Chapter 7: The Moon Base
The First Moon of Enchantment, July 11th, 1998 (Earth Time)
"The entrance should be here. Somewhere here, at least," Entrapta said as she turned in place, pointing her multipurpose tool around. Something else that Samantha Carter would love to get her hands on to copy it. The device served as a computer and communication device with integrated holographic projection capability, but Sam was primarily interested in its capacity as a scanner. The tool was smaller than a walkie-talkie yet must be covering multiple frequencies. And - presumably - without magic.
So Sam was pretty confident she could duplicate it, given enough resources and time to study it. Of course, standing on the surface of one of the planet's bigger moons, she couldn't exactly spare the time for that. But maybe later…
"But my scanner isn't showing any entrance," Entrapta went on.
"Probably buried under all the dust," Catra remarked. "It's been a thousand years since the base was last used."
"That shouldn't have been long enough to actually bury any entrance. Not without wind to move the dust. Perhaps a meteor struck nearby, or tectonic activity…" Entrapta speculated.
"Or this is a dead-end, and the entrance is somewhere else," Glimmer said.
"Can you map out the base?" Bow asked.
"It's more difficult than I anticipated. The material used to construct the base is blocking most of my scans, and the results of those that aren't completely blocked are… not delivering as much data as they should."
"That would suit a base using the technology left by the Ancients," Sam pointed out. It was petty, but she was almost glad that the others were not able to easily scan the base. The Ancients had been incredibly advanced, much more than any other race that Stargate Command had encountered so far. If the people of Etheria - Etherians? She had to ask Daniel if they used that name for themselves - were able to match the technology of the species that had built the Stargates, then that would likely make them the most advanced species known to either Earth or the Goa'uld.
Entrapta pouted, and her hair waved around for a moment. "But I didn't have such troubles with First Ones technology so far."
"If we don't see an obvious entrance, we can dig a tunnel and just break through a wall," Adora suggested.
"You mean, you can dig a tunnel," Catra added.
"I already buried the Stargate!"
"Perfect! That means you've got experience!"
The Colonel chuckled at that, and Sam had to hide a smile - the exchange could've come straight from the Airforce Academy; it was the kind of comment the instructors were fond of. Another sign that their hosts had had formal training as soldiers. Though Daniel would likely caution against drawing parallels to Earth based on such flimsy evidence. In any case, they were here to explore a base, not to study cultural differences. She cleared her throat. "Can you scan for the most likely area that might have been buried following a meteor strike or tectonic activity? Without an atmosphere, any traces such an event has left should be still easily detectable."
"Oh, good idea!" Entrapta raised her tool and started looking at it - or through it. "I was focusing on artificial structures, but… There! The crater there has some fresh - relatively fresh - traces of a landslide. Or dust slide, I'd say." Her hair formed a cartoonish-looking hand and pointed to a ridge a few miles away.
"Well, then let's see if we can find an entrance buried there," the Colonel said. "You have your magical shovel ready to be conjured, right?"
"Yes," Adora replied.
"Handy."
It was. If Earth had that technology - or magic - then that would allow them to carry many more tools of all kinds with them. Or much larger tents.
They started walking. Once more, Sam felt a little envious - the spacesuits were far more comfortable and much lighter than those she had worn when she had been working for NASA. It was still noticeably heavier than her uniform, but the lower gravity more than made up for it, and she could move almost as well as without it. If her fellow astronauts could see her now, walking on an alien moon… Well, Entrapta had said she'd give them the pattern.
Of course, Adora didn't have to wear a spacesuit at all, but she seemed to be a special case even for their hosts.
"So, why don't you have a spacesuit?" Daniel asked. "Would it hinder your magic, or do you just like wearing your usual clothes?"
"Ah… You could say that," Adora replied. "Like, ah, Bow, I prefer this."
Sam exchanged a glance with the Colonel. That was a bad lie, in her impression. Of course, it was so bad, it could be an attempt to deceive them - but Adora hadn't struck her as that devious or adept at lying.
Unlike, say, Catra.
"Ah." Daniel nodded. "I see. So…"
"Oh, there it is!" Entrapta exclaimed, interrupting Daniel's next question. "The entrance is buried here, about…" She cocked her head to the side as she moved her tool sideways. "...five yards down!"
"Great. Get digging, Adora!" Catra said, sitting down on a rock nearby.
Adora huffed but did produce her magic shovel. Her first load of moon dust did manage to barely miss Catra.
