WWA-based one-shot.

Disclaimer: The Game was active between 2009 and 2011, way back as you can see. Obviously views and opinions change over the years. If you happen to encounter something that you don’t agree with, please consider that these texts are old. Don’t take these seriously as they were written with a light-hearted humour in mind.

After the snowball fight, Vincent accompanied Chaya to the mainland’s stargate. Keeping up with her proved to be difficult as she had challenged him to a race once more. She obviously needed an outlet for all that pent-up ascended energy. Spending millennia guarding a single planet can become pretty boring, I suppose, Vincent thought as he sped past Copelandia’s highest mountain range, following Chaya who was only a speck of bright light in the distance.

As they reached the plain that held the planet’s gate, the late afternoon sun painted the landscape golden, and there was no flake of snow to be seen anywhere. To Vincent’s surprise, Chaya materialised in front of the DHD instead of simply dialing the gate using her telekinetic powers. Minding his manners, Vincent conjured up his body around him and stood beside her because it seemed only polite to talk to her face to face.

Chaya smiled, looking a bit shy and forlorn without the hubbub and excitement of the frolicking group of Wraith and worshippers, all too conscious they were alone now.

“You have made progress,” Vincent observed, grinning, to break the silence. “The first time you saw a Wraith materialise you didn’t smile.”

“Maybe I’ve just gotten used to your ghastly appearance,” she smirked, then she became serious. “Kidding aside, I thank you for making the effort to shift my paradigms. I have much to think about when I get home.”

Running one long, elegant finger absentmindedly over the smooth, dark surface of the DHD, Chaya gazed down at the domed blue activation crystal. Apparently captivated by the engraved symbols, she didn’t look at Vincent as she continued in low, thoughtful tones. “For too long I have held a grudge against your kind, far too long. I cannot count the lives I have taken while protecting Proculus; all those hive ships I destroyed. Never seeking for a way to talk.” She looked up, the expression in her caramel eyes hard and enquiring.

“I don’t blame you,” Vincent replied to her unspoken question. “To be honest, I doubt many hives would have wanted to negotiate with you.” With a shrug that didn’t nearly feel as casual as it should, he sighed. “Even our alliance is still frowned upon by many Wraith factions. In fact, we have been attacked by hostile hives in the past, so my kind has still a long way to go, same as most humans… and Ancients.”

At that, she lowered her head. “It’s a beginning at least.” Pressing the buttons, she gazed over at the gate where the first blue chevrons lit up and the symbols along its inner edge gleamed in fast rotation. Round and round – Vincent couldn’t count the times he had seen this process yet it still fascinated him. Though not as much as the Ancient woman standing next to him, laying her slender hand on the blue crystal and pushing it down.

The whirling vortex of antimatter exploded out of the gate and cast dancing blue lights on Chaya’s face as she turned around to face him. “You may come to Proculus at any time. Now that I know who you are, I promise I won’t attack you again,” she told him with a smile.

“That’s a relief,” Vincent said. “Well, in that case I will return the invitation: if it ever gets too boring on Proculus, you can come over and have another snowball fight. Or we could visit one of the hive ships – you haven’t seen them yet. The zoo, the remote control car racing track, the chill-out hi– Oh, wait, no. That’s a bad idea.”

Raising an eyebrow, Chaya looked interested. “The chill-out what? Whatever that is, I want to see it the next time I’m here.”

“Um. Maybe.” Vincent squirmed, not sure how Chaya would react to the idea of chocolate-coated Wraith shackled to potted plants.

“Another reason to return here,” Chaya grinned and began to glow. Suddenly her arm shot forward, just as her form was dissolving, and something white and very cold hit Vincent square in the face.

With a muffled yelp, Vincent wiped at his face. Snow! She’d conjured up a snowball!

Exhilarated ascended giggling floated over to him and he saw her disappear into the watery surface of the wormhole. “Just wait – when you come back I’ll take revenge!” He yelled after her, laughing.

The connection shut down and the wormhole vanished, and Vincent stood and shook his head. “Just wait,” he murmured, smiling, before turning into a cloud of white light and racing upwards into the blue darkness of Copelandia’s orbit.