*****For all of you who have left reviews, I just wanna say Wow.. also I'm
sorry for taking so long. Once again my life took a wacky turn and my
ability to concentrate on this was.. well.. completely gone. At any rate,
as with my other chapter stories, I am hell bent on completing this. So
just be patient and hopefully enjoy this new chapter. Thank You (
Which Witch
Dawn could hear here sister's footfalls getting closer. Even with the young teen pushing her limits, she knew she would never be able to outrun her preternaturally fast Slayer sibling.
She turned yet another corner and saw a door to her right sliding shut. Without thinking, she leapt through the slight opening left before is swooshed completely closed behind her, getting some air with her leap and landing on something that had been standing just beyond the doors opening.
It wasn't until she rolled off her stomach and pushed herself into a somewhat sitting position that she saw that the something was actually a someone. She scrambled to scoot herself backwards but found a wall mere inches behind her. With no way to escape the penetrating stare of the young boy giving her a very dirty look she started to apologize franticly. "I'm so sorry. I was just trying to-" She cut her own words off while her mind tried to come up with a reasonable explanation for tumbling into the klingon child.
Alexander, who simply stood himself back up and glared at the human, waited for the reason he'd had the air knocked out of him.
While Dawn straightened herself up from the floor and stood, her mind had reverted to the best tactic available for her explanation. Rambling. "I was trying to get away from my sister, who is so gonna kill me when she figures out that I have, once again, screwed everything up. Everything I do always messes up. And I'm just a kid, I don't what's going on. And how was I supposed to know it would work. I'm just a Key, not a witch, and who just lets a kid go reading spells like that anyway? A book sure, cuz Willow gave me the book, but it didn't even have actual spells or anything." She took a breath, finally.
Alexander's face went from anger to confusion in record time. "Witch? Spell?" The English rolled out of his mouth without a thought. After all, it was the language he had used with his mother until her death, and the one he generally used without even thinking about it.
He studied the unfamiliar girl for a moment, wondering if the Enterprise had a group of visitors. Usually if there were children among a visiting entourage he would hear of it from his father as the dutiful head of security prepared any extra safety measures, although often unaware of how much his curious offspring overheard. Alexander was understandably surprised to see the human teen. One he had no knowledge of. Quickly his mind went over possibilities that could relate the young woman's words.
Often parents that brought their children for visits, rather a long or short excursions, would direct them towards a form of entertainment while business was handled with whomever they had come to see. Inwardly, The boy decided the only explanation possible, that might connect to witches, or spells, and an angry sibling. "A holodeck program?" He asked.
"Hu?" Dawn's mind left whatever words she was trying to decide on saying next, which mostly contained more apologies. Then she recognized the child, much shorter then she and realized how strange her previous statements must have sounded. She began nodding franticly. "Y-yeah. The holodeck. We were playing a game.. on-on the holodeck. I made her loose. Um.. " She looked past the boy to the door of the small enclosure and then took in exactly where she was. One of those elevators. Turbolift thingies. "I think I better let her cool off. You know, no fighting, cuz fighting is.. bad." Yeah sure, that made sense. A perfectly logical explanation.. to make.. to a child.. of a race of warriors.
She sighed inwardly, wondering how she got herself into these situations.
Alexander wasn't sure why, but he was fairly sure she wasn't telling the whole truth. Still, she was obviously a guest on the Enterprise. She was most definitely distraught over something. His relationship with Deanna Troi had at least taught him to recognize that. And although another impulse told him that he should report the missing girl to a family member who may very well be looking for her, he also thought that from the look on the brunettes face, a 'cooling down' period might need to come first. He went with his first instinct. "Well, if you want to, you can come with me. I was going to Ten-Forward. Guinan promised to let me try one of the Counselor's favorite deserts."
