AN: Firstly...0ver 300 reviews! air kisses to you all! Thank you all, SO MUCH! Please continue to comment, your encouragement and feedback really do feed my mutant, saber-toothed plot skwerls! (they have very voracious appetites)
As before * is borrowed transcript from Stargate episode 9.20 "Camelot" This is the last chapter that will follow canon so closely. There will be a few lines here or there after this, but it starts going a lot more AU after this chapter. {1} is borrowed transcript from Merlin episode 3x13 The Coming of Arthur part 2. Neither are mine, just the twisted way I add them to my plot!
Hope the new year is treating you all well! Huge thanks to Nance for proofing (any remaining errors are my own), IcarusLSU for making me laugh with the damn toilet bowl comment.
Alrighty, for all my fellow Gaters...you probably have a clue about what's to come. For the non-Gaters- hold onto your hats, this chapter is going to take you on a ride! If you thought the last chapter's cliffhanger was intense...um...yeah...not saying anything else.
AWanderersHaven: Oh it'll be this chapter for that one... :D Thank you so much for all catch-up reviews! I'd been worried I lost you somewhere along the way, glad to know things are going well for you. They really made me smile!
Shelle-ma-belle: YAH! Thank you so much for being number 300! I'll see what I can do about your request.
Nance: Well, you have found an easy way to get through the crowds on a train now! ROFL
Flamie: LOL thinking I should run and hide from you at the end of this chapter.
Aerist: I love that you love this story! hmm as you know, I always plant seeds along the way...even if I don't get back to them for a while hehe.
Everyone else who has read, faved, and followed: I would love to hear from you, either by comment or PM! Thanks!
Nearly every inch of the floor around the platform was instantly filled with treasure, as Daniel pushed the final sequence on the square panels of the device. He shared a look with Merlin. They had done it.
An echoing voice filled the room. The image of an elderly man in pale, silk robes, and a matching conical hat that was bent at the top, stood before them. The only item of importance Merlin noticed was a large, dark red stone hanging from a gold chain around the image's neck.
"Greetings, friend. I am Merlin."* The hologram announced in a pleasant voice.
"Yes, you are."* Daniel responded in awe.
"No, he's not." Merlin snorted derisively.
"He was an Ancient, and much older than you. So, I'm thinking that in this circumstance...yes, he is."
"Well, he's not here. He's probably dead. So, no he's not. His name was Moros, by the way."
Daniel shook his head and bit his tongue. "He's not dead. He Ascended."
"Then descended again, according to you and the Nox, before disappearing...and it's my name now."
Daniel relented with an exasperated sigh. "Okay, fine. You're Merlin. He's a hologram of an Ancient you were probably named after."
Pausing for a moment to think Daniel's words through, Merlin found he couldn't argue, "Hmm...good point."
"Glad to see you're feeling better."
"Isn't it, though?" He was awake, and pushing through the pain. He wouldn't say it was actually better, but he wasn't about to admit that to the archaeologist.
The hologram had played through its initial message, and began repeating it again. "The prize you seek, like the pendulum swing, marks the passage of all that is before you."*
Daniel keyed the microphone on his radio. "Mitchell, we did it! Is the Black Knight gone?"*
Mitchell's voice came through. "Not exactly!"*
"I don't understand."* He stared at the control panel. "We got the treasure, and activated the hologram."*
"Try a different code!"* The Colonel yelled through the radio.
Even before Mitchell suggested it, Merlin and Daniel were already working at inputting a variety of combinations.
Arthur was brilliant trading blows against the hologram, but nothing seemed deter the knight. While the sword from the stone was able to halt the swings from the knight's blade, it did no visible damage to the knight itself.
The villagers stared in awe at the blond man fighting gallantly against the knight. Mitchell had witnessed Arthur's skill first hand, but he now realized that what he had seen before was nothing compared to what he was witnessing.
