Chapter 14 – The Weakness
He'd showered, tidied his quarters, and changed into a different bed-shirt, as the other one had smelt a little off. He'd read some 'War and Peace', checked his emails, and rechecked the agenda for tomorrow.
None of it had helped.
Two games of Solitaire on his laptop hadn't helped either.
He switched off the computer, set it on the side and turned off the last small light. As if the darkness was going to help – he clearly wasn't going to fall asleep any time soon.
If he could just stop looking towards the closed door to Teyla's quarters then maybe he'd actually be able to relax for a bit.
Yeah, that clearly wasn't going to happen either. His gaze just kept returning to the closed door like an obsession. He'd missed his chance really; he should have knocked on her door maybe half an hour after he'd left her with Si. Then it would have made sense, just putting his head round the door to say goodnight.
Now, a whole hour and a half had gone by, so she'd probably be in bed and it would be weird saying hi now. Wouldn't it?
He didn't want to wake her...or be tempted to do something he had decided would be stupid. They were friends and things had been good between them – no shouting.
He winced at the stupid comment he'd made to her earlier, and with Si in hearing distance. He hadn't meant to reference past fights, but it had just popped out of his mouth.
"Stupid John," he muttered into the silent darkness.
She hadn't appeared to be upset about it, though she had looked uncomfortable. Great, good move of his!
Still, it felt wrong not to just check on her. It was her first night here, alone in her room, well apart from Ketra being in there with her. And the fact that she was Honoured Elite Emmagan who'd probably fallen asleep in warzones or Wraith Hives before. The comfortable bed and safe walls of Atlantis could hardly be that much of a worry to her. Besides, she'd stayed here before...
Nope, he didn't need to start remembering her last visit here during the big Non-Aggression Treaty talks. He'd had so much fun with her around during that last stay – they'd worked every excuse possible to visit each other's quarters, and they'd sneaked her into his quarters most nights, sharing his bed together... Sure, the political talks had all been about trying to stop a war between Atlantis and the Alliance, there'd been that a near riot in the city, and a Genii assassin had climbed in through his balcony door to murder him in his sleep; but he still remembered the time fondly because he'd spent most of it all with Teyla.
And maybe because it had been the last real time that they'd been completely happy and relaxed with each other.
A lot had changed since then.
Some of the changes were good though. Things really did seem to be positive with the Alliance because of the Political Marriage, and the Elite were making a real sweet trade offer. The future looked brighter because of their marriage.
He still occasionally had a nightmare where she'd turned down his marriage offer and had chosen the Terminator-looking Genii General Maloo instead. In those dreams, the Elite ended up getting all chummy with the Genii and had turned on Atlantis. And Teyla was spending her nights in Maloo's bed.
This was stupid; he should just knock on her door and check she was okay. Then, maybe, he'd get some sleep.
A faint scratching sound cut through his obsessive thoughts. For a brief second, he found himself worrying if another assassin was breaking in like last time! But that was stupid because he didn't even have a balcony off these new quarters.
The scratching started again and this time the direction was obvious – Teyla's door. John knew instantly who it was scratching at his door, and the relief had him snapping up from his bed to use the excuse to finally open the door.
He swept his hand over the crystals and the adjoining door slid back to reveal Ketra, one clawed foot raised to paw at his doorframe.
"Ketra!" Teyla was in the middle of calling to the dragon.
"Hey, Ketra," John smiled down at the orange eyes looking up at him, and he reached out to stroke the velvety alien lizard's skin.
"John, I am sorry," Teyla offered as she appeared into view from the right, lit prettily by the one lamp on by her bed. "She seems so very restless this evening."
"Don't worry about it," John smiled, so pleased to finally have the door open he felt like hugging Ketra for giving him the opportunity.
"I am sorry," Teyla repeated as she moved towards him and Ketra. She was dressed in nice dark blue PJs, which he hadn't seen before. They fitted her nicely, somehow being loose and comfy, but also still hugging her in the all the right places.
She was also barefooted, something he rarely saw anymore. Without her usual boots, she was down to her natural petite height again. He remembered that she fitted in just right against his chest when she was barefoot.
She stopped on the other side of Ketra and John had to work on pulling his eyes up from her bare golden toes and new flattering bedclothes.
"She is not usually like this in new places," Teyla frowned down at her Wraith-killing pet.
"Maybe the place smells strange to her or something," John suggested off the top of his head, vividly aware of a sweet Athosian scent in the air now Teyla was stood close by. Her shower wash stuff. She'd had a shower then...all naked...
"Perhaps," Teyla nodded, and a little too willingly at the Atlantis smell suggestion.
"You don't think it smells bad here do you?" He made sure to check.
