You bitch... That's why mention of interstellar state seemed familiar! It was Genii! Damn cunning bastards-Genii! Scum who stop at nothing to subjugate galaxy. And beasts already have Ermen data.
That's why Tyrus didn't buy my words on refining Genii production atomic bomb! If they have docs from this planet, likely deciphering related language not that hard. And... If I'm right, then... That's why hives not sleeping!
"You already tested your nuke on Wraith," I said.
"Yes," he answered. "Unfortunately, couldn't blow hive, and our prototype fell into enemy hands. And they came here, destroyed all population..."
That's why Jensen's people perished, Genii didn't blow bomb. Seems their agents exposed and...
Bitch, no, not for that!
I felt hot desire to spit Tyrus in face.
Ermen destroyed by already awake hive! And Genii, by Tyrus's recent words, came here already after planet destruction. So how could they refine bomb with local knowledge before hive they awakened with that very bomb arrived⁈
Tyrus openly lies.
"Sad news," I said.
"You didn't answer right away," Tyrus noted. "What you thinking about?"
"About not knowing how long unconscious," plan born in head. Just to succeed.
"Will they search for you?" Genii alerted.
"No, just two of us," I shook head. "Pair for whole galaxy. But problem different. Ship reports Wraith fleet approaching planet. Hive and three cruisers. Half hour and it'll be in orbit."
"Wraith? What they need on dead planet?" Tyrus panicked.
"How should I know?" I asked. "Seems you triggered one of their traps—they leave surveillance probes on destroyed planets. To know if anyone comes after."
"Or you did it! We saw no Wraith tech traces!"
"Even shot down 'Dart' can serve as antenna," I said, recalling Alvar talking about planet battle. They couldn't not shoot down at least something. "Damn, that's why we flew cloaked! I remember 'Dart' debris on city outskirts!"
"Tell all to gather!" Tyrus ordered.
"In half hour we won't reach Gates!" one soldier panicked. "Too many trophies!"
Genii commander looked at me.
"I think someone will help us."
"Of course!" I nodded.
Of course, bitch, help. But nuance.
*
"Tyros, medicaments loaded," same Varilon said, peeking into pilot cabin. "Observers say no 'Darts' or big ships..."
"Well if their sight allows discerning objects forty kilometers through atmosphere cloudiness," I turned in chair, kneading untied hands, "then you have super-soldiers. Recipe won't share?"
"Start ship!" Sora sitting behind me pulled pistol again, aiming at me.
"With pleasure, sun," I said. "But no key. Someone pulled it out and didn't return."
"Stop flirting with my daughter," Tyrus ordered, sitting in co-pilot chair. "She's engaged!"
"Lucky chosen one!" I lied, watching Genii haul bags stuffed with all sorts from holds. Come on, guys, work. While I manage to hold 'Jumper' activation by mental order. But where's Chaya⁈ Somehow not visible.
Genii girl snorted, her dad pulled green crystal from inner jacket pocket. Handing it to me, said looking straight in eyes:
"If you help us, my command will care so you need nothing till end of life."
"That's what I call constructive approach," smiling and pretending willing collaborator openly repelled me. Couple times nearly vomited. But need to hold.
"Deceive—and I'll make hole fist-sized in you," redhead doll assured me.
"Thanks, but prefer thanks expressed by your father," I assured, taking crystal in hands. "Others join us?"
Besides couple soldiers in rear compartment and dad with daughter no one here.
"Don't worry about them," redhead viper assured.
"Second squad moves to Gates overland," Tyrus said. "First we get out, then they pass through Gates after us. Better for you if help—so your girlfriend survives. Think you know before assault Wraith open Gate to attacked planet?"
"Means we have time in reserve," now everything clear. "Closing hatch, prepare for takeoff."
Chaya with second squad. Considering I didn't see her led away, think done specially not to anger me. And now I definitely know from tunnels at least one more exit.
And think Tyrus decided sacrifice them to distract Wraith. Himself with daughter and loot wait under cloak and fly with all good to base. Invisible ship, medicaments, honors. Well, I'd have to tell all I know, then disappear.
Genii quite thrifty guys. See underground life taught them carefulness and logistics. 'Jumper' lockers stuffed with medicaments to brim. Bags in pilot cabin also stuffed with canned food, medicine remnants. Several generators placed on seats, then more bags, bags, couple crates. Hard even for these two to sit there... Well, not scary.
Attaching shield to jacket, noted it glowed even greenish light. Took controls, noting shield field works. Perfect.
"Come on," Tyrus squeezed out. "Turn on your ship! Time almost gone."
"And all needed already on," I assured, activating 'Jumper'.
Ship jerked forward at cruising speed. Literally ten meters. But then stood rooted.
For me inertial dampers off didn't affect at all—they're in shield. But for Genii quartet...
Tyrus, experiencing overload of dozen g's, first pressed into co-pilot chair, then flew forward. Same as his daughter. But dad smashed into instrument panel, and Sora—into my shield.
"What you doing?" Tyrus croaked as I scraped him from panel. "Wraith..."
He didn't finish—I applied his head to cabin hull. Unconscious Genii slid to floor.
Then approached Sora, managed to shoot me from her pistol. With lady everything much simpler—I broke her arm and hit jaw, knocking out like her dad.
"What hap...?" Genii pair in cargo hold just scraped themselves from ramp, but didn't help.
From such distance impossible to miss head. Scanner showed only three living within fifty meters. Dad, daughter, and me.
