The Special is Comets and InLaws

by tohonomike

Book 3 of the Rise of X Series Sequel to Can I Have a Side Order of Demons and Politicains With That.

The Special is Comets and In-Laws

Book Three: Rise of X Series

Author: tohonomike

Email: by: Theo (Junior Editor/Muse Wrangler...Many Thanks)

Disclaimer: All characters belong to their rightful owners...it will start off with the Joss/ME characters, and any other characters or real-life folks are clearly not mine. NO money is involved.

Summary: The destiny of Xander Harris starts going off in a new direction, at the end of his junior year.

Episode I

Sunnydale, California. June 5th, 1999, 4:05 PM PST, 7:05 PM EST

Major Davis eventually picked up the letter that had fallen to the ground, the two Jaffa remaining near him as the shock of Xander's departure and the weight of the last day of school overwhelmed the Scooby Gang.

As Paul Davis' eyes widened, Teal'c noted the concern. "MajorDavis, what is the reason for your concern?"

"Uh, Captain Harris has been ordered by Colonel Maybourne to turn over his command, and proceed with the Federal agents here. That's all it says."

"Do you believe that AlexanderHarris is now in the hands of the NID, MajorDavis?"

"I honestly don't know, Teal'c, but I'll tell you one thing; we need to talk to General Hammond and find out what the hell this is all about..."

Cape Canaveral, Florida. June 5th, 1999, 6:45 PM PST, 9:45 PM EST

"Harris has been an important asset of the DIA for six months, now, General," a just-reporting Colonel Harry Maybourne asserted. "And if you check his file, you'll see he has the skills to back up Stamper's assertions."

"So how do the two files mix, Colonel? Stamper's shows Harris as being working for him all that time."

Maybourne smiled that smile of his that Jack O'Neill had always HATED. "He's been doing both, sir, working very hard and barely keeping his cover; his family believes he joined the National Guard for college money, and that with the current comet situation he's been called to deal with disturbances in LA."

The general frowned. "Has he?"

"Yes, but he's not a Guardsman. Check his psych profile and you'll find he's extremely stable, unlike how I suspect many of Stamper's other workers will show up as."

The three-star still wasn't happy. "He's only 18 years old, how the hell does he rate a captaincy at that age?"

"Brevetted captain, he's still only a full lieutenant. And if he goes on this mission, he'll be brevetted to Lt. Colonel for the duration of the mission as backup to your mission commanders. And before you ask, not even the President knows, yet, why he rates so highly. The full files have only been requested by the White House half an hour ago."

The Air Force general sighed. "Looks like I'll be making a phone call."

A few hours later, 11:50 PM EST

"How is he, Doc?" Maybourne asked, as Lex was finishing up a full examination given the activities just prior to transport, "Because we'll need him up and running at full steam very soon."

"Had to use radiologicals to flush out some weird crap in his system, I'm gonna have to send a memo to Dr. Walsh's medical people about what the hell they're giving those soldiers. But basically, he'll be fine with rests and fluids," the NID physician reported, getting a nod of agreement from his NASA counterpart as the young officer in question finished zipping up a flight suit over his boxers and T-shirt. "Just bring him by in the morning, so we can follow-up on the psych and the endurance portions of the physical."

"Captain Harris, let's go; doctors, he'll see you in the morning."

They walked out of the building, under a light, and the colonel set up a small video camera. Indicating that Xander sit so that he'd be the focus of the device, both men sat down.

"Alexander Harris, you seem to have prevented something very bad from happening. I have to fly out to California and check on our people as soon as we're done, so try to remember as much as you can. Tell me everything about Graduation Day."

Cape Canaveral, Florida. June 6th, 1999, 8:00 AM EST

Bear and the others were rousted out of their assigned lodgings, and escorted to the cafeteria for breakfast. They greeted each other happily, reassured that they weren't the only ones in whatever mess this was, though why NASA wanted them…

"I guess the only worker bee not here is Lex," Rockhound noted, "Wonder how his graduation went? I sent him a card."

"It went so well he was transferred to the infirmary as soon as he got here," Harry noted, as he came through the door with Gracie and a bunch of NASA guys and some US Air Force brass. "But he's on his way, and should be here any moment."

Almost on cue, after about 30 seconds the young man in question walked into the room wearing a regulation flight suit, but without any of his rank insignia or nametags. "Sorry I'm late, Harry, but the docs wanted to go over everything again and get the rest of the physical out of the way while they had me."

Stamper nodded. "That's alright, Lex, please have a seat. I take it you're okay?"

"Yeah."

And so, Harry Stamper began to tell his people how they would be trying to get a bunch of astronauts and their equipment ready, to try to save the world.

June 8th, 1999

After ripping up the proposed units and rebuilding them so they could be used for successful drilling, and after beginning to train the space boys, with a lot of friction - everything basically came to a sudden, screeching halt.

"If we rely on them, we're all gonna die, Harry," Rockhound complained. "I say we give it up, and spend your money on booze and broads - be so out of it, that we don't even notice when the rocks hit!"

The others sighed, and, despite Lex's best efforts to bridge the gap between the groups and simplify the process of training, also realized the impossibility of the current plan and left the room.

Only the NASA guys, Harris and a pacing Harry Stamper remained in the room, Maybourne coming in and standing in the shadow of the door. He waited as Stamper moved in front of the frustrated astronauts and staff, and watched the oilman speak.

"Hate to admit it but he's right, we can't train you in time, you just haven't picked up the… empathy for this. Haven't trained as a crew to carry this out."

"And you have?" Colonel Sharp of the Shuttle Freedom retorted.

"Yeah, for getting the mission done, but sure as hell not for getting there…" Harry presented his case subtly, the NASA types not quite picking up on the difference, but Xander did.

"I'm in, Harry," Lex remarked, looking up to see Maybourne. "If you can get these folks to give us a ride. I just need to take care of something first."

"Colonel Maybourne?" Xander asked, as he and his superior officer sat in the cafeteria away from others.

"Harris. I've heard good things about you here," Maybourne nodded, most of his smug smarminess ascribable by SGC officers gone - after the last few months of the HST war.

"Thank you, sir."

The senior officer got straight to the point. "Do you really believe you and your co-workers need to go on this mission?"

Xander nodded at once. "Yes, sir, these NASA guys won't be ready for at least a few more months. And even that's iffy."

"That's what I saw in the efficiency reports, so I'll get top-level support if a stumbling block arises. Now, I've gone over your Sunnydale de-briefing, and I thought you should know we think you did a damned fine job. A few REMFs raised questions about possibly taking both the police chief and Mayor into custody, but since you were without authority and without access to such authority or a proper containment medium, the point is moot. You are not expected to violate Federal law in such a manner."

Xander barely hid a smirk. "Thank you, sir."

"Just the facts, Lex," the colonel sighed, looking at the folder in front of him. "I know it's little consolation, but only 12 civilians died and another 30 injured to some degree or another, but only two will require the extra help we're arranging in exchange for their continued silence."

"Anything else, sir?"

Maybourne nodded. "Have the SGC folks contacted you about a possible position?"

"No sir, I believe I reported that my status was 'on hold' until after graduation."

Harry frowned. "Hmm."

"Sir?"

Maybourne looked like he'd now come to a major decision. "If after all of this you decide to stay in, instead of continuing to work directly for the Initiative, we'd like to encourage you to accept a position with Hammond's people."

Xander's eyes narrowed. "Any particular reason, sir?"

"Two reasons, Lex; one, it would provide the Initiative with a contact within the SGC that can keep an eye out for HSTs, and threats on the level of your Mayor. We'd be available ASAP to send in from a team to a company, depending on your assessment and our capability at the moment."

Harris nodded. "That makes sense, sir, but would the SGC learn anything of my Initiative activity?"

Maybourne gestured, "Here's a scenario: you'd give Hammond your Initiative cell phone, and have him call my cell number at the Initiative. Problem is they don't like me too much at the SGC; I place the country and its advancement over their touchy-feely approach. Still, and I'm ordering you never to tell them this, they were right all along in 90 of the last 92 times the NID would have preferred to handle something differently."

Xander asked, "Really? Is the NID that far off in its assessments?"

"Not at all. But by some luck or higher power, we can both look at the next eleven moves of the game, and on the twelfth somehow they're proven right and we're still trying to run the analysis of why they were right. Myself, I think Jack and SG-1 just come across as so damn sincere - that it's gotta be the people connection. Though most of the NID won't be worried about Hammond's people, for much longer."

"If I may ask, why is that sir?"

Maybourne leaned back. "That brings us to our second reason. We knew the military was going to become directly involved, but would need a lot of covert types used to the shadiness of operating on American soil as well as abroad. Without getting into details never needing to be revealed, a lot of the backers of a rival approach to the SGC were in DC when the rocks hit."

A pause. "So now, the NID is being completely restructured, with most of it being pulled back everywhere to form the command and intelligence cadres around which the Initiative will become the SWC, Shadow War Command."

Xander tried to keep a straight face. "Mind if I asked who came up with that name, sir?"

"Stow it, captain. All you need to know is based on the last six months, we're going to have a lot of growing pains, and require greater mobility and flexibility that your Stamper Oil cover might accommodate. So even though I'll finally be getting my star soon and becoming the C.O. of the Southwest Command out of Nevada, my agreement with you might become...tenuous... under a different field commander."

Xander slowly nodded. "I see. Well, I appreciate the heads-up, sir, so I guess I'll either sign up with the SGC - or be heading back into civilian life."

"Good, I've been talking to the other surviving team leaders, letting them know the score - you were the last whom I needed to brief. For your action in Sunnydale, and in hopes of your staying on with the SGC, you are in spite of your age being brevetted to the rank of lieutenant colonel, with the recommendation of the full rank of captain should the SGC recruit you."

Xander was as shocked as the day he'd learned that vampires and demons were real. "I-I don't know what to say, sir, thank you. I just did my duty—"

"You've done a helluva lot more than that, Lex," Harry Maybourne said. "You're forgetting that most of our combat headgear contains cameras, audio and video…"

"Y—"

The soon-to-be brigadier general waved a hand impatiently. "Don't worry. I personally blurred out most of the faces on the Sunnydale stuff, and redacted names. As for Oxnard, it's all there - except calling your old man for that cure."

"Uh, sir—"

"I don't regret anything I've done, if that's what you're worried about. And while the President and Joint Chiefs got the one undoctored tape set, no one else is entitled to use that information against of my people. Son, I know how good you are, and looked into similar cases, one in South America. You used the infection to do your job, get your people to safety, eliminate the enemies of the United States, and maintain security. Hell of a thing. Besides, Teal'c doesn't like me, so if I ever need to get away from him fast I'm calling in the favor."

The two men shared a brief laugh before Maybourne continued, "And I bet you're wondering why I'm giving you all this information I could easily keep to myself?"

"Actually, yes I am, sir, though if we're gonna be honest I don't mind one bit."

"I'm putting you in a spot like you did Major Davis, Lex," the colonel told him seriously and directly. "If I ever need one person to liaise between the SGC and its mission, the new SWC, and the various independents out there that have been dealing with stuff, I want them just a cell phone away. And that's it. Conscripting your family and friends would lose that, and I always have either a bolt hole or a backup plan."

"And I'm both," Harris commented.

"Mainly the backup, I hope never to need a bolt hole, since everything I'm working on is fully sanctioned. But then, in this business you can never be completely sure."

Xander nodded. "Fair enough, sir."

Maybourne looked at his watch. "Anything else, Lex?"

"Yes sir, if Harry is going up with me, can we give his place to Charles Gunn's sister Alonna?"

The colonel frowned. "Hmm, hadn't thought of that, but I'll see what I can do. And that's very decent of you, I've gotta say."

Episode II

Cape Canaveral, Florida. June 9th, 1999, 0650 EST

The mission hangar found the catwalk with most of Harry's people on it, wondering if their reasonable demands would be accepted. AJ, Lex, and Grace stood on the main floor next to Harry.

The NASA and various other personnel, including a large number of technical people from Colorado and Nevada swarming over the shuttles, gave the hangar the unusual feeling of being full, especially since many of them were waiting for Stamper to speak.

"With a few odd but not too outrageous demands, my guys all voted to go do this," Harry told them. "And so without further ado, first…better, stronger coffee in the NASA cafeteria, effective immediately. Double up the grounds, if you have to."

Smiles from even the frustrated astronauts.

"Dual citizenship for Lex's dad, and all of Lex's paperwork gets changed from Harris to Giles."

"Hope that makes up for the lack of a check with your graduation card, little brother," Javotis 'Bear' Kurleenbear joked down from the catwalk heights. "And to think Rockhound just wanted to get you a hooker..."

"Hey!" both Rockhound and Xander exclaimed indignantly.

"Blanket pardon/amnesty/redaction for any and all crimes, especially 56 outstanding parking violations and any towing and impounding taking place because the FBI guys made us go with them. The tickets belong to Max up there, I'm guessing. Fair enough, but that first part now has me worried."

Heads had started shaking.

"Oh, yeah. They want to know who really killed Kennedy."

Snickers. Then Harry read off a list...

"No taxes…they don't want to pay any taxes again…ever."

"There are a couple of women that have been involved for some time with… one of us, citizenship for them."

"Bear stays in the Lincoln Bedroom, with board."

"For the rest of the summer when we get back," the large man asserted.

Harry Stamper ignored that. "Oscar wants to become an astronaut, at least get all the practical training and one mission when we get back. He's pretty smart."

"Chip wants his child support arrears paid up for him. Hey, he's not just thinking about himself, now."

"Noonan wants to trade his broken down truck and camper for new ones. If this is a problem, please talk to the Winnebago people and see if they'll give him one for a promo."

The head shakes were getting much faster now, and greater in number.

"Gracie gets to stay in the apartment in Cinderella's castle, with room service, for a week, if all this works out." Harry looked up embarrassed at his guys, "She's been our little princess all this time, so it's what she deserves."

