Melissa Scott - The Inheritors

The door slid shut behind him, and Ember tilted his head to one side. "Quicksilver — Dr. McKay — seems to produce that reaction."

"He is a difficult man," Radek said, and stopped. "And also brilliant, though you need not say I said so."

"Believe me, I would not," Ember answered. "That one knows his worth all too well."

"But he backs it up," Radek said.

Ember nodded. "Otherwise — you are his second, yes? As I was on Death's hive. Otherwise someone would have murdered him long ago."

"He was like that when he was a Wraith?" Radek waved the words away. "No, no, why should he be different?"

"I wondered how he had lived so long," Ember said, baring teeth. "Even being that good. You have my sympathy."

"As do you." Radek smiled back.

William cleared his throat. "Look, I don't want to interrupt, but Guide asked me to be sure to get you back to Alabaster's ship before she leaves —"

"Yes," Ember said, but made no move to follow. "There is, however, a thing I have to say before I go. This — what you did, to give me of your life, that is the mark of brothers, and I hold it no less so between us. I name you brother, if you will have me, and my life is yours to claim."

Radek saw William's eyebrows rise, and didn't know what to say himself. He'd never expected, never wanted, and yet — "I'm honored," he said, and realized that he meant it. He held out his hand, and Ember clasped it, awkwardly, the heavy claws scraping across Radek's skin. "Besides, you already saved my life."

"Well," William said, after Ember walked away. "Brother to Wraith."

Radek spread his hands. "And I was to say no to that?"

"One more reason to stay on Atlantis. My good friend Radek is 'brother' to a Wraith cleverman." William smiled. "It's wonderful for research."

"I didn't think you were planning to stay," Radek said, and William shrugged.

"One may change one's mind."

"Yes," Radek answered. "Yes, indeed."

The wormhole to Sateda had just opened, late that afternoon, when Mel Hocken came hurrying into the gate room, coming up to join Ronon.

"I thought you were in the infirmary," he said.

"I was," she said. "But it was just a little concussion. I hit my head on the canopy, but my head is pretty hard. Besides, what's a little concussion?" Mel gave him an impish grin, turning to face the wormhole. "I wanted to come along," she said. "Mr. Woolsey said it was fine."

They stepped through into warm sun and the smell of food cooking, smoke rising from chimneys and cooking fires around the square. More of the rubble had been cleared away since the last time he'd been there, and above the broad doors of what had once been a train depot hung the banners of the Satedan Band. Cai must have been able to persuade them to post at least a token force here, to discourage any more raiding.

"They've been busy," Hocken said.

"Looks like it," Ronon said. He made his way across the square to the old hotel that Ushan Cai had made the headquarters of his provisional government. "I've got to talk to Cai about some things," he said.

"So do I, actually," Hocken said. "I'll come in and wait."

He shrugged and pushed open the doors. The lobby of the old hotel was still dimly lit by lamplight, but through the doors into what had been the bar, he could see that the glass was back in two of the windows that opened onto the square, a patchwork of irregular pieces heavily leaded to fit where once there had been perfect squares.

Cai was talking to two women, a map spread out between them, but he raised a hand to Ronon in greeting, and Ronon nodded. He waited until they were done, Hocken turning to look out the window with the easy stance of someone used to waiting at attention.

"Ronon," Cai said finally, as the women went out. "And Colonel Hocken. It's good to see you. We've been hoping for news from Atlantis."

"Queen Death is dead," Ronon said. "Her alliance has fallen apart. I wanted you to know."

"I'll drink to that." He poured drinks for them, not the strong liquor that had survived Sateda's fall but a dark beer. "Courtesy of the Genii," Cai said, tapping his own mug. "We're brewing our own, but the first new ale won't be ready for another week yet. Or so I'm told."

"You can't rush beer," Hocken said, although he noted that she didn't touch her drink, only sensible after a head injury.

"It won't be long."

"There's more," Ronon said, taking a drink and trying to decide how to put the words together. "Our scientists have created a medicine, what they call a retrovirus, that makes people immune to being killed by the Wraith. The Wraith can still feed on you, but you won't die."

Cai looked up from his mug sharply. "You're certain of this?"

"It works on the people who've tried it. Our doctors are still testing it."

"People have tried before. We've heard about the disaster that was the Hoffan drug."

"This one works. And it doesn't kill Wraith who try to feed on you. It just means that you survive."

"If so, I would think that's a great piece of good fortune."

"That's just what people are going to think," Ronon said. "But it's a mistake. The Wraith are going to use this for their advantage. They'll still fill up their feeding cells, but they'll be able to keep those people alive forever. And instead of culling and leaving, they'll come to stay and raise us like farm animals."

"What do they say about that in Atlantis?"

"They want a peace treaty with the Wraith," Ronon said, putting all his skepticism into the words. "To divide up the galaxy so that Sateda and Athos and a bunch of other planets are left alone, and abandon half of the galaxy to the Wraith. They'll make them slaves and cattle."

"The treaty isn't a done deal by any means," Hocken said, glancing sideways at Ronon. "We'll have to talk to our allies — Sateda, Athos, the Genii, the Travelers — and it's not our decision to make. It's the IOA back home that would have to be on board."

"But it's what the Wraith are offering."

Cai gave him a searching look. "Why are you telling me now?"

"They're going to offer the retrovirus to Sateda," Ronon said. "I don't think we should take it. If the Wraith attack Sateda, and we know they won't kill us, it would make it just too tempting to surrender. People would be calling for the government to agree to slavery rather than death."

"And you think I should buy them death rather than slavery?"

"I think we should fight," Ronon said. "If it comes to that, I'd rather fight."

"But having your retrovirus might make us better fighters," Cai said. "Better able to infiltrate Wraith hives and Wraith-controlled worlds."

"Maybe. But I don't think it's worth it."

"I think it might be worth it," Cai said. "But it won't be up to me alone. We're trying to put together a real government, and have elections — it's hard right now with the population changing so much day to day. It won't be this year. Maybe next year, but I wouldn't swear to that either. A decision like that will be theirs to make."

"I'd rather trust someone I know," Ronon said. "Rather than politicians."

"So stay and help us make sure they're good politicians," Cai said. "Better yet, stay and be one of them. You're probably our single greatest hero right now. They'd elect you anything in a heartbeat."

"That's not me," Ronon said.

"Think about it. When you retire, at least. Come out to Sateda and have your own house and a seat in the legislature. You may have to put in glass windows for yourself." He nodded toward the patchwork windows. "But I can't imagine you're afraid of hard work."

"I have a job in Atlantis," Ronon said. "And good friends there. But, maybe. One of these days."

"You'll be welcome," Cai said. "And I appreciate you telling me about this. Especially if your Mr. Woolsey didn't exactly give you permission to tell me yet." There was a question at the end of that remark.