Madrona is a curious satellite that once shone like a miniature star, illuminated by the flames of sustained nuclear fusion. Its gas giant host, adorned with rings like a grand crown, was, according to Egeria, once the site of a failed terraforming experiment, and it was then that Madrona likely acquired its current, fragmented existence. Now, like a prodigal son, this secondary star orbits its parent star—a scorching blue B-type beauty burning somewhere in a vastness wider than the distance from our Sun to Pluto. Its light, however, is lost in the vastness of space, and for Madrona, it is just another shimmering dot in the velvet of the night sky.
Surprisingly, despite its modest size, Madrona has a gravity of 0.8 G, hinting at an incredibly dense core, the reason for its impressive tectonic stability. The continent that stretches across its surface is a true paradise on Earth, draped in lush, idyllic vegetation. It was here, on Madrona, that the Furlings found their new home. And as if that weren't enough, the fertile soil conceals rich deposits of naquadah.
How did I manage to discover all this? While my chatty companions discuss their latest discoveries, I, using the recovered ship's drive, penetrate the most hidden corners of this world. Scanning, collecting information—all this happens unnoticed, while I watch, mesmerized. The truth has been revealed to me: on this planet, its true form, speaks the inscriptions on the Touchstone—a weather control system that allows the locals to command the elements like gods. This is not a planet, but a resort where every day is a holiday.
Isara, like a seasoned diplomat, has already established contact with the local elders. We brought them exotic goods, including a marvel of modern science, nanite technology, designed to demonstrate our power and, of course, our interest in naquadah. In exchange, we offer them a wealth of goods, a full list of which, carefully translated into images and pictures, graces the pages of our journal. Thus, our language has become more understandable to them than any other. We have received permission to establish a trading outpost, where 30-40 people can settle, develop trade, and recruit locals for various needs. On Mandorna, thanks to its heavenly climate, crops are harvested year-round, providing a surplus of food, allowing a significant portion of the population to dedicate themselves to crafts. However, paradoxically, it is precisely these blessed conditions that slow progress. It is astonishing how the absence of challenges can hinder development.
"We'd like to establish farms here to grow a variety of crops, even the most demanding ones. Could we purchase the land?"
The Mandorans have vast tracts of unused land. Each family, having reached the natural limit of their cultivation, is forced to expand their holdings. Cities, however, rely on the "old" fields located near settlements and enjoying a well-developed transportation infrastructure. Second and third sons have few options: either become artisans in the city or travel to distant lands to cultivate their own lands. Transportation is no problem for me, thanks to antigravity technology. Alternatively, we could build a monorail (by paying the Tollans) and convince the locals to move the gate closer to the center, between our future outpost and the naquadah mines. By organizing a convenient monorail junction and training a team to manage it, we can begin work. The surplus population will be drawn either to our fields or to the naquadah mines. The influx of free money and resources will undoubtedly trigger a cascade of diverse economic and social processes. I may be becoming a typical colonizer, but I still prefer to maintain peaceful relations and trade.
A certain payment, expressed in our goods, allowed us to acquire land. It's important to understand that in regions not heavily populated, land is available. After all, to create fields, it's necessary to clear forests and reclaim space from the wilderness. Weather control guaranteed prosperity; otherwise, everything could have turned catastrophic. I was once told that an inhabited planet with a single continent is an anomaly, as the weather there would be unsuitable for life. Once, when Information Agency operatives stole a weather controller, hail and snowstorms comparable to a Canadian winter fell in the tropical zone.
"We are immensely grateful to you, elders," Isara bowed deeply, and I followed her example. Having written down the address, we left.
"Everything went wonderfully. We could transfer that girl who did such a brilliant job on Sarekhan here as trade governor. Besides, the climate here is healthy, with lots of sunshine and fruit. Perfect for a vacation."
