Standard disclaimer applies: Don't own SGA or its characters. I'm only borrowing them for my own demented purposes.

This chapter is rated 'M' – so I hope it lives up to all of your expectations!

And …

Special thanks to Isolde for continuing to put up with my poor grammar.

Chapter 20: Duplicity

Scheduled to initialize the newly constructed relay before the trial began, the Scientist made his way through twisting corridors, deliberately passing the chamber where he intercepted the Commander's pet. The scent of the female's fear clung to the misty air, the potent perfume momentarily causing his head to swim with the salty taste of her sweat, which lingered on the tip of his tongue.

The discovery of the Commander's Lantean female wandering alone in the bowels of the ship had piqued his covetous nature and such good fortune needed exploitation. Dwelling on the possibilities her ownership conjured, the addition of her knowledge to his own substantive skills would secure his position as Chief Scientist and thereby, earn him the right to mate with the Queen of his Alliance. Unfortunately, the arrival of the young Technician interrupted his scheme, but it was only a momentary setback as he already set a new plan in motion.

A self-satisfied smirk graced his lips but, marching through the final archway, the smile withered as he reassessed his primary goal. Irked his intellect was delegated to a task better suited to a subordinate, he could not afford one of the technicians to unmask his work on the relay. Skirting the periphery of the chamber to access the control panel, he placed one long nailed finger onto the interface and, upon activating the relay with a mental command, he signaled his readiness to begin the trial.

Leaning over the heavy conduit, the Scientist rested his palm against the veined surface as energy trickled into the organic tube. Critical to the success of his mission, the relay regulated power flow to the ventral hyperdrive engine and he had spent the last several months blocking growth factors to the duct. Skimming the skin-like sheathing with his hands, his fingers followed spider-webbed arteries, which normally supplied nutrients to the thick organic pipe. After slowly starving the length of conduit, a significant weakness had occurred where the tube met the relay, and once the newly modified engines were fully engaged, the relay would fail, causing the tube to fracture, thereby incapacitating the vessel.

Heart thumping in time to the current's oscillations, an exhilarating sensation crawled up his spine. Never had a Hive been able to sustain such massive energy levels for an extended period and, when the upgrades were completed, this ship would be able to travel between the voids to access new feeding grounds. The Alliance who controlled this ship would be unstoppable and he intended deliver it to his Queen.

XXX

Commanded to disrupt the watcher's alliance, the device he had planted counted down to an inevitable conclusion. Sabotaging his own ship did not settle well in his conscience and now, as he took a winding course up the ramps to the command deck, the gravity of his actions weighed heavily upon his steps. Under the constant scrutiny of his crew, certain they would sense his indecision, it seemed their eyes constantly bored into the back of his skull, attempting to dissect information from the folds of delicate pale tissue within.

Too late to alter his plans, he rounded the last turn, sweeping onto the command deck.

A silent acknowledgement passed among those present and the primary console was vacated so he could assume his rightful place. Laying hands stiffly on the controls, the process of his spine tingled in anticipation and though he appeared calm as he performed the mundane tasks of his position, the incessant itching between his shoulder blades made his fingers twitch involuntarily.

Suddenly, a violent shudder shook the ship, bioluminescent lights flickering as power distribution to sub-systems failed. The constant hum of the engines ceased and the Hive dropped out of hyperspace with a deafening silence.

"Report!" he ordered over the cacophony of voices filtering through the Hive mind.

Breaking over the din, the Chief Engineer replied from the hyperdrive control chamber. "Commander, the ancillary power module in the dorsal hyperdrive relay has exploded. It appears only secondary systems have been affected but the hyperdrive has been taken off-line until a physical assessment of the damage can be made."

Already knowing the extent of the damage, he suspected the Chief would soon find evidence of sabotage, something he did not want conveyed to the crew.

"Make the assessment personally," he ordered, the sharp annoyed tone of his command leaving no room for interpretation

"Understood Commander," the Chief replied, tersely, through the Hive mind.

Satisfied the Chief would temporarily keep the outcome of his investigation quiet; he turned to the lieutenant manning the power distribution console. "Re-route power around the damaged -"

"Commander!"

Interrupted by the communications officer, he growled disapprovingly but nodded for the subordinate to continue as he had anticipated what would happen next.

