Date: Mon, 23 Oct 1995 08:27:44 -0500 Reply-To: "Robert A. Gansler" Sender: Highlander TV show stories From: "Robert A. Gansler" Subject: Rulers of the World (Part 13 of 16) Rulers of the World (Part 13 of 16) A Highlander/War of the Worlds Crossover A ContiNEWity Story *** 1938: Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, New Jersey "Zo, vat do you shtudy, Herr MacLeod?" asked the man behind the desk. He was wearing a grey sweater that was partially tucked into his pants. His white hair looked as if it had not been combed recently. His thick mustache gave him a genial, grandfatherly appearance. "I'm interested in history mostly, Professor Einstein. I was just passing through the area and decided to visit this institute about which I've heard so much. I've met a few of the people who work here and I was hoping to catch up with them." Duncan answered. He was dressed in a very spiffy suit with a bow-tie. He fit in perfectly with all the other intellectuals running around the institute. "However, I guess I arrived a little bit late." He looked at his watch. It was about eight o'clock in the evening. He had hoped to see Professor Arkin, the man Amanda had helped in smuggling out of Germany back in 1936. "Ach, for vone so young to be interested in history. Now an old man like me, I have seen a lot of history." Einstein laughed. Duncan laughed along with the scientific genius. "I hear you have some intriguing theories. If you have some time, I'd be interested in hearing them," Duncan stated politely. Einstein began to say something when a loud whining noise could be heard from outside. When it stopped, the entire building was shaken violently. Books dropped out of the bookcase before the bookcase itself crashed to the floor. Einstein tried to keep his balance, but stepped on one of the books littering the floor and fell down. MacLeod managed to keep his balance as he wondered what was happening. The building stopped shaking and Duncan helped Einstein back to his feet. "Was that an earthquake, Professor?" "Ach, no, I don't zink so. It vas probably dose physicists over at Jadwin Hall. Dey really should let me verk over dere, too. Now, I vas beginning to tell you about relativity, nicht wahr?" "Jawohl, Herr Professor." "Ach, you speak German very good. Mit no accent either. It usually takes years und years to shpeak German zo gut. Now first ve begin mit an inertial reference frame ..." Einstein began scribbling on the blackboard as well as talking to it instead of Duncan. After about twenty minutes, the blackboard was covered with Einstein scrawls. Duncan had been lost after about ten seconds, but he made no motion to interrupt the genius. Not that it would have mattered, Duncan figured. Einstein would have continued even if Duncan had left the room. Duncan smiled at Einstein as the scientist turned around from the chalkboard with a big grin on his face. "Zo you zee, Herr MacLeod, dat relativity is vewy special. Ha ha ha." Duncan just nodded along and smiled. Apparently, Einstein had made a joke, but it went right over Duncan's head. "Now let me show you zomething else." Einstein began drawing on the blackboard. "Suppose I vere to go on a rocket ship und fly avay at der shpeed of light, ja? Venn I return, a few days later for me, everybody dat I knew vould be dead. You see, hundreds of years vould haff gone by on Earth. Even a youngster like you vould be long gone." "You'd be surprised." Duncan whispered to himself. One of the other visiting scientists suddenly popped his head into the office "Professor Einstein, turn on the radio. You won't believe what's going on. Listen to the news report." Einstein walked over from his blackboard to the large wooden radio set against the wall. He tried to turn the radio on to no avail. He began twisting the dials in every direction. He smacked it a few times but no sound came from the device. Duncan smiled, "Professor, if I may?" Duncan went over to the outlet and plugged the radio's cord into it. The radio came to life with a high-pitched noise that gradually faded, allowing the actual radio broadcast to be heard. Einstein tried to adjust the volume but instead changed the channel. "Ach, dat vas shtupid of me." Einstein tuned the radio into a station, turning the correct button this time. The radio began to crackle and then the voice of the announcer could be heard. [---This is Carl Phillips, reporting from the Princeton Observatory in Princeton, New Jersey. With me is the noted astronomer, Professor Richard Pearson. We're here to talk to Professor Pearson about the strange things that seem to be happening on the planet Mars. Professor Pearson ...?"