"Hey!"
"Sorry!"
"No, you're not!"
Well, they were in good spirits, Sam thought. And with Adora digging, they would reach the base entrance in no time.
Catra felt a little bad at having Adora do all the digging. Just a little, though - Adora was the strongest of their group. By far. Even if Catra helped, it wouldn't do much compared to She-Ra using that oversized magic shovel of hers. Cartloads of dust and moon-ground - she'd have to ask Entrapta what it was called - pretty much flew out of the growing hole in no time. And it wasn't as if anyone else had volunteered to help, anyway.
She studied the others - SG-1 - as Adora unearthed what would hopefully be the entrance to the First Ones base. Carter was huddled with Entrapta over the princess's scanner. Teal'c and O'Neill were standing guard - O'Neill was trying to fake being bored, juggling a single moon rock, but Catra caught his eyes scanning their surroundings. And Daniel… was talking to Bow about Etheria's history. Catra cocked her head and listened to their talk.
"...so, you have a detailed documented history of the last thousand years, but barely anything before that?"
"Yes," Bow said. "There just aren't many records or artefacts left from the time before the First Ones."
"That is weird." Daniel made a humming noise. "Few civilisations went from no records to detailed histories. It's generally a much more gradual process."
"Well, some scholars think that the First Ones introduced writing to Etheria. But my Dads disagree - that would have meant that all of Etheria would be using a script derived from their script. And that's not the case. In fact, few can read First Ones script or understand their language," Bow explained. "So, we think the proto-civilisations before their arrival had developed their own script already."
"But why wouldn't there be any records left, then?" Daniel asked. "Did the First Ones destroy them?"
That was an interesting question. Catra certainly wouldn't have put it past the First Ones to wipe out another civilisation - they had planned to sacrifice Etheria to defeat Horde Prime, after all. But why would they wipe out writing? That didn't gain them anything. It would be a waste of effort. Unless they wanted to hide something…
"They might have attempted to colonise the planet," Bow said. "And they might have wanted to, ah, spread their own culture over Etheria. Their influence is certainly visible in almost every kingdom, although after a thousand years, the divergences have become so pronounced, in many cases, it's hard to spot whether something is based on the First Ones or was originally developed by natives."
"Well, such policies certainly have historical precedents on Earth," Daniel admitted. "But to be able to shape an entire planet to that level…"
"They were far more advanced, both with regards to technology and magic, than the native cultures," Bow said. "And they probably had significant numbers as well."
"So… what happened to them? Why did they vanish?" Daniel asked. "Do the records cover that?"
"No. We only know that most of them 'left'. But after the revelations of the last war, the consensus amongst scholars is that the First Ones were called back to their home planet to fight Horde Prime - or evacuated in anticipation of the destruction of Etheria." Bow shrugged. "The remainders were probably absorbed by the emerging kingdoms."
Catra nodded. That made sense. Though she didn't think it mattered much. It had been a thousand years ago, after all. A metallic noise interrupted her thoughts.
"I'm through!" Adora yelled.
"Yay!" Entrapta was at the edge of the hole in no time. "Is it an entrance?"
"Wait a moment!" more dust flew out of the hole. "There's a button labelled 'open'."
"It is an entrance!" Entrapta jumped down the hole, and Catra heard Adora make a surprised sound. "Hey!"
She peered over the edge. Yes, Adora had caught Entrapta. "We should install a ladder before we all get stuck down there," she said.
"I'll get one," Glimmer said - and disappeared in a shower of sparkles. So, her magic worked this close to Etheria. Good to know.
"Now that's handy," O'Neill commented. "If she ever gets tired of being Queen, she has a great future as a delivery service."
Catra snorted at the joke - Glimmer as a courier? - and even Bow smiled.
Then Glimmer returned with a rope ladder, and a minute later, Bow had set it up.
"Don't come down yet!" Adora said. "I'm opening the door first! Entrapta, head back up. Just in case we have a monster hiding here."
"It's quite unlikely that a monster would have survived so long," Entrapta replied. "Unless there's a closed biohabitat here, which I think should have shown up on my scans. Although automated defence bots could be active. Or perhaps cryostasis pods, though they would likely need some time to thaw any specimen stored inside."
"Come up, then," Catra told her.
Entrapta quickly pulled herself up with her hair. "Clear!"
"Alright. Opening it now…" Adora announced. Catra heard her mumble 'If this doesn't work, it'll be embarrassing," under her breath as she reached out to touch the button.