She lifted her eyes up from Ketra to meet his across the short few feet between them, and smiled at him. It was a nice large smile. It was her first natural smile all day.
"Not at all," she assured him. "I like the scent of the sea in the air here."
"Good," he smiled back. Ketra's weight pressed slightly against the outside of his leg, so he glanced down and scratched around one large dragon ear. Ketra leant further against him for a beat, but then stretched her neck around his legs, taking an interesting in his quarters behind him.
"Ketra, not in there," Teyla warned, seeing Ketra's intentions.
"It's alright," John assured her. "She can look around if she wants." He realised that he kind of meant Teyla as well as Ketra.
"Perhaps if she can look around your quarters she will stop scratching at your door," Teyla suggested.
"Sure," John moved aside a little, giving Ketra space to pass by him. She instantly took the unspoken offer and hurried into his quarters, barging against his legs slightly in her eagerness.
"Careful, Ketra!" Teyla called.
"There's not much she can damage in there," John hoped that was true enough.
With once quick glance at Ketra, who had her large snout to the floor and was snuffling her way around his floor, he turned and focused back on Teyla. His wife.
She smiled back up at him.
The air seemed kind of...intimate...with them both in their nightclothes, him stood in her doorway.
If it had been a couple of months ago, they wouldn't have just been standing here.
"You all settled in?" John checked.
"Yes, thank you," she glanced around her. "The quarters are very nice."
John nodded, pleased. He noticed across the room behind her that a mug and the kettle had moved on the little coffee table. "The kettle work okay for you?" He indicated the table.
"Yes, I had a cup earlier," she smiled at that as she glanced round to the table and then looked back round at him. "I had thought to see if you wished to share some tea, but I thought you might have retired to bed already."
He felt absurdly happy to hear that she'd thought about knocking on his door to share some tea.
"I would have loved one," he grinned back at her. "I wasn't sure if Si had left already and then I wasn't sure if you'd gone to bed."
"Si left a while ago, but I did not want to risk disturbing you."
"You can knock on my door anytime," he told her. He hadn't meant it to sound flirtatious, but it certainly came out that way.
Both of Teyla's eyebrows rose.
"Um, you know what I mean," he frowned.
"I shall keep that under advisement," she smiled as she turned and moved away.
What had that meant exactly?
He leant forward and peered around the adjoining doorframe to watch her walk to the end of her bed, but she simply picked up the colourful blanket he'd picked out for her. She shook it out slightly and wrapped it around her shoulders. He guessed she was feeling a little cold, or was she covering up a bit in front of him?
Which reminded him...
"Look, I'm, uh, sorry about what I said earlier, in front of Si," he moved forward a step as she adjusted the blanket around one shoulder and began padding back towards him. Walking quietly on her lovely bare feet.
"It is fine, John," she smiled as she approached, still adjusting the blanket around her. It felt weirdly arousing to see her wrapping the blanket he'd picked out for her around her body.
"Believe me, Si has heard me lose my temper enough to shout before."
She really didn't seem upset by it at all. Good.
She stopped a foot or so away from him, closer than earlier. "I thought today went well," she said, repeating what she'd asked earlier.
"Definitely," he agreed immediately. She'd secured the blanket around her, but not covered her front completely, showing the lower point of her neckline. He took that as a good sign that she wasn't completely covering up.
"The temperature okay for you in here?" He checked.
"I had forgotten how warm the city can be during the day and cooler at night," she smiled. "I shall have to bring a few more blankets for my next visit."
"I found that one in our trading supplies," he gestured to the colourful wrap. "We can find some more tomorrow, if you want."
She ran her fingers along the blanket over one arm and looked up at him. "I did not realise you had chosen this for me."
He shrugged casually, but felt more than a little bit pleased with himself. "I wanted you to have something more colourful in here, more...Athosian, so you'd feel more at home."
Her smile widened, little smile lines appearing at the corner of her eyes and her cheeks looked rosier. "That is very thoughtful of you, John. Thank you."
He was certainly feeling warmer.
"If there's anything else you need, we can have a dig around the stores," he smiled back at her. Her eyes seemed darker in the half light of her quarters. Like deep dark pools that were staring up at him, looking all lovely.
She glanced away, breaking the moment. "I was thinking that perhaps a small rug on the floor beside the tea table there."
John nodded, not looking at the coffee table she was pointing to; he just looked at her. "Sure, whatever you want."
She looked back round at him, her dark eyes meeting his again.
It had been a while since he'd felt the pull between them, like there was something hot and electric in the air between them. He had to stop himself from leaning forward towards her out of pure habit. Or maybe he should...
The cautious thoughts from the past weeks reasserted themselves though as he held her gaze, and he felt the indecision hit him like a flash of cold water.
