SG-13
By Xodarap
Disclaimer: Joss and co. own all things Buffy, and SFC owns Stargate. No copyright infringement is intended, so please don't sue. I don't have any money anyway.
Dedication: To Jordan and Jessica, my angels. May they rest in peace.
Summary: Three years after the end of the series (BtVS), a group of former Scoobies have a new mission. Kicking interplanetary undead ass.
Author's Note: Special thanks to DaBear, Sirius, Miss Kayl, Big G, Rob Clark, Darklight, Eykar, S.M., charmedfanatic3000, Alexandra, slbwhitewolf, Mytryk, Calia, and WBH21C for the feedback. It's much appreciated.
(BtVS/SG1, W/X)
*
(2/?)
August 13, 2006
PX-201V8
Xander and his team stepped out of the stargate and onto PX-201V8. He let out the breath he had been holding through the billion or so mile trip, and shaded his eyes from the sun as he looked up at the UAV slowly getting smaller on the horizon. The gate closed behind them, and Xander looked to make sure everyone was there.
Willow was staring intently at the UAV remote unit in her hand. "Not picking up anything yet. They could be underground."
"Okay, let's spread out," Xander said. "Riley, Faith, take a look around the ruins. That's where SG-1 was attacked. Willow and I will go this way and see what we can find. Stay sharp."
Riley and Faith nodded as they headed off toward the ruins. Xander and Willow started off in the other direction, Xander cradling his MP5 cautiously while Willow kept an eye on the remote unit's display screen.
"Chaos demons have been known to live in underground caves in some primitive societies. Since even the more modern ones lack any kind of organizational skills, they evolve quicker physically than mentally or socially," Willow said.
"Thanks for the demonology lesson," Xander said.
"What I'm saying is that even though they're big and strong, they wouldn't be able to build a shelter if their life depended on it. They're dependant on existing structures, like caves. However, they have been known to dig tunnels for shelter, or even for hunting in some cases. And considering that the UAVs still haven't picked up any movement or heat signatures large enough to be a Chaos demon, I think it's a reasonable assumption that they're using tunnels. Remember what Sam said, that it seemed like they came out of nowhere?"
Xander sighed as he looked around. "Great, demons popping up like frickin' prairie dogs. 'Cause our lives weren't exciting enough."
"I thought action was your reward."
"Yeah, well, that sounded a lot better in the mess hall than it does out here. Any signs of people or civilization?"
"Nope. Maybe they escaped through the stargate."
"Daniel said late Iron Age, right? What are the odds they could figure it out?"
"The tablet with the warning was near the stargate, that suggests that they at least knew what it was. Besides, Daniel said the *ruins* were late Iron Age. What if the first thing an alien saw of Earth was the Roman Coliseum, what would they think of us? There could be a more advanced civilization here."
"You picking up any radio signals?"
Willow pulled her radio off her belt and scanned through the bands. "No," she said, somewhat dejected.
"No signs of a mass exodus through the gate either," Xander said. "In fact this whole area looks pretty untouched."
"Maybe they left centuries ago," Willow suggested.
"Or maybe they were wiped out centuries ago."
"Pessimist."
"Realist," Xander corrected.
"Okay Mr. Realist, care to put your money where your mouth is? I say they left, you say they're dead."
"And if we don't find evidence either way?"
"Then it's a push."
"Usual terms?"
"Definitely."
They both held out their hands and wrapped their little fingers together, pinky swearing on the bet.
A moment later, Xander's radio barked. "Xander." It was Riley's voice.
Xander grabbed the microphone on the front of his shirt and pressed the button. "Go ahead."
"We found a tunnel entrance hidden in the ruins. A Chaos demon popped right out of it like a frickin' whack-a-mole."
"You guys okay?"
"Yeah, Faith took care of him, no problem. Permission to investigate?"
"Granted, but be careful. We're on our way back. Radio check in fifteen minutes."
"Copy that," Riley said.
Xander turned to a smiling Willow. "Well, that makes one thing I was right about. I'm batting a thousand so far."
"Game ain't over yet," Xander said as the pair turned around and headed back the way they came. "Let's get a move on."
*
December 11, 2004
Cheyenne Mountain
Colorado Springs, CO
"Unscheduled off-world activation!"
Alarm klaxons accompanied the announcement as the entire base was put on alert. General Hammond and Colonel O'Neill arrived at the gate control room just as the incoming wormhole was established. With the iris closed, the only indication the gate was open was the reflection of it's water-like surface on the back wall of the gate room. A battalion of armed men rushed into the room, taking up positions around the gate.
"We're receiving a transmission," the Sergeant seated at the console said. "It's SG-8, Sir."
"They're not due back for another week," Hammond said, mostly to himself. "Open the iris, Sergeant."
