Again thanks to reviewers! We authors are an insecure lot, and so comments are always greatly appreciated!
Chapter Four
The vibration thrummed, the clicking so rapid and intense, it melded into one song, one note of pure... Holcnor, the ancient Forfallen word was Holcnor... air of heaven... air of hell... it mattered little.
Ef Xo could sense the Third, Ku Di, nearly swoon in her breathing, sharing, transmitting her joy to the others. Conscious of Ku Di's excitement, Ef Xo's own belly tightened, inhaling more deeply on the incense, Kam, pre-eminent for inducing Holcnor, that burned blue and silver, and smoked incandescent in the bone-carved caskets set into the cave walls.
She could feel Ku Di's pulsating incantation that rippled through the Pegasus Trochlor lines relaying their spells deep into space.
Tremors that rattled body plates of all the Forfallen present signified that point at which the curse hit home much like an arrow finding its target, drawing blood, twisting in the wound, and pulled forth suddenly, seeping, oozing, ruby red...
Black Forfallen forms swayed this way and that way in drunken stupor, as shadows against the bright fire. There, a tripod held the plate where the spell powder boiled and fizzled. Mandibles opened and closed in unison, hungrily lapping at the leaching soul force in the swirling drug induced fog.
At length, Forfallen thirst was satiated. Ef Xo had instructed them all, so much and then no
more. The final day would come and denial would make that final day so much sweeter...
Ku Di? She clicked, such excellence. You have mastered your art well.
Ef Xo, had given these preliminary spells, designed to weaken their victim, to the Third, Ku Di by way of a test.
You have displayed both ingenuity and imagination and have entertained us all. Our feast was… ah... delectable. Ga Hi giggled somewhere in the grey smoke that still persisted in the cave. We deem you worthy to hold the honour of Second.
The former Third, bowed her snout low, fell to all six legs in complete obeisance to her First as was the Forfallen way. Ab Su, staggering still from her intoxication, solemnly brought forth a ragged cushion, displaying a tarnished dagger. Ef Xo uttered her command and the dagger hovered into the murky air, directly over Ku Di's prostrate body.
Salust, Ku Di. And Ef Xo withdrew a step.
The dagger plummeted, driving with full force, deep into the aspiring Second's neck. Ku Di squirmed and twisted, desperately clawing back at the blade that drew blood, her clicking rapidly reaching fever pitch.
Ef Xo showed no mercy and the other Seconds looked on equally as impassive. Ga Hi cackled, nervously. And it would not hurt if Ef Xo's sisters reflected on their own mortality from time to time. If Ku Di had not prepared herself for this moment she would perish. If she had, then the cloak of Secondom was hers.
Ku Di then fell still and silent, save for a low intermittent hissing, emanating through the froth at her mandible, foam mixing with the dirt of the cave floor.
Perhaps Ef Xo had miscalculated. It would not have been the first time a Third had not been ready.
Suddenly Ku Di lunged forward and stood and the dagger fell harmlessly to the floor, with no trace of black body fluid.
And Ef Xo admitted to feeling relieved. This Third had indeed shown talent. To seek out Atlantis. To gravely wound, not just one but three victims. Admittedly, as a novice, she had been unable to generate sufficient energy to extinguish those life forces entirely. But still, to generally create all manner of mayhem was admirable, enabling the Seconds to partake of the juiciness that was the soul of the Wraith Queen. It would, indeed, have been a tragedy if this Third had not been able to believe in her own powers and master the technique of self-healing.
Ab Su brought forth a second cushion on which rested Ku Di's cloak.
Welcome! And Ef Xo wrapped the cloak around the humped shoulders of the most recent addition to the higher sisterhood.
Another Second and we will be stronger. With the soul of a Wraith Queen, we will be stronger than ever...
And soon with renewed power, Ef Xo's abdomen would be swollen with eggs and she could make her way to the marshes to create the next generation of Forfallen young.
And it's all such good fun! Clicked Ga Hi. And the others clicked their laughter with her.
Ab Su will devise the next... diversion. More laughter and knocking together of middle limbs in applause.
It will be good. We are sure it will be good.
Why do you not finish this and be done? Clicked one lone dissenter.
Ef Xo turned to the one who still dared to criticize her. Bi Lu. And found herself benevolently patient, possibly still slightly giddy, certainly warm and glowing with the after effects of the spell and the Kam.
It was not instructed so. And besides, as Ga Hi has correctly pointed out... this way is more... fun.
