When they see this King [✱10]

Posted on Mon Apr 28th, 2025 @ 5:59am by Captain Rovak & Colonel Ashaan Vhau & Commander Alex Flynn & Lieutenant Rune Thul & Lieutenant S'Lace & Doctor Intharia T'Zor & Lieutenant JG Eris sh'Rhavar & Senior Chief Petty Officer Gaz & Mars & Hekate & Lieutenant Qrork & Lieutenant Onda Duros & Lieutenant JG Frak & Atonu & Chimaera & Heracles & Lord Akhenaten & Lord Typhon & Lady Hera
Edited on on Mon Apr 28th, 2025 @ 6:16am

3,237 words; about a 16 minute read

Mission: The Serpent's Tooth [3]
Location: Stateroom, DS13
Timeline: 1230 - MD07

At 0700 alerts went out about a luncheon with the Atenist leaders. It was to be a dress uniform occasion, in the stateroom. Ambassador Velt wanted to race back at best possible speed once he learned about the crossing of the Atenists, but that would still take a week from their current position, and Admiral Gali said no.

The senior staff were positioned at the high table, with the exception of Saa who was still overseeing repairs, and who didn't get much out of diplomatic dining due to her almost non-existent sense of taste. Their guests were due fifteen minutes ago, and chatter had naturally broken out.

"You may be pleased to learn that Commander Atna reports that there appears to be no visible matter in range of the anomaly's new destination. It has once again shifted to a location well beyond any galactic space. I expect we should have at least a week before we can expect any further visitors." Rovak told the assembled senior staff, spread out along the long table.

"I take it nothing interesting to look at?" Rune asked disappointed with the rift's new exit point, though it was a gift as they had much to tend to here at the station.

"Nothing close enough to make any sense of. Estimates say it'd take months at slipstream to reach the closest object." Flynn responded, having also received the same report already.

"What a let down." Rune muttered but smiled. "At least we have a pleasant day ahead of us." He offered with a hand gesture towards the tables.

Every other seat was empty on each of the stateroom's three long tables, they had left seats vacant for their guests to take among them. It went silent as the doors opened and a party approached.

It was Akhenaten in his Pharaonic helm and golden armour, accompanied by the golden serpent-helm of Kanahkt. A handful of other serpent-armoured Jaffa accompanied them, but they were in gunmetal grey. Notably, only Kanahkt and one other carried a staff, as per the terms of asylum. Among them were a handful of previously unseen individuals who wore golden raiments similar to Akhenaten’s own.

“Behold; The Great Pharaoh Akhenaten. Strong-Bull-Appearing-as-Justice; He of the Two Ladies, Establishing Laws and causing the Two-Sectors to be Pacified; Pharoah of Gold, Mighty-of-Arm-when-He-Smites-the-Tau’ri; King of Upper and Lower Karnak, Lord of the Truth. Son of the Aten, Atenhotep, Aten is pleased. Hek Wase, Ruler of Goa’uld, Given Life.” Kanahkt announced.

“Golden Hawk of the Goa’uld,” He continued, “Wearer of Diadems in the Southern Heliopolos. Beautiful-is-the-Being of Aten, The Only-One-of-Aten, Son of the Sun, Peace-of-Aten, Divine Ruler of Karnak; Great in Duration, Living-for-Ever-and-Ever, Beloved of the Aten, Lord of the Horizon.” By the time he had finished, Akhenaten had reached the table.

Rune rolled his eyes at the list of titles again sprayed on their faces. Clearly, the Goa'uld didn't know the meaning of humility.

Qrork had let out an audible sigh as the titles continued.

“My friends, I am sorry, but this seating arrangement will not do. My fellow leaders will see it as trying to isolate them.” Akhenaten explained in his surreal voice.

“The arrangement was chosen to include you and your fellows, Lord Akhenaten. But we shall adjust. Everyone please move to this half of the table.” Rovak instructed the others.

At this order, Rune stood and walked to stand in Rovak's peripheral vision. He assumed a guard stance, about a metre away from the Captain so not to intrude on his commanding officer's personal space, like he'd observed the First Primes he'd met posed--his hands behind his back where theirs had been on their staff weapons. He didn't really want to keep turning his head to see those who spoke, so it was better that his new location allowed his vision to see all who sat at the tables. As well as those who didn't.

