Mutants & Masterminds: StarGate Freedom - Chapter 1d: Fact and Fiction

[z-Servant of Ra]

Curtis was escorted out of the meeting, though they hadn't resorted to shackles or handcuffs. The MPs with him took him to a solitary room and left him there. Curtis sighed, knowing the drill. He'd be allowed to cool his heels for a while before someone came in to question him. He hoped it was the General; he liked him and felt that he genuinely connected with him. More than likely, it would be a hard-bitten 'interrogation specialist'. Some big, beefy Marine, meant to intimidate him. Curtis was too smart for that.

He was therefore a touch surprised when a small woman came into the room. She was of mixed heritage; it was hard to tell exactly what, but Curtis was willing to believe at least partially Latina. "Hello, Sgt. Shane, correct? I'm Doctor Schmitz, and I've been asked to talk to you a little bit about your claims. Would you care to start over, from the beginning?"

It seemed an almost friendly get-together, but she didn't ask if she could record the session; she just set a tape player down and hit the button, then waited for him to talk.

[Curtis Shane]

It sounded more like a psych evaluation than anything else, but Curtis held his feelings inside.

"During the retreat from Cheyenne, my truck was strafed by Goa'uld flyers, and the truck went boom. I went unconscious, and based on what I could pierce together later, was critically injured. When I wake up, I was healed by the aliens, apparently to be interrogated. After that, I was shuttled over to this Goa'uld named Hephaestus. He actually was polite, but there was a clear understanding. I was to be his slave, act appropriately, do as I was told, or else. And I was pretty sure there would be a nasty 'else'."

"Now, as for why I'm here... Let me start by enumerating the political and social structure as I understand it. I should say first that these aliens have a list of personality flaws as long as my arm, perhaps longer. Backstabbing, lying, arrogant, immoral beings. Lots of intrigue. Now, at the top of the food chain, it's a bit feudal in nature. There are System Lords, independent rulers with their own territories and power. The most devious and powerful is the Supreme System Lord, like the king to his feudal lords. But they tend most of the time to do as he says. That alien who did the planet-wide broadcast, Ra, is the Supreme System Lord, although I understand he's left."

"Now the one in charge here is the System Lord Chronos, who has been granted control over Earth, and he's who Hephaestus serves. Below that level, it's... like a pantheon. All the Goa'uld consider themselves gods, but there's various rankings up and down the social and political ladder. Hephaestus is the bottom of the barrel, below sea level."

"So here's what happened a few days ago. Hephaestus and another low-ranker Persephone, were visited by a messenger from the System Lord Baal. Apparently Baal had figured that should the resistance do well, Chronos would get stripped of control of this world and Baal could get it for himself. So if Hephaestus and Persephone helped him ensure the Resistance got successful, and Ra giving Earth to Baal, the two would get direct control over Earth. The planetary governors, basically. That's why I got sent here. But I'm telling you this because I haven't lost my patriotism yet, and I see this as a golden opportunity to take advantage of those high and mighty Goa'uld and use this against them."

[z-Servant of Ra]

Dr. Schmitz had been taking notes throughout. She nodded when he was done and asked, "Why did the aliens release you again? I'm not clear - you said 'that's why you got sent here'. Did the two low-rankers assume you would spy for them? How did you convince them to release you?

[Curtis Shane]

"I think saying yes to the second question is the crux of it. They decided I had to, and I wasn't in the position to refuse without being dipped in boiling oil as punishment, so to speak." Curtis replied, "When they order you, you obey."

[z-Servant of Ra]

"But why would they trust you?" Dr. Schmitz pressured. She shifted slightly, her eyes cool. "What did they do to you to secure your cooperation?"

[Curtis Shane]

"Trust is a bit of a foreign word, to the Goa'uld." Curtis replied, "hence the next thing, which I doubt you'd like. I'm not the only one. Apparently, there are humans NOT from Earth, obedient to the Goa'uld, and one of them came here with me. Here with the group that I've been pulled from. Care to guess who?"

[z-Servant of Ra]

"No," Dr. Schmitz said coldly. "I would not care to guess who is the spy among us. Do you not want to tell us?

"And while you're talking, would you please tell us why they trust you enough to release you?"

[Curtis Shane]

"The problem with answering that is, there isn't a proper answer for the question. When it comes to each other, the race as a whole always are a bit paranoid and distrust is beneath the surface. With those lower-ranked, even the weakest Goa'uld is a god and must be obeyed accordingly. It may not sound rational, but really, they aren't rational creatures. Now for the first question..."

"I thought you might guess, but if you want to cut straight to it... it's Marty, or rather as he called himself Tirion Markesh. He was assigned to come down with me and spy in this camp as well. Simple as that."

[z-Servant of Ra]

"So why are you here? If they refuse to trust each other, why would they release you?" She'd had almost no reaction to his mention of Tirion Markesh; it was as if she hadn't heard him.