Chapter Twelve Summary - Plans are put into action that will help both conceal and comfort Lantash, and therefore also Daniel and Sam. Malek becomes better acquainted with the Tau'ri and makes his first trip "up top".
Always Be Ours
Chapter 12
Surprise
Daniel stood at the foot of the ramp and did his best to appear calm and in control. He was actually doing rather well at it. General Hammond and Jack O'Neill stood on either side of him. They were waiting for the Tok'Ra they had requested to step through the event horizon. And, there he was.
Malek of the Tok'Ra was a tall, slender man with dark brown hair that insisted on trying to curl and golden-brown eyes that had just enough flecks of green in them that you could call them hazel. His face was generally calm and stern looking, probably because he was a base commander, and many lives depended on him. Except, that is, for the next three days or more depending on the status of the mission he had been sent on. If it even was a mission. He had his doubts as to the legitimacy of this assignment.
A replacement had been sent to stand in for him on his base and help his second in command to run it during his absence. He had been more or less ordered, by no less than Per'sus, to go to the Tau'ri, who had, it seemed, requested him, personally (even though, as far as he knew they didn't know him well) and to expect to spend at the very least three days, and very likely more, on earth with them.
He was to follow the lead of the Tau'ri. His instructions would come from them, and when the time was right for him to be told what his part in the mission was, they would explain. It would not, Per'sus had explained, be at all clear at first, but he was to be patient, courteous, and tactful. That was all he knew except that he was to expect Per'sus to contact him there.
Therefore, his visage was slightly more than stern. It could almost be called put-out, ruffled, or exasperated, but not actually angry. He did not like being pulled away from his duties to play diplomat to some new ally he knew little about. One, moreover, whose addition to their network of allies had caused the death of his dearest and closest friend and comrade.
However, he and Per'sus went back a very long way, as well, and he was also a dear and close friend and comrade. Therefore, if he wanted this done by Malek, of all people, then he would do his best. Courtesy and tactfulness not being his forte, he had his doubts if he could carry it off; however, patience he did seem to have—at least—he did when he set his mind to it. So, he had done so, sort of; that is to say, he had done the best he could to do so.
Reaching the end of the ramp, he bowed his head politely, and then allowed his voice to reverberate, for a moment, so that those conversing with him would know they were talking to the symbiote, not the host.
"Per'sus asked me to come and assist you in some undertaking, but he went into no details other than that you had requested me. Therefore, as you already know, I am Malek; my host's name is Devlin. It is two in the morning on our base, and I am afraid that Dev is asleep. If you do not mind, I would like to allow him to rest as we were up very late for the last several nights with some minor crises we had to attend to."
Malek noted the surprise on the Tau'ri's faces, and then the puzzlement, "Ah, that's not a problem, Malek, our business is with you, not your host, so whether he sleeps or not is immaterial at the moment. Of course, we will hope to meet him over the next several days, but it is not necessary at the moment."
It was Malek's turn to look surprised. Being a very straightforward and to the point person, he said bluntly, "I am sorry. Evidently, I have been misinformed. I was led to understand that the Tau'ri disliked talking with the Tok'Ra and, if at all possible, preferred to interact with the host. I apologize."
General Hammond shook his head and replied in a pleasant and understanding tone. "It's not that we dislike talking to you, although, I suppose it could be interpreted that way by some people. We are simply unaccustomed to you. The glowing of your eyes reminds us of unfortunate meetings with your, er, cousins, shall we say." George Hammond's eye's twinkled a little at his description of the Goa'uld.
"So, it is not that we dislike talking to you; we are still becoming used to talking to you. Selmak tends to let Jacob talk to us, since we are such old friends, so I'm afraid we aren't as used to it as we should be; however, that is our fault, not yours. It will take time, but you will find that we are a very adaptable people."
