Part 1 - Fires of Revolution

Chapter 22 - The High Aether

It was the middle of the night. Miles was fast asleep. Suddenly, he was awoken by his door beeping. He groaned and slowly crawled out of bed to open it. Edward was standing outside, a look containing far too many emotions on his face.

"You woke me up." Miles complained.

"I'm sorry. I'm supposed to be asleep as well right now, if you'll note my choice of clothes."

Miles realised Edward was in his pyjamas, his uniform jumper thrown on top.

"So, why wake me up? I hope it's something important. I'm kinda going through a rough spot and sleep helps, apparently."

"I know you are. That's one of the reasons I woke you. I heard you tried to throw yourself out an airlock?"

"It didn't work."

"Clearly. It's still a mystery to all of use why the world between worlds has air. In fact, it's a mystery why it even exists in the first place. You aren't going to try that again, are you?"

"No. I had a wake-up slap when the Borg were here."

"Good. That's good."

"You want to come in? You look like you're about to fall asleep standing up."

"There's little point. You'll need to come with me in a moment. But before you do, there's something else I need to say. We're going up to my office. There's something, or rather someone there who'll kind of shock you."

"Who?"

"You'll see. Come on."

Miles followed Edward up to his office.

When the admiral and spider reached the office door, Edward knocked on it and poked his head through.

"He's here." He said to whoever was inside.

The door opened fully and Edward strode through. Miles took a step inside and stopped, his eyes wide with shock at the person sitting in the chair in front of him

"Gwen? Is it really you?"

She looked almost the same as she had before except for a metal implant above her left eyebrow. She looked scared.

"It's me." She said quietly.

Miles took a couple of steps over to her and pulled her to her feet before hugging her tightly. She gave a grunt of pain. Miles took a step back.

"Sorry. Did I hurt you?"

"A little. I've kind of just had a bunch of Borg stuff pulled out my body."

Miles sighed and pressed his lips to hers, being careful not to hurt her. When they pulled apart again, she seemed a lot happier.

"Why did you look so worried a moment ago?" He asked.

"I was scared you wouldn't love me anymore. I mean...I'm half a walking psycho robot."

"Why does that matter? You're still you to me."

Edward gave a cough from his seat behind the desk.

"I hate to interrupt but we're kind of on a tight schedule here."

"What do you mean?" Asked Gwen.

"I'm sure you've noticed our new friends."

"Yeah. Who are they?" Asked Miles.

"Sit. I'll tell you. They're a race called the Quintari, one of SGC's closest allies. They're also an extremely ancient race. I've no idea how, but relics of their civilisation date back almost a hundred billion years, older than my dimension."

"That's older than Conall." Breathed Gwen.

"Perhaps; which is quite confusing. Anyway, back to the point of this: the High Aether has requested to speak with you both. He didn't say why. But I must tell you he is the Quintari equivalent of a king, and has been for almost a millennium. He's extremely wise, and will read you like a book. When you walk into the room, leave your secrets at the door. If you have any, of course."

The two spiders exchanged a look.

"Why us?"

"Again, he didn't say why. But nobody questions his requests if they know what's good for them. Come on, he's expecting you both in a couple of minutes."

Two minutes later, Edward tapped the panel next to a door. They heard the familiar beeps, then a voice telling them to enter. Edward stepped aside and Miles and Gwen entered. Immediately, they knelt down in respect. The door hissed shut. The High Aether was sitting in a chair facing away from them, his top limbs holding the top of a wooden staff. He stared out the window at the armada of ships.

"Rise, son and daughter of Earth. Sit with me."

The pair stood up and slowly took seats next to the Aether. The Aether said nothing for over a minute. Gwen opened her mouth slowly, but the Aether read her like a book, just as Edward had said.

"I have summoned you both as there are many things we must discuss. I know the hour is late, and the night grows old. But some things must be said before they are forgotten. Tell me, Gwendolyn Maxine Stacy, what is it like to be assimilated into this...Collective."

Gwen was a little surprised by the question. She shivered, reliving the feeling of the Borg assimilation tubes penetrating her neck.

"It's...horrible, your majesty. You're left with nothing of your former self. All the voices...it's like being stuck in a...I'm not sure what to compare it to."

"Hmm..."

Silence fell again for a moment, before the Aether spoke again.

"And Miles Gonzalo Morales, how did it feel when she was assimilated?"

"Terrifying. I thought I would never see her again. It was like a part of me was missing. At one point I thought the only way I could be with her again was in death. I tried to kill myself, only to find the world between worlds is one massive ocean of air."

Gwen turned to face him.

"You...tried to kill yourself?"

"I had nothing left."

She slipped her hand into his and held it tightly. She tried to find words, but none came. She wanted to hold him close and to never let go again, but felt it would be inappropriate in the presence of the High Aether. The Aether chuckled.

"Love is a truly wonderful thing, yet truly terrifying. Many peoples travel the stars preaching that it is the only way, yet it is as destructive as it is constructive. It is like a poison, to which it is its own antidote. Your love for each other brings hope to those that have none. It is a symbol of unity, unbroken by the hatred of those who strike at you. The future is bright so long as you are true to each other. Miles, you may not have all the powers and strengths which Gwen has inherited, but without you she would still be one with the Collective."

"Your majesty, I don't understand. I had no part in the rescue."

"Ah, son of Earth. But you did. It was seeing your grief which made your friends so desperate to find a way to get her back. Gwen, you may have all the powers which Conall must now greatly regret giving you, but still you need Miles. He is who you fight for. If you have nobody to fight for, you have no fight. You are the sword and shield. But what are those without a warrior to wield them? Now, speaking of Conall, there are things to discuss of him. It is not only wisdom I wish to give you both tonight, but knowledge."

