"Who..?"
Disclaimer: Not mine but thine...O, Joss!
Archived at the Cicelyverse page of the Buffy Rebecca verse, . or direct to story at ...
General audience level...
Summary: Events after the great Sunnydale battle have left Buffy seeking her past and present...With help from an Immortal source.
Part XXV...
A somewhat nervous Dawn glanced at Buffy's set face…Then over to where Andrew sat in the front row of assorted Watchers and Observers. Most, excepting the very few new members, looking rather nervous themselves as they stared at the group on the platform before them. Giles seated next to Dawn and Buffy…Vice Chairman Wyndham-Price next to him on his right…Willow next to him…
New Slayers watched as well from their seats behind the Councilors, filling the auditorium of the temporary facility of the Council to capacity…
A Watcher, female, completing a brief report on the status of the Council globally, at the lecturn front and center of the platform…
Giles rising as she concluded and moving to the lecturn…
"Thank you, Ms. Sinclair…Ladies and gentlemen…Before we discuss the urgent situation in Los Angeles, I wish to introduce to you our new Slayer Councilor General, Mrs. Cicely Anne Walthrop." he turned to Buffy who rose to applause. And eyeing the audience coolly, moved to the lectern…He stepping away, but remaining standing near…
"Mr. Chairman…" she nodded to him. "I hope that the Council understands I use my former name in this address in tribute to my husband William. I am of course also Buffy Anne Summers and while I am not currently in possession of those memories, I am quite proud to be that as well…"
She paused, eyeing the group…
"I'm glad to see so many Slayers among you. I think it's important that we who do the fighting are properly represented here especially now that we are legion. Each of us individuals, with our own needs and lives…I say lives, ladies and gentlemen…" Stern glance… "Because, contrary to the Council's past views, Slayers are not merely demonically powered warriors serving at the beck of the Council but human beings…Women…Who deserve the right to decide their own fates. In the past, when one Slayer protected all Humanity, the case could be made by some…And was, as I know all too well. That her single, little life weighed against the fate of humankind, counted for nothing…"
Cold stare sweeping across the audience…
"That is no longer true. If it ever was…And I am here today to, among other things, ensure that that particular point of view is forever abandoned. Ladies and gentlemen of the Council, I say to you that while I respect your commitment to your work and your various individual skills and abilities, it is we…The Slayers…Who have been entrusted with the power to defend Humanity. And who therefore, must have an equal voice in decisions as to how that power should be used…"
Here, here? Dawn thought, glancing round at the still faces of the Council members…
Though at least the Slayers seemed pleased with the notion of controlling their own destiny. Several banging on the floor, to the clear annoyance of the more sedate Watchers…
"…So, without further ado, I accept the appointment as Slayer Counselor General and I move that those Slayers able and wishing to join the Council here or in their respective locales, shall be immediately entered as candidate members…"
Definitely not hear, hear…Dawn, looking at the hardening faces…
Was that a hiss?
"…To achieve full membership after the completion of training with all the privileges of Watcher status…And I further move…" harder tone…
"That as of this moment, my colleagues, Willow Rosenberg, Alexander Harris, and Andrew Wells, by virtue of their experience and achievements be admitted with full Watcher rank…"
"If I may have the floor…" a tall man, blond and of Scandinavian aspect, rose…
Giles frowned and moved to rise. Buffy eyed the man…
"I have not opened the floor to discussion just yet. Pray let me continue, sir…" brittle tone.
"…Destroying this organization, you mean…" the man returned, sneering tone now. Other Watchers rising…
"Enough…Mrs. Walthrop has not finished…Ladies and gentlemen, take your seats." Giles insisted, now standing at Buffy's side…
"Hey! Quiet!...Let her finish!..." several Slayers called from various points…
"This is not the time for radicalism…" a middle-aged woman stood. "We have guided Slayers and other fighters for thousands of years and…"
Slayers banging feet and stakes on the floor…Comments ranging from "Oh, please!..." to loudly put swear oaths in various languages…
"You aren't our only weapon!" a Counselor's cry…
"Silence!" Giles called. "We will have order here or I will end this meeting now!"
