Title: Exploration: Earth, Well, Some Parts of America Anyway
Author: Meushell
Disclaimer: If you recognize it, then it's not mine.
Summary: A Tok'ra mission to learn more about Earth goes wrong.
Rating: PG-13
Parings: Sam/Martouf/Lantash, Malek/Aldwin

Sequel to: Takes place after New Life, Clueless, and A Quiet Mission, but it's not needed to reed the stories to understand this one. The stories don't have to do with each other. They just show how the pairings became paired.

Part 1, The Assignment

Sam walked into in the conference room where George Hammond, Jack O'Neill, and Jacob Carter already sat. She wasn't entirely sure why she was there when Daniel and Teal'c were not. The three men had discussed something before calling her in.

Her father looked over to her. "The Tok'ra have made an official request to the SGC to learn more about Earth. They want to send three Tok'ra, plus myself, to Earth, on the surface, for a week."

Sam's eyebrows raised a little. She hadn't expected that. "They're curious about Earth?"

"They are in an alliance with Earth, well, one government from it. They've risked death and died at times to save it. They also know that all humans originated from Earth. They think it's about time some of their own, other than me, see what it's like."

Sam grinned. "That's great..." She trailed off when she noticed Jack didn't look too happy with the idea. "Isn't it?"

"Yes," George replied. He thought this could only help with the alliance. "And it's your next next assignment."

"Mine?" Sam had assumed her father would be showing them around.

"We're showing them around together," Jacob said. "I'm officially with the Tok'ra on this assignment, and there needs to be someone from the SGC involved." He grinned. "I requested you." He looked more serious. "Aside from the obvious, the Tok'ra..." He glances to Jack, knowing he might be offended by this. "They trust you more than anyone else in Stargate Command."

"Where are we going?"

"Anywhere as long as it's not work related."

Sam quickly thought of all the projects she wanted to work on in the upcoming weeks. "No work?"

"None."

The images of all the projects sadly faded. Sam enjoyed the assignment, but she felt she was the last person to show Tok'ra a nice time on the surface. She wasn't up there much. "Which Tok'ra?"

"Lantash, Malek, and Aldwin. The Tok'ra felt it should be someone you were comfortable with. Also, they volunteered."

"Surprised Anise didn't volunteer," Jack commented.

"She was busy and will be for the few weeks." Jacob shrugged slightly. "Besides, I don't think she and Malek would be eager to share another assignment any time soon." He looked to his daughter. "Ready?"

"When does it start?"

"As soon as everyone is cleared to go up on the surface."

"We'll need to make some form of identification for the other Tok'ra," George informed.

Jacob nodded. "For the first name, use the host's name. Use the symbiote's name for the middle name, and what planet the host is from for the last name." He grabbed a paper and pen and wrote it down. "Martouf Lantash Kiron, Amb Malek Woods, and Gete Aldwin Rire."

Jack frowned. "There is a planet named Woods?"

"That's what the people decided to name their planet." Jacob gave a so-what look. "They have a lot of woods."

"So, his people would be Woodsians?"

"Woodians, actually."

"It doesn't sound familiar." Jack wondered if SGC had found this planet.

Jacob figured what he was thinking. "The SGC hasn't found it yet. Nor have they found Rire." He paused. "By the way, if you do go to Woods I suggest either a team of all one sex or be prepared to be separated. Also, probably shouldn't bring Teal'c."

George was still looking at the names, noting the spelling. "Is there any other information you would like to be created?"

Jacob shook his head. "Make up what you want, and they'll memorize it."

"I'll start it on today. If all goes well, we should be ready in a couple weeks." He started getting up, and the rest followed his lead.

"I'll start planning the week out," Sam added.

"Plan in a birthday celebration." Jacob grinned. "By our calender, Lantash's birthday is three Thursdays from now. He'll be 1,582."

Sam raised her eyebrows. It was the first time she heard his age. Jack was also a bit surprised to hear his age. "That's a lot of candles." They knew the symbiote was over a thousand, but actually hearing it was a bit different than basing it on generalized time periods of how long the Tok'ra have been around.

They spoke a while more before the meeting ended. Jacob went back to the Tok'ra Base afterwards, ready to prepare the three as much as he could for their stay on Earth. First lesson, how to write their Earth names.

To be continued...