"The entered query is incorrect. Please try again."
"And that's all you want to tell me?" I inquired.
"The entered query is incorrect. Please try again," Ganos Lal repeated.
"Well, good," I sighed, stepping off the pedestal and sitting against the wall. I didn't even pay attention to the fact that the "hologram" didn't disappear. "Ah, let's me tell you a story?"
"Shall I activate the mode for recording a new file?" the Ascended clarified, continuing her strange game.
"As you wish," I shrugged, taking out another plasticine-like hematogen from the backpack. "So. There lived the Ancients. That's what their Earth descendants called them. In their native galaxy this race was called Alterans. In the Milky Way — Others or Ancients. In Pegasus — Lanteans. And so, the Lanteans, having tasted trouble in the Pegasus galaxy, leave for Earth. The whole composition. Live there, develop their descendants. And then one of them, named Moros," — the woman of light's left eye corner twitched slightly, — "comes up with the idea that the ancient enemies of this civilization, fellow Alterans calling themselves Ori, will kill all the Ancients. The other Ancients, already Ascended by that time, didn't believe in his ideas. And when Moros, he is Merlin, he is Myrddin, decided to create a weapon to fight the Ori. And since all without exception Ori Ascended, the weapon was dangerous for the Ascended Ancients too. Therefore they sent one of their own to observe Merlin's experiments. To stop him. And when the weapon named Sangraal was created, the observer destroyed the weapon. Quite an engaging story?" — I bit off a larger piece, working my jaws vigorously.
"An interesting story," the Ancient agreed.
"It will become more interesting when I tell what really happened to the weapon's creator," I poked my fingers at the ceiling, hinting at the Ascended. "I'm sure those guys will be extremely interested to know exactly how you fooled them. Of course, they won't intervene, that's not in your rules. But you won't be able to play your game, pretending to be the hologram you created for teaching children. And you won't be able to prompt the names of planets at a key moment in history that will affect the search for the weapon against the Ori..."
The "hologram," poorly hiding her interest in what I told, looked at me openly. It seems, as I hoped, the story interested her.
First of all because her plan might be revealed. The Ascended, of course, won't destroy what she prepared for the future searches of earthlings, but there's a nuance — for the searches to go in the right direction, Ganos Lal herself is needed. Here, on Atlantis. And not in the form of a hologram, but under the same guise under which she is here herself.
The Ascended who passes herself off as a hologram.
"Well, so what?" I asked. "Will you deign to enlighten me, or should I start talking about your cunning so that others listen?"
And again only silence in response. The lady clearly knows her worth and is pondering the options of consequences from this or that action.
Well, once again convinced of the thought that even in a moment of serious danger, the Ascended won't intervene. Even if the fate of their beloved legacy depends on it. Including people they created on numerous planets of various galaxies.
"Something is definitely happening here," I finished the snack and began pacing the room. "Let's reason logically while we have time. Among the Ascended there are good guys ready to break their own rules and directly intervene in a crisis situation to help fighters for a good cause. How good it is, we won't discuss. The main thing is that when it comes to your interests, you find a way to adjust events with the help of this or that person. Visions, hints, riddles, puzzles and so on... All for achieving your goals. And here I appear on Atlantis. Let's not insult each other's intellect and pretend that the "Stargate" universe includes the version of Earth where I lived. Consequently, one of yours," — I pointed to the ceiling again, — "from the Ascended, was so horrified by what is happening in your universe that he decided to seek help from another universe. And chose not alternative heroes known for their deeds, but me. A person who in principle knows and can little about this universe. You gave me a young and strong body, probably even implanted your ATA Gene. And stuck me not somewhere in the backwoods, but on Atlantis, in the Pegasus galaxy. Why not on Earth, in the Milky Way?"
The "hologram" was silent.
She stood in the same place, closing her eyes. I suspect she is conducting mental negotiations with her like-minded on higher planes of existence to get either a ban or approval for a conversation with me.
