Chapter 39

  “Man your stations! set condition red! this is not a drill!” yelled the Pangaran Commander.

  The advanced industrial world of Pangar beamed with energy as news spread that an alien vessel was hovering over the capital city.

  “Are you sure, Commander?” inquired Dollen, leader of the Pangaran people. “Are you sure our antennae can make contact with the alien vessel?

  Pangar was a moderately advanced, industrial world, teaming with zeppelins and gondolas. In terms of development, they were fixed somewhere in the latter half of Earth’s 20th century and a decade beyond Orban's 19th. They were just beginning to understand the vastness of the universe and had invented an impressive network of radio satellites and antennae to listen in on the void above.

  A large muscular man, over 6 feet in height, wearing a black and crimson satchelled uniform walked over to what appeared to be an antique computer terminal and pressed the button of an intercom.

  “This is Commander Tegar. All civilians please seek shelter. All military personnel arm yourselves and get to your designated posts,” said the sturdy Commander. “Load all missiles, prepare all batteries, and aim our entire arsenal at the incoming ship!”

  Invasion. Or at least that’s what the Pangarans thought, as the Skidbladnir hovered above the bustling metropolis of the Pangaran capital.

  “I knew this was coming,” said Dollen, filled with frustration. “We should have never entered into the catacombs all those years ago. Now the gods are angry and have sent one of their chariots. Still we must defend ourselves, if we don’t we will all be wiped from existence.”

  “Oh please Dollen, that was over 50 years ago, I doubt our exploration of the Catacombs, or our Tretonin has anything to do with this,” Tegar responded.

  In a trice, a young lieutenant eager and ready to serve, turned towards Dollen and Tegar with some startling news that took the two leaders by surprise:

  “Sirs, we’re being hailed by the Alien Vessel.”

  “What?” yelled Tegar. “Patch them through.”

  Suddenly, a beam of radiant light pierced through the Pangaran Command center revealing a shining image of a young black man wearing a golden uniform, a golden badge, and unruffled black shoes and pants.

  “Hello, my name is Amos Fyree, leader of the Lantean Commonwealth. We are a cordial coalition of worlds dedicated to the ideals of peace, prosperity, and scientific advancement. We have come to your world in order to open diplomatic relations with your fair planet as well as enter into trade negotiations for the purpose of exchanging knowledge and friendship. We would also like to extend the opportunity for your people to join our Commonwealth,” echoed the luminescent hologram.

  Dollen, transfixed by this technology, stepped up to the dazzling statue of light and touched its luminescent aura. He peered into the hologram like it was a ghost and stretched out his hand to touch the glowing apparition. Yet when his hand made contact with the image, it simply went through the radiant effigy as if it was nothing but a sculpture.

  "Do not be afraid,” said the glowing figure. "This is only a hologram, one of the many technologies we are willing to exchange if your world joins our Commonwealth.

  Dollen, intrigued by this technology, stepped back, looked at Amos Fyree and responded, “Hello, my name is Dollen High Chancelor of Pangar. When you say join your Commonwealth, do you mean you wish to annex us into your Empire?” said Dollen cautiously.

  “No, not at all,” replied Amos. “The Lantean Commonwealth is a peaceful association of the most advanced worlds in three galaxies. Our member worlds are all free peoples and join our union through the mutual consent of all member worlds. We mean you no harm and come in the spirit of friendship.”

  Dollen looked at Tegar as the tension in the room began to dissipate. Still, the two were hesitant to fully accept Amos Fyree’s words. Then out of nowhere the light filled apparition continued.

  “Please, if you don't mind, allow myself, along with a small delegation of Lanteans, to sit down and meet with your leadership to discuss our proposition in detail,” said Amos, his words filled with tactful diplomacy.

  Dollen looked at Tegar, as well as the other Pangaran leaders gathered in the command center, and abruptly agreed to meet with Amos and the Lanteans. Soon, word went forth throughout the whole of Pangar about the arrival of alien visitors. Like fire, news spread around the world of the noble intent of their new visitors and their interest to share with the Pangaran people technology, humanitarian aid, and scientific advancements. Within an hour a formal venue was selected and Pangar’s top officials hurried to the capital to welcome the visitors hovering above them hailing from another world.

