Like a gale, I was torn from the comfort of the teltak and thrown onto Beleskiner's bridge. There, amid the flickering lights of the console, stood the Asgardian, his fingers dancing masterfully over the panels. Before I could recover, the ship, picking up speed, plunged into the abyss of hyperspace.
"I think I've seen more Asgardian ships than any Goa'uld," I quipped, trying to lighten the mood.
Brunhilda gave me a look that was both ironic and determined.
"We'll both have to parachute," she said. "Avalon, Merlin's treasury, rests beneath Glastonbury Tor. A holographic knight, woven from dense light, awaits us there, along with tests of wisdom and honesty."
"And how, I wonder, did the Goa'uld pass these tests?" asked the Asgard woman, whose face would have vanished into the mists of time if not for her sharp gaze.
"Because the trials were designed for humans, Merlin's loyal agents!" I explained. "Decipher mirrored Arabic numerals while the ceiling looms over you, or refuse a gold coin in favor of a vase that truly held wisdom. And, of course, battle a holographic knight. Last time, it was my Jaffa, but I've been training. So, if the knight shows up, stay behind me. If he kills you, the Asgard High Council will raise such a fuss that even the most detailed report of my innocence won't save my standing with them."
"We don't have any relationship," she retorted.
"See, you already know what to do," he pretended not to hear the last sentence. "By the way, are you planning on shocking the locals, or do you have solid-light holoprojectors there so as not to scare them off?"
In that instant, Brunhilde was transformed, becoming a tall, oak-like warrior with fair hair framing a face worthy of an ancient master's brush. Her gaze, like a blade, pierced the surrounding reality. Her clothing was Viking-style, and it seemed as if she herself were woven from myth.
"Now so much becomes clear," she said, her voice ringing like steel. "And they say the Goa'uld are too artistic! Do you even know that your stories inspired the most fearsome raiders in Earth's history? Although, I admit, the Mongols had their share of influence."
"We taught people courage and curiosity," the holographic woman replied, her voice an echo of the past. "However, it seems they added greed to that. We portrayed ourselves as gods out of necessity, but this result was unexpected."
"Mistakes are a part of life," I said, looking at the planet slowly rotating outside the window. "It's what keeps us alive. Even replicators, in their fundamental logic, are fallible. Their victory would mean the complete absence of life in the universe except for themselves. And that, in turn, would lead to a fratricidal war among the replicators for resources, which would become their own kind. Ultimately, there would be nothing left."
I adjusted my backpack, filled with odds and ends, and glanced at Brunhilde. She touched the console, and the next moment we were standing on the planet's surface, right at the gate.
"Does your holographic module adjust to your actual height?" I asked, noticing she wasn't much taller than a meter. "That's why you walk so slowly."
"He's adjusting," she replied. "Just take your time."
- Fine.
We moved leisurely toward the city, which seemed to have been carved from stone. Its walls, built of massive blocks, reached three to three and a half meters in height, as if designed to withstand a siege. But as far as I could tell, the local inhabitants were in no danger.
"Is this a whole city?" I asked.
"Yes, there are three hundred thousand people living on the planet. Most of them are employed in agriculture," the Asgardian confirmed.
"The stone buildings indicate that the city invested heavily in infrastructure," I mused aloud. "I suspect Merlin moved the entire city here, especially if he had access to a heavy ship. And considering these buildings date back to the Middle Ages, when cities were populated by artisans, perhaps he moved the surrounding area as well. On the other hand, I haven't heard of any lost cities in England other than Kitezhgrad."
Seeing the surprise on Brunhilde's face, I added:
"Apparently, your hologram projects emotions, translating them into human equivalents. I've truly studied the history of the human race's homeland."
The paved streets have been replaced by dirt roads. I thought it would be a good idea to invite Isara here to show her how much superior her civilization is to this one. A thousand years on another planet, and the streets are still unpaved!
