The Will of the Sun God

[Lord Atum]

“I’m not sure how to explain that to them. But I shouldn’t worry, they’re very careful with friendly fire,” Sia said as they walked up the stairs toward the jumper bay.

“I will only shoot you if told to,” one of the kull warriors said, its voice deep and intimidating, playfully patting Sheppard on the shoulder – which probably triggered the personal force shield he was wearing. They may have seemed like the drones of Anubis, but there was something inexplicably different about the fact of it speaking.

They bay above was still quite dusty, and Sheppard may have noticed an extra craft in one of the bays, the modified one that Sia had not yet sent back. However, Sia had not chosen to use that one for obvious reasons, not least the lack of space in its rear compartment.

[Atlantis Exsilio]

"Did this thing just tell a joke?" Sheppard asked, looking up at the kull. "Actually, no, never mind. I'm not sure I want to know either way." He went to a jumper, choosing the same one he had the first time he had flown one of these rescue missions, with 'his' group of Kull following along.

"Just stand here in the back or sit or whatever works for you," he told them, sitting down in the pilot's chair himself. He began running the ship through a quick preflight, and when everything showed green he sent the command to open to doors above the shaft leading to the gateroom and activated the communications system. "I'm ready to go if you are. I suggest we cloak immediately, just to be safe. Then follow me and I'll get us to a good landing zone - unless you have other instructions?"

[Lord Atum]

As they climbed the stairs, Sia turned, running back down for a moment, and coming back with a sword moments later, “I was given this by the jaffa priestess who carried me,” he said by way of explanation, returning to the jumper bay. “And you will likely need this,” he added, tossing a slim piece of plastic molded into an earpiece. He gave another to Teyla putting it on his cheekbone, like a communications system, “It will allow us to talk over a distance.”

He buckled the sword on, and walked into his own craft. The three kull warriors with Sia trooped into the forward section, depositing their bomb in the back and seating themselves there, like some kind of crash test dummies.

The other craft powered up, and hovered into the air, on an auto-pilot, waiting for the other one to move first Sia dialed the stargate using a remote control panel in the craft. After a moment, it disappeared, rendered invisible, and Sia’s voice came over the radio, “Agreed,” he said.

[Atlantis Exsilio]

"Well, you guys aren't creepy at all," Sheppard said to the Kulls. "You should really consider wearing something a little more cheery."

Below, the gate was dialed to the Wraith stronghold and after engaging his own cloak Sheppard activated the automatic departure sequence. As soon as they cleared the other side Sheppard swung the jumper into a low, fast orbit over the planet and began passive scans to locate the hive.

Using the jumper's comms - those he knew for sure wouldn't be detected - he sent to Sia, "It looks like the hiveship is located near the western edge of the southern continent. We're going to make a close pass to see if they dart bays are open, and if they are we'll land directly inside the ship. Otherwise, we'll find a clearing near one of the airlocks."

[KaIashnikov]

Go Jesus and conventional God!

[Lord Atum]

“Understood,” Sia said, speaking back through the system’s interface. He had no worry about whether or not Sheppard used the personal communications device he had given him, it would do its job. He had seen the man put it on. It clung to the skin by a glue-like substance embedded within its plastic, and when that was removed, it would come off with skin cells – not that it would be visibly noticed, or feel like such, but with microscopic analysis, he would have the man’s code of life. From that, genes could be re-extracted and manipulated. Given the devices used in his creation, and possessed in Nirrti’s citadel, it would be trivial enough to affix it to humans, he imagined.

The ship drifted a little sideways, and he frowned. Though the launch and retrieval system was automated, the rest of flying the craft was interesting. He noted some similarities with small goa’uld ships such as death gliders, but the matter of quite what was what was taxing. Just enough manual control was left to require some expert knowledge.

Thinking about the dart bays of the enemy craft resulted in a holographic display appearing before him, displaying a wire-frame view of a vast ship. It was bigger even than Atum’s flagship. It was hard to make out the vessel’s shape, mired as it was, but the craft pinpointed a landing bay, and plotted a course toward it.

“We appear to be in luck,” he said.

Teyla nodded, “I have seen drawings of ships like these. But they do not do them justice.”

“It is unlikely the people who made them saw the craft in person,” Sia said, and she nodded, “Remember, shoot them twice with the zat’nik’tel, at least. And stay close to me.”

