Chapter 2

Flying a puddle jumper over Earth's airspace was something that Sheppard couldn't help but enjoy. After all the times he had to fly through danger and enemy fire back in the Pegasus Galaxy, he really did relish the opportunity to take one for a spin over the safer areas of Earth. Of course, he was still here on business. The jumper's cloak made it a non issue to avoid being seen, just as long as he didn't crash into anything else. Landing at Area 51 did not take long. After emerging from the ship, he quickly saluted the guards around the gate and made his way to one entrance. The airmen there at the door stood at attention and he saluted her as well.

"Is he here?"

"Yes sir, he is. He's being brought out now."

Sure enough, the door opened in a few moments and the wraith he'd named Todd was quickly hustled out by two guards. He'd been heavily restrained, his arms were bound and his feeding hand was completely wrapped. He seemed decidedly uncomfortable in the plain blue uniform he'd been given and he withdrew slightly at exposure to the sunlight, but when he saw Sheppard he chuckled immediately.

"I was beginning to think you had forgotten all about me." Todd sounded almost... tickled to see him again.

Sheppard realized that Todd had evidently lost none of his swagger.

"If only," Sheppard replied. "We need your help. So we're getting you out of here."

"Oh, I should hope so." Todd's manner took on a heavy dose of condescension. "Because, as you know, going months without feeding is a problem for a wraith!" He lifted his hands as far as his restraints would go. "Just what did you expect of me? To quietly starve to death?"

"Well, turns out we're not going to be quite so lucky," said Sheppard, drawing a smirk from Todd. "We're going back to the Pegasus Galaxy, but first we need to take you to see the IOA."

"Excellent!" Todd said. "So you have decided to feed me after all."

"Just get in the jumper." John shoved him inside. Ronon, Teyla and Woolsey were waiting. Ronon, as expected, was continuously glaring at Todd with the look of barely contained rage that he reserved for all wraith.

"Ah, the satedan. Still as delightful as ever." Todd turned to see Woolsey sitting further in the Jumper. "And Mr. Woolsey! I always seem to run into you whenever you humans want something desperately from me. This must be important."

"Let's get moving, Colonel." Woolsey said. He was clearly eager to get this whole thing over with.

As Sheppard made his way to the cockpit, a grinning Todd nodded a greeting to Teyla and took a seat near her. Opposite them, Ronon flinched with anger.

*Later, in Washington, D.C.*

"Mr. Woolsey, why have you called for this meeting? I thought you were satisfied with our decision."

"We still need to discuss the matter of the wraith captive. I believe that it will also be necessary for him to travel with Colonel Sheppard's expedition."

The IOA committee members were all obviously displeased with having to return to a meeting with Woolsey so soon. And they were clearly not expecting to have to consider this issue yet. Representatives from all of the major international powers involved in the Stargate program were present. All of them seemed reasonably skeptical of such a suggestion.

"Why?" One of them asked.

"His value to the program here has essentially run its course, unless… we send him back to his wraith allies. Then perhaps we can continue working together to our joint benefit. There would be very little point in leaving him here. He will not be able to survive in our custody much longer in any event. And I assume we aren't going to be feeding him people in exchange for information?"

"Is that really wise?" Another spoke. "Every time the Atlantis Expedition has worked with this or any other wraith, it has resulted in limited success at best and potential catastrophe at worst. Frankly Mr. Woolsey, we have increasingly little faith that your dealings with the wraith will prove worthwhile. They barely tolerate each other as allies, much less us, who they consider little more than their primary food source! Perhaps we should simply cut our losses here. Exactly how many times now have we narrowly avoided disaster on Earth because of some form of wraith treachery?"

"Todd has proven to be extremely helpful not only in developing our retrovirus but also defeating the Pegasus Replicators. His assistance in these and several other mutual problems proves, in my mind, that he and his connections may still be invaluable to us all. I hardly expect anyone to trust him unconditionally, but I stand by my belief that he is truly a uniquely important partner in the larger conflict in the Pegasus Galaxy."

A third individual spoke: "He's also a wraith. You can name him if you want, but he's still a creature that needs to eat humans to survive. You might think of him as an ally now, but you will eventually fall on opposite sides of that issue. And given how closely you seemed to be working together; this is a very dangerous combination, Mr. Woolsey."

"They're smarter than I thought," Ronon whispered aside to Teyla. The IOA delegates continued.

"With the Atlantis assets already safely back here, the wraith don't have a way to our galaxy. Hopefully with the factions embroiled in a civil war, they will destroy each other before they are able to cause any more significant damage to the Pegasus Galaxy."

Teyla spoke up.

"Pardon me, but I do not believe that will be the case. The wraith feed on entire civilizations in order to fuel their war. If they are not stopped, nearly all of the humans in our galaxy could be wiped out."

"She's right. That's why we've got to back with the city back to fight them," Ronon added.

"I disagree. And in any event, we've been through this. We are not here to discuss that now. Regarding the wraith prisoner, I still remain unconvinced that sending him with you would be prudent. With either him or Atlantis back in the Pegasus Galaxy, it will provide the wraith with another way to find Earth. So if we can manage to avoid simply giving them a new way to find us, we may just be able to let the wraith decimate each other's forces without any help from us. And if what you've said is true, they are still all still trapped there so-"

"Excuse me." Todd said suddenly with an extremely dismissive courtesy. He irreverently walked from his position near the back of the crowd to face the IOA delegation. The representatives all jumped slightly at the wraith coming closer to them and shifted uncomfortably in their seats. "This world is known to all wraith. It is the reason the hives awoke in the first place." He paused for a moment, almost as if to catch his breath. "Every wraith in the galaxy knows the pain of hunger. Our food supply is running out." He looked down at his restrained feeding hand. "The hunger that every wraith feels, the hunger to feed, is greater than any of you could ever imagine. And every one of them knows of a world with untold billions upon billions of new humans, just… out of reach." He looked back up at them. "Do you really think we would simply give up?" The IOA delegates all looked singularly horrified. A wicked smile spread across Todd's face. "Make no mistake, eventually the wraith will find your planet. Some of us already know where it is." Everyone in the room, including Sheppard and Woolsey, looked perturbed hearing that. "How many times have the wraith already reached your doorstep? Do you really believe it will never happen again if you do nothing? How many times could you avert disaster? Once? Twice? Ten times? A hundred? More? I know the future. We will keep coming. Wraith are never ending."

"We'd fight you if you came back again," one of the delegates said, trying to muster up some defiance.

"Oh, I'm sure you would. Bravely," Todd said sardonically. "But if the wraith are to come in force, how long could you truly hold out against the same species that made the lanteans flee our galaxy in abject defeat? Are you really willing to take the chance we won't? Would you prefer to just hide and hope the wraith simply lose interest or would you rather endeavor to make a difference? Were I you, I would take advantage of the rather... 'unique' resources at my disposal." Todd's voice finally took on a less patronizing quality. "Had I desired simply to attack your world I could have done so already. My goals are much larger than your quaint little planet. My allies will still have important campaigns to undertake. This could prove to be as much to your advantage as mine. I suggest you seize the opportunities in your hands, while you still can."

The IOA committee said nothing. They remained silent for a long time. Finally, Woolsey stepped forward slowly. A hint of a knowing smile was on his lips.

"I believe our point has been made, gentlemen. Thank you for seeing us."