"Incoming transmission." Chuck sounded as though as he had said it ten million times for the past ten years. He absently tapped the edge of the crystal control station. "Incoming…transmission," he muttered boredly. "Come onnnn…pick up, I already did. Pfffff," he huffed, leaning back in his chair.

Amelia looked over at him. "You bored?"

"I couldn't have asked a dumber question myself," Chuck murmured.

Amelia shrugged and then the signal came through.

Sheppard smacked his comm. "Todd's back."

"Right on time," Woolsey said. "I want him in the labs as quickly as possible. I'm on my way up."

"He doesn't seem to be in too much of a hurry, don't know if he's found anything," Sheppard drawled, sick and tired of the waiting game of the past several days. "Requesting entry; he's got his second in command with him as promised."

"Lower the shield."

A flashback to the original Earth iris haunted Sheppard as he nodded to Amelia. The last time the colonel and Woolsey had spoken with Todd was over a transmission several hours ago. Todd had appeared completely unfazed, but Sheppard doubted that the alien's facial expression was allowing any of the truth to shine through, and therefore the colonel had alluded to his observations with, "You appear more cheerful that we're used to seeing, how come I get the feeling something's up?"

"You are correct, as usual, John Sheppard," Todd began.

"Well, it's not a miracle you're actually admitting it," Sheppard said sarcastically. "Screw any notion I'm making a wild guess; you're onto a lot more than we know at the moment. Care to share what you've been keeping from us?"

"I believe I have a very good idea of what is involved in that biological structure on P6L-266. Has Doctor McKay unearthed any more clues?"

"He's still working on it," Sheppard said grudgingly. "What do you mean, involved?"

"Perhaps not all is as it seems. Dr. McKay is looking for something that is alive. This might not be."

"Ok, we'll cross that bridge once you get here. By the way, I just thought I'd mention that we were recently under the influence of some type of memory jammer we think came through the Stargate when Melbrick supposedly reported in before AR-6 was nabbed. Did you happen to notice anything unusual about our mental states when you were here last?"

"I take it if I did notice something and left without comment, you would be very displeased," Todd said. "But I willingly face the judgement seat. It so happens that I detected sluggishness on your part, and Doctor McKay's mind had obviously been affected by something that merged cleanly with his telepathic abilities, although I could not identify what it was. Teyla was weaker than I had ever felt before, and this surprised me. Your emotional auras did not reflect your usual mental abilities. But clearly, the issue has passed."

"Why didn't you say something?" Sheppard had demanded, leaning forward.

"Yes, why didn't you?" Woolsey put in.

"My theories are my own," Todd said soothingly. "And I did not wish to needlessly alarm you. I was certain that you were in no danger, otherwise I would have mentioned it immediately."

"Ok, next time you hold something back from us, whether it's a serious or potentially serious issue, you get a week in the Lantean penitentiary, no food, no water," Sheppard said darkly. "And that's before the firing squad."

"Really, Todd," Woolsey said grimly, "I would have thought you knew better by now. There is no reason for you to keep us in the dark, you could have helped us out. What did you have to gain by such secrecy?"

"I knew you'd eventually figure out something had affected your ability to focus," Todd said. "I had other matters to attend to. Would you care to hear about them?"

"Yeah, why don't you spill the beans before I seriously consider never letting you back on Atlantis in one piece?" Sheppard said.

"Such a far less intimidating threat than those in the fit of temper you just displayed," Todd said. "You seem to have lost some of your confident edge, Sheppard."

"Keep thinking I'm kidding."

Woolsey sighed impatiently.

"My assistants completed their analysis of the growths," Todd said, ignoring them. "I would like to compare the findings to Dr. McKay's in addition to assessing Ritha's data banks."

"McKay's got enough ground covered that the first part is as reasonable as the latter," Woolsey said.

Sheppard nodded. "Beckett's got a load of homework for you. I grudgingly admit you'll be happy about the nanite coding."

The smirk on Todd's face was replaced by a slight lift of the eyebrows. "I had some idea she was well-versed in the field. I look forward to reading it."

"Seeing as how you're the Mr. Incredible of Nanite-opolis, how can I refuse?"

Todd inclined his head as if he'd just been given a compliment.

And now, twelve hours later, Sheppard was experiencing de-ja-vu as Todd's face appeared once again on-screen. The wraith's usual slight smirk was gone. "There is not a moment to lose. I will fill you in on the rest once I have arrived. With your permission, of course."

"The shield is down," Sheppard said. "And don't dawdle, huh?"

The transmission screen went blank just as Woolsey walked into the command center. "Problems?"

"That's not possible," Sheppard said sarcastically.

Woolsey came close. "There is no evidence that he took advantage of our prior mental states for his own gain," he murmured.

"Call me crazy, but I agree," Sheppard said. "Something tells me we were actually protected from something. But he's going to give us the usual uncomfortable vibes that we need to keep an eye on him. He taught me how to play that game."

