VIII - The First Battle of Dashani
ThatTabiFromSB
Professional Jissou Abuser
I worked my way through a backlog of old projects I've been keeping on the shelf. The Servitor drone found it's innards being open up and removed like a mechanical vivisection of crystalline dust and bronze shavings. It's sole eye is dim and the halfhearted whirring inside has stopped when I found what the problem was. A shattered control crystal that had exploded within it's slot, damaging the controls to it's anti-gravity module.
"Hand me those control crystals, would you?" I asked aloud.
My shadow, ever present, picks up a rack of colorful control crystals. Each were the size of thimbles, they were hideously difficult to make. Crystallized computing was already very efficient, attempting to miniaturize it further was an effort in inducing madness.
There is a soft clink as he picks up two light pink crystal. Ha, he can already tell which ones I wanted out of the lot.
I glance up at him and take the crystals, "Thank you."
The Ashrak doesn't react, merely returning to his composed ramrod straight guarding pose. My attention returns to the drone's innards, but my thoughts are on my shadow.
I knew better though. Underneath the mask of indifference was a young man unused to emotion, who only knew how to seek love from his highest superior, his god. Beneath the training of a lifetime was a human boy who was desperate for affection and acknowledgement.
Each and every heartfelt thanks and honest praise struck him deeper than his blade ever could.
I know this, because I saw it. In an effort to find out how he had evaded all my security measures, I had Nishka and Seshat gather all surveillance footage from all around the city, the countryside, the surrounding wilderness, and the Bridge.
After many hours of reviewing said footage, we carefully pieced together the means of infiltration he had taken. The Ashrak did not arrive through the stargate as we had initially thought. No, we found him leaving a cargo container that an Al'kesh had dropped off earlier that day. The container had been moved into the city, it's contents of grain to be distributed.
He left wearing a Baker's Guild tunic. Despite Seshat insistence, there were no cases of anyone in the Baker's Guild coming down with an unexpected case of death or sudden possession.
We tracked the assassin across the city as he made his way past the security checkpoints and evaded the patrols. He made it look easy. Of course, at the time I did not know he was Ra's and thus had access to my security measures and patrol times. The Baker's tunic was exchanged for more nondescript clothing and a cloak.
What was unusual was that he did not make his way to my palace immediately. Instead the Ashrak had made his way to the Jaffa Quarter, a walled community where approximately a quarter of the Jaffa's families lived; hence it's name. The quarter were made up large apartments with parks in the center, each holding an upwards of a thousand people and allowing the residents to live comfortably.
We watched as the man scaled the walls and make his way through the apartment interior. He avoided the children playing in the park, taking the stairs to the third floor and knocking on a door. A woman, slightly thin with a smile that reached her eyes. The two spoke as Nishka searched for information on the woman. Was she an informant? A spy?
Perhaps it was none of those things.
The assassin reached into his cloak. To our surprise, it was not a knife or a bribe he pulled out, but a letter. The woman took it with trembling fingers and slowly opened it. The expression of her face went through many changes in quick succession. Fear, shock, hope, joy. She was crying silently and the assassin turned away slightly.
From what I could see, he felt uncomfortable.
Then the woman threw her arms around him, practically pulling him into a hug. The assassin's face was one of pure panic as the woman sobbed what we could only assume was gratitude.
The ashrak eventually managed to extricate himself from the woman's arms and big her goodbye.
She shook her head and bade him to wait, turning to head back inside. A moment later, a parcel wrapped in leaves was given to him with a prayer on her lips.
This was not the first letter he would bring. I would watch him bring letters that brought joy and closure to three more families across the city. Later, when Nishka found the families in question and had them questioned discreetly, it was discovered they all had something in common.
Jaffa in the service of Ra who had disappeared. From the contents of the letter, it seemed they were Jaffa trapped on a planet Ra used for his Trials. Each were veterans of their own right, former Primes that had served Ra for many years, before being sent to be opponents in a Trial of martial might for any that Ra wished to test.
The Ashrak had no reason to abide to their request to deliver letters to inform their families of their fate. But it was a request honored with faith.
"Is there something the matter, my lord?" Asked the Ashrak behind me. I smiled to myself and shook my head, extricating myself from within the drone.
I hit my head on the lip of the opening as soon as I heard the air raid sirens go off.
-
Underlord Mot'ti couldn't help but feel unease as his First Prime informed him of their imminent arrival to Dashani, Iah's homeworld. Apophis had assured him that a small force would be able to penetrate whatever defenses were present and strike deep into Iah's domain. From there it was merely a matter of attacking a research center and making off with whatever technology was being developed.
Personally, Mot'ti was of two minds about this endeavor. On one hand, it was incredibly risky. On the other... well, it could be extremely lucrative. From all reports and assurances, Iah's defenses were very light. Perilously so, even!
