fateandfortune | Just two vampires, traveling the galaxy... [For Todd the Wraith]

He grinned at her elaborate explanation of why she was going to miss him and chuffed in reply. He would too.

Their ride arrived without any further adventures, a large box strapped to a seat with a wraith sitting beside it with an arm atop of it. The box shook a bit and there was an almost annoying chittering of irritation coming from it.

Todd was glad to see there were no casualties in this pick up.

They were back on board the hive within half an hour and the hive itself back in hyperspace in almost as much time.

The box and its contents were taken to a chamber where it would be locked up while Todd and Rogue headed to the kitchen to start dinner.

Rogue watched that box with a wary gaze almost the entire ride back to the ship, the shaking and sounds more than a little unnerving considering what she'd heard about the creature inside. She was glad it would be locked up for the rest of their trip - the thought of it escaping and running around the hallways was a bit terrifying though.

Dinner was a bit strange without the queen there to observe the proceedings. It had only been a few days, but Rogue had already gotten used to it. Regardless, things went smoothly as usual, and she enjoyed spending the time with Todd and some of her favorite members of his crew.

Talk was mostly about what was to be happening between now and their arrival in Atlantis. Todd was confident he could swing a deal to get the hive the upgrades it would need to help seriously turn the tide in the civil war. As a result, they'd go top to bottom in the next week, looking over what could be updated and what the power requirements for it would be.

A ZPM would seriously help them. However, the likelihood of them giving up a ZPM was about as likely as Woolsey offering himself up as sacrifice to the queen.

After dinner, they cataloged the pantry and decided which meals would be done between now and Atlantis, deciding to calculate how little they could scrape by with, in the event Atlantis could not provide. By this time next year, they hoped to be dependent on the farms and crops for most of their needs, but that would only happen if the drone's gene therapy worked.

Rogue wasn't able to be of much help with the talk of ship upgrades, since engineering was far from her field of expertise and she didn't even know half the ship's current capabilities, but she still listened and absorbed what she was able to of the conversation.

The issue of the pantry, however, was something she was able to filly chime in on. She'd had to deal with rationing quite a bit during the war, and it was particularly easy to come up with filling dishes that included rice and pasta, which they still had in fair quantity from their previous visit to Atlantis. It was some of the fresh items that they were most lacking in, the more flavorful foods that the crew had preferred to experiment with. If the drone therapy did work, it would be of great benefit to them all if they were able to find a suitable area on the farming planet to grow rice - it was easy to store and went a long way toward keeping the crew fed.

It was a relief when it was all finally done with though, cataloging and meal planning were usually nothing but it had been a rather unusual day.

He and Rogue headed back to his chambers. The next week would be fairly quiet compared to the previous one, but he'd make the most of the time he got with Rogue.

They were back in hyperspace so the room's blue hue washed over them as they lay together.

Despite his mental exhaustion, Todd was too wound up to sleep, so he got up-careful not to disturb Rogue-and sat in his armchair to read. When his mind couldn't focus and he found himself re-reading whole pages, he put that aside too. He picked up his tablet and did a little work, but a few minutes in, he realized why he might not be sleeping well these nights and he entered the information into a file he'd not open in some time.

Gene Therapy Side-Effects: Insomnia.

Wraith had not slept "normally" since before the hibernation pod system had been created. Only when a Wraith had not fed in some time or during the war when it was better to recover in general rest rather than hibernation did a wraith sleep.

All this sleep was, ironically, making him restless.

He closed his eyes, talking with his crew about his discovery and asked if any had felt it.

Several had, all from the first group who'd been inoculated after him, though they'd marked it off as just stress and excitement over the past weeks. From what he knew, there was no real cure for insomnia. Sleeping pills would have to be taken in massive doses to work on wraith. Sedatives might help, but they had none on board to test.

He sent three of his officers feeling the effects to go into hibernation at once. At first they protested, as without drones, they needed as many hands manning the hive as possible. But Todd persisted, if they got to Atlantis and the insomnia was cured by a week in hibernation, then all was well and they'd just have to take shifts in the pods every once in awhile. If not, they'd need to test other ways. Eventually they obeyed, and they joined their queen in the long sleep.

