Title: Back to the Uncharted Territories
Author: Paradox761
Email: Paradox761@mail.com
Website: members.tripod.com/~Paradox761
Disclaimer: Joss Whedon owns Buffy; SFC, Jim Henson Productions, and Rockne S. O’Bannon own Farscape; and Universal Pictures owns Back to the Future. No copyright infringement is intended, so please don’t sue. I don’t have any money anyway.
Summary: Sequel to “A Sympathetic Ear”, John Crichton finally makes it home only to discover that the life he left behind is no longer there. His father, DK, and Xander Harris are all dead. Then he meets an extraordinary man in a bar, a time traveler, with an extraordinary proposition. Will John risk it all to go back in time to save his father’s life? And what happens when the consequences are much worse than he ever could have imagined?
Author’s note: Takes place directly after the third season of Farscape, after that it’s an AU. Also, for the sake of this story, Farscape takes place in the near future (2017), and some of the modifications made to the DeLorean in the second movie, namely Mr. Fusion, came from further into the future then when the movie took place (2015). Also, some dialogue has been lifted directly from the Buffy episode “Grave”, no plagiarism intended.
Dedication: To Jordan and Jessica, my angels. May they rest in peace.
Special thanks to A. Grandt, greywizard, Wayne, Rob Clark, Danielle, Goblin, Calen, DaBear, Obi, Gareth, Troy, David, and Lafe for the feedback and support.
(Farscape/BtVS/BttF, Xander/Chiana, John/Aeryn)
Rated R for language and violence
Guest Cast:
Guy Pearce as Dr. Julian Martin Brown, PhD.
James Remar as Lakas

Xander stood at the table in the magic shop, packing a box. It had been over a month since that night in the cave. The night when Xander learned what the universe had planned for him. Jules had been teaching him how to fly the DeLorean, and how all of its systems worked. John had been telling him more and more about the political situation in the Uncharted Territories, along with all the things that he and his friends had been through over the years. Xander was sure of few things about the future, but he was sure that it wouldn’t be boring. In a way he was sad, about leaving Sunnydale, the only home he had ever known. About leaving his life behind. But he couldn’t help but feel excited at the same time about what awaited him across the galaxy, about seeing Chiana again, and meeting the others. It was an excitement that he hadn’t felt in a long time. The feeling of being needed, the chance to make a real difference again.

When the bell above the shop door rang, he looked up. The surprise was clear on his face at who stood before him.

“Ronnie? What are you doing here?”

“I heard you were leaving town,” she said, trying to sound nonchalant. “I guess you finally decided to take my advice.”

Xander smiled. “Hardly. I just…got a better offer.”

“Where are you going?”

“A place called the Uncharted Territories.”

“Isn’t that in Brazil or something?”

“Or something.”

“Will you be coming back?”

“Nope,” Xander said, turning back to the box he was packing.

“Oh. Well…good.”

Xander looked up and smiled. “Why Ronnie, if I didn’t know better, I’d say that you were going to miss me.”

The slayer just gave him a dirty look. “Hardly. I just wanted to make sure you weren’t going to be getting in my way again.”

“Right. Well, you don’t have to worry about that. Actually, I’m glad you stopped by. I was going to stop by Carson’s before I left, you can save me the trip.” He picked a few papers up off the table and handed them to her.

“What’s this?”

“The lease for the Magic Box, I signed it over to him.”

“You’re giving him the shop?”

“Technically, the Watchers bought the place so I suppose it’s only fair that you guys get to use it. It’s been slay-central for a long time now, it wouldn’t feel right to just sell to some guy who’s going to put up a frozen yogurt stand, you know. I’m taking a few books and weapons with me, but the rest is his.”

Veronica looked around at the shop, taking it all in for the first time. “I don’t know what to say. Carson has been dying to get his hands on your books ever since we got to this town. He’ll probably faint when I tell him.” She walked over to the table, looking down at a very large, very thick book that sat next to the box Xander was packing. “Tobin’s Demon and Spirit Guide,” she read aloud.

“That one’s coming with me,” Xander said. “It has sentimental value.”

Veronica opened the book to the first page where she noticed a hand written inscription. “Dear Xander, never forget that knowledge is power, and that your greatest weapon against the forces of darkness will always be your intellect. You’ve grown into quite the man, and I’ll always be proud of you. Happy Birthday. With a father’s love, Rupert Giles.”