-oAo-
The Wraith Queen lay upon a bed cornered with four posts of twirled membrane. Thick black silken drapes added to the shadow that hid her. She sensed his presence. And he was aware of her raising her head slightly from the pillow.
"Ah... the Chagard Kolid." Alliance Keeper. Keeper... little more than servant. She might be unwell but her insults were as keen and sharp as ever and he took this hard, hissing softly under his breath from his place at the door. He mentally shook himself, seeking to retrieve some semblance of indifference in those few seconds.
"Hmmm…" and he emerged from his own shadows, striding into the room. He had work to do. "And why did you ever agree to come to this meeting, if you find the notion of an alliance so unacceptable?"
She lowered her head once more, resting it on one arm, as if beaten by the question.
"But you will not let me join the other Queens? You do not trust me," she moaned.
"I have to protect them. I would be failing in my duty otherwise. We cannot be sure what may befall if you were permitted close proximity-"
"You tricked me into coming here! I find I am kept a virtual prisoner. You have taken away my guards, my scientists! I am stranded here." Her tone was so doleful he could very nearly feel pity. Very nearly.
And many of her Hive had abandoned her of their accord. None wished to serve under such a weak Queen. It was as much as he could do to prevent her assassination. But those answers... he still needed them... he still needed to keep her alive.
"And yet..." she sat up from languishing on her covers, the movement rustling the black silk beneath her faint form, her face coming into the subdued light... the only light she could bear. Her complexion now coloured a jaundiced yellow and perspiration emphasized its lines for she was sick and sickness gnawed at every part of her body, and, suspected the Obsgord Commander, devoured into something far deeper.
"And yet, unlike all those other fools, you do not fear to approach me!"
No, indeed. And he bowed to what must be a compliment hidden in her criticism of fellow Queens. Though in truth, after his last experience in her presence he had hesitated at venturing into her chambers. But he had made promises to the other Queens that he would question her further. They did not doubt his ability to do so. In return, he must honour their faith in him.
And it was his own faith now, his own belief, that he could achieve this, after spending days in preparation, of discovering greater strengths within himself. He would never allow a repeat of last time. No. He must not allow a repeat of last time. It would mean his death.
"How is this?" cried the Queen, "how has this come about that a mere Commander has dominion over Queens? Is this a sign to mean the end of all Wraithdom? Is this our future?"
"It is our strength, that I can offer a link between allied Hives -"
"Hah! Peacemaker!" she scoffed, fire of contempt, lighting up now in her yellow eyes. "Strength that you rule over all? I thought you..." and her voice became plaintive, pitiful once more as she lay down her head again. "I thought you were going to... help me..."
"You require help?" He asked, stony and without emotion.
"I cannot talk with you," and she waved him away, bidding him leave, swallowing hard as if something pained her. "I find I am... tired, confused."
See... see... black figures that crawl through the marshes... Thirds-
"No! No! Who gave you permission to access my thoughts!" she suddenly screamed at him, slithering across the bed, feet quickly to the floor, half stumbling towards him. And then, she stood proud, confronting him, remembering her position finally.
"Ash-copcen! Human-worshipper!" She spat out, exposing her teeth, dripping thick with hatred. "I am... I am... they are stronger than you! Did you not learn this the last time?"
She raised her hand to strike him and he blocked the blow with his own raised hand - with little effort, snarling out his own vitriolic into her face. "Weak. Pathetic. You are not worthy to bear the title of Queen! If I had not separated you from members of your hive, they would have abandoned you or worse!"
Understanding in her eyes, for she knew this to be true. She fell limp and allowed him, making no protest, to take her wrists into his. He shook her with the urgency of his question.
"Forfallen? You visited the Forfallen?" There had been confirmation in the image that he saw, for it was Forfallen who segregated their colonies so. Thirds. Seconds. Supreme power resting with the First. The Queen. "Why? Why?" For she was still able to block him. Or... the Forfallen through her.
She writhed in his hold now, twisting her head away from his insistence. Whining. Complaining.
"And why do you persist in tormenting me so?"
He would do this now. He had no option. And he put all his strength into forcing her to her knees.
"No... no... please... no," she whimpered, fighting him feebly, attempting to release her hands.
"You have brought this on yourself."
Perhaps her weakened state and this surrender meant that her mind would be more pliant, more accessible. He let go his right hand, quickly applying it to her temple, her own free hand clawing at his ineffectively.
"You... you cannot do this... I... am... a... Queen."
