Chapter Nineteen – Teleconferencing Slayer Style
The following morning Jennifer Sinclair entered Lady Aydin's office. She was feeling nervous. She had been working for MI5 for seven years now and this was the first time she had been summoned to speak with Lady Aydin in her office. Teresa closed the door behind her and Lady Aydin motioned for her to sit down.
"Ms Sinclair," Lady Aydin began. "I am going to be reassigning you to some new duties."
Was she being pulled off the Riddle matter? Jennifer was shocked. She had proven herself. Did MI5 no longer trust her to deal objectively with matters related to the Wizarding world?
"What will my new duties entail?" Jennifer asked. She kept a tight reign on her emotions. Blowing up at Lady Aydin would accomplish nothing.
"You are to serve as MI5's liaison to the Watchers Council and the Slayers," Lady Aydin replied. "They have discovered the existence of the Wizarding world and are aware of the threat posed by Riddle."
"But the Covenant? How could they learn about Riddle? How is it possible for me to work with them? The binding magic would prevent me from telling them anything." Jennifer's head was spinning.
Lady Aydin smiled. Sir Ian's reaction had been almost the same. Gray was right a lot of people were going to have to learn to live in this new world.
"The Council has found a way around the Covenant," Lady Aydin replied. "I am now free to inform who ever I choose to about the existence of the Wizarding world. I can also grant leave to those bound by Covenant to share what they know with those I choose. You are free to discuss the Wizarding world with the members of the Watchers Council and the Slayers."
"I assume I'll be working with Watcher O'Leary." Jennifer said.
"No," Lady Aydin replied. "The Council will assign a Slayer to 'run point' on matters dealing with Wizarding world. You will be working with her."
"How much can I tell them?" Jennifer asked.
"Everything both you and MI5 know about the Wizarding world."
"Everything," Jennifer blinked. "I mean no disrespect ma'am but are you sure that's wise?"
"I trust the Council," Lady Aydin replied. "They learned of the Wizarding world's existence almost three months ago and rather than simply charging in blind, they took their time and learned what they needed to know. You will also find that their resources are even more extensive than we had suspected. I'll be having a few discussions with Robert about matters of 'mutual interest' over the next few months."
"When do I begin?"
"The Council will be sending their representatives here within the next couple of days," Lady Aydin replied. "They will be meeting with the department heads to be briefed on what we know about Wizards."
"This will also provide us with an opportunity to learn more about the Slayers," Jennifer noted.
Lady Aydin took a breath. "I want to be very clear on this point Jennifer. This is not an opportunity to spy on the Council. If they ask you not to reveal certain information to either myself or MI5, you are to honor that request," Lady Aydin said.
"My Lady, why not take advantage of the situation?" Jennifer asked.
"First, I don't want to risk breaking the trust the Council and others are showing in me," Lady Aydin replied. "We're not going make the mistake the Americans made with their idiotic 'Initiative' program. Second, I now have a much better idea just how powerful Willow Rosenberg truly is. We will not do anything that might upset her. The third is the basic truth of the world. Champions like the Slayers have been here since before recorded history. Long before the sun rose on the British Empire and they will be here long after it finally sets. These duties belong to them more than us. Our duty is to aid them not undercut them. Do you understand Jennifer?"
"Yes My Lady."
The boardroom of the Council's London office was a mess. It was never designed with teleconferencing in mind. And certainly not teleconferencing the way the Slayers practiced it. One whole wall was filled with plasma screens, wires, a couple of small cameras; it was an electrician's nightmare. Willow had promised she would be fixing it soon (soon currently defined as two years).
On the opposite side of the room was table where the senior members of the Council sat. The table was rigged with an omni-directional mike, wireless keyboards and mouses (and a regular paper notepad for Giles) along with network cables to plug in laptop computers. The overall impression was an incredibly garish blend of old world design and modern technology.
It was London's turn to get the choice time slot. The Council's board members were scattered all over the globe. Whenever they met, inevitably most people got stuck with either being up at some ridiculously late or ungodly early hour. The Council rotated which office got the prime late afternoon time slot.
It had been a typically long session covering supernatural matters across the globe. Giles was currently in the middle of a loosing argument.
"All of our research on H'taka demons shows that they are peaceful herbivores," the head of research at the Indonesian office said. "There are even records showing them making deals with villages to protect them from other demons in exchange for a portion of their crops. Deals, which they honored."
"I hate to say it," Xander said. "But it think it might be worth exploring a deal with these guys."
"I agree," said Buffy.
