A\N: There are parts of this chapter that are rated M due to the level of violence.
Cylon Camp Three, Furling Earth, 1405 hours.
Dawn and a doctor from the main Earth camp rushed out of the just landed Puddle Jumper and ran to the tent where the Marine, who had been with both Giles and Anna, was calling for them. Dawn rushed in first and nodded at Anna before she kneeled down, in her armour, next to Giles and watched as the doctor felt for a pulse, and then immediately he attached some leads to the man's chest. Once the machine that the leads were attached to showed that his pulse was steady, Dawn told Anna in Ancient Greek that Giles was going to be alright, that his heartbeat was normal; as was his blood oxygen which the doctor also described as excellent.
"Will you not take him to Earth?" asked Anna as she looked at everyone while Dawn translated what the humanoid Number Three asked. The Marine had asked the same question as well, agreeing with Anna that Giles should be taken to Earth for medical assistance. It was the doctor who said that he and Dawn received orders from Colonel Ferretti, who in turn received those same orders from General Landry, that Giles needed to remain on Furling Earth.
Dawn translated the simple explanation to Anna while the doctor gave the Marine the detailed explanation. While the Marine was hearing about the Stargate remaining open while Giles' soul was on Earth, Dawn told Anna that it was very possible that Giles blood sugar fell, and he'll be back up in about forty minutes or so; Dawn and the doctor had been informed that Giles shouldn't be out for longer than thirty minutes, and that same information was relayed to the Marine, and to Anna.
"Low sugar?" asked Anna as she looked at Dawn suspiciously while shaking her head, "I saw his eyes turn white, and he was speaking something in your language but it was not in his tone of voice. Whatever is happening, I believe I deserve to know."
"There are some things that have been hidden from you," said Dawn, "and this is one of the things that need to be hidden, at last until we're allowed to tell you."
"I know what just happened was unnatural," said Anna as Dawn frowned, "I could feel my arms erupt in goosebumps, and the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. It was like having an unnatural presence watching us."
Dawn just looked at Anna, who looked back at her with eyes that were silently telling her that she needed the truth because she already suspected that there was something wrong. Before Dawn could respond, Anna told her about programs on Colonial television that portrayed what the Cylon referred to as 'so called claims of possession by demonic spirits'. She continued to say that those programs would show people trembling as they screamed out loud while begging for the gods to save them, or there would be various other programs on hauntings, and the macabre; and then she told Dawn about the television program that Dawn had already heard about, the Protector.
"Anna," said Dawn, "I still can't tell you. But let me talk to Colonel Ferretti, and then we'll get the ball rolling on telling you know what happened. IN the meantime, all I can tell you is that I'm not certain what they showed on Colonial television and if they are true, or not."
"We know it can't be true," said Anna.
"This coming from a race of artificial beings who believe in God?" asked Dawn with an eyebrow raised while the doctor and the Marine were preparing to go to the awaiting Jumper to let Colonel Ferretti know that Giles was stable. Dawn then looked over her shoulder at the Marine, and told him that she'll be going with him… that she needed to talk to Colonel Ferretti about what Anna had seen and heard.
"She didn't understand him," said Dawn, "I'm sure of that, but she knows something's wrong… something not natural."
"I still don't know what just happened," said the Marine as he scratched his head, "I mean I know… you and the doc just said what happened but… demons? And his soul is back on Earth. I mean…"
"It's not easy to understand," said Dawn with a small smile, "but we're working with aliens and humanoid robots, so it's not that much of a stretch. Give it time."
"Uh huh," said the Marine who was shaking his head as he stood up, along with the doctor.
Dawn then looked at Anna before she slowly stood up. The brunette told the Cylon to stay with Giles, and that she and the others would be right back.
"Let me ask Colonel Ferretti for permission to tell you what happened," said Dawn as Anna closed her eyes, sighed, and then nodded her head before she looked down at the unconscious Giles. Dawn gave a small smile as she looked at the Number Three looking down at Giles before she turned and followed the doctor, and the Marine, to the Jumper where Webb was asked to contact the main Earth camp.
General Landry's Office, at that same time.
