Willy's bar…
Willy had just finished serving his last customer when he noticed something very beautiful that was the last thing he wanted to see.
"William." Lilith greeted calmly. Willy gulped as Lilith's pale blue eyes fixed him steadily.
"H-Hey there ladies. Wh-whatcha havin?" Willy replied nervously, polishing a glass with unneeded vigor.
"Information." Artemis answered straightforwardly, all business.
"S-Sure. That's me the answers man." Willy responded.
"Then answer this. Who are the culprit or culprits behind this recent rash of brutal killings?" Artemis inquired.
"I don't know. Nobody does. All I kn-" Willy paused as he stared at something past them, a look of uncomprehending horror spreading across his face.
Lilith and Artemis turned to examine what Willy was staring at.
And what was he gazing upon?
An old man standing in the entrance-way.
The man was somewhat stooped over. His hair was white and his eyes a pale green. Those eyes scanned the bar before resting upon Willy. The other patrons regarded the newcomer curiously.
"It-It can't be." Willy whispered. Artemis turned to look at him before turning to the elderly man.
"Willy my boy. There you are." the man said.
And then he began to change.
As they watched, he metamorphosed into a huge beast! It was huge and multi-colored, all red and black and green. The monster's skin was covered with eyes that dripped a foul gray mucus and snapping drooling mouths. Huge claws sprouted from his digits and rows of razor-sharp teeth replaced his human ones. His eyes were completely crimson, like a great white shark's, but red instead of black. He now towered over everyone in the establishment!
"WILLY!" the monster roared. Lilith and Artemis tensed. Willy screamed in horror and cowered behind the bar.
And then the transformed monstrosity lunged!
"Contact!" Neil warned the others as the monster bore down on them even as his handgun roared in mechanical fury. The immense creature roared angrily from its mouths on the end of its tentacles as the rounds impacted its massive frame.
Out of ammunition, he dodged aside as he hastily reloaded as the beast lashed at him with it's huge clawed legs, only to be impacted by three more pistols opening up on it as Bellona, Hera, and Ares joined the fight. Backing off for a second, it attacked Bellona and Ares, knocking the guns from their grip. But before it could initiate more offensive action, Hera and Giles stabbed it in the side with combat knife and dagger respectively.
"You don't know who you're fucking with asshole!" Hera snarled as she thrust her blade viciously into the foul aberration. Growling, it slammed its shoulder into her, knocking her down, only for Bellona, Ares, and Giles to assault it ferociously, Ares and Bellona now employing blades of their own. Neil continued to riddle it with bullets.
With a roar, Hera sprang onto the creature, ripping and tearing at its hide with fist and knife, Bellona and Ares following suit. The monstrosity reared up, trying to buck the furious Hera off, and Bellona took advantage to stab into its gut repeatedly, while Ares slashed one of its legs open. Giles and Neil, who had now expended all his rounds, rushed in and out to inflict vicious cuts to their monstrous opponent.
Finally, it could take no more. With a shudder, it collapsed and become still.
Getting off the corpse of their vanquished foe, Hera asked menacingly:
"What the fuck is this fucking thing?!"
"I confess, I haven't the slightest idea." Giles admitted.
"Well, that's not good." Neil commented.
Before more speech could be uttered, a noise from the front door of the house made them all turn and look.
It was a somewhat thin middle-aged man, wearing a set of reading glasses.. He stared at them in shocked relief.
"Ryan!" Giles called out. Both he and Ryan moved toward each other when Ryan fell to the porch without warning.
Giles cradled his friend and stared at him. The others gathered around them, occasionally looking around for more threats.
"He's dying Giles." Ares observed sadly.
Giles looked at Ares, stunned, then back at Ryan.
"It's true...old friend. I have suffered internal injuries...the creature...my dead wife...attacked me…" Ryan began. He pointed behind them with a trembling finger.
Then he went still.
Everyone turned to look at what he was gesturing toward.
As they observed in disbelief, the eldritch thing they had just slain turned into a middle-aged woman. Her body then disintegrated and those remains evaporated.
"My god...that was his spouse Lyta Landon! She has been deceased for ten years! What...I-I don't.." Giles started, and then faltered, unable to continue.
Ryan Landon suddenly vanished in a flash of red light.
"What the hell…" Bellona began.
"Now what?" Ares asked.