"I suspect the problem is that the troubles are right in the Pegasus galaxy," I continued my brainstorming. "Something happened. Or didn't happen. Because of which one of you panicked and did what he did. Sorry for that good guy, of course. But he knew what he was getting into. So, let's go by elimination. You're not bothered by the Wraith and that they hunt people — otherwise you would have intervened earlier. You're not bothered by the rest of this galaxy's problems — for the same reason. Means something extraordinary happened... Something that completely destroyed your plans for the future. Correct me if I'm wrong. I suspect that everything happening is far from accidental. I have a thought that the interventions — part of the plan and..."
"Stop."
From surprise I even froze in place, hearing the voice of the Ascended Ancient. First I rejoiced that she came into contact. And then realized: she did it so that I wouldn't voice my theory of predetermination of all events.
She didn't want me to say it.
Because other Ascended will hear. And take measures. After all, it was exactly this I blackmailed her with — to reveal to her kin the secret plan of Ganos Lal to help Earth people in the war with ancient Alteran relatives, the Ori. And I counted on her interrupting me so that the rest wouldn't hear... Because the other Ascended will counteract.
Already time to put on a foil hat and think that the Ascended won't like me much if they learn what I think about them and their plans? I don't know, I don't know... But such secrets are usually taken to the grave.
"So, have you ripened for a frank conversation?" I clarified.
"Within what is permitted by the Ascension rules," she said indifferently.
"And can I see the manual to form questions correctly?" I inquired.
"You will learn all these rules if you ever become Ascended," she said.
"I'd like a spiritual mentor to shorten the path. Can't suggest Oma Desala's address? She's a specialist in such."
Another silence accompanied by blinking of virtual eyelids.
Well, sure.
Ascension is a complex spiritual-mutational process. Both body and worldview change, become completely alien to human nature and logic. You can overcome this path on your own, or you can cheat, getting "brotherly help" from an already Ascended.
In the literal sense — seeing a worthy candidate for Ascension, an Ascended could help him become the same. Seems it doesn't even violate the rules and is widely practiced by individual Ancients.
Oma Desala is just from the last "good guys." True, the rest don't like her. Because once she helped almost Ascend not at all the right person.
Not at all kind and inquisitive mind of a researcher.
But a parasite capturing bodies of intelligent species, including humans. Goa'uld, they're like that. And parasitism in their case is even not the biggest sin. I'd even say — the smallest of them. Mass murders, genocide, enslavement, destruction of planets, stars and so on — here's a more expanded list of what you can dislike these guys for.
Oma made a mistake and helped one of them almost become Ascended. She stopped in time, but the process could no longer be reversed.
"You had questions," she reminded. "I'm ready to hear them."
"But not answer, right?" I smiled.
"I have no right to interfere in the life and events of mortals," the Ancient voiced one of the main rules of the Ascended.
"But conversation doesn't count," I noted.
"Up to a certain point," she replied after thinking.
Rummaging in memories, I assumed:
"Correct if I'm wrong. Can't give direct instructions or apply the forces, knowledge, technologies of the Ascended to help people? But talking about general moments no one forbids us, right?"
"Simplified, but correct," she said.
Well, we'll figure this out later.
"I'm not from this universe, right?" in principle the Voice spoke about this, but knowing the Ancients, they could seriously screw up. Especially since the Voice's plan could be disrupted by other Ascended...
"Yes," she replied.
Not bad. So I have quite good logical thinking. Let's continue getting information. Especially since this doesn't particularly affect the overall situation. No energy is spent, so the catastrophe isn't approaching seven-league steps.
"Who sent me here?" I inquired.
"I'm not entitled to disclose this information," she said.
Interesting. And how can one name affect what can happen? Probably it's someone very and very powerful, authoritative and famous. And one his name can direct me on a certain path.
On a path the Ascended don't want.
"What am I supposed to do?"
Question head-on. And I'm sure I won't get an answer.
"I can't tell you that either," she admitted.
Nothing else was expected.
"Maybe then you'll tell what problem happened that it required such violation of the rules?" I inquired. "You could have turned to any earthling for help. General O'Neill, Samantha Carter, Dr. Jackson, Colonel Sheppard, Dr. McKay and a good hundred others, more experienced and skilled..."