After they were told that the Prometheus was unable to detect Willow and the others from orbit, General Landry asked Tara, and General O'Neill to follow him up to his office. With Camille in the briefing room after Tara sat her down, and then gave her some donuts that were in a box on a table at one side of the room; the blonde witch then walked into General Landry's office with General O'Neill and closed the door behind her. She sat down across from General Landry in such a way that she was still able to glance out the window in the man's office that looked out into the briefing room. Tara saw Camille biting into her donut before she looked at General Landry who was leaning forward and asked Tara what she thought was going on in regards to why the Prometheus couldn't use her powerful Asgard scanners to detect Willow and the others.
"I'll talk to Miss Chase," said General Landry as he looked at Tara, "and if she accepts, and of course, if you are all right with it; I'd like for you to accompany a two-man team to the last position that Major Rosenberg and the others were detected."
"We need to know if what's going on is magic related," said General O'Neill, "and if it is... then maybe you could try and contact them. Tara, the truth is that we're not equipped for something like this, the whole Magic thing is so rare for us that we need you to make sure that Red and the others are safe."
"Ok," said Tara nodding her head before she looked at Camille who was eating another donut, and then the blonde witch looked at General Landry, "and about Camille…"
"She'll be kept company," said General Landry as he glanced over at the little girl, as did General O'Neill before looking at Tara once again, "if you're really thinking about adopting her, then she needs to know the truth... that you could be called for anything, at any time. It could be here if a situation like today arises again, or it could be with the BPRI."
"Yeah," replied Tara as she nodded her head.
It was just then that Walter ran up the stairs and hurried over to General Landry's office. The bald man knocked on the door, and then peeked in through the open door and told General Landry about the request from Dawn that was relayed by Colonel Ferretti on Cylon Earth; to inform Anna about the supernatural. Walter told the Generals that Anna was present when Giles had gone unconscious, and she had seen the events right prior to him becoming unconscious; specifically, the white eyes and the unnatural voice.
"Miss Summers said that the Cylon heard Mr. Giles saying something, but she didn't understand it since he said it in English," replied Walter as the two Generals looked at each other, and after a few seconds, General O'Neill nodded his head before General Landry told Walter that Anna was allowed to know the truth.
"But only Anna," said General Landry, "it's one thing to tell them about the Ancients, and Ascended Beings being humans who evolved."
"But magic, ghosts, vampires, and demons are gonna take some time for them to get used to," said General O'Neill.
"With the Colonial's too, I'm guessing," said Tara as she looked at Camille, "and with Camille."
"Walter," said General Landry, "tell Miss Summers of our decision; and once Colonel Carter comes in, have her come to my office first."
"Understood," said Walter as he nodded his head at the others before closing the door behind him, and then rushing down the stairs to the control room. IN the meantime, Tara and Camille looked at each other, the little girl giving the blonde witch a wave… a wave that Tara returned.
"She doesn't know about the stuff that goes on at night?" asked General O'Neill.
"Kennedy and I were gonna tell her when she comes back," said Tara as she looked away from Camille and nodded at the General, and then looked behind him and out the window at the little girl who got off her seat, and walked over to the box of donuts. Tara smiled as Camille then grabbed two chocolate topped donuts before she sat back on her seat, and then licked her fingers to get the chocolate off her finger tips. Tara smiled at Camille who was now concentrating on the donuts in front of her before she looked at General Landry, and told him that she'll go to Nairobi with the two-man team.
"Good," said General Landry, "we can't detect the cloaked jumper, so there's going to be no cover for you since we don't have the remote with us. This'll just be a beam in, then you try and contact Major Rosenberg and the others, and then we'll beam you out. Having three Americans, especially two military personnel in a foreign country without authorization, is something that we don't want to deal with; but we need the two of them in full tactical gear in case something happened to Major Rosenberg and the others."
"And to protect you," said General O'Neill as Tara nodded her head before telling the General's that she can have them cloaked so that anyone just passing by can't see them.
"We can stay until we find them," said Tara nodding her head, "and having the three of us would be best since the cloaking spell is technically only for one person, and I can maybe cover four bodies at maximum. But the three of us would be perfect, we can be cloaked for an hour… but I'm not sure if you'll be able to detect us, or not."
"It's worth a try," said General Landry nodding his head as he leaned forward and picked up the phone to his left side, "Miss Maclay, I'll have the two officers meet you at the Briefing Room once I've received the go ahead from Miss Chase to have you help us go out to the field."
