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Chapter 24: The New World(Sith) Order

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Part 3

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More aliens on Earth! The US government just confirmed that Lord Perun's visit to the Amazon Rainforest a few hours ago was to retrieve a Goa'uld imprisoned on Earth for thousands of years. Satellites and radars tracked Lord Perun's ship head for Antarctica, where it briefly stopped before returning to New York. What our alien overlord retrieved remains a mystery.

Associated Press

Lord Perun will demonstrate an alien medical and resurrection technology tomorrow at the United Nations building!

CNN

Despite a public backlash, over fifty governments have issued statements accepting the new status quo. This includes the largest and most powerful military and economic powers on Earth.

BBC World News

After the military's intervention, the situation in France slowly stabilized. Martial law and curfews remain in effect across most of the country. Opposition leaders accuse President Aubert and General Hubert of de-facto launching a military coup and using the military to suppress the liberties of French citizens.

Euronews

Violence erupted across Saudi Arabia this morning when Royal Guard units clashed with supporters of radical Mullahs calling for Jihad against the infernal allies of the Great Satan.

Al Jazeera

Iran is the first Middle Eastern country after Israel to accept Lord Perun as Earth's new ruler. This happened shortly after Iranian religious scholars proclaimed that Allah created all creatures in the universe. Thus, Lord Perun and the power he wields is as Allah wills it.

BBC World News

The Taliban Government in Afghanistan rejects Lord Perun, declaring him Shaitan – an evil spirit, leading people to sin by whispering in their hearts.

Al Jazeera

Protests and riots across Eastern Europe peter off as people fatalistically accept Earth's new situation. Military and law enforcement remain on high alert.

Euronews

The EU announced that starting the following Monday, its member states will begin opening recruiting offices for people with the qualifications required by Lord Perun. A comprehensive list of requirements and benefits should be publicly available by then.

Euronews

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20 January 1997
The United Nations building, New York
Earth
Milky Way Galaxy

"Jack, you look like shit," Charley concluded after looking at O'Neill.

When Kowalski arrived, Jack was stuck in one of the rooms of the US delegation. He wore borrowed clothes after Perun shot him in the face and apparently let him fall into the muck on the pyramid's floor. He was sure that one of Perun's Jaffa dragged him up to the ship. At least one of that bastard's new pets didn't mistake him for lunch.

"I feel like it, too, buddy. Gimme!" He made grabby hands at the bag Kowalski was carrying.

"A full set of essentials here for you. Proper boots, too. What is that I hear about you and certain alien ladies?" Charley had to be an ass.

"You've read my report then?" Jack grumbled. He grabbed the offered bag, opened it, and dug in for his boots. No more dress blues for the time being.

"I did read it. I also saw you being very chummy with the Lady Lyda, was it?"

"You are an ass, Charley."

"Seriously, Jack, we must know what we're dealing with here. You're bringing in priceless intelligence!" Kowalski grew serious.

"It was freaky, buddy. One moment, I wondered what Perun had brought us in for. The next thing I know, I am ready to die and kill for my new Goddess!"

"Fucking mind control, man," Charley cursed.

"Then Perun shot me in the face with one of those Zat things when I tried to claw his throat out," Jack shuddered at recalling how enraged yet helpless he felt at that moment.

"That sucks. Any advice?"

"Fucking MOPP gear. Perun's Jaffa weren't affected. He didn't wear a helmet, but he's well…' Jack waved in exasperation, unsure how to best describe what it was like to be around Perun now. "He's like Palpatine on crack!"

"About that Jack…" Charley winced. "Some of our geeks bothered to include all symbols associated with Perun in a recent briefing. One of those is eerily similar to that of the Galactic Empire from Star Wars. And Perun's a fan. He made himself a lightsaber too…"

Jack dropped his boot in shock. "No fucking way."

"That was my thought exactly. Then I saw the latest briefing on him after I got here."

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Jack left with Kowalski in tow after he was sure he was presentable. They were about to meet the other poor bastards who drew a short straw, so people were also throwing them to the snakes.

