(StarEye2, I'm glad you are enjoying this fiction. I enjoyed reading your questions on what will happen later in the story. I was a bit worried to how people would react to the possible switching of the symbiotes.)

Part 6, Dinner

-Day 24-

-Planet Neeria-

-Samantha-

I sit down on Freya's bed. She's not here, and its her turn to make dinner. I start getting up, but 'Carter' glares. I allow myself to fall back down. I want to eat tonight.

She still has time.

Someone knocks on the door. Now I have to get up. I head over and answer the door. "Martouf?" Glad to see him. It's been about a week since the festival. We've managed to see each other every day since, but he said he would be busy today.

He's holding two baskets. "May I come in?" He looks very happy.

I let him in and watch him set the baskets on our table. "I thought you were busy today." I look to our empty pot, now wishing we had somehow known Freya wouldn't be here. Then I'd have come home early and cook dinner. We have nothing to offer him.

I'm sure he'll understand.

Martouf opens one of the baskets and the air fills with a mixed scent of meat, bread, and vegetables. "If you do not mind, I invited myself over for dinner."

I look into the basket. "Dinner?"

"I had to convince Freya that you wouldn't mind, so I hope you don't."

'Carter' and I are still surprised. "You brought dinner?"

"I cooked all day."

I start grinning, realizing he had planned this all out. "That's very nice." Then I wonder. "Where is Freya?"

"She's at my house." He takes out bowls of different foods. "I wanted to surprise you."

'Carter' and I both realize this is a date. Of course its a date...and we look horrible! Look at him! Wearing nice clothes. Clean. Nice hair. We just got back to helping on a farm. Our clothes and hair are dirty. Not too long ago I still had dirt under my nails, and I'm thankful I washed them in the river by the house. "You definitely surprised me."

He grins. "You look beautiful tonight." He gives us a flower.

I smile. "Thank you." I look around. "I don't really have a place to put the flower." I should have gotten a vase or something.

"Dry it. Then it'll be preserved."

I smile again as I set it down on the dresser.

He takes out two empty plates and starts putting food on them. "Different types of food, including actual bread."

We sit down on Freya's bed. I wish we had chairs, but even if we could afford them, they wouldn't really fit in the room. "Thank you." I wait for him to start since he made it all, but he is looking at me instead. "I thought, since you made it, you should eat first."

"I already know what it tastes like."

I grin. "True." I taste each of the foods, enjoying each of them. "It's all very good."

"How does 'Carter' like it?"

It's good. I really like the yellow stuff.

"She likes it all, especially the yellow stuff."

Martouf then looks very proud. "We've been planning the menu since the morning after the festival. I was very lucky to get this." He points to the food that looks like petals. "It's a rose, and with the seasons changing, they are rare."

"You seemed to have enjoyed planning this out."

"It's good to plan."

We continue to talk during dinner. I avoid the yellow stuff so 'Carter' can eat it while in control. She does, quietly enjoying it as she speaks with 'Lantash.' There isn't much to talk about, yet the conversation never gets old. It's quiet for a few minutes after dinner. We clean up after ourselves. He starts running his fingers lightly through my hair to get my attention, then kisses me when he gets it.

"Thank you for dinner."

He kisses me again. "You're welcome."

"How long do we have alone?"

Martouf looks a little guilty. "All night."

"That's a bit presumptions."

"Perhaps I'm just kind not to ask your roommate to walk home this late." He kisses again, not really in a talkative mood. "I made arrangements elsewhere if you want me to leave."

This time I kiss him. "I wouldn't want to make you walk this late." I slowly lead him to my room. There isn't much room once we get there. 'Carter' takes control and pushes him on to the bed.

-Daniel-

Now that I've learned most of their language, I find myself studying other things about these people. Their way of life seems familiar somehow, not with me personally, but I know it...or knew it.

Thom is slowly making his way across the room. I feel a bit bad. He's probably going to get something I could easily get for him, but he refuses my help when he's not working.

He is a bit shaky as he sits down at a table. "Have you considered tutoring?"

"Tutoring what?"

"Children," he says with a smile, though he knows I already figured that. "Our language. You learned it quickly."

"I..." I'm still learning some of it myself. "I haven't. Do you think that would be a good idea?"

"You learned it quick enough."

"True, but it may be that I already knew it before the memory loss."

"Still..." He picks up a paper and pen, starting to write. "It's inspiring, and the children like you."

"They do." Not really sure what else to say.

"It wouldn't pay very well. The town doesn't really have a teacher because we can't afford one. It could only be a part time job." He stops writing and looks to me. "Daniel, I don't know how much longer I'll be around. When I'm gone, Ichard will take my place, and he may not need an assistant."

I nod slightly. "He also has his own family to take care of."

