Part II
Pike didn't know what in the hell these things were, but they were obviously hostile. "Phasers," he snapped, and all eight of them drew the tiny Type I phasers. As small as they were, they were far more powerful than the hand lasers that they had used until just last month. He looked at the ugly being standing near him and commented quietly, "I don't think you want to do whatever you're thinking of. . .the consequences will be most unpleasant."
The being laughed and replied, "What are you going to do, turn off my car alarm with that?" He waved to the others, and they advanced, only to stop abruptly when beams of energy from the eight weapons struck them squarely. Pike immediately realized that there was a problem. The sound of the weapons was odd, the light was less intense than usual, and the reaction of the beings was as if they had been shocked by static electricity, not the immediate unconsciousness that should have resulted from the heavy stun setting. The creatures, after a moment, continued their advance, and Pike only had time to shout "Hand to hand!" before they were in intense combat.
Pike, Number One, Tyler, Spock, and the two security guards formed a circle, protecting Yeoman Colt and Dr. Boyce, who were the least capable in hand to hand combat of the group. Each of the six creatures picked one opponent and began slugging away. Pike was rather disconcerted to see that the creature seemed to be very strong, though his combat skills were not up to Pike's standards; furthermore, blows that should have had lasting effects did not. He was dismayed to see that Brennan and Davidson were quickly overcome and were being dragged off by their opponents: he was helpless to intervene, as he was fighting for his life as it was. Tyler and Number One seemed to be in about the same situation he was, and Spock actually seemed to be winning. . .bless Vulcan physical superiority. After a moment, Spock grabbed his opponent and threw it hard against a tree. It struck head first and did not get up. Pike concentrated on defense and shouted, "Spock! See where those other ones are taking Brennan and Davidson!" Spock nodded and ran off.
Pike concentrated on his fight, but he was rapidly wearing down against what seemed to be a tireless foe, and he could see that Tyler and Number One were in similar straits. He saw Colt and Boyce fiddling with their phasers, apparently hoping that a higher setting might work, but that wouldn't help in these close quarters. He was frantically considering options when he heard what sounded like a dying scream. He looked over and saw a beautiful young girl leaning over where the unconscious creature had been. She looked up and ran over to where Number One was fighting: Pike could see what looked like. . .(a wooden stake?) in her hand. She drove it into the back of the creature and it promptly burst into dust. She went over to the one that Tyler was fighting, and though it turned to fight her, it met the same fate as the stake pierced its heart.
The creature fighting Pike noticed what was happening and tried to flee, but the girl pulled off a miraculous acrobatic maneuver and landed in front of the fleeing creature. A quick thrust, and the creature was dust. She turned quickly to the stunned Starfleet officers and snapped, "Are there any more?" Pike found his voice after a moment and pointed. "That way." The girl nodded and ran off. Pike turned to his remaining four party members and determined that they were all right, but he quickly looked off in the direction where his second officer and the strange girl had run off to. What in the hell was going on?
*****
Buffy ran hard in the direction that the man had indicated. Just what she needed, a bunch of tourists walking around Sunnydale at night. . .as clueless as the residents here could be, even they wouldn't be that dumb. She couldn't see any vamps. . .wait a minute. There was a figure, apparently studying some gadget he was holding. At first, he looked perfectly human. . .but as she crept close, she could see pointed ears. She sprang at him, stake ready, only to see him whirl and block the lethal thrust. They grappled, and Buffy was startled to feel the warmth of the creature she was fighting. Not a vampire then. . .maybe a demon. . .he was way too warm to be human. The stake fell to the ground, and she struggled with him, noticing that his strength was equal to hers.
Spock had only noticed the girl at the last possible second, and he was astonished to realize that an apparently normal human girl had strength equal to his. Also, the close contact that the grappling situation was creating was allowing his touch telepath abilities to pick up thoughts from his opponent. Using the advantage that his greater size gave him, he managed to place his hand on the forehead of the girl, fighting her attempts to pry it loose while he repeated the mantra taught to him at a young age: "My mind to your mind. . .my thoughts to your thoughts." After a moment, she ceased struggling, and the two stayed in close physical contact for a few moments before she broke away with a shocked expression on her face. Spock looked at her and apologized, "I'm very sorry for the intrusion, Miss Summers, but under the circumstances. . ."
Buffy glared at him for a long moment, then sighed, "I'm not thrilled about you messing around in my head, Mr. Spock, but since I know you're one of the good guys. . ." She waved at him and started back the way she came. "Come on. . .those two vampires are long gone, and we'll need to let your boss know what's going on here." She took off running, and Spock was hard pressed to follow.
