Chains of Gold

Chapter Three

As the group was led to the bathing pools, Sam wondered if they were unisex and found herself relieved to find out that there were men’s, women’s, and a large area where couples could bathe together. Martouf looked at her with a raised brow. Daniel cocked his head, and she turned toward the women’s area, with a quick negative shake of her head. The two of them looked like little boys denied their favorite toy, then they shrugged, and turned toward the men’s bathing quarters. Jack and Teal’c joined them there.

There was no doubt that the bathing pools were happy places. It was obvious that they were places to socialize, learn the latest news, exchange gossip, enjoy the company of the other women, and just plain relax. The water was so close to hot tub hot that it felt wonderful in the shade of the huge trees. Sam found that by moving several feet either way, she could change the water temperature, from very hot on down to warm, then to quite cool, and finally to cold. A few hardy souls sat in the steam in one end, jumped out, and plunged into the cold at the other end. Sam shuddered. She’d stay right here in her very warm, not quite hot tub hot water and relax, thank you.

She found her thoughts wandering into troubling territory, before she could stop them. All she could see was Daniel and Martouf standing in front of her, pants riding low on their hips, and their chests bare. She’d felt a shiver race through her and reach her very center when she looked at the two of them standing there like that. And when she’d looked into Martouf’s eyes, for just a minute, she would have sworn it was Lantash’s sultry look, gazing back at her, and it was all she could do not to melt into a puddle right there. She’d taken herself quickly and firmly in hand and covered it by teasing them, but what she had wanted to do, was throw them both back down on the floor and have her way with them.

What was wrong with her? Sheesh, she’d never wanted to be with two men in the same bed at one time in her life until today. Well, except for that fantasy where Indiana Jones and, no, never mind that.

When Jore put that collar on Daniel, and she had caught herself smugly thinking “mine”, she had been shocked at her own thoughts. So completely and absolutely shocked at the pure female possessiveness of, not just the thought, but the feelings that flooded her at the thought, she’d almost gasped aloud. The scary part was that she’d looked into Daniel’s eyes and he’d seen her claiming him with her eyes. Surely she’d imagined that hadn’t she? His look of, god, she didn’t even know what to call it. Not surrender, not even agreement, it was, almost as if he had greeted her knowledge, saying “at last”, as if it was something he had known for a very long time.

She’d turned her eyes to Martouf who, thank every god in the universe, had been looking at the other men, and the thought again popped into her mind unbidden and unrestricted. “Mine”. The same rush of possessive female emotions again screamed their way into her consciousness forcing her to acknowledge them as legitimate feelings. Not fantasy, but real true emotion, and they were attached to these men. Not this man, but these men. Just the thought of it was causing her face and loins to flush with heat.

What was wrong with her? Was it something in the air here? In the water? She hadn’t drank any of their water, so it couldn’t be that, or their food because she hadn’t eaten any of that either. Whatever this was, it was coming from inside her. The Gods, Goddesses, and any other deities out there listening help her, but she was in trouble here. What did you do when you thought that you possibly might be, or maybe were, or there was a chance that you could be falling in love? With two different men? Oh, yeah, and one hell of a passionate symbiote?

Sam groaned and pushed herself up from the shelf she’d been sitting on and swam to the cold end of the pool. Yeah, the colder the better at the moment. This was so not good. Not good at all. She could never choose between those two.

Wait a minute, what was she worried about? They might not even want her. She probably imagined that look of Daniel’s. So it was if, and it was a mighty big if, they even wanted her. She stood up straighter. There that solved it. Neither one of them had really shown that much interest in her. Lantash had kissed her once, Martouf had kissed her once as her, and once as Jolinar, and never mentioned it again, or even tried to kiss her again, for that matter. The kiss this morning was short, sweet, and initiated by her, so it didn’t count, and Daniel treated her like a sister.

So, no sweat. Game over before it began. As she swam cheerfully back to the warmer water, she conveniently forgot that not more than an hour or so ago, she had been sandwiched between two very hard pieces of male flesh. Moreover, neither of them had been inconsequential, or less than impressive. Furthermore, it was a pretty safe bet that they’d been that way because of her, not because of each other, since neither one of them swung that way. It is sometimes amazing what the human mind can so conveniently forget. Sam relaxed, and once again began to enjoy the sound of the birds in the trees, and the women’s soothing chatter as they discussed her, just as the men in the men’s pool discussed the newcomer’s there.

As the newest and most exciting of the news, it was apparent that the members of SG-1 were under much discussion. It was as well that the women’s bathing pool was not near enough for viewing from the men’s bathing pool, or they would have been watched even more closely than they were being watched now. The men were looking from Martouf, to Daniel, and back again. They could not understand it. They shared no more than the woman that was the only explanation. They themselves did not partake of each other physically. There was no overt affection between them, not in a physical sense.

