Chapter 4 – Surprise
DWX InnovationsXander stood pensively in the sparsely lit basement floor underneath the main research lab. The area was cast with a green hue coming from a device that he knew Starfleet and the Federation in the other Universe would be salivating to understand and get their hands on.
"So what do you think?" asked Dawn perkily, bustling around the large pulsing device and pushing buttons and making adjustments. Her black bodysuit made her look like some sort of eerie (and sexy) ghost in these lighting conditions.
"You've shocked Data into silence, and my own thoughts are along the lines of some crazy mad scientist," said Xander with a laugh. "So, explain it fully for me again. It's just too good to be true."
"Fine," huffed Dawn. "This," she pointed to the large honeycomb shaped device, "is what is part of a Borg Cube's power matrix. A Power Vinculum, it's basically multiple zero-point energy taps combined into a honeycomb matrix and is carefully phase-modulated to produce the power that the Cube uses."
"Do you know how much power ---theoretically--- something like this would produce?" asked Xander rhetorically and incredulously. "A Sovereign class starship comes close, and a Cube has how many of these things?"
"Twenty seven," said Dawn shortly.
"Twenty seven," echoed Xander faintly. "Its no wonder a Cube is such a formidable thing!"
"However," said Dawn getting back on track, "we will have some initial power distribution problems."
"Yeah," agreed Xander, "nothing we've built so far can accept this much power. We'd need at least an EPS system running through the campus."
"But we can finally get working on all the cool stuff," said Dawn eagerly. "The Power Vinculum has its own computer that monitors and modulates itself during operation, but there isn't enough leeway for us to use it to regulate matter-energy conversion. We need a central computer core."
"With regards to that," said Xander with a sigh, "I think we should start with what can be easily and quickly assembled right now. I believe I can get a basic Duotronic computer core built in three days."
"Duotronic?" said Dawn aghast, "that's nowhere near enough computing power to regulate…"
"Hear me out," said Xander raising a hand, "I know its relatively old tech, but the core will not be regulating an entire Starship and doing this…if the core's job is solely to matter-energy conversions then it would work…it might not be the instantaneous materialization we're used to, but…"
"It would get the job done…allowing us to use it to manufacture parts for another leapfrog into Isolinear-Organic systems," said Dawn thoughtfully, "then if we used Borg style algo-rhythms in the software we could enhance it to eight hundred trillion calculations per nanosecond and networking multiple cores we could most certainly have enough capacity for things even beyond current Federation science."
"Like Transwarp or Quantum Slipstream Drives!" said Xander with a grin.
"That's only for when we get around to building ships," countered Dawn. "And with our current facilities, the only thing we'd be able to build would be a Delta Flyer."
"But it would be an uber-Flyer, with the power of a Sovereign class," said Xander with a giddy grin.
"Getting to more terrestrial matters, how is the Curse translation coming along?" said Dawn. She was referring to the ancient scroll that Ms Calendar had finally procured with the Soul Curse used on the vampire Angelus. It wasn't the scroll itself, as that was in the possession of the Gypsy, but it was a quickly taken digital photo. Ms Calendar had said she was lucky to get even close to the scroll after the Gypsy had taken cognizance of the oath that she had broken.
"I am spending few hours a night on the thing, and letting my poor iMac continue when I'm busy with school, slayage, inventing etc. Honestly, it's slow going, I'm using the oldest available examples of written Romani as a basis and trying to work backwards in time towards the language the curse is written in."
"How long?"
"At current computational speeds…a week, two at the most," said Xander with a wince. "If I had the Enterprise' computer I could do it two days."
"If, if, if," mocked Dawn, "now get cracking on that Duotronic system."
"Yes mother," mocked Xander back and left the basement.
It was time for school so he climbed into his dingy looking second-hand Toyota, which he passed off as belonging to his parents. He was so itching to get his hands on a Ford muscle car or something like a Subaru WRX, but there was no way he could explain away suddenly owning a car of that expense. He was still Mr Anonymous with regards to the public face of DWX (which was Giles and Ms Calendar at the moment) so he had to keep up appearances. Speaking of Giles, the man had finally gotten himself a better means of transport, and was it a beauty; an Aston Martin DB7 Coupe. Xander had to admit that Giles couldn't have picked better. Aston was such a thoroughly Brit car, not to mention its connotations with James Bond.
Back at Sunnydale High, Giles who was coming out of the Teacher's Lounge immediately intercepted him.
"Oh, good morning, Xander," he looked around furtively, "is everything in order for the party?" He was referring, of course, to Buffy's upcoming birthday party, whereby it had been decided by unanimous vote to hold a surprise birthday party.
"Absolutely," nodded Xander with a grin, "are you ready to lose some of that prim and proper stiff upper lip exterior and party?"
Giles was about to answer but noticed that Buffy was coming down the stairs.
"Here comes Buffy," he whispered, "now remember: discretion is the better part of valor."
"Indeed," said Xander dryly.
"Are you alright Buffy?" asked Giles in concern, as the Slayer approached. And it was apparent to Xander and everyone else that she was not doing too well. Her eyes were slightly bloodshot and slight discoloration under them showed her sleep had not been restful at all. "You seem a little fatigued."
