HONOR--An Atlantis scientist meets the Wraiths. Up close.

[MCH]

Traveler64

The following episodes should be coming pretty fast since now I finally chose the path of the story; or rather, the Commander decided it. Funny how a character develops.

So, stay tuned!

Your Commander

Spoiler:

He reminds me of amber all golden with endless depths.Like a good brandy

MCH

[Traveler64]

Traveler64


Your Commander

Spoiler:

He reminds me of amber all golden with endless depths.Like a good brandy

MCH

Oh, I like that!

[masterling]

Ok, just read the last 2 chapters- loved them. Im transfixed by your discription of the commander. I can actuly see him in his ship with thoes eyes!!!
Keep up the good work and i look forward to the next chapters.

[Traveler64]

Ok, just read the last 2 chapters- loved them. Im transfixed by your discription of the commander. I can actuly see him in his ship with thoes eyes!!!
Keep up the good work and i look forward to the next chapters.

Thank you! That's a great compliment.

The counter for this shows that I've had up to 200 hits; which amazes me. I wish thought, that more people left some kind of 'note' so that I know how many actually read it.

[naamiaiset]

the end of chapter six is the best part so far, keep it up!

[Traveler64]

the end of chapter six is the best part so far, keep it up!

Thank you! I wondered what people would think of it. I've written a big chunk today and getting close to the end.

[Traveler64]

The saga continues.

EPISODE 7 OF HONOR

Spoiler:

“Shall we continue our conversation?” he said. He sounded content.


I took a bite of the fruit, more to steady my shaky nerves and body than from need of food. By holding on to that fruit with my teeth I hoped to cover the tremble in my hand. I took the bite and chewed slowly. I lowered my hand with the fruit in my lap, put my other hand over it, and so braced I forced myself to ‘continue the conversation.’ The place was now utterly silent, like a giant creature fallen asleep. Could I hear its breath?

The Commander waited patiently. I searched my heart for a while, as he seemed unconcerned with my long silence. I have never seen a Wraith feed or a human die in such a fashion in front of my eyes; not in real life, not so close to me. This was not in battle, this was not part of culling; this was a leisurely feeding after a long hard day at the office. I looked down on my half eaten fruit: the same as I was eating my fruit. May be this Wraith was different, but he had not been brutal or violent about it. There was an odd slowness and care about it, a quiet savoring of the delicacy, a sensual purring to display the appreciation.

So, now, Doctor Vries, do you hate this creature? Do you find him abhorrent, repulsive and vile? Do you just want to stand up, tell him to go to Wraith Hell and just give your name and serial number?

I searched inside me, while he watched me, deeper and deeper, burrowing into my very gut. It had not been a criminal act; it had not been an act of evil and malice; if this had been just ‘dining’ together in the ways of the human social behaviour, then it was breathtaking in its lack of awareness that it was anything evil or un-natural. If it had been a test to see my resolve—why, that was another question—then it was a particularly coldblooded and ruthless one.

So, did I hate and loathe him? I glanced at the Wraith sitting there, elegant and quiet. No. Absolutely not. Did I fear him? Oh, greatly, indeed. Not because of the act itself, but because of the complex intelligence behind it. A very alien intelligence that I found myself very much wanting to understand.

Re-start the conversation; but, do not ask about what just happened. I was determined to make this a conversation between equals—well, sort of equals; not between captor and captive. I was not going to whine.

“We were talking about the Wraith whom I met on the planet,” I started. “You mentioned how important he had been and why.”

The Commander nodded slowly. His amber green gaze made me suddenly think of the flutter of a big Amazonian moth with velvety wings. He is part insect—I caught myself.

“You mentioned that the contract was considered broken,” I continued, “with the death of this Wraith. Could you not offer another in his place?”

His right hand tapped the arm of his bench, the finger guard making a soft clicking noise. “No. It had to be this particular Wraith.”

“Really? His good looks? He captured the Queen’s heart in a joust?”

The moth wings fluttered silently over me. “Captured her heart?”

“A human expression that describes someone falling in love, winning someone’s love for… uh… mating.”

