Isara and I were already sitting in my chambers, the very apartment I had on Cheops, which didn't resemble a palace. We were sitting there because we were "married," our wedding night. At least formalities had to be observed: all the provincial governors and officials were present at the wedding, thereby confirming the legitimacy of my reign, even though my entire legitimacy was concentrated in the cannons of Cheops. But formalities are important in politics, so I pretended to be a very generous ruler, bestowing numerous gifts, such as watches, cars, and so on. In return, they presented me with gold jewelry, and the celebration lasted for several days. Isara said that in the old days, the celebration could last a month, and was more concerned with securing the support of the population. In my case, this was also required, but I was more interested in the production of naquadah, which quickly began. It turns out that if you offer a good salary, superstitions become a thing of the past, especially if you provide some technology and a six-hour shift with a strict schedule and weekends. Among the technologies available to miners were electric mine carts, so you don't have to travel far to the mine, jackhammers, and an air synthesizer. A small device similar to a column absorbed carbon dioxide, producing oxygen. Of course, people still breathed dust, but conditions had improved significantly. So, I've already sent my first agreed-upon delivery of Ra's naquadah. Isara deserves a lot of credit for that. The wedding was also planned by her; it's good that we didn't have to swear vows to any gods; that would have been awkward. Rather, she swore allegiance to me, which was also amusing. But when the gifts arrived, everyone perked up; the data I received from Earth was still being translated. I wrote an automatic translator from English to Goa'uld, but I still had to correct some terms. This took a significant amount of time, but the library with all the knowledge became accessible to everyone, and merchants realized they could profit from new industries. All I had to do was translate information on paper production, and it was literally snatched from my hands, and within a month, many cities had their own paper factories. The first textbooks to go into print were the ones I'd compiled over two years in space. These were mainly on mathematics, physics, chemistry, and biology. Local scientists bought copies and walked around for a while as if they'd been hit over the head with a sack, while simultaneously conducting extensive experiments. Don't think I discovered America for them; the Romans built the Colosseum in eight years (it's literally a stadium with a vast underground section for 50,000 spectators), which is impressive even by today's standards. And it stood for 2,000 years, even though stone was constantly stolen from it. People of the level of Ancient Greece, Egypt, and Rome had an understanding of algebra and geometry, but they had difficulty generalizing all their knowledge. But with physics, it's a completely different matter—for example, electricity, or various laws. Essentially,This month has seen a lot of unrest in local academic circles, yet no "what the hell is this brat doing? I'm an academic." Any scientist whose theories are challenged by a textbook has a solution—Sarekh, the god of wisdom, knows best. Specifically for such situations, I wrote a preface stating, "The researcher's work is honorable; it pushes the boundaries of knowledge, and even our mistakes are steps on which a pyramid is built; this work is as endless as the universe." I smoothed things over, but in medicine, for example, there was clearly unrest, since mathematics, physics, and chemistry aren't so closely related to human life (unless it's pharmaceuticals), so "well, the scientist made a mistake, no big deal, no one died" is possible. But in medicine... Incorrect diagnoses and treatments are dead. In short, reforming medicine has suddenly become a priority, at least for the sake of the safety of doctors themselves. Modern people can be arrogant and look down on the treatment methods of the past. But the doctors didn't do this out of malice, but because they'd been trained to do so. They entered the profession to help people, so after reading translated books, they cried a lot or even considered suicide. Isara raised this issue, but what could I do? I promised to reduce mortality, including among children, but how could I do that without informing doctors about new treatments? And they're not idiots; they remember what they prescribed yesterday. In short, the planet was shaking: the miners from the new working conditions and benefits, the scientists from the new data, and the nobility from the opportunities that opened up before them. And everyone began to reassure ordinary people, and public radio also helped. They moved the heralds into the studios. For now, everything was improvised, but people assessed the situation and adopted a wait-and-see attitude. Few were willing to speak out against Isara and me, and none of them were among the elite. As a demonstration, I took the upper crust to another continent and vaporized a mountain from Cheops. This led to complete mutual understanding among the senior government officials, and they passed it on to the juniors. So we did everything we could to ensure they wouldn't become that mountain. Blackmail? Yes, of course. And bluff, too; I had no intention of massacring people. They didn't do anything to me. On the other hand, it was merely a stick; the carrot was much better: personal transportation (if only the drivers could be taught how to drive), electrification, computers, access to the benefits of high civilization. They appreciated all this, so they assured me of their loyalty. Not that I believed them, but it was nice.But in medicine, for example, there was clearly a turmoil, since mathematics, physics, and chemistry aren't so closely related to human life (unless it's pharmaceuticals), so "well, the scientist was wrong, no big deal, no one died" is possible. But in medicine... Incorrect diagnoses and treatments mean dead bodies. In short, reforming medicine suddenly became a priority, at least for the safety of the doctors themselves. Modern people can be arrogant and look down on the treatment methods of the past. But doctors didn't do this out of malice, but because they were taught to. They entered the profession to help people, so after reading translated books, they cried a lot or wanted to commit suicide. Isara raised this issue, but what could I do? I promised to reduce mortality, including among children, but how can I do that without informing doctors about new treatments? And they're not idiots; they remember what they prescribed yesterday. In short, the planet was shaking: the miners from the new working conditions and benefits, the scientists from the new data, and the nobility from the opportunities that opened up before them. And everyone began to reassure ordinary people, and public radio also helped. Heralds were transferred to the studios. While everything was still crude, people assessed the situation and adopted a wait-and-see attitude. Few were willing to oppose Isara and me, and none were among the nobility. As a demonstration, I took the high society to another continent and vaporized a mountain from Cheops. This led to complete mutual understanding among the senior government officials, and they passed this on to the juniors. So, they did everything they could to prevent them from becoming that mountain. Blackmail? Yes, of course. And bluff, too. I had no intention of killing people en masse. They hadn't done anything to me. On the other hand, it was just a stick; the carrot was much better. Personal transportation (if only the drivers could be taught how to drive), electrification, computers, access to the benefits of advanced civilization. They appreciated all this, so they assured me of their loyalty. It's not that I believed them, but it was nice.But in medicine, for example, there was clearly a turmoil, since mathematics, physics, and chemistry aren't so closely related to human life (unless it's pharmaceuticals), so "well, the scientist was wrong, no big deal, no one died" is possible. But in medicine... Incorrect diagnoses and treatments mean dead bodies. In short, reforming medicine suddenly became a priority, at least for the safety of the doctors themselves. Modern people can be arrogant and look down on the treatment methods of the past. But doctors didn't do this out of malice, but because they were taught to. They entered the profession to help people, so after reading translated books, they cried a lot or wanted to commit suicide. Isara raised this issue, but what could I do? I promised to reduce mortality, including among children, but how can I do that without informing doctors about new treatments? And they're not idiots; they remember what they prescribed yesterday. In short, the planet was shaking: the miners from the new working conditions and benefits, the scientists from the new data, and the nobility from the opportunities that opened up before them. And everyone began to reassure ordinary people, and public radio also helped. Heralds were transferred to the studios. While everything was still crude, people assessed the situation and adopted a wait-and-see attitude. Few were willing to oppose Isara and me, and none were among the nobility. As a demonstration, I took the high society to another continent and vaporized a mountain from Cheops. This led to complete mutual understanding among the senior government officials, and they passed this on to the juniors. So, they did everything they could to prevent them from becoming that mountain. Blackmail? Yes, of course. And bluff, too. I had no intention of killing people en masse. They hadn't done anything to me. On the other hand, it was just a stick; the carrot was much better. Personal transportation (if only the drivers could be taught how to drive), electrification, computers, access to the benefits of advanced civilization. They appreciated all this, so they assured me of their loyalty. It's not that I believed them, but it was nice.And everyone began working together to calm the common people, and public radio also did the trick. The heralds were transferred to the studios. While everything was still crude, people assessed the situation and adopted a wait-and-see attitude. Few were willing to oppose Isara and me, and none were among the nobility. As a demonstration, I took the high society to another continent and vaporized a mountain from Cheops. This led to complete mutual understanding among the senior government officials, and they passed this on to the juniors. So they did everything they could to prevent them from becoming that mountain. Blackmail? Yes, of course. And bluff, too; I had no intention of massacring people. They hadn't done anything to me. On the other hand, it was merely a stick; the carrot was far better: personal transportation (if only the drivers could be taught how to drive), electrification, computers, access to the benefits of high civilization. They appreciated all this, so they assured me of their loyalty. It's not that I believed them, but it was nice.And everyone began working together to calm the common people, and public radio also did the trick. The heralds were transferred to the studios. While everything was still crude, people assessed the situation and adopted a wait-and-see attitude. Few were willing to oppose Isara and me, and none were among the nobility. As a demonstration, I took the high society to another continent and vaporized a mountain from Cheops. This led to complete mutual understanding among the senior government officials, and they passed this on to the juniors. So they did everything they could to prevent them from becoming that mountain. Blackmail? Yes, of course. And bluff, too; I had no intention of massacring people. They hadn't done anything to me. On the other hand, it was merely a stick; the carrot was far better: