resources stolen from the Goa'uld. This was a strategic secret and the Earth's survival depended on it in a critical moment.
"Don't your ships have camouflage?" Teal'c asked.
"The Tok'ra don't possess ships. We are infiltrators. The Tel'tak we would use was stolen by Jolinar after her escape from this prison," Martouf explained.
"She would be an excellent guide for this mission," Colonel O'Neill said.
"She has refused to talk about the matter. It seems she went through a difficult situation," Martouf said, shaking his head.
"It's not necessary; we're practiced at infiltrating hostile Goa'uld territory," Maybourne said, lifting a case containing the infiltration devices used by the NID for special missions, which they would use in this mission.
"Given the current situation, the president won't take too long to give his approval. You should proceed to the secure base to board," General Hammond said, who was a friend of her father's and was concerned about his situation.
…
A few hours later, 00 entertained Martouf and the rest of the team, giving very short answers to their questions about the modifications to the Tel'tak, while Sam stayed in the cargo hold. She didn't have the energy to try and get information from 00…
03 sighed and stepped away from the group, where 00 was talking and Martouf was trying to get information, while Colonel O'Neill, Daniel, and Teal'c tried to prevent her from revealing Earth's strategic information. 03 was the mediator, but he seemed to reach his limit and moved away from the group, walking towards her.
03 hadn't changed his appearance and was dressed in a casual yet formal look, with dress pants and a jacket, but no tie. He didn't seem like he was participating in a military mission, but Sam was sure he was better equipped than all of them.
Upon reaching where she was, 03 sat down beside her and let out another sigh.
"This is going to be a long journey," 03 said with a defeated tone. Sam nodded; she guessed her team would be on edge until this mission was over.
"Are you doing alright?" 03 asked. Sam nodded, though she was far from feeling calm, as her father was said to be in an infernal prison.
"Don't worry, Major Carter. Your father will be alright, and in the future, this situation will only be a bad memory. You should take a vacation afterwards; it could help," 03 said. His voice sounded as if he understood her state from personal experience.
"Have you ever gone through something similar?" Sam asked. 03 shook his head.
"Sometimes I dream," 03 said, and then smiled when she looked at him without understanding. "Do you remember our origin?" 03 asked. Sam nodded.
"You are creations, and your creator is the emperor of your empire," Sam said. 03 nodded.
"Yes, we are his creations, but we didn't come out of nowhere. Actually, we're not creations in the strict sense of the word. We're more like an extension, as we're part of our creator in a broad sense of the term. Each one of us is a copy of him," 03 explained, and Sam was stunned. 03 smiled. "Yes, our creator has some trust issues with other people, so he created a few extra pairs of hands," 03 confirmed.
Sam realized that her government had completely underestimated the importance of 00 and 03. They weren't ordinary diplomatic envoys. It could be said that Earth was addressing the so-called emperor on equal footing…
Sam shook her head in her mind; this wasn't about politics.
"Are you saying you have his memories?" Sam asked.
"Some. Most of them he keeps with him, away from our minds. But sometimes I dream of a life that isn't mine. A life filled with pain, helplessness, frustration, vulnerability, misery, hunger, need, and losses.
"Sometimes I see loved ones die and how I'm left alone, growing and learning from pain and misery, becoming filled with hate and despair. Seeing how my life ends and how I move towards the future with no hope except for a lonely death amidst sickness and misery.
"Upon waking up, I understand why my god chooses to keep those memories only for himself. And for that reason, I understand his pain in this moment, and I can assure you it will soon pass and become just another memory, a distant dream, perhaps a small nightmare," 03 consoled.
"Thank you!" Sam said, and 00 remained by her side, observing 00 playing with her equipment and with Martouf.
…
"Camouflage activated," Teal'c, who was piloting the cargo ship, said upon arriving at their destination.
Before them was a red moon, a result of the gases emitting from its core. This core had been excavated by Sokar himself to create a personal hell to send his enemies to suffer. It was where they were holding Jacob, Sam's father, who was the host of the Tok'ra named Selmak.
Colonel O'Neill looked at the moon and then at them.
"Alright, people, we're here. We'll follow the plan: we'll descend to the moon, secure the communication device and the rings, and rescue Jacob.
"After securing them, we'll take control of the place, taking advantage of the fact that there are only two guards. We'll incite a revolt to make the snake show its face and bring its ships. When it does, we'll blow up the moon in its face. Everyone on board with this?" Colonel O'Neill asked, looking at Martouf. Martouf nodded.
