When the Sleeper Wakes

by Mediancat

Buffy is cursed to sleep for hundreds of years, and wakes up just in time to help the crew of Picard's Enterprise face off against a massive vampire attack. Set season 6 ST:TNG; breaks off from Buffy mid-season 2.

Author's Note: Lady Callista put this fic of mine up for quite a while; I'd thought it lost. I'm now putting it up under my name, so thanks to LAdy Callista.

This was written during season 2; nothing from past then is referenced, and I have not gone through to make any changes/updates

Buffy was created by Joss Whedon, ST:TNG by Gene Roddenberry

X X X X X

Captain's log, supplemental:

The Enterprise has been unexpectedly diverted from what we thought was a rather important border patrol all the way back to Earth for guardian duty on an archaeological dig. This is extremely odd behavior for Starfleet, as normally a dig would warrant no Starfleet presence at all, excepting extraordinary circumstances like when they found Data's head. Worse, we have been given no details on what exactly is being excavated, and all I have been able to puzzle out is that Starfleet owes Dr. Xandra Chase, the head of the Rosenberg-Harris Institute overseeing the dig, more favors than I can count. It additionally meant we would be late picking up Geordi LaForge from his engineering conference at Starbase 27.

Dr. Chase will be boarding the Enterprise in a few minutes, and has advised me that she will brief most of the senior staff then. She has specifically exempted Counselor Troi from this briefing. Apparently she has a phobia about having her mind "violated," to use her quaint term. Accordingly, she will not be present--although I am not fond of the request.

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"Captain," the ensign manning tactical said, "Dr. Chase informs us that she is ready to beam aboard."

"Excellent," said Jean-Luc Picard. "Mr. Data, if you would..." The android rose to follow him. "Number one, you have the conn." Will Riker moved to the center chair as the two entered the turbolift.

"Transporter room three," he said.

"Captain," the android began. "At your request I have delved into the background of Dr. Alexandra Chase. For such a young woman--only 31 years old--she has compiled a remarkable record of achievements. Her doctorate covers medicine and chemistry as well as archaeology. She is also the Xandra Chase who has compiled a long record of contributions to occult publications, albeit in a very scholarly manner. She became director of the Institute five years ago. How she has been able to garner as much influence as she has is beyond me. Perhaps she has called in favors earned by other members of the Institute, which has a long and distinguished history." The android paused. "Is anything wrong, sir? We are long past the point at which you usually tell me, 'enough, Data.'"

Picard smiled briefly, then frowned. "That Dr. Chase was able to call in the Enterprise--disturbs me, Data. Any information could be useful." They reached the deck and walked to the transporter room. Picard nodded to the transporter chief. "We're ready."

The ensign worked the controls and soon Dr. Chase appeared on the transporter platform. She was of medium height, and strikingly attractive with blue eyes and long dark brown hair. She carried a large, rather unwieldy case. Picard made a mental note to keep Commander Riker well away from this woman. A Tellarite escorted her.

"Dr. Chase," he said pleasantly. "I'm Jean-Luc Picard. This is my second officer, Commander Data. Welcome aboard." He extended a hand, which the woman shook briefly with a gloved hand.

"Thank you, captain. I hope not to be here long." The captain flashed her an annoyed look. She laughed. "Sorry, Captain Picard. That didn't come out the way I meant. I meant that I plan to spend most of my time on the surface overseeing the retrieval. We could have had this briefing in my office, but your ship has--certain resources--I may need to use." Picard started to ask a question, but she held up a hand. "Don't worry, captain! I'll explain it all at the briefing." She turned to the Tellarite. "Okay, Trelg. Thanks for the assistance. I'm sure you have some work to do." The Tellarite nodded briefly, and was beamed back to the surface.

Picard went on the intercom. "Lt. Worf, Commander Riker, Dr. Crusher to Briefing room one please." They left the transporter room.

As they walked down the hall Data engaged Dr. Chase in conversation. "Doctor. I am puzzled. You are a genius in several sciences, yet you contribute to journals of the occult. Do you take that field seriously?"

"Very seriously, Commander. Surely in the course of your travels you've encountered unexplained phenomena?"

Picard laughed. "Many times, Doctor. But one thing we have learned is that unexplained does not equal inexplicable."

"And the occult is not inexplicable, either. Just not by strict scientific laws." As they boarded the turbolift Dr. Chase asked the captain seriously, "How secure is your briefing room?"

"Reasonably secure, Doctor. Why do you ask?"

"So it is possible that someone could have installed listening devices?"

Data interjected, "Possible, but unlikely, Doctor. Lt. Worf is most thorough."

She sighed. "Not to cast aspersions on your security chief, Captain Picard, but I'm going to have to take my own measures. I want NO ONE to overhear what we say, by any method."

The rest of the walk passed in silence. As they entered the briefing room, the three occupants rose. Dr. Xandra Chase briefly shook hands with Dr. Beverly Crusher, Commander William Riker ("Don't even THINK about it, Commander," she told him, and the vaguely leering glint in his eyes was immediately replaced by an amused respect), and, somewhat hesitantly, Lt. Worf. Worf noticed the hesitation, and bristled.

Dr. Chase noticed and said, apologetically, "Sorry, Lieutenant. I have nothing against Klingons. Just against--something that looks like Klingons." She gestured for them to take their seats. Then she opened the case--which contained a number of unusual artifacts--and said, "Please. For two minutes, I'm going to need quiet. Save your questions. Computer. Lights dimmed, 20 of normal." The lights dimmed.

Then she walked to the each corner of the room and lit a candle, chanting loudly as she did so, in English and Latin. The staff regarded her with various degrees of puzzlement, but said nothing.

"...and let no one, by spell or device, peer into this chamber while these candles are lit." She stopped. "Computer. Return lighting level to normal." She turned to the assembly. "Well. Shall we begin?"

Four voices, as one, erupted in questions. Captain Picard silenced them with a gesture. "Please. Dr. Chase, would you care to explain your actions?"

"What's to explain? That was a spell of silence, Captain. MY assurance of security. Now, I have some items to show you." She paused. "By the way, everything I tell you is classified. Class 1702 gimel level security. Mention of what I reveal in this room without my express consent is grounds for immediate termination from Starfleet. Captain: Code Beth, Tau, Vee, Sigma. You know where to check."

At the mention of "1702 gimel," Picard and Riker exchanged a shocked look and Picard looked up the information on the briefing room computer. There was a picture of Alexandra Chase and a terse message confirming her authority. Picard could think of only four individuals in the Federation who could invoke 1702 gimel. Two were retired Federation Presidents, one was the head of Starfleet Intelligence and one was Admiral Leonard McCoy. Now, apparently, he'd met a fifth. He immediately addressed Data, Worf and Crusher. "1702 gimel is deadly serious. Simply knowing the code necessary to invoke it is enough to guarantee the person has the authority both to do the invoking and punishing, if necessary." He turned to Xandra Chase. "A bit heavy on the stick, though, wouldn't you say?"

"No such thing in this case, Captain. Now I have several items to show you and your staff. Please be careful with them." She reached into her case and pulled out two pointed wooden sticks, a cross, a small vial of water, two vials of blood, a holographic image, and a handful of old-style photographs. They all showed a young blonde woman, about eighteen years of age, in various positions. The holographic image showed the young woman lying on a bier.

Finally Dr. Chase pulled a HUGE book from her case. On the front was a single embossed word: "VAMPYR."

"So tell me, Captain," Xandra Chase began innocently. "What do you know about vampires...?"

"Vampires?" Will Riker said, his face all business and more than a little annoyed. "You invoked 1702 gimel to talk about VAMPIRES? Captain, she's not serious."

Dr. Crusher spoke. "Actually, Will, there are diseases that mimic vampirism. There's Betazed's canispid plague, for example. And right here on Earth, a variant of porphyria." She looked up at Dr. Chase. "However, I would guess that Dr. Chase means neither of these."

"Indeed not, Doctor," Data said. "Crosses, such as the one Dr. Chase has provided ,are frequently used to repel vampires, according to myth. And stakes--"

"Through the heart kill them, yes, Data, I know," Captain Picard said. "Mr. Worf? You haven't said anything yet?"

Tersely, the security chief said, "I do not believe in vampires."

Dr. Chase laughed. "I don't blame you, Lieutenant. Until I was 16, neither did I. But since then I've seen so much that I would be a fool NOT to believe."

"Do you have any proof you can show us, Dr. Chase?" Will Riker demanded. "Any holograms? Recordings?"

Data and Xandra Chase both spoke at once. Dr. Chase gestured for the android to continue. "That would be impossible, Commander. Also according to legend, a vampire's image cannot be captured by any kind of recording device. In addition, they do not reflect."

Riker snorted. "Convenient."

Dr. Chase said, "In any event, they do exist. I've fought them. Do you see the young woman before you?" They all looked at the photos and the hologram. "She is--was--a Slayer, a young woman specially chosen to hunt and kill Vampires. As Slayer, she possessed enhanced strength--perhaps greater than yours, Lieutenant!" The Klingon snorted. "Also, her senses and agility were enhanced, and she could use medieval weapons with supernatural accuracy. There is always a young woman--not necessarily human, these days, but always based on Earth, as that is where vampires were created--to serve as the Slayer.

"There is a legend--a prophecy, actually--that the greatest of all Slayers will return in the time of Earth's greatest need. That time is now. The Lady--that's the title of the leader of the vampires--is preparing for a major offensive, getting ready to convert as many people of as many humanoid races as possible. We've already seen Klingon, Orion and Betazoid vampires, though the only known nonhuman vampire on the planet right now is Klingon. Vulcans and their kindred, by the way, are immune--different blood chemistry. So far we've stopped them from getting off-planet, but if they're all out there CONVERTING as many as possible instead of simply draining them, there's no way we'll be able to stop them all."

"This woman--this girl--is that Slayer you spoke of, then?" This from Jean-Luc Picard.

"Yes. Her name is Buffy Summers. The photographs, as you may have assumed, are ancient, and date from the late 20th century. The holographic image you see in front of you, however, was taken two days ago."

Surprised grunts all the way around the table, and a querulous look from Data. "Suspended animation, Doctor?" the android asked.

"Sort of. But magic, not scientific. She is still alive--according to our best scientific readings--but we can't get to her. Neither can our machines. She can only be removed from the area of the spell by 'that which thinks, but is not alive, that which is machine, yet possesses a soul.' That is why I specifically requested the Enterprise, Captain Picard. The verse refers to--"

"Data." Surprisingly, it was Worf who spoke. Everyone turned to look at him. "What?"

"You're right, Lieutenant. Also, of course, there's the Enterprise's unparalleled record of snatching victory from the jaws of defeat and then grinding defeat's bones into talcum powder afterwards. If the Earth is in danger, there's no one better to have at one's back."

Picard didn't think Xandra Chase was kissing up; she had no need to. With the authority of a 1702 gimel she could order every Starfleet officer on the ship to jump out the airlock in their underwear, and the only thing the Starfleet officers could say was "What style?" Picard suspected she was either not used to or uncomfortable having that much power. He spoke in a neutral tone, trying to hide his disbelief. "Doctor. You said there was always a Slayer. Why can't she handle the Lady?"

"Nice catch, Captain. The last Slayer, a young human named Alana Dillon, was killed two weeks ago. We--a group called the Watchers, who advise and train the Slayers--have found the next Slayer, but she's extremely inexperienced. It'd be a slaughter. And that's why Silver's making her move now."

"Silver?" Dr. Crusher said. "That's the name of the Lady?"

Dr. Chase nodded. "A very powerful vampire, at least 320 years old. But this can come later. Right now, I need Mr. Data's help. These--" She handed a datapad to Lt. Worf. "Are the beamdown coordinates."

"Captain, this is ridiculous." This from Riker.

"I agree," said Lt. Worf.

"Well, I don't," Dr. Crusher said. "Whether or not these vampires are magical, we've seen too much to dismiss their existence out of hand. Ghosts, resurrected long-dead warriors, the Traveler...what's vampires added to that?"

"I must concur with Dr. Crusher," Data said. "While I also do not believe in the magic of these vampires, it is certainly not beyond the realm of possibility that they exist. I also cannot doubt your sincerity, Dr. Chase."

Riker grumbled, "And you, Captain?"

Jean-Luc Picard decided that enough was enough. "For some reason, Number One, you've decided this is a democracy. My beliefs aren't relevant here. She has 1702 gimel authority."

"Right." Riker acquiesced, but he didn't seem happy about it.

Carefully Dr. Chase gathered up the materials, including the book, which Data was carefully leafing through. "Commander Data, Commander Riker, if you would accompany me to the surface so we can begin." She walked over and blew out a candle.

"So this talk of an archaeological dig was a cover?" Picard asked.

"Yes. And please--no more commentary on the subjects we were just discussing. I've broken the spell."

"What about phasers?" Riker asked.

"Only if they're set to burn or disintegrate. And the...area where we'll be digging is too unstable anyway for phasers. Not the main cavern, the side rooms. Don't worry, Commander, you and Commander Data will get...appropriate equipment when we reach the surface." She turned to the group. "I'll see most of you in the transporter room in a few moments. Dr. Crusher, would you stay back for a moment?"

The rest of the group left. Dr. Chase relit the extinguished candle and told Crusher, "Doctor, I need to ask you to do two things. First, you have my permission to tell Deanna Troi all of what happened here. Hold this icon--" she handed the Doctor a small carved figurine--"When you do so. I may need her expertise to shepherd my charge later. Second, I'll probably need your medical services. Please tell no one about this request."

Dr. Crusher was puzzled. None of this seemed to require secrecy.

Then Xandra Chase told her exactly WHAT services she'd require.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

A short while later Riker, Data and Dr. Chase beamed into the private transporter pads of the Rosenberg-Harris Institute. That the Institute HAD such pads was something of a shock typically, these pads were usable only by the government and the military. Chalk it up to Dr. Chase's "connections," Will Riker grumbled to himself. He wasn't fond of people who used connections instead of talent to get where they were--even if their legs were as nice as Xandra Chase's.

Dr. Chase deposited her case on her office desk. Will Riker noted that it was covered with ancient photographs, books, and holy relics. Among the pictures were one of a young woman that strongly resembled Xandra Chase. She noticed him looking and said, "That's my ancestor Cordelia, Commander. She also helped fight the vampires in her time--though she was a bit of a spoiled snob. My family's been involved in the business ever since."

Riker muttered, "Every family needs a hobby," and was surprised to see Dr. Chase's grin widen.

They took an interior route down through the building. By a ladder leading down into subterranean depths below the Institute, Dr. Chase opened a storeroom. She handed Riker a crossbow with a few dozen quarrels, a cross, and a stake. She picked up a few stakes and some vials of water--holy water, she said--for herself, and gave Data two stakes. "Commander Riker and I will do most of the fighting, Commander," she told Data. "And with your--nature, the vampires won't bother you anyway. It is IMPERATIVE that you bring the body of Buffy Summers back up this ladder, even at the cost of our lives. Now, you aim for the heart, Commanders--"

Data said, "Excuse me, Doctor, but that is murder."

Riker said, "Right. I don't kill without good reason."

"These are vampires, people! That's reason enough." She looked at their disbelieving stares. "Vampires have no souls. They are not the people they resemble there are demons inhabiting their bodies. That makes it not murder, but a necessity." Data nodded. He might not agree with the necessity of killing them, but given the situation, and his orders, he would kill them. Will Riker, on the other hand, was going to need to have it proven to him. Fine.

"Now, gentlemen, follow me..." She descended the ladder, and ultimately came upon a passageway leading to a vast underground cavern, filled with portions of a well-preserved ancient city. Will Riker blinked, and even Data seemed a bit shocked. They'd heard nothing about such a discovery.

Xandra Chase bowed. "Commander Riker, Commander Data: Welcome to Sunnydale."

Riker and Data gaped at the extent of the cave, and the reconstructed ancient buildings. Artificial illumination made the interior seem as bright as daylight. There were a number of workers still actively busy repairing things the closer ones, Riker noted, wore crosses about their necks and sported hand-held crossbows. Directing them was a young man in an all-black jumpsuit.

"The cavern, of course, is partly artificial," Dr. Chase said, "but all of the buildings are real. Authentic from the days when Sunnydale was buried by an earthquake back in 2006. We've had to do some repair work, but Sunnydale, from the Bronze--that's a nightclub--to the location of the old High School has been greatly restored."

"Why?" Riker asked.

"For the history alone, commander, for one. Second is that these are places that Buffy Summers was familiar with and we thought it would prove to her quickly how long she'd been unconscious if we could show them to her in their current condition."

"It makes sense," Data said. "Query, Doctor: That is the second or third time you have said we. Are there more who possess your knowledge?"

"A few. The Watcher's Council knows a lot of what I do. So, for that matter, does Silver, though not by any intent of mine. But there is one--person--who has the same amount of knowledge I do." She yelled for the man directing the operations to come over, and he did so. Riker noted how young the man truly was, surely no older than his early '20s. And he had the same knowledge Xandra Chase did?

"Commander Riker, Commander Data, this is the Harris-Rosenberg Institute's most valuable member: Angel. Angel, these are Commanders Riker and Data from the USS Enterprise."

Angel said bluntly but politely, "They're going to help us retrieve Buffy?" Dr. Chase nodded. "Right. Let's get to it, then."

"Angel what?" Riker asked the young man as they made their way through the cavern to the ruins of an ancient cemetery."

"Just Angel. I gave up my last name a long time ago."

"Must be older than you look, then."

Angel laughed, somewhat bitterly. "You could say that."

Riker didn't trust this guy, and not just because he wasn't fond of Xandra Chase. He might think Dr. Chase was wasting Starfleet's time, but she seemed sincere. This guy, though, just rubbed him the wrong way. With no hard evidence, though, what was he going to do? Call Captain Picard and say, "Sorry, Captain, I can't do this--there's someone down here I don't like?" Not likely. Not for the first time he wished Deanna were with them.

The cemetery was largely reconstructed, but there were a few genuine ancient gravestones, and one old mausoleum. As Riker approached he heard a voice in his head screaming, "Go back! Go back!" It was mildly unnerving. He looked around Angel and Dr. Chase appeared slightly disturbed, but Data..."Mr. Data. Didn't you feel that?"

"Feel what, sir?" The android was puzzled.

"He wouldn't. The spell wasn't designed with self-aware machines in mind, Commander," Xandra Chase said. "Now, this is where it gets interesting. Silver's likely to have a few of her more powerful vampires down there waiting for us. Mr. Data, again, your task is to retrieve the body of Buffy Summers. Mr. Riker, the closer we get to Buffy Summers' resting place, the more frightening those voices will become. Just a warning."

Angel flicked on a flashlight and led the way into the mausoleum, through a narrow doorway and down an old, hand-carved stairway into a series of natural caverns. Riker followed, and after him was Xandra Chase. Data brought up the rear.

There was a curve in the passageway. Angel stopped them 50 feet before it and whispered, "This is the best place for an ambush. Right at the bend that spell manifests again, and they could hit us while we were distracted."

"Are vampires unaffected by this--spell?" Data asked.

"No. But the more powerful they are, the more easily they'll be able to resist it. Silver's not crazy enough to send rookies. Be prepared." Dr. Chase drew a stake, and reluctantly Will Riker loaded the crossbow. Angel and Data did nothing and again the party moved forward.

Data pulled out his tricorder. Dr. Chase stopped him. "Good idea, Commander. Unfortunately, vampires don't emit life signs. We've been trying to recalibrate our medical tricorders, but we're not having much luck. Have you ever tried to scan for the LACK of something?"

"GO BACK! GO BACK! GO BACK!" The voice screamed, and despite Riker's mental preparations he was still stunned, and more than a little terrified. He saw Dr. Chase and Angel try to throw off the effects, but before they could do so four very large humans jumped into the corridor in front of them. Riker raised the crossbow and Dr. Chase wielded her stake like an expert knife-fighter.

"Hello, Angel," the leader, a man, said. "Bringing Silver some presents?"

"They know you?" Riker said while gritting his teeth.

The man laughed sarcastically. "They don't know? Commander," reading Riker's rank insignia, "He's one--"

"No, I'm not," Angel said, and leapt on the speaker. Riker was then stunned when he saw the other three people's faces--transform into something vile and hideous. One of them bared her--fangs? and charged Riker, who rapidly fired the crossbow, which struck the woman's shoulder. She pulled it out and struck Riker with both fists, slamming him into the wall with surprising strength. He tossed the now-useless crossbow onto the cave path floor and punched the woman in the face as hard as he could. She staggered briefly, grinned, and punched him, sending him sprawling. She jumped on top of him and leaned down towards his neck...

Suddenly she was a cloud of ash. He saw Dr. Chase standing there with a stake in her hand. She leaned down, picked him up, and then said, "Are you hurt?"

"My ego, more than my body, but I'll survive," he grimaced. "But next time I'm bringing a phaser." They looked at the rest of the fight. Obviously Dr. Chase had taken care of one of their assailants quickly, because what Riker saw was a pair of single combats.

Angel and his partner were trading punches. Surprisingly, the young man was giving as good as he got--no, even better--which didn't quite square with Riker's experience. Data had a vampire--yes, there were vampires, he grudgingly admitted to himself--pinned against a wall with both arms. The struggling vampire couldn't move, but Data couldn't do much else but hold him against the wall. He hissed at the android, "Let me go, mechanical man. I promise not to hurt you."

"And I have no doubt you would keep that promise, as vampires cannot drain androids. But you would harm others, and that is something I cannot permit." Data picked the vampire up with both hands and slammed him to the floor. He then drew a stake and plunged it into the vampire's heart. He disappeared into another dust-cloud.

Angel was winning his slugfest with the lead vampire, apparently on sheer strength. By now Riker was convinced there was more to this young man than met the eye. Bio-enhancements, genetic engineering, whatever, it was obvious why he was so valuable to the Rosenberg-Harris institute. That would also explain his apparent youth.

Angel finally reached into a pocket, but instead of pulling out a stake, he pulled out a wicked-looking knife of Klingon design. He reached out and sliced off the vampire's head with a single savage blow. This one, too, turned to dust.

And then they were done. Angel sheathed the knife expertly and turned to the other three. He isn't even panting, Riker thought. "Are you all okay?" Angel asked. Dr. Chase nodded briefly, Will Riker did the same, and Data said, "I am undamaged."

"Good." Without a word he turned and arched back down the corridor.

Riker hustled to catch up to him. "How did you do that?" He asked.

"Do what?" Angel tried an innocent expression. It didn't work well on him. Riker gave him a dirty look and Angel said, "Alright, you're not going to buy that explanation. But I can't give you one right now, not without Dr. Chase's say-so. I am on your side, though."

From behind Riker Xandra Chase said, "Knock off the questions, Commander. The answers are none of your business."