Some smiles erupted as she leaned into AJ, and Harry semi-struggled to get control of himself. Stamper then read out a note one of his people had given him, "Harry to get one of those dual recliners with the built-in side and middle tables with drink holders, for when one of the guys visits. And a really big screen television so we don't actually have to listen to Harry…hey!"

More head shakes.

"And the most important one, regarding that thing about how they don't want to pay any taxes…ever? That particular point, that's for everybody going up there and not just us."

Even Colonel Sharp nearly broke a smile on that one, as Lt. General Kimsey wondered how the hell he was going to explain this conversation to the President.

"Well, that's what the guys are asking for," Harry Stamper told the confused crowd present.

"Deal," Maybourne called out, waving the cell phone he'd used to call the White House. "The President was listening in, and said to say he agrees to all your demands."

There was an equal level of surprise and delight. Stamper then continued, "Xander and I discussed personalities and how to best to spread the work, so we're proposing the following - though if the astronauts really hate their suggested deployments, they can juggle things around with us..."

Stamper recited from his notes, "First team, in the Shuttle Freedom, will be Colonel Sharp and Major Watts, Gruber and Shelby. The Stamperettes—Lex, for cryin' out loud! The drillers will be myself, Chick, Rockhound and Max."

He went on, "Second team, in the Shuttle Independence, will be Colonel Davis and Captain Tucker, plus Lt. Halsey. The drillers will be Lex, who'll be in charge, AJ, Bear, Oscar and Freddy. Myself I think this balances the team in terms of experience, stability, luck and talent."

Harry paused. "And AJ, if you follow his orders, save the world and make it back to Earth intact? I might let you start dating my daughter in a fully chaperoned setting."

This time there was full-blown laughter, and even a smile from AJ Frost.

"Now, I've learned this morning that there will be three technical people to accompany us. I'll leave the particulars to the NASA folks, but we'll do one on Freedom and two on Independence to balance out the numbers. The techies will be arriving in three or four days. So let's get training, people."

Kakistos' headquarters, Baltimore, Maryland. The same time

"William, Drusilla, I have an important mission for you," the oldest known vampire told the dangerous undead couple. "You will be going to Florida, and ensuring that a rock does not interfere with my plans."

"Oh, the pretty kitten in leather has to go fly to the moon, 'e does," Drusilla knowingly smiled. "And the bald man wants him to listen to the owls, 'e does, or we'll fall down kersplat! Ashes are pretty in the light, but not a sight, a flame-caused blight..." she giggled.

"Alright, mate, but do you 'ave any specific orders as to what I'm supposed to do, when I get there?"

Kakistos waved his hand to the corner where Ethan Rayne sat quietly, awaiting this moment. "I believe you know the mage already, William. I want him to do whatever seems best, to ensure our mutual survival. You just make sure his plans get carried out correctly."

Cape Canaveral, Florida. June 12th, 1999, 11 PM EST

The last couple of days had concentrated mainly on the physical prep, measurements, and introduction to using equipment underwater to get used to weightlessness. Xander read up on all of this, and had finally gotten email access so long as nothing sensitive in particular was revealed.

Thus he'd sent off a message letting the family know he was alright, that he was doing something very important - and that once operational security was lifted, he'd be able to contact them better.

Xander heard a knock on the door, and when he answered he found a couple of boxes with some items in it. A flight suit that had the nametag 'Sharp' on it, a hat that had 'Tanner' written in the inside band, a windbreaker that also read 'Tanner' and the clothes seemed to belong to a Colonel Mikhail Tulchinsky.

Xander wondered why the hell he had everyone else's laundry when the note dropped out, "Just a little boost for each of the next three nights when you go to sleep. To make sure that I live…dear boy. Regards, Ethan Rayne."

"Crap, it never gets simpler does it?" Xander sighed, but considering the one thing he'd learned from his father about Ethan, and from the three times the bastard had been in Sunnydale…Ethan placed his own neck ahead of everything, including his beloved chaos.

So ten minutes later, the former Zeppo bit the proverbial bullet and changed into the full combined set of clothes and turned in.

The next morning, after downing a bunch of painkillers from the migraine he had, training proved extremely easy, though security photos of an intruder near the gate gave Lex the answer how the clothes had gotten to him…Spike had been the delivery boy.

Oh well. Xander still wanted both of them dead, but if this worked, he'd at least make their ends quick.

June 14th, 1999, 0600 EST

Xander woke from his sleep with a start. He'd been dreaming Sturgeon Tanner's life at an accelerated rate, and he'd been alive, and just waking up himself, when he realized that he was Alexander Harris.

The 18-year-old man concentrated for several minutes to recall position readings, headings, times and dates, writing it down with his 'space pen' on the bottom of the currently-empty upper bunk in his room. He could also vaguely recall the section of the communications spectrum not usually used, but was currently monitored by Messiah as a last hope.

Xander hurriedly put on his own clothes and with his footwear in hand ran toward the control center, running into Dan Truman and spilling his coffee just outside. Handing over his notes on Messiah, he waved at the man to go in.

"Don't ask, it won't hurt to try, okay?" Xander told the skeptical coffee-deprived man, "If we have to make a stink about it, we can call Colonel Maybourne."

Fifteen minutes later, a fuzzy picture from Messiah showed Tanner's face, a tired but reassuring smile on his face. "This is Captain Tanner on the Messiah, Control, it sure is good to hear from you! If that fellow behind Dan Truman is named Alexander Harris, tell him we owe him a beer when we get back. Those drills of Stamper's worked fine, but here's the situation…"

He proceeded to tell everybody the situation from their viewpoint, the damage taken to the vessel and Orion 'caddy' plus their casualties. Their estimated return window placed them in the vicinity of Earth-Luna orbit just before the two lesser threats.

When his report was done, Xander piped up even as excited NASA personnel were entering the room having heard the rumors of contact. He wondered aloud if Messiah could push away from the caddy at the last minute, so to speak, and detonate those nuclear engines and remaining ordnance from behind - while the nuclear missile assets struck immediately after.

Because in theory the Messiah creating faults, and the sheer spread of missile detonations possibly having greater results because of it, could reduce the threat potential?

This set the bigger brainiacs all around the room reaching for calculators, computers and even a slide rule or two from old-timers. Not having anything else to contribute, the young officer simply hurried back to get ready for a long day of training in the flight simulators, before going up for the first time later in the afternoon.

Two hours of non-stop increasingly harder sims left the young man in a sweat, endless turns and barrel rolls, landings and take-offs, near misses with other craft and eventually after ten-second sim intros, combat scenarios coming at him.

Four times out of twelve situations Xander had managed to lose the craft but complete the mission and manage to draw out the crash, even surviving once. He'd wondered what was wrong, why after the first three sims he'd been left in, but slightly weaving as he alighted and stepped down...he found a large audience had gathered to watch his performance on the screens.

"I'll try to do better next time, but man, I've really had to go the last five sims," Xander sighed, coming back to find the four shuttle pilots and Lt. General Kimsey waiting for him as they discussed his performance.

"Harris, how the hell did you manage to do so well?" the general asked.

"Well? I crashed a third of the time, sir," he replied in confusion. "Though if I hadn't had to … I might have done better on that last one."

Colonel Sharp, who'd been orienting him, looked almost bug-eyed as he walked over to Captain Harris. "Lex, here's the bottom line. You're as good as Davis, Watts or myself, and if combat were thrown in…"

Xander squirmed a little. "Oh, I don't know, I've always had pretty good situational awareness."

It was a lie, but what the hell. "Wasn't that long ago I was great at 3-D video games and plane simulators…see, a pilot showed me how to do everything but land and take-off for about eight hours flight practice. And I kinda have this freaky tendency to treat games and sims seriously. Heck, even sparring is something I sometimes have to watch out in!"

The young captain shrugged, because as far as he knew he might only be really drawing on Tanner's skills. Though as they shook their heads and discussed trying him out on shuttle sims, he wondered if thanks to Ethan he had all of the skills and abilities for life now. His skinned tingled as he found himself feeling the emotions of the Colosseum as they chanted his name.

They took Xander up early for flight practice that day, a larger than expected group gathering to see how he'd do. Atop of the rumor mill regarding the results of his surprise appearance at the control room this morning, and interest in the young man had become obsessive amongst some.

The former Initiative agent was going up in the co-pilot's position, and would be given the controls after what promised to be a rather intensive run-through his Stamper co-workers weren't allowed to see - as it was way beyond theirs.

An hour later, after screaming and whooping with delight, a Xander Harris very much looking his age, his ear-to-ear grin threatening to split his face in half as his ten-year service carrier pilot looked a little green as they alighted.

"That was probably the most amazing hour of my life, Commander," the adrenaline-boosted young officer enthused, "Thanks! Talk about incredible… though when I'd actually have to do that for real, is beyond me. Oh, yeah!"

When Lex got back to his room, he checked his email and learned that the gang was leaving in just a few hours to start their flight to Colorado Springs.

He was glad to learn that all of the Scoobies had made it, though Cordelia was still recovering from her shoulder wound. No one mentioned what had happened to his ex exactly, though Lex had been allowed to review the report Maybourne had developed on the incident, though none of the conclusions.

Faith passed on endearments, and lighter gossip, which lowered his lingering anxiety. Xander then sent responses to everyone, and while dodging the big questions, did let them know he was in a good situation that would make a difference in this world.

The next six days became an amazing mix of pain and delight for the Stamper crew, the training never stopping 17 hours a day; Xander, Rockhound and Choi lapping it up and asking for more, while the others did well enough with a lot of complaining.

One of the more amusing moments came toward the end, when in a full underwater sim, Harry jumped AJ's ass about staying within parameters. This caused the young man to finally snap back as the long days caught up with him - and his temper had frayed completely.

"It's only a sim, Harry, we're better than it is!"

The older man glared. "We don't have a lot in the way of spares, AJ, just do it the right way. If we have to adjust when we're there, we adjust if we have to. Not because we want to!"

Frost gestured, "Then what's the point!"

"To make sure we get it down so well, we don't have to think about it! That we know everything possible before we get there!"

"But we're better!"

'Toooonk' the sound of Xander tapping AJ's helmet with a wrench to shut him up sounded through the comm, then Xander's voice said, "Shut up, AJ, we know. And Harry, I had his back just now; with the readings where they were, we were good for ten percent more. SO change the parameters of the sims to show greater stresses, and you're both right."

Stamper didn't budge. "Lex, we need to stick with the sims we have for now."

"Okay, Harry…then don't yell, boss, or next time you chase after AJ with a gun, so help me I won't reload for you!"

"What!" AJ and Grace exclaimed at once, the young woman a bit incensed and about to speak when laughter poured from all of the links, especially AJ's. The senior officers noted the deflection of emotion in the room as AJ's response came through, "Lex, you crazy son of a bitch!"

Xander defended himself, "Hey, at least with me reloading it was only rock salt!"

Lt. General Kimsey turned to the psychiatrist, "These guys actually passed the psych requirements?"

"Only Harris and Stamper."

"Fu--."

All but Harry and the NASA types left the room; even Lex was too tired and still exchanging mock blows with AJ, as the mentally-worn team of drillers headed to the cafeteria for an early dinner. To Xander's surprise though, he stepped up next to Major Samantha Carter as she was discussing technical considerations for the shuttles with three men.

"Harris!"

Xander never batted an eye. "Yes, ma'am?"

The blonde demanded, "How-? Why-? What the hell are you doing here?"

Lex deadpanned, "I'm having dinner, ma'am."

"It's Sam, and I mean at Canaveral!"

"That's classified, Sam…"

Carter, who was not a genius for nothing, quickly figured it out though. "Wait…you work for Stamper…are you training for the shuttles?"

He looked around as they left the food line, Carter excusing herself from her colleagues for a moment. Harry Stamper and Sharp both waved to him as they sat down, caused Carter and Harris to shake their heads.

Xander then told her, "Well, Sam, I guess you have your answer."

The female SGC officer was impressed. "Wow, that's amazing!"

Xander asked, "Are the gentlemen with you going to be the special technical guys going along?"

"Um, yeah. They have some stuff that'll give everything a bit of a boost, and add to the shielding of the shuttles. You?"

Harris smirked, eyebrows raised, a lot like Jack O'Neill. "I'm a drilling equipment genius, or so I've been told."

She stared at him, shaking her head. "What exactly did you guys do at your high school graduation?" Carter asked quietly, while making sure they were off to the side from the others.

"Why do you ask?" Xander asked, surprised by the question and suddenly wondering how much she might know.

"Well, when they got back to the SGC, Murray and…Benny were demanding General Hammond implement a rescue mission to free you from the NID, or whoever took their 'Tau'ri brother'. When I checked on Sunnydale, the NID had managed to get an order keeping the FBI off-scene. So what happened to get them so riled up?"

Xander smiled disingenuously, "Oh, you know those crazy J-guys, they're always getting weepy and emotional after a touching ceremony."

Carter wasn't fooled. "What kind of ceremony?"

"Oh, y'know, one that involves saving the world yet again."

Sam laughed nervously, "You're kidding, right?"

Harry walked past, having heard the latter part of the conversation, and laughed, dropping off a rather large envelope. "Knowing Lex? No. Hey, Lex, that folder's probably your name change and backup paperwork. Congrats if it is."

June 20th, 1999, 1730 EST

After his early dinner that night Xander learned that they were being given 18 hours leave, then would be expected back to prepare for launch the next morning.

It turned out that during his week-long training-fest the world had continued to function, though the mobilizations were only slowly cracking down and enforcing curfews, starting in the quieter areas. Then as they became more practiced, gradually creeping toward the red light businesses. By the 25th, curfew outside of certain zones would be 8 PM, and in those zones 11 PM.

Before he left, CNN reported Pyongyang in North Korea had gotten hit. And in the eyes of most of the world, of any city that needed to take a hit, that one probably made numero uno in the top ten list of places to go...

