Imposter

Part Six

The walk seemed longer this time than the journey to the cell had been. Carson felt sure the long-haired wraith was taking them the long way around to the throne room. Carson wanted nothing more than to throw himself down like a toddler and refuse to move another step. Dignity, Carson, lad! If this is the way yer to die, let's do it with dignity. Anyway, I'm sure if ye did that, then the wraiths would just drag ye there, and that would be too humiliating.

"Hey, watch it!" Rodney griped as a guard pushed him, causing him stumbled into Carson's back, nearly pulling Carson down with him.

Both men struggled to stay on their feet, but as they righted themselves, Carson heard Rodney's quiet comforting whisper. "Don't worry, Andrew. Just follow Teyla and my leads. We'll get out of this, I promise."

Carson smiled genuinely at his friend. At least I'm not alone. Carson thought, as he began walking again. The wraith guards gave Rodney a rough push forward, and the entire group began moving once more.

The room they were led to was not the throne room. Instead it was a warmly lit space that was draped in white and gold fabric. At the center was a large low table surrounded by pillows. The table was stacked with many covered silver platters and goblets of wine. On each end of the table were two tall white candles flickering in the bright chamber. One corner was curtained off area where the silhouette of a bed could be seen, causing Carson to shudder at the images his mind was creating.

"Romantic!" Rodney said sarcastically. "Even the wraith women are falling for you, Andrew. Maybe I should let my hair grow."

"I don't think long hair would be flattering on you, Rodney," Teyla said innocently.

"What does that mean? You think Andrew is better looking than me?" Rodney asked, taking offense.

"She means ye'd look silly, and yes, I am cuter," Carson threw Rodney a smirk before taking a few hesitant steps into the empty room.

"Whatever!" Rodney dismissed them both. "Anyway, Andrew, just watch me and follow my direction. I'll think of a way out of this. I've got lots of experience with dealing with wraith."

"We will not let her hurt you, Andrew," Teyla said softly, putting her hand on Carson's back and rubbing soft circles. "We will not abandon you now."

"I doubt very seriously that there is anything you can do to stop me, woman," the queen's voice floated past the three Atlanteans, causing them to jump nervously. Rodney and Teyla spun around quickly to look at the wraith queen since neither had been conscious during their last encounter. Carson on the other hand began to tremble as he turned slowly to meet her stare.

"Yes, he is my pet now, and tonight we will have a wonderful dinner together before I take his life," the queen stepped closer to Carson, running her nail down his cheek again, feeling the still smarting cut on his cheek from her last caress. "Sit down, my pretty Lantean. You will entertain me tonight." With a firm grip on his chin, the queen pulled him towards the table.

Carson followed her without resistance; he was well aware of the wraith now standing guard around the room. As the queen reached the table, she none too gently pushed Carson down onto the pillows before taking her seat at the head of the table. Teyla and Rodney followed hesitantly, since they had not actually been invited to join them at the table. Rodney sat down next to Carson while Teyla took the seat across from her teammates.

"Eat!" The wraith queen ordered, gesturing at the covered dishes. She sat back looking smug, her dark-green eyes boring holes in the humans gathered at the table. She reached across the table and removed the cover from the plate in front of Carson, revealing what looked like well-cooked meat. I wonder who they got to cook this. Carson mused, his mind wandering aimlessly.

"Eat Rodney. I can't be dealing with a hypoglycemic reaction," Carson said, picking up an odd looking fork and taking a stab at a piece of meat. Giving it a quick sniff, Carson took a bite. "It tastes fine. Kind of like chicken."

"Since you eat haggis, I don't trust your opinion on meat." Rodney turned to Teyla, watching her intently as she also took a small bite and nodded in approval. "You're not much better since you eat things like tuttle root soup." But without another word, Rodney also took a bite, grumbled, and he began to wolf down his food.

"I am glad that you are enjoying your meals," the queen said softly, her voice musical as she attempted to charm her guests, before turning to more probing questions. "You are not the Lanteans we fought so many years ago. But you carry their essences. Why have you come to this galaxy?"

Teyla and Rodney stopped chewing as they contemplated how to answer this question.

But Carson did not hesitate. "We can no longer allow ye to terrorize the people of this galaxy. The Lanteans gave us the tools to return to fight ye, and we are here to win this battle." Carson's voice sounded calm as he looked up to meet the queen's gaze. He swallowed nervously but refused to look away.

"You should not be so complacent," the queen almost purred, reaching out to stroke Carson's hair. "Your life continues because I wish it to. Now, where did the Lanteans retreat to, and where do you come from?"

"The Lanteans went where you will never be able to follow," Rodney answered quickly, playing along. "You caught them off guard, but we have fought worse than you, and the technology they gave to us is enough for us to defeat you."