"Search Ryan's home? Maybe we can find some clues." Neil offered after a long moment.
"Yes...I think we should." Giles agreed.
"Then let's get to it." Hera commented.
They all turned and entered the now still house.
"Alright, let's get this show on the road. We w-" General Hammond started and paused when he noticed Jack and the rest of SG-1 staring mutely at their guests.
"What is happening Colonel?" Hammond asked curiously. Everyone turned to face him.
"Eppy and Spidey just told us they were hoping we could evacuate the Earth." Jack informed his superior.
"Evacuate the Earth?!" Hammond exclaimed in shocked disbelief.
"I'm afraid so, General Hammond." Eppy confirmed.
"This creature that approaches your planet is truly a grave matter, General Hammond." Spidey explained.
"Then let's begin. Please have a seat and start from the beginning." Hammond answered.
They all sat at the briefing room table and faced each other, Hammond sitting at the head of the table.
Eppy began to speak:
"My friend and I are from a great intergalactic empire from another dimension, called the Dominion. The Dominion is not the only empire in our reality. There is another intergalactic empire, known as the Hierarchy. The Dominion and Hierarchy are the deadliest and most sworn of enemies."
"Why are your two empires opposed to each other?" Daniel asked.
"The Hierarchy is composed of a violent and imperialist species known as the M'karr. Our grudge with this race goes back many megaannum, back to the time of Demona, their creator."
"Demona?" Samantha asked.
"Indeed Captain Sam. She was the foe our peoples and yours were allied against. She threatened both our worlds." Eppy answered.
"Wait a moment. This "Demona" attacked the Earth? Where and when?" Hammond asked, alarmed.
"We don't know exactly when, General Hammond, but the people who came to our lands stated her assault was happening in the city of Sunnydale in the land of California." Eppy replied.
"From what they said, Demona conquered Sunnydale and was readying to launch further incursions into the rest of California." Spidey added.
"California?!" everyone except Teal'c nearly shouted.
"California? Where is California?" Teal'c wondered.
"It's on the West Coast of the USA." Jack explained to Teal'c.
"Ah. I see." Teal'c replied.
"I see as well. You are not from Earth Mr. Teal'c." Spidey observed curiously.
Teal'c was clearly surprised by this, and asked:
"How do you know this?" Teal'c inquired.
"Your aura differs from the others, Mr. Teal'c." Spidey informed him.
"And there are two auras with you. Are you pregnant, Mr. Teal'c?" Eppy questioned with clear curiosity.
Teal'c smiled in amusement at this question.
"I have a symbiote that resides within my body, Eppy."
"Oh.. now I understand." Eppy nodded.
"What happened with this Demona? Obviously, her plans didn't come to fruition." Hammond prodded, all business.
"We defeated and destroyed her in our cosmos with the aid of your people and other powerful allies, then a powerful guardian sent them home, back to Sunnydale. Many-Legs friend and I wanted to aid them, but our parents refused, and they arrested us both. However, an older sibling of mine known as Dante carried out a covert operation, and departed for Sunnydale with special forces and military supplies, and together, they killed her once and for all. Then they returned after a short time." Eppy stated.
"So this Demona was in two places at once? How?" Sam asked.
"I truly do not know Captain Sam, but she possessed many powers and formidable technology, and seemed capable of anything." Eppy replied.
"After Demona, or as we once called her the Bad Lady was vanquished, her creatures, the M'karr fought on until they were finally bested once and for all, or so we thought. Many years later, it was discovered they had somehow survived and escaped into space." Spidey said.
"And led by a personal adversary of ours, known as Lord Kall." Eppy said grimly.
"These M'karr and Demona sound very much like the Goa'uld." Teal'c observed.
"Who?" Spidey inquired.
"Well, they're our version of the bad guys." Jack said with a wink.
"Oh, great." Spidey grumbled.
"I've never heard of Sunnydale. It must be a small city." Daniel said thoughtfully.
"Neither have I." Sam agreed.
"What are the names of these people who came to your universe? And why did they appear there?" Hammond asked.
"Let's see, their names were, Faith Lehane, Buffy Summers, Alexander Harris, Rupert Giles, Willow Rosenberg, Cordelia Chase, Daniel Ozbourne, Athena, Diana, Artemis, Bellona, Apollo, Zeus, Ares, Hera, Helen, Neptune, Lilith and Taryn. That's all of them. And according to them, Demona overcame them and exiled them there." Spidey answered.
