"Doc, how long have you been working on this retrovirus idea of yours?" Xander asked Dr. Beckett.
"A few months. It wasn't ready, which is why it affected Ellia the way it did."
"Why are you working on a retrovirus?"
"I believe the Wraith are in an unnatural state. I hope to help them."
Xander had heard some naive stupidity in his time, but this ranked up there.
"Doc, what's the purpose of your retrovirus?"
"To strip out the Wraith DNA and leave only the human."
"Have you considered the fact that they don't think they're in an unnatural state? How do you think they're going to react to you using this retrovirus on them?"
"We can help them adapt, Captain."
"They've had 10,000 years to change, Doc. I'm very sure a medical or scientific solution was offered or tried by the Ancients, as Colonel Caldwell recently noted, they were a pretty bright bunch. What makes you think we could change their minds?"
"Ellia was willing to change, I'm sure there are others, they could help any having difficulty."
"Doc, she was raised by a human father. One she fed on. I sincerely doubt the adults are going to want to change. If you're going to engage in biological warfare, then just use my proteins and kill them. After all, the one from Merell descended from mine and it killed a Wraith."
"I'm a doctor, not a murderer! I'm trying to help them!"
"They don't want to be helped, Doc. In fact, they don't think they need help. And I guarantee, the IOA thinks this a weapon. You do have their permission to work on it, don't you?"
"Aye. A weapon. No, I just want to help."
"The method you're pursuing isn't helpful. Not to them, anyway. And in the end, it won't be helpful to us either."
Xander left, having said his piece and left a very confused Carson Beckett behind. About an hour later he was called to Dr. Weir's office, along with the rest of AG 1, Cordelia as Dr. Weir's assistant, was also there.
"Captain." Dr. Weir said, formally. "I understand you have some objections to Dr. Beckett's purposed treatment for the Wraith?"
"Is that what you're calling it? A treatment? You're proposing altering them at a genetic level. Have you considered the ramifications of that? I'm not talking about actually making it work. I'm talking about their state of mind. I was unwillingly experimented on. I was left with a whole lot of fear and pain and confusion. And if that lunatic had ever showed his face in front of me, I might have killed him. Yes, some of them might eventually adapt, but I guarantee, most won't want to even consider it. And in the immediate aftermath of you doing this to them, they will strike out. Whole worlds will die in the wake of their fear and pain and confusion and it will be our fault for doing this to them!"
"How is advocating mass murder any better? That's what you suggested when you offered your proteins in exchange, isn't it?"
"As opposed to mass rape? Because that's what you'll be doing, imposing what you want on them. It's us or them. Killing them is cleaner. They refuse to change, they've had 10,000 years to change and refuse to. They don't think they're unnatural. And no matter how optimistic you want be, very few of them are going to want to adapt. You're proposing changing an entire race to suit you. You can't change their nature, this is how they evolved! Changing the DNA only changes the outward appearance, it does nothing for the heart or the mind. You're going to make things worse, not better if you do this."
"I agree. Elizabeth, the Wraith are as they are. You cannot change that. I recently had that point made to me as well. When Dr. Beckett found that I had Wraith DNA in me, I wondered if it made me a monster. With Xander's help, I saw that it didn't change who I am. At the core. You can't change who the Wraith are at the core."
"I say kill them all." Ronan said.
"I'm going have to agree with the Captain on this, Elizabeth." Sheppard said quietly. "You've never even seen a Wraith, let alone dealt with one. Many of them are sadistic. Yes, future generations might not be, but the current generation is. And the current generation is who we will be dealing with if you do this. We might be safe, here in Atlantis, but no one out there will be. And it'll be our fault. I don't want that on my conscience."
"Neither do I." Cordelia said. "This is wrong. And killing them is cleaner. If you're going to use biological warfare, then use Xander's proteins, like he said, but don't alter them and assume they'll just accept it, because I doubt that's possible."
"Elizabeth, I'm afraid that they're right. I never stopped to think about the aftermath or whether they'd welcome this or not. No matter how carefully we do this, they will be upset and upset people can do some terrible things. More might die from this then be saved. Like the Hoffans. They were trying to save themselves and ended up killing themselves. There must be another way. I refuse to continue working on the retrovirus."
"Very well, I'll think about what you have said and I'll pass your concerns on to the IOA. I'll let you know what they decide. Dismissed."
Xander wondered what the fallout from this discussion would be. Somehow, he didn't think this business was over yet.
