Stargate Atlantis: Season 8

by Lady Mayrid

Episode 10: (REVISED) An easy mission to M7G-677 - the kid planet - has some unforeseen consequences that lead to some enlightening confrontations for all involved. Also, John finally pulls his head out of his ass, Kate and Todd have a talk and Andromeda is reminded why Valloran is the last person you ever want to piss off. Just another average day in the Pegasus galaxy…

4. The Warrior and the Sentinel

A/N:Here you go. Sorry for the delay, a lot has happened since my last update. I hope you all can forgive me. As always, please read, review and enjoy!

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Episode IV: The Warrior and the Sentinel

Ever since the humans had come from the galaxy of her birth and raised her from the watery depths of her tomb, had filled her halls and corridors, rooms and chambers with life, laughter and discovery once more, the ancient city had felt proud and fulfilled. But now, now there was something new wafting through her passageways and galleries, something strong and definite, something that seeped into the very walls of which she was built.

Love.

Her people were overjoyed with gladness at the union between Major Sheppard and Valloran the wraith and, because those that inhabited her were so overcome with delight, so was she. It did not matter to her that he was wraith or that he had once tried to conquer her. He had been protecting his people just as she had been protecting hers. She could not hate him for that or begrudge him his happiness, not when his joy was also the joy of one of her own. No, she was glad for them and proud and content with the knowledge that, save for one, so were all of those that called her home.

Yes, Atlantis was very happy indeed.

~xXx~

"Do you have to go?"

A smile tugged at the very corner of the wraith's mouth as he looked down into the imploring eyes of his beloved. "Yes," he answered her, "I must go. Would that I could remain here with you but, alas, there is a matter to which I must most presently attend."

Kate pouted and dropped her eyes to the ground unhappily as she let out an exaggerated sigh. "I guess," she said woefully looking back up at Todd, quite aware that she was currently acting more like a lovesick teenager than the soldier that she was. "Is it important?"

He nodded. "It is. I would not choose to depart from your company if it were not a matter of such great need."

For one wild, selfish moment, Kate considered asking him to screw it and to stay anyways but, she bit her tongue and scolded herself for even thinking of asking him such a thing. Todd was the leader of his people and he had responsibilities to them that couldn't just be ignored. Lifting her eyes up to his, she entreated him with a look and said, "When you're done doing whatever it is you need to do, you'll come back right?"

The wraith hissed and inclined his head towards the female, reaching out with his feeding hand to gently cup the side of her face. "I will always return to you."

That was good enough for Kate and so, reluctantly, she took a step backwards, dropping her arms from around the wraith's waist. "I'll be here," she said with a forced smile.

Todd nodded and forced himself to back away towards his awaiting dart. If not for the pressing need he had to complete his task and its importance to him and the wraith under his command, he would most gladly stay. But, as the matter was most essential, he could not put it off any longer. With one last longing glace in his chosen's directions, Todd turned and walked away. Climbing into his ship, he began the engine start up and then took off.

Wrapping her arms around herself to ward off some of the wind that was swirling around the pier, Kate craned her head so that she could follow the ascent of the lone dart for as long as she was able. When it finally faded into a tiny dot in the sky and then disappeared altogether, she let out a deep sigh and then headed back towards the city.

~xXx~

"You gonna eat that?"

Colonel John Sheppard sighed and slid his tray full of untouched food towards Rodney. "Here," he said dispassionately, his mind clearly someplace else other than here.

As McKay greedily began munching on the colonel's uneaten breakfast, the other two members of Atlantis One, Ronon and Teyla, shot each other a glance before the both of them turned their eyes onto their melancholy leader. "John," Teyla began noninvasively, "Are you quite alright?"

Her question went ignored and seemed to just roll off of John's back like water off a duck.

Ronon cleared his throat. "Sheppard!"

John jumped and looked up, startled. "Huh? What?"

Ronon shook his head slowly while Teyla repeated her question. "I asked if you were alright," she shot him a look that clearly said that she didn't think he was and continued, "Is there anything that you wish to talk about?"

John grimaced and made a face. "No, not really," he said, trying his best to avoid the spilling of his guts that Teyla was always so good at triggering. "Listen, I'm fine. It's just that –"

In a moment of rare insight into the human condition, Rodney interjected with, "Oh please. This is just you being bent out of shape over the fact that your sister's sleeping with a wraith."

John made a strangled sounding noise and then whirled towards the scientist who was currently digging his way through what had previously been his pancakes. "She is not sleeping with him!"

Ronon grunted. "Yet."

John glared at him.

Rodney swallowed, took a drink and then joined the conversation in earnest. "It's the same difference," the Canadian said, settling down into his 'explain a simple concept to Sheppard' mode. "So they're not sleeping together, they're still together and it's driving you nuts!"

"Damn right it is!" John exploded, throwing his hands up in the air before sinking back into his chair and crossing his arms. "How would you feel if your sister were dating a seventy-eight thousand year old, life sucking, green alien!"

Rodney dismissed the inquiry. "My sister's married with a kid."

John shot him a heated glare. "But what is she wasn't?" he asked hotly. "What if –"

"Then you're right, I'd be pissed but; my sister and your sister are two completely different people."

John was unconvinced. "And that's an issue why?"

Rodney gave him a plaintive look as though he were talking to a particularly dense, small child. "My sister is a math genius who eats tofu and drives a Prius. Your sister is a genetically altered super soldier who used to be an assassin for the United States government, can kick Todd's ass, has a higher than average level of intelligence and looks good in black leather."

John let out a growl. "So what's your point?" he demanded darkly.

Rodney waved his fork around in exasperation. "My point is that Kate and Todd are essentially the same and therefore, it's obvious that they'd end up together. It's not like any human guy could exactly keep up with Kate so really, you should be lucky it's Todd and not some other guy who's worse."

While Ronon and Teyla took to nodding their heads in agreement of this assessment, John let out a yelp. "Who the hell could possibly be worse than Todd!"

The scientist shrugged. "I don't know; some other wraith we're not friends with."

"Todd is not our friend!" John argued defensively. "We don't even like him!"

"Correction," Rodney continued, brandishing his fork like a baton in Sheppard's direction. "You don't like him. I've found however, that a lot of other people in the city are actually quite fond of him."

John snarled. "Like who?"

"Captain Cadman," Teyla offered, no longer able to keep quiet on the issue. Rodney had, surprisingly, brought up a good point. "I know that Laura counts him as a friend as does Major Lorne and Jennifer."

John stewed. "Yeah, well, that's only three people. Three people aren't 'a lot'."

"No. But half the marines, the entire infirmary staff, the botany department, me, Teyla, Woolsey and Weir are," Ronon inserted, causing all three of the people he was sitting with to look at him. He shrugged. "What?"

John made a face. "What do you mean Woolsey and Weir and you and Teyla?" he demanded, suddenly very unhappy about the direction this conversation was going. "You hate the wraith, Woolsey's a moron, Elizabeth doesn't trust them and Teyla –"

"It would be wise, John, not to speak for others when you are not certain of their minds," Teyla interrupted, casting a stern glare in the colonel's direction.

John sputtered. "But you –"

Teyla drew herself up in her seat and held her head up high. "I will admit that I have not always looked on Todd so favorably but, in the most recent year, I have come to respect him greatly and to value his opinion."

This was not what John wanted to hear, no, not at all. "But you still don't –"

"I have seen what he willing to do for your sister John, and I am not able to dismiss it so lightly as you seem to. He would move the stars for her if only to see her smile. Do not think that he does not love her when it is obvious to everyone else around you that he does; most passionately."

John winced at the tone being directed at him and sank down, low, in his chair. "Okay, okay," he lamented, willing to concede to the argument this time because he knew he had no chance whatsoever of winning. "So, maybe he does –"

Whatever else he had been about to say was drowned out by the blaring of the city's sirens and the scream of, "Colonel Sheppard report immediately to the gateroom. Colonel Sheppard to the gateroom!" that came blaring out of Atlantis' speaker system. Immediately jumping out of his chair John glanced at his team briefly to let them know that he expected them to follow him, before he took off in the direction of the control room. Fifty feet from his destination the colonel had to flatten himself against a wall to avoid being run over by the medical team that came careening towards him at breakneck speeds. Worried now, John picked up his pace and entered the control room at a full out run only to stop short at the scene that met him.

There was blood everywhere.

On the floor in front of the stargate were three individuals all of which were ringed with at least three nurses each and hooked up to various pieces of medical equipment. It took a minute for his brain to process what was going on but when it did, the military leader of Atlantis spun around on the spot and immediately looked for Mr. Woolsey. He found him standing a few feet away and trotted over.

"Woolsey!" the director looked up. "What hap –"

"No, no, you don't understand, let me up! Let me…I need to talk to Colonel Sheppard, I need to –"

"You're in no condition major to do anything but rest right now. Now, I need you t-"

"Colonel! Colonel I'm sorry. I –"

"Please Major lie back down. You can't –"

A feeling of dread filled him as he heard his second in command scream for him from across the room, panic clearly evident in his voice. Rushing forwards, John came to Lorne's side and shoved the nurse that'd been trying to get him to lay back aside. Reaching out and grasping the injured man's hand, the colonel squeezed and then suddenly found himself staring straight into the bloodshot, tortured eyes of his XO.

"I'm here, Major," he said steadily, trying to give the other man as much strength as he could. "Whatdoya need?"

Lorne swallowed the guilt that burned like bile at the back of his throat. "It was a trap," he whispered, his voice shaking with regret and remorse that he hadn't been able to do more. "It was…the wraith were waiting for us. It was…it was…" tears burned at the backs of his eyes as he looked into his commanding officer's face. "They took her."

There was no need for clarification as to who the 'her' in the major's statement was.

Kate.

The wraith had Kate.

"It's my fault," Lorne went on, his voice barely audible. "It's my…I should've known. I sh-should've –"

"No!" John cut him off loudly. Giving his major's hand another squeeze, he pushed aside the feeling he had of having been shot in the stomach and focused on his fallen comrade. "It's not your fault. Do you understand me major? It's n-not yo-our fault. It's not!"

Lorne felt himself reflexively nod. "Y-yes Sir!"

John nodded and patted the man on the shoulder before letting go of his hand and letting the nurses go back to stitching him up. Standing up, he looked around and noted the conditions of both Captain Cadman and Lieutenant Tyler. Both were unconscious and both were covered in blood. He swallowed hard against the impulse to throw up and turned his attention back to Woolsey.

The man looked sadly back at him. The moment that he had heard Major Lorne frantically call out for the Colonel, Richard had known what had happened and who was missing. "We'll find her," he vowed, looking Colonel Sheppard dead in the eye as he spoke. "I'll organize search teams to begin looking as soon as we clear the room."

John nodded. "Just take care of my men," he said, nodding at his injured soldiers who had more than likely fought tooth and nail to keep Kate when they'd first been attacked. "Let me know when you're ready to send out teams. I'm gonna…I-I'll be…"

And then, without finishing his sentence, he was gone.

