(Thank you, My blue rose and Roeskva for the reviews. I apologize for the late update.)

Part 3, The Truth

--Now (Well, fifty years later to them)--

Martouf had gone to wake up Malek, but his friend wasn't in his room. He walked to another hall and entered Aldwin's quarters. He knocked on the doorway when he found them asleep. "Malek."

Malek stirred before sitting up and looked at Martouf with half closed eyes. "What?"

"You asked me to wake you today."

Malek frowned as he tried to remember this. "Did I?"

Martouf walked closer, speaking quietly since Aldwin and Gete were still asleep. For all he knew, Malek's host, Amb, was also asleep. "You told me to wake you up on the day SG-1 is to come. They are coming."

Malek edged out of the bed and started getting dressed. Martouf disappeared, and when Malek left, he found him again down the hall. They started walking. "I wish I could stay longer with Aldwin instead of greeting SG-1."

"They are your friends."

"No, Samantha is my friend. Daniel and Teal'c are just...there."

Martouf made a brief nod as he came to a stop. They were in the hall where SG-1 would be ringing down to. "How is Amb?"

"He's trying to go back to sleep." Malek smiled when SG-1 rang down.

"Samantha," Martouf said as he moved forward. It felt good to be able to greet her with a kiss. He saw Malek already leading everyone away, and he followed.

"Dangerous mission?" Sam asked.

"It could be. We don't know anything of the Goa'uld involved. We never saw or heard of them again. The Tok'ra believes they were killed by the System Lords, which means the artifact is ours. Given that it might be important, the high council felt you would be interested."

"I remember the attack...vaguely... They were Goa'uld, but you couldn't sense them."

"As you realize, there are drugs that can be taken to prevent yourself from being sensed. They are usually used by Ashrak. They use it to hide, but the drawback is they can't sense other symbiotes either." They moved to the meeting room, many of the basics had already been explained on another day. "We'll bring the artifact to an outpost to be translated. We've already taken images of the place."

"Who translated before?" Daniel asked. "He always enjoyed meeting another person who could decipher old languages...if they knew what they were doing."

Martouf frowned slightly as he turned to him. "Rosha. The language was similar to her native language. She was able to read most of it." He glanced down as pain entered his eyes. "She and Jolinar had been looking forward to returning. Everyone originally involved on the mission was supposed to return." He shook his head slightly and sat down. "Yosuuf will be translating. She and Rosha were from the same planet. The city-states they were from are different in many ways, but they share a few things in common, and language is one of them."

With Garshaw involved, Sam imagined the outpost must be guarded pretty well. "Is Aldwin coming?" She remembered him being on the mission.

"I'm coming," Aldwin replied as he walked into the room. He looked around. "Where's Anise?"

"She's gathering books," Martouf said as he looked to Daniel. "Like you." He saw Daniel had an extra bag for books. "I'm sure Yosuuf will be pleased to know how well her translations are trusted."

Daniel looked nervous. "I didn't know if you had anyone. I didn't mean it as an insult." He felt nervous at the idea of Garshaw thinking he thought little of her host. "I always bring books for this kind of mission. I-"

"It's all right, Daniel," Malek interrupted. "Martouf was teasing you."

Daniel couldn't imagine Martouf teasing someone, and yet it seemed, the man just had.

"Besides," Malek continued, "Yosuuf will not see the artifact until we bring it to her. We'll need translations on the planet."

Anise came running up to the group with her own books. She slowed when she neared and looked over the group. "Are we ready?" she asked calmly.

Malek took lead. The rest followed. As always, the trip from the base to the gate required a bit of walking. He dialed the address and they went through.

Sam looked around as soon as she stepped through. Jack hadn't liked that they didn't come here directly. They had been given the address, and they checked it out earlier, but he felt more sure they arrived when he saw them step through himself. Daniel pointed out that it was safer to come with the Tok'ra anyway.

They arrived at the building and quickly found the artifact. A couple Tok'ra scientists were already there. So was Vorran, who was guarding over them. "The power is going to give out soon," one scientist replied. "I estimate it'll be about an hour. You made good timing."

"Until then, we need to learn what we can," Anise replied. Like before, this was her mission. As she and Daniel took out their books, Malek started running what scans he could. Everyone else set up guard. The two scientists left after giving the new group their findings.

Sam looked around as she remembered Jolinar's version of what happened. She remembered wondering where the others were after returning. She remembered feeling shot and knowing she was going to lost conscious. She felt Jolinar's concern for everyone at the time, and she remembered waking up very confused. Samantha closed her eyes and shook her head. She looked up when she felt someone touch her shoulder. "Martouf."