"Rough night," said Buffy with a tired sigh. "I dreamt that Drusilla was back in town and that she killed Angel. It really freaked me out."
"You fear it was more of a…a portent?"
"See, I don't know," complained Buffy in irritation, "I don't want to start a big freak out over nothing."
"Still," said Giles, "best to be on the alert. If Drusilla is active enough to prompt a Slayer Portent it could be that we will soon find ourselves in a…cataclysmic state of affairs."
The bell signaling that there was five minutes left before classes resounded through the halls and everyone began to scatter, but not before Giles left a bit of parting advise.
"Don't worry unduly, Buffy, it might not be a Portent at all, and even if it is, we can't act on it until we start to see some physical signs or have more evidence."
"I know, I should keep my Slayer cool, but…it's Angel which automatically equals maxi-wig."
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That evening back at DWX, Xander was hard into building the Duotronic computer. He had bought an old Cray Supercomputer chassis that was about two meters in height and had rounded edges giving it a slightly organic look for the task. He had finally mounted the internal power supply units when Ms Calendar approached him.
"Hi, Ms Calendar, what brings you to the lab?"
"I want to ask you if it would be ok to let my Uncle Enyos onto the campus, he's here to discuss the Angel situation," she said. Xander stood from his kneeling position and brushed off his hands.
"I see," said Xander, "is he going to be friendly? You violated your oath."
"The fact that he will even approach me indicates that he doesn't care about it as much as the others," said Ms Calendar.
"Very well," nodded Xander, "Conference Room 1 on the second floor." He turned back to the burgeoning computer but Jenny interrupted him.
"He wants to speak to you as well."
"Why?"
"I think he wants to understand who could have inspired me enough to violate an oath, and who could even attempt to translate ancient Romani" she said with a shrug.
"I inspire you?" said Xander dubiously.
"Of course," said Ms Calender, "not only for your upbeat ways even in the face of all the evil that festers in this town. But also the hope you represent for humanity's future."
"Ah," said Xander, he could feel himself flushing from the praise, but as he didn't have flowing blood in him, it wasn't apparent.
Uncle Enyos was a short stocky man, but muscular and had hands that betrayed a life of hard work to make ends meet. If Xander guessed right about his age, he had experienced the Death Camps of the Nazi's in Europe as a young boy and survived…that alone was enough to give him respect in Xander's eyes. He wore a dark suit and a dull brimmed fedora hat that looked like it came from an Indiana Jones movie, except it was made of black leather. His dark eyes showed a life of hard experience and his skin was browned from long exposure to sun.
"Jenny Calendar," greeted Enyos with a nod, giving her a brief hug afterwards.
"Uncle," said Ms Calendar with a hint of warmth. "This is Alexander Harris."
"A pleasure to meet you, sir," said Xander and the two shook hands. Enyos regarding him appraisingly with a frown, whose eyebrows shot up into hairline in surprise, he turned to Ms Calendar.
"How can this be?" he asked in amazement. Xander let go and looked at Ms Calendar in confusion. She seemed to have been expecting this, however.
"Uncle, Alexander is the unfortunate and fortunate victim of a Chaos Mage, who invoked Janus on Halloween, the effect on him and one other is permanent through circumstance," said Ms Calendar.
"Hmmm, the costumes?" speculated Enyos.
"Yes." Xander had to hand it to Enyos, the man was smart.
"Ms Calendar?" asked Xander warily.
"Don't worry Xander," she smiled, "my Uncle is a magician of great skill. There was no way to hide what you truly are from his senses."
"What do you define your being as?" asked Enyos curiously.
"Well, I like to think I'm still human," said Xander with a rue grin. "But technically, I suppose I'm a partially organic android with a human soul and mind residing inside."
"Fascinating, I suppose the Hellmouth augmented the unnaturalness of the event," said Enyos.
"True," admitted Xander, "I'll be the first person to admit that I'm not a natural thing, yet I am here nevertheless. And the good I can do with it is worth it."
"Very well," nodded Enyos, "I can respect that, therefore, I will say that is a pleasure to meet you too, Alexander."
"You wished to discuss Angel," prompted Xander.
"Yes," nodded Enyos, "Jana tells me you are attempting to translate the ancient curse so that we may understand and perhaps refine it. I'm here to tell you both that time is against you. The elder woman, our Seer, is reporting that the vampire's pain is lessening. She can feel it."
"But the curse still holds," said Ms Calendar.
"The elder woman is never wrong," said Enyos in a no-nonsense voice. She stared at Xander and looked down with a conflicted look on her face.
"There is…a girl," she said. And like a ton of crashing bricks a starling realization came upon him.
"What?" said Enyos in disgust, no doubt at the thought of any girl and a vampire being …cozy. "How could you let this happen?"
That was unfair. "Sir, there is no way it was within Ms Calender's power to prevent this. Angel is in love with Buffy, the Slayer."
"The Slayer is in love with Angel?" said Enyos, aghast. "Do they have a wish to enact the Star Crossed Lovers tale?"
"Seems it's the way fate has laid down her cards," commented Ms Calendar.
"Then there is only one thing that can be done," said Enyos. "You must tell the Slayer that she must stop seeing Angel, at least until the Curse can be translated, refined and recast."
