hathor_girl | Fic, Surprises, Lies, and Amnesia, 11/14

A/N: ~ is internal speech. Bold is symbiote talking with symbiote voice.

~Martouf, please relax. She only wishes to help us... she loves us, and we love her.~ Lantash added the last part with both wonder and elation.

Martouf 'snorted' mentally. ~If you believe her you're a fool! A lovesick fool. Besides, I don't love her - I don't even know her! She tried to shoot us! No, she did shoot us!~

They were following Sam to the infirmary, where they would meet Jacob and Malek. Martouf was so focused on his memories of Sam shooting them, and so convinced it was all a trap with the people at the SGC being the enemy, that he was not even complaining about 'the voice in his head' or that it had taken control of his body. The voice - Lantash - had been fairly reasonable, and apologetic, besides, for some reason he felt relaxed. Maybe drugged? He was about to get angry of that, when he felt a wave of calm. No, Lantash was not the enemy - but why did he allow himself to be fooled by the blond woman? Lovesick fool!

~Unfortunately, I remember no more from that time than you do. It's all vague and confused, but I am working on repairing our memories. I do, however, remember enough to know that she shot us because she had to. We had been brainwashed and were trying to kill their leader!~

~Brainwashed? Who had brainwashed us? Wait, us?~

~Yes, us. We were both there. I've told you several times I am your symbiote and have been with you for nearly 20 years, since you were barely an adult. You are a willing host.~

~Why would I agree to share my mind with someone else?~

~You and many others from your world had been captured. You were to be made hosts to Goa'uld - the children of a Goa'uld queen. I, and some other Tok'ra, were there, undercover. I was wounded when another Goa'uld attacked - that is, my host was wounded. I couldn't heal him, and you agreed to be my host. You saved my life, and you avoided becoming host to a Goa'uld. You were also enamored by the young woman who became host to my mate.~

~What are Tok'ra and Goa'uld? And I still became a host! If it's true you're in my head!~

Lantash sighed and began to explain the difference between Goa'uld and Tok'ra.

"I have finished the scan, and I tell you that the block - as you have discovered - is completely gone." Malek said. "There is still damage to Martouf's brain, which is causing the memory loss, and there is also a small amount of damage to Lantash's brain, causing the memories just around the time they were shot, to be confusing and incomplete. Everything else should be accessible."

"But you will help Martouf, right?" Sam asked.

"Of course, Samantha. When I have finished explaining what I know to Malek and Jacob, I will return to the room that has been set aside for us, and heal the damage to Martouf's brain. I am confident he should regain all or almost all his memories."

Sam looked relieved. "Thank you."

"Now, could you explain why you only want Malek and me to hear what you have to say?" Jacob asked.

"Of course." Lantash nodded. "I will begin from the start, as the story is somewhat involved..." He was quiet for a moment, considering how to begin. "About two weeks before the ceremony that was to take place at the SGC, to officially sign the treaty between the Tok'ra and the Tau'ri, Martouf and I happened to see the healer's assistant Pel'han, talk with Shivka and Pollark. They did not notice us, and not wanting to interfere, we were on our way to leave, when to our great surprise, Pel'han addressed Pollark as Cordesh!"

"He did what?" Malek exclaimed.

"You must have heard wrong!" Jacob said, shocked.

Lantash shook his head. "I thought so as well, then, but I no longer think so. Martouf and I discussed it, and thinking about it, we realized that was who Pollark had reminded us of - Cordesh. The times we had talked to Pollark, she had seemed very different, not like the personality we were used to. She - or rather he - tried to hide it, but I am certain now. It was Cordesh. Remember, Pel'han was one of those that assisted in the removal of Cordesh, together with Pollark and Zilk."

"If that is true, then Cordesh wasn't killed. He just got a new host - Petka, Pollark's host!" Malek said, looking disturbed.

"Yes, and Pel'han may be a Goa'uld infiltrator. I do not know about Zilk. Either he was brainwashed, or he too was a traitor... maybe he still is. We all thought he was killed when he was 'discovered' by the System Lord Cronus he was undercover with, but what if he just escaped because they feared he would be discovered by us? Or what if he was returned in someone else's host? Shivka was missing around that time, but managed to 'escape' and became even more antagonistic after that."

"This outrage must be examined further!" Malek exclaimed.

"If our healers have been compromised, then I can understand why you wouldn't want any of them present!" Jacob said.

