Man #1: It would appear they have more allies

Man #2: Will this be a problem? The first man shrugged, he looked out the window and contemplated the question.

Man #1: They’re human, what possible trouble could they be?

Man #2: Very well, the plan will go ahead as scheduled

Man #1: Tonight at eight when they’re all together?

Man #2: Yes. Have home base been notified of this?

Man #1: They have. And the FBI?

Man #2: They pose no threat, our people there have kept them away from this business

Man #1: Excellent!

Cade: So you saw nothing remotely suspicious?

Oz: Nada

Cade: Kyle, Cordelia, what about you?

Kyle: Well now that you mention it, there was this guy, yeah…he had the nerve to pick his nose in public…we should torture him for information, then impregnate him with an alien hybrid and send him on his merry way with a reminder that we come in peace.

Sheriff: Kyle..

Kyle: This whole thing is stupid

He stormed out the room. Before anyone could follow, they were diverted by Cordelia’s scream.

She clutched her head in agony, and hoped for the vision to end quickly. Vaguely she could hear Angel in the background asking if she was okay. Eventually she collapsed into his arms as the vision slowly abated, leaving her breathless and dazed.

Mr Evans got up to find aspirin, just as Kyle was returning to see what the commotion was about, they gathered around her and waited for her to speak.

Cordelia: Bright light….someone’s in danger

Kyle: helpful visions you get there…

She ignored him.

Cordelia: Where is the damn aspirin?

Angel: It’s coming…did you see anything else?

Still clutching her head she tried to get her mind to focus on the brief pictures that had invaded her head. In panic she jumped up knocking Angel backwards.

Cordelia: It’s here..the danger is here

The room erupted into chaos as people scrambled for weapons. Buffy picked up her crossbow and threw it into Angels hands, she then grabbed a stake for herself and glanced wildly about for any thing else that would be of use.

Man #1: I would suggest everyone remain calm and seat themselves down

Sheriff Valenti was shocked when he looked in the direction of the voice and saw a man holding a weapon to his sons head. He immediately sat down.

Man #1: I said seat yourselves

Everyone else complied, Michael kept his eyes trained warily on the intruder, waiting for an opportunity to attack the man.

Mr. Evans saw what was going on and retreated back to the kitchen, he needed to find something to disarm the man.

Nobody noticed the other man who stood off to the side punching buttons in his transmitter, instantly sending off a signal to home base to open the portal.

Michael concentrated his powers on disarming the first man, but before he could so much as focus his powers he was blinded by pure white light, his last conscious thought was that they’d failed and that he hadn’t told Maria how much he loved her.

Max slowly opened his eyes, he couldn’t focus so he blinked, hoping to clear his blurry vision and befuddled mind. He knew that something was wrong, but couldn’t place the fear. Realizing he was lying on a hard floor and not his bed he slowly swivelled his head to take in his surroundings. The first thing he saw was Buffy, unconscious beside him and a little past her was what looked like Oz, also unconscious. Max couldn’t understand what was going on, sitting up abruptly he groaned at the pain in his head, slowly the events leading up to the present became clear. He cast his eyes wildly about the room, looking for Liz, he could not see her. Desperately he jumped up, looking for an exit and shouting his wife’s name, he found no door, windows or anyway out, nor did he find his beloved.

Dejectedly he fell back to the floor and curled up into a foetal position, his mind cruelly telling him he’d failed his wife and that she was now dead, so too were his sister and his friends, they were his responsibility, they looked up to him and he had failed.

Michael: Maria, Oh God please, Maria please be alive

Maria opened her eyes, she moaned at the tightness around her body, and realized it was Michael clutching her to him in terror.

Maria: What’s the matter spaceboy d’ya miss me?

Michael grinned, he released a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding and hugged Maria to him more tightly than before.

Maria climbed out of Michaels arms and looked around the room for the first time, taking note of the lack of windows or doors.

Maria: Where are we?

Michael: And where is everyone else?

Angel: BUFFY!

Maria jumped at the sound of Angels voice, she pivoted and noticed him desperately trying to punch a whole in the wall.

Maria: Angel, I’m sure she’s okay, they’ve probably just got her in another cell with the others.

Alex: Aargh! Why do I feel like I’ve been repeatedly pounded in the head by a sledgehammer?

Alex clutched his head and looked around.

Alex: Strike that question, here’s a more important one…where are we?

Liz groaned and sat up next to Alex.

Liz: Where’s Max?

Alex: And Issy?

Sheriff: Looks like more than half of us are missing

Cade: If we’re still alive then I’m assuming so are they. We’ve probably all been separated.

Alex: Great! And it just so happens that none of us in here have powers

Cade: I don’t think it matters much, there aren’t any doors or windows in the place.

Xander: I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore..

Giles: Wha..Uh yes, that does seem to be the case

He looked around.

Giles: There are only two of us…

Xander: Great deductive powers G-Man. Its common military practise to separate prisoners, it keeps them weaker and makes them easier to control.

Giles: Perfect! And of all the people to get stuck in…

He looked around again

Giles: …a windowless and door less room, with no means of escaping, it would be you

Xander: Hey watch with the insults buddy

Giles rubbed his neck

Giles: Sorry, I guess I’m just stressed, the uh change in location has left me somewhat without my normal self calm

Xander: Self calm? What is that exactly? Are you on drugs…great, I’m stuck in a cell with a librarian going through withdrawal. Where’s the Buffster when you need her?

Giles: Xander..please!

Xander: Okay I can see when I’m not appreciated, you don’t have to give me your librarian severe look….I betcha Will and Buff are missing me.

Buffy: Thank God and his merciful heart that Xander’s not here. I mean I love the guy and all, but by now he’d be driving us all crazy

Oz: Hmm

Oz was sitting in a corner of the room holding a still sleeping Willow, whom Max had not noticed during his perusal of the room earlier.

Max: We have to find Liz

Buffy: So you keep saying, I’m beginning to think Xander wouldn’t have been so annoying after all.

She looked pointedly at Max, who to her annoyance was not catching her none too subtle hint.

Spike: Somebody had bloody better hell let me out of here

He banged on the walls and screamed.

Spike: Get me out of here before I loose what bloody mind I have left

Isabel: What is your problem

She snapped. He whirled.

