Title: A Fair Exchange.
Author: Charlie
Timeline: Post BtVS S7 & AtS S5. Sequel to "Best Laid Plans."
Summary: Xander begins revamping the slayer school but finds his biggest challeges lie within.
Feedback is always appreciated.
Author Notes: Round and round, the ship goes. Where it lands, the
Author doesn't know. Will it be (A)my, (B)uffy, (C)ordelia, (D)awn, (F)aith, (F)red, (H)armony, (K)ennedy or (W)illow that wins the Xandman?
-Crestview-
"So we're all in agreement that this is the curriculum we'll be teaching?" Alex asked the other who nodded. Seeing that he returned his gaze to the outline on the paper in his hand. The original concept of the school had taken all the facets of a Slayer's life Weight training, reflexes, weapon instruction, etc... and meld them with a few 'normal' courses like English and math. After a lengthy discussion about the purpose of the Slayer as it relates to society (which featured a lot of philosophical talk from Andrew, oddly enough) it was decided to reverse that.
From now on, the academy would be run like an actual private academy. The 'normal' courses like English and Math were expanded and a great deal of focus and emphasis would be placed on them. In some cases, they found themselves having to create new classes like chemistry and modify old ones (Ancient Languages) to fit to be more relevant (Spanish). Changes were also made to the school's day to day activities, starting with the relaxation of the uniform rule and an agreement to update and improve the cafeteria. Other decisions like creating a program that would allow the girls to get part time jobs and begun earning a paycheck were considered but tabled for the moment.
The biggest decision came regarding the 'Slayer' courses. After a heated and detailed debate between Dawn, Kennedy and Wood, a few things were decided. First, every day would start with a 15-minute calisthenics session. Nothing too strenuous just enough to get the girls awake and ready to go for the rest of the day. Three one hour sessions per week were scheduled for more thorough workouts. It was decided that the girls who performed the best in those workouts would be eligible for additional instruction PROVIDED that they match their physical feats in the classroom.
None of the young slayers would be allowed to patrol until they passed a series of psychological exams and tests. Additional exams and tests would be administered every few weeks and after every patrol the girls went on. Alex who had enough nightmares after patrolling with Buffy for a lifetime insisted the last part.
Satisfied that everything was in order, Alex signed the paper along with Wood and the others. Copies of it would be faxed to the Watcher's Council headquarters as well to the headquarters of the Initiative.
"Anything else?" Wood asked.
"Yeah regarding the faculty situation," Alex began, "We need to discuss the future of some faculty members." A phrase that sent warning bells off inside Dawn and Cordelia's head.
"Alex, you mean Willow don't you?" Dawn spoke quietly sensing Kennedy stiffen in reaction.
He looked at her as he answered, "And Winfred".
"Is there a problem with Ms. Burke and Ms. Rosenberg?" Mrs. Hollings inquired.
"Willow... she was a hacker when she was younger, her background as a teacher is limited to filling in when the computer teacher at our high school was killed. She's not really qualified to be a teacher."
"Neither was Cordelia and she's done a pretty good job." Kennedy interjected.
"Kennedy, I know you care about Willow," He began, "But she's got a lot to deal with now. And it's not going to get any easier for her down the road." Alex hoped his tone and the look in his eye would convey the message to her.
"What about Cordelia?"
"I'm quitting."
Everyone looked at her in surprise, "What? I was never a really good teacher. Hello, failed actress trying to teach drama?"
"You're not a failure Cordy, things just didn't break for you and there was a lot of other stuff going on."
His words brought a sweet smile to her face, "Thank you Xander."
"What about Fred?" Amy tried getting the conversation back on topic
"Fred?" Mrs. Hollings had a confused look on her face.
"It's her nickname," Cordelia explained, "and I'm kind of curious myself Alex. She is our only physics teacher and she's very smart."
"She sure doesn't act like it. Look, Fred maybe one of the most intelligent people around but she's got some 'issues' that I don't think the students should be exposed to." Everyone nodded, all but Mrs. Hollings realizing that by 'issues' he meant 'Spike'. "And until she does, I don't want the chance those issues will hurt the students. We'll find a new teacher to teach physics." The others smiled, none more so then Wood.
As the meeting broke up, Wood walked over to Alex with his smile still firmly in place as he clasped the other man on the back.
