“You owe them,” Carter added. “You have a responsibility.”
The Asgard eyed her and his tone turned colder. “The only responsibility I have is to my work. It must be protected at all costs and that means this ship must be preserved. I will not send this vessel into harm’s way without shields or weapons.”
“Fine,” snapped the colonel. “You give me the access I need and I’ll help you get the combat systems back on line.”
Fenrir considered this for a moment, then gestured at a panel on the far side of the chamber. “Agreed. This console will enable you to access systems directly. I will quicken new Risar to assist you.”
Carter glanced at Lorne. “Get everyone together. Do a head count, find out who we lost in the break-out.”
He saluted. “Yes, ma’am.”
Without pausing, Sam went to the console and began pulling up skeins of data, submerging her foul mood in the task at hand.
She caught Teyla speaking quietly to the Asgard. “You said you must protect ‘your work’. What did you mean by that?”
Carter saw Fenrir turn away. “That is none of your concern, Teyla Emmagan.”
“Colonel Sheppard,” said the Queen, teasing each out syllable of his name. “I am disappointed in you.” She cupped Laaro’s face in her free hand. “Are you really willing to let a child die just to test my resolve?” The Wraith gave a sibilant hiss. “Very well, if I must make an example, I will.” Cries rose up from the Heruuni captives, some of them trying to rise and being clubbed down or stunned for their temerity.
“Wait.”
There was a flutter of wind and a faint humming in the air; and from nothing came the shape of the Ancient shuttlecraft, floating above the wooden boulevard. Sheppard and McKay were visible through the canopy, both men grim-faced with the choice they had been forced to make.
The Queen chuckled once again. “Such a pretty ship. Not so pretty as the prize I want, however. Land your craft and exit with your weapons stowed. Do it, or the boy dies.” She yawned slightly.
In answer, the outrigger pods on the ship extended from the striated hull. “Or how about you let the kid go and I don’t make you chew on a drone missile?”
“This posturing is starting to bore me,” said the Wraith, a dangerous tone entering her voice. “I see through your bluff, Sheppard. I can taste the color of your thoughts from here. You won’t do it. You know what you will reap for this world if you do.”
“Just shoot her,” snarled Ronon, struggling against his captors.
After a moment, the outriggers retracted. “Fine. Let him go.” The Jumper settled to the boardwalk and the aft ramp fell open.
Sheppard exited the ship, his hands out by his sides. McKay followed on behind him, still gripping the data pad that hadn’t strayed from his side since they left the Odyssey.
The colonel gave his team mates a wan smile. “Ronon. Doctor. Looks like we’re on our own for now.” He raised his eyes to the sky, hoping they’d get his meaning. Keller’s face fell; she understood all right.
The Queen approached him. “John Sheppard,” she purred. “I am almost honored to meet you. My clan has so much to thank you for. If not for you, we Wraith might be sleeping still. And the wars and destruction you and your Atlanteans have fostered…” She licked her black lips. “The other Queens you have killed, the clans you left in disarray, that wake of destruction has allowed my kindred to rise to prominence where before we were denied the chance.” The female bowed slightly. “I give you my appreciation.”
“You’re, uh, welcome.” Sheppard’s nostrils flared at the scent of her, the peculiar acidic perfume of Wraith he recognized from dozens of sorties aboard Hive Ships. Zelenka had once told him that was what humans could sense of Wraith pheromone output; like their insect counterparts on Earth, the Wraith Queens exuded chemical smells that trigged genetic command-obey codes in their subordinates. Apparently, the stuff also worked on some human beings. She must have been pumping it out like crazy, because the fug of it was making his eyes prickle. He felt his heart thumping in his chest and the beginnings of a fear response as his body reacted. He swallowed hard.
“Quit trying that crap on me,” he told her firmly. “I’m not a believer, so let’s cut to the chase.”
“Such a shame. We treat those who worship us with great care.” The alien female gave him a demure, toothy smile. “Very well then. You know my question. You know my offer. The ship that hid itself on the moon claimed the lives of many of my clan. I want it, and the being aboard it. In exchange, I give you my word that we will let you leave unharmed and that we will not cull this planet.”
“Your word?” Despite himself, John let out a short bark of laughter, and then coughed. “Oh, I’m sorry. You were actually serious.”
“Wraith lie,” rumbled Ronon. “That’s all they know how to do.”
A Wraith commander pressed his gun into Dex’s throat. “I warned you before, Runner. Don’t speak out of turn again.”
Sheppard glanced at McKay and saw the determination in the other man’s eyes. He didn’t need to hear Rodney say it; it would be bad enough if he actually delivered the advanced technology of an Asgard vessel into the greedy claws of a Wraith clan, but with what they had learned about Fenrir and his doomsday device… His blood ran cold just thinking about it.
“Well?” prompted the Wraith. “Your answer?”
The colonel blew out a breath. “Y’know, even if I knew where that ship was, which I don’t, I wouldn’t made a deal with you, not even if you threw in box seats for the Super Bowl.”
The false coyness fell from the Queen’s face to be replaced by cold anger. “That is so very disappointing, John,” she began, putting brittle emphasis on his name. “I had hoped you would be accommodating. Association with the Wraith can be very rewarding if you work with us…”
He shrugged. “What can I tell you? I can’t help you out. I’m sorry.” He paused. “Wait, no, not sorry. What’s that word I meant? The opposite of sorry. Glad.”
She turned her glare toward McKay. “And you, Rodney?” She said McKay’s name like it was two separate words.
The scientist hugged the portable data screen in front of his chest in a gesture of self-protection. “What he said. Can’t help. Don’t know.”
“That is not true!” cried a voice.
For a moment, Sheppard was thrown off-guard and he cast around, looking to see who had spoken. He heard Keller call out a warning, and suddenly Kullid was pushing his way forward, stepping out across the boardwalk.
The Wraith commander moved to intercept him, but the Queen made a guttural grunt in her throat and her warrior stood aside, allowing the healer to come closer.
He bowed. “I am Kullid, your highness,” he began.
“I don’t like where this is going,” said McKay, from the side of his mouth.
“Long have the stories of your kind been told on Heruun,” continued the healer. “In secret, passed from generation to generation. But I never….” He took a deep breath, and Sheppard realized he was willingly inhaling the Queen’s pheromone aura. “I never expected to see you myself.” Kullid’s face was lit by something new; an attraction that knew no bounds.
“Wraith worshipper…” Ronon spat the words.
“Here?” said McKay.
“Why not?” Sheppard replied. “There’s clearly a sucker on every planet.”
“Kullid, no!” Keller was calling out to him, stunned by his words. “You can’t possibly… These creatures, they’re predators! They only exist to prey on other life!”
“But they can give it as well as take it, is that not so?” he snapped.
The Queen gave a languid nod. “It is so.”
“You see?” Kullid turned and addressed the other Heruuni. “If we look past our primitive fear of the Wraith, they can save us! They can cure us of the sickness!”