Disclaimers: *Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers* is copyright 1986-present to Robert Mandell, Gaylord Productions, Transcom Media Inc., Hearst Entertainment, ITF Enterprises Inc., and KOCH Vision. The characters of Daley, Lock, Rowley, and Orr are respectfully named after some of that show's staff/cast; the first three were in "Rogue Arm" while Lieutenant Orr makes her debut in this tale. *Highlander* (the original movie) is copyright 1986-present to Gregory Widen, Highlander Productions, Davis/Panzer Productions, Thorn EMI Screen Entertainment, and Republic Pictures/Entertainment. *Highlander: The Series* is copyright 1992-present to Gregory Widen, Davis/Panzer Productions, Gaumont Television, and Rysher Entertainment. The ORIGINAL Diana Prince (Earth-1 Wonder Woman) and Helena Wayne (Earth-2 Huntress II) belong to DC Comics. The ORIGINAL Dr. Henry Jones (Jr.) belongs to George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, LucasFilm Limited, and Paramount Pictures. The author makes NO claim of ownership whatsoever to any of the characters, locations, and/or situations associated with the above programs/people/films/books. All original characters and situations plus the story itself are the author's property and CANNOT be used without permission. This is a piece of non-profit fan fiction. Please send all questions, comments, and thoughts to Jayce6@gte.net -- flames will be forwarded to the Queen of the Crown and evil Immortals.
Author's Notes: Much thanks and praise to LadyNiko, Kat, Jess, Cricket, and
Matt for their awesome character lines, encouragement, laughter, and
support; additional hugs and virtual chocolates to LN and Kat for their
tireless proofreading and wonderful suggestions! Genre: Crossover with an Action/Angst focus and some G/N UST mixed in. This
story's mostly PG, with a few PG-13 and R things. It takes place before the
Galaxy Rangers' episode "Scarecrow's Revenge," and includes references to
"Murder on the Andorian Express," "The Power Within" and "Progress." For
the purposes of Highlander, everything EXCEPT for Highlander II: The Quickening, Highlander IV: Endgame, and Highlander: The Animated Series (all of which NEVER
happened, IMNSHO) is cannon, with allowances made to fuse the different timelines
together. This story is SEPARATE from the Silver Age DC Comics' and Indiana
Jones' movie timelines -- no harm was done to the ORIGINAL characters -- but
their NAMESAKES are fair game.
*Asterisks* = Dreams, thoughts, and visions.
CAPITALS and _Underlining_ = Emphasis in dialogue and loud noises.
It was 2000 hours, BETA Station time.
As the Last Quarter Moon shone over the place like a slowly fading beacon,
its beams washed through the windows to cast long, lingering shadows over
the quiet corridors. Joining those was a female-shaped piece of darkness.
The murderer was finally back up to half power after several hours of
covertly stealing energy from the station. She had just enough juice to
scout for a bit before heading for the nearest stasis box. Crawling through
dusty airshafts badly in need of cleaning, the gray-and-black streaked form
followed a path dictated by memory. A few minutes later, she eavesdropped
on two officers in the Communications Room.
"So what's all this ruckus about last-minute security?"
"You heard right. Word's out that these two professors -- who have the same
last name, of all things -- are keeping watch over their own artifacts till
they leave tomorrow."
"Talk about being paranoid. Who the heck are they, anyway?"
"Duncan and Connor MacLeod. Let's see where they are..." The only sound
heard for the next few seconds was the clicking of keys on a computer
terminal. "Right now, those gents are holed up in Conference Room A-13."
"Hey, if they want to lose sleep over their junk I'm not going to complain.
By the way, you coming down to my party in Trinidad next week?"
"You bet! Will your wife and the steel drums be there, too?"
"But of course..."
Their voices faded from her audio sensors as the assassin retreated back
the way she came. Coming to a junction deep beneath the South Docking Bay,
she stopped to get her bearings. Pressing a tiny button on the inside of
her right wrist, a piece of fabric rolled away on her lower arm to reveal a
small screen. Manipulating the control dial on its left edge revealed the
current locations of her boxes. To her dismay, she found only one left...
near Conference Room A-13, according to the information in her data banks.