So fast was the end, and the ten-mile-radius shockwave eliminating almost the entire regime, that it really wasn't until the next morning that that backward land unraveled with a whimper.

Xander had also learned from Maybourne that it might be difficult for him to get to his family, so close to mission go-time. So he'd already given Carter a box of tapes and such for them in case he didn't make it back, and had managed to catch the helicopter ride he'd finagled out of Truman, dropping him off with the tech specialists who'd just finished up.

Not taking no for an answer, and Dr. Rodney McKay unpopular enough with the others as it was, security escorted him along to make sure he went. And within half an hour they were at the Magic Kingdom, VIP treatment having been arranged via a call from the White House.

"What are we doing here?" McKay, who was a brilliant yet egotistical caffeine junkie, asked in confusion.

"Seeing if there's a human being underneath that thick skin of yours, or if we'll strand you on the comet soon as we get there. Carter so far votes comet," Alexander Giles smirked, and Carter looked flustered. "Now, we got the VIP treatment, no waits anywhere, guys. Let's go have fun; the place closes tomorrow night, and won't open again unless we save the world. Well, Carter at least gets to go live in a cave or somewhere weird."

"Hey!"

"Cave Carter, yup, like Jack sa—"

The blonde woman demanded, "Stop! Just keep picking on the Rodney, not the Sam."

"I'm Rodney the Eighth I am, not a Simmons or a Sam…"

Felgar leapt in with him, "Or a Sam! I'm the eighth old man called Ro-odney, Rodney the Eighth I am…"

"I'm in Hell, and under orders…" Rodney moaned.

Episode III

Washington, DC. June 20th, 1999, 1930 EST

President Jack Ryan, his immediate staff and the JCS completed several hours' work in which they'd alternated between reading Maybourne's report on the Initiative, watched edited tapes of the battles in LA and Oxnard, and having had the SGC contact them about the NID black-out surrounding one Alexander Lavelle Harris.

It all revealed what little was known about the presence of HSTs, and concentrated mainly on the last eight months. And didn't even begin to touch on the Scooby Gang and its exploits, luckily enough. As destiny still had a lot of curve balls to throw their way.

Ryan and his people learned about minimal resources achieving maximum gain, the fast learning curve, adaptation of small team tactics to meet inhuman enemies, maintenance of the secret battles of southern California raging from February through April before sweeping into Eastern cities after seemingly-routed vampire organized criminal elements.

Casualty levels were high, morale exceedingly high, and the number of HSTs neutralized stunning; nearly twenty HSTs killed for every WIA or KIA suffered by humans. The report did not yet include Graduation Day in Sunnydale information, and if Maybourne had his way, would never do so.

Demons seemed to be real, not just code words the intelligence and criminal communities stumbled across occasionally in communications intercepts. Demons were key players in criminal activity, in the underground economy, and in the large numbers of presumed runaways and missing persons. Demons included the nightmares of mythology and groups of other beings that came from similar dimensions or worlds; the Initiative experts were not clear on the historical backgrounds, and were stilling building their files, cataloguing the several hundred variants alleged.

And with his analytical experience at the CIA, President Ryan had noted carefully that in spite of others leading specific teams and fulfilling certain roles, one Alexander Harris... now Alexander Giles...figured strongly in assessing the bottom line.

His natural talent, his full training, and his assistance in understanding and dealing with both HSTs, FSTs and independents proving crucial in the Initiative's ability to react with minimal resources and manpower. Plus recruit from embattled areas, and hold on in the face of overwhelming odds. And still, for the most amazing part, maintaining cover by attributing it to the unrest over the comet threat. And also seemed to liaise quite well with extant independent forces and access their much greater practical and historical knowledge.

Ryan's staff and generals had commented very favorably on the Harris/Giles youth from what they could see, had noted his opt-out clause, and strongly urged him to entice the young man to stay in the service. They determined that despite his age, the appropriate honors should be bestowed on the young man for services rendered - and perhaps order his brevet be met with actual rank, if he agreed to extend his service.

The President signed off an Executive Order on that, as well as similar increases and honors for the other lead officers in the Initiative, even if their citations had to be redacted due to security. The presence of Major Davis had led to an interesting follow-up as to the potential of Harris and his possible transfer to the SGC, as reason to stay in the service.

Colorado Springs, Colorado. June 22nd, 1999, 4 PM EST

Many close friends and family of SGC and NORAD personnel had been relocated to the area, lodgings filled and in a few instances boarders taken on by SGC staff in consideration of the tremendous likelihood of at least 'minor' impacts world-wide.

Carter's arrival alerted Stargate Command as to the whereabouts of the young Captain Harris, and a communiqué from the President via Major Davis gave priority to the Giles party. Quickly, after hiding obvious giveaways as to what he actually did, they relocated the group to O'Neill's large house, bringing in cots and extra materials to accommodate the large group that morning.

And Jack had finally even had a reason to get out the above-ground pool that he kept in the shed...

Rupert and Daniel had distracted themselves with enthusiastic discussions that most chose not to follow, and the others reassured themselves that they were supposedly part of the 'safe' crowd. Jack and the others were pleasant hosts, and the presence of Major Davis and the two Jaffa actually set the Sunnydale group at ease—people who engaged at your side in a battle to the death against evil tended to be placed in the 'plus' column.

Barbecue time at the "O'Neill Ranch" continued from late morning until the time of the President's revelation of what was being done to save the world, then a Cape Canaveral announcement.

Murray and Benny were there, though like many of the others they were due to leave late the next day on an off-world mission. Major Davis (looking as stressed as Rupert Giles with a disorganized card catalog), Carter, Daniel, and many of the usual barbecue attendees were present - and some had brought their televisions and radios to supplement Jack's.

The President with his advisors had described in not-too-boring detail, some of what was going on. The newly-established lunar space bases, including the Anglo-American Moonbase Alpha and the smaller CIS Moonbase Beta, had completed construction of their missile and sensor platform preparations - and were hurriedly evacuating back to Earth as many as they could.

Five hundred modified ICBMs were in place. And Moonbase Alpha Commander Koenig and Moonbase Beta Commander Gorski were both among the last to rear-guard their installations.

Two large nuclear-based weapons, one American and one Russian, were also available if sufficient damage could be achieved prior to their firing up. Via satellite link, Drs. Paul Bradley and Alexi Dubov explained how they would be used, while Major General Adlon explained how they fit in with other measures.

Then, after that, Dan Truman and Harry Sherwood of NASA explained the Shuttle missions, and gave an overview of what was to come. Camera crews shifted over to the tarmac at Canaveral, and the world watched as the two main crews with whom all their hopes went, walked passed the gathered crowds and headed for their transport.

At Jack's house, everyone remained quiet. The SGC folks had not been able to get hold of anyone that would be able to reach the Sol star system until mid-July, at the earliest. Well, SG-1 and the free Jaffa were undertaking important missions against Goa'uld targets, that held out very tiny hopes of procuring warships that could race beyond safety levels in time to make a difference...

Buffy Summers sat in front of her mother and Giles, and even held her sister Dawn close as they watched the set. Oz and Willow sat in front of Amy and Michael, Jonathan scrunching in next to them on the couch while Cordelia and Faith crossed their arms and stood behind Giles and Joyce.

SG-1 stood together; Janet sat in a chair, Cassie in front of her sitting next to Dawn. And others were interspersed around the room.

They watched Harry, AJ, Rockhound, and suddenly had it dawned on them just who else they were watching - as a smiling Alexander Giles was named and shown by the camera in his orange flight suit, heading for the shuttle launch transport.

"It's Xander!" was the general exclamation of the Scooby Gang, a teary-eyed Cordelia embracing a shocked and almost-sobbing Faith as she smiled and tried to recover. Giles and Joyce instinctively held each other, as the British man watched his son and murmured a few 'my words' and 'good Lords.'

"Don't worry. He'll be fine, Faith," Cordelia told her friend at once. 'He has to be. If Xander gets himself killed, so help me God I'll get Willow to summon his ghost back - so that I can kick his phantom ass!'

Alonna Gunn simply gaped in astonishment as one of the men responsible for giving her brother and their extended family their chance to not only take the fight to the vampires, but to make a life for the little ones in the process. He was now going to help save the whole world.

SG-1 smiled, Teal'c and Bra'tac nodding once as though they'd expected nothing less. Major Davis downed a few shots as he sat in the back shaking his head, and thinking, 'Who the hell is this kid?'

Chase studio apartment, Oxnard, California. The same time

"Damn, and you didn't want her dating him," both Mr. and Mrs. Chase accused and glowered at the other, after seeing Xander on TV.

"Me? I would have accepted him as a son with open arms, if you hadn't constantly bitched at me that Harris wasn't good enough for your little girl!" Cordy's dark-haired father shouted.

"Oh, that's rich! Cordelia TOLD me how serious it was between them, and if you hadn't complained all the time about your image at the country club being ruined - I would have bought her the damn wedding dress, the day our daughter turned 18 years old!" his blonde wife screamed back at him.

The two Chase adults then continued with the insults and diatribes, ignoring what else was on the television, and had he been there - Xander would have no doubt thought, 'Ain't love grand...'

Hyperion Hotel, Los Angeles, California. The same time

"I think I hate him again. I mean, come on; the fate of the planet is in Xander's hands?" Angel asked his seer Doyle, as the half-demon had another beer.

"Still. Can ya think o' anyone else you'd rather have up there than our boy, to take out tha' comet?" Doyle slurred sightly.

The vampire with a soul didn't even have to think about it, even though he brooded majestically as only Angel could. "No."

Undisclosed southern California training facility. The same time

"Damn, Gunn, that Harris is all right."

The former gang leader nodded, to his friend named Rondell. "He's done a slam dunk for us already, dog; so let's see if he can't make the half-court shot..."

Colorado Springs, Colorado. The same time

Faith the vampire Slayer watched the TV with bated breath, as her love and his friends got ready to go save the world.

The former Boston native simply let her mind roam freely, as her thoughts zigged and zagged chaotically through her head. She couldn't help it; it had been too much too soon, for her to do otherwise.

On the one hand, it almost felt like Lex was poaching on her territory; saving the world was supposed to be her gig. Well, hers and B's, the Chosen Two kinda had an arrangement about that.

But on the other hand, what her boyfriend was doing made her feel so damned proud - her heart was almost about fit to burst.

Faith suddenly marveled at how things had changed so much ever since she'd met the owner of her heart, a man only her dead father could match in her memories, during the previous October. She'd been alone for so long. Her first Watcher had been brutally murdered. The last couple of years before had sucked...

Yet none of that mattered, as long as she had Lex Harris - sorry, Giles, by her side.

Faith wasn't exactly religious any more, but suddenly her mind whispered a fragment of a prayer for her man. That they would soon be together again, and that the world would survive...

Episode IV
Low Earth orbit, after the 30 minute trip to the Russian fuel station. June 22nd, 1999

"That was incredible, guys," Oscar Choi declared with elation, as they started decelerating toward the fueling stop to top up on the go-juice while they still could.

Not seeing a reason to move from where he was, Xander remained on the shuttle as a backup person - as the others went aboard, and dealt with the only guy left on this particular resurrection of Mir.

He then opened a box Maybourne had told him to wait on examining, until he was alone. Inside Xander found a four 2 kg blocks of something labeled naquada, timers, an envelope and a zat'nik'tel weapon.

Securing the box, Xander opened the letter. Skipping over the headings and 'yadda, yadda, yadda' parts, the letter read easily enough:

Alexander Giles,

By order of the U.S. Secretary of Defense you are hereby brevetted to the rank of lieutenant colonel and confirmed at the rank of captain, USAF. In the event that both Colonel Davis and Colonel Sharp become indisposed, you are hereby placed in full command of the shuttles, personnel and mission.

Your orders are obvious: the security of Earth, while avoiding the knowledge of advanced alien technology becoming public. Each of these blocks is the equivalent by itself of a ten-megaton nuclear warhead, but if placed with any of the nuclear warheads, serves as a 1000-fold multiplier.

Each of the four nuclear warheads is actually a 50-megaton device. What we have should be sufficient, and for the record the return of these blocks is considered extremely desirable. Otherwise, the SGC will need to start paying for its electricity within three months, instead of being a net fuel supplier.

Good luck, son.

Brigadier General Harold Maybourne

USAF, DIA Project Initiative

"Oh, boy," Xander muttered to himself, rearranging his personal gear to accommodate the zat gun, and spreading the four blocks over his body, carefully strapping them in place. He quickly resumed his role as backup fueler.

Fifteen minutes into the fueling process, and Xander could feel an up-line problem with pressure and quickly changed the coupling setting to vent the pressure past the locks and into space, while increasing the opening to accommodate more fuel.

That way, he'd allow in as much as possible into the tanks, but the occasional brief backflows would vent into space instead of the space station. He shouted this to Tucker and told him to comm the other shuttle to do the same and contact the guys inside while he, Xander, checked over the gauges one more time.

But ten minutes later, in spite of all the efforts to restore viability to the overtaxed Russian system, the barely topped-off shuttles Freedom and Independence scrambled successfully into space. Cosmonaut Lev Andropov aboard the Freedom, before the station became unlivable and a fire eventually swept the Mir Station into the pages of history.

The next ten hours of the mission found Xander enjoying a geek-fest with an easier-going Rodney McKay, Lt. Graham Simmons and Oscar Choi, discussing possible strategies of approaching their task given the extra shielding capabilities and fuel enhancements of the SGC-A52 prototypes.

Further, Xander eventually wriggled out of them that the shields were powered independently by a generator with a block of fuel weighing 4 kg on its own. Then Lex and Oscar traded off basic familiarizations on how to operate or assist the drillers in a pinch, and Simmons and McKay demonstrated the basic tasks for the shield generator.

After a sleep period, Lex freed himself from his restraints and moved into the cockpit when he'd noticed Tucker asleep. "Colonel Davis, mind if I sit and learn a little more while we're out here?"

"Not at all, Captain, please. It'll keep the cosmonaut or that ass McKay from trying to come up here."

