"Can I leave you alone for just one day? One wants revenge on the FBI agent, and the other wants to attack Tartarus. Truly, husband and wife."
"It's practical," Isara said dryly. "Abstergo Industries must manage the vast resources Szarekh took from Seth, integrating those funds into the economy to exert economic pressure on Earth without drawing attention to itself. However… he smoked in my presence."
"I support you, Isara. If necessary, my ship's torture chamber is at your disposal. It's a remnant of the previous owners; it's covered in a kilometer of dust. But if it's necessary for the task at hand, the room is at your disposal."
"Are you sure this is a torture chamber and not a pleasure room?" Egeria asked.
This left me stumped.
- Don't know.
— It's worth checking.
"Omok is already helping me with that. For starters, his wife and management will get the doctored photos of his adultery, and I'll also pay another FBI agent to discover he's a Soviet spy," Isara replied with a sadistic smile. She really didn't like tobacco.
"You look so much like the Goa'uld Isara. Be gentle. You simply killed the previous racketeers."
"It was the mafia, not the FBI. We mustn't attract attention, otherwise our plans to install transport rings all over the world could suffer. This requires constantly purchasing real estate and securing it, ensuring the safety of our agents, and allowing those with relatives to visit them."
"Evgenia's mother isn't very keen on moving to another planet, saying she wants to be buried next to her ancestors. Even assurances that it's possible don't convince her. She lives peacefully in Kyiv. When we first met, she actually thought I was a demon."
"Not the most original reaction, I'll tell you. She prayed for Evgenia throughout the war, so she's a deeply religious woman. She's not to blame."
"Okay, enough about my mother," Evgenia said, taking control. "Better tell me, can you really take over Tartarus?"
"Theoretically, yes, I can," I sighed. "In fact, you can too. The main thing is to look at it from a different perspective and evaluate what resources are available to me. For starters, I have access to all the gate addresses, so choosing a planet 'closer' to Tartarus is easy. Then there's the second weakness: the defenses are designed against Huttaks or Alkesh. There are 500 orbital cannons, all of which are additionally reinforced with Alkesh-level shields. I must say, that's a rather expensive investment; even I can't afford it. So, we take the fighters, move them to a planet closer to Tartarus, and use my detachable hyperdrives for the fighters. We arrive in the target system. The hyperspace monitoring systems simply won't detect even 100 gliders; they're tuned to Alkesh-level ships. The tactic is simple: exit hyperspace and destroy the orbital cannons with missiles. Given the guidance of my missiles, they're designed to hit targets in stable orbits, which is entirely predictable. The problems begin when the defenders raise their aircraft and energy shield.
"Have you come up with a way to breach any orbital defense?" Egeria asked.
"The Goa'uld aren't idiots. They'll see how effective it is, they'll adopt the missiles, and then they'll worry about it being used against them, so they'll develop countermeasures. They're not that complicated: either anti-aircraft missiles or railguns. And then it's just a regular arms race," I waved my hand dismissively. "Yes, my aces could be used by other Goa'uld. There's nothing I can do about it, I just have to be one step ahead." "The main problem is a hundred gliders and a garrison that's protected as if I designed the prison myself. Several hundred cannons mounted on turrets that extend out of the ground, with Jaffa protected by a shield. And they're already under a shield that covers the entire complex, and 2,000 Jaffa guarding about 500 Goa'uld. Oh, and I forgot to mention that this is a lava planet." Zhenya, see for yourself: penetrating such fortified areas is your specialty.
Evgenia began analyzing the incoming data. Unlike me, she has four years of war under her belt, though not with the use of large-scale forces and resources, just a single platoon. I'm ahead of her here, but I think she'll catch up quickly and reach the strategic level; after all, Egeria is on her mind.
"Indeed, but this is clearly incomplete information," said the former Marine lieutenant. "I think the defenses could be improved in many places. How are the prisoners held, anyway?"
"An electric collar. And yes, of course, that's not the full story. It's surprising the ashrak managed to gather so much information. Tartarus is not only Kronos's personal prison, but also that of his vassals. If there's a subordinate who irritates you but needs to be taught a lesson, they're sent to Tartarus for a couple of years. They become docile and know who's boss. Naturally, they pay for such a service. So, I would characterize the complex as extremely decentralized: the air force is located on a separate lava island, as is the control center and gate. The prisoner spends all his time in his cell block. If a riot breaks out anywhere, the electric current is triggered. Even if by some miracle someone smuggles something in—and that happens, for example, when ashraks hide their tools in their stomachs and then burp it out... There's nothing with a hyperdrive there; all prisoners are delivered through the gate." One by one, and they do this in a special box that does not allow you to see any details.
— How do they move prisoners and reinforcements? If there's no communication between the "islands" separated by a lava river?
— Only with the help of tel'taks without a hyperdrive.
"This will be our trump card: reinforcements will either not arrive, or will arrive extremely slowly."
"The enemy gliders are still a problem. They'll have time to get them up," Isara pointed out. "And a shield that can withstand orbital fire. How will you overcome that?"
