Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Star Wars, or Stargate movies, TV shows, games, books, or comics. This story features elements inspired by Warhammer 40K. They all belong to their respective copyright owners. This story is not for sale or rent.
Chapter 28 Part 3
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The Pentagon will soon issue contracts for the development of combat and support exoskeletons. Due to recent incidents, it has become clear that infantry needs the ability to carry heavier weapons and substantial armor in combat to remain relevant. Alien alloys and naquadah power sources are expected to solve critical bottlenecks that have kept exoskeletons and potentially power armor as theoretical concepts for decades.
Military in Scale magazine
United Defense is ready to begin mass production of an up-armoring package for the Bradley IFV, designed to resist plasma and other direct energy weapons. The company is now in negotiations with the Pentagon to upgrade the US Bradley fleet. This comes a week after General Dynamics Land Systems announced a breakthrough in developing their new armor package for the M1 Abrams tanks.
Military Weapons magazine
The Pentagon spokesman announced an official halt in all ongoing aircraft development programs. Recent changes in the strategic situation and ongoing technological developments have made the current programs and the existing aircraft fleet obsolete. The Department of Defense, in conjunction with all branches of the US military, is working on drawing new design requirements in view of critical alien technologies becoming available.
CNN
National Guard and local law enforcement clashed with protesters in Colorado Springs. Mayor Church and Commissioner Gordon announced the implementation of a curfew to be enforced by the National Guard. Peace activists immediately filed injunctions with local and Federal judges.
USA Today
The provisional Russian government announced the official end of the civil war. There have been no reports of organized oligarch-aligned resistance in the past ten days. However, breakdowns of law and order persist across sections of multiple Russian cities.
BBC World News
IMF representatives will meet with the Russian Economy Minister next week to discuss loans and measures to help Russia recover from the civil war.
Euronews
European Union foreign ministers will meet in Brussels next month to discuss further strategic cooperation and the loosening of finance restrictions in light of recent developments. Possible expansion in Eastern Europe and closer ties with Russia are part of the publicly available agenda.
Euronews
President Richards signed ten more Executive Orders late last night, further facilitating the cooperation between the US government and Lord Perun. Injunctions filed against multiple acts by the US government claimed to be unconstitutional and un-American have so far failed in court. One Federal Judge declared that the laws of the land are not a suicide pact and reminded people about the alien warship that vandalized the Moon.
CNN
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Stargate Command, Colorado
United States, Earth, Milky Way Galaxy
The atmosphere in the briefing room was gloomy, and not because many of the people inside were liable to go into combat against a deadly adversary soon. After Disclosure and Perun's Earth-shaking visit, getting off-base for rest and relaxation was no longer viable. Police and National Guard units stationed in the area were busy and not with protecting Earth from a potential alien invasion or infiltration. Instead, they had their hands full in keeping protesters and even saboteurs out.
Jack had to admit he returned to a very different Earth after his brief stint in Perun's court. He came back bringing gifts, and at least a few of them were poisoned. Like a set of Stargate addresses with targets, Perun wanted Earth to hit the moment he authorized it. Jack also returned with many crates of brand-new plasma guns, which would be far more effective against Jaffa's armor. However, the fact remained that Earth's forces lacked proper armor that could protect them from even a close miss. O'Neill shuddered with phantom pain, remembering burns that no longer marred his flesh yet remained seared in his mind.
The Colonel only had time for a quick medical check and shower before spending most of the night debriefing. He managed to catch a few hours of shut-eye before entering the briefing room. At least there was coffee strong enough to wake the dead, even if it was bitter and thick like tar. Jack took a careful sip from his steaming mug and put it on the podium at the forefront of the room. His gaze swept over the assembled officers, showing a mix from many NATO countries. The most striking thing was the STA patch on everyone's shoulders, proclaiming that they were all under international authority, which ultimately served no Earth power but Perun. That would get some time to get used to, Jack mussed. He wore the same patch on his new field uniform – Earth's symbol from the Stargate interposed over an image of Earth.
"Howdy, folks?" Jack greeted, discarding formality. "Command already knows it; it is time to fill you all in. I'm bringing you the news from our favorite alien Overlord's mouth."
There were no hostile glares or sullen glances, just sullen professionalism that met his statement. Jack decided to be content with this because it was the best he could realistically get.