Perplexed at the quick turn of events, Dawn numbly nodded, then heard the young boy call out to the walls. "Deck Ten-Forward." Then the almost undetectable movement beneath her feet began.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Buffy grumbled when the arrows came to a halt pointing to a door embedded in the wall of the long winding corridor. She shook here head and took two more steps towards the entrance, triggering the mechanism that caused the door to slide open with a swoosh she suddenly found extremely annoying.
Scanning the area as she entered, Buffy found the same people there that had been when she abruptly ran out only minutes earlier. Willow still laid on the bed unmoving, but for the steady rise and fall of her chest as she breathed. Spike was now leaning uncaring against the wall a few feet from her best friend. The Three uniformed humans were discussing the entire situation and the orderlies, still walked back and forth, organizing and reorganizing the medical instruments and other things she couldn't begin to put names to.
Spike looked up and straightened himself up when she entered. "Where's the Bit?"
Buffy shrugged. "Lost her in that maze of halls." She looked back at the Captain. "You know, you really should have little maps out there. Like in shopping malls, with a little arrow. You know, 'you are here'?"
The Captain took in the worry etched on the young woman's face. Her quips aside, she had genuine concern for her sister's safety. "Commander Riker has already ordered security to search for your sister."
Even as Picard informed the slayer, the first officer was amending the order for the search to one young human female, along with a quick description of the girl's appearance.
Buffy listened intently, acquiescing to the help offered. As much as she'd like to be the one to find here sister, this was not a cemetery, nor Sunnydale, or even her dimension. She was all but helpless. A situation she was never accustom to, and did not enjoy. "Thanks."
Picard softened his gaze and was about to say something else when the com rang out. "Captain Picard."
He quickly tapped the insignia on his Chest. "Yes, Data."
"Captain," The voice began. "We have just received a partial transmission from Mandos Three. It appears to be a distress call, but the transmission was cut off before we could receive the full message."
The Captain sighed heavily. "On my way."
He nodded to his second in command. "Number One."
Riker understood easily and prepared to go with the elder man.
Before walking away, Picard glanced at the unusual trio in his sickbay, then addressed Beverly. "They will need universal translators, and accommodations until we can figure out what's to be done." He looked back at the blonde woman. "With your permission of course Miss Summers."
Strangely enough, she looked back at Spike before opening her mouth to answer, but the Captain was already heading out with the larger officer right behind him. "The Doctor will explain it." Jean-Luc called out, and the doors quickly opened, then closed after the two officers exited.
Buffy twisted her mouth with a little disgust at being brushed off. "Friendly isn't he." The statement could in no way be mistaken as a question. The easy sarcasm had the peroxide vampire chuckling to himself.
"The Captain is a busy man, and we can get you settled." The Doctor said as she prepared another instrument. This one looking a little like the syringe she had used earlier for Willow and Dawn, but somehow more foreboding. "Now, the implantation of the universal translator should be done right away." She began explaining, and headed towards Buffy. "It may sting for a moment, but you will have no more difficulty understanding what people are saying to you."
Buffy's eyes widened as the doctor continued her explanation. "In my ear?"
But both women were surprised to hear the vampire speak. "Bugger that. 'M not 'avin anymore things shoved into my cranium." The women looked at him, and the fearful eyes that stared at the instrument still in the grip of the redheaded woman. "Know plenty of languages, won't be needing it."
Buffy didn't even bother muffling her giggles. "Awww.. poo-oor Spikey."
"You shouldn't be laughing Slayer. It'll be the same lot for you."
"It's really quite simple." The Doctor interrupted. The last thing she wanted was repeat performance of the couples insatiable bickering. "I'm surprised it wasn't done when you were children." Then she rethought the statement, regarding when William had been a child. "Or at least Buffy, as a child."
The slayer shook her head, then looked up at the ceiling sending a memo to any higher power that happened to be around, and quickly shared her hatred for magic when it completely backfired in her face. She walked over to the center of the main room, then slid onto the empty medical bed in the main room Spike had been poking around in earlier. She nodded to the Doctor. "Alright."
