Date: Tue, 24 Oct 1995 18:36:24 -0500 Reply-To: "Robert A. Gansler" Sender: Highlander TV show stories From: "Robert A. Gansler" Subject: Rulers of the World (Part 16 of 16) Rulers of the World (Part 16 of 16) A Highlander/War of the Worlds Crossover A ContiNEWity Story * 1995: Blackwood Project Base General Wilson smiled "Now you know the full story. You know why I was able to be 'convinced' about your story about the aliens." "But there were reports and files regarding the invasions." Suzanne objected. "With my high level clearance, I was able to get the material related to the invasions so classified that even the President wouldn't be able to get to it, if he even knew about it. That is to say, the files that I didn't erase completely." Wilson continued, "The Earth wasn't ready to deal with aliens. So I made people forget about the invasions." "But the world could have banded together against them." "By creating even more destructive weapons? Haven't we done enough of that already in order to kill ourselves? And what do you think would have happened to the alien weaponry afterwards? We would have turned them on ourselves eventually." "What about all the people who died in the subsequent invasions?" "No war is without sacrifice. Think about it for a minute. If we had developed the technology to repel the Morthrain, how long do you suppose it would have taken before we had turned it against ourselves. Think about how many lives I have saved by preventing that!" The group had to grudgingly admit that Wilson might have a point. Who was to say which would have been the worse alternative? "What happened to all of the alien hardware?" Harrison inquired. "I had the alien craft stored away," Wilson replied curtly. "Right, there were war machines from the 1953 invasion in Hangar 15. But what about the tripods from the previous two?" "They are safe now from human hands." "What do you mean?" Suzanne asked. "I had them stored in the Great Wastelands, before they became the Great Wastelands." 'The Great Wastelands!' The term brought a shiver to everyone's spine. Most of Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho had become a wasteland after a series of nuclear accidents happened there in 1990. Some figured that the accidents were partly to blame for the harsh environmental conditions that seemed to prevail now across the globe. The U.S. government denied the allegation and had set up a border around the Great Wastelands and let no one in or out. Anybody that crossed the border never came out. The government had sent some observation planes to investigate, but they never returned. The background radiation levels interfered with any attempts of electronic communication to the area. "But the aliens thrive on radiation," Suzanne objected. "The old ones did, my dear Suzanne, in order to stave off the bacteria. >From what you've told me, the new breed is just as susceptible to it as we are. You've also told me that all of the old ones are dead at the newcomers' hands. We don't have to worry about the tripods." Mann stated. Duncan took Wilson aside. "We need to talk." Duncan led Wilson out of the central room towards one of the many tunnels surrounding the base. "You're not gonna fight, are you?" Debi asked. Duncan ignored the question and soon the two Immortals were out of sight. Duncan stopped and pulled out his katana. "Who are you, Wilson?" He began circling Wilson. Wilson took out his own sword and did likewise. "I'm probably the oldest Immortals alive. That is, unless the myths about Methos are true. I'm one of the ancient Immortals. I was old when Darius stopped at the gates of Paris and gave up the way of the warrior. He was one of the few Immortals I feared, until he took up the cloth. "I was saddened when I heard that the Hunters had gotten him. Yes, I know all about the Hunters and the Watchers. Millennia of military experience lets you know when you're being watched or stalked." Duncan was beginning to wonder if there was anything that Wilson was not aware of. Wilson studied Duncan's sword closely. "That's a fine katana you have there, MacLeod. A Masamune, perhaps?" "No, but just as deadly." Duncan said, teeth grinding against each other. "How could you play with the lives of mortals? Who made you God, Wilson?" Duncan was becoming agitated. "No one yet. But if I win the Prize, ..." "I want answers and I want them now!" Duncan demanded. "Or else what? You'll take my head and have no answers." Wilson laughed and then resumed a serious look. "What do you want to know?" "Why did you do it? Why did you make everyone forget about the invasions? I can't believe it was out of concern for humankind destroying itself." Wilson smiled. "Ah, you see through me. Yes, I had an ulterior motive." "I want to make sure that when I win the Prize, I will be able to rule this world eternally. I cannot afford for the mortals to develop even more destructive weaponry. I cannot be certain of the magnitude of power that I will receive when I win the Prize. I must assure that I will remain ruler of this world in perpetuity!" Duncan's rage boiled over. He swung at Wilson ferociously. Wilson parried Duncan's thrust with skill, but his strength and timing were lacking. Duncan feinted another thrust and before Wilson could recover, Duncan kicked a leg out from under the ancient Immortal. Duncan quickly pounced on top of Wilson and held his blade at Wilson's neck. Wilson showed no fear but smiled instead. "I am obviously at a disadvantage. I've been a prisoner of the aliens for five years, and my timing had gotten a little rusty and I'm out of shape. I've spared you