“Yes. After all, if you are to negotiate on my behalf, you must know for whom you are negotiating.”
“I’m not negotiating on your behalf. I’m negotiating on behalf of those the Reetou are indiscriminately murdering.”
“Then we have the same goal, Dr. Jackson,” Kali said with more than a little smugness, “for I, too, wish to protect my people. And I believe it is important for you to know whence that wish derives.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Earth — many thousands of years ago
THE CHAPPA’AI activated. Ra watched as Shiva came through, followed by his retinu.
“Welcome, Shiva,” Ra said, limping toward the fellow Goa’uld even as the chappa’ai’s wormhole deactivated.
Shiva stared with concern at Ra’s being hobbled. “It is good to see you, old friend, but if you need to go to the sarcophagus…”
Ra shook his head. “This body is dying. The Unas are physically strong, but they are susceptible to minor injuries. However — ”
Then Ra stumbled again, and Shiva’s companion stepped forward to catch him.
“Thank you,” Ra said.
“This,” Shiva said, “is Kali. She has served as my right arm for lo these many centuries.”
“Then thank you, Kali,” Ra said. “I must tend to this latest injury.” He snapped his thick fingers and a mortal stepped forward. “This is my primary lo’taur. When I landed here years ago, he was the only one who did not run in fear at the sight of my ha’tak.” He turned to the lo’taur. “Show Shiva and his servants to their quarters. We will gather for a meal in one hour.”
The lo’taur bowed and said in a mellifluous voice, “Follow me, please.”
Shiva, Kali, and their other servants followed through the stone corridor, which led from the chappa’ai to Ra’s ha’tak. At each wall were several lo’taur who worked hard at the walls of the corridor. Peering more closely, Kali and Shiva both realized that the mortals were being put to work carving linguistic decoration into the walls. It would probably take months, but eventually, the entire corridor would be covered in hieroglyphs.
To Kali, Shiva said, “I believe that Ra finds the people of this world to be ideal slaves. See how hard they labor on the walls. They are many, and will serve us well.”
Kali nodded. “They are barely able to construct their own tools. Our technology must appear as magic to them.”
“Indeed.”
The smooth-faced slave brought them to guest quarters on the landed ha’tak. The corridor had been constructed so that they went straight from the chappa’ai to the ship.
Shiva received his own cabin, as did Kali, though hers was less lavish. The other servants shared a third cabin.
For Shiva, there was a large bed and a half-dozen lo’taur to service his every need. His cabin also had several statues of Ra and a plate filled with delicacies.
In Kali’s case, the cabin was smaller, no slaves awaited her pleasure, and there was only the one statue, but the bed was still large and there was still food and drink. That suited her well, as she had not eaten before departing, and the heat on this world made her thirsty.
Some time later, the lo’taur returned to announce that Ra awaited them in the dining hall. Only Shiva and Kali were invited. The other servants — some mortal, some Goa’uld — were told to stay in their quarters.
The dining hall was a rectangular space covered in gold inlay, with statues of all the System Lords lining the long sides of the room. Kali found the likeness of Shiva’s statue to be lacking, but said nothing out of respect.
Only three places were set at the table, and Ra was already sitting at the head. The other two place settings were on either side of him. Kali waited and let Shiva choose where he wished to sit, as was appropriate. She took the third seat after he decided to sit on Ra’s right.
Ra’s host looked healthier than before, though he still moved slowly and with obvious pain.
“Welcome, my friends. Thank you for joining me here at the seat of the Goa’uld Empire.”
Shiva and Kali exchanged glances across the table. “Then this is to be where the Goa’uld will rule?”
“Of course. The Ancients left two of their chappa’ai here. And there are other indications that the gate builders used this world as a base of operations. Plus the population is strong, yet obedient. Adaptable yet pliant. The lo’taur are the finest slaves I have ever seen.”
A lo’taur came by and filled their mugs with an aromatic drink.
Taking a sip, Shiva asked, “Then you wish us to join you in ruling these people?”
