Authors Note: Hey everyone, thanks for reading after 10 years away it really means a lot to me that anyone would come back to read after such a long hiatus. I'm just about to start an exciting new arc to this story, and I hope everyone enjoys the ride!

Chapter 19

Jack and Sam walked in to the hotel room that Daniel and Teal'c were sharing with a couple pizzas and a case of beer, only to find the other two engaged in research. Teal'c was looking over a large pile of old newspapers, while Daniel had his laptop open to a website he had found with a large amount of information about the background of the Halo universe.

Daniel looked up from his laptop. "Hey Jack, how did the interviews at the base go?"

"Well Daniel, pretty damn weird is how they went. The Colonel, who apparently was going to be in charge of SG-9 before Kinsey had him sent here instead, says that the figure in the truck was definitely the Master Chief. That, strangely enough, was the normal part of the conversation!"

Sam jumped in while Jack took a slice of pizza. "He claimed that this town is affected by some kind of supernatural force that's responsible for deaths and disappearances. He theorized that there is some kind of natural version of the quantum mirror here, allowing creatures from a parallel reality to pass into our universe."

"Well," Daniel said, stretching his arms out before also getting up to get a slice of pizza, "he isn't wrong about the deaths and disappearances. There's a huge number of missing persons and accidental deaths listed in the town records going back decades. This town has a population of less than 100,000 but as many graveyards as a major city."

"I too have felt ill at ease since our arrival," Teal'c said. "There is something about this place that sets my symbiote on edge. It is a feeling I have not precisely experienced before."

"Ronson warned us this town isn't safe after dark," Jack said. "Well, the Avalanche are playing the Kings tonight, and since we so rarely get deployed anywhere with a TV, and we've been warned about the dangers, let's stay in and do some research tonight then see what we can find tomorrow. Both about the Master Chief and whatever else is going on in this town."

Carter nodded. "Sounds good sir."

"Speaking of," Daniel said, "I've been researching what exactly a Spartan is."

"What'd ya mean?" Jack asked through a mouthful of pizza. "It's a guy in a super suit isn't it?"

"Well yeah, but if you read into the backstory of the game, they're a lot more than that. We're talking about the product of extensive chemical and surgical tampering here."

"Yeah, but you're reading a made up backstory that someone wrote to fill out the universe of a video game, who's to say that's anywhere close to accurate?" Jack asked.

Daniel shrugged. "Well the Pelican seemed accurate enough. What about the gun on the back of the truck, did you learn anything about it? Was it a magnetic accelerator cannon like in the game?"

"Whatever it was threw a large projectile hard enough to bury it a couple dozen feet horzontally into the concrete on a missed shot." Carter replied. "It definitely could have been some type of rail gun."

"Okay, then for now I think we should consider the possibility that this information is at least somewhat accurate." Daniel reasoned. "Besides," he said with a shrug, "it isn't like we have any other real sources of information to fall back on."

Jack nodded. "Okay fair enough. So what do you got for us Danny?"

"The Spartans were taken from their families at the age of six," Daniel explained. "They were conscripted specifically for the Spartan II program and underwent intensive physical and mental training in all aspects of warfare until they were 14, at which point they underwent a number of procedures designed to turn them into superhuman soldiers. They were injected with muscle growth cocktails, had carbide ceramic materials grafted onto their bones to make them harder to break, had surgical procedures performed to increase eyesight and increase reflexes, they tried to improve every part of these kids that they could. Their size, strength, speed, intellect, stamina, durability, everything. Of the 75 kids they drafted into the program, only 33 came through the procedure intact. The rest either died, or experienced horrific lifelong side effects from the procedures. Twisted skeletons, elephantiasis, blindness, seizures, the list goes on. The remaining healthy Spartans were pressed into service to deal with human insurrectionists until the arrival of the Covenant, which is about the same time they actually got their first power armour suits. Apparently the MJOLNIR armour is only able to be used by the Spartans, as it heightens a normal wearers reaction time and speeds to such a high level that wearers will injure themselves moving, then end up being pulverized by the resulting pain spasms."

Jack grimaced. "Nasty way to go."

