"When were you born?" The question came random, and it took Val a second to register where it had come from, Sighing, he realized Sheppard had picked now to play his game. He was exhausted, but slowly he walked around to the other side of the table and sat halfway on one of the stools. John seemed unphased by the movement, only wanting his answer.
"Almost 40 years ago…I think. I stopped counting after my 25th." He said. John seemed surprised. Thinking wraith were much older, but some had to start young right? Nodding he crossed his arms and leaned back. Now it was Val's turn.
"Who is higher in command, you, or that scientist?" He asked, truly confused. Rodney spoke to Sheppard as if he was nothing, yet it seemed Sheppard was in charge. John stared at him in shock.
"Really? You have to ask?" He said, staring the wraith down, when no notion was given he sighed. "Damn it, I am. That should be blatantly obvious, but Rodney demands to be right all the time." Sheppard growled. Val nodded.
"If you are higher, then don't you have the ability to punish such behavior?" He asked. Never taking time to learn about humans when he lived with them, he only came to understand Wraith culture, now completely interested, he had to know.
"Um…" Sheppard stuttered. "As much as I hate to admit it, Rodney is very valuable around here, and I'm not really the punishing type. Anyway, that was two questions, it's my turn." He said, quickly changing the subject. "Do you have to feed?" He asked, his eyes wondering to Val's hand. He rolled his eyes and quickly put his other hand over it.
"I have told you Sheppard, I am Wraith, despite my difference in appearance." He growled, trying to drill that into the human's head. But in all honestly, since his father had freed his feeding hand, he had not used it, and scar tissue had reclaimed the opening. Though he felt the ach for feeding, it was not always so overwhelming.
"I don't believe you, but anyway, my second question, because you are not really a wraith, but won't admit it, do you have a name?" Oh no, Val was not about to let Sheppard name him like he did his father. Though normal wraiths don't care, humans can do what they want but in the end they are a meal, Val was different. Putting a hand up, he stopped the Colonel.
"I have a name Sheppard, so I don't need one." With that ending the conversation he stood and moved back to the computer, but Sheppard wasn't thru. Opening his mouth to speak, Valimor was saved by the woman in charge. She walked into the room and greeted Sheppard, then turned to Val.
"We are willing to let you off Atlantis for a short time for…ah…personal reasons." She said, uncomfortable with the implication.
"Unnecessary." He said, and Sam sighed in relief louder then she had intended to. John grinned in yet another triumph.
"Yeah, our buddy here doesn't need to feed, he's not a wraith." Sam raised an eyebrow at two things. The fact Sheppard had decided such a rash thing, and that he hadn't named him yet.
"No name John?" She asked and Val gritted his teeth. Sheppard leaned back and shook his head, scrutinizing their guest.
"Nope, he says he has a name." He mused, though you could tell he was trying to think one up. Sam only laughed, shaking her head, she left the room. "Is it Tom?" He asked just as Rodney walked into the room.
"You've named him Tom?" Rodney asked, looking at Val, disapproving of the name. Val's head dropped. That was great, he had been named, and it wasn't even intentional. He could not wait to finish up his work here and get of this Atlantian base. John laughed, and without correcting Rodney, he left the room. McKay watched him go then turned to Val "Um…so Tom?" He started. A low growl from Val quickly shut him up. The last few hours of the day were spent in silence. As night set, Sam forced Rodney to sleep and had Val led to quarters he would be staying in. They were sparse and the door was surrounded with guards, each taking short shifts so none were too tired. Sitting on the bed he stared into the darkness, unable to fall asleep, but soon it did take him.
He woke up early in the morning to find, despite the shifts, all his guards were asleep. Stretching he moved into the bathroom and undid the tight shirt he had slept in. Heaving a sigh he rubbed his tired face the stared at his mess of hair. Running water through it he spiked it and splashed his face. He did have human tributes; those vain ones that made him stare into a mirror until he was satisfied. Then, noticing how much he had made himself look like a wraith, and yet how ridiculous he looked he shook his head.
"You're a joke Valimor." He said to himself staring at the mirror. Before he left the bathroom he put the black leather shirt back on, but he left the cloak behind. His face looked fresher, not as pale, and his hair was spiked the way he liked it, not in wraith style. Leaving his room, he startled his guards who jumped up and followed him, feeling dumb. Walking into the lab, he scared a young girl, who was going through some cabinets.
"Sorry." She said blushing slightly, then she noticed the guards and took a closer look at him. Her smile vanished, as suddenly she looked embarrassed and hurried from the room. He watched her leave. How he wished he had come in his human clothes. Suddenly he had a desire to fit in with them once again. He enjoyed company of wraith, but he remembered his original purpose. To learn to control his wraith side and to keep those attributes under control, but to ultimately fit in with human civilization. He started to work right away, trying to get this done as soon as possible. John walked in with that same girl he had run into earlier. She avoided eye contact with him and quickly moved the other side of the room. Val rolled his eyes and began typing again. John yawned.
"How did I get stuck with this babysitting job?" He mumbled to himself rubbing his unshaven face. Val couldn't help but grin.
"If I remember right, you were very entertained the other day." He said, never taking his eyes off the computer screen. John laughed slightly.
"Talkative today are we?" He asked moving to the table he was at. Val shook his head, but then turned to look at John, for a second his eyes turning to the girl in the corner.
"I still have to ask my question." He said looking back to John. "Do all human men take their orders from females?" He asked, the girl looked over at them stunned and confused. John looked over his shoulder at her and winked in a friendly gesture, then looked back at Val.
"Only the smart ones." He said. Val thought about it for a moment, then the slightest grin crossed his face as he turned back to his work. "So, was your pale skin just makeup? Cause you forgot to put it on today." John said moving to his favorite stool, satisfied he was right about Val.
"Living on the hive, there is not much natural light. I guess being here has brought out my true skin tone." Val quickly retorted, but his face remained expressionless. John on the other hand laughed.
"Oh, good excuse Tom, but I'm on to you, and your secret desire to become a cross dresser." He said, and this time the girl in the back giggled. It was a soft, almost song like sound, and both men turned to look at her. Her hand quickly covered her mouth and she went back to work. There was a moment of silence for awhile until John turned to walk out the door, the door slammed on him and the lights and computers in the lab all shut down. "What the hell?" John growled trying to get the door to open. The girl in the back made a squeak in shock and Val growled.
"What happened Colonel?" She asked trying to feel her way around and instead ran into tables and chairs until she gave up. A grumble came from John.
"I don't know." He clicked his radio Hey Carter, what's going on? We're locked in the lab. He said into the receiver, a second later came his response.
Sorry John, the city has gone into lock down for some reason, and we can't contact Rodney, you're just going to have to hold tight for awhile. John slammed his fist on the door.
"That's just great." He sighed, trying to find his way back to the table. Val leaned against the table. Now his work would be seriously delayed. Suddenly he heard the girl trying to get around again, only this time she had made it to his table and ran straight into him. Grunting she fell back against the table trying to get away from him and ended up hitting her head. She fell and groaned. Reaching for her Val sighed. This was going to be a long day.
Possible romance for Val? Not sure, send in your opinion.