"A Hive has dropped out of hyperspace – their Queen commands you to attend her."

Sniffing in amusement, the rival Hive's Queen had no direct authority to command him, yet no Queen would request an audience with a male. Choosing this stretch of empty space because he knew the young Queen patrolling this area was eager to raise her status, he suspected she would attempt to seduce him into revealing his Alliance's secrets as his quick departure from the Commander's side could indicate his position within his Alliance had faltered.

"Affirm their request and have the Chief Engineer meet me in the dart bay."

Abandoning the console, he left the command deck for the bay, his skin gone clammy with anticipation.

Not yet decided on the best course of action, he navigated the twisted corridors where a score of Drones and their handler stepped aside so he could pass. Feeling the tension in his muscles, he expected a challenge at any moment, but he emerged through the final archway to find the Chief already waiting, bent low at the waist.

Signaling the Chief to rise with a curt mental command as he approached the dart, the subordinate straightened, a grim expression decorating his face.

"Commander, the explosion in the ancillary power module appears -"

Interrupting the Chief, he kept his voice low so it would not carry in the cavernous space. "I am aware of what caused the damage to the power sub-system, you will ensure no one else knows."

The revelation came as a surprise to the Chief, the engineer's eyes flaring with doubt as he contemplated the possibilities for his superior's actions. But he did not idly choose to share this information with his third in command and, as he expected, the Engineer nodded, coming to the conclusion there was more to this situation than outwardly apparent.

"I have been ordered to meet with this Queen." Effortlessly hopping onto the beveled wing of the Dart, he peered down at the Chief whose frown had deepened. "I leave you in charge of the Hive until my return."

XXX

A cold wash of dread crawled down Teyla's spine as she bounded down the service stairs in a last ditch effort to waylay the inevitable. Nearly knocking over a technician when she bolted from the doorway, Teyla raced for Rodney's laboratory only to be intercepted by John.

"Teyla -" John stood with his hands out blocking access to the laboratory door – "I wanted to tell you but there wasn't time."

Out of breath, Teyla choked down her mounting fear. "You can't do this John – you're putting Torren and my people in danger!"

John swallowed, a sour look on his face but he refused to back down. "I know you're upset. Woolsey decided to give Todd a modified database along with Jen's data on the Hoffan infection."

Stopped short of pounding her fist into his chest, Teyla hands fell skeptically to her side. "And Todd agreed to this?"

Satisfied Teyla wasn't about to knock him out, John reached for her arm, offering her reassurance, despite his own misgivings. "Todd has no idea and never will. Rodney's copying the data now."

~x~

In Rodney's estimation, giving Todd Michael's database was a small price to pay to free Jen. Setting the crystal in the slot, he prepared the upload. Woolsey's instructions were to leave out any reference to the Athosians or integrating Wraith DNA with human but, as Rodney excluded the data, he found gaping holes in the cross reference Todd was unlikely to miss.

"Dammit," Rodney growled in frustration. So close to the end of this nightmare, it had to be now he discovered just removing bits of information wouldn't work and, rubbing fitfully at his eyes, Rodney plopped down on the nearest stool to think.

Trying to shake off his mounting panic, there was simply no way to just exclude the data and he didn't have time to cover the holes. Any patchwork he attempted would only make the missing information more obvious. Staring at the screen, the past six months were a foggy dream, and now, speeding towards the light at the end of the tunnel, he couldn't allow anything or anyone to impede his path. Biting his lip, Rodney uploaded all the data onto the Lantean storage crystal, convinced it was the only viable option.

XXX

Though its mass was negligible, the syringe was dead weight in his pocket, disrupting his concentration, gnawing at the periphery of his thoughts so his attention wandered between monitoring Doctor Keller's data and the confrontation in the tunnel.

It was no mystery why the Scientist chose to approach him. Assigned to assist the Commander's female in the laboratory, he had nearly unlimited access to the earth human without the interference of witnesses and, though he had the opportunity to inject Doctor Keller with the contents of the syringe, he had not.

Stealing a glance in the female's direction, he growled inwardly. Unusually defiant for a worshiper, she was more complacent since he presented her with the sample of her own blood but still he wondered what demand she would make of him next. Tasked to give her any assistance short of helping her escape, he reached into the folds of leather and took the needle from his pocket. Humans from Earth were a valuable commodity. Given their knowledge of Lantean technology, he understood all too well why the Scientist had such interest in her as he entertained the very same notion. However, he discarded those traitorous thoughts, deciding his best option was to remain loyal.

