3.

U.S.S. Sunnydale NCC-626

"Captain's log, the Sunnydale is en route to the U.S.S. Enterprise to deal with a vampire that appears to have gotten aboard. I swear they really are the cockroaches of the supernatural world. When we rendezvous Doctor Summers and I will beam aboard the Enterprise posing as an inspection team. Dawn will be checking the victims under the guise of rating the efficiency of the medical staff. After reviewing the personnel files of the Enterprise's command crew I have come to the conclusion that the crew of the flagship are not only extraordinarily competent, but they are not nearly as dismissive of the unexplained. I have already warned Dawn to be careful while aboard. As required by IWC guidelines before mission start, all crew have submitted updated drafts of their last will and testament to the recovery buoy, just in case."

"Captain," Commander Hernandez said as the ship sailed through space, "One hour until rendezvous. Buffy nodded from her chair, "You know the drill Jase. You have the conn and keep the ship close. I have an itchy feeling that we'll need you at some points."

"Aye Captain," he responded, "I also took the liberty of ordering full metal for the crew. I don't want to be surprised if it slips out like the last one." Buffy nodded, "Good thinking." She remembered last year when a vamp they had recovered from the U.S.S. Earhart had managed to slip her magnetic cuffs. It had taken several hours crawling through the innards of the ship and her first officer suffering a concussion before they were able to dust her.

U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701

Pike sat in his office going over the limited personnel reports he had access to on his PADD. Una sat across from him doing the same. "I don't know much about Dawn Summers, but Captain Summers taught a course on close quarters combat when I was a fourth year cadet. "So you are familiar with her then?" Pike asked, "Anything I should know?" Una though about the captain from her younger years, "She was one of the most skilled fighters that I have ever seen. Her demonstrations almost looked like a dance, and nobody could beat here… and I mean nobody."

Pike looked at his first officer with a hint of concern on his face, "So if they're sending someone like that, this must be a bigger problem than we thought."

U.S.S. Sunnydale NCC-626

Buffy watched the Federation flagship grow ever larger in the viewscreen on her bridge, "She's a real beauty." Hernandez sat back in his chair; "I served on the Constitution as an ensign. They're nice ships, but this gig has better benefits, fewer formalities, a better retirement package, and I get to carry a machete." Buffy chuckled a bit; her spirits being lifted by the man, "Just don't forget all the ass kickings you had to endure got get that right." Jason put a hand to his back, "My back will always remember; you slayers hit hard."

"Captain, the Enterprise is hailing." Lieutenant Zh'Rhitrith said stiffly breaking up the banter. Buffy rolled her eyes, "Put it on screen Ivy, and try to lighten up just a bit. We're all friends here."

The screen changed from the impressive ship to a large bridge focusing in a man with graying hair in the center seat. "Wow," Buffy thought to herself, "How much product did he use to get his hair to do that?"

Pike looked a little surprised, "Captain Summers?"

Buffy stamped down the annoyance that boiled up in here every time someone questioned her age. She wasn't even supposed to make it to eighteen let alone almost three hundred, "This is Captain Buffy Summers of the Federation Starship Sunnydale. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance Captain Pike."

She watched the captain push his confusion to the side, "Likewise. We're prepared to receive your team for the inspection." Buffy nodded, "My doctor and I will beam over immediately. Please remind your crew to just go about their business. We have no intention of getting in the way. Sunnydale out."

The screen switched back to the image on the Enterprise and Buffy hit the comm panel in her chair, "Bridge to Sickbay. Dawn, meet me at the transporter." Buffy rose from her chair and made her way to the small lift at the back of the bridge. She was only going down one level. Her ship didn't have a transporter room; it was more of a transporter alcove reminiscent of the early Earth ships before the system was in wide use. Dawn was already waiting for her of course. "You in a hurry or something?" Buffy asked her sister. Dawn rolled her eyes, "Any chance to get out of that closet you call a sickbay is welcome." They stepped onto the two pads installed as her Catian engineer manned the controls. "Take care of my engines while I'm away," Buffy said with a smirk. The tan fur of Catian rippled as she laughed, "I always do Captain, "Criia purred out before energizing the beam.