With the skill and confidence of a warrior, similar to the Sodan, and an expert with his chosen weapon, Arthur's swordsmanship was truly without equal. The sparring they had done on Earth, was obviously nothing more than child's play to the former king. Mitchell choked when he remembered Arthur mentioning that he felt Gwaine was even better one-on-one than he was.
The Colonel was definitely going to have a talk with his buddy when they got back to Earth. If Gwaine was going that easy on him, Mitchell wanted to see more.
The hologram wasn't showing any signs of fatigue or injury, but as a human, Arthur was. They needed the knight deactivated...and soon.
"Jackson, you need to do something!" Mitchell yelled into the mic.
Arthur swung mightily at the knight, and in the mud, became off-balance when the sword hit nothing but air. He tripped and fell, feeling the exhaustion of not having faced a true battle in what seemed like ages.
The knight was suddenly on top of him, ready to strike. In a last desperate bid, Arthur thrust his sword upwards, and stabbed it straight through the center of the knight.
The hologram disappeared.
It took a moment for the villagers, and even Arthur to understand what had happened.
"Nice timing, Jackson." Mitchell soft voice was filled with admiration.
"Wasn't me." Daniel admitted reluctantly. "It was Merlin."
(moments earlier...)
"Jackson, you need to do something!" Mitchell yelled into the mic.
Daniel looked at the panels. He'd already tried every combination he could think of.
Merlin held his hands over them, trying to sense any sort of connection. He felt a glimmer of something near the base of the platform. "What's that?"
"The control crystals! Right!" Daniel crouched down and pushed a hidden button. A tray filled with crystals popped out, and the archaeologist looked at them in confusion. "Uh...Usually Sam deals with these things..."
"Bloody hell." Merlin grunted and pulled Daniel out of the way. "Líget!" He shot his hand out towards the crystals and a bolt of of electricity arced from his palm.
Sparks flew as the crystals shattered, and the room went dark.
Blue eyes stared into the crystal, turning it one direction, and then the other. He was able to feel the threads of power fading away. Leon had mentioned the data crystals, but Merlin hadn't thought much about them since. He'd also read about them as being the controlling factor in how the Stargate, and other devices of alien nature worked. He never considered putting those pieces together with the crystals he was familiar with. The diminishing aura of the shard he held in his hand finally brought the idea to light.
The Crystal Cave...hidden deep within the Valley of Fallen Kings, and shrouded not only by his magic, but now he believed, also by alien shielding technology. It all made sense really, when he thought about it. Gwaine had told him about the Stargate hidden there, different from almost any other he had seen; accessed by accident the first time, and it seemed like by luck the second.
Merlin had lived long enough, that he didn't believe in luck. Everything that had led up to this point, gave credence to the idea that it was all more than just coincidence.
His eyes lifted to meet Arthur's.
The blond man was chuckling softly. "You really did a number on these." He commented in a lighthearted tone. Merlin saw the concern, though, behind his friend's eyes. "How are you feeling? Dr. Jackson said you used a spell to destroy the crystals."
The warlock shrugged, "Actually, not as bad as I thought I would. I haven't actually used a verbal incantation for a spell that simple in...Well, I can't really remember the last time. It didn't seem to drain me as much as the magic has been doing. "
"Well, the others are looking for a pendant or something. They think it's the answer to the riddle the hologram told you."
Merlin saw Jackson and Mitchell searching through the troves of treasure that now littered the room. "It won't be here." Arthur raised his eyebrow skeptically. Merlin explained, "Just a feeling I have. Look, if it was me...there's no way I'd have left something like that here. This was too easy to get to; too easy to shut down. It was just a clue to what they're looking for."
A few hours later, and Mitchell was becoming flustered by the fruitless search through the mounds of gold and jewels. "It's got to be here! Look, I once lost my car keys in my apartment for three days…"*
"Colonel Mitchell?"* Meurik's voice called pensively from the door.
"Hi, uh, come on in. Don't be afraid. Black Knight's not coming back."*
Some of the villagers cautiously followed their governor into the room. Their eyes filled with wonder at the sight of the treasure.