personal transportation (if only the drivers could be taught how to drive), electrification, computers, access to the benefits of high civilization. They appreciated all this, so they assured me of their loyalty. It's not that I believed them, but it was nice. - I've been wanting to ask for a while, what's the name of the city we live in? - I asked Isaru. I had plenty of food from Earth in the kitchen, as well as decent coffee. I took advantage of it shamelessly. - The capital is called Lirz. - The woman rolled her eyes. - Szarekh, you've been here for a month already, you've learned a lot about the planet, but not the names of cities. - I'm that kind of person. More of a scientist, inventor, engineer, but my communication skills aren't that great. - Yes, I could honestly admit that to myself. - Large gatherings of people get a little tiresome. - Shouldn't gods love to bask in adoration? - They should, but over time it becomes more and more absurd, so my approach is somewhat better. I don't particularly like to ignite people's hearts with speeches, and I hardly know how to do it. But I can create technologies that improve people's lives. I was sitting on my favorite couch, it was in the kitchen, it could be converted into a second bed if needed, Isara would sleep here tonight, after all, formalities must be observed, and even the Jaffa gossip. Or rather, especially the Jaffa; my God, even after 5,000 years, they still have jokes about Seth the Jaffa. - You volunteered for this mission? - Yes. - Why? - Survival. Close to the throne, close to death. I was lucky even to be born; most larvae are killed when they mature. My place at court was precarious; everyone had a job, but the junior Goa'uld lords were reserves in case new vacancies arose for the rulers, and everyone fought for that. I took a different path and found myself a job. Far from the court. To be honest, I even bribed all my competitors to volunteer for this mission. Only in such an isolated system can one achieve autonomy, without supervision and with a longer survival period. - Won't anyone come to check? - Do you check on the tax collector in some village on the border too often? - I ask her ironically. - Even the presence of a gate doesn't make the situation any easier. Besides, I'm a minor lord who threw away the opportunity to become someone great by staying at court. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if they spread rumors that I'm a fool. And nothing is expected from fools. Perhaps it was even possible to negotiate the terms of my loan, I didn't need it, so it would take me 200 years to pay it back. If only I hadn't used more advanced technology. - But you're not a fool, Szarekh. - Not really. I'm just a little out of touch with other problems. By the way, I noticed that we only talk about business. And even I know that in interpersonal relationships it's better to get to know each other's habits and hobbies. Isara put the cup on the table and looked at me intently. "And what do you want to know about me?" "Maybe my favorite literary genres, what I do in my free time, my favorite color. What kind of clothes do I like?"After all, you have access to the fashion magazines I took from Earth. - Earth, where you take all the technologies that are superior to ours, but not up to the Goa'uld. What kind of planet is that? - The woman changed the subject. - The birthplace of the human race. That's where you appeared as a species. And from there, your enslavement by the Goa'uld began, they resettled you throughout the universe. Over time, the planet became abandoned, but the people there remained and developed, preserving only legends about the gods. Even the System Lords often forget about it. - But not you. - No, not me, Earth is quite developed beyond what the System Lords allow, that's a blessing. - You opened up to them? - It's not productive, there are hundreds of countries there, there was recently a major war that took the lives of a hundred million people. Therefore, it is better to simply exploit their technology, without interference. After all, I will not be able to establish any control over them. - One hundred... - Yes, a terrible war. "That's truly shocking, considering Urvashi has a population of 30 million." "Also, the three winning countries are blinded by their own egos. They could start a war over the gate, and even after taking possession of it, they'll begin expansion. They'll run into the Goa'uld and be wiped off the face of the universe. Therefore, I shouldn't rush; it will take decades to integrate new knowledge into the culture. Earth is the purest representation of technological development. It took them 5,000 years to get to the light bulbs I brought, and they still haven't reached the ultra-capacitive energy storage systems I have. This will allow us to bypass many obstacles along the way; any factory can be transformed into a factory using electrical energy. Although my goal is to reduce the share of people in agriculture, we also need markets. We can't rely solely on ourselves; the economy will quickly stagnate. Therefore, my task is to find as many markets as possible." "Earth won't become like that?" "Earth thinks it's the only planet with intelligent life, yet there are many countries with super-powerful industries there, while we're just a small, backward country in these terms. So we should take advantage of Earth's lack of access to space and do many of the same things they do, but get more benefits from it." "I've noticed that."- You opened up to them? - It's not productive, there are hundreds of countries there, and there was recently a major war that took the lives of a hundred million people. Therefore, it's better to simply exploit their technology, without interference. After all, I won't be able to establish any control over them. - A hundred... - Yes, a terrible war. - This is truly shocking, considering that Urvashi has a population of 30 million. - Also, for now, the three winning countries are blinded by their own egos; they can start a war over the gate, and even having captured the gate, they will begin expansion. They will run into the Goa'uld, and will be wiped off the face of the universe. Therefore, I shouldn't rush; it will take decades to integrate new knowledge into the culture. Earth is the purest representation of technological development. It took them 5,000 years to get to the light bulbs I brought, and they still haven't reached the ultra-capacitive energy storage facilities that I have. This will allow us to bypass many obstacles along the way; any factory will be able to turn into a factory using electrical energy. Although my goal is to reduce the share of people in agriculture, we also need markets. We can't rely solely on ourselves; the economy will quickly stagnate. Therefore, my task is to find as many markets as possible. - Earth won't become like that? - Earth thinks it's the only planet with intelligent life, yet there are many countries with super-powerful industries there; in these terms, we're just a small, backward country. So we should take advantage of Earth's lack of access to space and do many of the same things they do, but get more benefits from it. - I've noticed that.- You opened up to them? - It's not productive, there are hundreds of countries there, and there was recently a major war that took the lives of a hundred million people. Therefore, it's better to simply exploit their technology, without interference. After all, I won't be able to establish any control over them. - A hundred... - Yes, a terrible war. - This is truly shocking, considering that Urvashi has a population of 30 million. - Also, for now, the three winning countries are blinded by their own egos; they can start a war over the gate, and even having captured the gate, they will begin expansion. They will run into the Goa'uld, and will be wiped off the face of the universe. Therefore, I shouldn't rush; it will take decades to integrate new knowledge into the culture. Earth is the purest representation of technological development. It took them 5,000 years to get to the light bulbs I brought, and they still haven't reached the ultra-capacitive energy storage facilities that I have. This will allow us to bypass many obstacles along the way; any factory will be able to turn into a factory using electrical energy. Although my goal is to reduce the share of people in agriculture, we also need markets. We can't rely solely on ourselves; the economy will quickly stagnate. Therefore, my task is to find as many markets as possible. - Earth won't become like that? - Earth thinks it's the only planet with intelligent life, yet there are many countries with super-powerful industries there; in these terms, we're just a small, backward country. So we should take advantage of Earth's lack of access to space and do many of the same things they do, but get more benefits from it. - I've noticed that.At the same time, there are many countries with super-powerful industries, while we, in these terms, are just a small, backward country. So it's worth taking advantage of Earth's lack of access to space and doing many of the same things they do, but getting more benefits from it. - I noticed that.At the same time, there are many countries with super-powerful industries, while we, in these terms, are just a small, backward country. So it's worth taking advantage of Earth's lack of access to space and doing many of the same things they do, but getting more benefits from it. - I noticed that. Yes, I handed over control of my "business" to Isara, that is, collecting orders for things the population was interested in, like bicycles. On the other side, I was introduced to some businessmen whom I couldn't really trust to reveal my alien nature, but it was enough that they stocked my warehouses with various products. Essentially, I only oversaw transportation and reported what was available for sale. Considering that maintaining various inventions in repairable condition was difficult, my own production would begin. For example, those same bicycles, standard ones with metal frames and rubber tires, were imported, but having appreciated their convenience, it was easy to establish production of wooden ones. There were far more difficulties, but this was already a step toward my own production. Perhaps I need to create a factory for the production of synthetic rubber, or even rubber itself. However, the market sees that there is demand; I can simply pass on all the necessary information to either artisans or merchants, and let them work to meet that demand. There's no industrial class on this planet yet. That's good, but it does allow for control over the creation of these industrial conglomerates and prevents the exploitation of the people. The Goa'uld seized the planet for workers' rights. Ridiculous. In reality, it's much more prosaic. Workers are consumers: they sleep eight hours, work eight, and have eight free. Which they can spend as they please. Industrialists could even be incentivized to improve worker literacy by paying them additional subsidies for each literate worker. "Sorry for putting more and more pressure on you, but a breakthrough is necessary. At least to the point where the planet can provide for its own defense." Essentially, at the most basic level, planet-defending weapons are no different from a crossbow. To create a large-scale crossbow, you need a strong bowstring that won't break when drawn, transferring all the energy to the arrow. It's essentially the same thing, except the energy here is electricity. "Is electricity the basis of everything?" Isara asked curiously. "Yes. Although I'll give you good news: technologically, even Earth hasn't moved away from using water. Essentially, any generation of electricity requires using some kind of fuel to create a water mill. Only the Goa'uld stole the technology that allows for the direct conversion of fuel into electricity, and I created methods for generating lightning. So you have nothing to be ashamed of compared to other human civilizations." "I'm