Retaliation Read Online Free PDF Page A

covered all over in red hair-that’s an evil sign. As Egyptian culture went through the millennia, Set went from a brave warrior god de-fending Ra to the personification of evil, fighting Ra.”
    He waved a hand. “Anyway, Set killed Horus’ fa-ther and stole the crown of Egypt. Ra was supposed to judge the case, but got offended by one of the other gods and refused to go on. Hathor got Ra in a good mood and the trial back on track by, well, flashing him.”
    West shook his head. “This is what you spend your time translating?” “Actually, I spend my time trying to bring literacy back to this world-Ra tried to destroy all scribes and history. And I teach the younger people English, so they can deal with you and your people. They need all the help they can get.
    Things are tough here on Abydos-“
    “We’ll come to that,” West said decisively, cutting Jackson off. “It’s your call, O’Neil. How best can you protect our people from a pagan nympho-killer and those boy scouts with blast-lances?”
    “Maybe you should remember, General. Those boy scouts have pulled our asses-and your chestnuts-out of the fire several times now.” Jackson glared. O’Neil spoke up, eager to furnish his wish list. “If you can’t give me men, I’ll take vehicles. We need to expand the perimeter here. I want long-range patrols.
    For all his annoying editorial opinions, Dr. Jackson has pointed out how little we still know about this world.”
    The general nodded.
    “I could use more Humvees,” O’Neil went on. “And a couple of helicopters.” He glanced at West, matching his poker face. “General Keogh’s chopper contingent was completely destroyed. We already have foot patrols in the nearer desert. If we extend long-range patrols out there, I’d like to have the ability to back them up.”
    “Is there some reason for patrolling so vigorously?” O’Neil pointed westward. “As the general knows, we established a sizable cemetery out that way.” Even his voice became expressionless. “Certain of the locals have disturbed the remains.”
    West stopped and whirled on his junior officer. “Cannibalism?” “No, sir,” Lt. Charlton spoke up.
    “Grave robbing. They thought we buried personal effects with our dead.”
    The general’s frown deepened. Such practices suggested that many in Nagada must be in dire straits. He decided on a change of plan.
    “Dr. Jackson, do you think it would be possible to speak with the Council of Elders?” he asked abruptly. “I’d like to put an offer to them personally.” “Are you kidding?” Jackson said. “They’d love to have a chance to go face-to-face with you.”
    A radioed warning from Skaara ensured that the Humvee caravan from the base camp got Nagada’s version of the red-carpet treatment. The Elders of the city stood lined up to greet the general in the huge gateway. Kasuf stood in the lead, eyes sharp as knives in his impassive, gray-bearded face. General West and the rest of his delegation of Earth-men were marched through town to the hall of the Elders.
    There they sat down to a feast, cutting slices off some fricasseed beast that would haunt the general’s nightmares for weeks to come.
    Finally they got down to business.
    “I have two concerns,” West began. “One is the de-clining quantity of quartz ore now coming through the StarGate. The other is the need to get qualified techni-cal people aboard that disabled starship.
    Please ask Kasuf how we can improve the first and accomplish the second.”
    From all reports, this Kasuf-Jackson’s father-in-law-had distinguished himself as a tough negotiator.
    Fine, West thought. Let the bargaining begin.
    Jackson passed along West’s words, and Kasuf responded in Abydan. But it was obvious as he went on that he was showing more and more irritation. As Kasuf finished, he produced a handful of silver coins and threw them on the floor. West blinked for a moment when he recognized the coins as Susan B.
    Anthony dollars.