The large metallic disc slid open and a moment later a man in a SGC uniform stepped through carrying another man in a fireman's carry. A second after that, two more men came though the gate back first, their weapons still trained on whatever had been chasing them. "Close the iris!" the last man through yelled. A moment later the iris slid shut and they all breathed a sigh of relief.
General Hammond leaned down and spoke into the PA microphone. "Medical team to the gate room, double time!" he ordered, before heading down to the gate room himself, O'Neill following behind him.
"What the hell were those things?" one of the men with the guns asked aloud to no one in particular. He looked shaken up. In comparison, the larger man carrying their injured comrade looked calm, more angry than scared. He slowly lowered the body he was carrying to the deck, a slender man with dirty blonde hair and a bloodied bandage on his neck.
"I don't know, Hauser," the other armed man said. "They didn't look like any snake head I've ever seen, but they sure as hell weren't human."
Hammond and O'Neill entered the room a second ahead of the medical team. "Major Jamison, report," Hammond ordered while Dr. Frasier and another doctor knelt down to examine the injured man.
"We were continuing with our survey of the ruins on P3X209 when we came under attack," Jamison said.
"Jaffa?" O'Neill asked.
"No, Sir. They were…it's hard to explain."
"Take your time, son," Hammond said.
"Humanoid, with ridged brows and sharp pointed teeth. One of them grabbed Dr. Shepard. We opened fire one them, but they just kept coming. It was like…the bullets weren't doing anything."
"Some kind of body armor?" O'Neill guessed.
"No, Sir," Jamison insisted. "They were taking the hits, but they just kept coming. Like they were zombies or something."
"Vampires," the large man said, speaking for the first time since coming through the gate. The others looked at him.
"The one who grabbed Shepard took off with him," Jamison continued. "We tried to go after him, but those things just wouldn't stay down. By the time we found him, he was unconscious, bleeding from the neck. We dressed the wound quickly and hauled ass back to the gate."
"We should have left him behind," the large man said, staring down at Dr. Shepard's body as the doctor's worked on him.
"I told you Mendez, no man gets left behind!" Jamison snapped. "Not on my watch."
"He is not a man," Mendez said, his voice low and solemn. "Not anymore."
"What the hell are you talking about?!" Jamison snapped again.
Mendez turned back and faced General Hammond. "I know what those creatures were that attacked us, Sir."
"How could you?" Jamison asked.
Mendez reached into the collar of his shirt and pulled out a chain with a crucifix hanging from it. He looked at it for a moment before speaking. "My grandmother used to tell us stories when I was very young. Stories about where she grew up, in Honduras. She told us about the creatures that stalked the night. Stronger than ten men, faster than the wind. They were the living dead she told us, feasting on the blood of the living to survive. Vampires. I thought they were just stories, made up for scaring children. Until I saw one of them myself. I told myself I had imagined it, that what I saw couldn't possibly be real. But I never forgot the face of the monster I saw, the face I still see in my nightmares to this day. It was the same face as the creatures that attacked us. They were vampires General, I'm sure of it. And now Shep is one of them."
For a long few seconds, nobody said anything, they all just stared at Mendez. Even Dr. Fraiser was looking up at him from the floor next to Shepard's body. Finally, Jamison broke the silence.
"Have you lost your mind!"
Hammond just turned to Dr. Fraiser. "How is he, Doctor?"
"I'm sorry Sir, he's dead. There wasn't anything we could do, he's lost too much blood. You should take a look at this, Sir. Here around the wound on his neck, there appear to be teeth marks."
Hammond looked down at the body and then back up at Mendez. "We have to burn the body," Mendez said. "As quickly as possible."
"That's enough." Hammond said. "I know you and Dr. Shepard were friends son, but I just want the facts here, not folklore and fairy tales. His body will be turned over to his family, and furthermore…"
The General was cut off when Shepard's hand shot out and grabbed Dr. Fraiser's arm, causing her to yell out. "He's alive! Somebody get a ventilator in here…"
"Get away from him Doctor, now!" Mendez warned. But it was too late. Before anyone else could react, Shepard sat up and wrapped his other arm around Dr. Fraiser's neck.
"I'd really rather she didn't," Shepard said around his new fangs. Everyone around him jumped back, except Mendez. He didn't budge an inch.
"Holy shit!" Jamison exclaimed. "That…that's what their faces looked like, just like that."
"Seal this room!" Hammond barked. The exits quickly slid shut as the combat team took aim at the vampire.
"Let her go Shepard," Jack said. "We can help you."
"Shepard is dead, Colonel," Mendez said, not taking his eyes off the vampire. "That thing is just a demon wearing his face."
Shepard rose to his feet, dragging Fraiser with him. "Come on Charlie, you're hurting my feelings. I thought we were friends," Shepard said to Mendez with a wicked smile. "I'm still your old pal Shep. The same guy you eat lunch with, the same guy you told your grandmother's stories to. Remember the dig in Honduras next month, you were going to try to come with me.
