The hologram of the Lantian corridor dissolved exactly when Koschei had managed to make out every detail. The energy shield behind which lay a room flooded with ocean water. The traces of battle. The corridor's design, more fitting for an external structure than anything he'd seen on Atlantis.
He also saw a wounded human female, an unconscious human male, and the body of a Wraith Queen he would recognize out of a thousand.
Against his will, despite promising himself to remain composed, Koschei bared his teeth and stepped up close to the force field.
"You're lucky, human, that this prison's barrier separates us," the Wraith said, his voice ringing with rage. "Otherwise I'd tear you apart."
"Believe it or not," there wasn't a trace of fear or concern on Mikhail's face. "She told me the same thing. Well, before her brains ended up splattered all over the floor."
Roaring with fury, Koschei recoiled from the barrier and began pacing his cell.
The Wraith knew he was revealing his impatience and agitation, but could do nothing about it. His usual composure had slipped away, and rage demanded an outlet. The feeding appendage burned, craving a drink of someone's life.
And despite the fact that the man responsible for his feelings was literally within arm's reach, Koschei couldn't reach him and taste Lantian life energy.
"What's wrong, Koscheyushka?" Mikhail's voice was poison to him.
"You killed my Queen!"
"And she killed sixteen of my people."
"Humans are cattle, created for us to feed on!" Koschei snarled, continuing to pace his cell. "And you know it yourself, since you allow me to do it."
"Exactly," the voice turned mocking. "Only I feed you the bad guys so you can bring my people back."
"Bad, good, nice, evil," Koschei listed. "What difference does it make when you're nothing but food for us?"
"I can only imagine how it burns you to be held captive by food," Mikhail chuckled. "Actually, no, I won't lie. I can't imagine. I've never been kept in a cage by a fried chicken."
"Having fun?" the Wraith rasped. "And what will happen to your people when I refuse to resurrect them?"
"I'll find another Wraith," Mikhail shrugged. "And I'll dissect you for experiments. You know, volunteers are vital for our biological weapons research. Are you in?"
Finally, he managed to get his anger under control.
"You have nothing," Koschei stated confidently, approaching the barrier and looking the human straight in the eye. "I understand you, human, better than you understand yourself. Bravado, intimidation — all to make me start talking, not just resurrect the Ancients."
"Thanks for the reminder," Mikhail smiled. "We recently, quite by accident, acquired a Wraith cruiser and a pair of 'Darts.' Why don't you tell me how to reconfigure the collection beam on the latter to collect not people, but earth. Or even better — the minerals we need from the planetary crust."
"What do you need that for, human?" Koschei was surprised.
"There's an answer — 'I need it,'" the Lantian smiled at him.
Koschei studied him for several seconds, then snorted.
"You need resources," he stated. "And you can't obtain them the way the Lantians used to."
"Blowing up planets doesn't seem like a good idea to me."
"It's simple and practical," the Wraith said in bewilderment. "The core contains many useful elements. And they're so easy to get, without digging through the dirt."
"We're getting off topic, Koschei. Reconfiguring the collection beam," Mikhail reminded him.
"You want the 'Dart' you have to pass through the planet's crust and collect the metals you need?" the Wraith repeated. "You'll need a tremendous amount of energy for that sort of thing. An entire world at a time... Ambitious."
That was a provocation that would help him learn the true extent of the people's intentions. And the resources they had for such an operation. All of this could be useful to him in the future.
"Let's start with some testing," Mikhail smiled. He understood the Wraith's idea and deliberately made his answer as broad as possible. "Otherwise, who knows, maybe the game isn't worth the candle."
"I don't understand you, Mikhail," the Wraith admitted.
In fact, he understood something.
If the people had Ancient technology for mining, they wouldn't be asking his advice. This applied both to harvester ships and to the huge dump trucks and excavators.
But they didn't.
Nor did they have a large number of ships for open confrontation. However, the Ancients didn't have that either.
But over ten thousand years, the number of Wraiths could have greatly decreased.