The situation is amusing: in order to travel unhindered wherever I please, I handed over complete control of the gate to the local defense forces. The Jaffa, as always, were misled: they were told that simply clicking buttons would make them lazy. Of course, I always had a back door into the Monolith systems, so killing me wouldn't be easy. Now, the local forces cooperate with local traders, and the gate has become a regular, albeit reinforced, airport or customs checkpoint. With the Jaffa free to track my movements, we were able to fully expand our trade. Thanks to the Urvashi's remarkable organizational skills, everything ran like clockwork: cargo was received and shipped. The number of Pangarians willing to work under contract grew, especially after the announcement of the launch of a nanite control facility. Their expertise was put to use in construction, mining, and railway construction. Yes, the Tollans have built a maglev line several kilometers from the gate to the loading station, and railroads will stretch across the entire planet. Uravshi's metallurgical industry, which already exists on Pangar, is rapidly developing, so the length of the railroads is increasing, linking the remote corners of the country. Railroads will also be built on any planet with which we have a trade agreement, if they are willing and able to pay for it. We accept both gold and naquadah. If you think about it, the economics are quite complicated. I hope that with the installation of galactic communication systems on all planets, everything will return to normal. After all, naquadah mining, from an economic standpoint, is more of a whim. The amount of naquadah obtained by electronics manufacturers (more likely those who modernize them) and power generators (remember, I invented naquadah batteries) is constantly growing. Therefore, the situation is becoming more and more complicated. I hope there won't be a stock market crash.
Okay, why dwell on it when you don't have to? It's important to understand that I'm not a stupid man: I chose the power of economics and technology for my rise. However, Isara is standardizing planets that, even without gates, don't speak the same language. There are my holdings, and then there are my trading partners (which includes most of the protected planets), and trading with them, without a common currency, is a real hassle. For example, Vanaheim is in a perpetual ice age, so the prices for any food there are sky-high. They don't particularly value gold, so they don't mine it, but they do mine naquadah, which, from an economic standpoint, is a quirk of mine. My insane trading schemes are a whole other story. I hope Isara tells it one day, and I'll have a heart attack.
The Goa'uld system is stable, but inefficient. Mine is efficient, but not quite as stable. Perhaps to avoid having to figure this out, I periodically escape somewhere: either to the lab or to conquer. However, my usefulness in this sprawling bureaucratic nightmare with its compound interest and sometimes downright absurd mathematics is steadily declining. So I'll go conquer another planet to take my mind off it.
I called through the intercom system and someone answered.
"Imotekh, gather my first cohort, we'll go and pacify the planet that has turned away from its deity. Gather everyone at the chapa'ai (the gate in Goa'uldish)." I wonder how quickly he'll arrive? Should I call De Wiart too? Okay, I'll call him too.
Ten minutes and twenty-seven seconds later, more than twenty vehicles arrived at the cleared area in front of the Monoplate, designated specifically for gathering the invasion forces. Jaffa immediately began pouring out, forming company lines. Since they were all wearing helmets, this happened in complete silence; even my sabatons made no sound, having replaced them with good boots. The aged general also appeared, as cheerful as ever, ever since he learned there was a war in the galaxy and that he could be cured of a broken spine, missing an eye, an arm, and fingers. With a significant number of nanites and numerous prosthetics, he had become surprisingly agile and was now training with his new weapons. He liked the targeting systems, avoided heavy armor, and so on.
"When are we leaving?" Typical De Wiart: no enemies, no goal. If there's trouble, we have to go.
"Imotekh, how many Jaffa do you think it would take to subdue a slave who rebelled when his master was defeated by another god? There could be several hundred slaves there, clad in Jaffa armor and with matoks."
Imotekh looked at me suspiciously.
"Ten will do." There was something to that. These death machines with targeting systems, as well as the standard trained Jaffa, were superior to the poorly trained oprichniks. The Teutonic Order, consisting of 27 knights and 300 squires, had conquered the Baltics. So for Imotekh, conquering the settlements at the gates was a matter of course, especially when he could fire with far greater precision and lethality.
"Let's repeat the capture of Belgrade," Adrian grinned.
Imotekh looked at him in bewilderment. "There, four men captured a large city with a population of one hundred thousand."