~xXx~

Awareness spun through her and pulled Kate back from unconsciousness, thrusting her into the realm of the knowing. Grunting in pain, she pulled herself up from the floor on which she had lain and blinked open her eyes. Darting them back and forth she took in the sights around her. Stone walls, blackened with soot, rose up around her and joined with a low ceiling that couldn't be more than twelve feet above her head. Support pillars sprinkled the space and the only light that could be found was the result of several lit touches that lined the walls; held aloft in what looked like medieval wrought iron brackets.

Kate cursed. Great. She was in a fucking dungeon.

"You are awake."

The voice was familiar only in its double timbre and Kate immediately froze. Wherever she was, there was a wraith with her. Slowly, caution weaving its way into her every move, Kate turned and lifted her eyes upwards to meet with those of the wraith who had spoken. A slight frown appeared at the corners of her mouth, dragging them downwards. The wraith didn't look like the others that she'd grown used to seeing. The first and most glaring difference was his wardrobe. The wraith wasn't wearing anything that was made out of leather and, instead of the traditional pants, robe, bracers, battle-coat combination that Kate had come to think was standard, this wraith was wearing a costume that reminded her strongly of some medieval royal advisor.

Her curiosity and her caution doubled.

The wraith watched as the human studied him, her eyes taking in his garb and roving over his figure. It intrigued him. The queens that had deposited her here had said that she was intelligent. He wondered how much so. Standing from the chair he had been sitting in whilst he had waited for her to regain consciousness, he came towards her idly toying with the dagger that he had confiscated from her when first she had been brought here. He saw her eyes lock in on the blade and witnessed a flash of anger overtake her before she pushed it back and rose to her feet, her mouth set and her eyes cold as stone.

Very interesting.

"This blade is most exquisite," he purred. "Tell me, from where did you acquire it?"

Kate said nothing but continued to hold the wraith's gaze. If he was trying to get a rise out of her she would make sure that he failed.

When she did not answer, the wraith let loose a hiss and then chuckled. Putting the blade safely away into an interior pocket of his robe, he folded his hands behind him and began to circle her. "You are defiant," he observed when he was at her back. He noted how her spine seemed to stiffen at his words. "The queens said that you were," he was in front of her now, "They said that that is why they deemed it necessary to bring you to me. To rid you of this willful insolence."

Despite her desire to lash out, to make some sort of remark back to him, Kate forced herself to keep quiet. She'd learn more by letting him talk then she would if she were to get into an argument with him. Venomously she held her tongue.

When still the female made no comment or even any sound for that matter other than the steady inhale and exhale of her breaths, the wraith let go of a sigh and began to speak once more. "Normally I do not trifle myself with explaining what has gone on to any of the humans brought to me but those that brought you here and gave you to me have insisted that I give you an explanation. Since you will not speak I expect you to listen."

Here he paused and locked curiously at her, half expecting her to say something in response to his words, to ask a question or post some other inquiry but still she refused quite maddeningly to be goaded into a conversation. Her stubbornness let him know that she would not easily be broken and that she might even die without ever succumbing to the will of those that sought to punish her. Despite the fact that she was a human; the wraith was minutely impressed in spite of himself. He took in a great breath.

"You have been captured and brought to me here to be broken and humiliated for the amusement and gratification of those who are better than you. At dawn tomorrow you shall be tested in order to see whether you will be punished in the arena as a fighter, or in a bed as a layman to my wraith," he stopped and again looked for some sort of acknowledgment, some flicker of fear for what was to come but found none. She remained impassive; perfectly, impeccably indifferent.

He resisted the urge to shake his head at her. The female's imperative stubbornness reminded him acutely of his eldest brother. Even her stance mimicked what the wraith was sure his sibling's would be if it were he standing here now in her stead. Would that the wraith was woefully beginning to see why the queens had brought this one to him and commanded him make her suffer.

She would not be easily broken.

"Very well," he said after a moment had passed in which the human made neither a noise nor a move. "You will remain here until you are summoned for your trial. The others will be retuning soon from their day's activities. You will keep to yourself until you are sorted."

And with that, the wraith turned to leave. Kate's voice stopped him.

"Before I escape from here, I'll be reclaiming my blade."

The wraith felt shock steel through him as his retreat came to an abrupt end and he whirled back around to stare in open mouthed shock at the still defiant, still stonily aggressive human female now glaring back at him from the location she had first risen to. She had spoken her words not in the common tongue of these star's humans but in a language that had long since been forgotten, lost and turned to dust. Very few wraith were versed enough to speak in the dialect that had rolled off of her tongue as though she had been speaking it for the entirety of her life. The question of where she had learned it begged to be answered and he was helpless against his desire to ask, "Who taught you to speak our first language?"

Knowing that now was the time to speak rather than to remain silent as she had been thus far, Kate took a dangerous step forwards and tried to channel Valloran as she replied. "It doesn't matter," she said softly, careful to keep her voice low, controlled; void of any and all inflection. She had to show that she wasn't afraid of him, that he couldn't scare her. "All that needs concern you is that I will be reclaiming what is mine," her eyes flashed and she saw a flicker of something indescribable flash though the wraith's own golden gaze. "By whatever means necessary."

Her vehemence was powerful and the wraith felt a momentary stab of insecurity flood him before he forced calm back into his demeanor. It was clear to him now why she had been brought to him, to his fortress. It would not do for the queens to allow such a human as this to live.

The wraith thought it an almost pity that she would be made to die.

"We shall see," he responded composedly. For one more moment he held her gaze and then, as before, he turned to leave.

This time Kate didn't stop him.

She watched him walk away and, as soon as he was gone, screamed. The sound was one of frustration and despair. Why was it that it was always her that got captured and made into some sort of plaything for the wraith? First she was a companion, then she was a companion again, and then a runner and now this. It wasn't fair.

Her fury spent, Kate decided to look around. As she'd first guessed, she was indeed in some sort of dungeon. The whole vibe of the place reeked of pain and suffering and Kate decided that she'd almost rather take one of Michael's spooky hidey-holes to this place.

Almost.

Kicking at a random rock on the floor that just happened to have the misfortunate of being convenient, she let out a long, dramatic sigh and pondered over what to do next. It was obvious to her, looking back, that a trap had been set. Almost as soon as she and her team had come through the gate they'd been set upon, blocked off from being able to return and then fired upon. Kate was positive that she had been the target and the goal had been to get her specifically rather than just any ol' Atlantian. True she hadn't been spared from the attack but unlike her teammates whom she saw get shot with various weapon's fire, she had only been cordoned off from Lorne, Cadman and Tyler rather than shot at.

Kate silently prayed to anyone that would listen that her team had been able to make it back to Atlantis after the dart had come and picked her up.

Silently contemplating the fates of her teammates, Kate was alerted to the arrival of others by the sound of an opening door. Turning as she shoved all other thoughts other than survival out of her mind, Kate stood alone in the center of the massive chamber as a flood of other women filed into the room through the heavy wooden door situated on the other end of the hall.

The group, made up of approximately thirty women, stopped and stared when they saw her. For a moment, nobody moved and then the crowd parted and a young girl who looked to be no more than sixteen stepped forwards. She was wearing a rich gown of deepest blue, lots of jewelry and a disgusted look on her face.

"Well, well," she sneered as she approached Kate. "What have we here? A new girl. Tell me, what are you? A fighter or a whore?"

Kate decided that she didn't like her. "You're obviously one of the latter," she said contemptuously, looking the girl up and down. Upon closer inspection, her outfit looked a lot like the one she'd been given to wear when she'd been Todd's son's companion only more revealing. More of the girl was covered than Kate had been, but the fabric was almost completely sheer whereas her costume had at least been solid. There was no doubt in her mind whatsoever about which function this woman served. "I don't really think it matters what I am."

At the accusation, the girl's hands clenched into fists at her sides and she stamped her foot angrily, like a child might. She was prevented from answering however, by another woman who, like the first, was dressed finely but who, unlike the first, managed to appear more polished; classier. Cutting off the girl before she could speak, the new woman gave her head one undisputable shake and then turned towards Kate.

"You must forgive Feylica," the woman said calmly, a tone of definite refinement to her voice, "She has had a trying day."

Kate inclined her head minutely as, behind the two women, the crowd lost interest in her and dissipated, retreating into the far corners of the room. Some even vanished into some smaller chambers that branched off from the main one. For a minute or so, it looked like the girl might yet speak but, in the end, the second woman silenced her with a look and the girl went flouncing off. Kate lost sight of her and, so, she turned her eyes towards the woman who had saved her from the confrontation.

"Thanks."

The woman nodded and came towards her, stopping just a few feet from her. "It does us no good to fight with one another," she said softly, her true feelings on the matter held under tight rein. Gesturing for Kate to walk with her, she led the both of them over to one of the cushioned seating arrangements that lined the dudgeon's walls.

"I suppose you wanna know where I come from, who I am and why I'm here?" Kate inquired as she settled herself on one of the larger pillows that littered this particular alcove.

The women shook her head. "We all are here to suffer, it matters little for what reasons our anguish was instigated."

Kate frowned; she hadn't been expecting that answer. "Oh."

The woman inclined her head. "As for who you are and from where you came. I will not ask you of your home for such knowledge can be dangerous if accidently given into the wrong hands," she paused and peered closely at the ebony-haired woman sitting with her. "Your name is yours to give to whomever you choose. My name is Loteera."

"Katherine," Kate replied before realizing that she'd taken to thinking of herself more by what the wraith called her then by her shortened name of 'Kate'. If her mother were here to see her now, Elizabeth Greyson would've been very proud.

Loteera bowed. "Katherine," she repeated in acknowledgment before going on. "Do you understand what has happened to you? Have you any questions?"

Kate sighed. "No, not really," she said, nodding towards her new friend. "You're a companion, that other girl is too, only not as popular and tomorrow I get to take a test to see whether or not I end up like you or get made into a some sort of gladiator."

"You grasp the situation well," Loteera commented. "Still, I believe that my information may be valuable to you. This complex is a training ground for all young, male wraith. Here they are given what skills they will need to function once they return to their hives. I have not always known this but, I have been here a long time. I have learned many things about this place where we now find ourselves. If you wish to know anything more, you need only ask. I will answer you as best I can."

Kate let herself nod. "Thanks, I will."

Loteera inclined her head once and then stood, gathering her skirts about her as she rose gracefully before she let them drop. Looking down she said, "The evening meal will be delivered soon. Seek me out once it arrives and I will make sure that you are fed. Afterwards I will find you a place to sleep."

Kate thanked her again and then said, "You don't have to do this you know. I'm capable of fending for myself on my own."

"I know," Loteera said a note of sadness in her voice. "I can see that you are strong but still, I should have liked to have been provided for when first I came to be here. Providing my wish to others is the least of what I can do."

Taking the explanation in stride, Kate watched the woman walk away. When she was gone, Kate let herself lean backwards until her back rested against the wall. Closing her eyes she took a deep breath and began to go over her options.

