Disclaimer: I do not own Stargate Atlantis or any of its characters. I only own Emily, Melody, Mac "Blazing Heart", Leeander (I borrowed the name Lancelot), Odette aka Rima, Kaladon, Kafar (Leeander's older brother), and Layla the Wraith Queen. I do not own the legends of Camelot and King Arthur.

(A/N: This chapter mainly focuses on Leeander and Rima, and the reasons why Leeander and Rima are looked at to be weaker than most Wraith in the eyes of some other Wraiths.)

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Leeander beamed Colonel Sheppard and Mac onto the Dart Bay before landing his Dart, Colonel Sheppard looked rather used to being beamed by a Wraith Dart; he stood aware and ready while supporting Mac who was struggling not to pass out. Leeander climbed out of his Dart and walked over to the two, a group of 5 Drones walked over and he glanced at the two Drones in the front of the group.

Grab Colonel Sheppard, do not let him escape, take him to the Queen. Blazing Heart walks with me.

The two leading Drones grabbed both of Colonel Sheppard's arms, as soon they did the Colonel followed the plan, "now is this really necessary? I won't try to run off too far," he exclaimed before swinging his arms against a Dart behind him, as the other 3 Drones raced forward Leeander calmly stepped forward and held back a wince when Colonel Sheppard punched him rather hard in the stomach. He simply put his hand over the human male's forehead kneel, he knew the Colonel was good at remaining strong and defying orders, even play orders. After nearly a 3 minute mental struggle between the two Colonel Sheppard finally fell to his knees. Take him, he is harmless now, Leeander said the 3 Drones. Two of the Drones grabbed his arms while the third followed close behind, pointing its stunner at Colonel Sheppard's back.

Leeander extended his arm to Mac and whispered to her once the Drones were far enough away, "do you recall the plan?"

"Yeah," Mac nodded, "I know what to do and say."
Leeander nodded, as he walked out of the Dart Bay with her he realized how brave Mac was being. The 17 year old human had been brave since she first got on the Hive, but not this courageous, he had to admit to himself that he was proud of her. As they walked through the Hive he glanced down at her; she was wearing her copper red hair in two braids once again, her eyes were fixed forward in courage instead of fear, and there were no tear smudges on the inner lenses of her glasses. The doors to the Queen's throne room hissed open before Leeander led Mac inside.

Leeander gave a deep bow to his Queen who was staring at Colonel Sheppard, a sneer was fixed on the corner of her mouth as she stared at him in hate. Then her eyes traveled to Leeander and froze on Mac, the Queen's eyes did not soften; they were emotionless as they often were, only for a moment Leeander saw a questioning gaze pass through his Queen's eyes.

"Blazing Heart, you have returned," she said, "after you escaped I figured the humans had brain washed you well enough to take you from this Hive forever."

"No, mother," Mac replied, Leeander found his chest swelling with pride. He quickly banished the thought from his head - he would not grow these kind of feelings toward the human girl-child...Though at this moment she seemed to be more a young human woman than a child.

Mac continued, "the humans' brain washing was very strong and called me back to them. When I was beamed out of the Dart and I awakened in a human 'Lantean hospital I realized something terrible was happening. I found myself thanking all the gifts I was born with from you, I was able to influence Colonel Sheppard's thoughts enough to get him outside, I did not know that..." she glanced at Leeander.

"She has been in your presence for a while and yet she still does not know your name," my Queen said to me, "tell her."

I nodded, "yes, my Queen," I leaned down and whispered very softly in Mac's ear, "Leeander." Mac suddenly froze, she was trying to look a hide of shock, but I could feel surprise coursing through her body quickly and powerfully; I wondered why.

"Leeander came for me, I was pleasantly surprised," Mac continued, "and he beamed the Colonel and I into his Dart. I am sorry for leaving as I did, mother, but I had not a choice."

"I understand, daughter," the Queen replied to Mac, "though you must be more careful, next time Leeander may not reach you in time."

"I understand, mother," Mac replied as she gave a low bow of her head like Leeander had told her to do. When a daughter or son of a Wraith bowed their head low to one of their parents it meant submission, and that the parents' word was law and must be obeyed and followed strictly.

