Chapter 6

Shine still feels the euphoria prickling in his veins when he steps before Queen Death. It's been days since his new Queen had honored him so, but the pride and and sensation of her Gift still linger. He's reluctantly hiding the half-scarred wound on his chest, well aware that he can't flaunt this mark here, in enemy territory.

Queen Death is beautiful.
She looks like the night itself, like the vast emptiness of space, daunting, but fascinating. Her eyes focus him, as she inspects her new apparent servant, and her lips curl into a courtly smile.

Shine's breath hitches, but he reminds himself of the blissful touch, this wonderful pressure of his Queen's hand on his chest, then forces himself to look Death in the eye.

"I have information." he speaks, crystal clear, without any sign of hesitation. "On an enemy of yours, my Queen."
The word nearly pains him to say. This is not his Queen. This is his enemy, and how he'd like to dispose of her right now, slay her where she stands.
But that is not his Queens will. So he endures.

"Do tell. Let us see if you are as useful as you are pretty." she teases, and crosses her legs.

He senses an intrusion on his mind, and closes his eyes for a moment, conjuring up the memory of his Queen speaking his name.

Only her. Only his Queen.

"Certainly. I carry a detailed report on your foe's defense systems with me. I'm positive you will find it intriguing." He produces a tablet from the inner pockets of his coat, loaded with faked data on the Vampire's ship, just informed enough to seem genuine.

Death's eyes narrow, not understanding how he manages to resist.
She does not know, Shine muses, that he's his Queen's Chosen. Her Knight.
With a polite smile, he hands her the false data, and bows to her,

"If I may retreat, my Queen?" he requests, feeling like his Queen is still with him. Nothing can harm him here. Not with her blessing.

–

'My love,

My sources are confirming that Queen Death is working on some sort of device, the nature of which I cannot discern yet. I have detetced massive energy fluctuations on her ship, that worry me deeply. I have sent a spy, and am expecting his report very soon.
Having a man inside Death's inner circle will be of immeasurable value, and I do believe that we have a chance, if we play our cards right..
Regardless, do be on your guard.
I am still establishing a few things on my Hive, but as soon as I finish up, I will return to you. I miss you dearly.

Ivory'

Helena sets her tablet down on her lap and clears her throat.

Guide is with Erinya, in the back area of the bridge, both hunched over a screen depicting the energy readings Ivory sent as an attachment to her message. Both of them look rather frustrated, not quite able to make sense of the readings.

"It's abnormal." Guide confirms. "A Hive's energy flow looks very different, it's too erratic at certain points, and too controlled on others. I share your companion's concerns."

"So you have no idea what she could be working on?" Helena asks, and the Wraith slowly shakes his head.

"As I said – It is unlike anything I have ever seen." he states. "Whatever this is, it is an entirely new technology, and based on Death's characterization so far, it is likely a weapon."

"She is a war-monger, yes." Helena rubs her temples. "But, on the plus-side, this gives us something to tell Atlantis. It doesn't seem too far fetched that you'd know about it."

"True. Additionally, the lack of information may be used as a reason to keep me in custody." Guide ignores Erinya's pained expression. "To coax more out of me."

Helena rises from her seat.
"Well, no use putting it off any longer. Ready to get in costume?"

There's no response from Guide, instead he just gets up and turns to leave the bridge. Helena has asked him to change back into his jumpsuit for the purposes of this demonstration, something he really does not seem to be happy about.

Erinya shoots her Captain a glance, and follows Guide.

It doesn't take her long to catch up to him, after all, he's in no hurry whatsoever to get back into that outfit.

"It's just for a few minutes." she assures him.
"Just yesterday, it was me who sold this idea to you." Guide responds.
"Well, yesterday, you didn't know you had to wear that rancid suit again, did you?" Erinya can't help but reach for his off hand, as they walk down the hallway.

"I did not. But make no mistake, I would have agreed regardless." he responds, and casually closes his hand around hers. Even now, with moderate energy levels, Erinya feels like his skin is ice cold, against her own.

"A sacrifice you're willing to make." she hums.
"Helena will owe me for this." he clarifies, and turns to enter his guest-quarters.

It's a very simple room, with just bare necessities in it, and hardly any personal items, strictly functional in nature.
Guide does not seem to mind.

His jumpsuit sits neatly folded at the edge of his bed, and he lets out a hoarse sigh, regarding it sceptically.
"Just a few minutes." Erinya reminds him gently.
"I know. I am merely convincing myself that this is worth my dignity." he responds, his voice sounding a little sharper as he does.

"It is. If we surrender you back to Atlantis, you will starve again. Here, you have me. Your infinite food source." Erinya argues, and lightly pats his shoulder. "I'll be beside you during the transmission."

