Much love and thanks to Lou for once again making my words fit for human consumption. Don't know what I'd do without you. This chapter is very definitely dedicated to BloodyTearsofLife for her awesome graphics she gifted me with recently. I'm blown away, honestly.

LET ME PLAY AMONGST THE STARS




CHAPTER THREE




Mystified faces stared at the empty chair, Spike and Buffy having disappeared in a hazy shimmer. Dawn screamed, breaking the spell and startling the others into action. Willow rushed to pat the chair, fruitlessly searching for Buffy.




“They’re not here…Giles…we need Giles. Xander, get him on the phone, please!”




“Huh?” Xander was still in shock from the Buffy/Spike lovin’ so was slow to jump to it, earning him a slap on the back of his head from Anya as she sauntered past him to make the call. Willow, Tara, Dawn and Xander kept looking over at the chair and then back to each other as they tried to kick-start their brains into action.




“Giles. Buffy and Spike have disappeared.” Anya was relaying information to Giles over the long-distance connection in a disinterested voice while cradling the receiver between her neck and shoulders, her fingers busily counting the day’s takings.




“Not five minutes ago. Yes. Well…not ‘kaboom’ more like…’shimmery-tinkle’. No. Zilch. Uh-uh.” Anya continued to write up the books, not looking at the anxious faces of the Scoobies as they waited for instructions.




“Not sure…I’ll have to ask. No, together. Well, Spike was sitting on the chair and Buffy was kissing him…uh huh…no, I’m not trying to be amusing. Then there was the X-rated lap dance. Highly erotic - my eyeballs nearly melted. In fact I think I’m going to have to take Xander in the back room and... Jeez! Screech much?” She held the receiver away from her ear as Giles – apparently – found the mental image too much information.




Willow snatched the receiver from Anya’s hand, the ex-demon strolling off past the dumbstruck Xander and dragging him behind her as she led him to the training room at the back of the shop.




Dawn sighed dramatically and covered her eyes, “It’s okay – I know you all mean to say ‘not in front of Dawnie’. You’ve just forgotten how.”




Willow finished talking to Giles and replaced the receiver. They had work to do.




“Dawn? Where’s Anya? And Xander? Oh. Don’t tell me – I can hear…”




Anya’s orgasmic screams echoed through the, thankfully, customer-free Magic Box. Tara lowered her head and giggled, Willow trying and failing to suppress a smile of her own.




“Sheesh! Am I the only one who thinks that there’s way too much sex happening here? I mean, hello? This isn’t one of those weirdo TV shows! And if it’s not too much trouble, I’d quite like to find my sister and my vampire friend.”




Willow sobered instantly. It was true, Buffy and Spike were counting on them – on her – to make things right. She wasn’t about to let them down.




“You’re right. Dawn. Sorry. Well, Giles is contacting to the Coven and he hopes to have some answers in a couple of hours. And so far as we’re concerned, well – we get to go play ‘catch a nerd, knock a nerd on the head until he squeals’, which I totally approve of. I mean – okay, I knew the life of the nerd, but I’d never have done anything like this, mess with people.” Willow glanced away from Tara’s open gaze. It was only a little white lie…




The door to the back room opened to reveal the flustered and hastily dressing Xander as he rushed towards the table and the sanctuary of his friends. He eyed Anya warily as she strolled out of the exercise room, tucking in her blouse and fastening her buttons with a ‘cat got the cream’ expression. He blushed fiery red when she jumped up on the counter and crossed her ankles demurely, addressing the Scoobies in a loud voice.




“Well now – I’ve had the required number of orgasms -- although technically speaking, I suppose it would only be the one proper one with little fluttery ones after. Hey, Willow? Does that happen to you when Tara…”




Dawn stuck her fingers in her ears to block out the rest of Sex Ed 101. Willow smiled admiringly at her forethought while Tara tried in vain to melt into the bookcase she was leaning against. Xander simply jumped ship and ran out of the shop, re-entering a few minutes later and sheepishly sidling up to sit next to Willow who was now at the table with her laptop open and online.