"I take they've tried?"

Davis snorted. "Luckily, Tucker was around until half an hour ago; this way it won't become an issue."

Xander gestured, "So, just for the sake of killing time and paying great interest to the instrument readings, mind giving me a reorientation?"

"Not at all, it'll keep me from missing something."

Comet vicinity, Deep Space. June 25th, 1999, 2 AM EST

There were two hours left until the planned set down by humanity's last line of defense; and that was when the debris field was encountered

The Shuttle Independence took point in the initial insertion into the dangerous debris field. They knew they couldn't entirely rely on the 'shields' manned by Simmons and McKay, there was only so much force that could be negated there; but at least the blows would be felt as large pushes, rather than pierce through the vessel and occupants and kill everyone very painfully.

The shields on both ships, in order to maintain fullest coverage, were modulated in such a way that 99 percent of the target was protected at any given half-second, but that still left a pretty scary possibility of nasty death.

Independence rocked and was buffeted, glancing blows from the ice barely making a difference from the exterior; Freedom having only a slightly easier time as it flew in the 'wake' of Independence.

Now Rodney McKay had expected many things on this trip, but never the fact that as he was checking over the shield console in front of him - that one of his chest straps would slip two inches. And that instead of his finger punching in a powering up sequence, the slight lurch at JUST that perfect moment would result in his fingers slamming painfully into the shield emergency reset switch.

Shields briefly vanishing, Rodney swore as he hit the re-engage button, but two impacts caused immediate damage and sent the vessel into a spin. Javotis Kurleenbear and Oscar Choi both felt themselves wrenched , heads slamming around, the others similarly sloshed in their restraints as Davis and Tucker fought to turn their unexpected impending rendezvous with the comet into a landing they could survive.

A multitude of smaller pieces swept along the shields, Rodney and Graham shouting that they'd concentrate on all but aft as nothing was really coming in from that direction. Xander shouted for everyone to close and seal their helmets as a precaution, comm units open.

The next minute was impossible to truly describe, as the Shuttle systems faltered, sometimes failed, but with the shielding they moved further than they might have; in fact they were able to crash on a long strip of the comet, a peninsular section jutting between two very large crevices.

It took a minute for Xander to collect himself enough to make sure of his own status, and unstrapped himself. Lev was similarly doing the same, Lex cuing him to check the others while he made his way to the cockpit.

Colonel Davis' faceplate and helmet were bent, and many splinter-lines laced the equipment. The shuttle seemed mostly intact, with a few small leaks showing, though the engines had disappeared somewhere along with the wings. Davis still had a pulse, however weak, but Tucker was dead, a hole in the 'windshield' passing through the man's upper left chest and continuing through the other side.

Xander slapped down a couple of cups, pulled out a roll of duct tape and patched the holes. Removing Tucker's helmet, he quickly swapped it with Davis', stopping only long enough to check the facial damage.

Grimacing, the Sunnydalian used his fingers to check, then set as best he could the man's brow, nose and cheekbones, smashed just enough and rendering the officer unconscious if not comatose. Stopping the bloody nose, he then taped the man's face in place and put the helmet on him and checked systems.

Stepping back to the others, Xander saw that Lt. Simmons had two broken legs, from where the late Lt. Halsey's chair had buckled up and slammed into him - as it barely missed causing the others major injuries on its way to the rear of the compartment.

Oscar had taken a glancing blow to the forehead before getting his helmet sealed, and had suffered bruises everywhere, but was still ambulatory, Bear was bumped and bruised, and Rodney was complaining non-stop.

Luckily AJ was moving about and checking the cabin gear, as he'd sadly determined that Freddy Noonan hadn't survived, another small meteoroid fragment getting him through both femoral arteries, blood covering the landing spot of Halsey. Lex dinged Rodney's helmet and ordered him to check systems, then check location while Lev and Bear set Simmons legs' as best they could.

Lex himself determined in the cockpit that the overhang they'd apparently slid under at the 'base' of the 'peninsula' was blocking any hope of non-internal communications, and when he'd made the comment, Oscar corrected him. "Lex-Man, we're not under an overhang, I looked out and we're several hundred feet into a cavern."

"You're kidding me, right?"

"No, Lex, I'm a geologist. We don't have the personality to joke," Oscar deadpanned, causing the young officer suddenly in charge to smile.

Comet cavern. June 25th, 1999 4 AM EST

The readying of equipment had taken place by the drill team, including relocation of the shield generator and certain extras to the drill vehicle. Lex had used this time to drag Oscar out to explore their position.

Two hundred yards back, they were outside and could look to one side down about a thousand feet. Heading back into the cavern, about five hundred yards, they found what seemed to be another opening that looked like a path could be forced to an apparent arch over a narrows in the crevice.

Getting back to the Independence, they led the others to a small cut in the cavern floor that went down maybe a hundred feet in nickel and iron, before ice seemed to show on the spectrometers.

"Oscar says we should try here, we might be able to get this thing done in a third of the time, while the others clear the way to an arch in the direction of Freedom's landing point. The shuttle instrumentation points us only half a dozen kilometers in the direction, a pretty crappy six hours unless we're really lucky one way or the other."

"We still trying to dig here?" AJ asked, looking at Lex. "Why?"

"From what little bounce we got off the other side of the crevice, way out there? It looks like Harry and the rest might hit asteroid instead of mixed slush. So they won't be able to accomplish that, until we arrive. And, AJ? This ain't about us, it's about Grace and Faith, right?"

"Damn right, Lex," AJ Frost hardened in resolve and determination. "Come on guys - Lex, Bear and I will handle this, you guys go and start working on the crap between us and the way home."

Five hours later

"We're through!" AJ shouted into his comm device. "Get ready to send it down!"

Bear smiled, "And in only four hours, that'll get under Harry's skin! Hehehee..."

Rodney came over from where Simmons was seated, Lex intercepting him and put his helmet against the other man's. "Rodney, just how big of a boom are we going to get?"

"You read the specs, didn't you? Only about 50 megatons, why?"

"Do you agree we're kinda more on the 'push it into the moon' side of this rock?"

"Yeah, but we don't have anywhere near the power to…" the scientist said truthfully,

only to have the other man hold up a small cube with duct tape on it marked 'naquada.'

Xander asked carefully, "If we sent this down with it, would that be a good thing for Earth…?"

McKay instantly went into 'brilliant!' mode. "From this angle, damn right! And we might actually get away alive; as where we have it now should be so focused toward the center of this thing, that by the time the blast experiences side-ventage an instant later, we could barely avoid it. Putting the shields solely behind us and trying a figure-eight around the moon, instead of straight back…yeah, okay, let's turn this thing into steamed pebbles."

Comet cavern. June 25th, 1999, 9 AM EST

They set the timer for the original time-frame, McKay calculating it best to just add more force to what they knew. Plus it would still give them three hours of away-time beyond the original projections if they really could get to the Freedom site and find the others there, in Lex's six-hour guesstimate.

Strapping everyone inside was a feat of miracles, in that only AJ, the more experienced operator, had any room for maneuver. They walked along at first, but scrunching up was necessary to avoid real problems.

The arch proved not to be an insurmountable obstacle, but when they started down the declination slope, traction was lost and they found themselves racing down the gradient.

Bear whooped and both Lev and Oscar hollered, as Xander shouted out a suggestion of more speed just to keep control and traction. AJ proved an excellent driver, but when they hit the protruding spur, it served as a ramp at their 60 mph…and they went space-borne…for five minutes.

The slope of the launch was 'level' to the general topography, spin was a little sidewise and they had the 'good fortune' of twice glancing off worn spires, turning their path from off-comet back toward an imminent close and personal experience with a spire 'forest'.

Rodney screamed, Simmons looked green, Bear frowned then realizing they might just make it, whooped some more as Xander yelled out to activate the shield. Simmons hit the switch and as they shield-glanced off the ridge, they rolled like a ball, spinning uncontrollably, hanging on for dear life.

Rodney and Oscar both lost the remaining contents of their stomachs into their closed helmets, a truly unhappy experience for both concerned. And they landed tilted 45 degrees to the left and thirty degrees high, in the front. Then AJ ordered the shield dropped.

The ten foot drop was jarring, and everyone checked themselves afterward, AJ noticing Xander's smile. "What is it, Lex?"

"Got a cigarette?" the younger guy smirked.

"I'm going to ignore that remark, because it's bad enough that Oscar and Science Guy both upchucked into theirs; I don't need to think about your damage!"

"Ooooh, fair enough, I guess, but that little theme park ride might have gained us a good hour or so on time."

AJ looked at him in disbelief. "You're kidding, right?"

Xander shook his head. "Yeah, 'bout most things, but I'm serious about this. The top of the ridge, here, should place us almost in visual range of orienting the rest of the way there."

Comet surface. June 25th, 1999, 2 PM EST

Rockhound was climbing around and eying the gun, when he noticed a light in the distance. "Whoa, pretty light. Up and down, up and down."

"What's that, Rockhound?" Harry asked. "You see something?"

"Oh, just the pretty light, Harry, wanna see?"

Colonel Sharp turned to Stamper, touching helmets. "Space dementia, go help move the nice man away from the machine gun, Harry."

Moving up and encouraging Rockhound to watch the pretty light, and making sure the gun was out of the man's hands and deactivated, Harry was quite surprised to see a light bob up and down in the near distance, then disappear behind some rocks.

"Colonel Sharp, it looks like the other crew's coming for dinner."

Sharp stared at Harry. "Are you serious, Stamper?"

"There it is again, Colonel, it looks like we'll have passengers this trip. Rockhound, go up a little higher and blink your helmet light at them slowly, over and over so the pretty light comes to visit."

The man nodded. "Okay, Harry, you can count on me."

Ninety minutes later

The Freedom had really concentrated on prepping the Shuttle for possible launch with more people, while feverishly inching their bore foot by foot into the mostly metal surface, reaching four hundred feet.

The few communiqués to Earth had passed on the apparent survival of at least one intrepid member of Independence, but everyone was surprised at Xander's words as he came over the last obstacle.

"Hey guys, we're parked in a red zone! Could you help us unload the other three nukes, and those of us that made it?"

Comet Surface. June 25th, 1999 4:45 PM EST

The communications were out again as the drillers stopped and reloaded all of the Freedom's equipment plus the other Independence nuke, as quickly as possible, though Rockhound had tried for the gun again.

He fired just the beginnings of a burst, winging Sharp, but luckily Harry forced the officer into the shuttle airlock and closed the outer door, and as Rockhound sang and laughed, and missed most everybody, except Gruder, who was crushed by the lighting tower.

Hoping no one was looking, Xander leapt high into the air, turned off his helmet camera, fired the zat then turned the camera back on as he then fired the .45 he'd taken from Colonel Davis. The rounds visible on the camera would show a few ricochets, one which actually glanced off the side of the driller's helmet as he drooped.

As Harry and the others returned from outside, and tied up Rockhound, Xander stripped the air from Gruder; then brought his body sealed in its suit, aboard.

"What do you think, Rodney?" Xander asked the scientist. "Are we too close to make a difference running the other one down here?"

McKay shook his head. "You might as well not bother, we're so close that if we're off by a second, we might double the bang, but who knows if it would cause something stupid to occur! It took us half an hour before to make sure the other one would work, remember?"

"Works for me. And remember, if Messiah can't do its job, we might have to figure something else out. Get Simmons on it too, he's solid, I want you to try seeing if having both generators functioning is a possibility, or if we can turn one of them into a super bomb if we wrap it up in with the 1-3 nukes we still have."

The observer watched and made its calculations; if from the Freedom transmissions proved correct, then it should be able to shrug off any ill-effects from the impact of ice and rock.

Episode V

Comet vicinity, deep space. June 26th, 1999

Four hours later, after learning that the Messiah was dumping its nukes and Orion caddy which would intercept the rear of the big piece in 29 hours - the best of the best used the momentum and last of their propellant, to maintain a heading toward the other side of the moon.

It had been a tense but happy four hours, at the end of which it turned out Sharp had actually taken a hit and now passed out from exhaustion and slight blood loss and possible concussion.

After they'd patched up the officer and strapped him in next to the straight-jacketed Rockhound, Xander made his way to the front with a determined look, grabbing and dragging McKay after him.

Watts was discussing return options with NASA, when Lex Giles sat down in Sharp's seat and handed Maybourne's letter over to his co-pilot.

"What's the meaning of this?" she asked directly. "And why would you bring this up NOW?"

"Because the Earth is not necessarily safe, Captain Watts," he told her earnestly, leaving the mike on to NASA. "And our duty is to do as much as we can, to ensure the rocks don't wipe out the planet."

"You have a way to take out another rock or two? I don't know that we can survive that..."

Xander shrugged. "Maybe we will, maybe we won't, but if Earth isn't there when we get back - what does it matter? Now, Rodney, you were looking at what little we got from Control when we had to dig the bullet out of Sharp's skull. I need you to calculate that without stopping and using the figure eight, if Freedom can make it around Earth and back behind Messiah's 'dead stick' and maybe have enough fuel to reach Earth orbit and dock if someone's around."

McKay cogitated. "If we don't stop, and if we can minimize debris, then maybe your idea will work. But as we're still near the moon, it would be much easier to use as much fuel as we need to just orbit Luna on the side away from all the exploding debris, that'll be shot out of the collision points!"

"Then get your ass in gear and calculate it, Rodney," Lex said, turning off the mike. "And I was wondering from all that stuff we talked about on the way up, can we use the shield as a…action-reaction boost? You know, like the blast on takeoff against the earth."

"And here I thought I was irreplaceable. Why the hell aren't you a scientist?" Rodney bemoaned, as he once again went into 'brilliant' mode and went to look for the other tech heads. "The sad fact is, your mind is completely going to waste with the military!"

Lex turned the mike back on, "This is Lt. Colonel Giles, you guys got that Dan? We're gonna try and scoot over, ride it out, and bring Messiah's people home. End of discussion."