As the woman in the blue lab coat moved towards Buffy, Spike realized he was now canoeing up shit creek, and the Slayer just tossed both oars off the sides.
Buffy squinted both eyes shut, waiting for what pain would come. So concentrated on the action, she didn't notice Dr. Crusher stepping away from her. "How is that?"
"Just do it. I'm ready." Buffy said, still with her eyes shut tight.
Spike watched with curiosity before cocking his head to the side. "That it Doc?"
Beverly glanced back at the vampire, and smiled easily. "That's it, William."
Buffy allowed her eyes to open, and saw the smiling woman looking at her. "You mean it's done?"
"Slayer, what was it that the Initiative called me?" Spike asked offhandedly.
"Hostile 17." Buffy answered, once again confused. "What's that got to do with anything?"
"Not a thing really, 'cept now you understand French." Spike gave her a cockeyed grin.
Buffy's face spread into a genuine grin. "Really?"
He nodded once, then eyed the doctor now holding a new, but duplicate, of the instrument she had held moments before. "Alright Doc. Go on. Do your worst."
Buffy smiled even wider. "Yeah, just remember to wash the area vigorously. with holy water."
"Hey now!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Picard stepped onto the bridge with his first officer right behind. The two gentlemen walked down the slight ramp to the seats in the command area "Report Mr. Data." The captain queried.
The Gold skinned android vacated his position in the center of the seats reserved for the newly entered officers. "Sir, the transmission originated on the southernmost continent, and for reasons we still cannot surmise, cut off before it's completion."
Data moved into his seat at ops and tapped at the black screen now in front of him at his post. A moment later the garbled words came through behind static and a squealing sound born of poor reception.
"To any ships in the area. This is Parsons, of the Mandos colony. We need immediate transport off the planet. The planet's," at this point the transmission was too full of static to make any sense as feint voice continued in the background. Then it resumed with a barely audible desperation. "Not prepared for the forces. Again, we need immediate evacuation off the planet." And the stream continued once again from it's beginning.
Picard turned to the bearded man to his right. "I'm afraid our mystery guests will have to wait."
"Agreed." Riker turned to the ops station. "Mr. Data, what information do we have on the Mandos colony?"
The man turned mechanicly in his seat and began spouting off what information he had already gathered, knowing the question would be asked. "The Mandos colony was established 32 years ago. They specifically requested Mandos Three because of the placement of the stars. The reason, although never fully explored, had to do with their unique religious practices."
"Unique?" The Captain asked.
"Yes, according to the information I could find, they are alchemists of a sort. But with beliefs ingrained that closely resemble those of witchcraft."
At this, the usually Quiet Security officer Spoke up. "Voodoo."
"Although often misinterpreted in non respected communities as voodoo, their practices do not seem to have any real connection to that ancient art Mr. Warf." Data continued. "It also may be of some interest that they have great respect to the witches sacrificed in the Virginia colonies in Earth's United stated of the late 18th century. Going so far as to celebrate the heroism of those who were put to death using several means such as water torture, hanging-"
"Thank you Mr. Data." Although informative, Data's 'of interest' side-notes tended to get rather longwinded for a man not requiring breath. "Set a course for Mandos Three, warp 7."
The android turned to face forward at his station and set the ship in motion.
Picard's mind began to race at the memories of the conversation that had taken place in the sickbay.
"Captain?" He heard the officer beside him call.
Jean-Luc took one deep breath, trying to clear his head before facing his bearded colleague. "Will, does it seem coincidental to you that a colony of self proclaimed witches are having trouble at the same time our impromptu visitors claim a spell was involved in their arrival?"
Riker leaned forward in his seat. "And a vampire? That is something out of mythology."
The captain nodded in agreement, and gave a small grunt as his minds began working again. Then he turned to His security chief. "Is there any word on the missing girl?"