Thom nods. "I am not trying to push you out. You can stay as long as I am here. You've been a great help." He's needed help around the office because Ichard is always busy taking care of the patients who can't make it to the office on their own. "I am also glad to have the company. However, it may be several years before the Tok'ra find you, and I doubt I will be around that long."

I find myself nodding again, though a bit saddened by the idea of his departure. "I guess I should study more."

"Try volunteering to teach any child who needs it. Their parents will give you what they can afford."

I know I can teach them. I know most of the language, and now I'm learning the history. I have doubts though. Would parents want their children taught by someone who's been on the planet for only four weeks? "I can try."

"Good." Doctor Thom looks happy as he starts writing again. "I'll start talking to the parents tomorrow."

-'Carter'-

I'm walking down blue tunnels. There are others in beige uniforms, most just minding their own business. I seem to know where I'm going, and I'm also male. I stop in front of a woman whom I understand as above me in rank. "Hello Garshaw."

"The Tok'ra will be doing a joint mission with Stargate Command. I believe they will be sending SG-1."

I smile. "What is the mission?"

"An archaeological dig."

I find myself frowning. That would mean... "Is Anise coming?"

"Yes."

Find myself annoyed. "Will Selmak be coming?" Anise is less annoying when he's around.

"No, he and Jacob are on a mission. Two other Tok'ra will be joining you though. It'll be-"

Suddenly I'm laying in bed. I don't know what woke me up. What was that dream about? Was it just a dream? It seemed so real. Is Garshaw real? Why was I annoyed at the idea of Anise coming? Why did Selmak have to be mentioned? I just got over wondering what became of him. Well, at least I know its a him, and it seems a new host was found. I roll over a bit and see Martouf sleeping. I wish I hadn't woken up before Garshaw finished her sentence.

I guess Freya isn't your host. The voice is sleepy.

I grin a bit. Yeah, so I'm actually male. I wonder if that would bother Martouf. I touch his hair lightly. It's very dark in here, so I don't really see Martouf. It's more of a dark blob among darkness. Truthfully I think I'm sensing him more than anything. My brain is playing tricks, putting in what I know is there, but can't actually see.

We should go back to sleep.

I move closer to Martouf, putting an arm around him. Samantha and I get back to sleep.

Martouf is missing when I wake up again, and I smell food cooking. I stumble out of bed and find 'Lantash' reheating the food. He looks, leaving the food briefly to greet us. "I wanted to finish reheating before you woke up." He picks us up.

"Hey!" I exclaim in surprise.

"I wanted to serve you breakfast in bed, and I'm going to." He sits us on Anise's bed. Anise. Where is Anise? Hey, I had a dream about her last night. It's coming back now.

The slight smell of burning food has 'Lantash' rushing back to the fire. "Uh." He looks to the slightly burnt rose petals before quickly mixing it in. "Do you think Martouf will notice? Crystals, he's awake."

"Then I think he noticed."

'Lantash' is quiet for a moment, holding an expression one has when one is speaking with the person he or she is blended with. Martouf takes control after a few minutes. "I think it would be best to pick out what you want. I don't know what you want for breakfast, except for the okum."

"The what?"

"The yellow stuff."

I grin as I serve myself. "I guess 'Lantash' doesn't get to serve us breakfast in bed."

Martouf chuckles before taking a taste test of the roses. He frowns slightly. "It's ruined."

I feel bad since 'Lantash' was distracted by me. "I'm sure it's not that bad." I taste it and find Martouf is right. At least there wasn't much left of it. "Perhaps if it was mixed with something else."

Martouf looks at it again. "I could mix it with some bark."

Bark? Samantha questions. I reflect it to Martouf. "Bark?"

"Yes. I cut out some inner bark from the forish tree. It takes a long time to grind. Afterwards I add a little fruit juice. It's a good sweetener. It was the main ingredient in that puffy thing we ate. It was a forish puff."

Breakfast doesn't take long to finish. We clean everything up afterwards. Martouf and 'Lantash' seem sad to go.

We didn't tell them about the dream, Samantha thinks as she walks him out the door.

What is there to tell? That there might be a woman named Garshaw who might have sent us on a mission? That I might have been annoyed with Anise, and I might be male?

Well, you know Selmak is real because of Ichard, Samantha points out. Though she understands my point, she disagrees.

Yes, and Selmak might be male and might have a new host. Of course I have no idea who Selmak's host was before, so who cares?

Of course Samantha knows that I do care, and that I've been wondering about this ever since Ichard mentioned him. I feel as though, if I think about it hard enough, I'll remember, and if I remember that, maybe I can remember other stuff.

Like who your real host is?

