Chapter 15 - Evacuation and choices
Atlantis, infirmary,
"Dawn" Sheppard said as all eyes were on her. "How is she?" he asked.
"Buffy is tough." Dawn replied then added "What the First did was unforeseen. Like most things it does. It didn't surprise me to learn it was still alive but that it had been secretly building relationships with 2 dangerous races here in the Pegasus galaxy makes me think the threat it represents to Earth is a lot more dangerous then I previously thought. It must also be in contact with Anubis and maybe other Goa'uld." Dawn dwelled off.
"How do we defeat it?" Weir asked her.
"by working together as a team and get Buffy back. But first we need…" Dawn stopped "Something is wrong, I forgot something." She said and held up her hand and a image of a planet mostly covered in water appeared. The main land seemed to be large as well. There was also a city surrounded by a lot of blue to be seen.
Dawn turned the planet around so a massive swirl of clouds could be seen covering the planet. "There is a massive storm heading to the main land and then Atlantis. You need to evacuate your people off world Teyla." Dawn told her then turned to McKay "And you have to find some way to save Atlantis from this storm."
"Without a full ZPM we can't activate the shield." McKay immediately told her.
"You'll find a way." Dawn told him then added "rescuing Buffy will have to wait until the storm passes."
"Now wait a minute, we can't just sit here and pretend Buffy isn't being subjected to all kinds of invasive medical procedures." Sheppard told her. "She's your sister, can't you do something?" he asked.
Dawn glared at him "Don't you think I know that if I were allowed I would use my power to banish the First to a place it won't hurt anything or anyone ever again. I would charge the dead ZPM you have and send the Wraith to join the First. But I am not allowed to directly interfere. I'm trying to change the way things are done by the other Powers that Be. It takes time and it is important. More important then just one life. I love my sister but she would do her job just like I have to do!" Dawn yelled at him.
"Please calm down Dawn, Major Sheppard is just worries about her. You came here with a plan. Can you at least tell us what that plan is. Or can you warn Willow to help Buffy." Weir told her.
"Willow probably can open a portal to Buffy but if she sees what the Genii are doing to Buffy she will lose control and scary veiny dark Willow will kill all Genii and kill a lot of people." Dawn told them. "The plan I had will have to wait, it won't work now. Too much is going on. I have to go. I'll be back as soon as can with a new plan." She told thme and with a green flash she was gone.
"Ford I want you to mobilize a team and get ready to move in 30 minutes, I'll meet you at the gate room." Sheppard told him.
"Hold up Lieutenant. Major, we can not go after Buffy. We have a storm coming in we have to find a site to relocate to and find a way to save Atlantis. I'm sorry but Dawn is right we have a job to do and as much as I want to help Buffy too we can't right now." Weir told him.
"We do not leave people behind." Sheppard told her.
"We don't even know where to look for her. We need to help ourselves first before we can help Buffy. Think Major, what would Buffy do." Weir told him.
"Dr. Weir is right Major, Buffy would not place one life above the work she has to do. She once told her she killed her first true love to save her world. This may not be saving the world but Atlantis must not be lost nor all of the people that are here." Teyla told him.
John Sheppard looked between the two women then to Ford, trying to find something to support him in going off to the Genii to get Buffy back instead of helping the evacuation.
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Pegasus galaxy, some Genii planet, secret facility,
She could taste the blood from her lip as she bit down on it hard in order not to scream out in pain as a Genii doctors scalpel cut through her stomach.
"She is just amazing, no signs so far as to why she heals this fast but look." The doctor said to another doctor who looked at the cut the doctor had just made and which was slowly started the process of healing. Buffy knew a deep cut like that would need about 2 days to heal and another day before the scar would be gone. But she refused to give them this information. They would not believe her anyways and just test it out for themselves. She was their lab rat. She had told them her powers were mystical but they didn't believe her. After they pumped her full of drugs and she found herself awake naked in a small cell later on she had stopped answering questions but just silently sworn vengeance against the First and the Genii. Sure enough the first guard who came to collect her later had needed medical attention after Buffy had attacked him without holding back. He was lucky to still be alive. But Buffy had been shot with a stun blast and woken up on a operating table with doctors poking prodding, drawing blood samples injecting her with drugs and like before sometimes making injuries to study her rapid healing process.
She wasn't sure how much time had passed by now, it felt like weeks, but something told her it had been maybe three days or something like it. Three days of experiments which she tried hard not to think about. Her legs hurt, someone had suggested to see how more permanent injuries would fare with her healing capabilities. So some military guy had come and used a sledgehammer to break her legs. Ever since then she had not been able to contain her screams anymore. So now they had dropped her off in her small cell again. Alone, she knew she was going to die and she welcomed the thought.
