STARGATE ATLANTIS: Lost Queen (SGX-04) Read online

  LOST QUEEN

  MELISSA SCOTT

  An original publication of Fandemonium Ltd, produced under license from MGM Consumer Products.

  Fandemonium Books

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  Surbiton

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  Visit our website: www.stargatenovels.com

  METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER Presents

  STARGATE ATLANTIS™

  JOE FLANIGAN RACHEL LUTTRELL JASON MOMOA JEWEL STAITE

  ROBERT PICARDO and DAVID HEWLETT as Dr. McKay

  Executive Producers BRAD WRIGHT & ROBERT C. COOPER

  Created by BRAD WRIGHT & ROBERT C. COOPER

  STARGATE ATLANTIS is a trademark of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc.

  © 2004-2015 MGM Global Holdings Inc. All Rights Reserved.

  METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER is a trademark of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Lion Corp. © 2015 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. All Rights Reserved.

  Photography and cover art: Copyright © 2015 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

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  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the prior written consent of the publisher. Any person who does any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  Cast of Characters

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  CAST OF CHARACTERS

  Appearing in the story

  Blaze — Consort to the Queen Moonwhite

  Distant Thunder — Master of Sciences Physical to Queen Light Breaking

  Everlasting — Consort to the Queen Light Breaking

  Forge — Master of Sciences Biological to the Queen Light Breaking

  Guide — Wraith nicknamed “Todd” by the Atlantis Expedition, currently their uneasy ally; father of Queen Alabaster and currently her valued advisor

  Icewind — Master of Sciences Physical to the Queen Moonwhite

  Light Breaking — Wraith Queen; daughter of Edge and sister of Moonwhite

  Moonwhite — Wraith Queen; daughter of Edge and sister of Light Breaking

  Red Moon — blade and Dart pilot, member of Queen Moonwhite’s hive

  Rising Tide — Master of Sciences Biological to Queen Moonwhite

  Salt — storymaker; formerly of Edge’s zenana and now advisor to both Light Breaking and Moonwhite

  Whisper — blade and pilot, member of Queen Moonwhite’s hive

  Mentioned but not appearing

  Alabaster — young Wraith Queen, daughter of Guide; currently in an uneasy alliance with the Atlantis Expedition that involves allowing Dr. Jennifer Keller to do research among her people.

  Cloud — one of the nine First Mothers, founders of the Wraith

  Death — Wraith Queen, now dead, who attempted to bring all the Wraith hives under her control by eliminating other Queens

  Deep Water — Wraith Queen defeated by Edge, now dead

  Dustwind — Master of Sciences Physical to Queen Edge, now dead

  Edge — Wraith Queen, mother of Light Breaking and Moonwhite, now dead

  Ember — Master of Sciences Biological to the Queen Alabaster, working with Jennifer Keller on a retrovirus that would allow humans to survive being fed on by a Wraith

  Gryphon — one of the nine First Mothers, founders of the Wraith

  Jewelbright — Master of Sciences Biological to Queen Edge, now dead

  Night — one of the nine First Mothers, founders of the Wraith

  Osprey — one of the nine First Mothers, founders of the Wraith

  Sky — one of the nine First Mothers, founders of the Wraith

  Steelflower — Wraith Queen impersonated by Teyla Emmagen with Guide’s assistance

  A note on Wraith names: the Wraith are a telepathic species, and do not seem to give each other “names” in the sense of individual identifiers as humans do. Instead, they appear to recognize each other by the mental “tone,” the image produced by another Wraith’s habit of mind, and among themselves refer to each other by that image. The names in the text are rough translations of those images.

  Glossary

  Terms Used Among the Wraith

  Blade — a warrior, usually attached to a particular hive and its Queen

  Cleverman — a scientist, usually attached to a particular hive and its Queen

  Commander — the captain, usually a blade, of any ship smaller than a hiveship

  Consort — a Queen’s acknowledged partner and usually the leader of the hive’s blades

  Dart — fast, single-seat spaceship often used for culling

  Drone — a soldier; drones are bred quickly and without mental autonomy, and are usually under the direct control of a Queen, blade, or cleverman

  Hivemaster — the commander of a hiveship and the person responsible for its maintenance and upkeep, as well as for the care of the drones; his job makes him a member of the Queen’s zenana

  Kine — Wraith collective term for humans

  Master of Sciences Biological — one of two chief scientists of a hive, in charge of all biological research and all clevermen specializing in biology

  Master of Sciences Physical — one of two chief scientists of a hive, in charge of all non-biological research and all clevermen not specializing in biology

  Pallax — a blade or cleverman who enjoys the queen’s favor

  Storymaker — a Wraith male who functions as an entertainer for a hive, creating illusions that tell a story; storymakers are considered neither blades nor clevermen, but stand outside that system

  Zenana — a Queen’s council, made up of the hive’s officers, her Consort (if any), and her favorites among the crew; also, by extension, the compartment of the hive in which the zenana meets

  Orthographic note: telepathic communication between Wraith is indicated by *asterisks*

