Disclaimer: The characters used within this are mostly the property of others. I have a few originals, but the vast majority are not original. Everything here is fiction. This is for entertainment only and not for profit.

-=oOo=-

Araiansu - Chapter 17

-=oOo=-

After they had began their journey on the Nozomi, Kasumi asked Ranma and Sam to come to her room.

"What's up?" asked Ranma.

Rommie was there, seemingly looking nervous.

She asked hesitantly, "Have I proven myself to you?"

Ranma said, "Ah heck. This is largely our fault. You sensed our hesitation and doubt didn't you? I'm guessing this has spiraled."

"It has," Kasumi confirmed. "I have done my best, but she needs to hear it from you."

Rommie also nodded, concern and wariness in her expression.

Ranma asked, "Would it help if I was a girl?"

"Huh?" asked Rommie dumbly.

"It might," Kasumi said. "She well remembers you rejecting her as a male, even if that was not your intent."

Ranma nodded. A splash of water later and he transformed. She laid down on the floor before saying, "I am here. Kasumi can come along as well."

"You don't mind?" asked Rommie. "Your wife won't?"

Sam said, "Ranma has my complete trust. I can take her place if you want?"

"No," Rommie said almost too quickly. "I need this."

Sam smiled, and took a seat on the little couch Kasumi kept in her room. She watched as Kasumi laid on Ranma's side, their auras softly twining. She watched when a few moments later Rommie laid down on top of them fading into them. Their aura glowed brilliantly as the three merged into one.

Sam leaned over and raided a bag of snack mix Kasumi had been eating as she sat and waited. They sat like that for over an hour, and then over two before they separated. Rommie stood with a small smile as she held out hands for Ranma and Kasumi. Each took a hand and stood up.

Sam enfolded first Kasumi and then Rommie in a hug before replacing them with Ranma and given her a searing kiss.

"How did I warrant that?" she asked bemused.

"Everyone is good now, isn't it?"

Ranma nodded.

"And you are not engaged to be married or anything?" teased Sam.

"Nope!" Ranma chirped.

Rommie said in a serious tone, "But you promised me that we would make a baby starship together."

Ranma backed up in panic.

Sam rolled her eyes.

Ranma grinned. "Habit," she said. Then more seriously she said, "If you find someone who you believe truly would be happier flying among the stars, well, please don't mention it to them. Talk to us. The replicators are not truly alive, no matter how clever their programming. The stuff Avon uses is not either, and thankfully he is now putting some pretty clear limits on it. You, however are very clearly different. We cannot pretend you are just an AI, because you are not."

Rommie asked, "You would actually approve the creation of a new ship?"

Ranma said, "I would support your position if you had the right candidate. Sam clearly would have her own say, as would the Asgard. That is as far as I can go, which is why I suggested not mentioning the possibility to anyone until a decision was made."

Sam asked curiously, "You truly think this is a good idea?"

"It is not as simple as that. It is about free will and choices. Rommie has that, and she had that when she chose this so long ago."

"I was dying. It was a disease we had no cure for. It wasn't the one that later decimated our people. It was a freak accident at a dig. Something old. They kept my old body in stasis for years until they finally developed a cure."

Sam said, "We can cure a lot now, thanks to the Asgard help."

"I know. I will probably be the last, but just knowing that you trust me enough to consider another means a lot to me. Thank you."

Sam said, "There is another reason that if things turned bad we might have to consider it. Ranma is very good with Liberator's systems and those use the best Asgard interface available, yet Kasumi and Rommie can match you move for move. I've seen the data."

"I know," Ranma said. "But I will not ask anyone to do that, not unless we face a threat that requires such a choice."

"Agreed," Sam added. "Do you need any more ki for your stores?"

"Nah," Rommie said. "Kasumi is stronger than you think."

Sam turned towards Kasumi and really looked at her with all of her senses. "Amazing," she said softly. "She has come so far in strength in so little time."

Kasumi said, "I've done my best, but I hope there will be time for you or the Nox to teach me more. I would greatly like to be able to heal my crew if the situation occurred."

"Of course we will," Sam agreed.

-=oOo=-

George Hammond sat in his new office in Atlantis. He could hardly imagine he was here, let alone that his nieces, their family, Carter's family, Janet and her daughter were all here. So much had changed in so little time.