For a moment, nothing happened. Then the door slid open, revealing a dark corridor leading downwards.
Catra jumped down the hole, landing in a crouch next to Adora. "Good work."
"Careful!" Adora said as the rest climbed down. "We don't know what's in here."
"That's why we're here!" Entrapta announced. "To explore!"
"Yes, well… let me go first," Adora said. She entered before anyone could object.
And nothing happened - other than the hallway getting lit up by glowing crystals.
Catra followed her love. It was a short hallway - no, it was a large airlock.
"Let's all go in so we can open the door without venting the air from the base!" Entrapta said. "That would be bad."
Catra suppressed a sarcastic comment. To her slight surprise, so did O'Neill.
As soon as everyone was inside, the door behind them closed, and air started to fill the room with a hissing sound.
Then the other door opened, revealing a figure standing in the entrance. Catra gasped, then saw that it wasn't a figure - it was a hologram. Like Light Hope.
"Greetings, visitors," the projection said in that creepy voice of theirs. "Please identify yourself."
"I am Adora - She-Ra," Adora spoke up.
"Catra," Catra snapped.
"Queen Glimmer of Bright Moon."
"Bow."
"Entrapta! Hi!"
"Colonel O'Neill."
"Captain Carter."
"Daniel Jackson."
"Teal'c."
"Greetings, Adora, Colonel O'Neill. Research Station Alpha is at your disposal. Please keep your test subjects from entering restricted areas."
Catra blinked. Test subjects? And why was the bot talking to Adora and O'Neill?
Research Station Alpha, The First Moon of Enchantment, July 11th, 1998 (Earth Time)
What? Jack O'Neill stared at the computer hologram or whatever it was. Why was it singling out him and Adora? Hell, why was it treating him as if he were a seven-foot-tall amazon with magic powers?
"Test subjects?" Adora asked.
"The other life forms present have been identified as test subjects."
"I'm not a test subject!" Catra spat.
"Sir," Carter whispered next to him. "Why is it treating you as a... First One?"
"I don't know, Carter!" he hissed back. He was a human, not some… alien. He couldn't glow and step into vacuum as if it was a spring day in Colorado.
"What is the purpose of this station?" Daniel asked, taking a step forward. "What is it that you research here?"
"That information is restricted," the computer - as far as Jack knew - replied.
"What do you research here?" Adora asked. "And who are you?"
"Research Station Alpha is the main research station for the experiments in genetic engineering conducted on Etheria. I am the primary computer system of the station, designation: Alpha."
"She sounds like Light Hope," Catra muttered. "Creepy."
"It must be a common pattern for First Ones computer interfaces," Entrapta said.
"They conducted genetic engineering experiments on Etheria?" Bow asked.
"What are those? And where did they do it?" Glimmer shook her head.
"Genetic engineering is the direct manipulation of an organism's genes," Entrapta explained. "Say, when you cross two plants so you can get an edible flower. Plumeria's famous plum roses are said to be the result of early genetic engineering by their princesses."
"Ah."
"They talked about us being test subjects," Catra said. "They weren't experimenting with plants - they were experimenting with us!"
"They probably were experimenting with plants as well," Etrapta pointed out. "Although, yes, I think you are… Oh." She blinked with her mouth open.
"Yeah," Catra said. "It looks like they used Etheria for more than just magic superweapon construction."
Magic superweapons? Jack really didn't like the sound of that. Though he didn't like aliens experimenting with humans even less. In truth, he loathed it.
"Sir! If the Ancients - or the First Ones - experimented with human genetics, then that would explain the hybrid life forms we saw in Bright Moon," Carter said. "If they were advanced enough to combine human and animal genes, that would entirely be possible!"
Jack suppressed a wince. Carter was a genius, but sometimes, she forgot about the social niceties.
"You think the First Ones… made us?" Glimmer glanced at Catra, then at SG-1. And she didn't sound amused.
"It's a hypothesis," Daniel replied with his diplomatic expression. "We don't know if it's true."
"But it fits what we know," Entrapta said, cocking her head. "And we can ask the system here. Well, Adora and Colonel O'Neill can ask her!"
Everyone was looking at Jack and Adora, he realised. Expecting them to ask? Or to spare them the knowledge? Well, Entrapta was beaming at them, so she would want to know.
And Jack wanted to know why he was treated as an alien. But how to ask without possibly telling the computer that it made a mistake? If it was a mistake in the first place…
"Alpha, show us an overview of the experiments performed on Etheria by people on this station," Adora said.