Yet, their talk seemed more intimate at times than that of mere friends. And there was also the symbiote. It was apparent in his eyes when he came forth as well, for when they rested on the younger man, they shone with emotion. No, their household was not truly a sharing of four by four. It was a sharing of the love of four and a sharing of the three by one and of the one by three. It was in the love that one would find the four, they decided.

As the men were watching Daniel, Martouf, and Lantash, the women were watching Samantha for any signs that she missed her mates. She seemed quite content to be here with the other women. But then, she had two, no, three men, who wished for her attention and would hover over her to get it. Not many women could take on two; three would be wearying indeed, and they were not yet fully joined mates. No doubt, she enjoyed the company of other women, even if she did not understand them. She smiled and was happy to be here, that was enough. They bathed and laughed, talking and gesturing.

Now that she’d stopped her mind going in circles, Sam relaxed against the side of the pool, and seated herself on the shelf. It was nice to just be. Just be. I am, she thought, and then laughed at herself. This had turned out to be an unusual mission. Nothing had shown the world to be inhabited. But, chances were that nothing would have seen the homes in the trees. Only if a person had come out into the open at the right time would they have been seen, and once they heard the UAV, they would not go out.

She sighed as she realized that the chattering had calmed and lessened. Opening her eyes, she saw that many of the earlier bathers had left. She moved inside the true bathing area and washed quickly watching the water swirl quickly away. Rinsing her hair and body one more time, she felt hands on her hair. Her bathing attendant was rubbing a lotion into her hair, and then she indicated that Sam should rinse it again. As she leaned back to do so, the girl once again helped to remove the lotion, and when she felt it was good enough, she indicated they should leave the bathing pool.

They climbed out, and Sam found herself enveloped in a huge bath blanket in a lovely shade of blue. Then she was given sandal like shoes. Her hair was dried, combed, and fluffed, and she was motioned forward. Her “family” was waiting on her. Evidently, the male members of a household were not allowed to leave the bathing chambers, until the female members of their family were ready to leave. Nor were they allowed to send word to her that they were ready. This was her time, and they would wait upon her.

“Jeez, Carter, what did you do, take a nap?” Jack snapped, as she finally joined them.

Martouf turned to him, and said, almost under his breath, but still loud enough for the Colonel to hear, “It is not acceptable to speak to the woman in such a manner here, Colonel. Please, wait to address any remarks other than those of greeting, or love, until we leave the bathing area. And, remember, as I told you earlier in the cottage, that they esteem their women highly.”

“Almost, sir, it was very relaxing. There’s something about sitting in hot water like that. I get sleepy.”

Martouf and Daniel stepped apart, “Come, Samantha, and walk between your mates,” Martouf said easily.

“Yes, of course, by all means, Sam, um, do that,” Daniel did his best to act his part, the problem of course being that he really didn’t want it to be an act which appeared to him to make it that much harder.

“Thanks, I think I will.” Sam stepped between them, as they heard an exclamation from Jack, and two high pitched screams; one of them from a mother, the other from a child who had jumped into the water of the hot spring and was being washed toward them in the hot water.

“O’Neill,” Teal’c ran forward along the walkway making his way toward his friend, as Jack headed toward him through the obviously steaming water rushing past him. His face etched in pain, he passed the child to Teal’c and collapsed onto the walkway where hands pulled him the rest of the way onto it.

Martouf had turned to the attendant, as soon as he took in the scene, and told her quickly and precisely, to get some of the healers, to tell them to gather large amounts of the quasterpa plant, and take them to the healing hut. They would soon be there, with two badly burned people, one adult, one child. Then Sam, Daniel, and Martouf headed toward the group clustered around the two injured people.

Martouf pushed his way through. There seemed to be a disagreement as to what must be done. Martouf held his hands out for the child, and then he looked from Teal’c to O’Neill. “Can you carry him, Teal’c, or do we need transport?”

Teal’c looked back at him, and bent, lifting O’Neill as if he had been a child, and replied, “I will be fine.”

“We’d better get them straight to the gate, Martouf. Janet can get them started on fluids and…”

“That will not be necessary, Samantha. Please trust me on this,” Martouf said slowly. “I know you do not know me all that well, perhaps, but please believe that I would not lie to you about something this serious and important. These people have a plant that has amazing healing properties for things such as this. By later this afternoon these burns will be almost gone. Look at the people here, Samantha, they have no scars. Anywhere.”

