Robotech: The Stargate Saga

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters and universes that I am about to mangle around and mash together for my own demented author amusement – sadly all Robotech and Stargate characters and concepts remain the property of Harmony Gold and MGM respectively – I am merely borrowing them and make absolutely no profit from their use. As a result, please keep the legal attack dogs – also known as lawyers – firmly muzzled and on a leash as I have no money to give to anyone.

Authors Note: This chapter was originally going to be another interlude chapter before the next arcs – which will be both the assault on Elysium and mystery of the Martian ship and something else that's at Mars – of the story begin. However, as these things sometimes do the scenes took on a life of their own and have thus graduated up to a full length chapter. So, without further ado let's crack on shall we.

Chapter Sixteen

Robotech Factory Satellite

Earth Orbit

Sitting quietly in the antechamber of Admiral Chase's office Martouf would admit that he was starting to get very concerned. A glance at Freya told him that she was just as concerned as he was, especially as they had been in the middle of a very interesting conversation with the Terran admiral when a priority call had come in from the surface. A call that had prompted the admiral to request that they wait in the outer office while he answered it and dealt with whatever it was about. Naturally they had abided by the request of their host and come out here to wait.

That had been nearly an hour ago.

Since then, they had been left here more or less twiddling their thumbs with no idea what was going on. There only company had been the admiral's yeoman – who had kindly brought them something to drink while Chase was busy with whatever emergency had cropped up – who while kind and helpful hadn't been able to tell them what was going on. The only thing they could guess with any certainty was that it had to be something that had happened on the planet and not here on this still mindbogglingly huge space station. After all there had been no sign of any alarm or urgency anywhere here, no alerts going off nothing. The only thing he could think of was that something had happened that involved the Stargate.

"Very likely," Lantash agreed with him, "from everything that we have seen of them so far, which really isn't much, these people seem to make very limited use of the chappa'ai. It is likely that it has been buried for a very long time – likely several millennia – and only just been rediscovered."

"Possible," Martouf replied to his symbiote, "if they are still not used to using it then they might not yet have developed a defence against hostile forces coming through the chappa'ai. They could have easily been attacked by a Goa'uld raiding party that stumbled across this worlds gate address whatever it is."

"Indeed," Lantash agreed though Martouf knew his symbiote well, how could he not as blending – at least how the Tok'ra went about it – meant symbiote and host had no secrets whatsoever from one another and could tell that he had a suspicion about this world and its people.

"What is it?"

"I can't be certain, but I suspect that this planet is the first world. The place where the human form first evolved and which Ra stumbled upon when looking for a new host all those millennia ago."

"You mean?"

"Yes, these people could well be the long lost Tau'ri. Given the sheer amount of time that has passed since the Goa'uld were driven from this world they would have had ample time to develop to the technological level they have. And since Tau'ri was reportedly somewhere in the remotest parts of Goa'uld space – where no Goa'uld has ventured for millennia."

"They could develop without anyone noticing," Martouf finished for him. "Though I am not quite sure how Tau'ri could evolve into Terran. Unless they themselves forgot the name Ra gave them when he first conquered their planet and the Goa'uld began taking humans as hosts or slaves. Though if they are the Tau'ri then how do we confirm it?"

"We will just have to ask if this is the world where the human form first appeared. If it is they would certainly have fossil records of your species evolution from tree-dwelling primates into what you are now."

"That would work," Martouf agreed before noticing the door to the inner office opening, "something is happening."

"Indeed, hopefully we will get some answers as to why we were asked to wait out here so long."

"That would be nice."

As Martouf finished speaking to his symbiote he saw Admiral Chase appear in the doorway and mention for the two of them to come back inside. Martouf exchanged a look with Freya before they both stood up and made their way back inside the office.

"Sorry I kept you waiting out there so long," Admiral Chase said sounding a bit contrite. "Unfortunately, something happened on Earth, and I was in conference with the Defence Council on how we are going to respond to it."

"It is quite alright we understand," Martouf replied. "Is it anything we can help you with?"

"I hope you can provide some information."

"We will certainly try," Freya answered. "What happened?"

