"The Metropolis Story…"
Archived at the Buffy Rebecca verse, . You might want to take a gander at the Cicelyverse page to get a handle on the Cicely Addams material...
Disclaimer: All BTVS characters remain the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and all other owner/creators of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series...
Summary: Poet/Champion turned reporter/Champion (the vampire thing was involuntary) for the second least respectable news organization in Metropolis, William Soames Walthrop is assigned the job of uncovering the mysterious silence of a famed, deceased silent film star of the great film inspired by the greatest city on Earth. Both the other reporter/Champion and other reporter/seedy investigator of things mysterious in town hate his guts.
Part XI…
The newly welcomed and seated Lois as well as Kolchak and Walthrop, all a bit downcast for differing reasons as Dawn Summers chattered on, still keeping a firm arm around William as she sat beside him in the pub…
Even Margaret a bit questioning…Rather closer than cousins, I think, though she did say they haven't got together for years.
"So, Ms. Lane, would you suggest I focus more on straight English and writing courses for now? Some of my professors recommend it for depth…Then move on to the journalism program…?"
"Sure…Yeah…" Lois shrugged at her competition's "cousin".
Yeah, given my inability to conceal myself for ten minutes, ya might as well try to write pretty…God knows I probably should've…
Karl for his part, slightly disturbed by Dawn's focus on Lois…
Rather than the intrepid and experienced journalistic icon who'd she been seated with for the past thirty…
While William was more concerned with Dawn's choice of literary career…If you could call it that…
A girl of Nibs' talents and experiences, wasting her talents churning out pap for the masses?…Or worse yet, perhaps never even putting pen to paper…
Sinking to the level of bubble-headed Tee-Vee microphone jockey? Dawn in five years, bleached blonde in overtight dress, earnestly eyeing camera…"This is Dawn Summers, like, for local Hicksville, CA news, like, reporting on the story of the, like, missing puppy."
Lord…
But at least she's considering print, far a cry from real lit as it may be. After all, Dickens started as a muckraking journalist in the cesspits of London…
And better yet, she's considering English and writing…Seize the bull, Walthrop and save your dear little…Sister of an ex-.
Especially considering the said ex-
"Oh, I'd recommend English and writing, Dawn. Especially at Cambridge. You can't go wrong there." He noted, eagerly. "Eh, Karl?"
"Hmmn?" Kolchak eyed him. "Well, if you want to waste your time learning purple prose, sure. But I say, kid…" turning to Dawn… "Get out there and learn to catch the story. Don't sit around in the classroom gathering cobwebs. You know how to spell and pull a sentence together, right? It's the footwork, the chase, you need to learn…Hell, when I was your age, I was already a second-stringer for the Post."
Margaret offering sympathetic look…
Neither she nor Walthrop unkind enough to ask which "Post" that newspaper had been…Though both knew it had been neither the Washington nor the New York versions…
"Really?" Dawn nodded…Karl perking at her interest… "I do like the idea of getting out and hunting my stories down. You know I do a bit of that now in my part-time job for Giles here…Miss Lane? You agree?"
"Huh? Oh, sure…Yeah." Lois shrugged.
I may as well hang up my spurs and go teach a classroom full of drones…Hell, Clark's doing better.
Of course, it could be I'm still affected by that alien jellyslug…I should get an MRI, even though I didn't want to.
"Well, at least consider the other…" William, frowning… "You can always spend a summer chasing after some gossip for a scandal rag. Or following your sis around…In her work…"
"Oh, is your sister a reporter?" Margaret asked, curious. "I thought she worked for Mr. Giles as well…"
"Actually she's working for a very mysterious bigwig in Rome. International financial and industrial type." Dawn noted, arch look at William.
"How does ole Henri?" he asked, a bit annoyed.
Really, Nibs?
"He's good, very nice to me…And Buffy…My sis…" Dawn noted.
Dawn? That's a bit harsh. Andrew eyeing her.
He deserves it, Andy…Her look back…
I wonder if this Brit librarian guy knows a good hospital here…? Lois thought, eyeing Giles who was a bit nervously eyeing Dawn as well.
Dawn…His look saying.
Don't, Giles. Her return look, rather hard.
You and yours did this to my family. Don't you even begin to act like you're on Dad's side.
"Wonderful." William, curtly. "Nice to hear she's happy."
"Blissfully." Dawn, firmly.
"Great."
"Yeah."
Even Lois coming out of her sad reverie on her shattered career…
What's this?
"Anyway, as to our purpose here…" William, grimly changing subject. "Giles, you really think your archives have anything on the lady in question?"
Lois, perking…
Perhaps this isn't a complete failure after all…
"I'm fairly certain, William. She did work for the Royal Council for a time."
"Interesting…" Margaret noted. "She was German, wasn't she?"
"Yes, but this was after World War I and not related to anything concerning foreign affairs…"
"Not as I've heard…" William, calmly.
"What?" Margaret eyed him.
"She was pressured by your Council to do some work for the British government regards the growth of dangerously fanatic and factional political groups…If I recall what I've read?" William eyed Giles.
"We're merely a bunch of antiquarians, Will. Though it may be possible some members had government ties."
"How did you learn this, Will? If I may ask?" Margaret asked, a bit startled.
"I'd like to know that too…" Karl agreed, folding arms.
"With all due respect, boss. I prefer to keep my sources private." William shook head.
"And away from the competition…" Lois, wry smile.
"Hardly a major affair, Ms. Lane." William shrugged. "If you must know it involves the woman who starred in the old film 'Metropolis', Brigitte Helm."
"The silent movie?" Lois stared.
"From 1926…A classic." Andrew noted. "All modern sci-fi films devolve from it or at least have lifted much from it."
"Really…?" Lois, frowning slightly.
This? This is what we're here about? An old silent movie star?
"Sorry if you were hoping to hear we were on the trail of anything major…" William noted. "Though it should be interesting."
"Her story is very romantic…" Margaret noted, with smile. "She escaped the Nazis for love after being Germany's biggest star."
"Wow." Dawn nodded. "Impressive…And she worked for the Council? As a sort of spy?"
"Hardly, I'm sure." Giles, firmly. Andrew trying to look non-commital.
Hmmn…Lois pondered.
Perhaps…Just, perhaps…There is more here than meets the eye.
Nazi-allied aliens returning for a second try in our time would be just up Kolchak's alley…