(Guest, I'm glad you liked the costumes.

Mata4, I'm glad you like this universe. I have been wanting to get back to it, but I wasn't sure how exactly. Doing something fun seemed like the best option.

In looking up Mark, I saw that Tom and Tina have canon names. Er. Oops.

Major spoiler warnings for Star Trek: DS9, season 6.)

Chapter 6 - The Party

Selmak offered earplugs to all the Tok'ra.

"Believe me, when the music starts, you'll be wanting these."

The houses that the party was held at all had the same "Happy Halloween - Let's Party!" banner.

Tom put on his costume and rushed downstairs. "Now I'm a Canadian in a costume," he announced.

"What?" A neighbor asked in confusion as Selmak smiled.

Tom shrugged, then ran off.

"He's inspired that I moved to Canada," Selmak answered in Jacob's voice.

"What was he?" Malek asked.

"Captain America. It's a superhero."

"You never heard of Captain America?" The neighbor asked.

"I'm Canadian."

The neighbor frowned.

"We live in a very secluded area," Selmak answered. "No tv. Anywhere. No movie theaters. No internet."

"Why would you move to such a place?"

"Great health benefits."

Malek chuckled.

Meanwhile, Lantash followed Sam out the door. "We're doing what?!"

He was in turn followed by the female Tok'ra dressed as a pirate.

"Trick or treating."

"She's a baby. She just started eating solid foods."

"That's not the point. Besides, it might be the only time she can go with her cousins."

As they approached, Mark realized that either this pirate Tok'ra or the Viking Tok'ra was always near Malika. Did the baby have her own bodyguards?

"I will inspect all the candy," the pirate assured in a serious tone.

Yep. Definitely a bodyguard.

Betty went with while Mark started the barbecue. They skipped the house next door, going to the next one.

"Trick or treat!"

An old man answered the door. "Hello Betty."

"Hello. I made you a plate."

"Thank you. You didn't have to do that." He looked to the children. "Oh. Captain America. I read his comics all the time as a kid. I even made myself the costume. Three years in a row. My mother and I had to adjust it as I grew." He chuckled as he gave them chocolate, then smiled at Tina. "Ariel is my granddaughter's favorite princess too."

"Thank you."

"Thank You."

He stepped out to look at Sam. "You must be Sam. Mark talks a lot about you."

Lantash stepped closer when he grinned and smiled at Malika. The bodyguard also tensed. Malika giggled and reached for him.

"He showed me pictures. They didn't do her justice. I was hoping you would come to my house." He stepped in briefly, then came out with a box of baby teething cookies.

"Thank you," Sam said.

"Oh, just seeing her is thanks enough." He looked to Lantash. "Which branch do you serve?"

"I'm not in the military."

The man grinned. "I was in the army for thirty-six years." He chuckled, but didn't push the subject. "Happy Halloween."

Betty gave him the plate, which was heaping with food, and a bag of cookies.

"We made them," Tina said excitedly.

"I'm sure they taste wonderful then."

After their goodbyes, they went to the next house. Betty noticed that the bodyguard was moving her hand over the cookies and candy, then looking at whatever was in her hand.

"Are you…scanning the candy? We've known him for over ten years."

The woman didn't answer.

After a few more houses, Martouf asked, "It's trick or treating, but everyone has given treats. Where are the tricks?"

"The idea is that you trick someone if they don't give you candy, but no one actually does that."

After another house, it was time let Malika rest.

"I'll take her," the bodyguard offered. She smiled as she gently lifted the baby from Sam. "Come here. Let Auntie Pel take you."

"Thank you."

Lantash and Pel both became alert when they heard screaming. They watched a screaming man chase down some screaming teenagers with a loud motorized

bladed.

"Relax. He does that every year. It's not a real chainsaw," Betty explained.

"I took my friend over last year and didn't tell him," Tom laughed. "He got so scared!"

"That seems mean," Pel said.

"Nah. He was laughing as he was running. Then he went back to be chased again. Being scared is Halloween."

"Without the baby, he's going to chase us on the way back," Betty warned.

"That doesn't sound fun," Lantash replied.

"You could always not run."

"This is a most unusual custom. We might want to warn the others about him," Pel said before leaving.

-x-x-x-x-

Lantash went on the other side of the street to avoid being chased, but it seemed chainsaw man had anticipated that. He ran out from behind a both, screaming and holding up the chainsaw.

