All Creatures Great and Small.
Directors Edition
Chapter 9

Giles looked out the window into the new sunrise. Last night was hell, quite literally actually. From the reports of the other SG teams as well as the zombies that the Colonel met there were also skeleton warriors crawling out of underground caves. There was also some sort of prehistoric vampire group guarding the new school that Giles and SG-3 met on their recon. While they had gotten the heck out of there and blown the place sky high with grenades a hour ago, the town was still in a lot of danger.

Shortly after he had gotten the reports O'Neill had got on the phone to his commander for reinforcements. Giles knew that this first wave was specifically to stop the Slayer and whatever else the mortal world could throw in defence before the main brunt. The true, pure, demons had to be next and then he could only hope that his Slayer and her new allies would be able to help in time.

Jack walked into the living room/headquarters. The teenage son of that Angel guy was still hog tied to the chair and the bleached guy was sleeping on the couch. Carter, the red-head and that thin Texan girl were deep in discussion about physics and magic, he could barley understand half the words coming from the three super-geeks. Gunn, Angel and Teal'c were inspecting and sharpening weapons while Faith slept on the floor, her strange sword by her side. The woman had found out that it also had a switch which activated an energy field around it, she had already promised him not to tell Carter. Finally he turned his attention on the other three. While the women scared him these three terrified him. The middle aged Englishman Rupert Giles, the younger, meaner and unkempt, Englishman Wesley Windom-Price and the battered itinerant space monkey Daniel. While the girls talked physics in English those three talked in every language in this galaxy. Italian, German, French, Russian, ancient Egyptian and Sumerian. Jack strongly believed that if they added up the IQ's of every one there you would get the sort of number you find on your credit card, include the girls and you make mensa look like a bunch of illiterate hicks.

'News from the General.' Jack waited for them all to pay attention. 'The Prez has convinced the state governor to declare marshal law. Actually he fired the old governor and told the new one to do it until this whole Armageddon thing is finished.'

'Who is the new governor O'Neill?' T asked him.

Jack just smiled back and let it sink in.

Daniel jumped up 'You've got to be kidding!'

'Afraid not space monkey. I've got the local state garrisons evacuating the town. I've also got every one in the tri-state area from the park rangers to those former NID "specialists" heading here. This time tomorrow I'll have enough man power to hold this town till Doomsday… well you know what I mean.'

Buffy and Prime were about to search the top decks of the ship when they came across Wheeljack, he told them he was looking for them and that had found Dawn wandering around the engines. Agreeing that now that they knew where she was and that she wasn't doing anything stupid to leave her be Buffy decided to find Xander who had gone to get some food.

After a quick radio message to him Buffy found him on the bridge with a packet of Pringles and a sit-com on the bridge monitors. She took that as a sign that the world was returning to normal, it had been four days since Unicron came a knocking. 'Hi, Xand'

'Alright Buff?'

'Not really. I've just walked from one end of this thing to the other, its huge.'

'I know. Even the Autobots think is too big.'

'Xand, have you figured these things out yet? I mean they're robots but they behave just like humans, I just don't get how.'

'I know what you mean. These guys act like they're humans but their not. Sometimes I have to remind my self that they aren't alive.'

Buffy wasn't so sure about that. 'I've just spent a few hours looking for Dawn with Prime.'

'Why?' he put the cardboard tube down.

'We told her that she was putting her life in danger fighting Decepticons and she stormed off.'

'Buffy, she's almost seventeen. You were out fighting demons at that age.'

'And I had Slayer strength. That put me on an even footing with the demons, she doesn't even have that and she's going toe to toe with the strongest Decepticon there is. She just can't do things like that.'

'What do you expect her to do?'

'Have a life, go to school, get a boyfriend and a job. I want her to have a normal safe life, I died to get her one and I will again if I have to.'

'That's all good and noble Buffy but what if you can't, last time I checked having your mom and sis dying within a few weeks of each other and your father abandons you doesn't give you a normal life. Not to mention that she didn't exist all of four years ago.'

'I know that but…'

'I know you want the best for her but a normal life isn't something you can give her. Just support her, that's all you have to do and really its all you can do.'

'When did you get all insightful Xander.'

'I don't know, scary huh.'

'Definitely' The two of them sat in silence Buffy considered his advice.

The monitors quickly switched to show Prime's face. 'All Autobots report outside in five minutes, battle ready.'

'Well that's that then.' Xander smiled at her cheerfully but the goofy smile didn't quite reach his eyes. Buffy could see fear, concern and a little regret.

Buffy knew her eyes held the same feelings. 'Good luck Xand-man.'

'You too Buff-ster.' They shook each others hands before a quick hug. Then with out another word they walked off to find their respective Autobot partners.

Through out The Ark Autobots secured their equipment, finished cleaning their guns or turned off the music they were listing to before leaving for probably the last time. One however didn't. She clambered into the large battle suit and transformed into an engine just as the armoured housing slipped over the cockpit.

