Alright, this chapter should explain a lot of what Buffy's plans are and are a glimpse into things to come. I have also given a hint about why Willow doesn't have implants. The first four to guess right get to name one member of the Order's first Celestian Superior squad. So, all that's left is to say read and enjoy.
Chapter 16
"When I was sent here, I expected a lot, but I have to say you managed to surprise me." Harry finally spoke after a few moments of silence.
"Quite understandable. I take it you're interested in my offer?" Buffy grinned.
"I doubt I'll get a better one anytime soon. So, what does my new job entail?" Harry asked.
"Follow me. Xander, show the rest of our guests to their new quarters." Buffy turned around and walked towards her office with Maybourne in tow.
"Would you care for a drink? I don't have much of a selection, but it's all top shelf stuff." Buffy pointed to a small cabinet to the side that had a few bottles and glasses on top of it.
"Thank you." Harry poured himself a glass of scotch and was pleased to see that it was indeed high quality stuff.
"Before I can give you the info on your new job, I do need to swear you in. So, do you swear to serve humanity and the God-Emperor with everything you possess, and to combat the alien, the mutant, the heretic and the demon wherever you may encounter them?" Buffy's whole manner turned serious and official in the blink of an eye.
"I swear it." Harry replied, knowing that breaking it would be VERY unpleasant for him.
"Then let me be the first to welcome you to His Most Holy Inquisition and the Ordo Xenos." Buffy opened a drawer on her desk and pulled an inquisitorial rosary, which was a beaded bracelet with the barred I with a skull in the middle.
"This is your symbol of office. Wear it on your person at all times. With it, you may assume command of any Imperial assets, be they a squad of troopers or whole fleets, provided you can justify the need to place them under your authority. It will also serve to identify you to any Imperial forces. It has a special beacon that can be picked up by our sensors and comm. equipment."
"So, what exactly do you have planned for me?" Harry asked once he put the rosary in his pocket.
"First, and this is the official mission known to all our allies, you are to be our eyes and ears in the galaxy. The Tok'ra have implied that such a role was unnecessary, but I disagree. The Tollan merely objected on my choice of agents." Buffy smirked.
"I take it you have other tasks that I am supposed to perform, then?" So far, Maybourne approved of his new job, as he agreed that the intel they had so far was insufficient.
"A great deal of them, in fact. Your role could be crucial in the defeat of the Goa'uld. Now, in order to allow you to perform your duties, you're going to assume the role of a minor Goa'uld working as a traveling merchant. And yes, you will be able to pass yourself as a Goa'uld so don't worry about that. This role will allow you to travel almost unimpeded to most Goa'uld controlled worlds and obtain valuable intelligence on their defenses." Buffy continued.
"What else?" Harry asked. He didn't like the sound of that particular job, but he guessed he had little choice.
"You are also to get in touch with the galactic slave market. We intend to become a very big customer in it." Buffy replied.
"You want me to buy slaves?" Harry was surprised at that revelation.
"Mostly girls, but men will be useful to our plans as well. We will bring the girls here to train as Battle Sisters, while the men will be used to fill other roles."
"Like what?" Harry frowned. There were a lot of pieces missing from this puzzle.
"Mostly missionaries. I intend to train a number of them to spread the Imperial Cult throughout the galaxy." Buffy's words quickly filled a large gap, but there were still a lot of holes left.
"I doubt the SGC will be happy that you're spreading your religion in the galaxy." Maybourne commented.
"I know. They mean well, but the fact remains that they or anyone else on this world for that matter is not ready to comprehend the consequences of the Goa'uld's defeat." Buffy replied.
"What do you mean by that? Destroying those parasites can only be a good thing." Harry frowned again.
"I'm not saying it isn't. As harsh as their rule is, they still maintain a level of stability in the galaxy. Their destruction will leave a major power vacuum and cause widespread anarchy throughout the galaxy. That is a situation I hope to avoid. By spreading the Imperial Cult, we will bring purpose and unity to the worlds of this galaxy." Buffy explained.