"And what about you? You're barefoot," I asked worriedly.
"I wrapped my legs in a force field," the Asgardian replied.
— Convenient.
The residents, noticing our differences—me in my black leather coat with a backpack, and Brunhilda in the guise of a Scandinavian warrior, who was missing only a horned helmet—began to pay attention to us.
"That's the kind of sword that was there," I pointed at Brunhilda.
"I'm noticing mixed energy readings, the ship's sensors are malfunctioning," she said worriedly.
"This is the Ancient One's laboratory," I answered calmly. "And with all due respect, you are as far from them as the Goa'uld are from a normal race."
A man with a gold chain around his neck emerged from the crowd and introduced himself as a magistrate.
"We are also pleased to welcome you and your city," I introduced myself. "I am Szarekh, and this is my companion, Brunhilda. We are travelers, searching for any traces of the Knights of the Round Table, King Arthur, and the magician known as Merlin. And it seems we have come to the right place."
We were led into the tavern. I was suddenly amused by the situation: a Goa'uld and an Asgardian woman walking into a tavern.
"Are these the foreigners?" asked the young man.
"This is Antonius, our chronicler," the magistrate introduced him.
— Welcome.
"We are also pleased to welcome you to Camelot, the future home of King Arthur," I replied.
"The future home? Wasn't that the home of King Arthur and his knights?" I asked.
"You know about the Battle of Camlann, right?" the magistrate asked.
"According to our information, Arthur killed Mordred in this battle, but was mortally wounded, so he ordered his knight to return the sword to the Lady of the Lake and departed for the Isle of the Blessed, to return when Britain was in danger and crush the enemies," I outlined the short version known to earthlings.
"You clearly have some kind of incorrect theory," the magistrate objected. "Arthur defeated Mordred, and then set out with his knights to find the Holy Grail. And we believe he will return one day."
I wanted to remark sarcastically that one and a half thousand years had passed.
"Excuse me, could I just clarify something?" I asked them. "You don't have any records of how everything changed? For example, past enemies disappeared, mountains and rivers stood where they hadn't been, and even the stars shifted their positions."
Both men exchanged glances.
"Yes, Arthur said that with his power he led us to lands where there are no enemies," said one of them. "He did this before he set out to find the Grail."
"Not really a search," Brunhilda countered. "After all, the Holy Grail was created by a man known as Merlin or Myrddin. It's highly likely they were hiding it."
The magistrate winced.
"Does it bother you to talk about him?" I asked.
— He is considered a dark magician who wanted to do good, but there was always evil in his heart.
"From your point of view, it must be so, since Merlin kidnapped your ancestors and resettled them here, toying with your lives as he pleased," I replied. I took out a notebook and began drawing concentrated circles, showing them to the magistrate and the archivist. "Merlin was a representative of a powerful people who hired Arthur for a specific job. I was recently in Avalon, Merlin's treasury, where he tested candidates for the Knights of the Round Table. There I found a book with an address—your address. It's worth making a digression here. You're not even in the same world where all people were born. Every point in the sky is the same sun that illuminates you during the day. Only they are far away, and he is close."
I took the ball and started spinning it.
"That's roughly how your planet moves, which is why there's a cycle of day and night. So, when it's night on you, it's day on the other side of the planet. The metal ring near your settlement is... a portal, through which travelers can travel to other worlds, just as you travel to other villages. Most likely, that's how Arthur and the knights left, hiding the Holy Grail."
- So, you are magicians too?
"We can do things you can't, but not because we've made deals with otherworldly forces. This is something we've achieved through development. I've seen many of your stone buildings. Tell me, do you use block cranes to lift heavy objects, say, to the third floor?"
"Yes," the magistrate immediately agreed.
"So, you're superior to people who don't possess the knowledge to build such a useful tool. And for them, it's comparable to magic. Brunhilda and I don't particularly believe in magic, because we possess a great deal of knowledge ourselves. We're interested in Merlin, as he was a representative of a people far superior to both Brunhilda and me."
