Chapter Text

THE COMING STORM

Stories in the "Shadows of the Apocalypse" series:

Dance with the Reaper

The Coming Storm

Storm of Shadows

oOoOo

CHAPTER ONE
What the hell are they thinking…?

"The arrival of the Arcadia heralded a new era for humanity that would open new opportunities for the people of Earth. Yet, at this point in history there were many potholes and pitfalls in the road ahead, and the future seemed uncertain and bleak to all those involved…"

— excerpt from "The Arcadia Effect—Effects and Evolution of Human Society from 2003 to 2013"

oOoOo

"Captain?"

Megan rubbed her eyes, opening them and focusing on the voice talking to her. The lack of sleep over the last few days from installing the weapons system in Atlantis's cargo bay and preparing for the launch weighed on her. She'd only closed her eyes for a minute to rest them and hadn't planned on dozing off until the shuttle's copilot woke her.

"How you doing, Captain? You look a little green around the gills there," Commander Lorne Hodge said, giving her a tired-looking smirk.

"Not bad. Still a little queasy, but that shot they gave me before launch is keeping my dinner down for now," she said, adding her own tired smile.

"Yeah, the weightlessness will get you every time," he replied, eyeing her over.

Megan recognized the look in the Commander's eyes. It was one she'd had to battle against almost her entire adult life. At first glance, most people considered her a stereo-typical dumb, beautiful blonde, but it surprised them to find there were brains behind those good looks too.

Even after joining the Air Force and going with short hair, it seemed every man in heat-seeking range still considered her eye candy, and an opportunity. It wasn't all one-sided. She'd learned to play the game too, using her looks to her advantage when needed. But, other than occasional dating and in-and-out relationships, she was more than happy to devote her time and effort working in the Air Force's Weapons R&D program.

"You had a question, Commander?"

"Yeah, Colonel Harper wanted me to get an update on our weapons systems."

"You could have just asked over the radio channel."

"Yeah, but I needed an excuse to get out of my seat and float around," Lorne said, giving her a sheepish grin.

"Well, everything is green on my board, but then we've never tested this system in a live environment."

Lorne studied the console display in front of Megan, "I got just a preliminary briefing on this system before launch. Is it true it's based on the AGM-69 SRAM?"

"Yes, we designed an eight-round rotary launcher, based on the one used on the B-52, to fit in the shuttle bay. I can raise and lower it for firing," Megan said, warming up on her subject of knowledge.

Lorne smirked, "Yeah, I bet the Russians weren't too happy to find out we had a missile launcher designed to fit in our shuttles."

Megan's grin grew, recalling the briefings when their Russian hosts found out about this weapon system and that shuttles could carry nuclear weapons.

"Yeah 'not happy' is understating their reaction to finding out about this weapon system. It took a lot of convincing to ease their fears this prototype launcher was the only one built."

Lorne noted the Captain's expression and didn't quite believe the official line this was the only launcher built.

"If I recall my specs, didn't the SRAM only have a range of 110 miles? We can't turn like a bomber to avoid the blast."

Megan shook her head, "You're not wrong, but we made modifications to this system for space. The normal engine rating is 200 kilometers in atmosphere, but the modifications we've made and lack of gravity and atmospheric drag boost the range to 1000 kilometers. That's on full engine burn and includes the ability to make one major maneuver to avoid any anti-missile systems."

"Still sounds awfully close when you're talking about nukes, especially in space."

"The launcher itself fires… gives the missile a kick at a speed faster than the shuttle. We can then initiate the engines firing and the missiles increase their speed for the final attack phase. Considering our velocity, the launcher and engines, we can extend the range to 5000 kilometers with the missiles speeding up to about Mach 50 on their final run."

Lorne let out a low whistle, hearing how fast the missiles would go, "So what if these aliens have a missile defense system?"

Megan recognized the condescending tone and look the Commander gave her. Most men had a problem believing a beautiful woman could understand nuclear weapons and weapons systems.

She held back her sigh, "We don't have any idea what their defensive capabilities are. My mission firing plan is to stagger launch our missiles then initiate engine burns at different intervals to stagger our missiles to arrive spread-out at the target. I've also programmed two minor course corrections to bring the missiles in from different vectors. If we get lucky, our missiles will hit from three sides. Plus, the missiles have a rubber coating that should minimize their radar and heat profile to avoid or delay detection. If the target tries to evade, we've based the missile's guidance system on the AIM-120 AMRAAM, with fire and forget capability, so it will adjust. But then, we don't need a direct hit when using a 200 kiloton fusion warhead with Tritium boost… do we?" she said, batting her eyes at the Commander.

Lorne blinked, not sure how to respond, "Oh…"

Megan smirked, seeing the Commander put off-balance. As he turned to float back to his station, a question that had been nagging her since the mission briefing came to the front of her thoughts.

"Commander?"

Lorne turned back, taking in the woman who had her finger on a nuclear trigger, "What is it, Captain?" he said.

"Sir, I've been doing the math and calculating our speed and trajectory and several things…"

"Go ahead."

"At the velocity we're going, we have such a narrow window to hit, so we can slingshot ourselves back around the moon to get home."

"And?"

"Our projected trajectory path will take us right through where the alien ship is and where our nukes will detonate."

The Commander met Megan's eyes as his face took on a hard, sad expression. He saw the realization sink in, "What's your question, Captain?"

Megan took a deep breath as she grasped her situation, "No question, Commander. I wanted to clarify the situation," she said, trying not to betray any emotions.

oOoOo

The alarm beeping forced Paul to open his eyes. His half-opened eyes focused on his bedside table clock.

5:30am… God, I hate 5:30am…

As he began shaking off the last vestiges of sleep, an array of hazy, dream-like images flashed in his head. For a couple of seconds, an intense out-of-body experience gripped him, and he didn't know where he was.

The sensation, along with the images, faded quickly as he became more awake. He shook off the experience due to overworking. As he became more alert, he became aware of the body curled up next to him.

Faith stirred as the alarm continued to go off. A smile filled Paul's face, watching her, recalling what they'd done last night. He tried not to disturb her as he turned off his alarm. Faith stirred again, this time stretching her body with her eyes still closed.

"Why do all you army guys get up so damn early in the morning?" she mumbled while she continued stretching.

Paul smirked, shaking his head, watching her stretch, taking in her body. Despite the lack of sleep because of their "activities", he hadn't been this energized and refreshed in years. He looked forward to the day, ready to take on whatever awaited… after grabbing a coffee and breakfast.

"First, I'm in the navy, not the army. And second, I'm commander of this ship and I'm expected to put in a full day's work."

Faith opened her eyes, giving him a smile, "Don't you guys ever get a day-off?"

"You mean like a weekend or holiday?"

"Yeah, something like that."

Paul snorted as he considered the question. He couldn't remember the last time he took time off for himself. There always seemed to be another mission, training or squadron paperwork for him to do.

"You should take today off? We could spend it in bed. We still have the handcuffs, they're broken, but we can improvise," Faith said, giving him a suggestive smile.

Paul's body stirred, considering her suggestion as his eyes wandered over her body. Yet his personal wants and desires would have to wait. There was still too much to do with minor ship repairs and system checks, along with pilot training and getting the drones back on-line.

"I can't…" he said, seeing her disappointment, "How about we catch an early dinner and we can go from there?"

Faith rolled her eyes, "I dunno… maybe. I might already have plans tonight with somebody else," she teased. To add further, she rolled on her side, lifting the sheet to give him an excellent view of what he was turning down.

Paul laughed, taking the time to appreciate the view she was giving him, but surprised by the stab of jealousy at the thought of her being with someone else.

Even as he remembered how she moved and responded to his touch, old memories and emotions welled up, catching him by surprise. He pushed them down because they led down painful paths he didn't want to explore again.

"Well, if I can't have dinner then can we have breakfast together?"

Faith yawned, pulling the sheet back over intending to go back to sleep, "Man, you're assuming a lot I'm getting up now. I don't remember joining your army."

Paul shook his head, "It's navy… and no, you didn't join. I thought if we went for breakfast, I could first scrub your back while we take a shower," he said, running his fingers lightly down her shoulder.

Faith jumped out of bed, heading to the bathroom in one lightning fast move, catching him by surprise, "Hell, why didn't you say that in the first place!"

oOoOo

Colonel Harper checked his display console to make sure all systems were green. The moon, looming ever larger in his cockpit window, momentarily drew his attention away from his work.

He still found it hard to believe he was heading there like some of his childhood heroes. Except, rather than exploring new frontiers and expanding humanity's knowledge, he was going to attack an alien ship with nuclear weapons.

Harper shook off any doubts or misgivings about the mission as he focused back on his work, "Any sign they've detected us?"

"Ummm…" Commander Hodge said, checking his console

"What is it?"

Hodge shook his head while continuing to study his console, "The radar warning system they installed is detecting something, but the signal is nothing I'm familiar with."

Harper sighed, "So they've detected us?"

"I can't say for certain, sir. It looks like they might be scanning us, but I can't say for certain. Should I start our ECM protocols?"

"Negative. Until we can confirm they've detected us, we'll wait until we're at our firing point and then initiate counter measures as per mission plan."

"Yes, sir."

A moment of silence passed between the two men, Harper broke it, "So, what do you think of our passenger?"

Lorne smiled, "I'm trying not to, but the images include soft lights and drinks with dancing."

Harper smirked, "Easy there tiger, your wife might have something to say about that."

The Commander let out a soft sigh, "A man can dream, can't he… it's all we've got left, isn't it?"

It was Harper's turn to sigh, "Yeah, in about two hours we'll light up space like no one has seen since the planets formed. Can she do the job?"

Lorne considered the question as he recalled his conversation with the Captain, "Yeah… yeah, she'll put them on the target," he said, nodding.

oOoOo

Xander and Cassie were both still tired and had taken a quiet corner table in the cafeteria to spend breakfast together.

After work on the hanger deck, and grabbing dinner, they'd gone back to Cassie's cabin to settle in for the evening. The plan was to watch some videos and spend a quiet evening of snuggling.

Xander was glad for the chance to spend some quiet time with Cassie, even if that meant being forced to watch one of her favorite films… a Kung-Fu movie.

It wasn't exactly his genre, but what caught his interest was when Cassie told him they'd made this movie inside the SDF-1 while in space.

They'd cuddled up together intending to watch the movie, and maybe a little more… and both promptly fell asleep with exhaustion winning out over desire.

Cassie's alarm going off had been a rude awakening, and Xander rushed back to his cabin for a quick shower and a change of clothes. Before meeting up with Cassie in the cafeteria, he'd taken a glimpse of himself in the mirror.

He could honestly admit he cut an impressive figure in the fresh pair of REF work coveralls he was wearing. It seemed he'd earned himself a new job with Chief Larson wanting him back on the hanger deck. She'd planned on giving him a crash course in servicing and maintaining fighters.

In his wildest dreams, he'd never expected to be doing any type of work like this, let alone be in space. He realized his new job and duties might mean initially having less free time with Cassie, but it would give them something more in common.

Now at breakfast, reality was settling in as Xander tiredly picked at his food, listening to Cassie talk about her schedule for today. He didn't envy her job of training the new pilots, but at least she didn't have Chief Larson looking over her shoulder.

It took him a moment to realize she'd stopped talking. His attention immediately switched gears as he glanced up from his meal. Her expression caught him off-guard.

"What's the matter?" he said, wondering if she thought he wasn't paying attention to her.

Cassie motioned with her head towards the cafeteria's entrance, "Nothing… it's just surprising to see those two together."

Xander, trying to act nonchalant, glanced to where Cassie was motioning. His poker face failed him as his good eye arched in surprise seeing Faith and Captain Coleiro walking together.

They weren't holding hands, but their body language told a different story that anyone could see. He noted Faith's relaxed smile while the Captain, looking tired, also wore a smile.

It seemed he wasn't the only one noticing the couple's entrance, noticing how people at other tables smiled and whispered, looking towards Faith and the Captain. Xander was no rocket scientist, but then you didn't need to be a genius to figure out what those two had been doing last night.

"Huh…" Xander said, trying to reconcile what he was seeing.

"What's the matter? You seem surprised?" Cassie said. Even though she had little experience in this area, she'd picked up on what had happened between the pair.

"You mean about Faith and the Captain? Nah, I'm not surprised she hooked up with someone."

"Then what are you surprised about?"

Xander glanced again, studying Faith's happy and relaxed expression, "She's not the stick around for the next morning type. She's usually done and gone. I'm surprised she's still hanging with the Captain."

"Well, we are on a spaceship. There's nowhere else for her to go, so she can't really run off," Cassie said, turning her attention back to her meal.

Xander pondered Cassie's statement as he studied Faith and the Captain again, "Maybe…" he muttered.

Further considerations of Faith and the Captain took a back seat as he glimpsed Anya walking into the cafeteria. With his new found work preoccupying him, he hadn't talked or visited with her recently. Any growing guilt over his negligence died quickly upon seeing her with a big smile and holding hands with one of the crew.

A brief stab of jealousy gripped him as he stared at the couple as they grabbed breakfast. It threw him to see her with someone else, and for a moment thought she was hooking up with this new guy to get back at him for Cassie.

Yet, as he watched them, he realized there was something more between them. It caught him off-guard as Anya looked his way and their eyes met. In that moment, Xander replayed every moment and memory they'd spent together. She gave him a small, gentle smile before turning her attention back to the man she was with.

Goodbye Anya… Long life and happiness… you deserve it…

A momentary twinge of sadness hit him as his mind pondered the eternal question of "what if". The gloom didn't last long as the realization dawned on him they'd both moved on. Anya was his past and as he turned his attention to Cassie, a smile grew on his face, recognizing she was his future.

"What's wrong? You okay?" Cassie said, seeing his smile and the look he was giving her.

Xander laughed, "I haven't even finished breakfast and already I've had two surprises today. It makes me wonder what else will happen today."

oOoOo

At a table across the cafeteria, Chief Larson studied Faith and the Captain. She was already quite familiar with all the stories circulating around the ship about the pair and their activities. There were no doubts in her mind about what had transpired between the two, especially knowing Paul's colorful history from his younger, wilder days.

She shook her head, rolling her eyes, seeing the Captain's tired, yet cheerful expression, and the happy relaxed expression on the younger woman's face.

While she was glad to see the Captain happy, a growing sense of concern overshadowed that gladness. This concern along with her overprotectiveness of him was a well-worn path. The Captain had a tendency of not taking care of himself, and she didn't want to see him hurt again… repeating what happened after Sonia's death.

While warning bells echoed in her head, Larson swore not to let history repeat itself. The last time wasn't an experience she wanted to repeat.

A sigh escaped her, seeing the twinkle in the Captain's eyes, and she realized anything she said to caution him would go in one ear and out the other. For now, she decided to play a waiting game and not voice her concerns, but she would keep a close eye on the situation.

As the couple grabbed their food, the Captain caught Larson's eye and nodded. She waved him over to join her, watching how the Captain tried to nonchalantly bring Faith over with him without making it appear like anything was going on between them.

They're not fooling anyone. A blind man from low orbit can see what's going on, Larson snorted, trying not to laugh.

"Morning, Chief."

"Morning, Captain… Morning, Faith."

"Hey, morning," Faith said, giving a small smile and acknowledging nod to Larson.

Larson watched with amusement as the Captain and Faith sat down across from each other, trying to pretend like nothing had happened between them. An awkward silence descended over the table as the group ate their breakfast.

Larson waited for the perfect moment to break the awkwardness, "So, did you guys have a good workout last night?"

That perfect moment was as Paul was taking a drink from his coffee mug. The tone of the Chief's question and what it implied caught him off-guard.

He maintained some air of composure and didn't spill any coffee on himself. But any semblance of composure began to fail when he caught the look Larson was giving him, causing him to choke on his coffee. Before he could recover, Faith, reading the other woman's intent, jumped in with both feet.

"Yeah, the multiple sessions last night and the session this morning were great," Faith said in a matter-of-fact way, adding a smirk to reinforce her meaning.

Larson arched an eyebrow in surprise. The appraising look she gave Paul caused another coughing fit. It took him a couple of minutes to get control, and another moment of awkward silence descended over the table.

Larson, biding her time, started in again, "That's pretty impressive for an old guy," she said, looking at Faith.

Faith didn't bat an eye as she shoveled a fork full of scrambled eggs into her mouth, "Yeah, it was loads of fun. I'm looking forward to more workout sessions."

Larson studied Faith for a moment as she ate. All the while Paul dreaded what would happen next.

"I like her Captain… she's a feisty one," Larson replied in a deadpan voice.

Paul thought he would choke to death, as he tried to get his coughing under control. It didn't help his situation that his repeated choking was drawing stares from those sitting nearby.

The last straw was when Xander gave him a smile and nod from across the room. He was trying to figure out how to eject from this conversation when fortune gave him a way out with his name being paged over the ship's PA system.

Thank god!

Larson tried not to laugh at the Captain's not too subtle rush to the communications panel on the wall across from them. The relief on his face was obvious as he returned to the table.

"Sorry ladies, but duty calls… I have to go to the bridge. Chief, I'll be by the hanger deck later to go over the status on those drones. Faith…" Paul said, pausing as Faith gave him a smile.

"Yeah?"

"Maybe we can meet up later for drinks… dinner… you know."

"Yeah, I would like that, especially the 'you know' stuff," she said, grinning, causing Paul to cough in surprise.

The Captain rushed out of the cafeteria, leaving Faith and the Chief at the table. They sat there for a few moments in uncomfortable silence, sizing each other up, as they finished up their meals.

"You got something to say, Chief?" Faith said.

Larson didn't bat an eyelash at the question, "Not much… The Captain's a big boy and he's no novice…"

Faith's smirk grew, "That's for sure."

Larson let out a sigh, "What you two do behind closed doors is your affair, but the Captain is my friend and I've known him for years."

Faith became defensive at Larson's tone. A wave of anger grew, but along with it came jealousy, catching her by surprise. The idea of another woman having a history or being involved with Paul bothered her.

She quickly brushed it off, not wanting to think about the implications of these emotions, "What's your point?" she replied testily.

"You and the Captain can bump uglies all you want… Hell, he could probably show you a few things."

Faith snorted, but her body tingled remembering his touch.

Larson continued, "I want to make sure you don't hurt the guy… he's had some rough patches in his life."

This surprised Faith, she realized Paul was a deeply complicated person, but then they hadn't spent their time together engaging in any deep meaningful conversations. Yes, he carried around some anger, but then who didn't.

Faith brushed off Larson's concern with a shrug, "We're just having some fun together. It doesn't really mean anything."

Even as the words left her lips, a strange guilty sensation filled her… like she'd just told a lie.

Larson grimaced as she stood up to leave, meeting Faith's eyes with a hard glare which gave the Slayer a reason to pause, "Whatever… if you break the Captain's heart. Well, I know how tough and strong you are, but honey, you won't see me coming for you."

oOoOo

A sense of relief filled Paul as he neared the bridge. He didn't completely understand what was going on between Faith and Rachel, but he was glad to be out of their crossfire.

His smile grew as his thoughts shifted to Faith. He enjoyed spending time with her, and it wasn't only because of the sex. He'd spent more than his fair share with women when he was younger, but it was different with her.

The only other time he could remember being this comfortable with a woman was when he was with Sonia. Faith seemed the exact opposite from her and different from any of the women he'd been with. She was rough, outspoken and seemed fearless. Yet, he saw there was more to her which she kept buried. He recognized she kept parts of herself buried, afraid to open and share it to avoid getting hurt. It was only in those quiet moments after sex where they were lying together she seemed at ease. It seemed peaceful and right.

He pushed Faith to the back of his thoughts to go over his conversation with Lieutenant Evans. She'd caught up with him as he escaped the cafeteria, wanting to talk to him about an important matter.

The Lieutenant informed him a small group of the women—from the ones called Potentials—had approached her about the flight training program. They had heard she was overseeing training and expressed an interest in learning how to fly and become fighter pilots. Evans asked for permission to expand the training program to include these young women.

When questioning Evans deeper over why these Potentials wanted to become pilots, she blushed, reluctantly admitting that she'd apparently inspired these young women to want to join.

Despite some mixed emotions, he told the Lieutenant he would give her proposal due consideration.

He temporarily shelved thoughts of pilot training along with any lingering thoughts of Faith as he stepped on to the bridge. An Ensign was already moving to intercept him as he made his way to his command station. The Ensign's worried expression caused his gut to churn.

"Report," he said.

"Sir, we're picking up an approaching craft."

Paul's face now mirrored the Ensign's as he took his station, "Range and type?"

"Sensors still aren't at full capability, but it looks like a small craft, smaller than one of our shuttles. It's at 50,000 kilometers and closing fast relative for its speed."

"Why didn't we pick it up sooner?"

The crewman manning the sensor station answered, "Sir, we still only have limited sensors. From backtracking the craft's trajectory, it looks like they launched from the planet side facing away from us. Also, our position relative to the moon masked their approach."

"Threat assessment?"

"Sensors are still not fully reliable at that range, but we have detected no energy weapon signatures."

Paul took a moment to consider the situation. They had an enormous advantage in tech and firepower over anything this Earth could throw at them. Yet, a sense of worry filled him as he tried to figure out what those other people were thinking by sending out a single small craft.

It appeared as if whoever had launched this craft was trying to conceal the craft's launch from their sensors. Once again, he reminded himself this was not his Earth, and it was possible they'd developed a technology he wasn't familiar with.

An unsettling sensation continued to build in him as he studied the tactical display. It was blindingly obvious this unidentified craft was on an intercept course with the ship.

"Ensign, set the ship to Condition Yellow."

"Yes, sir!"

As the ship's alarms signaled yellow alert, Paul leaned forward continuing to study the display screen showing the plotted positions of his ship and the other craft.

"Sir, pin-point barrier and point-defense systems are on-line. Engineering reports engines on-line and we have full maneuvering capability," the Ensign reported.

"Good work, Ensign. Time to intercept?"

"If we hold our position and they maintain their current velocity, their ETA to intercept is one hour and twenty minutes."

Paul continued studying the tactical display screen, considering his options and the ramifications, "Inform Lieutenant Evans, I want her prepped in an Alpha for launch. She's to hold off launching for now."

"Yes, sir!"

oOoOo

There wasn't much conversation exchanged between Faith and Xander as they made their way to Buffy's cabin. Kennedy had shown up in the cafeteria looking for them. The only answer she gave to their questioning about this summons was that Buffy was looking for them and needed to see them ASAP.

What conversation there was to this point was Xander speculating out loud about why Buffy wanted to see them. He paused his aloud wonderings, noting how Faith seemed lost in deep thoughts, and he had a hunch about where her mind was.

"Sooo… I saw you and the Captain having breakfast together," he said, a smirk forming on his face

"So, what about it?" she said, giving him the evil eye.

"Uh… just saying you two looked… um… nice together," Xander stammered as his smirk died under her glare.

Faith sighed, realizing she'd snapped at Xander for no reason. Her hard expression softened as she considered his words, "Nice… huh?" she said.

He shrugged, trying to avoid making the same mistake as he carefully chose his words, "Yeah, you seem… happy."

Faith rolled her eyes, shaking her head as she tried to slough off his words. Despite this attempt, she found Xander's comments only adding to her growing inner discord.

Ever since her talk with Chief Larson, she was having a hard time trying to understand her feelings towards Paul and what their night together actually meant to her.

The sex had been great, but her modus operandi with every guy she hooked up with was to either take-off or kick him out when done. It was one of her principle rules to never stick around till morning because that only complicated things.

This time she'd broken her rule with Paul, and she now found herself a mix of emotions, not understanding what it all meant. What was even worse was that she hadn't even thought of leaving while lying there in bed with him.

It seemed unreal and beautiful, recalling the warmth of his body against her, his hand caressing her body, while they gazed out his cabin window into space. The view only added to the moment as the infinity of space contrasting with the desolation and solitariness of the nearby moon was both breath-taking and intoxicating.

A small voice echoed from the back of her thoughts, telling her to walk away. The voice kept telling her she'd had her fun, but it was time to move on… there were plenty more fish left to hook.

Yet, as this voice nagged her, other thoughts and feelings pulled her in another direction. A part of her wanted to follow their lead, but fear built upon bitter experience held her back. Giving into those "squishy emotions" only led to disappointment and pain, but then she had never met anyone like Paul before. A burst of anger caught her by surprise.

I feel comfortable with Paul… I can't remember ever being this way with any other guy… Damn it! What's wrong with me?

oOoOo

Faith shelved her personal issues as they entered Buffy's cabin, noting Willow and Spike along with Giles were also there. The worried expressions on their faces along with Buffy's pacing didn't bode well for why they were meeting. Something was happening… and it wasn't good.

Buffy stopped her pacing as the door closed behind Faith and Xander, "About time! Where have you two been? We've got a problem!"

Buffy's tone immediately put Faith on the defensive. Before she could say anything, Xander chimed in, "Whoa! Slow down there, Buffy. What's the problem?"

Buffy shook her head in frustration, "Tell them, Will…" she said, nodding to her friend.

Willow stepped forward, "As you know, I've been spending a lot of time in Engineering. You know, learning about their technology and trying to help them find a way back to their dimension."

Xander nodded, while Faith shrugged.

"As they've been repairing their ship, they have sensor systems that scan things with precise measurements we can only dream about. I mean it's…"

"Willow, get to the chase!" Buffy said, seeing her friend was drifting off topic.

Willow shook her head to focus her thoughts, "Huh… oh sorry. Where was I? Oh yeah. The engineers have been getting their sensors repaired and been scanning the area of space where they arrived here. During this scanning, they've detected some anomalous readings on board the ship."

Spike recognized the confused expressions on Xander and Faith and his frustration got the better of him, "Oh bloody hell, this is taking too long! The blokes on this ship found out that Little Bit is a little bit more than she seems!"

Xander and Faith were both stunned by this news, "They found out Dawn is The Key?" Xander said, his face now mirroring the concern and worries of the others.

Willow shook her head, "No! They don't know about Dawn. All they've detected is a faint energy signal on the ship, but they have no idea what's causing it."

"Does Dawn know? What are we going to do?" Xander said, trying to gasp at what this meant for them.

Buffy shook her head, "No, she doesn't and we're not saying anything to her right now… she doesn't need to get freaked out. What we're going to do? For now, we watch and wait. Giles and Willow are looking into ways we can get off the ship if we need to leave in a hurry."

Buffy looked at Xander, meeting his eyes, "Have you said or mentioned anything to Cassie about Dawn?"

"No… I haven't said anything or talked about Dawn being The Key."

Xander noted the relief on Buffy's face, but it conflicted him. He didn't know what he would say or do if Cassie and him found themselves on opposite sides. He knew in his gut she wouldn't do anything to harm or hurt Dawn. If there were any doubts, it was about the Captain as he glanced at Faith. Buffy's harsh voice caught everyone by surprise.

"Everyone out! I need to talk to Faith alone… now!"

No one argued as they left the cabin, leaving both Slayers alone. Faith sensed what was coming from Buffy's harsh tone. She didn't have to wait long after the door closed.

"What the hell are you thinking?"

"B… it was like—"

Buffy didn't let her finish, "I believed you when you said you weren't sleeping with the Captain, even though a little voice was warning me not to. Now imagine my surprise when I go for breakfast this morning and everyone is talking about how you and the Captain are screwing each other like there's no tomorrow. For crying out loud… handcuffs! And after he almost killed you!"

Faith couldn't help herself, "We took turns with the cuffs…"

It didn't amuse Buffy, "DAMN IT, FAITH!"

Faith closed her eyes, taking a deep breath to keep her growing anger in check. She opened her eyes to see Buffy glaring at her, "You finished?"

Buffy threw up her hands in frustration, "Sure, why not! What can you say?"

Faith took another deep breath, and pictured herself lying in bed with Paul holding her, gazing out his window to see the moon. A surprising sense of peace took hold and her anger slipped away, "First, when we talked nothing had happened between me and Paul yet."

Faith noticed Buffy's surprise at her using the Captain's first name, "I won't deny I thought about having sex with him, but we didn't plan for it to happen. Besides, it's not like he proposed or we're buying a house with a white picket fence. Second, if you're worried about me blabbing about Dawn in the middle of an orgasm… that ain't going to happen."

"That's not the point. What happens if you're forced to choose between him and us? What would you do?"

Faith paused because she hadn't considered that possibility. She searched her heart, and couldn't believe Paul would do anything to hurt Dawn or her.

"Buffy, he's not the enemy… he's not a vampire or a demon. He wouldn't do anything to hurt Dawn."

"I hope you're right for all our sakes," Buffy said, shaking her head.

Faith's face took on a grim expression, realizing she was staking a lot on what she thought she knew about Paul. A grin came to her face, "Besides, talking about your sister during sex… that's just creepy."

"Ugh! Thanks! I didn't need the image of that dancing through my head!" Buffy said, a painful grimace filling her face.

Faith was about to make some glib comment about Buffy joining her and Paul for a threesome, but a surprising spasm of jealousy grabbed her.

She was still struggling with these new feelings when the ship's alarms wailed. As both women stared at each other wondering what was happening, a voice came over the ship's PA system.

"ATTENTION ALL HANDS! SHIP IS NOW AT CONDITION YELLOW!"

oOoOo

The lights were off when the Vice-President of the United States entered his office. He tried the wall switch, but the overhead light didn't come on. Shaking his head, he cautiously stepped across his darkened office to turn on his desk lamp. Before he could turn on the light, a voice spoke from the shadows, surprising and scaring him.

"What's the status of the mission?"

The Vice-President recovered enough to turn his desk light on, turning to face the voice. He recognized the voice, and it filled him with even more fear.

"W-We're on schedule. They should be in firing range in just over an hour," he stuttered, trying to control his fear.

"That's good… I and my associates have invested a lot of time and resources to get you into this position. To put you one heartbeat away from being President and make you the leading candidate for a run at the oval office when this term is up."

"Y-Yes… T-Thank you, M-Master."

"Is she aboard the shuttle?"

"Yes, Master! It took some doing. There were questions asked because there were more senior and experienced officers to fill that position. I still wonder why it was so important to get her on this mission."

The demon's face took on a grim smile, "My Master said it was a stroke of luck and fate to find her. I don't have all the details, but my Master was most insistent she was aboard the shuttle. He has a score to settle, and she is a tool in his plan. That is why we had you push hard for this mission."

"Y-Yes, Master. I-I understand, but I've read the reports about these aliens and I find it hard to believe one little shuttle will destroy them."

The demon laughed, "If your shuttle destroys the alien ship that works for us. If they destroy the shuttle, we'll make sure he finds out who they killed. That works for my Master as well… it's a win-win for us."

The Vice-President didn't understand who this "he" was his master was talking about, but he'd learned, painfully, to never question his master.

Chapter Text

CHAPTER TWO
Add one key to mix…

"Commodore Lau called me in for a meeting today. She informed me Admiral Hunter has approved the mission for Mars Division to retake Earth, and my name is in the running for commander of the operation. I find myself with mixed emotions. A part of me wants to lead the attack against the Regess and end this war, but I'm torn because I want to stay with the Reapers. I'm happy staying a fighter jock, even if I have to command a squadron. But I think the major reason I don't want the job is because I have no desire to return home. There is nothing back there for me, except bad memories. I'm planning on recommending John Gardner for the command slot position. He's a good soldier and more than capable for the task. For now, I'm satisfied serving under April's command. I'm just glad she doesn't hold any grudges or hard feelings over what happened back in the academy. It wasn't like I planned on leaving her like that when I bailed out of her dorm room window, but I was already on academic probation from the previous time…"

— Private journal of Captain Paul Coleiro (Tirol, 2039)

oOoOo

Dawn was in love…

At least she kept telling herself that while following Lieutenant Aaron Hanson around with big puppy eyes as he gave her a personal tour of the ship.

She couldn't help herself. The young Lieutenant looked for lack of a better description—dashing—in his uniform with the bonus of being closer to her age. Not that age was a problem to her, as she still did plenty of fantasizing about Captain Coleiro.

Yet, the Lieutenant seemed a much more attainable goal, especially after hearing all the stories everyone was going on about Faith and the Captain. It was obvious that her chances with the Captain were now next to zero, with Faith having sunk her claws into him both figuratively… and literally.

Not that she wasn't familiar in the ways of how the world worked. There'd been the sex education classes, all the high school locker talk and gossip, along with having been around when Buffy and Riley were together. Yet, despite her depth of knowledge, there were still a few things about sex that left her puzzled.

What's the big deal about handcuffs? Why is everyone going on about them?

This pulled at her curiosity that only increased her determination to get to the bottom of this and find out what all the big fuss was about.

I'll talk to Anya… she'll tell me what the big deal is. I think she mentioned something about her and Xander doing something like that once, but Buffy decided I was too young…

Thoughts of the Captain, Faith and handcuffs faded, catching Lieutenant Hanson giving her a puzzled look.

"You okay? I'm not boring you?" he said, dread growing in him.

Dawn shaking away any lingering thoughts focused on giving her undivided attention to Hanson, "Oh no! Sorry, my mind was wandering. I'm having a good time. I enjoyed the simulator training room."

A sigh of relief escaped, seeing the smile return to his face. It made him so much more attractive.

Not Captain Coleiro attractive, but still good looking…

Aaron was glad he wasn't boring Dawn. He'd hoped to impress her with the personal tour of the ship while he worked up the courage to ask her out for lunch and then dinner. The ship's alarms going off dashed any thoughts of romance.

His training kicked in as his thoughts and reflexes shifted as he turned to rush to the bridge. He took several steps before stopping and turning to see Dawn standing there, looking lost and unsure. Her expression pulled on him. He realized it was breaking protocol, but he didn't hesitate as he went back to her and took her hand, noting her surprised face.

"Come with me… it'll be alright," he said, smiling.

When the alarms went off, her first thoughts were of how Buffy would take care of whatever was happening. Yet, a growing sense of fear and panic gripped Dawn. It wasn't until Aaron surprised her by taking her hand that calmness exerted itself, pushing back the fear and panic.

His smile along with the warmth of his hand only added to his steady reassurance that everything would be all right. There was no hesitation on her part as she followed him down the corridor while alarms continued wailing.

oOoOo

"Helm, prepare to break orbit. I want us on a parallel course with that target, but maintain our distance." Paul ordered, his eyes locked on the display screen.

"Aye, sir! Engaging thrusters and bringing about the ship to course heading one-four-five."

Paul leaned back in his seat, still studying the display. The churning in his stomach only seemed to get worse the longer he studied the display screen.

"Go to active scanning! Use whatever sensors available to get a detailed scan of that ship."

"Aye, sir!"

"Sir, what about main guns and missile batteries?"

As Paul considered the consequences of escalating the situation, Lieutenant Hanson entered the bridge with Dawn Summers in tow. He was about to reprimand Hanson about bringing non-authorized personnel on the bridge until he saw her face and how they were holding hands.

"Nice of you to join us, Lieutenant," Paul said, noting the nervous expression on Hanson's face. He nodded, "She can stay. Just make sure she doesn't get in the way… understood?"

The relief on Hanson's face was obvious as he hurried to his bridge station with Dawn, "Yes, sir!"

The Captain waited for his First Officer to get settled in and get updated on the situation, "Mister Hanson…"

"Yes, sir!"

"What's your take on the situation?"

Aaron's mind raced as he tried to process all the information to grasp the situation and what they were facing. A palpable sense of nervousness grew at the fear of screwing up now, especially with Dawn watching. He glanced towards her, getting a smile in return from her. His heart was still pounding, but her smile brought on a calmness that allowed him to settle down and focus.

"I don't see how that craft can be a major threat to us, sir. I recommend we stay at Condition Yellow for now until we can get more information," he said, sounding more confident, glancing again at Dawn.

Paul couldn't help breaking a small smile at the Lieutenant's burst of confidence. He'd noted how the two young people exchanged glances with each other and how Dawn smiled at Hanson.

Sometimes that's all it takes, he thought, remembering back in the academy how small things Sonia did would reassure him when his confidence was lacking.

Paul nodded, "I concur. We'll stay at Condition Yellow for now. We can make do with point-defense and shields for now."

"Yes, sir. If I may sir, can I suggest something," Hanson said.

"Go ahead."

"I know how you wanted to avoid contact with Earth, but considering this situation, it's clear they're aware of us. I think we should try to establish communications with that ship and warn them off."

The Lieutenant's recommendation impressed Paul, "I agree. Make it so, Lieutenant."

oOoOo

"SIR! We're being locked on by their radar!" Commander Hodge reported as his warning console flashed red alarms.

"Damn it!" Colonel Harper muttered, "Range to target?"

"Just over 46,000 kilometers…"

Harper pressed the comm button, "Captain Blair?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Can you fire sooner?"

"No, sir! We have to get closer, 5000 kilometers is our max range, and that's pushing it," she replied.

Harper took a deep breath, "Commander, we still have fuel for our main engines, right?"

Hodge's face paled as he realized what the Colonel was proposing, yet he didn't hesitate, "Yes, sir. We have enough fuel remaining to initiate a forty-five second burn, but…"

"I understand Commander, we'll lose our chance to make our slingshot around the moon, but it will close the distance faster with our target. Prepare to start engine burn on my mark! Once engines cut, initiate ECM protocol. Also standby on maneuvering thrusters, I've got a feeling our alien friend will move, and we may have to rotate the ship."

"Yes, sir! Understood… waiting on your mark to initiate engine burn."

"On my mark… Three… Two… One… MARK!" Harper ordered.

The shuttle shuddered as the main engines fired, sending the spaceship surging forward. As the acceleration pushed him back into his seat, Hodge kept his eyes on the clock as the seconds counted down. As soon as the timer hit the forty-five second mark the engines cut, Hodge typed commands into his console.

"ECM protocols initiated!"

Back in the shuttle's cargo bay, the cargo doors opened and from launchers mounted along the sides, eight small rockets—only a meter long—launched. They flew outwards and at a predetermined range exploded, releasing strips of aluminized glass filaments.

The chaff expanded outwards, surrounding the shuttle in a cloud. At the same time the rockets launched, ECM jammers mounted in the cargo bay generated noise across the electronic spectrum to hide the shuttle from electronic eyes.

oOoOo

"CAPTAIN!"

The crewman's tone caused Paul's gut to churn, "Report!"

"Target has increased speed!"

What the hell is going on? Paul thought.

"Sir! We've plotted the course and speed of the approaching craft."

"Go ahead," Paul said.

"They're on a trajectory for deep space and their acceleration is too fast. There's no way they're carrying enough fuel to change their path into a slingshot lunar orbit for a return to Earth."

Paul was still digesting this information when another crewman reported in.

"SIR! Target has deployed countermeasures! We're having a hard time locking on to or scanning the ship!"

Oh hell!

This changed everything. The decision was now being forced upon him, "Man Battle Stations!" Paul said, keeping his voice calm.

Alarms again wailed throughout the ship while a voice boomed from the ship's PA system, "CONDITION RED… MAN YOUR BATTLE STATIONS… REPEAT MAN YOUR BATTLE STATIONS!"

Hanson checked his console before reporting to the Captain, "Sir, all stations report manned and ready. Damage control teams on standby."

"Good work, Mister Hanson. Helm, start evasive maneuvers. Break through their jamming and get me a scan of that ship! Standby to launch countermeasures!"

"Sir? What about our main weapons?"

"Have gun and missile batteries on standby. Cut through their jamming and get me a firing solution, but do not fire… understood?"

"Yes, sir?"

"Contact them and warn them off!" Paul said. He hoped things wouldn't get any worse, but he wasn't optimistic as his eyes remained glued to the tactical display watching the unknown close the range.

oOoOo

Sweat ran down General Coulson's back while his eyes stayed glued to the video display streaming real-time video from the shuttle in the packed Pentagon Situation Room.

As the shuttle closed the distance, its target became clearer in the video and the crowd could discern its size and shape better. Gasps escaped from the people as they got a better sense of what they were facing. Coulson overheard one senior officer mutter, "Jesus, look at the size of that thing…!"

Coulson didn't argue as he stared at the video display filled with mixed emotions. This literally thrown together mission had taken unprecedented co-operation between not only the armed services, but agencies and countries. The mission was pushing equipment and people beyond their designs and training. It was a feat of human ingenuity and courage, along with being a testament to the skill and dedication of those involved to overcome all the mission's technical hurtles.

Even for all that, Coulson still believed this was a bad mission, bordering on recklessness that could end in unmitigated disaster for everyone. He glanced at the Secretary of Defense, whose attention was on the video display, watching this huge roll of the dice.

"It's moving!" an army officer exclaimed.

"Looks like she's taking evasive maneuvers," observed an air force officer.

"We put the fear of God in them!" exclaimed one of the few suited civilians in the room.

Coulson resisted the urge to yell at the man's stupidity, but one of the navy officers spoke out.

"Looks like they're giving themselves room to maneuver. It makes sense tactically for them to do it."

Coulson looked at the navy officer, nodding with his assessment.

At least not everyone here is a crazy stupid fool!

Everyone watched as the distance between the two ships counted down at a seeming glacial pace, but the speeds and distances involved were unprecedented. The air force technician monitoring communications shouted out.

"HEY! I'm getting something… it's a broadcast over open channels!"

The SecDef didn't hesitate, "Put it on the speaker, so we can all hear!" he ordered, his voice straining under the tension.

The technician acknowledged the order and in moments a voice was coming through the speakers in the room. Shock filled the room as everyone listened to the voice speaking in clear and concise English.

"Attention approaching spacecraft! This is the REF cruiser Arcadia, declare your intentions! You are entering our defensive perimeter! If you do not respond, decrease your speed and disengage your electronic countermeasures, we will deem your craft as hostile and take appropriate defensive action!"

Everyone sat in stunned silence as the message repeated itself several more times. Coulson, understanding why the SecDef wanted him here, saw his opportunity and reacted first, "Sir! We need to abort the mission and open communications with that ship!"

The SecDef glanced at Coulson, suppressing the relieved smile forming. A few of the senior officers in the room protested, but this turn of events still stunned everyone.

"I concur, General Coulson," the SecDef said, reaching for the phone to connect him to the President in the White House Situation Room.

"Yes, sir. We heard the same thing here," the Secretary paused. He heard the Veep's voice in the call's background, arguing almost in hysterics for the attack to continue, and this was all a ruse to throw them off.

"You want my recommendation. Sir, I say we take this opportunity to communicate and avoid a confrontation we're not prepared for. Yes, sir. I understand," the SecDef said, before hanging up the phone.

The SecDef turned his attention towards the air force technician, "Can we reply to that message?"

"Yes, sir! We can route it through our deep space communication ground stations, just as if we were communicating with the shuttle."

"Good! Inform Atlantis to stand down. Then broadcast a message back on the same channel telling this… Arcadia, we want to open more formal communications with them and to standby."

"Yes, sir!"

The SecDef turned to the rest of the room, "Okay, here is how it will go… we have to get a dialog going with those… people. We'll need State and NASA involved and establish a working group and a team to meet with their representatives once we've established contact. We have—"

"Sir, we have a problem!"

"What is it airman?"

"I can't communicate with our ground station in Barstow, California! They're the only communication station currently in a direct line of sight with the target, and Atlantis isn't responding to our calls either!"

Damn it! the SecDef thought, trying to figure out what was wrong. Somebody crying out interrupted his thoughts.

"Atlantis! She's deploying her missile launcher! She's going to fire!"

oOoOo

Colonel Harper tried not looking at the lifeless eyes of Commander Hodge as his body slumped forward in his seat. Harper liked the human, but when the warning message from the alien ship began broadcasting over the radio, Hodge insisted on aborting the mission.

Harper couldn't let that happen. His master had made it clear that nothing would stop this mission from its goal. The blow to Hodge's throat was quick and lethal, the shock and surprise now etched forever on his dead face.

Harper had taken precautions, isolating Captain Blair from the main communications channel, so she hadn't heard the alien message. Her crew position on the shuttle also worked to keep her from seeing him kill Hodge. He still needed her to launch the missiles and didn't need to make his mission any more difficult by killing her early. Once they'd launched the missiles, she became expendable.

Harper pressed the comm button, trying to avoid Hodge's lifeless eyes staring at him, "Captain Blair."

"Yes, sir."

"How are we looking?"

"I'm ready to deploy the launcher on your mark."

"You have permission to deploy, Captain."

"Launcher deploying now."

"Captain, you are weapons-free. You may fire at your discretion."

"Yes, sir. I will fire missiles in thirty-second intervals. First missile away in Five… Four… Three… Two… One… MISSILE AWAY!"

oOoOo

"Any luck on cutting through their countermeasures?" Paul said.

"We've isolated the frequency they're using and we're burning through their jammers, but they've deployed chaff and it's creating a lot of false signals. As they get closer, our sensors will be better able to differentiate the ship from the clutter, sir."

"Helm, maintain our current course, but make sure we present a broadside target for now."

"Sir?"

Paul looked at the unknown target's plotted trajectory, "It's a risk, but we can bring more point-defense weapons to bear. When I order, I want you to engage full speed and engage evasive maneuvers, presenting a smaller target aspect, and deploy countermeasures."

"Aye, sir. Making necessary heading adjustments."

"SIR! We're detecting a radiation spike!"

Oh hell!

A crewman's shouts echoed across the bridge, "VAMPIRE! VAMPIRE!"

Dawn spun, hearing the shouts, looking for vampires on the bridge. Before she realized what was going on, another crewman added.

"Confirmed! We have a missile launch from the target! I'm detecting two hard targets, but getting faint echoes indicating there may be more! The two missiles have a radiological profile… I repeat, two of the missiles are nuclear!"

It relieved Dawn to find there were no actual vampires on the bridge, but then the realization hit that someone had just fired nuclear weapons at them. She looked to Aaron, who was busy working at his console as everyone on the bridge focused on the threat. She held herself in control, despite the urge to go to him and have him again tell her everything would be all right.

Paul watched the incoming missile tracks on the display screen, "Time to impact?"

"Missiles are moving at a slightly higher speed relative to the target… Wait…! Missiles have increased speed! It looks like they've engaged booster engines. Impact estimated in seven point five minutes!"

"Engage countermeasures! Engage with point-defense weapons as soon as they can lock, but wait until missiles have cleared immediate area from that ship! We don't want to destroy them if we don't have to. Helm, begin evasive maneuvers and prepare to go to full speed when missiles are one minute out."

oOoOo

Megan didn't realize her mic was live as she muttered, "Shit!"

"What is it, Captain?"

"The target is deploying countermeasures and taking evasive action! Our missiles are having a hard time staying on target," Megan replied, the frustration and anger obvious in voice. She'd hoped to get better results, considering the sacrifice they were making for this mission.

"Will they hit the target?"

"Doubtful, sir. They might get close enough for the blast to take out or damage the target, but it will be a miracle if we get a direct hit. Wait…! Oh hell!"

"What's wrong, Captain?"

Before Megan could reply, space erupted in a huge blinding light. On the flight deck, Harper, out of instinct, shielded his eyes from the blinding light. He only had a moment to comprehend what was happening, and out of reflex shouted over the radio.

"GET YOUR HELMET ON! BRACE FOR SHOCKWAVE!"

The words barely escaped his mouth as he scrambled to get his helmet on. He secured it in time as the shock wave hit the shuttle, tossing it like a toy.

oOoOo

Dawn watched the bridge crew in fascination. She did not understand everything they were doing, but it impressed her how everyone functioned as a team. The calmness Aaron projected, working to prevent the missiles from hitting the ship, buoyed her confidence. She looked at him with fresh eyes as he continued to work, calling out information.

"First missile, three minutes out… confirmed all missiles are nuclear-tipped fusion warheads. Point-defense systems have a lock and are clear to engage."

Dawn turned towards the observation window as the Captain gave the order to fire. Rapid bursts of light shot out into space, streaking out to a point in the vast darkness. She tried to see if she could spot the incoming missiles, but only saw the darkness of space.

A new miniature sun suddenly replaced the darkness. She gasped, staring at the horrific beauty as the fireball expanded in the distance. Then a wave of pain hit her, like someone had punched her in the stomach. Her legs turned to rubber as she tried steadying herself.

Despite his duties, Aaron immediately noticed Dawn's distress and began moving over towards her, "Dawn? Are you alright?"

The pain was subsiding as she noted the concern on Aaron's face. She was about to answer him when the point-defense system took out another missile, creating another sun. This time the wave of pain slammed into her, causing her to scream as she collapsed to the deck.

The pain gripping her body made everything hazy. She was now only dimly aware of what was happening around her, barely hearing Aaron's fear-filled voice as he tried talking to her and screaming for help.

"GET A MEDIC UP HERE NOW!"

Through her pain-filled haze, Dawn glimpsed another nuclear missile being intercepted, and another wave of pain hit. The pain racking her body was excruciating, like she was being torn apart. Another sun blossomed and this time the pain caused her brain to mercifully shut down, rendering her unconscious.

As the darkness took her, a part of her caught voices around her, but none of it made any sense.

"Medics are on the way!"

"What's wrong with her?!"

"My God! W-What's happening to her! S-She's… glowing!"

"Get Security up here!"

oOoOo

"What the hell is going on up there?" the SecDef said, the frustration and anger plain in his voice as he stared at the static-filled video display.

"Deep space radar stations are reporting multiple nuclear detonations, sir."

"Did they hit the target?" one of the senior officers queried.

The airman shook his head, "Unknown, sir. It's a mess up there with all the interference, but preliminary reports say our nukes detonated well short of the target."

"What I want to know is, what the hell happened to our communication system?" the SecDef demanded.

Coulson was ahead of the situation, using his cell phone to check with his sources. He kept a poker face as he received a preliminary report, glancing at the SecDef.

"General, you have something?" the SecDef said.

"Sir, someone attacked the communications facility in Barstow…"

The SecDef stared incredulously at Coulson as the General's news sank in, "Attacked?"

"Yes, sir. The site's out of commission… techs dead and equipment destroyed."

"Do we know who's responsible?"

Coulson met the SecDef's eyes. He had preliminary reports from the scene, but he wasn't about to announce to the room what was responsible for the attack. He needed to talk to the SecDef in private to brief him.

"Nothing concrete, sir. We're still gathering evidence at the scene."

The SecDef noted the look Coulson had given him. He realized the General knew more about this attack than he was letting on. This realization provided minor comfort considering what was happening.

Just what we need right now…!

"How about communications? Can we switch to another ground station to transmit to the unknown ship?"

The communication tech shook his head, "It'll be hours before the next ground station is in range. Even then we still have all the radiation interference to cut through."

The Secretary of Defense was about to say this situation was unacceptable when the conference phone rang. Everyone in the room stared at the phone, then at the SecDef. The Secretary of Defense answered the phone, taking a deep breath, knowing the person on the other end wanted answers he didn't have.

"Yes, Mr. President…"

Chapter Text

CHAPTER THREE
Now stir in one doppelganger…

"We thought the {nuclear} attack on us was the lowest point of our stay on the Arcadia. We thought we were safe and here were our own people… our own planet firing nukes at us. Everything seemed in flux and we couldn't see how things could get any worse. Boy, were we wrong."

— Xander Harris

oOoOo

A shaken Buffy ran down the corridor, outpacing Willow, Xander and Giles as they struggled to catch up.

Other than the news of Dawn being taken to Medical, there was no information about what happened or her current condition. Struggling to keep her fear and panic in check, her mind raced, replaying everything leading up to this latest crisis…

With alarms wailing, she and Faith had exited her cabin to find everyone else milling around the corridor, looking dazed and confused.

Luckily, one of the crew came through, calmly reassuring everyone there was nothing to worry about. They were told to either return to their quarters or go to the lounge or cafeteria, but to remain on this deck while the ship was on alert.

Despite this reassurance, Buffy's first worry was to find Dawn and make sure she was okay. She remembered her sister had gone off with Lieutenant Hanson for a tour of the ship, which did nothing to ease her growing worry.

Any remaining semblance of keeping her worry in check evaporated as more alarms, calling the ship to battle stations, blared throughout the corridor. In one of those rare moments in her life, Buffy felt useless and lost, not sure what to do or where to go.

As she tried to figure out what to do, shouts from the lounge down the corridor caught her attention. She rushed to the lounge, entering to see a small sun flare briefly into existence through one of the observation windows. Everyone stood in stunned silence staring out the observation window, unsure of what was happening. Another huge blinding light flared and disappeared.

"My Goddess!" Willow gasped

Buffy glanced at her friend. The awe and fear filling her face didn't inspire any confidence, "What? What is it?"

Willow spoke in a hushed voice, "T-They look like… I-I've seen old movies from the testing."

Another miniature sun bloomed into existence, and the whole situation was wearing on Buffy's patience, "What are those things?"

"Those look like nuclear bombs going off…"

The words barely left Willow's lips when an even brighter, more tremendous explosion lit up space. Gasps filled the lounge as everyone watching was finally grasping what they were watching and the power being unleashed. For a moment, Buffy's worries about Dawn seemed insignificant. It wasn't much later that word arrived about Dawn being taken to Medical…

oOoOo

Buffy burst into Medical, looking for her sister. The sight of Dawn, lying unconscious on a stretcher being checked out by medical staff, froze her heart in utter fear and panic.

She was at her sister's side in a flash, "Dawn! Are you okay?" Buffy said, trying vainly to get her sister to respond, but to no avail.

Her attention immediately turned to the med-tech, who was running a medical hand scanner over Dawn, recording her vital signs, "What happened? Is she going to be alright?" she demanded.

The med-tech didn't look up as she studied the readouts from the medical scanner, "She's unconscious, but her vitals are stable now. We're running tests to find out what happened."

The med-tech's tone and body language put Buffy's instincts and senses on alert. The two armed soldiers standing off to the side, keeping a watchful eye on her sister, only confirmed her premonition.

Willow, Xander, and Giles finally caught up, joining Buffy around the stretcher, "How is Dawn—" Giles huffed, still catching his breath.

Buffy cut him off, determined to get some answers to what was happening to her sister, "What's going on here? What happened?" she demanded loudly.

A voice behind them caught them all by surprise, "I guess that's what we all want to know."

Buffy and the others turned to find Captain Coleiro standing there… accompanied by five heavily armed soldiers in full body armor.

Confusion and uncertainty gripped Giles as he glanced back and forth between Buffy, unconscious Dawn and Captain Coleiro and the soldiers, "What's this all about?"

"That's what we're going to find out. All of you will follow me… now!" Paul ordered.

Buffy glanced at her unconscious sister, "No! I'm not going anywhere. I'm staying here with my sister."

"That's not a request."

Buffy met the Captain's dark, intense eyes, and this time she would not to let them get to her. Instincts and reflexes kicked in as she took a deep breath to slow her heartbeat, shifting her body ever so slightly, readying it in anticipation of a fight.

The hand on her shoulder caught her by surprise. Her surprise grew, seeing Giles shaking his head. He'd read the changes in her body language and realized he needed to defuse this situation before it escalated.

"We'll go with you, Captain, but our concern is for Dawn," Giles said, hiding his relief at seeing Buffy take his heed, relaxing her body and easing back.

The Captain's hard expression softened somewhat, catching everyone off-guard, "We're just going to be down the corridor. If there's any change the med-techs will call us."

Giles glanced at Buffy, fearing she would reject the Captain's offer. This time a sigh of relief escaped when she nodded in acceptance of the Captain's terms. The group followed the Captain, escorted by the soldiers, out of medical only to stumble on an unexpected sight.

In the corridor, Spike was on his knees with his hands behind his head, surrounded by ten heavily armed soldiers in full combat armor. All the soldiers had their weapons pointing at him.

Spike perked up seeing Buffy, "Hey! How's Little Bit? I heard she was here, but Captain Wanker's storm troopers here wouldn't let me in."

Buffy sighed, shaking her head at the scene. She gave Paul a look. The vampire was a pain in the ass, and despite his better judgment, he relented with a sigh, "Let him up."

"About bloody time. What the hell is going on?" Spike said, standing up and straightening his jacket while glaring at the Captain and soldiers.

"Shut up, Spike," Giles muttered.

Paul ignored Spike and led the group down the corridor. True to his word, he led them into a lounge close to Medical. He took everyone by surprise when he ordered his soldiers to wait outside. Buffy thought the Captain was being either brave or stupid, but she grudgingly had to admit that so far the Captain was keeping his word.

The lounge door had barely closed when Buffy started in, "What the hell did you do to my sister?"

Paul turned, meeting Buffy's glare, "We did nothing to her!"

Giles stepped in again to keep the situation civil and from getting out of hand, "Maybe you can tell us what happened, Captain?"

Paul took a deep breath, turning to Giles, "Well, let's see… My morning started off good. Then things went sideways when a shuttle from your planet attacked us with nuclear missiles."

Everyone stared at the Captain in disbelief, "T-That wasn't you?" Willow said.

"Ah, no. It seems your planet decided not to roll out the welcome wagon for us," Paul said, not holding back his frustration and sarcasm.

"Was there any damage?" Giles said.

"No, our countermeasures and point-defense system intercepted all the missiles well short of us."

"What happened to the shuttle?" Willow said.

Paul rubbed the bridge of his nose, "When we intercepted the nukes, the blasts severely damaged it. We've picked up faint life signs, so I sent Lieutenant Evans in an Alpha and one of our shuttles to recover it. They're on their way back and should land soon."

Buffy tired of dancing around the topic concerning her, "Okay, so you're rescuing some astronauts. What happened to Dawn?" she demanded.

Paul shrugged, "That's what we want to know. She was on the bridge when we intercepted the missiles. When the nukes detonated something affected her. One moment she's standing there and then she collapsed… then she started glowing."

Buffy blinked in disbelief, "G-Glowing? Y-You said glowing?"

Paul nodded, "Yeah, now the strange thing is my Chief Engineer has been getting a faint energy pattern from inside the ship he has no explanation for. When your sister started glowing that energy pattern exploded like a flare on our scanners, and it was emanating from her."

Buffy and Giles exchanged worried glances with each other.

Paul noted their exchange, "Will someone tell me what she is, and what the hell is going on?"

"It's rather… complicated," Giles said, appearing uncomfortable. He wasn't sure how to proceed now, but realized they had no choice now but to tell him about Dawn.

"Oh, good… I like complicated," Paul replied, rolling his eyes, "Is she even human?"

Both Xander and Spike didn't like what the Captain was implying, and they both chimed in to defend Dawn.

Paul wasn't in the mood for their comments, "Mister Harris, I would have thought your time working with Chief Larson would have taught you when to keep your mouth zipped."

He turned to the vampire, "And for you Spike… you're just one annoying comment from being shoved out an airlock and used for target practice by my gun batteries."

Xander gulped, zipping his mouth, but Spike was about to be his normal self when he saw Buffy shaking her head. He took a deep breath, biting his tongue, "Stick it up your arse, you twat…" he muttered.

"You say something?" Paul said, making eye contact with Spike.

"Nothing… just saying I'm glad to be here," Spike mumbled.

Paul smirked, taking some pleasure at Spike's discomfort before turning back to Buffy and Giles, "We're not leaving here until you tell me who and or what she is. Do I make myself clear?"

Giles and Buffy looked at each other. They both realized they had no choice now. Buffy nodded, letting out a sigh, "Tell the man."

Giles took a deep breath, "Like I said, it's complicated…"

oOoOo

Chief Larson monitored the status of the rescue and recovery operation from her station on the hanger deck. The real-time video feed from the rescue shuttle and Lieutenant Evan's Alpha provided her an excellent view of the damaged shuttle.

It was obvious the shuttle would never fly again. The shock waves from the exploding nukes had battered the craft, and it was a miracle the ship had even survived. The shuttle only had one heavily damaged wing left with the other one torn off just short of the hull. Also gone was the aft stabilizer, along with two of the three engine nozzles. There were only twisted remnants of the cargo bay doors still attached.

While the rescue shuttle was unable to establish contact with any survivors, they'd confirmed there were still life signs aboard. With power and life support in the crew compartment failing, the rescue team decided against a risky space transfer. They ran lines to the wreck to pump in oxygen to stabilize life support while they towed the wreck back to the Arcadia.

The rescue shuttle towed the wreck into the hanger bay, with Evans in her Alpha fighter, assisting in Battloid mode to stabilize the wreck. Once stabilized, a deck crew rushed to pry open the hatch to pull out any survivors, while other crew checked for chemical leaks and other hazards.

It didn't take long after rescue personnel entered the wreck for word to return… there were two survivors, both unconscious, and one dead.

While overseeing deck operations, Larson took a moment to study the lines of the wrecked craft, imagining how it would have looked undamaged. She shook her head in amazement that the people of this Earth had attempted to attack them with such a primitive ship.

Her attention shifted to the hatch as rescue personnel brought the survivors out on basket stretchers. Larson's curiosity got the better of her as the rescue crews handed the survivors over to med-techs and placed them on gurneys.

As she moved closer, she saw the helmets being removed from the survivors, so the med-techs could check them out. The first survivor was an older male appearing to be in his early 40s. Her attention turned to the second survivor…

My God! It can't be… it can't be her! This isn't real!

Larson struggled to maintain her composure while staring at a ghost. The unconscious woman appeared to be in her mid-to-late-20s. The name tag on the woman's spacesuit—Blair—drew Larson's eyes to it like a magnet.

"Chief, you okay? You don't look so good," one of her deck crew said, noticing Larson's face.

Larson didn't know whether to scream, yell or laugh hysterically as she ignored the crewman, staring at the unconscious woman on the gurney. She'd never been much into religion, but at this moment she wondered if God didn't have a twisted, sick sense of humor.

Larson, shaking her head in disbelief, turned to the crewman, "Take charge here… I have to find the Captain. I have to tell him in person. I can't tell him this over the ship's comms."

She didn't wait for the confused crewman to acknowledge her order as she hurried off.

oOoOo

General Coulson noted the Secretary of Defense's mood as he took a seat in the office. He'd barely settled in his chair when the SecDef started in.

"What the hell is going on, General?"

"Sir, we're still investigating the attack. I don't want to say anything because the report is still only preliminary."

"Bullshit! You know who or what attacked us."

Coulson grimaced, "Sir, it appears non-human entities attacked our facility in Barstow."

"What the hell does that mean?"

"The attackers tore apart the communications staff at the site before destroying the equipment. We're surmising it was demons, but until we've finished the autopsies, we can't rule out vampires either."

"My God…" muttered the SecDef.

The Secretary took a moment to digest this information, "Why would demons or vampires attack one of our communications facilities? It seems a little too high profile and would draw unwanted attention their way."

The SecDef noticed an uncomfortable expression on Coulson's face, "What is it, General? You may speak freely."

"Sir, when was your office last swept?"

"You mean for listening devices?"

Coulson nodded.

"This morning. It's done daily."

The SecDef watched, puzzled, as Coulson pulled a white crystal from his inside coat pocket. He didn't know what to expect as the General held the crystal out and spoke.

"Involvere!"

"What's going Coulson?" the SecDef said, giving the General a confused look.

"Sir, this glamor will hide us for the next six minutes…"

"What in hell's name is a glamor?"

"This is a magic spell to mask us. Please sir, we don't have a lot of time."

The SecDef still wasn't sure what was going on, but nodded for the General to continue.

"Sir, this attack's timing is too coincidental with our attack on the alien ship. I think taking out Barstow was a contingency plan in the event we tried to communicate or called off the attack."

The SecDef stared at the General in shock, "Are you implying there's a conspiracy taking place?"

Coulson nodded, "Yes, sir. I have no definite proof as yet, but there's too many coincidences taking place to make this more than a set of converging random circumstances."

The SecDef took a moment to grasp what he was hearing, "Do you have any idea who's involved?"

"Yes, sir… the Vice-President and several of the Joint Chiefs at least."

The SecDef blinked, not sure if he'd heard Coulson, "Y-You're joking? Do you understand what you're suggesting by implicating the Veep?"

"Yes, sir. I made some discrete initial inquiries, and on the surface there is nothing obvious…"

"But?"

"I dug deeper and found a connection between the Veep and several of the JC's. They all have dealings with the same law firm… Wolfram & Hart."

The SecDef raised an eye surprise. He was familiar with the name, but didn't do business with them, "That's a pretty thin connection, General. It could be a coincidence."

"Yes, sir. But, this isn't the first time that law firm's name has come up in these types of circumstances. Then there are rumors and stories circulating around them and their activities. It's nothing we can prosecute in court, but it's enough to draw a second look. I've also been reviewing the shuttle crew, and I discovered a few irregularities with some of them."

"What irregularities?"

"The weapons specialist… Captain Megan Blair. There were a lot of strings pulled to get her assigned to this mission."

"You saying she's involved as well?"

Coulson shook his head, "No, sir. Her background comes up clean. She's smart and talented, but she shouldn't have been the top pick for this mission."

"So, why in the hell did they want her on this mission?"

"Unknown, sir, and that's what worries me. What's most troubling is I found the mission commander, Colonel Harper, also has connections to Wolfram & Hart."

"Jesus…" muttered the SecDef. He took a moment to wrap his head around the situation and all the implications, "General, this is dangerous territory you're delving into here. You can't officially investigate, let along charge the Vice-President without some substantial proof to back you up."

"Yes, sir. I understand that, but we still need to investigate this."

The SecDef studied the General, while considering the political and legal nightmare he was being dragged into. A reluctant sighed escaped him, "Agreed. I take it you have a plan then?"

Coulson nodded, glancing at his watch to check the time, "Yes, sir. We'll need to put a firebreak between us and any investigation into the Vice-President and the others. There will still be the normal customary review board into the mission and investigation into Barstow, but those will be for show to hide the true investigation."

"If what you're saying is true, who is there that we can trust to do this investigation and keep their mouth shut?"

Coulson's face took on an awkward expression, "Um, we have someone my predecessors have dealt with in the past on other matters that required a certain… touch. He's working out of Los Angeles and used to have his own investigation firm, but he now runs Wolfram & Hart's LA office."

The SecDef stared at the General as if he was crazy, "You've got to be joking? You want to use someone from that law firm to investigate?"

Coulson nodded, "Yes, sir! I have no doubts about his willingness to investigate Wolfram & Hart's connection and involvement. Plus, he's in the perfect position to do this without linking back to us if it blows up."

The SecDef shook his head in disbelief, "I hope you know what you're doing, General. All our heads are on the chopping block if this goes bad."

"Yes, sir. I understand," Coulson glanced again at his watch and saw they were almost out of time, "Have there been any more attempts to make contact?"

The SecDef sighed, "We've tried, but it appears the ship has moved behind the moon now and its blocking our transmissions. NASA is working on trying to bounce a communication signal off one of our deep space probes to reach the dark side, but they're having no luck."

"Any news about Atlantis?"

"No… we confirmed they launched their nukes, but it appears all the missiles detonated well short of the target. From what we can tell, the blast waves from the detonations destroyed the shuttle."

"Will there be any public announcement?"

The SecDef snorted, "About how we lost a shuttle firing nukes at aliens… no. The White House is sitting on the story for now until they can figure out what to say to keep everyone from panicking. General, we need to get a handle on this situation before it spins further out of control."

"Yes, sir…"

oOoOo

Faith nervously paced the corridor. She'd raced to Medical after hearing about Dawn, but couldn't find Buffy, Giles or any of the others.

She got a sense something was wrong when she noticed the armed soldiers in Medical and down the corridor. It took some cajoling to get the med-tech to tell her what was going on and where everybody was.

This time her feminine charms failed to get her past the soldiers posted outside the lounge. While weighing her options, she thought she'd heard Paul's voice coming through the doors.

At least the guards aren't rushing in. That's a good sign… isn't it?

Rather than add to an already tense situation, she waited down the corridor, and hoped things wouldn't get worse. While waiting, she found her thoughts revisiting Buffy's warning about being forced to choose sides if things turned bad.

She refused to believe the situation was that bad, but glancing at the armed soldiers down the corridor, she had to admit to the possibility. This caused a sudden rising of emotions and feelings she hadn't expected. Her nerves frayed as the minutes dragged by with no one leaving the lounge.

The lounge door suddenly opening and Paul leaving caught her by surprise. She sighed in relief, seeing no soldiers rushing into the lounge and no one was fighting. A smile grew on her face at seeing Paul, but it faded as she glimpsed his face.