"Maybe I should get used it; Todd is just that way."

"Like I said," Sheppard said, stepping away from the screens, "of course he knows something about the wraith we still don't. And I think this time he had a good reason for not telling us."

"But you'd never admit it to him."

"I'm not playing King of the Mountain with a wraith commander-in-chief."

"After all this time, you're not displaying the distrust you used to. I admit I expected it yesterday. This is almost just like old times."

"Nope," Sheppard said. "There's too much at stake to give Todd a reason to think we're going to be enemies again. I almost think that's a weakness of his. Conflict. A challenge. Just to have a little fun, stay on top of Atlantis like he's its crown jewel. Not giving him that."

"Did you learn anything else about Ritha from McKay?"

"I think we've covered more than the basics."

Woolsey pretended not to notice the vague annoyance in Sheppard's eyes. "I finished reading the Red Journal. It was, to say the least, most enlightening."

"Mm-hm. Now I'm just trying to concentrate on the fact that we're all sure something's very wrong. You ever get that sixth sense that we're about to head into something a lot bigger than anticipated?" Sheppard walked away from Chuck and Amelia, who had been listening intently.

"You and I have lived with that for many years," Woolsey said, following Sheppard. "So have the teams. It's called experience."

"Then why do I get the feeling that this might not be inside the parameters of what we'd normally call "experience"?

Woolsey was silent a moment. "We handled Death herself."

"Barely. Not to mention we nearly lost Rodney and the entire city."

"As we have nearly lost him and you and the rest of the teams on countless occasions over the years."

"Guess we're always waiting for the next time the show starts with a Star Wars intro."

"We will discuss everything in the labs. Did you check in with AR-9?"

"Yeah, they're on their way back. Haven't found a thing. Surprise."

"Regroup. Then it will be your turn to leave after Todd's work is under way."

"Oh I can't wait."

"You did express your desire to be in a puddle jumper over any other occupation, especially over reading the Red Journal."

"Wish hasn't died, it was just granted a little later than I wanted it to be."

…..

"You practically lived here for two years, you shouldn't need a tour," Sheppard said as he and Woolsey marched through the main corridor with Todd and his second in command in their wake. The colonel felt the hair on the back of his head rising a little as the heavy, measured footsteps of the wraith he had nicknamed Aedan sounded close behind. The wraith, just like his kin throughout much of the Pegasus Galaxy, was no longer a threat to humans, but Sheppard could never quite shake that chilly feeling he got whenever one of the towering aliens was within close proximity. Sheppard knew Woolsey felt the same way especially with Todd following him; while Sheppard had been fed upon during his first encounter with Todd, Woolsey had nearly experienced the same thing, and the de ja vu was merciless.

When the little group reached the labs, McKay was already scurrying around a table, comparing his notes, while Zelenka's wild hair shone, backlit by the canister that held the spongy samples of biotech. They both looked up as the trio entered.

"You're back." Zelenka laid down what he was working on.

"Finally, what took so long?" McKay demanded. He came to a halt as he recognized the second in command. "Oh, you too, huh? Long time no see."

Aedan stared solemnly, the bluish tattoo below his left eye glistening in the semi-darkness. "I am here to assist my superior and yourselves at the request of Richard Woolsey. There is much to discuss."

"Well we could always use another hand," Rodney said, holding out a hand for a quick shake. There was a long silence. McKay's expectant little smile melted and he slowly lowered his arm while Aedan cocked an eyebrow.

"Am I supposed to be amused?" the wraith said.

"Perhaps he has taken up the art of wraith humor," Todd said, glancing at Woolsey, who scowled back. "H-h-h-h-h," he laughed slowly and richly. "We get these little tidbits every now and again."

Aedan just looked at Todd.

"Well," Todd said, lifting his hands and stalking slowly past Aeden. "To business. I heard you require my help." His towering form moved through the great science lab he had come to know so well starting in 2013. He came around one of the consoles, bending slightly to look at a tablet. "I understand Ritha Guider left quite a memorabilia of data secured in her quarters. Ahhh." His long white hair shimmered in the glare of the study lights. "I recall… every crevice…every instrument…"

"Not much has changed," McKay said. "We've got all the toys same as ever. Guess I can't refuse to share."

Aedan was alternately eyeing Woosley and Sheppard.

"You can come in all the way," Woolsey said in a thin voice.

"Hmmm," Aedan growled softly, and he too stepped forward.

Sheppard and Woolsey exchanged glances that said, "Here we go again." The fear that they would have experienced if the wraith were the same threat they had been some years before was no longer present, but the de ja vu was still strong.

"I am curious as to why all the secrecy from your fellow scientist," Todd said to McKay, coming to a halt beside the glowing canister of bio-speciman.

