Collab: Sundered Echo and Ciphra

[i]Slightly before the briefing...[/i]

Cody had been exploring the ship for the most part after they departed. If he was going to be stuck on the vessel he at least wanted to know where things were. His quarters were small but that was acceptable, he’d slept in worse conditions than a small room. He only had a few personal items he had placed in his room though. One was a picture of him with a girl from Israel on a beach from a few years ago taken while he was on assignment there. Then there was his personalized weapon that he kept in a case under his bed. It was a SR25 modified with a bipod and also had a detachable suppressor, and also two extra scopes. One was a nightvision scope, and the second extra was a thermal, while the regular scope remained on the rifle. The last personal item was just a silver bracelet with his name engraved on it along with a short message in Hebrew that Cody never learned what it meant. Though this bracelet was never on him hardly.

As he had looked around the ship he would see all the people on board but didn’t stop to talk to many of them that often, unless he’d already met them. He wanted to get used to everything first. One of the problems he faced though was whenever he wanted to talk with Kay it seemed like he either couldn’t find her or she was busy talking with the Tok’ra, and somewhat the Jaffa, though with what little they say he doubted that lasted long. Finally he’d gotten too curious what was fascinating about the Tok’ra she was always around and now was just too irritated with the unknown that he had to find out for himself. Thus Cody found himself outside the living quarters for one such Tok’ra. He knocked a couple of times and stepped back awaiting the Tok’ra.

Idalia was seated by the window in her quarters when she heard the knock on her door. She had spent every minute she could either here or in the observation deck, her nose all but pressed up against the glass, looking out into space. Of course for most of the journey, she had only been able to see the blue swirl of hyperspace, but even that was an amazing sight. Despite all her time in the Tok’ra she had still never seen space until now. Tok’ra ships were still few, and they could not be spared for simple sightseeing. Or at least that was what she had been told.

She grudgingly turned from the window at the sound of the knock and walked to the door, expecting another visit from the woman Kayle, who she’d learned was the ships language expert, and pressed the button on the wall next to it that would open it. When the door opened, not Kayle, but one of the Tau’ri men was waiting on the other side. She looked up expectantly at the slightly taller man and said simply “Can I help you?”

Cody had seen this one several times so her appearance was nothing new to him. Her body wasn’t all that strong looking, but from what he’d read in the reports and watching the videos Mr. Williams had provided he knew that the host body was enhanced physically by the symbiote. Her hair was just a normal brown that Cody had seen far too much it felt like, of course that was one thing he could not really change. He could change his own identity, assassinate leaders, but he couldn’t change what other people looked like, well unless you count the pale complexion after death. She didn’t look thirty just yet so she was still young to top it off, but could that be another side affect of the symbiote? Well that was one answer she would have to provide because while Cody was a trained killer he still had manners...Usually.

He put on a friendly smile and spoke. “Hey there. My name is Cody Brown-” He gave a slight frown and continued. “Well now I’m back to First Lieutenant Brown I suppose...But you don’t have to worry about that I’d rather you just stick with my actual name, if that’s alright with you.” His mind was already working. He watched her body language but kept his eyes on hers. Everything she said and did would give him more answers into her, and he wanted to make sure he got every detail for his profile.

“Ok Cody…” Idalia said, still unsure what to think of this Tau’ri man. “My name is Idalia. My symbiote is Ariadne.” She still had not got used to having to make two introductions every time she met someone. It seemed that, when among the Tok’ra, everyone had already known who they were, and so she’d not had to make introductions. Now that she was no longer among them, whoever was in control had to introduce both of them, for the sake of politeness to each other. Still in the doorway, she said to him questioningly “Is there something you need me for… Or is this a social call?” Idalia had been too caught up marveling at the view to use her time in control making new friends, though it seemed at least some of the Tau’ri were curious and courageous enough to seek her out and talk. Usually to ask what it was like to ‘have a snake in her head.’

Cody chuckled lightly. “I suppose it’s a social call. I wanted to make sure I got to know people, and possibly make some new friends. It’s a strange thing, but there’s a concept that it’s nice to have friends when you’re stuck with people for long periods of time.” He said with obvious sarcasm. “And seeing as I have only one so far, I figured it wouldn’t hurt to make some more.” She was obviously different from Kay, so Cody had to approach this pair differently, besides that, there was just something about Israeli girls that he couldn’t resist, maybe that was his problem...hmm. In any case he did need to get closer to people to get to know them better, and it wouldn’t be the first time he might have to stab a friend in the back after gaining their complete trust.

“I suppose I should not leave you standing in the corridor then, come in.” Idalia said politely. This Tau’ri man seemed pleasant enough, might as well get to know him. She could feel Ariadne watching more intently from her eyes now as well, though her hosts thoughts were decidedly more cautious. Even with Idalia’s influence on her symbiotes personality, over a millenia of paranoia was difficult to remove. “So what do you on the ship?” Idalia asked. She knew Kayle was a language specialist, but she had no idea about what other sorts of tasks the people onboard the Langford had. All she had been told was that the crew was among the best the Tau’ri had to offer.

Cody scratched the back of his head as he stepped in. “Thank you.” He hadn’t expected to be invited in. Just another walk actually, but this worked too. This woman was definitely going to be as interesting as he expected, and that made him smile on the inside. “Well sadly enough, I am but a lowly soldier. I speak a few languages, none of which are relevant to the mission, and as officers go most of the other officers are probably more suited than me. I am assigned to our first ground team. I guess not everyone has to have a high intellect or speak the enemy language.” Of course his intellect was actually quite high for the common soldier but he never admits it. “So what about you?” He leaned against the wall next to the door continue to observe her behavior. “I know you’re a delegate and all, but what specialties do you possess?” 

