Author's Notes: Thank you ever so much to my beta, Alauralen. Without her, this would never have happened. I've taken a few liberties with canon since we don't know a lot about the Wraith, so hopefully I've managed to make it realistic.

Disclaimer: Stargate Atlantis doesn't belong to me. As much as I wish Todd was mine, he isn't.

--

The Distant Journey

Chapter One

"We have a group of immune humans in the cell." The message reverberated through his mind—with it the image of roughly a dozen humans huddled in groups. Such a large group was shocking. It was bad enough they'd been finding three or four per culling, but a dozen? There was no doubt in his mind that the humans were evolving to withstand Wraith attacks.

Standing, he made his way to the hold. The humans clustered together in the dark corners, knowing the Wraith could see in the dark, yet feeling safer anyway. Unlike previous cells, there was one human—a woman—who was not clinging to the darkness. Instead she stood, face raised to the above window. The nearby moon illuminated her, and her golden red-tinted hair shined brightly. She was unlike any human he'd ever encountered. She seemed more worried to get a last look at beauty than to fear her own death.

A young wraith approached him. "There are four virgin women in the group, sir."

Todd sighed. That meant Veritus would be around, looking for a new slave. He'd beaten his last slave so severely the Gift of Life had been unable to save her. "Separate them from the group," he said, turning away. He didn't enjoy the wails of fear that would accompany the women's removal.

A moan managed to reach his ears as he quickly maneuvered through the halls. No matter how fast he went, he was never able to completely escape the pain of the human's cries. He kept this locked deep within himself, knowing if another Wraith ever discovered his sympathy for their food source, he'd be killed, despite his stature.

It would be most unpleasant to oversee the distribution of the women. He could have left it up to one of his underlings, but he felt obligated to see to their placement himself. After all, if it weren't for his orders, the planet would have remained unculled, and the women would be home with their families.

He didn't have a mate waiting for him at the Wraith home planet, but he'd often considered taking one. He was sure it would upset him more than a little if his chosen was killed or taken by an enemy.

An hour later, he joined his comrades in the conference room. It was here that he would chose from those wishing for a slave. The highest ranking would come first, moving down until all the women had been placed.

As Todd had thought he would be, Veritus was part of the group. He was pleased to note there were five officers ranked higher than Veritus. With any luck, the top four would be interested in the women available, and he wouldn't have to give one of the women to the sadistic Veritus.

"Bring them in," he said to the drone standing by the door.

A moment later, the four women entered the room, among them the pale red-haired woman he'd seen standing in the moonlight. He felt slightly ill at the thought of giving her to the likes of Veritus.

Immediately, two of the top-ranking officers and three of the lower-ranking officers left. The current livestock was of little interest to them. Todd ground his teeth as Veritus looked over the young woman who'd caught his eye. He mentally scolded himself. He'd never been so overcome with the desire to take a slave of his own. For some reason, he couldn't get the thought out of his head.

The three officers made their choices, each dragging a woman behind him. Veritus looked gleefully at the pale woman left behind. "Looks like my luck held out again," he boasted loudly. He spoke in the human language—purposefully making sure the woman could understand him. "I always get my first choice, no matter how many ranking officers show up." His smile brought back memories of a childhood illness that had left Todd vomiting for days.

Before he could think the better of it, Todd said, "I'll take her."

Veritus turned in astonishment. "You? You've never taken a slave before."

His challenge cleared Todd's mind. He was the ranking officer here, and his decision wasn't up for discussion. Face hardening, he said, "There is a first time for everything, Veritus. I said, I'll take her."

Veritus glared back at him, but, nonetheless, moved aside for Todd to approach the woman.

"Come with me," he said shortly. Turning, he strode from the room, aware of her slight hesitation, followed by a few quick steps to catch up to him. It was clear she wasn't in any hurry to remain in Veritus' presence.

As he made his way to his quarters with the woman in tow, he wondered what had overcome him to make such a rash decision. What was it about this woman that made him so thoughtless?

Arriving, he opened the door, allowing the woman to enter first. She paused, glancing up at him. The momentary eye contact was enough to make his feelings of sympathy nearly overwhelming. Such emotion was unbecoming of a Wraith, yet it was something Todd dealt with every time he fed.

He was relieved to close the door behind them. "Sit," he ordered, pointing to a chair beside a small table.

"I'd rather stand," she said, thrusting her chin out defiantly.