Lantash instinctively ran before realizing how foolish that was.

Why are we running? Martouf asked.

What if-

It's made out of plastic.

They were chased for three houses before the man stopped, waving the chainsaw around as he cackled. He then promptly began chasing another victim.

They could see Sam smirking when she approached them.

"You ran."

Lantash brushed his hair back, grinning a bit.

"You had fun."

"A little," he admitted.

Sam smiled. "That's the point."

Amb approached with a small tray of nachos.

"Those do not look healthy," Lantash said.

"No, they are not." He took a bite. "They are tasty though." He offered him a chip with cheese sauce and a jalapeño.

Martouf took control to grab the chip. After taking a bite, he promptly went to make himself a tray.

Sam noticed a few people taking notice of the food sharing.

Was it that unusual? Kela'an asked.

It's not usually something guys do, especially married guys, er, married to other people guys.

I understand, but I hope you understand that not sharing is very unusual for us.

A man dressed as a hot dog approached Amb, who immediately retreated.

I didn't want nachos, Malek thought.

"That is a great costume."

"Thank you."

"You train in martial arts?"

"No?" He frowned.

"Oh. I just thought… I didn't mean to offend you."

"I only know…a few basics in self defense." He gestured to Martouf. "Martouf is much better than I am."

"Really?" His eyes were wide.

Martouf gave Malek a look of annoyance for putting attention on him.

"You are?"

"Why does that surprise you?"

"Well, you did run from a fake chainsaw."

Martouf chuckled. "He surprised me."

He laughed. "Oh, believe me. I run too, and he loves to target me because of my costume. You should see it." He ran in a small circle to make his point.

Martouf grinned.

"Where did you get your wings? I've never seen any wings look like that. They look great."

"I made them-

Oh, now you are taking credit for them, Lantash teased.

"-and most of this costume." He gestured.

"You fight, sew, and cook? Man. You are making the rest of us look bad."

"How did you know I cooked?"

"Mark told us you made the pies, and how you made hash browns for breakfast."

I think he lost interest in us, Malek thought.

Good, let me eat my nachos before they get soggy.

Malek gave him control as he walked away.

Elsewhere, Yosuuf drank punch that Garshaw hated.

I can't even identify most of these ingredients. Even the sugar is fake.

The alcohol is real.

This is the most disgusting thing I have ever had. I am not absorbing that into my body.

More for me then.

A man approached them. "You one of Mark's friends."

"Um…a little. I'm friends with his brother-in-law. Martouf?"

He chuckled. "I saw him running from Billy."

"Billy?"

"The chainsaw guy."

"Oh. Right." She finished her drink, then refilled.

"That's some strong stuff to drink like that. I'm impressed." He chuckled. "Maybe when I was younger, but now that would knock me out for days."

"Oh." She had no idea what to say. Help me.

You drink. You talk, Garshaw teased, but in truth, she didn't know what to say either. Maybe introduce yourself?

Oh. Yes. That would make sense."My name is Yosuuf."

"That's an unusual name. I'm Frederick." He got himself some punch. "So what is Yosuuf?"

"I'm sorry?"

"Where are you from?"

"Canada."

"Oh. So, did you watch the big game?"

"What?"

"Oh. Um. Do you watch The Big Bang Theory?"

"Uh."

"NCIS?"

What is he talking about?

I have no idea. How does one watch a theory?

"Do you watch television?"

"Oh, they're shows. No. I, uh, well, I watched some Star Trek last night. I liked Jadzia."

"Yeah. It's too bad they killed her off."

"She dies?!"

"Oh. Oh, you mean, you just started... I'm so sorry. What season are you in?"

"Autumn?"

"No, I mean the show."

"It's on a space station. They don't have seasons."

He was completely perplexed by that answer.

"What-what happens to Dax?" She asked politely as he kind of stared.

"I don't really want to spoil it for you."

Yosuuf frowned.

"Do you watch anything else?"

"I saw Spartacus."

"What an inspiring ending."

"Most everyone died," she replied with a frown.

"Oh, well, um… Anything else?"

"No."

-x-x-x-x-

Should we rescue her? Selmak asked, seeing that Yosuuf was talking to a man who was trying to make small talk with her.

Nah. She could just walk away.

She's too polite to do that.

