The Long Way Home

Chapter Seventeen: Poisoning The Well

Go easy on my conscience
'Cause it's not my fault
I know I've been taught
To take the blame

Robbie Williams - Better Man

Cass had only seen their holding area once during her time on Atlantis and that been during a tour of the City that Weir had given when they were trying to get used to all the new sections that were becoming available to him. The cube of bars were electrified and in any normal circumstance Cass should have been reassured by this but today she wasn't considering what was on the other side of those bars.

The Wraith was called Steve, or at least that was what John had allegedly named him after he had captured the organism off world. It had stuck amongst the militarists of Atlantis and now Cass found herself using the term herself to describe the violent creature.

Steve was watching her, his wide green catlike eyes were on her face as she stepped up beside Lieutenant Ford, medical kit in hand. There was fear crawling up deep inside her. She could feel it's icy cold jaws locking on her heart as she stood before the creature. The last time she had been this close to one of them Colonel Sumner had stepped up and taken over the exchange. There was a greedy, hunger in the Wraith's eyes, it watched her with predatory lust as she stood stock still.

Cass knew why it was choosing to focus on her as opposed to John who stood on her right hand side and Lieutenant Ford who stood on the left clasping a Wraith Stunner. She was the weakest link here, it saw her as a young, pitiful female yet just agreeing to this made her anything but weak.

Doing this would help them to learn from the Wraith and perhaps maybe prevent the cullings that were going on offworld. Carson thought the drug he was helping the Hoffans create could save millions eventually. Cass didn't understand the genetics of it all but she did understand the probabilities.

Carson was still on Hoff, working through the different dynamics of the formula with their Chief Scientist Perna. The last time she had spoken to Carson he had had a spring in his step and he was smiling more than she had ever seen in the entire time they'd been on Atlantis. Cass sensed he had was smitten with the other woman. She was a regal, attractive, middle aged blond woman who shared Carson's enthusiasm for genetics.

Carson spoke about her animately in conversation detailing her brilliance and Cass was glad to see the glimmer in his eyes as he spoke of her. It was rare for Carson to be so fascinated by someone and it was good for him to have another more cerebral person to bounce his ideas off. Unfortunately that left Cass to withdraw the blood they needed to confirm several of the results of their tests.

"Hi Steve." John greeted as he clasped his clasped his hands together in front of him.

The cell door slide open as they stood before it starring in at their captive. There was that moment of pure insight where they simply studied each other before reality snapped back into place with a sudden movement that made Cass flinch. The Wraith was in motion, hurling itself towards her. It's hand was stretched out, that feeding slit parting open as it came straight at Cass. John was in front of her before she even had a chance to blink his gun drawn without a split seconds hesitation.

"Bye Steve." John uttered as Lieutenant Ford jabbed the Stunner into Steve's chest.

The howl of agony that resounded through the confined space physically hurt Cass's ears as Steve writhed and twitched under the onslaught of energy that rattled through his bones. The roar that rattled through the cell erupted once more as Ford struck the Wraith again, this time for longer until the pain or at least the shock of the Stunner rendered it unconscious. At least she hoped it was.

"Right Doc, he's ready for you." Ford said almost cheerfully.

"It is definitely unconscious?" Cass's sapphire eyes straying to the immobile Wraith splayed out on the ground.