ThatTabiFromSB
Professional Jissou Abuser
'You should talk to him more.'
'That's always your advice, Melia.' Seshat tried not think about the various useless advice her host would give her whenever she spent time recreationally. In their shared mind, Seshat felt Melia smile and chuckle in amusement. Apart from the odd massage and drinking chilled sammaro juice together, she didn't really spend all that much time in a casual setting with Iah; keeping him focused on projects deemed a priority was more of a 'work' setting than a casual one.
'It's always work, work, and more work with you Seshat.' Her voice was disapproving and so patronizing that the Tok'ra could not help but feel defensive as she tried to fight back with the reasonable argument of internally pouting. 'You need time to relax, Seshat. I've been watching you push yourself ever since that night...'
Seshat paused in her walking, only vaguely aware that she was standing by one of the many windows looking out over the inner city wards pushing up at the base of the mountain. Sheets of gold from a picturesque morning snaked up across the landscape of stone and steel of shapes, a pleasing sight of beauty for sore eyes. She let herself bask in that beauty, and tried to wash away the goosebumps of the memory which her host spoke of.
When Iah had revived them, it was Melia who had awoken first.
Melia had woken to the confusion of sudden awareness, with her symbiote still unconscious, in a sarcophagus. She'd been confronted by a weeping, horrified Iah the moment the layers of the sarcophagus had peeled away, and had absolutely no idea what had happened. In her own words, Melia would say that she did rather well despite the surprise.
Seshat would call it a disaster, if only because she was unsconscious for the vast majority of whatever the two of them got up to without her and getting only secondhand details after the fact.
'You're so easy to rile up, you know that?' Her host's voice was teasing, but the undercurrent of tension that Seshat had been nursing had faded as memories of that embrace from Melia's memories came to the fore. Of the sweet nothings spoken between Lord and and his... woman? Mistress? Dare she say... lover?
'I'd say just platonic partners, seeing as the deed hasn't been done.' Melia remarked pointedly.
Seshat closed her eyes and tried to fight down the heat growing in her cheeks. The two of them had done nothing untowards that night, merely holding each other close and talking the evening away. They slept together later, if only to share each other's warmth and company.
Waking up to an embrace of her still sleeping lord, Seshat couldn't help but feel a measure of contentment, a feeling that bothered her more than she thought possible. But with her well and whole once more, Iah's mood turned from dour to bright and happy. He smiled more and eagerness to make more happiness endeared him even more to those around him.
'I don't know, Melia. He is someone that I cannot help but feel drawn to. It is a feeling that I am... unaccustomed to.' Seshat turned from the city below and resumed her walk. A squad of Jaffa walking down the corridor whispered their greetings to her, their armor barely making a sound as they continued their patrol.
'I admire him, I think. Perhaps even grow to love him as you do,' murmured her host, their eyes watching the Jaffa carefully as they turned the corner. 'But I fear Iah all the same, for what he may bring the Goa'uld. He builds such fearsome and terrible things for Ra, after all. Despite your feelings for Iah, remember what he is.'
Seshat did not reply, but inside, the words rang with a horrible truth.
Though Iah did not act like a tyrant, there were moments where he emulated the ancient Goa'uld warlords of old.
Just last week, Iah had gone to inspect the hull laid down for the beginnings of what would be one of the largest construction projects ever envisioned. Ra's flagship, designed by his hand, to be the lynchpin behind all of Ra's military forces. Though only the barest skeleton of the immense craft had been raised, the first layer was well over three kilometers long. Iah was more than happy to boast of the ship's radical new designs and powerful weapons to Commander Dol'nac, the Jaffa Commander that Ra had sent to help guard his flagship, lovingly describing just how far above it was compared to the Ha'tak.
The scale of the ship was incredible, but with the projected timetable of at least a decade of construction, Seshat was sure that she could prolong it. Ra had sunk incredible sums into this vessel of his ego, after all, chances were a good amount of that sum can find it's way into the coffers of more those more deserving of that wealth.
'If it ever finishes, Ra's hold over the galaxy will solidify.' Seshat had seen the collected data of the new systems to be built into the warship and believed what Iah predicted of it's rise as the herald of a new era of Goa'uld supremecy. 'But the Tok'ra will be in a position to prevent that from happening.'
But worse still were what Iah had done to the Jaffa.
For every Tok'ra death, the Jaffa were often the executioners. With Iah's weapons, those executioners would have even more powerful tools to destroy her people.
Case in point, during that very morning, Iah had gone to inspect the testing of new weapons that he had built for the Jaffa to use.
On the grassy plains far away from the city, Seshat accompanied Iah and Marshals Ra'nor and Kar'tan as they watched Iah oversee the placement of targets. What had been mistaken for Jaffa with exceptionally pale skin turned out to be the targets themselves.
Their true form were simple skeleton-like automatons, encased in a thick pasty goop that Iah claimed to have a similar consistency to human flesh when dried. The targets were capable of simple movements such as taking cover, laying down prone, and running; though little else beyond that.