"An attack took place on the surface of our planet," Chase explained. "The facility where we have begun studying the Stargate, which we only discovered a few weeks ago after finishing clearing up a crashed Zentraedi warship that was leaking radiation from its cracked sublight engines, was attacked. A group of warriors in the same type of armour, though the helmets were a different design, and carrying the same kind of plasma staffs led by someone in a gold version of the armour came through. There was a short battle before our forces drove them back through the gate, but not before they killed some of our people and abducted another."

"I see we had a fear it might be a Goa'uld raiding party," Martouf admitted, "some of the combatants on both sides of the civil war that has been raging in the Goa'uld Empire for the last several years are known to be dialling old, disused gate addresses at random. Looking for anything that might give them an edge as the war has degenerated into a stalemate. Do you have any recordings of the attackers that you can show us? We should be able to identify which System Lord led the attack from there."

"I have a few that I can show you," Chase replied tapping in a few commands on his desk console. A projector field immediately powered up and a holographic screen pixeled into existence over the desk, showing the image of a cylindrical room with the Stargate faintly visible at the other end. A column of Jaffa wearing helmets that Martouf instantly recognised as belonging to Pegasus Guards – the elite Jaffa units that served one of four Goa'uld – and a Goa'uld attacking some humans who were obviously surprised by their arrival. That being said they were fighting back quite effectively with what looked like projectile weapons that were obviously very powerful given how they were effortlessly punching through the Jaffa armour though the Goa'uld's personal shield withstood them without issue when one of the troopers fired upon him, earning himself a repulsor blast for his trouble from the Goa'uld's kara'kesh.

"Those are Pegasus Guards," Martouf said as they watched the battle seem to end, two of the surviving Jaffa grabbing the trooper who'd been thrown across the room who even from this angle was obviously very muscular as humans went which would make him very attractive to a Goa'uld, "they're the elite guards of a specific group of System Lords. Specifically, they serve either Zeus, Poseidon, Hades or Ares."

"Can you tell which one," Chase asked as they observed the helmet of the Goa'uld open and him study his prisoner who was resisting futilely against the Jaffa holding him.

"It's Hades. He's a mid-rank System Lord and has been for the last two and a half millennia ever since he lost a territorial battle with Cronus," Freya said even as they observed the Goa'uld use his kara'kesh again this time to induce voluntary neural paralysis, so the human went limb in the arms of the two Jaffa. Which was not a good sign. "That's not a good sign."

"What do you mean?"

"Normally someone who shows that kind of resistance to a System Lord would be hit with a neural lance," Martouf explained, "it's a function of the kara'kesh that essentially attacks the neurons inside the victim's skull causing severe pain and will eventually if held on too long kill the victim by burning out the neurons. The Goa'uld take great pleasure in killing someone that way. The fact that he didn't do that, instead he used the non-aggressive setting of the neural attack functions – inducing a temporary paralysis of the voluntary nervous system – means Hades wants your soldier and I have a good idea what for."

As they watched Hades moved up to the dialling device and dialled in the address of his throne world. They were starting to head back towards the gate when more Terrans arrived in the room this time firing some type of bluish-white beam weapons. Jaffa immediately began going down, the beams whatever they were slicing through their armour with even greater ease than the projectiles had, forcing Hades and the other two – still carrying their prisoner – to race back through the gate which shut down behind them.

"What would this Hades want with Sergeant Reed," Chase asked, "and do you know anything about the address they went to." As he spoke the address appeared on the screen.

"Oh yes that's the gate address of Elysium, it's Hades throne world," Martouf answered, "as for what he will want with Sergeant Reed was it? Well, it isn't good. You see Hades fleet lord – an underlord named Charon who has been a servant, friend and ally to Hades for most of their long lives – who acts as the leader of his fleet needs a new host after his previous one was fatally wounded in a border skirmish with Heru'ur."

"By now he would certainly have taken Sergeant Reed as his new host," Freya added sadly, "just his physical appearance would attract him since the Goa'uld are very vain and choose the most attractive and strong looking hosts that they can."

"By hosts you mean."