"I tell you what, I'll turn you and then we can share her. We'll walk out of here together, what do you say?"
"You're not leaving this room alive," Mendez said, his expression cold as ice as he took a step closer to the vampire.
Shepard smirked. "And who's going to stop me? You? Those guns are useless against my kind, you know that."
"Maybe," Mendez said taking another step closer. "But this isn't." And with that, he reached out and opened his hand, exposing the crucifix he still held there. Shepard instinctually cringed away from it, giving Mendez an opening to grab Fraiser out of the vampire's grasp and push her clear before jumping on top of him and tackling him to the ground.
A second later, Mendez was launched into the air and halfway across the room, landing hard on the floor. Shepard stood up and growled, there was a cross-shaped burn mark on his cheek. He touched it tentatively and winced. "You're going to pay for that, blood bag," he growled.
O'Neill and Fraiser rushed over to Mendez. His face was twisted in pain but he was still conscious. Fraiser leaned down to check his vital signs while Jack looked up at the vampire stalking toward them. No one was quite sure what to do. They had all heard Jamison and Shepard both say that guns did nothing against these creatures, which left them with very few options.
Jack reached behind his back and pulled out a zat. He had grabbed it from the weapons locker in the gate room while Shepard was busy with Mendez. He took aim at the approaching demon and fired once. Shepard staggered as the shot hit him, but he didn't lose his footing. His eyes shut as he growled in pain, shaking his head to clear it. It looked to be slowing him down, but it wasn't knocking him out. O'Neill turned and looked at Hammond. The General frowned and nodded once. Jack turned, raised the weapon and fired again. Shepard howled in pain as his knees hit the floor. Everyone watched as before there eyes his body started to turn brown, withering like a piece of fruit that had been left out two long, before exploding into dust.
A few seconds of stunned silence filled the room as everyone tried to comprehend what they had just seen. Dr. Fraiser broke the silence. "I need some help over here! He's bleeding internally, we have to get him to the infirmary!" The medical team that had been dispatched for Dr. Shepard snapped into action, loading Mendez onto a gurney and rushing him out of the room.
"Stand down," Hammond ordered the combat team. They lowered their weapons and slowly started filing out of the room. The General walked over to where O'Neill and the remaining two members of SG-8 stood. "What just happened here?" he asked.
"I wish to God I knew, Sir," O'Neill said. "I wish to God I knew."
*
August 13, 2006
PX-201V8
"Stay sharp."
Riley and Faith nodded before heading off towards the ruins, while Xander and Willow started in the other direction. Riley cradled his MP5 as he watched the area ahead intently, looking for any signs of danger. In contrast Faith's expression was much more casual, like it was just another Sunday afternoon stroll. She slowly rolled her head from shoulder to shoulder, stretching out the kinks as she pulled at the straps on her back, readjusting them.
"I hate having to carry all this crap," she complained. "I feel like I can't move. Slayers are supposed to travel light, we're like…golfers."
Riley's brow furrowed in confusion. "Okay, I'll bite. How are slayers like golfers?"
"Golfers travel light, they have to keep their head in the game, they have to concentrate. So, they have a caddy who follows them around, carrying all their stuff, giving them advice on which club to use. See, the caddies are like watchers."
"You've given this analogy a lot of thought, haven't you?"
"Do you think General Hammond would let me bring a caddy on missions? Just picture it, some dude in ugly pants carrying a golf bag full of weapons. 'I think you should use the broadsword for this shot, Ms. Williams.' It would be great." Riley just stared at her for a moment like she had grown a second head. "It was just an idea."
"Why don't we save the jokes for later and concentrate on what we're doing here?"
"Oh, lighten up Cornbread," Faith said. "Like we haven't done this a hundred times before."
"Be that as it may, I don't have super strength, speed and healing to fall back on if we get ambushed."
Faith rolled her eyes. "Here we go again," she sighed. "You know, Xander doesn't have any special powers either, you don't hear him bitching every five minutes. Plus, he would have laughed and appreciated my attempt to lighten the mood."
"First of all, I am not 'bitching'. I'm just pointing out that this job is a little harder for those of us without powers, and I'd like a little credit for that once in a while. Secondly, Xander is a professional when it comes to the job. He's not the same lovable goofball he was back in high school."
"See, that's where you're wrong Cornbread. He may have gotten his soldier mojo back thanks to the Tok'ra, but deep down he's still the same old Xander he ever was. And thank God for that. This job is hard enough as it is, can you imagine if we had gotten some regular Air Force hard ass instead of the X-Man? I wouldn't be here, Willow sure as hell wouldn't be here, and you want to know something? I don't think you would be here either. Xander is the glue that holds this team together."