Todd returned to bed but continued to work on his tablet.

Rogue didn't stir when Todd left the bed, which confirmed just how tired she was and how comfortable she felt with Todd and in his chambers. Before, when she'd been on the run for her life, the slightest movement nearby would have woken her. But even during her first days on the hive, she'd slept better than she had in ages, despite the nightmares. There was just something about the atmosphere that appealed to her senses and soothed her mind. She knew very well that other humans would balk at the idea of finding peace on a hive ship, but that was exactly what had happened for her.

She did notice when he returned to bed, though, and when he began making small movements, as if he were moving a hand and little else. Finally shifting so she could blink at him blearily, Rogue mumbled a sleepy, "Something wrong? Or just can't sleep?"

Insomnia was an old friend that she had been glad to be rid of these last few months. With all the jumbled mess in her head, she'd spent many an hour at the mansion prowling the halls while everyone slept, sharing a beer or watching TV with Logan usually. It had been good days when they'd caught a student wandering around when they shouldn't be - Logan was always in prime form at one in the morning when he found the teenagers on cookie runs.

She rubbed a hand over her face and blinked heavily before propping herself up a little on some pillows. How much sleep had she gotten? It felt like nothing at all, though it must have been at least a few hours. Two maybe? The feeling of being completely discombobulated could easily be the result of only two hours of sleep.

He didn't try to console her into going back to sleep, she'd protest and ask him what was up anyway he figured. And, she did.

"I think the gene therapy has insomnia side effects. Myself and the first group inoculated are experiencing similar symptoms." he replied, putting his tablet down to talk to her as she sat up. "At first I thought it was just the combination of the recent events piling up, but the fact that the same group who got the gene therapy most recently are experiencing such effects means its got to be the root of it. Wraith have not slept as humans do on a regular basis for some time. I've sent three of those affected into hibernation for the week to see if some time in the pods will rid one of the insomnia-like effects."

Rogue nodded slowly as she listened to him explain what was going on. It must be so difficult to live with the uncertainty of the gene therapy.

"Of all the human-like problems to have, insomnia isn't the most delightful, that's for certain," she acknowledged, waking up a little more the longer they talked. "We're old friends, insomnia and me, so I know how troublesome it can be. I hope the hibernation will help."

"I do as well. Sleeping pills don't work, and sedatives need to be taken in massive doses to even make my kin groggy let alone put us to sleep." he said, putting his tablet aside as he finished his notes. "If hibernating doesn't work, we're soon all going to be a bunch of walking zombies." he chuckled dryly.

"Go back to sleep." he said, touching her shoulder and getting out of bed again. Now that he knew sleeping-for now anyway-was off the table, he decided he'd best get some other work done. No need to ruin her sleep with his restlessness.

A hive ship full of sleepy, irritable wraith. Yes, that sounded exactly like something they needed to deal with. Absolutely.

"And what if I can't?" she tossed his way playfully, still tired enough that she knew she'd be able to get back to sleep without too much trouble but wanting to hear what he had to say anyway. It was his fault she was awake in the first place, the least he could do was entertain her for a few minutes.

He looked over at her and chuckled again, "Well if not we could find a way to entertain one another" It was about as close to flirting as wraith got.

"Though you should try" he said "If there can't be at least one well rested person on the hive, then we're doomed and likely to set the kitchen afire."

He sat down at his desk to try and occupy himself with drawing up new territory boundaries on a star chart. While everything was digital, seeing what factions had taken over where in this form was a good way to see things from another angle. Like which enemy hives were bound to be alone and easy to take out versus those that would require the alliance fleet to work together on eliminating.

It was a good effort, and she certainly enjoyed that show of not-quite-flirting. She liked it when she got to see that side of the commander.

And he did have a point about the kitchen. Chuckling quietly, she stayed where she was for a little while, watching him work on something that she couldn't quite see, but she finally climbed out of bed and wandered over to stand behind him at the desk.