*****
Pike and the remaining members of the landing party were examining their surroundings, waiting for Spock to return and preparing for another attack when the Vulcan and the strange girl ran up to them. Ignoring the fascinating stranger for a moment, Pike locked eyes with his second officer and snapped, "Report."
Spock ignored the bluntness of the order and replied, "I was unable to locate Brennan and Davidson, Captain. From what I was able to learn from Miss Summers, I would surmise that they are already dead. . .or worse." He paused as the others reacted with dismay and confusion, then elaborated, "Miss Summers attacked me, believing that I was one of the creatures due to my physical. . .differences. . .and while we were in close physical contact, I received psychic impressions that caused me to believe that in spite of her apparent hostility, her intentions were benevolent." The others stared, not accustomed to Spock casually discussing Vulcan mental abilities: he continued, "I took it upon myself to initiate a mind meld to try to determine the state of things in this world, as it was clear that she was no ordinary human. Captain, the source of the spatial disturbance is apparently what the local residents aware of its existence call 'The Hellmouth.' It is an interdimensional vortex, apparently blocked for the time being, that makes this particular place attractive to creatures that we would consider paranormal." He paused for a long moment, almost unwilling to go on in spite of his belief that what he had learned from Buffy's mind was the truth in this place, then concluded, "In other words, creatures such as demons. . .and vampires."
Pike was at a loss for words, and even the usually unshakable Number One seemed to be shocked as she queried, "Are you saying that the creatures that just attacked us were vampires, Spock? As in the creatures from Earth mythology? That's a lot to swallow."
Buffy was annoyed and snapped at the older woman, "Really? And I suppose muggers where you come from just burst into dust when you stab them through the heart?" She turned to Pike and commented, "Look, Captain. . .Pike. . .right? I know that this is a lot of weirdness to deal with, but you've got a problem. The vampires around here seem to have been recruiting lately. . .and my guess is that they saw your two guys as prime material."
Pike blinked and asked Spock, "What is she talking about?" Spock quickly replied, "Vampires hunt humans for food; specifically, blood. However, they also can transform a victim into one of their kind by feeding them some of the vampire's blood. The new vampire has all of the knowledge of the victim, but none of the old loyalties or moral restraints. If Brennan or Davidson were to return to the ship in that state. . ."
Pike needed to hear no more: he pulled out his communicator and hailed the Enterprise. When the communications officer responded, he snapped, "This is Pike. Brennan and Davidson are missing. . .if they should hail you, under no circumstances are you to beam them up. . .only if you hear me specifically authorize it should they be beamed up. Confirm that you understand." He waited for the confirmation then commented tersely, "Excellent. . .Pike out." He turned back to the others and commented grimly, "Well, that eliminates that threat to the ship. . .but we can't leave two creatures with the knowledge of two Federation officers here. . .particularly if they have hostile intent. We have obligations under the Prime Directive to clean up our mess." He turned to Buffy and commented, "Miss Summers, we appreciate the help you have rendered to us. . .both directly and indirectly, but we have apparently inadvertently posed a risk to you. . .we would appreciate it if you could tell us how we could track down our. . .changed. . .crewmen and deal with them so that they don't pose an additional threat to your world."
Buffy took a deep breath as she took in the intensity of the stare from Pike's blue eyes. * This guy's a serious hottie. . .wonder if he uses this approach every time he lands on a strange planet, * Dismissing the thought as not helpful, she replied, "The name's Buffy, Captain Pike, and I think that I can take you to someone who can help us do that, and who can let you in on the whole story about the Hellmouth, since it seems to be involved in weirdness that we didn't have a clue about." She turned to the others and beckoned, "Let's go. . .it will take at least a couple of hours for them to turn, and we can get a jump on them, if we hurry."
*****
Angel sat in his apartment, a piece of charcoal in his hand as he stared into space, contemplating the subject of his drawing. He had almost finished it. . .Buffy in full battle mode, surrounded by three vampires. . .her total focus was visible in the drawing, as was her obvious beauty. He had portrayed her in mid-thrust, with the vamp she was staking already bursting into dust. Another twenty minutes, and it would be perfect. Unfortunately, the knock at the door totally disrupted the moment. . .who in the hell could be coming by at this hour? He briefly contemplated ignoring the knock, then decided otherwise as the knock came again, far louder and more insistent. He walked over to the door, grumbling, and was shocked to see who had come to call. He took a deep breath, more out of habit than anything else, then whispered, "Buffy."
