23 - Truths and Grief

~*Aldwin*~

I tense as someone comes through the chapa'ai.

A Jaffa, Gete recognizes.

A lone Jaffa. Even for a search party, that's rather… Oh. I signal for the others to stand down before approaching.

He grins widely. He is so not his father, at least when it comes to showing emotion.

"I wasn't sure I'd be recognized," he admits.

"I've seen photographs of you. Rya'c, is it not? Teal'c's son."

"Yes. That's me, and I have news for the Tok'ra."

I gesture towards the rings, and he is glad to get out of the blistering heat. So am I. He grins again after we ring down.

"How is your father?"

"Angry after Captain Carter's capture, though he hides that from most. He's worried for her."

What? Gete thinks. This is new.

He does not seem to think so.

The council is keeping secrets.

This is not their secret to keep.

"I'm sorry. Her capture?"

"By Zar?" He frowns slightly. "I apologize. I thought it would be known by any Tok'ra by now, but of course, you don't all know." He sighs. "Zar went to Earth, kidnapping her and her fiancé, Pete Shanahan."

I nod slightly, taking him to see Per'sus. He's going to have to explain why this isn't public news. Jolinar's last host is held by that maniac, and they kept it a secret?!

Per'sus is in his room, but I recognize that Einar is the one in control. He usually is these days. Per'sus has not handled the news on Pangar well. Seeing a Jaffa though, he takes control.

Rya'c looks a little embarrassed when he realizes we walked into someone's personal quarters.

"First," he says, "you have an operative working under Zar. Jacob Carter. Zar is slowly closing in on him."

"How do you know this?"

"I cannot answer that."

Which means they have an operative spying on Zar.

Per'sus nods. "We have sent a warning to Jacob."

"I also have information, concerning a Tok'ra named Malek."

Per'sus approaches. "Malek was killed."

Rya'c shakes his head. "He was revived…just as O'Neill suspected."

What?

"What?" Per'sus frowns.

"The method of his death would have destroyed his brain and that of his host," I add.

"Zar has an Ancient healing device."

What?!

Per'sus barely reacts, but I see that surprises and scares him.

"Now…O'Neill didn't realize that at the time that he spoke to you, but the images Zar stole are the same Tok'ra here." He pulls out a hologram projector. "Taken after Malek's death."

Per'sus takes the projector.

"Proof that Zar has two of your people. It's not just a theory anymore."

"Zar stole pictures of Tok'ra?" I am angry, but it appears Per'sus is just as clueless.

"Yes. Tok'ra who were killed." He frowns. "That's why O'Neill thought they were revived. Stealing their photographs didn't make any sense otherwise."

"Thank you." I can see now that Per'sus knew nothing of this.

I wonder if he's been in retreat again, Gete thinks.

Did Einar know?

"They are kept in one of the prisons, but…that's about all I know. I don't even know if they are on a planet."

"Zar has built a few prisons in space," I say.

"Yes. I do know the warden is named Fin'ar." He glances down. "I am ashamed to say that he is said to be very…sadistic and cruel."

"Zar encourages it," Per'sus replies to ensure Rya'c that he is not blamed. "Thank you for what you have been able to tell us."

Rya'c leaves.

I stay. I want to ask about why we were not told about Sam-

Amb, Gete thinks in sorrow when Per'sus turns on the projector.

"He looks awful." He's bruised and bloody.

"And older," Per'sus adds. "This is definitely after his death." Per'sus kneels by the image, looking into his face. He just looks at him, taking it in. "I'm sorry," he whispers. "We would have informed Selmak if we had known."

I'll ask about Samantha later.

Per'sus gets up and changes the image.

Never mind. She's right there.

"Captain Carter?"

He didn't know? I look to Per'sus, and he is clearly surprised. He really didn't know.

"Rya'c said she was captured. I thought…"

He looks to me, and he immediately knows what I thought. "For how long?"

"I don't know."

He changes the image again.

Martouf?!

How?! Gete asks.

Per'sus stares for a few seconds. I don't think I've ever seen him look shocked before.

"If he's alive, others might be as well."

He nods slightly, then shakes his head. "If Zar is as he is reported, he's not going to be the man we knew."

That makes me feel sick.

"Summon the council," he says angrily. "Now!"