The search results revealed a list of rental properties recently taken up around Sunnydale. Willow scrolled through, marking the ones she thought would be worth looking into and pressed print. The small printer beeped and spat sheets of paper out onto the table that Willow gathered together, divided out and handed round. Dawn held her hand out for her share but received only a very Spike-like raised eyebrow from Willow in her role as caregiver.




The teen crossed her arms across her chest and tilted her hips and head, her face a mask of defiance. “Well, if you don’t let me help I’m gonna sneak out anyway and do it myself. Not like there’s anyone here to stop me…and Spike would let me…”




Willow sighed. Dawn was annoying and immature, but on this occasion she did have a point. If the four of them were out researching, there’d be no one to look after Dawn. Usually, if there was something going down that involved all of the Scoobies, Dawn would hang out with Spike, or if Spike was going along with the gang, then Clem. But Clem was out of town right now and there really was nobody else.




“Okay, Dawnie. You can team up with Tara and me. We’ll keep to the two teams. Anya, Xander – you okay with that?”




Anya sighed in resignation. “Will it be difficult or time-consuming? What about my business?”




“An…come on now, this is important.” Xander made his sad puppy face. “For me?”




Anya flashed him the smile he loved and he smiled back. “Well, if you ask nicely like that…how can I say no? See how agreeable I can be when he doesn’t speak to me like I’m a moron?”




“Okay guys, we need to move. Don’t forget though, we’re only looking. We’ll have to be clever to catch these boys with their gadgets and stuff. Whatever happens we’ll meet back here in say…four hours?”




Matters decided, the two groups split up and clutching their rental details went on a nerd hunt.




++++++++++++++++++++




Buffy clung to Spike, her ears ringing with the blaring whine of the sirens. Spike was almost bent double in pain, his sensitive hearing causing him extreme agony. As the sliding doors swished open to admit a cohort of armed soldiers clad in black and red or black and gold coloured uniforms, the alarm cut off. Spike sagged back against the wall in relief, pulling Buffy to him and shoving her behind him to protect her.




The leader of the group barked out orders. “Identify yourselves. And state your reason for being here.”




Buffy peeped out from behind Spike’s back; she had an unfounded fear of scary aliens and sometimes woke at night, heart racing, from nightmares involving bug-eyed monsters and slimy tentacles. Thankfully, the six or so beings standing in front of her appeared to be pretty much human; head, two arms, two legs – and they spoke English. No vamp tingles - she relaxed slightly.




Tuvok made his way through the throng of security operatives ringing the intruders and came to a halt a few paces in front of them. He asked for an update and was advised that the intruders had yet to respond.




“I must insist that you identify yourselves.”




Buffy opened her mouth to speak but her voice deserted her as she spotted Tuvok’s pointy ears and slanted eyebrows. Tuvok took a step towards her and she whimpered, hiding her face in Spike’s duster.




“Hey! Back off! Leave my girl alone, Elfman!”




Spike took a step forward but stopped when he was faced with the raised weapons aimed at his chest. He wasn’t really concerned about himself – the weapons being neither wooden nor stake-shaped – but Buffy’s safety was another matter entirely. Instinct took over and he vamped out, gratified when he noted the aroma of fear that permeated the room. Good. The tossers knew he wasn’t messing.




He moved forward again, only to be zapped by a bright ray of light that centred on his chest and dropped him to the floor, unconscious. Buffy’s fury overrode her fear and she shot forward to barrel into the armed guards knocking a couple to the floor and then jumping up to spin kick at another. Tuvok nodded and a beam hit Buffy in the back and dropped her to the floor also. At a word, both Spike and Buffy were hefted up and taken to sickbay for examination.




The COM badge on Tuvok’s chest crackled into life. “Janeway to Tuvok. Report.”




“Captain. The intruders proved uncooperative and had to be subdued. They are on their way to sick bay and then will be confined to the brig for your interrogation.”




