Hathor approached the StarGate with the medallion in her hand. She stopped at the carving that represented the constellation Serpens Caput—the serpent's head. Hathor pressed the amulet to the center star of the constellation and stepped back. The huge gold-quartz ring swung into silent operation, revolving, then stopping as the triangular chevrons clicked into place. Then Daniel noticed that the place markers were not locking on to the usual constellation signs. It seemed that Ra had designed the portal to two different coordinate codes—the constellations, which everyone in his empire used, and the spaces between the star signs, which was apparently his secret! The final chevron fell into place, provoking that odd harmonic which accompanied the formation of the StarGate's energy fields. Energy gushed forth in the usual way, then settled into that deceptively placid-looking rippling pool of light. Daniel found his wrist grasped in a strong, competent hand.

Hathor approached the StarGate with the medallion in her hand. She stopped at the carving that represented the constellation Serpens Caput—t...

Setim!" Hathor spat the word, ignoring Daniel Jackson's look of surprise. She knew this stiff-necked race of old. They'd been Ra's first servants, inhabitants of Tuat-the-world. They were the builders, the craftsmen—the ones who had probably fabricated the StarGate that had brought her and Daniel to this treasure trove.

Setim!" Hathor spat the word, ignoring Daniel Jackson's look of surprise. She knew this stiff-necked race of old. They'd been Ra's first ser...

He turned desperately to O'Neil. "Look, we've been through a lot that could be considered comicbook science fiction. Read my lips. Hathor has gotten her hands on a spaceship that makes the one we're in right now look like a pimple. How big is it? That flying palace Ra used to travel around in was this thing's nose cone. It's full of very high technology from that extinct race whose last survivor was Ra—or half of Ra. There are weapons aboard this mother that could fry Kansas.

He turned desperately to O'Neil. "Look, we've been through a lot that could be considered comicbook science fiction. Read my lips. Hathor ha...