"The Tok'ra are the most interested in rescuing Selmak," Martouf said, taking out a small device and handing it to Colonel O'Neill. "This is a communication device so we can talk to Teal'c. We assume it can penetrate the contaminated atmosphere of Netu and it's encoded, so Sokar won't be able to trace us," Martouf explained as he handed the device to Colonel O'Neill, who took it.
Colonel O'Neill nodded and checked his wrist device, which could provide them with camouflage, shields, or a new appearance if needed. It was a device that the NID used in their assaults against the Goa'uld and it provided them with significant resources every month.
"Alright. Teal'c, we'll descend, activate the ring platform, and then you'll position the ship," Colonel O'Neill said.
"Colonel O'Neill, I'll await your signal," Teal'c said.
"Alright, let's get into those pods and launch ourselves to the volcanic moon," Colonel O'Neill said, although he furrowed his brow upon seeing the escape pods.
"Carter, there are only four pods here, and there are six of us," Colonel O'Neill said, looking at 00 and 03.
"We will transport directly to the surface. Using these pods is a risk; they could fail and their occupants would suffer a very painful death in the moon's atmosphere," 00 explained firmly. Colonel O'Neill grimaced.
"Could you take us with you?" Colonel O'Neill asked. 00 nodded. Colonel O'Neill blinked. "And you didn't say so, why?" he asked.
"I thought you would enjoy launching in the pods," 00 said.
"Please, take us with you," Colonel O'Neill said with exasperation.
00 nodded and extended her hand. Her team took it, and they vanished, reappearing on the surface of the moon, amidst a volcanic landscape.
"Alright, we've saved ourselves a challenging trip. Activate stealth mode and let's find that ring platform," Colonel O'Neill said, and everyone became invisible.
"Testing sound," Colonel O'Neill said to check their short-range radios.
"Received," everyone replied.
"Use the zat guns if necessary. We don't want any trouble until the rescue is done," Colonel O'Neill cautioned, and they all spread out.
The team entered the caves, Sokar's prison, to try and take control of the prison guard's room, where the only communication device in the place was located. This meant that if they gained control of it, Sokar wouldn't be able to find out what was happening without coming to check for himself from the planet.
…
03 transported along with 00 after separating from the group. They already knew where the main guard's room was, as their sensors had located it. Both of them arrived directly there to search for their target: the Goa'uld known as Apophis, who was Sokar's prisoner.
00 and 03 transported about fifty meters down a clear tunnel and then walked toward their target. In addition to being invisible to the prisoners' eyes, thanks to Tollan technology, they were also intangible and arrived at their goal before the rest of their group did.
"It's this one," 00 said, looking at a man wearing a helmet-mask and a Jaffa staff.
The man was guarding the door to the main guard's room, along with four other men who were also Goa'uld. For a human, surviving a few days in this prison would be extremely difficult.
00 raised her hand and everyone disappeared, being stored as energy.
"Target captured, let's call the others," 00 said.
For now, their mission ended there. They had to wait for Sokar to be taken down in order to bring Apophis to the planet and have him reclaim his place.
"There are many minor Goa'uld in this place, also Jaffa. We could take them with our god as labor," 03 said. Given that when the moon exploded, thousands of lives would be lost, and considering that these prisoners were enemies of Sokar, there might be innocent people among them.
00 shrugged.
"There's plenty of time, but wait until the main room is captured and the prisoner is freed," 00 said, and 03 nodded hurriedly.
"Colonel O'Neill, we've located the room…" 03 transmitted the room's location.
…
Ten minutes later, the whole group had arrived. They hadn't abandoned stealth, but 03 could see them, as this was Goa'uld-level technology. Although it seemed the same as what he and 00 used, it wasn't. Against Asgard technology, it was useless. They also possessed psychic abilities, and not even Asgard technology would be effective in hiding from them.
"Are we all here?" Colonel O'Neill asked over the radio, and when everyone responded, he pounded on the door forcefully.
The main guard inside came out to see who it was and was met with several Zat blasts that made him disappear.
Then, the team entered, closed the door, and deactivated stealth. 03 and 00 also revealed themselves.
"That was fast," Colonel O'Neill said, seeing them appear.
"There's not much to explore in this place," 03 said.
00 ignored the question.
"Alright, look for that communication device and the ring platform," Colonel O'Neill ordered.
03 pointed to a spot on the back wall.
"Here's the communication device and also the control for the ring platform," 03 reported, while Martouf took out a sensor device to track the location.