Spike: My problem is you and you

He pointed first at Isabel then at Cordelia.

Spike: If I have to hear one more complaint on how dirty it is and how your clothes are ruined and how messy your hair is…

Kyle: Hear hear!

Spike turned.

Spike: And you with your continuous whining on how it’s everyone else’s fault you are here.

Cordelia: Yeah, it’s very annoying

Kyle continued to glare at Spike whilst addressing Cordelia.

Kyle: Is that a zit?

Cordelia: Where? A zit? Does anyone have a mirror?

Isabel snorted.

Isabel: Don’t worry it draws attention from your overly large nose

Cordelia: I do not. And besides, if I had a figure like yours, I certainly wouldn’t be wearing such revealing outfits,

Spike: Help! Somebody help me!

He resumed his banging on the walls.

Kyle: I should have ignored my overly curious mind and stayed away

Spike: Hello? Is anybody there?

Isabel: Yeah maybe you should have, it would have saved us all a headache

Spike: Just stake me and get it over with, stick me in the sunlight, shower me in holy water…anything!

Krieg: So we have them?

Sharn: As well as some humans Sir

Krieg: Eliminate the humans, they are worthless to me…..wait! On second thoughts keep them, they could provide some entertainment later on. Did you find out which ones are the Chosen Two?

Sharn: Not yet Sir

Krieg: Find out! We need to find out where they get those superior powers from, and I want to know why our weapon is useless while they live.

Sharn: I will see to it Sir

Krieg: And bring me their King, I want to see what inspires such an enormous following especially with half his people not ever having met him.

Sharn: Very well Sir

Krieg rocked back and forth in his chair.

Krieg: Before you bring him in, I want to see Joshua, he is the only one ever to have met Foster and lived.

Sharn: What should I do with Foster Sir?

Krieg: Nothing for now, later I would like to….play with this human who has caused us untold damage in our cause.

Sharn: Yes Sir

Alex squealed when the wall rolled away to form a doorway. Sharn walked through the opening and stood in front of them.

Sharn: Do not try anything.

He indicated small holes in the ceiling that had appeared in the last few seconds.

Sharn: There are numerous weapons trained on you at this very moment

He then pointed at Liz.

Sharn: Identify yourself

She stood still, confused and frightened. He backhanded her and warned the now angry prisoners to stay back if they wished to remain unharmed.

Sharn: Identify yourself

Liz: Liz Evans

He pointed a device at her and read the data it projected.

Sharn: You are human. Identify Yourself

He asked Alex.

Alex: Alex Whitman, and I can save you the trouble, we’re all human

Sharn ignored him, and instead pointed the scanning device in his direction.

Sharn: You are human. Identify yourself

Sheriff: Sheriff Jim Valenti

Sharn: Human. Identify yourself

Cade: Cade Foster

Sharn looked up sharply, then into a communication device he spoke.

Sharn: The twice blessed man is in cell 2356

Sharn then went into the next cell and repeated the procedure. Xander nudged Giles and whispered in his ear.

Xander: Is it just me, or does that Alien look remarkably like..

Giles: A vampire..yes!

He watched as the Alien left the cell and the wall closed behind him.

In the third cell Sharn found the King, he was easily identified by his DNA structure and Sharn had him immediately removed from the room to be put in a separate cell until Krieg was ready to see him. Sharn then turned his attention to the other occupants of the room.

As he scanned the three remaining people he became more and more confused by the second, the scanners repeatedly indicated that they were human yet not human.

Sharn: What are you?

Buffy: Excuse me?

Sharn: Your DNA indicates that you are some sort of mutated human

Buffy: Well I’ve been called a freak before, but never by someone with a forehead as large as yours.

He ignored her impertinence and focused on the other strange human whose DNA was that of a human, animal combination.

Sharn: What are you?

Oz: Werewolf

Oz had no desire to anger their Alien kidnappers.

Sharn looked confused, but decided not to argue the matter and left.

Willow: He was a vampire right? I mean it wasn’t some trick of light or something right?

Oz: He looked very vampish to me

Buffy: Good enough for me…anyone have a stake?

In the fourth cell he found Michael and Maria, the scanner indicated them to be Arlinkrian as well as the Chosen two. He immediately had them contained and removed. Sharn turned the scanner on Angel and was dumbfounded.

Sharn: Impossible

He looked at Angel.

Angel had no idea what the man was so shocked about, he didn’t care. The only thought running through his mind was Buffy, his rage intensified and his face vamped out.

Sharn: Obviously you are Gua, the question remains as to why you are mixing with the humans and Arlinkrians..but I’m sure Krieg will question you about that later, right now we have work to do..follow me.

When Spike saw Sharn he mistook him for a fellow vampire and sighed in relief.

Spike: Took you bloody well long enough

Sharn: What?

Angel stepped forward still in game face and indicated Spike.

Angel: Scan him, you will find that he too is Gua

By this time Angel had realized that the Gua mistook them for fellow Gua, he decided to play along until he could find a means of escaping from wherever it was that they were.

Whilst Spike was scanned, Angel addressed him.

Angel: Come, we have work to do.

Confused but willing to do anything to leave the cell Spike followed him.

Spike: What kind of work, there had better be a lot of dosh involved if it means getting me hands dirty.

Isabel flew off the floor and attacked Spike.

Isabel: How could you? We trusted you!

Angrily he threw her off him and strode out the door *crazy human…alien…whatever* He had no idea what had caused her outburst, nor did he have any clue why he was being released.

Sharn continued to scan the occupants of the room, all but one turned out to be human, the scanner indicated that Isabel was the last of the Arlinkrians. He had her removed, then left the room.

When Maria woke, she found herself strapped to a gurney and unable to use her powers. Frantically she glanced around the room, which was bare save for a few strange looking machines which she found she was hooked up to. * Michael! Michael can you hear me? *

No answer

Maria’s body trembled as she fought to suppress tears. Where was everyone else? What were these Aliens going to do to her? Why couldn’t she communicate with Michael? She immediately knew when her heart rate increased above normal because a nearby machine began emitting beeps that matched the rate of her heart beats. She lifted her head and looked at the metal straps holding her down, she strained at them to no avail and dejectedly slumped back on the gurney. With fear, her senses seemed to triple, and she could feel as beads of sweat popped up on her brow. She had the irrational fear that the oxygen was being sucked out of the room and had to quickly calm herself before she began to hyperventilate, she’d never felt so alone and terrified in her entire life. Where was everyone?