Oh boy, he's not happy. He's pissed about something…

He was heading down the corridor away from her, which puzzled her because she was sure he'd seen her. She ignored the growing bad vibes and started after him. She needed to know what was going on.

As she ran to catch up to Paul, she realized she was eager to see him. She called out to grab his attention.

"Paul!"

He seemed not to hear her and kept walking.

"Paul, wait up! What's wrong?"

Paul finally stopped, coming to a parade ground rest with his back to her. As she approached, she missed the body cues as his body stiffened with his hands clasped tightly behind his back. He turned to face her, "Tell me you didn't know."

Faith paused in mid-stride, unprepared for the anger radiating from him, "Know about what? What are you talking about?"

"About Dawn… tell me you didn't know what she is!"

She was like a deer in the headlights, caught under his angry glare, momentarily unable to form a thought or respond to his statement.

Faith's lack of response and her expression was all the confirmation Paul needed. He didn't hold back his anger and frustration, "I thought I had seen it all back in my universe… all the lying, back-stabbing and manipulation. But you people take it to extra levels here. We're trying to get back home and you people are sitting on a god-damn key that opens doors to other dimensions! You didn't even consider trying to help us by mentioning that minor fact to us."

Faith was reeling at Paul's anger, "W-We didn't know you. You got to realize someone tried to exploit Dawn's power by sacrificing her… draining her blood to open a portal to a hell dimension."

A hurt sickened expression filled Paul's face which caught Faith by surprise by how much it affected her, "Yeah I got that story. Some god-being named Glory. I don't know what's worse, being lied to or you would think I'm a monster who would drain a teenage girl's blood!"

For Faith, his words were worse than being slapped. She almost wished he would take a swing at her than keep up the verbal barrage. Physical pain was easier to handle compared to the verbal and emotional cuts she was suffering.

"L-Like I said, we didn't know you. We haven't had a lot of good experiences dealing with the military."

Her excuses were cutting no slack with him, "I thought we'd proven ourselves by putting our lives on the line for you and the others. I thought we had earned some trust from all of you," he said, shaking his head.

Faith struggled under his gaze, feeling awkward and not sure what to say, "We wanted to protect Dawn. She's just a normal teenager, despite whatever she used to be."

"I get it, I understand Buffy's stance. Wanting to protect and take care of her baby sister at all costs."

Faith noticed a haunted pain filling fill his face as he said "baby sister".

Paul sighed, "I wouldn't expect you to rat out your friends, but I would have thought you might have spoken up for us. Maybe trusted me to do the right thing."

It stunned Faith to see Paul think she'd somehow betrayed him, "Are you talking about us, and what we did last night? If you are, I don't—"

Paul shook his head, "Oh please, spare me the speech! I'm not some love sick teenager. Did you think I would propose marriage and we find a nice little house to settle down in? God, I've lost count of how many times I've given the speech. I used the speech before I was eighteen! All I'm saying is, I saved your ass in Sunnydale and the night we spent together should have at least earned me some trust and consideration. Don't you think?"

Faith wasn't expecting Paul to profess his undying love for her, but how he brushed off their night together caught her by surprise by how much that hurt her.

The small voice echoed in the back of head, telling her this was her chance to bail, but the words came out before she realized it, "I-I'm sorry. You're right. We should have been more honest with you."

"A little late now…"

His words cut her hard, which only caused the small voice to echo again.

You've had your fun, but it's time to move on to greener pastures. Yeah, it was great sex, but it's not worth it. You keep it up and who knows what kind of trouble you'll get into too. He's not worth it…

Faith pushed the voice away. Despite her confusion, she wanted to make things right between them, and wasn't ready yet to move on. This was uncharted territory for her as she struggled with her emotions. She wanted to find the words to make things better, but before she could say anything another voice interrupted them.

"Ahem… Captain."

Faith and Paul turned to see saw Chief Larson standing off to the side. They'd been so wrapped up in their arguing they hadn't noticed her. The troubled expression on Larson's face immediately caught Paul's attention.

"What's wrong, Chief?"

Larson, having witnessed the couple arguing, debated whether to add to the situation with her news, "Ummm… Ah… Sir…"

"Spit it out, Chief! What's the matter?"

Larson took a deep breath, "Sir, we've recovered two survivors from the shuttle that attacked us."

"Okay… anything else?"

"They're both unconscious… they're bringing them up to Medical."

Paul wondered why the Chief hadn't just called him over the comm channel to report this. Yet, a chill crawled down his spine as he noted her shocked and worried face, "What aren't you telling me?"

"Sir, you need to come to Medical."

A strange sense of dread filled Paul as he forgot about his argument with Faith and followed Larson back to Medical. A puzzled Faith followed them, wondering what was going on.

As they neared the entrance to Medical, from the opposite direction came two gurneys carrying the survivors surrounded by medical personnel. Paul froze in his tracks as he glimpsed the familiar facial features and short-cut blonde hair.

"STOP!"

The medical personnel froze in place, confused as their Captain rushed towards them.

Paul's legs turned to rubber, his heart pounding, as he got closer and made out the unconscious woman's face better.

It's not possible…! It can't be… this is a dream… a nightmare…

His breathing became more ragged, standing beside the gurney, staring at the woman's face. Without thinking, his hand moved towards the unconscious woman's blonde hair, almost as if to stroke it, but pulled back his shaking hand as confusion and uncertainty gripped him.

One of the med-techs spoke up, "Sir, we need to get them inside."

Paul couldn't trust his voice, nodding as he stepped aside to let his people take the unconscious survivors into Medical.

Larson, her worry growing, approached cautiously, "Sir? Are you okay?"

His stunned expression mirrored hers, "H-How?"

"I-I don't know, sir."

The world closed in around Paul as old memories erupted, threatening to overwhelm him, "I-I can't deal with this," he said, rushing away.

Meanwhile, Faith stood there confused and stunned by what she'd witnessed. A flood of emotions gripped her, along with questions… she'd also recognized the unconscious woman as the spitting image of the woman from the picture in Paul's desk.

Chapter Text

CHAPTER FOUR
Let's play…

"I got another call from the academy today. The Commandant informed me Paul is on probation again for another infraction, this time involving two female cadets at the same time in their dorm room. I didn't need all the lurid details to know I'll need to talk to Rick to see what we can do to smooth things over. We owe Alex to make sure his son graduates, but the kid can be so damn frustrating. I don't think I've met anyone who could both earn honors and get expelled at the same time. He has such potential, but squanders it. It's partly my fault, I should have seen this coming when he mentioned in his last email he and Sonia had broken up again. He goes off the deep end when they breakup. I can't understand what a girl like Sonia Blair sees in Paul because they seem like exact opposites. Whenever I say this to Miriya all she says is 'love is blind'…"

— Private journal of Commander Max Sterling (Monument City, 2020)

oOoOo

Faith stood there, mirroring the same stunned expression that filled Chief Larson's face. They both stared down the corridor Paul had fled down, unsure of what to do. She finally shook off her shock.

"What's wrong? Who is that woman?"

Faith's questions seemed to bring Larson back around as she turned to Faith. She was well aware of the irony that only a few hours ago she'd worried about Faith hurting the Captain, and now it didn't seem to matter.

"Chief?"

Larson took a deep breath, trying to gather herself, "I should have figured something like this was possible… alternate dimensions and all that. But, until it slaps you in the face, you don't think about it."

The Chief's ramblings confused Faith, "What're you going on about?"

"Ghosts… the past, and how you can never escape them."

Faith didn't understand what the Chief was talking about. All she grasped was that woman going into Medical was the spitting image of someone Paul knew, and it had rattled him, "Are you talking about the unconscious woman? She looked like the woman I saw in a picture with Paul!"

Larson blinked in surprise, "Y-You saw the picture? H-He told you about Sonia?"

"I don't know who Sonia is. I only saw the picture. It looked like the woman and Paul were close… really close," Faith said, shaking her head.

Larson sighed, motioning for Faith to follow her. They exchanged no words as Faith followed the Chief down several decks. Faith wondered where they were heading as they came up to a cabin door, and Larson opened it. She followed her in.

Faith immediately noted the differences between Larson's and Paul's cabins. While Paul's cabin was tidy, it didn't seem lived in… it felt almost sterile from the lack of personal items displayed. This contrasted wildly with the Chief's cabin, which definitely looked lived in. There were technical manuals and printouts piled around the room, occupying any available space. A wall plastered with pictures caught Faith's eye.

The wall was a myriad of pictures… people, planes, alien landscapes and what looked like a giant flying robot in space. She paused her looking over the pictures when Larson came over carrying a bottle and two glasses.

"After what just happened, I think we need this," Larson said, pouring some generous portions into both glasses.

Faith didn't turn down the offered drink, and surprised herself by gulping down the drink, and then holding out the glass for a refill.

"Thanks, Chief," Faith said, as Larson refilled her glass.

Larson gave her a smirk, "We can dispense with the formalities here. You can call me Rachel."

Faith nodded, this time sipping her drink as she turned her attention back to the wall of pictures.

Rachel stood beside her, sipping her drink, taking in the pictures and the memories they held, "I was nineteen, when the First Robotech War started. I hadn't planned on a career in the military, but sometimes circumstances don't give you much of a choice. It turns out I was a natural mechanic. I got assigned to Skull Squadron… the best of the best," she said, memories replaying in her thoughts.

Rachel pointed to a picture of a large group of military personnel gathered in front of a fighter with a large skull emblazoned on the vertical tail stabilizer. Faith studied the picture, finding it hard to believe how most of the people appeared to be her age or younger. A tall, good-looking, older-looking man with long blonde hair with an enormous smile, standing at the front of the group caught Faith's attention.

Rachel sighed, reliving old memories, "That's Roy Fokker… the guy could wear a cockpit. He was one of the best pilots I ever met, and I've been lucky to have known a number of them."

Another picture beside the group photo caught Faith's attention… a pilot holding a young boy wearing a flight helmet with an enormous smile on his face. The pilot's face appeared familiar to her as her gaze shifted between the smiling boy and the pilot. Her eyes widened in shock as she realized who she was looking at.

"I-Is that…?"

"Yeah, that's Paul with his father… Alexandre."

"You knew Paul as a kid?" Faith said, staring at the young Paul and his dad.

A small wistful smile filled Rachel's face, "I remember how Alex would bring Paul down to the hanger deck when the Zentraedi weren't trying to kill us all. He would put that boy in the cockpit of his fighter. Paul would smile and laugh."

Faith recognized the pain and sadness behind Rachel's smile, "What happened to him?"

"You mean them…" Rachel sighed as her smile faded. Her eyes stared off into the distance, memories of one particularly bad day replaying in her head, "You fight for so long and see most of the Earth destroyed. You think you're one of the lucky ones, and you work hard, trying to rebuild something from the ashes. Alex and Cathy, Paul's mother, settled down. They had another child… Anna."

A sickening feeling filled Faith as she read Rachel's face.

"You saw the scar on Paul's thigh?"

Faith nodded, remembering her hands running over it.

"He got it when he was eleven… flash burn. He was far enough back to survive, but close enough to watch his mother and sister die."

Faith froze, unable to say anything as Rachel's words sank in.

Rachel exhaled, "His dad died the same day trying to protect them."

Faith gulped down the rest of drink, holding her glass out for a refill, "He lost everyone?"

Rachel nodded as she refilled Faith's glass, "He was nineteen when I saw him again. It's funny, but you remind me of him at that age."

Faith couldn't help her smile, "Outspoken was he?"

Rachel laughed, "Oh god, yes! Walked around with a huge chip on his shoulder, ego as big as all outdoors and cocky as hell, looking for a fight all the time."

"Sounds familiar," Faith chuckled, "I guess he had a lot to prove."

Rachel's smile faded, "He had nothing to prove. He's that good…. a born soldier," she paused, "I told you he had a hard life."

Faith nodded.

"I tried to imagine what it was like for him and everything he went through. I guess something like that would fill you with hate… wanting to strike back."

"Who's Sonia?" Faith said.

Rachel sighed, "They met at the academy. They were such complete opposites you would have never thought those two together, but they made quite the pair. They had this whole on-again, off-again thing going on between them. Of all the women Paul has been with, Sonia seemed to be the only one that ever got past his barriers to reach him."

Faith sensed where this story was going, but asked anyway, "What happened to her?"

"She was a fighter pilot too. They both got assigned to the expeditionary force… Paul to Skull Squadron and Sonia with the Grim Reapers…"

Rachel paused, thinking back on the past, "We were attacking an Invid hive complex on some remote piece of shit planet. Paul was pushing it, as always, racking up the kills. He left a hole in the defensive coverage when he flew in to take out the Invid Brain."

Rachel noted Faith's confused expression, "The brain is the main computer system for the whole hive complex."

Rachel took a sip of her drink, "He took out the brain… but the hole in coverage allowed a group of Invid Enforcers to get through. They hit Sonia's squadron from behind. They got overwhelmed, and the squadron got massacred."

"He feels guilty about it then?"

Rachel nodded, taking a deep breath, "Paul flew in, taking out the remaining Invid mecha. Somehow Sonia survived… long enough for him to pull her from the wreckage and die in his arms."

Mixed emotions filled Faith as she digested everything she was learning about Paul.

"Despite his mistake, Paul's actions ended the battle sooner and overall casualties were less than projected. Command cleared him of any dereliction of duty, but that didn't mean much to him."

Rachel poured herself another drink, "You have to spend time with Paul to understand he's a complicated person. There are parts of his life he's never talked about. He's let some things slip when he was drunk, but Sonia was the only person he shared everything with."

A strange mix of pain, loss, and sadness filled Faith. It bothered her because she didn't understand where these emotions were coming from. What surprised her was the growing stab of jealousy towards this dead woman, and now the unconscious woman in the hospital. She had no rational explanation or understanding for what she was experiencing, except it hurt.

"So, they were in love?" Faith said, dreading to hear the answer.

Rachel nodded, "Yeah… Paul's been with a lot of women in his life, and I mean a lot, but with Sonia it was always different. He got this look in his face and eyes, softer and happier when they were together and not fighting. I haven't seen that look in years… at least not until this morning when I saw you two walk into the cafeteria together."

Rachel's words punched Faith in the gut as the cabin walls closed in around her. She gulped down the rest of her drink as she tried to process everything. Her hand trembled as she held out her glass for another refill.

"Y-You're saying he l-loves m-me?" she stammered, trying to control her trembling hand as she took another drink.

Rachel shrugged, "I won't lie to you. I don't know, but this is the happiest I've seen him in years, and that says a lot."

Faith's heart pounded while struggling with a sudden tidal wave of thoughts and emotions threatening to overwhelm her. Her thoughts flashed to the anger he directed at her and how hurt he'd been, "What do I do? He's mad at me, and now we've got his dead girlfriend's twin sister onboard."

"I don't know what's going on. Something happened down on the planet when he pulled you guys off, and it was eating at him until you two hooked up. You want my advice?"

Faith nodded, finding herself way in over her head and looking for any help. This was way beyond anything she'd experienced before. She'd always tried to avoid any drama, but now she found herself stuck in the middle of something where she saw no way out. Her mind raced, trying to deal with this unfamiliar and uncertain situation.

Relationships always complicated things… I'm a Slayer, and I come pre-stamped with an expiry date. Staying in one place or with one guy was never in my plans…

"If I were you, I would talk to him," Rachel said.

A sense of panic gripped Faith at the thought of talking to Paul, "I-I'm not the conversation type of person as you may have noticed. I don't know what to say or where to start."

Rachel snorted, glancing at the bottle, contemplating whether to have another drink, "Talking is the easy part… the hard part is listening. If you can get him to talk and you're there to listen to him. The rest is easy." she said, deciding against anymore, putting the cap back on the bottle.

oOoOo

The low voices talking caught Harper's attention as he regained consciousness. They confused him because his last memory was of bracing for impact from the shock wave about to hit the shuttle.

He opened his eyes and focused, seeing people moving around a strange-looking room which only confused him even more. There was no way they had gotten back to Earth, let alone a rescue mission recovering them. As his head cleared more, he noted the strange uniforms everyone in the room wore. The realization finally sank in he was on the alien ship.

He controlled his instincts to lash out as he debated what to do. There was still his mission to complete, and his master had made it clear to him what was at stake if he disobeyed. Movement in the corner of his eye caught his attention. With only one choice available, he closed his eyes, relaxing his breathing as someone came towards his stretcher.

I need to wait for an opportunity to make my move. I'll need a weapon, and then I need to find where the engine room or life support controls are…

oOoOo

Commander Schmidt was catching up, reviewing the latest sensor scans. The attack interrupted his scanning of the area of space where the Arcadia had transitioned into this universe. He worried the energy and radiation released from the nuclear explosions would distort the sensors and the data he was trying to collect. As he reviewed the scans, those worries were now the least of his concerns.

The strange energy pattern, he'd been detecting earlier on the ship, had spiked one-thousand fold when the missile warheads detonated when intercepted. The energy pattern had returned to its original faint background state, but that was no longer his top worry. As this new data streamed across his console display, his concern grew as he compared this data to the space-fold data from their arrival. His gut churned as he studied and compared the sensor data. Despite the chill creeping along his spine, he needed more information before going to the Captain with his fears.

oOoOo

Paul paced back and forth in his cabin, trying to hold back a raging deluge of emotions and memories. He didn't know how to respond or what to do next. It seemed as if the universe was conspiring against him to keep dumping more on him, to see how much he could take until he broke.

Without thinking, he pulled a bottle of whiskey out, placing it on top of his desk. For what seemed like a long time, he stood there staring at it, struggling with the temptation to just drink himself into unconsciousness.

It would be so easy to get blind drunk like old times… forget about the pain, sober up and then repeat…

He sat down on the edge of his bed, his eyes still locked on the beckoning bottle. He closed his eyes, taking deep breaths to relax and regain his focus on everything happening.

Okay… first issue is one of your passengers is a key to open doors between dimensions. They didn't tell you because of the risk that others would exploit this girl for their own purposes…

Paul replayed the meeting in the lounge over again in his head. He understood their position and need to protect Dawn. Yet, he wasn't some ogre that would drain the poor girl's blood just to get home. There were some boundaries he would never cross.

His thoughts drifted to how he'd reacted and snapped at Faith. A sigh escaped as he became even more confused thinking about her.

She doesn't owe you an explanation, much less anything else. We had a good time together, and that's it… isn't it?

He realized it upset him more she hadn't trusted him than finding out about Dawn. Now adding to his woes was the woman in his ship's medical bay who was the spitting image of Sonia.

This time there was no doubt about this person being real compared to the illusion The First Evil had spun back in Sunnydale. He'd glimpsed the name tag on her spacesuit, but he realized she wasn't Sonia. A part of him desperately wanted to believe. It would ease all the pain and guilt he'd been carrying for years because of her death.

It would be so much easier to believe the lie than deal with the hard, bitter truth…

As Paul considered the situation, he realized more was happening here than mere random coincidence. Sonia's look-alike on the shuttle was more than chance, and he got the sense of being played.

There was a very short list of suspects wanting to pull his strings like this. His anger grew at the thought of The First Evil yanking his chain again. He got up, grabbing the bottle of whiskey and shoving it back in the drawer.

"Screw you… you want to play! Let's play then!" he muttered as dark, angry thoughts flowed through his head.

I've got more than enough firepower to turn Sunnydale and the Hellmouth to glass… It's time to get detailed scans of the Hellmouth. We'll need more information about the Hellmouth from Buffy and Giles to help us decide what attack method will be most effective. My preference would be to fire a salvo or two from the Arcadia's main batteries and then drop a Reflex warhead or two… maybe three for good measure…

Paul smirked as a sigh escaped, Yeah that might be going a bit overboard…

He realized the shock was finally wearing off, and he didn't feel so helpless anymore as his thoughts shifted to what he needed to do.

The first step would be to interview the survivors from the shuttle and gather as much information as he could. From there, he would plan how he would get payback on The First Evil. His thoughts turned to Faith and the confusion again returned as he thought about her.

I could have probably handled it with her better. It's not like this wasn't the first time I've acted like a complete idiot with a woman, but…

Paul ran his hand over his face as he replayed her face as he vented on her, Okay, I was an ass. Now, what?

A knock on his cabin door interrupted his thoughts. The last person he expected to find standing on the other side of his door was Faith. Despite his shock and her obvious nervousness, a part of him was glad she was here.

Paul struggled to get his thoughts in order, "Uh, hi there," he said, mirroring Faith's awkward body language.

"Ummm, hey."

A long moment of awkward silence descended as they both stood in the doorway looking at each other.

Faith was out of her element, but determined to follow through on Rachel's advice, "I-I wanted to stop by and see how you're doing. You didn't look good earlier."

Despite her awkwardness, Paul read the worry on her face and heard it in her voice. Thoughts of interviewing survivors and plotting revenge against non-corporeal beings took a momentary back seat, "S-Sorry, you want and come in… maybe talk?"

His offer took Faith by surprise, "Yeah, I would like that," she said, smiling.

oOoOo

A mix of worry, anxiety and concern along with other emotions filled Aaron's thoughts as made his way down to Medical, to check on Dawn. Even though her current condition was stable, his constant worrying about her made it hard to concentrate on work.

He kept replaying in his head, over-and-over again, the fear that gripped him when she collapsed on the bridge and started glowing. He couldn't remember ever being that scared or worried before about anyone.

As he approached Medical, his pace slowed as he struggled with a flood of conflicting thoughts and emotions. There was even a good dose of guilt building in him over not accompanying her down to Medical. But in his defense, the ship had been under attack.

He realized his hesitation had to do more with the entire glowing business, and how he should deal with that. He'd read the intelligence reports about this Earth and about the vampires, vampire slayers, demons, and ancient evil entities that roamed the planet.

There was more to her than she'd let on. Yet, the time he'd spent with Dawn told him she was no threat waiting to devour them all. He found his hesitation was being caused by how all this might change his growing feelings for her. His mind raced, working through different scenarios in his head about how to approach this situation.

Hey, Dawn… about the glowing thing… Nah…

He didn't understand what was going on with Dawn, but his only concern was about her. In a moment of epiphany, he discovered he didn't care what Dawn told him… he wanted her safe, and he wanted to be there for her.

Shouts coming from Medical swept side his thoughts and worries. He froze as screams now mixed in with the shouting. The distinct recognizable sounds of weapons fire coming from Medical forced him to react. His training kicked in as he ran down the corridor towards the entrance to Medical.

As the doors to Medical opened, time slowed as Aaron skidded to a stop. His eyes widened in shock and surprise as something came through the door, holding one of the med-techs in its grasp while brandishing a Gallant.

The intruder appeared human-like, but its head and face weren't like anything he'd ever seen despite his knowledge of alien species. The creature's head was a sickly pale green color with its face covered with small spikes… like a puffer fish when puffed up. What drew his attention were the creature's inhuman red eyes… they looked as if they were on fire.

The creature, with its hostage, spun towards him. Aaron's eyes locked on the Gallant being pointed at him. As the weapon's energy charge built-up, its distinctive whine echoed through the corridor, filling his ears. Instinct forced him to move. Aaron dove for cover as the creature fired at him… the heat from the plasma scorching exposed skin as the shot barely missed him.

Aaron's training kicked in as he hit the ground rolling, trying to find cover and not be a stationary target. He watched in helpless horror as the creature threw the struggling med-tech against a bulkhead and shot her in the stomach at point-blank range.

Aaron pushed down the building bile in this throat as the smell of burning flesh and intestines filled the corridor. He glanced around, trying to find the nearest comm panel to raise the alarm, spotting it ten feet from him… towards the creature.

There was no hesitation as he sprinted from cover, faking to his right then moving left, twisting his body as the creature fired another shot at him. He reached the panel, slamming his hand against the alarm button on the panel.

A sense of satisfaction filled him as wailing alarms filled the corridor, but that was short-lived as the creature fired again. Aaron tried dodging, but as he spun, an intense burning hit his left arm.

The smell of burning fabric and flesh filled his nostrils as his body registered the flaring pain and he hit the ground. It was hard to focus as the pain blurred his vision, but he made out enough to see the creature staring at him. Their eyes met, and it took Aaron a second to realize the creature was pointing the Gallant at him.

A strange sense of detachment filled him knowing he was about to die, but the universe hadn't finished with Aaron Hanson yet. Before the creature pulled the trigger its attention suddenly shifted, pointing the Gallant and firing two quick bursts down the corridor.

Plasma bursts came from behind Aaron, aimed towards the creature. Through his haze of pain, he realized Security was responding to the alarms. All he could do was lay there helplessly as a short firefight ensued before the creature escaped down the corridor.

Chapter Text

CHAPTER FIVE
I never thought it was possible

"I never considered myself a romantic-type of person. When I was a kid, I read those stories and watched the movies where the female character got so bent out of shape by the big manly hero. As I got older, I hated how those women became weepy and weak-kneed. Relationships were for suckers because I could never understand how someone could become so attached to another person. Then I met Paul…"

— Faith Lehane

oOoOo

Another long moment of awkward silence filled the cabin as Faith and Paul nervously glanced at each other. They each found themselves outside their comfort zones and were unsure of what to do next.

"You feeling better?" Faith said, pushing past her awkwardness.

"Yeah, I wasn't ready. That woman looked like someone I used to know," Paul sighed, shaking his head.

"Sonia… she was the spitting image of Sonia."

Paul blinked in surprise, "H-How did…? Chief Larson told you, didn't she?"

Faith nodded as Paul let out another deep sigh, running a hand over his head.

"You going to be okay?" she said, eyeing him with genuine concern.

Paul gazed at Faith as he considered the question for a moment. A small smile came to his face, catching her by surprise, "Yeah, I think I'll be okay. It was a shock. But yeah, I'll be fine."

Faith let out a quiet sigh of relief, adding her own smile, "Been quite the day, hasn't it?"

Paul snorted, "Yes, it has."

Another awkward moment of silence descended before Faith spoke, "I-I want you to know if you want to talk or whatever. I'm not that great at this, but you know… if you need to… I can."

The words sounded clumsy as they left her mouth, Smooth move Slayer! Talk much! Maybe Buffy can help me remove my foot from my mouth…

Despite her awkwardness, her offer caught Paul by surprise. He saw she was struggling with this situation because she looked as uncomfortable as he felt.

These types of situations had never been his strong suit. His usual response was to bail when things got emotional… except with Sonia. The strange thing was, despite all the awkwardness, he didn't want to run away or for Faith to leave. With her here now, the whole situation didn't seem as bad. There was just one thing he needed to take care of.

"Thanks, I mean it," he paused, taking a deep breath, "Ummm… about earlier, in the corridor before I said some things…"

He took another deep breath, "I shouldn't have dumped on you like that. I had no right to do that."

A puzzled look filled Faith's face, "What're you talking about?"

"I want to say I'm sorry for ripping into you. You didn't deserve that."

Faith blinked in surprise, not sure she'd heard Paul properly. She was the one always apologizing for something she said or did, and here Paul was apologizing for a second time. This was again unfamiliar ground for her and wasn't sure how to respond. She went with her gut, "It's okay… I guess we could have all handled the Dawn situation better."

Faith took a breath, studying Paul's face, "So what happens now? What're you going to do about Dawn?"

Paul shrugged, "I guess if she and Buffy agree, we could run some tests and maybe take a blood sample to study. We can see if there is something there we can use, but only if they agree to it. I won't force them or her into anything they don't want to do."

Faith heaved a silent sigh of relief, "Thanks, I'm sure they'll want to help as much as they can."

She paused, not sure if she should ask, but she needed to, "What are you going to do about…?"

"You mean the woman that looks like Sonia?" Paul replied, reading where Faith was going.

Faith nodded, and Paul sighed, "I don't know. I'll guess I'll wait until our two new guests are awake and have a talk with them. We could use them to help contact the authorities on your planet. It's probably time to talk to the people down there."

Another moment of awkward silence filled the cabin as they each tried to figure what to do or say next as there was still one more issue hovering over them. Paul plunged forward, deciding he needed to deal with the elephant in the room, "There was one question you didn't ask?" he said.

His question caught Faith by surprise. She wasn't sure what he was asking, but a part of her tensed up in fear about where he was going, "W-What question are you talking about?"

"What about us?" he said.

The room spun while Faith's heart pounded as his question sank in. The small voice in her head screamed at her to turn and run from the room as what Rachel had told her echoed in her head.

"W-What about us?" she spit out, catching her breath, trying not to sound panicked.

Paul found himself as unsure as he tried reading Faith's face, "That's what I want to know. Was last night a onetime thing or…" he paused as she held up her hand.

Time slowed down as a whirlwind of emotions engulfed and confused Faith as she looked at Paul and tried understanding what was happening between them.

A part of her had been only looking for a one-night stand, but now she didn't know what she wanted. This was uncharted territory for her, and it scared her because she had no clue what to do or how to react, let alone what to say.

She realized Paul was still waiting for an answer. She needed to tell him something, "I-I want to—," she stammered, trying to find the words to tell him what she was experiencing.

The universe took this moment to intervene as the ship's alarms blared, cutting her off. Paul rushed to activate his comm panel, "Bridge, this is the Captain. What's going on?"

"Sir, there's been a security incident in Medical. The male survivor from the shuttle attacked our people."

Paul dreaded the answer, but he had to ask, "How bad? Casualties?"

"Three dead… four injured, sir."

Paul winced, hearing Faith gasp behind him, "Status of the intruder?"

"He's still somewhere on Deck-Seven, sir. We've sealed the deck off, and security teams are moving into position to block all access points from that deck."

"Evacuate that deck as best you can and seal off all sensitive and restricted areas. Get reinforcements to secure Medical and have Lieutenant Hanson oversee and co-ordinate operations from the bridge."

There was a long pause, and for a second Paul wasn't sure the bridge heard him.

"Sir, Lieutenant Hanson was one of the injured. The intruder shot him."

Paul closed his eyes, taking a deep breath before opening them, "What's his status?"

"Unknown, sir. One more thing, sir. The reports coming from Medical say the intruder doesn't appear human…"

Paul had to contain the situation before it got any worse and more people got hurt, "I want all security teams in full armor and loaded up. They aren't to take any chances with the intruder. I want a security team to meet me in the access way to Section 7-3C, understood?"

"Yes, sir!"

Paul cut the channel, turning towards his desk. Faith's eyes widened in surprise as he pulled a strange looking gun from a desk drawer and checked the weapon's magazine.

The Owens energy machine pistol was an older weapon supplanted when the REF switched over to the Gallant. Despite its age, it was still effective in taking down any person or alien. Paul had a fondness for the older weapon and kept one as a souvenir.

He noted the strange look on Faith's face as he reseated the energy magazine into the weapon, "I've got to go," he said.

There was no hesitation, "I'm coming with you," she added.

A moment's hesitation gripped Paul as he looked at Faith. His first instinct was to tell her no. Yet, several items stayed his response…

Her stubborn expression told him she wouldn't take no for an answer, and he didn't have time to argue with her. Then there was her being a Slayer, and more than capable of defending herself. Plus, there was the fact they were short-handed and could use the help.

Yet, these rational arguments still didn't ease his mind or lessen his worry. The thought she would be in harm's way brought back old memories and fears.

Faith grinned, reading Paul's face as he sighed, "You know better than to stop me, don't you," she said.

"I don't need or want to be fighting on two fronts at the same time. You can come, but you stick like glue to me, and you listen, understood?" he said, shaking his head, already questioning his decision.

"I promise to behave," Faith said, rolling her eyes, but then a twinkle filled them, "If I misbehave, you can spank me."

Paul stepped closer, catching her by surprise. The serious look on his face caused her grin to fade, "Please do this one thing for me. We don't know what we're dealing with. I c-ca—," he paused, "I don't want you to get hurt," he whispered as his hand caressed her hair and face.

She nodded, not trusting her voice at the moment as his touch sent a surging jolt of urges and desires through her.

"Okay, let's go then," he said, taking the lead towards the cabin door.

As she followed him, Faith wished she'd said something more to him.

oOoOo

Harper wandered silent empty corridors, moving between cover as he tried to figure out where he was.

The wailing alarms had ended, leaving him with just his thoughts echoing in his head. No soldiers had pursued him after the firefight outside the hospital, figuring they were too busy cleaning up the mess he'd left there.

He checked again the energy weapon he'd taken from a guard in the hospital. The realization that he did not understand how the weapon worked muted any excitement about it. He was lucky the weapon seemed simple to operate and use.

One thing he figured out was that the weapon must use some sort of power cell or "ammunition magazine" to charge it. This he based on the small round objects ejecting from the weapon after every three shots. But even with this basic knowledge, he could only guess how many shots he had left. He still didn't even understand how to load the weapon if he found more ammo.

Yet, all that didn't matter. The mission his master had tasked him with still hung over him. To fulfill his mission, and protect his family, Harper realized he would need something heavier. He also needed to find critical and sensitive areas of the ship if he was going to do any serious damage.

As he skulked down the corridors, he noted signs in English providing directions around the ship. Any curiosity and excitement stoked by the implications were minor to fulfilling his task… and ensuring his family's continued well-being. Rather, a sinister grin grew on his face as he read the sign with an arrow saying "ENGINEERING SECTION". He wasted no time contemplating his stroke of luck, using the helpful sign to direct him towards his new destination.

oOoOo

A voice calling out caught Paul and Faith's attention as they made their way down one of the ship's access ways to Deck-Seven. They turned to see Buffy rushing to catch up with them, "What's going on? What's with the alarms?" she said.

"There's been an incident in Medical," Paul replied.

"What! Did something happen to Dawn?" Buffy said, worry and concern flashing on her face.

Paul wanted to ease her mind, but would not lie to her, "I don't know. One of the shuttle survivors attacked my people and is loose on the deck."

"I need to check on her, now!" Buffy demanded.

The last thing Paul needed was for Buffy or anyone else to go rushing into an unknown situation. They needed to proceed cautiously, "We're joining up with a security team, and then we'll head to Medical. We'll—"

"I need to see my sister… NOW!"

"Buffy, I think we need to take a minute and think about this," Faith said, trying to help calm the situation. She understood Buffy's agitation and concern, but she was going to side with Paul in this matter.

Paul understood and sympathized with Buffy, but he wasn't going to rush into making any hasty decisions or moves and put more lives in jeopardy. He met the Slayer's hard stare, "We've got someone or something armed, running around on the deck. Three of my crew are already dead with another four injured! We're heading to Medical to help secure the area, but my priority is the ship and this crew! Do you understand me?"

"I-I'm sorry. I didn't know," Buffy said, grasping the extent of the situation.

More footsteps announced Giles and Willow as they belatedly joined the group. They were both breathing hard from trying to keep pace with Buffy.

"W-What h-happened?" Giles huffed, catching his breath.

"There's been an attack in the hospital," Faith said.

"Dawnie! Is she…?" Willow said, worry filling her face while glancing at Buffy.

"We're going to find out if everyone will follow me," Paul urged, taking the lead, continuing down the access stairwell.

A security detail of ten armed soldiers in body armor was waiting for them at the bulkhead door on Deck-Seven. What was even more surprising was finding Spike there pacing anxiously.

"About bloody time!" he said, shaking his head in frustration.

Paul ignored the vampire to confer with the Sergeant in charge of the security team, "Leave two men here to secure and guard this hatchway. You and the rest of your team will go with us. We'll secure Medical first before we search the deck," he said.

The Sergeant nodded, "Yes, sir."

"Do you have a spare communicator?"

"Yes, sir," the Sergeant replied, passing over a hand communicator.

Paul activated the handset, "Bridge, this is the Captain."

"Bridge here, sir."

"We're in position. What's the status of the other security team?"

"Sir, they report they're in position to access the deck in Section 7-2B."

"Understood. Have there been any further sightings or reports of the intruder?"

"No, sir."

"Have the other team enter the deck and proceed to Medical. We'll meet up there. After securing the area, we can then sweep the deck for the intruder. Understood?"

"Yes, sir."

Paul cut the link and faced everyone. He noted the mix expressions of confusion, worry and fear on their faces, "Okay, we go in. The security team will split into four-man teams… front and rear, with the rest of us between them."

Buffy and Spike protested, but Paul cut them off, "We're doing this by the numbers. We've got an armed intruder running loose, and I don't need anyone else getting shot."

His outburst ended any further protest, for the moment, "Okay, let's go," Paul said, nodding to the Sergeant to take point.

As the bulkhead doors opened, the Sergeant barked orders for the security team to take up positions. Tension and anticipation hung in the air as it seemed to take an eternity for the door to open. The lead team of armored troopers rushed forward through the bulkhead door to secure the corridor. A second team of soldiers quickly followed in to back up the lead team.

Buffy struggled to keep herself in check as she followed with Faith behind Paul into the corridor with Spike closely following with Giles and Willow bringing up the rear. Despite most of her focus worrying about Dawn, she noted the soldiers in firing positions, with weapons ready, covering all directions ready to respond to any threat.

The loud clanking sound of the bulkhead door closing behind them echoed through the deserted corridor. As the echo faded, the background hums and noises of the ship seemed to take on an eerie quality. Buffy swore she could hear everyone's heavy breathing as she took a deep breath to calm herself.

The Sergeant signaled his men, and his team took point, trying to move like ghosts, as they worked their way down the corridor to Medical.

Buffy's senses were on high alert, but she also studied the soldiers as they moved, swinging their weapons to cover every potential avenue of attack.

It seemed as if they were moving at a snail's pace down the corridor as Buffy struggled to control her urge to rush to her sister. Her urge was tempered and kept in check, knowing people had died and someone was running around with a weapon.

As they approached Medical, evidence of what had happened made the reality of the situation sink in. Scorch marks along with dried blood marked and streaked the corridor walls and deck. The fading smell of burnt flesh filled the corridor, adding to the whole macabre scene.

The lead soldier froze and knelt down, signaling the group to stop. Buffy's anxiousness and frustration flared with them stopping in sight of the entrance to Medical.

She wondered what was going on when she saw the Sergeant tap the side of his helmet, and then motion everyone to stand up and move forward.

As they closed the distance, the doors opened, and two armed security personnel came out with weapons ready. Paul turned to Buffy and the others, "You can go in now," he said.

Buffy didn't hesitate, rushing past Paul and the soldiers with Spike, Willow and Giles following in her wake. A moment of panic filled her when she didn't find Dawn in her bed. The med-techs told Buffy where she could find her sister.

Relief filled Buffy, hearing her sister was awake and moving around. She found Dawn sitting a bedside vigil with Lieutenant Hanson. A strange looking high-tech bandage with connections running to a machine beside the bed encased his left arm.

As she approached, Buffy's sisterly concern grew, seeing the worry and concern etching her sister's face.

"You okay?" Buffy whispered as her gaze shifted between Dawn and the unconscious Lieutenant.

Dawn sighed, "I'm fine. I had a headache when I woke up, and I've got a lot of questions, but I'll be okay."

"How's Lieutenant Hanson?"

"Aaron got shot… luckily it was a graze. The med-techs said he suffered a second degree plasma burn. They gave him something for the pain, and to put him out while they repair the damage to his arm."

Buffy didn't know what surprised her most… her sister's use of the Lieutenant's first name or the tone in her voice. She focused on something more immediate and tangible, filing this away for later concern, "Did you see what happened here?"

Dawn shook her head, not taking her eyes off Aaron, "No, I came too as they brought Aaron in. His left arm was a mess and covered in blood. He was in so much pain, but he smiled when he saw me and asked how I-I was doing. H-He w-was more concerned about m-me…" her voice catching as she replayed the memory.

Dawn took a deep breath, "He described the creature that attacked him and the others."

She didn't take her eyes off Aaron as she rattled off the creature's description.

Giles, approaching discreetly with Willow and Spike, overheard everything, "From the description it sounds like a Brachen Demon is running around the ship," he said.

"A Brachen Demon? I thought those buggers kept to themselves," Spike said.

Giles nodded, "Yes, they're normally quite peaceful. They usually keep to their own kind, but it is not unheard of for them to interact with humans, and even develop personal relationships. Though it seems this one isn't one of those."

"I don't care what it is…" Dawn said, her voice taking on a hard edge as she turned to face the others. The hate and anger filling her face took Buffy and the others by surprise, "Buffy, whatever that thing is… I want you to find it and kill it! I want it dead!"

Buffy, caught off balance by her sister's anger, could only nod blankly as she left to go inform the Captain what they were facing.

Spike followed, leaning in to whisper as they made their way over to the Captain, "I think you've got bigger problems love, than hunting down a demon."

"What're you talking about?" she said, still trying to come to grips with her sister's outburst.

Spike, taking delight in Buffy's confusion, smirked, "It looks like Little Bit has gone and fallen in love with soldier boy there."

The reality of Spike's statement about her sister's love life hit hard as it sank in. A heavy sigh escaped Buffy as she tried pushing worries about her sister to the back of her thoughts and focusing on more immediate—and easier—problems to solve.

oOoOo

Paul was briefing his security personnel, "Okay, we go in four-man teams and sweep each compartment on the deck. We don't know what we're dealing with, we—"

"It's a Brachen Demon," a voice said from behind him.

Paul gave Buffy, Willow, Giles and Spike a confused look as they joined the group, "A Brachen what?" he said.

"A Brachen Demon. Your Leftenant Hanson described to Dawn what attacked him and the others. From the details, it looks like you have one aboard your ship," Giles said.

"What can you tell us about this… Brachen Demon?" Paul said, eyeing Giles while trying not to sound dismissive at being told a 'demon' was running loose on his ship.

"Well, it sounds like this demon is a half-breed… half human, half demon, that's why he looked normal when you brought him on the ship. When they're in their human form, they appear as normal as you or myself." Giles said.

"And when they're not human looking?" one soldier said.

"Their facial and skin appearance changes. Their skin becomes green and their eyes turn red with small spines covering their face. Brachen Demons are faster, stronger and can take more damage than a human. They can survive blows that would be fatal to us," Giles said.

"And we've got one of those things running around the ship armed with an energy weapon… great," another soldier said, shaking his head.

"Okay, enough!" Paul said, "We know what we're dealing with now. Here's the plan… Medical will be our base of operations on this deck. We'll reinforce security here, which leaves us with four four-man teams to sweep the deck."

"It doesn't sound like enough," Buffy said.

Paul glanced at her, "Well, we're a little short-handed."

Dawn's request was at the forefront of her thoughts, "Then you don't mind if Spike and I join in this hunt," Buffy said.

"Thanks for the offer," Paul said, giving her a wry smirk which caught her by surprise as she'd expected more resistance to her offer.

"Buffy, I want you to go with Team-One and Spike will go with Team-Two. Team-One will take the starboard side and move towards the stern. Team-Two will take the port side and head towards the stern. Teams three and four will each take a side and go towards the bow…"

"Where will you and Faith be?" Spike said, eyeing the Captain.

"We'll be moving up the center towards the stern. Our intruder was last seen in a corridor towards the starboard side of the ship. We can't discount the possibility our intruder doubled-back, but we're lucky there's not much to access at the bow from this deck. The teams going forward won't have as many corridors and compartments to search, so once they finish their sweeps they'll hook up with Faith and myself. We caught a break. There are no weapons lockers or armories on this deck, so our intruder shouldn't have anything more than the Gallant. If you encounter the intruder, don't get fancy, contain and call for backup."

"Do we take the intruder alive?" one soldier said.

Paul didn't hesitate, "If it gives itself up without a fight, then yes. If it puts up any resistance… I'm not going to lose any more people to this creature. You have authorization to use deadly force."

oOoOo

For Faith, this was slow going as Paul and she made their way towards the stern of the ship, searching and resealing compartments. She understood the need to check, but her impatience was growing at how long this was taking. Her Slayer instincts were screaming warnings to her.

"Something's not right…" she mumbled.

"What's not right?" Paul said, eyeing her curiously.

Faith shrugged, "I don't know, but it doesn't feel right. So far we haven't seen or found this demon. Not that I'm in a rush… I was enjoying the break from fighting demons and vampires."

Paul smirked, "Well, I'd hoped Spike would be my only pain in the ass, but to find out that demon was a shuttle pilot… that would explain a lot."

"Explain what?"

"There was no way in hell their missile attack was going to succeed against us. We even tried warning them off, but they still continued their attack. They continued pushing the attack despite no hope of…" Paul's voice faded as he began connecting all the pieces.

"What?" she said, noting his expression, and realizing something else was going on.

Paul ignored her question as he pulled out and activated his communicator, "Bridge, Coleiro here."

"Yes, sir."

"When did you last talk to Engineering?"

"They reported in ten minutes ago."

"Shit!"

"Sir?"

"Implement over-ride safety protocols, NOW! Lock out engineering controls and SCRAM the Reflex furnace! Get all security teams to converge on the Engineering section right now! Contact Engineering and tell them to evacuate the compartment! Do you understand?"

The voice on the other end of the communicator sounded confused, "Yes, sir!"

Paul didn't hesitate, turning to sprint back down the corridor towards the Engineering section. He'd barely gotten underway when alarms once again went off.

"Shit!"

"WHAT'S WRONG?" Faith said, trying to shout over the blaring alarms.

A voice coming over the PA system provided her answer, "INTRUDER ALERT! WE HAVE AN INTRUDER IN ENGINEERING!"

"Shit!" Faith mumbled, matching Paul's pace as they rushed down the corridor towards Engineering.

oOoOo

Paul and Faith reached the closest bulkhead door leading to the Engineering section of the ship. Rather than being sealed and secured, the door was open… forced open by someone—or something—with immense strength. Paul again contacted the bridge, "Bridge, status on Engineering?"

"Sir, it's confirmed! The intruder is in the Engineering section. We've evacuated the section. Commander Schmidt reports three wounded among his crew. The Reflex furnace is in emergency shutdown mode and the section along with all engineering terminals are in security lockdown. The Commander also reports we're running on emergency power. All security teams are converging on the Engineering section."

"Good… It looks like our intruder accessed Engineering by forcing bulkhead door E4. I'm entering the section to investigate. Standby for further orders."

"Sir! I think you should—"

Paul noted the look Faith gave him as he cut the channel, "What?" he said.

"I thought I would never say these words, but don't you think we should wait for backup?"

Paul shook his head, "Despite our security protocols and shutdown, there's still a lot of damage somebody can do… damage we may not easily repair."

Faith realized Paul had a point, brushing aside her newly discovered cautious attitude, following him into the Engineering section.

oOoOo

Alarms continued to wail, while Paul, with his Owens at the ready, hunted for the intruder.

Hunting for an intruder in Engineering presented unique problems and obstacles. The section was huge and provided many places for someone to hide. That there were many key ship systems in the section provided an attacker with many opportunities while creating nothing but headaches for any defender. Paul tried to put himself into the mind of the intruder to anticipate their moves.

Okay… I'm a stranger on the ship, but I'm no slouch because I've figured out this is Engineering. Yet, I'm not familiar with the layout of the section, and I don't recognize or understand any of these systems. My goal is to cripple or destroy the ship… I need to find any systems that look or seem familiar…

Paul waved to Faith to get her to follow him as he moved deeper into the Engineering section. She nodded her understanding and followed him.

oOoOo

Even while staying in the shadows and moving between cover, awe and frustration filled Harper as he stalked through the Engineering section.

The level of technology he witnessed was both inspiring and humbling. Despite being at the cutting edge of human technology in the Air Force and space program, those were kiddie toys compared to what he was seeing now.

Doubts pulled at him as a sign with the words "SPACE FOLD SYSTEM" caught his attention. A part of him yearned to not to have to complete his mission. He wished for the chance to learn from these people, and travel across the stars like he'd dreamt of since he was a child.

What he wanted or desired didn't matter to his master. His 'deal with the devil' made it possible for him to hide his demon-half, so he could follow his dreams of flying and going into space.

He'd deluded himself into believing his master would never demand payment, but this was now the price being extracted from him. There was no choice for him because his master made it clear his family would suffer for any disobedience or change of heart.

Growing frustrations replaced his doubts as he tried to orient himself and get a sense of the layout. He needed to locate areas and systems he could damage or destroy to fulfill his mission.

Heavy bulkhead doors, immune to his strength and the weapon he carried, barred his access to some areas in Engineering. He even tried accessing several computer panels to get an 'Access Denied' message in return for his attempts.

I feel like a caveman being given a cell phone and told to use it… I don't even understand how this weapon I'm carrying really works. All I can do is point-and-shoot. Maybe if I had more time…

His senses picked up on movement, coming towards him, forcing him to drop any further thoughts on the subject. Harper retreated into the deep shadows to wait for what approached…

oOoOo

Faith had fallen behind, but rather than wait, Paul continued on towards the oxygen and water systems to check them out. As he approached them, he paused to see if Faith had caught up yet. In that moment of distraction, someone jumped from the shadows to attack him.

Paul's instincts and training kicked in as he swung his weapon to fire on his attacker. The attacker was faster, countering his move and striking out at his hand. The Owens flew from his hand, clattering across the deck out of reach.

Paul's face-to-face introduction with the Brachen Demon repulsed him, which was saying a lot considering his exposure with all the different alien species back in his universe.

As he struggled with the demon, his first instinct was to go for the face, but the spines covering the creature's face ended that idea. Instead, he struck at the creature's mid-section, and got rewarded with a gasping grunt as his blow hit home.

Any satisfaction was short-lived as the demon countered, trying to use the Gallant. Paul grappled with the demon, tying up the creature to prevent it from bringing the weapon to bear on him. It was as their death struggle intensified that Faith, trying to catch up to Paul, stumbled into the fray.

oOoOo

Faith's first sense of trouble was when she turned a corner and found him struggling with the demon. In that crucial moment, she hesitated as her eyes locked on the Gallant in the demon's hand… pointing directly at her.

Paul continued struggling with the demon, locking eyes with the creature. His attention shifted, noticing Faith's presence as the demon's burning red eyes shifted towards her. Paul's heart froze at the realization she was directly in the line of fire. He poured every ounce of strength to shift the weapon, but there was no time as he watched in horror as the demon squeezed the trigger.

"FAITH!" Paul screamed as utter helplessness engulfed him.

His screams shook her out of her hesitation. Instinct and reflexes kicked in as she dove for cover. The weapon fired twice with the plasma bursts striking and scorching the deck where she'd been standing.

Paul lost sight of Faith as his struggle with the demon continued. The heat from the ejecting energy capacitor seared his arm. But that was a minor compared to the fear and dread of not knowing if Faith was alive or dead.

Worries about Faith took a back seat as the demon used its strength advantage and leverage position to twist the energy weapon towards Paul. All Paul could see was the weapon as the demon pressed the weapon's barrel against his chest… and squeezed the trigger.

Fate intervened, and nothing happened, "Out of shots, bastard!" Paul grunted.

"I don't need it!" the demon replied, making a sudden move inward, striking Paul in the stomach with the Gallant.

Paul gasped from the hit, causing his grip on the demon to loosen long enough for the creature to take advantage. The demon shifted position and struck again. Another punch to the stomach caused Paul to lose his remaining grip. Then the demon landed a blow to his head.

Stars filled Paul's vision as he staggered from the blow. He struggled to stay in a defensive stance, and out of reflex and training took a wild swing at the demon's head… forgetting about the creature's facial spines. More pain flared as the spines slashed his hand.

The demon lashed out again, landing another punch to the head, causing Paul to fall to his knees.

Paul struggled to shake off the blows and get back on his feet. Without warning, he was suddenly being lifted off the ground, and then was flying backwards through the air.

Intense pain filled his body as he slammed into the bulkhead. The pain brought a moment of clarity and awareness to the entire scene. Faith was nowhere in sight. But the moment and any further worries ended abruptly as he hit the ground, and his head bounced off the armored deck. Another momentary flash of stars filled his vision, and this time there was only blackness.

oOoOo

Faith was back on her feet, warily peaking from her cover to witness Paul's losing struggle with the demon. Before she could intervene, the demon had landed several solid blows sending Paul staggering. She froze, watching in horror as the demon picked up Paul and threw him across the room.

A wellspring of emotions erupted, coalescing into one overwhelming rush while staring at Paul's motionless body.

What came first was pain… the pain at seeing Paul lying on the ground, not knowing if he was alive or dead. Then came a growing anger, flaring into hatred. Her hatred exploded when the Brachen Demon smirked at her.

Faith charged, letting out a scream of utter rage and fury. There was no thought or concern for her safety, there was only the blinding rage filling her as she attacked with no mercy or remorse.

Her attack caught the demon, thinking he only had a lowly unarmed female to deal with now, off-guard. Angry shouts and bloodcurdling screams reverberated through the Engineering Section, drowning out the wailing alarms…

The clamor brought the security teams to the scene. More than one soldier had to turn away, with some puking, at the scene they came upon.

The level of violence even took Buffy by surprise. It reminded her of Faith's dark times, but immediately understood seeing Faith hovering around the unconscious Captain, being tended to by a med-tech.

oOoOo

The unenviable task of cleaning up the scene fell to two enlisted personnel. They arrived just as the med-techs finished bagging up and were hauling away the demon's remains.

Their timing along with the warnings they received still didn't prepare them for the scene of carnage they had to clean up. Even though they were both combat veterans, they struggled to keep their gag reflexes in check while they cleaned.

"I hear the Captain's okay," one crewman said, trying to distract himself from the gruesome scene and smell.

The other crewman nodded, "Yeah, I heard he got thrown into a bulkhead and suffered a concussion."

An uncomfortable moment of silence filled the room as both men continued their struggle.

"God, I wish they could just vent the compartment, it would be easier to get rid of this mess and the smell."

"Yeah, I know what you mean. I don't think I'll eat for a week."

"Ugh, please don't mention food right now."

"Sorry."

A small smirk formed on one crewman as he paused and took in the scene again, "If you think about it, this is pretty funny in a way."

The other crewman stopped his cleaning, giving his partner a strange look, "Are you crazy? I've seen nothing like this before in my life… not even in my worst nightmares!"

"Same here, it's just that I never thought it was possible."

"What're you going on about?"

"It's just that when I was in basic training, my drill instructor used to scream at us whenever we did anything wrong or screwed up."

"Nothing strange about that, it's considered a job requirement."

"No, the yelling wasn't what I was talking about. I remember how my drill instructor used to threaten he would rip off our arms and beats us with them when we screwed up. I just didn't think it was actually possible to rip off someone's arms and beat them to death with them…"

Chapter Text

CHAPTER SIX
It's a surprise

"When Dawn and I first started out together, I was inexperienced with the entire relationship thing, and didn't want to screw things up. I had no one to talk to, so I approached the Captain. I figured, being older, he knew more and could give me his expert advice on women and relationships. After he stopped laughing, he gave me some sage advice that stuck and I still live by. Know when you're wrong and don't be afraid to admit it. Saying 'I'm sorry' is just as important as saying 'I love you'… and it's the little things each day that matter. The other reason I remember all this is because of what he added at the end. He said I would have to watch myself because if I ever hurt Dawn, Buffy would probably hunt me down. I thought he was joking, but sometimes I caught Buffy looking me over as if she was sizing me up…"

— From the collected journals of Admiral Aaron Hanson

oOoOo

Riley strode along the pathways, trying to project the appearance of a guy out enjoying his lunchtime walk in the park. The baseball cap and sunglasses he wore allowed him to blend in with the other park goers. Despite the relaxed image he projected, his gut tightened as he scanned for any threats as he neared the rendezvous.

Riley took a sip from his coffee cup, trying to stay relaxed and inconspicuous. His earpiece crackled with Samantha's voice, "You look clear… no tails."

Despite her reassurances, Riley's nerves were still on edge over this meeting. General Coulson hadn't been forthcoming on all the details and the reasons behind this meeting, but he'd made it clear this was an important sensitive matter.

The last thing they needed was to draw unwanted attention on themselves or their contact. To keep a low profile, he'd only brought Samantha for backup. It was risky, but the fewer people involved the better for everyone.

The meeting place was a park bench towards the middle of the park. His contact was already sitting there, looking relaxed while eating a sandwich from a lunch bag next to him on the bench. Riley took another sip from his coffee, sitting down on the far end of the bench from his contact, trying to appear relaxed as he eased back in the seat.

"It's a beautiful afternoon…" the sandwich eating man said, between bites, his British accent standing out.

Riley nodded, "Uh-huh," he said, taking another sip.

A long moment of silence passed as both men continued their pretenses while park goers walked, jogged or rode past them.

The sandwich eating man paused and glanced at his watch, "Oh dear, I must get back to the office. I don't think I can finish the other half of this sandwich," he said, standing up, but leaving his lunch bag on the bench.

Riley continued his nonchalant performance as the other man turned to leave, "You know what they say about sandwiches…? It's what's in the middle that makes it taste good. Just be careful before you take a bite," Wesley Wyndam-Pryce said before walking away.

Riley kept an eye out for any threats as Wesley walked away. He waited a few more minutes before leaving, grabbing the lunch bag as he stood up. He forced himself to keep a leisurely pace as he made his way towards the park exit to join up with Samantha at their pre-arranged meeting point. With each step, he struggled with his curiosity and temptation to check out the bag to see what Wesley had left for them.

oOoOo

"I'm okay, will you stop hovering over me!"

Paul's annoyed tone didn't dissuade Faith as she helped him to his cabin, "I'm not the one that got himself thrown across the room by a demon!"

"Yes, I banged my head, I'm not crippled!" he said. Yet, he didn't shake off her support as they entered his cabin.

"This isn't a simple bump on the head! You're walking like you've just tied one on!" she said, the worry and concern obvious on her face.

"I'm fine… the med-techs said all I need is rest."

Faith shook her head, "I was there! They wanted to keep you overnight for observation."

"And I told them that if they wanted me to rest, then I wanted to do it in my cabin, in my bed."

Faith sighed, rolling her eyes, "Are you always this stubborn?"

Paul smirked, "Pretty much… and hardheaded. That's probably why there wasn't much damage."

Faith sighed again, shaking her head, "That wasn't funny! You scared the hell out of me! What were you thinking back there?"

"Hey, it's not like I planned to wrestle a demon!"

"How's the hand?"

Paul lifted his bandaged hand, flexing it open and close several times, "See, it's fine… no problems."

"Liar, I saw you wince."

"It's fine… I'm fine," he said, shaking off her hand and walking across the room by himself before sitting down on the edge of his bed.

Despite her skepticism, Faith was thankful for this momentary distraction. The outburst of emotions and feelings she'd experienced, when she'd seen Paul get hurt, still bubbled just beneath the surface.

It bothered her by how afraid she'd been when she'd seen him lying there, not knowing if he was alive or dead. She couldn't deal with all these troubling emotions, so she buried them by focusing on Paul's wellbeing.

"M-Maybe we should go back to the hospital… maybe they missed something," she said, worriedly noticing him stagger slightly on his walk to the bed.

Paul sighed, "Will you stop worrying… I'm fine. I've had worse. You don't need to stick around."

Faith shook her head, "The only reason they let you go, was I said I would keep an eye on you, and you're not getting off that easily."

Paul noted the worry and concern in her voice and on her face. The ship was abuzz about what she'd done to the demon. The level of violence and brutality she'd inflicted on the demon had even shocked him.

He'd thought he understood who and what Slayers were, but this incident gave him a better and clearer insight into what a Slayer was… and who Faith was. Yet, despite the level of violence she'd inflicted on that demon, he only saw worry, concern and compassion on her face.

He'd never gotten an answer to his question about what was going on between them. There was the momentary temptation to ask her again, but he put it aside for now. He suspected she still wasn't ready to confess her genuine feelings.

Even if she wasn't ready to admit her feelings, he knew where he stood with his. In that moment, when the demon fired the Gallant at Faith, clarity had crystalized for him. Realizing he was in a place he'd never wanted or expected to be in again filled him with a good dose of nervousness and fear.

Those emotions also brought a resolve not to repeat the mistakes of the past. He'd screwed up so many times before with other women… especially Sonia. This time he wouldn't push or rush things with Faith. Though it was against his nature, and long ingrained habits, he swore he would wait until she was ready.

A soft reassuring smile filled his face as he met her eyes, seeing her concern and worry as he got up and moved back towards her.

Time froze as he breathed in her beauty and brushed her hair and face with his hand. He leaned in and kissed her, his lips brushing hers, savoring the warmth and feel of them.

"I'm feeling much better now… honest," he whispered, pulling away from her.

The worry and concern filling Faith's face lessened as a smile took root, "Okay… If you'll excuse me," she said in a matching whisper.

Paul nodded as she turned and headed into the bathroom. With Faith out of the room, he sat back down on the edge of the bed. Even though his legs seemed steady, the room had a slight spin, and he still had a headache. A sigh escaped as he realized Faith and the med-techs were right. He should take it easy and not push it right now.

His thoughts drifted as he caught the sound of running water from the bathroom. The slight dizziness and headache were thankfully beginning to subside, "What do you want to do this evening?" Paul said.

His attention was somewhere else as the water turned off and the bathroom door opened. A soft silky voice caught his attention, "Only if you're feeling better…"

Confusion and surprise gripped Paul seeing Faith standing in the bathroom doorway… naked except for her panties.

"Um… uh…" he stuttered as his eyes took in her body. The light from the bathroom framed her body as he devoured every curve and detail… her hair, the tattoo on her arm, the scar on her abdomen.

Faith moved towards him in a manner that reminded him of a predator stalking its prey just before it struck. Her slow, deliberate movements only enhanced her beauty and grace.

"For someone that has to make important decisions, you seem a little slow and unsure of yourself," she taunted, her voice taking on a sexy husky tone. A smile spread across her face as she pushed him back on the bed and crawled on top of him, straddling him.

"Uh…" he said, struggling to find his voice. Anticipation flared inside him, laying there looking up, losing himself in her eyes, seeing the hunger, desire, and want filling them.

"Hmmm… maybe we should take you back to the hospital for them to take another look at you," she teased, seductively running a finger down his chest.

Faith leaned in closer, pressing her body against his. The heat pulsing from her body seared through his uniform. Any remaining aches and pains faded as his body responded and his hunger for her grew and took over, "No, ma'am!" he whispered, finding his voice.

"That's good…" she whispered as she hungrily kissed him.

oOoOo

Dawn didn't realize she'd drifted off to sleep until a part of her registered a voice whispering her name. Her first instinct was to tell Buffy to leave her alone and let her sleep a little longer. Yet, as she woke up and became more alert, she realized it was someone else saying her name.

"Hi, there," Aaron said, smiling.

Dawn became more alert as she woke up and focused on his face. The first thing she noted was the deathly pale look to his face was fading and his color was returning. That he was awake and smiling showed he was doing better and was recovering.

"How're you feeling?" she said, filled with a mix of relief and worry along with other confusing emotions and thoughts.

"Like someone shot me," Aaron said, giving her a crooked grin.

"That's not funny!" Dawn said, the painful memory of when they brought in his bloody body replaying in her head.

Aaron's grin faded, seeing his attempted joke backfire, "Sorry…" he said.

Dawn sighed, cursing herself for snapping at him. She tried changing the subject, "Do you remember what happened?"

Aaron's eyes drifted past Dawn as he pulled up the memories, "I was on my way down here to check on you when that-that thing came out. I-I w-watched it kill the med-tech in front of me… there was nothing I-I could do…"

Dawn cursed herself again for being so insensitive. The pain and guilt filling Aaron's face stabbed at her. This only added to her own growing guilt she'd been nursing, knowing the reason he'd been shot was because of her.

"It's not your fault! There was nothing you could do but raise the alarm. You're just lucky it was only a graze, and you didn't get hurt worse or…" Dawn's voice faded as her guilt threatened to overwhelm her.

Aaron noticed the change in her, "What's wrong?"

Dawn sighed, finding it unbearable dealing with the guilt, "It's my fault you got shot! If I hadn't collapsed on the bridge, you wouldn't have had to come down here! You wouldn't have gotten shot!" she blurted out, trying to keep herself from crying.

Dawn's tearful confession caught Aaron by surprise. This wasn't what he'd expected when he'd regained consciousness, finding her asleep in the chair next to his bed.

He didn't immediately wake her up, but laid there watching her sleep, committing every detail of her to memory… like how her chest moved as she breathed. He had to keep himself from laughing out loud when she snorted and some drool formed at the corner of her mouth. A surprising wave of happiness and contentment washed over him as he imagined what it would be like to hold her tightly and run his fingers through her hair.

Dawn's tears and unnecessary guilt stirred something in his soul, "It's not your fault I got shot!" he said, using a forceful tone that even surprised himself.

His tone caught Dawn by surprise. An unexpected surge of excitement flowed through her seeing this more forceful and aggressive side of Aaron. She struggled to keep herself from blushing as unbidden thoughts and desires surged forward.

"Yeah, you're right," she said, noting the quizzical expression on Aaron's face as she tried avoiding meeting his eyes.

The strange expression on Dawn's face puzzled Aaron, but at least she wasn't beating herself up anymore. He wanted to move on to something else that was more important to him, "Did they find out what happened to you? What caused you to pass out… and glow?"

Dawn tried not to wince at his question. She'd been dreading this question and what to tell him. While the medical staff had no medical reason to explain why she'd collapsed and glowed like a firefly, she suspected what caused it. The part of her that was The Key screamed that something had happened—was happening—along with an unexplainable sense of dread.

Meeting Aaron's eyes, she pushed the growing dread back down and focused on what she would tell him. Buffy and Giles had always warned her about telling people who and what she was.

Her subconscious voice chimed in, screaming warnings he wouldn't understand, and would look upon her as some kind of freak. This only added to the tug-of-war of emotions waging inside her while she debated what to do.

She realized how deep her feelings were for Aaron, and she didn't want to lie to him about herself. He deserved to know what she was. If she lied to him now, and he found out later that would end any chance of a future with him. If her heart was going to get broken, she'd rather do it now rather than later.

"T-There's something I need to tell you…" she said, gathering her courage to continue.

She fought to keep herself from crying as she told him everything about who and what she was.

Aaron was quiet as he listened and absorbed everything she told him. He took a moment to realize she'd finished and was now watching him, trying to gauge his reaction. When Aaron didn't immediately respond, Dawn took his silence as a bad sign, and slowly got up to leave.

"I-I'm sorry. I care about you and thought you deserved to know the truth about me. If you don't want to see me again, I understand," she said, struggling to keep her tears in check until she left the room.

"Where're you going?" Aaron said, trying to still grasp everything Dawn had dropped on him.

"I-I thought you wouldn't want to be around me…" she said, her voice quivering.

"Did I tell you to leave?" Aaron said.

"Well, no…"

A smile grew on his face as he decided, realizing it was the right and best decision he would ever make, "Then why are you leaving?" he said.

Dawn's heart beat faster as the moment slowed and everything sunk in. A smile grew on her face as a flood of joy and happiness flowed over her. She leapt towards the bed to grab and hug Aaron.

"ARM! WATCH THE ARM!" he said, in a panicked voice seeing her leaping towards him.

"Sorry!" she said, a sheepish expression replacing her smile at realizing what her exuberance almost did.

Aaron exhaled in relief and slid over, making room for Dawn in the bed next to his good arm.

She didn't hesitate taking his invitation, snuggling up into his right arm while an enormous smile again filled her face. They looked at each other for what seemed like an eternity before Aaron leaned in and kissed Dawn. Their first kiss may have looked awkward to the outside observer, but neither of them cared.

oOoOo

The data streaming across Commander Schmidt's engineering station display screen had become just one big blur from staring at it for so long.

There was finally enough sensor and scanning data collected from the restored sensors to put a computerized data model together. He'd hoped to finish sooner, but the intruder had disrupted his work, delaying him from finishing his data model program. Even though the disruption and delay still rankled, he was thankful the intruder had caused no further casualties or damage.

Leaning back in his chair, he sipped his lukewarm coffee, rubbing his eyes as the program ran, compiling all the data. He didn't know how long it would take for the program to run and spit out results. The amount of data he'd plugged into it was immense.

His eyes shot open—he hadn't realized he'd dozed off—as a ding from his console informed him the program had finished.

As he typed in commands on his console, a growing dread filled the pit of his stomach as he viewed the results. He tried to push down his growing dread as he activated a comm channel.

"Bridge… Commander Schmidt here."

"Yes, sir."

"Can you scan sector One-Two-Eight by Two-One-Two?"

"Yes, sir. Can you standby for a moment?"

Schmidt waited anxiously for the response, trying to keep his emotions in check.

