Part 2 - 'Til Death do us Part

Chapter 35 - The Time War

Miles and Gwen returned to their home dimension briefly as soon as they were back. Both were worried about their son Peter in case Ganke had messed up. However, it turned out Edward had realised they would be worried.

"Some nurse person came in their fancy uniform to check everything was fine yesterday. Said you were both missing in action." Explained Ganke.

"We were. But we got home, evidently." Replied Miles.

Gwen decided to pack another bag with things and disappeared.

"Hold on, if you can travel between dimensions, how do you go missing?"

"By getting lost in time."

"Ooh. Time travel, huh? What will you two get into next?"

"Hell is my best bet."

"What was it like, time travel?"

"Really...confusing. We went back five, almost six years to steal a computer from our younger selves. Unfortunately younger Gwen had some pretty snappy reactions. We got in a big fight, time machine got destroyed. Simple enough."

"Is it like Back to the Future?"

"No. Back to the Future is chill compared to the real thing."

"Wow..."

Gwen reappeared, a bag slung over her back.

"I packed our Ethereal suits, Miles."

"Did you have to?"

"We have to save Edward some pain. The poor guy has a symbiote."

"That's something with dimensional travel, Ganke: it's Christmas in our friend Edward's dimension."

"Really?"

"Yeah. He's having Christmas dinner with his friends tonight."

"You guys invited?"

"Yep. I'm carrying that squealy thing." Replied Gwen, double checking she had everything she intended to pack.

"Tell Edward I'm sorry he got a symbiote."

"Will do. Which dimension was it again, Miles?"

"4113." He replied, typing it into a small display on his wrist.

Their suits had the dimensional jump capabilities built in which allowed them to make trips like this.

"'Til next time, Ganke. And again, thanks for doing this."

"No problem. Once you work everything out, looking after him is quite fun, actually."

In a display of colour, the pair were back aboard the SGC Valour. An officer was waiting for them.

"Edward Melbourne sends his regards and asked me to show you both to your new quarters." They said with a quick salute.

"Great, but you guys are on a first name basis?"

It was the first time the spiders had heard an officer use his first name.

"He temporarily relieved himself of duty until he is confident he can do his job as Grand Admiral with the Venom symbiote."

"Oh...well lead the way."

A short walk brought them to brightly lit room. A large window displayed a view of ranks upon ranks of Sol Galactic Command starships. Gwen thought they looked sleeker and more powerful than the last time she had seen them three years ago. The officer left them alone and they collapsed onto the bed, almost in perfect sync.

"That was some serious deja vu." Muttered Miles.

"Yeah. We should probably get ready for this Christmas dinner. I doubt spider suits are what Edward was thinking with attire."

"He has more pressing issues than what people are wearing, but you're probably right."

"I just hope I'm right about recruiting Conall."

"Forget it for now. Enjoy life while you can."

"Either way I'll be dead at the end."

Miles rolled over and kissed her cheek.

"They say dead people live on in people's hearts. You won't be dead for a long time."

Edward's Christmas dinner was held in the briefing room opposite the transfer room. The desks had been rearranged into a small table. Plates were piled high with food. Miles and Gwen had dressed up in some relatively formal clothes, but not on the level of suits and ties. The Doctor was sitting in one seat wearing his usual attire. Two Sol personnel were also seated, one in uniform, the other in jeans and a t-shirt. Edward sat at the top of the table. He looked exhausted but gave them a smile. Once the pair were seated, the table was full. The ex-admiral picked up a glass of red wine and held it high.

"A little toast to another year almost done."

Everyone else raised their glasses in agreement. Some drank, others just put them down again, most likely because they didn't like red wine. Gwen noticed Edward take a sip and grimace before putting it down.

"Tuck in. We all know each other."

Miles recognised the two SGC people.

"Oh, I didn't recognise you both, Stanley and Lisa!" He exclaimed, putting a couple of bits of turkey on his plate.

The pair smiled at him happily. They had designed Gwen and Miles' new suits during the war with Conall.

"Great to see you too! How's life treating you?" Replied Lisa.

"So, so. You?"

"Full of numerous innovations. Say, Edward. Can we talk about the latest project?"

Edward shook his head.

"Oh well." Said Stanley.

Edward turned away for a few seconds, whispering something to himself, or more likely Venom.

"There's the collider which we're helping out with, but that's mostly the work of the engineering team." Said Lisa.

"You know, Miles. It's quite funny it all started with a collider and that's how it'll end." Said Gwen quietly.

Miles picked up she was beginning to slip back into the grasp of depression again.

"I don't think it will end with the collider. Once we've trapped Helltreader we have to work out how to kill him."

"It will for me."

Lisa frowned.

"Why's that?"

"I thought everyone would know about my deal with the devil by now."

"At Sol, rumours don't spread like wildfire. It's called discipline. Anyway, let's change the subject. Venom is getting grumpy." Edward replied in a dreary voice.

"This is good turkey." Said the Doctor.

"I hope so. It cost me a good few coupons to replicate."

Miles was about to agree when there was a beep from Edward's com badge. The ex-admiral wasn't in uniform but was wearing the insignia. He tapped it.

"Edward Melbourne speaking."

"We're receiving a trans-dimensional distress call from Gallifrey."

