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Evan Lorne POV
I was raised in the Hunts-Clan, I'm 18434, but everyone calls me 434 for short and was given the name Evan Joseph Lorne for undercover work, then given the job of joining the Air Force and be a mole, giving information to the Clan and doing anything the Huntsman orders.
For most of my career in the Air Force I was a small fish, one of hundreds of military spies the information I got didn't matter because I was too low to get anything good or do anything important for my master, then I was reassigned to the SGC and suddenly the Huntsman Wepwawet himself was calling for updates and asking after the Goa'uld threat to Earth.
When I was transferred to Atlantis his interest faded, though he wanted reports on the technology that was found he was still more interested in the Goa'uld.
Now it's been over 4 years since I moved to Atlantis and I love it there; the city is my home. Make no mistake I'm still loyal to the Clan, I can't imagine not being, but I'm also loyal to the friends I've made on Atlantis and the SGC, like having more than one friend, just because I will help one doesn't mean I'm not there for the others when they need me.
"Major."
I turn away from the view of San Francisco that I've been thinking of painting when I hear Sheppard call me, "Yes Sir?"
He's at a table in the open part of the mess hall, sitting with McKay, Teyla, Ronon and Carson.
"Why don't you join us lad?" Carson smiles, gesturing to the empty seat across from him.
I nod and sit down.
"I've actually been meaning to talk to you" Carson continues, "I've started back up my Ancient gene research and I found something quite interesting in your DNA."
"What is it you found?" Teyla asks him.
Carson looks to me, silently asking if I'm okay with him discussing my DNA in front of others, I nod (its not like he won't tell them anyway if its important.) "Major it appears you have some Goa'uld DNA."
I blink, not having expected that, "How? I didn't think that was possible."
"Goa'uld? The head snakes that use to rule your galaxy and took over Caldwell?" Ronon questions.
"That's them" Sheppard agrees looking to me, "So any idea how you've got snake DNA? Maybe something from your time at the SGC?"
"Nay" Carson shakes his head, "I already checked his earlier samples. It wasn't something added."
"How come your voodoo magic didn't see it before?" McKay asks him.
Carson rolls his eyes, "Rodney do you have any idea how complicated DNA is? Its pure luck I found it at all when I wasn't looking for it."
"Doesn't answer the question of how I have Goa'uld DNA" I point out, trying to get back on topic.
Carson shrugs, "No way to really know for sure. Its possible your descended from someone who was apart of a Goa'uld's attempt to make a stronger human host, maybe a different kind of Jaffa."
Sheppard snorts, "The SGC is going to love this. Bet they have everyone tested for this gene and try to track all the family histories to find a old lab."
Carson nods, taking out his tablet, "Aye its very likely" he blinks at whatever he's reading and looks to me, "I just got another of your tests back. The gene is programmed to leave a visible mark somewhere on your body, do you have any unusual birthmarks?"
Unusual birthmarks…..no way, its not related it can't be. "One, but I highly doubt it's got anything to do with this."
"What's it look like?" Carson asks.
"…..A dragon" I admit.
"You have a birthmark that looks like a dragon?" Sheppard raises an eyebrow, "How come you've never said anything, that is very cool."
"Also very impossible" Carson cuts in, "Birthmarks are odd blotches normally. Sometimes you'll get a blotch that sort of looks like something but nothing as complicated as a dragon" he pauses, "How come this dragon birthmark isn't in your file? It should be."
"People don't believe me when I say it's a birthmark, so I've gotten in the habit of saying it's a tattoo, I think I told that to the nurse who examined me when I first joined the program" I admit truthfully. Though its also cause it's the easy way to explain a magic birthmark (I believe in both magic and weird science, in my life how can't I not believe in both.)
"Can we see it?" Ronon asks.
"Unless it is not on a part of your body you would show friends" Teyla adds sending Ronon a look.
"Its nowhere like that" I snort undoing my left shoe then taking off the sock, revealing the dragon twisted around my ankle.
"I repeat very cool" Sheppard nods.
Carson stares, "Major that's not a dragon. I understand how you how see it a as one, but if you'd ever seen a it out of its host as I have, you would see that that's a Goa'uld."
"No way" I shake my head, "No way. It's a dragon, master says-" I cut myself off, dammit! That is a rookie mistake.
Everyone at the table and the people who were listening at the surrounding tables tense, "Master?" Teyla asks carefully, "What do you mean Evan?"
I put my sock and shoe back on, "Doesn't matter I should go."
Sheppard grabs my arm, "Yeah maybe we should take this somewhere more private."
I sigh and follow the group, I'm not getting away from them now, I'll have to wait and break out, it's a real shame, I love this city. They'll probably stick me at the academy teaching espionage after this.
We go to the conference room, with McKay leaving to talk to Woolsey, the rest sit down across from me.
"Who's your master?" Sheppard asks as soon as the doors close, "Is it a Goa'uld?"
"No!" I glare, "I'd never work for a snake."
"Are you sure?" Carson asks me, "Its not like they'll know for their honesty."
"Yeah" Sheppard nod, "Let's check a list; big group who worship him/her, glowing eyes, deep voice, overly dramatic and cliché. Ring any bells?"
We don't worship the Huntsman he's earned our respect, though maybe having to bow when he walks into a room over does it…. No. the mask covers his eyes, but they don't glow behind there, right? His voice is deep, unnaturally deep… he can be very dramatic. I shake my head "His eyes don't glow, he's not a Goa'uld."
"And all the other stuff?" Ronon asks.
"You spy for him, don't you?" Teyla asks calmly, "Tell him of what is happening in the universe. Even with all the things going on in Pegasus he only wants to hear of the Milky Way and what has become of the Goa'uld" she guesses.
