Author's Note: And the end.

Next up, a Buffy story!


Jack, when he gasped back to life, had to admit he was impressed with just how much Seo had done in such a short time.

"It's not going to be easy, from here on out," Seo told him. "And there'll still be a lot of violence towards the humans, in retaliation for this. But Callea is using her connections to get the Weather Patrollers to use their advanced technology to protect the humans."

"And to shut down Vedhor and places like it once and for all," Callea added.

She and the others walked with a sort of pride Jack had never seen in them, before.

Like they had a purpose, now.

"Meanwhile, Madgella is rounding up all the humans she can find," Seo continued, "to bring them somewhere out east. Their own country, where they can be free." She shrugged. "The lobotomized ones will mimic the unlobotomized ones, and Madgella will help teach the humans who still have their brains intact to control their violent tendencies."

"Good start," Jack said, patting her on the back. "But it's still not happily ever after for this planet. There's gonna be a lot of residual anger between these groups for a long time, afterwards. And a lot of fighting."

Seo didn't answer.

Just bowed her head, staring down at the pavement.

"We've brought war to this peaceful little planet," said Jack. "Along with freedom."

"I know," Seo said. Her shoulders slumping. "If I'd been my parents… maybe I would have found a way to help these people that didn't result in chaos and bloodshed." She glanced back up at Jack. "But I'm not them. And I don't know what else I can do."

Jack gave her a reassuring smile.

Led her back to her ship, which had been dug out of the ashes and rubble left in the wake of Dave's ship.

"Nah, you did good, kid," Jack assured her. "It'll be a hard-won freedom, but it's still going to be freedom. Eventually… this planet will be at peace, again. And, thanks to you, these humans will be the equals of their lizard counterparts."

Seo didn't answer.

Just unlocked her ship, and went inside.

Eyes still fixed on the floor.

"Tell you what?" said Jack. "Why don't we skip ahead a few hundred years, into this planet's future? You can see how it all turns out."

"I don't want to," said Seo.

Her voice trembled, as she began to adjust dials and levers and switches. Focused, intently, on her ship, as it departed.

"Only one place I need to go," Seo said, struggling to direct her ship, as it flew through the vortex. "A space ship, about to be shot down by multiple chevauchée groups, while—!"

Oliver screeched, as he popped out of the vortex.

And Seo called up the image of the outside onto the scanner.

Which showed empty black space…

A planet…

And a single space ship, shot-up and on its last legs, pursued by a whole bunch of chevauchéer ships, all with their weapons blazing.

"Missed!" Seo muttered, turning back to the controls, and getting ready to try again. "Got to materialize right onboard his ship, or I'll never…!"

"Seo," Jack said, softly, a hand on her shoulder.

As the last missile smashed into Dave's space ship, and the thing was sent crashing down into the nearby planet's atmosphere, as it began to fall apart.

Seo stared.

Her jaw trembling.

"No," Seo said. "He can't be dead! He can't…!"

"He's not," Jack told her. Nodded at the scanner. "He's living history, Seo. These events, going on right now — they're what changes everything. Across the galaxy. Forever."

"I don't…!"

"Just listen, a sec," said Jack. "Because, trust me. After Dave crashes onto the planet Ervy Sentasi — he meets some people. And because of that meeting, on that planet… in the future, the human race'll beat everything from demons to Daleks. You see if we don't!"


Dave groaned, as he tried to crawl from the wreckage of his ship.

He'd saved himself by heading here. To this planet — Ervy Sentasi. Most dangerous planet in this sector of the galaxy.

Anyone lands here, best thing to do is leave them for dead.

Dave just hadn't expected them to smash up his space ship so he couldn't leave.

Dave sucked in a sharp breath, manning up and ignoring the pain. Time to survive. Find shelter. Get his hands on a gun, or something to defend himself with—

He couldn't stop himself crying out, as he jostled his right hand and hit the spot where his thumb had once been.

And his cry was met with a growl.

Dave looked up.

At the air, ripping apart just in front of him to reveal a crack in reality… and slobbering, savage monster emerging from the depths, stalking towards him. Its wings and body unlike anything Dave had ever seen before, as its ears extended forwards and wrapped themselves around Dave.

Dave struggled to lash out…

But he couldn't even breathe, much less fight.

Not in his condition.

The monster opened its mouth, as the ears dangled him over a massive array of teeth…

Then he was jerked away, and the creature gave a shrill howl.

"It's open, again!" came a shout from a human voice. "Shingolvo Demon, this time. Get the Sword of Quendy; that'll do the trick."

The creature dropped Dave, as it howled with pain, again.

And turned on its attackers.

Lashing out and striking at… but, no, the attackers couldn't really be…!

But they were.

A group of human women, not looking particularly muscular or soldier-like, rushing a creature twice their size, striking at it with swords and sticks and the occasional stray blaster.

Their every movement was swift, spritely, and infinitely precise.

Their punches and kicks impossibly strong.

As they managed to lead the creature away from Dave, and two women rushed forwards to help him to his feet.

"Human, from the look!" said one woman. "Chevauchéer uniform. Pretty roughed up. Nine fingers."

They helped support him, using a strength Dave had never seen from anyone… except Seo.

"What's a chevauchéer doing on Ervy Sentasi?" said the other woman. "I thought they were all pretty aware that this was Planet of the Hellmouths, and they should keep away."

"Chased…" Dave told them. "Was trying… to get them… leave me for dead…"

He was already feeling weaker and weaker by the minute, though.

"Geeze, Marissa, he's really in a bad way," said one of the women, catching him before he could fall. "We gotta get Dr. Sompters to look him over, or he'll never make it."

"…Summers?" Dave muttered.

Like Seo. Seo… Summers. And these people… could all do the things she could do, somehow…

"No, Sompters," said Marissa. "Dr. Joanne Sompters. Trust us, she's an expert in patching up Slayers from mortal injuries — I bet she'll find a normal human like you a piece of cake."

"Slayer," Dave repeated.

He'd… heard Jack say that. That Seo could fight well because… she had some Slayer in her…

"Don't tell me! You haven't heard of us," said Marissa, with a sigh. "Typical. No one ever has."

"Small, underfunded, underappreciated," said Marissa's friend, helping keep Dave on his feet. "And with no home base, anymore. But, trust us, we're the best friends you could ever want."

"In every generation, there are the chosen ones," Marissa added, with a grin, "who go around the galaxy, fighting off demons, hostile aliens, and the forces of darkness. The girls who stop misery and oppression and basically do all-around good deeds."

Dave squinted at them, even as he felt himself beginning to black out.

"Stopping… oppression," he repeated. "Slavery." Giving them a tired smile. "Finally found a group that cares."

Then blacked out, in their hands.