Rating:PG-13
Chapter 19-Puzzle pieces-part 1
An unsigned black helicopter landed on a heliport in front of the manor and a man in green military outfit got out into the heavy rain. He waved his hand and the helicopter took air leaving him standing alone. He noticed Buffy waiting for him near the entrance to the manor and jogged to her.
Buffy watched Riley approach and hug him. "Boy, I'm so glad they sent you and not some puffy jack-in-office."
"It's a pity the only chance we get to see each other is a military meeting." Riley sighed. "I and Sam had plenty of time the last months and I tried to reach you but it seemed like you vanished from the face of Earth."
"Literally." Buffy chuckled. "But explaining my four-month holiday before we fill you in would be quite pointless. What exactly did you tell your superiors?"
"The basics you told me. You have a device that enables to travel to other planets, our world is in danger, military from another planet wants to cooperate with us and asked to meet someone representing the U.S government. I read the rest during the flight here. General Korgan sent me because I have the most experience dealing with slayers and because no one else was enthused about the idea of visiting this institution. Most of them still remember what you managed by yourself in the Initiative and you should have seen their faces a year ago when we found out there are hundreds of slayers. It was priceless. "
"There is one thing I would like to make clear." Buffy stopped where the transport rings were situated, and looked at her former boyfriend with determined expression. "We are not giving the gate to the government. Under no circumstances."
Riley slowly nodded understanding her motives."You know, that's exactly what Korgan and other generals demanded. I never expected you to obey, however you should realize, the army might try to take it by force."
"Hate to say it, but the army doesn't have the necessary firepower to steal a stuffed animal from this house."
(A/N:I'll have to make the slayers a little too powerful in this one but I don't want to do chapters about SWC fighting with the government for the control over stargate. It would be pointless considering what's going to happen in the next chapters.)
"Buffy, the SWC might have several hundred slayers but if our government persuades England's military to attack, you don't stand a chance against modern weapons." Riley sounded worried. "Technological superiority is what decides a war nowadays and you use just stakes and crossbows."
"You sure about that?" Buffy smiled and activated the transport. " The rings descended around them and the couple reappeared in front of the already activated stargate. "Thing's change." Buffy smirked noticing Riley's confused expression. "There is a Goa'uld shield protecting this manor together with several magical shields so unless your general plans to throw the whole U.S. nuclear arsenal at us, which probably wouldn't make Elizabeth very happy, we're safe. Also slayers don't shot arrows at aliens, we have the same equipment as you have, maybe better, simply because what we don't develop ourselves we buy or steal. Not very ethical, but effective. Using magic, Willow can hack into any database on the planet, the watchers don't study just history and mythology anymore, most of the old watchers died in the war with the First and the we hired people with the necessary skills and knowledge. The Goa'uld production facility we have allows reconfigurations on molecular level, which allowed us to construct copies of Goa'uld equipment. In case you wonder why I'm telling all this to you...I need you to persuade SGC to forget our government."
"Buffy, anything you've just said doesn't change my opinion." Riley smiled. "I would prefer you to the bureaucrats in D.C. even if your only weapon was a stake. Actually general Korgan expected this reaction and persuaded the others to leave SWC alone, for a prize of course."
"Thank you." Buffy smiled and then gave Riley a questioning look."And what do they want from us?"
"Sharing any alien technology you acquire."
"What a surprise!" Buffy paused for a moment before continuing on bitterly."Tell your superiors to forget alien weapons, because the government would use it against humans on Earth and please remind them they aren't in a position to demand anything. If they want us to share weapon technology, then we'll share it with every one. And please don't give me a lecture about our government having the moral high ground compared to other countries. If there is one thing I've learned during the war with The First: It's not about right or wrong, it's about power. You know what sharing these weapons would lead to."
"I'll see what I can do." Riley nodded and gazed coldly at Faith who was waiting for them in front of the gate. He muttered something but out of the respect to Buffy didn't push it further. Buffy noticed the tension and sighed, hoping the two will behave. Standing between Riley and Faith she entered the gate.
Riley felt a little dazed after he stepped out but shrugged it of and focused at the group in front of him. He easily recognized which one is the general Buffy mentioned earlier and shook his hand. "Sir. I'm colonel Finn from the U.S. army special operations unit."
"It's a pleasure to meet you colonel." Hammond answered and introduced his first team. "This is colonel Jack O'Neill, major Samantha Carter, doctor Daniel Jackson and Jaffa Teal'c."
Riley greeted the others and then followed Hammond to the conference room, carefully watching Teal'c and wondering what the symbiont he carried inside looked like. The whole group sat down and the general studied with interest Riley's military outfit for a while before he started the conversation.