"Oh boy," said Xander, "that will be a pleasant conversation…and on her birthday no less."
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Xander and Willow entered the school library the next morning and the day had finally arrived in which Buffy was officially turning seventeen. It was to be expected though that the Hellmouth would throw a crimp on things as they found Giles anxiously pacing back in forth in front of a very worried Buffy sitting on a table.
"Greetings and salutations, it's a very happy birthday to you my dear Slayer," said Xander with a smile and mocking stiff upper lip, doing a spot on impression of a Brit accent.
"It's happy birthday Buffy!" burbled Willow happily, jumping over the table and hugging Buffy by the shoulders. Buffy was less than enthused and merely looked down pulled a lock of blonde hair behind her ear. Xander walked over to the table and sat down with Willow.
"Not happy birthday Buffy?" said Willow sadly.
"It's just that part of the nightmare that Buffy had the other night actually transpired," said Giles in deep concern.
"Which means Drusilla is gunning for full badness. Giles, in my dream, I couldn't stop her. She blindsided me. Angel was gone before I knew what happened."
"Even so, we can still take steps now to protect Angel," said Giles. "Dreams aren't prophecies, Buffy. Y-y-y-you dreamt that the Master had risen, but you stopped it from happening."
"I think you should take the dream as being forewarned of a probability Buffy," said Xander astutely. "There is no use in worry, it merely taxes your energy and directs your focus to the wrong place."
"Well said Xander," said Giles with a nod.
"Okay, fine," said Buffy with a nod, "so we're a step ahead, but I wanna stay that way."
"Absolutely," said Giles. "Let me read up on Drusilla, see if she has any particular patterns." He started to walk towards his office. "Why don't you meet me here at 7:00? We'll map out a strategy."
"What am I supposed to do until then?" asked Buffy.
"Go to classes, do homework, have supper…"
"Right, be that Buffy," said the Slayer with a roll of her eyes. She got up from the table, grabbed her bag and left.
"That is one troubled birthday puppy," said Xander, pointing at the doors Buffy had just gone through.
"So much for our surprise party, I bought little hats and everything," said Willow with a frown.
"Indeed," said Xander with a nod.
"Oh, well, I'll go and tell Cordelia," said Willow reluctantly, as Queen C was brining most of the refreshments for the event.
"No, you won't," said Giles sternly. "We're having a party tonight."
Xander stared at Giles in surprise and turned to Willow, "he looks like Giles, Mr Supreme Caution, but I can't believe that just came out of his mouth." Willow could only frown and nod in agreement.
"Buffy's surprise party will go ahead as planned," said Giles firmly. "Except I won't be wearing the little hat."
"But Buffy and Angel…"
"May well be in danger," agreed Giles reasonably, "as they've been before and I imagine will be again. One thing I've learned here in my tenure on the Hellmouth is that there is no good time to relax. And Buffy's turning seventeen just this once, and she deserves a party."
"You're a great man of our time," said Xander with a big grin.
"And anyway, Angel's coming," said Willow, "So she'll be able to protect him and have cake."
"Precisely," said Willow and happily skipped towards the exit of the library, but frowned as she realized Xander wasn't with her.
"Go ahead, Willow, I just need to speak to Giles quickly, manly things," said Xander in explanation with a smile.
"OK, don't stay too long."
"Xander?" said Giles after Willow disappeared through the doors.
"Can we speak in your Office?"
"Certainly."
They entered the small adjoining office filled with all a manner of unsorted books and locked filing cabinets where Giles kept the really 'Dark' and 'Dangerous' books that no one who wasn't a Watcher had any really business reading. Xander closed the door and as Giles took a seat at his desk, he pondered how best to break this information. He had come to the conclusion that he would need Giles on his side first about the whole 'Angel Gypsy Curse' situation if he was to have any hope to easily break the news to Buffy. There was also the whole 'Jenny Calendar is actually Jana Kalderash, Gypsy' situation.
"I have come into the possession of troubling information G-Man," said Xander carefully, wincing as he tried to come up with a way to avoid this blowing up in his face.
"What troubling information?" asked Giles in concern.
"It's about Angel, are you aware of the particulars of how his soul was restored to him?" said Xander.
"Just what's generally known," said Giles, "that Angelus murdered a Gypsy and in vengeance they cursed him with the soul of his former existence before he was turned into a vampire by Darla."
"Yesterday I encountered a Gypsy by the name of Enyos…" said Xander but was interrupted.
"A Gypsy… here on the Hellmouth? Are you certain?" said Giles with a frown.
"I'm pretty certain, as he identified himself as such to me," said Xander, looking appraisingly at Giles' reaction.
"What would a Gypsy want with you?" asked Giles in bafflement.
"The fact that he is Gypsy should not be concerning you, nor why he told me, and the information he relayed to me was important enough to ignore the childish rivalry that exists between Watchers and Gypsy…"
"It's not a childish rivalry…" snapped Giles with a frown.
"Really? Both Watcher and Gypsy wear white hats and yet you treat each other as America and the Soviet Union during the height of the Cold War," said Xander dryly.