"Charon will now be inside Sergeant Reed and will have taken over complete control of his body," Lantash said, "you see while neither of us likes to admit it we are from the same race we Tok'ra believe in sharing control with our hosts as while we need a host body to survive that does not mean it is ours to do with as we please and like all Tok'ra I would never take control of Martouf's body without asking him first and I always give it back when he asks. Anise is the same with Freya. The Goa'uld however do not have this belief they take over completely and suppress the host personality. The host will be aware of what is happening but cannot do anything to stop it or interact with the world."

"That sounds… terrible," Chase answered after a few moments of stunned, horrified silence while continuing to showing that his natural British penchant for understatement was running as strong as ever. "The decision to send a fleet to attack this Elysium has already been made. The Zentraedi ships will be docking to take on supplies and fuel before beginning their journey to Elysium. Their mission is to show the price of attacking us and to, if possible, recover Sergeant Reed. If they succeed in the latter is there any way of getting Charon out of him?"

"Of course," Martouf replied taking over again. "Both ourselves and the Asgard have the ability to remove a symbiote from an unwilling host without unduly harming the host. If you can help us re-establish contact with our people, we would gladly remove Charon from your soldier. However. I would be remiss if we didn't warn you about what could end up happening if you attack a major Goa'uld world. Even before we take in the fact that even by throne worlds standards Elysium is a fortress."

"Oh?"

"If you attack Elysium then you will be showing yourselves to be a threat," Freya explained, "and that is something that the Goa'uld System Lords generally do not allow to stand. They will certainly endeavour to eliminate you, though the civil war between the System Lords and those aligned to Sokar will certainly prevent any coordinated assault for some time."

"We can defend ourselves," Chase replied, "there are over seven hundred operational Zentraedi warships in this system – granted that's a small fleet by Zentraedi standards – but it would be a formidable obstacle to any attacker."

"The Goa'uld wouldn't dare to attack a fleet anywhere near that size," Martouf said even as he mentally reeled at the very thought that seven hundred warships were a small fleet by Zentraedi standards. Among the Goa'uld a large fleet was no more than ten to fifteen motherships and maybe two to three times that in smaller warships like the Cheops-class and the new Nar'kesh-class frigates. The fact that there was someone out there in the universe that considered seven hundred ships a small fleet was a prospect that was quite frankly terrifying.

"He has to be lying several hundred warships! That is just not possible," Lantash exclaimed, sounding shocked and terrified.

"I don't think he is," Martouf replied as there was something in the humans' eyes and voice that told him that the several hundred number was absolutely true. Plus, he had only referenced the Zentraedi fleet he had not said how many of his own people's warships were also in orbit.

"Are you alright?" Chase asked.

"We're fine it's just Lantash was a little shocked that seven hundred ships are a small fleet by the standards of these Zentraedi. If that's small I am not sure I want to know what they consider a large fleet."

"You don't be grateful you have never faced one."

"You have?"

"Yes. And we barely survived the experience as it is so many of our people did not."

"I see."

"Now going back to Elysium, you say that it is a fortress what can you tell me about it?" Chase asked. "Assuming you can tell us."

"We can," Freya confirmed. "As Martouf told you even by the standards of Goa'uld throne worlds Elysium is a fortress protected not only by a dedicated defence fleet but formidable ground and orbital defence systems."

"Tell me about them please."

Martouf and Freya exchanged a look, before concluding that they might as well. Something was telling both of them – and their symbiotes – that the Terrans and their Zentraedi friends would attack Elysium regardless in retribution for Hades' attack on them. Thus, the best thing they could do would be to prepare them as much as possible for the formidable defences that Hades, his Queen Persephone and Charon had been building around on and beneath the surface of Elysium for the last two millennia. The decision made they turned back to the Terran admiral…

… and began telling him everything they knew.

Hades Palace

Elysium, That Same Time

Standing before a full-length mirror in the wing of the great palace that had long been home to his chambers Charon studied his reflection with profound satisfaction. The slaves had finished dressing his new body in his customary finery, Unas leather boots that extended all the way up to his kneecaps on the front – though fitting them had been a bit more interesting than normal since Zackary was far bigger in the muscles department than any host he'd had before but the slaves had soon fixed that issue – light white silk trousers with a matching shirt inlaid with gold weave on the arms and an armoured leather chest plate, which like the boots had been a bit more challenging to fit than he was used to though they'd managed it. He had to admit though that the challenges had been worth it he looked better than ever in this get up.