Isabel was thrown unceremoniously into another identical cell, but this time to her relief her brother was there and so she ran into his arms sobbing hysterically. She knew that now everything would be okay, her brother would get them out of this, Max was like that, somehow he could always save the day. She remembered when they were children how no matter what Michael got himself into that Max would come through and get him out of it, and she remembered that no problem had ever seemed too big for her, because she could always take it to her brother and he would somehow find a solution..Max was just like that.

Isabel: What’s going on Max? I thought Angel and Spike were on our side, now it turns out they were playing us all along. I mean how could we be so stupid to believe them, we even went along when they insisted they could not enter a home without being invited, how could we fall for that?

Max: Sshhh

He stroked her hair.

Isabel’s tear streaked face looked up into the eyes of her brother, he looked back, calm and in control as always. She could feel his fear for Liz and for all of them, but she knew that he would not fall apart, he would remain in control until the end..Max was just like that. He put others needs before his own, he put others lives before his own.

Max was just like that…

Krieg: Ah, Joshua, good to see you again.

Joshua: Sir

Joshua nodded his head in the direction of his superior.

Krieg: There is no need for your human husk here, why don’t you remove it!

It was not a question, but rather an order. Joshua did as he was told. In his husk, he resembled that of a well built African American, without it he was a typical Gua, enlarged brow, canine like teeth, long claw like fingers. Although typically no two Gua were the same, but always there were enough similarities to distinguish a Gua from other species. As was his husk, so was Joshua’s Gua characteristics of that of one with dark skin and a face that showed little or no emotion. Joshua had learnt from a young age that showing emotion was a weakness, in his species weakness could get a person killed, and so with years of practise he was more than capable of hiding all feeling, and not even the most wizened of all his people could read him, he saw this as his strongest point.

Krieg: Tell me, what have you been up too?

Joshua: I infiltrated the FBI as ordered Sir, and have kept myself busy by keeping their attention elsewhere and not on the presence of Aliens, this has afforded us the time and freedom to concentrate on the Arlinkrians. We have also inserted some of our people in the government. But all this you already knew Sir!

Krieg barked out a laugh.

Krieg: Yes, I can see you are as astute as ever. We have Foster in our possession, here on Guasha.

Joshua’s face remained impassive.

Krieg: What can you tell me about him?

Joshua: Nothing you don’t already know Sir!

Krieg: Come on, you’ve survived many a time in his presence, surely you should know something of this man by now? Apart from the Arlinkrians, he is possibly our largest threat.

Sharn walked into the conference room at that moment.

Sharn: Sir! We have the Chosen two in the medical rooms, I insisted that they were kept in rooms far from each other, for safety reasons. I have also isolated the King and the Visioner in another cell.

Krieg: Excellent!……is there something else you wanted?

Sharn: Yes Sir, I found some of our men in the cells with the prisoners, apparently in the name of our cause they were trying to infiltrate the Arlinkrians, they are in the possession of a lot of information due to the successful infiltration Sir

Krieg: Really? How is it that I knew nothing of this particular exercise? Never mind, I can see you are not going to be of much help. Put them in the briefing room.

Sharn: Yes Sir

Krieg directed his attention back to Joshua.

Krieg: I’ll speak with you later, In the meantime why don’t you debrief those two men in the briefing room, and make it quick because Mabis will be looking for an update on the situation soon.

Joshua nodded and strode out the room.

It only took 15 minutes, by then Joshua knew that these men were not who they said they were, his problem was that these men had the exact DNA structure of that of the Gua, how was that possible?

Joshua: Look, It’s obvious you are not Gua, but the question remains who are you, and who are you working for, us or the Arlinkrians?

Neither Spike nor Angel said a word, they looked at each other, unsure of what course of action to take.

Joshua: Don’t answer that, I already know, maybe someday you can tell me how you pulled this off, in the meantime you can help me get your friends out of here.

Spike: Where exactly is here mate?

Joshua looked confused.

Joshua: You are in a facility on my home planet, Guasha, I thought you already knew?

Kyle paced the cell.

Kyle: I knew none of them could be trusted

Cordelia waved her hand in the air.

Cordelia: Hel-lo, one of ‘them’ is being held captive right along with you

Kyle whirled around and faced her.

Kyle: Notice how none of the people who’s fault this is are here? I knew that those ET’s and their dead friends were setting us up, this was all just a ruse to trap us humans so that they could mutate us or experiment on us or maybe even eat our brains or something

Cordelia: Angel wouldn’t do that….well okay he used to do evil things, but he’s not like that anymore, he’s one of the good guy’s now!

Kyle looked at her.

Cordelia: What? Are you like some sort of Nazi interrogator now? Fine, so he went all Grrr on us once, and he certainly hasn’t been humping Miss Slayer, he hasn’t had time, so there’s no way he’s lost his soul!

Kyle: I’m not listening to you, you’re obviously on their mutating, experimenting, brain eating side!

In an almost identical scene Buffy too was pacing her cell.

Buffy: Where is Giles and all his knowledge when you need him?

She looked at Willow who was watching her from the safety of her boyfriends arms.

Oz: You’re the Super Hero Lady, I’m sure you’ll figure something out

Buffy eyed Oz and continued pacing.

Willow: Do you think they already killed Giles and Xan..

Buffy stopped and looked at Willow.

Willow: …Or maybe not, In fact they’re probably finding a way out of here right now…or something.

Krieg: What exactly do you mean by funny DNA? Is ‘funny’ even in our vocabulary?

Sharn: Well Sir, a number of the humans have different…chromosomes in their DNA structure, the DNA is essentially human, just…..funny.

He handed Krieg a printout of the results from the scan. Krieg pointed to a name on the printout.

Krieg: This one has the DNA of both human and animal, interesting. And this one is most definitely human, just a mutation of sorts. Very interesting, these humans just keep throwing us more and more surprises

Sharn: What should I do with them Sir?