The others were either no longer functional or had been shipped off with
the rest of the artifacts. *Is this a trap?* Even if it was, the killer
knew her job. Steeling herself, she made good progress crawling towards the
target area. Kicking out a grate behind some cargo crates, she passively
searched for the closest thing she had to a home. Detecting it in front of
a stack located twenty feet down the corridor, she sped towards it and
froze. Voices drifted towards her, coming from the opposite end of the
walkway. Slipping quickly inside her box, she snapped all the seals shut
and lowered her body into the harness. Plugging herself in, she felt the
recharge starting and remained deathly still, straining to hear the
approaching voices.
"Yo, my Gooseman, this is WAY above the call of duty. Why the heck are we
doing this? My _next_ yawn will probably rip the station apart!" To
illustrate, a massive one rumbled out of his throat.
"You're our secret weapon, Doc. While you deafen the bad guys with your
snoring, the rest of us will nab 'em before they recover!" a younger voice
smirked. "Give me a hand with this, willya?"
A sickening lurch, then a hard jolt followed by a feeling of
weightlessness. The whine of a grav-lift as the box was moved forward.
Reaching back, checking to make sure the sword was still in place. Rubbing
her belly, knowing her hard-won treasures were stored within.
"Besides," Gooseman went on, "if you ever leave the Rangers, think how
much money you'd make as a mattress-tester!"
"Keep the day job; you'll never make it as a comedian. Where's this thing
headed, anyway?"
"Niko wants us to cart over the rest of the MacLeods' stuff plus anything
that hasn't been claimed. The off-station shipments are falling behind."
"Ah, scoring brownie points with your lady. I have trained you well!"
A brief pause. "We're friends, Doc, nothing more."
"If you say so. 'Course, saying this _strictly_ off the record, I wouldn't
wait too long. I imagine Duncan's not the only one with a fine eye for the
fairer sex..." A deep, menacing growl cut off his words. "Okay, okay, down
boy!"
A jerky stop as the lift bumped against the wall. Soft clicking on a
keyboard panel, cueing the password for entering. Loud swooshing as the
door opened, then forward motion once more.
"Hey, Niko! Your humble servants have arrived bearing gifts!" Doc's voice
called out.
"Thanks, guys," she laughed, "just put it with that pile down the
corridor."
Forward motion again, will hollow echoes all around. More clicks as another
code was entered. Moving up a bit before bumping hard on the floor.
Footsteps muffled by the sound of a door being sealed. Voices still heard
despite the barrier.
"So what's the plan, MacLeod? Gonna leave tomorrow night?"
"Right, Ranger Gooseman. The sooner we're off this station, the safer I'll
feel."
"It'll be nice to see you FINALLY going places, Duncan. There _is_ a whole
galaxy out there, after all."
"You're saying I'm an isolationist, Connor?"
"Let me out it this way: repealing the law of gravity sounded like a good
idea to get you to move on. You can't quit, or let the past hold you
back..."
"How I handle my memories is _my_ business."
The awkward silence was broken only by the sound of nearby vents blowing
recycled air into the room.
"Sure you folks will be okay by yourselves?"
"Thanks, Doc, we'll be fine. Remember, our last duel will be at 0700
sharp."
"How could I forget? I still owe you for sucker-punching me in that last
session!"
Laughter mixed with the sounds of people walking away and calling out
greetings to someone named Zach.
"How do you talk me into these things, Connor?" Duncan wondered.
"Must be the MacLeod charm..."
*Something is wrong!* The murderer felt lethargy spread through her body,
slipping in while she was being recharged. It had crept up so gradually
that she didn't notice it in her weakened state until now. Her energy
drained off at an incredible rate, like a school of Antarean Vampire Fish
sucking the blood from a juicy animal. *What was that?* Heavy thumps and
shuddering, which sounded like metal panels slamming down on the deck,
thundered around her area. The outside voices were abruptly cut off.