Could... If they could. And what if they couldn't? What if the expedition to Atlantis I spoke about never arrives? And since so, something happened on Earth because of which the chain of events was broken⁈
Interesting guess.
Ganos Lal looked at me indifferently. Demonstratively indifferently. But something seemed to me that she doesn't want to play silence. True, she knows what the consequences will be. "Want to but it stings" in full glory.
"You already have the answer to this question," she pronounced, carefully selecting words. "I advise you to proceed from it."
O-pa...
Seems I'm right after all. And wrong at the same time.
The problem exists. So gigantic that one of the Ascended decided to spit on the rules and seek help outside the known "habitats." Went to another universe... But why exactly to mine? Where "Stargate" is just a TV-literary universe, not reality. And why the choice fell on me? I'm not the best expert on this universe, and I have no fanatical obsession. I can't read, write, count in the Ancients' language, don't understand technologies, sciences. So, at a household level.
Or... The point is that I agreed without conditions that the Voice couldn't fulfill without violating the rules very much? Whoever he was, but clearly played on the edge of the knife until he "slipped."
The Ancients allowed him to penetrate another universe, pull me from there... my consciousness? My soul? In general, he took something that makes me me. The Voice gave me a body better than the one I had at the moment of death. I don't think he did it out of gratitude or because of free time. During our conversation he was in a hurry, as if he didn't have much time. Probably there's some reason for that.
For example, the Ascended are already after him to call him to account for breaking the rules.
"Do you know why the Voice pulled me here?" I inquired. I doubt Morgana will lie to my face.
The answer to this question will allow me to learn a lot.
"Yes," she slightly averted her gaze to the side.
"And you can't tell me about it?"
"Yes."
"Can't, or don't want?" I blurted out.
Ganos Lal closed her eyes, and her face twisted with a grimace of irritation for a moment. It happens when a persistent little ant, before the boot falls on it, long nerves the owner of the shoe.
But no answer sounded. And means she doesn't want to answer. To both questions.
"As you say," I stopped next to my backpack and threw it over my back. "Glad to have talked. Don't remember me ill. When everything here floods with water, and Atlantis becomes unusable, please don't forget that you are to blame for my departure. Tit for tat!"
A provocateur, of course, is worse than most representatives of sexual deviations, but there are moments when otherwise simply can't.
She wouldn't come into contact with me if there was no need for it. And means not only to her, but to all the Ascended, my help is needed. I think after they heard that Ganos Lal fooled them for thousands of years, they could "pull" her here for a private conversation with "comrade major."
"You're leaving?" an surprised voice sounded in my back.
"Yes," I simply replied.
"But... Why?" confusion reigned on the Ascended's face.
"Because I have legs, and I know how to use them," my shoulder shrug made her depict a heavy sigh of irritation. "I asked you for a conversation, agreed that I won't hear the most important. But you decided that in principle I shouldn't hear anything concrete. So why should I waste time playing guessing games with you?"
"Because you asked for it yourself," she said.
"Oy, don't get on my nerves, Morgana," I smiled. "Ancients and especially Ascended are not altruists to respond to requests. Before even hinting at an answer, you test a person to show his true self. Well, maybe I failed the test, but thanks to you, I definitely know — you have very big problems. So big that one of your brethren went to another universe and started looking for someone who would dare to get involved in this. And I wasn't the first he approached. But the only one who agreed. And means you have no alternative."
"Where did you get that from?" the Ascended flashed her eyes. "We can replace you at any moment..."
"Well," I spread my arms to the sides, "go ahead. Change. Or let another of the Ascended take responsibility for direct intervention in my fate. Seems you punish for that. And hardly just put in the corner."
"Insolent," she spat out these words as if.
"I don't like when they try to fool me," I confessed. "You communicate with me as if I'm nothing. Logical that in response I demonstrate the same to you. And unlike you, I can go to the hangar, take any of the ships and get out of this city. Remind me how much time it has left until flooding? Hours? Days? The gate are blocked from dialing any other incoming wormholes except from Earth? Will anyone come here to save the city? Will they make it or perish together with all your knowledge?"