Perun wanted a handful of people in his court to represent Earth, or well, to give orders through, Jack thought. He was the military attache, as the king snake put it. He wanted a diplomat to deal with the crazy politics of Earth and a scientist to coordinate research projects. Finally, an engineer will be needed to coordinate the ongoing uplift.

Henry and the Weir woman waited for Jack in a small office overlooking East River. Hayes looked up from a folder he was browsing through. His haunted eyes met Jack's, making O'Neill wince in commiseration.

"Jack, Elizabeth here will be our diplomatic representative. She has the UN's ear, and well…"

"After Perun's temper tantrum, people aren't exactly volunteering for the job," Weir pointed out.

"Welcome to the snake pit, it sucks," Jack offered his hard-earned wisdom.

"So I hear, Colonel. We don't have an agreement about a Scientific Adviser and a Coordinator for the Uplift Program Perun is running. As a compromise, you are officially getting an aide. Until the right candidates can be found, Captain Carter will fill in the role of Scientific Adviser for now. Apparently, her sister sang her praises in front of Lady Lyda, so she was on the shortlist anyway."

"She wasn't going to make it no matter her qualifications. No one is happy with the situation, but at the same time, no one wants us to have more than one representative in Perun's court," Henry grumbled.

"There's three of us now?" Jack wasn't sure how that worked as far as the diplomats were concerned.

"Yes, and that is a problem for a lot of people. I have to soothe the feathers of now."

"As of today, Henry here is the new Secretary of State. Congress confirmed his position before going back to bickering about who to blame for everything that's happening," Weir explained.

"Congratulations, Henry. I think? I've been out of the loop for a bit," Jack admitted.

"In that case, congratulations on being Perun's new best friend," Hayes snarked at him. He consulted his watch and sighed. "Come on, we have a performance to attend."

They headed to the lobby, where Perun would soon perform a 'miracle' demonstrating how he intended to bribe people to work for him. The worst thing was many would accept the bargain without a second thought. If he could get his son back…. No, better not think about that. That was a topic Jack did his best to avoid, like the plague.

The building's lobby was packed with journalists, security, a few doctors, and surprisingly few diplomats. Or not surprisingly. So far, the only one Perun choked while on Earth was a diplomat. They had good reason to avoid him unless their name was Henry.

Light flashed outside, and Perun materialized within those transport rings of his, with a very familiar sarcophagus floating upright beside him. He walked towards the building, and the device followed as if attached to him with invisible chains. Jack hoped the damn thing was empty this time.

When Perun reached the gates, the sarcophagus rotated in the air until it floated parallel to the ground. He walked inside, and the device followed before landing beside him.

"Let us get this circus out of the way. Did you bring a fresh body, or is someone volunteering?" Perun demanded.

Jack grimaced. Beside him, both Weir and Henry blanched. Granted, killing someone and then bringing them back would undoubtedly send a message, though not the one everyone wanted the rest of the world to see. The implication that simply dying wasn't enough to save you from the snakes was terrible enough.

"We have a sick child volunteering to be healed and a body…" One of the doctors admitted while looking warily at Perun.

An orderly pushed forward a tiny bald girl in a wheelchair. She was hidden by the medics, who were presumably her parents.

Perun looked critically at the child. "From what Lyda told me of your world, it is a miracle the chit is still alive," Perun said. He waved a hand at the sarcophagus, and it unfolded. Cameras flashed, recording how a nurse and the orderly carefully picked up the girl and put her in, helping her lay down.

"Don't you need to know what is wrong with her?" One of the doctors asked. "Lord Perun," he hastily added.

"Blood cancer. It has spread through her body as well. As I said, it is a miracle she is still alive based on what I know about the level of your medical science. The details don't matter to the sarcophagus," Perun announced.

Jack scowled at the snake, wondering how he figured that out if it was true. Judging by the doctors' reactions, he wasn't off the mark.

"While we wait for the sarcophagus to do its job, I will answer questions. Otherwise, we will be wasting our time staring at the machine while it works," Perun looked at the gathered journalists.

Only now, it clicked in Jack's head that Perun didn't bring any of his Jaffa. Not that he really needed them to keep him alive, but… What was he up to now?

