Children Of The Stars
Chapter 2

Authors note:-
A couple of reviews I should answer both personally and for anyone wondering. The five year jump, inspired by the new galactica series, was deliberate and we will be getting a few flashbacks. The point is I couldn't just have Xander ring up the family when something bad happened. First they are not the Mafia and second it would remove all dramatic tension. Another reason is Xander's limited training as a colonial warrior would take to long to get all the way to season 8 it wouldn't be worth it. We all love a good Rocky training montage but it doesn't work so well as words opposed to images.

It's been noted that my spelling sucks, yes it does. I often write quickly and miss-type something and then skip over it when re-reading. This is simply because spelling is not THAT important to me, opposed to plot, character and narrative. If you can understand what I mean I call it a victory but I'll do what I can to fix it.

Finally, just what the heck is going on? Well opposed to the endless angst you usually get with this type of story I'm going for mystery and suspense.

Chapter 2

Troy herd his communicator bleep and looked over to Dillan. His best friend and wingman nodded and they pulled over. Slowing to a stop the two of them got off their turbines and Troy answered. 'Yes commander?'

'Captain Troy, we're sending down Warriors Zac and Athena to your mission co-ordinates. You and Dillan need to meet up with them and head over to Scotland as soon as possible.' Troy's Grandfather ordered. He didn't do that much these days, it must be important he reasoned.

'What's in Scotland?' Troy asked 'Aren't Aries and Tayjay assigned that sector?'

'They are Captain, only this mission is too important. They're being recalled to the Galactica. In fact all warriors are on battle recall save for you four. Boxey, it's Xander. He'll need your help.' That was all Troy needed to hear. Xander could take care of himself, both he and the commander knew that. If he thought he needed help he did.

Dillan was already on his turbine contacting Jamie. Troy jumped on his own and took off. Literally.

They made it to the landing zone in record time, even ahead of the shuttle carrying the twins. 'What do you think this is about?' Dillan asked

'I don't know, it might be to sensitive to broadcast or the Commander just wants us all in one place before giving us instructions.' Troy opened the turbines seat and unpacked his blaster.

Dillan followed suit, 'You think we need them?'

'When was the last time Xander asked for our help?'

'Good point.' Jamie joined them a few moments later. She stopped the car that instant before jumping out almost on Troy's toes. 'What is it about Xander? What's happened?'

'We don't know, but he wants us there to help.' Troy put both hands on his wife's shoulders. Xander was a sore subject between them, he respected their son's wish to be independent while Jamie wanted nothing more than to bring him home.

Eventually they agreed it was Xander's choice. Neither of them liked it, least of all because they had seen very little of their son, even after they had found him. 'I'm coming with you.' she said.

Troy knew that even if he strapped his wife to a seat in the Galactica's brig she'd chew through the deck plating to go with them. He wouldn't have it any other way. Kissing her forehead he grinned 'I wouldn't try to stop you.' he admitted.

When the shuttle came down Jamie got on board while Troy and Dillan got the turbines on board. Seeing three others in the hold told him a lot. Jamie was never rated for her own. Getting into the passenger compartment and finding three spare Combat-dress uniforms just confirmed it. Xander was going to be getting some gifts.

Zac hit the launch turbos and the small transport catapulted into low orbit. 'Father.' he nodded. Serious as always.

Troy's daughter was out of her seat and hugging him 'Daddy, I missed you.' she admitted. It was customary for twins to share more than just physical resemblance, unfortunately for Troy and Jamie custom didn't seem to have much effect for their descendants.

The comm panel lit up. 'This is the Galactica on fleet scramble frequency to Captain Troy. Confirm.'

'We read you Commander. All of us.'

There was a long pause. 'Troy. Do you remember the briefings we gave you on Earth's mythology.' That grabbed his attention, the early briefings were on the fictional creation of monsters. Beings that would drink mankind's blood or mutate due to the monthly lunar cycle. At first it was emphasised that they were rooted in popular fiction.

Then one day it changed. The standing order was to avoid at all costs any one demonstrating any form of mutation and report it to the Galactica. It had been rumoured that another race was attempting an attack on Earth using the fiction to infiltrate the planet. However nothing happened. Troy said as much.

'I'm afraid the truth is far more devastating. The legends are in fact true, hidden from the people of earth by the very fiction you mentioned.' Dr Zee announced.

'That's crazy! Jamie gasped.

'No Jamie its not.' Grandfather answered. 'It was your eldest son that told us of it. He provided proof to myself and Dr Zee, we've seen it for ourselves. Over the aeons they have become very adept at hiding. Mankind itself has hidden them and fought a secret war to protect the thirteenth tribe from what we believe were the original inhabitants of this world.

'Xander is part of a group of humans who fight that war. Jamie, Troy. Your son hasn't abandoned you for all this time, he's been protecting you.'

Buffy yawned and trudged down the stairs to the basement. What was now know as Dawn's room. The giantess couldn't exactly eat with them so Xander had the idea that Buffy and he would eat there.