~xXx~

"WHY ISN'T HE ANSWERING?"

"Maybe he can't."

"More like he's just ignoring us."

"You don't know that."

"Why else wouldn't he respond? This thing is always on!"

"Todd does do other things besides help us. He's the leader of his people remember."

"Since when are you on his side?"

"I'm not his side. It's just fact."

John snarled and threw up his hands, forcibly resisting the urge he had to smash his fist through the viewing screen of Atlantis' 'Todd Phone'. So far, he'd tried calling the wraith a total of eighty-six times in the past four hours and each and every time he got no answer. John was about to go nuts.

He dialed Todd's hive's frequency again and then waited. When nothing happened yet again, John let out a scream and then began pacing erratically back and forth and back and forth; swearing.

Behind him, despite the seriousness of the situation, Ronon couldn't help but snicker.

John was not amused. Turning towards his laughing teammate, the colonel glared at him. "This isn't funny. Kate's been kidnapped and I need him to go find her. What could he possibly be doing that's more important than that!"

Ronon shook his head. "You realize the humor of this don't you?" he asked his team leader. "You need him despite the fact that you wanna kill him."

John snarled angrily. "Oh trust me; the irony hasn't been lost on me. It fucking sucks," he sighed and then turned back towards the communications terminal to try yet again to reach Todd. The screen beeped and John held his breath. The wraith's whose face appeared, however, wasn't Todd's.

"You're not Todd."

Kenny glared at him. "This I know," he informed the agitated-looking Colonel John Sheppard. "You have been calling us constantly for a duration approaching insanity. What, exactly, do you want?"

John looked angrily over his shoulder at Ronon. "See, I told you they were ignoring me!" he turned back towards Todd's second in command. "Where's Todd? I need to talk to him."

Kenny sighed. He hated dealing with these humans. He had thought that if he had ignored their attempts at establishing contact long enough then they would eventually give up. It was his misfortune that they had not. "The commander is not here and is, at the moment, unreachable by any mode of communication. Whatever you have to say to him, Sheppard, it will have to wait."

"But it can't!" John protested. "It's a time-sensitive matter."

Kenny resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "Then you must find another source of support other than what you would normally receive from the Commander."

John stammered. "But –"

"But nothing," Kenny interrupted the blabbering human. "Now please, stop contacting my hive. We are most busy at the moment and cannot afford any more interruptions. I bid you goodbye."

"But, wait, it's –" John began, trying to tell the wraith that the reason for his call had something to do with his sister, but before he could get all of the words out, the screen turned black and the line went dead. John cursed. "God damn it!"

Ronon felt sorry for the man. "We'll find another way Shepard," he tried to reassure his friend. "Teyla's people still have to tap their intel."

Somehow, John didn't feel like that would be much help. The overwhelming feeling of having failed threatened to overtake him. He felt smothered. "It's like she's a runner all over again," he whispered. "Only this time Todd's not around to find her and bring her back."

Ronon's heart clenched. "She'll find a way home, Sheppard," he avowed knowing in his heart of hearts that this much was at least true. "She always does."

John didn't doubt his friend's words but knew that it was never that easy. "Yeah but how?" he asked hopelessly. "It's a big fucking galaxy. She could be anywhere."

The former runner clapped Sheppard on the back. "She'll find a way home," he said again, conviction stirring his tone.

John sighed. "Yeah, I know," he stopped and looked up at the Setedan. "There's another team supposed to be coming back in about five minutes. I'm gonna go meet them."

And with that, the colonel was gone, while Ronon remained behind. As soon as the earth military leader was out of sight, the larger man walked back over to the communications terminal and punched in his own message and then waited for a response. For the second time, an irritated Kenny's face appeared on screen only this time the wraith looked much more agitated and just a little taken aback to see that it was Ronon that had placed the call.

Before Kenny could even speak, Ronon said two words. "It's Kate."

Fear replaced the irritation and annoyance etched into the young wraith's features. "What?"

Ronon went on. "The wraith set a trap for Kate and took her right after she came through the gate. She was targeted. I need you to tap your intel and tell us where, why and who."

Kenny's eyes narrowed. "That is quite the demand," he said. "What is my incentive to do as you command?"

Ronon looked pointedly at him through the screen. "Kate's Todd's chosen; you and I both know what'll happen if he gets back from wherever and finds out you refused to help find her."

The argument was sound and, while Kenny's instincts told him not to bow to the orders of a human, he knew that it would be his life as forfeit if he stood by and did nothing. "I will be in contact," he consented and then, for yet a second time, terminated the connection.

Satisfied, Ronon stepped down from the terminal, cut its power and then went to find Sheppard and tell him that they at least had something.

~xXx~

At dawn, Kate was dragged from the stone room which she learned was actually underground, and out into an area that looked like an outdoor gym. There were three men standing there waiting for her as well as the wraith from yesterday and two others. The other two wraith were dressed differently from the one she'd already met but were still not wearing any leather. They reminded Kate of the Jedi from Star Wards minus the billowing robe.

The three men were prisoners just like her.

She was brought to a halt at the edge of a ring that had been painted in red on the cobblestoned floor. The restraints that she had been put in on her journey up here were removed and she was then shoved into the circle and handed a long wooden stave. It didn't take a genius to figure out that she was about to be put through her paces. Grounding her feet and taking up a ready stance, she mentally prepared herself for the bout that was to come as the smallest of the three men was put in the ring across from her.

The man, boy really, was about her height and looked to be about her age. Kate had him flat on his back on the ground with her stave at his throat in a matter of seconds. The boy was hauled to his feet by the retaining wraith and the next largest man, this one probably closer to thirty and built more like Ronon, was positioned opposite her. Again he was down for the count in a relatively short amount of time. It was while the last man was being readied for his fight with her that Kate saw her chance and spun around; hooking her stave around the head of the wraith meant to retain her and started to bleed the air from his lungs.

Immediately several things happened at once. The other wraith left the third man he was untying and went to try and subdue her. Kate saw him coming and, still holding her staff across the neck of the first wraith, kicked out behind her. Her foot planted itself into the wraith's sternum and sent him flying away from her. Lowering her leg, she forced her captive to turn even as he grappled at the stave and gasped for air. Kate released him and then shoved him towards the wraith she'd kicked who had started to come at her again. They collided and she used the opportunity to turn on her heel and run.

"Sentinel," the two confused wraith asked the wraith with whom Kate had met with the day before. "What do we –"

"Go after her, restrain her!" the Sentinel screeched, his mind at a loss as to what, exactly had just happened. "Go!"

Without any farther prodding, the two retaining wraith took chase.

Kate pumped her arms hard and forced her legs to pound the path on which she ran. After clearing the practicing grounds she found herself in a system of corridors and open air hallways that snaked through the fortress. She heard shouts and knew that she was being chased and so she quickened her run. Suddenly she burst out of the maze of passageways and found herself on the edge of a huge arena that reminded her of the coliseum in Rome. There were several hundred wraith, mostly adolescent males, seated in the stands of the structure while, on the floor below, two male humans battled one another. She had been told that this was what she had been tested for but actually seeing it made the gravity of her situation much more real.

And heavy.

Kate felt her stomach give a lurch of disgust as the crowd of wraith cheered.

"You, human, stop!"

As the call of her pursuers came to her ears, Kate abandoned her observation post and continued to run. She chose a path that took her around the top of the oval-shaped stadium and concentrated on making it to the other side. As she ran, she noticed that the fight below had stopped and most if not all of the wraith were now looking upwards at her. She ignored them and, as a group of three wraith exited their seats to try and stop her, she changed her course. Using a pillar to help her swing around, she took off downwards towards the fighting floor while her pursuers attempted to catch her.

As she ran, the Sentinel watched. He had known in which direction she would go if she chose to run and so he was waiting for her on the opposite side of the gaming grounds. Admittedly, he was impressed. No human had ever tried to fight the wraith while they were being tested and he had at first attributed her ability to gain the upper hand based on the surprise of her assault. He now knew that there was much more to it than that. The girl was strong, stronger than most humans he would wager, and a born warrior. It was little wonder that she had tried to run.

She had a fighter's sprit this human. Subduing her would take great effort.

Below him, Kate reached the wall that separated the spectators from the battle grounds. Leaping over it, she landed on her feet and then took off across its surface. The two men that had been sparring one another stood by in flabbergasted shock as she streaked past. She had almost reached the other side when finally one of her chasers caught up with her and grabbed her around the waist.

"Arrgghhh!" she screamed as she felt herself being lifted off the ground. In defense, she jabbed her elbow backwards and made contact with her captor's stomach. He grunted in surprise at her strength and dropped her. Kate hit the ground on her hands and knees and tried again to break into a run only to find her way blocked by the wraith she'd heard the others call the Sentinel.

"You have nowhere to run, human," he told her, holding his hands out from his sides in a gesture that he hoped showed her the hopelessness of her actions. "Your flight is over."

Kate growled and gnashed her teeth together in defiance before she turned and prepared herself to take on the two wraith that had been chasing her. She wasn't going to go down without a fight and, as the first one got closer, she made her move. Ducking the swing he had aimed for her face, she came up behind him and slammed her fist into the second wraith's face. She heard a crunch as the wraith grabbed for his nose which was now spraying blood and turned her attention onto the wraith behind her. Ducking his attack for the second time, she swung her foot and kicked him in between his legs as hard as she possibly could.

The wraith let out an anguished-sounding howl and crumpled to the ground, clutching the part of his anatomy that she had injured. Around her, in the spectator stands, the gathered wraith began to jeer and make other sounds that were impossible to discern the meaning of. Smiling sadistically at the pain she had caused one of her attackers, Kate turned back towards the first wraith who had started to come at her once more.

This time, he was ready for her and, as Kate spun away from his first blow, she got caught by his second. Suddenly finding herself in a choke hold, rather than struggle uselessly, Kate kept her head level and bit down on the arm that held her bound. Her teeth drew blood and her captor hissed but didn't let go. His grip did loosen enough, however, for her to reach up, grab the wraith and then flip him over her onto his back while she held onto his arm. A cloud of dust flew up as she landed and she placed a foot on his chest and held down while she quickly turned his captured arm to the right until she heard the telltale snap of his shoulder dislocating.

Her victory was short-lived. Apparently having gotten over the assault on his reproductive organs, the wraith she'd racked came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her middle. Picking her up, Kate kicked, but was forced to let go of the wraith she'd been beating. With a snarl he got up and rolled his shoulder to put it back in its socket before he came at her again. In a last desperate attempt, Kate picked her legs up and wrapped them round the formerly downed wraith's neck and started to squeeze. She was able to bring him all the way to his knees before a jolt of energy hit her and she felt her muscles begin to spasm and then weaken. Another jolt and her grip on the wraith's throat loosened enough for him to get away as her legs dropped. The wraith that held her dropped her and she hit the ground as a third energy blast shocked her body.