Half an hour later, between Rodney's team, Oscar, Rockhound (brilliant but still damn well tied up), Watts and the groundside folks, they'd figured out the best way of carrying out 'Giles' Jump' and maybe have enough fuel to get down to Earth on fumes.

Two hours later, the Moonbase Alpha and Beta nukes were seen being launched to their 'mine' status positions, the last Eagle-class Lunar to GEO craft departing quickly to avoid the disasters about to destroy them.

All this time, Lex continued to go over this part of the mission, letting the Messiah folks know before communications became impossible of the plan and coordinates, and asked them to prep transfer of all extra oxygen tanks.

To keep the techies, including Andropov, occupied, as the others rested or read up on in-space procedures, Xander asked them to go over the vectors of the Eagles. And determine the likelihood, desirability and advantages of linking up with them, tapping their fuels if compatible, bringing their people aboard, but sedating them to ensure minimal air usage.

Then Xander pretty much stared out the window and popped a few more painkillers, the fewest since he'd gotten to NASA. 'Hmmm, I wonder if it's leftover from the demon aspect? Well at least my hatred of pills means I haven't gotten into a drug habit with the things.'

Two and a half hours later, Rodney reported they'd figured out a modulation pattern and could save at least 15 percent on their fuel mileage.

"Not 15 percent on my car insurance?" asked the new teenage mission commander, quoting from a series of American television commercials.

"With your driving record? You crashed one vehicle, and left the other in a tow-away zone," the scientist bantered back surprisingly easily, referring to the Independence and the drilling vehicle that Rodney had nicknamed the Samantha Carter in playful retaliation of the Disney trip quip about him being stranded on the comet.

"Cool, Rodney, that might make the difference in actually making it home," Lex laughed back, Captain Watts smiling that they now had a margin of error to work with. "Do you think you can help Lev and Captain Watts—"

"—Jennifer."

"—Jennifer, move the drillers through practice for linking up? I want your perspective on seals, air losses, whatever. You know the drill, brainiac, do whatever's necessary while she deals with getting the cargo bay and airlocks ready."

"Commander, we have an incoming transmission from Colonel Giles on Freedom," the pilot called Alan Carter told the man. "We have a clear shot, so real-time communication."

"Put him on…" John Koenig said. "And have Gorski listen in on his vessel."

"Commander Koenig?" the young hero questioned, then shook it off. "We've been looking at your trajectory, and were wondering if you need to stop anywhere on the way home?"

Koenig frowned at the young-sounding voice. "We're hoping to reach a station, then see if escaping debris from the collisions and detonations will allow an evac…Colonel."

"Well, my techs here, think we might be able to try a few things, a way to ensure we all make it back. And just maybe toss in another chance to shoot at a rock and make it count, against the smaller piece any way."

"I have Commander Gorski listening in, would you mind a three way?"

"I don't actually swing that way, Commander, it's against American military fraternization policy, but I don't mind if you want a teleconference."

The legendary unflappability of John Koenig was broken by a Ripper-like smile for a moment, before he simply nodded and made the adjustments.

"This is Commander Gorski, Colonel Giles, and since my nation seems to be far more likely to be struck than yours, I am - as you Americans say - 'all ears'."

"Okay, we want you to also rendezvous with us, it looks like about the same time as Messiah. You have four Eagles, are they by any miracle still hybrid designs?"

"You mean nuclear reactors but chemical thrust for takeoffs and maneuvering?" Koenig asked. "Yes. Why?"

"Because we have a few nukes to spare, BIG ones, and thinking is if we topped up our tanks to ensure we all land on Earth, we could send your Eagles like extra missiles into the path of that last piece."

"What good would that do?" Gorski asked, but his tone showed nothing but curiosity. "We already have nuclear assets deployed-"

Koenig nodded. "I agree with Commander Gorski, Colonel, do you have a particular idea?"

"Thing is Messiah's data dump indicated a big fissure, in the side of the smaller piece. You can't really use the ballistics to get behind and around, but if we launched the Eagles, and rigged some kind of remote control…"

"Brilliant!" a scruffy-looking Czech standing behind Gorski exclaimed, getting that patented Rodney look in his eyes. "It could work, Commander Gorski!"

"Dr. Zelenka, please!" the Russian commander chastised, then turned to his screens, "He's brilliant, but…"

Xander laughed, "I understand, Commander, I've got one of 'em myself on board. Shall I have my 'geek' talk to yours?"

"Affirmative, Colonel," the Commander smiled as he now had a chance to strike a direct blow against the rocks instead of just laying mines and scuttling home. "John?"

"I'll have Professor Bergman on line…"

"Sounds good, and have the brainiacs contact Dr. Dubov via NASA, and see if this might improve use of the two big shotguns…"

"Will do, Colonel, and who knows? We might just make it home for your Fourth of July…"

"If so, let's all meet at my place for a barbecue…and I'll see if I can bill it to my expense account."

Relatively 'safe' lunar orbit, outer space. June 28th, 1999, 5 AM EST

Those at opposition from the detonations and collisions counted themselves lucky, being barely in a dead spot to avoid all of the debris churned up, and they had a spectacular view as within the period of a day – they watched two successive shock waves churn and in some instances ignite a large part of the moon.

Messiah had been lucky enough to avoid tumbling, but it looked like their communications array had taken a hit. With eight hours until they'd rendezvous with Force Luna and try this again, the next half-hour would be very nerve-wracking for all involved. As the second wave of nuclear weapons and the American BIG GUN were pounding at the remaining half of the larger piece, the rescue mission left comm range due to dust and light debris.

The Messiah detonations had done an incredible amount of damage, with ¾ of the cometary fragment wiped out and scattered in all directions, a big part striking the moon itself. Some of the rest sprayed all over the place, into deep space and some small pieces eventually burning up in the atmosphere.

The BIG GUN, and 200 missiles were able to reduce the remainder to almost nothing, though it would later be found to increase rainfall by itself about a full percentage point throughout Eurasia and Alaska.

Freedom crept up on Messiah, Watts with Lex in support as the guys in the back prepared to take on their fellow rock busters. Minutes, then long seconds, and then from in the back, Lev called out: "Colonel, the damn thing needs your access code!" the cosmonaut swore. "It changed from Sharp's, when you punched yourself into the command software earlier!"

Lex sighed heavily, "Need me up there, Jenn?"

"I have it, Colonel, just get our people aboard…sir."

Within three minutes, Lex had the airlock coded, sealed, checked and he could see someone on the other side waving through the window on their lock. He went over, and soon the two vessels were secured and the passage open. An older man, visage clearly recognizable from history texts and the media of the last several months, greeted him as he stood in Messiah.

"Well, you're a sight for sore eyes, Colonel! We're ready when your people are," Captain Tanner greeted Xander with a handshake and a pat on the back.

"In that case, let's get all of your casualties over to my ship on the double, then we'll worry about stowage and any extra suits and tanks you have."

"Sounds like a plan," the older man said. "Especially as I think we're starting to spin a little."

Xander turned back as Lev and the others came aboard, "Okay, the people first, then stuff. Let's move it, folks!"

In a surprisingly few ten minutes, Messiah had been relieved of crew, data cores, some personal effects, and survival materials. Lex declared Harry reactivated for the duration, rank of lieutenant, and placed in charge of the rear area and personnel, then announced that this was his command regardless of rank.

Captain Tanner was directed forward, and named second officer regardless of any seniority issues, and placed in rotation. Then Xander said, "Jenn, I need you to bring Captain Tanner—"

"—Fish."

"—Fish, up to basics as our rotating co-pilot so we keep fresh for the rendezvous with Force Luna. Fish, this is Captain Jennifer Watts, our only real pilot right now." The two shook hands, Xander's air of comfortable familiarity bringing it out of both officers.

"Anyway, Fish, your people look wiped out, any of them pilots or space guys like you?"

"Andrea, Captain Baker, dinged her head and knocked herself out moving stuff, so give her an hour and then I'll bring her up."

Xander nodded. "She's the one helping with the medic work?"

"Yeah, that's her."

The younger man frowned. "Okay, for now let her finish that, but go let her know I'd like her to come up here and orient herself soon as she can…the more of us comfortable in these chairs, the better it'll be when we try to land this thing in a few days."

"Think we'll make it?" the older man asked quietly.

Xander gestured, "Yeah, granted we'll be rendezvousing with the lunar base guys in a few hours, and it'll get very cramped. But we calculated sufficient air and such, if we keep no more than eight of us awake at any one time."

Fish raised an eyebrow at that, but let it go. "Gotcha, anything else?"

"Yeah, in about two hours take a nap; right now, you're probably our best vacc suit guy for when we link up and try to top off this bird's fuel. We sealed and dropped the drill vehicle while linked with you guys; that's why we picked up that slight spin; also, we dumped everything we could justify. We just kept the filter system off it and the other one, so those'll help us scrub the air a bit."

Tanner nodded. "You seem to be running a tight ship, mister."

Xander ignored the praise. "I have motivated people, Captain. I'm just the guy who yells a lot at 'em."

"Understood. I'll tell Andy what's up, and I'll get moving."

Colorado Springs, approximately the same time

"Why don't they just come home?" Buffy asked Giles, "Didn't they do their job? I thought the other ship was on its way home-"

"Yes Buffy, they did their job, as did the other crew," Giles explained. "But the other crew probably won't make it…"

"And Xander never did leave anyone behind, that he could ever possibly save…"

Relatively 'safe' lunar orbit, June 28th, 1999

The job of linking up with the last two 'Eagles' had been very well prepared. The four ships had already docked with each other previously, and transferred the calculated fuel needs of Freedom and turned one of their vessels into a big fuel tank while others contained the last Moonbase Alpha and Beta personnel.

The brains trust assured everyone of their calculations, though how to keep everyone unconscious beyond the initial two days had not been considered. Air would be the important factor.

The ambulatory Freedom staff carefully continued to create a series of nets to function as crash netting for the eventual landing on Earth, and had managed to create bench seating of a sort around the perimeter of the cargo bay and crew cabin. The cushions from the Eagles would just have to help with the rest, God willing.

Several meteor showers periodically interrupted communications with Earth and the stations, but the last they'd heard Endeavor and the Ranger-1 prototype Explorer were docking to off-load the BIG GUN personnel from the American and Russian stations. Captain Easton on Endeavor had reported successful departure, while Lt. Colonel Rogers on Explorer had just completed docking with the Russian station.

McKay, Zelenka and Bergman interfaced with Drs. Stanley and Dubov, coordinating data changes for the 'sucker punch.' The Russian BIG GUN had fired earlier than originally intended, the calculations of those up close taking advantage of the situation to make a better judgment call.

The weapon tore through four billion tons of particulate debris, and pierced the last real threat of human extinction. What remained to those up in space, was the elimination of this last piece, whose wobbliness made it difficult to tell whether Central Asia, China or India would take the brunt of things.

Possibly two to three billion dead within the year, if it managed to hit. And a world civilization that could very well teeter, and then collapse into oblivion.

Communications were out in the vicinity of the stations, as they passed slowly around the curvature of the Earth. Freedom and Force Luna were on their own for a while, and just had to make the best of it.

The hours went by, and still there was no contact with Earth or the other space assets, showers of small debris lighting up the planetary surface and causing no little difficulty.

Captain Alan Carter knew his business, and prepared well. Everyone who might have expected a tricky situation to lead to disaster was surprised, when everything proceeded well. It took an hour of careful pilot skill, solid timing and careful technical calculations, but soon all were aboard and the Eagles were on their most important mission.

"Commander Gorski, Commander Koenig, welcome aboard," Lex greeted the men. "Excuse the mess, please, we're remodeling."

The two officers chuckled, as they saw the drillers make use of their trade skills to adapt new gear, seats and cargo in ways to make the situation livable for a few more days. They followed the young-looking commander to the forward area, and after Xander tapped Tanner on the shoulder to relieve him at co-pilot, the three entrants joined Watts at her post and introductions were made all-around.

When it was only the four of them though, Gorski had to ask the son of Rupert Giles, "Colonel, please forgive my curiosity…but you seem very young for your rank in your armed services?"

"Yeah, I turn 19 in November, Commander, feel free to send me a card," Lex quipped but looked serious. "But if you ever spent time in the less savory establishments and alleys of your own country, then my telling you I've been fighting the ugly-faced yellow eyes of death for three years without a break should let you know my youthful innocence was burned away a long time ago."

"Yellow eyes…" the Russian repeated quietly. "They say it has a way of focusing a man at what's at stake, da? Your age will not be an issue with my people then, Colonel, though one that has that specialty is seldom found out here."

"And someone who knows the code words, Commander?" Lex smiled back. "About as rare."

"What in blazes are the two of you talking about?" Koenig asked, confused. "And you're only 18?"

Gorski placed his hands on Xander's right shoulder and John Koenig's left, "Ivan Ivanovich, John my tovarisch, those are code words and phrases of…shadow operatives. Age will not be an issue, here, and his competence so far speaks for itself."

"But—"

"And he gives us a last chance to save our world."

John Koenig nodded, "Alright, fine. And until you mentioned it, I'd had no reservations. And you'd be surprised at what I know."

"Good to hear, Commander," Fish Tanner nodded, having yet to leave the cabin. "Though I do have a question. Are you related to Major General Adlon? You sure look a lot like each other."

"Twins, but my mother and I stayed in London, why?"

"No reason at all, Commander, I was just a little confused a day or so back when I saw your face in an American military uniform."

"And besides," Lex quipped, "If Commander Gorski enters the cabin later shouting 'you Yankee bastard,' it narrows it down a bit as to who he's talking about!"

Any lingering tension was instantly only in the direction involving the icy rock.

Episode VI

Geosynchronous orbit, Earth. July 1st, 1999, 2 AM EST

The Eagles, one with the explosive payload and the others as interference, barely made it to their target, debris damaging one ship and sending it vaguely into a lunar orbit while destroying another guard ship entirely.