The Commander watched me silently; he did not have a clue what I was talking about. I took in a breath. “Aren’t male Wraith attracted to female Wraith? And the other way?”

He seemed to ponder.

Think insect. “Aren’t there chemicals or scents that are emitted to attract for mating?”

“Ah… that.” Did he just shift on that bench? “When necessary, yes. That is how the Queen takes complete possession of the Wraith-mate.”

It must be magic being a Wraith in love… I suppressed the smile breaking my face. “What does this… uh… pheromone, as we call it, do to the Wraith-mate?”

Oh, he shifted again in his seat. “It triggers the necessary physical and chemical reaction to produce the matching DNA seed. After that he has no other function but to mate; and knows of no other function.”

I stared back at him. Oh, I do hope I’m not emitting any pheromones right now, because this Wraith looks ready! His eyes were narrowed, the green of his amber eyes replaced by gold. Okay, on to the next question: “Why was this Wraith so special and why can’t another take his place.”

The green returned to the color of his eyes. “He was a very rare Wraith and we were very fortunate to have him join my hive long time ago in anticipation of finding a Queen to mate. There are many hives without Queens, and to have a Wraith that is wanted by a Queen to produce another Queen, it is rare and fortunate.”

More questions. “I would think that a Queen would not want to produce a rival Queen.”

“It would not be a rival Queen. It would be an alliance between major hives.” He moved his head sideways with a quick jerk. “Of course, alliances break and sometimes a Queen kills the one who made her.”

“You could not take his place?” I bit my lip—perhaps that had been a very rude thing to ask.

“No.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t have the DNA. The Queen recognized its existence in the Wraith. She found it… hm… attractive, as you called it.”

Two questions now. And the Commander was uncharacteristically willing to answer. I am sure that there was a place where he wanted me to get with this questioning. He was manipulating the conversation in his strange, feline way. “Two questions,” I said. “First, how does she recognize it, and second, what is it that she recognizes in the DNA?”

“You are a scientist,” he mused. “You think like one, indeed. That is good.” He nodded to himself. “The Wraith that possesses that kind of DNA emits his own distinct chemical—what did you call it?”

“Pheromone.” Insects emit it. I didn’t say that last bit.

“—Pheromone, that the Queen can detect and recognize. As for what she recognizes—it’s the DNA radical that is very rare and precious among the Wraith that produces a Queen when mating: it contains the female chromosome; but not just any female chromosome. It’s the human female DNA.”

I stared at him. “Ah…” I took another bite from the fruit; not that I really wanted it, but it gave me time to consider the implications. “Wraith are very able manipulators of DNA. Why can’t you manipulate it? If you need female human DNA, you’ve got the worshipers.”

He smiled. “First, we would never use the DNA of our inferiors. A worthy enemy, yes; even a defeated one. The humans of Pegasus are not that. Second, it’s not just any human DNA. It must contain a specific Ancient human gene. The Pegasus humans do not have that.”

“How did your Wraith get that gene?”

“The DNA mutation and splitting game of chance when we evolved to be Wraiths.”

“Too bad,” I mused, not quite sure what to say, “that you don’t have it.” And the words flew out of my mouth. Again. “Although I can’t imagine a Queen not wanting you even without the DNA.”

He tilted his head again and peered at me.

Changing subjects. “Do you know who killed the Wraith?” I asked.

“Yes.”

“Who?”

“Rest.” His attention moved away from me and he bent his head, the long white tresses falling like a curtain around his face, shadowing it from my gaze.

***


I waited for a while and watched the Wraith sleep; if he was indeed sleeping, or just in a deep resting mode. It was fascinating to watch him, so alien and yet made so attractive by his intelligence; to say nothing of his long white hair, strange eyes and, in human terms, very nicely turned out in that sleek black outfit. My conversation with him had been more interesting that I’ve had with many humans.