"It's all yours." Mitchell informed Meurik, waving his hand around the room.
The governor looked shocked. "You do not wish to claim a prize for defeating Merlin's Champion?"*
Merlin bit the inside of his cheek. He couldn't wait to be off this planet. These people were pawns, the likes of which he hadn't seen in generations. Sharing a glance with Arthur, he shook his head.
Arthur rolled his eyes and tuned back to the conversation Mitchell and Daniel were having with the governor.
"Well, there was one thing we were looking for, but we can't find it."*
Daniel took a few long steps over to where Merlin was flipping through one of the thicker books from the library. He took it out of the warlock's hands. "Actually, maybe you can help us."*
A protest formed on Merlin's tongue, but he decided to let it go. It wasn't worth starting an argument over, and if the villagers had an idea where the item might be, then it was worth the minor inconvenience.
"Do you recognize this?"* Daniel asked Meurik, showing him a picture of Moros wearing the pendant.
Meurik nodded, "It is the Sangraal. It is also known as the Blood Stone."
Daniel and Mitchell began arguing about the supposed Sangraal. Mitchell was certain it was a cup of some sort, to which the archaeologist tried to explain that it wasn't necessarily true.
Blinking rapidly, Meurik gave up attempting to follow their banter. "If this is what you seek, you will not find it among these trinkets. Arthur and his knights left to quest for the Sangraal long ago."*
Arthur's jaw clenched. Even after defeating the Black Knight, the people of this town refused to believe he was the real Arthur, and it was quickly becoming a sore spot.
"Do you know where they went?"* Mitchell asked hopefully.
Arthur and Merlin moved closer, eager to hear.
"Of course. It is said that they journeyed to three distant lands mentioned in Merlin's prophecy: Castiana, Sahal, and Vagonbrei."*
Mitchell looked at Daniel, waiting to see if his teammate recognized the names.
"If they were part of one of Merlin's prophecies, then any one his books could hold the key to what we're looking for."*
"The books upstairs? Jackson, that's days...weeks...to find the proper reference, and then there's no guarantee that we're going to be able to track him down.* Unless..." The Colonel's eyes turned toward Merlin.
The warlock cringed at the idea of magically scouring through the entire library again.
"Searching for Arthur's whereabouts in this library is not necessary. Now, we've been given a sign that Arthur will return soon." Meurik said with a smile, though he refused to make eye contact with the blond man of the Tau'ri, who was glaring daggers at him. "...And you are welcome to stay with us and wait. As the men who conquered Merlin's Curse, you will be given a place of honor."*
"Look. Once and for all, there was no curse. Okay?"* Even Daniel was getting agitated by the blinders these people refused to remove, when the truth was right before their eyes. "This? This is a device. It's a machine. It's like a flour mill or a catapult. It's just a lot more complicated. There is no magic."*
A familiar beam of light engulfed the four men. They blinked and found themselves on the bridge of yet another ship.
Daniel huffed out a breath. "Boy, my timing's off today."*
"Ever consider that it's a sign to stop attempting to explain magic?" Merlin smiled mischievously.
They turned around and faced the Command Chair when a man's voice with a thick Russian accent spoke. "Colonel Mitchell. Doctor Jackson. Welcome aboard the Korolev."*
"Leon! Another ship just arrived..." Percival watched as the vessel, obviously one of Earth origin, suddenly disappeared into hyperspace. "...and it's gone."
"Damn it!" Leon shouted, his eyes shifted from the console in front of him to the window. "Merlin and Arthur's signals are gone!"
"What?"
The two men had been waiting in Leon's cloaked ship, above the planet for Merlin to contact them. They had become concerned when the first Earth ship had dropped out of hyperspace, and the signals had jumped from the planet to the vessel. After a few moments, it appeared they were set back down on the planet.
Leon had expected the warlock to make contact with them shortly thereafter, when the other ship left orbit. Hours had passed, with no word. He didn't want to compromise his own anonymity, but he was becoming concerned. The moment he had left his seat to prepare to teleport down himself and find out what was going on, was the same moment Percival alerted him to the second ship.