"Mr Thul, can I help you?" Rovak asked the security chief quietly, unsure why he was now standing next to him.

"Sorry sir, needed to stretch my legs," Rune said embarrassed and he gave a casual salute before excusing himself to walk around the room.

Akhenaten took a seat at the foot of the table, opposite Rovak at the head. He was accompanied by a young man and a young woman, who sat either side of him. Kahakt stood behind.

"Welcome, great Pharaoh." Rovak said as he'd been advised by the diplomatic crew. He did not intend to make a habit of using the title, whose connotations of divinity and ownership of others he found distasteful.

“You are too kind, my friends, truly.” Akhenaten said with a smile, retracting his helm.

The Stateroom’s doors parted once more and the gold-and-silver lion helmet of Thallistra appeared at the front of a throng, flanked by several more lion-headed Jaffa in simpler, base-metal only varieties of the helm.

Lieutenant Frak said something inaudible to others to Lieutenant sh'Rhazar causing her to giggle, only for them to be shushed by Lieutenant Onda. Both stiffened up and remained silent.

“Bear witness to Hera, Queen Mother of Olympus. Mistress of the Amazons, Mother of Tomorrow, Guardian-Queen of Jaffa. She who unmade Oceanus, Tiamat and Raiden.” Thallistra announced in a booming voice amplified by her helmet’s technology.

Hera and two of her entourage moved to the high table, while the rest except Thallistra found seats amid the others in the more inclusively organised tables. A very strong-looking young man accompanied her, as did an old woman with long silver hair and eyes covered by cataracts, who seemed to move without issue despite her apparent age and disability. Once her party was seated, Hera turned to the assembled Federation crew, and her eyes flashed yellow-white for a moment.

“On behalf of the Jaffa who follow me, I thank you for your mercy and your hospitality. We are in your debt.” Hera said in a deep Goa’uld voice.

One of the Goa'uld, a less fancy but more militarily-attired man who had followed Hera in, stood by his Queen. His glowing eyes looking around the room as his superiors settled. Mars, the warlord in command of Hera's ground forces, observed their hosts, the pun not lost on him as he wondered what they had to say. He'd met a few of them back on their Ha'tak who assisted them with food, repairs, supplies and medical treatment of their people.

He couldn't help but think about how they might acquire Federation technology. It would push them generations ahead when they found a new homeworld. His host shared the sentiments, but rarely wanted to be involved in daily affairs unless Mars wanted to rest.

"Welcome, my lady." Rovak told the Goa'uld some called Queen.

Hera inclined her head in recognition, before gazing silently upon the assembled crew.

The third party entered shortly after, a group of hydra-helmeted Jaffa led by Pindar. As with the others, only two staff weapons were held by the group.

“All glory to Typhon, whose cry dooms nations! Typhon, whose name is fear to false gods! Typhon, most terrible of the Titans! Typhon, slayer of Zeus! Typhon, Overlord with heads beyond count! Typhon, who will outlast the stars!” Pindar announced as his master crossed the distance, and his retinue joined the other tables, except for a pair of young men, who sat either side of him.

“Hail, friends. Our salvation is a testament to your skill and your spirit.” Typhon told them as he made his eyes briefly flash a golden light, looking among the crew before turning to Hera and Akhenaten. Pindar positioned himself behind his Lord.

"It is our honour to receive you, Lord Typhon." Rovak told the last of the Atenist leaders.

Operations staff appeared and began to pour wine and serve entrees. The First Primes looked closely at each dish and bottle, but did not interfere.

“If I may ask, in the courts of Goa’uld, what dishes would be served at formal occasions such as these?” Rovak asked the group, projecting more than a little to be heard down the other end of the long table.

“Spring lamb and fresh zaqush. Guests of Olympus travel just for them.” Hera recounted proudly.

“There is a beast on Karnak, not unlike the crocodile. Its meat, along with grains and dried currents is a stew that is considered the greatest we have to offer.” Akhenaten explained on behalf of his people.

“On Ischia, meat is smoked slow, and to perfection.” Typhon said.

