The Buffy stuff goes pretty quickly from this point, but the focus of th estory is the Stargate stuff, so...

Chapter 06

"That's the mayor... done. No Angelus... done, fish monsters... done, Acathla... done." Xander said, as he scrolled through the list of episodes for the Buffy holo-drama. It had been months now, since Halloween, and Faith had thrown herself into her training with a passion. She seemed to gravitate toward the combat classes being taught by a holographic Klingon, despite not being a slayer. Xander wondered if it was part of being a pre-slayer.

Another person settling in was Tara Maclay, and her mother. They were living in abusive relationships and Willow wasn't sure of her sexuality, but wanted to get them out of a bad situation. The scoobies weren't sure what had happened to her mother in the holo-drama, other then she wasn't around. They presumed she had died. They got them both out of the dangerous situation alive and relocated them to Sunnydale where Tara was due to start at Sunnydale college the next fall.

Kendra, who had come to Sunnydale at the behest of her watcher, had decided to stick around. Giles made the decision not to tell her about the starship, as there was no way to prevent the knowledge from reaching the watchers council, who would want to get control of the ship.

Angel hadn't given up hope of a relationship with Buffy, following her and pushing to get back together, so she was finally forced to tell him about his soul's tenuous grasp. He was shocked to find out she had information about the future, but even more shocked to find out that he could never be happy. Heartbroken and thoroughly depressed, he soon left Sunnydale knowing that he and Buffy could never be together.

In other news, the school was completed, the holographic emitters in place and the holographic teachers programmed. They were ready to begin recruiting. Faith was sad that she was going to be leaving the ship, but looked forward to continuing her training with other students.

He continued scrolling. "Zombie mask... gone, Kakistos... dead. Spike and Drusilla... dusted. Data is searching for Gwendolyn Post and Ethan Rayne. I think we're doing great."

"Me too," Said Buffy, who was standing next to him as he reviewed. She placed her hand on his shoulder, which made him grin, before he continued working.

"The rest are just things we have to wait for them to appear. Like Adam, and Glory. Or lesser evils, like O'Toole, or the gingerbread demon. We still need to deal with the sisterhood of Jhe..."

He scrolled through season three. "We need to add another name onto Data's search list. Veruca Moss."

"The werewolf?" Buffy asked.

"That's her... The gentlemen. Don't forget that one. At least we know where their base is going to be, it shouldn't be too difficult."

The idea that Xander had for using the transporter to kill the mayor proved to be useful in other situations. They were able to locate and destroy a number of vampires and demons, like Spike, Drusilla, Kakistos and Mister Trick, as well as Acathla. They still had to patrol at night, and hunt vamps and demons, but that was a lot easier with the phasers, along with Joyce and her high tech hospital in case they get hurt.

Buffy abruptly changed the subject. "I wonder how my mom is doing on her recruitment mission?"

"Hello, Mrs. Hailey, My name is Joyce Summers, and I'm here on behalf of the Enterprise Space Aeronautics Academy to offer your daughter a place in our school."

"Oh, well come in." The woman said. She led Joyce to the living room, where she sat, while Mrs. Hailey went to get her daughter. The two women returned and sat across from Joyce.

"So tell us about this... what was the name again?" Mrs. Hailey asked.

"The Enterprise Space Aeronautics Academy, or ESAA for short. We are the most technologically advanced school in the world, and you will learn things there that you can't find anywhere else."

"Alright, you have my attention." Jennifer Hailey said. "Can you prove these claims?"

"Of course. There are just some specialized non-disclosure agreements I will need you to sign before I can show you anything."

She pulled out the same paperwork she had shown to Faith months before. Jennifer and her mom read it over.

"Hang on." Jennifer said, "This says that I give you permission to erase my memories?"

"Unfortunately, yes. What we will be showing you is extremely proprietary, so this is necessary."

"I get that, I'm more confused about the fact that you are able to erase memories."

"It's a simple procedure really, to remove synaptic engrams."

Jennifer appeared to almost be drooling at the thought of that technology. "You have me. Where do I sign?"

"Hang on." Mrs. Hailey spoke up. "If the school is teaching technology that can't be found anywhere else in the world, then the only place that she can work would be for you."

"While that is true, the place she will be able to work is somewhere that I feel is right up her alley."

Jennifer looked to her mom with puppy dog eyes. "Alright, but I want to come see where she'll be working."

"I figured that you would." Joyce said, as she pulled out a second non-disclosure agreement. She showed them both where to sign and initial, and where, as the parent, Mrs. Hailey had to co-sign her daughters paperwork. "Alright, are you ready to go?"

"Just like that?" Mrs. Hailey asked, "I mean where's this school located?"

"In California. We're not going to the school yet. First I'm going to show you where your daughter will be working after completion of her schooling."

"Are we taking a plane?" Jennifer asked. "I haven't packed anything."

"Don't worry about that, everything will be provided for you upon arrival."

"Um... alright, I guess. Mind if I grab one thing?" At Joyce's nod, Jennifer ran into her room, coming back with a stuffed penguin, making Joyce grin.

"This is Squee."

"Alright, you ready?"

"Ready for what?" Jennifer asked. Joyce pulled her com-badge from her pocket, and pressed it. "Phoenix, three to beam up."

"What?" Jennifer asked, right before vanishing.

"Oh my god!" Jennifer cried, when they appeared on the transporter pad. "You have Teleportation technology?"

Jennifer's mother was frozen in place, shocked speechless.

"We prefer to call it the transporter." Joyce grinned. "This way."

