Hey guys ---- Little NOTE here.
The following paragraphs are being changed from the last part...
Sorry, post-last minute edits. :)
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"As I said, I offer you your lives in exchange for your surrender. You shall be treated well, as slaves under the rule of the System Lords."
Jarod stepped forward, his eyes glittering with anger as he focused behind the Goa'uld at the corpse of the Air Force officer who had died trying to stop the creature's entry.
"He wants our answer?" Jarod said coldly, "I say we give it to him."
Jack O'Neill smirked, "I thought you'd never ask..."
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And Now, on with the regularly scheduled story!
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The Goa'uld stared at the exchange, a gnawing doubt entered his mind but he clamped down on it. His forces controlled all but this level of the Mountain stronghold, and from what he had seen they easily outnumbered the defenders by fifty to one.
Jack reached his hand out to the side, and a Lieutenant slapped a small box trailing a wire into his hand. He grasped a handle on the top of the box and twisted it three times.
CLACK. CLACK. CLACK.
*****
The Jaffa controlled the top five levels of the SGC complex. Five levels that they won in hard combat against an enemy that inflicted massive casualties even as they were forced back.
Those same top five levels that the defenders had carefully withdrawn their force from, in a methodical and organized fashion. Those same five levels that had recently been 'upgraded' with carefully placed 'safety' devices at all doors and key points through the halls.
As Jack O'Neill twisted the detonator in the Gate Room, the carefully placed Claymore mines detonated throughout the complex.
And the Jaffa began dying in droves.
*****
The Goa'uld, Teru, felt the shudder run through the mountain mere instants after the Tau'ri triggered the box in his hands. He looked up at the ceiling, his misgiving clearly visible in his eyes.
"What have you done?" he demanded of the human, his reverberating voice sounding alien and harsh.
"Oh, I don't know." O'Neill smirked, "Eliminated most of your attack force maybe?"
"Impossible."
"Why don't you call them and find out?" Jarod asked, his voice harsh.
"Jaffa, Kree!"
No response.
"Jaffa Kree!" Teru looked around, slight amount of panic entering his eyes as he did. "Jaffa Kree!"
The humans in the Gate Room wore evil smiles. No humor was present on their faces, they had lost far too many friends for that, just an almost vindictive satisfaction that their comrades had not fallen in a vain battle.
The Goa'uld took a step back, his palm device sweeping up as he stared in disbelief at the humans. "Stay back! You cannot touch me but I can kill you where you stand."
"We'll just see about that!" Prue swept her arms up.
The impact from her magic caused a visible wave to erupt around his personal shield, but the alien field held under the impact.
"I warned you!" Teru fired a pulse at Prue, knocking her off her feet and back into a wall.
"Prue!" Piper and Phoebe rushed to her side, concern for their sister overriding any fear they had felt.
Buffy stepped forward, "Hey! Metal man! They're friends of mine... well, friends of friends really... but still, I can't let you get away with that, you know?"
Teru shook his head in confusion at the babbling coming from the blond. His eyes opened in shock as she actually lunged close and struck him across the face with her foot.
"You hit me!?" The alien said, shocked by the turn of events. He swept up the palm device and turned it on the blond slayer. "Die!"
Buffy froze in place as the odd device was pointed at her forehead, a strange glow emanating from it. As the energy began to warp the air and space around her head, Buffy screamed in pain.
"Buffy!" Riley yelled and charged the Goa'uld.
Teru lifted his other hand in a casual gesture, light flashed, and Riley was thrown across the room. Jarod and O'Neill opened fire again with their P-90's to little avail as the Goa'uld force shield easily absorbed the bullets as they impacted.
Behind them all, on the far side of the room a shimmer of light coalesced into two humanoid forms.
*****
Xander took in the action as he was frozen in space by Leo's power, he raged as he watched Buffy scream in pain from the Goa'uld palm weapon. When the effect let him go he moved without thinking.
He didn't even consider the Plasma Caster, his mind had to answer so his will and his instinct created one. Elanthielle practically jumped from her sheath in his hands as he drew the ancient weapon. He whipped about, building force with the movement, and threw the weapon straight at the Goa'uld.
As the small, foot-long cylinder, shot through the air toward her target Elan could hear Xander's command across the distance that separated them for the first time. ACTIVATE!