These were clearly brave warriors. I wouldn't have risked attacking them like that. Surely there would have been some brave souls who would have thrown at least a stone.
"Not found," de Wiart replied. "I was just flying to Belgrade when I was shot down and captured. Then I dug a tunnel with one hand... What a joyful life."
Imotekh knew Adrian was my agent, someone who had fought since childhood and intended to continue doing so. Overall, the two veteran soldiers recognized a kindred spirit and generally got along well.
- Then take ten of the best people, and the rest will serve as a reserve for unforeseen circumstances.
After that, he took out his gear and donned it over his Tollan attire: cuirass, pauldrons, groin and leg armor, and so on. The final defense was provided by trinium and naquadah. Generally, they can withstand several staff shots. All things considered, the cuirass could have been anything, but it had protruding sections, representing ribs. From a distance, it might have looked like a skeleton approaching. In the center of the chest was my personal symbol. Then he took his staff from its sheath. Immediately, various information about this weapon entered my mind through the neural interface of my ribbon device.
"The Staff of Light"—that's what I called it. It was a work of art: its silvery surface was composed of an unknown alloy and material that could withstand several shots from the staff on its own. Inside it was a vast array of equipment, all crafted to my specifications and refinements. The Asgardian scientist who came to me pointed out that the Asgard High Council had agreed to make a weapon for me, combining Goa'uld designs at my request, but only Goa'uld ones. However, there were some minor additions to what I had previously indicated.
A few days ago.
"So, any Goa'uld technology?" I asked with a smile.
"Yes. I received such instructions from the High Council," Freya replied. "Yes, she, like Brunnhilde, was an Asgardian woman."
"Well, then, let's start from the beginning. I know you have technology for multiplying naquadah energy. It's not Goa'uld technology, but to power everything I've requested, the energy potential must be several times higher. Let's set a limit: plus 50% of the energy reserve above what's needed. Then you can calculate how much is needed for all my toys."
- Okay. Let's begin.
"A computer similar to the one in the ribbon device with the neural interface. Yes, and to manage all this wealth, the energy distribution, the balance, and so on, you need a computer. The Goa'uld have a system for remotely dialing the gate address without using a dialer. So we add," Freya wrote down. "Short- and long-range communicators, not to mention holograms."
— Asgard is not giving you the technology of concealment holograms, only the communication system using holograms.
"Okay. Intar, as a non-lethal weapon, an energy shield like a blade, a plasma weapon, a kinetic impact system. A system similar to the tok-kal stun grenade, a shield deployment system," he said, looking at the Asgardian. "I know the Goa'uld one, but the settings are my own. Stun anyone who doesn't meet any of my parameters and has taken the staff. Oh, and of course, a targeting system integrated into the Staff of Light, so I can link it to my helmet's systems for precise shooting. Scanners similar to those on the ribbon device, and a life-sign detector."
"The latter is not on the list of Goa'uld technologies," Freya replied.
— Manual. Ships have similar technologies.
"If I miniaturize the technology, I'll be improving on Goa'uld technology. I can't do that. It wasn't in the agreement."
"Actually, it was. You said yourself that the High Council agreed to install any Goa'uld technology inside my staff, in addition to the previously agreed-upon enhancements. I know, you could just attach a 20-kilogram device to the staff and say you've fulfilled your end of the bargain, but let's be honest, engineer to engineer. The staff is essentially an improved ribbon device, and with some of the technology, I could set up its production myself. Mine will simply be several times better and unique. I won't get access to that technology. Just like I won't get access to the shield technology that envelops the object it's protecting, forming the shield into a weapon. Is a miniature life-form detection system really that much superior to what you're already giving me? Yes, holograms have greater military potential.
"Holograms?" Freya asked, puzzled. "What military potential do holograms have if they can only impersonate an operator?"
"First, set up a hologram and wait for enemies to surround it. Then either escape at that moment or attack the enemies from behind. Use the hologram for reconnaissance. The military potential is greater. If there were more emitters, we could create a marching army."
