Chapter 21
Todd's troubles.
- You hurry up, or we will remove the two bodies from there - Sheppard said impatiently.
McKay looked at him grimly up from his tablet connected to the control panel door of the bridge.
- It's not that simple - he summed. - And chiding me will not speed my progress - he said, going back to try to take control of the system door.
Sheppard pulled away, while Ronon and Kiryk still tried to open them manually.
- It does not make sense - John said, and looked reproachfully at the officer Wraith. - You should have some kind of security for such circumstances.
- You certainly have such on your ships? - he said teasingly. - They blocked the door from the inside - Wraith snort. - At once come soldiers.
- By to this time they kill each other there - colonel pointed his thumb at the door.
- Bring Mo - Teyla threw to Sunblaze. - Maybe she help somehow.
- Good idea - said the pilot walked and ran down the corridor to the nearest transporter.
- Well, that's just going to be fun - Wraith said.
Sheppard looked at him, surprised and wanted to say something, when his eye caught the two soldiers. They came to the door by replacing the two men. Now they were trying to open it. They were stronger than humans, so they should be able to open doors - at least the Wraith officer assumed.
Sunblaze hardly slowed down the door to the hatchery. Grabbing the door frame, he ran inside and stopped at the control console, excluding mechanism.
Many organic tentacles wrapped around the female sitting on the throne began to back away, releasing her from their grasp.
He walked over to her and leaned over her.
- Mo? - he asked.
She opened her eyes slowly and looked at him with some surprise.
- What happened?
- It's like... We have a small problem on the bridge... Come on - he said and grabbed her hand, pulling behind him.
She got up quickly... and she moaned.
- I think too much stiffened in this chair - she moaned, barely making the first steps.
- This is the symptoms of old age - he sneered, pulling her into the corridor.
She looked at him grimly.
- Ha, ha... you are so witty - she retorted. - And by the way, why did you stop my nap?
- Do you want to hear it in a mild version? Maybe I portray it to you: Skyfall and Starburst. Alone, on the bridge. She opened her eyes wide.
- Skall here? - she said in disbelief.
- Yes. He came recently. He is furious. He entered on the deck like a... like Sheppard said that?... As someone named Darth Vader... and he immediately threw out all of the bridge, closing up there with the Starburst.
- Hmmm... That's a little suspicious - she snorted with an evil grin.
- It's not funny, Mo - he said. - We can not open the door. They blocked it... And Bullseye fear that they kill each other there.
- I bet Skall... Todd has not fought in a long time.
He looked at her grimly, opening the door transporter. They entered a small room, and the beam took them to another level.
- And what am I supposed to do with all this? - Mo asked, when they went out into the corridor.
- You do with them order.
- Like what? I have to pull them by the ears? - she said sarcastically.
- Good idea - he said and grinned when she looked at him grimly.
Coming out of a corner, they saw the two soldiers Wraith still wrestle with the door. Other stand only, nervously waiting for even the smallest gap between the two halves of the bridge door.
- Finally! - shouted from afar Sheppard. - Your Commander got mad and just smashes Todd.
- He is not my Commander - she muttered, walking over to them.
- Never mind the details... Can you open it? Apparently you're good at this.
She did not answer. She went only to McKay and glanced at his tablet.
- Try this bypass... - she pointed her finger.
- I already tried - he snapped.
- Can I? - she asked calmly.
Rodney looked first at her, then at the others and shrugged indifferently.
- Here you go... I wish you luck - he said, and gave her the tablet, folding his arms across his chest.
Moonlight stared for a moment what appeared then typed commands.
She looked at the door.
They did not even flinch.
Rodney snorted triumphantly under his breath, as Jennifer elbowed him.
- What? - he almost whispered.
But the woman only shook her head disapprovingly.
Mo repeat a series of commands and this time, to everyone's surprise, the two plates moved away from each other a bit, allowing to look inside the bridge... from which came the sounds of fighting.
- What did you do? - McKay said, taking the tablet.
- What's there going on? - threw Teyla.
- I suggested to the system that a fire broke out on the bridge - she explained calmly.
- Hmm, clever - he said.
- They fight with each other - said at the same time Sheppard, peering inside.