She led them to the hypertrain, and headed for The Hub.

"Where are we?" Jennifer asked.

"You'll see." Joyce said. Moments later, they arrived at The Hub. They entered, and walked to the windows. The two Hailey women were shocked by the sight of the Earth from space.

"This is a..." Jennifer started.

"Starship." Joyce finished for her.

"You mean this ship has faster then light engines?"

"Two different types from my understanding." Joyce answered, "I'm not really sure of the details. Technology isn't really my thing, I'm a doctor, not an engineer. You'd have to talk to Willow about that."

"Willow?" Jennifer asked.

"Lieutenant Commander Rosenberg, to be precise... speak of the devil." Joyce said, as the doors opened, and in came Willow talking to Oz.

"Commander Rosenberg, may I introduce Cadet Hailey and her mother."

"Hello, cadet." Willow said.

"Is it true that this ship has FTL engines?"

"Yes it is, cadet, and you'll learn all about them in the academy, along with the proper way to address an officer."

"Oh, um sorry... ma'am?" Jennifer asked, unsure.

"That's fine for now. You'll learn all this at the academy."

"I'm looking forward to it." Jennifer assured her.

"So this is some kind of military?" Mrs. Hailey asked, speaking for the first time, since the beam up.

"Sort of, yes." Willow answered, "There are ranks, and military discipline, but that's all necessary, on a ship like this."

"Are you planning to take my daughter into combat?" Mrs. Hailey questioned.

"I can't answer that." Willow said, "We have a wide unexplored universe, and for all we know, there's nothing out there, but that's not likely. We don't know what the future holds."

"I don't know if I like this."

"Mom!" Jennifer cried, embarrassed. "It's this or the Air Force, either way, combat is a possibility. And this place has the better technology."

Mrs. Hailey grumbled, but seemed to acquiesce.

"How many people live and work on a ship like this?" Jennifer asked.

"The starship Enterprise, which you've probably heard of, had a crew compliment of just over a thousand. This ship can accommodate as many as ten thousand."

"Wow."

"Alright, Willow, if you could take over for me, and take them on the tour, I've got more recruiting to do."

"Not a problem." The red-head replied.

Joyce walked away, and pulled out her com-badge, giving it a press. "Dr. Summers to Captain Harris."

"Go ahead." Xander replied.

"I'm going on that recruiting mission you wanted to accompany me on. Meet me in transporter room two?"

"Of course, be right there."

Joyce headed for the transporter room, and found Xander talking to the holographic crewman.

"You have a location for us?" He asked.

"Aye sir, An alley down the road from the police station."

They stepped onto the transporter pad and Xander gave the command, "Energize."

They rematerialized in the aforementioned alley, the heat hitting them immediately.

"Whew, it's hot here!" Xander commented.

"That's Houston for you." Joyce said.

They walked down the road towards the police station, both sweating by the time they got there. They entered the building and approached the receptionist.

"Hello, I'm Joyce Summers, I'm here to meet with Detective Ramirez."

"Of course, Mrs. Summers, he's expecting you. Right through there." the receptionist said, pointing the way.

They went through the door to meet with the detective. He was a skinny Hispanic man, with a cleanly clipped goatee.

"Mrs. Summers, I presume?" The man said, standing and offering his hand, which Joyce shook.

"That's me. And this is Xander Harris, one of the students at the academy."

"Hello." Xander said, also shaking the detective's hand.

"Right this way." He led them out of the office, and through the police station, to a hallway that led to a barred cage, where a brown-haired man sat on a bench within, leaning forward with his forearms on his knees, his head hanging. The Detective opened the door to the cage, and spoke to the man.

"This is your last chance, Stone. You should hear what these people have to say." He turned to Joyce.

"He's all yours."

Joyce removed a file from her briefcase, before handing the case to Xander. She flipped through the paperwork for a moment before speaking.

"Jake Stone. Excelled at school, your teachers thought you were brilliant, but then you dropped out at seventeen. It's been a string of arrests ever since. Let's start with why."

"Why what?" The man asked in a thick Texas accent, without looking up.

"Why did you drop out?" Joyce asked.

The man Jake, sighed, before speaking, "It was too easy. There was no challenge."

Joyce smiled, "We'll take him."

"Get up, Stone," Ramirez said. "I'm releasing you to these people's custody. If I see you again, you'll be going to the state Pen."

Jake grabbed a leather jacket that lay on the bench next to him, and stood, following Joyce and Xander out of the cage, and then to a conference room that the Detective said they could use to go over the paperwork.

"Thanks for getting me out." He said, "But why did you?"

"We have a job offer for you." Joyce answered, "Something that's right up your alley."

"Really?" Stone questioned, disbelievingly.

"Oh yes." Xander answered, "It's something that I believe will challenge you, and keep you on your toes."

"Alright, I'll hear you out."

"We represent the Enterprise Space Aeronautics Academy. It's the school that will get you qualified for this job." Joyce pulled out the usual non-disclosure agreement. "You need to sign this, before we go any further.

Jake took the time to read the paperwork, before speaking. "Is this for real?"

"Absolutely." Joyce answered.

He finished reading the non-disclosure paperwork before signing and initialing.

"Alright." Joyce said, "Let's go. We'll show you where you'll be working, then you can come back and pack your belongings."

They left the police station, and headed down the street to the alley, where they had arrived, finding it still empty.

"Right this way." Joyce said. Once they were deep enough in the alley, she pulled out her com-badge. "Three to beam up."