"Well, now we just need to find Jacob," Colonel O'Neill said.
"I'll keep watch here. You keep working," 00 said, materializing a throne and sitting down.
"Conversion of matter into energy and vice versa," 03 explained when the team looked at him. Colonel O'Neill looked at Major Carter.
"Sir, the Goa'uld don't possess that technology," Major Carter explained.
"Martouf, your technology is disappointing," Colonel O'Neill said.
"I'm not a Goa'uld!" Martouf reprimanded.
"Whatever you say," Colonel O'Neill said and checked his Zat gun. "Alright, people, first part of the plan completed. We're moving into phase two. Activate the shields and put to sleep anyone who comes near us. I don't care if they're asking for the time or the bathroom. No accidents," Colonel O'Neill warned, looking at Daniel.
"Why are you looking at me?" Daniel asked. Colonel O'Neill ignored him and took the lead to leave the room.
Upon leaving, Colonel O'Neill looked at 03.
"03, can you locate Jacob?" he asked. 03 nodded.
"We need a prisoner. I'll check his memories," 03 said.
A few seconds later, SG-1 knocked out the first prisoner they found.
03 approached and in a couple of seconds, he had copied all his memories. This was technology they had acquired from the world where the android Harlan lived, who made duplicates of SG-1. Applying Asgard technology to it was impressive.
"He's in a locked cell, follow me," 03 informed and led the way.
In the prison, there were hundreds of people, but their whole group was armed, and everyone who attempted to obstruct them was stunned.
…
About ten minutes later, they stunned a couple of guards and entered a cell to find the father of Major Carter, who was injured, in a sort of underground cell.
03 hurried to heal all his wounds, and he got up to hug his daughter and look at 03.
"03 and 00 have come to help us," Major Carter explained, and the man nodded.
"Let's head back to the guard's room," Colonel O'Neill ordered, seeing that their target was safe.
…
As they were returning, no prisoner attempted to approach them.
…
Upon returning to the main guard's room of the prison, 00 was still seated on her throne.
"Martouf," Colonel O'Neill said, and Martouf took out a small gray sphere.
"This will destroy this room as soon as we leave," Martouf said.
"Can't we do anything for these people?" Daniel asked. "I mean, if they're Sokar's prisoners, they might not be such bad people after all. And when the moon explodes, they'll meet the same fate as him," Daniel explained.
"I'll transport everyone before the explosion. I've marked them already," 03 said, having spread her bionanites on all the prisoners during their tour, and they were now within her reach.
"There are hundreds of people here, there's no room in our small ship," Martouf said. "Besides, most of Sokar's prisoners are Jaffa and Goa'uld," he added.
03 materialized a small metal box in her hand, about five centimeters on each side. "They'll be stored in here," 03 explained.
"People, tell your emperor he's welcome to visit us anytime. I'll invite him for fishing," Colonel O'Neill said, not seeing the need to leave Sokar's prisoners behind either.
"Sir, I think we should talk later," Major Carter said somewhat awkwardly.
"O'Neill, I'm in position," Teal'c said over the radio, interrupting the question Colonel O'Neill was about to ask.
…
A minute later, they returned to the Tel'tak using the ring platform. He and 00 could locate the ship and return to it, but there was no problem using the Goa'uld ring transporters.
"Jacop, have a seat. I think you'll like what comes next," Colonel O'Neill said. Jacop nodded.
…
A few hours later, Sokar, who hadn't received any reports from his prison, took his flagship to the planet and approached the moon to demand explanations about what was happening there.
Martouf sent the Tok'ra weapon they would use to destroy the moon, and they all waited to see how long it would take Sokar to realize that the moon was about to explode in his face.
A few seconds before the explosion, Sokar's ship attempted to fly away, but it was already too late, and the explosion of the moon destroyed his ship.
As this happened, 03 and 00 left a couple of hard light holograms and headed to the planet to implant a new memory in Apophis, making him believe he had escaped Sokar's prison on his own. Then they returned to the Tel'tak and headed back to the safe base of Stargate Command to go home.
…
One week after SG-1's mission to rescue Jacob, Maybourne still had some paperwork and reports to submit. In this mission, they had used the infiltration bracelets, an extraterrestrial technology closely monitored by all the major intelligence agencies of his country. These agencies feared that it might fall into the hands of any enemy, be it Goa'uld or from Earth itself. Every artifact they possessed required a significant amount of paperwork before its use.
