Many months later.
The time had passed relatively quickly. There had been much for Martouf to learn and many new people to get acquainted with. He and Lantash had been temporarily assigned to almost all the jobs on the base. Partly to determine what functions they handled best, and partly to make sure Martouf knew about everything. Lantash would help when necessary, but mostly Martouf were allowed to learn on his own. It was considered best that both host and symbiote had tried their hand on everything.
Martouf were not the only new host currently on the base. Gerim had gotten a new host, Aldwin, shortly before Martouf had become host to Lantash. Korra too had found a new host, Marid, a few weeks later. The three were often put in a group together and they soon became friends.
The three new Tok'ra hosts had just recently been assigned to guard duty. Since they each had a symbiote who had tried it before - and would be able to take over if any problems arose - they would not be in more danger than anyone else, should someone attack.
They were lucky. No one had attacked the Tok'ra base or had come through the chaapa'ai since Martouf had arrived. He found guard duty boring, but it helped that Lantash was there to keep him company.
Today were their first full day off since Martouf had come to the tunnels. Lantash had suggested they could go to see the place where he grew up, as Martouf had asked about it from time to time.
Exiting the wormhole they arrived on a pleasantly green planet with lush vegetation. It looked even more paradisaical than any place Martouf had ever been to.
*Wow - and this is uninhabited?*
*No, not totally. There are a number of villages, but none close to the chaapa'ai. They consider it evil and a source of bad luck. The planet originally belonged to Ra. He abandoned it since the large naquadah deposits are inaccessible without using advanced technology. This generally mean they only mine those planets which have huge naquadah deposits close to the surface, and can be mined using nothing more advanced than a pickaxe. Letting their slaves learn something which might lead them to even more knowledge, is too dangerous for the Goa'uld. It could easily bring the slaves to question the Goa'uld assertion that they are gods. To them knowledge is evil, and keeping it from humans is more important than mining naquadah. After all, there are an enormous number of worlds with easy mining access, so they do not have to use any advanced technology. In any case, Ra gave this world to one of his queen...Egeria. It was before she had turned openly against him of course. For the reasons I mentioned before, no other Goa'uld were interested in it. She was therefore allowed to keep it, even after starting the Tok'ra. No one ever came here, except Egeria and her children. She used it as one if the worlds where she spawned and raised her young. I was born in her last clutch - she disappeared shortly after, and I have only a very vague recollection of her.*
They had walked for a while and now stood on a cliff overlooking a beautiful pond.
*That is where I was born - 544 years ago.* Lantash looked fondly at the small lake.
*It looks peaceful - and beautiful.*
They had walked down a path to the shore. Lantash went over to a large, flat rock lying close to the water. It was placed under an outcropping of the cliff they had been standing on before - and it was thus being protected it from above.
*I often crawled up on this rock and looked out over the land. Dreaming of the day when I could just walk wherever I wanted. It was one of the few places which were protected against birds attacking from above, as you can see. It was very popular among all of us.*
*Are there fish in the lake?*
*Yes, there are some.* Lantash pointed to a small, almost enclosed part of the lake at the opposite end. *That area over there was closed off with a fence from the rest of the pond. The fish could not get in there, and the small larvae were kept there until they were large enough to not be eaten by the fish.* Lantash shivered.
