A CONTINUATION OF THE TWEEN STORY

A day later, Sarah reclined on her bed, reading a new science fiction novel and trying to ignore Vinnet's incessant explanations of the fiction's impossibilities. In the middle of it all, the phone rang, but she ignored it as per the rules of grounding. In the next room over, she heard her mother answer it.

"The Air Force?" she seemed to repeat after the voice on the other end. "What do you want now?"

She listened and replied, "By now you should know by heart every last detail, especially after that Senator Kinsey came to ask her more questions. It's a wonder you don't--"

Silence. "From what I've seen of him, I agree, but that kind of language is unnecessary." It was probably Colonel O'Neill on the phone; few others would have the audacity to use strong language when speaking of a member of Congress.

More silence. "Well, then, I want to listen in. Classified or not, I am her mother, and I want to know what you're saying to my daughter." A short pause. "Yes, I know what classified means but--"

Sighing, Sarah stood and ventured out of her room into her mother's office, where she caught her attention and whispered, "I'll tell you what's going on; just let me talk to him."

The mother reluctantly handed over the phone. "Be quick."

Sarah nodded, and focused on the phone conversation. "What's so important that Mom couldn't take a message?"

"Thank you!" O'Neill breathed. "Tell your mom thank you.

"The High Council called this morning, said they'd need a pair of hosts soon--don't know how they know. It's probably some sort of test."

Setting her head in her hands, Sarah frowned. "They couldn't have picked a worse time."

"They probably conspired with Kinsey to have it work out that way," he replied.

Vinnet surfaced suddenly, allowing Sarah's mother to see the flash of her eyes and O'Neill to hear her modified voice. "The Tok'ra would not sink to such a level!"

The colonel released an exclamation of surprise. "For crying out loud, could you give me some warning before you do that! Is her mom still around?"

"No, she left the room," Vinnet lied, gazing over at the parent.

"In all honesty," she continued, "this may be a good time to take a short leave. Senator Kinsey has caused much trouble here, which may die down with time."

"Someone will pick you and two others up on Saturday," he commented. "If you can't find anyone by then, don't worry about it."

"I will," she promised just as he hung up. She did likewise and turned expectantly back to the mother. The two gazed at each other in an uneasy silence similar to that shared between two strangers who each believe the other is attracted to their significant other.

"You said you'd tell me what's going on," the mother reminded flatly.

Vinnet nnodded slowly and allowed her hoset to speak again. Sarah sighed deeply before beginning. "I did. And it's more complicated than I thought it would be. "

"Colonel O'Neill believes you about this... alien?"

Sarah nodded. "Absolutely. He was only worried that you might've heard."

"Okay." It was good to know that this Air Force Colonel wasn't concerned about her daughter's second personality. "Why did he call?"

"Before we came back, we promised the High Council that we would do something for them. They're ready now."

He mother raised an eyebrow skeptically. "What High Council?"

She bit her tongue, nervously deciding what to say. "The ruling body Vinnet answer to. They're the ones who decided to let us come back."

"With what stipulations?"

"I have to help them continue their existance in the same numbers."

Aware of only one interpretation of the cryptic statement, and oblivious to the fact that Vinnet's species reproduced asexually, her mother started into a panic. "Sarah Elaine, you're too young to do that, and you're already promissed to get married first! I'm not letting you throw...."

The Tok'ra gazed at her, confused. Halfway tino the heard of the speech, she understood where the misunderstanding originated. "Mom," she interrupted loudly, "I said I'd help them keep the same numbers, not more. They don't have kids!"

"Then what in the world are you talking about?"

Sarah hesitated, unsure that her mother would appreciate the real answer any more than she had the misinterpretation of it... or any more than Kinsey had when he'd heard. "They need.... um..."

"Spit it out already!"

"Hosts," she finished reluctantly. "They can't survive long outside of humans, and when their hosts get old, they need new hosts."

The mother frowned deeply and came into the room to sit on her office chair. "Is that... sanitary?"

"Yes, Mom. They're clean enough not to overwhelm the combined immune system. But that's not the point."