"I'll go back to bed in a few minutes, don't worry," she assured him quietly before he could say anything in protest. Her hands lifted to his hair, running her fingers through the white strands, working around the braids that she'd originally given him. How long ago had that been now? It seemed like forever and yet no time at all.

Edited 2016-03-03 05:26 (UTC)

Todd looked up as she came over, but at her promise to sleep, he nodded and said nothing of it, returning to his work.

As her fingers caressed through his hair, he looked up at her again. Realizing she was focusing on the braids he said, "You can change them if you want." he hadn't taken another mate since their first coupling, so they were still paired, but sometimes a partner might want to change the other's "mark", be it because the previous didn't suit them or to refresh the bond as it were.

"Hmmm..." It was more sound than anything, a contemplation of the option he'd presented her with. She'd never thought of changing them before. Every day she wore the single braid he'd given her, and she watched him replace the knots and braids she'd chosen for him after each shower. That would still happen if she changed them.

As if of their own accord, her fingers started to undo a few of the braids, untied the knots. Might as well give it a try.

Todd sat up a little straighter to let her work, closing his eyes and focusing on her hands. Maybe he'd relax enough to nod off for a few moments.

No such luck, still, felt good to have her touching him, even in such a simple way.

He'd return the favor afterward if she liked, though he thought since she put her hair back so often when she worked, leaving it as is was probably best.

Rogue continued to comb her fingers through his hair once there was no decoration left in it, making sure all the tangles were out and just enjoying the luxury of being able to touch him so freely. It was a gift that she appreciated more and more with each passing day.

It was soothing work, a calm settling over her as she carefully put in a number of extremely thin braids throughout his hair, adding a look of texture to the wild mane he liked to wear. The single larger braid was returned to its original spot, the significance of it still standing for her. "Only one like this," she murmured into the quiet around them as she finished that particular braid. "Because you're the only one... the only one I could be like this with."

And with that she was done. The decorative design had been simplified more than anything, not quite as ornate but still intricate. If he didn't like it, though, she would have no problem changing it or putting it back to the original way.

He listened quietly to what she said, and while she was free to take another mate as she pleased, it seemed she preferred him above all. He just hoped she'd understand, when the time came, that his devotion would be split between her and the queen. Though he supposed the worst that could happen would be ending up in a braid war.

When she finished, he opened his eyes and lifted a hand to his hair, feeling the new work, and the returned large braid. He looked up at her with a smile. "I like it" he grinned.

Rogue was fully aware that she could be intimate with anyone she pleased, and while she'd considered the possibility once or twice, it had never gotten very far before she set the idea aside. Todd was special in that he understood her in ways others couldn't - he'd seen her struggle with her fears, had helped her gain control of her abilities, and he could make her laugh in the best ways. She knew that the queen would be his priority, his time divided between them and likely not in equal measure. And while she wished that they could have continued as they had been for a little longer, it was more important to her that he had his queen, because that was best for him.

"I'm glad," she returned with her own smile before leaning down to press a kiss to his forehead. "I think I'll go back to bed now, unless you'd like me to keep you company."

He caressed her own braid as she leaned down. But shook his head when she asked if he wanted her to remain with him. "Sleep. Its been a long couple of days for you." he said.

Eventually he did rejoin her in bed to try and see if sleep would come to him at all. Not even a wink, and soon his crew were calling him away to his duties and he left her alone.

He was away from his chambers for most of the day, busy conversing with those also suffering insomnia as well as working on the list of wants they intended to put forward to Atlantis for the hive. They eventually found that the list was far too long and even if they did get even half of them approved, the power requirements calculated were too large to be handled.

So they reduced the list down to a select key upgrades that the hive could handle with its current power, and then a second slightly longer list of upgrades that could be accomplished if Naquadah generators were installed. ZPMs were out of the question unless they managed to acquire them themselves, and even then, they'd become a target for Atlantis to keep an ever-watchful eye on. But the generators would be enough to handle the upgrades while ensuring that the hive could not reach the Milky Way Galaxy within a Wraith's lifetime.