"Leeander, you brought me Colonel Sheppard," my Queen said as she stood and walked down to the Colonel, who glared at her with hate.

"Well, hello to you too," Colonel Sheppard replied, his voice filled with sarcasm.

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Leeander, my Wraith's name is Leeander. My heart pounded, since I was little my favorite boy name has always been Leeander, every Ken doll I played with when I was a kid was named Leeander. Then when I visited a fortune teller once I asked her if I would ever fall in love and if the love would last. She said I'd die a slow, painful, and lonely death and never would have a man love me because my personality stinks. Whatever. I knew she was a fake and she was lying through her teeth because she told me my Aunt Tina was "calling" from the other side, when really Aunt Tina had been over at the Cotton Candy stand trying to decide if she wanted pink or purple or blue cotton candy. I blinked and snapped out of my shock in time to hear the Queen start talking to Colonel Sheppard.

"You killed my son a few months ago," the Queen exclaimed her voice hissing instead of speaking, her face now was showing anger.

"He tried to kill me so I defended myself, besides its his own fault for not thinking before charging," Colonel Sheppard replied as he wrinkled his nose some. I held back my wince and had to bite my tongue to keep from shouting, 'don't!' at the Queen who immediately grabbed Colonel Sheppard's arm and twisted it; I heard his scream, when I thought about looking away Leeander warned me mentally not too.

The pendant, now! Use the pendant! Leeander's voice exclaimed to me when he heard Colonel Sheppard's shout get louder as his arm came close to popping out of its socket.

I reached under my shirt for the pendant Leeander had just given me before he beamed Colonel Sheppard and I into the Dart. The backing and frame was metal; the frame was cylinder with two Wraith designs at the top and bottom of it to hold the Power Crystal in. It started to glow brightly, catching the Queen's attention, she dropped Colonel Sheppard's arm, he grabbed his arm and winced but watched the Queen he glanced at Leeander, then kept his eye on me.

"Blazing Heart, what is this?" The Queen asked me, her voice filled with betrayal.

"My name is Mac," I growled, "I am not your daughter, I am the daughter of Kendra Jordan," I pushed the pendant as far out as it would go.

"Put that down, Daughter...The Humans have brainwashed you-"

"NO, it is you who has brainwashed me," I growled in anger.

Use your will and strongest thoughts to make the Crystal shock the Queen, hurry now!

I glanced at Leeander from the corner of my eye and lowered my eyes into the Queen's eyes, which I knew was forbidden only a Queen could gaze into her Wraiths' or humans eyes, not vice versa. I thought of my mom being shot in front of me, I thought of being brainwashed by Leeander's machine as ordered by this Queen, I thought of Colonel Sheppard nearly getting his arm popped out, I thought of nearly losing my identity, my memories, and who I am. The round crystal started glowing brighter and brighter before a thick white beam as long as the pendant was (about half the size of my index finger) shot out at the Queen and hit her on the forehead. She screamed before her eyes glazed as she was seeing something.

"Mac, enough! MacKenzie that is enough!" Leeander roared at me.

"I can't stop it!" I replied as the Queen's body fell to the floor, she screamed and put her hands over her eyes, trying to defend herself. "I don't understand, what's going on?!"
"Your hate for the Queen, you're blaming her for whatever thoughts you thought of, stop! The power is creating a mental monster that is slowly killing her. She is an evil Wraith but not even she deserves such a slow death, and if you do kill her with this crystal you will become addicted to its power and once you start killing with it you can never stop, ever."

I closed my eyes and thought hard of good memories, birthday parties, the time I made a mud cake when I was five and was showing my mom, I wanted her to see and a little boy ran by causing the "cake" to splat against my mother's face. She was shocked and wiped the mud from her eyes and mouth, I still remember her laugh; that memory brought a smile to my lips.

The Wraith Queen slowly started to calm down, but kept whispering for whatever the monster was to leave her be.

I remembered after my mother was shot, sitting in the hospital after I woke up all alone after talking to 3 police officers and 2 detectives about what I had seen. I still remember sitting in the hallway holding my mother's Peace Sign necklace in my hand and holding it close to my heart, I remember I was crying as I held the book, And to Think What I Saw On Mulberry Street, it had been my mother's favorite book; I held it thinking that maybe it would bring her back somehow or I'd see her face somewhere in the pictures on the pages of the book. I still remember hearing the loud: clack, clack, clack, and looking up to see Aunt Tina running towards me her eyes wide.