Xander reached over and closed the book gently, picking up the heavy tome with one hand and putting it into the box.

“He was her watcher, wasn’t he?”

“And so much more,” Xander said wistfully. He cleared his throat and changed the subject. “Ah, there’s a binder sitting next to the cash register. It’s a list of the shop’s inventory. Make sure Carson looks it over, there are a few things that he should know about. Also, there’s an index in it organized by subject that I’ve tried to keep up with over the years. It makes research a lot quicker.”

“I’ll make sure he gets it.”

“There’s something there for you too,” Xander said, pointing at the papers she still held in her hand.

Veronica flipped to the other piece of paper she held and looked down at it. It was the title for Xander’s car, signed over to her name. “You’re giving me your Caddy?” she asked in amazement.

“Yeah, well, I’m not going to need it where I’m going. I’ve always thought that a slayer should have a car. We always had to walk everywhere when we were your age, it really sucked. You do have your license, don’t you?”

“Learner’s permit.”

“Good enough. Just take good care of her, and she’ll take good care of you.”

Veronica just shook her head in shock. “Why are you doing all of this, you hate me?” she asked, clearly confused.

“I don’t hate you, Ronnie. I know we’ve had our differences, but we’re on the same side. I wouldn’t be going if I didn’t think that I was leaving Sunnydale in good hands. You can be a little cocky sometimes, but you’re young, you’re supposed to be cocky. You’re dedicated, and you genuinely care about your calling. Not to mention that you’re not half bad in a fight.”

Veronica let out a sigh. “This is so unfair,” she said with a chuckle. “I find out that you’re not such a bad guy after all, and now you’re leaving.”

“Thems the breaks, kid,” Xander said with a smirk. “You mind a little parting advice?”

“Sure.”

Xander’s face became serious as he paused, thinking. “Listen to your watcher, he’s a good man and he’s with you for a reason. He’ll always have your back, you can trust him. But don’t trust the Council. Their goals and yours aren’t always going to be the same. They like to think that they’re looking at the big picture, towards the future, but really that’s just an excuse to absolve them of responsibility for their actions in the present. Be careful when you turn eighteen, be very careful. Surround yourself with friends, and family. Confide your secret in those that you trust. I know the Council frowns on that. But you can’t do this alone. And I don’t just mean physically, I mean mentally, emotionally. You need people around you who will support you, who care about you. You’re a slayer, but you’re still human. Let yourself be human. Be confidant, but not cocky. Be brave, but not stupid. Don’t close yourself off from the people around you, let them in. Life’s too short to go it alone.” Xander paused. “And one more thing, and this is the most important advice I can give you. If you listen to nothing else I’ve said, listen to this. Never, never, miss an opportunity to tell the people you love how you feel about them. Cherish every second you have with them. Because it can all end so fast.”

Xander got this far away look in his eyes, as his voice choked with emotion. Veronica found herself almost wanting to cry. “I’m sorry,” she said softly.

“For what?”

“For what happened to your friends. For treating you the way I have. It’s all just been so hard for me, since I found out about…all of this. Vampires, demons, my destiny. Having to move here, away from everyone and everything I knew. I just felt like the only thing I had left going for me was what I was, being the slayer. It made me special. And then finding you here, it took that away. I wasn’t special anymore, I was just a kid in over her head in a world that she barely understood. I hated you for that.”

“I understand. High school has a way of making you feel small. Add to that finding out about the darkness that exists in the world, and doing your best to do what you can to fight it, only to be overshadowed and…excluded. It can make you feel even smaller. I get that.” Xander paused. “But hey, you don’t have to worry about that now,” he said more upbeat. “Pretty soon the scum in this town is going to forget all about me. By the time they realize that I’m even gone, you’re going to have your foot so far up their ass, they’re going to wish I were back. You’re going to do great, trust me.”

Veronica just looked at Xander for a moment. Then she leaned over quickly and gave him a peck on the cheek. “Thank you,” she said.

Xander touched his cheek, feeling a slight blush creep up. “Ah, I should get going. I’m leaving tonight and I have a few more things to take care of.” He put his hand out and she took it. “Good luck…Veronica.”

Veronica smiled. “Thank you.”

