Chapter 11: Gift of life
Author's notes: The gift of life seemed to be given freely in some wraith fanfic I read. I would think that it is more cycling than gifting. The gift could probably drain a wraith of crucial lifeforce stores to defend his position plus prey on a ship will be limited. Cycling lifeforce could give a little youth back to a normal human rather a full on gift of life to a badly shrivelled/injured human. I sort of did my short take on it. Feel free to disagree.
Another is exploration. Someone suggested that I write a story about exploration of an artifact. Given the canon that Wraiths are territorial, my story went with choices of unclaimed planets/asteroids/ships near their territories. I settled on one. Thanks for the suggestion. :)
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.
Distress...she was hearing screams...chilling screams running up her spine...death...decay...bodies rotting alive...A fire...burning inside her...visions of pain...searing heat...
She stumbled forward. The Wraiths and worshipper seem immune to the air. The worshipper has the Ancient gene. Both were sent in case it was an Ancient facility with possible Zero point modules. Their fleet intercepted a mysterious distress signal in an unclaimed planet at the edge of their territory. The Hive fleet was almost in homeground. The wraiths from their territory heard myths about it. Older Queens knew better but it was a secrecy amongst Queens. No one claimed it now. The neighbouring wraith faction did not care about it. There was no prey on it. There was something in the air. Something cursed.
The frequency was modulating constantly. It was an extremely old type of signal. Yet similar to the ones the Ancients used. Ones even the oldest Wraith in the fleet have not came across. And he was as old as Ashes. The sensors indicated a large ruin near a mountain.
She was increasingly unwell as they had moved through the ruins. Wraith way was to look strong. Her strength was failing. Visions of a terrible past kept hitting her in her mind. There were skeletons strewn all over the city. Of children and adults. Blackened as though they were burnt. The pillars still had ash on them. The cave had to be the worst.
Commander...arghhhhhh. Use of her telepathy were shearing her mind to pieces. She screamed in pain. Her agony verberated through the cave.
"Helppppp, she is down." The worshipper screamed as she tried to help the weakened hybrid up.
Blur images of the Wraiths coming back to her. Her mind was being stabbed by a thousand shards...minds were trying to enter hers telepathically. She staggered back and dropped into a void of fire. Her mind was burning up. She felt someone lift her up.
A while later, a sharp agonising pain went through her chest...stabbing into her organs...it twisted into her bones...her energy was draining from her...she wanted to scream but then something odd happened.
A rush of darkish water...it seeped through the flaming regions of her mind...it soothed the burn...the water was calm...it swirled around slowly...gently it filled her mind... the fires were turning into sparks...
Her eyes opened to a blur figure looking over her...its right arm on her chest...then the image turned into a watery pool...the water slided into the crevices of her mind shutting off the noises...coaxing her...smoothing her...the waters were carrying up her mind in the waves...and gently letting her down...then the waters receded.
Food. Wake up. A gentle tap on her cheeks. She did not want to. It sounded familar but she did not care. She was in a state of euphoria. Sweet sweet euphoria...her mind was in a high.
Food. Tap tap tap...she still did not care...she was floating with the clouds...growl...leave me alone...so high...so nice...floating around with the myriad of colors. Red had a beautiful sound ...so did blue... she felt a warmth ...so cozy..snuggly...then a purr...more purrs..
Strange fires...the flames...sang...Fortitude...Strength...A loss...a tragedy...nearer...Origin of fire...close your mind...home...I am here. A woman appeared the flames...she looked like her...she embraced her and the flames engulfed them...into oneness.
The hybrid opened her eyes. The Wraiths stepped back. Hands to their stun weapons. Growls and hisses was echoing into the background of the cave. The worshipper stood in awe. The eyes were flaming. There was no pupils or anything. Just pure fire.
"Your weapons are of no use. She has the Goddess in her. The Goddess of Fire have graced us with her presence." The worshipper uttered in absolute devotion. The Wraiths growled. The worshipper knew something they did not.
The hybrid stood up and the worshipper immediately prostrated to her.
"O hail Goddess. We have not forgotten you." The worshipper said as she touched the hybrid's boots, her eyes lowered.
A strange but very feminine multitonal voice sang.
~ Takers of life.
Above the sun to you.
Welcome to all.~
The Wraiths were now getting edgy. They had never seen anything like this. Hands were still on the guns as they looked at their leader, the Lead Cruiser Commander. He raised his hand to stop them from drawing the gun.