"Xander, you don't understa…"
"I don't need to!" snapped Xander, "the fact that this info came to me at the same time as Drusilla was rising again is not a coincidence. And now Buffy is having Slayer Portents about Angel meeting his end….which in light of my information adds a whole new spin on things."
"What do you mean?" asked Giles.
"The information the Gypsy told me is that their Seers have begun to sense that the Curse on Angel is fluctuating. For some reason the magical bonds that are holding the soul bound to the vampire Angelus is weakening."
Giles instantly paled at hearing this.
"Are you certain?"
"The Gypsy didn't lie, Giles, my auditory and visual sensors would've detected physiological changes in him if he did," said Xander. "And what would the Gypsy have to gain by the Curse failing? They aren't interested in seeing Angel dusted, they want Angelus to continue to suffer for all eternity."
"You make a valid point," said Giles thoughtfully. "So you're thinking the fact that Buffy is seeing Drusilla staking Angel in her dream, could be interpreted to mean that somehow Drusilla will be responsible for lifting the Curse of the Soul, if indeed the Soul's bounds are weakening."
"Yes," nodded Xander, "it makes a twisted sense, that could be Spike and Drusilla's long term plan, reuniting the Scourge of Europe, only now it will be the Scourge of America."
"We cannot allow that to happen," said Giles darkly, "between them they massacred countless during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Did this Gypsy give you any idea if they had a reason for the Curse weakening?"
"It's only speculation at this point," said Xander, "I was given a copy of original curse and am trying to translate it using various translation algorhythms at DWX, as its written in ancient Romani, but it will take at least another week. However, the Gypsy have been keeping tabs on Angel and they theorized that only one thing has changed in Angel's life since the Curse was cast…"
"Buffy," said Giles with a deep wearied sigh. "Damn why didn't I think of it before! The Curse is meant to punish, to make Angelus feel the human emotions of guilt, torment…to make the demon suffer. Experiencing love, happiness, is the exact opposite of what the curse is meant for. And I call myself a Watcher."
"Yes," nodded Xander, "and also proximity to the chaotic effect and mystical forces of the Hellmouth doesn't help."
"It only heightens the problem, blast it all! And on her birthday of all days we get this information. What a merry gift that would make," said Giles acerbically.
"Yeah, 'Buffy, here's your gift, and oh' did I mention that you can't be with Angel anymore, since the happiness you're giving him will cause his soul to eventually go bye-bye'," said Xander sarcastically.
"Well we are not telling her today," said Giles firmly. "She will be happy on this day. I'm sure the Curse will hold for another twenty-four hours…then we can tell her."
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The Bronze
It was finally time. That most auspicious of occasions. The most celebrated event on the planet. It was Buffy's birthday. Party favors, chips, cake and dips had been gathered, decorations placed all over the Bronze and the lights had been switched off. Xander and the rest of the Scoobies were hiding behind a pool table, whilst Angel was standing closest to the door behind a pillar. It was at this point that Xander wondered about whether a surprise party was the wisest course of action to celebrate Buffy's seventeenth year of existence, since, as a Slayer her knee-jerk reaction to any sudden sound and burst of light was to kick, punch, kill and stomp until there was nothing left and then ask questions.
Miss Calendar had gone to surreptitiously bring Buffy to the Bronze, but Xander's internal chronometer showed quite clearly that something was keeping the two.
"Where is she?" whispered Angel, peeking around a corner.
This of course, caused everyone else peek up from behind the pool table.
"Shh! I hear her coming," whispered Willow harshly.
Xander dialed his audio sensors to a higher-level…what he heard made him forego the thought of staying hidden; the sound of grunting, harsh breath, kicks and punches meeting flesh or being deflected was unmistakable.
"If that's Buffy, she's got company," he said with worry.
He was proven correct in his analysis when Buffy and a Vampire burst through the floor window and hit the floor hard. Everyone had forgone hiding and now stared as Buffy scrambled to her feet in a moment and kicked the vampire just as he got to a vertical base. The vampire lost his balance and stumbled backward. At this point Buffy showed her improvisational skills and grabbed a drumstick from the nearby set, spun around in a blur, and trust it into the vampire's chest just as he was lunging for her again. She pulled it back out and it exploded into ash. It was at this point that Xander realized that Oz was with them, and as he was most certainly not a Scooby; had just gotten his world rather irrevocably changed. Oz's eyes were rather wide with astonishment; yet there was something in his manner that was missing from those who normally had their eyes opened to the supernatural.
Cordelia chose this moment to try to salvage the situation…rather dismally, but jumping forward and yelling: "Surprise!"…which no one chorused with her.
"That pretty much sums it up," said Oz evenly, his voice rather light.
"Cordelia, tsk, tsk," said Xander, shaking his head. "It was ruined before the nasty vampire hit the floor."
Buffy put down the drumstick and approached everyone rather bemused and Angel hurried towards her.
"Buffy you okay?" asked Angel.
"Yes, what happened?" asked Giles urgently.
"Uh, there were these vamps out…" she looked around, "what's going on?"
"Oh, um…surprise party," said Giles, and blew on a party favor rather lamely.
"Happy birthday," said Cordelia, trying to salvage some of the atmosphere again.
"You guys did all this for me?" asked Buffy and a megawatt smile appeared on her face that never failed to give Xander tingles down his spine. What an odd sensation, said Data. It's nice though. "That is so sweet."