Maybourne thought his superiors would never lend this technology to rescue a Tok'ra, even if this Tok'ra was a former military member of their own country. However, Jacob wasn't an ordinary person; he was Major Samantha Carter's father, a member of SG-1. This group had secured their current alliance and was highly valued, to the extent that they indulged some of their whims.
Given this context, the intelligence agencies considered that rejecting a request for help from SG-1 could lead to disapproval from their allies and withdrawal of their support. So, whenever SG-1 asked for help, their superiors were quick to offer it.
Initially, Maybourne didn't agree with this, as he believed they should only respond in the case of a true threat to the lives of their main team. However, after working with SG-1 for almost two years, he had developed some trust in them, as much as he could trust anyone else. Therefore, he didn't mind lending them the infiltration equipment…
A silent alarm reached his computer, interrupting his thoughts. Maybourne was slightly surprised as this alarm was related to an enemy infiltration code through the gate. This alarm system had been implemented recently, thanks to their allies, after a species using optical camouflage managed to infiltrate the base without being detected.
Maybourne didn't hesitate and activated the invasion alarms, alerting his personnel to rush to the scene with a full interrogation team. Now, this team included Orbanian nanites, allowing them to extract information directly from the interrogated individuals' brains, rather than relying solely on lie detectors.
Maybourne rose from his chair and headed to a safe in a corner. Upon activating the enemy infiltration code and alarms, the safe discreetly opened. He took out a briefcase containing an infiltration bracelet, stun grenades, a Zat gun, a P-90, and a sensor device, the latest military technology produced at the base planet.
Armed with all of this, Maybourne activated the cloak and rushed towards the gate room. However, he decided to wait a moment as the infiltrators were being taken to the infirmary. He empathized with Dr. Fraiser, but a room with a single exit would be more advantageous for a lone agent than a corridor where enemies could escape. His actions at that moment could prevent a larger operation in the future. If he managed to capture the infiltrators without triggering their alarms, perhaps they could take the initiative and gather more enemy information.
Maybourne allowed the infiltrators to be taken to the infirmary for a routine check and silently followed them using the cloak, until they entered their destination.
Maybourne wasted no time and shoved the door guard to throw a stun grenade and shut the door.
He then deactivated the cloak and looked at the guard he had pushed aside to prevent him from interrupting his containment plan.
"Soldier, we have an intrusion. Cover me," Maybourne ordered. With the Zat gun in hand, he opened the infirmary door as the soldier hurried to his feet.
Maybourne entered to find seven unconscious individuals, who were the team that had just entered, and three others who were infirmary staff, including Dr. Fraiser.
"Examine them thoroughly," Maybourne ordered the soldier as he aimed at the unconscious infiltrator team. Then he approached the wall to activate the base alarms. His plan had succeeded; they had captured the infiltrators without causing a scene, and now they would have more options to act.
…
Ten seconds after activating the base alarms, a group of soldiers arrived at the infirmary, and Maybourne ordered them to assist with the examination of the infiltrators.
General Hammond arrived a minute later, by which time the soldiers had already removed four small disc-like artifacts hidden on the chests of the infiltrators. These camouflage devices revealed their true appearance: strange humanoid beings lacking a mouth and resembling a mix between a lizard, a slug, and an insect.
"Colonel Maybourne, I want your priority to be bringing my team back," ordered General Hammond, without even asking what was happening, as the situation was evident.
"An intelligence team will arrive in five minutes. We'll do our best," responded Maybourne.
Maybourne hadn't thought about the lost team, as it was most likely that they were all dead. However, General Hammond's positive attitude would also benefit the mission, as his cooperation was necessary. Even if his team had already perished, Maybourne had done everything he could, so he nodded.
"Sir, I believe we possess the technology to obtain the information we need from these infiltrators," said Maybourne.
"The nanites," General Hammond said.
This was one of the most recent technologies they had obtained thanks to SG-1. It had also caused quite a stir due to its potential uses. Maybourne nodded.
"Are they extraterrestrial? Do you think they'll work with them?" General Hammond asked skeptically.
"I think we should give it a try. Other forms of communication might alert the enemy, and that would make us lose an initial advantage," explained Maybourne, and General Hammond nodded, giving his consent.
…
When the intelligence team arrived, the nanites were implanted into the brains of the intruders, and a couple of minutes later, the computers gave the green light to initiate the memory exploration process.
…
Fifteen minutes later, Maybourne entered the briefing room where General Hammond awaited him, accompanied by some Pentagon executive officers.
"Do we know anything about my team?" was the first thing General Hammond asked as soon as Maybourne entered.