Xander picked up his box and walked out of the shop, and Veronica’s life, forever. Leaving the girl wishing that she had gotten to know the man better when she had the chance. She stared at the door for a few moments longer before a thought struck her. She grabbed her cell phone from her belt and scrolled through the saved numbers until she reached the one she was looking for. She hit enter, and placed the phone against her ear, waiting for the person at the other end to pick it up.

“Mom? Hey, it’s Veronica. No, I’m fine. I just wanted…what I mean is…you know I love you, right? I just wanted to tell you, that’s all. No, nothing’s wrong, I promise. There is something I want to talk to you about though, but not over the phone.” Veronica rolled her eyes. “No, I’m not pregnant. I’ll talk to you about it tonight, okay. I love you too, Mom. Bye.”

*

“Xander, are you sure about this?” John asked through his comms.

“I’m sure,” Xander said, adjusting the double strap belt around him in the pilot’s seat of the DeLorean. “I’ll meet you guys in 2017, I just have an errand I need to run first.”

“Let me hear you go through the pre-flight aloud,” he heard Jules say.

“Jules, I have soloed before.”

“Humor me.”

Xander rolled his eyes at his flight instructor. “Bringing main power online,” he said, tapping the commands into the console above his head. “Powering up anti-grav thrusters. Deflector shield, online. Structural integrity field, online. Inertial dampeners, online. Cabin sealed, life support online. Gravity plating, online. Powering up impulse drive.” Xander wrapped his hands around the steering wheel. “Lifting off.” Four small jets under the car fired as Xander pulled back on the wheel. They lifted it a foot or two off the ground, giving it enough clearance for the tires to retract along the bottom of the vehicle, and the anti-grav thrusters concealed in the rims to fire. “Anti-grav thrusters, online. Impulse drive, online. All systems running hot and normal. Permission to disembark?” Xander could actually hear Jules smirk over the comms.

“Permission granted,” Jules said. “Try not to scratch the paint, okay.”

“Yes, Dad.”

“We’ll meet at the rendezvous point, October 17, 2017,” John said. “That’s about a month after I first arrived. I was in LA then, so we won’t run into my past self when we pick up my module. If Moya did get transported somewhere close to Earth, hopefully they haven’t starburst by then and we’ll be able to find her.”

“Roger that,” Xander said. “I’ll see you guys then, Harris out.” Xander pulled back on the wheel and stepped on the accelerator. The DeLorean took to the sky and disappeared into the clouds.

*

It was just an ordinary upper-middle class housing development, in the suburbs of Los Angeles. On an ordinary Saturday morning. Kids were playing ball in the streets. Neighbors were out washing their cars, or just talking over the fence. Dawn Summers was sitting in the living room of the house that she still shared with her father, watching television, when she heard the doorbell ring.

“I’ll get it,” she called out, eager for anything to detract her from an otherwise boring day. But when she opened the front door, there was nobody there. She looked left and right, but saw no one. Ready to dismiss it as a bunch of kids playing games, she was about to close the door when she heard the familiar sound of a cat’s meow. Looking down at the welcome mat, she saw a black cat looking up at her. It meowed at her again. “Well hello there,” she said, squatting down to pet the cat. “Where did you come from?” The cat purred and pressed its head against Dawn’s hand as she scratched it behind the ears.

That’s when she noticed something hanging from the cat’s collar. It was a folded piece of paper, with the words ‘Remember me?’ written on it. Curiously, she pulled the paper out from the collar, uncovering a small ID tag hanging from it. She looked at it, and her mouth fell open in shock at what she read. It said, Miss Kitty F, and below that was the address for the Magic Box. “Oh my god,” she breathed. “Miss Kitty Fantastico.” She had nearly forgotten all about the cat. She looked around frantically again, for the man she knew was the only person who could have left the cat. But there was no one around. She unfolded the piece of paper in her hand and began to read it.

