(Wow. Wrote this 18 years ago.
Since I wrote this, I sort of retconned my own work with other works. Does that term apply to fan fiction? I don't know.
Anyway, I want a story that fits in with the other stories whether they are read or not.
So…chapters 1 - 3 do fit. Chapters 4 - 8 are in their own little universe. I am going to reuse most of chapter 4, then take it from there. If you want to scroll down, I marked where the new stuff starts.)
Part 4, An Alternate Ending - Hiding
"Ack!"
Jolinar's waking was a bit sudden. What is it?
What's that awful taste?
Jolinar's worries of what caused Rosha's reaction ceased. Medicine. Go back to sleep. Her thoughts were slow.
Not tired.
Very well. Don't wake me again. Jolinar didn't really finish the thought as she fell asleep beforehand.
Rosha easily figured out what her symbiote planned to say. She frowned slightly, wondering what building she was in, and why she was laying on a cushy floor. She discovered her foot was wrapped, and wondered if she was in some type of medical building.
She yawned slightly, deciding to take Jolinar's advice and go back to sleep. Rosha moved carefully to lie on her side, and puffed up her pillow. She fell back asleep.
x-x-x
"Martash."
For a second Rosha thought someone was calling Martouf, but realized that wasn't the case, and started drifting back to sleep.
Wake up, he's calling you.
"Jolinar, I'm sleeping."
"Martash?"
Answer him, Jolinar thought, who had been awake for hours, busy healing her host.
My name isn't Martash. Rosha frowned, and then the memories of the day before came as she started waking up. "Oh."
"I need to check the bandages," said a man, who Jolinar quickly informed was Healer Bash. He approached after Rosha nodded, and started unwrapping the bandages. "Who is Jolinar?"
"What? Oh. Sister. Jolinar is my sister."
The Healer smiled as he continued working. "I have heard the name before."
Rosha felt worried. "Have you?"
He nodded, "Yes. Don't remember where though. Hmm." He seemed to shrug it off without thought, and continued his work.
-x-x-x-
As days passed, Bash was quite amazed how quickly her ankle was healing. "You must be blessed to be able to heal so quickly," he had said. To which Jolinar thought, He called me a blessing.
Knowing that his patient would likely have no way to pay him, he asked if she'd help him around the place once she was fully healed.
Rosha had agreed, glad to be able to contribute while she was in hiding. He had given her a room to stay in, which she was happy to see had normal flooring, and provided her with four meals a day. In return she helped keep the place clean, and assisted some of the patients. A week after helping, Bash started paying a low fee in salt water. Rosh learned that if she boiled the water off, added more water to clean, and then boiled that water off, the salt left would be worth three times as much as the original salt water.
Bash knocked on her open door three months after living there. She always left it open, not comfortable with having doors around friends, but he still always knocked. "Would you like to visit another planet?" he asked. "We have a few allies we trade with. I am going with the traders today to exchange new medicines and ideas with their Healer."
Shall we go, Jolinar?
It would be good to know who their allies are.
"Sounds good," Rosha replied.
The Healer nodded, and started heading out. "Oh, Martash, if you have anything you might want to trade, bring it with you."
Rosha nodded. "Thank you." She watched Bash leave. Do we have anything to trade?
Just a necklace.
Jolinar! Martouf/Lantash gave that to us! How would they feel if we traded it away? She felt doubt from her symbiote that they would see them again. We will see them went through a box in her room, and pulled out the outfit she had come in. Someone might like this, and if any Tok'ra happens to visit the planet, they will recognize it, and ask where they got it.
They must be worried about us. Perhaps even already mourning us.
It took Rosha a second to realize Jolinar was still talking about their loves. As far as the Tok'ra would be concerned, they and Barg/Aron would have just disappeared. Barg/Aron's murder might have even been discovered. Rosha and Jolinar knew how the council worked, and were sure they would soon be given up for dead, if they weren't already. Martouf would not give up so easily on us. Even if Lantash's beliefs do cause him to think we are dead, then both of them will have a good surprise when we find them.
Rosha folded her clothes, grabbed some salt, and went out to join the Healer. He nodded towards her, and they headed to the Chaapa'ai. "What planet are we headed to?"
"Nasya."
Rosha nodded lightly, not knowing much about that planet. She watched one of the traders enter in the symbols. Have we been there before?
I haven't been to Nasya in 300 years. The Goa'uld, Apophis to be exact, was still in control at the time, but I am sure that he has left now.
Rosha smiled as she realized Jolinar had worked on the planet Lantash and Selmak. She entered the horizon and stepped out onto another planet.
The Nasyans seemed slightly more primitive than the Yra from the building style, living in huts instead of strong permanent buildings. The closest town was much closer to the Chaapa'ai compared to the Yras.
A Nasyan female approached the group. "I am sorry, but you will have to wait, Faron is missing."
Rosha frowned, worried why someone would be missing.