"Oh MacKenzie sweetie, it's okay now! Aunt Tina's here," she had said softly after wiping the tears out of my eyes, I remember she had been crying too, she hugged me and I hugged her. After that, although I was still sad and extremely mad, I felt safe and happy because at least I wasn't all alone now.

The Wraith Queen fell still, her breathing even.

"She's not dead is she?" I asked in worry.

"No, just unconscious," Leeander replied before going over to Colonel Sheppard and helping him up, "do you need me to fix your arm?"

Colonel Sheppard nodded, "popped out of the socket right before she let me go," he replied as he gritted his teeth.

"Hold still," Leeander said, he paused, "Mac hand me the book on the Queen's throne."

I went over and grabbed it, it was bound in brown leather, I handed it to Leeander who put it in Colonel Sheppard's mouth, "bite down," Leeander ordered. Colonel Sheppard nodded and did so, Leeander told him to count to three, then quickly jerked his arm up; Colonel Sheppard's eyes went wide and he let out a muffled scream into the book and bit down hard. A minute later he put the book down and Colonel Sheppard and I raced for the Dart.

Leeander went for his sister, he had told us he had to do that part alone.

"Are you okay?" I panted as soon as we were beside Leeander's Dart (which was marked by a bumper sticker from a technician that said "Warning: Contents under pressure." Poor Leeander, he didn't really seem to care what the sticker said though.)

Colonel Sheppard nodded to me, "that's not the first time I've had one of my arms popped out of its socket, its happened more times than I can count. Are you alright?"

I nodded, then looked over at hearing pounding against the floor and saw Leeander running, his hand held onto a female Wraith's hand. She looked a lot like Leeander, only her hair was longer, white like his, and in a loose pony tail. When they reached us I froze, his sister was Wraith her eyes amber but with human pupils. When she opened her mouth to ask Leeander what was going on I saw she did not have sharp and pointy teeth like Leeander, but human teeth.

I stared, she looked at me and raised an eyebrow, "in human culture is it considered polite to stare?" She asked me.

I blushed and glanced away, "sorry..I uh noticed your eyes and teeth..." I noticed that Colonel Sheppard was studying the Wraith from the corner of his eye.

"It is a long tale that I shall tell you both later if my sister wishes me too," Leeander exclaimed.

"Okay, Leeander, thank you," I smiled.

"For what?" He asked me as he climbed into his Dart.

"Not making me stay here," I replied.

"I do not wish to stay here either," Leeander replied.

"You told her your name?!" Leeander's sister asked, "now she has told it to everyone!"

Leeander glanced at his sister, "sister, we both know the name that is mine was given to me by our mother and is not my true name. I am not worried on giving it to her."

His sister sighed and nodded before the Dart closed and raised into the air, it circled, then beamed us into its cargo bay.

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"My Queen, Commander," Kenny bowed to Emily and Todd, "our Hive has taken damage, there is a large hole in storage bay one."

"Have a group of darts defend that hole while the scientists and Drones fix it," Emily replied.

Kenny nodded before glancing at Todd.

"She is your Queen, do as she says," Todd growled.

"Yes, Commander," Kenny bowed to Todd before looking at Emily and giving another bow and quickly walking to gather scientists and Drones and order the Darts to their expected positions above the hole.

Emily leaned back, "I know I am doing the right thing, we must defend my brother, the Wraiths that are with him, and Mac. We mostly must defend this Hive because it is our territory, not hers."

"That is correct," Todd replied as he glanced to his mate, "you are doing a good job, Emily, but you do not need to voice the reasons you are fighting with this other Hive. Remember I already know what you know, we are connected," Todd said to her as he tapped the side of his forehead. She nodded.

Another Wraith entered the throne room, Emily remained calm but stern, strong, and controlling as she knew she had to be in order to be Queen.

"My Queen the Wraith Leeander has returned to the Hive, should we end our attack on the other Hive now?" The Wraith asked me.

