Colorado Springs, Stargate Command Headquarters…
"So you are convinced, Zacharias, that an alliance — or, at least, an agreement of understanding and mutual recognition — between ourselves and the Imperial Dominion and the Royal Kingdoms will be beneficial to us all?"
A nod from the elderly Israeli who was the current director of the Special Committee on Alien Activities. "Indeed so, Mister Secretary General," Zacharias Rhetor — "Zed" to his co-workers — said before he faced the others in the meeting room. "We had hoped that since the Urusians were willing to be sportsman-like when they came to 'invade' us that they'll respect our wishes when it came to visits by citizens of their planet and their allies." A sigh. "However, we knew right from the start that they were not the only game in town, so to speak. We used that once to our advantage after the matter with the space-taxi when we threatened to contact the governor of Tengsei (which is located in the Alpha Centauri systems) to ask for the protection of the Imperial Dominion should ever such wide-ranging 'indiscretions' by Miss Redet — as we then believed, Lum Redet — ever occur again beyond Tomobiki's borders."
"They didn't all listen," Jack O'Neill noted.
"It was a bluff," the leader of the Men In Black admitted. "And as far as we knew — I must remind you all that our intelligence-gathering capabilities are quite limited — they didn't call us on it." Another sigh as he sat back in his chair. "I can add that after the matter with Prince Rupa of Yaminokuni, we sent an official communiqué to Onishuto, Uru's capital, officially announcing Mister Moroboshi (as he is Earth's onigokko champion in Urusian eyes) had exercised his right under Clause Ten of the original Tag Race Agreement. That declared Miss Redet, her cousin Jariten, Miss Aruka — Damasu of course, not Ran — Lieutenant Rei Seq (and all those related to them) effectively as persona non grata here on Earth." He smirked. "That gave us a delay that, we hoped, would make cooler heads there think over what happened before trying to force their will on us again. Fortunately for us, Miss Moroboshi came with her fleet within forty-eight hours of Miss Redet's forced expulsion, thus…"
"Granting us another option to express our displeasure at their basic ignorance of our wishes and desires," the Secretary General of the United Nations finished.
"Exactly, sir."
The Korean politician nodded in delight before he turned to gaze on the President of the United States at the other end of the table deep within Stargate Command's main headquarters. "Major Carter, what did you and Professor Jackson learn of these Noukiites and Yehisrites?" the former Illinois senator then asked. "Much that I do appreciate Miss Moroboshi's considerable efforts on our part and her desire to cultivate trustworthy allies, I think we all need to know what they're like."
Eyes locked on Sam Carter and Daniel Jackson. "Well, starting first with the Noukiites, we'll be dealing with a very technologically advanced yet quite culturally and socially conservative society that has, in effect, been one unified planetary state for just over five thousand years," the former stated. "The Lady Chancellor Nakkyek did say there was a millennia-old period when Noukiios was split into three separate governments claiming to be the one legitimate government for the whole planet — their 'Tri-Kingdoms' age — but they can trace all the basic ruling values and tenets of their society back to the unification of their world under Emperor Muchach, whom these days, they refer to as the Ch'uoeuk. The King of Kings."
"They're very strong believers in predestination and reincarnation," Daniel added. "In their belief system, all living things are reincarnated on death to either a higher form of animal or — if human — to a higher level of the Ten Orders."
"They're a caste society, you mean?" the Secretary General asked.
"Exactly, but even their version of India's Dalits or Japan's burakumin are treated with respect and basic human dignity." Sam then smiled. "The Lady Chancellor put it this way: 'We all start out our time on the Great Circle of Life as Uohu' — that's their basic designator for their 'untouchable' caste — 'So why should we forget our own beginnings because we've advanced closer to the Final Judgement?'"
"When they finally enter Heaven," the American Secretary of State concluded.
"Yes, ma'am."
People around the table exchanged looks. "What about Noukiite dealings with the Goa'uld?" George Hammond wondered. "Anything like we've experienced?"
"The Stargate on Noukiios is located in a hill near their holy city of Ryekkyuk, on the northern continent," Daniel explained. "Their legends concerning Muchach say that near the end of his life, he passed through the Stargate and eventually ascended to Heaven." He smiled. "I actually asked the Lady Chancellor's chief of staff, Lady T'achseu, if there had been incidents in Noukiite history where System Lords had come to their world pretending they were either gods or even the Ch'uoeuk himself."
"She actually smiled when Daniel asked that," Jack cut in. "She told us that while she believes that there was no Goa'uld that ever pretended to be Muchach, that if one of those snakes were ever so stupid enough to do something like that, the Dragonspeaker would be given full license to wipe them out of existence."