  Deep in the bustling city streets of Pangar's capital lay a round building housing the country's High Council and People's Parliament. There Pangar’s elite gathered in an ornate conference room befitting ambassadors and heads of state. The elaborate room was full of stately banners, harlequin rugs and chandeliers bedazzled in diamonds, rubbies, sapphires and other precious jewels. Also in the room were members of Pangar's Press – eager journalists patiently awaiting the arrival of the alien host. When the room was full and everyone had taken their seats, an azure light pierced the building revealing Amos Fyree, Karlan and the Asgard Freyr.

  “Greetings gentlemen, I am Amos Fyree, these are my colleagues Karlan and Freyr. it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance,” said Amos.

  Dollen, representative of the Pangaran government, stood up and greeted Amos and his peers as the room flooded with flashes of light from photographs taken by the Pangaran Press. “Hello, my name is Dollen, leader and elected representative of the Pangaran people, it is an honor to host guests from another world. Please, have a seat,” said Dollen, anxiety piercing his stately authority. “So you are a community of advanced worlds looking to trade valuable knowledge and technology?” inquired Dollen.

  “Yes, we are. In fact Karlan and Freyr are leaders of their respective worlds. Karlan specifically serves as the High Chancellor of a world called Orban. Recently, we finished working with their scientists on the next generation of nanotechnology that not only heals all manners of sickness, but also rapidly enhances the learning capabilities of human beings,” Amos said, gesturing towards Karlan.

  “That is correct,” said Karlan in a stately tone. “I am the High Chancellor of Orban. Orban has long been a peaceful and prosperous world yet we have gained so much since joining the Lantean Commonwealth. Our technological advancements and standard of living have improved rapidly in only a short period of time all thanks to Amos and his growing coalition.

  “I also can concur with Amos's words,”said Freyr. “I am not the High Chancellor of the Asgard but I do serve on its governing council; because of the Lantean Commonwealth my people have learned much and have even opened a defense pact with them which has saved our world from destruction time and time again from hostile alien threats.

  "Hostile alien threats?” blurted Tegar. "What type of alien threats are out there that we should be afraid of?” Dollen and the rest of the diplomatic delegation turned towards Tegar, irked by his brash response.

  "The Goa'uld,” replied Freyr, taking the Pangaran delegation by surprise.

  Amos, wanting to shy away from scaring the Pangarans too soon, shifted the conversation back to trade and continued to engage the Pangarans, “We also have several other technologies that we are willing to offer in any proposed trade deal: food synthesizers that can make virtually any food out of thin air, energy shields that can protect your cities from alien attack, as well as resurrection technology that can even raise your dead. If Pangar were to join the Commonwealth, this world would soon become a utopia.”

  The Pangar delegation looked at each other in astounding approval. Then Dollen reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small vial containing a dark and mysterious substance. “We also have medical technology that has served our people well.” Dollen stretched his hand across the table and handed Amos the small vial of black goo.

  “What is this?” asked Amos pretending he didn't know what the true contents of the small vial was.

  “This is something we call Tretonin,” said a member of the Pangar delegation. “Our people are able to live in perfect health because of this medicine as well as live a long and healthy life.”

  Amos printed a Lantean scanner which astonished the Pangarans and scanned the vial in his hand. “Hmm, I see. This vial does contain several noticeable medicinal properties… Wait – what is this!” Amos said, his voice filled with shock and fear.

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  “My scanner says that this Tretonin is made from..” pausing briefly to look at Karlan and Freyr, “Goa’uld symbiotes. Is that true?”

  A grave and solemn look fell over the Pangaran delegation. “Yes, it is true that Tretonin is derived from Goa’uld symbiotes.”

  Amos, Karlan, and Freyr looked at each other again with a devastating look on their faces.

  Freyr shook his head in dismay and said, “We must leave this world immediately.”