"It would be best to show that information in the main control room," the computer replied.
"Show us the way. Also, everyone here is authorised to enter the control room."
"Acknowledged."
Glowing arrows appeared on the ground and in the ceiling, showing them the way. Not that there were many junctions, anyway - after two minutes, they entered a big, round room where half the walls were covered with screens and the centre taken up by a huge hologram.
"Genetic engineering research started soon after the discovery of Etheria since the planet's uncommonly high magic level facilitated research with advanced organisms, greatly reducing the rate of unviable results. Splicing various organisms with lesser First Ones stock resulted in various hybrid lines, many of which proved to be stable enough to reproduce without further manipulation necessary," the computer droned on while the scenes and the main hologram showed various humanoid species. Jack saw a Minotaur, lizard people, bug people - and cat people, amongst others.
"They made us. They made our people," Glimmer mumbled. Bow put a hand on her shoulder.
Jack clenched his teeth. This must be a shock for them. They would have origin myths, and to find out they were the result of experiments…
"Fascinating!" Entrapta beamed. "This answers so many questions! No wonder we can interbreed if we were engineered to be compatible and from a common ancestor!"
Apparently, not everyone was shocked.
"Entrapta!" Glimmer snapped.
"What? Did you never wonder why different species can have fertile offspring?"
"I thought that was done by magic," Bow said.
"Well, yes, usually, but it should be much harder than it is," Entrapta replied. "This explains so much!"
It probably did. But there were a few questions left. Crucial questions. Jack cleared his throat. "Alpha. What is my genetic status?" There, safe wording.
"Scans show your genes are free from mutations. There should be no problems with reproduction, should you so desire."
"I meant my ancestry," Jack clarified, clenching his teeth.
"We lack the data to identify your exact ancestry, but you are a descendant from a First Ones colonial family."
What? That couldn't be true. He was a human. Not an alien. He was born on Earth. Not on an alien colony.
Jack shook his head, Then he noticed that everyone was looking at him, even Adora.
"You're a First One? Like me?" Adora asked.
Adora… didn't know what to feel. She had finally found someone of her, not quite family, but people. She wasn't the only one left after Horde Prime had destroyed the First Ones. And yet...
"I'm not a First One, Ancient, or whatever!" O'Neill retorted with a glare. "I get checked out by our Napoleonic doctor and her big needles every week - I'm human."
"Jack…" Daniel trailed off when O'Neill glared at him.
"Sir!" Carter stood straight. "Nothing indicates that the First Ones weren't human." She nodded at Adora.
"Do you see me walking around in space without a spacesuit, Carter?"
"That's my magic," Adora blurted out. "That's not normal for me, either." She couldn't walk in space without being She-Ra, after all. And she had a spacesuit for when she was Adora.
"I can't do magic, either," O'Neill snapped.
"You have an aptitude for magic, Colonel O'Neill," Alpha spoke up. "Like every First One. Although the power displayed by Adora indicates the first successful bonding with a Runestone for a First One. Did our experiments with the local test subjects finally bear fruit?"
"What?" What did Alpha mean? Adora looked around. The others seemed as confused as she was.
"Mom…" Glimmer mumbled. "What do you know about Mom?"
"Queen Angella?" Adora turned back to Alpha.
"No person or test subject of that name is in my data banks."
"She wasn't a test subject! She was the Queen of Bright Moon for centuries!" Glimmer yelled.
"Bonded to the Moonstone," Entrapta added. "If that helps."
"An extended lifetime?" Alpha tilted her head. "There were a few experiments to prolong the life of the test subjects. Although none of them was merged with those who were to bond with a Runestone."
A number of people appeared as holograms. Adora stared. A mermaid, a huge figure that looked like Scorpia, just with more armour, a lizardwoman, and…
"Mom!"
Yes, there was Angella. "Who's she?" Adora asked, pointing at the figure.
"Test Subject A-Gamma. Most successful bond to a Runestone to date. Hybrid with DNA material from an avian species from another magic-heavy planet."
"Mom!" Glimmer shook her head. "No!"
Bow put his hand on her arm, but she shrugged him off. "Mom wasn't a test subject! She was the Queen!"
"She probably became Queen after Mara sealed Etheria in Despondos," Entrapta speculated. "And it looks like all the royal lines were based on experiments. I wonder what my ancestors looked like! Oh, we can find out about our families!"
