14 - "It's Time."
-Sixteen Years Old-
Malika woke up to a small weight on her back, and she felt Iasis dancing on her.
"Today! Today!"
Malika curled up. "Was today something special?"
Iasis jumped on her head and threatened, "I tangle hair!"
Malika laughed and grabbed her.
Iasis gave her face kisses.
Malika smiled, then hugged and kissed her as she cried.
Iasis kissed away her tears. "I miss this too."
"Shall we have one last breakfast together?"
"Yes!"
~+~+~.
Neither of them could eat though.
"One last game of catch?" Martouf offered. "I've gotten quite good at catching with my left hand."
Malika smiled. "I think it's time."
~+~+~.
"It's better if you lay down," Martouf said, "even if you are not injured."
Aldwin ran last minute scans on them while Malek held Iasis.
Malika nodded, then laid down in bed.
Iasis squealed in excitement.
"I'm glad you are excited. I'm…a little scared."
"I be quick." Iasis looked up to Martouf as he picked her up. "Last you hold me."
"I'm going to miss direct interaction," he admitted before kissing her dorsal fin gently, then retreated so Lantash could hold her.
"Physically, they are both ready," Aldwin said as he stroked down Iasis' back.
Kela'an then held her, bringing her to Malika, then gave Sam control.
"Mom?" Iasis looked up to her. "You were first parent to hold me. Now you last."
"I'll miss you, but I know you'll feel more complete with a host."
"Lonely without one."
Sam smiled and kissed her. She smiled when she felt a soft nip on her temple.
"I love you, Parents."
"We love you."
Malika picked up her sister, then kissed her jaws. Iasis gave her a last gentle nip.
"I'm ready." Malika opened her mouth.
Iasis disappeared, and a second later, Malika's eyes glowed.
It was foreign, yet, familiar, and Iasis was hit with a flood of memories.
"How do you feel?" Sam asked.
Malika? Are you alright? Iasis felt overwhelmed.
I didn't like those memories.
Neither did I. "Mom?"
"I'm here."
"The process of blending has given me access to more memories."
"To what degree?" Lantash asked.
"I'm not sure, but they go beyond Egeria."
"She kept many memories from us." He helped her sit up.
"Many memories are…disturbing."
"If you cannot get out of her memories, focus on a good memory," Sam said. It was a trick she had learned with Jolinar's memories.
"Per'sus."
That amused her. "Focus on him then."
She closed her eyes, and once she could better focus, she retreated. Malika opened her eyes as she immediately touched the back of her head.
"How do you feel?" Lantash asked.
"Would it be ridiculous to say that I wasn't expecting to feel her in my head?"
He laughed. "No, but that will only last a few days at most."
Aldwin moved a healing device over them, examining them both.
Her eyes flared. "I can examine my sister myself."
"Every new blending is examined, and those were Egeria's rules."
"Very well," Iasis agreed, "but do not be too thorough. That thing itches." She retreated again.
Malika began crying.
"Malika?"
"It's overwhelming."
Lantash hugged her.
Malika wiped her tears, then leaned into him.
~+~+~.
Iasis immediately found Per'sus.
He grinned. "My little sister/niece/great niece has grown up and blended." He felt proud, as he always had with the others.
Iasis laughed. "Any other relationships you can add in there?"
"Probably cousin…somehow. Step-granddaughter?"
Iasis sat by him.
"How do you both feel?"
"Overwhelmed…and…I somehow miss being free."
"I did too," he replied.
"And we're both scared, but excited, and…" She retreated. "There are a lot of memories. More than she expected." Malika rubbed the back of her neck. "Everyone seems so different now. So many children. She really had thousands."
"Yes." He glanced down. "I remember each one."
Malika glanced down. "It hurt every time she lost a child." She looked to him. "That's why she never had a queen. A queen would join the cause and be doomed to the same fate, watching her children die."
"I suspected that to be the case."
"Iasis knows what happened to Versha."