Gravity lessened its pull until the crates floated on their own, bumping
into each other. The harness started to crush her as sensors threatened to
shut down. She ripped it away and reached for the hatch controls, which had
just gone black. Wrenching the panel off, she saw only darkness and heard
nothing but gentle thumps. The assassin perched on the box's lid, braced
herself, then kicked out with all her strength to slam through some
surrounding crates and crash into a far wall. Digging her claw-like fingers
into the metal provided an anchor against the zero gravity. Raising her
head, she activated her night-vision optics. The room was totally encased
in solid steel plates, proof against most weapons. Other than the sealed
door, visible as a slight bulge in the wall covering it, there were no
other exits. No ventilation shafts revealed themselves. No living beings
were trapped there. A faint whirring sound grabbed her attention, coming
from a small motion camera that tracked her movements from its position in
the nearest corner. She snarled at herself for being so careless. Making
another hole in the metal with her other hand, she wedged her feet into the
gashes to maintain her hold and drew the scimitar. Reaching towards her
belly, she pulled aside its panel...
"Damn! So much for spacing the room after she's shut down -- we can't risk
her escaping again. What's she doing now, Doc?"
"Going for something in her lower torso, Captain," he reported from a small
terminal set nearest to the hallway. The other Series Fives plus the
MacLeods waited behind him. "There's some sorta red glow coming out... No!
It _can't_ be!" He moved aside for his friend to take a good look.
Zach stared at the image for all of five seconds before swallowing hard,
then glanced at the group with a haunted expression on his face.
"Psychocrystals... the same size as Eliza's." The Ranger turned back,
adding that "There's three total, all clutched in one hand. Funny, though
-- they're surrounded by electric sparks."
"But-But HOW did the Queen get her hands on more humans?!" Niko stammered.
"And why are the crystals _without_ Slaverlords?" Goose suspiciously added,
blasters already in his hands. "Why didn't she just send 'em on over to
attack Earth already?"
The killer made her choice. She tucked the two empty crystals in her belt
for later use. Two of the filled ones went back in her belly while she
turned the third over and over in her hand. Tiny bolts of blue lightning
danced over its surface, framing the rugged face of a human male.
"Unless they were made here," Duncan's quiet voice interjected.
"From our friends. It's THEIR Quickenings in those crystals," Connor
realized, eyes widening in shocked comprehension. "And she did it all by
herself."
The MacLeods looked at each other, an ashen pallor falling over their
faces. They had always wondered if there was a fate worse than an evil
Immortal being the last One.
Now they knew... and wished to God they didn't.
"Wait a minute; she's got a built-in, _portable_ Psychocrypt?! Oy vey!" Doc
groaned, turning back to the scanners. A deep frown marred his usually
cheery features. "Power levels nearly off the scale. Get out the blasters
and blades, compadres... she's going to break out!"
The murderer touched her chosen crystal to the sword's six-sided pommel.
The unholy red light flowed from it straight into the hilt, then kept going
until a cackling ruby aura permeated the whole night-black weapon with a
dread power. Placing the blood-colored jewel back into her torso and
resealing the panel, she kicked out again, thrusting herself at the door.
Digging her fingers beside its frame, she started hacking through. The
energized blade sliced through the thick reinforced metal like a hot knife
through butter.
"All backup units, implement Plan B," Zach ordered over the comm channels.
"If we don't make it, you're under orders: do whatever it takes to bring
that thing down!" Turning to Doc, he told him to "Jam all outgoing
transmissions from this room and seal it off. I don't want the Queen
getting wind of this."
The hacker's fingers danced on the keyboard. "Done, O Fearless Leader.
Who's on first?"
"She's MINE," Duncan snarled. Whipping the katana from his storage case, he
stormed forward to stand before the rapidly melting door, solid stance
unforgiving. No matter what happened, only one would walk away alive.
Connor stopped Zach right before he could protest. "Let him be, Captain,"
he urged. "This is personal."