  “I am in agreement,”said Karlan. "We can not do dealings with this world. Or we will incite the wrath of the Goaúld.

  The Pangarans looked at each other in shock and panic quickly filled the room. “Wait don't leave! Maybe we can negotiate something else, my people need that technology,” said Dollen as fear and angst grew in the room.

  Freyr shook his head in earnest and responded, ”If the Goa’uld knew you had butchered their kind in order to create this medication, your entire population would be wiped out from space.”

  "My people were at war with the Goa’uld a few generations ago,” added Karlan. “The Goa’uld leveled our cities, stole our land, and made my people serve them as slaves. The Goa’uld are not like most alien races. No, the Goa’uld are parasites and they require other races to serve as hosts in order to survive. Once a person is taken as a host it is impossible to free them from bondage.”

  The remaining delegation of Pangarans gasped at Freyr and Karlan's revelation and looked at each other in a panic.

  Karlan continued, “It took the resolve of my entire planet to free our people from their iron grip. If you continue along this path you and all of Pangar will be destroyed,” said the leader of Orban, his face filled with sorrow.

  Dollen moved by this revelation, opened his mouth and said, “We had no idea our actions could cause such devastation. Please forgive us for our transgression.”

  Amos sat up in his seat and responded, “Where are you keeping the Goa’uld symbiotes on this planet? Please, let us see them. If we found your world, the Goa’uld could easily find your world as well.”

  The trio along with the Pangar delegation then got up and left the ornate room where the meeting was held and walked towards the building where the Goa’uld symbiotes were being kept. The group walked down several streets and alleyways until they arrived at a large warehouse on the outskirts of the city. When they walked inside they were met by several security personnel wearing protective gear and hazmat suits. As they went deeper into the building an ominous sound of squealing could be heard echoing across the walls.

  “Don’t look down,” Amos said to Karlan as they passed a large pool on their right. In the green murky waters was a large school of Goa’uld symbiotes swimming rapidly through unending currents of artificial waves. Their dark green skin and unending squeal put fear into the hearts of Karlan and Freyr who had never seen such a horrendous spectacle. If any one of them had fallen into those hideous waters they would either be killed or taken as an unwilling host. Finally, the group arrived at the main laboratory. Inside of the dark and opaque room was none other than a Goa’uld Queen.

  “Oh my God,” muttered Karlan as they beheld the gruesome creature. The Goa’uld Queen was horrible to look at. Inside of an old electrically charged tank was a large snake-like creature with four bright eyes, green scaly skin, and four long pronged teeth. The Goa’uld Queen also had a large red sac attached to her and looked as if she was about to give birth.

  Everyone seemed to be somewhat fearful of the creature, even the Pangarans who kept her like a pet. The only person who wasn't afraid to look at her was Amos Fyree who, along with Freyr and Karlan, secretly knew who this creature really was.

  “Hello, Queen Egeria,” said Amos, reaching out to her with his telepathy.

  The symbiote jolted up into attention. “Who said that; and how can I hear your voice?” Egeria responded.

  Amos walked closely to the Bacta tank holding the Tok'ra Queen and peered into the glass coffin with a small smile rising across his face. “Hello Egeria, my name is Amos Fyree. I don’t have much time to explain. We come from a place called the Lantean Commonwealth. We’re friends and we are going to get you out.”

  Quickly Amos turned to Dollen and Tegar who were standing ominously in the back of the room.

  “Where did you find her?” Amos asked, hiding his true intent.

  Tegar stepped forward with a worried look on his face and responded, “We found her in the catacombs not too far from here. There is an ancient burial site not too far from our current location. Deep inside are relics from the old era where we believe the gods used to reside. Inside of the catacombs we found a small vase containing the Goa’uld queen.”

  Without any hesitation, Amos tapped on his new holo badge and contacted Reva still on board the Skidbladnir.

  “Amos to Reva, come in.” Reva, who was sitting by Sha’re, quickly got up and grabbed her holobadge lying on the other side of the bridge.

  Soon a holographic image of Reva appeared before them. “This is Reva, go ahead,” she said.