“I don’t suppose anyone’s brought to your attention that your likenesses appear in our universe’s human mythology?” Lieutenant Onda asked, more to satisfy his own curiosity than for any diplomatic reason.

“It is so in our universe also. Of those who are still alive and old enough to remember, each of the two sides with an explanation says the other is a liar. Some say we introduced the stories to Earth, others that we took the images of the Earth’s stories in order to better manipulate the primitive humans.” Hera said.

“So who named you Hera? Did that name mean something when it was given to you?”

“I was not the first. I was third wife to Zeus, and third to wear the name. It had ever been thus that Hera had been wife of Zeus, few would notice if the host changed, and any who spoke of noticing would be destroyed at his order. He certainly lived up to the myths of humanity, if he did not directly inspired them. Beyond his cruelty and caprice, he would try to copulate with any creature with a spinal cord.” Hera explained.

“So he killed your husband, and that doesn’t cause tension between the two of you?” Colonel Vhau asked gesturing to Typhon, finding all the mythological talk quite perplexing and pretentious.

“He may have had the distinct pleasure of striking the final blow, but the death of Zeus was a venture between us. He had outlived his usefulness, and refused to see the wisdom of the Aten.” Hera explained.

"Sounds like fun." Vhau said with poorly imitated enthusiasm.

“If I understand your philosophy correctly, now that you are here, it is expected that you will begin to raise the first generation of harcesis offspring with the genetic memories of both parent symbiotes, correct?” Rovak asked.

“The first generation sits among us already, Captain. This is my daughter Atonu, the first of the Aten’s children.” Akhenaten said, gesturing to the young woman next to him.

“And my son Heracles.” Hera said, putting her hand proudly on the broad shoulder of the young man next to her, who many now realised did bear a striking similarity.

“This is Chimaera, a second shadow of Typhon.” Pindar said of the young man to Typhon’s right, who was quite obviously his son. He wore white armour with the same hydra-symbol engraved in the chest as was on his father’s Jaffa.

Rune declined the meal offering, as he'd made plans with his family for later, so he wanted to work up an appetite. He found it odd the Goa'uld leaders would bring their children to this gathering, it was just for business talk, wasn't it? He mused while he watched the various standing Jaffa and Goa'uld that tended to their masters.

Moments later, he found himself thinking about that power up all three ships attempted after their travel through the rift. He wondered if it had been discussed or not, "forgive the interruption, but upon your arrival in our space, your vessels attempted to power up, but it failed." Rune explained and gestured to them all. "Could I trouble you into telling us what that could be?"

"It is a hyperspace window generator and quantum impellor. A hyperdrive, in your parlance." The old woman next to Hera spoke up in a clear and unnaturally deep but haggard voice. Clearly she too was a Goa'uld host. "The prevailing theory is that subspace in our own universe is structurally different to how things are here. We are fortunate the attempt to open a hyperspace window in a universe without hyperspace did not rupture spacetime or destroy our vessels and yours." She seemed only to look ahead, not turning her head towards Rune.

"It's quite fascinating to me that the underlying fabric of spacetime is different between our realities. As a fellow foreigner to this universe, I can assure you after all those I've found, consider yourself lucky this is where the anomaly brought you." Dr T'Zor said to the woman. She felt a strange sensation that she had only felt among elder asari, she was in the presence of beings centuries older than herself.

"It was not a matter of luck. The Aten, my lord's father, alone, guided us here. He foresaw the city of the horizon in this place." The young man next to Akhenaten and opposite his daughter spoke up passionately. He too had the symbiotic voice.

"Calm yourself, Atenophis." Akhenaten told the young man. "Please forgive my vizier, Doctor. His zeal is his greatest strength. The Aten would not dismiss any favored wind of fortune that brought us here, even if it did not compel it to blow."

"Of course. If my remark was insensitive, I apologise." Intharia said, inclining her head apologetically for a moment. "If I may ask without giving offense, what is the Aten?" She didn't want to offend them, but she also didn't want to miss a chance to ask.