"But anyone would have realized that these were holograms when they started attacking them," Freya noted reasonably.
"You can pull off a lot of tricks. For example, you could order real troops to follow the holograms. And when the enemy realizes they're just holograms trying to distract them, the real troops appear, breaking the distance and storming the stunned enemy. Holograms have colossal military potential, even without the Ancients' dense hologram technology."
"So that's how a Goa'uld's mind works: turn everything into a weapon," I just rolled my eyes at.
"That's how your ancestors' brains worked, too, because brains are our only advantage over the animal world. See, the Goa'uld, humans, or you have sharp claws? Developed muscles? I don't know about Asgardian history, but humans created a sharpened stick and used it to chase mammoths. And that's what allowed them to survive. If your people don't weaponize every law of physics, the replicators will kill you, even with the gifts I've given you."
"Actually, you have sharp appendages near your mouth for tearing fish apart," Freya replied.
"Yes, I have four claws to feed on trout, but a pike would eat me. Basically, it's not just a weapon, but a tool. It's a mental transceiver, which you use, among other things, and you can use it like the Goa'uld—torture, mind-scanning, memory erasing, or who knows what else. Or to quickly learn a language. It's important to understand both the technology's combat potential and its peaceful uses."
— And what is the peaceful potential of a high-tech fighting staff?
"The same as Excalibur or Little Red Riding Hood," the Asgardian bowed her head. "Excalibur is simply a very fine sword, forged by Merlin for Arthur, and depicted some kind of representation to confirm his right to rule the kingdom through the sword. This story unites the Britons; the myths surrounding it form the foundation of Pax Britannica. The standardized story of Little Red Riding Hood became the beginning of the unification of Germans based on nationalism. Although all the territories that became Germany had "NOTHING" in common. As a tool, for example, of propaganda, the "Staff of Light" can unite planets.
- That's not particularly logical.
"As if humans or Goa'uld were ever logical. So tell me, will you install a life-sign detector, because all I have is a motion detector?"
- Okay, I will install this technology.
"Thank you, let's continue. Sorry, it's so nerve-wracking to be the one setting the task, not the one tasked with doing something impossible with technology."
"It's not impossible for me, it just all seems pointless," Freya replied.
"You can brag to all the Asgard later that you made a weapon for the Goa'uld." They looked at me with a look that conveyed an attitude that made me realize she would never tell anyone about this. "At the very least, you can console yourself with the thought that you're building engineering perfection."
- This is a weapon.
— The perfect weapon. Or are you saying that Beleskiner isn't a perfect weapon?
Freya silently created a hologram, retrieving blueprints of various Goa'uld technologies from the database and adding my work along the way. She started with the power source, since that's the part that needs to be replaced regularly, and simply boosted the naquadah's output. I saw this in the hologram under "Available Energy."
The present.
Thanks to the conversion of energy into matter, my weapon was ready very quickly. Freya didn't want to deliver it personally, simply tossing the container with my weapon through the gate. The Staff of Light was now in my possession, as was the antigravity backpack. A fine infantry weapon, very helpful in personal survival. Well, it also gave me plenty of ideas on how to bestow an improved weapon upon the Jaffa. Essentially, the Staff of Light is a fusion of all Goa'uld technologies, whether offensive or defensive. Using the technology of the ribbon device, it would be possible to create a simplified version of my weapon. However, instead of a neural interface, voice commands in the helmets would be used. Although I am currently recording brain activity in various modes. So, for example, I could legally grant shields, like those in the ribbon devices, to the Jaffa. However, the Goa'uld would hang me for that. And that would be the best case scenario, because the System Lords usually don't hang anyone; it's an unpopular execution.