The Ranger sighed, blue eyes weary. He knew from experience how personal
vendettas led to big trouble, but wasn't about to argue with a
centuries-old warrior wielding a razor-sharp sword. "All right, You take
cover behind those creates and keep an eye on the fight; be ready to spell
for him if he needs it. Niko, you and Doc get on the balconies; Goose
and I will stay down here. If _anyone_ gets a clear shot, use lethal
force."
"Understood."
"Right, Captain."
"You got it, Zach."
Right after they got into position, the door oozed away in a grayish puddle
of molten slag.
The assassin jumped free, her blade returning to normal; its excess power
had been completely used up.
Her mad dash was brought to a screeching halt when Duncan swiped at her
eyes. At the last second, she dove to the side so that he only gouged her
chest, creating an "X" with the slash Connor had made earlier. Hissing, she
sprang towards the Highlander, scimitar posed to impale him. He stepped
aside and rammed his sword hilt-first into the back of her neck. Fingers
aching from the sheer force of the blow, he assumed a ready position as the
killer shook her head, willing the static to disappear from her sensors.
He advanced on her, making the female robot back away down the corridor
till they were in the main room. Once there, they circled each other
slowly, both watching for signs of weakness in the other.
"Like I said -- it's just you and me," Duncan lethally whispered. He
shifted his gaze for a brief second, feigning distraction. When she shot
forward, he calmly thrust his blade deep into her belly, twisting and
sliding it sideways.
The secret panel opened with a crisp snap. Glowing psychocrystals tumbled
out and scattered on the floor. Golden energy surrounded all three of them,
quickly lifting them up to Niko's perch; they settled down beside her as
she kept her aim on the killer.
The murderer took her revenge by thrusting the scimitar up, slicing deep
into Duncan's ribs and puncturing his left lung. A second later, before the
pain reached his brain, her fist met his nose with the latter audibly
breaking. He groaned and roughly kicked her back, wiping his face with one
hand as his breathing became labored.
"Duncan..." Connor started, moving forward.
"STAY BACK!" Duncan hotly responded, his eyes never leaving her. He
backpedaled to avoid a viscous swipe at his neck, barely staying out of
range.
She swung once more, forcing him to parry the blow, then shoved him away
and ran for it.
The Rangers opened fire.
Two combined shots from Goose slammed into the assassin's lower back,
knocking her down. She immediately got back up and bolted, jumping on and
off high piles of crates to land on Niko's platform. As the Ranger
telekinetically sent the crystals to Doc, she fired her lazer rifle,
winging the killer in both shoulders before the barrel was sliced in two.
Niko tossed aside the useless weapon and assumed a fighting stance. When
her opponent lunged forward, she slammed her hands on either side of the
blade and fell backward. Pulling the murderer down with her, she kicked up
with both legs, hitting the other's groin with deadly force.
The assassin released her sword, somersaulting as she sailed clear off the
platform. She landed on her feet and dashed behind some nearby consoles to
avoid the blaster fire.
Ripping off panels and components with her bare hands, she threw them as
deadly missiles, keeping her enemies busy by dodging them; she took special
pleasure in hitting the MacLeods. Duncan fell dizzily to the floor, thanks
to random objects that insisted on slamming into his head, but doggedly
fought off unconsciousness. His re-broken nose healed itself swiftly.
Connor's right arm bled from a long nasty gash inflicted when he kept a
sharp-edged panel from splitting his skull in two. One of Goose's guns was
knocked away, falling to the deck in a shower of sparks. Deep rips in the
Rangers' shirts plus the bruises beneath them pointed to where the
missiles hit.
"Doc, can your Tweakers help?" Zach called, using his bionic arm to punch
anything heading for him.
"Dunno, but it's worth a shot." Crouching down to present a less visible
target, Doc tapped his badge and drew out the CDU. "All Tweakers, get in
there and shut her down! Watch it: she's probably got Slaver programs
swimming in her blood!"
"Righty-o!"
"We're on it!"
"Gotcha, Doc!"