She nodded to him and replied, "Hello, Angel." He waited for a moment, then commented, "Uh, hi. What brings you here on this fine evening?" She scowled at him and replied, "Nice attempt at casual, Angel. Not a problem, though. . .it's all business tonight. We've got some seriously weird visitors in town, and the local vamp population grabbed a couple of them. Meaning that if we don't do something, we're going to be dealing with vamps with some information that could seriously turn the tide in favor of the bad guys. . .I need you on this one. Are you up for it?"
Angel nodded, all business himself now. "Not a problem. . .who are these guys, anyway?" Buffy grimaced and replied, "I'll fill you in on the way. . .get ready for some seriously X-Files stuff, Angel." She beckoned for him to follow, and Angel closed the apartment door and followed.
In the meantime, the landing party from the Enterprise waited in Sunnydale High's library with Giles, Willow, and Xander. Number One walked up and down the stacks, noting with interest the disproportionate number of arcane works on the shelves. Spock was immersed in conversation with Giles, both fascinated by the prospect of learning about radically different societies. Willow was talking with Dr. Boyce, as she was greatly interested in the advances in medicine that existed in the twenty-third century (or at least in the alternate version of Earth they came from). Xander and Tyler were shooting the breeze about sports and women. . .two topics that never went out of style, no matter what the universe or century. As for Pike. . .he was reviewing mission notes with Yeoman Colt, more out of a desire to keep busy than any great need. He was still getting used to the idea that a very small group of people, most not yet adults, were basically in charge of holding off the end of this world. . .not a pleasant situation. Still, they all seemed determined, and Buffy was certainly more than capable at dealing with these creatures from what he had seen. . .besides, they were seriously hampered on their end. Spock had taken sensor readings and determined that the local laws of physics reduced the power level of their phaser attacks by 99%. . .a full power blast might stun a human, but would only slow down a vampire. . .their weapons were useless to them. The party had four members who were competent or better in hand to hand combat, but that was it. He was pondering the inherent dangers of being in a hostile environment with no technological advantages when Buffy returned, followed by a dark-haired stranger with a brooding aura. She commented, "All right. . .Angel thinks he knows where they'll take your guys to wait to wake up." She waved to the occupants of the room and called out, "Let's go. . .we've got some seriously gifted vampires to take out."
. . .to be continued
As always, comments are welcomed and desired
Pike didn't know what in the hell these things were, but they were obviously hostile. "Phasers," he snapped, and all eight of them drew the tiny Type I phasers. As small as they were, they were far more powerful than the hand lasers that they had used until just last month. He looked at the ugly being standing near him and commented quietly, "I don't think you want to do whatever you're thinking of. . .the consequences will be most unpleasant."
The being laughed and replied, "What are you going to do, turn off my car alarm with that?" He waved to the others, and they advanced, only to stop abruptly when beams of energy from the eight weapons struck them squarely. Pike immediately realized that there was a problem. The sound of the weapons was odd, the light was less intense than usual, and the reaction of the beings was as if they had been shocked by static electricity, not the immediate unconsciousness that should have resulted from the heavy stun setting. The creatures, after a moment, continued their advance, and Pike only had time to shout "Hand to hand!" before they were in intense combat.
Pike, Number One, Tyler, Spock, and the two security guards formed a circle, protecting Yeoman Colt and Dr. Boyce, who were the least capable in hand to hand combat of the group. Each of the six creatures picked one opponent and began slugging away. Pike was rather disconcerted to see that the creature seemed to be very strong, though his combat skills were not up to Pike's standards; furthermore, blows that should have had lasting effects did not. He was dismayed to see that Brennan and Davidson were quickly overcome and were being dragged off by their opponents: he was helpless to intervene, as he was fighting for his life as it was. Tyler and Number One seemed to be in about the same situation he was, and Spock actually seemed to be winning. . .bless Vulcan physical superiority. After a moment, Spock grabbed his opponent and threw it hard against a tree. It struck head first and did not get up. Pike concentrated on defense and shouted, "Spock! See where those other ones are taking Brennan and Davidson!" Spock nodded and ran off.
Pike concentrated on his fight, but he was rapidly wearing down against what seemed to be a tireless foe, and he could see that Tyler and Number One were in similar straits. He saw Colt and Boyce fiddling with their phasers, apparently hoping that a higher setting might work, but that wouldn't help in these close quarters. He was frantically considering options when he heard what sounded like a dying scream. He looked over and saw a beautiful young girl leaning over where the unconscious creature had been. She looked up and ran over to where Number One was fighting: Pike could see what looked like. . .(a wooden stake?) in her hand. She drove it into the back of the creature and it promptly burst into dust. She went over to the one that Tyler was fighting, and though it turned to fight her, it met the same fate as the stake pierced its heart.
