FicWad

A Yra man heard what sounded like someone leaving or coming from the Gate of the Gods, and was the one out of his group chosen to check on it. He was surprised to see a woman sitting by it, and she appeared to be injured. He approached her. "Hello, Miss?"

Rosha looked up at the stranger. "Hello."

"Did you just come from the Gate of the Gods?"

/Gate of the False Gods/, Jolinar thought bitterly.

Rosha ignored her symbiote and answered the man. "Yes."

He looked at her ankle, which was now swollen. "I believe I should get you help. My friends and I were hunting nearby, when we thought we heard the Gate of the Gods. I was sent to check to see if anyone came. I will get them."

Rosha watched the man run off. He seems friendly, I believe you chose a good place to hide.

/The Ashrak may yet find us, and now he knows what we look like, /Jolinar thought.

Then we hope he has no idea where to look.

/He may start by putting Aron in a sarcophagus and torturing known worlds out of him. /Jolinar's thoughts were of regret. Aron and his host Barg had been good friends with Jolinar, Rosha, Lantash, and Martouf. Aron and Barg had died, and the worse part was, most likely they would not stay dead until the Goa'uld decided he was of no use.

The two shivered at such thought, hoping they would never die that way.

Rosha looked up as she saw the man return with two other men, and two women. The first man approached first. "Hello, again. I forgot to introduce myself last time, my name is Nib. What is your name?"

/Don't give him your name real/, Jolinar said as Rosha was about to speak. Suddenly a name came to mind. "Mar-"

Don't say Martouf!

"-tash."

Martash? Jolinar asked, slightly amused.

Well, you said not to use Martouf's name/, Rosha thought. /I don't think Martouf and Lantash will mind me combining their names.

"Hello, Martash." Nib said, and then went to help his friends make a stretcher out of spears and skins.

They brought it over when they were done, and helped her on it. Nib continued to talk as he held the upper right side of the stretcher. "What brings you through the Gate of the Gods, Martash?"

"Exploration."

"That must be fun," Nib said with a dreamy look as he glanced up at the sky. "I have wished to do that at times, but I am too afraid."

"How did you injure your ankle?" asked one of the females.

"Tripped on the steps on the way down."

/It's good that there are two of us to remember these lies/, Jolinar thought to herself.

Would you prefer I told them the truth? "There is a powerful hunter who won't stop until he finds me, and so I decided to hide out with your people. By the way, I believe he is actually more after the snake-like creature that is in my head."

It was an honest comment.

Rosha stifled a yawn. Why am I so tired?

All the adrenalin I put in your body while you were running is wearing off, and leaving you overtired.

Well, pretend to be me. I'm tired.

What?

Rosha pulled back, and left Jolinar in charge.

Rosha!

Rosha ignored her.

Jolinar frowned slightly, and momentarily worried her eyes had glowed when she was given control. However, since no one had dropped the stretcher it would seem no one noticed if her eyes had.

"We are almost at the village, Martash," Nib said, who had mistaken the frown for pain. "You will see our Healer soon."

Jolinar nodded and formed a Rosha smile. "Thank you." /I can't heal us as well when I'm the one in control, /she thought to her host, who responded by falling asleep.

Jolinar relaxed a bit, and paid attention to her surroundings. As they passed through, she saw a few alters with the sign of Cronus. /They worship the Goa'uld who has sent an Ashrak after me/. Jolinar was more irritated than worried by the idea. The Goa'uld hadn't been here in so long, however, she decided to ask to make sure. "I see you honor Cronus."

Nib smiled. "Yes, do you worship him as well?"

She was about to respond by telling him that Cronus was nothing but a parasite who used humans as slaves, but decided that angering the people carrying her while she was injured wasn't the best thing to do. "Not exactly. Has he ever visited your world?"

"It's been so many generations since he last blessed us. Many of us hope he will again soon."

"Not all of you?"

"Some people think he never existed. Others believe he only brought pain and death. Still others believe in other gods." He pointed out to a few other buildings. One had the sign of Apophis, and another had the sign of Yu. One building had the sign of Cronus in bright red, and layered over it was a large faint black image.

Jolinar noticed the same building had the same black image over other signs of the "gods." She turned to Nib, and indicated to the building. "What does that sign mean?"

He looked over. "Death. That building belongs to people who believe all the gods are evil. We used to war over religion, but a few towns like ours decided to let people believe what they wanted. I am thankful this was decided before my time."

Jolinar thought about the people who were against the "gods." If only they realized how right they were. They'd make good allies to the Tok'ra. Though she knew the Tok'ra would have no reason to ally with them. She at times felt the Tok'ra were too fixed in their ways. Fighting the Goa'uld for hundreds of years, and what result did they get from it? How many allies did they have? How many people did they turn against the Goa'uld? She worried the Tok'ra would die out before even a dent against the Goa'uld could be made. The Goa'uld would continue to grow more powerful, and the Tok'ra would become nothing, not even a memory of who they were.

She was brought into a building, and into one of the rooms. They set her on a soft floor.

"Only patients are allowed in here," Nib said. "The Healer will be in soon." He and the others left quickly.

Soon an old, chubby man walked in. He was bald on top, but what was left of his hair was long. "You are Martash? Came through the Ring?"

"Yes."

As he walked on the floor, it gave in, leaving footprints, but then slowly returned to normal. "I am Healer Bash. Would you like a symbol as I treat your injury? Cronus? Evil Cronus? Apho-"

"No need."

He nodded, and then keeled down by her ankle and examined it for a while. "Did you walk on it?"

"Some."

"Well, the break isn't so bad. It looks like it has an infection as well, probably through," he pointed to the side of her ankle, "this large cut." He looked up at her. "You said you got this on the steps."

"Yes."

He looked a bit disbelieving, but said nothing. Instead he started digging through his bag. "I have good medicine for infections." He took out a plate, small jar of blue liquid, a sponge-like leaf, a smooth leaf, and bandages. He poured the blue liquid into the plate, and soaked it up with the sponge leaf.

Jolinar's eyes widened slightly as he pressed the sponge leaf into the cut. It stung slightly, though she figured that was normal.

He covered that with the smooth leaf, and then wrapped it once with a bandage. Healer Bash then started wrapping the ankle and upper foot. "You will stay here overnight, and I will check on the injury tomorrow. One of my apprentices will bring you food later. Is there anything you will not eat?"

Jolinar shook her head.

The man nodded, and then pulled out another jar and a cup. He filled the cup with a thick green liquid, and placed it in her hands. "Drink this." He stood up, and left.

Jolinar looked at the liquid and tasted it. It tasted sweet, but as soon as she swallowed she realized it has a horrible aftertaste. She retreated slightly, to see better the effects the medicine was having on Rosha's body. After a few minutes she learned it both relaxed her and fought off the infection in her ankle.

She frowned slightly, as she had partly hoped it did nothing so she wouldn't have to finish it. Rosha broke her ankle. She should have to go through this with me. Jolinar shook her head lightly, and proceeded to force the liquid down her throat. Its thickness made the aftertaste linger a long time after she finally finished, and even the food the apprentice brought didn't get rid of the sour/bitter taste.

The medicine took affect, and Jolinar joined her host in sleep.

To be continued...