The warnings in their head got louder and more terrifying the further they walked down the corridor. Finally, they reached a point where Riker said, "I KNOW this feeling isn't real. But I KNOW just as strongly that if I take one more step down this corridor that something horrible will happen to me." Slumping to the ground, he muttered, "I HATE this."

"I don't blame you, commander," Dr. Chase said. We're almost there anyway, Buffy Summers' resting place is only another twenty meters, just around the next bend. It took Angel and me a solid month before we were able to get around the corner and take the holographic image. Mr. Data, it's your baby now."

"There is no infants pres--ah. A metaphor. I shall be back shortly."

"Commander, once we're done, we may need to beam back to the Enterprise as soon as we hit the main cavern. All of our research shows that the spell placed on Buffy Summers and the ones that have been causing the fear-reactions are intertwined. Once Mr. Data touches her, those spells will be broken."

"That's good, isn't it?" Riker rasped.

"For us, and the vampires, Commander. Silver knew where the Slayer was almost as soon as we did. She has certain--psychic abilities. It's a dead-on lock she'll know when the spells vanish, and she'll send out vampire goon squads as soon as she notices."

"Now you tell us?"

Angel spoke. "Would you have believed her earlier, Commander?" No, Riker had to admit, probably not.

Five minutes later he determined to try to at least regain his feet--and suddenly the oppression was gone. He called out, "Data, hurry!" The android came sprinting around the corner, the young blonde slung over one shoulder.

The three started running. As they made their way back to the main cavern, Data asked, "Why are we running?" Angel explained it to the android.

They burst out into the main cavern. Dr. Chase boomed: "It's time, people! Relay the message and get the hell out of here." The response was astonishing. All over the cavern, in short order, people dropped their tools and began beaming out or climbing the many access ladders to the surface. Within a minute they were alone in the cavern.

"Dr. Chase, behind you!" Riker unlimbered the crossbow and caught a vampire in the eye. From the fringes of the cavern more approached. "Give us the Slayer," a nearby one hissed.

Dr. Chase hissed to Riker, "Beam us to sickbay on my signal." Then, loudly, "Everyone link arms!" She turned to the hissing vampire. "Tell the Lady this: Buffy's back. Now, Commander!"

In an instant they were in sickbay. Seconds later Data had put Buffy's still unconscious body on one of the biobeds. Beverly Crusher took one look at the readings and shook her head. "Nothing for me to do here. She'll be awake in seconds."

"You," Dr. Chase told Angel, "Fade into the background." Angel walked into Dr. Crusher's office.

The girl sprang up from her prone position. "No! Giles!" She shook her head and recognized her surroundings. "Where am I? Who are you?" She blinked. "Who does your decorating?"

"Buffy," a woman said. Cordelia! No, not Cordelia--but the resemblance was remarkable.

"Do I know you?" Buffy asked. "You look like Cordy."

"I should. I'm her descendant."

"Descendant?" NO, she couldn't be hearing that right. Descendant meant she was in the future. "Where am I?"

"Where is unimportant, Buffy. It's when that matters. Welcome to the 24th Century."

Buffy snorted. "You have GOT to be kidding..."

The woman said, "Kidding? Buffy, I wish we were. What's the last thing you remember?"

"Not so fast, futuregirl. When am I, where am I and who are all of you?" Buffy demanded.

"Where is aboard a Starship, the USS Enterprise." Starship? Space? No, no..."And introductions...I'm Dr. Xandra Chase." She pointed to the handsome guy with the beard, the pale man with the freaky yellow eyes, and the redhaired woman. "This is Commander Will Riker, Commander Data, and Dr. Beverly Crusher."

As Buffy shook the albino's hand she sensed something. He wasn't a vampire, but...She narrowed her eyes and spoke to Data. "You're not human. What are you?"

"No, Miss Summers. I am an android." Quickly Buffy leapt off the bed and assumed a fighting stance. She didn't DO androids.

Dr. Chase quickly said, "Buffy! No! He's not like Ted."

"Ted?" Data asked.

Dr. Chase said, distractedly, "Ted Buchanan. Early android."

"Theodore Buchanan was an inspiration to my creator, Dr. Noonian Soong," Data said. "There were rumors that he had created an android prototype in the mid to late 20th century. These stories fascinated him, and eventually inspired him to create me."

"Yeah, well, your 'inspiration" tried to murder me and my mother," Buffy said. She gritted her teeth and forced herself to relax. If she really WAS 400 years in the future, then odds were androids were different.

"I was unaware of this." The android said. A bald man with a definite air of authority walked into the room.

"Ah," he said. "I see our guest has awakened." He walked over and extended a hand to Buffy. "I'm Jean-Luc Picard, Captain of the Enterprise." Buffy firmly shook his hand. He turned to Dr. Chase. "Have you explained the situation to her?"

Ah, third person. Buffy LOVED being referred to in the third person. "You mean, Captain Picard, that I'm on a spaceship 370 years in my future and everyone I've ever known is dead? Figured it out on my own, thanks." Giles, Xander, Willow, Cordy--all dead? She forced those thoughts down for the moment.

Dr. Chase said, "That's about as far as we've gotten. The rest still needs to be explained. She turned to Buffy. "Buffy, what's the last thing you remember?"

"Giles and I," Buffy said...

"Giles?" Riker asked.

"Her Watcher," Dr. Chase said. "Now no more questions until she's done."

"Anyway," Buffy glared, "I was on patrol one night in Sunnydale Park and Giles was giving me a few advanced vampire-hunting tips when we saw a very familiar face..."

OoO Flashback OoO

"Buffy," Giles said, "It is possible to use more than your vampire-tracking senses to trace vampires. Vampires have a unique smell--" He ran into his charge's back. Buffy was looking at something, or someone, in the distance.

"Giles," she said, "Tell me that's not who I think it is..."

"Who do you think it--Good Lord!" 25 feet ahead of them, next to a tree, stood the most impossible woman in the world.

"Jenny?" he said hopefully.

The woman smiled a vicious grin. Buffy could see Giles' heart sink. The woman ahead, resemble her though she might, could not possibly be Jenny Calendar.

"No, Rupert," she said mockingly, "I'm not your beloved Jenny. I'm not the woman you and your precious Slayer helped murder." She spoke bitterly. "I'm her sister Agatha."

Buffy said, "Um, excuse me, Agatha, but we didn't kill Miss Calendar. A vampire did."

Agatha said bitterly, "Oh, I KNOW the proximate cause, Slayer. I also know the ultimate cause. YOU slept with Angelus, which broke his curse."

"Which your sister never told us about," Giles said.

"SHE DIDN'T KNOW!" The woman screamed. No, Agatha was nothing like her sister, Buffy thought. For one thing, Jenny Calendar was sane.

"Well, then, um, nice to have met you," Giles said. "Now, if you'll excuse us--"

"Yeah," Buffy said, "I'd like to say it's been fun, but it hasn't. And if you're ever near my house, please don't hesitate to not drop in."

"Oh, no," Agatha said. "You think you can kill my sister, Slayer, and get away with it?" She withdrew a gemstone from a pouch by her side and began chanting.

"This is your curse, Buffy Summers: You will be alone…"

The world started moving slowly for Buffy.

"Run!" She could hear Giles say in slow motion.

But she couldn't run. In fact, she couldn't move at all...

OoO End Flashback OoO

"And that's the last thing I remember." Then all of the emotions struck Buffy like a sledgehammer. She started crying. "They're all dead, aren't they? Giles, Willow, Xander..."

"I'm afraid so, Buffy." Dr. Chase said.

"So the curse worked," Buffy said. "I AM alone."

"Not while we're here, Miss Summers," Riker said sympathetically. Buffy briefly flashed him a look of gratitude.

Dr. Chase turned to the four Starfleet officers, who were watching with mixed expressions of sympathy, bemusement, and impatience. They were clearly unused to being out of the action for this long. "NO questions," she said firmly.

Data said, "But what would we ask questions ab--" He quieted down upon being elbowed simultaneously by Riker and Dr. Crusher.

"Buffy," Dr. Chase said. "Agatha was her sister's converse: rather powerful, but quite unskilled. She did NOT curse you, simply place you into an enchanted sleep. It did last 370 years, which she must have imagined would be enough. It wasn't. I have someone--a FRIEND--who really wants to see you." She turned to a doorway. "Come on out, now..."

Which one of her friends would be alive after 400 years, Buffy wondered...it hit her at the same time she saw him walk into the room.

"Angel!" she shrieked. All the determination she'd had to kill him vanished instantly. She could FEEL his soul. She started crying again, this time out of happiness, and rushed across the room and hugged him.

"Angel..."

He started crying too. "Hi, Buffy," he said tenderly. "Welcome back."

X X X X X

Well, Karg?" The Lady snapped.

"I am ashamed to say, Lady, that we missed her. Xandra Chase and the traitor transported out with two Starfleet officers seconds before we could get to them. And when we tried to reach the surface, we found the access hatchways blocked and sealed with crosses, garlic and holy water. We think that we could force--"

"Never mind," the Lady said languorously. "I suspected they'd get away, you know. I could feel it." She stretched and yawned for effect.

"Then why did you have us try to stop her, Lady?" The Klingon vampire, befitting his kind, was blunt and undiplomatic. Silver had long been accustomed to this, and tolerated behavior from him that would have gotten any of her other subjects staked or bespelled.

Of course, that he could out bench-press any five human vampires helped his cause as well.

"Because the future, my dear Klingon, is not immutable. I can only see probabilities. I'm no--Prophet." She paused. "I assume one of these Starfleet Officers was the android, Data?"

"Yes, Lady. The other was--" He quieted with a wave of the Lady's hand.

"The other is irrelevant, as long as Data was the one who entered the resting place." She thought for a moment. "Have I ever told you, Karg, why I hate the Slayer so?"

Karg had heard the reason innumerable times in the forty years or so since he'd been changed over, but he knew the answer. "No, Lady." He had no idea if she was testing him, displaying a bizarre sense of humor or had genuinely forgotten.

"I haven't? Hmm. I really thought I had. A Slayer, you see, killed the only person I ever loved. My beloved--" Suddenly she seized up. Karg HATED this. Silver was now in the full throes of a psychic seizure and might not recover for a while.

Karg pulled back. The Lady was his mistress, his leader, his parent, but one thing she was not was a military planner. That's why she had Karg. While she was foreseeing the future, he could plan for it.

He examined the plans for the three embassies for weak points. Here, he thought. We'll strike here, and here...oh, it'll be glorious! The Lady might not care much for glory, but even as a vampire he was a Klingon first!

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

After a minute or so Buffy and Angel pulled out of the hug.

Buffy said, "So, whatcha been doing?"

"This and that," Angel said with a small smile. Buffy struck him gently on the shoulder.

"370 years and still you're cryptic boy? Not likely. Give!"

"We don't have time now, Buffy..." He looked at Dr. Chase.

Xandra Chase silenced the incipient questions of the Starfleet Officers with a harsh look, then said, "Actually, you do. Dr. Crusher, do you still have that icon?"

"Yes. Here it is." Dr. Crusher handed her the figurine. After a brief invocation, Dr. Chase handed it to Buffy.

"Hold this during your talk. Someone will be along in a few minutes to help you, if you want the help." She walked over to a small panel on the wall. "Counselor Troi? This is Dr. Xandra Chase."

After a second, an exotic female accent came back through the panel. "Yes, Dr. Chase?"

"Please come to sickbay. The person of whom Dr. Crusher told you is here with...a friend. Give us five minutes."

"On my way." Buffy noticed that the woman on the other end did NOT seem especially happy.

"As for the REST of you," Dr. Chase said, "I'll update you in the briefing room. Let's go." She exited sickbay, followed by a bemused Beverly Crusher, a querulous Data and a disgruntled Will Riker and Jean-Luc Picard. They weren't fond of being ordered about their own starship. Buffy wondered what kind of power Dr. Chase had that let her do it anyway.

Buffy clenched the icon and told Angel seriously, "Now. Tell me what happened after I...made like Rip van Winkle. What happened to Giles, and Xander, and Willow, and Cordy? And when did you get your soul back?"

He picked her up and sat her down on one of the beds as he paced the room.

"You're not going to like this." he sighed. "You're REALLY not going to like this. I'll go in order. Your mother was devastated and moved back to L. A. I lost track of her after that. Kendra moved to Sunnydale and took over Slaying. I--Angelus--killed Oz as the rest of your friends were restoring my soul in 2001. It took Willow five years to forgive me. About as long as it took Giles. If it wasn't for Xander--" He paused and laughed. "You'd've loved it. Xander became my best friend. Really, my only friend until--I'm skipping ahead.

"Agatha Calendar wasn't finished with her revenge. In 2006 she went down to the Hellmouth and tried to open it and destroy Sunnydale. She failed. What she did was set off an earthquake that leveled part of the town and dropped the rest of it a hundred feet below ground. Giles, Willow--by now Giles' Co-Watcher--and Emily Harding, then the Slayer, were killed outright in the quake, and Xander was permanently disabled. Only Cordelia and I escaped unharmed."

"Oh God," Buffy said.

"The good news is that Agatha was killed as well. I saw her crushed by a falling boulder. But her revenge was pretty much complete. The only thing she DIDN'T do was get their children."

"Children?"

Angel smiled. "Yes. Willow had Oz's daughter Gale. Cordelia had two of Xander's children--Ophelia and Xander Jr. From the three of them--and me--came the Rosenberg-Harris Institute, dedicated to both historical research and Slaying vampires. Except me."

"What happened to Xander and Cordy?"

"Xander only lived another five years. He was never really the same. And Cordy...vanished almost immediately after Xander died."

"Oh God, oh God, oh God..." Angel rushed up and hugged her. "If only I'd been there..."

"The world is full of "if only's," Buffy. If only I hadn't succumbed to Darla. If only I hadn't slept with you. If only I hadn't broken Jenny Calendar's neck." He snorted. "I've thought about them for hundreds of years, and you know what I've decided? I can't do a damn thing about them. I've had to live with what happened. I've had to move on."

She said, anguished, "Don't you see? I haven't had the CHANCE to live with it. I haven't had the chance to move on. They were all alive twenty minutes ago. Giles was preaching to me, Xander was being goofy, Willow had just found her first REAL boyfriend! We're going--We WERE going. I can't deal with this. I can't deal with being alone." She cried as he held her.

"You're not alone. You'll never be alone as long as I'm here," he said. "Shh. I promise." The door opened and Buffy looked up. A pretty, dark-haired woman walked in. She stopped, immediately sensing Buffy and Angel's emotional condition.

"Hello," she said. "I'm Deanna Troi, Ship's Counselor." She grasped the icon Buffy was holding. "I know who you are, Miss Summers." She smiled at Buffy and Angel. "Would you like to talk?"

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Xandra Chase relit the four candles and looked at the five Starfleet officers, who with one exception were glaring at her. That one exception, of course, was Data, who was simply regarding her with an air of puzzlement.

Will Riker spoke first, after looking at Captain Picard for approval. "Captain, I was getting slapped around by one of these--vampires."

Worf grumbled, "I thought you did not believe in vampires."

Riker said, "I do now. I've seen them." Worf harrumphed, but said nothing. "In any event, captain, I was getting battered around the cave passage. This fellow--Angel--was duking it out one on one with another. And he was winning. At first I thought bio-enhancements of some sort, but now..."

"What is it, Number One?"

"I think he's one of the genetic dictators. Like Khan Noonian Singh or Colonel Green. How else could he have lived this long? How else could he know Buffy Summers?"

Xandra Chase had been holding her breath without realizing it now she burst out laughing. Riker glared at her and snapped, "You find this funny, do you, Doctor?"

Captain Picard added, "Harboring a survivor of the genetic wars is still a major offense, Dr. Chase. 1702 gimel will not protect you from prosecution for that."

Data spoke up. "I do not believe Dr. Chase was laughing at the genetic dictators, Captain. I believe she was laughing at Commander Riker's thought processes."

Riker said. "Oh? What's so amusing about them, Data?"

Data said, "With your permission, Doctor?" Xandra Chase nodded. "You have made an erroneous assumption. You deduce that, because of his great strength, the trust Dr. Chase places in him, and the fact that Buffy Summers knows him that he is one of the genetic dictators. You make one automatic assumption, though: You assume that he is human. I submit that he is not."

Beverly Crusher said, "You think he might be an early android, Data? Another one of the creations of this Theodore Buchanan you mentioned?"

"I considered that possibility, Doctor. However, I dismissed it for two reasons. One is that Xandra Chase needed ME specifically to retrieve Miss Summers. The other is Miss Summers' reaction to my self-identification as an android. It was quite emotional."

Worf said, "So this Angel is not human and not android. What is he?"

Data said. "Unless I miss my guess, Lieutenant, I believe he is a vampire."

Captain Picard spoke sharply. "Dr. Chase. Is Mr. Data correct in his deduction?"

She shrugged. "Well ,...yes."

Worf rose to his feet. "You brought a VAMPIRE onto the Enterprise?" He was NOT a happy Klingon, but then so few of them are.

Dr. Chase said, with an amused tone in her voice. "I thought you didn't believe in vampires, Lieutenant." Worf strode over to the door and found Xandra Chase blocking his way. He tried to get around her, reluctant to use force against an unprepared opponent, but she refused to move.

Will Riker said, "Well, I do." He reached for his comm badge. "Security!" A buzz and crackle. "Security!" Again no answer. Captain Picard tried the one in front of him and got the same response.

"What's wrong with our communications system, Dr. Chase?" Worf was still standing there, glaring at the Doctor from no more than two feet away. She didn't seem intimidated.

"The same spell that prevents spying almost prevents outgoing communication. But why are you trying to call Security? Angel's one of the good guys." She paused. "And Counselor Troi is in no danger."

"Why don't I believe that?" Will Riker said.

"I don't know," Xandra Chase said. "I really don't. But if it'll stop YOU from bitching about it every five minutes, and YOU--" she planted a finger on Worf's chest. "from trying to run off half-cocked to commit God knows what mayhem on the body of my friend--or trying to and failing miserably--we'll cut this little strategy session short and go down to sickbay. You'll see it for yourselves, okay?" The four seated Starfleet Officers rose. Worf bristled at the "fail miserably" but said nothing.

Data spoke up. "And, considering the Counselor's abilities, if she trusts him, then--"

Dr. Chase broke into a wide grin. "You're absolutely right, Commander. I wonder why I didn't think of that?" Captain Picard and Dr. Crusher looked at her, then at each other.

Damn if she hasn't set us up, thought Jean-Luc Picard. Now if Deanna gives this Angel fellow a favorable report we'll have to trust him. He admired her audacity and planning. Of course, if she had placed one of his crew members in danger, then into a holding cell she went, 1702 gimel be damned.

They made their way to sickbay.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Buffy blinked. Deanna Troi was an amazingly empathetic woman, very easy to talk to. But she really hadn't been able to do anything to ease Buffy's frustrations.

She HAD made her understand what they were, though, even if running down the list took her longer then waiting in line at the--movies? Damn, even her metaphors weren't working.

Apparently there'd been some kind of prophecy that said she was due to come back when she was needed most. Made her feel a bit like King Arthur.

"Buffy?" Angel and Counselor Troi said at the same time.

She looked up, startled. "Sorry. Lost in thought."

Counselor Troi said calmly, "I don't blame you. You haven't had time to adjust yet. I sense a great anger and frustration--" Buffy held up a hand. Angel moved in protectively.

"Check that 'sense,' Counselor. What do you mean?"

"I am part Betazoid, Buffy." Then, realizing that meant precisely nothing to her, "Betazoids have certain telepathic abilities. I can sense emotions, for example."

Angel jumped back. "Have you been reading me?"

"Only in passing. I never read someone unless my duties require it. To read someone without their permission would be an extreme violation of privacy."

"What DO you sense from me?" Angel demanded of the Counselor.

She turned. "Pain. A desire to do good. A desire for atonement. But--" she paused. "Underneath--a hunger." She swayed briefly. "A horrible hunger--" She collapsed into Angel's arms, overwhelmed by the raw hunger of Angel's demon.

And that, of course, is EXACTLY when the Starfleet Officers entered Sickbay.

Worf took a look at the situation, jumped to the wrong conclusion, and charged across the room. "Let her GO!" he yelled as he threw a punch at the shocked and unprepared vampire. Angel slammed into the wall as Riker caught Counselor Troi, who was starting to revive. Angel bounced off the wall and stood there. Crusher rushed to Riker's side and dragged Troi to one side, where she started examining her.

Buffy yelled and threw herself in front of the ugly brown guy, who had the face and disposition of a deformed vampire. "Back off, burn victim!"

"Out of my way!"

"Not likely," Buffy snarled. Worf reached out and grabbed her with both arms, apparently intending to put her to one side while he went after Angel. Buffy broke free of the grip, kneed him in the stomach, and punched him in the nose, staggering him and knocking him to the floor.

He was ready to make another attempt to get to Angel when Captain Picard said, "That's ENOUGH, Lieutenant !" Worf backed off but stood in a combat-ready position. Buffy matched it. "And as for you, Miss Summers, I would kindly appreciate it if you wouldn't batter my Security Officer around sickbay."

Buffy said, in no mood to be mollified, "Well, Captain, I would 'kindly appreciate' it if your Security Officer wouldn't go attacking my friends."

Worf rumbled. "First off, I was NOT getting 'battered around Sickbay."

"Coulda fooled me," Buffy said.

"SECOND, Miss Summers, your friend was attacking Counselor Troi."

Deanna Troi sat up, a bit woozily. "He was doing nothing of the sort, Worf."

"Deanna--" Will Riker began.

"No. I was trying to get a sense of his emotional state and his emotions were so STRONG that I collapsed."

Data asked, "Would you say that Angel is trustworthy, Counselor?"

Troi said, in a surprised tone, "Yes. He is committed to the same cause as Dr. Chase reportedly is. The strength of his emotions may cause HIM pain, but they are very little danger to us."

Data continued, "Sir. ARE you a vampire?" Troi looked at him, startled. Angel nodded his head.

Troi said, "That explains the hunger..."

"Dr. Chase," Captain Picard boomed. "I was under the distinct impression that vampires were evil. Would you care to explain this?"

"Very simple," came Xandra Chase's voice from behind them. "He has a soul. Most vampires do not."

"Well then, it would seem we are forced to trust him. Very clever, Dr. Chase."

"Clever?" She said innocently.

Picard was spared a response by Deanna Troi. "Buffy. I'm still sensing a lot of anger."

"You think?" Buffy said sarcastically.

"I have an idea. Worf, Buffy, come with me..." She walked out of the room. Puzzled, Data, Riker, Worf, Angel and Buffy followed. Beverly Crusher started to tidy up sickbay and Captain Picard, after declining the Counselor's invitation, headed for the bridge. Xandra Chase followed him to the turbolift, pulling a computer programming module out of her case and requesting the location of the holodecks.