"And place the whole galaxy under your control." Harry pointed out.
"The God-Emperor is the one and only master of mankind. We serve in His name. Never forget it. And no, I will not be the ruler of the galaxy. We will establish a proper government based on the Adeptus Terra with elected High Lords. We have an opportunity to create the Imperium as it should have been here and I will not allow it to fall to petty infighting and power plays before it even got on its feet." Buffy's tone got a little harsh at the end.
"Alright. I understand what your goal is." Harry said, and inwardly, he was really impressed. Buffy certainly didn't do things halfway.
"You will play a big part in its establishment as well, Harry. Your last task will be to monitor the various missionaries, track their progress, read their reports, and in time, organize military aid for worlds ready to swear allegiance to the Imperium." Buffy grinned.
"So, how exactly are we supposed to get off Earth? I assume you're giving me the team that came with me?" Harry asked.
"Yes, they'll come with you once you have all completed your training and education here, along with several missionaries. We've already selected the world you're going to be based on. It's basically a useless ball of dirt in the middle of nowhere. As to how you're going there, you'll be going through the Stargate, of course. When it's time for you to leave, we're going to build a single-use Stargate and transport as much supplies as the thirty-eight minute window allows us. Afterwards, we'll be transporting people and supplies via Thunderhawk transport. We intend to build one capable of hyperspace travel and equipped with a cloaking device. It will also serve to deploy troops anywhere we need without having to rely on the SGC." Buffy grinned at Harry's gobsmacked face.
"You're one sneaky woman, Ms. Summers, and I daresay the brass in Washington is greatly underestimating you." Harry admitted.
"You think I look and act like a valley girl because I really am one? It is simply a very effective tool to make people underestimate me. When we met, all the President saw was a teenage girl who couldn't possibly comprehend what she was getting involved in. And normally, he would be right. However, I have inherited over two centuries of experience from a woman who has dealt with the forces of Chaos, not to mention over two dozen encounters with the Eldar." Buffy smirked.
"Ask the Eldar no question, for they will give you three answers, all of which are true and equally terrifying." Harry quoted.
"You've come prepared. Good. It goes without question that you will all be tagged. We'll implant you with a special device that acts like a beacon in the Warp. With it, we'll be able to locate you anywhere in the galaxy, so if you ever turn on us, you will not be able to evade us for long." Buffy nodded in approval.
"Unless I kill you and the Space Marine first." Harry pointed out.
"I knew there was a good reason to get you. Besides, I still have to tell you the benefits." Buffy laughed loudly.
"You mean besides getting me out of jail and letting me travel the galaxy?" Harry asked.
"We take good care of our own Harry, especially important people like Inquisitors. We'll provide you with full juvenat treatments. With that, you'll be able to live for several centuries, provided you're not killed in battle first. Even if you do suffer combat injuries, if we manage to recover you, we can replace practically any body part or organ." Buffy grinned.
"I had one last question. I have no doubt that you will train your missionaries well, but how will they convince the people they preach to that the God-Emperor is the real deal?" Harry asked cautiously. It was never a good idea to imply doubt in a zealot's deity.
"If you embrace the Emperor's light in your heart Harry, you will know the answer to that." Buffy's reply was unusually serene.
"You mean you can actually feel Him?" Harry exclaimed.
"In the memories I inherited, the Emperor's presence is merely a fact of life. I know it well, and nothing could ever fake it. And yes, a fraction of His presence can be felt here. I don't know if it's because of what happened to us, or because there are faithful souls here, but we can indeed feel His light. It is merely so faint that you have to truly open yourself to it to sense it. If you were a psyker, it would be as clear as the sun in your face." Buffy replied as she let her senses roam the Warp for a few moments.
"You understand the implications of this, right? What if more followers strengthen the connection? What happens when the whole galaxy praises Him?" Harry shivered. To know the power of a religion over its followers was one thing. To learn that its deity was real though was completely another. And this was no mere alien with advanced technology. The God-Emperor had REAL power.
