Date: Tue, 25 Apr 1995 20:24:53 -0800 Reply-To: BrownK Sender: Highlander TV show stories From: BrownK Subject: Princes of the Universe (part 4) This is written by someone else and I am posting it to the list for him. His email address is "CMIKE@IBM.NET". Please send comments and questions to him --- Here's part 4, more to come soon! Mike ====================================================== Part 16: Bridge Picard entered the bridge. "Number-One, report." "We received a distress call from the Vice-Chancellor. He said they were under attack. The signal was cut off before we could get anymore information. It doesn't look good, sir." "Data, how long until we reach them?" "Nineteen hours, twenty-two minutes, twelve seconds, sir." "It seems Vice-Chancellor Lyco underestimated the forces of Kerr Doran," said Captain Picard. "I'll be in my ready-room, I have to notify Star Fleet Command. You have the bridge, Number-One." Picard entered his ready-room, and sat behind his terminal. "Computer, establish sub-space link with Admiral Borland, Star Fleet Command. Captain's priority access Picard-theta-delta." "Link established," the computer replied. "Jean-Luc?" "Admiral, we received a distress call from Vice-Chancellor Lyco a short time ago. It seems they were attacked by Doran's forces. The call was cut short. We can only assume the worst." "This is not good, Captain. I don't need to remind you how much we need this dilithium, and these people need our help. It's imperative that you stop Doran, the USS Lasco and the USS Xavier are standing by if you need them. They'll be less than an hour away. I doubt you'll encounter anything you can't handle, Corellias weapon technology isn't quite up to par with ours. Nevertheless, they'll be there if you need them." "It's hard to believe that one man could do all that this Doran has done. Do we have any background information on him?" "Nothing. It's as if he just appeared one day and took over." "We'll do what we can, Jake." "I know you will, Jean-Luc. Good luck, and God's speed." "Picard out." Captain Picard stared at the blank screen. The doorbell chimed. "Come." The door opened and Commander Riker entered. "Do you have a moment, sir?" "Of course, Number-One. Please." He gestured towards the vacant chair. "How did it go with Mr. MacLeod?" "Better than I expected, Number-One. It seems they enjoy the being aboard the Enterprise, they actually seemed happy about it." "Good. I'm sure that's a load off your mind." "Yes, there's too much going on now as it is. This is our maiden voyage, and it's already started." "Started? What's started?" "Our incredible streak of freak luck," Picard said with a smirk. Riker smiled. "Well, at least this one's not as bad as the last one. I haven't seen Q anywhere." "Yes, and the fate of humanity isn't hanging in the balance. I hope." "We all do, sir." "Your shift is almost over, get some rest. I think we're all going to need as much as we can get." "Good advice. You should take it yourself, sir." "Oh, I am, Number-One. I am." They both got up and walked to the door. "After you, Number-One." Picard exited to the bridge, with Riker right behind him. "You have the bridge, Number-One, you know where I'll be." "Yes sir. Good night, Captain." Only when he was in his quarters, did he allow himself to relax, and reflect upon the day's events. "Tea, Earl Grey, hot." He ordered his favorite drink from the replicator. Part 17: Corellias Government Plaza Building 1 Kerr Doran took his broadsword down from the wall. "Finally over." It was hard to believe. He had started thinking it would never end, and if it did, it would be a disappointment. He was wrong. It was everything he'd hoped for, and more, this Prize. He looked at his reflection in the sword, and remembered the final fight. The fight with Marden. The fight that ended it all. (Flashback) Doran entered the Monastery, and immediately sensed Marden's presence. He found the entrance to the small chapel, and went in. "Marden, the time has come." "Doran. I've been waiting for you. Shall we?" Marden gestured toward the door. "We can't fight here. This is holy ground." "Of course. You know, I've always wondered what would happen if we broke that rule." "You wouldn't." Marden put his hand inside his coat, and felt for his sword. "Don't worry, Marden. I've waited much too long for this. I won't risk it." Doran smiled. "Come. I'll even go out first, so you don't have to turn you're back on me." "How gracious of you." Doran left, and Marden followed close behind. They made their way to a secluded field behind the Monastery. "Here. The ground was never consecrated." Marden pulled his sword out of his coat, and held it in a defensive position. Doran unsheathed his broadsword, and attacked. Marden was forced back several steps, but kept his guard up, as Doran made a relentless attack. "You're making this too easy, Marden. I thought you were the best." Doran continued his advance. "I am," Marden replied, as he stepped aside quickly to avoid Doran's slash. He kicked Doran in the back and started his own