They came to a stop before a large room where people were working out and sparring.

"Buffy," Counselor Troi said mischievously, "Are you still in the mood for a fight...?"

Worf picked up on the idea. "I would kill her, prepared, Counselor." Angel laughed.

"Well," Buffy said, "SOMEONE thinks highly of himself...don't worry, Mr...Worf is it? I won't hurt you." Now Riker laughed and he and Troi cleared the room of people.

Buffy couldn't have known it, but a direct challenge to Worf's ego, in a situation where he wasn't entirely constrained by Starfleet rules, was the surest way of assuring a fight.

"Do you have a choice of weapons?" he growled.

"Yeah. None." Riker and Data were clearing out a large space in the center of the gym.

Worf said, "I will need a moment to prepare."

"Ready whenever you are."

Angel turned to Buffy. "You sure you want to do this? Klingons are strong. He's probably as strong as you are."

"Yeah. But he's not nearly as mad. I could kill twelve vampires right now. One Klingon won't be a problem." Angel looked in Buffy's eyes, saw the old fire, and grinned widely. He hugged her and he moved over by the Starfleet Officers, leaving Buffy feeling very suddenly alone.

The Klingon moved over from wherever he'd gotten to. "I am ready."

Buffy said, "Me too. Let's rumble."

Slowly they began circling.

Troi, Riker, Data and Angel drifted together to watch the battle. Riker noted Angel's grin and said, "That sure of her, eh?"

"Oh yeah. I've seen Buffy take down monsters twice Worf's size and speed."

"Sure enough to place a bet on that?" Troi and Data looked up at their fellow officer. The two combatants were still circling.

Angel said, "If you want to throw your money away, why not? No--actually, let's make the--stakes--more interesting." Data looked at Angel in bemusement. Oddly enough, he was the only one to catch the pun.

Riker said. "Sure. That knife you have, for--?"

"Dinner on you."

"That sounds fair. Hey, wait a--" Troi burst out laughing as Riker realized what Angel had just conned him out of. The first officer regarded the vampire suspiciously. "You're not serious, are you?"

"No. Buffy wins, you donate some money to the Institute. Fair?" The two shook hands.

"Anyone else want in on the action?"

Data said, "I fear I must decline."

Troi though, said, "Yes. Put me down on Buffy. And ME you can buy dinner for Will." Riker's eyebrows shot through the ceiling. If Deanna's impressions of Buffy were that strong--well, it was too late to do anything now.

They settled back to watch the combat.

Worf said, "Terms?"

Buffy thought. "Pin. Three seconds, shoulders on mat. Agreed?"

"Agreed."

Buffy and Worf circled for what seemed like an eternity, each sizing up the other. Neither saw any obvious weaknesses.

Buffy decided that she was probably faster than the Klingon, so he probably expected her to play it defensively. So she grabbed onto his shoulders and, as he grabbed for her futilely, vaulted over him and kicked him in the back as she did so. He staggered, whirled, and punched at Buffy as she turned. The punch caught her on the shoulder.

She dropped and scissor-kicked at his legs. He jumped, but Buffy still clipped him and he sprawled as he landed. Worf reached out with his left arm and dragged Buffy to the mat with him. Then, showing surprising speed, he rolled on top of her, pinning her. She flexed, freeing his grip briefly, and struck him on the nose as hard as possible, three times in rapid succession. Worf released her and quickly she scrambled to her feet.

He roared and charged at her she threw herself to one side and struck him in the head. He spun and snagged her wrist and planted his feet, trying to throw her into the nearest wall. Buffy bounced off and deftly dodged Worf's punch aimed at her midsection. She swept kicked his feet and slammed HIM into the wall, then kicked him in the side.

The Klingon grabbed her foot and twisted. She lifted her planted foot and dropped to the ground, startling him and dragging him down too. He punched as he went down, but it missed Buffy entirely. She rolled aside and kicked him in the head, then flipped him onto his back.

Buffy straddled the prone Klingon. "One. Two. Three. You yield?"

Worf said, "I...yield."

Buffy flipped up and pulled him to his feet. She said. "Thanks. I needed that."

Worf said, "And thank you, Miss Summers, for teaching me not to underestimate my opponents. You are a worthy adversary."

"Yeah well, you're not so bad yourself." They walked to where their friends were standing.

Riker looked at Angel. "Well, she won. I assume an IOU works?"

Angel smirked. "Of course, Commander."

Troi nudged him and said, "From me, you don't get off that easy."

"I'll deduct it from the three you owe me from poker." He said as Troi groaned.

Worf, breathing heavily, turned to Angel and said, "And you? Commander Riker has vouched for your abilities as a warrior. I would be honored to fight you in a fair combat."

Buffy was puzzled. "Fifteen minutes ago, he was trying to kill him."

Riker said, "The situation's changed."

Angel shook his head. "No. It wouldn't be fair."

"Why? Worf asked suspiciously, apparently thinking Angel was denigrating his fighting skills.

"Watch. Buffy, you too." He walked over to the wall and said, conversationally, "Vampires my age have ENORMOUS physical strength and speed, and sometimes special powers."

Buffy said, "You got a special power, too? Cool! Let me see, let me see!"

Angel said, "Can't. In a burst of poetic justice, I got the ability to restore the souls of other vampires. I don't use it much...because I don't want the others to end up like me. The fringe benefit is that I no longer need worry about losing my own." Buffy grinned widely at this. "Now, Mr. Worf, watch."

Captain Picard walked in as Angel slammed his fist into the bulkhead.

No. THROUGH the bulkhead. ALL the way through the bulkhead. One punch. Whoa. Buffy blinked.

Everyone turned to look at him. Riker muttered, "Remind me NOT to get him ticked off at me."

Data turned to Commander Riker. "Commander. Do not get Angel--"

Riker groaned. "That was rhetorical, Data."

Data said, "I know, Commander. I was attempting humor."

Riker groaned again as Troi laughed.

Angel looked up and saw Captain Picard. "Angel," the Captain said, "You've dented my ship..."

Sheepishly, the vampire said, "Sorry, Captain Picard. I just needed to prove a point. Would you like me to pay for repairs?"

Picard waved a hand. "No. That won't be necessary. Counselor," he said, raising his voice, "I assume whatever you planned was a success?" He was looking at the still winded Buffy and Worf as he said it.

Troi said, "May I, Miss Summers?" Buffy nodded. Troi frowned and told Captain Picard, "To a certain extent, yes." Buffy looked at her quizzically; she wasn't saying everything. Buffy DID feel better, that was sure.

Captain Picard's communicator beeped. He hit it and said, "Yes?"

"Captain Picard? This is Xandra Chase. Is everything done?"

"Everything seems to be in order, yes."

"Then we're ready for a little council of war. Oh, Counselor, can you hear me?"

"Yes, Dr. Chase," the Betazoid said.

"Good. I have a holodeck program I've left in holodeck one. I'd appreciate it if you'd examine it to check the characters for emotional verisimiltude."

"Certainly, Doctor."

"We'll be there in five minutes, Doctor," Captain Picard proclaimed.

Troi caught Buffy as they left the gym. "You're not recovered yet. You've suffered a tremendous shock and, while this workout has enabled you to function, there is still much for you to work through." They walked to the turbolift. "For example, Buffy, don't you think you're being remarkably blasé about all of this new technology?"

"Counselor, in my time I saw androids, demons in computer systems, invisible women, werewolves, and several dozen vampires, just to name a few. It's gonna take more than a funky-looking elevator, a mind-reading therapist, a nice android and a Klingon to rattle me." Buffy smiled. "I haven't seen any laser guns yet. Where are the laser guns? C'mon, this is the future, you gotta have laser guns!"

"Something like that," Deanna Troi grinned. "But, Buffy, the other--"

"It'll have to wait 'til later. Apparently, there's another prophecy around, and one thing I've learned is that it's a really bad idea to piss off prophecies." Buffy entered the turbolift with the remaining Starfleet Officers and Angel, who gave her arm a protective squeeze.

Troi got off a couple of decks before the rest, and they went to a room with a table in the middle. Xandra Chase was already waiting there and waited for everyone to sit down. Angel looked nervously at the windows until Dr. Chase said, "The windows are already treated. No sunlight will get through." A look of understanding passed between them. She slapped the vampire on the shoulder and laughed. "Hello? You think I'D forget?" Angel relaxed and took a seat as Dr. Chase lit four candles, one in each corner of the room.

"Now then," she said, "Buffy, are you ready to Slay some vampires?"

The Slayer laughed. "You should know that about Slayers, Dr. Chase. They're BORN ready."

X X X X X

The Lady stirred while Karg was examining the diagrams of the Klingon, Betazoid and Orion Embassies on Earth. Now, why the lady wished to convert as many Klingons and Betazoids as possible he could well understand. Klingons for their great strength and warrior skills, Betazoids for their telepathic abilities. (That she currently had no Betazoid underlings was a source of great frustration to Silver.) But Orions?

The Lady had said, "They are unscrupulous businessmen and traders. And they don't set my teeth on edge the way those gnarly little Ferengi do."

The battle plans had been drawn.

Silver said, "My beloved Karg!"

"Yes, Lady?"

"I see you've been working on your battle plans. They seem--impressive."

"Thank you, Lady. Now--"

"Change them."

Karg couldn't have heard that correctly. "What?" They'd been planning this assault for, literally, years.

The Lady gave a small smile. "Not entirely, my dear Klingon. But their purpose will now be a feint. The time for my revenge is finally at hand! I could see myself standing triumphantly over the body of the Slayer! I could see the traitor writhing in pain. This is the time prophesied, Karg! The time when I will confront my greatest enemy! And I already know I'll be standing in victory over her motionless body."

"A--feint, Lady?" Silver laughed.

"Only concerned with the military aspects, eh, my dear Klingon? This prophecy means nothing to you! " The Klingon vampire sputtered. "No, Karg. That's what I have you for." Her voice turned from languorous to deadly earnest. "You will attack the three embassies tomorrow as scheduled. But after the first serious resistance, retreat. The purpose of this attack is to spread Starfleet thinly enough that we can take the Slayer without resistance."

"And spreading off-planet? This WILL be our best opportunity, Lady."

"But not the only one, Karg. We WILL take some prisoners, and later, when the resistance is greater, will be a greater military challenge to take more and continue our plans. But I have been waiting for this moment for too long to let it pass. The Slayer WILL be mine. Now, what news from our spy on the Enterprise?"

"Much of the discussion is hidden behind a spell of silence, Lady. But they DO know that Angel is a vampire, and they are planning a council of war to deal with us. Also, the Slayer was able to defeat the Klingon, Worf, in single combat."

"I'm not surprised. She always WAS a formidable fighter. Now, Karg, gather your troops and prepare them. I have some spells to cast."

Karg suppressed a flash of excitement. After all, who knew how better how to define "serious resistance" than a seasoned warrior such as himself...?

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Xandra Chase had spent twenty minutes detailing vampires, how they were created, and their weaknesses. This time, there were no skeptical comments. Then she started in on their specific enemies and their plot to create a legion of non-human vampires.

"Silver has hundreds of vampires under her direct or indirect control. The only one you have to worry about is Karg, her second-in-command. He is a Klingon, and as such--what is it, Lieutenant?"

Worf said, "That is impossible. No Klingon would EVER voluntarily drink the blood of a vampire. It would be an act of extreme cowardice and dishonor."

Dr. Chase said, "Then Karg wasn't a very good Klingon. But he is most DEFINITELY a Klingon. He has five times the strength of a human vampire. He's not a very skilled fighter, but he hardly needs to be. Karg is also a skilled tactician, so he'll be the one directing the attack. He likes to be in the thick of things, so he will personally lead the attack against one embassy.

"Silver herself is a powerful magician, but she likes to work from the shadows. I've never seen her, and neither has anyone else alive that we know of. Angel's had some contact with her..."

Angel picked up his cue. "Early in her life as a vampire--she was a fairly powerful spellcaster even then--she captured me and brought me into her presence blindfolded. I can't say what she looks like, but her voice is soft, alternating between musical and amused, and she RADIATES magical power. I'd recently gained my power to restore souls and tried it on her."

"And it failed?" Captain Picard asked.

"No," Angel said bitterly, "it succeeded. It turns out that Silver hadn't been an especially nice human being, either. In fact, the restoration of her soul reminded her of certain ties she'd had as a human. She "showed her gratitude" by cursing me with the complete inability to lift a finger against her. She could try to kill me--or Dr. Chase, or the Federation President--and I couldn't do anything to stop her." He grimaced. "This doesn't mean I can't work against her, though, or attack her minions."

Buffy said, "Well, I WAS wondering why you hadn't gone after her yourself."

"That's the other reason I don't restore souls that often. I don't want to risk another Silver."

Dr. Chase said, "Now their plan is going to be to attack some of the nonhuman embassies. Based partially on prophecy and partially on intelligence gathered by Alana Dillon--the most recent Slayer--before her death, we're fairly sure they're going to attack the Klingon and Betazoid embassies in San Francisco. We know the third will be a major one, also in San Francisco, but we don't know which."

"Well, how many embassies ARE there?" Buffy asked. "Just place guards around all of them."

"If we have to, Miss Summers, we will do precisely that. With 1702 Gimel Dr. Chase could mobilize every unattached Starfleet security officer on Earth. But we'd still be spread thin trying to protect 317 embassies."

Buffy paled in shock. "There are 317 alien races?"

Data said, "No, Miss Summers." Buffy breathed a sigh of relief, which became a coughing fit when Data continued, "There are 317 races with an embassy to Earth. At last count there were 4,276 distinct alien races."

Beverly Crusher gave him an odd look. "4,301, Data."

"Perhaps I should update my programming. I clearly have not been maintaining self-discipline." He got odd looks from around the room. "I will run a self-diagnostic."

Buffy broke in, "What's the difference? Over four thousand... "

Riker said. "But only 317 on Earth."

Buffy said, "Well, gee, that's a LOT better. I can count THAT on the fingers of... 64 hands!"

Dr. Chase said, "No, Captain Picard. Silver wouldn't bother with the small embassies--not enough victims, the non-humanoids--nothing to bite--and those humanoids with incompatible blood, including Vulcans and Romulans. And since both the Klingon and Betazoid embassies are in San Francisco, the third is likely to be as well. That drops the number to 24. Of course, among them are allies like the Trill and Bajorans, neutrals like the Ferengi and Orions, and enemies like the Cardassians. But still..."

"That greatly reduces the number.," Captain Picard said. "And protecting our allies should be no problem. But the Ferengi and others are bound to try to find a way to turn it to their advantage. Or they would, if we told the full story. Commander Data. You inform our allies on this, and Commander Riker and I will talk to the neutrals and the others."

"Aye, sir. Dr. Chase: How much can I tell them?"

"Anything but the truth, Commander. But keep it consistent on the off chance they decide to compare notes, and downplay the danger. Also, captain, I believe Lieutenant Worf should tell his people, and Counselor Troi the Betazoids. I'll go throw my weight around and round up a couple of hundred more security officers. Lieutenant Worf: You'll be in charge, of course. Tell them to set their phasers at the number 7 setting anything less and a vampire will recover."

Worf said. "Understood. The rest I can handle myself."

"We have every confidence, Lieutenant." Captain Picard said.

"Anything I can do?"

"Grim as it sounds, Doctor, get sickbay ready. After we see how many injuries there are we can worry about what to tell the ones on Earth. I HAVE made sure that all hospitals within a 20-kilometer radius have massive quantities of blood."

Buffy said, "If this is so military, what do you need me for?"

"We KNOW they'll be attacking the Klingon embassy and the Betazoid one. I was going to ask you and Angel to go to one of the two and help fight them off."

"I can't believe I was put to sleep for 375 years so I could pull guard duty!" Buffy snapped.

Angel moved in. "Easy, Buff."

But Buffy was in no mood to be placated. "Easy? I'm told I'm the focus of yet another goddamn prophecy and it turns into this?"

Dr. Chase said, "You're not the focus, Buffy. You're just part of it. And your part has barely begun." She stopped. "Look, I can see you're upset. It's going to take a while to get this started. Dr. Crusher, could you do me a favor and take Buffy down to holodeck one? There's something there I think might help her."

"Sure." She rose, and reluctantly Buffy followed her.

Buffy looked back to Angel, who said, "I'm probably going to help more by not going with you."

Hurt, Buffy followed the doctor through the corridors of the Enterprise until they stopped before a door. The Counselor, Deanna Troi, opened it and stepped outside.

"I think this is what Dr. Chase wanted, Buffy. I'll be outside if you need me. All you need to do is say, 'Computer, run program Chase-1'. One word of warning: This room simulates places and people very realistically, but it's not actually real." Buffy walked inside and saw a small room with a yellow grid on the walls, floor and ceiling.

Puzzled, she said, "Computer, run program Chase-1--"

And found herself in the middle of the Sunnydale High School Library!

Carefully Buffy looked around. It was a PERFECT recreation! She looked in the cage, in the office, at the doors. The calendar on the wall said 1999.

The year after she'd vanished.

No, it wasn't perfect. The books in the cage, for instance--had nothing in them. There were a few illustrations in the books. There was one of the monster in that hospital, and a picture of the bug-faced assassin, and portraits of Spike and Drusilla.

It wasn't perfect. Dr. Chase had gone through a great deal of effort to make this look and feel right--probably based on photos, and descriptions, and of course lengthy conversations with Angel--but it wasn't perfect.

Because it wasn't real.

Why had Alexandra Chase set this up? To make her see what she'd lost? It couldn't have been to torture her, not if she was part of a prophecy.

Now THERE was a horrid thought. Could this all be a plot of some sort? Or some kind of illusion? Could she still be dreaming some bizarre dream in the revenge of Agatha Calendar?

No. First, her imagination wasn't quite that fertile. And she'd NEVER imagine a good android, not after what had happened with Ted. Two, of course, she couldn't afford to think like that. There was no way to prove anything was real, so until she got some proof positive otherwise she'd have to assume that the Enterprise was reality.

Her reverie was broken by the sound of the library doors opening. In walked--

Giles, Willow, Xander, and Cordelia!

The fake versions of her friends were chatting animatedly amongst themselves about some prophecy or other. Buffy slipped between two of the shelves to observe them for a bit.

"I don't care!" Xander said. "I still don't like her. She's obnoxious, she's rude, she doesn't WANT our help, she's--"

"She's not Buffy," Willow said quietly.

"Exactly. I mean, do we do what Kendra prefers, or what Buffy would have wanted?"

"I think, Mr. Harris, that Buffy would have wanted you to do what Kendra preferred. Which does NOT mean you can't still be... research boy. And you, too Willow, and you, Cordelia. That is MY province as a Watcher. And if I decide I need aid..."

Cordelia said, "Yeah, well, Miss See-I'm-better-than-Buffy nearly got killed the other night. If Xander and I hadn't distracted Angel, she would have been killed. And all she tells us is that 'Slaying is not our concern,' in that Godawful accent of hers. Please! Is she Jamaican or Scottish?"

Buffy laughed and the four turned as one. "Who's in there?" Giles said sharply. "Come out, or--"

"Oh, knock it off, Giles," Buffy said, slowly emerging from the stacks. "You can't take me, and we both know it."

"Buffy?" The four said as one, and rushed over to hug her. "How is this--What are you--Where did--"

Oh, shit. For JUST a second she'd forgotten where she was. That this wasn't the library, but a very well-detailed illusion. Of COURSE they wouldn't know what they were. Or where she was.

"This is the future, guys. I slept for 370 years."

Xander said, "Whoa, the future? And you're in it? Buffy Summers--in the 24th Century!" he said sonorously. Willow and Cordelia elbowed him as one.

"Knock it off," Willow said. "Can't you see she's upset?"

"Buffy: What do you mean by the future? This is 1999," Giles asked.

Buffy smiled wistfully. "Only for you. For me, it's the year--what, 2365? There are alien races, and these guys with burned faces that look like vampires but aren't called Klingons, and over 4300 alien races. And, oh yeah, I'm part of a prophecy to take on a vampire leader called "The Lady."

"Well, if you have returned through time to ask for our help, I'm afraid we won't be of much use. My knowledge of things arcane does not extend into the future."

"But--but--" This was frustrating. "Counselor Troi!" She screamed.

A weird door appeared where Giles' office doors were and Deanna Troi walked in. "Yes, Buffy, what is it?"

Her four friends had jumped back at the entrance of the mysterious woman and Buffy decided she'd better perform some introductions.

"Guys, this is Deanna Troi. She's a Betazoid and can read emotions. Counselor Troi, this is Giles, Willow, Xander and Cordelia."

Xander said, "So you can read emotions, eh? Can you tell what I'm feeling now?"

The Betazoid laughed. "No, but if I could I'm sure I'd slap you." Buffy smiled again.

"Computer," the Counselor said, "Freeze program." Everything stopped where it was. "Now, Buffy, you had some questions for me."

"Yeah. How come I can't get them to admit we're in the future?"

"It's part of their programming. A holodeck character can be quite lifelike, but is not self-aware."

"So they don't know who they are?"

"There is no who for them to know."

"Then this is just torture. I mean, I can see things that look like my friends, and talk like my friends, and act like my friends, but they're not my friends. What's the point?"

"I'm not sure. Maybe it was just to help you see your friends again."

"All it did is make me realize I'm alone." She walked around the frozen forms of Giles, Cordelia, Xander and Willow. "I mean, I'll give her credit for good intentions, but they're not real. None of this," she said, waving her arm at the library, "is real." She fell to her knees and started crying. "I can't do it alone. I can't." The holodeck doors opened behind her, but she didn't pay attention. "I NEED these people. I need Giles to help me figure out what to do. I need Xander's sense of humor. I need Willow's intelligence, her loyalty."

Dr. Chase said from behind her, "And Cordelia?" Buffy looked. The doctor and Angel were standing there.

Buffy actually grinned through her tears. "I need her so I can have someone to feel superior to." Xandra Chase bristled briefly. "Sorry, Dr. Chase. Didn't mean to go insulting your ancestor. Truth be told, I need Cordy so she could tell me what an idiot I'm being right now." She cried more. "But she can't." She got up, walked over to Xandra Chase, and picked her up. "Why did you do this?"

Angel pulled her off and Dr. Chase said, "Buffy, you're being an idiot. I didn't set this up to torture you. You needed to KNOW that your friends were dead. That Giles, Willow, Xander, etc. weren't coming back. Computer! Save program Chase-1 and terminate." The library disappeared and was replaced by the dark room with the yellow grid. "But I thought it would also help you to know that you could see them any time you wanted."

"Yeah, well..." she thought. Some part of her HAD still been hoping that it wasn't real. This demonstration had forced her to realize that it was. That they were dead, and that she would never see them alive again. It had all been as subtle as a sledgehammer, though. "Counselor Troi," Buffy asked, "did you know about this?"