Like living balls of light (which in essence they were), Firefly, Lifeline,
Pathfinder, Pixel, Searchlight, and Tripwire swooped downwards. The killer
threw objects at them like crazy, sensing their true purpose, but one by
one they zipped into her dark metal body -- and promptly got booted back
out. They tried again repeatedly, buzzing around her like annoying insects.
She kept low, moving towards Doc's position.
"We can't get in! Terminator codes are possessing every inch of her!"
Pathfinder exclaimed.
"Oh, great," Doc groaned, covering his programs with some lazer fire until
they made it back home. His gaze flickered briefly to the CDU clipped on
his belt, closing it tight...
"Doc! LOOK OUT!" Connor shouted.
He glanced up in time to grab the psychocrystals and bolt back from a
viscous kick. Shooting fast enough to make Goose proud, his lazers only
missed her twisting body by millimeters. "Now, now," Doc sarcastically
grinned, "it's not polite to brain someone who's looking the other way!" He
pinned the murderer behind a pile of stacked wall panels and threw the
crystals to Niko, who had rejoined the others at ground level.
She tossed the scimitar to Goose and ran forward, catching all three of
them. The instant her bare hands touched the gemstones, their captive
energies spread out to completely engulf her. Niko stared at them, gazing
into their ruby-hued depths like they were crystal balls.
Goose shot the murderer in her right knee. When she staggered out of his
sights, he threw the blade upwards. "Doc, _catch!_"
"Many thanks, my Gooseman!" the hacker replied, nimbly plucking it out of
the air. He whirled around and blocked a sharp thrust from his opponent,
who had just ripped a pipe from an exposed section of the wall. Between his
swordplay and aiming lazers at her face, Doc held his own.
A strangled cry died in Niko's throat as three strong life forces mentally
begged to be set free. The sheer power threatened to overwhelm her, and the
outside world blinked away as she struggled to make sense of the memories
flooding in. Her implant activated automatically. The Ranger was surrounded
in a blazing gold aura interlaced with bluish-white lightning bolts dancing
all through it.
The MacLeods watched her closely, worried faces lined with deep concern as
they recognized the power in those bolts. Could a mortal possibly wield the
energy of _three_ Quickenings without burning out or, worse, going insane?
Goose and Zach saw her transformation out of the corners of their eyes, but
knew she would have to wait until Doc was out of danger. Neither could get
a clear shot until he got out of the way.
"Plan 7!" Zach called, touching his badge. His left arm flared up in
familiar patterns of black and gold.
Doc nodded and moved the assassin into position, allowing her to wrestle
the scimitar away. Just a little more... "Now, Captain!"
With a scream of overpowered electronics, the Thunderbolt hit her left side
as she started to dodge it. Her body flew straight up to the ceiling,
smacking into it with a sickening CRUNCH before cropping like a rag doll.
She fell down, clutching her weapon, and crashed headlong onto an enormous
stack of empty crates.
Closing her eyes for a brief instant, Niko's green irises had turned into
the deepest, darkest violet upon opening again. She released the
psychocrystals, which rose slowly till they circled above her head.
"Niko?" Goose asked quietly. He was as close to her as possible, what with
her supercharged force field taking up an area ten feet around her body.
"I'm fine, Shane," she replied in a voice that combined her tone with three
others. She levitated towards the smashed crates.
"What's going on?" Doc asked, jumping down from his perch as he looked at
Niko in awe.
"Something big," Zach replied, his grave eyes never leaving her.
Connor and Duncan were already at the crash site, cautiously sifting
through the mess. They searched it from opposite ends, using their blades
to poke at the nasty-looking lumps.
Niko kept quiet, scanning the rubble as though she could see right through
it. The other three voices were now united in what they wanted to do. The
psychocrystals continued to orbit her head, their barely contained energies
increasing to the point where they were all covered in electricity. Tiny
lightning bolts bounced between them, forming a circle of power as the
jewels joined forces. Both their energy and Niko's spread out from her
supercharged aura, touching the ground and debris to probe them. Her eyes
flashed with gold energy as the scimitar exploded from the pile, heading
for Duncan's head!