She glanced aside, breaking the moment further.
Damn it.
"Ketra!" Teyla said abruptly, and he realised that she had actually been looking away into his quarters behind him. "Get down from there!"
John looked over his shoulder to see that Ketra was up on his bed, looking like she was getting all comfortable for the night.
Ketra turned her head and looked round at them, and John could swear the dragon looked confused. It occurred to him that maybe Ketra had thought he was going to be sleeping in with Teyla, as he had used to do in her old Tjaru quarters. He remembered that Ketra had used to leave the room, usually leaving him and Teyla in her bedroom and Ketra would curl up on the rug in the next room, or sometimes on one of the couches.
"Ketra!" Teyla repeated her order more sternly now.
Ketra made an actual huffing noise that sounded like a grumpy sigh, and began to drag herself off his bed; not all that fast though.
"It's okay," John looked back round to Teyla. "At least she doesn't shed," he joked. "Does she?" He suddenly realised he wasn't sure if that was true. "Maybe some dragon dandruff?" He was wittering now, feeling weird at the moment they'd just shared and then lost just as quickly.
"Not that I have noticed," Teyla replied.
Heavy, oddly somewhat sulky sounding, dragon steps were heading towards him, so John looked back and down to see Ketra plodding towards them.
"I guess she approves of the beds here," he joked again as the dragon began pushing past him. He reached down and stroked Ketra's side and she paused to lean her large shoulder against his leg. He rubbed her side, showing he wasn't upset with her for the whole bed stealing thing, besides, it might just have been his fault because he'd let her share the spare bed on the Sythus with him a few times.
"She has always liked spending time with you," Teyla offered.
He smiled at that, but had to correct that. "Not at first."
Teyla nodded, her eyes lowering to Ketra and back. "Father still believes it was because she was jealous of you at first."
Yeah, Torren had brought that up before now.
"I'd have thought she'd have gotten more jealous later when we...started spending more time together," he glanced back at her, not sure whether he should be mentioning those days. Those passionate, fun, and sexy times.
"True," Teyla readily agreed though, and she even smiled at him. "Perhaps it was that she sensed your intentions towards me from the start and did not like it."
He straightened up from stroking Ketra. "Or maybe she sensed you were too interested in me and that was why she was jealous."
Teyla's responding smile had a slanted, almost flirtatious angle to it. "Perhaps."
Okay...
The fizz was back in the air again, or was it just his body that was fizzing?
He wasn't sure what exactly was different this evening, but something felt different. Or perhaps more familiar.
Teyla glanced away, breaking the moment again. "I wanted to thank you for your assistance today, John."
"You already thanked me," he pointed out, keeping his entire awareness on her. Ketra had moved away and he couldn't have cared less if she was back on his bed and was settled in for the night.
Teyla's dark eyes lifted back to his, but he could see that the flirtatious mood had shifted. "I appreciate that so often it has been you visiting with me among my people, either Athosian or Elite, and now I am the one among your people. I found your close presence today very helpful and supportive."
He was kind of taken back by that. "I'm happy to help," he told her honestly.
"I think our marriage has started to have true and real effects," she said.
He got that she meant politically speaking...of course.
"I agree," he nodded, working to ignore the strange little hurt feeling in his chest. "Space guns and everything," he tried to joke.
She chuckled slightly, but her smile faded a little.
He blinked, becoming aware of something about her. He wasn't sure what it was, but there was something off. Pulling his attention away from his appreciation of her new PJs and the strange attraction but also cautious feeling in the air between them, he studied her.
"You okay?" He asked on impulse.
She looked a little surprised at the question, but then glanced aside, a strangely sad looking frown crossing her beautiful face. He felt the compulsion to pull her in for a hug. They hugged on Athos.
"I just," she shook her head slightly and then took a breath. "I am feeling a little...out of place," she looked back up at him.
He understood now. "You feeling a bit homesick, huh?"
"A little," she shrugged, seeming a little self-conscious. He liked that she was sharing how she really felt with him. She trusted him, not just with work stuff and big Alliance contracts, but with how she was feeling.
"Which is strange," she continued, "because I do not have a set home anyway."
"Don't let your Dad hear you say that," he teased her gently.
She nodded and grinned, looking a little more relaxed.
Part of him really wanted to offer to sleep next to her, so she'd feel more comfortable, but he didn't say it. He didn't think she'd want that, or, even if she took up the offer, he didn't trust himself to keep his hands from exploring under her new blue PJs.
He should focus on just saying something to make her feel better. "Another big day tomorrow to look forward to," was all he could think of to say. "Ketra gets to meet Dr Petri."
Teyla tried to smile at that, but she hadn't looked all that happy about the prospect of the Exobiologist due to meet Ketra tomorrow.
