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

[angela21]

I just read the last few chapters and I have to say, this story keeps getting better and better!

Your description of the commanders' name is amazing! This is how I've always imagined their names to be, a mental impression rather than a spoken name since they are telepathic.

Can't wait to meet the queen!

*gets down on knees* please please please update soon.

[Traveler64]

I just read the last few chapters and I have to say, this story keeps getting better and better!

Your description of the commanders' name is amazing! This is how I've always imagined their names to be, a mental impression rather than a spoken name since they are telepathic.

Can't wait to meet the queen!

*gets down on knees* please please please update soon.

Update is coming! I was just creating that part and how the Queen looks, etc.

And thank you so much for reading it. I am glad you are enjoying it. As I said before (I think) I'm really enjoying writing this. I didn't think I'd like to write science fiction. It's very liberating, especially when you don't use someone else's characters like Sheip, etc.

[masterling]

ya its refreshing to read new characters. they can be given so much personality because your not bound to “sticking to the character.” (if that makes any since) There no thinking this is out of character for him. It make the reading experience that much more enjoyable.

[Traveler64]

ya its refreshing to read new characters. they can be given so much personality because your not bound to “sticking to the character.” (if that makes any since) There no thinking this is out of character for him. It make the reading experience that much more enjoyable.

It makes perfect sense. As soon as I started inserting the characters in SGA like Tey'la, etc. I got frustrated and the whole story started to lose its luster and my characters, like the Commander, seemed to diminish, become subordinate. That's why the re-write. I basically threw away two days worth of writing. Oh, well.

Ready to post a new episode. I have to re-read it in the cold light of morning and bring it to a good point where the episode can end.

BTW, speaking of the last SGA episode (Alternate something, was it?) I did like it. May be because it was free of Wraiths, and therefore the never ending disatisfaction with what happens to them on that show, I really enjoyed this one. It was an interesting concept.


And now, to leave you with a Wraithini (I had this today... Sour Apple Martini. It's made with Midori.) I think the Commander would like it. Just the perfect taste and color.

[masterling]

yummy, that looks so tasty!!!

[Traveler64]

yummy, that looks so tasty!!!

Oh, it was excellent indeed.

[female Wraith]

The new chapters were great. I am impatient to read about the meeting of Elena and the Queen. After all this Queen is in some twisted way her daugther. And she will be red haired like her mother, won't she?
Commander ....ah, he looks so much alike like Todd.
Wraith have feeling after all, I think. And Commander loves her Lantean

[Traveler64]

The new chapters were great. I am impatient to read about the meeting of Elena and the Queen. After all this Queen is in some twisted way her daugther. And she will be red haired like her mother, won't she?
Commander ....ah, he looks so much alike like Todd.
Wraith have feeling after all, I think. And Commander loves her Lantean

Thank you, thank you! I am glad you are enjoying this.

I'm working on that part, the MEETING. I hope I will not... ahem... disappoint. You guys will feed on me if I do.

Yes, Wraith have feelings. Sort of. Misguided pheromones and all that.

[Traveler64]

OK, gang!

HONOR

EPISODE 15

Spoiler:

A small Wraith cruiser landed on the outside platform and was received by what looked almost like an honor guard I had dispatched to escort the party to the large conference room we have set up for the meeting. As Wraiths didn’t really seem to make use of tables other than their consoles, I arranged the conference room with armchairs—four on one side for the Commander, the Queen and the two Wraiths, and four on the facing side for myself and three others. Moira, who had done the setting up of the room, had dragged a couple of the plants from my quarters and placed them on either side of the swinging glass portals opening unto the terrace and had selected for the Queen the largest armchair she could find. I noticed, though, that the armchair next to it, probably meant for the Commander, was almost as large.

Mine matched the Commander’s.

When the tall doors to the foyer leading to the conference room opened to receive the Wraiths, before I could control myself, my eyes searched for the form of the Commander as they advanced down the long hallway running along narrow windows. I saw him lead, his white hair gleaming in and out of the strips of light. Two marines were on either side of him, Atlantis personnel lined along the walls, looking on with obvious interest and at some level, awe.

As he approached, and entered in the circle of light thrown by the lamps around the door, I absorbed all the details of his long, black outfit of finely worked leather-like material. The hair was longer than I remembered and looser, although it still had some braiding. He had finger guards on three fingers of his right hand and they were made of silver in laid with that blue amber-like material I saw on his ship. The buckle of his belt was also silver and amber, quite striking on the somber uniform. He walked quickly, in that clipped and unrelenting way of the Wraiths, covering the distance with eerie speed. Like all Wraiths, but especially this one, he was quite taller than any of the humans he passed.

