Chapter 7
Aftermath
Malek stood and looked down at the man lying in the bed. He had relieved Jacob who had relieved Brialek. They were staying with him in shifts. Even Garshaw had come in and talked to him before she left to return to the Tok’Ra base. All of them were talking to both Lantash and Martouf, not knowing if they could hear them or not. It did not matter, it made them feel as if they were perhaps doing something that might help. Malek could still hear Janet Fraiser’s voice as she gave them her report hours ago.
“Martouf is in serious condition, borderline critical. We’re keeping him on fluids and antibiotics. He took a massive jolt of energy. His back is severely burned, there are internal injuries, and very severe bruising. I don’t know how he managed to stay conscious as long as he did. I have to assume that was Lantash’s doing.”
“The healers think that Lantash is exhausted by keeping Martouf going long enough to,” suddenly her voice halted for a moment. She cleared her throat and taking a deep breath, she continued, “he’s exhausted by keeping Martouf conscious and functioning long enough to say good-bye to Sam. They also think he was pretty severely injured himself by the blast. They said he is simply too weak and injured to heal Martouf. They think that when they’ve managed to heal him, he will help with Martouf.”
“In the meantime, we’ll treat Martouf as we would any other human and hope he responds. They also think that if the Katteri hadn’t given them blood and supported their life-force he would have died before they ever got back. He isn’t out of the woods yet by any means, but we should know something within the next twenty-four to forty-eight hours. They are reminding him that he promised,” again her voice sank to a whisper and she cleared her throat, “that he promised Sam he’d live for her.”
Malek felt as if the heavens were falling on him. Lantash was a very close friend, a comrade, and he was worried. He remembered how Lantash had reacted when Kataya had left. This time he had lost both the woman he loved more than life, Samantha Carter, his Soulmate, and the mate of his heart, Kataya, the mother of his children.
Dear universe, how were they to heal his heart as well as his body? Through the millennia they had lived, Lantash had never received this harsh a blow. How were they to keep him from descending into that dark place that his mind would surely try to go? How could they hold him here with them? Only his promises to Samantha and Kataya might succeed. They could do nothing but continue to try to call them both back with it.
/He was your mate,/ Dev gasped, as he saw briefly, flashes, images that had long been buried in Malek’s mind. /Millennia ago, you and Lantash were mates, before you took a male host./
/Yes./ Malek said quietly. /My host was named Alayissia. Lantash’s host was her betrothed, Edouwar. They joined and became mates and we were together in that way for many years. It was a loving relationship and the love has remained and been a strong foundation for our friendship. We were never as deeply in love as our hosts were, although we did, of course, share their feelings. However, I had always been in a male prior to Alayissia. It is not an unusual occurrence for us, Devlin, as you know. Often we must take a host of a sex different than what we had before. And though the, ah, urges leave us once we blend with someone of the same sex, the love and friendship remains./
/I understand. And I am glad you explained. I have realized for a long time that you and Lantash were closer friends than you let on, but I did not know about this. I am glad I do now. A lot of things make more sense now. We will do everything we can to help him, Malek. I promise you. We will sit with him and remind him of his promise to Samantha. We will not let him go easily./
/Thank you. Lantash is hurt very badly, as is Martouf. Without Lantash to help him heal…/Malek’s thought trailed off as if afraid to finish.
/The Tau’ri will do all they can, too. And the Katteri helped as much as they could. Gwennetha healed a very bad injury in you if you will remember./Devlin reminded him.
/But our Gwennetha is gone also, Dev, and I do not believe she will return any time soon. I believe she knew this would happen and although she could not explain it to us, this is why she told us all that she did. She knew she would be gone./ Malek said softly.
