HelLex VI: StarBat: SB-1
by cHarley


Part 9

"What's over that hill?" Bruce asks suddenly already moving toward it.

We crested the ridge and I think I nearly keeled over in shock.

"I think it's safe to say we underestimated this world," Daniel mumbled.

"He did say advanced but is that B13 technology?" I ask Bruce as I glare out across this platinum and crystal futuristic edifice. Hey, I already said that working for the newspaper was good for my vocab.

"Hmm..." Bruce seemed to growl and being the obedient little Bat-mite that I am I followed his lead, that is, until my curiosity got the better of me and I climbed a tree to get a better look at the city.

I heard a branch snap somewhere to my left and know that everyone else heard it too. "Hello Beloved. We knew you would come. Follow me. Father is anxious to meet your new friends." Just as I devise a crafty plan, to drop from the tree and into a catfight for the gun she's holding she says, "Would you ask your friend to come down from the tree." Damn huh?

"This the daughter?"

"Mmm hmm," Bruce answered Jack.

"She's cute."

"And deadly. But isn't that always the way," Dawn replied dryly as I rejoined them.

Talia leads us through the small city, lecturing us on it as we go. "This is the city Abraxas, built upon the ruins of a much earlier stone city. The oldest ruins were built to support pilgrims to the stargate and the temple of the prophet of Abraxas as they and their descendents awaited his return. You may wonder at the structures and why we on earth have not yet reached this stage? It is because they have explored and exploited..."

"Makes them the right kinda people for Ra's," Dick grumbled quietly.

Talia glared at us but I just smiled and took Dick's hand in mine. The streets were silent but hidden in enclosed walkways the people of this civilisation worked.

"It is only through sacrifice that a civilisation can grow to such wonders and knowledge."

"You mean, through the sacrifice of general liberties and freedom, through slavery and genocide?" I asked.

"You are as perceptive as the Detective and as narrow minded. You fail to see the greater good."

"There's a greater good from slavery? I guess I was asleep in that class," Daniel said. "The only good slavery brought the goa'uld was their destruction."

"And of course the only good genocide brought us was the downfall of the Nazi government and..."

"Enough!" Talia shouted. "My father has outlived these past generations and governments and he will outlive what you make of your world now." Bruce raised an eyebrow. "Talia..."

"You have the chance to give him his freedom through death Bruce. You are the man he has chosen to succeed him."

"You know I will never agree to it Talia."

"Just as you know why we are here."

"Because he has over used the pits on earth. Because his body now rejects the regeneration..." Dick began.

"Because your earth is too polluted!"

"You know that isn't the truth Talia and it's your earth too."

"Hey! Now I know you. You're LexCorps CEO Talia Head. Granted that Lex is a swine but surely working for a homicidal maniac bent on ruling the world is better than working for a homicidal maniac bent on destroying it..."

Talia took two steps toward me and looked me in the eyes. "You will never understand the devotion that drives me to serve my father Buffy Summers," she snarled at me.

"And you will never understand the devotion that drives us to stop you," I said sadly, and I do feel sad for this woman. Don't know much about Ra's because the files are in Bruce's top-secret-no-access-unless-you're-Batman section. What I do know I learned from Babs and Dick.

She stalked away from me and commanded us to follow. I sighed and shrugged at Willow, who pointed to her GL ring. I shook my head and mouthed 'wait and find out'. She nodded and turned to Daniel.

"So, Doctor Jackson, do you four do this often?"

"We travel through the stargate on a regular basis."

"I meant get kidnapped and taken hostage to a planets would-be leader."

"Unfortunately it seems to happen quite frequently."

Willow smiled. "Oh good. So you all know not to panic then."

Daniel returned Willows smile. "Yes. Tell me, how did you translate the writings in the temple so quickly?"

I turned away then.

"You get bored too?" Jack asked amiably.

"With all of the technical stuff? Yeah. I'm more of a... hands-on sorta gal."

"You're the Slayer," Daniel stated.

Willow and I blinked at him.

"A fairly simple deduction Buffy," he smiled. "I know very little of occult mythology but I have studied some. Only the Slayer and her Watcher would know the sort of information you know, and have access to the books you use in your articles."

"Oh..." Lost for words describes me. Stunned mullet describes Willow.

"Sometimes Daniel is too smart for his own good," Jack whispered loudly.

Daniel indicates the ring on Willows finger and it changes from green to a worn looking silver. I nod approval at Daniels forethought. Daniel may not know it but I should have. Ra's will know what a GL ring looks like. If he sees Willow's he'll take it away.

"My father will see you shortly," she says as she leads us into a huge stone mansion-like building--I don't know much about architecture--and down several flights of stairs. "For now you will wait in our specially prepared guests quarters."

