AN: The once a week updates are going to continue for a while. Thank you soooo much for the reviews and welcome to all the new peeps reading, following, and favoriting. On the bottom of theHeartofCamelot posting of the last chapter is a graphic manip by Caldera32. Thank you, Dee!
Isis- You know I love leaving those cliffhangers! Thanks for putting up with me in chat while I got to that point.
Guest- I LOVE having that effect on you!
Nance- you know I love your reviews...even if I do have to leave the puffin perched on a precipice while I prepare the next piece. :D
Thanks, as always to Nance for her proofreading. Remaining errors are all my own.
Even the commander of the Asgard ship appeared impressed, which was a nearly impossible feat unto itself.
However, Arthur wasn't ready to count his chickens just yet. He'd been able to formulate a plan of attack of sorts with the information he had obtained. Although, by attack, he meant the first meeting with the leaders of the Resistance.
He'd grilled Sebryn about every detail he could imagine - from protocol for meeting the leaders to phrases he should watch out for. He didn't want to leave anything to chance if he could help it.
At one point, he saw the commander lean over toward Leon. "It appears that the Asgard High Council made an accurate assessment of his abilities to negotiate."
Arthur's confidence accepted the boost and he felt ready to sway the Resistance to his cause. Standing at the window, the view had changed. He felt his mouth drop open in amazement. He wished his wife had been at his side when they first caught sight of the gaseous nebula that loomed on the horizon.
It was beautiful. Colors, unlike anything Arthur had ever imagined, swirled like clouds. Guinevere would have cried upon seeing it. As it was, though, he could still see the astonishment written in the faces of his knights standing beside him and he knew it mirrored his own.
Not long after that, the ship was met by an even more amazing sight. People -actual people - riding on the backs of dragons, surrounded the ship and began guiding them deeper into the nebula. They weren't wearing any type of space suit, but he could see a slight shimmer around each of them and guessed it must have been a type of magic that protected them from the coldness of space.
His strongest thought, however, was that Merlin should have been there. Merlin should have been the one to see this first and know with absolutely certainty that he was not alone in the universe.
The dragons were all different colors. Some looked like the dragon who had been chained under Camelot. Others were a red that matched the predominate color of the nebula, and still others were green and blue...and even some as black as the star filled voids of space.
"We need to rescue him, Arthur. We need to show him." Gwaine stated softly.
Arthur couldn't agree more. He knew that this was the moment Merlin should have witnessed.
The Asgard ship docked at a space station, and Arthur and his men were offered transport to a nearby planet. There weren't any windows in the shuttle, so they were blind to their course and destination. When they finally stepped out of the craft a few hours later, they were astonished to see a glorious city spread out before them.
It was apparent that the architecture was old, but everything seemed clean. Grand buildings graced the skyline and dragons flew through the air; some with riders, some without. All the designs seemed to integrate the great creatures either in form or function. It was a stark contrast to the Ori city they had recently left behind.
There was nothing untouchable or cold; the very stones from which the city was built, seemed to thrum with life.
The city itself was alive, for lack of a better description. Vines covered many of the buildings and trees grew wherever they could take root. It didn't matter if it was the roof of a building or the streets below. Life was everywhere.
Children ran and laughed, playing games around them. They looked human enough, but it was hard for Arthur to judge. Sebryn had said that all those who sat on the council were bonded, but she had made sure to clarify that not all of her people were Dragon Lords, as Arthur had called them. Most were ordinary people, either descended from the Dragon Lords, or rescued from the Ori occupied planets.
Arthur was reminded of when he and Merlin had gone to the Disir to plead for Mordred. His servant had seemed so sad that Arthur couldn't feel the life pulsing around them.
Now, however, he could. He finally understood what Merlin had been describing that night.
"There can be no place for magic in Camelot."
Regret gnawed at his soul. He wondered why Merlin had said such a thing, when it was painfully obvious the way life could have thrived with it. He needed to ask Merlin about that, but first, they had to rescue him.