"What?" Alex was confused.
"Twice in the meeting you referred to them as 'students', I'll make you into a educator yet."
Alex groaned in response.
-Elsewhere-
The man knelt down in front of the doorway. The floor beneath his feet was inscribed with unrecognizable markings and symbols. The room changed, taking on an air of darkness but filled with energy. The man smiled as he watched a dark purplish energy form inside the open door, the energy expanded outward until it formed a sphere less then two feet in diameter. Inside the sphere, a cloaked figure sat upon a throne cloaked in darkness.
"What news you bring me?"
"I bring much news, my lord. This world is different then any other. It's energies and resources vast, it's people weak and ignorant."
"And of it's defenders?"
"They are also weak and ignorant. Unable to stand apart from the darkness, they willingly stay in it."
The figure gave but a simple gesture and the sphere seemed to shake and then dissolve. As the last the of it's energies faded away, the man remained where he was. He listened to the sounds of his 'home' beneath him. The sounds of things that preferred to remain unseen.
And Mr. Thomas laughed as he listened to those sounds.
-Crestview-
"Hello mate, Buffy kick you out of her room?"
"Hello," there was a pause as Travis gritted his teeth, "Spike." He had neither the time nor the inclination to deal with the vampire. "To what do I owe this visit?"
The blonde vampire smiled, he knew the half-breed disliked him as much for his behavior as much as the fact that he had Buffy before him. "Just popped around to see what was going on. What with Xander being all 'Big Man' and throwing his weight around. First time the whelp gets any power what so ever and he's all into people's business."
Travis pretended to be uninterested in what Spike had to say. "If you have business with Alexander I should think you would be best served speaking with him about it."
Spike lit a cigarette, very much aware that the other man hated the smoke. "Ain't that simple mate. Xander's got that other chap in him. Neither one of them is likely to give me a fair shake in any sort of deal."
"And why is that Spike?"
"Well," he took a drag off of the cigarette, exhaling the smoke as he spoke, "I don't know much about the other bloke but Harris has plenty reason to hate me. Shagged his girl and his 'hero' both of them, right in front of him I did. Better then he ever could."
The half-demon didn't react to the implied message that the vampire 'knew' Buffy better then he did. Instead he waited for Spike to continue which he did at length; "Way I figure it. It's only a matter of time before the boy decides to try and take his frustration on me. "
"It seems as though that would be a problem between you and him, then William."
Spike exhaled a large puff of smoke out of his mouth before answering, "You'd think that but it wouldn't just be me he'd be after. There's the poof, yourself and Buffy herself of course."
That got a reaction, albeit a small one.
"Yeah, the whelp's always been a little jealous one he has. Always wanting the slayer to look at him like she looks at you or me or Angel. It always irritated him that she saw him as just the scared little boy he was, not like a man. The other one did it too you know. Talked to me like a man ought to be talked to. I think she even thought of Ol' Broody like that."
Spike's words hung in the air like the smoke from his cigarette. Silence followed as Spike extinguished the butt of his cigarette and walked out the door. He paused before leaving the apartment, "Be seeing you around mate."
-Norfolk, Virginia-
Dr. Victoria Berns sat at her desk, examining the pile of documents, folders, DVD's and CD's. It was the sum of the project's knowledge about the three point men involved in the mission. There were detailed written profiles of Riley Finn, Alexander Harris and Cole Rayne; both the Project and the Watcher's Council had evaluated each man. Finn had further profiled Harris and Rayne in separate reports while Finn's commander had written one on Riley himself. Additionally there were detailed accounts and summaries of actions and encounters that each had been involved in. With Harris and Finn their accounts had been checked against the official records for veracity whenever possible and verified. In the case of Rayne, his accounts were deemed 'unproven but in the absence of any contradictory evidence, acceptable'.