I looked over the balcony rail. It was quiet and still, the lights dimmed to the point where one could only see vast shadowed shapes. I turned the fruit in my hand. An idea came to mind. I put all the food on one tray, balanced the two tankards in my one hand like a fraulein at a beer garden in Bavaria and quietly crossed to the staircase. I looked over my shoulder at the Commander. He was motionless, although instinct told me that he was tracking me. Slowly, as quietly as I possibly could, took the coiling staircase down to the floor of the chamber, the soft light of the lanterns lengthening my shadow on the steps. At the bottom of the stairs I looked towards the entrance at the other side from which I had seen the worshippers come in to tend to the Wraiths.

When I reached the threshold of the entrance I hesitated. It led into a narrow passageway, the walls looking like the ribbed surface of an esophagus. They were ribbed and pale, translucent, yet concealing of what was behind them. I stepped in and slowly walked down its length, my way illuminated by the glow from within the walls. As I passed niches and branching corridors I could see vague forms move behind the opalescent walls. From their size I concluded they were humans; worshippers. Somehow I realized that I was moving along a radial corridor, like the spoke of a wheel, towards the center. A distant hum, that quickly became discernable voices. I moved in that direction until the voices stopped. I stopped as well, and waited. Then I thought I heard a chanting. I listened—it was like the chanting of monks. I started to walk again, the corridor getting wider.

Suddenly I emerged in a circular chamber with low ceiling, the walls of the same translucence and glow as the corridors. A large group of men and women segregated on opposite sides of the chamber, were kneeled, sitting on their heels, their heads bowed, arms raised above their head, hands clasped. They were chanting softly.

I took a step towards the middle of the chamber.

The chanting stopped, the arms came down and the faces turned to me in stony silence. Suddenly I realized that I may have done a very foolish thing. Absurdly, I now wished for the Commander’s presence; or the presence of any Wraith that would control the worshippers. I swallowed the cold bile of fear and stretched out my hands holding the tray and tankards.

[Traveler64]

EPISODE 8 OF HONOR

Spoiler:

With my voice a bit rattling, I started to speak: “I‘ve brought these. I know it was a sacrifice for you to provide this food. Some of you went hungry because of it. Please, take it.”

From the back of the women’s group rose one figure. Moira.

“I meant no harm,” I said as quietly as I could. “And I don’t know what harm I’ve brought with me.”

A man stood up. He was older than the others; he was quite old. Or may be he had been fed upon.

“From where does this food come?” I asked, to start.

Moira spoke. “When the masters go culling on a planet, they take us with them. We forage and take what is left for ourselves.” She was silent for a second. “Often there are months between cullings, or going down to a planet. Often we go hungry. Sometimes we die of starvation. The planet you came from was our last foraging. We don’t know when the next will come.”

“I understand,” I whispered.

“We weren’t able to get much this time.”

I nodded.

“From which planet are you?” the elder asked. He seemed to me to a leader. “You do not appear to be from the planet the masters last culled, where the winds kill.”

I hesitated. “I am not from this galaxy.”

“That means nothing to us. Which hive do you worship?”

“I am not a worshipper.”

“You cannot fool us. You are greatly favored by the Lord Wraith of this Hive. You take our place in his favor. We are at risk now.”

Oh, screw you! “I am from Atlantis, the City of the Ancients. We come from the galaxy of the Ancients, before they came here.” So, there. “We are the humans who whip the Wraith ass!”

Silence fell; but it was a different kind of silence. It lacked that cold hostility. It was still reticent. Still not friendly or welcoming. But it didn’t threaten anymore.

The older man spoke: “It is as prophesized. The descendants of the Ancients shall awaken the Wraiths and terror and destruction shall descend upon us. You have done so. You are like the lord Wraiths—we fear you and we bow to you.”

Suddenly, everyone rose and bowed. I felt a tingle down my spine.

“And if faced with a choice, whom do you chose—the Atlanteans or the Wraiths?”

“The Wraiths,” the elder answered. “Because we must. We have been delivered to them by your kind.”

What could I answer to that? “We battle the Wraiths.”

“They cannot be vanquished. It has been prophesized, and so far, it all came to be.”

I fell silent. This was not the time to start a revolt.

Moira came forward and took the tray from my hand. She went around behind the group of women. It is then that I noticed a group of children. She gave them the food and silently, the children started to eat. They were ravenous. My heart beat painfully in my chest.