*What is it?*
*As you remarked when I first told you of my childhood...I was somewhat...adventurous, and did not always do as I was told. When I was very little and still in the fenced off part of the pond, I would often swim along the fence and look at the larger lake. It was full of fish and various other creatures - and older symbiotes of course. One day I found a hole large enough for me to squeeze through, and I snuck out. I swam around for a while, enjoying my new-found freedom. Then I came upon a large, hungry-looking fish. It immediately attempted to catch me. I actually bit it, but it didn't seem to deter it much, so I fled. It was quickly gaining on me, and only the fact that I was small and could hide between plants and rocks kept it from capturing me. I could not find the hole again, and I ended up jumping ashore to get away from the fish. I crawled several feet over dry land and just managed to make it back into the water on the right side of the fence. I was exhausted and it was several days before I no longer had nightmares about fish - and again began thinking of adventure.*
*My poor Lantash...* Martouf hugged him. *I am very glad you made it.*
*Yes...and I was relieved that none of my older siblings learned about it. There would always be at least one who already had a host, to keep an eye on us. They would often come down to the lake, to swim and play with us. We always loved that. Egeria's close friend and ally, Jolinar, spent most of her time there, when she was not out looking for hosts for Egeria's children.*
*Is that the Jolinar who is your mate?*
*Yes. She was originally a System Lord. Her father was assassinated and with his dying breath he named Jolinar his heir. She had to take her first host before she had come of age. She was not strong enough and they fought constantly for control of the body. Jolinar gained a hitherto unknown appreciation and respect for humans and she started talking with her host. Eventually she began to question everything she had taken for granted about the Goa'uld. In the end they became friends. Not long after this she met and befriended the young Egeria. She had had much the same experience, but had already secretly made the decision to fight the Goa'uld and change their evil ways. Being a queen, she was in a much better position than most to gain allies, since she could simply spawn them with a suitably changed genetic memory. She imprinted her offspring with all her new found knowledge. We are biologically programmed to fight the Goa'uld to our dying breath. To blend only with willing hosts and to share our bodies equally. Soon after meeting Egeria, Jolinar became convinced of the righteousness of her cause. She threw her considerable forces behind the Tok'ra. Her initial campaign went well and she had all but defeated a full-fledged System Lord when Apophis intervened and turned the tide of battle. She lost and was forced to flee. Most of her Jaffa were slaughtered covering her retreat. For years she eluded her pursuers, but in the end she was captured and imprisoned in a stasis jar. She spent centuries there, until about 800 years ago when a young slave girl found her stasis jar and opened it. In desperation Jolinar took her as a host. She promised to leave the girl as soon as possible. Eventually, they too became friends. Together they spent almost 250 years looking for the Tok'ra and Egeria. They finally found them shortly before Egeria was caught and became lost to us. This was less than a year after my birth. Jolinar left to search for Egeria again, but did not find her. She heard rumours of Egeria being placed in a stasis jar, like Jolinar herself. But they were never confirmed. If they are indeed true, then we may one day find her again. Jolinar's host was killed during their search, and she returned a year later in another host - the one she had before the one she had just before Rosha. As I said before, Jolinar felt obligated to care for Egeria's children. She spent most of her time here or looking for hosts for us.*
*So you knew Jolinar long before she became your mate?*
*Yes...I saw her shortly after she returned from her search for Egeria...and I admit that I had a crush on her from the very beginning...she was sweet and kind - and her host was very attractive...it is a somewhat frustrating experience to have such feelings when you are a small symbiote years away from taking your first host...* Lantash blushed a little.
*I can imagine!* Martouf grinned.
*...anyway, after I grew up and blended with my first host, I did not see her again until she was stationed at the same base as I. That was shortly after Rosha became her host, just under 80 years ago...we quickly became good friends, and a few years later mates, as you know.*
Martouf nodded. *I really do hope they both like me...despite me being a child compared to them...* he indicated the waterfall. *Was it there when you were a child?*
*Yes. After I had become too large to fall prey to fish, I was allowed into the larger part of the lake. I often swam to the waterfall and played in it. It was fun and exciting, but our guardians did not like it - they said it was dangerous and I guess they were right...as I said earlier, I did not always do as I was told. The world was big and I was very curious and wanted to explore all of it...do you see that opening in the mountainside? There - just above the water? It leads to a large cave-system, with stalagmites and tunnels, and all kinds of interesting things. Several of us explored it from time to time - there is a very beautiful cave in there. It has walls that shines in different colours, reflecting the light getting in there from a small opening in the roof. After having found it I often went there, even though Jolinar yelled at me each time she found out.*
*You really were a rascal!* Martouf laughed. *As I said, I am glad to hear that symbiotes behaves much like human children, when given a chance...uhm...Lantash? Are the openings into the large cave large enough for me to fit? I would like to see it...*
Lantash laughed. *I have not been there since taking a host, but I believe we can get through - I would like to see it again.*
Quickly undressing, they jumped into the lake. They then swam for the opening and the beckoning cave, stopping for a moment to play in the waterfall. Just for today they would both allow themselves to be children again, and for a short time forget the fight against the Goa'uld.