"Set a course to track it and follow them." He told Percival.
The other knight held up his hand, and pointed out the window, just as a Goa'uld Mothership came into orbit.
"What the frack is going on?" He sat staring at the ship. It looked like a large pyramid from near the Holy Lands on Earth, made of gleaming gold metal, and the bottom half surrounded by bulkheads and engines, jutting out in a dark gray contrast. "We can't jump to hyperspace now, without them detecting us. Lets back off slowly and try to get out of range of its sensors. Then, plot a course after the Earth ship from there."
"We won't be able to tell where they drop out of hyperspace, though." Percival commented, sharing in his friend's concern.
Leon cursed again. "We'll have to drop out every couple of hours and hope we can find them. I'm going to modify the sensors to pick up as much subspace radio chatter as I possibly can. There's something massive going on." The delay would put them at the least a few hours behind the Earth vessel. At worst, they could lose the trail all together.
Slamming a fist against the bulkhead of the doorway, Leon headed back to the control panels near the engine room of his ship, leaving Percival to see them out of harm's way from the Mothership.
The Odyssey and a multitude of other ships sat in anxious anticipation around a massive Stargate, floating in the depths of space where a planet had once been. It was now apparent that the Ori had destroyed the planet and the sun it had orbited, to create a singularity, similar to a small black hole, to power the Gate. There wasn't much time left before they activated it.
Kvasir, an Asgard scientist, had transported over to the Odyssey to assist Carter in preparing for the rest of SG-1's arrival. Gwaine listened intently as the the short, thin alien had explained to Carter what his people had learned from the phase-shifting journal of the Ancient Merlin.
"It is an energy transfer device, similar to a Zero Point Module."* Kvasir said, referencing the main structure of power crystals that provided the energy for many of the more massive Alteran devices, like the city of Atlantis in the Pegasus Galaxy, or the weapons platform that had been found on Earth a few years before. "...Except that the energy is channeled, not from sub-space into ordinary space-time, but rather into the dimension occupied by Ascended beings."*
"...And this energy is harmful to them in some way?" Carter asked.
"It is a form of interference. A simple analogy would be two standing waves canceling each other out. If the weapon indeed works the way Merlin's writings imply, we would simply need to activate it and send it into the Ori's galaxy, and they would be eliminated."*
"Yeah, but how do we do that? I mean, we don't even know where the Ori galaxy is, let alone have the ability to send something there."*
Kvasir's large, black eyes blinked, "That is where you're mistaken."*
Carter thought for a moment. She turned to Gwaine when he snickered in amazement. It dawned on her at the same moment. "You're talking about the Supergate. We dial-out before they can dial-in!"*
They just needed to wait for the Korolev to arrive, and hope that the others had successfully shut off the holographic knight, and found the weapon.
"You sure about this, Sam?" Gwaine asked. He re-checked all the sealed seams of her white space suit. Another technician nearby was running through all the diagnostics again. While Gwaine wasn't really trained in this aspect, the others who were seemed to appreciate the extra set of hands.
She smiled at him and nodded, "We don't have much of a choice."
Word had come through subspace channels from the Korolev. The other members of SG-1 were on board, but they didn't have the weapon. While initially disappointed, Carter soon realized the best chance they all had right then, was to interrupt the dialing process. It may not ultimately save them, like having the weapon would have, but it would buy them some time to find it.
Gwaine double-checked the suit's com system, and made sure the data crystal Kvasir had programmed to dial the Gate, was secured.
"The coordinates are set. Are you ready, Colonel Carter?"* The grayish-colored Asgardian asked.
"Ready as I'll ever be."* The helmet was placed over her head, and locked into place with a hiss and a snap. After one last check on the lights and coms, Carter gave the alien a thumbs-up.