Please be wrong…

"Sir, we show nothing in that sector of space."

Schmidt exhaled a small sigh of relief. But this news didn't remove the growing dread, "Keep scanning that area and if anything… and I mean anything appears. I want to know ASAP. Understood?"

"Yes, sir!"

The Commander tried relaxing as he ran the data model again and double-checked the data. He kept hoping he was wrong, but the data model results still came out the same. It was five hours later when the bridge called, only to confirm his growing sense of dread and fear.

"Sir, less than five minutes ago, we picked up signals at those designated coordinates. We've identified it as debris from the Vanguard!"

Schmidt's stomach dropped away at the news that confirmed the start of what his data modeling was projecting would happen. The voice on the other end of the comm channel caught his attention.

"Sir, should we inform the Captain?"

Schmidt sighed, realizing he needed more evidence to confirm his data model before taking his fears and foretelling of doom to the Captain, "No… I'll inform the Captain myself. What I need now is for you to scan the following coordinates and notify me the second you detect anything in those areas. Understood?"

"Yes, sir!"

Before cutting the comm channel, he rattled off a series of different space coordinates that would help him confirm and plot the spatial effect he thought was occurring. He was too much on edge now to relax, once again pulling up and reviewing the sensor data to make sure he hadn't made a mistake.

Please god… let me be wrong…

oOoOo

Faith listened to Paul's heart beating as she rested her head on his chest. It was a soothing sound, but it didn't allay the troubled tangle web of emotions and feelings still weighing at her.

There was still that voice in her head, but it seemed somewhat muted at the moment. She sighed, trying to grasp and understand what she was feeling, and what she should do.

"You okay?" Paul said, catching her sigh.

"Just thinking."

"Anything I should know about or can help with?"

"No," she said, using a somewhat more abrupt tone than she wanted.

"Something wrong?"

Can't he leave it alone for now, she thought. The last thing she needed was Paul piling on top of her inner turmoil with his constant questions. They were getting on her nerves.

"No… can we leave it at that!" she said.

There was a long pause before Paul spoke again, "It's about us, isn't it?"

Faith let out another deep sigh, "I said to leave it alone!"

"Why?"

Faith was at war within herself. She wanted to tell Paul what she was thinking. Yet, she realized she was still carrying around a lot of baggage and didn't think he would understand and stick around if she unloaded it all on him. She believed she wasn't capable of or deserving of any happiness. She was finding herself trapped in a situation she was ill-equipped to deal with.

A part of her wanted to run away, but then there was the part of her happy when she was with him and wanting to stay. She tried to ignore his question, trying to lose herself in the sound of his heartbeat.

Faith sighed, "Please, can we not talk about this right now?"

Paul added his own sigh. He had a choice. His instincts screamed to force the issue and confront it head on, but her tone reminded him again she wasn't ready. If he pressured her, he would only end up pushing her away.

"Okay… you win," he said, catching her sighing in relief.

They laid there, neither of them able to sleep with each of them caught up in a torrent of thoughts and emotions. Paul decided he needed to do something, getting out of the bed which caught Faith by surprise.

"What's wrong?" she said, worried he was angry at her.

"Nothing… go get dressed," he said, picking up his uniform and getting dressed.

Her confusion grew, but she followed, getting out of bed and retreating to the bathroom to cleanup and get dressed. When she came out, she saw Paul at his desk using his communications system.

"Thanks, Chief. We'll be down in less than ten minutes," he said, ending his call.

"What's going on?" she said, puzzled by what was happening.

Paul's smile caught her by surprise, putting her off-balance, "It's a surprise… let's go," he said.

Faith's curiosity grew as Paul took her hand in his and led her from the cabin to the ship's elevators, "Come'on, where're we going?"

His poker face gave nothing away, "Deck-Ten… and I'm not going to ruin the surprise."

Faith's confusion only grew as they exited the elevator, heading down another corridor. She recognized where they were heading, "Why are we headed for the launch bay?"

Paul said nothing, but his smirk grew as they continued down the corridor.

Faith eyed him, "If this is you wanting to get it on in or around your fighter, you can tell me. I'm pretty open-minded, there's no need for all the suspense," she said, trying to get a clue about what was going on.

His smirk remained in place as they approached the launch bay entrance. Her curiosity and surprise only increased as the deck door opened and Chief Larson exited from the launch bay.

"Captain… Faith," Larson said, giving the couple a smile as she passed them in the corridor.

"Thanks, Chief. Have a good night," Paul said, giving Larson a nod.

"You too, sir. Hope you enjoy it, Faith," Larson said, her smile growing as she eyed Faith.

This only added to Faith's confusion, and she nodded blankly in return, unsure of what to say or do. She eyed Paul again, his smirk still in place.

"Come, my lady. Your chariot awaits you," he said, holding out his arm and directing her to enter the launch bay.

Faith shook her head, but played along as she took the lead and entered the launch bay. The huge launch bay was lit up, but was empty, except for two fighters parked off to the sides and themselves. She still didn't know why they were here, and her thoughts returned to her original notion of Paul wanting to have sex down here.

As she scoped out potential spots, Paul leaned in, "This way," he whispered, taking her arm and leading her across the deck.

They didn't go far. When they stopped, Faith blinked not believing what she was looking at, "Is that for me?" she said, her voice rising in excitement.

Paul nodded, his smile growing from seeing her excitement, "Yup… this is the VR-041 Saber Cyclone armed with the Close Assault and Defense System. I figured the CADS blades would be more your style."

Faith didn't hesitate, jumping on the Cyclone's seat and checking out its controls. She'd driven her fair share of bikes, so some controls seemed familiar, but then there were buttons and controls that were a complete mystery to her.

Her heart raced, anticipating starting up this bad boy and taking it for a spin. A sudden thought entered her head, which put the brakes to her excitement.

"Why?" she said, eyeing Paul, and wondering what he was up to.

Paul shrugged, "Can't a guy do nice things for his—"

Faith's demeanor changed as her temporarily forgotten emotional baggage came rushing back, "I thought we put this conversation on hold?" she said, shaking her head.

"It's just a saying…" he sighed, wishing he'd thought first before speaking.

His answer didn't completely mollify Faith, but her excitement was too hard to keep restrained, "This isn't some sort of gift to thank me for the sex…? Not that I'm complaining about getting this bitchin' ride," she said, eyeing Paul again.

Paul shook his head, "No, I'm taking care of some business by giving you this Cyclone."

His response piqued her curiosity, "How?"

"Lieutenant Evans informed me that a number of Potentials have expressed an interest in taking flight training and becoming fighter pilots…"

This news caught Faith by surprise. She wondered about the number of Potentials involved and who, as Paul continued, "I'm going to let them join the training, which also got me thinking about other things. I think giving you something like this would give you an advantage, but there is one big string attached…"

Out of habit, Faith rolled her eyes hearing there were conditions attached, "Isn't there always," she muttered.

Paul sighed, hoping his 'big string' wouldn't be an issue with her, "This 'bitchin' ride' is unlike any vehicle you've ever driven before. You're going to learn how to use it, so you become an even more effective weapon with it. Sergeant Bronowski will oversee your training."

"How hard is that going to be?" she snorted, bristling at the thought of training along with her deep-seated distrust of authority.

"I was going to tell you, but I think I'll let you enjoy that experience," Paul laughed, reading her expression.

"Whatever… I'm sure it'll be a snap. When do I start this training?" she said, rolling her eyes again.

"Tomorrow, if you like."

Faith considered what Paul had said, "Are you going to give Buffy one of these too?"

"I'll talk to her tomorrow, but this right now is just your moment," Paul said, smiling as he moved closer to Faith.

His sentimentality caught her by surprise, but her excitement over the Cyclone took over, "Can I start her up?" she said.

Paul wondered when she would finally ask. That was why he had Chief Larson bring the Cyclone to the launch bay in the first place, "Go ahead. Just take it slow and watch yourself… don't want you smacking into a wall."

Faith nodded her head as Paul gave her a quick rundown on the Cyclone and what buttons and levers to touch along with, not what to touch right now.

The roar of the Cyclone's engine echoed through the deserted launch bay as she started the motorcycle. Excitement raced through her as she revved the engine several times before letting go of the brake and screaming down the launch bay deck.

Paul watched as the Cyclone took off down the deck, the engine reverberating through the launch bay. He could have sworn he could hear Faith yelling over the engine as she tore down the launch bay. The squealing of tires on the metal deck echoed as she slammed on the brakes, then turned around and came roaring back, screeching to a stop beside him.

"This is wicked!" she shouted while revving the engine.

"You're welcome…" Paul said, the roaring engine drowning out his voice.

"Did you say something?"

Paul shook his head, rolling his eyes, "Nothing."

Faith cut the engine, sitting there savoring the moment. A sheepish smile filled her face as she eyed Paul, "I-I don't know what to say…"

"Thank-you usually works."

Faith sighed, "Yeah… thanks. I mean it. Not many people have given me gifts without wanting something from me in return…"

Paul understood what she was saying. His own experiences from living on the streets had taught him the hard way that no one ever gave you something without wanting something in return.

He shrugged while pushing back on the old memories, "The only condition is that you take the training, so you know how to use it properly. You don't even have to have sex with me anymore if you don't want to… if that makes you feel better."

Faith reached out, grabbing the front of Paul's uniform, pulling him close, "Yeah… no… that's not going to happen," she said, smirking.

Paul didn't resist as a smile filled his face, "Well… only if you insist," he said, looking deep into her eyes.

"Yeah, I insist," Faith said, kissing him hard.

Chapter Text

CHAPTER SEVEN
I was born ready

"In hindsight, Coleiro's decision to open flight training to the Potentials was a decision that would reap huge benefits years down the road. He only expected a small number to apply for the training, but the numbers that applied resulted in some minor friction with Buffy Summers and Giles Rupert. Even years later, there is still speculation if his decision was fortuitous or if, as later events showed, a higher power was at work, guiding his hand. He is on record as explaining his decision as one that seemed like a good idea at the time. It is hard not to stress the impact of the release of the 'Essence of the Slayer' had on those Potentials that stayed with the Arcadia. Their awakening after the Cleveland Hellmouth incident, back on Earth, came at a critical time in galactic events. Before the awakening they were already on their way to becoming outstanding fighter pilots… afterwards they were great. It is not surprising that friends and foes alike referred to them as Death's Mistresses…"

— The Official History of Skull Squadron

oOoOo

Megan tried to maintain an outward aura of calm professionalism while being escorted down the corridor by four armed soldiers in body armor. She tried noting and memorizing any details or information that looked important, but it was hard as her guts churned with fear and uncertainty over her current predicament.

Her air force survival training never covered being captured in space by aliens and brought aboard their ship. The whole situation seemed like a bad dream or something yanked from an episode of the Outer Limits or Twilight Zone.

What she hadn't expected when she regained conscious was to be in a hospital surrounded by people speaking English. Any thoughts of escape faded as the reality of her predicament sank in along with the armed guards outside her room preventing any chances.

Other than the medical staff checking on her and bringing food, there'd been no interrogation or demands for information from her. She tried to find out about Harper and Hodge, and if they were alive or dead, but those attempts went nowhere as her captors rebuffed them. While her captors appeared polite, she thought she detected a trace of hostility from some of them.

She was being well-treated, and the hospital room was at least better than being kept in a jail cell or worse. The problem with this 'soft treatment' was dealing with her growing boredom. She worried about keeping her focus and guard up, reminding herself that even though she was being well-treated, she was still a prisoner on this alien ship.

Even when her situation finally changed, it wasn't what she was expecting. Rather than the much expected alien interrogation team, the group that came to see her was… different.

There were four of them, closing the door behind themselves, leaving the guards outside. Three young women in their early twenties, accompanied by a middle-aged man with glasses, who looked more like a school teacher or even a librarian.

Megan briefly considered trying to take one of them hostage to bargain for her freedom. That plan died quickly as she got a sense the blonde and brunette wouldn't be easy pushovers.

She tried to project a calm attitude as she lounged in her bed, but inside she was a mess of tense emotions. Her stomach flip-flopped as she prepared for whatever questioning or interrogation process they planned to inflict on her.

Even then her expectations took another strange turn. The group didn't ask her questions, and she got the strange sense they were studying her. It got even weirder when Megan could have sworn the brunette was giving her a jealous look… the stay away from my boyfriend or I'll kill you vibe.

I haven't seen that look since high school, she'd thought.

Megan reached the limits of her frustration and began demanding they answer her questions and let her go. The group ignored her outbursts, talking amongst themselves as they continued studying her.

The red-head finally stepped forward and spoke some words. Megan didn't recognize the language, but she thought it sounded like Latin.

For a moment everyone stood there, saying nothing. Megan got the sense they were waiting for something to happen. After another moment, the group knocked on the door for the guards to let them out. As they left, she could have sworn seeing a look of disappointment on the brunette's face.

After more interminable waiting, the guards came to take her away…

oOoOo

Paul fought the urge to get up and pace around the conference room while waiting for his "guest" to arrive.

After the demon incident, he had his medical people run every scan under the sun to ensure the remaining shuttle survivor was human and not another demon. He'd even resorted to enlisting Giles and Willow to help, using their knowledge of demons and magic. They'd tried a magic spell to reveal if their guest was a demon or not.

Everything pointed to the woman being a normal human, but Paul wasn't taking any chances. A ten-man security detail, in full Cyclone armor, was on standby to respond to any threats. He'd also hidden his Owens energy machine pistol in an easily accessible spot, if he needed it.

Memories of Sonia drifted in his thoughts, and he realized it wasn't the security arrangements for this meeting setting him on edge. He pushed down his nervousness and doubts as the conference room door opened, and the woman entered with her guards.

oOoOo

Relief filled Megan when she entered what looked like a standard conference meeting room and not an interrogation cell or torture chamber. She immediately noted the man sitting at the end of the table, waiting for her.

The guards coming to attention threw her off, but she shifted her focus back on the man sitting at the conference table. Her survival training kicked in as she got the sense her situation was now taking a more serious turn. She took a deep breath, studying the man, sizing up her new adversary, trying to get a sense of who he was and the threat he represented.

Whoever he is… he's either someone high up or the man-in-charge, she thought.

The man stood, "Please sit," he said in perfect English, waving a hand towards a chair near him as the guards left.

Megan made no motion towards the offered chair, taking a parade rest stance instead. She was tired of the whole situation. She wanted answers and to go home, "I demand to know who you are and that you release me or allow me to contact my government! Until then I'm only required to give you my name, rank and serial number… Captain Megan Blair… United States Air Force… 399-04-0924."

Paul paused to gather his thoughts, struggling to maintain his composure upon hearing the woman's voice.

Damn! It sounds exactly like her.

He took a deep breath, "At ease, Captain. I'm not going to ask you anything top secret or about your planet's military deployments. Please take a seat."

Megan refused to budge, "Blair… Megan… Captain… 399-04-0924."

Old memories danced in Paul's head. He tried not to laugh, recognizing the same streak of stubbornness that his Sonia had. If this woman was in any way similar to his Sonia, then he had an advantage. He tried a fresh approach, "Captain Blair… Megan, is it? Can I ask you a non-military question?"

Megan maintained her parade rest stance. Despite her interrogator's unorthodox approach, her survival training prompted her not to respond or hold off responding to questions for as long as possible.

"Is your middle name Elizabeth?" Paul said, studying the woman's face. She may not be his Sonia, but she had a lot of the same tells.

Megan couldn't help herself, "You got that off my ID tags…"

"Elizabeth was your grandmother's name… on your mother's side," Paul said, trying to keep his smirk in check at seeing her expression change.

Shock and dread filled Megan as she stared at the man, now smiling at her, "You drugged me! You read my mind!" she said.

Paul moved closer to the stunned-looking woman, "Rest easy, Captain. We're not mind readers and we haven't drugged you. Let's just say, I have a unique perspective," he said.

Megan didn't know what kind of game her captors were playing, but she found herself off balance and unable to cope. As her interrogator came closer, she got a better view of him… it was his eyes that caught her attention.

They were deep dark eyes, giving off a vibe of someone powerful and not someone you would want to mess with. She experienced a strange sense of deja vu… that they'd met before. But she would definitely have remembered meeting a man like this before.

"I'm Captain Paul Coleiro. I'm commander of this ship, welcome aboard the REF Cruiser Arcadia," he said, offering his hand.

oOoOo

Paul sipped on his coffee, enjoying this break in the cafeteria with Faith. Glancing around, he noticed Lieutenant Hanson and Dawn Summers at another table. His First Officer seemed no worse for wear, even with his arm still bandaged and in a sling. A huge smile etched the young Lieutenant's face while Dawn talked up a storm. At another table, Lieutenant Evans and Xander were holding hands and sharing small talk with both smiling and letting out the occasional laugh.

Paul turned his attention back to Faith, catching her looking around the cafeteria too. She gave him a smirk, "It looks like you've got yourself a regular Love Boat going on here, Captain Stubing," she said.

He laughed, picking up the gist of her joke despite not understanding all the references, "I'll have Engineering check the O2 system. There must be something in the air," he said, recalling passing Sergeant Bronowski leaving the cafeteria in the company of a blonde.

The levity of the moment faded as the expression on Faith's face became more serious, "What's wrong?" he said.

Faith sighed, "How did it go with… ummm?"

"You mean Captain Blair… and her first name is Megan if that makes you feel better."

Faith didn't respond, but seemed somewhat relieved, "It went as well as one could expect for telling someone they're on a ship from an alternate universe," he said.

"What about the nukes, and that demon? Did she have anything to say about that?" Faith said.

Paul shrugged, "She said she doesn't know anything about any demons. She also swears she heard none of our warning messages."

"Yeah, right," Faith said, rolling her eyes.

"I don't know… she didn't believe me when I told her one of her crew was a demon. She seemed honestly surprised to hear one of her crew attacked my crew."

"So, what now?"

Paul shrugged again, "To be honest, I haven't thought that far ahead. We might use her when we contact her government. For now, I'm going to release her from Medical. She'll be staying on the same deck as you and the others."

Faith started to object, but Paul cut her off, "Yeah, I know what you're going to say… how can we trust her? She's not a prisoner… yet. Like I said, we might need her, so we need to build some trust between us. Plus, between security, you, Buffy and the others, we'll be able to monitor her."

Paul noted Faith didn't appear completely convinced with his arguments. He changed the subject, "When are you starting your training with Sergeant Bronowski?"

"We're scheduled to go later this afternoon after the-the…" Faith's voice trailed off.

Paul nodded, taking on a somber tone, "Yeah, we have the memorial service for those killed by the demon."

Faith noted the change in him, "You going to be okay?"

Memories of past battles along with lost friends and comrades filled his thoughts, "Yeah, it's never easy losing people you're responsible for, it comes with the rank. This is the least we can do… there's nobody else here besides us that will remember them," Paul sighed.

Faith reached over, taking his hand and gave him a reassuring squeeze, trying to snap him out of his melancholy, "We won't forget them," she said.

Paul nodded, feeling some weight lifted from his shoulders. He finished his coffee, and then stood to leave, "I have to go change uniforms for the service. I'll see you there?"

Faith nodded, "Yeah. You'll stop by later to check out on how I master the Cyclone?" she said.

A snort escaped him as a smile grew across his face, "Yeah, I'll be by to check out your training. I'm looking forward to that."

As Paul left, a puzzled Faith could have sworn he was having a laugh at her expense.

oOoOo

Xander and Cassie walked quietly, holding hands, as they made their way back from the memorial service for the crew members killed by the Brachen Demon.

It had been a somber affair, but Xander noticed Cassie seemed more gloomy and taking it hard. He tried to figure when it would be the best time to talk to her, but realized there would be no perfect time, so he dived right into it.

"What's wrong?" he said.

Cassie shook her head, trying to brush off the question, "Nothing… I'm okay."

"I think I can tell if you're upset. Did you know any of the people?"

"No… I didn't know any of them."

"Then why…?" Xander said, then the realization hit him, "This is about your ship and crew, isn't it?"

Cassie nodded shakily, and Xander could see she was about to lose it. He didn't hesitate, pulling her close, hugging her tightly as she sobbed into his chest. They stood there for a while as he held and rocked her.

She finally pulled away, her red-rimmed eyes meeting his. Xander couldn't believe how vulnerable and beautiful Cassie looked in this moment. He leaned in and kissed her gently on the forehead as she sniffed.

"Damn, you're beautiful even when you're sniffling," he said, gazing into her eyes.

Cassie snorted and smiled, "You're such an ass-kisser, aren't you?"

"Only yours," Xander said, smirking. He leaned in again and this time kissed her on the lips. The kiss lingered and as a surge of electricity flowed through him, Xander pulled Cassie closer.

They reluctantly parted, "You doing anything tonight?" he said, the desire obvious in his voice.

Cassie smiled nervously, realizing what Xander was referring to, "No, I've got training this afternoon, but the Captain said to keep it light and easy today and tomorrow. I figure we'll just work in the simulators. What're you doing today?"

"Chief Larson has got everyone on light duties too. She gave me the scoop on some interesting news…"

Cassie perked up, "What?"

"It sounds like the Captain gave Faith one of those Cyclone bikes. She's supposed to train on it this afternoon. The Chief said it should be entertaining, so I was going to swing by to watch."

Cassie struggled to keep from laughing as she recalled her own training with the Cyclone, "God, I wish I could be there to watch!"

Xander shrugged, "What's the big deal?"

Cassie shook her head, seeing his confusion, "Just go watch and you'll see."

oOoOo

Faith struggled to keep her smirk from growing into a full smile from the all the attention she was attracting as she headed towards the launch bay.

The body armor and the tight fitting REF uniform she wore underneath seemed like overkill. But Paul assured her it was all necessary. The one thing she drew the line at was cutting her hair short, despite Paul saying the helmet would fit better. She was only willing to go so far with compromising, and she wasn't ready to go with a short haircut like Cassie.

When she entered the launch bay, there was a small group of people, standing off to the side, gathered in the launch bay. It surprised her to see Chief Larson and Xander among the assembled crowd.

The unexpected crowd caused her a momentary sense of self-consciousness and doubt. Those sensations quickly faded as her eyes locked on to the two Cyclones parked on the launch deck. She recognized Sergeant Bronowski from their sparring match, also in full armor, standing beside the Cyclones.

"Nice of you to join me, Miss Lehane," said Bronowski.

She smirked, "Faith… you can call me Faith."

"Okay, Faith. You ready to learn how to use a Cyclone?" Bronowski said, giving his student a look over like he would one of his troopers.

"I was born ready. But isn't all this armor kinda overkill."

Bronowski closed his eyes and counted to ten. The Captain had asked him as a favor to train Faith on how to operate the Cyclone. He was leary about giving military equipment to a civilian, but Captain Coleiro stressed how important this training was to him. Plus, it never hurt to have the Captain owing you a favor.

The Sergeant took a deep breath, "The armor is so you can switch your Cyclone from motorcycle mode to Battloid mode. Parts of the motorcycle will mate to your armor during transformation. In Battloid mode, the power armor will increase and enhance your strength and mobility."

"So, I'll be even stronger?"

Bronowski nodded, "Yes, along with increased strength the power armor system will allow you to jump higher and run faster. You will even be able to fly and hover using the bike's thrusters."

A huge smile erupted on Faith's face at the thought of being able to jump buildings and fly, "Sweet…"

Bronowski's expression suddenly became serious, "The important thing to remember is to never, and I mean NEVER engage the transformation process unless you're wearing your armor and helmet. You understand me?"

Faith still smiling nodded her understanding.

Bronowski waved for Faith to come closer, "Okay, I understand you've driven motorcycles before, so I think we can just do a quick review of the basics. After that, I'll show you what all those other controls are for, and how they will keep you alive."

The Sergeant then went over each lever and button and what it did. He explained all the system indicators along with the targeting display and radar. He repeated what everything did and then had Faith repeat it back to him until satisfied.

Bronowski continued on, "Your Cyclone can run on normal gasoline or the Protoculture energy cell when in motorcycle mode. It's recommended to use the gasoline engine as much as possible when in motorcycle mode to extend the life of the energy cell. When you're in Battloid mode, you're using only your Protoculture energy cell,"

"So how long do these energy cells last?" Faith said.

A smile cracked the Sergeant's serious facade, "Good question… you can get about two months out of your energy cell. That's constant combat and riding. If you use your thrusters for flight, it will deplete the cell faster. Plus, the CADS weapon system on this Cyclone also uses Protoculture to engage the high frequency energy field on the blades."

The high-tech talk and terms were going over Faith's head. All these gadgets would just make it more difficult, and she enjoyed living by the 'Keep It Simple, Stupid' motto. It made life so much simpler.

"Can I use the blades without using the high frequency whatchamacallits?"

Bronowski closed his eyes again, taking another deep breath, "Though I don't know why you would. Yes, you can disengage the energy field and use the blades in normal mode, but they won't cause as much damage."

"You sure, those blades look mean enough already. How much damage can they cause?"

Bronowski eyed Faith, "When used properly these blades can open a mecha up like a can opener. There's nothing I know of that these blades can't cut through."

Faith let out a low whistle as a gleam of anticipation twinkled in her eyes, "Cool… what other surprises does this bad boy have?"

"Well, there is the GR-103 mini-missile launcher that's in the nose of the Cyclone. When in Battloid mode, the launchers are in your chest and shoulders…" the Sergeant paused as Faith started laughing.

"Am I amusing you?" he said.

Faith was struggling to keep her laughter in check, "Guys are always looking at my chest, and now it's considered a lethal weapon…!"

Bronowski shook his head while rubbing his temples to keep the growing headache away. He waited for Faith to get herself under control before continuing, "The launcher carries twelve armor piercing missiles. You can use the launcher in both motorcycle and Battloid modes. For this training, your Cyclone has no missiles loaded, but you can still activate the targeting system and perform simulated launches."

All this training was wearing thin on Faith's patience as her anticipation grew to ride the Cyclone again, "Well, what're we waiting for! Let's fire this bad boy up and dance!" she said, giving the Sergeant an excited smile.

"Hold your horses! I can see you're eager, but you need to understand the most important part about using this equipment and switching to Battloid mode," Bronowski said, shaking his head.

Faith shrugged as her impatience and anticipation overrode common sense, "What's the big deal…? I press a button and presto… instant Super-Slayer!"

A smirk flashed on Bronowski's face, already seeing how this would end, "Okay, you think you know it all. Let's start up the Cyclone and ride around the deck to get comfortable, and when you're ready, press the transformation button."

Faith didn't know how to interpret the Sergeant's expression, but again impatience and anticipation won out as she jumped on her bike. A sense of triumph and exuberance filled her as she brought the Cyclone's engine to life, filling the launch bay with roaring. She threw caution to the wind as she peeled off and roared down the launch bay with the Sergeant following at a safe distance.

There was no holding back as Faith pushed the Cyclone this time… going faster, doing quick stops and spins to get a better feel for the bike.

After several laps around the launch bay, she was at the far end of the bay when someone entered the bay. She recalled the Sergeant's instructions and activated her helmet optics, zooming in to Paul coming to watch her like he promised.

An eager smile flashed across her face as she gunned the throttle while holding the brake. The rear wheel spun and squealed against the deck plating.

Time to show them how to do this…

Faith let go of the brake, and the Cyclone shot down the deck. In a matter of seconds, she'd already reach the halfway point down the launch bay. The smile was still on her face as she hit the transformation switch…

It was a good thing she was wearing full armor. The bike started shifting, trying to transform around her. Suddenly, she was flying through the air, followed by slamming into the deck, and tumbling along it before coming to a stop.

Her muscles ached as she slowly stood up and checked herself out. She glanced back at her Cyclone lying on the deck. The machine bore no resemblance to the motorcycle she'd just been riding.

Faith limped back to the "thing" that had been her motorcycle as Sergeant Bronowski rolled up on his bike. His visor was up and she could see the huge smirk plastered across his face.

She stood there staring down at the misshapen, grotesque looking motorcycle that laid there as if it was taunting her. She didn't take her eyes from her Cyclone as Paul came up beside her.

"Don't say it!" Faith said brusquely, lifting her helmet visor up, as embarrassment filled her. The people watching, now talking and smiling amongst themselves, was a painful reminder of her screw up.

"I wasn't going to say a thing…" Paul said, keeping a poker face as he stood beside her. He waited the appropriate length of time before cracking a small smile, "But, if I was going to say something… I would first ask if you're alright. Then I would make a comment about the mess you have there. I would then follow it up by asking if you would like some help."

He saw Faith's armored clad hands clench into fists. After a moment she unclenched them, letting out a deep sigh, "Okay, what did I do wrong?" she said, a sheepish expression now filling her face.

oOoOo

Paul and Sergeant Bronowski helped get her Cyclone back into motorcycle mode. Humbled by her previous attempt, there was no smile this time as she revved the throttle on her Cyclone.

They explained to her what she had to do during the transformation process and the role her helmet or "thinking cap" played. They told her that Robotechnology was more than just flipping levers or pushing buttons. It was a merging between man and machine… you had to think the machine through the transformation as it reacted to your thoughts.

It sounded like magic, but when looking back, she admitted to experiencing a strange sensation when she hit the transformation lever… as if the bike wanted something more from her. She'd ignored it on her first attempt, but she now understood what was happening. Despite still being a little shaky from her wipeout, she wanted to try again, and this time get it right.

The Cyclone surged with power as she let go of the brake and roared down the deck. She overcame any hesitation as she reached for the transformation lever and flipped the switch.

Again, the vibe reached out to her, but this time she understood what it was so she didn't ignore or fight it. As instructed, she relaxed her thoughts and let the transformation process guide her, sensing the Cyclone change shape around her. She was suddenly on her feet in a combat stance as a newfound power surged through her as she wielded the power armor.

Holy crap! So this is what it feels like to be a god!

A satisfied Paul, filled with pride, watched Faith handling the power armor, "Sergeant, I would say she seems to have grasped the fundamentals."

An equally impressed Bronowski nodded, "Yes, sir. I would have to agree with you."

Faith lept across the launch bay, landing near Paul and Bronowski. A huge beaming smile filled her face as she lifted her helmet visor, "This is AWESOME!" she said.

Paul couldn't help mirroring Faith's enormous smile, "Sergeant, I think she's ready for weapons training now," he said.

"Yes, sir."

Being a Slayer, her experience helped immensely with the CADS blade training. At first, she'd been a little unsure of the size and weight of the blades, but with her power armor amplified strength, she quickly got used to them. In no time, she was wielding them as if they were natural extensions of her arms.

While in Battloid mode, she was moving and reacting faster than she thought was possible. It was if her Cyclone could touch the Slayer inside her and was grasping on to this new level of power. If she had to describe the vibe she was experiencing, it was like touching raw power.

The Sergeant walked her through on how to use the Cyclone's missile system, completing simulated launches in both motorcycle and Battloid modes. Despite Bronowski's assurances, she had doubts about using that weapon system. There were no doubts regarding using the CADS blades. She now wished for a chance to go back to Sunnydale and square off for a rematch against the Turok-Hans.

Paul interrupted her thoughts, "Huh? Sorry, I was thinking about how the first demon is going to crap his pants when I show up like this," she said.

Paul chuckled, "Yeah, I can imagine… you look damn intimidating right now."

"Yeah, I do make this look good," she said, flashing a predator-like smile.

Both Paul and Bronowski shook their heads laughing, but they were both impressed by how quickly she had gotten adept and comfortable using the Cyclone in both modes.

Paul had no doubts about his decision at seeing how much more dangerous Faith was in the power armor. He still had to talk to Buffy about equipping her with a Cyclone and arranging training, but he saw no issues, especially with Faith now being an excited convert.

His smile mirrored Faith's predator-like gleam as he imagined the impact of equipping the Slayers with Robotech weaponry would have against demons and The First Evil.

Paul's thoughts had shifted to how Faith and he would celebrate her successful training when he heard his name being paged over the ship's PA system. Celebratory thoughts were still at the forefront as he answered the page from the nearest communications panel.

"Coleiro here…" he said, watching Sergeant Bronowski now instruct Faith on how to use her thrusters.

"Sir, Commander Schmidt is requesting an immediate meeting with you."

The tone caught Paul off-guard, sending an unexpected chill through his body, "Tell the Commander I'll meet him in Engineering in twenty minutes," he said.

"Sir, the Commander asked to meet with you in the War Room. He stressed that it couldn't wait."

oOoOo

The earlier chill now became a bad feeling as Paul entered the War Room and saw Commander Schmidt. From his appearance, it was obvious the Commander had gotten little sleep, and was also stressed out about something as he paced back and forth.

"Commander, you wanted to see me?"

Schmidt stopped his pacing, coming to attention, "Yes, sir. We've got a situation developing."

The way the Commander emphasized the word 'situation' didn't bode well, and only reinforced the growing bad feeling, "What's the problem?" Paul said.

Schmidt didn't hesitate, turning to the War Room's holographic table and typing in commands to the keyboard. A three-dimensional image flashed above the table.

It took Paul a moment to orient himself and realize he was looking at the star system of their last battle before crossing over to this universe.

"Sir, as you know when the alien weapon hit us, it distorted our space fold field and expanded it beyond its normal size."

Alarm bells echoed in Paul's head as the holographic representation of the Arcadia's space fold field grew, extending across the star system, covering more and more space, "Yes. Are you saying that our space fold field expanded to cover a larger area than we first estimated?"

Schmidt nodded, sighing in relief on the Captain's quick uptake of the situation, "Sir, the distortion to our space fold wasn't a uniform size when we folded."

"How's that possible?" Paul said, staring at his Chief Engineer incredulously.

"I don't know, sir. From the sensor data, I've been able to determine our space fold field got stretched out like an elastic band."

A sense of dread filled Paul as he found himself afraid to ask, "Do we know how far the field got stretched?"

Schmidt's face became even grimmer, "I don't have a precise mapped out area, but I can give you an approximation," he said, tapping more commands into the keyboard. The space fold field shifted and reshaped as parts of the field stretched outwards in random directions, covering even more of the system.

Paul's stomach dropped away as he watched the areas of space get covered by the distorted space fold field. Time slowed as he heard himself say, "Can you put up the positions of the Invid fleet and other alien ships relative to the distorted space fold field."

Schmidt nodded, typing in the commands. Paul's legs turned to rubber as holographic representations of enemy ships flashed into existence on the display.

"Jesus…" Paul muttered, watching as Arcadia's distorted space fold field stretched out, cutting right through the middle of the Invid fleet positions.

"Our sensor logs… how many Mollusk carriers are in the affected area?" Paul said, his eyes locked on the display and its foreshadowing of coming death.

Schmidt gulped, trying to find his voice, "The space fold cut through the third wave of carriers that were advancing on us. It was right at the edge, so it's hard to give an exact number…"

"How many, Commander?" Paul ordered.

Schmidt let out a deep sigh, "Sir, we're estimating at least twenty-five plus carriers caught in the effect."

Visions of Earth being destroyed by the Zentraedi played through his head as Paul closed his eyes. He saw his mother and sister caught in the explosion, but then suddenly it was Faith in their place. A deep stabbing pain struck him as he watched her being caught and swallowed up by the explosions and fire.

"Sir?"

Paul opened his eyes to find a pale-looking Schmidt staring at him. The Commander looked at him as if Paul could somehow wave his hands and make the oncoming death and destruction magically disappear. His throat was dry as the desert as he gathered his thoughts.

His voice croaked, "Why didn't the Invid defold at the same time as us?"

"From what I can tell, the space fold effect in those stretched areas was weaker. When we arrived here, the space fold field stabilized back, but for whatever reason left what was in those affected areas stuck between universes…"

A moment of hope flared inside Paul, but the Commander's face dashed any hopes, "What changed?"

"It was those nukes and that strange energy pattern. When the nukes detonated, they created an immense release of energy that normally wouldn't have affected space or a space fold field. The strange energy pattern… it somehow used and directed the energy released, stabilizing the area of space around us. Everything that got caught in our space fold field is now transitioning back into normal space… in this universe," Schmidt said.

"How long?"

Again, Schmidt typed commands into the keyboard and the holographic display changed to show the space fold field in relation to their current position around Earth and the moon.

"I've built a model to calculate when the affected areas will transition back into normal space. So far, I've been tracking the transitioning of mostly wreckage and debris. The Invid were at the extreme edge of the effect… I estimate the Invid will arrive in three days… four tops."

Images of Faith and the Earth burning danced in Paul's head as he stared at the holographic display in disbelief and the projected arrival position of the Invid carriers.

"At least none of those other alien capital ships were in any of the affected zones," Paul muttered.

Schmidt nodded, "Yes, sir. We'll see more wreckage and even some of our ships caught in the space fold field transition back into normal space over the next three days."

A momentary sense of hope flared in Paul, "Which ships?"

"From the last known positions of our task force, we're looking at maybe a dozen Garfish-class ships. Sensor logs from the battle classify them as either heavily damaged, adrift or abandoned. We'll probably be seeing more of our escape pods, shuttles and some fighters transition, but they'll be a mix lot in various conditions."

"It won't be enough…?" Paul muttered.

"No, sir…" Schmidt said, shaking his head.

Paul moved closer to the command table, his eyes still locked on the holographic display as he activated the communication system, "Bridge, this is the Captain."

"Yes, sir."

"Bring the ship to Yellow Condition…"

"Sir?" the voice on the other end of the channel sounded confused.

"You heard me… Yellow Condition. I want all point defense weapons online and ready."

Obvious nervousness tinged the voice as they replied, "Yes, sir!"

"I want the command staff and all department heads in the main conference room in ten minutes. Understood?"

"Yes, sir!"

Chapter Text

CHAPTER EIGHT
Hard Choices… Difficult Decisions…

"Invid: Classified as an invertebrate, bipedal, crab-like species with four stages of evolution each with their own distinct characteristics and abilities (refer to section on Invid evolutionary stages). The social structure of the Invid would be comparable to that of the bees of Earth with a caste structure in place (refer to section on Workers, Drones and Leadership). They act in a hive-mind mentality, using mass swarm attacks against an enemy with a complete disregard to casualties incurred. The current Invid ruling hierarchy consists (refer to sections on the Regent and The Sentinels Campaign) of a 'queen' called the Regess. Current prevailing theories are she is telepathically and empathically linked to all Invid, instantly transmitting her thoughts, feelings and visions to all the Invid. Their home world of Optera is in the Local Group area of the galaxy. The planet was originally the only known location for the Flower of Life in the galaxy (refer to sections on Protoculture and Robotech Masters). The Flower of Life is central to Invid society and their survival. They consume the flower and have developed a symbiotic relationship with this plant. After the defoliation of Optera by the Robotech Masters, the Invid have been searching and occupying any worlds where the flower has taken root. They show no mercy to the local populations on those planets…"

— excerpt from the REF Field Guide (Tirol, 2036)

oOoOo

Shock, disbelief and fear rippled through the crowd gathered in the conference room as Commander Schmidt finished briefing them on the current situation and what they would be facing.

As the Commander briefed the senior staff, Paul grimly studied their faces to get a feel for how they would react in this crisis. His focus was so much on his people, he didn't realize the Commander had finished his briefing.

Now, as everyone looked to him, Paul took a moment to gather his thoughts, letting the Commander's news sink in. He took a deep breath and stood up to face his people, "Okay… the shit's hitting the fan. There's nothing we can do to stop the Invid from arriving here. What we need to do is come up with a plan to stop them when they arrive."

Stunned silence filled the conference room as everyone tried to deal with the news of impending doom. Paul realized he needed to snap them out before they froze up, "COME'ON PEOPLE! We know we can't hang with them in a straight-up fight since we don't have a fighter screen and we're running low on anti-ship missiles."

Paul nodded as Lieutenant Hanson moved to speak, "Sir, since we know where the Invid will transition back into normal space, can't we mine the area? We can detonate the mines when the Invid carriers transition, but before they can launch their mecha."

A small smile broke Paul's grim look, "Excellent idea, Lieutenant!"

He turned to the ship's Weapons Officer, "Ensign Connors, what's the largest missile warhead yield we have aboard?"

The Ensign typed commands into her tablet to access the ship's weapons inventory, "Sir, we have fourteen Skylord missiles aboard designated for use as hive-busters. They're each armed with three one-megaton warheads."

Paul's smile grew a little larger, "Okay, I want the warheads stripped out of ten of those missiles. Lieutenant Hanson, I want you to oversee the mine-laying operation. You'll work with Commander Schmidt to find the optimum placement points for those warheads, so they vaporize every Invid ship that transitions here. Understood?"

Aaron's smile matched the Captain's at the thought of how—albeit briefly—surprised the Invid would be when they arrived here, "Yes, sir! We'll make sure we give them a warm welcome!"

Paul nodded, moving on to cover other matters, "Okay, we know more of our ships and people will arrive soon showing up before the Invid. I want SAR teams on standby to launch as soon as any of our people transition to recover them. Any of our larger ships that still have propulsion and life support, we will direct them to rendezvous at a muster point in deep space. We will abandon those ships designated as irreparable and lame ducks, transferring their crews to the Arcadia or other ships."

Paul paused, making sure everyone was keeping up, "As our ships and people transition here, we have to be ready for any Invid mecha or other alien fighters appearing. We will maintain our current state of alert with our point defense weapons online and ready. Chief Larson, what's the status of our drone fighters?"

"Sir, of the thirty-five drones recovered, I have eighteen certified ready for flight operations. I can have another ten… maybe fifteen ready in the next forty-eight hours," Larson said.

"Okay… call it twenty-eight drone fighters for deploying as our fighter screen. For now, I want five drones on a rotating combat space patrol to provide support to our point defense weapons. I realize it isn't much of a fighter screen, but it's better than nothing."

Aaron spoke up, "Sir, what are we going to do if the nukes don't stop the Invid? What about this Earth?"

Paul had been considering and dreading this question. He was in charge, and the person to make this hard call, "Right now, we're the only force that can engage the Invid with any hope of success. Our goals are to destroy or inflict heavy damage on the enemy and recover as much of our people, ships and equipment as we can to increase our strength. We will take up a position outside the mine detonation area, but within range so we can engage with our missiles and main guns. If we cannot destroy the Invid force, we will engage in a fighting withdrawal away from Earth, drawing them away from her."

A junior officer spoke up, "Sir, what if the Invid don't follow us and attack Earth?"

Paul's face grew grimmer, "Our forces are the only hope for Earth to survive the Invid. My primary consideration is the survival of this command as a viable fighting force. If the Invid don't follow us and they attack Earth, she'll just have to absorb the attack while we regroup and gather our forces for a counter-strike. We can engage in guerrilla strikes to whittle down their forces as they will be in the same situation as us… they won't have access to reserves and support. They will have the harder time adjusting because they're used to conducting mass swarm attacks. If we can get them to commit and draw them into kill zones… well, that works out better for us."

Paul read their faces, and understood what they were feeling, "This Earth has nothing in the way of space force projection that can assist us against the Invid."

Chief Larson spoke up, giving Paul a hard look, "Are we even going to warn them about what's coming at them?"

Paul shook his head, "I haven't decided on that yet. My concerns with that are… who do we warn, and would they even listen and believe us? Would our warning cause global panic and chaos? From the information we have on the Invid invasion of our Earth, the defense forces there had a limited supply of mecha and Robotech weapons. After exhausting those weapons, they fell back to using older style nuclear weapons. Those weapons had minimal success and only caused more casualties by bringing down a more violent response from the Invid."

"What about the rest of the crew and our… guests?" Aaron said.

"As soon as this meeting is over, I'll make a ship-wide announcement. The department heads will be there to explain to their people what we are doing and going to do. Keep them focused on doing their jobs! For our guests, I will deal with them," even as the words left his mouth, Paul knew it wouldn't be that easy.

He looked around the conference room, seeing the faces of his staff, "Okay, people… we've got a lot of work ahead of us and not a lot of time. Commander Schmidt will continue to work on getting us a more precise arrival time of the Invid ships, so we can plan our reception for them. We will stay at our current alert condition until H-hour minus two hours before Invid transition into normal space. I realize we have lots of work, but also make sure everyone is getting rest and meals. Understood?"

"Yes, sir!" came a chorus of voices, filling the conference room.

"Okay, then… let's get to work!"

oOoOo

The command center hummed busily as General Coulson entered. He made his way over to the Secretary of Defense, who stood watching the display board in the proverbial eye of the storm while specialists and technicians moved around him.

"You called for me, sir?" Coulson said, coming to attention.

The SecDef turned to face Coulson, "Yes, General. It looks like we've got activity going on around the moon."

Coulson noted the man's grim, tired face, but showed no reaction to this news, "Are they making another move?" he said.

The SecDef shook his head, "No… it's not them. We're getting more radar hits. One moment there's nothing there, and the next we're getting radar returns indicating something just appeared… as if out of nowhere."

Coulson struggled to keep his fears and worries in control, "Is it more ships arriving?"

"No, so far the radar returns are not big or solid enough to be ships. What we're detecting are objects of various sizes appearing randomly. From what we've been able to gather with our cameras and telescopes is giving us some confusing results," the SecDef said.

"Sir?" Coulson said, trying to not show his confusion.

"Our analysts are reporting what looks like debris fields in those areas."

Coulson couldn't help himself from raising a quizzical eyebrow, "Debris? What does that mean?"

"I don't know General, but it's giving me a bad feeling."

oOoOo

Charles Gunn tried to maintain a cool outward persona while watching an agitated Angel pace back and forth.

Angel finally stopped his pacing, looking to Gunn, "So the Senior Partners wouldn't tell you what's going on?" he said.

He was trying to stay calm, but it was hard because he was being pulled in all directions, and at the forefront of all his worries was Buffy. There was no news coming out of Sunnydale since the military had surrounded the town and locked it down… nothing was getting in or out.

Angel found it hard to keep his focus wondering if Buffy was alive or dead. The only hint of what was going on was vague rumors about a battle raging in the town. There were few details, but some rumors talked about something stomping on The First Evil and its minions.

Only adding to his worries was his involvement with a clandestine investigation, looking for links between Wolfram & Hart and certain government and military officials.

Angel had taken on this task himself, only involving Wesley and Gunn in the information package drops when necessary. The investigation had been proceeding. He'd dug up—sometimes literally—information, connecting the Vice-President with the firm and some still unknown behind-the-scenes operators, stretching back decades.

That was to say, the investigation was going smoothly until his sources and contacts started drying up over the last few days. At first, he thought it was because the other side was on to his investigation. It soon became clear that something else bigger was coming down the pipe… and it had something to do with what happened in Sunnydale.

There was too much happening at once for it all to be just one big coincidence. Angel asked Gunn to "talk" to the senior partners to see if he could get any information about what was happening.

Gunn, still shaking off the effects of his meeting, shook his head, "No, but whatever is going on has them concerned… almost afraid it that's even possible."

"Why? What's going on?" Angel said, resuming his pacing. He only had a few pieces of the story, not enough to even get a glimpse.

Gunn shrugged, "No clue… I've even talked to all my other sources. They either don't know or have disappeared.

It made little sense to Angel. The Senior Partners always relished at least providing some cryptic message to taunt them, but to say nothing… that spelled major trouble.

Wesley entered, interrupting Angel's pacing. The expression on the former Watcher's face didn't inspire confidence.

"Wes, were you able to talk to The Powers?"

Wesley shook his head, "No, but I tracked down Whistler."

Angel's ears perked up at this glimmer of good news, but Wesley's grim face didn't bode well, "What did he say?"

Wesley sighed, "Not much, other than what was happening was out of their hands."

An exasperated Angel started pacing again, "That's it! Nothing else?"

"Well, there was one other thing, but it didn't make much sense. Whistler said something about the final player arriving soon, and then everything would change."

oOoOo

Paul gazed out the observation deck windows, trying to find a sense of peace among the moon and distant stars. With the Invid arriving soon, that was an impossible task. He'd already made the ship-wide announcement to the crew about the Invid coming and had no doubts about his crew standing up against the Invid.

What most troubled him was the report Lieutenant Hanson and Commander Schmidt had put together. The report projected estimated damage and casualty projections for Earth from an Invid attack, and they were appalling. The numbers of dead and wounded danced in his head as he tried to come up with strategies to defeat the Invid fleet.

Lieutenant Hanson's idea of mining the transition area was a good start. Yet, they couldn't count on the mines to take out all the carriers. If any portion of the Invid fleet survived, they would have to rely on Arcadia's main gun and missile batteries, and the stocks of anti-ship missiles were running low. If the carriers survived the mines and fire, and deployed their mecha, they could swamp and overwhelm the ship's defenses.

At least twenty-five carriers… with at least two hundred Shock Troopers per carrier. That's at least five thousand Invid mecha and what do we have…? Twenty-eight Shadow drone fighters, Lieutenant Evans and myself, and then a handful of barely trained pilots…

Paul believed the mines were their best chance, but what if they estimated wrong? What if more carriers transitioned or if they arrived staggered out?

The mine field was a one-shot deal, and he couldn't rely only on the mines. He needed a backup response plan in case things got worse.

Then there was what to do if the Invid attacked Earth. The Invid couldn't occupy the entire planet, but between their weapons and if Earth's military forces used nukes… the projected numbers of dead and wounded weighed on him.

The key was to distract and draw any Invid away from the planet. If he could get them to chase the Arcadia and somehow lure them into a kill zone. Paul realized for any of this to work and for Earth to have a chance, then the Arcadia had to stay alive.

As he played out the tactical situation in his head, the beginnings of an idea stirred. The comm system chirping put his planning on hold.

"Yes?"

"Sir, there is a group of people here to see you. They're asking to meet with you."

Paul sighed. He'd been expecting this meeting and wasn't looking forward to it, "Send them up," he said.

"Yes, sir."

Paul tried to guess who would be in the group before the observation deck door opened. A small smile flashed on his face as the door opened and Buffy, Faith, Xander, Willow, Giles, Robin and Spike entered the room. He didn't stand, lazily gesturing to the seats around the table, noting their confused looks at his somewhat lax attitude. The group seated themselves around the table, looking at him.

"I take it you're here to talk about my announcement and what we're facing?" Paul said, closing his eyes as he massaged the bridge of his nose.

Giles spoke first, "We want to know how bad the situation is, and what you're doing about it?"

Paul struggled with his growing headache. He was trying to figure out how to explain something to people that had no reference or understanding about what was coming, "It's bad…" he said.

"And, what are you going to do?" Buffy said.

Paul moved to rubbing his temples, "We're working on a response," he said, his eyes still closed.

A snort caused him to open his eyes as his gaze shifted over to Spike. The expression on the vampire's face caused his blood pressure to rise.

"I'll give you the short version about the Invid and what we're facing. They're like a force of nature… they work as a hive-mind and come at you in mass waves. There is no finesse or subtlety in their tactics… they show no fear and they do not stop attacking until either you've killed them all or you're dead…"

Spike's sarcastic smirk was still in place, "So, they're like a demon or vampire… what's the big problem, mate?"

Paul closed his eyes and counted to ten, realizing it wouldn't do any good to lose his cool at this moment. A hard expression filled his face as he opened his eyes, "The problem… mate, is that we're looking at twenty-five plus Invid carriers showing up on our doorstep. Each of those ships carries at least two hundred fighters. Do the math… mate!"

Paul experienced no satisfaction seeing the shock on everyone's faces as they grasped the situation they were facing.

Silence filled the room. It was Buffy who broke it, "What happens to Earth?"

Paul sighed as he leaned forward and typed commands into the console. Everyone's attention shifted to the large wall-mounted display, the data streaming across the screen might as well been gibberish because it meant nothing to them. Their attention turned back to Paul once the data finished streaming.

Paul's voice became distant, "Casualty projections estimate anywhere between five to fifty million people dead with probably double that for wounded. We've based this on the estimated Invid force size, and factoring in that they're drawn to populated areas and your planet's probable military response."

Shock rippled through the room. It was Willow who found her voice first, "Y-You're not going to let them attack Earth… are you?"

"We're obscenely outnumbered, but we have one advantage… we know where they're arriving along with a rough idea of when. As we speak, I've got crew removing Reflex warheads from our largest missiles. We're laying a minefield in that area. When the Invid arrive… well, let's say the Invid better have some pretty heavy sunscreen with them," Paul said, smirking.

"What happens if you don't get all of them?" Spike said.

Paul sighed, "That's part of the problem… we only have an estimate of what's coming. We're hoping the mines take out most if not all the ships. The plan is to place the Arcadia outside the blast radius of the minefield and pick off any of the survivors. The problem with that plan is our supply of anti-ship missiles is running low."

Robin piped up, "What does that mean?"

"That means we'll engage the Invid for as long as we can. The survival of this ship is vital if we're going to be of any help to Earth and the people down there. If we can't destroy the Invid fleet, the plan is to withdraw away from Earth…"

Again, shock rippled through the room, "You can't abandon Earth! All those people!" Buffy blurted out.

"We're hoping the Invid follow us. They're drawn to Protoculture energy sources, and we're the only source of Protoculture. But there's still a chance they could ignore us and attack the planet," Paul said, reading everyone's faces.

"So, running away then…" Spike muttered.

A flash of anger rose in Paul, "I didn't make this decision lightly. If we stand and fight, and we die without destroying the Invid… then Earth will still face an attack and we won't be around to help!"

"C-Can't you ask the government for help?" Willow offered.

Paul sighed, shaking his head, "If we had weeks, we could try to organize and co-ordinate a defense, but there isn't any time to do it. I don't have the time to waste in trying to negotiate with a planet that fired nukes at us."

"What about you know who?" Faith said, "Can't she tell her people we're not the threat?"

Paul shook his head, "There something's going on down there and I don't have time to figure out who I can trust. No… we'll send them a warning when we have to move out from behind the moon to take up our position."

"Sounds pretty cold-hearted," Spike said.

"This is a military problem… sometimes we get the short-end of the stick and we have to accept casualties to achieve our objectives. If all it took to protect Earth was for me to sacrifice this ship…" Paul paused as an idea glimmered, "I wouldn't hesitate in a heartbeat!"

An unexpected chill ran down Faith's spine as she picked up on Paul's pause.

Spike smirked, "Oh, I'm not saying that you're wrong, mate! I'm surprised that you could make such a decision."

"You'll find I'm full of surprises." Paul said, returning the vampire's smirk. All the while his mind churned, working on the idea forming in his head.

oOoOo

Paul finally ended the meeting. The group—except for Spike—wasn't happy with his decision and plans, but it wasn't like they could offer any alternatives. Time was of the most paramount importance and the one positive from the meeting was the group offering to assist in whatever way they could.

As Paul made his way to the Shadow drone fighter hanger deck, his mind worked on the logistics and angles of his newly hatched plan. He also needed to war game his plan to make sure it was viable, but this was a required first stop to set his plan in motion.

The hanger hummed with activity as he entered, techs were working hard servicing and repairing the drone fighters to get them ready for the Invid's arrival. Paul saw Chief Larson and made his way over to her.

Larson caught sight of the Captain coming over, and moved to meet him halfway, "Sir, what can I do for you?" she said.

Even with everything going down, Paul couldn't help but gain reassurance from seeing how calm and collected the Chief always seemed to be in a crisis.

"What's your status, Chief?" he said.

"We're doing good… I should have those fifteen drones ready in forty-eight hours."

"Well, that's good news for a change," Paul said, giving Larson a smirk.

There was a momentary pause as Larson studied the Captain, "You want something, sir?"

Paul bit back a laugh at seeing how easily the Chief could read his transparent actions, "Yes… yes, there is Chief. I want you to prep twelve Beta fighters ready for mating to the drones. You'll co-ordinate with Ensign Connors to ready the bomb bays on the Betas to load the remaining warheads from our Skylord missiles."

Larson couldn't hide her surprise at these new orders, "Sir?"

If it had been anyone else, he wouldn't spend the time explaining, "We can't plan on the minefield killing all those carriers at the transition point. We also know we can't get into a toe-to-toe slugfest with them. If things go bad, my plan is to use the drones with the Betas mated as a moving minefield. The Shadow systems on the drones will make them invisible to Invid sensors, giving them a chance to get closer to their carriers… and maybe we get lucky."

A small smile cracked Larson's face, "We'll need to modify the Beta's bomb bay to take that size of warhead. I would have to divert techs for this work and to prep them, but it's doable," she said, nodding while already working on the planning in her head.

Paul understood he was asking a lot, but he needed this plan in case things went bad, "Do what you need to do to get it done, Chief. I realize we're stretched thin, but I'll give you whatever I can to make this happen."

Larson nodded as she came to attention, giving him a salute, "Yes, sir! We'll do our best, sir!"

oOoOo

"Run war game simulation, Coleiro-Twelve…"

Paul studied the holographic display as it reset and ran the simulation again. The Earth, moon and the Arcadia filled the space above the command table. Twenty-five Mollusk-class Carriers suddenly appeared in space… bright flashes filled the space the Invid carriers occupied.

As the flashes faded, seven surviving carriers advanced towards the Arcadia. The detail of the holographic simulation even showed the Invid ships opening their upper and lower doors to deploy their fighter mecha.

The simulation continued as computer-generated missile and energy weapons fire from the Arcadia engaged the remaining carriers and fighters. While the Arcadia engaged and destroyed the carriers, a wave of 1000+ Invid fighters pursued the human cruiser, trying to close the distance. Twelve Shadow drone fighters with Beta fighters attached took up positions to intercept the incoming fighters… more simulated explosions filled space, and then there were no more enemy ships.

Damn! I love it when a plan comes through…

A self-satisfied expression filled Paul's face, looking over the results of the latest simulation. He'd run twelve simulations, mixing up the number of carriers and fighters surviving the initial minefield. In each simulation, the warhead-carrying drones took up positions around the Invid ships to englobe them, with the overlapping explosions destroying all the attacking ships.

It's overkill, but whenever you deal with the Invid, there is no such thing as too much firepower…

The comm system chirped, "Coleiro here."

"Sir."

"Yes, Chief. What's the word?"

A sinking feeling filled his stomach as a pause filled the channel.

Larson's voice seemed to echo through the War Room, "Sir… we've run into a problem."

Paul exhaled, "How bad is it, Chief?"

"It's the Beta's bomb bay, and the modifications required to get those Reflex warheads to fit in there. It's going to take more work and time to get them all ready than I originally thought. I won't have all twelve fighters ready for when the Invid arrive."

Paul licked his dry lips, "How many, Chief?"

"I'll have six of them ready by the time the Invid arrive. I'm sorry, sir. If we had more time…"

Paul understood he'd been asking a lot of her, hearing the regret and failure filling her voice. He wouldn't blame her for not performing a miracle on demand, "I know, Chief. There's nothing we can do about that. How many drones are we going to have on the line?"

"I can give you thirty-three drones armed and ready, sir!"

"Thanks, Chief," Paul said, cutting the channel.

Paul stood there for a while, staring at the holographic display as if it was taunting him. He hesitated to run the simulations, but he had to know. He entered the new parameters into the simulation and watched them play out.

oOoOo

Ten simulations later, a hard lump filled Paul's stomach as he stared at the holographic display. In each simulation, the six drones exploded, but the explosions didn't cover as big an area of space. Each time this left a large swarm of Invid fighters alive that tracked down and caught the Arcadia, overwhelming her defenses and destroying her.

Damn it! They're spread too far apart to catch them with only six warheads. We need to get them to group closer to get the maximum effect of the blasts…

Paul wracked his brains as he studied and compared the results from these latest simulations.

Okay, let's not get too far ahead of ourselves… battle damage projection estimates have the minefield at an 80%-90% chance of taking out all the Invid carriers. It's just what happens with that damn percentage we miss! They'll come after us and swarm us. The upside is we at least bleed off most of the Invid so Earth has a better chance, but it would be nice if we could all survive. There has to be a way of getting the Invid to group closer together…

Time had no meaning as he stared at the holographic display, desperately trying to find a solution to his predicament. He realized he needed to get the Invid to close ranks to make the most of the warheads he had.

Just as he was about to give up in frustration, the flicker of an idea shone through. As his idea took form, he input the additional information and parameters into the command table's console to use in his simulations.

"Run war game simulation Coleiro-Twenty-three…"

The computer ran the simulation, allowing for ten carriers to survive the initial minefield. This time, rather than just the warhead-armed drones going out to meet the oncoming enemy, a fighter screen of forty-nine drones and manned Alpha fighters preceded them.

Paul watched as the holographic simulation had the fighter screen engage the Invid, getting them to close up and group together. The six warhead-carrying drones took up positions around the engaging forces and detonated… this time the overlapping explosions took out all the Invid, along with all the human fighters. Paul stared at the table for a long time.

Okay… this is not my best idea ever, and it sucks six ways from Sunday. I have twenty-seven drones available for the fighter screen which means myself, Lieutenant Evans and twenty half-trained pilots will have to man the remaining fighters. Evans and I would last long enough, but sending twenty people out as fodder… they wouldn't last a minute against the Invid. I have to find the right number of fighters to deploy…

He programed the computer to run multiple scenarios, this time drawing on the ship's current available resources and applying known Invid tactics and responses. He hoped to find the minimum number of fighters required to draw the Invid into the kill zone.

Paul stood back, arms crossed, watching as the computer ran multiple simulations. Simulation after simulation flashed over the command table, testing different combinations at speeds the human eye could barely keep up with. It didn't take as long as expected for the computer to complete its run and display the results. The simulation results burned into his eyes as he grasped what he was reading.

To achieve required maximum kill ratios with current ship resources, estimated projections will require thirty-four fighters deployed for all operation roles…

The math hit him like a cruel hammer as thoughts raced through his head, So this is how it ends…

Okay, let's not get ahead of ourselves. There's still a chance we'll catch a break and kill all the carriers at the transition point, and I won't have to go ahead with this plan…

Paul bit back a sarcastic laugh, knowing how cruel the universe could be.

I have to be ready to go, just in case…

He activated the comm system. He didn't have to wait long for a response.

"Chief Larson here."

"Chief… I've been running simulations using the new numbers. We'll be lighter than I originally planned, but I've come up with a plan to maximize our available warhead yield…"

"Yes, sir. I'm all ears."

"We'll launch all our remaining drones to act as a fighter screen for the warhead-carrying drones. They'll engage the Invid and get them to group up, and when they do, well…"

"Sounds good, sir! All drones will be ready to go! You can count on it!" said Larson.

"I know, Chief… There's still a chance some Invid fighters may survive, so we may have to launch manned fighters to engage and support our point defense weapons."

"Understood, sir. Whatever you need."

"I want twenty Alphas prepped and armed for launch…"

"Yes, sir. Anything else?"

Paul took a deep breath, "Yes, I also want my Shadow fighter prepped with a Beta mated to it."

A strange pause filled the comm channel before Larson spoke again, "Sir, is there something wrong?"

Paul swore to himself. If the Chief found out what he was planning to do, she would kick his ass. He would need to be careful around her if he was going to keep his plan a secret, which would be no easy feat.

Maybe it'll all work out, he thought.

"No, Chief. We're good. I'm just making sure we've got everything covered. The simulations look good, so this might all be moot."

"Yes, sir. We'll have everything ready to go by the time the Invid arrive."

"Thanks, Rac—uh, Chief."

Another pause filled the comm channel before Larson spoke, "Sir? You sure nothing is wrong?"

"Other than the Invid coming, everything's good, Chief."

Paul cursed himself over his verbal slip up as he ended the call. He glanced up, taking in the simulation results still plastered above the command table.

His thoughts drifted as images danced in his head… he saw his Earth burning under Zentraedi bombardment. He replayed the memory of his mom and sister dying. A pang of regret stabbed him as Faith came to the forefront of his thoughts.

I always wanted to go out with a bang… One for nearly four hundred… that's not a bad exchange…

A voice interrupted his thoughts, "They said you were hiding in here."

Paul quickly erased the results being displayed before turning to face Faith. A smile filled his face as she walked over to him.

As Faith made her way closer to Paul, an unexpected, strange chill ran through her, bringing a worried look to her face, "Is something wrong?" she said.

Paul read her worry and tried to put her mind at ease, "No… I'm just working through some planning for when the Invid arrive. I was running computer simulations to test out ideas and make sure I've covered off everything." he said, meeting her eyes.

Despite his reassurances, Faith couldn't shake the strange feeling, "You sure everything's okay?"

Paul hated to lie to Faith, but along with Chief Larson, they would both do everything in their power to keep him from going through with his plan. He reached out and stroked her hair, "It all looks good… we'll be alright… everyone on the Arcadia will be fine," he said.

This worked as a small smile replaced her worried look, "I came by to see if you wanted to grab a bite to eat and take a break," she said.

Paul snorted, "How come I think your meaning of 'a break' means I won't be getting much of a rest."

Faith's smile grew bigger, "I guess that makes you a mind reader. You going to complain?"

A brief thought flashed through Paul's head, Eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die…

"No… not in the least," he said, taking Faith's hand and letting her lead him out of the War Room.

Chapter Text

CHAPTER NINE
What's the rush?

"Some days it was hard dealing with what was happening all around us. We'd barely survived Sunnydale to end up in space with our own government firing nuclear missiles at us and demons running around the ship. Then Kennedy sprung the news she was taking pilot training along with other Potentials… as if being a Slayer Potential wasn't dangerous enough. I guess I was still recovering from losing Tara and here was Kennedy wanting to put herself in even more danger. Then came the Captain's announcement about the Invid coming. Unlike the others, I had seen REF records and had a rough idea of what we were facing. I almost wished that we were back in Sunnydale and only had to worry about vampires and demons trying to kill us…"

— Willow Rosenberg

oOoOo

Faith lay stretched out in bed, watching Paul as he got dressed, "What's the rush?"

Paul raised an eyebrow, glancing at her, "The rush? We spent the last hour taking 'a break' and I have to get back to work… you know—"

"Yeah, yeah… I know the end of world is coming and all that… been there, done that, got the t-shirt and scar," she snorted.

A small wicked smile flashed on her, "You sure you want to rush off?" she said, teasingly flipping back the blanket to expose herself.

Paul sighed, but added his own smile, taking in Faith's body, "I promise you once we deal with the Invid, we will take time off. I'll stock my cabin with food and water and we're not coming out for a week."

Faith's smile grew at the thought, "Don't forget handcuffs…"

Paul moved closer, leaning across the bed over her, gazing into her eyes, "No… we won't forget the handcuffs," he whispered, leaning in to give a hard long kiss.

A huge smile filled Faith's face as he pulled away, "Ummm… that was pretty intense. What's up?"

The words left his mouth before he could catch them, "I care about you… I—"

Faith's smile switched to an almost pained expression as his words tore at her emotional scars, "Don't say it!" she said, rolling away from him.

Paul watched as Faith got out of bed and gathered up her clothes. His frustration boiled over as the computer results from the war game simulations played over again in his head, "Why the hell not!" he said.

"I don't do relationships…" Faith said, pulling her clothes back on.

He didn't hold back his exasperation… there wasn't time to hold back his feelings, "Jesus! It's not like I'm asking you to marry me! I'm telling you how I feel about you!"

Faith wished Paul hadn't started this conversation as she'd just got somewhat comfortable with the whole 'being together' thing. It surprised her to find a part of herself wanting more with him, but as his words sank in, her life flashed before her eyes.

The old doubts and fears came rushing back, pulling on her as an inner voice screamed in her head she wasn't deserving of happiness or love. She could never give him what he wanted… no matter how much she wanted to.

Maybe this is a sign to get things out and get this over with, she thought.

Faith shook her head, "Yeah, you say that now, but then you'll want more. I'm not the house in the suburbs with kids and the white picket fence type, and I'll never be that type. I'm a Slayer… the Chosen One… okay, the Chosen Two if you count Buffy, but do you understand what that means?"

Her face became distant and sad as she battled with her inner turmoil and regrets, "It means that someday… a vampire or demon will kill me. I don't get to live a normal life."

Paul realized he'd overextended, but he wasn't going to back down now, "Normal?" he snorted, "Live a normal life! I'm not exactly Mr. Normal here either! I fly fighters for a living, and to be perfectly honest, I've gone way past my life expectancy. You don't do normal… I don't do normal either! That doesn't mean we can't have feelings and want to have something more. I want to be with you now and for as long as we can get… who knows we could end up hating each other's guts…"

He ignored Faith's snort as he continued, "God knows how long each of us has, but that doesn't keep us from feeling and wanting!"