"Hey, Dr Petri is great. She'll love Ketra," John added quickly, because he clearly wasn't helping. "She's a great scientist," he guessed. He didn't really spend time with the woman who had only been in the city this last year. "Best in her field." He wasn't sure how many exobiologists there were – maybe a lot now with the Stargate programme back home.
Teyla nodded.
John reconsidered his words a little. "She's a little bit...wacky," he thought he should probably mention.
"Wacky?" Teyla repeated the word with a frown which meant that the word hadn't translated well.
"Yeah, um," he tried to think of the best description of the wild haired Exobiologist, "eccentric," he decided on.
"Oh," Teyla nodded that she understood, but clearly he wasn't actually helping. It was probably the Athosian shower wash smell messing with his brain.
"She's great though," John tried to repair the situation. "Hey, I'm not due to be on duty tomorrow until 11:00, so I could go with you and Ketra to meet her," he suggested.
She smiled at that. "That would be helpful."
Good, she looked more convinced now.
He liked that his going made things better for her.
Maybe his sleeping next to her really would help her feel more comfortable here.
"Then when I'm back late afternoon," he added quickly before he got thinking about bed sharing, "it'll be time to try golf, with Si." Why had he gone and invited Si to join them?
"Yes, I am looking forward to finally trying your golf game," Teyla replied.
"See," he smiled back, "lots to look forward to here." He reached out and touched her arm lightly, needing to make some contact to reassure her.
The tiny touch was satisfying though, just that small touch. On Athos at least they got to share a hug and even sometimes he kissed her on her cheek to say hello.
She smiled back, not recoiling from the touch at all.
"In no time you'll be thinking of Atlantis as another home," he suggested. Her elbow was warm through the layer of the blanket over her bare arm.
"I am sure I will," she seemed to be reassuring him now.
He still had his hand on her elbow.
He should probably move it.
Except it felt nice, even that little contact.
It was getting difficult to remember why them being together was a bad thing right now. Stood close to one another in the doorway of their adjoining quarters, both dressed for bed, barefoot. The Athosian flowery smell lingered around him, tempting, easing, and stimulating all at once. All warmed by her body heat that he could feel under his fingers.
What were those silly little reasons this was a bad idea again?
That if they were found out he could get fired, maybe grounded from piloting again.
Maybe even sent back to Earth.
Except they were married now...
Could it really be all that wrong?
The fizz was back in the air, buzzing the air between them like a living thing. Her eyes were dark pools looking up at him, her body faintly tensed like she was ready to move...away or towards him?
She was the one to break eye contact, looking away sharply. "I should probably turn in for the night," she said as she faintly shifted her weight back slightly.
He dropped his hand from her elbow. "Sure," he agreed just as quickly, making sure he didn't sound disappointed. "If you need me tonight, just knock." That sounded like a certain kind of offer. "Um, I mean, you know-"
"I understand," she interrupted, smiling, but there was that annoying awkward tension between them again. "Thank you."
"Sleep well," John told her, finding it suddenly difficult to make direct eye contact.
"You as well, John," she replied, while moving backwards and turning towards the direction of her bed. "I shall see you tomorrow morning before first meal," she added.
"Sure," he agreed as he stepped back over the threshold back into his quarters. He smiled at her again as she looked back at him over her colourfully blanketed shoulder. "Night, Teyla."
"Goodnight, John," she smiled back, warmly again.
He waved his hand over the door crystals and the door slid shut abruptly.
He let out a loud heavy sigh. Damn it.
"Smooth, John. Real smooth," he muttered to himself as he turned away into his quarters.
It was dark in here now the light from Teyla's side of the door was gone. He headed for his bed, his eyes adjusting back to the low light level. He took a moment to shake out his covers and give the mattress a quick brush in case Ketra was having a shedding season.
He climbed back into the bed and dropped onto his back, letting out another sigh towards the dark ceiling above.
A long scratch echoed across the room.
He lifted his head, hearing straining.
The sound repeated several times – Ketra was back at the adjoining door, trying to dig through it apparently.
The sound stopped, and John could picture Teyla on the other side telling Ketra off again.
Silence followed.
He stared at the closed adjoining door through the darkness. He could only just make out the outline lit by the door crystals, but it was enough. Was he going to have to do this every night all week – stare at her door like a lovesick puppy?
He turned onto his side, away from the door, huffing out loud like Ketra had done earlier. Maybe he should start running in the evenings as well as the mornings, help burn off some energy this week.
The scratching started up again, long scrapes by long dragon claws.
The scratching stopped...then started again.
He started chuckling into the dark. Clearly Ketra didn't understand why there was a closed door between them all.
