Ten Years Later
:Apa…PLEASE! Can't I come with you? PLEASE?: Toh-Mas chuckled, his sharp, ragged teeth flashing as he gazed at the girl child he'd come to consider his own over the last ten years. From the tiny infant found in the wreckage of an air machine, with an incredible amount of mind talent, to a queen in the making, despite her biology. The three Wraith who had been walking with him stood in varying stages of amusement and irritation as he stopped, knelt down in front of the girl-child and placed his hands on her shoulder, verbally saying,
"Kelia…we've discussed this before, and you know it. When you are older, I will take you with me…but right now, you are too young and…", lips pouted, eyes narrowed as she pushed against his mind,
:I am NOT a child, Apa! I COMMAND YOU TO TAKE ME WITH YOU…..: Toh-Mas felt like throwing his head back and laughing, but that was unwise, even with a queen as young as this.
:Kelia, you may be a future Queen, but your mother IS My Queen…and she has ordered that you remain behind. If you wish to try and force someone to do your bidding, perhaps you should go and try it with HER: Silence from the petulant child, since she knew the outcome of that would not go her way. So she went with the second option, she gazed into his eyes, her sadness and loneliness broadcasting from her as her eyes filled with liquid, brimmed up and flowed over, running down her cheeks. She said nothing, simply stood there, liquid pouring from her eyes…TEARS they were called, and emitting such sadness and sorrow that he felt as though his heart would break. Sighing, he drew the child close to him, holding her gently as she gave a soft, hiccupping sob. He KNEW she was manipulating him, knew it without any doubt. Though she was biologically human, she was, by nature of her raising, Wraith; and further, she was by nurture a Wraith QUEEN. Despite knowing that, he was still moved by her emotions, because he knew that while she was using them to manipulate him, they were indeed very real.
Toh-Mas stood, taking his daughter with him as her strong legs wrapped around his waist and she buried her face in his shoulder. Softy, he patted her back and said,
:Jasa Kelia….you know that I would do anything I could for you…but my hands are tied, and you know it. Your mother has made her decision. Now, be a good child and go with Zah-Hane….it's time for your lessons. And your mother expects you to meet with her this evening. I promise that I will return as quickly as possible, and I will come to say goodnight, no matter how late it is, all right?:
Setting his little Queen down, he nodded to the Wraith Warrior who stood behind her, waiting. Zah-Hane, due to his youth and the fact that he had found the child, had been made something of a keeper of Kelia. He enjoyed spending time with the young Queen, though at times he felt as though he were being kept from more adventurous tasks by those duties. But like the majority of the Wraith on this Hive, he viewed this little girl as a Future Queen…and he truly cared for her. Kelia scrubbed her eyes with the backs of her hands, tears usually got her way, since Wraith didn't have tear ducts and didn't cry. However, realistically, she had known it was a long shot, before she tried it. Opa had been very clear that she was to remain on the Hive and not meet with the humans from anywhere beyond the village…and most certainly not with any Wraith from any other Hive. Which was, today, where Toh-Mas was now headed; to meet representatives of a different Hive which sought their alliance.