The older man was now in the center of the chamber. “For all your power and the light of the Ancients, you know so little of the Wraiths.”

Slowly, I lowered myself to the floor and sat down. Cross legged. Kneeled and sitting on my heels first would be too painful, second, it looked to be a position of subservience. “Tell me what is your accusation.”

They sat down, same as I did, crossed legged.

“You were brought to the hive at death’s door, wounded and torn apart by the winds. But because you have shown honor to a Wraith and to that particular Wraith—“

“Yes, I know about that particular Wraith. The Commander told me.”

There was a flutter of whispers through the chamber.

“He told you?” the old man echoed.

“Yes.” I looked at his face. “Is there significance to that? I am a scientist, and he knows that. He answered my questions.”

I could see his thin chest rise as he took in a breath. “You are indeed highly regarded by the Wraith.”

“She is of Atlantis,” Moira interjected.

“Do you know who tormented the Wraith?” I asked.

The old man shook his head. “It doesn’t matter.”

“Tell me what happened to me after I was taken from the planet,” I prompted.

“Because of the honor you showed the Wraith,” the old man continued, “the Lord Wraith—“

“The Commander?”

“Yes. The Lord Wraith gave you the gift of life two fold so that you would heal.”

“He did?” Why did that make me feel giddy? The gift of life; from a Wraith?

The old man was silent for a few seconds. “To do that he fed upon four of us. I am one of them, though he left me within a year of my death.”

I felt cold. Very cold.

“And tonight, he fed upon another human—not one of our number— long before he would have a need because of the life he gave you.”

I was trembling again. “Oh, God… no…”

I don’t know what happened—perhaps it was the fear and emotions I had bottled all this time, perhaps it was the deep sorrow that entered my soul; perhaps it was the deep regret for what had happened, I being an unwitting instrument; may be because I felt so helpless to redress or change one moment of what had happened; I don’t know. Sobs rose in my chest and tears welled in my eyes. And I wept. I wept tears of grief and misery.

I looked up, lost for words, my face wet with tears. “Forgive me—“

I didn’t finish my sentence.

A red flash flared behind the walls and a tremendous roar shook the air. The chamber tilted violently and I tumbled on my side. A high pitched siren rang in my ear. I tried to right myself but before I could get a toe hold on the tilting floor, a dozen or so masked Wraith soldiers rushed in and herded the worshippers into a side tunnel, using their long stun guns as battering rams. A faced Wraith in long black coat came in their wake. At the sight of me he swerved around. He motioned with his head and hand at me.

I didn’t wait for the words and followed him out of the chamber and into the corridor. He walked fast, as the world seemed to explode around us, red and blue flashes crossing the walls. I had to run after him, bouncing against the walls and tripping as the floor below me pitched and rolled with the blasts. There was a smell of something organic burning. The ship. Here and there, the translucent panels had broken and the liquid behind them had poured out in viscous rivulets, hardening in glassy mounds.

I lost track of the corridors and chamber we crossed until we emerged in the command room.

The Commander stood at his console in complete calm, while the other Wraiths moved around him as if nothing untoward was happening. As I walked in, probably looking disheveled and in my black under tunic, he looked at me with a citric yellow gaze. “Did you commiserate with the worshippers?” Was there disappointment in his voice?

I looked him in the eyes and I felt a singular sensation, one I could not describe as I have never felt it before. “It seems that I am worth quite a lot of lives.”

He considered what I said for a few seconds. “You and your fellow humans won’t be worth anything at the end of this battle.”

“Meaning what?”

“I will save my hive by surrendering all my human trove to the other hive. They have a Queen.” He half smiled; as a sardonic smile as I have ever seen. “The Queen who would’ve borne a Queen for us. Her price to let this hive see another day. We are negotiating.” His eyes looked over my head.

I turned and saw the screen with running red letters. Behind it was the image of a wraith. A Queen. She had red hair and the strong, large features that marked her kind. There was no voice communication. But they were communicating, her mind to his, and his to hers. Wraith mind to Wraith mind; Marine to Marine.

It went on for a long while, meantime the sounds of battle lessening. And then, the Commander closed his eyes for a second. The Queen’s image disappeared.

