Chapter 17 – Home Is Where The Heart Is

Guide walked me through the Hive towards the commander's chambers; his chambers… our chambers.

It was strange being back on board a Hive, but also oddly comforting. I had always loved the organic nature of Hives, it made them feel warmer, and although I wasn't a wraith, I swear that sometimes I could feel the hive, and talk to it, like they do.

His… Our room was plain, Wraith weren't big on decorations or sentimental keepsakes; it consisted of a bed, a recess in the wall that acted as a kind of wardrobe and a desk. The desk had a single item sitting on top of it, a game, Guide's favourite, one of his subordinates must have placed it there; it was a game of strategy and chance. He was very good at strategy, it had always been something he excelled at and luck, it seemed, was always on his side when he played.

Once we were inside the room and the door was closed, I turned to question him about the ZPMs. I knew it was better to avoid questioning him too much in front of his crew.

"ZPM's? What are you up to?" I demanded.

"I have devised a plan to help us defeat our enemies. N-"

"Enemies?" I interrupted.

He starred at me for a moment, annoyed that I had interrupted him. After a long wait, he finally continued. "Now that the replicators have been defeated, Hives will begin to fight over resources. With the ZPM's I can power a facility that will give us an advantage over other hives."

"What facility? I didn't think ZPM's were compatible with Wraith technology."

"There is one facility that is, its power consumption is too great for our usual methods." He paused, "I have told you about it in the past."

I thought about it for a moment, trying to remember the facility he was talking about, if he had told me about it, it would have been a very long time ago, either during or just after the war, then it hit me. "The cloning facility!" He nodded. "You're going to create a bigger army… I don't think this is a good idea. I have a bad feeling about it."

"About my plan or that I have ZPM's?"

"As soon as I saw those ZPM's, I felt… Ill. This isn't good."

He considered me for a moment before coming closer and pulling me into him. "A lot has just changed for you, and much has happened, could your feeling not simply be a remnant of all that?" He said kissing the top my head.

"Maybe." I conceded, but the ill-feeling in my stomach lingered, and I couldn't shake the thought that something bad was going to happen. I shook my head and tried to clear my mind, he was going to go through with his plan regardless, so I should just keep my eyes open and enjoy my time with him. I looked up at him and got up on my tiptoes to kiss him, he gently kissed me back and nuzzled me before pulling away.

"Is there anything I can do to make this feel more like home for you?"

I shook my head, "you are my home."