Chapter 191

Atlantis

Summoned by an urgent communiqué, Todd had quickly made his way to Atlantis five minutes earlier. As part of their alliance, intelligence information was regularly shared between the Tauri and Todd. Both shared the desire to being an end to the Wraith, so it was another example of adversity making strange bedfellows. Taking their seats in the conference room, Teyla, Todd, Woolsey, and Zelenka began.

"Thank you for coming so quickly Todd." Woolsey began.

"It serves both of our purposes." Todd replied simply.

"The latest transmission from the nanites has arrived. We have a few questions." Zelenka explained.

"I'll wager a guess that your question revolves around the nanites inability to infect the queen." Todd surmised.

"In due time we'll have everyone near her infected, so it makes little sense to worry about infecting her directly." Zelenka admitted.

"In the transcript, the queen makes mention of something neither I nor Doctor Zelenka have heard of before. She called it the Harbinger." Woolsey explained.

"Athosian legend tells of a story passed down directly from the ancestors. It tells of an ancient evil capable of destroying entire civilizations in a day and a night. This evil was known as the Harbinger." Teyla explained.

"Todd, do you have any insight on this?" Woolsey asked.

"What you're saying simply cannot be." Todd argued.

"I'm afraid I must ask that you explain." Woolsey suggested.

"At the birth of our race, three Wraith stood out as the strongest of us all. One was a great warrior, another a great scientist, and the third a great leader. In their image, each commander learns to lead. Each one of them contained within them more strength, knowledge, cunning, and power than any ten commanders combined. Even their technology differs from what is found in the Wraith fleet. These three Wraith champions commanded identical vessels we called Hunter's. Each of these vessels had the ability to destroy a fleet of Hive's by itself." Todd explained.

"So you're telling me that the queen is bringing in a Wraith super soldier and super ship to this war?" Woolsey asked in discomfort.

"No Mr. Woolsey, that would not be possible. None remain alive. The scientist is the one who managed to defeat the ship you know as Borealis. Seeing this victory and the threat it posed to his position in our society, the diplomat sought battle with the scientist and they both perished with the destruction of their vessels. At this turn of events, the great warrior retreated into solitude before sailing himself and his Hunter into the corona of a sun." Todd explained.

"How sure are you of that?" Teyla asked.

"As sure as one can be when on the other side of the galaxy laying siege to the city where we now set." Todd offered.

"Say you're wrong about his death or the destruction of his ship. What can this mean for all of us?" Woolsey asked.

"Even with a ZPM powering my Hive, I would not wish to challenge such a vessel. If the warrior still lives, then we have an insurmountable problem." Todd offered.

"Because of his military skill you mean?" Woolsey asked.

"No Mr. Woolsey. Our problem is that the warrior knows nothing but death. Both human and Wraith alike have ample reason to fear him. Anything that laid in his path was doomed to a fate worse than death." Todd continued explaining.

"Why do you say that?" Teyla asked.

"I trained under the scientist as his apprentice. With all of his technology even he feared the warrior. Anything in his path becomes one with death." Todd finished.