"I agree," Riley said. "But it's not because he laughs at your jokes!"
"Fine, but it's not because he's all G.I. Joe either!"
"No, it's because he's both! Because he can bridge the gap between the military and the supernatural so easily, because both us and the Air Force trust him so implicitly."
"Exactly!"
Riley's face scrunched in confusion. "If we agree, what are we arguing about?"
Faith opened her mouth to say something but then closed it again, her own face taking on a puzzled expression. "I don't know," she admitted. She smiled, which after a moment turned into a laugh, which after another moment was joined by another from Riley.
"There's that smile," she said. "I knew I'd get you to lighten up."
"You're right you know," Riley said after a moment.
"Natch," Faith replied. "But just so we're on the same page, which one of the many things I'm right about are you referring to?"
"I wouldn't have joined the SGC if it hadn't been for Xander. They couldn't tell us what the project was about until after we joined, so all Sam and I had to go by was Xander's assurance that it was worth it. He has this way of making you trust him. It's like…" Riley trailed off, not being able to find the words.
"Like a blanket of empathy," Faith supplied. "Like you can tell just by looking at him that he understands every emotion you're feeling even before you understand it yourself. I used to think he had enough compassion for the whole world. Turns out he has enough for a whole slew of new ones too." Faith turned and noticed Riley staring at her. "What?"
"Sorry, that's just…really poetic. I'm surprised is all."
"Get bent, Cornbread."
Riley chuckled. "Now that's more like the Faith I know."
They continued on in silence for a few minutes until Riley spotted something. "Do you see that?"
"What?"
"That broken pillar, there's loose dirt underneath it." The pillar Riley pointed to was leaning against a stone wall at a twenty degree angle. The dirt under the end touching the ground was in fact loose, in contrast to the hard, dry soil that covered the rest of the area. Riley approached it slowly, keeping his gun at the ready. Faith followed behind him, watching his back.
Riley squatted down next to the column and pulled a flashlight form his belt. He shined the light under the pillar, exposing a large hole in the ground. He moved the light around as he looked inside. "Willow said they might be underground. Looks like a tunnel," he said.
"And the shadow this pillar casts covers it perfectly," Faith added.
"These demons might be primitive, but they're not stupid."
"How do we know the people on this planet didn't dig it?" Faith asked.
"The loose dirt at the end there, it's from moving the pillar up and down repeatedly. See how deep it's dug into the ground? This isn't just camouflage, it's a door."
Faith nodded. "And no human would be able to lift this thing."
"Except maybe a slayer," Riley said looking up at her.
Faith smiled and cracked her knuckles. "Stand back."
Riley tucked the flashlight back into his belt and stood back from the pillar. Faith reached out and hooked her arms under the stone column and started to lift. For a second, it didn't look like the thing was going to budge. But slowly Faith managed to lift it, higher and higher until one final push sent it falling to the ground with a loud thud, fully exposing the tunnel entrance.
Riley stepped closer and peered down into the hole. "I wonder how deep it goes," he pondered aloud.
Faith was dusting herself off when her head snapped up. "Get down!" she yelled as she rushed toward Riley, shoving him away. Not a second later a snarling Chaos demon flew out of the hole, backhanding Faith across the face as it landed, sending her tumbling to the ground.
"Shit!" Riley cursed as he brought his MP5 up and fired it. The bullets struck the demon in the chest, but it barely seemed to notice as it roared at him.
Faith was back on her feet in a heartbeat. "Come on Ugly, I'm the one you want!" she shouted. Just as the demon turned to face her, it caught a roundhouse kick to the face from the raven-haired slayer. It staggered back, narrowly avoiding falling back through the hole. Faith kept on the creature, delivering a right cross that snapped its head back and a kick to the midsection. The demon made a few clumsy swipes, which she easily dodged. Another kick to the face and the demon hit the ground. Faith drew her sword and brought it down through the creature's neck, decapitating it.
Riley rushed to Faith's side. "Are you okay?"
Faith nodded, catching her breath. "Five by five," she said. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a cloth, using to wipe her sword clean of the demon's blood.
Riley nodded as he reached over and pressed the button on the radio mike clipped to his shirt. "Xander," he said into it.
A second later, Xander's voice came through the radio. "Go ahead."
"We found a tunnel entrance hidden in the ruins. A Chaos demon popped right out of it like a frickin' whack-a-mole."
"You guys okay?" Xander asked.
"Yeah, Faith took care of him, no problem. Permission to investigate?"
"Granted, but be careful. We're on our way back. Radio check in fifteen minutes."
"Copy that," Riley said. He let go of the radio and turned back to Faith, who was replacing the now clean sword to the scabbard on her back. "Ready?"
"As I'll ever be," Faith replied.
Riley nodded as he took out his flashlight again and shined it into the hole. "Then let's go earn our paychecks."