Watching the female through slitted eyes as she chewed on her lip, he injected a sample of the syringe's contents into his analyzer and waited for the data to scroll across his screen.

A sharp breath drew his attention across the chamber.

"I need to speak with the Commander immediately."

Annoyed by the distraction, he hissed in Doctor Keller's general direction, returning his gaze to his console.

There was a moment of silence before the female spoke again, her tone carrying an air of authority more common to a Queen than a worshiper. "Perhaps you misunderstand – it was not a request."

The bite of her words made him pause. She was agitated, her tension filling the air with an acrid aroma. Wrinkling his nose at the unpleasant sensation, he tempered his reaction to her insolence despite his growing irritation. "You are to remain in the laboratory until the Commander returns."

"When?"

Seeking to dismiss her needless badgering, he growled through clenched teeth. "When he returns."

"How long?" the Commander's female pressed.

"Enough!" He snarled, his own anxiety mounting with Doctor Keller's distress. "The Commander indicated you are to remain here for your protection. Now return to your work."

The female grumbled something under her breath which he ignored, his eyes returning to his screen but her apprehension made his skin crawl and he glanced up from the results, too distracted to concentrate.

Water dotted her eyelashes. Annoyed by the continued interruption, he ground his teeth. Human motivations confused him and, though he had little experience working with them due to his rank, those who served the Hive emulated their masters and did not display such emotions.

Uncomfortable, he shifted his weight wondering how long he would have to suffer this torture but as luck would have it, his screen displayed a coded message: I Return.

XXX

Rubbing the bridge of his nose with his thumb and index finger, John felt the headache he'd been fighting all day start to take hold and he regretted not popping a couple of Advil before leaving the locker room for the Jumper bay. It had taken far too long to find the message stored on Jen's biometric chip and, zipping up his vest, John hurried through the bay, coming around the beveled end of the Jumper to meet his team.

Shrugging his holster strap into a more comfortable position, John looked to McKay. "Do you have it?"

Distracted, Rodney patted his breast pocket. "Umm – yeah."

It was an odd reaction, even for Rodney, but John chalked it up to the fact McKay was still really pissed at him. Grimacing, John didn't have time to deal with Rodney's indignation, as Todd was quite explicit in his instructions. The address would only be available for 30 seconds and, if they did not dial the gate before time was up then Jen would remain on his Hive.

Climbing the ramp, he automatically headed to the pilot seat, turning to hand his P90 to Teyla as she made her way forward, sitting in the chair behind him. Catching her eye for second, she gave a half smile to his unasked 'Are you okay?' before turning to secure his weapon in the cockpit locker.

Glad at least Teyla had forgiven him, John settled in the seat, tapping a few buttons to initialize the Jumper's systems. Glancing over his shoulder as the engines began their distinctive hum, Ronon gave him a terse nod, which was all he was likely to get from the Satedan on any given day and Rodney, coming forward to the co-pilot's seat, ignored him completely, opening his ever present laptop to plug into the Jumper's auxiliary port.

"This is Sheppard -" he began over the conn while the docking clamps retracted and the Jumper dropped through the hatch into the Gate room - "ready when you are."

Chuck's voice echoed in the Jumper. "Dialing the gate now."

The cockpit glass reflected the constellations as they lit up around the ring. Having stood at the foot of the ramp enough times to loose count, John almost felt the distinctive whine of energy building within the circle as each chevron turned blue, until the complete address was encoded. The event horizon burst from the center in a shower of glacial rain, coming to rest in a pool of shimmering light.

John shifted in his seat. "Last chance off this roller coaster."

Patting his shoulder, Teyla's confident voice sounded from behind. "I do not know what a roller coaster is John, but we are ready."

XXX

Though the trial was satisfactorily concluded, he was dissatisfied with the result. Pouring over the logs, Todd attempted to determine why the data disturbed him, but his attention wavered as he doted on the same immutable details. Realizing he was getting nowhere, he snapped at the technicians to re-analyze the data before twisting on his heel, heading for the ramps.