"All the Lady K'ekhech does now is ensure the System Lords fully comprehend that Noukiite space is not theirs for the taking," Teal'c stated.
Eyes locked on the Jaffa. "It turns out that Teal'c here and Kyech — that's the Lady K'ekhech's childhood name; she allows close friends to call her that — happen to know each other," Jack then stated. "They met when Apophis tried to attack one of the in-spin worlds of the Dominion he wanted to use as a Jaffa training camp."
"The Lady K'ekhech was there helping transplant several packs of wild wolves and mongooses to that world when they attacked," Sam stated with an admiring smile.
"She didn't take it too kindly when Apophis' death gliders burned down an ancient grove of trees that she thought were quite pretty," Daniel added. "The Lady K'ekhech was more than happy to express her extreme displeasure at Apophis quite personally."
Jaws dropped. "Mister Teal'c, can you tell us what happened?" the President asked, and then he smiled. "Unless you consider that a private affair."
"It is not a private affair, Mister President," Teal'c said…
The planet Ch'eng-ch'ehek (Chengsei), ten years ago…
"WHY CAN'T THIS CREATURE BE STOPPED?!"
Bra'tac turned to bow deep to the angry System Lord that was watching the mass slaughter of his troops in the glider bay of his flagship, now in orbit over the luscious green world at the innermost edge of Noukiite space when compared to the galaxy as a whole. "We have tried everything we can against her, Master," the First Prime said before he turned to stare at the scene of utter destruction happening not metres away. "But she resists the direct blows of both the zat'nik'tel and the ma'tok staffs as if they were just the wind touching her skin!" He watched as several Jaffa levelled their staff weapons on the flame-haired Noukiite free warrior with the long battleaxe-like halberd, the bolts they fired slamming into her with no effect. "Scan her!" he ordered one of the younger warriors. "Surely…"
"Ra'kalach…!"
Apophis blinked on hearing that choked cry of mortal fear from the sensor officer, and then he turned to gaze on the pale Jaffa. "What did you say…?"
"She is Ra'kalach, Master!" the younger warrior gasped. "Even if she looks as if she was one of Pakalach, her blood carries fragments of the ra'naquadah within her!" He turned back to gaze on the screen as he watched the Dragonspeaker effortlessly snap the neck of one of his brother warriors as she deflected several zat'nik'tel shots with the metal blade of her weapon.
"Impossible!" Apophis snarled. "All of the Ra'kalach died out thousands of years ago! You are mistaking…!"
"TEAL'C!"
He turned as Bra'tac screamed out on seeing a particularly handsome young Jaffa level his ma'tok on the Dragonspeaker's back. As the aged master watched in stunned horror, the Noukiite spun around just as the ma'tok discharged, sending a bolt of energy right at her chest. Like all others fired before, it had no effect.
"KILL HER, TEAL'C!" Apophis screamed.
Suddenly, those glowing eyes in the dark shadows of the Dragonspeaker's sockets suddenly fixed on the system lord through the security monitors. A shower of energy then seemed to cover her weapon for a moment before the long staff the battleaxe was attached to then shrunk into a normal handle. She then wound up and threw it right through the bulkheads separating the glider bay from the bridge. The whole ship shook violently as walls and support beams were sheared apart like tinfoil, the battleaxe finally stopping when it punched through the last bulkhead into the bridge to cleave apart the sensory station and the hapless Jaffa manning it. As Apophis blinked in stunned shock on seeing that he had just been several centimetres from being literally chopped in half, footsteps then heralded the invading free warrior's approach.
"STOP!" Bra'tac bellowed as he levelled his ma'tok and fired.
The bolts bounced off the Dragonspeaker's skin and clothes as she stepped onto the bridge, holding out her hand. Apophis gasped as the battleaxe suddenly flew through the air, smacking him hard on the face, to land in her palm. As Apophis fell dazed to the deck, she ignored Bra'tac as he continued to pummel her with ma'tok fire, walking over to the control station near the Chappa'ai Apophis had fitted on his flagship to serve as his personal conveyance to anywhere in his domain. As both men — soon joined by a wide-eyed Teal'c — watched, she touched an interesting combination on the DHD before the stargate. The event horizon immediately formed with its geyser of energy before several long, slender, furry creatures, all equal to the size of an average man, lumbered through. Bra'tac stopped firing, his jaw dropping in confusion, as he watched these creatures gather around the Dragonspeaker, many rearing on their hind legs as they playfully licked her face. Others turned to lumber towards the two Jaffa and the unconscious Goa'uld they served, their eyes glittering with intelligence and a burning, aware anger that made both warriors brace themselves.