"No," Emily replied forcefully, "this Hive entered our territory and if we do not make an example of it others will enter our territory without respect for this Alliance. They have made a large mistake and for this they will pay by making their ruined and dead Hive an example of why no other Hives beside our own shall enter our Territory."

"My Queen, are you sure?" the Wraith asked as it raised half of its eyebrow.

Emily stood, "do you dare second guess your Queen?" She asked, "Where does your loyalty lie with me and the Commander; if it does not I shall have you sent in a Dart to the other Hive and you may die with them."

"No my Queen! My Loyalty belongs to you and the Commander! Forgive me for my arrogance," he said as he bowed and quickly took his leave.

"Never second guess yourself as a true Queen," Todd smiled to Emily, "I think you made him wet himself."

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When we landed in the Dart Bay of Todd and Emily's Hive I calmed down, I was glad that the other Darts and Wraiths had been so busy focusing on the attack from this Hive that they hadn't tried to stop us from escaping. As we walked into the hallway from the Dart Bay that led to the meeting room I looked at the pendant, it had so much power. Would I ever need to use it again? I hoped not. What it did to that Wraith Queen, it could have killed her and I would have been responsible for it; my stomach twisted and I felt sick at that thought.

Leeander suddenly put his hand on my shoulder but did not offer a smile or any signs of comfort, he simply put his hand in front of me, "give me the pendant." He ordered.

I took it off and placed it into his hand, what had happened to the concerned Wraith from just a few minutes ago?

Leeander took the pendant and threw it onto the floor, I stared wide eyed and as he stomped on it.

"What was that for?" I asked, dumbfounded.

"Once a pendant like this has been used once, it can never be used again. Each time it is used the monster within it gets more powerful until it breaks through the crystal and into its own form."

"What is it?" I asked.

Leeander's sister replied, "our ancestors," she replied, "the very first stage of our evolution, thousands of them were trapped in small crystals such as these. How they became so small and who made them that way we do not know. We use their power once and then we break the crystals after we finish." She looked at me and I noticed she was being a lot kinder than she had been on the other Hive.

Leeander glared at me before walking away, my heart dropped to my feet; I had trusted him, what had I done wrong?

As I walked into the meeting room and sat down with Colonel Sheppard Leeander's sister decided to join us and sit in front of me, "my brother has strange feelings for you, Mac."

I looked up at her, startled at hearing that, "What?"

"He has strange feelings for you," Leeander's sister replied, "you see I am not much like my brother, I am not as hard and...I do not believe in hiding my emotions or my name as he does."

"You don't?" I asked.

"I do not, I was once human Mac."

Colonel Sheppard's eyes went wide, "what happened to you?"

She sighed, "first let me introduce myself, my name is Odette, it is my real name; the Wraith Queen whom I've called mother for 84 years named me Rima after her daughter who was killed by my people a year earlier. When I was 16 I fell in a foolish love with a village boy named Kaladon, I felt he truly loved me, I never stopped to think about the fact that he was only happy with me after I used my brains to make something for him or his father to them money." Tears brimmed in her eyes, I put my hand over hers, "thank you," she smiled softly to me.

I nodded.

She continued, "then one day the same Hive that the real Rima came from returned to avenge their Queen's daughter by culling our village. Kaladon's father was culled; then a week later a group of Wraith returned, by then there was only a small group of adults left, the rest of us were either babies, extremely young, or as you 'Lanteans call them, teenagers. The leader of the group was Leeander's older brother, Kafar, who is the eldest son of the Queen, with him was Leeander; I still remember how poorly Kafar treated Leeander, that is how he has always treated him to this very day. Kafar told the adults that if they gathered all their children in the square when the sun was halfway in the sky they would take one child and never return to that planet again."

Rima paused before continuing, "Kaladon, myself, the village's other 30 children were gathered in the town square in a long line. I still remember when Kaladon, Leeander, and over 50 Drones walked into the town square. Kafar looked at us as if we were cattle, which to the Wraith we were, we all kept her heads bowed in terror that the reason we were standing there was because we would be fed on for some reason."

"What about the babies?" I asked.