"Merlin's library is sealed with a spell," the archivist replied. "Blue energy envelops the structure, and if it's opened, the Black Knight will kill anyone who enters."
"Yes, I understand. The Knight's Trial requires you to fight the Black Knight. I understand your fear; it wasn't easy to overcome. However, let's put it this way: we can afford to pay you to let the city's residents spend a couple of hours outside the city. If we die, it's our fault, and the Black Knight won't hold you responsible. Brunhilda and I can provide steel tools and a range of technologies that will allow you to produce more food, reducing the risk of drought or other natural disasters."
"But you arrived light," Antonius asked suspiciously.
"That ring is a portal to other worlds where we have resources. Still, we didn't expect to find anything significant, just a few clues. To ensure our solvency, I can leave this as collateral."
I removed the gauntlet from my right hand—my tape device. When the archivist put it on, I motioned for him to press the button. Instantly, a shield appeared. Basically, I blocked all dangerous functions, leaving only the shield.
- It's magic.
"Not exactly," he said, handing over the ribbon device and revealing a compartment containing a greenish substance. "Just as a mill is powered by wind or water, this device is powered by this liquid. How it works, however, is much more difficult to explain. But to continue the analogy: a mill has millstones that grind grain into flour, and my device generates a yellow light that deters any threat to me. It's like a wooden shield, but woven from light."
It may seem like magic, but even a mill seems like magic to children until they get older. When you're older, you'll understand how it works.
— We need to discuss your proposal.
- Of course, we will stay here.
Brunhilda turned her attention to me.
- You have improved the tape device.
"I have naquadah, but I thought it foolish to rely solely on it when I could use liquid naquadah. I reshaped the ribbon device, giving it the appearance of a knight's gauntlet. This increased the scope for modifications. Furthermore, this shape allowed me to reconfigure the shockwave using blood energy. The maximum range of that wave knocked people back a few meters—not very serious. By reconfiguring it for greater power consumption, I can now focus a beam of energy, causing damage at a distance sufficient to break bones. Among the peaceful modifications, I expanded the computer core; now much more information and programs are available and can be activated instantly. I'm sure your handheld device is far more advanced, since it supports such illusions and can open a gateway to another galaxy.
- How do you know this?
"Oh, you're the first to ask. Even the High Council didn't. I'm good at processing information, and I've also carefully studied the book Merlin left behind. It's an interesting book, although it obviously conceals some information. For example, why the Alteraeans left their home galaxy."
Afterwards, I went to play with the kids, handed out candy, chatted, and learned what I was missing. I even found a couple of black people.
— Either people from other worlds fled here, or Merlin transported them from Africa, apparently for biodiversity.
"The Ancient One's logic isn't always clear to me. Was he gathering an army here?" Brunhilda asked. "Why move Camelot if he could have simply hidden the library?"
"You know better. I'm only a couple of years old, and you could have been hanging out in the 5th century, near Earth."
"Our sensor systems detected anomalies, after which we arrived on Earth, where the Goa'uld then converged. We knew the Goa'uld had found a new slave race, but the coordinates were classified by Ra; no navigational computer had them. We captured a large volume of information, including from ships of a highly advanced civilization. But we found no one. When the First Lords began appearing above Earth's orbit, we realized we couldn't maintain an observation post and protect this planet for long. So we tried to save what we could.
"I see. That's unfortunate. Your ship can certainly create the necessary equipment."
- It will take a little time.
When I expressed interest in the sword in the stone, they explained that this planet supports a certain class of warriors—knights (hardly heavy armored cavalry), who are preparing to become Arthur's army when he returns and leads them on the Crusade. Brunhilda and I looked like two fools with forced smiles. After clarifying a few details, we finally figured out that knights have professions, they are fed, military training is more of a tribute to tradition, and a knight is not a burden to the community.