"I didn't have much time to do more with them, maybe I'll install some voices for them later," he had said.
Several Jaffa held his new weapons, what he called a 'repeater'. It looked like a larger staff weapon with a thicker shaft. A large stock had replaced the collection fans at the bottom of the staff. Several such weapons were placed on a variety of stands, one with two feet and another thicker one on three segmented feet; Iah had explained that it was to ensure stability.
Large golden globes with a bright blue circle inlayed into the side were attached to the side of the repeaters and Iah gave the command to begin the test.
There was a distinctive whine as first repeater's globe was connected. The Jaffa manning it pulled the trigger.
Dozens of bright gold bolts shot out, one after another in an unending stream. In less than a second, over a dozen of the false Jaffa were cut down, while the rest managed to get into cover. Two held thick shields, but the metal sheets glowed red and then white with heat. Soon after those too were torn to pieces as the superheated plasma chewed through the targets.
The stream of bolts ended almost ten seconds later, the bulbous prongs glowing white from the heat. There was a smell of ozone in the air and none of the false Jaffa were moving.
Frighteningly enough, Iah did not seem satisfied. Instead, he merely looked critically at the weapon and had to take notes of things to improve as the trials moved onto other targets.
But then, Iah never really seemed satisfied to her, and that was what scared her the most about him. Unlike other Goa'uld, he never seemed content. Oh, other Goa'uld could grow bored of repeated extravagances without new variety, but Iah never sat for long periods anywhere, unless he was designing something... and even then, she could hardly call his frantic scribbling and muttered words 'contentment'.
He always had to push, to change. The new repeaters were but the newest sign of this. The new, lighter armor of segmented plates that he had begun to equip some of the palace guard with was but the most obvious sign. For all the inventions that Iah had allowed out of his workshop, Seshat had seen dozens linger in half-completed state, some never to be completed.
Seshat shivered. What came out of that workshop was always of mixed values. Be it that it was an civic improvement of the lives of his subjects, a new weapon, or even an exotic food concept, it was always a surprise.
Again, she sighed, plodding aimlessly forward until she reached her rooms. Melia nudged her mentally, reminding her of the report due to the High Council. Making sure her door was locked and there were no eyes or ears that may catch her, Seshat took the communication device out of her little hiding place under the bed and made her long overdue report.
Unknown to the Tok'ra, there were hidden eyes and attentive ears, but the blade would not come for her neck tonight...
'That's always your advice, Melia.' Seshat tried not think about the various useless advice her host would give her whenever she spent time recreationally. In their shared mind, Seshat felt Melia smile and chuckle in amusement. Apart from the odd massage and drinking chilled sammaro juice together, she didn't really spend all that much time in a casual setting with Iah; keeping him focused on projects deemed a priority was more of a 'work' setting than a casual one.
'It's always work, work, and more work with you Seshat.' Her voice was disapproving and so patronizing that the Tok'ra could not help but feel defensive as she tried to fight back with the reasonable argument of internally pouting. 'You need time to relax, Seshat. I've been watching you push yourself ever since that night...'
Seshat paused in her walking, only vaguely aware that she was standing by one of the many windows looking out over the inner city wards pushing up at the base of the mountain. Sheets of gold from a picturesque morning snaked up across the landscape of stone and steel of shapes, a pleasing sight of beauty for sore eyes. She let herself bask in that beauty, and tried to wash away the goosebumps of the memory which her host spoke of.
When Iah had revived them, it was Melia who had awoken first.
Melia had woken to the confusion of sudden awareness, with her symbiote still unconscious, in a sarcophagus. She'd been confronted by a weeping, horrified Iah the moment the layers of the sarcophagus had peeled away, and had absolutely no idea what had happened. In her own words, Melia would say that she did rather well despite the surprise.
Seshat would call it a disaster, if only because she was unsconscious for the vast majority of whatever the two of them got up to without her and getting only secondhand details after the fact.
'You're so easy to rile up, you know that?' Her host's voice was teasing, but the undercurrent of tension that Seshat had been nursing had faded as memories of that embrace from Melia's memories came to the fore. Of the sweet nothings spoken between Lord and and his... woman? Mistress? Dare she say... lover?
'I'd say just platonic partners, seeing as the deed hasn't been done.' Melia remarked pointedly.
Seshat closed her eyes and tried to fight down the heat growing in her cheeks. The two of them had done nothing untowards that night, merely holding each other close and talking the evening away. They slept together later, if only to share each other's warmth and company.
Waking up to an embrace of her still sleeping lord, Seshat couldn't help but feel a measure of contentment, a feeling that bothered her more than she thought possible. But with her well and whole once more, Iah's mood turned from dour to bright and happy. He smiled more and eagerness to make more happiness endeared him even more to those around him.