He stiffened.
It might not be an answer you want to hear, Einar warned.
She was my wife. I have to know. If she suffered, I still have to know.
~+~+~.
"The escape pods are being destroyed."
"How many?" Egeria asked.
"All of them."
She winced in sorrow.
"Ra is going after the fighters. Jika's squad. Most fighters have been destroyed."
So many more would follow. Egeria moved her ship to intercept, blocking Ra from attacking Jolinar's squad.
"Cedak's…"
The ship jostled with more hits. They had already lost weapons.
"We're crashing." Idok sounded amazingly calm.
"Did any of the ships-?!" Egeria was thrown as the ship was shot.
~+~+~.
When Egeria woke up, Versha was already awake.
Can you move? Egeria asked.
Not well.
They heard the sound of staff weapons.
"My queen," they heard. "You have to run."
Versha got up and checked on Idok.
"No. Run. I can't…" His eyes flashed in death.
Versha shot him, making sure he would not suffer. She did the same for others before feeling the burn of a staff weapon. She heard laughter, deep amused laughter.
"A lone Tok'ra," Ra said. "All by herself."
Versha edged away as he approached, then grimaced as he moved the hand device over her. His eyes glowed in delight.
"The traitor herself. Egeria."
Egeria took control. "Your days are numbered, Ra."
"And I have sent forces to Dexer, Malkshur, Punver…"
No! She thought as he kept going. All her children were being attacked at once. They would never see it coming.
"You have lost. Your children are dead."
Per'sus, Versha thought. Xinyi.
"And now…you will lose your host." He gestured.
Egeria immediately numbed Versha from pain. I love-
Versha was gone.
~+~+~.
Iasis wiped away one of his tears.
"She didn't suffer. At least, not how I had feared." He gave a slight smile. "I've had nightmares about what might have happened."
"Her body was destroyed. It was meant to break Egeria, but while it hurt, it assured her that Versha wouldn't be made to suffer."
He gave a slight nod. Eir and Malek were able to tell her that we survived."
"I remember."
~+~+~.
"Young One." The same larva name as her mate. In truth, she had feared that he would not survive his first blending. She was glad to be wrong, and it wasn't just him. Egeria felt warm, seeing in Eir's memories who else had survived. Selmak. Garshaw. Her beloved Per'sus.
So many had not. Like Jolinar. She had immediately felt her death in the blonde, in the stranger named Carter. That had hurt. The death of every child left a painful scar.
Malek was in tears.
"Eir has told me much…Malek. Have you become a leader as your name hopes?"
"I command outposts."
"Good. I made you to become a leader.
He smiled weakly. "My queen… Has Eir told you about Per'sus?"
"He lives," she replied happily.
"See into Eir's memories and know this to be true… Per'sus has never stopped loving you."
She gasped slightly, yet it didn't surprise her. Egeria knew that above all, his heart would break in learning that he barely missed her, that he could see her now if he just knew. They just didn't have enough time left.
"How did Xinyi die?" She asked.
"In a comfortable bed, having lived 203 years, with you and Versha on his mind."
"He had to wait for me."
"I'm sure he didn't mind."
She closed her eyes.
Malek kissed her hand.
Eir, what is the name of Per'sus current host?
Einar, and he makes Per'sus happy.
Egeria smiled.
"My queen."
"My youngest. You are…"
He cried.
"I love you," she whispered, thankful to say it one last time to at least one child.
~+~+~.
Per'sus stared down at the floor as she finished. "Malek mentioned me?"
"She wanted to ask, but-"
"It would indicate favoritism. I understand. Malek was most considerate to bring me up."
"He did it for her."
Per'sus smiled slightly.
"Per'sus…she was proud of you."
He smiled slightly. "I had tremendous help, and now…"
"It's up to Malika and me."
"Are you ready?"
"I don't know."
He squeezed her hand gently. "At least, you won't be starting out alone."
Iasis smiled.