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Cassie held up her arms, laying her head against Teal'c's shoulder once she was secure and watched everything from her new vantage point.
She'd imagined the plane crashing, someone pulling out a gun and shooting at random, and every scenario that she could think of.
So many ways for people to die...
She'd never really paid attention to the news and even when her parents died, she hadn't really seen it herself, just the bodies afterward.
Jack's head exploding...her mother's reaction...all of it...just wouldn't stop playing in her mind and she wanted to hit someone and crawl away at the same time.
Sam dying hadn't really been that hard after she'd gotten used to having her and Janet in one body.
That had been nice, actually, but now...Sam was dead, too.
Jack was in a body, but that was only a matter of time before he was dead again...
Daniel looked over at Janet, knowing most of her attention was on Cassie and how her daughter was coping.
They were all worried, though Jack had found out the hard way that Cassie just wasn't able to accept the body he was now in as him.
Sam at least had gone into Janet, an already familiar and trusted figure.
Arlin was...a stranger and there was nothing to connect to.
Jack stayed a few steps away from Cassie and Janet, both, so Daniel found himself walking beside the young man.
Flashing eyes were still a problem, as well as echoing voices, so both Jolinar and Jack were suppressed.
Jolinar, however, was much happier than Jack, since she imagined him going through all manner of mental tortures that some Tok'ra had learned the hard way were a risk when blending with humans that were very strong in the psychic arts.
Daniel pointing out that she had no way of knowing whether his host was one of these or not had no effect on her game and he'd just resigned himself to seeing Jack suffer in his mind.
She'd already promised to respect his friendship to a point and not do anything that would kill or that was especially grotesque, so he supposed he should be grateful...somehow.
Sam groaned when Janet leaned too close to other people as they walked and all she could do was close her eyes.
As long as she was stuck in her friend, she apparently couldn't go into anyone else.
She'd tried.
Knowing it wouldn't work, she attempted to push herself out by placing her hands on Janet's body and applying pressure, but while they encountered resistance, instead of forcing the rest of her body out, her hands stuck, too.
She literally was bent over now, her knees down and her hands stuck in her best friend.
Sam closed her eyes against the sight of Daniel trying hard not to laugh at the interesting view she now presented him.
Janet saw Lantash first, raising her eyebrows at the way security guards casually eyeballed the nearly flying Tok'ra.
Her mouth curved, involuntarily, when she realized the clueless archaeologist beside her was the target.
She moved side, leaving Daniel wide open to attack on the pretense of checking a small cut on Teal'c's arm.
Daniel was looking at Arlin when he saw the man stare at something, obviously about to bolt.
Turning, his heart leapt into his throat as he was tackled to the ground, words of Goa'uld origin whispering themselves in his ear.
Jolinar translated them before his mind began to try and Daniel barely had time to cover his eyes before she flashed them, taking control.
Arlin stood against the counter, his eyes darting from the tangle on the floor to the staring people, some smiling and some shaking their heads.
Jack was shouting things into his mind and Arlin refused to repeat them aloud.
Finally, another man showed up, pulling the Goa'uld...Tok'ra...off of Daniel.
Jacob.
Jack, impatient with how slowly his host was learning who people were, went silent for a moment, but only a moment.
*Will ya please step up and help Daniel off the ground?*
*I don't think I should get between Lantash and Daniel.*
*He won't plow you.*
*He...plowed...those two men over there. They're still quite angry.*
*Wuss.*
*Maybe so, but I don't have as many scars as even Cassandra has.*
*Oh don't worry. Keep this up and I'll find a way to initiate you into SG-1 properly.*
*I would rather you didn't.*
*Why in the world did you volunteer to be a host if you were so scared.*
*Mish said it would be wonderful, but it hasn't been. All they do is hurt people or try to get powerful. Well, Peri's not that bad, but even she doesn't really think humans and Shifters are equals...except for Eloise, her former host. She loved her...*
*Well...*
"Yes, I'm fine. Thank you, I'm fine."
Jack's thoughts were interrupted by Daniel's un-Tok'ra'd voice. His amusement grew at the way security was now standing between Lantash and Daniel.
