Title: Moving to a new base.
Author: Tels
Fandom: Stargate SG1
Characters: Jacob/Selmak/Malek/Jared
Rating: G
Word count: 1087
Prompt: #21 – Friends
Summary: Malek meets Jacob for the first time.
Malek walked through the tunnels towards the rings. Selmak was being transferred to his base while she acclimatised to her new host. <Do you suppose the reports were wrong?> he asked as he walked.
<Wrong how? That she didn't take a male host?> Jared asked.
Malek nodded. <She was adamant it would be a cold day in Netu before she ever became a man. She likes her dresses and baths far too much for that.>
Jared humphed. <Nothing wrong with baths> he said. < But you start wearing dresses and I might just have to do something to you that you wouldn't like.>
<Such as?>
Jared grinned. <Stop drinking herbal tea for one thing.>
Malek poked his tongue out at him. <Try it!> he snorted. <I just can not see Sel as anything other than a woman.>
<She likes men> Jared pointed out.
<My point exactly, she likes them too much to want to be one.> Malek paused. Selmak had lost her mate several centuries before and remained true to his memory. With one exception but only two people knew about that and they weren't about to betray that trust. <You want my opinion?>
Jared laughed. <I know what your opinion is Mal… you are like an open book. No according to the report from Martouf, who was there, Saroosh was dying and so was Selmak. This guy Jacob was also dying and they blended because nether had a choice.>
Malek hummed for a moment. <I'll give them a month. This Jacob person does not stand a snowballs chance in hell of staying Selmak's host for long.>
Jared laughed hard. <And you have finally started talking like an Endarran.>
Malek laughed too. <Well after just over 60 years what did you expect my friend?> He reached the rings and hit the control which took him up to the surface. Then he walked to the gate arriving just as the gate activated. He watched as the guards swung their weapons up ready, but not revealing themselves just yet.
Martouf came through the gate, followed a second or so later by Jacob. “Tell me that gets easier,” he said.
Martouf smiled. “It does,” he said. “However you will be based here for some time before you go off world again.”
Jacob nodded. “Alright. Basic training all over again,” he muttered.
<Well if you do not like it> Selmak said.
Jacob pulled a face . <I didn't say that at all… Just I have spent most of my life doing this fighting thing. I'm not some raw recruit who doesn't know what they are doing.>
Selmak nodded slightly. <But you do not know our ways. This is what you have been sent here to learn.>
Jacob nodded and followed Martouf down the steps.
Malek moved into view. “Martouf,” he said nodding to him.
Martouf smiled. “Malek, this is Jacob, Selmak's new host. Jacob this is Malek, commander of this base.”
Malek looked at the older man standing there. He seemed to be uncomfortable in the Tok'ra uniform and looked out of place. His bearing seemed to indicate a military background, which could prove useful. “Hello,” he said. “Welcome to Rica.”
Jacob looked at him. He seemed young for a base commander. The guy didn't look any more than 30, but he supposed age was irrelevant here. “Hello,” he said. “Thank you.”
Malek nodded. “If you would come with me. Martouf are you staying?”
Martouf shook his head. “I have to get back.” He smiled at Jacob. “But I will see you again soon.”
Jacob nodded, disappointed that the one person he knew was abandoning him so soon. Then he followed Malek across the sand.
Malek looked at him. “I will give you a tour of the base and then leave you to settle in.”
“Thank you.”
Malek nodded. “So tell me about yourself,” he said as the rings deposited them in the tunnels.
Jacob took a deep breath. “I am an air force officer, a pilot. Reached the rank of General. I have two children, two grandchildren.”
<He's married?> Jared asked. <Why was nothing said? What about his wife?>
<Not every culture is the same as yours> Malek told him.
Jacob looked at him. “Selmak needed a host, I was dying, it suited us both.”
Malek nodded. “That sounds familiar. Jared hosted me because I was dying. It has been mutually beneficial and a good relationship has developed because of it.”
<No one sees much of Jared> Selmak told him. <He prefers to let Malek have control most of the time.>
<I see.>
Selmak took a deep breath. <May I?>
<Sure… knock yourself out.>
Not sure what he meant, Selmak came for and pulled Malek into a hug. “It is good to see you my friend,” she told him.
Malek laughed. He hugged her back and let her go. “And you. That is one thing I never expected to see.”
Selmak shrugged. “Well if you can be a woman,” she said remembering how Malek had had a female host for a while.
Malek nodded. “How are you doing?”
“Okay, he has a few rough edges but nothing I can not rub off given time.”
Jacob scowled. <Oy!>
“He does not like that.”
“I am not surprised. Let me show him the base. We can catch up later.”
Selmak nodded and let Jacob resume control. He rolled his eyes slightly. “Is she always like that?” he asked.
Malek nodded. “Pretty much.”
“Hmmm we'll see. She reminds me of a certain cadet I had once. Too cocky for her own good. Soon knocked her into shape though.” He paused at the look on Malek's face and explained what he meant.
Malek nodded. <You know Jared I think that Jacob is probably the only man who could handle not only being host to Selmak but keeping her in check.>
Jacob followed Malek round the base, listening to Selmak telling him about Malek and his host.
Jared nodded in agreement to Malek. <He sounds like a good man, they sound like good man… woman… oh whatever.>
Malek laughed out loud at the mental picture Jared sent him of waving his hands in the air in exasperation.
Jacob looked at him.
“Jared,” Malek explained.
Jacob nodded. “I thought I was the only one to do that,” he said. “Along with answering out loud rather than thinking it.”
Malek smiled. “Sometimes it is more satisfying to speak rather than think.”
Jacob nodded. He liked this man, men. He had a feeling they were going to get on well.
Fin
© Tels Oct 2006.