Stargate Atlantis: Harm's Way2
Richard Woolsey stood, hands tied behind his back as he was shoved into a building and then into a chair. A blindfold was torn off his face, setting his glasses askew but with a shake of his head and a twitch of his nose he righted them. "I hardly think this is necessary. I came alone and unarmed, as you can see." He looked down at his feet where his briefcase lay, opened. Papers were scattered, but he was certain the tracking device was at yet undiscovered.
You could never be too careful in the Pegasus Galaxy.
He was in a bland room in a bland building, on a bland planet that had no distinguishing features that he had discerned before being blindfolded and marched to this place. He looked round then met the gaze of his hostile hosts.
"Oh, but it is necessary, I'm afraid. We all know the duplicitous ways of Atlantis," said a smooth voice. The men parted to reveal Ladon Radim as he approached. His hair was cut short, and he bore a scar on one cheek, but otherwise he was recognizable.
"Just as we know the avaricious ways of the Genii," Richard replied in kind.
A tense moment, which could have resulted in violence but Ladon smiled, gestured. "Untie our guest. I apologize for the treatment, Mr. Woolsey, but it was necessary. I risk much just by meeting with you."
Richard felt his wrists being freed as one of the men cut the rope. He drew his arms forward, rubbing at the skin rubbed raw. "As do I. We were allies."
Ladon took a chair, and sat opposite Richard. The briefcase lay between them, like some barrier to cross or to keep them at odds. "We were, until Atlantis abandoned us all."
"And you took over the Coalition in our absence," Richard countered.
"A strong arm was needed to continue the war against the Wraith, especially now that they have united under a single queen," Ladon defended.
"Yes, so we've been hearing. Tell me about that."
Ladon considered. "I'm surprised you didn't send Sheppard. Was Colonel Errand-Boy too busy playing soldier?" he mocked, but did not get a reaction out of Richard.
"I am the leader of Atlantis, not him," he mildly explained. "His place is defending Atlantis. Mine is dealing with the leaders of each world. Leader to leader we can broker an amicable agreement."
"Perhaps." The two men stared at each other, assessing, contemplating. The Manarians around them shifted, uneasy, suspicious at the battle of words. They didn't know what to think or whom to believe, but they glared at Richard as he was from Atlantis and therefore could not be trusted.
"The Wraith?" Richard prompted at last.
"We were making great strides against them, until you abandoned us. Despite what you unleashed on the galaxy with your experiments we had them scattered and on the run. But then you disappeared. The Genii had no choice but to take over the military leadership of the Coalition before it was too late."
"Too late?" Richard asked, skeptical, but he kept his tone calm, reasonable.
"Yes. The Hives stopped fighting each other. We don't know why. They united and for a time they didn't bother us or bother any world. There were rumors they had left to follow after Atlantis. But then they returned, united under a single queen and began not only to cull but to colonize worlds, which hasn't happened in centuries."
"How do you know this?"
"Survivors of cullings told us how the Hives act as one unit, when before they were independent of each other, only forming loose alliances when necessary. Cullings now are more orchestrated. The curious thing is that the fleets of Hives do not linger in one place for very long, even when they are setting up outposts on a planet, as if they were searching for something, or running from something." Ladon paused, thinking. "We assumed it was Atlantis."
Richard considered. "Perhaps," he conceded. "What about the spread of the Hoffan plague? Are there any survivors still—"
"Eliminated. Most of them. If any remain they are in deep hiding. No one will shelter them now, not after the brutal reprisals after you abandoned us. Most worlds have no way to fight back so they had no choice but to comply or be wiped out. Why did you come here, Mr. Woolsey, apart from getting information?"
"We've been out of the loop for a while, and yes, we need information. More importantly, however, is the need to broker an alliance to fight the Wraith. We will gladly work with you and the Coalition to present a more formidable front."
"No." Ladon stood. "Atlantis cannot be trusted. You have proven that."
Richard stood. "And you can? We left to defend our home world from the Wraith, but now we are back and ready to stand with you against our common foe. Surely all of you can understand that." His gaze encompassed the men around them.
"Without Atlantis no other world is powerful enough or advanced enough to stand against the Wraith," one man said.