"None, Sir. I have four teams looking for her starting from sickbay and working outward. With her assumed unfamiliarity of the ship, she couldn't have gone far."
"I'd like another team escorting the others." Picard looked back at Riker. "If the do have anything to do with the colony's problems, I want to know their movements."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Anya moved about the Summers's kitchen opening every cabinet, then closing it loudly. Interrupted only by little wines of disappointment or sighs. Her shoulders were slumped and the pout on her face couldn't be wiped away.
"Anya," Xander tried to explain for the third time in five minutes. "If Buffy had any cheese puffs, they'd be in the corner cabinet."
"Yes Anya. I see no reason to slam each of the doors. We understand you would like a snack." Giles added.
The ex demon turned, pout still firmly in place. "It was rude of you to eat all of the pizza before I could have any." She complained. "And I can't concentrate on an empty stomach."
"W-well, you could go to the store. We're going to be at this for awhile." Tara said, then saw Xander's face fall when she realized she had doomed them into a seriously long evening of research. And that was if they were lucky enough to find a solution in one night. "Sorry." She said and looked back down at the book trying desperately to find anything that could point to an answer.
"Yes, Anya." Giles pulled his billfold out of his jacket pocket and quickly pulled out a few bills. "Get yourself something to eat."
She frowned at the money in her hand. "Ten dollars? That would barely buy a decent meal."
"I thought you were after cheese puffs." Xander questioned. "Not real high on the monetary need then."
"But if I'm going to go out, I think I should get something more then a bag of munchies." At her boyfriend's frown she continued. "And of course I would be picking something up for all of us. Tea, or something for Giles. And You always like those crunchy corn chips that get crumbs all over the sheets that get into very uncomfortable places when we copulate."
Giles, still holding his wallet gave her several more bills. "Buy the store out of whatever you want. Just do stop referring to... crumbs."
The pout was instantly gone when she saw the money appear, replaced with glee. "I'm on it." She said, accentuating the statement with a shake of the fist now full of money. A quick peck on Xander's cheek and she was out the back door in a flash.
Tara raised an eyebrow and smiled a little at the older man's discomfort when it came to Anya's bluntness, and the distraction it usually caused.
"Uh, Giles, not to question that watcher wisdom, but you do know you just handed her a 50, and a 100?" Xander pointed out sheepishly.
"What?" Rupert asked unbelieving then opened his wallet to see only the other 2 five dollar bills and several one's he thought he had handed the young man's girl friend." He swiped the glasses from his face and tossed them on the counter. "Is there anything else that could possibly go wrong tonight?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Alexander was going on about the desert Deanna had introduced him to, but Dawn wasn't really paying attention as she looked over the space filled with unfamiliar faces. It was somehow surreal. The myriad of aliens sitting around congregating made her think of Willy's. Or at least what she thought Willy's must look like.
Different creatures intermixed with humans from wall to wall of the darkly luminated area. Tables were spaced neatly, giving the large room a quality that rang of home and not work. On the wall with the door they'd entered from was a large bar with unusually colored liquids in all kinds of bottles. Although it screamed drinking bar, it just didn't feel like one. And the fact that two young people were allowed to sit among the adults was proof of this.
While Dawn studied her new surroundings, a woman in a royal blue robe and an oddly shaped hat watched her silently before coming up beside the table the two youngsters had taken residence at. "Alexander. Are you here for that treat?" Guinan asked the klingon.
He nodded and smiled at the cocoa skinned woman.
"And who is your friend? I don't believe I've seen her before." She asked, looking at the girl seated across from one of her favorite children of the starship.
Dawn gave the woman a smile and extended her hand. "I'm Dawn. Alexander," Dawn nodded to the boy. "Said I could try a desert. Something the counselor likes." Going along with the situation, Dawn explained as simply as she could.
"Alright. That's two triple fudge delights then." The woman confirmed before leaving to make the treats.
Dawn was suddenly very excited. "Fudge. Yum."