And she did. The Ancient weapon pierced the shield as if it weren't there, bucking in mid air as it extended to its full seven foot length and shattered the Goa'uld armor at a blow.
Teru was thrown back through the air by the impact until his back met the cement behind him and he crumpled to the ground, the silver staff impaling him though the chest.
Xander stalked forward, still on autopilot, his hand reaching out toward the Goa'uld. Elan!
The ancient weapon shimmered and vanished from the Goa'uld's chest, reappearing instantly in the boy's hand as he continued to stride toward the dying Goa'uld.
Teru coughed, spitting up blood as he did, and stared at the advancing Yautja. His eyes focused on the weapon held proudly in the creature's hand. He shook his head.
"Not possible." The Goa'uld said as he coughed up another spurt of blood that trickled down his chin. "Those would never serve a Yautja... Only the cursed Asgard are able to tame them now... no others exist."
Under Xander's helmet, where no one could see them, his eyes flashed with a silver light. He listened to the ragged words that came from the creatures with little interest, and ignored the dying Goa'uld. Instead he turned to where Buffy had fallen and rushed to her side.
"Buff? Come on, girl. It's not check out time yet." Xander kneeled by her limp body before he turned his head toward where Leo was already running up. "Help her."
Leo nodded, and knelt by the blond slayer, attempting to use his power to heal her wounds. Finally he shook his head, "I don't know what to do... It's not like anything I've ever seen."
"Perhaps I can be of service." a female voice as distorted as Teru's spoke
Xander started, turning to meet what he perceived as a new threat. Behind him a woman in odd armor was kneeling by Teru's body, retrieving the palm weapon and fitting it to her own hand. She stood quickly and approached Buffy.
Xander moved to intercept her, raising Elanthielle to bar her path.
She raised her hands in supplication, her eyes glowing with the inner light of a Goa'uld. "My name is Anise. I am Tok'ra."
Daniel stepped between them, his hand laid on Xander's arm to restrain the boy. "She's ok, Xander. You can trust her."
"She's not getting near Buffy with that weap..." The group saw Xander cock his head, as if listening to someone, then look at the device in Anise's palm. "Tool...? It can be used as a medical device?"
Anise nodded as Xander moved aside to let her pass, her eyes looking knowingly at the staff in Xander's hand. "The Goa'uld twist these amplifiers into weapons of war, but they were designed as tools of peace by the ancients."
The Tok'ra kneeled over Buffy and focused her will through the amplifier on her hand, healing the trauma that the Goa'uld had caused. Finally Anise nodded and stood up. "She needs rest, but she will live."
"Thank you."
*****
Clean up took a long time.
The ravaged bodies of the Jaffa who had assaulted the mountain had to be shifted and bagged as searchers put first priority on the bodies of the mountain's defenders. The top levels of the SGC were coated in blood and stank of death and carnage.
In the infirmary the bodies of those who had died in the service of their country and world were lined along every open space, from examination tables to the floor.
Xander swallowed down the bile that tried to rise in his throat as he watched yet another Initiative soldier being carried past him. Another soldier that he had brought into this fight. Another choice that he had made for someone else. He turned to leave as the last one was zipped into a black body bag, finally hiding the bloodied face and accusing eyes from the young man.
"Where the fuck do you think you're going!?"
The harsh words came from the doctor's office, and reluctantly Xander turned back to face the angry man.
Riley was walking toward him, menace in his every step. "You, you're lucky enough to be able to walk away from this! You cost these men, MY MEN!, Their lives. You brought them into a fight they had no part of! And now you walk away!?"
Xander didn't say anything. He managed to keep his face impassive and took the angry words as best he could. It was the least he could do.
Riley wasn't finished. "I'm supposed to be their commanding officer, but you took that away! You made me take them into a mission without telling me jack squat of what was going on! YOU got them killed!"
Riley was inches from him now, red in the face and filled with the fury and sorrow that had accumulated over the past few hours. "You come near me or my men again and I'll fucking kill you! Do you understand me!?"
Xander nodded and shifted to one side as Riley suddenly rushed past him into the open corridor. After the Blond commando was gone he slumped down, his posture suddenly drooping into one of defeat as he himself turned and walked away.
*****
Teal'uk watched the scene unfold impassively, not completely understanding the emotions that flared. As it ended he turned to O'Neill and asked, "I do not understand, Colonel O'Neill. How can he say that this was not their fight? They were as threatened by the Goa'uld as anyone else."