“Good work. I’m on my way. Janeway out.”




Tuvok left the cargo bay and headed to sickbay to talk to the doctor. The male was…intriguing, of unknown genus. The female seemed merely human but rather aggressive. Tuvok didn’t like to be uninformed and he hoped the legendary resources of the holographic genius would deliver once again.




The sickbay doors swished shut behind him and he approached the doctor’s room. Nobody there. “Computer. Activate emergency medical hologram.”




“No need – I’m already here; I’m merely meditating on the conundrum you’ve sent to me, Lieutenant Tuvok. See here? These readings? Most interesting.”




Tuvok made his way over to the Doctor’s station where the computer displayed a range of figures and graphs mapping both intruders’ bodily functions: heart, brain activity, endocrine system, respiration, amongst other things. The Doctor pointed to the flat, red line that showed against the male’s chart.




“No respiration at all, no pulse either as you can see, yet he’s apparently in excellent health! Very toned and muscular, no sun-damage either, which is unusual in humans. And look at this…” The Doctor approached the inert figure on the bed, passing through the force field effortlessly. Tuvok stopped short of the fizzing electrical field and watched as the Doctor pulled back the male’s lips to show elongated fangs.




“Doctor, when we approached the intruders, that one morphed somehow – his brow ridged and his teeth, as you can see, sharpened. Other than the hypothesis offered by Mr Paris – which is completely outlandish – can you tell me exactly what species the man is?”




Spike’s eyes shot open and he sprang from the bed before the Doctor could react. Tuvok reached for his phaser, setting it to stun, and took aim at the enraged being heading straight for him.




“’m not a bloody man, you git. I‘m a demon! And what the fuck’s going on? What’ve you done to Buffy?”




Energy fizzled and crackled as Spike made contact with the barrier, jumping back in shock and cursing as the pain shot through him. The Doctor took the opportunity to step through and stand beside Tuvok, resuming his scan while Spike hesitantly put his hand up to test the invisible limits of his prison.




“Alright. You’ve got me good and proper; I’ll play. But first tell me who the hell you are? And where are we? Are we back on…what was it…Voyager again? And what the hell’s a Voyager, anyway? Some kind of spaceship? Or did someone give me drugs?”




The Doctor pointed to the still stubbornly flat line of Spike’s respiration and heart function. Tuvok raised an eyebrow and spoke.




“Yes. You are on Voyager. Voyager is a Starship, registered with the United Federation of Planets and we are in the Delta quadrant. How were you able to board our vessel? What is your intention?”




“Not got a sodding clue, mate. You tell me. My intention was to lock lips with Buffy and give the Scooby gang an eyeful. But it looks like somebody’s messing with us. Again. So…where are they?”




“Where’s who? I do not understand. You were expecting somebody else?




“Oh come on! You’re in on it with them, you must be! Bloody Warren and the nerd collective – the short one and the soppy pillock?”




Spike looked from Tuvok and back to the Doctor, finding nothing but puzzlement on their faces.




“Sci-fi wannabes? Prattle on a lot about Captain Kirk and Klingons?”




“You come from the Klingons? Bearing information relating to Captain Kirk?”




“What? Not likely! Not exactly my cup of tea, sunshine. Besides - got more important things to be doing.” Spike shot a look back at Buffy who was still unconscious on the bed, but he’d sensed her heart rate increasing and knew she was near to opening her eyes. He wanted answers before that happened.




The doors slid open and admitted Captain Janeway, her keen eyes taking in the scene and making an assessment.




“Gentlemen. This looks quite cosy - as you stood me up in the brig I thought I’d bring the date to you. Tuvok.”




Her voice, although low, carried an air of authority that brooked no disobedience. She spoke her officer’s name not as a request that he should provide information but an order.




“Captain, the male is…”




“The name’s Spike.”




All three Voyager crew looked over at the haughty figure. He stood; head tilted and the picture of defiance with his thumbs jammed into his belt and his hands framing his ever-present bulge. He stared at them all, getting angrier by the second.