Daniel listened into the conversation and looked around at the people walking with them. “I think he’s telling the truth, Sam. At least let them try.”

“All right. But, Daniel they are going to be in shock and pain when they wake up. They’ve both passed out, but that won’t last for long.”

“The plant will take the pain.”

Sam took a deep breath, and nodded. Martouf had seen a lot of things that she hadn’t. What was the point of having him on the team, if they never listened to his experience?

“One more thing, Samantha. “I would never lie to you about anything else, either,” Martouf added to his original statement.

She nodded her acceptance of the remark and before leaving and catching up to Teal’c. “Teal’c, we’re going to allow the local healers to work on the Colonel. Martouf says they have a plant that has amazing healing properties. I believe him.”

“Very well, Major Carter.”

Several minutes later, as they entered the healer’s cottage the Colonel woke up, and bit off a moan. He looked up at Teal’c, and asked, “How much farther to the gate?” His eyes were glazed with pain; his breaths were coming in short pants and gasps.

“We are not returning through the Stargate, O’Neill. Major Carter has ascertained that the local healers have knowledge of plants that heal these kinds of wounds very quickly. She has decided to stay here and allow them to treat you,” Teal’c said stoically, knowing that O’Neill would not like this, but also knowing that he was in no condition to make a rational decision at this time, and that it was up to Major Carter to do so. He believed that Martouf knew what he was talking about. He would not tell them something like this, if it was not completely true.

“And I’m countermanding that order, Teal’c. You will return with me through the Stargate, at once.”

Hearing his command, Martouf came over to him. “That would be a mistake, Colonel. The healers here have a very effective remedy for burns, and many other injuries to the skin. You will be over the majority of this by this afternoon, if you remain, and allow them to do their healing.”

“I’m in charge here, Marty, and don’t forget that.”

“Marty? He is still calling you Marty? I will handle this, Martouf. It is time that…”

“Quiet, Lantash. I will handle this. I have the authority of General Hammond to do so, and Colonel O’Neill is well aware of it, for we were both given our instructions.”

“We were? In this situation we have the authority? Why did I not know this?

“Not now, Lantash. Please, allow me to handle this in my own way. You have been too ill to know what has been happening. Of course, you are unaware of what we can and cannot do. Now, excuse me, please.”

Martouf’s eyes narrowed as he stared at O’Neill. His lips firmed. If O’Neill would never accept his knowledge of the universe there was no point in him being here other than to be with Samantha. While that was one of the main reasons he wanted to be here, he was here to do a job, and he intended to do it, to the best of his abilities. He had been given his orders from General Hammond. Martouf had vast knowledge of the galaxy that they did not have. His orders had been plain. O’Neill was the military leader of the group, and all military decisions fell to him, and then to Major Carter.

However, in dealing with situations where Martouf had knowledge that would keep them from serious mistakes, he was to apply it. He was to prevent them from killing, or harming themselves, through ignorance. The Tok’Ra’s knowledge of the universe and it’s peoples while not complete by any means, which they had been very frank about, admitting there were many things that they did not know either, was still much more vast than that of the Tau’ri.

Moreover, in this particular instance, Martouf knew for a fact, having seen it work on worse burns than these, that he was right. They were not returning to the SGC. “I am sorry, but in this instance, I believe that I have more knowledge than you about the situation in which we find ourselves. I do have knowledge that you do not, Colonel O’Neill. That is why I am here. If you are not going to use my knowledge, there is no point in my being here, and I do not believe that is true.” He smiled somewhat grimly as he added, “Nor does General Hammond. You will allow these people to aid and care for you.”

Jack stared at Martouf and heard General Hammond’s voice in his head as he’d spelled the situation out to him, “Jack,” he’d paused, then continued, “Martouf, and when he recovers, Lantash, have two thousand years worth of knowledge of the universe and its people that we don't have. If he knows something, listen to him. I've told him the same thing. If push comes to shove, he has my approval to use his knowledge to get you all out unharmed. You're the military leader, that is true, and he agrees to that entirely, but even in those situations don't discount what he has to tell you about the people and the things he knows. He has no desire to take your leadership from you. He doesn’t desire it, or want it. He’s here to learn and to help. Let him do his job and you do yours. He will have authority in some non-military situations, Jack, through knowledge that you just don’t have.” Jack bit back another moan as much from the mental stress, as from the pain, but both were agonizing. Crap, he hated this.

