Title: The Guide- Part Two

Author: JennK (aka JAK, I wanted to use that as my handle here too, but it was already taken)

Disclaimer and overall description: see prologue

AN#1: I plan to continue posting quite regularly, at least until I reach part 10 which is the last official post that I made on BA Fluff. At that point I can't make any promises, it depends on my muse, and if I finally get inspired to sit down and finish the darn thing!

AN#2: it case anyone is wondering, yes I have seen the Star Trek episode that is referred to in this chapter- it is not really necessary to have seen it as I've described everything that you need to know about the weapon

PLEASE, PLEASE read and review. Any comments, questions or critiques may also be directed to my e-mail: jennkarlinskyyahoo.ca

Thanks: to my good friend SCWLC as always for acting as a sounding board and fountain of ideas- in particular the Canadian joke as well as bringing in the ancient gods. I in no way claim to be an expert on them- if I got anything wrong, please view it as artistic liscence, 'kay?

Summary: The gang discovers the prophecy, calls in the AI team and has a discussion with the god Vulcan to confirm what the Stone of Gol refers too. Cathy thus discovers why she was brought there and what her mission is.

---

Xander shook his head. "Nothing, it's not important. Not now!" He added as Anya opened her mouth to speak again. " I don't want to talk about it."

---

Giles, Willow and Tara worked quietly for a time until Willow said, "Hey, could this be it Giles? It hasn't happened yet, and it talks about an ensouled demon who is the slayer's lover. And, it mentions an apocalypse- definitely something big."

She passed him over the book. Giles read it and said: "Hmm, yes, this could be it. It certainly seems to be about Buffy. And, it could explain why Cathy's here. CATHY!"

She poked her head into the room followed by Xander, Anya and Spike. "Take a look at this would you? It might explain why you're here."

Cathy read it. "Yeah, this is it. Definitely about Buffy, and the fanatic from another world has got to be me. I know your future yet I also know less about demons then you. More, yet less. I'm your guide in fighting this Stone of Gol? What the heck am I supposed to do?"

She shook her head puzzled. Then she considered the last sentences for a moment.

"Well, one thing is clear."

Xander replied: "What?"

She explained, "You'd better get Angel on the phone in LA. We're gonna need him, Wesley and Cordelia. Oh, tell them NOT to bring Gunn."

Giles nodded. "Right. Ah, gun? What gun? Why shouldn't they come armed?"

Cathy shook her head. " No, they shouldn't bring Gunn, Charles Gunn who's been working with them. Not they shouldn't bring the gun."

---

The phone rang and Cordelia answered it. "Hello? Angel investigations. We help the helpless."

Giles replied, "Cordelia, hi. I'm glad I caught you. Is Angel there?"

Cordy replied, "Giles, hey. Well, Angel's training actually- should I get him?"

Giles replied, "No, that's okay. Just tell him that we have a situation here. An Apocalypse is coming and we need you, Angel and Wesley to assist us, according to the prophecy. We'll explain everything when you get here. Oh, and apparently you're not to bring Charles Gunn with you. Only people who have worked with Buffy are needed."

Cordy nodded. "On it. Oh, do we need Faith? Cause she's in jail and all so that could pose a problem."

Giles considered that. "No, I don't believe so. It said all those who have worked with Buffy ANDstill fight evil."

"Okay. We're on our way. See you." Cordy replied.

"Bye." Giles added and they hung up.

Cordy turned to Wesley and said: "Wes, pack some things. There's a situation in Sunnydale, and we're needed to prevent the latest Apocalypse."

Wes nodded then opened his mouth to speak. "I'll explain on the way. Just get some stuff together, I'm going to go tell Angel." Cordy cut him off.

Angel looked up from practicing his sword moves, as he heard Cordy enter the room. "Yes? What is it Cordy?"

She explained, "That was Giles on the phone. There's a situation in Sunnydale and you, Wes and I are needed. Oh, and Gunn is NOT supposed to come. Get some stuff together and we'll meet out at the car pronto. Don't worry, I'll explain it all on the way."

Angel opened his mouth to object, then closed it realizing it was useless. /Very well, Buffy and Giles need us, we'll find out soon enough what's going on. Interesting that Gunn is not to come, I don't remember ever mentioning him to the Sunnydale crew- oh well, I guess Wes or Cordy did./

---

A short time later they were in Angel's car and headed down the highway from LA to Sunnydale. "Okay, Cordy," Wesley prompted her, "you can fill us in now."