The Aether moved one of his middle limbs and picked up a black, white, magenta and teal ball studded with six colourful gems: Gwen's suit. Gwen sat forward in her chair, still holding Miles' hand.

"Gwen, will you open this for me on the table? I understand its workings, but it is coded to your hands only."

Gwen took the ball and pressed it to the table. After a few seconds of pressure, it morphed into her suit with the Infinity Stones on each of the six lower legs of the teal spider.

"The Ethereal Plate: create it for me."

Gwen double tapped the hourglass. The stones shot upwards into the hollow diamond and the plate formed. The Aether sat forwards. One of his hands slowly reached for it.

"Careful, you majesty! Those things kill."

The Aether chuckled as his hand pulled the plate from the suit. It had no effect on him.

"Conall and you are not the only ones capable of holding these. They are relics of a time long gone. I trust that you know there is one for each dimensional stream. Three are broken into shards. The Plate of Infinity, or this one. The Plate of Eden is another, of which you have encountered a single fragment. The final is the Plate of Imagination, from the sixth stream. The other seven are their whole selves. Many seek their power for the purpose of conquest. But the Plates do not bend to the will of those who wield them. The Plate of Power drives its wielder to the edge of sanity, even to this day."

"Conall." Breathed Miles.

"Precisely. His power is not natural. He is far younger than he tells you, merely a few thousand years old. Once, long ago, he sought to learn the secrets of the Plates. A young Ancient Greek philosopher from dimension 9633. As he worked more and more, becoming older and wiser, he began to fear death. Discovering the Plate of Power could bestow its wielder with immortality and great power, he travelled between the dimensions using magic known only to a few. Finally he found it, and it chose him worthy to wield it. He always kept it in contact with him until one day he woke up and it was gone. Over the next few weeks he discovered it had merged with him: he had become immortal. The plate fused with his DNA turning him into a creature of incredible power. That power slowly corrupted him. He took the place he felt was rightfully his and branded himself the guardian of the multiverse. He ruled it with an iron fist, and still does."

"Your majesty...how did him injecting me with his blood make me capable of wielding the Plates?" Gwen asked.

"It did not. It merely brought you to the attention of the other Plates. Those plates deemed you worthy, seeing Conall for what he truly was."

"What about my ability to summon weapons?" She pressed.

"That ability was indeed passed to you through Conall's DNA. You wield weapons from his power. It would be wiser to wield them from your own."

"I don't understand."

"It is something you must learn. But heed the tale of Conall. Do not obsess over the Plate, for it brings only corruption to even the best of us. You will become like him: a creature seeking nothing but to be a god."

It was Miles' turn to speak.

"I looked in a mirror with Lady Galadriel before Middle Earth was destroyed. It showed me a lot of things."

"That mirror was powerful. It could foresee much of the future. Yet its sight was narrow."

"It showed me Gwen turning dark, almost evil. After she was assimilated, I thought for a bit that was what it foresaw. Was that correct? Or was it foreseeing her turning into Conall?"

"What you saw was what would happen in the near yet far future should you fail to defeat Conall. It is what will happen to Gwen should she bow to the power of the Ethereal Plates."

Gwen squeezed Miles' hand.

"How do you know all this?" She asked.

The Aether chuckled.

"This question was bound to come up. The Quintari are an ancient race of warriors."

"Like Klingons? From Star Trek. And apparently somewhere in the multiverse." Suggested Miles.

"No. The Klingons fight for the honour of death in battle. The Quintari fight in life so that we may die in peace, and so our children may live in peace. We are ancient, over a hundred billion years old. Our species were the first species in the multiverse. We lived in the world between worlds. That is why it is filled with air. We are the true holders of the title of guardians of the multiverse, not Conall."

"If you protect the multiverse then why did you not kill Conall before now?"

"Because Conall was not seen as a threat. That was until Edward Melbourne showed us who he truly was. Now we have come to fight, to retake our title from Conall. Conall may claim to be the wolf, but what is a wolf to a dragon?"

The room fell into silence again. The Aether turned to face them. Miles saw his face properly for the first time. His eyes were black, his nose flat against his face. His ears were little more than bumps on the side of his head.

"You are both weary. Not from exhaustion, but of defeat. You need time away from the war, time to spend together. Time to be friendly neighbourhood spider people. I shall explain to Edward and the High Council. I believe it is the festival known as Christmas in your home dimensions."

"The High Council will never agree to that, your majesty. They need her too much." Replied Miles, being realistic, but wishing for what the Aether offered.

"They will agree. If they do not then this war is lost. Now go, son and daughter of Earth. You must sleep tonight. Your...'shore leave' will begin tomorrow. Go where you please."

The Aether placed the Ethereal Plate back in Gwen's suit. The magenta trim lit up again. Gwen double tapped the hourglass, breaking it down again, then turned it back into a ball with the palm of her hand.

"Thank you, your majesty."

"Yes, thank you." Agreed Miles.

"Goodnight."

Miles and Gwen returned to their quarters. Gwen climbed into her bed and shivered. She fell asleep quickly. In her dream, she was in the Borg Collective again, listening to the billions of voices. She could see Miles through her tinted vision. Suddenly, a hand...her hand came up to his neck and stabbed him with assimilation tubes. She woke up with a cry. Miles was at her side in and instant.

"You're OK. You're safe." He said reassuringly.

Gwen looked at him.

"Stay with me. I don't want to leave you again."

She tugged his hand. He understood and crawled into the bed with her. She snuggled up close to him. He was warm. His presence comforted her, and it comforted him as well. When they were close like this she felt like nothing could tear them apart.

Crossovers in this Chapter

- Star Trek