Chapter 10: Rank
Author's notes: Ranks amongst the Wraiths could be gain through direct challenges or favors with the Queen. Mating with the Queen was an honor and pathway to promotion.
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.
Graveyards of wraith and Lantean ships scattered the space. It was the final resting place. Skirmishes after skirmishes happened. Several Hive fleets will appear out of nowhere when a distress call was sent out. Her Hive fleet responded to distress calls. They came one after another. The older blade who used to train with her in the laboratory died. His fighter was taken down by a drone. He was too close when they released it. She led her own team of fighters now. Her former Commander always coordinated the attacks with them. Hangars in Lantean battleships were still his favorite point of attacks when they dropped the shields. Her collection of tattooes now went on her arm. The creative Biological cleverman did offer to put it on her face but the Hivemaster smacked him. The Queen will never approve.
Wraith factions were now more united than ever. Hive fleets, like hers, were never refused replenishment or a place to do repairs. Wraith networks spread fast across the area. Their Hive fleet was now known for responding to calls for help. They took in refugees and survivors. With the exception of those who knowingly deserted a falling ship to save themselves. Cowardice was not honorable.
Knowledge sharing was on the increased amongst the networks. The transport beam technology was now improving with cooperation from other clevermen on other worlds or Hives. It was working on fruits but not prey yet. The worshippers were overjoyed when a large pile of fruits materialised in the cells. At least, it was useful now. The inseparable duo and their cleverman , whose sigils were Light Wind, were working on it mostly without sleep. She missed their company.
Occasionally, their hosts offered a giant parking lot for fleets. These parking took place in isolated planets with some prey dropped off as supplies. They could wander around as they wish. It was a break from hostilities. Landed Hive fleets powered down could camouflage as vegetations to any passing Lantean vessels. Not that any was coming near now. Their fleet had reached deeper into Wraith territory now. It was more dangerous for Lantean fleets to enter.
The young Queen in waiting is still in a maturation pod. She missed the female wraith child. The one who called her a name she had long since forgotten. Her forgotten name was now replaced by the sigils ,Origin of Fire. It described her mind. A spark which could turn into a raging fire. Sigils were a private thing with the Wraith. It was used as a trust mechanism.
She sighed loudly as she smelled the sea air.
Why sigh, Lead pilot? A familar signature pattern of her former Commander entered her mind.
She sat on the rocky ledge overlooking the sea. Not hunting? You usually enjoy leading.
I would probably end up feeding on those imbeciles of young blades. Hesat beside her. The young inexperienced blades often fired stunners indiscriminately without aiming or thinking during hunts. They got overexcited at the sight of preys.
She laughed at the thought and grinned at him. Oddly, he did not seem as brutal as he was when they first met. Or as power hungry.
Mating frenzy is coming soon. I am here to avoid the pheromones. He pinched his nose. He had been summoned into the Hive the two cycle. He knew what it meant. The Queen will start selections of mates soon. The highest honor and rank accorded to a male wraith was to be a personal consort and a father of a future Queen. Especially mated to a Primary Queen. The Primary Queen had lost her consort. He died in a battle on the journey before he could meet the young Queen in waiting. The female wraith child was sired by her late consort. He had to be on his best behavior and pheromones would make him at his worse.
Questions popped to her mind. Why are there so many males to one Queen on the Hive ship? Are there so few females? She already counted over a hundred Hive ships. She had noticed besides her and the female wraith child, there were no other females.
He gave her a detailed answer. There are more females in their territory in another region of space. There were ranks even within female Wraiths. The Queens are selected based on intelligence, telepathic strengths and resilience. Some were sent to allied Wraith factions for breeding. It was for genetic diversity. Her Queen and her sisters were captured on route by Lanteans as a young girl. They had escaped from the facility with the help of her late consort. She was captured again while she was pregnant with the young Queen in waiting. It was the females who determined the gender of the child. A female child indicated a great favor. Her late consort came for her but they could not leave unless they left the child behind. That was why she planned and coordinated with her sisters and willing parties to return for her child.
But who would be so willing? And those Hive ships we have? She was really curious. Hive ships took time to build.
He continued. Wraith who were once refugees were more than often, willing. In some Hive fleets, there were ships with no Queens and it terrified them so they accepted one gladly. In doing so, they usually amicably separate from their fleet by orders of a Primary Queen.