So far, everything he had gleaned from conversations with the Lantian was just crumbs of truly valuable information. But something else was key.
If they could kill the Queen of Death so easily, that meant there were no Wraith starships in orbit around Lantea. And the Wraiths had never known the gate coordinates of the Lantians' city-ship. Otherwise, they wouldn't have stopped trying to get here.
"An explanation would take too much time," Koschei said, making his words sound ordinary. "Since you have a 'Dart,' just give me access to it and tell me what metals it should extract — I'll handle everything."
Although on hive ships, these manipulations were handled by Wraith Scholars. That's what they called those who advanced their science and kept technology working. He himself was from the Blades — commanders who led ships and armies of drone-soldiers into battle. The latter were nothing more than necessary tools for work. No will, minimal consciousness, only instincts and the ability to fight and feed.
Perhaps over the millennia something had changed, but he didn't believe it.
"Nice try," Mikhail chuckled. "But no. You know, I've stopped trusting you lately."
"And why is that?" Koschei asked. "Our cooperation was mutually beneficial. Or do you intend to carry out your threat?"
The latter would be very inconvenient.
"I've started noticing that you're getting bolder, my friend," Mikhail said. "You eat like there's no tomorrow. And you resurrect an insufficient number of people."
"From each feeding, I keep only the minimum energy for myself," Koschei objected. "That's not enough to restore your people's youth, Mikhail. But it's enough for me until the next feeding."
"I readily believe that," Mikhail nodded. "Actually, no, I don't. According to my data, you now have enough energy to revive two or three Ancients."
Koschei bared his teeth.
As he had assumed, Mikhail and his people had not stopped scanning him. But he had no intention of complaining about their treachery.
Rather, what was no longer amusing to him was that he was a prisoner of the Lantians. What alarmed him was how drastically their current tactics differed from everything he had known about the Ancients before.
Killing a Queen — especially Death — with bare hands... That took a lot of strength and a lot of rage. Even though she was crippled. Wraith bones, muscles, and the entire organism were much stronger than humans'.
The man before him was very dangerous.
Too dangerous for a human. Calculating, cunning, and without a qualm about abandoning previous agreements, promises, and the 'hooks' he had used for cooperation. If he had been facing a Wraith from a younger generation, Koschei would have been proud of him.
But a human...
It seemed that before he got out, he should thoroughly study these Lantians. And be sure to kill Mikhail at the end.
A leader like that among the Lantians was more dangerous than an entire fleet.
Let this be just a small piece of the puzzle, but Koschei would never have become one of the Queen of Death's Blades if he couldn't calculate a situation. People don't become smart just because they want to. If they do something, that's their nature.
Just like Wraiths.
Therefore, if Mikhail was ready to fight to the last, out of desperation, by any means — and that was exactly what was captured on the hologram he had shown — then his threats were not just words.
Koschei was not afraid to make mistakes, because mistakes give experience, no less, and sometimes more valuable, than victories.
And so, the talk about biological weapons was far from an empty threat. If necessary, Mikhail would do it. But only when it benefited him. Or when there were no other chances for survival.
A very familiar tactic.
So, he needed to study this man better.
"Two," Koschei said. "And I'll have enough energy to hold out until the next feeding. If I revive three, I won't be able to live properly. I'll have to enter a sort of hibernation to conserve energy reserves. And then your people won't be able to get the necessary information from me."
Now that was not a provocation, but a test.
Quite innocent.
But it was far more valuable now to find out what was more important to Mikhail — help with Wraith technology, or the lives of his people.
"We'll manage," Mikhail grinned. "Even without that, I understand that you don't know a damn thing about the science and technology of your race, except superficial data. So your value just dropped, Koschei. Sit for a while and think about what interesting things you can tell me that I don't already know, while I go get three frozen Ancients."
"And what should I tell you, human?" the Wraith said irritably. "Give me a 'Dart' and I'll show you the sequence of commands for reconfiguration. As far as I know it."
