Xander lay replete, copious bodily fluids had been exchanged in the most intimate of ways after the now habitual ‘bedtime reading’. Resonant low tones, quiet touching and the escalation of both, as paragraph after paragraph of some epic battle was read… always stories of loss… and of struggle …..and of undying love… and the final triumph. There was no question of the heroes’ final victory or their ultimate reward… it was always each other. He began to wonder if any of the heroes of antiquity were ‘straight’ in the modern sense… it seemed unlikely… but then, didn’t seem to carry the same stigma… interesting.
Xander’s attention shifted and he stared at the ceiling. He wondered what it would look like with two eyes instead of one… he really could not imagine any more… just as he had no idea how life would be without his beautiful partner… his now almost healed partner… the one who had just read himself to sleep… the one he had all but lost. A sobering thought.
He was to represent all the vampire clans of Europe the following day. The clans of the high master to whom he was consort… so his clans… He would not let them down. Despite the physical pleasure… it was an uneasy sleep.
They both woke sometime mid morning, worked out, showered then ate. The call was made around twelve.
In Rupert Giles’ mind, Xander was the man he had met before the human and his ‘friend’ Spike had embarked on the rather fateful ‘mission’ to Italy. Giles, like the council, had heard rumors of the ‘deadly Consort of the new High Master of Europe’, and though elder Watcher had not doubted that Xander could handle himself, he did listen the reports with more than a small measure of skepticism. What still puzzled him was the Immortal’s role and Xander’s relationship with him. According to Buffy (who was decidedly and frustratingly tight lipped about everything to do with her partner) they were …‘close’.
After all but ‘shafting’ him at the AGM, the Watchers’ Council had given the aging Giles, (now not even council member), the task of talking to the High Master specifically because of their previous ‘working relationship’. In truth, however, Giles would admit his track record with Spike left much to be desired. Bathtubs, attempts on his life, and fated missions to Italy were hardly the basis for a warm friendship, and Spike seemed to have an uncanny sense of the old watcher’s ‘inner Ripper’. He was rather relieved (though a little surprised) therefore, to learn that it would be Xander who would negotiate on behalf of the clans.
The conversation began amicably, but it was soon apparent that he was dealing with someone he perhaps had never really met… The Consort Alexander, the tough businessman and the quick thinking, capable leader, was on the other end of the call. It was barely three sentences into the conversation, before Giles began to feel decidedly uncomfortable, as he suddenly realized just how out of their league the new Council might actually be.
The new High Master was old, but lived in the day, had a soul and was a survivor. His consort was his equal, Giles knew it and the voice on the other end of the conversation confirmed it. And as he learned that Immortal was their adoptive Sire, he wondered at his own ‘conflict of interest’.
The call was on conference phone (Something both Spike and Xander expected). Giles’ initial address gave it away.
“Lovely to speak to you … Consort Alexander.”
“And you too… Mr Giles. I trust you are well.” The older watcher noted the formal tone and knew that Xander was aware of his ‘public’ conversation.
“Indeed.”
Xander could almost feel Giles polishing his glasses, so pressed the point. “We believe you have a proposal to put to the European Clans. Happily the clans have agreed to trust me to address the matter with you. The Master is almost fully recovered from our car accident but sadly is indisposed today.” Spike’s hand snaked down to cup his Consort’s crotch to emphasize his most favorite therapeutic regime, but Xander simply slapped the hand and gave a reproachful stare before continuing.
“The Court received your rather unexpected ultimatum. We did gather as many of the decision makers as possible, but quite frankly, you gave us precious little time and few reasons for your demands… I wonder if you might just enlighten us as to the urgency, as it may be helpful to pass on that information.”
“Ahhhh, we (the council) were rather hoping Sp… Master William would be able to ummm…. enforce an immediate embargo as it were, since he *is* the Master of Europe. The council is seeking a guarantee of the total cessation of human killings by the clans… or they will all be faced with renewed Slayer activity and seizing of clan property.” Giles was doing something he was not accustomed to … he was sweating… The demands were preposterous, impossible and designed he now knew, to provoke only one thing… open season on vampires across Europe… with other regions to follow no doubt.
He had read the manifesto. There were demon clauses as well. He knew the council’s agenda. Killing ‘anything unhuman’ was not reasonable on any level… His time with the council was to end completely at the end of the month… but he had hoped his intervention at this point might draw results….
“And the Council would do what in return Mr Giles? Because at this point the ‘cessation’ seems pretty one sided, if this document is all we are to go by…” Xander looked across at his partner then to the Immortal. Spike was in game face for a moment, then returned to his human guise but still snarled. The Immortal simply looked… tired.