Sighing, Devlin agreed. /I know. I have realized that also. Now, we must talk to Lantash and Martouf and use the healing device on them. The burn on Martouf’s back is healing some, albeit slowly. Come, we must help them as much as we can./
/Yes, you are correct,/ Malek agreed. Picking up the healing device, he activated it and after using if for a while on Lantash, he then used it on the burn and the internal bruising that Martouf had. Jacob had told them that between Brialek and himself, Lantash was healed enough that they could begin to try to heal Martouf some, so Lantash would not attempt to heal him before he himself was healed. Both men were more proficient than Malek with the healing device, and they had felt he had come a long way already. Otherwise, they would not have let Malek take over. That, at least, made him feel a little better.
/We will go at this steadily, Malek. We will see to it that they pull through this. Now, you must talk to him of Samantha, his promise and Kataya. Talk of his children. Talk of anything that may pull him back from the abyss,/ Devlin said, giving him the support he needed.
Taking a deep breath, he began to call to his friend, “Lantash, you must hear me. You must fight for your survival. You must live. You promised Samantha, you promised Kataya, and you will do this for them.”
“You are not yet finished with the tasks you have to complete. You cannot give up now. The Goa’uld must be defeated, and you must be one of the fighters that bring about their defeat. You must not let Samantha’s sacrifice be in vain.”
“Martouf, you too, must fight to return to us, to this life. Come back to us and continue the fight against the Goa’uld as the mates wished you to do. You must keep your vows, your promises. You will not disappoint the mates. You will not make Samantha unhappy by not fulfilling the last request she made of you. You will do as she asked you to do and continue to fight the Goa’uld. The only way you can do that is to return to us.”
The days seemed to be running together Jacob thought, as he walked up to stand beside Malek. Looking closely at him, he said, “I’ll take over now, Malek; you’ve been at this for hours. I’m sorry you had to take my place with so little warning. Janet gave me something that made me sleep and Selmak, too. First time I’ve ever known something like that to put him out, but Janet said it only worked because he was so exhausted. I guess we both needed the sleep. As you do. I suggest that if you can’t sleep on your own, you go to see her because it really did help. A lot.”
Shaking his head as he picked up the healing device and again ran it over Martouf’s body, using it to give strength to Lantash, he said, “You could have slept longer, Jacob, I am fine. Go back to sleep and Dev and I will stay with him a little longer.”
As Malek looked up, Jacob was surprised at the anguish he was allowing to show, as he whispered, “I am almost afraid to leave him, Jacob, he was not this way even when Kataya had to leave. I know that you do not understand, but Lantash and I have a long history together. He was with me through some very difficult times for me and I – I was with him when Kataya left.”
/It is very true, Jacob, but they do not speak of it. To lose Lantash would be like losing a part of himself. They are much closer in reality than one could tell from their public behavior. I would guess that he is getting less sleep than we were./
/What do you suggest, Sel? I can’t force him to sleep./
/No, but perhaps you can reason with him. Remind him that allowing himself to become incapacitated from exhaustion will not help Lantash or Martouf./
/Okay, I’ll give it a try./
“Malek, you do realize that if you become exhausted and collapse then you won’t be able to come in here and call them back to us. That will be one less voice that they might listen to, one less reason for them to return. Lantash let you help him before. You may be one of the few or maybe even the only one that can hold him here. We don’t know, but don’t take that help away from him this time by not listening to reason. They need all of us. I think they need us badly. You know the emotional anguish they must be in. We have to be here for them both. Please,” Jacob finished quietly but firmly.
Sighing Malek nodded and allowed the healing device to stop. “Where would I find her?” He asked, just as quietly.
“Try her office. She was in there when I came in,” Jacob said softly. Then a thought springing to mind he said, “Malek, the Tau’ri will not look on the use of something to help you sleep as a weakness. They will consider that you are being realistic, and will look on you with favor at what they perceive as your good sense and willingness to be helped through what is a difficult time for all of us. Don’t underestimate their understanding.”
“Jacob. Thank you.”
“Any time, Malek. We’re all in this together.”
/He is very correct, Malek, you do need to rest. Do not think that I do not realize that while I am asleep, you are pacing the floor or the corridor or you have been to the commissary to drink coffee,/ Devlin said, letting him know he was aware of the nightly trips and floor walking.