So weak that even a minor Goa'uld such as he stood a chance to climb very high into the ranks indeed.
"My lord, we are leaving hyperspace," said his First Prime.
This was it. The moment where he gave to order to begin the attack... or retreat. He was racked with indecision, but the conclusion was foregone. The Underlord didn't have a choice, really, when it came down to it.
When Apophis tells you to attack, you attack. Regardless of the consequences or assurances. Mot'ti knew very well what the consequences would be for him if he simply returned; execution for cowardliness or worse.
That is of course not to say what Ra would do to him.
But... the alluring chance to get technology beyond even the Supreme System Lord...
"Launch all death gliders as soon as we arrive. Al'kesh are to escort the transports to their landing zones," declared the Underlord authoritatively. "Gliders are to engage their fighters while we focus our firepower upon whatever ships are present."
"Yes, my lord!" Chorused the Jaffa around him.
His ship left hyperspace and Mot'ti found himself looking at a blue green and gold jewel of a world below him. The edges of his pel'tak were lit with flames, licking at the window. They were still decelerating, it seemed. He had chosen to emerge close to the world, despite the risk of losing some structural integrity, partially entering the upper atmosphere, as well as weakening the shield strength of his ships and exposing them to fire from any ships in orbit his fleet had bypassed.
"There are no ships in orbit." Spoke his First Prime, his voice betraying his surprise. "No reaction from Dashani's defenses, if there are any."
Perhaps Apophis was right, after all. Perhaps Iah relied upon his and Ra's reputation to protect him from harm.
"All death gliders have been launched. They have taken up positions to escort the Al'kesh and the transport ships."
"Have the Grasping Hand join them in the descent. We will remain in low orbit to provide support."
"Yes, my lord!"
One of his three Cheops-class warships broke away from formation to join the two dozen Al'kesh and two troop transports. A flock of sixty gliders took point as they screamed down to the planet below in search of worthy prey. A hundred more waited in the modified hangar bays on his Cheops for the order to descend.
Mot'ti sat back into his throne, counting down the time it would take before things went awry. He was soon rewarded for that foresight, when sensors found half as many Gliders ascending to meet his forces. Along with one Cheops and a Chel'tak siege vessel bearing Iah's cresecent moon.
Perhaps Lord Apophis was right, he did have a chance.
"Open fire. Destroy all enemy forces and land the Jaffa for the glory of your God!" He ordered. There was no turning back now. He was committed.
The outcome of this battle would result in his death or his ascension. Underlord Mot'ti was hedging on the latter.
"Hand me those control crystals, would you?" I asked aloud.
My shadow, ever present, picks up a rack of colorful control crystals. Each were the size of thimbles, they were hideously difficult to make. Crystallized computing was already very efficient, attempting to miniaturize it further was an effort in inducing madness.
There is a soft clink as he picks up two light pink crystal. Ha, he can already tell which ones I wanted out of the lot.
I glance up at him and take the crystals, "Thank you."
The Ashrak doesn't react, merely returning to his composed ramrod straight guarding pose. My attention returns to the drone's innards, but my thoughts are on my shadow.
I knew better though. Underneath the mask of indifference was a young man unused to emotion, who only knew how to seek love from his highest superior, his god. Beneath the training of a lifetime was a human boy who was desperate for affection and acknowledgement.
Each and every heartfelt thanks and honest praise struck him deeper than his blade ever could.
I know this, because I saw it. In an effort to find out how he had evaded all my security measures, I had Nishka and Seshat gather all surveillance footage from all around the city, the countryside, the surrounding wilderness, and the Bridge.
After many hours of reviewing said footage, we carefully pieced together the means of infiltration he had taken. The Ashrak did not arrive through the stargate as we had initially thought. No, we found him leaving a cargo container that an Al'kesh had dropped off earlier that day. The container had been moved into the city, it's contents of grain to be distributed.
He left wearing a Baker's Guild tunic. Despite Seshat insistence, there were no cases of anyone in the Baker's Guild coming down with an unexpected case of death or sudden possession.
We tracked the assassin across the city as he made his way past the security checkpoints and evaded the patrols. He made it look easy. Of course, at the time I did not know he was Ra's and thus had access to my security measures and patrol times. The Baker's tunic was exchanged for more nondescript clothing and a cloak.
What was unusual was that he did not make his way to my palace immediately. Instead the Ashrak had made his way to the Jaffa Quarter, a walled community where approximately a quarter of the Jaffa's families lived; hence it's name. The quarter were made up large apartments with parks in the center, each holding an upwards of a thousand people and allowing the residents to live comfortably.