They were shown to guest quarters in a building that resembled the many of castles he had grown up seeing and visiting, except the ceilings were taller, and sported windows high above that allowed the dragons to come and go as they pleased.
Watching the magnificent creatures soaring at the top of the cathedral-style ceiling made Arthur feel small. His place in the universe seemed to be nothing compared to theirs. He'd fought against men and magic, but it had never ranged much beyond the borders of Camelot. Taking a breath and striding forward, he pushed his insecurities to the background. It wouldn't do for the men he was trying to gain favor with to see his fear.
They were allowed to clean up in a private set of rooms. Each man was lost in their own thoughts about what was to come, and not much was said between them.
A servant appeared at their door and presented an offer for them to be introduced to the council.
There was no way he could have been ready. Nothing that could have been said to him would have prepared him for going before the leaders of the Resistance. Sebryn had told him about each member of the council who led her people, but she neglected to say that half of them were dragons.
Their sizes ranged from as small as a warhorse, to one that Arthur was certain was twice the size of the Great Dragon. They all turned his way, and stared at him and his knights.
"Holy fracking shit." Gwaine breathed out. "We're in trouble."
The only response Arthur managed was a mumbled, "I concur."
"Welcome, King Arthur of Earth." A bald man, sitting at the center of the table called out. He had a pleasant smile plastered on his face, punctuated by a sculpted goatee.
Arthur could see the cold calculation behind the man's eyes. They were a deep brown, filled with wisdom of many centuries. The smoothness in the man's voice gave nothing away. Arthur felt his defenses rise. He'd met enough kings and nobles that he knew to be wary of this one. He seemed ancient and youthful at the same time, much like Merlin, but the years had not been as kind to the man's outward appearance.
The man was smart and while Sebryn hadn't called it magic, she had implied that many of the Dragon Lords had abilities that mirrored Merlin's...including being able to discern the truth through only a few words.
Behind the man, laid a massive black dragon with golden eyes, curled on the floor. The dragon's face was large enough that one eye was seen on each side of the man.
Arthur wasn't sure who he trusted less. Power radiated off both man and creature. They were obviously the leaders of the people and the Resistance against the Ori.
Arthur bowed, as he would have to any other monarch on their home turf. He cast a polite smile, but held his tongue.
Sebryn had warned him not to say anything until he had been invited to sit, and even then, he should keep his thoughts and his words the same.
"I hear that I have you to thank for my daughter's return."
It was all Arthur could do to simply bow his head and keep his thoughts clear. He wished he had paid more attention to the meditative exercises that Merlin had tried to teach him. The tables were spread out in a semicircle from the leader. Judging by the marks on the floor, they normally sat in the center of the room and formed a complete circle. The current arrangement had been modified as a show of power for the newcomers.
He knew the drill and his anxious smile began to change to one of self-confidence. Arthur was afraid. He wouldn't deny that to anyone. As he searched the eyes of the seven humans sitting behind the tables and the great dragons behind them, he wasn't certain if he could be more terrified.
That didn't stop him though, from throwing all the information about propriety out the window. To hell with their traditions, he thought. Merlin and his dragon were in peril, and he was in a position to do something about it.
When the leader - Gilgamesh, as he recalled Sebryn saying - referred to the girl as his daughter, Arthur got the feeling it wasn't in the general sense of the word, as in a daughter of his people. No, he smirked to himself, watching Gilgamesh's eyes. The leader had meant that statement quite literally.
"You are most welcome, My Lord." Arthur bowed again, but this time maintained eye contact. "In fact, she was very instrumental in her own escape from the Ori. Destiny saw fit to put us in each other's path at the precise time we needed each other most."
Gilgamesh leaned forward, stroking his chin thoughtfully and obviously intrigued. Arthur could feel the pressure of someone trying to enter his mind. He held firm under the leader's gaze and allowed his mind to open. He had no reason to keep secrets from these people, and doing so would only slow down the process.
He focused on one thought and brought it to forefront of his mind. Merlin. His next thought was chosen carefully. The Ori, and what they had done in his galaxy. The disaster they were wreaking upon the people of the Milky Way.