"No," she said sharply, eyes narrowing as she glared at Xandra Chase. "While I must admit it was effective, it was a good deal more confrontational than I like to get."

"Stay OUT of my mind, Counselor," Dr. Chase snapped. "We didn't have time for subtlety. And, Buffy, before you ask--Angel didn't really know about this. He knew I'd recreated the library, but that's it. So don't go blaming him." Her voice softened. "And I don't want you to be alone, Buffy. As long as you have Angel, you won't be."

Together, the four left the holodeck.

As they walked, Buffy asked Dr. Chase, "So, how are the preparations going?"

Dr. Chase said, "shhh," and pulled an icon out of her case. "If you want to talk, ask for this," she said. "The preparations are going fairly well. We've been telling everyone essentially the same story--that a group of xenophobic humans are planning a riot and that an 'accident' might happen, leading to some deaths. Most of them have agreed to keep it quiet, and to accept the additional guards. The Ferengi are making plans to bolt the planet anyway, on general principle, and the Cardassians assume it's some kind of Federation trick and won't let us do anything. Meanwhile, the Klingons are insisting on providing their own guard. They'll allow Worf in to "observe," but that's all. Otherwise, not many problems. We have secured an additional 400 Starfleet Security personnel as well as the ones stationed on the Enterprise. That'll give us at least 20 guards per site to repel an attack."

Deanna Troi said from behind them, "I'm not an engineer, Dr. Chase, but why can't the Enterprise simply develop a way to scan for the vampires and beam them all into the sun?"

Angel said, "I'll field this one, Xandra. The Harris-Rosenberg Instiute has tried for, literally, over a century to develop a way of scanning for a vampire with no luck. The only thing that works is a medical tricorder, and that only under individual conditions: Scan someone, find no heartbeat, an abnormally low body temperature, etc. odds are you've got yourself a vampire. But they're not likely to sit still while you scan." He snorted. "The only way I was able to beam on board the Enterprise is because we all linked arms. Otherwise, I would've been left behind in Sunnydale Caverns to face a horde of pissed-off vampires."

Dr. Chase continued, "Buffy, you, Angel and Commander Data will be helping to guard the Orions. They're technically neutral, but in practice this means they're free to commit all sorts of piracy as long as their government 'disavows' it. They're perfectly happy to let us take the risks. You might not even see one of them, and you'll probably be better off for the lack of experience."

Buffy said, "And when does this prophecy come in?"

"Not sure. We've interpreted it as saying that the Lady will confront her greatest enemy, and that the greatest Slayer of all will be present at that confrontation. You will defeat a demon from your past. It also mentions something about a serpent in both gardens, who will cause great damage. We're guessing that means that both sides will have a traitor. It does not mention who will win the confrontation, but both serpents will die."

"370 years and you haven't come up with clearer prophecies? Nice to see SOME things haven't changed. So, when does all this go down?"

"Later tonight. Actually, early tomorrow, if the intelligence we got is accurate. This gives us a few hours to prepare." They came to a turbolift. Dr. Chase gestured for Deanna Troi to leave, and reluctantly the Counselor did so. "So, Buffy, what do you want to do in the interim? We've restored a great deal of Old Sunnydale, including the entire high school and the Bronze, we also have our own Bronze on the surface. It's a dead-on recreation of yours, except that the facilities have been modernized. It's still the scene, though. Or you could catch up on your sleep."

"I don't think I'm going to go to sleep for a week," Buffy said seriously. "And after what I just saw in the holodeck I'm in no mood to see the ruins of Sunnydale. But apart from the decor this new Bronze is a typical 24th-century dance club?"

"More or less," Angel said. "I've tried to keep it faithful.. I AM the owner, after all." He grinned. "And I think I can arrange to play a little classical music if you feel the need to dance..."

"Let's go!" Buffy said. "I feel this need to move my body..." They arrived at a big room. Captain Picard was sitting in the middle talking to a weird guy with gray skin and odd bony things on his face, who appeared on a giant TV screen in the center of one wall. Dr. Chase stopped them both before they could go further.

"--gate Malag," Picard said. "I wish you would reconsider. Our offer to help is quite genuine."

"No, CAPTAIN Picard," came the harsh voice on the screen. "I quite doubt that. It has long since been proven to the Cardassians that the Federation never does anything without ulterior motives."

Picard said, "Legate--"

"That is ALL, Picard." the image on the screen was replaced by a from-orbit view of Earth and Picard turned irritably to the newcomers. His irritation faded somewhat when he recognized them. "Ah. Dr. Chase. Miss Summers. Is there something I can do for you?" The words were polite, but the tone was the same one Giles used when Xander was working hard on his last nerve.

Dr. Chase started to speak, but Buffy interrupted him. "Captain Picard. Is that one of the alien races you want to guard?"

Picard said, "Want to, no. I am not fond of Cardassians. But still, I would presume that living ones are preferable--"

"Can I see a picture of that guy again? Or anyone like him?"

They walked over to where Data was sitting typing through a computer terminal. The android started and Captain Picard gave him a very peculiar look.

"Sorry, sir. I was just practicing acting surprised. Did I succeed?"

"Very well, Data. Now, Miss Summers would like to see a picture of a Cardassian."

"Include the neck." Angel grinned and squeezed Buffy's hand. He knew where she was going with this, now. Within seconds a full head-and shoulders shot of a Cardassian appeared on a tiny screen. "You don't need to worry, Captain Picard. No self-respecting vampire would attack one of these guys. Look at the neck. All those bones and muscles? Euhhh, no thanks. A vamp would prefer much easier prey. So let bad attitude guy dream up all the plots he wants. He's not in any danger."

Angel added, "Vampires don't HAVE to bite the neck, but it's a fairly hard habit to break. Buffy's right."

"Well, then, I shall cease worrying about it. Thank you, Miss Summers. I had shuddered to think how I would explain undead Cardassians to their government." He straightened and said, in a much more pleasant voice, "Now. Do you need something?"

"Yes. I need your transport officer to transport the three of us to...these coordinates." She handed Picard a small pad.

"So soon before the conflict, Doctor? I must say it hardly seems the time to be giving Miss Summers the grand tour, with tomorrow morning coming to San Francisco in just over two hours."

"There's nothing for me to do here, though, Captain Picard. I've already given you all the information I can, and practicing my staking techniques for hours on end would do nothing but give myself a wiggins a mile wide."

Picard blinked at the unfamiliar idiom. "I still think--"

"Captain, relax. I own the club we're going to. It's not quite vampireproof--it's a public building, after all--but I have it set up as a trap."

"Sort of a roach motel?"

"Vampires check in, but they do not check out. Very clever, Miss Summers." This from Data. "Captain: If you are concerned for Miss Summers' safety, perhaps I can escort them to the surface."

"Is this acceptable, Dr. Chase?"

"Yes. I also need to make some last-second preparations, cast a few spells, so I'm going back to the institute. It's a short walk from the Bronze."

"I don't like it," Jean-Luc Picard said, "But I suppose if I tried to throw the lot of you in the brig until it was time it wouldn't work."

"You are SO catching on, Captain! I'd slug you and Angel'd drain all your blood. Right, honey?"

"Um--" Angel began.

"Never MIND," Dr. Chase said. "Could we just go?"

Suddenly they were someplace else. They released hands and Dr. Chase walked off towards a door on the left. "Tell Captain Picard I'll be in touch," she said as she left the trio.

The future didn't look quite so--futuristic--as she'd expected. Oh, there was the occasional craft flitting overhead, and the architecture was way weird and the buildings seemed taller--especially if this was the site of the original Sunnydale. And clothes! She must look like someone in full Viking gear would have to her.

Ah well. She'd just cause a stir.

Angel gently straightened her head and they faced forward. Data was looking around the block. In front of her was a building that looked dead-on like the Bronze.

"Angel," Data said. "A question. If there is a trap for vampires inside, how do you enter?"

"Easy." They walked around the side of the building, where Angel walked through a hologram of a brick wall and into a small doorway. He then rapidly tapped out a ten-to-fifteen digit computer code.

"Ah. A secret entrance. Would that--" He glanced down the street. "Excuse me for a moment. I see an old friend." From the inside the hologram was transparent. Buffy looked out and saw no one except--She stopped for a moment.

"Sure then, Mr. Data. We'll see you inside." Data left and, as Angel turned to enter the Bronze, she grabbed him and said quietly, "Shh." Buffy watched as Data approached the only person in sight. "Angel," she said in a whisper, "Does Commander Data have a good reputation? Is he considered suspect in any way?"

"No, Buffy. What are you getting at?"

"Oh, nothing," she whispered sarcastically. "It's just that he's out there talking to a vampire, that's all."

X X X X X

Are you...yes, you're sure." Angel said. "But it doesn't make sense. Commander Data is as close to incorruptible as a living being can come. Maybe he doesn't know his old friend is a vampire."

"Look at that guy a little more closely." The vamp in question was small and thin, dressed in what seemed to be an odd, ragged but well-fitting brown wrap. "Does he seem like the kind of friend an android would have?"

"We don't know who his friends might be, Buff. He might be..." Buffy was giving him an irritated look. "But I learned a while back to trust your instincts. You think something's fishy, you're usually RIGHT. What do you think we should do?"

"I'll hide in the shadows and try to track down the vamp. You keep Data occupied when he comes in and I'll get back to you in a few minutes."

"Buffy, I know the time and I know the area better. Come here." Angel hustled her through the small doorway and down a short passageway, which opened into a small room. A fake wall much like the one at the exterior of the building replaced the door and Buffy looked around the room.

She gasped. It was a shrine...to her! Paintings, photographs, weird 3-dimensional pictures, stakes, crosses..."Do you like it?" Angel asked, almost shyly.

"What...how..."

"Did you actually think I'd ever forget you?" he asked. "Not a day went by in the 367 years, 2 months and a day since I regained my soul that I didn't think about you. That I didn't try to find you. Agatha Calendar had hidden your body somewhere--we knew she wasn't going to kill you--but when she died and old Sunnydale literally dropped off the map we lost our last chance to find you easily. I'm sure that's what kept Silver from finding you as well. It was only in a recent groundshock that we even found the passage leading to where she'd hidden you.

"You have no idea how the sight of you made me feel. I'd been working for so long to get you back, and then--to have you so close, but be unable to touch you again--unable to bring you back--it tore me up inside. When Xandra finally figured out how to get you back, I--I--"

Buffy stepped close and hugged him. "In 370 years, you never found ANYONE else?"

"Oh, friends. Soulmates. Willow, Oz, Cordelia and Xander's descendants have always been my friends. And Dr. Chase and I are quite close. But I told you: I only give my heart away once. And that was to you."

Suddenly Buffy kissed him. It was a brief, passionate kiss. "Thanks."

"For what?"

"For being you." He kissed her this time, a bit more intensely. Buffy reluctantly broke it off. "We have work to do."

"Yeah. I'll go outside and track down our vampire friend." He tapped his nose. "If he's gone, I'll be able to trace him with this. You go in and dance. Make some excuse for Data. If it was innocent, I'll let you know. If he's guilty--we go to Xandra." He pushed a button on a desk in the middle of the room. "Trelg? get off your lazy ass and do some work." Buffy was shocked at Angel's change in tone. "I've got a friend here--stop laughing, boarface!--and I want you to play her some songs from our classics of the late 20th Century. Just do it. NO backtalk or I'll have myself a nice ham sandwich for dinner tonight. Got it? Now, my friend'll be out in a minute. Be nice." Responding to Buffy's obvious confusion, Angel said. "Trelg's a Tellarite. They look sort of like humans in pig masks and communicate best in insults. He's also a member of the Institute and knows exactly what I am. He's set for vampire fighting." Angel pointed to a door in the far wall. "Go through that door! If you need to get back in for some reason, the access code is your name and birthday." He drifted toward the hologram-covered entrance. "Have fun."

Buffy walked though the door and was immediately confronted by a short critter with the face of a pig. She guessed that this was Trelg, and three vicious insults later she was sure of it. From Angel's reaction she guessed that the Tellarite expected insults right back, and she was overjoyed to oblige.

After a minute Trelg stopped. "Well. Now I know what he saw in you. Doesn't mean I'll stop teasing him about that stupid shrine, though."

"Hey," Buffy said, "I LIKE that shrine." The Tellarite went over to a small control pad behind the bar. Buffy took a good luck around. It was identical on the inside, too, save for the control pads behind the bar and the presence of a few nonhumans. True to Angel's word, though, there wasn't a vampire in sensing range.

"Want something to drink?" Trelg grumped.

Caffeine? Bad idea. Who knew what weird combos they'd have here in Buck Rogers world? So she played it safe and said, "ginger ale." Then she blinked in amazement as a small glass containing ginger ale literally materialized in a slot behind the counter. Skeptically she drank, but it was pretty good ginger ale alright. She drained the glass and said, "So, short, pale and ugly, where's that classical music?"

"As soon as I find my earplugs, you'll hear it." He pressed a button. "There it is. And I hope you go deaf."

The patrons protested and moved aside when they heard the strange, old music. Buffy strained. It was a song she remembered: "Groove Is In the Heart." She had the dance floor to herself, but she didn't care. She stopped thinking. Stopped thinking about vampires. Stopped thinking about Klingons. Stopped thinking about why she was letting Dr. Chase push her around. Just--stopped.

A few minutes later, two humans stepped back onto the floor and started to emulate Buffy, followed shortly afterwards by a few more human teenagers, a young alien with blue skin and feelers, and a couple with wrinkled noses. Buffy was happy to show them how.

After half an hour Buffy started to get concerned. She unobtrusively moved off the now-packed dance floor, moving their bodies awkwardly to "Tubthumping"--and drifted over toward Trelg.

"Trelg, Angel should've been back by now. Also, the android--Data--hasn't come in."

Trelg said, "What could take ANGEL out? he's a 600-year old vampire. He could have Klingons for breakfast. I think he has."

"That's why I'm worried." Just then Data came walking in the main entrance and came rapidly walking over to Buffy. "Ah," he said. "Miss Summers. Come with me. Angel is in grave danger."

Buffy felt a flash of panic, and forced it down. She didn't trust this guy anymore. Trelg said, "Angel's in trouble? There ISN'T trouble he can't handle."

Data said, "You are aware of Angel's identity?" Trelg nodded as Buffy suddenly felt her vampire radar kick in big time. Major vamp attack brewing. From...Angel's office? She almost didn't catch Data reaching down by his waist and pulling up a weapon. Whatever it was, it didn't look good. Data said, "Then I'm afraid I'll have to kill you." Definite change in voice patterns, Buffy thought as she snaked out an arm and slammed into the android's gun hand. Ow! It was like slamming a brick wall.

Still, it worked. Data's shot went wide and burned a hole in the wall instead of hitting Trelg. The Tellarite wasted no time in shock but instead dove behind the bar and pushed three buttons. In short order the music cut off, a heavy metal gate slammed down over the back door and a loud voice boomed, "Leave the Bronze now. Leave the Bronze now," and then spoke in several other languages. Presumably, the same thing in alien tongues.

Data, meanwhile--and Buffy knew this couldn't actually BE the android, not unless Starfleet made a habit of carrying traitorous crewmembers on its ships--had recovered gracefully and was now pointing the weapon at her. Buffy didn't hesitate she kicked the lasergun out of the android's hands and watched as it went sailing across the room.

"Data" raised an eyebrow. "Impressive, Buffy," he said mockingly. "I should be used to that by now." He slugged Buffy and slammed her into the wall, knocking her down. Then he went behind the counter and picked up Trelg, who'd been digging for some unknown engine of destruction. "Can't do that," he said with a twitch of his head as he picked up the Tellarite and threw him across the room. Pushing some buttons, he rapidly got rid of the blaring alarms--and then the iron door.

Half a dozen vampires rushed into the room and surrounded her. Trelg lay in a heap in the center of the dance floor. Buffy poised for action, but then they parted to let "Data" into the circle.

Then the android--turned to her. "Hello, Buffy," he said in a patronizing tone. "If you're wondering about your boyfriend, I'm happy to say you'll be joining him in a minute." He moved up and shoved his face into hers. "I'm surprised at you, Buffy," he said in an unmistakable voice. "Obviously your Watcher didn't discipline you well enough. And the key to any good relationship is discipline." He sneered. "Bring her along. Kill the Tellarite."

Buffy's jaw dropped. It couldn't be...

"Aw, what's the matter, Buffy?" the android sneered. "Don't you recognize your Uncle Ted?"

"Ted?" Buffy said. "I dismantled you!"

He answered, "Yes, Buffy, but you didn't dismantle my programming. A few years later some curious person found my remains and examined them. Intrigued, he put a crude version of me back together. I was properly grateful. I broke his neck. The next thing I did--after building myself a better body--was look around for you. Imagine my disappointment when it turned out you were already gone."

"I feel for you," Buffy said. Two vampires were at the prone figure of Trelg and they bent down to feed. Suddenly Buffy vaulted over one of the vampires still surrounding her...only to be smashed face first into the ground as Ted grabbed her ankle. He was a lot faster than she remembered..

"You didn't think I hadn't engaged in any self-improvement, now, did you, Buffy? I'm a lot better than the Ted you knew. More sophisticated. That Data is a pale version of me." He laughed at his own joke. "Literally." Buffy sprang to her feet and the new improved Ted slammed her against the wall. She quit struggling, feigning weakness, and nervously looked over at Trelg...and the Tellarite suddenly rolled over with the lasergun thingie in his hands.

"Suck this, boys," he said with a snarl as he blasted first one, then the other, into oblivion. He adjusted something and shot in Buffy's general direction. One of the vampires was struck and burned. Briefly distracted, Ted turned and Buffy slammed him with both fists. He staggered. Buffy then yanked out a stake and dusted the nearest vampire, then put the burning one out of its misery.

Trelg fired again, but missed everything. Ted told the remaining two vamps, "Okay, boys. Time to skedaddle," and went behind the counter to press a few buttons as the two vampires retreated. The heavy metal doors started to shut and Ted dove for it. Buffy grabbed him and held him and back while they slammed closed. Trelg warily approached, unable to get off a clear shot as Buffy and the android grappled. Buffy grabbed his neck suddenly with both hands and twisted. She felt something give and relaxed slightly.

THAT was a mistake. While his head flailed about, his arms shot out and caught Buffy at the base of the throat. She went down. "Silver's been training me, you see, " he slurred. "I've been practicing." He went over and lifted the iron doors and stepped under them. "We have your boyfriend AND Commander Data. Tell the Enterprise captain to be waiting for a hail from Lady Silver." Trelg aimed the gun again, but didn't fire as the door hit the ground. Quickly he went around and pressed the buttons to raise the door, but the outside door was jammed. By the time they forced their way through it, Ted and the vampires were gone and Buffy couldn't feel them anywhere.

She turned to Trelg. "You're a member of the Institute?"

"Yes."

"We need to talk to Dr. Chase and you need to get me in. Let's go."

As it turned out Trelg wasn't necessary--the guard just paged up and Dr. Chase let them come in. Trelg insisted on tagging along, though as he explained, "That cheap bloodthirsty son of a Denebian slime devil owes me my back pay. Besides, they--vampires--invaded my club. Twenty years I've been manager and the only lifedrainer we've let in the door is Angel."

Buffy understood. Tellarites seemed incapable of acknowledging softer emotions, but clearly Trelg was Angel's friend. They followed the directions and soon came across Dr. Chase sitting in an interior office. She was performing some kind of ritual. "Buffy! What's up?"

"Oh, nothing much. Angel's been kidnapped, Data--who was actually a nightmare from my past named Ted--was spying for Silver. And how are you?" Buffy would never have believed the transformation if she hadn't seen it.

At the words ".. been kidnapped," Xandra Chase shot to her feet, her face a mask of pure rage. "What?" she screamed. "How could that-What--RRRGHHHH!" She'd never sounded more like her ancestor. She calmed down and said, clenching her teeth, "How'd that happen?"

Buffy explained. Trelg made the occasional nasty aside. By the end of the brief narrative Dr. Chase had calmed down enough to be of some use. "Okay. Give me a minute." She took a few deep breaths and flicked a switch on her desk.

"Xandra Chase calling the Enterprise. Xandra Chase calling the Enterprise."

"This is Will Riker, Dr. Chase," a voice came through the intercom. "What's up?"

"We've got problems, Commander," she said bluntly. "We'll tell you about it in a few minutes. Beam the three of us up and have everyone that knows meet us in the briefing room. Including Counselor Troi. This is no time to let my--fears--get in the way."

"What's going on?"

"I SAID," she hissed, "We'll explain when we get there. We'll be in our transporter room in two minutes." She gathered up a few items and said, "Come on." Buffy unthinkingly followed, Trelg trailing after.

"HOLD it," Buffy suddenly said when they reached a small room like the one they'd teleported away from on the Enterprise. "I've been letting you run my life since I got here. Why? You've been curt, rude, and thoughtless, and I just stand there and take it. Why? Xander or Giles tried what you have and I'd be in full hissyfit mode. You? You pull that stunt in the holodeck and five minutes later I'm playing the happy tourist. Why?"

Dr. Chase sighed. "Because I cast a spell on you while you were still unconscious. I couldn't afford to have you wigging out from pain and misery when we had all this stuff to do. The spell helped you recuperate quickly, but it also made you more docile. More accepting of the changes. More like a sheep." She paused. "Look, I'm sorry. I wouldn't have done it if I'd thought I'd had a choice. But there's another reason I've been harsh with you." She took a deep breath. "I've loved Angel for--a long time. I knew he pined after you, but as long as you weren't here I thought I had a chance. Then we found you, and I lost him forever in the same moment. But I HAD to bring you back. The world needed you. It would have been irresponsible to do anything else, and one thing I've learned in my life...is how NOT to be irresponsible."

Buffy was touched and annoyed at the same time. "Undo the spell. Now," she said firmly but calmly. Dr. Chase nodded, muttered a few words in some unknown tongue and placed her hands on Buffy's head.

The emotions came flooding in. She thought she could control them, now she had to prove it. She closed her eyes and concentrated. "They're dead. Angel isn't. I have to focus on him." His face appeared before her. THAT would be her only goal. Then she hit Xandra Chase in the face. She staggered under the blow, but nodded. Buffy thought Xandra was a fool if she thought that meant it was over, but it was all she had time for at the moment.

A message came through a speaker set into the wall. "Dr. Chase," Trelg said sarcastically. "It's the Enterprise. Captain Picard wanted to know when you're going to get your lazy mouth-breathing faces up to his ship."

"He did NOT say that, Trelg."

"So I paraphrased." The three of them got onto the transporter pads and signaled to the Enterprise they were ready. Dr. Chase put a hand on Buffy's shoulder. "Buffy," she said.

"Wh--" Buffy began in the Institute, then finished in the teleport room of the Enterprise, "at?"