The sounds stopped, and stayed quiet this time. He imagined that Teyla had probably gotten pretty cross with Ketra now.
He closed his eyes and willed his body to relax, especially certain still fizzing feeling areas of him.
The scratching started up again.
This time he got up and padded his way to the door. He waved his hand over the crystals and the door opened again, but this time to an equally dark room on the other side. There was enough light from the crystal panels though for him to see Ketra sat on the floor looking up at Teyla stood over her.
"...behave yourself," Teyla was saying as the door opened. "I am sorry, John," she quickly added as she straightened up.
"It's okay," he assured her, but it was clear to him that there was only going to be one way that Ketra would stop the scratching. "We can keep the door open, if it's easier. I don't mind," he offered.
"Are you sure?" Teyla asked.
"Yeah, if you're okay with it," he checked, wondering if the open door would be breaching that distance between them.
"She may end up trying to climb up on your bed again," Teyla pointed out, not seeming all that worried at the prospect of the open door policy though.
John shrugged. "Wouldn't be the first time," he waved off the worry.
"If you are certain," she nodded and then turned to Ketra. "Ketra, this is your bed, remember," she encouraged Ketra away back to the mattress on the floor.
Ketra looked back to John.
"I'll just be in here, Ketra," John told her. He had no idea how much Ketra understood, but he'd learnt a while ago that the dragon was far more intelligent than she looked.
Ketra moved away from the doorway and out of the light, so he couldn't see them.
"We will keep the door open for you, Ketra, but you need to sleep here," Teyla said in the dark and he heard Ketra's weight drop onto her mattress.
"Sleep well, ladies," he called into the darkness as he turned to head back to his bed.
"Goodnight, John," Teyla called back.
As he got back into bed, he could faintly hear Teyla still talking softly to Ketra. After a few seconds, her voice stopped and he strained his hearing until he heard what sounded like the creak of Teyla's bed as she climbed back into it.
Then silence.
He smiled into the darkness now, feeling oddly more cheerful again. It made no sense at all why he would, but he did.
After a few minutes, he could hear a snuffle and the scrape of claws on Ancient floor that sounded like Ketra was back in the adjoining doorway, moving around, but a second later the sound moved away again.
He was kind of touched that the big lizard liked to know where he was.
He pulled his sheets up over his shoulders more comfortably and turned onto his side, facing the adjoining door this time.
Sleep arrived easily now. He knew there was no way he could actually hear Teyla's breathing from the other room, but the sound seemed to play around him as he slipped into a nice warm dream.
00000
The restricted entrance into Myrtle's was only known to the Elite and select military leaders, so Oneakka had no eyes on him as he tapped in the access code sent to the Facility daily. The door was opened by a smart security professional.
"Welcome, Honoured Elite," the man greeted as he bowed to Oneakka. "Would you like a drink or some food?"
"Where's Myrtle?" Oneakka asked simply as he stepped into the club.
The main club was only a wall away, so the deep vibrations of music were just discernible over the more laid back mellow music playing in the restricted section of Myrtle's. The restricted entrance allowed Elite could come and go from the club without interacting with anyone else, or from where they could head into the main club. But Oneakka wasn't here to socialise.
The security member looked up from his arm mounted display screen. "Myrtle is currently on floor three and should be available soon to meet."
Oneakka nodded and headed away from the man and straight for the single flight of stairs that ran above the small bar. There were only three Elite on the ground floor this evening, and Oneakka knew two of them were on temporary hiatus for wound recovery. The third was one of the eldest Elite and one of his former teachers; she lifted a tall glass of a dark liquid to him as he climbed the stairs. Oneakka nodded back to her respectfully, but focused on moving up the stairs as quickly as he could.
It didn't pay to let Myrtle have enough to time to prepare himself.
The message had come through from Myrtle less than half an hour ago and Oneakka had headed straight here.
He liked the club, but he didn't like interacting with Myrtle. The man was a cliché wrapped in an ego that could power a battleship for a week.
Myrtle's message had clearly been designed to provoke a reaction, so Oneakka was happy to oblige. He suspected Myrtle wouldn't expect him to turn up though. At least not so quickly.
Oneakka reached the empty third floor in quick time and moved around the lone security guard up here, to spot Myrtle sat at a table, up close and personal with a female, and it sounded like they were discussing some sort of trade. Though, from the presence of the woman's hand high up on Myrtle's thigh, there was other trade going on as well.
Myrtle attracted female attention like fragrant flowers drew in insects. Women wafted to him as if under some chemical spell, and had done so since the man had hit puberty. They'd been in the same training year, and so Myrtle had been in Oneakka's life from his first day in Elite training as a young child. The first memory that he could recall of Myrtle was sitting next to him as they had learnt how to write the newly established Alliance technical language with big charcoal crayons. They hadn't ever been friends, even as children, but they had been a part of each other's life.