"I'll tell Camille," said Tara as the General nodded his head while dialling a number. She and General O'Neill then walked out of General Landry's office as he started talking to Cordelia, and walked up to Camille. Tara took a seat next to the little girl and chuckled when she saw the chocolate stains at the sides of her mouth. The blonde then wiped the stains away, while General O'Neill grabbed some coffee for himself and Tara. He then sat on the other side of the table, across from Tara, after handing her the coffee; the blonde then took a deep breath before turning Camille towards her, and then telling the girl about the mission that she had to go on.
"To find Kennedy and your friends?" asked Camille as she looked into Tara's eyes while the blonde witch nodded her head in agreement, "will you be gone long?"
"Hopefully not that long," said Tara as she stroked Camille's hair, "hopefully it won't be that long, and when… when I come back? The both of us are gonna sit down together, and talk about something important."
"Can I come with you?" asked Camille with a hopeful look on her face.
"Sorry, Camille," replied Tara shaking her head, "where I'm going is very hot, and very dry… and definitely no place for a little girl."
"How about I get you the largest slice of chocolate cake I can find," said General O'Neill as he looked at Camille, and then at Tara, "I mean if Tara thinks it's all right."
"Well…." Said Tara as she looked back into the pleading eyes of Camille, "as long as she doesn't spoil her appetite for dinner."
"She won't," said the General, "and I'll talk to Hank about maybe letting you guys go out of the mountain; as long as you have company."
"Thanks," said Tara as she smiled at General O'Neill and then at Camille. It was then that General Landry's door opened and the man walked out while telling Tara that Cordelia had agreed to the SGC seeking Tara's help in finding Willow and the others, especially since the BPRI's own Slayers were also missing. He told Tara that the two officers with be meeting her in the briefing room in ten minutes, and then they'll be beamed to Nairobi.
Tara just nodded her head before General O'Neill asked the base commander what he thought about letting Tara take Camille out of the mountain.
"We still have her paperwork to complete," said General Landry, "but if they're accompanied by guards, then I don't foresee a problem."
"Solution fixed," said General O'Neill as he clapped and then rubbed his hands together, "don't we have an Ancient, three Slayers, and a Watcher coming back soon?"
"It seems that we do," said General Landry as Tara smiled, "plus we have a witch… so I'd say that if they decide to go out for a few hours, they'll be protected until we get all the paperwork in order."
"Well?" asked General O'Neill as Camille nodded her head excitedly.
"I guess it's a plan," smiled Tara.
Plains of Nairobi, at that same time.
Buffy, Kennedy, Faith, Wesley, and Giles watched carefully as the dark-skinned women who was glaring at them slowly stood up while her arms were still out by her side, and holding on tight to the two Scythes. The Slayers looked at each other before Buffy took a step forward cautiously at Sineya.
The words that Sineya told them earlier was still ringing in their ear; she wanted them to show her their worth, and Buffy needed to know what that meant.
"HI.." said Buffy as Sineya looked at her, and then at the two Watchers who were standing side by side next to the three Slayers, and looking at the First Slayer in amazement.
"Shadow Men," said Sineya as she raised one of the Scythe's at the two Watchers, the edge of the curved blade pointed towards the Watchers, "you will do your duty, and watch."
"Sineya," said Giles as he took a step forward and raised his hands before stopping, "we're here... actually I don't know how I'm here, but I guess that is a question that can be asked at another time. Anyway, there are so many things that we would like to know… the Watchers Council had so many things hidden away but…"
"Silence," said Sineya as she flicked her wrist to the left and the next thing that anyone knew, Wesley and Giles felt a gust of wind pushing them away from the Slayers. The gust was so strong that they stumbled onto the ground and rolled heads over heels before stopping a few feet away. The three Slayers watched in surprise as Giles and Wesley tried to get up, and were immediately covered by a yellow energy field.
"Wes!" exclaimed Kennedy as Wesley reached for, and touched the yellow energy. Upon touching it, the energy flared and then threw Wesley back onto the ground.
"Sineya," said Faith as she looked at the dark-skinned woman who was looking back at her, "what're you doing? We came here to talk."
"Show me your worth as Slayers," said Sineya as she tilted her head and looked at the three of them.