Their families! That was right - Adora could finally find out where she was from. Where her family lived. And might still live. "Alpha! Where am I from?"
"You're from a colonial line as well."
"Which planet?" Where was her family?
"I would need more data for such an analysis."
So, no luck here either. Adora still didn't know where she was from - and if her family still lived.
"What, you don't know where the planet of the seven-oot-tall amazons is located?" O'Neill snapped.
"There is no such planet in my databanks. And her family line is not exclusive to any one planet in the Empire."
"And mine?" O'Neill glared at Alpha.
"Your line wasn't exclusive to any one planet, either."
"Great. Useless robot." O'Neill scoffed.
"Enough!" Glimmer shook her head. "This… this… This is huge. We need to get a grip on this."
Adora nodded.
"The origin of our species!" Entrapta beamed. "This is the biggest discovery on Etheria since magic!"
"Entrapta!" Glimmer shook her head. "People will be shocked that we are descendants of 'test subjects' of the First Ones."
"And of the First Ones themselves," Bow pointed out.
Right, Adora's people had experimented with themselves - 'lesser stock', Alpha had called it. Adora pressed her lips together. That sounded… Well, what did she expect from people who were willing to destroy Etheria to win a war? They probably saw the entire planet as some experiment.
She stifled a gasp. What if they were right?
Catra's loud scoff interrupted her thoughts. "So we're descendants of some people used for experiments? So what? That doesn't change anything about us. It's ancient history!"
"'So what'?" Glimmer turned to frown at her. "The First Ones made Mom!"
"So?" Catra met Glimmer's eyes. "What's the big deal?"
"The big deal is that we were made as an experiment!" Glimmer all but yelled at Adora's lover.
"We aren't an experiment any more. We haven't been one for a thousand years!" Catra retorted. "We're free!" She grinned, flashing her fangs. "And I bet we were never just an experiment. She-Ra was around before the First Ones arrived, remember?"
That was right! The First Ones hadn't created She-Ra! That meant… "Alpha. Was there a native population before the First Ones arrived?"
"Yes. Distantly related to the First Ones. A small population." More figures appeared on the display. They looked like Adora, walking through a village.
"Daniel? Can you identify their culture?" O'Neill asked.
"It's hard to say. The garments would fit a number of cultures in the Mediterranean. Possibly Minoans or Mycenaeans - the style could've developed from either culture." Daniel pushes his glasses up with one finger. "Although we'd need a linguist to examine their language for more clues. Or genetic samples."
"I'd prefer not to muck around with genes right now," O'Neill said.
Adora nodded - she wasn't too keen on more such revelations herself.
The revelations about the origin of their species had shocked their hosts. Almost as much, it seemed, as the revelation that he was descended from the 'First Ones' had shocked the Colonel. Samantha Carter could tell. The Colonel was better at hiding his reaction than their hosts, who were openly discussing the ramifications of their descent from 'test subjects' of an alien race, but Sam knew him too well to be fooled by his attitude.
And SG-1 couldn't afford their leader having a breakdown. Not in the middle of this mission.
So she took a few steps towards him, ending up at his side, and whispered: "All of the data we have gathered so far points at the First Ones being human. Probably people taken from Earth to another planet and developing their own culture."
He turned to look at her with narrowed eyes. He wasn't fooled, either, she realised. But she stood her ground, raising her chin.
He snorted. "You heard the computer. The First Ones considered humans 'lesser stock'," he said in a low voice.
"That doesn't mean that they were genetically different enough to be considered an alien species," she pointed out. "Sir." Lots of humans considered other humans to be their lessers.
"It's enough to make the computer single me out. And apparently, I can do magic." He shook his head. "Magic!"
"That might merely be a talent that many humans have, which hasn't expressed itself so far since Earth lacks magic." If the talent was genetic - and royal families inheriting the same talent supported this hypothesis - then it was likely that humans from Earth had such talents - provided that Earth once had had magic.
"My alien heritage," the Colonel replied in a flat voice.
"Sir, according to what we know, those people must have arrived on Earth so long ago, the majority of humanity could be related to them," Sam said. Though that didn't mean all of them had the same genes that apparently qualified them as First Ones. She and Daniel didn't, after all.
"So, why didn't you or Daniel register?" the Colonel asked. Of course, he wouldn't have missed that.
"The human genome has a large variance. And yet we are all humans," she said, staring at him.
He snorted again but slowly nodded. "Maybe you're right. But I'll still tell the doc that she missed an alien in SG-1 once we're back on Earth." He flashed her a grin.