'Good plan,' she muttered to herself. 'I just love these early morning guilt trips.' Stomping into the cavern like room she was met with a strange sight, Dawn, drinking a barrel-full of water, was trying to keep an eye on Xander without him noticing. With a head the size of a car that was like hiding a elephant by putting it in a flock of emu's. Shaking that odd image out of her head Buffy sat down. 'I'm starving.' she smiled as best she could. Might as well get it over with

Dawn's glare at Xander flicked to her for a moment. 'You're starving? Hellooo! you're tiny, I'm the one who needs to eat a truck-full of cereal a day.'

'That explains you're butt being so big.'

'Lame and old news, is that the best you've got? Dawn snarked back. 'I guess your just getting too old. Soon we're going to have to take you to the old Slayers home where you can tell all the other OLD people over there how you used...' Dawn trailed off. She was right to.

Every morning they went through this, Xander had always stepped in by now. Telling them to knock it off and grow up. Dawn would crack a joke she'd have thought up about "growing up". Buffy had one about herself that she'd worked on for all of two minuets yesterday. Xander would bury his head in his hands in mock despair and then it would all be normal family stuff.

'Is something wrong?' Buffy asked. After a moment he didn't answer. 'Xander?'

He blinked his one eye for a second. 'Oh hi Buffy, morning.'

'We already got past that. Is something wrong?'

'Have we? Sorry I was miles away. Urm we've go a problem.'

Buffy groaned. 'Oh god, what now?'

'Where to start, I've got a few contacts Giles doesn't and doesn't know about. I tapped them on the whole Twilight thing.' He had her complete attention. 'He's not a new player, just going by a new name. I got the message last night, from my contacts. He's called Diaboles. At least in some places, he's got a lot of names and none of them are "fluffy-kins".'

'Alright that doesn't sound good.' Buffy winced at his bad joke. Then, just for a second, she thought she heard something. Like someone was playing with a tinny set of bells. It sounded almost familiar...

Xander was wincing like he had just been eating raw lemons 'We're a long way from "good" here. His title is supposed to be "The Fallen Lord, the Prince of Darkness".'

'And how do your friends know all this?' Dawn prodded. Buffy completely missed the scalding tone in her sisters voice, she was too busy listening for those bells. Where the hell had she heard them before?

'I never said they were friends. I told you guys I was adopted, right.'

That caught Buffy's attention, where did that come from, 'Sure. Didn't you tell me you'd found your real parents one time?' When did he tell her that though.Xander frowned at her. 'Did I? Well then you know why I don't really talk about them and they're not around.'

'You never told me anything!' Dawn huffed

'No it was before, he just told... You just told me and Willow, right?' The moment he mentioned he was adopted Buffy knew. Just not when he told her, that was what was throwing her. 'Yeah, you didn't want them involved in demon hunting and given that's your life, mostly, you kept them at arm's length. Right?'

'That's right. I just don't remember telling you that's all, I must have been REALLY drunk or something.'

'Why didn't you tell me?' Dawn almost screamed at him, two great tears building in her eyes.

Xander turned on her. 'I don't like thinking about it. Okay Dawnie? I didn't even know I'd told Buffy. Anya didn't know, okay! There are secrets I've got to keep. You know that as well, if not better than me.' He hung his head. 'I'm sorry Dawn. I couldn't tell you. Buffy, do you know why?' He looked to her almost scared of her answer.

'No.' she answered honestly. 'I don't. What do you mean you have secrets to keep? Keep from who?' She didn't like the sound of secrets.

'Your secrets from Dawn and her's from you. Will's got a few secrets from both of you she swore me never to tell, back when I was four. We all have them, why can't I. If it could possibly hurt you I'd tell you but simply it was nothing to do with us.

'Now it is.' Xander nodded. 'My family was the contacts I was talking about. They've been fighting to stop Twilight for years, among other things and they are coming here. Today.' There was a long silence and Xander looked both Buffy and Dawn in the eye. His terrible eye patch reminding them exactly how much he'd sacrificed. 'I can't tell you anymore. I wish I could but you'd never believe me.'

'Chill Xand.' Buffy smiled, 'After all we've seen and done I'm ready to believe anything. It's not like you're from the Planet Mongo and are really the descendant of that Ming guy.'

'True, and I really shouldn't have forced you to watch that film.'

Dawn giggled 'Awe, but it was so funny! 'GORDON'S ALIVE!" ' She shouted in a fairly good impression before collapsing in laughter. Buffy couldn't help laughing with her and soon all three of them were chuckling.

Xander felt the unfamiliar weight of his wrist strap on his arm. He'd been tempted to wear his single Warrior-Cadet star but he still hadn't really earned it. Troy was coming and things were going to get interesting.

Of course Adama would send him. It hadn't taken Xander long to realise just how important family was to the old man. The whole fleet out there, stretched between the stars, were a family of sorts to him.

He winced, Xander didn't like to think about the people out there. How many were there? Two hundred or more ships packed to the rafters with universally hungry, cramped, people looking at Earth as a salvation. One day. A day Xander never thought would come.

