Warnings reminder: Chapter contains details of violence and horror.
Notes: And so we enter into Act 2 of the story…
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ACT 2 – TRUTH
Chapter 20 – Travellers' Fate
It had been a long night shift for Teyla, but after ten hours of good sleep the day before, she had felt ready for it. She'd woken feeling refreshed, her stomach settled, and ready for Late Meal before her shift. It was only when she had looked at the day's reports that she'd learnt of the grim discovery on the Traveller ship. The work on investigating the death-filled drifter had been well underway when she'd reported to Central Station, taking Lead for the night, and it had been a very active shift from there onwards. The night shift had been split in two across the entire Hunt Fleet, with every trained personnel in the form of scientists, technicians, analysts, and various experts from each ship drafted in to help investigate the Traveller Ship where it now sat in a bay on The Valse. Through the night, every part of the Traveller ship had been imaged, catalogued, sampled, and tested. Every lab and computer on every ship utilised to compile as complete a picture as quickly as possible as to what exactly had befallen those found on the Traveller ship.
It had been a busy but fast paced night and, by this morning's briefing, almost everything that could be understood from the Traveller ship had been gathered enabling Halling to present his report. With every ship in the Hunt Fleet listening in and the briefing being recorded, all the pieces of the puzzle were being presented for everyone all at once.
Teyla had had only glimpses of the whole herself, as she had been overseeing what had been needed from which ship for the investigation. From the Traveller Ship on The Valse, Halling had sent her the requests from the active site and she had worked with all the Hunt Fleet ships, assigning personnel, laboratory and computer space available. Most of her night had been spent in constant communication with each ship, overseeing the shuttling back and forth of people and samples to and from The Valse; whereas Halling had spent his night walking repeatedly through the Traveller ship as Lead of the investigation. She suspected that he would be dreaming of that ship for many nights to come, and they were not going to be pleasant dreams.
Nothing found on that ship was pleasant.
That conclusion came from the myriad of data collected, much of which was currently occupying every screen across the Sythus' Central Station tactical display table, the data being shared with the rest of the Hunt Fleet as they listened in via the open link. Teyla watched as charts of data slid across one section of screens, while others displayed diagrams of various formats sequencing the reconstructed events on the Traveller Ship. Tables of blood and chemical analysis ran alongside images of the samples and blocks of text detailing the testing undertaken and the expert conclusions drawn.
And then there were the images of the dead.
She'd found herself feeling very reticent about looking at them. As an Elite, she had seen a lot of dead bodies, the majority of which had been fed upon by the Wraith, but there had been plenty more who had met their end for other reasons. During a culling, a surprising number of people died from trying to escape the Wraith, rather than from being fed upon; many were hurt in the mad scramble to run in panic from the monsters attacking or from having fallen from a high place that they had hoped would save them, such as from roofs, trees, or hillsides. If the injuries killed them quickly enough, the Wraith would not feed on them, but if some of those unfortunates were still alive, their end was then chased in at the hands of the Wraith. And then there were those who were killed by their own, fellow Humans turning on each other in fear and panic, or some using the opportunity to take revenge on each other, hoping the panic would conceal their crime.
Then there had been the bodies of Military and fellow Elite. Sometimes they were fed upon by Wraith, but often there were injuries sustained from battle, which could be gruesome. Sometimes their bodies had to be retrieved from the vacuum of space, or pieces of them if they had been caught in an explosion.
Sometimes, there was nothing left to be found.
In all those many horrible witnessed moments, she had built up considerable experience in seeing those who had met unfortunate ends.
Yet, for some reason, today the images of those killed on the Traveller ship disturbed her far more than usual. But, unable to stop herself, her eyes slid back to an image of the bloodied faces of the victims from the ship, their expressions seemingly frozen in the horrific last moments as their throats had been torn open…
She snapped her eyes away from the dead, forcing herself to pull her attention off the swell of disturbed compassion. There were times for such feelings and thoughts, but she was on duty and had to focus, not get lost in her emotions. She would honour the dead later.
So instead, she focused on Halling as he spoke clearly and precisely. For the official record, he had begun the briefing with a quick summary of how the Traveller ship had been found and that it had been taken onboard The Valse for thorough investigation.
"In total, five bodies were retrieved from the storage bins on the ship," Halling began the more detailed information. "Three in one storage bin and two in the other. From their clothes, tested samples of their hair and teeth, and radiation exposure levels, all five are confirmed as Travellers, not Salvagers. That said, we do know that some small breakaway Travellers groups have joined the Salvagers in the past, so we cannot exclude the possibility that this ship and its crew were from the same group of Salvagers in the other drifter wrecks. However, if they did breakaway from the Travellers, all the samples tested suggest it would only have been within the last Alliance standard year before their deaths."
Teyla looked down to the screens currently running through the analysis of the relevant samples taken from the bodies. Whether this particular ship had broken away from the Travellers, all the markers were still well within standard range for their people. Given the highly powerful, but rather unstable, engines and power systems used on their ships, the far higher than normal radiation levels in the cells of the victims exactly matched that expected for Travellers who had grown up on a Generational Ship. That, plus the indications of the unique diet of the Travellers was further confirmed from the teeth and hair samples, so the conclusion was almost entirely certain.
Five Travellers seemingly far away from their people.
Again she found her gaze shifting towards the images of the bodies, but she made herself look back up at Halling.
"…given the nature of this smaller style Traveller ship," Halling continued, "being designed for ship-to-surface runs, it is possible that this vessel was associated with the Generational Ship that the Travellers had reported missing in this general area of the galaxy. Given the constant flight of their ships and the erratic communications between Generational Ships, we cannot be certain exactly where the ship has been, or even if it is still missing, as it could have made contact with the other Travellers since we departed on this hunt mission. With the computer core missing from this drifter Traveller ship, and no identification documentation found on the dead crew, we will not be able to identify any of them or their ship until we can confer with other Travellers."
Something that would hopefully be possible once this mission was complete, but it was important that all the ships in the Hunt Fleet have this report in case that only some of them made it back to the Alliance. Though, if the Hunt Fleet ended up like these drifters with their ship computer cores ripped out, the crew dead and missing, there would be nothing left to tell the others back home what had happened to them…
Nothing to tell John of what had befallen her.
Her gaze slid back to the images again, which were now scrolling through pictures of the Travellers' clothes, the blood soaked into them in varied shades of stained red-
Her stomach shifted abruptly and she snapped her eyes away.
"Of the five members of the crew," Halling continued, his tone still professional but now with a sombre edge, "we have determined that four were killed at relatively the same time, most likely in the ship's Central Station. The four bodies were then piled up in one corner of the Central Station. Given the amount of blood dried into the floor, the evidence suggests they were left there for a minimum of four hours, most likely longer. They were then moved into the storage bins, two in each. There are indications of post-mortem injuries to the bodies, suggesting that they had to be folded up and forced down inside the storage bins. Once in the bins, there are signs of decomposition beginning, but only suggesting perhaps one to two days at the most before the ship was abandoned, the atmosphere vented and artificial gravity lost, at which point further decomposition was halted."