"The situation is not as grim as some of you might expect. His royal snakiness doesn't expect us to frontally attack fortified worlds with whole armies and warships in orbit through, using a tiny chokepoint," Jack noted how more than a few of the gathered officers relaxed a bit.
O'Neill wondered what people really thought of Perun. Say what you will about the snake, but he at least had a modicum of competence, so there should be no suicidal missions for no good reason.
"We have ten targets to strike at in sequence. Our mission is to neutralize enemy Jaffa and steal anything of use before leaving. We'll be deploying using Goa'uld equipment, leaving no one behind, dead or alive," Jack stressed. "We can't have other Goa'uld figure out we exist because that will be a death sentence for Earth," the Colonel's stark gaze went from man to man, ensuring that the message sunk in before continuing. "We'll be bringing naquadah bombs with us to cover our tracks if needed and to deny the enemy the option of taking prisoners if we find ourselves outmatched."
That got a reaction, and as expected, people finally showed hints of unhappiness below their professional exteriors.
"The raids are not meant to be suicide missions. If Perun believed the targets were too hard for us to deal with, he would deploy his Jaffa or shove a naquadah bomb through the Stargate to neutralize the problem. However, we are expected to strike at secondary logistics hubs, and outposts meant to send out patrols covering less valuable worlds. We will be facing enemy resistance, and said resistance might be heavier than we can handle," Jack didn't sugarcoat the situation. "For security and logistics reasons, we won't be deploying from Earth but from the Beta Site. If you've paid attention to the briefings you should have received, that's the uninhabited world we first met and negotiated with Perun. Our first task will be establishing a forward operation base there, which we will use for combat deployments. The location of that planet is out of the way, so we should not have to worry about a snake bringing ships into orbit."
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Chapa'ai Command, Krepost,
Milky Way Galaxy
There was not enough of Vahlen to go around, which was a real shame. The technologies from Altair might one day change that, allowing her to do far more science simultaneously. Until then, the Goa'uld scientist had to prioritize, which meant reviewing Ra's extensive technological archives. They contained troves of priceless information and not just schematics to put into a fabricator to get results. For Vahlen, the raw knowledge to make things from first principles revealed a whole new breadth and depth of science and engineering to work with. If she believed in things like heaven, surely this would be it!
Unfortunately, Vahlen couldn't blissfully lose herself in all the new science at her disposal! She was torn about Ra, who was at the heart of her issues. If the Supreme System Lord was still alive, she would have never gotten her hands on all of this! Precious data crystals were everywhere in Vahlen's lab, and they were hers! However, with Ra dead, war was inevitable and will start soon. Instead of doing glorious science, Vahlen had to find the best ways to put the new technology to military use. It was all immensely frustrating!
Why couldn't Perun just slap new guns and shields on his Ha'tak, perhaps a new power core to power them, and call it a day?! There was so much science to figure out here! That was what really clinched it. Vahlen needed more Vahlen, and if what she could glean from Altair, the falling apart technology on that world might just be the key to it! The things Vahlen could do if there were more of her doing science together!
The Jaffa stationed on Krepost tread carefully when going anywhere near the few Goa'uld doing blessed science in the fortress. Recently, random bouts of unsettling cackling coming from Lady Vahlen's chambers have been particularly worrisome. That was why the Prime currently in charge of Chapa'ai Command promptly reported these developments to the Throne World.
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Asdad
Ba'al's Fortress World
Milky Way galaxy
Ba'al, the Spymaster, left his working area to clear his head and oversee the ongoing tests of the Marduk and Scarab tanks. He needed to report to the original about the progress of these projects to ensure their science-dedicated alter-ego wasn't pulling a fast one.
Recent reports from Dakara were worrisome. That place was in the middle of nowhere and hadn't been important in a long time. The Spymaster knew such locations were excellent places for covert research and storage; there were thousands, if not tens of thousands, backwater worlds of no consequence possessing a Chapa'ai. Even more within easy reach by ship. Trying to keep an eye on even a fraction of them would mean a colossal waste of resources better spent everywhere. Instead, inserting spies in the inner circle of System Lords and ensuring you could track their movements and those of their most reliable minions was the best way to discover covert locations. People had to visit such places to use them after all.