As he walked in, his gaze met mine as if he had aimed for it from the very end of that long hallway and before I realized, a silent greeting passed between us. His name appeared in my mind and in reply there was a strange nugget of warmth in my right palm. It startled me and I brought my hand up and clasped it with the other, my fingers feeling for that spot of warmth.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Moira, who was standing at the far end the stairs leading up to the conference room, bowing deeply. My military commander on one side, Colonel Santos and the head scientist, Doctor Bernarde, on the other stood as stiff as bark on a tree. Marines fanned out on both sides.

The Commander nodded his head in a greeting to everyone and stepped aside/ As the Marines cleared the entry and fell back, the Queen came into view, followed by the two Wraiths/

The sight of her riveted me to the spot. To see a Wraith Queen, I have been told, was always an unforgettable and impressive, if not frightening, experience. Even the bravest and most jaded experienced fear; a primeval fear that could not be controlled.

I heard Doctor Bernarde gasp a little and the Colonel shift next to me. The Marines suddenly became more alert.

However, I did not feel that fear. The same as the fear I felt in front of the Commander had always been muted by something else, a certitude that I was being met differently by them; as if something in their demeanor towards me and in their gaze on me turned off that fear the same as it would turn it on.

And what I saw in front of me startled me and left me frozen on my spot.

[Traveler64]

EPISODE 16

Spoiler:

I had expected a miniature female Wraith, perhaps no bigger than a five year old human child. But, the Queen was fully grown, as tall as the Commander. Her youth was revealed, however, by the unexpected delicacy of her figure and face. She had pale red hair, falling on her shoulders. Her dress was of a brilliant burgundy material that looked like patent leather, worked with strips and swirls of golden metal, her bodice a bustier of amber. Her hands were long and narrow, silver guards on all the fingers of her right hand.

I felt a little bit cold—the being in front of me, the DNA of my DNA, had a feeding hand; and fed on humans. It is then I realized what made her so different and riveting—it was not the delicacy of her young age, or that she was to mature. Her face and body showed her human half. The color of her hair was a blend between my dark red and a Wraith’s white. Her features, although Wraith-like, were tempered by a more pronounced and more narrow nose and her mouth was quite human like. But, what startled me more than anything were here eyes, now trained on me—they were catlike; but they were blue, like no Wraith would ever have; they were the blue of my eyes.

“I’ll be…” Doctor Bernard gasped next to me.

I could feel the Colonel’s grin as he whispered in my other ear: “The chip didn’t fall that far from the tree; either tree.”

The reality of being the… ahem… mother of a Wraith queen hit me like a Wraith dart over the head.

The Queen stopped in front of me and examined me openly, her chin up, in a display of rattling arrogance. I stared back at her, feeling my lips tighten.

“So,” she spoke, her voice startling everyone, “you are the human my commander selected for our agreement.” Her unnerving blue eyes scanned me and I could feel their touch. “I cannot imagine why.”

“Sorry to disappoint,” I said, quietly. I felt the Commander’s gaze on me; and it was amused.

“My Commander has disappointed me.” She emphasized the ‘me’, making it sound a very imperial ‘me’. “I do not see what is special about you.”

You, little squirt! “What makes me special, young lady, is that I am the only human, or Wraith in this Galaxy, who can put you over my knees and give you a good spanking over your royal butt.”

I didn’t think a Wraith could hiccup, but the Commander did suppressing a laugh.

“And that,” I added before the Queen’s indignation exploded and pointed to the Commander, “is the only Wraith who can do the same to you.” I grinned at the Commander. “Good thing I didn’t do the Wraith thing and feed on you.”

It was the Commander’s turn to look at me in consternation.

The humans in that room were no less flabbergasted.

Oh, she WAS young; and she did have human DNA. A mature, full blooded Wraith Queen would’ve had me for desert by now. Unless, I was needed for something else…

“Welcome to Atlantis,” I changed tone and became very ceremonial. “Shall we settle down in the conference room?”

“Yes,” the Queen answered and turned her chin away from me. She held her arms behind her back—a characteristic Wraith pose I came to recognize. The Commander had come closer and so did the other two Wraiths. I looked at them for a second—they looked young also. They seemed somehow of the same mold as the Queen, and quite splendidly groomed.

I led them into the conference room, and without even being pointed to it, the Queen sat down in the largest armchair. The Commander sat on her right, the side of her feeding hand, and the two Wraiths sat to his right. All four put their hands on the arms of the chair, in full view. The Commander turned his head to the Queen and I saw the glint of the earring. Ah…

“May I offer you anything before we start the discussions?” I said.

