Hunter and Protector

Prologue

20 years before Victory at Tree of Souls. . .

Buffy stared at the Person who had pulled her gently from Heaven. "What? Who is trying to raise me from the dead, now?"

The Person smiled. "No. Your body is not being raised. You are being given a new life to live, among a young and vibrant people. I believe you call it reincarnation." She frowned. "I have asked for and received a helper from the Great Halls. I did not expect one of your people, though. It is they I have sought help against. Already they have given me scars, but I don't think they intend to stop there."

"So, I'm being reincarnated. It's been a long time since I walked among the living, you know."

"I do. That is why I have not objected. You are from a time when your Mother still lived and breathed." Seeing the confusion, she amended, "Your world. But since that time, they have killed her, and the life upon her simply exists, not knowing how to escape. I fear that they will do the same to me."

"Who are you?"

"Your people have called me Pandora. My name is Eywa. Will you help me?"

"What do I get out of this? I mean, I've already been protector-girl once, and it wasn't much of an existence."

Eywa smiled again. "You will be one of my children. You will be loved by me and by the family you will be born into. Your life will not be guaranteed, but it will be kind."

"Any demons I should be aware of?"

"The only demons here are your humans."

Buffy sighed. "I don't have a choice, do I."

"Yes. Oh, they didn't give you one, but I will, and if you are returned, I don't think they will punish you for it."

Buffy blinked. Wow. This lady was going to be a lot easier to work with than the PTB of Earth. And that made her mind up for her. "All right, I'll do it."

Eywa's smile was brilliant. She held out her hand, and Buffy took it. The white light around them expanded until it enveloped them, and then Buffy knew no more.

8 years before Victory at Tree of Souls. . .

Trudy Chacon damn near growled when she saw her transfer papers. The Council wanted her to join the Resources Development Alliance (RDA) and keep watch on their operation on Pandora. They didn't trust the RDA as far as they could be thrown by a three-year-old child, let alone a Slayer, and for that Trudy didn't blame them, but she didn't like the idea of being under their command while she watched them. They were mercs, pure and simple, and while they tended to stick together in the field, they were nowhere near as honorable as the Marines they imitated.

But orders were orders, and she was a Slayer, well capable of thinking for herself and getting herself out if the RDA pulled a stupid (which was almost guaranteed), as well as a Marine. She was good, and she would follow her orders until she no longer could.

Still—"Angel, why Pandora? What's going on here?"

The twelve hundred-year-old vampire had long ago developed a decent poker face, but he rarely tried to use it with the Slayers. Buffy was still a bright and shining star in his memory, and he respected her legacy too much to try and bluff any of the girls. "You know this planet is dying?"

She nodded. Anyone with any connection to the earth knew that. The Goddess was dead, killed by the weak humans she had tried to hand it down to as they stripped every resource until the planet barely supported life at all. The demons had actually started leaving for other dimensions en masse, and the Hellmouths had all closed. Earth just wasn't prime real estate any more, even for demons.

"Well, the PTB are trying to protect the other planets in this dimension that the escaping demons might try and take over. Earth isn't the only spot in this dimension that's worth a damn, and Pandora is very high on the list. It's vibrant and green, a very young world with a very young people living on it. They're sending someone to start a protective line there, and they want you to try and ease the way for her. She won't be human, but Na'vi."

Trudy narrowed her eyes. "A Na'vi Slayer?"

A soft smile fluttered around Angel's lips. "Her soul has been a Slayer before. She won't remember it, but she'll be the same person, just reincarnated as a Na'vi."

"I know you. There's only one person in history that makes you smile like that. She's Buffy Summers, isn't she."

The smile widened into a grin. "Not any more."

Well, this is the prologue. Tell me if you like it, because I'm not sure if I'm going to continue it or not. It's a little plot bunny that's been chattering around my ankles for a while and finally got up the nerve to bite them. So, if you want me to keep going, you've got to review.