not ashamed; my ancestors and I have nothing to be ashamed of." "That's good. How long do you think it will take to implement the railway project?" "It will take a certain amount of time; in six months we can talk about starting full-scale construction." "During that time, I'll have accumulated a sufficient number of rails." What do the financial groups of six cities think about this?"Sorry, I don't remember their name either, but I think they must be interested in having their goods transported back and forth within 24 hours. - Very interested, especially since you're handing over construction technology for free use. - But you must ensure that everything is done properly, that uniform standards are observed. At the same time, it's worth introducing uniform time zones. - Time zones? - Isara became interested. I used the computer terminal and put a cup of coffee on the table, and began to show. After entering additional parameters, I showed the local star and planet. - Look, the light from the star hits your planet like this. - And he showed direct rays. - But the planet is constantly moving, and that's how day and night change. Technically, even at a distance of 100 kilometers, there is already a difference in minutes. On Earth, something similar happened, each city set its clocks according to noon. But local noon, for another city it could already be 12:10, or 11:45. So synchronizing train arrivals wasn't very convenient, and this led to many tragedies until people decided to divide the planet into 24 time zones, allocating vast territories to a single time zone. The difference in minutes becomes insignificant, all in the name of safety. Now, the same time can be seen across an area a thousand kilometers wide. Of course, you won't have such problems, because mechanical clocks weren't invented and are only now coming into use. Time synchronization can be done by radio. - Interesting. And how is the galactic Empire governed? After all, different planets have different times. - Even different numbers of hours; on one planet there are 36 hours in a day. And a year there is 380 days. Days in their understanding of a day, in our understanding, their year is one and a half times longer. That's why the age figures are very strange. A girl who has already blossomed can say she's 12. - If you think about it, then, from a technical point of view, Jackson is a pedophile, since he met Share. At least from Earth's point of view. - How is it governed? For example, it doesn't matter if I'm asleep, I'll just come running. That's how the Empire is governed. - That doesn't sound efficient. - Usually, the central planets of the System Lords have 24-27 hours. However, this doesn't prevent situations like this: one has night, another has day, and a third has dawn. You would also encounter this if your kingdom extended across the entire planet. For example, this happens on Earth. - For now, there's no need to colonize other continents. - That's true, logistics would be terrible. From a technological point of view, using an antigravity platform with a crane that lays a railway is technologically absurd. - Why can't they start producing these antigravity platforms?that their goods will be transported both ways within 24 hours. - Very interested, especially since you're handing over construction technology for free use. - But you must ensure that everything is done properly, that uniform standards are observed. At the same time, it's worth introducing uniform time zones. - Time zones? - Isara became interested. I used the computer terminal and placed a cup of coffee on the table, and began to show. After entering additional parameters, I showed the local star and planet. - Look, the light from the star hits your planet like this. - And he showed direct rays. - But the planet is constantly moving, and that's how day and night change. Technically, even at a distance of 100 kilometers, there is already a difference in minutes. On Earth, something similar happened; each city set its clocks according to noon. But according to local noon, for another city it might already be 12:10, or 11:45. So synchronizing train arrivals wasn't very convenient, and this led to many tragedies until people decided to divide the planet into 24 time zones, allocating vast territories to a single time zone. The difference in minutes becomes insignificant, all in the name of safety. Now, the same time can be seen across an area a thousand kilometers wide. Of course, you won't have such problems, because mechanical clocks weren't invented and are only now coming into use. Time synchronization can be done by radio. - Interesting. And how is the galactic Empire governed? After all, different planets have different times. - Even different numbers of hours; on one planet there are 36 hours in a day. And a year there is 380 days. Days in their understanding of a day, in our understanding, their year is one and a half times longer. That's why the age figures are very strange. A girl who has already blossomed can say she's 12. - If you think about it, then, from a technical point of view, Jackson is a pedophile, since he met Share. At least from Earth's point of view. - How is it governed? For example, it doesn't matter if I'm asleep, I'll just come running. That's how the Empire is governed. - That doesn't sound efficient. - Usually, the central planets of the System Lords have 24-27 hours. However, this doesn't prevent situations like this: one has night, another has day, and a third has dawn. You would also encounter this if your kingdom extended across the entire planet. For example, this happens on Earth. - For now, there's no need to colonize other continents. - That's true, logistics would be terrible. From a technological point of view, using an antigravity platform with a crane that lays a railway is technologically absurd. - Why can't they start producing these antigravity platforms?that their goods will be transported both ways within 24 hours. - Very interested, especially since you're handing over construction technology for free use. - But you must ensure that everything is done properly, that uniform standards are observed. At the same time, it's worth introducing uniform time zones. - Time zones? - Isara became interested. I used the computer terminal and placed a cup of coffee on the table, and began to show. After entering additional parameters, I showed the local star and planet. - Look, the light from the star hits your planet like this. - And he showed direct rays. - But the planet is constantly moving, and that's how day and night change. Technically, even at a distance of 100 kilometers, there is already a difference in minutes. On Earth, something similar happened; each city set its clocks according to noon. But according to local noon, for another city it might already be 12:10, or 11:45. So synchronizing train arrivals wasn't very convenient, and this led to many tragedies until people decided to divide the planet into 24 time zones, allocating vast territories to a single time zone. The difference in minutes becomes insignificant, all in the name of safety. Now, the same time can be seen across an area a thousand kilometers wide. Of course, you won't have such problems, because mechanical clocks weren't invented and are only now coming into use. Time synchronization can be done by radio. - Interesting. And how is the galactic Empire governed? After all, different planets have different times. - Even different numbers of hours; on one planet there are 36 hours in a day. And a year there is 380 days. Days in their understanding of a day, in our understanding, their year is one and a half times longer. That's why the age figures are very strange. A girl who has already blossomed can say she's 12. - If you think about it, then, from a technical point of view, Jackson is a pedophile, since he met Share. At least from Earth's point of view. - How is it governed? For example, it doesn't matter if I'm asleep, I'll just come running. That's how the Empire is governed. - That doesn't sound efficient. - Usually, the central planets of the System Lords have 24-27 hours. However, this doesn't prevent situations like this: one has night, another has day, and a third has dawn. You would also encounter this if your kingdom extended across the entire planet. For example, this happens on Earth. - For now, there's no need to colonize other continents. - That's true, logistics would be terrible. From a technological point of view, using an antigravity platform with a crane that lays a railway is technologically absurd. - Why can't they start producing these antigravity platforms?To make sure everything runs as it should, uniform standards are observed. It would also be worth introducing uniform time zones. - Time zones? - Isara was interested. I used the computer terminal, placed a cup of coffee on the table, and began demonstrating. After entering additional parameters, I showed the local star and planet. - Look, the light from the star hits your planet like this. - And he showed direct rays. - But the planet is constantly moving, and that's how day and night change. Technically, even at a distance of 100 kilometers, there is already a difference in minutes. On Earth, something similar happened: each city set its clocks to noon. But local noon, for another city, could already be 12:10, or 11:45. Therefore, synchronizing the arrival of trains was not very convenient, and this led to many tragedies, until people decided to divide the planet into 24 time zones, assigning vast territories to a single time zone. The difference in minutes becomes insignificant, all in the name of safety. Now, the same time can be maintained over a territory a thousand kilometers wide. Of course, you won't have such problems, because mechanical clocks weren't invented yet, and are only now coming into common use. Time synchronization can be done by radio. - Interesting. But how is the galactic Empire governed? After all, different planets have different times. - Even different numbers of hours; on one planet there are 36 hours in a day. And a year there lasts 380 days. Days in their understanding of a day, in our understanding, their year is one and a half times longer. That's why the age figures are very strange. A girl who has already blossomed can say that she is 12. - If you think about it, then from a formal point of view, Jackson comes out as a pedophile when he met Share. At least from Earth's point of view. - How is it governed? For example, it doesn't matter if I sleep, I'll just come running. That's how the Empire is governed. - That doesn't sound efficient. - Usually, the central planets of the System Lords have 24-27 hours. However, this doesn't prevent situations like this: one has night, another day, and a third dawn. You'd encounter this too if your kingdom extended across the entire planet. This is what happens on Earth, for example. "There's no need to colonize other continents yet." "That's true, logistics would be dire. From a technological standpoint, using an antigravity platform with a crane that lays a railroad is technologically absurd." "Why can't we start producing these antigravity platforms?"To make sure everything runs as it should, uniform standards are observed. It would also be worth introducing uniform time zones. - Time zones? - Isara was interested. I used the computer terminal, placed a cup of coffee on the table, and began demonstrating. After entering additional parameters, I showed the local star and planet. - Look, the light from the star hits your planet like this. - And he showed direct rays. - But the planet is constantly moving, and that's how day and night change. Technically, even at a distance of 100 kilometers, there is already a difference in minutes. On Earth, something similar happened: each city set its clocks to noon. But local noon, for another city, could already be 12:10, or 11:45. Therefore, synchronizing the arrival of trains was not very convenient, and this led to many tragedies, until people decided to divide