"Are you okay?" said Willow worriedly to Oz, who was still staring rather curiously at the ash on the floor.
"Yeah," said Oz, in an unfazed tone, "Hey did everybody see that guy turn to dust?"
"Uh, well, uh…sort of," said Willow uncomfortably.
"Yes, vampires are real, so are a lot of other bad things that you probably don't wish to know about, but should, a lot of vamps make Sunnydale their home because it is situated over Boca del Infernio, Willow will tell you the rest," said Xander.
"I know it's hard to accept at first," said Willow warily.
"Actually," said Oz, with a considering expression, "it explains a lot."
At this point Ms Calendar entered carrying a rather large old wooden box. "Hey, can someone give me a hand here?" Xander hurried over and relieved her of the burden, setting it down on a table. "Those vampire creeps left it behind."
"What is it?" asked Buffy.
"I have no idea, can it be opened?" asked Giles.
"It's got a release here," said Xander, he flicked the latch and carefully opened it. Inside was a dismembered arm clad in an old form of armor, Buffy stared at it and then turned to Giles in disgust. In that moment, quick as lightning the arm came to life and reached out, and seized Buffy around the throat, and it fingers flexed. She gasped as it cut of her air. Xander rushed over and tried to gain purchase on the fingers to pry them apart. Angel joined the struggle and with him pulling at the lower joint and Xander pulling apart the fingers they managed to break the grip of the arm, pushed it back down into the box and slammed the lid shut.
"I guess the Hellmouth didn't want to feel left out and also sent a gift," said Xander dryly.
"Good Heavens, Buffy, are you all right?" said Giles, rushing over and examining his charge for any injury.
"Yeah," she winced, rubbing her throat, "that thing had major grip."
"What was that?" said Willow.
"It looked like an arm," contributed Oz helpfully, again totally unfazed by a disembodied arm that tries to strangle the life out of the guest of honor.
"It can't be," said Angel aghast, staring at the box. "She wouldn't."
"If you're referring to Drusilla, I guess she's insane enough to do it," said Xander dryly.
"Help files, Xander?" said Buffy expectantly.
"This is a part of a particularly nasty and apocalypse level demon, simply called The Judge," explained Xander.
"How do you know?" asked Angel, curiously.
"I've been brushing up on my demonology," said Xander, staring at the box.
"Anyway," said Angel, "the Judge is a demon brought forth to rid the Earth of the plague of humanity…separate the righteous from the wicked, and to burn the righteous down. I wonder where the rest of his parts are…"
"Still needing backstory here…" said Buffy.
"He couldn't be killed," said Giles, removing his glasses and polishing vigorously, "an entire army was sent against him. Most of them died, but finally they were successful in dismembering him, but not kill him."
"The pieces were scattered…in every corner of the earth," said Angel worriedly.
"And the parts are being assembled and brought here," said Ms Calendar darkly.
"By Drusilla, those were definitely Spike's minions outside," contributed Buffy.
"And when they are reassembled fully that will be it for humanity," said Xander.
"Is anybody else gonna have cake?" said Cordelia, clearly the conversation was way too serious for Queen C.
"We need to get this out of town," said Giles.
"Angel," said Ms Calendar.
"What?" said Buffy doubtfully.
"You have to do it," said Ms Calendar to Angel, "you're the only one who can easily leave at a moment's notice and protect this thing." Xander narrowed his eyes shrewdly at Jenny, it was rather Machiavellian and opportunistic, but this would certainly solve the Soul Curse problem until he could finish the translation and Enyos could then work on recasting the thing by the time Angel got back. Xander glanced at Giles and saw that he also saw the subtext of what was happening.
"What about me?" said Buffy indignantly.
"What about you?" said Jenny, "are you gonna just skip town for a few months?"
"Months?!"
"She's right," said Angel, looking convinced, "I gotta get this to the remotest region possible."
"But that's not months," objected Buffy, as Angel walked over to her, a tender expression on his face.
"I have to get a cargo ship to Asia, maybe trek to Nepal," he explained.
"You know, those newfangled flying machines are really much safer than they used to be," she pointed out.
"I can't fly," said Angel, shaking his head, "there's no sure way to guard against daylight in a plane. I-I – I don't like this any more than you do. But there's no other choice."
"When?"
"Tonight, as soon as possible."
"But it's my birthday," said Buffy, pouting slightly.
"I'll drive you to the docks," offered Ms Calendar.
"They're right, Buffy," said Xander, looking troubled. "This piece of the Judge cannot be allowed to fall into Drusilla's hands. With this piece safe, her entire plan is ruined, and in the meantime we can plan to find and assault their stronghold…wherever that is, and get the other pieces as well…perhaps I can even find a way to destroy the Judge permanently."
Buffy frowned and reluctantly nodded, seeing the logic in the plan. "But I'm coming with to see you off properly." Angel grabbed the box and the three walked out, leaving a rather crappy feeling group of Scoobies in their wake.
"We just never get a break, do we?" said Xander, ripping off his party hat in chucking it to the ground in disgust.
"Life on the Hellmouth," commented Willow glumly.
