(Thank you Stoko. Thank you, Whack-man Poop. Thank you, Kallicokatt. Telboriel, thanks, and good luck on your exams. Blue Banrigh, I did consider using Malek instead of Kaid or Anguis, but decided against it for plot reason. Isha, that you will see. ::grins::)

Part 6, Hidden Truths

--Lantash--

It's probably my fault, Narim replies.

Your fault?

Well, you were brave against the Goa'uld, and then you blended with me. Now you are afraid of them.

It is not your fault, Narim. I look up when I hear the sound of soft footsteps. "Samantha." In the dark, I know she cannot see my tears. Any attempt to wide them away would be seen however, so I just sit up a bit more.

Samantha sits down next to him. "Teal'c and Kaid are on watch for now. I plan to take the next shift."

"I will guard with you if Daniel has not already volunteered."

She nods lightly, and I feel her hold my hand. "We'll probably be here a while." Her voice is softer. "Do you want to talk about what is bothering you?"

Narim and I both feel surprised. "What makes you think something is bothering me?"

"You are in the back corner of this cave. You've been more on edge since the Jaffa came." She continues before I respond. "More so than you normally are with Jaffa."

I don't suppose I can just say it was you, I think to my host.

Narim doesn't respond, and I realize how much he blames himself for how I feel.

Narim, I am sorry. It is not your fault. I just do not know what to say to her.

Allow me control then.

I nod my head, and feel Narim take control. He looks to Samantha. "We are both on edge as you say, since realizing who the Jaffa served."

"That's understandable."

"I believe I may be influencing his emotions, though he does not believe so."

It's not your fault, Narim.

I feared Zar before we blended, and now-

I've blended with hosts who feared the Goa'uld, and none of them had influenced me in such a way.

Wanting to explain, Narim pulls back so I have control. "I have been feeling this way before I blended with Narim. He cannot be blamed." I let out a sigh. "I understand that in situations like this, accepting the base of one's...fear, which is Zar, can help I am sure I can pass this, and become as I was." I feel guilty. I should be helping Narim with this, and instead I need to concentrate on myself instead. "We are helping each other."

"That's good."

"Samantha..."

"Yes?"

"As you might have noticed, there has been something I was trying to tell you while we were in prison."

"I noticed. I thought it was how you felt."

"No....I wanted to...apologize..."

"For what?"

I close my eyes briefly. This wasn't easy. I felt as if I was betraying... "I wanted to apologize for Jolinar," I blurt out.

From what I can see of the look on her face, I don't think she knows how to respond. "Lantash..." she finally says, "...there is no need for you to apologize."

"I disagree. She cannot apologize for herself..." I still miss her. "...for obvious reasons..." I'll never stop loving her. "So, someone should apologize for her. Martouf and I should have done this a long time ago...I guess I just...we were in denial about it." I realize how that might sound. "I don't mean we didn't believe you," I add quickly.

I was about to tell you how that sounded, Narim thinks.

I sigh softly. "What I mean is, what is must have been like...that is what we were in denial about. For this I apologize as well. I wish I knew the cause of her actions." I feel somehow that this apology has hurt Samantha and betrayed Jolinar.

--Samantha--

He didn't need to apologize. I can see how hard it was on him. He still loves her. It's an obvious statement, but somehow I didn't fully realize this. He loves both of us on the same time?

He needs a reply. I realize at some point I stopped holding his hand, or did he stop holding mine? He still needs a reply. "Thank you." Well, that was a horrible reply. He just hurt himself to apologize about the actions of his deceased mate of nearly a hundred years, and I say 'thank you?'

"Lantash, you should know, I forgave her a long time ago." I am not entirely sure when I did. I just know at some point when I thought about her, it was no longer accompanied with anger.

I look on his face seems almost of relief, as if he expected another response.

That's when I realize...

I've never been very good at reading people, but with Lantash, thanks to Jolinar, it seems I am beginning to be able to figure him out like I could any math problem. While it may be a bit off subject, I realize exactly why he is now afraid of the Goa'uld. "Lantash-"

"Sam." It's Daniel.

I glance from Daniel to Lantash. "I'll go see what Daniel wants."

Lantash nods, and I regretfully leave him in his corner.

--Narim--

It's been twelve days since we started living in this cave. Lantash and I haven't been able to speak with Samantha alone since he apologized to her. There has been few comments, but we worry what became of Barm and Anguis. Are they captured? Being tortured? Dead? On a more selfish note, what do we do if they don't return?

I was filling canteens by a near river. Kaid was standing watch near me. "We need to find food," I say as I stand. "We have no more rations, and we need to eat."

Kaid looks to me. "I saw some-"

A twig snaps.

Samantha, Teal'c, and Daniel were left in the cave. Who made the twig snap?

Take over, I think to Lantash as I give him control. He is much better than I in stealth, and that is exactly what is needed now. I feel myself crouch down. Lantash quietly stashes the canteens on himself. Leaving them to be found would not be a wise idea. He and Kaid take to bushes.