"Not them."
That calm, almost toneless voice made Bra'tac and Teal'c stare in confusion at their Noukiite visitor as she gently rubbed the fur under the jaws of one of the animals that just came through the Chappa'ai. As she stared at them, her eyes lost that infernal glow and returned to their normal chestnut shade, the shadows vanishing from her sockets as a look of serene contentment crossed her face. She then gazed down at the animals around her. "You may feast on the others," she said.
Happy growls and hisses escaped this pack of beasts as they all turned and began to approach the fallen Jaffa. Bra'tac and Teal'c watched in confusion as the animals moved to claw away the armour to get at the incision in their chests where each had a Goa'uld larvae buried within to keep them alive, healthy and loyal. As soon as those cuts were exposed, the animals' mouths opened to reveal long tongues and several rows of sharp teeth that looked strong enough to shatter bone. The tongues lanced into each downed Jaffa's pouch to snare the hapless serpents contained within, yanking them out to have then chewed and crunched apart before they were swallowed. Those Jaffa that still were alive, once they sensed what was happening to them, began to scream in pain as they felt their mental links to the symbionts they bore within them shattered, many of them passing out as their loss overwhelmed them. Watching this, both Bra'tac and Teal'c could only shudder as the Dragonspeaker's companions did their work.
"Not him either."
A questioning growl made both Jaffa spin around to see one of the animals looming over a now wide-eyed Apophis. Footsteps then made the system lord slowly turn as he found himself staring into the glowing eyes of a creature that should not be. "What are you…?" he hissed before recoiling as the animal looming over him snarled. "You cannot be Ra'kalach! They are all dead! DEAD! HOW DARE YOU…?!"
His voice caught in his throat as the sharp blade of her weapon suddenly began to loom over his neck. "Be quiet," she said as her eyes began to glow. "You hurt my friends' trees. My friends are very angry at you right now, Apophis, so I will give them their favourite snack to eat in payment for your crimes against them." A faint smile crossed her face. "Pray they don't find prim'ta tasty." The smile then faded as the echo of something beyond human filled her voice. "Because if they do, Her Majesty will order all of you to be hunted down, cleansed of your symbionts and given to them in a massive feast."
As Apophis nearly choked on that threat, a voice then asked, "Why spare us?"
Her eyes focused on Teal'c, and then she twirled her weapon to ram the end of the staff into Apophis' forehead, knocking him out. "Because your teacher sees the truth, young Jaffa," she said as she walked over to gaze into his eyes before she gazed on Bra'tac. "And your student is starting to learn the truth, honoured Master Warrior. That will not be snuffed out from your kind." She then gazed on the unconscious Apophis before she turned back to them. "Leave our space. Make it very clear to all your kind that as long as you serve them, you are not welcome here. Do not return."
With that, she turned to walk toward the Chappa'ai.
"Wait!"
She stopped, turning to gaze on Bra'tac. "Yes?"
"What is your name?" the aged warrior asked. "All we know of you is 'Dragonspeaker.'"
She blinked, and then lightly smiled as her eyes returned to normal. "I am Kyech." With that, she bowed her head to them. "Tal'ma'te."
Stunned by the friendly farewell she had given them, both men then bowed to her. "Suchaeuk-chit' ich'e suhik'hie," Bra'tac said for them both.
Kyech nodded, and then whistled her friends over to join her…
"Why did she spare you?" George Hammond asked. "Did she tell you?"
"She sensed the growing distaste both Master Bra'tac and I felt concerning the many practices of the Goa'uld," Teal'c stated. "Even then, many years before I encountered Colonel O'Neill and his friends on Chulak, I had questions about what it meant to serve the Goa'uld, to see them as our 'gods.' The Lady K'ekhech's actions that day over Ch'eng-ch'ehek merely added to those questions I desired answers to."
Nods around the table. "What of the Yehisrites?" the President asked.
"In many ways, a race of samurai, sir," Sam answered. "They're extremely long-lived, mature quite quickly in comparison to Terrans and seem to live their whole life feeling they have to fight something to prove how strong they are."
"But there are self-imposed limits on that belief," Daniel added. "They feel it's wrong to impose their beliefs on other races since their beliefs developed on their world and are simply meant for Yehisrites or those with Yehisrite blood in them, even if they intermarry with other races, which is, to a certain extent, tolerated." A sigh. "Hence, they won't conquer other races like these Ipraedies we've recently heard about did to several nearby planets. The concept is quite sickening to them and they do support the worlds of the Galactic Federation since they have banded together to stay free of outside influence and — at least, on paper — acknowledge the basic right of all sentient species to determine their own destinies."