U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701

Pike stood in the transporter room with Una and La'an waiting for the signal. "I'm telling you Chris," Una said, "She taught a combat course twenty-five years ago and she hasn't aged a day. There's something odd going on here."

"Or," Pike rebuffed, "Maybe there is a perfectly logical explanation. It's not like you to jump to conclusions Number One." Una appeared to be just a little sheepish, "Yes sir."

"Sir," Crewman Kyle said from his console, "The Sunnydale is signaling ready." Pike nodded, "Energize."

Buffy and Dawn watched the transporter room on the Enterprise shimmer into view with Pike standing off to the side with two other women. Once the beam faded Buffy looked at the man, "Permission to come aboard Captain?" Pike nodded, "Granted. This is my first officer Una Chin-Riley, and my Chief of Security La'an Noonien-Singh." Buffy gestured to her sister, "This is Doctor Dawn Summers, my chief medical officer." Dawn nodded politely as the two captains stared awkwardly at each other.

Finally Buffy broke the silence, "We should have a conversation Captain, Privately." Pike gestured towards the door, "Of course. Tell me. Are either of you hungry?" Dawn rolled her eyes, "Warning Captain, if you feed her, she'll never leave." Pike smirked, "I think we'll manage. If you'll follow me."

Buffy and Dawn followed Pike through his ship and Buffy marveled; it was bigger, brighter, and a lot more comfortable looking than hers. It was definitely a ship made for long voyages instead of ones like hers that she had dubbed the gopher ships. After a turbolift ride and a walk around the saucer Pike showed Buffy and Dawn into his quarters. "This is so not fair," Buffy said as she looked around, "I could sleep my entire crew in here." Dawn elbowed her sister's ribs, "Don't be jealous. You have the second largest apartment at home base."

"Anyway," Pike said as he donned an apron and made his way into the full size kitchen, "I understand that you're here to investigate our little problem, but what I don't know is why. We have a perfectly capable security chief." Buffy looked at the captain with a stern expression, "Because you don't know what you're dealing with. We do. We know what it is, how to root it out and how to get rid of it without throwing people into a meat grinder." Pike looked up to object as he was pulling out vegetables to chop, "Why don't you tell us? That way we can deal with it." he asked after swallowing his ego. This time it was Dawn who spoke, "We can't; not without some serious red tape, but let's just say your assailant shows no life signs, won't show up on thermal scans, and is faster and stronger that even your best crew member."

Pike looked at the two women who looked barely old enough to be out of the academy themselves, "And what makes you the right ones to handle it?" Buffy snorted, "Experience, and a lot of it."

U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701 – Maintenance deck

The vampire watched the ship logs and readouts from the makeshift monitoring station he had built for himself in the bowels of the ship. He was supposed to just be hitching a ride from one system to another, but the ship had been called to repair some deep space array turning what was supposed to be a three day journey into a three week one. He had gotten hungry a couple times and that last time had lost his control. He knew he wasn't supposed to kill when ship hopping as it led to people looking. He wasn't really worried until he heard the U.S.S. Sunnydale had intercepted the ship. Any vamp with a brain knew to be wary of that ship. It was her ship. The slayer, and now he had just become the target of her stake. With a hint of panic he hit a button that would send a burst signal out. Hopefully one that wouldn't be picked up by either ship, but one that was supposed to be a last resort. He wouldn't normally have ever done it, but the slayer was wanted for execution and he helping that happen might just make them go easy on him.

A/N: This is all I have at the moment. Getting ready for the work week to start, but I'll try to have the rest of the story finished this week. Like I said earlier it's just a short one. I know there may be errors. I try to catch them but since I'm dyslexic I don't always get them all immediately.