That was a somewhat awkward question for Idalia as she wasn’t really trained in much, especially compared to her symbiote. She’d had the occasional niggling feeling that she was around just for Ariadne’s experience, and her symbiotes silence on the matter didn’t help. Because of this when she answered her embarrassment was evident in her voice. “Well, my specialties pale in comparison to hers…” She started. She could do a few things on her own. “I can use a healing device, though not as well as Ariadne… And I can fight. Again not as well as she can, but I can hold my own.” Her held the slightest hint of awe when she spoke of her symbiote. The amount of knowledge available to her, she still hadn’t come to grips with it all. “Ariadne though, she has the experience of over one thousand years of life, and all the genetic memory of the Goa’uld.”

Cody gave Idalia a sympathetic smile. Though he found it odd. The way she spoke he wondered about the symbiote. “Hey, just because she has all that doesn’t mean you pale in comparison. Everyone has their talents, sometimes it might just be the ability to talk with others and help them emotionally, or something else. Something that makes you unique, you just have to figure out what that is. Take me for an example. I pretend to just be a stupid grunt, but I can actually be smart when need be, and on top of that I’m good at helping people with their personal problems.” It dawned on him that when Idalia spoke about the two of them they seemed so separate. He would have to look into the matter more, but he thought the blending process he read about he heard about made the pair one, but when this woman spoke they sounded barely connected. What could be the reason for this? He wasn’t sure but he would have to find out. “So now that you told me what Ariadne is good at, why don’t you tell me what you, Idalia is good at.”

Idalia knew this might happen. She wasn’t very good at explaining the nature of their bond and what they shared. She wasn’t sure it even could be described properly to someone who had never experienced a blending. “I am not sure I have accurately explained it.. All of Ariadne’s knowledge and memory is in my mind, and all of mine is in hers. I could tell you how to re-arrange the control crystals of a Ha’tak or the optimal battle strategies for a Jaffa battle group almost as well as she can, the difference is that she has experienced it all, learned it first hand. For me, it is just... there in my mind, and it is hard to trust information that simply appears in my mind without second guessing myself.” She thought for a moment, questioning Ariadne as to whether that was an adequate explanation. Ariadne thought so, so Idalia moved on. “Before I became a host though, I did rally the people of my village against the Goa’uld. Well, the Jaffa really. The Goa’uld were defeated by then I think.”

Excellent. The reports were accurate after all then. Still it somewhat bugged him though. That meant that there was hardly any individual traits besides there emotions and thoughts which were still affected by the other. “I see. Well I suppose it would be something I would have to experience to fully understand, but with my life I don’t think I could allow myself to do that, not to mention my government might want me dead.” He chuckled and rubbed the back of his head again. The fact that he had so many classified missions would hinder his ability to try this. Not to mention what symbiote would actually want to stay with him if they knew what he’d done? Even his own nation would want him killed, not to mention some of the things he did might be considered war crimes, especially that one op he did with that virus a couple years back. He lowered his hand slowly as the thought came to the surface of his mind. Images of the dead bodies started to surface but he blinked and they were gone and he was looking at Idalia again. “So,” He said quickly recovering not knowing if she had said anything to him when he spaced. “I’m curious about this whole joint thoughts and emotions things work. What’s the difference in what the two of you think of me? And are your answers slightly affected by each others feelings?” He had to admit, he wasn’t going to talk about this with her, he figured that everyone else already bothered her about it, but since she brought it up Cody did have questions so he might as well figure this out now.

“Of you?” Idalia said, caught slightly off guard by the question. She hardly knew the man before her, though he seemed alright for the moment. “I think you seem like a nice enough person. At least for a man I have known for all of a few minutes. As for Ariadne… I will let her tell you herself.”

Ariadne bowed her head for a moment, shutting her eyes, then raised it as she established control, flashing her eyes the moment they opened. Her whole body changed posture subtly, becoming less relaxed and more commanding. “[i]I don’t trust you yet. You have already stated that you like to act as a good soldier and hide your intelligence, and it makes me question what else you may be hiding.[/i]”

In his mind Cody was smirking at this, but this didn’t show on his face. Instead he just gave a smile and a shrug. “It’s not unusual for me to not be trusted.” The transfer between the two had been obvious, yet subtle in it’s own way. “And besides. Why show off your intelligence? What would it accomplish?” He stopped leaning on the wall. “The only time I show it truly, is to protect others. Other can show off their science degrees all they want. Just cause they know that stuff doesn’t make them better or smarter. It just means there intellegence is in a more concentrated area, and helps in a different way.” He turned towards the door and looked over his shoulder. “There’s a briefing we should get to. If you want afterwards you can ask me…” He thought for a moment. “Actually lets make this fun. After this briefing you can ask me two questions to get to know me better so you can trust me. After that though you have to earn more questions.”

Ariadne took in what Cody was saying, carefully remembering what he was saying and analysing what it might mean. He had as good as told her that there was more to him than there appeared, and she would certainly be keeping her eye on him when he was around, but despite that she did not expect anything particularly dire to come of it. She nodded once at his mention of the briefing, and when he spoke again about earning more questions from him a sly smile crept to her mouth. She may not even need them if she choose her first two well. “[i]Very well Cody. I will play your game. for now, let us see what is in store for us at our destination, then we shall see.[/i]” With that, she motioned to the door, waiting for Cody to leave and head for the briefing room before she herself would leave her quarters. There may be no secrets between Tok’ra, but she was not sure she wanted to let just anyone search her quarters at will so soon, and the Tau’ri were not Tok’ra.

With this Cody simply kept up the smile and walked with the pair to the briefing.