The electrical motor they had patented he managed to add a small patent fee to before it went live, along with the terms of who could use it, to further discourage propaganda. They couldn't prevent resales, but they could frustrate them. The main thing was to get an income stream so they could support their other endeavors. The motor and battery technology was just the thing. The fee was reasonable, but would still mean the beginning of a revenue stream for them. They failed to get the updated terms on their new solar panel designs, but that was okay.

The panels they had shipped to Mars were all the old designs. It would be several weeks yet before assembly lines could be updated. They were okay for now, particularly with the Asgard designed and constructed dome they created with Atlantis' resources. Some had seriously considered If Mars was worth the effort, when far better worlds were available, though this neglected the inter system gate they had constructed, again with Atlantis' systems and Heimdall's help, thought he original design came from Avon's work. That gate could take massive shipping containers and could be operated nearly continually, unlike the Stargate. The only real limitation was you could basically have only one of those gates active in a solar system at a time. They could eventually setup many of them across the planet and run them in sequence. In short, if Earth ever became uninhabitable, having a backup on another planet in system would be the only way they could save any fraction of humanity. The Stargate, as wonderful as it was, just could not move the same number of people and anything based on a ship was far slower when your goal was moving a lot of people and resources. Mars was so far the only plan B they had, so it wasn't just important. It was essential.

They had considered setting up a similar system of satellites over Earth to modulate the energy from the sun reaching the planet, but after much internal talk had decided not to. The problems from global warming should be solved without such hacks. Such solutions would be far less fragile, and they had already given them several of the key pieces.

The ironic thing was the Air Force had tried to refuse all of their resignations after they came back and saved the Earth, again. It didn't matter. He had work to do here that meant as much or more. He also had his own Stargate here, though they had to use care not to activate it at the same time as the one in Cheyenne. The amusing bit, is this was a newer and better model. It could actually force the older model offline if they needed to. He would, however, miss their dialing ritual, but such was the nature of progress. He would far rather be able to out dial an incoming wormhole.

The real concern was still the liar, oh not the man specifically but the forces of fascism that had raised their ugly head. There was now a terrorist group they were tracking that had claimed Ranma had demonstrated that he was in fact the Anti Christ, because only the Anti Christ could be powerful enough to fight their savior, but with the power of god they would smite the infidels. The liar wasn't even directly involved with them from what he could tell, but he was still a useful idiot. They were raising money and resources from the stupid. Their real purpose based on their own surveillance was to eventually weaken the EDF enough they could steal all the technology and make themselves richer than the dreams of avarice. The EDF had been recording all their key meetings for weeks now. Asgard level technology made that possible. He just hadn't decided on the day when it all would be turned over to different world governments. It would be soon though. The press would also be notified a few days later just to make sure action was taken. It would destroy some of the companies involved, but there was little they could do for that, besides researching their workers and seeing if any of them merited the effort to recruit. Generally, at even the most corrupt company there were many that were honest. You started looking for the long time workers who didn't get promotions then see what they really accomplished. It would take a lot of effort, but they would get the job done.

One of his key accomplishments that Heimdall, Rodney, and others had helped with was the design of a new fighter jet for Atlantis. Thanks to the Asgard ability to auto design simple components the first prototypes looked good and in fact were now being flown. Having ex air force personnel really helped. The fact that they could run rings around anything existing on Earth was, so far, still a secret.

The Atlantis automated manufacturing equipment had been used to make the production equipment for the fighter jet assembly line. This was all installed in buildings on the new land they had build up outside of Atlantis. The new jets when ready would insure that Atlantis and its surrounding land was defended, even if the space ships were unavailable. Sooner or later the fact that they had the ability to spank any country on the planet was going to, well, again cause a problem.

It was necessary to be able to defend the planet, but they also had to make sure they could defend themselves and of course keep anyone stupid from making off with technology that would potentially kill off some large amount of the human race. He had been about to retire when he took the Cheyenne job, but it seemed that retirement wasn't in the cards for him. Still, what a job. He couldn't ask for more.

He was surprised when Teal'c came through his office door. "What can I do for you Teal'c?"

"You have made great strides in defeating the Goa'uld, yet my people remain slaves."

"I really am sorry about that Teal'c. During the last invasion I know we listened for calls of surrender or renouncing false gods. They were wary about asking for it, since they had a lot of headaches to attend to at the time and even if people surrendered there was a good chance they would have ended up guinea pigs in some NID lab.