She means dark, dank, musty dungeon.

The bars are solid and our weapons were taken off us and we were frisked as we filed into the large cell. Well, except the most powerful weapon in the universe that currently resides on Willows finger but we need to find out what's happening first.

Daniel breaks the silence as Bruce, Dick and Jack make a thorough search of the room and evaluate any potential for escape. "Abraxas is a god... The writings and the gate would indicate that though their time was short the gods here were Goa'uld."

"Goa'uld?" I sounded out for the first time.

"Humanoids inhabited by a parasite which increases normal strengths but is usually the controlling, er, personality in the symbiotic relationship," he explains.

"Not a demon," Willow said helpfully.

"But it is possession," I responded.

"Which means this is a Slay-girl gig," Dawn commented.

"We tend to use a lot of C4," Sam commented.

"Explosions work for me," I shrug.

"It is time to meet with Ra's," Talia informs us from the other side of the bars.

It feels like I've been brought to a demon dimension for unhappy reunions. First it was Riley, now I can see Ethan standing foolishly proud behind Ra's and another figure in the shadows that feels familiar but I need more information.

"Welcome home Great Lord Abraxas," Ra's intones snidely in Bruce's direction.

A goblet and caraff are brought into the ornate room on a gold platter and set beside Ra's throne. It's the little man in the dressing gown. Well, I was right.

"There is nothing to out think here Detective. I have simply come to await the return of my Lord Abraxas. I am his prophet."

"Apparantly," Bruce says.

"You will become my daughters consort and you will rule here with her after you have bested me in combat. As for your friends, they too will have to engage in combat." A slight gesture of his hand and the shadowy figure beside the dias begins to move forward.

I recognise the person now. "Angel?" I asked squinting into the shadows. That's not Angels normal posture. With a groan I say, "Hi Angelus..." Great! Nightmare returned. I hear Willow gasp and take a step back to stand between me and Jack where he stands behind me.

"Ah yes," Ra's purred. "Your former love decided to join our little... soiree after some encouragement.

"And the removal of his soul," I mumble. More loudly I say, "Really Talia. Do I need to go into the psychoanalysis on substitution subtext?"

"I think the text is a little less sub and a lot more bolded," Tim remarked.

"Are you jealous?" the older woman queried as she ran a hand across Angelus' chest.

"Why? Because you had to take his soul to make him want you? He'll snap your neck the first chance he gets you know. Angelus isn't exactly known for his honesty."

I felt the dark rumble of the chuckle before I heard it and had to fight my body to remain still. "Sassy, Lover. I'm impressed. I can smell your fear you know."

"Whatever. Look Angelus. I survived you once, I can do it again and this time I won't hesitate to kill you because you wear the face of a man I once loved. Deal with that."

He chuckled again. "This is going to be fun." He began to approach, stalking us like a great cat.

"It's going to be quick if you don't back off." In a flicker of torch light I saw his face change from the intensity of a stalker to the honest look of the Los Angeles detective but I won't be fooled again. "You'll get no warning shots from me this time." He smiled at me and winked before stalking back to where Talia and Ra's stood.

"This building has been sealed and we are all that are in it. Though you are greater in number you are at a disadvantage. We are stronger and armed," Talia bragged. "You have two minutes to prepare. When the gong sounds, it begins."

"Come on," I say and lead them out of the room. "Bruce?"

"This is unusual behaviour for Ra's. I am not convinced it is really him."

"Ok. Jack, any suggestions?"

"Find the C4 and blast through a wall."

"I like that suggestion."

"A sarcophagus..."

"Huh?"

"The goa'uld use sargophagi to renew their bodies and sustain their lives but it steals their souls they become irrational and violent. Maybe Ra's has found one here and is using it."

"That may explain his strange behaviour," Dawn nods.

"Ok so we split up..."

"Angel is able to stalk us by smell. It's better that we all stick together. It'll take a lot of energy to take us all down. We need weapons. In here." In the room we enter was some conveniently wooden furniture. I made a couple of stakes. "I'll need one shot at him. Wills, make some weaponry with that all powerful ring of yours."

"Non-lethal?"

"Against humans yeah. On second thoughts... Wills can you give us a radar to detect them?"

"I've got a better idea," she grinned and created a console. On it were screens that showed the whereabouts of our pursuers, their conversations were showing as subtitles on there as well. Next she created imitation Impulses.

"Oh now that's not fair! They don't stand a chance," Dawn giggled.

Willow laughed and sent one of each of the copies of the teenage speedster after each of the villains. When they were brought back they were bound and gagged and very unhappy. Willow dispersed the console and led us through the building to the where our weapons had been stashed then up to the door following her green map. She burst through the door and created an umbrella to cover Angel and shield him from the sunlight before leading us back to the camp.


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