“Negotiations over?”

“Yes.” He seemed lost in thought, although that didn’t exactly describe the Wraith’s thinking process. I believe a better description would be that he was navigating the convoluted corridors of his cunning mind. “All the humans on my ship for the other hive. And half of the culled humans in the future to keep peace between our two hives.” His eyes were darker.

“Are you an ally or a vassal?”

He made a derisive, sardonic little sound. “I keep my hive.”

I fell silent. All humans. Every single human life. I now stared death in the face. I thought crossed my mind, a desperate, very emotional thought. I caught his eyes. “I ask only one thing,” I said. “I’d rather die at your hand—I mean,” I quickly correct, “I’d rather that you shot me than be fed upon. I honored your Wraith so that he did not die of starvation and chains; I ask the same for myself.”

His gaze slipped over me. “I have no intention of giving them you.”

“Why not?”

“You said you’d rather die at my… uhm… hand. I wouldn’t want to miss that.”

I looked at him with what must’ve been an indignant smirk.

He let out a little sound that seemed to be a laugh. “Sorry. Just Wraith humor.”

I have to admit that I started to breathe again. But, my heart was heavy and the prospect of living another day without being fed upon by a Wraith gave me an acrid feeling. The others—the women, the men and the children—

“What will happen to the other humans on your ship? Will the other hive feed on them?”

“They are worshippers. Not at first. And only if the hive runs out of other humans.”

“Why are you saving me? Other than I’d make a tasty meal for you that you don’t want to share.”

If Wraith had eyebrows, his would’ve gone up at this point.

“Human humor,” I quipped.

”You have something that you can give me and that I need.” He sounded threatening and dangerous at this point. His voice had acquired the echo of a hiss.

“I will give nothing unless it includes the lives of your worshippers.”

He smirked. Wraiths do smirk very well. “Don’t waste your time with them.”

“The gift of life came from them. Three of them, four if one counts the one left alive within a breath of his death.”

“Ah, they told you. Of course.” He looked me in the eyes. “You asked me who tormented the Wraith you honored.”

“Yes…”

“Only one group of humans use the method of cutting off a Wraith’s feeding hand. The worshippers.”

I felt cold.

“Do you still want to save them?”

“Yes.”

[Traveler64]

EPISODE 9 OF HONOR

Spoiler:

The ship rocked.

I was thinking fast and furious. “Commander,” I drew his attention back to me. “I am from Atlantis. For my life and of the worshippers, Atlantis will be willing to provide you what you need to take cover from the hive fighting you.” I had no idea what I was saying.

He didn’t answer for a while. “The worshippers caused me to break the contract. There will be war between my hive and the Queen’s until one of us is destroyed in spite of a temporary alliance. It is temporary, believe me, regardless of how many humans I give her.” His eyes were now amber. Deep amber. “However,” he said very softly, more like a purr, “if I honor the contract, we will all be saved.”

I stared back at him. I didn’t ask the next logical question. I knew that he would give the answer without me voicing it. Because that is where he had been heading all along.
\
He said, his voice almost melodious: “You have the female Ancient gene, Elena Vries. The Wraith you honored recognized it and told us when we came in orbit. I detected it the moment I gave you the gift of life. The pheromone, as you call it.” He observed me as he said: “You are strong. Very strong. Almost as strong as a Wraith.”

I was petrified. The implications and ramifications did not bear thinking. To say nothing that I was emitting a pheromone that attracted Wraiths. No wonder, on Earth, whenever I went to a picnic all wasps and mosquitoes and ants would come for me.

“There are two ways in which I can acquire this DNA and attach it to mine,” he continued. “The first way is to feed on you; a special feeding to ensure that it does not get destroyed or mutated in the process.”

I recoiled; although, I reasoned quickly, given that I had just taken three lives for mine, somehow that would be poetic justice.

“But, taking it without your agreement is not the way of the Wraith for this valuable and precious gene.”

“Bad karma?”

“You would have to give it to me willingly.”

“And joyfully?”

“That is not required.”