The leader sat back and sneered. Arthur didn't need to be a mind reader to know that Gilgamesh really didn't care about the other galaxy. It was inconsequential to him, when his own had been suffering under the rule of the Ori for generations.
"I know you may think me selfish, for being more concerned about my people and my home, but that is far from the truth." Arthur clasped his hands behind his back and boldly strode forward.
"Stop!" A woman from one of the side tables commanded, "You have not been given leave to speak, or to -"
"Let him speak, Mantrassa." The large black dragon said. His voice echoed through the Great Hall.
The woman held her tongue, but continued glaring at Arthur.
Arthur bowed his head in gratitude, and continued his speech.
"What these...people - the Ori - have done: in enslaving your galaxy, and in their initial creation of your kind...it can never be undone. Nor, should the past be erased. The only way to defeat them, is to move forward.
"However, if not for your history, I would never have known the man whom I consider to be the greatest man I have ever met. He is named after the Ancient who sought to help your people long ago. Now, he is in dire need of our assistance, along with his dragon...drakkon companion.
"The Merlin your people knew gave the last of his life recently, in an attempt to thwart the Ori. He devised a weapon that would reach through the fabric of reality and destroy them in their own home."
"Does your friend, who carries Merlin's name, have the knowledge of how to build this weapon and make it work?" Gilgamesh asked casually, already knowing the answer.
"He does not."
The smirk on Gilgamesh's face told Arthur that the man had seen more in Arthur's mind than the former king had hoped.
"Then, why should we sacrifice all the ground we have gained in our war, to save someone who can't even understand the bond he shares."
"Because it's the right thing to do!" Gwaine yelled out. His temper flared at the arrogant display of the so-called noble council.
The gathering began arguing and calling the Earthmen out for their blatant disregard of protocol.
Gilgamesh closed his eyes momentarily. When he reopened them, a flash of gold was fading. He held up his hand and almost instantly the council quieted. "King Arthur, ambassador to the people of Earth and Albion. Please, continue."
"Thank you, My Lord. I humbly apologize for the outburst of my companion." It was hard for him to not look at Gwaine, but years of training under his father had taught him how to ignore certain factors.
"You apologize for his outburst, but not the intent of his words. How very interesting." Gilgamesh said, reading more into Arthur's thoughts.
"I do not, My Lord, for I feel much the same way. In my heart, I know it is the right thing to do. We came to your galaxy to save the drakkon he shares a bond with. He is the last of his kind, your kindred, in all of Albion. He had no knowledge of his birthright when I first met him, nor had he ever known his father. Dragons, as we call your kind..." It took all of Arthur's nerve to look into one of the golden eyes of black creature. "...Were all but gone."
He could see his news had affected at least one of the council members, though the large black drakkon didn't even twitch. Arthur took it as a good inclination that he was on the right track. Without embellishments, he began to tell Merlin's story. By the end, he could see that his words had managed to sway more of them.
"Merlin does not have knowledge of the Ancient weapon. However, we personally know those who do. If you would aid us in rescuing him, we would gladly attempt to contact them and recreate the weapon with greater efficacy.
"Sebryn had surmised, based on what we told her, that its only flaw was in that it was too weak to work on such a broad scale."
"She is correct. We have this weapon in our custody and our scientist have arrived at the same conclusion."
The news caught Arthur by surprise. He had assumed that Adria had control of the weapon. If the Furlings had it in their possession, perhaps they had a chance to reuse it.
"We will discuss your situation in depth, and re-examine our position where the weapon is concerned. You and your companions will be given safe passage through our city, while your ship is repaired." Gilgamesh waved his hand dismissively.
Arthur felt the others stiffen behind him, not ready to give up the fight. He knew, however, from past experience that anything more he had to say would fall on deaf ears. Bowing once again, he turned and walked out.
Unconsciously, he flinched. A loud rush of wind buffeted his back and a long shadow passed over his head. Nothing could ever make Arthur accustomed to the sight of the dragons. They seemed to know it, especially the little ones.