He didn't even know if he this could be accomplished. Aiolac. Mind probe. But of a Queen. Aware of history, of precedent... never in thousands of years before...
And he took control of her. Felt her shudder from the pain of it. Satisfied the pain would reduce her resistance further.
Black figures... black figures... that moved against the fires... swirling smoke... rain that hissed... clicking... chanting... laughing... they could not touch him now... he had trained himself to resist... a shudder... his own shudder... for this is difficult... difficult... not as strong as you think? They laugh... oh, be so very careful! they laugh... and swirling smoke engulfs him... chokes him... no... no... and he drives it back... cannot touch me... me, Todd ash Luyten, invested with the sovereignty of ten Queens... it is I who am stronger... and they laugh... clicking... clicking... encircle him... fires encircle him... and he turns... and he turns... and every way, he turns... the Forfallen... black shiny coats... black shiny eyes that catch the fires... mandibles that salivate, clicking... claws that clutch at his coat... prodding him with their snouts... clicking... clicking... no... no... he turns... he turns... and he turns... no... you will not be master of me... clicking, clicking, louder than the crack of lightning above... and he reaches for his ears... to stop the infernal clicking... he cannot help himself... a bargain, sisters... we have a Queen... we have Atlantis... now, we have a Wraith who commands all!... but what do you command, Todd ash Luyten...? What do you command...? Nothing... nothing... nothing... nothing... and he is falling... falling into oblivion... and the smoke swirls around... nothing...
-oAo-
Hmmm... Todd ash Luyten...
You are thinking, Ef Xo, that he may prevent us carrying out this task? The others had left the cave at Ef Xo's bidding, leaving only Ab Su.
Why would he want to? The Queen appears to be a thorn in his side. He would be well rid of her if he left her to us! As much a question to herself as to her favourite. Why would he wish to, indeed?
But... he is persistent. Twice, now, he has been... warned. Ab Su was clearly hesitant to continue. The second time... he was stronger.
Psffht! He cannot touch us! Andneither it seemed, could they touch him.
But still, Ef Xo, why does he interfere? Is it the human? There is something deep in this Wraith's mind-
It is nothing! Clicked Ef Xo furiously, rattling her body plates as she did so, refusing to admit to such a connection.
But-
Hear me, Ab Su! Nothing! It is nothing! Her eyes glowered as flaring hot coals. And Ab Su bowed her head in apology, cognizant always how far she could push Ef Xo.
Well, Ab Su. And Ef Xo, drew in her cloak thoughtfully, quickly recovering from her unseemly outburst. Are you prepared for the next level?
Yes, Ef Xo First. Though before proceeding further, I seek permission to view the Jzoika. The Pool of Knowledge.
Ah, yes. State of mind. Important for the final mix of potion. Ab Su could easily ascertain state of mind in a solitary trance, but to use the Jzoika with its guarantee of accuracy, would leave her with residual energy to initialize her spell. Ab Su's mention the human, of Todd ash Luyten's meddling, of a subliminal link between the two, however, had ruffled Ef Xo's calm. She could always deny the permission. Why encourage her Second to think her heightened sensitivity gave her the right to put forward her own opinions?
Over Ef Xo's?
Please.
And Ef Xo, relented, in spite of herself, indicating for Ab Su to make her way to the back of the cave. The Forfallen young, indistinguishable from the Iratus bugs with whom they swarmed and mingled on the cave floor, scattered to the left and right clearing a path. If they did not, Ef Xo, simply kicked them away. Some had the misfortune to be flicked into the black and swirling pool itself, effervescing into hissing turbulent water and black fumes before they could even utter their screams.
The two Forfallen nestled themselves down onto four back legs, resting their arm joints on the rock surround some thirty digits high. Ab Su picked out the remains of bugs, some still twitching in their final death throes and drew a claw across the surface of the pool to calm the water. Near-by lamps then cast a golden translucency across the water than shone into Ab Su's black eyes, already in a semi-trance state as she clicked her chanting.
With a suddenness that never failed to take Ef Xo by surprise, the gold rippled, transforming to a iridescent blue, lighting up the whole cave with unaccustomed brightness. It then stilled and Ab Su seemed to stop her breathing... calling forth the image with her mind... pictures in a pool... the human...
The infirmary and he is seated, leaning forward, hands clasped in front, staring down to the floor...
Three days. And she still lays there, paralysed, life held by the machines, bordering on the threshold of death...
He glances to a window, as the storm continues to lash against the glass.