Faith shook her head, "You barely know me… we've only been together for a short time. It's been really great, but you know next to nothing about me."

Paul met her eyes, refusing to back down, "Okay, tell me something about you."

Faith sighed as she hesitated. She was afraid of dragging out everything she'd hoped to leave buried and tell Paul who she really was, "I've done things… I've killed people…" she said.

"You're a Slayer… it's part of the job."

Faith shook her head, "No… there was a time in my life when I stopped being a Slayer…"

She paused, gathering her strength to continue, "I murdered people… I tortured people… I fell into a dark place. You've seen the scar on my stomach? That's a souvenir Buffy gave me from those times."

She watched his face, See you've done it, you've trashed this relationship…

Paul refused to give ground, "Well, you two seemed to have worked your differences out," he said.

Faith threw up her hands in frustration, "God your stubborn! I was in prison for the crimes I committed… I'm guilty!"

Paul's expression changed as sadness tinged his voice, "Everyone's guilty of something… sometimes you have to learn to live with it and go on living."

Faith took a deep breath, studying Paul, "I know that you lost your parents and your sister. I know what happened with Sonia, Rachel told me about it."

Paul's expression hardened, "I've been a soldier for most of my life. I watched Earth burn under Zentraedi bombardment… watched my father, mother and sister die. The thing I remember the most of that day is that I let go of my mom's hand. If I had held on…"

"I-I'm sorry…" Faith said.

Silence filled the room as they looked at each other. Paul broke the impasse, "You want to know why I care about you…? I guess I see some of me in you. How old were you when you ended up on the street?"

Faith's eyes widened in surprise, "How did you know?"

A grim smirk flashed on Paul's face, "Like I said… I see some of you in me. After my family died and New Macross destroyed, I ended up in Monument City, in the hospital at first and then a group home. Everything was in a mess… the Zentraedi survivors on Earth were rebelling in South America. I was twelve years old and so full of hate and anger… I wanted all the Zentraedi to die for what happened to my family. It was easy to run away from the group home and hitch a ride down south to Brasilia…"

Paul paused, moving over to his desk and pulling out his bottle and two glasses. She watched as he poured generous amounts in each glass and offered her one. She sipped her drink as he threw back his and poured himself another one.

He continued, "I had no plan or any idea of what I was doing. I wanted to hit back… I thought I was so smart and knew everything. You understand what it's like living on the streets… when you're cold and hungry. The things you say and do to survive."

Faith found herself gripped by his story and his expression. She nodded, understanding all too well what living on the street cost. She wanted to say something, but found her throat tightening as Paul continued.

"The thing you had to watch out for were the older boys that ran in street packs. Most of the time they would just beat you up and take any money, food or possessions you had… most of the time."

An icy, sickening feeling filled Faith as she watched Paul as he continued.

"A-After…" Paul took a deep breath to push the old pain away, "After it happened, I left the city and spent weeks on the outskirts wandering around. I scrounged through wrecked Zentraedi ships, just trying to find food and water to stay alive. There was many a day where I wished I had never let go of my mom's hand and my pain would be over."

Faith slammed back the rest of her drink, "I-I…" she tried to say, but didn't have the words.

Paul shrugged, "There's nothing to say… you either learned to survive or you didn't. I finally went back to the city. Then one night a bunch of us younger kids were scrounging through the trash for scraps. A pack of older boys jumped us and everyone scattered. I remember running and then stopped only when I realized no one was chasing me… that's when I heard the screaming. I should have kept running, but I was tired of being helpless and afraid… I was tired of running and hiding."

"You went back… to fight," Faith said, her quiet voice echoing through the cabin.

Paul nodded, "I snuck back, staying in the shadows. I recognized the older boys… there were four of them… they were the same ones. The boy they had was probably no older than twelve. I can still recall every detail… the anger and hate I was feeling. Everything moved in slow motion as I picked up a steel pipe and stepped out of the shadows. They didn't see me until I hit the first boy across the kneecap, dropping him. Two of them tried charging me, and I caught each of them across the face. I cracked their skulls… they were dead before they hit the ground. The last boy… he was no older than seventeen. His pants were down around his ankles and he tripped, trying to run away. I can still recall the fear in his eyes just before I hit him. There was blood everywhere as I beat that boy until even God couldn't recognize him. I remember yelling and then I heard screaming… it was the first boy who was screaming. He pissed himself as I turned and walked back to him. He was begging, saying he would do anything if I left him alone, but I didn't care. I could have killed him, but I wanted to send a message…"

Faith found herself both surprised and afraid as Paul spoke, "What did you do?" she whispered, taking a deep breath.

"I smashed his other knee cap and leg… I crippled him and left him lying there in that mess. The other predator packs got my message because they gave me a wide berth after that. Some of the younger kids hung near me for protection… they tried giving me food, money, but I wanted none of it. I wanted to be alone. Hell, I would probably still be there or dead, if Max Sterling hadn't found me."

"Who's he?" Faith said, catching her breath as she studied Paul in this new light.

Paul snorted, "He's only one of the greatest VT pilots… he was commanding Skull Squadron back then. He'd been friends with my dad. I made the mistake of trying to lift his wallet… he chased me twelve blocks before cornering me. I still remember the look of shock on his face when he found out who I was."

Faith laughed out of reflex, but her expression sobered, "I-I'm sorry…"

Paul gave her a small smile, "You want to know why I care about you. I've only told this story to one other person."

The enormity of it all was just dawning on Faith as she struggled with her own inner turmoil and hearing Paul tell her something deeply personal, "Sonia?" she said.

Paul nodded, "Those things you did… the people you killed… those that you tortured. Do you see them in your dreams… nightmares?"

Faith struggled with the question. She nodded, finding she couldn't trust her voice.

Paul read her expression, "Do you feel guilt or remorse for your actions?"

Faith took another long moment before responding. She'd struggled long and hard, reflecting on her actions and the pain and suffering she'd caused, "I've learned to take responsibility for my actions. So yeah, I feel remorse and guilt. I wish I could take it back, but I know I can't," she sighed.

Paul added his own sigh, "That makes you a better person than me. I have no guilt or remorse for the boys I murdered and crippled. I have no doubts I'm going to hell for what I've done in my life. If there is a God, he'll judge me for what I've done… I can't change the past and I don't know what the future will bring. All I can do is deal with the right now… and right now I'm with you and I'm happy when I'm with you."

Faith found herself at staring an emotional crossroads as she struggled to speak. The well-traveled path was the one where she always walked away from any emotional entanglements, ending any potential relationships.

There was the urge to take that path and end things with Paul. It was a path she was familiar with and probably deserved. Yet, a part of her wanted to take the unknown path. Looking at Paul, she realized he'd opened up to tell her she wasn't alone and didn't have to be alone.

While fears and doubts pulled at her, a voice was growing inside her, telling her to take a chance. Every man she'd been with before seemed to have an agenda or scheme, but there was none of that with Paul. Still, the fear and doubts nagged at her.

Yeah… damn right, I'm scared! I'm scared of dying and what I've done. I'm terrified that I might find someone I care about, and I'll lose them or push them away…

She finally got a grip on her emotional struggles and decided on what she would say to Paul when alarms suddenly blared through the ship…

oOoOo

The Secretary of Defense and General Coulson had retreated to a conference room to discuss the developing situation.

"What do you think our friends up there are up to?" the SecDef said, taking a sip of coffee as he reclined back in his chair.

Coulson shook his head, "I've got no idea. With them back behind the moon and making no overt moves towards us, that gives us a chance to let things settle down and get control over the situation."

The SecDef's face was full of concern as he leaned forward, "We need to contact them before things spin out of control again. I've talked to the President, he agrees with me on this. He wants to defuse the situation with the press digging deeper and asking more questions. We've kept a lid on news about the shuttle and nukes, but it's only a matter of time before word leaks out."

Coulson betrayed no expression, but let out an inner sigh of relief, "What about the Vice-President and the Chiefs?"

"I think the Marines and Navy are onside, but the others… What news do you have on our 'other' problem?"

Coulson leaned in, "I've got no smoking gun yet other than a list of government and military officials who have connections to Wolfram & Hart. I've also got a list of prominent business leaders with ties who have contributed sizeable sums to the Vice-President's campaigns over the years. My contact is digging deeper and my people are trying to follow the money, but…"

"Yes, I understand we have to go slow and careful. We—" the conference room buzzing interrupted the SecDef. He leaned over and pressed the speakerphone button, "Yes?" he said.

An anxious-sounding voice spoke, "Sir, our radar and ground monitoring stations have picked up a lot of activity occurring around the moon."

Fear and concern flared inside both the SecDef and Coulson at this report, "What's happening? What kind of activity?" the SecDef said, trying to keep calm.

The anxiousness in the other person's voice only grew, "Well, sir… if what the reports say is true. It looks like there is some sort of battle taking place."

oOoOo

Paul rushed on to the bridge with Faith tagging behind him. He would have told her to stay behind, but he didn't have the time to argue with her about civilians being on the bridge during battle. Lieutenant Hanson was already on the bridge, moving to join him at his command station.

"Report Mr. Hanson?"

"Sir, we're getting ships and more debris transitioning back into normal space, and we're picking up emergency beacons. So far we've detected at least twenty-five ships with more appearing every few minutes. It's a mix bag of escape pods, shuttles, damaged fighters and some light cruisers. We've also picked up energy emissions from Invid fighters."

"How many enemy ships?"

"We're picking up at least thirty… they appear to be moving erratically. It could be a residual effect from the transition that's impacting them," Aaron said.

"Well, let's not waste this opportunity. What's the status of our Combat Space Patrol?" Paul said.

"I've moved them to cover our ships and engage the Invid… I've scrambled our remaining available drones to support."

Paul cringed at the thought of losing any drones, but realized that Hanson had made the right decision considering the circumstances, "Good job, Lieutenant. We need to get closer and support our drones with our weapons before the Invid can recover."

Hanson nodded, understanding what the Captain intended as he turned towards the navigation and helm station, firing out rapid orders, "Helm, bring us on bearing zero-five-eight. Engines at full. Weps, as soon as you are clear to engage, target closest enemy targets with point defense weapons. We'll keep our missiles in reserve."

A chorus of "Aye, Ayes," filled the bridge as Paul watched his bridge crew carry out their orders and the Arcadia moved to engage the enemy.

Faith stood off to the side, trying not to get into the way. She was out of her element, watching Paul and the rest of the bridge crew go about their work. The ship shuddered, startling her, as it turned and accelerated. She jumped in surprise as bolts of energy fired from point defense weapons, lighting up space around the ship… small explosions bloomed in response, adding to the light show.

oOoOo

Lieutenant-Commander James Wright groaned as pain and aches wracked his body as he regained consciousness and tried to focus his eyes. The smell of smoke pervaded the air, and his body moved sluggishly as he tried recalling where he was. His eyes finally focused, and he saw the bridge through the haze of smoke illuminated by the dull glow of emergency lights.

Invid… we were trying to escape the Invid and those other aliens. The Commander was about to order a space-fold when someone yelled out something about the Arcadia. Then we got hit and everything turned white…

His head moved stiffly as he glanced around the bridge. Debris littered his ship's bridge while smoke drifted from blown out consoles. More pain flared as he tried lifting his head higher to see if anyone else was still alive on the bridge. He caught the sounds of low moaning and saw slow movements from some bodies scattered around the bridge while others remained unmoving.

Alarms and emergency lights vied for attention as Wright struggled to get to his feet. He almost fell back down, catching himself at the last moment to steady himself.

Dampness on his face drew his attention, and he dabbed at it with his fingers, staring at the blood on them as he pulled them away. His vision blurred as he attempted to take a few steps, holding on to a console for support.

Through this haze, he heard a faint voice calling out for his attention. He focused on the repeating voice and staggered towards the communications station where it seemed to emanate from. As he got closer, the voice and words became clearer.

"Come in REF Dolphin… This is the Arcadia… we have dispatched fighters and a rescue team to assist you. Please respond Dolphin…"

The voice continued to repeat as Wright struggled to focus and make sense of what was happening. He glanced around the bridge and found his gaze drawn to the bridge's observation window. He stared at the blue and white planet hanging in space.

Wright's body gave out, and he slid to the deck beside the communications station to rest. All the while he continued staring at the planet in the observation window, trying to make sense of it all.

oOoOo

Buffy was questioning the series of events and her decision-making skills that now had her flying in a shuttle while a space battle raged around her.

When the ship's alarms had gone off, she'd been nearby the hospital, and went to see if they needed any help. She found herself swept up by a group of med-techs heading for the main hanger deck. Chaos greeted her upon entering the hanger deck, littering the deck was a mix bag of small-looking craft and shuttles disgorging people from them.

Everywhere crew members rushed to assist the people exiting the craft. Cries and moans of pain caught her attention, and she noticed the triage area being setup to deal with the wounded people being taken off the craft.

Their cries and moans of pain took her back to those last bloody days in Sunnydale. She stood there with her eyes closed, trying to push away the bad memories. A hand touching her shoulder brought her back. Buffy opened her eyes, turning to find Sergeant Bronowski.

"You busy?" the Sergeant said, looking her over.

Buffy was still trying to figure out what was happening as she looked around. She noticed Anya in the triage area, helping the med-techs with the wounded. She shook her head as the Sergeant continued.

"We're putting together a rescue team to board one of our damaged Light Cruisers. We need people to help search for survivors and evacuate the wounded. You up for that?" he said.

Buffy shook off the memories, barely hearing what the Sergeant said as chaos raged around them, "Yeah… anything I can do to help."

The next thing Buffy realized, she was being guided to another part of the hanger deck. Her eyes were big and round, staring at the shuttle they were approaching, being loaded with people and equipment. Bronowski's voice caught her attention, "We'll outfit you with a suit once aboard," he said.

Buffy's voice sounded distant as her eyes shifted back and forth between the Sergeant and the shuttle, "Suit?"

Bronowski couldn't help his smirk seeing the look on her face, "Spacesuit and helmet. You'll need the suit for protection from vacuum and for air, unless those Slayer powers of yours give you the ability to breathe without air."

The reality of her situation sank in as unordinary nervousness and uncertainty took hold. Bronowski read her nervousness and sought to ease her worry, "Don't worry… just breathe normally and relax. The equipment is top rate and you'll be with me the whole time. Okay?"

Buffy nodded, giving the Sergeant a weak smile.

Before she could change her mind, Buffy was aboard the shuttle and being strapped into a seat. As the shuttle prepared for launch, Buffy's fear of flying reared its ugly head. Her knuckles turned white from gripping the armrests of her seat so tight. She tried calming herself by focusing on the Sergeant, standing at the front of the cabin, briefing the rescue team on its mission.

She took deep breaths as the shuttle launched. At first everything was okay, but then the shuttle sped up, making quick direction changes. She caught the Sergeant's attention, "W-What's h-happening?" she said.

Bronowski came over to check on Buffy. It surprised him to see a Slayer in this state, considering the stories Anya had told him about Buffy and Faith. He sought to calm her obviousness nervousness, "The pilots are changing direction to avoid debris and the few Invid fighters flying about…"

Buffy's face paled, "I-Invid?"

Bronowski snorted, "Relax, we've got drone fighters flying cover for us and the Arcadia is providing cover too."

Buffy leaned back in her seat, focusing on taking deep breaths as the Sergeant moved on. The shuttle bounced, and once again she questioned why she'd volunteered for this mission. The shuttle's PA system crackling provided a distraction.

"One minute to dock… We can't access the hanger deck, but it looks like we can do a hard dock on the main airlock. There'll be no EVA…"

A tremendous sigh of relief escaped Buffy, but that relief was short-lived as the shuttle slowed down and then shuddered as it stopped. By this time, Sergeant Bronowski was back at the front of the cabin, looking over the rescue team.

"Okay, it looks like we have atmosphere aboard most of the ship, but keep your helmets on. Damage control team… I need you to do a quick appraisal on the ship's structure and engines, we need to know if this ship can still fly. Everyone else, we're here looking for survivors and to help the wounded. Okay, everyone, suit up!"

Buffy grabbed her helmet, following the instructions the Sergeant had given her on putting it on and securing it. She was Tail-End Charlie, following the rescue team towards the airlock. She found it strange to be following rather than leading, but in this situation she was glad to follow the experts.

Bronowski was waiting for her at the airlock. He did a quick inspection of her suit and helmet, giving her a thumb's up before leading her into the airlock, through the docking port onto the other ship.

Though she knew nothing about spaceships, she realized that they were aboard a much smaller ship compared to the Arcadia. She had no idea where they were going as she followed the Sergeant through the corridors.

"Where're we going?" she said.

"The bridge… we need to see if any of the bridge crew is still alive and access the ship's controls."

It wasn't long before they found their way blocked by a steel bulkhead door. Bronowski tried typing commands in the door access panel to open the door.

"Damn!" he muttered, trying the commands again.

"What's the problem?"

Bronowski shook his head in frustration, "The bridge door won't open. Systems aren't responding."

Buffy stepped towards the door and studied it for a moment. She moved to one side of the door, working her gloved fingers into the door's seam to get a grip, "I guess this is why you brought me along? You want to get to the other side," she smirked.

Bronowski snorted, taking the other side of the door, working his fingers into the seam.

"On three. One… Two… Three!" Buffy said, straining as she pulled on the door, trying to force it open.

Sweat beaded on Bronowski's forehead and his muscles strained as he pulled on his side of the door. He glanced at Buffy, and it shocked him to see she was barely breaking a sweat as she pulled on her side of the steel-reinforced door.

The door refused to budge at first, but then the door cracked open. Buffy and the Sergeant redoubled their efforts, and the door began opening more. After what seemed like an eternity, the bridge door was wide enough for both of them to squeeze through.

Out of habit, Buffy moved through the door first on to the bridge. She moved cautiously, entering the dimly lit, smoke-filled bridge. The Sergeant followed and motioned her to go left. Buffy nodded and moved along the bridge, stopping to check on the bodies she came across.

The first two bodies she checked were dead… she could tell by the trauma and loss of blood. A body leaning up against a console grabbed her attention. The person moved, and she hurried over to check on them.

Buffy knelt down to check on the man, "Can you hear me? Are you alright?" she said, trying to get his attention. He appeared to be conscious despite the gash on his head and the blood covering his face.

oOoOo

Wright struggled to focus and stay conscious as he realized there was a soldier kneeling next to him. He nodded slowly, staring at the woman's face through her helmet visor, as she asked him again if he was all right, "Yeah… I'll be fine," he muttered.

The soldier rewarded him with a smile, opening her first aid kit and pulling out a compress bandage. She tore open the package and gently applied the bandage to the wound on his head.

"Okay… stay here. I need to check on the others," Buffy said, getting her patient to hold the bandage in place, and applying pressure. She gave the man another reassuring smile and moved to check for more survivors.

Wright nodded meekly while the female soldier moved on to check on the rest of the bridge crew. He watched her in stunned fascination as she easily lifted and moved debris and equipment twice her weight to get at other survivors.

I'm unconscious… That's it… This is a dream and explains why I'm looking at Earth and watching a beautiful, super woman…

oOoOo

Aaron stood at attention in front of the Captain, "Sir, as of last reports, we've recovered four-hundred and sixty-two personnel," he said.

"Status of the light cruisers?" Paul said, his gaze drifting past the Lieutenant to the space outside the observation window.

"Fourteen Garfish Cruisers have transitioned here. Three are complete write-offs… we were lucky to pull off a handful of survivors. Seven will need major repairs… the least damaged of the group will need at least four weeks, and that would be if we had a shipyard."

"What about the remaining four?"

"A mix bag of damage… they all have propulsion. Life support is stable…" Aaron said.

"But?"

"The Dolphin is the least damaged of the group, but I wouldn't put her battle ready for at least a week."

"Thank you, Lieutenant. Get the survivors settled in. Anything else to report?" Paul said, going over the report details again in his head.

Aaron nodded, "Yes, sir. Communications report we are receiving beam transmissions directed at us from the planet. They appear to be coming from the United States of America."

Paul rubbed the bridge of his nose, trying to keep his exhaustion in check. He'd wanted to open communication channels with the planet, but he didn't have the time to deal with this issue, "What did the message say?"

"It's a looped message asking us to identify ourselves and to establish communications with them to and I quote 'establish peaceful dialog' end quote," Aaron said, adding a smirk.

A small smile broke on Paul's face as he struggled not to laugh, shaking his head slowly in disbelief.

"How do you want to respond, sir?" Aaron said, mirroring the Captain's smile.

Paul sighed, "In just over two days, we'll be engaging in the largest space battle this Earth has ever seen. We're going to set off at least thirty megatons of reflex warheads… I don't know how peaceable they'll be when we tell them."

"We are going to warn the planet?" Aaron said, studying the Captain's face.

Paul paused, considering the question, "Yes, Lieutenant. We'll give them at least twenty-four hours warning. I don't know what I'll say or how much good it will do, but we'll warn them."

Aaron nodded his understanding while letting out an inner sigh of relief. He continued on with the rest of his report, "Sir, we also encountered opposition from Invid fighters during recovery operations. We destroyed them all, but we suffered losses among our drone fighters."

Paul's face took on a stony expression at this news, "What's the damage?"

Aaron noted the change in the Captain's demeanor, "We lost one fighter and three more suffered damage. Chief Larson reports it will take two to three days to repair them," Aaron paused, "I'm sorry, sir. I know we needed those fighters."

Paul grimaced, shaking his head, "Lieutenant… Aaron, you have nothing to be sorry about. You made the right call and four-hundred and sixty-two people are alive right now because of it. We'll just have to make do with what we got."

Aaron nodded slowly, "Yes, sir."

Paul changed the subject, seeing how bothered the young Lieutenant was still by his decision, "How's the arm?" he said, nodding towards the wounded arm in the sling.

Aaron grimaced, "It's down to a dull throbbing and starting to itch. The med-techs tell me I should be back to normal in two weeks."

"You take care of yourself and don't overdo it. I'll need you when the Invid arrive," Paul said.

"Understood, sir!" Aaron said, giving the Captain a small smile as he came to attention and then turned, leaving the observation deck.

Paul's expression changed as the door closed. His face took on a more serious expression as the implications of losing those drone fighters would have on his plans. He sat there for a long time, staring out into space, going over in his head any plans or strategies he could use.

I'm just too light in the warhead yield… I need more firepower and a bigger warhead yield… I need one big badass nuclear explosion…

Paul's hand moved towards the comm panel as a moment of divine inspiration struck, "Engineering… this is the Captain. I need to speak to Commander Schmidt."

In a moment the Commander's voice came over the comm channel, "Yes, sir."

"Commander, what is the explosive yield of a Reflex furnace on a Garfish-class ship that goes critical?"

A long paused filled the channel before the Commander replied, "The Mark 20 furnace will give you maybe a ten to fifteen megaton yield. May I ask what this is about, sir?"

For Paul, a glimmer of hope was now in reach as his mind focused on planning. He would still need to war game the scenario, but he had options now, "The three most heavily damaged ships… can you rig their reactors to go critical?"

"Well, two of the ships had their furnaces go critical. Their safety protocols kicked in and their reactors scrammed. It would take a week to bring their systems on-line just to do a safety check. The third one's furnace is still on-line. Yeah, I could override the safeties to rig her to explode… it wouldn't take much with the state she's in," Schmidt said.

"Thank you, Commander," Paul said, cutting the channel.

Now to test this out, Paul thought, getting up to head to the War Room to test his idea.

Chapter Text

CHAPTER TEN
Hell hath no fury...

"Buffy apologized afterwards, trying to explain she hadn't planned or meant for it to happen. I think what bothered me the most about the whole incident was how angry and jealous I got. This was unfamiliar territory for me and not something I was used to. Considering how it could have played out, it was lucky that nobody got physically hurt or killed. It's not like she chased or threw herself at Paul. She hadn't even shown the tiniest bit of interest in him, but then she usually never made a big show about her relationships and sex life. Despite hearing the Potentials constantly gushing over Paul, it never occurred to me that the same things that attracted me to him would have the same effect on Buffy. Despite all the hurt feelings, I gotta admit there was a small part of me curious to know if Paul could have handled Buffy and me at the same time…"

— Faith Lehane

oOoOo

Exhaustion weighed on Buffy as she exited the shuttle, one of the last to disembark after landing back aboard the Arcadia. The earlier chaos of the hanger deck had lessened, but she took no notice.

Thoughts of a nice long hot shower and sleep competed with the jumble of emotions and images replaying in her head. She kept telling herself that everything would be better after a shower and some sleep.

Numbness gripped her as she mindlessly walked past the med-techs treating the few remaining wounded. The whiff of blood and other smells brought back memories of Sunnydale, which added to the growing jumble inside her.

She'd survived her first mission in space, telling herself that the scenes of carnage and death were no worse than your average night in Sunnydale. Still, her memories kept replaying that last ship's compartment over-and-over again. She'd thought she'd seen every way a person could die until she saw what explosive decompression and exposure to space did.

Buffy had forced her way into the compartment. A small bowling ball-sized hole in the hull exposed the compartment to space. There was only one body in the compartment… a crewman strapped into their chair, still at their station. It took Buffy a moment to realize the crewman was a woman. The dead woman looked to be no older than her sister and had her long brown hair tied back in a ponytail. Buffy stood there for a long moment as she imagined Dawn sitting in the dead crewman's place.

What bothered Buffy the most was the lack of sound… except for her own breathing, interrupted by the occasional radio chatter. She lost track of time as she stood there staring at the frozen corpse. Sergeant Bronowski's voice calling for her over the radio, asking her for an update, finally snapped her back.

As she walked across the Arcadia's hanger deck, she noticed Xander working on a damaged drone fighter parked off to the side. For a moment she considered going over to see him, but it was obvious he was busy working. Unsure of where she was going, Buffy turned and left the hanger bay.

The memories kept replaying in her head as she wandered in a daze down the ship's corridors. She had no destination in mind, letting her feet guide her.

I miss the wind… I want to feel a fresh breeze blowing on my face, she thought.

She was no stranger to being around death and destruction. The First Slayer had told her that 'Death was her gift', but dealing with vampires and demons was one thing… fighting in space against aliens was something different. What added to all this was the knowledge that a huge alien fleet would arrive soon and millions of people might die, and she was helpless to stop it.

She'd watched the floating wreckage from the shuttle's view port, seeing the remains of human and Invid ships. Despite Cassie's and the Captain's descriptions of the Invid, it still didn't prepare her for the reality of seeing them for the first time.

She'd shuddered seeing the remains of Invid fighters, floating dead in space, and how they looked like giant crabs with enormous claws.

Any lingering doubts or questions about the seriousness and lethalness of the Invid evaporated as scenes of death and destruction from the debris field seared into her memory. Shock filled her, witnessing a dead human and Invid fighter—forever locked in a deathly embrace—with one of the Invid's claws embedded in the center of battloid's torso.

I'm the chosen one… to protect mankind, and I'm just as helpless as everyone else with the Invid coming…

Hazy thoughts of finding Giles or Spike drifted in her head as she continued her wandering, unsure of where she wanted to go. A voice penetrated her daze, catching her by surprise.

"You okay?"

She barely registered the Captain or his concerned expression as he looked her over, "Huh?" she said, looking at him as if was speaking in a foreign language.

"Are you okay?" Paul said, noting her dazed appearance as he slowly approached her. He was on his way back from the War Room after running the new simulations, adding in the detonation of a Garfish-class light cruiser's Mark 20 Reflex furnace. The computer had calculated the optimal placement for the cruiser in relation to the bomb equipped drones.

His plan would work, but it would still require him to fly with the other drone fighters to get the Invid ships to group up. He'd been so wrapped up in his own thoughts, he almost walked by Buffy without seeing her. It was the shock on her face that grabbed him and got him to focus. He recognized it as someone who had seen too much and was having problems coping. All thoughts and worries of mortality faded as he moved to help someone in trouble.

Buffy didn't resist as the Captain took her hand and led her away. She barely heard the Captain talking to her as they walked down the ship's corridors before entering a cabin. A part of her noted with an air of detachment they must be in his cabin as he sat her on the edge of a bed. Before she realized it, she was staring at a glass in her hand filled with a clear amber-looking liquid.

"Take a drink."

Buffy looked up at the Captain, barely registering the concern on his face, "I-I don't drink…" she said in a flat voice.

"You do now… take a drink," he said, helping her lift the glass to her mouth.

A part of her wanted to argue, but she didn't resist as he helped her raise the glass to her mouth and took a small hesitant sip. As the liquid hit the inside of her mouth and flowed down her throat, the taste caught her by surprise. She pushed the glass away, coughing hard as the alcohol worked its way into her system.

"Drink," Paul said, helping her lift the glass again to her mouth.

As if in a trance, Buffy lifted the glass, this time taking a long swig of the drink. She didn't cough this time as the liquor flowed freely down her throat, causing an unexpected, but pleasant warmth to grow in her throat and stomach. Her eyes focused, and it surprised her to see the Captain kneeling in front of her. His face still filled with concern while he watched her.

"You want to tell me?" Paul said.

Buffy nodded slowly, taking another drink, "I'm tired of all the death… I thought I was used to it and could handle it. Today helping with the rescue… I-I haven't felt this way since I came home and found my mom dead," she said, her voice devoid of emotion.

Paul moved to sit next to Buffy on the bed, "You can't control who lives and who dies. We're in dangerous professions that surround us with death," he said.

Between the exhaustion and the alcohol, Buffy wanted to rest and leaned her head against the Captain's shoulder, taking another long sip of her drink.

An inner warmth flared inside her as the alcohol hit her system and she grew more relaxed. She liked this growing sensation and took a long gulp of her drink this time.

Paul shook his head, knowing where this was going, "You need to take it easy… you'll want to sip it, not gulp it," he said.

Buffy gave him a drunken grin, "I'm okay… I-I'll be—" she said, then her stomach reacted to the alcohol.

Paul shook his head, letting out a sigh of relief she'd made it to the bathroom before she threw up. He followed Buffy into the bathroom to witness her kneeling, back heaving while she emptied her stomach into the toilet.

Tears and crying filled the gaps between her heaving. He didn't say a word as he fixed a cool, damp washcloth and then knelt down beside her. As she continued throwing up and crying, he ran his hand softly along her back, telling her it was okay. After a few more minutes, the heaving finally stopped and Buffy sat up slowly. Paul handed her the washcloth.

"Thanks," she mumbled, wiping her face and trying to compose herself.

His grin caught her off-guard, and she found herself suddenly embarrassed about her behavior, "I'm sorry, Captain—" she said.

"Paul…"

"Huh?"

"We're not in any formal setting, and the last time I checked you weren't in the REF, so you can call me Paul. Especially, after heaving your stomach like that," he said, as his grin grew into a small smile.

Buffy smiled out of reflex, letting out a small laugh, "Yeah… I guess we're on a more first name basis now. I'm glad I made it here in time. Again I'm sorry," she said, handing back the washcloth.

"Sorry for what?" Paul said, standing up and moving over to the sink.

Buffy sighed, "Sorry for losing it… That's not like me," she said, watching him rinse out the washcloth and pull a bottle and cup from the medicine cabinet.

"You have nothing to be sorry for… shit happens all the time. Sometimes it gets to be too much to handle. You just needed a timeout to pull it back together," Paul said.

Buffy snorted, "So, you knew I would puke?"

Paul's smile grew, handing her a small cup filled with a green liquid, "Well, I figured it was fifty-fifty you would either heave your guts or fall asleep. Here, you can use this to rinse, to get the taste out of your mouth."

Buffy laughed as she stood up and took the offered cup, moving over to the sink to rinse her mouth. Her thoughts wandered as she studied Paul out of the corner of her eye while gargling. She remembered how she'd felt when introduced to him. Though he seemed less angry now, an air of tension and stress still lurked behind his eyes.

She started unconsciously comparing Paul to all the other men from her life. A surprising twinge of jealousy stabbed at her, knowing that Faith and him were hooking up. She pushed those thoughts away while she splashed water on her face and used the towel he offered to dry herself.

Buffy studied Paul closer as she dried her face, "Maybe it's my turn to be asking is anything wrong?" she said, getting a strange vibe from him.

Buffy's question caught Paul by surprise. Her problems had allowed him a brief respite to escape his worries and thoughts of his own mortality. Her question brought them all rushing back to the forefront of his thoughts.

He shrugged nonchalantly, trying to downplay his own problems, "What could be wrong…! We've got an Invid fleet dropping in on us, and all I've got are the remnants of my task force while we make up plans on the fly."

Buffy didn't know whether to laugh or cry. His joke was something like she would have said in the face of an impossible situation. Her face turned serious as her eyes locked on to his, "Will we survive?" she whispered.

He didn't hesitate with his answer, "Yes."

Buffy read his eyes and wanted to believe, but a part of her remained unconvinced, "How can you be so sure?"

"Because I've seen humanity face worse and we've survived. I'll do whatever it takes to make sure we win," he said.

She moved closer, gazing into those dark eyes of his. She swore she saw a tinge of purple in his eyes, "Thanks… I mean it. I rarely lose it like that, but when I do," she said.

Paul's smile grew bigger, "That's what a good Captain does… he looks after his crew," he said, meeting Buffy's gaze.

In those eyes, he saw the same strength, determination and fire he saw in Faith, but with minor differences. He realized that each woman had an uncommon strength, but they also had a sense of frailty that only added to their character.

Buffy caught Paul by surprise as she moved in and hugged him tightly. He reacted awkwardly for a second, but then returned the hug.

Pressing her head against his chest, the heat from his body and sounds of his heart beating strongly lulled her, giving comfort and strength. Time fell away as they continued hugging each other. Buffy finally slowly pulled away, looking up their eyes met and everything seemed to stop.

It might have been the aftereffects of the alcohol, or maybe it was something else. She didn't know who made the first move, and she didn't care.

Before she could react or think, she was kissing him with a burning intensity. Their mouths and tongues hungrily intertwined while their hands eagerly moved up and down, exploring each other's body. Buffy didn't resist as Paul cupped her ass, lifting her and placing her on the edge bathroom counter.

She had a brief flashback to another bathroom, but that was a different situation as her desire grew. A burning hunger flared inside her, and as Paul's hands moved to her inner thighs, she spread her legs wider in invitation. A soft moan escaped her lips when his hands moved to caressing and gently cupping her breasts. Her anticipation soared and another soft moan escaped as he pressed against her. She responded by wrapping her legs around his body.

Paul's hunger and desire grew as Buffy squeezed her legs, pulling him closer to her. His body responded eagerly as he pressed against her and soft muffled moans escaped her lips. He found himself about to push further when a small voice in his head vied for his attention… warning him about what he was doing.

A part of him tried ignoring the voice, seeing that Buffy was ready and willing to go further. The small voice kept nagging him while images of Buffy naked, moaning and writhing in pleasure danced in his head. Suddenly Sonia's voice echoed in his thoughts.

Idiot! What the hell do you think you're doing? You could never keep it zipped up… even when you were with me! You were always a selfish bastard… always thinking with your small head! What about Faith? You love her, don't you? Yet, here you are ready to screw things up by banging another woman!

Alarms rang in Paul's head as he realized what he was about to do sunk in. In his younger days, they would already both be naked with no turning back. Guilt flared inside him, knowing he was breaking Faith's trust. Yet, while his guilt grew, the inner voice of his younger self chided him.

Jesus… she's hot and ready for you! She's practically begging for you to do her, and you're worried about guilt! It never stopped you in the past… so why is it bothering you now?

Paul could almost imagine his younger self turning and walking away in disgust as he belatedly found his self-control and applied the brakes to his desire. He saw the want and desire in Buffy's eyes as he pulled away and extracted himself from her embrace.

His voice filled with a mix of guilt, desire and regret quivered as he spoke, "I-I can't…"

Disappointment washed over Buffy as Paul pulled away, but it along with the hunger and desire quickly faded as she too realized what they were doing sank in. Like Paul, shame and guilt grew inside her.

"I-I'm sorry…" she said, pushing down her disappointment.

Paul shook his head, "You have nothing to be sorry about… it's my fault," he said. Even though his brain may have applied the brakes, his body hadn't gotten the message yet. Buffy was still sitting on the counter with her legs spread apart and the top buttons of her pants undone. He took several deep breaths to get himself back under control as he backed away from her.

Embarrassment and guilt filled Buffy's face, "You love her, don't you?" she said.

Paul nodded, biting his lip. He wasn't ready to trust his voice yet.

Buffy got her simmering desire and jealousy under control, "She's lucky to have you…" she said.

Paul nodded, tugging and straightening his uniform as he left the bathroom to give Buffy some privacy. As he exited the bathroom, he was self-congratulating himself on how well he'd handled the situation considering where it had been heading. The last thing he expected was to find Faith standing in the cabin, glaring at him.

Time froze, seeing the anger and pain filling Faith's face. Reality and realization hit Paul like a sledgehammer, while she stared at him with burning eyes.

"F-Faith…"

There was no mistaking the anger in her voice as she growled, "Shut up!"

Timing wasn't in Paul's favor as Buffy came hurrying out of the bathroom, buttoning up her pants. She froze at seeing Faith's hate-filled glare. Her guilt, shame and embarrassment grew as she realized how this must all appear.

"Faith… it's not what you think," Buffy pleaded.

Anger and pain dripped from Faith's voice, "So, that wasn't you moaning in there? And that wasn't the two of you playing tonsil hockey in the bathroom?"

"Faith, if you'll let me explain…" Paul said, taking a hesitant step towards her, reaching for her.

Out of reflex, Faith stepped backwards to his movement, "Take one more step towards me, and so help me God I won't be responsible for what happens," she growled.

Paul read her face and didn't argue. He put his hands down in defeat as he took a step back from her.

The pain of betrayal threatened to burst from Faith, causing her angry and pain-filled voice to quiver, "I-I thought you were different… I-I t-thought y-you…"

Her imagination ran wild, filling her head with images from the sounds she'd heard coming from the bathroom. She wanted to scream and cry over what she was witnessing. No longer wanting to be around the pair, and refusing to give them any satisfaction of seeing her cry, she turned and stormed from the cabin.

Paul stood there helplessly as Faith ran from his cabin. His heart was tearing apart knowing he'd hurt and betrayed her. He glanced towards Buffy, getting a sigh in sympathy before she left to chase after Faith.

Chapter Text

CHAPTER ELEVEN
A storm is coming

"Some historians still debate about the battle against the Invid around Earth. Considering subsequent historical events, most scholars refer to it as 'The First Battle of Earth'. There is still a small vocal group that continues to argue that this battle was only the continuation of the Vega Corinthi system battle that started in the alternate universe. Whatever title used, the upcoming battle was unlike any Earth and her people had ever seen or experienced {refer to sections on Haydonite Hegemony and The Second Battle of Earth}. For the REF personnel this was old hat for them, as they knew their enemy and their capabilities. Captain Coleiro had taken into account every detail with responses and counter responses planned for. The people and equipment were as ready as they could be and when the battle started it began as any normal engagement. As in all conflict, the truism 'No plan survives contact with the enemy' still played a role. But nobody expected or took into account the last player to this galactic stage and the impact it would have…"

— excerpt from "The History of Robotechnology and the Alliance"

oOoOo

A sense of frenzied panic gripped the command center as General Coulson looked on. His eyes drifted to the digital display on the wall, counting down each second.

Everyone was still trying to come to grips with the message they had received eighteen hours ago. The General, like everyone else, was still trying to wrap their minds around unfamiliar words like… mecha… Protoculture… and most ominous of all… Invid.

His attention turned towards the Secretary of Defense, entering the command center followed by an entourage of senior officers and aides. Half of them were talking frantically into their cell phones while trying to keep up with the SecDef.

We thought things were bad before, Coulson thought, making eye contact with the SecDef as he made his way to join him. As he approached, he picked up pieces of the ongoing conversations between the SecDef and his entourage.

"CENTCOM is scrambling to get their units rolling and dispersed…"

"We've got SSBN's and SSN's sortieing from Pearl, New London, Kings Bay and Bangor…"

"Atlantic and Pacific Fleet Commands are pushing out as many ships as fast as they can…"

"SAC reports all ICBM missile complexes on alert and a ready flight of B-2 bombers with tanker support is airborne. Other bombers are being dispersed…"

Coulson came to attention in front of the SecDef, "Sir, what's the latest news?"

The SecDef's entourage either paid no attention or dismissed the obscure General in command of a unit that nobody had ever heard of. That changed when Secretary waved them off and took the General off to the side.

"The President has evacuated to Mount Weather right after he federalized the National Guard and called up the reserves. The Vice-President and Joint Chiefs have relocated to Cheyenne Mountain," the SecDef said, betraying his own nervousness while glancing at the digital countdown.

"What about the public? Our Allies, the Russians… the Chinese?" Coulson said.

Coulson noted the tiredness in the man's eyes as he exhaled, "The press realizes something is up, but they don't know what it is. The President will address the nation and the world two hours before these Invid arrive. There are still some… doubters that refuse to believe this is all real, but thankfully they're in the minority. The hope is that waiting until the last moment will reduce any panic, but with the press speculating wildly, we're already getting scattered reports of panic."

"And the others?"

"NATO is on alert… the Russians are onboard, raising the alert status of both their nuclear and non-nuclear forces. We're establishing communication protocols to coordinate our forces and plan for any joint operations and strikes. The Chinese are being a little difficult. They're finding it hard to believe what we'll be facing in… five hours and fifty minutes," the SecDef said, glancing once again at the digital clock continuing it's counting down.

"Sir, I could use my Chinese contacts to help convince them this is all real," Coulson said.

The Secretary gave the General a tired smile, "I was hoping for that."

"Sir, is there anything else I can do to help?"

The SecDef nodded, "Yes, there is. I want you to go over the message and the data that the Arcadia sent us."

The request surprised Coulson, "Sir, I'm not a scientist, and I have limited experience in terms of space operations. I'm not sure I'm the right expert to—"

The SecDef stepped in, "We've got tons of experts from CIA, NSA, DARPA to NASA… hell, I think even the IRS may even be in there somewhere. I've got all these experts going through all the technical data, and eventually they'll give us something. What I need is your gut feelings and instincts on what the hell is coming at us. You have an open mind and we need that right now. So far you've been on top of things and you're used to dealing with situations that are… out of the ordinary. This situation is as out of the ordinary as you can get."

Coulson nodded, seeing that the SecDef wouldn't take no for an answer, "Yes, sir. Whatever you need."

The SecDef smirked then turned, waving over one of his aides to fire off orders. Before Coulson could reconsider, he was being led out of the command center. He found himself ensconced in a conference room with technicians setting up a computer terminal in the room for his use.

As the last technician left, leaving him alone in the conference room, Coulson took a moment to stretch before taking off his jacket and settling into his chair. The lack of sleep was taking its toll on him as he closed his eyes for a moment. He shook it off, gathering his focus as he opened his eyes and turned his attention to the computer terminal in front of him.

A few clicks of the mouse brought up the folder location of the stored message file he needed to access. He paused, still trying to come to grips with the implications and ramifications.

He wasn't that ignorant or naïve not to realize what the message represented to humanity. Everything would be different from now on… everything they thought they understood about the universe was being turned upside down. Coulson took a deep breath as he played the message.

It didn't take long for the file to load, and a man's face filled the computer screen as the message played. The first time Coulson heard this message in the command center, he couldn't give it his normal professional clinical appraisal because of the shock of the moment. The man looked like any other person as Coulson studied him, trying to discern who this man was. What made the man stand out were his eyes… they were so dark they almost looked black, making him appear somewhat alien.

Or it makes him more human, Coulson thought, reading the serious expression carved on the man's face.

As the man spoke, Coulson noted the professionalism in his tone. The man's face reminded him of someone who had seen combat before. It still surprised him that the man was speaking perfect English, which had caused more than a few people's heads to turn. The words spoken seemed so inconsequential, but they contained the power to change the world and humanity.

"This is Captain Paul Coleiro, commander of the Robotech Expeditionary Force Cruiser Arcadia… I am addressing this message to the United States of America and the people of Earth…"

oOoOo

Paul felt all eyes on him while glancing around at the group assembled in the large conference room. Some faces he didn't recognize and realized that they must be from the recent group of arrivals. His thoughts drifted, wishing to see one particular face.

He tried pushing thoughts of Faith down, but guilt and regret kept bringing her back to the forefront. He'd tried to talk to her, but she refused to speak to him. If he had more time, Paul figured he could eventually get her to talk to him, but time was one commodity they didn't have in great abundance. Whatever his personal problems were, he realized he had to push them to the back burner to focus on the threat they faced.

"Alright everyone, we're expecting at least twenty-five Mollusk Carriers to be arriving here in the next four hours. Needless to say, we've planned a warm reception for them," Paul said, adding a slight smirk.

This brought forth a few smiles and chuckles from the crowd. Paul nodded and Lieutenant Hanson activated the wall-mounted display screen showing the positions of Earth, the moon, the REF ships and the projected Invid transition point.

He gave everyone a moment to digest the information before continuing, "Our plan is to hit them hard when they arrive, not giving them any time to recover and organize. We have mined the projected transition area with Reflex warheads. When the Invid arrive, we will detonate and hopefully catch them all bunched up in the blast area."

Paul waited as the display screen updated, "The Arcadia will take a position outside the blast area, but within gun and missile range to engage any survivors. If we cannot destroy the Invid, the Arcadia will start a fighting withdrawal away from Earth."

The display screen updated again, showing the Arcadia moving away from the planet, "The plan is to get the Invid to follow us along this path. Our retreat will take us by one of our damaged light cruisers we have positioned along our route. We've rigged the ship's reflex furnace to explode by remote detonation. As we approach the Garfish, we'll launch our shadow fighter drones to draw the Invid closer and get them to bunch up. Along with the fighters engaging the Invid, there will be six drones with Beta modules attached. Each of these fighters will carry a Reflex warhead and will take up positions around the kill zone to englobe it. Once all the Invid ships are in the kill zone, the Garfish and all the warhead-carrying fighters will detonate, destroying the enemy."

A hand going up caught Paul's attention, "Sir, what about us?"

Paul noted that the speaker was from the new batch of arrivals to this universe. He had to work to remember Lieutenant-Commander Wright's name as they had only briefly talked after Paul had met and briefed the new arrivals. One thing Paul noted about Wright, from their brief interaction, was he seemed to be taking it well… considering his commanding officer was dead and being in a different universe.

"Lieutenant-Commander, I am creating a small task force with you in command. The task force will comprise the Dolphin and the other three least damaged ships. You will take your task force to the designated point Lambda away from Earth and the Invid fleet. We will transfer supplies and fighters and personnel to those ships. I've also assigned Damage Control teams to repair your ships and bring them up to combat readiness. If our ambushes can't stop the Invid, the Arcadia will rendezvous with your group. From there we will continue heading away from Earth, trying to draw the Invid away from the planet and engaging them at range."

"What if the Invid don't follow and they turn and attack Earth?" said Wright.

Paul's face became grimmer, "We've sent a warning to Earth, providing them everything we have on the Invid. From monitoring their military communications, it appears they're preparing their forces…" he glanced around the room, "If the Invid attack Earth, we are their best hope for defeating them. The Arcadia will link up with the Dolphin's task force, we will make repairs and increase our force strength before we hit back. We have placed the remaining damaged cruisers into a geostationary orbit around the moon. They should be able to hold that orbit for several months. We can use the equipment and supplies on those ships to assist with our operations."

Paul glanced around the conference room, again noting all the eyes on him. They were looking to him for hope, guidance, reassurance… and to keep them alive. There were no magic words he could say. They could only do their duty and deal with the aftermath, "Okay people, we know what we have to do… everyone dismissed!"

Mixed emotions filled Paul as he watched people file out of the conference room. He'd left out one important fact from his briefing… that he would lead the drone fighters if they couldn't stop the Invid at the transition point. Any twinges of guilt were more than balanced out from knowing there would be a line of pilots volunteering to fly with him or take his place.

He also realized that Lieutenant Hanson would order the Arcadia to engage the Invid once they realized what he was doing. To make sure the ship stayed out of harm's way, he'd put in place certain contingencies in the ship's computer systems.

Paul knew he was breaking regulations and abusing his authority with the commands he'd put in place, but he didn't care anymore.

What does it matter? Who's going to court-martial me anyway…? Not that I'll survive…

Survival was only a pipe dream, the latest simulations were giving him a less than two percent chance of survival. That was all predicated on his fighter being at the right place and pulling out of the kill zone just before detonation. He'd laughed, knowing that getting a fighter into an exact position at an exact moment in the middle of a fight was difficult if not next to impossible.

Maybe we'll get lucky…

He'd been honest when he'd told Faith that he was beyond his life expectancy… he could feel the years weighing on him. He'd seen too much and given too many orders that had resulted in other people's deaths.

If he could save everyone on the ship and the planet, and it would only cost his life, he would gladly make the sacrifice. The only thing that had given him strength and hope in the longest time was being with Faith, and he'd royally screwed it up.

Maybe it was something not meant to be…

A voice interrupted his thoughts, "Sir, you okay?"

Paul shook off his self-absorption to find Chief Larson giving him a look, "What is it, Chief?"

Larson eyed the Captain, trying to get a sense of his state of mind, "I wanted to make sure you're okay. I heard that things are bad between you and Faith."

Paul blinked in surprise. He couldn't believe anyone knew about what had happened, "Uh… w-what're you talking about?"

"Well, the word from the rumor mill is that you had Buffy in your cabin. Faith entered and then came running out looking upset followed by Buffy. I put two-and-two together, and knowing your history it doesn't take a Doctor Lang to figure out what happened," she said, shaking her head.

A deep sigh escaped as he slumped on the edge of the conference table, "I screwed up, Chief… I don't know what the hell I was thinking."

Larson joined the Captain, sitting beside him, "You can't worry about her right now. I need to know that you're focused on the Invid. That's the priority right now. We can't have you wandering the corridors like some lovesick teenager."

A brief flash of anger filled Paul's face, "I know what I have to do, Chief… I've never forgotten my duty and responsibilities."

"Good to hear," Larson said, nodding. She paused, and then in one quick motion reached around and slapped the back of Paul's head hard, catching him by surprise.

"OW! Damn it, Chief!"

"That's for screwing up! How bad was it?"

Paul rubbed the back of his head, "It wasn't that bad. I stopped it before we went too far… we still had our clothes on," he said, giving Larson a sheepish look.

His cheeks redden as Larson rolled her eyes and clapped sarcastically, "Well damn, it's nice to see you exercising some restraint as you get older."

"Cut it out, Chief! I know I screwed up," Paul sighed, "Maybe it's a good thing… she's younger than I am."

Larson shook her head, "What the hell does age have anything to do with it!? You and Faith were… are a good fit, and to be honest, I like her. I would be more worried if you were hooking up with any of those younger girls… that leads to nothing but trouble."

Paul exhaled, shaking his head, "What do I do, Chief? She won't talk to me. There was a time I would know what to do and say, but with her… it's different."

Larson snorted, "Love can be a bitch. The first thing is to keep your head in the game dealing with the Invid. After that you can spend all your time trying to patch things up with her… which will probably entail a lot of groveling and apologizing."

A small smile broke on the Captain's face, "Thanks, Chief. I appreciate the advice."

Larson smirked, "Anytime, sir."

oOoOo

It didn't take Buffy long to find Faith upon entering the lounge. She was standing in front of one of the observation windows, staring off into the blackness of space. There was a moment of hesitation by Buffy, but she shared the blame for what had almost happened in Paul's cabin.

It had taken some time and effort to track Faith to the lounge, and during her search Buffy reflected backed on events. While guilt was at the forefront of her thoughts, she had to admit there was still a part of her lusting and wanting Paul. A twinge of jealousy gripped her, recalling that intense moment they'd shared and experiencing a small taste of what Faith had with him.

She pushed past any jealousy and lingering desire as she realized she needed to put things right. All these thoughts and emotions still played in Buffy's head as she approached the other Slayer cautiously from behind.

Faith picked up on Buffy's approach, "Leave me alone!" she said, still staring out the observation window.

Buffy paused, but then continued approaching, determined to make things right, "F-Faith… we need to talk. Please, I want a chance to explain."

Faith's shoulders slumped as she sighed and turned around. Buffy noted the anger along with obvious signs of crying on Faith's face.

"What's to talk about? You win again… you get everything, and I get nothing," Faith said, her voice sounding tired and angry.

Faith's words were a stinging rebuke, dredging up all the old skeletons of their past problems and conflicts. Buffy took a deep breath trying to push through the old grudges, hates and differences, "I… we didn't mean to do anything, it just happened."

"Yeah, right!" Faith said, her voice dripping with angry sarcasm.

Buffy exhaled as she continued, "I came back from a rescue mission on one of their ships, and I was a mess from the things I saw. I stumbled into Paul and he saw I was in trouble and helped me. If you'd come in a few minutes earlier you would have found me bent over his toilet throwing up my guts and crying."

Faith rolled her eyes, "You losing it? Bullshit!"

Buffy shook her head, "Damn it! It's true… what I saw on that other ship. I hadn't felt that helpless in a long time and it hit me hard. Paul gave me a chance to pull myself together."

Buffy paused. What she had to say would be hard, but she needed to say it, "I'm not going to lie to you. I wanted him and I wasn't going to stop it. He's the one that stopped it before we went any farther."

"Yeah, right!"

Buffy sighed in frustration, "Believe whatever you want, but the truth is he stopped because he loves you! Hasn't he told you?"

The anger on Faith's face faded as the question hit home. Buffy's question only reinforced the turmoil she'd been going through over her feelings towards Paul.

Over the last few hours, she'd been trying to come to grips with what she was feeling as she went through bouts of anger and crying. The pain and hurt she'd experienced when she'd walked in on Paul and Buffy was something she hadn't felt before.

The anger she'd experienced wasn't all directed at Paul and Buffy. A good healthy dose of that anger was for her, for letting herself get involved with someone and exposing herself to this pain.

She kept trying to convince herself that there was nothing serious between her and Paul. She kept telling herself all that time with him meant nothing, yet a voice in the back of her head laughing at her told her otherwise.

Faith sighed, "He's tried to tell me… I-I've cut him off every time."

"Why?" Buffy said.

"B-Because I don't do relationships. You… me. Being Slayers has given us such lousy luck with men. I'm tired of meeting guys either trying to use me or change me into something I'm not."

Buffy shook her head, trying not to laugh even though she understood where Faith was coming from, "I think you need to rethink your feelings toward Paul. Wasn't he the guy that gave you a Cyclone and training for you to use it?"

"Y-Yeah, but that's different." Faith said, realizing her words were hollow as memories of being with Paul replayed in her head.

Buffy recognized the turmoil Faith was experiencing, "I made the same mistake with Riley. I don't know if we would still be together, but I didn't give it a chance. When I realized what I wanted… it was too late. Now, he's married and all I have left is occasionally wondering what might have been."

Faith still didn't know what she wanted or what to do as she struggled with questions and doubts. A part of her didn't want to end things with Paul, but yet the fear still weighed on her. The pain she'd experienced was something she didn't want to go through again.

"I'm still pissed at the both of you!" she said, trying to find something to focus on.

Buffy nodded, "You have every right to be. I'm sorry for what happened," she paused, "You can decide to never be with him ever again, but at least speak to him before you decide."

"I-I'm not sure I want to see him."

"Faith… you better decide what you want soon. If you take too long and keep brushing Paul off, you will really lose him. Then you'll have nothing left but memories and regrets."

oOoOo

A cloud of fear and uncertainty hung over the command center as Coulson looked around. Hushed whispers replaced the normal levels of talking that filled the room.

He glanced at the digital clock… it was now thirty minutes past the deadline for the Invid's arrival. A voice from behind the General startled him.

"What's your take on this?"

Coulson turned to face the SecDef. He noted the glimmer of a small, tired smile on the man's face, knowing he'd caught the General by surprise.

"I think we wait. All our radar and observation stations report that the Arcadia has taken up a holding position near the designated coordinates," Coulson said.

The SecDef nodded, "I concur, but the President is getting nervous. The press has gone into hysterical overdrive over his speech about imminent alien invasion. Reports of riots and looting breaking out are increasing. If that wasn't bad enough, the Vice-President and some of the Joint Chiefs are now screaming this is all a ruse to attack us."

"Sir, if I may suggest. I think we should try to open communications with them to get a clearer idea of what is happening and coordinate our defense."

The SecDef thought over the General's idea, "That's a good idea, General. I think you—"

A cry from one of the monitoring stations cut him off, "Sir! Sirs! Deep space radar is picking up something!"

oOoOo

After leaving the lounge, Faith wandered the ship lost in her thoughts, thinking over what Buffy had said. She was still angry and upset, but she was in more control of her emotions and could think a little more clearly now.

As her thoughts focused on her problems, she barely heard and paid attention to the announcements coming over the ship's PA system. She heard the words Invid and saw the crew rushing past her, but it didn't click in. All that filled her thoughts was Buffy's warning about waiting too long. She finally decided she needed to see Paul and talk to him.

Buffy's right… if this is going to end I need to at least face him and speak to him…

With her decision made, she headed for the bridge to find Paul. Still wrapped up in her thoughts, she noticed none of the strange looks from the crewmen on the elevator to the bridge.

Stepping from the elevator, the busy crowded bridge briefly snapped her out of it. She brushed it off when she saw Paul at his command station with Lieutenant Hanson standing beside him. As she made her way over, she noted the concerned looks on their faces and the way they were talking in low voices.

The strange expression on Lieutenant Hanson's face caught Paul's attention, and he turned his head to see Faith making her way across the bridge towards him. Surprise along with a range of mixed emotions filled him at seeing her.

"Sir?" Aaron said, leaning his head towards Faith.

"I'll take care of it, Mister Hanson," Paul said, standing up to go meet Faith. His heart pounded harder as he studied her to get a sense of her emotional state. At this moment, he didn't know what was worse… waiting for the Invid—who were running late—or having to talk to her.

Paul stopped outside of arm's length from her, recalling her last words to him, "We need to talk," she said in a calm voice.

He blinked in surprise at her sense of timing, "This isn't the best time or place…" he said.

His abrupt tone caught Faith by surprise and took her aback, "Huh?"

Paul couldn't help himself as he rolled his eyes, letting out a small sigh, "You do remember the Invid?"

It took a moment, but then everything clicked and she suddenly realized why the bridge was so busy and everyone looked so tense. A wave of embarrassment washed over her for forgetting about the Invid and being so stupid and self-absorbed about her problems, "I'm sorry…" she said.

Her expression made Paul want to kick himself for being a jerk for how he responded, "No… it's okay. I want to talk. I really do, but now isn't the time."

With her problem shelved for now, Faith focused on the current situation, "What's wrong?" she said.

"The Invid are late… Commander Schmidt is running his calculations again. We understood it was only an estimated time, but—"

Paul didn't finish his sentence as one of the sensor operators shouted out, "Captain! We're picking up an increase in energy emissions!"

Faith trailed behind Paul as he rushed back to his command station. She stood behind his station, staying out of the way of the busy bridge crew, but still had a front row view to what was happening. Everything took on a surreal quality as the bridge crew jumped into action and she caught parts of the other bridge stations reporting in.

"Energy emissions increasing."

"Energy spike! We have transition!"

"Confirmed, sensors getting hard returns on targets! Computer ID confirms Mollusk-class Carriers!"

Paul's eyes locked on the bridge's main display screen, "Get me a count?" he said, his voice calm and not betraying any emotion.

"Ten… sixteen… twenty-two… twenty-nine… Jesus! Forty-two! Confirmed, we have forty-two Invid carriers in system!" the sensor operator reported.

"Confirm their position with the positions of our mines?" Paul said.

"Confirmed, sir! All ships are within the minefield!"

Paul paused, gazing out the bridge observation window towards the area of space where the Invid carriers and mines were.

His voice was low and firm as he spoke, "Execute…"

A new sun flared into brief existence as thirty one-megaton Reflex warheads simultaneously detonated. Even with the observation windows automatically dimming, everyone on the bridge had to turn away.

The Arcadia was outside the blast radius of the minefield, but the detonation of that many Reflex warheads still created a huge blast wave, spreading out in all directions. The ship rocked hard as the blast wave caught them. It took a moment for the ship to settle back down as the blast wave continued past them.

The ship had barely settled back down before Paul barked orders, "REPORT!" he said. He glanced to check on Faith and noted she'd been holding on to the back of his command chair to keep her balance. Her face was pale as she stared out the observation window to where the mines and Invid ships had been. Her eyes shifted, meeting his. She nodded to let him know she was okay, but her face still showed the awe from seeing the power unleashed.

"Sir, we're getting a lot of interference on the sensors. We'll have to wait a few minutes for everything to settle down," the sensor operator responded.

Apprehension and uncertainty hung over the bridge while the seconds crawled by, turning into minutes. An eerie quiet filled the bridge, only broken by the background noises of the ship's equipment. Everyone held their breath, afraid to speak and jinx everything.

Paul broke the quiet, "Status of Invid fleet?" he said.

"Interference is clearing…" there was a long pause, "SIR! I'm just picking up debris! There are no Invid ships! They're all gone!"

Cheers erupted from the bridge crew as the report sank in. Smiles filled everyone's faces as it became clear they had defeated the Invid fleet. A smiling Paul stood up and shook a beaming Lieutenant Hanson's hand, "Well done, Mister Hanson…" he said.

Aaron's smile grew larger at the Captain's compliment, "Thank you, sir."

Paul exhaled a deep sigh of relief, turning to face Faith. There was still that expression of awe, but a smile was growing as she took in the celebrations going on around her.

We have a chance now, he thought.

With the threat of the Invid removed, he could turn his thoughts to more important personal matters. The smile on her face and how she was looking at him made him believe they could work things out.

His hand moved to the small device in his pocket he'd prepared for his worst-case scenario. Now, there was no need for.

Paul was about to order the ship to stand down from battle stations when a voice cried out, cutting off the cheering and celebrating.

"SIR! WE'RE GETTING ANOTHER ENERGY SPIKE! WE'VE GOT ANOTHER TRANSITION OCCURRING!"

Paul froze as all color drained from his face. He recovered, returning to his command chair without a second thought, "REPORT! WHAT'S HAPPENING?"

Time seemed to stop before the sensor operator spoke again. Fear and dread filled the operator's voice while she spoke, shaking her head in disbelief, almost refusing to believe what she was seeing on her display screen.

"Twenty-one… Sir, I've got twenty-one Mollusk-class Carriers in system…"

Chapter Text

CHAPTER TWELVE
Contingency Plan

"The fourth stage Invid is a completely humanoid being and represents the Invid in their natural form. Although appearing humanoid, the Invid is distinct in its appearance with a long muscular neck, slug-like head, large bulbous eyes and saggy, gray-brown skin. The body is barrel chested, with thick, bulky limbs, and they will range in height from 5 to 6 feet. This evolutionary stage of Invid acts as the Captains and technicians of the species. Its intellect is high, and makes it capable of independent thought similar to humans, which means it can assimilate information and act on it…"

— excerpt from the REF Field Guide (Tirol, 2036)

oOoOo

When deep space radar reported over forty enormous ships arriving, a state of shock threatened to overwhelm the Pentagon's command center.

Just as doubt and panic seemed ready to engulf the command center everything changed when the mines detonated. It was only when the interference dissipated it became clear the alien ships were all destroyed that a pandemonium of wild cheering broke out in the room.

Like on the bridge of the Arcadia, everyone was celebrating when reports of another wave of alien ships came in. This news struck the command center like a dagger blow. Now, everyone watched the display screens in stunned silence as the alien ships advanced towards the Arcadia and Earth.

oOoOo

Paul shook off his shock at this new wave of Invid ships, "Get me firing solutions on those carriers!" he ordered, shaking his crew out of their shock.

"Once we have target lock, open fire. Maintain fire, but keep a twenty percent reserve of anti-ship missiles."

"Aye, sir!"

While Paul and the bridge snapped into action, Faith tried to recover and grasp what was happening. One moment they were celebrating victory and now were facing another large enemy fleet advancing on them.

The ship shuddered, and she glimpsed the first wave of missiles roar out of the vertical launch tubes at the front of the ship. The small miniature suns erupting in space from the missiles and the plasma fire only added to this growing nightmare.

"Sir! The Invid carriers are advancing on our position!"

Paul nodded, "Okay… Helm, get us on a heading to pass by our dead Garfish. Not too fast, but keep the distance. We want them to follow us."

"Aye, sir."

"Sir, several of the carriers have deployed their fighters to act as a shield to absorb our fire."

"Understood, maintain fire," Paul ordered.

In a matter of minutes the Weapons Officer reported, "Sir, we're at twenty percent of anti-ship missiles left."

Paul betrayed no outward emotion as he swore inwardly, "Status of Invid fleet?"

"Sensors show we got five hard kills. There are at least three carriers slowing and dropping out of formation… probably damaged."

A grim look filled Paul's face as he nodded, "Continue firing with main turrets. Let me know if any of the Invid ships change direction or if any more fall out of formation."

Time seemed to slow as the reality of the situation hit him. He became hyper-aware of everything and everyone around him, "How long till we pass the Garfish?" he said, glancing at Faith.

"Twenty minutes at current speed, sir."

The words hit him like a hammer, but he kept his emotions in check, glancing again at Faith.

Twenty minutes… so little time left.

He shook off those thoughts, focusing on what he needed to do, "Inform the hanger deck to launch drones. Have them keep formation with us until we pass by the wreck."

"Yes, sir."

"Let me know when we're fifteen minutes out." Paul said.

"Aye, sir."

oOoOo

On board one of the Invid carriers, its commander struggled to cope not only with her damaged ship, but with an ever increasing confusing situation.

A soldier since birth, Tashe was now what humans classified as a fourth stage Invid. The Regess had evolved her to this level for her devotion and service in the wars against the Robotech Masters and Zentraedi.

When raised to this Invid evolutionary stage in the Regess's Genesis Pit, Tashe faced the choice of continuing as a soldier or becoming a part of the scientist caste. She hadn't hesitated in her choice to continue as a warrior for her people.

Yet, there were the occasional thoughts that wondered what her life would be like if she'd chosen a different path. These doubts did not detract from her loyalty and dedication to the Regess and her people while she'd continued her service against the latest enemy her species faced… humans.

For Tashe, the current tactical situation was a confusing mess. First off… most of the fleet was missing. They had been advancing on the remnants of the human fleet and battling unknown hostiles when a strange energy distortion emanated from a human warship and engulfed the fleet. The readings from her navigation systems showed they were now in a different star system.

If that wasn't disturbing enough, the Regess's telepathic voice rather than being clear and strong in her thoughts was now faint and muffled. She couldn't make out what the Regess was trying to say, but her tone seemed somehow different from what she was used to.

Tashe tried communicating with the other commanders to discuss and assess the situation, but the human ship attacking them only added to the confusion. The first salvo of human weapons had damaged her ship. The other commanders responded in accordance to their imperative… strike back at the threat. Tashe buried her thoughts and any doubts, pushing her damaged ship to keep up with the rest of the ships.

While her crew struggled to make emergency repairs, Tashe couldn't help herself, again reviewing the sensor and navigation readouts. This only added to her confusion, discovering they were now in the system which should contain the planet the Regess had discovered that hosted the Flower of Life in abundance. The fleet had been heading to this system to reinforce the Regess when they had encountered the human fleet.

If they were in the right system, then they should sense the Flower of Life along with major emanations of Protoculture power sources. Yet, there were only a few Protoculture sources, and these were only coming from space and not the planet. Then there was the problem with the Regess… she could not sense the Regess anywhere in the system. The Regess's voice calling out to the Invid seemed garbled and made no sense… almost as if it was being blocked.

Tashe tried communicating this information to the other ship commanders to get them to pause and figure out what was happening. This had the opposite effect as the other ship commanders reacted, becoming enraged further at the thought of the humans interfering with and threatening the Regess.

The rushed consensus from the other ship commanders was that they needed to destroy the human ship to restore communications with the Regess. Fueled by their rage and hate, they pushed their ships to close the range on the human ship to unleash their fighters and destroy it.