Teyla glanced down to two screens that were now running through charts of data that had led to this conclusion, while she also steadfastly did not look at the gruesome images again.
Her stomach had felt fine all through her night shift, but now she felt the tinges of threatening nausea again. She had hoped that the full day of sleep yesterday had helped, but clearly the appointment she had made for later in the Healing Bay was going to be required after all.
"However," Halling stated, his voice cutting through her thoughts, "the fifth member of the crew lived for longer than the others. Her body was the first that my team found on opening a storage bin, and all evidence suggests she was killed just prior to the ship being abandoned and its atmosphere vented to space."
The screens shifted and Teyla looked quickly up and away to Halling, not risking seeing any more images of death. Perhaps if she did not look, the nausea would not be provoked this morning. It was unlikely, but it was worth a try, as John would say.
"From occupational markers to her body," Halling stated, his eyes moving around the display table screens, "stains on her clothing, and the highest radiation levels of all the crew, we have determined that she was the ship's Engineer. Though half of the crew's fingerprints had been found in the engine room, only hers were found on every single component and surface in that room. Most significantly though, only her fingerprints were found on the additional Salvager tech components that had been brought into the engine room and were being spliced into the engine. Only her prints, with sweat and blood dried into them, were on the very jerry-rigged final adaptations to the engine."
This time Teyla did glance down, relieved to see that the new images were only of the Traveller ship's engine room. It had clearly been a very crowded space on an average day, but with additional components and cables added, there surely had been even less space to move in there.
"The blood on the Engineer's hands was almost all her own, and matches damage to her fingernails and the inside of the lid of one of the storage bins," Halling stated, his voice now level, emotion tightly controlled as he reported the horrendous facts. "Therefore, we know that she was inside the storage bin with the lid closed, likely on more than one occasion."
The images now shifted from the engine room adaptations to magnified pictures of the scratches on the underside of the storage bin's lid, the marks overlapping in places and at different depths; all stained with the Engineer's blood and desperation.
Teyla looked away, her stomach swirling uncomfortably now.
She had never been this sensitive to such sights before, but something about these images today…
"From the blood stains and decomposition residues on her clothing," Halling continued on, "we know that the bodies of two of her crew were already in the storage bin under her."
Across the silence of the Sythus' Central Station, someone's quiet gasp echoed loudly at that information.
"It is possible that she was hiding in the bin," Halling persisted on with the grisly story, "but given the scratches inside the bin lid, it is far more likely that she was shut in there against her will. We know that she was released from the bin, at least once, and that she worked on splicing in the Salvager components in the engine room. From the sweat samples we found in her prints, there are clear chemical markers indicating that she was under considerable stress. On smaller more delicate pieces of the engine equipment, there is significant smearing of her finger and handprints, suggesting that her hands were shaking and she had to work hard to fit the components together."
Teyla watched the series of images of the smeared prints, the blood and sweat highlighted by a certain frequency light shining on them in the picture. There were some separate full handprints further up on the tall engine blocks, suggesting she had been supporting her weight against them. All spoke of such a stressful desperate picture…
"Given her skills and position of Lead Engineer, perhaps the only engineer among the crew of five," Halling stated, "this is the most likely reason why she was alone was kept alive longer than the others. The conclusion we have drawn is that she was being used to make the changes to the engine under extreme duress."
"What changes?" Jobrill asked.
Teyla look away from the images back to Halling as he looked round to Jobrill.
"Every Lead Engineer from the Hunt Fleet has looked at the alterations made to the engine," Halling replied, "and though Traveller engines are notoriously unique and full of adaptations anyway, they agree with the initial conclusion that the Traveller Engineer was attempting to adapt it into a hyperspace capable engine."
"Surely that was not possible," Si asked what everyone was no doubt thinking.
"Not given this ship's engine, no," Halling nodded. "Such a change would have required a complete overhaul of not just the engine in its entirety, but restructuring of the small ship."
"So she was forced to adapt an engine in a way that she must have known was never going to work," Jobrill frowned darkly.
Halling nodded. "Perhaps she even told them that, perhaps that was why she was shut in the storage bin on at least one occasion?"
"The Salvager components used in the Traveller engine room," Si asked, "do we know if they came from any of the other drifters we have searched?"
"It is inconclusive still," Halling shook his head as he consulted one screen in front of him that showed some final testing results still coming in. "And given the individual nature of how each Salvager ship was maintained there is no standardisation, no serial numbers on anything; though one small component found is of Alliance origin, it had been adapted with Salvager tech before the Traveller Engineer used it. All the serial registration codes had been filed off the component, most likely by the Salvagers originally, and it is too nondescript to identify when it was manufactured in the Alliance."
"Even if some of those components used by the Traveller Engineer were from the other drifters," Jobrill put in, "there are still far more components missing from them all as a whole."
"Some of the missing components were very specific as well," Teyla recalled from the drifter report she had helped write. "All the computer cores and wall screens were removed from all the Salvager drifters, but then additional varied additional components were taken, such as a single hatchway servomechanism from one drifter. That would be unlikely to be used in adapting an engine."
"But possibly to repair a broken servo on another Salvager ship," Si stated.
Teyla shared a nod with him. "If the Skerti do still control Salvager ships, as we know they did to attack the Processing Ship, then they would likely need repair components."
"And perhaps trying to adapt those engines as well?" Jobrill suggested. "Perhaps to include one of the Skerti Drives, as was used on the Rogue Hive?"
"There is no evidence of anything like the Drive tech in the Traveller ship's engine room," Halling replied. "There are no signs of something being put in and then removed either."
"What about the wall screen that wasn't taken in the engine room?" Jobrill asked.
"Nothing was retrieved from it, in fact it appeared to have been broken for a long time prior to the ship's capture," Halling answered.
"And unlike the Salvager drifters, the bodies were also left in this ship," Isen pointed out.
"So they treated the Traveller ship differently to the others, why?" Jobrill asked.
"It is possible the Salvager ships were already empty when they were striped and abandoned," Teyla considered. "Whereas this ship still had a crew they wanted to manipulate."
"By 'they', the enemy here," Jobrill looked to Halling, "we are assuming they are definitely the Skerti?"
"Yes," Halling nodded as he reached out and a new series of images played across the tactical display screen. The gaping side of the poor Engineer's throat appeared on a central screen, pieces of her flesh, veins and-
Teyla's stomach lurched and a flash of clammy cold rushed down from her head.
The nausea rolled, turning the previously stable and comfortable Central Station around Teyla into a sudden undulating, unstable place.
She gripped onto the side of the solid and supportive tactical display table in front of her and pushed out a slow steady breath.