  “Reva, we seemed to have found a Goa’uld Queen down here on Pangar. I need you and Sha’re to head down to the catacombs and look for any evidence on which Goa’uld might have resided on this planet and report back to me immediately,” said Amos with both authority and urgency in his voice.

  After a short while Reva’s hologram returned bearing startling news.

  “Amos, Sha’re and I have done our investigation of the Pangaran catacombs and it’s conclusive: The Goa’uld Queen in their possession is no Goa’uld at all but Queen Egeria of the Tok'ra.

  Amos, Freyr, and Karlan gave each other a dreadful look and turned to Dollen and Tegar standing near them.

  “This Queen is no mere Goa’uld Queen,” said Amos. “She is the Queen of the Tok'ra, a subspecies of Goa’uld ideologically opposed to them in every way.”

  “This is a grave error in judgement,” added Freyr. “You are extremely lucky that we stumbled upon your world when we did. The Tok'ra have been looking for their Queen for many millenia, and revere her as their mother goddess. If the Tok'ra would have found her trapped in such a filthy tank and in such a poor condition without a host, an armada of Tok'ra warships would level your entire civilization from orbit.”

  Dollen, filled with fear and trepidation, got on his knees and pleaded with Amos and the Commonwealth delegation, “Please, is there anything that we can do to prevent this from happening. My people are a pious people and do not wish to offend the Goa’uld or the Tok'ra. Please there has to be something we can do.”

  Amos hesitated momentarily then contacted Reva and Sha’re onboard the Skidbladnir. Within seconds the two of them teleported to the room holding Egeria wearing their Star Fleet uniforms and new holobadges.

  “Reva, I want you to scan the symbiote and tell me how badly injured it is,” said Amos.

  Reva approached the Bacta tank where Queen Egeria was being held and printed a Lantean scanner. After scanning the Tok'ra Queen, she turned around towards Amos and the others and said, “She’s in bad shape. I recommend we give her a new host immediately. If not, she could soon die.”

  Amos looked at the Pangar delegation who were rubbing sweaty palms and said, “Would any of you like to serve as a host for the Tok'ra Queen?”

  The delegation was shocked and quickly shook their heads, disgusted by the creature in front of them.

  “What about you Sha’re?” Sha’re had been host to a Goa’uld symbiote before – The Goa’uld System Lord Ammunet. Still she was not keen on serving as host again.

  “I’m sorry, Amos I can’t. Maybe we can find someone else to be her host,” she responded.

  Amos stood there and pondered for a few seconds. Then he snapped his fingers as if he had discovered Fyree all over again.

  “Maybe we don’t need a human host.” he said, a pensive grin forming on his face. “Reva, quickly, print the replicator machine,” ordered Amos.

  Within seconds, a replicator bed had been printed in front of them.

  As Dollen and the rest of the Pangaran delegation marveled at yet another one of the Commonwealth’s wondrous technologies, Amos prepared a new body for Sha’re.

  “What is this technology?” asked Dollen.

  “This is a replicator bed. You see my beautiful Science Officer Reva over there? She was created using this technology.” Amos responded while meticulously preparing the device.

  “You mean she is not human either?” said Tegar.

  “No, I'm not,” she retorted. “I am an android. I was made using an advanced artificial intelligence. My body is composed of a biosynthetic material invented by my creator and lover Amos Fyree. I would love to serve as a host but it is not in my programming,” said Reva, trying to sound like a robot.

  “I know!” exclaimed Amos. “Sha’re, since you were once host to a Goa’uld symbiote your body is most compatible with Goa’uld physiology. How about we use your DNA to make a new body for Queen Egeria.”

  Sha’re reluctantly agreed and Reva took a sample of her blood and placed it in an open slot on the replicator bed.

  Immediately, a beautiful woman appeared before him. She was white like ivory, had voluptuous curves and looked like Sha’re in every way except for one small detail – she had red hair.