"There will always be some that will dislike you on principle." General Hammond shrugged. "But, they probably would have disliked you anyway, so don't let it bother you. You can't be liked by all of the people all of the time. Come on, son, let's get you introduced and started on your—project."
Malek found himself liking this rotund leader of this Tau'ri base, even if he did call him something very inappropriate. He was probably two thousand years older than this General was. Why was he calling him son?
"That is unnecessary, General Hammond. I believe we have all met at one time or another, have we not? Colonel O'Neill, I believe, and Dr. Jackson?" He looked at the other two men, and they both nodded in response.
The general nodded. "In that case, I believe you, Dr. Jackson, and I can do what needs to be done in my office. This way, if you wouldn't mind, please."
Malek nodded his goodbyes to Colonel O'Neill, picked up his travel bag, and along with Dr. Jackson, followed the general.
Once they were in the General's office, the General held out a card to him. "This is your credit card for use when you are on the base. Daniel will take you down and get your clothes. Our government is paying for it, so don't worry about it. After that, or maybe before, depending on Daniel, you'll get your Identification Card."
"It will allow you access to this facility. Most areas of it anyway, although, of course, there are a few areas that will be off limits to you. It has nothing to do with you personally, or with the Tok'Ra, it is simply that there are a few places on the base that are off limits to everyone but a very, very small number of us. You will have access to the majority of the base including the labs."
"During all of this, I believe Dr. Jackson has been instructed to give you a crash course in American English, and Earth customs as well as he can in the limited time he has. After that, you will be issued a driver's license and a different credit card. You will not, however, be allowed to drive a car until after you have been taught and passed the exam. It is for identification purposes only at this point in time. The credit card will be similar to the first card I gave you, but you will be able to use it off base. As I said, the one I first handed to you is for use while you are on base if you need to purchase anything, including food."
"The last two items will be yours to use unless you decide that you do not want to participate in this mission. I'm afraid I have to ask you to sign some non-disclosure forms. Ah, do you read English? I don't know if Per'sus was able to get the Tok'Ra ones ready or not. Although, that could be them now."
"The phone rang and the general answered it. "Bring them in, Sergeant." Hanging up the phone, he said, "That was them."
"General Hammond, what is a non-disclosure statement?" Malek wanted to know in case he was not correct in what he believed it to be.
"It basically says that you will not divulge anything you see or hear that is of a top secret matter, while you are on Earth, to anyone, anywhere in the universe, including on Earth, of course. Nor will you deliberately tell people that you are not from Earth. Breaking this agreement puts you immediately in danger of arrest and penalties. I don't know exactly what they are, but I think they are very stringent. I doubt it's the death penalty, but a life sentence for you would be a very, very, long time to be in an eight by ten foot room."
"Of course, they would probably let you die with your host. Or, they might take you out of your host, let him go and put you in a tank for the rest of your life which would be worse than an eight by ten room."
Since the general seemed quite cheerful while outlining these dire consequences, Malek was somewhat at a loss to know what to think. Perhaps there was something in the papers that would give more details.
On top of the packet of papers was a letter from Per'sus that more or less repeated their earlier conversation. Per'sus was counting on him to see this assignment through. It was delicate and needed absolute secrecy. No one, absolutely no one, could know the true facts surrounding this. He would be one of only a small handful of people that would be keeping this secret. Do what the Tau'ri requested as graciously as possible. Malek sighed to himself and ground his teeth.
Thirty minutes later after reading the Tok'Ra forms and being assured as much as possible by struggling through a paragraph here and there in English and having its corresponding paragraph match, that they were the same, he signed both. He looked at the General and Dr. Jackson. They both smiled. He attempted to smile back. He didn't have much success, but he really did attempt it. He tried. Really.
"Well, Malek, I hope that once you get a complete and clear overview of this mission you will decide to join us on completing it. We realize that it could take a couple of years for it to culminate, but we are confident that with the right people working on it, an affirmative outcome will result. I'll turn you over to Dr. Jackson, now, and he'll begin your training in American language, custom, and gestures."