"I am aware of this, and do not disagree. It may have even been too kind to let them leave. I am aware that the system lords are infuriated at our victory, but concerned that they may not currently have the ability to end us."

"Just what is it you want to do?"

"I wish to be placed on any relevant missions."

"I'd have done that anyway, or at least highly suggested it."

A chime sounded. On his monitor Reverend Alverez appeared. He said, "They may have uncovered a frozen Lantean in Antartica. They think she may be alive."

"I'm on it. Hammond out."

"Hammond to Liberator."

"Jack here. What's new?"

"The good reverend just told us that they have, somehow, found a possible Lantean in Antartica frozen that may be alive."

The radio went silent for about thirty seconds. Then Jack responded. "We have her. We think she may have the virus that killed them. Either way, we will handle it."

"Understood. Hammond out."

-=oOo=-

Jack said, "Contact Heimdall. Tell him that we need his wisdom here urgently."

Seconds later the Asgard appeared. "What is the problem?"

"In Antarctica they are thawing out someone who may be a Lantean, may be alive, and may be infected with the virus that killed them."

"I request command."

"You have it."

"Ask Teal'c to come aboard. He may be resistant to the disease."

Jack pressed and button and asked, "Teal'c, we could use you up here."

"Bring me aboard."

Teal'c appeared in a flash of light.

Heimdall said, "Teal'c, there is a chance you will be needed to treat a Lantean. I cannot be fully sure your symbiote will protect you, though I believe it will. Are you willing to do this if it is needed?"

"I am."

"Thank you." He then turned to Zen's main terminal. "Zen, configure maximum biohazard protection in the medical bay. Full lock down. Configure transporters for maximum screening of the Alteren virus. Lockout beds two through four from use and redirect all available resources to bio bed one and initiate emergency medical transport of targeted Alteren to bio bed one. This is a priority one command. All lockouts are released. Heal her."

"Confirmed. Transport Complete. Bio bed is in first stage assessment. Preliminary readings suggest disease remains incurable. Theoretical possible alternative treatment database suggests healing by life adept."

"Set course for the Nozomi."

"Course laid in."

"One moment," said Jack.

Heimdall looked at him and frowned.

Jack said, "Zen, send a message to the antarctic base, all our allies, and the president of the United States. Quarantine must be maintained at the base. They have potentially released an extremely lethal virus when they uncovered the frozen woman. Do not break quarantine until we return."

"Message sent."

"Zen engage at maximum speed," Jack said.

"We will rendezvous with the Nozomi in four minutes."

Heimdall said, "You were correct O'neill. Forgive me."

"Nothing to forgive."

"Zen, how far will we be from the new Nox home world when we intercept?"

"The Nozomi has, according to calculations, just arrived at the new Nox home world."

"Convenient," added Jack.

"Indeed."

Dana asked, "Should we contact the Nox?"

"They do not wish signals to be sent to their new location."

Avon said, "Second stage reassessment is beginning. Analysis says we can treat the disease. The transport process removed most of the virus."

Heimdall said, "The virus is engineered to target the Alteran race. In an Alteran it keeps copies of itself in a subspace pocket linked to their core energy. It regularly infects the patient. The treatment will not last. We were not able to save them."

Villa asked, "Is that the same kind of thing we use to store communicators?"

"I believe so." Heimdall said hesitantly.

"How big is the pocket?" asked Avon.

"It should be very small."

Avon said, "Our dad may be able to force the pocket to collapse. That collapse may kill her. If it doesn't, we may be able to heal her."

"What is the odds he can do this?"

"I don't know. I don't even know if he can."

"Liberator is in stationary orbit within teleport range of both the Nozomi and the planet."

Jack asked, "Zen, contact the Nozomi."

Kasumi answered. "Nozomi here. Why are you here?"

"Medical emergency. Is Ranma or Sam aboard?"

"No, they transported down."

"Do you have anything on healing the Alteren disease? We have one onboard."

Rommie said, "You do? Nevermind. Sending over all my research. Understand this is centuries of conjecture. I never had anyone left to save, and I am not a doctor."

Heimdall said, "Your diligence is appreciated, though the Asgard did similar work. I am reviewing your work now and it is, unfortunately, much the same as our own. It has been theorized that Ranma may be able to break the subspace pocket open that contains the seed elements of the disease, though it is extremely hazardous. We do not know if it will work."