assault. "That's more like it!" Doran shouted, as he parried Mardens blows. "But this is getting boring nonetheless." "Really? Well, try this!" Marden came on with an overhead slash, that Kerr almost didn't block, then quickly jumped into the air and swung his sword in a downward arc, barely missing Doran's neck. Kerr lifted his sword, and caught Marden's leg as he has coming down. He severed Marden's Achilles tendon, sending him sprawling. "Well, I guess this is it. Don't look so surprised Marden, you didn't really think you were going to win, did you?" Doran smiled down at him. Marden looked up in disbelief. "Go to hell!" he screamed. "Keep my seat warm," Doran laughed. He raised his sword for the final strike. "There can be only one!" he shouted, as he took Marden's head. (Present) Doran smiled as he thought about it. It gave him goosebumps. "Only one," he said to himself. The timer on his terminal buzzed, telling him that it was morning. He hadn't slept but three hours, yet he wasn't the least bit tired. "The Enterprise," he said to himself. What a fitting name, for that's exactly what he was embarking on. A great new enterprise. One that would give him control of the galaxy. He couldn't help but laugh out loud. Part 18: Ensign Gunn's Quarter's Ensign Michael Gunn stared at the Watcher's tattoo on his wrist, and cursed fate. He cursed it for not only sending him Richie Ryan, Duncan MacLeod, and Conner MacLeod, all at once, but also for giving him Kerr Doran to deal with. He had been looking forward to this field assignment. He was simply supposed to deliver, in person, a set of updated files to the Watcher liaison on Starbase 2517. Headquarters didn't trust encrypted sub-space file transfers on this grand a scale. Apparently, they trusted it enough to send him a new set of orders. Less than an hour after they left spacedock, he received an encrypted communique, marked top priority. It said he was to watch Ryan and the MacLeods, and report all activities to Watcher headquarters on Earth. He was instructed to destroy all Watcher related files and delay any attempt to contact HQ 2517 until the Immortals were off the ship. The fact that Ryan and Duncan MacLeod knew about the Watchers had a lot to do with these precautions. It was alright if they found out that Michael was a Watcher, they had cooperated in the past, but they must not find out, from him, about Doran. The Watchers had a strict policy of non-intervention, a policy that had almost never been broken. Due to the rate at which the organization had grown in the past century, this policy had become both more important and harder to enforce. The Watchers had been monitoring Corellias Five closely for the past two years, when there were less than ten Immortals left. They were not at all surprised when Doran won 'the Prize', he was the strongest Immortal of the ten. What they didn't expect, however, was what Doran would do once he won. They received the reports hours before Star Fleet did, around the same time they learned that the Immortal trio was on the Enterprise. Now they wanted Michael to observe the three, on the off chance that they'd come into contact with Doran. Now, Michael was ready to start watching. He got dressed and headed out. "Computer, location of Duncan MacLeod." Find one, find them all. "Observation Deck," came the computer's reply. "Good, a crowded place. I can blend." Michael smiled. Part 19: Observation Deck Duncan was looking out at the stars and thinking about what Guinan had said, when he felt Richie approach. "Hey Mac. I went to Conner's room, to tell him where we'd be, but he wasn't there. I guess he and Beverly hit it off." "Yea, and he says I get all the women." Duncan smiled. "We'll find him later." Duncan stared into space. "What's wrong, Mac?" "Nothing. I was just thinking about us." "You mean 'us' as in you and me? Or 'us' as in 'Us'?" "I mean Immortals. Have you ever wondered why we are what we are? What the purpose is?" "All the time, Mac. What Immortal hasn't? What brought this on?" "I was talking to an old friend last night. The bartender, Guinan. We met on Earth, over five hundred years ago." "You mean she's-" "No, she's not one of us. She's from another planet. Her species is long lived. Very long lived." "Oh. So what did she say that got you thinking?" "She asked me if I'd ever met any Immortals from other planets." "Other planets? God, I never thought about that." "Neither did I, until last night." "So what do you think? I mean, it is possible." "Yes, it's possible. And it's also scary. What if 'Only One' means only one in the universe. That adds a new aspect to the Game." "Great, Mac. You spoiled what I was expecting to be a good day." "Sorry Richie. Listen, don't worry about it. We can't change who we are, or what we are. All we can do is live life the way we always have. Besides, no one said it was true." Richie nodded. "You're right." Duncan looked up suddenly. "Did you feel that?" Richie looked at Mac with concern. "Feel what?" "There's another Immortal around." "Conner? I don't feel him." "No, not Conner. Its someone much younger, much weaker. Like you, when we first met, in the antique shop." "You mean an Immortal who hasn't been killed yet?" "I think so." Michael Gunn entered the observation deck. He spotted MacLeod and Ryan near the window. They were looking right at him. 