Her friends from Atlantis had no idea where she was. They had no magic resources to find her. Her friends back on Earth didn't know about her situation, she had been afraid of Willow somehow finding out and going all dark and evil again. But the fear was fading and the thought of evil veiny Willow flaying those doctors and other Genii alive was becoming more and more welcome to her. Part of her knew she should be scared of thinking like that but her anger, humiliation and pain were clouding her reasonable thoughts.
Taking a shaky breath Buffy tried to calm herself, tried mediating like Giles had thought her so long ago. To find her center, her peace. But memories of what had been done to her disrupted her concentration and hours later Buffy fell asleep from exhaustion.
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"Where am I? Oh great another fun slayer dream." Faith said to herself.
"Too much pain, go away, I can't take it anymore. Please no more." Buffy begged as she saw doctors approaching.
"Who is that?" Faith asked moving closer walking though the darkness to a light where the familiar voice was coming from.
"AHHH" a scream sounded and Faith sprinted towards the light.
Faith stopped as she suddenly was in a room and doctors all seemed busy walking around all having something to do. People on weird military suits with some kind of guns were guarding the door keeping an eye on…"Buffy?" Faith asked seeing her sister slayer naked chained to a metal plate while someone raised a sledgehammer intending to bring it down on Buffy's leg. Faith now spotted Buffy's other leg in bad condition she was near the man in a moment and stopped the sledgehammer just inches from Buffy's one good leg.
"I'm going to kill you for that." The brunette slayer told him But before Faith could do anything the scene changed and while Buffy was still laying on the medical examination plate she could hear a doctor and a military guy talking.
"I don't care what she told us. There has got to be a medical reason why she heals so fast, why she is so strong and so fast. The only thing mystical is our Goddess. She herself told us the slayer was lying. We are going to find our what makes her tick even if she had to endure some more pain, or even if she has to die in order to find out what makes her so special." The soldier guy said to the doctor.
Buffy groaned "She's awake." The military guy told the doctor. "Amazing, I gave her enough of a dosage to knock a Wraith out for a day. It's only been 4 hours." The doctor said and immediately moved to take another sample of blood from Buffy.
Faith moved to stop the man but her hands went though the man, like they didn't exist.
"This has already come to pass." A voice said and Faith turned around to see the First creeping stealthily towards her.
"Come to pass? You mean someone has been experimenting on B.?" Faith asked her.
"Yes, the slayer is to fight evil and kill evil. These men reek of evil. They serve the First Evil, think she is their Goddess." The First slayer told her.
"That bitch is back. Damn, Willow said something was up and happening." Faith told her "Why did you show me what's happening to B.? She's in another galaxy, unless you can transport me there I can't help her." Faith asked.
"She has become withdrawn, doesn't hear me. Can't see me. My bond with her is strong but not as strong as yours is with her." The First slayer told her.
"I don't understand." Faith told her.
"Chosen you were, like her. This made you two closer then she is to any other slayer." The First tells Faith.
"But we're all connected with you, the First slayer, if you can't reach her how am I supposed to?" Faith asked.
"I am dead, I have been for a long time. I guide new slayers now. Show them their paths, slayers do not exist just to kill. Buffy showed me this. Her life, she has touched so many who helped her destroy evil. In order to save herself she must become what she has tried so hard not to. She must embrace the darkness, the demon essence completely. She must be ready to kill them or they will destroy her. I am Seneya, the First slayer. You are my daughters. I forbid this humiliation, this evil to be done to one who has already done so much and lost so much." Seneya told Faith.
"You want B. to kill? Buffy can't kill for herself. She needs another reason. She killed those knights that time because they were after her sister. She is a slayer, a protector. She doesn't have it in herself to kill in order to protect herself." Faith told the First slayer.
"But you do, you have taken human life. You know the darkness. She is already heading towards that darkness. It will consume her unless you save her from it. Kill she must, but she can kill to get free or kill to act revenge. One will save her to other will destroy her and neither will kill her." Seneya told her.
"But how and I supposed to…" Faith stopped when she realized she was in a small cell and she noticed a broken blond small figure asleep and apparently having a nightmare.
"Buffy?" Faith asked as she knelt near the blond slayer.
Buffy's head shot up and her eyes open as she looked at the brunette slayer. "You're not here. No is here. I am alone." The blond slayer told her.
"I am here, in a slayer dream kinda way. You're not alone B. your friends are with you here." She said pointing to Buffy's heart.
Buffy looked at her heart then back at Faith "Friends? Friends who betray me and let me go alone to a new galaxy just because some stupid slayer dream tells me I am here alone." Buffy's harsh voice said. "Willow, Xander, you and even my little sister Dawn. They all left me. Everyone leaves me. I am alone, as a slayer is supposed to be. I am a slayer, I fight evil until I die, but when I finally get to rest in Heaven I get pulled back by my 'friends' to this Hell. I don't want to fight anymore. I'm tired. Just led me die, for good this time. Please Faith, kill me?"
