Part 1 - Fires of Revolution

Chapter 10 - Discovery

Miles and Gwen looked at each other in horror as the shadow of the USS Discovery seemed to grow ever darker in the fading light.

"What do we do?" Miles asked, knowing Gwen probably didn't have an answer either.

"Since it's doing nothing, we use the time to figure out the sword thing."

"That...seems like a good idea. Then what?"

"I fight Conall, giving you the chance to escape."

"Gwen, he'll kill you. I'm not going anywhere without you."

"And I can't let you die as well."

Gwen turned and walked back inside the room. She closed her eyes, pleading with fate to allow her to master her skills in time to save the boy she loved so dearly. Slowly, she crossed her arms and reached for the invisible hilts she knew had to be somewhere around her waist. There they were, like usual. She begged for them to be the perfect, razor-sharp blades that Conall could create so easily, although with her own fighting style in mind. She pulled on them. There was the sound of the blades grinding against their invisible sheaths. There was less resistance to the pull than usual. Miles gasped. His jaw dropped in awe. Gwen dared to open her eyes. In her hands were two perfect silver katana blades that glowed in the growing moonlight. No, it wasn't the moonlight. They were glowing themselves.

"You did it!"

Gwen twirled the blades. They were far lighter than they looked and moved with as much grace as would be expected from a katana. She aimed one blade in front of her, pointing its tip at Miles, before smoothly spinning round. Suddenly, she was aware of a presence behind her. The blade struck another sword. For a moment she believed it was Conall, but closer inspection revealed Aragorn.

"I see you are gifted with a blade. A surprise to be sure, from someone as young as yourself. I wish to know what that thing is outside." He said.

"It's a star ship. The USS Discovery. The Lord of the World Between Worlds has been pursuing us with it. It seems to have some sort of way to jump between the worlds." Explained Gwen, taking a step back and lowering her weapon.

"It is his ship?"

"No. It belongs to someone else. He just seems to be tagging along for the ride." Replied Miles.

"I see. Then we must fight."

"You can't. Even if you manage to find a way to hit it, it has shields which will absorb whatever you throw at it."

"We must find some way to destroy it. We will begin an attack at first light. I wonder if you shall join me. We may need every person able to wield a sword."

Miles and Gwen watched in fear as the sun burst over the tops of the mountains in the far distance.

"Release!" Yelled a voice.

The catapults lining the highest walls of the city hurled large rocks at the Discovery. Most fell short, but a single projectile struck the ship. A blue ripple appeared from Discovery's shields. Miles and Gwen were stood on the same level as the catapults. Gwen had her two katanas sheathed across her back, ready to be drawn if they were needed.

"They'll never break the shields with a single catapult." Miles muttered.

"We have no idea. Presumably their transporters are down cos we're still standing here. That means she hasn't docked since her fight with Enterprise. We don't know how much damage she and Voyager did." Gwen replied.

She wasn't entirely sure what she was talking about. All she needed was something to take her mind off things.

"Probably not much."

"Maybe she did something. There are marks on her hull."

Miles looked at where Gwen was pointing. She was right: a series of scorch marks could be seen on the saucer section.

"Perhaps there's hope for sticks and stones yet."

"Fire at will!" Shouted the voice again.

Another volley of rocks flew high into the air. This time three of the shots hit. The barrage became more and more steady. Soon almost every shot was landing on target. However, after a few minutes, Discovery began to back away. As it did so, energy bolts began to rain down on the city. Most were aimed at the catapults, but a few struck other places. Miles and Gwen ducked down beneath the wall, all too aware it would do nothing to protect them. Yet no shots landed anywhere near. Even the closest catapult remained intact. Walls crumbled, fires burst up all across the city, sending up plumes of smoke. When enough damage had been dealt, the rain of terror came to an end. The lone catapult hurled a projectile, but it missed by a long way. Miles noticed something: a fleet of black dots was descending from the ship. Aragorn had seen them too as a moment later, he came galloping past on a horse.

"To the gate!" He roared.

Other soldiers took up the cry and soon the metal-clad warriors were lined up by the ruins of the once grand city gate. The dots came in to land a short distance ahead. A group of people stepped off of each. Most notably was the one with a golden cape billowing out behind them in the wind: Conall. Aragorn, Gandalf and a handful of other soldiers galloped out to meet them on horses. There appeared to be a short exchange between the two parties before the horsemen returned to the city.

"Friends! Today we fight, not only for the good of our own kingdom, our own home. But for those others who these people have previously laid waste to! Stand! Soldiers of Gondor!"

The soldiers began to yell and jeer at the crew of Discovery. Miles noted Conall was wearing his full battle armour.

"Clearly he expected a fight."

"It's Conall. He looks for a fight."

