(Stoko, thank you, and here is more. Lalene Brooks, thank you. It's always need to see what people think as they read the story. ISHA, thanks.)
Part 4, Another Deception
--Lantash--
I glance to Samantha. "Might as well show them we are here."
She looks worried for me. It's very subtle. "Are you sure?"
"We can't move without them noticing, and if they move much closer, which they will, they'll be able to sense some of us." Besides, we all know O'Neill is going to try to contact us in twenty minutes. Due to the broken dialing devise, the Tok'ra are going to be here longer than that.
"Could you hide, while we approach them?"
"That might work." I felt childish to be hiding from my own people. Actually hiding from them as opposed to just hiding out on earth made me really feel as if I was betraying them.
She glances to Daniel and Teal'c before coming up. They follow, and I stay put.
The Tok'ra quickly move weapons on them, but relax when they see who it is.
--Samantha--
The Tok'ra are familiar as I approach, but I never personally met any of them. "Hello, sorry, but you startled us. We didn't know who was coming through."
"That is understandable," replied one who's symbiote is in control.
When trying to place the name of the man who spoke, I come up with something like Kad. "We seem to have a problem," I say, noticing the second Tok'ra is approaching closer to Lantash. "The DHD isn't working. One of the crystals is missing." I hope that brings the second one back here. "Uh...is it Kad?"
The Tok'ra looks confused for a second, but then realizes I am trying to place his name. "Kaid. My host is Jike. This is Anguis and Barm."
For a second I thought he said "barn," but Jolinar's memories help me realize what he actually said.
Anguis stops, and heads back to the DHD. Thank you.
"Would you two have what is needed to fix it?" Daniel asks.
"We may," Anguis answers as he starts to open up the DHD.
Unfortunately now Kaid decides to wander over near where Lantash is. I am trying to think of something to bring him back. "Kaid, did you want to look at it?" I hope that wasn't obvious.
He returns. "Anguis has better knowledge of how to repair the dialing device." His voice then lowers. "I sense a Goa'uld in the trees. He must have been trapped here before you came."
Now what?
--Lantash--
Right after Kaid lowers his voice I see Anguis close the dialing device, and grab his zat'nikatel. Daniel looks slightly panicked.
I think he sensed you, Narim thinks.
I think he sensed me too.
I back away into the trees. If if must face them, at leastthey will not know I had been hiding. As the two Tok'ra are looking ready to fight, I leave the trees as if I had been standing upright this entire time.
The Tok'ra look very uneasy as I approach. They can sense me, the symbiote, but I am also wearing Tau'ri fatigues. They look more baffled as I come near. "I see we have company," I say, letting them hear the "symbiote voice," and acting as if I just came from walking around the forest.
"Who are you?" Kaid demands.
"Lantash."
"Lantash is dead."
It makes me a bit angry when someone tells me I am dead. "No, I was assumed dead, and captured by a Goa'uld."
"Who captured you?" Anguis asked, who seems to know that it is possible I am who I said I am.
"Zar," I answer with hatred.
Kaid looks a bit surprised. "Selmak rescued his host's daughter and one Tau'ri from one of Zar's prisons."
I gesture to Samantha slightly. "I know." I know they'll assume she told me.
"How did you escape?" Kaid asks.
The question angers me because I don't like talking about this, but I also have no answer. "Narim and I were in that prison for years, suffering each day and night. We barely escaped it alive! I do not have to speak of it!"
Kaid actually takes a step back. "It is you!" He smiles even though I just yelled at him. "Lantash!" His tone is cheerful.
Amazing, a cheerful Tok'ra, Narim thinks.
I'd take offense to that, but his experience before being blended never brought him face to face with a cheerful Tok'ra symbiote.
Anguis' mood goes from suspicious to happy to concerned. "Lantash, we had no idea you were still alive."
"Obviously."
Anguis looks a bit hurt by the response.
Need to change the subject. "Can you fix the Chaapa'ai?"
"I don't know yet. We may have to contact the Tok'ra to get off this planet." He again starts working on the dialing device.
I feel a slight panic in my chest at that idea.
--
I'm not entirely sure how long it's been, but the chaapa'ai is activating again.
"It's probably earth trying to contact us," Samantha tells the other Tok'ra. "They were due to contact us now."
Anguis takes in her words without indicating so. He's absorbed in his work, and by the way his eyes keep flaring, I'd say he isn't having an easy time with it.
Watching the chaapa'ai I wait for O'Neill's voice. Instead someone comes through. Someone with armor. Jaffa! I raise my zat'nikatel, and start firing. The others do the same with their own weapons. Between the guns, staff weapon, and zat'nikatels, the two Jaffa didn't really stand a chance. As the others headed for the trees, the other Tok'ra shoot at the Jaffa again with the zat'nikatels until their bodies are gone. I shoot the M.A.L.P. three times as it is a clear sign the Tau'ri are here. We soon follow the others into the forest.
As we take cover, we see more Jaffa walk through the chaapa'ai. The first few start looking around with quizzical looks, probably wondering what happened to the original first two Jaffa. Thankfully the Jaffa's sense for a near symbiote is not a strong as it is for a Tok'ra.
We continue to retreat under cover, checking the Jaffa. They don't seem to be aware we are there.
That's familiar, Narim thinks.
I stop. What?
The symbol on their foreheads.
Surely you know the symbols of the different Goa'uld due to my memory, I think as I continue.
That is why it caught my attention. It's familiar, but I do not know who it belongs to. He brings up an image of the symbol to my mind.
Hmm, that does look familiar. I stop again, and look at the type of uniform of the Jaffa. Actually....
--Narim--
I think my heart actually stops. Uh, Lantash, that isn't good on a human body. I can feel a combination of fear and anger travel through him. My heart starts pounding, and my palms become sweaty. Lantash?
Zar. They are Jaffa of Zar.
To be continued...