Skirting the ventral perimeter of the ship, he wandered into aft observation gallery and gazed through the great curved window. Deep within the viscera of the ship, the sensation of loneliness was sickeningly sweet and the temptation to dwell upon his past overwhelming.

A world so different than how he remembered lay beyond the glass, broken trees littered the darkened terrain, their blackened trunks stretching out into the twilight like long arms gathering gloom. The ship had been here long enough for shrubs to grow between the timbers; curling into a tangled web where a small rodent scurried into a thicket, unaware it was observed by his predatory eyes. It was a mistake to come here; this place held too many memories and it was difficult to keep secrets in the past when they pressed upon his mind with striking clarity. Haunted too much of late and anxious to leave the ghosts behind, it also meant his time with Jennifer must end. Holding her in the laboratory, he hoped distancing himself would make this moment easier yet … he could not rid her visage from his mind.

Staring out into the twilight he sensed the Sub-Commander's Second draw near.

"Commander, the gate has been activated."

It was as he expected; in the Genii cell, Sheppard had been adamant no one was left behind and he had no reason to believe Jennifer would be exempt from this declaration.

Dismissing the Second with a wave, the subordinate left to carry out his orders, abandoning Todd to the dark and his loneliness.

As he stood there, yanking absently on his goatee, an incommodious feeling rose within his throat. He knew he should return to the command deck and his duties but, starting toward the ramp, Todd hesitated, glancing over his shoulder into the empty passages on the far side of the room. On an impulse, he turned and mounted the ramps leading to his laboratory, a sense of urgency constricting his chest with every step.

Because the lower passages were empty, Todd quickly found himself standing before the laboratory door and drew a raspy breath as the organic wall retracted. Stepping over the threshold, he spied Jennifer perched atop her stool.

Intercepted by the Technician before he passed the first set of benches, the youngling dipped his head in respect. "Commander, I have -"

"Leave." Todd intoned sharply, unable to take his eyes from Jennifer's honeyed locks.

The subordinate hesitated. "Commander -"

"It can wait!" he barked, wholly uninterested in what the Technician wished to convey.

Shocked into silence, the Technician bowed but continued to stand his ground until a low rumble began in Todd's chest and the youngling must have thought better than to test his superior's patience because he bolted through the portal without a second glance. Finally alone, Todd rounded the benches to survey the source of his constant distraction.

Scrambling from the stool as he approached, Jennifer retreated, hugging her arms to her chest, eyes glaring fiercely in the subdue light. Confused, Todd paused mid-step.

"What the hell did you do to me?" Jennifer growled, vehement, and when he didn't answer, she shuffled to the analyzer, indicating the chromatogram displayed on the screen. "My blood test, tell me why there is Enzyme in my blood?"

Outwardly, he could detect no reason for Jennifer's reaction, save the acrid fragrance of unshed tears hanging in the atmosphere. Narrowing his eyes, Todd ignored the unwelcome tension swelling in his muscles and swept past Jennifer's shoulder, resting his hand on the edge of the console. Magnifying the graph's scale, he sought one peak in particular. It was minuscule and could possibly be contamination from a previous specimen, but it was there nonetheless.

"Impossible," he remarked. "You neglected to purge the previous sample."

Jennifer's hands balled into fists, her face turning scarlet. "No, I didn't."

"There is no other explanation."

"I didn't forget to purge the last sample – it's there." Jennifer shouted, pushing his hand away to bring up the statistics on the marked peak.

"This is not possible," Todd replied but wondered what if it is?

Jennifer rounded on him, and snapped bitterly, "What – am I your experiment? Test the retrovirus on me? See if you can make more wraith?"

"I can tell you I had no such notion. This should not be possible … at least six doses were needed …" Todd fell silent, studying the graph as if it held the answers to the questions milling about in his head.

Recoiling from his verbalized thought, Jennifer's legs bumped into the bench. "What are you talking about – six doses?"

Realizing he spoke out loud, Todd whirled around to face Jennifer, deliberately changing his focus before he divulged he knew far more of his species origins.

"I did not return to the laboratory to argue with you."

"Then why did you come?" Jennifer spat back.

Intent on spending this time more productively, Todd caught her arm, his fingers closing around Jennifer's limb before she could slip away. Drawing her wrist to his lips, he nipped at the taut flesh covering her pulse. Infuriated by Todd's nonchalance, Jennifer attempted to wrench away from his grip but when her tugging did not produce the desired result, she settled on glaring at him indignantly.