Optimus Prime stood on top of a pile of stones in front of The Ark. Buffy looked around the Autobots gathered at the base of the volcano, under the shadow of the Ark. There must have been two hundred or more of them. They were all shapes and sizes, from "small" 8 foot tall Micromasters to a giant space shuttle/dragon lizard/bird/cat thing that her Heads Up Display recognised as Skylynx and a bigger, faceless, red and yellow robot that had a three fingered claw for one hand and a gun the size of an Autobots leg in his other. Her HUD noted he was called Omega Supreme.

'Autobots. This world, this Galaxy, this universe itself is in great danger. In the vast multi-verse there is a force of pure evil that dwarfs even that of Unicron, the Decepticons and the Goa'uld. It is simply called The First and if it wins it will not only enslave the universe, it will torture, maim and destroy every innocent being there is. The First comes from the Inferno itself, it is the master of The Pit. As the humans say Hell and it plans to bring it to this world and all the others stretching from here to Cybertron and back. The humans can not stop it in their own, we must help them and together we can bring peace to the universe.

'However the Decepticons will not help us. If we are distracted by The First Megatron will seize the opportunity to rule this world and then others as surely as The First. We only have one chance to save the universe from the domination of both evils.

'We must go now to destroy the Decepticons here on Earth and only then can we face The First and it's demons. Four million years ago we cashed here and in the few years we have been active I have sworn to protect this world. Now that promise will save everyone in the future and the past. I ask you all to follow me in to the gates of hell and into battle once again. I can not order you. But I can ask, To sand for everything I have sworn to uphold. What do you say?'

Buffy was blown over by the combined shouts of the army around her. They were going to war.

'Thank you one and all, Skylynx, Cosmos, Omega Supreme. I need you to travel to Cybertron as fast as you can and bring back every Autobot you can.'

'Never fear Optimus Skylynx has never failed you. I can complete you task on my own.'

'Then who carries everyone we need back Skylynx?'

'Oh, yes well, in that case follow me comrades.' Buffy watched as he and a smaller green flying saucer took off. Omega Supreme fired his forearms into the air, for a moment Buffy took her eyes off the juggernaut to see what he had done but when she looked back his body was missing. The two forearms span until they connected and became a Saturn space rocket that lead the two others into space.

Sunburst looked out from the back of the crowd. Smiling she waited for Prime's next order.

'Autobots! Transform and Roll out!' Sunburst watched as the army of Autobots changed in to their vehicle modes, the planes hovered and the cars revved their engines. Behind them all Sunburst finally dropped the screens between the mind and Prime's. The Autobot leader looked right at her 'Good grief, Sunburst?'

Buffy was one muscle movement away from jumping into Prowl's passenger seat when she heard Prime. Spinning around she saw who he was talking too, but not before losing her balance and falling on her side. It was one of the smaller Autobots still in robot mode, it was a good ten feet tall. It had a purple and green colour scheme that would have been gaudy if it was a shade or too lighter. As it was the darkness gave her an almost sinister look. This thing was obviously built for battle, it's legs were the width of 100 year old trees and its arms were the same but almost twice as long. The massively overdeveloped upper body looked almost human but it had an extra layer of amour over the rounded chest and flat gut. The head was a simple ball mounted into the neck but in the top right quarter it had three different coloured lenses mounted onto some sort of wrap round plate.

'Of course it's me. You and Buffy said I wasn't powerful enough so when I found this I knew what I had to do.' Dawn said from inside it.

'Where were you when you "found" that exo-suit?' Prime asked rather pointedly

'Shuttle Bay, Primal and his Maximals left all sorts of toys down there, including this wonderful gun' she raised her left arm. Instead of a hand there was a muti-barrelled gun in it's place. Buffy also noticed that there was a good five inches of extra armour like a gauntlet and a long flat plate covering the upper arms.

'Damn it Sunburst, you shouldn't have touched any of it. That equipment should have been destroyed. The pollution to the timeline...' he started. some of the other Autobots had transformed back and were watching the argument with some fascination.

'It wasn't. I'm going to do you a deal. Seeming you asked for volunteers I AM coming and you can't really stop me but if this shell gets damaged I'll pull out. Okay?'

Buffy had no idea what they were talking about by Maximals and timeline but knew that Dawn's proposal was the only way they could keep her out of trouble. 'It's alright by me but don't try to pick a fight you can't win, you see Megatron or anyone like that. Run.' she said

'Sounds fair. Shall we go, these brave Autobots are chomping at the bit to fight.' she waved her hand at the others who quickly transformed into vehicles again.

The odd convoy drove to the nearest coast at top speed. Few Earth vehicles were on the road and they all swerved out of the way. Prime was in the lead with Sunburst standing on his back while holding onto his right exhaust. Through the telepathic link they shared he could tell she was nervous. He could also tell that she had another motive to come. Revenge. Starscream had hurt her badly when the first met, not just physically but he also shattered her dream of a normal life. For all her speech's and determination Sunburst was still little Dawn. She planed to shatter Starscream and had armed the shell to the teeth to do it. Not for the first time the human adage that the female was the most deadly came to mind. She picked that up and with a sense of humour uploaded a list of weapons and equipment that she had built into the suit.