A horn sounded from somewhere nearby; the lines of soldiers surged forwards, Gwen and Miles included. Gwen drew her katanas as the shuttle craft took-off. Smaller energy shots began to rain down on the charging mass. The crew of the Discovery also opened fire with their much smaller phasers. The soldiers of Gondor didn't seem to care. With each soldier that fell, they seemed to grow only stronger and more blood thirsty. Conall began to walk out towards the approaching army. As he did so, a shuttle craft tore down from the sky, hurling death at the people around Miles and Gwen. Suddenly, there was a screech from above. The pair, and many soldiers, looked up to see great eagles swooping down and tearing the shuttles apart faster than any energy weapon could ever have done. Miles turned to focus on the Discovery crew again. He realised he was hopelessly outmatched. All he had was a small dagger which Gwen had created for him. Looking up, he saw an eagle swoop overhead. Miles fired a single shot of webbing at it. The eagle's talon was caught and it hauled Miles into the sky. As soon as he was high enough, Miles released the web. Blue sparks crackled in his eyes and down his arms. A second later he struck a target, just ahead of the charging army. The woman was blasted backwards and knocked out cold. He spun around quickly and slammed his fist into the chin of another of his enemies as Gondor's army collided with Discovery's crew. Some of the crew turned and began to run away as their fellow crew members were slaughtered. Miles saw Gwen split a person in three with her two blades before leaping onto another. His thoughts wandered back to when she and the other spider people were pressuring him. A good metaphor came to mind, one that she had said.

"Can you swing and flip with the grace of a trained dancer."

It was with that grace now that Gwen tore apart those who opposed her. Miles was brought back to his senses by a panicked phaser shot near his ear. He wrapped the crew member up in webs and kicked another in the groin before leaping on their back and blasting them with his venom strike. He backflipped, drawing his knife and driving it into another enemy's neck. By this time, he noticed an empty circle had formed. The surviving Discovery crew members had turned and run for their lives. The only enemy left on the field was Conall. Miles pushed his way to the edge of the circle. Exactly as he feared: Conall and Gwen were circling each other. Both had swords drawn. Conall was going for a fair fight for whatever reason. Miles saw a grin spread on his face. He was going to enjoy killing her. All he wanted to do was jump in the way, to venom strike Conall. That was when he realised Conall was about to have his back to him. Miles charged up another venom strike, as powerful as he could. When Conall was directly in front, he leapt on him and slammed his charged hands into his head. The immortal was blasted across the ring. He dug his swords into the ground to slow down. When he stopped, he swung one blade up behind him to parry a strike from Gwen. His other flew up the other side of his back, but Gwen blocked it with her second blade. Conall was engulfed in golden flames. He zipped across the circle and stopped forming a triangle between the three fighters. He looked between his two enemies at the other two corners. Why were they fighting him? Why had they run? What had he done to them? He could easily have crushed them with telekinesis. Surely they would have realised by now he didn't want to hurt them? As he was eyeing up Gwen, a movement made him change his focus back to Miles. Miles had webbed another eagle and was swinging at him again with blue sparks surging down his arms. In a single second, Conall sheathed his two swords. A round shield appeared in his hands. Miles hit it with a venom shock. However, the shock backfired and sent him flying across the make-shift arena and into the crowd of Gondor's soldiers. Gwen was suddenly very aware of her fear as he disappeared amongst the silver helmets. Now it came down to her versus Conall as it was always going to. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She thought of the two people she loved and let her fear of what would happen to them, if she failed, coarse through her veins. That was when Conall did something she didn't expect. He spoke.

"It appears you've mastered your latest ability."

Gwen didn't reply. It was a trick. He was trying to distract her.

"Look, I get I might have freaked you out a bit by killing Octavius, but why would that make you run? You were safe with me. And now you've betrayed my trust."

Gwen had heard enough. She hurled one of her swords into the air, fired a web at an eagle and caught it again as she was pulled upwards. When the time was right she leapt at Conall, aiming the tips of the swords at him, along with her feet. Conall sighed.

"For the record, she forced my hand." He muttered to himself.

He raised his hand and clenched it into a fist. Immediately, Gwen was paralysed in mid-air. Conall hurled her at the ground and drew a single longsword. He lunged towards her. She raised one of her blades to block it. However, before Conall's struck hers, Miles' foot landed square in the side of Conall's head. Conall was knocked back a little, but recovered almost instantly. With his left hand he pinned Gwen to the ground, with his right he held Miles in the air by his throat, both using telekinesis. Miles squirmed frantically, Gwen tried to call his name, but Conall's telekinetic hand held her mouth shut. Miles' efforts to get free slowly began to grow weaker. Suddenly, a horse snorted behind Conall. He turned as it whinnied and slammed its feet down on him, knocking him to the floor and releasing the spiders. Gwen scrambled over to Miles' side. He gasped for breath, but he didn't seem to be hurt. She picked him up and carried him to the side of the arena. When she turned back, Conall and Gandalf were staring each other down.