Maybourne knew that would be the first topic to address, so he nodded as he took a seat and handed over several reports he had in a briefcase.
"They are alive. The infiltrators needed them alive to interact with them telepathically and mimic their behavior. Thanks to that, they were able to adapt quickly and initiate their infiltration into our base. However, they didn't account for the fact that we have sensors against camouflage artifacts like the one they used," explained Maybourne.
"Artifacts I wasn't informed of either," General Hammond said.
"Sir, intelligence agencies are here to manage these types of risks. If everyone on the base knew about these sensors, it's possible these aliens would have taken countermeasures or simply changed their infiltration plan," explained Maybourne.
"How can we rescue my team?" General Hammond asked.
"Sir, I'm afraid that will be a bit challenging. These infiltrators have an infiltration protocol that involved these initial infiltrators taking control of the gate and requesting reinforcements. Those reinforcements would capture the base, and only after establishing a control point, they planned to send SG-6 here to continue transmitting their thoughts to the infiltrators and continue the invasion plan," explained Maybourne.
"You mean there's no way to rescue my team right now?" General Hammond asked. Maybourne shook his head.
"Actually, we have a plan. We're going to contact them right now, notifying them that everything is in order and that reinforcements are needed to secure the base. When they believe the base is under their control, they will send SG-6 as planned to interface with the infiltrators," explained Maybourne. "Sir, I must inform you that this plan has an execution window of no more than ten minutes," Maybourne added as he glanced at his watch.
General Hammond stood up and nodded, then headed out of his office where his intelligence team awaited, already utilizing the camouflage artifacts from the infiltrators.
"We have the codes for transmission, but we haven't been able to conduct deep memory scans. Only recent memories. Therefore, we don't yet have all the information. However, we believe the codes will be valid," explained Maybourne as they walked towards the gate room.
…
The Stargate activated smoothly, and Maybourne transmitted the codes that would signal the extraterrestrial infiltration group that the operation had succeeded and that reinforcements were needed to secure the rest of the base. Then the gate closed as three members of his intelligence team entered the gate room. Two of them appeared as the captured SG-6 members, and one as the invaders.
"Clear the gate room!" General Hammond ordered his troops, and they left the intelligence team alone.
General Hammond looked at Maybourne for further explanations as they exited, as there wasn't time to discuss matters in the briefing room.
"Once the infiltration group crosses over, one of my agents will use a stun grenade to render them unconscious. I've demonstrated that it's an effective weapon against them in the infirmary. However, I suggest the rest of the personnel be equipped with Zat guns, just in case something slips through. According to their memories, SG-6 should arrive with them," explained Maybourne. General Hammond nodded, and the gate started to activate.
"Unscheduled off-world activation," the control operator reported.
"Open the iris," General Hammond ordered firmly.
Maybourne activated his own camouflage to appear as one of the aliens and pretended to tend to the controls, while General Hammond took cover alongside the operator.
As the gate stabilized, the extraterrestrials began to enter, carrying a substantial amount of equipment. There were twenty in the group. They brought several containers of gear. Thanks to the memories downloaded by the Orbanian nanites, Maybourne knew exactly what was inside and how to operate each piece of that technology. There were also four stretchers carrying the SG-6 members.
Maybourne smiled in satisfaction at the success of his plan and waited for the gate to close. At that moment, one of his agents discreetly pulled out a stun grenade. After a flash, everyone in the room fell to the ground. His agents were unaffected, as they wore personal shields, just like him.
After the flash, General Hammond approached Maybourne to observe as the military personnel entered the gate room, checked for any conscious extraterrestrials, and disarmed them of their weapons and other equipment.
"Colonel Maybourne, good job!" praised General Hammond and hurried out of the control room to assess the condition of his team.
Maybourne knew that for him, the most important thing was to have retrieved SG-6; numbers and benefits weren't priorities for General Hammond. That's how he gained his men's trust so quickly.
Maybourne had gotten used to it, and, as in this case, he and his agency crafted their plans with this mentality in mind. He was getting used to it; it was strange. He had even grown accustomed to Jack and his sarcastic humor; perhaps he was even on the verge of getting along with that bespectacled guy.
…
Daniel Jackson stepped through the Stargate to the SGC after nearly drowning in a torrential rain, only to find a military team pointing weapons at him.
"It's them," Maybourne's voice sounded from the control room, whose shields activated and began to lower as his voice was heard.
The military personnel began to withdraw from the gate room, and the control room's shields started to lower.