~*Yosuuf*~

Per'sus is pissed.

About what. I have no idea.

I watch him pace back and forth in the council room.

I don't think I have ever seen him this angry, Garshaw thinks in worry.

He stops pacing as others come in, closing his eyes. He takes a deep breath before slowly letting it out.

The rest of us calmly wait.

It's several minutes before he opens his eyes. "Delek." His tone is icy.

Now we know who he is angry at, I think.

Realizing his tone, Per'sus takes another long breath.

"Councilor." Delek seems confused.

"Explain yourself," he commands as he walks towards him.

"What?"

"There are images of Zar's prisoners… That you knew about."

"I'm sorry?"

"He has Captain Carter."

What?!

Per'sus gets in his face. "I find it really difficult to believe that Stargate Command didn't report this." His tone is much calmer now, but he's still clearly angry.

Delek closes his eyes. "Selmak would have left her cover if she knew."

"That information was not yours to withhold," Garshaw says furiously.

"She is probably dead," Delek argues.

"She has valuable information about us."

"Jolinar's memories are obsolete."

"You are lucky she isn't here to hear that," she replies in disgust.

"And what of the Tok'ra prisoners?" Per'sus asks. "Are they also obsolete?"

"What prisoners?"

"Colonel O'Neill suspected that he had prisoners."

"Based on nothing. Zar stole a couple photographs, and he somehow thinks that means they live?"

Per'sus' eyes flare again, and he moves to a projector. He turns it on. An image of Amb appears in the room. Garshaw gasps.

"Does he look dead to you?" Per'sus demands.

"That could be before-"

Per'sus changes it. It's now Amb and Samantha, confirming that this was definitely after he died.

Delek stares. "I…"

For what it's worth, I do believe Delek truly dismissed the idea, I think, noticing that Delek is visibly paler.

Per'sus changes the image again, and there is an audible gasp from the room as we see Martouf.

"How long have you known they might be his captives?" Per'sus asks angrily.

Delek closes his eyes. "I thought-"

"How…long?"

"Four months."

Per'sus raises his hand for a second, and I honestly think he's going to hit him. He closes his eyes, calming himself. When he opens his eyes, I see that it is not him, but his host, Einar.

"You lied to the council because you felt you knew better."

Delek looks confused, worried, and ashamed.

"You are…quite clearly…too immature for the responsibilities that we have entrusted you with, so…"

Now he looks angry.

"Effective immediately, you are removed from the council."

Delek winces.

Einar turns away. "Arrest him."

Delek walks to the guards as they approach, leaving without a word.

~*Jack*~

In the mess hall, I sit down by Janet. "Janet?"

"I have been training the-"

"No." I take her hand. "This isn't work talk. We are both off duty."

"You can't stop me from working."

"I know you are worried about Sam. So am I, but Janet… You have been working nonstop since she's been missing."

When she looks to me, I see that she has been crying.

"And I… To be honest, I didn't see it because I've been doing the same. Daniel and Teal'c noticed though."

Janet smiled.

"They brought up their concerns about both of us."

"I don't know what else to do."

"Take a few days off. Cassy has spring break, doesn't she?"

"That's in another month."

"No, that's next week."

She shook her head, looking at her phone to prove me wrong. She pauses as she looks at it. "Oh."

"Look. Take your days off. I promise, if I learn anything new about Sam, I'll let you know."

She nods. "Thank you, sir. Cassy wanted to come home this break because Sam was missing. I should…" She stands. "The place needs to be cleaned a bit."

I know that's probably not true, but hopefully, she'll get some rest.

"Thank you, sir." She leaves.

~+~+~.

"It's the Tok'ra."

"Delek," I mutter. I'm getting really tired of his smug face, telling me nothing until it's too late. Then demanding answers.

"It's Aldwin," Daniel says cheerfully. "Even you can tolerate him."

I smile a bit. "You were getting tired of Delek too?"

"Oh, yeah."

~+~+~.

We all sit down. Alright, what's he going to ask?

"Delek has been arrested for withholding information from the council."

I'm shocked.

"I have been sent to gather what he withheld

"What did he withhold?"

"He did not inform us that Samantha had been missing."

That pisses me off.

"We only learned of it today, thanks to Rya'c."

"How is he?"