Alexander was glad to see His new friend's face finally soften and smiled back.
Guinan swept behind the bar and tapped the small bad on her bar. "Security. I may have found your missing girl."
TBC
Which Witch
Dawn could hear here sister's footfalls getting closer. Even with the young teen pushing her limits, she knew she would never be able to outrun her preternaturally fast Slayer sibling.
She turned yet another corner and saw a door to her right sliding shut. Without thinking, she leapt through the slight opening left before is swooshed completely closed behind her, getting some air with her leap and landing on something that had been standing just beyond the doors opening.
It wasn't until she rolled off her stomach and pushed herself into a somewhat sitting position that she saw that the something was actually a someone. She scrambled to scoot herself backwards but found a wall mere inches behind her. With no way to escape the penetrating stare of the young boy giving her a very dirty look she started to apologize franticly. "I'm so sorry. I was just trying to-" She cut her own words off while her mind tried to come up with a reasonable explanation for tumbling into the klingon child.
Alexander, who simply stood himself back up and glared at the human, waited for the reason he'd had the air knocked out of him.
While Dawn straightened herself up from the floor and stood, her mind had reverted to the best tactic available for her explanation. Rambling. "I was trying to get away from my sister, who is so gonna kill me when she figures out that I have, once again, screwed everything up. Everything I do always messes up. And I'm just a kid, I don't what's going on. And how was I supposed to know it would work. I'm just a Key, not a witch, and who just lets a kid go reading spells like that anyway? A book sure, cuz Willow gave me the book, but it didn't even have actual spells or anything." She took a breath, finally.
Alexander's face went from anger to confusion in record time. "Witch? Spell?" The English rolled out of his mouth without a thought. After all, it was the language he had used with his mother until her death, and the one he generally used without even thinking about it.
He studied the unfamiliar girl for a moment, wondering if the Enterprise had a group of visitors. Usually if there were children among a visiting entourage he would hear of it from his father as the dutiful head of security prepared any extra safety measures, although often unaware of how much his curious offspring overheard. Alexander was understandably surprised to see the human teen. One he had no knowledge of. Quickly his mind went over possibilities that could relate the young woman's words.
Often parents that brought their children for visits, rather a long or short excursions, would direct them towards a form of entertainment while business was handled with whomever they had come to see. Inwardly, The boy decided the only explanation possible, that might connect to witches, or spells, and an angry sibling. "A holodeck program?" He asked.
"Hu?" Dawn's mind left whatever words she was trying to decide on saying next, which mostly contained more apologies. Then she recognized the child, much shorter then she and realized how strange her previous statements must have sounded. She began nodding franticly. "Y-yeah. The holodeck. We were playing a game.. on-on the holodeck. I made her loose. Um.. " She looked past the boy to the door of the small enclosure and then took in exactly where she was. One of those elevators. Turbolift thingies. "I think I better let her cool off. You know, no fighting, cuz fighting is.. bad." Yeah sure, that made sense. A perfectly logical explanation.. to make.. to a child.. of a race of warriors.
She sighed inwardly, wondering how she got herself into these situations.
Alexander wasn't sure why, but he was fairly sure she wasn't telling the whole truth. Still, she was obviously a guest on the Enterprise. She was most definitely distraught over something. His relationship with Deanna Troi had at least taught him to recognize that. And although another impulse told him that he should report the missing girl to a family member who may very well be looking for her, he also thought that from the look on the brunettes face, a 'cooling down' period might need to come first. He went with his first instinct. "Well, if you want to, you can come with me. I was going to Ten-Forward. Guinan promised to let me try one of the Counselor's favorite deserts."
Perplexed at the quick turn of events, Dawn numbly nodded, then heard the young boy call out to the walls. "Deck Ten-Forward." Then the almost undetectable movement beneath her feet began.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Buffy grumbled when the arrows came to a halt pointing to a door embedded in the wall of the long winding corridor. She shook here head and took two more steps towards the entrance, triggering the mechanism that caused the door to slide open with a swoosh she suddenly found extremely annoying.
