In the Night
Abby Ebon
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Disclaimer: I do not own Stargate: Atlantis, and you can not convince me otherwise. –Sobs-
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"What…is this?" The last word lingered long after sound should have faded. Claws tapped delicately along the arm of the chair, it sent chills through those she did not look at – and froze with fear those she did. Amused by this, her lips quirked, seeming to hear the very beat of their hearts in terror of her, the lips lifted to allow the unlucky a glimpse of her fangs.
"Mali'ja…" It was a warning as much as it was pleading in it's tone. Eyes as black as the night her ancestors had hunted within before taking themselves into space observed the young man who had called her name.
While her skin was the lush pale blue of her people, his was dark, naturally so – and upon first setting her sights upon him, he had enthralled her curiosity of his origins. She knew from her connection with his mind that there others like him, but he was first in her sight, and so the one she favored. That favor offered - and demanded - much of him, but for every challenge or question she posed before him, he met it exquisitely.
He was her favored, and so could speak to her as he had, and not fear her rage.
"An explanation, Aiden – or I shall be most displeased." Mali'ja had eyes only for Aiden Ford, she knew him to be of Earth, the lost and likely, last, of the descendents of the Ancients who were their ancestral enemies. Earth …with its bountiful life - untouched by the usual harvests that most humans had grown to anticipate and be wary of, many hungered for such a untouched planet – but Mali'ja had learned from Aiden that the humans of Earth had weapons that any Wraith would be fool to ignore.
Mali'ja saw no reason for her Hive to make the desperate gamble for a distant planet when they had territory and safety here. She was all too proud of the fact that none of her Thori'an was the pasty white of the starved.
"Mali'ja, you remember the presence you felt awakening only nights ago?" Aiden prompted, coming to stand beside where she lounged in a chair that looked impossibly uncomfortable but the Queen of the Thori'an Hive seemed most at home within. Aiden knew the dangers of his actions – Mali'ja would not kill him, but she was not above feeding upon him if the mood took her and she was still very much in the mood of a predator. It would be only instinct.
"Indeed – it was….power." Mali'ja agreed, her talon like nails had ceased their irate tapping upon the chair arm. Instead she held herself with wary care – bidding her time, waiting to hear him out now that he had captured her attention.
"I felt it as well – and I…recognized it as a power from my days…before." Aiden fell silent, and Mali'ja did not know if it was regret or something else that lingered in his dark gaze as she watched him.
"Indeed?" Mali'ja knew then that she could forgive the unpermitted use of her "darts" when the intention had been not to cull but to capture….
"Yes, and I have brought him before you –his companions are being kept elsewhere….his name is John Sheppard." Mali'ja found herself glancing away from Aiden when two of her Thori'an "workers", fine featured with high cheek bones and long silver hair about their shoulders or tied at the back of their skulls - filed into her chamber with a stranger – the stranger she presumed to be John Sheppard.
The one whom her Aiden held in such high regard, such was obvious with his tone and manner toward the other male – it disturbed her to see Aiden, who she regarded as her favored, hovering over the other male as if he was a mate or leader.
John Sheppard's head had remained lowered until he was jerked to a halt before her, then – it rose and the darkest eyes she had ever seen met hers, as equals – for all that it was she who held the illusion of his life and death in her hands. She felt her heart clench, attracted to such power as she was, and could not help herself in being – it was instinctual on her part.
"I, Mali'ja – Queen of the Thori'an Hive, welcome you, brethren of the Wraith – called… John Sheppard." Her smile was not entirely false, though she kept her features from shifting when John glanced to Aiden accusingly. She saw the effort it cost him to turn his attention from Aiden to herself and wondered at the history between them.
"Some greeting, though the welcome could have used some polish." John was either very foolish or very clever – though Mali'ja knew such was his nature and not something she should take personally when Aiden hissed a soft warning breath between his teeth. John did not pay him any attention, and held her gaze – wary and waiting.
"It was not my intention to collect you; such was the doing of my favored." Mali'ja made the effort to inform him of Aiden's high status with her, tilting her head in her favored direction. John carefully did not look to where Aiden stood, his lips twisted with his emotions, and Mali'ja knew from such that he was young for all he was mature in power – he was a child still, newly come into his inheritance.
"I gathered that – still, if it was a mistake – the question of why I remain here lingers with me." John said slowly, trying for polite – it, Mali'ja knew, did not suit him. She smiled, amused as she had not been before Aiden had come into her life. Within her mind she felt John struggle with his reaction and his power, her smile faded. She knew him to be young – a child, but she had not thought him burdened with his newly acquired power until she had felt that struggle.
"You are a danger to yourself and thus – a danger to your friends, as well as myself…it is in my best interest to see you taught control and how to…properly, wield your inherited gifts." Mali'ja finished, and when John's dark eyes narrowed in his suspicion of her, she suppressed the urge to challenge him. He was young – reckless, a mere child. He was no threat and would sooner kill himself then know to use the power he was gifted with. She would aid him and learning about his abilities, for the firmest ties were formed in youth.
"…My friends?" John asked of her, he was – she saw, afraid for them.