The creature fighting Pike noticed what was happening and tried to flee, but the girl pulled off a miraculous acrobatic maneuver and landed in front of the fleeing creature. A quick thrust, and the creature was dust. She turned quickly to the stunned Starfleet officers and snapped, "Are there any more?" Pike found his voice after a moment and pointed. "That way." The girl nodded and ran off. Pike turned to his remaining four party members and determined that they were all right, but he quickly looked off in the direction where his second officer and the strange girl had run off to. What in the hell was going on?
*****
Buffy ran hard in the direction that the man had indicated. Just what she needed, a bunch of tourists walking around Sunnydale at night. . .as clueless as the residents here could be, even they wouldn't be that dumb. She couldn't see any vamps. . .wait a minute. There was a figure, apparently studying some gadget he was holding. At first, he looked perfectly human. . .but as she crept close, she could see pointed ears. She sprang at him, stake ready, only to see him whirl and block the lethal thrust. They grappled, and Buffy was startled to feel the warmth of the creature she was fighting. Not a vampire then. . .maybe a demon. . .he was way too warm to be human. The stake fell to the ground, and she struggled with him, noticing that his strength was equal to hers.
Spock had only noticed the girl at the last possible second, and he was astonished to realize that an apparently normal human girl had strength equal to his. Also, the close contact that the grappling situation was creating was allowing his touch telepath abilities to pick up thoughts from his opponent. Using the advantage that his greater size gave him, he managed to place his hand on the forehead of the girl, fighting her attempts to pry it loose while he repeated the mantra taught to him at a young age: "My mind to your mind. . .my thoughts to your thoughts." After a moment, she ceased struggling, and the two stayed in close physical contact for a few moments before she broke away with a shocked expression on her face. Spock looked at her and apologized, "I'm very sorry for the intrusion, Miss Summers, but under the circumstances. . ."
Buffy glared at him for a long moment, then sighed, "I'm not thrilled about you messing around in my head, Mr. Spock, but since I know you're one of the good guys. . ." She waved at him and started back the way she came. "Come on. . .those two vampires are long gone, and we'll need to let your boss know what's going on here." She took off running, and Spock was hard pressed to follow.
*****
Pike and the remaining members of the landing party were examining their surroundings, waiting for Spock to return and preparing for another attack when the Vulcan and the strange girl ran up to them. Ignoring the fascinating stranger for a moment, Pike locked eyes with his second officer and snapped, "Report."
Spock ignored the bluntness of the order and replied, "I was unable to locate Brennan and Davidson, Captain. From what I was able to learn from Miss Summers, I would surmise that they are already dead. . .or worse." He paused as the others reacted with dismay and confusion, then elaborated, "Miss Summers attacked me, believing that I was one of the creatures due to my physical. . .differences. . .and while we were in close physical contact, I received psychic impressions that caused me to believe that in spite of her apparent hostility, her intentions were benevolent." The others stared, not accustomed to Spock casually discussing Vulcan mental abilities: he continued, "I took it upon myself to initiate a mind meld to try to determine the state of things in this world, as it was clear that she was no ordinary human. Captain, the source of the spatial disturbance is apparently what the local residents aware of its existence call 'The Hellmouth.' It is an interdimensional vortex, apparently blocked for the time being, that makes this particular place attractive to creatures that we would consider paranormal." He paused for a long moment, almost unwilling to go on in spite of his belief that what he had learned from Buffy's mind was the truth in this place, then concluded, "In other words, creatures such as demons. . .and vampires."
Pike was at a loss for words, and even the usually unshakable Number One seemed to be shocked as she queried, "Are you saying that the creatures that just attacked us were vampires, Spock? As in the creatures from Earth mythology? That's a lot to swallow."
Buffy was annoyed and snapped at the older woman, "Really? And I suppose muggers where you come from just burst into dust when you stab them through the heart?" She turned to Pike and commented, "Look, Captain. . .Pike. . .right? I know that this is a lot of weirdness to deal with, but you've got a problem. The vampires around here seem to have been recruiting lately. . .and my guess is that they saw your two guys as prime material."
Pike blinked and asked Spock, "What is she talking about?" Spock quickly replied, "Vampires hunt humans for food; specifically, blood. However, they also can transform a victim into one of their kind by feeding them some of the vampire's blood. The new vampire has all of the knowledge of the victim, but none of the old loyalties or moral restraints. If Brennan or Davidson were to return to the ship in that state. . ."