Dear Dawn,

I’m writing you this letter to let you know that I’m leaving Sunnydale for good. I’ve been offered a chance to do some good again, someplace very far away. In all likelihood, I will not be returning. In the course of my life, I’ve made a lot of mistakes, and I have a lot of regrets. But none compare to the mistakes I made with you. At a time in your life when you needed somebody the most, I wasn’t there for you. And in the years since, we had both given up on each other. Words cannot express how sorry I am that I abandoned you the way I did. I don’t know if you still hate me, or if you have simply forgotten about me. I wouldn’t blame you for either. I wish I could see the incredible woman that you have no doubt become. They would all be so proud of you, I hope you know that. I’m proud of you. Your strength has always been a constant inspiration to me. You picked up the pieces and put yourself back together, in a way that I have never been able to. I’m sorry for bringing up so many emotions, so many bad memories from years past. I’m sure you probably wish I had never written you this way, but I needed to say goodbye. And I needed to tell you how sorry I am for how I failed you. How proud I am of you, and that I love you. I hope you can forgive me. Goodbye Dawn.

Sincerely,

Xander Harris

P.S. Please take care of Miss Kitty Fantastico, you can give her a better home than I can now. She likes Fancy Feast, the seafood blend. And she likes to be scratched behind the ears. But you probably already knew that.

Dawn watched as her tears struck the page, blurring the words she had just read. Her hand clenched around the paper as she pulled it to her chest. She slowly sank to the ground, sitting on the front step, leaning against the side of the doorway. She sobbed quietly while the cat rubbed up against her leg. “We wasted so much time,” she whispered to herself. “And now it’s too late.”

Hearing a noise above her, she looked up and saw what she at first thought was a low flying plane. But as she looked closer, it looked almost car shaped. It climbed into the air higher and higher, before it disappeared into nothing, leaving behind only two streaks of flame across the sky.

“Goodbye, Xander.”

*

It hadn’t taken long for Jules to help John fit a new Mr. Fusion to his module. Soon John and Xander were saying goodbye to their time traveling friend, and setting out for the void of space.

“Once we break through the atmosphere, start scanning for Moya,” John said over the comms, knowing that the sensors aboard the DeLorean were much more sophisticated then those aboard his module.

“Roger that,” Xander answered. “I’m coming out of the exosphere now. Beginning scan.”

Minutes passed, but to John they felt like centuries. “Anything yet?”

Xander kept his eyes on the sensor console on the dash. “No, I’m…wait, I’m picking up a mass. It’s a few hundred kilometers away.” Xander punched a few commands into the console. “I can’t get any clear reading as to what it is, though. Jules told me that these sensors wouldn’t be able to identify bio-mechinoid technology, it could be Moya. I guess there’s only one way to find out.”

“Lay on, McDuff.”

“Setting a course, one quarter impulse. Try to keep up,” Xander said with a smirk.

John watched as the DeLorean moved off and quickly maneuvered his module to follow. “Right behind you, hot shot.”

Xander smiled. “Pop quiz, hot shot.”

“Please, don’t insult me. Speed. How about, ‘Around the survivors a perimeter make.’”

“Star Wars, Episode 2, Attack of the Clones. Not a bad Yoda impression by the way.”

“Thank you, thank you,” John said around a smile.

“We should be coming up on your sensor range soon. Are you picking up anything?”

“Scanning now,” John said. After a few seconds he smiled. “Oh yeah, that’s a leviathan all right. I’ll try to raise them on the comms. Pilot? Pilot, do you read me?”

“We should be in visual range in a few seconds,” Xander said.

“Pilot, it’s John, do you copy?”

Xander kept his eyes peeled, looking for the leviathan that his sensors told him was dead ahead. He finally spotted it in the distance, and watched as it grew bigger and bigger. “Wow,” he said, getting his first close look at the living ship. “She’s beautiful.”

John smiled. “She sure is. Let me take the lead, coming up on your port.”

“Roger that,” Xander said, decreasing his speed and turning starboard slightly. He watched as John’s module passed above him on his left.

“Pilot, do you copy?”

A burst of static came over the comms, followed by a voice that was very familiar to John. “We read you, Commander.”

John’s smile broke even wider. “Pilot, you have no idea how good it is to hear your voice again.”

“And yours as well, Commander. We’ve been searching for you for nearly forty solar days. At one point, we thought we had located you, but then it was as if you disappeared.”

“I know, it’s kind of a long story. One that I’ll explain as best as I can once we get aboard.”

“We? I assume that you’re referring to the craft that is following close behind you.”

“You got it. He’s an old friend of mine from Earth who’s decided to join us. I hope Moya doesn’t mind one more passenger.”

“Not at all, Commander.”

“Well then, prepare a shot of translator microbes and deploy the docking web, Pilot. We’re coming home.”




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