"I'm sure it was just a case of mistaken identity. He didn't mean any harm."
"You don't know this man?"
Daniel looked directly into Lantash's eyes and smiled kindly.
"No, I don't. He wasn't trying to hurt me...just got a bit excited."
"Tau'ri! You will pay for this betrayal. He does know me and is my mate."
Daniel froze, his eyes widening at Lantash's declaration as well as the very interested audience.
"I am not your mate."
Suppressing Jolinar took every bit of Daniel's extra energy and it surprised him how much control she now had. He literally had to fight to keep her from flashing everyone in the room. Jacob had slid to the floor beside Teal'c,
his shoulders shaking in disbelieving laughter. Finally, Janet stepped forward.
"Dr. Jackson has a twin brother who, I believe, has mentioned a Lantash Martoo a couple times. Perhaps that's who you thought this was."
"Ma'am, you know this man?"
"I vaguely remember meeting him, but that was a while ago. He was quite rude, actually, but I'm sure that was simply because he had bigger toys than I did."
Teal'c raised an amused eyebrow stepping forward.
"Release him. He caused no harm. I will watch him."
"Fine, but if you don't mind, we'll accompany you and your party through the airport and make sure you all get out of here...safely."
"As you wish."
Smirking, Jacob stood and stayed well away from a simmering, but quiet Lantash. He had no idea what kind of
conversation Martouf was having with him, but he'd've given anything to listen in.
*You should not enjoy Lantash's humiliation and I assume Dr. Fraiser's comment was a direct reference to the patronizing you've been pointing out to me.*
*Yup, it is and yes, I should be enjoying Lantash's humiliation. I explained to him, Daniel explained to him, but he and Jolinar still think they can throw the rules to the wind when it comes to each other. They haven't changed a bit. I'm surprised Martouf didn't make more of an effort to control him.*
*When can Lantash ever be controlled? You heard Garshaw censor him for destroying many rooms of the tunnels and it was not until Martouf promised to listen to Samantha's tale of exactly how Jolinar had died that he was released.*
*I know. Sam said she had no clue when they were walking that Lantash was that enraged or in that much pain. If anything, she said he was calmer than Martouf and actually only took over when Martouf choked up.*
*Perhaps we...*
*Not while you're in my body, you won't. You may be the oldest, but Garshaw is still the most powerful in our cell. If anyone's going to ask Lantash anything personal like that, it'll be her. She's the only one who can stand going nose to nose with him when he's in a temper.*
*That should change if we can convince Dr. Jackson to accompany us.*
*I don't think now's the time to present the option. Lantash and Jolinar will both need to cool down before Daniel and Martouf can talk about it.*
Lantash glared openly, his ire rising with his host's amusement.
*We must find a way to remove Jolinar from him. We will take him to Coraton and trade some of the newer weapons to them in exchange for their advanced mental image displays. A mind as powerful as Jolinar's must leave some trace in him. We will then discard his broken body over the singing cliff and listen to the winds as it hits each and every ledge before spraying it's shattered bones across the ground, far, far below. Do you have nothing to say to this?*
*No. I believe you have said enough. I will wait until my words calm instead of anger.*
*You believe I acted wrongly. The Tau'ri are fools. Did you see the look in Jolinar's eyes before Daniel suppressed her so cruelly. She was so happy for a moment and then he took that away. He will pay. As soon as I can take her out of him, he will pay.*
Martouf had stopped listening, his amusement turning to boredom. When the group paused at the baggage claim, he took advantage of Lantash's violent mental distraction. Turning to Daniel, he smiled.
"Lantash is plotting your doom."
Daniel smiled back.
"Jolinar is plotting my doom, too. Wanna help me nail Selmac and see if I can get the Tok'ra to put a price on my head, too?"
Martouf's eyes twinkled.
"I will endeavor to protect you from my symbiote. Yours, however, happens to have a temper to match that of Lantash's and will be loud for quite some time."
"I've noticed this. She's not even listening to me. Too busy ranting."
"Lantash is the same."
Daniel cocked his head and turned to Arlin, a slyness entering his gaze.
"I bet Jack's doing the same thing."
Arlin blushed a bit, nodding.