Blackened eyes lifting upwards, she locked them with the Sentinel's own burning gaze. He was the one who had shot her and, as he lifted the weapon up to do so again, Kate made one last lunge forwards in her bid to be free, only to be pulled back and restrained by one of the wraith. Her capture twisted his hand into her hair and held her firm. Kate's struggled died and she knew that it was over.

She was caught.

"Take her back to the underground," the Sentinel commanded the retainers, his eyes still not quite sure that they had seen what all that they had. The human had fought bravely with strength and a skill that alone set her apart. As she was being dragged away, the wraith could not help by feel respect for her begin to flourish as, even depleted of energy as she had to be, she made the effort to be difficult. She kicked and clawed and scratched at the hands of the retainers who held her restrained. She was a remarkable specimen indeed.

"Sentinel?"

The Sentinel turned and met the curious gaze of several third-level wraith who were just entering their chosen fields of science, history or leadership. "Return to your studies," he told them, "There is nothing more to see here this eve."

Taking his words as the dismissal that they were, the younglings retreated and The Sentinel shook his head. Today's events were among the strangest he had ever seen. The human female was a powerful one; it now seemed a pity to him to think that she would soon be put to death. Knowing that the coming days would be full of happenings that would likely never be seen again, the ancient wraith turned on his heel and made his way through the passages of his hall of knowledge. There was one with whom he had a meeting planned and he would not be late.

No one kept the Eldest waiting and lived.

~xXx~

"How much longer do you plan to delay?"

Todd sighed and flicked his gaze towards Romulus. "As long as I am able," he replied, retuning his gaze to the terminal over which he labored.

The elder wraith smirked and walked the few steps needed in order to bring him to Valloran's side. "Why are you so a feared with meeting him?" he inquired, lifting himself up so that he could look over his commander's shoulder at the program he was currently writing.

Todd huffed. "I am not afraid as you well know," he responded irritable and then, when he felt a tickling on his shoulder that announced Romulus' attempts to peer at his work, Todd thrust his elbow backwards. "Would you desist! Why do you even bother looking over my shoulder when you can barely comprehend any of this?"

Romulus smirked and backed away. "I believe that the Atlantians have an appropriate idiom referring to this situation: 'because I can.'"

"Did not you once give me a lecture after I borrowed from the Atlantian's vernacular and told you to 'shut up'?" Todd crossed his arms and peered at Romulus impishly. "If you would like, I can provide you with a similar sermon. I am most certain that –"

"Do be quiet Valloran. You are acting in a way most unbecoming of one such as yourself."

Todd snorted. "And your current manner is so superior to mine? I think –"

"Commanders."

Both bickering wraith turned and espied Thayne standing but a short distance away, a grin of clear amusement stretched across his face. Romulus cleared his throat and gazed intently at his second. "Yes?"

Biting back the urge he had to laugh at the expense of both his commander and his Lord, Thayne managed to only barely keep his amusement out of his tone as he answered. "We have arrived."

Romulus nodded and waved for Thayne to go before he turned toward the suddenly brooding Valloran. "Your procrastinating is at an end."

Todd hesitated. "Surely we can postpone my decent for yet a while long –"

"He is your brother, Valloran, not your executioner. From where does your derision of him extend?"

The inquiry, while innocent, was anything but. "Much has changed, Romulus. Not all is as it once was."

The elder wraith sniffed. "Humph," he grunted and fixed Valloran with a look. "Has the blood in your veins undergone some transformation that you have not told me of?"

Todd begrudgingly shook his head. "It has not."

Romulus drew himself up to his full height. "Then your relationship to him has not changed. You are both born of the same motem and sire and despite the fact that he once tried to drown you when you were little more than half way through your second century, you are his brother by blood and he is yours," the older wraith looked down on Valloran and shook his head. "You should be more grateful that you have diversity amongst your siblings. Of six offspring, you have sisters and brothers both. My motem had seventeen progeny and I, as her eleventh, am the only male."

Todd smirked as the memory of Romulus informing his motem that he would not be leaving the army and would be instead, making war his life, flew through his mind. The female that had begot his friend was a formidable one to be sure, a true matriarch and matron despite her low blood status. She had been less than pleased to learn that her only male child would not be providing for her any grandchildren as, as a career warrior, Romulus was not permitted to reproduce.

"You can envy the diversity of my siblings all you like," Todd retorted, the memory having left him. "I shall envy you your motem, for she was by far a greater female than mine."

Romulus snorted. "A rock would have been a more devoted, more affectionate, kinder bearer of life than your motem. That that female is no longer with us is a blessing in and of itself."

To this, Todd could do nothing other than agree with all of his heart. Romulus' motem had been a kind female, intent on providing care and concern for all of her children whom she so very obviously carried with her at all times in her heart. Todd's motem, Queen Nuaura, had been the opposite. Cruel and vindictive, hurtful and evil, she had cared little for her offspring save for what purpose they could serve her in her endless aim to acquire more and more power.

Todd was very glad that she was dead.

"The time has come," Romulus interrupted Todd's thoughts revolving around the female who had birthed him. "Get yourself gone; or else I shall forcefully have you removed from aboard my hive."

Todd glared at him. "Why is it that I allow you to take such liberties with my person that I do not allow in any other?"

Romulus crossed his arms and smirked. "Because I have known you all of your life and have seen you at both your best and your absolute worst."

"Ahh," Todd muttered. "Is that why?"

The elder wraith nodded. "It is now time to go," he stood back so that Valloran could pass him before calling out, "And try not to kill him whilst you are down there. Never you forget that he is the only sibling that you have left that has not been put to death."

Not bothering to respond to the caution issued by Romulus, Todd climbed aboard his awaiting dart and powered up the engines. Lifting off, he steered the craft towards the planet below and then to the secret entrance to the training complex that was located beneath a waterfall. Landing the transport, Todd grimaced as he emerged and found himself in a wet, damp grotto well under the fortress proper.

"Still detest water I see."

Todd looked around and came face to face with the wraith that most others called the Sentinel. He sneered. "Vasseera," he said in greeting.

"Valloran," his brother replied just as tersely.

Todd hissed and reached into the cockpit of his dart. Pressing a button, the contents of his cargo hold rematerialized on the moisture-slickened rocks upon which the craft sat. Stooping, he hoisted the largest of the chests up and then turned, shoving the whole of it into the not- quite-prepared arms of his second-born sibling.

The sentinel stumbled and grappled so that he would not drop the hive-grown trunk and spill its precious contents. Stabilizing himself, he glared heatedly at the wraith all others called the Eldest but whom he had first known to call only brother. "I was not ready!"

Todd smirked puckishly. "I can see that," he said, stooping to pick up the second chest before retuning his gaze to his brother. "You must be careful; there is precious cargo in these boxes."

Refusing to rise to the bait, the Sentinel bit his tongue and turned instead on his heel as he began to lead the way through the secret passageways of his fortress towards his own private chambers and study. The Sentinel was well used to Valloran's superior demeanor and attitude. His brother had not supported his decision to promise his life to the pursuit of knowledge and become a member of the order of Vallor. They had grown up in arms together as children as the two closet male offspring of their motem and sire in age but, when their motem the Queen had sent Valloran away from the city to train with other weapons masters in the other cities and their surroundings provinces, the Sentinel had turned from the sword to the written word in his brother's absence. When Valloran had returned and seen the path his younger brother had set himself on he tried in vain to dissuade him from it. In the end a rift had formed — one that had never completely been healed. And now, after the fall of the five cities and the betrayal of the queens, both brothers were estranged and spoke to one another only rarely.

The Sentinel saw less of Valloran then Illyria saw of Caavin.

He sometimes wished that their situation was different, that Valloran did not hate him so much for having chosen a path other than that of the blade. His brother's approval was something that he had always wanted for but had never managed to attain. Their sire had had little to do with their rearing and so, other than his tutors, instructors and trainers, Valloran was the only male model that he had had. To be like him had once been everything to him so, despite the fact that he would have rather have studied the passage of the stars or the reasons why the seasons changed, he had devotedly followed his elder brother around as he was trained to be the finest and greatest warrior to have ever lived. The time in which Valloran had spent away from Vallan had allowed him to pursue his own interests so that when his brother finally returned, he had already chosen his path and it differed greatly from the one that Valloran had wanted him to take.

At the time he had not tried to make up for it but now, ever since the fall of the five cities, the Sentinel had seen an opportunity to obtain Valloran's much coveted praise. At his brother's will, the Sentinel had made himself the protector of all that had once been in the world of the wraith. Documents, texts, scrolls, papers, sculptures, tablets, maps and any other artifacts that could be found that told of a way of life before the reign of the corrupt queens had begun he kept safe; secreted away where none but he and the very few he trusted could find them.

It was how he had gotten the name of Sentinel for he was the sentinel that watched over that which once was and what could not afford to become forever lost. That had been the agreement made between brothers who were the most different from one another as any two brothers ever had been; he would protect and preserve while Valloran fought. Together they would save whatever they could of who and what their race had once been and who and what, if Valloran got his way, the wraith would one day once more be.

Still, even for all of his effort, all of the history that he had managed to save and store away, the Sentinel did not truly believe that Valloran thought any more highly of him now than he had before the Lantean war had begun. The sentinel sighed, the likelihood of their relationship changing, improving in his favor, was very little indeed.

Coming up to what appeared to be a dead end, Todd waited by while Vasseera attempted to juggle the crate he carried and open the secret door that would take them into his chambers. "Here," he said after a few minutes had passed and his sibling could still not manage both the box and the control panel that powered the moving wall. "Allow me."

"I am capable," Vasseera argued, stung by the tone in Valloran's voice. He tried again to manage both tasks only to fail. Angrily, he stood back so that his brother could do what he could not. "Have it your way if you must," he bit out darkly.

Ignoring the scathing tone in Vasseera's voice, Todd moved forwards and balanced his chest on one arm while keying in the sequence that freed them from the confines of the tunnel they currently occupied. No sooner had the wall slid back then his brother darted forwards and dropped his load onto a stray table which already quaked under the weight of the material atop it. As his sibling busied himself with opening the box so that he might see what artifacts Valloran had brought for him, Todd sighed and stepped out into his brother's study and set his own crate down on a less stressed table. Looking around, he watched Vasseera scuttle around before he took himself a seat in a nearby chair and contented himself to watch.

Todd remembered telling Katherine some of what he had faced as the eldest of his motem and sire's six progeny, but he had not gone into any great detail. His human chosen loved and cared for both her brothers despite her insistence that she only cared a great deal about Sheppard and he was very sure that she thought all brothers and sisters were bound to love and cherish one another. This was not the case — at least most certainly not with his particular blood pool.

As the eldest, Todd had felt it his duty to look after the wellbeing of each of his parent's offspring that came after him. His next closet sibling in age was his sister Nygale, then it was Vasseera, then Naaldia followed closely by Vallkree and then lastly, with more than sixty-six thousand years between his birth and hers, Neeria. Their motem did not dote on any of them and their sire was not allowed to have much contact with them and so Todd had taken it upon himself to be the one that cared most about his sibling's wellbeing's. He had succeeded with both Naaldia and Vallkree having made both into members of Vallan's army and Naaldia and he both had taken the raising of Neeria onto themselves as if they and not their shared parents were her motem and her sire.

