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}
'The so-called 'New Men' on the Council countered those claims by pointing out the lamentably short lifespan of most Slayers. Speed, strength and weapons skills were one thing, the argument ran. Imagine what would be possible if the Slayer was able to survive long enough to add experience to those skills. For an example, they pointed to Slayer Summers - still alive and active at the time of writing - and the support group that she had mustered. If one could do it, the argument continued, why not others?
'Another thing that enraged the New Men was the Cruciamentum. Slayers die before their time as it is, they pointed out, so why subject them to a ritual that three out of four do not live through?
'The whole debate came to a head after the Slayerettes' greatest victory - the fight against Glorificus. Seeing this as vindication for their beliefs, the New Men tried to obtain Inner Council support for their methods, but were quashed by the traditionalists.
'Infuriated, the New Men quit in disgust and set up operations in Sunnydale, helping the Slayerettes.'
-From 'Schism: The Division of the Watcher's Council' (2004) Rupert Giles
Slayerette Headquarters
Sunnydale Dome, Los Angeles arcology
2nd June, 2614
"Make yourself at home", Alex said as he palmed open the entrance to the Slayerette base of operations. "If you want something to eat or drink, the kitchen's just down that hallway there."
Elizabeth followed the Slayerettes as they returned home from their patrol. She didn't know what to expect, but she certainly didn't expect a large, comfortably furnished series of room. It was much better than the small apartment that she shared with her Watcher.
"God, these things are annoying," Alex muttered as he started to peel his chameleon suit off. "You'd think that some bright person would come up with a 'can't-see-me' suit that didn't cause you to nearly die of dehydration and drowning in your own sweat..." he voice trailed off as, out of the corner of his eye, Elizabeth staring at him. Smothering a grin, he continued, "Well, I'm going for a shower. Let me know if anything important happens."
"Self, self, self," Cat chided gently. "That's all you think of, isn't it?"
Elizabeth managed to shake off the shock she had been in since her rescue. "Wh-what is this place?" she asked tentatively.
"Our home, and base of operations," another member of the group who had been introduced as Michael, answered. "The fact that it is our home is useful, 'cause vamps have tried to take us out of play a few times over the years."
"How can you afford something like this?" she asked, looking around her in amazement.
Even though he was halfway to one of the doors leading out of the room, Alex fielded the question. "We've all got jobs, which goes a long way. As for the rest... well, my sister is a genius with computer systems. A little tweak here, a switched number there, and we own this place free and clear."
"Your sister?" Elizabeth asked, looking around as if to try to work out which person could be related to Alex.
"Yeah. Oh, she's not here right now, since she's currently on night shift as the station. But she should be here before too long. Now, there's a shower here with my name on it..." With that parting comment, he went to find the aforementioned shower.
Elizabeth turned to the others, curiosity all over her face. "Station? Does that mean his sister is..."
"A police officer, yes," Cat finished for her. "She also holds the official post of Research Girl for our little group."
"Which is damned useful at times," Michael put in. "Since sometimes the police pick up information that we can't."
"Do you mind?" Cat asked in a slightly peeved tone of voice. Grabbing Elizabeth by the arm, she hauled an unresisting fellow Slayer to a nearby sofa. "And don't you guys have equipment to check?"
"Yeah, alright."
"'Yeah, alright' what?" Cat demanded, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips.
"Yes, O Mighty Slayer, She Who Must Be Obeyed," Michael replied, smiling himself.
"And don't you forget it."
Cat guided Elizabeth to a seat on the sofa, and sat down next to her. "I suppose you're full of questions right now." When Elizabeth nodded, she continued. "I bet that number one on the list is 'Who are you?', right?"
Elizabeth nodded again, and Cat sighed. "Not feeling talkative? That's all right. To answer the question, though... we're called the Slayerettes. At the end of the twentieth century, there was only one Slayer, and her name was Elizabeth Summers.
"Not long after she was Called, she encountered a Master Vampire by the name of Lothos. She eventually killed him, but her Watcher died in the process, along with a number of high school students, who were killed when Lothos' minions attacked a high school to get at Summers.
"Soon after that, she moved to the town of Sunnydale - which was near here, incidentally - and started high school there. The first friends she made there were Alexander Harris, Willow Rosenberg and Jesse Burnham. Alexander was the first to discover that Summers was the Slayer, when she saved him and Willow from a group of vampires.
"He insisted on helping her, especially after Jesse was turned and Alexander was forced to stake him. He even coined the term 'Slayerette' to describe them. Since that day, anyone who has helped a Slayer has been called a Slayerette. It's become slightly more formal over the years, but that's basically it."
Cat decided to leave out the bit about how eventually the Watcher's Council split over the issue. Thinking about the Watchers raised another issue...
"Elizabeth," she asked slowly, "when you ran into that large group of vampires, did you let your Watcher know you were in trouble?"
Elizabeth nodded. "Standard procedure. It's to ensure that no Slayer simply vanishes, as several have in the past."
"And has your Watcher tried to get in touch with you since?"
"No," Elizabeth replied, awful realisation setting in. "He hasn't."
"Try again," Cat suggested, trying not to let the dreadful certainty in her thoughts infect her voice. She sat quietly, trying not to pay too much attention to the flickering of emotions crossing Elizabeth's face as she repeatedly tried to raise her Watcher.