Tuvok didn’t miss a beat. “Spike…is intriguing, Captain. He has human characteristics but doesn’t have a pulse or respiration.”




Again Spike interrupted, this time with a snort of laughter. “Oh, man! You lot are clueless, aren’t you? Vampires don’t exactly need to breathe or suchlike. What? Shocked?”




Tuvok spoke quietly to Captain Janeway, expressing his surprise that Mr Paris had apparently been correct in his assessment. Janeway nodded, just a typical day on Voyager: aliens, vampires – what was the difference? She approached the force field, one hand on her hip and the other sweeping back her auburn hair.




“Mr Spike, can you give me some more information? You seem to be an intelligent...erm…vampire and evidently you are here against your will. Let me help you to solve the mystery.” She finished the statement with a sweet smile.




Spike sighed. He was a sucker for a lady with a killer smile. And this bird looked harmless enough: feisty, mind you, and sharp. The kind to dance with in a former existence…




“Yeah, well. I reckon we could do with a bit of help. And it’s just Spike.”




“Spike it is then. Tell me – you were on board before, I believe - our mysterious intruders? Was that something you had no control over either?”




“You’ve got it in one. But I know who’s behind it, just need to catch the buggers.”




“And where do you come from, Spike?”




“Well good old Blighty originally – but I live in Sunnydale now,”




“No, you misunderstand – what is your home planet?”




He snorted again. “You off your trolley? Which planet? Earth of course. Do I look like a bleedin’ Martian?”




Tuvok answered with a straight face. “Yes.”




Spike wrinkled up his face, about to snarl a retort, but Buffy moaned and sat up behind him and Spike rushed to her side, oblivious to anybody else in the room.




“Buffy! You all right, love? You’re sure you’re not hurt?”




She looked about groggily, eyes refusing to focus in the strange room she’d awoken in. Spike’s concerned face came into focus as she became used to her surroundings and she looked around, noting the three figures on the other side of the room. “Where are we? Who are they?”




Spike kissed her gently, helping her off the bed so that they could stand in front of the uniformed trio. “Careful, love – don’t get too close, there’s an invisible wall that gives you a wicked shock.” Buffy jumped back a little, Spike grabbing her by the waist and pulling her into his body.




“This is Buffy, she’s with me.” He couldn’t stifle a grin of pride as he said those words, wanting to say them so often in the past and never being able to. “And this is…”




Captain Janeway took a step forward towards the force field. “I am Captain Janeway of the Federation Starship Voyager. My security officer Lieutenant Tuvok, and the Doctor. I gather you met a contingent of my security forces also.”




“Yeah, they shot us. Nice way to welcome visitors.”




“Well, I think they can be forgiven as I understand you made the first aggression; in fact, the Doctor had to treat two of my crew for broken ribs. You’ve got quite a kick, young lady.”




“You’ve no idea…” Buffy snarled stepping dangerously close to the invisible barrier.




The doors swished open again to admit six security guards ready to escort Spike and Buffy to the brig. However, in light of their very obvious alert state and the damage inflicted earlier, Janeway decided to err on the side of caution.




“Doctor, you’ve completed your examination? Good. I think we’ll transport our visitors directly to the brig to avoid any possible unpleasantness. Tuvok, please arrange that immediately. And also, I’d like some explanation as to their presence here. Please start an interrogation - I’d like some answers when we meet up to discuss Seven’s scans from their first visit.”




She walked away, stopping at the door and turning back. “Oh, Doctor? Did Mr Kim stop by earlier?”




“He did, Captain. I scanned him and he appears to be in rude health. The problem seems to have been a slightly hysterical reaction to something he’d rather not divulge to me, but as he seemed free of infection I let it go.”




“Very well. I’ll see you at 1600 hours, Tuvok.”




Tuvok nodded, pressed his COM badge. “Tuvok to Transporter room. I have the coordinates of two prisoners to transport directly to the brig.”




Buffy and Spike clung to each other as the transporter beam energised their molecules.







TBC......