"Except for the Genii," another noted.
"Yes, but even we can't hope to match your technology yet," Ladon explained. "You jealously guard the secrets of the Ancestors for yourself, and scarcely share them even with your so-called allies. The vacuum you created we filled, but the Wraith also filled it. Several worlds once populous are now decimated. Several worlds once protected by you are now in Wraith hands and under Wraith control. Do you really believe that anyone will trust you now?"
Richard sighed. "We will earn their trust, but only if you allow us to join you against our common enemy. Let me speak to the other representatives of the Coalition. I believe that we can broker an agreement amenable to all parties and mutually beneficial to our combined leadership of the Coalition."
"Take him back to the Stargate, but there is no need to blindfold him. We shall never meet here again," Ladon instructed. He eyed the other man for a moment. "Until you offer us real support, as in giving us your ships and your weapons we are not full allies."
Richard closed his briefcase, shaking his head. "This is a big mistake, Ladon, and you know it. If you refuse our help you will ultimately fail."
"So speaks the hubris of Atlantis," a Manarian commented bitterly. The others grumbled their agreement and disdain.
Richard said nothing as he was roughly shoved towards the exit.
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The Wraith entered the high chamber. He crossed the expanse slowly, his footsteps silent. He paused. The room was dark, cast in shadows. Ambient lights gleamed from the high walls, pale blues and yellows that cast spurious illumination onto the floor. The Hive Ship was serenely traveling between cullings, always on the move. Always watchful. Always alert.
A throne was turned towards the large viewport where the expanse of stars glittered. Beneath screens were scrolling data. Lists of planets to be culled and colonized were on one screen. Estimations of Hive strengths and weaknesses were on another. Data on nearly everything in the galaxy that the queen needed to know. And systems that were endlessly scanning, endlessly attaining information.
The Wraith moved to one knee, bowing his head although the queen's back was to him as she sat watching the stars. Nevertheless he showed the proper respect. He would have even if the Drone guards weren't lurking in the corners, in the shadows, always watching. Mute observers of all that passed within that chamber, upon that throne.
This was the queen that would save the Wraith from annihilation.
This was the queen that would destroy Atlantis.
"My queen," he intoned deferentially. "Atlantis has returned, just as you have foreseen. We still have been unable to locate the one they call Todd, but we shall as soon as he can make an escape from the humans." He waited, but the queen was silent.
Except for one long nail tapping, tapping on the arm of her throne.
The Wraith swallowed, unusually nervous. "As you predicted they appear to be isolated from the other humans. Our contacts report that they have been met with hostility and defiance. They do not know of the new enemy in our midst."
"Yet."
It was one word, spoken in a slightly guttural, sultry rasp that made the Wraith straighten his back and lift his head to stare at the back of the throne. "We will keep monitoring the movements of their teams and keep scanning for the location of the one they call Todd. Do you wish us to capture any of the—"
"No."
The Wraith fell silent, waiting. But the queen said nothing else, just sat staring into space or at the monitors, or both. He remained on bended knee, uncertain. "We have two ships safeguarding the Iratus planet, as you commanded. Two more are scouting the edges of the last contact as you commanded. We begin colonization of the world with human children and have taken their shield technology to study."
"You tell me things I already know. Leave us."
There was a slight motion as she waved her hand, a languid flutter of long fingers. Her voice slithered along his skin, containing a slight psychic force that created a gentle pressure in his head to enforce her edict. Then it was gone and he could think clearly again.
"As you command." The Wraith moved to his feet, grateful. He strolled out of the chamber as calmly as he could, feeling the cold eyes of the guards on him although he had done nothing wrong. Had he? Nervously he reviewed the brief conversation and could find no fault with it. Maintaining his dignity he exited the chamber and paused to breathe a very human sigh of relief.
He had escaped unscathed this time. His good fortune was holding.
The chamber was doused in darkness once more. The guards were silent sentinels, motionless as they clasped their stunners and awaited any orders from their queen. Data continued to scroll. The expanse of stars and planets twinkled like hard diamonds in the blackness of space.
The silence was absolute, immutable.
Apart from one sound that was repetitive and endless.
The tapping and tapping of one long fingernail.