Jack sighed, guilt written across his own face as he watched the slumped form of the kid walk away. "Finn's angry and hurting, Teal'uk. He's not thinking straight... and he does have a point."
O'Neill walked away himself, leaving the Jaffa to raise his eyebrows in slight confusion.
*****
Buffy watched in shock as Riley tore into Xander, at once understanding both their viewpoints. She was sitting up in the bed the military doctor had provided for her, cradling a splitting headache when the scene occured.
Wincing she levered herself out of bed and staggered after her boyfriend and her friend. At the door she looked down one hallway, after Xander, and then down the other, after Riley. She stood there for several seconds, uncertain where to go.
He decision was made for her when she saw Phoebe rush after Xander. She flashed the brunette an encouraging smile as she turned and went after Riley.
*****
"Xander?"
Phoebe's voice echoed slightly in the long corridor as she approached him. Xander half turned, giving her a slight, sad, smile. "Come to check on me?"
Phoebe smiled, "You betcha."
"Thanks."
"He shouldn't have said those things..." Phoebe trailed off.
Xander shrugged, "He's hurting. His men are more then soldiers to him... he lives with them, eats with them, laughs with them... they're his friends. Besides, he's right. I did bring his men in without telling him."
"You wanted to stop these... things..." Phoebe began.
"I know..."
"Do you regret bringing his men?"
"Yes... no... both." Xander admitted. "We needed the troops, and I've seen his men fight. I knew they could handle it... and it was short notice."
"Would you do the same thing again?"
Xander was silent for a long time, long enough that Phoebe leaned in a hugged him tight. When he did respond the single word was laden with sorrow and guilt.
"Yes."
*****
"Riley?"
"Go away, Buffy."
"I won't." Despite how weak she felt she shifted to a determined stance. "I know you're hurting, Riley. You need someone now."
Riley was quiet.
Buffy moved closer, putting her arms around him. "They gave their lives for everyone else, Riley. They helped save the world."
Riley was still quiet, he didn't want to hear her now. He desperately wanted someone to blame, someone he could hang the hurt on.
"Buffy... I..."
"I know." She leaned in close, smiling as his arm dropped around her, "It's not supposed to be like this, but you can't blame Xander."
Riley was silent, his mind working as he held Buffy tight.
*****
Anise watched as the young man in the Yautja armor walked into the briefing room with the young woman by his side. On either side of him the Tok'ra gave him a wide berth, unconsciously shying away from the Armor he wore. The Yautja were the 'boogy-men', as O'Neill would say, of a hundred worlds. It was disconcerting to see that armor worn by a human.
It was, however, the silver staff holstered on his hip that drew her attention now. The armor was one thing, but it was just armor. In the end merely a symbol. The staff, now that was something else entirely.
"General Hammond." Xander nodded in greeting as he dropped into a seat, Phoebe taking the one at his side.
"Mr. Harris." The General nodded in return. "I'm pleased to inform you that the danger seems to be past. We've captured a couple dozen survivors, but without Teru to lead them they seem to be somewhat controllable."
Xander nodded, "Good. I've already arranged for my friends to be transported out."
Hammond leaned forward, clearly about to object, but Xander cut him off with a wave of his hand. "I will stay for debriefing, as will Jarod and Phoebe. But the others, including the surviving Initiative people are being transported back as we speak."
"Mr. Harris, I cannot allow..."
Xander cut him off again, "What I cannot allow is for the Hellmouth to go un-patrolled while you are trying to determine security risks. The people I brought here have jobs to do, that are just as important as what went down today. You think Armageddon is a big deal, General? I've personally had a hand in saving this planet no less then five times now. It's old hat to us, we'll keep your secrets."
The General's eyes widened at the words 'old hat'. "I don't suppose you'd care to give us an example of that?"
Xander looked bored. "Let's see... 800 year old master vampire tried to drop the world into hell, demonic entity tried to gain access to the internet and work its way into the worlds computer... think WWIII. Demon by the name of the Judge tried to power up enough to annihilate humanity, then there was another vamp trying to destroy the world... don't ask, that one was nasty. Then there were the apocalypse demons... Opening portals to hell is a popular pass time where I live... Speaking of which there is my graduation... a memorable day in my life I might add. Demonic snakes are really the life of the party, you know?" Xander turned to Phoebe, "How many was that?"