the planet into 24 time zones, assigning vast territories to a single time zone. The difference in minutes becomes insignificant, all in the name of safety. Now, the same time can be maintained over a territory a thousand kilometers wide. Of course, you won't have such problems, because mechanical clocks weren't invented yet, and are only now coming into common use. Time synchronization can be done by radio. - Interesting. But how is the galactic Empire governed? After all, different planets have different times. - Even different numbers of hours; on one planet there are 36 hours in a day. And a year there lasts 380 days. Days in their understanding of a day, in our understanding, their year is one and a half times longer. That's why the age figures are very strange. A girl who has already blossomed can say that she is 12. - If you think about it, then from a formal point of view, Jackson comes out as a pedophile when he met Share. At least from Earth's point of view. - How is it governed? For example, it doesn't matter if I sleep, I'll just come running. That's how the Empire is governed. - That doesn't sound efficient. - Usually, the central planets of the System Lords have 24-27 hours. However, this doesn't prevent situations like this: one has night, another day, and a third dawn. You'd encounter this too if your kingdom extended across the entire planet. This is what happens on Earth, for example. "There's no need to colonize other continents yet." "That's true, logistics would be dire. From a technological standpoint, using an antigravity platform with a crane that lays a railroad is technologically absurd." "Why can't we start producing these antigravity platforms?""But the planet is constantly moving, and so does the change between day and night. Technically, even at a distance of 100 kilometers, there's a difference of minutes. On Earth, something similar happened: each city set its clocks to noon. But local noon might be 12:10 or 11:45 for another city. So synchronizing train arrivals wasn't very convenient, and this led to many tragedies until people decided to divide the planet into 24 time zones, assigning vast territories to a single time zone. The difference in minutes becomes insignificant, all in the name of safety. Now, an area a thousand kilometers wide can have the same time. Of course, you won't have such problems, because mechanical watches weren't invented yet and are only now coming into common use. Time synchronization can be done by radio." "Interesting. And how is the galactic Empire governed? After all, different planets have different times." "Even different numbers of hours; on one planet, there are 36 hours in a day." And a year there lasts 380 days. Days in their understanding of a day, in our understanding, their year is one and a half times longer. That's why the age figures are very strange. A girl who has already blossomed can say that she is 12. - If you think about it, then from a formal point of view, Jackson is a pedophile when he met Share. At least from the point of view of Earth. - How is it governed? For example, I don't care if I sleep, I'll just come running. That's how the Empire is governed. - Doesn't sound efficient. - Usually, the central planets of the System Lords have 24-27 hours. However, this doesn't prevent situations like this - one has night, another has day, and a third has dawn. You would face this too if your kingdom extended across the entire planet. For example, this happens on Earth. - Until the colonization of other continents is required. - That's true, the logistics will be terrible. From a technological standpoint, using an antigravity platform with a crane that lays a railway is technologically absurd. - Why is it impossible to start producing these antigravity platforms?"But the planet is constantly moving, and so does the change between day and night. Technically, even at a distance of 100 kilometers, there's a difference of minutes. On Earth, something similar happened: each city set its clocks to noon. But local noon might be 12:10 or 11:45 for another city. So synchronizing train arrivals wasn't very convenient, and this led to many tragedies until people decided to divide the planet into 24 time zones, assigning vast territories to a single time zone. The difference in minutes becomes insignificant, all in the name of safety. Now, an area a thousand kilometers wide can have the same time. Of course, you won't have such problems, because mechanical watches weren't invented yet and are only now coming into common use. Time synchronization can be done by radio." "Interesting. And how is the galactic Empire governed? After all, different planets have different times." "Even different numbers of hours; on one planet, there are 36 hours in a day." And a year there lasts 380 days. Days in their understanding of a day, in our understanding, their year is one and a half times longer. That's why the age figures are very strange. A girl who has already blossomed can say that she is 12. - If you think about it, then from a formal point of view, Jackson is a pedophile when he met Share. At least from the point of view of Earth. - How is it governed? For example, I don't care if I sleep, I'll just come running. That's how the Empire is governed. - Doesn't sound efficient. - Usually, the central planets of the System Lords have 24-27 hours. However, this doesn't prevent situations like this - one has night, another has day, and a third has dawn. You would face this too if your kingdom extended across the entire planet. For example, this happens on Earth. - Until the colonization of other continents is required. - That's true, the logistics will be terrible. From a technological standpoint, using an antigravity platform with a crane that lays a railway is technologically absurd. - Why is it impossible to start producing these antigravity platforms?So how is the galactic Empire governed? Different planets have different time zones. Even the number of hours varies; on one planet, there are 36 hours in a day. And a year there lasts 380 days. Days in their understanding of a day; in our understanding, their year is one and a half times longer. That's why the age figures are so strange. A girl who has already blossomed can say she's 12. If you think about it, then from a formal point of view, Jackson is a pedophile, having met Share. At least from Earth's point of view. How is it governed? For example, it doesn't matter if I sleep, I'll just come running. That's how the Empire is governed. That doesn't sound efficient. Usually, the central planets of the System Lords have 24-27 hours. However, this doesn't prevent situations like this: one has night, another has day, and a third has dawn. You would encounter this too if your kingdom extended across the entire planet. For example, this happens on Earth. "There's no need to colonize other continents yet." "That's true, logistics would be terrible. From a technological standpoint, using an antigravity platform with a crane that lays a railroad is technologically absurd." "Why can't we start producing these antigravity platforms?"So how is the galactic Empire governed? Different planets have different time zones. Even the number of hours varies; on one planet, there are 36 hours in a day. And a year there lasts 380 days. Days in their understanding of a day; in our understanding, their year is one and a half times longer. That's why the age figures are so strange. A girl who has already blossomed can say she's 12. If you think about it, then from a formal point of view, Jackson is a pedophile, having met Share. At least from Earth's point of view. How is it governed? For example, it doesn't matter if I sleep, I'll just come running. That's how the Empire is governed. That doesn't sound efficient. Usually, the central planets of the System Lords have 24-27 hours. However, this doesn't prevent situations like this: one has night, another has day, and a third has dawn. You would encounter this too if your kingdom extended across the entire planet. For example, this happens on Earth. "There's no need to colonize other continents yet." "That's true, logistics would be terrible. From a technological standpoint, using an antigravity platform with a crane that lays a railroad is technologically absurd." "Why can't we start producing these antigravity platforms?" "I'm trying to reduce naquadah consumption. Of course, in 20-25 years, technology will allow us to abandon the railroad, but it needs to be a springboard, and an antigravity platform becomes a springboard for the railroad. At the same time, generating electricity may simply not keep up. Lightning is good, of course, but it's not the most efficient method, so eventually I'll build nuclear power plants. I'll tell you later how it works. This will provide more energy for using naquadah in construction. After all, naquadah is both fuel and building material." "I like Beethoven's classical music." I decided to answer Isar's earlier question, and yes, of course, I brought a gramophone with records. "Then I'll buy more." I nodded to her; it wasn't difficult for me. Apparently, I need someone from whom I'll need to buy a lot of records and also musical instruments. There were musical instruments here too, the same harps. I'm currently converting a lot of Earth technology to use electric motors, like airplanes, which can be built from plywood. I need to train a lot of pilots, which can be done the same way Nazi Germany or the USSR did. I currently have 30 pilots. Of course, these Jaffa are trained to fly gliders and Teltaks, but they have a basic understanding of flight principles. Therefore, they could become instructors to found an Aeronautics Academy. The average training time for a light aircraft pilot is three months, with 45 flight hours, including an instructor. If I divide 30 people into classes of 10, then in a year I'll have 1,200 pilots. Of course, they won't be combat pilots, but I'll need to create a sufficient number. To keep people interested (and flying is always interesting), the graduates will eventually found their own circuses and schools. And then we can begin transporting cargo planes through the gate and building airfields. The most difficult part of building biplanes is the engine. Especially electric ones; mine, at least, saves a significant amount of fuel-free space. The number of pilots plays a key role in the development of my state. During the two years I was flying to Urvashi, I developed a certain modification of the gliders, nothing major: now the wings fold up instead of down. They're also collapsible, so the wings can be quickly removed and attached. Lacking access to the blueprints for the threaders and unwilling to fiddle with the gate-passing program, I simply decided to speed up rapid deployment using other methods. So, two tractors pass through the gate, one with the cabin, the other with two wings. Afterwards, the workers connect the wings; the wings have mounts for bomb racks. The Jaffa are very fond of frontal assaults, but I had supernapalm with a burning temperature of 1600 degrees. With the ability to treat a square measuring 90 by 45 meters, a single drop can destroy up to a hundred Jaffa, which is much better.than a guidance system for firing at ground targets. I'm still working with bombs, even recovered some from US Army warehouses. Of course, these are not modern weapons for me, but it's a good start. Now I've been working on rockets that can be launched from space, but there are several difficulties. Mainly, the accuracy of atmospheric entry. At the same time, a glider on another planet helps in the exploration of this planet. I'm not a homeless person on the level of KZV; no, I'm certainly homeless, but not such a one that I wouldn't dedicate one glider to research. "I see that you're tired; it's been a tiring day. You can go to bed, I'll work a little more." Isara nodded. It seems we're starting to develop a friendly relationship, but the fact that she was dragged to me in just a shirt is unlikely to forgive her.