"Anything I can do, and I do mean anything. I have plans for my own core where my soul lives. I am willing to fabricate a copy if there is no other way, though I lack some of the materials required."

Heimdall grimaced. He said, "I will consider that if and only if she agrees to it."

"Of course, I would require the same."

Zen said, "We are receiving a request for transport."

"Beam them up," commanded Heimdall.

Lya, Ranma, and Sam appeared.

Lya asked, "What is the situation?"

Heimdall said, "An infected Alteran was found frozen, but alive on Earth. Asgard technology remains unable to heal her. It has been theorized that Ranma may have the skill to undo the subspace pocket that contains the primary viral material, though that doing so may kill her. If she survived we might be able to heal her."

Lya said, "That is troubling. Your solution may possibly work."

Sam asked, "What is the odds Ranma gets infected and we can't cure him?"

Lya said, "That is the problem. Ranma is close enough that he would get a true infection, as would you, or your children. Ranma, for all his skill, is still young for a true adept. I will have to do it. My control may be great enough to avoid an infection. I will try to insure she survives if it is possible to do so."

Heimdall paled. "I had not intended to risk your life."

"It is my choice. What is her status?"

Avon said, "Mostly thawed."

"Then we do not have much time. Ranma, Sam, do you have a room we may prepare in?"

Sam suggested, "Our quarters."

"That will be fine. Heimdall, I need to understand what I can from Ranma. This will take some time. I do not know how long. After that I will make an attempt."

Heimdall bowed.

Lya said, "There is no need my friend. We will save her if she can be saved."

-=oOo=-

Ranma asked, "What do we have to do?" He was surprised when he suddenly changed to a she. "Your work?"

Lya nodded. "I know only vaguely of the skill you mention. We will have to practice it and hope it is enough."

"It is very dangerous," said Sam. "We have trained ourself to the point that it is very unlikely we will ever collapse ours accidentally, but given how badly our previous test went with something very small."

"I know. I understand that much. Will you both trust me to be a part of your bond? This will be deep enough that we will leave part of ourselves behind. I'm sorry, I cannot suggest another solution that would work in the time we have."

Ranma said, "There is much I'm not proud of. Sam knows a lot of it."

Sam said, "I'm the same."

Lya smiled a sad smile. "A long life is seldom one free of regrets. To get the level of control we need in the time we have I can't protect you from any of it. Are you sure you are okay with it?"

"Quite honestly, it seems scary as heck," mused Sam, "But I am willing to do it."

Ranma said, "I won't pretend not to be scared. The only one I've ever really wanted to share on this level with is my wife, but I am willing. I want to try to save her."

"Then let us begin." Lya slipped out of her clothes.

"Your naked," exclaimed Sam.

"Do you really think clothes matter with what we are doing? The contact will help."

"I suppose." Sam too slipped out of her clothes and laid her head carefully on top of Lya's breast.

Ranma was last. She tried not to look, but could only stare in wonder when he finally accidentally caught a glimpse as she carefully laid down with her head resting on Lya's other breast. They quickly started to glow as their auras merged.

Ranma's first thought to the group was, "Sorry about my thoughts."

Lya's thought responded in amusement. "Thank you."

The distinction between one and another began to fall away over the next hour, even as things started to fall out of first Ranma's and then Sam's storage space. First one space then another were collapsed as they knew how to collapse them. Nothing was inside. It worked normally. They collapsed and rebuild storage spaces on Ranma, on Sam, and on Lya. They did this over and over and over again, increasing and decreasing the size of the space before Lya hesitantly allowed a tiny segment of her hair inside the smallest space she could create.

Then, rather than emptying it and unraveling it as they had done, she took their entire combined power, focus, and ability slowly began to unravel it as it was. They saw in semi horror as the weave began to cascade and pushed it away from them. It destroyed Sam's desk and chair, but they were relatively unscathed.

"Everything okay in there?" Jack's voice asked through the coms.

They looked over at the carnage. "We are well. Sam's desk was the only major causality."

"Understood."

They thought, "That was so beautiful. We did it all wrong, but it was beautiful. Again?" They agreed. This time the pocket was tied to Ranma. Like before, the smallest spec of hair from her was used. Then they unwove. It was a blinding move where they spun a ridiculous amount of fine threads of life energy to direct the energy not to this world, but deeper into subspace where it could dissipate harmlessly.