He had failed Vasseera.

His brother was not a warrior however one did not have to have a heart which longed for war in order to try a life for themselves in the standing army which Vallan alone of the five cities remained. He had thought that if he kept Vasseera with him during his training, made certain that his younger brother followed him everywhere then his second sibling would want the life for which he trained for himself. He had been wrong and after he had come back from his training abroad, he had found Vasseera determined to yield himself to the order of Vallor in the endless pursuit of knowledge. Since those that took the oath of the order were made to sterilize themselves so that they could not have the possibility of other needs — such as the rearing of offspring — distract them from the pursuit of understanding, Vasseera's decision meant that he could never take a mate and never have any children. By surrendering himself to learning, he was playing directly into their motem's desire to make certain that none of her children ever had the opportunity to take a chosen and thus remove her from power. The temple of Vallor was also subject completely to the will of the Queen and so, by pledging the oath, Vasseera would put himself directly into her influence and power.

Todd had never felt like more of a failure in all of his life than on the day he had witnessed his brother swear his oath of loyalty to the cause and lose any and all chance of ever being free of their motem's depravity. As the years and centuries had passed, Todd had let the chasm between himself and Vasseera grow as he could barely look on his brother without seeing his own failure to protect him glaring back at him. When the cities fell however, and word reached him of their motem's death during the sacking of Vallan, Todd had seen an opportunity to undo the damage that he had caused. He had asked Vasseera for his help in preserving whatever part of their history and culture he could save. His brother had agreed but the plan had not gone as intended. The distance between them had grown no smaller and they were on no better terms than they had been before Vallan's fall.

Still, whenever he could find reason to bring whatever small thing he had found that had once belonged to the wraith as they had been before to the training complex in which had been fostered onto Vasseera by the queens, Todd willingly and eagerly made the journey. Or at least he had. His reluctance to descend to his brother's home this time was the result of always meeting with more of the disdain, more of the hatred, and more of the ghosts from long ago. Memories of what their blood status had once meant to each other. Todd was tired of it and had grown to think that he and Vasseera would never again be as close as they once had been when they were young before all the world around them had changed.

Todd was called from his thoughts as one of the books that Vasseera was unloading fell from his hand, hit the table and initiated an avalanche. A chuckle escaped him as an assortment of all manner of things tumbled from the table on which they had been haphazardly stacked and crashed messily to the floor.

Vasseera rounded on him, his eyes narrowed to slits. "Your amusement at my misfortune in most brotherly of you, Valloran," the Sentinel rebuked tartly, angry that his brother should find such fun at his expense.

The merriment disappeared from Todd's face and the elder wraith let go of a sigh at how easily his slight mirth drawn from a humorous incident had been misconstrued. Vasseera was always determined to think the worst of him and it would best if perhaps he stopped hoping for anything different. "My apologies," he muttered dispassionately as he came up from his chair and went to lend his aid in righting the chaos that one book had caused. Stooping, he made to begin to gather the items when he stopped, his eyes alighting on a familiar piece of weaponry that did not belong here in this place.

Vasseera was busy trying to rectify his blunder when he heard his brother's voice ask him, "Where did you get this?"

He frowned. There was a note of fear coloring Valloran's tone which alarmed him. Turning, Vasseera's eyes landed first on Valloran and then dropped down to the dagger which he held. "Impressive is it not?" he asked, sure that his brother's fear was rooted in the fact that the lotlorian blade looked hauntingly similar to the one that their motem had once carried.

Todd snarled and gripped Katherine's dagger more tightly in his hand. "I did not ask what you thought of it I asked you where you got it," he repeated, the sharp edge of the weapon cutting deeply into his hand he was holding it so tightly. A trail of blood dripped over his hand and down his wrist.

Vasseera's eyes widened to the point where they hurt. "Valloran," he postured, now very much concerned. "What does it matter wh-"

"You will answer me," Todd growled, advancing. He got to within an arm's length of Vasseera and then reached out, grabbing hold of his brother's arm and pulling so that his face came to be within inches of his. "Where did you acquire this!"

Fear flashed though Vasseera as he tried to remember a time when he had ever seen Valloran this angry. The one time that Tanis had been stupid enough to try and get to him by attacking Caavin came to mind but even then, the younger wraith had not seen the same rage in his brother's eyes then as he did now.

"The queens brought a human to me, a female," he stammered, genuinely afraid that if he did not provide an answer then Valloran would cause him bodily harm. "She had the blade. I took it from her."

Todd let his brother go and let out a growl of fury. There were but two reasons why the queens would capture Katherine only to bring her here. Neither was pleasant and he would do all in his power to stop either from coming to pass. "Where is she?" he demanded.

Under the onslaught of Valloran's fury, Vasseera could do nothing but give his reply. "I am not certain. She tried to run during her trial. She got far but was eventually subdued. It could be that she is still in the underground or she could be out on the battle gr-"

Knowing the possibilities of where she may or may not be, Todd let loose a howl of anger and then fled, turning his steps towards the stadium where his subconscious told him his beloved would be. Vasseera followed him if for no other reason than that he was sure his manner made no sense to his younger sibling. Todd did not feel like stopping to explain. He had to get to her and he had to get to her now.

"Valloran! Valloran wait!" Vasseera called out to his brother's back as he desperately trailed him through the corridors of the complex up into the public areas where he could be and would be seen. The queens did not know of their plans, their relationship, or their shared bloodline and they had both fought long and hard to keep it that way. If the queens knew that Vasseera allied himself to the Eldest first and foremost before he allied himself to them, as they assumed, then they might very well destroy the entire complex and everything contained within it that they had tried so very hard to save.

His brother could not be seen.

"Valloran!" he tried again, in a hushed whisper this time lest he be heard by a studious youngster who would then travel back to his hive and tell his queen that the Eldest and Valloran were one in the same. "Brother," he began when it was no longer safe to call out to him by name. "Brother wait! You cannot be –"

But Valloran had stopped as soon as he had rounded the corner that took him to within sight of the arena's fighting floor. Vasseera almost ran into him but was able to step around him at the last possible moment and it was then, that he caught the look on his brother's face.

Pain.

Torture.

Anguish.

He diverted his eyes down to the battle grounds. The female was there and she had been pitted against three males — all of who were easily thrice her size. She was doing well — just as she had done when she had battled his retainers for her freedom. But she was not without injury. Vasseera could see stains of red on her arms and across her exposed stomach. He winced as yet another gash appeared along her right arm and she gave out a cry of pain that was barely heard over the sound of the cheering spectators.

He looked back towards his brother. "Brother?" he queried, softly and, when that did not stir his fellow wraith from the trance he seemed to be in, he tried again. "Valloran?"

Todd pulled his eyes away from Katherine and fixed them onto Vasseera's. His brother looked worried, alarmed for his sake. He supposed that that at least was something. It was certainly the most emotion Vasseera had given him in well over a millennia. And it was something other than hate or disdain.

It was concern.

"Her name is Katherine," he said slowly, beginning to explain. "She is Atlantian, Sheppard's sister. I…" he trailed off and tried very hard to keep the inflection of sentiment out of his voice. It was taking all of his will power not to stray out of the shadows, step into the light, and rush down to save her as he longed to. Instead, he held up the blade that he still clung to as though it were his lifeline, "…I made this for her."

The fact that the human woman was an Atlantian, was someone named "Sheppard's sister", and had been given the name of Katherine meant nothing to Vasseera compared to the fact that the lotlorian blade that he had taken from her had been wrought for her and given to her by Valloran's own hand. "Why?" he asked desperately, unsure as to the implications of such a thing.

"Because she is deserving," Todd said evenly, his voice devoid of passion even if his eyes were not.

Vasseera scoffed at that. "Deserving?" he echoed, still confused, his equilibrium nowhere near returning to normal. "She is human. I know that she is a strong fighter and that she is an enemy of the queens but I do not see –"

"If the queens have brought her here to endure the games then be assured that it was done to punish me!"

His outburst was quick and done without thought but, as soon as he said it, Todd knew that it was true. Katherine had been made to suffer because of him; because she was the one thing he cared for most in all the stars. Her death would destroy him and the queens knew this. This was his fault. He had failed her just like he had failed Vasseera.

"I have failed her," he said morosely, his eyes darting back and forth as his mind wrapped itself around this revelation. "I have….failed…" a cry threatened to erupt from his throat but he contained it. Leaning his head back he let it rest against the wall behind him as he felt his eyes close. "Katherine forgive me..." he whispered, begging the stars that she would hear him, "Please….forgive me…"

Vasseera stared at him.

Below them, the fight drew to a close and the female was pronounced the victor. As the gathered wraith began to take their leave of the stadium, Vasseera acted, and with both hands, pushed his brother backwards and to the right, hiding them both in a hidden corridor that was cut off from view by a large tapestry. Valloran still seemed to be lost in a daze of some kind and, desperate to shake him out of it if for no other reason than seeing his brother destitute scared the very life out of him, Vasseera grabbed him by the shoulders and slammed him back against the wall. The ploy worked and Valloran's eyes snapped open, focused and then turned to bore into his own intently.

"That was unnecessary," Todd hissed, not used to being handled in such a manner so roughly.

Vasseera dismissed the rebuke. "Given the state I woke you from, I deem that it was necessary," he hissed back. "Now, I believe I deserve a bit more of an explanation concerning your relationship to the human than what you have so far given onto me. Why, in the name of Vallor, would you make for her a lotlorian blade!"

Todd opened his mouth.

"And do not tell me that it was because she is deserving because that, brother, is not a quantifiable answer!"

Todd glared at him. "I need not explain myself to you," he hissed angrily, shoving Vasseera away from him before he took a step back and crossed his arms defensively.

The younger wraith scoffed. "You need not…Valloran, I am perhaps the only one left alive in all of the stars that you do, actually, need to explain yourself to. You are the head of our bloodline and, while I admit that there are few of us that can still call our former house home, what you do still affects those of us that owe you our oaths. Other than Caavin, I am the only one that has the right to demand answers from you and I invoke that right now. You will explain yourself to me and you will do so this instant!"

Being held accountable was not something Todd was used to doing. He had made himself answerable to Katherine and frequently offered up to her the explanations for his actions regardless of whether she asked for them or not. While it was true that, should he wish to know, Caavin could expect to exact reasons for why or why not he made the choices that he did, in all of his life, Caavin had never invoked that right. He had always trusted his sire to do what was best for both himself, their bloodline, and for all wraith. Vasseera was not so trusting. The reminder of that fact stung.

A growl escaped him. "What do you wish to know?" he yielded.

Vasseera echoed him with a growl of his own. "Why make her the blade? What did she do to so endear herself to you that you would craft for her a dagger that you refused to make for both our sisters and all of your mates?"

