(Stoko, thank you. I seem to be losing reviewers. Hopefully it's the holidays, and not my writing.)

Part 11, Byes

--Narim--

While we were sitting, I pull away from the warm arms I had been in. I didn't want to, but someone was coming in the room. Jacob/Selmak enter the room. I'm not sure how, but I know Selmak is the one in control. Samantha and I both stand.

"I wish to speak with Lantash," Selmak says.

"Lantash fell asleep," is my reply. "Do you wish I wake him?"

Selmak moved his hand up lightly, and shook his head. "He has been through a lot lately. Let him rest."

That's good. After healing me so quickly, coming on the ship, the ordeal with Zar, and his emotional confession to Samantha he was exhausted.

"Anguis and Kaid figured out that I already knew Lantash was alive, and rescued him along with Samantha and Pete. I believe they plan to inform the Tok'ra council."

I feel a sense of dread. "I will inform him when he wakes."

"Thank you." Selmak nods his head, and Jacob takes control. "Samantha..." He glances to a part of the room that is far away.

As he and Samantha head to another part of the room, I have a feeling Samantha was given Watch Over Lantash duty,

--Selmak--

"How is Lantash?" Jacob asks.

"Better than he was doing. I've been talking to him, and I think Narim is also helping him."

Jacob and I can see she is worried. "How is Narim?" We worry what Narim might think of his symbiote now.

Seeming to know what I am thinking, she replies, "Narim wasn't exactly happy with Zar to begin with." The statement reminds me that Zar had tortured and killed other Tollans. "They both have a lot of healing to do, but they are helping each other."

Last question. "How are you doing?"

Samantha gives a smile that reminds me of when my previous host, Saroosh, was younger. "I've been helping both of them."

Jacob gives a slightly stern look. "That isn't what I asked." I feel his worry.

"I'm fine, Dad. Just a little tired. I'm worried what will happen to you and Selmak if the Tok'ra council learns the truth."

I should feel more worried about that, shouldn't I? I stand by my decision though. Of course we need as many Tok'ra as we can have now, but Lantash isn't well enough to go on missions. Lantash needs to stay on earth, and as cruel as this may sound I have recently realized the council needs to keep thinking he is dead. Trying to help him when they cannot will hurt him and weaken us.

Might have wanted to mention that to Anguis and Kaid, Jacob thinks.

I mentally shrug, and remind Jacob he should answer to what his daughter just said.

"Don't worry about Selmak and I," he responds. "We'll make our argument. As a whole, they might not agree, but there are a few people who I know would have done the same in our place." Besides that, I already lost some status with the Tok'ra. Once you lose some for saying what you believe in, losing status for doing something you believe in doesn't seem so bad. "This will hurt Lantash more than it will hurt us. They won't force him to return against his will, but they will try to convince him." I hope that doesn't wreck his relationship with the rest of the Tok'ra entirely. Martouf's last actions were to work for the Tau'ri/Tok'ra treaty, in a way dying for it, and we have broken that treaty. Lantash ended up in prison because a poison we assumed a poison we made had killed him. I imagine he is not too happy with the rest of the Tok'ra right now.

Samantha nods, but still looks worried.

Nothing more to say, she returns to Narim, who is now sitting.

---Three days later---

--Selmak--

I stand before the council giving them a report of my mission. "My mission was indeed a success. I have learned who poisoned Zar's worlds."

They seem to perk up with that, and Malek says, "Then we need to infiltrate the ranks of the Goa'uld who has done so, and remove any information he or she has on the poison."

"There is no need," I reply. "Zar poisoned his own worlds." Their expressions don't change much, but I can see that baffled them. "Zar was working for Anubis, and learned it from him. I don't know how Anubis figured it out, but thankfully he was killed before using it. Zar had lost the worlds to Ba'al, and used the poison as sabotage before giving them up. As you know, Zar is dead now, and I destroyed any information he had of the poison."

"How did Zar die?" Malek asks.

"He was dead when I found him, in the interrogation room. It appeared he had been beaten to death." It wasn't technology a lie.

"Perhaps a rebel Jaffa" one of the other council members say.

I see Malek shake his head lightly. "If he was killed by a rebel Jaffa it seems unlikely he would have been beaten to death. There might have been a prisoner that they did not discover. Someone he was questioning, but lost control. Would that be possible?"

"Yes, is it possible it was a prisoner." A really pissed off ex-prisoner.

"Is there anything else?"

"I have nothing to add."

"Very well."

"There is something else," I hear Kaid say. "Rather important."

It takes a great deal of control to not wince. Did he have to pick now to tell on me? Right after I say there is nothing to add?

Malek looks to Kaid. "What do you have to add?"

Kaid steps forward, and his glance tells me he's still angry. I see Anguis move forward as well. "We have figured out-"

"-how to repair the dialing device," Anguis adds quickly.

Kaid and Malek both give him a look that seems to say "Huh?"