"I think we've proved ourselves," said Buffy, "or don't you remember me beating you after we stopped Adam?"
"I remember you, Buffy Summers," said Sineya as she looked at the blonde, "I remember that day. You may have faced me in a dream…. But you have never faced me at my full power. You seek the power of the Slayer, my power… my weapons gifted to me by Athena. Prove to me that you are deserving of it… that you will do what a Slayer must do to protect this planet."
"Sineya!" shouted Giles as Sineya looked at the Watcher, "Buffy, and Faith have protected this world… even Kennedy has protected this world first as a Potential, and then as a Slayer."
"You must watch, Shadow Man," said Sineya as she looked directly at Giles, and then at Wesley before turning her head to face Buffy.
"Buffy Summers," said Sineya, "you sacrificed your life for your sister's life.. you…"
"To save her," said Buffy as she glared at Sineya while wondering why she was bringing up old memories at a time like this, "I sacrificed myself so that my sister could live. You were the one I saw in my vision quest, you were the one who told me that death is my gift. I sacrificed myself so that Dawn could have the gift of life and…"
"You were selfish," said Sineya as Buffy looked at her with her mouth open, "as was Faith Lehane, as is Kennedy Williams. All of you are unworthy to be called Slayers."
"Excuse me?" asked Kennedy as she took a step forward with her hands rolled into fists.
"All of us have given up something, Sineya," said Faith as she tried to figure out what it was that Sineya wanted. She guessed that it was a test, and she could tell from Buffy's glances at her that she thought this was part of a test as well… but they couldn't figure out the answer.
"Buffy Summers should have let her sister die that day," said Sineya as Buffy opened her eyes wide at the First Slayer, "if you didn't die, you would have continued to be a Slayer while Faith was in her prison.. the place she ended up because of her own foolishness and arrogance. With your death, the world would have fallen into chaos in a few years if the yellow haired Witch and the Watcher had failed. What do you think would have happened next?"
"A new Slayer would have been called with my death… and.." said Buffy as Sineya shook her head in disbelief.
"I have seen all the Potentials throughout time, I have seen all the Chosen," said Sineya, "the Shadowmen would have killed Faith to allow for the next Slayer, Kennedy. And Kennedy would be defeated against a Master vampire and turned to serve the forces of darkness… she would have been responsible for the destruction of the Council of Watchers. She would have lived twenty-six years while killing each new Slayer that comes after her; she would have opened the Hellmouths and the world would have fallen into darkness. A vestige of Humanity would have survived due to the Stargate. I have seen my own end. A possible future where I end… I am never-ending.. but I would have ended. The SGC would not want the possible spread of demons throughout the galaxy, they would have ended this world… destroyed it. And I would have been darkness. All that would have happened if the Watcher and the Witch had failed. All of that would not have come to pass if Buffy Summers had let her sister die."
"I refuse to believe that," said Buffy as her hands were rolled into fists, "I did what I did to save people."
"You are a coward," said Sineya, "unworthy of being a Slayer."
"You're wrong," said Faith shaking her head.
Giles and Wesley were listening to the back and forth between the Slayers, and the First Slayer before the two Watchers looked at each other. They realized what Sineya was trying to do, she was trying to goad them into a fight. Wesley was the one who was screaming from inside the enclosure, screaming that Buffy and the others had to calm down; that it seemed to be a test.
"A test," said a female voice from behind the both of them. Giles and Wesley turned around and looked at a dark-skinned little girl who was about ten years old. She was dressed in grey coloured rags that covered her body. She was looking at them with a small smile just as, from behind Giles and Wesley, Buffy screamed as she, and then Kennedy and Faith rushed Sineya. Giles and Wesley watched with their eyes wide open at Sineya's fluid movements as various weapons appeared across the dessert which surrounded them. The two watchers saw Buffy pick up a sword, followed by Kennedy and Faith who picked up their own weapons. Giles and Wesley saw them attacking Sineya with their weapons, the First Slayer avoiding them all with agility that they had never seen before. They then saw Buffy, Faith, and Kennedy hit the ground after Sineya retaliated. It was then that the two watchers remembered that they were not alone in the enclosure, and turned around once again to face the little girl whose smile had vanished, "this is a test. You must watch as the Shadow Men have watched me be infused with the power of the Slayer. You must stand and watch as your Slayers fight with a power that they can barely understand. You must do as all Shadow Men, as all Watchers must do. Watch."
