Lantash

Just the Symbiote

-Lantash-

"Just what we need, more Tok'ra" is what catches my attention. I get to my feet, and head over to the area of newcomers.

Pary/Hovar stands there, watching the prisoners, probably expecting attack. I cannot tell which one is in control. His Tok'ra uniform made it clear what he was to others. I know he wouldn't know who I was, and also know he is probably wondering what other Tok'ra are down here.

Hmm, just me.

The way he stands...Pary must be in control. He relaxes only slightly when he realizes the prisoners don't look like they are about to attack. They usually attack this time of day but, thanks to me, they are rather afraid of the Tok'ra.

I approach, and he eyes me. I know he can sense me, but not recognizing the host, he is unsure if I am Goa'uld or Tok'ra. His eyes flash, which makes me think that Hovar must think he is more of a threat than his host.

As I approach, the other prisoners back away, leaving me a nice path. "I am not cause for alarm, Hovar," I say.

Hovar still watches me, but still seems unsure. "Who are you?"

"Lantash."

"Lantash is dead. He died-"

"-Releasing poison so that Selmak and people of Tau'ri could escape through the Chaapa'ai. Don't tell me what I did. I lived it!" I didn't mean to sound quite so angry. "Well, the story was wrong. The poison decided not to kill me, and since I spent the next day under a pile of dead Jaffa and the years after in this prison, being tortured several times a week, I haven't had time to figure out why."

Hovar looked rather horrified.

My words weren't completely accurate. Zar, if he's still the Goa'uld in charge, seemed to lose interest in me a couple months ago.

As his posture changes I know Pary is in control again. "We did not mean to offend you, Lantash. We thought you and your new host were dead, and we did not know what your new host looked liked. Please, forgive us."

I stare back, trying to shake off the anger. My host isn't helping, but he never does anymore. I turn away, and return to my room, which has a bed of rags. Anything valuable, weapons, food, water, is hidden. Of course Pary follows. He looks around once we get there, and starts to speak.

I interrupt him. "I prefer to speak with Hovar."

Pary looks confused, as I never made this request, but they grant it, and the symbiote takes control. "It is an interesting place. I see you adopted the idea of having a door."

"Elliot wanted a door, and I found it is useful when in prison."

"How is Elliot? It would be nice to meet him."

I stare back at him. "The room is large enough to share. It would be safer." I leave before he can respond; grabbing an empty container and saying we need more water.

Water itself isn't usually hard to get. It always flows freely, and the only problem is when people try to take control. However, thanks to the "I'm afraid that Lantash is going to kill me or worse take over my body" attitude, I don't have to worry.

I see a man look up at me from the water. He's been in the prison longer than I have. He's familiar, but I can never remember why. I must have seen him sometime before prison. Unlike most, he's not afraid of me, but keeps his distance. I think out of respect.

I return to my room, and set the water down. "I get the rags."

Hovar nods, still not sure what to make of the situation.

"How is Samantha?"

He looks almost guilty briefly, and for a horrible second I think she must be dead. He finally answers, "I don't know."

"You don't know? You are friends with Selmak. Does Jacob not speak of his daughter?"

"There is no longer an alliance with the people of the Tau'ri."

My eyes flare. "What?!"

"Their ways-"

"Martouf was killed in an attempt to keep the Tok'ra/Tau'ri alliance from happening! Does that not tell them the importance of the alliance? How dangerous it is to the Goa'uld?! Who broke the alliance?!"

His hesitation, the slight fear to respond, tells me the answer.

"The Tok'ra did this?! They let the death of Martouf and many others mean nothing?!"

"The Tau'ri wanted too much information. They wanted to know the location of our spies, thinking it might prevent other attacks."

"Other attacks?"

"They had an Alpha Site." At my confusion he explains, "a secondary base, which was discovered by the Goa'uld. As Anubis has ways of getting into people's minds other than torture, no one is sure whether the information came from Tau'ri, Tok'ra, or a rebel Jaffa." He looked almost triumphant. "I am sure it was a Jaffa."

Rebel Jaffa? This was new. "More Teal'cs?"

"What?"

"The rebel Jaffa, have they turned from the Goa'uld like Teal'c?"

"Ah, yes, more...more Teal'cs. That is one way to put it."

"The alliance should not have been severed."

Hovar was surprised. "But-"

"Then they should have worked it out!"

Hovar was speechless, and Pary took over. "Lantash-"

"I don't wish to speak with you, Pary! I thought I made that clear! Now, out! I do not wish to share the room with you right now. You may return at night. Out. Out!"

I watched them leave in shock and betrayal.