I looked at the map.
"Each glider is equipped with a shield modulator, allowing objects to pass through the shield when ships are folded during combat. This is a unique code for each ship and shield. It's impossible to discover unless you've delved into the wreckage of a particular glider. But the code can be changed from the ship's central console. It's time to try out the larger version of the Zeta."
"Did I understand your train of thought correctly? Szareh, are you suggesting we stun the glider, then use tractor beams to bind it to the bomb, and then direct it toward the shield emitter?"
"Thank you, Isara, you understand my logic quite well. To do this, we need to make certain modifications to the gliders, perhaps develop a few additional modifications. Specifically, to stun the glider, the next objective is to capture the control center with the gate. Perhaps the best option is for paratroopers to jump out of the gliders with parachutes."
Evgenia covered her eyes with her hand.
- This is the most absurd plan I've ever heard.
- You captured a German general by sneaking through the sewers.
"Yes, and that made more sense. The Jaffa won't be able to take many of your fancy toys. And yes, it would be better to make an ejection seat so it can orient itself in space, so the Jaffa don't land in lava."
— And you can build explosives, weapons and grenades into the chairs.
- It's still a very risky venture.
"I don't argue," I tell them. "After all, this is an attack on one of the Goa'uld's most secure prisons, or so Kronos boasts. After a successful operation, Kronos will have a 'mild' dislike for us, or rather for me."
"Calling it 'easy' is like calling space a little cool. First, you'll destroy his assets, his orbital defenses. Second, you'll evacuate his enemies. Third, you'll humiliate Kronos in front of all the System Lords. Is such a risk really worth taking?" Egeria asked.
"I've thought about this a lot. I really have, and this is what I've come up with. When Apophis sends a fleet here and I destroy it, everyone will know I have a fleet, a defense station, a super-powerful defense circuit, and so on. If everyone finds out I'm the Mercenary Lord, it will, firstly, explain where the resources for the fleet come from and give me a reputation. Secondly, it will make me enemies, powerful enemies, like Kronos. But at the same time, it will make me useful to the other Goa'uld. A Lord who was able to storm one of the Goa'uld's most secure prisons for a relatively affordable price will generate interest. As will my mercenary business. The realization that Szarekh is the Mercenary Lord will lead to my integration into the highest echelons of Goa'uld power, so that they will stop bothering me. By then, most will understand the level of danger I pose, and they may abandon their enmity with me.
"That's a very superficial approach. Kronos and Apophis won't forgive you for humiliating them. They might send the Ashraks."
"Luckily for me, the Ashraks work on a full prepayment basis. Pricing depends on the importance of the target. A Goa'uld attacking the most secure prison would cost the same as a Lord, or slightly more. Even a System Lord doesn't have the resources to send more than five Ashraks to me. Oh, I forgot, one Ashrak is dead, which drives up the price. And with each subsequent Ashrak, the price will go up. At a certain point, Kronos won't have enough money. And he still has to track down the scattered Goa'uld who want to overthrow him, sowing discord in his domain."
- He can also use manipulation to hire you and lure you into a trap.
"That's true. But whatever the outcome, in five years everyone will know: I have access to a vast fleet. That I'm, essentially, a ruler. And I'm not even ten. My rapid rise, and the fear that I'm becoming an enemy, out of control, are also quite real."
"Isn't that so?" Egeria looked at him questioningly. "They'll feel threatened by you, that's natural. You could defeat twenty Hattaks, forty if necessary, but with considerable losses. But what if they decide to send a hundred?"
"Do you think anyone would be willing to send a hundred battleships to my planet? Would they be willing to lose that many ships for up to two years, leaving themselves vulnerable to attack from their neighbors? The only scenario that would make that possible is a coalition war against a common enemy. Then the entire Empire would unite to destroy the external threat. But I am the ruler of this Empire."
"If they learn of the technological advancement of your domains, they might consider it a breach of protocol. And yes, they'll send a fleet."
"But they understand that I can leave? With my subjects—to an unknown planet? That will stop them for a while."
"No, they don't. Your way of thinking is too unconventional for them. You must be extremely careful. If you plunder Tartarus, you'll become a legend, but also a threat. At some point, they'll wonder: what can't you do? Do you attack them the same way you attack others? After all, you're a mercenary, serving the highest bidder. And if your danger outweighs your usefulness, if you become a threat to Ra... A hundred ships will set out. And two hundred. And a hundred ashraks will come after you."
"But in five years, Ra will learn that the 'homeless lord' has about twenty Hattaks and the Khasar station. And he'll ask a reasonable question: where from? I'll refuse to answer—that'll arouse suspicion. He'll send spies here, and we'll have to fight them."
"That's true," Egeria nodded. "It's a stalemate either way. Either a suspicious, rebellious subordinate, or a subordinate with enormous ambitions that go beyond what's permissible for a worthless creature like you."
"Thank you." He realized they were talking about how all the Goa'uld perceived him. "And what do you recommend?"