Anguis takes a step closer to me and away from Kaid. It's a simple movement to the council, but it is obvious to Kaid, Jacob, and I. He's backing my decision to keep Lantash a secret. Kaid is up against two of us now. Anguis never looked away from the council, "I was able to use the crystal to repair the dialing device. Now we will not have any trouble getting off that planet should we return."

Malek looks slightly confused. I hadn't mentioned it, but it would seem kind of obvious. He turns back to Kaid. "That is what was so important?" I don't think he entirely believes Anguis.

Kaid glances to Anguis, and then looks back to Malek. "Yes."

Malek leans in slightly, and watches Kaid for a moment. Finally he leans back. "Very well."

No longer needed, I head back to my quarters. On the way I realize how tense I was. I am surprised Anguis was the one who stood up for us. He seemed most likely the one to tell the council everything.

Sometimes people surprise you, Jacob thinks.

Oooh, my bed. I sit in it, and close my eyes.

"Selmak." It's Anguis.

I open my eyes and look at him.

He glances behind him, and when confirming there is no one, he approaches closer. "I am still angry. However, I realize I can only imagine what you have been through these past months, though that is not why I did what I did." He sighs softly, and pauses for a moment. His voice softens. "In your place I probably would have done the same. Lantash's needs are more important than the council's wants." He turns away, and walks a few steps. He stops, and turns back. "The next time you see him, please wish him well for me."

"I will. I'm sure he will appreciate your actions."

Anguis smiles a little at this. "Thank you." He walks away.

--Lantash--

The day we returned to earth, I moved to a new temporary home on the surface. The Tok'ra and the Tau'ri had much to discuss involving the new mother ship. In case Anguis and Kaid decided to keep quiet about me, I didn't want to accidentally wreck that by being discovered by a visiting Tok'ra. My new temporary home is actually Samantha's house.

The meetings were good news in general. I learned the council still had no idea I am alive, and the Tok'ra and the Tau'ri finally settled into sharing the ship. I have no idea how that will work out, but since both had equal claim and are stubborn, that was the end agreement.

It's been a few weeks, and tonight I want to briefly forget all that. Instead I have two very important people in mind, my previous hosts. Samantha helped me get permission to have a small funeral service in the gateroom. Despite the place being public, the service itself is private, just Samantha and me.

"I'll start with Elliot." I stand on the ramp in front of the chaapa'ai itself, looking down at the last place on earth he stepped. I kneel down, and place down a picture of him. "I only knew you for a short time, but you saved me more than you realized...my life and my mind. Wherever your spirit is now, I must believe it has reunited with your mind. I thank you for everything you have given me. I apologize for everything you lost as a result. I hope the next life is rewarding."

I gives Narim control so he may speak. He kneels down. "I only really spoke to you once. It was the day you first came to prison. I didn't know what you had been through. I knew it was a lot, but despite that, you had hope. You said that after what you survived so far, there was not any way you couldn't survive longer. You gave a lot of people, including me, a lot of lost hope that day. For that, I thank you."

Narim retreated, and I drop white flowers over Elliot's picture, imitating a burial with flowers on the grave.

I then move in front of the place Martouf was killed. Samantha was able to get a picture of him through old security tapes. I made sure it was a small picture for what I plan, and cut away the background. I wrap the picture in cloth, and set it down in a large, shallow, ceramic dish. "For 104 years we shared everything. You were very young when we blended, but I learned a lot from you. For most, 104 years is a long time, but that limit with you is much too short. Find everyone you lost in your life, and hopefully in thousands of years, I will join you." I smile lightly. "You can finally introduce me to your family then. I hope you are patient."

I give Narim control, and ask him if he wishes to speak. He looks at the wrapped picture for a moment, and then says, "Martouf...we never met that I know of, but...I promise for the next century I'll take care of Lantash for you."

I mentally chuckle to that.

"Uh, Samantha?" Narim looks to her.

She looks a little surprised, and looks down at the wrapped pictured. "Thank you..." She starts whispering.

I temporary dull Narim's hearing so we don't accidentally hear what she is saying to Martouf. I return it when she stops whispering, and then take control. As I start a chant that Martouf made me memorize, I circle the small area thirteen times, which isn't easy since he died next to the ramp. Samantha follows, but is quiet since she did not have time to memorize thirteen verses in a language she never heard of.

Afterwards I set the wrapped picture on fire, and then we hurry out since by Martouf's beliefs, no one is allowed to be there before the fire stops burning, and paper burns very quickly.

I close my eyes briefly, feeling better now that I have officially said goodbye to both of them. Now I really feel like I can start moving on.

(Should I end it here, or end it with Sam and Narim/Lantash's second date? This ending it kind of depressing.
Blue Banrigh, in case you were wondering, Malek being on the council was just for you. lol. I didn't use him instead of Anguis or Kaid because he seems too dedicated to the Tok'ra to lie to the council.)