Faith looked at Buffy not believing this broken girl was the girl who had been a general in their fight against the first who had defeated Glory, a Hell Goddess, who had accomplished so much. "Oh get over it already!" Faith suddenly snapped at Buffy.
Buffy looked at her "What?" she asked.
"So you were in Heaven, life isn't that bad. You are stuck in a city full off yummy soldiers, you do have friends who would so anything for you. We make mistakes Buffy, we're human. We can't be perfect, you haven't been perfect either. It's not fair we as slayers have to carry so much weight but we do. We are slayers Buffy. Slayers. Unlike all the newbie slayers, we were chosen to carry that weight. We were chosen to fight evil not to lie on the floor broken and defeated. We never give up until we are dead. And if we come back from the dead however painful it may be we still fight until we can rest again. But we don't have to fight alone anymore. You changed that. Your death made two slayers possible. Your idea made Willow activate all potential slayers. The fight on Earth had gotten easier because we've grown in numbers and we have witches, families, friends to cover our backs. The fight out on other planets, against Goa'uld for example I have your father and his team to watch my back along with another slayer and a extremely powerful witch. You have your team on Atlantis to watch your back. Why no witch or other slayer was allowed to go with you I don't know. But there was a reason for it. Just like there is a reason your friends in Atlantis haven't found you yet. You can't wait for them, a slayer is in the end usually alone in form but in mind Red, Xander, Giles, your father, Little D, all your friends and family will always be with you." Faith ended her speech.
Buffy looked at Faith and nodded wiping her eyes from tears "Thanks Faith. I needed that." She told her sister slayer.
"Anytime B." Faith told her.
"I still can't fight, they broke my legs with a sledgehammer." Buffy told her.
"The First Slayer Seneya told me to tell you that you had to embrace the demon essence completely if you want to survive this." Faith told her.
"But I won't be able to hold back, I'll kill them." Buffy told them.
"The demon essence only attacks threats to it. They are a threat, to you and every other slayer. Think of them wanting to take apart Willow to see how she is able to perform magic, or another slayer and do to her what they did to you." Faith told her. "I know what murder is, and you are not attacking innocent people here. You shouldn't kill if you can help it. However, this isn't murder, it is war. The same war that thousands have fought before us. You didn't begin the killing, torturing, you didn't worship the First Evil or experiment on innocent people and you didn't take over their worlds. If you had started it, yes, then it would be murder. Then you would be responsible. However, for you and the others in the Pegasus galaxy, it is simply self-preservation. Do you understand the difference?"
Buffy nodded, still unsure. "Yeah, I get that. But that still doesn't mean they aren't living, breathing human beings. They have families and friends. They have hopes and dreams."
"Yes, and they are using them to crush others' hopes and dreams, yours and everyone you bring hope to by being who you are in that galaxy. They are experimenting on you without your consent, without listening to what you have to tell them without trying to even find another way. They are making bad decisions that have separated them from the victims and turned them into the enemy. Even if they are humans, they are making themselves 'less than human' by their choices." Faith told her.
"Maybe," Buffy began, paused, and then forged ahead, "maybe they don't want to fight. Maybe they were forced into doing it. Maybe they were chosen and they can't help themselves. Maybe because they were gifted with special talents, they were sought out and used in a battle they wouldn't have fought if they'd had a choice." Then, as Buffy averted her eyes Faith, she whispered softly, "Maybe they want to stop. Maybe they want a choice."
Feeling that they were no longer entirely talking about soldiers, Faith placed a hand on Buffy's arm and said gently "There is always a choice."
Hearing the words she had longed to hear for so long, the words that had been denied her, Buffy felt the dam, behind which she hid her emotions, shatter. She began to cry softly, the last year's hurts coming back to her. She again felt the pain of being forced into a calling she had never wanted, had never been happy to have. She felt the pain of Merrick's death, the guilt of Jesse's death, the other lives of all those in L.A. and Sunnydale she had failed to save. She felt the remembered agony of her short visit to the mental institution, the lack of faith from her mother and Hank. She felt the misplaced guilt for her mothers and Hanks' divorce. Her sisters ascension, Angel's death, Spike's death, the Immortal's betrayal, even if she hadn't loved him but merely liked his presence. She remembered being ripped out of Heaven, again taking the burden of the world on her shoulders and she remembered the friends who betrayed her but whom had been there almost from the beginning of her calling, right then she realized she had finally forgiven them because they all make mistakes. Her 2 best friends, she may never see them again. As though from afar, she felt Faiths' arms encircle her, she cried into her, taking comfort from her presence. Feeling so tired and empty without them, her father or even her new team around.
Buffy felt another hand on her shoulder and looked to see the First slayer Seneya also being there for her. She continued to cry for a while until nothing else was left.
As Buffy's sobs slowly slowed, she heard that Seneya was humming a song to her. It was a song with words that she could not comprehend, but one that spoke of hope nonetheless, vague familiarity and strength. As Seneya felt her sobbing still, she quietly whispered a single phrase. "And making the right choice, even if it's a forced choice, can be the most difficult decision of all. Sometimes we must give up what we want in order for others to live the lives that we would like to have. You know this all too well…."
