Wraiths

The Smallest Hive

Chapter 3

Magnificent was the only word that came to her mind when she looked at it.

Ever since it was first discovered several hours ago she had been mesmerized by it.

They had almost not spotted it floating almost benignly there on the extreme edge of the galaxy. It had at first been mistaken for a large asteroid or some other useless piece of space debris. A few more seconds and they would have ignored it and continued with their mission if it hadn't suddenly moved. It was an almost imperceptible alteration to its course but it had moved. Its course had changed in what appeared to be an attempt to move away from them. An alteration that would have taken it even further out from the galaxy. That was a move that indicated intelligence. A move that indicated fear and fear was enough of a reason for her to investigate.

She ordered them to change direction and to head towards the object at top speed at once.
Hours passed as they travelled down the hyperspace corridor before they dropped back into normal space to make the necessary course corrections to be sure they didn't miss their target. It was then they first able to get a visual of it. At first it was just a small insignificant speck against the star filled background. Too close now for another hyperspace jump they made their way towards it at maximum velocity. She ordered them to push the engines to the very limit of tolerance. Once they were close enough for her to get a good look at it she would have pushed the engines until they were ash if it would have gotten her there one iota of a second faster.

Now that she could see the vessel the only thing she could think was how magnificent it was.

Even as damaged and scarred as the Wraith Hive was she could see it for what it truly was. It was a predator. Every inch of it practically screamed power. The massive vessel was to her the very epitome of dread and oppression.

Things like that are very important to the goa'uld Ereshkigal Goddess of Darkness and Death.

Yes the Hive was magnificent and now it was hers.

Setting on a literal throne of human skulls on board her mother ship she continued to stare with open greed at the view globe as her fleet of ha'taks and supporting al'keesh swarmed around the hive like tiny savaging crustaceans around a beached sea predator.

She looked every bit as much the predator as the hive. She was quite proud of the host body that she had taken. The human host was quite tall and had waist long ebony black hair and deep emerald green eyes. Her lithe feline form was also quite appealing to those of the lesser sex. Especially when she was clad in her favorite garb a long silken dress that was as dark an onyx as her hair that clung to "her" body like oil. The rest of her body was all but encrusted with jewels of all kinds from the Milky Way galaxy.

But the most disconcerting piece of her attire was her crown. A gold and jewel enveloped skull of a large reptilian sentient creature know as a Unas.

A race that was very special to Ereshkigal.

"Have they found a way inside yet?" Ereshkigal demanded to know.

"Yes my Goddess." The Jaffa Captain answered her.

"We just received word that they have found an exterior hatchway large enough for an al'keesh to get thru." He replied proudly happy to be the one to give his goddess the good news.

Ereshkigal tilted her head cloyingly as she looked down at the Jaffa captain.

"You're men should be congratulated for accomplishing such a task with such prompt efficiency." She replied with threat laced sarcasm.

The Jaffa Captain couldn't help but smile at the rare praise from his goddess but that only lasted until her eyes flashed with anger. Trying to choke back his terror he quickly saluted her by pounding his fist against his chest and falling to one knee and bowing before her. She let him sweat for a few more seconds before she allowed him to rise. Oh but how she loved to see them in fear for their pathetic little lives. With a strained show of irritation she gave an almost imperceptible twitch of her long finger to give the Jaffa Captain his cue that he could raise from his subjugated position. He quickly stood back up and took his position on the command deck.

She let her gaze once more drift back to the massive vessel that was drifting before her. She couldn't stop the smile that appeared on the face of her "hosts" body as she could only imagine what horrifying secrets she would glean from it. Soon she would have it all. All for Her!

Unfortunately her dreams of power and conquest were about to be shattered for at that moment a bridge crew member was whispering to the Captain who simply nodded and then turned to address his goddess.

"My Goddess we have just received a communication link from the others in the Triumvirate Fleet. They are awaiting an update on our discovery." He dutifully informed her.

The anger flashed in her eyes like miniature suns. Her long manicured nails scratched small grooves in to the arm rests of her throne as she fought to keep from hurling herself at him and ripping his throat out with her bare hands.

