Giles looked at his Slayer, stunned.
"You're joking?"
"I certainly am not," her face took on a stubborn expression and he sighed inwardly. He knew that face so well and knew that there was no chance of getting round her now she had made her mind up.
"Why am I staying?" he asked quietly but was interrupted by Anya speaking hopefully.
"Am I staying?"
"No. You're coming with me."
The vengeance demon's face fell. "Why do I have to come? I don't want to save the galaxy."
Buffy rolled her eyes "Anya, don't be difficult." The vengeance demon folded her arms huffily.
"Why do I have to go into perilous danger? Why can't Willow go?" Another glare from Buffy quietened her down but she couldn't help pouting a little.
"I don't quite understand the idea Miss Summers" General Hammond said bemused.
She turned to him. "I think that we should split into two teams. One going to take this Ahmose guy out and the other team staying here in case we get into trouble. Giles, Willow and Dawn should stay. Giles, we'll need you if we get into trouble, same for Willow. Dawn is too young."
"I'm always too young" Dawn grumbled. "You said you were going to be less protective of me."
"I am" Buffy said crisply. "You're too young to pass as a slave girl."
"Actually…" Daniel was about to speak but O'Neill kicked him hard on the leg causing his eyes to water. All faces had already turned to him and he carried on speaking quickly. "She's right. You're too young."
Dawn shot him one of her best smiles but Buffy carried on quickly.
"I think the first group that goes should consist of me, Anya, Spike, Xander, Colonel O'Neill, Major Carter, Riley and Sam."
"I do not understand, BuffySummers" Teal'c said. "Surely I should accompany you on this mission?"
"I think you might stand out Teal'c" Buffy said apologetically. "Colonel O'Neill gave me the lowdown on your background. What are the chances of Ahmose recognising your tattoo?"
"He would be familiar with the symbol." Teal'c conceded.
"Which is why you're staying." Buffy turned to General Hammond. "This is just my idea. I'm sure you military guys have good strategy and all but I'm doing this based on what I know of vamps. It's best to have two teams and split our strength. If we get into trouble then the second team can come after us. I'll call Angel, he'll need to know about this."
"Go on Miss Summers." Hammond was intrigued by this girl. She looked so young and like a typical valley girl. Nowhere on her face did it say keen strategist, smart thinker, hard fighter. He took a longer harder look at her and compared it with the girl he had seen fighting the vampire earlier. It didn't say it on her face, it said it everywhere. He would have been proud to have this girl under his command and he was fascinated by her ideas.
She shrugged. "I've done my bit" she said and turned to Jacob Carter. "This blending with Spike, its not going to hurt him, is it?"
"It is momentarily painful but only for a moment," Jacob said honestly.
"And when this is over?" Buffy asked challengingly.
"Selmak is also not fond of the idea of drinking blood." Jacob said with a smile. "But we will do what needs to be done. She will leave Spike and return to me."
"What about you, Dad?" Major Carter asked.
"I'll be coming with you" he said. "I know the undercover Tok'ra in Ahmose's service. But hopefully I can pass as a slave. There is just one thing." Jacob looked seriously at Spike. "You need to be completely sure about this, Spike. Selmak will need to be in control all of the time that she is blended with you to keep up the pretence. A Gou'ld would never let the host speak or have control for any period of time."
Spike nodded but looked unimpressed by the idea. "OK."
"That leaves Dr Jackson, Teal'c, the rest of Agent Finn's team, Mr Giles, Miss Rosenberg, and Miss Summers here." Hammond ticked everyone off on his fingers.
O'Neill glanced over at Buffy. She had managed to swing it so that most of physically strongest and most experienced people were on the first team. It was obvious why she was leaving Dawn behind. He didn't really understand why she was leaving Willow behind – the girl had power Buffy said but she obviously didn't think she could deal with this sort of thing just yet. Giles, he understood. O'Neill exchanged a quick glance with Teal'c and nodded. If he had to go on a mission like this, it was good to know there was someone like Teal'c coming to get him if it all went horribly wrong.
"How exactly are we planning to off this bloke?" Spike asked curiously. "I mean, he's a vampire so a fire, a stake or sunlight are going to be the only options here."
"What kills Gou'lds?" Buffy asked O'Neill who grinned.
"I always find a good bomb up the ass does the trick for me."
"You're kidding?" she said in astonishment and he shook his head, laughing. "I don't think that's an option here Colonel."