"Obviously so are we." McKay bustled around a chair and reached for a stack of data cases. "Beckett finished going through her medical files on the new retrovirus." He held them out to Todd. "By the way, lemme tell you, Ritha has managed, with a great deal of coding, to make human vocal abilities compatible with spoken wraith language. I don't know what you'll make of it, but just keep in mind I had nothing to do with it."

"She cannot speak our language any more than you can," Todd said with a mystified wrinkle of his insectoid brows.

"What nonsense," Aedan said.

"You'll take that back once you see everything I found," McKay said, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "It requires a lot of…hissing." He cleared his throat.

"That is absurdly primitive, although to be expected, as humans are not wraith and must improvise," Todd said.

"Gee, really, we never knew that," Sheppard said.

Todd's long greenish fingers handled the cases as if they were made of thin glass. He held one up. "And what would you say is her greatest strength besides the nanite treatises I was informed of?"

"Everything having to do with wraith," McKay said rather disgustedly in his frustration with his own failed experiments. He backed up and sat down in a chair with a long exhale. "Long day. John, I need a drink. Todd, it is highly advisable that you look through her notes on the retrovirus before you read through anything else."

"And her greatest weakness?" Todd said, slowly lowering the data case. The light from the old station Ritha used to work at brushed gently over his intense eyes.

Sheppard very quietly and carefully lowered his own eyes as Woolsey watched.

"I would say her weakness is not knowing when to admit she's reached a limit," McKay said, not without some kindness.

"H-h. I did not fail to notice the last time I worked here, she was so determined to prove her suspicions should be taken into consideration she almost had me convinced. How ironic, it turns out she has done us a favor."

"Hm." McKay rocked back and put his hands behind his head. "Yeah. Same."

"You will need this," Todd said, producing a small biotech data device. "It has all the conclusions I and my science team came to when we examined the species that has you so confused."

"What? I'm not confused!" McKay spun around to face the canister. "I've been sweating over this thing day and night, and you know what I think? It's a failed pathogenic experiment left behind to die!"

"Another perspective can't hurt anything but your pride," Todd said.

Sighing, McKay turned back around and snatched the data device. "Fine."

"We shall begin now, if that is agreeable to you," Todd said, looking around.

McKay waved a hand. "Grab any station you want except the one I'm at."

"Same with mine," Zelenka said, with a brief glance up from his work. Aedan was watching him work and Zelenka looked back, a mite nervous, before resuming his typing.

Todd's long leather robes swayed as he stalked around a table and seated himself at a laptop. He laid down the cases, gesturing to Aedan.

Woolsey was already pulling out a chair for himself. "Todd, our suspicions might coincide."

"They probably do since our goals have aligned so beautifully for the past three years," Todd said as the laptop flashed on. "There is a great deal to discuss."

Aedan picked up a data case. "Would you like me to assist Dr. McKay?"

"That would do very nicely I think," Todd said with a nasty little smirk. "You don't mind do you, doctor?"

"I most certainly do, but," McKay said, holding up a finger, "because we've wasted enough time, I shall sacrifice my reputation as the best of the best and step aside."

Zelenka rolled his eyes. Aedan went to join McKay near the canister and Sheppard turned around to watch a moment.

"I am fond of the multitask approach," Woolsey said. "What can you tell us?"

"First of all," Todd said, busily typing, "I am sorry to inform you that I believe there is considerable reason for alarm." He leaned his arms upon the desk surface and his yellow-green eyes were distant and bright. The long black irises bored into the eyes of the commander. "So much occurring…in such a short time."

"We've noticed," Woolsey said.

"The notion that AR-6 may no longer exist has not dampened your spirit for adventure."

"Not on your life," Sheppard said, turning back around and wincing a little. "Just cut the theatrics."

Todd just smiled gently as he looked down at the laptop and reached for the touchpad. Beckett swished into the room, his long white coat billowing. Todd lifted his chin. "Ah, Doctor, you're just the person I wanted to see."

"Hello," Beckett said. "It's been a while, I suppose. You've got some work ahead of you, but I think you'll enjoy it. I see your second in command is here, glad for it, we could use the help."

Woolsey put his hand down on the table. "As true as that is, we don't have time for further pleasantries," he said, earning a slow raising of the eyebrows from Todd who had said a similar thing to the commander several years before when the wraith was first on Atlantis. "Now, what can you tell us about the configurations Ritha all but published?"

"It will take some time," Todd said, gesturing elegantly at the laptop screen. "You are like Dr. McKay."

"That is exactly why we asked you to take up some of the slack," Woolsey said, ignoring the implication that he was in a rush.

"You think I can provide quicker and more complete, satisfactory outcomes?"

McKay spun around in his chair. "Ok, pardon me, we'll see about that."

"Todd thought he was getting a routine grand tour of the city," Sheppard said in a mocking, confidential tone.