Surprise coursed through him. He guessed he shouldn't be so shocked. This was the woman who disdained the darkness for the light, even in the face of the enemy. Unable to stop himself, he smiled widely. "Stand then. It makes no difference to me. Tell me, what is your name?"

She crossed her arms over her chest in uncertainty. It seemed she had expected a different response to her refusal to sit. "Why should I tell you?" she asked, despite the fearful stance she'd taken.

"Wouldn't it be better to be called by name than simply referred to as woman or slave?" Todd smiled again. He was actually enjoying himself. This woman was turning out to be quite interesting.

She suddenly glared at him. "I am not your slave."

"Perhaps you and I don't believe so, but the others do. It would be best for you if you played along." Todd winked at her, knowing it would completely unnerve her.

Her mouth dropped open. "You… You're…" Her voice trailed off slowly as she stared at him.

"I'm not like a Wraith?" At her nod, he continued. "What do you really know about the Wraith? Did you believe us to be evil?"

"You kill humans without mercy," she managed to say. "You enjoy it."

"Correction. We kill humans to sustain ourselves." He lowered his voice. "All living things must eat." She shivered with his final words. "What is your name?" he asked again.

"Nia," she said softly, several tears slipping down her cheeks.

"That wasn't so hard, was it?" He took a step toward her, stopping when she shifted away. Perhaps it would be prudent to let her sleep for the night before explaining to her why she was kept on the ship rather than becoming a runner. "You need fear me least of the Wraith on this ship," he said.

"Really?" She wiped the tears from her cheeks angrily. "I'm not stupid."

Todd shook his head. "I never said you were."

"You think I don't know why I'm alive? Immune virgins. I'm not deaf." She spat out the words in disgust. "I'm your sex slave, right?"

Todd laughed loudly, causing Nia to jump in surprise. "You'd rather I left you to Veritus?"

"I'd rather be dead," she said through clenched teeth.

"If you'd rather death, you would have stayed behind when I ordered you to follow me. You want to live." Todd took another step toward her. She moved back, as he'd expected, but hit the edge of the bed, sitting down hard. Her eyes widened, all anger replaced with terror as he advanced predatorily on her, leaning over her. "I've never taken a slave before, Nia. I didn't intend to take one today, either. You're safe from my… affection. However, as I said before, it would be in your best interest to play along. Unless you'd rather I change my mind and hand you over to Veritus after all."

The fear in Nia's eyes sent pangs of doubt through Todd. He'd never dealt with a human in close quarters before. Feeding was one thing, but living with a human? He was in uncharted territory, and he wasn't at all confident things would work out for the best.

Todd could sense Nia weighing her options silently. After a few moments of silence she said in a wavering voice, "I'm not a Wraith worshipper."

Todd restrained the urge to roll his eyes and make a sarcastic comment. "No one ever said you were. You wouldn't be referred to as a slave otherwise."

She nodded slowly. "Then what shall I call you?"

"You would not be able to pronounce my Wraith name, so you may call me Todd." He smiled. "It was my sister's pet name for me when were children. Our slave's name was Todd." He hadn't meant to tell her that, but the remembrance had slipped from his tongue before he could stop himself. He found himself wondering again what it was about this woman that made him lose his normally rigid self-control, even only momentarily.

Throwing a blanket and pillow on the floor, he said, "Sleep."

"On the floor?" She looked up at him with a hint of annoyance.

"I'm not giving you my bed."

--

Todd awoke, a soft noise invading his sleep-fogged mind. He looked over to see Nia hunkered in the corner hurriedly wiping tears from her eyes. "Sleep," he mumbled.

"I can't sleep on the floor," she said, voice gravely from crying. "It's uncomfortable."

"So is the vacuum of space," Todd said in irritation. He'd never been pleasant upon waking.

Nia crossed her arms over her chest. "I thought you said I had little to fear from you."

He rolled over, aware Nia was now staring holes in his back. "Only if you don't wake me from a deep sleep."

"Well, how am I supposed to manage any sleep when I'm on a hard, cold floor? I'm not a morning person either, and if you think—"

"Silence," Todd roared, sitting up and throwing his blanket to the foot of the bed.

Nia threw her arms over her head, realizing she's overstepped her bounds. It was obvious she was used to more than a humble, peasant lifestyle. Todd might have felt sorry for her if he wasn't so perturbed with her incessant chatter when he wanted to be sleeping.