  Dollen, Tegar, Karlan, as well as the other men in the room all stood around the replicator machine. They obviously had the same thoughts in their head as Amos Fyree had; that this woman was beautiful. As they all stood there gazing at the proportioned features of the new woman lying before them, Sha're, standing behind them, cleared her throat and opened her mouth.

  “Ahem… Amos,” she said.

  “Yes, Sha’re.”

  “...She needs clothes.”

  The group of men raised their heads and began to look away in shame as they realized that they were caught gawking at the beautiful woman who looked exactly like Sha’re – naked. Quickly, Amos printed a red Star Fleet Uniform similar to Reva’s and put it on the new woman.

  “Bring the symbiote tank to me,” commanded Amos.

  Pangaran security personnel quickly brought Egeria over to Amos and removed the lid from the top of the tank. Amos then opened the woman’s mouth with his thumb and reached out to Egeria with his mind, “Egeria, if you can still hear me, I need you to take this body as a host.”

  The shy Queen looked at the beautiful woman lying on the bed then back up at Amos. Even as a symbiote Amos could tell she was old, tired and had endured a lot. She had spent thousands of years in a jar only to awaken and have the species she sheltered and respected dissect her children and use her in twisted lab experiments. Still, Amos knew that Egeria would be a vital asset to his team and urged her to take her new host.

  Egeria detached herself from her sack and hopped into her new body’s mouth. Everyone else in the room tried to hide their faces while the melding took place, disturbed by the sight of a Tok'ra symbiote entering into the woman’s mouth. Even so, Amos looked on as he recalled the dream he had about the red haired woman several nights ago. He was finally about to meet the woman of his dreams, Egeria, Queen of the Tok'ra.

  Suddenly, the woman’s eyes flashed white signaling that the blending had been a success. As the young woman blinked her eyes and looked around she was met by a crowd of onlookers mesmerized by her arrival.

  Amos reached out his hand and helped up the red haired woman.

  “Wow, this… body it feels… different,” said Egeria as she adjusted to her new form.

  “Hello, Egeria, my name is Amos Fyree, I bring you greetings from the Lantean Commonwealth. The new body you are in is a biosynthetic replicant of the young woman you see standing over there,” said Amos pointing towards Sha’re’s direction. “We used Ancient technology to make this body. It is not a human host.”

  Egeria then rubbed up and down her breasts trying to get used to her new body. Amos tried not to stare at her feminine features but he could not help it. Neither could any of the other men in the room.

  “I don’t feel anyone inside of me,” she said, wondering where the host's consciousness was.

  “That’s because there isn’t anyone inside of you… yet, I mean” Amos responded.

  Reva feeling Amos distracted interjected, “What he means to say is that the body you now have is completely yours. It was made purposely without a consciousness so no need to share this body with a host’s mind.”

  “This is amazing, I haven’t felt more free in my entire life, but to be honest it does feel kind of lonely,” Egeria stated looking at Amos and Reva with a smile.

  Dollen, Tegar, and the rest of the Pangaran delegation approached Queen Egeria and gently bowed and said, “Queen Egeria, we give you our deepest apologies. We had no idea that a monarch of your caliber was in our custody. I assure you that a mistake like this will never happen again.”

  Egeria looked at the Pangarans and said, “Rise. Do not bow. It was not your fault that I ended up this way, but my ex husband Ra who trapped me in prison for so long. Your people have grown much technologically and have demonstrated the untapped potential for the human race. Please, learn from your mistakes and try to do better in the future.”

  After Egeria had spoken these words Tegar whispered something into Dollen’s ear which made the two get into a small argument.

  “Is there something wrong,” asked Amos.

  Tegar, against Dollen’s wishes, spoke out and said, “What about the Tretonin? Our people can’t live without the Tretonin.”

  “Don’t worry, our medical nanites should serve as a powerful substitute for the Tretonin. You should see no drops in health or longevity. We can have a batch delivered to you within a couple of days, that’s if you’re still eager to join the Commonwealth?” said Amos.

  “Why, yes, seeing all the wonders and technology you have presented to us today, we are still interested in joining!” said Dollen.

  “Excellent! Welcome to the Lantean Commonwealth.”