"H-h-h-h-h," Todd laughed, typing out a sequence of search phrases. "Some other time perhaps. But I appreciate the thought."

"Soon as you're finished, we can work out the anti-retrovirus data in the medical bay," Beckett said.

"Very well," Todd said, keying around. He was silent a moment. "Ritha Guider knew what she was doing."

"Excuse me? I mean, I can agree depending on what field; what do you mean?" Beckett leaned forward.

Sheppard's hand he had been leaning upon left his cheek.

"When we were on P6L-266," Todd said, typing quickly and hitting an icon, "I learned more than I revealed."

"Yeah we got that," Sheppard said disgustedly.

"I needed, as I am sure Woolsey explained to you, some time to assess the patterns that I saw," Todd said. "For example. The rune."

"You didn't say much about that," Sheppard said. "What about the rune?"

"If Ritha was involved in a plot against Atlantis, why would she have left clues? It would be a primitive way to mark out a contact point for an enemy of yours."

"I already thought of the same myself," Woolsey said, "When my mind was clear again."

Todd looked up. "Have you unraveled the mystery of the fog that overtook you?"

"Somewhat, but not with the results we hoped for."

"We were thinking you might help out with that as well," Beckett said, his hands in his pockets. "The signatures were very weak or non-existent with the exceptions of Dr. McKay and Teyla."

Todd looked from the doctor to Woolsey. "And you found no trace of any biotechnology?"

"Only some unidentifiable footprints, but they may have been there from a past experience," Beckett said. "It would be hard to say which one, there have been so many."

Todd leaned back, his wrists resting on the desk. "Your minds were very much open to suggestion when I first arrived here. I remained silent in order to observe any natural ebb and flow of emotional patterns that I might detect during my stay. McKay's mind was so resistant when I attempted to read it that I had to take a great many pains in order to call up his memories of the transmission he heard. In the process of pushing aside the inhibitor I encountered, I also attempted to clear his mind. I could not be sure if the effects would remain permanent."

"Well whatever you did it worked," McKay said from the other table. "I was firing away like my usual good old self after we got back." He gestured with a stylus at his computer screens. Lines and figures zoomed around on them like frantic lasers and Ancient dialect rolled up and down.

"You knew," Sheppard said, pressing his finger down on the table surface, "that if we didn't have McKay's genius up to par we could be in some real trouble."

"You have other scientists who are just as brilliant," Todd said, with a quick glance in Zelenka's direction. "I planned to inform you of your problem if the effects seemed to persist, but you displayed no further confusion during our transmissions. If I had concerned myself with McKay's ability to focus, I would have wasted precious time."

Woolsey sighed. "What's the point of all this? You're stalling, Todd."

"Don't be so hasty. I must explain in order for us to proceed to the next phase. You were assaulted by some kind of inhibitor when the wormhole was open during Melbrick's transmission," Todd said. "A wraith on the other end read your minds. With the assistance of an enhancer, that, I believe, attuned your minds to the illusions."

"Through a wormhole?" Woolsey said.

"It is the most likely of the theories I have amassed. Dr. McKay and Teyla were not present during the transmission, but I suspect the inhibitors would have detected their mental signatures and immediately flown to them since the former has been wraith-like at one time and the latter is kin."

"Why didn't it seem to bother Teyla?" Sheppard demanded.

"I shall have to ask her if she has experienced anything out of the ordinary since that day."

Sheppard slapped his hand down on the table and stood up, switching on his comm. "Teyla, our old friend is back and he's got some questions for you."

"I am on my way," Teyla answered. "Torren has gotten himself into a fight with another child and I am attempting to pry them apart."

"Well make it quick, you're gonna want to hear what Todd has to say," Sheppard said a little grouchily. "You can handle wraith attacks, you should be able to manage a seven year old."

"I have done so," Teyla sighed.

Todd slowly stood as the wraith-kin woman entered the room a few moments later, her auburn hair longer than it had been during the days before the return to Earth. "You are well again I trust," Todd said.

"I was never unwell, and I wish you the same," Teyla said as she approached, glancing at Sheppard. "We do not know why my mind and Rodney's were the most difficult to assess. You did not attempt to read mine when you were here last."

"Have any strange occurrences disturbed you in the days since AR-6 disappeared?"

"Only some dreams, which are not uncommon for me. I did feel…different," Teyla said, "But I thought nothing of it. I am used to the extraordinary. I have not reached out to wraith in so long a time, so I do not know what would have happened if I had done so."

"I see," Todd said, adjusting his robes as he reseated himself. "I heard you and McKay have made headway on the Five Myths. I did not expect anyone here to remember them."

Teyla and Sheppard sat down opposite Todd. "I am fascinated," Teyla said. "The Five Myths were spoken once by an Aethosian I once knew when I was very small."

Todd looked mildly interested. "I am not surprised, perhaps."