"I have taken the matter under consideration many times as I made my plans. There is no risk that the Emperor's presence in this galaxy will grow. The gap between realities that allows His light to shine upon us is miniscule, and has shown no sign of widening even after all this time. I daresay I have a good understanding of the Warp, and you can be certain if it was going to widen, it was going to do so by now. So, all this presence does for us is prove that the God-Emperor is indeed real. I truly hope you learn to embrace it." Buffy smiled softly.
"Well, I won't reject the idea outright." Harry resigned himself.
"Excellent. As a high-ranking official, you are expected to attend all religious activities, after all." Buffy grinned as the man's face fell at that.
The first few days in Sunnydale for the former NID agents were a bit surreal. All of them were put in an accelerated program in order to learn everything they needed for their new duties. A surprise for Maybourne was also how much respect he was shown by the dozens of teenage girls in the base merely because of the rosary around his wrist. Of course, there were a few surprises as well.
"You want to replace my eyes?" Harry shouted at Willow as she was explaining how he would pass himself as a Goa'uld.
"Augmetic eyes are the only way to make your eyes glow like a Goa'uld. They also have a few extra options like night vision and the ability to see energy fields. They look exactly like your original ones." Willow explained, disregarding his protests.
"I don't see you replacing your eyes." Harry pointed out. Willow's cheeks reddened at that comment.
"My biology is incompatible with the blessings of the Omnissiah. I haven't had the time to explore the reasons in detail, unfortunately. I've had to make do with an external frame controlled by a mind-impulse unit. Now, let's get back to the matter at hand. Aside from the eyes, you will also receive a vocal implant, the tag and a security implant that will release a powerful neurotoxin if your body is ever infested by a Goa'uld symbiote." Willow replied.
"Alright. I guess I have no choice. So, when am I supposed to receive all this?" Harry asked.
"In a few weeks. We still have to construct a few of the components." Willow answered and walked out of the room to return to the factory. She had a lot of work if she was to meet the quotas Buffy had set for them.
"Hmm, when was the last time I came across demons?" Buffy mused as she caught sight of a pair of large, mouthless demons. When the demons didn't run, but instead rushed to fight her, she grinned in anticipation of the upcoming kill and drew her power sword. After all, nowadays she fought so rarely that she wanted to savor it, and using her bolt pistol ended the fights too quickly. The demons were stronger than a vampire, but rather poor fighters and Buffy had dispatched them easily. Once she was done, she called the cleanup squad, which was rarely summoned as usually the patrols fought vampires. Once that was done, she pulled out a rag and wiped off the demonic blood that had splattered across her face and armor, as well as on her hands.
It wasn't until the next day that she noticed something was wrong as the areas that the blood had touched had begun to itch. A few hours of research revealed that she was being affected by the aspect of the demon, which caused some alert considering the Imperium's stance on possession and mutation. When examination of the corpses and the type of demon revealed that their aspect was telepathy, Buffy was relieved. A few tests showed that her psyker ability has indeed increased, and she had grown from a strong Epsilon to barely within the Delta range. In addition, Xander had tested her thoroughly and proclaimed her free of taint. The relief of the half-dozen Sisters present to ensure she did not escape should she fail the test was obvious. However, this increase in ability meant a slight loss in control. In the Imperium, such a thing would have been incredibly dangerous, but here, she just needed some time to regain her focus. An unexpected blessing of this loss of control came the next day at school when she discovered that the lunch lady at the high school was planning on poisoning the students.
Meanwhile, at the SGC, they were once again facing trouble thanks to their premier team. SG-1 was exploring a previously inactive address when the local government attacked and took them into custody.
"If you release my men, we can clear this matter like civilized people." General Hammond spoke with the man holding his team captive.
"I don't know what tricks you're playing, Optrican, but if you attempt a rescue, we will execute your men." The man snapped and ended the transmission.
"Sir?" Walter turned to the General as the gate shutdown.
"We've tried being diplomatic. Dr. Felger, is Kendra ready for a mission?" Hammond switched the microphone before him to the speaker in the gate room.