Good God! And—another thought flashed through my mind—become instrumental in creating another very powerful hive? One that would happily be culling and grazing the human pastures? It was like giving the enemy the weapon to kill you. It was.. it was treason!

Perhaps he read my thoughts; perhaps he followed the same logic through his mind.

“We would be allied with Atlantis and we would not cull the humans under the protection of Atlantis.”

“I will have to consult with Atlantis. With the condition that the worshippers on your ship will be safe until I have a decision.”

“There isn’t time to consult with Atlantis. And I cannot take that chance either to send you back to Atlantis, or open communication with them. Our mistrust of Atlantean humans is equaled by your mistrust of us.”

“Naturally.”

“In the meantime, I’ll tell the Queen that I accept her terms.”

“Tell her you accept, or accept?” I commented on his choice of words.

I received something of a snort in reply.

“How long before you have to fulfill your promise to her?” I asked.

“Shortly. In Wraith terms. But quite a while in human terms.”

“I would like to speak to the worshippers.”

He nodded sharply with a a little bow.“As you wish.”

I hesitated. He had been too quick to agree; too accommodating. Why did I feel that what he had proposed was not what he really wanted?

Why did I think that? Because in the words of Ronon Dax—he’s Wraith.

One of the Commander’s officers accompanied me to where the worshippers were—a miserable chamber sealed off by vein-like twisted bars. They were huddled together, silent and patient of their fate. The Wraith left me in front of the bars and walked away Wraith walked away. His display of discretion reinforced my feeling that the Commander wanted me to speak to the worshipers.

I went to the heart of the matter. “The Commander—your master—told me that it was one of your number who cut that Wraith’s hand.”

The old man—or rather the man who had given me part of his life—came around and stood in front of his flock. “Yes. It was one of us. That one is dead. Before he could cut off the hand that fed upon him, the Wraith had drained his life to the point of no return. He had enough left in him to do the deed.”

“And who stuck him to the tree?”

“The others.”

“What others?”

“The nine women with him.”

“Why?” I exclaimed. “It isn’t as if the Wraiths, your masters, never feed on you!” Then I said, my voice quite harsh. “Tell me what is going on here.”

The old man came close to the bars. “Our lords don’t feed on us, if we serve them well and don’t incur their wrath.” His voice went down. “When a Wraith is sent as a mate to a Queen, twenty worshipers are sent with him. All women. He feeds upon ten and the Queen feeds upon the others.”

“That’s a bit over the top…”

“The mating of Wraiths requires much life.”

“It must be something to behold,” I quipped. And reconsidered. “On second thought, never mind.”

“But, why did you cut his hand?”

“It was no more than what the Queen would do to him at the end. That is how she ensures his death.”

I froze on my spot.

“The Queen kills him?” I echoed numbly.

“To ensure that he would not go elsewhere for an alliance and set up a rival Queen.”

“Can the Queen renege on her contract with this hive?

“That is why the Mate Wraith feed upon ten humans. This way, the Mate Wraith would survive until the new Queen is installed in the hive.”

“Very slow death…”

I felt my head spinning with the implication of what I’ve heard—giving the Commander the Ancient female gene would not save the worshippers; or anyone else. First, the twenty worshippers—I looked at the women—would still have to be fed upon. And then, there was no escape for the Commander—he would die. It would not be just another Wraith, but the Commander of this hive and with him this hive would die. I was convinced that the Queen would keep her side of the treaty—that is to release her offspring Queen to take over this hive—only if she faced a battle with the Commander’s powerful hive. Without the Commander—this Commander—there would be no hive to claim its rights; there would be no new Queen and no hive.

And the Commander knew that. Then…

I had a parting shot for the worshippers. “When you killed that Mate Wraith, you exchanged 20 lives for everyone’s life. Now you will all be dead one way or another; or given to the other hive as a payment for the survival of this hive for a while longer. The survival of this hive will then depend on the Commander giving the other hive half of the human he culls. That means he will cull twice as many humans.” I took in a deep breath. It was unfair to blame the miserable looking humans staring back at me with horror in their eyes, but I could not abstain. “Did any of you think this through? Or did the Wraith not only take your will and honor as humans, but also your intelligence?”