Hive ships and cruisers with the fighters were often constructed in anticipation of a new Queen's arrival. Their officers were trained and exchanged with other Hives. Given that some young Queens in waiting were captured, the Hive ship would be going out without a Queen. Often those were the Queenless Hive ships who were frontline. Ordered by the other Queens. First to get destroyed in battles.
Any more questions, curious food? He eyed her. He found her questions often refreshing. It stroked his ego that she would choose to ask him instead of the clevermen.
Oh I wish that you stop calling me food. Yes. I do. So what about secondaries and other ranks of female wraiths? She threw a small rock at the sea below. Time with him was often very informative. Except for throat grabbing the first time. She felt her throat. He was amused.
He explained. The secondary Queens in their Hive fleet are her sisters by the same Queen mother. In other Hives, daughters could also be Secondary Queens. Some will be in training to be a Primary. There were many ways to achieve Primary status. One was by a secondary Queen killing the Primary to usurp the position. The others will choose by succession rules, and rarely, consensus. Their Hive did it by consensus.
Other females not selected to be Queens were trained as a deputy. They can run a Hive while the Queen was mating. However they were rare. Some were used to breed male wraiths on the planet. They cannot bear young Queens. That required strong mind power to switch genders at will. They could not challenge a Queen because their telepathic powers were weaker. Running a full Hive ship required very strong telepathy. Their powers limited them to managing half a Hive ship. However they could overpower a male wraith easily. Their ranks were often higher than the top ranked males.
hmm.. His personal thoughts turned to her. She could easily be a deputy. She participated in space dogfights. None of the deputies would have that skill. Her mind was becoming that of a Queen and could overpower most of the deputy female wraiths in their territory. He noticed that most wraiths eyed her with a certain fascination. She rose in their ranks. She was now a leader of a wraith fighter group. But she was hybrid. Hybrids were extremely rare and all, except her, were used as worshippers instead. Hybrids are highly unlikely to be Queens or even deputies. It used to be an impossibility to him. This hybrid was different.
She returned to the ship's entrance in time to watch a young blade fly past her into the fields. The famed mating frenzy has started. The Queen's pheromones was affecting the virile males. Some blades who used to look rather shoddy had preened themselves. Fights were breaking out and she carefully sidestepped her way through the small gatherings around fights. Some wraiths seem rather unaffected like the inseparable duo. However their cleverman was getting affected. He was hissing and growling at the interface when she entered the laboratory. He never did that.
When he turned around to look at her, his eyes had a predatory look to them. She did not like it. He ignored her and continued working on the interface. His mind was locked again.
Mating frenzy is also affecting him. The inseparable duo just entered. They had just edged around a fight occuring outside the laboratory. She could see other blades running to have a look.
All the productive ones are going crazy. Both looked at their cleverman. Including him.
I do not want to go for selections. He had been ordered to attend the selections in two cycles.
Tough. The Queen wants you there. You cannot say no. Both answered firmly.
NO NO NO AND GET THAT HYBRID OUT OF HERE. I CANNOT STAND THE SIGHT OF HER OR TOLERATE HER PRESENCE. His mind hit out at them.
She was shocked. He had never treated her this way before. An anger grew within her.
Oh no no no, don't . He is irratic. It is the pheromones talking. The inseparable duo were alarmed when she pushed them aside. Her eyes grew in fiery magnificence.
Say it again.
THE SIGHT OF YOU MAKES MY FEEDING HAND TWITCH. I WONDERED WHEN YOU WILL LEAVE. NOW LEAVE. DO NOT COME BACK EVER. His mind roared. He was now facing her.
Now now , it is pheromones...he cannot take you on in a fight. You know that. The duo were trying to coax her away from a fight.
The Queen will be displeased if he ends up in the feedlots. The duo pleaded.
To their relief, she stopped advancing towards the growling cleverman. Then she raised her arm at him. She pulled her bracelet out, the one he had made for her. It shattered into two. To their dismay, she flung it at his face. She ran out of the laboratory before anyone could stop her. She pushed through the gatherings. All ignored her. They wanted to watch a fight.
