Please remember, all original characters belong to their players over at the SGC RP on Livejournal.

All italicized lines are thoughts. Bold is the symbiote talking. So, bold AND italics? Symbiote thinking. Got it? Good.

The next morning found Martouf and Lantash having an inner struggle over exactly how nervous to be.

Martouf. For the last time. This. Must. Be. Organized! Martouf continued rummaging in drawers.

I'm glad that's the last time.

Lantash sighed.

Uh ... Lantash? Where ... was Agent Weiss coming here or were we going there?

At that moment, there was a knock on the door. The Tok'ra jumped a little before moving to the door.

"Come in Agent Weiss," he said politely.

"Good morning, Martouf," Shannon said in return. Martouf motioned towards an empty chair.

"Have a seat."

"Thank you," Shannon said and removed a notepad and tape recorder from her bag. She held up the recorder. "Do you mind or would you prefer regular notes?"

"Oh ... well ..." Martouf gave her a sheepish grin. "If you don't mind me stammering a little ..." Shannon smiled disarmingly.

"Not at all." She hit record.

"Uh ...The staff weapon, as you've learned, is the weapon of choice for the –"he coughed " - the Jaffa. It is activated by a trigger apparatus in the handle and powered," he coughed again, "by a charge of liquid naquadah. The head section splits apart on activation into four sections, freeing the barrel mechanism to fire ..." Shannon was quickly sketching a staff weapon in her notebook. She motioned for him to go on.

"Uhm ... the energy of the Naquadah is used to generate plasma energy, which is emitted from the barrel on firing," he continued, "The explosive force of the plasma is released on contact with the target. The - uh - weaknesses of the staff weapon are its bulkiness and lack of maneuverability, and its rudimentary fine targeting ability. Conversely, in the de-activated position with the head section closed, it may also be used as an effective hand-to-hand weapon."

"Interesting," Shannon said. "And one must have Naquadah in their blood to operate it?" Martouf shook his head.

"Not for this one. Staff weapons are totally impartial as to who wields them," he said. "What you're thinking of would be the Goa'uld Ribbon and Ashrak devices. Those are impossible to use unless you are, or have previously been, implanted with a symbiote."

"Sorry." She waved her pencil. "So, all the Tok'ra, Goa'uld... and... who else can use them?"

"Anyone who has previously been a host, like Lieutenant ..." he hesitated when he saw Shannon's head shoot up. "Lieutenant Colonel Carter." Shannon raised her eyebrows.

"Really." She wrote that down. "Anything else you think I should know?" She smiled. "Or might want to know?"

Martouf looked up. His enthusiasm for the interview, if it had been there at all, seemed to have departed in a hurry.

"The details of Colonel Carter's experience are in the records, I believe." Shannon shook her head.

"No, Martouf, I meant about the weapons," she replied. Martouf continued as if she hadn't said anything.

"Please emphasize to your ... superiors that possession by a Goa'uld is not something to take lightly or that is easily reversed," he pleaded. "Others have made that mistake." Shannon shook her head again.

"I'm not concerned with Colonel Carter's...." she stopped, realizing that she didn't know the terminology.

"Blending." It was so quiet that Shannon almost didn't hear him. He sat there a moment, staring at nothing before making a visible effort to recover. "Would you like to move on to the Zat'ni'katels, Agent?"

"Did I say something to upset you, Martouf?" She was genuinely concerned that she had done something to upset the other man.

"No…" he made an inadvertent glance at tape recorder; "It's nothing ..." He started rummaging through the files again. Shannon didn't know it, but another internal conversation was playing out.

Martouf ...

I'm trying.

I know. Just ... breathe?

Shannon had followed the glance towards the recorder and asked, "Would you like me to turn this off?" She snicked it off.

"Martouf..." she wanted to say something to ease the tension that now filled the room. He turned towards her.

"It…" he stopped. "The Tok'ra that took Samantha Carter as a host was Jolinar of Malkshur. She was our mate." Shannon closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them, it was clear she was incredibly sorry for bringing up such a sensitive topic.

"I am sorry. This is obviously painful for you... if you like, we can continue at another time," she offered.

"Jolinar ... sacrificed herself so that Samantha might live," Lantash continued. "There is no need to apologize, Agent Weiss - you could not have realized where –," he gave a wry smile "- even we did not realize where this conversation might take us. However, thank you - we would prefer to continue at another time." Shannon nodded.

"Of course," she said with no intention of EVER following this up. "Just let me know when is good for you." She gathered her things. "And again, I apologize for prying."

"You did not pry, Agent. The subject was merely stumbled upon. Thank you again for your understanding," Lantash said. Shannon left the room.

That was ... unfortunate.

Yes.

Lantash sighed. ... Martouf ...

We haven't thought of her in months, Lantash.

I know. It's called moving on.

I know.

Good God, Shannon thought as she wandered down the hall, how sad. Reaching a decision, she pulled out her cell.