"Initiating transport."*
He listened with rapt attention to the speaker as Carter relayed her movements from space. First, she engaged the magnetic locks on her boots that would hold her on the surface of the Supergate. Then, she removed the panel over the control crystals. She replaced one of the crystals with the one Kvasir had programmed...and they waited with bated breath for it to initialize.
A tremor of fear ran through her voice. "Something's happening. I've lost my magnetic lock."*
Near silent static filled the airwaves. He heard the bridge crew fill in the space.
"It's an incoming wormhole."
"Get her out of there now!"
"...too much interference."
"Sam, report. Sam!"
Gwaine felt he had to do something. He might not be as familiar with the newer technology, but in this case, even re-routing through some older backup systems might just give them the boost needed to reach Carter. Adrenaline pounded through his veins, as he headed out to the corridor towards the main bridge.
Arthur felt a wave of dizziness. His eyes were focused on the forward windows of the bridge, as the stars suddenly stopped streaming by them, and settled into place.
"This is Colonel Chekov."* The Russian commander announced, "What is the situation?"*
"We've got an incoming wormhole. I suggest you prepare for battle."*
Chekov started yelling orders in Russian that Arthur didn't understand. He could tell from the way Merlin tensed next to him, though, that it wasn't good.
Mitchell and Jackson stood nearby. Both were just as nervous.
Seeing the Stargate on Earth open the first time had been awe-inspiring. The way the wave of energy had blasted forth from the metal ring, accompanied by a loud whooshing sound, and then was sucked back in on itself to form the event horizon, had left the former king feeling insignificant. He had nothing to compare it to...none of the magic he had witnessed...nothing. Watching the Supergate come to life left that experience in the dust. For the first time in his life he felt nothing but sheer terror race through every bone in his body. If these aliens...these Ori...were powerful enough to command this Supergate, and destroy planets to do it, then he feared for everyone he held dear.
...And then...the first ship came through.
One Ori vessel would have been enough to dwarf the entire hodgepodge fleet of ships...scrambled together from reluctant allies across the Milky Way to gather as the only line of defense at the Supergate. However, there was not just one ship...but four of them.
Initially, they appeared wide, and almost flat on the front before tapering down on the sides, and curving back behind the face. The bottom edge dipped down in a smooth curve and then back up again, making it appear like the face of the Ori vessel was smiling. The position of the rectangular windows, of what Arthur assumed was the bridge, were lit with an eerie amber glow. It lent to the feeling of inhuman eyes, staring out at them all. It seemed like the ships themselves were laughing at the pitiful attempt to stop them.
They spread out into a half-circle formation around the Supergate. As one of them shifted into position, Arthur could see beyond the initial front face of the ships. They were similar to a horseshoe, with the back ends tapering close together...or possibly the yoke on a plow horse. They were obviously built in the same 'U' shaped symbol, with the top points coming together, that was on the cover of the Book of Origin and the staves of the Priors.
Near the rounded front, within the hollow space created by the main part of the Ori ship, was another circle that encased a blueish orb. It reminded Arthur of the magical ball of light Merlin occasionally summoned in his palm...but, this ball of light was easily the size of a small moon.
Merlin's sharp intake of breath finally broke Arthur's attention away from the horror. He had never felt more helpless and small, as he did at that moment. Judging by the looks of the others, even those who had witnessed much more of the wonders of outer space, he wasn't alone with his emotions.
The Russians were speaking to each other.
Merlin swallowed loudly and began translating for Arthur. "Text message from the Ori ships: 'And those who are prideful, and refuse to bow down, shall be laid low and made into dust.'"
"I've got them!" Percival yelled through the Tel'tak.
Leon rushed toward the bridge and slid into his seat at the controls. A quick look told him they were still quite a distance from the ships. There were more than just the two Tau'ri vessels: Goa'uld motherships, commanded by the Free Jaffa; Asgardian Warships; big and small...there must have been at least thirty different vessels from all across the galaxy. They stood toe-to-toe with four massive ships he had never before laid eyes on, prepared for battle.