The Commander inclined his head.

I was in for a new surprise. Moira slipped behind me, leaned over me and whispered: “I will bring some fruit juices.”

My gaze jumped at her.

“They do drink,” she whispered very low. “Very rarely and only for survival.”

What the… “Some refreshments?” I spoke to the Wraiths, barely hiding the surprise in my voice. The wicked thought crossed my mind to offer them vodka. I glanced at the Commander. He was looking back at me with a mien on his face that seemed to tell me that he had read my thoughts; even if he had no idea what vodka was.

“That would be welcome,” the Commander said.

The Queen made a move with her head—something like a Balinese dancer. “Do you have chocolate?”

Oh, God! This WAS a daughter of mine!

“I didn’t realize that Wraiths knew about chocolate,” I said watching Moira flutter out of the room with great urgency.

“My Commander told me that you had demanded—what was it?” She turned to the Commander.

“Ten Godiva chocolate cheesecake slices.”

At this point, neither Doctor Bernard nor the Colonel could stop themselves from snickering.

I made a face.

Moira returned so quickly it seemed that she had barely left. She held a tray with three glasses containing a red liquid—raspberry I hoped and four silver containers in the shape of a gourd with long silver straws in them. Where she got those, was a mystery. They looked rather like the bomberos used by Gauchos in Argentina. On a little plate she had two chocolate bonbons. MY bonbons, the ones I was saving for Christmas…

Interestingly, Moira gave the bonbonmberos to the two Wraiths first, then to the Commander and last to the Queen. Then she served her the bonbon. The Queen took the bombero in one hand and then she picked with the tip of her fingers the bonbon. She looked at it on all sides and put it in her mouth. She sat there, quietly, for a long time, doing nothing, apparently letting the chocolate melt in her mouth.

I didn’t see her swallow.

She shrugged and put the tip of the silver straw in her mouth.

I shifted my gaze to the Commander, while I took my first sip from my glass. It was raspberry. Moira’s ability to anticipate was uncanny, to say the least.

The Commander had also put the tip of the straw in his mouth—I tried not to think of those little sharp teeth. I couldn’t see him swallow, unless that small movement in the muscle of his neck was that. There seemed to be no special pleasure in it or appreciation. A few seconds later they all stopped. Moira dashed forward and took the gourds away.

I put the glass aside. I guess they were just being polite. A polite Wraith… They must be wanting something very badly.

“Shall we get to the heart of the matter?” I said. “What may we do for you?”

[Traveler64]

...and,

EPISODE 17

Spoiler:

“It’s what we have decided to give you,” the Queen said.

Oh, I am going to put you over my knees.

I glanced at the Commander and caught him tilting his head towards the Queen. She seemed to listen to something. Then she made an impatient gesture with her hand that seemed to signify something between boredom and annoyance with human stupidity.

One could tell that I had no hand in bringing up this brat…

The Commander nodded back at her with a small seated bow and turned to me.

The Queen took a second bonbon, and this time she seemed to chew on it and actually swallow.

Under the pretence that I was giving Moira my glass I turned to her and whispered: “I didn’t think Wraiths could eat…”

Moira leaned very low, as if she was bowing deeply to me: “She has more human DNA in her than I imagined.”

:
“It’s doing nothing to her disposition.”

“She is more Wraith.”

I turned back to the Commander.

He leaned back into his chair and said: “We believe that we have met the terms of our agreement for the past five years.”

I nodded.

“My Queen is glad that those who decide such things on Earth have agreed to her request that you, Doctor Vries, return to Atlantis to lead it.”

“You requested it?” I let out.

He inclined his head in that peculiar little bow of his that was meant to be an acknowledgement.

“Of course. Without your return, our agreement would not work. After three years, they came around.”
It was the Queen who spoke: “We are a persuasive race, as I am sure you would agree. Also, a patient race.”

Ah…

“And to what end have you persuaded Earth to return me here or perhaps a better question would be: what is this conclusion of our agreement?” And an even better question: since when do Wraiths dictated to Earth? I glanced at the Commander—what clever argument did you make? I guess this is a new facet of the Wraith Earth was finding out—they can be charming in their own bizarre way; anyway, they can be surprising.

The Queen turned her head with a sinuous move and looked at me from the corner of her eye, the blue of her pupil of an icy hue. “I am sure you will appreciate the symmetry of it.”

A mind that is half human and half Wraith, I contemplated the creation that used my DNA. A mind that could move between the two, even though she did not realize it.

She now faced my fully. “My Commander advised me of humans. Tell me, Doctor Vries, is it true that humans do not kill their young?”