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Part 4

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"Doctor George Schmidt is here today with us as our medical expert to explain what we are seeing and why it is important,"

"It's good to be here, Linda. What we were told we would see goes beyond groundbreaking, even if only partially true. We now have injury reports about the survivors of the Abydos Expedition released by the relevant governments with the consent of the wounded. A key example many may have seen on TV now is Colonel O'Neill. He shouldn't be walking around. The Colonel should be in an intensive-care unit of a hospital burns ward right now. His left arm and eye should be gone. We've seen him walking around, and he is right there right now, up and running, whole…" Dr. Schmidt pointed at a screen showing a live feed from the United Nations building lobby.

"Yes, Colonel O'Neill appears to be all right now. What can you tell us about what is happening, Dr. Schmidt?"

"The girl just placed in the alien healing device is Maya Roberts. She is fourteen years old, despite her appearance. She has been suffering from blood cancer for the past two years. Treatments have proved ineffective, resulting in her health rapidly deteriorating. From the medical records released with her parents' permission, it seems that Ms. Roberts has only a few weeks left, and only because of an aggressive chemotherapy regimen that might well kill her before the cancer does. For all intents and purposes, she is beyond the capability of current medical science to aid her."

"What are the implications of this device healing Ms. Roberts?"

"If the claims are real, then it will revolutionize medicine as we know it. The ability to bring back the dead is far beyond our understanding of medicine and how the human body works. It might as well be actual magic. Rapid recovery from crippling injuries combined with the ability to cure cancers? This technology could save millions worldwide each year."

CNN live broadcast of Lord Perun's sarcophagus demonstration

President Richards's inauguration was completed at the White House under extreme security measures. Within the hour, a motion in the Senate to begin impeachment procedures for the President failed by three votes. Meanwhile, preparations for the trial of former President Cole continue. He is expected to speak at Senate and Congress hearings tomorrow and the day after.

CBC

Henry Hayes, former Deputy Secretary of State under President Cole, was confirmed by Congress as the Secretary of State of the new administration shortly after President Richards was sworn in. This action caused outrage among some members of the Senate and Congress, who accused their colleagues of collaborating with the people who sold the US to alien interests!

CNN

In Germany, the coalition government nearly fractured after news of military units clashing with protesters and rioters spread. Three commanders of the German Army surrendered themselves into the custody of their own forces after giving orders for their teams to restore order when riots were devouring the cities they were deployed to protect.

Foreign media grossly mischaracterizes the nature of the German military's involvement in keeping order in these dangerous times.

DPA

Does bringing back the dead, if at all possible, make Lord Perun a god?

Euronews

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20 January 1997
The United Nations building, New York
Earth
Milky Way Galaxy

Journalists and other assorted people whose curiosity got the better of them looked warily at each other. Jack couldn't hold it against them that they were apprehensive about asking the crazy aliens questions. Who knew what might trigger him.

"Lord Perun…" A woman in her early thirties dared raise a hand as if she was in school. Her voice crackled slightly before she rallied herself. "I am Holly Clark with the New York Times. What are your intentions for Earth? Our governments haven't been quite clear on that point."

"What's with you humans of Earth and not paying attention? What your government told you is clear enough. Your world will provide its expertise to uplift my human subjects, increase the pace of infrastructure construction and development across my realm, and provide colonists with the practically empty worlds I lack the manpower to properly exploit. What you get in exchange is my protection because any other Goa'uld in the galaxy would burn Earth to the ground for daring to be an advanced human world. The rest of my kind likes their human subjects as primitive slaves, so they don't have to worry about taking care of them in any shape or form. It is easy to govern ignorant fools, yet they provide no tangible benefit to a realm beyond hosts. It is a complete and utter waste of personnel what my kind has been doing for thousands of years now," Perun sneered in contempt.

"Why do you do things differently, Lord Perun?"

"Compared to most of my kind, I am not content to entertain myself with court intrigues or basking in the blind adoration and terror of my subjects. Should I repeat myself once again so it would sink in? Ignorant slaves are a waste of potential," Perun grumbled.

