Well, that was a bit of a wait, but fortunately Hideout was able to scrape this one together in time for the holidays. Consider the exposition in here a little Christmas present for all the fans of this story.
Anywho, let's just see what happens next, shall we?
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"…welcome, Maxxximum Ride," the ship hissed quietly.
Max shivered slightly. "Who's there?" she asked, weapon raised to the firing position. "How do you know my name?"
"I was once known as Angel. Now you may call me the Bloodangel, for I have killed without remorse," the ship replied.
"...Are you truly Angel?" Max asked hesitantly. "Say something that only Angel would have known."
The ship sighed, though it sounded to like Flock like a gas exchange somewhere deeper inside. "Do you remember when we went to Hawaii, how we beat the others in the BS course? In covert operations, as I believe it was called, you and Nudge casually slipped through the glaring chinks in their security, while I merely manipulated the guards' minds. They never knew I was there. Fang used his stealth to slip through while Gazzy teamed up with Iggy and gassed the guards. We passed that course rather quickly if I recall correctly. So much trouble just to get aboard a submarine."
"We did that so we could rescue my mom," Max defended.
"And yet now it seems so insignificant to me…I remember that it was quiet important then, but now I wonder if I would step in and do the same today?"
Max blinked, stunned. Hearing Angel, (rather, what was left of her), dismissing that mission rocked her to the core, and it was not the same kind as Fang would do to her. This hurt, and for several moments Max just stood there and didn't even say anything.
"The only thing that seems important now is the safety of my family." Bloodangel mused. Without further thought on the matter, she used her mental abilities, which had increased in power with her newfound size, and created an illusion in their minds, showing them Angel as she was before the Wraith had captured her. So strong was the illusion that it was as if they could touch her, and they would actually feel it.
When she appeared, Max did a double-take. "A…Angel?" she asked.
"MAX!" her voice rang out. Her voice resounded with joy at being reunited with her family, and she dashed toward the Flock.
Max enveloped her in a bear hug, holding her close for several seconds before finally letting go.
"What did they do to you, sweetie?" Max asked at last. "The ship was claiming that it was you."
"It does have all my memories," Angel said, "but it's not me. I can control the ship though, and I have something that I need to show you. Come on." So saying she walked out of the hangar. The others had stashed their weapons in the Jumper when Angel appeared, since the ship was empty.
They came to a room that was quite warm and had several tubes in the ceiling, large enough for one person to fit in.
"What is this place?" Nudge asked quietly. She had grown quiet ever since Angel's kidnapping, and even having been re-united with Angel hadn't completely snapped her out of it.
"It's a special control chamber," Angel lied, "They allow you to control the ship mentally, even if you have no true telepathic abilities. Just stand on one of these round platforms, and you'll be hooked up to the rest of the ship."
"I don't know Ange, it doesn't seem completely right." Max said, unconvinced.
"I just want to take the ship for a quick spin around the block," Angel said, convincingly, "You know, just to show you what the ship is like."
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Meanwhile, in the hangar bay, the doors opened to admit Sheppard and his team in Jumper Seven. Bloodangel had been broadcasting a signal exactly like Angel had done after being bonded with Atlantis, which caused Atlantis to very abruptly shut off the shield holding Sheppard in place. The entire city seemed to be singing, which meant that Sheppard was going to go investigate the Hive ship in orbit.
The doors closed behind the Jumper, while lights came on in the hangar bay and fresh atmosphere was pumped in.
"Why do I feel like we're getting a rather warm welcome?" Sheppard asked uneasily.
"I do not know..." Teyla answered. "Perhaps a thorough investigation will yield the answer to your question."
The Jumper settled before powering down.
"That's odd," Sheppard said, looking at the Heads-Up.
"What is it?" McKay asked, all business.
"The Jumper is being charged up by the Hive ship," Sheppard said, wonder seeping into his voice. "So far, that's three very strange things I've noticed since this ship arrived in orbit."
After several seconds of deliberation, he popped the hatch open and walked out. The rest of the team followed, cautiously looking around.
"This way," Sheppard said, "The others went this way."
The team walked to the door, and Sheppard noticed a protrusion from the wall, similar to the 'doorknob' crystals on Atlantis. "McKay, doesn't that look-"
"Like the crystals on Atlantis? Yes. As far as I know, that's not standard on Wraith ships," McKay replied. He looked at the readings from his tablet, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
"Well I'm going to try it," Sheppard said. He waved his hand across the nodes, but nothing happened. "Maybe Teyla should try?" he said on a hunch.
"You believe that the Wraith DNA will grant access," Teyla realized.
"It might," John conceded.
Teyla thought about it for a moment, then waved her hand across the nodes. A red light turned green, and the door opened.
They were walking down a hallway, and stopped when McKay made his announcement.
"Interesting…" he said out of nowhere.
"What's interesting, McKay?" Ronon grunted.
"This ship. There are certain genetic markers that make it look like…" the realization dawned on him. "Oh, no. Oh, no. No, this can't be happening."
"What is it?" Sheppard asked, impatient.
"This ship is...or rather was…Angel." McKay said hoarsely.
