June 30, 2003

Dear Diary,

Andrew is gone.  (No, he didn't vanish in a puff of smoke, dance himself to death, or get eaten by a demon.  He left in a 1972 Volkswagen microbus.)  It started when he met two guys ("He's Dead" Jim, and "Beam Me Up" Scott) who had stopped over for a couple of days on their way to a Star Trek convention in Las Vegas.  Somewhere between all the "Live Long and Prosper's" and "Make it so's!" he decided to go with He's Dead and Beam Me Up when they left.  (Yeah, that what they want to be called. REALLY!)

When he told us he was leaving he gave this speech about how Star Trek's vision of the future showed the best of what it means to be human and how Anya had been a better human than he was - even if she wasn't completely human.  And how he owed it to her and to the Great Bird of the Galaxy to "Keep the dream alive."  (I didn't ask about the Great Bird thing just in case it was something weird.)

He said he's finally realized it was time to pursue his life-long dream of going to the Las Vegas Hilton and test his manhood on the ride at Star Trek: The Experience. He promised as soon as he got there he would see if he couldn't get us special rates for the Nemesis Package. Tax not included.  Based on double occupancy.  Based on availability.  Two night minimum stay required.  (Yes, he actually has all that memorized.)

I'd gotten sort of used to having him around.  But I guess it was time for him to move on.  I just hope he doesn't turn out to be one of the red shirts.  We've had enough of those.

Giles told us today that it won't be long before the other Slayers leave, too.  (Percy is supposed to be here next week.)  Buffy has talked to each of the girls and told them they don't have to work with the Council if they don't want to.  (What can I say?  She has issues.)  But they're all decided to give it a chance.  Maybe it really can be a new start of Slayers and Watchers.

More later.