A/N: short chapter here, but I wanted to post something. I will try to get the next one out soon - and it will be longer. Somewhat, at least ;)
~And here we are, back in the cell,~ Jack observes, despondently.
~Yes, and since our wounds are long healed, General Hammond will not be able to keep Maybourne away for much longer,~ Jolinar adds. ~I am sorry.~
~Jolinar, I'm not blaming you. Yeah, I mean I wish we weren't in this situation, and I can't say I want to stay your host, but I'm not angry at you anymore. Well, at least not much. You're... a good person. I respect you, and I think... we could be friends.~ He sighed. ~I'm not good at this feeling stuff, as you can tell, I just thought that if we end up in some NID dungeon, then I wanted to tell you know, before they start torturing us or whatnot.~
Jolinar 'hugs' him. ~Thank you! You are a wonderful host, and while I would prefer a female host, I will miss you a lot when I leave you.~
~Right now that doesn't seem like it's going to happen, unless you're thinking of jumping into Maybourne or something. Hey, you could do that, couldn't you? Take him over and let me out?~
Jolinar hesitates. ~Yes... I could potentially do that, though I suspect he will not give me the opportunity to do so. However, I very much do not want to do that. It is against all that my people believe in.~
~Hey, you already took a host against his will! Why not do it again - temporarily - if it is a bad guy and it helps me?~
~it is not such an easy thing to change host, particularly not without killing them. I am weak from having been in three different hosts in one year, and from healing you... and attempting to heal my two previous hosts.~
The door to the cell block opens before Jack can say anything to that. It is Sam, Daniel, and Teal'c.
"Hi, guys!" Jack says, getting up from where he is sitting on the bench.
"Hi, Jack," Daniel says.
"Sir." Sam nods, looking troubled.
"We are not bringing good news, O'Neill," Teal'c says.
"Hey, Teal'c! Good to see you too!" Jack says.
"I am sorry, O'Neill. It is indeed good to see you as well."
"Maybourne is on his way." Sam tells him. "General Hammond couldn't keep him away any longer."
"I see."
"Jack! They're coming to take you away to some NID dungeon!" Daniel exclaims. "They'll be here within a couple of hours!"
"Well it was what we expected, wasn't it? Do you have any idea to help me out of here?" Jack asks.
"We can't get you out of here. There are just too many guards," Sam says, apologetically.
"If there was anything we could do, we would. You know that, Jack," Daniel says.
"I know." He sighs.
~There is.~
~What?~
~One of them could become my host. I can get out through the bars of the cell, and then into someone else. No one would know - if they can disarm the surveillance for a short time.~
~Assuming they'd agree to it - which I doubt - it wouldn't take long before they found out you were not in me.~
~No, that is the idea. When Maybourne and the rest of the NID learns I am no longer inside you, they will let you go, will they not?~
~They would probably examine me for a while, but yeah, they would let me go, after a while. Yes.~ Jack could begin to see her plan. ~But what about whomever you jump into?~
~They... would have to escape, before anyone found out. Preferably through the Stargate and to the Tok'ra. Then, in time, another host could be found for me and they could return here.~
~So it would be quite a long term commitment. Not just something you ask of anyone.~ Jack sighs. ~But we don't have a choice. I'll ask.~
"Jack?" Daniel wonders. "We are talking to you."
"Sorry, I wasn't listening. I was talking to Jolinar. She... may have a plan."
"A plan?" Sam asks. "What is it."
"You're not going to like it - and it requires that you trust me. And her. A lot!" He began to explain.