Grabbing her forearms, he hauled her off the floor and shoved her toward the bed. "Now shut up!"

She peered at him through her fingers as he gathered the unused blanket and pillow he'd thrown at her earlier. Spreading the blanket, he lay down, wrapping himself up and making sure his back was to the bed. Nia was right. The floor was hard and cold.

Todd woke again, hours later, sensing Nia staring at him.

As he rolled over, she said, "I think it's morning. I've heard lots of movement in the hall. It's not my fault you woke up."

He resisted the urge to tell her to shut up again. Instead he said, "You didn't wake me this time."

"You snore," she said suddenly. "You snore loudly."

Todd sighed. He'd definitely gotten himself into more than he'd bargained for. Veritus would probably have killed her by now. He stood up, leaving the blanket lying on the floor. As she had last night, Nia averted her eyes. He'd stripped down to his underwear to sleep, and it was obvious it made her extremely uncomfortable.

"I have things to do today." He pulled on his pants and shrugged into his shirt, tucking it in. You're to stay in my quarters. I can't be responsible for what happens if you leave and wander about on your own. Food will be brought to you." Pulling on his boots, he picked up his jacket. "It would probably be best if you don't speak when the food is delivered."

Without another word from Nia, Todd strode out the door.

--

When the door had fully closed behind Todd, Nia put her head down on the pillow and cried bitterly. Her entire family was gone, her friends were dead, and she was a slave. The previous night had been the most terrible of her life, and she was surprised Todd hadn't killed her. She'd shocked herself with her defiance. She was a strong-minded woman, but it had been sheer idiocy to push the Wraith the way she had. She could almost respect him for his restraint. If the positions had been reversed, she doubted she would have remained so calm.

Hugging herself tightly, she found herself almost wishing he had ended her life—almost. He'd been right that she wanted to live. She desperately wanted to live—desperately wanted to find a way off the hive ship. For all her ignorance in pushing Todd, she wasn't stupid enough to go against his orders not to leave his room. She shuddered at the thought of running into the one Todd called Veritus.

The deep ache in her chest worsened with each breath until she could hardly breathe. She'd never known her heart could ache so badly before. Finally, the ache began lessening as a cold numbness seeped through her body. Where pain had filled her moments ago, a deep desolation settled throughout her. Succumbing to the blankness the depression left in its wake, she surrendered herself to sleep.

"Wake up!"

Nia jolted awake, looking around wildly. Was this the moment her life would end? Rather than facing a Wraith, she found herself looking at a dark-haired woman.

"Get up, Slave," the woman said, looking disdainfully at her. "I've been instructed to bring you food, but I will not be serving you breakfast in bed."

Nia bristled at the woman's tone, but Todd's warning flitted through her mind, so she said nothing. Rising, she tried in vain to smooth her torn, rumpled dress.

The woman placed the food tray on the small table next to the bed. Other than the bed, it and the chair beside it were the only furnishings in the room. Looking at Nia, she said, "The likes of you serving in the Master's bed." She tossed her hair, giving Nia a disgusted look.

Something within Nia snapped, and Todd's words left her mind completely. Her heart beat erratically in her chest. "Wraith worshipper. Disgusting traitor. If you weren't regarded as useful food, you'd be dead." She smiled hatefully at the shocked woman. "Get out."

The shock turned to seething fury as the woman drew herself up. "You will regret opening your mouth." She stepped forward and grabbed Nia's arm, pointing to bruises that had formed after Todd launched her into the bed. "These bruises will be worse next time, and I will be the one you'll have to beg for help with the pain." Shoving Nia back roughly, she walked out the door, waving her hand over the closing mechanism.

Nia's heart pounded in her ears as she looked down at her arms. She hadn't realized until the Wraith worshipper had pointed them out that the bruises were so bad. It hadn't hurt when Todd grabbed her, but they ached dully now. Suddenly, it struck her that the woman had thought the bruises came from sex.

An unexpected, shaky laugh rose up. She felt slightly crazy as she began laughing so hard tears fell from her eyes and her sides hurt. There was nothing funny about the situation, yet she laughed until she couldn't laugh anymore. Completely ignoring the food tray, she laid back down on the bed, falling asleep almost instantly.

--

When Todd entered the room, the first thing he noticed was the untouched food tray. Nia lay in his bed, breathing heavily in her sleep. He'd received his first complaint on her early that morning after her breakfast had been delivered. A second complaint had been filed after lunch.