Buffy looked back into the First slayers understanding eyes and finally understood. Though she hadn't wanted to be called, she had been. Now only she had the power and she had to make the decision to use it to stop the Genii, the Wraith and other evil. Knowing what she knew now, she could not turn back, could not turn away. Justice must be served, and if she had the power, she also had the responsibility. Even if she wanted to be a regular girl, she wasn't one, and she realized now that she was okay with that. Faith and Seneya had somehow shown her that it was okay to be different, and only right to use those differences to help others. This was war, and like before she had to do her part to help, no matter what.
Buffy looked at the two "my legs are broken, I can't put up much of a fight for them."
"You have the power to heal yourself." Seneya stated.
"I know I'm the slayer but we don't heal that fast, even should I let de demon essence loose completely it will still take days to heal, if not weeks." Buffy told her.
"I think she means your Key part B. I mean Dawn ascended because of the power she possessed. She's as powerful as the Powers. She left a part of that power in you. You have to find it and use it to heal yourself." Faith told her.
"The last time it took blood and mystical energy from a shadow entity to activate my Key part and I have no idea how I am supposed to use opening a small portal to heal myself." Buffy told them.
"The Key is with you always. Time has no meaning to it. It can accelerate your healing process by aging your body outside of normal time. You should only use it as a last resort." Seneya told Buffy.
"But how do I find it, how do I activate it or let alone control it?" Buffy asked.
"Search for it, within yourself. It is there." Seneya told her then to Faith "We must go now, I will always be with you my daughters." And with a flash Buffy was back in her cell alone and Faith shut upright in her bed startling Robin.
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Pegasus galaxy, Unknown Planet, Research facility,
Buffy sat on the ground in a meditative position she had learned long ago from Giles, her legs hurt but she pushed through her pain to a calm and serene state of mind. She then pushed beyond that state of mind searching within herself.
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Pegasus galaxy, Atlantis,
Most of Atlantis had been evacuated to another planet, only Sheppard, Weir, McKay and 2 soldiers had stayed behind. Ford, Carson Beckett, Teyla and one small Athosian family were in a jumper waiting the raging storm out.
The two guards are leaning on the balcony overlooking the Gate.
"Bacon." The first guard told the other.
"The one thing you wish you brought with you is bacon?" The other guard asked him.
"Hey, it's the food that makes other food worth eating." The first guard defended his choice.
"You wish you brought bacon to another galaxy?" The second guard asked.
"Yeah, you asked me…" The first guard started to say then behind them, the Gate starts to dial in. "Offworld activation."
The two of them run to the control panel "Doctor Weir said no-one should be coming back…" the scond guard told the other.
A woman's voice could be hard over the comms "There's been an attack on Manara. We've got wounded incoming. Lower the shield."
"They're broadcasting an Athosian IDC." The first guard said looking over at a console. Manara had been the world where everyone had evacuated too.
"Please, before it's too late!" the woman pleaded.
"We are lowering the shield." The first guard said into the comms system.
"Oh, skip the OK from Doctor Weir!" the other guard told him.
"They're under attack. Lower the shield." The first guard told him.
The second guard looks at him for a moment, then punches in the code to lower the shield. The two of them run for the stairs as the second guard speaks into his radio. "Doctor Weir, there's been some sort of an attack from Manara. We have an Athosian party incoming with wounded."
"We're on our way." Weir responded as she and Rodney start running towards the Gateroom.
Several people dressed in cloaks come through the Gate. One of them is Sora. Two men are carrying someone on a stretcher who is covered with a blanket. The guards run down the steps to meet them.
"What happened?" the first guard asked.
"They were everywhere. I can't believe they didn't kill us all." Sora told them.
"Who?" the second guard asked.
Kolya, who was under the blanket on the stretcher, rolls off the stretcher and shoots the two guards with a pistol. The other people take off their cloaks, they are wearing Genii uniforms underneath. Sora watches as a man checks the two guards. She looks at Kolya, not happy that he has killed them.
"Secure the room." Kolya ordered.
"These men could have been overpowered. We need the Atlanteans to be co-operative." Sora informed him.
Kolya gazed around the Gate room "Secure the room." He orders and then walks away. Sora looks at him for a moment, then turns to the rest of her people.
"Cover the entrances!" Sora ordered the Genii soldiers.
People run to comply. Kolya walks partway up the steps and then turns to look around the Gate room with a look of satisfaction on his face. Sora looks at him, concerned at his expression.
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Pegasus galaxy, Unknown Planet, Research facility,
Buffy heard a soft vibration coming from somewhere during her meditation. She followed the sound closer and closer to the source.