'Hey, Mr Xander' Renee called over the radio. She was on one of the parapets watching over the road, with him as "Base commander" he had the ear peace and responsibility 'We've got company, five people on bikes. They look kinda funky, holy... they're fast!'

It sounded like them, but five? 'White bikes with gold trim?'

'That's them boss. Four of them are in the same stuff. Dark brown bomber jacket's and... Boss they've got guns!'

'That's okay Renee, they're friends. That means they are on our side, so don't try and shoot a arrow at them.' Five? One of them an odd one out? No, they wouldn't. What would Jamie be doing with them?

His musings were cut short when they pulled through the gatehouse into the courtyard. It was his whole biological family, and Dillan along for the ride! All but Jamie in full battle dress with blasters strapped to their thighs. Wincing Xander caught the look Buffy gave him.

She could tell they were military, well armed and bad news to anyone in their way. He shrugged and the two of them went down to meet the family. 'Hi guys,' he shouted just in timed to be mobbed by Athena and Jamie. His mother, even if he still couldn't call her that was older. Not "old" older but she looked just the wrong side of forty, the fact she was still a news anchor back in the states was proof how good a reporter she was.

People said his younger sister looked like him. At least Troy had when Xander first asked him to describe her. Personally he couldn't see it. Athena was pretty, that was the first reason, the other was she refused to have her hair cut. A long mane of midnight black hair was pulled into a pony tail, there was enough of it to put every Slayer in the castle to shame. 'Xander! you've grown! she laughed, still hugging him.

It was sort of embarrassing, they had only met, face to face, twice. He'd talked to her a bit more, usually on his birthday or her's but they were practically strangers. 'That's what old people do Ath, we can't all focus on growing our hair like you.'

His sister laughed and hugged tighter. If it wasn't for all his training with the Slayers her Galactican strength would have crushed him. If he'd been raised on the Galactica he might have been as strong. That could have been helpful over the years.

Jamie hadn't tried to embarrass him and after her quick hug she stood back. 'She's right Xander, you have grown, but not too much.' she cast a glance at Buffy before asking, 'What's with the eye-patch?'

He'd dreaded this. 'Nothing you know, just like the look. Going for a Colonel Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D. feel.'

It wasn't any use, like all mothers since the dawn of time Jamie knew when he was lying. 'Well it looks silly. I might not be much of a mother but...' in the blink of an eye Athena had pulled it off.

The look on their faces hurt almost as much as the thumb did all those months ago. Athena and Jamie took a step back. Xander turned away and covered the side of his face.

'Jamie.' It was Troy. He placed a hand on her shoulder and looked at Xander. He looked up and at his father. 'Xander, you should have told us.'

Falling back on the age old defence of sarcasm Xander faced them, but kept his hand in place. 'Oh I know! "Hey there, urm just to let you know I've had my eye gouged out by a psychotic preacher but don't worry it only hurt like hell for like three days! I'm fine now, depth perception is a little tricky but what can you do about it. Talk to you soon." You'd have been there for me. It was too dangerous Troy and I know you, you'd have come with every warrior you could spare. Armed to the teeth for something you weren't ready for. Instead of helping you'd have been killed.' Zac took the eye-patch from Athena's shocked grip and gave him it back.

'You did the right thing Xander, but you still should have told us.' Troy replied unhappily.

Buffy felt her stomach crawling. It always did talking, or even thinking about Xander's eye. She felt for it, there was nothing she could have done at the time and beating herself up about it got nowhere. It was Xander himself who told her that.

Over the years he'd been her rock. He'd been Willow's rock and Dawn's. Without pause or compliant he'd held the so called scooby gang together. Only now Buffy knew the cost.

The woman Xander called Jamie reached out for his scar before catching herself. It didn't take a Giles like brain to see she was his mother, or recognise his brother and sister. The one thing Buffy wanted to do for Xander was help him with the train wreck that was his family. Now she had found out just what he had given up. She felt more than a little bad about it, the death glare Jamie was giving her didn't help in the slightest.

'Are you supposed to be his friend.' the woman asked with a cold voice. Oh yes she was a mother alright.

'I'm not supposed to be, I am.' Buffy forced herself to look her in the eyes. 'Xander sacrificed his eye for me and my friends. There isn't a day I don't thank him for it.'

Eye patch back on Xander stood between the two of them. 'Okay time for some introductions guys. Buffy this is Troy and Jamie, my biological Father and Mother. These two are Zac and Athena, they're twins but think you can tell them apart and that's Troy's best friend Dillan at the back there. Guys, this is Buffy Summers, my best friend and that's her sister Dawn.

'Hi.' the giant sister waved down at the five of them. For a giant she was still light on her feet and had sneaked up perfectly. They all jumped back in shock and Buffy almost smiled if it wasn't for one thing

Troy, Dillan and Zac moved almost too fast, drawing their giant pistols from their thighs with almost slayer speed. They were well trained and didn't fire but that didn't matter. They were dangerous and she caught Xander's glance.

He was nervous about something. It was something he hadn't told them and it was big.

End chapter 2