He blinked and shook his head. His survival instincts kicked in. He proceeded to shut down everything he could, while activating the cloak.
Percival stared at his friend in shock. "We aren't going to help them?"
"There's nothing we can do."
The message from the Ori came in, as it had done on every ship in the Milky Way armada.
A minute later, Daniel Jackson's familiar voice broadcasted through space on all channels. "Then, did Tyolus say to the people of the low plains, 'seek not wickedness amongst your neighbors, lest it find purchase in your own house.'"*
Leon snickered, "That's it...quote their own scriptures right back at them."
"Think it'll work?" Even as Percival asked the question, he saw the answer in the energy readings from the Ori ships. They were powering up their weapons.
"Open fire." Came the command from one of the Tau'ri ships.
Gwaine was rushing toward the bridge when a wall exploded next to him. He ducked out of the way, just as the sheets of metal were ripped from their welded bolts. A scream behind him caused him to turn around...and he felt a flash of pain in his head, as the ship rocked. The stabilizers had just taken a hit and his face met what was left of the wall.
"We've lost power!"* A man yelled out in accented English.
Mitchell turned to Chekov. "We have to scramble the 302's. It's time to go all in! I'll draw their fire while you get the ship back online."*
"Go!"* The commander yelled.
Slapping Merlin on the shoulder as he ran by, Mitchell called out. "Emyrs, you're with me!"
There was a moment of hesitation. He looked at Arthur, who nodded his consent. "Stay with Dr. Jackson, no matter what happens!"
Running through the corridor, Mitchell was thrown to the floor as another blast rocked through the ship. Merlin grabbed his arm and hauled him to his feet. Fires were burning all around them from compromised systems. Crewmen were working in vain to contain the blazes. The two men kept running.
He couldn't watch, but he wasn't able to look away either, from the horror that unfolded before them. They were at a relatively safe distance from the battle, and perhaps that just made the feeling deep his gut worse. His stomach twisted and turned as one by one, the Milky Way vessels were picked off.
"We've got to do something..." He whispered helplessly.
"If I try to scan for them, the Ori could pick up the signal." Leon's jaw clenched, and he blinked away the moisture stinging his eyes.
"...And they could die if we don't! Gwaine...Merlin...Arthur...If they aren't worth saving, then what kind of men are we? You know they would do the same for us."
Percival's words rang true. Either they did nothing and watched as their friends were destroyed, or he forced himself to break out of his centuries of selfish survival to become the man he used to be.
The stone of the table was cold, but the fire in the hearth and the bonds of friendship were warm.
Arthur stood and spoke of freeing his father and taking back Camelot. "Are there any around this table who will join me?"
Leon could hear Lancelot's voice whispering in his mind. "You taught me the values of being a knight; the code by which a man should live his life...to fight with honor for justice, freedom, and all that's good. I believe in the world that you will build."
Elyan, a young man he had known since childhood; his first friend, nearly forgotten. He was soft-spoken, with a penchant for trouble. "Even though I was a commoner...a nobody...you were willing to lay down your life for me, Arthur. It is now my turn to repay you."
He remembered standing. His heart was filled with pride and admiration for the man who would someday be his king. Since their days as pages, and then squires, though he was a few years the prince's elder, they had trained together, battled against bandits, and said goodbye to many other good and worthy knights who had fallen in their service. His own voice echoed with the hopes and dreams of those who had died. "I have fought alongside you many times. There is no one that I would rather die for."
Gwaine had to go and make them all smile...breaking through the tension like a smith's hammer on an anvil, with his teasing grin. "I think we've no chance...but, I wouldn't miss it for the world."
Simple and poignant Percival, who took everything life threw at him in stride...even a trip to a future world beyond his comprehension...he had adapted and thrived against all odds. "Your enemies are my enemies."