Buffy's eyes then snapped open as a green glow spread around her body, she could feel the power, the flow of the mystical energy covering her body and then she felt like she was suspended in air as the pain in her body began to lessen and eventually she didn't feel the pain in her legs anymore. With a flash Buffy opened here eyes and noticed she was still sitting in a meditative position but she felt no pain from her legs or anywhere else. Even the drugs that her system had been fighting seemed to be gone.
Buffy stood up and studied the planes she had been injured, but there wasn't so much as a scar to see. Her fingernails seemed longer, as well as her hair. Buffy looked up in the camera that was in her cell and with a quick leap towards the wall to propel upwards she ripped the thing from the wall and smiled as she heard an alarm go off.
Three guards came in stun guns ready to find the cell empty. Buffy dropped down from the ceiling and knocked two guards down with her then quicker then the remaining guard had to respond she was up and had one of the downed guards thrown at the firing remaining guard. She kicked the guard on the ground unconscious and then ran out her cell.
The third guard had just recovered to see their prisoner charge at him, he raised his weapon to fire but a crack and then pain ripped through him and he dropped his gun reaching for his broken nose as he screamed out in pain.
Buffy didn't pay any attention to the guard whose nose she just broke but ran through the hallway determined to destroy everything from the test they Genii scientist had done to her.
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Atlantis,
Somewhere on the base, John is running towards Grounding Station Three to put in McKay's plan to save Atlantis by using the electricity from the storm to charge the shield.
Elizabeth reports over the radio "Apparently there's wounded incoming."
"Doesn't make any sense. They said it was Wraith-related?" Sheppard asked.
"We'll ask them ourselves in a second…hold on." Weir said as she and Rodney arrive at the Gate room to find the Genii soldiers waiting for them. "What the hell is going on?" Weir demanded to know.
The soldiers grab them, pointing guns at them. Kolya comes towards them down the steps.
"Doctor Elizabeth Weir." Kolya said to her.
"Yes." Weir answered.
Kolya looks at Rodney "And you must be Doctor McKay." He told the man.
Rodney doesn't answer, but Sora comes over to Kolya's side. "That is him." She confirmed.
"Where is Major Sheppard?" Kolya asked.
John is still running while still receiving the radio transmissions so he can hear what's happening in the Gate room.
"I would like to know the whereabouts of Major Sheppard." Kolya told Weir and McKay.
"You seem to know a lot about us. Who are you?" Weir asked.
"They're Genii." McKay told her "what have you done with Buffy? Is she ok?"
"There's only one thing you need to know, Doctor Weir. As of right now, we are in control of Atlantis. As for the slayer, she is currently being studied by our scientist. She is quite the mystery. Such an extraordinary woman, such strength and beauty. Once the Genii are done with her we will know what makes her so special and use it to enhance ourselves."
"You're an idiot, Buffy's powers are mystical. Science can't explain it, if it could we would have already adapted it to all of us." McKay told him.
Sora hit McKay "lies" she told him.
"Because your Goddess told you. Major Sheppard told me you worship the First Evil. The First Evil hates Buffy for thwarting its plans to return Earth to the demons that once ruled it." Weir told her.
"Our Goddess has the power to control the Wraith. She told us they were awakening and she would keep us safe if we did as she said." Sora told Weir.
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Atlantis, ship bay,
John opens the rear door of a Puddlejumper and checks out the interior before walking inside. As the lights automatically come on, John obviously thinks of what he needs because a panel opens near the pilot's seat and a life signs detector is inside. He takes it and then activates the comms.
"Jumper Two, this is Sheppard, come in. ... Jumper Two, do you copy?" Sheppard said through the comms.
We see Jumper Two still on the ground on the mainland, being lashed by the storm. Lightning flashes frequently and loud thunder can be heard.
"This is Ford, sir. We decided to wait out the storm in the Jumper." Ford told the Major through the comms.
"You're still on the mainland?" Sheppard asked.
"Yes, sir." Ford replied.
"We've got a situation here. From what I can ascertain, a small Genii strike force has gated in." Sheppard told him.
"The Genii?! The folks that took Buffy?" Ford asked.
"Yeah, that's them, and they've got Weir and McKay hostage. They've also got control of the Gate room." Sheppard informed him.
"You're breaking up, sir…did you say hostage?" Ford asked.
"Affirmative." Sheppard replied.
"Ah, no!" Beckett told them.
"We're on our way." Ford said and he turns to the control panel.
"What d'you think you're doing?" Carson asked.
"You heard him!" Ford replied.
"Take a look outside, hot shot. We're not flying through this." Beckett told him.
"McKay and Weir were taken hostage, Doc. I'm not just gonna sit here and do nothing." Ford told him.
"Neither one of us are real pilots. It was a bad idea an hour ago…it's an idiotic one now." Carson told him.
"We're gonna have to take our chances." Ford replied.
"Doctor Beckett is right, Lieutenant…you are of no use to Major Sheppard dead." Teyla told them then into the comms "Major, this is Teyla."