Giles stared at the screen showing Buffy, Xander, Robin, Andre and two other Slayers from the Cleveland office sitting at a table.
"Very well," Giles conceded. "Celia, you are authorized to begin negotiating with the head of H'taka clan." Giles shook his head. "You need to clear it with the full Board before you can sign any agreement."
"I understand," Celia, the Slayer in charge of the Indonesian office, said.
"That just leaves the matter of the Wizarding world to deal with," Giles said.
"So, what is the plan for dealing with Little Tommy Riddle and his Merry Band of Jokesters?" Xander asked.
Giles had to smile at that. Leave it Xander to break a tense mood.
"We need to determine the exact nature of the threat," Giles said. "And once this Riddle has been dealt with, we need to find a way to solve the larger problem facing these Wizards."
Buffy could be seen thinking. "Alright, Faye will run point on this one. The Slayers that have had dreams about these Wizards will report to her. Given the size of this Wizarding world we'll probably end up making them an independent team anyway."
"It sounds like you're thinking policing the Wizarding world is going to turn into a long term gig B," Faith said. She was sitting in the conference room in Rio.
"Trying to think ahead," Buffy said. "From what I read in the packet these Wizards have a tendency to play a lot of 'pranks' on innocent people. Pranks that put people in the hospital. Their own government doesn't seem to care. I think it might be appropriate for someone to teach them a lesson about the dangers of abusing their power," Giles noted that almost all the Slayers got a particularly predatory gleam in their eyes.
"So it looks like the holes we created on the European teams may be permanent," Kennedy noted.
"I guess so," Buffy responded. "I'm betting you've already been thinking about possible solutions."
"Long term we're just going to have wait for Robin to finish training the new class of Slayers so we can get them into the field," Kennedy said. "But I've already taken the liberty of talking with the reserve Slayers living around Europe to step up their patrolling and a couple of them will be taking time off work and school to fill in with teams that are short handed."
Buffy nodded her head. With so many Slayers available it wasn't necessary to have them all out hunting demons full time. A lot of the girls got to lead normal lives (well normal for a Slayer anyway). They had jobs or went to school. They all patrolled the areas around where they lived. Everyone rotated through Cleveland to train at least once a year. Most importantly they provided the Council with a solid group of reserves that could be called upon to plug holes and help stop the occasional apocalypse. They also tended to take point on any major operation the Council carried out in near where they lived.
"I'll have the next group of Slayers ready to deploy in three months," Robin said. "Buffy spoke to me about incorporating what we learn about wand wielders into the training. So you need to make sure I get CC'd on the e-mail this time."
"I'll make sure," Dawn said. "Sheesh, forget to mention one new type of demon and you're branded for life."
"You're ok working the British government on this one Buffy?" Willow asked.
"That Brits have been good to us," Buffy responded. "And you guys know what areas to keep outsiders away from."
"That covers everything on the agenda," Giles said. "Buffy, Xander, Faith, I would like to talk with you for a few minutes longer. Good day or night as the case may be to the rest of you."
It took a few minutes for everybody to say their goodbyes and sign off. Soon it was down to just the core Scoobies. Faith had become a full Scooby after Sunnydale. Xander even made her do the Snoopy dance to cement the honor. The videotape of which he kept for blackmail purposes.
"Ok G-man what's up?" Xander asked.
"I'd like for the three of you arrange to come to London in the next couple of weeks," Giles said. "There are some matters which need to be discussed face to face."
"Damn Giles," Faith said. "I've been on the road for most of the last six months. I was looking forward to having a couple months of quality time with Robin."
"I'm sorry Faith," Giles said. "But this is a Scooby matter."
Buffy was impressed. It had taken a few years but Giles no longer flinched when he said 'Scooby.'
"This a big one Giles?" Buffy asked.
"It might be Buffy," Dawn said. "I learned some things about what Glory was after."
Buffy's eye's narrowed and Xander sat up.
"We can be there tomorrow," Xander said.
"That won't be necessary," Dawn said. "This isn't time critical. I just need to talk to you guys face to face and it would be better if it doesn't look like we're all panicking about something."
"You're sure there's no danger?" Buffy said.
"No danger," Dawn said. "We just need to talk."
Buffy relaxed. "Ok, I think we can come up with some pre-text to get all of us to London in the next couple of weeks. Sorry Faith. If it helps, we can arrange to bring your boy toy along."
"No problem B," Faith said. "It sounds like I'm going to get to hear yet another of the fabled Tales of Sunnydale."