"…feeding wounds enough as evidence," Halling's voice swirled through the nausea. "….we were able to capture genetic samples from saliva found in the wounds of the bodies and also several skin cells caught in the dried blood on the clothing, to confirm that it was the Skerti. We have identified three of them, all male, and, significantly, two of them exactly match samples that were found on the Salvager Processing Ship."
Genetic evidence, cell samples. Teyla forced herself to focus on the details, running her mind over them and their possible conclusions as a way of drawing her attention away from the turning sensation of her stomach.
Whereas what she really wanted to do was just sink to the floor of Central Station and wait for the ship and her stomach to become still and stable again.
"…same group of Skerti," Si stated, "attacked the Salvagers."
"It could be," Jobrill added through Teyla's controlled steady breathing, "that this line of drifting Salvager ships predates the attack on the Processing Ship. These ships could be the remains from when the Skerti first stole Salvager ships to use to board that Processing Ship. Perhaps they stripped these drifters for components required to repair the Salvager ships they have taken possession of, leaving these broken unwanted ships out here in an abandoned line behind them."
It was the same possible explanation that Teyla had reached in her own mind, but she did not voice it. She was too focused on the churning sensation in her belly, the lifting and falling sensations pushing bile up her throat.
Was today the day she was actually going to empty her stomach in the middle of a briefing?
She dropped her eyes down to the section of screen directly in front of her on the tactical display table, though she had no idea what it was displaying on its glowing light. Seemingly just looking at the display, to others watching, she squeezed her eyes shut for a moment…
No, that had not helped.
She snapped her eyes open again and Central Station dimmed a little around her.
Her appointment in the Healing Bay was hours away, but she was not certain she could wait that long now. She had put this off far too long already…
"…that the Skerti left some Salvager components in the Traveller ship engine room suggests that they have more than enough now to maintain what ships they are now controlling," Jobrill continued.
"But why force the Traveller Engineer to adapt her engine?" Si asked. "That the Skerti have pillaged components to repair or maintain the Salvager ships suggests they understand technology well enough, but why use other ships at all? We know they have hugely advanced tech in the form of the Drive used on the Rogue Hive, the Seed Ships and Slug Robots. Why are they collecting up Salvager ships and tinkering around with a Traveller engine?"
It was a good question and one that helped Teyla focus a little, the swell of nausea falling into a lull as she glanced diagonally across the table towards Si.
"When we encountered that Seed Ship, it self-destructed after it attacked us," Jobrill replied, "perhaps their own technology is not all that reliable? Perhaps, like the Drive set into the Rogue Hive, it works best fitted into other tech to work. Perhaps only ships capable of hyperspace flight?"
"Or the theory is correct that they have limited numbers of their Seed Ships and Drives?" Halling considered. "The Rogue Hive very effectively attacked Alliance space, catching us off guard, so why have the Skerti not used it again? Perhaps they have a small number of the Drives and do not want to risk using them."
Teyla wanted to reach up to her brow to wipe away what felt like a coating of clammy sweat, but she held still, keeping her grip tight on the edge of the tactical display table.
Just simple in and out breaths…
In and out, while she listened as closely as she could to the discussion around her.
"Given the Ancestor crystal components we now know are used inside the Drives, perhaps they cannot make more, or repair what they have," Jobrill suggested. "It is not as if there are passing Ancestor ships they can pillage as they have done from the Salvagers. We do not know where the Skerti have been all these years, but perhaps their tech has been damaged or aged too much in that time."
"Though we know that the radiation emitted by the Rogue Hive's Drive was tuned to particularly damage Wraith," Si started, "what if the tech still does significant damage to the ship that houses it? It is possible that the Seed Ship that attacked us exploded by accident; we were never certain it was a purposeful detonation. They may not want to risk using the Drives and Seed Ships yet."
"So they are looking at other tech, seeing if it can better house their Drives?" Jobrill asked.
"Or maybe they were just curious," Seifer put in over the link from The Valse. "They may not have seen Traveller tech before and wanted to experiment on it. Given how mashed together it is, maybe that's why they kept that Engineer alive; they needed her to show them how it worked and see if they could adapt it. It then became obvious to them that it wasn't ever going to work, so they killed the Engineer and left."
"They can't have been that impressed with the Traveller tech," Jobrill stated, "given that they left this entire ship abandoned, didn't bother to take any engine components from it."
Teyla's stomach heaved again and she licked her dry lips, desperately trying not to swallow the increasing saliva in her mouth and risk provoking her stomach.
"Perhaps the radiation levels of Traveller engines were unacceptable to them, as they are to us?" Seifer suggested.
"The ship's cupboards were empty though," Halling put in. "The Travellers' food, stock cupboards and even medical packs were all missing from the ship. The Skerti gutted the consoles from Central Station, and the emergency space-ready suits that had originally been housed in the storage bins are also missing."
"Food?" Si frowned. "Why would the Skerti take Human food, especially when they have just fed on five Humans?"
"We know from her stomach contents that the Engineer had eaten during her capture," Halling reported solemnly. "Given the short-range of these ship-to-surface vessels, there probably wouldn't have been much food onboard. It was most likely just rations and she ate those to keep herself going."
"And what tech the Skerti took from the store cupboards and consoles," Jobrill put in, "will likely be used in the Salvager ships they have."
"What it has provided us, finally, is evidence that the Skerti have been in this specific area of the galaxy," Seifer added.
"Agreed," Halling nodded from Teyla's right. She looked round to him, moving just her head in hopes of not upsetting her agitated stomach. "In truth," he sighed slightly, "we have now gleaned all we can from the Traveller ship. We know the Skerti found them, experimented on their engine and then abandoned it, seemingly uninterested further in its tech. It does also conclude that this line of drifters we have been investigating were left here by the Skerti. So, our decision now becomes what we do next."
"Nalla and her team on the Transport are due to arrive at the near edge of the asteroid field in a few hours," Si noted.
Teyla shifted her eyes down towards the countdown display, and then to the ship's time next to it. Her shift was technically now over, so she could leave Central Station and go lie down. Or perhaps go to the Healing Bay now rather than wait for her appointment later? If Nalla and her team did find something, if the Wraith did appear out of hyperspace, or even the Skerti abruptly, she needed to be battle-ready. She could not put up with this nausea and instability any longer.
If there was something wrong with her, she needed to find out now.
She had been foolish to let it go on this long.
"In that time, we could jump the Hunt Fleet on to the next drifter on sensors," Halling considered. "We could begin that investigation while we wait for the Transport to make contact."
Teyla saw Jobrill's hands out the corner of her shifting view of the tactical display table, and watched as Jobrill ran the calculations on the potential hyperspace flight to the next drifter.
"It will take us over two hours in flight to get to the next drifter, whereas Nalla and her team should arrive at the asteroid field in three hours," Jobrill reported. "That is assuming they do not have to drop out of hyperspace sooner for some reason."
