Ariadne was surprised by this turn of events. So surprised, in fact that she was speechless throughout the response of the IOA representative, who, against everything she was expecting, agreed with the proposal. Between the distrust the Tok’ra showed for her and the history between the Tau’ri and both the Tok’ra and Goa’uld turncoats, she had thought herself hardly trusted simply being on the ship, much less with being the second most powerful military individual on the ship. The IOA man had already moved to another subject once she regained her composure, and turned to leave the room the moment he had finished. The room was silent for a moment, Ariadne simply looking out of the large viewport at the blue swirl of hyperspace. “[i]That was… unexpected[/i]” She said, breaking the silence. “[i]Thank you for the vote of confidence. I had not expected such trust so soon… perhaps too much time around other Tok’ra had an influence.[/i]” she said with a smile. Despite ‘holding no secrets from each other’ intrigue [i]was[/i] the primary pastime of the Tok’ra and spending so long around them, that had clearly worn off on her. “[i]Especially surprising though, is the instant agreement of your man in the IOA, I was led to believe they opposed the military almost as a matter of course. Perhaps he really is intent on the improvement of diplomatic relations, though I cannot say I am the best choice in that area.[/i]”

The brief silence was making Kat twitch a little. She had no idea what was going on in the Tok’Ra’s head. The job was pretty much tailored to Ariadne, but she didn’t pay too much consideration to the host, so if Idalia had some objections, they might not bite. Williams’ reaction was surprising as well, but she was not about to complain. Catherine would prefer cooperation over rivalry, and although in his case it wasn’t necessary, she wasn’t looking to bash heads with him.

Finally the Tok’ra spoke and apparently accepted the offer as well. Captain let out the breath she didn’t know she was holding with a hint of a smile. “It’s not trust, it’s experience. You handled yourself well and we work on the same wavelength, dare I say. I did mention this before when we were planning the attack though, something distracting you?” she jabbed, remembering Ariadne took her remark about getting her a ship seriously. “And indeed, it went perhaps too smoothly with him. Anyway, I’m glad to have you on board where we’re headed. The Alliance possesses mostly Goa’Uld ships, albeit modified. Were it some other enemy I might have hesitated a bit longer, but here and now you are the correct choice. Is Idalia all right with this?” she asked, noting to pay some more attention to the fact she is actually speaking to two people.

“[i]I cannot say I was expecting that to happen so soon.[/i]” Ariadne began. The captain was of course correct in her statement. Ariadne was very much suited to the job, and now that she had recovered from the surprise, she was beginning to feel rather pleased with the situation. It was no empire, but it felt good to be in charge of something again. Of course, just as she began to think like that she had to relinquish a small bit of that control, namely over her host, who, after being addressed, wanted to respond directly. And keep her symbiote in line of course. She bowed her head in the traditional sign of transferring control.

And Idalia raised it again, with a softer expression and posture across her body. “Do not let her show fool you, Ariadne is ecstatic right now.” She said with a grin. The promotion did not affect her quite as much as her symbiote, but that did not mean she had no opinion. “I suppose I am happy with it. I do not get quite the same pleasure from being in charge of others as she does, but I am not unused to it. Before the blending, many people in my village looked up to me, especially when the Goa’uld... visited us. I do hope I will still get to go to the surface sometimes though, I would hate to miss out on seeing them.” Idalia’s primary focus remained her wanderlust after all, and she would certainly kick up a storm if she was stuck in space all the time. Then again, having that power might make it easier for her to get to see some of the more amazing things.

Catherine snickered at Idalia sharing what the symbiote presumably didn’t want known. Sobering up as Idalia kept talking she nodded: “It [i]would[/i] be stupid to travel all across the galaxy and not see any of it, although it may not be possible all the time, this mission case in point. Hopefully we’ll liberate Langara and be able to stop there for a while. But We shall worry about that later, when we know what the Alliance got there. Now I believe,” she said as she looked at her watch, “is the end of my shift.” she nodded to herself and gave the bridge to the helm over the radio. “I need to stop at the infirmary, but do you feel like eating?” she said as she reached behind her head and undid the clip that held her hair tied up in a bun, letting it hang in a ponytail.

“I understand its standard practice to be checked by physicians after a mission. Given that I have not yet done that, the infirmary is also my destination.” Idalia said. “But afterwards I could join you. I do not really [i]need[/i] to eat, but I think there are still some Tau’ri foods I have not tried. What I have tasted so far is like nothing else I have eaten in the galaxy. Or rather, nothing Ariadne has eaten. I have not actually traveled much.” Idalia was quite enjoying the casualness that Catherine was directing towards her. It made her feel less like the unusual one and more like she belonged here, far from any home she had previously known.

“Well, with all due respect to the local cooks, you oughta visit Earth then. This can not compare. There is this one festival in my homeland, now that’s a place to go to experience the planet.” Kat said, getting up from the table and opening Lt. zaken’s report to read it on the way. “Shall we?” she said as she walked out of the room and headed for the infirmary.

The file didn’t really offer anything groundbreaking, merely confirmed their ‘guest’ wasn’t a Goa’Uld and that what Tolia was frequented by the Alliance, which they already suspected. Finishing just as she reached the sickbay, Catherine decided not to bother talking to the man. Instead she headed to the office: “About our ET-patient, ship him off to Earth as soon as he’s able. There’s no need for him here intelligence wise and with his injury he’s of no other use either, not that I’d trust him with anything. SGC can deal with him.”

Idalia walked with the captain to the infirmary in silence as the other woman read a report. It was not a long walk, Tau’ri ships were quite compact after all, and when they arrived the captain seemed to have changed her mind about talking to the not Goa’uld, or at least thats what she had guessed she had intended to do. Instead she quickly gave orders for him to be sent back to Earth. Idalia did not particularly care either way, though it did mean that the captain would likely find somewhere else to pass the time while Idalia had her medical check-up. “I will see you when I am done here then.” She said by way of farewell, turning to enter the overly clean smelling infirmary.