"Which part are you remembering?"

"Being shot." As she answered she remember Jolinar going through Rosha's memories to learn what happened. Those memories were vague, but Lantash's concern stood out. The symbiote had a tender side to him that Jack would probably never believe.

"I'll do my best to assure there is no shooting today," Martouf replied. He sounded assured to anyone who didn't know really him. To Samantha though, the worry in his voice was clear. She wondered if he knew she heard it.

"I promise to keep you from getting shot if you promise to keep me from being shot."

"It's a deal then," Martouf replied. He made a slight nod before learning over and giving her a small kiss. He then moved to guard the place. Sam found another place to guard from.

Time passed slowly, which was a good thing in that it meant they weren't being attacked. Looking outward, Sam felt someone approaching from behind her. She looked and was a bit surprised to see it was Vorran. There was something about him that was familiar, but she couldn't place what it was.

"Hello," he said.

She made a slight nod.. "Did we meet before?"

"Several months ago you came to the Tok'ra..." he trailed off when he saw her shaking her head. "Before then?"

"Yeah."

"I was on the base where you first met the Tok'ra."

"That's probably it."

"I am not entirely sure why you were invited on this mission," he said, changing the subject. "You weren't there when we first found the artifact."

"You'd have to talk to your high council about it." Sam frowned slightly.

"I will. I'd have argued against it if I was on the high council."

Sam nodded as her frown left. "Uh, well, I'm going to..." She pointed to her post, wanting to guard. She watched him nod and leave.

After ten more minutes passed, the force field went down. Everyone was on high alert as the artifact was removed. They left the area and headed to the stargate. Anise dialed to an outpost and they went through. After another walk, they went into the tunnels. An open area had been set up for the artifact. It was the largest room of crystals that SG-1 had seen. Within the room were several guards and Garshaw.

Now that she thought about it, Sam realized that many of the Tok'ra they had passed through the tunnels were in security or had been in the past. "I see you aren't taking any chances."

Garshaw stood up. "We don't know what became of the Goa'uld who attacked us, but we do believe they intended on returning for the device. Given that we haven't seen them...that worries us."

"I thought you believed the System Lords got them?"

"That is the preferred option." She looked to the device as it was set down. "Your father is coming soon." She made a brief nod, and the expression became more Yosuuf. She quickly found the word that Rosha had trouble with before. "Power or light or fire. It could be any of those."

"It's power," said a voice that was much too familiar to Lantash's ears.

Despite the number of guards, there's a distinct problem with trying to shoot at someone you can't see. After a few shots and seeing the bullets had to have hit them, Sam realized they must have some type of armor or shielding.

Martouf realized the same thing. He put his zatnikatel away and grabbed the staff weapon of what he hoped was an unconscious Tok'ra. He aimed where zatnikatel fire was coming from. He listened for the sounds of movement and took another shot. He felt a small amount of victory when he heard a thud. Figuring where the person fell, he kept shooting. Suddenly he felt his body stiffen as painful electricity moved through him. He felt like a failure as he fell.

--

Jacob knew something was wrong when he arrived at the outpost. He found the rings, but sensed no guarding Tok'ra around them. With worry, he took out his weapon before activating the rings. He heard Selmak make a sound of alarm as they they saw Tok'ra on the ground. His heart pounded as he made his way to the nearest one. Keeping alert to his surroundings, he moved his fingers on the neck of the host. He felt relieved to feel the thump of a pulse. His hands then moved to the back of the neck where he squeezed. It was common to check on a symbiote this way. The symbiote was to move when it felt itself being squeezed to let the one checking know that it was all right.

No movement, Jacob thought.

If the host is alive, the symbiote is probably just unconscious.

Jacob stood up. Hopefully. He headed down the tunnels, knowing where the artifact had been taken. He slowed down towards the end, hearing movement. There was a forcefield at the end, which he figured was put there by whoever the attacker was.

He saw the one who fit Lahtin's description kneeling over Martouf. Lahtin moved stiffly, clearing in pain. A number of burn marks indicated he had been hit by a staff weapon several times.

"Let me help you," Kelila said, having a healing device in her hand.

"I can heal myself."

"Please."

"They need to be moved," Lahtin replied, changing the subject. He touched Martouf's hair lightly. "He's a good fighter."

The staff weapon near Martouf made Jacob wonder if Martouf was the one who shot him.

Am I hearing things, or did he almost sound proud? Selmak thought.

"He nearly killed you," Kelila said.

