McKay listened to the man's rantings and just like that, he had a solution. He crouched, speaking quietly into the First Scientist's ear. "Kelfer, listen to me. Vekken's troopers won't be able to stop the Wraith, we both know that. It's up to us to deal with this, you and me."
"How?" moaned the other man. "We are doomed."
"Help me with this." Rodney gestured to the control console. "You've been poking around in this derelict for years and you know the layout better than me. Help me access the main nerve cluster for the power systems."
Kelfer's eyes focused on him. "For what reason?"
"Hive Ships draw power from bio-reactors. If we alter the energy flow, unbalance the reaction, we could create a feedback loop."
McKay saw the light of understanding in the other man's expression. "A chain reaction. Yes. It could be done."
"Help me do it, Kelfer."
The scientist got shakily to his feet. "McKay," he husked, "this… This deed will be most destructive. It will destroy every living thing inside the vessel." Kelfer hesitated. "Us."
"Yes." Rodney blinked. How odd. His brain had been completely aware of that fact from the instant the idea had occurred to him, but at the same time it wasn't until Kelfer said it out loud that McKay realized that this course of action was a suicidal one. "Yes," he repeated, a peculiar kind of calm settling on him, "let's get to it, then."
Kelfer gave him a shaky nod and walked to one of the other control pedestals, quickly manipulating the organic switches and buttons.
"What are you doing?" Rodney turned to see Daus call out across the nexus chamber. "Kelfer? Those systems are not to be tampered with! Kelfer, answer me!"
"This must be done," said the scientist distractedly.
McKay's heart leapt as new data filtered in through the crude interface between the Wraith ship and his laptop computer. Complex new code strings and power distribution curve algorithms ticked across the screen. He saw at once how to make the overload happen; it would be a question of routing energy from the bio-reactors along dead and redundant ganglia, letting it rise to supercritical levels…
"First Scientist and Duke Kelfer, by my command you will step away from that mechanism!" Daus strode forward, Vekken and his men at arms all ready for imminent violence. "Stop this mutiny!"
"One moment more," Kelfer began.
There was a double detonation, twin barks of noise like a shotgun releasing both barrels, and Kelfer was jerked away from the console, struck by an invisible hammer of force. Smoke coiled from the gun muzzles concealed in the ornate scrollwork along the length of the Lord Magnate's sword.
McKay went to the man and felt his stomach knot at the ugly wound in Kelfer's torso. The Halcyonite scientist tried to push a word from his trembling lips, but there was only the hiss of bloody froth. There on the deck, Rodney watched the life fade from him.
Anger propelled McKay back to his feet and he whirled. Daus was close, the keen curve of the swordgun hanging at head height between them. "All those who disobey me are traitors," grated the Magnate, a mad glitter in his eyes, "and the reward for perfidy is murder!"
"You just shot that man in cold blood," Rodney retorted. "And you're not even remorseful, are you? Not one little bit. Is there anything that actually matters to you apart from power? Anything? Anyone?"
Daus's face softened and the sword dipped an inch. "Nothing I have done has been for myself. My every waking action is in service of my world, my people. My family." He nodded to one of his men, and the soldier moved Kelfer's body away. "Any man who defies me I will kill in the same manner."
"You have to let me destroy this vessel!" spat McKay.
"Never — "
The deck trembled and shuddered as something in the depths of the Hive Ship came to life. Fines of dust trickled from the ceiling overhead as the chamber's bone pillars creaked.
Rodney grabbed at his laptop as the readings displayed there spiked. "I think… This ship's alive."
Sheppard turned the Puddle Jumper in a tight banking maneuver and circled the encampment. At first glance it looked a like a mine head, just a couple of stone blockhouses, tents and some watchtowers; but second time around he saw the archway constructed into the face of the steep-sided hill that rose up over the compound, and like one of those weirdo dot pictures they always had at the mall, the shape of the landscape suddenly shifted in his perception and John saw it, as clear as day.
There was the edge of the broad, shield-shaped fuselage, buried under a carpet of grasses and younger trees. There were the bony spikes fanning out from the concealed hull, green with creepers and other plant growth. A Hive Ship, hiding in plain sight, camouflaged beneath centuries of mud and earth.
Scar clicked his amusement. "My craft. My home. At last."
"Might want to think about doing a little spring cleaning," sneered Sheppard, "looks a little overgrown from up here."
"Your mockery will not help you when your usefulness comes to an end, human," replied the Wraith. "And with regard to that… Land this craft." He pointed. "There. Close to the Hive."
Sheppard counted his blessings. The launch bays on most Hive Ships he'd encountered were on the ventral side of the hull, and in the case of this one that meant they were buried in the dirt. The last thing he wanted was to take the Jumper inside the alien vessel. Outside, there were still escape options. I hope, he told himself. He brought the Ancient shuttlecraft down easy, very much aware of Scar's tight grip on the controls for the choke collar around Teyla's neck. They were coming up to the point of no return here and the last thing he wanted to do was give the Wraith an excuse to kill the Athosian woman.
Through the trees he saw a silver object low to the ground and recognized the shape of a Fourth Dynast gyro-flyer. The helicopter was heavily decorated with golden detailing and bright heraldry across the gleaming chrome hull. Only Daus would have a ride that pimped, Sheppard thought, and if his high-and-mighty Lordship is here, then maybe McKay 's not far away either. It made sense; if the man had a Hive Ship on his land, then why not kidnap the most qualified guy from Atlantis to take a look at it?
Sheppard gently turned the Jumper in a hundred-and-eighty degree yaw before settling the craft on the grass. Here we go. Last chance we're gonna get to take these creeps.
"The hatch," ordered Scar, and John obliged. But instead of letting the drawbridge drop slowly, he stabbed a key that let it fall open with a crashing slam of noise. The distraction provided the instant he needed, and he vaulted out of the pilot's chair and threw himself bodily at the Wraith commander.
"Teyla, run-!" he cried, but Scar's arm blurred and the colonel felt a punishing blow impact on his jaw, knocking him aside. He struck the Jumper's deck and rolled.
"Crude," said Scar, a mocking lilt to the word. "Is that the most sophisticated escape attempt you could concoct? If all your warriors are as obvious as you, your human militias will not survive for long against us." He gurgled a command to the other Wraith, and two of them grabbed at Teyla, dragging her out of the Jumper.
She spat and clawed at them, fighting to break free with no success. Scar watched the Wraith exit the ship, then turned to face Sheppard.
"Let the woman go," said John. "You don't need her."
"I disagree." Scar drew the gun from his belt. "A lure is always a valuable commodity when one is hunting."
"Take me instead, then."
Scar made that irritating clicking noise again. "You have proven yourself too wild to be trained. You would not make a decent Hound. So now you will gain the rewards for your disobedience." The Wraith's hand twitched and he recognized the feeding maw in its palm. Sheppard saw Colonel Sumner again in his mind's eye, the man's life draining away before him. Scar read the fear on John's face and grinned broadly. "No, human, I will not take my nourishment from you. I imagine a specimen as inferior as yourself would leave a poor taste." He threw back his head with a snort of laughter. "Besides, one of your soldiers already slaked my thirst. I am quite sated for the moment… And there is always the woman if I become hungry again."