Appearances.


Author's note: whoopy doop.

Disclaimer: the Stargate franchise and aliens that they created are the property of MGM. This is just a fictional story made out of fun and has no profit or commercial value derived from it.


From the corner of his eyes, the young worshipper was busy tinkering with his jumbled mess of a organic device. A beautiful young woman with long curly dark hair and large searching brown doe eyes. Dressed simply in a high collared leather jacket, black tunic and dark leather pants. As though she was a male human. The oddest aspect of her were the tattooes from the side of her neck. Wraiths have an appreciation of beauty in all forms and design. Even the unadorned form. But those tattooes were only exclusive to Wraiths. Sigils indicated their achievements. Her tattooes were not crudely made or painted on by some desperate worshipper to emulate or please their Wraith Gods. In fact, the quality of the tattooed sigils were as though a Wraith did it. A strange sense of familiarity washed over him when he first saw her. He could not put a finger to it. It was as though they had met in another lifetime.

"Mmmrpf,"her furrowed eyebrows displayed her concentration followed by a smirk as her hand expertly manipulated one part of the hastily patched transmission device with her teeth biting on a steel tool. One of the many tools she brought on her small vessel during sunrise. Like a Lantean ...puddle jumper which the humans call it. He had examined the external appearance of her crudely patched vessel. There was the visible trace of Wraith technology on it. Modified with utmost vulgarity of an amateur. The organic technology made the entire puddle jumper looked like it was enveloped by living tentacles. Ember could not decide if it was intended as an insult to Lantean tech or Wraith tech. But it worked. Not to mention that the wraith culling beam was on it. He had watched her beam down a few spare parts. The ship merely grunted on landing.

"Wraith, the old one was right. Any transmission would not bypass outer atmosphere. Your salvaged biomodulator is not generating enough power. This capacitor has no output," her head cocked to the side, her hand on her hips as the other hand threw the tool on the ground in exasperation. Like a dagger. The tool protruded the ground awkwardly like an attempted assassination of the soil had gone wrong. Her eyes pored through the neuro circuitry. Wraith. That is what she called Ember. Instead of Master or God, as most worshippers addressed them. Still it did not irk him. He visualised her addressing the old one as Wraith. She is the old one's worshipper. Not for him to train.

For a human, she was not making an effort for pleasantries. More Wraith-like in answers. The humans he had met and worked with like their chatter. Especially the Fair one from Atlantis. Always asking him about Guide who she called Todd. Ember knew that the Fair one had some undesirable interest in his Commander. He could feel the tension when both were in the laboratory. An accidental touch...brushing past Guide accidentally...a soft whisper...the way the Fair one swayed her hips...and the make up. Quite unrequited. Guide's only interest was in the Hive which was him in the bigger sense. Poor foolish Fair one.

This worshipper displayed no fear of him. Sent by the old one. The best student in Wraith technology, said the old one. No doubt about that. She is good with it to the standard of an above average cleverman. At least, she was acceptable as a worker, far more pleasant experience than working with Quicksilver. If Ember could work with Quicksilver, Ember could work with anyone. Ember had wondered why the old one would not come himself. Busy, she explained curtly, the old one had to tend to matters of the herd.

"I am working on the getting another viable capacitor," Ember was busy slicing through the now smelling organic walls. Instantaneously,the foul rank stench of decay gushed out, mercilessly assailing his sensitive sensor pits and nostrils as the rotting darkish sludge of decaying organic material went pouring down part of his uniform and boots like a never ending waterfall. A sign of decomposing ship body. This junction was his final hope...a capacitor was inorganic, so it did not matter if the biocircuitry degraded over it.

"That...does not smell right." She promptly pulled out a long piece of cloth from the pocket of her jacket and tied it over her face, masking half of her face as she continued working on the necessary patches with a surgical precision. Ember growled at the obviousness she had so blatantly pointed out as his left arm went into the stinking mess of the formerly walled off inards, fishing for that prized spare part. The fetid malodor offended even his non operative digestive system to the point of wrenching it. Nausea...he only remembered it as a Wraithling on food. It was a type of meat which disagreed with his then working stomach which resulted in a terrible spillage of vomitus. He had snuck it from the worshipper's kitchen, curious at what it tasted like...the memories of a gone childhood.

"Noooo RRRRRRGGGGHHH," a vicious growl signalled his efforts going to nought. Completely wasted. The very last capacitor from this intact part of the ship was broken. He had been looking through the rest.

"NO CAPACITOR." He would wrought his hands in despair but it meant soiling himself further with the putrifying gluey mass stuck to his other arm. He needed to go to the lake and wash it off...as well as his hope of sending a coherent message.

He turned around only to see a beam hitting him. She shot him... Trap...but why...he struggled and only to get another round throwing him into the darkness of unconsciousness.

"I am sorry. It has to be this way...," her last words...he heard it before the void enveloped his senses pulling him into a state of nothingness.