Cody was not part of the discussions and Todd had sent him to his chambers to see if Rogue was in need of anything as it was likely he'd not see her until dinner.

Rogue had been able to tell that Todd hadn't slept even after he'd rejoined her in bed. There had been some level of awareness of his being awake that kept her drifting between sleep and waking herself, and she was aware of when he finally left for the day. Normally she would get up when he did, but that day she took his warning to heart about someone on the ship needing to be well-rested - she stayed in bed a while longer and was actually still in her pajamas when Cody arrived at the door.

Walking more of the hallways was really how she should spend the day, she knew, but she just didn't feel like it. She was worried about Todd and the others and wanted to work it out on her own. Not that she didn't enjoy Cody's company, he was one of her favorites after, but she didn't think that her own company would be very pleasant. So she sent Cody off with her thanks and dressed for a run. Physical exercise helped her focus, and she ran until her legs wobbled and she couldn't possibly go another lap.

After she'd worn herself out, she'd changed again and put her workout clothes away for cleaning while she continued her study of the wraith language. It wasn't until dinnertime that she put her books away and went off to the kitchen, hoping the modified menu they'd come up with would work as well as they'd planned. They didn't need sleep-deprived hungry wraith on their hands, after all.

The new menu was another curve-ball the wraith would have to get used to, but the meals, while less elaborate, weren't less filling. Soups were the easiest to make do with few ingredients, and the chicken noodle they created was mostly made from ingredients partially used and in the fridge. Like leftover pasta and pan-cooked chicken from fajitas. Couple with some bread or crackers and they got along fine with dinner.

The fresh fruit was long gone, just the frozen quantities, which they had yet to find a large use for. No blenders so smoothies were not an option at the moment. Todd's creativeness for meals was dry, too occupied due to everything that had been done today. So he looked to Rogue for options.

Rogue had to stretch her own creative wings to come up with uses for some of their ingredients, but she was getting pretty good at it. Dinner that night was spicy chicken with sweet grilled pineapple and just a little rice on the side. The spiciness was tempered by the sweetness of the fruit, but still enough to curb their appetites. The leftover fruit was cut up for a salsa that could be used the next night - it wasn't as good as fresh, but they would make do. Other fruits could be used the same way, and when paired with different meats would taste completely different from each other. The leftover rice and chicken would go into a soup, nothing let go to waste.

They were running out of their most versatile ingredients, though, and if Atlantis wasn't able to resupply them with some things, life was going to get rather tricky on the trip back. As always, though, she'd do everything she could to keep the crew healthy and well-fed. She just wished there was something she could do to help with the insomnia issue.

She couldn't do everything, what she'd done and what she'd been doing was incredible in that of itself. Todd would tell her off for trying to be supergirl all the time if she mentioned it.

Despite the thinning ingredients, everyone went back to their quarters or posts afterwards with full stomachs.

Todd and Rogue left the cleaning crew to do their part and headed back to his chambers. Sparring might have been an option but unlike fighting after feeding on a human, having everything slosh around in a fight was potentially a bad idea.

After the busy day coupled with lack of proper rest, the commander pretty much made a beeline for the shower when they returned.

She knew she couldn't realistically do everything, but that wouldn't ever stop her from trying, no matter what Todd said to her on the matter. It was just who she was - when she cared about people, she did everything she could for them, and tried to do more than that.

Following Todd into the bathroom, she frowned for a moment, her concern returning full-force now that they were alone again. "You're exhausted," she observed, pointing out the completely obvious. "What can I do to help you relax?" She had some ideas of her own, of course, but if there was something in particular that he thought might help, she wanted to hear it.

He was worn, not exhausted. Exhausted would mean if he laid down, getting up soon after would not be possible. But he wasn't going to argue the details. Too exhausted.

He looked from the shower area to the tub and decided an actual bath might help more than the new shower. "Join me?" he requested, turning the faucet on and letting the tub fill as he worked his clothes off. He had to admit, sex might help him relax more, but for now, the bath would suffice.

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was this inspired by the insomnia meme?

hehe nope, didn't even see that that one had been posted until now

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