Date: Tue, 19 Jul 1994 12:11:22 -0800 Reply-To: Highlander TV show stories Sender: Highlander TV show stories From: BrownK Subject: Treklander II Part 6 >From jfm@christa.unh.edu Tue Jul 19 12:06:53 PDT 1994 Article: 12468 of alt.startrek.creative Path: nntp-server.caltech.edu!netline-fddi.jpl.nasa.gov!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!sdd.hp.com! spool.mu.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!swrinde!news.dell.com!tadpole.com!uunet!moz z.unh.edu!christa.unh.edu!jfm From: jfm@christa.unh.edu (John F Moore) Newsgroups: alt.startrek.creative Subject: Treklander II, part 6 Date: 19 Jul 1994 14:58:29 GMT Organization: University of New Hampshire - Durham, NH Lines: 141 From: Message-ID: <30gpml$rhq@mozz.unh.edu> NNTP-Posting-Host: christa.unh.edu There can be only one...These are the voyages... T R E K L A N D E R I I Copyright 1994 John F. Moore III Part 6 Bashir waited impatiently in his quarters. He had taken a big gamble: first by blatantly revealing the Watchers to MacLeod, second by revealing the Watchers' true intentions, third by revealing the Watchers to Judzia, who could ruin his career as a Starfleet officer by revealing his role in the Watchers to Sisco, and there was always the danger of Odo or one of Quark's toadies listening in... The door chimed. "Enter." In walked the three Immortals and Judzia. "Glad you decided to come, MacLeod." "We didn't have much of a choice Bashir," MacLeod said dryly. "If we hadn't come to you, you would have made life difficult for us until we did. I know how you Watchers work. What Immortal do you want me to hunt down *this* time?" When Cathaway and Judzia looked at MacLeod, he answered, his gaze not wavering from Julian's. "The Watchers are supposed to simply observe the Immortals, not interfering in their quest for the Prize. Some believe we're evil and try to kill us, but not many. Therefore, in order to main- tain their non-interference policy, they come to Immortals who know about them, like myself and Richie, who they give information to conserning an Immortal who doesn't live up to society's standards of decency." "You could hardly blame us," Julian responded. "An Immortal who would use the power the Prize is reported to maintain for evil purposes would be Humanity's downfall...especially now that Humanity has reached into space." "Julian," Judzia said, breaking the ages-old argument, "do you want Duncan or his friends to commit murder?" "Hopefully not," Julian said as he went over to a panel and pressed a button. A slight high-pitched throbbing whine permeated the room. "White noise," he explained, "so that any listening devices won't be able to hear us. Computer, open file Bashir-nine-Alpha" The computer screen chirped and the intercom stated, *File open* "Execute program." The lights dimmed and a holoprojector clicked on as Julian spoke, "This is the assembled knowledge of the Watchers. Much of it is speculation, but is accurate based on the information we have amassed over the millenia." The program began as Bashir spoke... `Many ages ago, centuries before mankind recorded their history, Earth was visited by a race of beings from far away.' A hazy shape that could be a spaceship approached a large gathering of humans. `These visitors spoke of two gifts. The first was the gift of Life Eternal to these chosen Humans, which the beings called Quickening. The other gift was even greater powers to the one who could discover it.' A ray blanketed the Humans and the shape sped away. `No one knew what this second gift was, but they knew that whoever dis- covered it would be the most powerful being in the land. It was referred to as The Prize, since it had to be won. Among these first Immortals were several groups who travelled the world together. One group settled in Egypt, another in Greece, another in South America...and because of their agelessness--' ("The ancient gods!" Richie said. Julian nodded and continued.) `They were indeed revered as gods. Others decided to try to live among Humanity, such as MacLeod's kinsman's mentor Ramirez. Still others tried to subjugate Humanity into assisting them in finding the Prize, such as the Kurgan and Darius before he was converted to Christanity. (Richie and MacLeod listened intently, as they knew these names, but Cathaway sat waiting for Julian to get to the point...much like listening to Data but without the interrupt protocol) `What the Immortals didn't know was that portions of the planet, as well as several others, were infused by the beings as siphons for their power. Humans felt the energy within and thought it to be Holy Ground. The power of the lands infused caused released Quickening to be dispersed ather than captured.' "Computer, end program." "What causes Immortals to lose their Quickening?" Judzia asked. Julain replied, "Quickening is lost when an Immortal dies. There are only who ways an Immortal may die: decapitation and disintegration. In the case of disintegration the Quickening is dispersed, but in the case of decapitation, if the Immortal's killer is also Immortal, most of the victim's Quickening and knowledges are transferred to the killer." "What do you mean, *most*?" Richie asked. "You notice that during a Quickening transfer there are eletrical discharges? This Quickening is dispersed and lost to the killer. In the case of Holy Ground, all Quickening is dispersed." "What happens to the lost Quickening?" Cathaway asked. "Well, the Quickening floats through the ether until it discovers an unborn child. The fetus is then infused with the Quickening. Since it doesn't take muck Quickening, a slain ancient Immortal or an Immortal whose Quickening was lost can create several dozen new Immortals." "Therefore the Prize--" "Is *not* the result of being the final Immortal, since that would never happen. Even if somehow only two Immortals remained, the killing of the second would create new Immortals." "Then," MacLeod asked, "what *is* the Prize?" "The Watchers aren't sure, but the key would likely be on the beings' home planet, wouldn't you say?" "And where is that?" "Well," Julian said, "I would venture to guess it's not in the Alpha Quadrent, since most of it has been explored and there's little, if any, records of beings visiting Earth, at least not for that purpose. But it would seem that these being wanted to be found someday, so would leave a way to be found..." "The wormhole?!" Judzia exclaimed. "You think these...beings came from the Gamma Quadrent?" "I'm almost certain. I'm currently asking the Watchers for all information that might contain a star chart of some kind that I might be able to glean some information from. I hope to have the information within the next few days if it exists." "Julian," Judzia asked, "why did you ask *me* here? I'm by no means Immortal!" "No, but you're a scientist. I would think you'd relish the chance of a millenia-old secret to be discovered. Besides, *someone* has to secure a runabout for this." "What's wrong with our shuttle?" Cathaway asked, insulted. "Nothing, but I doubt Commander Sisco would allow one of his senior officers into the Gamma Quadrent in a civilian craft." "*Assuming* we go along!" MacLeod sneered. "The choice is yours," Julian smiled. "Although I'm sure each of you would relish the thought of obtaining the Prize. I'll be in touch." The Immortals left. When they were gone, Judzia asked Julian, "how certain are you the beings are there?" "You must promise not to tell anyone, not even MacLeod?" Judzia gave her word. "I recieved the information I needed a week before MacLeod and his friends arrived. Remember that quick trip through the Wormhole I made last week? That was to get a bearing from the information I recieved. I even have the planet's name." "Why didn't you tell them? "I want them to come of their own free will. If they think that it may be a wild goose chase, they'll search within themselves as to whether they want to believe me." "But if you told them," Jusdzia countered, "you'd have three willing participants." "Who might decide to go without me if they decided they didn't need me. This way, they have a reason to keep me around...and safe." Judzia sighed. "Can you tell *me* the name of the planet?" "The natives called it...Zeist." -- ***************************************************************************** Prince John III jfm@christa.unh.edu Join the Government of New Atlantis...Email me today and ask how! "I'll Be Mellow When I'm Dead" -- "Weird Al" Yankovic =========================================================================