"So if this really is the Master Chief, even without the suit he'll be faster and stronger than even Teal'c." Daniel said.

"A most formidable warrior indeed," Teal'c said with a nod.

Jack took a swig of his beer. "You know," he said, sounding somewhat annoyed, "we have pretty strange lives. Fight aliens, go to other planets, occasionally have to do something really out there like travel through time, and yet this is maybe the weirdest conversation we've had while doing this job! Next you're going to tell me that you spent the afternoon playing Halo as research, and I'll be half mad that you didn't invite me and half mad that you're not kidding!"

"No come on Jack of course not I was at the library and here researching all afternoon," Daniel replied. "I did that yesterday before we flew out here. Teal'c helped me out."

Teal'c nodded solemnly as Jack made an indignant squawking noise.

Joyce and Giles were meeting at the Summers residence for brunch and an update on Buffy, something Joyce had insisted on happening now and then once discovering the fact that she was a slayer, when they heard a knock at the front door. The two of them looked at each other in surprise, as far as they knew the group was spending some time together helping Faith set up her new condo today. Joyce walked to the door with Giles in tow and was surprised to see a pretty young woman with purple hair smiling brightly back at her, holding a cardboard box in her hands. "Hi Giles, hello Joyce it's nice to finally meet you! I'm Cortana."

Joyce suddenly realized that the person standing on her doorstep wasn't a person at all. This was the artificial intelligence that Buffy and Xander had told her about. "Oh um, hello. It's nice to meet you too Cortana. If you don't mind me asking, how exactly are you-"

"Standing on your front step holding a box of stuff?" Cortana finished. "I haven't built myself a robot body or anything if that's what you mean. I've built a mobile hologram emitter so I can move around in the real world, among other things. See?" She held up her hand and briefly made it translucent. "That's actually why I'm here, I was hoping I could join you and Giles for your slayer update session? I have some updates and ideas that I would like to talk to both of you about."

Joyce looked at Giles, who nodded. "Of course, please join us. Can I get you something to drink?" Joyce stopped as soon as she said that, looking embarrassed for having asked the question.

Cortana just laughed. "Thanks for the hospitality Joyce though I think I'll have to pass." She walked into the kitchen with them and set down the box on the counter. "As the two of you are probably aware, the MJOLNIR armour that Xander has had since Halloween has taken severe damage and currently can not be repaired. I have decided, based on the history of threats and dangers we've faced over the past year, that our current status and preparedness is now precarious. And that is not acceptable." Cortana looked at Giles. "Giles, I know that as Buffy's Watcher, your responsibility is essentially to train and guide Buffy, and now Faith, in how to be an effective weapon against the forces of darkness in the ways that you've been shown by the Watchers council. But I also know that you love Buffy like a daughter."

Joyce looked at Giles, who was smiling but looking a little embarrassed at the same time. "That's why," Cortana continued, "I know you'll make the right choice for what I have to say next. I think that we should abandon the ways the Watchers council has trained the Slayer to fight in the past. I want to train Buffy and Faith to fight like Spartans."

"You want to what? What exactly does that mean?" Giles asked.

"It means that I want to train them to work together as a unit. I want them using modern, or in your case futuristic, weapons, tools and armour, new tactics and scouting. I want to turn the three of them into a team unlike any that the Watchers council has seen before, because I think as far as the council is concerned, keeping the threat at bay is good enough. And I say it's not, I say I want to make them safe." Cortana looked at Joyce, "Joyce I want to make sure that your daughter comes home every night, that… that Xander does too. And without the armour, I want every other advantage that we can get."

Giles looked a bit taken aback at Cortana's suggestions and intensity. "Cortana, I know you mean well, but the Watchers council has existed for thousands of years to guide and shape the Slayer. You're asking me to abandon centuries, millennia, of tradition, knowledge and wisdom, often learned and written in blood."

