20 ~ The Tau'ri

Einar was on his home world, visiting various niblings before visiting one in particular, a niece. She lived in a completely different town than the others, having no contact with her distant cousins.

"Signe."

She smiled from her bed. "You remember me."

"Of course." He sat down and took her hand.

Her neighbor smiled as well, thankful. The woman had no children, no siblings nor niblings. He thought she was going to die with just him and his wife as her companions, and she barely knew them.

"You always were my favorite uncle."

"I suspect you said that to all of us."

She grinned.

"You could be a host. We have a symbiote who will soon need one. Her name is Selmak."

"Why would she want an old woman?"

"You aren't that old," Einar replied as he moved a healing device over her. He eased much of her pain, but he couldn't cure the disease that was killing her. "You would make a wonderful host."

"No one is going to live in my head." She grinned. "I'm too stubborn. Uncle Per'sus, tell Uncle Einar that I'm too stubborn."

Einar laughed when Per'sus jokingly repeated her. They had both suspected that she would refuse.

She grinned.

~+~+~.

He took care of her for the next week, though they felt bad in knowing that they might miss Saroosh's and Selmak's deaths. Saroosh was a gentle soul who had sympathized with the loss of Per'sus' mate. She was also one of the few people that could get a genuine smile out of him. They had loved ones to be there though. Singe did not.

When she died, he and the neighbors put her directly in the ground, as was the tradition.

"May this keep you safe from those who would attack your soul. Now go and find your peace." Einar poured poison over her body.

He saw Anise approaching. That immediately told him that he was being summoned. She held back when she saw she was walking in on a funeral. Einar helped to burry his niece as he and Per'sus worried about Selmak.

Einar went to the neighbor. "I think she-" He gestured to Anise. "-is here to tell me that two very good friends have died. I must see what she has to say."

The neighbor nodded. "We'll take care of Signe."

Per'sus took control and approached Anise. "What happened?"

"Garshaw will give you a full report."

"I'm ordering you to tell me now," Per'sus replied. "What has happened to Saroosh?"

It might not be her, Einar reminded. Jolinar is still technically missing.

She and Rosha were declared fallen because the Tok'ra had no idea where they were. They had just vanished, and had now been missing for over a year. Many Tok'ra, including Einar, still held hope.

"Or is this about Jolinar?"

"I wasn't there. I can only tell you a little."

"Then tell me."

"I have news of them and others, but first, we had to evacuate the main base. The Goa'uld were their way. We are on a new planet. The new tunnels have been grown."

"How were we found?"

"I don't know."

"Saroosh."

"Saroosh has passed, but Selmak has survived with a new host.

He sighed softly in relief. Saroosh's death stung, but he had been sure that Selmak would die with her.

"Humans from the first world contacted us."

"Earth? How?" That bewildered him. They heard rumors about the Tau'ri exploring the galaxy, but only for a year or so. How had they found them?

"They had news of Jolinar."

That's not good, Einar thought, knowing that Jolinar would never willingly give away the base.

"She was killed."

"How were they killed?"

"I don't know. I do know that Jolinar ended up blended with a Nasyan, and then a Tau'ri named Samantha Carter. The Tau'ri do not know what happened to Rosha."

"Did the Tau'ri kill Jolinar?"

"I did not get that impression. Selmak's new host is Tau'ri, Jacob Carter."

"What does Carter mean?"

"I believe they are relatives."

"So how did the Tau'ri find us if Jolinar was killed?"

"Her last host survived."

How?! Einar thought fearfully.

"You might have wanted to mention that."

"I don't know, but it was this Samantha that suggested that Selmak blend with Jacob."

He smiled slightly, knowing it would have please Jolinar to know that her death helped to save Selmak's life.

"Unfortunately, we suffered other losses, but I have no details."

"Yes?"

"Shorvek is missing."

"He is not an operative."

"I don't understand it. From what I understand, he went to the surface at the new base then…never came back. No one knows what happened."

"That's…strange. What else?"

"Jaydin and Cordesh have been killed."

No! Einar cried out.

He gasped slightly. "No. Both?" His brow furrowed. "How?"

"I apologize. I do not know."

Per'sus turned away in anger and sorrow. My last batch mates. "Leave me."

Anise left quickly.

Einar mentally reached out to him as they both cried.

I'm sorry for making you cry, Per'sus thought as he wiped his tears.

I'd be on the floor if I were in control. I'm glad I can hide inside myself.

The neighbor's wife approached with tea.

Happy tea, Einar thought, recognizing the scent.