Scanning the area as she entered, Buffy found the same people there that had been when she abruptly ran out only minutes earlier. Willow still laid on the bed unmoving, but for the steady rise and fall of her chest as she breathed. Spike was now leaning uncaring against the wall a few feet from her best friend. The Three uniformed humans were discussing the entire situation and the orderlies, still walked back and forth, organizing and reorganizing the medical instruments and other things she couldn't begin to put names to.
Spike looked up and straightened himself up when she entered. "Where's the Bit?"
Buffy shrugged. "Lost her in that maze of halls." She looked back at the Captain. "You know, you really should have little maps out there. Like in shopping malls, with a little arrow. You know, 'you are here'?"
The Captain took in the worry etched on the young woman's face. Her quips aside, she had genuine concern for her sister's safety. "Commander Riker has already ordered security to search for your sister."
Even as Picard informed the slayer, the first officer was amending the order for the search to one young human female, along with a quick description of the girl's appearance.
Buffy listened intently, acquiescing to the help offered. As much as she'd like to be the one to find here sister, this was not a cemetery, nor Sunnydale, or even her dimension. She was all but helpless. A situation she was never accustom to, and did not enjoy. "Thanks."
Picard softened his gaze and was about to say something else when the com rang out. "Captain Picard."
He quickly tapped the insignia on his Chest. "Yes, Data."
"Captain," The voice began. "We have just received a partial transmission from Mandos Three. It appears to be a distress call, but the transmission was cut off before we could receive the full message."
The Captain sighed heavily. "On my way."
He nodded to his second in command. "Number One."
Riker understood easily and prepared to go with the elder man.
Before walking away, Picard glanced at the unusual trio in his sickbay, then addressed Beverly. "They will need universal translators, and accommodations until we can figure out what's to be done." He looked back at the blonde woman. "With your permission of course Miss Summers."
Strangely enough, she looked back at Spike before opening her mouth to answer, but the Captain was already heading out with the larger officer right behind him. "The Doctor will explain it." Jean-Luc called out, and the doors quickly opened, then closed after the two officers exited.
Buffy twisted her mouth with a little disgust at being brushed off. "Friendly isn't he." The statement could in no way be mistaken as a question. The easy sarcasm had the peroxide vampire chuckling to himself.
"The Captain is a busy man, and we can get you settled." The Doctor said as she prepared another instrument. This one looking a little like the syringe she had used earlier for Willow and Dawn, but somehow more foreboding. "Now, the implantation of the universal translator should be done right away." She began explaining, and headed towards Buffy. "It may sting for a moment, but you will have no more difficulty understanding what people are saying to you."
Buffy's eyes widened as the doctor continued her explanation. "In my ear?"
But both women were surprised to hear the vampire speak. "Bugger that. 'M not 'avin anymore things shoved into my cranium." The women looked at him, and the fearful eyes that stared at the instrument still in the grip of the redheaded woman. "Know plenty of languages, won't be needing it."
Buffy didn't even bother muffling her giggles. "Awww.. poo-oor Spikey."
"You shouldn't be laughing Slayer. It'll be the same lot for you."
"It's really quite simple." The Doctor interrupted. The last thing she wanted was repeat performance of the couples insatiable bickering. "I'm surprised it wasn't done when you were children." Then she rethought the statement, regarding when William had been a child. "Or at least Buffy, as a child."
The slayer shook her head, then looked up at the ceiling sending a memo to any higher power that happened to be around, and quickly shared her hatred for magic when it completely backfired in her face. She walked over to the center of the main room, then slid onto the empty medical bed in the main room Spike had been poking around in earlier. She nodded to the Doctor. "Alright."
As the woman in the blue lab coat moved towards Buffy, Spike realized he was now canoeing up shit creek, and the Slayer just tossed both oars off the sides.