"Back to the point," Woolsey said. "I have alerted all heads of the Beacons we have established throughout our territories to be on the lookout for wraith misdemeanor and rumors. The retrovirus has progressed but records show that it may be slowing down. A few wraith allies who have worked with the beacons have begun to cut contact and seemingly disappear. Dr. Keller was informed of this where she works currently."

"I have heard the same," Todd said. "None of my attempts to keep in contact with them succeeded. My hives received their newest updates from the Beacons but we have seen a slower increase in numbers all the same. Not all signatures of the tagged wraith continue to register. Distance cannot be accounted for."

"We're working on it," McKay sighed, his revolving chair spinning as he left it. "Give me two seconds to figure out this everlastingly stupid moss."

Todd watched him a moment. "Dr. Beckett, have you considered that the inhibitors that affected your minds were not at all inside your minds to begin with?"

"We considered viral contact, but found nothing to prove that was the case," Beckett said.

"This brings us directly to the biotech in question that still has McKay confounded," Todd said. "It is not alive the way you would expect."

"He's right," McKay called out.

Sheppard and Teyla stood up and hurried over. "What does that mean?" the colonel demanded.

"It means that this can mimic biological growth, but it's also like some kind of preprogrammed AI," McKay said. "It so closely resembles living plant matter that I…actually overlooked something. Aedan's got the better of me."

Sheppard frowned a little. "This isn't like you to miss something so important."

"I know." McKay lowered his hands with the tablet in them. "I think whoever sent the inhibitors knew I of my time spent on Queen Death's hive."

Sheppard just stared.

Teyla's eyes widened. "Rodney?"

"Um," McKay said, "I don't think we've seen the last of her. Someone's not happy she's dead."

"That is precisely the conclusion I came to the moment we returned from P6L-266," Todd said from the workstation. He stood and approached the group. "The wraith…fear…to be without a queen."

The silence was like a gong.

"You didn't talk about any of this stuff after Death was taken down," Sheppard said.

"We were glad to be rid of her," Todd said. "Teyla was the perfect weapon."

Teyla inclined her head a little.

"Hold the phone, you—you must have known something else," McKay said.

Zelenka just stared. "He's right. Todd, what are you talking about?"

"I did not know at the time," Todd answered, stepping forward again, his arms hanging down at his sides. "I did not consider Death's plans could be deeper than taking the Pegasus galaxy to her bosom. Later on, as the retrovirus began its trek through the galaxy, I began to watch the Beacons more closely than you expected. Commander Woolsey did an admirable and strategic job settling them within and without the territories, particularly in the shared regions, and as the two years passed, I began to wonder if Death had really gone down without a backup plan. I had in fact decided to bring my suspicions to you right as AR-6 was captured, and so I held off a little longer in order to apply my theories and take some much needed time for them." He looked at Aedan. "Perhaps we were too delighted with the prospect of never starving again to have time for further Myths."

Aedan nodded, his long hair falling over his eyes a little. It was wilder than Todd's, and much harsher looking.

McKay, Sheppard, Woolsey, Teyla, and Zelenka were staring as if they had just been slapped across the faces.

"Like I said," Todd rumbled, "Ritha Guider knew what she was doing."

"Be that as it may," Woolsey said, "you never revealed your suspicions to us the instant you considered them. Why?"

"I had to be sure," Todd said. "And Ritha's question about a second Michael would not leave my mind. It was she who planted the first seeds of doubt in my mind." He stepped forward. "I would speak with you in private. You and Sheppard." Todd's brow had creased significantly.

Woolsey and Sheppard could not have looked more confused and open-mouthed than they did at that moment. Sheppard slowly nodded. "Ok. You've got exactly five minutes to finish the fairy tale. Then we shoot you."

"Don't be an idiot," Woolsey told him. "Todd. My office. Now."

Sheppard brushed past the wraith, ignoring the others completely.

Todd nodded to the second in command. "Continue your work. I shall not be gone long." He followed the commanders of Atlantis out to the lift and they made the sullenly silent ascent. Once in Woolsey's office, Sheppard walked around to the face the wraith. "What is it with you guys and dallying around waiting for the sky to fall in before you warn us?"

Woolsey's jaw was set. "This is an unexpected breach of confidence, Todd. I'd like the whole truth. No more poetry. We're not in the mood."

The wraith's facial expression was an entirely unexpected one. Something of worry and concern rested in the intricate furrows of his jutting brow-line. "As you wish. It is high time I spoke to you of all that I am about to tell you."

"Then spit the darn thing out!" Sheppard demanded.

Todd gazed steadily at them, a tiny muscle working beneath the skin of his green jawline. "Perhaps we should sit down."

"Very well," Woolsey snapped. "Make yourself comfortable."

All three sat down in the armchairs very stiffly and formally. Sheppard was scowling fit to scare a cat. Small diodes winked in the dimness of the office and Woolsey reached behind him to turn on a lamp.

