Chapter 9: War
Disclaimer: the Stargate franchise and aliens that they created are the property of MGM. This is just a fictional story made out of fun and has no profit or commercial value derived from it.
A bright blinding light went through the space. Shockwaves after shockwaves went through rocking the fleet. As she was going towards the hangars, she saw panicking worshippers being escorted to safety and Wraith officers ran to their posts in the mayhem. A Lantean aurora class battleship had appeared out of nowhere behind one Hive and started firing. One Hive ship, fighters and its cruisers rammed themselves into the Lantean battleship in matyrdom. Drones had been aimed at the Hive ship and their Queen probably knew that there were no way of surviving it. The blast has severely weakened the shields of Lantean battleship.
Regroup Regroup. The Lead fighter pilot's instructions went through. Move towards the hangar. Other Hives released several fighters. They swarmed around as firing as much as they could.
Standby. All fighters. Lantean vessel lowering shields. A cruiser commander echoed through their minds. The familiar telepathic signature was of her former Commander. Aim at their hangars. He knew their vulnerability from experience.
The fleet surrounded the lone Lantean battleship firing as many rounds as they could to drain the shields. The Lantean battleship was battered with energy weapons each time they had to lower shields for the drones to release. Black hazy smoke were leaking from the Lantean battleship.
More Hive ships and escorts were jumping into battle from hyperspace. They were from nearby factions. More swarms of fighters came and then the ship fired drones at the nearest Hive ship.
FIRE NOW. The command came through loud and clear. All of them fired on the hangar and flew past rapidly in formation gracefully like a swarm. They returned and repeated. The doomed Hive ship and their cruisers were going in straight into the Lantean battleship for the final journey.
RETURN TO HIVE NOW. The signal was loud and clear as the swarms returned to their respective Hives. Everything seem to slow down as she looked back at the second group of matyrs. A shockwave went through... a brilliant ball of glaring whitish light was spreading like an exploding star...some of the fighters were thrown off from the returning fleet...then the safety of the hangar...the autodocking system took over...while everything seem to rock...her fighter docked and started charging up. Another bright light took place...the Lantean battleship was gone. So were two Hive ships and their escorts. Some of the wraiths were with her on the journey. The Hunters...the Second in Command...they were part of the first Hive ship and cruisers which made the suicide run. Her mind went numb. She knew that they were gone.
She stepped out of her fighter as other blades silently filed into the corridors to their quarters. Some of their own did not make it. Wraith technicians and other clevermen were making their way to repair parts of the Hive ship. War in space had now reached their fleet. She looked out of a window and saw the remnants of ships scattered across space. Some smaller explosions took place in larger remnants. It was a graveyard. Hyperspace windows were opening from afar, the other Hive fleets were returning. They lost one of theirs too.
A silent scream was building up inside her. She wanted to scream at everything. Probably scream until she had no strength left. As a Wraith officer, she could not. A display of emotions was a weakness. Like others, there were silence. The Hive fleet was set to do a group hyperspace jump soon. They were going to an allied Wraith faction's territory to fix damages around orbit and replenish lost stock. Like the many unemotional faces, she filed into her quarters to clean herself up.
A cycle after battle, an additional tattoo was now added in line of her first on the side of her neck. For their particular group in recognition of bravery in the line of fire. A reward. For some young blades, it was their first. The Biological cleverman was doing the tattoo by the Queen's order. It was done in the Meeting room openly under the supervision of the Hivemaster. It stung but no reaction was expected. Her tattoo was done. She got up and bowed to the Hivemaster who returned one to her.
She walked towards the laboratory and the door opened. The inseparable duo and their cleverman were busy repairing parts of the ship and running diagnostics. She looked at them in a daze and closed the door. They were busy.
She returned to her quarters and crawled under the furs. She curled up tightly into the ball. She felt lost. Her mind got lost in the darkness. Clutched tightly in her bleeding hand was the armor that the Hunters had made for her.
They were allowed to fly their fighters over certain selected areas. Those were allocated for their hunting needs. She decided to follow the hunting group. They were familiar with her now. There was another group from the cruiser coming. They saw seven fighters. No doubt, her former Commander was the lead hunter. He joined their group and took over as leader. It was usual for him. There was one difference. He did not suggest to use her as scout or bait and lure. A younger blade suggested it and he got thrown into a tree. Use your capability as a hunter. She is a Wraith officer. Not a thing for prey to enjoy.
She sat quietly. Then the images of the battle started flooding into her mind. She shook it away. There were prey coming. The blades started to signal. She told a blade to take her stunner. He did not know any better. He took it. The lead group went in and took ten by surprise. They moved up and in the bushes, they saw a cloaked Lantean vessel with its hatch opened. From the interior, it was a very small vessel. There were three Lanteans who probably escaped another battle.
Plan now is to lure them away from their vessel. Those to the left, prepare...BY IRATUS. WHAT ARE YOU DOING, FOOD? He saw her walking towards them. No response.
