"Sir, I believe this undertaking is a step into the abyss," Imotekh said, his voice trembling with foreboding.
"I am of the same opinion," Egeria echoed, her words sounding like the cold whisper of a winter wind.
"I, too, consider this utter madness," Imotekh echoed, "but it seemed there was no choice. Either we condemn Pelops's troops to starvation, and he has the Alkeshi who can, grudgingly, procure provisions on the worlds under his control, or…"
"Perhaps I should use the invisibility field generator?" Imotekh asked cautiously. A normal Goa'uld, hearing that, would have immediately sent him to the scaffold.
"No. You have proven yourselves brave warriors, your duty is fulfilled. Now it's my turn," the protagonist interrupted. "What were we talking about? Oh yes, the plan is this: I, hidden by a veil of invisibility, will penetrate the gates to Sparta. There, at full combat readiness, two thousand Jaffa, armed with over a hundred heavy weapons, would await me. A layered defense, like the armor of an ancient titan, was prepared to withstand any attack. I saw all this thanks to the reconnaissance cameras placed there in advance. The Spartans, on this very Sparta—what a tautology!—approached their defense with a fervent responsibility that was unimaginable in Aegis. Heavy boulders served as their shield, covering the fields of fire; the guns, perched on commanding positions, awaited only the command to attack. The defenses were flawless, like the intricate design on a jeweled dagger. If I sent my troops in, it would be all over. No matter how well prepared, even Captain Americas with vibranium shields, the density of fire was everything. Pelops, in his blindness, hadn't provided detectors for invisible objects passing through the gate. Any stealth warrior could have slipped through unnoticed. And reputation was also important! Jaffa, like dogs, were more loyal to the ruling warrior. It was like the dark ages of the Middle Ages: the ruling class must fight, or face only contempt. And finally, I was the only one skilled enough in the use of stealth systems. Between me and the ashrak was a gulf equal to the distance from Urvashi on foot, and that, mind you, is over sixty-five thousand light years. The road is long, but a basic understanding of sabotage operations, gleaned from my SAS aides, is my compass. Reason dictates, of course, that I send them, but they still have a poor understanding of Goa'uld technology. And time, that merciless tyrant, is inexorable.
- Imotekh, if I don't return, Tasar will become your master.
"Yes, my Phaeron," he bowed, his body the embodiment of submission.
Activating invisibility, I stepped into the humming portal. When the tunnel disappeared, I began to move slowly and carefully, like a ghost guided by an unknown force. Now, countless guns were trained on me, ready to tear me apart. But this seemingly flawless system had one flaw. The defenses were arranged in a semicircle. And the light of the gate, a beacon in a raging sea of darkness, distracted most, preventing them from paying attention to what was happening beyond. So, slowly retreating, I gained freedom of action. A special drug circulated in my blood, concealing my identity from sensors and disguising me from identification as a Goa'uld. The Tok'ra had known about it long ago, and so had Egeria, of course. My arsenal contained many useful gadgets: a Z, a pair of pulse pistols, and my tape device. And, of course, I couldn't do without a bladed weapon.
Sparta was a pure military city, a fortress city, I would even say a fortress planet. Only one populated city, the rest are proving grounds where steel is forged. Military hangars sheltering alkesh and gliders; orbital cannons spewing flame; ground-based anti-aircraft guns, and, finally, an energy shield enveloping the city like a cocoon. Pelops, clearly not planning on building a fleet, still created supersoldiers. From now on, the residence should be made less predictable, after all, it was located literally in the center of the city. But first—airfields! I'm sure the fleet is always combat-ready, but the absence of constant attacks relaxes the personnel. Jaffa with nanites—they're still people. Combat readiness is a storm in the body, and every moment without a fight calms that storm. Although the troops change, the fleet remains in place. Or so it seems to me.
What are the main rules for being invisible? Don't step on wet ground, don't walk on sand, don't make loud steps, and ideally, don't make any noise at all. And don't let your breathing become too noisy. Overall, the rules aren't all that complicated.
Despite the constant patrols of airfields and even the walls, with their meager checkpoints, I could simply climb over the wall. All in a mere ten measures. This was nothing compared to the alcoholics, who towered like towers. The secret to scaling such high walls? A grappling hook and, of course, peak physical fitness. Yes, I keep myself in shape so as not to end up like the pathetic Nerus in such critical situations.
Place detachable naqahdah-potassium mines under the bottom, and retreat immediately. This can be used as a diversion, a distraction. But that's not the only point. I've come up with a perfectly acceptable (relatively acceptable!) plan. It involves using white phosphorus and deploying my gates so that they, horizontally and at full speed, drop dozens of bombs loaded with this fiery element. To prevent the air force from taking off, I set off. While everyone panics, I can infiltrate Pelops himself. The advance party should enter through the gates, engaging in combat. This distraction will allow me to operate more freely. At the very least, if there are any scanners there, they will be distracted by the ensuing battle and will be able to focus on other tasks.
Being a paranoid Goa'uld, I'm unwilling to invade the lair of another paranoid Goa'uld without solid guarantees. How about twenty-meter-high walls and a sparse number of checkpoints? And perhaps the Jaffa's nanites and computers were used for friend-or-foe identification. I wasn't about to enter this fortress, even under the cloak of invisibility. I wanted to live, so I returned to the airfield and looked for a Teltak. No one was interested in it, as it only served as a transport ship, so I went with it. First, I needed to reconfigure the rings to the frequency I needed. The thing is, many rings have a "free Wi-Fi" mode, like the Merlin, for example. But some are password-protected. If two rings share the same frequency, they can form a "local network." This way, I could transfer my troops to wherever the Teltak rings were located. Considering I have armored transport, I can replicate the feat of the "dark elves from Marvel." Only my tactic has a few modifications, namely teleportation. However, I mustn't allow the shield generator to activate, otherwise no teleportation will occur.
I arrived just as dawn was breaking. Now it's the dead of night. Attacking at night is always best, because the Jaffa are still human. Gunfire blinds them, and the contrast between night and fire can be compensated for by technological, not biological, means. Fighting at night is exactly what I need, with my vast technological potential, to preserve my troops. Even if Pelops modified his soldiers' vision, my helmets would be far superior. All that remains is to give the signal, and the attack will begin. My troops await me on Urvashi.
Since becoming a Goa'uld, I've lost something inherently human: fear. The memories that programmed my Goa'uld personality influence me, allowing me to ignore my aversion to death, pain, and, in particular, threats to my own life. How much of this stems from Goa'uld arrogance, and how much from rational confidence in the plan, is unknown. It's important to remember that I occupy a human body, but I'm not human. My body is the body of a snake, and my personality is influenced solely by the biology of a snake.
The signal has been sent. Now Imotekh must begin the attack.
Several explosions erupted and the attack began."