"You know we can't," said Wesley as Giles nodded his head, "if you knew us, then you'd know that…"
"You two followed the Council's orders," said the young Sineya, "Rupert Giles, against your very instincts, you drugged Buffy Summers to take away her powers as a test that humans instituted because of a misguided belief that you understand the Slayer's power. You do not… but you will. And Wesley Price, you betrayed your Slayer by taking her to be murdered by the Council after she made her two mistakes. You nearly helped end the world when you refused to do everything in your power to find the drug that would save the ensouled vampire… you did not do everything possible because you were afraid."
"We made mistakes," said Giles as he looked over his shoulder and saw with eyes wide open in shock as Sineya buried her Scythe into Buffy's abdomen. He rushed to the yellow energy field and screamed, "Buffy!"
He and Wesley watched in shock as Sineya pulled out the Scythe from Buffy's abdomen, while Faith and Kennedy looked at what was going on stunned. But that lasted for a few seconds as the two of them leapt at Sineya, Faith ordering Kennedy into position to take the First Slayer from either side.
Wesley watched the fight as Faith and Kennedy fought hard, but Sineya fought harder and faster. He saw the both of them struggling against Sineya when he noticed movement from their left. Wesley called for Giles who was screaming at the little girl, the older man then turned around only to see Buffy holding a hand against her bleeding wound, and using her sword to help her stand up. The two watchers heard Buffy scream as she leapt towards Sineya who was fighting both Faith and Kennedy, with dust on the ground being thrown around due to their movements, and the sounds caused by the clash of metal again metal, as well as the grunts of the three Slayers as they were punch, kicked, and sliced by Sineya's scythes. Giles and Wesley watched as Sineya moved to one side and then, in a fluid motion, she stabbed Buffy in the back with the stake-end of the scythe. They heard Buffy scream as Sineya then turned and stabbed Faith, before pulling out the Scythe again and then kicking out at Kennedy who had leapt towards her. Sineya knocked her to the side before she ran at Buffy, and then pulled out the Scythe from her back and then, in one motion flipped the Scythe around and threw it like a javelin through Kennedy's abdomen.
"No, no," said Giles as he turned away from the slaughter and looked at the little girl, who looked past him and Wesley at Faith whose fingers were moving as Sineya walked back away from the fallen Slayers, and got ready to fight again. The Young Sineya then looked at Giles and Wesley, telling them that they were doing what they were supposed to do… they were watching.
"I refuse," said Wesley as he moved back and then rushed to the energy field with his shoulder. The action of hitting the energy field threw his back onto the ground hard, leading to Giles rushing to him to help him stand up.
"You have helped the Slayers," said the young Sineya, "but that was only out of pity for them, not because you wanted to. It is your job, you have never really cared for the Slayers… I can see into your souls, Rupert Giles and Wesley Pryce."
"You don't know us," said Giles as he looked at the little girl, "you don't know what you're talking about."
"I know what is in both of your hearts," said Sineya, "you fear that once the First Slayer is finished with her successors, then she will come after you. I am prepared to send your souls back to your bodies and…"
"No," said Giles as he turned towards the energy field in front of him as he raised his hand and started chanting a spell. Wesley watched Faith falling back on the ground screaming in pain after Sineya cut off her arm, before she turned to face Kennedy and then slammed the Scythe into her side. Wesley shook his head as he looked at Buffy being stirred by the screams of the fallen Slayers as she slowly got up again; Wesley could see that her blood was falling onto the sand which was turning bright red as Sineya looked at the blonde, waiting for her to get up. Wesley then heard Giles' chant, and then he knew what the man was going to do… it was a high level spell that fired once Giles finished his chanting. A blue beam of light then hit the yellow energy field just as Wesley ran to the area that the blue beam was making contact, the area being turned to glass. He used his shoulder to hit that exact same spot, and the shield itself cracked like glass until there was nothing between them and the battle. Wesley got off the ground and ran to Giles whose left hand was seriously burnt, and helped him up. The both of them looked at the young Sineya, and then turned and ran to their Slayers.
"You have passed," whispered the young Sineya as she vanished.
