Act 1

 

Guest Starring:
Lindsay Felton as Skye, Elijah Wood as Jeffrey Lindquist, Carly Schroeder as Marsha, Stephanie March as Bonnie, Thora Birch as Tracey, Felicia Day as Vi, Norika Fujiwara as Mia, Becky Wahlstrom as Julia, Brad Dorif as Brell, Brent Spiner as Tram, Katey Segal as Lily Lindquist and Jason Clarke as the Engineer

Special Guest Starring:

Michelle Trachtenberg as Dawn Summers and Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy Summers

 

Cut To:
Ext.
Outside Presidium Caverns – Same Time

The monster continued to chase down the slayers, casting fire in their direction. Mia kept one eye on the lake demon as she tried to search the area for her lost slayer. After a few moments, she found Sue lying face down on the soggy ground behind the beast. As a number of slayers moved in various directions to avoid the flames, Mia dashed ahead and ran between the beast’s legs.

She turned to see if the monster had spotted her and saw Faith’s quartet arrive and try to direct the scared and confused slayers. Mia watched a few more moments to be sure the closer slayers occupied the beast’s attention. She rolled Sue over to find her badly burned, but awake.

“Can you stand?” Mia asked.

“I don’t think so,” her former gang member said softly. “It’s bad, isn’t it?” she asked. “I got hit bad, didn’t I? I’m afraid to look, Mia.”

“I gotta get you out of here,” Mia said as she tried to lift her.

Sue groaned as Mia lifted her to her feet. “It hurts too bad,” Sue said as she started to collapse.

Mia caught her and picked her up in her arms. “Don’t you give up on me,” she warned.

“You can’t run fast enough holding me,” Sue argued as Mia tried to distribute the weight in her arms.

“I talked you girls into this. All for one and all that junk, right? I’m not leaving you behind.”

Not waiting for another argument, Mia took off into a sprint across the park.

Cut To:
Ext.
City Park Parking Lot – Same Time

“Here,” Xander told Vi, handing her a crossbow. “Load up, girls,” he announced louder to the gathering at the back of the van. “No pushing, we’ve got plenty for everyone,” he teased, before picking up the rocket launcher and motioning to Andrew and Tracy. “We stick together. Got it?”

They both nodded in agreement and Xander began to jog toward the last location he had seen the monster. Vi motioned to the girls to follow him.

Cut To:
Ext.
Clearing near Presidium Cavern – Moments Later

Xander came to a stop. He immediately began to ready the launcher. Andrew and Tracey timidly stood by and watched the monster tower over the troops in the distance.

“Is this gonna work?” Andrew asked. “And if it doesn’t, then what?”

“It better,” Xander told him. “This baby only has one shot.”

“And if we goof…?”

Xander paused a beat. “Run like hell.”

“Great. Great plan,” Tracey answered nervously.

“One of my better ones, actually,” Xander said as he hoisted the launcher to his shoulder and took aim at the beast. It continued to bob up and down, trying to flame the running slayers.

Cut To:
Int.
Watchers Council – Library – Same Time

“Ooh! Ooh!” Willow exclaimed. She snapped her fingers, her eyes never leaving the page she was reading.

Giles stood up from the table and came closer, reading over Willow’s shoulder as she pointed.

“You guys find something?” Rowena asked.

“Perhaps,” Giles answered. “According to the Opus, they have reports on a Pancta demon in this same Vor Dimension. Same dimension as the others you recognized. But this has a bit more information. Not much, though.”

“What’s it say?” Dawn asked.

“Well, i-it appears the dimension was under the rule of a tyrant for over a millennium, until they were overthrown.”

“What else?” Rowena asked.

“Nothing,” Willow answered. “But if this is the same dimension as the Presidium…”

“We’ve got the name of a location?” Dawn asked.

“Right,” Willow answered.

Skye was sitting at one of the computer terminals upstairs and turned to the table. “How do you spell that?” she asked.

“V-O-R,” Willow answered as Skye typed.

They all waited for a moment until Skye turned back around. “Sorry, guys. Got nothing in the database.”

At that moment, Becca walked in, “Hey guys. Mind if I help?”

“Where’s the slayerettes?” Willow asked.

“Marsha said she’d look after the young ones so I could give you guys a hand in the search,” Becca answered.