"If you ask as a scientist, I know not of its physical nature. It is the father of my being, the spirit of the stars themselves, which bid me to spread word of the Aten, to bring an end to the tyranny of the system lords and the dominion of the Goa'uld. It told me of all I needed to become a great Pharaoh, and to escape the cataclysm wrought by our enemies to this, the city of the horizon. In time too it taught me that even among the system lords were those with the wisdom to embrace the Aten's teachings." Akhenaten told the blue woman.

Gaz took what was probably more than his share of the entrees as they appeared. His disdain for formal occasions was balanced out by his affection for appetizers. Even as he ate, his mind was still on the pyramid ships and their irrational design, the more he heard and saw of these Goa'uld made the design choices seem all the more characteristic.

Alex wasn't much of a wine fan usually, but she took a big swig of what was poured for her before remembering wide-eyed that this was a formal occasion. From there on she sipped, and enjoyed it more than she expected to.

Rune walked around the table so the Goa'uld Atenist leader could see him without having to move his head much. "A question if I may Lord Akhenaten," he paused for the Lord's attention.

"Please, my friend," Akhenaten said warmly, "You are our salvation. We are in your debt. Ask anything you wish to know."

"Did the spirit of the stars have any advice for your people after you reached the city of the horizon? Apart from the obvious that we can assist you with. Perhaps this universe's spirit of the stars may offer guardianship..." Rune offered with a smile.

"We are to be merry and fruitful upon the plain in the city of the horizon, making worship to my father the Aten. To grow a new generation of Harcesis who will one day bring ascension to all children of the Aten." Akhenaten answered enthusiastically.

One eyebrow raised and Rune kept his smile. "I suppose your people can join the population of this station, the city of the horizon. Unless that means you have to build this horizon city?" He asked, his head slightly tilted.

"The Aten has desired me to make a city for him as a monument in the great name of my majesty forever. For it was the Aten, my Father, that brought me to this City of the Horizon. There was not a noble who directed me to it; there was not any man in the whole galaxy who led me to it, saying, 'It is fitting for his majesty that he make a City of the Horizon of Aten in this place.' Nay, but it was the Aten, my Father, that directed me to make it for him. The site shall belong not to a god, nor to a goddess, it shall belong not to a prince nor to a princess. There will be no right for any man to act as owner of it." Akhenaten answered, reciting the explanation like something he had learned by rote.

The tinging noise of a spoon against a glass rang out through the stateroom. Once the quiet was complete, Rovak stood, and spoke to the entire room.

"Thank you all for your attention. This time yesterday, we had not heard of Goa'uld or Jaffa, yet now they are our newest guests, and we are pleased to grant their request for asylum. Normally, such decisions are made on a longer timeline, but the unique nature of our situation here required urgency. Already we have learned many fascinating things about yet another universe, and I am sure there is much more our Atenist friends can teach us." Rovak said.

"The spirit with which the United Federation of Planets reaches out to all our fellow sentients is one of peace, friendship, and understanding. On behalf of Starfleet, I wish to extend our welcome to our new friends once more, and our hope that together we can move forward in that spirit to better understand one another and enrich our shared reality." Rovak raised his glass. "To Lord Akhenaten, Lady Hera and Lord Typhon, and their followers. May the Aten continue to guide you to prosperity and tranquility."

Together in response, the room raised their glasses. The Atenists were slow to follow, but repeated the gesture.

Akhenaten stood, also raising his glass. "To our friends of the United Federation. You have offered us an oasis of peace in the desert of war we have fled. But it is not in vain that we struggle. Soon the Aten will reveal to me the location where our great work shall begin. I will make the City of the Horizon of the Aten for the Aten, my Father, in this place. I will not make the city south of it, north of it, west of it or east of it. I will not pass beyond the southern boundary stone southward, neither will I pass beyond the northern boundary stone northward to make for him a City of the Horizon there; neither will I make for him a city on the western side.." Akhenaten continued for a few minutes like this, somewhat wearying those who resolved to keep their arms upheld to share the gesture. Eventually he seemed to come to a stop, and there was applause led by Rovak for no reason other than to end the speech in case he was just stopping for breath.

Rovak felt the sudden upsurge of a feeling he could not identify, but quickly stifled. It was something resembling a longing for the company of Ambassador Velt in a professional circumstance, something he had never felt before.

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