“I can sense them now,” she said, and Sia put her through to the other craft again, “they are agitated, angry…”

“Can you tell how many of them are awake?” Sheppard said with concern. “Even a ballpark - sorry, a general idea would help.”

“Scores, I think. Not many.”

“Then the rest of the hive hasn't been woken. That's a good sign for us. The question is what's got them angry.”

Ahead, the landing bays loomed like dark, empty cave entrances in the overgrown exterior of the landed craft.

[Atlantis Exsilio]

Sheppard carefully guided his jumper into the bay and through some of the criss-crossing bridges and platforms that filled the insides. After a few moments' consideration he selected an empty landing pad that was relatively close to the right level and side of the queen's chambers - although still quite a distance, given the layout and size of the ship - but not too far from the bay doors. He had little doubt they could blast their way through in the unlikely event that the Wraith tried to close them, but it still seemed better safe than sorry.

As soon as both ships were landed, he stood and switched to using the Goa'uld communicator. "There's a compartment to the left of the pilot's seat. There's a hand scanner there, which should be set to detect life signs, along with a remote control for the ship's hatch and cloak. It should open just by thinking about it." He retrieved his own set and, after checking to be sure there were no Wraith in the immediate area, exited the jumper.

[Lord Atum]

Sia found the items mentioned, as the kull warriors stepped out of the craft, one of them carrying one of the two huge bombs. “Have you any idea what is down there?” Sia asked, leaning over one of the rail-less balconies, clearly these wraith had good balance, as Teyla looked down with obvious awe and fascination, and not a little trepidation, “Seems like at least a hundred yards...”

[Atlantis Exsilio]

"All the support systems they need to operate several hundred darts," Sheppard answered. "It varies from hive to hive, but they could probably support about a thousand or more, although most don't these days because they don't need that many and each pilot is another mouth to feed. There's also some other small craft, and beyond this area you start seeing a lot of the cocoons they use to store humans after a culling. Hopefully those are all empty -- most hives, after one of the big cullings, just rely on regular small attacks to feed the keepers and to make sure no one forgets about them."

He turned around slowly to get his bearings, then indicated a nearby portal leading into the ship. "We'll want to go this way. They have some holding cells where they keep awake prisoners that they want to interrogate, and if this queen is following their usual pattern they'll be near the command areas."

[Lord Atum]

“One moment,” Sia said, gesturing to halt.

“I sense no Wraith there,” Teyla said in confirmation of the other human’s appraisal, leaning on her staff weapon, staying back from the edge.

“That is what I hoped you would say,” Sia said, and unscrewed part of the orb held by one of his kull warriors, removing a cylindrical piece of plastic from it, a core of what looked like some kind of insulating material. He took a slim crystal from his pocket, placing it in the hole, taking a rectangular piece of data crystal from the device, reversing it, and replacing the shock dampening assembly around it.

Abruptly, the kull warrior flung the device from the landing platform, while Sia cocked his head to the side and listened for a moment, a clang echoing up from below several seconds later.

“That bomb is now armed. It will detonate when I send it a coded signal from this,” he said, tapping the golden ribbon device he wore, “Or in one week from now. Whichever is sooner.”

[Atlantis Exsilio]

"Well, I guess that's one way to hide those," Sheppard said with an amused smile. "It should be as safe there as anywhere else, and I know from experience that a bomb in this area will definitely take out the ship, even one much smaller than that. A week sounds good, too -- if the ship's still in one piece in that time, either we'll be out of here or better off vaporized."

[Lord Atum]

Sia gestured for one of the kull warriors to take the lead, while the others stayed with the main group, “Lead on,” he said.

The design of the ship was very much as Sheppard remembered it in his own universe, mile after mile of empty corridors passed, filled with chill dry ice exhaled by the super-cooled biological systems of the ship, whirling around feet as they passed. Finally, a pair of contacts appeared on the sensor he held, coming towards them…

[Atlantis Exsilio]

Sheppard started to signal for the group to stop, then realizing that none of them would have a clue what his hand signals meant he softly said, "Two contacts, running this way, should be coming around that intersection pretty quick. I don't know why they're moving so fast. If they'd detected us they'd have sounded an alarm. Might be best to avoid contact if we can, because killing them might alert the others." He glanced up and down the corridor to see if there was anywhere they could duck inside -- seven-foot killing machines not being terribly easy to hide even in a Wraith hall full of alcoves and random columns.