Krieg: Who cares, do some tests on them or something

He waved Sharn away and turned back to Max

Joshua walked down the hallway, followed by Angel and Spike

Spike: Tell me again, why exactly you’re help…

Joshua: Quiet

He stopped in front of a wall, the only indication of anything being behind it was a monitor of sorts to see the occupants of the cell. Joshua placed his hand on the monitor and immediately it changed from a picture of the cell occupants to a picture of Joshua, along with the results of the DNA scan. The wall slid open to reveal an open doorway, Joshua silently lead Angel and Spike into the room.

Cade: Joshua! This is a surprise.

Joshua: Follow me

Alex: Where to exactly….our execution? ‘Cause in that case I’d rather stay here thank you.

Joshua idly looked Alex over, dismissing him as a typical human idiot. He had no interest or sympathy for their plight, he was helping them for his own reasons, and quite honestly couldn’t care less about them.

Joshua: here, take this.

He handed a small device to Cade

Joshua: It will lead you to a safe destination for now, go there and wait for your friends

Liz: Are you going to rescue them too?

Joshua: We’ll meet you there in an hour, if we don’t make it then you’ll have to find your own way off this planet

Alex: Planet?

He looked around nervously.

Alex: Did he just say planet?

Joshua: We don’t have time for this

He grabbed Alex and shoved him out the door.

Joshua: Go!

Angel and Spike followed Joshua to the next cell.

Xander quickly jumped into a standing position when the door slid open.

Xander: Great! Just when we needed all the help we could get, dead boy goes all evil on us again!

Angel eyed Xander coolly.

Joshua: Let’s go, we don’t have much time

Giles who had been awoken by their entrance hurriedly put on his glasses and looked up at the new arrivals.

Giles: This is quite remarkable, are you a vampire too?

Joshua: I am Gua

Giles: If only I had thought to bring some of my books, I’ve never heard of this phenomenon.

Everyone looked at him as if he were mad.

Xander: Well Giles, If you had had enough time to remember to bring your books, maybe we would have also had enough time to EVADE CAPTURE!

Giles: Quite right, I wasn’t thinking…sorry.

Spike: Well seeing as your books ain’t here mate, let’s go, before we leave you here to rot on this stupid planet.

Giles: What did you say?

Angel: We don’t have time, let’s go

Joshua pulled another type of device out of his pocket and handed it to the ex Watcher.

Joshua: Some of your friends are already there, we’ll meet you once we find the rest of your friends.

Giles: Thank you.

Xander shook his head as he grabbed a dazed Giles’s collar and lead him out the room.

Xander: C’mon G-Man, you can ponder the existence of Alien Vampires another time, right now we have to get out of here.

Angel saw the crumbled figure on the floor of the next cell and flew to her side.

Angel: Willow!

Willow stirred

Willow: Oz…Buffy?

Angel helped her up and tried to steady her

Angel: Was Buffy here?

Willow: Yeah, they…..they came and took her and Oz, I-I tried t-t-to stop them, b-but I c-couldn’t remember e-even one s-spell

She sobbed.

Angel led Willow over to where Spike was standing.

Angel: She’s taken quite a knock, get her out of here. I’m going to find Buffy.

Joshua gave Spike directions before heading to the next cell.

Spike: Oh right, now I’m a bloody babysitter…

He shouted after Angel.

Spike: Have you idiots forgotten that I’m bloody evil? And that I hate the bloody lot of you

He looked down at the dazed and distraught Willow and his features softened.

Spike: C’mon Red, let’s get you out o’ here.

Cordelia held up her fingers to indicate a cross.

Cordelia: Stay back!

Angel: Cordy, I’m not evil, I’m here to rescue you

Cordelia: Oh

She glared at him.

Cordelia: So this whole time I was defending you whilst thinking you’d gone all grr and it was just you pretending? How could you? Do you have any idea what went through my mind when I imagined what kind of tortures you would inflict on me? I’ve been a nervous wreck…probably added ten years to my life expectancy and aging process!

Angel: Cordelia…not now!

Once Cordelia and Kyle had been sent off, Angel and Joshua resumed their search for the others.

Angel: Why have we not seen one Guard?

Joshua: We don’t need them, this place is impenetrable, the only people who can get in and out are Gua Soldiers.

Angel: Where is this safe place you’re sending everyone?

Joshua: It’s my on-base quarters, it’s large enough to hold them for a short while

Angel: And they’re safe right?

Joshua: Hopefully

They found Michael strapped to a table relatively unharmed, the only person around had been a medical officer of some sorts who Angel had quickly taken care of. Joshua began to untie him, when he momentarily stopped to stare at the wall.

Michael: What? Why are you stopping?

Joshua resumed his task.

Joshua: These straps send off an electromagnetic wave, It would be too difficult to explain, in any case they would have prevented you from using your powers, in a short while your powers will be back. We must hurry, they know that the prisoners have escaped, the base is on alert.

Angel looked around uneasily.

Angel: How do you know?

Joshua shrugged

Joshua: We communicate telepathically, our whole race is in contact with each other

Michael: That’s great, could you hurry up, I have to find Maria

Joshua: There is no time

Angel growled.

Angel: Then we will make time, Buffy is still out there

Joshua finished untying Michael, then looked up at Angel.

Joshua: We will come back for them, if we don’t leave now you’ll be re-captured and thereby permanently unable to rescue your friends. Once he (indicating Michael) has his powers back, we will search for them, until then we lay low.

Alex: Where’s Isabel?

Liz: And Max?

Willow: …Oz?

Joshua closed the door to his quarters and ignored the questions

Michael: We couldn’t get them, apparently some silent alarm was going off in the Gua heads….and you’re Gua, why are you helping us?

He looked at Joshua suspiciously.

Joshua: I just happen to believe that taking over Earth isn’t what is best for my people

Michael: And taking over my planet is?

Joshua: Your planet was a mistake, we should have learnt from it

Michael: What do you mean a mistake?

Xander: Forget that, can we get back to where our friends are?

Joshua: We will go back for them in a short while

Xander: Assuming they’re still alive

Kyle: Here’s a question, how do we get off this planet?

Joshua: Once we have all of your friends I will send you back

Cade got up off the chair he’d been sitting on to stand before Joshua.

Cade: Interesting look you have going there

He referred to Joshua’s real appearance.

Xander: Getting back to the subject of our friends, when exactly are we going to rescue them?