“Not always…” I hedged on my answer.

She inclined her head and looked at me sideways. “You do not consider your offsprings, the ones you created, as rivals. You protect them. You do not kill them.”

I was loath to answer that question; I knew that it was leading me in a trap. I just nodded.

“That is very interesting,” she said. “And very useful to the terms of our agreement.”

“There have been times,” I said evenly, “when parents have been known to strangle their teenage offsprings…”

But, she either understood my jest, or it meant nothing in her scheme, because she paid no attention to my statement. “Shall we return to the symmetry?” I said.

She almost purred. “It was you, the humans of Atlantis, who awoke us before it was time. It is you who will enable us to return to our state of hibernation.”

[Traveler64]

One more...

HONOR

EPISODE 18

Spoiler:

I concealed my startled reaction. Hibernation… I echoed in my mind. The implications of that flashed through my head. The first to come was that Wraiths would suddenly just be gone; for the time being at least. That was not what I expected. I kept a blank face.

“Our awakening,” the Queen continued, “was out of its normal cycle. We awoke to a world whose human population had not recovered to the level to sustain us. Now, it has dwindled even more, at a rate higher than normal and cannot sustain us, even in our reduced numbers. You made a serious mistake and caused harm to the Wraiths and to this galaxy. It is your duty to correct it.”

The Commander moved. “Killing the Wraiths is not the correction we have in mind. That will not benefit either one of us. We did defeat the Ancients. And now we have a young and powerful Queen. You have not yet won the war with the Wraiths.”

I was silent. I waited for the other shoe to drop. Also, the slow realization came to me as what that meant. It felt like a cold kick to my stomach and it surprised me; and troubled me. It felt as if the Commander would disappear off the screen of my life.

But I took my mind off it and asked directly: “With your human DNA, you cannot use other methods of sustenance?”

The Queen looked at me with hard eyes. Her teeth showed. They were Wraith teeth. Or may be with braces they could be less so…

I stopped myself—I had to resist the human impulse to try to turn her into a human.

I glanced at the Commander. I had learned, somehow, to read this Wraith’s face. But now, it was inscrutable.

“What a very human notion,” the Queen smirked. Now THAT was definitely the Commander’s smirk. “I am Wraith, Doctor Vries. I would not be Wraith if I grazed on grass. I would be a locust.”

“For how long would this hibernation period be?” I asked, zigzagging away from the subject of Wraith and locusts..

It was the Commander who answered with a small smile on his face. “For many cycles of your human life.”

Sadness hit me; deep, deep sadness. I looked at the Commander and unbidden I felt my eyes tear. I swallowed, hoping against hope that he had neither seen it, nor understood it.

Why should I feel sad, I chided myself. You’re such an idiot. This is just a Wraith! I took in a deep breath. It was ragged. Just a Wraith; the other half of this Wraith Queen created from your body; blood of your blood. Although I suspected that the DNA had been manipulated beyond recognition as human. Or has it? I looked at the Queen’s hauntingly un-Wraith mien, a shadow haunting her dominating Wraith side.

I shifted my gaze back to the Commander—I much preferred his look and personality. He was a Wraith; one expected nothing else. Anything else, was a very exhilarating surprise.

I shook my head to drive away the thought. It cut to the bone.

“I suppose this is good thing for the Galaxy,” I said, putting as much sarcasm in my voice as I could. “I don’t see what our part would be.”

The Queen said: “The agreement that you would not seek us out and destroy us while we are asleep—“

“The thought would never cross our minds,” I quipped.

“Indeed,” she smirked. “And your pledge that you would protect us from rogue humans attempting such an act. For as long as Atlantis is in charge of the Pegasus.”

The Commander moved slightly, drawing my attention: “We’ll be on planets that do not have gates. We will be far enough from any gates so that we are beyond the reach of the humans on Pegasus, other than you, who possess the advanced space ships. At least for now, only you could reach us, if you would ever choose to find us.”

“Wouldn’t it be wise to tell us where you are?” I asked.

“No.” He inclined his head amused.

There were several bones to pick at. I started with the most obvious. “We are not in charge of the Pegasus.”

“You are the guardians and possessors of the Ancient technology, plus the more advanced technology of Earth and the Asgard. Humans split—as you put it—hairs, but your superior power puts you in charge.”

Second bone. “What advantage would there be to us?”

“Isn’t it obvious? There would be no Wraiths. You could play with your fellow humans at your hearts’ content.”

Third bone. “It would be an illusory solution and only temporary. You will return, to do the same thing you are doing now, with your somewhat nasty habits un-changed.”