"Right," Cordy replied. "Giles says that there's this prophecy that says that we, that is those of us that worked with Buffy, and still fight evil and stuff, have to work with them or else there'll be an Apocalypse."

" And...." Angel reminded her to finish.

"And nothing," Cordy replied. "That's all Giles told me. He said he'd fill in the rest when we get there."

"I don't get it," Angel remarked. "What prophecy? What sort of Apocalypse?"

Cordy sighed. "Were you even listening to me? I told you that's all I know! We'll find out the rest when we get there. Okay?"

"Okay." Angel echoed. He was still puzzled, but he realized that it would be useless to question Cordelia further.

---

"Angelus," Spike greeted Angel as he walked through the door.

Angel's head jerked around. "What's he doing here? Last time we met he had me tortured and tried to kill me."

Cathy spoke up. "Hi, Angel. I'm Cathy, the girl who fell through the portal and told Giles you shouldn't bring Gunn. The Initiative put a chip in Spike's head. He gets a major headache now if he tries to hurt people. He's more or less been working with the gang ever since."

He turned to Buffy who nodded in confirmation. "Hello. How are you?"

Angel replied awkwardly, "Hi. I'm good- and you?"

Buffy replied, just as awkwardly, "Fine. Actually, things have been pretty quiet around here lately. Until Cathy showed up that is. Apparently she's supposed to help us put a stop to the latest Apocalypse- somehow. We don't know how yet."

Angel nodded as everyone else engaged in polite greetings and settled in for a conference.

After the greetings were completed, Giles turned to Cathy and said "Why don't you go and sit quietly for a short time in the next room? See if you can figure out what you need to do. Think of your fond desires and us."

Cathy nodded. "Right." Then, as she headed to the doorway, it hit her. /Oh, my God! My fondest desire- to yell at them to sort out their issues! I'm going to have to therapize them. Ai, why me? I'm not a psychologist. Why would I need to therapize them though? I don't get it./

"I got it!" she blurted out. "Well," she amended, "I think I do. I won't know for sure though until you guys figure out what this Stone of Gol is."

"Right then. Willow, why don't you start an Internet search while we fill in Angel, Cordelia and Wesley."

Willow nodded, glad that she had brought her lab top with her to supplement the book searches. She headed upstairs to Giles' room where she had it set up and logged on to the Internet.

---

After the trio from LA was brought up to date Angel remarked skeptically, "Okay, so she has inside information, how do we know she hasn't been spying on us for years?" He turned to Cathy. "If you are really from another dimension, brought here as a guide, prove it."

"Fine then," Cathy replied, "How's this: It is too bad you don't like yogurt and she said that she'd never forget? Although, she appears to be wrong about that."

Angel jerked in surprise. "Okay, I believe you."

Buffy coughed at that exact moment, guessing that Cathy was speaking about the day Angel had the powers turn back. She remembered it very well, thank you. She just felt it was better not to say anything after all of Angel's effort to have the day erased.

Cordy looked puzzled for a moment then she got it. "Was then when-? And then she and you-"

Angel nodded. Then he added threateningly "Don't you dare say anything."

Cathy didn't let that faze her. "Hey, I'm human here? And one of the good guys? But," she added before Angel could reply "I won't say anything. Now is not the right time, and you should really be the one to tell her about it. If my guess is right, you're going to have to anyway, and sooner rather then later."

Angel paled slightly and nodded. There was nothing else for it, at the moment.

"Angel," Buffy asked in a determined voice. She needed to be sure. "What is she talking about?"

"It's nothing really, ignore it," Angel replied evasively.

When Buffy turned to Cordelia, Cordy replied, "Don't ask me. It's Angel's story to tell, I only heard the bare bones of it anyway from Doyle."

Buffy decided to let it pass for the moment, as the demon Apocalypse was far more important. They still weren't sure how long they were going to have to prepare for it.

---

A few moments later Willow came back down to report on the results of her Internet search. " I got three results on my search on Vulcan: the Roman god of the forge, Star Trek and some city in Saskatchewan, wherever that is. I could only find one reference to the Stone of Gol though, a Star Trek episode."

"Excuse me? We are familiar with all the of the States' names, and there's like fifty of them- you people don't know the names of a damn Province? There are only ten of them, you know."