"Who are you and that is my officer you are in. Grrr" His deep rich multitonal voice in a semi growl.
~ Taker of life.
Life sharer to my child.
One I am in.
Welcome Dark Waters.
One who lineage is of a night Queen.~
Before he could answer, the hybrid turned to the south and pointed there.
~ Follow me.~
Commander, do we shoot her now? A blade's thoughts was to the leader.
Before the blade could react, his hand was swept as the weapon flew out and shattered.
~ Before the hallowed ground.
Violence is forbidden.
Trust. Utmost. Faith.~
No. Just follow. If it wanted to do us harm, it could. The leader replied. He was not sure what it was. It knew the meaning of his sigils and his lineage. His instincts told him that he was before an entity which cannot be defeated by even a Hive ship. He was going to have a hard time explaining to the Queen. The worshipper looked awestruck enough. Perhaps he could ask her to explain it. She seemed to know.
The Wraiths and the worshipper who is still bowed in reverence, followed the hybrid to a passage way. A strange melody accompanied each step they took. Mysterious fires started appearing at the top of the smooth stone passage way. Held by nothing. The worshipper touched the walls. Her hands left a trail along the dust as she walked. She wept as she recited the words inscribed neatly along the walls as the fires lighted the way. The Wraiths were just looking around in astonishment. It did not look like any Ancient structure.
A hall suddenly went ablaze in front of the passage way. Orange flames flickered and danced. Then the fire shrunk gracefully towards the middle of the hall, revealing a white stoned circular structure. Their eyes widened as they saw a giant white statue of a woman. The statue looked like the hybrid. Exactly like her. What, by the Iratus, did the Ancients do to the hybrid? They always assumed that she was part human. That was the Ancients' standard specimen. The better question was ,what by Iratus, the hybrid was.
The hybrid with the still flaming eyes went towards a small elevated platform near the fires in the middle of the hall. She raised both her arms gracefully. The worshipper quickly postrated, her forehead to the ground, arms laid out on the floor palms outwards. She was repeating the words, "I am not worthy." The Wraiths looked at her oddly but they did not do a thing.
The ceiling started projecting a hologram, a rotating map of the stars. The stars started glowing one by one as a line appeared and then another galaxy appeared in front. It was their galaxy. The worshipper was trembling in her postration. Then the hall seemed to disappear into visions of people walking across mountains. The ruin was now a great flourishing city of a past Glory. Children were seen running around as people carried harvests towards the cave. The hall emanated a joyous sensation. The visions then took them through the cave. There were guardians in strange robes with a glowing staff. They guiding them to the halls. Fires were burning in the air of a hall bigger than the one they are in. The fires were held by an invisible chandelier. Strange chants floated across through the were even people who looked like Wraiths. They were gathering people from a holding cell. Each person's crime was highlighted in images. For killing others. For raping. For torturing. For heinous crimes.
Oh look, more food. One blade thought excitedly to the group. Their minds smacked at him while they looked at him growling. The leader's eyes glowered at him. The blade immediately kept his thoughts. They had never seen anything like it. The worshipper remained prostrated chanting the words in synchrony with the melodious chant. The hybrid was motionless, remaining in her previous position.
Then the visions faded into a gloomy scene. There were Ancient battleships in the air. The Ancients were fighting the people. Energy balls fell on the city shields. It was shielded by seven women standing around a ball of fire in the middle of the city. Their figures were surrounded by flames of fire yet they did not burn. Several hooded men came towards them amongst the chaos. The women were all stabbed and fired upon. Except for one. The visions closed in on her, magnifying her image.
She looked just like the hybrid. Except she was more majestic. She started radiating more fire out from her body as she seemingly struggled to hold the shields. The city shields fell. She was taken prisoner. Her people were massacred. The city burned before the group of mesmerized Wraiths who kept taking in the visions. Most in the group came from ravaged worlds. They disliked anything resembling the Ancients for what was done to them. They never fully realised that the Ancients did it to even other worlds and other lifeforms which existed in their galaxy before the arrival of the Lanteans. Until now. The hybrid looked like the Ancients but she is neither human or Ancient.
They heard a cry. And they looked. It was the hybrid. Her eyes no longer burning but the fire held an exact image of her standing before her. A melody of words filled the halls as the fires danced benevolently.