“Those System Lords who have answered my summons have already staked their claims on this world. Anubis, Apophis, Bastet, Hathor — the entirety of the land near the great river is ours.”
Shiva bridled, wondering if Ra had summoned him only to deny him territory and send him away again.
But then Ra’s Unas host broke into a smile. “Worry not, my friend — there is more to this world than the great river. Cronus and Ares have ventured to the sea to the north. And to the east, there is a great mountain. Many potential slaves live in its valley.”
As he spoke, several more lo’taur came into the dining hall bearing food.
“We will speak more of this after we dine. But I can assure you, my old friend, that you will find much of value in the land near that great mountain.”
Nodding, Shiva grabbed his mug. “To the mountain!”
Shiva stayed some time in Ra’s kingdom, travelling up and down the great river, seeing how he raised up the nomadic, desert-dwelling creatures from the muck, turning them into a mighty force of Goa’uld subjects. He also saw the domains of Anubis, Apophis, Hathor, and Osiris, seeing how they ruled the fiefdoms that Ra had granted them.
At one point, Shiva toured a giant farm, with Kali by his side. Kali noticed that the farmers were not as devout toward Ra’s leadership as others, and she mentioned this to Ra.
“You believe they are disloyal?” Ra asked her.
Shaking her head, Kali said, “I cannot be sure. But I believe that they bear watching.”
Ra bowed his head. “My thanks, Kali. Shiva is lucky to have you in his service.”
After a week had ended, Ra gifted Shiva with a tel’tak with which to travel to the great mountain.
The people there were instantly cowed and fell prostrate before the power of the Goa’uld — as any sensible mortal should. But even more, the people looked upon their Unas hosts and were frightened, for the Unas were broader of form than the Tau’ri.
Shiva was able to decipher the gutter tongue of the mortals and learned that they referred to their land as Bengal, that they lived in awe of the great mountain.
“The mountain is nothing,” Shiva said. “It is merely rock that has formed in a manner that makes it look impressive. I can bring health to the sick and food to the earth. But I may also bring death to the living if they do not please me.”
Two months after Shiva’s reign in Bengal began, Ra summoned all the Goa’uld under his domain to a meeting in his throne room.The opulent room was filled with dozens of Goa’uld of all ranks –System Lords as well as minor Goa’uld who were servants to the gods.
The throne itself was empty at first. But once everyone had arrived, a fanfare announced the arrival of Ra’s lo’taur.
To the shock of all the Goa’uld present, the lo’taur stepped up to Ra’s throne and sat upon it.
Outrage flew through the gathered Goa’uld.
“What is this?”
“Kill the slave!”
“How dare he!”
But then the lo’taur spoke with a voice that was deeper and more resonant than that of any of the Tau’ri on this world. “Silence, all of you!” And his eyes glowed.
Shocked silence spread as fast as the outrage had moments ago.
It was Anubis who broke the silence. “Ra?”
“Yes, my friends. It is I, My Unas host has failed me, to the point that even the sarcophagus is of no
use.”
Shiva asked, “Then why not return through the chappa’ai and obtain a new Unas to host your magnificence?”
“Because it is not necessary. While the Unas are more physically powerful, they are also slow to heal. The Tau’ri may be lesser of strength, but they are greater of speed and adaptability. They heal faster from their wounds, and the sarcophagi are more effective on their bodies than they ever were on the Unas.”
“Without the Unas’ strength…” Shiva started.
But Apophis rubbed the chin of his Unas host thoughtfully. “What need have we of brute strength? We have millions of Tau’ri to serve us now. They will do our bidding. They will be our strength.”
Shiva said nothing in response, but Kali could see that he was seething.
Ra rose to his feet. “This is the word of Ra! All Goa’uld will take Tau’ri hosts. Return to your kingdoms and find a Tau’ri you believe worthy of the honor of hosting our greatness.”
Soon thereafter, the gathering broke up. Shiva went directly to the tel’tak, Kali barely able to keep up with his angry strides.