"We've had some unwelcome visitors," explained General Hammond as the gates lowered completely.
…
"In summary, they've been here receiving extraterrestrial equipment until they no longer needed it and cut off communication," said Jack. Maybourne nodded solemnly.
"We've only managed to download about three months' worth of memories. It seems that being a civilization with memory- and thought-reading technology, they had their own security measures. But we have a lot of information about their infiltration tactics and a detailed knowledge of their camouflage technology. Their mind-reading technology is quite intriguing," said Maybourne, and Daniel shivered.
"Maybourne, you could write horror novels. You've got a talent for that," Jack remarked, and Maybourne smiled at his comment.
"Jack, you're just jealous that another team brought us benefits," Maybourne retorted.
…
Korr read the SGC's final report on the infiltration attempt on their base and nodded in satisfaction. He was seated on his throne on the Leviathan's bridge.
The SGC had handled a serious alien threat and, as always, had survived. Moreover, they had managed to gain benefits this time without needing help from their envoys. They hadn't even called them. It was a minor threat at their level, and it had been easily resolved. It seemed that their plans were yielding results. Furthermore, Maybourne had taken care of this threat and seemed to have learned how to collaborate with the SGC…
A growl snapped Korr out of his thoughts. He looked at the screen in front of him, where Apophis appeared. He seemed to have borrowed Sokar's wardrobe and swapped his usual look for a red suit and a gold-checkered cape. He also had some mechanical additions on his face.
"You dare to ignore me!" reprimanded Apophis.
The last time they spoke, Apophis didn't dare respond, but now he had taken control of Sokar's fleet, and his ego had grown considerably.
Apophis was seated on a throne, and two average-looking women, in Korr's eyes, massaged his shoulders while some Jaffa guarded around him; he seemed a bit paranoid about being attacked.
"Apophis, you know my terms for releasing your queen. Join me, and everything will be resolved," Korr said nonchalantly.
"Korr, I'll go for your head!" Apophis sentenced and cut off communication.
Korr grimaced. He hadn't expected Apophis to focus on him after sending him to liberate, seemingly trapping his queen had altered the things he knew, but he wasn't too concerned about that. If Apophis attacked him, he would respond, as he still had some time before he settled completely, and Herur-ur was still disputing territories around there, now that Sokar was gone. Korr shelved the Apophis problem for later because he had another call.
Korr received the call, and Apophis looked at him angrily again, but this time he wasn't alone, and he didn't say anything as this was a meeting of the System Lords, and they appeared one by one, with Ba'al being the last.
"Apophis, tell us your intentions," Yu said once they were all present.
"I am a System Lord, I will not act with the same dishonor as Sokar," declared Apophis. Yu nodded.
Korr nodded as did the others, even Herur-ur, who had invaded Apophis's territories, causing some skirmishes.
The only one missing was Nirrti, who, after attempting to kill Cronos at an official meeting of the Asgard, escaped and became a fugitive.
"Very well, now let's discuss the second point that has brought us here," said Cronos.
"The minor System Lords," Ba'al said with a smile.
"They're a problem," grumbled Amaterasu.
"Indeed," Korr said, as the minor System Lords had facilitated Sokar's rise and, although the System Lords didn't yet know it, they would also be the cause of Anubis's rise.
"I think the solution is simple: no more minor System Lords," Ba'al proposed.
"What about the larvae maturing in Jaffa?" Amaterasu asked.
"And what about the current minor System Lords?" Korr added.
"The current minor System Lords will be eliminated in due time," Yu said.
"As for the maturing larvae, they will be consumed," Cronos pronounced.
Korr had erased that from his memory, but he knew about the Goa'uld's cannibalistic ritual to prevent their population from growing. Not all symbiotes were consumed, but this ritual marked the beginning, like a sentence.
Korr, whose Jaffa did not carry symbiotes, looked at them with disgust.
"Don't expect me to join you, do as you wish. In my territory, there are no minor Goa'uld causing trouble," Korr said, eliciting a growl from Yu.
The other Lords looked at him with disdain, and the meeting ended. Korr knew the minor System Lords would continue causing problems until Anubis revealed himself. But at least no more minor System Lords would be created, to then create Ha'taks for thieves like Sokar and Anubis.
The problem now was the number of Ha'taks. Without a supreme lord, the Goa'uld acted independently, and now the minor System Lords had more ships than the System Lords. That was a problem the System Lords couldn't face at the moment.
…
The Unknown.