***
"Sir." Someone called from above, and I rolled out from under the Tiger, meeting the gaze of my Jaffa, who was looking at me, covered in oil, in surprise. "What, am I casting a spell here?" I said half-jokingly, but after all, any technology is magic. "The team is assembled, we are ready for the mission." I looked at my watch; indeed, it was 1:00 PM, the time scheduled for the mission to one of the first planets on Ra's list. One of the Teltaks on Earth was searching for the Icarus base. It should be 21 light years from Earth. This means the Jaffa need to explore a couple dozen star systems. It is known that there are 56 star systems within 16 light years of Earth. An additional 4 light years in all directions adds up to a couple dozen star systems. Now we are going to Geopolis; I extracted this information from Katerina Langford's father. Perhaps there is nothing useful there, but the working technology of the Ancients was worth the risk. I'll stick Ernest himself in a stasis capsule. Maybe it would have been worth bringing him back for Katerina's sake, but unfortunately, it doesn't work that way. The only thing I can do is give him a chance at life in the future. Preserving his intellect for future SGC operations. - Give me ten minutes. I've been working hard upgrading the Tiger; the first thing I changed was the machine guns. There are more of them now, and they've become automatic plasma cannons. I replaced the 88mm cannon with a railgun of my own invention. I left the loaded assault rifle as is, but added the ability to fire naquadah-potassium ammunition. Although it mainly used conventional shells. And yes, I was playing in my garage with my toys; sue me. After I quickly changed, a squad of Jaffa waited at the gate, in their protective gear. That is, in helmets and armor. I dialed the gate's address, sent a reconnaissance drone to survey everything, and saw a castle like something out of a TV series, after which we passed through the gate. My subordinates were carrying various equipment, including a mobile generator, as I knew about the damaged dialing device. I was carefully scanning everything around when movement showed up on the sensor, and a man in a diving suit and goggles came out to meet us. He was very confused, and seemed not to expect anyone to come. I quickly shot him with my intar. "Place him in a stasis capsule. I don't need any witnesses here, but killing him wouldn't make sense either." "Yes, my lord." He then connected the generator to the gate and contacted base to transfer heavy equipment. It was necessary to either reinforce the castle or, conversely, remove the gate, most likely the latter. We need space to deploy those gliders, and we need to scan the Geopolis for any anomalies. Within twenty minutes, there were plenty of people here, one of whom was an architect taken from Urvashi. "Assess the structure and judge whether it can be repaired or whether another forward base should be built." "Yes, my phaeron." The architect nodded, then, accompanied by a Jaffa, began to examine the structure. "Yes, it turns out that because there was no Carolingian dynasty, the word 'king' is not used on Urvashi, so Isara is not a queen, but a phaeron. As am I." That's just what I thought of it. I was told that, too. I went to the Ancient device and lit it, and holograms of atoms appeared, along with inscriptions from the Ancients, Nox, Ferling, and Asgard. Perhaps this will become the Rosetta Stone, with which I can decipher the language of the Ancients. After all, there's Cimmeria, which understands the language of Asgard. Of course, I'd need to hire a good linguist to decipher the writing. It's unlikely the Great Races left anything useful, and it could be as simple as the UN charter, but the very fact that they simply hand over the entire periodic table they possess is baffling. On the other hand, even I'm stumped as to how to decipher a language based on the periodic table, and I'm no linguist. Although I know a couple of languages, I certainly don't study them professionally. "Sir." One of the Jaffa ran toward me. "Earth has transmitted a message; a mortal wishes to contact you." This intrigued me. I didn't ask any questions, and it was clear the Jaffa knew nothing. Using the gate, I found myself near the very same Hathor pyramid. It was safe for now, but I'd prefer some warehouse in Canada, just in case. I was greeted by the local garrison with their cannons trained on me, which was only right, I didn't want to allow any breakthroughs. "Sir." I nodded to the soldier and dialed Ben-Gurion's number through our private satellite network. "They passed on a message to me, and I had some free time." "Is it possible to increase the supply of weapons?" They asked me directly. "The presence of Allied weapons could attract attention to you. We need German ones, but I expect the same favor. I will find several sunken ships with gold, you can sell it. Half is yours, the other half is needed to purchase the equipment I need." The deadline for the British withdrawal from Palestine was approaching, after which the war there would begin. – I also need a person who can get a ship out of New Jersey Bay.He could present it as charity work—the Sheldon expedition materials are stored there. I need three items from the entire cargo. I'm prepared to pay handsomely. "I can use my connections to find someone who can do something like that. Tell me, and can you deliver the aircraft?" "Captured aircraft are accounted for far more meticulously than even tanks. I'll see what I can do. But that will require additional diligence, you understand." "Yes. I understand." "Okay, the main thing is that you have pilots." Now I have to think about where to steal even more captured Third Reich weapons. There should be a lot left in warehouses in Hungary, although I've already been there. Stunning the guards again might attract too much attention. Although German weapons are not monitored at all; more precisely, they were unloaded in warehouses, but no one pays attention if a couple of hundred units go missing. Of course, they saw that tanks and armored personnel carriers were missing. But I think the warehouse managers will try to chalk it up to them being transferred somewhere and getting lost. They don't want to explain where their trusted equipment disappeared to. So, I might have sorted out Osiris and Isis, now I just need to strap on some scuba gear and retrieve that damn gold from one of the sunken ships and hand it over to Israel. No problem, my Jaffa will go with me, no point in shirking. "Hey, what do you think about exploring the shipwreck at a depth of several tens or hundreds of meters?" I turned to my warriors. I was met with stoic looks, which Sodan, the Jaffa owner, clearly saw. "That'll be fun. We also need to fly a bit over Honduras, especially in the places with waterfalls nearby. How many waterfalls are there in the mountains? Thousands?"Now I need to put on some scuba gear and retrieve that damn gold from one of the sunken ships and give it to Israel. It's okay, my Jaffa will go with me, there's no point in shirking. "Hey, what do you think about exploring the wreckage at a depth of several tens or hundreds of meters?" I turned to my warriors. I was met with stoic looks, which the owner of the Jaffa, Sodan, clearly saw. "It'll be fun. We also need to fly a little over Honduras, especially spending time in places with waterfalls nearby. How many waterfalls are there in the mountainous region? Thousands?"Now I need to put on some scuba gear and retrieve that damn gold from one of the sunken ships and give it to Israel. It's okay, my Jaffa will go with me, there's no point in shirking. "Hey, what do you think about exploring the wreckage at a depth of several tens or hundreds of meters?" I turned to my warriors. I was met with stoic looks, which the owner of the Jaffa, Sodan, clearly saw. "It'll be fun. We also need to fly a little over Honduras, especially spending time in places with waterfalls nearby. How many waterfalls are there in the mountainous region? Thousands?"
***
"Please don't kill me, I'm a simple shepherd," the Hindu-looking man prayed. "Yes, perhaps I need to somehow modify my diplomatic protocol. I took the first address from the Ra Gate map and visited that planet. There was no one near the gate, but a good road indicated that it was in use. My Jaffa and I donned camouflage clothing and followed the road. The gate was located in a desert area; it definitely wasn't the "first" planet shown in the series. Using data from the probe, I dressed my Jaffa in desert-style uniforms. The drone detected a large city, as well as a Jaffa, which worried me; I didn't want to encounter other Goa'uld just yet. On the other hand, I needed to find out what kind of place this was, who ruled it, and what resources it had. So we stunned a simple shepherd with sheep. I'm telling you, we need better diplomatic protocol." "I won't kill you, I needed to talk to you privately." My eyes flashed, startling the shepherd. "Which god rules here? Whose warriors are stationed in this city? I don't want to invade another deity's territory without an invitation. So answer my questions, and I will reward you generously." Then he showed me the gold. "Indra, we are ruled by the good goddess Indra, but the evil Vritra captured us, killing our heroes, the Jaffa Maruts, and forced us to dig deep mines. These mines are swallowing up many people, and food is scarce. Anyone can be sent to the mines." "What do they mine in these mines?" "If this is a naquadah planet, then we should stun this man, erase his memory, and run away from here as fast as we can." On the other hand, this man speaks enthusiastically of the old goddess, even though he's been captured by the new one, and yet he still sees the Jaffa as heroes. Or that Indra introduced higher technology here to make labor easier? - Nothing, - the shepherd answered. - How so? - Nothing is being extracted from the mines, the evil god Vritra is looking for something. Some kind of storage facility, I don't know more. - Storage facility, then I have no idea, does he know anything? However, the threat level – there should be a Khattak above us – has dropped to the level – there is definitely no Khattak above us, or even Cheops. We just need to clarify a couple of things. - Indra is a benevolent deity, did she live here and rule you directly? - The goddess has many affairs in heaven, her priests ruled us, but she honored us with her presence several times; my grandfather remembers that joyful moment. My grandfather's brother became Indra's warrior! - the man said proudly. - It is commendable that your family served their god. - I say neutrally, understanding the situation. It was a breeding planet for hosts, so no one kept a close eye on it, which led to a certain fanaticism. At the same time, the Jaffa were made from the locals and left there. They