"Well, let's gather up the condiments, and make off to the library, we need to do some research on the Judge," declared Giles.
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It was a familiar scene in Sunnydale High Library. Xander, Giles and Willow were all seated around a desk, and said desk was piled with every book that could possibly contain mention of The Judge, which was a lot…seeing as how the somewhat phyrric victory against the Judge in the Middle Ages was a big event.
Xander was of course breezing through the books as fast as a computer, and when he had exhausted his own supply, nipped some books that were on the others piles and went through those. This of course, never failed to cause Willow to send looks of fitful envy at him.
"They should be back by now," commented Giles, not looking up from his book.
"Maybe Buffy needs to pull herself together," lamented Willow sadly, "poor Buffy, and on her birthday and everything."
"Yes," nodded Xander absently as he added the info he had gathered into his occult database and began keyword searches, "let's hope they keep their eye on the ball though. Drusilla, thanks to her 'mad precognitive' visions, no doubt knows that we have the box, and that her plan to end the world is in jeopardy."
"Probably," said Willow worriedly, "let's hope her Inner Eye misses it."
"Willow!" said Xander in mock anger. "Do not use the 'H' word. You've just jinxed us."
"Sorry," she moaned, wincing.
It was at this point that Buffy entered. Xander took one look at her and groaned in exasperation. "They got the box back, didn't they?"
"Yeah," said Buffy, sniffing and rubbing her wet hair and standing awkwardly on the spot in completely wet clothes.
"What happened?" sighed Giles, polishing his glasses.
"Dru's guys ambushed us, and the klepto vamp sneaked up and made off with it," explained Buffy.
"Where's Jenny?" asked Giles with worry.
"Uh, she took Angel to get some clothing, we both fell into the water at the docks, and I had some here," she explained. "What do we know?" indicating the books.
"The more we study the Judge the less I like him," said Giles mildly, "his touch can literally burn the humanity out of you. A true creature of evil can survive the process. No human ever has."
"Can this guy be stopped, without an army?" asked Buffy pointedly.
"Apparently, 'no weapon forged can kill him'," quoted Xander thoughtfully.
"Yes, it's not very encouraging," said Giles, "if we could only stop them from assembling him."
"We need to find his weak spots, everyone and anything has them," said Buffy firmly, "and we need to figure out where they'd be keeping him."
"Better do a round robin, Willow," said Xander with a smile.
"Good call," nodded Buffy, as Willow headed to the phone.
"Round robin?" asked Giles bemusedly.
"It's when everybody calls everybody else's mom and tells them they're staying at everyone's house," explained Buffy.
"Thus freeing us up for world saveage."
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It was nearing midnight and the research was continuing hot and heavy. Xander and Willow were busy sorting the books already searched back into their places, whilst looking for any new relevant material.
"I can't get over how cool Oz was over all this," said Willow eventually.
"Yes, the ease with which he accepted it is…strange in itself, perhaps he already has had some limited experience with the supernatural already," mused Xander.
"Angel? Any luck?" said Giles from his own position at the table. The vampire with a soul came down out of the stacks from sneaking in through the window. The Watcher glanced into his office and noticed that Buffy was asleep…he instantly shushed what Angel was going to say. "Seems Buffy needed some rest," he whispered.
"Yeah, she hasn't been sleeping well," said Angel, Xander started and stared at the vampire in alarm, as did the others, how did he know? "She told me. Because of her dreams?"
"Yes, it seems that way," agreed Giles. "Slayer Portents as a whole are taxing things. They are powerful and take quite a lot out of the Slayer, it is the price one must pay for them."
"NO! Angel!" came an anguished shout from the office. The vampire and Giles rushed to her aid. Xander frowned grimly…things were coming to a head.
"Ok, let's think this through rationally," said Xander collecting himself, "'no weapon forged' that rules out swords, axes, and pretty much everything medieval."
"Guns then?" said Willow.
"No, because the most of the parts of the weapon is made of parts of metal, which goes through a forge at one point or another," said Xander. "But if we take that statement literally…then we need a weapon that is…I've got it," he said triumphantly.
"What, what?" said Willow in frustation, as Xander pulled out his communicator.
"Xander to Dawn."
"Dawn here," came her voice through with an irritated huff.
"Ooo, sorry Dawnster, you were regenerating," winced Xander, "but this is an emergency, I need you to head over to DWX. I finished the new computer. Hook it up and I want you to assemble…and this is important, assemble, a Starfleet Type 3 Phaser Rifle. Replicate the parts individually, and put them together by hand."
"Why? It would be easier to just Replicate the whole thing as one," said Dawn indignantly.
"Listen, Dawn-patrol, we've got an apocalypse demon on the loose and he can't be killed by ordinary weapons, but I believe it can die if the weapon is constructed with a certain method."
"Oh, all right, I'll sneak out and get busy, it should take me about an hour, Dawn out," the line went dead. It was then that Buffy and Angel streaked out of the office towards the library cage containing the weapons.
"Buffy, what's happened?" asked Giles urgently, following her.
"She had another dream," said Angel as they each grabbed a bladed weapon.
"I think I know where Spike and Drusilla are," said Buffy, striding out of the cage toward Giles.