Todd chuckled, a slight smile playing across his lips as he stroked the scratches on her wrist. "If I remember correctly, this is something of a fantasy of yours?"

"Damn you." Jennifer huffed but he knew his comment hit the mark because, though her anger flared briefly, the fervor of her fury fizzled into something more compliant.

Sweeping away stray locks from Jennifer's shoulder with his free hand, Todd ran his thumb along the soft angle of her jaw, turning melancholic.

"What is it?" Jennifer frowned, puzzled by his sudden wistful demeanor.

Releasing her wrist, Todd brushed his lips over Jennifer's, unable to admit their time was coming to an end and, deepening the kiss when Jennifer's mouth fell open in response to his exploration, desperation surged through him, the need to have her becoming an intolerable ache.

Sucking the scent of her skin over his sensory pits, Todd broke the kiss, his mouth plummeting to the supple flesh beneath Jennifer's chin. Caressing the column of her neck with his lips, he alternated between nipping at tender skin and planting soft kisses on her pliant flesh; his hunger intensified as his mouth descended over Jennifer's neck leaving a trail of raised bumps in his wake.

With her fury forgotten, Jennifer nestled into his eternally ruffled hair, her arms snaking around his shoulders, slender hands moving to finger the processes beneath his collar. Electric heat leapt down his spine, quickening his heart rate as a thin sheen of sweat broke on his gray-green skin. Reaching the crest of her bodice, anxious to sample the delicate flesh hidden behind rose colored cloth, Todd wrenched the buttons free, sliding the fabric down to her hips where the fine material floated to the floor, circling her feet in a shower of pink silk.

Feasting on her exposed flesh, Todd eagerly seized one heaving nipple in his mouth, suckling on the hardened nub until Jennifer groaned, her blunt nails trailing over his leather clad shoulders, hands coming around his frame to snag in the buckles of his coat. Working through the first four catches, Todd growled in frustration at Jennifer's hurried, if slow, progress and reluctantly paused in his pursuit to devour Jennifer's breasts, cutting the final tie with the razor edge of his finger guard.

Shrugging out of the heavy leather and tossing the offending garment to the floor, Jennifer was already tugging at the thin shirt he wore beneath, pulling the damp silk upward and over his head. Finally free, Jennifer's hands roamed the swirling symbols decorating his hide and for the moment he simply pressed against her, enjoying the sensations her fingers elicited from his fevered skin as they descended the length of his chest over the muscles of his stomach. But when her hands made for the clasp of his pants, he backed away, allowing her enough room to undo the buttons and release his pulsating member from the constricting leather garment.

Pushing the stiff leather to his thighs, Jennifer brought her mouth to his chest, nipping at his tattooed skin. Bending at the knees, she drifted lower; shoving his pants downward until her cheek grazed the tip of his erection and, she did something he had not expected, which caused his breath to catch in his throat. Grasping the edge of the bench as Jennifer probed the ridges of his glans, a low rumble started in his chest, his head going dizzy when the floor of his groin tightened in response to Jennifer's fluttering tongue. Purring her name as she took him in her mouth, each syllable assumed a life of its own, her name rolling off his tongue as his hands tightened into fists, the orifice weeping green tinged fluid from between his fingers.

Loath to end Jennifer's foray, tempted to continue, the conclusion was far closer than he was willing to entertain so early in their game. Staving off the building explosion, Todd's hand lowered to tangle into the locks of hair tickling his inner thigh with her ministrations. Running his hand along her cheek, he withdrew, gently tugging at Jennifer's chin until she relinquished the taste of him and slid upward against his muscled frame. Unable to suppress a groan of regret, he dipped his head pressing his mouth to hers, relishing the salty flavor on her swollen lips as his hand fell to her hip, leaving a wet trail across the silken plane of her stomach.

Jennifer trembled when the tips of his nails raked across her skin and, snaking his hand between their fevered bodies, Todd's Enzyme dampened fingers slithered between the dewy folds of her femininity to sample the flavor of her desire with the slit in his palm. Shifting against his hand when his fingers grazed the raised bundle of nerves, Jennifer gasped, whimpering with her growing need. Excited by Jennifer's unashamed brazen salacity, Todd pulled away, denying her the satisfaction, determined only to whet her appetite, earning a snarl of disapproval from her crimson lips.