  CHAPTER ONE

  FORGE had spent nearly a ten-day in Alabaster’s hive, consulting with her Master of Sciences Biological nearly every waking moment, and the weight of everything he had learned lay heavy on him. Perhaps these new ideas would work; more likely they would not, or not the way Alabaster’s man thought, but his own queen had been right, they were worth considering at least a little further. That was what he would tell her, along with all the details, but at the moment what he wanted, even more than her regard and praise, was to sleep and to feed. Or perhaps it should be in the opposite order; he closed his eyes for an instant, his hand-mouth throbbing, and imagined the sweet flow of life restoring him. He had not fed on Alabaster’s hive, an old-fashioned point of etiquette, but one that his own queen would approve. One did not share the contents of the feeding pens with any but close allies, and in this case in particular, where some of the humans were willing donors, he thought she was right to insist.

  A tone sounded, and he straightened, seeing his own hive loom out of the night, a shadow against the stars. He reached for the comm controls, but before he could send the recognition signal, a voice spoke from the speakers.

  “Forge. Bring your scout alongside at once. The Queen requires your presence.”

  Forge recognized the voice instantly: Everlasting, the Queen’s Consort and the nearest thing he had to a friend in the zenana, the queen’s favorites who managed the hive under her authority. “Very well,” he said, though had they been speaking mind-to-mind rather than over the co
mm system he would have been hard pressed to hide his annoyance.

  He slid the scout neatly into its dock in the hive’s underbelly, deliberately waiting until all the redundant checks showed clear before he opened the hatch. Everlasting was waiting there, tall and hard-faced, his hair shaven to reveal a complex tattoo that covered his scalp and left cheek with coiling lines: the style of the blades of Sky’s lineage, and an unmistakable reminder that the Queen favored him. Forge straightened, aware that his own hair was in disarray and that he had been wearing the same plain coat for the entire trip, and did his best to pretend it didn’t matter.

  *I am here. Unwashed and unfed, but if the Queen wants me now…*

  He let the thought trail off, hoping it would be enough of a hint, but Everlasting ignored the suggestion. *Come.*

  For a moment, Forge considered a more open protest, but Everlasting’s mind was closed tight, not even the faintest taste of his feelings leaking out at the edges. And that was unusual — Everlasting was rarely anything less than open, a mind determinedly straightforward — enough so that Forge followed without complaint as the Consort led him through the hive to the zenana. The drones at the door moved aside for them, and the door itself slid back to reveal a room nearly empty, only the Queen herself, Light Breaking, standing with one hand on the back of her throne. Beyond her, Forge saw the old storymaker Salt, who had served Light Breaking’s mother and now divided his time between the hives of the two daughters. Both things were unexpected enough that he stopped short, the door sliding closed behind him.

  *We are here,* Everlasting said, and Forge caught a distinct sense of relief from Salt before Light Breaking whirled on them. She was a daughter of Night’s lineage, tall and full-breasted, her jet-black hair caught in a web of silver wires that pulled it up and back to spill behind her like the currents on a dark river. Her gold eyes fixed on him, and Forge went to one knee, feeling her anger and, beneath it, fear. It was only then that he saw the lit screen, and the face within it: Blaze, the Consort of Light Breaking’s sister Moonwhite.

  “And not before time.” Light Breaking bared teeth in a snarl, then tuned back to face the screen. “Now. You may speak, since I have witnesses to what you say.”

  “Lady.” Blaze took a careful breath. He was a blade of Cloud, not of Night, one of the young men who had come courting the two queens, earning places in their hives and eventually in their favor. Forge had been one such himself, a cleverman of Gryphon come to a hive of Night with only his skills to recommend him, and he knew how precarious Blaze’s place could be. “I am come to you because my Queen, Moonwhite, left fifty hours ago to visit you, and she has not returned. We have sought her on the most likely return course, but now we begin to fear she never reached you.”

  *Very diplomatic.* Forge grimaced, not having meant to let that thought escape him, despite its being true enough. The two sisters had been enough at odds over this plan of Alabaster’s that one might expect violence between them. Light Breaking shot him a glance, silent disapproval, and Everlasting shook his head.

  “She never reached us —”

  Light Breaking lifted her hand. “Silence. You did not know.” She looked at the screen. “My sister was here, and we spoke as she wished — in private, which is why you, my lords, have heard nothing of it until now. But she left us twenty-three — no, twenty-five hours ago, now. I fear that you are right, something has gone terribly wrong.”

  There was silence from the screen, Blaze’s eyebrow ridges rising for an instant before he controlled his expression. “She has been, and left. And you were not concerned?”

  Forge caught his breath at the open challenge, and Everlasting bared his teeth, but Light Breaking merely shook her head. “Why should I be? She had the answer she wanted, and all was well. It was not a long or difficult journey back to you.”

  “And yet,” Blaze said. “She is not here.”

  “And now I am concerned,” Light Breaking said. “What help can I give you? Ask, and you shall have.”

  Blaze dipped his head again. “My hope is that her scout had some internal trouble that forced her to set down on an intermediate world. I have sent Darts back along the most likely flight path, but if you would do the same, we could cover the ground much more efficiently.”