"Dr. Jackson, I hope everything continues to go well for you."
"It's going as well as can be expected, General Hammond. Some days are better than others. I really don't like being away this long, but this is one of the most important things we will do. So, if you'll excuse us, I'll take Malek down and get him dressed in regular street clothes."
"Alright, Dr. Jackson. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Yes, sir. Oh, is Paul coming in?"
"Yes, as a matter of fact, he is. Did you know that they're transferring him out here, and I'll be getting a part-time attaché? It's crazy."
Daniel coughed. "Well, General, we, ah, knew he wanted to transfer here, so…" Daniel let his voice trail off.
"Which one is it?"
Daniel grinned. "Dr. Fraiser."
General Hammond smiled and nodded. "I should have seen that one coming. Get on outta here."
Daniel nodded, grinning all the while, as he shut the door. Turning to Malek, he said, "This way, Malek. By the way, my name is Daniel. If you take this assignment, we will be working together, so I'd rather not be hearing Dr. Jackson all the time. If you wouldn't mind, I'd really rather you used Daniel. We could find ourselves together quite a bit."
Malek nodded, feeling curiosity rise, but not asking. He answered simply. "As you wish, Daniel. Where are we going first?"
Daniel looked at the clock. It was still early. Sam would not have been up long, and he had left her a note. "We're going to an on base shop kind of thing. Some call it the PX, some call it the commissary; we'll call it the base shop."
"I'm getting you some Tau'ri clothing, so you'll fit in on Earth. Then we'll get you your ID, you have your credit card for on base purchases, but we have to get the driver's license. The other one will be given to you only if you accept the assignment. You will need the first one that General Hammond gave you for where we are going now. What kinds of things did you bring with you?"
"I did not know what I would need, so I brought uniforms and personal care items." Daniel nodded his understanding. "We'll stop by the locker room and leave your bag there in my locker for now." Once they accomplished that, it did not take them long to reach the base shop.
They entered it together and Malek looked around. They had entered a large room; in fact, there were several of them all connected to one another. There was clothing everywhere in this section, but there were all different types of articles in the other ones. It did not take him long to realize that he could not even begin to guess the purposes of many of them.
Daniel wandered around the store for a moment, and then he looked at Malek and shook his head slightly, obviously not sure about something. Catching sight of someone, his face brightened.
"Hey, Bob, you got your tape with you?"
"Yeah, you need me to get a size for you?"
"Yeah, if you could, please."
"Malek, I have to know what size you are. This guy will tell me, so just let him touch you, okay?"
Malek stared at Daniel in apprehension. He was to let this man touch him? How was this man going to touch him? He stood still as the man gave Daniel a pad and pen. Then he took a limp piece of something with what looked like writing on it and began to move around Malek. He was not actually touching him, as such, but if Daniel had not warned him, he might have been disturbed. By the time the man finished calling out numbers and, he assumed, locations, to Daniel, Malek was quite comfortable with the exercise.
He took the tablet from Daniel and looked through the figures. "I'd go with a sixteen to sixteen and a half shirt with the longer sleeve and for pants go for thirty-four - thirty-four. He's got a nice build on him and should fit regular off the peg fine."
"Great, you're a life saver. Thanks, Bob."
"Sure, no problem, Dr. J. Anytime, anything, for you."
As the man strolled away whistling, Daniel turned and began moving in a much more determined and purposeful way. Reaching a sea of blue colored, well, leggings, Daniel moved through them swiftly, looking, discarding, and choosing. At last, he turned back to Malek with perhaps eight pairs of the leggings.
"Okay there are several styles and a couple of brands here. Let's see if any of these suit you." He motioned toward the back with his chin, his hands being full.