She smiled in return. It wasn't a particularly good joke, but if the Colonel was joking about it, things were improving. They would get through this.
"So!" he spoke up, raising his voice, "how does this magic work? Do I wave my hand and think electric thoughts, and lightning strikes whatever I point at?"
The others turned to look at him, interrupting their talk about how best to tell the rest of their alliance about this discovery. "It doesn't work like that," Glimmer told him. "You need training. Lots of training. My dad and my aunt studied magic for years before they could cast spells."
"Unless you have a magical talent like a princess. That's different from spellcasting and generally expresses itself as a single magical ability," Entrapta added. "You'll have to train to use it most effectively, but figuring out how to use it should be easy. At least it was for me."
"Yes," Glimmer said with a nod. "If you are a princess, you'll figure out things easily enough."
"Great. I might be a pretty princess." The Colonel shook his head.
"A prince, in your case," Glimmer told him.
"We're just calling them princesses because the majority are female," Catra said.
"Great. That makes it all better." The Colonel snorted again.
"Men are included in the female term," Daniel said. "Is this only the case for princesses or a general rule? Or do you pick the term according to what gender is the majority in any particular group?"
The others looked confused.
"On Earth, we generally use the male term for a mixed group, no matter whether or not the majority are female," Sam explained.
"Ah." Glimmer nodded. "It varies, but we generally go with the majority."
"That should make a few feminists back home happy," the Colonel said.
Sam didn't comment.
"Well, a society with predominantly female leaders will be of quite the interest for a lot of people back home," Daniel said earnestly. "Many models and theories can be validated."
And a lot of people would have some issues with female leaders; Sam knew that better than most.
"Feminists?" Adora asked.
Sam saw the Colonel wince when he realised that Daniel wasn't the only one who could make a gaffe. "Feminists are people on Earth, mostly women, who work to remove gender-based inequalities," she explained. "Some of them have more extreme goals." Not nearly as many as some of the chauvinists Sam had encountered during her career claimed, though.
"Wait…" Bow frowned. "Do you mean you treat people differently based on their gender? I mean, why else would you have people trying to change that?"
"What?"
"Really?"
Sam suppressed a sigh. "Women and men are considered equals in most countries, but there are lingering prejudices and biases, which affect their actual treatment." Boy, were there lingering biases. Especially in the Armed Forces.
"We're working on it," Daniel chimed in, "but it's, ah, a work in progress."
"That makes no sense," Glimmer protested. "You don't even have magic!"
Right. Since princesses were predominantly female, they would assume magic might make them biased towards women.
"Without magic, society was dominated by men for a long stretch of our history," Daniel replied. "But things have changed. And are still changing. For the better."
Their hosts didn't look like they were happy with the explanation. Sam couldn't really blame them - she wasn't happy with it, either. Yes, things were changing for the better, but they had a long way to go.
This Earth didn't sound like a nice place, Catra thought. She knew about prejudice from the top from her time as a Horde cadet. Knew it all too well. She wasn't going to let anyone look down on her for being a woman. There were enough reasons to look down on her, anyway.
She gritted her teeth and pushed the thought away. She was changing for the better. Like Earth? She snorted at her own foolishness. This wasn't the time to dwell on that. Not when Adora looked like she was blaming herself for the First Ones crimes. Again.
Catra stepped closer to her lover. Close enough so no one could hear her whisper: "It's not your fault. Not at all. You're not responsible for your ancestors."
"But…" Adora started to object.
Catra reached up and placed her finger on Adora's lips. "No buts. This happened a thousand years ago. Long before you were born."
"We don't know that," Adora retorted, holding her hand so Catra couldn't shut her up. "The portal that brought me to Etheria might have reached back in time."
Catra rolled her eyes. Entrapta's idle speculation really wasn't helping sometimes. "Even then, you were a baby. Innocent." And then Shadow Weaver had gotten her claws into her. Into them all. The woman had a lot to answer for, but what she had done to Adora was the worst of her crimes.
"Yes, but… I can't help feeling responsible for this." Adora said, a little more loudly.
"For what?" Catra shook her head. "What's the big deal?"
"But…"
"We - the Etherians - are the result of genetic experiments by the First Ones," Glimmer cut in. "That's a big deal." Catra opened her mouth to tell her it wasn't, but she lifted a finger and went on: "And yes, it's been a thousand years, and we aren't defined by our origins anyway, but… it still matters. People care about their families. Their origins."