Jack had to grudgingly agree. Like it or not, it had been clear that Perun had been busy uplifting his people from primitive conditions since before he contacted Earth. It was also clear he wasn't doing it out of the goodness of his heart, so making his subjects more useful made sense. And from what Jack had experienced so far, he had the nasty suspicion that a more educated population wouldn't mean that Perun's people would suddenly cease believing he was a god.

"Next question," Perun ordered and looked critically over the crowd. Jack did the same, wondering who would be brave enough to go next.

"I'm Timothy Silva from CNN, Lord Perun. How are you going to change how Earth is ruled? What policies are you going to instate for your new subjects?"

Now, that was an excellent question, Jack decided. He wanted to hear a truthful answer on that point.

"I care not how you govern yourselves as long as your world delivers what I require. The squabbles of your nations and politicians are of no consequence. How you live your lives is your problem, not mine."

Henry twitched at those words. Even Jack knew it wasn't that simple. Things were going to change now in a way no one could predict. However, if Perun didn't really didn't care how things were run here on Earth, that could help smooth things over. It was one thing to deal with an alien overlord whose policies were constantly in your face, disrupting your life. It would be a very different thing to be aware of a distant authority that didn't meddle in your daily life.

"Next question," Perun demanded.

A stir went through the journalists while cameras kept flashing.

"Karol Elis, Lord Perun, CNN. Why do your people insist that they are gods? Can you elaborate on your religious angle?"

"Originally, that was the fault of you humans. They saw the technology and powers some of us wield and declared us Gods. Many of my people took extremely well to the notion and are utterly convinced of their divinity. These days, it is the law of the galaxy that the Goa'uld are Gods, served by our Jaffa Legions and countless human slaves," an arrogant smile appeared on Perun's face. "Some of us can lay a credible claim to the title. Others, not so much."

"Do you truly believe to be a god, Lord Perun?" Elis pushed.

Jack wasn't sure if the man was braver than most or particularly foolish.

"I can turn worlds into molten seas of glass. I have destroyed civilization and ended defiant species. I have fought wars beyond your comprehension," As Perun spoke, his eyes glowed like pools of hellfire. The shadows across the lobby stirred. The winter chill flooded the area, even if it was comfortably warm and isolated from the cold outside. "I can bring the dead back to life, break people's will, and shatter their minds over my knee. By the standard of any sane religion and by the power at our fingertips, my kind qualifies as Gods."

Both Henry and Weir groaned at that declaration. This would stir up everyone who took their religion seriously; if they were unlucky, it might even start a cult or ten worshiping Perun.

"Any other questions?" Perun asked. Amusement tingled in his voice as he observed how everyone reacted to him, demonstrating a hint of what he could do.

The lucky bastards were fortunate that Perun didn't do a repeat performance, which made them experience the feeling of a world dying.

"Bella Baile, Lord Perun, from the Associated Press. What can anyone signing up to work for you expect regarding treatment, benefits, and pay, or will you be simply conscripting people to use as free labor?"

"Good work should be rewarded. We are here for you to see one of the benefits I offer to those who work for me and are valuable assets. Everyone working for me can expect adequate payment in the form of what you deem precious metals like gold and silver, as well as jewels and such. I am not offering what my kind regularly uses as currency. Naquadah and trinium bars are strategic resources that will be needed for the war I have to fight because of the arrogance of your governments. The standard of living will depend on how fast the construction crews and engineers Earth provides can work."

Jack didn't need to be a genius to realize that millions would likely take such a deal without a second thought.

Beside Perun, the sarcophagus unfolded, garnering everyone's attention. A thin arm shot out, looking much healthier than before. Maya, the young teen, emerged from the device. She could hardly be recognized. She was still tiny, too small for her age, yet she shone with health instead of looking like a starvation victim due to the disease and drugs ravaging her body. Maya's eyes were wide in disbelief as she looked down at herself.

"It doesn't hurt..." the kid muttered in wonder for the whole world to hear. She rolled out of the sarcophagus even as her parents dashed her way, ignoring Perun, who was watching the show with a smug smirk. The kid managed to get to her feet and looked at them in marvel as if she didn't recognize them before her mother nearly tackled her and enfolded her in a bear hug.