"Perhaps we should wait here for Nalla to make contact," Si gave his opinion. "If the next drifter is another Salvager ship with nothing new to find on it, then it is wasted time following a trail of where the Skerti have been rather than where they are located now."
"Or the line of drifters could lead us to the Skerti?" Isen suggested the other ongoing theory.
"Or away from where we need to be looking," Si replied. "Our initial mission target was to investigate the asteroid field and why it has moved so significantly."
"There is nothing to indicate a link between that and the Skerti," Jobrill pointed out. "How could the Skerti move an entire asteroid field? Whereas we now have direct evidence relating these drifters to the Skerti."
"We will not know if there is a link until we investigate the asteroid field," Si replied.
"And the satellites Nalla's team are set to deploy will begin that process," Jobrill argued. "For the next three hours, we will just be sitting and waiting."
Silence fell around the display table.
Teyla simply focused on her breathing, the air cool as she drew it into her lungs and then warmer as she pushed it out again. Her throat felt a little sore from the rising bile, but her stomach was not churning quite so dramatically now. Still, it was far from serene. Her whole body felt a little shaky and the urge to just go lie down and sleep was almost overwhelming.
"Emmagan?" Halling's voice broke into her awareness and she looked quickly round to him. "What are your thoughts?"
Her thoughts were not to vomit and to go to sleep, but she made herself keep her composure as she looked away across the display screens. That felt safer, as she suspected that, if she held Halling's gaze, that he would see that something was wrong.
She cleared her throat a little as she considered the countdown display. "We have three hours, and we can reach the next drifter in just over two hours, so perhaps it is best to use the time rather than just wait? Then we should hear from Nalla and hopefully she will have some preliminary data from the Transport's sensors on the asteroid field."
Her eyes strayed to the images of the Traveller Engineer's final bloody end.
"It could be that the next drifter is another Traveller ship that could provide even more evidence for us," she added, glancing up towards Si with an apologetic smile in disagreeing with his suggestion.
He smiled faintly. Since the start of investigating these drifters, he had been unconvinced by them, feeling they were a designed distraction. This last drifter had at least finally provided the evidence they needed that the Skerti were responsible, but that did not disprove his theory.
"I agree," Halling stated, "we jump the Fleet together to the next drifter and investigate that while we wait to hear from Nalla. Si?"
"Agreed," Si nodded with a touch of reluctance.
"Seifer?" Halling asked up towards the link pickup.
"Agreed," Seifer replied from The Valse.
"Isen?" Halling asked the youngest Elite and the male nodded his agreement instantly. "Very well," Halling concluded. "All ships prepare for hyperspace jump, and we will conclude this briefing. For those that have been lost on the Traveller ship, we vow to tell their story and carry their remains back to their people," he added with professional respect for the record.
Teyla glanced back to the picture of the unnamed Engineer and her cloudy dead eyes. Teyla could only hope that the female's death would not be in vain, and that all those on this hunt mission would not meet the same fate.
"All hands prepare," Jobrill called and Teyla saw the display screens shift off the report data and pictures, returning to their usual assignments on the running of the Sythus itself.
As she heard the link end, Halling's hands appearing over one screen as he officially logged the briefing's recording and data, her stomach swirled and her legs began to feel even weaker under her.
It was time for her to face her own fate; she needed to go to the Healing Bay now. Whatever the tests would find, she would have to deal with this. She could not remain so weakened and vulnerable.
She could not let those around her, and those poor lost Travellers, down when the time came when she needed to be strong.
"My shift is over," she announced in general to the table, "I will retire for some rest while we travel to the next drifter."
She didn't wait for any response and turned from the tactical display table, trying to keep herself as level as possible as she moved. The back hatchway out of Central Station stood a few metres ahead of her and, taking a steadying breath, she started forward towards it.
Just one foot in front of the other.
The air felt overly warm against her face as she walked, but her legs worked far better than she had feared.
The hatchway grew in size as she approached and finally reached it.
Reaching out, she got a grateful grip of the frame and stepped through to the corridor outside.
The air felt a little cooler here, which felt wonderful against her brow, but she didn't stop to fully appreciate it. She just kept walking, keeping the momentum going and trying to ignore the rising threat of the nausea.
She just needed to get down to the Healing Bay.
Needed to face her fate, whatever it would bring.
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The air in the chamber was warm and moist to Mind Song's lungs, far more pleasing an environment than what he had endured when he had been imprisoned by the Prey Kolya.
Sitting with nothing to do had become almost normal for him now, though that did not mean it was easy. The two days within this chamber had not been wasted time though, as it had provided him with plenty of time to think.
And time for Long Sleep to tinker with this ancient unaltered Hive.
Currently his Batch Brother was sat on the floor by the small space into the wall that he had teased open to explore the conduits and interface line concealed behind it. Though not much could be achieved yet with that access, it was nonetheless useful and insightful.
This Hive, like Lost Lineage's near identical Warriors and Drones, was clearly kept as pure as she could maintain it. A strange choice in such times with Human Prey finding new and inventive ways to resist, still it was useful to know in case he and Long Sleep needed to exploit the Hive's weaknesses. And the Hive fascinated Long Sleep, his Keeper skills kept amused and his mind distracted with the ancient vessel.
Well, that and the occasional contact he had been making with the other likely captive on this Hive.
Little could be shared with the unseen Warrior of course, but each time Long Sleep reached out, the Warrior had responded. It seemed clear to Long Sleep that the Warrior wanted to escape and saw them as a means to do so. Whether they could actually do that for him was another story, or if they even wanted to, so somehow finding a way to make proper contact with the Warrior was vitally important. If he turned out to be the source of Lost Lineage's knowledge of the Skerti, then he was a resource that they definitely needed to tap or steal from her.
For clearly Lost Lineage's Hive was not going to be a safe place for him and Long Sleep to remain, in fact the main part of all the plans he had formulated was to be able to survive long enough to leave this Hive. The trick was, he had pondered, to be interesting enough for Lost Lineage to keep them alive, but not too interesting that they became either a threat or something she wished to keep for herself. It was a delicate balance that was possibly unfeasible, but Mind Song rather liked the challenge of it. The two days left ignored in this chamber had allowed him and Long Sleep to consider various ways to achieve that balance, and also what to do if, and when, they escaped from this Hive.
Of course it was possible, Mind Song mused as he settled his weight onto one of the chamber's benches, that Lost Lineage's campaign against the apparently Skerti-held Fleet was going to be successful. If she could strike a significant blow to the Skerti, stop them from seeing Wraith as prey, then that would be an excellent outcome from Lost Lineage's unexpected arrival in their lives.