had no interest in terrorizing their compatriots, so they lived well. Out of curiosity, I'll still ask about Jaffa numbers, even though I'm talking to a simple shepherd, but education was valued in Hindu traditions. But I don't expect too many numbers. "Do you know how many warriors of the evil deity Vritra are in the city?" "Many." "How many warriors will you meet for every two hands of inhabitants?" I'm trying to formulate the numbers in a certain way, like people used to in ancient times when referring to hands, and I showed my fingers. The man looked at his hands, thought for a moment, and showed two fingers. So, two Jaffa for every ten inhabitants. And the city was large; I didn't have scanners, but I can say the population was over 100,000. Most likely, it's more than that. We'll need to bring a glider here from the satellites to launch it into orbit, quickly scan the surface, and then retreat in case a sensor network exists here. The gate isn't guarded, so it's possible to pull it all off.Given how fanatically loyal this man is to Indra, capturing this planet is impossible. But testing my weapons in controlled conditions is already possible. I will also immediately retreat if there is a significant presence of gliders or other Goa'uld aircraft on the planet. "Are the inhabitants of this planet loyal to the evil goddess Vritra?" I ask him defiantly. "Of course not. The Maruts and Holy Warriors fight the Asuras, but there are many of them, and the evil goddess has imbued them with magic." "Good. Your god can be proud of your loyalty, and he will surely reward you." The man fell to his knees. "As I reward you for your frankness." Then I gave him gold. "Do you wish to serve your goddess? I respect the goddess Indra, and I cannot watch her people suffer. Therefore, I need to see how deeply Vritra's taint has taken root in your people." My warriors and I cannot enter your city, as the Asura will sense me. I will use magic on your staff so I can see through it. Once I see through it, I will decide whether I can help or not. Your name will be remembered for your feat. Honestly, before using a satellite, which is highly likely to be detected, we should use something less drastic, like surveillance cameras. Set up an observation post here and determine the number of Jaffa in Vritra, their main bases, and the extent of their resources. It is worth learning about the gliders, although the satellite will also detect it. I let this man go without even learning his name; it was unimportant. "Sir, do you wish to capture this planet?" "More likely to test a new weapon. This planet is useless to me; the population is loyal to Indra, so I need to test this weapon on an enemy I will never face. Besides, you must show me what you have learned." "Yes, Lord Szarekh." If the Asura don't attack me, they'll take up positions in the city, making napalm useless. We'll have to fight a trench war. And if there are more than 20,000 Jaffa there, that could become a dire situation. And then there are the Vritra warriors. They could send a signal and launch an attack through the gate. They'll be caught between a rock and a hard place, and that's it. There's little information yet, so I need to think carefully about whether I need to intervene.After which he gave him gold. "Do you wish to serve your goddess? I respect the goddess Indra, and I cannot watch her people suffer. Therefore, I need to see how deeply rooted the Vritra taint has become among your people. My warriors and I cannot enter your city, for the Asuras will sense me. I will use magic on your staff so that I can see through it. After seeing through it, I will decide whether I can help or not. Your name will be remembered for your feat. Honestly, before using a satellite, which is highly likely to be detected, we should use something less drastic, like surveillance cameras. Set up an observation post here and determine the number of Vritra Jaffa, their main bases, and the extent of their resources. It is worth learning about the gliders, although the satellite will also detect it. I let this man go without even learning his name; it was not important. "Sir, do you wish to take over this planet?" "More likely to test a new weapon." This planet is useless to me; the population is loyal to Indra, so I need to test this weapon on an enemy I'll never face. Besides, you must show me what you've learned. - Yes, Master Szarekh. If the Asura don't attack me, they'll take up positions in the city, and napalm won't be usable. We'll have to fight a trench war. And if there are more than 20,000 Jaffa there, it could become a dire situation. And then there's Vritra's warriors. They could send a signal through the gate and launch an attack on the rear. They'll be caught between a rock and a hard place, and that's it. There's little information yet, so I need to think carefully about whether I need to intervene.After which he gave him gold. "Do you wish to serve your goddess? I respect the goddess Indra, and I cannot watch her people suffer. Therefore, I need to see how deeply rooted the Vritra taint has become among your people. My warriors and I cannot enter your city, for the Asuras will sense me. I will use magic on your staff so that I can see through it. After seeing through it, I will decide whether I can help or not. Your name will be remembered for your feat. Honestly, before using a satellite, which is highly likely to be detected, we should use something less drastic, like surveillance cameras. Set up an observation post here and determine the number of Vritra Jaffa, their main bases, and the extent of their resources. It is worth learning about the gliders, although the satellite will also detect it. I let this man go without even learning his name; it was not important. "Sir, do you wish to take over this planet?" "More likely to test a new weapon." This planet is useless to me; the population is loyal to Indra, so I need to test this weapon on an enemy I'll never face. Besides, you must show me what you've learned. - Yes, Master Szarekh. If the Asura don't attack me, they'll take up positions in the city, and napalm won't be usable. We'll have to fight a trench war. And if there are more than 20,000 Jaffa there, it could become a dire situation. And then there's Vritra's warriors. They could send a signal through the gate and launch an attack on the rear. They'll be caught between a rock and a hard place, and that's it. There's little information yet, so I need to think carefully about whether I need to intervene.They'll take up positions in the city, and napalm won't be usable. We'll have to fight a trench war. And if there are more than 20,000 Jaffa there, that could become a dire situation. And then there are the Vritra warriors, who could send a signal and launch an attack through the gate. They'll be caught between a rock and a hard place, and that's it. There's little information yet, so I need to think carefully about whether I need to intervene.They'll take up positions in the city, and napalm won't be usable. We'll have to fight a trench war. And if there are more than 20,000 Jaffa there, that could become a dire situation. And then there are the Vritra warriors, who could send a signal and launch an attack through the gate. They'll be caught between a rock and a hard place, and that's it. There's little information yet, so I need to think carefully about whether I need to intervene.
***
Ten Jaffa gathered in one of Cheops's conference rooms, including my "first warrior," Krel, arguably the smartest of the bunch of idiots they'd assigned me. He'd been a warrior for 30 years, serving in various Ra garrisons, but like everyone else here, he was untested in combat. In two years, the Jaffa had become masters of fighting in cramped conditions, performing well during the attack on Lubyanka, but they were still green recruits. And that's precisely what needed to be corrected. The battle for Prakith isn't about capturing the planet; it's loyal to Indra. I don't have the forces to occupy it without a large ship on the other side. The only valuable resource is manpower, though for that, we need to introduce polytheism into the culture. Something like, "Yes, Indra is your goddess, but Szarekh is also a good god, a friend of your goddess." "Phaeron!" Yes, the Jaffa have started addressing me differently. They stood up to greet me. I let them sit down and immediately lit up a holographic map of what the satellite had created. Actually, the last one was the most exciting. I found out from that shepherd when it was nighttime on the planet and carried out the entire glider assembly and disassembly operation at night. He delivered the satellite into orbit around the planet, disguised as an ordinary rock, as always, after which the glider quickly returned. I had a multitude of plans for every eventuality, but the pilot returned quickly and didn't disturb anyone, and from the satellites I learned that there were 100 gliders on the planet, and possibly a sensor network deployed. It must have been some miracle she didn't notice the unauthorized takeoff. On the other hand, why would the local contingent use gliders? In the early moments of the invasion, they often used them to track down Indra's loyal warriors, but now things have become simpler; Vritra has been on the planet for 20 years. This is the planet Prakiti, or rather the inhabited part. There is only one city, Saravad, which is also the planet's capital. The population is 10 million. One lives in the city, nine in the surrounding agricultural settlements, providing the city with food. There are 70,000 Jaffa of Vritra on the planet, called Asuras. Twenty thousand are located in 20 castles from where they control Prakiti's agricultural lands and its population, and 50 thousand are concentrated in the capital, controlling a mine dug by local slaves. The planet has an airfield with 100 gliders, but according to the agent, they are rarely used. However, the airfield is a fortified fortress, guarded by at least a thousand soldiers. Throughout my story, I accompanied various map indications, giving a general idea of the situation on the planet. Villages were shown with one icon, castles with another, and the airfield with a third. The map legend was quite detailed; I drew it myself as soon as I received the orbital scan. "Under normal conditions, we have no chance at all, but we're not under normal conditions. Their first mistake is that they don't fully control the gate. The second mistake is that they don't have constant glider patrols. The third mistake is that too few people support Vritra, so recruiting spies won't be difficult. The key to any victory is surprise; the airfield must be neutralized. If it remains operational, the operation is considered a failure. So, the very first step will be to transport a disassemblable Teltak to this planet. It will carry a landing force that will