  “Done.” Light Breaking looked over her shoulder, nodding to Everlasting. “My Consort will see to that.”

  “Thank you,” Blaze said. “And of course if you have any idea of her planned course, or even her departure heading, that would be helpful.”

  “For the latter, I will inquire of the Hivemaster,” Light Breaking said. “My understanding was that she planned to take the swiftest course. She did not want to be too long gone from her hive.”

  “Thank you,” Blaze said again, and for the first time looked past her to Everlasting. “My Darts have begun combing the systems nearest us. If you could do the same —”

  “I leave that to you and Everlasting to decide,” Light Breaking said sharply. “Consort, take up this conversation elsewhere — and bring in the Hivemaster, he may well have seen something useful. But for now — leave me.”

  “I will contact you directly,” Everlasting said, to Blaze. Blaze nodded and the queen broke the connection. Everlasting bowed to her and backed toward the doors. Forge turned to follow, but Light Breaking lifted her hand.

  *Not you. I want to know what you found on Alabaster’s hive.*

  Forge bowed to hide his surprise. *As you wish, Lady.*

  *You’ll stay, too,* Light Breaking said, to Salt, and settled herself comfortably on her throne, the bleached bone curving to cradle her. *Now. Tell me about this retrovirus. Will it work?*

  Forge took a deep breath, trying to shake his own thoughts back into order. Surely her missing sister was of more importance than Alabaster’s dealings with the Lanteans — but then, it was rare enough for queens to acknowledge their biological sisters, never mind work in tandem as these two had. Only their cooperation had kept both hives clear of Queen Death’s disastrous war. And that was not a thought he wanted to allow near the surface of his mind. *It seems to have worked so far,* he said cautiously. *Alabaster’s Master of Sciences Biological showed me his work, and the work of the Lantean female who has been working with them, and I could find no flaws. He and his men said they had fed on humans who had taken the treatment, and neither they nor the humans had taken any harm.*

  *Not like Hoff,* Light Breaking said, with a dark smile.

  *Not at all.* Forge suppressed a shudder. The Hoffans had poisoned themselves — infected themselves with a virus that had killed half their own population in exchange for poisoning any Wraith who fed upon them.

  *Did you test it yourself?*

  Forge shook his head. *I did not, though I would not hesitate to do so another time. But I thought that feeding from their cells was more of a commitment than I should make.*

  *I agree with that,* Salt said.

  *A wise decision.* Light Breaking leaned back in her throne. *And what are they offering to persuade us to try this great experiment of theirs?*

  *Nothing directly,* Forge answered. *At least not so far. There was no mention, for example, of any alliance, though I would not rule out the possibility. And they have good relations with the Lanteans, which could stand us in good stead.*

  Salt cocked his head to one side. He was of an older generation, his skin faded and his hair thinning, so that he wore it pulled back into a single narrow braid. *You distrust them.*

  Forge glanced at him, and then at the queen. When she said nothing, he said, *I trust the work. I believe that this retrovirus will do everything that Ember says, and the Fair One, the human cleverman —*

  Light Breaking spoke her name aloud. “Jennifer Keller.”

  *Yes.* Forge dipped his head. *Her work is robust.*

  *How many times can a human be fed upon, and how often?* Light Breaking asked.

  *That has not yet been determined,* Forge answered. *With the Fair One present,
Ember has been unwilling to test it to destruction.*

  Under her questions, he laid out the details of the retrovirus and the projects, Ember’s and Lantean, that had led this far. When he was finished, Light Breaking nodded, but Salt shook his head.

  *You still haven’t said what it is you don’t trust.*

  *Perhaps that’s because I can’t put a name to it,* Forge said.

  *Answer him,* Light Breaking said, and Forge sighed.

  *If I can.* He paused, trying to order his thoughts. *It is a clever plan,* he said at last. *A terribly clever plan, as terrible as it is clever. It could indeed solve all our problems — there are too many Wraith alive and awake, and too few humans, and by the time we can agree on who will hibernate, it will be too late. If we do this, we won’t need to fight each other for the best feeding grounds — we can build on this bizarre agreement Alabaster has made with the Lanteans.*

  *I see Guide’s hand in that,* Light Breaking murmured. *But ‘terrible’? Go on.*

  *It will change us,* Forge said. *We will become — I don’t know what. We will be… something different, Wraith in name and nature, but — not hunters. We will not be what we are now.*

  There was a stillness between them, Light Breaking’s golden eyes narrowing, and then she smiled, the rare, open smile that she shared only with the lords of her zenana. *And that is why I named you pallax, and welcomed you to my zenana. Cleverest of clevermen!*

  Forge bowed deeply, knowing she could feel the pride and pleasure that swept over him.

  *Take the tissue samples they’ve shared,* she went on, *and see if you can answer some of these questions that Alabaster’s man is too delicate to pursue. There’s enough to gain that we should go at least a little further down this road.*

  *As my Queen commands,* Forge said, and hesitated. *Unless — will Everlasting require my assistance?*