"WHO informed THEM of MY DISCOVERY!" she snarled thru clenched teeth at the now terrified Jaffa Captain.

"Uh, uh I d, di, did my Gohhaaaaahhh!" The Jaffa Captain stammered which were to be his last words for half way thru his sentence Ereshkigal merely lowered her head and two crimson beam of light shot from the empty eye sockets of the skull crown atop her head.

The bridge crew of the mother ship stood at rapt attention as they could only watch as their captain fell to the floor in agony screaming silently as he died.

She continued to let the beams sear in to his now lifeless body for almost a full minute after it was quite apparent he was very dead.

She rose from her throne and delicately moved down the steps and addressed the Jaffa that had been standing closest to late captain at the command dais.

"CAPTAIN." She snapped at her new commander for her mother ship.

"You are to proceed with the operation to board that vessel and that it is not to be damaged any more then is ABSOLUTELY necessary and that any life forms found upon it are to be taken ALIVE because if my orders are not followed those that fail to do so WILL NOT be granted the MERCIFUL DEATH of the now deceased captain!" Ereshkigal stated as she let her glowing crown cast its red glare over the bridge crew.

"YES MY GODDESS." They chorused as they all slapped their fists against their chests in salute. One of the more popular sayings about being a follower of Erishkigal was the type of god you worshipped so that you DIDN'T meet her in the afterlife. Still boiling with rage at the late captain's blunder of informing the other goa'uld of her discovery she needed to get this situation in hand as fast as she could so she could start making plans on how to keep this all to her advantage.
"Nef-er'et KREE!" Ereshkigal all but shouted across the command deck.

The sound of heavy booted marching could be heard approaching as the First Prime of Ereshkigal and her Elite Guard approached. In first marched a group of Jaffa Warriors clad in full body armor and wearing the animal totem helmet in the style of a skeletal stags head complete with glowing red eyes and sharp jagged antlers. At the rear of the formation was the First Prime of Ereshkigal, the Warrior Nef-er'et. The First Prime was a striking site. Whereas Ereshkigal was almost the very epitome of beautiful, soft and pampered ruler Nef-er'et was the flip side of the same coin. No less physically attractive then her deity, there wasn't anything "soft" about her.

Clad in hard leathers and animal skins, and her long dark brown hair pulled back into a very tight rope like tail that hung down to the small of her back.

She carried a typical staff weapon a Jaffa warrior as if it weighed as much as a feather in her deeply tanned and very toned, bare arms.

The Elite Guard parted before her like grain before a scythe. Nef-er'et stood before the throne and without a word dropped to one knee and humbly looked up at Ereshkigal with cold steel hard eyes.

Not needing to say anything she simply waited for the commands she knew were coming.

The Goa'uld Queen flashed the eyes of her host and placed the most seductive smile and relaxed back in a position of barely tolerated annoyance.

Deciding not waste any more time she cut directly to the point.

"My First Prime." She purred. "I want you to go to the alien vessel and take charge of the expedition personally for I want someone capable to be sure no more MISTAKES are made." This last part was directed at the rest of the crew whom did not miss this point being made.

"Yes my goddess." Nef-er'et replied and without another word stood and strode out of the command deck.

Ereshkigal watched her go before taking one last long look the Hive ship again. She had other very important matters to attend to but at least now she didn't have to worry about what was going on aboard the other vessel.

The thought of her fellow goa'uld in the triumvirate gaining any possible edge over her made her almost mad enough to rip her way out of the host body. Once she had dealt with this she would need to "vent" her anger in a more productive manner. And she knew just how to do that. She would play with her favorite "toy". Turning back to her throne she reached down and took hold of a dark heavy metal chain that was attached to the arm rest and began to pull on it. Attached to it was the only creature aboard her mother ship that wasn't afraid to let her know exactly what it thought of her.

"Come along my little one we will soon have an opportunity…amuse one another." And with that she used her augmented strength to pull the small reptilian looking creature out from its hiding place. It snarled and gnashed its sharp teeth as it clawed at the metal collar around its neck.

Ereshkigal could only laugh at the Unas child as it glared at her with open hatred.

Oh yes this was indeed her most favorite plaything.