- Open them tighter - Wraith officer ordered his soldiers.
Those obeyed without a word. Now, when they had a grab for what it was easier for them to move the door. But the doors not be willing right away to cooperate.
Ronon and Kiryk joined them, but their collective effort has allowed only a little more spread apart the door.
- Mo, you sneak up there? - asked Sunblaze.
The female looked at the gap.
- If you pushing me - she joked.
He smiled broadly and when she slid sideways into the slot, he pushed her firmly inside. She moaned, getting her balance.
- What happened? - he asked, worried.
- You rub my tits - she snapped in a whisper.
He growled under his breath, shaking his head.
- You should them pull... You separate those two - he huffed.
- Kind of how - she murmured and took a deep breath, taking a step forward.
At the far end of the bridge plunged into darkness she saw two figures in a shorted fight. One of them threw just second in the wall, holding tight.
Only after a while she saw that this "pancake" on the wall of was Starburst.
She walked over to them quickly.
- Stop it you two! Immediately! - she ordered undertone.
They looked at her surprised and soon moved away a little from each other, seeing the anger on her face.
- You're acting like little kids and bring me shame... I gotcha pull you two by the ears, so that you calmed down?... If my grandmother had seen it, she ordered that both of you flogged - she snapped. - The two old fools... Maybe I'll have to clone and give one copy to each, there will be peace?
- He had no right... - Skyfall began.
- Quiet! - she interrupted him angry.
He looked at her surprised and confused. She never before has been so acted. She had never called him that tone. Despite all of her ideas and behavior, she always showed him respect.
- I do not care your opinion - she was still talking undertone to the humans standing in the corridor heard as little as possible. - You have to immediately calm down and embrace... You look as if went after you tornado - she eye them up and down. - Apparently you are the Commanders, so you behave as befits a Commanders... and not like two spacey teenagers - she relaxed. - And now I'm going back to my lovely seating, produce a few more soldiers, so you be so nice and do not make me stop taking naps again... or I myself will put you on the throne and see what you have... to hatch - she firmly added to the end, and then she turned on her heel and started for the door.
Now she calmly could open them from the control panel.
Two plates jumped to the side, exposing the group gathered in the corridor. Without a word, they came down out of her way when she walked down the corridor.
They looked at her, and then into the bridge. In its depths, in the twilight, still stand two completely confused Wraith. Finally, one of them walked toward door. At the sight of his Commander, Blaze snorted under his breath and smiled broadly.
- And yet I have lived to the time when she scolded you - he said mockingly.
Skyfall looked at him grimly.
- One more word... - he growled, as Blaze's smile widened, and went his way.
Commodore went into the corridor and moved on long strides, furious, leaving all behind. Gathered before entering again looked into the bridge. This time appeared before them Todd, with perhaps even more than usually disheveled hair. With his cut lip blood flowed.
He looked at them equally uncomfortable as his predecessor.
- You have a black eye... Commander - Bullseye snorted.
But Starburst only growled a warning and followed in his direction.
The whole group also this time looked for the outgoing Wraith.
- I wonder who would win? - Sunblaze said, folding his arms across his chest.
- Unfortunately, I bet on your Commander - Bullseye said. - My is a little...
- Getting old? - he finished, glancing at him.
Officer looked at the young pilot and smiled corner of his mouth.
- I would say: rusted - he said, and added to the drone: - Take them back to the chamber - he said and walked away calmly.
Two big soldiers immediately lined up right in front of a group of Atlantis.
- You are low hospitable - Sheppard said, but the soldiers only were still standing.
Resigned colonel moved as first to chamber. Resisting no sense, and he did not want to further aggravate the already poor relations in recent times with Todd.
Since they wake him from hibernation after returning from Earth, he seemed to be avoided them. Already as he was reluctant to cooperate with Atlantis, focusing on dealing with his race. Sheppard had a strange feeling that something bigger cut. In particular, that Wraith began to unite again, which does not bode them nothing good. While they were scattered on a single hive or small alliances, it gave people more leeway, but from a few months the situation began to change dramatically...