The problem she now faced was in evaluating all three. Agent Finn was fairly easy to understand. A boy born and raised in the heartland had jumped at the opportunity and had until the incident with Dr. Walsh, obeyed orders without question. After her death, Finn had gone AWOL siding and operating with the slayer, Buffy Summers, and her companions including Harris for a short time until circumstances necessitated the intervention by former Initiative members for his health. Shortly there after, Finn had rejoined the military and left Sunnydale behind. His absence ended when he returned with his wife to neutralize a spawning demon. Things between him and Summers had not gone well and his departure was the last time he had been around Summers personally. The slayer's action regarding the vampire known as 'Hostile 17' AKA Spike AKA William the Bloody were apparently known to him but he made no note as such in any of his files. In the end, she decided that Riley fit the mission specifications. He was dedicated, experience, well trained, not prone to rash decisions and with a good moral background.
The other two were less of a sure thing in her opinion. Cole was an unknown at this point. He appeared competent in the field, intelligent, capable of taking commands and extremely effective in combat. There were concerns about his 'condition' as it were but no evidence to give them cause for worry, yet.
Alexander Lavelle ('What sort of name is Lavelle?') Harris could very well be cause for concern. Born and raised in Sunnydale itself, he had remained ignorant of his home's 'nightlife' until his sophomore year of high school. Judging by what records there were his childhood had not been a pleasant one yet not a unique one either. He had forged strong ties to several other children including Amy Madison, Jesse McNally, and Willow Rosenberg. Ties that for some reason had started fading roughly the same time as the slayer Buffy Summers arrived.
She read through the accounts and summaries regarding the adventures of Summers, Harris, Rosenberg and Summer's watcher, Mr. Giles. At some point the group had given itself the nickname 'The Scoobies' and others had joined it's ranks including two vampires, a werewolf, a former demon, Summer's sister, two female lovers of Rosenberg, the second slayer, the son of a slayer, a former gang member, a thief, and no less then two former classmates of Harris's. There was a pattern there she was certain of it. Pulling out her notepad, she started writing down the names along with a simple one-word description. When Dr. Berns reached the end, she was startled by her results. Next to each there was a word that described them, "vampire", "witch", "slayer", all except for Harris. The space next to his name was blank.
Confused Victoria looked over at the stack of evidence before settling on the stacks of DVD's and CD's. With a sigh, she reached out, picked them up and sat them down next to her computer. Carefully, she opened the disk drive on her machine and inserted the first disc. As it began to play, she flipped to a fresh sheet of paper to take notes and prepared herself for a long day.
Author: Charlie
Timeline: Post BtVS S7 & AtS S5. Sequel to "Best Laid Plans."
Summary: Xander begins revamping the slayer school but finds his biggest challeges lie within.
Feedback is always appreciated.
Author Notes: Round and round, the ship goes. Where it lands, the
Author doesn't know. Will it be (A)my, (B)uffy, (C)ordelia, (D)awn, (F)aith, (F)red, (H)armony, (K)ennedy or (W)illow that wins the Xandman?
-Crestview-
"So we're all in agreement that this is the curriculum we'll be teaching?" Alex asked the other who nodded. Seeing that he returned his gaze to the outline on the paper in his hand. The original concept of the school had taken all the facets of a Slayer's life Weight training, reflexes, weapon instruction, etc... and meld them with a few 'normal' courses like English and math. After a lengthy discussion about the purpose of the Slayer as it relates to society (which featured a lot of philosophical talk from Andrew, oddly enough) it was decided to reverse that.
From now on, the academy would be run like an actual private academy. The 'normal' courses like English and Math were expanded and a great deal of focus and emphasis would be placed on them. In some cases, they found themselves having to create new classes like chemistry and modify old ones (Ancient Languages) to fit to be more relevant (Spanish). Changes were also made to the school's day to day activities, starting with the relaxation of the uniform rule and an agreement to update and improve the cafeteria. Other decisions like creating a program that would allow the girls to get part time jobs and begun earning a paycheck were considered but tabled for the moment.
The biggest decision came regarding the 'Slayer' courses. After a heated and detailed debate between Dawn, Kennedy and Wood, a few things were decided. First, every day would start with a 15-minute calisthenics session. Nothing too strenuous just enough to get the girls awake and ready to go for the rest of the day. Three one hour sessions per week were scheduled for more thorough workouts. It was decided that the girls who performed the best in those workouts would be eligible for additional instruction PROVIDED that they match their physical feats in the classroom.
None of the young slayers would be allowed to patrol until they passed a series of psychological exams and tests. Additional exams and tests would be administered every few weeks and after every patrol the girls went on. Alex who had enough nightmares after patrolling with Buffy for a lifetime insisted the last part.