Although John can hear most of her message, it's slightly garbled by static.
"The hurricane is in full force outside. We could attempt to fly through it but it is doubtful that we could make it back to Atlantis; and we have three young passengers." Teyla continued through the comms.
"That's bad news." Sheppard told them.
"I'm sorry." Teyla apologized.
"So am I. Just stay put till it passes over." Sheppard told them.
"Sir…" Ford starts.
"It's ok, Lieutenant. Just get your ass back here as soon as you can. I could use a little backup." Sheppard told him.
"Good luck, sir." Ford told him.
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Milky way galaxy, Earth, Colorado Springs, S.W.C. building, Faith's office,
Faith just finished telling Giles about her slayer dream through the phone since Giles was currently in England.
"I see, well you made the right choice in calling me first Faith. I think we should keep this to ourselves and not inform Willow, Xander or Colonel O'Neill about this." Giles told Faith.
"It's General O'Neill now Giles. He got promoted yesterday, remember?" Faith asked.
"Right, well do not tell him. Buffy is strong and from what I can gather from your dream she has found her strength again because of you. These people holding her, they are the ones in trouble." He told her trying to put his own worries for the young woman he thought of as his own daughter aside and have faith in the training she knew to get her out of this.
"I know, but I'm still worried about her. I've never seen B. break like that. All scared and vulnerable. Afraid of crossing a line she had seen me cross." Faith told the watcher.
"She has been through a lot. Losing Dawn, Angel and even Spike. Finding out her father isn't her father and connecting with her biological father then having to leave everyone behind and travel to a new galaxy. Buffy always had us to count on if she got into trouble. We're in another galaxy right now. She knows we can't come. Willow will lose control of herself if she knew what these Genii did to her. Buffy will come through in the end…she always does." Giles told her.
"I know, I'm just worried and frustrated that I can't help her more." Faith told Giles.
"Me too, but Faith…you already helped her enough by helping her find her strength again. We have to have faith in Buffy to pull herself through this like she had has pulled herself through everything that has happened to her before." Giles told her.
Faith was silent thinking over what Giles told her. "Last time Buffy went to war she refused to let anyone help her. I hope that during this new war she will not push her new friends away like she did to you guys."
It took a few seconds before Faith heard Giles say "So do I."
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Pegasus galaxy, Unknown Planet, Research facility,
Buffy tore through Genii, her demon essence and herself completely focused on one thing killing those who threatened her and her friends and destroying the research done on her.
She wasn't sure when her mind registered no more threat and the slayer in her retreated but as she looked around she saw blood, death, and destruction. Computers were burning, body parts were laying o the floor scattered. Buffy looked around trying to feel remorse for her victims but finding nothing but a still burning anger for the Genii.
She calmly walked out of the room checking to make sure every file on her was tossed into the fire. She encountered no one on her way through the complex she was in. It seemed like everyone in there had either fled or been killed. Strange how she felt nothing with that thought. She pushed it aside as she was about to exit the complex when her slayer senses sensed people on the other side of the door. She looked around and spotted a window, a plan forming in her head she quickly walked towards it to put it into action.
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Pegasus galaxy, Atlantis,
Kolya is outside on the balcony looking at the approaching storm. He goes back inside, where the body of one of the dead guards is being carried out of the room. He walks over to Elizabeth and Rodney, who are watching their dead colleague being taken away. Kolya walks around them, looking round the room.
"Who are you?" Weir asked.
"Commander Acastus Kolya of the Genii. This Atlantis is extraordinary…more than I ever imagined." Kolya told her.
"What have you done with the rest of my people?" Weir asked.
"I'm quite sure they have no idea we're even here." Kolya told her.
"Then they're safe?" Weir asked.
"Yes." Kolya replied.
"How were you able to bypass the shield?" Weir asked.
"With a time-tested combination of strong drink and a weak mind." Kolya answered.
"We have done nothing to your people but you abducted one of ours and then chose to experiment on her and take over our city. Why are you doing this?" Weir asked.
"To gain new ways in which we can use to strengthen ourselves so even the Wraith will one day know not to mess with the Genii." Kolya told her.
"We could have been allies against the Wraith, but instead you follow an evil and dark path." Weir told him. "I feel sorry for you and your people."
"I'd be feeling sorry for yourself Dr. Weir. You are the ones who lose your slayer to us and not your city." Kolya told her obviously not understanding what Elizabeth meant. Kolya turned to McKay "now why are you still here?" he asked.
"Oh. I was helping with things." McKay told him.
"Like what?" Kolya asked.
"You know. make sure everyone got out ok." McKay told him.
"Isn't that the work of someone…less important?" Kolya asked.
McKAy laughs nervously "You'd think so, wouldn't you?" he told him.
"You have a plan, don't you?" Kolya asked.
"I've got lots of plans about lots of things." McKay answered.
"I'm interested in the plan you have to save the city." Kolya told him.