"Thank you." Per'sus took the cup. "You are very kind." He sipped the tea. The gesture, that this woman thought to make this tea for a complete stranger, meant more than the tea itself.

"There is more," she offered.

"Thank you, but more died than I thought," he admitted. He finished the tea. "I have to go." He gave her the cup back.

"I understand. I'm sorry for your losses. We will take care of Signe."

"Thank you." He offered her silver, knowing that she would be accused of theft if he gave her gold. He saw her discomfort. "You were there for my niece when I couldn't be. That is worth more to be than this silver, and I know how hard it can be to survive on this world."

"Thank you." She whispered in almost tears. The silver ensured enough food for two weeks.

He left.

~+~+~.

"Where Is Garshaw?"

"Infirmary."

"Is she injured?"

"No. She's visiting… Uh… I'm not sure what happened," Korra admitted. "You should talk to her."

He went to the infirmary.

Liandra?!

It seems the report about them was wrong. Per'sus approached Liandra, who was sobbing. Garshaw stood near, clearly trying to console her. Kelmaa was running a healing device over her. All of them were clearly upset.

"Per'sus," Garshaw said grimly, then gestured for them to talk in private.

"Liandra?" He said in worry.

She looked up to him with tears. "Jaydin… He-he killed Jaydin!"

What?! How?! Einar thought in horror as Per'sus immediately hugged her.

Liandra hugged him tightly. "She was helpless. There was nothing she could do."

"I'm so sorry." He looked to Garshaw, then mouthed. "Who did this?"

She shook her head, making it clear she wasn't going to tell him in front of Liandra.

The same one who killed Jolinar? Is that how her last host is still alive? Einar thought. He was terrified at the very idea that someone was killing symbiotes while leaving the hosts alive. He'd rather die than lose Per'sus.

Per'sus pulled away. "Liandra, who did this? Who hurt you?"

Her eyes widened in fear.

"You can tell me."

"Cordesh," she whispered.

He felt sick. "What?" He fought bile threatening to rise up.

"I'm sorry."

"No. I'm sorry. I…" What do I say?!

She needs to know you believe her, Einar thought, though he couldn't bring himself to believe it himself. It had to be some sort of mistake.

"I believe you."

She hugged him in tears.

"I'm so sorry." He hugged her.

"She was helpless. She tried to fight him. She bit him, but he was burrowing. She couldn't do that without leaving me, and she refused. It happened so quickly. She died in agony, and there was nothing we could do."

He had no idea what to say to that. The words baffled him.

"I feel so…alone. Empty. Broken." She looked to him. "How do you keep sane? Host after host? I…" She shook her head.

"We keep a part of them alive by remembering them."

She nodded in tears. "I want to go to my quarters."

"Do you want company?"

"No. I want to be alone."

He nodded, then looked to Garshaw.

Liandra stopped at the doorway, crying again. "Where do I go?"

Per'sus approached her. "I can walk you there."

"No. I mean. After this." She looked to him in tears. "Tok'ra don't keep non-Tok'ra humans."

"No…" He put his hand on her shoulder. "…but you will always be one of us."

"I don't know if I can replace her."

"That's up to you. Mourn. Love. Remember her. Your home will always be with us."

"Even if I don't blend?"

"Even if you don't blend. You are Tok'ra. You will always be Tok'ra."

She gave him a quick hug. "Thank you."

He turned to Garshaw after she left. "How did this happen?" He asked angrily. "When? He's loyal! Cordesh has always been loyal!"

"With the Tau'ri came a Jaffa who has turned against the Goa'uld. Teal'c."

"Apophis' first prime? He fights the Goa'uld?"

"That's why he's never caught any operatives. He was undermining Apophis for years before finally turning against him. Unfortunately… Cordesh was caught by another Jaffa…and killed."

"The sarcophagus…" He replied with dread.

"Teal'c did not realize he had been brought back to life. He didn't even recognize Nelay'an at first. However, Liandra has confirmed…Cordesh and Nelay'an were both corrupted by the sarcophagus. Apophis had locked them inside for several weeks.

"Then…it wasn't… It wasn't him. That thing… It destroyed him. It made him… That wasn't him. It wasn't either of them." He looked to her. "Explain. How was Nelay'en so injured that Cordesh needed a new host?"

"He wasn't. Suspicions fell on Cordesh, and he knew it before we did. That's why he attacked them. He killed Jaydin and took Liandra as his host."

"But how was Nelay'en injured?" He repeated.

I don't think he was, Einar thought gently.

What?

"He wasn't," Garshaw confirmed. "He was abandoned."

