Date: Thu, 21 Sep 1995 09:26:47 -0500 Reply-To: "Robert A. Gansler" Sender: Highlander TV show stories From: "Robert A. Gansler" Subject: Rulers of the World (Part 4 of 16) Rulers of the World (Part 4 of 16) A Highlander/War of the Worlds Crossover A ContiNEWity Story * 1995: The Marketplace As Mordex made his way through the Marketplace, he recalled that he occasionally suffered from intense mental pain. It seemed to emanate from certain people. He assumed that the Fourth Wave had developed some device with which they were trying to find him. Whatever type of organo-tech device it was, it created some kind of feedback in Mordex's brain. Mordex's was confident in his explanation. The Terrans did not have the technology to create such a device. When he felt this sensation, his first instinct was to grab the human's sword. He did not know exactly why. However, he feared that this device might cause him even more pain at a closer range, so he always put a great deal of distance between him and the source as quickly as he could. The human's sword was very useful to him, though it was an archaic weapon. Apparently, not all of the Fourth Wave carried the mysterious device. When he came across members of the Fourth Wave who did not wield it, the human's skill with the blade proved to be very deadly and efficient. He could dispatch them before they could bring their organo-tech weapons to bear. The situation on Morthrai must have seriously deteriorated since the Third Wave embarked. Organic technology was completely unnecessary even then. The biosphere provided enough free energy for all types of equipment. It had supplied power to propel the invasion fleets to Earth. The biosphere must have been severely depleted if the Fourth Wave had to channel their own personal energy to operate their weaponry. One would have thought that there would have been more than enough energy to get the Morthrain people to Earth. Perhaps they drained every last erg of energy in order to get here so quickly. That would explain how they arrived before the deadline. Duncan spotted Martan in the marketplace. "Martan, your time has come," he whispered to himself. Duncan quickly bounded over some reclining beggars and toppled trash cans. As he closed in on the other Immortal, he exclaimed, "Martan, we have unfinished business." Mordex turned and felt a wave of pain flowing through his body. He was certain that it came from this long-haired figure. "It must be a Fourth Waver," he thought. "But how does he know this human body's name and why does he use it instead of mine?" Suddenly, his mind was overtaken by a memory of the human's past. This human had been running away from this other man, this MacLeod, when he and his comrades met the former John Martan in that alley. "It's not a Fourth Wave device." Martan was astonished. The feeling was coming directly from this long-haired human named MacLeod. His previous encounters with the feeling must have been from people like this MacLeod. He wondered what kind of human these people were. He felt the urge to unsheathe his sword, but something prevented him from engaging this human out in the open. He did not know why; he just could not do it. So he ran. He wove his way until he came upon an old, abandoned warehouse. Duncan was still on his tail, about a block behind him. "I can lose him in here," Mordex thought. He burst through the door and barricaded behind him. Duncan arrived at the door but could not seem to open it. After a number of attempts, he knocked the door open. He could still sense Martan. "He must be in here," Duncan thought. "I'll make sure he stays." Duncan rebuilt the barricade in front of the door. "This should keep him in and any uninvited guests out." Meanwhile, the Blackwood Project team arrived at the Marketplace. They carried reproductions of the fuzzy image of the swordsman. They went up to the locals who did not look too belligerent and asked, "Have you seen this man?" Most of the locals just ignored the question. A few claimed to be the person in the picture. Some responded with the question of how much the information was worth. After a few unsuccessful transactions (after which Kincaid 'diplomatically' got their payments back), the team was ready to give up. A man in tattered clothes came up to them. "You looking for the sword guy that kills the freaks?" Harrison grabbed the man by his shoulders. "Yes, have you seen him?" "Yeah, he's been around." "Have you told the police? Are they investigating?" "Do you really think they care about what's going on down here?" "Whatever. Tell us what you know!" Kincaid interjected. Harrison tried to calm the situation "Easy, Kincaid. Look, friend, you know about the swordsman. We'd like to know about him." "Information ain't free. You guys with the feds?" "You could say that." Kincaid was getting impatient. "I see. Well, I'll tell you what I know for, say, a twelve pack of beer." "That's reasonable. Suzanne, if you would? But first, tell us about the freaks, then we'll deal. We need to know you're on the level." "Sure, we call 'em freaks down him cause they act real strange. They carry weird plants around sometimes. And sometimes when some the tough guys mix it up with them, it's real weird." "Weird? How?" "I know a bunch of guys who swear that they plugged a freak, but they don't find no body." Harrison looked to Kincaid. "I think we're on to something here." Suzanne brought the beer that was stashed in the van. The team had found it useful to carry some items of barter along whenever they came to the Marketplace. "Harrison?" Suzanne asked. "Give him the beer." The old man took the beer. He pressed it to his cheek. "Hey, it's warm." Kincaid grabbed the man, "Look, you got your beer, now tell us where we can find the swordsman." The old man shook himself from Kincaid's grasp. "OK, already. He's been around the Marketplace looking for freaks. I saw him about fifteen minutes ago. He seemed to be running away from somebody. Over towards that way." He pointed in the vicinity of the warehouse. "Great, thanks. Let's go." Harrison said excitedly. =========================================================================