He hadn't seen Myrtle for a good few months, but the man looked exactly the same, as always. Tonight he was dressed in an open white shirt that looked like it had cost a great deal of currency. But then Myrtle had plenty of currency from his successful club, in fact the man had been successful in everything he chose to focus on. He'd been a good warrior and his loss from the fighting ranks had been a hit; but, he still served and gained success in all other manner of ways.
Oneakka didn't question Myrtle's dedication to being an Elite, but some days he suspected that the sole reason Myrtle had chosen a nightclub for his business was because it allowed him to meet as many women as he wanted.
Tonight's current flirtations were focused on this new woman, who looked more familiar to Oneakka the closer he got. It took him a second more to identify her as the commander of the Kitan home defence fleet. She spotted him approaching at about the same point as he recalled her name. She straightened her back and Oneakka saw her hand disappear from Myrtle's lap.
Myrtle looked round and Oneakka was particularly pleased at the shocked surprise across the man's face. Clearly he hadn't read his security's announcement that Oneakka was on his way up. He had been too interested in arranging his 'trading'.
"I think I shall go find myself another drink," the commander told Myrtle as she stood up.
Oneakka reached the table as the woman extracted herself from it and slid past him with as much distance as she could politely manage.
"Honoured Elite," she smiled to him with a nod as she moved around him.
"Commander," Oneakka replied, making sure she, and Myrtle, knew he had identified her. He didn't give a Wraith shit that she was here flirting with Myrtle, that was their business, but it always helped to make Myrtle feel uncomfortable.
Oneakka sat down at the table, sitting directly opposite Myrtle, and it wasn't so that the man could easily read his lips.
Myrtle signalled the nearby security guard with a wave of his hand. "Two ruus wines for us." The man nodded and spoke into his concealed radio link.
Oneakka didn't want anything to drink, but it was Myrtle's way to play the host and it helped him feel superior.
"Oneakka," Myrtle shifted in his seat, blood probably flowing away from his groin now his flirtations were interrupted. "I had expected a response to my message, but not a personal visit."
"I wanted a break away from the Facility," Oneakka replied simply.
Myrtle narrowed his eyes at him.
"What happened with the man she identified?" Oneakka asked getting directly to the point at hand.
Myrtle's message hadn't held a lot of detail; he'd just reported that Seeal had "kindly graced" his club and had pointed out a criminal to his security force. Then there had been a less than subtle implication that Myrtle had spoken directly with Seeal. The man usually only spoke face-to-face with his patrons if they were in trouble, who were usually male, or he had some 'trading' in mind, who were always female that he'd handpicked from the dancefloor.
Oneakka had come here to make sure neither of those categories applied to Seeal.
A serving attendant arrived and set two thin glasses of ruus wine onto the table, and Myrtle waited until she had left before he answered Oneakka, which was clearly intended to build tension.
Myrtle pushed one glass further towards Oneakka and then smiled. "It was an operation with Enforcement and we let him in so they could pick up his buyer."
Oneakka nodded, the situation making far more sense now. Myrtle didn't let any criminals in here.
"Enforcement got the buyer?" Oneakka checked.
"He arrived a few minutes after I invited Seeal up to my table to thank her."
Oneakka ignored that. "No other issues?" He checked.
Myrtle picked up his glass and paused with the rim against his lower lip. "Nothing worrying."
"Good."
"It was good of you to come all this way to tidy up any mess."
Oneakka looked away as he answered, letting the man work to read his lips. "Hardly a mess."
"Not in my club," Myrtle smiled smugly.
"But apparently military grade trade is," Oneakka baited Myrtle, but was instantly annoyed at himself for giving in to the urge.
"All part of the mandate to find out the sources the High Council are using to build their secret little fleet," Myrtle countered.
"And have you actually found anything useful?" Oneakka challenged.
"Oh everything I have encountered has been useful this evening."
Oneakka just managed to stop himself from rolling his eyes at that.
He contemplated drinking some of the ruus wine. It was odd seeing it in elegant glasses, because that was never how they drank it on Athos. Chunky hand crafted wooden or metal mugs were the usual vessel for ruus, but it was typical that Myrtle would serve it in fancy sparkling clean glasses instead. The man had always had a strange elegance that ran completely counter to Oneakka's own nature. Where he had built layers of useful muscle and collected a variety of scars, Myrtle looked healthy, preened, and annoyingly youthful.
"I would say the same for the delightful Seeal," Myrtle added, his tone and his expression making his intentions clear – both in regards to Seeal and in attempting to provoke Oneakka.