Joshua: There is no ‘we’ you cannot pass off as Gua, so you will stay here

He then pointed to Michael, Angel and Spike.

Joshua: Only they can pass off as Gua, therefore only they can help me rescue your friends.

Cordelia: Hel-lo, he’s an alien, not an alien-Gua person or a vampire

Giles: But an alien with power, I’m assuming he can change his appearance

Everyone’s eyes fell on Michael causing him extreme discomfort.

Michael: I’ve uh never tried

Joshua: You can change your appearance to look like us, that is why my people developed the scanner as a precaution so that they would know if you ever infiltrated our base.

Angel: So we keep him away from the scanners?

Michael moved to a quiet corner of the room, he could feel that his powers had returned so he knew that now was the time to attempt the appearance change. He slowly began rearranging the cells in his body, changing them, moving them until he felt his face begin to shift, he had no idea he was capable of this, apparently Cade had been right when he’d said that they were very powerful, Michael increased his powers and continued to concentrate on his body and the changes he was making.

Cordelia watched in horror as Michaels brow started to protrude over his eyes, his eyes then took on an animal quality that frightened her, he looked like a predator out on a hunt, which in a way he was, he was hunting for his woman and his friends. She continued to watch fascinated and repulsed at the same time as ridges appeared on his nose and his canines began to grow to that of fangs, he showed off his new teeth to the onlookers by imitating a perfect growl.

Cordelia: Eew! That was like….eew.

Xander: yeah, I’m getting the ‘eew’ feeling from that too

Giles: Remarkable! How do you feel?

Michael: Different

Alex: That’s gotta be the understatement of the year

Willow: That was definitely weird, anyone else feeling wigged?

Xander: Yup, feeling really wigged right about now

Kyle: Can we just get the rest of your weird friends and get the hell out of here?

Cordelia: Just for the record, I don’t like you, but I second your suggestion

Kyle: For the record, I don’t care if you don’t like me because I put you in the same category as those weird friends of yours

Xander: Whoa, is it just me or are the hormones getting outta hand in here? And who are you calling weird….you, you weirdo!

Cordelia: Ugh! Are all the men in the room mentally challenged or something? Just do me a favour and stay out of my oxygen space.

Joshua: Lets go

Angel: Please

Michael: Best sentence I’ve heard come out of this room in a long time

Spike: do you think your people would stake me if we got caught? ‘Cos another minute with these poofs and I’ll be ready to stake myself.

Xander: yeah take the dead guy with you, and if by some unlucky chance he doesn’t get dusted, I’d be happy to do the honours!

Joshua walked down the hallway flanked by Angel, Spike and Michael.

Michael: Why can’t I communicate with Maria, Max or Isabel?

Joshua: It was anticipated that you would attempt to communicate with each other to form an escape plan, so when you were still unconscious a small device was placed on all of your earlobes to deflect any telepathic waves. Obviously they had no idea who were human and who were not, so the device was placed on everybody’s earlobe, but was designed for your species, so will only deflect Arlinkrian telepathic waves, it won’t hinder the Gua communication, or if by chance a human was capable of communicating telepathically, they would also not be hindered.

As he was speaking Michael desperately began pulling at his ear, hoping to dislodge the Gua device, within seconds he was crushing under his boot a tiny little metal device, not much larger than a pin head.

Spike: Bugger!

Joshua: Stay calm

Spike: I don’t…

Michael looked up to see what they were talking about and saw Sharn striding towards them purposefully.

Sharn: Joshua, I do hope you are not walking idly about whilst our prisoners roam around freely?

Joshua stared impassively at Sharn.

Sharn: Uh anyway, speaking of which we are required to scan everyone

Michael glanced nervously at Joshua.

Joshua: We don’t have time

Sharn smiled, obviously enjoying this authority he had been given to scan all personal regardless of rank or privilege.

Sharn: Sorry, it’s orders

He was obviously not sorry, as he pulled out a scanner and began scanning the four men, when the scanner was pointed in Michaels direction it was knocked out of Sharn’s hand.

Michael shot the burst of energy at Sharn and watched as he crumpled lifeless to the ground.

Spike: Good show mate

Angel: Let’s move

They continued down the corridor, checking rooms on their route.

Merg: Are the synthesizers armed?

He flipped a switch on his control panel before looking at his partner

Harsh: They are running smoothly, the quadaltrant fusers have just kicked in.

He passed the coding device to Merg and asked

Harsh: What are we trying to do?

Merg: Simulate a full moon, didn’t Krieg tell you? From what I can tell, a full moon is what activates this humans animal side.

Harsh: But a simulation won’t have the same results

Merg: No, unfortunately not, but we should still be able to get an accurate reading for the full ten minutes that the simulation will last.

Harsh looked through the glass panel at the young man huddled in a corner.

Max: NOOO!

He strained at his restraints, pain etched all over his face as he screamed.

Krieg: Quite a show isn’t it?

He was referring to the hologram recordel of how his people had destroyed Arlinkria, Max’s home planet.

Krieg: That was also a pre-show on what we are going to do to earth. Do you know how we were able to do that to your planet? Have you figured it out yet? For a ruler of a whole planet you’re not very smart are you!

Max stared at him.

Krieg: When you died on your planet…Oh I’m sorry, you didn’t know that did you? Well let me tell you a little story. There was once a great King, so great in fact that his destiny had been spoken about for years before he was even born. This King has in him what was called an essence, the only weapon that can prevent the destruction of his world, and so the warring planets could not take over the planet Arlinkria. So we had you killed, of course we could not get to you until your precious protectors or chosen ones as you called them were killed, and that could not be done until your sister, the visioner was killed. So a huge war was formulated in which they were all killed, as were you, without your essence the planet was free to be destroyed and so it was.

You see, our people designed the most destructive weapon ever, similar to millions of nuclear missiles, once it hit’s a planet the population nearest is immediately destroyed, the rest die from a nuclear winter. Ash and debris prevent the suns rays from penetrating the planet, thereby creating a planet habitable by my people.

This planet you are on now….was formally Arlinkria.

Max’s head drooped as desolation took over.

Krieg: Unfortunately, before all your people died they took your essence, as well as that of your sisters and second in command and sent them to earth and inserted it into a human foetus which was podded, naturally without a body the essence was useless, they hoped that you would return in time to save those that had not yet perished once your human body had grown and your powers developed. Their hopes were in vain.