What the hell was going on here? What... and he shakes his head in disbelief...
And then leans back, head against the wall... eyes closed tight... she just can't die... she just can't... and he murmurs his own prayer and he wouldn't be saying his prayer out loud except that he believes he's alone here in the dead of the night and no one can hear...
This is every one of his team now. Each one he has watched... with each one he has gone through this bedside vigil... He doesn't have favourites... they are all equal... but each time it feels worse than the last... the tightening of the chest... dread churning in his stomach... the feeling that if they'd die, he'd just stop breathing too... the crushing of hope... each time... each time, he thinks they can't possibly pull through... you don't get that sort of luck...
It had been no-one's fault. But it as sure as heck felt like it... The plant had been presumed dormant. But by coming into the warmth of the bio lab, some unknown maturity process had speeded up.
It was forty eight hours before the antidote could be developed and kicked in, before the toxin could wear off. The plant had injected its seed into Teyla's wrist and with it the poison to kill the host within minutes. In its natural habitat, decomposition would have followed quickly after death providing the seed with nutrients in which to grow. The plant's production of seed was ingenuous, Dr Munroe had said. And Sheppard could have landed him a punch on the jaw, except that Munroe was helping to work on the antidote.
Forty eight hours before the antidote could be developed, given the chance to kick in and for the toxins to wear off... too damn long.
'Things happen in threes. So you'll be ok,' Rodney had said, all too cheerfully. And Sheppard could have slapped him too.
He just wishes it were him... he'd do anything... anything to trade places with Teyla right now... to save her all this...
The picture faded across the surface of the water... and Ab Su jerked as she came out of the trance.
Always be careful what you wish for, Colonel, for wishes often find a way of coming true. And the Forfal, Ef Xo clicked her gleeful laughter...
-oAo-
Sheppard hung back. With Mellors and McAdam. The sixes.
"Sir?" queried the young lieutenant Mellors, not really understanding why his Colonel would choose to be at the rear of the group.
"I'm supposed to be observing." And Sheppard figured that was best done from this position.
"Unless, you need me to observe someplace else?" Sheppard asked Lorne, resting his arms loosely on his P90, clipped to his vest, legs slightly apart. At ease. Certainly at ease. Head to one side, a cocky grin directed at Lorne, neither caring a shit about the military protocol and its mandatory quarterly review of the Exec by the CO. A part of which demanded an inspection whilst out on patrol. "I wouldn't want you to think I was interfering or anything."
Lorne smiled. "That's ok, sir. No. You're fine. You observe wherever you darn well want. Let's move!" And Lorne beckoned his men forward into the jungle.
Normally Sheppard never had the time. Or the inclination for these reviews. He just ticked the boxes. There wasn't even anything to fabricate. Though he'd be prepared to do it. Lorne was just such a good XO anyway. But now, he was bored. Ronon still hadn't been cleared for duty. Teyla, now on the road to recovery, remained in the infirmary. His own shoulder was fully mended. He needed an outing. Rodney was happy to stay in the labs, investigating the possible causes of... unfortunate events. But the atmosphere on Atlantis was now - yeah, 'happy' was the right word, considered Sheppard - following a relapse in those 'unfortunate events'.
Perhaps it'd just been one of those things - Teyla's words.
Lull before the storm - Ronon's words.
And Sheppard pulled a face. Well, that was Ronon.
But Sheppard was happy enough too, happy enough to accompany Lorne through the Gate on a training mission with two new recruits. Happy enough to tag along in the rear, observing... no worries...
They'd visited this planet, several times before. With no evidence of threat, it'd been allocated a low grade D on military reports. On Rodney's more scientific reports, it'd earned itself a grade as low as G. Of no interest whatsoever. It therefore provided an important location to train in safety. Its indigenous people, half clad, tribal, shy and nervous, rarely glimpsed except making off into the dense undergrowth, where presumably they had their homes though no settlement had ever been spotted.
Rodney, however, had always queried the military grading.
Spears. Arrows. Natives. Don't they have spears and arrows? Rodney's words. And jungles? Don't they have wild animals? And jungles? Don't they have plants that poison you? And they'd all had their fill of poisonous plants lately... And jungles? Aren't they hot, sticky and mosquitoey?
'Mosquitoey, Rodney?' Sheppard had asked.
'Yes, mosquitoey.'