It was no surprise that Ra had a hidden base on Dakara. Another question was what happened to the place or who happened on it. How a hostile element found it was a concern, too, though the Spymaster would bet it was because Ra got careless for once. Nevertheless, that he had no idea what exactly happened, much less who was responsible, stung his pride. The Spymaster had to redirect various assets to Ra's domain to determine where the Supreme System Lord was. When no one heard from Ra for over a week, there were two realistic options to consider. He was either in hiding, bidding his time to deal with whoever attacked him, or he was dead, caught off guard in that facility.
Either way, the coming weeks and months would provide all kinds of openings for a spy to get ahead. That was why the Spymaster instructed his agents to be very careful and look for any unexpected movements of Ra's forces. Until the situation became clearer, he could only wait and analyze all available information before sending it, as well as his conclusions to the Original.
The Spymaster reached a ring transport and used it to go to the Fortress command center. From there, he could use a neural interface to observe the exercises outside in real-time. In theory, he should have been able to do so from his office; however, reasonable security concerns meant he didn't have access to many of the Fortress systems from there.
The Goa'uld ignored the Jaffa manning various stations monitoring the region. He went to a station set aside for Ba'al clones to work from comfortably, sat down, and connected through a neural interface with the command room's systems.
Even here, the Spymaster's access was intentionally limited, which could have angered him. Instead, he was glad that the Jaffa took security as seriously as they should.
The Spymaster's mind interfaced with the sensors, and he was suddenly above a large rocky plain. Six large Marduk tanks flanked by twice their number of Scarabs moved in formation. Half of the light vehicles swept forward, acting as scouts. While the machines moved very close together, the Spymaster could recognize the formation as something Death Gliders sometimes used to escort Al'kesh so the bombers could live long enough to strike their targets. Naturally, this was not space, and the vehicles were very close together in comparison. They didn't need cover from below; ideally, they should have Death Gliders and Al'kesh above. The Spymaster noted that there really should be some force keeping the rear protected – that was where enemy small craft would love to strike from. He couldn't imagine things being different on the ground. However, this was training for the tank crews and to test the machine's performance in basic simulated combat, not the real deal.
Targets rose in the distance and opened fire with remotely controlled In'tars. That shouldn't have come as an obvious surprise for the scouts, in no small part because this was exercise. Resistance was sure to be in the area.
To the Spymaster's critical eyes, the crews reacted slower than one might expect from pilots in space, where every moment counted in combat. Fire struck them from two sides, dividing the vehicle's attention. Shields flared, absorbing harmless energy. Turrets rotated, and modified staff cannons returned fire with distinct red pulses. Finally, the crews were reacting as one might expect. The Scarabs accelerated to meet the challenge while the Marduks remained at range, providing supporting fire.
Al'kesh weren't supposed to try and dogfight. In combat, they should remain in formation, covering each other and using their turrets to support their escorts.
The simulated ambushing force switched targets, focusing on the Scarabs. While smaller and faster, that also meant they had less space for equipment. Their shields and weapons were lighter and could dish or sustain less damage. One after another, the Scarabs received crippling simulated damage and stopped as if destroyed. The Marduks maneuvered to avoid as much incoming fire as they could; however, they couldn't effectively engage the ambushing force at this distance.
The Spymaster watched the exercise reach its sordid conclusion, thinking of ways to improve the crews' tactics. He saw no clear issues with the vehicles. Still, they may need better sensors to help them avoid moving into ambushes. This wasn't space, so perhaps drawing from pilots to form up crews might not have been the best idea, the Spymaster decided. He would add that to his report and request veteran Jaffa, with ground combat experience, to be trained as crew next.
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Chapter 28 Part 4
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Today, SAT (Stargate Alliance Treaty) is an umbrella term originating from the treaty that formalized Earth's surrender to Lord Perun and our world's formal annexation as a part of his realm.
On 22 January 1997, fifty-seven nations signed the treaty, changing the world forever.
By the end of February 1997, the SAT expanded in scope, creating an official legal framework ratified by the UN Security Council and all SAT signatory nations. By the end of the year, the governments party to the treaty would domestically formalize the treaty through their respective legal channels.
