A/N: [….] denotes telepathic conversations

Part 12

"Penthesilea?" Thor's voice echoed in the room.

"Yes, Thor. Our council will be in touch with yours shortly.  There is to be an alliance meeting concerning the latest developments."

"Latest developments? Care to share with the group?" Jack asked Thor.

Penthesilea answered instead, "It doesn't concern the Tau'ri."

"Excuse me? Since when does anything having to do with the alliance NOT have to do with Goa'uld which is very much our business?" Jack glared at her. "That is just typical, we save your asses countless times but do you keep us in the loop of what's going on? NO!"

The Furling smiled slightly, "Is he always like this, Thor?"

Thor coughed but O'Neill thought it sounded suspiciously like a laugh, "He has given similar speeches before, yes."

"Well, you know...if you'd keep us in the loop you wouldn't have to hear my similar speeches." Jack groused.

General Hammond stepped in. "I believe what Colonel O'Neill meant was that we would like to be kept abreast with the latest developments and offer our assistance in any way."

Both Jacks raised their eyebrows at the General and opened their mouth to reply but before they could offer a comment the General gave them his best shut the hell up look.

Penthesilea looked at the others in the room thoughtfully before alighting on Willow. "This does not concern the Tau'ri BUT it does concern those of Niurin."

Another white flash in the control room and Penthesilea and Willow disappeared.

"What the hell just happened? Where's Willow?" Jack demanded. He had promised himself he'd take care of the kid while she was here and damn it he was doing a piss poor job of it so far.

"Thor?! Thor?!?" O'Neill yelled.

There was no answer from the Asgard.

"The open communication has been cut off, Sir." The Captain in the control booth answered O'Neill's hail for Thor.

The General hit the red button causing the claxon to go off inside Cheyenne Mountain facility.

"Spread out and search for Willow Rosenberg and The Furling." The General bit out as he and the others quickly left in search of Willow.

~~~~~

Willow blinked as she and Penthesilea appeared in a wooded glen. "Not that I mind or anything but what just happened?"

"I needed to speak with you privately AND I wanted some fresh air." She answered with a smile.

Willow scrunched up her nose, "It's another apocalypse isn't it?"

She smiled, "No, not apocalyptic bad but there were rumblings before Teal'c's symbiote was detected that some demons were going to return."

"But you defeated the Goau'ld before right? I mean Teal'c said that they were forbidden to come back."

"It's not just the Goa'uld this time but demons from your world that had fled to other worlds and other dimensions are said to be on the move."

"Well, just…just bury the gate again. I mean it's not like we need it. People on my planet think it's an archaeological find. Just blast it with Teal'c's staff thingee and ooops another earthquake destroyed the ring. No more demons or Goa'ulds to come."

"I'm afraid it's not that simple, Willow." Penthesilea said sadly. "The demons and Goa'uld have other means of getting to your planet."

"But…" Willow began to pace. "What about the whole forbidden to come thing. Just, you know, kick their ass again."

"We can 'kick their ass' again but the demons that will be returning from other dimensions and worlds may not be able to be defeated so easily by us."

The robed figure flashed in Willow's mind.

"There are those in your world that have the ability to fight the demons in the upcoming battle but do not know it yet."

"So activate them."

Penthesilea smiled at Willow, "I have already done so with one."

"Well, what are you here with me for? Go get them and then activate the others. I'll go back and let Giles and Buffy know what is going on. We've fought demons before and won we can do it again." Willow made a little shooing motion with her hands.

"I have already gathered her and I have no doubts that you, Buffy and the others can help to defeat the demons."

"Okay, I'm confused. Why didn't you want Colonel O'Neill and the others to hear this or to help?"

"Their fight is on another front. The alliance meeting is to discuss the best way to help Niurin. The Tau'ri will be busy with the rise of a new System Lord. In time our fight will become theirs but for now I must show my new sister how to use her powers."

"You're sister is here?" Willow looked around. "I only saw you come through the gate."

Penthesilea held her hands out, palms up and chanted.

Power surged through Willow. She felt a connection like she had in the control booth when the Furling first appeared.

[Do you not feel the power gifted to you?]

[I...I thought it was YOUR power I was feeling earlier.]

[It was and it wasn't. It was the power of our sisters activated in you. You have always had the ability; it lies dormant within your genes until it is needed. Like with the one to fight the vampires and demons.]

Willow's brow wrinkled in confusion. [Why is it that you made the Slayer only activate one at a time?] Willow was thinking of all the help that Buffy could have used if there had been more than one Slayer. As long as they weren't like Faith.

[One at a time? That is not the way of the Slayer. They are like you, activated when needed.]

[But...Giles and the Watcher's Council said that there is only one to fight the forces of darkness and when she dies another is called in her place.]

Now it was Panthesilea's turn to look confused. [That is only half the story. There is only one to begin with but if another is needed to fight they are activated. There should be hundreds around your planet. Who is the Watcher's Council?]

[They assign someone to help train and watch over the Slayer.]

[The Slayer does not need help in training. When she is activated all the knowledge of how to kill that she needs is available to her genetically. She has no need for a Council.]

[Huh. I wonder how that got started. I'll have to ask Giles when I go home.]