Chapter Text
Is it me, or is it always Martouf?
Per'sus touched his temple as he sat at a table. Not always, but… He's had many, er, adventures of late.
He's been captured thrice in the past few years.
Tortured.
Poisoned.
The attack on Earth.
Now his wife has been kidnapped.
Per'sus sighed. By a Tok'ra. That stung.
Yes, so I doubt it's been his ill luck. How long have we had another traitor living with us? How many have been captured and killed because of him?
I don't know. We may never know. Per'sus closed his eyes, breathing slowly to remain calm. You were right to not trust Vorran.
I wish I hadn't been.
He looked up when Liandra came in. "We will investigate Vorran," he promised, knowing she would be extra sensitive about traitors.
"I don't think it's Vorran."
Per'sus sat up. "Explain."
"Something about him…" She sighed. "Ever since we met the Tau'ri, Vorran has bothered me."
"Why haven't you reported him?" Per'sus asked in concern.
"It's nothing he has done. I don't know why, but… Just being near him makes me… It scares me. I thought it might be nothing. A paranoia after losing Jaydin. Pel does not feel as I do, but she respects my fears, and she has made sure we stay far from him."
Per'sus nodded.
"This might sound…completely insane, but… I don't think he's Vorran."
"What?"
"I think Cordesh survived."
He frowned. Impossible. She had to be wrong.
"It didn't occur to me until Colonel Carter's capture."
He pushed down a feeling of dread that seemed to tighten around his chest.
"It's only a feeling."
He nodded. "I will speak with Garshaw. Until we have evidence, this is not to be shared with anyone else."
"Understood."
~+~+~.
For the next few nights, Einar's nightmares had returned, and Per'sus proudly kept them away. He would not let his beloved suffer for this. Liandra had to be wrong.
Unfortunately, that also meant that Per'sus got very little sleep.
I can handle having nightmares.
I would be a bad symbiote if I slept while-
Are we not equals?
Per'sus jerked slightly. The very question was offensive, and he knew it was asked to get under his skin.
Let us sleep together tonight.
Per'sus frowned slightly, knowing that it wasn't a request. Tonight.
~+~+~.
He tried. He really tried, but after only a couple hours, Per'sus found himself staring at the crystal ceiling. He sighed, then soothed the nightmares away. Once Einar was sleeping peacefully, Per'sus rolled on to his side, determined to get back to sleep.
A few hours later, he gave up. He changed back into his tunic, then went to his personal office. He ended up falling asleep while reading reports.
~+~+~.
He felt someone approaching, and as he woke, Per'sus briefly wondered where he was. His office. He sat up, blinking slowly.
"Councilor." It was Garshaw, and she was clearly worried.
He gestured for her to continue.
"When was the last time you had a full night's rest?" She asked.
He frowned slightly. "What brings you here? Have we heard back from the rescue team?"
"You are showing the same symptoms as when you and Einar were suffering from major depression."
He rubbed his temple, irritated. "Report."
Garshaw nodded, knowing that pushing it would just make it worse. "The team was able to rescue Colonel Carter."
"That's great." He gave the smallest smile. Good morning.
Why are you snapping at Garshaw?
Per'sus sighed.
She's right to worry.
Garshaw remained quiet, picking up on that Per'sus was talking to Einar.
"I apologize for my behavior," Per'sus said. "I have not been sleeping well since another traitor was revealed."
"I understand."
"Please, complete your report."
"Unfortunately, we lost Drack."
His expression fell. "How did he die?"
"Bastet sent Death Gliders while they were on the planet. Thankfully, it seems to have been a coincidence. The team was not her target. They flew over, made multiple shots into the forest, then flew off."
He nodded, brushing his hair back, regretfully realizing that it was a mess. He sighed softly.
She found you asleep. I doubt she cares about our hair.
"I apologize for my disarray." He realized she only mentioned Drack, but not his symbiote. "Has Kela'an been put into stasis?"
"Colonel Carter volunteered to be her host."
Very rarely did Per'sus react with surprise. "I never thought…"
"There is more. Liandra was right. Vorran is not Vorran. Lordon is being suppressed. He probably has been since he blended."
"Cordesh," Per'sus replied with barely constrained fury. Their hearts felt cold.
"Yes."
He gritted his teeth, not responding, forcing himself to calm for Einar's sake.
I don't… I don't feel good.
I'm here.
Per'sus… In our quarters. He was going to kill you.
He knew. He stared at the table, furious about what could have happened to Einar. What almost did happen. Remind me to thank Martouf for checking on us.
Garshaw waited.
"How did he survive?"
"Shorvek had been corrupted by the sarcophagus before I gave the order of execution. He helped him, but… He was fighting it. The effects. He and Lon. When they realized what they had done, they killed themselves."
"Does Aldwin know?" He asked, his voice soft. He felt physically ill. Was the room spinning? He could have sworn it was spinning.
"Yes." She hesitated. "Per'sus…"
He looked to her.
"Cordesh made a clone. A symbiote clone."
"It is stable?" Kriff, he wanted to retreat. It was so tempting.
Stay with me, Einar thought.
Your body is experiencing vertigo.
That is entirely you, love. You cannot heal it away.
"Councilor," Garshaw said with a frown. "You look ill."
Relax. Close your eyes.
I don’t have eyelids.
Close my eyes, Einar corrected, glad that Per’sus could joke right now.
Per’sus closed his eyes and practiced a few breathing exercises that Aldwin had taught him.