Which meant that Myrtle had probably been talking with Massa, who had also been in their same training year. Massa had always gotten on with Myrtle and had used to visit the club a lot before he had lost Mera and then adopted Aki.
"Useful?" Oneakka checked the man's meaning and avoiding anything else that Myrtle was insinuating.
"I meant simply as an encounter, the woman is quite enticing."
Oneakka felt the reaction and crushed it as quickly as it arrived, making damn sure that nothing of his expression or body language changed to give any hint to Myrtle.
"I can see why you keep her around."
"She continues to be useful," Oneakka supplied and resisted the urge to cross his arms, knowing Myrtle would see it as defensive.
"Really?" Myrtle said suggestively and lifted an eyebrow. "I didn't think that part of you still worked."
Oneakka started talking before he could stop himself. "I'm surprised yours hasn't worn off by now." Old habits; that was why he had retaliated. Old habits and new sensitivities around Raven.
He shouldn't have come here, but, at the same time, he couldn't have left Myrtle's message without a response. Myrtle needed to understand that some women were not to be played with, regardless of how seductive Myrtle could be to the female persuasion.
Myrtle laughed and lifted his ruus wine again. "How is Pampata, by the way?"
"Getting married to Piye," Oneakka supplied more than one answer at a time about his former lover. It also told him that Pampata never came here anymore. Long gone were the days when she had used to attend the club with him and the other Elite and crew. Those had been many long years ago now.
"Really?" Myrtle looked surprised. "Wow, things are changing."
"Pampata is happy and deserves to be."
"And what about you?" Myrtle asked as he set his glass back on the table.
Oneakka frowned at the unexpected question. "It doesn't matter to me that she's marrying," he replied.
"Has she met Seeal?"
"There's no need for her to," Oneakka countered. "Seeal is an Elite employee."
Myrtle nodded as he turned his glass by the base of its long glittering stem. "And a fine woman too: aggressive, intelligent, and beautiful. Just the kind of employees I like."
Oneakka considered punching Myrtle in the nose.
He decided not to.
Myrtle grinned.
Oneakka reconsidered the punch.
It wouldn't be the first time they had come to blows, but those had been younger days. Days before Oneakka had set his life on a more serious and focused path within the Elite training programme; not like before when he had thought people's opinions of him were important and that he needed to prove himself as a man.
When the Wraith had slaughtered his people, he had grown up.
He didn't think Myrtle had ever even considered growing out of his sexualised teenage years.
"You need to start to enjoy your life more, Oneakka," Myrtle stated. "What good is saving the galaxy if you don't appreciate and enjoy what's in the galaxy?"
Oneakka had had enough of this. He pushed up from his seat. He'd achieved what he had wanted to in coming here and it was best not to stay here any longer. Various retaliatory taunts and insults played through Oneakka's mind as he stood up, but he didn't voice them. Myrtle could always bring out the worst in him, even now.
"Do send my highest regards to Seeal," Myrtle baited.
More insults came to mind, but Oneakka held them in as he turned to leave.
"Oneakka?" Myrtle interrupted the departure.
Oneakka paused and glanced back at him.
"For your interest, she turned down my offer," Myrtle reported. He didn't need to explain further as to what that offer would have involved.
Oneakka wasn't surprised the offer had been made, but he was, annoyingly, deeply relieved to hear Raven had shut Myrtle down. He made sure to hide his reaction though.
"Keep up the research on the military shipments," Oneakka told him simply and headed away.
The next floor down, Oneakka turned off the staircase and headed towards the door in the corner that opened up into the main club. Mounted on the wall by the door was a glowing screen displaying lists of names in the club beyond. As anyone military, Elite, or Elite staff who entered Myrtle's had personal subdermal implants, each was recorded as they entered and then left the club. The visitors were listed by categories established by Myrtle, and the Elite and their staff sat at the top of the display's real-time record.
Seeal and her group were still in the club.
Oneakka tapped in the door code and pushed open the door into the corridor that led to the club's bathrooms to the left and to the right it opened up into the second floor mezzanine level in the main public club. The music grew in volume, echoing off the walls as he headed down the corridor and out into the club. The music was loud and of a good rhythm in here, people swaying and even bouncing in their seats.
She'd probably be dancing.
He would just check on them and then leave.
He moved across the half-lit mezzanine level to the railing that looked down over the main dancefloor below.
Lights flashed down through the column of open air that was warm from the number of bodies moving below and the number of lights powering the club from above.
He spotted her immediately within the swaying crowd below. Madesh was with her, as were Nevaeh and Fleta from the Sythus. Oneakka spotted Ru and Numfar a short distance away at the edge of the dancefloor, both drinking down tankards of water.