They shrunk in front of me. The feeling of anger was replaced by one of pity and sorrow again; and I remembered the words, ‘forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.’

In some ways, that applied to the Wraiths.

I turned on my heels. I marched back into the corridor, determined to confront the more complex element of this equation—the very cunning Commander. As I barreled around the turn, I almost knocked over the Wraith who had escorted me there. He gave me a strange grin.

“I would like to speak to your Commander. Please take me to him.”

The Wraith bowed his head. “You are always free to speak with him.” He was definitely grinning now. “Especially when you come to the right conclusion.”

Charming.

[Laura Dove]

Wonderful writing Traveler64, as enthralling as before. I'm really eager to know the outcome!

"Pheromone." Insects emit it. I didn't say that last bit.

Oh, humans do too. It's just that we're not consciously aware of it.

First, we would never use the DNA of our inferiors. A worthy enemy, yes; even a defeated one. The humans of Pegasus are not that. Second, it's not just any human DNA. It must contain a specific Ancient human gene. The Pegasus humans do not have that.

Tssst, and Miss DNA Sample did not get it at this point. Poor scientist.

The old man was silent for a few seconds. "To do that he fed upon four of us. I am one of them, though he left me within a year of my death."

Heh, I knew it. But now I understand why he fed on his own worshippers rather than on culled humans...

[MCH]

Oh another nice ending for this Wednesday I enjoyed this.

I did wonder if there was DNA involved in this.

I like Elena's interaction with the Worshippers and how you set out the killing of the Male Wraith, who and why it was done. The consequence of their actions the saving of Elena and the fact he will send them to the other hive. The way he manipulated Elena into confronting the Worshippers. Pushing her down the road he seems to wants or is he encouraging he in another direction that we know nothing about?

That's two questions you've answered but now you got to answer the rest. So all I need is the outcome. Please.

Can Elena manufacture the DNA with Ancient gene for the Commander. Would Atlantis help? Will she give it to the Commander despite knowing he will die. Will they all survive????

Thank you MCH

[masterling]

Ok so i smiled the entire time i was reading it, now my face hurts. I cant get over yout discription of the commanders eyes!! very smart in the developments, well thought out. very enjoyable
please keep it comming!

[Traveler64]

Laura, MCH, Masterling--first and foremost, thank you for reading this. I have to confess that when I first started, that is not where the story was going, but MCH brought up some interesting points and I thought I'd pick that thread; it just took a life of its own.

Wonderful writing Traveler64, as enthralling as before. I'm really eager to know the outcome!



Oh, humans do too. It's just that we're not consciously aware of it.



Tssst, and Miss DNA Sample did not get it at this point. Poor scientist.



Heh, I knew it. But now I understand why he fed on his own worshippers rather than on culled humans...

Yeah... pheromones... Outcome very close.

Oh another nice ending for this Wednesday I enjoyed this.

I did wonder if there was DNA involved in this.

I like Elena's interaction with the Worshippers and how you set out the killing of the Male Wraith, who and why it was done. The consequence of their actions the saving of Elena and the fact he will send them to the other hive. The way he manipulated Elena into confronting the Worshippers. Pushing her down the road he seems to wants or is he encouraging he in another direction that we know nothing about?

That's two questions you've answered but now you got to answer the rest. So all I need is the outcome. Please.

Can Elena manufacture the DNA with Ancient gene for the Commander. Would Atlantis help? Will she give it to the Commander despite knowing he will die. Will they all survive????

Thank you MCH

We shall see what Elena does... or doesn't.

Ok so i smiled the entire time i was reading it, now my face hurts. I cant get over yout discription of the commanders eyes!! very smart in the developments, well thought out. very enjoyable
please keep it comming!

I was grinning while writing it. I always like to describe eyes. They are the mirror of one's mind and soul.

[naamiaiset]

I agree with mch, masterling and laura... just don't become TPTB and kill off the great wraith character you have!

[Traveler64]

I agree with mch, masterling and laura... just don't become TPTB and kill off the great wraith character you have!

Absolutely NOT! That is a promise and a pledge. That's one part of the plot I don't mind giving away ahead of time.