three times, MacLeod. I could have taken your head three times, but I didn't. I think you owe me. You started this fight, remember? I promise to meet in fair combat, if you so desire, once I have completely recovered. I am a man of honor in battle" Duncan thought about Wilson's words. He knew that he had a right to take Wilson's head. Wilson had used mortals as his puppets for at least a century, perhaps more. His actions might have cost millions of lives. Nonetheless, Duncan put his blade back in his trenchcoat. He could not take Wilson's head. Wilson's motives may not have been pure, but the state of the world might have been even worse had the memory of the alien invasion been allowed to exist in the general public. It was also true that Wilson had spared Duncan, that Duncan had started the fight, that Wilson was unfit for battle. Wilson smiled, almost knowingly as he picked up his sword. He walked down the tunnel, back to the sewers which would eventually lead him to the outside world. Without turning around, he said, "We'll meet again, Duncan MacLeod. There can be only one." To Be Continued in "Immortals of the Worlds" NOTES: {} = Adapted from the novel "The War of the Worlds" by H.G. Wells [ ] = Adapted from the radio broadcast "The War of the Worlds", directed by Orson Welles. < > = Adapted from the film "The War of the Worlds", screenplay by Barre' Lyndon (( )) = Adapted from TV series premiere of "War of the Worlds" entitled "The Resurrection", created by Greg Strangis, novelized by J.M. Dillard # # = Adapted from the TV series episode "The Second Wave" \\ // = Adapted from the TV series episode "Time to Reap" * * = Adapted from the TV series episode "The Obelisk" CAST OF CHARACTERS: Harrison Blackwood: Leader of the Blackwood Project, adopted son of Clayton Forrester. He is a former astro-physicist at the Pacific Institute of Technology and Science. Ceto: Son of Mana, friend of Debi McCullough. He does not share the Morthrain view that the humans of Earth should be exterminated. Norton Drake: Computer specialist of the Blackwood Project. He was killed by the Ironhorse clone at the onset of the Fourth Wave invasion. Cousin of Charlie DeSalvo. (deceased) Albert Einstein: Scientific genius at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey, circa 1938. The Eternal: The god of the Morthrain race. Clayton Forrester: Adopted father of Harrison Blackwood. He had tried to convince the government that the aliens were not dead. (deceased) Colonel Paul Ironhorse: Commander of Omega Squadron, member of the Blackwood Project. He killed himself to protect the other members of the Project from his clone. His great-great grandfather might have the Immortal Native American medicine man of the 1800s also named Ironhorse. (deceased) John Kincaid: Former mercenary, now member of the Blackwood Project. He and his late brother Max served under Ironhorse in the Army. Duncan MacLeod: Immortal all-around good guy. Debi McCullough: Daughter of Suzanne McCullough, friend of Ceto. Suzanne McCullough: Micro-biologist, niece of General Wilson, member of the Blackwood Project. Malzor: Leader of the Morthrain race, husband of Teela. He murdered Tallok and took over as Morthrain Leader after the failed 1953 invasion. He posed as FBI Agent MacGruder when he went back to 1953 to try to save some members of the Third Wave. Mana: Chief scientist of the Morthrain, daughter of Tallok. Mars: Planet upon which Morthrain forces established launching bases for each invasion. John Martan: Immortal thief. His body was taken over by Mordex. Mordex: Soldier of the Third Wave. He took over the body of Immortal John Martan. Morthrai: Homeworld of the alien invaders. It is now lifeless. Richard Pearson: Professor of Astronomy at Princeton University. It was his story that was detailed in the 1938 broadcast. Carl Phillips: Reporter for CBS Radio. He broadcast the events from Grovers Mill in the 1938 invasion. Tallok: Former leader of Morthrai, father of Mana. He joined the Council after the 1898 invasion and became leader after the 1938 invasion. He was murdered by Malzor after the 1953 invasion failed. (deceased) Teela: Leader of the 1953 invasion. Fellow scientist and wife of Malzor. She was killed in the 1953 invasion. Wave: (First - 1898, Second - 1938, Third - 1953, Fourth - 1989) Name for the different invasion attempts of Earth by the Morthrain. H.G. Wells: Author of "The War of the Worlds." He was contracted by Brigadier-General Marvin to write the novel. Orson Welles: Producer of the radio broadcast of "The War of the Worlds" in 1938. He was contacted by Brigadier-General Montgomery Smith to produce the show. General Henry J. Wilson: Immortal opportunist, also known as General Mann in 1953, also known as Brigadier-General Montgomery Smith in 1938, also known as Brigadier-General Marvin in 1898. It was his machinations that made almost everyone forget about the actual invasions. (Gee, can we get any more M's? MacGruder, MacLeod, McCullough, Malzor, Mana, Mann, Mars, Martan, Marvin, Montgomery, Mordex, Morthrai) Author's Note: I have tried to incorporate the material in the various incarnations of the War of the Worlds into a coherent whole. Some of the dialogue has been taken directly from the original sources. Some has been modified slightly, and some has had 'new' information added to it. Send any comments, criticisms, or continuity correction to Bob Gansler at: rgansler@facstaff.wisc.edu Copyright 1995 Robert A. Gansler, ContiNEWity Stories 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." =========================================================================