"Nia," he said softly. She stirred slightly, pulling the blanket tighter around her. He raised his voice. "Nia." This time she didn't even move. Aggravation filled him. Stepping forward, he shook her roughly. "Nia!"

She sat up suddenly, slamming her forehead into his cheek sharply. Staggering back, he registered a string of curses from her as he brought his hand up to his throbbing cheek. When he looked up, she was rubbing her forehead.

"What did you do that for?" she asked, accusation filling her voice.

This woman was far more trouble than she was worth. "You didn't eat," he said, deciding to ignore her complaint.

She looked at the food blankly. "No."

He suddenly felt the urge to smack the infuriating woman. No wonder he'd never mated. "Sooner or later you'll get hungry enough to trust it's not poisoned. And I thought I told you not to speak when your food was brought. I had two complaints on you today. Do you realize how close you came to being disposed of?"

Nia stared at him with a look of disbelief. "Just because that woman complained, I'd be 'disposed of?'"

"Amyrra is one of our most devout worshippers. Do you think an untrustworthy servant would be sent to deal with slaves?" His hand itched to knock some sense into the woman sitting in his bed.

"She's just jealous of me," Nia said, dismissing her close call flippantly.

Confusion filled Todd. "Jealous?"

Nia looked pointedly at her forearms. Following her gaze, Todd saw the finger-shaped bruises where he'd grabbed her. He looked at her, shrugging his shoulders.

Nia threw her hands up in the air in exasperation. "She believes these to be the outcome of a… busy night. She's jealous. She wants to serve in your bed."

Todd considered Nia's words. It dawned on him she was right. Their worshippers lavished personal attention on their masters. It was only logical they might actually want to take the service one step further. He shuddered slightly. Despite the loyal service, they were nothing more than useful pawns. If necessary, they would be drained of life without question. Immune virgins were more advanced life forms that had been unsullied by a lower creature's touch. Though he felt sorry for humans, he didn't believe them to be his equals in any way.

"Regardless, you need to keep your mouth shut in the future. I saved you from Veritus' treatment, but I will not have my command questioned. I will not hesitate to take proper action if you drive me to it."

He expected a flurry of chattering from Nia, but she actually remained silent for once. Unbuttoning his jacket, he took it off and walked to the closet. Hanging it up, he caught sight of Nia's face in the mirror on his door. It was bright red, and she was pointedly looking into the corner. Smiling to himself, he decided to make her more uncomfortable. Turnabout was fair play. He'd slept in the floor and dealt with the headaches of the complaints against her, managing to save her life twice. Taking off his shirt, he hung it up and closed the door.

Todd crossed the room and sat right in front of Nia. Her eyes widened, and she nearly fell on her face in her haste to get out of the bed. She might have fallen if Todd hadn't pulled her back at the last moment.

"You want everyone to think I beat you during our passionate encounter tonight?" He winked at her, scratching his shoulder idly.

"I— You—" A coughing fit overtook her as she struggled with the blanket that had hindered her escape during her last attempt to get off the bed.

Genuine curiosity welled up within him. It was amusing to see a normally fiery woman so completely mollified. "Have you ever even seen a nude human male before, Nia?"

She looked at him seemingly against her will. The flush of her face deepened, and her struggling intensified. "I don't see what that has to do with anything," she said as she finally managed to free herself from the blanket. Jumping to the floor, she moved to the opposite side of the room as quickly as possible.

Todd stretched out on the bed, propping himself on his elbow. "You seem flustered at the mere sight of a bare chest. Is it because I am a Wraith, or because you have no experience of any kind?"

Nia sat down on the floor, back against the wall. "No, I've never seen a nude man before. And yes, I'm 'flustered' because you are a Wraith. How would you feel if I were to take most of my clothes off in front of you?"

Todd chuckled. "I've seen a naked human female before. It wouldn't bother me. Feel free to undress whenever you like."

This proved to embarrass Nia even more. He hadn't thought it would be possible for her face to get redder, but it did. A slight purple tinge crept across the tips of her ears.

Realization dawned across her face as she looked up at him through narrowed eyes. "You're enjoying this, aren't you? You're embarrassing me on purpose."

Todd feigned surprise. "Me? What makes you think I would do such a thing?" He couldn't remember the last time he'd had such fun.