*
By Xodarap
Disclaimer: Joss and co. own all things Buffy, and SFC owns Stargate. No copyright infringement is intended, so please don't sue. I don't have any money anyway.
Dedication: To Jordan and Jessica, my angels. May they rest in peace.
Summary: Three years after the end of the series (BtVS), a group of former Scoobies have a new mission. Kicking interplanetary undead ass.
Author's Note: Special thanks to DaBear, Sirius, Miss Kayl, Big G, Rob Clark, Darklight, Eykar, S.M., charmedfanatic3000, Alexandra, slbwhitewolf, Mytryk, Calia, and WBH21C for the feedback. It's much appreciated.
(BtVS/SG1, W/X)
*
(2/?)
August 13, 2006
PX-201V8
Xander and his team stepped out of the stargate and onto PX-201V8. He let out the breath he had been holding through the billion or so mile trip, and shaded his eyes from the sun as he looked up at the UAV slowly getting smaller on the horizon. The gate closed behind them, and Xander looked to make sure everyone was there.
Willow was staring intently at the UAV remote unit in her hand. "Not picking up anything yet. They could be underground."
"Okay, let's spread out," Xander said. "Riley, Faith, take a look around the ruins. That's where SG-1 was attacked. Willow and I will go this way and see what we can find. Stay sharp."
Riley and Faith nodded as they headed off toward the ruins. Xander and Willow started off in the other direction, Xander cradling his MP5 cautiously while Willow kept an eye on the remote unit's display screen.
"Chaos demons have been known to live in underground caves in some primitive societies. Since even the more modern ones lack any kind of organizational skills, they evolve quicker physically than mentally or socially," Willow said.
"Thanks for the demonology lesson," Xander said.
"What I'm saying is that even though they're big and strong, they wouldn't be able to build a shelter if their life depended on it. They're dependant on existing structures, like caves. However, they have been known to dig tunnels for shelter, or even for hunting in some cases. And considering that the UAVs still haven't picked up any movement or heat signatures large enough to be a Chaos demon, I think it's a reasonable assumption that they're using tunnels. Remember what Sam said, that it seemed like they came out of nowhere?"
Xander sighed as he looked around. "Great, demons popping up like frickin' prairie dogs. 'Cause our lives weren't exciting enough."
"I thought action was your reward."
"Yeah, well, that sounded a lot better in the mess hall than it does out here. Any signs of people or civilization?"
"Nope. Maybe they escaped through the stargate."
"Daniel said late Iron Age, right? What are the odds they could figure it out?"
"The tablet with the warning was near the stargate, that suggests that they at least knew what it was. Besides, Daniel said the *ruins* were late Iron Age. What if the first thing an alien saw of Earth was the Roman Coliseum, what would they think of us? There could be a more advanced civilization here."
"You picking up any radio signals?"
Willow pulled her radio off her belt and scanned through the bands. "No," she said, somewhat dejected.
"No signs of a mass exodus through the gate either," Xander said. "In fact this whole area looks pretty untouched."
"Maybe they left centuries ago," Willow suggested.
"Or maybe they were wiped out centuries ago."
"Pessimist."
"Realist," Xander corrected.
"Okay Mr. Realist, care to put your money where your mouth is? I say they left, you say they're dead."
"And if we don't find evidence either way?"
"Then it's a push."
"Usual terms?"
"Definitely."
They both held out their hands and wrapped their little fingers together, pinky swearing on the bet.
A moment later, Xander's radio barked. "Xander." It was Riley's voice.
Xander grabbed the microphone on the front of his shirt and pressed the button. "Go ahead."
"We found a tunnel entrance hidden in the ruins. A Chaos demon popped right out of it like a frickin' whack-a-mole."
"You guys okay?"
"Yeah, Faith took care of him, no problem. Permission to investigate?"
"Granted, but be careful. We're on our way back. Radio check in fifteen minutes."
"Copy that," Riley said.
Xander turned to a smiling Willow. "Well, that makes one thing I was right about. I'm batting a thousand so far."
"Game ain't over yet," Xander said as the pair turned around and headed back the way they came. "Let's get a move on."
*
December 11, 2004
Cheyenne Mountain
Colorado Springs, CO
"Unscheduled off-world activation!"
Alarm klaxons accompanied the announcement as the entire base was put on alert. General Hammond and Colonel O'Neill arrived at the gate control room just as the incoming wormhole was established. With the iris closed, the only indication the gate was open was the reflection of it's water-like surface on the back wall of the gate room. A battalion of armed men rushed into the room, taking up positions around the gate.
"We're receiving a transmission," the Sergeant seated at the console said. "It's SG-8, Sir."
"They're not due back for another week," Hammond said, mostly to himself. "Open the iris, Sergeant."