"Sure it is. It's fire."
O'Neill didn't even need to look at Carter to know that she was rolling her eyes and trying not to laugh at his simple stupidity. He couldn't help himself and snatched a quick sideways glance. He was right. Her blue eyes were sparkling with mirth and amusement and a smile played around her lips.
At this point, Riley Finn who had stayed silent so far raised his hand to catch the General's attention.
"Agent Finn?"
"I think I must be missing something here Sir. Why can't we just send in an undercover team to deal with this?"
"Gou'ld security is incredibly hard to penetrate. Tok'ra are, as they have to be, undercover. We cannot take the chance of betraying our operative. We do believe that this is the best course of action at this time." Anise spoke seriously and seemed completely oblivious to the glances being exchanged around the table.
"Are you coming with us?" O'Neill asked and remained unsurprised when she shook her head.
"I have not been trained for work in the field. I will be remaining here with the second team."
"Big surprise there" O'Neill whispered under his breath and got a hard nudge in the ribs from Carter and a ferocious glare from Hammond.
"Colonel O'Neill you have command of the first team. Miss Summers I would appreciate it if you would take orders from the Colonel and Major Carter."
Buffy reluctantly nodded but brightened when he carried on talking.
"Colonel, Major, listen to Miss Summers and her friends. These are vampires you are dealing with and they have more experience than you."
The two SG1 members nodded.
"You're dismissed. Colonel. Please brief your team and liaise with Miss Summers and Agent Finn as to team responsibilities. Jacob?" Hammond turned to Jacob Carter and smiled at his old friend. "You and Spike will have some matters to discuss before the blending."
Jacob nodded. Spike sighed and flicked his Zippo lighter a couple of times.
"What exactly does this blending thing involve?" he asked.
"There are several ways that Selmak can leave my body and enter yours. It's probably a good idea to involve Dr Frasier in this just incase.
"You do know that the only way to kill Spike is fire, sunlight or stake through the heart?" Xander asked.
"Yes" Jacob answered.
"In that case I don't think a doctor is needed." Spike said.
"The doctor isn't for you Spike." Buffy said and watched as comprehension dawned over his face.
"I have a question" Anya said, speaking to Jacob and he looked curious. "What do slaves wear anyway?"
"You're joking?"
"I certainly am not," her face took on a stubborn expression and he sighed inwardly. He knew that face so well and knew that there was no chance of getting round her now she had made her mind up.
"Why am I staying?" he asked quietly but was interrupted by Anya speaking hopefully.
"Am I staying?"
"No. You're coming with me."
The vengeance demon's face fell. "Why do I have to come? I don't want to save the galaxy."
Buffy rolled her eyes "Anya, don't be difficult." The vengeance demon folded her arms huffily.
"Why do I have to go into perilous danger? Why can't Willow go?" Another glare from Buffy quietened her down but she couldn't help pouting a little.
"I don't quite understand the idea Miss Summers" General Hammond said bemused.
She turned to him. "I think that we should split into two teams. One going to take this Ahmose guy out and the other team staying here in case we get into trouble. Giles, Willow and Dawn should stay. Giles, we'll need you if we get into trouble, same for Willow. Dawn is too young."
"I'm always too young" Dawn grumbled. "You said you were going to be less protective of me."
"I am" Buffy said crisply. "You're too young to pass as a slave girl."
"Actually…" Daniel was about to speak but O'Neill kicked him hard on the leg causing his eyes to water. All faces had already turned to him and he carried on speaking quickly. "She's right. You're too young."
Dawn shot him one of her best smiles but Buffy carried on quickly.
"I think the first group that goes should consist of me, Anya, Spike, Xander, Colonel O'Neill, Major Carter, Riley and Sam."
"I do not understand, BuffySummers" Teal'c said. "Surely I should accompany you on this mission?"
"I think you might stand out Teal'c" Buffy said apologetically. "Colonel O'Neill gave me the lowdown on your background. What are the chances of Ahmose recognising your tattoo?"
"He would be familiar with the symbol." Teal'c conceded.
"Which is why you're staying." Buffy turned to General Hammond. "This is just my idea. I'm sure you military guys have good strategy and all but I'm doing this based on what I know of vamps. It's best to have two teams and split our strength. If we get into trouble then the second team can come after us. I'll call Angel, he'll need to know about this."
