(Ainokea, thank you for the review. For the mix up, keep in mind that each symbiote is using the name of the symbiote each host is supposed to be blended with. It'll be a while before they figure out who is who.)

Max designation, I'm glad you are enjoying the story. Thank you.

Martoufz, thank you, here is the next update.)

Part 4, First Few Days

-Day 2-

-Planet Neeria-

-'Carter'-

Not knowing what to do with a group of amnesic Tok'ra (and a couple non-Tok'ra) who showed up on their planet steps, the village decided it was best we live with them. Freya and I follow Ichard to an empty house that we have been told is just big enough for two. The males were sent to live with others.

I don't like the idea that we got the house because we are female, Samantha thinks.

I do. I might not be female once everything returns to normal, so I am going to enjoy it while I can.

You might be that female. Samantha directs her attention on Freya.

I give Samantha control without warning, and she stumbles slightly. Sorry, I think. I retreat completely and concentrate on her alone. If I focus well enough, I can sense nearly everything within her. I feel her blood running through her veins. I can almost hear every heartbeat. I detect the message her brain is getting about her hunger, which I weaken so she isn't feeling discomfort. I know exactly what she needs to eat to get the right nutrition. There is something else though. Oddly enough, the sense of presence I get from the other hosts, I also get from her. While I haven't discussed this with the others, I don't think it's normal.

"Here we are," Ichard says as we arrive at a small house.

Freya carefully goes inside while Samantha first takes a look around the house. The only plants around seem to be weeds.

"It is rather small," Ichard says. "Personally I think it really only has room for one person. However, if you are here long enough, I am sure you can add on."

The idea of being here that long is scary. The Tok'ra must be looking for us. How long will it take for them to find us?

Samantha goes into the house and finds the house seems even smaller on the inside. At our feet is a small fire pit. Samantha looks up to see the ceiling can open and close. In the room is also a bed, a small table, a food storage, and a dresser. Freya seems to be missing, which is confusing until Samantha notices her coming out from another room. She checks that room and finds it's barely larger than a bed that's in it. I bet it gets very dark in here. Samantha leaves the bedroom, hoping she can get that bed.

"There are four drawers in the dresser," Freya says, "so we can each have one."

Samantha smiles. "That's good." She pauses briefly. "Which bed do you want?"

Freya edges to the bed in here. "I'm sure we can find an agreement with the beds." She glances to the bed again.

"Do you want the bed in here?"

"Yes..."

"I wanted the bedroom bed."

"Oh...well that's settled."

Samantha checks the food storage, finding it has a drawer itself and separate compartments.

"There is another food storage under the bed," Freya says.

We head back outside and find a waiting Ichard studying the sky. He looks to us. "Your closest neighbors are a twenty to twenty-five minute walk. If you ask around I'm sure you can find various jobs from them. We don't really have any money. Everything is bartered. There are other towns with silver that they use for money, but rarely do we see any." He shrugs lightly. "I admit we are one of the poorer towns. That's why we are by the great ring."

Samantha frowns slightly, a little confused. "The ring has access to other planets. Wouldn't that help you?"

He grins, blushing slightly. "We don't know how to use it. Being by the great ring just means we are the first ones to be hit with any Goa'uld attack. They come in every once in a while and take whatever they want and destroy a good portion of the town if we fight back. On the bright side, when the Tok'ra come for trade or in need of a host, we are the first ones on this planet they go to. The last they came was several years ago though...needed a host for someone called..." He stops, needing to pull the information from wherever it's been buried. "...I think it was Selmak."

I wonder if I know Selmak. Samantha allows me control. "What became of Selmak?"

Ichard shrugs again. "Don't know. I doubt they have time to update visited planets. They asked. No one here wanted to join the Tok'ra. Only the dying generally join and no one was dying, which was great...well, I guess that wasn't great for Selmak."

Great. Now I'm going to spend the next several days wondering who Selmak is and what became of him...or her.

Ichard continues, "In two weeks we are having our Harvest Festival. It started with the farmers bringing in a few crops to show off, but now everyone brings some type of food or drink if they can. We eat, dance, and play games all day." He grins.

Sounds fun.

"I need to go. There are some patients I need to visit. Bye." Ichard nods lightly before leaving.

Freya looks at the sky, and her eyes glow. Anise speaks. "Given the time of day we believe we have time to visit the neighbors."

I nod and watch them go. I give Samantha control as we head back in. She still stumbles a little. She frowns as she closes the door. You should stop walking before giving me control.

If I did that then you wouldn't learn how to take control back while walking. You heard him. This place gets attacked every once in a while. What if we need to switch control while running?

She looks to the dresser.

I want that one, I think as I focus on the second drawer. The scratch on it looks like a "C." You should take the top one.

That's a bit rude.

I'd grin if I could. Put something of yours in the second one then. If 'Anise' and Freya want their drawers next to each other, they'll need to take the bottom two.

After a small search, Samantha puts her necklace in the second drawer.

-Martouf-

Small house.

That's kind of rude, I think.

I'm tired.

I was the one who walked the entire way.

I helped. I uh...gave you more energy.