Her hair was a mess. She had released her hair bun. In her hand, held the finger armor the Hunters gave her. She was holding it tightly as the blood flowed. Tears brimming in her eyes.
Save her, Commander? She heard a blade ask.
No. Wait and see. BY IRATUS. She felt the frustration in her former Commander.
She did not care. All the hurt, the broken bones, the beatings...the Hunters... The same silent scream was rising inside her. Three heads turned towards her.
"Who are you? Where did you come from?"
She looked at them blankly.
"Do you need help?"
She continued walking towards the open hatch. They quickly blocked her and started demanding to know who she was. She stood still...things were going slowly...mouths were moving...words she cannot hear. She closed her eyes and imagined the fields where the Hunters and her used to play around. They were gone forever. Images of her trying to detangle the hair of one...their training sessions...her body started trembling...she started the loudest wail...tears were flowing from her eyes...
The three Lantean men stood there stunned at the crying girl. Suddenly she sprinted towards the open hatch, pushing them aside. They ran after her into it and the door shut. The The wraiths behind the bushes were looked at their hunting leader.
Now how do we save her? They asked.
Get me my grenades in storage now. Stun weapons are of no use on those DAMN ships. Let's hope the ship has not taken off by then. BY THE QUEEN IRATUS. He ordered his subordinate who sprinted.
The flock of native flying creatures started taking off in droves. Screams rang out within the invisible vessel. It was a while before the screams stopped. His subordinate came up to his side with the grenades quickly. The invisible vessel started decloaking. It was cyclindrical in shape and small.
Throw one now? He asked.
No. Wait. I did not train her to get herself KILLED. He snarled in a very annoyed tone.
The hatch came up. She was standing there. Her eyes were red from crying but blank as a void. Blood was all over. A bloodied dagger in her hand with a bloodied finger armor...and three husks were on it with visible stab marks. All of the wraiths looked at her. She advanced steadily towards them.
WHAT BY IRATUS WERE YOU DOING? Her former Commander jumped in front of her. Her eyes met his. She blinked. He grabbed her by her shoulders and shook her.
"War. We captured an intact Lantean vessel. The Queen will be pleased..." Her flat voice trailed off.
One of the men left to contact the Hive of the find. The blades went inside the vessel and threw the husks out. Most of them had never seen the inside of a Lantean vessel. A few tapped on brown buttons on the console. Nothing happened. Except it appeared to activate the Commander's growl each time a button was tapped.
Her former Commander sat with her in front of the Lantean vessel viewscreen in silent contemplation of what had happened. The Wraith faction had no interest in the small vessel. They have a few captured and stored. And a few of their wraiths walked into invisible ones. Those were duly blown up. It was theirs to keep. If someone was flying it, it has to be escorted by fighters.
So how do you work this thing? He broke the silence as a few curious blades looked around. She pointed to a small bluish gel pad which looked like an interface.
I was pressing buttons on their console. Then my hand hit this gel interface and my thoughts were of decloaking and opening the hatch. It did what I thought. She explained.
Think cloak. He waited
She put her feeding hand on it. It glowed.
Careful. Don't feed on the vessel. Queen would be displeased at a husk of a vessel. He cautioned. She snickered.
Commander, the vessel disappeared! They heard a few taps around and then blade faces and hands appeared in front of their view.
Now think uncloak.
She thought it. Her former Commander deliberately put on his nastiest snarling appearance. All of the ones outside jumped as the vessel decloaked. She laughed heartily.
Feel better now? Wraith humor helps. His thoughts whispered privately to her. She nodded. He was one of the most brutal Wraith Commanders. He also had a brutal sense of humor.
Three blades were initially disappointed that they could not ride in it. However her former Commander said they could if they would pick up all the fighters including hers.
Think of two Wraith blades in one single cockpit. My Second is sending two to get my fighter. Now think of three in it. These three will be attempting it. His thoughts whispered privately to her. She was shaking with laughter at the thought.
Their fighter escorts were waiting in the air.
Do not cloak it. We do not want to hit it by accident. Lead escort communicated telepathically.
Received. Give me space. First time I am flying this vessel. She pressed on it and thought of the formation.
Received. Ready when you are. The fighter escorts gave her a wide berth.
She found that it was easier to fly by thought. It was a smooth journey into the hangar and docked on a spare bay. The hatch opened. She found the inseparable duo and the young cleverman excitedly waiting outside to see her. The young cleverman gave her a delicately carved bone bracelet he made. His sigils were on them - Light wind. He wanted her to wear it always. She put it on or else he would pester and pester. They started examining the Lantean vessel.
Her former Commander, one of the most brutal Wraith Commander, was returning to his cruiser. His lonely figure looked smaller and smaller in the massive hangar as he headed to a parting private thought to her.
War. Will make you brutal ,like it did to me. At the end, all alone.
Then he added.
Warn that young cleverman about me. I will throw him out of the airlock if he tried mating with you. All is fair in mating and war.
She swore that it was Wraith humour and laughed.