6: Voice

[steadfastest]

[Distressed by Willow's recent mallynap, Xander is trying to sort out his feelings of helplessness by musing aloud in an agitated voice.]Sidekicks, right? We're necessary. And we don't just buy the donuts and tell the jokes and duct tape all the broken stuff back together--we matter. Where would Charlie Brown be without Snoopy? Where would the Lone

Comments

[filtered]

[slaying]

I...God, Xander. I wish I knew what to say. This is probably the hardest part.

[Filtered]

[steadfastest]

So, nothing, then, would be the answer.

[Filtered]

[slaying]

I've tried negotiating, banging on the barrier, searching everywhere. I've tried begging. It doesn't work. The most useful thing I've ever managed to do with these kidnappings was be part of that infiltration team.

[Filtered]

[steadfastest]

[Right. The invitation-only team he'd been too useless to join.]

We could infiltrate again? I have a ski mask.

[What.]

[Filtered]

[slaying]

We'd need a techno-wiz to figure out how to teleport back in without the Organizations ambiguous help. And sadly, they've got our techno-wiz now.

[Filtered]

[steadfastest]

So that's it. It's dead in the water before we can even start anything.

[Filtered]

[slaying]

There isn't even any water to put the dead thing in.

[Filtered]

[steadfastest]

[Filtered]

[slaying]

[...Buffy breaks out the truth.]

I've had this shoe on both feet, Xand. I've watched people get taken--Bones, Jim, Angel, all kind of people. And I've been taken myself. You know I don't fall easily, but these droids...I haven't figured out a single thing that can stop them, yet. Not for lack of trying.

[Filtered]

[steadfastest]

Right. Major downside, right there.

How long do these kidnappings usually last?

[Filtered]

[slaying]

Usually? A few days or a week. But I have heard of longer ones.

[steadfastest]

Right. Major suckage, right there.

......I'm heading out. Gotta meet up with Giles.

[Because he's convinced the other man to help him.]

[slaying]

Meeting up with Gi--you're meeting? You're having a meeting? [Oh. Slightly bereft sounding. But she gets it. She brings the others down with her way-too-much-Luceti-experience.]

[steadfastest]

You can come, if you want, Buff. Even though you've already told me there's basically nothing we can do.

[slaying]

N-no. I was never exactly an asset at the research stage, anyway.

[steadfastest]

Are you sure? [Xander's a little surprised at the refusal. Maybe a tiny bit hurt, too.]