“What ails you, my lord?” Kali asked as they entered the vessel.
“Ra is a fool!”
Kali could see why he waited until they were safely on board, the airlock doors closed, before speaking, for his words were treasonous.
Slowly, considering her words, she said, “It does explain why he has favored that lo’taur so much, if he was grooming him for — ”
“Be silent! We will never speak of such abominations again. The Unas are our hosts. That is the way of things. These Tau’ri are feeble and unworthy.”
“But Ra decreed — ”
“Enough!” To the pilot, he bellowed, “Take us back.”
The tel’tak took off into the sky over the river.
Shiva turned upon Kali with a murderous expression. “Ra may decree all he wishes. The fools who serve under him here in the desert may do as they wish. In the great mountain valley, I rule, and I will never sully myself with such an imperfect host.”
Once they returned to Bengal, nothing truly changed. Shiva had been correct that they were at a remove from the other Goa’uld — only Lord Yu’s domain was geographically further from Ra’s than Bengal, though Kali was curious to discover that Yu was one of the first to find a Tau’ri host.
After the palace had at last been finished, Kali asked one of the lo’taur, “How far down the valley are there people?”
“As far as the eye can see from the great plateau.”
That piqued Kali’s curiosity. “What great plateau?”
Eyes widening, the lo’taur, whose name was Priya, said, “How do you not know of the plateau? It is a day’s travel up the great mountain, and it is like being atop the entire world, you can see so very far.”
“Show me,” Kali said, and Priya proceeded to draw a map for her in the sand using a stick.
Curious after this discussion, she went to Shiva in the throne room that the Bengali had made for him and told him of the plateau in question.
“Curious. You should take that lo’taur in the tel’tak and have her bring you there.”
Kali smiled. “She suggested we hike there. It is only a day’s walk.”
“You did not entertain such a notion, did you? We are gods, we do not hike.”
In fact, Kali had considered it, but she knew better than to contradict Shiva. “Of course, my lord, I simply mentioned it as an amusement.”
The next day, Kali took Priya to the tel’tak.
“Where are you taking me?” she asked, suddenly scared as they approached the vessel.
“To the plateau.” Kali said and her Unas host’s eyes glowed. “Gods do not hike.”
Priya hesitated before entering the tel’tak, and jumped in surprise when the airlock door closed behind her.
The same servant of Shiva who had flown them to and from Ra’s kingdom also flew them this day. He sat in the pilot chair, and the vessel soon took off.
Walking to the front of the tel’tak, Priya stared in amazement as the ship rose into the air. “It is as if we are a bird!”
Kali was amused. “Birds fly by means of their wings. This ship flies by the might of the Goa’uld.”
“Truly you are gods,” Priya muttered, as if there could be any doubt. “I have seen vistas akin to this in the past, but always with the solid ground of the great mountain beneath my feet. To see it now with only this conveyance to carry me…”
Using her memory of the map Priya had drawn in the ground as a guide, Kali had little trouble navigating the tel’tak, and the servant followed her flight plan precisely.
Within half an hour, they had landed on the plateau.
To the servant, Kali said, “Stay with the ship.”
Nodding, the servant put the vessel on standby. Meanwhile, Kali led Priya out onto the plateau.
Again, the servant jumped when the airlock doors opened of their own accord.
The plateau was only just wide enough for the tel’tak to land. However, it was long enough that there was sufficient room for Kali and Priya to walk and take in the magnificent view.
And magnificent it was. Kali had never seen anything as majestic and impressive as the view she had now of the Bengali settlements. Shiva’s throne room was just a tiny speck in the distance, no different from all the other tiny specks.
The more she stared at it, the less magnificent it seemed, and the more frightening it became. As she saw how tiny and undifferentiated everything was at this distance, suddenly Kali did not feel at all like a god, or even like a Goa’uld. In the face of this giant mountain — the full height of which was several orders of magnitude greater than the upward distance that the tel’tak had achieved — she felt very insignificant.