carry out an airborne assault on the airfield. The goal is to capture or destroy all the gliders. I would prefer capture; they will be a very useful resource. A local agent told me the location of caves where the Teltak can be secretly assembled. There are few plants there, and even shepherds don't go there, and there's no water. It's an isolated place. At the same time, the local agent will be actively placing video surveillance devices disguised as ordinary bricks. It's necessary to know the asuras' every move. How is their garrison planned?shifts. When they are at their weakest. All the preparation could take months. "Sir, however, how are we supposed to fight 70,000 enemy Jaffa?" Krel asked stoically. "Aviation will give us the advantage, but if they fire salvos from the walls, they'll be able to shoot down the glider." "Why would I use the glider's cannons?" I asked. Then I showed a hologram of a glider dropping a bomb on a castle, from a considerable height, followed by an explosion that destroys it. A glider has a lifting capacity of 9 tons; if we take the 8,000-pound bombs of Great Britain, then such bombs are capable of simply demolishing castles. One pair drops two heavy bombs, the second, drops four napalm bombs. Bombing with napalm is just what is needed." "All this time, the glider support company will practice passing through the gates and deploying aircraft, the other part will practice bombing." We'll spend as much time as necessary on this; there's no rush. Furthermore, with Teltak, it's possible to move the gate; it's no longer a static object to be defended. Similarly, with armored vehicles, you've gained the ability to move around the enemy, retreating if necessary. You can maintain a reasonable distance from the advancing Asura troops. They'll be exhausted; you can travel by vehicle, which doesn't waste your energy. Also, 200 kilometers away, there's a rocky formation with sheer vertical walls. An ideal defensive location, inaccessible without air power or antigravity technology. It looked like Masada. I specifically searched for something similar, and I found it. Even if there were a million Jaffa there, they wouldn't be able to take it, though if they'd been firing their staffs together for a long time, maybe they could. Without air power, they'd be in the palm of your hand and quickly destroyed. Because whoever controls the gate controls their supplies. And it also controls who passes through them; it's entirely possible to block any entrance simply by constantly recruiting your planet. "How can we capture an airfield if it has a garrison of a thousand people?" Krel asked again. I showed a diagram of a cluster bomb, which should have stun grenades, and also the barracks of these Jaffa. So the first raid drops bombs precisely on the barracks, eliminating those resting, and neutralizing those stationed at posts and servicing the gliders with grenades. We'll have to invest in the production of these grenades. After the initial attack, I showed the glider landing and the Jaffa running out. The goal is to activate the gliders and simply steal them. A Teltak can't transport 100 people, but it does have rings on board that can be linked to rings that can be brought and assembled elsewhere. Teltak can also be outfitted with firing ports for heavy plasma cannons capable of firing heavy plasma bolts. Essentially, it will become a mini-fortress in case reinforcements arrive quickly.At the same time, I'm assessing the risks of how many gliders to deploy to another planet—two for the initial deployment, or more. Any more would be risky. If I fail, I'll lose one Teltak and two gliders. The risks increase proportionally. The first strike could catch the Asuras with their pants down. I need to order an exact mockup of this airfield built, at least using wood. And train my subordinates to the bone. "The goal of this entire operation is to get me combat-tested Jaffa. This is an isolated planet, and help from space may not arrive soon, so your mistakes won't be as critical. During this time, we need to train additional Jaffa pilots who can transport the gliders back to base." The situation was risky, very risky, but, for example, using napalm and bombs, we could obtain a significant number of Matoks, Zetas, and gliders. If the operation is successful, instead of 24 gliders, there will be 124—a significant increase without the need to waste naquadah and technology on production. Eight additional squadrons can be formed. And based on their effectiveness, we can judge our future tactics. "I entrust the preparations for everything to Krel, so the preparations will proceed in three directions. I will handle one myself, namely, the accumulation of all-terrain vehicles. Krel is in charge of reconnaissance and personnel training. We are going to war." "Yes, sir!" they cried enthusiastically, perhaps too enthusiastically. The Jaffa were raised in a culture that embraces war as its destiny. Even though I have the tools to create Jaffa, I didn't particularly want to do it this way. The first reason I shouldn't have done this is because I didn't have access to the larvae, and the second is because I'm not a big fan of creating offshoots of the human race. Now I need to do some careful calculations: I have 24 gliders, each requiring two trucks for transport, plus more trucks for the bombs. Based on the expected activity—and this also needs to be calculated—the need for motor transport is somewhere in the range of several hundred vehicles, which would need to be converted for an offensive operation in the next few months. And teaching the Jaffa to drive is also a task that's not that difficult. There will also be Jaffa engineering personnel who will have to quickly dismantle a hundred gliders and transport them to my ship, where they will be converted into my version. This will also require several months of preparation, so in the meantime, I can focus on other things, like exploring the next planet.
***
"Phaeron." The man bowed low, and I nodded and offered him a seat. His name was Kuran Galen, one of the merchants on Urvashi, not the smallest, not the largest, just right. "I'm not one for long introductions, so I'll be honest. I need someone who can act as an intermediary between me and another planet for trade operations. The goal is to mine naquadah. Your task is to convince people to work using economic incentives. Exchange goods; if they have any problems, subsidies are possible. Essentially, you will be my trade representative." "Is naquadah the material currently being mined?" Kuran asked cautiously. "Correct. There are many planets rich in it, and there are those deprived of it, but this planet is worth its population, capable of working. This planet belongs to Asgard, and as part of the so-called Protected Planets Treaty, System Lords are forbidden from appearing on these planets, under penalty of death. So that the same situation that happened to you doesn't happen to them." The man looked at me in surprise. "I was given an order, I carried it out without resorting to bloodshed, and it seems to me the miners in the mines are happy with the working conditions; their work has become much easier. And I don't have to force people to work, unlike, for example, on any other planet. I prefer economic incentives; you will become not only a conduit between those people and me, but you can begin to establish a trade network throughout the galaxy. I think this is a good deal." "What powers will I have?" "What do you need?" "The ability to purchase various goods independently of you, since it will seriously slow down the entire process if I constantly wait for your approval." "Interesting." I folded my hands to think. In essence, I'm handing this man a trade monopoly, but he works for me. In fact, I have it for now. But for this, we need to conclude supply contracts; the bulk of "unusual" goods go through Earth, and it hasn't been under Imperial control for 5,000 years. "Thanks to the gate, you'll understand what they're saying, but you won't be able to read. You'll have to learn the language, study the history, and figure out how to develop the network. They think they're the only intelligent species on the planet, so we shouldn't disappoint them. So secrecy of supply is important." "I understand, but I still insist on a certain amount of autonomy." "Good. Your cover story is that you're a free trader and know naquadah is valuable, so you're willing to offer good terms for its extraction. Give gifts to the local chieftains, throw a feast, tell interesting stories. And tell them you can pay with much more interesting goods for the loot, using the knowledge you've gained yourself. Become their friend and convince them. Pay for the creation of an outpost where you can trade your goods. But I repeat, be VERY diplomatic."The Asgard won't pay attention to you if it's simply trading between equal partners, but if it's slavery, they'll be furious. Much will depend on your performance, including your tenure in this position. The better you do, the higher your salary will be. And, speaking frankly and literally, I'm not interested in any goods other than naquadah. If you agree to sell furs, amber, or any other resources valuable to your planets, you can trade. This could be additional income. "You are very generous, Phaeron. Tell me, what are the terms regarding the sale of Urvashi products?" "Making it a priority over time. Goods from Earth are a temporary solution. For the sake of our planet's economy, we must soon replicate all of Earth's technological advances and quickly surpass them. And supply a wide range of goods ourselves to many worlds. However, I am considering a contract for the supply of exotic fruits, coffee, bananas, pineapples, and others." Your civilization is located above the growing zone of such fruits, so creating plantations of such fruits will be difficult and economically unprofitable, which will distract the population and require significant investment. "However, sir, I must ask about logistical operations. Will they rely on ground-based self-propelled transport?" "Correct. Is that a problem?" "The gate is located on your ship's territory, which greatly complicates many logistical operations." Kuran was frank, but I, on the other hand, couldn't afford to lose control of the gate, from a purely military standpoint. "My plans include building a multi-level fortress in the rocky massif, with joint exploitation by both military and commercial forces. Besides the gate being a very convenient trading tool, it's also a potential entry point for an invasion. To meet both security and trade needs, we'll need to build elevators that will transport the gate from the military to the commercial level. To accommodate trade operations, we'll need to build a railway. But that will take a significant amount of time, so you should work with what you have." He merely nodded.