"I knew it. He's simply found the body he should've been born in. He's loud, obnoxious, and...loud. Definitely fitting my description of a Tok'ra at the moment."
Arlin's eyes widened and he threw up a hand to cover the flash just in time. Jack stepped forward thawapping Daniel's shoulder hard enough two young girls glared at him before smiling sweetly
at Daniel and giggling a bit when Daniel smiled back and moved so they could get through. Martouf turned a thoughtful gaze on Daniel.
"Why do you taunt him?"
Daniel looked at Jack before leaning over to Martouf. With dramatic flourish, his stage whisper brought a slight smile to Janet's
face and a grin to Jacob's.
"Because he can't yell at me right now. See? He's turning red with the effort to keep quiet."
Martouf turned to look, smiling when, indeed, Jack's cheeks did turn pink. Daniel lifted Janet and Amber's suitcase onto the dolly, staying near Martouf so he could tease Jolinar about not
appreciating how close she was later on when she stopped pounding his mind with every Goa'uld curse as well as all of the variants born of new and modern dialects. The trip to the SGC was just going to be so much fun...
* * * * * * Syla looked down at the floor...a long way down... The Gate was cold and uncomfortable, but short of shimmying down the side and hoping no one tried to come through, she was stuck on top of the Stargate. The hard
grains of the rock beneath her skin were actually quite calming and she knew GoldenBird wouldn't let her fall. The fact that besides the Major, who had relieved Greg to go meet with Gen. Hammond, was the only man in the Gate room
or the control room since schedules had been sweetly changed to protect her modesty...what was left of it...was reassuring, if embarrassing.
* * * * * *
*Your plan will not succeed. Your brother will die as will my son.*
Shae'ris casually ran
a finger down her brother's nose, gratefully enjoying the moments he slept. It had hurt her greatly to fire upon him, but the zatnikitel blast would not last long. Her hand left his face and pushed the glyphs dredged from
Amaunet's memory to open the gateway to the forbidden world. The Asgard world...from which no Goa'uld or Jaffa returned...until Heru'hur.
*Perhaps he will die, but I know Skaara's heart. He would rather die than let your demon child rule him and hurt others.*
*Heru'hur did not log his goal with the System Lords. He may have been lying when he mentioned this world. Undoubtedly your brother will die.*
*If he does not die here, and I find that Klorel still rules him, then I will kill him myself in order to free Skaara's strong, sweet spirit from its torment.*
The Chaapa'ai burst forward and for a moment, Shae'ris imagined the center was a deformed hand, reaching toward her to draw her to safety.
*That is why we will win. We have no use for false thoughts. Our lives are impressive enough without pretending more is there.*
*You are wrong. We will prevail. Daniel taught me to take moments each day, simply sit, and think of what might be, what could be, and what could not be. He said that it was sign of truly advanced individuals to be able to see what is not yet here. They are the ones who create the things you take and use because you are unable to imagine and create for yourselves.*
*The universe provides workers for us. We simply glean what the workers make. Your thoughts are mine. The world you stand on...is mine.*
*I was wrong, demon. You can imagine.*
*Heru'hur is coming here. He will know Apophis was betrayed.*
*Yes...but he will not know why, how, or by whom.*
*You cannot do this.*
*Yes. I can...I already have. I can do anything now.*
Shae'ris lifted her brother awkwardly, her good arm trembling from carrying most of
the weight, practically shoving him through the Chaapa'ai's mouth to an unknowable fate. If the tales were true, that a Goa'uld would die on this world without the host dying as well.. She would not be able to enjoy the same
freedom, but she could free her brother and others like him. Daniel was beyond her reach, for now, but she would use her demon and she would earn her place among the pure after death. He would give his love freely, always
forgiving her, but the thought of being with him and not having anything to give back and make him proud...was unacceptable. Shae'ris, grateful for her demon's preoccupation with the fate of her kind, picked up the zatnikitel.
Time to begin proving herself. Heru'hur would be first. * * * * * *
Story, graphics, and extra characters are © 1999-2000 StoneGarnets/Garnet Hyneman. Guestbook by Xoom. SG-1 and established canon characters are © MGM, etc...This is a non-profit fansite.