We were furious to say the least when we heard your essence was on earth, because as long as your essence was alive, so would our weapon be useless, we don’t know how, it is just so. Unfortunately your people must have known that earth was our next target, why else would they send your pesky essence there? Not that it matters anymore, with your essence on this planet, we will be forever protected, just as earth is now unprotected. Of course, my ultimate plan is to somehow have your essence put into Mabis’ body and then kill you, our scientists are working on finding a way to do this…in the meantime you can watch as we destroy your friends and family, as well as your adoptive planet, just imagine the agony of it, knowing that your job was to protect them, tsk, tsk, so is the way of life.

Michael burst through the door whilst simultaneously unleashing his power. Krieg took the hit directly on his chest and flew across the room to land on his cluttered desk. Joshua followed him across the room to ensure he was in fact dead. Michael rushed to Max’s side.

Michael: C’mon let’s get you out of here

Max: Liz?

Michael: She’s fine

Michael removed the restraints as well as the Gua device on Max’s earlobe at the same time explaining what it was.

Max: We need Alex here, we have to destroy all the information that the Gua have on us and on earth.

Joshua: I will get him and send him back here, then I will take the rest of them then to the transport room to prepare for the journey back to earth.

He pointed to a holographic picture in the room

Joshua: Study that, it will give you directions to the transport room

Max suddenly noticed Michaels face and frowned.

Max: What’s going on?

Michael: Just blending in dude!

Joshua left the room to get Alex.

Michael: You better wait here for Alex to explain to him what you want him to do, we’ll go and look for the rest of them

Max: Right! Be careful

Michael: Whatever

He paused

Michael: You too

Spike: I’ll just hang out…

Angel: Find Oz

Furiously Spike stormed out of the room, to Angels surprise he didn’t even bother to give them some insults before leaving.

Merg: Ah…I

Harsh: Yes, it is a first for me too, I’ve never seen anything remotely like it

They watched through the protective glass as Oz a werewolf threw himself against the walls in an animal frenzy.

Harsh: What is he doing now?

Merg knew what he was doing and he knew they were in trouble, he quietly began to back away from the glass keeping his eye on the werewolf the whole time.

Harsh screamed as the wolf somehow managed to crash through the glass barrier and land on him, in a split second the animal had aimed for his jugular and ripped away his neck.

Oz’s yellow eyes looked up and focused on Merg, who was now frozen to the spot mere inches from the door. Oz growled as he crouched into a pouncing position, his eyes gleamed and his muscles twitched in anticipation, in one fluid motion he was in the air and heading for a collision with Merg, who was still locked in an imitation of a statue, frozen for all time.

Spike stormed down the hallway

Spike: Stupid poof…idiotic humans…sodding Aliens, the whole bloody lot of them should, should just die or something….yeah, that would be brilliant!

He walked into a room and saw two men, or more accurately their remains strewn across the room.

Oz was human again, standing naked and confused in the middle of the blood splattered remains.

Spike: Well that saves me a whole lot of fun.,..

Alex: Hey Bro, good to see you alive, I brought Willow along for help, she’s quite the computer guru.

Max: Whatever works, we have to be quick though

Willow: So what do you want us to do?

Max: These people know everything about us, and I mean everything, so if we want to continue to live once we reach earth, we need to erase all the information that they have on us.

Alex: lets get to work then

Michael: Maria!

He ran over to the gurney that an unconscious Maria was strapped to, Michael took in the bruises and cuts that littered her body and felt his blood boil.

Michael: Oh God please let her be okay

He picked her up and cradled her gently in his arms, he had no idea where the people were who had done this to her, but he intended to kill them if he ever saw them.

Angel: get her to the transporter room, I’ll find Buffy and Isabel and meet you there.

Michael nodded before leaving the room.

Buffy side stepped and used the Gua’s forward momentum to carry him over her shoulder, she then turned and parried a vicious punch from the second Gua.

Buffy: I. Am. Not. Something. You. Can. Just. Experiment. On!

She shouted out each word as she forcefully kicked her opponent, by the time her sentence was finished, so was that particular Gua.

A third Gua rushed at her from her left, but was stopped as Angel flew through the door and in one fluid motion sent him flying across the room.

Isabel ducked when she saw the Gua come flying straight toward her, he hit the wall and slid to the ground, she was on top of him before he could move, using her powers she made a connection and sent the Gua to la-la land.

Angel ducked a blow from the nearest Gua, he then grabbed its arm and twisted it, an audible snap was echoed across the room, followed by screams of pain from the aforementioned Gua.

Buffy: ANGEL!

She cried out in warning to late as another Gua lifted Angel up and threw him into Isabel, sending them both sprawling. Angel who was dazed yet unhurt sprung up from the floor and threw himself at the Gua who had turned his attention to Buffy.

Max stood over Alex’s shoulder and watched him as he sifted through the files on the computer, fortunately, although it was different technology Alex was having little trouble finding his way around.

Willow: Maybe there is a way we can destroy this weapon of theirs through the computer, they probably keep the blue prints of it in here somewhere.

Alex: Good idea, at least it may slow them down somewhat. I on the other hand am a genius, I just found the files that they have on us, I’m going to try completely format this drive, and hopefully the hard drives of every computer they have networked to this.

* Max *

Max jerked his head up sharply * Liz? I thought I ‘d lost you. Are you okay? Did they hurt you? *

* No Max, I’m fine, I was so worried, I love you Max *

* I love you too sweetness, and I promise I’ll get you out of here *

* I know you will…we have to get out of here, b-because we have a child to think of now * she waited excitedly for his response

* What? *

* I’m pregnant, I wanted to tell you earlier, but I didn’t get a chance with everything that’s happened *

Max grinned and pumped a fist into the air.

Max: Wahoo!

Willow looked at him curiously.

Max: I’m gonna be a daddy

He repeated the statement for Liz’s benefit * I’m gonna be a daddy! *

Liz smiled to herself * Yes. Yes you are, so keep yourself safe, for me and our baby *

* I will. And Liz, look after yourself and our baby until I get there, I couldn’t bare loosing either of you *

Willow crinkled her brow in confusion as she watched Max stare into space after announcing he was going to be a daddy.