The explosion eliminated the comet, most of it splattering out into space, and a few chunks actually were accelerated past Freedom to glance off the atmosphere and leaving large amounts of water in the upper stratosphere. They guessed it would be raining over Eurasia for a while…

Freedom didn't expect to find Endeavor and Explorer paired up, and leaving a holed and burning station. Given the two full days it had taken to dodge some of the bigger debris showers and remain mostly out of communication other than static-filled glimpses for a second or two at a time, there wasn't any noticeable damage; until they got up close to see a couple of astronauts on the underside trying to fix some tiles.

Without the station interference, Lex called the Brain Troika (Rodney, Radek and Victor) up as he opened the comm line to the other vessels, "This is Colonel Giles on the Freedom to either Endeavor or Explorer, please respond."

"Good to see you, Freedom, this is Colonel Rogers on Ra—Explorer, it's good to know you're still around."

Xander replied, "It's always good to feel welcome, Captain, but we expected to find you were home hiding under a mountain by now!"

"Well, we're a bit stubborn. I keep telling everyone, 'tiles, shmiles' but do they listen?" Rogers bantered back. "But seriously, we're double-checking after some debris bounced off both of us. How are you holding out?"

The male teen grimaced. "Damn lucky so far, the few minor scrapes we had Force Luna helped us catch, cover and care less about, now. Anything we can do for you?"

"Don't know yet…"

"Endeavor, here, Colonel, Captain Easton speaking."

"Go ahead, Captain Easton," Lex Giles directed. "Need help?"

"Yeah, we do, it looks like our tile situation might be a bit touchy, and both of us are full up with the last folks."

Xander keyed off the mike, "Rodney, what would happen if we went in front of Explorer, which goes in front of Endeavor?"

McKay cogitated, "If you guys can avoid doing a road pile up, between the simple creation of a wake, and possibly extending the you-know-what further out, I'd give us…oh, about an 85 percent chance of success."

Xander smirked, "And on our own…"

"Yes. Funny you should ask that…95 percent."

"What's the difference?"

McKay had a look of innocence. "A lot of debris, however small, then any storms that might get us. Plus, should I mention the fact that our lives, or at least my own, happen to be extremely valuable?"

Lex keyed the mike, "Okay guys, you two manage to get Stanley and Dubov off the stations?"

"Affirmative."

"Yes."

"Okay then, it looks like we're gonna run a little interference right up the middle for Explorer, then expect Endeavor to score the touchdown right behind us. Got that, or do I have my geeks talk to yours?"

"Not a problem, Colonel," Lt. Colonel "Buck" Rogers replied. "I ended up marrying one, you know. A nice girl from Chicago, so geeks are cool."

Captain Easton joined in the jocularity, "I guess I better get Dr. Stanley on the horn, 'cause this guy married the prom queen."

Colorado Springs, July 1st, 1999, Same Time (11PM MST)

The last two days had been like a vigil; intermittent static seemed to indicate someone was still up there trying to get back, but in what shape none could discern. The world itself reeled from the visual impact of the Moon briefly burning as the kinetic energy of the shockwaves gave it a reddish hue. Dust and particles hitting the atmosphere seemed alternately like pixie dust or fireworks, but the fact they were seeing this at a distance meant that for the most part all was well.

The Scooby family became an even closer unit, and the returning SG-1 team could see the strain had if possible made them stronger, united in hopes that one of their own would not only be successful as they watched helplessly, but might return to them soon.

"Y-you look a little the worse for wear, Colonel O'Neill," Giles observed as he joined the man near the barbecue, the late night gathering providing comfort as they'd learned just a few hours before that the final threat had been eliminated.

"Oh, just dealing with a few folks who really thought they're better than everybody else trying to get into the Mountain without an invite," the career soldier described the recent trouble with Hathor that had required Bra'tac and Hammond himself to fly to the rescue. The mission had yielded some interesting intelligence and a few references to Goa'uld who might still be running around Earth, but no means of averting the comets as had been the original hope. "Call me Jack, please, I've already invited you to stay here these last two weeks."

"Jack, then, and I didn't think many people would be that interested in Deep Space Telemetry," Giles smiled as a mild joke, "I guess even the American education system must turn out a few astronomy enthusiasts."

"Yeah, we have Carter because of it, and Danny so she can talk to yours," Jack smiled back.

"Two peoples separated by a single language," Giles smiled at the reference, then sighed, "I hope for a little while all of this keeps everyone just a bit closer."

"Amen to that."

"Hey, Faith-Girl," Alonna greeted with a smile, "I just got word on my bro, he's back in LA on normal deployment."

"Oh yeah? That's great, so any plans once they give us the green light outta here?"

"Just back home, then next year back to high school for both us."

"School? Isn't he soldier guy now?"

"Yeah, but it's Reserves, so we'll both be getting' our diplomas and he and a couple of our buds are gonna try settin' up ROTC to help with the gang problems, ya know?"

"I hear ya, and that's just so cool. Do ya know where he'll spend his Reserve time, yet?"

"If they don't just put him on curfew duty, I think they're sending up to a base or someplace near you guys for special training."

Gang problems. Special Training. Sunnydale.

"Then when he comes up, 'lonna, you should too. We don't have much in the way of clubs, but we could all hang out without the big rocks and all."

"That'd be cool, and maybe Cordelia could help me buy some clothes now that Charles will have a little money comin' in."

"Did I hear someone mention shopping?" Cordelia smiled as she came around the corner with Dawn, who'd learned a lot in the last two weeks about how to take what she had clothes-wise and make it work so much better, "Because we're like, so ready to hit a few stores when this is over."

"Invoke her name and she shall appear!" her apprentice Dawn proclaimed, adding a clearly-licensed version of the trademarked Cordelia Chase mega-watt smile.

Maybe things were looking up, and not just at the celestial debris.

Cape Canaveral, Florida. July 1st, 1999, 6 PM EST

It was a tense 16 hours, dodging debris, determining landing windows and only sketchily managing contact with the planet below since they'd been stuck over the Comoros, but Rogers had managed a quick one-minute message to Control as they began their final approaches.

Minutes seemed like hours, as people began to wake up from the buffeting the craft were taking. On Endeavor, astronauts Bill Frager and Michael McKendrick were manning their piloting stations when Easton smacked his face into a seat while clearing a breathing tube inside his helmet.

Toward the end, the rear shuttles began breaking first, then Freedom, as Rodney's generators and the shields went out completely.

The shuttle buckled; Captain Watts, assisted by Captain Baker, were filling the chairs as they began final approach. Dan Truman could be heard from Control, "Safe landing, Freedom."

The shuttle started to buckle a bit more as they approached, the folks in back rocking unpleasantly back and forth. But then they hit a swarm of birds, the organic splatter all over the place delaying action for a precious second, causing a veer toward an out-of-use field near the end of the island. Baker swore as she made adjustments, Watts sticking over to match shouted course changes.

Smack! The shuttle landed, and bouncing up they could feel the landing equipment bend as Baker, as co-pilot, was bounced against the wall as the shuttle came down again.

Kerswack, and Grrrrooooo-pooom! As they struck again, the rear tires went out as they'd just started to bounce. Watts was wrenched forward then back, and then everything went black.

Cape Canaveral, Florida. July 1st, 1999

Many Florida families had decided to either ignore evacuation orders meant to protect them from waves churned up by smaller hits in the ocean, or they just didn't care anymore. Two hours before, NASA and the President had made the announcement that the Earth was safe. Now the world waited to see if those responsible would make it home safely.

A sudden roar, splash and fin sticking up out of the water came as a shock to the beach population in the middle of celebrations, only five feet at the top of the now-destroyed and flooding Freedom sticking out of the surf, a news helicopter angling in within minutes.

The top of the vessel exploded open, and a helmeted head poked out; then hands removed it as people hurried over to within 50 feet.

"Hey! Anybody call for delivery!" called a now-familiar face from a really dreadful driver's license photo shouted, then became serious. "Whose trucks are those over there!

"Please get in as close as possible! I need help, people. I have injured heroes on board, and the ship is filling up with water! MOVE!"

"You! You! And all of you! Catch the netting, and the lines I throw down."

"As soon as those trucks get to the beach, carefully move these folks to the back and get 'em to the nearest hospital!"

Stamper and Kurleenbear poked their heads up, and started helping with the rescue operations. Ten minutes later, and around 40 beachgoers were ferrying people to the hospital, others bringing their vehicles in as soon as they realized what was needed.

"I need a cell phone!" Xander called out as he reached the beach, Harry and Fish refusing to let him do anything but coordinate. He headed over to where a large family was having a barbecue; they handed him their cell phone, while Lex discarded his shredded space suit to reveal a slightly frayed and singed orange jumpsuit. He then dialed 9-1-1, the emergency services number.

But they hung up on him twice, in disbelief. Almost swearing, but not in front of the little four-year-old that looked a lot like Buffy, Xander dialed the NASA number in the book and got an operator. He identified himself, but was instantly rebuffed as a fraud.

The Sunnydalian shouted out, "Listen, do you have a television with local channels on? Turn one on, for cryin' out loud…I'm the guy waving at the camera trying to save my crew!"

He was put on hold, and got mad at that. "Listen to me, lady. I am Colonel Alexander Lavelle Giles, and I need volunteers…" He then turned around. "All you guys with surfboards, form a ring around the craft and keep people away, will you? Anyone here a policeman, or something?"

There was a hesitant hand raised. "Retired's fine, and glad to hear you still have your weapon, officer. Go get it! You're in charge of security, and keeping everybody out of the Freedom. Call any 911 buddies you have and tell them to dispatch help here, and clear the roads to the hospital, got it? Great."

Finally, a NASA bureaucrat got on the phone and started asking questions.

"I already told the operator where we are, we crashed into the ocean! You idiot! Forget it, just call the hospital, we'll fricking well do it ourselves! Oh, and I have the special equipment with me. Pass that on to Dan Truman, will you?"

He started dialing Gracie's number, getting through immediately. "Grace! It's Lex!"

"I don't know, just put Dan on!"

"Dan! This is Lex! Yeah! Some jackass wouldn't put me through!"

"I'm on a cell phone, just glad it still works off the same tower…"

"I'm at a beach…Titusville, maybe? Hold on, I'll get directions." Xander turned to the folks around him and passed on the directions, "I don't know, there's a news camera here. Why don't you tell your guys to turn on a television set!"

"Whatever, we're stuck in the water and the beachgoers are taking our people to the nearest hospital."

"How should I know? I don't live in Florida!"

"Hey guys, where's the nearest hospital?" a surfer carrying Andrea Baker asked him; and then kept going, at Xander's expression.

Stamper came up. "Looks like we got everybody," Harry told him, Lex relaying it. "Only ten of us are still around."

"Who?" Lex demanded.

"You, me, Bear, AJ, Koenig, Tanner, McKay, Zelenka, Chick and Rockhound."

Xander relayed the information, as things finally started to happen on the other side of the call. "I have a cop here, and a bunch of surfers as my security, but Tanner and Zelenka are looking wobbly."

"How long? Crap," he sighed, then looked up and started waving in the news helicopter, one of the bigger ones that normally held a whole news crew. "Never mind, tell 'em we're commandeering the news 'copter and not to shoot. We'll get there, when you get here. Screw security, Dan, we're not losing any more of our people because of red tape!" Then they untied Rockhound, now that they were on land.

Xander shouted to clear the beach then ran over to the news 'copter, tossing everybody out except the female reporter and pilot up front. Getting Tanner and Zelenka aboard, he proceeded to get the others inside or holding on to the rails for a three-minute trip. A police car pulled up, and FINALLY they could see military choppers starting to show up in the distance.

The only spot to land was in the middle of the parting crowd, the spectacle of the men holding onto the exterior, Lex included, a riveting sight. As they touched down, they all began to bail out as a gurney and MPs moved in.

"Now, guys," Rockhound said carefully, "We don't really have to mention the dementia thing, right? I've been good since we picked up Tanner's people..."

Quickly, having given what passed as an interview, the drillers and their comrades found themselves with just a touch of room until loved ones finally broke through.

Gracie raced and embraced her father, then 'became one with the AJ'. Harry sighed at the thought that Frost was probably gonna marry his little girl soon, and then cringed at the concept of him banging her night after night after the nuptials ceremony; but unfortunately, there was no shotgun with rock salt currently available…

Chick's little boy raced out with the shuttle toy 'the salesman' had given him, and his ex-wife cried and joined the embrace.

Bear escorted Rockhound toward the building until Molly Mountains decided to try mating with his charge right there, but didn't mind when his own stripper gal, Black Hills Gold, emulated Molly.

The others headed for Control, checkups and debriefings, meeting the other shuttle counterparts in person and exchanging heartfelt greetings. Xander hadn't expected any of his family to be outside of Cheyenne Mountain or Colorado Springs, but the crowd parted because of two black-clad Jaffa he didn't recognize were clearing a path for Faith and Rupert.

Lex and Faith locked eyes and stopped dead in their footsteps, then smiled and raced toward each other, luckily not enough to get a Slayer head of steam behind her as she embraced her boyfriend, then all limbs, then let her legs slide down as they just held each other tight with eyes closed, rocking for nearly a minute before Xander opened his eyes to see his smiling father.

"I-I'm so proud of you, son," the man without his glasses stammered, a smile of elation on his face as the Englishman moved in and hugged both young people. A minute later they parted just enough to turn, Faith on Xander's left as they faced Teal'c and Major Samantha Carter.

"I'm glad to see all of you, but you look like you've been through as much as I have," Xander smiled and shook hands. "Mind if we take this party inside? I could really use a shower and a set of clothes."

"AlexanderGiles, you do indeed," Teal'c said solemnly.

An hour later…

A group of Lavelles that had attended Graduation, paid a visit to a certain loan shark, and explained to whom he'd lent the hundred grand. The man hurriedly wrote a note to pass on to Rockhound, assuring him his debt was considered paid in full.