[Lord Atum]

Sia nodded, attempting to step aside. The goa’uld warriors lurked backward, too, their black forms blending in with the environment. Teyla, with them, slipped back, activating her staff weapon as she did so.

It was the goa’uld party’s first glimpse of the enemy, as they pounded past at a swift run, weapons held across their chests. Where they were going was unclear, but they were evidently in a hurry somewhere.

They passed by, and the group was free to proceed; minutes later, a large cluster of life-forms, several decks above, led them toward a full cell. When they arrived, four wraith guards stood outside it, evidently guarding the interior of the cell.

[Atlantis Exsilio]

"Well, crap," Sheppard said. "A lot of the time they don't bother guarding cells, but they're being less complacent then usual. Unless you have another idea, I guess our only option is to go in shooting." He did not sound terribly sad about the idea. "I wouldn't recommend grenades, too much risk to those on the inside of the cell."

[Lord Atum]

Sia nodded, whispered a few words in goa’uld, and as one, four of the kull warriors stepped out into view of the enemy. Phantoms rushed up around the group, and the drones fired at the Kull warriors, grey-white stun blasts impacting their attackers, and accomplishing precisely nothing.

They charged toward one another, and briefly wrestled, tackling one another.

The wraith guards were as strong as their assailants, but the kull warriors did not wish to win by this method, but rather, force their enemy out of the line of fire. A kull punched one of its opponents in the stomach, firing, the plasma repeater mounted on its wrist firing shot after shot into the startled enemy, whose mask glowered, and then trickled with black blood as he bit his tongue.

Another wraith drone threw a kull warrior to the floor, only to meet the same fate as it stood over its opponent, the line of fire clear, allowing the kull warrior to fire, its weapons blasting holes from the underside of the chest through the upper back.

There was a startled and surprised cheer from the cell as they processed the happenings outside, at least thirty youths and children crammed inside, along with the jaffa.

[Atlantis Exsilio]

"Huh," Sheppard said. He was definitely going to have prod the R&D team to hurry up with their efforts to redesign old Asgard power armor to human standards. "Well, that was simpler than I expect. Let's see, Wraith doors usually don't like it if you shoot the control right about... here." He flipped the power selector on his rifle past 'kill' to 'extra-crispy kill', aimed at the right spot, and fired. This produced a large, smoking hole and sure enough the spider-web door retracted enough to allow people in and out.

"Howdy, folks," he said to those inside.

[Lord Atum]

There was a babble of questions from within, cut off by a terrible keening, ululating screech that clearly served as some kind of alarm, as the guards’ vital signs ceased.

Sia looked around, “Kull onak kree!” he snapped, and the group with them turned, in one case returning to his feet.

Beyond, the corridor glimmered with a blue light, as a transporter device activated in an empty cell at the far end, revealing dozens of warriors, led by a cadre of male Wraith, and a tall, crimson haired female.

[Atlantis Exsilio]

"Shit, it's the queen," Sheppard shouted. He flipped the power selector again, this time setting it for stun. The last thing they wanted for was to kill her and set off a deadman switch. He squeezed off a shot at her, not feeling too confident that the Kulls wouldn't blast her anyways, and then with no more time to worry about it he started firing kill shots at the warriors and males.

[Lord Atum]

The kull warriors did exactly what they were programmed to do, and fired, their first shots scything down a whole rank of the drones, dozens of faceless wraith toppling to the floor, or snarling in anger as plasma bolts shot through burly chests and arms.

The wraith returned fire, for the most part, having no effect. Teyla fired a bolt through one of the males’ chests, burning a hole through his heart and sending him flying into the one behind him, apparently taking silent pride in what was the first time an Athosian had slain a wraith for many centuries.

Suddenly, the wraith queen held up a hand, and the fire from the kull warriors ceased, and they looked around in confusion. Sheppard’s shots took another few of the press of wraith, but now, they began to advance, firing almost exclusively on Sheppard, his vision clouded behind a solid wall of crackling green as the shield dissipated dozens of stun blasts every second.

[Atlantis Exsilio]

"Oh, this is not good," Sheppard said, trying to hold up his free arm to block some of the shots at a greater distance from his face and give him at least slightly better vision. He also kept firing, no longer bothering to even aim but just spraying shots and hoping no one not in Kull armor got in the way.

"What the hell is going on with the Kull?" he shouted to Sia.

[Lord Atum]

There was a rushing pressure of air as a goa’uld hand-weapon pushed the wraith shooting at Sheppard backwards, toppling some, jolting others. The one who didn’t fall was their queen, “Such weak minds,” she said, purring.