"Whom exactly do you represent colonel Finn?"
"A branch of our military authorized to deal with nonhuman threats on our planet." Riley informed the general. "Though we usually fight with sub-terrestrials and not aliens."
"When you say sub-terrestrial, you mean what exactly?" Jack wondered.
Riley turned to Buffy, clearly surprised. "You didn't tell them about vampires and demons?"
"I tried." Buffy defended herself. "But when I first mentioned demons, someone I'm not going to name, wanted to drag me to the infirmary and ask Janet to check for another brain damage." Buffy gave Daniel, who suddenly found the materials in front of him incredibly fascinating, an accusing look.
"Demons and vampires are real. At least on our planet." Riley informed SG-1. "Our units hunt them down, whenever we get a chance. We even helped the slayers prevent an apocalypse last year." He added proudly.
Now it was Jack's turn to be surprised."You mean you let these..."
"Ehm." Faith coughed and gave Jack a challenging look.
"...brilliant young women I'll be very happy to work with, decide the fate of your planet?" Jack grinned triumphantly at Faith.
"Smartass." Faith muttered, deciding to ignore him.
"Sir. May I speak unofficially?" Riley turned back to the general.
"Nothing will leave this room, unless you agree." Hammond nodded.
"The governments on our planet don't don't give a damn neither about the everyday situation nor the serious dangers when it concerns the sub-terrestrials. Most of them have known about the supernatural threats for decades and have done nothing. The units I command come from an organization called the Initiative which we thought in the beginning was established to protect the public but it turned out the only reason was to create a superior soldier for the government's military purposes. An apocalypse threatens to destroy our world every year, sometimes even more often and how many of them had been avoided by government organizations? None. The safety of our planet is secured by the slayers, who face the most dangerous enemies, and other private institutions like Angel Investigations, the Coven in England, Hindu mage clans, monks from the Temple of Light, samurai guilds and others. Even the Knights of Byzantium, who were a bunch of religious fanatics once saved the world, which is more than I can say about the Initiative. When our own president learned about demons his reaction was: Do anything to keep it away from the press. Otherwise he wasn't interested at all."
"What exactly is your suggestion colonel?" Jack asked. "No offence, but I would prefer cooperating with military and you can't expect us to keep the governments on your planet in the dark."
"The stargate will stay in the hands of SWC, no matter what we agree on." Riley announced. "My superior general Korgan is ready to send teams to support SWC, if necessary. I'll recommend informing our president only in case of an invasion and expect SGC to respect this decision." Riley addressed the general. "Also if my informations are correct, SGC is not an international operation so with all respect colonel O'Neill, perhaps you want to make the alien threat public on your own planet first."
Hammond gave Jack a threatening look to avoid any arguments and nodded. "Of course SGC will respect your decision. I see the situation on your planet is different and we can't pretend to fully understand it. I guess now we should discuss the other important topic of this meeting. Major Carter, did you make any progress concerning the two Earths phenomenon?"
"I'm afraid no Sir." Carter gave everyone a folder containing the results of her measurements. "There are no signs of cascade entropy failures so we can rule out a parallel universe. On the other hand we haven't found anyone's double yet. However it's indisputable the both planets are too similar to call it a coincidence. The other strange fact is the Tok'ra celestial maps don't show the second Earth's solar system at all."
Jack and Faith opened the folder and looked at the numbers. "Do they really expect me to read through this crap? A week in a Goa'uld prison would be more enjoyable." They both scowled in frustration.
"Did we just agree on something?" Jack wondered, watching Faith sceptically. "That never happened."
"Already forgotten." Faith frantically nodded and tried to focus at the results again.
"We expect the reason is supernatural." Buffy informed Hammond. "Willow and Giles are still searching for leads, but couldn't find any clues yet. I and Faith will try other sources of informations and we can compare the results later."
"Perhaps we could ask Thor?" Faith suggested absently.
All members of SGC turned to Faith with a shocked expression. "You know Thor?" Jack managed to rasp out.
"Gray guy, about one meter high, travels in a big ship." Faith described the Asguard commander. "Yeah, I know him. He mentioned a colonel from Tauri with an immedicable fishing obsession. I guess that would be you."
"Thor named their best ship after me." Jack countered.
"So much to the Asguard's superior intellect." Faith returned the triumphant grin he gave her previously.
"General, we don't have to give an IDC to every slayer, do we?" Jack beseeched his superior.
"When you to are done acting like children, perhaps we could continue." Buffy rolled her eyes. If these two don't kill each other soon she might lend a hand.