In fact, as he now is analyzed, they began to see it since the cooperation with that Queen, whose scientists helped them install the Daedalus inter-dimensional drive of the found Lanteans research station. He admitted, that if not does help, Atlantis scientists might not be able to bring McKay back from another dimension. And it is through this partnership they earned ZPM and drones, but Sheppard still could not get rid of the belief that the Queen got much more than she admitted.
After all yet none Wraith has done nothing for the people without interest. Their willingness to help always has some hidden depths... which, for them, people, always mean big trouble.
After all they are Wraith, he thought, and Wraith always up to something...
His thoughts were interrupted gaze of a young pilot, which he noticed account of the eye.
- I heard, that she really wanted to destroy this station - said the Wraith, and the colonel looked at him in surprise. Blaze smiled corner of his mouth. - You humans, you think too loud - he explained. - Although he can block pretty well his thoughts - he pointed a thumb at McKay. - She, I understand, she has genes Wraith - motioned his head toward Teyla. - But he surprised me, I admit.
- Taught me this someone Wraith - Rodney muttered. - He also said that I think too loud.
- Which one? - interest in the pilot.
They stopped just before the door of their chamber and Blaze opened it.
The scientist looked only at his companions and went without a word inside. He thought, however, about the person with whom he spoke. He knew that in theory Wraith should take his thoughts.
- Oh, he - he said, walking behind them. - I met him a month ago. He was with his Commander... Supposedly he is sharper than ours - he chuckled. - There was a human female with them. Very... intriguing... I was surprised that someone of your planet is the worshipper.
McKay snorted under his breath.
- I would have advised you not to call her worshipper near her... if you do not want to have a broken tooth - he said with a hint of irony.
- They told me the same thing - he said with slight amusement.
- You've met Harrigan? - interest in the colonel.
- I do not know her full name... They called her: Kate... She really comes from your planet?
- She is from Earth... but from another dimension.
- From another dimension? - he repeated, surprised. - Are you kidding? How she got here?
- In her world was working on the generator inter-dimensional bridges, and their laboratory has been moved to this world - Rodney explained. - They managed to find a way to come back, but someone had to stay to monitor the process from here... fell on Kate. So she's stuck in this world, as she always repeats -
he added with a slight smile.
- Not bad - he said. - Maybe one day she will manage to get back home.
- She's already back - Teyla interrupted, and he looked at her in surprise. - Thanks device from that station. She, Rodney and this young Wraith, they were in her world for a month before we were able to bring them.
- And she's back with you? - he was surprised.
- She is a scientist - he said with pride McKay. - Such trip is for us one of the biggest dreams.
- I do not have such needs - he snorted. - Enough me surprises in this galaxy.
- Exceptionally I agree with you - said Sheppard. - And speaking of surprises. Did you notice that she is similar to Mo?
- Are you talking about the appearance or character? - he said with a hint of irony.
- In fact... it's about two things - he nodded assent, sitting back in his chair.
- Yes, she is very... assertive, human female - said with slight amusement Blaze. - Supposedly, she modernizes hiveships.
- Your hive, our Atlantis - McKay said. - She is a very talented person.
Sheppard looked amused at Keller.
- If I were you I would feel jealous - he said. - I have not heard that since the return that Rodney said bad about her.
- Why do I have would be jealous? I agree with his opinion. Kate is a very talented person. She also helped me, although medicine is not her plot - Jennifer said calmly.
- Sheppard just confuse admiration for someone with something else - McKay scoffed.
The colonel gave him a grim look, but he only smiled with mischievous twinkle in his eye.
.
.
Starburst went to his quarters. He was furious. But not for Mo, and for him. Who does he think he is, he thought, going to the bathroom.
Belonging to an elite unit that was an interview Grey Council did not authorize him to an intrusion on someone's hive and attack the Commander... in this case, him.
He leaned against the washbasin and looked in the mirror. The split lip and a black eye has healed, but he still felt in the mouth taste his own blood.
The emergence of Skyfall much thwarted his plans. Mo did not say anything to her grandmother about their little arrangement. He was sure. But her Commander certainly will inform the Nightstorm, and that means trouble.
She will be questioned about his new Queen... it's about Teyla.
He sighed, dropping his head.