"Because he's a good fighter. Help me up." Lahtin took Kelila's hand and stood up on shaky legs. He then moved to Samantha.

Stay away from her! Jacob thought.

He watched Lahtin kneel down, though falling part of the way. Lahtin took her hand while Jacob imagined shooting him again.

If the staff weapon didn't kill him, I don't think our zat will do anything, Selmak thought. We need to contact the Tok'ra.

Jacob continued to glare as Lahtin kissed Sam's forehead. I'm going to kill him.

Kill him later. Right now-

"Who are you?" demanded a now wake Garshaw.

She's alive! thought a relieved Selmak.

How did she wake up before the others, Jacob asked, knowing the others would have protected her. She should have been one of the last to be shot.

Maybe it's not just the zatnikatel fire that's keeping them unconscious.

Lahtin turned to the council member. "We are moving you to another planet."

"Why?"

"The artifact must be kept safe, and it's my job to keep it safe."

"You're a Goa'uld. You expect me to believe you are simply keeping it safe?"

"I'm being nice about it."

"You shot everyone."

"I'm allowing Selmak to stay conscious."

Why do I have a feeling that we have been captured, Selmak thought.

Jacob turned around to see that a forcefield was now behind them. When did that get there?!

Lahtin walked over with his zatnikatel. "Put your weapon down."

"You can barely walk," Jacob replied as Selmak told him to put the weapon.

"I don't need to walk to shoot you."

I want to stay conscious, Selmak thought.

Jacob held a grimace as he set his weapon down. He walked out when the forcefield was put down and looked to Garshaw. "Are you all right?"

She nodded.

"I'm sure you heard of my friend," Lahtin said in a tone that made it clear that he was referring to his enemy. "He wants the artifact for himself."

"And you want it for yourself," Jacob finished.

"I'm taking the artifact."

"If that's all it is, then why are you taking us?" Garshaw asked.

"No more questions," Lahtin replied as he moved away. "Kalila." He gestured.

The female moved over to Martouf and picked him up. She left. Soon the one called Malin came in, picked up Aldwin, and left.

"This is going to take a while," Jacob said.

"Well, they had planned on me helping but..." Lahtin gestured to his injuries.

Jacob frowned. "You say that as if you knew you were going to be injured."

"Martouf's a good shot."

Jacob kept frowning. The expression sounded a bit Earthy. "You knew he was going to shoot you?"

"I figured someone would."

It was quiet again, and one by one, they were taken out until it was the three of them. "Your turn to go," Lahtin said. He was leaning against the wall, not able to heal very well when moving around.

"And if we don't go?" Garshaw asked.

"You will." Lahtin pulled out a device and pointed it to the wall. The wall started moving forward the same way it would if the Tok'ra had collapsed it.

How did he know how to do that? Selmak asked.

Lahtin gestured. "Now we go."

Jacob looked to Garshaw, and they nodded briefly to each other. They started walking ahead of Lahtin. With small glances and hidden gestures, they communicated. When they came around a corner, they moved together. Garshaw moved down and swung her hand around to hit the back of Lahtin's knee. Jacob had moved to the side and delivered a blow to the man's face.

Lahtin gasped in pain as he fell back, and it didn't help when Jacob knelt on him. Jacob pulled a knife from his pocket and held it to Lahtin's throat. "Don't move."

Thank Martouf for the knife, Selmak thought briefly. The other Tok'ra had given it to him.

"Who are you, and where are you taking us?"

Garshaw knelt down as she took out her own knife. "How did you find us? How did you get in here?"

"The tunnel is collapsing," Lahtin replied.

"Then answer quickly," Jacob replied.

"The artifact is powerful. He wants to use it for a weapon. I am not going to let him get it."

"The other Goa'uld?" Jacob asked. "Why do you want it?"

"To destroy it."

"Doubtful."

"I'm not a Goa'uld."

"You sound like one."

"I'm Tok'ra."

Jacob smiled to that ridiculous idea. "What?"

Lahtin grimaced in pain as Jacob leaned weight on an injury. "I couldn't risk him getting the device." He looked up to Garshaw. "I didn't have to find you. I already knew where you'd be. I knew it before you knew it."

"How?" she asked.

"I told you-"

"You're a Tok'ra, yet you attacked us. I also don't recognize your host." She pressed the flat of the knife against an injury. "Who ordered you to attack us?"

"You did."

"What?!"

"In the future."

She moved her knife away from him. "The future?"

"He came into the past to steal the artifact. You ordered me to stop him."

Her eyes narrowed. "Who are you?"

He sighed. "Lantash."

to be continued...