June 2000

Writer: Hillary

Rating: TV-14

Pilot Episode:

"Most Interesting"

The Council sat around their table. "Our worst fear has been eliminated." Said, Naiya, looking around the table for approval. "The initiative is dead. Our spies in the government have told us that the officials have ended the project entirely." "We are safe now." Came two more voices. The female sitting at the end of the table raised her head at this remark. Her eyes took on a reddish glow as she folded her hands and leaned forward over the table. "We are never safe. Being who we are, we are always threatened." "But, miss, we have no more threat from them...we...we..." "Silence! I didn't appoint you to be so stupid. If it's not them, it'll be someone else. Even outcasts like Rupert Giles and Buffy Summers threaten to expose us." "They would not dare!" Quentin Travers, the president of the watcher's council, said angrily. "Mr. Travers, do you have any idea on how powerful they are? One of them spent years in this base, training, and, the other is a certified slayer. I do hope that you remember the incident with Faith?" Travers looked down at his hands, "I do." "Good. Speaking of which.... My fellow council members, this morning, we have issued a new order in the case of Faith. Our orders are now, for anyone who is associated with the council, if they see Faith anywhere, they must kill her." This brought some gasps, but most everyone else agreed with the girl. "And another thing, there is a warrant out for the capture of Rupert Giles and Buffy Summers. I want them brought to me. There is something I must discuss with them. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must leave you." The girl said, and quickly walked out of the room. "Damn them all." She whispered under her breath. Her high heeled clacked on the polished marble floors. Some watchers-in-training were hanging out in the hallways, on their lunch break. She picked up her pace and hurried by them, turning her face away. Respectivly, both boys dropped to their knees as she passed, the emblem on her outfit giving away her rank. After she's gone by, the kids stood up, "Is that....?" One of the boys asked. "Couldn't be, Empira's a myth. She's just another stuffy old council member." "Didn't look that old to me..." The other boy muttered. Suddenly, both boys were whacked on the back of the head and sent sprawling forward. Sultano Hershey, their trainer, stood over them. "Lunch breaks over, get the hell back in the practice room!" Obediantly, both boys ran quickly back to the practice room. Sultano sighed and began to walk back down the hallway, but something out of the corner of his eye caught his attention. A large video screen displayed pictures of people that were wanted by the council. Just today, Rupert Giles picture had been added. Sultano read that he was wanted for questioning. The old man shut his eyes and whispered, "You had such potenial Rupert..."

Back in the training room, young Rhea Maho swung on the uneven parallel bars. A dagger was clenched tightly between her teeth. Sweat ran down her forhead, even though the room was at an unnnaturally cold tempature. "Drop now!" Commanded the Aiming Instructor. Rhea flipped off the taller bar, and, while in the air, transferred the dagger to her hand. The moment she landed, the dagger flipped out of her hand and nailed the stuffed vampire dummy straight in the heart. "Good job Rhea. Get your gear and go shower. You're done for today." The instructor told her, handing her the key to her room. In the council headquarters, the trainees must hand over their room keys to the instructor they will practice with last that day. Not having access to their rooms keeps trainees in the practice mode longer. Rhea hated this, but she dared not rebel. What could she do? Handed over to the council as a baby by her parents, this was her home, her family, her....life. And Rhea didn't like it much anymore. She used to when she was younger, Sultano, her foster father, had told her many stories about other students he'd trained. Rhea's favorite, and Sultano's, was Rupert Giles. In his story, Rhea found her own, forced to join, no matter what her opinion was, and, like her, he was a bookworm. She had her own personal library of old books, and, the occassional new book as well. Television wasn't a choice in her position, it was forbidden. The trainers forbid it. Rhea suddenly flew back to reality, her thoughts receeding into the corners of her mind, to be used again and again. "First person done today..." She said aloud, stretching back her arms. Then, she walked to her room, same as she did every day.

