Better slow than never, here's chapter 4 ^^
Chapter 4
He stares at his faint reflection in the glass walls of his prison. Now that he has chosen the imprisonment it does not bother him much anymore. There is, of course, a lingering discomfort connected to being in an enclosed room with no chance of escape, which has developed with the years and will probably never truly fade away, but he is confident he can handle it. Millennia of living on Hive Ships have taught him to feel at home in narrow corridors and compact quarters and even though, unlike wraith ships, all the human constructs are dead to the touch, he can draw reassurance from the small similarity. Plus, after all, there is a chance for escape now. He has made it for himself, and if he plays his cards right then one day all things will be much better. So Todd sits and waits for the humans to decide on all further procedures in perfectly relaxed silence.
The human name still amuses him. Wraith call each other by who they are, it is a telepathic burst of information that no human could receive, much less completely understand. The pinkish creatures wouldn't know the significance of each puzzle piece that makes a wraith, or how to put them together for a proper introduction. No, humans like their names and are happy with that one word that says nothing about them. Of course, because of long distance communication and similar necessities, there are ways to call a wraith by only one word, but that one word is usually simply said wraith's rank. Todd currently possesses no rank to speak of and therefore he does not mind his new designation, he can see the use in it. What amuses him is that the humans think accepting it makes him more like them.
The heavy door to the room that holds him and his glass cube opens and in walk soldiers. They guide him to the room they brought him to a few days ago on Sheppard's behalf, and once they have made sure that he is correctly cuffed to the metal table Sheppard, McKay and one who Todd has only seen once, but knows is called General O'Neill, walk in. Todd guesses the high-ranked man is here to sanction whatever decision the humans have come to.
"Sooo," O'Neill says, dragging out the 'o' while he looks Todd up and down, assessing him. The wraith has no qualms about doing the same. He has faced off against higher-ranked ones before, both wraith and human, and if he hadn't come out as the winner then he would not be here.
"We've pondered your suggestions and made up an acceptable version of the deal," O'Neill finally says.
"Acceptable for you," Todd lets him know that he understands the game.
Genral O'Neill raises an eyebrow but shrugs and answers: "Well, we're the ones holding your leash at the moment."
As much as Todd can fight, he can also bow when it is necessary. He will not bow to O'Neill but neither will he utter useless threats that only serve to antagonize his game piece. So he ignores the comment about his current place in the food chain and motions with one hand for O'Neill to continue. "What are your terms?"
O'Neill grins. "I like this one, he's more sensible than the others I met," he happily comments at McKay.
"I still don't think this is a good idea..." the scientist grumbles.
Todd ignores him in favor of finally looking at Sheppard. The man has kept quiet so far, staring at Todd without really seeing him. He seems deep in thought. The wraith cocks his head to the side, contemplating. He could just take what he wants to know from the other's mind, but he would like to have the human's trust in their future dealings, and even though Sheppard wouldn't know he was right there in the man's brain, he doesn't want to slip up and answer a question which the other had only thought about so far but never mentioned aloud. So he decides to let Sheppard be.
But even without any mind contact, Todd can smell the indecision coming off the human in waves, the cocktail of excitement about something new, and fear, because whatever was to come might not be good. It seems like the man has not yet come to terms with his new fate. Todd doesn't feel sorry for burdening Sheppard with the knowledge that his life was traded for that of someone else.
"Hey, are you even listening!" Both Todd and Sheppard turn to an angry McKay, the latter a lot more obviously startled than the former. McKay huffs, then, happy he has their attention now, starts over again.
Okay, I'm going to explain this one last time," the physicist says. "We take you back to Pegasus and make a conscious effort to solve the wraith feeding problem rather than keep developing a super weapon to try and just blow you all out of existence. We will listen to your suggestions and let you help if we think it is safe for us to follow your advice." He waits for Todd to nod his head as a sign of understanding. Todd does him the favor, if only because anything else would just prolong his time here in this facility
"In turn, you will help us save the city of Atlantis and bring it to full function, as well as assist us with any other problems we might encounter. You will be the test subject for whatever final solution we will come up with and spread said solution among the wraith. To achieve that final goal you will be granted your freedom. If we fail to develop a solution before you need to feed to survive any longer, you will be shot."
Todd allows himself to look surprised at that last sentence.
"You did say you'd like that better than starving. Figured if we treat you somewhat nicely, maybe you'll return the favor." Sheppard shrugs lazily.
"I do remember favors," Todd admits. It's funny, even though this Sheppard is the exception in many ways, there are still things that are glaringly similar. They will never escape from a Genii-cell together but this unspoken little deal is close enough for now. Still, there are better things to do than dwelling on such thoughts. Todd straightens his back and turns to all the humans in the room.
"In short, I save your city and my fellow wraith, or die trying." he summarizes, and grins. "In that case, I'd rather stop wasting time. We have a deal."
O'Neill nods. "Good. Then we'll start preparing things. McKay?"