With safety belts tied both scum to chairs, then searched and took everything. Absolutely everything. For reliability tore shoulder straps from bags and tied both by neck to chairs, and legs tied together. Better, of course, kill.
But first need interrogate. And time presses.
Returning to 'Jumper' control, led it outside.
Of course, no Wraith. I just played on Tyrus's greed. Same as he on my survival desire. Only I went to deal from desperation, he—for own glory. Need to clarify much—and these two soon sing like birds. But first save Chaya.
*
"Move," brute pushed her in back.
Chaya stepped over stone fragment, on move kneading stiff shoulders with circular motions. Hurt, of course, all; beasts in human guise didn't spare her trying to get info. But precisely shoulders and wrists she needed now most.
Loaded with provision backpacks, these people stretched in two ranks of six each. Glancing around, they occasionally threw phrases to each other about no Wraith.
Proculian could look only with one eye—second swollen from beatings. Likely these people didn't know pain sensations can be turned off. Because otherwise their stunned glances at how she calmly watched nail plates pulled wouldn't describe. Especially shocked that redhead girl trying to show herself merciless soldier.
How many such she saw in her long life? Hundreds, if not thousands. True, no such bestial hardness as on this girl's face.
Finally, they crossed square.
"Tyrus," this squad leader brought to face something like archaic comm device. "We're at Gate. All clear here, respond."
In response only silence.
"Maybe they already passed?" one soldier asked.
"No, he'd warn," by commander visible he worried. Seems fears Wraith.
Chaya closed eyes for moment, concentrating. Let her telepathic abilities embryonic, but no Wraith nearby she felt. Of course, they could be hibernating, but... Then why fear them?
Head began hurting, as always when using unnatural abilities. But who wait till Proculian brain sections needed develop? Easier and faster stimulate with genetic therapy.
"Hey, blood from her nose," one soldier reported.
Chaya opened eye, looked at commander touching her face.
"Won't die," he stated confidently. "Endure to home planet, there either patch or expend."
"Pity her," same soldier who said about blood said. "If they really Ancients, they could be useful."
"That kid told all interested us," commander cut off. "But yes, heard they could do everything with mind power. Nothing, if silent, dissect and all their race secrets become..."
Sentence end drowned in explosion.
Moment before Chaya heard well familiar sounds of cloak deactivation and launched self-guiding projectile. Orienting, Proculian threw at same caring soldier. Explosion and her actions caught him unawares, so he missed head blow to chest. Together they fell exactly where she calculated.
While soldier screamed something from pain, pierced by rebar piece in heart area, girl rolled aside. Glancing at him, she shuddered: instead of falling and losing consciousness from glancing temple to occiput blow, he behaved differently than Chaya predicted. And fell on rebar near place where she was to disarm him.
Couple soldiers rushing to her struck by automatic bursts from nearest to Gates debris.
But that little interested her.
Noted sharpened metal piece proved sharp enough to cut shackle-like holding her. Peeking from debris pile, she saw shuttle landed across Gate passage, and its ramp swung down.
From there, ignoring fire at it, Mikhail exited. True, first he kicked out couple corpses from ship. In hands thundered short automatic like those in her convoyers' hands.
And almost without miss, he killed these men. Under hail of shots, he just approached their positions and killed. And those running torn by bursts from covers.
Chaya could use mind efforts to recognize unexpected allies, but felt weakness. Mental tricks not easy for her—like all lesser races. Now something else would help.
"He...lp," breathing often addressed dying from huge blood loss caring soldier to her. One glance sufficed for Chaya to understand—broken ribs, punctured liver, spleen, torn guts, left lung punctured in two places. Even not medicine specialist, Chaya knew this guy had little left to live.
But it would be agonizing death.
"Of course," she said quietly, taking man by chin. Looking in eyes, Proculian jerked head aside. Crack of broken cervical vertebrae sounded.
Taking weapon from dead, she shot almost without aiming at Genii rushing to her. Next awaited death from bullet to occiput.
Mikhail, throwing aside discharged weapon, approached Chaya.
"Hold till Atlantis?" he asked.
"All not as bad as looks," Sar assured. "And you...?"
"About Genii no need worry more," Mikhail assured, scooping her in arms. Surprised by his action, as she could walk herself, girl surprised more seeing near 'Jumper' hatch Teyla and Ayvar. Both looked at her anxiously, then Jensen said:
"We couldn't enter Atlantis. Thought you have problems here. Came minutes ten ago. I saw their scouts, and we decided hide."
"And I discovered them at Gate and thought cover with projectile," Mikhail seated her on edge of seat in trophy-stuffed cargo hold. Their two friends entered cramped cargo hold of 'Jumper' and aft hatch slammed shut. "Good decided fly closer."
"Well yes, would be awkward," Jensen replied gloomily, kicking corpses of people near shuttle. "Not like marauders..."
"If desire chat, couple waits in cabin," Mikhail said, somewhat rearranging bags in passage to free space for Teyla. "Watch her."
Athosian, seating opposite Chaya, took her hand. Mikhail and Jensen went to cabin.
"Everything will be good," looking in eyes, Teyla promised. "You main, don't disconnect."
Chaya looked at Athosian in bewilderment but silent. Doesn't she know pain can be turned off by will? Though, seems by her stories of Athosian meditations, should at least guess...
"And not going to," Proculian assured, leaning head to shuttle metal. "I'm tougher than seem."
However, moment of arrival to Atlantis she didn't catch.
***
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