/Luckily we like coffee. I believe we are one of the few of the Tok’Ra that do so,/ Malek responded, trying to change the subject.
/Do not try to change the subject. Stop and see Dr. Fraiser and get something to help us to sleep. Even though I am getting more than you, I am not sleeping enough either, I know./
/I am going to, Devlin. I know that what Jacob said makes sense. We cannot let ourselves become so run down that we are unable to help them./
/Good, then let us get some sleep, dear one,/ Devlin said gently.
“Jacob, why have you returned?” Malek asked him. “You only left a few hours ago. Artereos said that we must simply wait now. He seemed quite confident that they would soon awaken.”
Jacob brought a second chair up to the side of the bed and sat down facing Malek. “I know, and it’s the one bright spot in this whole nightmare. But that was three days ago, Malek. They’ve been unconscious now for three weeks and three days. That’s a long time when there is nothing wrong with them. No head injury, no anything that would keep them from waking up. And since Artereos came and Merdwin performed the Blood rite of brother-ship and we removed the life support, I don’t know, I guess I just thought they would wake up. Artereos seemed to think they would anyway. So, why haven’t they? I’m just getting worried again, I guess,” Jacob sighed, as he explained why he had returned when it wasn’t his time to sit with them.
Malek nodded, saying, “I know. I understand, Jacob. Dev and I, both, keep expecting them to open their eyes and ask why we are sitting here talking to them instead of being out on a mission.”
“Well, why are you, Malek? And how long did you say we have been gone?” Martouf asked, his voice raspy from disuse.
Malek’s hand grasped the comforter they had brought from Martouf and Samantha’s bed and clenched it in his fist as Jacob bounded to his feet, staring down into open and questioning blue-gray eyes. Malek stood and looked down into the eyes that he had feared would never again open.
“Do you think I could have some water? I am somewhat thirsty,” the same dry raspy voice said.
Finding his voice at last Malek said, “You have been gone for three weeks and three days. How do you feel?”
“I feel fine, thank you. Thirsty.” He frowned slightly, “Hungry.” Looking back at the two men, he said softly, “I wish to thank you for calling us back to you. Your voices, reminding us of our promises to Samantha and Kataya called us back to you many times.”
Jacob helped him to get a drink, and asked, “Would you like the head of the bed raised?
Martouf sat up then, as Daniel had also done and said, “That would be pleasant, thank you.”
Seeing Dr. Fraiser come rushing into the room, he smiled shyly at her when she said it was wonderful that they had returned home. Daniel requested something to eat and Martouf admitted to being both hungry and thirsty. Janet agreed to get them something light and if they managed that, they would see about getting them more if they were still hungry.
Martouf and Daniel were home. Well, they were sort of home. They had spent a week at Colonel O’Neill’s and now they were in their homes, most of the time. From what Malek and Jacob could find out though, they spent most of their time together. If they were not at Daniel’s, they were at Samantha’s, now Martouf and Lantash’s, home.
Malek, Jacob and Brialek, had taken to spending time with O’Neill, Teal’c, Daniel and Martouf. It was an odd assortment of personalities, but somehow they had formed a loose bond. O’Neill did not seem to have as much difficulty with the Tok’Ra in a more one on one atmosphere. They’d had some enjoyable evenings. Martouf and Daniel were doing their best to hide the pain they were feeling, but the others were well aware of it. Looking into their eyes you could see the desolation and loss.
Jacob felt it was good that they had each other to go to for comfort. The tie that the blood rite had formed for them was very strong. It would help them through the pain and loss. They hoped anyway.
From the moment they had awakened, it had been obvious that the tie that had been formed would be everlasting. At least once they woke up they could move farther apart than six feet. When Jack had mentioned it was a relief to know they wouldn’t be joined at the hip on missions, they had stared at him as if he had lost his mind. “What?” Jack had asked, unnerved by their stares.
