Date: Tue, 14 Nov 1995 11:37:04 -0800 Reply-To: Selma McCrory Sender: Highlander TV show stories From: Selma McCrory Subject: Differing Varieties, part 6/6 Differing Varieties by Selma McCrory a Highlander/Tomorrow People crossover copyright 1995 part 6 Adam looked at the young woman that was sitting on the bed. "What did you do?" Before Greer could answer, he heard Megabyte. *What's Dad so mad about?* *I don't know. Greer's awfully upset, though.* "I challenged the guy to a duel. I didn't mean to actually begin fighting, but we ended up that way. And then, of course, we were interrupted." "You didn't mean to fight?" Greer shrugged, and appeared to be collecting her thoughts. "I've been an Immortal for two years, Adam. I'm a baby by Immortal standards - and I really don't know how to fight or how to deal with another Immortal. Schlafer is only the fifth Immortal that I've met in that time. I killed my first one in self-defense." "So, it got out of hand," Adam replied calmly, hoping his influence would calm her. "You could say that. You could also say that it's in our nature to get into fights - there are very few pacifist Immortals, and no one can explain how they missed the influence of the Game. I can explain it even less, now. I was just ready to fight, whether I knew it or not." *Hold on a minute - Dad seems happier now.* "I think General Damon might understand more than you think," Adam said gently. "I wouldn't think so, Adam. He understands mundane things - he can understand bombing plots and things like that. But he's only been recently exposed to the extraordinary. I don't think he understands what you folks are really all about, and you're easier to explain than us. Immortals, he has no clue about." "I can understand," Adam said. "You're not as difficult to understand as you may think." "I think you do, Adam. But then, you're used to it; you've had time to adjust, and you deal with it all the time. You're like a Watcher - we're extraordinary, but understandable to them." Adam nodded. "You're the future," Greer continued absently. "We're the past. The Watchers record history, the Immortals live it. But you guys have yet to come, and I hope to live to the day where there are lots and lots of you around. So that I could be assured that no matter what we did to the world, there'd be peace." The teenager thought for a few moments, and then replied. "But you haven't killed each other completely off yet." "Not for lack of trying, we haven't. If our Game lasts more than about fifty years more, I'll be very surprised." "And you said there were pacifist Immortals, too." "A small minority, Adam. Too small. I can name them on the fingers of one hand. Darius, for example. You would have liked him, he was reportedly a very nice person, did a lot of good in the world. But there are a lot of amoral or simply evil Immortals out there. No, we'll fight to the end. We'll have no choice, regardless of our personal inhibitions. Our lives are ruled by violence. A lot of people were reckless before they became Immortal, and I was no exception. It's in our biology, just like your abilities are in yours." Adam shook his head. * * * It was 11:50 PM by the time Greer got to Kennington Park. Setting her husband on lookout for both Schlafer's Watcher and the Intelligence people, she casually roamed into the park, looking for a sufficiently deserted spot. Feeling a familiar shiver run down her spine, she turned around. "Thank you for coming," she said. Schlafer shrugged as he circled her. "Our fight was interrupted, and I finish what I start. Answer me something: why?" "Antony." "Ah, a paramour of his," Schlafer said, raising his sword. Greer's blade met his, and they began to fight. * * * Near the edge of the park, General Damon was conferring with Michael, who had been waiting for him. It seemed that Greer had come out earlier than expected. Or at least, earlier than expected by the Intelligence personnel. Michael had explained that duels often came earlier than expected. It was just that it was so normal for both him and Greer to expect earlier duels that they had forgotten to explain to the Intelligence agents about it. "I doubt the fight's started anyway, she tends to babble," he had said before refusing to speak further. Adam had come there at General Damon's request, mainly because the General had thought that he could help. He watched Damon coordinate the agents as they spread out through the park. Somewhere, out there, there was a fight going on. Adam knew that Greer was going to do it. Although he didn't understand her need to fight and kill, he understood her. She may have killed, but she was no killer. * * * Greer parried Schlafer's blow. He had gotten better since 1982, just on the swordfighting aspect alone. She paid minute attention to what he was doing, knowing full well that he would have more