"Never mind," she said. Silently Worf led them through the ship to the briefing room.

"Where's Data and Angel?" Captain Picard asked bluntly after Dr. Chase had relit the candles.

Buffy explained what had happened, and about Ted replacing Data.

Deanna Troi said, "How did he fool us? We're Data's friends. We should have noticed something."

Dr. Crusher added, "Especially when he got the number of alien races wrong. Data just doesn't MAKE mistakes like that."

Buffy said, "Well, in my time Ted was a computer genius, it's not too weird to think he might have kept up. Would there have been a way to copy Data's basic personality to himself? If there was, he could have figured it out. And it's not like he was in close contact with any of you, or that any of you were really paying attention. He's also not exactly inconspicuous, so it's not out of the question someone could get a basic idea of the way he acts, right?"

The door opened a young Starfleet officer said, "Captain, a woman's been trying to reach you. Says she has something important to talk to you about, but she hasn't been able to get through."

"Thank you, Mr. Nelson. That will be all. Tell her to try again in a minute." The door closed. "Dr. Chase...?" Xandra blew out one of the candles, and shortly thereafter they heard a chime.

"Captain Picard here. I assume I'm talking with the Lady Silver?"

"Captain Picard," the voice came from the intercom. Buffy froze. So did Dr. Chase. "Kindly call off your security plans."

"Why should we do that?" Picard said, businesslike. He mouthed the words "home in on the signal" to Worf, who nodded and jogged from the room.

"We have your android. Oh, and the Slayer's boyfriend. How are you doing, Buffy? I've waited a long time to kill my greatest enemy. I'm waiting here for you--in the chamber of the one you destroyed." Silver's voice dripped with hatred.

"We do not make deals with terrorists. Or vampires."

"I don't think that's official Federation policy, Jean-Luc." She said, and Picard started at the over-familiarity. "And we WILL kill them unless you call off your plans and send down Buffy Summers."

Buffy could hear the loathing at the other end of the line. She made a throat-slicing motion, hoping the gesture had survived the centuries.

It had. After a few seconds Captain Picard shut off the connection and said, "One moment, Buffy. Mr. Worf?" The Klingon had just returned from the hallway.

"They had a localized scrambling device. The closest we can trace it is to within ten kilometers of...New Sunnydale."

"Never mind, burnboy. I know where they are." She paused and looked at Xandra Chase, who also somehow knew. "They're in a room on the second floor of the old Sunnydale High School."

"Why do you say that?" Will Riker asked.

"Because I recognize the voice. My 'greatest enemy' is someone I met just yesterday, well, sort-of. The Lady is Agatha Calendar."

Captain Picard said, "How?"

Buffy said, "Beats me. Angel said she was crushed by a falling rock during the earthquake of 2006. But that's her, all right."

Picard flicked on the speaker. "Captain Picard," Silver's voice came through, "deciding a little last minute strategy? Don't bother. Call off the guards, or my captives die." Dr. Chase was still listening to the words in stunned disbelief.

"Lady Silver," Captain Picard said politely, "There is no way we are just going to let you kill dozens of sentient beings. Apart from the humanitarian concerns--which are overwhelming in and of themselves--the diplomatic repercussions of PERMITTING so many to be taken, right under the noses of Starfleet, would have severe diplomatic repercussions that could cause the Federation severe problems. Or, to put it in simpler terms:" Suddenly his voice changed from polite to fiercely determined: "The Security stays. Attack at your own risk."

"OUR risk, Jean-Luc? No, no, no--YOUR risk. If I see a Starfleet officer after midnight tonight, then the consequences to Data and Angel are on YOUR head." The communication terminated.

Dr. Chase quickly relit the candle, though she said nothing. Worf said, "We know where they are. I say we attack. We have 400 of Starfleet's finest waiting. I call for a preemptive strike!" He pounded his fist on the table.

Riker said, "I agree. We hit them, and we hit them now."

"You'd leave the off-world embassies unprotected?" Beverly Crusher asked. "I don't think that's a good idea."

"If we strike quickly enough that will NOT be a problem," Worf bellowed.

"Tell me, Captain Picard," Buffy said, "Does Starfleet give courses in how to overlook the obvious, or are these two just quick self-studies?" Worf scowled. "My point is, Silver told us exactly where she is. She WANTS me to come after her. ME, not fifty of Starfleet's finest."

"I hardly think--" Picard began, but was cut off.

"Also," Buffy continued, "This Karg's as good a tactician as you say he's got his people primed and ready to go anyway. Only reason they're holding back is a prophecy. We strip those defenses and MAYBE while we're taking Silver out they round up a few hundred more vamps. Bad idea. No, Silver's mine."

"Ours," Xandra Chase sad. Trelg nodded his head. "We have personal stakes in this too."

"There are far more than personal stakes here, Dr. Chase. We are talking about potential disaster." Picard paused. "Still, I'm inclined to agree with Miss Summers that it's a trap. So sending a large armed party is out of the question. We already have every available guard who isn't needed elsewhere, even the Enterprise is being stripped to a skeleton crew. But a small, heavily armed party might have better luck. Miss Summers, if you'd tell us where it is..."

"I'll show you. You DON'T think you're going without me, do you?"

"Or me," Trelg said. "Angel is my...friend. I owe him." The confession in itself was enough to persuade everyone of Trelg's determination. Tellarites almost never admitted to the sensitive emotions. That Trelg was willing to do so...

"Buffy," Deanna Troi began, "I can sense how upset you are. Are you sure you want to do this after the number of shocks you've had in the past few hours?"

"Yes."

Picard regarded the Counselor quizzically. She said wryly, "We'll have to throw both of them in the brig under heavy restraint to stop them from going after Silver. I SUSPECT the same is true of Dr. Chase--"

"It is," Xandra Chase said fiercely.

"But I can't be absolutely sure, for obvious reasons." She glared at Dr. Chase as she said it.

Captain Picard started to speak, but Xandra Chase cut him off. "You are not in charge here, Captain. I am. A small, heavily armed party sounds just about right. The three of us," gesturing to the three non-Starfleet officers in the room, "Commander Riker, and Lieutenant Worf. Phasers for you two and Trelg, as well as typical vampire-hunting gear. That only for Buffy and myself."

"Wish my Slayer's bag had survived the centuries," Buffy said. "Stakes, crossbow, garlic, cross, holy water--any mini water-cannons here in the future?" Blank looks. "Water guns?"

Xandra Chase said, "You can get the specs from your computers for an Old Earth toy called a "Super-Soaker." If it's not there, it's on the Institute's computers. Trelg can show you." She stood abruptly. "I'll meet you in the transporter rooms in--Dr. Crusher: How long is it likely to take?"

"It's a fairly simple operation--no more than thirty minutes. But are you sure this is the time, Dr. Chase?"

"Absolutely. Let's go." She blew out a candle and stalked out of the room. Shrugging and puzzled, Beverly Crusher followed her.

Riker turned with a grin on his face to Captain Picard. "Well," he said, "I think we handled that well. Don't you?"

Picard rose to his feet. "Diplomacy is not that woman's strong suit." He mused, "I wonder what kind of surgery she needed?" He gave Buffy a meaningful look.

"Beats me. You all going to be ready?"

Riker nodded, as did Trelg. Worf said, "Miss Summers. Could you tell me all the ways you know to kill a vampire?"

X X X X X

The Lady smiled. "I think that went well. Don't you?"

Karg stared at her in shock. "Lady! They know where we are!"

"Of course, my dear Klingon. It's called a challenge. The Slayer should be unable to resist it. But the Federation already has all of their forces assigned to San Francisco!"

"As do we, Lady. Those that weren't already in place soon will be."

"We still have a few dozen vampires plus the three of us, Karg. The three of us should be enough alone to handle the Slayer and what few allies she brings." She moved slowly around the reconstructed classroom. "And before you ask, dear Klingon, our attack is a feint to make Picard and his people look like fools. They'll have alerted major off-world embassies all over the planet and for what? A few relatively easily turned back attacks?"

"So our REAL attack will be that much more a surprise!" Karg said, catching on. "And no one will stand against us!" He frowned. "Makes the battle a lot less glorious, though..."

"Oh, there'll be a Slayer, and a Watcher--but they won't be able to stop us alone." Ted entered the room. "Hello, dear android. How are our guests?"

"Resting uncomfortably," Ted grinned. "Now, do you need me to be anything more than cannon fodder from here on out?"

"Not really, no."

"As long as it's understood that I get to hurt Buffy and that I get Data when we're done, I don't have a problem with that."

"Lady," Karg said, "Another question. If you are the one that put the Slayer to sleep in the first place, why did you not simply cancel your spells and get her yourself?"

"A good thought, Karg. We may make a thinker of you yet. It was the earthquake. Even vampires as powerful as we cannot tunnel our way through thousands of tons of rock. Now, Karg--bring me that book. I have a just dessert or two in mind for our dear Slayer when she gets here."

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

She completed the surgery. Dr. Chase had refused anesthesia, and at the end she came to a revelation. Gasping, she reached for her communicator. Xandra Chase's arm shot up to catch her neck. "Tell NO ONE," she said. "1702 gimel. I haven't come this far to be stopped now."

Beverly Crusher wouldn't stop struggling, so with a sigh Xandra Chase clouted her on the head. Then her struggles ceased.

Xandra got off the biobed and reached down to pick up the starship's CMO. Sitting her down, she mumbled the words of a mild amnesia spell and walked out, leaving a very confused Beverly Crusher in her wake.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Trelg, Riker, Worf and Buffy waited in the computer room. Worf was a one-man army. He had a phaser by his side, an odd-looking bladed weapon called a bat-telh ("for beheading," he'd said,") and a nasty wooden skewer called a ber-leth. He also had a brace of knives along his belt. He refused garlic and holy water, but reluctantly carried a cross--though his could double as a stake.

Riker had a phaser, and surprising Buffy, also carried a bat-telh. ("He is an utter novice at it for a Klingon. Which makes him far deadlier than most humans.") He also had one of the replicated waterguns, though the holy water would have to wait for the Institute.

Trelg preferred speed, apparently. He had a phaser and two stakes.

Buffy alone was unarmed. The only anti-vamp material she had on her was the cross around her neck.

Everyone was, in essence, tapping their feet and waiting for Xandra Chase. It was getting to be only ninety minutes or so until midnight, sometime after which all Hell was going to break loose. Literally, for some Klingons and Betazoids.

Dr. Chase walked in wearing a hooded garment that made it impossible to see anything but a few strands of hair.

"Hey, Doc," Buffy said. "What's with the new fashion statement?"

"It's a surprise for Silver." She refused to elaborate and gestured for everyone to get on the transporter platform. Riker, Work and Trelg did so. Buffy hesitated. There was something here. She reached up to yank off the hood.

Dr. Chase grabbed her hand and said, "No. Not here." They walked into the hall and slowly she removed the hood.

Buffy's jaw dropped. "How--I thought you were--"

"I know," the doctor smiled.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I gave up being that person a long time ago. I was ready to tell you if necessary, but it wasn't going to be. But when I found out about Agatha Calendar I had to be that person again." She grinned ruefully. "And now I need to make you forget. What you don't know, she can't drag out of you."

Buffy hugged her. "Can I say it?" She shook her head.

Buffy sighed as the older woman said, "I'm sorry. Every second counts." Xandra muttered the words of a more complex amnesia spell. "You will forget. But if it gets necessary, you'll remember what you saw." She replaced the hood and shook Buffy.

"What happened?"

"A spell. necessary, no long-term effects." Buffy bristled. "I swear!" Dr. Chase said. "Please, Buffy! Trust me."

"Actually, no, I won't. But thanks for the suggestion." Buffy stormed back into the transporter room and Xandra Chase slowly followed.

Then they beamed down.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Jean-Luc Picard contacted the Klingon Embassy to inform them that their advisor would not in fact be there that night, having received other orders that made it quite impossible.

The Klingon ambassador on earth--an old general named Deragh--snorted when told this, but vowed that they would do just fine without him.

He looked about the bridge. All about him people were performing routine tasks, blissfully unaware of the bedlam that was about to unfold. He ordered continuous scans of San Francisco and reserved a backup sensor bank to keep an eye on New Sunnydale. The officers he assigned to these tasks, being good representatives of Starfleet, barely questioned why and just quietly monitored the scans.

Almost he pounded his fist on the side of his Captain's chair in sheer frustration, but he stopped before he did something so un-Captain-like. Jean-Luc Picard was not a man of action--not really--but he despised situations in which his people were in danger and he could do nothing but sit back and watch.

"Dr. Crusher to Captain Picard." Beverly's voice came over the intercom.

"Yes, Doctor? What is it?"

"Captain, would you please come to sickbay? There's something here you need to see. Bring Counselor Troi, too, if you could. It's--quite urgent."

"Certainly, Doctor." He got up and told the ensign at tactical, "Contact Counselor Troi and have her meet me in sickbay. Ensign Ro, you have the conn."

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Nurse Alyssa Ogawa stepped into the private operating room where Dr. Crusher had gone with her mysterious guest. She found her CMO sitting on a chair and was immediately concerned.

"Dr. Crusher, what's wrong?" She asked, worried.

"I'm not sure, Alyssa. I finished the operation on Dr. Chase and then sat down--but I never sit down in here. Especially when a patient might still need care."

"Anything I can do?"

"Yes. Run a scan on my cerebral cortex, see if I'm missing any gaps in my memory." Nurse Ogawa nodded and they walked out to the main room of sickbay to run the test. After thirty seconds she frowned.

"Dr. Crusher, confirm this for me." Beverly Crusher got up and looked at the test results.

"You're right, Alyssa. I'm missing a good two minutes." She looked up a few items on the computer, then tapped her commbadge. "Dr. Crusher to Captain Picard."

"Yes, Doctor? What is it?"

"Captain, would you please come to sickbay? There's something here you need to see. Bring Counselor Troi, too, if you could. It's--quite urgent."

"Certainly, Doctor." The commsystem clicked off and Dr. Crusher turned to Nurse Ogawa. "Thanks for the confirmation, Alyssa. I'll let you know if there's anything else you can do." The nurse's face expressed worry. "I'll tell you more later, Alyssa, if I can." Seeing that that was all she was going to get, Alyssa Ogawa nodded and returned to her other duties.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Deanna Troi hurried down to sickbay once she got the call from Captain Picard. The two of them arrived at about the same time and performed an after-you no after-you routine that brought brief smiles to their faces, then they walked in.

"Thanks for coming so quickly, Jean-Luc, Deanna," Beverly Crusher said. "After I performed the operation on Dr. Chase--a form of plastic surgery, by the way--I found myself sitting on a chair in the operating room, with really no memory of how I'd gotten there. So I had Nurse Ogawa run a brainscan on me. Here's what she found." She put the results onscreen. "There's a two-minute gap missing from my memory. There's not even anything there I can retrieve. It's just--gone."

Deanna Troi could sense her friend's deep concern. "And you think Alexandra Chase might have had something to do with it?"

"It seems the most likely explanation."

Captain Picard said, "Aren't there diseases that mimic just this sort of memory loss?"

"Yes, but either I'm not at risk, I don't show any other symptoms or I haven't been exposed. Check me, Deanna. I don't show any signs of great emotional stress, do I?"

Without hesitation the Betazoid nodded her head. "If the stress were great enough to cause blackouts I wouldn't even need to scan you." She frowned. "Of course, I haven't picked up anything from Dr. Chase but a few stray impressions due to her avoidance of me and her...phobia, and all I got then was a sense of determination--no. I also VERY briefly noticed some anger when she heard the name Agatha Calendar. It flared so brightly I couldn't avoid noticing."

Captain Picard said, "Nothing else?

"No. I couldn't tell you anything about her honesty or general state of mind. Still--"

"Still, that's enough to ask her a few questions." He pressed his own commbadge. "Transporter room three. Have Dr. Chase and her group beamed down yet?"

"Ten minutes ago, Captain," came the cheerful, puzzled voice of the transporter room operator.

"Thank you. Picard out." He shut off the commlink and turned to the other two. "So, what do you suggest we do?"

"What do I suggest? Jean-Luc, the woman caused me to lose my memory! I suggest we demand why!"

"Beverly," Jean-Luc Picard said patiently, "Xandra Chase has the authority of 1702 gimel. Causing you some short-term memory loss is well within her purview." Dr. Crusher started to object and Picard cut her off. "This does mean that in any way I condone her actions. 1702 gimel or no, she has a great deal to answer for." He tapped his commbadge again. "Bridge. This is Captain Picard. Open hailing frequencies and put me in touch with Commander Riker."

"Understood, Captain," Ro Laren said. After a few seconds she spoke again, annoyance in her voice. "Sorry, Captain. No answer. Something's preventing a lock, and the equipment's fine." A pause. "We're on Earth! You'd think Starfleet Command would have noticed this interference."

"Yes, you would, wouldn't you, Ensign? Keep trying to raise them. Picard out." He turned to the other two and said. "Starfleet would have noticed if it were something mechanical. We've seen a MAGICAL way of blocking communications that we didn't know about until someone actively tried to call in. Perhaps they're in a similar field."

"So what do we do?"

"All we have at the moment to go on is suspicions, amnesia, and this loss of communications. Not enough to make a case to Starfleet of going up against 1702 gimel officially." He paused and smiled. "Of course, if a couple of my officers--entirely on their own initiative, of course--were to decide to go examine the situation for themselves without telling me, there really isn't anything I could do about it, is there?" He exited and left Beverly Crusher and Deanna Troi staring at each other.

A delighted grin broke out on Deanna Troi's face and she dragged Crusher off. "Come on, Beverly, we have a--wholly unauthorized--investigation to make."

As she was being dragged off Dr. Crusher called out to nurse Ogawa, "Alyssa--call Dr. Selar--" and then the door closed.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

They beamed down and then went down the hall to a supply cabinet. Trelg picked up two more stakes, Riker got two, while Xandra Chase took a crossbow and various anti-vamp weaponry. As Buffy picked and chose, Xandra dragged out a gallon-container full of holy water and filled Buffy's and Riker's guns. Worf refused any additional weaponry.

Walking down another hallway, they came to an access ladder. Very carefully Dr. Chase opened the doorway and pressed a button on the nearby wall. A bright light shone down from above the hatchway and illuminated the cavern. She looked over the edge and Buffy's vamp-radar kicked in.

"Dr. Chase!" she yelled. "Look out!" She approached the hatchway as a vampires' arm snaked out from the hole. Buffy kicked the grip free and Xandra Chase calmly pressed another button and dodged out of the way. A stream of water poured down the hole, burning the vampire and causing him to fall a hundred feet to the cavern floor. On the way he brushed another one also on the ladder, who also dropped. "Let's go!" Dr. Chase shouted as she pressed the button again and shut off the stream.

First Buffy, then Worf, Dr. Chase, Riker and Trelg dropped into the Sunnydale Cavern and slid more than climbed down to the bottom of the ladder.

Five other vampires, in addition to the two wounded, jumped Buffy as soon as she touched the ground. Buffy kicked one and Worf leapt off the ladder and beheaded another as he landed. Dr. Chase staked the two injured, wheeled and quick-fired two bolts, dusting one and striking another in the face. Riker pulled a phaser and burned that one into oblivion. By the time Trelg got to the fight it was over. He grumbled that all they'd left him was mop-up duty. They gathered up their equipment and walked off towards the old Sunnydale High School.

They walked towards the old high school. At some point, Buffy noticed, the artificial lights cut out and the way ahead was lit only by torches. They'd killed three rookie vampires with ridiculous ease along the way, Buffy staking one, Worf shooting another and Trelg insisting on handling the third himself. This was almost too easy. She said as much to the remaining members of the group.

"Well, we knew it was a trap going in," Dr. Chase said. "But, still--"

"If Karg is the tactician you say he is, he wouldn't be this obvious," Riker said. "They're thumbing their noses at us."

Dr. Chase said, "Maybe the Lady's in charge. Still, something isn't right about this."

The vamp-radar blared again. "Company's a-comin'," Buffy said, "And they're not Girl Scouts."

Nine vampires appeared on all sides. Worf, Riker and Trelg drew their phasers and fired simultaneously...or TRIED to. Trelg tried twice before he was jumped by an approaching vamp Worf and Riker were quicker, Riker leveling the watergun and soaking one before pulling out the bat-telh and Worf throwing his ber-leth with deadly accuracy, dusting a vamp from 30 feet away. Xandra Chase injured but did not kill another, and then the hand-to-hand fun started.

Dr. Chase dropped the crossbow and surprised one of the smaller vampires by leaping at it and slugging it in the face. They went down in a tangle and rolled around. Riker was smart enough NOT to try grappling with his opponent, instead swiping at it with the bat-leth in a few low, easy strokes. Worf beheaded one with the first stroke, but one right behind it had had some self defense training and grabbed the weapon from Worf's hands. The Klingon shrugged, drew his knife and charged.

Buffy was in the center of three vampires and, on some level at least, loving every minute of it. She spun and kicked one, ducked another and staked the third coming up behind her. Quickly she looked around and saw Trelg grappling with and losing to an enormous vampire with game face on. Buffy handed her dance partners to Worf and rolled over to save Trelg.

The vampire had just started feeding when Buffy staked him from behind. Trelg was down and woozy, but not out. Buffy turned to look at the melee.

Riker took advantage of an opening and staked his opponent. The three surrounding Worf--now, really, the only three left except for the burned one--no, she'd vanished too, Buffy noticed--observed the sudden change in odds and took off running. Worf buried his knife in one back, but the vamp in question didn't even slow down.

Buffy went over to tend to the woozy Trelg as Riker noticed an absence. "Dr. Chase," he called out. "Dr. Chase!"

Then slight sounds of a struggle could be heard from behind a nearby reconstructed building. The three of them raced around the side and found Xandra Chase battering a vampire repeatedly against the wall of a house. She seemed to have the situation well in hand. The three--no, four, as a shaky Trelg struggled around the house side to join them--stood there and watched.

"Okay, okay!" The vampire said. "I'll talk if you promise not to kill me." Dr. Chase nodded her assent and backed off a bit, but still looked threatening. "The traitor and the android are being held in the library. But they figure you'll go there first. There are spells designed to take out you, the Slayer, the Klingon and the Tellarite. And there are four vampires--more than enough to take out anyone else who tries a rescue."

Worf demanded, "Why didn't our phasers work?"

"Another spell, of course. Permanently jinxes all mechanical devices more complex than a crossbow." Riker and Worf hit their commbadges as one and cursed when they didn't work. The tricorder Dr. Chase carried was also useless.

Concern flashed on Riker's face. "What about Data?"

Buffy threw in, "And how was old Aggie able to communicate with us? Telepathy?" She wasn't buying the explanation.

"Don't know the first. For the second--well, magic! What'd you think?"

"I do not like magic," Worf asserted.