"Ready and willing, General. What is my mission?" Kendra's voice echoed from the control room's speakers as her shell moved in position before the gate.
"Rescue SG-1. Avoid enemy casualties if possible." Hammond replied.
"Understood. Kendra out." It was a good thing the ramp was heavily reinforced, as Kendra thundered forward at an impressive pace as soon as the event horizon formed before her.
On the other side, the Bedrosian soldiers that stood aiming at the newly activated gate were shocked still as the massive machine thundered out of the circle. The few soldiers that were in its path barely managed to get out of the way, even if one got his head out from under Kendra's foot by inches.
"I have come for SG-1. Release them immediately." Her voice boomed as her auspex began scanning the area. She located all four of them into one of the buildings erected around the gate and moved towards it.
As soon as she moved, the Bedrosians opened fire on Kendra. Dozens of energy blasts washed over her shell from all sides. After a lengthy barrage, the commander ordered them to stop firing.
The machine stood still for a few moments, and just as they had believed that they had disabled it, a great booming laugh began to echo from it.
"My turn." Kendra's torso spun to the side as she aimed her assault cannon at the empty shuttle parked nearby. With a loud whine the weapon began to spin, before that whine was replaced by a deafening roar. A gout of flame erupted from the assault cannon as red-hot shells raced from its multiple barrels. In the blink of an eye, what was a fully functional shuttle was now a burning wreck.
Once her little demonstration was done, Kendra continued forward and with her claw, tore the door from the building where SG-1 was, ignoring the Bedrosian soldiers still firing on her.
"I thought I recognized that heavenly sound." O'Neill grinned as he saw Kendra stop before the cages holding them. Once again, the claw proved useful as she tore the cage doors like they were made from paper.
"Why were you captured?" Kendra asked. Even though she monitored the conversation General Hammond had with their leader, all she gathered was that they believed that SG-1 were spies from a rival nation.
"The Bedrosians believe the Goa'uld Nefertum created them, while their rivals the Optricans claim that Nefertum brought them to this world through the Stargate." Daniel replied.
She walked out as SG-1 began gathering their gear to keep an eye on the Bedrosians. It was a good thing she did, as she noticed three shuttles approach their position.
"Tell them to turn back, or you will all die." Kendra turned to the commander and ignited the pilot light on her flamer. The man stared at it for a few moments until he realized that he was facing an incendiary weapon. Combined with the ridiculously oversized machinegun on its opposite side, he knew he had no choice but to order his reinforcements to return. "Good. Now, drop your weapons."
"Boy am I glad Hammond sent you." O'Neill approached the massive machine as Daniel went to dial the gate.
"You should be more careful in the future, Colonel. I may not be there to save you next time." Kendra replied cheekily.
"If I had a penny for every time I heard that…" O'Neill muttered. Any further comments were cut off by the activation of the Stargate.
"And that's our cue to leave. It's been fun but sorry we can't stay longer." Jack grinned and turned away.
"I apologize for the damage I have caused. You are after all, merely victims of heresy." The soldiers were confused as to how THEY were the heretics.
A small compartment in her torso opened and several objects fell out. They were copies of a book Xander had prepared for the missionaries. Since it was unlikely that alien worlds could read English, it functioned as an audio book in over two dozen languages and had a small screen to show the text and various religious symbols. Willow considered the speech software one of her finest works to date. They had given some to Kendra to distribute if an opportunity arose.
"What is this?" The commander looked curiously at the large metal slate stamped with the image of a two-headed bird.
"The true path of humanity. I hope that it will help you see it." With that, Kendra turned and went after the already departed SG-1. She had used a radio connection with the SGC to keep the connection open. As she walked through, deep inside the machine, a smile formed on her face. She had sown the first seeds of the Imperium in the galaxy.
AN: Before anyone complains about they being able to build a Stargate, it was shown that once you understood the technology, it can be done. And of course, this is still months away, Maybourne and his merry men won't leave until midway through season 4. If I have failed to answer any other important issues, please point them out in a review or PM and I will do my best to answer.