Yet, Mind Song's knowledge and experience around Warrior Queens was that life was not something they prioritised, well except for their own. Lost Lineage saw the Skerti as her enemy right now, which was useful, but he did not trust her to put the needs of all Wraith ahead of her own.
No, even if this attack ahead was successful, this was not the place for him and Long Sleep to remain.
And if Lost Lineage failed in the attack, well he had spent a great deal of time considering that as well. If she fell, and with Sharp Claw gone, he and Long Sleep would have to find out if there are any other Elder Queens left who might know of the Skerti.
And if all the other Elder Queens had fallen…?
Or, even if there were some left, what if none of them knew anything useful of the Skerti? For many thousands of batch generations, the Skerti had been believed nothing but myth. Even in his and Long Sleep's long lives, they had heard nothing of the Skerti outside of simple legends that were easily dismissed.
What if there was no knowledge of the Skerti to be discovered from Wraith kin?
Well, he had thought about that possibility too.
He had come up with two ideas, one of which was also nestled deep in myth, so might not even be real. The other, well that would require Sheppard and his kind. That would be the riskier of all ideas and plans, and one that he would keep at the back of his mind, hopefully never to have to use. Still, it was good to have-
The chamber shifted subtly around him, the sensation of motion suddenly lost.
Across the chamber, Long Sleep looked up from his tinkering. "We have dropped out of hyperspace."
Mind Song nodded. "Perhaps then we have reached the promised secondary gathering point," he considered.
"The culling fleet gathering to full strength," Long Sleep muttered as he peered back into the inner workings of the door mechanism. "Unfortunately, New Breath has nothing new to share, just her Hive and its untested fighters."
"Mmmm," Mind Song nodded.
"Our new friend is making contact," Long Sleep announced, glancing aside in response to the mental contact from the unseen Warrior.
"Worried perhaps on what is happening?" Mind Song asked as he watched Long Sleep look upwards as he eased his mind up closer to the network to make better contact with the unidentified Warrior.
"He is concerned," Long Sleep reported. "For us, I believe. He does not seem confused as to what is happening." Long Sleep looked round with a faint frown. "I am not so sure he is locked away as we are."
Mind Song smiled faintly at that. "Our chamber entrance is not locked," he reminded his Batch Brother.
"A technicality," Long Sleep replied with a look.
Mind Song chuckled. It was true enough. The four Drones on guard outside the chamber were the real lock.
"I am not sure I missed your dry humour while you were gone," Long Sleep replied as he looked upwards again.
Mind Song smiled though, knowing his brother meant the exact opposite.
"I am assuring him that we are well, but we do not know what will happen next," Long Sleep added and then frowned. Mind Song instantly understood why as he felt New Breath's mind brushing against his.
"Leave him, quickly!" Mind Song instructed his brother, even as he already felt Long Sleep's mind falling away from the network and the contact with their new 'friend'.
Mind Song held still, waiting to see if New Breath had noticed, but her mind simply pressed a little firmer than it had before against the outside of his mind and then retreated.
A warning.
"Something is happening," Mind Song stood up from the bench. "Best close up the wall," he suggested.
Long Sleep nodded as he started to gently tuck closed the small entrance into the chamber wall he had created. It was expertly done, invisible to the eye unless you were looking for it.
As Long Sleep stood up, Mind Song felt the Drones' minds outside the closed chamber door stirring and, a moment later, the chamber entrance opened to reveal all four Drones stood outside looking in.
Mind Song tensed, ready for an attack, but the Drones didn't lift their heavy long stunner weapons. Instead, one angled its head in a silent order for him and Long Sleep to exit the chamber.
"Ah, it seems we are wanted somewhere else," Mind Song concluded to Long Sleep as he led the way across the chamber towards their four-strong escort. "Please, do lead the way," he smiled at the Drones as he stepped out into the corridor, now surrounded by them.
As Long Sleep joined him, all four Drones instantly started moving one way down the corridor. Unable to do anything but accept the very clear instruction, Mind Song and Long Sleep moved quickly to keep up with the two sets of heavily built Drones enclosing them. Lost Lineage's Warrior nature was evident even in the Drones she batched. They were even more thickly muscled than most lineage Drones, and their bone masks were studded with sharp spikes. Like the Warriors that had stood guard outside the Gathering chamber, the Drones' clothing was identical and immaculate, with not a single scratch visible. Also like the Warriors, their long white hair was cut to the exact same length, and none of them had any inked markings anywhere on their visible skin.
Walking silently among the armed guard, Mind Song glanced at Long Sleep beside him, who nodded faintly that he was ready should any sudden action be required. It was unlikely they were about to be killed, as why not simply kill them back in the chamber…unless Lost Lineage intended to have them killed in a more public setting, probably in front of New Breath to increase her dominance over the Young Queen.
After two corridors and a trip through a transporter chamber, it became clear that they were being taken to the Hive's Central Command Chamber. Already Mind Song could feel Lost Lineage's big powerful mind ahead of them and, alongside her, New Breath's mind was a quieter, contained presence. He wondered how New Breath had fared spending two days in Lost Lineage's presence, no doubt having to constantly stave off the Warrior Queen's mind and aggressive behaviour.
Ahead, the entrance to the Command Chamber came into view, so Mind Song quickly worked to control and calm his own mind further for the confrontation to come. Beside him, Long Sleep's own mental fortifications became so strong that his mind almost seemed to vanish even to Mind Song's innate awareness of him.
As they reached the entrance to the chamber, he noticed how busy it was, with several Warriors moving out as the four escort Drones entered. The sense of heavy activity filled the air, as did the clear eagerness of Lost Lineage's mind dominating the chamber, but that was far from the most unusual feature of this Central Command Chamber. Most command spaces on Hives were relatively small and lightly staffed, with the Primary controlling the Hive and passing along orders from the Queen who usually remained in her own separate Chamber deeper in the Hive. Clearly Lost Lineage did not run her Hive that way.
The chamber was surprisingly large and there were far more consoles than seemed necessary. At each console there were stationed at least two Warriors, which seemed overkill, and, encircling the chamber, a line of Drones stood on guard, their weapons held close to their chests in exact duplicate stances. Whether that was just for show with New Breath and them onboard was unclear, but he wondered if it was just normal for Lost Lineage to have as many of her prized lineage around her as possible.
More unusually, as the centre of the chamber came into view, there was a raised narrow platform running from the back of the piloting consoles all the way across the chamber to the front wall. And stood alone on the raised platform, was Lost Lineage in her same battle clothing, her attention directed towards the front wall. Behind her, stood on the floor and therefore below Lost Lineage on her stage, was New Breath.
Mind Song met New Breath's gaze and bowed his head to her. She was holding herself as visibly composed and strong as before, her mind admirably wrapped up tightly, but he could sense the signs of wear. The tiredness showing around the edges from days of exposure to Lost Lineage. It was doubtful she would have been allowed to feed, as Lost Lineage would want the Young Queen to be weaker than her. Still, he was very impressed at how New Breath was managing, especially considering her inexperience.