"Actually I think there is nothing more to discuss today." Hammond addressed the others. "I will contact the president and inform him about your decision colonel Finn. Fortunately we managed to find and rescue the president from his kidnappers unharmed. He asked me express his thanks to you Miss Summers and he would like to apologize, he can't I participate on this conference. I suggest we meet again in two days, after the SWC will contact the mentioned supernatural sources of informations and the interrogation of senator Kinsey will be over."
Buffy and Riley agreed and Hammond returned back to his office leaving the others alone. Riley walked away with Carter, who promised to show him the base, hoping she would get some informations about magic and the principles making it work in the meantime. Jack grinned at the thought of Riley trying to satisfy Carter's thirst for knowledge. The boy had no idea what he was getting into. Daniel seemed to be a little nervous and soon apologized and withdrew to his office mumbling something about an important translation and Buffy followed him leaving Faith with Jack and Teal'c.
Faith leaned back in her chair, observing the stoic features of the Jaffa sitting on the other side of the table. "If this expression means something, I bet it's a question."
"Correct." Teal'c nodded. "I still find it hard to believe Buffy could defeat a hundred Jaffa without any help. Your and her bodies can't have the necessary strength and endurance."
"Magic Teal'c, have you forgotten? They are not normal humans." Jack snorted. He wondered how much he will have to push before Faith will try to do something nasty to him. If he was supposed to join forces with slayers he wanted to be sure what he can expect and testing her patience was an interesting way to find out. Faith reminded Jack of himself in his twenties - impatient and impulsive but loyal and ready to risk anything for her friends, at least that was his impression from their previous mission.
"Look whose talking Mister 'advanced DNA'." Faith snapped at him. This guy was really beginning to make her cranky. What was his problem? "And Buffy didn't defeat them. It was the slayer." Faith turned her attention back to Teal'c." Imagine your symbiont would take over. It makes you stronger and faster, but it's not you."
"It seems the Jaffa and the slayers have a lot in common." Teal's slightly bowed his head to show his appreciation. "Controlling the symbiont is very challenging and Jaffa have to train since their childhood to maintain the control and let the young Goa'uld take over only during the Kel'nor'reem. The demons colonel Finn mentioned, do they posses the similar strength as you?"
"Some of them are even stronger and have various special abilities like becoming incorporeal, walking through walls or poisoned claws and fangs. I met one who could shoot electrical bolts out of his hands." Faith shivered at the memory of being almost electrocuted.
"And the slayers fight against all demons in your world? Five hundred women are not enough to secure the whole planet. It's too much to ask." Teal'c gave out his opinion.
Faith didn't respond for several second and then burst out laughing like she had just heard the best joke in her life. She was leaning back in her chair and the outburst caused she almost fell in the process. She grabbed the edge of the table to regain her balance and when she noticed Jack was looking at her like she had grown a second head she slowly calmed down.
"And I thought no one can appreciate your sense of humor Teal'c." Jack grinned at his friend, who just raised his eyebrow as usual, when he saw Faith's reaction. "And am I the only one who didn't get it?"
"Sorry, it's just...when Teal'c said five hundred is not enough. For thousands of years, there had been always only one slayer at a time and when a slayer died, another one was called. Twenty months ago Buffy asked Willow to use the Scythe to activate all potential slayers around the world, so now we're running a little feministic teenage Babylon."
"So you are one of the activated potentials?"
"Not exactly. Buffy died a few years back and a slayer named Kendra was called. She was killed during a fight against a group of vampires trying to awake a demon with the ability to send the whole Earth into a hell dimension and I am her successor." Faith explained leisurely. "Four years ago, B got six feet under again, this time for several moths, but no new slayer was called to replace her, probably because the line now goes through me."
"Buffy died twice? Space-monkey have just lost another of his privileges." Jack smirked, imagining himself teasing Daniel about it, 'on the other hand, thank god he is fine', Jack thought, considering Daniel's special skill to get into trouble within the first five minutes on any unknown planet.
"One girl can not influence the situation on the whole planet." Teal'c stated.
"You know, most of the bad guys crawl around the Hellmouth so the slayer has them close enough to hack them into pieces."
"That's really a wonderful job description you've got there." Jack remarked.
Faith decided she was tired of of this verbal conquest."What exactly is your problem?"
"We are supposed to go to missions together and I need to know who is watching my six. Two days ago I've seen the results of a small woman, I considered a typical human, effortlessly massacring a hundred Jaffa so please forgive me I'm a little worried."
"I'm not going to shot you in your back, if that's what you mean." Faith replied. "Until you try the same we're five by five. Deal?"