The large metallic disc slid open and a moment later a man in a SGC uniform stepped through carrying another man in a fireman's carry. A second after that, two more men came though the gate back first, their weapons still trained on whatever had been chasing them. "Close the iris!" the last man through yelled. A moment later the iris slid shut and they all breathed a sigh of relief.
General Hammond leaned down and spoke into the PA microphone. "Medical team to the gate room, double time!" he ordered, before heading down to the gate room himself, O'Neill following behind him.
"What the hell were those things?" one of the men with the guns asked aloud to no one in particular. He looked shaken up. In comparison, the larger man carrying their injured comrade looked calm, more angry than scared. He slowly lowered the body he was carrying to the deck, a slender man with dirty blonde hair and a bloodied bandage on his neck.
"I don't know, Hauser," the other armed man said. "They didn't look like any snake head I've ever seen, but they sure as hell weren't human."
Hammond and O'Neill entered the room a second ahead of the medical team. "Major Jamison, report," Hammond ordered while Dr. Frasier and another doctor knelt down to examine the injured man.
"We were continuing with our survey of the ruins on P3X209 when we came under attack," Jamison said.
"Jaffa?" O'Neill asked.
"No, Sir. They were…it's hard to explain."
"Take your time, son," Hammond said.
"Humanoid, with ridged brows and sharp pointed teeth. One of them grabbed Dr. Shepard. We opened fire one them, but they just kept coming. It was like…the bullets weren't doing anything."
"Some kind of body armor?" O'Neill guessed.
"No, Sir," Jamison insisted. "They were taking the hits, but they just kept coming. Like they were zombies or something."
"Vampires," the large man said, speaking for the first time since coming through the gate. The others looked at him.
"The one who grabbed Shepard took off with him," Jamison continued. "We tried to go after him, but those things just wouldn't stay down. By the time we found him, he was unconscious, bleeding from the neck. We dressed the wound quickly and hauled ass back to the gate."
"We should have left him behind," the large man said, staring down at Dr. Shepard's body as the doctor's worked on him.
"I told you Mendez, no man gets left behind!" Jamison snapped. "Not on my watch."
"He is not a man," Mendez said, his voice low and solemn. "Not anymore."
"What the hell are you talking about?!" Jamison snapped again.
Mendez turned back and faced General Hammond. "I know what those creatures were that attacked us, Sir."
"How could you?" Jamison asked.
Mendez reached into the collar of his shirt and pulled out a chain with a crucifix hanging from it. He looked at it for a moment before speaking. "My grandmother used to tell us stories when I was very young. Stories about where she grew up, in Honduras. She told us about the creatures that stalked the night. Stronger than ten men, faster than the wind. They were the living dead she told us, feasting on the blood of the living to survive. Vampires. I thought they were just stories, made up for scaring children. Until I saw one of them myself. I told myself I had imagined it, that what I saw couldn't possibly be real. But I never forgot the face of the monster I saw, the face I still see in my nightmares to this day. It was the same face as the creatures that attacked us. They were vampires General, I'm sure of it. And now Shep is one of them."
For a long few seconds, nobody said anything, they all just stared at Mendez. Even Dr. Fraiser was looking up at him from the floor next to Shepard's body. Finally, Jamison broke the silence.
"Have you lost your mind!"
Hammond just turned to Dr. Fraiser. "How is he, Doctor?"
"I'm sorry Sir, he's dead. There wasn't anything we could do, he's lost too much blood. You should take a look at this, Sir. Here around the wound on his neck, there appear to be teeth marks."
Hammond looked down at the body and then back up at Mendez. "We have to burn the body," Mendez said. "As quickly as possible."
"That's enough." Hammond said. "I know you and Dr. Shepard were friends son, but I just want the facts here, not folklore and fairy tales. His body will be turned over to his family, and furthermore…"
The General was cut off when Shepard's hand shot out and grabbed Dr. Fraiser's arm, causing her to yell out. "He's alive! Somebody get a ventilator in here…"
"Get away from him Doctor, now!" Mendez warned. But it was too late. Before anyone else could react, Shepard sat up and wrapped his other arm around Dr. Fraiser's neck.
"I'd really rather she didn't," Shepard said around his new fangs. Everyone around him jumped back, except Mendez. He didn't budge an inch.
"Holy shit!" Jamison exclaimed. "That…that's what their faces looked like, just like that."
"Seal this room!" Hammond barked. The exits quickly slid shut as the combat team took aim at the vampire.
"Let her go Shepard," Jack said. "We can help you."
"Shepard is dead, Colonel," Mendez said, not taking his eyes off the vampire. "That thing is just a demon wearing his face."
Shepard rose to his feet, dragging Fraiser with him. "Come on Charlie, you're hurting my feelings. I thought we were friends," Shepard said to Mendez with a wicked smile. "I'm still your old pal Shep. The same guy you eat lunch with, the same guy you told your grandmother's stories to. Remember the dig in Honduras next month, you were going to try to come with me.