"Wow. That's a lot." Jack commented unnecessarily.
"Rupert Giles?! I know a Rupert Giles. He was the curator of the British museum in London. I met him in my travels abroad. Could you describe him?" Daniel said and asked all at the same time.
Eppy and Spidey did so, and Daniel's eyes widened in recognition.
"So you do know this man." Teal'c said.
"Yeah, I do. Wow. Very polite, educated, and intelligent man." Daniel responded.
"I thought so as well, Mr. Daniel." Eppy said.
"I need to check out this Sunnydale and the people's names you mentioned before we continue Eppy and Spidey. I hope you understand." Hammond stated.
"We understand General Hammond. Trust must be earned. But please hurry. Time is running short." Eppy answered with an urgent tone in its voice.
Hammond nodded sternly, and he went into his office to make some calls.
With a diabolical sneer, Lilith's face changed into the face of the vampire, and she drew a pair of metal tomahawks forth from her belt and slashed viciously at the creature. It hissed furiously and lashed out at her with its massive claws. Lilith dodged swiftly and with immense grace. As her loathsome foe turned towards her, it was the unwilling recipient of four arrows to the side. Snarling in astonished fury and pain, it darted forward at Artemis and swung wildly at her, but the redhead was prepared and parried its attack with a pair of short swords, a vampiric growl escaping her lips. Willy's patrons fled the bar with all due haste.
Faith chose that exact moment to charge into the bar.
"What the fuck is al-" she began, and then when saw the monster attacking Lilith and Artemis, she grabbed her curved knife and swiped across the creature's back, opening a deep wound.
Whirling on her, the infernal beast backhanded the Dark Slayer, sending her back through the doorway by which she had entered.
Artemis and Lilith took advantage of the distraction Faith provided and cut and stabbed savagely at their fearsome opponent. It fought back as best as it could, but the two Amazons were too skillful. They pressed their combined assault.
Faith reappeared and hit the monstrosity in the side with a powerful jump kick, staggering it. All three women dealt crippling blows with weapon and fists and feet.
Until, at last, it gave up the ghost.
Slumping to the floor of the bar, the thing's huge body shuddered and went still. As they observed warily, it shifted back to the elderly man and his corpse vanished in a flash of crimson light.
Faith, Artemis, and Lilith all looked at each other, mystified.
Willy poked his head up from behind the bar.
"Did we win? Go team!" Willy exclaimed, holding his thumbs up in an "OK!" gesture.
All three women turned to him. Willy swallowed hard.
"Now, William. Where were we?" Lilith inquired calmly.
"Look at this Giles." Neil commented.
Giles looked up, saw what Neil was referencing, and walked over to him.
The five of them had been investigating Ryan's home for two hours with little success.
Until now.
"My lord. What is this artifact?" Giles wondered, staring at what Neil had discovered.
They were in Ryan's study, which was filled with books and scrolls on every subject imaginable, none of which had been helpful with their current predicament.
And then Neil had found...this.
The object was sitting in a chest in the corner of the room. The chest itself was very plain and weathered, and of a Victorian design. There was nothing noteworthy about it in the slightest.
But the item it contained...that was a different matter.
The device had no set shape. It was constantly changing and mutating. There was also no specific color, as that changed as well.
The two men gazed at it intently, and were understandably startled when their three compatriots entered the room and Hera exclaimed:
"What are you two doing? Slacking off?"
Giles and Neil both jumped up, startling the others.
"What's wrong with you two?!" Bellona asked, puzzled.
"Check this out." Neil told them, pointing inside the chest.
The other three walked over and noticing the shifting object, watched it intently as well.
"What the fuck...is that thing?!" Ares said at last, after a few minutes.
"I confess a complete lack of knowledge. Let's take it with us and examine it further at the library." Giles suggested.
"I agree." Neil concurred.
Shutting the chest, Ares picked it up and placed it over his shoulder.
"You guys didn't find anything?" Neil inquired.
"Zip." Bellona answered.
"Zilch." Ares replied.
"The big goose egg." Hera responded.
"Then let us depart. This place makes me feel very uneasy." Giles said.
The others murmured their assent, and they made their exit, old chest in tow.