An hour after that…

Twenty commandos and ten Lavelles entered a warehouse, firing with precision and determination. Two oddly dressed figures standing next to a tortured man in black, suddenly decided to run for their sewer escape. There were 30 vampires dusted, but only six men sustained minor injuries.

The male escapee took fire pellet hits to his head and left arm, screaming as he dove into a nasty cesspool below as the other seemed to glide down the hole, face eerily sane as she floated down the whole, deflecting shots with a hand before a lucky one merely singed her and a male minion died next to her.

A woman in a white coat later entered the building's front, as the Lavelles disappeared out the rear. "Well, Riley, what do we have here?"

"Chaos mage by the name of Ethan Rayne, still alive and human from preliminary once-over," Finn reported solemnly.

Walsh had a way creepy smile. "Excellent, let's get him tended to - and sent back with me to Sunnydale."

Washington, DC. July 4th, 1999, 7 AM EST

"Come on, Lex, let's go look at some stuff," his girlfriend urged him, as they disembarked the military jet at Ronald Reagan International Airport in DC. "This'll be wicked cool!"

"Okay, sweetheart, I'm coming," the young hero smiled and laughed at her enthusiasm as Giles smiled tolerantly at his two charges. "But I think we'll have to wait on the tourist stuff for a while, since I'm supposed to head to the Pentagon for further debriefing while you guys are shown to our hotel. Maybe we can do a late lunch or early dinner if I get out on good behavior?"

"Yeah, sure, Lex, we'll see how it goes," Faith smiled and exchanged a look with Giles. 'He's really clueless as to what's going to happen, isn't he?'

The Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. A short while later

It turned out Xander's debriefers were the President of the United States, the Joint Chiefs, Major Davis and Brigadier General Maybourne. Alexander Giles instantly found himself totally adrift as he sat down at the end of the ovoid table next to Maybourne, who patted him on the shoulder in a gesture of support.

The President cleared his throat to begin the meeting, then looked down the table, understanding the 'bug under a microscope' feelings the young man felt.

"Alexander Giles, you're not in any trouble," the President joked, gaining similarly understanding chuckles from the brass. "And I should let you know, I'm surprised at what I've had to do to force Harry here to reveal things to his Commander-in-Chief."

There were a few heads shaking, before the President continued.

"Demons, vampires…HSTs…all unbelievable, if not for the evidence and the fact we've been engaged in a shooting war with them for months. And I'm still not sure how we've kept the lid on this!"

"When Major Davis came to us a few weeks ago with the story of your high school graduation, we were all very unhappy to discover that a bunch of teenagers had been out there for at least two years before the Initiative, fighting some very dangerous beings. That said, it turns out several different agencies have also been keeping tabs on things, but only having a piece of the elephant, so to speak."

Jack Ryan paused again, not knowing how to continue, the moment stretching out to a full minute as the men looked at Xander.

"Um, you're welcome, Mr. President?" the still-confused male teenager responded, gesturing he didn't know how to proceed.

Jack Ryan chuckled. "Okay, Alexander, I didn't really know how to begin a conversation like this; so 'thank you' is as good a place to start," the CNC smiled. "All right. Tell us in your own words, this conversation is being recorded, about Graduation Day, and these… Tarakans."

Xander stood up. "A hundred years ago, a man named Richard Wilkins made some kind of pact with some demons, intending to ascend to true demonhood. Mr. President – those demons we fight now aren't the real thing; most are simply from different realities, hell dimensions that exist out there parallel to our own. Gentlemen, this world is older than you know…"

Without giving away the term 'Slayer', using 'Chosen One' instead and saying she only occasionally responded to calls in Sunnydale, Xander gave his stunned audience an overview of what he'd learned. He concentrated on the nature of the enemy, things he'd not even covered with the Initiative because they'd never pushed him too hard on it and they never knew he was a more than capable independent.

Lex paused to confirm that the Stamper demand against prosecution applied, got nervous chuckles and a nod, then explained the Judge and its destruction with a rocket launcher, the precarious line held against the Scourge of Europe until the arrival of the Chosen One and the 'Acathla incident'. No possessions or minutiae of magic were covered, and he finished up with Graduation.

One of the generals spoke up, "Son, what would have happened if this Wilkins fella had succeeded in his ungodly plan?"

"There are two theories; since Olvikan is a damn powerful demon that wouldn't exactly be very comfortable on the Earth as it is now, lacking the sycophants my father says it'd required to feel properly evil and all. The first theory is that sufficiently empowered, it would simply have destroyed all of Sunnydale and shifted to a demon dimension to carve out a kingdom for itself. Or two, it woulda opened a portal and attempted to bring in demons from God knows where, and essentially oversee an invasion of this world."

No one was happy with either proposition, Maybourne speaking up, "The greater Sunnydale area, town and county, have about a hundred thousand people in them, Mr. President. Sirs."

"Then after the fight, then what, Alexander?" the President asked, just to be sure that was all.

"Then I went back to work with Harry Stamper, Mr. President."

Jack Ryan sighed. "Thank you, Alexander, you've given us a lot to mull over. You and General Maybourne may go now."

"You did fine in there, Lex," Harry Maybourne told him, after they were out the door. "Though I'm surprised about some of the background..."

Xander shrugged. "Part of my sign-on involved my being able to keep names and such private, and no one seemed interested in the non-practical side of things anyway."

Harry glanced at his companion. "I understand that, but knowing about the Judge-level of enemy might have been helpful."

"Understood, sir, but now what?"

Maybourne gestured, "I'm thinking we'll head over to the Washington Monument for the mall festivities, now that all of the public building and monument damage except the Capitol itself is taken care of. It wouldn't surprise me if they make you cut a ribbon, or whatever."

Xander looked intrigued. "Is that the ceremony everyone keeps talking about?"

"You mean you honestly have no idea where we're going next?"

"Not really, sir, I've been a bit busy with the doctors poking at me, all of the debriefs, and such."

"Oh, just to let you know, it's a thank you ceremony for you and your fellow astronauts. Just the families and a number of close personal friends."

Washington Monument, DC. A short time later

"Just a number of close personal friends?" Xander hissed angrily.

"Okay, so the number's closer to a couple of hundred thousand," the former NID operative smirked. "Saving their lives makes them close personal friends of yours, though."

A bit of the old Xander snarked through, "Thanks, boss, I never woulda guessed."

Handing a manila envelope over to the younger man, Harry smirked again and nodded at it, "Those are your new orders if you stay in, Lex. And since you're no longer in the chain of command, you can now call me Harry in private."

"Um, thank you, sir, uh, Harry," the young man asked, opening the envelope.

Alexander Giles,

By order of the U.S. Secretary of Defense you are hereby confirmed to the rank of Major as of July 1st, 1999 with posting with the SGC beginning July 15th, 1999. This does not preclude any further extensions or improvements in your situation that could occur by Executive Order.

Good work, son.

Brigadier General Harold Maybourne

USAF, DIA-SWC

Maybourne then said, "You deserved it, son; even if you decide to bow out, this way you can show off the dress uniform I made you change into for the ceremony, and be wearing it when you go out on the town with your girl."

"Cool, thank you, sir…Harry."

A smirk. "Ha-ha, that's fine, ah – we're here."

The Washington mall somehow had one of those rare perfect weather days, as if to offset all of Xander's previous ill-luck on the Hellmouth. Sunny with a light summer

Other limousines pulled up behind and as the occupants all alighted, they found that it was the Stamper Drill Team, the ambulatory members of the Shuttle crews, and a handful of Control staff being reunited in one place.

Looking around as the cars moved away, they found themselves in a partial reproduction of the House chambers of the Capitol building. The gallery above, the member seats below, and instead of the reverse podium, they were lower and also faced toward the mall and the people below. In this manner, the gallery and members as well as the public would watch as the President spoke and presented his case.

Looking up to where Harry pointed, Alexander saw the gathered Scoobies, and some of the families of his Stamper co-workers waving and smiling. After some shaking of hands and ushering to seats, the President was announced and began his speech.

"The people of this nation, and this world, know why we're here today, in this spot. We honor those who have risen far beyond the normal call of duty, those who found it in themselves to risk certain death, and miraculously return to us with surprisingly few losses to their ranks."

He went on, "We shall honor and miss, those that did not make it back. We honor and miss those lost on this world to this celestial trial. It is fitting that 'freedom' is what this day means to this nation, and it is fitting that the name Freedom was given the vessel that led our heroes into space and back, transcending the meaning for one nation and people, into one for the entire world..."

Ryan then gazed at his audience. "It is difficult in most cases to judge the details and determine who deserves what and for what services, so we choose today to err on the side of excess. By Executive Order, and by the bill presented to Congress, the named civilians on the list are granted the terms therein, awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom with the thanks of a grateful nation. To the military members of the effort, piloting personnel will receive the pertinent awards, further – those military personnel on the Messiah, Independence and Freedom are granted the Medal of Valor, as well as the terms and conditions listed therein."

The Speaker of the House stood ceremonially as he struck his gavel three times, "There is an item of business…"

"Mr. Speaker, I move the item…"

"Mr. Speaker, I second the motion…"

"Mr. Speaker, I move it be voted by acclamation…"

Mr. Speaker, I second that motion…"

Mr. Speaker, I accept the proviso of acclamation…"

"Members…"

"Aye!"

Five minutes later, as order was restored, and the pubic quieted, the President of the United States continued, "I would ask Alexander Giles and Spurgeon Tanner to come forward."

Two reticent-looking officers, their service covering a 40-year time span, and their age difference about the same, stepped forward in full dress uniform; Major Giles, USAF, and Captain Tanner, USN. Two members of each service stepped forward as honor guard.

Ryan said, "The two of you have lived up to the highest standards of service, but unanimously amongst those that were out there with you when no contact was to be had with Earth, you persevered and made decisions that should have sacrificed yourselves for you crewmates and the world."

The President beamed, "You came out of that well, and honored those who returned, and those who did not. You went beyond duty and provided comfort and succor to your fellow astronauts, you made decisions to sacrifice your commands for one more extra shot at defending the lives on this globe. Each of those times ended up being the last and successful choice, as we all now know."

There was a pause that lasted less than a second. "And in the end, you shielded others in a fiery passage through the atmosphere to crash land in the ocean. You then showed tremendous soundness of mind and purpose, to secure medical treatment and relief to your threatened crewmates yet again. For you in particular, in the best traditions of your services, and this nation, you are not only extended the previous awards, but as part of the previously passed measures, increased in rank…"

He gestured to the others present, "Alexander Giles to Lt. Colonel, United States Air Force, effective immediately. And Spurgeon Tanner to the rank of Rear Admiral, United States Navy."

Ryan paused again only briefly, as he noted the rank insignia changes and affixations of listed honors to the two heroes. "And finally, as passed by the Congress of the United States, both of you are awarded our nation's highest award for bravery, for valor, the Congressional Medal of Honor. Thank you."

He who had been Xander Harris of Sunnydale, and often derided and had been called 'one of the girls' in the old days, looked and saw his extended family crying with joy in the gallery as he tried to process what had happened. The Congress and the public stood, and gave the gathered honorees a full ovation.

Tanner whispered to Xander, who at a gesture from the President moved toward the microphone. The young man didn't quite know what to say, "Um, Mr. President, I guess this wouldn't be a good time to ask for a raise?"

Polite laughter.

"Anyhow, I don't actually feel that I deserve this, but I'm willing to accept it on behalf of those who didn't make it back home; friends, and those who could have been. We did what needed to be done, and I'm glad that you've chosen to recognize everyone's efforts. I'm not usually so serious, but looking back I see how much we all together accomplished..."

He went on, "I know that usually in situations like this, the tendency is for everyone to heave a sigh of relief and forget. But who knows if this is just the beginning of a comet shower, instead of a meteor shower? On behalf of those of us who didn't make it, please hurry to get out there, bigger than ever before, to make sure we're not surprised like this ever again. And on a personal note, I was just kidding about the raise, Admiral Tanner told me what my pay's gonna be…"

"My father, Rupert Giles, once said that when he was a young man he'd wanted to be either a grocer or an RAF fighter pilot. Admiral Tanner pointed out a moment ago how apt for my own situation this must be: because as either profession could tell you depending on the day, both are a war of maneuver, and both you return home from them glad to have survived."

Polite laughter.

"Well dad, my shift at the store must have been a doozey, because Fish here told me we've brought home the bacon this time."

Some cheering and laughter broke out for a minute, no doubt by lobbyists for the grocery store owners.

Xander tapped his new rank insignia with his Medal, "And Faith, since I guess I'm gonna make enough to support us now, I want...okay, I won't get down on one knee to ask since you probably couldn't see me anyway from up there…woo, never thought I'd be brave enough to do this…"

Faith, standing up in the gallery, shouted, "Heck, yeah, I'll marry you!"

Xander had a look of relief on his face, as his family and friends looked stunned, and turned to Fish Tanner and the President, "Oh thank God, I was starting to freeze up…blasting those comets were easier than this!"

And the crowd went wild, as Congress gave a standing ovation; Faith made her way down to the floor, and embraced her fiancée, whispering to him, "We better wait until I turn eighteen in a few months or Giles will kill you."

All except for one member of the audience, right at the back, who while extremely happy for the young couple, shuddered. The Watcher wondered what this would mean for Faith's Cruciamentum; and the Council's response back home, as it watched the live coverage of this event.

Episode VII

Washington, DC. July 4th, 1999

The gathered Scooby Gang accompanied the new couple and Tanner (with his sons) all over the mall, where ten allied countries and the Congressional delegations organized by the State Department, had gathered their citizens in clumps as the heroes were marched around and shown off at the many Independence Day celebrations.

After the first hour, everyone but Cordelia and Faith had used Joyce's advanced condition as reason to return to their hotel accommodations before a large VIP dance at the White House early that evening. And Cordelia, while thrilled with it all, had only stayed because Faith wouldn't be left alone.