Satisfied that everything was in order, Alex signed the paper along with Wood and the others. Copies of it would be faxed to the Watcher's Council headquarters as well to the headquarters of the Initiative.
"Anything else?" Wood asked.
"Yeah regarding the faculty situation," Alex began, "We need to discuss the future of some faculty members." A phrase that sent warning bells off inside Dawn and Cordelia's head.
"Alex, you mean Willow don't you?" Dawn spoke quietly sensing Kennedy stiffen in reaction.
He looked at her as he answered, "And Winfred".
"Is there a problem with Ms. Burke and Ms. Rosenberg?" Mrs. Hollings inquired.
"Willow... she was a hacker when she was younger, her background as a teacher is limited to filling in when the computer teacher at our high school was killed. She's not really qualified to be a teacher."
"Neither was Cordelia and she's done a pretty good job." Kennedy interjected.
"Kennedy, I know you care about Willow," He began, "But she's got a lot to deal with now. And it's not going to get any easier for her down the road." Alex hoped his tone and the look in his eye would convey the message to her.
"What about Cordelia?"
"I'm quitting."
Everyone looked at her in surprise, "What? I was never a really good teacher. Hello, failed actress trying to teach drama?"
"You're not a failure Cordy, things just didn't break for you and there was a lot of other stuff going on."
His words brought a sweet smile to her face, "Thank you Xander."
"What about Fred?" Amy tried getting the conversation back on topic
"Fred?" Mrs. Hollings had a confused look on her face.
"It's her nickname," Cordelia explained, "and I'm kind of curious myself Alex. She is our only physics teacher and she's very smart."
"She sure doesn't act like it. Look, Fred maybe one of the most intelligent people around but she's got some 'issues' that I don't think the students should be exposed to." Everyone nodded, all but Mrs. Hollings realizing that by 'issues' he meant 'Spike'. "And until she does, I don't want the chance those issues will hurt the students. We'll find a new teacher to teach physics." The others smiled, none more so then Wood.
As the meeting broke up, Wood walked over to Alex with his smile still firmly in place as he clasped the other man on the back.
"What?" Alex was confused.
"Twice in the meeting you referred to them as 'students', I'll make you into a educator yet."
Alex groaned in response.
-Elsewhere-
The man knelt down in front of the doorway. The floor beneath his feet was inscribed with unrecognizable markings and symbols. The room changed, taking on an air of darkness but filled with energy. The man smiled as he watched a dark purplish energy form inside the open door, the energy expanded outward until it formed a sphere less then two feet in diameter. Inside the sphere, a cloaked figure sat upon a throne cloaked in darkness.
"What news you bring me?"
"I bring much news, my lord. This world is different then any other. It's energies and resources vast, it's people weak and ignorant."
"And of it's defenders?"
"They are also weak and ignorant. Unable to stand apart from the darkness, they willingly stay in it."
The figure gave but a simple gesture and the sphere seemed to shake and then dissolve. As the last the of it's energies faded away, the man remained where he was. He listened to the sounds of his 'home' beneath him. The sounds of things that preferred to remain unseen.
And Mr. Thomas laughed as he listened to those sounds.
-Crestview-
"Hello mate, Buffy kick you out of her room?"
"Hello," there was a pause as Travis gritted his teeth, "Spike." He had neither the time nor the inclination to deal with the vampire. "To what do I owe this visit?"
The blonde vampire smiled, he knew the half-breed disliked him as much for his behavior as much as the fact that he had Buffy before him. "Just popped around to see what was going on. What with Xander being all 'Big Man' and throwing his weight around. First time the whelp gets any power what so ever and he's all into people's business."
Travis pretended to be uninterested in what Spike had to say. "If you have business with Alexander I should think you would be best served speaking with him about it."
Spike lit a cigarette, very much aware that the other man hated the smoke. "Ain't that simple mate. Xander's got that other chap in him. Neither one of them is likely to give me a fair shake in any sort of deal."
"And why is that Spike?"
"Well," he took a drag off of the cigarette, exhaling the smoke as he spoke, "I don't know much about the other bloke but Harris has plenty reason to hate me. Shagged his girl and his 'hero' both of them, right in front of him I did. Better then he ever could."