As well as the super powerful, multi-barrelled, rocket launcher replacing her left hand and massive magazine in the same shoulder, she had a telescoping blade mounted in her left gauntlet. The right shoulder housed a shielding grid to supplement the armour she had built in. The right arm forearm also had a grappling hook and net launcher in the gauntlet that she had scavenged from Tarantulas and Blackarachnia. Just to round the effect of the folded wings on her arms concealed ten demolition charges that could be used as bombs.

While the force shield wouldn't stand up long against Decepticon bombardment it would protect her for a short while. The whole thing ran of her Power-master engine form, The Autobot Leader was again glad that Ratchet designed her as an extra engine. if she was his main drive things would be difficult.

Prime's only real concern was that while it was an impressive list the only weapon that would have any real effect on the Decepticons was the rockets, all the rest (save the demolition charges) were too small a yield to seriously effect the larger opponents.

'Prime, Were in the name of Cybertron did that armour come from?' The police car Autobot tactician pulled level with him. Buffy looked like she was trying not to eavesdrop.

'Prowl, that's a long story.' Prime started but he owed the full explanation. 'But here's the short version, in a good five thousand years our descendants, the Maximals, will develop time travel. Shortly after that the Decepticons descendants, the Predicons, will steal a relic from this war and come back in time to plunder Earth of energon and destroy our deactivated forms in the Ark and also stop the human race from existing. They hoped that if they did so we would lose and the Decepticons win. Fortunately they were stopped by a force of Maximals. One of the Predicons got to me and I was badly damaged, the Maximal leader guarded my spark to save my life. I was able to access his memory banks and picked up a few facts.

Prime paused for a moment, 'Sunburst found the leftover equipment and must have made that armour out of spare parts and equipment.'

'If they came from the future then that means we're going to win, doesn't it?'

'Sorry doesn't work that way. According to the Maximal's history we do but in this timeline things are different already. The events of the Beast Wars changed their future as well as our past. Basically the time-storm from their squabble has pushed the universe into a paradox. A paradox that we must fix in about five thousand years otherwise reality, every reality, will crumble.'

'So even if ,and I stress if, we some how win this war we could all lose in a few thousand years if we don't send someone to repeat the mistakes they did?'

'Yes Prowl. That's the sum of it.'

Sunburst didn't really pay much attention to the history of the future lesson from Prime. She was far to scared. Like a nervous twitch she kept spinning her rocket launcher, telling herself that she was just testing the mounting one more time. To calm herself down she tried scanning the different radio stations, there was nothing but news or rap music that she couldn't stand . Twitching the gun a little more Sunburst realised she was crying. She started cursing the armour she was sealed in. She was unable to wipe the tears that were running down her face. This was something she wasn't ready for, the idea of killing. Despite all their evil the Decepticons still had souls, they were still living things. It was their choice that made them evil. While the Autobots had to stop them would victory be too high if they ended up as hollow shells, or worst. Would they, would she, lose herself like Faith did. Did she have the strength to pull back from that?

Did she have to kill? Sunburst was certainly going to do something unpleasant to some of them. But kill? Then she remembered something Buffy told Dawn once, when the young girl had found out about the Slayer and her sisters nightlife. "I do it because I have to. I do it because every vamp I stake means one less to kill you or mum, or someone else's family I'll never meet."

'Every Decepticon I stop means one less innocent life taken, one more person who can live out her hopes and dreams. Bring on the night, come the fight, I'm ready.'

Faith was fast asleep. She knew she was because that was what she was last doing. It wasn't wandering barefoot in some jungle, up to her knees in muck and little crawly things that had way too many legs. That made this a dream or worse. So why was she here and was it in the worst pile?

Stumbling out into a clearing she saw her sword buried in the ground, lazily spinning like it was just slowing down or didn't have the power to move any faster. 'So I guess that's the trap huh. What the hell, I ain't got anything better to do.' Feeling a little like King Arthur Faith reached out and grasped the handle. The sword leapt into life, ripping itself from the ground like it had a life of its own.

Something growled behind her. As fast as she could move the Slayer was on guard. A tanned brown snout slipped out of the dense jungle, livid dark stripes cutting up it's outline. The lizard snorted before slipping back under cover like a stick sliding into water. 'Oh HELL no. That's a velociraptor!' she hissed.

Faith was no Jedi, but as a Slayer she had excellent senses and used all of them but the jungle all around her sounded dead there was nothing. No sound and no life. 'Okay I'd like to wake up now.' She told no one in particular.

Then it happened, to her right. The plants rippled out of it's way, a twelve foot long 'raptor leaped. She was too slow. There was no warning. In the incredibly short distance between them it changed.

The tail shrunk. The head folded down into its chest. Two powerful legs slid down. The other two legs swung up. A blue human like head with teeth like razors and a sharp nose rose from its neck.

Only inches from her it batted her sword-arm away with a clawed hand, the other snatching her neck like it was a kids toy. It had landed on it's feet. Standing up and up it was almost half again her size. The same clicking hiss that haunted her dreams for nights after seeing that film uttered as it lifted her eye to eye. Then it spoke.

It was a voice from the depths of a gravel pit, growling and snarling It said a single word, no more was needed the word alone would have been too much to bare; 'Traitor.'

End chapter 9