The light glowing within his yellow-green irises, Todd drew a breath, the tips of his pale, semi-transparent teeth showing. "I never expected the consort of Death to be more than what the myths spoke of."

Sheppard's eyebrows quirked upwards. "Sorry?"

"What…consort?" Woolsey said. "What are you talking about?"

"Death, as her name could literally be translated, was...the Ultimate Primary," Todd said slowly. "The Queen...to end all queens, just as she was their beginning. She also wished to be their end."

"And the former means…of course she would have had a consort," Sheppard said slowly. "Why didn't you go after him at the same time you tried to end Death? You searched for her multiple times." He felt his heart leap with a brand-new fear which he tried to dismiss as an overthinking moment.

"No one to my knowledge has ever been able to tell who her first consort was," Todd said reassuringly, although with a slightly strained edge to his multi-toned voice. "This, I am sure, is a new perspective for you."

"Whoever the first one was, shouldn't he dead by now?" Sheppard asked.

"Johhhnn Sheppaaard…there is much about Death I did not know, until after we purged the galaxy once and for all. I speculated that an ancient consort, the eldest of male wraith, may yet be still...alive."

Woolsey's face twitched and he let his hands rest upon his knees. "She must have had a great many mates throughout the centuries, not to mention attempting to keep the bloodlines pure would have been on the agenda," he said.

"She did just that, as I learned much later. But as she was a myth, any consorts certainly were less than myth. Once cloning became a regular practice, the consorts in general were no longer as important."

"We gathered that in third grade," Woolsey said.

"I never acquired any lore about an Ancient Consort, absurd as that might seem to you."

"The point is," Sheppard said harshly, "what took you so long to bring this to us?"

"You misunderstand," Todd said. "You wish I had warned you before, but I had my reasons for secrecy."

"Favor us with a reason that makes sense," Sheppard said.

"My suspicions arose to the surface after the new retrovirus therapy took its effect within myself," Todd said, showing his feeding hand. "Our human victims no longer lose life or youth when we feed upon them. And over time, I began to wonder if it was...too good to be true."

Sheppard had never heard Todd admit something so emotional. "Yeah, yeah, we get the picture, you were happy about the prospect of never losing the food supply and having to do a Rip Van Winkle every time it got low. What does any of that have to do with a rotting consort of Death or whoever the heck it is you're talking about?"

Todd lowered his hand. "Ritha Guider's persistence was not lost from my memory after I began to oversee the injection of the hives. I considered that Death, after all her years of experience and patient endurance before at last attacking the galaxy, might not have refrained from establishing some kind of fail-safe. What better fail-safe than her first mate? At one time, it was only theory of mine I could not prove. Well, Sheppard, why would he not still be alive as she was?"

"She didn't get bored of him or anything? No divorce papers?" Sheppard asked skeptically.

"Wraith are not...human," Todd said. "You fail to recall that we are... never ending."

Woolsey drew a slow breath. "So…that adds up. Never ending…never ending… the myths might hold more information about the past than I thought. Why wouldn't they speak of a specific consort as well as an ultimate queen?"

"I too, came to the same conclusion eventually," Todd said. "Not that I rely on the myths, but they began to alarm me after Death's demise. I did not give it much thought, however; I decided it was best to concentrate on injecting as many hives as possible. Those outside the Alliance had suffered a bitter defeat and were unlikely to ever recover. And so many hated Death. All, perhaps."

"Perhaps?" Sheppard said raising his voice. "Why don't I believe a single thing you're forcing into our minds?"

"The one time a queen was despised by her entire race!" Todd said, his voice overriding Sheppard's. "We did not fear to be without her during the ages of the myths and we certainly did not regret seeing her demise!"

"All right, calm down," Woolsey snapped, leaning forward. "Colonel. We should hear him out."

"Obviously. So you dismissed your own theories because you, what, thought you were overthinking?" Sheppard asked quizzically. "Come on, Todd."

"You are correct again, Sheppard," Todd rumbled, shifting one of his booted feet forward.

Sheppard sat back, his heart pounding a little as he watched the wraith showing a side to himself that he had rarely shown before.

"Todd, you've been around for so long," Woolsey said tactlessly, "Why couldn't you have thought of a consort as soon as Death arrived for us to deal with?"

Todd slowly shook his majestic head, the edges of his hair drifting across his shoulder armor. "The one goal was to defeat her," he said. "You think that wraith are incapable of the errors that humans are?"

"You seemed to imply that three years ago," Woolsey said stiffly. "Sheppard's memorization of the myths did not please you at all."

Sheppard smirked. "Whoops."

Woolsey cocked his head. "Forgive me, but...I mean, you served a queen yourself, right?"

Sheppard twitched.