The both of them leave. Sheppard remains. Todd leans back in his chair and looks at the man. He can't figure out why Sheppard is still there. However, he is not the only one who is coming up short. The human narrows his eyes, like he's trying to figure Todd out and this wraith raises his brows. He knows humans do that when portraying mocking skepticism. It's always amazing how far adapting their extensive body language can get him, they tell him what he wants to know much faster than when he behaves himself like proper wraith do. The human subconsciousness apparently likes to assume that familiar things are more harmless than the unknown. Sometimes it's annoying to express less in mind and more in body, but he's had much time to study and get used to it. Not to mention it is usually worth it. Sheppard, too, is about to fall for it.
Fidgeting ever so slightly, the human finally blurts out: "What is it?!"
"What is it?" he repeats, and lets it bleed through that he doesn't understand what Sheppard is talking about.
"What about me made you decide to cooperate with the SGC people?! You could've bargained with them before, or you could've run away the other day, but instead you come rescue me and suddenly propose to work with McKay and the others if I come along?!" Sometime along the burst of questions Sheppard had started to gesticulate wildly.
Todd regards him. The man he has put his hopes in seems a lot more frayed than he would ever like an ally to be, but it is not the first time he takes whatever he can get and makes the best of it. Maybe Sheppard, too, only needs a glimpse of what could be, a reason to get back on his feet. This wraith decides to try his luck. He lifts his left hand, always his left hand because humans are so easily scared, as far as he can with the short chain connecting his wrist to the table.
"I told you, you need to come inside to see your destiny..." He grins. "But, there is no more glass in the way now."
Sheppard looks skeptical, but then guesses what he's supposed to do and reluctantly bends over the table to lay his forehead against the wraith's fingertips, the both of them ever-mindful of Todd's sharp nails.
It is easy to take information from the human mind or to confuse them with superficially-transmitted impressions, but to get something more profound into their heads, physical contact is quite useful. He still doesn't show Sheppard all that he knows, that would be far too much for the human brain to process at once and it would make Todd redundant. But a small peek of flying puddle jumpers and saving people, of the beautiful skies and planets that his home galaxy has to offer and, most of all, he offers pictures of Atlantis.
He chuckles at Sheppard's wide eyes when he pulls back. The human looks sufficiently impressed, and blinks a few times as if to reassure himself he is still on Earth and not at the places he just saw. Todd gives him a moment, then puts his fingertips back to Sheppard's forehead. What he offers to the human now is strictly from their own reality. Here, the corridors of Atlantis are only dimly lit by emergency light and the puddle jumpers collect dust in their hangar. Genii and Wraith alike keep trying to find the city and leave great damage in their wake. There is no saving people, the earthlings have enough problems keeping their own skin whole.
"You make the difference between one and the other," this wraith tells the human when he leans back for good and drops his hand back on the table.
"I do?!" Sheppard splutters.
"As far as I know." Todd shrugs, another gesture he has picked up from his captors.
The human swallows, then nods in that frantic way this wraith has learned to associate with people trying to understand something incredible while simultaneously blocking out panic.
"Okay..." Sheppard says, although the human's careless attitude can't fool Todd's keen sense of smell, there is a little panic still, "I think I need some time to process that..."
He staggers from the room and Todd is smiles to himself. All is going well.
They are standing on the platform in front of the gate. The humans look at him like mice eye a cat, but Todd is too distracted to act deliberately threatening and laugh at their flinching. He keeps watching the gate in anticipation, waiting for the event horizon to come into its blue existence.
"You really hate this place, huh?" Sheppard asks, standing next to him. The human has a pack on his back and wears the uniform issued to him. He looks a little nervous to Todd, but since no human bothers to reassure him, Todd guesses they don't realize their new crew member isn't as self-assured as they think. Oddly enough, despite his nervousness in the face of the future, Sheppard is the only one here who's got no problem standing next to a wraith.
"You didn't take your eyes off the stargate ever since we entered the room," the man continues when this wraith doesn't answer immediately.
"I've made worse memories in worse places, but I would indeed like to return to my home galaxy. This one is so silent…" Todd admits after another moment.
"Silent?" Sheppard asks and pointedly looks at all the people around them, who talk loudly and yell orders as they get ready for dialing Atlantis.
"For a single wraith it is." Todd ends the conversation by stepping forward to the spot where an armed soldier is pointing him to. He is now surrounded by four of them and McKay comes up to take the lead of the group. The scientist turns back to Todd, lips a thin, unhappy line, and waves Sheppard to his side. Now that the formation is ready, the gate begins dialing.
Todd closes his eyes, the sound of chevrons locking in is like music to his ears. He did not lie to Sheppard, this galaxy is quiet and dark to a single wraith, no web of minds whispering at the edges of his consciousness, no reassurance that he is not the only one. But that will change now. Everything will change. He has found this reality's Sheppard.
Grinning, the wraith walks into the blue.