than one dirty trick up his sleeve. There it was - a slight movement to her left. She moved purposefully away from the arrow, trying to make sure her opponent got hit. But he was ready for it, and refused to go in the right direction. Fortunately for her, and unfortunately for him, he made a mistake. While he was paying attention to not getting hit, she spotted a vulnerable spot under his ribs. She slashed, and he instinctively half-bowed over. In that moment, she crashed into him, knocking him into the ground. He was stunned, but she was able to get up. Taking advantage of his prone, stunned form, she raised her sword up high. "Greer, wait!" She turned at the sound of the voice. * * * Adam found himself deeply concerned about Greer. Unlike the agents, Damon, and Michael, however, he could do something about it. He made sure he found an isolated spot, and then disappeared... Only to reappear near Greer and another man. Adam quickly ducked out of the way as the two combatants fought, completely oblivious to their surroundings. He saw Greer wound the man and knock him over. He saw her raise her sword. And he had to intervene. "Greer, wait!" he yelled. * * * Adam was running up to her. Keeping an eye on both her prone opponent, and the approaching Australian, she scowled. "Adam, go away. I respect your traditions, please respect mine. Don't interfere in the Game." Her opponent was raising an eyebrow. Greer glared at him and knocked him unconscious. "Do you have to kill?" Adam asked. "I thought we went over this already. Yes. It's the Game." "But you told me that you don't have to kill. You told me about those who resisted the pull of the Game." "I'm no Darius, Adam." "No, but you're not a killer. You killed once, in self-defense. Don't kill again because you can." "Adam, he has to be killed. He has to die. He is a killer - both Immortals and mortals have died by his hands." "That's what the justice system is for. He'll be tried for the bombings. They can connect them to him, now." "And then what, Adam? He won't age. If you try to kill him, he won't permanently die." "No, but it's a start. You called us the future. But you have a chance to live much longer than we can! You say you're no Darius - but you can be! You just need to give it a chance." Greer sighed, as she found herself being swayed by Adam's arguments. "I'll try, Adam," she said. "Can you get us out of here?" The teen smiled. "I never thought you'd ask." * * * Several nights later, Greer found herself having dinner with General Damon, Adam, Megabyte, and Lisa. "I'm sorry your husband couldn't make it," Damon said. Greer speared several potato slices before replying. "That's okay. He's in France at the moment. He's got something important over there. Watcher crisis of some kind." "I thought that you were both ex-Watchers," Lisa said. "We are. It's just that he went to see if Schlafer's Watcher had seen Adam's little appearing and disappearing acts, and since he was still in relative good standing, and spoke French, he got recruited. So right now he's in Paris helping find a particularly nasty Immortal who got a copy of a disk of some kind. I think it will blow over." "Did he find out about Adam?" Lisa asked. "He wasn't able to. He wasn't able to get access to the report on our second fight. All we know is that I got ID'd somewhere in the process. Oh, and both fights got classified as being mortal-interrupted." "Well, at least Schlafer is under arrest." "You better get him in jail for a very long term, General," Greer said. "He knows that Adam knows about us, and he may think that Adam is my boyfriend or whatever. He may be in danger. Although that may not be a problem with Adam's abilities." "Let's hope everything settles," Damon said. "We can only hope it does," Greer said. She reached into a pocket and retrieved a piece of paper. "Oh, Lisa, he gave this to me for you just before he left. It's the number for the group of Watchers here in London. He told them about you, and they agreed that you'd make a suitable candidate." Lisa took the piece of paper from Greer. "Thank you," she said. "You're going to go and become a Watcher?" Damon asked, apparently amazed. The other two must have been saying the same thing telepathically, for she looked at all of them. "Greer and Michael have been talking to me about it for the past few days. I think it would be interesting." Greer smiled. "We may have left, but that doesn't mean we can't see talent when we encounter it." When everyone was finished discussing this, the four of them continued eating. Greer leaned back and considered her new friends. With luck, all of them would survive. With luck. End. Selma McCrory "Maybe what the world needs smccrory@calweb.com are more Selmas" selmamc@aol.com -Darien Lambert, Time Trax =========================================================================