Adding to Tashe's struggles were the voices of the Invid pilots manning the mecha she carried on her ship. They were crying out in a panic because they could not hear the Regess's voice at all. She postulated her stage of evolution, allowed her to hear the Regess while those Invid at lower stages of evolution couldn't hear the Regess at all. The ramifications shook Tashe because this was unprecedented. No one… not even the Robotech Masters at the height of their powers could block the Regess's telepathic link with her children.

Tashe acted quickly, reaching out with her mind to touch the minds of her Invid pilots to soothe and calm their panicked thoughts. While dealing with panicking Invid and juggling ship operations, she tried again to reach out to the Regess with her thoughts. She strained and pushed herself in desperation to break through the wall surrounding the Regess. In a moment of clarity, Tashe picked out some words from the faint muffled noise, but they only confused and alarmed her even more.

Help us…

oOoOo

Watching the display, Paul felt the seconds tick away. The Arcadia was closing on the wrecked Garfish's position at the center of his trap.

"We're fifteen minutes out, sir."

Now or never, he thought, getting up from his command chair.

"Mister Hanson… you have the bridge."

The confusion in Aaron's voice was obvious, "Sir?" he said.

Paul played his poker face perfectly, giving the young Lieutenant a smirk, "I have to double check something in the War Room. I'll be back before the fireworks go off," he said.

"Yes, sir," the Lieutenant replied, shaking off his confusion.

As Paul headed to the bridge elevator he immediately sensed Faith trailing him, "Where do you think you're going?" he said, turning to face her.

Faith paused in surprise, "With you… I thought we might get a quick moment to… um… talk," she said.

Mixed emotions warred within Paul looking at Faith. He fought the urge to grab her up in his arms and hold her. In that moment he realized how afraid he was, and it took all his self-control to appear calm and keep his voice from breaking.

"I need you to wait here… I have to take care of this. Okay?" he said, giving her a small smile.

A strange sensation gripped Faith. The voice in her head was telling her something was wrong, but she brushed it off as he took her hand in his and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

As he walked away from her, Faith wanted to say more to him, but kept her thoughts to herself watching Paul get on the elevator. As the elevator doors closed, their eyes met one last time, and he gave her one last smile.

It took over two minutes for Paul to reach the hanger deck level. He'd already planned out his moves, going to the nearest communications panel and typing in the codes to activate his pre-programmed commands. The timing for his plan would be tight, but he was confident it would work… nobody would expect what he was planning to do.

As soon as he finished typing in his codes, he hurried into the shadows of a side corridor. He got into cover as the hanger deck bulkhead door opened and out strode Chief Larson, heading at a brisk pace towards the elevator to go to the bridge.

Everything is on automatic now, he thought, taking a deep breath.

A brief sense of doubt struck him, questioning what he was about to do. He tried brushing off the doubt caused by his survival instincts kicking in at this late stage. There were many rational reasons—at least to him—for what he was doing.

Yet, it all came down to that memory of holding Sonia as she died in his arms. He wouldn't repeat the same mistakes with Faith if he had any say in the matter. Even knowing Faith would argue she was more than capable of protecting herself, he would do whatever it took to keep her safe.

The next part of his plan activated when the hanger deck bulkhead door opened again. This time Lieutenant Evans and Xander hurried out… also on their way to the bridge.

Just five more minutes…

oOoOo

Aaron's eyes remained glued to the tactical display as the remaining Invid carriers tried to close the range with them. Despite the Invid fighters soaking up most of their fire, they'd killed two more carriers and damaged several others.

The drone fighters were surrounding the Arcadia while they closed the distance to the wrecked Garfish light cruiser. Once they passed the wreck, the drones would peel off and take up pre-programed positions around the light cruiser. The drones carrying reflex warheads would spread out around the wreck so when they detonated their explosions would overlap each other and blanket the area.

There wasn't much for Aaron to do, but make sure that the Arcadia maintained its distance from the advancing Invid ships. It still puzzled him a little why the Captain would choose now to leave the bridge, but he filed those thoughts away for now.

He continued studying the display screen, saying a silent prayer, hoping the Captain's plan would work like the first minefield had. He shuddered to think what would happen if they failed and the Invid turned on Earth.

Chief Larson's voice startled him out of his thoughts, "Chief Larson reporting as ordered."

A confused Aaron turned to face Larson, "What're you doing up here Chief? I thought you would be on the hanger deck at a time like this?" he said, looking her over.

Larson's expression changed to mirror the Lieutenant's, "I would be, sir. I received orders to report to the bridge ASAP."

Aaron shook his head as his confusion grew, "I don't know what you're talking about Chief. We didn't send any orders, and I'm not aware of any orders for you to come to the bridge."

Faith had drifted over to see what was happening when she saw Chief Larson come on to the bridge. Yet, her thoughts were more focused on her and Paul than the conversation taking place between the Chief and Lieutenant. There was so much more she wanted to say to him. She was still angry about the "Buffy incident", but she realized she didn't want to end things with him.

God knows, I've made more than my fair share of mistakes…

She realized that what they had was more than just a fling, and she wanted more for as long as they could get it.

I'm going to tell him how I feel…

She wasn't ready to use the 'L-word', but for her to admit this much was a gigantic step for her. As she thought over what she would tell Paul, her thoughts veered to how she would make him squirm to make amends for his screw-up.

They say make-up sex is great… I can't wait to try it, she thought, her imagination drifting into X-rated territory.

All these thoughts came to a screeching halt as she caught more of the conversation between the Chief and Lieutenant, "Where's the Captain?" she overheard Larson ask Lieutenant Hanson.

The tone in Larson's voice set off Faith's inner alarms, recalling the strange sensation she had when Paul left the bridge. She moved closer, paying more attention to their conversation while an unexplained sense of dread grew in her.

"He said he had to leave the bridge to go to the War Room to take care of something. He said he would be right back," Aaron said.

The expression on the Chief's face did nothing to calm Faith's growing dread, "The Captain said he had to leave the bridge? With the Invid closing in on us?" Larson exclaimed with a mix of surprise and worry.

Out of reflex, Faith's chest tightened and an unexpected thought crossed her mind, He wouldn't do something stupid? Would he?

The situation turned sideways when the ship's helmsman spoke up, "Sir! Engines have just increased speed!"

A confused Hanson turned towards the helmsman, "I didn't order an increase in speed!"

"I know, sir! It just started all on its own!"

Aaron shook his head, trying to get a handle on the unraveling situation, "Well, adjust speed back to where it was! We want to keep drawing the Invid towards us, not leave them behind," he ordered.

"I'm trying, sir! But I'm locked out of helm controls!" the helmsman replied, the confusion and growing panic obvious in their voice.

"Well, override damn it!" Aaron ordered, trying to keep growing frustration in check.

"I'm trying, sir, but it looks like only senior command-level authorization can unlock helm controls!"

An exasperated Aaron knew only the Captain had the proper authorization, and he wasn't on the bridge right now. He didn't know how he would explain this screw-up to the Captain when he got back, "Well, keep working on it! We need control back!"

"Aye, sir!"

Aaron was going to contact the Captain for help, but the situation took another strange turn when the bridge elevator opened… Cassie and Xander exited on to the bridge.

"Lieutenant Evans reporting as ordered," she said, approaching Aaron and coming to attention.

A confused and frustrated Aaron turned on Cassie, "Huh…? What're you doing up here, Lieutenant?" he said. Most of his focus was on the current problem with the ship that the tone in his voice was more forceful and frustrated than he planned to use.

Cassie felt out of sorts as she took in the growing frustration, confusion and panic on the bridge, "Sir, I received orders to report to the bridge," she said.

Aaron's frustration and confusion finally boiled over and he vented it on Cassie, "No one here ordered you to the bridge! You must have heard wrong!"

Xander didn't appreciate Aaron's tone. He wasn't military, so he didn't feel bound by their rules as he stepped in to defend his girlfriend, "She didn't get it wrong! I heard it too. The Captain ordered Cassie… uh… I mean Lieutenant Evans and me to the bridge."

Larson suddenly got an awful premonition. She'd known the Captain for a long time and saw his fingerprints all over this whole situation.

Damn it! He would do something this stupid! she thought, figuring the Captain was up to something and wanted no one to interfere.

"I'm going back down to the hanger deck, sir!" Larson said, heading for the bridge elevator.

Worry and dread filled Faith as an icy chill crawled up her spine, "I think I'll go with you," she said, turning to join up with Larson.

They reached the elevator, but nothing happened and the doors remained closed, "What the hell?" Larson muttered as she typed in her command codes into the elevator access panel to get it to respond.

"What's wrong? Why isn't the door opening?" Faith said, finding it harder to keep her worry and fear in check.

"That sonofabitch! He's locked us out!"

Faith stared at Larson in disbelief, "What do you mean… locked us out?" she said.

"It means that god-damn bastard has used his command authorization codes to lock us in here and keep us from leaving!"

Everyone on the bridge heard the Chief, but it was Faith who asked the obvious question, "Why? Why would he do that?"

Faith's world began crumbling as the Chief shook her head and a sad expression filled her face.

"Because he's about to do something really stupid and insane…"

oOoOo

With his plan unfolding on the bridge, Paul waited outside the hanger deck ready to implement the next stage of his plan. Given enough time, they could reprogram or override his command codes and get back control of the ship's systems. He didn't need much more time for his plan as he moved back to the communications panel and typed in another set of commands.

Immediately alarms blared through the corridors and hanger deck. Within in seconds the hanger deck bulkhead door opened and crewmen rushed through trying to escape the hanger deck.

Paul moved towards the bulkhead door, catching the escaping crew by surprise, "Make sure you do a head count! Nobody gets left behind!" he said, urging the crew to move further down the corridor.

One crewman paused in their escape, "What about you, sir?"

Paul gave the concerned crewman a reassuring smirk, "I want to make sure everyone is out before we seal off the deck. We don't leave anyone behind. Now get moving, son… I'll be fine."

The nervous crewman nodded and hurried to join the rest of the escaping crew moving down the corridor to safety. Paul stepped into the bulkhead doorway to hold the door open as last few crewmen scrambled to evacuate the deck. The sight of their Captain standing in the doorway reassured the escaping crewman.

"COM'ON EVERYBODY, LET'S MOVE! WE NEED TO EVACUATE THIS DECK!" Paul shouted, urging his crew to move faster.

oOoOo

On the bridge, the stunned bridge crew watched the unfolding scene from the hanger deck on one of the security monitors.

"What the hell is he doing?" a confused Aaron said, watching crewman leave the hanger deck in a rush.

"He's making sure no one can stop him from launching," Larson said in a matter-of-fact way, sadness filling her voice.

Faith stared at the security monitor screen, refusing to accept what she was watching, "Why… why would he do that?"

What the Captain was doing struck Aaron hard, "Can we stop him from launching?" he whispered to Larson.

Larson shook her head sadly, "We're lucky we have access to the security cameras to see him. We might have access to the comm circuit on the hanger deck, but we're locked out of everything else."

"Open a channel to the hanger deck!" Aaron ordered.

"Aye, sir!"

Aaron took a deep breath to get himself under control, "Captain… Captain Coleiro… Whatever you're planning on doing, please stop it and give us back control of the ship! Captain, please respond!"

oOoOo

Buffy wasn't privy to the battle and the events unfolding on the bridge. Even if she knew what was happening, she had little control over those events. Besides, she was busy trying to deal with the fallout of her emotions and desires after her encounter with the Captain and talking to Faith.

She realized and understood that Paul and Faith loved each other, but that didn't change or minimize the desire she had for him. As she vividly recalled how he'd touched and kissed her, a jealous voice echoed in her head, hoping Faith would dump Paul and give her a window of opportunity.

She debated about finding either Xander or Willow to talk to, but settled on trying to find Willow. She wasn't in the mood for one of Xander's "I told you so" lectures.

Her personal problems took a sudden backseat as alarms filled the corridor. A momentary sense of confusion grabbed her when a stream of crewmen rushed past her in the opposite direction. As the crewmen rushed by, she caught snippets from them.

"Hull breach…"

"Venting air…"

"Captain is back there…"

Hearing that Paul was down the corridor caught her attention. Flashbacks of the dead woman in that airless compartment filled her head and caused something rare for Buffy… she didn't know what to do. This wasn't like fighting vampires and demons, and her survival instincts urged her to seek safety.

Yet, knowing Paul was somewhere down the corridor tore at her and she started pushing against the crowd, moving down the corridor towards the hanger deck. She wanted to see if Paul needed help, but she also realized she wanted to make sure he was all right.

The stream of escaping crewman dwindled until she found herself alone in the corridor. She hadn't seen or passed by Paul in the corridor, and her worry only grew. There was a moment of hesitation at finding herself alone in the corridor, wondering if maybe he'd taken a different escape route, but she continued on.

As she got closer to the hanger deck, the wailing alarms finally ended. Instead of quiet, she caught the sound of a voice drifting down the corridor.

Her Slayer instincts kicked in, and she approached the hanger deck cautiously. When she peeked around the corridor, it surprised her to see Paul standing in the open hanger deck doorway. The voice she heard seemed to emanate from a communications panel. Her confusion grew as the voice talking from the communications panel was urging the Captain to give back control of the ship.

Now to add to her confusion, a bad feeling took hold as she tried figuring out what Paul was doing.

oOoOo

Paul ignored Aaron's voice coming from the communications panel, doing a check of the hanger deck to make sure no one was around. It had been easy to program the alarms to fake a hull breach. It was the quickest and easiest way to clear people off the deck. He just needed to make sure that no one was lingering around and discovered what he was planning to do.

It didn't worry him if the bridge tried contacting any of the crew to stop him. Everything was going according to plan. He'd rigged it that once the crew had evacuated and sealed the deck's bulkhead doors, they wouldn't be able to reopen them. His priority was to ensure the survival of his ship and the safety of his crew, so he hadn't locked weapons control or shield systems. It was just the navigation, engine and security controls he had overridden just long enough for him to execute this one last mission. When it was the right time, there would be a signal to release control back to the crew.

Yeah… you've accounted for everything…

His thoughts shifted, wondering how everyone, especially Faith and Chief Larson, would take what he was doing.

A voice from behind caught him by surprise, "Whatcha up to Captain?

oOoOo

Faith's attempts to keep her composure were failing while watching Paul through the security feeds. She didn't know what he was planning on doing, but that lack of knowledge didn't prevent the overwhelming sense of dread and fear from growing inside her. These emotions threatened to swallow her up, and she tried to excise her frustrations on the bridge's emergency access bulkhead door.

The bulkhead doors refused to open, locked down like the elevator. Chief Larson, Cassie and Xander joined in at first to help, but they gave up in frustration after several futile attempts. Faith continued in her efforts to force the heavy steel doors open, her muscles straining and burning, putting all her strength into it. The urge to scream out in frustration grew in her while her eyes blurred and burned.

People on the bridge watched incredulously while Faith pried the heavy steel blast doors apart a few inches with her bare hands. With her muscles screaming in protest, Faith stopped to rest, cursing herself for being weak when she needed to be strong.

A sense of helplessness gripped her because she didn't know what to do or what would happen next. She was about to attack the door again when Cassie called her.

Relief filled Faith seeing Buffy confronting Paul on the security monitor, knowing she would stop Paul and put an end to all this nonsense. She watched the security camera feed and noted that Buffy and Paul were talking, but she couldn't hear what they were saying. Rather than putting her at ease, it only caused her fear, helplessness and panic to grow.

oOoOo

Paul cursed his luck for getting caught now. There was no time to waste eyeing Buffy, watching him with a cautious and careful eye. He realized she would probably make a move to stop him if he made any sudden moves or attempted to leave.

"I asked you, whatcha you doing?" Buffy said, keeping a careful eye on Paul. She knew not to underestimate his reflexes and skills.

Paul couldn't waste any time to fight Buffy, especially seeing her on her guard. Too many lives were on the line, so he took the only path he had available… the truth.

"You have to let me go," he said.

Buffy watched Paul, trying to figure out what was going on, "Why? What're you doing?"

Paul sighed, "I'm doing this to save lives… yours and everybody on the ship and the planet."

His statement took Buffy by surprise. Their eyes met, and this differed from their encounter in his cabin, neither of them wavering. The intensity of his eyes drilled down into her soul and in that moment she realized what he was going to do.

"There has to be another way? You have your fighters and this ship…" Buffy said, trying to grasp what Paul was planning.

Paul shook his head, "It's not enough and I refuse to throw away anyone's life as long as I have a say in it!"

"If it's not enough, how are you going to stop them?"

Paul didn't hesitate, "Because I will…"

The firmness and conviction in his tone grabbed at Buffy, recalling him telling her he would do anything to win. She had no words because she wanted to believe him.

A sense of deja vu struck Buffy, remembering standing on that tower while the dimensional portal, that Glory had opened, threatened to destroy everything. She'd made the same choice then that Paul was making now.

It was strange to be on the other side and see it from another perspective. She now understood how her sister felt at that moment when she jumped from the tower to seal the dimensional portal with her body.

Buffy realized there was nothing she could say or do to change Paul's mind. All she could do was nod her head in understanding, getting a nod and a small sad smile from him in return. He caught her by surprise as reached into his pocket and pulled something out and then tore off one of the shoulder badges from his uniform.

oOoOo

What the hell?

There was no audio from the security camera, so Faith was unsure of what was being said. Yet, she could read their faces and any glimmer of hope she had was fading. She watched Paul hand something over to Buffy.

Fear gripped Faith as she rushed over to the communications station. No one stopped her as she pushed the crewman at the station aside and activated the comm system. Her emotions were in an upheaval as she cried out over the communications channel, "Paul, what're you doing? Whatever you're thinking of doing… please stop it! Just come back up here and we can talk about it… we can find another way!"

She could feel her control slipping away, glancing at the security camera feed. A glimmer of hope resurfaced seeing Paul move to the communications panel and activating it.

His voice echoed across the tomb-like silence that engulfed the bridge, "I'm sorry Faith… I-I…"

The pause seemed to last forever before he spoke again, "Have a good life Faith… Be happy… you deserve happiness."

His words were like a knife stabbing her heart. It became harder for her to see with her eyes blurring. She desperately tried to find the words that would make him stay, "Paul, please… You don't have to do this!"

Her pleas were having no effect on him, so Faith switched her panic pleadings to another target, "Buffy… Stop him! Don't let him go! You can stop him!"

A moment of stunned disbelief swept over Faith as she realized that Buffy wasn't going to lift a finger to stop Paul from leaving. Raw emotion filled her voice as she shouted angrily, "DAMN IT BUFFY! YOU CAN STOP HIM! FOR THE LOVE OF GOD DON'T LET HIM GO!"

She watched Paul turn and face the security camera one last time, seeing the small sad smile on his face.

Her shouts echoed across the bridge, "PLEASE BUFFY… I'M BEGGING YOU… STOP HIM… PLEASE!"

She watched helplessly as Paul headed into the hanger bay. Even as the bulkhead door closed behind him, she refused to face reality and give up. She ran back over to the emergency bulkhead door and attacked the doors again to force them open.

Everyone watched in stunned silence as Faith struggled with the heavy blast doors, swearing, crying and screaming, putting every fiber of her being into opening them. She still believed if she could get them open, she could still make it down to the hanger deck and stop him from leaving her.

By some miracle of strength, she forced the doors open enough to squeeze herself through. Before she could contemplate her next move, a voice called out over the deathly quiet bridge.

"He's launched and joining up with the drones! The Invid carriers are closing on the wreck's location…"

Chapter Text

CHAPTER THIRTEEN
I win…

"Over the years, Faith and I have come to an understanding with each other. Despite our history and the encounter in Paul's cabin, I think we've worked out our differences and have become closer. Yet, I know there is a part of her that still hates me for standing aside and letting Paul go. I understand because if I was in her shoes, I would feel the same way. It wasn't easy for me to let him go. I still sometimes have dreams… nightmares of that moment, and I can hear Faith's voice begging me to stop him. Sometimes it's my voice I hear begging me to stop him…"

— Buffy Summers

oOoOo

Tashe was being pulled in all directions at once. She was trying to keep her Invid mecha pilots calm while trying to communicate with the Regess and directing her crew to make emergency repairs. Adding to all this was that her damaged ship was falling behind the rest of the Invid ships, continuing their pursuit of the human warship.

Again, she tried communicating to the other ship commanders to get them to pause, so they could evaluate the situation, but by this time they were ignoring her calls. Their focus was only now on destroying the human warship… everything else was secondary until completed.

Tashe wasn't against attacking the human ship, but the situation and circumstances required a different mindset rather than blind adherence to their imperative. This was especially true considering their inability to communicate with the Regess.

If Tashe was human, she probably would have sighed and swore at the stubbornness of the other commanders for their narrow-minded focus directed on the single human ship. But she was Invid and even with everything happening she pushed herself and her crew to have her ship catchup with the rest of the fleet. She would then launch her fighters as the imperative required.

Her sensors showed the lead carriers were coming up on one of the smaller human warships. Sensor scans indicated the ship damaged with only minimal Protoculture energy signatures emanating from it. The other commanders had already concluded the abandoned ship was no threat and were ignoring it, targeting all their energies and rage on the fleeing warship.

The derelict human ship was already becoming an afterthought, with other tasks requiring all of Tashe's attention. Yet, events took another sudden change when explosions ripped through the lead carriers and fighters…

oOoOo

A small predatory smile flashed on Paul's face, banking his Shadow fighter to make another pass at the lead Invid carriers and fighters. He'd sent the drones in first, having them spread their fire among the leading ships. Invid fighters blew up, caught in the barrage of attack missiles and disrupter fire. The Mollusk Carriers were another matter… those larger ships took hits, but their size and strength required more missiles to destroy them than what Paul had available.

If he destroyed any carriers that would be a bonus, but the point of all this was to get all the Invid ships to close ranks and concentrate their forces. The Reflex warheads being carried by the drones and the booby-trapped light cruiser would do the actual work of destroying the Invid fleet.

His major advantage over the Invid was the Shadow stealth systems his fighter, and the drones had. The Invid Protoculture sensors couldn't penetrate the stealth system and couldn't see his fighter or the drones.

But that doesn't mean they still can't hit you…

This proved true as one of the drone signals vanished from his sensors, immediately followed by another one. Paul swore and sent commands to the surviving drones to adjust their attack patterns. To add to his problems, two Invid carriers moved forward and opened their huge clam-shaped bay doors to deploy their mecha.

A part of Paul always found himself in awe when a Mollusk Carrier opened its top and bottom bay doors at the same time. As the carriers launched their fighters, Paul swore again. The other carriers had been carrying Shock Troopers. These carriers were carrying Armored Scouts, which were much smaller than the Shock Troopers, and the carriers could carry more of the smaller mecha. This meant he'd underestimated the enemy fighter force he'd be going up against by at least a factor of two.

There was no time to dwell on this mistake as waves of Invid fighters disgorged from the carriers seeking to envelope and destroy their attackers.

oOoOo

Faith stood rooted to the deck, watching the main display screen. She watched, not knowing whether to scream or throw up as the battle, receding quickly behind them, unfolded. When Paul made his first attack pass, she wanted to cheer as the smaller alien ships blew up and hits registered on the larger ones.

A brief glimmer of hope flared that Paul would pull out a miracle and destroy all the alien ships. Her hope faded, noting the looks on the bridge crew's faces while they watched in silence.

What crushed any remaining hopes was when two huge alien ships—looking like giant clams—pushed forward, and then enormous doors opened… just like a clam.

She watched helplessly as swarms of smaller ships ejected from the larger ships, almost blotting them from view. The cloud of alien ships swept forward like a tidal wave of death and destruction.

A crewman manning the sensor station spoke up, "Those Mollusks are carrying Armored Scouts… they aren't carrying booster packs."

Sitting at the Captain's station, Aaron swore under his breath, realizing—like the Captain—they'd underestimated the enemy's fighter strength. He shook off his shock, trying to concentrate on his duty and responsibilities, "Position of the Invid ships and the status of our warhead carrying drones?" he said.

"Drones are moving into position to encircle the Invid fleet. Most of the Invid fleet is closing on the Garfish and is within the kill zone. Sensors show several of the carriers are lagging behind the main group and haven't yet entered the kill zone… probably because of battle damage."

So far the Captain's plan was working. The Invid were concentrating their forces to deal with the attacking drones and didn't realize they were walking into a trap.

Yet, numbers favored the Invid, and it was only a matter of time before the swarming Invid fighters surrounded and destroyed the attacking drones… and Captain Coleiro. Almost as if to prove Aaron right another carrier moved up and launched another wave of Armored Scouts to deal with the attackers.

Aaron's gaze shifted to Faith, and he stood up from his station and moved to stand beside her. She didn't notice him with her eyes still locked on the display screen.

The warhead carrying drones and the Garfish were in perfect positions to beam back real-time video footage of the battle. Aaron picked out the Captain's Shadow fighter—with attached Beta module—in the middle of the chaotic battle. The Captain's fighter danced across space, avoiding the enemy while firing in all directions.

Aaron wanted to say something to Faith, but he was at a loss for words watching the battle rage on. Thoughts bounced around his head as he tried to grasp what he was watching, but one thought kept repeating over-and-over.

Even legends die…

oOoOo

Paul pulled back hard on his flight stick while slamming his throttle control forward at the same time. A stream of plasma bursts passed through the position he'd just been in. He recovered and spun his Battloid around to face the most immediate incoming threat.

Everything was moving in slow motion for Paul as his targeting system locked on to another group of Invid fighters rushing towards him. The fighter shuddered as he pressed the trigger, and another wave of attack missiles roared out. The crowded space around him blossomed with explosions.

Paul swore underneath his breath, seeing another one of his drones get overwhelmed and destroyed by swarming Invid fighters. All that remained of his attack force was himself and three drones.

The battle area of space was becoming even more crowded with the Invid launching more fighters into the fray to destroy the human fighters. The Invid ships were so bunched up that every shot and missile couldn't miss as his hands danced across his controls, alternating between firing missiles and his disrupter.

He realized his time was running out, but he wouldn't make it easy for the Invid. They would pay before the warheads and cruiser detonated.

A quick set of commands reorganized his remaining drones into a wedge formation and he sent them straight into the closest attacking wave of enemy fighters. Paul followed the wedge, using them to open a path for himself through the enemy fighters, so he could get behind them.

The drones launched waves of missiles that ripped into the ranks of attacking Invid. The Invid realized what was happening and immediately countered as another Mollusk Carrier moved up and launched its fighters. Invid fighters roared in like an angry swarm of attacking bees. They ignored their losses, swarming and destroying the last drone fighters, leaving just Paul now… alone.

This is a good death…

Thoughts raced through his head as he continued fighting, spinning his Battloid and firing his disruptor again and again. Images of his family, Sonia and all the others he'd known and lost through the years filled his head. Yet his thoughts focused on one person… the one person who came to mean so much to him.

Paul saw on his scanners that the Arcadia was still moving at a good speed, putting them out of harm's way. His attention turned back to the incoming waves of Invid fighters and their carriers. They would destroy the Arcadia and her crew if he failed. They would kill everyone—they would kill her—if he failed.

Throughout his life, death had taken away almost everyone he'd ever cared for. His anger flared as the thought of losing Faith galvanized him in this final stand.

"YOU CAN'T HAVE HER!" Paul screamed at the incoming Invid fighters.

He launched the last of his missiles… catching bunched up enemy fighters in tremendous explosions. His Battloid danced across space, trying to dodge plasma shots, but the weight of enemy fire was against him.

Invid fire was finding its mark. His ship shuddered as the Beta module took most of the damage. Warning lights lit up and flashed across his instrument panel, but he ignored them, applying full thrusters, trying to keep his distance while still firing his disruptor.

Death was close, and Paul now just held down the weapon trigger, venting his rage by shooting a continual stream of fire from his disruptor. More warning alarms filled his cockpit, telling him the weapons system was overheating. He ignored the alarms… it didn't matter anymore.

This is a good death…

oOoOo

While the battle raged, the drone fighters tasked with their special mission scanned the battle and the movements of the Invid ships as they took up their pre-determined positions. Their programming was to execute the mission to obtain the maximum of results. The AIs on the drones noted that all the Invid ships—except for one carrier—were in the projected kill zone. With the fighters tasked to draw in the enemy forces almost all destroyed, the AIs did a quick analysis and calculation of the situation. They determined there was a risk, but it was within their programmed margin of error.

With the decision made, the AIs sent the command to the Garfish to start its Reflex furnace overload. As a part of their mission protocols, the drones sent encrypted comm signals notifying they were ready to execute their final command to their human controller and the Arcadia.

oOoOo

The battle scenes playing out on the display screen mesmerized Faith along with everyone else on the bridge. It seemed if the battle had been raging for hours, but Faith knew the mind could mess with you like that.

Her eyes burned and heart pounded, watching Paul's fighter—in Battloid mode—continue fighting against ridiculous odds, refusing to give up. Waves of anger, helplessness, fear and despair pulled on her, threatening to overwhelm her.

With the last of the drone fighters destroyed, Faith's chest tightened, realizing this was the end. She prayed for a miracle, watching Paul's fighter continue to fight the strange crab-looking alien ships that seemed to come in never-ending waves. Yet, as she prayed for a miracle, she knew how it would end.

Real life doesn't have happily ever after endings…

oOoOo

Warning lights and alarms screaming for attention filled the cockpit as Paul vented his hate and anger onto the incoming waves of Invid.

He ignored the warnings, red-lining his systems, desperately trying to hang on for just a few more seconds and take out a few more Invid. The signal he'd been waiting for finally flashed on his communications screen.

I win…

A moment of clarity struck him as a rush of thoughts and emotions welled up inside him, knowing the warheads were mere seconds away from detonating. The image of his mother, father and baby sister waiting and smiling at him with outstretched hands filled his head.

Mom… Dad… Anna… I'm coming home…

The image of his family faded as thoughts of Faith pushed to the forefront. A wellspring of regret filled him because there was still so much he wanted to say and share with her. His hand stabbed for the communications panel…

oOoOo

While the crew relayed the latest updates from the battle, Faith struggled to control the growing pain inside her. She closed her eyes, squeezing them tight, wishing this was all a bad dream, trying to block out all the sights and sounds. Her eyes shot open, recognizing the voice coming through the ship's communications system.

"Arcadia… This is Reaper One…"

Faith stared at Paul's helmeted face flashing on the main display screen. There was so much she wanted to say to him, but her words failed her at this crucial moment.

"Faith, I'm sorry… I lo—"

A man-made sun flashed into existence, cutting off the rest of his message…

oOoOo

Gasps from the bridge crew echoed across the tomb-like silence filling the bridge. Everyone was in shock as what happened hit them. An eternity passed before Aaron found his voice, "R-Report status of the Invid force?"

There was a delay before training reflexes kicked in and a crewman replied, "The warhead explosions have disrupted our sensors in that area of space. It's hard to get a solid reading from the area. We're getting no major power sources or movement… it appears the explosions took out all the Invid ships."

Aaron nodded. It should have been a moment of success and celebration for defeating a major Invid force. Where cheers should have been echoing through the bridge, there was only a grim silence and shock hanging over everyone.

There was only a bitter taste filling Aaron's mouth at what this victory had cost them. He hesitated before glancing over at Faith, not sure of what to do or say to her. Unable to find any words, he said nothing but focused on other priorities as it slowly dawned he was now in command of the Arcadia.

"Helm… are we still locked out of navigation and engine controls?"

The stunned-looking crewman shook her head, "N-No, sir. T-The drones must have transmitted a release code just before they…"

Aaron nodded in understanding, studying the main display screen. There was a part of him that wanted to turn the ship around and go look for the Captain, but there was no point. He realized there would be only—if any—pieces and debris in the blast area left to drift in space forever.

His thoughts raced, wondering if he could have made the same decision and sacrifice if he'd been in the Captain's shoes. Again, his eyes drifted over to Faith, and he wished that Dawn was here right now. He wanted to hug her and never let go.

He brushed those thoughts and any doubts aside, instead focusing on his duty and responsibilities, "Helm… set course to rendezvous with the Dolphin and her group."

"Yes, sir."

oOoOo

For Faith everything seemed unreal and strange, standing there staring at the display screen, trying to block the growing waves of grief and pain welling up in her. She was only half aware of Chief Larson, Cassie and Xander moving towards her.

It felt as if her mind was shutting down as memories played over-and-over again in an endless loop. A part of her wanted to scream and cry as the memories replayed, hammering and torturing her. Another part of her refused to believe Paul was dead.

Yet, while she tried to process everything, a small voice echoed in her thoughts. The voice taunted her, saying it didn't matter Paul was dead. There had been only the sex and a few enjoyable moments… it had meant nothing at all. This was in stark contrast to the emptiness and pain she could feel washing over her.

She thought she'd known what a broken heart had felt like, but this pain was something new and intense. Her eyes blurred and burned, finding it harder to breathe. She glanced over at Chief Larson, immediately regretting it, seeing the pain and anguish filling the Chief's face.

Faith felt herself slipping away and fought to get some control over herself. The thought of falling to the deck and curling up in a ball filled her with revulsion, but she was alone and adrift, not knowing what to do.

The opening bridge elevator gave her something to focus on as Buffy, with Giles and Spike in tow, came on to the bridge. Everything became surreal as Faith stared at Buffy, approaching her.

All now that played in Faith's thoughts was the scene of her begging Buffy to stop Paul. Before realizing what she was doing, she moved to confront Buffy.

Faith caught everyone on the bridge by surprise, getting right up in Buffy's face. Her rising voice echoed across the tense and quiet bridge, "Why… Why the hell didn't you stop him?"

Buffy noted Faith's red-rimmed eyes and the pain filling her face. From the ship's comm system, she knew about the battle and how it ended. When she confronted Paul, she hadn't known the specifics of his plan, but understood what he intended to do.

Memories of those last moments with Paul replayed in Buffy's thoughts. All she could hear was the desperation and pain in Faith's voice, begging her to stop Paul from leaving.

The guilt filled her, despite knowing that this was Paul's decision and the path he chose. What made this moment even worse was the promise she'd agreed to do for Paul… his last request.

Her hand gripped the items he'd given her. He'd told her what to say, but now, being face-to-face with Faith, the words failed her.

Buffy struggled to find her voice, "I-I…" she said, but Faith cut her off.

The anger and pain was obvious in Faith's voice and now she'd found a target to direct it at, "You could have stopped him! You could have stopped him from going out there! He didn't need to go out there! You let him go! You could have stopped him!"

Buffy desperately wanted to comfort her… to explain to her, "Faith… I… I-I'm sorry…"

Anger and disbelief flashed in Faith's red-rimmed eyes, "YOU'RE SORRY!"

Giles stepped in, noting how the situation was escalating and spiraling out of control, "Please Faith… If you give Buffy a chance…"

"Stay out of this, Giles!" Faith said, flashing him a look that made him step back.

Faith took a deep breath, turning to face Buffy, "Okay… Explain to me why you let Paul go even though I begged you to stop him. Why did you let him go to go out there to die?" she said, her voice taking on an eerie calmness.

Buffy took a deep breath, finding the words to explain why she did what she did, "He needed to do what he did… He had to—"

Faith's punch sent her staggering back across the bridge. Buffy had seen it coming, but she didn't avoid it.

It was the pain and grief filling Faith's face that caused her to hold back. She saw Faith was looking for an outlet to vent. She also understood if she was in Faith's position, she would blame herself for what had happened.

Before she could regain her balance, Faith was on her again, landing another solid blow.

"BITCH! YOU COULD HAVE STOPPED HIM! YOU MIGHT AS WELL KILLED HIM YOURSELF!" Faith shouted, grabbing Buffy by her shirt.

Everyone on the bridge watched in stunned silence, unable to get between the two Slayers. Spike, seeing Buffy wasn't going to fight back, tried to intervene and separate them. He recognized that Buffy wasn't going to fight back, but Faith was a different matter.

He saw the anger and pain filling her face and realized in her state of mind she was more than capable of hurting or even killing Buffy. Buffy's well-being was more important to him than what happened to the Captain or Faith.

To be honest, he wasn't that upset over the Captain's death. He'd heard the rumors going around about something going down between the Captain and Buffy. While he struggled to keep any jealousy in check, it impressed the misogynist part of his personality that the Captain had done two Slayers at the same time. He only had a few hazy details of what had transpired between Buffy and the Captain before he went out on his suicide run. Despite thinking the Captain was a wanker, Spike realized the Captain wouldn't have done what he did unless there had been no other choice.

"Easy there, Slayer! Buffy didn't—" Spike said, trying to hold back Faith. She caught him off-guard, spinning and catching him in the face with a solid blow that sent him sprawling across the bridge deck.

Xander stepped in, but avoided getting too close to Faith, "FAITH, STOP IT!"

She ignored him, turning to face Buffy, "COME ON! FIGHT BACK! HIT ME!" she shouted, landing another punch on Buffy.

Buffy took the shot, quickly recovering her balance to face her again. She realized Faith wanted her to hit back… she wanted the physical pain so it would take away her inner pain. Buffy shook her head, refusing to strike back, "No," she whispered defiantly, meeting Faith's eyes.

This defiance took the wind out of Faith's anger and strength and other emotions welled up in her, threatening to overwhelm her. She wanted to keep hitting Buffy… she desperately wanted Buffy to hit back, preferring that pain over what was building up inside her. It became harder to see as her eyes blurred. She'd already cried over Paul, and a part of her hated herself for being this vulnerable. She wanted to stop feeling weak and helpless and not care about him anymore.

Buffy saw Faith's anger giving way to her grief. She had made a promise to Paul, and she still needed to carry it out. She moved closer to Faith, "Faith… Paul… H-He… he wanted you to have this."

Faith stared blankly at Buffy and then at the small round shaped device she held in her hand, "What is it?" she said.

Cassie recognized the device, "It's a holo-locket… It records audio and video," she said.

Faith stared at the object in Buffy's hand, unsure what to do. A part of her wanted nothing to do with it because she dreaded what it might contain. Yet, she still reached out and took the object from Buffy's hand.

For such a small thing, the object seemed to weigh heavy in her hand as she stared at it. The growing heartbreak and grief became too much, and Faith couldn't handle it anymore. She rushed for the bridge elevator and left the bridge, leaving a quiet, stunned group behind her.

Giles broke the silence and tension hanging over the bridge, "Maybe we should go after her?"

Xander shook his head, "No… She needs… she wants to be alone."

Buffy nodded with Xander's assessment, turning to Cassie. She still had one more thing to do before her promise was complete.

oOoOo

Buffy's approach caught Cassie by surprise. She was still trying to deal with her own emotional turmoil regarding the Captain's sacrifice, kicking herself for not seeing what he was planning to do. While she was only a lowly third Lieutenant with minimal combat experience, she was still a pilot and should have been out there with the Captain watching his six.

Maybe things could have been different if I was out there, she thought, trying to come to terms with her inner turmoil. The realization sank in that the Captain planned it this way. She understood the Captain would not make or ask anyone to fly a mission where there was no coming back. She wondered if she could make the same decision if she had to.

Buffy held out her hand, "The Captain wanted you to have this…" she said.

Cassie's eyes widened in shock and surprise, staring at the Grim Reaper's squadron emblem shoulder patch in Buffy's outstretched hand. Her heart pounded as Buffy continued, "He said that as long as someone wore the squadron's colors… then they all still live on…"

Cassie's understood the meaning behind the Captain's actions, her hand shaking as she took the squadron shoulder patch from Buffy's hand.

Other wars throughout human history usually had memorials built afterwards to remember the fallen and honor the sacrifices made. The Global Civil War and Robotech Wars hadn't allowed for any of those extravagances.

There was no memorial that could capture or give proper respect to this unprecedented scope of death and destruction in human history. Those that survived understood that sometimes it was the smallest of things that connected the present with the past. It was those connections that comforted those serving, to know there would be some continuity, and someone would remember them.

For Cassie and Captain Coleiro, that meant the squadron they belonged to was usually the only thing that represented that they had ever existed. It was as if the squadron was a living being with the individuals being components making up the whole. That flimsy piece of fabric with the squadron emblem emblazoned on it became the symbol linking all those that had ever been a part of it. Captain Coleiro was the last Grim Reaper in this universe, and when he died, the squadron would be 'dead' unless someone took up the mantle and continued on.

Cassie's hand still shook while removing her old squadron patch and put the Captain's patch on in its place as everyone on the bridge watched.

Chief Larson stepped forward, coming to attention, "What are your orders… ma'am!" she said.

Cassie took a deep breath to keep the bridge from spinning as she tried to come to grips with her new role and responsibilities. It all weighed heavily on her shoulders, doubts threatening to overwhelm her. She met the Chief's eyes and saw nothing but respect and confidence as Chief Larson gave her a small nod.

A burst of confidence galvanized her, "We'll need to finish our pilot training. Along with the pilots we've recovered, we should be able to field a full squadron… maybe even two. We need to bring all recovered fighters up to full-readiness, along with getting the rest of the drones online."

"Yes, ma'am," Larson replied.

Cassie turned to Aaron, "What are your orders for the squadron, sir?"

A moment of panic hit Aaron, realizing he was—at least for now—Captain of the Arcadia. A flash of inadequacy and lack of confidence had him briefly consider calling Lt.-Commander Wright and handing command over to him. He shook off the doubts… Captain Coleiro had chosen him to be First Officer, and he was next in the chain of command. He made a silent vow not to disappoint the Captain, steeling himself for his new duties and responsibilities.

"We'll rendezvous with the Dolphin's group and take stock of our situation. I guess the next step is to establish formal communications with the planet, since there's no hiding us now. Bring us down to yellow alert. We still have interference on our sensors, so keep the point-defense weapons online and ready. You and the Chief get back to work on rebuilding our fighter support."

Cassie came to attention, giving Aaron a salute, "Aye Aye, sir."

She gave Chief Larson a nod, and both women turned and headed towards the bridge elevator. While this all went down, Xander had watched Cassie. She'd hadn't even turned an eye in his direction and this had him confused. With all the drama now settling down, he thought he would follow and check on her.

"Cassie! Wait up!" Xander said, catching up with the two women at the elevator.

Cassie took a deep breath before turning to face him. With everything happening, the last thing she needed to deal with was Xander. She noted the concern and worry on his face, but she couldn't deal with it right now. There was too much to do along with coping with the emotional burden she was carrying.

Her voice was a little more brusque than she planned when she spoke, "What is it, Xander?" she said.

The tone in Cassie's caught Xander by surprise and for a moment he hesitated, unsure of how to respond. He decided on a soft approach, "I-I just wanted to say how sorry I am about the Captain."

Cassie stared at him as if he was speaking gibberish, "I don't know who you're talking about," she said in a toneless matter-of-fact way.

He stared at Cassie with uncomprehending surprise and shock, not sure if he'd heard her right, "Uh…"

Cassie ignored him, turning to Chief Larson, "Chief, I'll meet you down in the hanger. I have to stop by my cabin first."

Larson nodded and Cassie got on the elevator, briefly meeting Xander's eyes before the door closed, leaving him stunned standing next to the Chief.

"What the hell?" he said, trying to understand what he had just witnessed.

"Don't be angry at her," Larson replied, catching Xander by surprise.

Xander turned to face Larson, "How can she be like that…? It's like she doesn't—"

Larson finished his statement, "Even care…"

An exasperated sigh escaped Xander, shaking his head, "Yeah… what's with that?"

Larson added her own sigh, "There's nothing wrong with her, Xander. The life of a fighter pilot is dangerous and can be very short… ending quite violently. Fighter pilots have this reputation of always being cool in dangerous situations. They can't let death hang over them… they can't show the fear. I've seen this before… pilots deal with the loss by denying that the person existed."

"But…?"

"Trust me, she's feeling the loss," Larson replied.

Xander was still skeptical, "How can you tell? She looked so… normal," he said.

Larson's face took on a somber-looking expression, "She's now responsible for the squadron… not only for the recruits but also keeping the squadron's legacy alive. That's a tremendous weight on her shoulders. She's having a hard time keeping it together."

A sense of helplessness gripped Xander, unsure of what to say or do to help Cassie, "So, what do I do?"

Larson was still trying to deal with her own grief over the loss of her friend. A part of her just wanted to get off the bridge and get back to the hanger deck so she could lose herself in her work. Yet, she realized this confused-looking young man needed some guidance. A sad smile etched her face as she spoke, "Go to her… be there for her. She's going to need you."

Chapter Text

CHAPTER FOURTEEN
It didn't mean anything

"Why didn't I tell Paul I loved him sooner? I don't know why. I guess, looking back, I fell in love with him when he greeted me in his cabin, wearing nothing but a towel. At the time, I thought my feelings were just a mix of lust and horniness. I didn't know what a 'normal' relationship was like. It was like learning to walk, and we did a lot of stumbling and falling as we both made mistakes with questionable choices and decisions…"

— Faith Lehane

oOoOo

A flood of thoughts and emotions engulfed Faith as she walked the ship's corridors in a daze with no idea of where she was going. Her feet moved as if they had a mind of their own while the holo-locket dug into her clenched hand.

She barely noticed any pain from her hand, being at a complete loss while struggling with her inner pain and turmoil. A wave of anger added to this turmoil, I never asked him to care for me… I didn't ask him to go out there and do that…

The scenes of Paul's Battloid dancing across space as he desperately fought replayed in Faith's thoughts. The images of him fighting against the unending waves of enemy ships tore at her.

As a Slayer, she was all too familiar with having the odds stacked against her. But what he faced was bordering on the obscene. She tried hard not to imagine what he must have been going through or thinking in those last moments. Yet, those unwanted thoughts still came, forcing her to stop in her tracks as she pushed her hands against her eyes trying to force them away. She tried lying to herself to make the pain go away.

It was just sex between us… it meant nothing, she kept repeating in her head, trying to get herself to believe what her heart and soul knew differently.

More unwanted memories assaulted her as she recalled how happy she was waking up in bed next to him. He'd never pressured or pushed her and had no hidden agendas.

An inner voice chided her for being so foolish, for getting involved with him. At first, it had been only to satisfy her sexual urges, but she'd let it go too far.

Before Paul, her motto regarding men was to "Ride 'em hard and fast, then walk away" because that prevented any unnecessary complications. She'd broken her rule and was now paying the price for letting things get complicated. At this moment she didn't know who she hated more… Buffy, the Invid, Paul or herself.

When she pulled her hands away from her eyes, she was standing outside Paul's cabin. Another flood of memories unleashed themselves while she stood there in shock, staring at the door. She fought the pull to go into the cabin because she didn't think she could handle it.

Another wave of anger washed over her, remembering how she used to swear she would never let a guy have this much control over her. As her anger continued to grow, she felt more foolish and weak for how she was reacting. She looked at the holo-locket in her hand, and for a moment she struggled with the fleeting temptation to throw it away.

I'm the Slayer, damn it! I'm not some foolish girl gushing and falling for guys… it's the other way around!

She clenched the holo-locket tighter, almost as if wanting to crush it, trying to decide what to do next. After a moment she relaxed her grip, realizing she couldn't throw it away… yet.

She shoved the holo-locket into her back pocket, staring at the cabin door. That inner voice came again, trying to convince her that Paul meant nothing to her and she didn't need him. The voice tried to convince her she needed to prove that Paul was nothing but two sweaty bodies bumping in the night.

An idea flashed in her head, muting—somewhat—her grief and heartbreak. She turned away from Paul's cabin, striding down the corridor with a new purpose, all the while trying to deny the pain and emptiness consuming her.

oOoOo

Cassie leaned against the bulkhead in her cabin, taking a deep breath. After a long moment, she moved further into her cabin, pausing in front of her mirror. The squadron patch on her shoulder caught her eyes, and she stared at it while a swarm of thoughts jumbled through her head.

I can't… I can't do this! I don't know what I'm doing! How can I run, let alone rebuild a squadron!

The growing pressure and responsibility weighed on her as she continued staring at the squadron patch. There was a temptation to remove it and admit she wasn't up to the job.

Who the hell am I to be thinking I can fill the Captain's shoes! He was in the same league as Max Sterling, Admiral Hunter and Roy Fokker, and I'm still only a rookie with only one combat mission under my belt.

She'd known since joining the REF and becoming an officer she would eventually have to make the hard decisions… but not now, and not this way. The fear of failure and letting down the Captain grew inside her, and the first inklings of panic stirred in her. Just as she feared she was losing control, a knock on her door distracted her.

More doubts filled her, not knowing if she should answer the door. The door opening forced the decision on her as Xander cautiously entered.

A wave of guilt hit Cassie, recalling how she'd reacted to Xander's attempts to console her on the bridge. Yet, she was still a fighter pilot and an officer in the REF. That meant there were certain expectations and requirements in how you did things… no matter how crappy they must seem.

Before she could say anything, Xander spoke, "Cassie… I just want you to know that I'm here for you. If you want to talk or just hang out… I'm here and there's no judgment on my part."

Xander paused, unsure if he should say more, but he realized he needed to say it, "I just want to say I love you!"

A stunned expression filled Cassie's face, trying to absorb this news. Another wave of panic threatened to build and engulf her, but she realized that even though they hadn't discussed it, she felt the same way. The pressures and doubts fell away, and she stared at Xander's face as a floodgate of emotions and desires opened up and swept over her. She knew what she wanted right now…

Xander wasn't sure how Cassie would respond to him putting himself out there and telling her he loved her. He had several self-depreciating putdowns ready to deal with any disappointment.

What he hadn't expected was for Cassie to leap at him, taking him by surprise, pushing him up against the cabin wall. He was off balance from her 'attack' and his good eye arched in surprise as she kissed him with an uncontrolled, furious passion. As any normal guy would do in this situation, he stopped thinking about what was happening and reacted, meeting her passion with his own intense desire.

They kissed for what seemed like an eternity. Cassie finally pulled away meeting Xander's eye with an intense look, "I want you!" she whispered in a low husky voice.

Xander gulped hard, taken by surprise by the intense passion and sexuality radiating from Cassie. He was no novice, but this moment differed from anything he'd experienced before. His heart pounded wildly, taking in the hunger and desire in her eyes. His body responded out of reflex as she pressed her body against his.

"Are you sure?" Xander whispered as a moment of hesitation gripped him. He was the older and supposedly the more mature and experienced one in this relationship. He wanted to be sure this was what Cassie wanted… no matter how much his body was desiring her right now.

There was no hesitation or doubt in Cassie's face, "Yes…" she said, pressing her body harder against him in response to his growing desire.

They cast aside any further doubts and hesitations, kissing again. Small moans of pleasure escaped Cassie's mouth as Xander ran his hands over her body, exploring her more sensitive areas.

Drunk with sexual desire, they staggered away from the wall towards her bed, pulling away long enough to tear off each other's clothes. In moments they were naked in bed, hungrily kissing each other, their hands moving up and down, exploring each other's body.

oOoOo

Robin had kept himself occupied during his stay on the Arcadia, taking advantage of offered tours to get familiar with the ship. When not exploring the ship, he used the gymnasium to keep in shape and filled the remaining spare time by accessing the ship's comprehensive computer databases and libraries.

His favorite topic of study was the ship's historical records. He found it fascinating reading to see how events differed and played out in an alternate universe. It had been both mesmerizing and horrifying to read the accounts of the Robotech Wars and the devastation that the alternate Earth had suffered.

Reading and seeing videos of the battles gave him a fresh perspective and appreciation of his universe. He'd grown up, raised to believe his Earth constantly lived under the threat of extinction because of the vampires and demons that roamed the planet. It was sobering to view the video records of Zentraedi ships laying waste to that alternate Earth. The size of the fleets involved and the distances across the galaxy were staggering and almost hard to believe.

He'd been aware—like everyone else—of the threat from the Invid, yet the battle alert, coming through the ship's PA system, still caught him by surprise. From studying the ship's battle records, he was more than aware of what the Invid could do. Despite all his years of hunting and fighting vampires and demons, he suddenly experienced an unsettling sense of helplessness and being uselessly insignificant in the face of this alien threat.

He spent the battle in his quarters, staying out of the crew's way. Besides, there was little he could do or offer that would make any impact or difference to the battle. He monitored the progress of the battle through the ship's communication system, and relief filled him at the announcement of all Invid forces being destroyed.

With the Invid threat gone and Earth knowing of the Arcadia's existence, there was now the opportunity to go home. There would still be a lot of fallout and ramifications, but for Robin that was somebody else's problem to deal with. His only concern was dealing with the ongoing threats posed from vampires and demons, especially The First Evil.

As he considered tracking down Giles to discuss their next moves, a knock on his cabin door drew his attention. He was trying to figure out who it was when he opened it…

The last person he expected to be knocking at his door was Faith. What he also didn't expect was for her to barge into his cabin and grab him, pushing him back up against a wall. Shock and surprise filled his face as she pressed her body up against his and began kissing him in an almost frenzy-like state.

An immediate sense of deja vu struck Robin as he recalled how their previous sexual encounter in Buffy's house had started. Out of reflex, his body responded to her sexual advances. Yet, this time, the analytical and logical portions of his brain immediately noted that something was wrong with Faith. He noted her red-rimmed eyes and her expression seemed to reflect more of someone in pain rather than one filled with lust and desire.

These signs set off alarm bells in Robin's head, and rather than give in, he pushed Faith back. He needed some breathing space to figure out what was happening and get control over his body.

"Faith, what's the matter?" he said, taking a deep breath to calm himself.

Disappointment flashed across Faith's face at Robin putting on the breaks to her advances. His moves would not deter her as she pushed her body closer. Meeting his eyes, "I want you," she muttered, trying to put on a sexy, husky tone.

Robin blinked in surprise at her statement, not sure if he'd heard her right. The tone in her voice confirmed his first impressions that something was wrong, "You want me? You want to have sex with me… right now?" he said, trying to ignore the heat of her body pressing up against him.

"Yes… I want you to take me," she said, again attempting a husky voice. To emphasize her desire, she pressed her right hand against his chest and ran her fingers down his chest towards the lower portions of his torso.

"Whoa! Timeout here!" Robin said, her fingers causing parts of his body to respond out of reflex. He exerted enough control and strength to disengage from Faith, pushing her back far enough to extricate himself from the wall.

His sense that something was wrong only grew as the logical parts of his brain exerted more control to get any lingering sexual desires under control. He—like everybody else aboard the ship—knew about Faith and the Captain.

Moving away from Faith to give himself more space to think, Robin tried to figure out what was going on and what was causing this change in her behavior.

He'd heard the rumors going around about the Captain and Buffy, and he wondered if Faith was using him to get back at them. The last thing he wanted was to get stuck in the middle of any lover's quarrel or used for revenge sex… especially with Slayers being involved.

"What's wrong?" Robin said, studying Faith more closely now, trying to figure out what was motivating her behavior.

"Nothing… I wanted a repeat session with you," she said, shaking her head.

Faith's attempted denials rang hollow to Robin. Again, her expression and her eyes showed that something was troubling her. Of the two Slayers, he'd considered Faith the more vulnerable one emotionally, which only caused his concern to grow.

"Did the Captain do something to you? Did he hurt you?" he said, switching to his 'Concerned Principal' voice.

Faith shook her head, but her voice indicated otherwise, cracking as she spoke, "Yeah… I mean no! He didn't do anything!"

Robin tried to figure out what was causing Faith this much pain, "Did he force you to do something you didn't want to do? Did he hit you? If he hurt you… you can tell me."

Faith's plan to seduce Robin and prove that what she and Paul had meant nothing was falling apart. Robin's questions were hammering at her and her control was slipping away, "N-No… N-No…! It's not anything like that. I want to…"

"Faith, there's nothing to be afraid of. You can tell—"

Faith couldn't take it anymore, "HE'S DEAD!" she shouted, stepping back away from Robin.

Robin stood there, stunned speechless, staring at Faith. Everything started to make more sense now, "How?" he said.

Faith closed her eyes, "What does it matter… he's dead," she said, shaking her head, trying to keep a lid on her emotions threatening to burst out.

Robin stepped towards Faith, but stayed at arm's length, "It matters… tell me what happened," he said.

Faith opened her eyes, meeting Robin's eyes, but all she saw was that final battle playing out. Her breathing became ragged, struggling with the pain as she spoke, "He went out and did a suicide run against those damned Invid. He drew them in… and then some bombs went off… taking them and him out."

A confused expression flashed on Robin's face, "A-And you wanted to come down here and have sex with me?" he said.

Faith turned away, hiding her face from Robin, "P-Paul… the Captain… We were just messing around. It wasn't going to last… it was just for the sex. It didn't mean anything."

"Bullshit!" Robin said, catching her by surprise.

Faith faced Robin, "What's your problem? I came here to have sex. What…? You're too good now to get between the sheets with me?" she said, anger gripping her.

Robin didn't back down, "You came here to prove to yourself that you don't care… that you didn't love him."

Faith tried to deny her feelings, "Screw you!" she said, vigorously shaking her head.

Robin ignored her outburst. He now understood her thinking and why she was here. The last thing she needed right how was to deny her feelings. She needed to confront and accept her feelings for the Captain, "You think it would be so easy to come down here and screw your brains out and not care…"

"Shut up!"

"Prove to yourself that no man is worth your time or investing your feelings in…"

"Shut up!"

"You can try and lie to me Faith, but I see it in your face. You loved—"

"SHUT THE HELL UP!"

Out of instinct, Robin took a step back in the face of Faith's anger and pain.

The emotions she'd tried to hold back and deny were now threatening to breakthrough and overwhelm her. All she could see and hear was Paul's face on the display screen in those last seconds, and that she said nothing tore at her soul.

Tears filled her eyes, her voice cracking with grief and pain, "If he loved me so fucking much… then why the hell did he get himself killed! He could have found another way… he didn't have to leave me!"

Robin shook his head sadly, "I don't know why Faith, but I'm sure he had his reasons. He didn't leave you a note or something?"

His words caused a switch to flip in her head, remembering the holo-locket in her back pocket. Without a word, she turned and rushed from the cabin, leaving a confused and worried Robin standing there.

oOoOo

Faith rushed back to Paul's cabin. There was a moment's hesitation standing in front of the door, but she forced through it and entered the cabin. The familiar sights and smells hit her, and for a moment her strength almost gave out.

She dug down deep to keep it together, sitting on the edge of the bed, taking the holo-locket out of her pocket. It seemed like an eternity, staring at the holo-locket before pressing the button on top.

She didn't know what to expect. The top of the holo-locket opened and a green light shone from the center of the object. A small image of Paul suddenly appeared, causing her heart to skip a beat as his voice filled the room.

"Faith… I'm sorry. I didn't want to do it this way… it comes off as too contrived and reeks of those sappy emotions which I know you don't like…"

A smile forced its way on to her face while tears glistened in her eyes, taking in Paul's image and his voice.

"If you're viewing this, then it means I'm dead. I know you're probably asking yourself why and trying to understand why I did it. If you were in my place, what would you do? I had to do this. There was no choice, and I couldn't live with sending anyone else against impossible odds to stop the Invid. I wasn't willing to risk the ship… the crew… and you."

Her tears flowed freely now. It became harder to see his image as he continued.

"I did what I did because I had a duty and responsibility. You're a Slayer, so I know you understand better than most. I asked you where we were going with this… and you never gave me an answer. You didn't want me to use that word, but I do feel that way for you. It seemed those I loved the most always died while I survived, forcing me to continue on alone. So, I buried myself. I didn't want to love again because I didn't want to go through that pain again. Then so much time passed by I didn't think I could ever feel that way again about anyone. I'm sorry for leaving you, because I understand the pain I will have caused you. Please forgive me… live your life. I want you to find happiness… and love. Take care of yourself… I love you…"

The message ended, leaving a stunned Faith sitting alone in the cabin. Like a delayed-action bomb, the grief finally exploded inside her, unleashing a stream of uncontrollable sobbing and crying. The pain inside burst free and it seemed like her heart would explode.

She fell backward on to the bed, tightly gripping the holo-locket in her hand, curled up into a ball as all her pent-up emotions released. Time lost all meaning as she laid there crying, her body heaving from her sobs.

A voice startled her.

"Well, this is quite the scene… My little firecracker fell in love and now he's dead," the familiar voice said in a sneering sarcastic tone.

The voice caused Faith to sit up. As she wiped tears from her eyes, the sight of Richard Wilkins, standing across the room from her, greeted her. The former Mayor of Sunnydale met her gaze with a condescending smirk.

A flash of anger filled her, knowing who it really was, "Screw off!" she said. She wasn't in the mood to face The First Evil or be its mental piñata right now.

The First Evil kept smiling, "Wow… I'm really impressed. I've never been in space before… never had the chance, but you know what they say… travel broadens the mind."

Faith laid back down, trying to ignore The First Evil while it continued its verbal assault.

"Oh, is my firecracker upset her hero is dead? I know what you need… you need a friend to comfort you during your time of mourning…"

The First shifted its form from Richard Wilkins, and suddenly Buffy was standing in the room giving Faith a chilling smile.

"See, I can be a good friend… we could eat some ice cream and listen to some Enya and Sarah McLachlan. Oh wait, if I was such a good friend, why did I try to screw your boyfriend? In fact, I tried to do it right here in this very room. If I couldn't have him, then maybe I didn't want you to have him? Hey! Maybe that's why I let him go out there to die… Oops!" Buffy's image said, holding her hand to her mouth, an embarrassed smile filling its face.

Faith closed her eyes, trying to shut out The First's voice. More tears filled her eyes as she tried to get a grip on her emotions.

"I guess I wasn't really a true friend… maybe I was jealous you found someone alive to love while my lover is cold and dead. Speaking of dead… I wonder…?"

The image of Buffy changed and another familiar voice filled the room, "What would Angel think of all this? All that time he spent trying to save you… show you were worth saving… that you were worth redeeming."

Faith glimpsed Angel's image, a crooked smile filling his face. She shuddered and closed her eyes to shut out the image. It reminded her too much of Angelus.

"Hmmm… it's probably a good thing the good Captain died. I wonder what he would have thought of you trying to throw yourself at Robin. What you must think of yourself? He hasn't even been dead a day. Yet, there you were throwing yourself, wanting to spread your legs for another man…"

The verbal assault had finally crossed the line, and Faith sat up like a shot with tears running down her face, "SHUT UP! SHUT UP!"

The image of Angel sneered at Faith, "Awww… the brave, strong Slayer. You finally find a man you can trust and be comfortable with… not like all those other men that just wanted you for your body. Let's be honest here… you never gave most of them a chance to prove otherwise. Yet, you found a kindred spirit in the Captain. You want to hear my theory? I think he went on that suicide mission, because he couldn't stand the thought of spending another minute with you…"

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!"

"I mean, what could you really offer him? Your body? You would eventually age and your looks would wither away. Your intellect? Let's get serious! Your relationship already peaked. There was nowhere else for it to go but downhill. There… there… don't cry. You got more orgasms out of this guy than any other guy you've spread your legs for, so you have that at least to remember him by."

Faith couldn't take anymore, pressing her hands against her ears trying to shut out The First's voice. She sat there, shaking her head, muttering to herself. Her hands dropped from her ears, meeting The First Evil's eyes with bloodshot and tear-filled eyes. She didn't blink, drained and overwhelmed by her pain and grief.

"I want to see him…" she whispered.

The image of Angel leaned in closer, "Come again…? I missed that."

"I want you to turn into Paul," she said, her voice taking on a harder edge.

A confused look flashed across the image of Angel, "Why would you want that? I would think that would be the last thing you would want."

Sadness and pain filled Faith's voice, "I want to see his face, so I can tell him I love him. You want to torture me… you want to rip my soul out? I'm already living in hell! I watched the man I love die. He died to protect me… his ship… his crew… the planet! I know it won't be him, but I can live with that illusion… it's all I got left."

The First Evil stared down at Faith for a long moment. She refused to break her gaze. The creature could see her determination finding renewed strength.

"No… I don't think so," the image of Angel said, giving her a smirk.

Anger welled up in Faith, momentarily overcoming her grief and pain, "Why not? I would think you would want to use Paul's image to torture me more."

"Because you want me to," The First sneered in a huffed tone.

Faith would never be mistaken for a rocket scientist, but her lack of education didn't make her stupid. In that moment of staring down The First Evil, a thought burst forth, forming an impossible idea.

Before she realized it, she was voicing her idea, "You won't because you can't…"

The First Evil turned its back on Faith, "What're you going on about?" it said in a dismissive tone.

As the idea took hold, she worked through everything, "You can only appear as those that have died. You can't appear as Paul because… MY GOD!"

Her eyes widened in shock at the realization and implications as the crazy, impossible idea ignited hope in her. She didn't hesitate, leaping from the bed.

Without a pause, she ran straight through the image of Angel, ignoring the creature's taunts and barbs, rushing from the cabin. Her thoughts now focused on her crazy glimmer of hope.

She realized going straight to the bridge with her idea wouldn't work. What she needed was some support first for her crazy idea… and she knew exactly who to turn to. She hurried down the corridor, realizing time was of the essence.

oOoOo

Cassie and Xander were lying together in bed, basking in the afterglow of sex. He ran his fingers lightly down her arm while taking in her beauty. This elicited a small, sad smile from her.

"You okay? I'm sorry if I did something wrong," he said, struck by a sudden anxious thought he'd screwed up.

"No… No, it's nothing you did. I'm glad you're here. I'm glad we're like this," she said, shaking her head vigorously to allay his fears or misconceptions.

"Then what's wrong?"

"I'm scared…"

Her honesty surprised Xander, "What're you scared about?"

"I'm scared of failing and letting the Captain down… I'm scared of losing you," she said as a tear rolled down her cheek.

Xander reached out, and gently wiped the tear away from her cheek, "It's okay, you've got nothing to be afraid of. I know you'll do everything you need to do and more… just remember that I love you."

Cassie's smile perked up, "I love you too," she whispered, leaning in and kissing him gently on the lips.

Xander savored the kiss and his body stirred in response. He pulled Cassie closer, wrapping his arms around as their kissing increased in passionate intensity. It was the beginning of another perfect moment… or it would have been if the cabin door hadn't burst open with Faith rushing in.

Faith's abrupt entry threw a bucket of cold water over the intimate moment, causing a startled Cassie and Xander to sit up in bed. In their surprise and shock the bed sheet slid down, leaving Cassie a little more exposed than Xander.

Xander didn't hide his disappointment at being interrupted, quickly pulling the bed sheet back up to cover Cassie, "What the hell, Faith?" he exclaimed.

Faith barely acknowledged Xander, picking up Cassie's uniform off the floor and tossing it to her, "Get dressed! We need to get moving!" she said.

"Faith, you can't just come barging into people's rooms…! We were—" Xander said, not bothering to hide his growing anger at her crazed behavior and being interrupted.

Faith had more important things to worry about than interrupting Xander's sex life, "I know what you guys were doing. All I can say it's about time you two got serious. Cassie has a hot body, so you're a lucky guy. Plus, I know you're packing, so Cassie's a lucky girl…"

Xander flushed a beet red at Faith's comments, especially her bringing up their past encounter in front of Cassie. While Xander struggled with embarrassment, Cassie was out of bed, getting dressed. Her concern was more on the way Faith was acting as the Slayer paced anxiously back-and-forth across the room.

"What's the problem?" Cassie said, trying to figure out what was agitating Faith.

Faith's impatience was hard to keep in check, like a caged tiger wanting to strike out, "We have to turn around and go back and look for him!"

Cassie worriedly eyed Faith, "Look for who?" she said.

"For Paul… for the Captain!"

Cassie froze, staring at Faith as if she'd taken leave of her sanity. The Captain was dead, there was nothing left to go back and look for, "Search for Captain Coleiro? What're you talking about?" she said, wondering if Faith's grief had caused her to snap.

"He's not dead!" she exclaimed, "He's out there, and we have to find him!"

Chapter Text

CHAPTER FIFTEEN
A path unveiled

"When asked for my thoughts and feelings towards Paul Coleiro, I reflect on the years I have known this particular human. I have been proud to have known and served with him through the many difficult years and trials we had to face. Only a few beings know of the hard choices and personal sacrifices he had to make for the greater good of all the species that make up the Alliance. What most are eager to ask about is our first meeting together aboard the Arcadia. This question shows their lack of understanding and knowledge about the Flower of Life and the power of the Shapings. This lack of understanding prevents them from realizing the possibility that 'we' may have communicated with each other much earlier than that first shipboard meeting. It was that he just was not aware of it…"

— Tashe of the Invid

oOoOo

Paul was standing on the observation deck of the SDF-1. It was the same spot he'd stood when he was a child and watched the Zentreadi fire on the Earth. It was no different… there were ships floating in space all around him… waiting.