'Oh god,' he thought. 'They know I'm a Watcher.' They turned back toward the window. "Was that him?" Richie asked. "I'm not sure." "Well, what should we do?" "Nothing. I never told you, did I?" "No." Michael decided that it was just a coincidence. They just happened to be looking toward the door when he walked in. No big deal. He steadied himself, then walked toward the window. He stood a few yards away from them, looking out into space. Richie glanced over at him casually. He noticed the tattoo on his wrist. He looked back to Duncan. "Mac, he's a Watcher," he whispered. Duncan looked for himself and saw the tattoo. "Yea, I guess he is." Duncan went back to looking out the window. "What are we going to do?" "Nothing. He hasn't gotten in our way, and we have nothing to hide." Richie nodded. "True enough. Anyway, lets go find Conner." "Good Idea." Duncan and Richie walked to the door. Duncan stopped in the doorway for a moment, and looked back at Michael. He shook his head and then left. 'Great,' Michael thought. 'I missed the conversation completely.' He cursed fate again. Part 20: Conner MacLeod's Quarters "So, you're saying this guy is an Immortal Watcher?" Conner looked skeptical. "I think so. Only I don't think he knows he's Immortal. Remember when we met Richie?" Conner thought back to the night, four hundred years ago, when he first met Richie. Richie had broken into Duncan's antique shop. An Immortal, but unaware of it. Duncan had felt Richie's presence before Conner did, but then again, Conner had had other things on his mind. "Yes. Remember the look on his face?" "Come on guys, this isn't the time for reminiscing. What we should be doing is figuring out why there is a Watcher aboard the Enterprise. It doesn't make sense." "Why not? He was wearing a uniform, after all." "Yea, he was. But Watchers are supposed to stay close to their Immortals, so what is this guy doing traveling through space?" Richie looked at Duncan. "I don't know Richie. Why don't you go ask him? Seriouly. They know that we know. Remember Joe Dawson? "Of course I remember Joe. Mac, Joe almost never volunteered information, and he was our friend. What makes you think this guy will talk to us?" "You never know unless you try. Just don't tell him that he's immortal. Maybe." Conner smiled. Richie smiled. "OK, I'll talk to him. And I won't mention the suspected immortality. I'll try and find out what he's doing out here." "Well, if it'll make you feel better." Duncan turned to Conner. "And you. Where were you this morning?" A smile flashed across Conner's face. "And you say I get all the women." Duncan shook his head then smiled. "I was never one to kiss and tell." "I'm going to go find our mysterious Watcher friend. I'll see you guys later." Richie left. Conner stared at Duncan. "What's bothering you, cousin?" Conner knew him well. Too well. "Have you ever thought about immortals from other planets?" "What? Sounds like a bad movie." "No, seriously. It would explain why there's a Watcher on board." "I've thought about it before. I don't know. It's possible." "I know it is. It's a scary thought." "Why? How would it effect us?" Duncan looked at Conner with surprise. "How would it effect us? Conner-" "Duncan, consider this. There are Immortals on every planet. They all fight, until only one is left on each planet. They each have enough power to rule their own planets, and are held in check by each other. No one can get too powerful." "Conner, I can't believe you're missing the point. What if there can be only ONE. One, Conner. One in the universe." "And? The winner from each planet simply moves on to stage two. The finals, if you will. They fight each other until there is only one." Duncan shook his head. "What if they don't wait. What if the first winner simply goes from planet to planet, killing all Immortals?" "Simple, one of us kills him. Or, he kills us. Duncan, you are the one who's missing the point. It doesn't matter what 'the Game' is. We have to play it anyway. We'll know what we have to do when we have to do it." "You're right. I guess after all these years I thought I had it figured out." "You never have it figured out, Duncan. Not even Methos knows all the secrets. And he's been around for a while." "Yea, almost six thousand years. I guess that qualifies as a while." Duncan flashed a grin. "So don't worry so much. All we can do-" "Is live life the way we have been." "Exactly. Hey, lets go to the holodeck. I want to go home for awhile." "Sure. I could use a little exercise." ================================================== Mike Coelho 'There can be only one' cmike@ibm.net -+==========|---------------------- -------------------------------------------------- =========================================================================