Catra clenched her jaws. She knew that Adora cared a lot about the fact that she didn't know her real family - that she was taken from them by a portal thanks to Light Hope.
"My Dads will be… I don't actually know how they'll react," Bow said. "They've studied the First Ones for so long, and now to find out about those experiments?"
"They didn't experiment on your ancestors," Catra told him. He didn't look like the people they had seen in the hologram, after all.
"We don't know that. And if we were not experimented on, we still were involved," Bow replied.
"As a control group, probably. You can't run such experiments properly without a control group." Entrapta nodded.
Well, at least she didn't have any issues with this revelation.
"We need to decide how we tell the others about this," Glimmer said, shaking her head. "And I thought telling them about a new war would be bad."
"Why would it be bad?" Entrapta asked. "I still don't get it."
"People might not like being descendants of, ah, 'test subjects'," O'Neill said.
Catra snorted. What did it matter? Besides, what did he know? He had trouble with the fact that he wasn't the descendant of test subjects,but of a First One! "They'll get over it," she said. "Most of them, at least."
"It's not that," Glimmer said, biting her lower lip. "But this revelation could shake the kingdoms. If our magic powers as princesses are just the result of experimentation, what does that mean for us?"
Oh. That. Catra suppressed another snort. "So? You still have the magic powers."
"Power alone isn't… enough," Glimmer retorted.
"You worry about your legitimacy," Daniel spoke up, nodding.
"No more divine right," O'Neill muttered under his breath in such a low tone, Catra was sure she was the only one of her friends to overhear him. "What a pity."
"Sir!" Carter hissed.
He was right, though. This would shake up some kingdoms. At least the weaker ones. And those ruled by stupid princesses. Probably.
"But… Etheria had magic before the First Ones arrived. She-Ra predates them, for one," Entrapta pointed out. "It would only be logical that other people had magic powers as well."
"Great. So we usurped the first princesses?" Glimmer shook her head again.
"Well…" Bow shifted a little. "That was quite common in the Age of War. At least amongst the kingdoms without a Runestone. It took time to establish a dynasty, according to my Dads."
Catra rolled her eyes. "So, you have to admit that your ancestors took power thanks to their magic? So what? You're not responsible for them." And it was kind of funny that for all the Alliance opposing and condemning the Horde, their kingdoms had been founded in a similar way.
"Mom was already alive at the time," Glimmer pointed out. "And she never told me anything..."
Oh. That expression… Catra was familiar with that feeling as well. "She probably had a reason for that. Or she forgot."
"Mom never forgot anything! She could recite everything I did wrong," Glimmer shot back.
"Parent of the year," O'Neill mumbled.
"But things a thousand years ago? Things she might have wanted to forget?" Daniel asked.
Glimmer hesitated. "I have to ask Dad about this. And we need to tell the others of the Alliance."
"But we need to find out more about this, first!" Entrapta chimed in. "We need more data - what kind of experiments, which test subjects, what happened to them… We need to know the truth before we can tell it!" She turned to Adora and O'Neill. "And we need you for that!"
Neither Adora nor O'Neill looked happy at that.
"So… now we have a baseline to analyse. Too bad we couldn't get the raw data, but the records in the main databanks should suffice for now," Entrapta said. "Why would anyone not share their research data with other scientists?"
The princess sounded as if she genuinely didn't understand, Jack O'Neill thought.
"You didn't exactly share your research with us when you were in the Horde, did you?" Glimmer asked her.
"You didn't ask for it to be shared," Entrapta replied. "And it was supposed to be a secret. But this is basic research, and this is a research station, and we have two First Ones here. Why would they keep their data from others in the same project?"
Jack's eyes widened. Wait - she had been in the Horde? Entrapta was amongst the most open and easy-going princesses they had met so far, and she was a former Hode scientist?
"You were in the Horde?" Daniel asked.
"With Hordak, yes," Entrapta replied. "Well, I was in the Alliance, first, but then I was accidentally left behind during a mission and thought they had abandoned me, and Catra was offering me a laboratory and all those First Ones technology to study, so I joined them. That's how I met Hordak!" She beamed at them. "And then, later, I left the Horde - well, I was kinda banished to Beast Island, where I met Micah and the others, so…" She shrugged. "It all worked out and now we're all friends!"
Jack blinked. Catra had offered her a lab? In the Horde? That meant she had been in the Horde as well - and apparently in a rather high position. He glanced at the others. Carter was surprised as well. And Teal'c… wasn't showing any emotion.