Buffy squinted both eyes shut, waiting for what pain would come. So concentrated on the action, she didn't notice Dr. Crusher stepping away from her. "How is that?"
"Just do it. I'm ready." Buffy said, still with her eyes shut tight.
Spike watched with curiosity before cocking his head to the side. "That it Doc?"
Beverly glanced back at the vampire, and smiled easily. "That's it, William."
Buffy allowed her eyes to open, and saw the smiling woman looking at her. "You mean it's done?"
"Slayer, what was it that the Initiative called me?" Spike asked offhandedly.
"Hostile 17." Buffy answered, once again confused. "What's that got to do with anything?"
"Not a thing really, 'cept now you understand French." Spike gave her a cockeyed grin.
Buffy's face spread into a genuine grin. "Really?"
He nodded once, then eyed the doctor now holding a new, but duplicate, of the instrument she had held moments before. "Alright Doc. Go on. Do your worst."
Buffy smiled even wider. "Yeah, just remember to wash the area vigorously. with holy water."
"Hey now!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Picard stepped onto the bridge with his first officer right behind. The two gentlemen walked down the slight ramp to the seats in the command area "Report Mr. Data." The captain queried.
The Gold skinned android vacated his position in the center of the seats reserved for the newly entered officers. "Sir, the transmission originated on the southernmost continent, and for reasons we still cannot surmise, cut off before it's completion."
Data moved into his seat at ops and tapped at the black screen now in front of him at his post. A moment later the garbled words came through behind static and a squealing sound born of poor reception.
"To any ships in the area. This is Parsons, of the Mandos colony. We need immediate transport off the planet. The planet's," at this point the transmission was too full of static to make any sense as feint voice continued in the background. Then it resumed with a barely audible desperation. "Not prepared for the forces. Again, we need immediate evacuation off the planet." And the stream continued once again from it's beginning.
Picard turned to the bearded man to his right. "I'm afraid our mystery guests will have to wait."
"Agreed." Riker turned to the ops station. "Mr. Data, what information do we have on the Mandos colony?"
The man turned mechanicly in his seat and began spouting off what information he had already gathered, knowing the question would be asked. "The Mandos colony was established 32 years ago. They specifically requested Mandos Three because of the placement of the stars. The reason, although never fully explored, had to do with their unique religious practices."
"Unique?" The Captain asked.
"Yes, according to the information I could find, they are alchemists of a sort. But with beliefs ingrained that closely resemble those of witchcraft."
At this, the usually Quiet Security officer Spoke up. "Voodoo."
"Although often misinterpreted in non respected communities as voodoo, their practices do not seem to have any real connection to that ancient art Mr. Warf." Data continued. "It also may be of some interest that they have great respect to the witches sacrificed in the Virginia colonies in Earth's United stated of the late 18th century. Going so far as to celebrate the heroism of those who were put to death using several means such as water torture, hanging-"
"Thank you Mr. Data." Although informative, Data's 'of interest' side-notes tended to get rather longwinded for a man not requiring breath. "Set a course for Mandos Three, warp 7."
The android turned to face forward at his station and set the ship in motion.
Picard's mind began to race at the memories of the conversation that had taken place in the sickbay.
"Captain?" He heard the officer beside him call.
Jean-Luc took one deep breath, trying to clear his head before facing his bearded colleague. "Will, does it seem coincidental to you that a colony of self proclaimed witches are having trouble at the same time our impromptu visitors claim a spell was involved in their arrival?"
Riker leaned forward in his seat. "And a vampire? That is something out of mythology."
The captain nodded in agreement, and gave a small grunt as his minds began working again. Then he turned to His security chief. "Is there any word on the missing girl?"
"None, Sir. I have four teams looking for her starting from sickbay and working outward. With her assumed unfamiliarity of the ship, she couldn't have gone far."