Sheppard was struck by a convulsion of sorts, as his muscles seemed to conspire against him, forcing him to lower his weapon. Before him stood the wraith queen, shot through by half a dozen holes in her abdomen and chest. She tapped the energy-field surrounding Sheppard, “A long time,” she purred.

For a moment, he had a vision, of the same device in use, thousands of years ago, its creators using them to advance on a wraith force on the ground, casually shooting the wraith down. A dart buzzed down over the scene, and then he saw it shoot up into space, and re-materialize its cargo, dozens of humans and the Lanteans. Personal shields achieved precisely nothing when one was deposited in the vacuum.

“Since I saw one of these,” she said, reaching out and wrapped her fingers around Sheppard’s neck. There was no pressure, but she was able to pick him up as though he weighed nothing. She turned, to look at Teyla, a few paces away, pointing the staff weapon at her head. She turned, interposing him at the last moment and walking backwards as the staff blast harmlessly exploded on his back.

Suddenly, a stunner fired on her from the side, and she turned in shock, holding her literal human shield out to the side.

The staff weapon fired again, hitting her in the side of the head, smouldering blast denuding the bone itself, and for a moment, she turned to look back the other way, like some kind of entirely organic version of The Terminator before another staff blast hit her in the chest, shoving her backwards, forcing her to let go of Sheppard, mentally and physically.

An old man, surprisingly spry looking, had appeared as if from nowhere, and taken up one of the wraith warriors’ weapons, and was following her, back into the far cell evidently planning to run her through with it, having seen it do precisely nothing when used as a gun.

As he approached, the transporter in the cell activated again, emptying it of the wraith queen and several fallen drones, while the surviving others began to pull themselves to their feet. However, the kull warriors moved freely again, and advanced upon them in a cascade of fire.

[Atlantis Exsilio]

Sheppard scrambled for his dropped rifle and picked it back up, firing along with everyone else until the last few survivors were dead.

"We don't need a disintergrate setting, he said. Full power will already kill Wraith, he said. I'm going to shove this gun up Hermiod's ass when I get home," he said to no on in particular. "And get some kind of breathing mask. And power armor." He shook his head and looked around. "I had no idea she could to that to so many people, or survive a hit like that. She must have just drained someone or something. Doesn't matter, we need to get moving."

[Lord Atum]

The queen groaned in pain as she pulled herself to her feet. The materialization area of the dart bay she’d transported to was empty, and she snarled in pain, pulling herself to her feet. It was a short way to the nearest transporter station that would take her where she needed to go.

__ __ __

“That would be me. Sanan of Eriu, son of Maralinne and Connor at your service,” the old man said to Sia, stepping on a body as he did so. He looked entirely decrepit, looking well over a hundred, but still seemed active, as he bent down, apparently stifling a cry of pain as he did so, pulled a gun from the grasp of a wraith drone on the floor, wrestling with its dead hands for a moment. He dextrously tossed it to one of the jaffa behind Sia. “Lord Sia. I have to report that being fed upon by these things makes you older,” he said without sarcasm, as his jaffa spread out and helped themselves to weapons and grenades, and Sanan himself traded down for one of the wraith pistols.

“Jaffa are blessed with long life,” he said, noting Teyla’s astonished stare, “I have a good six years left at least,” he said, the calculation based upon when he had received his current symbiote, rather than physical age. The symbiote would repair the internal ravages of aging soon enough; for now, he was purely operating on adrenaline and determination.

He was quite aware of that, and was determined not to stop for rest, “How far to the portal from here?” he asked, walking over to the other prisoners, pointing at a few of the older ones, “Go get some of those weapons,” he said.

They simply stared in outright astonishment, unknown to him, their culture practiced euthanasia at twenty five – something that would horrify him absolutely, “If you don’t want to be left behind!” he snapped, attempting to play up the cliché of ‘impatient elder’ and finally getting results. “Now, this end, you point at your enemy…”

[Atlantis Exsilio]

"We have ships in the dart bay," Sheppard told Sanan. While the Jaffa handed out guns, he went through the group and made sure all the youngest kids were paired off with one of the teenagers in a buddy system. Even he knew that if one went missing or got separated from the group they'd never have time to go back and find him, so he was going to do his best to make sure none of them did.

"Teyla, you sense any more Wraith waking?" he called, taking a moment to glance as his scanner.