So, it's entirely feasible to combine a pulse weapon, a ribbon device, a shield, a holographic projector (not the Aesir one) with a Zeta, an Intr, and a plasma device. All of this can be voice-controlled. If the appearance is slightly modified, even the vibroblade will remain. Considering I don't have to cram a neural contactor, a computer, and a pulse weapon into a single crystal, the cost will be significantly reduced. Several times, but this will raise questions from both the enemy and the Jaffa themselves. For them, an energy shield is the "magic" of the gods. And if you control this magic yourself, the charm is lost. Of course, you can take the well-trodden path—forge a magical artifact and give it to them. But the closer the Jaffa's capabilities come to those of the Goa'uld, the more questions will arise.
"I'll graciously give the slaves a chance to surrender, but even if you encounter resistance, use the Intras. There's no point in killing slaves who could be used in the mines," I instruct my group. "Our target is the pyramid, where a heretic resides who dared to declare himself a deity without any right to do so. There will be no more than a hundred men there, armed like Jaffa, and I hope you'll demonstrate to them the difference in your training. If you're shot, I won't use the sarcophagus. I have no use for idiots who could die from a shot from a slave barely holding his queens! Now, march!"
Having connected with the Staff of Light's computer, I entered the gate launcher, selecting the required symbols in the keypad, and pressed the hieroglyph designating the reference point. The Goa'uld understood "a little" about gate programming, but only a little. Gates have a single code for each symbol, but the reference point has a different code. Literally translated from programming language to human, it's "Fix a unique symbol." This is how the Ancients might have used jumpers. There may be millions of planets, but a jumper's keypad doesn't have a million unique symbols. The Ancients solved this problem with elegance.
The Jaffa were mildly impressed. It seemed they were simply standing before the gate, and then, with seemingly no effort, the ring began to rotate, locking onto the address. The BMP's electric motor hummed softly, and he passed through the gate first, followed by us. Conquering a planet with ten men is a great idea, of course, but I'm not going anywhere without a BMP.
Adrian and Imotekh were nearby. After crossing the gate, they surveyed the rocky road leading to the towering pyramid in the distance. I activated the holographic projector program and formed a hologram. It was tall, about twenty meters, and I placed it next to the pyramid. It's quite ironic that the Aesir's ambient scanning system was fine, but the life-sign detectors were. Holograms have a very interesting technological basis, which I'll probably spend the next two years understanding. Essentially, a device in a separate area rearranges photons into the correct order to form an image. Yes, that's where they manipulate atoms to make "conversation" possible. Their technology is so advanced that I can receive information and conduct a dialogue without a receiver. Baal and O'Neill—Baal didn't have any technology for capturing sound. The thing is, the Aesir transmitted information on how to make such emitters, as well as the theoretical basis for it. Creating an emitter isn't as difficult as understanding how it works. You could say they're two completely different tasks. Aces literally dominate photons and atoms in a specific region.
What's so good about Aesir holograms? Imagine wanting to talk to someone on the same planet, or within the range of a relay station, and simply pointing to a location, you appear right in their home without a signal receiver. A holographic projection. A phone call, even if the other person doesn't have one. Of course, Aesir have classic "phones" with transceivers at both ends, but what I have is for contacting young cultures. Or, as I use it, simply to look around the other side through a gate. Honestly, I have no idea how these devices dominate particles at the quantum level, especially through a gate. Aesir are VERY smart, and that's why I like them.
"I am Szarekh, god of magic and wisdom. And this world is now mine. Bow down, or know my full power."
After which the hologram disappeared.
"It's not like there are only ten of us here, not 175 thousand," De Wiart said over Imotekh's personal channel.
- Shut up, God is speaking.
"Come on, he doesn't mind. On the other hand, if he'd said there were only ten of us, the number of our opponents would have increased."
— To their misfortune.
I dropped the conversation and continued walking. My soldiers were equipped for this mission with dispersion shields, improved matoks, and a few grenades.
We walked calmly until we came across an abandoned camp with an entrance to a naquadah mine. It was quite narrow, but then again, what else would you expect from these huge tunnels? It was clear that the people had scattered after my speech. A little further on, my staff's systems detected people hiding in the forest.
- Expect an ambush half a kilometer from us.