"I tell you what, I'll turn you and then we can share her. We'll walk out of here together, what do you say?"
"You're not leaving this room alive," Mendez said, his expression cold as ice as he took a step closer to the vampire.
Shepard smirked. "And who's going to stop me? You? Those guns are useless against my kind, you know that."
"Maybe," Mendez said taking another step closer. "But this isn't." And with that, he reached out and opened his hand, exposing the crucifix he still held there. Shepard instinctually cringed away from it, giving Mendez an opening to grab Fraiser out of the vampire's grasp and push her clear before jumping on top of him and tackling him to the ground.
A second later, Mendez was launched into the air and halfway across the room, landing hard on the floor. Shepard stood up and growled, there was a cross-shaped burn mark on his cheek. He touched it tentatively and winced. "You're going to pay for that, blood bag," he growled.
O'Neill and Fraiser rushed over to Mendez. His face was twisted in pain but he was still conscious. Fraiser leaned down to check his vital signs while Jack looked up at the vampire stalking toward them. No one was quite sure what to do. They had all heard Jamison and Shepard both say that guns did nothing against these creatures, which left them with very few options.
Jack reached behind his back and pulled out a zat. He had grabbed it from the weapons locker in the gate room while Shepard was busy with Mendez. He took aim at the approaching demon and fired once. Shepard staggered as the shot hit him, but he didn't lose his footing. His eyes shut as he growled in pain, shaking his head to clear it. It looked to be slowing him down, but it wasn't knocking him out. O'Neill turned and looked at Hammond. The General frowned and nodded once. Jack turned, raised the weapon and fired again. Shepard howled in pain as his knees hit the floor. Everyone watched as before there eyes his body started to turn brown, withering like a piece of fruit that had been left out two long, before exploding into dust.
A few seconds of stunned silence filled the room as everyone tried to comprehend what they had just seen. Dr. Fraiser broke the silence. "I need some help over here! He's bleeding internally, we have to get him to the infirmary!" The medical team that had been dispatched for Dr. Shepard snapped into action, loading Mendez onto a gurney and rushing him out of the room.
"Stand down," Hammond ordered the combat team. They lowered their weapons and slowly started filing out of the room. The General walked over to where O'Neill and the remaining two members of SG-8 stood. "What just happened here?" he asked.
"I wish to God I knew, Sir," O'Neill said. "I wish to God I knew."
*
August 13, 2006
PX-201V8
"Stay sharp."
Riley and Faith nodded before heading off towards the ruins, while Xander and Willow started in the other direction. Riley cradled his MP5 as he watched the area ahead intently, looking for any signs of danger. In contrast Faith's expression was much more casual, like it was just another Sunday afternoon stroll. She slowly rolled her head from shoulder to shoulder, stretching out the kinks as she pulled at the straps on her back, readjusting them.
"I hate having to carry all this crap," she complained. "I feel like I can't move. Slayers are supposed to travel light, we're like…golfers."
Riley's brow furrowed in confusion. "Okay, I'll bite. How are slayers like golfers?"
"Golfers travel light, they have to keep their head in the game, they have to concentrate. So, they have a caddy who follows them around, carrying all their stuff, giving them advice on which club to use. See, the caddies are like watchers."
"You've given this analogy a lot of thought, haven't you?"
"Do you think General Hammond would let me bring a caddy on missions? Just picture it, some dude in ugly pants carrying a golf bag full of weapons. 'I think you should use the broadsword for this shot, Ms. Williams.' It would be great." Riley just stared at her for a moment like she had grown a second head. "It was just an idea."
"Why don't we save the jokes for later and concentrate on what we're doing here?"
"Oh, lighten up Cornbread," Faith said. "Like we haven't done this a hundred times before."
"Be that as it may, I don't have super strength, speed and healing to fall back on if we get ambushed."
Faith rolled her eyes. "Here we go again," she sighed. "You know, Xander doesn't have any special powers either, you don't hear him bitching every five minutes. Plus, he would have laughed and appreciated my attempt to lighten the mood."
"First of all, I am not 'bitching'. I'm just pointing out that this job is a little harder for those of us without powers, and I'd like a little credit for that once in a while. Secondly, Xander is a professional when it comes to the job. He's not the same lovable goofball he was back in high school."
"See, that's where you're wrong Cornbread. He may have gotten his soldier mojo back thanks to the Tok'ra, but deep down he's still the same old Xander he ever was. And thank God for that. This job is hard enough as it is, can you imagine if we had gotten some regular Air Force hard ass instead of the X-Man? I wouldn't be here, Willow sure as hell wouldn't be here, and you want to know something? I don't think you would be here either. Xander is the glue that holds this team together."