When there was no answer, Xander adopted his most guileless tone. “I wonder if you might enlighten us please Giles… Just how many of the population of millions of humans in these areas will be becoming vegetarian? Or am I being specie-ist and … confused…. Surely as the vampires (a minority group on anyone’s scale!) are being restricted to lesser creatures or ‘substitute’ products, your humans will give up their main source of sustenance also…. Can you guarantee us that *dead animals* are off the menu….to coincide with the clans’ change of diet?”
There was no answer from the other end.
“And you know the really weird part of all this? It seems to be that Vampires are kind of like the shark population in your world. Sharks eat what, twenty folks a year globally… mostly Australian surfers, so no loss there really… and in return us humans kill close on two million for consumption… Is that what this is about? Is the watchers’ council wanting a trade in vampire dust for some reason…? Or is the ‘new order’ simply jealous that we look after our humans better than you can.”
“What? Well I’m sure that… No!!! We couldn’t possibly…No! How??!”
“Oh Giles, I seem to remember a fairly interesting end to a personal holiday that, for the High Master and I, was directly related to a call from your establishment. The rescue and protection of slayers and watchers… But I guess that doesn’t count now does it… “
“Xander come on! This is hardly personal…! This is about the survival of innocent *humans* across Europe….”
Spike squeezed his partners’ hand as Xander became suddenly very, *very* angry. The vampires from the Steppes had had to beg for help for the humans in their care, as well as their own kind. And, Xander had come to realize, it was not an unusual, nor infrequent act by the vampire communities! The clans had a vested interest in keeping their regions ‘healthy and well stocked’, just as many clans chose to ‘cull’ from the criminal and ‘lowlife’ members of their homo sapien populations.
Xander accepted a quiet kiss on his hand before answering rather coolly, “Please ask the Council to do their homework more thoroughly, Mr Giles. Without direct intervention of this court, at the request of the clans involved, several hundred thousand *humans* would be dead in the Steppes this year, and it is estimated that a further two million would have followed across the broader northern region next winter had the High Master not intervened… I wonder how much the council contributes to such ventures…”
“Come now Xander! You can’t tell me that…”
“The only apology I will make is for cutting you off. Let your board of directors, or whoever it is that is sitting around that oak table listening to this, consider the outcomes (And by the way… that’s no doubt the table which *I fixed* last time I was there, while we waited for your wiccans to return my partner from the *rabbit* form some of your more ‘bold charges’ so carelessly invoked, back to vampire!). You are not arguing with an enemy, Giles, but your little band of ‘merry men’ are threatening your money pit!
“Do your colleagues… and yes gentlemen and women… I *do* know you are listening…. Do any of you have the foggiest idea who funds their your little venture at ‘command central Watcher world’ I suspect the person who penned this manifesto does… it is the reason for it no doubt…. but FYI ladies and gentlemen, the original was done benevolently and with good intent… by the new High Master of Europe… an ensouled vampire and one to whom you owe the world… *literally* and several times over!... And oh by the way, I think if you check the contract (and oh yes there *is* one!), you will find that there is a ‘balance and fair play’ clause in there. There will be no annexing of the Aurelian funds. Your bluff has been called.
“Not all of our number choose to kill, ladies and gents. But we assume the council has failed to note that …. Or missed the memos for the last century or ten?!”
Giles remained silent, his colleagues were similarly flabbergasted… that is all but four… the ‘new inner circle’, the boys who had so gleefully ousted ‘Mr Giles’ from the place of ‘First Watcher’ and Protector of the council.
Giles suppressed a slight smile as Xander continued “If I might be so bold, I would recommend ascertaining which one of your number has retained their ‘Initiative member card’ this year if I were you, their judgment may be somewhat …. askew…. Perhaps at this point, Giles… committee… you might like to take a moment, there is no doubt more than one… Oh but, of course not doubt more time is required, in which case The Master must insist that you call a pause in all hostilities while you perform your deliberations.
“We will, as usual, respect *our* side of *that* bargain. Shall I ring back in say … Thirty minutes? Feel free to forward through any documents in the meantime. I do hope your secretaries don’t mind!” Not waiting for the answer Xander rang off.
Giles slumped in his seat. The conversation had not been of his choosing and he knew that, in fact, all Xander had said was true but would be of little consequence if the current chairman James was to have his way. He knew from recent and bitter experience, that the new Watchers’ council had some way to go before they would yield ground. His own experience and common sense screamed that the ‘no killing humans’ was a ridiculous expectation.
Four members of the committee were furious with the lack of outcome, and the instant the phonecall finished began berating their intrepid, ageing representative for his incapacity to illicit a result. Giles was openly accused of ‘consorting with the enemy’ and ‘inappropriate sympathies’ and a variety of other accusations that had apparently been considered advantages when it was initially suggested he be the one to do the call. Six of the ten other council members, however, sat silent and visibly shocked.