Considering how best to answer as he had never exactly contemplated the why behind his decision himself, at least not for any great length of time, Todd decided that the truth would serve him best in this instance. "When I met her, she did not fear me. She did not damn me for being what I am, as all of her kind always does. And she challenged me to look past what she was in order that I might see who she was. In so doing I gained a knowledge of not only her but of also myself. She wished to know of the wraith and so I indulged her. But it was not enough, it was never enough. She wanted more, so much more. She was fascinated by us and by me and I…" he paused and steadily gazed forwards at a spot of the wall just beyond his brother's right shoulder, "…The more I taught her of our kind the more enamored of her I became. Until –"

"Until what?" Vasseera pressed, desperate to hear the tale's conclusion. What he had been told so far was intriguing, but it did not explain why his brother would deem her worthy to be the recipient of such a hallowed weapon as a handcrafted lotlorian blade. "What happened to make you decide that she was deserving of such an hon-"

"She conquered me!" Todd hissed, his confession ringing in the silence that followed as he watched his brother's eyes widen and his lips part in shock. "I do not know how it happened or when the transference occurred but somewhere in between wanting her body and wanting to fill and explore her mind I lost myself to her. She has become everything to me, my world and my reason for every action that I take regardless of how mighty or how small. She is my life and I would willingly surrender my will over to her if ever she asked it of me."

Whatever sort of an answer Vasseera had been expecting, this most certainly had not been it. To hear Valloran make such a powerful declaration shocked him to his very core, his whole world collapsing and narrowing so that very little else remained save for himself and his brother. Valloran had never known affection — at least not the kind that mattered. Their motem had cruelly kept him from ever knowing the complete devotion of a female. Had connived and manipulated in order to make certain that her eldest son remained forever alone and unloved. For as long as he had known him, for all of his life, Vasseera had never seen his brother happy. Content, yes, but never happy. To think that he might now have a chance for such a pleasure filled him with joy. The fact that the object of his affection was a human hardly mattered. Valloran deserved to have the love of another. Vasseera was not going to balk at the source.

"And she?" he inquired. "Does she return your devotion?"

Todd inclined his head. "She does."

Vasseera let go of a breath he had not been aware that her had been holding. "Good."

Todd blinked. "Good?" he echoed. This was not the response he had been expecting. Having disclosed so much of himself, Todd had fully expected a demand to be rid of her or perhaps a lecture of some sort much of the kind Romulus might give him. He had not thought that his brother would appear to be so pleased.

Vasseera shot him a look. "Yes, good," he repeated, crossing his arms in a mimicry of his brother's stance and posture. "Unlike our motem, I do not wish misery upon you. It pleases me if you are happy."

It was now Todd's turn to stare. "But you have no regard for me. Why would you –"

"You are an idiot," Vasseera interrupted him, which earned him a glare that did not seem to him to fit the circumstance. He continued. "What would make you think that I hold no care for you? You are my brother by blood. Like you, I might not, but I do have care and concern for you, your wellbeing and your happiness."

"I see." It was a dissatisfying response and Todd knew it. Still, it was all that he was able to come up with at the moment.

Apparently he was not the only one that thought so. "Is that all you can say?" Vasseera pondered. "I have told you what you are to me and all you can manage is two words? You really are an id –"

"Do not, if you value your tongue, complete that sentence!"

Vasseera smirked. "Why? Is such an affront to your intelligence so hard for you to –"

"Over the past several months Romulus has made it a habit to call me an idiot at least twice weekly — usually when we are sharing a conversation about Katherine," he shot his brother a look. "I do not need to hear a similar avowal from you."

Vasseera smirked. "Yes well…" he trailed off. "What do you mean Romulus has made it a habit? I had thought him one of the lost."

Toss sighed at the reminder of the length of time that had passed between now and his last visit to his brother's haven. "No, he is much alive," he let out a sigh. "I do not suppose that you will consent to an intermission to our conversation? There is one that I would very much like to –"

"Yes, yes, I will arrange for you to meet with the female," Vasseera interrupted. He had known that their exchange had been drawing to a close and that his brother wished most dearly to be elsewhere. Much had changed in the past ten thousand years but Valloran's body language had not.

He sighed. "Go," he instructed, gesturing down the concealed passageway that they had been hiding in for some time now. "Follow this passage to its end and then wait for me there. Do not leave the shadows and do not, for the stars sake, venture out where you can be seen."

Todd smirked. "It is most odd is it not, you issuing me instruction?"

Vasseera allowed a huff of air to exit his nose. "Turnabout is fair play, brother. Consider it your penance for all the times in our youths you commanded me and expected me to obey."

"Indeed," was Todd's only reply.

"Yes," Vasseera confirmed and then gave Valloran a push to start him down his path. His brother shot him a look at the contact but said nothing and then he was gone, vanishing into the darkness. With a sigh, Vasseera stepped out of the hidden hallway, looked about to make sure that his exit had not been observed and then went to find the female his brother had said was called Katherine.

~xXx~

"You are very strong."

Kate grit her teeth and nodded as Loteera pressed a compress filled with herbs onto the most severe of her battle wounds. It stung and Kate felt tears spring to the backs of her eyes even as the pain began to fade. Her benefactor wrapped a bandage around her arm to hold the compote in place and then started to prepare another one to use on her stomach.

Kate watched her. "Thank you," she said, leaning back so that Loteera could reach the gash that ran along her side just under her ribcage. "You don't have to –"

"It is wrong what they make us do," she interrupted the warrior woman. "That our miseries are their sport is a foul thing. I can remember little of my life before I was taken and made to learn the art of pleasure, but I do know that my mother was a healer. It was her duty to care for those that suffered and so, I honor her by doing the same."

As the second compress touched her side, Kate let out a quiet cry of pain and then took over the task of holding it to her side while her caretaker wrapped more bandages around her abdomen. "When you say that you were caught and taught how to be a companion," she began, needing a topic to cover to keep her mind away from the hurts of her body, "What do you mean?"

Loteera sighed, her voice soft as she remembered events that had happened to her long ago. "We thought that it was a culling when the wraith came to my home, but we soon learned different. They took me and several other women, most of whom were barely into their majority. We were brought to a hive which sat in secret on the ground. Some of us were taken to be immediately traded out to any wanting wraith but a small group of us, myself included, were taken and trained in the art of pleasure. Our instruction included how to sit, to eat, to groom ourselves and how to dress. When we had finished with our learning, we were all brought here."

At the end of the story, Kate found herself nodding. "Emmagan," she said slowly and then, at the look of inquiry that Loteera sent her, she added, "The wraith that trained you. His name's Emmagan."

Her eyes went wide. "You know his name?" she asked, shocked. "His true name?"

Kate nodded. "Yeah. Happened by accident. He's got a companion named Loranna and together they had a kid. I've got a friend back home named Teyla Emmagan. She's a descendant of his."

Finished with the wrapping of Katherine's wounds, she peered more closely at the woman and said, "You know a great deal about the wraith, do you not?"

Kate nodded. "I know more about them than most," she looked towards her friend. "Why?"

Loteera shook her head. "It is nothing," she said. "Only, I do wonder –"

Whatever else she'd been about to say was drowned out by the cry that went up throughout the room as the door into the underground was opened and a wraith walked through. Kate recognized him as the one that was in charge of this place — the Sentinel. He looked around, saw her, and made towards her. Loteera remained sitting, her head bowed in servitude, while Kate struggled to her feet. The crudely-stitched abrasion on the back of her right calf smarted, and she felt herself stumble. Surprisingly, the wraith reached out and caught her.

She glared at him.

Vasseera hissed and looked the female over, noting her various injuries, and the crude manner in which they had been seen to. "He is not going to like this," he whispered more to himself than aloud, but he was heard nonetheless. The female blinked and tilted her head to one side. She did not try and pull away from him and for that he was glad. After seeing what she was capable of, he had no wish whatsoever to try his hand at fighting her.

"Come," he said to her, pulling her along with him as he walked back towards the door to the underground. "There is one who wishes to see you."

At this bit of news, Kate decided that it was time to struggle. Wrenching her arm out of the wraith's grasp, she staggered backwards, unable to completely stand on her own without help. With more agility than she'd have thought him capable of, the Sentinel rushed up to her and grabbed her again, this time holding onto her arm with a near death grip.

"Do not try and fight me," he beseeched her tiredly. "You will only injure yourself more and I do not doubt that I will be blamed if I deliver you to my brother in worse shape than he already knows you to be in."

At this declaration, Kate stilled and stopped trying to get away. "Your brother?" she asked, confused as to why the brother of this wraith would care if she was harmed or not. "Why would he care if I got more hurt?"

Vasseera snorted as he was finally able to drag her out of the underground and start upwards towards the higher levels. "I have been led to believe that my sibling cares a great deal for you," he turned a corner and looked back over his shoulder at the female who, while going along with him, was not making his task anything other than difficult. "He made for you your blade."

Kate planted her feet firmly into the ground and refused to keep walking. The wraith in front of her came up short, stopped and spun towards her, an annoyed expression on his face. "Why will you not –"

"You're Vasseera."

Both of the Sentinel's eyes we round. "You know my name," he said dumbly before the shock wore off and his eyes narrowed. "He told you," Valloran would be in such trouble when he got a hold of him.

Kate nodded. "While I was a runner, he'd tell me stories about his life to help me fall asleep," she looked at him. "He thinks he failed you."

The revelation that the female had formerly been a runner failed to register in his mind as he instead focused on the second disclosure she had provided him with. Valloran believed that he had failed him? How in the name of all the stars had his brother reached that idiotic conclusion?

"How –"

"I thought you said that you would bring her to me presently, not stop and converse with her in the hallway?"

Vasseera let out a startled grunt and turned around, his eyes narrowing in on the very out-of-place Valloran. "You!" he said reproachfully. "I told you to remain in the alcove at the end of the hallway. Are you so accustomed to handing out orders that you are incapable of following them!"

Kate suddenly found herself greatly amused despite the circumstance.

Todd opened his mouth to give a retort. "If you're supposed to be hiding then maybe we should get out of sight?" Kate cut him off, shooting him a look that dared him to argue with her. "And your brother's right, you suck at following directions."

Todd snorted and took a step forwards, effectively severing Vasseera from his chosen as he took her into his side for support. "I follow your instruction," he said defensively as the three of them traveled along until they reached the door to his brother's private chambers. Entering them, Vasseera wasted no time in closing and locking the door. Todd turned towards Katherine and reached out to cup her chin with his feeding hand. "How come you to be here?"

Kate shrugged. "Oh you know; the usual. The queens set a trap for me and then separated me from my team before beaming me up and tossing me into a dungeon to fight for my life. How about you?"

In the background, Vasseera found himself very interested in watching the interaction between the female and his brother unfold.

"My brother has taken on the task of protecting whatever artifacts from the wraith's past that I can find. I came here to deliver a number of books into his care — only to discover your presence," he looked down on her, his eyes languidly trialing across the features of her face. "You are in pain?"

Kate shrugged. "Only a little," she replied. "I –oh!"