Before their two Hives, a ship the size of a standard Wraith cruiser appeared in front of them, just as they dropped out of hyperspace. Triangular shaped. Dead onyx metallic in a design he had never seen before. Flat as the illusion of its design, those were by no means large. Sleek. This ship was not even in the Wraith database. Guide had remembered all the ships listed. Even their schematic layouts which were useful to his countless escapades. During his time as a Wraith Commander, he had encountered non human lifeforms but ...nothing remotely in his memories was there one design related to this ship.

The ship had appeared to be on an intercept course. Guide saw the bluish lights and radiation rebounding off the shields in a play of light like an aurora swirling around its body as it gradually dropped speed and manuveured gracefully towards them.

Transmission signal. Audio only. Bonewhite informed him as the other technican ran sensors on it.

There is a surge of energy detected at the medial sides of the ship. Possibly weapons are charged. Another report. Guide growled. Wraiths will not be intimidated. Not if there was a prize at the other end. Nothing will come between prey and predator. Especially a group of hungry ones. Two Hives full.

Accept it. Alabaster asked as she looked at the sensor readings. None had a idea of what this probable enemy ship could do. The neighbouring old world Factions all called this system cursed. Protected by some entity. Those who went there never came back. Best not to shoot first.

A feminine voice came across their communicator.

" Wraiths of Just Fortune, do not proceed further into the system if you value your ships. I have a survivor of yours," the voice said with an authority in the language they had not heard in a long time. Not English, language of the humans in Atlantis. It was that of the Ancients. An odd accent . The ship was indeed sent to intercept them. And it knew their Hive name. But how?

Alabaster thought carefully as she carefully observed Guide's face as he was studying the scan reports for a weakness in the ship. He did not answer. She understood the need to stall for time. Their Hives were not battle ready. However against one ship...

"Give us our survivor." Alabaster answered. At this time, a Wraith survivor was not a priority but shooting first was not an option. Especially when it came down to an unrecognisable technological race. Sending in darts meant an act of war. She was threading a fine line between diplomacy and outright aggression.

"I will return young Ember, Queen. After your two ships power down your medial weapons array. Hive ships never change much after the Lantean war, do they? " The smugness was overwhelming.

A hiss from Bonewhite as his fingers started to move around deftly countering something on his interface. Our jamming code, it is being overwritten.

Another energy surge. The Wraith technician reported again.

We should fire on it NOW. Guide advised Alabaster privately.

"Tell your Wraith firing on me would be a big mistake. Your hulls will not be able to take on my weapons. Judging from the poor state both Hives are in." The voice interjected as though whoever speaking could hear them. Said with a stinging tone.

Jamming code is disabled. Bonewhite snarled in exasperation as another Wraith cleverman joined him.

A beam of bright white light appeared in their bridge to the stunned group...a body appeared... the Drones immediately raised their weapons as all the Wraiths around were moved protectively around Alabaster. Guide was in attack position now.

The standing body of Ember materialised as the light faded, much to their astonishment. He collapsed on the bridge in front of others as Guide quickly went to him. The smell of a familiar rot from the darkish gooey substance coated a large part of Ember's uniform. Guide and the rest quickly stepped back, their sensitive sensor pits were twitching. Alabaster was covering her face.

Still alive. Get him cleaned up in his quarters and get the Biological cleverman to examine him. Two drones bent over and picked up Ember, his leather boots dragging on the floor of the bridge.

"He only stayed alive to warn you off that planet. There is a ...curse on it. If you do not believe me, do not enter orbit and send one clone which you do not value in the fighter."

Guide pricked his ear at the word the voice used for the darts and the Wraith drones. A very old term they used in the Lantean war. Wraith terms. Only a Wraith knew it. A Wraith...who sounded feminine...a Queen. Most of the language she used was of old.

"'Who are you?" He demanded to know, his off hand raised halting the now trigger happy bridge crew from transmitting the commands to engage the strange ship.

"An old one of a long gone past. What brings you to this region?"

"A Wraith you are. We come in search of one with the sigils of Dark Waters."

A long pause ensued in the amounting tension. It did not bode well.

Fire on that ship. Bonewhite advised him.

"Dark Waters...is lost to me...long have I not seen him. My Consort too... Not after Asuras..." A mournful voice answered. Guide was immediately alert. A voice of a Queen. A consortless Queen but could it be...the one...

"Then where is his faction... a word he gave..." Guide asked, concerned. Is it all for nought.

"Must be kept. Night Wraiths are all the same. The planet you sought is off limits because of a Night Queen's word. I remembered his words and I will honor Dark Waters to my capabilities. Far have you travelled."

"Perhaps if your Hive could meet us. We could discuss an alliance in this system."

Alabaster shot Guide the look. Stop with the alliance offers, her eyes said. It was tiring to hear the same thing which clearly did not work in this region of space. There was a strong reason why the other neighbouring Wraith factions would not touch this particular system. It was certainly not this ship.

"This system remains unclaimed as agreed by those around us. Any attempt to claim it will garner you no support. I still have my standing. Some of my descendants hold some influence around the factions here."

An impasse. Firing on her ship may block off their passage. Alabaster was contemplating the situation. It may be a bluff but if it was not, such an action would put their Hive ships in a more perilous situation. They had passed system from system and witnessed the numbers of Wraith ships scattered around. Given that this strange ship would come alone in confidence against the firepower of two Hive ships, the balance of power tipped in the favor of the opposite side.