The scene suddenly changed. Now, he was in the ruins of a city… with fighting raging everywhere. He took a moment to realize he was in New Macross… on that fateful day.

Old style Veritechs tearing across the sky caught his attention. He watched as the RDF fighters engaged Khyron's forces. He stood rooted in his spot, trying to spot his father's fighter in the unfolding melee.

If I can find a fighter… I can save him!

Something made Paul turn, and he saw a woman running carrying a small child. His heart froze, recognizing who they were.

He wanted to scream at his mother to stop and turn back, but he had no voice to scream a warning. He closed his eyes, not wanting to watch his mother and sister die again.

A sound caught his attention, and he forced his eyes open… to find himself now on that Invid-occupied planet.

In the distance he could see the twisted, burning wreckage of Sonia's Alpha. He ran towards it, but no matter how hard he ran, he couldn't reach the wreckage… reach her.

Despair and frustration gripped Paul as he dropped to his knees. Hate and anger fueled him as he pounded the ground with his fists, screaming for this nightmare to end.

He could feel all the hate and anger he'd carried his whole life well up, threatening to consume him. In that moment, an epiphany struck him, showing he had a choice… to let the hate and pain consume him or choose a different path.

"No… I want something more!" he shouted, looking up at the sky with clenched fists.

A vision of a planet suddenly appeared before him. It wasn't Earth, but he thought he'd recognized it.

As the vision grew more intense, he saw Faith's smiling face mix with the planet. A sense of peace and joy he couldn't describe filled him seeing her right now in this place.

He jerked with a start as an immense column of pure blinding energy erupted from the planet, erasing her face. The column of energy rose, climbing higher and higher into space.

At its apex, it suddenly transformed, becoming an enormous bird… a phoenix of pure energy. As the phoenix extended its wings, a cry erupted from the bird that reverberated deep in his bones and soul.

He watched, still on his knees, at the sight of this most wondrous and beautiful vision while the phoenix continued to soar higher and deeper into space, leaving him behind.

Tears flowed down his face, his soul calling out to the phoenix to come back and take him with her. A sudden realization hit him.

I'm dead… I've died, he thought, recalling the last few moments before the bombs detonated.

A woman's gentle voice spoke, startling him, "No, my child… you are not dead."

Paul looked around for the person speaking to him, but the voice seemed to come from all around him. There was no fear in him as he slowly stood up. The calm voice sounded soothing, but he detected a tinge of ageless sadness in her voice.

"If I'm not dead, then where am I?"

"You are in the realm between the light and shadow… it is here that I can reach out and touch your mind. I have seen your thoughts… I have seen your life."

Paul's eyes widened at this revelation, "W-Who are you? What do you want?"

"I am the Regess of the Invid… and I need your help. We… the Invid need your help."

A flash of hate and anger filled Paul upon hearing he was talking to the Regess. She responded, sensing his raging emotions.

"I… we are not the Invid from your universe. I have seen the Invid in the other universe, what caused their hate, and the path of destruction they took to achieve their goal. What they seek to achieve is the same one we seek, but we need your help."

Paul tried to grasp what was happening to him, "How is this even possible? How can you even be talking to me? Is this even real? Am I still alive?"

The phoenix rising from the planet returned, confusing a stunned Paul. He tried opening his mind to new possibilities, and his hate and prejudices melted away in the face of this unprecedented beauty and wonder.

"The Flower of Life has touched you… and because now you hover between life and death, you are able to hear my mind and thoughts. The Shapings and the powers have chosen you."

"C-Chosen me? Chosen me for what? You said you needed my help. Help for what?"

"To save us…"

oOoOo

Tashe struggled to keep her ship alive. The carrier had been trailing the rest of the ships, engaging the humans. Once realizing there were so few of the attacking enemy, she held off deploying her fighters, saving them for attacks on the larger human warship.

There were no worries or concerns as the final few human fighters were being eliminated. It wouldn't be long before the fleet could continue its pursuit.

That all changed when the space ahead of her carrier—containing all the other Invid carriers and fighters—erupted in huge multi-megaton explosions. There was a moment of disbelief as Tashe belatedly realized the human fighters were nothing but bait to lead the fleet into a trap. She didn't think the humans would sacrifice their own people like this… that was something the Invid would do, not humans.

She only had seconds to shake-off her disbelief before the blast wave hit her ship, tossing it around like a toy. As the blast wave battered the hull, alarms blared through the ship while control panels exploded in showers of sparks. It was only by a minor miracle there was no hull breach. The blast wave caused damage to her ship's engines, taking them offline, but there was still enough power for life support while she made repairs.

A sense of despair gripped her while she directed her crew to make emergency repairs to bring the engines and other primary systems back up. Tashe realized, from the limited sensor data available and her inability to communicate with the other ship commanders, her ship was the only one to survive the human trap.

Also adding to her struggles was the continuing inability to communicate to the Regess and the need to keep her mecha pilots calm. The shadow of failure hung over Tashe… she feared failing her Regess and brethren if they couldn't repair the ship and they died here.

All this weighed on her thoughts as she once again tried to pierce the wall surrounding the Regess. At first she couldn't penetrate the noise, but that suddenly changed. Her body jolted like an electric current had shocked her.

It took Tashe a moment to realize it was the Regess straining to break through the wall of noise to communicate to her. She strained to hear what the Regess was saying, and it shocked her when the image of a human flashed in her thoughts.

Fear and confusion weighed on Tashe as she strained to understand the message and what meaning and role this human played. She again sensed the Regess struggling to communicate with her.

Tashe pushed herself, brushing aside her fear and confusion, realizing this human must be of some importance, for the Regess to strain herself like this. For a brief second, the noise fell away and two words flashed in Tashe's mind, causing her eyes to widen in surprise.

Save him…

oOoOo

Shock and confusion gripped Paul as he struggled with what the Regess had told him, "S-Save you… Why? How?"

"By saving us from the Children of the Shadows, you will allow us to achieve our destiny… and save yourselves from them."

"Shadows? Who are these Shadows?"

"You have faced them in your own universe."

"You're Invid… you could fight them yourself!"

"We are Invid, but unlike the Invid from your universe our destinies took a different path. The one called Zor came to our planet. I revealed the secrets of the flower, but he never returned with the ones you called the Robotech Masters and Zentreadi to take it. The Shadows came instead… as they had before, but this time they occupied our planet. They have prevented me from communicating to my children. I can hear their cries, but I cannot talk to them."

Paul could easily hear a mother's pain and anguish in the Regess's voice, "What can I do?" he said.

"You have what the Shadows fear. You have knowledge of the Flower and Protoculture, and what it can do… the power it contains."

The shock of what was being asked of him bordered on the insane, "You want me to lead a war?! One ship against…? That's crazy!"

Before he could say anymore, a wave of dizziness struck him. It got worse. His legs suddenly became weak, and he had difficulty standing, "What's wrong with me?" he muttered, trying to focus and keep his balance.

"You are leaving this realm and returning to your world. I will no longer be able to talk to you. Know this… even if you choose to not follow the path, they will find you! The Awareness will find you, but you are not alone… there are others out there that will help you."

There were so many more questions he wanted to ask, but everything became blurry and began fading as his vision dimmed. As blackness filled his vision, an overwhelming pain engulfed his body…

Paul's body screamed in pain as he struggled to open his eyes. With great effort he opened his right eye, but an intense piercing pain stabbed his left eye and he couldn't open it. He noticed a warm wetness across his face as he tried to focus his good eye.

Where am I? The last thing I remember I was trying to say something to Faith… then there was a huge bright light…

His vision somewhat cleared, and he found himself staring through a cracked helmet visor. Thankfully, helmet integrity still appeared intact.

The flashing warning lights and alarms filling his cockpit vied for his attention. He wanted to check his status, but the pain made it hard to focus and concentrate. There seemed to be dark splotches spattered everywhere in the cockpit while dark red globules floated, caught in the weightlessness of space.

A moment of lucidness returned as the pain momentarily ebbed. He needed to find out how badly injured he was. He tried moving his head…

An excruciating pain flared in his head, and he screamed as his vision grayed out. It took a moment for the pain to lessen so he could focus. This time he used his hands to check his body for injuries. The blood covering his hands wasn't an encouraging sign.

It was getting harder to focus with the constant pain. Time ceased to have any meaning as every second… every minute seemed to drag into an eternity. Only adding to his disorientation were the dream-like flashes in his head. It was getting harder to know what was real and what wasn't.

The situation didn't bode well. The pain in his head was getting worse, and it was getting harder to keep his good eye open now. He wanted to rest, but he still held on despite the temptation to give in.

Movement in space caught his attention, and for a moment thought he was hallucinating. Paul looked on incredulously as an Invid Mollusk-class Carrier made an approach run to come up underneath his fighter.

Pain wracked his body, growing more intense, but he focused on the approaching Invid ship even as he felt himself slipping away. Fear should have filled him, or at least a sense of resignation towards his fate, but he had none of those feelings.

As the carrier closed on him, his hand shot out—as if with a mind of its own—reaching for his communication console. Even as darkness filled the edges of his vision, he strained his body, making several attempts before activating his ship's emergency locator beacon.

The flashing beacon indicator on his console filled his darkening vision. With a sigh, Paul let the darkness take him.

oOoOo

"You want me to turn around and go back?" Aaron said, not hiding his surprise or the incredulous expression on his face with Faith, Xander and Lieutenant Evans arrayed in front of his command station.

Faith struck a defiant look. She wasn't going to give up now, "Yes… we need to go back and find Paul! He's still alive!"

Aaron studied Faith, trying to figure out if she was having a breakdown from her grief, "We're scheduled to meet up with the Dolphin and her group. We can't turn around now. I would like to believe that the Captain is still alive, but…"

Faith closed her eyes, taking a deep breath, trying to keep her composure. She opened her eyes and with control over her emotions spoke, "He's alive… I know he's alive and every second we spend arguing puts him in danger."

A part of Aaron wanted to buy in to her delusion, but he now had greater responsibilities weighing on him and wanted to dismiss her ravings. Yet, that part of him that wanted to believe… to hope… exerted itself, wanting to know more, "Okay, let's say you're right. How do you know he's alive?"

Hope dangled in front of Faith, "He didn't appear to me…! He couldn't become him," she babbled, trying to get everything out all at once.

Doubts again surfaced as Aaron eyed Faith as she babbled, again wondering if she was grief stricken crazy or not, "Who? What are you talking about?" he said, shaking his head in confusion.

Faith paused, realizing she was babbling and probably looking a little looney. She took a deep to get herself under some control, "The First Evil… it came to taunt me and rub my face in my pain. I asked it to appear as Paul…" she saw the looks of shock before adding, "It couldn't!"

Aaron considered brushing her off, but his curiosity and growing hope were stronger. Yet, he had to be sure before he started disobeying orders, "So what? What does that mean?" he said, eyeing her skeptically.

Xander jumped in to support Faith, immediately understanding where she was going with her reasoning, "Don't you see… The First can only appear of those that have died. It does it so it can play twister with your mind and emotions. If it couldn't appear as the Captain…"

The implications immediately struck home with Aaron. If there was even a chance they had to try. There was no hesitation as he barked orders, "Helm! Bring us about! Begin a sensor scan of the battle area… I want all eyes and ears on that area! Alert the hanger bay… I want a rescue shuttle on standby to launch as soon as we find anything!"

An excited urgency gripped the bridge as the crew jumped to carry out Aaron's orders. Faith watched, letting out a deep sigh of relief as Xander moved up beside her and leaned in.

"You sure about this?" he whispered, so as not to cast any doubts with the bridge crew.

Faith nodded vigorously, unable to trust herself to speak, trying not to let any doubts cast their shadows over her glimmer of hope.

The minutes seemed like hours as the ship turned around and made its way back towards the site of the battle. Faith struggled to keep nervousness and impatience in check, but still got worried looks from Xander and Cassie as she paced back-and-forth.

Damn, I need a smoke, Faith thought, trying to keep her fidgeting and pacing at a seemingly less crazy tone, picking up on the worried glances she was drawing.

A voice, ringing across the bridge, changed everything in a flash, "SIR! I'm picking up an emergency locator beacon! I-It's coming from the Captain's fighter!"

Faith didn't know whether to yell or faint as disbelief and hope gripped her. A panicky voice quickly added itself to the growing excitement, "CONTACT! I have a hard sensor contact! Computer IDs it as a Mollusk Carrier… it's under power and on an approach vector!"

Everything turned sideways at this news. Aaron wasn't going to hesitate against this threat, "WEAPONS! Get a lock on that target and prepare to fire on my command!" he ordered.

"Sir! The beacon is coming from the same location as the Mollusk!"

Indecision and hesitation reared its ugly head, "Jesus…" Aaron muttered, "Get me a visual!" he ordered. There was still the temptation to fire on the Invid ship, but he realized if the Captain was still alive he would get caught in the crossfire.

A confused Faith struggled to find out what was happening as a frenzied energy gripped the bridge. She was about to ask Cassie to explain what was going on, when the main display brought up an image that froze her heart.

"My God…" she whispered, staring at the unfolding scene on the display.

A stunned silence gripped the bridge while everyone watched the main display screen as the Invid ship approached the Arcadia. What was most alarming to everyone was the heavily damaged fighter—in Battloid mode—lying across the top hull of the carrier.

Remnants of the Beta module hung from the back of the fighter, most of it gone… torn off by the explosions. Also gone was the Battloid's right arm, torn off up to the shoulder, and the left leg. The left arm wasn't much better with the hand and forearm torn away. The only parts of the Battloid that looked more or less intact were the head, torso and right leg.

Cassie's gasp shook Faith out of her shock. She noticed the bridge crew still frozen, mesmerized by the scene, "DO SOMETHING!" she shouted, trying to get everyone to snap out of their shock.

Faith's shouts got Aaron to focus. It was hard because he'd never seen or heard of the Invid doing anything like this before. He realized he was dealing with something new and out of the ordinary. He struggled with how to react or what to do next because his first instinct was to fire on the enemy.

"Sensors, status of Invid ship?" he said, keeping his 'shoot first' instincts in check… for now.

"Uh… picking up minimal power readings. Just enough to keep life support and engines going, sir."

Aaron arched an eyebrow in disbelief, "Status of Invid fighters?" he said.

"Minimal power readings… no signs they're readying to launch."

Another crewman quickly added, "Sir, the Mollusk is slowing down… its holding position."

An air of unreality hung over the bridge as Aaron studied the unfolding scene. Faith's questioning shouts interrupted him, "Why aren't you doing something?"

Aaron shook his head, his confusion plain as day as he looked at her, "What do you want me to do? This has never happened before!" he said, trying to figure out what was going on, and what to do next.

Faith wanted to pull her hair out in frustration, "Call them… talk to them!" she pleaded.

"It's not that easy… the Invid don't use radio communications like we do," Aaron said, shaking his head as he glanced back at the main display screen.

Faith stared at Aaron in disbelief, struggling against the urge to scream in frustration. A crewman's voice drew her attention back to the display screen.

"Sir! The carrier is pulling away!"

Again stunned silence filled the bridge as the Invid ship dropped away from the damaged fighter and pulled back slowly. Faith gasped in disbelief, staring at Paul's fighter now drifting in space. Aaron debated with the decision to open fire, but he realized the Captain's fighter was still too close and would get caught in the crossfire.

The universe seemed to hang on what he would do next, Aaron took a chance, "Order the rescue shuttle to launch! Keep weapons lock on that carrier… if it so much as twitches… open fire!"

Aaron turned to Cassie, "Lieutenant Evans, grab whatever pilots you can and get out there to cover that shuttle! I want you to monitor the Invid. Something is going on here and I want to know what!"

"Yes, sir!" Cassie said, quickly coming to attention before turning to sprint for the bridge elevator to head for the hanger deck.

As Cassie, with Xander in tow, rushed from the bridge, Aaron turned back to study the unfolding scene on the display screen. All he could do is shake his head in amazement at what was happening. He tried to put himself in Commodore Lau's and Captain Coleiro's shoes and what they would do in this situation. This was unheard of, the Invid just attacked and kept attacking until you were dead or they were all dead.

What the hell is going on? What are they up to?

The Invid carrier hanging there in space presented an unheard of opportunity. Aaron decided on his next move, "Ensign Connors… I want you to put together a boarding party. I want you to take a shuttle over to that carrier and board her. You will take any Invid you find prisoner."

The nervousness and confusion was obvious in the young Ensign's voice as she gulped, "Sir?"

"Your rules of engagement are that you do not fire unless fired upon first. I want to talk to those Invid and find out what they want and what's going on."

oOoOo

Chief Larson tried to put on an air of calm control while waiting for the SAR shuttle to return. She was all too familiar with—and hated—these moments. The cool and composed manner she was trying to maintain was in stark contrast to the nervous back-and-forth pacing Faith was doing. Larson was about to tell her to give it a rest when an announcement came over the PA system.

"Rescue shuttle on approach… they have the fighter in tow."

Larson shelved her worry and concern as her focus turned to her job. She signaled her deck crew to ready up and get into position for the rescue shuttle's arrival.

Faith was the opposite as the announcement edged her nervousness even higher. Out of instinct, she rushed forward, but only got a couple of steps before stopping as Chief Larson signaled her to hold back. Her eyes locked on the far end of the hanger deck in nervous anticipation. She didn't have to wait long as the shuttle came in for a landing.

A shimmering blue light emanated from the rear of the shuttle, surrounding the wrecked fighter as it towed it in. At seeing the damage up close, Faith's heart froze, fearful not knowing if Paul was alive or dead.

Her self-control strained to its limits, watching Chief Larson and her deck crew race towards the wreckage. Minutes seemed liked hours while the crew pried at the fuselage to get at the canopy inside the Battloid's torso. Faith stood rooted to the deck, watching the deck crew work, wondering how much longer it would take. A shout suddenly rang out across the hanger deck…

"MEDIC!"

The med-techs, standing by, wasted no time rushing in. As time crawled, Faith's feet started moving on their own… pulling her towards the wreck. Her feet picked up speed only to stop dead in their tracks when the med-techs pulled a limp body from the wreckage and placed it on a stretcher.

Everything seemed to move in slow motion as the med-techs came racing towards her, carrying the stretcher. She got her first close up look of Paul and almost lost it at seeing his helmet visor cracked and his flight suit covered in blood. Thoughts of Paul being dead screamed in her head, but she caught snippets of the med-techs's hurried conversations as they rushed past her.

"Pulse thready…"

"Head trauma… left eye has severe trauma… I'm getting no pupil response in the right one…"

"Get pressure on those wounds!"

Faith was reliving the engine room again. This time there was no demon for her to vent off on as the pain and helplessness took hold of her.

She stood there helplessly as the med-techs rushed from the hanger deck, heading to Medical. Her mind raced, unable to decide what to do next. A hand grabbing her shoulder snapped her out of it. She turned to see Chief Larson's worried face.

"Go! You're not doing any good here!" Larson said, noting the helpless, scared expression on Faith's face.

Faith needed no further urging, finding her focus and sprinting from the hanger deck to catch up with the med-techs and Paul.

oOoOo

Aaron thought he'd seen everything, but this was reaching bizarre new levels as he sat across a table from an Invid. He suppressed a shudder as he tried to read the alien's dark purple eyes, trying to get a sense of the creature he now faced.

Ensign Connors and her boarding team had boarded the Invid carrier with no resistance. In fact, the ship's commander had greeted them at the ship's airlock, requesting to meet and speak to the human commander. After much back-and-forth discussion, Aaron agreed to bring over the Invid commander to 'meet'.

Now, sitting there across the table from the Invid commander, a small part of Aaron longed for the uncomplicated days when he was just a very junior bridge officer.

He realized those days were over, and he was being thrown into the deep end with the sharks. It was now sink or swim time as he tried to keep his growing doubts and anxieties in check.

To be honest, he'd briefly considered delaying this meeting until the Dolphin and her group rejoined the Arcadia so he could let Lt. Commander Wright deal with it. Yet, despite struggling with the sense of being in over his head, Aaron sensed that something crucial was happening and didn't want to waste any time.

As he met those dark alien eyes again, Aaron's thoughts drifted to the last medical update he'd received on the Captain's condition. Medical had the Captain on life support, which stabilized him for now, but the prognosis wasn't good.

Aaron took a deep breath to get rid of the bitter taste of anger and hate welling up in him. He realized he couldn't let any personal emotions impede this crucial meeting. There was too much at stake… there were questions they needed answers to.

"You understand me?" Aaron said, starting off the meeting.

The Invid twitched its head, studying him for a moment and then nodded slowly, "Yes… We have knowledge of your language. The Regess has instructed us, so we understand you better to engage you in combat."

Aaron blinked, taken by surprise by the Invid's statement. For a second he could have sworn he saw the hint of a smile on the alien's face. He dismissed the thought, continuing on, "You realize that you, your ship and crew are prisoners of the Robotech Expeditionary Forces…"

The Invid nodded, "Yes… we no longer want to fight you."

Aaron tried keeping his surprise in check. This was the last thing he expected, but then this whole meeting was unexpected, "Y-You no longer want to fight?" he said, trying to maintain his composure.

"Yes…"

"Why?" Aaron said, studying the alien closely as it took a moment to respond… as if it was collecting its thoughts.

The Invid locked eyes with Aaron, "This universe is different… we cannot communicate with the Regess. She tries to speak, but it is not getting through. Even if I could speak to her, this Regess is not the same as mine… She does not want to fight or engage in war with you."

Aaron tried not to fall back in his chair at this bombshell of a statement. This Invid seemed to have confirmed that the Invid existed in this universe, but yet they were different. On top of this, the Invid commander immediately realized and grasped they were in a different universe.

The surprises just keep coming! Aaron thought, finding his preconceptions of the Invid changing by the second.

A skeptical Aaron tried to detect any deception from the alien, but couldn't read the creature. He wasn't ready to buy this story as old prejudices still pulled on him, "You would listen to this Regess… even if she doesn't want to fight?"

The alien nodded, "She is the Regess… it does not matter what universe or dimension we are in. We are Invid and we listen and obey. We just want one thing now…"

Aaron tried to keep from shouting "Aha!" figuring this was where the Invid would try to screw them over. He was a little hesitant, but he knew he had to ask, "Okay, what is it you and the other Invid want now?"

The Invid commander didn't bat an eye, "We want to go home… back to Optera."

oOoOo

The level of medical technology still amazed and astounded Giles as he walked through Medical. In fact, all the technology aboard the Arcadia astounded him. He found it hard to admit he was a little jealous, knowing how their little group—especially Buffy—could have benefitted from only a small fraction of what was available.

He put away those thoughts upon reaching the door of one of the private patient rooms and knocking gently. As he waited for a response, his brows furrowed with concern. With growing worry, Giles quietly pushed the door open and carefully edged into the room, pausing just inside the door.

The only light in the room was being cast by floor level lights that bathed the hospital room in a low, soft light. The only other lights in the room were coming off the machines and monitors set up next to the Captain's bed.

Giles recognized the ones monitoring vitals. What concerned him was seeing the Captain hooked up to a ventilator to help him breathe. He could barely make out the Captain's face with most of his head and face wrapped up in bandages. Even to a non-medical professional it was obvious the Captain's injuries were life-threatening, and the prospects didn't look good.

Giles's gaze shifted to the high-back chair pulled up next to the bed. Even in the low light he could make out Faith, curled up in the chair with legs pulled up, tucked tightly into her. Her eyes were closed, and it appeared like she was sleeping with her head leaning at an uncomfortable angle against the side of the chair.

A lump formed in his throat as he watched her. Even in this 'resting state' her face looked full of concern, worry and fear. This only confirmed his worries, supporting his decision to come down to Medical to check on Faith. He made a move to step further into the room…

"What is it, Giles?" Faith said.

Her soft voice—barely above the background noise of the medical equipment—startled the Watcher. He recovered quickly though, "I came down to check on the Captain and you. Has there been any change in his condition?"

Faith sighed as she opened her eyes, directing her gaze towards Giles as he approached. Even in the low light, Giles could make out her red-rimmed, bloodshot eyes.

The sadness was obvious in her voice, "No… He's still in a coma. They said that the pressure on his brain from the swelling is building. If they can't relieve the pressure, he'll suffer permanent brain damage or…" Faith trailed off, unable to finish.

"Isn't there anything they can do?"

"No… unless you're a neurosurgeon or if Willow can conjure one out of thin air. There's nothing they can do aboard ship," she said, turning her attention back to Paul.

Giles nodded absently, grasping the situation. The Arcadia was short-handed because of losing most of its crew during the transition that had brought the ship to this universe. Among those that had died included most of the senior medical staff, including all the surgeons.

Only a handful of the ship's medical staff had survived… a mix of nurses, orderlies and med-techs. Until now, the surviving medical staff and the automated medical equipment had dealt with all the medical needs and requirements. The Captain's wounds, especially his head injuries, presented a unique situation even beyond the ability of the automated equipment to treat and repair.

It still amazed Giles that the Captain had survived and was still alive. Before coming to Medical, Giles had stopped by the hanger deck and viewed the remains of the Captain's battered fighter.

He'd seen the blood-spattered cockpit, knowing the Captain had survived the battle and ensuing nuclear firestorm was nothing less than miraculous. Yet, now the Captain was hanging on by a thread and despite all efforts it didn't look like he would make it.

What worried Giles the most and had brought him here was Faith. It was painfully obvious how much she cared for the Captain. That she could care so deeply for someone caught Giles by surprise. He now worried how she would react if the Captain died. The memory of her meltdown on the bridge kept replaying in his head, adding to his worry.

Her time in prison, with Angel, and her romantic involvement with the Captain seemed to have given Faith a newfound level of maturity. She still carried a lot of baggage and history, and even for being a Slayer, Faith lived on a precipice edge, always seeming to run wild and losing control. She'd crossed lines and done things that made Giles keep a wary eye on her. It would take a long time—if ever—before he would trust her again.

Yet, despite all her problems and her past behavior, all Giles saw right now was a young woman in pain as she watched someone she loved suffering. He saw that she needed support, "Maybe you should go back to your cabin… get some rest. You might—" he said.

Faith cut him off. The hard, determined tone in her voice was clear as she spoke, "No… I'm staying."

Giles sighed at seeing her determination and stubbornness, "You should get some proper rest," he said, trying again.

She shook her head firmly, "I'm not leaving him."

Giles decided not to push the matter any further… for now, "Is there anything I can get you?" he said.

"No…" Faith mumbled.

Giles stood there for a few minutes studying Faith before deciding to leave. As he turned to leave, Faith spoke in a soft voice, cracking with emotion, "Thanks Giles… I-I…" she trailed off, not able to finish.

He paused and then moved back over to Faith. Standing beside her chair, he leaned in and placed his hand gently on her shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze to let her know he was there for her. She looked up at him, meeting his eyes with her sad red eyes.

Before he could react, she was out of the chair, gripping him in a tight hug, burying her face in his chest. Giles stood there awkwardly, surprised, but he finally recovered, wrapping his arms around her, holding her in a tight embrace… like a father trying to console a daughter. Her body heaving as she sobbed quietly into his chest.

oOoOo

Giles got Faith settled back down before leaving Medical. He wandered the ship's corridors, with no particular destination in mind, lost in his thoughts. Chance reared its head as he came across Buffy—with Spike in tow—just exiting one of the ship's lounges. Giles greeted Buffy, barely acknowledging Spike's presence.

"How's the Captain doing?" Buffy said.

The obvious concern Buffy showed for the Captain shifted Giles's thoughts to the stories going around the ship he'd heard about her and the Captain. He wasn't the only one thinking along those same lines, noticing the disdain and jealousy flash across Spike's face, but Giles didn't care about Spike's feelings. His concern was on Buffy's involvement with the Captain and how that could get complicated.

The last thing anyone on this ship needs is to have Faith and Buffy pursuing the same man. Someone will end up hurt… or dead, he thought.

He'd been through his fair share of similar entangled situations, and the one common result was that they never ended well for anyone. For now, he marked that topic as a future private conversation to have with Buffy.

There were more immediate concerns to worry about as his thoughts shifted back to Faith and the Captain's condition. Giles updated Buffy on the Captain's medical status and the grim prognosis.

"How's Faith doing?" Buffy said. She was genuinely worried about Faith, despite any lingering feelings and desire for Paul.

Giles shook his head sadly, replaying the hospital room scene over again in his head, "Not well… she's trying to manage. I tried to get her to take a break, but she refuses to leave his side," he said.

Guilt filled Buffy as she kept replaying the hanger deck scene over-and-over again in head, wishing she'd stopped Paul from going on his suicide mission. She tried pushing away her guilt, realizing she would have to live with her decision, "And there's nothing they can do to help him?" she said.

"Unless the swelling in his brain goes down by itself, the outlook isn't good. If they had a doctor aboard that could operate to relieve the swelling, then he might have a chance," Giles replied.

"Hello… Has everyone taken leave of their bloody senses?" Spike said, injecting himself into the conversation.

"Do you mind Spike… this is serious," Giles said, exhaling an exasperated sigh while rolling his eyes skyward.

Spike replied with a derisive snort, "Of course it is."

Buffy wasn't in the mood for Spike's comments and attitude, "Please Spike, can you keep a lid on it?" she said, adding her own exasperated sigh.

Spike rolled his eyes, shaking his head at their inability to see the obvious solution, "Are you all bloody blind?" he said.

Giles was too tired and emotionally drained to deal with Spike's antics. He took the path of least resistance to end this painful dance, "What is it Spike?" he said, not hiding his annoyance with the vampire.

"Do you not see the wee blue and white planet out there?" he said, turning and holding his hand towards the nearby observation window where Earth hung in space.

Buffy and Giles stared at him as if he was demented. She finally found her voice, "What are you going on about?" Buffy said, not hiding her confusion.

Spike let out his own exasperated sigh at having to explain the bloody obvious to everyone, "The planet…! You know the one… full of demons, vampires, Hellmouths and over six billion namby-pamby mouth breathers skittering across it."

Giles's annoyance and confusion were obvious, but he was also curious to know where Spike was going with this. He just hoped he wouldn't regret asking, "What about the planet?"

The thought of forever holding this over Giles gave Spike a warm fuzzy feeling, knowing how annoyed the Watcher would be. A triumphant smirk filled the vampire's face, "Don't you think there's at least one doc on the planet that could help the Captain?"

Giles and Buffy stood there, blinking with their mouths hanging open as their eyes shifted back-and-forth between the vampire and Earth.

Chapter Text

CHAPTER SIXTEEN
We need your help

"First Faith, then those stories about that bugger and Buffy, and having to listen to all those preening Potentials go on about him. At least Little Bit {Dawn} was smart getting involved with someone else, but all these women coming out of the bloomin' woodwork and prattling on and on. Well, if I was the bloody Captain of a starship and a fighter pilot, I would have women throwing their knickers at me too. It all made me want to go into the hospital and pull the plug on the wanker myself…"

— Quote attributed to Spike while on the Arcadia

oOoOo

Aaron easily read Lt.-Commander Wright's incredulous expression on the video display. He was not unaware of the irony, recalling his own reaction when Buffy and Giles had come to him with the idea on how to save the Captain's life.

"You want to contact Earth?" Wright said, shaking his head in surprise.

Aaron nodded, "Yes, sir. We want to establish contact with the United States government. We think they can provide the surgeons and other medical personnel necessary to operate on Captain Coleiro."

Wright's sigh was discernible over the video conference call, "Lieutenant Hanson, I may be new to this… uh… universe, but I have reviewed the records. Am I not wrong in saying that the government you want to contact is the same one that launched nuclear missiles at the Arcadia?"

Aaron tried not to betray any nervousness at the Lt.-Commander pointing out this little detail, "Yes, sir. But desperate times—."

"Call for desperate measures… Yes, I'm well aware," Wright paused, again considering the Lieutenant's idea.

The Captain's status concerned him too, but there was a long list of important operational issues to deal with. His so called 'task force' was on its way to rendezvous with the Arcadia. Once reunited, they would work on getting the ships repaired and back to full operational status. Then there was the problem of their Invid prisoners, and that was just the start of the list.

"What's the status of the Invid?" Wright said.

"We're monitoring them. We have a continual lock on the Mollusk with our weapons. They have maintained minimum power levels for now, and there has been no movement or increase in activity by the carrier's mecha. The Invid Commander… her name is Tashe, has stated that all they want is to return home."

Wright scratched his head, "I thought I would never see the day! There's no way we can let them go home now, but we can't stay indefinitely at battle stations watching them."

"Yes, sir."

Wright made a quick decision, "Lieutenant, I want you to take one of the remaining Skylord warheads and attach it by the Mollusk's engines. Rig it up with a remote detonator and let this… Tashe know in no uncertain terms what we'll do if there's any provocation or misstep."

Aaron nodded his understanding, "Yes, sir. I see where you're going with this. We'll make the arrangements."

"Excellent, Lieutenant Hanson. Also can you setup a communications system with the Invid, so we can maintain links with them."

"What about their request to go home?" Aaron said.

Wright sighed, knowing that figuring out what to do with the Invid could get real messy, "For now tell the Invid Commander we are taking their request under… uh… advisement."

Aaron arched an eyebrow in surprise, "Advisement, sir?"

Wright sighed again, "Yes, Lieutenant… advisement. We need time to get a handle on this mess," he said, preparing to wrap up the video call.

Realizing the Lt.-Commander was ending the call, Aaron quickly added, "Uh… sir?"

"Yes, Lieutenant?"

"About the Captain?" Aaron said.

Wright shook his head at his forgetfulness, "Lieutenant, didn't the Captain express reservations about who he could contact and trust on the planet? You realize if we go with your plan those people down there will want something in return?"

Aaron nodded, "Yes, sir. I understand the implications, but I don't think we have much of a choice considering the Captain's situation, and our own circumstances."

Wright let out a tired sigh. He was still struggling with being in a different universe with no clear path home. Yet, he also understood the reality of the circumstances they faced, "I take it you have a plan on how to make initial contact?"

Aaron flashed a tired smile, "Yes, sir. We have the survivor from the shuttle that attacked us. We're going to ask her to be our initial contact with the US government. The plan is to arrange for a person who one of our guests knows to act as our liaison planet-side."

Wright eyed Aaron, "Are you sure the shuttle survivor will help us contact their government?"

Aaron tried to hide his nervousness at the flimsiness of their plan, "Sir, I have some people talking to her, trying to convince her to help us."

oOoOo

A sense of wariness and confusion gripped Megan as guards led her down the corridor.

Since meeting with Captain Coleiro, she'd been spending most of her time in her cabin studying up on the other universe. It had surprised her when the Captain gave her access to the ship's library system. She soon discovered the ship's computer security system was at a higher level than her hacking skills.

After several unsuccessful probing attempts to access the ship's main computer system, she resigned herself to spending her spare being limited to the ship's library databases.

Any thoughts of being bored faded as she immersed herself into the history of the alternate Earth. She picked out the points where the two Earth's history diverged.

It was fascinating and shocking to read about the Global Civil War and what happened to the United States. It seemed unreal—more like a science-fiction story—that she was reading about events that had happened in another reality.

Her interest grew even more when she delved into the science and history of Robotechnology. Breathless excitement gripped her as she realized the limitless possibilities and benefits that abounded from Protoculture and Robotechnology. Her breathless excitement got a sobering wake-up call as she read about the Robotech Wars and the devastation unleashed on Earth and humanity.

Captain Coleiro had told Megan of her doppelganger… Sonia. It still struck her as weird to meet someone who knew her from an alternate universe.

During their conversations, she'd gotten the impression that the Captain was holding back details from her about her alternate self. He'd been evasive into going into any fine details about how he knew Sonia, and what their relationship was to each other. This only stoked her desire to find out more about her other self.

Luckily, the ship's databases had what she was looking for. She located the records for one First Lieutenant Sonia Blair assigned to a fighter squadron called the Grim Reapers.

That initial excitement faded upon finding out that her counterpart had died on some remote planet fighting the Invid. Megan found it strange to cry and mourn over a person who looked like her as she stared at a picture of Sonia she'd found.

It then struck her she wasn't looking at another person… she was looking at herself… just a different version who'd made different choices and lived a different life.

After researching into her counterpart, Megan switched her research efforts over to Captain Coleiro. From their brief time together and the stories she'd heard circulating about him only piqued her interest in him. She wanted to find out more about him and discover what his connection with Sonia was.

From her research, she discovered the Captain was a decorated officer with a long distinguished career along with what appeared to be an equally long colorful history. Reading up on the Captain set Megan's thoughts going, and she wished she'd gotten to spend more time to talk with him.

Any further research and study took a back seat with the Invid fleet arriving. Megan had some idea of who and what these aliens were from her studies. This only filled her with fear and dread, wondering what would happen to her Earth if the aliens attacked the planet. As the Arcadia engaged in battle against the Invid, Megan couldn't help but wonder if she would suffer the same fate as Sonia.

A sense of relief filled Megan when the ship's PA system announced the Invid fleet's destruction. It was only later she learned about the Captain's sacrifice to lead a group of Invid ships into a minefield trap.

She retreated to her cabin, finding it strange to be feeling a sense of loss and sadness for a man she barely knew. She didn't know why she was mourning, and couldn't explain why she was feeling this way. After much thought, she had to admit the Captain projected a powerful presence and gave off a certain vibe that wasn't unattractive.

With the threat of the Invid fleet removed and the death of Captain Coleiro, Megan's thoughts shifted to her predicament. She wondered what would happen to her, and if she would ever set foot on Earth again? It wasn't like they were mistreating her, but she wasn't free. She was still wondering about her future status when a pair of guards came to her cabin with orders to escort her to a meeting.

All during the walk, Megan tried to figure out what was going on and what would happen to her now. The last thing she expected when she entered the conference room was to be facing off against three women.

She recognized the blonde and brunette from earlier. This time an older-looking woman—wearing a dirty set of work coveralls—joined them. What struck Megan were the looks of worry and concern on all three women's faces. The brunette seemed in rougher shape compared to the other women, going by her red-rimmed eyes.

"Please sit down," the blonde said, offering Megan a seat at the conference table.

Even as the guards exited, leaving her alone in the room with the other women, Megan kept her guard up as she took the offered seat. She kept studying the other women to get a sense of who they were and what they wanted from her. She realized quickly they wanted something from her. The whole situation was wearing on Megan… she wanted to go home, so she took the initiative.

"You want something," she said, suppressing a smile at seeing the surprise on the other women's faces. She was a little surprised by the older woman's reaction when she snorted and shook her head.

The blonde gave Megan a small nervous smile, "Yes… can I call you Megan?"

Megan nodded. For now, she would tread lightly while she tried to figure out where this was all going.

The blonde smiled again… this time not so nervously, "Maybe I should introduce us first. I'm Buffy… this is Faith, and that is Chief Larson."

Buffy took a breath, trying to keep her nervousness and uncertainty in check before continuing, "You know that the Invid attacked us?"

Megan nodded, "Yeah, I heard that Captain Coleiro stopped them."

At the mention of the Captain's name, she noticed a look of pain and sadness flash across the brunette's face. It took a moment, but the realization dawned on her.

They're involved with each other…

Chief Larson jumped into the conversation, "Yeah, the Captain stopped them. We thought he was dead, but we were lucky enough to recover him. He's in Medical right now… he's in bad shape."

Megan eyed the women, not sure what they wanted her to do, "I'm no doctor. You're the ones with all the advanced equipment."

Larson sighed, "The problem is that the event that brought us to this universe killed a lot of our crew. We lost all our surgeons, and the Captain needs surgery, if he's going to make it."

This only confused Megan more, "I still don't know what you want from me?" she said, still trying to figure what was going on.

Buffy replied to answer the question, "We want you to contact your government. We want you to act as a go-between us and the government."

Megan sat there stunned speechless. It took a moment for her to find her voice, "You're kidding… right?" she said.

A sinking sense filled her stomach seeing the serious expressions on all three women's faces. The request weighed on Megan.

Even though these people hadn't hurt her, she was still technically their prisoner. They had invaded her planet and her country, firing on its soldiers and causing massive mayhem and chaos. Even knowing the reason for the request, her officer's oath flashed in her thoughts… she was duty bound not to cooperate with her captors.

"I can't… I just can't," she said, mixed emotions filling her as she weighed her decision.

Faith watched Megan. Her hands were out of sight, underneath the conference table, fidgeting, holding on to the picture frame she'd retrieved from Paul's cabin.

She'd been hoping she wouldn't have to play this card because it was a desperate play, but they were that desperate. She even toyed with trying to threaten Megan to get her to cooperate, but figured that it would probably backfire. Plus, while Chief Larson wouldn't have objected, Buffy would have had something to say about it.

"Please help us… help him," Faith begged, trying to keep her emotions in control.

A part of Megan wanted to help, but her training won out, exerting itself. Though this time she couldn't look the other women in their faces as she slowly shook her head.

Desperation gripped Faith, "He told you about your other self? Sonia?" she said.

Megan stared at Faith, unsure of where she was going. Her eyes widened in surprise as Faith pulled a picture frame from beneath the table. Her surprise only grew when Faith showed her the picture.

"H-How? W-Why?" Megan sputtered, trying to get a grasp on what she was seeing. There were so many questions filling her head as she stared at the picture of herself—the other her—with a much younger looking Captain Coleiro.

Faith took a deep breath, gathering the strength to power through what she needed to say, "Sonia… and Paul. They were a couple… t-they were lovers back in his universe. He was there when she died. H-He pulled her from the wreckage of her fighter… she died in his arms."

It all started to make a strange sense to Megan as she continued staring at the picture of Sonia and Paul. She could read Sonia's expression and knew what she was thinking… she could see the love in her face.

"I-I…" Megan stuttered, trying to gather her thoughts.

What Faith was doing right now was so out of character for her as she took another deep breath, "Sonia loved Paul. I know you're not Sonia, but you can do what she can't do for him now. You can help save him…!"

Faith would have got down on her knees to beg if it would have helped, "I love him… please help save him!" she pleaded.

Megan's eyes finally moved from the picture to meet Faith's eyes. There was a long silence as Megan struggled with her emotions and the decision she needed to make.

oOoOo

Riley was trying to figure out what he'd done to deserve to end up being escorted by a Marine officer and two guards through the hallways of the Pentagon.

As his thoughts raced, he barely noticed the people scrambling out of their way or their looks of surprise and confusion. When he glanced around, he picked up the fear and panic-like state that hung over everyone.

He'd been in California with Samantha still working on their mission when the President announced that aliens existed and were about to attack Earth, turning everything sideways. Riley found the idea of extra-terrestrials difficult to accept, even though he'd been dealing with the supernatural and fighting demons and vampires for years.

It seemed all unreal to hear that aliens were about to invade. What seemed like only a bad dream turned into a nightmarish reality when the sky lit up with two new separate suns.

It seemed like the end of the world was coming as Riley and Samantha tried to figure what they would do. The world turned on its side again when more announcements about the defeat of the alien threat filled the airways.

Panic had already taken hold and nobody knew what to believe. The lid was barely being kept on everything when the situation took another strange detour for Riley when he received orders to report to Washington.

There was a moment where Riley considered disobeying his orders. He wasn't going to leave Samantha to fly across the country while things were falling apart with stories and rumors of aliens running rampant. The thought of resigning briefly filled his head, but when he saw that General Coulson cut his orders that sense of duty reasserted itself and he couldn't disobey.

His calls to General Coulson to get some answers went unanswered, only raising more questions. These questions filled his thoughts as he made his way to an air base to catch his flight.

He received no answers there, except to get stuffed into the back seat of an F-15E Eagle rather than take a slower cargo or passenger plane. Whatever was going on, they needed him in Washington in a hurry.

The fighter took off with a roar, and the jet quickly reached supersonic speeds to cross the country as fast as possible. When they landed at Andrews Air Force Base, Riley was hurriedly and unceremoniously shoved into the back seat of a black SUV, and driven straight to the Pentagon.

All he had were questions, concerns, worries and fears, but no answers. The only thing he could think of for General Coulson to recall him to Washington was something had changed or gone wrong with their investigation. He went over in his head what he or Samantha could have done to slip up, but he had no ideas or clue.

It was surprising, and only added to his confusion, being escorted to the Pentagon's operations center rather than General Coulson's office. When they entered the operations center, the frenzied level of chaos, panic and confusion that seemed to hang over the room struck Riley.

The guards made Riley stop just inside the room, giving him the opportunity to study the room while the officer went to check in. Voices filled the room, with people cross-talking over each other. His attention focused on the wall where flat screen displays were showing the latest coverage from the major news networks.

The broadcasters tried to maintain a calm professional demeanor, but their voices betrayed them, taking on almost hysterical, fearful tones as they read the news. Riley's confidence took a hit watching one anchorperson weep as they read a news release telling everyone to remain calm and that everything would be all right.

So much for cool professionalism and calm under fire, Riley thought, trying to maintain a calm demeanor in the face of so much confusion and chaos.

The Marine officer came back over and led Riley over to a large group of people gathered on the other side of the operations center. Riley picked out General Coulson among the group of high-ranking military officials and dark suited VIPs.

An air of heavy tension hung over the group, adding to his anxiety of why he was here. The stares he was drawing didn't help either. They made him self-conscious of his attire and wishing he'd brought a change of clothes for the sweat-stained flight suit he wore.

Riley immediately recognized the older, distinguished-looking man in a dark suit moving through the parting group to meet him. His gut churned, gulping as he came to attention in front of the older man. He hadn't felt like this since his days in boot camp.

Again, he wished he'd brought a change of clothes for this meeting. He hoped that whatever his fate was that it would be quick and painless.

"Is that him?" the older man said in a gruff, loud voice that seemed to echo across the operations center.

The sweat was running down Riley's back as the Secretary of Defense stepped up, giving him a hard appraising stare.

"Yes, sir… that's Riley Finn," General Coulson replied, stepping forward to stand beside the SecDef.

Riley eyed General Coulson, but got no sign or sense of what was going on and why he was here. He turned his attention back on the SecDef as the older man stepped closer.

Even being slightly taller than the SecDef did nothing to lessen the intense intimidation he was experiencing as the older man continued to look him up and down. The only thought running through Riley's head now was what did he royally screw up to get called on the carpet in front of the Secretary of Defense.

"What's your connection with them? How do they know you? What are their capabilities? What are their intentions to us?" the SecDef said, bombarding Riley with questions.

A glazed, confused expression filled Riley's face while trying to process the Secretary's questions and figure out what the hell was going on.

Coulson saw the look on his subordinate's face and decided it was time to throw Riley a lifeline, "Sir, perhaps we should give Agent Finn a moment?"

Riley said an inner thanks for the General's intervention, but he still did not understand why he was here and what was going on. One usually just didn't tell the Secretary of Defense they didn't know what was going on. Riley didn't see much choice, "Sir, if you can tell me what is going on, maybe I can answer your questions."

The SecDef gave Riley another appraising glance before turning to General Coulson, giving him a slight nod. The General took his cue and stepped forward.

"Less than six hours ago we received this message directed at us," Coulson said, signaling a junior officer sitting at a terminal. The junior officer typed in some commands and a woman's face appeared on the operation center's large main display screen. Everyone's attention focused on the woman as her voice carried across the room.

"This is Captain Megan Blair of the United States Air Force. I was Weapons Officer on the space shuttle Atlantis and the only survivor. I am contacting you to establish communications between the forces in Earth's space and the United States government. These people mean you no harm and they wish to establish a dialog to discuss the current situation and request your immediate assistance. To help with the negotiation process, they ask that you locate Riley Finn. He will act as your intermediary and can vouch for the negotiations. When you have Riley Finn, send a signal on this same channel and we can communicate further. Please do not delay… time is of the essence."

oOoOo

The Secretary of Defense studied Riley, noting his confusion and disbelief as he watched the video. It was obvious this young man had no clue what was going on. If the situation wasn't so crucial he would have tried communicating without this Riley, but they couldn't risk screwing up this opportunity.

Even with the 'Invid-threat' eliminated, there was still a powerful and highly advanced force in space whose intentions were unknown. Some nuclear-armed countries were rattling their sabers, threatening to unleash their nuclear weapons on any aliens or any country that cooperated with the aliens. The nuclear explosions of unprecedented magnitudes, which destroyed the Invid fleet, had also disrupted global satellite communications which didn't help the situation.

On top of this, the reports of panic they were getting weren't painting a pleasant picture as the world teetered on the edge. With all this going on, the SecDef realized what happened here in the next few hours would have a major impact on the future of humanity and the planet.

To add to their problems were the remaining communication channels being flooded with messages from around the world directed into space at the aliens. The messages being sent ranged from hopeful… "Hello, we welcome you in peace…" to absurd "We surrender and will serve you as our new Overlords…" and everything else in between. If it wasn't so serious, the SecDef would have laughed at the whole situation.

The Secretary eyed Riley again. Coulson had briefed him on Finn's record and his involvement with the investigation into the Vice-President. He understood that Coulson trusted and valued Riley, but now the stakes involved here were higher.

If they could establish communications, the President had already given him the authority to oversee any negotiations. He knew the President's decision wasn't sitting well with the Vice-President, State Department and some members of the JCS. Already factions were forming, taking sides, jockeying for position, and making power plays to take over any potential negotiations.

Even now some groups and factions were disavowing the earlier warning sent about the Invid with all the technical information as nothing more than a 'disinformation campaign'. These same groups and factions were still pushing for a 'military option', wanting to use any negotiations to draw the aliens closer and then launch a nuclear strike.

Even if the SecDef supported such a plan, he had no illusions of their chances for success. The technical information he'd reviewed, and the firepower unleashed to destroy the Invid fleet, made it obvious how much of a technical advantage these 'people' had over them.

The video message ended and Riley stood there in stunned disbelief, trying to grasp what he'd just watched, "W-What? Who? Why me?" he sputtered out, finally finding his voice.

Coulson sympathized with his subordinate's obvious confusion, but before he could say anything the SecDef jumped in, "We're hoping you could answer that question."

Riley shook his head, feeling lost and clueless, "I-I don't know how t-they would know me…?" he said, meeting the Secretary's questioning eyes.

The SecDef frowned. He wished he had more to go on, but time was of the essence. Those people had requested Riley to be here and now he was, "Be that as it may… You're here now."

The SecDef turned to the operations center's chief communications officer, "Colonel, send the signal. Let them know that Riley Finn is here."

"Yes, sir!" the Colonel replied, signaling a subordinate to send a signal on the pre-arranged communications channel. Tension engulfed the operations center while they waited for a response. They didn't have to wait long as a communication tech shouted out, "Sir! We're getting a reply…! The message appears to be a real-time video communication!"

The SecDef betrayed no worry or anxiety as he nodded, "Well, put it up on the screen."

As the communication techs scrambled to bring up the message, Riley overheard an officer mutter, "Maybe we'll get a chance to see what these alien bastards really look like."

Anticipation gripped the operations center as everyone waited for the message to appear on the main display screen. At first the signal phased in and out, and it took more scrambling by the techs to clean up the signal.

When the signal finally cleared, everyone in the operations center stared at the live image of a blonde woman who appeared to be in her early twenties.

Shock now replaced the anticipation as silence filled the operations center. The SecDef and General Coulson recognized the blonde from their briefing files.

For Riley, it was different as he stared at the blonde in disbelief, wondering if he'd lost his mind. It took a moment, but he recovered enough to break the silence.

"B-Buffy?" he croaked out of a dry and constricting throat.

The young woman waved, flashing a small smile to the stunned group of military and civilian personnel, "Hello Riley…" she said.

"B-Buffy, what the hell?" Riley said, regaining more of his equilibrium.

Buffy shrugged, giving him a sheepish smile, "It's a long story…"

The SecDef jumped into the fray, giving General Coulson a hard look and then glancing at Riley and then Buffy on the video screen, "Is this a joke?" he said.

"I can assure you that this is no joke," Buffy replied, her smile fading, her face taking on a more serious expression.

The Secretary was an experienced politician, so he didn't bat an eye facing the young woman on the screen, "I am US Secretary of Defense Joshua Campbell. I am representing the US government in any negotiations. We would like to know what your intentions are towards us and the planet."

Riley watched the unfolding scene and the craziness of the whole situation hit him like a sledgehammer. Again, he wondered if he was dreaming along with doubting his sanity, but as he watched Buffy his mind whirled.

The events of Sunnydale replayed in his head and as crazy as it sounds, the pieces started to click together. There were still lots of gaps, but things were making a crazy sort of sense.

"Our intentions are peaceful," Buffy replied to the SecDef's question.

Something in Buffy's voice caught Riley's attention. Without thinking or considering the consequences, he spoke aloud, interrupting the SecDef, "What do you want Buffy?" Riley said.

Buffy shook her head, trying not to laugh at Riley's quick uptake. A small smile flashed on her face, recalling memories of better times. It faded, replaced by a serious expression, "We need your help, and we don't have a lot of time…"

oOoOo

The first rays of the sunrise were just beginning to push through, striking the tarmac of Andrews Air Force Base. Inside a large hanger, just off the main runway, Doctor Jon Loewy nervously fidgeted, trying to figure what was going on and why he was here.

Exhaustion pulled on him, having not gotten much sleep in the last forty-eight hours. Even if he could lie down, sleep would have been impossible with his mind racing, trying to figure out the strange and confusing situation he'd found himself in.

It was a perplexing situation, engulfed in an air of mystery, involving the head of Neurosurgery at Georgetown University Hospital considered one of the top neurosurgeons on the East coast. He kept wondering why he was standing around an airfield in the early hours surrounded by military personnel.

Before ending up here, he'd been assisting in his hospital's Emergency Department. That had come about because of the President's announcement of aliens and their imminent attack on the planet.

The news of aliens and the threat of invasions had resulted in overwhelming panic striking the public. A result of all this panic was the huge influx into the ER of patients with medical conditions ranging from heart attacks to gunshot wounds.

It didn't help the situation with some staff disappearing and others suddenly calling in sick as waves of patients swamped the hospital. Loewy stepped in, working tirelessly to help where he could to help ease the crushing patient load.

While Loewy may have projected a calm professional demeanor, he was just as terrified as everyone else in the face of this alien threat. One unintended benefit of his heavy workload was that it drowned out or distracted him from the near hysterical news reports blaring from the TVs and the rumors circulating.

He was taking a brief break when a group of soldiers, led by a man wearing an air force flight suit, came marching into the ER looking for him. This man—who identified himself as Agent Riley Finn—requested him to assemble his surgical team, along with any equipment they needed, and accompany him and the soldiers.

Several of the nurses balked at the request, but Agent Finn made it clear the "request" was a national security matter and was not up for discussion or debate. It was only when they exited the hospital and saw the large convoy of SUVs and Humvees waiting for them did they get a genuine sense of their situation. After loading, the convoy whisked them away to their ultimate destination, which was still unknown to them.

Lowey suspected they were being taken to a military base for whatever the military had in mind for them. He figured they would be setup in a base hospital rather than trying to stay warm in the wee hours while standing around an airfield. He'd tried to pry some information from their escorts, but all he got was the vague "need-to-know" and "everyone would get briefed at the appropriate time" response.

Another convoy of vehicles arrived and another medical team unloaded, adding to their numbers. The two medical teams mingled, sharing the little information they had. For Lowey, the mystery only deepened as he wondered who needed a neurosurgeon and an ophthalmologist and why they were waiting at an airfield.

oOoOo

Riley stood with General Coulson off to the side, keeping one eye on the civilian medical people gathered in the hanger. He noted their nervous and confused looks, which mirrored his own internal feelings about the whole situation they were facing.

"How long before they get here?" Riley said, trying to sound calm and professional so as not to betray his own inner nervousness.

"Just got an update from flight control operations, they have them on radar coming in over the Atlantic, on course and on time. They're less than 30 minutes out. A flight of F-15s is on-station to meet them and escort them in," Coulson said, using the same tone to hide his own nervousness.

The General took a moment to study Riley. He was curious how his subordinate was dealing with the whole situation, "You still seem surprised by it all?" he said.

Riley shook his head, betraying some of his nervousness and shock on his face, "Even knowing Buffy and everything I've seen, this still seems so—."

"Unreal," Coulson said, giving Riley a smirk, "I hear you, son."

Coulson saw that something was still bothering Riley, "Something you want to say?" he said, catching Riley by surprise with the question.

Riley took a moment to consider the General's question. His head was a whirlwind of thoughts trying to grasp the whole situation he found himself involved in. He would have normally kept his mouth shut and soldiered on, but then these weren't anything close to normal times, "Yes, sir. What happens next?"

Coulson had been giving the next steps a lot of thought. He understood how important what was happening here and what was at stake. Failure was not an option for these negotiations, "Well, the first step is to open negotiations with these people and establish some trust and ground rules to build on. From there, as we get to know each other, they'll share some of that advance technology of theirs and we'll all live happily ever after."

Riley couldn't help the snort that escaped him at hearing the General's hopeful optimism, "You don't really believe that, do you, sir?"

Coulson sighed, knowing he sounded overly rosy and positive, "You could let an old soldier have his illusions. No, this world will change in ways we can't even begin to imagine. Hell, the Russians have gotten wind of what's going on here. They're already screaming and threatening about us making alliances with aliens."

"Jesus…! What is the President going to do?" Riley said, shaking his head in surprise at hearing this news.

"He's already committed to keeping them informed about what happens here today and include them in future negotiations," Coulson said.

"That means you'll have to include the Chinese, French, Brits, Germans…"

Coulson sighed, "And the Japanese, the South Koreans and pretty much everyone else on the planet will want a piece of these people. With all the panic and saber-rattling around the planet, the President realizes he needs to include as many countries as possible to defuse tensions and avoid any misunderstandings."

The General studied Riley's face and could tell that his subordinate hadn't considered the big picture, and it was only now that those implications were sinking in.

There was a long pause before Riley spoke again, "You don't believe that these people are from an alternate universe…? Do you, sir?"

Coulson sighed again, "Riley, after all the shit we've seen and had to deal with, I've learned to keep an open mind and not to discount the impossible. Considering the technology and firepower they have, they could have just made demands and taken what they wanted. That they asked to talk and are allowing us to send a team up with the medical personnel, that says something and gives me some hope."

Riley nodded, knowing that Buffy would have never allied herself with someone that would hurt humans. As he replayed the conversation in his head, one thing bothered him. When she made the request for the medical teams and who they were for, he could have sworn he'd detected something in her voice and face. He brushed those silly thoughts aside, chalking them up to him being tired.

An airman came by with coffees for the General and Riley. Coulson savored the coffee and warmth as he battled to keep his growing nervousness and excitement in check with the spaceship arriving soon. He gazed around at the different assembled groups waiting in the hanger.

Along with the medical personnel, there was another group of civilians representing the State Department and NASA gathered here. For once they had caught a break with it appearing that these people spoke and understood English. This would speed up and make this entire negotiation process easier and hopefully avoid any misunderstandings.

His gaze turned to the groups of military people that would accompany Riley and himself up to the Arcadia. There was a mix bag of specialists representing all branches of the armed forces. Nobody was going to miss out on the negotiations of a lifetime.

There was one last group, but rather than mingle with the others, they hung around the edges, seeming to observe and monitor everyone else. Though they wore civilian clothes, they weren't civilians… these were the intelligence professionals.

Coulson kept a wary eye on them. When arrangements for this meeting were being made, the CIA and NSA each made plays to be the ones put in charge to oversee this mission. Fortunately, Coulson had the support and backing of the Secretary of Defense, and the President had given the SecDef all the authority he needed to keep the wolves at bay. The SecDef had made it perfectly clear who would be in charge of this initial meeting and calling the shots.

One thing Coulson did to ensure and protect these negotiations was to keep the military presence in the hanger and along the tarmac to a minimum. There were only a few armed guards scattered around, but they were more of a token presence to avoid any misunderstandings or complications.

That didn't mean that Coulson was naïve about the threats they faced. The memories of what happened in Barstow were front and center in his thoughts, and he wanted to avoid a repeat of what had happened at the communications facility.

His security plan had concealed sniper teams ringing the air base and the tarmac. There were also quick reaction teams—heavily armed and hidden—stationed less than five-minutes from the hanger. To add to their firepower, a fully loaded strike flight of F-18s Hornets were on call and could be overhead in less than ten-minutes. Coulson hoped and prayed for the best, but he'd always been a pragmatist and prepared for the worse.

Coulson checked his watch while finishing his coffee. He flashed Riley a grin, "I think it's time to let the good doctors and nurses know what will be happening here."

Chapter Text

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
New threats and dangers

"When I exited the dropship on the Arcadia, it was like I had stepped into another universe. I had to remind myself this was all real, and I hadn't stumbled on to the set of a sci-fi movie. Despite the red carpet treatment they rolled out, there was still that initial nervous apprehension hanging over everyone. That quickly changed when they gave us tours of the ship. I saw the eyes on the military people (including mine) go big and round in excitement, getting a closeup look of the military hardware. Riley informed me later the medical people had the same looks on their faces when they'd gotten their introduction to the medical bay. I'm pretty sure we heard the NASA people squealing through the ship when they got their first look at the engine room and the space fold system…"

— General Phil Coulson

oOoOo

Cloaked figures hovered around a holographic display table, their single glowing eyes viewing the data streaming above the table. The eyes displayed no emotions, but concern and worry filled the minds behind those eyes as they studied the streaming data.

"Prelate, the Awareness has detected a threat to the Hegemony…"

Their commander again viewed the data with cold, unfeeling thoughts. His function and duty was to ensure the security, protect the Haydonite people and its empire, and keep the other subjugated races in line. The data he viewed was something he'd never expected to see within his lifetime.

He was at a momentary loss of how to react or what to do. Haydonite rule was absolute in this portion of the galaxy. The other inferior organic races were always restless, plotting and on the edge of rebellion, but they did not have the power or strength to stand against the Hegemony. Yet, the data he was viewing was telling him there now existed a dire threat to their power.

The Prelate recovered from his hesitation, "I see… There is no other information beyond what we are viewing?"

"No, sir. We only know that the Awareness has detected that somewhere in the galaxy, someone is using Protoculture."

The Prelate struggled with this news. The forbidden power source known as Protoculture could only exist because of the Flower of Life. There was only one known place in the galaxy where the flower existed… on the Invid home world of Optera.

"Is this the work of the Invid?" the Prelate said.

One of the other cloaked figures replied, "No, sir. Our garrison on Optera reports all is normal on the planet. Our psi-jammers are working within prescribed parameters, the Regess cannot communicate with the rest of her species."

The Prelate briefly considered ordering the extermination of the Invid, forever removing the threat and annoyance posed by this species and their cursed flower. He abandoned the idea, recalling how his predecessors attempted to eliminate the Invid before… and failed.

That species was nothing but resilient, surviving attempts to destroy them, with the survivors dispersing across the galaxy to hide, forcing the Haydonites to find them again. All the while the threat of someone discovering the secret of the Flower of Life and the power of its bastardized child—Protoculture—hung over them.

Those past failures to destroy the Invid caused many long deliberations to find a solution to this problem. The Awareness finally settled the argument, ordering the Invid home world occupied to control and prevent the knowledge and power of Protoculture from spreading.

This decision came at a crucial moment. The Tirolians had just encountered the Invid and were on the cusp of discovering Protoculture. That incident had been the primary driving force for the creation and expansion of the Hegemony… to control the other races and have them service the Haydonite race.

"Do we know the location for this Protoculture?" the Prelate said, studying the streaming data.

"No, sir. The Awareness indicates that it cannot get a lock on the energy signal to give us a location."

The Awareness could foresee everything to provide insight and direction to the Hegemony, but it disturbed the Prelate that the Awareness could not provide crucial information now.

Unfamiliar doubt and hesitation gripped the Prelate. He asked a question he thought he would never utter, "Could the Awareness be mistaken?"

Silence filled the command center as the Prelate's question stunned the other cloaked figures. If it had been anyone else, there would have been accusations of treason and heresy.

After a long awkward moment one of the Haydonites spoke, "Sir, there is no doubt about what the Awareness has detected. What is in doubt is what we will do to deal with this emerging situation."

The Prelate took a moment to consider his options. This was nothing like they had encountered before. They needed more information to determine if this was a threat to the Hegemony.

Again the unfamiliar doubt and hesitation gave him pause, feeling the others watching and waiting for him. He needed to decide, "Without knowing where or who is using Protoculture that limits our choices on how to respond. We will need to keep monitoring, gather more information. Send orders to the fleet to dispatch scout vessels to make sweeps outwards from our borders to see if they can detect anything further. For now, we will watch and wait. When we locate who has embraced Protoculture, we will take action and remove this threat to the Hegemony. We all know that organics are no match for the mechanized might of the Haydonite Hegemony!"

The Prelate noted with satisfaction how the others accepted his course of action. It wasn't long before the Awareness replied, concurring with his assessment and plan.

oOoOo

Riley was trying to decide what was harder to believe… being in space aboard a huge spaceship or Buffy's story of how she'd gotten here.

He was still trying to catch his breath since they'd arrived aboard the Arcadia. It all seemed like a crazy dream ever since the dropship landed at Andrews and he watched Buffy climb down with Captain Blair and another female officer.

Despite the briefing to prepare everyone, there was the expected high level of anxiety, fear and panic among the groups in the hanger when the dropship arrived. It only increased as the reality sank in that they would all be going into space. Buffy, Captain Blair and Ensign Connors did their best to calm everyone's fears by answering questions and giving quick tours of the dropship.

Riley and Buffy only exchanged quick pleasantries during this time. He realized this wasn't the time or place to get into any deep discussions about what was happening. He hoped they could find some time to talk in private once they reached their destination.

Everyone huddled in their groups during take-off. The medical personnel were getting a briefing on the current medical condition of their new patient.

There was too much going on that it never really hit Riley that he was in space until the pilot made the landing announcement. The flight hadn't taken as long as he expected. But Ensign Connors explained that the Arcadia had moved closer to Earth to reduce travel time.

On the landing approach, everyone got their first view of the "alien ship" over the dropship's video system. It became obvious fast that the Arcadia was a military ship. This visibly disappointed the science people aboard, which amused Riley.

Another moment of tense apprehension occurred after landing when everyone disembarked to find armed soldiers waiting for them. Riley and the other military people quickly avoided any potential misunderstanding, recognizing the military honor guard led by Lieutenant Hanson, lined up to greet them.

Things moved quickly as the disparate groups broke up for their respective tours of the ship. A ship's medical staff member quickly whisked away the medical personnel. The plan was to conduct initial tours of the ship with meetings scheduled later with the task force's acting commander once his ship rendezvoused with the Arcadia.

General Coulson had given Riley orders to observe and note every detail while aboard. He'd been anticipating the tours of the military hardware, but when Buffy took off with the medical personnel, he tagged along hoping to talk to her.

As they made their way to Medical, Riley overheard a few of the medical people make some joking references to the old Twilight Zone episode "To Serve Man". He said nothing, but his guard went up out of habit.

His attention shifted to Buffy, who kept pace beside him. An awkward silence hung over them, and Riley struggled to find the right opening to start. He finally dove in, "Space, huh? I thought you didn't like flying?" he said.

"Yeah… who would have thought, Slayers in Space," she said, giving him a smile.

"At least there are no vampires or demons up here," he snorted, returning the smile.

The expression she flashed him caught him by surprise, "Well, there is Spike, but we had a problem here. One of the crew from the shuttle you guys sent up to fire nukes at us was a Brachen Demon. It attacked and killed three of the crew."

Riley blinked, not sure if he'd heard her right, "N-Nukes? W-We fired nuclear weapons at you guys? You're kidding, right?"

Buffy studied him, then shook her head slowly, "You didn't know, did you?"

"No! This is the first I'm hearing about this!" Riley said, shaking his head in disbelief.

Riley didn't know what to believe or what was more shocking… that they had sent up a nuclear-armed shuttle or that one of the crew was a demon.

As he tried to figure out why General Coulson hadn't briefed him about the shuttle, something clicked in his head about the shuttle crewman being a demon. Pieces began falling into place with the investigation General Coulson had him and Samantha working on. He filed this information away to bring up later with the General.

