FIC: Terra Australis Incognito 14/?

[CDRERamius@xxxxxxx]

TITLE: Terra Australis Incognito 14/?
AUTHOR: Tony McD
DISCLAIMER: All characters belong to Joss Whendon, Mutant Enemy, WB and 
others. This is for fun, not profit. The description of the Jachyra belongs 
to Terry Brooks.
SUMMARY: A stranger with many connections to the Scooby Gang arrives and 
changes their lives forever.
SPOILERS: General Season 4. Follows it for a bit then it's an AU.
DISTRIBUTION: Anywhere is fine, just email me first.
RATING: M (Australia) PG 13(?) US. Language, violence.
AUTHORS NOTES: And there was much wailing and gnashing of teeth.


The gang started to research possible suspects who had the power to 
cast the hate spell. They had little to go on, however they could rule out 
the normal run of the mill demons. They lacked the magic or the smarts for 
such a spell. Buffy, for her part, decided to go for the donuts and the 
packet of twinkies Xander had requested. She had just left when David came 
running in.
"Wow. That was a quick meeting." Xander observed.
"Well, meetings tend to be short when one side is dead." David dead 
panned.
"What?" Giles said, not quite getting what David was driving at.
"Riley and the Initiative are dead." David said slowly.
"What? How? Who?" Willow babbled, stunned at the news.
"All very good questions. What ever it was, it was definitely not a 
vampire. Vampires like to drink their victims blood. Whatever this was liked 
to paint the room with it. Also whatever it was, it ain't no ordinary demon. 
The bodies of the soldiers, well what was left of them, had guns and there 
was probably a thousand empty cartridges laying around. Whatever it was took 
nearly a thousand rounds and still felt healthy enough to tear every living 
thing in the complex apart." David said, the images of the bodies of 
soldiers, scientists, and captured demons ripped apart like roast chickens 
still fresh in his mind.
"We need to warn Buffy." Willow said anxiously. David looked around.
"Where is she?" he asked.
"On a doughnut run." Xander told him.
"Well she should be OK until she gets back. Hopefully she won't be too 
long." David paused for a second to gather his thoughts. Time to take charge.
"OK, we know how this thing operates, that should give us an idea on 
what to look for." David said.
"Could what ever killed the Initiative be the same thing that cast the 
hate spell?" Willow said, afraid for Buffy's life.
"Probably not." Giles informed her. "From the description of the 
brutality and viciousness of the attack, it indicates that what ever we are 
dealing with is savage, physically powerful, a killing machine of sorts. That 
usually precludes any real powerful spell casting ability. But I suppose we 
should be prudent and keep an open mind on the matter."
"Right." nodded David. He turned to Xander. "I left a big black 
leather book in the games room, could you grab it for me?" he asked Xander. 
Xander nodded and left.
"Another good book to start with is Nathanyals Index." David said. 
They moved to the selves that were stacked with books.
"Um, sorry to interrupt guys, but I've got a question." Xander said 
coming in.
"Sure, shoot." David said.
"Could the demon that killed the Initiative be about 7 foot tall, red 
leathery skin, look like the creature out of 'Predator'?" Xander asked. David 
looked up at Xander slowly.
"Possibly. Why?" he asked suspiciously.
"Oh, nothing. Just that it's in your flower garden out back." Xander 
said idly.
"WHAT?" David shouted as he raced to the back windows.
There, in the garden, stood a demon. Man shaped, with long, powerful 
arms and red leathery skin covering its' lean muscled body. Claws protruded 
from its hands; its face was similar to the creature from the movie 
'Predator', with a mass of teeth and yellow eyes. In those eyes burned such 
great evil and insanity that made everyone shudder in fright.
"Oh shit. It's a Jachyra." said David, fear making his voice wavier.