So Rodney was happy to stay in his lab. And Sheppard was here happily slapping the back of his sticky sweaty neck, cursing, missing by a margin, a whiny mosquitoey relative. It was close and humid here under the emerald canopy. Made worse by the need to keep on a shirt as protection from the insect life. Earth repellents didn't always work.
Remind me, again, Rodney, why I volunteered to come here today.
Sheppard watched McAdam's footfalls. Heard those upfront as boots and bodies crushed the dense vegetation. Occasionally, he turned, checking the path behind. And once unclipped and aimed his rifle up to the treetops, when something like a parrot, startled, flew off squawking. Nothing. Not that he expected anything. This was just a simple orienteering exercise. Let the new guys get used to offworlding. Though both had served stints at SG Command. Get to point A. Then point B. And then head back home to the Gate.
"Sir? Mind your head there, sir." McAdam. One of the newbies. Holding up some thorned vine for him to duck under. Not that it wasn't appreciated. A thing like that could take your eye out.
"Sir? Watch out for the snake, sir. Oh, it's gone. Must have scared it off."
And another five strides later.
"Sir? Mind your footing here, sir. There's a bit of a hole, sir. Must be where an old tree was once. And sir-"
"McAdam?"
"Sir?" Both speaking as they moved forward.
"I'm a big boy now," Sheppard reminded the rookie, as he carefully sidestepped the large hole.
"Sir," replied McAdam pushing a frond of palm from his face using the butt of his P90.
"I've done this sorta thing before." Following. Doing likewise.
"Sir." Stumbling a little over a root.
"I'm not breakable. Damn!" Stumbling a lot over a root.
"Sir."
"I might be your senior," and he paused, grimacing at another snake slithering off into tall grass, "but I'm not that senior - Sh-!"
The arrow just missed his arm, driving into the ground with a thwack next to McAdam's boot.
"Sir!"
Scanning the tree tops. McAdam, finding his target and firing. A naked, painted body plummeted down, crashing through the lower undergrowth.
Sheppard shouting. "Aim to wound only!" As gunfire rattled off at Lorne's end.
His own P90 searching the upper branches. More arrows. Swishing, hissing through the foliage. He was firing at nothing. Just scaring these guys off. P90s crack, cracking up front. Lorne shouting orders. "Back! Back! Back!" And the other five were beating their retreat. One marine, pale, groaning, an arrow hanging from his wounded shoulder and another helping him. McAdam and Sheppard standing to one side, sheltering behind a tree to let them pass.
Lorne. "What the hell, Sir!"
All of them, firing at nothing. And still the arrows rained down, ripping through, tearing up the leaves around them, twanging into tree trunks.
The foliage was their protection, deflecting most of the down fall.
"We'll hold the six!" He yelled to Lorne. "Get out of here!"
Glimpses now of more naked brown bodies as the natives closed in.
"Sir! You don't-"
"An order, Major!" No time to argue and Lorne disappeared after his men. More rounds and two more bodies fell screaming out of the trees.
"Wound only!" he reminded McAdam. But it wasn't easy. To think these guys can't help it. That it's their way. Their culture. It wasn't easy as the arrows rained down on them.
"Time to go! Move! Move! Move!" And he was pushing McAdam bodily down the path, giving him cover, firing blind into the treetops, moving backwards, to find another tree to scoot behind.
Less arrows now but - less P90 noise. A second to check over his shoulder. McAdam down and dark skinned bodies were shimmying down trees like monkeys. He turned his P90 to that direction, aiming warning shots that ripped at tree trunks, splintering off hunks of wood. But still they kept on coming. Down the trees and leaping through the shrubs and bushes right at them.
They grabbed McAdam. And Sheppard fired at their feet. Earth thrown up. He'd kill McAdam if he didn't watch out. Noise behind. Spun round. Fired at the guy with a spear. Face painted blue... point blank in the belly... Thwack, thwack. The arrows again. Fired from the ground. And Sheppard had no cover. Pain in his thigh, crap! then arm. And gasping, nearly dropped the damn rifle. Firing again, but damn it hurt... Wanted to pull the arrows out. Mustn't... Firing at... crack, crack, crack... but at nothing... no aim. Fingers weak. Vision nothing but a blur of green and bodies. Throbbing pain. And the rifle slipped from his grasp. And bodies all round, hands pulling him, pounding him. The arrows jerked out – Jeez, nooooo! – Bodies pressing close, suffocating, crazy, painted faces yelling at him. Head pummelled by fists. Knees failing him, buckling... no... slipping down into the screeching churning mass of skin and flesh. And the ground hit hard...
-oAo-