"A Wraith with a sense of humor. Lucky me." Sarcasm laced her voice.

"Would you have thought such a thing existed?" Todd asked through a wide smile.

Nia looked at him thoughtfully. "Until yesterday, I thought all Wraith were evil and had no feelings. Then you saved my life. And you did so twice more today."

The answer took him aback slightly. He had expected a cynical comment but had instead been given a compliment of sorts. Where he'd seen only a slightly more advanced human before, he now saw someone worthy of respect.

"You look more human than I would have thought," she said, eyes briefly falling to his chest.

Todd nodded. "That's to be expected, considering our lineage."

Nia looked at him bewilderment. "Your lineage?"

Was it possible she didn't know? He'd thought it common knowledge. "You do not know of our true origins?"

Nia shook her head, confusion marring her face.

The Ancestors had withheld information from the humans they claimed to protect. He knew he shouldn't have been surprised after their abandonment of the humans in the face of defeat, but he was. "The Wraith descended from the absorption of human DNA by the Iratus Bug."

Her mouth dropped open. "It's not possible…"

"I assure you, it is. The humans you so admire left a group of people on a planet populated by the Iratus Bug and promptly forgot about them. We took control of their technology and created our own civilization. When they realized what had happened, your 'Ancestors' tried to destroy us, but their attempt resulted in failure and the abandonment of your people." During his explanation, Nia's expression had gone from confusion to shock and then to anger.

"You are lying to me. The Ancestors would never have been so irresponsible, and they would never have left us behind like you claim. They were our protectors, our saviors." She clenched her fists, face hardened in denial.

Todd regarded her solemnly. He'd expected such a reaction from her. Of course she wouldn't want to believe the truth about a people she'd worshipped all her life. "Can you explain to me, if the Ancestors had no hand in this, why our language and technology is so similar to theirs?"

Nia looked at him blankly, and he realized neither of those things meant anything to her. She didn't speak Wraith nor did she understand technology. A change of tactics was necessary to prove the truth to her. "Why didn't they simply use the Ancestral Ring to bring your people to their city, helping you to escape the Wraith when they left?"

"If they had been able to come for us, they would have," she replied. Uncertainty rose in her eyes, despite the continued denial in her voice.

Todd could see her resolve waning, so he pressed on. "How long would it have taken for them to transport your people through the Rings? How many of you were their left after the war had taken so many human lives? A hundred? Less? They left you to fend for yourselves, thinking only for their own well-being."

Nia fell silent. A broad range of emotions flickered across her face in seconds. "They abandoned us to save themselves when the entire situation was their fault in the first place?"

"They didn't help your people when they realized how serious the situation was. They didn't save you while there was still time."

Todd decided it was a good thing for the Ancestors they weren't around anymore. Nia looked murderous. "I don't understand," she confessed. "They were our protectors."

He shrugged slightly. "The Ancestors were no where near as enlightened as humans were led to believe. Everything they did was in the pursuit of Ascension. Everything was done for their own betterment."

"Our lives never really meant anything to them," Nia whispered. "We were a project, and you were an accident. Both dispensable in the end."

"In the end, they were only human, too," Todd pointed out. "We all have our weaknesses and our conceits. Though they tried to pretend otherwise, the Ancestors were no better than either of us."

--

Nia felt as if she was having an out of body experience. A civilized conversation with a shirtless Wraith was definitely something she'd never imagined, even in her wildest dreams. Learning the true nature of their origin, and the involvement—and betrayal—of the Ancestors had confounded her and almost left her feeling sorry for the Wraith.

An uncomfortable silence rose between them as thoughts of her family and friends rose to the forefront of her mind. She desperately wanted to know if some of them yet survived. At the same time, she prayed they were gone. It would be better for them if the end had come quickly.

"You're thinking of your people," Todd said, breaking the increasingly awkward stillness.

Nia looked him directly in the eyes. Her heart pounded as her mind spun in indecision. Should she ask him or not? Did she really want to know they were all gone or if they were still suffering?

"I don't know if I really want to know," she said softly. "I don't think I could handle either answer." The familiar numbness that was becoming the normal began to fill her once again. Only when Todd irritated her did she manage to pull herself out of the depression that controlled her.

"My mother and my sister died in the battle with the Ancestors," he said. "I know how hard it is to lose those you care about."

