Todd secured the shuttle in its bay, then stood and walked back to where the human woman lay, still either asleep or unconscious. Staring down at her, he idly fingered his goatee as he considered her. He wanted to run some genetic tests on her to make sure there was no Wraith DNA and to see what there was genetically inside her that might have created the telepathy, but the small mental zap he'd received earlier concerned him, since she had not been overly upset, and he suspected she was capable of a lot more. He also wanted her to become comfortable with him, something that was not going to happen if he locked her up and experimented on her. So he considered his options, then made the decision that he felt would benefit his cause the most, as he always did. He scooped her up and headed through the ship toward his own quarters.
She continued to sleep as he placed her on a sitting surface in his quarters and he took a blood sample as well as a DNA sample and called a drone to him to take the samples to his lab and place them in the cooling unit. Though she was either asleep or unconscious, he was leaning towards the latter, actually, her shields remained firmly in place and she was not relaxed. He considered allowing her to wake on her own, but her current condition of cleanliness was an assault on his sensitive Wraith senses. And he felt she might rest better if she was clean and comfortable.
Sighing he left the room and began the filling the soaking unit with a combination of hot water, slightly warmer than her current body temperature, and a specific enzyme that Wraith used to soak in to calm themselves and relax; but this enzyme seemed to have a healing or regenerating effect on humans. When mixed with water, it created an almost gel-like substance that was very comfortable for both Wraith and human, or He removed his outer garments, leaving him clad only in his sleeveless shirt and soft ship pants. He hesitated, he didn't want to frighten her, but he also didn't want her to drown; and he hated getting into the soaking unit dressed. Sighing he finished undressing and went back into his primary quarters. He went back into his quarters and picked up the little human, carrying her to the soaking unit and beginning to undress her.
Cara sighed and tried to move, expecting the ropes to stop her. But instead of feeling the hard, cold table and burning ropes, she felt herself floating in something soft, warm and feeling something like warm jello. Her first thought was that the last month had been a dream…a horrific, realistic dream. She'd never been on a plane that crashed into the infamous Bermuda Triangle, never woke to find herself somewhere totally different than her own planet in a place that had never heard of the Caribbean…nor of Earth. Never been traded by the people she thought were helping her to a group of soldiers intent on getting all the information she possessed about Earth at any cost…never been nearly raped and saved by a creature with greenish skin and white…...long…..soft….
Cara snapped awake and jerked away from the masculine form that had been supporting her. The gel like liquid fell away from her shoulders and down to her breasts, which is when she realized she was naked. Hunkering down in the water, or whatever this stuff was, she glared at the creature before her, his long white hair, which had been what had brought her to reality, floating in the gel as he moved his arms to the sides of the tub from where they had evidently been wrapped around her. Outwardly unconcerned, he continued to watcher her, his odd, golden eyes with their vertical slit pupil were neutral as he simply waited for her to speak. She tried to, but the weeks of doing little speaking, and a lot of screaming, made her words catch in her throat. So she cleared her throat and tried again, before resorting to what she vaguely remembered had worked before,
:Who are you? Why are we…HERE…like this?:
The creature responded the same way, his mind voice held a note of amusement as well as caution and she once more tried to reach his mind, only to find this time, it was shuttered tightly against her,
: This enzyme is somewhat rejuvenating and healing for humans, and I felt you could use that….as well as a good cleansing…as to why /I/ am here these are my quarters…and more specifically, I was unsure if you would be able to be in this soaking unit without drowning. Going through the trouble to save you , then to have you drown in my own soaking unit seemed a waste. :
Considering that, she conceded that he had a point, but not quite ready to give up yet, she said out loud,
"And why are we naked?"