Everyone immediately went into combat readiness. Of course, I wasn't counting on just the life-signal scanners; a drone was constantly flying above me. So I would have seen them anyway. After relaying their intended attack, Imotekh began to curse quietly. Yes, the whole ambush seemed pretty mediocre to him. Hide in the forest and jump out. And they were positioned on both sides of the road, on one side—logically, they could fire from both sides. That was the only way they could even shoot each other.
There were maybe thirty enemies at most, but I must admit, given our level of preparation, the plan was sound, if not perfect. On the other hand, what will these troops do when the first of them fall? When will they realize their weapons don't work on my shields?
I decided not to check and simply rolled the BMP forward, which began firing random shots into the forest. Heavy plasma bolts simply toppled some trees, and some of the people I hadn't managed to frighten started shooting.
— Fire to all forces!
They launched a concentrated attack on any location where fire was coming from. Incidentally, after three shots from the BMP, our numbers were even. Yes, on the scanner, I saw 20 people simply run away.
I aimed the Staff of Light myself and fired a live round. It blew up a tree with a circumference of fifty to seventy centimeters, and it simply fell, apparently on the heads of the defenders. As a result of De Wiart and Imotekh's swift attack, everyone who was fighting was neutralized. They weren't questioned much, simply stunned and carried into the infantry fighting vehicle. They collected all their weapons and continued on.
"Yes, it's not quite what I expected," De Wiart said.
"Me too," Imotekh answered. "But that's usually how it happens."
— Couldn't we just quickly travel to the pyramid on motorcycles, just come and shoot this tyrant?
"We could," I replied, shocking them by the fact that I could hear them. "But I decided to take a leisurely stroll."
There was virtually no further resistance. It's worth mentioning that the local ruler, with his economic education, is even worse off than I am, plus the sarcophagus has driven him mad. Six hundred years ago, the man killed a Goa'uld and decided to rule himself. To avoid being disturbed, he enslaved his people, forced them to mine naquadah, and sent it who knows where. Thanks to the sarcophagus, he lives a long time, but with frequent use, the device drives the man mad, and the Goa'uld too. Because it's improperly configured. But messing with the settings of something I barely understand... Actually, I understand a little: certain frequency emissions have a regenerative effect. The sarcophagus uses a multispectral emitter that affects the entire body simultaneously. Over the course of research, a frequency has been isolated that can stimulate the immune system and heal mechanical damage. The sarcophagus has a source—Telchak's device, a multispectral radiation generator created for the Ancients. However, I'm still looking for it.
All the inhabitants scattered out of our way, and by the pyramid, a line of 50 warriors with staffs had formed, led by an elderly man holding one. My troops also formed a line and activated their dispersion shields. I raised my hand and stepped forward, ready to activate the energy shield at any moment.
- I give you one last chance to bow before me.
"We serve another god and will fight for him. He will punish you for attacking his domain."
"If you are Jaffa, then have one of the warriors show you their belly and the god's larva," I shouted back. They flinched. "I knew it. You are rebellious slaves, which means no one will come to your defense, so you will kneel or fall before my power."
"There are fewer of you!" shouted the one who was the ruler.
Quickly lowering the Staff of Light, I see the crosshairs lock onto the man's body and mentally command him to fire. A high-powered yellow shot passes through him, and he instantly falls dead.
Immediately, everyone else started firing. I managed to activate my shield, and several shots simply spread across it. I simply switched to Intra mode and began cutting down the enemies. My Jaffa had already locked onto their targets during the comms, so the first volley that followed mine took out a fifth of the enemy. It took about 5-6 seconds to fire another 5 shots. Of course, they fired back a lot, but everyone was protected by their shields, and I suffered no losses.
"Is that all?" Adrian asked.
- But you can say that you conquered the planet with ten warriors.
- It's an honor, of course, but still...
- Let's go to the pyramid, secure the perimeter, and let someone go to the gate and turn the entire cohort around.
- Yes, sir. - Imotekh said.
Another conquered planet. How many more will there be?
"I hope a lot," de Wiart replied.