YOUR REQUEST IS GRANTED. I WILL NEVER WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN. Her mind was on fire. She was going to take refuge in the cruiser. Perhaps her former Commander would allow her to stay there until it was over.
My cruiser? Why? Her former Commander questioned when she came in and almost ran him down in the corridor. He sensed that there was a raging fire inside. The Queen's pheromones only affected males. Not females...unless she could not tolerate the fights in the Hive's mating mayhem. That was contrary to what he knew of her. She relished fights.
Maybe I can serve under you again. Away from the craziness. She was sullen.
That is for the Queen to decide. Go to your quarters and stay in. He knew she could sleep with noise. After all, his old battlecruiser was noisier than the cruiser. Fights used to break out in the corridors of his old battlecruiser. There could be another reason. She was not wearing the bracelet with another's sigils. He studied her face. It gave him nothing.
Fine. I will just camp in the open then. She survived an Iratus cave. She can survive under a more peaceful setting.
My Second is at a campsite away from the pheromones. There are few of my men with him. They will be familiar faces. I have to be on the ship to oversee the others. I will inform him that you are coming. Pack what you need.
She nodded and returned to the Hive ship in time to see three blades sitting on the ground regenerating. She skillfully avoided the fourth flying out and watched the mayhem. She deftly move past the fights and their gatherings.
Fight fight fight. That was the telepathic echo through the Hive. It also warned her of where to avoid. The worshippers were not permitted out of their area for these few days. It was for their safety.
She slided against the wall as there was a fight forming near her quarters. She had fed the previous cycle. Feedlots were getting more aggression than other places. She do not want to return until her feeding schedule.
She packed her things. Then she saw the gifts she got from the cleverman. She took them and chucked them into a sack. She was going to dump it outside the door of his quarters.
The familiar face of her former Second Commanding officer greeted her in the campsite. The Second...and his band of eight officers. The Second reminded her of the other Second in Command, the brother of her former Commander...now gone.
Hybrid is affected by the Queen's pheromones too? Another familiar face of their Head Weapons officer turned to her. He was confused rather than sarcastic. I thought it was a female. The Second Commanding officer smacked him. Whaaat?
She saw her first mating frenzy. He replied to the befuddled look of the Heads Weapons officer.
Oh that. Nasty. Quipped yet another familiar face of the Scout officer.
She is wise to leave that. Better than getting into trouble for gorging on five wraiths in a day. Especially when the Queen would be edgy. The Second grinned. He knew of her reputation.
So are any of you attending the mating selection? She sat in their circle when they made way for her.
All of us. We are trying to be on best behavior. The campsite is better or else those pheromones may create a massacre on the Hive. They replied. She knew that they are amongst the strongest male wraiths in the Hive.
All of them laid down and looked at the stars. Not everyone in the selections will make it to the chambers of the Queen. At least, the Biological cleverman will be outside injecting a hormone to dampen the effect for those rejected. Mating with a Queen was an honor. Some will find favor with her during the mating. They will be promoted up the ranks. Some would not and they will never see her chambers again. Some may not make it out alive. At least, it was better than not having been in her chambers before. Some never got selected and they ended up as grouchy as their technician. All of them rather challenge for a rank than get one by the Queen. Surviving mating with the Primary Queen was no easy feat. Females were too strong and a Primary is the strongest amongst Queens.
Our campsite is for those who serve on our cruiser. NOT THE ENTIRE HIVE. Her mind heard it loud and clear as her bleary eyes opened. She sat up and stretched to the low growls and hisses in the background.
There were three figures behind the Second and his band.
What is the problem? She rubbed her eyes and yawned.
These three clevermen just walked in. On our campsite. He indicated to her. It was the inseparable duo and their cleverman. If I was not required to be on my best behavior...His growl came loud and clear.
She got up. Her hair was messy as she took the leaves out of them. She looked at the three. They were in defensive positions. Not going to do them any good if the Second and his wraiths decided to attack.
Calm down. Let's see what they want. She squeezed her way through the front of growling wraiths.
She looked at the inseparable duo. Their eyes turned to the cleverman. She glared icily at him. He had the sack she dumped outside his quarters. Go elsewhere. Plenty of other space around. This is our campsite. We do not want to see you here. I do not want to see you. Again. She decided to examine the ends of her hair. She was nonchalant.