"So? The Goa'uld were the more immediate threat" I deny.
"But did he care as much about the Ori or the Replicators?" Sheppard presses.
I…. is it true? If he is a Goa'uld what else is a lie?
"Tells us what you know, and we can help you find answers to the rest" Teyla speaks calmly.
I shake my head, "I am loyal. To my master and to the SGC, I don't like that I betray you by telling my master about what's going on, but it is my job. Trust I would never do anything to hurt any of you and stop asking."
"How do you know he's not planning something with that you've told him?" Ronon asks, "That he doesn't want to take over your world."
I shake my head, "That's not what we do."
"Then what is?" one of the doors open and Teal'c and McKay steps in.
"Didn't know you were in the city" Sheppard tells him.
"I was not" he shakes his head, looking to me, "But I was at the SGC when Dr McKay called to tell us what is going on and thought I could be of assistance."
Sheppard nod and motions to the seat next to him.
"Evan Lorne" Teal'c speaks, "I understand you do not believe this master of yours is a Goa'uld, yet you have a mark of one and Goa'uld DNA, tell me what do you see this mark as?"
"It's a dragon" I repeat, annoyed they called in Teal'c. So maybe my master is a Goa'uld, that doesn't mean he's the bad guy.
"But what does it mean to you?"
"…..Its the mark of the Clan" I speak after a long silence, "It means I was born to be Hunts-Clan and serve the Huntsman."
"What do you hunt?" Ronon asks.
I snort, "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."
Sheppard sends me a look, "I spent the last 5 years living in the lost city of Atlantis fighting alien vampires. There's nothing I don't believe anymore."
"You asked for it" I shrug, I trust these people, if anyone can help me figure out if my master is a snake and evil its them. "Magical creatures; you name it fairies, mermaids, elves, trolls, we hunt it and the grand prize of a hunt; dragons."
Teyla looks to Sheppard, "I assume they were created by the Ancestors correct?"
"Must be" Sheppard agrees.
"We are taught its magic. I don't see why weird science and magic can't both be real" I tell them.
"That is a question for Daniel Jackson and Samantha Cather to argue over later" Teal'c tells us, adding "At length" quietly at the end. "Where your parents also Hunts-Clan?" he asks me.
"No idea" I admit, "I was raised as Clan with the Clan at the academy."
"What of your parents? And the sister you spoke of Evan?" Teyla asks.
"I was assigned a backstory when I was assigned this name" I shrug.
"So your name is not Evan Lorne?" Teal'c asks, "If not then what is your name?"
"I'm 18434, but everyone calls me 434 for short" I nod making everyone frown.
"That's a number not a name" Ronon growls.
"It's my name" I defend, "Had it my whole life."
"Very well…434" Teyla nods unhappily.
"If you do not know who your parents were then how can you know they gave you up willing?" Teal'c asks.
"I know I was probably taken from my parents" I agree, "Met a man years ago in training who was on a path to being a gatherer. They work in hospitals as doctors and nurses, looking out for babies who have the Hunts-mark, wiping parents memories, making people think we were stillborn. He told me most of us come from the hospitals."
Everyone looks pissed, "And you don't see a problem with that?" McKay raises an eyebrow.
"Oh I was pissed off when I first found out" I agree, trying to ignore the doubt I still feel about this practice "But 59802 explained it to me, told me how it was necessary."
"Brainwashed cultist" McKay snorts, "Its not necessary its abduction! Just cause your people make them think the baby's dead doesn't make it okay! say If my sisters kid, Maddy's twin was alive and one of you she would rip through your little cult to get her back" he glares.
I think back, "…..Rose right? 8309382, it was in your Hunts-Clan file you have a niece with us."
Everyone's eyes widen, "That was just a example! You're not seriously saying my dead niece is one of you?"
I nod and take my interface out of my pocket, setting the pen looking thing down and logging in through the holographic part and searching her number.
A training video of the blond 7-year-old pops up, showing her taking down 8 dragon head (our highest level of warrior, getting to wear the bones of their dragon kill as a helmet) level Hunts-warriors easily.
"She's the best at the academy right now" I tell McKay whose staring at the hologram, "The Huntsman himself is going to take her on as Huntsgirl, his apprentice. It's a pretty big deal for us."
Teyla looks to me, "Ev-434 this is wrong. Training children as soldiers, taking them from there families. Please help us free them."
"I…." I hesitate, I'm loyal to the Clan but I'm not sure anymore if I should be, "I'll give to the locations of the academies, but not our main bases."
"Academies?" Sheppard repeats, "There's more than one?"
"There one in every big country" I admit, "We have bases and people all over the world."
They share a look.
"And the Huntsman" Teal'c asks, "Do you know his name and were to find him?"
"Wepwawet" I tell him, knowing I've picked my side, "And he spends most of his time in New York."
"What kind of weapon is that?" Sheppard asks looking at the paused video.
"It's kinda like a staff weapon but can do more" I tell him, "As well as blasts it shoots nets, electrocute people that kind of thing, we also have energy bows, (pull back the draw string and it shoots a bolt of green energy) that kind of thing."
He nods, and McKay gets up, "I have to see my sister. Pray she doesn't kill the messenger."
"How come you knew Roses name but not yours?" Sheppard asks after McKay goes.
"She is going to be Huntsgirl" I explain, "When you get that job you also get to go to school, live with the Huntsman and know your first name. Cause she knows it now everyone does."
"Live with-" Teyla shakes her head, "We will stop the Hunts-Clan 434 that is a promise, what you need to decide is where you will stand when we do."
"With you" I nod, this city, these people are home. That is clear, I know I'm not really seeing how bad the Clan is yet, but I'll be fighting with my friends while I learn how.
ONE-SHOT.