"Deal." Jack nodded composing himself. Faith smiled and wanted to add something, but decided she better find Buffy. She planned to leave to L.A. in the evening and didn't have much time to lose so she stood up, lighted a cigarette right next to the 'No Smoking' sign and went to look for Buffy. Jack watched her leave and then turned swiftly back to Teal'c with a curious expression. "What the hell is a Hellmouth?"
Teal'c raised his eyebrow...
Buffy watched Daniel flee from the conference room using a lame excuse and decided to follow him. He seemed distracted and he barely looked at her when they had met the previous day or during the today's meeting. She knocked on the door to his office and after she heard a casual 'Come in' she entered the room.
"Uhm...hi." Daniel stopped reading the creasy scroll in front of him. "You're looking for someone?" Daniel mentally paddled himself. She came to your office, whom do you think she's looking for? Daniel hoped to avoid this conversation with Buffy...yes this was the problem, the woman talking to him wasn't Joan, the friend he saved and brought to SGC. He was supposed to be happy she regained her memory but Daniel felt like he had lost a friend. In a strange way it was funny, that by an irony of fate while SGC had been looking for clues about the origin of slayers all around the galaxy, the oldest slayer was snoozing in their infirmary.
"I'm trying to find a friend." Buffy sat next to Daniel. "He used to work in this office, encourage me to start training with Teal'c, steal desserts from Jack and giving them to me when I was at the infirmary and was ready to chat with me for hours whenever I felt lonely. Have an idea what happened to him?"
"And who is asking?" Daniel give a slight sigh, nervously playing with the ancient scroll in his hand."Buffy or Joan?"
"Someone who hopes you still care about her." Buffy watched Daniel take down his glasses and begin to clean them. She will have to force him to meet Giles one day."I'm not Joan, you can't expect me to act exactly the same way so why don't we simply start anew?" Buffy made her best puppy dog eyes.
"I guess that could be arranged." Daniel smiled and they both stood up facing each other. "Hi, I'm Dr Daniel Jackson."
"Hi, I'm Buffy Summers." Buffy casually shook his hand."Is this seat taken?"
"Oh no, please sit down." Daniel offered her one of the chairs. "Coffee?"
"Yes, please. There's nothing a large dose of caffeine can't solve."
"So...you live around here?" Daniel gave Buffy a small cup and sugar, then put some water in coffeepot and let it boil.
"No, I'm just visiting a friend and you doctor Jackson?"
"Well...I live a couple blocks to the south, but I spend the most time at work and please call me Daniel."
"Only if you'll call me Buffy." Buffy chuckled enjoying the game."I think I heard about you ... you have lectures about ancient cultures...but what kind of job can this city offer to an archaeologist?"
"Oh...I'm working on a military base nearby...they...uh...decode Russian satellite transmissions encrypted in old Byzantine languages...but I haven't told you. And you?"
"I'm a consultant on a private school. You know...all teenagers have their demons... and I help the girls to face their fears."
"What the hell are you two talking about?" Faith peeped into the room. "Did she hit her head again? Time to motor B, L.A. singing lesson remember?"
"I'll gather up my remaining neurons and catch up with you." Buffy replied and returned the unused cup to Daniel." We'll have the coffee next time."
"Definitely." Daniel smiled and hug her. "Good luck with that...singing thing."
"Thanks." Buffy returned the smile and hurried after Faith.
Buffy trotted back to the conference room to find the others waiting for her - except Riley and Carter who were just returning from the tour through the base. Jack grinned when he saw Riley's face...yep another Earth or not, no colonel can withstand Carter's scientific enthusiasm.
"...but there must be a biological difference in the tissue of a vampire's heart, when it interacts with the molecules of wood and remains intact after being run through by any other material."
"Carter." Jack tried to get major's attention without success.
"Have you ever measured if a dusting follows the laws of conservation of energy?"
"Carter."
"If there is really only a pile of dust left, then the process probably unsettles a large quantum of energy. What about a spectral analysis of the electromagnetic waves around the body during a dusting?"
"Carter!!"
"Sir?"
"Please leave the poor colonel alone. We're not building vampire energy generators...at least not today." Jack made clear.
"But Sir, the concept of magic denying the laws of physics is..."
"Fascinating! I know." Jack agreed, eagerly gesturing to Riley this was the best time to nip off. "I find a creek full of trouts fascinating yet I've never forced Hammond to allow me preparing sushi of his conference table."
Quite a disturbing image, Carter thought."No Sir, of course not." She shook Riley's hand and took leave of him. The others said their goodbay as well and together walked away to the gateroom.