Garshaw will take over is she gets uncomfortable.

They watched Yosuuf nod politely, clearly having no idea what he was talking about.

Finally the man gave up and tried talking to the bodyguard near her, but the man quickly brushed him off.

-x-x-x-x-

Aldwin sat by Malek. "Are you enjoying yourself?" He gave him a kiss.

"I've had three people comment that I am really into my role with this costume."

"Then it was perfect!" Aldwin laughed.

"I was trying to be friendly."

"You can be a little…gruff to people you have just met."

Malek sighed.

"Have punch. It will make you friendlier."

"That was just about most disgusting stuff I have ever had."

Aldwin laughed.

"The only thing worse was maggots and rancid food."

A woman nearby gagged. "You ate what?!"

"You probably should not bring that up while people are eating," Aldwin whispered.

"Sorry," Malek said to the woman.

"That could kill you."

"I was already starving to death. It kept me alive."

She frowned, now more sympathetic than disgusted. "That's rough. It's good that you got off the streets."

"What?"

I believe she thinks we were homeless.

"Oh. No. It was… I was in an airplane, and it crashed in…unfriendly territory."

"No one else survived?"

"Martouf and Yosuuf," though it had actually been the symbiotes with other hosts. "We helped each other, and made our way to…friendlier territory."

"Wow," she said as she sat down.

"Yosuuf?" Questioned Frederick. "Her?" He gestured.

"Yes."

"Wow. I didn't know that. Is that how you met?"

"No, we already knew each other."

"It was a private plane," Lantash said as he walked over. "The pilot and other passenger were killed in the crash."

"How far did you have to walk?" Someone asked.

"I have no idea."

"They were missing for almost three years," Aldwin added, getting gasps from the growing crowd.

"Well, we didn't walk that far," Malek added. "It just took fourteen months to get back home once we were safe." He saw a few people roll their eyes, then head to Yosuuf as if to try to prove them wrong. They had no idea that she was close enough to hear everything anyway.

"Did you know Sam then?" Someone asked.

"No, that was before my first marriage," Lantash answered.

The ones who hadn't believed them returned with looks of shock.

"You were married before?"

"Does your ex get along with your new wife?"

"Rosha died," he replied firmly with a frown, clearly offended at the assumption.

This is getting too awkward even for me, Malek thought, getting a real sense of shyness as people whispered and murmured. Someone behind him must been at the bachelor party because he could hear them whispering that Martouf's parents and brothers were also dead. Others to the side were working out that these new strangers must be military.

Why didn't you just let her think we had been homeless?

"There's no way the fairy man went through that," Martouf heard.

"The lady confirmed it. She had the same details."

"Fairy man?" Lantash questioned.

The man who has said it paled. "I…I just meant that you are dressed like a fairy." He chuckled nervously. "I mean…you are."

"He can probably also kick your ass," the hotdog said. "Don't make us look bad." He gestured.

The man looked skeptical.

"You don't recognize Amb?"

"Recognize me?" Malek asked, completely baffled.

"It's why I asked if you knew martial arts," he replied as he took out his phone. He tapped a bit, then showed him a video of Amb taking out two armed would be robbers at the restaurant.

"That's online?" Selmak was alarmed.

People began murmuring, and many pulled out their phones to find the video. Garshaw approached to see what this was about.

"Shit, that is him."

"That can't be him."

"What language is that?"

"Jack?" Sam asked.

"I had no idea."

Mark looked at the video. "No one told me about this."

"You are in It. You didn't know?" The hotdog asked.

"No."

Selmak walked away, gesturing Sam to follow. They went into the house, then into the guest bedroom.

"We have to take that video down."

"We can't. Search it. It's in multiple places."

Selmak watched the video again.

If it disappears, people will be even more suspicious, Jacob thought.

Selmak turned when someone came in the house, but it was only Jack, who closed the door behind him.

"Alright…" Jack paused. "They figure he's military. A lot of them figured that anyway. Hell, his crashed in a private plane story pretty much gave it away. Popular videos come and go."

Jacob was given control. "I don't like my son being on a popular video with a known Tok'ra. The Goa'uld already kidnapped him once."

"Do you really think they watch YouTube?"

"I don't know." Jacob sighed before sitting on the bed.

"Laugh it off and party," Sam said. "Anything else is going to make them suspicious."

Jacob nodded.

To be continued…