It was not a feeling that sat well with her.
“You can see,” Priya was saying, pointing southward, “that there are others who have not yet been shown the way of Shiva. If you can traverse the mountain with your mighty conveyance, then surely you may travel to those other lands, as well. Those others should not be denied your magnificence.”
“Indeed they should not. Let us go to them, now. Quickly!” Kali spoke with haste, as she no longer wished to be standing on this plateau, nor be anywhere near the mountain. It was better, she decided, to admire its majesty from a distance.
She lumbered slowly toward the tel’tak. Priya moved much faster and with more grace. Ra was correct: the Tau’ri may not have been as strong as the Unas, but they were more adaptable and considerably more agile.
Just as they entered the ship, the very ground shook.
Staring at Priya, Kali asked, “What was that?”
“I — I do not know.” Priya had been in awe before — now she was terrified. “I have come to this plateau many times. The ground has never shaken before!”
Turning to the servant in the pilot’s seat, Kali said, “Take us out of here, now!”
“I do not believe we should do that, my lady.”
A growl forming in the back of her throat, Kali asked, “What do you mean by that?”
“I mean that I believe the tel’tak’s engines are what led to the instability in this plateau in the first place. Should we use them again, I cannot predict the results.”
“Perhaps,” Kali said angrily, “but I can easily predict the results if you do not remove us from this plateau immediately.” To emphasize her point, she raised her left hand.
Rather than face the wrath of Kali’s kara kesh, the pilot began the startup sequence.
And then the ship shook from the impact of several large rocks falling on top of it from higher up the mountain.
“Rockslide!” Priya cried.
“Get us out of here!” Kali shouted at the pilot.
The servant tried his best, but more and more rocks came crashing down onto the tel’tak, including one that smashed directly into the front end of the vessel, which caved in, crushing not only the cockpit, but also the pilot.
> Kali was mentally debating the efficacy of running out the airlock or taking her chances inside the tel’tak when suddenly Priya cried out, “My lady, look out!”
Priya was a tiny slip of a human and Kali’s host was a powerful Unas. Nonetheless, Priya managed to throw her weight against Kali enough to knock her to the deck of the vessel, just as a large rock that had penetrated the hull whizzed past where her head had been. Priya herself also tumbled down to a prone form, and the rock that would have crushed Kali’s skull instead landed on her legs.
And then another rock smashed through the new hole in the top of the ship and landed directly on Kali’s chest.
She herself was undamaged, but her Unas host was past the point where she could heal her. The rock had completely caved in the Unas’s chest cavity, and Kali could not repair the damage to her host until that rock was removed, which she did not have the strength to do. Facing the demise of her host, Kali did the only thing she could do: she escaped. Disengaging from the Unas’s spine, Kali wriggled out the creature’s mouth just as she took her last breath.
It took her several moments to readjust all five of her senses to being a tiny amphibian as opposed to a powerful biped. Her range of vision was now more limited — and also much closer to the ground. Being forced to engage in locomotion via slithering was quite irritating.
She needed another host. And with the pilot also crushed beneath the weight of one of the mountain’s rocks, that only left one option.
Slithering toward Priya, who lay facedown on the deck, she saw that the lo’taur was bleeding profusely from her smashed leg. She would soon be dead. Kali would not allow one of their loyal subjects to die after bringing her this gift of the many lands available to them. Besides, it was not her fault that this rockslide happened — had they hiked as Priya had originally suggested, all would have been well.
Not only that, but Priya’s actions had saved Kali’s life, for had she not pushed her host’s body out of the way as she did, she would have been struck in the head. The symbiote would likely not have survived such a blow. Kali owed Priya her life. That deserved a reward.
Finally, while Shiva had ordered her not to take a Tau’ri host, Ra had ordered her to do so. And Ra’s word was supreme among the Goa’uld. Those who disobeyed rarely lived to regret that action.
STARGATE SG-1: Kali's Wrath (SG1-28) Page 10