"You realise my power is far beyond yours, wizard. Take your tricks back to your parties in the Shire, where they belong." Conall taunted.

"Go back to the abyss from whence you came, you foul, treacherous beast."

Conall raised his hand to hurl Gandalf aside, but Gandalf raised his staff, blocking Conall's telekinetic abilities.

"A challenge. Finally a good one. Better than hunting two kids."

He drew a single sword, and his shield re-appeared. Gandalf drew his own sword as he climbed down from his horse. Conall gave a smirk and launched himself into the air. Gandalf thrust his sword point and staff upwards. A shockwave burst from the staff, slowing Conall down. With the lower speed, he landed in front of Gandalf. He swung his shield up at the wizard and caught him in the chin. Gandalf regained his balance and swung his sword at Conall. He began to turn quickly, hitting out first with his sword, then staff. Conall quickly had the pattern worked out; he ducked the staff one last time then hurled his sword and shield away. With a thrust of his hand, Gandalf was snatched by his telekinesis. The wizard was thrown across the arena, then back again. Gwen saw Gandalf was losing, and so did everyone else. The soldiers began to boo and jeer. Gwen took the initiative: she grasped the handle of Conall's discarded sword and charged at him again. Conall spotted her from the corner of his eye. His other hand shot up, grabbing her around the throat. This time it was not telekinetic. He tightened his grip as the longsword glanced off his armour and clattered to the ground again. Gwen's vision slowly began to grow darker. This was it; she was going to die. And Miles would be scarred with the memory of seeing it. And what of her father? He would be devastated.

Conall dropped Gwen's limp body. He slammed Gandalf into the ground, forming a small crater. Miles felt tears forming in his eyes.

"Gwen!" He screamed as loud as he could.

He wanted to go to her, to find she was OK and that she had faked it to make Conall drop her. But if he did, Conall would kill him instantly. He lay sobbing on the ground, still short of breath from being choked. His violent sobs drowned out the sounds of what happened next for him. A massive warship exploded out of nowhere in a bright display of colours. Energy bursts slammed into the Discovery, shredding its shields in seconds. As they dropped and one of the nacelles shattered, two missiles appeared from behind hatches in the front. They struck the ship and exploded. When the smoke cleared, Discovery's wreckage slowly drifted to the ground. The main hulk crashed beyond the soldiers of Gondor. A second later, a blue beam of light hit the ground from the front of the warship. From it materialised a large, vaguely humanoid figure. His skin was purple, and his combat armour glowed gold. The purple titan gazed upon the scene before him. Conall didn't think twice. He would easily be able to crush Thanos, but his ship was beyond his tiring capabilities. A golden gateway appeared and he dashed through, closing it behind him. Thanos knelt down next to Gwen's broken body. He saw Miles sobbing into the churned up mud.

"I understand loss. I have felt it, and caused it many times before."

Miles, who's sobs were weaker and quieter now, looked up.

"Who are you?"

"I am Thanos. She is not dead."

Miles face burst into a display of hope immediately. He sprinted over to her side.

"She must be taken to my ship. You will come with me as well."

A few hours later, Miles was sitting alone with Gwen. She was breathing again, but was yet to wake up. There was a hiss as a door opened. Thanos entered, carrying a bowl containing some sort of stew. He handed it to Miles who took it gratefully.

"I suppose you have many questions, child?" The titan said, taking a seat.

"Some, yeah. Where did you come from?"

"I am one of many members of a resistance group."

"Resistance group? Resisting what?"

"Conall. The Lord of the World Between Worlds. King of the Dimensions. He goes by many names. He forces us to obey rules, kills us for failing to follow them. But all we seek is knowledge of the multiverse."

"Is it a big resistance?"

"It has grown in popularity after the destruction of the Inter Fissure machine. Our reasons for fighting are different. Our cause is the same. Some of us wish to conquer. Others wish to explore. Some others simply wish to find peace."

"What's the Inter Fissure machine?"

"The device you helped Conall destroy when you were working for him. You and your...girlfriend have been of interest to us. You know how Conall operates. There is a text called the Art of War in dimension 9633. In it, there is a line which says 'if you know your enemy, and you know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles'. Right now we do not know our enemy, and it will cost us many lives when the war begins."

Miles turned back to Gwen.

"We can tell you everything you want to know. But for the moment I want to be alone with her."

Thanos nodded and stood up.

"I understand. If you require anything, ask and I will try to provide."

The titan disappeared back through the door.

"You hear that Gwen? I think we may have found somewhere where we are safe."

He gently kissed her forehead, then closed his eyes and fell asleep in the chair.

Crossovers in this Chapter

- Star Trek
- Lord of the Rings
- Avengers