Once there he talked to the woman in charge teasing her, and she gave him a number and pushed the two of them through to the last cubicle. Daniel motioned Malek in and handed him the eight pairs of leggings, showed him how to remove them from the "hangars" and told him, "Okay, Malek, now try each pair of these on and unless you just hate them, let me see them while they are still on you."
Malek stripped from his uniform. It had never bothered him that they wore no underclothing before. For some reason it did here. He shrugged. Oh well, he would get used to it. The first two pair, he didn't particularly like and was relieved when Daniel said no and had him pass them and their hangars to him. The third pair, Daniel smiled and then asked him how they felt. Malek looked at himself in the mirror and turned around. "They feel comfortable, Daniel. What are these leggings?"
"They aren't leggings. They are called jeans. Blue jeans to be more precise. You will find that they are pretty much regular wear for about anything we do in America except office work, and in many places, they're acceptable there as well. They are very tough and take a lot of wear. Are these comfortable then?"
"Yes. Yes, I believe I like these."
"Okay, try on the next ones."
Malek ended up with two styles he really liked and Daniel had him get two of each. "I like them very much. Will I be wearing them often?"
"If you take this assignment, it's possible that you will be. We, we aren't sure how things are going to work out yet. We are hoping that you will need to wear them for a very long time." Daniel led the way to another section of the store.
"These are shirts, yes? I need to pick out one or two of them to go with the jeans?"
"Pick out about four. Two long sleeved and two short sleeved. The long sleeved has to have the sleeve over 33 inches." That was easy. Daniel showed him the ones in his size and it was up to him to pick them out. He chose well there. Nothing flashy as Daniel had expected. The colors he chose were very complimentary to his coloring.
Seeing one that was an unusual color but that would look great on Malek, Daniel grabbed it as an after thought. "Yes those are really nice. I like them, and they'll all go with the jeans, but if, hmm…you know, we should get you at least one or two pairs of casual pants. That's not a problem though. We need to go back over into the pants section."
"What are pants, Daniel?"
"Oh, um, what I'm wearing. We call them pants, not leggings."
"I see," Malek commented and he did.
Daniel led him back across the room, but to another area. Here there were pants that looked much like the ones that Daniel had on at the moment. Daniel looked through several racks and finally settled on three pair. One black, one a color he called khaki, and one a color he called olive drab. Back to the dressing room. All three fit. Now to decide. Would he really need the black? Daniel's mind screamed back: you always need the black. Fine, get all three. "How do they feel, Malek?"
"These, too, are very comfortable, Daniel."
"Okay. Give them to me. Stay here, I'll be right back. Or, start going through the belts over there on that rack. The long skinny things hanging down? They go around your waist to help keep your pants from sliding down. Start looking for one you like. Size thirty-four. It should be stamped on the back or be on the tag."
Malek moved toward the belts, Daniel took his load to the checkout to leave them there until they were ready to go. The casual pants went well with the shirts Malek had picked out, too. On the way to the checkout, he passed the denim shirts. He'd check those out on the way back by.
On the way back he did. Sleeve length was fine. He caught up with Malek. He had chosen a nice modest belt. Next were socks, underwear, shoes, and some Tee-shirts. Almost regulation wear at a cookout. Malek preferred polo-style. Daniel had guessed that one, too. Again, the right colors and again Daniel grabbed one that was perfect for his coloring. Ah, billfold. Boots? Tennis shoes? Boots would wait to see if he agreed. Tennis shoes. Yes.
One hour and forty-five minutes from the time they started the first of their Tau'ri adventures, Malek and Devlin were in the locker room. Daniel handed Malek a pair of low-rise briefs. Malek looked at them and then he looked at Daniel. Daniel looked back at him and then he smiled. "Sorry, I forgot you don't wear underwear."
"You might want to now, though, at least until the jeans have been worn a few times. Sometimes the blue comes off on your skin and of course your underwear, but that's preferable to having certain parts of your anatomy blue. Here wait a minute, let's be logical. There were some dark blue briefs in here as well as maroon and black. Oh, and they go on this way, with the, ah, vent in the front for easy access for elimination purposes. Oh, and the blue that fades onto you, well, it usually doesn't do it unless you get wet or sweaty, and it does wash off."