The half-demon didn't react to the implied message that the vampire 'knew' Buffy better then he did. Instead he waited for Spike to continue which he did at length; "Way I figure it. It's only a matter of time before the boy decides to try and take his frustration on me. "
"It seems as though that would be a problem between you and him, then William."
Spike exhaled a large puff of smoke out of his mouth before answering, "You'd think that but it wouldn't just be me he'd be after. There's the poof, yourself and Buffy herself of course."
That got a reaction, albeit a small one.
"Yeah, the whelp's always been a little jealous one he has. Always wanting the slayer to look at him like she looks at you or me or Angel. It always irritated him that she saw him as just the scared little boy he was, not like a man. The other one did it too you know. Talked to me like a man ought to be talked to. I think she even thought of Ol' Broody like that."
Spike's words hung in the air like the smoke from his cigarette. Silence followed as Spike extinguished the butt of his cigarette and walked out the door. He paused before leaving the apartment, "Be seeing you around mate."
-Norfolk, Virginia-
Dr. Victoria Berns sat at her desk, examining the pile of documents, folders, DVD's and CD's. It was the sum of the project's knowledge about the three point men involved in the mission. There were detailed written profiles of Riley Finn, Alexander Harris and Cole Rayne; both the Project and the Watcher's Council had evaluated each man. Finn had further profiled Harris and Rayne in separate reports while Finn's commander had written one on Riley himself. Additionally there were detailed accounts and summaries of actions and encounters that each had been involved in. With Harris and Finn their accounts had been checked against the official records for veracity whenever possible and verified. In the case of Rayne, his accounts were deemed 'unproven but in the absence of any contradictory evidence, acceptable'.
The problem she now faced was in evaluating all three. Agent Finn was fairly easy to understand. A boy born and raised in the heartland had jumped at the opportunity and had until the incident with Dr. Walsh, obeyed orders without question. After her death, Finn had gone AWOL siding and operating with the slayer, Buffy Summers, and her companions including Harris for a short time until circumstances necessitated the intervention by former Initiative members for his health. Shortly there after, Finn had rejoined the military and left Sunnydale behind. His absence ended when he returned with his wife to neutralize a spawning demon. Things between him and Summers had not gone well and his departure was the last time he had been around Summers personally. The slayer's action regarding the vampire known as 'Hostile 17' AKA Spike AKA William the Bloody were apparently known to him but he made no note as such in any of his files. In the end, she decided that Riley fit the mission specifications. He was dedicated, experience, well trained, not prone to rash decisions and with a good moral background.
The other two were less of a sure thing in her opinion. Cole was an unknown at this point. He appeared competent in the field, intelligent, capable of taking commands and extremely effective in combat. There were concerns about his 'condition' as it were but no evidence to give them cause for worry, yet.
Alexander Lavelle ('What sort of name is Lavelle?') Harris could very well be cause for concern. Born and raised in Sunnydale itself, he had remained ignorant of his home's 'nightlife' until his sophomore year of high school. Judging by what records there were his childhood had not been a pleasant one yet not a unique one either. He had forged strong ties to several other children including Amy Madison, Jesse McNally, and Willow Rosenberg. Ties that for some reason had started fading roughly the same time as the slayer Buffy Summers arrived.
She read through the accounts and summaries regarding the adventures of Summers, Harris, Rosenberg and Summer's watcher, Mr. Giles. At some point the group had given itself the nickname 'The Scoobies' and others had joined it's ranks including two vampires, a werewolf, a former demon, Summer's sister, two female lovers of Rosenberg, the second slayer, the son of a slayer, a former gang member, a thief, and no less then two former classmates of Harris's. There was a pattern there she was certain of it. Pulling out her notepad, she started writing down the names along with a simple one-word description. When Dr. Berns reached the end, she was startled by her results. Next to each there was a word that described them, "vampire", "witch", "slayer", all except for Harris. The space next to his name was blank.
Confused Victoria looked over at the stack of evidence before settling on the stacks of DVD's and CD's. With a sigh, she reached out, picked them up and sat them down next to her computer. Carefully, she opened the disk drive on her machine and inserted the first disc. As it began to play, she flipped to a fresh sheet of paper to take notes and prepared herself for a long day.