"You won't get an answer to any of the questions you just voiced," Ganos Lal cut off. "Your self-conceit has blinded you."
"Or," I smiled, "I'm taking advantage of the situation and getting what I need. Didn't think of that?"
"I don't understand what you mean."
"What I said — if you had the opportunity to replace me with someone more obedient, you would have done it. If your problem wasn't so large-scale, you wouldn't have sent me to Atlantis. There are plenty of ruins of your civilization in this galaxy. Any similar planet would do. But no, the Voice incarnated me in the capital of your perished state. In a place where thousands of laboratories with projects from the most harmless, like communicating with local whales, to immoral, like social experiments on managing human settlements throughout the galaxy. Or, for example, remember the nanovirus that causes deadly hallucinations in all who don't have the ATA Gene? Including people created by you. I can list examples as long as I want. But you got the point — you're clutching at a straw. And this is very curious. It took dragging a person from another universe, although you could easily take any other person in this galaxy, since the Milky Way is inaccessible, implant the ATA Gene, teach to use your technologies and send to perform the task. So..."
"Enough!" Ganos Lal interrupted my monologue in a quiet but authoritative tone, poorly restraining anger. "Get out of here!"
"With pleasure!" I promised. "Right now I'll take Janus's time machine, experiment with it. Most likely not immediately, but definitely I'll get to Atlantis after your departure and live happily until the end of my days. And nine thousand years will remain until the catastrophe... Good plan, huh, Morgana?"
The Ascended's figure glowed as if someone abruptly added a couple hundred lumens per square meter to her. It became painful to look at her...
"I won't tolerate this!" she cried out, raising her hands in which she clutched something resembling snow-white spheres. "He was wrong, and I'll fix this mistake! Now!"
Honestly, inside everything clenched. Petrified, I watched as the Ascended, who essentially could destroy a planet with a snap of her fingers, intended to unleash her wrath on me.
But she didn't make it.
Her figure became hazy, as if something invisible but unstoppable pulled her back and upward...
"No-o-ot!" Ganos Lal screamed.
Her silhouette blurred, began to multiply. But each copy became smaller and smaller than the original...
With a light pop and flash of light, the "hologram" of Morgana le Fay disappeared from the holographic hall.
Approximately like this it was.
Left alone, I felt pangs of conscience. Character is no sugar, but life taught not to let anyone sit on my neck. And especially — use me in the dark.
And Ganos Lal intended to do exactly that.
What's strange. From the series I remembered her as a fairly peace-loving, sympathetic to the earthlings' cause woman. She risked more than once and went against the Ascension rules to help in a difficult second. Even if she guaranteed knew the consequences wouldn't please her.
I counted exactly on such an attitude.
But we clearly couldn't find a common language. Every cell of my body felt that she was unpleasant to communicate with me. As if I stand before her in dirt and stain the light of the sun with myself.
Of course, maybe I'm just exaggerating, but...
Well, it was worth trying to get answers. Didn't work.
Means no particular choice — time to leave the city while...
The podium over which Ganos Lal just disappeared suddenly lit up. In the center of the room appeared a formless snow-white something very similar to the Voice.
And only I rejoiced that the familiar Ancient arrived, as the "cloud" took the already familiar outlines of the hologram.
"I apologize for the actions of my compatriot," smiling slightly with lips only, pronounced... Melia. "We didn't start from the right end, Mikhail. I think no need to introduce?"
I think... Something out of the ordinary is happening here.
*
Taking a deep breath, I turned my head towards the snow-white figure of the Ascended standing nearby.
"Tell me this is a joke."
"Unfortunately," sorrow appeared on Melia's face. "This is not so. The threat to the existence of all living... This is no reason for jokes."
I can't disagree.
What the Ancient told me... Made my brains boil.
"This doesn't explain why your Hippocrates called me from another universe," I muttered.
"Hippaforalkus," Melia corrected me. Interesting woman. Calm, kind, non-conflict. I would rank her among the mature phlegmatics if not for the emotions showing on her face. To say they are fake my tongue didn't turn. "His name is Hippaforalkus. He was a general of our army during the war with the Wraith..."
***
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