"Go on Miss Summers." Hammond was intrigued by this girl. She looked so young and like a typical valley girl. Nowhere on her face did it say keen strategist, smart thinker, hard fighter. He took a longer harder look at her and compared it with the girl he had seen fighting the vampire earlier. It didn't say it on her face, it said it everywhere. He would have been proud to have this girl under his command and he was fascinated by her ideas.
She shrugged. "I've done my bit" she said and turned to Jacob Carter. "This blending with Spike, its not going to hurt him, is it?"
"It is momentarily painful but only for a moment," Jacob said honestly.
"And when this is over?" Buffy asked challengingly.
"Selmak is also not fond of the idea of drinking blood." Jacob said with a smile. "But we will do what needs to be done. She will leave Spike and return to me."
"What about you, Dad?" Major Carter asked.
"I'll be coming with you" he said. "I know the undercover Tok'ra in Ahmose's service. But hopefully I can pass as a slave. There is just one thing." Jacob looked seriously at Spike. "You need to be completely sure about this, Spike. Selmak will need to be in control all of the time that she is blended with you to keep up the pretence. A Gou'ld would never let the host speak or have control for any period of time."
Spike nodded but looked unimpressed by the idea. "OK."
"That leaves Dr Jackson, Teal'c, the rest of Agent Finn's team, Mr Giles, Miss Rosenberg, and Miss Summers here." Hammond ticked everyone off on his fingers.
O'Neill glanced over at Buffy. She had managed to swing it so that most of physically strongest and most experienced people were on the first team. It was obvious why she was leaving Dawn behind. He didn't really understand why she was leaving Willow behind – the girl had power Buffy said but she obviously didn't think she could deal with this sort of thing just yet. Giles, he understood. O'Neill exchanged a quick glance with Teal'c and nodded. If he had to go on a mission like this, it was good to know there was someone like Teal'c coming to get him if it all went horribly wrong.
"How exactly are we planning to off this bloke?" Spike asked curiously. "I mean, he's a vampire so a fire, a stake or sunlight are going to be the only options here."
"What kills Gou'lds?" Buffy asked O'Neill who grinned.
"I always find a good bomb up the ass does the trick for me."
"You're kidding?" she said in astonishment and he shook his head, laughing. "I don't think that's an option here Colonel."
"Sure it is. It's fire."
O'Neill didn't even need to look at Carter to know that she was rolling her eyes and trying not to laugh at his simple stupidity. He couldn't help himself and snatched a quick sideways glance. He was right. Her blue eyes were sparkling with mirth and amusement and a smile played around her lips.
At this point, Riley Finn who had stayed silent so far raised his hand to catch the General's attention.
"Agent Finn?"
"I think I must be missing something here Sir. Why can't we just send in an undercover team to deal with this?"
"Gou'ld security is incredibly hard to penetrate. Tok'ra are, as they have to be, undercover. We cannot take the chance of betraying our operative. We do believe that this is the best course of action at this time." Anise spoke seriously and seemed completely oblivious to the glances being exchanged around the table.
"Are you coming with us?" O'Neill asked and remained unsurprised when she shook her head.
"I have not been trained for work in the field. I will be remaining here with the second team."
"Big surprise there" O'Neill whispered under his breath and got a hard nudge in the ribs from Carter and a ferocious glare from Hammond.
"Colonel O'Neill you have command of the first team. Miss Summers I would appreciate it if you would take orders from the Colonel and Major Carter."
Buffy reluctantly nodded but brightened when he carried on talking.
"Colonel, Major, listen to Miss Summers and her friends. These are vampires you are dealing with and they have more experience than you."
The two SG1 members nodded.
"You're dismissed. Colonel. Please brief your team and liaise with Miss Summers and Agent Finn as to team responsibilities. Jacob?" Hammond turned to Jacob Carter and smiled at his old friend. "You and Spike will have some matters to discuss before the blending."
Jacob nodded. Spike sighed and flicked his Zippo lighter a couple of times.
"What exactly does this blending thing involve?" he asked.
"There are several ways that Selmak can leave my body and enter yours. It's probably a good idea to involve Dr Frasier in this just incase.
"You do know that the only way to kill Spike is fire, sunlight or stake through the heart?" Xander asked.
"Yes" Jacob answered.
"In that case I don't think a doctor is needed." Spike said.
"The doctor isn't for you Spike." Buffy said and watched as comprehension dawned over his face.
"I have a question" Anya said, speaking to Jacob and he looked curious. "What do slaves wear anyway?"