First piece, I'm working on the second chapter, and please don't flame me. Please, please review though.
Stargate Atlantis is not mine, but I came up with these characters.
And thanks to Lilith on the Gateworld forum for helping me with the first draft.
So
you think you can see inside my mind.
You
probably could if you just took a little time.
Bring Me Down—Pillar
Queen
There are humans waiting by the time I come. I have not seen them free for so long—but whom I am to speak of time? I, whom the others call too young, while they plot to cull my feeding grounds, to destroy my hive. I could tell them, and we would feed, and strengthen, and fight. And once we had won, that galaxy would become like this one. And we would be forced to sleep again.
But that is not now.
There
are three humans waiting. Two males, and a female. My brothers wonder
as they see the female defer to the older male. I do not. For I know
too much.
"What
do you want from us?" The older male is staring at me, and we can
see the hatred so easily on his face. He knows how the question will
be answered. The younger male is quiet, kneeling behind the others.
"You aided a man we seek." I can see his face pale at that. It is not so hard for him to understand. "You remember," I say in these weak sounds that are all they can use to communicate. They are so alone. But I sense something from him, perhaps the faintest hint of our speech. Just enough to know we came.
He nods, his body twisting as if he cannot decide whether to attack or flee. The female shows even more contempt at our presence. If she continues, I may be forced to kill her. It is obvious she would have no regrets about doing such to me.
I turn my attention back to the older male as he jerks. So much is shown—he wonders why I, why a queen, would hunt a runner. There is so much confusion in his eyes; in the way he shifts his gaze back and forth. It would mean nothing to explain it to him, for the hatred is always there. To be judged by a species that tears itself apart at every opportunity, a species that kill their kind without reason. What an irony that they are our only source of sustenance.
Arel
There are Wraith here. I was a fool to help that man, that runner-now my compassion will destroy my people. Sarla stared at me before, and asked. "What do we do, father?" "I will go meet them." I said. There is no place to hide. We meet the Wraith not far from the village, I Sarla, and her fiancé (how strange that seems) Martak. Several of the speaking males stare at me when I say, "May I speak to your leader?" and I drop my gaze.
Then I see their queen. Skin paler than that of any human, but with only the slightest hint of the bluish green shade of the males. Her dark hair falls halfway down her back, surrounding a face tattooed with thin lines that branch off then connect again, and she wears black leather as the males do.
I nod when she asks if I remember. Then she lifts my face with her feeding hand, and I can feel her sharp nails on my skin. I am dead?
"We do not wish to harm you," she says, "but I will not hesitate if it is necessary." Then she drops her hand and rises.
What can I do? If I displease her, we will be culled. And the cullings have been so severe of late-have the Wraith gone mad? But who can understand such monsters? I do not. So I nod again, and quietly, humbly, lead them to my village.
Sarla
No! I will kill them. Kill them slowly, painfully. Amputate their feeding hands and torment them for hours. Why is my father aiding them? They cannot be trusted.There are perhaps two-dozen of the speaking males, the dangerous ones. Do the faceless ones not come on such hunts?
Why are they playing with us? If they will kill us, then do so cleanly. They have no honor! But what fool would expect honor from such animals? Oh. They are letting us hope, so our deaths will be sweeter. And my father does not understand. Wraith cannot be trusted, and his folly could destroy us.
I must destroy their queen. But how? She seems stronger than the others, and I do not doubt that they could kill me easily. Could I do so by stealth? If there is any possibility, I will find it. My death is irrelevant.
Queen
The female is strong. And I have not fed. It disturbs me how easily my mind turns to such things, how difficult it is to resist the hunger. My brothers do not know why I even try. Their leader offers me his quarters, and I accept. It makes me appear more—familiar—to these humans. More comprehensible. The rooms are small, and the bedroom has too many blankets and a window. Two of my guards remain with me, while the others secure the village.
"Is there anything we can do for you?" The human leader says. "My wife has prepared some," he hesitates "food."
I could smell it already. There is a certain enjoyment to such things, and it will take my mind off the hunger. At that thought, I can barely prevent myself from reaching for him. Then I snarl, and he backs away from me. There is still both fear and anger on his face and mind.
"There is still some enjoyment I can gain from your food." I say. "But it is not sustenance. Still, I will accept it—for now."
Tomorrow, the hunt begins.