O’Neill was not showing much of the pain, although Martouf knew that it had to be extreme. He would not wish to show it in front of his team and definitely not in front of him. Mentally, he shook his head. Such stoic acceptance was ingrained in men of all races, species, and worlds, regardless of how pointless it was. He grimaced to himself admitting that if it was him, he would be the same. During the poisoning, he had remained on his feet well past the time he should have been collapsed on a bed somewhere, so as not to appear weak in front of Samantha. Oh, he understood Jack O’Neill, and every other man the universe over, for that matter.”

He stepped aside, as a healer moved by him to begin deftly wrapping Colonel O’Neill’s arms and hands first, and then his legs and feet, in the softened leaves of a pleasant smelling plant. She checked his face, clucked, and placed a leaf over his cheek where the hot water had splashed on him and left a small burn. She continued to check every inch of his body, whether he wanted her to or not. Next, she patted his head, as if he had been a very good child, and left him to his friends.

The child was laughing in the other bed. He waved a leaf wrapped arm at O’Neill. Jack waved back, but turned back to scowl at Carter and Martouf. “You will find that in a few hours, your burns will be healed, except for a small amount of tenderness. By tomorrow, you will not know you were ever burned, I assure you.”

“You seem awfully sure of this.”

“I have seen it before, Colonel, otherwise I would not have told you to allow it to be done. I know that it works.”

“Sir, you realize, that if this plant truly does all that Martouf says it does, which we have no reason to doubt, we really need to try to sign a treaty for scientific research with these people. This plant would seem to have amazing properties. Think what it might lead to for surgeries, injuries, wounds. The list goes on and on. No matter what it takes, if this plant heals your arms and legs by this afternoon from those burns, then we have to get a treaty.”

Seeing the Colonel’s look of skepticism she continued, “Sir, some of your burns, well, they look like they might be mild third degree. There are areas of white, and yellow skin and usually second degree is all red, while white brown, yellow, and sometimes black, indicate third degree burns. I’m sorry. I just want you to be aware. The burns on your hands and arms are second degree. Were your legs hurting as much as your arms?”

“Yes and no, and I thought that was weird. They were hurting in some areas and others they didn’t.”

“Sir, a third degree burn doesn’t hurt but the area around it is very painful. It’s destroyed the nerve endings. If this plant really does what they say in that short a time, we have to have it.

“If it works, Carter, and that’s a big if, then I agree. Let’s see how much more Janet and the air force have to do when it’s over. It did deal with the pain though, and that’s a big plus. That might be worth looking into if nothing else. I’m serious as a heart beat here, the pain literally left, as soon as the leaves touched it.”

The group sat quietly, not saying much, mostly watching Jack. Time appeared to slow for them, but the bustle of the town around them seemed to move at its normal pace. Every so often, one of them would come up with a subject to discuss, but for the most part, they were silent, simply watching the leaves and waiting. They were each caught within their own thoughts, losing their awareness of the passage of time, as they contemplated thoughts that seemed to tumble into their streams of consciousness from out of the void.

Martouf sat on the floor and leaned back against the wall. He had chosen his place well, for he could see, but not easily be seen. His view of Samantha was perfect. He could see Daniel Jackson as well. They sat closely together, obviously both comforted and comfortable, by and in, each other’s presence.

He allowed his head to fall back against the wall. He had not slept well again last night. Night-terrors had again awakened him, as they did so often, since the attack on the Tok’Ra base. Each time, he awoke shaking, bathed in sweat, and searching frantically for Lantash, because in his dream, his Lantash was gone. It had been the deadly poison that had been released. The one that was no longer on the Tok’Ra base at all, but at a top secret facility of the Tau’ri’s. The Tok’Ra were now working on it, where an entire base of symbiotes, were no longer in danger from a mishap or sabotage. As he relaxed, and his mind wandered, he remembered his words to his Soulmate earlier.

“Lantash, I wish to apologize to you for being rude to you earlier. There is no excuse for being impolite to you, and I am sorry.”

“You were not impolite to me, and there is no need for an apology, Martouf. For so many years, it has been me in the position to tell you to be quiet, and let me do my job that it was a little strange hearing it from you. I was very impressed with the way you handled yourself and O’Neill. Of course, there have been many instances where you have handled situations in the past, but it was always a joint effort, with me standing behind you, ready to take over should the need arise, just as you would do for me. This was different. You did not have a safe haven. Had I still been incapacitated, you would have handled it in the exact same way. I enjoyed watching it.”

“It is a shame that it takes something like this poison incident to remind us that we should tell those we love how we feel. I do not remember ever telling you how proud you have made me on many occasions and yet you have many, many times. This was another. We should not put off saying these things. You have often made me feel proud that you are my host, Martouf. I am often grateful for whatever fate put us together. I love you dearly. These things you should know today, in case tomorrow does not come. They are evertime feelings, Martouf, they will not change, so do not ever think it. They will always live within my heart for you. Forever, as long as I live. Now. We will continue with our other conversation, please.”