They were as curious about him as he was about them, but with less fear.
He and his men had been given a guide to escort them through the city, while they waited for the council to come to a decision. However, that had been nearly four days ago.
Leon was working with the Furling scientists to get the weapon back up and running. The power source had been depleted with the initial activation. It could take some time, they had told Arthur. Time was something that always plagued Arthur. He didn't have the patience gained from centuries of practice, as Merlin and Leon did.
He also didn't possess any of the technical skills to be of any help in their research. Thoughts of Merlin ravaged through his mind. Arthur had to wonder if his friend was still alive.
Sebryn assured him that there was a good possibility of it. Merlin was a valuable asset, even if he didn't have any direct knowledge of the Resistance.
The young woman, a princess by all accounts, had invited them for supper after their initial meeting with the council. She wore a form fitted slip of a dress that made Arthur avert his eyes modestly.
Gwaine had started flirting with her instantly, making the Arthur curious about the former knight's supposed relationship with the doctor back on Earth. When he questioned Gwaine quietly, the man had shrugged it off, proclaiming that a little harmless flirting wouldn't hurt anybody. To Arthur, it appeared like Gwaine was out to prove something.
Dinner had been tasty, filled with exotic fare and a few things that Arthur had vowed silently never to eat again.
It had taken a comment from Leon later that evening to point out to Percival that despite Gwaine's attempts, Sebryn only seemed to have eyes for the large knight.
Percival had blushed incessantly, and the other three men got a good laugh at their friend's expense.
The laughing had only increased when Gwaine had brought up Cassie from the SGC. Judging by the surprised look on Percival's face, they all began to realize how clueless their large friend was when it came to courting women.
Gwaine had vowed that once they got back to Earth, he would try to find Percival a date, and Percival admitted that he might not mind - if it was possibly Cassandra from the SGC.
Home. They all had someone waiting for them to return.
Arthur's internal meandering was interrupted, when the same servant from the first day approached him.
"Gilgamesh would like to see you." He stated with a simple bow, before he turned and walked away.
Steeling his courage, Arthur went to meet with the Furling leader. He hoped the man had an answer for him.
"Gather your things. We move out as soon as possible." Arthur said, coming into the common room he shared with the others. He paused to evaluate his knights and smiled when he saw they were already packed.
"We sort of guessed." Leon explained, "They figured out an alternative power source for the weapon earlier this afternoon, while working with the Asgard. All the preliminary tests show that it works."
"Do you think it really will?" Gwaine's brow was pinched, obviously hesitant to believe their turn of fortune. Leon shrugged in response, and Gwaine turned back to Arthur. "Where does that leave us?"
The former king had a plan, but refused to let himself think about it while still in the Furling city. "Gilgamesh told me he was willing to send a small strike team with us into the Ori city. He would like our first priority to assist in the weapon's deployment. After which, the team would then help us locate Merlin and Aithusa."
Percival shook his head. "That's not exactly what we're going to do, though, is it?"
Arthur offered his men a tight-lipped smile. He was careful to not let his thoughts go beyond his agreement with Gilgamesh. "I will evaluate the situation more carefully, when we get back to that city."
In less than an hour, the four men were sitting once again in the windowless shuttle. Leon had been in communication with the Asgard, who had agreed to take their ship into the enemy territory. The repairs had been successful, for the most part. Although, the shield technology was still not operating at one-hundred percent capacity.
It was an 'all or nothing' scenario. The Asgard would beam down Arthur's team, the weapon, and the ground strike force, while the other Furlings protected the ship in the upper atmosphere.
A week had passed since they had limped the ship to the nebula. Another five days had been spent awaiting the council's decision before they would arrive back on board the Asgard vessel. Arthur calculated that it would be over two weeks total before they made it back to the Ori's home planet.
Staring out the window, as the hyperdrive engaged, Arthur sent out a prayer to any god in existence that Merlin was still alive and hanging on.