"Oh, we can handle that ourselves," Mikhail assured him, standing in the door. "As for what you can tell me... Start with the cloning laboratories, thanks to which you defeated the Ancients last time. And maybe then I'll let you feast to your heart's content."
When the massive door closed behind the man, Koschei, unable to restrain himself, struck his fist against the force field between the bars. Energy burned him with icy flame, lightning coursing through his entire arm, causing unbearable pain.
He knew they were watching him, and this gesture of despair would be recorded. Good, if so.
Let them think he was in despair. Koschei wanted them to think that.
And while their vigilance was lulled, he would figure out a way to escape from the abyss of true despair.
* * *
"This is ceasing to be funny," muttered Ladon Radim, seeing a new world before his eyes once again.
He felt a blow to his shoulder when one of the Genii soldiers came out of the stargate. Realizing that crowding in the arrival area wasn't such a good idea, Ladon stepped aside to let the soldiers pass into this wonderful new world.
Which one was it already, the sixth? Or more?
Radim had lost count after the third.
No matter which planet they dialed the Athos gate address from, they always ended up in a new place. Anywhere but Athos.
Although he had never been to the Athosians' homeworld, from the expression on Commander Kolya's face, the scientist understood that each new planet was not the one they needed to reach.
However, judging by the quite pleasant little houses of a small settlement a couple of kilometers from the gate, Ladon himself realized: this wasn't the place again. According to stories, the Athosians had never had enough smart people or resources to build something like this.
And that frankly infuriated both the Genii soldiers and Commander Kolya himself, who, maintaining an expression that Ladon would call "professional courtesy," was currently talking to someone who seemed to be a town leader.
Radim, like the other soldiers of the Special Battalion, settled down for a rest, awaiting Commander Kolya's decision. A dozen sentries, dispersed around the area, kept watch to warn the others of possible trouble.
Ladon took a swig of water from his canteen, smoothed his slightly disheveled and unwashed hair, and cast a glance toward the town.
Solid walls of red and, in places, dark gray brick, simple wooden frames with slightly cloudy glass, light paint on doors, benches, window frames. A small fountain in the center of the town, cobblestone paths sprinkled with sand, white-painted fences, neatly trimmed lawns, hedges of low trees...
This planet exuded such a palpable sense of peace and tranquility that Ladon Radim caught himself forgetting to breathe.
He had been to other planets before, but seeing a world that had developed so demonstrably, as if they had never seen Wraith raids... It made him shiver.
They had never encountered planets before that were so peaceful, clean, and populated. Desert, icy desert, oxygen-poor desert, a valley flooded with water, a lifeless world, a rocky world...
And now — a blooming world, with endless meadows, a lot of forest, a peaceful city... Something new.
He looked at the soldiers, some of whom were also staring in bewilderment at the surrounding richness, so reminiscent of the Genii's home world that it squeezed their hearts. Except that all of Genii life was underground, in caves and endless corridors that would begin to crumble from age in a few decades.
"These people know nothing about the Athosians," hearing Commander Kolya's voice beside him, Radon jumped up, straightening his uniform. Even if he was a scientist and not a soldier, that didn't absolve him from the obligation to conform to the rules and laws of Genii society.
Commander Kolya, a Genii.
"That is regrettable," Radim said cautiously. Koli was not as eccentric as Cowan, but he was no less dangerous. If he spotted an enemy, he could kill him immediately. Or, if it served his interests, he could postpone the killing for a more opportune time. Not to mention that, in the invisible hierarchy of the Genii, scientists were always below soldiers.
"And they also know nothing about the Wraiths," Koli was looking toward the stargate, as if noting which of his soldiers were occupied with gazing at the local beauties. His face gave no indication of whether he liked this place.
But if Ladon knew anything about Commander Kolya, it was that the interests of the entire Genii people were always his priority.
"Quite strange, considering they are interested in developed worlds like this one," Ladon looked at the two-story building of the local smithy. On the first floor, a blacksmith and a couple of his apprentices were working on a metal wheel for a cart. The cart stood right there. Quite sturdy, obviously recently built — the wood hadn't even had time to change color from time and moisture.