"The Wraith were not interested in them," Rima replied, "each time they saw a child or teenager they did not want they pushed them back; near the end it was only myself and Kaladon left standing. Kafar was about to take Kaladon when Kaladon betrayed me and said, 'take her! She is a genius! She knows how to make the chair of fire balls work, she also fixed it!' As soon as Kafar heard this he took me; when I was brought aboard the Hive I met the Queen, her name is Layla I later learned, and was forced to call her Mother...As you were, Mac. They gave me the same surgery they gave you, and after 10 years I became fully Wraith, except for the eyes and teeth that is; each day I begged to go home until the Queen had enough and told me I was her daughter, I was her Rima. If I chose to betray her and go back to the humans she would kill Leeander. She said this because she knew how close Leeander and I were and still are."

I paused, "were you two in love?"

"No," Rima replied, "we were close as best friends and as a true brother and sister would be."

"This is going to be a weird question," I said softly as I scratched my arm, I blushed hard, "but if Leeander has feelings for me and lets say I have feelings for him we couldn't be together in that way on the Hive, could we?"

"On this Hive we are on now, yes; on the Hive you were on before, no, because you would have been his baby sister," Rima replied.

"Leeander mentioned before that 'Leeander' isn't his real name," Colonel Sheppard exclaimed.

"Because it is not," Rima replied, "Leeander was the first child to be taken. He will not tell his true age, but he tells me he is somewhere around 500. He told me his story many years ago. The Queen had just given birth to Kafar, then 8 months later she gave birth a still born son whom she named Leeander, which is Wraith for Valor; she and her guards and 40 drones went to his planet. He was 9 at the time, he says he can't remember everything, but he remembers the people of his village lining up holding their children. The next thing he remembered was one of the Wraith pulling him from his mother, his mother screaming. He remembers flashes of the surgery, and how hard it was to assimilate (go fully into) the Wraith culture. But after 3 years he forgot that he was ever human and called the Queen Mother every day until I came. That was when the few memories he had of his capture returned to him. He was the first...And you were the last, I just thank the Ancients that you did not have to go through what we did, Mac," Rima said softly as she looked at me, "you are very strong, but your personality was so strong and even overrode Leeander and I's machine, I feel you would have lost your mind or given into the fake personality of Blazing Heart."

I nodded.

"So Leeander was Human," Colonel Sheppard exclaimed, "does he remember his human name?"

"My human name, which is my real name," Leeander exclaimed as he walked in with his hands clasped behind his back, "is Lancelot." He walked with dignity and his head held high with pride; my heart skipped a beat, he was Wraith but he was once human, but it didn't matter what he was, there was just something about him that made my heart pound.

My eyes went wide, "wait, the Lancelot from Camelot? From the legends of King Arthur?"

"Legends?" Leeander - Lancelot - asked, "they are not legends, they are true; my father was Sir Lancelot. My mother was Queen Guinevere. That much I do remember, but I prefer to be called Leeander...It is who I am now." He said as he sat beside his sister and put his hand over hers, the two exchanged small smiles.

"Blazing Heart? How did you come up with that name for me?" I asked, "I mean, I know you told me the meaning of it and why you gave it to me but how-"

"Blazing Heart is a combination of Ancient and Wraith that means 'Lady Knight.' "

I blushed hard, "Leeander...Um..." I scratched my arm.

"I know," he replied.

"Would you like to-"

"No," replied Leeander, "I would not."

"Okay," I replied, right when I realized what my feelings were for him and I actually had the courage to ask a guy (well not human anymore, but still a guy) out he turned me down. Oh well, I'm sure there are a lot of other Leeander's out there, right?

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Hours later after Colonel Sheppard and Mac were returned to Atlantis and Leeander and Rima watched the destruction of their former Hive they stood together at the window.

"Mac really likes you, she was afraid to admit her feelings, why did you say no instead of not now?" Rima asked, as she looked at her brother.

Leeander paused, "because I do not believe Wraith and human women should be involved that way. I was raised by the very first group of Wraith to wander that Hive, Rima. I am from the Old World, so to speak; Todd is from the Ancient World."

"Yes, and he mated a human woman," Rima replied as she raised half her forehead.