Cortana leaned forward. "Giles, I know it's easy to forget it looking at me, but I am capable of hundreds of millions of calculations per second without even breaking a sweat. I was designed to adapt, to find new methods of attack, to be an unstoppably creative cyber weapon against our enemies. Constantly changing, evolving, finding new ways to attack the weaknesses of my opponents. That isn't just who I am, it's literally why I was made. And I am telling you, with all of that processing power and adaptability, that we can do this better. Better than the watchers council ever has. Better then they have ever even dreamed of."

"Yes but Cortana, remember there are other factors at play here," Giles cautioned. "What about the balance? Xander has already drawn the ire of the Powers that Be on more than one occasion."

Cortana's eyes flared. "What do I say about them? The beings who told Xander he had to go die in a universe that wasn't his own, then when he came back, put him on a collision course with a satellite, nearly killing him and then taking away his biggest weapon and defence all in one? Those powers?"

Giles sighed, seeing where this was going. "Yes, those Powers."

"I say they can kiss my translucent purple ass!" Cortana exclaimed angrily. "As far as I can tell, they're going to meddle no matter what we do. It's not like I'm going to try and wipe out every single monster on earth, but I do want to know I did everything I could to make sure Xander, and all of you, live as long as possible."

"Did? Could? Cortana, you're talking like you're not going to be there," Joyce said. "Is everything alright?"

Cortana froze for just a picosecond, panicking that she may have let something slip. "AIs do everything fast Joyce," she replied with a smile, but chose her words carefully. "We think fast, we talk fast, we learn fast, we live fast. There will come a time when I'm not around anymore, and I sincerely hope that when that time comes you all still will be. And I want to make sure that I do everything in my power so that when that day comes, as far away as it may be, that I have no regrets, that I didn't do anything less than everything I could to help all of you."

Joyce beamed at Cortana, who mentally high fived herself for choosing to have this conversation in front of the woman. She knew it was a little cruel to put Giles on the spot the way she was, essentially forcing him to agree or say no to Cortana's desire to help Buffy in front of Buffy's mother, but she was determined to do this her way. She still hoped to be able to find a solution to getting the armour working, but if not she was going to make sure that Xander had his own Blue team to rely on. Cortana knew she was on the clock now. It wasn't as though rampancy was knocking at her door, she still had a year she figured, maybe a little more. But the reality is when it came, in this universe it would be final. Maybe John could have kept his promise, but here? In this time? She couldn't see an escape. But she would be damned if she would do anything less than her all before that time to improve Xander's odds.

Giles looked thoughtful. "Do you think Buffy or Faith will buy in? Buffy does not like guns, and I can't see Faith doing well with a military doctrine."

"There are plenty of other weapons besides normal guns. Besides, Buffy already likes using her energy sword. And when she and Xander spar, she only wins because Xander doesn't actually do what his moves are supposed to- break bones or disable your opponent with damage to joints or organs. Buffy is stronger than Xander, imagine if she fought like him. And you should have seen Faith drooling over the armour. I think they will both be on board, especially once they see the results," Cortana said confidently. "Up until now we've been working together, but separately. But we can do so much more if we all get on the same page."

Giles cleaned his glasses. "Yes well, er, you do make a compelling argument Cortana, but-"

Cortana opened the box and took out two tank tops, throwing one each to Giles and Joyce. "This is my new body armour. It's a slightly clingy feeling but otherwise comfortable shirt, and it'll stop a knife or a bullet. Please, wear it if you're outside after dark. This is what I can do with a shirt Giles, let me show you what I can do with your Slayers."

Trick looked up from his desk to see the Mayor striding into his new office. He nodded in greeting and pointed at the phone at his ear, holding up a finger with a respectfully questioning look on his face. The mayor nodded and he proceeded to wrap up his conversation. "Okay we've got your entry fee confirmed, excellent. We will see you in seven days. Thank you. Dasvidaniya." Trick up hung up the phone and looked back to the Mayor, who was smiling and giving him a thumbs up.

"Sounds to me like you just got another entry into the competition there," Wilkins said brightly. "I take it my funding has helped to bring in a few new competitors?"

Trick nodded. "Yes sir it has. I've gotten five additional entries so far, it's been very successful. The team that just entered is from Russia, sent by a master vampire there, and there's another from Japan as well. Techno-mages apparently."