---] Pearson then gave his views about the strange phenomenon that observatories around the world had reported as occurring on Mars. He described his views about the 'canals' of Mars and hypotheses about the regularly-occurring 'volcanic' activity reported upon the Martian surface. Duncan wondered if the strange activity had something to do with the tremor. "Professor? Let's go to the observatory." Einstein responded, "Nein, I'm zorry, but I'm zupposed to go to New York early tomorrow morning und I need my shleep. You can go vitout me. It vas very nice to meet you, Herr MacLeod. Shtop by any time." Duncan shook Einstein's hand and rushed off to his car park outside. He quickly tuned the radio to the station and listened as Pearson was still describing his opinions about Mars. Phillips then reported that Pearson interrupted by a messenger delivering him a cable. Pearson paused for a few moments and then Phillips came on the air. [---Excuse me, but I've just been handed a cable that was delivered to Professor Pearson. It's from the Chief of the Astronomical Division, Lloyd Gray, at the Natural History Museum in New York. 9:15 PM Eastern Standard Time. Seismograph registered a shock of almost earthquake proportions within a twenty mile radius of Princeton. Please investigate. Signed Lloyd Grey, Chief of the Astronomical Division, Natural Museum History Museum of New York.---] Duncan pulled to a stop outside of the Observatory. He locked the car and walked quickly inside. He could see a man that he assumed was Carl Phillips holding a microphone and another man in a white labcoat standing nearby. [Phillips inquired, "Professor Pearson, could this occurrence possibly have something to do with the explosions observed on the planet Mars?"] Duncan smiled. He had still not lost his touch for the story, though it had been a while since he had last run a newspaper. He was gratified that he still had a nose for news. [Pearson responded, "Hardly, Mr. Phillips. This is probably a meteorite of unusual size and its arrival at this particular time is merely a coincidence. However, we shall conduct a search as soon as daylight permits."] Duncan had been around long enough that there were not many things that were 'merely a coincidence.' Even though he was not a world famous astronomer, his instincts warned him that the events were related. Carl Phillips thanked Professor Pearson for his time and signed off. Duncan took this as a cue to approach the men. He began discussing with them the current events. Pearson was thoroughly unconvinced that there was any cause for alarm. The discussion was interrupted by another messenger bringing a cable. Pearson read it and informed Duncan and Phillips about its contents, "It says that the state police have located the source of the shock. Something came down over at the Wilmot Farm in Grovers Mill." Duncan thought about it for a second, "Grovers Mill. That's about eleven miles from here. I'll take you there. My car is parked outside." Phillips said, "All right, let me just get my equipment loaded and we can go. You're coming. Professor?" "Most assuredly, Mr. Phillips." Duncan drove with almost wild abandon to Grovers Mill. He pulled the car to a screeching stop at the Wilmot Farm. Phillips hurried to get out of the car and begin broadcasting again, "Thanks, Mr. MacLeod." ** 1938: Grovers Mill, New Jersey Duncan stopped the car a few blocks away from the farm. There were a few dozen cars parked along the road and signs of activity on the farm. Pearson and Phillips thanked Duncan for the lift and rushed down the street to the farm. Duncan locked the car and followed them. Upon arriving at the farm, Duncan could see all sorts of people milling about. There were police officers, politicians, and members of the local citizenry. The center of everyone's attention was the metallic cylinder half-buried in the ground. It certainly was not a meteorite; it was definitely manufactured. A slight humming sound could be heard, seemingly emanating from inside the object. Duncan began talking to some of the locals to find out what had been happening. Duncan turned back to the driveway to see a number of high ranking military officials arrive in a fleet of automobiles. He was about to return to talking to some of the locals about what they knew when he felt the strong feeling of an Immortal's presence. He looked again at the assembly of officials and saw one of them look back at him. Duncan did not recognize the face. From the way that the group was discussing things, it appeared that the Immortal in question was in charge. Duncan began to walk over to that crowd when he saw a pair of people moving towards the buried cylinder. Carl Phillips began talking frantically into his microphone describing the events as they happened. [A police captain and an officer approached the cylinder cautiously. The captain carried a white flag tied to a pole. They were obviously to show peaceful intentions. Duncan wondered what the occupants inside of the cylinder would make of it. The pair continued to make their way to the pit that contained the alien craft.] [Phillips was describing the action into the microphone, "Waitaminute. Something's happening. Some shape is rising out of the pit. Some kind of mechanical device. What's that? There's a jet of flames springing out of it, leaps out right at the advancing men. It strikes them head on. Good Lord, they're turning into flame. The flames are spreading everywhere. The gas tanks. The gas tanks in the automobiles. Explosions and fire everywhere. Coming this way now, it's about twenty yards to my right ..."] The fire burned through the wire leading to Phillips microphone, rendering it useless. The weapon began pivoting back and forth as if it were scanning the area. Then it resumed firing indiscriminately. People scrambled for cover. Carl Phillips was yelling frantically into his useless microphone when he was struck by an energy beam and promptly erupted in flame. Duncan turned to see the reporter be reduced to a pile of ash in a matter of seconds when a ray blast tore through his own chest. Duncan looked at the hole in his chest and collapsed to the ground. As his eyes slowly closed, he could see the aliens continued to blast the farm and the people gathered there. He could feel the Immortal escaping with some of the other military officials, and then he could feel nothing at all.... A few hours later at a nearby farm, a temporary command post had been established. The officials that had escaped gathered around the commanding officer who quickly sat down at the desk and was handed a telephone. The officer said "Yes" a number of times and signed off "I'll do my best, Mr. Governor." He hung up the phone and handed it back to and aide. "Get me a live feed on all of the local radio networks. I have an announcement to make." The aide made a few hurried calls and then returned the phone to the officer, "It's all set up, Brigadier-General, sir." [The officer nodded and began speaking, "This is Brigadier-General Montgomery Smith, commanding officer of the State Militia at Trenton. I have been requested by the Governor of New Jersey to place the counties of Mercer and Middlesex, as far west as Princeton and east to Jamesburg, under martial law. No one will be permitted to enter the area except by special pass issued by state or military authorities. Four companies of State Militia are proceeding from Trenton to Grovers Mill to aid in the evacuation of homes within range of military operations."] As Smith hung up the phone, reports began piling up on his desk.. He read them quickly, and then handed them off to his subordinates. The fires that were ignited by the Martian attack were ravaging the countryside. The combined fire departments of Mercer County were trying to put out the blaze. Smith put down the reports and picked up his pipe that was partially buried under the paper that was quickly accumulating on the desk. "Why didn't someone tell the fire departments that they're in the middle of war zone?" he asked as he lit the pipe and took a few puffs. None of the subordinates had an answer. A private rushed into the command post and saluted Smith. "What is it, soldier?" Smith puffed. "Fire departments report that the fire in almost completely extinguished. The things apparently let them put out the fire. They count about forty dead, six of them state troopers. They also found a survivor." "A survivor?" Smith thought. "It must be the Immortal I sensed." Smith turned to his aide "Order the fire departments out of the area. Tell them to leave the survivor. Cordon off the area. I'm going there to investigate. The lieutenant "I'll organize some men to accompany you there and requisition an auto..." Smith cut him off "No, I'll go alone. That's an order, lieutenant." The lieutenant pleaded "But sir, at least..." Smith grabbed the officer by the collar "Which part of my order did you not understand, lieutenant. Or would you prefer that to be _corporal_ ?" Smith drove back to Wilmot Farm and stopped the car as soon as he felt the sensation of another Immortal nearby. Smith searched through the charred remains until he saw a human figure sprawled out on the ground, face down, and apparently dead, but Smith knew better. Smith knelt down before the unmoving man and turned him over. He was surprised to see the face on the man, who he could tell was living once again. "MacLeod?" Smith said. Duncan opened up his eyes are gazed confusedly at Smith, "I'm sorry, have we met?" "Err, no, we haven't. I've heard of you, though. The Highlander, right?" "One of them, yes." Duncan was still in a lot of pain. He was thankful for that. This other Immortal would be able to take his head with very little difficulty right now. The feeling that the pain generated along with the appearance of the Immortal jarred something in Duncan's mind. He almost felt as if a flashback was about to form in his brain, but all he felt was a strange feeling of deja vu all over again. "You were with a radio reporter, right?" Smith asked. Radio - the word reverberated through Smith's head. What was his name?" "Carl Phillips, he was with ... CBS Radio." "Hmmm, CBS Radio. They have some very good radio productions on that network. What's the name of that one? Ah, Mercury Radio Theater. Directed by Orson Welles, I believe. I think I know how to handle this one." Wilson got out his pocketwatch and brought it close to Duncan's dazed face. "You're feeling very sleepy, MacLeod, very sleepy ..." Bob G. EPRI HVAC&R Center rgansler@facstaff.wisc.edu http://www.engr.wisc.edu/~gansler/ "Reality - a nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there." =========================================================================