Everyone's heads turned as one as General Hammond re-entered the briefing room. He smiled reassuringly, which put the others at ease. Hammond sat down and started speaking:
"I was able to corroborate most of your account Eppy and Spidey. Sunnydale is a small city in southern California, home to 40,000 people. We found records for Rupert Giles, who is currently the school librarian at Sunnydale High School. Buffy Summers, Willow Rosenberg, and Alexander Harris attended Sunnydale High, but have now graduated and are going to the University of Sunnydale. Cordelia Chase and Daniel Ozbourne also graduated, but left for Los Angeles abruptly. Faith Lehane is a native of Boston, but she disappeared. We could find no records for the others you mentioned. Also, I was informed there was an assault on Sunnydale by forces unknown. They erected a barrier over the city. Partisans inside the town disabled the shield, and a full-scale battle erupted as our army, navy, and air force engaged the invaders with the help of the partisans. They were victorious, and the enemy's remains and technology were transferred to Area 51."
SG-1 stared, stunned at this revelation.
"You see now General, that we speak true." Eppy replied smiling.
"You certainly did. This is a massive boost to your credibility." Hammond stated, returning the smile.
"We wouldn't lie Mr Hammond. We owe your people our lives, and now we will return the favor." Spidey announced.
"I appreciate that." Hammond said.
"It's strange Rupert Giles would become a high school librarian." Daniel said suddenly.
"A question for another time Doctor." Hammond told him. Daniel nodded, and Hammond looked back at Eppy and Spidey.
"With the preliminaries out of the way, please explain about this creature that is threatening our planet." Hammond said.
"May I show you something? It will explain much." Eppy asked Hammond.
Hammond and SG-1 looked at each other, then Hammond responded:
"You may."
Eppy reached inside itself and produced a peculiar object. It was of a bizarre and indescribable shape and design, literally covered in spikes and tentacles and...eyes? The eyes blinked without warning, startling them.
"What the hell is that?!" Jack exclaimed.
"A projector, Colonel Jack. It shows images, from the past and present." Eppy replied.
"It records them?" Sam asked inquisitively.
"In a way. It's hard to explain in your tongue." Eppy answered.
With a gesture of one of Eppy's tentacles, the projector levitated into the air, spines and eyes and tentacles appearing and reappearing, and there was a dim eerie glow that filled the room.
Without warning, they were all floating in a strange space! Hammond, Jack, Sam, Daniel, and Teal'c mouths gaped all in unison, and they looked at Eppy and Spidey, who returned their looks calmly.
"Don't be frightened. We are still in the briefing room. All this is are echoes of the past, an illusion." Eppy explained.
"This is incredible!" Sam gushed.
"This is your reality?" Teal'c asked.
"It is Mr. Teal'c." Eppy confirmed.
"Your space is white and your stars are black?!" Daniel almost shouted in disbelief.
"They are Mr Daniel." Spidey replied.
The humans and Teal'c stared unbelieving at the otherness of this place. But before anyone could say anything further, they felt it.
It was a wave of despair, of horror, of death, of…
...darkness.
Then they saw it.
The...THING.
It was a great cloud of shadow. Tentacles, black as pitch, emerged from it. The dark vapor was almost certainly covering the true creature, created by it somehow.
As they watched in mounting horror, it drew near to a...planet? Or was it a landmass, floating in space? Difficult to say...
The monster reached out and engulfed the hapless and unfortunate world, converting it into more of itself. There was a chorus of alien screams coming from the doomed denizens of that land, which were abruptly silenced.
Satisfied, for now, the infernal beast turned towards them.
And they awoke with no warning.
Back in the briefing broom, safe and sound.
They all looked around wildly and then breathed a shaky breath of relief as they realized their changed situation.
"The entity we showed you with the projector is what menaces your world and people. We refer to it as "The Darkness From The Stars". No weapon or force anyone in our cosmos can muster will stop it. You now understand why we came." Eppy stated.
"There must be some way to kill it, or contain it." Sam almost whispered.
"I would hope so. For if not...we are all doomed to become part of it…
...forever." Eppy replied ominously.
"Exactly how large is this thing?!" Hammond wondered.
"Larger than your star, General Hammond." Spidey answered.
The others were literally rendered speechless.
"Time to call the President...AGAIN." Hammond announced.
He swiftly left the room to do so.