The Doctor put his cutlery down.

"What's the situation? Is it Helltreader?" Asked Edward.

"Not sure. All they know is the Daleks are the main force. They're focusing on the Citadel. The units landing are attempting to breach the Cloisters."

The Doctor stood up instantly.

"What's the plan, captain?" Said the ex-admiral.

"We're going to send the fleet through."

The Doctor shook his head.

"Don't waste your time." He said, plucking the badge from Edward's chest and talking into it.

"Err..."

"I'll sort this myself."

The local Time Lord sprinted through the door leaving the dinner party behind. Edward pursed his lips then picked his badge up again.

"Let the Doctor handle it. It's Melbourne again."

"Shouldn't we go and help him?"

Edward stood up.

"I'm coming to the bridge."

He looked at Gwen and Miles.

"You two with me, and bring those squeaky things if you have them."

Gwen pulled her's out her pocket as the trio sprinted to the bridge.

The captain was waiting for them. She made to salute Edward but remembered the admiral wasn't on duty.

"The TARDIS is already gone. The tracker in it has gone crazy."

"Where does it say the Doc is now?"

"1183. Time: now."

"Take the Valour and her escort there." Edward ordered.

The captain shook her head.

"I'm giving the orders now, Melbourne."

"Oh...yeah...sorry."

"Helm, take us to 1183. Bring the admiralty escort."

"Aye." Replied the officer at the helm.

The SGC Valour and a small number of other ships were swallowed by a multicoloured display of colour.

On the other side, the viewscreen was filled with an image of a planet, yet there was no sign of any fighting. The ships were hovering over a platform of some kind. Edward and the captain agreed to order the spiders to transfer down to it. When Miles and Gwen's vision returned they found themselves standing behind an arrow of people. One of them, the Doctor, turned. His expression was serious, but there was a hint of relief.

"Doctor? Who is everyone?" Asked Gwen.

"They're all me."

"What's happening?"

"We saved Gallifrey."

"How?"

Another of the Doctor's incarnations looked around.

"Oh! Hello! You're the spider people!"

"Doctor, how did you save Gallifrey?" Pressed Miles.

"By freezing it in a single moment, like a painting." Started the eleventh incarnation.

"Which means Helltreader can't get the Subtle Knife from the Cloisters." Finished the tenth, the one whom the spiders had been working with.

"What about the Daleks? And how did you do it so quickly?"

"Time travel. I took the long way round. For you it was as if someone snapped their fingers and it happened."

"As for the Daleks, they wiped each other out with their own crossfire." Added the eleventh.

"It looks quite nice here, actually. A big golden frame would be a nice touch."

The spiders peered past the Doctors at the planet below. Miles glanced up and saw the group of seven SGC ships hovering overhead.

"You know, Doctor. I think Christmas dinner will be getting cold."

"Well we can always go back a bit, or stick it in the oven again. But I'd best be off."

The tenth Doctor told the full story when he got back to the fleet.

"So...1183 is a pocket universe?" Asked the captain.

"Yep. It's all very messy."

"The Subtle Knife is safe?" Asked Edward.

"Nearly completely out of reach. It's in a painting in the Black Archive beneath London, 9728."

"That's...not very safe."

"Oh trust me. Helltreader won't find it in a gazillion years."

After finishing Christmas dinner, Miles and Gwen were tucked up in bed back at their quarters. Both were exhausted.

"Miles, if Helltreader is making allies, how long will this last?"

"No idea. But with a time machine I guess it can be as short or long as we want."

"The Doctor wouldn't let us use the thing freely."

"Of course not. I never said that."

"I must be going crazy."

"Going?"

Gwen chuckled. She rolled over to face Miles.

"What do you think happened to the people on Gallifrey?"

"They'll be fine somewhere in time. To them it'll look like the Daleks just disappeared. It'll be a mess. But...you know...people rebuild."

She snuggled up a little closer to him.

"Who do you think Helltreader will go to next?"

Dimension 7065, New York:

A group of people were picking their way across ruins. The remains of a Reaper towered high above them, replacing what had once been a skyscraper. Suddenly, one of them gave a shout. The rest of the group turned to see what they were pointing at. A ring of fire blazed in the twilight. From it emerged a person who's face wore countless scars. The group raised their weapons, mostly assault rifles and shotguns but a few clutched knives. The person's voice was deep and threatening. They stood almost a foot above even the tallest in the group.

"I come in peace. A person has done this to you and your world. Who was this person?" They said, gazing across the group.

"Spiderwoman!" Someone shouted.

"How would you like the chance to avenge those you love? All you have to do is work with me and she will be all yours."

There was some murmuring then the leader stepped forward, pulling a knife from their belt and cutting the palm of their hand. The person smiled. A flaming knife appeared which they used slit their own hand before shaking the leader's.

"We have a deal."

The middle of a radioactive wasteland:

The person with scars walked out into the sand from a gateway. Another staggered out an old bunker.

"Morlun. Your family are hungry, are they not?" Asked the person.

"We starve. Radioactive spiders are nothing on the feast which is a Totem." Replied Morlun.

"Then join me and you shall feast forever more."

"There is no choice in that. You have allies with us."

Crossovers in this Chapter

- Doctor Who