This one came rather quickly didn't it? I'm not sure what happened but once I started writing it out, it just kept going and here we are. I hope you enjoy this chapter as we learn a little more about the going's on and we finally get to meet more of the major players in the greater Lore. There are those who play smaller parts now but are still important as you will see in later chapters. Things will begin to ramp up here soon however, Nabu will not be gaining his own independent territory till Chapter 7 from my plan. This however is all laying groundwork for events to come.
Note: I felt unhappy with some aspects of this chapter so I updated it as of June 16, 2024.
Anyways, I hop you enjoy Chapter 5.
Sarpanitum practically dragged me out to her personal Tel'tak. A small, scouting ship that she had me retrofit with advanced FTL engines. It was still a prototype but she never used them to a point where they had a risk of failing. Always performing small, hour long, jumps.
The inside was simple yet ornate. Gold trimmings lined the walls with images of her beauty adorning the walls. The ring transporter also had intricate designs that detailed her aged history with Marduk and her time from before she had a Lord to serve.
Sarpanitum quickly took her seat at the helm of the Tel'tak, I took the seat to her right as she carefully few out of Tau'ri's atmosphere. Entering hyperspace once we broke high orbit.
It took several jumps, none of which I was able to remember but when we finally came out of hyperspace on the last jump, a sight unlike anything I had ever witnessed entered visual range. It was a superstructure. A gargantuan space station that was similar to the one Marduk described as being within the Hasara System. This was essentially a miniature replica of the station where the Goa'uld System Lords would meet.
I had to take a moment to regain my senses at the thought of this being a hidden meeting place for the Queens. The size and nature of the location, far outside Goa'uld controlled space, gave me pause as the sinking feeling in my stomach reminded me that I might just be in way over my head. This was a den of monsters. And nobody knew where it was, or how to find it other than those within. Being invited meant I was a liability and there was a less than 0% chance that Sarpanitum had just walked me into a trap that might just end with my death.
I wasn't given time to prepare myself as we were hailed by the station.
"Unidentified Tel'tak. Identify yourself and explain the presence of two Goa'uld aboard your vessel."
The accusatory tone of the slave gave even my Queen pause as she cleared her throat before speaking.
"We are Sarpanitum. We bring with us an honored guest, our offspring Nabu." The ship hummed with sound that caused me to turn about in wonder.
"No weapons detected, Hathor welcomes you to Eden." With that, the shields around the station lower and we dock. Sarpanitum guided me along ornate hallways and passed several lavishly dressed female slaves. Apparently this was a females only club. Knowing that there were many Queens present and the female slaves gave me pause. As the only none Queen or female period. I was going to have to be on my best behavior. This was definitely a bad idea. Abduls silence towards the whole situation made me curse him, him having left me alone during this situation. I was going to make him pay for that.
I didn't have much time to consider means to torture my host as Sarpanitum and I arrived at a set of double doors with ostentatious designs of naked women with several depictions of Goa'uld Queens wrapped around their thighs and arms.
"You would do well to be on your best behavior, our child. Those beyond this door, they do not take well to ones who believe themselves bigger than they are. Remember that and speak only when spoken to."
I could only nod in response as Sarpanitum opened the door into a vast meeting chamber. Within were several thrones set in a ring around an open floor. A set of pillars behind the thrones supported a vaulted ceiling, much like a cathedral. The pillars had engravings depicting vines of various fruits and flowers, all of which Nabu knew to be either poisonous or held defense mechanisms that prevented their practical use.
Within the room itself stood several Goa'uld, all in female hosts. All I knew from the studies that Marduk and my Queen had put me through. A slave announced our arrival.
"Now presenting Lady Sarpanitum and her attendant, Nabu."
Sarpanitum strutted into the room as if she owned the place. Carrying herself as any self respecting Queen would. It was as if she were equals to the System Lords currently inhabiting the chamber.
"You honor us with a preview of your child?" Lady Hathor was as stunning as she was deadly. The consort of Ra and a powerful adversary among many that populated the room. Her ruby hair cascaded over her shoulders and down the length of her gold-silk woven dress. It was a sight that almost had me entranced had Sarpanitum not given me a counter to her nish'ta.
"Indeed, you would have us introduced, Lady Sarpanitum. We think it would benefit us all if you were the one to start off this meeting." My Queen nodded and they all took their seats. A raised pair of thrones were specially inhabited by the consorts of the Supreme System Lord. Hathor and Egeria. Both Queens of considerable influence and power. As the consorts of Ra, they held much sway in our politics and it was said that Hathor had succeeded in many trade deals with her charm alone. Egeria for her part was no slouch and had conquered much land in the name of her lord Ra. Together they spelled nothing but disaster if I managed to piss them off. Hathor seemed amused, Egeria, mildly interested.