“We would return, as I said, after many cycles of your human life. In the meantime this galaxy would prosper—“

“—multiply—“

“—that is part of reason for our hibernation; so that the balance would be restored. Also, the humans would have better technology and be better equipped to fight.” He shrugged lightly. “Who knows what will be hundreds of years from now.”

I will be dead and gone and forgotten by the time you awake, the thought pierced through my mind.

I looked at him carefully. “We could promise anything, but what would keep us from breaking it?”

There was silence for a while. It was the Queen who spoke: “Humans keep their word. Also, as we ascertained, humans do have the curious habit of not killing their offsprings.”

“There’s only one offspring,” I shot back. “And one does not spring make.”

I could see on the Commander’s face an amused incomprehension of what my last statement was.

“Human proverb,” I said.

“Ah…”

The Queen was not amused. She had definitely not inherited either Wraith or human sense of humor. She said stiffly: “There is more than on offspring; many more, a lot more.” She smiled suddenly. So sweetly…

She pointed at the two Wraiths on the Commander’s right who had been motionless and silent through the whole conversation. I looked at them and now realized what I had recognized in them—not only did they look like the queen, they looked like me to the same degree she did.

“I think,” the Commander spoke, “you call them grandchildren.” His eyes turned amber. “You are the creator of a new kind of Wraith. You would not destroy them.”

I leaned back in my chair, full understanding sinking in.

This had been planned from the moment that Wraith on that planet had sensed my special Ancient gene. That is why he had tried to save me and point me to the cave. That is why he had called the hive. That is why I was saved and why I was treated in a manner no Wraith treated a human and allowed to return to Atlantis. That is why he did not feed upon me at the end. Finally that puzzle was answered.

Self-centered son of a… No. No. He was Wraith and he meant nothing by it other than what concerned the Wraith and his power. He had accomplished what no other Wraith had—he had created a Queen from his own body but had not died for it; instead, he was now, in spite of the ceremonial respect he showed her, the power of the hive and alliance. He had now the protection of Atlantis—the irony would not escape him—as he and his hives receded into hibernation for many centuries; to awaken as he was, in power, to a new world.

“Going in hibernation always has its risks,” he said. “That’s how life is. We awakened ahead of time by humans we never knew existed; descendants of the Ancients we had defeated, from another galaxy. We’ve almost reached extinction in the world we awakened. As I said, who knows what we will find in the next world. It could well be that a future cycle of human will find u s and have the technology to destroy us. You cannot guarantee that. What we ask is that you allow us to go into hibernation and not pursue us.”

“I will have to have the agreement of Earth command and our allies on Pegasus.”

“They already agreed when they agreed to send you back as head of Atlantis,” the Queen said, dismissively.

“I still need to confirm.”

“We will return to our hive in two hours. I hope you have the confirmation until then.”

I turned to Doctor Bernarde. “Would you please entertain our guests in my absence? Colonel?” I turned to my military head.

The Queen moved, her garments rustling. “I would like to see Atlantis.”

“That can be arranged. Only non-technical areas.”

The Queen smiled vaguely. “You do not trust us, Doctor Vries?”

“No.” I looked straight at her. “Do you trust your offsprings?”

“No. “ She stood up. “But, we have an alliance. It does not benefit us to break it.”

No, indeed.

I stood up. “If you will excuse me. You are welcome to visit Atlantis.”

I walked out, perhaps quicker than I should. Moira came after me like a shadow.

[naamiaiset]

very nice description of the queen, and I wasn't expecting the hibernation twist. elena's reaction to the thought of the commander hibernating makes me wonder if there's more going on... at least on her part.

[female Wraith]

Lovely Queen liked the chocolate, didn't she? They have a second plan behind that hybernation? I can't imagine the Commander leaving Elena. What if this young Queen is killed then he will again be without an Ancient DNA to produce another. And now after reading these new chapters I am sure that he has feelings to his Lantean and to his offspring!
I wonder how the Queen was able to mature so quickly? In Instinct Ellia was needed a decade to reach maturity. And if the two male Wraith are the offsprings of the Queen then who is the father? Just tell me it is not the Commander! Or this new Wraith kind have changed their mating habbits and the Queen doesn't kill her male after mating. It will be very interesting to see the 'husband' of the Queen. LOL

[Laura Dove]

Hmmm, interesting! I suspect there is more between the Commander and Elena because if these wraith hybrids go to hibernation for several human lives... well, Elena will be dead long before they are supposed to awake. And if she's dead, who will ensure that the humans keep their end of the bargain? The Commander has only one solution: Keep her alive as long as it will be needed...