"I am not speaking to you, little man!" The wraith queen snarled angrily at the scientist, her façade of calm and cooperation crumbling as she took her eyes off Carson. "I will only speak to the doctor, the one who caused the deaths of many wraith warriors. He is my prisoner and will pay for what he caused to happen on Hoff!"

"Well, Michael lied to you then, because that doctor is dead, this is just his clone," Rodney spoke without thinking. Both Carson and Teyla turned to stare at him, horrified by the words he had said. Carson was torn; first he was angry over Rodney's blunder of tipping their hand and exposing their bluff; but he was also shocked at his friend's dismissal of him. 'Just his clone?!' Ah, Rodney that hurt!

"Oh, Rodney," Teyla whispered under her breath while her mouth frowned her disappointment with him.

"What?!" Rodney asked, raising his hands in annoyance. When he turned to look at Carson, he was taken back by the look of hurt on the doctor's face. "Andrew, I didn't mean it like that. I'm sorry!" Rodney reached his hand out to touch his friend.

"It's okay, Rodney. I understand." Carson patted Rodney's hand which rested on his forearm. Since I am not the clone, I guess I really shouldn't be so hurt. Carson thought, shaking his head sadly.

"Clone? Well, you are the ones Michael lied to. I have seen Michael's mind, he hid nothing from me! This is not the clone; my pet is the real instrument of death. If Michael led you to believe that this is the clone, then you are more stupid than I thought!" The queen sat back again and smiled as her words sunk in.

"Andrew?" Rodney asked turning to stare at the doctor again.

"Is it really you, Carson?" Teyla's eyes searched his face for anything that would prove whether the queen was right or wrong.

Carson lowered his eyes to the plate in front of him, before lifting his head and giving his two friends a small smile. "The memories of Michael taking me prisoner came back to me while we were at the gate. I remembered seeing the clone and watching him take over my life. I didn't want to tell ye what I remembered. I wanted to get out of this first, and then we could celebrate together."

"Carson! I am so sorry…" Rodney's hand grasped him tighter as his words died out and his eyes began to water.

"Oh, Carson!" Teyla's eyes also glistened as she reached across the table to touch his hand.

The happy reunion did not last.

"You will not be celebrating anything now," the queen's evil laugh broke the miracle moment. "Your lives are mine. The wraith murderer will be the first I feed on." The queen leaned forward again, stroking Carson's hair back behind his ear, in an almost affectionate gesture. Carson stifled a shudder as her lips drew close to his ear and her breath blew hotly on his cheek.

A strange quake suddenly shook the contents of the table. With a startled shout, the queen rose to her feet, a look of concern crossed her face before she turned her angry glare on the three Atlanteans. "I don't know how you contacted them, but they will be too late. You will not survive the night!"

Carson was taken by surprise as the queen's arm shot out knocking him back onto the floor. With a furious growl she sprang over the table and landed on top of Carson. The queen's claws ripped into his neck. He tried to grab hold of her hands and pull them off of his neck. As he wrestled with her, he seemed to almost gain the upper hand. Carson thanked his rugby days in school as he managed to flip her onto her back and pull her hands off of his neck.

With a vicious scream, the queen wrenched her right hand free, digging her claws deep into his shoulder, near his collar bone. Carson shouted in pain as his shoulder began to bleed profusely, and he instantly lost feeling in his hand. The doctor in him could tell that her claws had severed an artery in his arm.

Teyla moved like lightening, flying over the table to the struggling doctor, while the wraith guards that had flanked the room rushed forward. As the athletic Athosian reached them, Teyla's elbow struck the queen on the side of her head, the blow temporarily stunning the queen. Teyla managed to pull the queen's hand off Carson's shoulder, causing more blood to flow, while the wraith guards grabbed hold of Teyla's arms and legs, lifting her completely off the queen. Teyla struggled with the much larger wraith drones, catching one of them off guard and dropping him to the ground. The other guards tightened their grasp on her. She began to loose consciousness as one of the wraith closed his hands around her neck.

Rodney had not been idle during the fight. Caught off guard by the queen's sudden attack, Rodney had sprung to his feet and looked for anything that would resemble a weapon. Knocking the candle out of its stand, Rodney grabbed the heavy iron candlestick and he brandished his new club. Taking a swing, Rodney connected with the queen's back, making her howl in pain. Releasing Carson, she swung back around, snarling at the scientist, before backhanding him into the corner.

Carson scrambled back across the floor away from the charging female wraith. His arm was completely numb, and his shirt was soaked with blood. The sounds of angry wraith shrieks seemed to drown out the sounds within the room.

"Your friends will be too late! All they will find of you is an empty used husk. You will cause my people no more trouble with your medical experiments," she hissed, her dark lips curled back in a snarl. She dropped to her knees in front of Carson as he found his way blocked by a closed door.

With his one good hand, Carson attempted to push her away, but he found himself loosing his strength along with his blood. He closed his eyes knowing this would be his last moment alive.

TBC
Feedback is appreciated.