"I never said anything about saving anything." McKay told him.
Kolya puts his hand on Rodney's shoulder "Not yet." he told him and nods to a soldier standing behind Rodney, who draws out a long sharp knife. Rodney looks at it in dread.
"Sora take Dr. Weir here to their supply of C4. Our Goddess told us that's what we need to finish our A-bomb." Kolya told Sora who grabbed Weir by the arm and led her away.
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Pegasus galaxy, Unknown Planet,
Buffy looks at the dead corpses of Genii soldiers before turning calmly towards the DHD to dial Atlantis.
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Pegasus galaxy, Atlantis,
Sora and other Genii soldiers walk into the armoury and look around at the weapons stored there. Elizabeth points over to boxes labelled "C4 Explosives". The boxes are empty. One of the soldiers goes over to the boxes and sees a radio standing in the middle of one of the empty boxes. He picks it up, looks at it, then looks over his shoulder to Sora and Weir, Weir just shrugs.
The soldier hands the radio to Kolya. Nearby, Elizabeth is examining Rodney's right arm. The sleeve is slashed and his arm is covered in blood. Rodney is whimpering quietly.
"What did they do to you?" Weir asked.
"I tried to keep my mouth shut, I tried…I just couldn't…" He trails off as Kolya approaches and holds up the radio.
"What's the meaning of this?" Kolya asked.
"I honestly have no idea." Weir replied.
"It's a radio. The arrow points to the 'talk' button." McKay told him.
Kolya activates the button and holds the radio to his mouth. "This is Commander Kolya."
"Kolya, that's a hard name to pronounce. Is that a first name? My name's Major John Sheppard and I have hidden the C4 where you will never, I repeat never find it. When I get confirmation that the prisoners have been safely released and allowed to gate off Atlantis, I will help you find it. And by prisoners I also mean Buffy. I want you to return her to us." Sheppard replied from elsewhere in Atlantis.
Kolya turns to Elizabeth and Rodney "He's good." He told them.
"Yes, he is. I'd do what he says." Weir told him "You already angered him enough by taking someone from his team and then coming to Atlantis."
"Your offer is very generous, Major." Kolya said through the radio.
"Yes, it is." Sheppard replied.
"However, Doctor McKay recently shared with me there's a plan in action to save the city." Kolya told him.
"He did?!" John asked not believing McKay told him this.
"He did. My understanding is there is one final grounding station that needs to be deactivated. Uncouple the grounding rods at Station Three, assist with the reactivation of the shield, and you and your friends can leave here unharmed. And reinforcement is due to arrive any minute now, so don't bother trying to take us out. Oh and we do have the lovely Dr. Weir and Dr. McKay here as hostages as well. Any harm comes to any of my men and they ewill pay the price." Kolya told him.
"I am going to kill you." Major Sheppard swore to him.
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Pegasus galaxy, Unknown Planet,
Buffy sighs when she realized halfway through dialing they had no idea it was her here and not aliens. A thought entered her mind as she realizes she could use an old address where they have established relation to get back to Atlantis. She thinks for a moment then starts dialing Manara, SGA-3 had established trading relations there. It's lucky she was bored and still grounded because of her injury that she had seen the address entered by Peter to get to Manara.
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Pegasus galaxy, Atlantis, Gate room,
Reinforcements started coming through the gate. About 60 Genii soldiers.
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Pegasus galaxy, Manara,
Buffy stepped through the gate only now aware how strange it would look to come here with blood all over her skin and clothes. Brushing the thought aside she started alking towards the village.
Buffy stopped when she spotted soldiers, Earth soldiers, she recognized Stackhouse and calmly walked up to them.
As the sound of approaching footsteps Stackhouse and another soldier raised their guns at the young blond woman coming at them.
"…Buffy?" Stackhouse asked.
"Hi Stackhouse, soldier." Buffy greeted them then looked at herself again uncomfortable again.
"How did you…What happened to…Are they in pursuit?" Stackhouse asked.
"I rather not talk about it, I just like to get back to Atlantis and take a long shower to get all this blood off me. These clothes are ruined." She had found her own clothes in her rampage and put them on before escaping the facility. But killing so many Genii had caused those clothes to become covered in blood and to be slightly thorn.
"There is a storm heading towards Atlantis, we had to evacuate the city. That's why Major Sheppard hadn't gotten a team together to go rescue you, although it seems like you didn't need rescuing after all." Stackhouse said with a small smile.
Buffy looked at him and put up a fake smile "I guess not." She told him. She honestly didn't want to talk about it, part of her knew it was war, another part hated that she didn't feel guilty or remorse for the deaths she had caused. She didn't want to think about it anymore. "So if Atlantis is evacuated can you take me to Weir and Major Sheppard. I'm sure they'd like to debrief me before my shower."
"I'm afraid they're not here Buffy. They stayed behind to execute McKay's plan to save the city." Stackhouse replied.
