"So, Set has been captured?" Egeria listened to my story, her voice calm, but there was tension in it.
"That's right. We arrived at his citadel in trucks and began looting. We confiscated everything of alien technology. Mostly, it was Zeti and grenades, and also a few supplies of goodies. However, it was all designed with Seth's subservience in mind, so all the supplies will have to be disposed of. You should have seen his throne, Egeria! Emeralds, rubies, diamonds—everything polished to a mirror shine."
"Seth was always a bit… otherworldly, even by the standards of other Goa'uld," Egeria noted. "Besides his hatred for me, he managed to incite the wrath of literally every System Lord. That's certainly a special talent, considering the interests of the Supreme Rulers rarely intersect."
"He was a very talented Goa'uld," I confirmed. "True, he wasn't devoid of basic logic. He probably had gold reserves in Swiss banks, and he invested in New York real estate, specifically Manhattan. After a couple of financial crises, he stopped trusting paper assets and began preferring money invested in something solid and reliable. Of course, he could have raised funds by swindling people, but he considered such tactics crude and too attention-grabbing."
"Have you extracted much from his Kara Kesh?" Egeria bowed her head, her gaze penetrating.
"A huge amount of data. Information about his other hiding places, access to the remnants of the Goa'uld sensor network on Earth, as well as records of everything that has happened on the planet for the last five thousand years. Interesting information. It will take time to process, but in doing so, I will gain free operating capital for Earth, already integrated into their economy and concealed. The Swiss respect banking secrecy, so I will be able to conduct my investments through them."
"There's a huge bounty on Seth's head. Would you like to take it?" Egeria's question came unexpectedly.
"If I present his body as a symbiont, Ra can conduct a genetic analysis and confirm its authenticity. I can explain clearly that he was hiding on the far side of my domain, kidnapping people. But how will I receive the reward? Why should I be the one to receive it?"
"Because the decision about the reward wasn't made by Ra personally, but by all the System Lords. It's a matter of their prestige. Of course, what happens to you after you receive the reward is another matter, but the reward will be given—that's for sure."
"I can give Ra half as an act of respect," I suggested.
"Yes, you can. But I would advise you to prepare a good, flattering speech. If you say something inappropriate, it might be perceived as you've become so arrogant that you're already lending your liege lord money."
"This will be the best flattery speech in the galaxy!"
"I'm not sure you can surpass Hathor, unless, of course, you're... gay," Egeria smiled.
"Egeria!" I understood what she was getting at.
"For many thousands of years, my dear," her voice sounded superior as she walked away. "It was a joke."
I sat down at Merlin's computer and quickly transferred all the information from Seth's tape drive, creating a folder called "Seth." I had to sort through all his files and organize them into the appropriate sections. Thanks to the Asgard, my engines had become much faster: instead of 3.6 light-years per hour, my ships now plied the expanses at 7.2 light-years per hour. Shields and weapons became stronger and more powerful thanks to improved naquadah generators. In addition, I now had three Asgard drones at my disposal, capable of traveling at 100 light-years per hour. With such equipment, exploring distant star systems became much easier. Upgrading the naquadah generators allowed me to upgrade the glider systems. The additional energy could be directed to other cannons: now I could mount two more under the wings, or one large one directly under the belly, instead of bombs. As fighters, they were just what I needed until I got proper missiles. In space, alkesh and gliders are much more maneuverable. The enhanced naquadah reactor technology has made Khasar Station even more powerful, capable of countering any threat.
Suddenly, my communicator lit up red. I answered immediately. On the other end of the line was a Jaffa woman wearing the symbol of Ra.
"Sir, this is an observation station. We are detecting two Khattak-class ships entering a 100-light-year range. They will reach us in 28 hours."
I jumped up. "Battle alert! Contact Akhmontekh and other space force commanders. Prepare to repel an invasion. Raise gate security to maximum!"
This was very bad. Given the hyperdrives, the newcomer could have arrived with the worst intentions. If Ra had sent reinforcements, I would have been warned. This meant someone had come to take the planet from me. And perhaps, simultaneously with the space attack, there would be a strike through the gate. I could block the gate by constantly recruiting another planet. Just in case, I needed to move Egeria to Aegis, or simply leave this corridor open as an evacuation route. Sensors on stations like Hasar could even pinpoint the approximate location of the hyperlane, which would give me a distinct advantage. Ships are extremely vulnerable in the first few seconds after exiting hyperspace. However, even Teltaks have scanning equipment to detect anyone within the system even before they approach. So I'll have to resort to subterfuge. I can't let them escape alive. That way, I can come up with any nonsense for Ra. But if there are survivors, they'll tell Apophis everything, and Ra will learn all the details through his spies. That's, of course, assuming Apophis sent the troops, and not some other Goa'uld who learned Ra has a distant colony for which no one will intercede.
"What happened?" Egeria ran back, even though she had just left.
"Two Hattaks within 100 light-years of us will arrive in 28 hours. The space station has reported. You need to relocate to Aegis. Your survival is the priority."
"Two Khattaks won't be able to hurt you, you'll crush them."
"True. But I need them to not have time to send any messages."
"So where will the ships exit hyperspace?"
"If they don't change the settings, then it'll be on the edge of the star system. A good and safe option."
"However, the sensors can detect the Khasar station."
"If this station is an exact replica of the one Ra has, then it has jamming systems capable of preventing such a scenario. You're not the only one who likes to surprise enemies; your father does too."
I winced at the mention of Ra, my father, and called a general Council - all senior officers must arrive as soon as possible.
"My first space battle."
"Oh, the first one is unforgettable," Evgenia answered instead of Egeria. "In my first battle, I bandaged the battalion commander. I hope this is my first space battle, too. I know that look. Want to capture them?"
"If possible," a smile played on my lips, despite the seriousness of the situation.