"Vain bastard aren't you," he heard Zackary say from his prison in the back of his mind.

"You are a fine one to talk about being vain human after all don't you like engaging in that pastime from your world referred to as bodybuilding," Charon said back, even as he sent a blast of pain at the impertinent host for daring to speak to him in the first place. He was somewhat disappointed when the host didn't scream in pain.

"You will have to do better than that to silence me parasite," Zackary told him his mental voice sounding almost intolerably smug. "And yeah, I like having muscles but then I grew up surrounded by people with big muscles since both my dad and my uncle were competitive bodybuilders and both my brothers are as well as well as mom and my sister being fitness models. Until I joined the military, I only ever knew that lifestyle and I look forward to the day when I can live it again."

"You will never know it again you are mine for all eternity now."

"Don't bet on it."

"Nobody can save you."

"If there is one thing my people have learned its nothing is impossible. They'll catch you and then take you out of me."

"They won't. Now be silent I grow tired of your irritating babbling."

"Oh, you want me to be irritating? I can do that."

"Silence!" To enforce his demand, he sent an even stronger blast of pain at the thoughts of his host, only to be despite himself somewhat impressed when the host didn't react though he could sense he was uncomfortable. This one is going to be a challenge to break, he thought.

"You won't break me."

"Brave words I have heard them before, and they all broke before my might eventually. I am after all a god and you a mere human."

"You're not a god, you're just a quite pathetic little parasite with an ego."

Charon quietly growled in anger and sent the strongest blast of pain yet at the host. He allowed himself a small smile when this time he heard Zackary cry out in agony in his mental prison. "That will teach you now be silent you impertinent host."

Charon was pleased when Zackary didn't respond, though he got the distinct impression that he was mentally glaring at him. He ignored it as the sound of the doors to the room opening caught his attention and he turned around to see a slave returning with an ornate wooden box. The slave approached and knelt before him holding the box up.

"Your kara'kesh my lord," the lotaur said.

"Ah yes good," Charon replied touching a small button on the top of the box causing it to open revealing a kara'kesh device that was almost identical to the one he had lost in that battle with Heru'ur. Something he would take great pleasure in one day punishing the arrogant worm for – honestly Heru'ur got too big for his boots sometimes. But he supposed that was what happened when your sire was the Supreme System Lord. Calmly he took the device out and put it on, before willing it to activate and smiling when the crystal in the centre of his palm glowed. "Excellent."

"My lord I was asked to remind you that Lord Hades and First Prime Tor'et are waiting for you in the war room."

"I remember. I will go to him now."

"Would you like me to escort you, my lord?"

"I know the way. However, you can ensure all my clothes are replaced with sizes more appropriate for this host by the time I return."

"I will see to it immediately my lord."

"See that you do."

Dismissing the slave Charon left the room heading into the labyrinth of corridors and hallways that made up the interior of the palace. Servants and Jaffa stepped aside as he approached and bowed respectfully as he walked, and he hid a smile. After spending a month in a tank of water with absolutely nothing to do it was nice to see such proper difference again. He came to a junction in the corridor and turned down the right-hand passage which ended in a circular room with a ring platform in it. He entered a few quick commands into the ring platform control crystals – unlocking it with his security code as all the ring platforms in the palace were locked down by the security systems unless activated by an authorised user, preventing unauthorised transports into and out of the palace – before standing inside the ring. The rings activated and the surface part of the palace disappeared into the shimmering light of the matter stream. Soon enough the matter stream and rings disappeared to reveal another ring chamber, this one was much darker with more heavily armoured walls. But then they were now in a bunker buried nearly a kilometre beneath the granite mountain top on which the palace stood.

Two Jaffa monitoring the chamber stood at attention as he entered. Charon ignored them and resumed walking towards where the war room was located at the end of the corridor. Thus it took only a few moments for him to arrive.