“Excellent,” Giles answered. “Start looking in the books for references to the Vor Dimension, and perhaps do research on the Vutch demon. The names are similar and maybe there’s a connection we overlooked.”

“What’s a Vutch demon?”

“Ugly buggers,” Willow answered.

“Magic users,” Dawn piped in.

“And able to regenerate. They’re only killed by fire,” Rowena added.

Skye pushed the rolling chair backward with a book in her lap and showed Becca a picture. “See? Willow wasn’t lying.”

“Actually, it was because of a Vutch demon that I met you,” Giles offered. “One attacked the council and put a hex on Willow.”

“Right, the red book,” Becca nodded. “I don’t have to send one of these guys a thank you note, do I?”

“No,” Giles told her. He crossed his arms over his chest. “Since you’re sticking around, you might be able to thank them in person. I’m sure more will be visiting us soon.”

Becca broke eye contact and looked back at the page. “Give it up, Rupert,” she replied, as if exhausted to be discussing the subject.

“It’s just a few days, possibly a week.”

“I’m not coming home to find you dead,” she answered.

Willow, Dawn, Rowena and Skye all looked at each other, unsure of what to say or do.

“I think I’m gonna go get some more coffee,” Rowena said, holding her side and moving from the table.

“Here, I’ll drive you,” Willow insisted, motioning her to sit back down in the wheelchair.

“We’ll help too,” Dawn said, motioning to Skye.

Quickly all four women dashed from the scene, all of them practically fighting to get out the door first. When all was quiet again, Becca looked up at Giles.

“Way to clear a room, Sweetie,” the blonde complimented.

Giles moved to his knees and took the book away from her, putting his hands in hers. “I don’t think you realize how dangerous this truly is, Becca.”

“You’re wrong. I do. And that’s why I’m staying. I’m not a slayer or a Super Monster Researcher. I know that,” Becca said. “But I can’t sit somewhere else knowing what’s going to happen here. If the terrible does happen…and you don’t survive…I’ll spend the rest of my life wondering if I made the right choice – that if I was here, I might have made a difference. So please don’t remind me anymore. I’m staying and that’s that.”

“Perhaps we can compromise, then,” Giles said softly.

“How so?” Becca asked.

“You can stay at your place,” he told her.

Becca shook her head. “No.”

“Becca, please…”

“How about this?” she offered, before he could argue. “I’ll stay here. At the council. In your apartment. Agreed?”

Giles gave a heavy sigh. “If that’s the best I can get.”

“It is, so you better take it,” Becca told him as she grinned and grabbed him by the chin.

Despite himself, Giles began to grin too.

Cut To:
Ext.
Outside Presidium Cavern – Same Time

Faith, Buffy and Robin were trying to direct girls away from the monster and to a safe place when Kennedy spotted Mia trying to run with someone in her arms. Instead of following Faith’s path, she veered off and ran up to Mia.

“Let me help,” she said, keeping up the pace next to Mia.

“No. She’s mine. But a distraction would be good,” Mia said, nodding toward the monster as they began to enter its line of sight.

Kennedy nodded and picked up a fallen axe as the beast noticed the slow-moving pair. It reared up, as if to shoot more flames, but Kennedy threw the axe as hard and as fast as she could toward its eye. Before the Monster could take another breath, it stumbled slightly and let out an agonized groan. It shook its head with the axe deeply embedded in its cornea.

Cut To:
Ext.
Clearing near Presidium Cavern – Same Time

The monster stopped shaking and reared up to its full height. Xander took aim. Tracey stepped behind Xander to get a better look at the action. Her shift caught Andrew’s attention and he turned to see that Tracey now stood in the direct line of the rocket discharge. As Xander’s finger closed around the trigger, Andrew dived toward Tracey and tackled her out of the way just seconds before the blinding flash kicked the launcher back and nearly out of Xander’s grasp.

Cut To:
Ext.
Outside Presidium Cavern – Same Time

All the slayers saw the rocket streaming through the air. Faith pointed up at it and yelled again to the teams, “Take cover! Fall out!”

The rocket connected with the monster’s head, resulting in a massive, deafening explosion. Flaming projectiles of metal and flesh rained down on the slayers and they ran to avoid being hit. Headless, the creature wobbled for a moment before falling back onto the beach, dead.