"Are you saying that the Wraith have devised a way to take people and turn them into vessels for their own use?" Teyla asked, horrified.
"It would look that way, but I doubt that they have the ability to do it at a large-scale level yet. This is the first time that we've ever been on a Wraith vessel that had such a large quantity of human DNA markers in it before," McKay said. "My guess is that a fringe faction came up with it, and they probably won't be doing it again."
"Why not again?" Ronon asked.
"Because if a brand-new ship is just going to leave without them, they won't risk it happening again. If opposing factions get the ship instead, they'd have just given their enemies another ship," Sheppard answered, realizing the implications. "Let's go meet up with Max, and tell her what we found out."
The team continued on.
_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/
Meanwhile, Angel was trying to get the rest of the Flock to stand on the circular platforms.
"It's perfectly safe," she insisted, "let me show you." She stood on one of the platforms, and a pole quickly grew up from the platform along her back, before branching out to form a slightly curved support wall. Her eyes closed, and she swayed slightly, falling back on the support wall as small air sacs inflated to cushion her body against the bony structure of the support frame. After several seconds, she opened her eyes and straightened up before walking off of the platform again. The support structure quickly disappeared, leaving just the circle in the floor as it was before.
The door opened to admit Sheppard and his team just as Max and the others hesitantly stepped onto the platforms. The support structures quickly grew up, and Angel sent them a telepathic wave that was so strong that they closed their eyes, falling backwards ever so slightly onto the waiting support structures.
Because Angel wasn't visible to Sheppard and his team, all the saw was the Flock stepping up onto circular platforms that quickly grew support structures to hold them up as they swayed backward.
They shared a concerned glance before entering the room to see what was happening.
"I'm sorry for lying to you." Angel whispered in Max's ear. "I had to do it to keep you safe."
Max's eyes opened wide at what Angel had just said, but it was too late. The support structure grew around her, holding her in place, binding her arms and legs into position before the entire platform moved up into the tube. There was a hiss as some sort of gas was pumped into the small chamber, and Max's struggles against her restraints grew weaker and weaker, until she passed into the blissful land of the unconscious.
"Whatever's going on, I don't think that was good," Sheppard said.
The door closed suddenly, locking itself.
Angel manifested herself in their minds, in front of the door.
"Angel?" McKay asked disbelievingly.
"Sort of," she answered. She gestured and several comfortable chairs were grown out of the floor. "Sit. I promise I will not do to you what I have done to them."
After several moments, Ronon sat down. Nothing happened. The rest of the team sat, cautiously. The same result happened to them as Ronon had experienced. Namely, nothing. Angel sat in a chair across from them.
"This manifestation of me is all this is left of what you knew as Angel," she explained. "Two months ago I was taken by the Wraith, where they forced me to drink an experimental liquid. The formula quickly caused my body to mutate into the ship you are now inside."
"That explains the DNA markers," McKay whispered to John.
"Heard that," Angel said, snapping her fingers to get their attention. "I'm in your mind."
"Then why create such an elaborate illusion for us to see?" Teyla asked.
"Because I want to at least appear to have some semblance of normal conversation," Angel replied. "Now, back to the topic at hand. As I was growing, a Wraith queen from the nearby cruiser tried to access my hangar portal. My mental abilities have grown with my size, and as such I was easily able to deny access to her. When my growth was complete, I destroyed the cruiser whose scientists had created the formula, then set course for where I had last known Atlantis to be. Upon arrival, I opened my doors so that the rest of my family could enter. You, Sheppard, and the rest of your team were granted access solely because Teyla carries Wraith DNA in her genetic structure."
"So what are you doing to the Flock?" Teyla asked. "Max did not appear as though she desired what was happening."
"Claustrophobia," Angel said dismissively, "I need to adapt their genetic structure so that they can use my equipment." An odd look crossed her face as she said that. "It's not a wrong as it sounds," she said at last, "so wipe the smirk off your face." This last was directed at Sheppard, who had been grinning like a loon. The smirk vanished.
"If I did not adapt their structure, I would need to devote my attention to allowing access whenever somebody wanted to go through a door, as well as maintaining my systems, controlling movement, firing weapons as needed…surely you understand."
"I think I understand..." McKay said.
Angel cut him off. "You do understand, McKay, more than you think. I am giving the gene-therapy to my family by force, I know they will understand when I'm done, but for everyone else, it will be a choice, made both whoever is receiving the gene-therapy, as well as myself. There are some I will deny, for reasons of my own. Now, I am willing to give you the therapy if you want it, but you'll have to wait until Max and the others are done. What it comes down to is this: would you like to be able to move freely through this ship while in a combat situation, or not?"
McKay's natural curiosity got the better of him as he said "I'm in."
"Are you sure you're not influencing him to say that?" Sheppard asked, eyes narrowed.
"Yes," Angel replied. "The choice is yours to make, I will not make it for you."
Ronon looked at Angel, with an intense, burning hatred in his eyes. A lesser person would have quailed at the intensity of his gaze, but Angel met his gaze with open blue eyes.
"Do you swear to never ally yourself with the Wraith and betray us?" he asked.
"Chewie…" John said warningly. Ronon didn't back down.