"That is good news." Malek said stoically.
Daniel grinned and handed him a pair of socks. Malek sighed. Ten minutes later, Malek had locked his uniforms into Daniel's locker. His new clothes, without tags, and his personal care items, along with a few extra that Daniel had added to his belongings in the base shop, were in the new luggage that proclaimed him as non-alien as the next person.
They had his license. He had learned his new name was Malek Devlin when he had to sign the credit card slip. He was thirty-eight years old. He had brown hair and hazel eyes, was six ft. tall, 175 lbs. and he was born on February 25, 1969, in Roswell, New Mexico, but had lived almost his entire life abroad. Daniel told him he needed to memorize these statistics as well as his full name. He had no idea why Daniel smiled every time he said Roswell, New Mexico.
"These jeans are quite comfortable, Daniel, as are these Tee-shirts. Even the, ah, underwear is comfortable. I believe I could come to enjoy wearing these types of clothing," Malek sounded and looked surprised at his own comment.
"Yeah, a lot of people feel that way about them. They're pretty good pants that's for sure. They can be used for everything from really hard physical labor to casual wear that doesn't so much as stress a thread"
During the entire time they had been busy in the SCG accomplishing all of the prerequisites for the mission, Daniel had been telling Malek small things about Earth, but more importantly, American culture. He had especially run through some slang terms that he thought might be confusing. Malek had stared at him through the recital of those as if he was speaking a language he'd never heard before. But, then, he had been. American slang, like most other countries slang terms was colorful and usually made little or no sense.
He tried to tell him things ahead of time, but he knew that many would simply have to come up either in situations or in speech.
They had been walking down the hall, Malek pulling his luggage behind him, a curious, but obviously useful and helpful contrivance, when Daniel spoke again, "Well, are you ready to go above ground on Earth, Malek?"
"Yes, whenever we have everything we need. Are we not taking our weapons with us?"
Daniel frowned. "I thought I gave you yours." One of the cards you have should say you are military and of sufficient rank and security clearance to carry one."
"Where would it be?"
Daniel shook his head, exasperated with himself. "I'm sorry, Malek, I forgot; I put it in your luggage."
Malek blinked in confusion. "What good will it do us if it is in my luggage?"
"We don't carry weapons around with us all the time. Well, most of the time we don't. I have one at home and one in my Jeep, of course, because of our line of work, but we don't always carry them, unless we are out on a mission."
"And we are not on a mission? I thought that is why I was here?"
"You haven't been briefed and accepted the mission yet. When you are and you do, then you'll be on the mission, but I don't know when, or if, we'll ever have to carry guns. Hopefully," Daniel said solemnly "we never will."
They had stepped into the elevator as they talked, and before Malek realized it, they were stopping. Daniel and Malek signed out; although Daniel had to remind Malek that they needed his full name.
Then they stepped outside and for the first time Malek stepped onto the soil of the first world. The Tau'ri home-world. He looked around and was surprised to find himself on a mountain. He shouldn't have been. He had known they were inside one. The first world he had heard of was desert, not mountains and trees.
From what he had gleaned though, that part of the first world was a very long way from this part of it. Thousands of miles, in fact. He said as much to Daniel, "I do not know why I am surprised to find myself upon a mountain, for I knew the Chaappa'ai was within one. I suppose I expected a desert, as well. I cannot say I am disappointed though, even if it is not a sand filled vista."
"Actually we are kind of desert here. Not the sand dune type that you normally think of as desert. Some call it a high desert. We have the Cactus and stuff here anyway. Ah, the American Southwest, our southwest, is pretty much desert but still not the kind you are used too. If you end up agreeing to the mission, we'll take you and let you explore some of the first world, if you'd like to."