The mayor clapped his hands once in excitement. "Oh very exciting! Never actually seen any of those before. I've called in a couple favours to make sure we will have a nice uninterrupted event in the woods outside of town. We will lure the three of them out into the event grounds with a fake rumour I'll have planted, and then when they arrive we'll spring the trap."

Trick nodded and smiled. "Sounds good Mr Mayor. "With the added firepower of the extra teams the slayers won't stand a chance."

Xander grunted as he helped Faith carry the surprisingly heavy couch through the doorway into Faith's new condo. "What the hell, Faith? We both have super strength and this couch is still heavy!"

"Hey," Faith huffed back, "don't blame me, Cortana made this for me. She said after the last movie night she decided that I should have some nice furniture that can double as cover, just in case."

"What?! That's…" Xander sighed, "pretty practical actually. Interior design by Cortana. Really brighten up that living space with a splash of titanium A."

"At least I don't have to worry about breaking it, no matter what I get up to on it." Faith said, winking mischievously. Xander reddened slightly and Buffy rolled her eyes from the kitchen, where she and Willow were putting away dishes and setting up appliances that Cortana had provided. Oz meanwhile was currently setting up Faith's new TV, Xbox and sound system.

The group had met that morning to help Faith get her new condo set up. Though she had been trying to play it cool, Faith was obviously thrilled. Both by the fact that she was now a homeowner, but also the generosity and enthusiasm for helping her that had been displayed all day by the Scoobies. After their discussion the day before, both Xander and Buffy were eager to help Faith feel like she belonged, and without any official word that enthusiasm seemed to have spread to Willow and Oz as well, or at least to Willow, Oz generally being the more reserved of the two. They had gotten to work loading up what little Faith had into Oz's van, then went and did a little shopping for food and supplies before heading over to the condo, where delivery trucks with furniture and appliances had started arriving for them.

The group had finished the bulk of the setup when Giles and Cortana arrived. Giles looked around in surprise at the nicely furnished condo before looking back at Cortana. "My word, Cortana you set all this up for Faith?"

Cortana nodded. "That's right, I believe that someone fighting to defend all of us from the forces of darkness shouldn't have to come home to a dingy, roach infested motel every night, especially since we easily have the resources to prevent that. Wouldn't you agree, Giles?" Cortana asked, giving Giles a meaningful look and raised eyebrow.

Giles sighed and nodded. "Of course you're right Cortana. In fact, everyone if you'll gather around, Cortana and I have an announcement to make."

The five friends looked over seriously and gathered around Giles and Cortana. Generally when Giles had an announcement, it usually had to do with whatever new monster or threat they were facing. Instead, they were very surprised by what came next instead.

"Cortana has already shown Xander, Buffy and Faith some new weapons and armour that she wants Buffy and Faith to use while patrolling," He began. The group nodded, Willow and Oz had gotten the run down on the new tools while they were helping Faith move in. Faith had enthusiastically explained how she had killed two vampires with the new AV rounds last night before taking a hard kick from a third right in the back that had barely left a mark thanks to her new shirt.

"Well, after some discussion with her this morning, we've decided that to make best use of the new tools, we are going to completely redesign your training regimen," Giles continued.

"What do you mean?" Buffy asked. "Redesign it how?"

"Up to now, you've learned how to fight from the regimen and techniques developed by the Watchers council," Cortana explained. "The problem there is, there hasn't been an update to that program in centuries! Literally, the last time there was a major change to the training program of the Slayer, it was because of the invention of handheld firearms. And the only update was that a Slayer should not use them!"

"Okay," Buffy said, "but that doesn't mean it doesn't work. Slayers have been holding back the vampires and demons for thousands of years."

Cortana nodded. "They have that's true. But at what cost?" She turned to Giles. "How many slayers survive at least 5 years after being called?"

Giles didn't answer, but his grim expression gave them all the answer they needed. "Here's a better question," Cortana added, "Has the life expectancy of a Slayer changed in the last 500 years?" Giles shook his head slowly and with mounting despair. The more they talked about it, the harder Cortana's evidence was to refute.