"Faith, come on, this is your moment in the spotlight," her best friend told her, "You and Xander!"

"No way, C; I want you here, I don't know when to just smile or just say hi or whatever. So thing is, coach, you ain't going nowhere. And besides, you're not only going to be the maid of honor…you're, you're my sister, Cordelia."

"Oh my God…" Cordy teared up as the two friends hugged, Ms. Chase wondering how she'd come out of the personal disasters of the last several months – to have ended up like this.

Happy, yet wishing she had something so excruciatingly close and wonderful as what Faith had.

It wasn't that she hoped Xander – no, it was Lex Giles now, damn it – and his betrothed would break up or anything, because she knew her former boyfriend had moved on and chosen the Slayer. Had fallen head-over-heels in love with the Boston girl, and had asked her to marry him – as in till death do 'em part. Besides – she was genuinely happy for Faith, who was a genuine gal pal.

But however greatly suppressed it was within her mind, however much she tried to deny it was true, deep down - Cordelia still wished she had the Xander Harris who had danced with her at the Bronze one last time the previous year, before they'd broken up and she'd lost him for good.

All the dates she'd gone on, during the senior year of high school? None of those boys could even compare to her first.

There was only one man that Cordelia Chase wanted…and yet, would seemingly never have.

The White House. Later that night

The White House celebratory ball was an amazing event, and Xander and Faith had both been offered separate bedrooms by the First Lady as a more personal show of gratitude, something about no reporters allowed on the second floor.

The night went well, the reception line wasn't as painful as he'd expected; especially since Xander had made Faith stand next to him, radiantly nervous, and they made it through the niceties.

Now, the young man had been possessed more than once too often in his life, Harry Stamper and the Roman general Maximus being prime examples. However one of the few things for which Lex found himself grateful to Ethan over, was the fact that Fish Tanner's memories included a wide array of dancing skills and abilities, and he'd been surprised to find Faith knew many of the waltzes and other styles expected at such an event.

The Scooby Gang enjoyed themselves, especially as it was revealed that Giles and Joyce also intended to tie the knot soon, suddenly making most of the group a convoluted family in fact as well as feeling. Xander started calling Buffy little sis, to her amused annoyance, and Dawn saw it as the happiest way to set aside her old crush as Faith had treated her "five by five" the whole time, not as just Buffy's "butt pain".

Out on the dance floor, a couple hours into the event, the couple managed another dance together – when Lex found himself suddenly dancing with a thin, athletic woman in her mid- to late 40's. And Faith herself started dancing with a very muscular man in a well-tailored white dinner jacket, and a big smile.

"Daddy!" Xander's fiancée exclaimed aloud, drawing the new colonel's surprised attention. He noticed her being led away toward the doors to the outside...

"Yes, pumpkin," the large man assured her as he slowly guided her toward quieter surroundings. "Now, where have you been? We've been so worried…"

"So you're Dana's beau?" Helen asked nonchalantly, as Xander headed after the other two.

"Who's Dana, and who are you?" Lex asked as they gained on the other pair, who were just reaching the doors. "And who's that guy with her?"

"I'm just her mother…" she smiled uncertainly, very much noticing the tension in the young man as Dana and Harry dropped out of sight.

Faith couldn't believe it. "Dad, they told me you were dead…"

"They didn't have time to brief you on the secret mission, Dana," Harry told his daughter as they stopped dancing and look at one another, unsure of things, her eyes tearing up. "Then you disappeared. We looked everywhere…"

Faith was openly crying, and was about to hug her father, who reached for her – when she looked up and saw Lt. Colonel Alexander Giles moving like a juggernaut, saw the cold and unforgiving look in his eyes and was astonished as he shouted, "Hey!"

Harry Tasker turned with a slight start, realizing that Helen and the boy would be right behind – but the hammer-blow to his jaw caught him unprepared, dropping him like a rock.

Faith looked on in a moment of unmoving disbelief, as Xander then turned back toward a reacting Helen. Seeing her instinctive response moves, the male teen kicked out and down at her knee and shin, the unexpected takedown of Omega's best agent shocking Mrs. Tasker enough that she could only dodge, rolling to the side.

Xander's follow-up, a full-circle kick, swept her legs out from under her. More impressive from the view of all present though was when Lex seemed to drop himself as he rolled over Harry, the young demon fighter elbowed the groin hard with his left, and drew out the man's gun in his right, grabbing Faith's wrist with his now-available left to pull her belly across his back.

Standing, the momentum looked like a jitterbug move from the Age of Swing, as Faith flipped and landed on her feet with Xander shielding her from both parents/agents. Gibb's whimper and drop to the ground from the butt slamming into his temple ending the immediate situation.

Spence Trilby and the man with him had never seen the like of the last ten seconds except in the movies. Secret Service agents raced out and around as Spence Trilby stopped breathing with the gun barrel against his lips, his best team and Gibb down and disarmed, little Dana not so little anymore...

"Fuck, Lex, what the hell was that!" Faith demanded.

"Two tangos claiming to be your parents intercept us, divide us, Goliath makes off with my fiancée, you start to cry—after what you've been through these last few years, you think I'm just letting the lump or the lady put the hurt on you?"

Four agents, weapons drawn but mostly away from Xander, assured the area was secured and approached. One of them said, "Sir, put the gun down please?"

"Do you know who I am?" Lex asked politely.

"Yes, sir, that's why I'm asking," the Secret Service man matched his tone.

"Okay. I'm handing the weapon over, now, agent," Xander told the serious man. "And for the record, I'm thinking of pressing charges of attempted kidnapping and conspiracy against these two, in addition to whatever weapons violations exist for packing heat in the frickin' White House."

An easily identifiable man just behind Spence Trilby and two agents, smiled and moved forward now that the Secret Service was less unhappy, waving the latter men away.

"Well, Spence, the kid does have a point there," President Jack Ryan smirked, but the steel in his eyes showed some of his displeasure.

"Harry was just going to talk to his daughter, Jack," the aging agency head winced, knowing this whole thing been handled poorly by the Taskers and Gibb. "Dana's been missing three years, without a trace…"

"And kidnapping her at the White House was so much better than just walking up and saying 'Hi, we missed you, where have you been?'" Xander spat in disgust, "Or, being the super-spies that I take it you are…they have these things called cell phones!"

"Lex!" Faith gasped half in horror and half in amusement, since he was still clearly trying to protect her. "It's cool, they're my folks! They…don't act like normal people!"

"And we're normal?" Xander demanded.

"Come on, Lex, you know what I mean…"

"Maybe I should just kick him…" Xander glared darkly as Helen and a paramedic were using smelling salts to wake her husband up, "hard."

A throat cleared, and they looked over to Spence Trilby. "So can we get on with this?" he asked.

"You want me to hit you, too?" Xander half-snapped, "You're the only one I haven't yet…"

"Whoa, Space Cowboy, relax. We're all friends here…" the older man backpedaled, then smirked. "Okay, except maybe you and your future father-in-law down there..."

There was a rude sound of fist hitting flesh.

"Hey! You hit me!" Spence yelped, as he staggered back from the force of the blow.

"Get used to it, if you continue with the wisecracks. You are not in my chain of command," Lt. Colonel Lex Giles told him, then noted the President smiling.

"Will you please stop hitting my best spies if I order them to stop pissing you off, and not to get even?" his Commander in Chief ruefully chuckled, easing the tension as Harry's face was placed in a neck brace to help with his now-relocated jaw. Helen sighed and leant against the doorframe and continued to wait for the surreal moment to pass.

"Sorry, sir, uh…Mr. President…and actually, that would be a great idea," Lex told his ultimate boss in the military command structure, causing Faith, on her heels, to stumble over to her mom, laughter bordering on the hysterical.

"I'm marrying a guy crazier than my old man…" the brunette Chosen One snorted, causing a similar reaction from her mother.

"Only if they don't kill each first, firecracker…" Helen snickered, causing Xander to frown.

"Mr. President, definitely make that an order, please." Xander nodded.

Fifteen minutes later, Lex met with his family as they were calling it a night, all of them finding great amusement at the young man's predicament.

"Good luck Xan," Buffy laughed, "While I'm happy Faith found her folks, I can't wait to tell everybody how you decked your future father-in-law before being introduced to him."

"Now Buffy," Joyce admonished, "Don't pick on Xander until we're out of range of his hearing."

A short time later

"You explained the President's order to him, right?" Xander asked his future intended.

"Stop being such a wuss, Lex."

Some things still weren't making sense to Xander, though. "So where did the name LeHane come from?"

"It was the name of a Boston priest that found me some decent care at an orphanage, and told me not to lose my faith, so that's the name I gave him. He was Old Irish, so I started using his last name, and when they moved him to a different diocese without social services, I eventually hit the road; but kept his name."

The young man had to ask, "Why'd you leave?"

"Boston, mid-90s, rumors about priests…figured I wasn't gonna 'lose my faith' and lose my faith because of it if something came up, y'know? Huh, wonder what happened to Father LeHane…" Then Faith went on to explain a few things, mostly the lies about her background; which had seemed necessary at the time. "I swear, I woulda told you everything before we got married…"

But Xander had more important things on his mind, as he realized something important. "Hey, Hon? What should I call you now? Dana or Faith?"

"I think 'Hon' is the term I prefer…" the Slayer said with a smirk.

"How 'bout I call you Dana from now on, and Faith'll be what we call our first daughter?"

"O-o-oh…" she began, tearing up happily and has just enough control not to apply Slayer strength to her sudden hug.

"It's okay, I love you, too…Dana…" Lex said, tasting the name on his lips…and finding that he liked it.

Three days later

Jack and Cathy Ryan had called the reunited family together for an early breakfast before his cabinet meetings, and an early flight by military jet for Xander's expanded family. Rupert and the gang had flown back to California, but were expecting to meet with the Taskers in the near future.

Ripper had some harsh words for a certain spy, after all...

"So, Dana's told us very little about the last three years except that you helped her when she needed it?" Harry Tasker asked with a searching look.

"That's all she told you?" Xander sighed, looking at Dana and rolling his eyes. "I can see this is gonna go REAL smooth. Tell ya what, she'll tell you when she's ready." He looked at Dana, meeting her eyes, "But I'll be there for her, when she does feel ready. All I'll say is it wasn't pretty, but things are better now. You can be there for her now though, fair enough?"

Harry had something on his mind that he wanted to get out into the open. "She's still only 17, until October…"

"Hey, if this is going to get ugly, I can call in a few favors – or maybe just the press – and you'll not only lose, you'll lose forever, Harry," Lex told the man directly, Helen and Dana refusing to jump in and make things worse. "But I said you can be there now, there being Sunnydale until we purchase a home in Colorado Springs, where my next posting is gonna be. So I suggest you plan to use up all your sick leave and vacation hours. You could even sell your house and buy the one next door to ours, I think your daughter would like that."

"Hmm…" Tasker said, his reluctance to follow this teenager's orders obvious.

"I'm the alpha male in this pack, Harry," Lex told Dana's father, laying his cards on the table – and sending the spy a look that screamed 'don't mess with me, if you don't want to end up six feet under'. "But I don't mind the 'old wolf' as a partner in making my future wife happy, alright?"

He held his hand out to shake on it. Tasker stared at him; and after a moment, Harry reached out and reciprocated, "Agreed."

"So when and where's the wedding going to be?" Cathy Ryan asked, pinning down Dana and Helen, who smiled, Dana responding.

"We talked about it. November sounds good," Dana replied, getting a nod from her beau. "We have to see how much the house is going to cost, and if we can even afford more than a chapel in Vegas…"

"How about having it here?" Cathy responded. "It'd be cheaper."

"DC?" Helen and Dana asked at the same time.

"No. Here at the White House," Mrs. Ryan firmly stated, getting a surprised look and then a sheepish nod from Jack, who was only the President after all.

"Well, we really don't know that many people," Dana shook her head, but had the look of fading consideration in her eye, "and we couldn't possibly aff—"

"Nonsense! You can have as many or few guests as you want," Cathy assured the young girl and her mom. "And besides, having it here might get you a bunch of loot out of all those boring diplomats and their self-important wives Jack makes me have dinner, with all the time."

"Hey!" the President of the United States chided with a slightly hurt look, looking to make sure no boring diplomats or their harpy wives were around to take offense. Cathy Ryan just waved him off as Harry and Lex wisely remained quiet and unobtrusive, by agreement of eyes meeting and slight nods.

"Helen, call me when things get settled," the First Lady told her. "And don't worry about time off, I'm planning to make Jack sleep on a downstairs couch if he doesn't give you proper vacation time for this."

Mrs. Tasker asked, "Are you sure? We don't know any of tho—"

"What you should do, Helen, is have Dana register at two levels…one for family and friends, and the other for all those ambassadors and Congressmen who want to be seen showering gifts on Alexander but don't want it to look like they're buying him or anything. This way, they call them wedding gifts and everybody's happy," the President's wife said firmly.

"Wow," Dana responded, Helen nodding happily in agreement. "Um, okay?"

"Good. Just figure out the date and have your mom liaise with me, Dana, I can use the whole wedding event as a way to get out of most of these ridiculous First Lady things that people around here expect me to do."

"We wouldn't want to—"

But Cathy wouldn't hear of any objections. "No bother, trust me, and who knows? We might even manage to get your mortgage paid off and the place furnished, if we handle this right. Besides, since the international hero of the hour is the groom, it's almost a royal wedding! And it'll give you and your mother something to bond over, as you get to know each other again. Oh, we just need to get the guys to--"

They looked around, and suddenly noticed a lack of men in the room.

"Hey! Where'd they go?" Cathy Ryan demanded at once.

"THANK YOU, Mr. President…" Xander whispered, as the secret passage door closed and locked behind them. "That was, that was too close."

"It's Jack, son. Call me Jack, Lex," he replied with a conspiratorial smile. "And I was just, uh, relocating a strategy session. If anyone asks."

"Of course, sir," Lex and Harry chorused in unison.