Contacts with New Lanteans was a bad idea. Ever since he met Sheppard in Genii prison, he has nothing but trouble... It's kind of doom, he thought...
His thoughts were interrupted by a signal from the communicator. He walked into the room and touched the control panel built into his desk.
- Yes?
- Queen Nightstorm wants to talk to you right away - told him Bullseye.
Starburst growled quietly under his breath. Clearly Skyfall works faster than he expected.
He had now want to confront with her... but he had no choice.
- Connect - he said and touched the again panel.
From the ceiling, just off the wall, slid fog representing backing for the displayed image. The hologram depicting the bust of Nightstorm about stern look promised only one thing: trouble.
- Milady... - he started a meek voice, bowing.
- Spare me - she snapped imperiously. - Supposedly you are holding my granddaughter.
- I not hold her, she agreed to...
- Yes, I know - she did not change the tone. - But first, you take her away.
- It's a misunderstanding...
- Really?! - she interrupted him again. - I remind you that she is still my granddaughter. I have not denied her, although she is Protheu, so she's still under my protection... and not only my - she said, which surprised a bit Wraith. - Most Council likes her, so you watch on your actions... And if I hear one more time, that you persuade Mo to those of your stupid ideas - she closer her face holographic display - that I command all Wraith to call you that stupid name, which Sheppard gave you... Do you understand... Todd?
- she hissed through his teeth with a hint of disdain.
- Yes, Milady - he said meekly.
- And you finally get a grip on oneself, because I'm starting to lose patience for you... Or you prefer, that I sent you a long rest, want you to rethink your actions.
- No, Milady - he almost mumbled.
- So you finish with these foolishness!... From the beginning you have a much freer hand in activities than most of the Wraith, just because I... - she suddenly stopped, as if she realized that she had almost said something too much. - ...That I made a promise - she said calmly. - But for some time very tempted me to break it - she growled ominously.
The Commander glanced furtively at her, surprised by her words. Until now he thought, that his "free hand in the activities of" this is due to the fact, that he belongs to the Nightstorm Clan. But he would never even have thought that this is due to something else...
Promise, he began to wonder. What kind and to whom made ?
- It's one thing - continued dryly Queen. - Second: where is your new Queen, that you persuades my granddaughter to create soldiers for you?
Starburst did not answer right away, looking for quick in thought proper explanation.
- She's...
- On Mother Iratus! - she said resignedly. - What did you do, that you're in disgrace with your Queen?
- She's... She does not trust me now, ever since Atlantis imprisoned me - he lied, glancing at her uncertainly.
Nightstorm sighed.
- I'll speak to her - she said in a tone calmer now and again approached his face. - But at least for a while you will repent of her as you can - she snapped, and before he could answer, hang up.
- It's just not a problem... but meeting yes - he said.
The communicator again heard a sound. Holographic projector is turned on again.
- She was very furious? - asked Bullseye.
- No more than usual - Starburst mumbled and looked straight at him. - You are older. Do you know about some kind promise which she composed towards me? - he asked.
Starburst could not get the thought from his head. To preoccupy his mind much more than a solution to the problem of meeting Nightstorm from Teyla.
- ...I do not - said with a slight hesitation officer.
And it is this hesitation that made the Wraith Commander looked at him suspiciously.
- Are you sure? - he asked calmly. - Maybe one day you hear something? Some rumors?
- No - he repeated, already confident. - She mentioned some kind promise?
- Yes... But she did not say what was going on - he mumbled again. - But for now, we have a serious problem. She wants to contact with OUR Queen - he emphasized the word.
- It means with...? - he specifically did not finish the sentence.
- Yes... with her - said the unhappy starburst.
- And what do you do?
- And what do you think? I have no other choice.
- She will agree? Again.
- I do not know... But this time the problem is more serious. This is a meeting with Nightstorm, and not with Solarwind. It's not enough basic knowledge. She knows the origin of each Queen, and her mind is stronger. She easily gets into HER mind... And then nothing will not help - he mumbled ominously.
- So, what do you do?
- There is only one person who can help us - he said.
Starburst know, that he risks as never before... but he had no choice. If Nightstorm discover who is the Queen, which replaced the Primary...
He did not even think of what she to do with him.
.