"Exactly. I do not know who can be trusted - some of the healers are compromised - and some of the Council members." He sighed."Regardless. Martouf and I decided to investigate. We kept an eye on 'Pollark', Pel'han, and 'Shivka'. They met again, with Tanith included in the meeting this time, and talked about how they had 'successfully implemented stage 2 of something.' They saw us, but we pretended to have just arrived, and asked if they had seen Anise, since she had been looking for us. They appeared to believe us, but we soon realized they did not. The next day, we were sent on a mission to gather some medicinal plants for the healers, and alone on that world, we were suddenly shot by a zat'nik'tel. When I woke up, we were inside some kind of building, and lying tied up and face down on a platform. Pel'han and 'Shivka' were there and Pel'han used some kind of instrument on me and the back of Martouf's head. It hurt, and after a few moments we both lost consciousness. When I woke up I could neither talk to Martouf, nor take control, though I was able to sense and experience everything he did. This was the day before we left for the summit at the SGC. Martouf behaved normally towards people, and I am guessing he felt normal, except for one thing - he at no point tried to talk to me, which is very very unusual. We usually talk a lot."

Malek nodded. "Very strange, and scary. They must have done something to make Martouf not wonder about you, in addition to the other brainwashing and the device that blocked you off. I suppose it had to be done that way, if you want to brainwash just one of a symbiote-host pair - at least if it is the host that is brainwashed, as the symbiote would otherwise be able to take control."

"Were you able to experience everything that happened when the zatarc-programming activated?" Jacob wondered.

Lantash nodded. "Yes, everything up to the point where Samantha shot us with that second zat'nik'tel blast. That somehow shorted out the programming, I believe, but did not remove the block." He was quiet for a moment. "There was some trauma to both our brains from energy transferred from the zat'nik'tel shot, so much of my memories from that period of time is...unclear and incomplete, but I remember enough. It was intensely traumatic, experiencing it all. Unable to do anything. Unable to take control. I knew something was horribly wrong - my beloved host was ignoring me, then suddenly starting to shoot people - and I could do nothing to stop him. Very little to block his pain, but I could start to heal him just a little." He closed his eyes. "I do not wish this experience on anyone, not even the worst of my enemies."

Sam walked up to him and put an arm around him, giving him a squeeze. He threw his arms around her and hugged her hard to him, drawing strength from her nearness.

"Do you want to take a break?" Sam asked.

Lantash shook his head. "No, it is important that I rely this story. Now when it may get known in the tunnels that Martouf and I are alive, and starting to remember, the traitors that are still there may learn of it, and there is no way of knowing what they will do to endanger the Tok'ra."

He walked over and took a glass of water and drank it, before sitting down on a chair.

"Just take your time." Sam said, giving him a bleak smile. She was feeling very sorry for him and Martouf.

He nodded. "I am ready to continue." He smiled at her. "I have a vague memory of you holding us, when we had fallen."

Sam nodded, getting tears in her eyes. "Shooting you was the hardest thing I have ever had to do. I am so sorry."

"Do not be. It was necessary." He took a deep breath. "After that, I was unconscious. In stasis, probably? The first I remember was waking up in the healers room. Martouf was unconscious...nearly dead, I think. The block stopping me from taking control must have been damaged and had disintegrated a tiny bit, so I could heal Martouf a little more than just what I do instinctively. I immediately began to heal him, but with the block there, I would almost certainly fail."

"You survived, though." Sam said.

"Yes. Anise was in the room when I woke up, and when she realized I was awake, but could not take control, she gave me a brief summary of what had happened, while she was working with a healing device. Together, we managed to heal most of the damage to Martouf's body, though I believe I passed out from the exhaustion. I do not know how much later it was when I woke up again, but now Pel'han, and Ren'al were in the room with Anise. Anise was yelling at the two others, then left, on some mission I belive Ren'al was sending her on." Lantash told them.

"Yes, Anise mentioned that she was being taken off her zatarc research and your treatment - probably because she was not willing to go along with Pel'han and the others. Ren'al must have listened to Pel'han since he was her lover. I wonder why they did not just brainwash Anise?" Malek wondered.

"Maybe they did not have the opportunity. Anise can be very suspicious, and she almost never goes offworld, at least not alone." Lantash said. He sighed. "Anyway. While I was awake, I was too weak to speak, and they did not realize I was hearing what they said. Pel'han and Ren'al was discussing removing me, since they were afraid that Martouf and I would survive, and remember enough to compromise their conspiracy. Martouf was almost healed, but might not survive the added shock of my removal - especially not since I was likely to fight said removal. That might give them an excuse to pretend I had died as well." Lantash said, very angrily.

Malek shook his head, shocked. "No...that means Ren'al was lying to us. Why? Is she brainwashed or has she been switched out for a traitor?"

"Regardless - she knows about Martouf and Lantash being alive, and that you are suspicious." Sam pointed out. "And she's clearly involved in the conspiracy."

"Right. We need to send someone to arrest her, immediately!" Jacob agreed, sternly. "You are saying Anise can be trusted?"

"Yes." Lantash said.

"Then I'll go tell her about Ren'al, and after that I'll return here." Jacob left quickly.

"Why don't we take a short break until dad is back?" Sam suggested. She went to stand beside Lantash, and gave him a smile, then put her arm around him, lending support and telling him she was there for him and Martouf.