He regards her with an unreadable expression, before turning around, and ridding himself of his coat. Soon enough, the only piece of his usual garments that remains, are his boots. Him and Erinya have never had any issues with nudity among each other before. After all, their first meeting had taken place in a Genii laboratory room, with Erinya, naked and delirious, strapped to a table.

He picks up the suit and rubs the fabric between his fingers.

"I will burn this, once the transmission is done with." he lets Erinya know, and hisses at her chuckle, before maneuvering himself into the suit.

Eventually, he straightens his posture, and dusts off his shoulders.

"It's not so bad." Erinya comments, lying through her teeth. It's really, really bad.

"Grey is not my color." Guide replies, completely stone-faced. "Let's get this over with, shall we?"

She escorts him back through the corridors, to the bridge, not failing to notice him flexing his hands, as most Wraith do when angered or uncomfortable.

It's only going to get worse, she thinks, and shoots him a careful glance before entering the bridge again.

Helena rummages through a container filled with various implements meant to restrain prisoners, only to look up as the doors open.
"Ah, Guide. Looking good." she comments, and he snarls at her.
"I will not have any further comments on my appearance, thank you very much." he insists, and Helena grins, holding up a pair of shackles.

"Of course not. Now, let's accessorize, shall we?" she says, sets the box aside and walks toward him, rattling the chains in her hands.
"I'm getting the impression that you draw a lot more enjoyment from this than you should." he growls.
"Ah, let me have my fun. I don't get to tie up a grown Wraith that often." she chirps, and he offers his hands to her.

"I would much prefer not making this a habit." he says, while Helena shackles him, leaving the chains unlocked.

"Of course not. We're ready!" She gives her crewmen a thumbs up, draws a pistol from her belt, and leads Guide closer to the big window at the front of the ship. "Try struggling a little. Makes it more believeable."

He grits his teeth, and growls again. Helena isn't sure if it's genuine or part of the act, as the transmission channel opens, just as he does.

The image of the lanthian higher-ups appears on the large window, John Sheppard and his team, as well as Mr. Woolsey. Woolsey greets them with a nod, and Sheppard smirks, acknowledging the weapon pointed at Guide.

"I see, you and Todd get along?" he opens, and Helena raises a brow.

"...Whomst?"

Guide groans.
"He means me." he clarifies, and tugs against Helena's fake death-grip on his arm.

"What? 'Todd'? Really?" she adresses Guide more than Sheppard.

"I assure you, that was not my idea." he says, looking genuinely annoyed at this point. "May we proceed? The less time I have to spend with a weapon pointed at my face, the more cooperative I will be."

"I take it, you have news?" Woolsey interrupts that little banter.
"Oh, we do. Our guest, um... Todd has given us very intriguing information. That's why he's here, I wanted him to tell you personally." Helena explains cheerfully, willfully ignorant of the death glare Guide shoots her.

"Very intriguing, huh? Well, let's hear it, then." Sheppard urges.

Guide remains silent, to give Helena an opportunity to show force. She catches onto it, and presses her pistol against his temple.

"Don't be shy, Todd." she purrs, clearly enjoying this way too much.

He groans.
"Queen Death is working on a weapon, previously unheard of, even among my people." he explains, doing an excellent job at sounding annoyed. "It is a work in progress, as far as my intel goes, but it s reason for concern."

Silence falls for a few seconds, then Sheppard steps a little closer to the screen.
"Anything else about that weapon you'd like to share? How it works, for example? Or literally anything useful?" he prods, and Helena takes the cue to tug aggressively on Guide's arm.

"I do not know more than you." he claims. "As I just said, this type of weapon is entirely new. I cannot give you what I do not have, Sheppard."

"You're lying. He's lying, isn't he? I think he's lying." McKay, the scientist chimes in.

"He may be." Helena shrugs. "I ca interrogate him further, if you'd like me to? I mean, I already got this much out of him."

"That would be appreciated, Helena." Woolsey responds. "If you can, I would also ask you to check back with your Wraith contact on this issue."
"I will, but no promises. She's rather elusive." Helena states, and gives them a polite nod. "I'll resume my talks with Todd, then."

She gives her crewmen a sign to end the transmission, sheathes her weapon, and lets go of Guide's arm.

Immediately, he pulls the shackles off his wrists, and unceremoniously drops them on the ground.

"Call me 'Todd' one more time." he growls, and Helena can't help but grin.

"Whose idea was that, anyway?" she asks him, and he sighs.
"Sheppard's. He has a habit of distributing names to Wraith." he explains. "I can live with him addressing me this way, but from you?"

Erinya doesn't think she's ever seen him this annoyed before.

"Come, let's get you out of this monstrosity." she offers, and gestures to the door they entered through.

"Please," Guide responds, and hurries to her side.