"The enemy," Lost Lineage stated, her voice seeming louder than normal in a chamber like this. Perhaps it was her platform that provided an acoustic advantage as well as an excellent view of all Central Command around her.
He looked from New Breath to the Warrior Queen, then along her raised hand indicating the front wall. Normally in Central Command Chambers, a projected or holographic display showed on part of the front wall, but here Lost Lineage had the entire front wall as a holographic display.
There was a lot being displayed, but the central area showed the now recognisable fleet of Human-made ships flying in a formation around their much larger central ship. The Skerti-led fleet, if Lost Lineage was to be believed.
Mind Song frowned at the image, which, according to the data running towards the top of the massive display, suggested it was a live feed from one of Sharp Claw's satellite watching posts. The enemy ships were in the same formation as before and, he looked to another section of the large holographic display, the exact same damaged engine readings were being detected from some of the smaller outlying Skerti-held Prey vessels. It had been two days; surely there had been enough time to repair the ships by now. At least some of them.
"The enemy fleet is still moving only via sublight speed?" Mind Song asked. "These images are current?"
He felt Lost Lineage's mind grow larger and he looked away from the holographic display to see the Warrior Queen had turned towards him up on her platform. Her eyes narrowed at him and her mind grew sharp against the outside of his.
Ah, he had overstepped it seemed.
"You wish to lead this culling, Twisted Warrior?" Lost Lineage asked him, her voice dripping with aggression.
He lowered his eyes instantly and bowed his head as she would expect. "I apologise, Great Queen. Old habits I am afraid," he added as explanation and, perhaps riskily, a reminder to her of his own age.
He felt her mind shift back from his, in fact it retreated far more than he expected given that he had inadvertently insulted her.
"How may we serve you, Great Queen?" He added while keeping his eyes and head lowered.
There was a long pause, but he kept his eyes down, waiting for her to respond. To his left, he was aware of Long Sleep also bowing, waiting for their fate.
Had he ruined their chances so easily and quickly?
"Consult the readings," Lost Lineage instructed though, her voice moving, suggesting she was turning away from them.
Lifting his head and turning to face the holographic display again, Mind Song returned his attention to the data and images.
"Tell me, both of you," Lost Lineage ordered, "if what you see is sign of the radiation and engine pod outputs you know from the Skerti."
It seemed a valid enough question, her using their 'experience' of the Skerti to her advantage, but it bought up a lot of questions for Mind Song.
Firstly, how she knew about the radiation that the Skerti adaptations to Long Sleep's former Hive's engine pods had emitted, but it could be that New Breath had recently told her. If Lost Lineage had already known of it, and she had been to the site of Sharp Claw's last battle, surely she knew the radiation signature to look for.
She had also asked them to identify the Skerti engine drive output, which again implied that she might not know what to look for herself.
Or was this all just a test?
He focused on the readings, comparing them to what Long Sleep had shared with him. There was nothing that seemed even close. He shook his head. "I do not see anything familiar," he glanced to Long Sleep.
"Nothing of this matches what we have seen from Skerti technology before," Long Sleep confirmed to Lost Lineage.
"Agreed," Lost Lineage stated loftily, but Mind Song suspected he had sensed just the faintest relief to Lost Lineage's mind and voice.
Which was very interesting indeed.
A suspicion was lingering in his mind now.
"The sensors also show that the damage sustained from their battle with Sharp Claw," Lost Lineage continued, "has not been repaired, forcing them to keep limping through empty space." He heard her voice turn towards him, but he kept his head slightly down and lowered his gaze so as not to provoke her again. "For unlike you," she continued pointedly, "I know the greatest weakness of the Human Prey whose vessels the Skerti are using. Prey technology is dead, impure, and easily broken. They cannot heal and regrow their technology as we can. No, they need metals and new pieces of things to repair technology that is already weak and inferior to ours."
Mind Song glanced up at her from under his brow. He agreed that the ability for their own technology to heal was an advantage, but there were also weaknesses to it as well. Human vessels could travel in hyperspace without damaging their hulls, they could easily and quickly replace metal component parts, and there was no requirement to keep their vessels flowing with life-giving fluids.
He wondered if Lost Lineage ignored those facts because it suited her narrative, or whether she simply didn't think it through. To her Warrior nature, of course Wraith kin were superior to all life, and her own lineage the most superior of all. But, hadn't the Prey confirmed their own abilities and skills enough to her yet? The Armoured Herd had fought back in powerful ways, shocking all Wraith and Queen numbers. How could Lost Lineage, who had witnessed her own lineage be killed off, surely think what she was saying was true?
Was it arrogance?
Or ignorance?
But he simply replied, "Of course, Great Queen."
Lost Lineage glanced down at him, and he moved his gaze away.
"The Skerti likely know little of Prey technology, bringing further weaknesses for us to exploit," she continued, but there was an edge to her voice now, something new as he felt her eyes on him.
He kept his eyes down and nodded.
"What do you think, Young Sister?" Lost Lineage asked towards New Breath.
"If the enemy are weakened, we must attack," New Breath replied instantly.
Mind Song felt Lost Lineage's pleasure swell around her wide powerful mind. "Well said, Sister," she chuckled as she moved forward along her platform. "From these readings, we can see that now one third of their vessels have damage, some minimal, but there is enough leakage of engine and heat readings to confirm they are struggling. We should help them into the void of their deaths as we bring down our vengeance upon them."
Her voice was full of eager violence for the battle ahead.
"Great Queen?" Long Sleep's voice called gently, carefully nervous.
Mind Song glanced out the corner of his eyes towards his Batch Brother and the risk he was taking.
"You have something to offer me?" Lost Lineage asked after a brief pause.
"Great Queen," Long Sleep repeated as he straightened, looking slightly up towards Lost Lineage. "When I was aboard the Skerti-held Hive, there were times when the dangerous radiation was shut off. It is possible that the Skerti have done the same now, and the radiation is not showing simply because of that fact."
Mind Song held still, waiting to see how the Warrior Queen would react, and he felt his body charging up, ready to defend his brother if needed. Even if it would be his last act.
"I agree," Lost Lineage replied though. "It is likely that the radiation has further harmed the weak Prey vessels, forcing them to shut it down."
Mind Song saw Long Sleep nod and lower his eyes.
"Of course, I apologise for my comment," Long Sleep offered.
Lost Lineage's mind shifted with pleasure as she walked back along her stage, moving level with them both again. "Your Young Queen informed me that you made alterations to that Skerti-held Hive; that you kept it running under the attack of the radiation."
It seemed New Breath had had to share much with Lost Lineage these past days, perhaps now having lost all her advantage.
"I did the best I could, Great Queen," Long Sleep replied humbly. "But we struggled to help it withstand the onslaught. However, it finally, inevitably, succumbed."