They thought they had got it right, but the outside top of Ranma's leg exploded outward destroying a quarter sized portion of it. They quickly focused and heal the damage. They then focused on trying it on Sam this time. The part that was Ranma resisted, but was soon overruled.

This time they unraveled it without problems. They repeated on Ranma. Again they unwove it without problems. They repeated again on Lya, and again unwove it without problems.

They thought, "It will work, but it is taking our combined ability. Is everyone willing?" It turned out they were. They asked to be beamed into the medical chamber.

-=oOo=-

The young woman was awake and out of the capsule. She said in Alteren, "You should not have come Lya. I am still infected."

Lya replied in Alteren, "We know. They have accepted the risk. Will you join with us Ayiana? We believe we can cure you, but there is not the time to learn this slowly."

"I will."

Ayiana also removed her clothes. Lya laid her head gently over her right breast. Ranma hesitated, but at some prompting from Sam she laid her head over Ayiana's left breast and with all of their encouragement Sam laid very carefully over them all.

"Such wonder," the part that was Ayiana thought.

The first thing they did as a group was to purge all the virus that had entered Ranma, Sam, and Lya's body. They didn't expect this to help much, but it gave them practice targeting the virus. They then targeted all of it they could find in Ayiana's body. It had regrouped and was even now spreading. They seared it out of her body and healed the damage. That left the difficult bit.

It turned out to not be a single subspace pocket but dozens upon dozens. It had tapped into Ayiana's own very developed ki pathways and used those to replicate itself in every possible way. They began to unravel the smallest one, only for two more to be created while they did it, one planting in Ranma and another in Lya.

"It is using our own ability against us," they thought.

The part that was Ranma thought, "Nothing will take our ability from us. I refused to succumb to the Nekoken. I won't … I remember the Nekoken and understand it now. The patterns I did somehow by instinct. That is the key."

"I understand," the part that was Sam thought. "We create the patterns before hand. We don't weave. We execute over and over patterns from the set that dissolve these."

The whole thought. "Agreed. We will remember, identify, and execute. Further we will deny. This is our energy. It shall not use it."

They destroyed pocket after pocket. Every time they saw one close enough they just sent the same pattern that destroyed it before. The virus was winning, but they were getting faster. Their ki spun fine threads out faster and faster, destroying over a dozen at once and utilizing all of their immediately available energy. They kept at that pace. The virus had nothing left to steal. They were using it all. Minute after minute they kept at it till almost an hour later they looked for another pocked, and found none. They looked again and found none. They found countless virus particles in their blood and purged them before healing the damage. They found countless virus particles surrounding them as they expanded their ki and burned it out of existence. They searched. They searched. None found. None found. They looked again for the pockets. None found. Again. None found. It worked? They thought in wonder. "It seems to have. Separate."

Sam used the little energy she had left to carefully move away. The others separated by inches only.

They heard through the intercom, "Are you okay in there?"

Sam said before she passed out, "Tired. Let us sleep."

The others were already out cold.

-=oOo=-

"Remarkable," Heimdall whispered with awe in his voice. "I think they have done it."

Jenna asked, "Is everyone okay?"

"They are just exhausted. They just need rest. I will continue to search for traces of the virus."

Jack said, "I was worried there. When you said it had spread to them..."

"As did I O'Neill, but they are more resourceful than I anticipated."

Jack said, "We should get back to Earth as soon as we can, just in case.."

"They may be needed to heal those back on Earth if it was released. Still, it is extremely unlikely the virus would kill someone from Earth without training as a life adept so quickly. We have time yet."

"If your sure."

"I am."

"Do you know when they will wake up?"

"No, I do not."

-=oOo=-

Ranma nestled into the soft pillow only for it to move. She heard softly, "Ouch," in an odd musical language that she didn't remember knowing. She blinked, but didn't let her heart rate change as she assessed the situation.

She knew this situation, save their was too much flesh. She was somehow in the middle of. "Not going to think it," she thought.

She quickly used all the stealth she knew to carefully try to extract herself.

Sam said, "Just a minute Ranma. I was comfortable."

A familiar voice. Below her in that same musical language she heard, "We probably should get up."

To her right she heard Lya mumble, "Sleep."

Sam carefully crawled off.

Ranma very carefully did the same then turned around.

Ayiana said softly in Japanese, "You did nothing wrong you know. You helped save my life."