Cut To:
Ext.
Clearing near Presidium Cavern – Same Time

Xander turned with his mouth open to say something to Andrew, but noticed he wasn’t there. He looked behind him to find Tracey flat on her back and Andrew sprawled on top of her. “You guys okay?”

Tracey didn’t seem to notice Xander was speaking to them as she focused on Andrew. “I almost got toasted…thank you,” she said sincerely.

Andrew grinned. “You’re welcome.”

Tracey licked her lips nervously and noted their position. “Uh, Andrew?”

“Yeah.”

“Would you like to move now?”

“No.” Realizing he spoke his thoughts out loud, his eyes went wide and he began to ramble as he squirmed, trying to get to his feet. “I mean, sure. Here, let me help you up.”

After coming to his feet, he pulled Tracey to hers. Xander looked at him and started to shake his head.

“What?” Andrew asked, as if afraid of his answer.

Xander continued shaking his head as he began walking toward the beach. “I’m really slipping. Even nerd-a-licious gets more babes than me.”

Cut To:
Ext.
Outside Presidium Cavern – Same Time

“Okay, girls,” Faith said. “Get everyone into the vans. I don’t care how bad the injury is, we gotta move them quick. The demons come back and it’s open house all over again, so time’s important, gals. Move it out.”

Xander walked down to the smoldering corpse of the monster. “Smells like chicken down here,” he said as he came over. “Do we have any girls in another location or is this it?”

“This is it…maybe the outer areas too, but mostly here,” she said, looking around and assessing the damage.

“You did what you could, Faith,” Robin said, sensing her air of defeat.

She simply nodded. “Get those vans down here, so we don’t have to carry the injured as far. We might need a few body bags too.”

“Roger that,” Andrew said as Xander handed him the keys. Tracey nodded her agreement before they both began to jog back toward the vehicles.

“So, you’re the guy with the big gun, huh?” Faith asked Xander as she pointed to the rocket launcher.

He seemed to recognize her pain, but forced a grin into place. “Call me Mr. Fire Power.”

“And not a moment too soon…or late,” Buffy added. “Well, whatever the timing, it was well needed.”

Xander nodded and motioned behind him. “I’m gonna help the girls,” he said.

“Yeah, good idea,” Faith agreed, still looking perplexed.

Xander motioned for Robin to follow him and the two men walked away, moving toward the slayer lying closest on the ground. Buffy closed the distance between herself and Faith.

“You look guilty,” the blonde slayer said softly.

“What?”

“Like this was your fault,” Buffy went on.

“Hell, how was I supposed to know this was gonna happen?” Faith asked defensively.

“You didn’t. Just try to remember that when you go blaming yourself. But I know, it’s easier said than done.”

Faith watched Buffy walk away, going to the first van that arrived to help the girls inside. After running her fingers through her hair and letting out a long breath, Faith followed.

Cut To:
Int.
Watchers Council – Library – Same Time

Willow, Rowena, Dawn and Skye all returned to the library and gave the information they had compiled another look.

“Giles?” Dawn asked. “You mentioned something about a possible take over of the Vor Dimension, right?”

“Yes, but nothing more.”

“Here’s another nugget of information I found in the European Council database.”

“They have something that we don’t?” Rowena asked, and Dawn nodded. “Why am I not shocked?” she added rhetorically.

“Okay,” Willow said, holding her hands up. “So, I haven’t been able to check for downloads lately.”

“No, Robson should be sending these to you and not the other way around,” Rowena explained. “I’ll have to add that to my list for when I…I’m sorry. I think it’s the pain killers. Getting back on subject now. What did you find, Dawn?” Rowena said as she stood up and moved toward Dawn. Willow moved to help her, but Rowena waved her off and was already at Dawn’s side before Willow could fully stand up.

“It has information on the last takeover of the Vor Dimension many, many…did I say many years ago?” Dawn teased.

“Many as in how long?” Willow asked.

“Like eons upon eons. But the mystic examiners of the Old Council apparently tracked this dimension and it’s been growing in size since that time…well, since the last known record anyway.”

“When was that?” Giles asked.

“About three years prior to the Council explosion,” Rowena answered. “There’s no other word since then, but there is something else interesting here too.”

“Oh, wow,” Dawn said as she read along with Rowena.

“What?” Willow asked.

“According to their speculations,” Rowena answered as she and Dawn turned around to face Willow, “the first takeover was done through magic.”

Black Out

 

End of Act One