Stargate: Atlantis- Collision Theory
Chapter 3
"It's discouraging to think how many people are shocked by honesty and how few by deceit." –Noel Coward
"Behind you," Colonel Sheppard automatically yelled.
It was too late though as the Wraith fired. The blast hit the Commander on the side of the face, ripping into the metal armor. The force of the blast spun her so she faced the Wraith colony. Colonel Sheppard cringed. Well, this wasn't going as well as we'd all assumed, he thought as the Commander's body swayed slightly. The motioned began to tip her, but suddenly her foot moved and she steadied herself. Slowly turning around she cracked her neck. There were bits of blood and metal around her cheek revealing the gapping hole where the side of her teeth had been exposed. Gradually the metal began to build up across the wound, encapsulating it back into the armor's shell. For a moment she stood very still before her eyes turned in their direction. Walking forward the armor began to seep back into the bracelets. The side of her face was completely healed.
"Shall we," she said as if the blast to the face was a normal occurrence.
"Now I think I've moved from half to fully serious," Colonel Sheppard stated as he took a step forward with the now moving Wraith party, "I want some bangles..."
"What?" Teyla asked as she glanced his direction, "I do not understand...do you mean to say you want the bracelets? Because that would only confirm my initial fear about the half serious part...since it's apparently taken over."
"Never mind, it was just a joke," he replied with a shrug, "Apparently a really bad joke."
As they pressed on through the mass of surrendered Wraith, Colonel Sheppard kept a steady hand on his weapon. Coming so close to them made him uneasy, after all, they only really had to reach out and touch you. Eyes trained on his enemy he was ready to shoot the second one of them flinched, which made him realize they were remaining frighteningly still. Let's get this over with quickly, he thought to himself as they passed through the entrance to the hive colony. Two members of the Commander's group stayed behind to guard the passage.
XXX
"Any word from the team?" Doctor Weir asked as she came into the control room.
"Not yet," one of the control room personnel replied as she came up beside him.
Crossing her arms she tried to make it seem like she wasn't pacing, but it probably came off the same.
"I don't like this," she finally said as she came to a stop, "Dealing with the Wraith was a bad idea."
"It's not like you really had a choice," Rodney McKay piped in, having entered the room with her, "Besides it's only been a few hours. I mean they're trying to penetrate a Wraith colony, which I guess should be easy because they are Wraith, but that could be completely beside the point since they obviously called on our help to get into the colony. Though we technically only needed to provide use of our stargate..."
"Rodney...maybe you should just keep the inner workings of your mind to yourself..." Doctor Weir quickly interrupted with a smile, "What's done is done and now we just need to get through it."
"Right..." Rodney said with a nod, "But you know when I get nervous I just tend to go on because it offers a sort of release..."
"I want to be informed the minute they contact us," she said, now paying little attention to Rodney's ramblings in the background.
"Trust me when they contact us, you'll be the first to know," he replied with a smile.
Doctor Weir left the control room, unsure what to do with herself. She didn't enjoy feeling like there was nothing she could do, but at the moment her only option was to wait.
XXX
The colony looked the same; everywhere they walked...the same. Colonel Sheppard was strangely glad not to be leading the team because he'd more than likely have them lost by now. He wasn't surprised to find that most of the passages were empty. The majority of the Wraith had probably converged outside to help defend the hive.
As they continued to push further into the maze Colonel Sheppard passed glances into some of the adjoining chambers. Briefly peering in one he was disturbed to see a holding area where a handful of prisoners were being stored for food. His eyes met with one of the men who peered out from the strange webbing that encapsulated him. For a moment hope crossed his face, as if he concluded this party was somehow here to rescue him. It took everything Colonel Sheppard had to continue moving forward. He wanted to help them, but he knew given the situation to fixate on it would be futile. They were lost.
Rounding a bend the hall suddenly opened up into a larger chamber. A throne stood against the back wall and on it sat a second Wraith queen. The scene sent a chill up his spine as he looked around. It was all too familiar.
"What is the meaning of this attack?" the queen angrily stood from her throne, obviously addressing the imposing queen.