The girl threw a stack of books to the ground. She screamed in rage, "Those idiots! Those imbeciles!!! What happened to the days when we were a great power?! Now, I have to control these worthless worms who shrink in fear at the first sign of power." "To err is human, to forgive, divine." Said the other girl in the room. "How would you know?" "Empira, you must remember, they are only in their 60's, you are over 2000 years old. Of course you know more than they know. You've dealt with Queen Nightshade before, they don't even know that name. They will err, because in this world, they are allowed to err in this period of time. Rule with kindness, not fear." "People take advantage of kindness, they respect someone who scares them." "No, they fear someone that scares them." "Shutup Hazel." "Just saying my peace, my dear Empira." "Sorry Hazel, I didn't mean it." "It's okay, someone like me can take it. I've endured enough teasing, being what I am." "A Werewolf - Vampiress?" "Yes." "I'm not a vampire, and I still haven't figured out why I don't age or die, but I know all about you." "Don't be upset, you're a legend. Only the council members know you exsist for sure. The trainees think you're a myth, and they respect you." "Okay okay. I feel better know, thanks Hazel." Hazel merely smiled, and picked up the books off the floor. She looked at her watch, "The sun should be setting about now, I'm gonna go into my cage." "Alright. It's not a full moon night, right?" "No, just a regular vampiress night." "Hmm, I'm gonna take fang measurements again tonight, something about them isn't right, I'm remembering something...." "Like what?" "Vampire's fangs aren't usually 4 inches long Hazel. When fangs get that long, it means an unnatural power source is coming from somewhere." "Queen Nightshade still has 1000 years of sleep left..." "Maybe not. Find that prophecy book..." "It'd down in the archives. Ksapa was taking some notes." "Alright, I'll be back in a moment. You better get into that cage." "Yes." Whispered Hazel, thoughtfully. Empira gathered up her dress and ran to the elevator in her room. Once inside, the electronic voice asked, "What floor?" "Archive level please, and hurry it up." Two seconds later, The high heels clacked as they entered the elaboratley decorated room. Books, old and new, lined the shelves under black lights. Ksapa wouldn't have regular lights in his workplace, he claimed that they ruined his books. A lot of old artifacts also hung around the room, but they were secondary. Empira smiled to herself, she had access to books that millions of scientists would love to see, espically Rupert Giles. "Ksapa?" She called out, wondering if the old man hadn't already gone to bed. "Yes?" Came the reply, old and wizened. "It's Empira. Are you finished with my prophecy book yet?" "I am." He said, and hobbled out from behind a corner. His white hair glowed like a star in the light, reminding Empira of he man he'd once been. It killed her to see him like this, bent over at the back, wrinkled face, knarled hands twisting around a knarled cane. Every thud the cane made as it hit the ground as he came closer, thudded in time with Empira's heart. She had loved him once, many years ago. Once he'd been young and handsome, and Empira's lover. Then, he'd become a council member, and finally, the archives keeper. Since the female of their relationship never aged, Ksapa broke it off the minute he joined the council. He handed Empira the book, breaking off her thoughts. "Thank you." "Anytime Empira, anytime." Answered Ksapa, walking away, back to wherever it was he'd come from. "Bye." Whispered Empira, under her breath. Then, she walked away, not looking back.

Hazel looked into her mirror that hung on her cage wall. Her long fingernails ran over her long fangs. They had never been this long before. Just based on how they looked, she guessed that they were at least 6 inches long. She couldn't even open her mouth wide enough to accomadate them. A small chiming made her turn and look. The blood was done heating in the microwave. Hazel pulled the small dish of crimson liquid out of the container. Slowly, she lowered her fangs into it and sucked the blood up her unusually long canines. The rush Hazel got was totally unexpected. She fell to the ground, writhing in agony. Her screams brought one of the servant girls. Unable to speak and illiterate, the servant girl did the only thing possible. She slammed her hand down on the red button near the cage. A deafening alarm was suddenly set off. "What in the bloody hell is going on?" Empira shouted, throwing open the door to her laboratory. She took on look and screamed herself, "Oh my God. What's happening around here?!"

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