Giles queried: "I thought you were American."

Cathy replied: "No, I'm Canadian, and darn proud to be a member of the Commonwealth. Long live Brittania."

There was a chorus of "hunh!'s" to that while Giles and Wesley shook their heads. /Long live Brittania?/

Giles cleared his throat. "Now, if we could get back to the business at hand.."

"Wish there was a way to narrow it down," mused Cathy. "It would be great if we could ask the God if he knows anything about it..."

"Actually," Willow remarked. "I think we can. Speak to him I mean- it should be possible to summon his spirit. After all, Ethan summoned Janus."

"Yes, of course!" Giles remarked. " I believe that the appropriate chant and supplies are outlined in this book." Giles pulled out a thick volume entitled 'Communication With the Gods, Volume One'.

"Tara," Giles suggested. "Why don't you and Willow work together on this one? One never knows what kind of mood a god will be in if he is summoned." At Tara's nod, Giles turned to Willow. " Take care. We'll be right beside you."

"Okay," Willow remarked after she read through it. "It appears simple enough. We'll need to melt some silver and make a mold of a symbolic sword and shield, then repeat the incantation four times."

---

A short time later, they all sat around tensely in Giles living room as Willow finished the incantation for calling on Vulcan for the fourth time. A moment later came a throaty and disembodied voice, Yes? Who is it that calls upon the great God of the forge, Vulcan?"

Willow replied: "It is the witches Willow and Tara, on behalf of the Slayer, Buffy Summers."

"Interesting," replied the voice. "Are you sure that you do not err? Do you perhaps wish to speak to Aries the God of war instead?"

"No, no," insisted Willow, "We are quite sure. You see, we found a prophecy that mentions a Stone of Gol forged by the people of Vulcan. Do you perhaps know something about that?"

"The Stone of Gol?" repeated Vulcan. "Hold on a moment, let me check my records."

After a brief silence the voice returned. "Nope, sorry. Wish I could help you, but my people have had nothing to do with a Stone of Gol. Any other leads?"

"Well," admitted Willow, "the only other reference to Vulcan I found was in Star Trek, there was even a Stone of Gol mentioned in one of the episodes."

"Well, that's your bet then most likely. You know, I'm still annoyed that Roddenberry stole my name without permission! Best of luck then. Wish I could be of more help."

Willow replied. "Thank you for trying. Actually, you've been a big help, we've narrowed down the possibilities now. Farewell!"

"Bye," replied Vulcan. "Call on me again sometime. You know, I do bless swords and stuff for my friends and those who ask nicely."

"Bye, thanks! We will definitely call on you again."

"Huh? Who would have thunk? A God who's lonely." Cathy remarked and shrugged.

Giles turned to Willow and said. " Right, the Star Trek episode. Willow, would there not be transcripts available on the Internet? We must ascertain exactly what kind of weapon this Stone of Gol is, and how to stop it."

Willow nodded. "Already done. I knew we'd need it if it turned out not to have anything to do with the God Vulcan." She began reading from her notes. " It's an ancient weapon forged in a dark time of Vulcan's history. It amplifies the telepathic energy of the wielder to

feed off negative emotions, and uses them to vaporize the enemies of those who wield the weapon. In order to stop it, we must be able to achieve a state of complete calm."

"Of course!" put in Cathy. " I remember that episode now. I can't believe that it slipped my mind. It was a cool one, actually. Captain Picard gets kidnapped by this pirate crew and has to hide his identity. Then Riker lets himself get captured, and they have to pretend to be enemies. I can't believe that the Stone wouldn't work on Worf though. That was freaky."

"Yeah," Xander corroborated. "Klingons aren't known for their ability to stay calm. It was a good one. Definitely."

"And," put in Anya. "The computer effects that they used to do the vaporization thing was kind of cool." The group all stared at her, surprised that she was even familiar with the episode since she was unlikely to sit through a synopsis. "What?" she retorted, "I was there

wreaking vengeance on one of the guys coworkers- he cheated on her with her best friend, the slime ball, so I-"

Xander cut in, "Thanks An, don't need all the details."

Just then there was a knock at the door and Giles went to answer it. "Riley, hi!" they heard Giles greet him.

---

"Oh, yeah- Riley." Cathy lightly hit her head to indicate her stupidity.

To be Cont'd