To Hathor's right was the Queen Ishtar. A power System Lord with no consort. She however did flirt with many of the other System Lords, much to the chagrin of their own consorts which has gained her many enemies, many of whom sit within the circle. If what I had seen was to be believed, at least within these walls, they at the very least tolerated each other's presence.
Continuing down the circle was Tiamat, the consort of Abzu, both ancient and powerful System Lords. She was old enough to remember the times of Apep and even before him to Atok. To my knowledge, she was bordering at least 9000 years old. A truly ancient Goa'uld.
Isis was the next Queen. Her renown for stealing a sample of Ra's DNA granted her much prestige among the System Lords. Rising from an Underlord of Ra during our First Dynasty and now a Queen of great influence along with her consort Osiris. Both only really had one rival within our grand empire. Their brother Setesh who had a bone to pick with the two since their birth from the Lady Nut almost 13,000 years ago.
The rest were not as noteworthy but they deserved similar respect. Damkina consort of Enki, my forefather and the current System Lord I served through Marduk. Danu, the consort of Balor, an aged and powerful System Lord. Ninlil and finally, the eldest among them, Nut. The Goa'uld Queen that once served as an Underlord to Apep alongside Ra and Thoth. A Goa'uld old enough to remember the times before they were what they are now. If Tiamat was ancient then Nut was archaic at well over 13,000 years old. There was a myth that she was the Queen from which we all originally spawned. That all of our roots lead back to her.
I was in the presence of beings so old and wise that I knew for a fact, that there was nothing I could hide from any of them and by simply being here, I was already a part of their schemes.
From my place, back and to the left of my Queen's throne, not welcome in the circle but allowed to observe, I watched as Sarpanitum stood and entered the encircled area in the middle of the thrones.
"Fellow members of Eden. We called you here on short notice. We are grateful so many of you have chosen to partake in this ritual. Today I present something most worthy of your notice. Our child has proven himself as both a Goa'uld and as our son. I present Nabu, our child and creator of our superior Ha'tak." With a nod of her head, I step into the circle. The eyes of the Queens around me, raking over my body, all with renewed interest and I couldn't help the feeling of being on display like some new toy and Sarpanitum was now affectionately showing off to her friends.
"He has done much in his time in our service. Within a week, he unlocked the inner workings of the Kara-kesh and improved upon it substantially. Within a month, he used his wit and superior intellect to subdue a growing rebellion on one of our worlds and most recently, he has finished improvements of our Ha'tak that led to many great victories against our adversaries." Flashing her hands as if to emphasize me, her eyes flashed with excitement. "Even now he works to fashion a device of great power to replace our pel'tak. His mind, already working to decipher the technology of the builders of the Chaapa'ai and Asgard. Both are far more advanced races than we are and he isn't even a year old."
The surrounding Queens looked ready to rip me limb from limb if their predatory gazes were anything to go by. Honestly, I was more upset that Sarpanitum was so quick to reveal our secrets but from the legends and stories that I heard from Marduk, whatever was said here, stayed here so at least I had that going for me.
"My, you have brought us a most interesting morsel to our beautiful garden Lady Sarpanitum." The leering eyes of Ishtar bore into my very soul as she looked me up and down like some specimen. A look that did not bode well for my future.
"It is as you say, we are pleased you brought him here to us Lady Sarpanitum." Hathor was the first to speak as the others simply eyed me with fascinated wonder. "We would question the young one."
Sarpanitum bowed out, returning to her throne and leaving me in the middle of the chamber. With nothing smarter to do, I knelt before the Queen of the Goa'uld.
"Stand, we do not wish to speak to you in such a state, you interest us and that is more than enough to gain some freedom." Standing, I face the matriarch of the Goa'uld species. "Why do you seek this knowledge so fervently? Speak freely."
Words sit on the tip of my tongue however the dryness that had set in prevents me from speaking as freely as was expected of me at the moment. Closing my eyes and taking a second to regain my bearings. I swallow my doubts and press onward. Only the truth would save my head right now.
"We are weak." An unexpected response but the gleam of interest in Hathor's gaze told me she wanted an explanation and then would decide my fate. "My Queen, our race, the Goa'uld, are a scavenger race. We locate technology not our own and repurpose it to fit our needs. It is as we've done since the beginning times which I presume you remember. Many of you being from that time."
I take a quick look around the room as Tiamat, Nut, Hathor and even Egeria all seem to nod along with my words.