"According to that man who called himself their mayor, they have lived here for several hundred years," Koli seemed not to hear his words. "And the Wraiths have never come to them. They found the city already abandoned, moved here, and keep everything in order. They don't use the gates, because they believe that if they do, the Wraiths will come here."
"That is possible," Radim said. "If someone learns their address, then through their followers the Wraiths could find out about it. Most likely, during the last harvest for this planet, the Wraiths took all the people from here, and therefore no longer take any interest in the planet."
"But I am interested in whether you can find out the address of their planet," Koli stopped looking into space and measured Radim with an appraising glance.
Ladon swallowed loudly, realizing what he was in for.
"I cannot," he admitted. "And no one can find out the gate address from this side, unless it is recorded somewhere. Perhaps in their library..."
"They have no books, no libraries, no monuments, nothing with gate symbols," Koli cut him off. "I think that is the real reason they never leave here."
"You are right," Radim said. "Without knowing their gate address, they cannot return home."
"And we won't be able to come here next time, will we?" Koli asked. His gaze was not threatening or malicious. Calm, deliberate, stern, heavy, and unbearable — yes.
"We could try to get here if we go to another planet and keep dialing the Athos gate address," he said. "I can only speculate about how this protection is constructed. Whether the addresses to which they are sent instead of Athos repeat, or whether they are dialed in random order across the galaxy — it's unclear. And I am not sure that anyone can answer such a question except the Ancestors. We still know too little about this technology..."
He was already speaking the last words into emptiness — Koli silently strode toward the position of the battalion's soldiers.
The latter, seeing the commander approach, jumped up from their places, straightening their uniforms and holding their weapons at the ready.
"We are returning to the home world," Koli ordered. "Radim! Get to work!"
Ladon looked at the little town they would have to leave.
A great temptation, really, to stay here forever. Probably the Wraiths would never come here. Probably there would never be the heavy air of the underground Genii city.
Probably no one would ever come for him if he decided to desert. Not knowing the planet's address, the Genii wouldn't come here. And Ladon had a hypothesis that the gate redirection they encountered when trying to dial Athos actually would not lead them to the same planet twice. Otherwise, what was the point of making redirection through multiple gates if you could just send them to one single planet?
This had already happened for the third time, as far as he knew. First Ermen, then Taranis, now Athos. Someone deliberately did not want the Genii to get to where they had an interest.
Too suspicious to be a coincidence or random glitch.
Ladon dialed the address of the home world. A whirlwind of energy erupted from the ancient device, after which the soldiers began to slowly enter the event horizon to return and report again that they had been unable to do what they needed to do for the prosperity of the Genii people.
Ladon cast a glance at the peaceful little town they were leaving.
Tempting to stay here...
Except if he didn't return, Cowan would flay Dalia's skin. Literally. In Genii society, they didn't stand on ceremony with relatives of traitors.
Especially women, who, according to the Genii leadership, had only one role in life: working in the fields or bearing children. His sister was very lucky that she managed to become a scientist instead of sitting at home surrounded by three to five children, waiting for her soldier husband to return from another mission.
It was tempting to stay in a world with no war, no Genii, and no Wraiths.
"Decided to stay?" inquired Commander Kolya, who stood at the active gate. "Well, no one's holding you, Radim."
"I was memorizing the surroundings in order to identify the planet if we end up here again," Ladon said, approaching the gate. "It will be useful if we can return here by some means."
"Agreed," Koli grunted, nodding toward the gate's event horizon. "Go on, Radim. We've lingered here long enough."
Ladon took a compliant step and departed for the Genii home world.
Koli knew perfectly well that Ladon Radim wouldn't run away. Even if he wanted to.
Because Commander Kolya knew exactly what made Ladon Radim return to the Genii home world.
Genii commanders knew well how to control their people.
And this circle of violence, threats of violence, and deaths from an invisible disease could not be broken under any circumstances.