The creature cocked his head, a slight smile on his face that was quite fearsome with the row of sharp teeth evident and said, also out loud, "Do you normally bathe with your clothing on?" Again, Cara had to concede his point. She continued to hunker in the gel watching him leaning back in the much more relaxed position and wondered if he was just at an odd angle, or if the tub was deeper at that side….and if he maybe had a bench to sit on, because despite the way the gel felt, which was very good, she had to admit, she was getting tired of standing there. Realizing that the creature, he HAD to have a name, she couldn't go around calling the "the creature", had already seen her naked and had been holding her in his arms when she woke, more than likely had no intention of killing her at this point at least. So she took a hesitant step in his direction and felt more than saw him tense. She considered that, before coming to the conclusion that he, for he was UNDOUBTEDLY a he, even the blue tinged gel wasn't THAT opaque, less sure than she was. She knew he hadn't hurt her when he had the choice, but he had no such knowledge. She stopped and thought to him,
:IS the tub deeper over there?:
:Tub? Ahhh, the soaking unit? Yes, it has a gradual decline toward this side to allow a more relaxed soaking. :
:Is there a bench? You know, something to sit on?:
:There is…would you like to join me on it?:
Cara bit her lower lip, not realizing that to the Commander, the act of sucking her bottom lip in and gnawing at it with her teeth was quite fetching. But he remained externally calm and simply watched her, allowing her to make the decision. He reached out with his mind and this time, she allowed him past her powerful external shields into her public mind, where he found her fear as well as her desire. Smiling, he raised a hand and began to finger his goatee as he thought to her, :I have no desire to either hurt or molest you, little human. Had I the desire to do so, do you not think I would have done it when you were unconscious before I placed you in the soaking unit?:
:Did you?: He chuckled, and projected both his amusement and his desire to help her and his curiosity about her into his mind voice as he thought, :no, little human….were I to have molested you, you would be quite aware of it. : As an afterthought, he wasn't sure how she'd react to teasing, he thought, :and you would not be nearly so tense….come and sit beside me, Little Human…I promise not to touch you if you do not wish it…..:
He felt her amusement, though she was still frightened and tense, she moved slowly to his side of the soaking unit and placed her knee on the seat next to him, poise as though to flee, but facing him, watching him,
:You're telepathic", he cocked his head again, that particular statement was completely unnecessary since they had been conversing mentally for some time. However, he answer her, allowing the slight amusement and irritation at the silly question color his mind, :I am…as are you.:
He felt the fear well up as well as..some other emotion that he couldn't name, but she seemed upset she had caused his irritation. It wasn't exactly fear, but since she seemed to want to please him, he removed all traces of irritation and thought, mind voice gentle, :It's fine Little Human….I'm not upset…relax, allow the enzyme to work on your injuries. The Genii hurt you badly, did they not?:
:Is that what the soldiers are called?: He felt her strengthen her shields around certain parts of her mind and considered backing off, but decided that she already wished to please him, encouraging her to feel safe with him and comfortable seemed a better course of action, : yes, that is what the soldiers who had you are called…they are from a troublesome world that has created no end to trouble for the other humans as well as my kind…..:
Her curiosity came to the forefront again and she thought, : What exactly IS your "kind"?:
: I am Wraith, Little Human…..how is it you do not know what I am?:
:There are none of you where I come from. :
:Truly? How unusual…perhaps I can go there with you at some point….: He literally felt her shut down, her mind shields raised, though she allowed him to remain touching the outermost parts of her public mind, her fear and tenseness raised and she began to pull away. Knowing he'd gone too far, he changed the subject, keeping his voice gentle and soothing and projecting his curiosity and concern strongly he thought :relax little human….allow the enzyme to work…you are in no immediate danger, and no danger from me at all. Will you allow me to touch you?:
She hesitated, then nodded and he reached over, picking up her arm from the enzyme, raising it above the gel, he inspected the rope burns and tears, before thinking :Your physical wounds are deep, Little Human, but I believe your mental ones may be deeper…..will you allow me to help you, little Human?:
She frowned, beginning to worry her bottom lip against as she considered what he said, and touching his mind, as he allowed her to see the concern he legitimately felt for her as well as the calmness, the gentleness and the curiosity and intrigue he felt toward her. Out loud she said,
"You're not going to hurt me?" The Commander smiled, truly amused and said,
"No, little human…I am not intending to hurt you. On the contrary, I want to help you.."