Sam said in English, "Ranma had some bad experience with intimacy when he was younger. He is fine with me, but this is probably awkward for him. Heck it is awkward for me."

"He?" Ayiana asked in English.

"He has a curse. Just add water and he becomes a she."

"That is impossible," Ayiana stated with authority.

"Is not," Lya added.

Ranma suddenly became male and suddenly had a very typical reaction.

"Lya!" Ranma screeched.

Lya blinked and suddenly Ranma was female again. "Sorry about that."

Sam asked, "Bridge are we clean? Can you beam in some clothes? Ayiana could use a new set too."

Heimdall said, "You currently read as clean. I'm am as certain as I can be that it is true."

Lya said, "One moment. We will double check." She turned to the others. "Together once more?" She held out her right hand and each of the others clasped hands in the middle of the room. They glowed softly before it expanded to fill every corner of the room and then retract. Their link dissolved.

Lya said, "The room is clean. You can release us."

"We still want clothes," Sam added wistfully.

Copies of their uniforms appeared in the air and fell to the ground. A version was also created for Lya and Ayiana.

Heimdall asked over the com, "Some time soon we need to return to Earth to check on the others that were near Ayiana. I do not want to presume who is coming."

Lya said, "We will beam to the planet shortly so I can explain, and so they can briefly see Ayiana again. There are a few old friends that thought she was lost. After that we will return for the trip to Earth. We need to stay together for a few days to let things fade safely."

"I understand. You may command the ship as needed."

"Thank you dear friend. You and your friends saved the life of one we thought lost. I cannot say enough thanks."

"It was the least we could do after our failure to save them. Most did not truly wish Ascension. Only a fraction of a fraction survived that way."

"My people will send a message to your dimension detailing how we were able to defeat the virus. There is a chance a version of Ayiana exists there as well."

"My thanks."

"We are three of the great four. There can be no debts between us. With the Furlings gone, we are what remain, though I sense that in time the second evolution of humanity may become the fifth."

Heimdall agreed, but added, "Only if they survive."

"Ranma and Samantha aided me greatly to do something truly new, that was beyond the ability of the Nox before this day. This is something to celebrate."

"It truly is," Heimdall agreed, "But duty first."

"Agreed. We will be back soon."

With Lya's unseen command they were transported to the planet. An hour later they were back. Sam said, "Take us back to Earth."

Jenna said, "I'm on it mom."

It turned out that the base was infected, but there was only a dozen people there. Heimdall beamed them to the still locked down infirmary. After he did that he sent a message to the US government which was keeping watch on the facility with armed soldiers.

Heimdall reported, "We were able to heal the young woman though it was a close thing. Ayiana was thought lost so very long ago. We are relieved that to no long be the case. I have beamed up those affected and they will be cured, though will have to remain here for several days until we can verify they are healthy again, and no longer carry the disease. I intend to sterilize the base where Ayiana was found, and the surrounding countryside to insure the disease is eliminated. Please proceed to a minimum safe distance of two miles. That is all."

"That got them moving," noted Avon on the bridge.

"They know our work," quipped Jack.

Fifteen minutes later Jenna announced, "Target zones are clear from what I can tell. Zen, can you confirm?"

"Confirmed."

Heimdall executed his sterilization program. Very little could survive even heavily turned down Asgard Warship plasma cannons. The area was blasted down to the bedrock, as was where Ayiana was found. They also found an old ancient base that Heimdall quietly buried again.

Daniel said, "I was hoping to go explore."

Sam said, "The Asgard transporters can easily penetrate that far, and well, we keep it a secret."

Ayiana said, "I was on duty there. I can help if you need it."

Jack said, "Now that would be appreciated, though I thought you were going back to the Nox home world with Lya."

"I am. Ranma and Sam will always be precious to Lya and myself, but by keeping in pairs the pain is less. It is certainly no hardship to be with Lya."

Ranma started to speak, but then remained quiet. He turned to Sam. She rolled her eyes and turned to Lya and Ayiana. "You are always welcome, and if it gets awkward, well we will work it out."

Lya said, "Thank you Samantha, and if I did not have other ties that called to me, I would probably take you up on that suggestion. I may do so in any event one day. You should know. You both should know. Immortals are quite rare. Even I am technically not one, but you are now like me. If you continue to train and care for your bodies you are unlikely to ever age again. That is the price of what we did. You can undo it of course. Skills perfected can be neglected. I hope you never make that choice, but it is your choice to make."