Garshaw waited patiently.
Per’sus slowly opened his eyes.
Garshaw was happy to see that he looked less pale.
"Tell me about this clone. Is it stable?”
"Yes, and still a larva."
"That does not mean we can trust the larva."
"He cloned a Tok'ra, which Kilso has confirmed."
"Did Cordesh clone himself?"
"No."
"Then he violated whomever he cloned."
She hesitated.
"Why would he make one clone from a Tok'ra?"
She didn’t reply. She looked almost afraid to answer.
That makes no sense, and why won’t she just tell me… He thought about the last time someone delayed, and his heart squeezed. He shook his head, realizing what she was going to say.
"He cloned our-"
"No!" His eyes flared as he stood. "That bastard!" He threw the tablet he held without even realizing it. It hit the wall and cracked. He brushed his hair back, scowling at the table. She would not want this!
Love.
He violated her! He punched his fist on the table, glaring at it as his eyes flared again. "Out," he growled.
Which everyone understands, but…
Garshaw left.
I am going to kill him for this. He punched the table again. Slowly!
Consider what this truly means…beyond this moment.
He shook his head. He was too angry to register his words.
Love… Einar waited patiently.
He felt a weight on his chest, a cold sweat.
Per'sus…
How is he still able to surprise me?
Because you still think of him as your brother, a man of integrity and honor. The man we knew is gone. He's been dead for years. What is left is an empty shell. A corruption that has taken his body.
Per'sus nodded slightly.
Per'sus…move past the anger, and understand the full meaning of this.
What meaning?
You have a new queen.
Per'sus frowned. We don't know that.
That's how cloning works, love.
Per'sus smiled slightly at the remark, but he still wasn't certain. If he made her, it was to control her. He might have corrupted her or blocked her memories or-
We have her now, not him. We'll teach her right. Egeria would have wanted us to teach her right.
…Yes.
Do you feel better?
Yes, and you are right. Egeria would have accepted her.
Good, now…would you fix my hand?
Per'sus looked at his right hand, which was bleeding. He realized he also broke his fingers. Sorry.
Your anger was understandable.
Per'sus followed after… "Garshaw!" He called, not knowing if she could hear him.
She returned.
"We must meet with the council."
"Now?"
"Yes. Let's get this done."
~+~+~.
It was a quick meeting before they went to see her. His anger had mostly subsided, and then…
There she was.
Red like his beloved queen, though not as dark. She was more pink than red, but that would change in time.
Her green eyes.
So little!
She's real.
Were you that little?
Yes, I was. She's extremely young. I would say she is, at most, a week old. "Are we certain of who she is?" Per'sus touched the side of the tank.
"Yes," the larva squeaked with a bit of an attitude. "People need to stop asking that."
That was such an Egeria response, and he had to admit that it amused him. He watched as the larva stopped swimming to study him.
She's definitely a queen, Einar thought as they saw the undeveloped beginnings of a womb. For now, it was a barely visible bump on the larva's abdomen. It was easy to miss if one wasn't looking for it.
"Why is she called Iasis?" He never heard of a larva having a name they could not pronounce themselves.
"My mother named me." The larva turned slightly to her side. Something about Per'sus was familiar to her, more so than the other Tok'ra, but she didn't know why.
Is she referring to Samantha? Einar wondered.
Garshaw said they had bonded. I believe you are correct.
~+~+~.
The council spoke to Iasis. Per'sus was pleased to see that she proved to be just as loyal and loving as Egeria. Her mother had rescued her. Her mother would raise her. End of story.
And it pleased him to see that Sam was protective and loving to the young larva.
They definitely have a bond, Einar thought as he saw the way Sam held her newly adopted daughter.
Martouf was there as well, and Per'sus saw that he still looked overwhelmed by suddenly having such a daughter. Happy though.
He and Lantash are falling in love with her. They'll make wonderful fathers.
Malek and Aldwin grew an artificial pond for Iasis.
Aldwin is doing well in spite of the recent news, Einar thought.
It’s been years, and he’s moved on with Malek. At least to a degree. He knew Shorvek was part of why Aldwin and Malek were not married. The news will allow him to truly move on now.
They added water and small fish. The larva squealed in joy, slipping into the water to chase after the fish.
Per'sus felt mixed.
Beloved?
I never would have allowed her existence. Not like this, and I'm still angry.
She was made to be corrupted.
He wanted to control her children.
Even if she was not a queen, she would have needed to be rescued.
Per'sus made a short nod. But she is. My queen. Her memories. Iasis will have them.
Probably most of them.
He was still angry at Cordesh…for many things. That Cordesh had survived made it easier.
Per'sus…are you alright?
Per'sus could feel Einar's fear that he was going to disappear on him again. Per'sus looked to the hand that he had broken.
You healed it.
I've never caused an injury to a host before.
Our emotions have been either extreme or almost nonexistent for years now.
Still… I'm sorry. It was a shameful thing to do.
It's your hand too, love. Please, don't dwell on it. The adrenaline prevented me from feeling most of the pain. You didn't hurt me. Not really.
Per'sus glanced down, still feeling ashamed, but then looked up when he heard happy squeals. She's a queen.
Yes.
She's a Tok'ra.
That too.
We're not dead.
Einar laughed internally. Do you realize what this means?
The Tok'ra will live. We're going to live.
Yes, and someday…
Yes?
There will be new larvae to swim with.
Per'sus smiled.
The End