Title: needs one - suggestions welcome
Author: Tels
Fandom: Stargate SG1
Rating: PG13
Word count: 606
Prompt: #30 - Death
Summary: Malek breaks the news of Egeria's death to Selmak.
title
By Tels
Malek took a deep breath and walked slowly towards Selmak's chambers. It was only right he should be the one to tell him. He had just returned from Pangar, the grief still filling him. For both Kelmaa and Egeria. So many emotions in one day. Satisfaction to anger to joy to... this. A numbing, heart rending grief. He reached her chambers and was going to go straight in but at the last minute raised his hand and tapped on the doorframe.
Jacob looked up. “Come in.”
Malek took a deep breath and moved into the chamber. “Jacob…”
Jacob looked at him. “Malek… what's wrong?”
Malek sat on the bed next to Jacob. “Can I talk to Selmak?”
Selmak came fore and looked at him. “What is it my friend? What happened on Pangar?”
Malek took a deep breath. “The Goa'uld they were using to make the drug… wasn't a…” he struggled to get the words out. His hands twisted in his lap.
Selmak watched him worriedly. He kept such a tight hold on his emotions it was unsettling to see him so disturbed but she said nothing, letting him work through this in his own time.
Malek closed his eyes. “It was a queen but not a Goa'uld queen… SG1 deciphered the texts on the temple walls. She had been imprisoned by Ra as punishment for her crimes… She had been in stasis for many centauries.”
Selmak took a deep breath. “Egeria…” she whispered. A spark shone in her eyes. “They were using Egeria… she's alive?”
Malek swallowed hard, his eyes glistening now. “She was very weak… The Pangarans had been using her for decades to breed symbiotes for their drug.”
“What?!” Selmak interrupted.
Malek put a hand on her arm to silence her. “Kelmaa gave her life to free her… gave up her host.”
“Kelmaa's dead?” Selmak whispered.
Malek nodded. “But Egeria was too weak. She survived the blending for only a couple of hours. Long enough to help the Pangarans and put right the wrong she felt she had caused them. Even in death she was so gracious and determined to do the right thing. Then she and Katarina died.”
The colour drained from Selmak's face. “She's dead?” she whispered, the hope she had allowed herself to feel dissipating. Her eyes glistened. Her stomach twisted into a knot and she thought for a moment she might be physically sick. “No…”
Malek nodded. “Yes… I am sorry…”
Selmak stood up and paced across the room, the tears falling slowly. “She was there when I took my first host… she uh… taught me so much… She always was gracious and undemanding. Put others before herself…” She hugged Jacob back as he did his best to comfort her. “Did you bring her back with you?”
Malek nodded. “Yes… along with Kelmaa. I thought… if it is not presumptuous of me to suggest…” he paused and then continued as Selmak nodded. “Perhaps we have the ceremony for them both… just the one burial platform… as they both shared the same host.”
Selmak nodded. Then she moved over to Malek and pulled him into a hug. Tears fell from them both as each of them grieved together for a while. Then as Malek left to go to his own chamber she went to make the preparations for Egeria's lying in state and for the funeral.
The council agreed to the laying in state and as Selmak was the oldest of Egeria's Tok'ra offspring the task of leading the ceremony and activating the gate would fall to her. Her final duty to the one who had given them so much.
© Tels
July 13th 2006