One of the traders stepped forward. "What happened?"
"He had been curious to learning about hunting, and went with the hunters on a trip. A great cloud came down on us, and the group accidentally separated. After the cloud lifted, the hunters knew how to get home, but Faron did not."
"We will help you search for him," one of the traders said, and then turned to the rest of his group. "Those who don't wish to help, stay at their village."
We will help, Jolinar thought. Hopefully the forest hasn't changed much in 300 years.
Rosha nodded, and quickly started following Bash and the traders, who all wanted to help. A hunter was assigned to help them navigate the forest. "Thank you for helping us," he said. "Faron was a good friend of mine. I should have been watching more carefully when the cloud came."
"Do not blame yourself," Jolinar said, speaking in Rosha's voice. She had taken over since she knew more about this area. "I know from experience that a clouded forest is very thick. We will find him." The Tok'ra would have given up on us by now if we were lost in a forest.
They are not that bad, Rosha thought back.
They are probably performing yet another funeral for us, as we speak.
Rosha chuckled, and was glad she wasn't in control that moment. Three times before, the Tok'ra had a funeral for her and Jolinar, only to be surprised that they were not dead. Rosha and Jolinar had actually once dialed in on one of the funerals.
No one said anything during rest of the way to the forest, which was a half hour walk. As they entered, Jolinar was surprised how little the forest had changed over the last three centuries. Jolinar pointed out certain areas to Rosha as they searched for Faron.
We hid behind those trees from some Jaffa. See, the big root of that tree, Lantash tripped over that.
Rosha laughed as Jolinar gave her a visual of Lantash and his at-the-time host tripping into mud. He had a nice looking host.
I don't think Martouf would like you thinking that. Oh, and over there is where we ambushed the Jaffa. Here is where-
Jolinar stopped, noticing lone tracks heading down an old path. "Did any of the hunters go this way?"
The hunter looked at the barely visible tracks, which he wasn't sure were there. "I don't believe any of us did." He headed down the path. "Faron!"
They reached a glade, and the group started splitting up to look around. "Don't go too far," the hunter said.
-x-x-x- (The change starts here.) -x-x-x-
They continued to follow, spotting new tracks before others did. They realized they were heading towards a cave.
Be careful, Rosha thought. There might be wild animals.
I never would have thought about that.
Ha ha.
Jolinar wished she had more than a spear as she approached. Her sarcastic joke wasn't so amusing as she saw the tracks change from walking to being dragged. Blood. Lots of blood. Then she saw a large cat…dragging Faron to the cave by the back of his neck.
Shit.
Faron moaned.
Shit! Rosha echoed. He's still alive. We have to help him.
"Ah!" Jolinar yelled to distract the cat off him.
The cat quickly dropped him, then growled as it crept to her.
"Hey!" Said the hunter assigned to them, having followed.
The cat turned to him.
"Grab Faron," he ordered, stomping his foot to keep the cat's focus on him. "Be careful. They sometimes hunt in pairs."
The cat was so focused on him that it seemed to forget Rosha. There was no sign of another cat. Jolinar was able to slip by, kneeling by Faron.
He's bleeding out. Jolinar quickly bandaged his neck with supplies that Bash had given her.I don't think he'll-
The another cat! Rosha suddenly realized before they were pounced.
They were knocked down with a heavy weight. Jolinar felt a tooth sink in in her side as Rosha suddenly became quiet.
Rosha?!
It had been instant.
Rosha!
She felt herself shaken and dropped, then heard muffled sounds of fighting.
Rosha.
She ached. A few centimeters over and she would have died as well. She left before she could be finished and to see what was going on. She saw two men fighting off both cats. Another search group found them, but the cats were distracting everyone.
Faron moaned. "Talia. I'm…sorry."
He clearly had the same regrets that Jolinar did, knowing he was going to die.
You'll see her again, Jolinar thought impulsively. As if helping him would save Rosha. As if he knew what she was thinking and had agreed.
The cats were chased off with the hunter having died. A few minutes later, Bash knelt down by Faron, examining him quickly. Then he went to Rosha.
Jolinar watched him check her breathing and pulse.
You won't find anything, she thought sadly, then was surprised when he checked the back of her neck.
"They're dead," he muttered as Faron was lifted on to a stretcher.
He knew, she realized.
"They?" Asked another woman.
"Nothing." He gestured. "We'll take her back to Yra."
Jolinar worried about what they would do to Rosha's body. Bash was a good person though. She was certain he would be respectful.
I will tell them, she thought. I will return to our husbands, and I will tell them that you died saving someone's life. That you were strong and brave, and that you didn't hesitate to do the right thing.
-x-x-x-
Faron sat on the bed, feeling guilty.
"Faron?" His wife came in.
"Two people died to save me. A friend and a stranger." He shook his head. "My life isn't worth two."
Jolinar hoped she wasn't accidentally influencing him.
Talia sat by him.