Oneakka looked back to Seeal, but at this angle he could only really see the top of her head and shoulders as she moved. He could see that she was laughing though; enjoying her freedom.
He pulled his eyes away from the sight and moved through the seated and standing mass of Myrtle's patrons. As usual, everyone moved out of his way, some nodding and most looking terrified.
Oneakka would bet all his currency that Myrtle never had that reaction on his patrons.
Not that Oneakka cared.
He reached the stairs and exchanged polite nods with the security guard stood at the top. Oneakka headed down the steps to the first level and then onwards down towards the ground level. As he did, he looked out across the dancefloor again and spotted Madesh looking his way having noticed him.
Madesh said something and Seeal, dancing in front of him, who looked round over her shoulder.
The second her gaze fell on him, she stopped dancing and turned fully towards him. A cross looking glare filled her flushed features and she began moving through the dancers.
Oneakka focused on heading down the last of the stairs, aware that he was, just a little bit, amused at her reaction.
She appeared at the bottom of the stairs a few seconds before he reached the ground floor. Her fists were on her hips.
He hadn't seen the outfit she was wearing before, but then it made sense that she had different clothing for her evenings out with those from the Sythus.
The low edge of her neckline revealed far more of her cleavage than he'd ever seen, even when he'd tattooed her side. Her cheeks were flushed from her dancing and the heat inside Myrtle's, and her eyes were dark with annoyance.
He stepped down onto the ground floor near her and kept walking, forcing her to move aside and then follow him.
"What are you doing here?" She demanded as he stopped further to the side, out of the way of others. She moved round in front of him, one finger lifting to point up at him.
Fortunately there were plenty of people crowded around down here, even when most of them were trying to leave a wide berth around him, which meant that not that many could see her behaving like this to an Elite warrior.
Not that he cared.
He glanced at the finger pointed at him and wondered when he'd started deliberately provoking this side of her.
"You had better not be checking up on me," she shouted over the music.
Oneakka had some ability to read lips, as all Elite were trained to do, though few were as skilled as Myrtle had had to become. It meant that he didn't need to stand too close to her to know exactly what she was shouting at him, but the clear glossy coating over her lips was new. She probably only wore it on her evenings out.
"Myrtle contacted me," Oneakka informed her, lifting his voice higher over the music and leaning forward a fraction towards her.
She frowned at that and she looked up towards the levels above, and then she focused on one particular point and glared.
Oneakka looked up himself and saw that Myrtle had arrived into the main club. He was stood in plain sight, leaning on the railing up on the second level, and was clearly watching them.
Oneakka looked back to Seeal and she turned the force of her glare on him. "I didn't do anything wrong," she protested, and she looked oddly anxious in her appeal. She didn't usually show that so easily.
It occurred to him that she might have had some alcohol.
"No, you didn't," Oneakka agreed and shook his head clearly for her to understand through the flashing lights and music.
She frowned.
"I'm just visiting an old friend," Oneakka lied and looked up at the distant Myrtle again.
Myrtle angled his head in a way that seemed sarcastic and taunting from down here.
Oneakka looked back to Seeal, to find that her frown had gone and she was looking at him with more interest.
"Friends?" She asked doubtfully as she crossed her arms. The movement lifted her breasts slightly in her thin, low cut top. He made sure to keep his eyes away though.
He started to lie again, only a sudden vibration in his back pocket caught his attention, and then it repeated. A high level alert had come through to his personal pad.
Only, then the double buzz repeated.
He grabbed at his pocket quickly, all else falling from his attention as he pulled out the pad to see the emergency alert.
He hadn't ever seen the alert displayed across the screen before, and, for a split second, he had to re-read it to be sure he had read it correctly.
"What is it?" Seeal asked loudly, moving closer to him, sounding worried.
"Wraith," Oneakka summarised simply as he pushed past her, heading towards the exit through the club as fast as he could.
The security at the door had seen him coming and the way was free for him to rush out of Myrtle's.
As he reached the Portal a few minutes later, pushing past everyone to dial back into the Facility address, he lifted the pad to read the alert again.
"Territory Breach – Hive attack in progress – Atreus."
As the Portal turned, the lights flaring up above him, he frowned at the display.
Someone must have made a mistake typing in the planet. Atreus was deep inside Alliance territory. How could it possibly be under attack from a Hive without having been detected long before? How had all the sensors, satellites, and patrols in the vast distance between Atreus and the closest part of the border not have registered the Hive breaching the territory long ago? How could it be so far into Alliance territory?!
And Atreus was densely populated, with only the usual basic defensive capabilities. It hadn't been culled in well over a decade.
And most of the Fleet were still working on pushing out the border in the far distant former Nest System.
00000
TBC