- It's up to you.
He looked at Isara.
- This is your planet.
"Let them be afraid. Destroy this prison, not to mention the possibility that Egeria's children might be there, still hiding. And any problems this insignificant systems lord has are a good thing," Isara said decisively.
- Love you.
- That's because I let you blow things up.
"Not only that. You have many other virtues. For example, your masterful ability to take revenge on FBI agents."
"I haven't gotten my revenge yet. And honestly, Szarekh, come up with a better plan than just catapulting the Jaffa to the central complex. I don't want to see sixteen hours of Jaffa parachute training."
"Unfortunately, this can't be done on a regular basis. No more than a few jumps a day: it's exhausting. I still have to work with some equipment, specifically, stuffing pigs into a glider, and then shooting at said glider with an improved version of the Zeta."
— A pig in a glider... the first pig-cosmonaut.
"The Goa'uld would test it on humans," he remarked reasonably. "But then there'll be some delicious barbecue. Oh, and Egeria, add the required number of zeros to my payment."
"Goa'uld don't have zeros," she teased him. "But I get it."
A week later, he got out of the BMP in front of the ashrak.
— Your answer?
"It's possible. I can overcome the orbital defenses, I'm working on overcoming the shield now, and I can land a limited force on the central complex. The Jaffa will capture it, disable the gate shield, send a message, and we can hope for reinforcements. We'll take all the prisoners and then release them. That way, Kronos will have to search for five hundred of his enemies instead of just one."
— How much will it cost?
He handed him the piece of paper on which Egeria had written a number—he was afraid he would choke when he said it. Not a muscle on the ashrak's face moved.
"I don't need that amount. We'll exchange services. Considering how long ago Zeus was sent to prison, and your loyalty to him all this time, you have valuable intelligence for me. I need ten Goa'uld with autonomous Jaffa sects that can be subjugated by killing their leader. They must not possess significant naval combat power, defense details, or other intelligence. That will be worth a third of your debt. Is the deal acceptable?"
- Acceptable.
"Fine. You can use the assassin's gear depot for missions. I collect various assassination devices from all over the galaxy and invent new ones. This will be my gift to you. After all, you're paying for Zeus's release, and if you die on the mission, it would be disappointing. After all, your work pays for mine. So I personally don't care about Zeus, and he has nothing that could repay the scale of my investment in the operation, nor the risks associated with my association with Kronos.
Ashrak simply nodded, after which they discussed various communications details, a base with a supply depot for various assassination tools, and the details of the upcoming operation. He indicated that preparations would take two to three months. Afterward, he would provide him with a detailed plan so that he could make adjustments or suggestions.
Then his forces would begin execution. Ashrak agreed to the terms; he would provide data on the Goa'uld he was interested in within a month and await further instructions. He himself would have to figure out what other missions he could send the elite assassin on. Perhaps assassinate Indra? In revenge for the set-up? No, that would be pointless. Vritra would absorb her forces and be able to challenge Nirrti's status as the overlord of the systems. Of course, there would be much fighting, but Vritra's forces were weakened by their encounter with him. Vritra would lose, and Nirrti would concentrate vast resources under his command. One had to be careful with assassins and their missions.
. ***
Impothekh and Krel appeared before their master in the throne room. Szarekh sat upon his majestic throne, clad in ceremonial armor to emphasize his warrior brotherhood with them.
"My lord," they both said, kneeling.
"Gather two hundred of the finest pilots in my domain," Szarekh declared imperiously. "Gender is irrelevant. They must be in constant combat readiness, honing their skills in internecine skirmishes. One hundred against one hundred, without spotters. In three months, we will return to battle."
The two Jaffa were filled with a noble anticipation: the coming battle promised them the opportunity to destroy the enemy and prove their immeasurable worth.
"May I see the target, my lord?" one of them dared to ask.
"Tartarus," Szarekh replied with a predatory grin. The two warriors raised their heads in amazement. "We will go down in history as the conquerors of Tartarus, the liberators of its prisoners. I've prepared a plan for you to review and adjust as necessary. All training details are also contained in the crystal. I'll need your recommendations tomorrow."
"Tartarus"—this thought echoed in the commanders' minds. They had long since learned that their master was a man of exceptional ambition and insight, avoiding unnecessary losses and engaging in battle only when he was absolutely certain of victory, otherwise preferring a strategic retreat. If he had decided to seize the most impenetrable prison in the galaxy, with the exception of the planet Neta, then he had at his disposal a flawless plan, backed by a precise escape plan. The conquest of this citadel would forever etched their names in the annals of legend.
— A training base will be set up on the second habitable planet, where you will organize the training process.
- It will be done, sir.
— Excellent. Select your fighters with the utmost care. The mission is of paramount importance and demands absolute success. Mistakes are unacceptable.
The crystal containing the plan was handed over to them. Respectfully withdrawing, they began to study the document. The plan proved… innovative. Imotekh felt genuine joy that he was not destined to be one of those tasked with implementing such a bold plan.