Thank you. I look to the door, getting more nervous as I approach.

Relax.

My body suddenly feels more relaxed. I smile before knocking. My smile grows when Samantha answers the door. "Hello Samantha."

"Martouf," she says in surprise.

I am carrying the bag and hold it towards her. "I have been sent to give you these."

She opens the door more. "Thank you. Come in." She steps out of the way as she takes the bag.

I look around. "Your house is lovely."

"Thank you."

"I'm staying with an elderly couple named Joth and Besh. They are farmers. They thought you would need something to eat." I turn to her. "Have you been told about the Harvest Festival?"

"Yeah, Ichard mentioned it."

"Would you like to go with us?"

Her eyes widen a bit.

A bit sudden, 'Lantash' remarks.

It would be best to ask one of the amnesiacs. There are four males and two females, so it's best to ask soon.

I remember discussing this.

Yes, I wanted to ask her, you said you didn't care, so I win.

-'Carter'-

He's forward.

Say yes, I think.

We don't know him.

We will if we go to the festival with him.

But-

Look at that smile. It's heart warming. If you say no, it'll disappear.

Fine, but you answer.

Suddenly I have control. I start to answer, but then feel nervous. He asked her, not me. What if he doesn't want to go with me. He's human after all. Do humans go on dates with symbiotes?

My eyes glowed, so he knows you're in control now. He didn't run away. She gives me a visual of him running away, which is saddening. Also, he said "wish us" not "with me," so he's including 'Lantash' in the date.

She makes a good point. "Uh..."

Answer him!

"Yes, we will."

His smile grows. "While I am here, can I offer any help in your new home?"

I give my host control again. Samantha looks around, wondering what needs to be done, though really it's more what should be done first. "What about Joth and Besh?"

"They will not be harvesting anything else today. They thought it was best I help you. You and Freya have a house that's is not quite a home." He looks to the fire pit. "Do you have fire wood?"

"No."

"I will help you gather some." He goes outside.

He's also a bit presumptuous, Samantha thinks.

Do we have anything to chop wood with?

Not that I know of.

Outside we hear the sound of wood being chopped.

I guess he did, Samantha thinks as she goes outside. She starts gathering wood for him and finds she kind of enjoys watching him work. After he chops some more he shows us how. I find I already have this skill, so have an easier time with it than Samantha. Afterwards we gather the wood, set it up by the front door and put some of it in the fire pit. Samantha looks to him. "Thank you."

He hands her the ax. "Joth said you can borrow it."

"Please tell him and Besh thank you."

He grins and glances up to the sky. "It's late. Goodnight Samantha and 'Carter.'"

My host smiles. "Goodnight Martouf and 'Lantash.'" She watches him leave a bit before continuing to work. She tears out many weeds with her hands. As the weeds continually try to make her hands raw and scratched, I heal them. Afterwards we gather water from a near river. We return to find 'Anise' putting items into the bottom two dresser drawers.

It worked! I think in victory.

"You accomplished a lot while I was gone," 'Anise' says.

"Martouf helped with the firewood, and he gave us..." Samantha trails off a bit and looks into the bags. We find what appears to be root vegetables. "..this."

"I found a few neighbors who need extra help," 'Anise' says as she takes out a root. "Two farms need help harvesting and there is a woman who needs someone to help her sew. Tomorrow we will return to one of the farms to help. The seamstress didn't seem to like us."

Samantha washes a root and takes a bite. The bitterness makes her face scrunch up. I analyze it. The starches should break down if you heat it. It'll turn sweeter, but the more you heat it, the more nutrition you'll cook out of it. It would be best if you ate it as it was.

I'm heating it.

I can block your sense of taste so you don't have-

I'm heating it.

I pout. Very well, but I'm not helping you build a fire.

As it turns out, Samantha doesn't need my help. The knowledge comes to her quickly. She and 'Anise' work together to create one. Afterwards Samantha spears the root with a stick and holds it over the fire. Several minutes pass, and I start squirming.

Stop wiggling, she thinks. It feels funny.

You are burning the nutrition out.

It's not burned out. It's not even cooked yet.

I continue to wiggle, but she just ignores me. She lets it cool off a few times to take test bites. Nearly a third of the nutrition is gone before she is satisfied. I admit it does taste a lot better. "We need to get cooking wear," she says. "Pointed sticks are going to get boring after a while."

"And plates," 'Anise' says as she drops her root on the table.

Samantha finishes the root, finding it filling. I am given control to put the rest away. Either 'Anise' or Freya is still eating. I don't know which one is in control at this point. They keep switching. "Goodnight."

She waves a hand since she is mid-chewing. I chuckle slightly and go into the bedroom. It's quite nice in here. The door is closed so the heat from the fire didn't get in too much. I hadn't realized how hot the main room was getting. There is a couple feet of space at the foot of the bed, and I use that to change into a nightgown. Doctor Thom and Ichard had provided the two of us an extra outfit and nightwear since we didn't have a host family to do that for us.

Samantha falls asleep before I get into bed. It's a bit strange...almost lonely. I fold the clothes and set them on the floor since there is no other place to put them. I go into the bed, and I am soon in the same state as my host.