Pike needed to hear no more: he pulled out his communicator and hailed the Enterprise. When the communications officer responded, he snapped, "This is Pike. Brennan and Davidson are missing. . .if they should hail you, under no circumstances are you to beam them up. . .only if you hear me specifically authorize it should they be beamed up. Confirm that you understand." He waited for the confirmation then commented tersely, "Excellent. . .Pike out." He turned back to the others and commented grimly, "Well, that eliminates that threat to the ship. . .but we can't leave two creatures with the knowledge of two Federation officers here. . .particularly if they have hostile intent. We have obligations under the Prime Directive to clean up our mess." He turned to Buffy and commented, "Miss Summers, we appreciate the help you have rendered to us. . .both directly and indirectly, but we have apparently inadvertently posed a risk to you. . .we would appreciate it if you could tell us how we could track down our. . .changed. . .crewmen and deal with them so that they don't pose an additional threat to your world."
Buffy took a deep breath as she took in the intensity of the stare from Pike's blue eyes. * This guy's a serious hottie. . .wonder if he uses this approach every time he lands on a strange planet, * Dismissing the thought as not helpful, she replied, "The name's Buffy, Captain Pike, and I think that I can take you to someone who can help us do that, and who can let you in on the whole story about the Hellmouth, since it seems to be involved in weirdness that we didn't have a clue about." She turned to the others and beckoned, "Let's go. . .it will take at least a couple of hours for them to turn, and we can get a jump on them, if we hurry."
*****
Angel sat in his apartment, a piece of charcoal in his hand as he stared into space, contemplating the subject of his drawing. He had almost finished it. . .Buffy in full battle mode, surrounded by three vampires. . .her total focus was visible in the drawing, as was her obvious beauty. He had portrayed her in mid-thrust, with the vamp she was staking already bursting into dust. Another twenty minutes, and it would be perfect. Unfortunately, the knock at the door totally disrupted the moment. . .who in the hell could be coming by at this hour? He briefly contemplated ignoring the knock, then decided otherwise as the knock came again, far louder and more insistent. He walked over to the door, grumbling, and was shocked to see who had come to call. He took a deep breath, more out of habit than anything else, then whispered, "Buffy."
She nodded to him and replied, "Hello, Angel." He waited for a moment, then commented, "Uh, hi. What brings you here on this fine evening?" She scowled at him and replied, "Nice attempt at casual, Angel. Not a problem, though. . .it's all business tonight. We've got some seriously weird visitors in town, and the local vamp population grabbed a couple of them. Meaning that if we don't do something, we're going to be dealing with vamps with some information that could seriously turn the tide in favor of the bad guys. . .I need you on this one. Are you up for it?"
Angel nodded, all business himself now. "Not a problem. . .who are these guys, anyway?" Buffy grimaced and replied, "I'll fill you in on the way. . .get ready for some seriously X-Files stuff, Angel." She beckoned for him to follow, and Angel closed the apartment door and followed.
In the meantime, the landing party from the Enterprise waited in Sunnydale High's library with Giles, Willow, and Xander. Number One walked up and down the stacks, noting with interest the disproportionate number of arcane works on the shelves. Spock was immersed in conversation with Giles, both fascinated by the prospect of learning about radically different societies. Willow was talking with Dr. Boyce, as she was greatly interested in the advances in medicine that existed in the twenty-third century (or at least in the alternate version of Earth they came from). Xander and Tyler were shooting the breeze about sports and women. . .two topics that never went out of style, no matter what the universe or century. As for Pike. . .he was reviewing mission notes with Yeoman Colt, more out of a desire to keep busy than any great need. He was still getting used to the idea that a very small group of people, most not yet adults, were basically in charge of holding off the end of this world. . .not a pleasant situation. Still, they all seemed determined, and Buffy was certainly more than capable at dealing with these creatures from what he had seen. . .besides, they were seriously hampered on their end. Spock had taken sensor readings and determined that the local laws of physics reduced the power level of their phaser attacks by 99%. . .a full power blast might stun a human, but would only slow down a vampire. . .their weapons were useless to them. The party had four members who were competent or better in hand to hand combat, but that was it. He was pondering the inherent dangers of being in a hostile environment with no technological advantages when Buffy returned, followed by a dark-haired stranger with a brooding aura. She commented, "All right. . .Angel thinks he knows where they'll take your guys to wait to wake up." She waved to the occupants of the room and called out, "Let's go. . .we've got some seriously gifted vampires to take out."
. . .to be continued
As always, comments are welcomed and desired