Buffy's vision was blurry as she slowly opened her eyes to look as at a one handed Faith being knocked back as Sineya kicked out at her, while a bloody Kennedy jumped to the back of the First Slayer and started to punch the side of her head. Buffy could feel her body burning when suddenly she was being lifted up slowly. The Slayer screamed in pain as the hands on her back and abdomen pressed into her injuries while she was helped up onto her trembling feet. The sounds of screams all around her went quiet, and all she could hear was the sound of her own heartbeat as she looked at Giles and Wesley at either side of her. She then looked at Faith punching Sineya in the face with her one hand while Kennedy was holding Sineya from the back, doing her best to prevent the First Slayer from moving around. She saw that the scythes were on the ground, and she was about to head for the two weapons when she saw Sineya head-butt Kennedy who was right behind her before she jumped over the jump kick that Faith was aiming for the side of her head. Sineya then landed just as Faith turned around, and then grabbed the leg that the dark haired Slayer had kicked towards hers. Buffy saw Kennedy get up and scream just as Sineya swung one of the scythes and cut off Faith's head.
The blonde Slayer felt her mouth opening, but she heard no sound… but she knew that she was screaming as Sineya glared at her, and then at Kennedy; there was no sound except for the pounding of her heart as Wesley ran to Sineya and rammed his shoulder into her back. Buffy then saw Giles run after Sineya as she threw off Wesley before she rammed the Scythe into his chest. She then turned to Giles and smiled. Buffy then felt herself running towards the First Slayer with Kennedy coming from an adjacent direction. Buffy was limping as pain spiked through her spine, but she still moved as fast as she could; sighing in relief as Kennedy pushed Giles from the first Scythe's swing, however Sineya then swung the second Scythe right through the top of Kennedy's head. Sineya then spun around once again, and then threw the bloody Scythe that still had bits of Kennedy's brain matter into the back of Giles' head. Buffy saw her father-figure fall and she screamed out loud; this was a scream that broke through the pounding in her entire body. She growled at Sineya, forgetting the pain that her body was going through as she ran towards the smiling Sineya. Buffy punched and kicked the young woman, even picking up an axe in her bloodied state as Sineya blocked all the hits.
"Surrender," said Sineya as she kicked out at Buffy who stumbled back onto the ground and dropped the axe she was holding. She looked at Sineya as she got up slowly, her body experiencing pain again; and her vision was getting cloudy because of the blood loss. Buffy looked around at the death all around her, she looked at the bodies and it all reminded her of a bad Saturday night gore-fest that Xander would force her to watch on television. Buffy slowly got up on her trembling feet and glared at the First Slayer whose Scythe's blades were dripping with blood.
"Never," said Buffy as she felt something in her scream while she picked up her axe once again. She then rushed towards Sineya, and then she hit the First Slayer, who then attacked her mercilessly. Buffy blocked as many hits as she could but she felt that she was getting weaker. Her last move was to swing the axe up when Sineya least expected it… but her mind was about to shut down. Finally seeing her chance, Buffy swung up… just missing Sineya, however the next thing she felt was the instant the razor sharp blade of the Scythe hit her neck, and then everything went black.
Just as everything turned black, Buffy felt someone tapping on her cheeks; and a familiar voice calling out to her.
A male voice.
Giles' voice.
"Giles," said Buffy as she snapped her eyes open and she sat up and hugged her watcher, tears coming out of her eyes as she looked behind him and saw Wesley helping a surprised Faith and Kennedy to their feet. She saw that where they were once bloodied and beaten; now they were all safe and sound... they were all healed as if nothing had happened to them. They were all alive as Giles helped her up and she hugged the older man again tight. She then released Giles and ran to Kennedy and Faith, and then hugged her sister Slayers before they got a good look at their surroundings. Buffy and the Slayers looked at Giles and Wesley walk towards them, and then they looked up at the night sky as a gentle breeze that carried the smell of barbequed fish. The group looked around and then they noticed a light in the distance from a fire.
"Where are we?" asked Buffy as Faith looked around the surrounding area, and then she noticed the light of the fire reflected against the metal behind it… the metal of a housing unit as Faith's eyes went wide.
"This is the day that… that Red met Sineya," said Faith as they turned to their left as a little girl was running as fast as possible from the vampires who were chasing her, "the day that everything began."
TBC.