"That's very good," nodded Giles, "thanks no doubt to your Slayer Portent, however, you do need a plan. I know you're concerned Buffy, but you can't just go off half-cocked."
"I have a plan," said Buffy in determination. "Angel and I go to the factory and do recon, figure out how far they've gotten to assembling the Judge. You guys check any places the boxes could be coming into town. Shipping yards, airports, anything. We need to stop them from getting all the boxes in one place."
"Yes, um, that' actually quite a good plan," admitted Giles.
"But you are forgetting something," said Xander with a finger raised, "what if the box we lost, was the last piece, and Drusilla has the Judge re-assembled already. In that case, those blades you have will be useless, and you can't engage the Judge in a hand fight, the instant you lay a hand on him you will be severely weakened if not die immediately."
"We don't know that the Judge is reassembled, that's what we have to find out first," argued Buffy.
"C'mon, Buffy, this is the Hellmouth, since when has it ever given us a break and not made the worst possible thing happen as soon as it can?" asked Xander pointedly.
"Well, you have a point," admitted Buffy.
"And I believe I figured out a way to permanently destroy the Judge," said Xander. "If you will wait a little more than an hour, the means will be delivered."
"But we can't wait, this thing is out there, it's nasty and its out to destroy the world, an hour could make all the difference," said Buffy, she grabbed her bag and she and Angel disappeared through the main doors of the Library.
"Much impatience I sense in her," said Xander, his voice remodulated and speaking in a perfect replica of Yoda, "lead to disaster, it will."
"Quite," said Giles, shaking his head. "What means is this to destroy the Judge?" Xander explained quickly, shaking off his Yoda voice. "Ingenius," said Giles. "Of course, when the Judge was around there were no weapons that didn't come from a forge. Today is different."
"I should head to DWX and assist Dawn," said Xander, "it will go faster. Even if the Judge is in pieces, I could still take them out, and Spike and Drusilla in the bargain."
"That's good Xander, always have a backup plan," nodded Giles, "off you go, hurry."
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Spike's Warehouse.
Xander stared at his Tricorder, yep, Buffy was in there. 'There' was a large two story decrepit and abandoned warehouse, like so many places in the Industrial Sector of Sunnydale…it was odd that there were so many. Xander knew that Californian Industry was smarting for space to expand, so why did so places stay empty. He shook off his musings and put the Tricorder away and sped towards the outer wall, and immediately found the fire escape ladder and climbed it as silently as possible. He crouched along the walkway that allowed people on the second floor to escape; he stared down as a vampire minion of Spike patrolled under him…damn, I timed that perfectly.
He slowly moved to a window and glanced in out of the corner. His vision shifted to accommodate the low light and he assessed the scene below.
It looked like Drusilla was throwing a party, there were streamers and all sorts of decorations everywhere, even TV sets were mounted on the walls and on poles and they were showing grisly horror scenes.
Drusilla herself stood with Spike next to her, and behind them the Judge, in all his blue ugly glory fully reassembled. I hate it when I'm right he thought. I thought you would like the opposite, said Data. Xander didn't respond. The Judge had very solid looking armor on and two small horns sticking out of his forehead. I would hypothesize that the armor is what makes him so invulnerable said Data. Hence the reason he could be dismembered.
Xander internally agreed. Unfortunately the situation was more complicated, as it seemed Buffy and Angel had got themselves captured. They were surrounded by vamp minions and facing off against the Gruesome Twosome and the Judge. This is not good. Angel was being held back by two vamps.
"The girl," said the Judge in an ugly grating voice, pointing at Buffy.
"Chilling, isn't it? She's so full of good intention," said Drusilla.
"Take me!" shouted Angel immediately. This is now very bad. If the Judge got his hands on Angel, there goes the Soul.
"No!" objected Buffy.
"Take me instead of her!" shouted Angel hoarsely, struggling against his captors.
"Uh, you're not clear on this concept, pal," scoffed Spike, "there is no instead, just first and second."
"And you go first you don't get to watch the Slayer die," said Drusilla airily. Angel's captors began to pull him back and Buffy fell into a ready stance. Angel however, clearly had a plan.
"Don't touch him!" warned Angel, and managed to push off his two captors, in the meantime Buffy had had no choice but to kick the Judge, knocking the big demon off balance. Angel had in the meantime slashed through the nearby chains that held up the group of TV monitors, which were rather conveniently right over the Judge's head. The entire weight smashed on top of the demon's head, and was enough to send the floor beneath its feet into pieces as well. Angel had already opened a nearby manhole cover.
"In here!" He let Buffy jump first and fell down out of view, the cover snapping on in place behind them.
"Go!" ordered Drusilla, causing the vamp minions to open the cover again and drop down in pursuit.
"Arrgghh," came the deep moan of anger, and the Judge clawed its way powerfully up from the hole in the floor.
"Looking a mite dusty there mate," said Spike, dusting off the cloak of the Judge. Xander grinned, now was the perfect opportunity.
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"Leave me alone," growled the Judge, causing Spike to back off. "I need energy, prey, if I'm too get too full power again."
"And you'll get it mate, don't worry," said Spike.
"No, I rather think not," said Xander, emerging from the deep shadows.