"I never should have gone hunting with them."
-x-x-x-
Once Faron was healed, Jolinar fully retreated to heal herself. As a result, she wasn't fully aware of what was happening as Faron went through the stargate. She realized that he and Talia wore the same nice clothes that they had worn for the hunter's funeral.
Her heart stopped as she realized what that meant.
All the possible funerals practices crossed her mind, and she realized she had to know. The hunter had been left on a fancy alter, high enough so that most animals couldn't reach him. He was still there…rotting.
She didn't want that to be Rosha's fate. Unfortunately, Faron didn't know Yra funeral rites.
There was already a small crowd when he arrived, which surprised Jolinar.
She saw her, and her pain affected Faron in a way that surprised him. Talia took his hand.
Rosha was in a small boat, one that wasn't made to last. She wore simple robes, at least from what Jolinar could see. The boat was filled with many colorful flowers.
"You are drowning her?" Talia asked.
The wording alone was enough to explain Nasyan funeral rituals.
"Water is neutral," answered a Yra.
Jolinar realized it was Nib, the first man who had helped them.
"We don't know her beliefs." He gestured. "Water will allow her to chose her afterlife."
Faron said nothing, but Jolinar knew he didn't approve. It bothered him as much as leaving a body to rot had bothered her.
Bash was making the final preparations. Jolinar wondered what he was doing, and that influenced Faron to walk over. She hoped he wouldn't mind.
Faron wasn't sure what Bash was doing, but Jolinar realized that he was making sure Rosha sunk with the boat. Now closer, she could also smell oils and spices…and Rosha. As well as she had been treated, it had been days.
Jolinar felt sick, blocking his scent for now. She had smelled bodies before, but never that of a host.
"What if she's…still in there?" Faron asked, not realizing he was combining Jolinar's grief with his beliefs.
"If she is, the water will gently coax out the spirit, where she may stay in the lake for as long as she needs, until she is ready to travel to her chosen afterlife."
That almost sounded relaxing. No wonder a water burial was considered neutral.
Faron went back to Talia, wondering why he cared so much about the stranger's funeral.
"They are doing what they believe is best," Talia said, thankful that his life had been saved.
He didn't respond.
When it was time, Bash spoke for Rosha, though he didn't know her real name. He seemed to acknowledge that without actually saying it. He never really said anything outside of what he knew, which was very little.
The boat was pushed out on to the lake. It began slowly sinking, as it was made to do. Jolinar retreated as it went under, not bringing herself to watch, no matter how irrational that was. When she looked again, the flowers were spreading across the lake.
People gave prayers and best wishes as they left. Faron remained. Jolinar wasn't sure if she was influencing him or if it was because Rosha had died saving him. He had stayed for the hunter as well.
"Until today, I didn't even know what she looked like."
Talia had stayed with him.
-x-x-x-
A few months later, Faron was looking over the lake. He had come to trade, but something made him want to come to the lake. He wasn't sure why? Guilt?
Jolinar hadn't meant to influence him.
"How did she die?"
Faron looked over.
Jolinar jumped. The Ashrak! Only a few feet away! He had a new host, as they jumped around frequently. That expression though. The callous tone in his voice. That was him. It had to be him. He took a drug that prevented her from sensing him, which thankfully also kept him from sensing her.
Thankfully, she had just about the most subdued host in the galaxy, so he barely reacted despite somehow knowing that this stranger was bad news.
"Many have been put to grave in this lake," he replied, honestly not knowing who the Ashrak was asking about.
"The stranger. I believe she called herself Martash." He had obviously been asking around.
Faron didn't reply.
"She was…a friend."
Liar! Jolinar screamed.
Faron frowned, thinking he just somehow knew that.
"Please."
"Ger Cats, which is…not unusual."
"I've never heard of those."
"Hm." He turned to walk away. Somehow, he knew that naming the animal had been dangerous.
Now he knows she didn't die on this world, Jolinar thought to herself.
"Was anyone near her when she died?"
Jolinar cursed. He knows. Scanning the lake for naquadah would have told him. He would have found just enough to confirm that a host recently died without the symbiote. Thankfully, her body was long passed the ability to resurrect. Otherwise, he'd certainly drag her out, and no one would be able to stop him.
"I wouldn't know."
"I thought you were part of the hunting party that was attacked."
It sounded like he already knew about the cats anyway.
Faron almost laughed. He wasn't sure why. The guilt gnawed at him. He had to find humor in the words. Otherwise, he would cry or scream. He looked back to him. "Do I look like a hunter?"
The Ashrak looked over him with a serious expression, then walked away. Faron's calm ignorance and subtle lies had been enough to throw him off the trail.
Jolinar knew though, he was closing in on her. If she made a move now, any sort of move, he would know. She would get this host killed too, but…if she stayed completely hidden, if she was patient… She might have a chance.
The Other End
(I should probably write a happy ending too. It's already a choose your own ending story. 😂)