'I don't know, Melia. He is someone that I cannot help but feel drawn to. It is a feeling that I am... unaccustomed to.' Seshat turned from the city below and resumed her walk. A squad of Jaffa walking down the corridor whispered their greetings to her, their armor barely making a sound as they continued their patrol.
'I admire him, I think. Perhaps even grow to love him as you do,' murmured her host, their eyes watching the Jaffa carefully as they turned the corner. 'But I fear Iah all the same, for what he may bring the Goa'uld. He builds such fearsome and terrible things for Ra, after all. Despite your feelings for Iah, remember what he is.'
Seshat did not reply, but inside, the words rang with a horrible truth.
Though Iah did not act like a tyrant, there were moments where he emulated the ancient Goa'uld warlords of old.
Just last week, Iah had gone to inspect the hull laid down for the beginnings of what would be one of the largest construction projects ever envisioned. Ra's flagship, designed by his hand, to be the lynchpin behind all of Ra's military forces. Though only the barest skeleton of the immense craft had been raised, the first layer was well over three kilometers long. Iah was more than happy to boast of the ship's radical new designs and powerful weapons to Commander Dol'nac, the Jaffa Commander that Ra had sent to help guard his flagship, lovingly describing just how far above it was compared to the Ha'tak.
The scale of the ship was incredible, but with the projected timetable of at least a decade of construction, Seshat was sure that she could prolong it. Ra had sunk incredible sums into this vessel of his ego, after all, chances were a good amount of that sum can find it's way into the coffers of more those more deserving of that wealth.
'If it ever finishes, Ra's hold over the galaxy will solidify.' Seshat had seen the collected data of the new systems to be built into the warship and believed what Iah predicted of it's rise as the herald of a new era of Goa'uld supremecy. 'But the Tok'ra will be in a position to prevent that from happening.'
But worse still were what Iah had done to the Jaffa.
For every Tok'ra death, the Jaffa were often the executioners. With Iah's weapons, those executioners would have even more powerful tools to destroy her people.
Case in point, during that very morning, Iah had gone to inspect the testing of new weapons that he had built for the Jaffa to use.
On the grassy plains far away from the city, Seshat accompanied Iah and Marshals Ra'nor and Kar'tan as they watched Iah oversee the placement of targets. What had been mistaken for Jaffa with exceptionally pale skin turned out to be the targets themselves.
Their true form were simple skeleton-like automatons, encased in a thick pasty goop that Iah claimed to have a similar consistency to human flesh when dried. The targets were capable of simple movements such as taking cover, laying down prone, and running; though little else beyond that.
"I didn't have much time to do more with them, maybe I'll install some voices for them later," he had said.
Several Jaffa held his new weapons, what he called a 'repeater'. It looked like a larger staff weapon with a thicker shaft. A large stock had replaced the collection fans at the bottom of the staff. Several such weapons were placed on a variety of stands, one with two feet and another thicker one on three segmented feet; Iah had explained that it was to ensure stability.
Large golden globes with a bright blue circle inlayed into the side were attached to the side of the repeaters and Iah gave the command to begin the test.
There was a distinctive whine as first repeater's globe was connected. The Jaffa manning it pulled the trigger.
Dozens of bright gold bolts shot out, one after another in an unending stream. In less than a second, over a dozen of the false Jaffa were cut down, while the rest managed to get into cover. Two held thick shields, but the metal sheets glowed red and then white with heat. Soon after those too were torn to pieces as the superheated plasma chewed through the targets.
The stream of bolts ended almost ten seconds later, the bulbous prongs glowing white from the heat. There was a smell of ozone in the air and none of the false Jaffa were moving.
Frighteningly enough, Iah did not seem satisfied. Instead, he merely looked critically at the weapon and had to take notes of things to improve as the trials moved onto other targets.
But then, Iah never really seemed satisfied to her, and that was what scared her the most about him. Unlike other Goa'uld, he never seemed content. Oh, other Goa'uld could grow bored of repeated extravagances without new variety, but Iah never sat for long periods anywhere, unless he was designing something... and even then, she could hardly call his frantic scribbling and muttered words 'contentment'.
He always had to push, to change. The new repeaters were but the newest sign of this. The new, lighter armor of segmented plates that he had begun to equip some of the palace guard with was but the most obvious sign. For all the inventions that Iah had allowed out of his workshop, Seshat had seen dozens linger in half-completed state, some never to be completed.
Seshat shivered. What came out of that workshop was always of mixed values. Be it that it was an civic improvement of the lives of his subjects, a new weapon, or even an exotic food concept, it was always a surprise.
Again, she sighed, plodding aimlessly forward until she reached her rooms. Melia nudged her mentally, reminding her of the report due to the High Council. Making sure her door was locked and there were no eyes or ears that may catch her, Seshat took the communication device out of her little hiding place under the bed and made her long overdue report.
Unknown to the Tok'ra, there were hidden eyes and attentive ears, but the blade would not come for her neck tonight...