"I'd like another team escorting the others." Picard looked back at Riker. "If the do have anything to do with the colony's problems, I want to know their movements."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Anya moved about the Summers's kitchen opening every cabinet, then closing it loudly. Interrupted only by little wines of disappointment or sighs. Her shoulders were slumped and the pout on her face couldn't be wiped away.
"Anya," Xander tried to explain for the third time in five minutes. "If Buffy had any cheese puffs, they'd be in the corner cabinet."
"Yes Anya. I see no reason to slam each of the doors. We understand you would like a snack." Giles added.
The ex demon turned, pout still firmly in place. "It was rude of you to eat all of the pizza before I could have any." She complained. "And I can't concentrate on an empty stomach."
"W-well, you could go to the store. We're going to be at this for awhile." Tara said, then saw Xander's face fall when she realized she had doomed them into a seriously long evening of research. And that was if they were lucky enough to find a solution in one night. "Sorry." She said and looked back down at the book trying desperately to find anything that could point to an answer.
"Yes, Anya." Giles pulled his billfold out of his jacket pocket and quickly pulled out a few bills. "Get yourself something to eat."
She frowned at the money in her hand. "Ten dollars? That would barely buy a decent meal."
"I thought you were after cheese puffs." Xander questioned. "Not real high on the monetary need then."
"But if I'm going to go out, I think I should get something more then a bag of munchies." At her boyfriend's frown she continued. "And of course I would be picking something up for all of us. Tea, or something for Giles. And You always like those crunchy corn chips that get crumbs all over the sheets that get into very uncomfortable places when we copulate."
Giles, still holding his wallet gave her several more bills. "Buy the store out of whatever you want. Just do stop referring to... crumbs."
The pout was instantly gone when she saw the money appear, replaced with glee. "I'm on it." She said, accentuating the statement with a shake of the fist now full of money. A quick peck on Xander's cheek and she was out the back door in a flash.
Tara raised an eyebrow and smiled a little at the older man's discomfort when it came to Anya's bluntness, and the distraction it usually caused.
"Uh, Giles, not to question that watcher wisdom, but you do know you just handed her a 50, and a 100?" Xander pointed out sheepishly.
"What?" Rupert asked unbelieving then opened his wallet to see only the other 2 five dollar bills and several one's he thought he had handed the young man's girl friend." He swiped the glasses from his face and tossed them on the counter. "Is there anything else that could possibly go wrong tonight?"
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Alexander was going on about the desert Deanna had introduced him to, but Dawn wasn't really paying attention as she looked over the space filled with unfamiliar faces. It was somehow surreal. The myriad of aliens sitting around congregating made her think of Willy's. Or at least what she thought Willy's must look like.
Different creatures intermixed with humans from wall to wall of the darkly luminated area. Tables were spaced neatly, giving the large room a quality that rang of home and not work. On the wall with the door they'd entered from was a large bar with unusually colored liquids in all kinds of bottles. Although it screamed drinking bar, it just didn't feel like one. And the fact that two young people were allowed to sit among the adults was proof of this.
While Dawn studied her new surroundings, a woman in a royal blue robe and an oddly shaped hat watched her silently before coming up beside the table the two youngsters had taken residence at. "Alexander. Are you here for that treat?" Guinan asked the klingon.
He nodded and smiled at the cocoa skinned woman.
"And who is your friend? I don't believe I've seen her before." She asked, looking at the girl seated across from one of her favorite children of the starship.
Dawn gave the woman a smile and extended her hand. "I'm Dawn. Alexander," Dawn nodded to the boy. "Said I could try a desert. Something the counselor likes." Going along with the situation, Dawn explained as simply as she could.
"Alright. That's two triple fudge delights then." The woman confirmed before leaving to make the treats.
Dawn was suddenly very excited. "Fudge. Yum."
Alexander was glad to see His new friend's face finally soften and smiled back.
Guinan swept behind the bar and tapped the small bad on her bar. "Security. I may have found your missing girl."
TBC