"Nothing," Elizabeth said after a few minutes, anguish marring her features. "Not even an acknowledgement from his neural nanonics."
"BASTARD!" Cat suddenly yelled, causing Elizabeth to jump. "He probably figured that you were as good as dead when he heard that you were up against thirty vampires and instructed his neural nanonics to ignore anything that came from you."
"Surely, he wouldn't do that... would he?" Elizabeth asked softly, unsure of what answer she would get.
"I wouldn't put it past those bastards. HEY, RESEARCH BOY!" Cat called out. "Get your British butt in here!"
"I know your manners are a lost cause, Catherine," an English-accented voice said, "but you do have neural nanonics. Surely it would have been simpler to simply send a brief message, instead of... oh, my."
The owner of the voice, a sandy-haired man in his late thirties, entered the room from a different door than the one Alexander had left from. "This is an interesting situation. When you informed me via datavise that something interesting had cropped up, I had no idea that this is what you meant."
"She followed me home, Will," Cat said with a grin and a wink to Elizabeth that earned a tentative smile in return. "Can I keep her?"
"I suppose I shall have to add 'sense of humour' to your list of lost causes, Catherine," the man identified as Will replied with a sigh. Turning to Elizabeth, he introduced himself. "William Goldsmith, formerly of the Council of Watchers, at your service," he said, bowing slightly. "And you are?"
"Elizabeth Baker, Vampire Slayer," Elizabeth replied, extending her hand.
"Delighted to meet you," William said, shaking Elizabeth's hand. "I'm sure there is a good reason as to why both Active Slayers are here," he continued.
"She's been abandoned, Will," Cat said with certainty. "The bastard pretending to be her Watcher cut off all contact when she reported that she was in deep shit."
"That is a serious charge to make, Catherine. Are you certain that this is what happened?"
"Well, he didn't respond to her initial report, Will, and he hasn't tried to get in to contact with her since. When you add in the fact that he's ignoring all attempts to get into contact with him, can it sound like anything else?" Cat said, and Elizabeth nodded her agreement with the stated facts.
A brief display of anger flickered across William's face. "I shall see what can be done to remedy the situation. But I make no promises," he said after a moment's thought.
"That's all I can ask for Will," Cat said with a smile. "C'mon Liz, let's get some food into you."
****
Light Bringer sect coven
Sunnydale dome, Los Angeles arcology
2nd June, 2614
The Magus surveyed the assembled acolytes. All present were heavily armed with a variety of weapons, including TIP rifles, maser carbines and X-ray laser rifles. All were also riding an aggression high, stoked by his carefully selected words, and ready to rip apart the members of the 'vampire' gang with their bare hands.
"These 'vampires' have declared war on God's Brother with their abduction and murder of our brothers. They think that they are stronger than us, smarter than us, more ruthless than us. Well, they are wrong!
"Tonight, they learn a lesson in violence. Tonight, we take the fight back to them. Tonight, the call is 'Cry Havoc, and let loose the dogs of war!'
"FOR GOD'S BROTHER!!"
"GOD'S BROTHER!"
He smiled as the acolytes surged from the room, led by their Senior Acolytes and guided by their Sergeant Acolytes. This should prove amusing.
****
Vampire nest
Sunnydale dome, Los Angeles arcology
2nd June, 2614
Jonsson watched on as his minions continued their preparations for the assault on the Slayers. A fairly impressive collection of weapons had been gathered and, although some had grumbled, his minions were preparing them for tomorrow night's assault with all due care and diligence.
The Order of Teraka was taking so long to respond to his message that he was starting to wonder if they had received it. No matter, he thought. There are always targets worthy of the Order's attention.
His thoughts were interrupted by one of his minions, who abased herself and said, "Master, we are being approached on three sides by persons unknown. They are, however, suspected to be members of the Light Bringer sects."
Jonsson growled in anger. It was annoying that the Light Bringer sects had chosen this moment to launch a retaliatory strike on his lair, but there should be enough minions and weapons present to deal with this threat.
The main concern was not the Light Bringers. It was the LAPD AT teams that would be dispatched to the scene of any large battle in the Downtown areas that was the main concern. Even if his followers won the battle, he would still be forced to relocate to one of his fallback lairs, which was not something he particularly wanted to do.
But he had no choice.
"Begin preparations to relocate to Emergency Location Two," he ordered. "And begin the issuing of weapons and the taking up of defensive positions. How many sect members are involved in this attack?" he asked, almost as an afterthought.
"Uncertain, Master," the minion replied. "Hundreds, certainly."
Jonsson growled again. Dealing with that many sect members most certainly would draw the attention of the LAPD AT teams. And even victory against such numbers would be expensive.
He started barking out orders that shifted the focus of activity in the nest from preparations for an offensive to defensive preparations combined with preparations to relocate. The first items packed away were Jonsson's trophies, which were carried through a hatch in the floor into a tunnel leading to one of the myriad of utility tunnels that wove maze-like under the arcology.
Next were the relics required for the Summoning, which was now on a more uncertain timetable.
Then there followed the supplies required to keep a nest running, especially the blood reserves that would feed the inhabitants when hunting was not possible.
Finally, the minimum number of vampires required to conduct the Summoning followed, closing and codelocking the hatch after themselves.
The nest was ready for war.