Gaius and Gwen spoke their own words of support, while tears of pride flowed freely from the prince's eyes. As always, Merlin had to be dragged along into it all, not necessarily kicking and screaming, but there was enough whining to make most of the knights contemplate using the neckerchief he always wore as a gag. But, when it came down to it, he would follow Arthur beyond the ends of the Earth, through space and time, just because the prince requested it.
"You don't have a choice, Merlin."{1}
...And that was all the young man with all the secrets needed.
"There is no one that I would rather die for." He might not have been able to die, but Percival, who was sitting next to him could, and that didn't stop the younger man from acting like the knight Leon should have been.
Three more Motherships had dropped out of hyperspace nearby. He keyed up enough power to follow in their wake, toward the heart of the battle. Do or die...they would try to get their friends back. Judging by the unleashed firepower of the Ori warships, the latter was the most probable, but that hadn't stopped the Knights of Camelot from prevailing against all odds before.
One of the Motherships in front of them took a hit to the engines, and exploded before their eyes. The shockwave and debris sped towards the smaller Tel'tak.
Vala Mal Doran rubbed her hands over her distended belly. Biting back sobs, she watched helplessly from the window of the Ori ship. She had warned them about the Supergate and the ships...and it was ending in disaster. Nothing seemed to be able to touch the Ori.
Her friends...the men and women she had come to know...even if they had never fully accepted her as one of their own, she considered them her people...and they were all dying.
A sudden pain racked her body, and her abdomen tightened with the first pangs of labor.
She cried out, not for herself and the discomfort she felt, but for her child and the galaxy it would be born in.
Showers of sparks lit up the bulkhead, like fireworks celebrating the macabre scene below.
Rancid smoke from electrical fires burned in his lungs. The smell of charred flesh filled and tainted the air. Screams of pain and whimpered last words floated into his ears. He felt the floor rock underneath him, as yet another system gave way to an explosion. Red emergency lights flickered eerily, and created haunting shadows through the debris that floated along the corridor.
He held his hand to his head and felt a sharp sting, when it touched the small piece of shrapnel lodged in his scalp. His hand came away and he blinked, barely able to see the blood, shining like black ink, against the grime and dirt on his palm.
Malicious laughter echoed over the buzzing of the alarms.
He put out his hand to rise and touched something soft. He recoiled when he realized it was the flesh of another person. A technician, whose name he didn't even know, laid with open, sightless eyes in front of him. The girder beam across her back was a clear indication of her fate.
Drawing a sharp breath, he immediately began to cough, as his airway was assaulted by fumes and soot.
The insane cackling of a woman's voice drew closer.
He shivered uncontrollably, every muscle in his body screaming in protest. He knew the laughter all too well. It was the last sound he had heard, before he had died...but he wasn't dead, he realized with a start. He may have fallen under her torture, but he had been saved...hadn't he?
Was the whole past year just some weird dream? Was this part of the torment she was pulling from the dark recesses of his innermost fantasies...his dreams of going home...twisted for her own devious intent?
"Oh, Sir Gwaine." Her voice purred seductively.
Squinting through the near darkness, he was temporarily blinded by the bright, golden arcs of yet another electrical component flashing against the metal-plated walls. When his vision cleared slightly, he saw the dark, feminine figure approach him, carelessly stepping through the debris.
"The most handsome of all the knights." She crooned to him, but there was a dripping venom behind the compliment.
"How does it feel, to know you betrayed not only your king, but everything you've held dear...and to be betrayed, by the woman you loved?" Black, ratted hair framed the porcelain face, and the flickering lights highlighted the manic green eyes. "You thought you were done with me? Not hardly."
She crouched down next to him, running a slender, pale finger across his cheek. "I still have plans for you, Sir Gwaine. You were once the strongest of all my brother's knights; able to resist so much mental anguish. But soon, I shall show you just how weak you truly are; how weak and pitiful you all are. Albion will have no king...it shall have a queen, instead. I will sit upon the throne and rule over the stars; for I have not been defeated as my brother's idiot manservant believes. I have been brought back to rule the people of these galaxies as a true Goddess. I am being reborn as we speak. I am the Orici."