"Oh, one of the Slayer's whelps, see," said the Billy Idol wannebee to the Judge, "there's your first meal." But the Judge frowned at Xander as if he was struggling to see him.
"I sense very little, almost nothing from him," said the Judge.
"What?" asked Spike in confusion.
"Oh, oh," moaned Drusilla, "the White Kitten is now all klinky and shiny." Her eyes far away.
"What?" said Spike again.
"I would love to play twenty questions about what I am, but you see, that's not why I'm here," said Xander, shaking his head. He reached into his leather trenchcoat and produced the Starfleet Type 3 Phaser Rifle, leveling it at the Judge. It's plastic gleamed in the overhead lights and whizzed powerfully as it powered up.
"Yeah, right, Harris," snorted Spike, "you think a plastic toy is going to save you from big blue here."
"Fool," snarled the Judge, "no weapon forged can harm me."
"Yes, that's true," said Xander to the Judge, "but you see, this weapon has not been anywhere near a forge. Welcome to the twenty first century!" Xander triggered the Rifle and huge ball of energy erupted out of the muzzle, it whizzed as quick as a bullet and hit the Judge square amidships, there was a bright flash of light and when it faded…all that was left of the once mighty demon was a scorchmark on the floor and trinkle of ashes. "Damn," said Xander, shaking the weapon, "note to self, never discharge Phaser on Level 16 pulse setting without adequate charge time." He slung the weapon back into his trenchcoat and laughed at the expression on Spike's face. He was staring in astonishment at the spot where the Judge had been, and Drusilla was on her knees and crying like a little girl who just had her party ruined.
"Bad shiny kitten, bad," she moaned.
"What the bloody hell was that?" snarled Spike, getting his bearings.
"That was a Federation issue Type 3 Phaser Rifle," said Xander mildly, with a small grin.
"That's impossible…you…that…" and abruptly the Bleached Wonder's face paled. "Halloween."
"Ding, ding, ding, that's Jeopardy folks," mimicked Xander with an evil grin.
"Hmmph," mused Spike, "so you've got the Android's marbles, yeah. That won't save you from me, mate."
"Please, go ahead," invited Xander, gesturing with his hands, "I'll even tell you that blast drained my Phaser, I can't use it again without a recharge."
"Oh this is gonna be fun," said Spike, spitting into his hands.
"NO!" shouted Drusilla, grabbing a hold of her boyfriend's arm. "Kitten is all Shiny now, my Spikey will go as dust into the wind if he tries to kill the Kitten."
"I don't understand what that means, Dru, speak plainly for once in your life," demanded Spike. "Dammit," as Drusilla only moaned and whimpered at her boyfriend's anger. "You ruined my Dru's birthday party. You're going to pay for that!" Spike charged as the Master Vampire he was. He blinked as Xander met his charge halfway with even greater speed. He attempted to vicious chop with the side of his hand that would probably have taken anybody else's head off with the force of it. However, Spike blinked when he found his hand was nowhere near the target…his eyes widened as he saw that Xander had intercepted his striking arm before it could even follow through. He immediately tried to pull himself out of Xander's grip, but he might as well have tried to spit against the wind.
Xander smiled mildly at Spike and simply did a forward flat palm strike on the vampire chest that sent him flying backwards and crashing into one the metal support struts of the warehouse, denting it rather neatly.
"Pain is a good teacher isn't it," said Xander with a big grin.
Spike wearily got up and spat out blood from his mouth. "You're still him."
"Guilty as charged," said Xander with a shrug. "Be very grateful I was in such a hurry that I forgot my other weapons. Otherwise we wouldn't be talking now. I could still easily kill you two suckheads without much effort. But I want you to savor this moment of defeat…I want it to sink in a little first. I want you to know that I can find you at any time and end your unlives in the pull of a trigger. I want you to feel the terror that you inspire in humans as you hunt…"
Xander abruptly turned and lashed out with a fist, that doubled over the vampire minion that had been sneaking up on him. He maneuvered the vampire deftly in front of him, wrapped his arm around its head and pulled in opposite directions…the vampire's head popped off easily and dissolved into dust in Xander's arms. He contemptuously brushed it off.
"Run off now little mosquitoes, shoo," he motioned with his hands. Spike didn't need telling twice, he grabbed Drusilla and fled out into the night.
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"Are you sure that was wise?" asked Dawn, joining him on the balcony of DWX office building as he stared up into the night. Clouds were rapidly gathering over the town…this was not a natural event, clouds never assembled so quickly. "Letting them go."
"No, I suppose not," said Xander. "I honestly don't know what came over me. This anger at all the lives they took, the misery and terror they inspired over the past few centuries just descended upon me. Suddenly, merely staking them and getting it over and done with wouldn't satisfy me. It would be too good for them."
The clouds had finished gathering and deep rumblings could be heard from within.
"Buffy and Angel?"
"They managed to get out Ok, I think that Buffy will be feeling under the weather for a while, she had to kick the Judge to get away," explained Xander.
"So it's over, you think the Gruesome Twosome will leave because of the threat you now pose to them?"
"No," said Xander, shaking his head, as the lightning descended in rapid bolts across the town. "The storm is only beginning."
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A/N: Long overdue, but I've finally decided on how to proceed with this part of the storyline.