New to their roles as Watchers and their membership on the committee, the phonecall had been somewhat of a revelation. None now felt confident of the ‘ousting of Rupert Giles’ that the so very vocal and ambitious (and now Chairman) James Moxley had been so adamant, ‘was necessary’. In light of the simple facts, history and even innuendo presented by the Consort, there were many valid reasons to doubt Moxley’s push for vampire suppression. And the idea that they were funded by the very court they were threatening? This was new and… it all simply didn’t add up.
The meeting was noisy and angry and… silly…. And Giles was tired. He excused himself and went to his bedroom. He rested for a half hour before using a private dialup to contact Willow via Email, smiling wearily and thinking ‘even an old dog….’ as he did so.
Fifteen minutes later, a soft knock on the door announced several visitors.
“Mr Giles?” Andrew stood at the door.
“My God man, you were supposed to be assigned to … Istanbul last time I…?
“I know, I know!.... And then there was that thing with the mummy research… and not in the cute Brendan Fraser kind of… Oh and of course after that… and with the nasty rash… …But… Let us talk of happier times….”
Giles could not help himself, his glasses came off, and the older man simply laughed. “Oh Andrew, my dear fellow… I never thought I would quote the intrepid Spike, but indeed, you are the ‘breath of fresh air’…. and I, it seems, still do breathe.”
Andrew accepted the awkward and impromptu hug, then pushed into the room dragging a dozen other watchers with him, “Why thank you, Mr Giles… Now I must request that you inform my *colleagues* here of the history of a certain Vampyre, as it seems that they have yet to catch up with the Master Spike or even *our* illustrious *world savingggg…age* at the *Hellmouth* etcetera.” Andrew looked expectedly at the aging gent.
Giles scanned the group. Six of them were committee members, but there were at least eight younger watchers that he had only ever seen in ‘classes’. Giles held the bridge of his nose as he ushered the crowd into his rooms. “Indeed… Andrew… how could I have been *so* remiss… Anyone for tea before we make a start?”
Multiple nervous hands went up…
Giles brought in the refreshments on a large silver tray and began to inform the group of the more recent history of the High Master of Europe, and his Consort.
The ensuing discussion was brutally honest, off the record and revelatory for newcomers to any in the audience new to Watcher status. If nothing else, all gained new respect for the aging patriarch of their order.
Four hours later Giles lay in his bed, exhausted. It seemed he had dismissed his ‘class’ days ago, had it only been an hour? He was too tired… It now seemed that Ripper had been too tired for years… and … … Andrew… the ‘voice of reason’?... How could he have sunk so low?…It had to be a portent for something!? Giles had previously considered his midlife crisis to have passed years ago (unless he was to live to 100+), but the latest matters … Despite the hour he dialed Willow again.
……………….
Off the phone, Xander felt like a general at war… Spike felt it acutely also, and Anton received the ‘wash’. The clans had never been threatened like this before… The slayer population was now in the thousands, yet the Watcher Council did not seem to realize. The vampire clans had a duty of care… to their humans!
Xander had been off the phone barely fifteen minutes before the High Master William addressed the court. They somehow knew there would be no return call from the council that evening.
“Brothers and Sisters. We need to lock down… two weeks… The Steppes, Georgia, Norway, Finland, Lithuania, we appreciate that you are all in crisis and will endeavor to open lines of supply… If effective we will supply other clans as needs arise…. All of you must do what you need to survive. The court will support you wherever you are, and will welcome you in our region should you need to seek refuge…. There is no need for fear. If you must move, the clans will protect you. If you stay, you will be assisted… Sadly it seems, our court cannot guarantee the same for the human members of your communities, but we will do our best to assist… quietly of course.”
Xander had never been prouder. More worrying however, the idiocy of the Council’s ‘all demons are evil’ mantra that had been put into sharp relief by a single phonecall.
As the clans left for the evening, to reconvene after sunset on the third of May, both Master and Consort fell into their Sire’s arms.
“My wonderful boys… how well you have done… how very, very well..”
Xander focused on Spike then Anton with his single dark eye, “I don’t feel like I have done well Master… and Sire… It was like… they weren’t really listening.”
“Giles was, pet… But the people who matter are deaf… Bastards set ‘im up is what…”
Anton pulled the two men to him, opening his shirt and scraping his chest in the process, invited them to drink. “The Council is committed to the elimination of ‘our kind’ and sadly… and like zealots of any ilk… they struggle with the concept of both balance and ‘the other’…”
At that moment and simultaneously, an SMS gave Xander notification of the formal Council’s intent came through. There was indeed a need to contact ‘the other’ Watchers quickly…
Buffy shortened her ‘shopping trip’ and despite the prevalence of vampires in the building, joined the ‘war council’ the following day.