Author: Bobby Cox smeghead_76@dodo.com.au
Disclaimer: Some of the characters are mine. Some aren't. The 'verse in which this is set, however, belongs to Peter F. Hamilton (the 'Night's Dawn' trilogy 'verse). There may or may not be characters and situations belonging to ME productions and the team that writes Buffy. I'm just covering my arse there. No money will be made from this, but if someone *thinks* it's good enough to make money, I'd be flattered :)
Summary: This is a parallel story to 'In Their Shadow' by rei_ite (and later on, myself), and provides back-story for Xander's activities on Earth. Basically, vampires and the Light Bringer sect - a Satanic cult (no, really!) - are starting to bump heads with each other in the Downtown section of the Los Angeles arcology. Normally, the authorities wouldn't pay too much attention to something like this.
However, when the fighting spills over to the Uptown sections...
AN: The follwing text formats will be used for datavises and affinity:
Affinity will be represented as such: AffinityDatavises will be represented as such:{Datavise}
'Also unlike the Watcher Council, we know exactly who the first Slayerette was.
'His name was Alexander Harris.'
- From 'The Slayerette Handbook' (2610)
Emergence zone KRY-5430, 500,000-kilometre orbit
Earth, Sol System
2nd June, 2614
An area of space writhed and twisted as it was subjected to incredible energy stresses. Finally, it ruptured, the hole in the fabric of reality increasing in width from the size of a photon to one hundred and fifty metres across in under a millisecond.
A nearby observer looking into the hole would have noticed sheer blackness, which might or might not be rippling slightly. This hypothetical observer would be correct in thinking that he was looking at nothing - in the most accurate sense. On the other side of the hole was nothing, as the wormhole was, strictly speaking, outside the normal universe.
This observer would have had to look quickly, however, as the wormhole interstice was blocked by a large shape. Imperial purple in colour and resembling a flattened teardrop in shape, the blackhawk Kerisal slipped back into the real universe after a swallow of twenty light-years.
Inside the main life-support capsule, Kerisal and its captain, Jakob Mendelsson confirmed their location: almost precisely in the middle of the emergence zone.
Did you doubt my ability? the blackhawk asked, slightly affronted, as Jakob made sure of their location.
You know how twitchy Earth's Strategic Defence network is, he replied with a smile. I would really hate to be on the receiving end of a combat-wasp salvo because of a mistake.
Very well, was the slightly mollified response.
Just then, the speaker above Jakob's acceleration couch crackled into life. "Unidentified blackhawk, this is Earth Defence Command. Please identify yourself and transmit your ASA code."
"Earth Defence, this is the blackhawk Kerisal, Jakob Medelssson commanding, Tranquillity registration. Our Tranquillity registration code is Alpha-Tango-Golf-Bravo-Six-Eight-Eight-Four-Nine-Echo. I request approach and docking clearance for the Supra-Brazil orbital tower."
"Clearance granted, Kerisal. Maintain acceleration of one gee. Your docking point is pedestal three-six-Alpha."
"Thank you, Earth Defence. Kerisal out."
I wonder why the Lord of Ruin thought this mission was so important? the blackhawk asked, clearly having thought about it.
I have no idea.
I wonder if it has anything to do with what happened last week?
Jakob shuddered, remembering the wave of black terror that had swept through the affinity band. Both the blackhawk and himself had been driven nearly into catatonia, which wasn't helped by the physical injuries suffered by Jakob due to the sheer affinity power projected by any habitat. Damaged affinity symbionts, damage to his medulla oblongata, minor cerebral haemorrhage...
I was worried for you, the blackhawk said softly, obviously picking up on the flow of Jakob's thoughts.
But we managed to pull through, Jakob replied. That's all that matters.
Yes.
The remainder of the trip to the orbital tower terminal was completed in silence, as two minds worked on the tricky navigation of the crowded space of the Earth/O'Neill Halo system.
****
Los Angeles Police Department Precinct Headquarters
Sunnydale Dome, Los Angeles Arcology
2nd June, 2614
Amanda was monitoring the station's AI as it tried to find more details of the pattern of the brewing Downtown gang war. Since the Light Bringer sects were now being targeted, the Commissioner now had AT teams on standby in the confident expectation that they would not meekly accept their losses, and would strike back as soon as possible.
In fact, there was a highly unofficial betting pool doing the rounds of the station regarding how long it would be before the sects launched a counter-attack. Amanda had her money on tonight.
Suddenly, she was jerked from the reverie by an alert signalling that there was an incoming datavise. After checking to ensure that there were no virals in the incoming message and that the sender was authorised to send the message, she alerted the captain.
"What is it, Matthews?" he asked as he arrived.
"Incoming message, sir. The headers indicate it's from Govcentral, but it's also marked as being relayed from... Tranquillity?"
"Why would the Lord of Ruin send us a message?" Henderson mused.