"Ah." Daniel, though, didn't seem to be fazed at all. "So, you switched allegiances several times during the war. Was that common?"
"Kinda," Entrapta said. "At the end, it was everyone against Horde Prime. Scorpia, too."
"Yes," Glimmer said. "And we beat him."
Catra was silent, Jack noticed. And Adora was holding her shoulders. Things were more complicated than he had thought.
"I, too, left the services of a false god once I had the opportunity," Teal'c spoke up. He nodded at their hosts. "I understand."
Catra snorted in response, but it sounded more… well, she didn't really smile. Entrapta, however, beamed again. "Yes! Maybe we can get some Goa'uld to change sides as well!"
"Ah…" Jack grimaced. Trying to turn the snakes? He'd rather juggle hand grenades.
"There are Goa'uld who oppose the system lords. The Tok'Ra," Daniel said. "We met one of them, but he died before we could contact them."
Jack glanced at Carter. She was standing still, ramrod straight, lips pressed together. No doubt remembering her recent possession by Jolinar. He suppressed the urge to put his hand on her shoulder and glared at Daniel; that wasn't how you talked about things like that.
"Oh? So they can change!" Entrapta nodded. And her friends smiled.
Great. Now they had the completely wrong impression. "We have met one individual who claimed to be a Goa'uld rebel," Jack corrected them. "We don't really know if he was telling the truth."
"Oh. But the possibility remains," Adora said, nodding firmly. "If one can turn against them, others can do so as well."
"In theory," Jack said.
"I trusted Jolinar," Carter said in a clipped, tight voice. "But he didn't tell me how to contact the others - we don't really know anything about them. They have to operate in strict secrecy, which makes it very hard to reach them."
"Oh. Well, once we're starting offensive operations, they'll probably make contact with us," Adora said.
"Even if only so they aren't mistaken for our enemies," Catra added. She, too, was still tense.
"Anyway, we have data to analyse. With these records, we can track the lineage of many princesses," Entrapta said. "And we might discover more of our past! I wonder what kind of creature had prehensile hair." She tugged at her own hair. "Perhaps it's a creature from another planet? Wouldn't that be neat?"
Judging by their expressions, the others didn't really share Entrapta's opinion. Jack couldn't blame them. He wasn't happy about being part alien himself. He was an officer in the Air Force. A human. Not some… alien. Part-alien. And what would the brass think about him? Hell, some would want him removed from SG-1 for security's sake.
And he couldn't blame them - he'd probably ask for the same if someone else were revealed to be part alien. Especially if they arrived with other, related aliens as potential allies. Aliens with very firm views of what was acceptable amongst allies and what was not. On the other hand, if they had taken in former Horde personnel as it seemed...
Things had become really complicated. But that didn't change the fact they had to find a way home. "So!" He clapped his hands. "Now that we've got the genetic data for you to analyse, how about we look for a DHD to get us home to Earth?" He noted that most others looked slightly guilty at being reminded of their original reason for entering this station in the first place.
"Right!" Entrapta said. "The concentrations of Naquadah!" She held her multitool or whatever it was up and pushed a few buttons. "It's this way!"
"Alpha, can you show us a map of the station?" O'Neill asked.
"Yes, Colonel O'Neill." A moment later, a 3D map of the place appeared floating above the holoprojector.
"Oh! Neat!" Entrapta cocked her head and peered at it, then at her recorder. "The concentrations are all here!" She pointed at a large room in the eastern part of the station.
The largest room in the station, actually. Jack had a feeling what they would find there.
Five minutes later, he found out he was right. The room was a hangar. And none of the concentrations of Naquadah was a Stargate. They were transport planes. Or shuttles, actually, since it was certain they could travel through space. Unfortunately, they were also all in various states of disrepair.
Not that that would deter Carter and Entrapta. Quite the contrary - both were all over the things the moment they had laid eyes on them.
"We'll never get them away from this place in time for dinner," he commented.
They'd be here for a while. Well, at least they wouldn't get shot at. And they might find out a little more about Etheria's past - both ancient and recent. Though Jack would have to keep an eye on Daniel - his friend was a little too enthusiastic about new cultures. They really didn't need any more slips and leaks. Their reputation amongst the Etherians was probably already not the best.
Then again, as they had just found out, the Etherians had some skeletons in the closet as well. Though whether that was a good or bad thing remained to be seen.