Gradual calming…Watchers and Slayers taking their seats…
Buffy eyeing the Counselor rows…Waiting till all was again quiet… Despite the hostile looks…
"You people…Have no organization without us…" she said coldly. "I accept that many of you have made sacrifices in the cause of Humanity. But we are the source of the Council's power and we will not be second- class mercenaries at your beck and call…"
"Yeah!..." harsh cry…
"Quiet, please ladies…I appreciate your support." she called.
"We're not slaves!" more oaths in various languages…
Violent slam of fist on lectern before Giles could intervene. All looking at Buffy's angry face…And the pieces of shattered lectern…
"I asked for quiet…" she said calmly. Waiting…
"Thank you…I have one further motion. Please, Andrew…" she signaled to Wells who rose from his seat, ignoring several hard stares, and reaching the side door of the hall, opened it…
Slowly, rather timidly, a group of hairless, rather blank-faced humanoids entered. Slayers and Counselors staring. Andrew encouraging them to come in and guiding them to the platform where he led them to seats…
"Please come in…" Buffy kindly waving them to their seats…
"Yes…The Counselor who said we were not the only weapon of the Council was quite right. You have also enlisted these poor souls in your ranks…" her voice grim.
"And so I also insist that they be granted representation on the Council. They are, after all, human souls…"
Disgusted looks from several Counselors…Others clearly uninformed about the cyborgs, staring. Some at least seeming willing to hear her out, Dawn noted.
"Counselors, I think my motions are quite reasonable and long overdue. Now I will have them accepted or I will leave the Council to its own devices." she stepped away as a Counselor and Slayer together brought over a new lectern. Giles moving in quickly before any could rise…
"I second Mrs. Walthrop's motions…And by my authority, pass the motion." he said, quietly. Though hastily…
"Outrageous!" a woman rising, cried.
"I call for debate…" a male Counselor rose…
"Debate! Debate!" several rose…
"The motions are carried…" Giles shook his head. "There will be no debate…"
"I call for the removal of the Chairman…No confidence!" the Scandinavian rose…
Nice to see how the Council appreciates us after all our world-saving… Willow thought.
"Seconded! Resign!..." several rose…
"No!" various Slayers rose…
"You're putting Humanity in the hands of half-human monsters!" a Counselor cried.
"Hey!" Dawn rose… "Who do you people think you are?! You never lifted a finger when Buffy was all alone! You killed my father, her, and me!"
Buffy standing by Giles who looked at her…
"This what you wanted, Cicely?" he whispered…
"If they're cutting their own throats, it'll do…" she whispered back. Steady gaze to his…
"Enough!" he turned to face the crowd.
"You may replace me if you wish. But you cannot replace the Slayers and all of you know that. And rest assured they will follow Mrs. Walthrop, not you…"
"Damned straight!" a Slayer cried…
"What Mrs. Walthrop asks is simple fairness. The Slayers and our cyborgs are risking their lives to fight our battles and they deserve representation on the Council."
"Dominate the Council, you mean…" a voice cried.
"Without them we are a collection of arm-chair experts on the occult with some minor abilities in magics! Don't be foolish!" Giles shouted, shaking his head. "If you want Humanity to have protectors, you must accept them as fellow humans, entitled to a role in their own destinies. Will you push them to fight alone without benefit of our knowledge or even drive them into the arms of Humanity's enemies? Who I promise you will not be such fools as to reject them…"
Some degree of calming…
"If I may…" Buffy spoke up. "Perhaps the Counselors who oppose my measures should rise. So we can see if the Council truly prefers to go it without help…"
Furtive glances across the room…
"Please, Mr. Giles…" she turned to Giles who nodded…
Ten Counselors stood up…The first five, close by each other, vigorously, the next three, scattered round, a bit less so…The last two rather forlornly in isolation…
"I see…" Buffy smiled pleasantly. "You may go…"
The standing looked at her, then Giles…
"Unless you wish to remain and accept the motions…" she continued to smile pleasantly…
Silence…The ten resume their seats…
"As to the matter of a vote of no confidence in Chairman Giles…" Buffy eyed the now quiet rows. "I move we proceed to a vote of the new full Council…"
"I guess we have Sir Richard to thank for that performance…" Willow grinned at Buffy now seated by her as Giles, newly confirmed in office, began a briefing on the situation in LA…
"Father always knew how to handle an unruly House…" Buffy smiled back.