"I'm not saying that it hasn't kept the world turning," Cortana said, "but the reality is that doesn't mean we can't do things better. Things have changed so much over the last thousand years, why hasn't how the Slayer fights changed with it?"

Buffy and Faith looked at each other, wanting to defend their fallen sisters but unable to come up with a reasonable response.

"The truth is the Watchers council has been, at best, dangerously complacent and resistant to change," Cortana said, "and at worst actively derelict in their duty to protect and train the Slayer line. Every time a slayer dies, there is a dangerous gap in the defenses of this planet against supernatural threats. It takes time to train, and even sometimes to find, a new slayer to the point where she becomes an effective combatant against any kind of moderately experienced vampire or demon. Beyond the obvious moral reasons, it makes sense to give each slayer every possible advantage they can give her, at least defensively, to prolong her lifespan. The longer each slayer survives, the less time the planet spends without a capable slayer to defend it. We now have a unique opportunity, in that there are two of you, as well as Xander. Never before in history has there been a chance to actually have a team of slayers trained to work together as a unit. My intention is to make sure that stays the status quo as long as possible."

"Okay well I like that last part," Buffy replied, accompanied by a nod from Faith. "So how do you plan to do that?"

"By teaching you both to fight like Spartans," Cortana replied.

Buffy looked skeptical, but when she looked to Faith expecting a similar reaction she was surprised to find Faith looking excited about the idea. "Cortana, I don't want to be rude, but every time I fight with Xander, I beat him!"

"You've never really fought Xander," Cortana explained. "You've sparred with him. And that's not typically something Spartans do. Everything about Xander's fighting style is designed to do disabling damage to the target. It's not a style that promotes sparring. But that's not exactly what I meant either. I'm speaking in broader terms."

"You mean using guns," Buffy said crossing her arms.

"I mean making use of available weapons and intelligence gathering tools," Cortana replied. "I would prefer to see you use projectile weapons because they keep you safer but I'm more interested in changing other parts of how you fight, and plan your fight, than ramming guns down your throat, and we do have other options besides normal firearms as well."

Buffy looked to Xander, who had been uncharacteristically quiet during this exchange, "Xander, you haven't said anything this whole time. What do you think about this?"

Xander looked to Cortana, who gave him an almost pleading look. She wanted this, that was pretty clear. And moreover, nothing she had said was wrong. "Honestly Buff? Cortana is right. You're a great instinctive fighter, and you're experienced and know very well how to use your abilities. But you're using fighting styles and tools from, at best, the Middle Ages. If we went toe to toe for real, I would probably beat you. If I had time to determine the battlefield and dictate the engagement, that changes to definitely. You're good, great even, but Cortana can make you better."

Buffy pouted.

"Yo B I gotta say I think you're looking at this all wrong," Faith said. "I just got to this town and just met you, so just so we're clear here's how I see things from my perspective. An extremely smart artificial intelligence from over 500 years in the future just told you she wants to make you a better fighter." Faith laughed. "Do you really think that she can't do that? You do what you want but I'm in," she said turning to Cortana.

Giles sighed at the intensely smug expression that Cortana sent his way.

Buffy sighed. "Okay, fine I see your point. I'm not exactly thrilled, but I'll try it."

"All I want is to make sure you all survive," Cortana said. "The best way to do that is to make you into the best Slayer you can be, Buffy. And that isn't going to happen if you hamstring yourself by sticking to what the Watchers Council says you should do. Trust me, I promise after you see the results you'll never look back."

Buffy looked at Xander, who put his hand on her shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze along with a smile. She leaned into it and returned the smile. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad, at least she'd be training and working closer with Xander. And she had to admit, she did love her energy sword, and the new body armour did seem almost too good to be true. It would be neat to see what new toys and tactics Cortana could come up with for them.

"Then it's decided. I want to start as soon as possible. This Saturday I want everyone to come to the warehouse at 0700 hours for our first session, that's 7:00am for you non military folks." Cortana announced to Buffy and Faiths immediate dismay. Okay, Buffy thought, never mind. This was going to suuuuck.

End Chapter 19