Chuckling, he leaned over Jennifer, nipping at the jagged marks he had left on her neck, exerting his dominance. Drawing a sharp gasp as his pointed teeth scraped her flesh, Jennifer tried to jerk away from the bite but he held her fast. Gripping her hips, a yelp of surprise escaped her throat as he picked Jennifer up, depositing her at the edge of the bench. Immediately, Jennifer's hand went to steady her teetering body, gripping the corner of the bench as her other arm twisted awkwardly around Todd's shoulder, clinging to him so she would not fall from her perch. Enjoying the little taste of distress accompanying her precarious position, he kicked aside the last of his clothing and pushed at her knees until she had no choice but to yield. Parting her legs, Todd pressed his hardened cock against her entrance and Jennifer hissed when he stopped short of thrusting into her.

"Look at me Jennifer." Todd demanded, words weighted with intent as he gripped her hips, puncturing her flushed flesh with his nails.

Compelled, Jennifer could not dismiss the command and, blinking to clear her vision, she fixed her eyes on his.

Feeling the uncommon need to express his affection, Todd's breath came hard to his lungs as he spoke only within her mind. "You are mine … Always."

Jennifer's lips parted and, though he sensed his statement bewildered her, it was as much an admission of love as he would ever grant her. Burying his face against her slender neck, he sucked in the perfume of Jennifer's skin, the heady fragrance of her sex beguiling his senses. Unable to contain his desire any longer, Todd growled as he sheathed himself inside her passage. Steadying himself with his free hand, Todd stabbed into her, his pace quickening as he pursued their mutual release with single-minded avidity.

While Jennifer's nails dug into the skin at his neck, he swept her away with his ardor, the tenuous threads of her mind focused solely on his frenzied impetus, as a fine layer of perspiration gathered into glistening droplets between her breasts. Mystified, Todd's hand came up of its own accord to taste the salt of her sweat before he realized what he had done. Dazed, he peered into Jennifer's eyes, the orifice of his feeding hand positioned over the silvery mark decorating her chest, the maw gaping, as it dripped fluid onto her skin.

Pupils dilated to the point her eyes were mere spheres of glittering black onyx, Jennifer's hand came up to his, flattening his palm against her heart. Todd clenched his teeth but, helpless to fight the sensation rushing over him, the razor-like barbs sliced into Jennifer's skin and she tensed, crying out with the sharp stab of pain accompanying the bite.

Rolling as the ecstasy of her energy crashed into him, Jennifer's spirit filled his eyes with shimmering light. Sharing the sensation with her in the forest, Jennifer knew what it was like to feed but she did not know what it was like to be fed upon and, as the Enzyme hit her system, Jennifer thrashed in agony. Lost somewhere within the pain, she clawed at his fingers, her struggle only serving to make feeding all the more satisfying.

Pressing Jennifer's back against the bench, Todd moved over her, bringing his mouth to her ear. "The greater your struggle, the more difficult it is for me to remain in control – you must trust me."

A whimper escaped from Jennifer's throat, doubt coloring her energy a dull shade of gray. Filled with turmoil, he gathered his essence around her, ready to battle his appetence should she not be able to transcend her fear. But when her hand relaxed slightly, he took that minuscule admission to mean she conceded, and it gave him the strength to break through her tumultuous thoughts, to gather her relucent form to his.

Cradling her, Todd rocked into her, sheathing his hardened length to the hilt as he pushed Jennifer beyond the mere physicality of the act, wrapping her in layers of gossamer, taking her passed the agony, each thrust harder and deeper than the last until they snapped, a wave of ecstasy rolling over them, her passage tightening around him as he emptied his seed into her waiting depths. Like congruent waves crashing together, the raw diaphanous threads of their energy harmonized, increasing in intensity, until they were lost within the other, their minds and bodies intertwined in a pool of rippling energy, pulsing in time with the rhythm of their thumping hearts.

Jennifer's mouth fell open with a howl and he seized the opportunity to capture her in a kiss, the bittersweet flavor of her humanity clinging to her lips and, with his skin alternating between fire and ice, Todd reversed the tired flow of energy, snarling in pain as he relinquished her essence. As the final shred of energy trickled through the bond, the barbs in his palm released and Todd slid his bloodied hand around her torso, crushing Jennifer's delicate frame to his, simply holding her trembling form.