“What, Jack? What are you talking about, that’s what,” Daniel had said, while looking at him expectantly.
Jack looked at the others in the room. When no help was forthcoming, and Daniel began to frown at him, he shrugged. Seeing the looks continue, he finally said, “Well, we found out right away, after you were moved in together, that if we moved the beds farther than six feet apart, you both had some sort of… Well it was kind of like you... Ya see, you would get…,” Jack struggled to explain what they had seen and finally he threw up his hands and told them. “If we moved your beds to far apart you both had panic attacks. As soon as we would move you back together, it would go away. The Doc’s said they had never seen anything like it, but that it pointed to you being aware of one another.”
Daniel and Martouf looked at one another, and Daniel said softly, “That’s because we were. Wherever it was that we went, we were there together.” Even though the people in the room had a suspicion that was true, it was still a little bit of a shock to have it confirmed.
“Well, anyway,” Jack had finally said, “Now that you are up and around and staying in your own homes, we know that part of whatever it was didn’t last. Which is probably a good thing,” he finished, obviously thinking of all the problems something like that could cause.
Martouf and Daniel had stared at one another as all the implications of what that would have meant in real life situations and both had agreed fervently. Much as they cared for one another, they had no inclination whatsoever to be that closely joined.
Turning the subject, Daniel had asked whose turn it had been to rent movies. Finding out it was Teal’c, he had groaned, and then smiled at him saying, “Let me guess, Star Wars and Star Trek, am I right?” he had asked.
“Certainly, DanielJackson, I am quite sure our Tok’Ra friends have never seen these movies, for I know they have not been shown in the recreational area.”
Shaking his head, he had leaned back and prepared to forget himself in the realm of make believe, at least for a little while. Now that the Tok’Ra had become used to the Tau’ri version of ‘fiction’ they had taken the movie as it was meant. It was entertainment pure and simple and they’d had a great time tearing apart the characters and the way they had done things. It had been a great hit though, and Teal’c had been thanked by every one of them for finding a movie that would appeal to them all on some level.
Thinking back to that night, Malek was sorry that this was their last evening together as a group. Malek, Jacob, Jocasta and Brialek would be leaving tomorrow and heading back to the Tok’Ra base. Malek was not comfortable with leaving Martouf, but most of all, he was becoming more and more concerned for Lantash.
He said little, leaving Martouf in control almost constantly. It was as if he wanted nothing to do with anyone or anything. Malek had tried to talk to him, but the conversations never got very far. Something always managed to come up that Martouf had to see to for him. And then, he conveniently did not take control again. Moreover, Malek almost never saw Martouf listening. Lantash was withdrawing, and there was nothing he could do to help him. He would give him more time though, at least for now. He was afraid that forcing him to talk about the loss would make it worse. He wished he did not have to leave though.
/We will return as often as we can, Malek, I assure you. If we do not get sent on a mission, we will come every time we have a day to ourselves, and they are not off world. Perhaps their beginning off world missions will help to pull Lantash out of his depression./ Dev assured him.
/I know. Still, I am worried. I feel I should say something, but I am afraid I will only make matters worse. Lantash has always retreated into himself when he is in emotional pain. Eventually, though he usually says or does something that forces someone to confront him. I am hoping he will do so this time, also, and that when he does someone will recognize it for the call for help that it is. We must put our trust in Daniel, for he will probably be the one that is there when it happens. However, I have never seen Lantash withdraw quite this much./ Malek told him.
/We will just have to keep checking on him, Malek. It has not really been very long. We must give them time./Devlin said.
/I know. But, while we are giving him time, he may become even more lost to us. We will just have to wait and see, the hardest thing there is to do./ Malek replied.
/I cannot believe the difference in them Devlin. To think that only a week ago Lantash would not speak to us at all, and today Martouf had a very hard time to get to speak to us at all. He seemed content to let Lantash carry the conversation though./ Malek said. /Now that we have been relieved of that worry, perhaps we will not worry so much about why Gwennetha has been silent. It is just too easy for one worry to lead to another./ He added morosely.