Alex: I’m guessing him and Liz were on the silent communicators again

Willow: Oh, Okay

Clearly she didn’t understand, but thought better of trying to get an explanation and turned back to the computer she was working on.

Alex: I’m in, let’s see if we can put these baby’s out of service……permanently

Giles: Why don’t we use those transmitter thingy’s, they worked perfectly fine before

They were in the transporter room watching as Joshua was typing into a computer terminal.

Joshua: Those only work because they’re locked onto a signal here, it’s similar to a homing device

Cade: So they’re only useful to get here, not to get out of here?

Joshua: Correct, I am now programming in the location to take you back to earth

Xander: Yeah, beam me up Scotty

Joshua eyed him in confusion and annoyance.

Cordelia: It’s a nerd thing, you wouldn’t understand

The transporter room door burst open to allow six large Gua officers in, the room immediately turned into chaos as everyone began to fight.

Oz dressed in Spikes large black duster and the few pieces of remaining clothing he had rushed into the room followed by Spike.

Spike: Excellent! We’re on time for the party!

He excitedly jumped into the fray with a grin and a growl!

Cordelia shrieked before picking up a nearby chair to throw at the approaching Gua.

Cordelia: Stay back you filthy disgusting…vermin

Joshua came up behind the Gua and quickly snapped its neck.

Cordelia: Yeah die! No one locks me in a filthy unhygienic cell with I might add an alien, a vampire and a looser whiny jock and gets away with it..

Oz: Cordelia, you do realize the guy is dead and no matter how loud you scream he still can’t hear you.

Spike: I’m not so sure mate, she was screaming loud enough to wake the bloody dead

Cade pulled an overly large Gua off the Sheriff and threw him to the floor, this gave the Sheriff enough time to get up and assist him with ‘subduing’ the said Gua.

Xander hurriedly picked up a piece of equipment lying on the table, unsure of what it was he shrugged and threw it at one of the Gua, smiling triumphantly when it hit home. His smile quickly faded when he was hit from behind by a stealthy Gua.

Liz swung her leg widely until it connected with the head of a Gua, she then tripped him and knocked him unconscious with the leg of what was formerly a chair. Cordelia came running by but stopped when she saw the makeshift weapon still clutched in Liz’s hands, she quickly grabbed the chair leg and swung it round to connect with the face of her pursuer.

Cordelia: Take that!

Thwack

Cordelia: And that you stupid creature!

Thwack, thwack

Michael came down the hallway but stopped when he saw two Gua soldiers heading in the direction of the transporter room. Silently he knelt down and placed Maria gently on the ground, from his protective position over Maria he sent bursts of power at the Gua, knocking them clear across the hallway. Satisfied he picked Maria up again and began walking.

Maria: Michael

Michael stopped, and looked down and Maria

Michael: Ssh, it’s going to be okay Ria

Maria: I love you, you know that don’t you?

Michael: I love you too Ria, and when we get out of here I plan to marry you, if you’ll have me

Maria smiled weekly, whilst simultaneously groaning from the pain.

Maria: I plan to hold you to that

Michael: Good

He continued down the hallway to the transporter room.

Max: LIZ!

Willow looked around.

Willow: Where?

Max: She’s in trouble

* Max, I’m on my way there now, with Maria. I’ll handle it, right now you need to keep Alex safe *

* I don’t…okay. Look after her Michael, she’s carrying my child *

* What? Okay, just get here soon *

Willow: He’s doing that zoning out thing again

Alex: You get used to it

Max: Michael’s on it, he’ll keep her safe

Willow: Oh, okay…you people are really weird…n-not in a-a bad way, c-cause I’m weird too, or at l-least so I’m t-told…

Max: Thanks, I think

Alex: Hey Will, can you help me out here?

Before Michael could come up with a plan on what to do with Maria when he went into the room, Angel, Buffy and Isabel came charging down the hallway from the opposite side. Isabel stopped in front of him trying to catch her breath.

Isabel: Maria, is she okay?

Michael: Yeah. What’s the rush?

Isabel: After Angel told me about the…whatever behind my ear, I took it off and was bombarded with stress signals from you guys

Michael: Right, I need to get in there, do you think you could look after Maria?

Maria, unconscious again moaned as Michael lay her on the floor beside Isabel. Michael hesitated, uncertain whether to leave her or not.

Isabel: Michael go…she’ll be fine, I’ll heal her as much as I can until Max can get here and fix her.

Michael ran into the room where Buffy and Angel had already joined the fight. Angel, still in his game face threw a punch at the nearest Gua, he then knocked him down with a spinning roundhouse kick to its head. Angel growled when someone kicked him from behind, with inhuman speed he spun around and knocked the Gua down with a fierce uppercut to its jaw, and then following it with a knee in its groin.

Xander jumped onto the back of another Gua and repeatedly hit him in the face before being thrown off to land particularly hard a few feet away. He grinned nervously as the Gua approached him angrily.

Spike took over where Xander had left off by knocking the Gua to the ground and then jumping on top of it.

Spike: Take that you slimy bastard

Cordelia walked by and nonchalantly hit the Gua unconscious with the chair leg

Cordelia: Yeah, I’m bad!

Spike: What the hell was that for? I was pummelling the stupid wanker

Cordelia: I just saved your but buster!

Spike: No, what you did was ruin my fun you annoying little…

Cordelia: Next time I’ll let you die

Spike: I was winning!

Cordelia: Not for long..

She indicated behind him. Annoyed he turned around to find a fist in his face and his body flying across the room.

Michael backhanded the Gua he’d just pulled of Liz, Liz then kicked the Gua in his side as Michael dropped Kicked him from the other side. Once the Gua was on the floor Michael placed a hand on it’s head and made a connection, he focused his energy on a particular part of it’s brain and temporarily, although he hoped permanently put it out of service, thus putting the Gua into a deep sleep, almost like that of a coma.

* Liz, we’re on our way, just hang on baby *

* Hurry Max, we need to get out of here before more Gua come *

Joshua turned back to the computer screen, ignoring the fight that continued around him. On the screen was a list of all the galaxies known to the Gua, he touched the screen and selected what they called the Trisellular Galaxy, the one that earth was found in, from there he selected Earth, the continent of America, the state of New Mexico and the town of Roswell. A map of Roswell appeared on the screen and he selected the place of departure - Max’s house.