Part of the SAT provisions was to put the Stargate under international oversight to prevent disasters like the First Battle of Abydos. As part of these provisions, all Earth personnel involved with Stargate operations and the device's security were now under direct SAT authority. In practice, Stargate Command became SAT's first department, soon followed by the establishment of the IOA – the International Oversight Authority. A United States intelligence agency, the NID (National Intelligence Directorate), would be seconded to Stargate Command within the year. Over the years, the NID would transform into SGCs, and thus SATs and Earth's Interstellar Intelligence Agency. A subsection of the NID would continue to provide counterintelligence services protecting the SGC and its secrets.
For all intents and purposes, the SAT would transform into a supranational government organization serving as a layer between Earth's national governments and Lord Perun.
from an essay on the origin and purpose of the SAT
Until today, the North Korean government has remained uncharacteristically quiet since Lord Perun arrived on Earth. The leader of North Korea's Permanent Mission to the United Nations signed the Stargate Alliance Treaty on behalf of his government before issuing a short statement claiming that North Korea would be left behind in this new world.
BBC World News
Clashes erupted between supporters of feuding radical Islam Clerics across the Middle East. Local security forces had to step in to maintain order after violence claimed over twenty lives in the past two days. The sticking point of the feud is Lord Perun. Some Clerics proclaimed Earth's alien overlord as the new Satan and called for Jihad against him. Their opponents merely consider Lord Perun as an immensely powerful warlord who is not to be provoked lightly.
Al Jazeera
A cargo train derailed in Wyoming late last night. The only reported casualty so far is the machinist. State and Federal authorities are investigating the incident. Early this morning, the FBI was seen on the scene. We are hearing persistent rumors about a terrorist attack compromising the rails as the possible cause instead of a human error or a mechanical failure of some kind.
CNN
A shootout is in progress between State Troopers and alleged militia members near Snyder, Oklahoma!
CNN
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Chulak, Apophis' domain
Milky Way Galaxy
Teal'c spent months searching for suitable hosts for his Amaunet and Klorel. Apophis' son wasn't particularly discerning this time and jumped into the first decent-looking, fit young man the Jaffa brought to him. Afterward, the young Goa'uld left to take command over his father's forces across the new territories taken from Moloc.
The First Prime was not so lucky. Amaunet kept rejecting hosts, and Apophis's patience was beginning to run out. That left Teal'c little choice but to personally scour towns and villages for young human women, and he even had to send a few of his more reliable Primes out to buy slaves from the realms of neutral System Lords.
There was no glory in this. Real gods would be able to find themselves hosts if they needed such things in the first place. The whole charade was tiresome, yet the only constructive thing Teal'c could do was play along while trying to open the eyes of younger Jaffa to the truth. One day, enough Jaffa might see the Goa'uld as the False Gods they were to do something about beyond dying in a pointless uprising.
Teal'c stoically watched as Amaunet rejected one more host, to the young human's evident relief. He waved to two of the Jaffa guards to get the girl back to the cells and nodded to another pair to bring in their last candidate.
At that point, Apophis stormed into the ritual chamber and paused, taking in the sight for a heartbeat.
"Amaunet, take the next host!" The System Lord barked before his Queen could return to the Jaffa's pouch.
Amaunet twisted and coiled around the hand of the female Jaffa who had to suffer holding her, and her tiny beady eyes glowered malevolently at Apophis.
The Goa'uld's eyes flashed in response, and his voice deepened.
"Ra might be dead. We don't have time for your vanity. Take the next host," Apophis pointed sharply at the very unfortunate woman Jaffa brought before the Queen.
Amaunet screeched in displeasure before jumping at the human. A startled scream escaped the young woman's throat before her body convulsed. The Queen stretched her hands, examining her new host with apparent distaste.
"What are you on about, Apophis?" Amaunet scoffed.
"There was an attack by parties unknown on Dakara some time ago. Ra is yet to make an appearance. Many of the System Lords are already reinforcing their borders in case of further trouble. We might have a priceless opportunity soon. I might be leading a conquest soon and need you to administer in my stead. You've been without a host for too long, my Queen."
Teal'c should have been aware of this, but instead, he had to hunt or buy hosts.
"Do you have orders, my Lord?" the First Prime inquired.