Riley switched topics. He needed some answers to the many questions he had, "Why are you doing this for them… this Captain?"

"They saved us back in Sunnydale…"

Memories of the burned-out remains of Buffy's house and the destruction in Sunnydale flashed in Riley's head, "It was that bad?"

Buffy nodded, "Yeah, it was looking like the end and then Cassie crashed, literally falling from the sky into our arms. She helped us when we needed it. When things got worse, Paul… uh… Captain Coleiro showed up and cut a swath through the Bringers and Turok-Hans and brought us up here."

Riley's eyes narrowed in surprise, picking up on Buffy using the Captain's first name, "Paul? Huh?"

Her looking away and blushing caught him by surprise. What surprised him even more were the stabbings of jealousy at the thought of Buffy being involved with someone else. It was fortunate it took Buffy a moment to compose herself because it gave Riley time to shake off those tendrils of jealousy.

"It's not like that!" she said in protest, "He's a good man… besides, he's involved with Faith."

A sense of alarm filled Riley at hearing that Faith was aboard. That alarm mixed with a good healthy dose of dread, recalling his own encounters with the other Slayer, "Faith? She's here? I heard she broke out of prison, but last reports had her in LA or headed to Mexico."

Buffy shrugged, "She was there with us in Sunnydale… ready to face the end with the rest of us."

"He probably doesn't realize who he's gotten himself involved with." Riley muttered, shaking his head.

Buffy bristled at his comment, "It's different for Faith… for them!" she said.

Riley backed off, caught by surprise by Buffy's defense of Faith, "Y-You're not saying… Faith and this guy are…"

"Love is a strange thing," Buffy smirked, giving Riley a look.

A confused expression etched Riley's face as they continued down the corridor towards Medical. There was a lot to take in and digest. He also realized there was a lot going on behind the scenes he needed to get brought up to speed on. The only person he could trust to give him all the details was General Coulson.

It probably wouldn't hurt to have all of us sit down and talk…

oOoOo

Doctor Loewy was dealing with a mix of emotions ranging from stunned disbelief to being like a kid in a candy store. His head twisted back-and-forth, marveling at all the medical technology while one of the ship's medical staff briefed him and his surgical crew on the equipment.

What he was experiencing right now reminded him of the first time he'd assisted in surgery during his surgical residency. That had been a memorable day that reaffirmed his desire to be a surgeon. But viewing this new technology, he felt a new level of excitement and wished he had another lifetime to delve into the potential these opportunities offered.

His focus returned to more important matters as he heard one of his nurses discussing surgical procedures and protocols. He studied the tablet in his hand—another wonderful invention—that had all current medical information for his newest patient. Loewy could only shake his head in amazement as he read his patient's heart and brain activity readings in real-time.

The technology wasn't the only thing amazing Loewy. By all rights, his patient should be dead. When told how his patient got injured, he was dumbstruck. If he'd been back in his hospital, his diagnosis for the patient would have been death or at least coma with permanent brain damage. Luckily, they weren't as he again reviewed the patient's brain scans, showing higher brain activity was taking place.

You're very lucky, my friend, you've already had a miracle. Now, if we can just relief the pressure and swelling, you just might get another one, he thought.

The gurney being wheeled through to the operating theater drew his attention. A small smile grew noticing the young brunette keeping pace with the gurney, holding on to the patient's hand. It was reassuring to know that humans were basically the same no matter what universe they came from.

Okay then… let's get to work, Loewy thought, following one of the med-techs to the scrub room to prepare for surgery.

oOoOo

"Wow!"

Buffy couldn't help smiling at Riley's reaction as they entered the ship's observation deck. A huge view of Earth greeted them with the blue and white world seeming to fill the observation windows. She watched Riley gaping at the view, remembering her own reaction the first time she came up here.

"Yeah, it's quite the view. I still find it hard to believe this is all real," she said. Her smile faded as flashbacks filled her head of the battle wreckage and the dead woman.

Riley picked up on the change in her mood, "What's wrong?"

Buffy sighed, "It's… it's just that I thought I had seen it all," she said, pushing away the haunting memories.

The expression on Buffy's face set off old memories and emotions for Riley. He had to fight the urge to grab Buffy in his arms to comfort her. The door opening, and Giles and Willow entering, put a stop to those old urges.

"Hey Riley!" Willow said, giving him a welcoming smile.

Riley returned the smile, "Hey Will! Giles," he said, giving a nod to the former Watcher.

"So how did you get this room for us to use?" Willow said, her face expressing the same astonished look as Riley's at getting a close up view of home.

"I guess it helps when my sister is dating the acting guy in charge." Buffy said, giving her friend a smirk.

Riley gave Buffy a surprised look at this tidbit of information, "You mean Dawn and Lieutenant Hanson are…? Little Dawn?" he sputtered.

"Must be something they put in the air," she laughed, seeing Riley's expression.

"Any news on the Captain?" Giles said, changing the tone of the conversation.

Buffy's smile faded, "He's still in surgery."

"Faith? How's she doing?" Willow said.

"Pacing and nervous, but she's staying hopeful," Buffy replied.

"So why did you call us up here, Buffy?" Giles said.

Riley stepped in, "This was my idea… I think we need to talk about what's been happening and share some information."

Giles arched an eyebrow in surprise, "I think that's an excellent idea! Maybe we should sit down and get started," he said.

"We're just waiting on one more person, who I think can provide a lot more answers," Riley said. He barely finished his statement when the doors opened again, and General Coulson came in accompanied by Lieutenant Hanson.

oOoOo

Coulson tried not to be too obvious, studying everyone seated around the table with him. He had been hoping for this chance for a private sit down. He realized they would have to keep this meeting short, so as not to draw any unwanted attention from the rest of the delegation for being away too long.

Coulson's attention kept going back to Buffy, studying her to get a genuine sense of her. He was familiar with all her background history and details, but you could only find out so much of a person from just reading records. This was his first chance to meet a Slayer in person, having heard and read about them and what they did and could do. She caught him glancing at her, holding eye contact with him for a long moment. It surprised Coulson to feel a little intimidated by the young blonde.

Riley's voice grabbed his attention, "Sir, Did we launch a shuttle mission armed with nuclear weapons to attack these people?"

Coulson debated whether he should drag this out in front of everyone. Despite desiring this chance to meet, he was facing a quandary. Other than Riley, he didn't know how far he could trust these people. He wrestled with the decision, but decided he needed to build some trust with these people.

"Yes…" Coulson replied.

He read Riley's shock, "I argued against the folly of such a mission, but keep in mind someone had invaded our airspace, compromising our communication and radar systems. The country needed to respond to this 'attack' especially after we exchanged shots over Sunnydale and discovered how badly outclassed we were."

"Then why did you continue the attack after we tried to warn you off?" Lieutenant Hanson said, eyeing the older officer.

Coulson sighed, "We tried to call off the umm… mission, but the shuttle didn't respond. Plus, one of our ground stations that we used to communicate with the shuttle got attacked with everyone there killed and the equipment wrecked," he said, studying their reactions.

"Do you know who's responsible for the attack on your station?" Giles said, studying the General to get a sense of the man.

Coulson nodded, "It was vampires from what we could tell," he replied.

Again more looks of shock of registered on the gathered group. Willow broke the silence hanging over the conference table, "It sort of explains things with that Brachen Demon being on the shuttle," she muttered.

Coulson's mouth dropped open as this revelation, "A what on the shuttle?" he said.

Riley read the General's expression of shock, "Yes, sir. One of the shuttle pilots was a Brachen Demon, and it attacked the crew and tried to commit acts of sabotage on the ship."

Coulson took a moment to absorb this news and added this piece to his ever growing puzzle.

Buffy studied the General. She'd picked up on him studying her. As she watched him, she got the sense he knew more about what was going on than what he was saying.

Warning bells were going off in her head as she got the same feeling she used to get when dealing with the Initiative. She hated being left hanging in the dark… not knowing what was going on, "What the hell is going on?" she demanded.

Coulson's eyes switched to Buffy, and he again debated how much he should tell these people. Riley spoke up, taking the decision out of his hands, "Sir, does this have anything to do with the work you have Sam and I doing in Los Angeles?"

Riley's question didn't fool the General, reading his subordinate's face. Coulson could see that Riley was putting the pieces together.

Again, he debated how much he should say. These people represented a group outside the system and were untainted by whoever or whatever was pulling the strings over portions of the US government. He realized he might need some allies outside the system, especially if the threat went as high as he suspected.

Coulson leaned in, "Without understating the obvious, what I say in here doesn't leave this room and you don't talk about it with anyone else. We have to be careful about who we tell this too…" he paused, "To answer Riley's question. Yes… we think certain people and elements within the government are working with or are under the influence of an outside power."

Disbelief and shock rippled across the faces of everyone in the room as Coulson's words sank in.

"Y-You're not implying that our government is working with demons and vampires?" Riley said, trying to grasp the magnitude and implications of such a thing happening.

"I'm not implying… I'm saying it as a fact! Events and all the evidence we have so far seem to point to that conclusion," Coulson said, meeting everyone's eyes.

"What about Captain Blair? Is she a demon? Has she done anything to sabotage this ship?" Coulson said, trying to tie up a few ends on his side.

"No, she's human. She was unaware that one of her crew was a demon," Giles replied.

Coulson's face took on a contemplative expression as he tried to put this piece in the puzzle, "Hmmm… What's her connection with all this? Why did she get selected for the shuttle mission?" Coulson muttered.

"She's here because she looks like someone that Captain Coleiro knows," Buffy replied, catching Coulson by surprise.

Giles added, "Yes, it appears Captain Blair's appearance was to undermine the Captain. She is nothing but an unwitting agent provocateur… she knew nothing about her connection to the Captain until we told her."

"How high up does this go, sir?" Riley said, still trying to grasp what they were facing.

Coulson hesitated to name who they suspected. For now, the SecDef had limited knowledge about who was on the list of suspects to just the two of them. It wouldn't take much for Riley to figure out who was on the list from the investigative work he and Samantha were doing. That list contained a lot of powerful names, so they had to be careful and not let any word of their investigation leak out.

"We have to be very careful about what we do and what we say. The people we're going up against are powerful and we'll only get one chance at this," he said.

"I take it you have a plan?" Giles said, studying the General's face.

A small smile broke the serious look filling Coulson's face, "For now, we watch and wait. We work on finding out who is all involved and who we can trust."

"Why can't you just get rid of them?" Buffy huffed, finding her frustration and anger growing at finding out that people in her own government are working with demons and vampires.

Coulson sighed, "I wish it was that simple. We can't just up and remove these people… we still have due process to follow. Also, it's not like we can march into the Oval Office and tell the President that a part of the government and military is conspiring with demons and vampires."

"How could you not know what was going on?" Buffy said, not hiding her anger and frustration now.

Coulson shrugged, adding another sigh, "It wasn't like we were watching for this. From what we've gathered so far, this infiltration has been taking place over years. Whoever is behind it has been careful and methodical. The only reason we noticed it was the Arcadia arriving. Their arrival has thrown a wrench into their plans and they became a threat. It forced them to take action, and they exposed themselves."

"Do you know what their goal is?" Giles said.

"No… and that's what worries me. Whatever their goal is, they've been at it for a long time to get their people into positions of power. This wasn't something slapped together overnight," Coulson said, shaking his head slowly.

Buffy still wasn't happy with what was being said, "So we watch and wait?" she said, closely studying the General.

Coulson nodded, "Yes… until we can gather enough evidence to take action or somehow force them to show their hands and expose themselves. We have to wait. Like I said, the Arcadia has thrown them off," he said, looking towards Aaron, "The technology and power you people have is a threat to them and their plans. We just have to have patience and keep watching without them knowing we're on to them."

oOoOo

The Vice-President hated when his demon master came to visit him in his house. There was always the risk someone would see the demon entering or leaving, but his master seemed indifferent to it.

This time the Vice-President's nerves were more on edge because his master hadn't come alone. He'd heard about the Harbingers of Death, but had never seen one up close before.

Kneeling before his master, chills ran down his back while fighting the urge not to stare at the two Bringers standing next to the demon. He was trying to decide which was worse… the way these creatures looked at you even though they had no eyes or because they were servants of the First Evil.

The Vice-President cringed at the thought his master was here to punish him for his failures. He'd tried using his influence to destroy the alien spaceship and prevent any dialog and communications, but they were for naught.

"Master… I-I tried to stop those people! I pushed for another attack on the spaceships! It was the President and Secretary of Defense…! They're the ones in favor of talking to these 'people'," he pleaded, fear gripping him at the thought of the excruciating pain his master would inflict on him.

The demon smirked, taking pleasure from seeing his servant beg and squirm. His deep voice rumbled as he spoke, "Yes, I'm aware of your efforts, so is my Master. We appreciate your efforts and all the work you have done in trying to prevent all this from taking place, but we now have another task for you."

The Vice-President looked on hopefully at hearing there would be no punishments for his failures, "Y-Yes M-Master… anything you want from me! I will serve you!"

A twisted, sinister smile grew on the demon's face. The creature's fangs pushed through his smile, "Good… what we want now is for you to embrace and support the President's initiatives regarding the spaceship and those people."

Confusion and uncertainty gripped the Vice-President. For a moment he thought he was being tested, "M-Master?" he said, his voice quivering with doubt.

"The Secretary of Defense and General Coulson have gotten wind of our plans. They have been making discrete inquiries about you and the others important to our plans for the future," the demon said.

A wave of anger gripped the Vice-President, recalling how the General's interference had blocked all his efforts, "That bastard Coulson! We should get rid of him!" he spat out in disgust.

The demon's smile turned into a sneer as he bared his fangs, "Patience… we must have patience. We will remove Coulson and the others when the time is right. For now, you and the others must keep a low profile and embrace and support what is taking place."

Again, confusion gripped the Vice-President, "But, Master! The threat these people represent… they could interfere with or disrupt the plan!"

One of the Bringers stepped forward, causing the Vice-President to cower out of reflex. The First Evil's servant spoke, it's eerie disembodied voice, filled with hate and anger, caused the Vice-President to shudder in fear, "We know of the threat these new people represent. There is much unknown about them, except that they are a new power. Where our path was sure and inevitable, we now face uncertainty. We must now tread carefully, so we can fulfill our plan… and our destiny."

Chapter Text

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Pioneer Mission redux

"For such a small contingent of REF personnel, we cannot overstate their impact on Earth. The Arcadia and the rest of the REF ships showed humanity what was possible with their technology, opening new avenues of thought and ideas. There was at first some mistrust between the nations over who would get access to this knowledge and technology. Credit goes to the US President and the Arcadia's command staff to share all knowledge and technology. The only proviso to this was that the REF would keep control and manage all weapons and military-related technology. There were dissenters to this policy with the most famous occurrence during a public television interview where an ill-informed United States Senator debated with Captain Coleiro. The key moment came when the Senator made the misstep of arguing that the Captain should show some loyalty and allegiance to the United States. Coleiro's famous reply was, 'My father was born in Brazil, my mother in Canada, and I was born on a former French territorial possession. My loyalty and sworn oath is to the planet and humanity, not a single country!'. It is easy to see why the Captain became a popular celebrity around the world…"

— excerpt from "The Arcadia Effect—Effects and Evolution of Human Society from 2003 to 2013"

oOoOo

Paul stared at himself in the mirror, studying the face staring back. He frowned, slightly disliking the face staring back at him. But it was better than the alternative.

His hair had thankfully grown back, covering the scars on his head, just leaving visible his facial scars. The left side of his face had taken the worse of the damage. A large scar, starting just above the eyebrow, ran down over the eye socket, continuing down most of his cheek.

They'd been able to save the left eye, but the damage forced him to wear an eye patch. The doctors hadn't been optimistic about the long-term prospects of him regaining normal vision in the eye.

When they somberly told him he may have to wear an eye patch or glasses if his vision returned, he'd laughed at them. They'd thought they were signing the death-knell of his flying career… how little they understood Robotechnology and the flying systems used on Veritechs. The one bright side was Faith joking about how the scars and eye patch made him look even more dangerous and sexy.

Jokes aside, what bothered him every time he looked in the mirror was how his injuries and eye patch reminded him of the traitor General T.R. Edwards. That bothered him more than any of his injuries or the thought of having to wear any eye patch or glasses.

At least I don't have to wear a bloody metal face plate like that bastard, and I've had no crazy delusions of grandeur recently…! The doctor said that given enough time, and if my eye heals enough, they might do corrective surgery. Not that Faith is complaining about any of it…

Thoughts of Faith brought a smile to his face, pushing away dark memories of T.R. Edwards. Her face was the first one he saw when he regained consciousness.

He'd spent three weeks in hospital and she'd been there every step of the way during his recovery and rehabilitation therapy. After what seemed like an eternity, he could return to his cabin. Faith followed, moving in with him to keep an eye on him and make sure he followed doctor's orders.

It took another two weeks of bed rest and taking it easy before Paul began to even feel close to back to normal. Even then, Faith kept a close supervising eye on him to make sure he didn't overdo it. Lt.-Commander Wright and Lieutenant Hanson gave him daily briefings, providing status updates to keep him in the loop along with getting guidance and direction from him.

Overall, he had no complaints with how the situation was being handled. Negotiations with Earth to establish relations and agreements were proceeding smoothly with just a few minor bumps in the road.

The only concerning element was Lieutenant Hanson's briefing regarding the private meeting with General Coulson. Knowing about demons and vampires conspiring and usurping elements of the US Government didn't bode well for the future and they would need to deal with it.

At the first available opportunity, Paul arranged for a private meet in his cabin with General Coulson to discuss the situation and strategy. The pair immediately hit it off, developing a good working relationship with each other.

Paul studied his reflection again in the mirror. This time reaching for his razor, noting his scruffy beard, I'm looking a little shabby… going to have to clean up, especially going back to work, he thought.

As he shaved a sense of calmness filled him. Faith and he had just returned from a well-deserved vacation. He was feeling relaxed… but also a little tired, which was more of a self-inflicted injury from being with Faith.

He'd taken three weeks of leave… the first week they never left the cabin. For the next two weeks, he'd arranged with the US Government to take shore leave on the planet. Their new hosts had been more than happy to accommodate the request in the name of building better relations.

While the government took care of all the financial arrangements, Paul brought down an unarmed Cyclone to use for their trip. He and Faith then drove—taking turns—through the Rocky Mountains. They spent the days roaring along mountain highways taking in the sights then found some out of the way motel or inn to spend their nights making long passionate love.

Lingering to study his freshly shaven face, all Paul saw now was a guy who'd just come back from vacation and was going back to work. Thoughts of work faded as he paused at the bathroom doorway and eyed Faith, lying on her stomach on the bed watching the video monitor.

She was only wearing one of his shirts and a smile came to his face as his eye hungrily ran down her body, taking in her exposed thighs and legs. He glanced at the video monitor, curious to see what had her interest. It surprised him to see her watching news from planet-side. The announcer was going on about the latest scientific breakthrough.

"Teams of engineers from the Arcadia, MIT, Stanford, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, and Harbin Institute of Technology have successfully created the first self-sustaining fusion reactor. This historic breakthrough will have far-reaching consequences for an energy-starved planet in providing abundant low-cost energy. Representatives from OPEC have declined to make any major comment on this breakthrough and a potential shift from reliance on oil as the major source of energy. A source within OPEC said they will study the long-term impacts of this technological breakthrough. The White House is hailing this breakthrough as a sign of what international cooperation can achieve…"

"I didn't think you were that interested in the news?" Paul said, smiling as he startled Faith.

Faith spun on to her back to look at him. Her face mirroring his smile, "Never have been much into the news, but it's been mostly good news these days. So, I'm sort of interested… especially when they talk about you guys."

Paul snorted as he moved closer, sitting on the edge of the bed. His eye was back to admiring the exposed parts of her body, "Well, it was the least we could do. Besides, Commander Schmidt loves that stuff."

Faith's smile grew bigger as she turned back to finish watching the news broadcast. As the announcer continued going on about energy issues, Paul's smile faded. The news report only reminded him about the major problem his so-called fleet faced.

The situation facing the Arcadia and the rest of the REF ships was that there was only a limited supply of Protoculture available. They didn't have a Protoculture matrix to make new energy cells for the ships and vehicles. Eventually they would exhaust their supply on hand and then all that fancy Robotechnology would be useless. Adding to his list of problems was what to do with the Invid still confined to their ship.

The clock was ticking and Paul realized he had limited options available. The fortunate part—or unfortunate, depending on your point of view—was that he knew what course of action he needed to take.

During his convalescence, he'd begun putting together a mission plan, envisioning the requirements he would need for an operation like this. He'd already tasked Wright and Hanson to begin work on the preliminary planning details. Ship repairs were being sped up to bring all operational ships to combat-ready status.

The next step was to discuss his idea and plan with General Coulson. There was a gathering of world leaders scheduled in Washington in just over a week for meetings, follow-up negotiations and state dinners. Paul wanted the General's input and support before unveiling his plan to the US President and other world leaders. He needed them to sign off and give their support without delay.

The only immediate major obstacle Paul could see was a personal one. He didn't know how Faith would take the news he was planning a mission that would take him to the other side of the galaxy for six months. She'd torn a strip off him—after he'd recovered enough—about going on his suicide mission and leaving her. He couldn't see her being happy when he broke the news to her.

He thought about asking her to come with him on the mission, but inner doubts filled him. They had a good thing going, and he didn't want to wreck it, but he was still trying to figure where they were going with this. He didn't doubt she loved him, but a mission like he was contemplating carried a high level of risk. They had no idea what they would be walking into when they returned to Tirol and the rest of the systems of the Local Group.

He didn't want to put her life at risk, recalling their time together since his recovery. He'd felt an intensity from her that made him both excited and scared. The first time they made love after his recovery, she'd held him tight and cried quietly. She'd told him how important he was to her and that she'd never cared for anyone like this before. The time since then only seemed to deepen and intensify their relationship.

They both swore they would take it easy and would not push or "domesticate" the other. Despite their deepening feelings for each other, they came to an unspoken mutual agreement to focus only on the moment. Each of them still carrying the baggage from their pasts, not wanting to hurt the other, but still unsure and afraid of the future.

All these thoughts were on Paul's mind as he let out a quiet sigh, getting up and going over to his desk, and opening a drawer…

oOoOo

Faith was in a cheerful mood, even if she was watching the news. The last few weeks with Paul had been some of the best times of her life being with another person. This was the longest time she'd ever spent with anyone outside of her mom. There was still a small part of her waiting for things to fall apart, so they could go their separate ways. But with each passing day, those inner doubts were fading.

Her focus was on the news, but out of the corner of her eye she noticed Paul over at his desk. Her curiosity grew seeing something in his hand as he came over and sat on the edge of the bed next to her.

"Whatcha got there, Mister Mysterious?" she said, giving him a smirk.

"I got you something…"

The small jewelry box in his hand set off alarms screaming in her head, putting her into panic mode. One thought roared to the forefront, "NO! Tell me you're not going to do what I think you're going to do?" she said, sitting up like a cattle prod had jolted her.

A confused, blank look filled Paul's face at her outburst, "Huh? What're you talking about?"

Faith struggled to keep her growing panic attack in check, "Tell me that's not a ring! Tell me you're not going to ask me to m-marry you!"

Paul's face mirrored Faith's panic as her words sank in, "M-Marry? I-I didn't say anything about marriage!"

"Then, what the hell is in your hand?"

"I-I just got you a gift," he said, still looking panicked, holding out the small jewelry box in his hand.

Faith still eyed him warily, "Open it!" she ordered.

Flashbacks to being inspected by senior cadets during his academy days, filled Paul's thoughts as he opened the small jewelry box, showing her the contents.

"What is it?" Faith said, eyeing the box's contents as if she was expecting it to be booby-trapped.

"I-It's a jade pendant… I saw it when we stopped in Banff. I-I thought I would get it for you," Paul sputtered, not sure what he should say or think.

As she took in the pendant, her initial panic and fear subsided. She noticed something engraved on the pendant, "What's that on the center of it?" she said, still casting Paul wary glances.

"It's the Chinese symbol for good fortune. Honest, I just got it for you as a gift. There was no other intent," Paul said, pulling the pendant out and holding it by the chain so she could see it better.

Faith exhaled a deep sigh of relief while she studied the pendant, "You scared me there for a minute! Jewelry? You bought me jewelry?" she said, giving Paul the evil eye.

Paul didn't know if her response relieved or insulted him, "Well, I thought of you when I saw it. Besides, what else can I get you? I've already given you one of the most advanced weapons systems known to man," he said, giving her a sheepish look.

Faith snorted, shaking her head, "Okay… I'll accept this gift," she said, a smile final breaking through, lighting up her face.

Paul exhaled his own sigh of relief as Faith turned her back to him and he put the pendant on her. An awkward silence hung over them as they sat beside each other while Faith held the pendant in her hand, studying it.

"Good fortune, huh?" she said.

Paul shrugged, "That's what they told me."

Faith suddenly felt foolish and a little guilty at her overreaction. She looked at the pendant again and decided she liked it. Yet, a part of her was wondering what she would have done if it had been a ring.

"Thank you… I mean it," she said, looking up to meet Paul's gaze, grasping the pendant in her hand.

A smile broke across his face, "You're welcome," he said.

Faith leaned in, giving him a long kiss. As she pulled away, a small mischievous smile came to her face as she wrapped her arms around his neck, "I liked the beard better."

oOoOo

Paul leaned back in his chair, taking a drink. He savored the smooth aged whiskey sliding down his throat, "That's the one thing we never really got back after the First Robotech War," he said.

General Coulson eyed Paul curiously, "What's that?"

"A great twenty-year-old Scotch whiskey!" Paul said, giving the General a smirk.

Coulson laughed, "Well, I'm glad to hear that our humble planet has something worthwhile to offer you," he said.

Paul's smirk broke into a grin, "So, if I was to offer you a couple of Veritechs for some cases of whiskey…?"

"Hell! I'll give you all of Scotland and throw in Kentucky for some of your fighters!" Coulson laughed.

Paul laughed then took another sip, again savoring the taste, "Thanks again for the gift."

Coulson shrugged and smiled, "Anything to build some good will," he said, "So, how does it feel to be back to work full-time?"

Paul sighed, "It's strange. I haven't taken leave or a vacation in years. I didn't realize what I was missing until being off these last couple of weeks, and now it's hard to come back to all this."

A knowing smile grew on Coulson's face. He was familiar with the reports from the surveillance that covered Paul and Faith during their road trip, "I hear you. So, why did you need to drag me up here, not that I don't mind visiting your wonderful ship?"

"Any change with the Hellmouth?" Paul said, hoping Coulson wouldn't see through his buildup to the real reason he was here.

Coulson found it strange that Paul wanted a face-to-face meeting to discuss the Hellmouth, "It's been quiet, with no activity. The Army Corps of Engineers finished building the cap to cover and seal the site last week," he said, studying Paul closer.

Paul sighed, "I would be happier if we dropped a Reflex warhead on it as a more permanent solution."

While the General found it hard not to agree with the Captain on basic principle. The idea of detonating a nuclear weapon on US soil hadn't gone over well in cabinet discussions, "Well, the President went with a less… destructive solution. Again, thanks to your engineers for helping to provide the building materials. From what I hear, that stuff they used, it's like steel and concrete mixed together. Nothing is getting through or moving it," Coulson said.

There was a long pause as each man sipped their drinks, studying each other. Coulson broke the silence first, "You didn't bring me all the way up here to just talk about the Hellmouth, did you?"

Paul tried not to laugh at how well the General had read his play. He decided to not dance around the subject any further, "I need to get your thoughts and support for something I'm working on."

Coulson smirked, "Does this have something to do with our Invid friends and the current supply of Protoculture?"

"I see you've been reading our supply and inventory reports?" Paul laughed.

Coulson nodded, "Yes, and you've also been sending more salvage missions through the debris fields along with minimizing training flights for the time being."

Paul sighed as a serious expression filled his face, "That's the bitch of the whole situation. We have all this knowledge and technology, but without Protoculture they're just nice shiny lawn ornaments. Plus, we can't keep the Invid contained to their ship indefinitely."

"So what's your plan?"

"Are you familiar with the Pioneer Mission?" Paul said.

A thoughtful expression grew on Coulson's face, recalling what he'd read, "Yeah, wasn't that the name of the operation that sent the REF across the galaxy?"

Paul nodded, impressed by the General's knowledge, "Call it good old gunboat diplomacy. The mission goal was to locate and contact the Robotech Masters and have a nice peaceful dialog with them. If they didn't want to play nice, then we were ready to wage the war on their doorstep, away from Earth."

"Sounds like a good plan," Coulson said.

Paul sighed, shaking his head, recalling those early days when there had been hopes for a lasting peace. Then only to arrive to find the Invid overrunning Tirol with the Robotech Masters nowhere in sight, "The concept was sound until it all went sideways."

Coulson studied the Captain's face, "What's really bothering you?" he said.

Paul found it hard to put into words what he was experiencing. It was like a dream and sometimes he could almost grasp and understand it, but then it would slip away. He shrugged, "I've just got a nagging sense that something is wrong out there. We need to go take a look," he paused, putting his thoughts together, "We know the Invid exist in this universe. I've talked to their commander, and she says that the Invid in this universe aren't at war."

"You say that like that's a bad thing," Coulson said.

A small smirk flashed on Paul's face, "What we know about the Invid is that the Regess can psychically communicate with all the Invid across vast distances. Some theorize that she can communicate across the whole galaxy with her species."

Coulson had read the intelligence reports on the Invid. He picked up on where Paul was going, "You're worried about why the Invid here can't communicate with the Regess."

Paul nodded, "There were theories and ideas, but I never heard of anything that could jam their psychic communication link. The closest we ever came is the cloaking technology we use on our Shadow Fighters. Even then, it only blinds their sensors by masking our Protoculture power sources. That isn't even close to what looks like is going on here."

"So that and lack of Protoculture are driving this mission?" Coulson said, summing everything up.

He wasn't doing it only for just those reasons. There was that unexplainable something else pushing him… urging him forward, "I'm hoping to get your help on selling this plan to your government and the others."

Coulson sighed, digesting what the Captain had told him so far, "I don't know what kind of reception you'll get over wanting to go across the galaxy. They may not be receptive to you proposing to go out there and possibly stirring up a hornet's nest. Some may say that since the SDF-1 never came here that there are no Masters… no Zentraedi… so, no threat."

"Don't tell me you're that closed-minded and short-sighted?" Paul said, not hiding the sarcasm in his voice.

Coulson picked up on the Captain's tone, "You this disrespectful with all senior officers?" he said, shaking his head.

"Yup, pretty much," Paul said, smirking as he leaned forward and refilled the General's glass.

A smile broke across the General's face as he shook his head, "You better have a pretty good plan."

Paul grinned, "I do," he said, seeing he'd hooked the General.

Coulson thought Paul could sell ice to Greenland, "You know they'll want something in return for giving you their support for this mission," he said.

"I figured as much," Paul said, still grinning.

Coulson felt like he'd just bought some "ice", taking a sip of his drink while studying Paul, "You seem pretty good at all this subterfuge and wheeling and dealing. You ever think of a career in politics?"

"Politics? God no! I'm just a simple fighter pilot thrown into extraordinary circumstances… sir," Paul said, feigning a modest concerned expression as he refilled his glass.

Bullshit, Coulson thought, watching Paul sip his whiskey. The General had read the dossier the intelligence people had put together on Captain Coleiro from the records they had and the surveillance reports from his time on Earth.

Evidently the surveillance reports detailing the more "physical activities" between Paul and Faith were popular reading. There was also a rumor of a surveillance video existing that would put most pornos to shame.

From his own dealings with the Captain, Coulson had already come to his own conclusions and insight of the man. He was learning not to underestimate him.

From studying the battle records, the General recognized that Paul was an aggressive combat leader that took risks… that got results. That he'd survived this long made him good and lucky, which was a dangerous combination when mixed with a good dose of smarts.

All that and with good looks and charisma to boot… makes one hell of a person. No wonder the media is begging for interviews with him, Coulson thought as he considered what to do next.

The General realized the Captain had a better understanding and grasp of the bigger galactic picture. He also realized that whether or not Earth was ready, they were now being pulled onto a bigger stage.

Despite feeling outplayed, Coulson saw an opportunity to extract something from Paul in return. The White House was continually hounding him to ask the Captain to meet one-on-one with the press and do some interviews. There was still a large segment of the population nervous and uncertain towards the Captain and his people and what their intentions were towards the planet.

The hope was that by having the Captain meet with the press, it would settle a lot of the public's frayed nerves and fear. So far, Paul avoided—sometimes ignored—these requests, causing no end of frustration because they couldn't force him to do them.

Coulson tried not to grin, knowing this would get the White House off his back, "Okay, I'll look at your plan, but I'll also need something from you,"

Paul sighed, reading Coulson's expression. He recognized he would end up owing the General for this request. It was just that he hadn't expected the marker to get called in right away. Paul nodded, trying not to laugh at being outmaneuvered… at least for this round.

A sense of triumph filled Coulson at getting this victory, "Okay, tell me more of your plan," he said.

oOoOo

As Coulson rode back down to the surface on one of the Arcadia's shuttles, he barely noticed the ride. It wasn't just that traveling in space had become commonplace for him after only just a few short weeks. His attention and focus was on the tablet, scrolling through the mission plan specifics and logistics that Paul had presented to him.

The Captain proposed to take the Arcadia and four light cruisers along with the Invid carrier and make a careful reconnaissance of the planetary systems in the Local Group. The priority was to determine if the Robotech Masters existed along with anyone else, and what threat—if any—they posed to Earth and humanity.

To protect Earth, the fleet would use heavy stealth and electronic countermeasures along with precautions to wipe any reference of Earth and her location from ship databases.

The Captain's plan to include Earth personnel and equipment to round out his expedition surprised Coulson. What Paul was requesting left Coulson shaking his head at the Captain's audacity.

Coulson couldn't imagine the Joint Chiefs just cheerfully handing over six thousand troops along with providing the pilots needed to fill the slots in the fleet's fighter squadrons. The impact to the US's defense posture would be immense, and he'd told Paul that fact straight out.

Paul had given him a sly smile while outlining how he would "offer" to open up spots in the expedition to any country willing to provide forces. The only proviso being that these forces would operate under his command as the expedition commander and a yet unnamed ground force commander.

Coulson swore to never play poker against Paul, seeing the game he was playing and the stakes involved. The Captain would end up giving the US no choice but to provide the required forces if they wanted to have any involvement in this mission.

The General wasn't looking forward to those discussions when the time came. At least, he'd gotten Paul to agree to do some media interviews when he was planet-side. That would hopefully help smooth the ground when he made his presentation.

A sudden epiphany struck Coulson as he studied the mission information and recalled his discussions with the Captain. He realized that rather than report this immediately to his superiors, he would hold off mentioning any of this until Paul presented his plan.

He tried to understand why he was doing this because it flew against every oath he'd taken. It didn't even feel like he was betraying his country, Paul had only asked for his opinion and feedback and that he keep it to himself until the presentation.

He's one smooth operator… I almost feel sorry for the press, Coulson thought, laughing to himself as he continued reviewing logistic information and mission plans.

There was one thing that stood out from their meeting—more of a side note—which caught Coulson off-guard. In retrospect, he should have seen Paul's personal request coming, considering who it involved.

Paul even dangled the prospects of "lending" fully equipped Cyclones and testing of one of the enormous and powerful Destroids to the US military as inducements for approving his request. It was a testament to their growing friendship that Coulson said he would present the request, but he couldn't promise getting it approved.

I know Generals who would give up their first-born for a chance like this…! I just don't know how the FBI, Justice Department, Attorney General and the President will react to what he's asking? Coulson thought.

Chapter Text

CHAPTER NINETEEN
You know it's bad when…

"It was just after the Captain's announcement that the Arcadia would go to the Local Group. I overheard one crewman grumbling they should just drop all the ships in the sun and get rid of Protoculture because it had brought nothing but death and suffering. At the time, I couldn't believe that kind of crazy talk… I can't believe how naïve I was…"

— Xander Harris

oOoOo

Paul still found it strange and a little surreal to be aboard an Invid ship. There was no technical reason for him to be here for this meeting. They had the communications in place to conduct meetings remotely. Paul realized it was important to meet the Invid commander face-to-face to discuss what he was proposing.

He'd made his announcement to all the REF personnel about his intentions to take an expedition back to the Local Group. There were some grumblings from the crew, but overall the reception and mood was positive.

He understood and sympathized with them, wishing he also could just turn his back on it all. Yet, there was still that nagging feeling—like an itch wanting to get scratched—that they needed to go back, that it was important they go back.

Then there was what to do with the Invid… they wanted to go home. Sometimes he thought it would have been easier if they had fought to the death rather than surrendering, but they had and it was now his problem and responsibility.

There was one other reason he was heading over to the Invid carrier for this meeting… it gave him and Faith some space.

To say she hadn't taken his announcement of the expedition well was an understatement. The time he spent meeting with the Invid commander would give her more time to cool off before they tried talking again.

You know things are bad, when visiting the Invid is the safer place to be, he thought, making his way to the carrier's command deck.

Her words still reverberated in his thoughts, "This is just like your suicide run against the Invid all over again! Did you ever consider how this would affect me… us?"

A lot of her anger was because he hadn't even talked to her before making his announcement. He had no answer because she had a point. The long strewn trail of one-night affairs and casual hook ups was ample evidence of his personal communication shortcomings.

At least she waited until we were in private before letting loose, he thought, grimly replaying their argument again in his head.

During their blowup, Faith had called him selfish and self-centered. Her comments hadn't upset or angered him. He'd lost count of the insults other women had hurled—among other things—at him. Not that he was proud of some of his behavior… it was just who he was.

When you're always living on the edge and pushing the envelope, not knowing if the next mission is your last. That gives a person a sense of clarity… an ability to understand who they are. You had to know yourself and how far you could push yourself if you were going to survive.

For years he'd pushed all his feelings behind a wall, self-imposing an emotional exile to numb himself, so he could cope with all the pain and keep going. Some may have called it denial… he called it coping to remain mission-capable.

Whatever the label, Sonia's death just reinforced it. He had no illusions of him being alone until he got the Viking funeral he seemed to be always striving for.

Faith had turned his life and world upside down. He hadn't been this alive in years, and it made him realize that there was so much more. It wasn't just the sex. It was the connecting with another person, sharing with them and being intimate with them. For the first time, in a long time, he felt a part of something bigger and would do anything to protect it… protect her.

This expedition wasn't some spur of the moment or glory seeking quest. He could say to hell with everything, turning his back on his duty and oath and let the Protoculture run out.

There was no reason for him to take the Invid back to Optera, he could just let them go. He'd found someone to give it all up for, but there was something else going on with him. It was hard to explain… there were no words he could use to describe what he was experiencing. He didn't want to go across the galaxy… he had to go. As sure as he knew that he loved and wanted to be with Faith, there was an urge… a compulsion calling and pulling him to go.

Upon reaching the command deck, Paul tried pushing aside all these conflicting thoughts and emotions still weighing on him, so he could focus on his meeting with the Invid commander.

oOoOo

Dawn was sitting on the edge of the bed when Buffy came out of the bathroom. It bothered her sometimes that she could hear any demon or vampire stalking her, but her sister could sometimes slip into her room unnoticed.

"Hey," Buffy said.

Buffy was still talking as she went over to the dresser to go through it to pull out stuff to pack. She'd been thinking about heading back to Earth for some time, but with the latest announcement that only signaled it was now time to leave.

After three months, the novelty of space had long worn off. Buffy wanted to feel the sun and wind on her face again and not have to breathe recycled air. She'd been talking to Giles about where they would go once back down on the planet. Sunnydale wasn't an option, the town was still off-limits. Besides, with the house gone, there was nothing left there for her.

"You pack yet?" Buffy said, going through the drawers.

"Um… About that…" Dawn said.

The tone in her sister's voice caught Buffy by surprise, causing her to stop and turn to face Dawn. From a quick read of her sister's face she got the premonition that a huge "but" was coming, "What's wrong?"

"B-Buffy… I'm not going with you and the others back down to Earth."

Buffy stared at her sister, not sure if she had heard her right as a bad feeling grew in her stomach, "What're you talking about? Of course you're coming with us! This ship and everyone aboard will be traveling across the galaxy. You can't stay here!" she said.

Dawn glanced nervously around the room, refusing to meet her sister's eyes, "I-I'm staying here… I'm going with Aaron and the ship."

The words barely escaped Dawn's mouth before Buffy replied, "NO!"

"Buffy—"

Buffy shook her head, "Don't Buffy me! You're not going with them!"

Rather than give in, Dawn dug in her heels, her face taking on a more determined expression, "I am…"

"You're going to travel across the galaxy for him? You've only known each other for a few weeks! He's younger than I am, damn it! You can't go! I won't let you!" Buffy shouted, trying to keep some control on a situation spinning away on her.

Dawn shook her head, "I love Aaron, and he loves me…! If it makes you feel better. He tried to talk me into staying and waiting for him."

"No, that doesn't make me feel better! You can wait here for him. You're both too young. It's not like you're serious and have slept together…" Buffy said, wishing Giles was here to help her.

Dawn's eyes shifted, and she glanced awkwardly around the room. Buffy experienced an out-of-body surreal moment as she realized what her sister had done. It was as if someone had punched her as it all sank in and she tried to find her voice, "Y-You… you and Aaron… y-you have ummm…"

Dawn awkwardly nodded, unable to find the words to discuss her love life with her sister.

Everything came crashing in for Buffy as rational thought exited the room, "DAMN IT! YOU'RE TOO YOUNG!"

Dawn weathered her sister's shouts as she took a deep breath. The whole situation scared her, but she knew her decision was the right one. She wanted to be with Aaron no matter what happened, "Buffy… It's not like we're getting married right now. We're going to wait."

"Oh, I'm so glad you decided to draw a line and wait on something," Buffy said, not hiding her sarcasm, "I don't care you… God! I can't even say it! Mom would never let you go if she was here!"

"But she's not, and I can make my own decisions!" Dawn said, digging in her heels.

Buffy shook her head, "No, you can't! You're only seventeen years old! What can you know?" she said, trying to reason with her sister.

"Buffy… I joined the REF," Dawn said in a quiet voice, dropping her other bombshell.

Buffy exploded, "YOU WHAT?"

"For the last couple of weeks, I've been studying and learning the ship's communication systems. When I heard about Potentials asking about joining, I… well… I signed the recruitment papers, and they swore me in an hour ago."

It was like a waking nightmare for Buffy as the room spun and her legs turned to rubber. She made it over to the bed, sitting on the edge. Her thoughts raced as she tried grasping what was happening, "You can't join… you're too young! They can't let you join without an adult's permission… they can't…" she muttered.

Dawn moved closer, "The join up age for the REF is sixteen. I don't need your permission."

"You can't go… I don't want you to go," Buffy said as the reality of Dawn's decision sank in.

"Buffy, I want to do this. This is what I want to do. I've always been in your shadow, which always left me confused and unsure of what I wanted to do… and be. This decision… I'm sure of it. I want this and I love Aaron. Besides, it's not like I'm not used to living with danger and the threat of death. I could die down there as easily as I could across the galaxy."

"I won't be there to protect you," Buffy said in a quiet, anguished-filled voice. The memory of the dead female crewman, sitting strapped in her chair, played over-and-over in her head.

"I know, but it's my life and my choice," Dawn said in a firm voice, meeting her sister's eyes. After a long moment, she put her arm around Buffy and hugged her.

oOoOo

"You sure about this?"

"I've never been so sure about anything in my entire life," Xander said, giving Cassie a smile.

Cassie returned the smile, "The Captain said the expedition would only take a few months. You could just wait on Earth with your friends."

Xander took Cassie's hand in his, "I would be lying if I didn't say I wasn't nervous. The thought of traveling across the galaxy into the unknown is pretty scary, but I've also seen a lot of strange and scary stuff living in Sunnydale. It's time to broaden my horizons."

Cassie snorted, "You're a nut."

"But I'm your nut, and you're stuck with me," Xander said, pulling Cassie closer to him, putting his arms around her.

"I guess I'll have to put up with you," Cassie said, feigning an exasperated sigh before leaning in and giving him a long kiss.

Xander couldn't believe how his life had changed in the last few weeks. Before all this, his life was going pretty good—considering where he lived—despite The First Evil, Caleb, Uber-vampires, losing an eye and facing apocalypse-level events.

Now things were looking even better. He was living and working aboard a spaceship, supporting fighters that turned into giant walking robots. Best of all, his girlfriend was a smart, sexy fighter pilot. As a bonus, the doctors had told him they would fit him with a prosthetic eye next week… no more wearing an eye patch.

As they ended their kiss, Cassie studied Xander, "How do you think Buffy and the others will take your decision to join the REF and go with us?" she said.

Xander sighed, he hadn't wanted to think about how he would break the news to Buffy and Willow. He had to be honest; they were closer to him than his family had ever been. There was a pain in his heart and soul at the thought of leaving everyone behind to go out into the galaxy.

Gazing into Cassie's eyes, Xander had no doubts about his decision as he saw his future, To boldly go, he thought, smiling.

"She'll understand… they'll understand," Xander whispered.

I hope they'll understand, he thought.

oOoOo

Buffy had no appetite, choosing instead to stare off into space as she sat in the cafeteria. Her head was a mess of thoughts as she contemplated everything that was happening.

I don't know which is worse, knowing my baby sister is leaving, or she's having sex…

She decided they were both equally bad, shaking off the visual images forming in her head.

"I'm sure she'll be fine. Maybe she'll change her mind once she's thought about it more," Willow said, causing Buffy to snap back to the moment.

Buffy sighed as her focus drifted over to her friend. She noted Willow's red eyes, which stood out on a face that mirrored hers. Willow's face resulted from her crying after Kennedy had told her she was joining the REF and going with them on their expedition.

"Maybe I should talk to the Captain? You know… ask him to not take Dawn," Buffy mused out loud, toying with the idea.

Willow shook her head, "You know if you do that she'll hate you, and she would still find a way to go."

Buffy sighed again, knowing her friend was right, "Will, she's only seventeen… she's too young for this."

Willow gave her a sympathetic look, "That may be, but she's also in love. Did you talk to Giles?" she said, trying to use Buffy's problems to take her mind off her own problems.

"She out flanked me there! She got to Giles before I did. He tried to talk her out of it, but she somehow convinced him that this was a good thing for her," Buffy said, with an exasperated sigh.

"I can't imagine how she did that?" Willow said, arching an eyebrow in surprise.

Another frustrated sigh escaped Buffy, "She took him with her and they all had a sit-down talk to discuss it. Giles said the young man impressed him and their argument was that good."

Willow eyed Buffy, "I'm surprised she didn't try that with you?"

A small smirk flashed on Buffy's face, "She knows me too well. Bringing her boyfriend along to tell me she's leaving home and that they're having sex wouldn't be the smartest move."

A small smile broke on Willow's face, imaging how that conversation would have gone, "You would have at least given him a running head start… wouldn't you?"

A grin flashed on Buffy's face, "Yeah… it would only be fair to the guy."

Willow chuckled, but then her thoughts turned back to more serious issues, "Who else do you think won't be coming back home with us?" she said.

Buffy started compiling a list of those she knew were staying and those she figured would stay. She grew more depressed as the list of names grew, "If Dawn is staying, then I think we can say Faith, Anya and Xander will stay too."

Willow nodded grimly, trying to deal with the thought of her oldest and closest friend leaving. It was hard enough having to deal with Kennedy leaving, but Xander just made it all unbearable. A deep sigh escaped her while trying to not think about Xander leaving, "I think Andrew might be staying. He's been spending a lot of time in Engineering."

"I don't know… I heard he threw up when he tried out the zero-gravity training simulation," Buffy said, grinning.

"You're kidding?" Willow said.

Buffy's grin perked up into a small smile, "No, it was a huge mess from what I heard."

A voice caught their attention, "Hey…"

Both women turned to see Xander standing there, looking nervous and fidgety with his hands in his pockets, "Can I join you?" he said.

Buffy and Willow glanced at each other, both of them already knowing why Xander was here and what he was going to say. They nodded, offering him the seat at the end of the table.

Xander's nervousness only grew as he took the offered seat. In his head, he was still rehearsing the speech to tell his two best friends he was going with the Arcadia.

His mouth was dry as he stumbled out his words, "I-I just wanted to say…"

Willow didn't let him finish, "You're staying on the ship with Cassie and going with them."

Xander stared dumbfounded at Willow and then Buffy, finding his mind a complete blank. It took a moment for him to recover, "H-How did you know?"

It was Buffy's turn, "Dawn is staying on the Arcadia… If she's staying, we figured you would be too."

Xander was wide-eyed in shock. He hadn't expected this turn of events when he'd been rehearsing this whole scenario in his head, "D-Dawn? Little Dawnie is staying aboard?" he stuttered, trying to grasp this news.

A wistful smile flashed on Buffy's face, seeing Xander's expression, "Yeah… it looks like she and Lieutenant Hanson are a little more serious than we thought."

"Dawn and Lieutenant Hanson? We're talking about the same Dawn here, aren't we?" Xander said, shaking his head.

Buffy sighed, "Yeah… the biggest surprise is that my baby sister has joined the REF."

Again, Xander's eye widened in surprise, "S-She joined the REF? H-How? W-Why?"

"Because like you, she wants to be with the person she loves," Willow replied.

It took Xander a moment to process all this information, before he said anything, "I-I… I don't know what to say. I-I'm sorry."

Buffy shrugged, "You have nothing to be sorry about Xander. I should have been keeping a closer eye on what was going on between them. At least you'll be around to keep an eye on her and keep her out of trouble."

"You know I'll always take care of her," Xander promised while still struggling with this news. He'd heard about Potentials joining the REF, and now also wondered who else would be staying aboard.

oOoOo

Paul scoped out all the tables on entering the lounge. A brief sense of self-satisfaction filled him at finding Faith sitting at a far corner table.

He'd come looking for Faith after returning from his meeting with the Invid commander—Tashe. It had been a productive, yet a strange meeting.

All the while they talked, and Paul outlined his mission and objectives for returning to the Local Group, he could have sworn that they'd met before. What surprised Paul more was how accommodating and cooperative Tashe was being. A part of him still expected the Invid to strike out, trying to kill him, but it faded as their discussions continued on.

One of the major topics of discussion and concern was regarding the Invid pilots and mecha still aboard the carrier. Tashe reassured him they were no threat.

She'd put all the mecha pilots into a hibernation sleep for the time being. They could live off the nutrients in their ships for at least seven more months before needing to wake up. That left only Tashe and her carrier crew as the only Invid awake. Again, she repeated her request to return to Optera, emphasizing her concern and the urgency.

Paul sympathized with the Invid commander, giving her his reassurances and promise he would get her and her people home, but they had to be careful and take precautions. He suddenly veered the discussions into unknown territory when he asked Tashe if the Invid would fight to defend not only their carrier, but the fleet if attacked. She surprised him when she told him the Invid would assist in any way to return home.

Any optimism he may have had from his meeting with the Invid faded by the time he returned to the Arcadia. Paul dreaded confronting Faith again. There was a momentary sense of relief when he got back to the cabin and discovered she wasn't there.

This left him with two options. One… he could just wait till she came around or two… find her and talk to her to work things out. There was the temptation to take the easy way out, but he realized he needed to deal with the situation and not let it get worse.

That he decided on talking to her was the simple part… he still needed to find her. Calling Security to help him find Faith wasn't a good idea. It didn't look good for the Captain to be using ship resources to find his girlfriend. Besides, there were already enough stories and gossip circulating around the ship about him and Faith.

If I was Faith, and I was mad at me… where would I go? He thought, deciding to play a hunch.

Now, as he approached her, doubts about his strategy crept in, seeing her face and the way she was staring at her drink. Any thoughts of changing his decision flew out of the room when she noticed him, making eye contact with him, locking him into this course of action.

I guess it wouldn't look too good or heroic if I turned around and ran out of the room…

"Can I join you?" he said, dealing with a sudden case of nervousness.

"It's your ship," Faith said, shrugging as she took a sip from her drink.

Ouch!

"Okay, I deserve that," Paul said, pulling out a chair and sitting down across from her.

There was a long moment of awkward silence as they both sat there not saying anything. Paul realized she wouldn't give him an inch, causing a small sigh to escape him which caught her attention.

He took more time to figure out what he would say. As he struggled with the words to give him the opening he needed, he reflected on similar past situations he'd found himself in with other women.

Every time he looked for the words to come up on top… much like being in combat, dueling to get the best position for the kill. It was in that moment he realized he was looking at it all wrong.

It couldn't be that easy… could it?

"I'm sorry," he said, deciding to try a novel approach.

Faith looked at him for a long moment as if she was studying him, "What're you sorry about?" she said.

He'd picked up on the tone in her voice, "I'm sorry that I didn't tell you or talk to you first about the mission…" he said.

The angry expression on her face softened somewhat, "And?"

"I'm sorry for being a complete insensitive idiot," he said, giving her a small sheepish smile, deftly avoiding the trap.

Faith sighed, shaking her head, "I'm still mad at you," she said as her anger faded a little more.

It relieved him to see the change in her demeanor, but he saw she still wasn't happy, "I know. Can we talk?"

"What's there to talk about? You're still going, aren't you?" Faith said, not hiding the bitterness in her voice.

Paul sighed, choosing his words carefully, "Yes, but we have to do this. We have to see what threats there are to Earth. I swore an oath to protect Earth and her people. Okay, granted this isn't my Earth, but the job details and description are still the same."

He noticed Faith's sad, grim expression, "What's wrong?" he said.

"What about us? What happens to us?" she said, meeting his eye, not hiding her worry and pain.

Paul reached across the table and took her hand in his, "Nothing changes about how I feel for you. I still love you. It will take weeks before we're even ready to head out. We'll make a quick space fold, check out the old neighborhood, see what we find. Once we drop off the Invid, find the Flower and work out an agreement to get a supply, we'll head back. We'll be away, maybe six months at most."

"You're not helping," Faith said, grimacing again, shaking her head.

He studied her, "What's really bothering you?" he said.

"What happens if you never come back? I-I've never been this serious with anyone before. I-I'm afraid… this is all new to me," she said.

Paul considered what she said, "You can come with me."

Faith didn't hide her surprise because this was the last thing she expected him to say. For a moment she considered his offer and what it entailed. There was a part of her that wanted to say yes and not look back, but then there was the Slayer part of her… telling her she had to stay.

She struggled with wanting to go with Paul, but what decided her mind was recalling running into Giles. He'd mentioned the long list of people from the Sunnydale group that were going with the Arcadia on its mission.

It tore at her, but knowing that Buffy would go back to Earth with fewer people tipped the scales. Despite whatever her personal feelings were, she still had her mission to perform, and that mission had never ended.

"I-I want to… I really want too…"

Paul had already guessed her answer from the look on her face. He didn't like it any more than she did, but he understood, "But you can't."

Faith couldn't trust her voice, choosing to nod as pain gripped her heart.

The look on Faith's face stirred something deep in Paul. He realized the expedition he was planning wasn't like crossing the street. They were heading across the galaxy into the unknown.

Despite the risks and the odds, he swore he would return to her. He didn't want a Viking funeral anymore… he wanted to live, to spend the rest of his life with this woman. A burning intensity grew inside him, swearing he would do anything to return to her and keep her safe from any threats out there.

"Like I said, we're not planning to leave for weeks. We still have that time… and we still have tonight," he said, giving her a small smile.

Faith flashed him a small smile back, "Then we better not waste them," she said, squeezing his hand, not wanting to let go.

Chapter Text

CHAPTER TWENTY
You can't handle the truth!

"With all the stories surrounding him, what some people forget is that Paul Coleiro was not only a superb fighter pilot, but a brilliant soldier too. If he hadn't accumulated so many demerits for his behavior and indiscretions, he would have been the valedictorian of his graduating class at the academy. Even then there was a petition pushed by some academy students (mostly female) for Paul to still be valedictorian. That was the effect he had on people. Some people thought of him as a younger version of Jonathan Wolfe. They always saw the brash, headstrong, arrogant, ladies' man image he always seemed to present. What people didn't realize was that he used it to get the advantage and position on them. To Paul it was always a combat situation… trying to get in the optimum position and have the advantage. It was only the people closest to him where he showed his true face. Those that underestimated him usually ended up on the losing end…"

— Rachel Larson

oOoOo

"SON OF A BITCH!"

The door to the office had barely closed behind him before General Coulson let loose, causing Paul to arch an eyebrow in surprise, getting an amused expression.

"Anything wrong?" Paul said, taking a seat on the General's sofa against the office wall.

"Those sneaky bastards!" Coulson vented, this time using a slightly calmer voice.

Paul studied the General. He suspected what was bothering Coulson, "I'll repeat the question. Is there anything wrong?"

Coulson took a deep breath to get his emotions under control. It didn't look good for a General to lose his composure, "I just found out they've selected me to command the ground component for your little expeditionary force."

"You make that sound like a bad thing?" Paul said, again arching his eyebrow, keeping his amused face as he leaned back, looking relaxed on the sofa.

It took a moment for the realization to sink in before Coulson grasped what was happening, "Don't tell me you're behind this?" he said, shaking his head.

"Guilty as charged," Paul said, shrugging, giving the General a sheepish smile. He noted the confused look on Coulson's face, "Your Joint Chiefs provided me a list of candidates to be my ground force commander. After looking over the list and the files of each officer… I asked for you."

Coulson blinked in disbelief, trying to understand what was happening "Why? You know what's going on around here and what I'm involved with! Plus, I would think there were more qualified candidates with the experience in commanding these types of formations."

"Oh, there are probably better candidates," Paul said, giving the Coulson an evil grin, taking a moment to enjoy the General's reaction from the verbal jab.

Paul's grin faded, "I asked for you because I know from your background you've dealt with things and situations that aren't normal. I need that experience where we are going. We will be possibly encountering alien species and I need to know and trust that my ground force and deputy commander will keep his head and won't panic. I don't need a 'shoot first and ask questions later' type of commander."

Coulson shook his head, "I need to stay where I am. If things get worse… Wait! You said deputy commander?"

Paul's evil grin flashed again, "I need a number two in our task force TOE and I thought the offer might help convince you to take the job."

Paul leaned forward, a serious expression etching his face, "I understand what's going on, but we're going to the other side of the galaxy, facing god knows what. The last thing I need to be doing is looking over my shoulder wondering who I can trust and if anyone is going to sabotage us. I need someone I can trust to oversee the forces we are adding to our little fleet."

Coulson's face took on a more contemplative look as he considered the job offer and all the ramifications with it, "I don't know. I got to admit, the thought of going across the galaxy excites and scares the hell out of me at the same time. Though, I'm still not convinced that it's a good idea for me to go, especially now."

Paul wasn't going to let up as he pushed his case, "You need to think bigger picture here now… what happens out there will now impact back here. We'll only be away for a few months. If the other side tries anything, we'll still have a force to respond with to anything they do."

Coulson studied Paul while again considering the offer. He shook his head as a smile grew, "It's going to be strange that a General is reporting to a mere Captain in the chain of command."

A huge smile grew on Paul's face, seeing he'd hooked his fish, "I'll promote myself to Grand Admiral tomorrow if that will make you feel better."

Coulson chuckled, "No… I think we would want to keep your delusions of grandeur in check. So, when do I start my new job?"

"You already have," Paul said, standing up from the sofa, handing a tablet over to Coulson.

Paul watched as the General wasted no time accessing the tablet bringing up information, "You have complete control and final say over all ground forces in the task force. You pick who you want to bring along. Just one thing I want to mention about your new job," he said.

Coulson tried to conceal his surprise at hearing how much latitude he would get with his new position and role, "What?"

"At least try and keep me in the loop about what you're doing. I'm quite familiar with subordinates not keeping the higher ranks informed," Paul said, grinning.

"Smart-ass!" Coulson snorted, "All ground forces? Does this mean I get to incorporate those Destroids aboard the Arcadia into my force?"

Paul laughed, seeing the gleam in the General's eyes, "You get access to everything… all the toys! Though you'll want to bring along some of your tanks, APCs and anything else you can think of… we're a little short on ground attack and support vehicles."

Coulson's mind was a whirlwind as his thoughts shifted to his new role and what needed to get done. Before he got too lost in his new job, there was one matter he needed to take care of.

"Oh… by the way," he said, taking a plain-looking envelope from his desk drawer, "They accepted your offer. The President and Attorney General signed off on your request."

Paul took the envelope, opening it to pull out and read the document inside, "Thanks, this means a lot," he said.

"She means a lot to you, doesn't she?" Coulson said.

Paul snorted, "Yeah… she's important to me," he said, carefully putting the document back in the envelope.

"She's not coming with us?"

Paul shook his head as a grim expression filled his face, "No, she's staying here. She still has her own mission."

Coulson took a moment, giving Paul a serious look, "Is her staying behind going to be a problem for you and the mission?"

Paul didn't hesitate with his response, "No… it won't be a problem."

He noted the skeptical look on Coulson's face and sought to allay his deputy commander's worries, "We do this mission and come home… after that I'm done. You and everyone else can do what you want with all the new fancy stuff we've given you. Faith and I are taking a pair of Cyclones and driving off into the sunset."

Coulson snorted, finding it hard to believe that someone like Paul Coleiro would 'just walk away', "I never pictured you as the romantic type."

Paul laughed, "Is this the type of insubordination I'll have to put up with from now on?"

"Pretty much," Coulson replied, adding his own laugh.

Paul shook his head still smiling, "Well General, I will take my leave as I have another appointment I must attend to before taking the shuttle back up."

"Where're you off to now or is that top secret?"

Paul shrugged, "No big secret, I have to do an interview with one of your distinguished members of the press. That was one of the terms you wanted for this," Paul said, holding up the envelope, "You know, have the spaceman appear on TV, so the civilians don't panic."

Coulson rolled his eyes as a sense of impending dread filled him, "Please watch what you say, we don't need a public relations disaster right now."

Paul gave the General a crooked grin, "Moi? Say something wrong? I promise I'll behave myself in front of the press," he said, using a slight mocking tone as he came to attention, giving the General a crisp salute.

Coulson returned the salute, eyeing Paul as he left the office. Among the many thoughts that now occupied his mind, he wondered if he should have gone to the interview with Paul to keep an eye on things.

The Pentagon would have assigned a media liaison officer to make sure things go smoothly… It'll be all right, he thought, trying to put his worries to rest.

Coulson wasn't particularly fond of the press. He considered them a hindrance, focusing only on their interests and agendas, while not respecting the discipline and constraints the military had to work under.

The mental image of Paul being interviewed flashed in his head, causing him to shake his head and make a note to remember to tune in for the interview. He didn't want to miss it, wondering who he should feel sorrier for… Paul or the person interviewing him.

oOoOo

Emma Michaels took a deep breath to calm her nerves while waiting for the subject of her interview to show up. There was a lot riding on this interview and this was the moment that could send her broadcast news career soaring or having it crash and burn.

It still surprised her about her selection to conduct what was being called the interview of a lifetime. She was well aware of the long list of news anchors and correspondents vying with each other to get the first live network television interview with Captain Paul Coleiro.

Like everyone else on the planet, the Arcadia's arrival and ensuing battle had shocked and scared Emma. She had been one of the few reporters to not give into the panic, keeping her composure while reporting. This caught the senior network brass's attention, which opened new doors for her career.

Her first promotion was to cover the White House press briefings. Her reporting skills shone through again when the White House announced the Arcadia would lead an expedition to travel across the galaxy.

The official release was the expedition was to open a dialog with any alien species encountered. She had asked critical questions of the White House and military spokespersons, showing herself to be open-minded, yet demanding in answers to her questions.

When the White House made it known that Captain Coleiro would make himself available for interviews, the race was on for who would land the first interview.

The Captain was still an enigma, staying out of the limelight, making him an unknown quantity. The only information on the Captain was in the official news releases, along with the rare comments he made during equally rare public appearances.

Emma dived into researching the Captain, going through every scrap of information and contacting every source she had to gather any information related to him. It progressed to somewhat obsessive behavior as she called in every favor, trying to get any information on the Captain, the Arcadia and the REF not in the official releases.

When she thought she'd gathered enough material, she'd gone to the VP of broadcast news to sell him on her interview proposal. She realized this was the make-or-break point of her career and sweated it out as he considered her proposal.

It didn't take long for the VP to give his full-support, recognizing her drive and determination along with her looks and smarts. Arranging the interview was another hurdle, but she got surprising support from inside the White House… the Vice-President's office.

Emma's nerves and anxiety grew as she got word that Captain Coleiro had entered the building. To relax, she went over all the details she had on the Captain and the questions she wanted to ask.

This would be an open live interview—no restrictions on the questions being asked—which surprised Emma. She'd expected the White House to keep a tight rein over what the Captain would say and do, but apparently this was the Captain's idea.

If Captain Coleiro wanted to play on the edge, then Emma was more than willing to oblige him. Her background material had the Captain not as the Arcadia's original commanding officer. He was the most senior officer to survive what was being referred to as 'the transition event' which brought them here. The Captain had been one of the ship's fighter squadron commanders.

Some information she'd dug up on the Captain was that besides being considered a living legend among the REF, he also had a bit of a reputation. The details on his reputation were vague, though there were rumors… stories floating around.

She took all those stories with a grain of salt. Her experience with military-types was that they liked to surround themselves with an aura of mystery and danger. Their thinking was it would make it easier to get into a female reporter's pants. Most military-types she'd come in contact with looked down on female reporters, deeming it their chief preoccupation to obfuscate the truth and keep her from doing her job.

She smirked, recalling her previous interviews with military pilots. They had all thought themselves the ultimate of manhood… projecting an intolerable level of swagger and arrogance, in her opinion.

In her mind, she could see this Captain Coleiro being no different from them, even if he was from a different universe. While the White House was portraying the Captain as a dashing heroic character, the material Emma had would cut through all the PR bullshit. She wanted to shine a different light and show the world the real Captain Coleiro.

oOoOo

Sipping on her coffee, Faith found herself a mix of nerves and excitement waiting for Paul's TV interview to come on the video monitor in the cafeteria's corner. She couldn't explain the reason for her nerves, but she was looking forward to seeing Paul make his TV debut. The group of people approaching her table provided a diversion for her nervous excitement.

"Did it start yet?" Willow said, glancing at the monitor which was playing a commercial.

"No, but it should be on after these commercials," Faith said, gesturing to the empty seats around the table. As everyone grabbed a seat, Faith's attention focused on Giles holding out a chair for Chief Larson, who smiled and thanked him before he took his seat.

Faith was trying to figure out what was going on there, but got distracted, "You don't mind if Lt. Commander Wright joins us?" Buffy said, trying to sound nonchalant.

Faith nodded, trying not to laugh. She wasn't being fooled by Buffy's attempts at nonchalance, having noticed Buffy and the Lt. Commander making time together in the cafeteria and corridors these past few weeks. He was probably the major reason Buffy had stayed aboard rather than go back down to the planet. Faith watched with some amusement as Buffy and the Lt. Commander exchanged glances as they took seats at the table.

"Oh, it's starting," Willow said, drawing everyone's attention towards the monitor.

Faith shelved any furthers thoughts of Buffy and the handsome-looking Lt. Commander and what they were doing behind closed doors as the opening interview credits rolled.

As the interviewer introduced herself and Paul, and gave a quick background on the Arcadia, she couldn't help herself as she studied the female reporter. For some strange reason she looked at the good-looking, well-spoken and well-educated blonde and began seeing her as potential competition.

oOoOo

Emma had to admit Captain Coleiro wasn't anything like she'd expected when introduced to him. A Pentagon Public Relations Officer handled the introductions, and it had started pretty much as she had expected. The PR Officer was going on about the interview, trying to get some last-minute changes, but his droning voice faded when Emma and the Captain shook hands.

What caught her first by surprise was the firmness of his handshake. In her previous experiences, interviewing military men—in fact most men—was they gave her a weak handshake, so as not to hurt the blonde news reporter. She hated how they seemed to treat her with disdain and not take her seriously. With the Captain this was different, and she lingered a little longer than usual with the handshake as she studied him.

