(AA, well I could really throw everyone off and break that rule. lol. I won't though. Telboriel, thank you. Here is the greatly anticipated chapter. Tok'ra Crazy Lady, mind if I call you TCL:chuckles: Thanks for the review.

Oh, and today, well yesterday by some times, is my birthday. November 13. :grins:)

Part 7, The Next Step

"Martouf!" It was Tur.

Martouf felt a sense of excitement burst from his heart. Someone was alive!

Lantash looked in the direction the yell came from, and started running over. He gave Martouf control as soon as he came to a stop. "Tur," Martouf said as he hugged his boss. "Your alive. Someone's alive. You are the first person I saw who was alive."

Tur had a huge grin as he returned the hug. "Martouf, we thought you were dead."

"Who else is alive?"

Tur pulled away, and his face seemed to fall. "Jorda, Pekon, and two of the Tok'ra. Jorda, Pekon, and I knew where we could hide. The two Tok'ra fought off the Jaffa who followed. You've seen no one alive?"

Tears started coming again. "I searched most of the town, and then I thought people might have hidden in the cave."

"Yes, that's where we hid. I don't know where else any-your hurt!" Tur saw the dried blood that had previously soaked Martouf's clothes. "Dear goddess, how can you walk!" He started searching for the injury.

"I'm fine, Tur. I've been healed."

Tur frowned in confusion.

I'd like to speak with Selmak and Aldwin, Lantash thought.

"Where are the others?" Martouf asked. "We need to speak with them."

"We?" Tur questioned, but then started heading back to where the cave was.

Saroosh/Selmak was the second person they saw who was alive. Selmak was in control, and frowned at Tur. "Tur, we told you it was still dangerous." Then she looked surprised. "Martouf? I'm glad you are still alive. Have you seen Lantash? She went looking for you."

"Uh..." Martouf wasn't sure how to answer that. He felt guilty about Setta's death. "Well, yeah."

Selmak took this to mean bad news, and did not yet sense that he was now blended.

Aldwin, who had been near Selmak, also took this as bad news. "She is dead?"

"Setta is...I'm sorry."

"And Lantash?" Selmak asked.

Shall I? Lantash asked.

Yes, I have no idea what to say, Martouf thought back as he bowed his head as he had seen Setta and Lantash do when switching.

Lantash took control, and looked back up to the other Tok'ra, who now both looked surprised.

"Lantash?" Selmak questioned.

Tur looked completely shocked. "Martouf?"

Lantash spoke. "Martouf had been hit with a staff weapon while trying to save Setta and myself. Setta's injuries were beyond my ability to heal, but his was not. He agreed to blend so that we may both live."

"I am sorry to hear of Setta's death," Selmak said. "Lantash, we need to search the town for any Jaffa still left. Rorn was injured, and still needs to heal. He can also guard the others. Is your host up to the task?"

Want to go Jaffa hunting? Lantash asked.

You'll be in control for that, Martouf thought back. He knew this was important, though he wished he could just curl up for the next few days, and be left alone.

"He is."

Selmak looked back to where the village was. "If you searched most of the city, then we should check the Chaapa'ai.

Lantash agreed, and allowed Selmak to lead the way. He knew it would be a while before he would see Saroosh in control. She and Setta had been friends since Setta's joining. Saroosh/Selmak had helped Setta a great deal in learning to become a Tok'ra, and he had a feeling they would be helping Martouf now. Lantash hoped he would someday be able to return the favor.

After searching the rest of the city, they headed for the Chaapa'ai, and Lantash took lead. Through Martouf's memories he knew the best way to get there unheard and unseen.

Five Jaffa were guarding the Chaapa'ai.

Lantash looked over the scene, and then glanced to Selmak. Together they started backtracking so they could talk without being heard.

"They probably know we'll come because that is the only way out," Selmak said once the Jaffa were out of hearing range.

Lantash nodded in agreement. "I thought they would have more. It might be an ambush."

"The humans indicated willingness to help fight them," Selmak responded.