Malek looked around and decided he would like to do that. "Yes, I believe I would enjoy that. Thank you, Daniel." He frowned, "But, will the mission not keep us from having time to do those things?"
Daniel shrugged, unwilling to give any detail of the mission to him ahead of time. "Possibly, or it could give us abundant time depending on where we end up. We'll wait and see. For now, we need to go this way." Daniel gestured and began to walk toward an open area, which seemed to have oddly shaped metal boxes or containers in it.
He followed Daniel across an unusual hard substance until he stopped beside a square metal box. He did something with a small remote control and some lights on the box flashed. Daniel reached around him and opened the box. He also grabbed the luggage and, opening the back, set it inside.
"Go ahead and get in, Malek." He watched as Daniel climbed into the, he now assumed, transport, and followed his gestures. When Daniel pulled a wide belt across himself and locked it into place, he did the same. After that, he could not follow Daniel's gestures. He had none of the other equipment that Daniel had. Daniel, he deduced, was the pilot.
When Daniel leaned forward, turned something, and the box began to hum, Malek was sure of it. Did it fly then? Daniel moved a stick on the floor and the transportation device moved backwards. When it went so far, Daniel again moved the stick, without looking at it, and they began going forward, but they were still on the ground.
"What is this transportation device called, Daniel?"
"Its official name is automobile, but we just call them cars. This particular model is a Jeep and I've misnamed it to you because it isn't really considered a car, nor is it a truck. It's an SUV. Sport Utility Vehicle. I like it because it's four wheel drive and sometimes in the winter we can need that here. Especially if you want to go anywhere north."
"Why is that?"
"It snows here in the winter. A lot. Not right here in Colorado Springs necessarily, although we get snow, but up in the higher elevations where the ski areas are. Maybe you'll come through this winter and we'll take you skiing."
Malek stared at him. He realized he had been doing that a great deal today. "When does it leave the ground?"
"What?"
"The, the, Jeep?"
"It doesn't. These are for use on the roads. See down there off the mountain? All those cars, trucks, SUV's? They are all driving on roads. We'll be down there in a few minutes, so you'll see what I mean."
"We are going to be down there? With all of those others? But we will be killed."
Daniel smiled. "I won't lie to you, it does happen. People die in crashes everyday. You just have to be as careful as you can."
"You voluntarily get into these vehicles knowing you could be killed?"
"You voluntarily go out and fight the Goa'uld knowing you could be killed?" Daniel shrugged. "No matter what you do you could be killed. Didn't we learn that again not very long ago right there in the gate room of the SGC?"
Malek knew at once, to what Daniel referred. He felt that sharp pain of loss once again. Lantash gone. He could not believe it. They had fought together for so long. They had been friends, comrades, and, at one time, long, long, ago, even lovers. How he would miss him. If he could find the culprit who had turned them into a za'tarc, he would kill him with his bare hands.
He frowned. Daniel sounded extremely upset about it, as well, but he did not think he knew Lantash and Martouf all that well. He wondered why he sounded so upset by the incident, but then it came to him. Samantha Carter had killed them. The woman they had loved deeply.
Not only that, but if what Lantash had conveyed to him was true, she had loved them very much, also. He closed his eyes. It was rumored that Daniel Jackson and Samantha Carter were very close. Of course, his friend was in a great deal of emotional pain over the happening. To have to kill the man you loved; Malek shuddered at the thought of what she must be going through.
She had not been with Daniel and O'Neill when they greeted him. He wondered if she was even on the base today, as he had not so much as glimpsed her during his time there. Perhaps she could not bring herself to see him, a Tok'Ra, yet. No doubt, if she loved them as much as Lantash seemed to believe she did, she was not in a very good state of emotional or mental health at this point in time.
Daniel glanced at Malek. That had disturbed him. Lantash had said they were very close. It was obvious Malek felt the same.
