"Sarekh, we need to discuss some business... What are you doing here?" Egeria asked, peering into my lab, seeing my glowing eyes fixed on the holographic monitor and what I was doing.
"I decided to develop something civilian. But after people got antigravity cabinets, tables, chairs, and so on, many considered it excessive."
— This means that it was necessary to reorient the production of antigravity devices from military use to something else.
"This is a different situation. I designed a civilian vehicle, or rather, a multifunctional module that can be equipped with anything, any equipment. It's primarily for shipyard workers. It has a tractor beam, a laser and soldering iron, and multispectral sensors for operational analysis. Plus, thanks to magnetic grips, it can move across absolutely any surface. A gravity generator is installed, so the operator, even hanging upside down, won't feel a thing. And then I just thought about mounting weapons there, too."
Egeria and I looked at the mechanical spider. It was essentially a walker that mimicked a spider: six legs, two large and four small. It had a very strong magnetic clutch, but on the other hand, the ground pressure was so high that military applications were unlikely. But I was inspired. Although, as always, my inspiration for civilian use led to the creation of weapons. It happened last time, when I designed a plasma grenade for mining, but it turned out to be a military tool with variable power. An experienced Jaffa could set the target area and detonation time in a split second.
And what about when I was studying Aschen teleportation? Sure, it's not Wraith level yet, but delivering supplies to Hydra, as well as Hydra agents themselves, to planets has become possible. A fighter with a hyperdrive and a teleportation buffer can transport saboteurs. Not to mention its visibility is significantly lower, so Goa'uld scanners won't react at all or will mistake it for interference. Although the Goa'uld are quite aware of my long-range bombers and fighters. Ironically, this was also a civilian project, designed to move cargo very quickly.
"Okay, enough of your madness. Listen to this instead. Ra is clearly unhappy with this whole situation with you. He already tried to kill you with Apophis, but you responded. Now expect more sophisticated attacks," Egeria pointed out.
- Which ones?
"They don't know about the planetary shield you have. However, they understand how large your fleet is. They might want to lure your forces into constant traps, draining them. Blocking the sale of various goods to you, delaying treaties, and so on. Or he could send an ashrak to kill you on neutral territory."
"I don't think I'm annoying him enough to lose the System Lords' trust," I point out the obvious. Yes, Ra is powerful, but if he angers enough of the Lords to the point where they decide to kill him, it will happen.
"That's true, but if it's not him, but, say, Sokar or Apophis... But Apophis wouldn't expose himself like that, and Sokar is already an exile. Everyone will think it's another one of his madmen."
- And how am I bothering him so much?
"Because you're uncontrolled, independent, and have a greater imagination for technological innovation. Because they approach you about new ships, even for the very fact that you're developing new ships. He's smarter than the rest and understands what you're trying to do: gain hidden military power so you can strike one day."
— Doesn't every Goa'uld understand this?
"They value the fact that their Jaffa are capable of garrison duty, but yours are not. Remember how long Vritra kept them as garrisons to ensure security among the slave population. They, in the name of their gods, could wage guerrilla warfare against you."
— Options?
— Perhaps we should reduce the number of contracts...
"Or increase it," I tell her. She looks at me, confused. "His problem was increasing the power of his vassals. Now that I'm not a member of the House of Ra, I can hire out to members of the House of Ra fighting against another member of the House of Ra. This will weaken their power and please Ra."
"That's possible, but you have to understand that in that case, you'll lose any support from these representatives. They were counting on you as a weapon to expand their power."
"I don't owe them anything, since they've never given me anything," I note, quite logically. In Goa'uld politics, there were no permanent allies or permanent enemies. And for me, even more so—I had no allies at all, only enemies, though only as long as I was paid.
"That's what wins everyone over," the Tok'ra queen remarked ironically. "Your open honesty and mercantile spirit: 'I'll be anyone's friend... as long as they pay me.'"
- It's much more honest than any Goa'uld alliance.
"Yes, you're right about that. Your forces and armies are growing. Ra doesn't know how, but he suspects it. If you throw the female legions into the fray, it will be very noticeable; at the very least, the unique banners will allow you to recalculate your forces. The war will intensify several times over, so after a while, another truce will be necessary. Of course, you'll be adding fuel to the fire by handing over the Goa'uld their new toys—the Kerns—in two years. But sooner or later, they'll learn to fight and turn their attention to the one who constantly pitted them against each other."
- They are doing just fine without me.
"True. That's why I advised you to further strengthen your fleet and defenses, and also to avoid appearing anywhere off-planet unless absolutely necessary. They could initiate an orbital bombardment to kill you, and then pay your heirs compensation."
- How sweet of them.
— And Yu and Bastet also want to hire your warriors as instructors for their guard units.
"Oh, it's not for nothing that they're the smartest. On the other hand, I hope they don't brainwash my loyal Jaffa, and the Jaffa might tell me all sorts of things while under the influence of alcohol."
- Your Jaffa are not capable of getting drunk.
"Okay, I'll think about it and I'll probably agree. Let word of my Jaffa spread throughout the galaxy, let my 'Jaffa Codex' become popular. It's a secret book, though. I can just picture the Jaffa guards running like cats through an obstacle course, my Jaffa shooting at them, and then forcing them to run 50 kilometers carrying 50 kilograms as punishment for getting caught. Just imagining it makes me smile."
— Do you want to force the Goa'uld to find compassion somewhere in the depths of their black souls?
"Or be horrified by the realization of how powerful my legions are. Maybe then they'll just hang themselves and not take up any space."
— Too optimistic a scenario.
I looked at the projects I'd completed. Some were designed for war, others for civilian use, but my greatest tool was still the Jaffa legions, which had become so powerful that they won most battles. This, incidentally, had its advantages: the Goa'uld began to withdraw from many planets that couldn't be held or the resources allocated for their defense. One could say this was a good thing: the fewer planets the Goa'uld controlled, the better.
- Well, in that case, we will prepare and take our steps.