"We should wait until Rorn has made a full recovery." He knew the recovery time couldn't take as long as it had for him to heal Martouf.

"I agree."

Without another word they slipped from the forest, and headed back to the cave.

"There are five Jaffa waiting at the Chaapa'ai," Selmak said when she approached Rorn/Aldwin. "However, many more could be hiding in the forest."

As Lantash came closer, he saw the host was in control. "How long until you are fully healed?" It was after he spoke that he realized the other two Tau'ri survivors were there, and had not yet seen him in control of Martouf

Jorda and Pekon both took a step back, and stared. They had accepted their goddess having that voice. They could tolerate new gods who insisted they were not gods speaking like that. But despite it already being explained to them, they could not yet wrap their minds to Martouf suddenly being...this.

Tur was still uneasy about it, but seeing it before, and Martouf himself in control before, he was more willing to accept this new Martouf.

Lantash quickly gave Martouf control, thinking it would be for the best.

Martouf smiled when he saw Jorda and Pekon alive for himself. He started to head to them, but the uneasiness they had for him now made him stop. "Sorry...Lantash did not realize you were there." He felt hurt.

"It is as Aldwin explained," Tur added quickly. "Lantash needed a new host, and that new host is Martouf. He is still the same Martouf. His spirit has not been altered in any form."

"His voice was like that of a god," Pekon said, glancing from Tur to Martouf.

"Lantash was in control then," Tur reminded.

"And we are not gods," Selmak firmly added.

Pekon glanced to Selmak. "Tur said that Martouf was dying, and his life was saved once physically blended with Lantash." He pointed to Martouf. "Do you not think I see the blood on him? No one can survive such an injury. Not even with the best healer tending to them, and yet he walks without a problem. Only gods have that kind of power."

Lantash was already used to be referred to as a god after being blended with Martouf. The first couple hours in Martouf's head were pretty much...

I'm blended with a god.

I'm not a god.

You are healing me like a god.

I'm not a god.

Is Tok'ra another word for god?

No.

What does Tok'ra mean?

"Against Ra"

Is Ra a god?

Lantash still wasn't sure his host was convinced, but that wasn't the issue now.

"In another ten minutes," Rorn said.

"What?" Lantash and Selmak replied. Both of their train of thoughts had gone from the Jaffa to these people thinking they were gods.

Jorda and Pekon jumped back a couple feet when they saw Martouf's eyes glow.

"I will be fully healed in another ten minutes," Rorn responded.

Martouf notice the response of the two humans. Be careful with the eye-glowing, Lantash. Eye-glow means an angry god, and an angry gods means punishment.

Lantash again let Martouf in control so he could explain that the eye-glow was a sign of switching from host to symbiote with the Tok'ra.

Selmak spoke to the humans. "The Jaffa are waiting for us Tok'ra to go through the gate. They know that is our only way out. Once they are sure we are dead, they might leave you, but they might not. They may think all Tok'ra have already been killed, and are watching to Chaapa-...the Ring...to make sure none of you try to escape. You have some options. You three can stay here, find another planet to live on, or live with and eventually become a Tok'ra."

"Us three?" Pekon murmured.

"When blending with Lantash I became Tok'ra," Martouf replied, and realized to be able to hear that, his hearing must be a bit better now he was blended.

"So becoming a Tok'ra means..." Jorda trailed off and looked to Martouf.

"Yes," Selmak replied. "Of course the choice is yours, but we cannot have unblended humans, who have no plan to blend, among us for too long. It would cause risk to us and yourselves."

Martouf bit his lip lightly, feeling a bit like he had abandoned his people.

"We do not know what we will do yet," Tur replied. "However we have discussed certain possibilities, and are willing to fight the remaining Jaffa. Once they are gone, will you allow us the time to decide our future?"

"Yes," Selmak replied.

Tur nodded, and then together the Tok'ra and surviving Tau'ri prepared to fight the remaining Jaffa.

To be continued...

(What do you all think the humans should decide on?)