Malek broke the silence that had fallen, "It is very unusual for the SGC to request a specific operative for a mission, Daniel. Nor were there any details other than that you wished me to be extremely discreet and to plan to be gone for three, or more, days."
"Now, I have arrived as you requested; I am here, and you are taking me, in earth clothing, somewhere on your world. I have no weapon, and you tell me we will not need one even if the mission goes on for an extended period of time. Nothing I have heard leads me to believe that you have a true mission for me. I do not believe you have a mission for me. Why have you brought me to the Tau'ri world? What have you told Per'sus to lead him to believe that you need me here?"
"Trust me, Malek; we do have a reason for you to be here and in earth clothing. Per'sus knows exactly why you have been requested to come here, and he had absolutely no hesitation in agreeing with our request. He was more than happy to help us. In fact, he will be at my home tomorrow, and the two of you will be able to discuss strategy with Jacob, General Hammond, and a," he hesitated before continuing, "few other interested parties. There is a very important and very delicate mission to be undertaken here. It's important to the people involved in it that it be concluded successfully. Your help with it may very well be vital, so I hope you can bring yourself to accept it."
"We are almost to my home. When we reach there, you'll be given the details. I can't say anymore than that at the moment."
Malek looked around and was surprised to see that while he had been ruminating, something had changed, and they were no longer on the crowed roads that had seemed so dangerous. He was surprised they were through them with no harm coming to them. Daniel, it seemed, was an excellent pilot. He would never have guessed it of him, and it showed that one should never judge without looking beneath the surface.
"We're here, Malek. This is my home. Come inside and all of your questions will be answered, I promise you."
He had come this far, he might as well go the remainder of the way. He watched as Daniel walked around and grabbed his luggage out of the back of the Jeep. He followed him up the steps. He could think of no logical reason for him to be here in this place at this time with this person. It made no sense to him at all, and if this was some odd whim of Per'sus's to get him to take time off and relax, he would zat him. Maybe twice.
"Come on. Follow me and I'll show you to your room. I'm afraid you might only get it for one night. Jacob and Per'sus might stay tomorrow night and perhaps Anise. There's a bed in the den and one in the guest room. Of course Jacob and Per'sus might go home with the General, too, so as you can see, I really don't know how tomorrow will play out."
Malek frowned. There was no treachery here. It sounded like a gathering. Why would the Tau'ri insist on him being here for a gathering? The farther into this strange mission he wandered the more bizarre it became. "One of them has arrived a day early," he said as they climbed the stairs.
Daniel turned to him and frowned at him, asking, "What do you mean?"
"I can sense one of them down this hallway. Faint yet, but it is there."
"That's Sam. She and I are getting married, er, bonded, and we've already started living together here. This way."
Malek followed, but he was shocked. Had Samantha Carter lied to Lantash and Martouf? Daniel passed a few doors before setting his luggage into a room and turning to him. "Would you like to use the facilities or wash up or, er, do anything before you say hi to Sam?"
"No, thank you, I am fine." Malek was not sure how to greet Samantha Carter, now. He firmed his lips. Gracious, tactful, and polite. Per'sus would owe him a great deal for this.
Daniel suddenly appeared nervous. "Are you sure?"
Malek frowned at Daniel's obvious anxiety. "No, I assure you, I am quite all right. Thank you." Did he realize that Lantash would have told him about his weekend with the woman he loved? How much more bizarre would this become?
"All right then, I guess you should go say hello to Sam. So, we'll just go back to that other door and, and say, ah, hello."
As Daniel quietly opened the door, Sam's laugh rang out. "You're being silly, now. What are we going to do with all of these things you've bought?"
"Sam, there's someone here to see you and, well just there's someone here for you."
"What's my dad doing here today, Daniel? He, Anise, and Per'sus aren't supposed to be here until tomorrow. You didn't think you could sneak him in without me knowing did you? The naquadah gave him away."