"I agree," Riley said. "But it's not because he laughs at your jokes!"
"Fine, but it's not because he's all G.I. Joe either!"
"No, it's because he's both! Because he can bridge the gap between the military and the supernatural so easily, because both us and the Air Force trust him so implicitly."
"Exactly!"
Riley's face scrunched in confusion. "If we agree, what are we arguing about?"
Faith opened her mouth to say something but then closed it again, her own face taking on a puzzled expression. "I don't know," she admitted. She smiled, which after a moment turned into a laugh, which after another moment was joined by another from Riley.
"There's that smile," she said. "I knew I'd get you to lighten up."
"You're right you know," Riley said after a moment.
"Natch," Faith replied. "But just so we're on the same page, which one of the many things I'm right about are you referring to?"
"I wouldn't have joined the SGC if it hadn't been for Xander. They couldn't tell us what the project was about until after we joined, so all Sam and I had to go by was Xander's assurance that it was worth it. He has this way of making you trust him. It's like…" Riley trailed off, not being able to find the words.
"Like a blanket of empathy," Faith supplied. "Like you can tell just by looking at him that he understands every emotion you're feeling even before you understand it yourself. I used to think he had enough compassion for the whole world. Turns out he has enough for a whole slew of new ones too." Faith turned and noticed Riley staring at her. "What?"
"Sorry, that's just…really poetic. I'm surprised is all."
"Get bent, Cornbread."
Riley chuckled. "Now that's more like the Faith I know."
They continued on in silence for a few minutes until Riley spotted something. "Do you see that?"
"What?"
"That broken pillar, there's loose dirt underneath it." The pillar Riley pointed to was leaning against a stone wall at a twenty degree angle. The dirt under the end touching the ground was in fact loose, in contrast to the hard, dry soil that covered the rest of the area. Riley approached it slowly, keeping his gun at the ready. Faith followed behind him, watching his back.
Riley squatted down next to the column and pulled a flashlight form his belt. He shined the light under the pillar, exposing a large hole in the ground. He moved the light around as he looked inside. "Willow said they might be underground. Looks like a tunnel," he said.
"And the shadow this pillar casts covers it perfectly," Faith added.
"These demons might be primitive, but they're not stupid."
"How do we know the people on this planet didn't dig it?" Faith asked.
"The loose dirt at the end there, it's from moving the pillar up and down repeatedly. See how deep it's dug into the ground? This isn't just camouflage, it's a door."
Faith nodded. "And no human would be able to lift this thing."
"Except maybe a slayer," Riley said looking up at her.
Faith smiled and cracked her knuckles. "Stand back."
Riley tucked the flashlight back into his belt and stood back from the pillar. Faith reached out and hooked her arms under the stone column and started to lift. For a second, it didn't look like the thing was going to budge. But slowly Faith managed to lift it, higher and higher until one final push sent it falling to the ground with a loud thud, fully exposing the tunnel entrance.
Riley stepped closer and peered down into the hole. "I wonder how deep it goes," he pondered aloud.
Faith was dusting herself off when her head snapped up. "Get down!" she yelled as she rushed toward Riley, shoving him away. Not a second later a snarling Chaos demon flew out of the hole, backhanding Faith across the face as it landed, sending her tumbling to the ground.
"Shit!" Riley cursed as he brought his MP5 up and fired it. The bullets struck the demon in the chest, but it barely seemed to notice as it roared at him.
Faith was back on her feet in a heartbeat. "Come on Ugly, I'm the one you want!" she shouted. Just as the demon turned to face her, it caught a roundhouse kick to the face from the raven-haired slayer. It staggered back, narrowly avoiding falling back through the hole. Faith kept on the creature, delivering a right cross that snapped its head back and a kick to the midsection. The demon made a few clumsy swipes, which she easily dodged. Another kick to the face and the demon hit the ground. Faith drew her sword and brought it down through the creature's neck, decapitating it.
Riley rushed to Faith's side. "Are you okay?"
Faith nodded, catching her breath. "Five by five," she said. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a cloth, using to wipe her sword clean of the demon's blood.
Riley nodded as he reached over and pressed the button on the radio mike clipped to his shirt. "Xander," he said into it.
A second later, Xander's voice came through the radio. "Go ahead."
"We found a tunnel entrance hidden in the ruins. A Chaos demon popped right out of it like a frickin' whack-a-mole."
"You guys okay?" Xander asked.
"Yeah, Faith took care of him, no problem. Permission to investigate?"
"Granted, but be careful. We're on our way back. Radio check in fifteen minutes."
"Copy that," Riley said. He let go of the radio and turned back to Faith, who was replacing the now clean sword to the scabbard on her back. "Ready?"
"As I'll ever be," Faith replied.
Riley nodded as he took out his flashlight again and shined it into the hole. "Then let's go earn our paychecks."
*