"This is the other reason I needed you as a host," Apophis added. "Teal'c, you will command my forces near Heru'ur's territories. If Ra is dead, I want you to secure as many of the industrial centers there as possible. I'll also have a list of resource nodes I want under control."
"I listen and obey, my Lord," Teal'c bowed precisely as deeply as appropriate.
They might see soon if the deals Bra'tac made were worth it.
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Delmak, Sokar's realm
Milky Way Galaxy
For all his cruelty and insanity, Sokar could create amazing things, especially if said things were terrible to behold, Aris Bosh concluded.
Sokar's scientists eventually managed to make a vehicle design the madman liked well enough, which also worked more or less as advertised. The Necropolis Guard was finally able to start training with and to try figuring out how to use the new combat vehicles. That proved more challenging than it should have been because Sokar decided that adding blades and spikes to them was the done thing.
So far, Bosh personally saw two decapitated Jaffa, one cut in half and another skewered by an out-of-control assault transport. He lost count of how many people lost limbs.
The damned thing was that the crazy bastard could get away with this because between the Jaffa being tough bastards and the Sarcophagus being a thing, the recently dead didn't necessarily stay that way. Cut-off limbs could be attached if retrieved and placed in a Sarcophagus with the wounded Jaffa. So what should have been a bloody disastrous waste of life was merely an awful and pointless exercise in cruelty.
Krel'tak waved his clawed fingers grandly before prostrating himself. Bosh thanked anyone who might listen for his helmet and rolled his eyes at the display before following suit. It simply wouldn't do to take chances with Sokar. You might do so at a bad time and end up being tortured for sport.
A very irritating buzz shook the air before something immense came into view. A black pyramid crawled over the ground, and weapon clusters covered the whole thing like warts.
"Behold, the Death Monolith!" Krel'tak gleefully announced.
Bosh squinted, activating his helmet's built-in zoom function. He saw Sokar standing on a small balcony near the top of the pyramid, preening at everyone who dared look up at the monstrosity he rode.
Panels on the pyramid's side opened so Death Gliders and Al'kesh could launch.
"Worlds will tremble before the might of this armed and operational assault platform!" Krel'tak growled. "Lord Sokar's enemies will burn in hellish flames, and the Necropolis Guard will grind their bones to dust below their armored boots!"
Bosh decided that this Goa'uld should have been an entertainer. He could ham it with the best of them. He still couldn't determine whether the parasite believed all the shit it spouted or if it was doing the best it could to survive when stuck working for Sokar.
More panels opened, and groups of five vehicles flew out. Their sharp blades were polished enough to catch the little light available on this cursed world so they could gleam in a most sinister fashion. At least, that was the intent. If it wasn't for the shields on them, the lighter "terror chariots" would be death traps.
At least the larger assault vehicles had the bulk to accommodate respectable armor, powerful weapons, tough shields, and a reactor to power them all.
Bosh couldn't decide if that pyramid was a sign of genius or utter madness that somehow worked out. Most of Sokar's vehicles were more stupid than adequate, and only advanced technology made them anything but useless in conflict. However, everything else was secondary, with things like that monolith in play. The Jaffa could indulge in being cruel and stupid when they had superior firepower to compensate for their deficiencies. The same was now apparently true about the common vehicle designs. Those things would be a sideshow on any battlefield where Sokar deployed one of these monoliths.
"Behold the firepower of the Death Monolith!" Sokar's voice roared over the gathered crowds. Jaffa cheered as if this was the best thing after powered armor with climate control.
Blinding flashes of light turned the perpetual twilight on Delmak into a brief, fiery day. Heat washed over Jaffa and Goa'uld alike. The air rippled like a haze, marking the passage of powerful plasma bolts. In the distance, a cluster of hilltops vanished, leaving behind craters full of molten glass.
Without his armor, Bosh knew he would be scorched and perhaps blind. Beside him, Krel'tak wailed in pain, adding to the chorus of Jaffa who didn't think to seal their helmets.
This disaster was Sokar at his finest.
The mercenary looked around, noticing dozens of Jaffa clutching their faces. Here and there, a few had their hair catch fire on top of whatever other burns they suffered, and their buddies weren't particularly helpful. Bosh decided he had to make sure he was nowhere near one of those things when it opened fire next time. He looked up at Sokar, and unfortunately, the madman was intact, undoubtedly protected by shields.