Horror washed over him.

"Nelay'en then…killed himself."

It took several seconds to fully register what she and Einar were saying. He shook his head, then… I would never hurt you like that!

I know.

He turned away, feeling very ill.

I need to know how they died.

Per'sus nodded. "How?"

"During the evacuation, the tunnels were closing. Nelay'an let himself be buried."

Einar gave an internal hiss of anger.

"I'm sorry. I was there. I didn't… I didn't know what he was doing. I was too far away to…" She glanced down. "I ordered Shorvek and Vorran to remove and execute Cordesh."

"And now Shorvek is missing?"

"Yes, but after it was done. He reported back to me, requested to go on to the surface then… I don't know."

He sighed. "What do we know about Jolinar?"

~+~+~.

He visited Shorvek's boyfriend, Aldwin, who promptly waved him off, so he went to Selmak. He found her in her quarters, and he realized he felt guilty for not having been there.

"Jacob," he said, seeing that Selmak was not in control. "Welcome. Thank you for saving Selmak's life."

He gave a slight laugh. "I didn't know any of this existed."

"The Tok'ra?"

"Any of it. The Goa'uld. The Tok'ra. I take it, there are more than three stargates?"

That amused Per'sus. "There are many more than three."

"It's a secret on my world, in my country. So…let me get this straight. Your host, all the humans I see, are not from Earth?"

"That is correct. Their ancestors were taken from Earth hundreds or even thousands of years ago."

"Holy Hannah," he replied, drawing out the first world. He shook his head. "Yesterday, I was on my death bed. My daughter is on some important mission. Suddenly, she's there, telling me that aliens exist."

Per'sus was a bit amused.

He touched the back of his head. "Selmak wants to know about someone called… Signe?"

"She passed away, I believe the day after Saroosh. We were burying her when Anise arrived to retrieve me."

Jacob seemed to almost hop out of the bed, enjoying that such movements were possible again. He retreated.

"You have no need to feel guilty. She was your niece."

She was? Jacob felt bad for him. So, he lost two siblings and a niece?

"Thank you," Per'sus replied.

Three siblings. He was not close to Jolinar, but she is our sister as well. Einar and Nelay'an and Cordesh were also…

Friends with benefits?

Selmak smiled a bit. No. She looked to Per'sus. "He's trying to understand." It was more than a physical relationship, even if they couldn't acknowledge it. We also mourn Rosha and the Nasyan.

You never met him. You don't even know his name.

He was Jolinar's host, she replied, a bit indignant.

I'm still trying to figure this all out, Jacob defended.

Selmak sighed. The loss of Saroosh is making me…

Snappy?

A little, and Jolinar was my friend. They all were.

~+~+~.

Liandra still didn't want company, so he visited Lantash…who was very angry.

I know that feeling, he thought as he saw broken glass all over the floor. Malek was already in the room. The room itself was already only for a single person.

"I came to offer my condolences," Per'sus said, wondering if it had been too fast to change the room type. He knew it would have been Martouf and Lantash's choice.

Lantash even laid down in anger. "I feel a fool for having hoped."

"Hope is in our blood."

"Is that why we gave her a funeral? Hope?"

"There's a balance between hope and acceptance," Malek replied as he knelt down to pick up the glass.

Lantash sighed before putting the pillow over his face. He wanted to cry, and he didn't want them to see it.

Per'sus, since he wasn't asked to leave, also picked up the glass. Sorry, he thought as it cut Einar's hands. He recognized that the glass had been vases that had belonged to Jolinar.

"Are you picking up the glass?" Lantash asked, both surprised and annoyed. He frowned, as though he couldn't decide which was more appropriate to feel.

"Um, do you want me to put it back?" Malek asked.

Lantash sat up, looking mixed. "You two should not be cleaning my mess…and you are bleeding on my floor."

"I shall endeavor to stop bleeding," Malek replied with the slightest smirk.

Lantash smiled, then both laughed a bit. Per'sus said nothing, putting the glass in the trash when Malek did.

Lantash smiled slightly through tears. "Thank you, but we wish to be alone right now."

Per'sus gave a short nod before leaving. He glanced back when Malek approach behind him.

"Councilor… My condolences for your batch mates."

"Thank you."

Malek began leaving.

"Malek."

He turned back.

"You have always been kind, considerate of others. Even as a larva."

"Thank you."

~+~+~.

Einar?

I love you too.

Then let me say it.

Einar laughed. Very well. What is it my dear symbiote?

Per'sus wiggled in amusement. I love you.

I love you too.