"Do not pretend to be ignorant of your crimes against my hive," she answered, pointing a sharpened nail in her direction, "I am merely repaying the favor. My colony will be more powerful than yours because of it."
Colonel Sheppard stood, hands steadied on his gun, and a cocked brow. Right...we came all this way because she hurt your feelings and now we're going to play Wraith tug-o-war, he thought as he shook his head. This mission was just full of surprises.
"So you bring the Lorne down on your own kind," the queen replied as her eyes darted to the human soldiers that had joined in the attack, "We could have settled this ourselves..."
Lorne, slowly Colonel Sheppard looked at the bracelet soldiers near him, was that what they were called? In his travels through the gate he'd never heard of such a people. He was slightly curious as to why, especially considering their ability to defend against the Wraith.
"Yes, and the moment I set foot in this place you would have killed me," she replied with a scowl.
"Yes...but we still would have settled this ourselves," the queen stated again.
"That is unacceptable," she responded.
Commander Delacroix had, during the argument, managed to move closer to the queen of this colony. By her side the bracelet on her hand began to melt down over her fingers. The metal formed into a single blade which combined with her hand. With a sudden swing of her arm the sharpened edge sliced across the Wraith queen's neck. The motion was so fluid the Commander's arm now rested by her side again, the metallic liquid flowing back into her wristband.
The Wraith queen suddenly fell still her eyes were wide with some degree of shock. Slowly the two pieces began to separate. The body hit the floor with a loud thud, gravity forcing it to its resting place where the queen once stood. The head fell with it, but as it smacked the ground it rolled across the floor finally stopping when it hit a nearby wall.
"Shall we proceed more quickly?" the Commander questioned as she stood with a faint smile, though given her tone she did not demand a response, "I have no interest in power plays."
The Wraith queen held back the obvious anger on her face as her eyes fixated on Commander Delacroix. She was apparently displeased that the bickering had been cut off so abruptly.
Satisfied with the lack of an answer the Commander disappeared for a moment behind the throne. Slicing into a panel behind the seat a strange glow filled the room. Tinting the room for a few moments the light was suddenly cut off as the Commander emerged with an oddly shaped crystal clutched in her hands.
"Ever seen one of those before," Colonel Sheppard suddenly asked, unsure what to make of it.
"No...I cannot say that I have," Teyla responded quickly, "Though I believe it is probably something of great importance considering these people were willing to aid the Wraith to attain it."
Colonel Sheppard nodded his head, but he was still annoyed by the fact that something 'unknown' was falling into someone else's hands. For all he knew it could be something extremely powerful, but he shrugged it off. It could also be a diamond, he thought with a laugh, but what do I know...
"You have taken over a second hive and we have received the Ethos crystal...our transaction is now complete," the Commander said as she stood before the Wraith queen.
"Not exactly..." the queen mocked as she motioned to her guards.
Quickly they each aimed their weapons, turning from friend to foe. Since the Wraith queen also acquired this colony due to the leader's death the opposing Wraith now joined in the stance. Looking to the Commander she suddenly let out a laugh as she grabbed the crystal from her hands.
"Somehow I feel like I've said this before...great more people who want to kill me," Colonel Sheppard mumbled with a forced smile.
"Yes...though this time I must agree with you," Teyla whispered back.
"That doesn't make me feel better either..." he said as he kept his weapon trained on the now unfriendly Wraith.
"You see I want the hive 'and' the Ethos crystal," her eyes slowly looked the Commander over, "And as I bonus I now get to bring down the head of the Lorne army...this will render a victorious blow."
"Do not regard me as a fool," the Commander suddenly said as her eyes narrowed dangerously thin.
The Wraith queen smiled towards the Wraith guard who had a gun trained on the Commander. He moved closer, shortening the distance between them.
"You do not have your armor on. A shot this time would kill you," the queen said as she cocked her head to the side, "I think you are in no place to deny my authority."
"Perhaps," Commander Delacroix replied with a shrug, "But maybe you should be asking why I even set foot in a Wraith colony...unprotected."
The final word slid off her tongue with a hint of mockery. Even uninformed of the situation Colonel Sheppard got the feeling there were more tricks up the Commander's sleeve...so to speak.