"I have no idea what to say," Sam said. "I really figured the Stargate program would kill me one day."

"We all thought it would catch up to us one day Sam." added Daniel. "No one is blaming you for getting lucky, if you even see it as luck."

Teal'c said, "If the System Lords find out about this, they will try hard to obtain you as hosts."

Lya laughed. "Symbiotes have on occasion entered curious adult Nox. We try to teach them the error of their ways and if that fails we create a lake they can swim in, never to leave. They cannot control us, no more than they would be able to control the two of you."

Teal'c said. "That is most impressive."

"We know of your struggle Teal'c. I have a bit of information. I do not know if it will help. Selmak, this may concern your people as well."

Jacob bowed. "What is it?" Selmak asked.

"There is a planet called Pangar we discovered in our search for a new home world. We did not study it long, but noted an odd chemical in the natives blood. We believe it was intended to prolong life, though it also created an obvious dependence. We didn't understand all this right away. It was readings from an automated survey ship that we later analyzed. We were debating what to do about it not long before you came."

Selmak asked, "How do the Tok'ra come in?"

"After we analyzed our sensor readings, which I'm sad to say I don't have here, we concluded that it was probably derived from symbiote larvae."

"A Goa'uld queen that is being kept alive to breed symbiotes for some drug?" remarked Selmak skeptically.

"How would this help the Jaffa?" asked Teal'c.

"We considered obtaining a sample of the drug. As it is we would not recommend anyone use it, but with a sample we might be able to refine a version that would remove the need for your larval symbiote."

"You could do this?" asked Teal'c in joy.

"Us, the Asgard, the Tollan, or possibly even the Tok'ra might make the needed changes. We didn't have a complete formula based on our readings, hence why we considered returning.

Heimdall said, "I have the address of their world. This is also approximately the last suspected location of Egeria. That was a very long time ago."

"We must go now," insisted Selmak.

Heimdall noted, "If this is Egeria, she would no doubt need a host. Should we not find someone interested first?"

Daniel said, "We should ask Janet if she is interested in this."

Sam said, "I'm sending her a message now."

Ayiana said, "I do not wish to become a host. I will consider it if there are no others, but I do not wish it."

"Yah, me neither. I mean sure Jolinar and I got off to a bad start and I wish she hadn't have died, and I wouldn't ask her to die, but I don't want it either."

Ranma said, "I don't either. Changing size might kill one or both of us, and well, after the Nekoken the idea of not being in control of my body scares the crap out of me, even if I guess they couldn't take control. I'd probably have a nightmare and end up killing her or something."

Janet appeared in a flash of light. "What is going on?"

They repeated what they knew.

"So you are wondering if I know if I or someone I know might want to be a Tok'ra?"

Sam added, "That and just wanting medical advice if we are undertaking such a mission."

"I don't know..."

Jenna said, "I could do it."

"What?" Jack exclaimed. Your too young. Your just a kid.

"I may only be twenty, but I'm hardly a kid."

Janet said, "You are way too young to make that kind of decision. I'll do it."

Sam let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. So did Ranma.

Sam asked, "Are you sure?."

Janet said, "I have thought about it before. It would help me to help people better. The knowledge they would have would help me in ways I can hardly imagine. If we can be sure this is one of the good ones.."

Jenna said, "Are you sure?"

"Reasonably sure," Janet replied.

Jack said, "Well I still think you are nuts, but as long as your sure, and well Jacob hasn't been so bad."

Selmak admitted, "There are many Tok'ra who would suicide to provide a host for our Queen. Had I mentioned it, that may have been the outcome." He bowed deeply to Janet. "Even if this doesn't turn out as we hope, you have my eternal gratitude for being willing to try. If it does work out, we would have a future again, and not be a dying race."

Jack said, "Well, we might as well get going I guess. Janet if you change your mind, well you do know you can do that, no matter what right?"

"I do."

Jack turned to Lya and Ayiana. "You guys coming?"

"Yes," they said in stereo.

"Heimdall?" he asked.

"I will stay. I can be of some use in Atlantis should there be a problem while you are gone."

"Fair enough. Call us if you need us."

"I will." Heimdall vanished in a flash of light.

-=oOo=-

Author's Note: Remember to vote during elections if you are eligible, and if you do vote for one thing, vote for the most honest candidate. Problems have solutions. Solutions start with accurate information.