Todd's hands suddenly came down hard on the armrests and he shut his eyes. Two long minutes passed. "I shame myself in confiding this to you," he whispered. "But perhaps...perhaps it is of value now that you must know of Death's potential consort...still being...alive."

Sheppard and Woolsey stared. The former started to roll his eyes again, but he felt a strange concern take a hold of his features. Neither he nor Woolsey spoke nor did they dare look at each other.

"I was never a willing consort."

The gong of silence rang again, echo upon echo of ancient years mingling harshly with the gentle breathing of the humans and the rattling breath of the wraith.

Sheppard raised his eyebrows. "Ok…?"

"You don't understand. My time as consort, the time I assumed such a rank, considered among the male wraith to be the highest honor, I occupied with...some disgust. To my great shame I began to realize over the years that no queen...would ever do."

The humans continued to stare.

"How come?" Woolsey asked at last. "That makes no sense. Well...at least, not to myself. I cannot vouch for the colonel."

"You should," Sheppard said somewhat disgustedly. "You're right, it makes no darn sense."

"It would if you were wraith and loathed the very nature of the queens and their dominance," Todd said, his eyes fierce as they opened again.

Sheppard could not believe his own ears. This was Todd, right? This was the wraith commander who was never defeated, never truly put down, never without some kind of backup plan. The self-serving aspects were not surprising of course, but this...the emotion was truly shocking. The only time Sheppard had ever seen Todd in a position of giving up was in Kolya's prison cell, and in the cell on Todd's own ruptured hive ship before the frontal half had to be landed expertly by the wraith in exchange for being returned to his "bug planet." When the odds were too great, and Todd's wounded pride had taken enough of a beating, the wraith had a tendency to want to go out in a blaze of glory, once and for all. Sheppard folded his arms across the ammo belts that crossed his black t-shirt and continued to gaze at Todd from under his furrowed black eyebrows.

Todd's eyes had half closed and he barely moved his lips. "There was never a female who appealed to me as they did to most other male wraith," he whispered. "When I assumed the position of consort; the one time I did, it was for tactical and military reasons. We do fear...being without a queen…but most importantly, from my new vantage point, I could accomplish a great deal."

"Well, not all of us can claim to have found our significant other," Woolsey said stiffly, sounding the way he had years ago when he had tried to console Teyla in his office with the story of the loss of his pet dog.

Fighting back a bit of sudden nausea, Sheppard smirked a little. "You didn't like your queen, did you? Strange. For a wraith. Thought you guys would see them as Wonder Woman."

"I served many queens."

"Not as consort, clearly. This one you speak of. You didn't like her?"

Todd slowly looked Sheppard in the eye. "I hated the very sight of her. The arrogance within her heart was unbounded. She was beautiful in all our eyes, yes...but it did not become her."

"Thought you weren't human." Sheppard swallowed hard, still processing the fact that Todd was randomly spewing out such personal information. His stomach twisted again. He wasn't sure he liked this conversation, however enlightening it might be.

Todd leaned back. "John Sheppaaarrd…there is still much about wraith…"

"...that I don't know, I know," Sheppard said, lazily lifting a hand. "I get it. Ok." He leaned back and looked up at the ceiling. "By the way, I don't think wraith physiology is something I wanna hear too much about, no offense. Not gonna ask about offspring."

There was a long silence. Woolsey leaned forward, his mouth a thin line. "If you do reveal such things, Todd, would there be a sufficient reason? We are not demanding more information."

"It might be of service to you, since I believe this Consort of Death is very real and still very much alive. It would be foolish to assume that he is not."

"Did she divorce him?" Sheppard persisted.

"What makes you suppose such a thing?" Todd asked.

"Well," Sheppard said, still leaning back, "he wasn't around while she was trashing the Pegasus Galaxy."

"He would have been the fail-safe, it is not likely he would have been in the center of the battlefield. And a female is always about action more than protecting her mate. Still, a queen can be jealous..."

"Mmmff," Sheppard muttered. "Ok."

Todd looked at him. "I will give you the data about wraith physiology. I am not sure you wish me to speak of the topic in person."

"Yeah, wouldn't go well with me," Sheppard muttered.

"That's what I thought." Todd smirked. "I am sure Zelenka and Dr. McKay would be most intrigued."

"Things must be quite serious for you to just hand over such information," Woolsey said stiffly.

Todd turned his yellowish eyes to the commander. "Indeed. And…to answer the question you will not ask me...no there were no offspring. My queen…did not wish any."

Sheppard slowly sat up and leaned forward. "Excuse…me?"

"There are many types of queens," Todd said, unfazed.

"What did she want?" Woolsey said, partly to cut Sheppard off as the colonel continued to look disgusted.

"Attention from her followers. She had three consorts. I was the second."

"I'm not gonna ask what else she wanted," Sheppard said disgustedly. "You guys aren't all that different from the humans of earth, ok? Or the humans of anywhere. Just saying."