The cleverman looked downcast. Yours. He put the sack down.
I do not want those. It reminds me of you. It was agreed that we both never see each other again. She stared fiercely at him.
The Second figured out that something was going on between that particular cleverman and her. An interesting show is at hand. Might be entertaining. His thoughts signalled his growling wraiths to immediately stand down.
Break bones if necessary. His thoughts went to her. She shook her head at him. He always enjoyed the sounds of bones breaking. IF necessary. He emphasized.
The inseparable duo were trying to help make peace between the two. Maybe we could go for a walk. They hinted at the cleverman to pick the sack up. He did and held it close to his chest with both hands. She took a walk away from the disappointed looks of the Second and the other wraiths. They wanted to watch a show.
It was the pheromones. It made him erratic. We took him out of the pheromone range. Both of us tried looking for you. Both tried to soothe the situation. He tracked you. They added.
He cannot speak for himself? She glared at the downcast cleverman. His face appeared defeated.
It was he pheromones which made me the way I am. My words were not meant. He sadly added.
Where did you get those ideas of not tolerating the sight of me? She was still angry. Pheromones only seemed to highlight irratic and aggressive behaviours. Those words had to come from somewhere.
The cleverman looked at the inseparable duo. Both immediately walked off to the nearby woods.
Because I did not want be in the selections. His eyes still trained on the ground.
It is an honor to be chosen as a mate for the Queen. And what has it got to do with me? Her mind was reaching boiling point. The given excuses were not good enough. Not after what he said to her in the laboratory.
Truth? About the REAL reason? He asked her carefully.
Yes. Or we do not see each other ever again. She nodded.
Because you are not a male wraith. I wished you were. I had hoped that you are one from the time we met. That way we could bond like those two . His eyes trailed to the inseparable duo examining the threes.
So I am not a male wraith. That was intolerable to you? The duo have told her of bonding. She blinked in confusion.
No. The light wind in his mind flaming the sparks in her mind tenderly.
The Primary Queen was inspecting the selected males. The Hivemaster was following her. She examined the Commanders intensely. The ones who went out were rejected. She studied the one with the black swirling tattoo of his language across his left cheek towards his forehead for a long time. One of the most brutal Wraith Commanders. Her best cruiser commander. He did not flinched when she probed his mind. Very good.
She was very impressed with him. She would favor him but there was a problem. Same foremother, a one of Night. His genetics were very strongly linked to Night's. Probably that was what gave him strength in danger. That was what their foremother's brood was known for. However it would not ensure the diversity necessary for the survival of her Hive. Yet he was crucial to her Hive's survival. She would have to give him another incentive. He was rejected. However she promoted him to Lead Cruiser Commander on the spot. He will be directing their fleet's cruiser attacks in the future. A great honor. He walked out with his hand held high. His Second was chosen for her chambers. Very disciplined. Strength radiated from him. Cloud was his foremother and that will greatly help the diversity of the Hive's genes.
She went through the blades, all preened and groomed. Some walked out dejectedly. Six stayed. It was easy. She would have fed on some of the rejected ones. Their minds greatly annoyed her. The Lead Cleverman and three group leaders were next. All selected. Intelligent minds interested her. She needed intelligence for the next generation. The clevermen were the last on inspection.
After inspecting some, she came up to one. The young cleverman who was brilliant in achieving scientific breakthroughs. A lineage of Gryphon, like her Lead Cleverman and the selected group leaders. He was also a very handsome wraith. Just out of his mother's hive. She felt his mind. He flinched. Not good. It was light and flowed like wind. Then an image of fire appeared before the dark presence...and it sang beautifully.
~ His mind is yielded.
To the Origin of fire.
One with the Wraith
Taker of life.
Remember wind flames fires
Towards the enemies... ~
The fire faded from the darkness of her presence.
Make sure that he is not in selections again. She ordered the Hivemaster privately.
Do you need me to punish him, my Queen? He replied privately. To be banned from one selection would infer a serious offence. To be banned from future would imply a serious transgression against the Queen.
No. I have better plans for him. Ensure that they nurture him carefully. He remains in favor with me.
She watched him carefully as he left.
The young cleverman was relieved. He did not care for favors with the Queen in her chambers. He rather stay within his ranks.
Rank. Did not mean a thing.