~ My child,
Home of our kind,
We came far,
Beyond your reach
To spread beliefs,
Of the Eternal flame.~
"No, mother...don't go...bring me home." The hybrid was crying. Tears were flowing. Her hands outstretched to the fire with her eyes pleading ernestly.
~ Origin of Fire,
Lost to me now,
Fires still bring life,
You are Wraith now,
Takers of life.~
The woman in the fire looked at the leader and addressed him with the full authority of her glory. The flames grew menacing.
~ Dark Waters,
Taker of life,
To your Night Queen,
Go West of the City,
For my child,
My final gift.
To homage,
One who looked after her.
Her promise to me.
Remember.
Leave now.~
He bowed to her. The other Wraiths bowed. The worshipper got up and kneeled three times. The fire lept from the middle towards the passageways as the leader supported the still sobbing hybrid from the elevated platform. Before them, a huge blaze of fire roared through the entrance...a fresh rush of clear air rushed through the cave.
My Queen. We found these artifacts and schematics of certain technology in the west of the ruined city. There was a large store of energy crystals there. Not Ancient in design. It looks similar. Those have been delivered to laboratories for analysis. The leader of the expedition reported.
You are saying that a woman in flames possessed the hybrid. And she led you to it? The Queen queried.
Yes, my Queen. The Wraith officers and worshipper also witnessed it.
Tell me more. The Queen walked around him.
She said it was her final gift. A homage to one who care for her child. To remember a promise. She knew my lineage and my sigils. The hybrid has no knowledge of both. She also knows our foremother is Night.
The Queen sat down on her throne in contemplation, her right hand clenched. Her serene face now broke into a smile. She knew that apparition well.
Anything else? Her finger tips on her left hand rubbing against each other.
My Queen, the hybrid received the gift from me. Her lifeforce is nothing like I ever felt. The leader looked at the Queen. The Queen seemed to be very calm about the whole fiasco. She was somehow too familiar with the planet. She was not definitely telling me.
What is it like? Her mind probed his. No flinch. Very good.
Her lifeforce was exhilarating through my feeding hand. It nearly drained more lifeforce from me when I reversed the flow. He look at his feeding hand. While he had fed on her to the brink to initiate reverse flow, the hybrid's lifeforce entered and took him across stars...across time...across galaxies...in another world...just pure energy existed. Usually he just get memories from prey. The hybrid's lifeforce contained something else. When he reversed the flow, the hybrid's body responded with a strong suction of lifeforce. It did weaken him considerably. It could have killed him if he did not break it off in time. It was of a female wraith's. A very strong female wraith. The strangest thing was that the hybrid did not show any aging process even at the brink. He could have killed her and she would have looked the same. All prey would be shrivelled husks by then.
The Hivemaster came in and bowed to her. You summoned me?
Hivemaster, give the Lead Cruiser Commander with three cocoons from my personal prey reserves. Dismissed.
The Hivemaster and the leader bowed. They left the throne room.
The Queen rose from her chair and gazed out of the window towards the familiar sight of planets and stars that she knew well. They were in their territory now.
Yes old friend. A promise must be kept. We are home. You fulfilled all. Now it is my turn.
In the corridor, she and the Lead Cruiser Commander stood looking at the planet they had left. Her eyes were glazed. Her hands gently stroking the forcefields which rippled through her. A group of worshippers approached them. He stared at them. They immediately prostrated before her. Other wraiths passing by looked annoyed at the obstacle in their way. When they saw the Lead Cruiser Commander, they quietly went by the spectacle.
"O hail the one born of our Goddess.
Goddess of fire.
One birthed of the Eternal Flame.
Our allegiance to the Wraith.
Unending for your favor."
They chanted in unison. Then they got up, took two steps back and filed into the corridor. She was lost in her thoughts. A strange yellowish glow radiated through her body. There was a warmth.
Dark Waters is your sigils? She was still looking at the planet which was getting smaller and smaller. Her palms were against forcefield trying to feel for something long gone.
Yes. I have to return to my cruiser soon. His mind swept against hers.
You gave me the gift of life. Why? The air was poison to me. The Ancients must have poisoned it. Until the fire cleansed through. She knew that Wraith were not generous when it came to the gift of life. It sapped at least two prey's worth of lifeforce to do it. A precarious move to give the gift because it would weaken them. They could cycle lifeforce through but that was to get worshippers addicted or torture someone.
Well food, I don't know. Your lifeforce did taste good. Would not be good to make your mother angry. First impressions count. His wraith humor again.
Gift of life. Not just for anybody.