"Six." She said, slightly amused.
"Have any to add?" He asked her.
"Well..." She thought about it, "There was the four horsemen of the apocalypse... but generally the demons we encounter are more interested in ruling the world then destroying it."
"You must have scored the smart ones. We keep getting these dumb asses who forget that if they unleash hell on Earth the drop to the bottom of the food chain..."
The two stopped talking as they noticed the stares they were drawing.
"Ah... about that..." Daniel said, slowly. "I don't suppose you can prove any of this can you?"
Xander and Phoebe started laughing.
*****
Riley was walking behind Buffy as they approached the briefing room, not really paying attention to his surroundings. He didn't notice anything until Colonel O'Neill grabbed him and pulled him to the side.
"You were out of line earlier, kid." O'Neill hissed as he leaned into Riley's face. "And the only reason I didn't drop on you then and there was because you were hurting and it wouldn't have done anyone any good."
Riley flinched. He wanted to lash out but this was a superior and, until he was transferred back, his commanding officer.
"You're pissed at Harris right now? Fine. But don't pull that shit around here. Harris helped pull a big one out the fire today and he's got enough problems of his own without you dumping yours on him."
Riley remained stoic, falling back into the drill easily as he absorbed the Colonel's words.
"You know what he told me when I asked him about your unit, Finn?" O'Neill demanded, "He told me that when the chips were down your guys would keep it cool and get the job done. And you know what? He was right."
O'Neill turned away for a second before looking back, "And another thing, we just save the United States and perhaps the world from an invasion, if that isn't the business of every soldier in this country then I don't know what is. Don't trash the memory of the people who died here by saying this wasn't their fight. The lived well, they died well. Show some damned respect, Captain."
Riley paled under the verbal barrage but swallowed and merely nodded. O'Neill was finally finished and turned away, walking into the briefing room.
*****
Xander smiled at Buffy when she came in, and she smiled back with an encouraging look. He looked over at General Hammond, "We have an agreement then?"
Hammond nodded slowly, "All right. If you can prove your allegations to SG1 I'll recommend to the President that your people be free to go. However, even then I must warn you that you are bound by the Official Secrets Act and can be subject to military justice if you choose to violate National Security."
Xander grinned, "General we all have secrets of our own that are bigger then your little base here."
Hammond frowned, but chose not to comment.
O'Neill walked in a moment later, followed closely by Riley. Xander nodded to them both and was mildly surprised when Riley nodded back. He turned to Phoebe and nodded.
"Leo?"
The shimmer of light that announced Leo's arrival went unremarked this time. He merely looked at Riley and Buffy. "Time to go, you two."
Leo laid a hand on their shoulders and was about to orb out when Buffy stopped him, "Wait, what about Xander?"
Xander smiled at her, "I'll be along in a bit. Have to pick up some passengers first."
Buffy nodded slowly at Xander reassuring tone and Leo orbbed them out in a shimmer of light.
Xander looked at the members of SG1 and grinned slightly, "You guys better pack... you just drew Vampire hunting duty."
The four officers looked at each other warily for an instant.
O'Neill raised his hand tentatively, "Is it just me or is it really frightening to hear someone say those words so cheerfully?"
*****
Anise stepped through the Gate with the rest of the Tok'ra and reappeared on the Tok'ra's current base world.
"That child, he had a weapon of the Ancients did he not?"
Anise nodded in response to the question.
"They haven't been seen in the hands of humans in thousands of years. We know that the Asgard have a very few of them, but even there they are scarce. I thought the Ancient's weapons were gone, destroyed?"
Anise frowned as she activated the ring transporter to bring them down tot he subterranean base. "You do know of what you speak. Those cannot be destroyed, not by anything I have ever heard of at least. They have merely been hidden. It was inevitable that one would resurface eventually."
Her companion shook his head, "Perhaps I do know as much on the subject as you, Anise. But I do know this, where one of those weapons arises others will soon follow. And with them the beings that sought to hide them in the first place."
Anise nodded. "I know. Soon we may find that Goa'uld are the least of our concerns."
She walked for a few more steps before turning sharply to one of the men following her, "Have a transport with a cloak prepared. I wish to speak with Xander Harris personally."
*****