"Ah Charon there you are," Hades said with a smile from where he was standing by the main situation table as he saw him enter. "Adjusting to your new host?"

"Indeed, Hades I am he is quite strong willed. It will be a pleasure to break him." Charon ignored the resultant mental shout from his host that he would not break him.

"I have no doubt about it. Now come I have quite a bit to bring you up to speed on. I have heard from my contacts in Sokar's court that he is planning a new offensive aimed at toppling Apophis."

"Apophis is still holding out?" Charon asked surprised he would have expected Apophis domain to have fallen to Sokar's domain by now, especially as Apophis was not the most astute of military commanders.

"Indeed. We should determine what we are to do about it. We could wait and inform the System Lords of the plan when Sokar's forces begin moving or…"

"…we could tell them now. Show me the current disposition of both our forces and those of our enemies I should be able to advise you better once I have seen them. Though Hades we do not to talk."

"Oh, what about?"

"My hosts people. They have a powerful ally called the Zentraedi. They will be coming to attack us. How big this attack will be I cannot say though they will come straight for us here."

"They would dare attack my throne world!"

"Indeed."

Hades eyes narrowed before glowing brightly in anger and irritation. "Then we will crush the fools," he said, "tell me all you can about the forces that might be coming for us. I have never heard of the Zentraedi before."

Charon nodded and began filling his liege in on the forces that would surely come here to Elysium in response to the raid on the Terran homeworld. He could sense his hosts horror as he accessed his memories of the strength and capabilities of Zentraedi battle mecha – which he knew being trained to operate battle mecha himself, something called a Tomahawk – and felt Zackary trying to stop him especially as he began listing the weak spots of the Regult-class battlepods. He allowed himself a mental smile as he heard Zackary's silent yell of fury at his inability to stop him.

All in all, it took ten minutes but at the end of it Hades look both angry and thoughtful. Angry that these giant humanoids would presume that they could attack his throne world and thoughtful as the technology they had could be useful – once it was made to properly serve the gods.

"Interesting. Begin preparing our defences and assembling forces ready to repel their attack," Hades said prompting Charon to nod before Hades turned to another Goa'uld around the table. "Thanatos are the new ground units ready for deployment?"

"I am still working out some of the issues my lord, but I should be able to have a few prototypes ready for deployment in a day or two. However, the new long range weapons are ready for deployment though we currently do not have that many of them. We are having to slowly make them at our most remote locations to avoid Ra catching onto what we are building," the lower ranked Goa'uld who served as the chief scientist and engineer of Hades forces answered.

"Do your best and prepare some of the weapons for deployment to the Terran home system and their planet. If they attack us, they will feel my wrath for their insolence."

"It will be done my lord."

"New long-range weapon?" Charon asked Hades, wondering what it was that Thanatos had come up with for them this time. He had to wonder why he had not been informed of this development project, unless Thanatos had sprung it as a surprise on Hades recently – something he had a somewhat irritating habit of doing from time to time. But then he was a scientist and engineer, like many Goa'uld of that caste he had his quirks.

"Indeed Project Javelin. Thanatos told me about them last week. Observe."

As Hades spoke, he touched a crystal control on the table causing a hologram to appear above the table showing a long, slim weapon that was about the same length as an Al'kesh. Though unlike the Al'kesh this weapon was autonomous – something that was taboo among most Goa'uld weapons smiths after a few unfortunate accidents a few millennia ago when P'tah was experimenting with such weapons. Smaller holograms appeared detailing the capabilities of the weapon and Charon smiled, even as he felt his host recoil in horror at the thought of these things, evilly. If he was right and the Terrans and their giant lapdogs the Zentraedi attacked them then the two of them that Hades had ordered Thanatos to make ready would be unleashed…

…and they would pay a thousand-fold for their insolence.

Authors Notes: Well, another chapter bites the metaphorical dust. I hope you all enjoyed it and the ominous reveal of Project Javelin at the end of the chapter. What exactly the Javelins are and how they will – at least the Goa'uld believe they will - make Earth and the Zentraedi pay if they attack Elysium will be revealed soon enough. Until next time.