"Which brings up the whole question of the Avalonians," Jack added. "There's this bounty hunter named Dakejinzō Shogai, who currently lives on Benten Shigaten's homeworld of Fukunokami. Believe it or not, she's a very advanced android…"
"Synthezoid, sir," Sam cut in.
A sigh. "What's the difference, Carter?"
"A lot, sir," Sam stated before she faced the President. "Put simply, Miss Shogai was constructed by a long-dead alien race for reasons no one has BEGUN to determine. For a long time, she was believed to be as organic as everyone else. She was actually found many years ago by her adopted father, the now-President of the Fukunokami Union, Shinzō Shogai. And despite her having been discovered to be an artificial intelligence quite recently, she is accepted everywhere in the known galaxy as a sentient being, with all the inherent rights of a sentient being. Despite her body being part-silicon."
"Yet, now we know of the Avalonians, who are fully carbon-based DNA organic humanoids despite their being created in gestation tubes and could be formed — 'templated' — in any sort of way…and we see the Niphentaxians using them as slave labour and living sex toys," Daniel added. Seeing the Secretary of State's eyes flare in outrage and the others gape in shock, the archaeologist breathed out, "Prince Sheko's reaction to the news was to send a message to his fellow princes on Yehisril to put a full stop on all trade between the Royal Kingdoms and ALL the member states of the Galactic Federation until such time as the Niphentaxians are either expelled from the group or they renounce slavery and emancipate the Avalonians without condition."
"Sheko thinks that won't happen," Jack said. "The Federates are too damned scared of the Ipraedies to even try to consider punishing the Niphentaxians for what they do."
"The Ipraedies are a threat to us as long as the current regime controlling their empire remains in power," Zed warned.
"But there are less-xenophobic elements of the Ipraedies that are willing to open up to other races," Sam advised him. "And according to Chancellor Nakkyek and Prince Sheko, they are gaining ground in taking control of the government. The crown prince of Ipraedos is himself said to be in support of more openness."
"Is that something we should support?" the Secretary of State asked.
"I personally think if we show that we're willing to talk to them and not let the fear our neighbours have of them dominate our viewpoints, it may go over well," Daniel advised. "Tsukihana Ki and Ayami Hakaru, even though they were kidnapped by Ipraedies, were also given aid by sympathetic Ipraedies in escaping their custody."
Nods around the table. "These are people, I believe, we can deal with," the Secretary General stated as he gazed on the President. "Agreed?"
"Agreed," the latter said. "General Hammond?"
"Sir?"
"Please signal the visiting ships in orbit and inform our pending guests we're awaiting their arrival on Earth so we can get to know them better."
A nod. "Right away, sir."
Minutes later…
"Chevron Seven now locked in place. The wormhole is opening, General."
Everyone in the gate control room tensed as a sheet of water-like energy filled the Stargate after the customary geyser heralding the opening of a wormhole. All military personnel were in dress uniforms as they waited for their guests to arrive.
They didn't wait long.
Two people emerged from the event horizon, hand-in-hand. Seeing the large warrior in the black bodysuit covered with silver-trimmed magenta plates of armour instantly made many people think of the knights of old European legend. Beside Sheko, the Imperial Chancellor of the Outmarches seemed positively diminutive, though there was a considerable maturity in her deep eyes. Behind them came a small honour guard of warriors from both worlds, all bearing futuristic firearms held to port arms. Also present were a small group of aides serving both leaders.
Everyone then stopped as Sheko and Kaep' paused to gaze on the troop of American marines and air force security personnel, their weapons also at port arms as they stared intently at them. "It appears, Lady Nakkyek, Earth also has experienced unwelcome visitors through their stargate," Sheko noted as he nodded in approval at the alertness their hosts' guards now currently demonstrated.
"What sort of surprises?"
Both turned as Jack stepped out from a side door, followed by the other members of SG-1. "Oh, nothing more than very rude System Lords bursting through, proclaiming them to be our 'masters' and trying to kidnap those they would desire as hosts," Kaep' said as she gave the colonel a knowing look. "I assume this has happened to you as well?"
"Several times," Jack admitted. "In the meantime, Your Highness, Madame Chancellor, the President and the Secretary General await your presence."
"Lead us to them, Lord Colonel O'Neill," Sheko bade.
"'Lord Colonel?'" Hammond asked as we…
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