"It's not a matter of liking or disliking, Lieutenant," Xandra Chase said distractedly. "It's a tool just like your phaser is. Now," she turned back to the vampire, "Is that it?"

"Yes. That's all I can tell you. May I go now?"

"No. Buffy?" Buffy instinctively understood and went after the vampire.

"You promised!" The vampire whined.

"That's right. Promised I wouldn't kill you. Didn't say a thing about anyone else." Buffy made quick work of the exhausted bloodsucker.

Worf glared at Dr. Chase. "That was dishonorable."

Dr. Chase glared back. "If that'd been a human, a Klingon, or even a Cardassian, I would have let them go, Lieutenant. But vampires have no honor. I treat them like they'd treat us."

Worf turned, annoyed.

Buffy approached. "Oh, you just make friends wherever you go, don't you?" She asked sarcastically.

"Do you disagree with me?"

"Not really, no. But I'm still not all that fond of you."

"You don't need to be, as long as you remember I'm on your side." She stood and walked to Trelg. "Are you okay?"

"Still a bit dizzy and weak, but I'll live." He looked up with fire in his eyes. "And if you ever tell anyone I said that, I'll kill you." Dr. Chase reached into a first aid kit she carried, tossed aside the now useless medscanner, and took out a hypodermic-type thing.

"This should be enough to get you back to the Institute. You know where the blood is. Go back up the ladder and get it. Then come back if you can. Take my crossbow. I don't think anyone'll jump you, but if they do, make them sorry."

Trelg nodded, looking a lot better, and walked off.

Riker walked over. "Whether I like it or not, you're in charge. So what do you want to do?"

"We go forward. Angel, Data, and Silver await. We kill her, rescuing them should be a lot less of a problem."

No one acknowledged her, but when she walked towards the high school, they all followed her. Buffy thought as she trudged after Xandra Chase that she'd seen cheerier groups of people in dentists' waiting rooms.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Beverly Crusher and Deanna Troi materialized on the transporter pads of the Harris-Rosenberg Institute. There was no one in sight. They were armed with phasers and covered from neck to foot in black jumpsuits that doubled as body armor. Of course, this made them stand out against the sky blue walls of the Institute...

Dr. Crusher had a full medkit and medical tricorder as well, and both carried stakes and crosses.

Slowly they prowled the halls of the Institute. They rounded a corner and came across a closed hatch apparently leading to an access ladder going down into the Sunnydale Caverns. Slowly they twisted the handle and opened the trapdoor. Crusher scanned the way down and quickly jumped back, put a finger to her lips and pulled her phaser, pointing it at the hatch, A second later, Deanna Troi did the same. Neither were excellent shots--and Beverly Crusher much preferred being behind a hypospray than a phaser. Still, they knew how to use the weapons.

A battered Tellarite slowly crawled out of the open hatch, nervously glancing around. He stepped out--and froze when he saw the two Starfleet Officers leveling phasers at him. "What is this?" He demanded.

Deanna Troi put on the tough voice she'd perfected while pretending to be a Romulan intelligence agent. "We're asking the questions here. Where's Commander Riker and Lieutenant Worf? And Dr. Chase and Buffy?"

"Going to the Sunnydale High School. Without me," he said. Carefully he reached up and pointed to the wounds at his neck. "I was jumped by one of the lifedrainers and Xandra thought I'd be better off replacing the blood than pushing on."

Alternating questions, more politely but still with phasers leveled, they found out the rest of what they needed to know. Without preamble Deanna Troi called up to Captain Picard--unofficially, of course--and Trelg turned to Beverly Crusher, who had by now lowered her phaser.

"Do you mind if I get my transfusion now?" Trelg asked cynically. "I'm running on stimulant here. Then we'll come back and get the two of you armed properly. Those phasers aren't going to be too much help down there."

Crusher nodded and together they walked to the Institute Medical office.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

The four spirits hovered around the Lady. Ted grinned evilly when he realized Silver's plan to torture the Slayer bitch.

One of the spirits gathered the will to speak. "We will NOT help you torture her. After all she's been through--"

Silver waved her hand and demanded silence. "I summoned you four for just that purpose. You have to do as I tell you."

"Doesn't mean we have to LIKE it," one blurted.

"All the better," she said smiling. "Now fade and wait until I call you." All four faded, though the small one stuck out a tongue as they disappeared. Silver frowned. "I wish I knew where the other one was..."

X X X X X

Deanna Troi found the Harris-Rosenberg Institute's Medical Treatment Center. Beverly Crusher was just finished the procedure, though Trelg swore he knew enough to do it himself. The Betazoid stood amazed at all the blood the Institute had stored.

She asked Trelg why.

"Typical Betazoid denseness," he grumbled. Troi knew not to take offense. "The Institute hunts vampires. We need transfusions on a regular basis." Troi nodded. Trelg then added, "Plus, Angel has to feed sometimes..." Troi did a doubletake and then laughed. Crusher glared at her, then wiped the annoyance off her face and got down to business.

"Oh, that's right. Captain Picard wants us to keep looking."

"He wants us to WHAT?" Beverly Crusher demanded.

"Well, he couldn't tell us in so many words--but I got the unofficial impression that he wants us to investigate for ourselves."

"We have information and proof, why can't he send someone else down? Someone better at dealing with vampires and marauding androids?"

Trelg cleared his throat loudly. Both women ignored him.

"Because we already know about them and due to 1702 gimel he doesn't want to bring anyone else in on it."

"When we get back to the ship, remind me to find the person or persons who invented 1702 gimel. I have a few experimental medical procedures I'd like to try out on them," Beverly Crusher said grimly.

"I'm sure they're dead by now, Beverly."

She said determinedly, "I'll resuscitate them."

Trelg swung himself off the bed. "Save your violent tendencies for the vampires, Doctor. There's probably not much danger down there anyway, any lifedrainers left'll either be homing in on the Slayer or keeping an eye on Angel." He grabbed the phasers. "These won't be that useful once we hit that field. I'll have to equip you with some other Slaying equipment." He handed the phasers back and took off down the hall. After half a second, the two women jogged after him.

Beverly Crusher said, "Trelg, you never told me why Dr. Chase would have cast that amnesia spell on me."

"It's called evading a question, Doctor. I don't know why she would have done it. She usually doesn't, but ever since we found out about the resurrected Slayer she's been acting very differently." He stopped. "And if you're still nervous about coming, don't be. This was all in the prophecy too. It was part we didn't understand. It seemed to be talking about mighty warriors. But if two distaff Starfleet Officers are what I'm stuck with, so be it."

"What do we do in the prophecy?" the Counselor asked. Trelg walked over to a supply closet and opened it up. He took another crossbow and gave it to Troi, then took two stakes and a knife for himself. Troi took a knife and Dr. Crusher reluctantly took a stake and several vials of holy water.

Trelg gave an evil grin, which on his piglike face came across as gritted teeth. "Why, we're the Rescuers..."

--

The cavern had gotten preternaturally quiet, Riker thought wryly as the odd quartet walked towards the old high school, and the phrase had never seemed more appropriate. It wouldn't be quite so quite so silent if the four people were different. Worf's only communication, when he was in full combat readiness, were brief instructions and groans. Xandra Chase wasn't exactly trustworthy. And Buffy Summers was pissed off enough to try to take off his head if he tried to start a conversation.

Not there was much to talk about. What, combat tips? It wasn't like Buffy knew of the current popular entertainments, and she was too young for anything else. Reputation to the contrary, he did have his limitations. And any attraction he might have felt towards Dr. Chase had long been driven out by the woman's arrogance and combative nature. Captain Picard had observed--was it only eight hours or so ago?--that Alexandra Chase did not wear authority well. Obviously she'd had some alterations done, because she was ordering people around like she was born to it now.

They hadn't had to deal with any more vampires in the interim. This meant that Silver was bound to have some tricks waiting. He risked a whisper to Buffy. "Your special sense tell you anything?"

"No," she whispered back. "It was an old cliche in my time, but it's too quiet. I've seen livelier cemeteries." Riker nodded and tapped Xandra Chase on the shoulder. Buffy and Worf patrolled a bit ahead.

"What are you expecting?"

She jumped. "Don't do that," she snapped. Then, before Riker could react, she said, "Sorry. I'm on edge. I didn't realize the true identity of our opponent, and I've been waiting to get her since--I first heard her name." She looked around. "Come here, Commander. That prophecy we've been working under, we all assumed it was Buffy that was going to face off Silver. But it's not Buffy, it's me. I'M the Lady's worst enemy." She turned to him. "I didn't want to tell her this, but Buffy may not have been called back to save the world after all. Her appearance may just have been the signal for the confrontation."

"Apres moi, le deluge?" Riker asked.

"Something like that. I just hope there's something productive she can do. She's had enough shock already that she was put to sleep for 370 years for no better reason than to be an alarm bell might really bother her."

"I see your point. Your secret's safe."

"Well, she's also fighting to save Angel. But still--"

"Yeah." They looked up and saw an impatient Buffy and Worf tapping their feet at the base of the restored high school's front steps. They hustled up to join them. "Sorry about that," they said in unison. They were about to walk up the steps when Dr. Chase stopped them and said, "Hold it. Agatha Calendar may be way more powerful than I am, but I'll be damned if she's cleverer."

She muttered a few words in English and threw a small bag of a red powder into the air. It vanished, small streaks going in many different directions. "This should tell us where any magical traps are, and Buffy's spider sense'll tell us about vampires."

Worf said, "That still leaves the coward that pretended to be Data."

Xandra shrugged. "Quit worrying, Lieutenant. Do you want to live forever?" Surprisingly, Worf grinned a warrior's grin at that. Weapons at the ready, they moved slowly to the outside front steps of the school.

There was a huge red glowing area leading towards the library. Buffy started. "Angel's down there!" she said.

"And if you go down there right now, by yourself, you'll be playing right into Agatha Calendar's hands."

"I know," Buffy said in an irritated tone, "I'm not stupid. And I learned a long time ago that a full frontal charge against someone a lot stronger than you are is suicide."

"It would be an honorable death," Worf said.

"Operative word dead, burnboy. I'm not below sacrificing myself for a noble cause, but I'm not going to throw myself into a field of magic just to see what it does, either." She sighed. "Lead on, Dr. Chase. Destiny awaits. More of it. Oh joy, oh rapture."

Dr. Chase led them carefully towards an old classroom she said had belonged to Agatha's sister Jenny. Buffy whispered to the group, "Don't turn around. There are eight vampires behind us." Worf tensed. "I said, relax, warrior prince. All they're doing now is hovering behind us. Long as they stay there, I'm inclined not to bug 'em. We're not here to clean every vamp out of the caves anyway, just to take out the big gun." Worf grumbled something about never leaving a live enemy behind you, but wasn't otherwise inclined to press the point.

And then they were there at the entrance of the room. From inside a hauntingly familiar voice said, "Come on in, Slayer!" The quartet exchanged glances, drew weapons, and walked into the old computer classroom.

Three people stood at the other end of the room, which was an exact duplicate of Ms. Calendar's--with one exception. There were no computers on the desks.

Leaning against the right wall was a HUGE Klingon, twice as ugly as normal with his gameface on. He looked like he could powerlift a dumptruck. Buffy suddenly saw how it was possible for Angel to be captured. Especially if Ted had joined in.

Ted stood against the far wall, grinning sardonically. He mimicked a miniature golf swing, which Buffy pointedly ignored. He still looked like Data, but those were not the facial expressions of an emotionless android.

And in the center--Agatha Calendar. Buffy suddenly understood how she'd acquired the nickname of Silver--and how she'd survived the boulder Angel swore had crushed her. Her legs were metal,steel polished to a silver sheen. Her upper half was still human, and a dead ringer for Jenny Calendar--or how she would have looked five years older. Agatha smiled.

"Welcome, Slayer. It's time for me to finish what I started 370 years ago."

"Dying? Happy to help." The three behind her nodded in agreement.

From behind Silver's impromptu throne a group of four spirits drifted out. Willow, Giles, Xander and Oz! They approached her, rage on their faces, angry words coming from their lips. She stood there, stunned. They couldn't mean what they were saying.

"Buffy, you abandoned us!" Willow said. "I was killed in that quake because of you!"

"Way to let us down, Buff." Xander said. The two Starfleet Officers stood here, uncertain of what to do. Slowly the vampires from the hall had drifted in behind them, but in her anguish Buffy didn't notice. Dr. Chase tried to cast a spell, but Agatha Calendar blocked her at every turn.

"My spirits, Xandra. I control them." Buffy only had time to notice that Xandra Chase seemed almost as heartbroken as she did.

Buffy was looking at them with tears forming in her eyes. "You can't mean it," she mumbled. It wasn't her fault. It wasn't!

"If you had been there, Buffy, we would not have died!" Giles said.

"Um, yeah. You shouldn't have done it." That from Oz. Their voices were full of hatred and anguish. They really seemed to blame Buffy. Their eyes blazed pain.

"I didn't, I didn't..." she said. The four didn't let up. They pressed in, closer and closer. She barely noticed Silver yell for an attack.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Quickly and quietly across the cavern floor they traveled. They ran into no vampires. In fact, they didn't encounter ANYTHING, living, dead, or otherwise.

Good a thing as this may have been for the trio's middling combat skills, it was unnerving as all hell. Trelg, still a tad unsteady, led the way, followed by Beverly Crusher and then Deanna Troi. The Betazoid was using her emotion-sensing skills as thoroughly as Crusher her medical tricorder.

Deanna called out, "Wait!" The three halted. "I sense a hunger--in that direction." She pointed towards the school. "Trelg, where does the barrier start?" as Beverly cursed and slapped her tricorder.

"Damn thing must be..." She realized what Troi had just asked and glared at Trelg, who said, sheepishly for a Tellarite, "The two of us just passed it. Check your phaser." She pulled out her phaser and successfully blasted a rock. Crusher tried the same thing and got nothing. She swore at Trelg and muttered, "Thanks for the club."

"I was a little distracted looking around for the vampires," Trelg retorted.

"You've never actually led one of these expeditions before, have you?" Troi asked gently.

"I've only BEEN on three others. But I wasn't about to let Angel be killed. Not when he owes me so much money."

Deanna nodded, smiled and moved back. Then she frowned. "I sense the hunger growing closer." She flattened herself against a nearby house as Crusher and Trelg, twenty feet ahead, looked around nervously. Trelg drew a knife and a stake, and Crusher reluctantly fingered a cross.

Three vampires--who Dr. Crusher had to admit did vaguely look like Klingons--charged out of the darkness. One bore scars up and down her face.

Trelg and Crusher feigned fear--mostly not feigned in either case--as the vampires approached, expecting easy prey. They backed away in a line parallel with the force line, leaving Troi as easy a shot as they could. She carefully aimed the phaser and fired, striking a vampire square in the chest.

It sailed back ten feet but otherwise seemed unhurt. Trelg yelled, "Level 7 at least!" and fired a crossbow, striking a vampire in the eye.

Crusher threw the holy water in her hands at the same one and burned its arms. It and the one struck in the eye charged. The one Troi had struck came after her, but calmly she adjusted the phaser and fired. The vamp screamed and burned, turning to dust within seconds. She fired again and missed, then hit the one charging Trelg. It, too vaporized. The other one was too close to Beverly to risk firing. She ran--then stopped and tossed the phaser behind her. No sense making it useless. She drew a stake and fingered it awkwardly.

It wasn't necessary. Trelg snuck up on the vamp and staked it from behind, turning it to dust. Beverly gasped. This shouldn't be possible, medically--She shook that thought from her head. She really WAS a doctor to the core.

They got up, checked themselves for injuries (none, really), stowed the phaser in a safe place and made their way to the front steps of the high school without further incident.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

"HOLD IT!" Xandra Chase screamed.

The vampires hesitated and Karg said, "Cowards! What are you waiting for!"

Worf sneered at the vampire, "You call them coward? You, who had not the honor to resist drinking of the blood of a vampire? You do NOT have the authority!" Karg glared and started towards the smaller Klingon, but the Lady stopped him.

"Think about it, Ag. May I call you Ag? The prophecy said you'd stand in triumph over the body of your greatest enemy. Well, there she is. You've won. So the rest of us can go, right?"

Worf bristled, but Riker held him back with a hand gesture. He didn't know quite where Dr. Chase was going with this, but unlike Worf he knew that she, and not Buffy, was Silver's worst enemy.

Before Silver could answer, Xandra continued, "Or...do you stand over her body?" The Lady snorted and walked the five feet to stand over Buffy's prone, sobbing figure, still being berated mercilessly by the four spirits, and leaned down.

As she did so Xandra Chase removed her hood quickly and stared at her namesake spirit. Xander gasped and smiled. He then started yelling at Buffy, "And you killed Cordelia! You killed my wife!" The other three said similar things. "How could you?" Buffy took a deep breath and remembered something. She stood up and grabbed the Lady by the neck. Silver put on her vampire face and jerked back, but she was clearly taken aback.

"How could--"

"Me to know, you to find out. But either those aren't my friends, or you're making them yell at me." The four spirits hovered silently behind Buffy, semi-supportively.

Xandra Chase laughed. "Did you think I was being so literal, Ag?" The Lady walked stiffly back to her original position. "No. I meant that maybe she's not your greatest enemy."

"What do you mean?" The Lady said suspiciously. Karg began to protest, and she said, "No. It should be amusing. Pray, Dr. Chase, continue."

"You met Buffy Summers for five minutes and instantly put her to sleep because you felt that SHE was responsible for the death of your sister. That's a greatest enemy? Please! Overestimate much?"

The Lady held up a hand, but Dr. Chase ignored it. "No, Agatha. She's not your worst enemy. You killed my husband and my two best friends, and effectively killed the best person I'd ever met." She suddenly sprinted across the room with inhuman speed and stood face to face with the Lady. "I've been waiting for this for 350 years," she said, and punched Silver in the face hard enough to knock her into the wall. Karg and the other vampires advanced. The Lady regained her feet and said, "No! Not yet."

The Lady asked Xandra Chase, "Who are you?" Riker and Worf edged around the room.

Dr. Chase screamed. "Your worst enemy. CORDELIA CHASE!"

Damn right, Cordelia Chase, Buffy thought. THAT'S what'd clued her in to the phony friends. She still wanted to know how Cordy'd survived 370 years. Her question was answered when at the same time the Lady screamed "Attack"--

AND CORDELIA PUT ON HER GAME FACE.

Riker, Worf, and Buffy were momentarily startled, but didn't have the time to gawk as Karg went after Worf, two vampires made for Riker and the rest surrounded Buffy. Ted just stood there on the sidelines, for which Buffy was briefly grateful.

Cordelia Chase and Agatha Calendar tussled briefly, Cordelia taking advantage of Silver's shock to throw her against the wall. Then the Lady threw Cordelia back and began to cast a spell. Cordelia slugged her before she could complete it.

"Please! You think I'm going to let you get away with that? Stupid much?" They began punching and kicking each other in earnest, with Cordelia refusing to give Agatha any time to cast a spell. Otherwise they seemed evenly matched.

Karg's attack, Worf noted, was all strength and no subtlety. Karg's tactics were perfectly suited for a cramped interior space like Jenny Calendar's old classroom, however, and Worf had time for no more than a few knife thrusts, most of which connected. Karg ignored these as Worf would the sting of a gnat and picked Worf up, easily.

Now HERE was a challenge, Worf thought as he was hefted into the air. He reached downwards with his knife hand and slashed at Karg's arm. Success! Karg's grip weakened. Worf rolled out of the grip--

but Karg retained enough strength with one arm to toss Worf through the classroom's windows and onto the roof of the school building. Worf rolled and came up. He drew his bat-telh. He was not disappointed for long as Karg crashed through the window himself and charged at Worf with no hesitation.

Again, Worf noted, Karg's tactics were NOT those of a warrior, or even one skilled in more than the rudiments of combat. This only confirmed his hunch that Karg must have been a coward when alive. This would make Worf's injuries no less severe, or his death no less probable, but it did two things for the combat! One, it made Worf's possible victory all the more remarkable. Two, it gave him ideas on how to conduct the fight...

Worf dodged the blows and struck Karg on the back with the batleth. Under other circumstances Worf would have closed with Karg, but there was no shame in trying different combat maneuvers with different opponents. One did not battle a tiger in the same way one would a swarm of Bajoran voles.

The combat continued.

Riker, inside, had no qualms about running away, at least temporarily. He broke through the ring of vampires and bolted out the door. The vampires--and Buffy, for that matter--were startled, but quickly the two bloodsuckers after Riker recovered and chased him.

Riker carefully retraced the route the group had taken into the building--he had no great desire to run into any of the traps Dr. Chase--Cordelia?--had mentioned. As he rounded a corner he put on the brakes, grabbed a stake, and waited.

He didn't have to wait long. Five seconds later one of the vampires turned the corner and Riker slammed the stake into its heart, turning it into dust. He didn't have time for self-congratulation, because almost immediately the other one grabbed him and shoved him partway down the stairs. He barely grabbed onto a rail to avoid falling headlong and possibly breaking his neck.

Not necessarily a good thing the vamp sprinted down the stairs and the two collided at the landing. The vampire put on that ugly face that he'd been told meant it was ready to feed. Riker struggled for a weapon, any weapon, and couldn't break free.

This didn't mean he was helpless. Flexing his body, he rolled over and sent them rolling down the steps. By forcing his head upwards at the right time, he avoided losing consciousness, but was still a bit battered by the time they reached the first floor and got clear of the vampire's grip. He sprang to his feet and ran with a purpose. If he remembered where those traps were...

Ahead! A narrow corridor surrounded by faint red glow on all sides. Riker sprinted through the corridor and flattened himself against a wall. As he expected, his pursuer cut through the red glow to get to him...and tiny creatures, all teeth, legs, and hair, poured from the nearby lockers onto the vampire, biting and clawing like miniature tigers. Riker slowly backed away. He didn't know if they'd attack him or not, but we wasn't about to stick around to find out. He dove back through the corridor and sprinted for the front staircase. The little monsters didn't bother with him. Good. He'd guessed right.

As he hit the main staircase a crossbow bolt whizzed by his head. "What the?" he said, then turned and looked at his assailants--

Trelg was holding a crossbow. But flanking him were--

Beverly Crusher and Deanna Troi! In the torchlight it's possible that Trelg didn't recognize him. He held up his hands and slowly walked forward. Trelg lowered the crossbow, and Deanna and Dr. Crusher rushed to his side.

"Sorry, Commander," the Tellarite muttered. "Thought you were a lifedrainer."

"I'm glad your aim is as bad as your eyesight," Riker said and turned to his fellow officers. "What are you doing here?"

"Will," Dr. Crusher said, "Deanna and I are here--without Captain Picard's OFFICIAL approval--" Riker noted the stress and snorted--"to warn you. Xandra Chase may not be what she seems to be."

"Tell me about it," Riker answered. "I just saw her turn into a vampire."