"Huh, oh well can you come with me to the Gate so I can get to them?" Buffy asked.
"Why don't I contact them to ask if you should go to Atlantis and in the meantime you can grab a shower and put on some fresh clothes." Stackhouse suggested.
Buffy gave him a real smile now "I like that plan." She told him.
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Pegasus galaxy, Atlantis,
"He's just standing there, sir." A soldier said over the comms to Kolya.
"Hold your position. Do not approach until he's finished." Kolya told him.
"Yes, sir." The soldier replies.
"Use lethal force only if necessary." Kolya replied.
"You told him he would be unharmed." Sora told Kolya.
"Let's hope he doesn't put up much of a fight." Kolya replies.
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Pegasus galaxy, Atlantis, Grounding station 3,
John checks the life signs detector, he can see his own signal, and two other signals just outside the door. He moves around the control console and stands on the other side facing the door, then moves to the side wall where there is better cover.
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Pegasus galaxy, Atlantis,
"He's stopped – he's not at the control panel any more. He's looking around." A soldier reports over the comms.
"Hold your fire." Kolya told him.
"Those control panels are pretty fragile, you might not wanna…" McKay starts telling but a Genii soldier wraps his hand around Rodney's wounded arm and Rodney cries out in pain.
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Pegasus galaxy, Atlantis, Grounding station 3,
John, his rifle raised, walks carefully towards the door. Outside, the two Genii soldiers are cautiously lurking around trying to see where he is. One nods to the other, who nods back. One of them runs inside the room and starts firing. John shoots him, then takes cover against the wall by the door. He checks his life signs detector again. The other soldier is just the other side of the wall. John runs deeper into the room as the second soldier runs in. The soldier fires at John, who is running towards the balcony. The soldier's shots hit the control console as John dives over the balcony and onto a ledge just below, then rises up and shoots the soldier. John comes back over the balcony and runs to check that the soldiers are down, then takes a communications device from one of them before going over to the control console. The panel is shot to bits and is sparking. He speaks into the communications device.
"Let me tell you what you did wrong here, Kolya. A: you lost two of your men. B: you damaged the switch before I could separate the grounding rods, which I'm sure you're gonna get an earful from McKay for; and C: you lost all of what little credibility you had with me." Shepprd told Kolya over the comms.
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Pegasus galaxy, Atlantis, Control room,
"D'you have any idea of how big a setback that is? I may not even be able to activate the shield. I mean, I can't possibly…"McKay starts lecturing them when the soldier grabs his injured arm again "get off me!" McKay yelled.
"You killed two of my men." Kolya taid over the comms.
"You killed two of mine and kidnapped a member of my team, we're not even, even yet." Sheppard replied.
"I don't like even." Kolya told him and pulls a pistol out of his coat.
"I'm not finished yet!" Sheppard told him.
"Neither am I. Say goodbye to Doctor Weir." Kolya said as he points his pistol at Elizabeth.
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Pegasus galaxy, Manara,
Buffy reemerged from a short shower, she wanted a longer one but she was too tense to relax. After she had dried herself off she put on the military clothes that were left for her. She only put on the pants, boots and t-shirt. It was a good fit, obviously Stackhouse had inquired for someone her size. How he knew her size however…the thought left her mind as she heard an urgent knock on her door. Pulling her hair back and quickly tied it a ponytail as she called "Coming"
As she opened the door she saw Stackhouse worried face "What's wrong?" she asked.
"I'm sorry to disturb you so quickly Buffy but I can't get in contact with Atlantis. They're not responding and with the shield probably raised we can't get to them." Stackhouse informed her.
"Are Ford or Teyla here?" Buffy asked.
"I haven't seen them…no I don't think so." Stackhouse replied.
"Ok, so don't panic I'm sure they're fine. You did say there was a storm coming towards Atlantis. Maybe the storm knocked the comm. System out." Buffy suggested.
"Wouldn't they sent someone or a message through the stargate if that were the case. And isn't the comm. System inside Atlantis?" Stackhouse asked.
"Ok worst case scenario Atlantis is already destroyed by the storm…or the First helped the Genii gain control of Atlantis while it is almost abandoned. I have to get there but how…of course." She said then looked at Stackhouse, don't freak out. I'm going to try something." Buffy told him.
Stackhouse looked at her wondering what she was talking about, he watched her sit at the ground in a meditative position and close her eyes in complete concentration. He was about to ask what she was doing and how this was helping them when energy crackled in the room and then a swirling green portal appeared.
Buffy was up in a second and looked at Stackhouse "Let's go Stackhouse, this should take us to Atlantis. Hopefully my quarters."
Stackhouse looked at her shocked but quickly regained his composure and jumped through the portal, closely followed by Buffy.
Review please. Next chapter, Genii vs. Buffy, Stackhouse and Sheppard. plus probably some twist I'll come up with, I have some ideas as to what but how to imput them inthe story will come as I write :D