Any time he spoke of that moment, there was a flare of true grief in Long Sleep, and Mind Song felt it now and knew Lost Lineage would as well. But that was part of the usefulness of the information Long Sleep was sharing with her.
"How exactly was the Hive damaged by the radiation?" Lost Lineage asked.
She didn't know.
She hadn't seen it anywhere else then?
"The radiation attacked the Hive at a cellular level, Great Queen," Long Sleep replied. "Twisting and damaging its genetic structure, disassembling it from the inside out essentially."
Mind Song didn't miss the concern flaring in the Warrior Queen's mind.
"How did you delay that attack, Keeper?" She asked him.
"I strengthened the nourishing fluids and replaced as much of the stem genetics as I could," Long Sleep replied, which was a very truncated explanation, but it was very common that Queens knew little of the actual structure and mechanisms of their own Hives.
"Strengthened how?" She pushed.
"Increased the quantity of certain elements and spliced in replacement conduit flesh where it was badly damaged."
Which was part of what Long Sleep had done to strengthen New Breath's newly matured Hive; would New Breath have shared that as well? Surely any Queen would keep such information to herself.
"However," Long Sleep added, just as they had planned, "that Hive had been altered and damaged over many battles prior to the Skerti taking control of it. It was nothing compared to this ancient vessel."
Mind Song lifted his eyes enough to see Lost Lineage's faint smile at the compliment.
"I sense how impressed you rightly are by the greatness of my Hive, Keeper," she stated.
"It has been a considerable length of time since I have even seen a Hive of this great age and experience," Long Sleep replied. "And I do not believe I have been aboard one like this. I had thought these ancient seed lines had been lost to us."
Lost Lineage lifted one side of her smooth brow. "I simply know how to take care of my strengths, clearly unlike that Queen who lost her Hive to a Skerti intruder and let her Hive fall to such weakened ruin."
"I would image then," Long Sleep added, the riskier moment arriving, "that this Hive will be strong and matured enough to resist the effects of the radiation." It was a lie, but one that they needed to use. "However, if you would like me to confer with your Keepers to advise them of the areas I saw most affected on the other Hive…?"
It was a considerable risk to suggest her pure untouched Hive had any weaknesses, but it would also be foolish for any Queen to ignore warnings or offers to educate her own Keepers in the face of a new damaging radiation. Regardless of her opinion of his and Long Sleep's mutations, that she was still talking with them, said she saw some value in their experience. Just as they had hoped.
The silence continued, but Mind Song felt Lost Lineage's attention focus on him now, her mind reaching around the edges of his, testing, seeking…curious.
"You spoke of old habits, Warrior?" She asked.
He lifted his gaze up to meet hers. "They are hard to ignore sometimes, Great Queen," he told her with a faint smile.
Her eyes narrowed. "Habits in assisting your previous Queen perhaps?"
"Several," Mind Song replied honestly. "But I only provided analysis and my Brother, his Keeper skills." Best not to seem too important, just Warriors with some experience.
Lost Lineage's slit eyes slid from him to Long Sleep and then back again. "You both want something; do not think I am not aware of that."
"It is true," Mind Song replied instantly, a new path of a plan opening up. "The very reason why we sought out assistance from our new Queen, New Breath, was to find everything we can on the Skerti." He watched Lost Lineage as closely as he could without seeming too invasive. "To find out what they truly are and where they have been in the millennia that have passed since their name was first heard."
Lost Lineage's expression shifted to a blank controlled stare, everything becoming more contained.
His suspicious were almost confirmed, but it was not certain yet.
"Most have thought the name of the Skerti as simple myth used to put fear into the weak," she said. "Most of our kin would laugh at your suggestion of their true existence."
"Yes," he nodded. "But I suspect that they have been hidden and possibly have shown themselves in ways we have not before recognised. Glimpses in the records of our kin, perhaps their radiation technology having been their advantage in removing all that dared try to hunt them."
"You want access to this Hive's historical records," Lost Lineage correctly interpreted.
"Yes, Great Queen," he nodded firmly. "It is why we first sought the help of Sharp Claw, for her elder years and extensive database. As well as a Queen who would be experienced and bold enough to find and stop the Skerti."
A faint smile slid over Lost Lineage's face at the compliment he had paid her indirectly.
He lowered his gaze away from her eyes and waited. Now she had contained her mind, he could not entirely sense what was ticking away, but, again, she had had an offer of something that could benefit her.
"Sharp Claw was an impressive Elder Queen for her lineage," Lost Lineage turned away, walking back towards the front of her platform, considering the holographic display again. "But, she was never one for proper war. My lineage have always met an enemy directly and decisively."
"Yes," Mind Song replied. "I am hoping that your Great Sisters will have recorded intel on stories and enemies lost without explanation, or perhaps even having come across the remains of an alien enemy but not having known its name at the time."
Lost Lineage kept her attention on the flowing sensor data as she lifted a hand, and with the flick of her fingers the holographic display altered. Mind Song looked at the new display. It was the same chart of Sharp Claw's former territory displayed at the Gathering, a pulsing red line running partway through it.
"What do you make of this, Warrior?" Lost Lineage asked.
Mind Song took a step forward so he could better see the information. "The progress of the enemy fleet?" He asked what was obvious.
She moved her hand again and the chart expanded, the line growing significantly in length.
He frowned at it. "This now includes how they approached and entered Sharp Claw's feeding ground?"
"It is. What do you determine of this?" Lost Lineage asked.
"It is a perfectly straight line," he frowned.
"Yes," Lost Lineage replied. "Sharp Claw's satellites detected the fleet long before they entered her territory and then she met them in an attempted culling once they invaded her feeding grounds, but, having defeated her, they continued on."
In an exact straight line.
"Where does the line lead?" New Breath asked, her voice moving closer, clearly not approving of being left out of the discussion. It was a wise choice on her part to reinsert herself into the conversation.
The holographic displayed chart expanded, the straight line now projected on, through the vast territory of Sharp Claw, through into more feeding grounds and…
Mind Song frowned at the display.
"You see it, yes?" Lost Lineage asked.
The projected line of the Skerti fleet ran past plenty of planets, but it ran directly through one. A planet such a significant distance away that it would seem unlikely to be the fleet's ultimate destination, but considering the planet…
And what had been on it.
What was believed destroyed by most.
"The planet on which Atlantis once stood," Mind Song decided was a safe description. After all, he knew what other Wraith did not, that Sheppard's people and their city had survived its apparent destruction.
"Where it still stands," Lost Lineage corrected him.
He controlled his reaction to that. "We had heard it had been destroyed in a massive explosion while under siege by several Hives?"
"It was," New Breath stated firmly. "My Mother Queen sent word that she was one of those who were there to witness it."
"The Prey that inhabits Atlantis are clever and fooled all those watching," Lost Lineage replied.