Troi said wryly, "Well, that trumps our news," as Dr. Crusher started and Trelg's jaw and the crossbow hit the floor at the same time.

Crusher was saying, "Of course...that would explain why she didn't want any anesthetic. And I certainly would have noticed the oddities in the readings on the biobed. She made me lose my memory, Will a good two and a half minutes."

Deanna Troi walked over to Trelg, who shook his head and growled, "Now there's another reason to find Angel. So I can beat the reason why he never told me out of his lifeless hide." Riker looked at everyone in confusion.

"Apparently, we're in this prophecy too, " Deanna explained. "Beverly and I--'The Healers of mind and body'--are to rescue--how did you phrase it, Trelg?--'the seraph and the golem.' That's Angel and Data, most likely. And he's somewhere in this building."

"With Silver's sense of irony, they'll be in the library," Trelg said. He added, "That's where Buffy spent a good deal of her time when she was the Slayer."

"Well," Riker said, "Worf, Buffy, and Dr. Chase are upstairs, so--"

"I'LL go check on them," Trelg said. "I can't get down that hallway, but you three probably can." He pointed to the hallway opposite the stairway, which was glowing faintly red floor to ceiling. Trelg jogged up the stairwell as Riker swore. When he explained why to Deanna and Dr. Crusher, they joined him in swearing...

X X X X X

Going back in time a bit, Buffy was badly outnumbered, exhausted, emotionally drained, and trapped in an enclosed space where she couldn't pull off many clever Slayer moves.

On the other hand, she was ROYALLY pissed off. She'd lost most of her friends, the one that was left had been using her, and, hell, the fate of the world was at stake again.

In other words, pity the poor vampires.

Buffy whipped out a stake and ashed the first one before she could blink, then jumped on one of the tables and kicked another vampire in the chin.

"You'd think you guys would've had SOME combat training in four centuries," Buffy mocked. "but no. All bloodsucking, no karate." She kneed the same one in the face again. "Not that I'm complaining..."

Freed of their obligations to torture Buffy, the assembled ghostly forms of the Slayerettes were cheering her on and waving their transparent hands in the vampires' faces as distraction. Willow yelled, "Behind you!" and Buffy shot the stake out straight back, catching a vampire in the face. "That'll need plastic surgery," the Slayer said as she whirled around. For the next minute Buffy dodged and struck at the three remaining.

Then, surprisingly, Ted punched one in the back of the head. This earned him a startled look from Buffy. The Lady spat out, "What are you doing?" before Cordy hit her in the nose.

"Joining the winning team, Lady," he said as he slammed the vampire to the floor. With a disgusted look on her face Buffy jumped down and dusted it.

The Slayerettes were confusing another all to hell, so Buffy turned to the fourth, a large male. This one was a half-point smarter than most vampires. He picked up a chair and threw it at Buffy, who couldn't entirely get out of the way and took it in the shoulder. He apparently then decided that discretion was the better part of valor, vaulted a table and broke for the door. Suddenly a cloud of dust appeared and five seconds later Trelg came into the room. He rushed to the window and fired a few crossbow bolts out into the gloom. A yowl of pain, followed by a scream and, shortly afterwards, a thud.

No time to rest. The fourth vampire was easy pickings, though, and Buffy killed him with no effort.

Then the immediate combat was over. Cordy seemed to have gotten the upper hand over Agatha Calendar, but wasn't doing anything but holding her down. Ted was back leaning against the wall, now mockingly applauding. "I don't know what you're so happy about. You're next."

"I'm happy because I know you won't touch me. This is a technology-free zone, Buffy. That means Starfleet's precious android is, sadly, nonfunctional. And he'll stay that way unless they guarantee my life--and protect me from your revenge."

"No Starfleet Officers here right now," Buffy said menacingly as she approached the android.

"Yes, there is." Worf spat from behind her. "You have no honor, Ted!" Worf growled the name like the vilest of oaths as he stalked towards Ted. "Karg went over the edge with my berleth piercing his neck." Buffy swore and Worf threw Ted against the wall. "What have you done to Data?"

"Nothing irreversible--provided I get my way."

Worf slugged him again, and Buffy was about to join in when Worf stopped her. "No." He turned to Ted. "For now, you live."

"Traitor," The Lady spat. Cordelia-the-Vampire slapped her.

"Buffy," she hissed. "Come here." Buffy approached. "Relax, Buffy! It's me, Cordy! I have a soul! Remember Angel's talent?" Buffy believed her. "Grab Agatha around the neck but don't twist unless I tell you. Boy, do I have a revenge in mind for this bitch." She began incanting a spell. Silver struggled and Buffy held tighter.

When Cordy was done she looked at Agatha. "You know, Ag, I was thinking. Sort of an unfair fight. You had vampires, and, well, so did we. You had a spellcaster, you had an android, you had a Klingon. So did we. You had ghosts from our past. And we," she said with a flourish, stepping aside, "have a ghost from yours."

She stood aside to reveal...Jenny Calendar...

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

The three Starfleet officers stood looking at the red glow that filled the halls leading to the school's library.

"Now," Riker began, "Trelg said that the spells down that hallway were designed for him, Dr. Chase, Buffy and Worf. Not the three of us. And Data's somewhere down that hall, so I'm willing to take the risk." He strode towards the glow.

Dr. Crusher stopped him. "You're thinking too straightforwardly, Will. Why do we have to go through the school at all? Doesn't this library have windows?"

Riker looked at her. "You're willing to go crashing through glass?"

"I can't say I'm particularly thrilled by the idea. But I'm not going to throw myself into the path of an unknown weapon just to find out how badly the beam will burn me." Troi nodded.

"Good point," Riker said. The trio walked to the front outside of the school and started walking quickly around the exterior of the building. Shortly they ran across a large set of windows that led to an old-fashioned library, complete with books instead of holonovels. Most of the windows were barred, but fortunately the reconstruction wasn't entirely finished.

"Don't use your hands, Will," Deanna said with a trace of amusement. "Use Dr. Crusher's club." Beverly Crusher shot the Betazoid a dirty look as she pulled out her now-useless phaser. Will Riker's eyebrows shot up, but he said nothing. He looked in and whispered back, "Don't see anything. No vampires, no Data, no Angel. Are you sure they're in there?"

Troi whispered back, "Well, Trelg was sure--Will, look out!" The two women dove to one side as, out of the darkness, a huge Klingon picked Riker up and threw him through the window. The Klingon--Karg, the vampire, Troi guessed--crashed through the window after him. Troi and Crusher immediately followed. Crusher paused and filled up a hypospray with holy water.

Inside, Riker, with batleth drawn, was backing away from an angry and wounded Karg. There was a wound in his neck, and several healing scratches along his body. Riker saw the two but didn't do anything to acknowledge their presence. The Klingon vampire ignored Riker's jabs and tried to maneuver him into a corner.

While Troi wondered what to do, Dr. Crusher snuck up behind Karg. As Riker slashed at Karg's legs, Crusher plunged the hypospray into the vampire's back.

The Klingon screamed and dropped to the ground and began writhing in agony. Crusher was sent careening backwards into an office door, which flew open. Picking herself up she found herself looking at an inactive Data--and, right next to him, Angel, gagged and bound by...a thin thread? She reached forward to flip Data's on switch...

Out in the main room of the library, Karg was angrily and blindly flailing about the room in obvious agony, but neither Troi nor Riker could get close enough to stake the vampire. Riker tried once and got tossed into some bookshelves for his trouble. To top it off, the crossbow had broken when Riker had landed in the library, so standing back was out. Riker used the bat-telh at a distance and cut Karg as much as possible, but it was only a matter of time before the Klingon vampire was ready for full action again.

Troi had an idea. She opened a supply cage near the double doors at the front of the room. Riker saw what she was doing and by poking the vampire at the right times and in the right places maneuvered him into the cage. Simultaneously the two Starfleet officers threw themselves at the door and got it closed. They breathed a sigh of relief...which they cut off in midbreath as Karg pounded violently against the sides of the cage, and the metal buckled.

This would only help them temporarily. They rushed to find Dr. Crusher.

Data's switch WAS on! The same field affecting her tricorder and phaser must be affecting Data, Crusher thought. Then it struck her--Trelg had said all the other equipment was permanently scrambled in the field. What if Data was too?

She turned to Angel and reached for the thread crisscrossing his body. Angel shook his head and indicated with his eyes that Crusher should remove the gag first. She did so.

"Thanks," Angel spat. "The wire would have cut you to ribbons if you'd touched it. It's magically treated razorwire." Crusher started. Razorwire could slice through ANYTHING. It required gloves treated to handle monomolecular substances just to handle it. "The magic is to stop it from killing me. It won't unless I move. Silver left the gloves on the table just out of my reach. She thought that would torture me--my escape being just out of my reach. THAT'S not what tortured me. It's that I don't know what happened to Buffy. Or Xandra." Riker and Troi walked in as Crusher made for the gloves. Troi positioned herself by the door to watch Karg's struggles.

Riker said, "Well, they were both alive last I saw."

"But you don't know if they still are?'

Riker debated, then gave in and told the truth. "No. A big fight was starting. Xandra--calling herself Cordelia--swore that SHE was Silver's worst enemy and jumped her. Two vampires attacked me and the rest attacked Buffy. That was the last I saw. I left the room--somewhat involuntarily--and haven't made it back."

Seeing Data's inactive form, Riker cocked an eye at Crusher, who responded somberly as she CAREFULLY began unwrapping the razorwire, "Don't bother with Data's on switch, Will. It's the field. It apparently sees Data as nothing more than another machine."

"Exactly," Angel said gingerly. Troi called back, nervously, "Could you please hurry it up! He's breaking loose!"

"I go any faster," Dr. Crusher said patiently, "I take off Angel's arm, or his foot--or his neck." Riker held the bat-telh like a spear, and Troi pulled out some vials of holy water. Crusher went as fast as she could, unwrapping his neck, then one arm, and had only an arm left to go when Troi shouted, "He's free!" She threw a barrage of the remaining vials of holy water and Riker let the batleth fly.

By the speed at which Karg flew into the office Troi and Riker's attacks affected the vampire like an attack from a bubble bath. He palm-punched Riker and sent him slamming into a wall his head impacted and he stayed very still. Troi he threw across the office.

Finally she unwrapped the last coil of razorwire. Angel jumped up and sailed across the room. Karg was braced for a blow, but not the ferocity of Angel's attack. Karg was knocked into the doorway. Angel picked up a chair with one hand and slammed it over Karg's skull.

Dr. Crusher and Deanna Troi, who'd just had the wind knocked out of her, rushed to Riker's side. He was breathing, and Crusher swore as she delicately probed Riker's skull with her fingers. Damn that she didn't have her tricorder. Still, the trauma didn't seem to be severe, so odds were it was a concussion at worst. She reached into her medikit and injected Riker with an appropriate stimulant.

Angel, outside, was battering Karg around the library. Even though the Klingon was his equal in strength, Angel's fury was making him a much superior combatant. Every time he got up, Angel would knock him down again. Twice he hit him with chairs.

Troi and Crusher, flanking the still woozy Commander Riker, were stunned to see what happened next. Karg took one of Angel's blows, rolled to his feet, and RAN! A Klingon who ran from a fight while he could still stand? Worf was right. Karg WAS a coward.

Angel wasn't about to let the Klingon vamp go, though. He dove after the fleeing Karg and caught his ankle, twisting him down to the ground. The Klingon struggled in Angel's grip--his struggles knocking down bookshelves--but Angel held firm.

Angrily, fiercely, Angel said, "I wouldn't do this to anyone else. But you. You deserve it, coward." He put his hand on Karg's head and grimaced. They both glowed briefly and then Angel got up.

Karg slowly sat up. "What happened," he growled. "Where am I? The last I remember I was being jumped in an alley by three strong humans."

Angel said, pitilessly, "You became a vampire. Think about it for a while. Think about the DISHONORABLE acts you've committed over the last 40 years. Think of how you've shamed your family and your people. Think about that." He got up and left the Klingon sitting there, stunned.

"Let's go find Buffy."

Troi, said, distractedly, "There's some kind of, um, trap outside the door. Let's go the way we came. Aren't you going to do something about him?" she said, pointing to Karg.

"No. We don't have the time and I don't have the inclination. If he has the honor, let him kill himself." Tossing the vampire a stake, Angel went back into the office and picked up Data's body. Then, without another word, they departed through the busted window.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

The Lady relaxed when she saw her sister. Obviously this fool Chase--Cordelia, Xandra, vampire, human, it didn't matter--had made a serious mistake. She thought that Jaana would hurt her? Jenny? She snorted. Her sister's spirit regarded her sternly.

Chase said, "Buffy, you can let her go now." And the fool did! Agatha slowly stood up and smiled triumphantly at her sister. "Jenny! Look what I've done for you! Your killer--my greatest enemy--is here, lying at my feet! Help me destroy her!"

Jenny Calendar smiled sardonically. "If anything, Ag, you're lying at their feet."

She ignored this jibe. The Calendar sisters had always had that kind of relationship. "I'm so glad you're here, Jenny, to watch my moment of triumph." She looked up with happy tears in her eyes. "This was all for you!"

"I know," Jenny said--a little sadly. "You did this all for me, Agat'a. You put Buffy to sleep, caused the death of the man I loved and some of my best friends, all for me. You destroyed Sunnydale, all for me. You became the ruler of the vampires, all for me. You're leading the vampires into a new era where they use alien bodies as well as human, all for me. All this death, blood, mayhem and destruction, all for me."

"Yes!" Chase, the Slayer and the Klingon moved back. The spirits she'd summoned stood behind her sister, while Ted just leaned against the wall. The arrogant fools! That gave her the perfect opportunity to cast a spell. They'd never be able to stop her in time!

"That shows me something, Ag. You never really knew me." What was she saying? She paid close attention as her sister's voice grew hard and cold. "Do you think I liked watching you kill the man I loved? Do you think I LIKED watching you destroy Sunnydale? Do you think I liked seeing my sister become a vampire and then, of her own conscious, SOULED choice, take control of them instead of destroying them? All the death and destruction. You think I liked it?" Then, more quietly. "You did, didn't you?" She shook her head again. "I loved these people, Agat'a. Buffy didn't kill me. Rupert, Willow and Xander didn't help. Angelus killed me. And it was MY fault. MY fault, for not telling them who I was in the first place."

"But you didn't know what would happen." Agatha said, anguished.

"And that excuses me? In serving the Calderash to the letter, I betrayed my friends. I could have told them. I DESERVED to die, Ag."

The Slayer stepped forward. "No, Ms. Calendar. You didn't. Especially not like that. He broke your neck when you were trying to save him."

Agatha gained fire from Buffy's confession. "And he broke Jenny's neck because YOU MADE HIM HAPPY!" She started incanting a spell. Worf and Buffy moved towards her, but Cordelia muttered something and Ms. Calendar stepped forward--and GRABBED Agatha's hand. Startled, the Lady lost concentration and stopped casting the spell. A spirit with substance?

Jenny gripped Agatha's arm. HARD. She hissed in her sister's ear, "FORGIVE them. Forgive her."

"No!"

"Then forgive me." She placed a hand over her sister's mouth and chanted a spell herself. "I've learned a few things over the years, Agat'a." She finished the spell and slowly started drifting downwards through the floor.

Buffy watched as the semi-solid form of Jenny Calendar sank into the floor, dragging her sisters' unwilling body with her. Nearby, Giles' spirit yelled, "Jenny, no!"

"Don't worry, Rupert. I'LL be back." Right then Angel burst into the room carrying Data's body, followed rapidly by--Deanna Troi, Dr. Crusher, and Will Riker? What were the two women doing here?

Angel placed Data's body on the floor and rushed over to Buffy. "Are you okay?" They hugged as the Starfleet Officers went over to examine Data.

"Yeah. Defeated a prophecy, forgave Ms. Calendar, watched the Lady sink though the floor. Same old same old. And you?"

"I've been better." He gently broke loose of Buffy ant went over to Cordy, who'd been facing away from him. "And you, Xan--" he noted the transformation. "And you, Cordelia?"

"Fine. You know, revenge isn't as satisfying as they say it is." She smiled wickedly up at Angel. "You could make it better, though--"

The ghostly apparition vanished, taking the Lady with it. Shortly, noting Buffy and Angel beginning to talk to the four spirits in the middle of the room, Worf hauled Ted over to Riker, Crusher and Troi. Worf explained the situation, and the android's offer, in a disgusted tone that indicated that, while he felt honor-bound to tell the truth, he'd just as soon disassemble Ted into his component parts and then phaser the parts.

While the living Slayerettes hashed things out with the dead ones, Ted negotiated with a disbelieving Starfleet crew.

Riker said, firmly but with a shake in his voice, "I haven't seen a mechanical problem with Data yet that Geordi LaForge couldn't fix. What do we need you for?"

"The field, Will," Deanna Troi said. Riker shook his head in reluctant acknowledgement, then winced.

Ted grinned. "So you see, Commander, you really do need me. I'm the only one left who knows what spell Silver cast. I'm the only one who can restore your precious android. And it'll take my freedom guaranteed, to get it from me." He paused. "I'm thinking of settling down. Finding a nice woman and raising a family."

"I don't have the authority to negotiate that with you," Riker said.

"No, but you can get me to someone who does. And on your word that you won't let any of THEM--" he pointed to Buffy, Cordelia, and Angel--"hurt me, I'll travel with you back to your ship and begin those negotiations."

Riker, with a very bad taste in his mouth, agreed to Ted's terms.

Angel returned Cordelia's smile. "You know better than that, Cordelia." Then he saw, REALLY saw, the four spirits ranging around the room. Oz turned away--not that Angel could blame him--but Willow, Giles, and even Xander crowded around him. "How did you guys get here?"

"Queen bitch Agatha summoned us and FORCED us to insult Buffy. You know, Cordy, she's at least, oh, twice as manipulative as you ever were." This from Xander. Cordy stuck out her tongue. "I love you too, Cordy," he said somewhat tenderly.

"So, why are you still here?"

Giles stammered, "I-it's my understanding that in cases such as this, spirits tend to linger until specifically dismissed by the summoner--or until a specific ritual is cast by another."

Buffy walked up to them. "Does this mean you guys will be around a while? Please say yes, please say yes..."

"I hope not, Buffy," came from Willow. "While we're glad to see that you made it back, we don't belong here anymore. This isn't our world."

Angel and Cordelia backed off. "Giles, do you remember what I told you when you tried to attack Angel by yourself? I can't do this alone."

"But, Buff, you're not alone." Xander said. "You've got Cordy--and deadboy." Angel glared at Xander, then laughed and growled. Xander went on, "Hey, fangface, I'm already dead. What're you going to do, kill me?"

Cordelia spoke up. "Sorry to argue with you, Xander. Well, no, I'm not." She sighed and sat down. "She's not going to have me. My job is done."

"What are you saying, Cordelia?" Angel asked. Buffy moved in closer.

"Just what I said. I became a vampire because SOMEONE had to be around to clue Buffy in. The way YOU were moping around it certainly wasn't going to be you. But now she's back, the crisis is over. I have nothing to live for." She shot a meaningful look at Angel, and an even more meaningful look at Xander. "So as soon as I've seen you all safe, I'm going to take a nice long walk out into the sunlight."

Buffy and Angel simultaneously screamed, "No!" at Cordelia, while Trelg stood there in shock. This drew the attention of the assembled Starfleet Officers. Deanna Troi walked over as Buffy grabbed Cordelia's hand. "Cordelia, why?"

"I'm surprised, Buffy," Cordelia said as she smiled weakly. "I'd think with the way I've been treating you you wouldn't care if I died."

"You think wrong," Buffy snapped back. "Look, you've done some really nasty things to me. Those spells, not telling me who you were. But none of that's unforgiveable."

Angel spoke up. "And don't you think I'd miss you? You should know how much I care about you, Cordelia. So many times over the centuries you've kept me sane. Kept me in the game while we waited for Buffy to return. Now that she's back, I'd think you'd be thrilled."

"I am. For the two of you. You're finally back together, the way it was MEANT to be. I'll just be a third wheel." Buffy and Angel still seemed dubious. Cordelia's smile vanished. "What's my alternative? To hang around until one of the bad guys kills me? Or until one of the good guys mistakes me for one of the bad guys and stakes me? No. No thanks. I can't grow old and die, so that's my only alternative. You can check me, Counselor, if you doubt my sincerity."

"I thought you feared having your mind read," the Betazoid said, frowning.

"That was just to keep you from sensing my emotions. My hunger. You would have known I was a vampire right away."

"That's why you made Beverly forget? She noticed something odd in your biobed readings?" Cordelia nodded and Deanna briefly concentrated. She swayed a bit, but pulled back. "Buffy, she's serious. Under normal circumstances, seeing someone wishing to end their life, I'd try to dissuade them. But sad though it is to see any life end, in your case I can see there's little point."

Giles said, "Then you ARE certain, Cordelia?" She nodded.

"It'll be a while. I want to make sure this all ends happily. But I'll be along." Xander grinned happily. "I've missed you--nimrod."

Xander told her, "I've missed you, you shallow snob, you."

The banter was interrupted when Trelg collapsed. Dr. Crusher raced to his side. "Still suffering from that blood loss, I'd say. He pushed himself back too soon. We should have noticed. Still--all he needs is more blood and some bed rest. We should get him back upstairs as soon as possible."

"I'll be ready to go in a few minutes," Buffy said, and no one was especially inclined to give her any grief over it. It took less time than she thought.

A sense of oppression left the room. Cordelia said quietly, "The Lady must be dead. Her spells have stopped working. Worf dropped to the ground next to Data's body and flicked his on/off switch again. Nothing happened. Worf quietly muttered a Klingon oath and said, "We shall HAVE to trust this Ted," quietly.

Willow piped up, "Oh! We're free. We can go back any time we want."

Xander mimicked a stretch. "Good. I'm getting so tired of hanging around here all the time." Buffy looked hurt. "Sorry, Buff. You know I didn't mean because of you."

"I know."

Jenny Calendar drifted back up through the floor. "Where's Agatha?" Buffy asked.

"Well, you know there's still a Hellmouth entrance under here?" Nods from the Slayerettes, confused looks from the Starfleet Officers. "I went through it and left her on the other side."

"Sounds about right," Angel said.

Riker said, "Wait. Where is she?"

Buffy walked over and patted him on the shoulder. "Trust me, Commander, you DON'T want to know. But you can bank on it--she WON'T be back."

"Well, then, if you've made your goodbyes--"

"Give me a second." She turned to the five spirits and "embraced" them all in turn. They hugged back. "I'm glad I was able to say goodbye."

Jenny Calendar smiled. "We don't have to go forever, Buffy." She whispered in Buffy's ear and said, "Just say those words whenever you want to talk to one of us. We'll come back. Just because we don't want to be tied down here forever, doesn't mean we don't still love you."