“I—I am not sure what to say to you. I appreciate your confidence in me. I found during the incident that my one fear was that there was something about the poison that we did not know, and you would die and leave me. Once we knew that would not happen, I worried that you would never wake up and regain your memories. These last few months have been difficult for many of us. Some more so than others. Those whose symbiotes almost died have had an even harder time coping than those of us whose symbiotes were just very ill.”

“I have night terrors almost every night. I dream that the poison was the fatal one and you are gone from me. I wake up soaking with sweat, with my heart beating so hard and fast I think it will leave my chest. I am looking for you frantically and only when I find that you are still within me am I able to get up and shower the sweat off, change the sheets, and go back to bed. I have never been so lonely in my life. I find myself talking to you even though you are asleep.”

“I have always been proud to be your host, I have always thanked the fates for giving us to each other, and I love you.” I will always love you. Until the day that I die and leave you and then beyond because I know you will always carry me in your heart, as you do the others that came before me that you loved so much. Just as you carry the love they felt for you. They are all there, and they are all still loved, so I know that I shall join them, and sometimes, when the nights are long, and you cannot rest, or when you have been captured and are being tortured, you will bring me out of your memories, and it will be me that time that will encourage and help you to resist them.”

“So, you see, I have no doubt whatsoever, that I will love you forever, for I know that I shall be kept in my special place in your heart, and my love will burn for you there always, just as your love for me burns in my heart and will until it beats no more. Who know? Perhaps it will even go beyond with me.”

“I do not know what to say, Martouf. I am glad that you understand how much I love you. If you can see so plainly into my heart then you know how deep my feelings for you run. I am glad. Your words are a caress to my heart and will warm it forever. I will only have to remember them to feel loved at any time. Thank you.”

“Yes, and I thank you.”

He paused and as he did Lantash said, quietly, “I think you need to tell me more about what happened, Martouf. While I have remembered a lot over the last few hours, I do not believe I will remember any more on my own.”

“Why is that, Lantash?”

“Because every memory I have abruptly ends, as if someone turned off a switch. They begin in the same manner. Therefore, I believe I have remembered all of the lucid moments I have had and it appears that they were few and far between.” He felt Martouf shudder and drop his head forward. “Martouf? What is wrong?

“I am sorry. I am fine. It was a difficult time for us. We were the ones filtering the impurity from your systems and it was a great responsibility. It was not as if we had any control over it, for we did not. Our bodies either did it or they didn’t. Luckily, they all did, some better than others, but soon you will all be cleansed of the last of the poison. That is the main thing.”

“I will start at the beginning, since I do not know exactly what you remember and what you do not. The gas was released in the new ventilation system we are experimenting with, and it spread quickly. We have no idea who did it because the release of it was on a timer. As far as we can ascertain, it was one of our own people, Lantash. One of our own.” Lantash could hear the anguish in Martouf’s voice and his own heart echoed it. It was so unusual to have a traitor in the Tok’Ra ranks. They were loyal for life.

Martouf drew another long breath and started again, “One that tried to make it look, as if it was not one of us. There was to be a rather large gathering of officials and their escorts, soldiers, their staff, many people. We had prepared for them. At the last minute, the plans changed. They rescheduled, and a council meeting was set up instead on Giaver. Evidently, whoever set the poison did not find out in time to stop it. I do not know how much you know of this, Lantash.”

“I knew of the postponement. After that, not much until I began to awaken periodically.”

“It seems we have Anise to thank for being able to rescue many of our people. She became increasingly concerned, as they began working on these poisons. The deadlier they became; the more paranoid she became. She brought it to the council’s attention several times, but nothing was ever decided about it.”

“It was their usual non-action and shelving of an issue. I believe that there will soon be some changes in that, at least I hope so. Their negligence in putting things like this off, almost got us all killed. I do believe that Per’sus will see to it that there will be some changes made. If he does not, I am not sure I will return. I am tired of the ineffectiveness of the council and their methods. That is neither here nor there. I believe I was telling you about the poison incident.”

“Yes, Martouf, you were and let us return to it. The council and the politics surrounding them can be delved into at a later time. For now, I believe just allowing me to have a more complete understanding of what has occurred will be sufficient. After that we can go onto a much more important topic of conversation. One that both of us know must be discussed by the two of us quite soon.”

“I agree, Lantash. We must make some definitive decisions very soon. Decisions that will no doubt impact the remainder of our lives together.”

TBC

Chapter Two Home Chapter Four

Table of Contents