"Shall remain here, with you, as long as you please – for now they remain encaged for their own safety. Aiden will lead you to them - from there to your chambers – then, when you are settled, I shall come to you for your first lesson." Mali'ja allowed, knowing that the offer was generous – other Hive's would have merely seen him, and the threat he represented, destroyed sooner then trained.
Mali'ja knew better – he would be worth more to her, and her Hive, alive rather then dead. The fingers of her hand flicked out three times, a sign for dismissal – she watched as Aiden left with John – and tilted her head, amused at the skittish attraction between the two.
O.o.O.o.O.o.O
"I see the kind of company you keep has changed." John could not help but say as he was led away from… Mali'ja…he had been all too grateful to see Aiden's familiar face, though now that they were away from the eerie Queen, he could not help but question Aiden's motives and sanity.
"She saved me – on accident at first, for she thought she was saving someone else – then she protected me from the rest of them when they wanted to…" Aiden trailed off, distracted by the black eyes of his friend that gazed at him when John looked up. It was disturbing, somewhat of a disappointment – but it was something that Aiden understood having to look into the mirror and see his own eye alike John's – but, at least Aiden had one human eye. John did not.
"Eat you?" John asked, unable to help the slight amusement that lifted his tone. Aiden had to wonder if John had run away from Atlantis like Aiden had – or if Atlantis had chased him off. With his team tagging along with John – Aiden doubted Atlantis had let them go so easily.
"Yeah, something like that." Aiden acknowledged, dark humor humming through him. It felt right to be near John – but, then, it had always felt right. Aiden did not know what he would have done if Mali'ja had tried for John's life – likely something Aiden knew he would have to run from, again. Mali'ja wasn't like that though – she understood the attraction, and John seemed to have rubbed off on her.
As he led John down the halls, John fell into silence, and Aiden tried not to show the shiver when he felt John's power touch him, cradling him like a blanket, then leaving him, lingering only a moment more. He took a breath, knowing as he did so that things would never be the same between them as it had been before. He had given that up. He would miss it.
But…but maybe this would be for the better.
"Don't get me wrong, Aiden – but….why?" John asked after a moment more had passed between them. When he looked to John he saw those dark eyes taking in the ship with a knowledge that chilled Aiden.
John had the sort of power that Mali'ja had – the same sort of knowledge, and with the Ancient genetics, he would be powerful. Either as an enemy, or a friend – Aiden could only hope John was smart enough to know he needed friends. Hoped John would be his friend.
"Its survival, John – nothing personal, I haven't helped them find anyplace they didn't already know about and Mali'ja has no interest in Earth." Aiden knew as he spoke that he was on the defensive, and tried to smile to ease the tenseness between them. John gave him a fleeting smile; it only faded as he saw his friends trapped – guarded by 'drones'
"John!" Teyla cried out upon setting sight on him, Rodney looked relieved, though Ronon gave him a strangely wary look.
"Hey guys – miss me?" John teased, smiling slightly, having found their relief infectious. Aiden only glanced to the 'drones' and the two scampered away hurriedly, finding John intimidating enough, even without the favored of the Queen hovering about. Aiden watched as John approached the cage, and its organic tissues fled, as much aware of John's presence as the drones had been.
"Indeed, we have – what, exactly, is going on?" Ronon asked upon setting sight on Aiden, who felt pinned by the others stare.
"Well, the Queen of this Hive - Mali'ja, apparently wants to teach me…you know …stuff." John made a vague gesture, clearly wanting the topic brushed aside with the motion. Aiden knew well with the glance he exchanged with Ronon that it would not be as easy as that to dismiss what; exactly, "stuff" meant to the Wraith that would be so important as to not outright kill John rather then deal with the threat he would represent.
"That's great and all John – but what is going to happen to us?" Rodney asked somewhat nervously, the other man did not glance away from Aiden – and though Teyla had not spoken, it was clear she had something to say.
"You will stay here as guests." Aiden told him, if only to break the tenseness he felt building against him. As he led them to their chambers, he thought he heard Rodney mutter "meals on wheels", he tried not to chuckle. Let them think that he could not hear them clearly, it gave him a sense of closeness with them – as if they wanted him to hear them, to be apart of the group once more.
He pulled open the door for them, letting them trail into the room in wary regard for it. It was amusing to see, but he knew they would find nothing amiss. Finally, John turned to regard him, unsure of what to say – or do with him. Aiden tried to smile reassuringly, but felt Mali'ja coming forth, and his smile flickered as she appeared. They looked at him as if he had betrayed them. He had not though, and it was then that he knew how much damage he had done and what it would be to repair it all.
"Mali'ja, what can we do for you?" John asked, hesitating only a moment as he regarded her, clearly feeling as if he was on uneven footing. For the first time, the others seemed to see she was disturbed, for she had hid it until it became obvious that doing so in front of John was pointless.
"I have a…proposition…." Aiden took in their suspicion, and when they looked to Mali'ja, he did as well, for he did not have any answers to her particular behavior.
O.o.O.o.O.o.O
Note; you may recognize Queen Mali'ja of the Thori'an Hive, for she was in my other story "The Fly Away Remedy", and mother-Queen of John. Here, she plays the same role, rather then have another name. Names of Queen and Hive come from the phrase "malignant thorn", for she isn't very pleasant to those she sees as rivals or enemies….