/Malek! She warned us that her time would be taken up and that she might only be able to send a short message. She did that, and she assured us that although she might be gone for quite some time, still she would return to us as soon as she could./ Devlin reminded him.
/Yes, and I try to remember what Teal’c overheard about Morgasha’s soul having to be bound for all time and how difficult it was likely to be. Artereos, too, made mention of how very busy they had been. I heard him tell General Hammond that there had been complications, and it was going slower than they had anticipated, but that as soon as they could, they would be sending both some Warriors and ambassadors. Still, I wonder why she has said nothing more to us.? Malek sighed, still somewhat despondent.
/Dr. Fraiser has heard only once from Merdwin, and it was a similar message to the one we received. They will return when they can and they hope it will be soon. You must trust her as you promised her we would, Malek./ Dev reminded his sharply. /Unwavering faith. After all of your talk to Lantash and Martouf about their promises to their mates, surely you will not fail in your promise to ours./ he pointed out.
/No, I will not. Thank you for reminding me, Dev. I know she will return when she can. I just wish it was sooner, rather than later. I miss her./
Devlin sighed. /So do I, Malek. So do I./
Hearing a knock on the open doorway, Devlin smiled and said, “Come in, Jacob.” He knew it was no one else because only Jacob knocked before entering. Turning, he saw that Jacob did not look happy.
“What is wrong, Jacob? You look unsettled. Has something happened to Lantash and Martouf? Or, or to Gwennetha?” He asked.
“No, not that I’m aware of, and we have heard nothing about Gwennetha. Martouf and Lantash are on a mission as far as I know, and I am a little unsettled. We just got a communication from Artereos. We are to pack and go to the Tau’ri world for a mission that could take several months. No details. Just a request for you, Brialek, Jocasta and myself. We are to go, as soon we can get ready. Garshaw granted his request, of course. What I want to know is why the Tau’ri didn’t contact us if they want us to go on a joint mission, and why were there absolutely no details? I understand it’s a covert ‘need to know’ mission, but still I would have thought he would have told us something.”
Malek took control, and said, “Are we sure it was Artereos? Is this a trick of some sort?”
“What would be the use of a trick that took us to the Tau’ri homeworld? And yeah, as far as I know it was Artereos. Garshaw asked him if there was an imminent threat to the base, and he said not that he was aware of, that this had nothing to do with the Tok’Ra base. He said it had come to his attention that SG1 needed us, and he thought we would like to know. And he said to plan on the possibility of being gone for several months.”
“Jacob, do you think something has happened to Lantash and Martouf? Do you think he has become unresponsive again?”
Jacob shook his head. “I don’t think so. Garshaw called it a mission, not a personal trip. I think she would have let us know if it was to do with Lantash and Martouf and so would Artereos.”
Malek shrugged. “Then I suppose we should begin to get ready. Have you informed Brialek and Jocasta?”
“Yes, you are the last to know. How long do you think it will take you to get packed to go?”
“Not long. Perhaps twenty minutes or so,” Malek replied.
Jacob nodded and said, “Fine. Meet at the ring transporter in, say, twenty-five minutes then.”
“We will be there, Jacob.” Malek assured him.
He sighed. It didn’t really matter what they were going to be doing. Gwennetha was still gone and whatever they went to do would simply be busy work to keep his mind from dwelling on the past six months. He packed mechanically. Then, his pack loaded and ready he headed out the door. He had a job to do.
The End
Malek’s
Story ends here.
The
next story in the series is: Daughters of the Queen. It Starts with chapter
8. Originally Malek’s Story was part of
Daughters of the Queen but has since been sectioned out.
The
story of Malek and Gwennetha does continue in Daughters of the Queen, but as
far as the heart of their romance, this was their story. Even though apart at the end, it is not a
permanent situation, and they both know that, even if Malek does have his
moments of doubt.