"Even stranger, sir, is the fact that it's also been marked as the highest possible priority and heavily encrypted."
"Open it up and let's take a look at it."
Amanda applied the decryption algorithm and opened the file. It was a huge file, indicating that it was some form of audio-visual format. She maintained her link to the AI as it played the file into Henderson's neural nanonics, both the check the integrity of the data and to run a real-time virus check.
Henderson knew that she was accessing the file as well, but didn't mind. He closed his eyes as the data poured into his neural nanonics, and through them, into his brain.
It was the data taken from Xander's debrief nanonics.
Henderson found that he didn't need the simulated emotion-analogues, as his mind was busy manufacturing his own horror. Vampires. Demons. The end of the world, averted a number of times through the efforts of a small group of teenagers.
These things make the possessed look like nice guys, he thought dazedly.
He noticed that Matthews' eyes were as wide as physically possible for a human, and her face had gone pale.
****
Amanda had gone into shock, but not for the reason that the captain thought. The reason for her shock was the revelation of the source of the data.
Alexander Harris? The First Slayerette? HERE? How did that happen? I've got to tell Cat somehow...
"Matthews?" she heard Henderson ask, but it didn't fully register. "Amanda?"
That got her attention. "Yes, captain?"
"Run this new information through the AI and see what it throws back at us, will you?" he asked gently.
Amanda didn't have to resort to an AI as she already knew what the likely result would be, but she did so anyway, just for the confirmation.
"With the new data, the AI reports a one hundred percent match with the data in the file." She took a breath to steady herself before dropping the bombshell. "Vampires are active in the Sunnydale Dome."
****
Vampire nest
Sunnydale Dome, Los Angeles arcology
2nd June, 2614
Henrik Jonsson was not a happy Master Vampire.
Not that Master Vampires are ever really happy, but on this occasion, he was in a high fury.
"THERE ARE TWO SLAYERS IN LOS ANGELES???" he roared, as every minion who could find even the smallest excuse left the room. Unfortunately, that option did not exist for the minion cringing in front of him.
Just then Damien, Jonsson's deputy, stepped forward and placed a hand on Jonsson's shoulder. "Perhaps you should let him explain, Master. You can always kill him if his answer is inadequate."
At that, Jonsson's fury abated - but only very slightly. "Explain yourself," he said from between clenched teeth.
"We were carrying out our surveillance on the Slayer when she encountered a large group of vampires. She immediately broke contact and ran for her life. We kept up our surveillance as she ran. She engaged the vampires chasing her in a running fight, managing to eliminate twenty-one of the thirty chasing her.
"Suddenly, someone instructed her to find cover, which she did. A group of people who I had not seen then opened fire on the pursuing vampires with heavy weapons, killing them all. The reason I did not see them became apparent soon afterwards - they were wearing chameleon suits, which they deactivated before moving to aid her. After providing basic medical attention, she introduced herself as the Slayer. One of the group, a young woman, also introduced herself as a Slayer.
"They then returned to their base of operations. I followed them there, remaining unseen. I returned here directly." The fledgling completed his report and remained in a kneeling position, awaiting judgement.
"Where is the rest of your group?" Damien asked as Jonsson contemplated this new information.
The fledgling looked up for the first time since his interrogation started. "They have not returned?"
"No, they have not," Jonsson snarled. "It seems that they have fallen foul of this group you describe. Get out of my sight while I think about what to do with you."
Glad to be escaping with his unlife, even if it was possible that it was only temporary, the fledgling sketched a gesture of obeisance and fled.
Damien turned an inquisitive glance at Jonsson and raised an eyebrow as if to ask, "Well? What now?"
Answering the unspoken question, Jonsson said, "Gather as many of my servants as possible and issue the weapons. We attack tomorrow night."
"What of the situation with the Light Bringer sects, Master? And such overt action cannot help but be noticed by the authorities." After all, a large part of the plan was to ensure that the Govcentral agencies did not notice their activities.
"To hell with the sects, and to hell with the authorities," Jonsson growled, and then turned a baleful glare on Damien. "Speaking of authority, the next time you question mine will be your last."
"I did not mean to question your authority, Master," Damien back-pedalled. "I was merely raising a point of concern regarding the plan."
This seemed to mollify Jonsson somewhat. "Concern noted. But think on this: one Slayer we had made allowances for. Two Slayers with a support group pose a far greater risk." His gaze moved to the trophy wall.
More specifically, Slayer Summers' skull and the hologram of the Slayerettes. Damien followed his gaze and nodded in understanding. Despite their youth and lack of training, the Slayerettes had thwarted the plans of those far more powerful than themselves on many occasions.
It now looked likely that the Slayerette organization has survived to this day. Add to that the far more efficient weaponry available...
Damien shuddered involuntarily, and Jonsson nodded. "You understand, then, why we must take action now."
Damien nodded. "The Slayers, and all that aid them, die tomorrow night."