Switching back to mental, something that the Commander was very impressed with…not even some Wraith could switch back and forth between verbal and mental communication that quickly, she said, her suspicion clearly evident, :Why?:
He considered lying….giving her some story that he would back up, manipulating her…instead, he chose to manipulate her with what had worked in his dealings with the Atlantis Earth expedition, the truth…or some of it at least, :Because you intrigue me….you are unlike any human in my experience. I want to explore you….and find out who you are.:
She considered that, tasted his mind and found the truth, though he was aware that she also sensed the depth of information past the public face of his answer, a fact that took his respect for her up another notch, but she relaxed next to him and thought, :Ok….I believe you. I would be dead if you hadn't come when you did and rescued me….so I guess every day past this one is gravy anyway….even if you kill me tomorrow, I'll have had one extra day. Besides, I got into this looking for adventure…guess sometimes you should be careful what you wish for…:
/Amusement/: Yes, Little Human….all of that is true. But I have desire or intention of harming you, let alone killing you. And if that changes, you're perfectly capable of seeing it in my mind, are you not?:
:if you allow it….your shields are very strong…..:
He smiled again, :As are yours, Little Human…."
"Cara,….." The Commander waited for her to say more, since she'd switched to verbal again….but when nothing else was forthcoming, he sent the emotion /confusion/:?:
/amusement/ :My name, it's Cara…..I figured "little human" might get confusing if there are more humans around….. And your name is….?:
/amusement/irritation/resolve/confusion/ :What IS it that you humans have with naming things? Are names not just descriptions of existence?:
Cocking her head, she considered that, then thought, :Maybe…but it allows for a deeper connection. IN some religions on Ea….my planet, knowing a creatures name gives you power over it. Don't Wraith have names?:
Careful to keep his mind voice neutral, he replied :We have designations of rank and status, as well as personal information…but I doubt you could pronounce my "name"…..at least not the verbal portion of it….:
/interest/understanding/ :ahh, so Wraith names are a combination of telepathic images or thoughts and verbal effects….. Well I can't go around calling you "hey You" or "the creature"….so, is there anything I can call you? Just to avoid confusion?:
:You could call me 'Master'…..: /amusement/
/Amusement/sarcasm/ : I don't think so…give it another shot?:
Sighing, the Commander thought for a few moments before he said, :There is another human of my acquaintance who is like a brother to me…..one who I do not always get along, but a brother still. He calls me a human name that might suffice for the moment…..:
/confusion/ :ok…and that is….?:
"You may call me Todd…
"Todd…..", :Todd:….she spoke his name both verbally and mentally, as though trying it on…then smiled , or tried to, as a yawn took over the smile. Once it was done, she said, "Todd it is….."
:You are tired, Lit…Cara. Perhaps you would care to sleep?:
:Yes please…:, he could sense her exhaustion as he slowly stood, feeling from her mind what she was experiencing, amused when she tried to avoid gazing at his body. :Wraith do not have the fixation on nudity that may human cultures seem to Cara… come, let us get you to your rest: Picking her up, the Commander gathered her to him and stood up, stepping out of the soaking unit onto the drying area. A burst of warm air and air born radiation dried them almost immediately and he carried her into his quarters.
Hesitating, he looked at the bed, before her heard her mental voice, almost asleep, :you can just put me on a couch, or the floor with a blanket….I'll be fine…I don't want to invade your bed: Chuckling softly, he strode toward the bed and while holding her against him, carefully drew the furs and bedding down, slipping her under as she fell deeply asleep. He carefully covered her up and wondered, what, exactly, he'd gotten himself in for now.