I realize there is a feel of a near symbiote. We can know where he is then.

That means he also knows where we are, Lantash replies, zat'nikatel in hand.

At least there are two of us, and one of him.

A zat'nikatel shot takes Jike/Kaid out.

Damn.

Lantash bends and grabs the back collar of Kaid's uniform. He drags him away quickly, and under a bush. He takes cover behind a tree, and waits for the sound of steps. We hear none, but instead feel the sense of a symbiote move closer. Lantash times it right, zat'nikatel in hand, moves out, and...

"Selmak?"

Jacob or Selmak lowers his weapon. "Lantash." The voice tells me that Selmak is in control, and he's surprised. "Anguis has been captured. Zar has not been able to figure out of he is telling the truth, or if he is Tok'ra."

"Can we help him?" Lantash asks, and glances to Kaid as he sits up. The news makes him feel guilty...and angry.

"Not now. Zar is not harming him in case he actually is a minor Goa'uld who wants to serve him. Anyone else here?"

I'm sure seeing Lantash here already tells him the answer to that. Lantash gestures in the direction of the cave. "SG-1"

--Selmak--

Worry comes to me when Jacob realizes his daughter is trapped here. I'm not entirely sure if the emotion came from him or me. We both want to see her, and yet we also both know the longer we are here, the more likely we are to be caught. That would put her in danger as well, I remind Jacob.

I know, he thinks regretfully, and asks for control.

I give it to him, and he starts to turn to Lantash. "Have any Jaffa come near?"

"We have not seen any signs of them near this area."

He nods lightly. "Zar doesn't have many Jaffa on the speaking. He suspects Anguis might not be alone, but probably doesn't want to thin out his army in a search. The ship is being built still, and keeping that safe is his priority." Jacob glances back to where we should be. "I need to return. Lantash, tell Sam hello for me, will you?"

Lantash smiles. "I will."

The smile makes us both wonder the status of their current relationship, but that's not important now. Allow me control. As far as Kaid thinks, we just learned Lantash is alive. Kaid would assume Lantash introduced himself while he was unconscious. "Lantash," I say as soon as I have control. "It's good to know you are still alive. Jacob and I regret anything you went through as the result of our assumption."

Lantash responds perfectly. "Thank you, Selmak. It is good to see both you and Jacob again."

I leave them, and head back to the ship.

---Five minutes earlier---

--Kaid--

I feel myself being dragged, and am too weak to respond. I am about to retreat, to strengthen Jike so he may fight, but then realize Lantash is the one dragging.

Were we just shot? Jike asks, a bit surprised to be conscious.

Yes.

I see Lantash take cover, and quietly search for my weapon. As soon as I find it, I see Jacob/Selmak come through.

No, I think. Selmak can't see me, and wouldn't know who Lantash was. I want to sit up, but the pain is still great.

I see Lantash jump out, and then see who he is facing. "Selmak?"

I start to give Jike control so he can explain but for some reason, Selmak lowers his weapon. "Lantash."

What?! No, I must have heard wrong.

How did Selmak know that was Lantash? My host asks, which makes me realize I heard correctly. Selmak looks surprised, but I see there is no doubt in him that he is speaking with Lantash.

"Anguis has been captured," Selmak continues. "Zar has not been able to figure out of he is telling the truth, or if he is Tok'ra."

That's it. Anguis must have told Selmak everything. I make a mental chuckle, completely missing what Lantash just said. Of course Anguis told Selmak about Lantash. He obviously would want Selmak to know everyone who is involved, especially Lantash.

Selmak replies to whatever Lantash said. "Not now. Zar is not harming him in case he actually is a minor Goa'uld who wants to serve him. Anyone else here?"

"SG-1."

Selmak looks worried.

I'm confused. Why wouldn't Anguis tell Selmak about SG-1. He obviously had time to explain Lantash.

I'm less sure about that, Jike says.

You're wrong, Jike. Selmak could not have possibly known Lantash was alive. He's been on earth.

Yes, he's been on earth after his escape from Zar. Selmak helped an escape from Zar.

I feel cold. Lantash never did explain how he escaped from Zar. He completely avoided that question. Lantash hiding from the Tok'ra? Selmak lying to all the Tok'ra about Lantash being alive? Is it possible?

Selmak looks ready to leave, and I focus back on them. "Lantash," he says, "It's good to know you are still alive. Jacob and I regret anything you went through as the result of our assumption."

"Thank you, Selmak. It is good to see both you and Jacob again."

They act just as if they had just met, yet it seems...wrong. Selmak and Lantash are good friends. Their relationship to Samantha, the daughter of Selmak's host, and the last host of Lantash's mate, has made them very good friends. Selmak felt guilty for the way Lantash died. The way they acted just now...the words are perfect, but the emotion behind them is not right.

Unless they already met, Jike thinks.

I feel both disbelief and betrayal. Would they really commit such acts. Would they really betray the Tok'ra like that?

My host is silent.

Anguis. We must learn exactly what Anguis told Selmak.

To be continued...