Jennifer sucked chilled air through silent sobs and, bringing his hand to her chin, Todd wiped away the salty streaks from her suddenly pallid cheeks. She had wanted this, as did he, despite his warning, the pleasure a double edged sword as they both experienced the pain and the ecstasy, only now did she understand his reluctance, his doubt she could ever truly trust him.

"Forgive me," he whispered, because the haunted look looming behind her eyes needed some measure of reassurance.

A shiver coursed through her body, something not due to chill yet he treated it as such, untangling her legs from his torso and helping her to stand.

"We must dress."

Gathering their clothes in the uneasy silence, Todd handed the dress to Jennifer and she absently pulled the fine material over her head as he slipped into his pants. Watching Jennifer's distant gaze begin to fade, color returning to her skin, Todd had no doubt she would forget the pain and focus on the pleasure he shared with her, as they all had once they recovered from the initial shock.

Shrugging into his coat, Todd fumbled with the buckles until Jennifer stepped up, already dressed, and pushed aside his hands, working the buckles with expert efficiency.

"Tell me why there is Enzyme in my blood."

Todd grimaced, though he knew he should not be surprised by Jennifer's ability to recover her wits quickly and, for once, spoke the truth. "I do not know."

Lowering her eyes, she accepted his answer and he stroked several strands of hair away from her shoulder raising her face to his.

Placing a last gentle kiss on her lips, Todd's hands slid despondently to his sides. "Come we must go."

Jennifer didn't protest when he swung around heading for the door.

The incommodious feeling rose again within his throat, but he knew ransoming Jennifer for the hybrid's database was still his best course of action.

XXX

The Jumper exited the Gate and immediately the control panel beeped a warning. Four symbols lit up on the holographic screen indicating several Wraith Darts closing fast on their position.

"Whoa!" Rodney exclaimed, his voice thick with anxiety as one of the Darts crossed their path, "I thought we were expected?"

Tensing, John steered the Jumper away from the oncoming craft. "I think they're just the welcoming party."

"How do you know that?" McKay's response bordered on frantic.

"Well Rodney, they haven't fired on us."

The Darts fell into position around the Jumper, and John did his best to remain in the center, following the leader's path as they wound around the planet's topography just above the tree line. They seemed to be testing his piloting skills, weaving through valleys before cresting a hill where the midnight hull of the Hive ship stretched out before them, the massive bulk crushing the landscape beneath its weight.

Suspecting the Darts led him to the same bay they had entered previously, John wasn't surprised when the smaller ships broke off as they neared the tunnel. Swinging the Jumper in a wide arc, John steered the ship through the mouth-like opening and, upon entering the cavernous space, his screen lit up directing him to a specific docking platform.

Dropping two levels, John landed the Jumper and, springing out of his seat, he turned to Teyla who handed him his P90. Snapping the carabineer into the hook on his chest, he nodded once and headed toward the rear. Ronon fell in behind as John punched the manual release and the Jumper's hatch lowered to the floor, the rim disappearing beneath the mist.

The rich earthy aroma of the hive immediately filled his nostrils as John stepped onto the ramp. Peering into the shadows, John could not detect anything lurking in the subdued light but his instincts told him they were not alone.

"You are the one called John Sheppard?" A voice hissed from the shadows as John's boots hit the obscured floor.

Fingering the trigger of his weapon, John called into the dark, "Who's asking?"

The wraith stepped into the pool of light surrounding the landing platform and John heard Ronon raise his weapon.

"Where's Todd," John barked, in no mood to play games with some unnamed wraith.

The wraith's eyes narrowed. "I am second in command - the Commander sent me to verify the information you brought."

"What happened to Kenny?" Rodney wondered out loud from over John's shoulder.

The wraith growled, his lips curling in distaste at McKay's whispered comment. "The Sub-Commander is engaged elsewhere."

Bringing the wraith's attention back to the pressing subject, John proclaimed, "Look, we don't hand over the data until we see Doctor Keller."

"The Commander will arrive once I have verified the data."

Seeing this going nowhere fast, John signaled Rodney to queue up something on his laptop.