The Unknown stepped out of the portal. In front of him, two hundred meters away, stood a temple whose façade was supported by stone columns.
The Unknown took a step, using a fraction of his psychic abilities to, in the eyes of lesser beings, appear on an altar in a grand hall with a dark floor that reflected his presence. On the altar, illuminated by torches that cast everything into perpetual twilight, sat a throne of black marble with veins of white lightning.
The Unknown sat down, placing his hands on the armrests. Though he smiled, his shadowy face showed no indication, just a profound and infinite darkness beneath a cloak that seemed woven from the very night itself.
The Unknown wasn't happy, just satisfied. From the moment he descended to the material plane after being discovered stealing knowledge, he was surprisingly offered a more favorable deal than he had ever thought. They even allowed him to retain much of his knowledge, while the rest was sealed away.
The Unknown experienced a momentary satisfaction in that moment, but he knew the Ascended beings wouldn't bestow gifts without reason. He set out to uncover their motives.
The Unknown chose not to use his psychic abilities to investigate, as he sensed a psychic network covering the entire galaxy. Given that his current situation had been sealed in his mind, he decided not to risk it. His opponent couldn't be underestimated, and their power didn't seem inferior to his own. So, instead, he remained hidden, using his psychic power to mask his presence while he explored the extent of his rival's influence.
One day after infiltrating the territory of a minor Goa'uld lord and establishing his base, stealing his knowledge, the Unknown began to glimpse the current situation. He understood why his knowledge and abilities hadn't been completely suppressed. He realized that his rival had been active for years. Although their knowledge and abilities might be similar, their foundations and resources differed significantly. If he were to attempt to confront him, he would be easily overwhelmed.
The Unknown didn't like these kinds of confrontations, so he decided not to engage in them. He moved to an unknown world to the inhabitants of that galaxy, where there was a somewhat special Stargate.
Once there, the Unknown used artifacts and programmed his destination to a hundred years in the past. He believed that traveling to that moment would erase any trace of his rival, as his presence seemed recent, only a few years old. Traveling to the past would give him a swift victory without the need for a fight.
However, upon completing his preparations and activating the Stargate to travel a hundred years back, it didn't work. The Unknown didn't consider it a mistake. He was a god and therefore infallible. The activation failure had to have another cause. Soon after, an overwhelmingly powerful psychic presence settled upon him. It was a brief second, as if someone had opened and closed their eyes, but the Unknown understood. He wasn't allowed to use that resource.
The Unknown wasn't bothered, he smiled. When devising that plan, he had considered the possibility that his rival might use it against him, given that he had been active for a longer time. It was obvious who would have the advantage and could have planned countermeasures. Now, those possibilities were discarded.
With his plan foiled, the Unknown left the planet and set out to discover his rival's identity. He already had two candidates in mind. One of them was a minor larva that had recently become a System Lord. According to memories copied from the Goa'uld whose memory he had taken, this minor larva named Korr had taken control of one of Ra's shipyards after his fall, along with a new power source and a fearsome ship.
The Unknown suspected that Ra planned to showcase this ship as his crown jewel, keeping it a secret from the System Lords. However, Ra died and Korr got everything.
The second candidate was Sokar, an ancient exiled Goa'uld who had amassed a vast fleet, superior to that of any System Lord. His sudden return made him the prime candidate for the Unknown's investigation. It had taken its time to approach Sokar without drawing attention.
The Unknown had spent a couple of weeks studying his potential rival. However, two weeks ago, this rival was suddenly killed, leading the Unknown to realize that he had misjudged the situation. He quickly shifted the course of his investigation and infiltrated the territories of the minor larva.
At this moment, two weeks later, the Unknown smiled as he sat on his throne.
"Minor larva… no, Korr, you are cautious and have realized the decline of our kind. Under different circumstances, we might have been allies, but since there can only be one supreme god in this universe, one of us must step aside," the Unknown said with a dark and artificial voice, a product of his psychic abilities.
The Unknown found It ironic that he had once tried to bring common sense to the System Lords, creating a true Goa'uld empire, but he had been exiled. Now he returned with the power to enact his will, only to encounter another Goa'uld with the same vision.
The Unknown let out a laugh with his artificial voice, and his laughter resonated through the walls and floor of the temple.
"My lord, is something amiss?" asked a Jaffa who hurriedly arrived at the scene, accompanied by two others.
The one who asked was his new First Prime, appointed among the servants of the minor Goa'uld lord he had killed.