"It is my belief that this will one day fail us. My fervent search isn't to uncover something more for us but to understand and eventually, learn the mechanics behind the designs of our foes and those fallen races that came before us. To learn enough to eventually create our own, wholly unique technology. Something we can say is truly our design. Lord Ptah started on this when he fashioned the Ha'tak and other vessels that we still use to this day; however those are still simply reworks of older ships that were never ours to begin with. I want to create from scratch. To create something from whence there was nothing before. In order to do that I need to completely understand the methods behind the creations of those who came before us. Instead of using a worn stepping stone or traveled path, I desire to forge a path all our own. That is my desire."
I held my breath. Sweat, beading along my brow as I took in their collective reactions to my more than heretical words. In the presence of such powerful and influential Goa'uld, I might as well have just signed my own death warrant. It was Egeria that spoke first, surprisingly so since she had been the most passive throughout this whole encounter so far.
"You speak of our weakness as a species due to the nature through which we gather our technology and then adapt it to our needs and you provide a way to compensate. Would you say, since you are able to speak freely, that we as a species have any other glaring weaknesses?"
That was a difficult question to answer. I had to think about that one, Abdul, still silent as ever, had left me with room with which to consider how to respond to the question. There was an obvious answer but I wasn't quite sure whether to bring it forward or not. Honesty could have me killed but I made it this far so maybe it was worth a shot. The worst they could do was either kill or torture me but I doubt Sarpanitum would allow that to happen. That and anything spoken within these halls wasn't to leave so I did have that going for me.
"My Queen. I do believe there is a fundamental flaw with our species that perhaps you all are aware of. Our arrogance and our desire for total domination. Our desire to keep suppressed the peoples we rule and the way with which we rule is fundamentally flawed. One causes the other to be necessary in a cycle that, I believe, will one day cause our downfall. I've walked the streets of Tau'ri. Spent time with the people and it has shown me much. It began small, teaching them to use some simple tools to make their lives easier which progressed to more complex mechanisms of my own design but this led me to gaining their trust and faith. They worship me openly and without demand. They tell me of their darkest secrets without the use of torture or subterfuge. They even speak to me of their own discontent. Even now the seeds of doubt nestle within their minds which I foresee becoming a revolt that might well lose us the land of Tau'ri. It is my belief that if we continue to follow the path we're on. It will inevitably lead to our own destruction as both a race and galactic power."
Taking a deep breath, I knelt down and prepared myself for the impact that would end my life. I dared not look into the eyes of the surrounding Goa'uld for fear that simply seeing them would bring about my demise. However, it was not meant to be. A hand gently cupped my chin and I was forced to look into the eyes of Egeria, her soft emerald eyes, glistening like gemstones and for a moment, I forgot everything that I had just said.
"Do not bow your head young one. For you speak the truth. The ways of the Goa'uld are corrupt indeed." Her voice was soft, no longer laced with the metallic tinge that was customary with our kind. Her words barely a whisper on my ears. While I didn't understand her intent at keeping her words between us. I knew that to reveal he own statement would only spell my demise. She pulled me to my feet but her tone changed as she returned to her throne.
"You do however have to understand that there are reasons for the way we do things and have been doing things. To expect change would take time. Show me you mean what you say by rising to the rank of System Lord and enacting these changes. Prove to me that you mean what you say."
Egeria's words rang like a chord through my body. A challenge, to see if I had the resolve to actually enact the changes that I meant.
"I accept your challenge, my Queen. I promise you, I will achieve the rank of System Lord and test my theories." Warmth spread through my body as I made the proclamation and while I never noticed it then, the eyes of several of the present Goa'uld turned in interest. Whether that would end in my benefit or not would be seen in times to come but for now, I have a goal and a direction to aim my ambition. I would not waste this opportunity. Not after Egeria herself had given it to me.
"There is something I would like to discuss if the table is open." Ishtar was the next to speak, however this seemed to only agitate Sarpanitum. I would never end up living down her next words as they spelt nothing but doom for my future. Words so packed with intent that it was barely even a question. Words that would ignite a small war between the System Lord and Sarpanitum.
"If nobody else wants him, We would take him as our consort. Is there any objection?" All hell broke loose.
Thank you for reading this chapter and as always, read, review and do whatever other things you have to in order to keep up with the story. Hopefully if you've read this far, you're actually interested in what is to come. Please, ask questions in the reviews, I will answer them in future chapters and if people begin to review more often then I will begin taking ideas on how to further the story. I have 32 chapters planned so far and more to follow.
Next: Chapter 6: Avaris