Fumbling with his makeshift crystal adaptor, McKay groaned and shuffled forward. The wraith glared at Rodney's approach, pointedly ignoring Ronon's pistol as it trained on his temple.

"You see," Rodney held up the display making an effort not to appear cowed under the wraith's gaze. "It's all there."

The wraith sniffed and nodded, apparently convinced by whatever he saw. "The Commander will be here momentarily."

Retreating into the shadows, the wraith went to stand at the mouth of a corridor and Rodney scampered back to the Jumper's ramp, standing just behind Teyla as she scanned the darkness with a wary eye. Ronon watched the lone wraith like a hawk, his eyes never leaving the shadowed form though he lowered his weapon.

Irked, John shifted the strap of his P90. Todd was fond of making him wait but it was all part of the game and John attempted to appear nonchalant even though the pervasive sensation someone was just over his shoulder whispering in his ear made it difficult not to jump at shadows.

~x~

Following Todd through the corridors, Jennifer teetered on the brink of a breakdown, holding back the tears welling up in her eyes as she reflected on what had passed between them in the laboratory. She definitely had not understood what Todd meant when he uttered 'you have no idea what you ask' and upon retrospect, she should have believed his words because she truly had not. Feeding for the wraith was a craving burning deep within their being, a compulsion difficult to control that, when filled, was rewarded with a drug-like euphoria.

Sharing the sensation of Todd's feeding in the woods, Jennifer wanted to experience it again but had no idea what it would feel like as Todd drained the life from her body, feeding the ecstatic sensation back to her through their bond. Too afraid to question what had happened, she clung to what was foremost in her mind - why were there retroviral proteins in her blood sample, including the Wraith Enzyme? Perhaps it explained why she could sense the wraith, hear Todd's thoughts, but what did he mean when he mumbled six doses? She wanted to trust Todd - had had to trust him – but the circumstances were altogether too complicated to fit the puzzle pieces together in her current state and Jennifer could only wonder what game he played or if it was a game at all. Wraith enslaved their worshipers with the Enzyme, but physical addiction to the Enzyme did not concern her as much as the fact she already wanted to experience the rapture with him again.

Shaking uncontrollably, head down, hands clasped in front of her, Jennifer labored just to put one foot in front of the other, struggling to keep up with Todd's long strides. Paying no attention to where she was led or the fact a score of Drones emptied from a side corridor falling into place behind them, they passed through an archway into a large open chamber and Jennifer froze, her head snapping up as someone called her name.

"Jen!"

It was Rodney's voice cutting over the cacophony of echoing boot heels. Going numb with shock, a Drone grasped her arm, propelling her forward to stand just behind Todd's monolithic frame and, watching the scene unfold as if she were someone else, Jennifer's eyes flickered between John and Ronon, to Teyla and finally Rodney as he shuffled on the Jumper's ramp, peering at her over Teyla's head.

Todd asked curtly, "You brought what I asked for?"

"Yeah, we brought it," John replied with a sour look.

"Show me."

Coming forward to stand alongside John, Rodney produced a Lantean crystal from his pocket. Holding it up in the air, the translucent device flashed in the subdued light, tossing a shower of rainbows across Rodney's visage.

Commanded to retrieve the crystal from Rodney's outstretched arm with a miniscule flick of Todd's chin, a Drone marched towards the pair, plucking the device from McKay's hand, placing it into Todd's upturned palm.

A wicked gleam in his reptilian eyes, Todd bantered, "I don't suppose you would try to dupe me John Sheppard?"

"Now would I do that Todd?" John replied snarkily. "Besides, your lackey already had a peek."

Todd only sniffed and set the crystal in the nearby interface, his golden eyes glittering with an eerie light as the characters crawled across his screen and after a moment, "Very well, we have an exchange."

Pushed forward by a stunning rifle, Jennifer stumbled. Caught by Teyla as the Athosian woman rushed forward, Jennifer was ushered up the ramp and into the rear of the Jumper.

Deposited on the bench, Jennifer looked at them, seeing their faces but not able to focus. The blurry figures said things she couldn't quite comprehend ~ you're safe ~ don't worry ~ almost there … Her body seemed to float in a thick pool of Jell-O, the sensation of motion roiling her stomach as she tried to breathe through someone else's lips until, abruptly, she snapped back into herself, the silence suddenly deafening. Clapping her hands over her ears, Jennifer screamed.