"It's not your dad, Sam, but you'll very much want to greet our guest."
Malek threw Daniel another odd look considering he barely knew Samantha Carter and at the moment, he was not feeling friendly toward her at all. She had betrayed his dearest friend. He turned back just as she finished whatever she had been doing in the opened drawer and turned around. He caught his breath when her eyes glowed and another voice came out saying, "Malek? They've brought you to me? How wonderful."
Malek stood as if frozen in place. Finally, he uttered one whispered word, "Lantash?"
"Yes, Malek. Indeed, it is me." He looked past him to Daniel. "I do not know how you managed to bring him to me, Daniel, but I do sincerely thank you."
"It's the least I could do, Lantash. When you are ready, come downstairs. It will be more comfortable to sit, talk, and explain down there. If you can tell me what you each drink, I'll do my best to come up with an American alternative.
"Malek will like tea, or cola. He might like coffee, and he would certainly like hot chocolate. I believe that perhaps he would enjoy one of Samantha's mocha frappachinos. Ah, and Samantha tells me that she wants one, maybe two since she's going to be stuck in our head for a while."
"Tell her to take a nap, the babies need it."
"I tried that Daniel, but she is still whining about my purchases." His lips tilted in a wry smile. "You would think she would appreciate all of the help that I have given her."
"I think women like to pick some of that stuff out themselves, Lantash."
"She can help pick things out for the next babies. We will have girls, as I promised you. Their clothes are much prettier than the boy's clothes, and they get to play in high heels. I can hardly wait. We shall follow them around and catch them when they fall until they are perfect at it like their mother. She is laughing at me again, Daniel. She gives me no respect." Lantash lamented, but his lips smiled. It was nice to hear her laughter instead of her tears. If it would keep her smiling, he would act this way and tease with Daniel forever, no matter how oddly Malek looked at him. The look on his face was almost disbelieving, and there was no doubt that it was definitely a look of shock.
Malek regarded him as if he had just sprouted another head. "Lantash, are you well? Were you—damaged—when, well, when the incident happened? Is there nothing they, or we, can do to help you?"
"Of course, I am well, Malek. Why would you think I was not?"
"Probably because we haven't told him anything, Lantash, assuming you would want to tell your friend yourself what has happened, since the incident during the summit meeting. And, I have to be honest and admit that we all thought that it would be a nice surprise for both of you," Daniel interjected quickly. "I'm going downstairs. I'll expect you down there when I see you. Don't make Sam stand too long though, Lantash, okay?"
"As if I would. We will be right there. You are correct, and she has been on her feet since early this morning when packages began arriving. We have been sorting baby clothes ever since."
"Yes, I can see that. Did you buy out every store you came across, Lantash? Whose plastic did you put this on?"
"Yours. Samantha has hidden hers. I will find it, though, as soon as I can track down the memory of where she put it. Or perhaps my own will arrive."
"Ah, actually, I hid it for her. So, you won't find it. Don't be too long."
"That is cheating, Daniel."
"Tell Sam. It was her idea."
"I will find out somehow." Daniel shook his head, grinning at him as he shut the door and left them alone to talk.
"Lantash?" The first waves of joy and relief gave way to a raging anger. How could this have happened and the entirety of the Tok'Ra not be told? What was Lantash doing? Why was he hiding from all of them? From him? Why? Malek continued staring at his dearest friend, his mind racing, attempting to arrive at the answer to his questions.
He stopped asking them of himself, for he had no answers, and began speaking instead, "Would you mind explaining how and why you are here? Here and alive when the entirety of the Tok'Ra believe that you are dead? Why were we not informed that you survived? Does Per'sus know of this? Have the Tau'ri bothered to inform him that one of his best operatives is alive and evidently quite well, living on their home-world, and playing with—with baby clothing?" He was appalled at what he had just heard. What was he to do now? How could he ever trust his friend again?
TBC