We watched as the man scaled the walls and make his way through the apartment interior. He avoided the children playing in the park, taking the stairs to the third floor and knocking on a door. A woman, slightly thin with a smile that reached her eyes. The two spoke as Nishka searched for information on the woman. Was she an informant? A spy?
Perhaps it was none of those things.
The assassin reached into his cloak. To our surprise, it was not a knife or a bribe he pulled out, but a letter. The woman took it with trembling fingers and slowly opened it. The expression of her face went through many changes in quick succession. Fear, shock, hope, joy. She was crying silently and the assassin turned away slightly.
From what I could see, he felt uncomfortable.
Then the woman threw her arms around him, practically pulling him into a hug. The assassin's face was one of pure panic as the woman sobbed what we could only assume was gratitude.
The ashrak eventually managed to extricate himself from the woman's arms and big her goodbye.
She shook her head and bade him to wait, turning to head back inside. A moment later, a parcel wrapped in leaves was given to him with a prayer on her lips.
This was not the first letter he would bring. I would watch him bring letters that brought joy and closure to three more families across the city. Later, when Nishka found the families in question and had them questioned discreetly, it was discovered they all had something in common.
Jaffa in the service of Ra who had disappeared. From the contents of the letter, it seemed they were Jaffa trapped on a planet Ra used for his Trials. Each were veterans of their own right, former Primes that had served Ra for many years, before being sent to be opponents in a Trial of martial might for any that Ra wished to test.
The Ashrak had no reason to abide to their request to deliver letters to inform their families of their fate. But it was a request honored with faith.
"Is there something the matter, my lord?" Asked the Ashrak behind me. I smiled to myself and shook my head, extricating myself from within the drone.
I hit my head on the lip of the opening as soon as I heard the air raid sirens go off.
-
Underlord Mot'ti couldn't help but feel unease as his First Prime informed him of their imminent arrival to Dashani, Iah's homeworld. Apophis had assured him that a small force would be able to penetrate whatever defenses were present and strike deep into Iah's domain. From there it was merely a matter of attacking a research center and making off with whatever technology was being developed.
Personally, Mot'ti was of two minds about this endeavor. On one hand, it was incredibly risky. On the other... well, it could be extremely lucrative. From all reports and assurances, Iah's defenses were very light. Perilously so, even!
So weak that even a minor Goa'uld such as he stood a chance to climb very high into the ranks indeed.
"My lord, we are leaving hyperspace," said his First Prime.
This was it. The moment where he gave to order to begin the attack... or retreat. He was racked with indecision, but the conclusion was foregone. The Underlord didn't have a choice, really, when it came down to it.
When Apophis tells you to attack, you attack. Regardless of the consequences or assurances. Mot'ti knew very well what the consequences would be for him if he simply returned; execution for cowardliness or worse.
That is of course not to say what Ra would do to him.
But... the alluring chance to get technology beyond even the Supreme System Lord...
"Launch all death gliders as soon as we arrive. Al'kesh are to escort the transports to their landing zones," declared the Underlord authoritatively. "Gliders are to engage their fighters while we focus our firepower upon whatever ships are present."
"Yes, my lord!" Chorused the Jaffa around him.
His ship left hyperspace and Mot'ti found himself looking at a blue green and gold jewel of a world below him. The edges of his pel'tak were lit with flames, licking at the window. They were still decelerating, it seemed. He had chosen to emerge close to the world, despite the risk of losing some structural integrity, partially entering the upper atmosphere, as well as weakening the shield strength of his ships and exposing them to fire from any ships in orbit his fleet had bypassed.
"There are no ships in orbit." Spoke his First Prime, his voice betraying his surprise. "No reaction from Dashani's defenses, if there are any."
Perhaps Apophis was right, after all. Perhaps Iah relied upon his and Ra's reputation to protect him from harm.
"All death gliders have been launched. They have taken up positions to escort the Al'kesh and the transport ships."
"Have the Grasping Hand join them in the descent. We will remain in low orbit to provide support."
"Yes, my lord!"
One of his three Cheops-class warships broke away from formation to join the two dozen Al'kesh and two troop transports. A flock of sixty gliders took point as they screamed down to the planet below in search of worthy prey. A hundred more waited in the modified hangar bays on his Cheops for the order to descend.
Mot'ti sat back into his throne, counting down the time it would take before things went awry. He was soon rewarded for that foresight, when sensors found half as many Gliders ascending to meet his forces. Along with one Cheops and a Chel'tak siege vessel bearing Iah's cresecent moon.
Perhaps Lord Apophis was right, he did have a chance.
"Open fire. Destroy all enemy forces and land the Jaffa for the glory of your God!" He ordered. There was no turning back now. He was committed.
The outcome of this battle would result in his death or his ascension. Underlord Mot'ti was hedging on the latter.