-Day 5-

-Gete-

Hee, I'm cashier.

The general store is the only thing "rich" that this town has. It allows the farmers to concentrate more on farming and gives them another option of where to sell their products. Needing more help, the owners decided to take me in, though they joke that they adopted me.

The festival is in eleven days, and I already have a date. Since there are no current customers, I'm looking at clothes and holding out a man's blouse. I guess men wear blouses in this town. Would I look good in this?

Of course there is no reply. Funny how I keep expecting one.

"Is that what you are thinking of wearing?" asks one of the owners, Starna.

At least I have her and Teff to talk to, but I still feel lonely. "Yes."

"I think you might look better in a tunic and vest."

I wonder what Aldwin would think. If I wanted to know, I'd have to ask each symbiote, then remember who said what when we finally learn who is who. By then I probably wouldn't care what he thought about my clothes. I put the blouse away and look at the tunics. What kind of pants would go well with a tunic? I pick up a light blue tunic. "Do you think this tunic would be good for the festival? I wonder what Aldwin would think of it."

"May I help you?" I hear Starna ask.

I look up and notice Amb/'Malek' walked in. Should I be able to sense them? I don't know what that means exactly, but I think I should.

'Malek' is in control. "Nara and Bex ordered fabric for their daughter."

I head in the back before I am asked. There is a section for specialized orders. I find the fabric quickly. It's a little nicer than normal fabrics, but not by much. I bring it out with care. 'Malek' is at the counter when I return, and he's taking something out of a basket. "These are the eggs in exchange for the fabric."

Starna looks at them while I carefully fold the fabric. "It's a nice fabric."

'Malek' smiles. "It's for their daughter. She's getting married next spring."

Starna is finished with the eggs. "I'll make some bread with these." She nods lightly before going into the back.

I set the fabric down. "I hope you enjoyed your visit. Please, return if you have anything to sell or trade."

'Malek' chuckles. "Is that their trademark?"

I blush a bit. "A little...yes."

"The tunic you were holding up would look good on you."

That caught me by surprise. "Oh. Thank you."

"Amb and I haven't figured out what to wear...or who to ask. Samantha and Freya have already been asked."

My grin is guilty.

He notices right away. "Which one did you ask?"

"I asked Freya to go as friends. Starna kept insisting that all adults should come with a date. Freya came in the store an hour later so I thought I'd ask her."

"It seems Daniel and I are the only ones of the amnesiacs who don't have dates."

"You could ask him."

He smiles. "I think he would say no." He gathers the fabric. "I should be going. The walk back is nearly two hours."

I nod slightly. Everyone walks everywhere. There is about three transport animals in the entire town. "Goodbye."

"Goodbye." He heads out.

-Samantha-

We have been doing quite well these past few days. After returning from our new jobs the third night, Freya, 'Anise,' 'Carter,' and I found donations of food and supplies at our door. 'Carter' and I found a job with the seamstress. I can't sew very well, but 'Carter' can. We watch as she looks over our work again.

"You work so quickly. I didn't know a Tok'ra would be so good at sewing."

'Carter' is gloating to me. She likes my sewing. I'm fast and flawless. She must love my stitch work. I have good stitch work.

"Do you have a dress to wear to the festival?" the seamstress asks.

'Carter' looks down at what we are wearing. "We thought we'd wear this."

Our new boss frowns. "You can't wear that."

"It's the only dress we have."

It probably doesn't help that it doesn't smell great. Freya and I haven't figured out a good system of cleaning, especially with what little clothes we have.

The seamstress heads into another room saying, "No, no, no."

'Carter' stands up and stretches. There isn't much room in here because of all the extra fabric and clothes laying around. The room is probably bigger than our entire house, but it feels smaller. It's a maze to get around.

"Here you go. This is a nice dress." The seamstress has returned. "It needs to be sewed in some parts, but you clearly know how to do that." She hands the dress over with needle and thread.

'Carter' takes it. "Thank you."

Hold it out, I think. I want to see it.

My symbiote holds it out. It is a nice dress. The seamstress has disappeared behind some box of who knows what. "How do you want to get paid today?"

Does she have cheese? I think. We haven't had any cheese since we got here.

"Do you have cheese?"

She comes out with cheese and large loaf of...something.

"My daughter made this loaf for me, but she gave me much more than I could eat. It has meat, berries, and breading."

Sounds nutritional, 'Carter' thinks.

I silently groan. If you have Doctor Thom study all the others and figure out which one is the healthiest. That one will probably be your true host.

'Carter' grins in pride. I would certainly hope so, but I do not think Thom could study the complete nutritional health of each person. The best way would be to talk to the other symbiotes and see what was the nutritional need of each after the blend. However... She trails off when the seamstress clears her throat.

I give our boss a silent thank you.

'Carter' takes our earnings and heads back to our house.

to be continued...

Besh and Joth-Elderly farming couple who took in Martouf
Ichard-Doctor's Assistant
Nara and Bex-Took in Amb. Daughter is getting married.
Starna and Teff-Store owners. Took in Gete.
Thom-Doctor