"Debris was found and no trace of the City detected," New Breath pushed, clearly insulted by the comment about her Mother Queen.
"As I said," Lost Lineage turned to look at New Breath, "they are very clever. Even to the point of perhaps resurrecting an ancient threat to join their foolish fight against our dominion. I assure you, they are still very much alive and are scheming within the walls of Atlantis. They are the greatest threat to Wraith kin ever."
Her last word vibrated with dark anger, her mind shifting with aggression; yet, it was not the eager warrior aggression of her lineage, but a fiery violence that mixed with what felt like fear.
A Warrior Queen afraid of Atlantis? It suggested that she, or some of her forces, had been significantly defeated by Sheppard's people. From what he had heard from Long Sleep, Sheppard's kind had some powerful ships of their own. Obviously this particular Hive had been unlikely to have engaged them, as there was no sign of damage that surely Sheppard's people would inflict. Had she lost other ships then, or some of her prized perfect lineage Warriors and Drones to Atlantis?
"And they will regret ever conceiving of allying themselves with the Skerti," Lost Lineage concluded.
Mind Song frowned at that conclusion. Just because Atlantis was the possible end-point of the straight line did not make the two parties allies.
Though, was it possible?
No, that did not seem likely to Mind Song. Long Sleep had seen the Skerti Queen attack the Armoured Herd's territory and Mind Song knew Sheppard's kin were definitely allies of the powerful Prey. His Queen was one of the Armoured Herd, and a Queen Killer. Why would the Skerti attack Sheppard's Queen's territory if they were allies to Atlantis?
Or had Atlantis been an ally of the Skerti in the past? Before Sheppard's kin arrived? Perhaps that was why they were heading there now, thinking the Old Lanteans were still there?
Old allies, or…perhaps…old enemies?
"The Skerti are heading to Atlantis, destroying our kin in the process and stealing our feeding grounds, but we will stop them," Lost Lineage continued, the eagerness returning to her mind and voice. "We are timing matters perfectly; they are too damaged to jump into hyperspace, and too far away from their allies in Atlantis to assist."
It made no sense to Mind Song. Even if some of the Skerti fleet were damaged, why would the rest not just fly ahead in hyperspace to get to Atlantis faster, if that was indeed their target. The larger Prey vessel at the centre of the formation was definitely hyperspace capable and showed no signs of significant damage across its rather uneven hull. Surely that larger vessel could bring its smaller damaged vessels inside, or even just its crew, and then jump into hyperspace? Why creep along through enemy territory?
It was possible that the Skerti did not see anyone as a threat, or it was a statement that they were not afraid of reprisals.
Or it was a trap.
"We will ensure that the Skerti get no further than Sharp Claw's territory," Lost Lineage continued her campaign speech and with a wave of her hand a new series of charts appeared across the front wall. "We will split our newly formed strong culling fleet into three, Young Sister. One group will be sent ahead at this angle," a line of red swept across the chart to a point ahead of the Skerti-held fleet. "A second group will do the same from this other angle." A second line appeared, the two lines meeting the Skerti projected line at the same point. "And we shall follow from behind," Lost Lineage added and the final third line cut round and up behind the enemy.
It was a smart enough way to ambush the enemy, but if this was a trap, as Mind Song suspected it had to be, it was surely flying into the Skerti' control.
It seemed then that the ways of the Warrior lineage's blindness to the subtleties of war remained true, that they threw themselves into the fire to fight without greater aforethought. Lost Lineage saw weakness and every part of her wanted to leap in and take advantage of it instantly.
A debate warred inside Mind Song; should he say something, warn her? Or would that get him and Long Sleep killed?
But they were onboard this Hive, heading into that battle…
"There is the possibility, Great Queen," he decided to risk it, "that the Skerti are not as weak as they appear. That they are limping along so as to draw us in?"
"It does not matter, they will be crushed," Lost Lineage replied simply. "We far outnumber them. We will dominate and obliterate them from existence."
Yes, the stubborn blindness of the Warrior lineage mentality was as true as ever then.
It did not matter to her that Sharp Claw's forces had also far outnumbered the Skerti-held fleet.
Mind Song glanced out the very corner of his eyes towards New Breath stood on the other side of the raised platform. She glanced back at him in turn, her sharp eyes meeting his. He could not risk saying anything yet, but he hoped she understood his concern and warning.
"Primary," Lost Lineage called loudly, "prepare all the ships in the culling fleet for departure on my command."
"Yes, my Queen," the Primary's voice arrived from somewhere in the Central Command Chamber, but Mind Song had not seen him. Though, given how identical Lost Lineage's Warriors were, he no doubt looked just the same as the others, so was difficult to spot within the chamber.
"And," Lost Lineage added, turning on the platform and pointing down towards Long Sleep. "You may see this Hive's engines so that you can be assured of its strength and value the time that you were able to walk on such an ancient and perfect vessel as this."
"Thank you, Great Queen," Long Sleep bowed from the waist, every part of him dripping with the gratitude they wanted her to see. Though, in truth, Mind Song knew his brother truly was looking forward to the opportunity, so it was not all that much of an act.
"And you," Lost Lineage's attention slid to Mind Song as she pointed her long mottled finger towards him. "You will look through the database and see if you can find the evidence you think may exist there of the Skerti. Anything you find you will report to me and me alone."
"He is my Warrior," New Breath insisted at the affront.
"And it is my database," Lost Lineage replied with a glance to New Breath.
"Then we should both learn what he discovers, together," New Breath countered.
Lost Lineage held New Breath's gaze for a long moment and then smiled, the tips of her sharp teeth showing against her dark lips. "Very well, Sister."
As before at the Gathering, Lost Lineage acquiesced far too easily to the Young Queen, in what might seem as respect, but Mind Song saw as calculation. Yes, there was something Lost Lineage wanted from New Breath, something more than just the information on the Skerti she had so far shared.
But for now, he and Long Sleep had what they had wanted, though this meeting had also provided some worrying questions and conclusions.
The first being that Mind Song's suspicions of Lost Lineage were probably true: she knew nothing of the Skerti.
She knew they existed, most likely her story of Sharp Claw leaving a warning was true then, but she couldn't recognise Skerti engine or radiation signatures; and she had given him permission to dig out possible information hidden in her database's historical records, so she likely knew nothing definitive.
She didn't understand the true risk and danger of the Skerti.
She was simply a weapon, and a threat.
A threat to Atlantis too it seemed.
That was something he would remember for the future in case it became useful to him.
Until then, he and Long Sleep had what they wanted; greater access to the Hive and, with that, perhaps the chance to find the other Warrior held captive here.
Perhaps he, like them, knew more of the Skerti than he had shared with Lost Lineage.
But besides those possible opportunities, the fact remained that they were stuck aboard a dangerous Hive heading blindly into a trap.
00000
TBC