"I have no comment," Todd said with a slight smirk, and yet a strange expression of understanding. "I later…tried to kill off this queen, with no success. Her vengeful pursuit of me led to my capture by the Genii."

"Ah," Sheppard said. "Classic. See, you're good at killing queens. Figured someday I'd hear the whole story of how you ended up under Kolya's thumb."

Todd laughed deep in his throat. "You still like to think of me behind bars, Sheppard."

The colonel shrugged. "I like you better that way."

"H-h-h-h," Todd laughed. "Ahhhh."

Woolsey compressed his lips a moment. "Todd, one question, as strange as it might sound. How often does a male wraith…well…"

Todd smirked. "Don't worry, I am not sure the Consort of Death is breeding again. His loyalty to Death was unparalleled and it would be very dangerous to allow himself to be in communication with other wraith and especially, with other and younger primaries. I already told you I would hand you the information about reproduction instead of risking getting myself silenced because of your discomfort with the subject matter."

Woolsey shrugged. "It's about time we learned something about wraith reproductive physiology, and frankly, I'm no longer afraid to ask."

"Very well. If you have studied the Iratus bug reproduction, you will know the span of years before a male's breeding time begins anew."

"That's quite a few years then," Woolsey said, nodding.

"You must have been a desirable enough male?" Sheppard ventured, making a face.

Todd missed the sarcasm. "Only because she knew of my advantage over her enemies, I was a very powerful leader yeeearrrs before I was finally imprisoned. There are other things you probably do not wish to know. As I said, she was not desirous of offspring to worry about outside of cloning. She used us. She was, from your point of view, and to borrow your language…one of the vilest of primaries."

"And yet somehow you ended up with her," Sheppard said, still making a face, and thinking of hornets and wasps. "And you let yourself be used." He didn't care how rude he sounded.

Todd tilted his head. "As I said, Sheppard, it was a great advantage to me to play consort. I knew the risks of my disloyalty, someday I would have to reveal it, and someday, I knew would be putting my life on the line. But I thought I could win her trust for the time being, enough that I could accomplish taking over more territory for my own hives and eventually, destroying her. But I began to grow uneasy, the more I realized that she could use me to such an extent as she tried, and I refused her." Todd stopped as Sheppard grimaced a little at him. "I…was also interested in being more deeply connected with the cloning facilities; if I could succeed with my experiments to manage them without a queen…"

"What?" Sheppard said, staring.

Todd shrugged. "Needless to say, it was a complete and utter failure, but it drew attention. The queens were not very…happy with me. Not that they ever were…"

"No surprise there," Sheppard scoffed.

"Still, I did what I did to preserve my hives from her dominance."

"Must have really been worth it, seeing as how you hated her so much."

"It was. Until I was practically sold to the Genii. This queen was still a step ahead, I underestimated her at the last moment."

"Oops," Sheppard said. "So, she was a Black Widow. You guys really live up to your name." He refrained from ranting about the fact that despite Todd's newest loyalty to the Lanteans and eagerness to spare the lives of both human and wraith, he had not been much better than his old queen, using her as she used him, although not by the same methods. Suddenly, the realization struck Sheppard, that if Todd were to be truly attracted to a female, her notions of honor and justice and appreciation for general beauty in the galaxy would probably have to equal or even surpass his own. And then another realization arose within Sheppard like none ever had before, mercilessly and coldly. Ritha Guider's love for Todd sounded exactly like something Todd had never received from another for himself, at least as far as the general loyalty was concerned. The uncomfortable knot still tightening Sheppard's gut grew suddenly worse and he lurched forward, all pretenses gone. "'Scuse me. I'll…be right back."

He almost tripped on Woolsey's feet as he hurried out of the office and into one of the nearby relief rooms. He dimly heard the doors sliding closed as he dragged himself to an elaborate washstand and leaned over it, bracing his hands upon its cold, smooth edges. Why on earth was his brain assimilating parallels? Sheppard recovered quickly enough, but for the first time in all his experience with the wraith, he was completely and thoroughly overwhelmed. He had never before really considered a wraith's emotions and personal life, and certainly never Todd's; Sheppard's natural aversion to the human-Iratus race, intermingled with his continued surprise at Ritha's words in the Red Journal, was inconveniently blended. Sheppard slowly straightened up and gazed at his slightly lined face in the mirror. There was nothing to be shocked about. It was just a little bit of discomfort, and discomfort, he could handle. He needed to concentrate on the future threat that Todd had exposed to Atlantis. AR-6 needed to remain the primary focus.

In the meantime, Woolsey continued to cautiously discuss the notion of a vengeful, and very old wraith consort with Todd, while in the labs, McKay and Teyla and Zelenka stared in utter astonishment as Aedan lifted the blackened specimen from the canister and restored it to life.