"I swear by my life that I will never betray you to the Wraith, or anyone living on Atlantis. As for alliances…I can make no promise, but they will not be able to obtain useful information from me without having the advice of Sheppard to back me up. Will that suffice?" Angel asked, leaning back in her chair.
"It will," Ronon said, "but I have another question."
"No, you will not be turned into a Wraith. You will be able to sense other Wraith, which can become a powerful advantage, and you will gain a fraction of their healing and strength properties, but it will not alter your appearance. Though I would like to leave a visual mark on your body."
"A...visual mark?" McKay asked, slightly nervous.
"To put it in Earth terms, a tattoo," Angel replied. "A mark that lets everyone know that you are part of an elite group."
"I don't think I'd mind that," Ronon said, smirking slightly as he reclined. "Count me in."
"What the heck," Sheppard said at last, "sure, I'll do it."
"I understand that not everyone on Atlantis who has the gene of the Ancestors is able to use their technology as easily as others. Is the amount of Wraith DNA that I carry enough to control this vessel?" Teyla asked.
"No," Angel replied, "You only have enough to open doors and manipulate computers, and even that is a bit tenuous. If you were to attempt to fly this Hive, you would not last for an hour before needing food and rest. I can strengthen the amount that you have, if you wish." As she finished speaking, Angel stood up, and the growth that had formed into a chair returned to being regular decking.
"The process is nearly complete," she announced.
Above them, the capsules holding Max and the other Flock members hissed as gases were exchanged. "As soon as the platforms are available, you may step on them, and the process will begin. You will not be harmed in any way, and it makes the process easier. I recommend relaxing."
"If I'm relaxed, is it still going to cage me like it did to the others?" Ronon asked.
"No, it's purpose is support; I did not want my family to get hurt attempting to escape. The ceiling is rather high, and the gas used to sedate can make people somewhat impaired before they go completely unconscious. I didn't want them punching through and then forgetting how to fly," Angel explained. She gestured at an area of empty space, and steel-strong supports grew over the area, before a much more flexible membrane grew in some of the spaces created by the steel web. "When the process is complete, you will need some time to recover, so I have created several recovery beds for you. You will not need to worry about getting to them, I'll arrange that, but I thought you might like to know."
"What is the stuff that grew between the bars?" Sheppard asked.
"It is a membrane with the same strength and flexibility of an Earth trampoline, but as soft as a feather bed," Angel answered. "Go ahead, touch it." A catwalk formed, creating a viable place to walk. In his curiosity, John walked over and gingerly reached towards one of the membranes. To his surprise, it was very soft and springy. With a grin, he took off his shoes, and jumped onto it. The membrane allowed for six feet of travel before flinging Sheppard back up into the air. After successfully negotiating a landing, the grinning Lieutenant Colonel Sheppard put his boots back on.
"I used to bounce on my bed all the time when I was kid," he said wistfully. "My mom hated it…" he was distracted with the radio crackling.
"Sheppard come in," Dr. Wier's voice ordered.
"We are inside," Sheppard said, grinning.
"That's not what I meant, John…"
"The ship is Angel," Sheppard said, becoming serious. "The Wraith performed some sort of experiment on her that turned her into a Hive ship."
"Is she friendly?" Dr. Wier asked, concerned.
"Has been so far," John replied. "She destroyed the Wraith scientists who created her, so I doubt that the Wraith will be doing any sort of experiments like this in the future."
"Well, I'd like you to come back to Atlantis for now, I don't think we are really ready to explore a Hive ship just yet," Dr. Wier ordered.
Having read Sheppard's thoughts, Angel knew that he didn't want to return to Atlantis just yet. He wanted to get the gene-therapy over and done with, and so she quickly secured Teyla, Ronon and McKay to their chairs, and grew restraints from the deck to force Sheppard to remain where he was.
"Ah, no can do," Sheppard said, barely restraining a smile, "Angel seems to think we aren't done catching up yet, and is currently holding us captive."
The team knew from Angel's mischievous smile that no harm would come to them, she was just making sure that Dr. Wier couldn't order them to return until after the gene-therapy was complete.
"Understood, check back in every fifteen minutes. Wier out."
Just as Dr. Wier finished speaking, the restraints disappeared, allowing the team freedom of movement again. A set of rails formed, in front of the row of pillars, and five beds were brought up to the rail before being guided to a position in front of each pillar.
The chambers shut down, and the platforms descended back to deck level before canting forward, tipping the Flock members off of the platforms and onto the beds, which were rolled back to their original position before snapping into the steel web grid again.
Angel nodded towards the team members as the rails sank into the deck, allowing easy access to the platforms.
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Answers to Readers:
Forsaken By All: The style changes from story to story, though I've tried to stay consistent. It happens. As for Angel, she's not a Super-Hive, seeing as how a Super-Hive has a ZPM to power it, and Angel does not. Ajax showing up in this story was a very brief incident, and will not happen again in this story. Thank you for your understanding.
Brian01: Done. Next?
And now for any other comments The Layman may have!
Not many, just Happy Chirsmahanalwanzaka to everyone out there in Reader Land! Here's hoping no one gets burried under a mountain of snow this year!