"After her surgery, at first he only wanted her on the Hive because she was carrying his child. He was planning to return her to Atlantis after she had given birth the baby; he only told her she would make the choice to stay or leave to make her feel comfortable. Then something happened, a strange feeling came over him and fell in love with her. She became Wraith on her 3rd or 4th month of pregnancy for him, she only could do that because of the Wraith DNA within her; Mac has no Wraith DNA."

"So?" Rima asked, "take her for the way she is; it took a lot for her to trust you and when she finally did trust you she realized her feelings for you. The same feelings you have for her."

"Rima, I do not believe the feeling I have for her is love or what do the humans call it? Ah lust-"

"Mac calls it a crush," Rima replied.

"A crush then, I do not have a crush on Mac. She is a very beautiful human female, do not misunderstand me on that; I believe she is very brave and braver than she gives herself credit for. However I have only known her for 2 days and 8 hours to be exact, that is not enough time to fall in love."

"Sure it is," Rima replied, "remember Riko and Isabella from 56 years ago? Riko was the Queen's chief scientist and he was well over 8,000 years old. He met the human female Isabella he was going to feed on but her courage and her determination to protect the others of her world was so strong he granted her another day to live."

"And another after that, followed by another, and another, and so on," Leeander replied, "he was weak."

"No, he was strong," Rima replied as she lowered her forehead in anger at her older brother, "he knew the feelings for her but he also knew the rules, he kept her alive as a false test subject. When he finally did admit his feelings for her and she admitted her feelings for him they quickly mated."

"And to keep from being killed by the Queen they swallowed a special poison Riko made and drank it, I know," Leeander replied.

"No you don't, even though their bodies were thrown into space they weren't actually dead," Rima replied, "they were in such an intense sleep air isn't needed; if the 'Lanteans or another Hive ever finds them and brings them onboard they shall awaken and they can finally embrace their forbidden love."

"You are much too romantic, my sister," Leeander sighed, "I admit to having some sort of feelings for Mac. Even if they do slowly turn to love I will not be with her; I want to be a commander one day and a Hive can not have a human queen."

"Emily was a human queen before her surgery," frowned Rima.

"She had to have the surgery because she only had a handful of Wraiths respect, but they also doubted her while slightly respecting her; they were going to kill her when she returned to this Hive. Todd had too," Leeander replied as he turned to walk to his room.

"Yes, but Emily did not have to go through with the surgery, she could have returned to Atlantis; she didn't though because of her love for Todd...You know Leeander you keep telling me..and I have heard you tell Mac this same thing as well..That we have much to learn...But I think in this instance it is you who has much to learn. Your pride and stubborn head are standing in the way to something so beautiful and powerful but you just won't open your eyes to see it," Rima sighed.

"Powerful? Mac is brave, but powerful she is not," frowned Leeander.

"If you were to give it a chance and maybe show your feelings for and agree to just do something with her - perhaps read a book or share customs of both your cultures - perhaps you would let your feelings grow for her. Love is the most powerful thing of all, I know you know that, Leeander," Rima frowned.

"You are talking human again, sister," Leeander growled, "as am I, I need to stop this nonsense at once."

"Nonsense? It's not nonsense-" Rima started.

"It is and this is the last I shall hear of it!" He exclaimed before walking down the hallway.

"And if you never see her again?"

"I shall! We are allies with Atlantis now!" Leeander replied over his shoulder.

"But if you never see her again, if she chooses not to see you again-"

"Then so be it," Leeander replied before turning the corner and disappearing from Rima's sight.

Rima sighed and put her back against the window, she knew she'd never be able to become a Hive Queen, and she didn't want too. She was too weak for that position, but she was mean and forceful and cold when she had to be and she was emotionless around other Wraith except Leeander. Am I really too human? She wondered.

Having Human Qualities and feelings and not losing them is a sign of Strength, Rima. The Queen's voice said softly in her head. Rima blushed she was still getting used to her new queen's voice.

Yes, my Queen.

You are not weak for believing in the power of love, but strong. Love is a very strong force...Lets face it, if it wasn't powerful Todd and I would not be together now, would we?

No, replied Rima as she smiled. She paused and realized that love was strong and if Leeander was meant to love Mac it would happen one day, if it was not meant to be then she had no place forcing it.