She was caught off guard as Todd suddenly and without warning, lowered his feeding hand to her chest and began to pour life into her. On instinct Kate's eyes closed and her head tilted backwards as the rush of euphoric warmth filled her and began to erase all of her aches and pains. A gasp escaping her, she held on tightly to Todd's upper arms in order to keep her knees from giving out completely.

Behind the pair, Vasseera felt his eyes widen.

Todd finished healing her of her hurts and then dropped his hand. He had fed before arriving here. Romulus had insisted on it despite the fact that he did not need to, because he had been complaining about a lack of energy as of late. Todd had taken the life of only one human in order to appease the worry of his friend and then made a great show out of eating a fruit that Sheppard had told him was called an apple.

Watching Katherine as her eyes opened and her grip on his upper arms lessened, Todd let out a long, low growl that was not meant to be threatening. "Feel better?"

Kate nodded weekly, still a bit dazed by the experience. "You didn't have to do that," she said softly.

"I wished to," Todd replied, bowing his head towards her and touching his forehead to hers. "I will always give of myself when you have need of it."

A gentle smile crept onto Kate's features. "Well that's nice to know."

"Yessssss," Todd hissed. "Now, would you –"

A loud knock prevented Todd from finishing his sentence and, as one; the three of them all looked with alarm at the closed door. Vasseera reacted first, just as another knock echoed about the now deathly silent chamber. Coming towards the reunited pair, he grabbed them and then proceeded to shove the both of them into a nearby wardrobe.

"What are you – " Todd started to protest only to be cut off most venomously by his brother.

"For once in your life do as another commands of you," Vasseera warned before he shut and locked the door and then went to stand ready in the center of his chamber. "Enter."

The door opened and one of his retainers stepped inwards, bowing in reverence to him before standing to one side so that three separate queens, the ones that had been responsible for bringing Katherine to his complex, could enter behind him. Once they had all gathered, the retainer left and Vasseera turned his attention onto his visitors. "To what do I owe such a visit from three so great queens?"

The middle queen, a female with black hair and red highlights, smirked and lifted her head up haughtily. "My sisters and I have come to inquire after the fate of the human we brought to you."

Inside of the closet, Kate felt Todd stiffen. To calm him, she reached out and took his feeding hand in hers. Squeezing it gently, she lowered her head and let it rest on his chest.

Todd forced himself to calm down or else reveal to his enemies his presence. He could not put Katherine into that kind of danger. For her sake, he held his temper in check.

Without emotion Vasseera looked back at the queen and her sisters. "She has just recently completed a fight," he informed them. "Would you like to see her?"

The same queen that had first spoken shook her head. "That is not necessary," she said, turning down the offer. "I trust that she suffered?"

Vasseera jerked his head downwards. "She was injured, yes."

"Severely?" a second queen, this one shorter than the two others and with white hair styled in an elegant up-do, asked.

The Sentinel flippantly rolled one of his shoulders. "I cannot say. She bled, that is all that I know."

The last queen to speak, this one with blue-black hair and an ugly sneer to her face, hissed and snarled. "She must be made to suffer," she instead strongly, looking from first the Sentinel then to her sisters. "She escaped her trial as a runner because of the Eldest; she must be made to repent for it now!"

The first queen inclined her head. "And she will, sister, never you fear. Katherine of Atlantis will face her torture and eventually meet her much-deserved end. We will have our revenge, I promise you."

Hearing the queens speak of her pain, Vasseera found himself curious. "If I might inquire," he ventured, careful to keep all of his true feelings out of his voice. "What has this female done to earn such a fate? Surely she is only human, and so, of little consequence."

The second queen turned to him. "She is of great consequence to us," she informed the male. "Do you know what my sisters and I have taken to calling her? It is a name that is most fitting of her I do think."

Vasseera quirked a brow-ridge. "And this name, what might it be?"

The first queen grinned sadistically. "We call her Valloran's whore."

Unseen by the queens, Todd let out an involuntary hiss of horror at the knowledge that Katherine had been linked to him in such a way. His temper threatened to boil over and it was only due to his chosen's sudden grip on him, her hand flying to cover his mouth so that his exclamation could not be heard, that kept him from announcing their presence to the queens. Silently he seethed with fury as outside of his and Katherine's hiding place, the conversation continued.

"Do you?" Vasseera forced himself to ask, feinting curiosity as to why the human would be linked in such a manner to the legendary Valloran, "For what reason do you this?"

The short queen laughed. "Because it is true. Valloran is the Eldest – did you know? – And he finds great exception in the female Sheppard. Should she expire suddenly, then her passing would do to him a great harm. Through her, my sisters and I will finally squash his defiance. Her death will destroy him."

Vasseera felt his heart come hammering to a stop. "I see," he said before, suddenly, a thought occurred to him. "She was made to run as a runner. This was also done to punish the Eldest?"

The queens nodded. "It was," the lead queen replied with a hiss. "He stood against us in defense of the Lantean city; protected it against our attack. We had to make him pay and so, we set her to run, and then sent out a bounty for her head. To her captor we would have given great spoils."

It was difficult to retain his desire to physically hurt these three females who wished to cause his brother so much misery, but Vasseera held his tongue and kept up his game. "You may rest assured that I will see to her suffering as a personal favor to you, so great queens."

The three wraith females all bowed their heads towards the Sentinel in reverence, and then took their leave, pleased with the assurance they had gained. When they were gone and after he had forced his own demeanor into one of absolute calm, Vasseera crossed his room and freed his brother and the girl who he knew had heard everything.

"Brother," he began, attempting to reassure Valloran who looked utterly and completely defeated at that exact moment in time. "Do not take what they say at face val-"

A sharp snarl from Todd cut Vasseera off and startled Kate. "Valloran," she started, attempting to reach out to him only to have him pull away. "Don't listen to them. They're just trying to –"

"Spare me!" he growled out angrily, his mind a swirling mass of conflicting emotions. He had to sort them out, but not here, not now. In the present, his first duty was to take Katherine away from this place and to make certain that she was safe. Then he could attempt to put his thoughts in order. But only then.

"Come," he said to her, turning to her and taking her arm in his grasp. "I must take you away from here."

Kate knew that all was not right with Todd and that something was about to go horribly, terribly wrong. She couldn't tell how but, she just knew that something bad was about to happen. "What –"

Another snarl from Todd silenced her and Vasseera looked painfully towards her before letting out his own sigh and gesturing for his brother to follow him. "This way," he said and then opened the wall behind which was the passage that Valloran had first used to enter his complex. "I shall bid you farewell, brother. When you have this sorted, I should like to see you once more."

"We shall see," Todd snapped, his entire sense of equilibrium turning upon its end and sending him plummeting into chaos. Still gripping Katherine's arm harshly, he pulled her along after him as he took her back to his dart. Opening the cockpit, he stepped into the pilot's seat and then settled Katherine into before him. Wrapping his arms around her, he began the power-up sequence and then took off, angling his craft upwards to the hive that awaited him in orbit.

The journey was silent. Kate could feel Todd's anger, confusion and hurt rolling around him in waves. It was almost physically painful to be this close to him while his emotions were in such utter turmoil. She wanted to make him feel better, wanted to at least try to take some if not all of his pain away but knew, somehow, deep down inside of herself, that nothing she could do would be enough.

She could feel the other shoe about to drop.

When they reached the hive, Todd landed the dart in the dart bay and then immediately got out of the craft. Helping Katherine to get down as well, he started to take her towards the bridge only to feel her tug on him so that he stopped. Turning, he looked into her imploring eyes and shook his head.

He could not do this now.

"Come," he said softly, wiling her to listen to him only this once and not to press him. He still needed to think, to sort out his thoughts and to come up with a plan of execution. For that he needed time. "I will take you somewhere so that you may rest."

Knowing what Todd needed, Kate let herself be led through the corridors of the unfamiliar hive to a set of guest quarters. Todd let her inside and then stood there, looking at her expressionlessly, before he left her and made his way to the bridge.

He found Romulus waiting for him.

"Back so soon?" the elder wraith asked as he greeted Valloran with a smirk. "I thought that you might perhaps stay a bit and reconnect with –"

"Not now!" Todd snarled, shoving past his comrade whose face showed clearly his confusion and commandeered the use of a communications terminal. Opening the archive of all messages either sent or received, Todd began to scan through them obsessively.

Romulus frowned. Something was wrong. "Valloran?" he queried. "Commander, what is the mat-"

"I found Katherine on the planet below," he began as he continued to search through all of the communications received by the hive during the time of Katherine's run. "The queens had set her there to take part in the games. They wanted to make her suffer."

Slowly Romulus was beginning to understand the erratic-ness of Valloran's behavior. "To punish you?" he inquired although he believed he already knew that that was the reason. A sudden wave of wariness began to build within him. He had told Caavin what he believed his sire might do if he ever discovered the real reason why Katherine had been made to run. Romulus prayed silently now to anyone that would listen that Valloran would not do what he had predicted that he would.

Todd nodded. "Yes, to punish…" he trailed off when at last he found the communiqué that he had been searching for. As his eyes scanned the missive, he felt his entire body grow still and then turn cold. As he finished ready, a great sadness filled him as he knew without a doubt what he must next do.

"It is over."

The tone in which Valloran spoke these three words summoned a great, all-consuming worry to Romulus' very heart and threatened to stop it cold. "What is over?" he dared to ask, foolishly pretending that he did not know to what his friend and commander alluded.

Lifting his eyes from the words that spelled the end of all his joys, Todd brought his gaze up to that of his oldest friend's. "I was foolish, so very foolish, to think that I could have her."

"It is not foolishness to want to be happy nor to, once you have found a one that makes you so, wish to bind them to you forever," Romulus protested, attempting to use logic to sway Valloran from making so great of an error as what he feared he was about to make. "You cannot sacrifice that which you have cultivated simply because –"

"You knew of this!" Todd accused, angrily pointing down at the terminal on whose screen the missive still ran as he turned hurt-filled eyes towards his companion. "You knew that she had been made to run because of me and you let me suffer under the delusion that I could one day call her mine!"

Desperately, Romulus tried to argue with him. "It is not a delusion. Valloran, listen to me," he pleaded. "Please, do not break away from her. You cannot. To do so would be to ki-"

"I HAVE NO CHOICE!" Todd screamed, the pain he was feeling at having been so very close to happiness only to have to let it go in order to save that which was most precious to him threatening to choke him. "My own history should have made me see that I am destined to always be alone. I am a danger to her. Knowing me, having a connection to me has put her into harm's way. That I cannot and will not allow!"

Romulus stared back at him. "You cannot just release her!" he countered. "What will you tell her? What will you find as an excuse to make her accept your abandonment?"

"It is not abandonment. I am leaving in order to protect her!"

"She will not see it as such. Valloran, you are an idi –"

"DO NOT CALL ME AN IDIOT!" Todd screamed, his voice raised to well above a yell. He glared at his friend. "I do not need your permission to do this Romulus and I have not asked for it. Katherine will understand. I will make her understand. She will be better off without me. I will tell her –"

"Tell me what?"