The co-ordinates came up on screen and was programmed into the transporter.

Joshua: C’mon, we have to get you people out of here now!

Oz: Not without Willow

Liz: They’re on their way

Spike walked over to them clutching his head just as Angel and Buffy took out the last of the Gua and joined them.

Max: Thanks guy’s, you really came through

Willow: It was kinda fun actually, I mean I was playing around on an alien computer!

Alex: The fun part was actually diminished for me, by the fact that we’re relying on the slim chance that we successfully erased everything they have on us.

Max: Hopefully at least it will keep them off our backs for a while. In the meantime, they can’t touch Earth until I’m dead.

The three of them continued to rush down the hallway, rounding a corner they came across two Gua.

The Gua rushed at them, Max stopped running and threw up his hands producing a force field around them which the Gua bounced off. Stupefied they tried breaching the barrier again, but were forced away by the energy of it.

Max: We have to do something, I can’t hold this for much longer

* I’m on my way *

* No Michael, It’s not safe! *

* Max, this is my job, it what I was made for, I am your protector - just hang on *

Max continued to hold the force field, but it grew weaker by the second as his energy depleted.

Michael and Angel came barrelling down the hallway, further down they could see a weary Max still holding up the force field and keeping the Gua at bay.

Michael stopped and raised his hand, he concentrated his powers through his hand and sent one of the Gua flying. Angel leaped into the air and landed on the second Gua just as the force field collapsed. Angel growled low in his throat as he roundhouse kicked the Gua in its face. Michael stood aside and waited for an opportunity to blast the alien bastard into hell.

Angel picked the Gua up and threw him against the wall, this was the opportunity that Michael had been waiting for, he raised his hand and sent another burst of energy. The pure and extremely intense power held the Gua suspended against the wall for a few seconds, before he slid slowly to the floor.

Max and Michael regarded each other silently before enveloping each other in a hug.

Max: Thanks Michael

Michael: Just doing my job and watching your back

Max: It’s good to know you’ve got my back

Michael: Yeah..always

Spike walked up to them then.

Spike: Touching…really, but it’s all systems go back there, so if you want to get off this sodding planet then we have to move now

They all immediately took off for the transporter room.

Isabel looked up from her position beside Maria.

Isabel: They’re on their way

Cade: Then lets get Maria inside

He bent down and gently picked Maria up, together they walked back into the transporter room. Cade placed Maria inside the transport chamber and climbed in after Isabel, everyone else had already entered the transport chamber, they were now just waiting for Max’s group.

Michael came rushing into the transporter room, passing Joshua who sat at the computer console. He climbed into the chamber, followed by Willow, Alex, Max, Angel and Spike. Joshua closed the chamber door and turned back to his console.

Michael sat down and placed Maria into his arms, cradling her as he waited for Joshua to send them home.

He stroked her cheek softly and wondered why it had taken him so long to realize that she was his other half, that she completed him like no one else could. Her eyes fluttered open and looked at him with such intense love the Michael gasped.

Liz ran into Max’s arms and cried, Max looked at her, then her still flat stomach and back at her. He got down on his knees and kissed her tummy, promising without words that he would always be there for her and for their child. Liz’s body glowed from his touch and she smiled.

Kyle, Xander and Cordelia sat together on one side of the chamber, none of them uttering a word. It seemed that they’d reached a temporary truce. Cordelia brushed a stray hair off her face and smiled at first Xander, then Kyle, she took both of their hands in hers as the chamber began to shudder.

Across from them sat Giles, Cade, Spike and the Sheriff, they all looked weary, except for Spike who looked rejuvenated from the fight. Giles sighed and closed his eyes.

Willow stood to one side, feeling safe again now that she was wrapped in the arms of her boyfriend. Oz rested his chin on her shoulder and watched as Buffy slowly made her way to Angels side.

Buffy stood in front of Angel and waited for a sign from him, anything that would give her hope, he smiled at her and she grinned back placing her hand in his without taking her eyes off him. A humming began, but she hardly noticed it, nothing was real anymore, only Angel. A blinding light stole her vision of him and her last thoughts before loosing consciousness was that she was going home, going home with the man that she loved.

-----The End-----

This was the second story in a trilogy, for those of you interested the third story is called First Wave: “ Next Generation” - this one is still a work in progress, and is taking a little longer because it starts becoming even more complicated. For a sneak preview, read on:

Cordelia blew a wisp of hair off her face and looked back at the large grey building.

Cordelia: It’s so typical!

Kyle: What?

Cordelia: Not what, who!

Kyle: Okay then, who?

Cordelia: Them! We’re always left behind as lookouts, how come they always get to have the fun?

Kyle: Personally I’m grateful

Cordelia: Huh? Why?

Kyle reached over and pulled Cordelia into a long and passionate kiss, when he eventually pulled away he answered her question

Kyle: ‘Cos it gives us some time alone

Cordelia leant over the gear stick and began kissing her husband again, Kyle cupped her face with one of his hands and deepened the kiss.

Cordelia screamed and pulled away clutching her head. Anxiously Kyle watched as she had another one of her painful premonitions. He’d seen her experience them before, but still after years he was unsure of what he could do to help apart from offering her aspirin afterwards.

Cordelia: Oh God please no!

Kyle: What?

Cordelia turned her face to the building again * why didn’t they leave us at least one damned radio? * She picked up the cell phone and dialled the number but received only a recorded message saying the recipient was out of range. Still not hearing Kyle, she clumsily attempted to open the car door.

Kyle: Cordelia, what is it?

Terrified at her behaviour, he too began to climb out the car. He followed her as she raced toward the building.

They were both thrown to the ground as an explosion shook the earth and debris began fall, the building collapsed in a tower of smoke, flame and rubble.

Cordelia: NO!

She screamed as she tried crawling towards the building, unsure of her way because the explosion had temporarily blinded her.

Kyle: Cordelia no!

He ran to her side and tried to stop her from nearing the burning building.

Cordelia: We have to help them, they’re still in there

Kyle pulled her into his arms and held her tightly as she weakly struggled. He looked over her shoulder and flinched as smaller explosions erupted from the building.