There was that obvious fighter jock brashness and arrogance, but there was something else there that she couldn't put her finger on. She had to admit he cut quite the dashing figure in his uniform. The eye patch and scars gave him an aura of mystery and danger that didn't seem fake or forced.

What grabbed her attention was his eye… she'd never seen eyes that dark before. It made it hard for her to focus, and she barely heard the PR Officer when he asked her something about the control room. She waved off the Pentagon drone, telling him to go ahead as she tried shaking off the spell she'd found herself under.

By the time the interview started, Emma got herself enough under control. After doing the introductions and giving some background information for the viewers, she started with some basic background questions to develop a rapport with the Captain.

She was hoping to find some areas she could follow-up to dig up more information on him. She threw some softball questions at him, asking him what he thought about this Earth and how it compared to his. This was to lull him into a false sense of security before she dropped the hard questions on him.

"So Captain, you seem to be making an easy adjustment to the situation you have found yourself in?"

Paul smiled, appearing well at ease, "I wouldn't call it easy, but on the whole I would say it has gone pretty smoothly. Being in the military as long as I have this isn't too bad. I've been in worse places."

Emma was a little surprised by how relaxed the Captain looked. Most of the military people she interviewed usually sat ramrod straight, projecting nothing but tense apprehension. She wouldn't let the Captain put her off her game, "Yes, I'm sure you have…" she said.

Her eyes twinkled, anticipating the hammer she was about to drop, "I want to talk about when the Arcadia first arrived here…" she said, studying his face for a reaction.

Paul played a perfect poker face, "Go ahead."

"Around the time of your arrival, the United States suffered a country-wide blackout of communications and radar. There were also reports of unidentified objects entering the atmosphere over the country. Was the Arcadia responsible for this event?"

Paul's face took a serious tone, "Yes, we were… I was the one responsible for the planning and giving the orders to jam your military communications and radar."

Emma blinked, she hadn't expected such a straight out admission. She quickly refocused, moving on to her follow-up questions, "Didn't you even consider the impact and ramifications of this act? What about those hurt and injured by your actions? Some would consider your actions an act of war! How do you respond to that?"

Paul leaned forward, meeting Emma's eyes rather than the camera, "I think you have to understand our universe and the circumstances we found ourselves in. First, we were conducting a Search and Rescue mission for one of our pilots who had crashed on the planet. We didn't know how the population would respond to our presence. From our own experiences with first encounters, they tended to end… not well. When I planned our rescue mission, minimizing casualties on both sides was one of my primary considerations. I make no apologies over trying to rescue my pilot and not put my crew at risk. I take full responsibility for what happened… I'm just glad we could work through this misunderstanding and establish such an excellent and productive relationship now…"

oOoOo

"Ohhh, he's good," Willow laughed.

Chief Larson couldn't help herself from laughing too, watching how deftly the Captain was handling himself. She studied her friend's body language and could tell he was turning up the charm to handle the reporter's effective questioning.

As the interview continued, she picked up subtle changes in how the reporter was sitting and how she tilted her head, while talking with the Captain. Larson glanced over at Faith, noting how intently she was studying Paul and the reporter as the interview continued.

"There have been questions raised about the rationale, purposes and goals of the expedition you will lead to the other side of the galaxy. The White House has announced that this will be a military-led mission. Groups around this country and around the world are speaking out, denouncing the military aspect of this mission. They're demanding the mission focus on science and diplomacy to better promote peace. How do you respond to those concerns?"

Everyone watched as Paul took a moment to shift in his chair, making himself more comfortable as he put his thoughts together.

"I think these are valid questions, and I think we are addressing those concerns as we proceed with our mission planning. We go on this mission hoping to establish peaceful relations with any species we encounter. Yet, our primary goal is protecting Earth and determining if there are any threats out there. We have determined there is an Invid presence in this universe, but to what extent and how much of a threat they are is unknown. That is one reason we are launching this mission. We cannot sit back and wait for threats to show up on our doorstep… experience has taught us that waiting can lead to disaster."

oOoOo

He's a smooth operator, Emma thought, studying how the Captain was meeting and responding to her questions.

She wasn't going to let him get the upper hand, "The fear is, rather than help create peace your mission will start the war you are seeking to avoid. Wouldn't it be more prudent to keep your ships here and help expand our scientific knowledge to help improve Earth and our defenses against any potential threat?"

Paul smiled, catching Emma by surprise, "Our goal is to ensure peace, but we will be ready, able to respond to any threats as we encounter them. To help with the defense of the planet, we have transferred eight of our light cruisers over to several countries. As a further show of goodwill, we will provide the technical knowledge and training to operate those ships."

Emma refused to get baited, "That's all well and good, but according to reports, aren't those ships damaged?"

Paul flashed another smile, "Yes, they were along with the Arcadia, which brings us to the crux of the problem and the major reason for this mission…"

"And that is?" Emma said, tilting her head.

"We have limited supplies of our fuel… Protoculture… that powers and makes Robotechnology possible. If we don't find and secure a supply, we'll lose our ability to run a lot of our technology. While we can still offer a lot of scientific advances, once we're out of Protoculture, we will lose the ability to travel among the stars."

Paul studied the reporter's face, seeing she still appeared skeptical. Fortunately, he'd come prepared with some visual aids to help with his case.

"I still don't think—"

"I'm sorry to interrupt… Emma. You don't mind if I call you Emma," Paul said, flashing a grin.

The Captain's interruption caught her off-guard. She was used to guests trying to control an interview, but where she normally knew how to respond, she was now off balance, trying to get a handle on things. What made it even more difficult was how he met her eyes and the smile he flashed. She wanted to get her interview back on track.

There was an entire line of questioning regarding the government paying out money for him and his involvement with a woman. There was no direct evidence of any impropriety. But her sources were saying the woman was younger than him, and there were rumors of a sex tape. She wanted to get at the real man underneath all the press releases, so she took a chance to see where this was going. Maybe she'd catch him when he wasn't suspecting.

"No… I don't mind you calling me Emma, only if I can call you Paul," she said, smiling, tossing her hair back slightly. The Captain's smile growing bigger caught her by surprise, and her skin flushed as her heart beat faster.

oOoOo

Warnings bells sounded in Larson's head seeing the exchange between the Captain and the news reporter. The look the reporter was giving Paul was an all too familiar one as she checked on Faith. Larson couldn't help but notice Faith clenching her jaw and her eyes narrowing—which was another all too familiar look—as she watched the interview.

I sure hope the Captain knows what he's doing. Faith will flame his ass if he doesn't watch it, Larson thought, turning her attention back to the monitor.

oOoOo

"I brought some video I thought we could play to show why I think it's important we go ahead with this mission," Paul said, flashing Emma another smile.

Emma belatedly realized what the PR Officer had been asking her. She wanted to slam her hand into her head for being so stupid, but it wouldn't go over well on live TV. She tried to get back control of her interview and keep the Captain from undermining her, "I-I rarely do video clips for interviews like this. I-I don't think we're prepared for this," she stammered, trying to cover up her screw up.

Any chance of recovering from her mistake faded, hearing her production manager's voice over her ear piece telling her the video was ready. Emma had no choice now, but to let this run its course, "O-Okay… I-I just heard that the video is ready. Let's run it," she said, turning her attention to the closest video monitor, wondering how badly she'd screwed up her career.

Thoughts of being relegated to the weekend weather desk faded, as the video started and showed a planet from a distance. It took a moment for her to realize they were watching a video of Earth.

Her eyes widened in surprise when she realized she was seeing the other Earth. Viewers could easily pick out groups of ships clustered close to the point of the video camera with a striking view of the planet. That changed as the planet became blurry… harder to see, as if the camera was going out of focus. Paul's voice startled Emma.

"I was eight years old with my mom and dad aboard the SDF-1 when this took place. There's nothing wrong with the video. What you are seeing is the Zentraedi Imperial Grand Fleet… comprising nearly five million warships defolding around my Earth!"

Emma had only glanced over the history of the Robotech Wars. She'd read about the Zentraedi attack on the other Earth, but had no grasp of the scale it all involved. Now, she found herself pulled into the moment as what seemed liked endless clusters of ships, springing up out of nowhere, filled the space around Earth. For a moment all the ships seemed to just hang there… then they fired.

Paul's voice sounded a mix of anger and sadness, "We call it the 'Rain of Death'… On that day… In that moment over seventy percent of the planet died!"

Emma couldn't believe what she was watching while the Captain's voice took on a harder edge. She turned to find him looking directly at her. His eye was on her the entire time, not looking at the video display as he narrated it. She felt his eye boring into her and her pulse quickened. Her gaze turned back to the video display and saw his Earth being consumed in fire.

The hard tone in his voice was still there when Paul spoke again, "I have one more video clip… if you don't mind."

Emma found herself speechless and could only nod as she kept her focus on the video monitor. The clip ran… this time of a cityscape with explosions ripping through the city and across the sky.

"What you're now seeing is the Battle of New Macross City… I was eleven at the time…"

Emma caught the tired bitterness in his voice as the video continued. She risked glancing and saw him still watching her, and not the video monitor. In that moment, as he narrated the video, she realized he'd committed it to memory.

"Khyron… one of the surviving Zentraedi commanders launched an attack on the city."

Emma saw fighters and other strange craft zoom across the sky, shooting at each other. Meanwhile, a huge long green ship—that looked like a barracuda—closed in on the city. The alien-looking ship was firing beams of energy at what looked like a giant robot standing upright in a lake. She found herself mesmerized, losing herself in the video as the battle raged on. Paul's voice startled her, causing her to jump.

"Freeze it there!"

Emma turned to face the Captain, sucking in a deep breath at seeing his face, "That explosion in the bottom left-hand corner of the clip. That was one of our Veritech fighters… my father's fighter," Paul paused, taking a deep breath. He hadn't watched this video clip in years. But the hours he'd spent watching it over and over had burned this moment… and what happened only minutes later into his memory.

"Less than five minutes after my father died… I watched my mother and sister die," he said,

A speechless Emma was a helpless spectator as he resumed the video. She watched as the battle over the city continued to rage. Everything changed as the huge robot rose slowly from the lake. It seemed to take forever, but the robot continued higher and higher into the sky.

She went wide-eyed as two long appendages by the head lowered and energy crackled along them. The energy kept building up and then finally erupted in a huge blinding burst, striking out towards the attacking alien ship. She had to fight to keep from cheering when the attacking ship got hit by the energy burst, heavily damaging it, causing it to fall from the sky.

Any sense of triumph quickly faded as she saw the alien ship continue falling, but towards the giant robot that was now falling back towards the ground. She watched in frozen horror, realizing what was going to happen as the alien ship continued its death plunge. The alien ship struck the giant robot in the center of its chest… in the ensuing explosion, the video screen flashed and then ended.

It took Emma a moment to realize the video was over as a stunned silence gripped the whole studio. She turned back towards the Captain, seeing he still hadn't moved. She wanted to say something to him… to comfort him, but she had no words. Paul finally broke the silence.

"I want you… I want everyone to see where we come from…"

Paul paused, which only added to the dramatic effect, "Every one of us in the REF, took an oath to protect and defend Earth, laying down our lives if necessary! We aren't going on this mission as a lark or pleasure cruise. We go because we know what the stakes are, and what the costs are if we fail…"

Chapter Text

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
You magnificent bastard!

"After that first interview, there was an immense surge of support for the REF and its mission. While Captain Coleiro worked hard to address all the outstanding issues, there were still those that didn't trust him or the REF. This only grew as more information about the REF and its history came to light, especially concerning General T.R. Edwards and his attempts to seize power. What many didn't realize at the time was a lot of these rumors and criticisms were being orchestrated to discredit and create doubt around the Captain and the REF. This wasn't an attempt to keep the Arcadia from leaving on her expedition, but to sow the grounds for after they left. In that regard, they were very successful…"

— excerpt from "The Arcadia Effect—Effects and Evolution of Human Society from 2003 to 2013"

oOoOo

A grin filled Chief Larson's face, shaking her head slowly in disbelief at what she'd just witnessed. She wanted to cheer out loud, applauding the Captain's chutzpah for the message he'd just delivered on live TV. From the stunned looks she saw on everyone's faces, it only confirmed her impression on the impact of the Captain's interview.

Coleiro… you magnificent bastard!

Giles finally broke the stunned silence, "Uh… It wasn't quite what I was expecting, but I think he got his point across."

Rachel liked Giles and didn't want to hurt his feelings, so she tried hard not to laugh at his understating the obvious. She glanced over at Faith, taking in the somber expression filling her face as she made eye contact with her.

He really loves you, Larson thought, nodding her head slightly to Faith, getting a small smile and nod back.

oOoOo

With everyone now gone, Buffy and Lt. Commander Wright were enjoying a quiet moment with the table to themselves. They were exchanging idle chit-chat, talking about the Captain's interview as they drank coffee. For Buffy, she was still finding herself somewhat nervous when around James, despite the time they'd been spending together and what they were doing.

"Do you have to head back soon?" Buffy said, trying to keep her anticipation in check.

Wright smiled, knowing what she was leading up to, "Actually, I planned on staying over. Main power will be down on the Dolphin tonight. They have to take her Reflex furnace offline for some repairs, and I have planning meetings with the Captain scheduled for tomorrow, so…"

A knowing smile grew on Buffy's face, "Do you have a place to stay?"

James laughed, "Not really… I guess I was waiting to see what comes available."

Buffy treated James to a coy smile, "Oh, I think I know a place where you can stay, but you'll have to share the accommodations."

"I like sharing," James said, reaching across the table, taking Buffy's hand.

As they headed back to her cabin, Buffy still found it hard to believe she was getting involved with someone, especially someone like James. She kept replaying their first meeting over in her head… in a way she had Dawn to thank.

oOoOo

It was just after she'd told Buffy about joining the REF. Buffy was in the cafeteria, staring at her food. A mix of thoughts filling her head, wondering about where she would go and what she would do once she was back down on the planet. Of their—now much diminished—group, only Spike seemed the most excited about leaving the ship.

A voice out of nowhere asked if she was Buffy Summers. She can still remember looking up, finding herself looking into the smiling face of an attractive man. It was only after he'd introduced himself and thanked her did she recognize him from the ship she'd boarded to help on that rescue mission.

James had joined her and they started talking. Several hours later, they were in Buffy's cabin, kissing passionately, frantically pulling off each other's clothes. She'd thrown herself into the one-night stand to help forget about Dawn leaving.

What she hadn't expected was James asking if he could see her again. Her first inclination was to say no, but there was something about James that made her say yes. She thought at first it was horniness and wanting to have fun that drove her to spend time with him before leaving the ship. Yet, the more time she spent with him, the less eager she was to leave.

Her fling with James had already inflicted one casualty… Spike. He'd asked her—almost pleading—to come with him. She'd told him she wasn't ready to leave and wanted to spend as much time with Dawn before she left. Her lie had been transparent even to him.

It had been a bittersweet goodbye with the guilt weighing on her when he left. He'd hoped that she would come to her senses soon, telling her he would wait for when she "came back down from the stars" as he worded it.

Since then, Buffy had been filling her spare time with intense, passionate sex, whenever James made it over to the Arcadia, which was often. Their hookups were being made easier with the REF ships now docking with the International Space Station. James had explained that they were using the space station as a space dock to repair all the ships… the ones going on the expedition were being repaired first.

The non-committal sex was great, but Buffy was also enjoying just spending time with him… especially after sex when he would hold her and they would just talk. She had been upfront and honest about whom she was, what she did, and that she wasn't looking for a long-term relationship. It caught her by surprise by how quickly James had accepted everything about her. They'd agreed to keep what they were doing from getting serious, as they each had their own reasons for avoiding any complications.

Buffy still didn't know when her feelings for him changed, but she could see he was feeling the same way. Now she was finding herself fighting back bittersweet anger when she thought of him leaving.

Each of them realized their deepening feelings for each other, but they kept dancing around the subject, refusing to discuss it openly. The upcoming expedition was a looming specter, casting its shadow across them.

For now, they talked about the past and the present, purposely avoiding any talk of the future. They both feared hurting each other, knowing vast galactic distances would soon separate them and facing the possibility of never seeing each other again.

oOoOo

The shuttle's landing gear impacting on the Arcadia's hanger deck brought Paul out of his contemplative meditations. He rubbed the bridge of his nose before returning his attention back to the tablet in his hands.

He'd been reviewing the latest status updates on his little "fleet". To get a sense of what was happening, he ordered the shuttle to do a flyby to inspect the fleet, and the improvised shipyard they'd cobbled together.

They'd attached two of the more heavily damaged light cruisers to the International Space Station and boosted it into a higher orbit. The station would act as the central core while the cruisers added more workspace and docking capability. More importantly, they would incorporate the power and gravity systems from the cruisers into the station.

This resulted in creating a rudimentary space dock capability, allowing for repairs on the other surviving ships. It wasn't long before this new improved space station became a central hub for all space activity in orbit. Shuttles now made daily trips between the station and the planet and scoured the debris fields for any salvageable material.

It's no Robotech Factory Satellite, but we make do with what we have, he thought, looking over the status updates again as the shuttle taxied to a stop.

As Paul disembarked, exhaustion weighed on him as a whirlwind of thoughts and information filled his head. There was so much going on with lots still left to do before the expedition set off.

Pilot training and rebuilding the fighter squadrons was of major concern. Lieutenant Evans appeared to have everything well in hand, but Paul still took a major role in the pilot selection and vetting process. The first squadron—the Grim Reapers—would be at full operational status within the next couple of weeks with the other squadrons still forming.

One thing they didn't need to worry about was finding pilots. There was no shortage of pilots clamoring over each other to join the REF once they'd seen what a Veritech could do.

The long list of volunteers wanting to join and the limited numbers of ships and equipment meant he couldn't take everyone with him. The limited amount of equipment also restricted his planning. Except for the eight light cruisers he'd transferred and some equipment, he was taking everything with him on this expedition. He'd made an exception for some equipment—already scrubbed from inventory databases—designated for General Coulson, who'd earmarked it for his own special purposes.

A sense of deja vu struck Paul. He recalled how the Army of the Southern Cross along with factions of the United Earth Government accused the REF of leaving Earth defenseless when they left for Tirol.

He dismissed any historical similarities. This was, after all, a different universe. If he could have spared any equipment and Protoculture, he would have left it on Earth.

What he hadn't disclosed to anyone was that his transfer of the light cruisers to the major nations had another purpose besides getting support for the expedition and Faith's pardon. His plan was to get all the players training and working together in space, which would lay the foundations for his eventual goal… a new RDF and eventually a UEG.

He realized some form of United Earth Government was inevitable. The establishment of a REF-RDF component for Earth would be an important first step. But the shortage of equipment and Protoculture would put these plans on hold until they got back.

Paul was honest when he told Coulson he wasn't a politician and hated politics. Yet, this seemed to fly in the face of his goals, especially when it came to creating a large Robotech military force.

What he didn't voice aloud was the still burning embers of hate, smoldering in him, knowing The First Evil was out there along with all the Hellmouths. His ultimate goal of all these political machinations was to remove the threat posed by The First and its minions. With a larger and stronger military force, along with the political backing, he would burn out every Hellmouth.

He eagerly looked forward to the day when he could strike back. Though The First Evil started this personal blood feud by messing with his head, the primary motivation behind his plans now was Faith. He wanted to eliminate the threat from all demonic forces… permanently.

oOoOo

The exhaustion was dragging on him by the time he reached his cabin. On top of all the meetings, the emotional toll from the interview had drained him. With another long day of planning meetings slated for tomorrow, he looked forward to some quiet time tonight.

The small table, sitting in the middle of his cabin, decorated with a pair of unlit candles, a bottle of wine and two glasses caught Paul by surprise upon entering. A grin grew on his face as he moved closer, studying the layout.

The only thing missing is the food and Faith, he thought, putting his briefcase on his desk and taking his uniform jacket off.

A quick search of his desk drawer located a pack of survival matches and Paul used one to light the candles. He dimmed the cabin lights and then admired the setting and ambiance while opening the wine and filling the glasses.

He'd barely finished pouring the wine when the cabin door opened. Faith entered, followed by one of the crew from the ship's galley, pushing a cart with covered plates.

"I hope I'm not interrupting your dinner plans?" Paul said, giving her a tired smile.

Faith smiled, "Actually, you're just in time."

Paul moved to help unload the cart, but Faith waved him off as she and the crewman quickly laid out the plates. As the smell of food hit his nose, Paul's stomach growled, surprising him because he hadn't thought he was that hungry.

With the food laid out, Faith thanked the crewman who then came to attention and Paul dismissed with a quick salute. Faith waited until the cabin door closed before saying anything, "I thought a nice quiet dinner would be just what the doctor ordered for tonight."

Seeing Faith in the flickering candlelight made Paul's tiredness fall away. He eyed the bowl of strawberries and the can of whip cream set to side, "I take it that's for dessert?" he said, nodding towards the bowl.

She flashed him a wicked smile, "Part of dessert… there's something I always wanted to try."

Paul's smile grew, and he suddenly felt less tired as his imagination took hold about dessert and what Faith had planned. The envelope in his briefcase suddenly moved to the front of his thoughts, "Before we go any further and we get distracted, I got something for you."

Faith protested about getting more gifts, but he cut her off, "I think you'll especially like this one," he said, retrieving the envelope from his briefcase.

A small laugh escaped seeing her confused expression as he handed the envelope to her. Anxious excitement gripped him, watching Faith open up the envelope and read the document it contained.

"Is this for real?" she said, glancing at Paul and then back at the document, unable to believe what she was reading.

His smile grew bigger, "Yup… that's an official Presidential Pardon for all crimes committed by one Faith Lehane." he said.

A flood of emotions filled Faith, threatening to overwhelm her as she read the document again, "H-How? I-I don't deserve this…" she said.

Paul met her eyes. He could see the emotion welling up in them, "First of all… Yes, you deserve this."

Faith shook her head as the old guilt asserted itself, "N-No… No, I don't!"

Paul moved closer, taking her in his arms. The candlelight flickered and reflected in her eyes and forming tears as he gazed into her face, brushing his hand gently across her cheek, "Yes, you do! Everyone deserves a second chance, and this is yours…! I know we haven't talked about the future, but I think this gives us a chance at one if we want it," he whispered.

The tears welling in her eyes made it harder to see, "I hope it didn't cost you too much to make this happen?" she said, giving him a small smile.

"You know the three light cruisers I transferred over to the US government?"

A grin grew on Paul's face as Faith nodded, "The third one was for you," he said.

Faith laughed as she hugged Paul tightly. A wave of emotions flowed through her as she realized the options she now had with this clean slate given to her.

Her happiness momentarily faded as she realized Paul was doing this was to make sure she was all right in case he didn't return. This suddenly made her painfully aware of how little time they had before he left. She didn't want to let go or say goodbye, but it was going to happen despite what she wanted.

Faith smiled, meeting Paul's eye as she slowly pulled away. She studied his face while gently running her fingers along the scar on his face, "I think we should go directly to dessert," she whispered in a loving voice.

oOoOo

It was late when Riley entered General Coulson's office. Approaching the desk, he noticed the General intently looking at an electronic device about the size of a book with a display screen, occasionally swiping his finger across the screen. He recognized the device as one of those electronic tablets—a hand-held portable computer—that the REF used.

He'd heard that several computer companies in Silicon Valley were gearing up to crank out the devices using the technical specs provided by the REF. They were planning to allocate the first production run of the new devices for government and the military.

Finn came to attention in front of the General's desk, as Coulson continued studying the screen.

"At ease, Riley. Grab a seat," Coulson said, gesturing to the empty chair in front of the desk while not taking his eyes off the device.

Riley sat down, patiently waiting for the General to explain why he was here. Coulson finally put down the tablet and looked at Riley, meeting his eyes.

"You probably heard about my 'promotion'?" Coulson said, leaning back in his chair.

Riley nodded, "Yes, sir. Word has been spreading around all day. Congratulations on the appointment, sir."

"Yes, thank you…" Coulson said, studying his subordinate, "but that's not why I called you here tonight."

"Sir?" Riley said, eyeing the General, wondering where this would lead.

Coulson leaned forward, "I received word late this afternoon that with my appointment to the expeditionary force, our unit's strength, budget and operations will undergo a review and audit. The unit will undergo a re-evaluation into how we fit into new operational models being developed to take into account the new technological developments and the changing strategic situation…"

Riley blinked as he processed the bureaucratic doublespeak, "T-They're shutting us down?" he said, finally realizing what the new orders meant.

Coulson noted the growing anger in the younger man's face, "No… they wouldn't be that obvious. I did some checking through some back-channels. This order came from some of those JCSs we know are on the payroll of Wolfram & Hart. I also saw a copy of an email memorandum that originated from the Vice-President."

"Sir, you can go to the SecDef… he can countermand the directive! They can't believe there are no more demonic threats!"

Coulson shook his head, "I wish it was that easy, son. They've buried us under a whole level of bureaucratic bullshit that would require a huge shovel and years to get out from under."

"But they can't get away with this, sir! There has to be something we can do!"

"Riley, to be honest, I'm not that surprised they're doing this. I've had suspicions they were on to our investigation. They know I'm going and they're taking this opportunity to remove our unit as a threat to whatever plans they have…" Coulson paused for a second. Riley could have sworn he saw the General flash a small smile, "But that doesn't mean we still can't throw a monkey wrench into whatever they're planning."

Riley watched intently as Coulson pulled a small object out of one of his desk drawers and slid it across the desk to him. The flash drive lying on the desk transfixed Riley as the General spoke, "That drive contains information you and your wife will need to keep our operations going. It has names of contacts, safe houses and bank accounts along with locations of weapon and supply caches I have set up to support you. All this information is clean… it's all off the books. There's only one other person who knows anything about this, and we'll both be on the other side of the galaxy in a few weeks."

Riley picked up the drive, staring at it in his hand. For something so small, it weighed so heavy as he contemplated the ramifications of what this flash drive represented along with the responsibility being placed on him.

The General continued his briefing, "Right now, we're engaged in a shadow war with these forces and they have taken the first major shot at us. They think they've crippled us… you and Sam's orders are to lie low and make them think we're wounded. Go through the motions, but keep your eyes and ears open. If things go bad… You and the Slayers… Buffy and Faith will be our only hope. You and Sam will need to work with them. If you can win that would be a best-case scenario, but your orders are to fight and delay the enemy until our expedition returns. We will then rain holy fire down on them, do you understand me?"

A small smile grew on to Riley's face, "Yes, sir! Crystal, sir!"

Coulson nodded, "Good! I've also taken some other measures to give us some advantages. You know about the eight cruisers that Captain Coleiro transferred over?"

"Yes, sir. I heard we got three," Riley replied, wondering where the General was going with this.

"Yes, and the Russians got two cruisers, the Europeans got two to share between them and the Chinese got one. I've been pulling strings and calling in a lot of favors, trying to get our people or people we know are clean on those cruisers and the space station."

The audaciousness of the General's plan shocked Riley, "Even the other cruisers… the foreign-controlled ones?"

The General's face finally broke into a small smile, "Yes… all of them. I have a lot of contacts and a lot of favors owed. Those ships carry a lot of firepower, and if we control those ships, that means we control the high ground. Even if things go bad, we should at least be able to neutralize them from being used against us."

Coulson studied Riley before continuing, "I know I'm asking and dropping a lot on both you and Sam, but if there was any other way I would take it."

"Yes, sir. I understand, sir. We'll take care of everything while you're gone," Riley said, glancing down again at the flash drive in his hand.

"I know you will, son… I know you will," Coulson replied, giving Riley a reassuring smile.

Chapter Text

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
I'll be back

"It's still hard to fathom how wide of a conspiracy and network The First Evil had constructed. We thought we were ready for anything it could throw at us, but it had left nothing to chance. We thought we had the advantage after stopping the Cleveland Hellmouth from opening by using the power of the Scythe to activate all the Potentials into Slayers. The First was prepared to counter that move, and we didn't realize it until it was too late. The images I watched on television still haunt me… the West Wing of the White House in flames… guards and Secret Service agents littering the grounds. Then there were the other agents, firing wildly, cutting down a teenage girl in a hail of bullets on the lawn of the White House. It was only later we learned the Bringers had kept a Potential captive for years, torturing her… conditioning her in the event she became the Chosen One. To this day, I still taste bitter ashes in my mouth when I see pictures of Vice-President Kinsey being sworn in as President. At the time, we thought it couldn't get any worse. We were wrong…"

— Giles Rupert

oOoOo

The beings watching had existed since the start of time. The REF personnel would have referred to these beings as aliens, but Buffy and others knew them as the "Powers That Be".

Whatever they were, from their higher realm they watched as dark powers gathered their forces and plotted. With a vested interest and much concern, they watched as the humans prepared their ships to journey out into the galaxy. There was a great uncertainty and worry with so much at risk…

"Are we sure this is the path that the Shapings want?"

"This is the only path. This is theirs… and our only choice and chance. Without freeing the Invid and allowing them to continue their evolution, the shadows will spread. If the shadows and the demons of this world join forces, it will pave the return for the Old Ones. They will spread out from Earth, and all life across this galaxy will perish."

"Still… there is so much pain and suffering they will have to endure along this path to achieve the desired outcome."

"As in all things in life… everything is born to blood and pain, it is the nature of life. We have done all we can to facilitate these events. It is up to the humans and the other species to walk the path."

"I know, but the path he must walk… the choices he will need to make. How we can be sure that he is the one?"

"The Flower of Life transcends all realms… all realities. For better or for worse, the Flower has chosen him for this path."

"I understand, but how do we know he will make the choices… the decisions needed?"

"He will do it because he loves her…! His love will give him the strength to make those decisions and sacrifices that are necessary."

"Even if that means he cannot be with her?"

"Yes… even if it means that."

oOoOo

"What's wrong?"

Buffy found it hard to meet James's eyes as she got out of bed. She grabbed a shirt off the floor as she headed for the bathroom, "N-Nothing… I-I just need to get a drink of water," she lied.

Turning on the faucet to let the water run, she stood there bent over the sink. She didn't want to look into the mirror, afraid to see her face, but she couldn't help herself, catching a long gaze of her reflection.

The pain and anguish in her eyes were obvious as she struggled to hold back the growing tears building in her eyes. She took deep breaths to get her emotions under control. All she could feel was a deep ache in her heart and soul as her mind raced.

He's going away in three days… We told each other that we wouldn't get serious… Why does it hurt so much?

This wasn't the first time that a guy had left her. It was as if every guy in her life had left her… Her father had abandoned her because he couldn't handle the responsibilities and keep it in his pants. Angel left her because he thought he couldn't give her what she wanted. Riley left because she hadn't emotionally invested in him. Only Spike stayed around, but she didn't know what she felt there.

With James, she hadn't gotten involved with any dreams or plans beyond the next day. They were both enjoying the moment with each other. Now, he was leaving to travel to the other side of the galaxy in three days. She hadn't planned for any of it to go this way. She hadn't planned to…

"You okay?"

Buffy whipped around to find James standing in the bathroom's doorway, a concerned look filling his face.

"I-I…" Buffy couldn't get the words out as a rush of thoughts and emotions surged through her.

She couldn't meet his eyes, but didn't struggle or resist as he put his arms around her and pulled her tight into him. His hug and the heat from his body instinctively triggered her arms to wrap around him, holding him tight, not wanting to let him go.

James held Buffy tightly, not wanting to let her go while her body heaved as she sobbed quietly in his arms. He still wasn't sure when he'd fallen in love with her, but he saw she felt the same way.

Before Buffy, his career had been his only focus. Despite all the ever-present threats and dangers, he got a thrill of working and traveling through space. It hadn't been in any of his plans to put down roots or settle down anywhere.

Now, holding on to Buffy—being with her—growing hesitation about his choices and plans began taking root, filling him with doubts. The only thing that mattered right now was being with Buffy, holding her tightly, whispering softly that everything would be all right and he loved her.

oOoOo

"All personnel from the 5th Marine Regiment and 3rd Ranger Battalion are aboard and settling into quarters. The 1st and 4th Marine Tank Battalions along with engineering, artillery and logistic supporting units are loading," General Coulson reported, with a tired yet satisfied look filling his face. The last four months, since he'd taken on his new role, had been a whirlwind of activity to select and train the ground forces accompanying the expedition.

"What about heavy equipment?" Paul said, eyeing Coulson across the conference table.

"That's a bit trickier with our limited heavy lift capability, but we should have everything loaded and stowed within the projected time lines," Coulson replied.

Paul nodded in satisfaction, glancing over to read troop and equipment information streaming on the display screen, "Any issues that I need to know about?"

"Just the normal adjustment issues. Some are finding it hard to believe they're in space and there have been a few incidents of claustrophobia, but the medical staff is on top of things. The amenities available onboard are making the transition easier. I'm meeting with Colonel McLean of the 5th and Lieutenant Colonel Nelson of the 3rd, along with their command staffs at 1530 for a training and planning session. There is a full command staff meeting scheduled for tomorrow at 0930 in the War Room. I don't see any issues at this stage. They've all been training ground side together for the last four weeks," Coulson said.

"Have our newest additions seen the War Room yet?" Paul said, grinning.

Coulson laughed, "Yeah, I gave them the tour. You would think we had entered a church when they saw it. When I showed them the holographic tactics table… well, I never thought I would see a Marine and Ranger cry in joy at the same time in the same room."

This drew laughs from around the table, "I guess wonders never cease," Paul said, getting a few more chuckles before continuing.

"I want to make sure we include Colonel McLean and Lieutenant Colonel Nelson in all our meetings from now on. I think it would be important and valuable to get their input, plus get them used to how we do things in the REF."

"Understood, sir," Coulson said, nodding. He still found it strange that he was deferring to a Captain, but it was slowly wearing off. Since taking on his new role, he'd been working more closely with Paul and had a new appreciation towards the Captain and his capabilities.

"I'm still surprised that you chose Marines for your ground force component… you know, considering you're an Army General," James said.

Coulson shrugged, "It wasn't much of a hard choice. Marines have experience working off of ships as expeditionary units and being organized into Regimental Combat Teams with supporting units attached. It wasn't much of a stretch to fit them in our TOE."

"Any issues with the Pentagon over the unit selections?" Paul said.

Coulson gave the Captain a small smirk, "There was a little blow back, but they had given me carte blanche to approach whoever I wanted. When the Marines heard I was looking, there was literally a stampede of unit commanders submitting their names for this mission."

A concerned look grew on Paul's face, "And they're all aware of how long this mission might be along with all the risks?" There would be no turning around and going home half done. He needed to know everyone was onboard and committed to this mission until they'd finished.

Coulson nodded, giving the Captain an understanding smile, "From what I understand, each marine volunteering signed off after being briefed. It was the same with the Rangers. My sources tell me they signed up even faster once they found out they would get equipped with Cyclones. It was an even more intense competition for the tankers. There were literally brawls among them to see who would go when they found out they would be operating Destroids."

These examples of enthusiasm got laughs and smiles from those gathered around the table. Paul nodded in relief, not just about the troops, but at how the General was settling into his new command and responsibilities, "Anything else I need to know?" he said.

"Just some minor adjustments to our expedition force structure. I thought it would be prudent to add some other Special Forces units to our mix along with our Rangers. I've added a US Navy Seal Team and the Russians and British have contributed, at my request, a Spetsnaz unit and SAS team. Those units have been training together with the other units. They've been training on how to use Cyclones along with all the infantry weapons available in our inventory. The body armor, Wolverine assault rifle and the laser weaponry seem to be the most popular items," Coulson said.

"Have you decided on how you'll distribute the troops among the fleet?" Aaron said.

"I think I've ironed out all the details," Coulson said, scratching his chin in thought, "We'll base Regimental Combat Team 5 on the Arcadia. For the 3rd Ranger Battalion, I'm going to spread them by companies on the light cruisers, but we'll keep the battalion HQ on the Arcadia. The Special Forces units will be on the Arcadia except for the SAS team, which will use the Dolphin as their base ship. This will give Commander Wright a SF capability. All SF units have been training for insertions using dropships as well as using Alphas with Betas attached, so we have flexibility in how we deploy and use them."

With the mention of fighters, Paul switched his attention over to Cassie, "Lieutenant Evans…" he said, eyeing the nervous Lieutenant, "How are we on pilot training?"

Cassie took a deep breath. She still had doubts about whether she still deserved to sit at this table. Despite her doubts, the Captain hadn't fired her… yet, "Pilot selection took longer than we planned because of the huge number of people wanting to join. The delay has impacted training and we are now just catching up with our training course schedule. We have a good cohort of REF pilots to help with training, and we're using those pilots to help form the nucleus of our reformed squadrons. The Grim Reapers are now operational. The other squadrons are at different stages in the training program, but I don't see a problem having all squadrons operational by the time we hit Tirolian space."

Paul nodded his satisfaction at Cassie's report. He'd been monitoring the pilot training and the young Lieutenant, and so far she hadn't disappointed her. His attention now switched over to Aaron, "Lieutenant Hanson, crew status?"

A satisfied smile filled Aaron's face, "Between the people we recovered and the surviving crews, we've done a good job at filling all the gaps. We didn't have to look for as many people, but like the others we had a huge response of volunteers and we got the pick of the litter."

"Same here. All ships are fully manned," James said, chiming in. A smile filled his face. But that was more because of having found out he was being promoted to a full Commander and given command of the light cruiser group.

Paul took a moment to lean back in his chair, gazing out the conference room observation window to see the Earth and all the ships in orbit around her. While he may have looked relaxed, his mind was racing, reviewing details to see if he'd missed anything.

He finally leaned forward, glancing around the conference table, making eye contact with everyone gathered there, "Does anybody see any reason why we should delay our departure date?"

A chorus of "No, sir" answered his question, which only reaffirmed his own evaluation, "Then it looks like we're good to go," he said, flashing a small smile.

oOoOo

Faith had retreated to an observation room overlooking the Horizont docking bay. She watched as another dropship arrived to unload its cargo of troops and equipment from the drop pods attached to the dropships.

Other than the cabin, the observation room was one of the few places on the Arcadia she could have some alone time. Much had changed aboard over the last few weeks. It was a much more crowded ship with the influx of new people. There seemed to be crowds of soldiers all over the ship.

Not that she was antisocial, but the crowds were getting on her nerves and the influx of Marines was leading to some situations. Some new arrivals would get a glimpse of her—and her tight jeans—and would immediately try to get to know her better.

Luckily, there'd been no incidents yet. REF personnel warned off the more persistent suitors, not just because she was the Captain's girlfriend, but because she would hand them their asses.

Faith sighed, staring absently as the people below scurried about the docking bay busily doing their jobs. She'd been hoping to keep her thoughts and feelings distracted and not dwell on Paul's impending departure.

That idea had crashed and burned when she ran into Buffy in the cafeteria. The other Slayer's face mirrored what she was going through, which again only painfully reminded her how time was running out. Thoughts about Paul leaving suddenly shifted to the back-burner as she recognized one particular person disembarking from the dropship.

"What the hell is she doing aboard?" Faith muttered, her eyes narrowing angrily as she focused her attention on the woman walking across the docking bay.

oOoOo

Emma Michaels took a deep breath as she walked down the loading ramp into the busy and noisy docking bay. She paused at the bottom of the ramp to absorb everything going on around her and let it sink in.

As she stepped off the ramp on to the ship's deck, it symbolized the start of a new adventure that would send her career soaring to new heights.

She was still walking on clouds at being selected to be the media representative for the expedition. When the position had come up, she'd depressingly placed her chances of getting the job below a snowball's chance in hell. Especially more so after seeing the long list of experienced field correspondents vying for the coveted position.

Her selection was still a major shock, and she still had no explanation why she was the one chosen over those more experienced than her. One rumor going around was that the Vice-President had lobbied for her after being impressed by her interviews with Captain Coleiro.

Thoughts of Paul set her mind off in all directions. Rather than finishing her career, the interview with Paul had been a huge critical and ratings hit. Yes, the success thrilled her, but she was finding her thoughts focusing more on him as a man rather than a story to cover.

She found it hard to get him out of her thoughts, and she wasn't the only one to notice the chemistry between them. The network pushed for follow-up interviews and more in-depth coverage of the Captain.

She tried to deny it, but grudgingly admitted her attraction to him, which only seemed to grow whenever she spent time around him. Finally deciding she'd suffered enough, she made her move to let him know she was interested and available.

Her choice was one of the many Washington political social functions they attended together. Since that first interview the Captain was making more public appearances to take advantage of the positive coverage to raise awareness and support for the REF and the expedition.

Luck seemed to be against Emma this time… Paul had brought his "girlfriend" to this gathering. Emma used the opportunity to study her competition… and quickly dismissed the younger woman. Even though the brunette cut an attractive figure in her cocktail dress, she seemed woefully out of her element.

The younger woman appeared awkward and uneasy, clinging close to Paul as he breezed through the room, making small talk with everyone. Emma had heard the rumors making the rounds about Paul and this brunette. She couldn't believe a man like Paul would get deeply involved with a woman like that beyond the obvious sexual connotations and maybe to use as eye candy. The more she replayed the rumors and stories about Paul and the brunette, the more she fantasized herself being with him.

It took a couple drinks and for an opportunity where Paul had gone to the bar by himself, for Emma to make her approach. In her mind, it was already a slam dunk that she could easily sway his mind to dump the young bimbo.

It was a rude awakening when Paul made it clear he wasn't available. What bothered her more was how polite he'd been when he rejected her move. Rather than dissuade her, this increased her desire for him and she continued her advances… becoming more aggressive and obvious in her intentions as the evening wore on.

Where Paul had been polite… his girlfriend—Faith—had been something else entirely, not taking Emma's advances on Paul as politely. She still shuddered at the memory of their confrontation in the ladies' room. Faith had cornered her in the washroom, making it loud and very clear to back off or she would kick her "scrawny ass".

It was all taking on an air of high school drama with Emma brushing off the verbal threats thinking there wasn't much the brunette could do to stop her. That all changed as Faith punctuated her threats by ripping the hand dryer off the wall as if it were nothing, without even breaking a fingernail.

What was even more unsettling was the way Faith smiled at her as she sat the dryer on the counter, before turning and leaving… whistling as she exited the washroom.

Paul's apparent lack of interest and the shadow of physical violence kept Emma's desires in check, but that was before her selection for the Arcadia expedition.

Things were now looking different with her aboard and the girlfriend staying behind. She understood that while Paul had expressed no interest in her, working in close quarters far away from home could drastically change the odds in her favor.

A sly smile grew on her face as fantasies danced in her head, Six months is a long time… plenty of time to see what happens, she thought.

oOoOo

Paul tried to focus on the report he was reading, but Faith's muttering and pacing was making it difficult for him to concentrate.

"What the hell is that scrawny ass bitch doing aboard?" she muttered angrily, continuing her back-and-forth pacing in the cabin.

Paul sighed, putting down his tablet, knowing he needed to calm her, "The government wanted to have someone from the press aboard to document the mission and they selected her. I had no say in the matter," he said, holding his hands up defensively.

Faith glared at him, letting out an exasperated sigh while shaking her head, "Why her? Can't you ask for someone else?"

Paul shook his head, "Not at this late date, they won't go for it," pausing, unsure if he should venture into that minefield. He decided to get it over with, and marched straight in, "Is the problem you don't trust me around her?"

She folded her arms across her chest, the angry expression still firmly planted on her face, "No… My problem is that I don't trust that bitch around you!"

Paul smirked, trying not to laugh. He'd heard about the ladies' room incident. Moving over to Faith, it took some prying to get her to unfold her arms, so he could hug her. She finally relented as he wrapped his arms around her. He heard her sigh and felt her relax in his arms as he held her.

"That's not what's really bothering you… is it?" he said.

Faith sighed again, "That's part of it," she said, finding it hard to find the words to say what she was feeling.

"Did you want to go grab a drink?" Paul said, now rocking her slowly in his arms.

"Can we just stay here? Can we just stay like this?" she said, her voice choking, trying to hold back the pain. Paul said nothing, but she got her answer as he hugged her tighter.

oOoOo

Faith stood on the flight deck, watching the rush of activity going on around her. She was still trying to come to grips at how fast these last few days had rushed by.

Even though Paul was busy with getting the ship and crew ready to leave, he put his work on hold in the evenings to spend them with her. Now she was leaving.

It was strange, but this place, over the months, had become more like a home to her than any other place she'd lived in her life. Anxiousness and uncertainty filled her as she looked over at the shuttle waiting to take her and the others not going on the expedition back down to Earth.

She understood Paul was leaving, but it still didn't seem real. It wasn't like she could distract herself as other goodbye scenes played out all around her on the flight deck.

She took a deep breath, watching as Buffy and Dawn made their tearful goodbyes with Aaron and James giving the sisters some space. Xander and Anya stood back watching, they'd already done their tearful goodbyes with Willow and Buffy. Then there was Willow, caught up in a passionate embrace, saying goodbye to Kennedy.

Looks like they'll need a fire hose and crowbar to pry those two apart, she thought, watching Willow and Kennedy holding tightly on to each other.

The only one missing from these tearful goodbyes was Giles. Faith spotted him over by the hanger deck entrance, her eyes widening in surprise to see him hugging Chief Larson.

A faint smile passed across her face seeing the new couple, but it quickly faded, replaced by a growing anger… she was angry that everyone had to say goodbye. She again struggled with why Paul and the others had to leave.

The logical part of her understood the reasons and whys for this mission, but it smacked against the emotional part of her. She had heard the grumblings about the mission, and a part of her agreed with them. She didn't see why it was important to have Protoculture… Earth had survived without it before Paul and his merry little band arrived here.

Her anxiousness and anger were more because of Paul's absence from the flight deck. It seemed everyone wanted a piece of him these days, but she had no doubts he would be here.

At this, her thoughts turned to her last conversation with Chief Larson. She'd asked the Chief to keep an eye on that "scrawny ass bitch" reporter, making sure she kept her claws off Paul. She wouldn't deny a "few" evil thoughts of what she would like to do to that reporter had popped into her head. Yet, she wasn't about to act on them and jeopardize her pardon over that woman.

Faith's attention returned to Buffy and Dawn as the two sisters finally broke from their goodbye embrace. She debated about going over to say goodbye, but she just didn't know if she could handle it with her own goodbye drama yet to play out.

In typical fashion, she settled for a wave and a nod to Dawn from a distance. Her attention was now being drawn to James and Buffy as they made their goodbyes, but a voice from behind interrupted her.

"Hey…"

Faith spun to face Paul, seeing a small smile on his face. She tried putting on a cheerful face to deal with the storm of emotions raging inside her, "You happy to see me go?" she teased.

Paul grinned, but his eye betrayed the emotional turmoil raging inside him, "Yeah, you've been nothing but trouble for me since I saved your sorry ass in Sunnydale."

Faith tried smiling, but failed as reality came crashing in, "Admit it, you love my ass," she said, trying to keep up the pretense, but her voice cracked with emotion.

Paul moved closer, taking Faith in his arms, hugging her tightly, "I love all of you," he whispered into her ear, wishing he could freeze the moment.

Faith closed her eyes, taking a deep breath as her eyes burned and blurred. There was so much she wanted to say, but there was no more time.

Her mind was a jumble of thoughts and emotions, unable to find the right words, so she let her actions speak for her, kissing Paul long and hard. She put all her love, longing and pain into the kiss, and time seemed to pause as he responded with his passion.

She longed for the moment to continue on forever, but time reasserted itself as they slowly pulled away from one another. A pain of loneliness and emptiness welled up in her, threatening to overwhelm her as she struggled to keep her emotions in check.

"I'll be back… I promise!" he whispered in her ear.

She hugged Paul tightly, wanting desperately to believe him, but a wave of uncertainty gripped her, "Don't make a girl a promise, you can't keep," she whispered.

Finally, letting go of each other, she turned to walk away. A sudden numbness enveloped her as she boarded the shuttle. Even as she took her seat and strapped in, this emotional fog continued to blanket her. She wanted to desperately to believe this was all a bad dream, and when it finally ended she would wake up in bed next to Paul.

The shuttle beginning to accelerate for take-off exerted the harsh reality of the situation as gravity pushed her back into her seat. Faith glanced out her observation window, watching the bright lights of the flight deck fade as the darkness of space replaced them. She kept watching as the shuttled circled around and passed over the Arcadia. In her mind she could picture Paul standing on the observation deck, watching her leave.

Her head was a jumble of thoughts. It took her a moment to realize that Buffy was talking to her, "Huh?" she said, turning her attention to Buffy.

Buffy gave her a sympathetic look, understanding what Faith was going through, "What're you going to do now?" she said.

Faith again turned her attention back out the window. The Arcadia shrank in the distance as the shuttle began its re-entry approach, "I… I really don't know, but I think I'll start with a drink first…"

oOoOo

Nobody really paid attention to the young brunette walking into the bar. Normally, she would have drawn looks, and a few gawks, but today was different with everyone's attention on the televisions throughout the bar.

Where the TVs would have been showing sporting events, they had the President of the United States speaking. While the President spoke a small picture in the screen's corner showed a group of spaceships moving away from the planet.

Faith only paid half-attention to the President's speech as she grabbed a seat at the bar. It took her a couple attempts to get the bartender's attention before he would serve her. She smirked, shaking her head at his attitude at being pulled away from watching what the President kept referring to as a "historic moment for all mankind".

She nursed her drink, barely paying attention as the President kept talking on and on. When the President mentioned how Earth was sending its sons and daughters to find a lasting peace and a future among the stars, did it finally catch her attention.

She snorted, taking another drink, Lasting peace? Sending over five thousand Marines and Rangers armed to the teeth… That's a funny way to find lasting peace!

The President's words about "peace" echoed in her head, recalling their meeting with Riley. He'd been on hand when they landed back on Earth, catching everyone by surprise. The meeting hadn't been very long, but it was enough to get everyone's worries up as he briefed them on the current situation. He hadn't gone into specific details, but what he told them didn't bode well for the future. A more ominous sign was Riley providing everyone with burner cell phones, so he could get a hold of them in an emergency.

Faith strangely felt ambivalent about the whole situation. In some ways things were as they always were. Once again she found herself alone, facing unknown threats.

Yet, her life had taken a dramatic turn. She didn't have to worry about being wanted by the police. Then there was Paul. It wasn't too long ago she thought she had no future, but now she had hope for a future and someone to share it with.

The President had finally finished his speech, and the program switched back to a news anchor to continue coverage. She now watched as the announcer droned on about some inconsequential bit of information to fill the airtime. She drew a few strange looks and stares from the bar patrons, laughing out loud when a so-called "expert" being interviewed got some detail of the Arcadia wrong.

The laughing seemed at odds with the emotions raging in her as she focused on the screen showing the group of ships moving further away from Earth.

Memories danced in her head of lying in Paul's bed, his arms holding her tight, looking out at the moon, looming so large while the Earth looked so small. Her heart ached, wishing she could turn back time to that moment, wishing that it would never end. A wave of self-doubt rose, questioning and punishing her decision to stay. The TV announcer caught her attention.

"We've just received word the expedition has reached the point where they can execute their space-fold. We're going to cut-over to listen in on the Arcadia's communications…"

"Arcadia to all ships… We've reached jump point co-ordinates. Arcadia space-fold system stable… all systems nominal. Make sure you are within space-fold perimeter. Check and confirm positions…"

A small proud smile etched her face as she recognized Dawn's voice as the one speaking.

"Dolphin… confirmed."

"Venture… confirmed."

"Majestic… confirmed."

"Vagabond… confirmed."

"Chimera… confirmed."

"Mollusk carrier confirmed in position."

"All ships standby… Arcadia to ISS Control… Executing space-fold in sixty seconds…"

"Understood Arcadia… Good luck and God's speed."

"Thanks… We'll see you on the flip-side."

Faith held her breath as the final countdown began. She didn't know what to expect, but a part of her hoped some last-minute glitch or problem would force them to abort and he would return to her.

Her thoughts drifted in these last few seconds… before meeting Paul, she had given no thought about her future. There was only living day-to-day. Now she wanted a future, she wanted more, watching the last seconds tick down and the person who'd shown her a future about to disappear.

On the TV a bright energy field appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, surrounding all the ships. Faith bit her lip in anticipation and worry as the energy field grew bigger and brighter. She no longer heard what the announcers were saying. The bright, glowing energy field held her eyes while memories of some of the best and happiest times of her life played in her head. Then in a flash… all the ships vanished as if they never existed.

It took a moment for the reality to sink in as she sat there staring at the TV screen while the bar returned to its normal rhythm. She sat there for a long moment tuning out everything around her as she kept replaying her goodbye with Paul in her head. His last words to her were to promise he would be back. She cringed, wishing she could take back telling him not to make promises he couldn't keep. It had been a reflexive response from all the times she'd gotten burned by those who had said they'd cared about her.

He said it would only be six months…

She finished her drink, grabbing her helmet as she made her way out of the bar. Out in the parking lot, she sat on her Cyclone, suddenly not sure what to do. She had no idea or plan of where she was going. There was still her mission, but it didn't feel the same as it once did. A strange sense of incompleteness gripped her, and she realized it wouldn't go away until he returned.

Buffy and Giles were talking about either going to San Francisco or Cleveland… Maybe I should go hang out with them for a while…

Before she put on her helmet, she looked upward at the sky… the sun was getting ready to set and the moon was making its presence known. Another wave of memories played through her thoughts as her hand caressed the pendant under her shirt while she gazed upwards at the evening sky.

Good fortune… Good fortune to us all…

After a moment, she put her helmet on and started up her Cyclone. The roar of the engine seemed to drown out all the other sounds.

She took some comfort from the power of her motorcycle as its vibrations flowed through her body. She finally released the brake, quickly peeling out of the parking lot, heading off down the road.

oOoOo

The demon contemplated the human groveling at his feet. To this demon, the Vice-President of the United States was nothing but a quivering pile of flesh which deserved nothing but his contempt and scorn.

He looked forward to the day when he could feast upon this human's entrails, but for now his master had a use for this being. Despite the human's usefulness and success, it didn't lessen the underlying contempt and scorn he had for the human.

"You've done well… You've done as we've asked," the demon said, barely hiding his disgust for such a pitiful creature.

"Y-Yes M-Master…! I-I did everything you asked…!"

The demon considered the situation, making sure he'd covered off everything before reporting to his master. While it seemed like everything was all coming together as planned, the last thing he wanted was to miss some detail.

The thought of having to report bad news to his master filled the demon with nothing but dread, knowing how his master would react. The Vice-President's whiney voice interrupted his thoughts.

"M-Master, when do we strike?"

The demon glared at his human servant, considering his own instructions, "We wait…"

"Wait?"

"My Master has been waiting a long time for this opportunity and right now patience is what my Master wants. Everyone's focus is on this mission, but that will fade as the days and weeks pass. The seeds we have been planting will soon bear fruit for us, and when the time is right, we will strike! Then you will take the position we want you in… then the real fun begins," the demon said, baring his teeth into something resembling a smile.

"T-Thank you, Master… I only live to serve…" the Vice-President said, groveling.

"Yes… yes, you do," the demon said, still smiling.

Chapter Text

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Another cross to bear

"When we arrived at the edges from what our records showed was the furthest reach of the Robotech Masters' empire, we still didn't know who or what we would encounter. While every jump we took closer to Tirol kept us on edge, we were both relieved and frustrated, finding no evidence of Tirolian, Zentreadi or even Invid outposts or colonies. It was only when we entered areas of Tirolian expansion from before the Masters did we finally find signs of civilization… just not in the way we'd imagined. The decision to continue on was mine and I bear full responsibility for everything that we unleashed and the cost we had to pay…"

— Excerpt from the collected journals of Fleet Admiral Paul Coleiro

oOoOo

The small yellow sun normally bathed only the planets and planetoids orbiting it with its light and energy. On the Arcadia's observation deck, Paul relaxed in the sun's light, leaning back in his chair with his feet propped on the conference table.

While music softly played, filling the room with its sound, he took off his eye patch to test his bad eye. He could only see a blur of bright lights as he blinked his left eye slowly while holding his hand over his right eye.

Rather than disheartening him, it brought a small smile to his face because this was an actual improvement to see light now. Even his headaches were occurring with less frequency.

These changes in his damaged eye had the doctors at a loss to explain or provide a reason for this improvement. Whatever was happening to his eye, Paul wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

Maybe I won't have to worry about looking like General Edwards's evil twin brother anymore! Though Faith always said I looked pretty sexy with the eye patch…

His attention switched back to the music as a soft mellow piano along with a female singer's contralto voice began playing from the speakers. He turned up the volume as he soaked in the music, his thoughts drifting, finding some solace and peace in the woman's voice. As the song continued, a part of him wished he had something harder than the coffee he was drinking.

God, I'm getting so retrospective in my old age! Who would have believed I liked jazz…

Strange as it might sound, this was one item of many heavily requested by REF personnel before the Arcadia and the rest of the ships left on their mission. The REF personnel were spending a fair amount of their off-duty free time exploring the literal treasure trove of music, movies and books that the alternate Earth had provided.

The new crew additions found it amusing how the REF people lapped up all the different entertainment they took for granted. Even some cultural phrases, out of date by Earth standards, were now back in vogue among the REF personnel.

Paul understood the reason for this sudden interest in all things from Earth. The Zentreadi "Rain of Death" on their Earth had almost erased their humanity's cultural history. The only things that survived were what had been aboard the SDF-1 and those areas of Earth not obliterated by the orbital bombardment.

He closed his eyes, taking in each word and feeling the singer's emotion in her voice as the song continued. The music and lyrics tugged on his heart and soul along with memories of the woman he loved and promised he would return to. They were two months into the mission, but it felt like a lifetime since he'd said goodbye to Faith.

The music helped to ease his frustration over the current pace of the expedition. Their deliberately slow and stealthy pace resulted from his orders. It was important for them to maintain a low profile and stay unnoticed while they tried to determine what—if any—threats they faced. The one benefit from all this sneaking around was it allowed them more time to train and integrate their new personnel into shipboard life and operations.

The observation room's door opening interrupted any further thoughts of Faith, and Paul slowly sat back up in his chair, taking his feet off the table. He turned down the volume of the music as his two recently promoted Lieutenant-Commanders came to attention on the other side of the table.

"Sorry to disturb you, sir. We've finished our recon of the system," Aaron said.

"At ease, you two. Sit down," Paul said, waving towards the empty chairs. He tried not to laugh, noticing the looks exchanged between the two officers in the face of their Captain's relaxed manner. A small smile flashed on his face as they awkwardly sat down. Paul could see that Aaron and Cassie were still adjusting to their recent promotions.

With the additions of personnel from Earth for this expedition, Paul had to review and reorganize his command structure to reflect all the changes occurring. Some of the military personnel from Earth technically held higher ranks than Hanson and Evans.

Yet, they didn't have the requisite experience and knowledge in space operations and use of Robotechnology. To fix the situation, he just promoted the two young officers. They had both more than earned their promotions. It would just take time for them to settle in and get comfortable with their new roles and added responsibilities.

That they each have someone that can support them is a bonus, he thought. Memories of Faith came again, but he pushed them aside to focus on more important work matters for now.

Paul glanced at Cassie, again happy his instincts about her had been right when he'd put her in charge of overseeing the pilot training program. That's not to say there weren't issues… some of the older and higher-ranked Earth military pilots had scoffed at taking orders and instructions from her. They quickly changed their tune when they discovered this "girl" was already an ace in space combat. It also helped when she took them to school in the simulators and training flights.

Even though Cassie excelled in her position and would one day make a great squadron commander, Paul still retained squadron command of the Grim Reapers. Cassie was his XO and was already handling the day-to-day operations of the squadron. He realized that with his responsibilities as overall expedition commander; he didn't have time to be indulging in commanding a single fighter squadron. Even General Coulson was pressuring him to hand over the reins of the squadron to someone else.

He'd already chosen Cassie as his replacement, but he still hesitated to let go. The major reason was that Cassie still needed more seasoning and experience, and despite what anybody said or thought, he was still the most experienced pilot they had. The other—and more personal—reason was that he still wasn't ready to step away from the cockpit.

He saw his time in the cockpit was coming to an end, and the Arcadia's command chair was now where he belonged and needed to be. He gazed at the two young officers, finding himself a little jealous of their youth and that they didn't have to worry about the "big picture".

Once things settle down more… maybe I can step away. We still need an Air Group Commander, he thought, considering again the implications.

He realized that would just be delaying his inevitable departure from the cockpit to the command chair. For now, it wasn't a big issue, but as more squadrons became operational, he would have to decide about his role in flight operations.

He brushed those thoughts aside for now to focus on why Aaron and Cassie were here to see him, "I take it you've confirmed what our preliminary scans discovered?"

Aaron nodded, "Yes, sir. We confirmed that there was a small colony on the fourth planet in this system. We compared the ruins with what we have in our databases. The colony was definitely of Tirolian origin… and from the ruins of the buildings it was pre-Robotech."

"Any signs of life?"

Aaron shook his head, "None, sir. We confirmed our earlier scans and assessment… it looks like an orbital bombardment destroyed the colony. Whoever attacked, they were methodical and ruthless. This colony had minimal defenses, but they exterminated everyone and everything."

"Do we know when this happened?"

"From the radioactive decay of isotopes we found in the soil, it looks like this colony has been dead for at least 200 years," Aaron said.

Paul leaned back in his chair, considering the implications and ramifications of what they'd discovered and what it meant to the expedition and its mission.

This was the first sign of any civilization in the Local Group area they had discovered, and it turned out to be a long dead colony world. His inner voice was trying to warn him of something, but he couldn't quite grasp it… like trying to piece together fragments of a dream. He was considering what they should do next when Aaron continued.

"Sir, there was one other thing that we found."

The tone of Aaron's voice set off alarms in Paul's head, "Go ahead," he said.

"We found traces of a faint energy signature embedded in orbital debris and wreckage on the planet. That there was still an energy trace after this long indicates how powerful these weapons were."

The expression on Aaron's face didn't help Paul's uneasiness as he continued his report, "When we ran the energy signature against our databases. We found only one instance of a similar signature."

"Get to the bad news, Lieutenant-Commander," Paul said.

Aaron took a deep breath, "The energy signature is identical to the one used by the unidentified aliens that attacked us in the Vega Corinthi System back in our universe."

Paul sat back, letting this news sink in. His head swirled with how this would impact his plans and the mission. A brief thought of turning around and jumping back to Earth crossed his mind. He shook it off, knowing they still needed to determine if there were any threats out here and there was still the minor issue of Protoculture and the Invid.

That colony has been dead for over 200 years… There still can't be a threat? he thought, trying to decide what their next move should be.

Again, his inner voice was trying to warn him. They needed to continue their mission, so his decision was obvious, but he still had some options available, "Lieutenant-Commander Hanson, are we still running at EMCOM-1?"

Aaron nodded, "Yes, sir. We're keeping a low profile."

"Go to EMCOM-2 and notify Commander Wright to have the Dolphin and her group follow suit."

Both Aaron and Cassie showed their surprise at the Captain's orders, "Are you sure, sir?" Aaron said.

Paul nodded, planning out their next moves, "Yes… I also want our AWACs deployed on rotating patrols on the edges of this system to extend our eyes in this system. I want them running quiet and on passive, so if anyone or anything shows up unannounced we get fair warning. Have the Dolphin and her group set up shop in the system's asteroid field, they'll be our reserve. The Invid will go with them."

Aaron understood the orders, but was still a little confused as to the Captain's purpose, "Sir?" he said.

Paul grinned, seeing his First Officer's confusion, "Mister Hanson, we're going to stay here, while I consider which system we go to next. While we're here, this will give us more time for training. I want you to schedule a round of battle and damage control drills for all ships. Please ensure that you communicate our plans to Tashe and provide her an update on what we've found here."

Aaron's confusion was still obvious, "Sir?"

"I think the Invid are in the same boat as we are. Having their forces on our side might give us an advantage if we run into any trouble," Paul said.

Aaron nodded, "Yes, sir. Understood."

Paul turned his attention to Cassie, "Lieutenant-Commander Evans."

"Sir?"

"How are our new squadrons looking?"

Cassie took a moment to get her thoughts together. Even after all these months, she was still trying to catch her breath with all the responsibilities she carried from overseeing the pilot training program.

The good news was that as more pilots finished the program and more squadrons came online, all those pressures and workload were now diminishing. This didn't mean she had nothing to do now. Her new role as squadron XO of the Grim Reapers kept her plenty busy. There were times she'd doubted herself and abilities, but the Captain's confidence in her and Xander's support had allowed her to get over those rough patches.

"The Reapers are fully operational. Skull, Vipers and Black Lancers squadrons are in final shakedowns and they should be ready to go by the end of the week. The other squadrons are still in the training cycle, but we should be at our full air wing complement of pilots within three weeks. We have lots of pilots, our problem now is availability of aircraft. Chief Larson says she'll have enough Veritechs repaired for another seven squadrons in about two weeks, and after that we'll have exhausted our supply of fighters. We'll only have a handful left for training and replacements."

Paul's face took on a grim expression. The equipment and supply situation was at the top of his list of concerns. He still didn't know what they would do to get replacements and parts once their supplies ran out.

Despite the grim supply outlook, they still had enough equipment, weapons and supplies for now. The status of his growing air wing now gave him more options and flexibility, along with adding to the expedition's firepower.

He had made it a point to recruit more than enough pilots to provide a full air wing and then some for his fleet. He wouldn't let the number of Veritechs available prevent him from having a large pool of trained pilots to draw from.

Paul understood he had to make some hard choices and decisions. He realized they would need to make some compromises to ensure they had trained pilots, "Make sure we hold back two squadrons of fighters. It's not what I want, but we'll use those fighters to rotate among some squadrons. I want to make sure they are getting flight time in space and not just simulator time," he said, rubbing his chin.

Cassie nodded, "Yes, sir."

"I also want to assign two of the new squadrons to the Dolphin's group. I think Commander Wright would appreciate having fighters available to support him," Paul said, grinning.

"Yes, sir." Cassie said, mirroring the Captain's grin.

"How are the new pilots doing?" Paul said. He'd been reading the evaluation and status reports, but he wanted Cassie's opinion.

"We still have a few rough edges to smooth out. With the limited number of Veritechs, it might take us a little longer to work out the kinks. Some are still finding it a little hard transitioning, but I think they'll make it. From what I've seen, we could hold our own against any squadron in the REF. The group that's really impressed me are all those Potentials that signed on with us, they show a lot of promise."

Paul grinned, "Yeah, I've heard good things about them. I understand you're keeping them altogether in the same squadron."

"Yes, sir. They worked so well together in training I thought it would be best to keep them altogether… they're assigned to Skull Squadron," Cassie said.

Paul smiled, wondering how Max Sterling would react to knowing his old squadron would exist in another universe. He also wondered what his old squadron commander and mentor would say about everything.

He would probably laugh and tell me, "What took you so long?" and throw in an "I told you so" if he saw me commanding this expedition…

"Good to hear, Lieutenant-Commander," Paul paused, a gleam flashing in his eye, "I've decided that while we're here, we're going to smooth away those rough edges. We will engage in war games to simulate real combat scenarios. I want to make sure everyone gets operational flight time while we're here, and Cassie…"

Cassie arched her eyebrows in surprise at the Captain's use of her first name, "Yes, sir?"

Paul couldn't help his growing smile, "Pass the word to all the pilots that I will be out there flying in the aggressor role, so they better watch themselves."

It took only a second for the Captain's news to sink in before a smile filled her face, "Yes, sir! I will pass the word!"

Paul dismissed the two officers, leaning back in his chair as they exited the room. He had another meeting scheduled with General Coulson in the War Room, but he had some free time before that meeting.

This left him with a slight dilemma… he didn't know what to do. He considered heading down to the bridge, but decided on taking advantage of this quiet moment of free time for himself.

Staring out the observation window, taking in the eternity of space, his thoughts drifted back to Faith, and he wondered when or if he would ever see her again.

He replayed their goodbye again in his head, remembering the look in her eyes… a mix of sadness and love. She'd told him not to make her promises he couldn't keep, but he swore that was one promise he intended to keep.

He sighed as he stared out into the blackness, his mind racing with thoughts of the past, present and future. After what felt like an eternity, he got up, turning his back to the blackness, and headed down to the bridge to see what awaited him there.