"At least they weren't eaten by your captors," she snapped. "For all I know, it was you who sucked the life out of my parents, my brother, my best friend." Tears sprang to her eyes. Pulling her legs up against her chest, she wrapped her arms around them and laid her head on her knees. Unable to stop the grieving, her tears fell unchecked.

"If I could eat something else to survive, I would," Todd said. "Do you think it's easy to look into the eyes of an intelligent creature, knowing you are their death? I've felt sorry for humans since I was a child, but I can't and won't apologize for my desire to live."

Nia almost began the maniacal laughter again. Moral questions swam through her mind. Was it wrong of the Wraith to want to live? Wouldn't it be wrong to deny them that right? But what of the humans they consumed? Didn't they deserve to also survive? It was an endless circle with no real answer.

She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up. Todd knelt in front of her. "I understand pain and loss. It does hurt, no matter how we might try to hide it. That is something we have in common. I believe your family would want you to survive in their stead, as I believe mine wanted me to survive. Wraith and humans are more alike than either our races like to admit."

A renewed respect for the Wraith who'd rescued her from certain death rose within her. He was trying to comfort her, despite their differences. He'd saved her life more than once, at the possible risk of his integrity being questioned by those he commanded.

"Thank you," she whispered.

A slight smile rose to his lips. "I get the bed tonight."

--

Nia hadn't argued about the bed, much to Todd's satisfaction. He'd slept poorly on the floor, and she'd slept all day anyway. She'd grown quiet and pensive after their conversation. He couldn't blame her, really. If everything he'd ever believed turned out to be a lie, he doubted he would be very talkative. That wasn't even accounting for the fact she'd lost everything and everyone she cared about.

Once again, feelings of guilt and remorse stole over him. Angrily, he shoved the unwanted emotions to the back of his mind. It wasn't as if he could eat anything else to survive. Todd looked over to where Nia still sat in the floor. It made things harder to face when confronted with the pain his dietary needs caused.

A knock sounded at the door before he could think of anything to say. The lack of any telepathic communication told him it was probably Nia's dinner. Before he could answer the door, it was jerked open.

"When I knock, you answer the door, Sla—" Amyrra nearly choked on her words as she took in the half-dressed, glaring Wraith before her. "Master, forgive me. I didn't know you were here, or I would have, of course, waited for you to grant me admittance."

Todd grunted, pointing to the untouched lunch tray. Amyrra hastened to pick up the plate, replacing it with the new tray, trying her best to curtsey once the exchange had been made.

"You will find suitable clothing for my slave tomorrow." Todd's voice was low and menacing, and the woman tensed up.

She lowered her head. "Yes, Master. I live only to please you." Knowing an unspoken dismissal when she faced one, Amyrra hurried out the door, closing it behind her.

Turning to Nia, Todd said, "You must eat. I didn't save your life to watch you slowly waste away to nothing."

Nodding, she rose and walked to the table. She leaned over and sniffed the meat on the plate. Her stomach growled loudly, and she straightened quickly. Wrapping her hands around the offending part of her body, she smiled ruefully at him before sitting down in the chair.

Todd felt his heart skip a beat. It was the first time he'd seen her smile. He sat on the edge of the bed as she began to eat, studying her. The first time he'd seen her hair, it was shining in the moonlight. Now it was plastered to her head, matted with tangles. She was shorter than him by at a full foot. Her skin was pale as compared to most of the humans he'd ever seen. It was nothing compared to the paleness of his own skin, of course.

It was her eyes that caught his attention so much. They were bright green with flecks of gold. When she'd smiled, they lit up and sparkled. He'd never seen anything like it before. The yellow eyes of the Wraith were largely unexpressive. He only saw hatred, fear, and defeat in the eyes of the humans he fed on.

"You told that woman to find me some clothes," Nia said, breaking his train of thought.

"Your current garment leaves a bit to be desired."

"My current state leaves a bit to be desired." She looked down at herself, wrinkling her nose. "What I need even more than new clothing is a bath."

"I can arrange daily bathing for you," Todd said.

Nia looked up, amazement clear on her face. "You can?"

Todd resisted the urge to make a sarcastic comment. It annoyed him somewhat that humans didn't even give Wraith cleanliness the benefit of the doubt. Though he supposed, upon reflection, he could understand their refusal to give them credit for anything. "You think Wraith don't need to bathe? Regardless of what humans might think, we do find foul smells offensive. I can arrange for you to use the facilities set aside for the humans on the ship."

"I would appreciate that very much."