Aw, Samantha. Yes, I'm curious, but I also love you. I give her my version of a hug. She seems to enjoy it.

"Samantha?" Martouf probably wonders why her smile changed.

"'Carter' is hugging me."

He hugs us. "Now, we're both hugging you." He chuckles a second later. "Now 'Lantash' feels left out for being the only one not hugging you." His hug changes as 'Lantash' takes control.

Samantha closes her eyes briefly, quietly taking in his scent. He smells like Martouf.

Martouf usually does.

Yes, but he smells more Martoufy than normal.

Samantha chuckles. So he's Martoufier?

Yes, he's Martoufier.

We don't want to let go. With winter coming, and it being morning, it's chilly. He makes us warmer.

It's the Martoufness, Samantha thinks. She allows me control.

He kisses my neck softly. "You're warm."

"It must be the Samanthaness," I reply.

He's amused, even though he missed the first part of the joke. "Is it?"

"Yes." There is no need to explain it to him. Another time perhaps. Sadly, he needs to go now, and delaying him to explain details isn't needed.

He kisses us. "What would be Carterness?"

"You'll have to wait until next time to find out."

His next kiss is longer. He trails his fingers through our hair afterwards. His eyes flash. "Tomorrow then?"

"Tomorrow."

He turns away and leaves. I watch him walk away for a bit before returning to the house. I need to get ready for work.

-Gete-

The Winter Festival is coming up. Do you think we should start figuring out what to wear? I've stopped expecting an answer, but I still ask the questions. Should we find a date? Probably not. Is it normal to answer yourself? I wonder if Amb found a date.

I'm restocking the shelves. A music box is playing as I work. I keep resetting it. I don't know why I like it. I just do. Winter supplies are getting traded for. We have too much of some items now. No Amb today. He was working with some of the neighbors for a few days, but now he's back to being two hours away.

Nara comes in the room. "Gete, did you or Teff do something with the books?"

"Teff took one when he left. I put the rest on the bookshelf."

Nara looks at the books to figure out which one Teff took. "He wanted to give one to Daniel since he has offered to teach some of the children." She smiles briefly before turning back to me. "I am going to be seeing Dr. Thom."

That worries me. "Are you ill?"

"I don't think so." She doesn't seem worried. "It is mostly just a check up. Can you handle the store?"

I nod.

She smiles. "Thank you." She finishes getting ready before starting to leave. She stops and glances around. "Is that music?"

"It's a music box."

She heads over to it. "This..." She grins. "I forgot about this."

"It was dusty when I found it."

"Teff's parents traded it from the Tok'ra. They got it from another planet."

I look to the music. "Maybe that is why I like it."

"Perhaps." She grins a bit before leaving.

-Day 26-

-Tok'ra Base-

-Selmak-

Jacob is looking over different scans for some sign of his daughter. Since Kela'an has already gone though all of these, I highly doubt there is anything. He doesn't know what else to do, but he doesn't want to admit it.

Jacob.

He ignores me.

Jacob.

I'm looking for my daughter.

Yes, and I support that.

Then why are you distracting me?

Because you have a very nice son who might want to know his sister is missing.

Jacob stops. Sam has gone missing before. Mark doesn't need to know. It'll worry him. We'll find her.

What you mean is, "If I tell him, then I'm admitting we might not find her."

Jacob ignores me again.

Jacob.

She's not gone!

I'm not asking you to believe she is gone. I am telling you that Mark should know about it.

Selmak.

He needs to know.

What can I tell him? Everything about her disappearance is classified. All I can tell him is that his sister is missing.

Do you remember when you contacted George once? I refer to General Hammand of course. It was before you knew anything about the stargate. His voice told you that he didn't want to talk to you, and it wasn't just because he was busy. Though he tried to hide it, and it was over the phone, something in his voice said "I really don't want to talk to Jacob right now. I really don't."

Yes, I remember.

And you asked about Sam, and he gave you a general answer that meant nothing, but his voice gave him away again. It said "Sam is in trouble."

Yes, I remember. When I asked how she was in trouble he said-

"Her current situation is classified." Yes, I know. I'm the one reminding you.

Jacob wants to go back to reading. What's your point?

You were worried about Sam. You were angry that you didn't know what was wrong, but in the end, you were glad you knew something.

Jacob sighs.

Remember how frustrated you were when you learned all the times she was in trouble and you didn't know. You wanted to have known. Even if you couldn't be told the details, you wanted to know your daughter was in danger. The reason, which I won't openly point out to him is because if something had gone wrong, if Sam had been killed, it would have taken him by complete surprise. He already knows his reason. No need to remind him.

Right now he's glaring, which I know is directed at me. I continue, It's been twenty-nine days, and there is nothing else we can do. Mark has a right to know.

...I know.

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