I was entertaining myself, explaining basic science to the children and demonstrating a trick with hair and a comb. I was actively trying to make people like me. A couple of hours later, the magistrate came out to us and said he was willing to allow us access to the Library of the Ancients if we gave them several thousand agricultural tools—steel ones, of course. We headed to the stargate, from where we teleported back to the Beleskiner. Afterwards, Brunhilda created the necessary tools and, at my recommendation, built wooden carts into which she loaded everything. Brunhilda was "slightly" in a hurry, as she was an active participant in the war against the replicators, so we returned to the locals in about thirty minutes. They were allowed to take the necessary materials. We were given the next day to conduct our research, so no matter how much we hurried, we'd have to wait. Brunhilda dropped me off at my planet and back, then flew off to do her own thing. Seeing that her ship was now equipped with spheres with machine guns that scanned everyone for replication, the Asgardians heeded my advice.
Back in my office, I sent a proposal for changes to the Jaffa training program via the equivalent of the military internet (which I, not the Tollans, had already created). Specifically, it should include an exercise in which a Jaffa squad is randomly selected and assigned a task, without specifying who is in charge. The purpose of the exercise is to identify leadership talent within the ranks and foster their careers. The results are what matter. Imotekh should pit Jaffa against each other within the squad to select the most worthy. Those who fail to complete the task should be punished with enhanced physical training. Such a comprehensive test will reveal leadership potential: those who can take control of strangers in the most difficult situations should be promoted. The same conditions apply to glider pilots. However, a formal reorganization would be necessary, specifying who is a pilot and who is a foot soldier. However, that's a matter for the future. The main thing is that the Jaffa are busy and training. I'll suggest the Goa'uld increase their Jaffa training as a counter-insurgency measure. It's unlikely to help them. On the other hand, they're being fed like they're going to die, so they have no reason to complain. And the fact that the regime is similar to the Space Marines from Warhammer... Progress requires sacrifice, and to keep the Jaffa from thinking too much about my affairs, increased physical training isn't much.
By the way, the Pangarians somehow forced Egeria to reproduce, so I have about 200 Tok'ra floating in the pool. I think these are conscious, after all. The rest, unfortunately, went to the benefit of science. I had to read reports about the work of local scientists. Frankly, the Pangarians are much smarter than Earthlings, because the Pangarians didn't have an Information Agency with the desire to implant a Goa'uld in someone's head to "convince" them to serve Earth.
In my own "Telegram"-like message, I wrote to Isara asking her to prepare a group of people capable of integrating the planet into the domain without any fighting, solely through trade. I had no desire to lay any claim to Merlin's gold lying in Camelot. So, I could simply offer the Camelotians goods and thus take their gold. And then development could begin. I feel like I need to create some kind of RCS (Rapid Complex System) that would explain how to create a civilization. Not a bad idea, by the way.
Considering I'm going to expand so much, such a STC becomes a necessity. At least until the 19th century, I need to create a package that can be built on any world—a progressor computer, a way to quickly develop a planet to the required level.
Next, I started designing armored personnel carriers for the Jaffa. Firstly, they're very useful, and secondly, they're effective. With sufficient armor, they'll be an effective weapon of war, and most importantly, they'll save the lives of my soldiers. Incidentally, I was thinking about repeating what that idiot did with Sakhmet. No, not crossing a human and a Goa'uld—that's a terrible idea. What I wanted was to create a facility where we could produce new humans from their genetic material, accelerating their development with Pelops's nanites. It clearly has an information transfer unit, similar to Orban's nanites. Using Jaffa genetic material, it's possible to create tens of thousands of Jaffa. However, it's better to do this in isolation and instill loyalty to me, so that when Ra's Jaffa appears, they'll be in the minority. However, I'm sure such experiments with accelerated development have consequences.
I worked for a couple more hours and went to bed. Tomorrow I have a fight with a knight.