After Riley ,Buffy and Faith returned back to the manor Faith offered to take Riley to Washington, since she was going to L.A. to Lorne, but he politely refused. He was still uneasy around Faith and would much more prefer to go with Buffy, but she decided to stay, because she didn't want to miss when Dawn wakes up.
"We should meet sometime." Riley suggested.
"Sure." Buffy agreed, as a former girlfriend she was naturally curious about Riley's marriage. "But I don't won't to hinder you from having fun with demon tribes in rain forests around Congo."
"What do you mean?" Riley sounded puzzled. "The slayers killed all of them. I've been with Sam in D.C. for the last four months."
"No we didn't." Faith objected. "We didn't kill more them one tenth of the Earth's demon natality. We thought they escaped to less populated areas, the mountains and forests should be crawling with them."
"Our units located only two groups of demons in the last months." Riley shook his head. "I've no idea where the rest is."
"They escaped." Faith face filled with realization."Like the Gur'dar four days ago." Faith saw the others looking confused so she started explaining. "There was a demon tribe forty kilometers away from here and we received a warning from a seer in Coven they will try to open a portal to a hell dimension. We kicked their ass, but later Giles found out they only wanted to escape from Earth. Before I killed their leader, he said something about the balance being destroyed...I didn't really pay much attention to him, but we have two Earths here and that's unbalanced enough don't you think?"
"So all demons nipped off?" Buffy wondered. "I really hope Lorne and the PTB (Powers that be) will explain this. Wait a minute." Buffy paused. "Giles thinks we're all under a spell, fortunately I have a way to find out."
"I'll ask around in D.C." Riley offered.
The three agreed they'll compare the results the next day and separated. Riley left to a helicopter waiting for him in front of the manor, Faith decided using public transport sucks and chose to take a transport ship and Buffy left to the infirmary to check up on Dawn.
----
Dawn was gradually regaining her consciousness and remembering the last hours before she fall asleep. The first memory of the past events was 'Au, my head hurts',directly followed by 'My head hurts a lot'. Next time she'll definitely study the symptoms of a healing ritual before she uses it. She carefully tried to open her eyes but, there was a bright light shining right above her head so she turned to her side, slowly raising her eyelids. She realized she was still at the infirmary and everything seemed perfectly normal. The curtains were drawn aside and the beams of an afternoon sun were filling the room, a titmouse was singing outside, Buffy was sitting next to her bed, a watcher was checking the other patients, another watcher was changing the...wait a minute...rewind...a titmouse was singing outside, Buffy was sitting next to her bed...Buffy?...Buffy!
"Buffy!" Dawn shoot out of her bed throwing herself on her sister, whose slayer reflexes obviously slumbered at the moment, because Dawn almost sent them both to the floor. Buffy lovingly put her arms around Dawn and gently stroke Dawn's hair. She felt like laughing and crying at the same time. Dawn nestled against her with a strength she had no idea her sister possessed, her head resting on Buffy's shoulder and softly sobbing.
Dawn slowly raised her head and with tears filling her eyes she watched Buffy like she was afraid her sister would disappear again. "If this is a dream...don't let me wake up."
"No dream, promise." Buffy whispered caressing Dawn's back.
"You're grounded." Dawn sobbed out sorrowfully. "For the next decade."
"Hey!" Buffy chuckled. "You can't ground me, I'm older."
"I'm taller, which gives me more authority. And you have a lot to make up for."
"I'm sorry." Buffy stifled her own desire to cry and smiled." Can I make it up with ice-cream?"
"No." Dawn shook her head. "Promise you'll never leave me again."
"I'll never leave you again." Buffy swore.
"Now gimme the promised ice-cream." Dawn smiled and looked around with curiosity. "Wait a minute, where's John? Is he ok?" Dawn suddenly sounded worried.
"John's fine." Buffy gave Dawn a reassuring smile. "I just sent him to help Willow."
"Thank god." Dawn fetched a sight of relief."I almost thought I got him killed the first day after we saved him from the NID."
"Dawn that's not exactly ..."Buffy hesitated to tell Dawn why John joined her. She didn't want to make Dawn upset right after their reunion."...important right now. Let's have ice-cream."
----
It was almost dark when Buffy left Dawn with Xander and entered her office, carrying two jar's of colored sand she borrowed from Willow. She carefully shed the sand on the floor, forming a circle and sat down cross-legged into the middle. She was nervous about casting this spell. The last time she used it, she found out the truth about Dawn, but if Giles was right and the reason for two Earths in one universe was a spell, this was the fastest way to find out. Buffy lowered her eyelids and slowed down her breathing, seeking the stillness in her mind. Neither sleeping, nor awake she let the reality around her fade away...
To be continued.
Review appreciated.