Date: Mon, 1 May 1995 14:23:39 EDT Reply-To: Matthew Wood Sender: Highlander TV show stories From: Matthew Wood Organization: University of Georgia Subject: Fields of Ice (part 1 of ?) This is my first attempt at Highlander fiction. This story takes place in the movie universe. No characters from the series exist in this story. Please e-mail comments/suggestions/corrections to mwood@uga.cc.uga.edu. I alreay have the rest of the story planned out, but not written. If I get sufficent positive feedback I will write the rest of it. Thanks, Matthew ========================================================================== Fields of Ice Part 1 "If you would all please turn to page 247 of the proposal, I will begin discussing the redistribution of shared stocks within our subsidiaries." Nikuruk Baru shifted in his plush, corporate meeting-room chair. *Man, you've got your priorities straight don't you?* Nik grimiced inwardly at the thought of having to sit through another of these boring meetings. *At least, he thought, as soon as this meeting's over I can get some real work done. He gazed idly out the window. Why do I even put up with all of this. It means nothing to me. It's not like I need the money, or the hassle. I've got enough problems in my life with--* "Now if you would all be so kind as to join us for dinner this evening in the company lounge, we can finalize this deal under less formal surroundings." Jarred from his reverie, and glad that his disinterest apparently went unnoticed, Nikuruk filed out of the room with the rest of the Board of Directors of Davis & Jallorme, Inc. The group proceded down to the basement and the home office's exclusive lounge/resturant. As Nik entered the lounge, he caught the eye of the Chairman of the Board, who game him a curious wink and a none-to-friendly smile. A waiter stepped to Nik's side and placed a silver platter on the table in front of him. "I haven't ordered yet," Nik protested. "We got an early order for you from the Chairman. He said to make sure that we would have what you wanted, he would go ahead and order for you." This piqued Nik's curious side. "Okay, let's see what you've got." The waiter raised the cover of the platter to reveal a large salmon, cooked to perfection and smothered in garlic butter. By any chef's standards, it was a masterpiece. Nikuruk looked down at the plate. His stomach turned. Under his breath he muttered, "I quit." *** "Why are you staring at that fish so? Do you not appreciate the bounty that the sea gives to us?" Nik turned to the frowning Japanese man and found himself lowering his eyes in shame. "Yes, Hamashuro, but sometimes I just..." Hamashuro suddenly seemed to grow impatient. "But you just *what*?" Young Nikuruk's face burned with embarrasment for angering his teacher, but he mustered up the courage to blurt out, "But sometimes I just *wish* that the sea's bounty didn't smell so bad!" The hut's third occupant, a hulking man named Karuna, howled with laughter. "Hamashuro, if you would stop telling him tales of the foods of your homeland, we wouldn't have this problem." His demeanor turned harder. "You know we are the chosen for this village, and as such we can never leave. We are chosen by the spirits to watch over our people for all time. I believe the spirits sent you to us for a reason, but sometime I wonder if it is just a test to our resolve to stay with our charges or to leave for your "Nippon" and freeze to death on some plain because we had angered the spirits! Nik, eat your meal; soon we have to greet the fishermen as they return." ****** "...I don't know why I took on the Easterner, considering the name he gave me was an alias. Probably because we needed another strong back. The man frightens me, though. Not that he has done anything to harm myself or my crew, but just the way he looks at a man... It's as if he knows the evils in your soul and has them tucked away in case of emergency. Or maybe it is that sword he keeps--a no one uses a sword that size anymore. At least, no one civilized. Be it known, by my soul, that I have misgivings about this trip--" A sudden jolt of the ship tossed the ship's log aside and captain to the ground. He jumped to his feet and looked out the porthole. Pirates! The captain grabbed his saber and rushed topside. There, he found the invaders already on board and looking to overwhelm the crew. He sidestepped a falling slain sailor and quickly disposed of the attacking pirate. A loud grunt sounded over the din of the battle. The captain looked over his shoulder to see the Easterner, a good head and a half taller then any of the pirates, swinging his mighty sword in giant arcs through the attackers. Bodies littered around the fighter, and the pirates were, in many cases opting for much easier prey in the sailors still on the masts. The pirates had the advantage from the beginning, though, and soon almost all of the crew were dead or captured. The captain, manacled and forced to lay face down on his own deck, could still see the Easterener holding his ground against the attackers. That is, until three pirates stepped up with bow and arrow and fired into the giant. He toppled over the edge and the captain dropped his head to the deck, awaiting the blow he know would eventually come... ======================================================================== Matthew C. Wood | mwood@uga.cc.uga.edu Programmer II +------------------------------------ Financial Information Systems | 125 Boyd Graduate Studies Building | this space intentionally Athens, GA 30602 | left blank Office #: (706) 542-7603 | ======================================================================== =========================================================================