"Thanks."

They gradually grew fainter and fainter, and eventually faded entirely from view. They all just stood there and watched them go.

Well, except for Ted. He said, "Well, that's over. Now, can we go? I really want to go start my family."

Buffy started at this. What was HE still doing upright? She walked over to where Ted was standing and knocked him across the room. She moved over to finish the job when the Klingon grabbed her from behind. What the hell?

Ted said, "We have a deal, people. Don't people keep deals in this century?"

Buffy spun angrily out of Worf's grasp. "Deal? You don't make deals with killer androids, bucko, you turn them into little tiny pieces and then you burn the pieces!"

Riker said grimly, "We had no choice. He's the only one that knows what Silver did to shut off the technology. He's the only chance we have of getting Data back intact."

Buffy said, "Newsflash, futureboy. Ted's a computer expert, NOT a spellcaster. He doesn't know an orb of Thesula from the orbit of Venus." Cordelia and Angel moved in behind her.

Ted grimaced. "I hate it when you challenge me, little girl. The spell begins with an invocation to Moloch and ends with 'Fiat contra lux.' I'm not stupid enough to tell you everything."

Cordelia smiled. "You didn't need to. Forgetful much?" She asked one of the Starfleet officers to make sure Data was turned on. Crusher bent down and nodded that he was.

"Angel, Worf, if you would hold Ted VERY still, please?" They each grabbed an arm before the android could react. Cordelia closed her eyes and began chanting a spell from memory. It began with a specific revocation of Moloch, and ended with "Fiat lux." She said as she finished, "I had to specify it to Data, so your phasers aren't going to work again. It was WAY more localized than I would have...liked." She stopped because Data blinked open his eyes and rose to his feet. He immediately turned to Commander Riker.

"Commander. How long have I been out?"

"Forever." Before Data could object, he said, "Ten, maybe twelve hours. It just SEEMS like forever."

Data noticed Ted furiously struggling in the grip of Worf and Angel. "It seems you had already figured it out, sir, but this--android before you is quite dangerous. He was waiting for me at the resting place of Buffy Summers. I see that at least the rescue was successful." Buffy nodded her head. "I thought he was Lore at first, and he caught me unaware. I vaguely felt him download some information from my positronic matrix, and then nothing until I awakened two minutes ago. What has transpired in my absence?"

Dr. Crusher said, "Reminiscences later, people. We've got to get Trelg to sickbay. Or the Institute's medical facilities. Remember?"

Everyone nodded. With Angel and Worf having to restrain Ted, Buffy carefully slung Trelg over her shoulders and they walked out.

As the group made its way through the halls of Sunnydale High School Buffy noted that the red glow was gone. That made for a much more pleasant walk. When they left the building Buffy had a nagging feeling that they were forgetting something.

A massive shadow moved in front of them and said, "You go nowhere!"

Ah yes. Karg.

Buffy put Trelg down and she, Cordelia, and Data all stepped forward. Ted redoubled his efforts to get free and Worf and Angel were hard-pressed to restrain the furious android.

Oddly, Karg made no threatening moves of any sort he simply stood there. Finally Riker said, "Did you want something? Or did you decide to make it your job to wander around the Sunnydale caverns and scare the passersby?"

Karg rumbled, "Ever since he--" pointing to Angel "--restored my soul, I have been thinking. My last forty years have been filled with evil and dishonorable actions. I find it--difficult to live with those memories."

Angel said, "You'll learn. I did."

"So," Karg continued, ignoring Angel's words and directly addressing Worf, "I ask of you. I did not live my life honorably. Help me end it that way."

Buffy grimaced and said, "That wasn't really you, though. That was the demon inhabiting your body. You're not really guilty of those atrocities."

"By Klingon tradition, there is no difference between body and soul," Worf told her.

"Yes. And I was a coward. I feared death and willingly drank of the vampire's blood. Nothing can atone for that but my life." He walked over and directly faced Worf. "As a fellow Klingon. Will you do this for me?"

"No. You are unworthy of the ritual."

Karg boomed, "Then I shall FORCE you!" He cocked a fist and caught Worf in the face. He staggered, and Ted spun free and bolted. Data calmly stepped in front of him and Ted slammed into his fellow android. The two went down and grappled.

X X X X X

Worf pulled his ber-leth and Angel knocked it from his hands. Worf looked at him angrily.

"Why give him what he wants?" Angel said as he dodged a blow from Karg. Worf glared, but concentrated on the greater foe. Cordelia joined them and jumped Karg from behind. As Beverly Crusher tried simultaneously to support the still-dazed Will Riker and protect the body of the unconscious Trelg, Deanna Troi suddenly ran off, purpose on her face.

Buffy moved towards the struggling androids. Neither was wasting their time in fruitless punching or kicking they were instead engaging in an odd form of wrestling, where both were scrabbling for various access panels instead. Buffy picked up both of them and threw them to either side. They stood up and eyed each other.

"Surprise me, guys," Buffy said. "DON'T go for the cliche. Now. Which one of you is Commander Data?"

"I am," they said together.

"What I thought. 370 years, and still no new plots." Buffy sighed.

Once the prospect of earning death by combat had been essentially removed, much of the fight left Karg. Consequently, and somewhat to Worf's disgust, the now-souled Klingon vampire went down rather easily, comparatively speaking. Appropriately, though, it was a punch by Worf that finally sent Karg to his knees.

The two androids, conversely, were still staring at each other. Buffy said, "Well then. Since neither of you's going to fess up to being the evil robot killer--"

"Android," they said together.

"Whatever. I say, disable 'em both and let God sort 'em out." Buffy stalked towards the two, feinting one way and then the other, purposefully.

The Data on the left said, "A wise precaution," and the one on the right echoed it a moment later. Damn. It wasn't working. She was hoping that one of them would crack, but both seemed imperturbable. Then she had an idea. "If you think it's such a wise precaution," she told them. "Prove it. Turn yourselves off."

The Data on the left nodded, reached behind his back, and collapsed to the ground. She turned to the one on the right with a grin of triumph and walked forward. He said, "Miss Summers, I assure you--"

Suddenly she was thrown violently to the ground by the Data lying there. Damn, damn, damn. Ted rolled Buffy into Data and rolled towards Crusher and Riker. He backhanded Crusher, kicked Trelg's groaning body to one side, and put Riker in a headlock.

"Anyone move and I break his neck," Ted said. "And no sarcastic comments from YOU, young lady."

"Who, me?" Buffy said innocently. They all moved around in front of Ted and glared.

"Good," he said. "Stay that way. I'll leave him upstairs in the Institute." He moved backwards and suddenly noticed something. "Hey, where's that Betazoid?"

"Counselor Troi is behind you," Data said.

Ted laughed. "OLD trick, Data."

"No--um--she really is." This from Cordelia. Ted sneered and started walking again--for a step. Then a low whine. Ted grunted and fell motionless to the ground. Behind him, as they'd said, stood Deanna Troi-- Wielding the phaser she'd hidden before she entered the high school.

She ran to Riker's side and whispered, "Imzadi, are you alright?" into his ear.

He smiled. "Fine, now. Nice shooting, by the way."

Buffy went over to Ted's still form. "Told you so," she said as she kicked it as hard as she could on the off chance he was faking again. He wasn't. In one smooth motion she reached down and broke his neck. After a second she had the android's neck completely separated from its body.

Riker walked over. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Killing the bad guy. What does it look like?"

"He was a living being. I know your time was more savage, Miss Summers, but here in 24th Century we do NOT summarily execute our enemies."

"We do if we don't want them popping up again." Angel moved in behind her protectively. "One thing I've learned over the centuries. Make sure your enemies stay dead."

"Would you kill me, Miss Summers?" Data asked.

Buffy blinked in surprise. "No. You're one of the good guys."

"And if I were not?"

"In a heartbeat." Buffy snapped.

"You've got a lot to learn about the 24th century, Miss Summers."

"Really?" Buffy demanded. "I didn't see you hesitate to try to kill vampires. I didn't see Worf have any problem with attacking Karg. And Counselor Troi didn't seem to have a problem with shooting Ted."

"But not to kill," Troi said. "To stun."

Angel stepped in. "And are you saying that if the only way to save Commander Riker's life were to kill Ted, you wouldn't have done it?"

"His life was in danger. Yours was not," Worf said, feeling it an act of dishonor to casually slay an immobile enemy.

"It would have been."

Cordelia stepped in. "Enough! Commander Riker, 1702 gimel. No more criticism of Buffy's actions from any of you. Got it? Now, Counselor, give me your phaser."

Sensing Cordelia's intent, Deanna Troi quite calmly threw the phaser as far as she could. Cordelia glared and told Buffy, "The hard way, then," and she and Buffy went to work with a vengeance. Within seconds Ted was a pile of disassembled circuitry. Angel stomped much of it flat, and Buffy and Cordelia pocketed the rest of it for later destruction, elsewhere.

The Starfleet Officers said nothing. Karg was slowly rising to his feet. "If you will not kill me, and I cannot kill myself," he boomed, "How do I atone for my dishonor?"

"I can think of a way," Cordelia said. "Work off your crimes. Stay here and assist the Institute. The vampires that are assaulting the embassies in San Francisco--which ones are yours? How will they be coming back? With your strength, you could be a real help to us--them." She forgot, for a moment, her desire to end her life.

"As for the embassies, do not worry," Karg boomed. The Starfleet Officers paid careful attention. "The attack was a feint. The Lady's primary goal was to kill HER," indicating Buffy. "At the first sign of serious resistance, they will turn and run."

Riker said, "Well, there's good news, at least."

Karg said. "I do not know if I can do you as you ask. But I will give it serious thought. I will be down here. I swear that I will attack no one." He barked out a few words in a language Buffy didn't understand. Then he walked off.

Worf said, "That was an ancient Klingonese blood oath. You can trust him."

There was nothing else that could be said. They finished the long trek back to the Harris-Rosenberg Institute.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Jean-Luc Picard had practically worn holes in the path between his ready room and the Captain's Chair on the bridge. Ensign Ro had been highly amused, although somewhat concerned, by his atypical nervousness. Due to Xandra Chase's gag order he had been unable to ease his tensions. There had as of yet been no attack on any embassies, and his officers--and, for that matter, Buffy Summers, Trelg, and Dr. Xandra Chase--had not been in contact since Dr. Crusher and Counselor Troi had mentioned that they were descending into the caves.

He knew there was some kind of shield--he doubted it was magical--blocking communications, but still it was frustrating.

So when the ensign at tactical reported an incoming message from Commander Riker he strode towards the Ready Room rather quickly, which for anyone else would have been the equivalent of tripping over things and throwing people out of the way. He pressed the button. "Yes, Number One?" he said calmly. "How is everything?"

"Everyone is here, alive, and reasonably healthy sir," came Will Riker's voice, a bit shakily. "I got a bump on the head and Trelg collapsed from loss of blood. The even better news is that The Lady is dead, we've recovered Data, and the attacks on the offworld embassies are just a feint."

"Did you find out which embassies are going to be attacked,?"

"No. But Karg--he switched sides, don't ask me why--said the vampires will back off at the first sign of serious resistance."

Picard breathed a sigh of relief. "That IS welcome news. I'd feel better knowing where to concentrate our forces, though."

"Me too," Riker said sourly. "We have a lot to go over. We'll be up to the ship in a few minutes, as soon as Trelg is taken care of."

"Until then. Picard out." He assigned the conn to an Ensign Ro so curious she was practically bursting with questions. Fortunately, she was too well-trained to demand answers and Picard wasn't inclined to provide her any. He went to the transporter room.

Shortly thereafter they beamed up in two groups. First the Starfleet Officers came, then Angel, Buffy and Cordelia. Buffy was holding the hands of each of them. Captain Picard did a polite doubletake at the transformation of "Xandra Chase." When they got there Beverly Crusher was escorting Commander Riker out of the transporter room. Cordelia said, "And you're going...?"

"To sickbay, DOCTOR Chase," Crusher snapped. "Commander Riker here is still suffering from the aftereffects of a concussion. I'd like to make sure they don't get any worse."

"Understood. That'll take, what, five? Ten minutes? Then we'll all meet in Briefing room one in thirty minutes. We could use the time to clean up."

Worf rumbled, "I have no need to clean up. There is still an attack coming and I should be there."

Cordelia said, "Not likely. I'm going to need you at the debriefing. Tell you what, though, if you have no desire to bathe, you could let the embassies know that the attack will be a feint..."

"No. If they think it is false, they may let down their guard. Instead, I shall tell them it will be TWICE as hard. That way the resistance will be stronger, and the vampires break off their attack that much sooner. With your permission, Captain?"

"By all means, Mr. Worf." The Klingon left the room. Deanna Troi had departed during Worf's strategic brainstorm. Turning to Cordelia, Captain Picard said, "I understand we have a great deal to discuss, Dr. Chase, not all of it pleasant."

"Depends on your point of view, Captain Picard," Buffy said. "Where I stand, it's all good." Then she remembered Cordelia's imminent suicide. "Well, most of it..." Angel winced.

Cordelia was apparently determined not to let her dwell on that. "Captain Picard," she said, "could the three of us use some of your guest quarters to clean off?"

Data said, "I shall show them, sir."

"Are you alright, Data?" Picard asked.

"I am fine, sir. I did a self-diagnostic and, apart from a few minor scrapes, the only damage is that I was unconscious for 10.73 hours. I will perform a more thorough examination if you wish--"

"That won't be necessary, Data. I'll take your word for it."

Buffy said, "Might want to check yourself out later, though. Ted was a definite baddie, but he was a demon of a computer programmer."

"I shall take note of that." Captain Picard returned to the bridge to monitor for signs of the attack. Data led the trio to the turbolift and, once they got off, down the hall to a fairly large room. A moment after they got there, Captain Picard's voice rang over the intercom, "Mr. Data, please come to the bridge."

"On my way sir," he told Picard. "Is this satisfactory?" he asked the trio. The three nodded and the android left.

Buffy noticed that this room, too, was decorated in early Jetson. She recognized a table and a bed but couldn't have picked out the shower with a map. Angel made like he was going to clean off but Cordelia gestured for him to come sit down on the bed. Angel did so, and Buffy did likewise. Cordelia pulled out her icon.

"Listen, don't talk unless you have the figurine," she told them. "I don't trust them. Oh, they're the good guys, no question. But I don't trust them not to put this in their logs, or accidentally bring it up in casual conversation, or to meet some alien telepaths who aren't quite as scrupulous as they are." Angel gestured for the icon and Cordy gave it to him.

"I think I know what you mean, Cordelia. Are you certain?" He returned the icon.

"Certain enough that we absolutely CANNOT take the risk."

"Back up there, Cordy. I've been lost since the word figurine. WHAT are you talking about?"

"Something long suspected, but not proven until recently. The war between the Slayer and the vampires is a kind of mystical balance. The Slayer is permitted a small number of direct allies, but not many. Bringing in too many people to help in the fight greatly upsets this balance, and the world will do what it must to restore the equilibrium. 82 years ago the Slayer decided to enlist her entire family, 75 people strong, to help her hunt down vampires. Shortly afterwards an alien probe nearly destroyed the Earth--and Silver rebuilt the Judge. That was just from 75 people. What happens if the whole of Starfleet gets involved in the hunt?"

"And what about--" Buffy grabbed the icon--"All the members of the Institute?" she asked skeptically.

"It's essentially the Watcher's Council, Buffy. They do research and kill a vampire if they happen to run across one, but do not actively hunt. That is left to the Slayer and a few selected allies." Buffy nodded, reluctantly accepting the logic. "So," Cordelia continued, "This is what we need to do..."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Data stepped off the turbolift and Captain Picard shoved him right back inside. "Data, come with me. We're about to try a little experiment." Puzzled, the android followed the captain to briefing room one. He went to the replicator and said, "pack of matches" after it appeared, he asked Data, "Do you remember the words Dr. Chase used the first time she cast that concealing spell on this room?"

"Of course, sir."

"Then could you perform the spell, again?"

The android shook his head. "I believe it would be more likely to succeed were you to attempt the casting, sir. As I am nonhuman, it--"

"Never mind. Will you walk me through it?" Data assented, and told Picard what to chant as he lit the candles. The captain followed the instructions to the letter. When he was done, Picard abruptly tried to communicate out of the room. No success. "Now, Data," he said. "Communicate with me."

Data pressed his badge and said, "Data to Captain Picard." Picard's commbadge chirped.

"Thank you, Data," he said. Data was still puzzled. He knew that Captain Picard's seemingly meaningless actions had a purpose, he just could not figure out what. Then Picard told him and Data blinked in surprise.

"Of course, sir," he said. "I will take care of that as soon the spell has been ended." Picard snuffed a candle and Data hurriedly made his way to Security...

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

As Cordelia had feared, the Starfleet officers, while inclined to be secretive on the matter, refused to let Cordelia cast personal amnesia spells on them similar to the one she'd cast on Buffy. That essentially tore it. She gestured for Buffy and Angel to be ready.

She interrupted Captain Picard and said, "I'm sorry, Captain, but you leave me no choice." She began to cast a spell and missed Picard's imperceptible nod to Data. Worf and Riker got up to try to interrupt Cordelia, but were prevented from doing so by Buffy and Angel. Before a fight could break out, the spell took effect. It was an even more complex version of the spell she'd used on Buffy--it enabled her to rewrite the memories of those affected by the spell.

She did so, with occasional assistance from Buffy and Angel, and when it was over they made their way from the Enterprise as fast as possible.

They did not notice, nor did the crew of the Enterprise recall, the small recording device Data had planted in the briefing room...

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Captain's Personal Log--

My suspicions were at least partially confirmed--the Enterprise was not diverted across the quadrant merely to stand guard over an archaeological dig. Why Dr. Xandra Chase specifically requested us is a bit of a mystery, and one she seems disinclined to clear up.

Nonetheless, her allegations were accurate, on the whole. There was indeed an imminent attack on three offworld embassies by a violently pro-human group calling itself the Vampires. It seems every time humanity believes it has finally rid itself of elements like these, they pop up again. This is the first major such attack since the destruction of New Centaurus by the League of Humanity over a hundred years ago. Fortunately--although not so fortunate for the person involved--the attack only resulted in one death. General Keragh does assure me that his guard died with honor, however.

The leaders were either killed in the assault or have scattered to the far corners of the Earth. Dr. Chase assures me that Vampires rarely leave their home planet, and that the Rosenberg-Harris Institute--which quite frankly I suspect of being a front for a deep-cover branch of Starfleet or Federation Intelligence, perhaps even one that does not officially exist--will take care of any stragglers. I was hoping to take this opportunity to take the time to allow some of my crew who call Earth home to take a brief shore leave, but that has proven impossible for two reasons. First, Dr. Chase assures me that this visit "never happened" in the official records, thus fueling my suspicions. Second, and far more troubling, is that Admiral Nechayev has "requested" the Enterprise's presence near the Cardassian border. I have long since learned that it is unwise to ignore the Admiral's "requests." Thus the Institute is on its own for the mop-up duty. I wish them well...

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Buffy said, "Are you sure we can't talk you out of this?" She and Cordelia--dressed like she would have dressed in Buffy's time--were standing in the street in front of the new version of the Bronze. Angel watched from inside, through specially treated windows. It was about fifteen minutes before sunrise, and the sun's rays would come straight down the large road leading to the dance club. The three of them, Trelg, and a few other of Cordy's selected friends had partied with her one last time at a private, invitation-only blowout. But THIS moment was just for the three of them...

Cordy looked at her exasperatedly. "And HOW many times have you asked me that in the last two weeks? Fifteen? Twenty? Please! What's my answer always been?"

"No," Buffy said wistfully. "But a girl's got a right to change her mind, you know."

"Well, THIS girl isn't going to. Endless life? Been there, done that. Remember, Buffy," she said struck by a thought, "vamp nail polish was SO over when we met. How much more so over do you think it is now? That makes me so out of style it isn't funny!" Buffy laughed despite the situation, and Cordelia's voice got serious. "And one thing I've never liked to be is out of style. Right now I'm 370 years out of date."

"So am I," Buffy said. Cordy gave her an odd look and laughed nervously.

"Don't say that, Buffy. In all seriousness, you never had a chance to go out of style. You never had a chance, period. Now you do. This is your second chance. THAT--" she said, pointing at the Bronze's window--" is your second chance. Your life is yours again, Buffy. Make the most of it." They hugged. Sunrise was moments away and Cordy added, "or I will come back here and kick your Slayer ass from one side of Sunnydale to the other."

"And what army?"

Cordelia swept an arm to one side and grinned. "Them." Buffy looked--and there stood the spirit forms of Xander, Giles, Willow, Oz, and Jenny Calendar.

The sun's first rays appeared over the horizon and Cordelia Chase turned to face them, arms spread wide, hair flapping in the wind. Buffy started crying and laughing at the same time.

Cordelia's flesh began to burn, but she had the strength to turn and say, "What are you laughing at?"

Buffy laughed, somewhat hysterically. "I was just thinking: Typical Cordelia. Makes a BIG production out of everything."

In spite of the pain, Cordelia giggled. Soon she was laughing loud and long--and then she was dust. Buffy stopped laughing and looked around. The spirits were gone, too. Wearily, she walked back into the Bronze and upstairs to Angel.

He also looked a little tearful, as though he'd been crying, too. Buffy could hardly blame him. She said, "I was so preoccupied with my own grief, here, that I forgot about yours. You've been Cordelia's friend for 365 years or so. You must be devastated, too."

"No, I'm not, " Angel said. "I'm sad to see her go, but I understand why. Many times over the years, when it seemed we'd never find you, I felt the same way. She was the only thing that kept me from doing what she just did." He sighed. "But now I've got you back, and in spite of all of what happened, I'm happy." He kissed her. "And I guess she picked up on that. As long as you were here, I'd be happy."

"And as long as you're here, I'm happy." Now she kissed him. "No matter what's happened."

Suddenly the music kicked in from downstairs. Puzzled--since no one else was in the club--they rushed down to the dance floor--and found Willow dancing with Oz, Giles dancing--somewhat awkwardly--with Jenny, and Xander, dancing with...Cordelia. Cordelia's spirit beckoned to them to come join the fun...and, laughing, they did so.

And they danced.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

It was the first meeting in briefing room one in a couple of weeks, as nothing much had been going on.

So it wasn't until a briefing to discuss a routine diplomatic mission that Geordi LaForge noticed something odd set into the table. The power source was so low he'd almost dismissed it as a flaw in his visor.

He called a temporary halt to the meeting and examined the table. There was a small mechanical device that fit snugly into a hole that seemed designed for it. He handed it to Data and said, "What do you make of this?"

"It seems like some kind of recording device," the android replied.

"Well then," Picard said, "by all means, let's see what it's been recording..."