Turning to Zah-Hane, Kelia said,
:I want to stop and see Opa before we go to training…: Zah-Hane nodded, hesitantly. Even for her child, the Queen was at times unpredictable. Though, Zah-Hane admitted, he'd never heard the Queen be overly harsh with the child…and never had she been physically cruel to her. Even the unpredictable, strict Queen could be manipulated by the tears of the child she considered her own. :Do you think Apa will be safe, Zah-Hane? You don't think those others will betray him, do you?: Zah-Hane huffed, raising a hand to stroke her chestnut hair as he said,
:I do not know, Kelia…but Toh-Mas is a wise and experienced Commander. And the Queen wouldn't send him if she believed that it was a trap.: As they walked, Kelia dragged one hand along the wall of the hive, an act she'd been doing since she'd started walking. He's also seen the Queen do it though not as obviously or as often. He believed it had something to do with the connection between the Queens and the Hive. Regardless, he trailed after Kelia as she made her way through the hive before saying, "Kelia…why do you wish to go with Toh-Mas so badly? Do you wish to leave the Hive?:
:NO! I never want to leave the Hive, Zah-Hane….but I want some adventure…something other than lessons and sitting around talking to the humans and Firsts…: By this time, they had reached the queen's chambers, Zah-Hane was not sure how Kelia always knew where her mother was…but she was never wrong. The Queen's quarters, the Queens Bridge or the Queens Feeding area….Kelia always knew where to go. Standing outside the closed doors, Zah-Hane felt Kelia extend her mind to her mother and waited to see if the Queen would welcome her youngest child, or turn her away. Today, the Queen was apparently in a good mood, because Zah-Hane felt the warm welcome she sent to the Kelia. The child entered the quarters and went directly to her mother, as Zah-Hane entered behind her and went to his knee, waiting. Kelia hesitated as she saw a new face standing next to her mother's throne, and Zah-Hane felt the surge of protectiveness and selfishness from the child, who marched over and climbed the stairs, to stand next to her mother. Zah-Hane bristled as he felt the revulsion the new male felt toward the human child; Kelia felt it too, but rather than show him he'd upset her, she drew herself up to her full height and said,
:I do not believe we are acquainted…you are?: The revulsion was unchanged as the new male spoke,
"Who I am is NOT your concern, Human…." The queen sat back, her face devoid of expression, head cocked as she watched. Kelia, raised her head and forced her mind past the male's shields, forcefully, causing him pain and giving him no option except to hiss and stumbled backward. Kelia follows him, stepping in front of her mother, forcing the male to kneel, her head cocked to the side as she spoke verbally, a sign of disrespect,
"You must be very young, to mistake my MOTHER'S pleasantness for acceptance. You will NOT live long if you continue to disrespect your betters… Should you decide to continue to speak to me in this manner….." switching to mental speech, she exerted a bit more pressure causing the male to begin to bleed from his nose and ears, :I WILL make you bleed…disrespect will not be tolerated.:
As suddenly as she'd brought her considerable mental ability to bear, she stopped it, turned from the male who knelt on the ground, shocked and said,
:Ama…when can I go on missions for the Hive?: The Queen drew the child into her lap, and the child snuggled comfortably against her mother as the Queen said,
:When you are older, Kelia…then you will handle much of the things that need handling…until you achieve your own Hive.: Sighing, she snuggled her head against her mother's throat, and Zah-Hane heard the soft purring coming from the Queen. He watched as mother and child sat, quiet, though probably speaking behind their considerable shields. He spared glance at the other male Wraith, who stared at the two, his expression going between shock, revulsion and envy. He had obviously had the desire to challenge the First Commander, but had not considered the child who now took her mother's full attention. He was startled out of his revere by his Queen's words,
:Zah-Hane…take the Commander to his quarters….minor level. I wish to spend some time with my daughter….ALONE: Zah-Hane rose, lowering his head respectfully as he turned toward the door, expecting the other male to follow him. Instead, he heard the soft hiss as the other male snarled,
:Madame…you call this human abomination your CHILD?: Zah-Hane's eyes widened, and he turned to watch, just in time to see the Queen leave her throne, setting her child aside as she approached the disrespectful male, stalking him, narrowed eyes, anger radiating from every line of her body. She caught the male in with her mind, then followed up with her body as she wrapped her hand around his throat, shoving him backwards into the wall of the Hive. Fury radiated from her in waves, infecting every Wraith on the ship reacted, holding their breath. Holding the male against the wall, the Queen created pure pain in the disrespectful male as she hissed,
:This IS my child and you will die knowing this…I have sent word to my sister Queen of your disrespect and now you will pay. Kelia, join my mind and feel this pathetic creature's final thoughts….: Kelia walked over, that strange, half smile on her face and touched her mother, her head dropping back, eyes closed as she joined her mother's mind. The Queen used her feeding hand to rip the male's coat and shirt aside and then drew back her feeding hand, slamming her hand onto his chest. The Queen's head dropped back, as did her daughter's as she fed on the male until all that remained was a dried husk. Turning, she gathered her daughter into her arms rubbing her face against the child's hair as she said, :I suppose we will not require that room, Zah-Hane…you are free to leave…I will be spending the remainder of the day with my child…oh, and send in a drone to take care of the remains…..:
Zah-Hane did as he was bid, sending a Drone to remove the remains of the male, and then went to his quarters. With the passing of her rage and fury, the entire Hive and all the members of it relaxed and returned to their assignments.