Both male wraith froze and turned around. The female they had been discussing stood at the entrance to the bridge, a stony expression on her face.

"Katherine," Todd exhaled, his eyes drinking her in for what may or may not be the last time. "I thought that you would wait for me to return to-"

"I heard the yelling," she explained, cutting Todd off as she came farther onto the bridge. "It was kind of hard to ignore."

Todd looked sheepish. "I –"

"What did you want to tell me?" Kate cut him off, wanting this over and done with. She'd known that something bad was about to happen and now she stood face to face with it. She knew what was coming. He was going to try and leave her.

Todd felt an ice cold hand clench itself around his heart as he fought to find the right words. "That I…" he began unsuccessfully, "…that we…" he failed again to find the much needed words and so took to staring down at his shoes. "We must end," he finally forced himself to say, his voice barely above a whisper.

Kate felt the air leave her lungs. "Why?" she asked desperately.

Todd looked at her. "Because I am a danger to you," he tried to explain. "You were made to suffer because of me. I cannot ask you to –"

"So don't ask," Kate argued, taking a step towards him, her eyes pleading. "Just accept that I think you're worth it and that I don't care how much trouble you might bring me because I love –"

"I do not deserve you Katherine, I never have," Todd interrupted her. "I let myself think that because you wanted me and I you that it meant that I could keep you, but I cannot. Save your love for one who is deserving. I am not he."

"Yes you are!" she cried, her voice breaking. "I think you are and that's all that matt-"

"No," he spoke over her, "It is not. I cannot live knowing that your connection to me is what continues to put you into harm's way. Forgive me, but this is how it must –"

"Then we won't get married or bound or whatever it is you said we'd be!" Kate said, desperate to keep any part of him that she could. "We could just be and that's all. Nobody would have to know that –"

"I will not have you be my whore!" Todd protested, angry that she would even dare to suggest that he use her in that way. "I cannot let –"

"Please don't leave me!" Kate begged, final reaching out so that she could touch him. Todd shrank back from her, pulling himself out of her reach. Kate's fingers closed around thin air. "Valloran," she whispered, tears spilling forth down her face as she felt her entire world beginning to crumble down around her. "Please…don't…"

"Forgive me," Todd said as he took one last look into his beloved's face and then fled, walking stiffly past her as he headed for the sanctuary of his quarters. Reaching them, he locked himself inside, leaned back against the door and then sank down to the floor. Reaching inside of himself he found the link that bound him to Katherine, grabbed it and then crushed it; shattering their connection. The feeling of despair that welled up inside of him afterwards was so great that he lost consciousness.

Blissfully, all the world faded to black and then he knew nothing.

Left behind, Kate wasted no time in trying to follow him. "Valloran, no!" she screamed taking only three steps before she felt something inside of her break and then shatter. Her breath caught in her throat as the feeling of completion, the wholeness that she'd come to know was Todd's constant presence in her mind, vanished. Numbness and an overwhelming sense of anguish rushed to fill its place and, unable to stop herself, Kate felt her knees give out on her.

A dull pain shot through her as her knees hit the ground but she ignored it. It was all over, her world, her life. It was all ended. Valloran had left her and she now felt empty, starved of anything and everything that mattered.

Dead.

The tears came in great racking sobs that shook the whole of her body. She didn't know how long she sat there rocking herself back and forth in an effort to contain her grief before she felt someone reach out and then pull her tightly into their embrace. Opening her eyes, Kate looked up and saw the profile of Todd's friend hovering over her as he enclosed her into the safety of his arms.

"Shhhhh," Romulus soothed her, gently stroking the crying female's arm in an effort to calm her and provide her with comfort. What he had witnessed had very nearly killed him. Seeing Katherine's heart break on her face and watching Valloran's do the same had to be the most heart-wrenching thing his eyes had ever seen. When Katherine's body had failed her and caused her to fall, it had been his instinct to go to her and give her whatever comfort he could.

Slowly her sobs mellowed and then Kate knew nothing more as she slipped into fretful slumber.

Romulus did not release her until the communication terminal that Valloran had previously abandoned beeped. Carefully pulling his arms out from around the sleeping woman's, he lay her down carefully on the ground and then went to answer the call. He was surprised to find that, upon his answer, he was greeted with the vestiges of both Valloran's primary second in command and John Sheppard.

He did not need an explanation as to the reason behind their call. Seeing the human standing beside the young second on board his hive was enough of one in and of itself. "I have her."

John blinked. "Really?" he asked specially, glancing towards Kenny the similarly confused wraith. "But we haven't even asked you anything yet. How do you –"

"Seeing you both together and on a hive is explanation enough for me," Romulus spoke evenly, interrupting the human tersely. "I will transfer you my coordinates or you may give me yours."

"We will come to you," Kenny informed the elder wraith who nodded and then terminated the connection before either he or Sheppard could say another word. With the screen now blank and displaying only the customary repeating sets of wraith numerals, Kenny and John turned and looked at one another; both thinking the exact same thing.

That had been weird.

~xXx~

Back aboard Romulus' hive, the elder wraith had moved the still sleeping Katherine to his bed in his quarters to await the arrival of her brother and friends. As he set her down to rest amongst his pillows, he could not help but feel a surge of protectiveness alight within him as he gazed down on her.

Since he had known her, Katherine had come to mean a great deal to him. She had proven to be a great friend and ally and for that, she had his amity and his concern. He counted her as deserving of his amity in her own right and not simply because she was Valloran's chosen. If they had mated and if she had accepted her role, then Romulus would not have minded bowing to her one day while calling her queen.

"Now that day will never come," he whispered sadly, taking up a vigil over Katherine at the foot of his bed. "All hope is lost."

"Not all."

The voice was an unknown and seemed to emanate from nowhere. Turning about, his eyes searching his chamber wildly, Romulus looked for the one who had spoken but saw nothing. He was about to consider the possibility that he had lost his own mind when a sudden bright light appeared in the center of the main portion of his room. It flared brightly and temporarily removed from him his sight before it dimmed and faded. Romulus blinked spots out of his eyes as he settled his gaze on the glowing orb of golden light that now hung, suspended, in his rooms.

With a quick look towards Katherine to make certain that she did not wake as a result of his visitor, Romulus stepped forwards and came to a stop before the floating ball. "What are you?" he asked it, feeling foolish despite himself.

The ball moved up and down in what could almost be assumed was laughter and then began to grow. It was but seconds later that Romulus found himself looking into the transparent face of the ascended Lantean Ganos Lal. His eyes narrowed. "What do you mean 'not all'?" he demanded.

The former Lantean looked at him. "You once asked for pity and intervention. I have come to give you that for which was asked."

Romulus glared at her. "You decided to do so now?" he railed angrily. "Why not intercede before Valloran broke from her, before he terminated their connection. Why now do you decide that it is the time to take ac-"

"It must be this way if he is to learn," was her patient answer but Romulus was in no mood to be understanding.

"What meaning could you possibly have?" he hissed darkly.

Ganos' expression changed into one of supreme sadness. "You know that Valloran is more damaged than even he himself is aware of. His motem's manipulations and schemes have harmed him, almost irrevocably."

A dim, faint flare of hope suddenly sprang to life as Romulus' troubled mind latched on to one word in particular that the Lantean had spoken. "Almost?"

She bowed her head. "Yes," she said before continuing. "There is still a small measure of hope left. This," she swept out her hand and gestured to the sleeping Katherine at him. Romulus glanced before the wraith returned his gaze onto her, "is not the end for them."

As eager as he was to hope, to dream that something could be done that would undo Valloran's mistake and take away the pain that both he and she would soon be feeling, Romulus did not know what could be done. "How?" he asked gravely. "How can it all be undone and why – why, by the stars – must they both suffer so cruelly? Why? Answer me that Lantean."

Once more, the ascended Lantean did nothing more than sagely bow her head. "In good time," she replied before she took a moment to truly look at Romulus. She knew him to be noble of heart for if he was not then her granddaughter would not love him as fiercely as she did. Andromeda, her own daughter's daughter, had given her life and everything in it to this wraith. Ganos knew that he could be trusted to carry out the tasks that she could not, here in the mortal plane.

"I must know if you are willing," she began after her contemplation of him had ended, "I cannot intercede on their behalf until the very end, and will need another to be my hand to do my work. I would know if you should like this task to be for yourself."

Romulus frowned, confused as to why an ascended being of such great power would need his assistance at all. "For what reason need you me?" he asked. "Can you not –"

"Because Valloran cannot know that he is being manipulated," she answered him plainly. "Even if the end is to his own benefit, you know as well as I do that he will resist with all his will and with every force available to him. If he learns of what we plot then he will fight us and, in the end, he will win against us — but at a cost of his own life and that of Katherine's. Do you understand wraith? Tell me that you do and that you will do as I direct so that my hand in this will remain unseen."

Since Romulus knew that Ganos was right as far as how great of a distance Valloran would go to keep himself from the manipulations of another, he knew without a second thought that he had no choice but to accept the Lantean's charge. "I will do as you ask," he consented but then added, "But I must know, why is his eventual happiness of such great importance to you and yours? This is not the first time I have witnessed you interfere on their behalf."

Ganos answered him. "Because a great wrong was done to your race by ours and it took our ascension, the shedding of our mortal selves and our attainment of the great beyond to understand and see, truly, the harm that we had done. We upset the balance and because there must always be balance to all things, it is our obligation to rectify our mistake."

"But why Valloran?" Romulus found himself inquiring, not quite sure that he understood how his friend's happiness was of such great import to the fabric of all that was. How bringing him joy could atone for all the wrongs done to the wraith by those of the original Atlantis. "Why choose him?"

Once again, Ganos answered him with only the absolute truth because, if she was to be given his help, she knew that he alone of all others deserved to know what he was fighting for. "Because he is all that you and all your kind are. He is everything, the best and worst of you all; the perfect embodiment of your entire race. He is the key, he has the power to either save or damn you all and, by providing him with happiness, in giving Katherine to him, we are setting him down the path that will ensure that all wraith have a future. As he lives and thrives, so too do you all. But, should Valloran fall, then it is only a matter of time before the wraith face a similar and permanent destruction.

In the face of such an explanation Romulus could answer only with the question, "What must I do? Command me and I will obey."

A smile lit the glowing features of the once and former Lantean woman who inclined her head towards her champion and then began to tell him of what must be done.

---

A/N: Before I get any flames form any of ya'll let me say this: it was necessary, it all has a happy ending, please don't kill me! I swear I wouldn't put them (and you) through all of this if it wouldn't make them all better in the end. Again, I stress, no flames please. The next chapter is already done and is going through one final revision. I purposely waited to post this chapter until I had the next one ready so that you're torture wouldn't be any more prolonged then it has to be. Please, please just trust me. I know what I'm doing.

That having been said, reviews are the only way that fanfiction authors get paid so put a penny in my cup and make my day! Cheers!