"Wraiths need to feed." Guide put it curtly.

"'From your battle weary state, yes I can see but culling that planet with your ships will never work. Go back to whence you come from." The voice was dismissive.

"We have no choice." Alabaster jumped in ahead before her sire could answer. Guide snarled. It was giving their weakness away. Show of strength is not always the way, her eyes glinted in defiance to him. Bonewhite and the other Wraiths moved away to give the sire and his daughter a wide berth. Internal domestics between the two could be precarious to any Wraith taking a side.

" Very well, a few cycles. Wait here. Give me your word, one of Night, do not approach the planet with any ships of yours."

Guide shook his head at Alabaster. No, a bad idea.

"My word as Queen is given."

Guide clenched his fists as his teeth gritted...it was exasperating. His daughter made a decision which could doom them. Dead in the water. A wrong time to wrangle for a decision making place.

"A solution will be found. Night Queen. A word of an old Wraith honoring Dark Waters."


Ember groaned from the throbbing ache in his mind as he open his eyes to the unmistakable sight of his...quarters. His hands felt around...the recognizable texture of his nest. Guide was there. Standing in a dark corner, watching him intently.

Awake?

Ember nodded as a tumultous sea of dizziness hit his swimming mind. What happened? He sat up immediately, feeling so giddy that he fell back. His hands clutched his twirling mind as though he needed to catch his brain.

She stunned me!

Who stunned you? Guide came into the light. Almost in a menacing manner as the highlights of his face radiated a certain cunningness within his being. His eyes glinted in a malicious way. He had questions which answers were held in Ember's mind and he was not willing to wait.

Female human. Twice she stunned me...how did I get here? That was no dream. Not from how he was still reeling from the effects of her stunner.

Show me what your mind saw.


Alabaster noticed Guide's face as he paced around impatiently around the central viewer. It was brimming with some hope as he stood at the console. There was a sudden lightness in his mood. Happiness. Not seen since they left their grounds. At either Ember's survival or something else. There was no plans or secret meetings to undermine a ship which they were meeting. She would not put it past him to try and destroy it but she sensed that it was highly unlikely. A smile had just broke out on his face as he calmly stroked his beard. His hair looked...combed. His uniform...changed to a better one. He was well groomed this time. Like how he was with her mother, Snow. Something was up. Her sire could be playing another one of his games.

The ship is arriving. Bonewhite reported from his console.

A large streak of irridescent bluish white streaks was coming through from afar as a familiar onyx triangular body starting appearing in its midst as though attempting camouflage its appearance steathily with the blackness of space. The shields formed an flourescent reddish orange halo around it as it dropped to a halt. No hyperspace was used. No hyperdrives. The technology was not seen around the galaxy before.

Guide strutted off in high spirits to his console. He was thrilled by something. In fact, a sense of excitement. Something seem to revive a youth in her sire. All his machinations at being high on the Wraith hierarchy seemed to vanished for the moment. No. It was not Ember. It had to be the Wraith Queen. One she will meet in a short while.

Do not be surprised by what the Wraith is. His parting remarks peaked Alabaster's curiosity now. It was Guide's tone and speech for...someone he regarded highly. There were not many. And he was up to something again.

Transmission signal. Requesting visual. Bonewhite informed Alabaster who acknowledged it with an approving gesture as she moved in front of the viewer.

Energy surge detected in the ship. Ember quickly reported from his sensor console.

An translucent image formed suddenly in front of their eyes. That of a woman. Dressed in a modified Wraith Commander's uniform, revealing some of her tattooes. Ember stared at it as Bonewhite quickly signalled the command for the drones to form a protective cover around Alabaster.

"Young Ember. Good to see you well. Regrettable unforseen circumstances have forced my hand."

Ember let a low irritated growl out with resolute vehemence but he restrained himself. Keeping mum. He remembered her. There were words he dearly like to spew on her. She was the culprit who shot him! A shadow of a thought turned his anger into shock as the realisation dawned on him...this was the old one... his face was awashed with confusion. The image merely smiled at him in a mischievious mirth.

"Your communication system is incompatible with the technology I possess. As Queens, face to face is better."

Alabaster swept through the protective detail with a regal grace. Her posture emanated a self assured in confidence as she gave the image a slight nod in recognition. The courtesy was returned. The unmistakable tattooes of Wraith sigils was showing in the holographic image. Alabaster recognised the sigils as symbols of battles. Some of which her Queen mother Snow used to tell her as a child. A searing presence was also sweeping softly into her mind. The unadulterated majesty of a legend. The Queen with the mind of fiery inferno. Snow spoke of her but the description of her physical appearance was never given. Only that she was one of a kind. Alabaster, as a child, always thought it referred to the Queen's mind presence. Her experience with humans and her sire's Wraith imposter Queen had prepared her well for almost any strange thing. Almost any.

A large unsettling smile of deviousness was creeping over Guide's face. His teeth showing slightly in the curve of his lips. In a silent glee. He recognised her. The scheming wheels of plotting started churning in his mind again after the long hiatus. Favor have shone upon him again.