***
Three men shook my hand tensely, and we sat down at a table placed on the Osiris teltak, as mine had been moved back to Urvashi, to be remanufactured in small batches on Prakiti. In front of me sat the President of Guatemala, Juan José Arvalo, and two leaders of the Caribbean Legion, José Figueres Ferrer and Juan Bosch. Jaffa lifted the teltak, and it quickly appeared in space. Then I showed him the hologram of Earth. "I think that's sufficient proof that President Arvalo isn't crazy. You can also go into the cabin and look at Earth through the glass, but it's not really glass." "It's worth mentioning that their experience differs from mine," the President said with a hint of humor. The two men looked at him blankly. "I usually have trouble convincing people on Earth of my alien nature," I explained. "That's why shock therapy is often used." For which my wife is unlikely to forgive me. - Was she also delivered to you in her pajamas? - asked the president. - Yes, although that was an accident, unlike your case. Lord Ra ordered me to begin mining on a forgotten planet. I descended on Urvashi at night and ordered the leader of this planet to be brought to me, and Isara appeared before me in her nightgown. Then I realized that I needed to give the soldiers clearer instructions. - That's all well and good, of course, but what do you need? - asked Haun Bosch. - To trade. And also to use you as a financial backer, to obtain various equipment from Earth without attracting the attention of major powers like the USA, Britain, and the USSR. - But what can Earth offer a spacefaring species? - Feudalism operates in the galaxy, not even colonialism. There's a titular race—the Goa'uld—to which I belong. In reality, I look like a snake wrapped around a human's spinal column and connected to their brain, completely controlling it. My race discovered humanity approximately 11,000 years ago and dispersed them throughout the galaxy. As slaves, the situation isn't much different from your countries. Only my race possesses any advanced technology, and no one is allowed to rise above medieval levels. The most powerful System Lords are very old, the oldest being twenty thousand years old, and they rule with an iron fist, not allowing any new ideas or concepts. Essentially, I rule a remote planet, not much different from your countries. Far from those who might punish me, I want to develop my planet, but the traditional method will take a long time, so I'm interested in trade with Earth. - Why us, and not the USA or the USSR? - Stalin himself is more like a Goa'uld who has serious problems with his head, and at the same time, he will definitely try to deceive me, to seize the gate,Then he'll start dialing different addresses and spreading communism across the planets. This will enrage the System Lords; they'll remember Earth and send ships to punish the entire planet. The US will do the same, but thinking that most Goa'uld planets are medieval, they'll become overly self-important and mindlessly start attacking everyone. The result will be the same. Not to mention the possibility of another world war breaking out for control of the gate. I'm looking for allies who are much more down-to-earth and interested in their own countries, who will want to profit from me in order to acquire additional resources for the development of their countries. The Dominican Republic and Costa Rica may still be ruled by tyrants, but I'm confident that you will become prominent members of your governments once you achieve liberation. - With your help. "Bosch said affirmatively. The fact is that the Caribbean Legion recently failed to liberate the Dominican Republic from a dictator. The US and the dictator paid a Cuban general to disarm 1,200 rebels. Bosch had just gotten out of prison himself. "But what are the terms of the deal?" "I provide you with gold, half goes toward purchasing equipment for me. Half goes to you, and a separate item is your goods, produced by your countries. I will buy them in exchange for gold or silver. Also, if some military man wants to stage another coup, you can count on my secret support. It's more profitable for me to have people developing the country, since this allows my machines, rails, and other things to be lost in the general purchases. Classic dictatorial regimes focus on agricultural exploitation, which is very susceptible to market fluctuations. They will make a fine living holding on to power, but it will be another colony, which has little prospects. This does not correspond to my ideas about the concept of development."But what are the terms of the deal?" "I give you gold, half goes toward purchasing equipment for me. Half goes to you, and a separate item is your goods, produced by your countries. I'll buy them in exchange for gold or silver. Also, if some military man ever wants to stage a coup, you can count on my secret support. It's more profitable for me to have people developing the country, since that allows my machines, rails, and other things to be lost in the general purchases. Classic dictatorial regimes focus on agricultural exploitation, which is highly susceptible to market fluctuations. They'll make a fine living holding on to power, but it will be just another colony, with little prospects. This doesn't fit my ideas about development.""But what are the terms of the deal?" "I give you gold, half goes toward purchasing equipment for me. Half goes to you, and a separate item is your goods, produced by your countries. I'll buy them in exchange for gold or silver. Also, if some military man ever wants to stage a coup, you can count on my secret support. It's more profitable for me to have people developing the country, since that allows my machines, rails, and other things to be lost in the general purchases. Classic dictatorial regimes focus on agricultural exploitation, which is highly susceptible to market fluctuations. They'll make a fine living holding on to power, but it will be just another colony, with little prospects. This doesn't fit my ideas about development." "However, let's say we manage to establish trade through the gates. They need to be located somewhere, preferably in a secluded place with a limited number of people," Ferrer noted sensibly. "A mountain range would be fine for me; I'll set up my base there, with my people who will carry out trade operations. But maintaining secrecy is a priority. I'd prefer that only the leaders of the countries know about the entire situation, regarding the fact that you three are my trading partners. Then either there would be a warehouse in each of the three countries that would be filled, and to which a ship with gates would fly, or, alternatively, I would lend teleportation rings to each warehouse, large enough to move large cargo." "Teleportation rings?" My guests didn't understand. "Instantaneous travel technology, if there is a sending/receiving station. It simplifies things greatly, making it possible to maintain the secrecy of all our operations." "Could you elaborate on how you will help the Caribbean Legion overthrow Trujillo?" "You have two problems: the means of transporting people, the presence of the political leadership itself, and the presence of air power with that political leadership. The second problem is solved by precision bombing. The first, a classic Trojan horse. We take a large ship heading to the Dominican Republic. My people board it, install a gate there, and transport through it all the military equipment you need. After that, your troops put to sea in small groups, using, for example, light boats. And they are picked up by a ship already packed to the brim with all the weapons you need. When the ship approaches port, Trujillo, his air force, and the army's central command will be destroyed by bombing. After that, your troops will take control of the port and begin an offensive, capturing the most important facilities in the city. I will also provide you with access to the encrypted radio communications of your enemies' command." "And you can help Costa Rica in exactly the same way?" Ferrer asked. "Yes." At the same time, when you take office, I will give you geological exploration maps of your countries. This will help diversify the economy. It will also provide justification for acquiring geological equipment. I had no problem helping Central American countries, because to be fair, I need other allies besides Israel, and right now Israel is in no position to place orders. In the two months before the Arab-Israeli War, they supplied me with a significant amount of technological equipment, but now there's a war there, and we need to find more contractors. At the same time, I'll be doing something good and hitting the US over the head with their fruit companies, which sent CIA agents whenever Latin American people's lives are getting better. At the same time, Central America isn't such a critical point in history.I can help these people. Unlike China, Korea, Vietnam, and many other places where injustice will continue. It saddens me; I'm not the best person to occupy the body of a Goa'uld fanatic, but I'd like to do something good; it's a form of atonement for everything that's now in my head. The memories of the Goa'uld, their terror... It's disgusting, but if I can save someone, I will. I'd be ready to change the entire history of Earth if World War II were going on right now... But now there's a civil war in China, and in the future, the Korean and Vietnamese Wars... And the lives of those who die there are less important in my imagination. Yes, helping these countries isn't just about profit, but also about atonement. The road to Hell is paved with good intentions, so I wonder what the road to Heaven is paved with? A disregard for life? It seems I'm going in two directions at once. "But we're all supporters of a rotating power here. How do you plan to ensure we honor our agreements with our successors?" Arvalo asked. "Just give your successor all the information and call me. I'll also provide you with equipment that will simplify your work in various areas. I'll also provide telephone numbers that you can use to contact me. In the event of a critical situation, such as a military coup, I'll order my warriors to protect each of you. And your successors, too." "What volume of gold are you talking about handing over to us for use?" "I'm the ruler of a sovereign planet, with sophisticated equipment. I'll even go further: my ship is shaped like a pyramid, much larger than the Great Pyramid of Giza, and the entire outer hull contains several millimeters of gold. So, after some adjustments, I have no problems with the gold. However, I don't want to collapse your planet's economy and draw attention to you. I'm prepared to start with 10 tons. This, incidentally, will help strengthen your currency, facilitate loans, and so on." Essentially, everyone will get rich. - US fruit companies will be quite opposed to the strengthening of local governments. They did everything to preserve Trujillo and the Nicaraguan government. - The US is unlikely to take any actions other than diplomatic demarches, as well as supporting your enemies with weapons. In Costa Rica, it seems, there is a pro-communist president. In the fight against him, they are unlikely to interfere with you; they will most likely even help. With the Dominican Republic, they will hinder you as much as possible, but realizing that they do not have a proven ally in Trujillo, they will prefer a wait-and-see tactic. In Nicaragua... After the rapid elimination of prominent figures, the country will be in anarchy, and therefore vulnerable to attack. Although I suspect that if in a year or two the Caribbean Legion, which the US has suspicions about, overthrows three governments, two of which were controlled by US beasts, this could influence their decision-making. And after all, when Arvalo's successor comes to power,They could carry out the same military coup they did last time. They really didn't like the oppression of their fruit company, which had 85% of its land taken away—well, not really taken away. The widow was paid for it at its full value, but the land simply wasn't used, which is a certain form of schizophrenia. It would be funny if my efforts lead to the formation of the Central American States. It's worth mentioning that such a country existed in the 19th century, but it quickly fell apart. In 10 years, maybe then there will be a chance for these countries. I think that with a single promise to destroy anyone who tries to overthrow the legitimately elected government, I brought much more stability to this region than ever could have. And of course, I will reap substantial profits from this stability. If six countries purchase equipment, seven if Israel is involved, this could obscure any scrutiny of the purchases. Oh, and I mentioned other countries because it's clear that Honduras will also become an ally. That country currently has a democratic government. Of course, I don't think all these games will bring me any joy in the long run, but establishing footholds on Earth had a certain value. - Well, if preliminary agreements have been reached, I'd like to get down to business. After which I handed them the computers and phones, with instructions on how to use them, and dropped them off where I picked them up. I still need to check out the private investigator looking for Seth. I gave him enough motivation to do it. 100 thousand dollars just for the search itself, and a million after finding Seth. So Sam was a very motivated person who didn't ask unnecessary questions about why I needed this man and this cult. It's worth saying that he worked well, literally 24/7. In two months, he surveyed the easiest states: North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Aklahoma, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas. Why the easiest? And what is the population there, from 300 thousand to 2-3 million. Agricultural communities are fairly easy to check. You show up at the sheriff's department or local police station and say, "Looking for a missing girl who joined a strange cult. Do you know if there's anything similar in your area?" And you can also give the local sheriff a good coffee. Technically, what Sam did isn't complicated; it's methodical. Plus, he knows the US system and is much more charismatic than me, and I hope he doesn't kidnap people from their beds in their pajamas. Although I found him in New York, he decided to first explore the center and west of the country. In principle, a logical solution allows you to conserve resources by serving the least densely populated states, eliminating them from the sample. Before moving on to the hardest part—the southern states, and then the northern ones. I really hope Seth is in the US, not Canada. Otherwise, that would be awkward.