The Unknown continued laughing for another minute. Then, he raised his hand and used his power to disintegrate the annoying being into particles. The other two Jaffa immediately understood their place and knelt.
The Unknown wasn't angry or feeling rage. He merely experienced a slight disappointment in the Goa'uld's decadence, evident in the disrespectful behavior of the Jaffa slaves who dared question their god.
The Unknown gathered the particles the Jaffa had turned into, reforming them into a metallic insect composed of blocks. The Replicator took its form and descended to the ground.
While this technology was interesting, it was also dangerous. If the Asgard discovered it was in his possession, they would act against him immediately, before he could take countermeasures. However, if he didn't use it, he would be easily surpassed.
The Unknown considered his next step. Korr had killed Sokar. It wasn't in his interest to allow a Goa'uld to sow chaos, so he eliminated Sokar to establish his empire in order. However, the Unknown couldn't allow rigid order, as that would limit his freedom of movement and make him vulnerable. He needed to discard order, and the easiest way to do that was by eliminating Apophis.
If the Unknown could take another System Lord with him, he would have a larger space to maneuver. But for now, he couldn't act openly. He had to gather resources in secret while ensuring Apophis's fall and the rise of chaos. This way, he could amass enough resources to match his rival, as there were currently hundreds of minor Goa'uld with Jaffa and Ha'taks that he could quickly recruit to form his army, all without alerting the Asgard with his technology until he was ready to face them.
The Unknown knew the Asgard wouldn't intervene until it was too late, as they were occupied with their war against the Replicators. As long as the Replicators weren't detected, he would have a chance.
The Unknown also didn't fear for his life, as he was immortal. None of these small creatures could harm him. As for Korr, his presence was enigmatic. Despite his psychic power not seeming inferior to his own, the Unknown couldn't sense an immortal body within him. In fact, he experienced an immense physical presence.
This puzzled the Unknown, as the Ascended didn't grant advantages. If his rival possessed the same knowledge, he should also be capable of Ascending. In theory, he himself should have Ascended at some point, making it strange that he would prefer a physical body when he had access to immortality.
Korr also wasn't using his abilities actively, which slightly concerned the Unknown, as it could indicate he was hiding. In fact, that was the reason he initially couldn't locate him with certainty. Did Korr know of his existence? Wondered the Unknown.
NA 1: The Ascended haven't overlooked the MC, and they've reacted to his presence in the galaxy, making the corresponding adjustments in their intervention in the story. As the author of this fic, I won't ignore the existence of the Ascended, as they're the only ones who could have noticed the change in Korr, and of course, if they were to intervene, as in this case, they would take it into account.
NA 2: Korr's rival is already present and has made his move, plotting his course of action to act in the shadows while gathering strength. Apophis is an unfortunate individual, as everyone is planning to kill him.
NA 3: Korr's rival will have his own perspective every time he acts, and when he begins to intervene directly in the story, he will have half of the plot in his favor, with his own characters and viewpoints.
NA 4: In this brief perspective, I wanted to provide an idea of Korr's and his rival's current psychic power. I read a comment somewhere where someone asked about Korr's psychic abilities and why it seemed like anyone could hide their intentions from him, even though he could read minds. Well, here's your answer: Korr doesn't usually use his abilities in a localized manner, as he knows that if he does, he will be exposed. Remember that he's a transmigrant and is aware of all the disadvantages his abilities can bring, as he knows that psychic abilities can be traced.
NA 5: To preempt those who might say that Korr has a set location on a planet and shouldn't hide since everyone knows where he is, I'll tell you that's not the case. You're forgetting something extremely important about him, so indeed, no one knows where Korr is except himself. Up until now, I've mentioned something about part of his location. If anyone argues that the Unknown uses his psychic abilities freely, I ask you to read carefully, as he is also in hiding. Despite that, he uses his psychic abilities, as he's less paranoid than Korr and trusts that no one surpasses him beyond the Ascended.
NA 6: My intention was to delay the introduction of the antagonist, but since we've already reached the halfway point of the story and this is when he begins to act, I assumed you would be interested in finding out. Personally, I'm not a fan of when an author introduces a character and then reveals that they've been acting in the background, so I'm not very fond of suspense or investigative films.
NA 7: I've used "Unknown" to name the antagonist for now because in the original series, his name wasn't used until he decided to reveal himself to the System Lords. Therefore, I'll follow the canon, and he'll also be the "Unknown" until he decides to name himself and present himself to others.
NA: Don't forget to leave your comments, bookmark, follow, and subscribe.