With barely a blink, Niko telekinetically grabbed it from the air and
pulled it into her hands, wielding it with all the skill of a master
swordsman.
At the same time, the killer leapt from her hiding place and tackled
Connor, stabbing something red deep into his chest. He landed hard on the
deck, eyes already glazed in death as the murder weapon stuck out from his
heart: a razor-edged psychocrystal. She grabbed his katana, slashing it
towards his throat... then it and her severed right hand fell uselessly
beside him.
Whipping around, she stared hatefully at Niko who telekinetically held the
scimitar above the dead Immortal's body, pointed straight at her. The
Ranger reached out and sent Connor's sword to Duncan, then tossed the
floating blade at Goose.
With a shriek of rage, the murderer grabbed her last empty psychocrystal
and bolted towards Niko. Goose shouted and ran forward, but was repulsed by
the gold shield. She for her part remained calm, like an actress waiting
for her cue.
Time stood still.
Or, more accurately, the assassin was frozen in place. The instant she had
run into Niko's force field, her entire body was seized in a crushing
telekinetic grip. The final crystal slipped from her fingers, shattering on
the deck. The active psychocrystals zipped over and rotated around her body
as they generated their own field of Quickening power. They bombarded the
killer in a blanketing wall of electrical energy that completely engulfed
her form. Slowly the bolts penetrated her armor as the circuits were turned
into slag. She felt absolute agony in those final moments of her artificial
life. Connor woke up in time to see this final act, Duncan having pulled
out his crystal moments before. As the humans watched in horror, the
murderer's body simply melted away. Entire sections were converted into hot
gases as the stench of ozone hung heavily in the air. In the end, there was
nothing left save for the miniature Psychocrypt, a collection of twisted
pipes that crashed on the floor.
The psychocrystals shone with a soft red light, not the cursed scarlet
normal to their kind. They floated back to Niko and crackled with thin
white bolts, apparently telling her something.
She nodded and gestured for the others to come over, willing her field to
vanish as she leaned heavily against the stack of crates behind her. The
battle had clearly taken its toll on her: both uniform and hair were
drenched with sweat, the normally pale skin was milk white, and eyes
drooped in exhaustion. Still, she was determined to see this last bit
through. Duncan supported Connor as the MacLeods made their way to the
gathered Rangers. "They want to give their Quickenings to you two," Niko
told them. They started to object, but a wave of her hand silenced them.
"It's either that or being trapped in those things for eternity. And if
those crystals are destroyed, then everything they ever were will vanish."
"Are they _sure_ about this?" Duncan asked.
"Yes." Cocking her head at the floating gemstones, she went on with a small
smile. "Diana says you two would've beaten her at arm-wrestling in another
thousand years, Helena wants to sue the Crown Empire for damages, and Henry
claims that the Psychocrypt belongs in a museum."
Connor laughed, even though it hurt too much. "That's them, all right. I
would be honored to carry their legacy; Duncan?"
"Ready whenever they are," he solemnly replied.
Niko smiled dreamily and collapsed.
Goose caught her in time, cradling her barely conscious form in his arms.
"Don't let me miss the good stuff," she murmured.
"Not likely, babe," he grinned.
"Everyone, get under cover," Duncan warned the Rangers. "If you thought ONE
Quickening was bad..."
They took shelter behind the farthest crates possible, with Doc grabbing
the burned-out Psychocrypt along the way.
The crystals floated to the center of the room, hovering above some smashed
crates. They united once more in a circle of power, their energies growing
hotter and brighter as they shoved all their might into it. Duncan and
Connor stood below them, silently paying their respects as they gazed
upwards. They raised their katanas in salute, waiting for the inevitable.
It was like staring into the heart of a fierce lightning storm -- the bolts
turned pure white, glowing so bright that the Rangers averted their eyes.
Tornado force winds blew around the chamber, picking up speed and debris as
the ceremony neared its climax. And then everyone was temporarily deafened
as three Quickenings slammed into two Immortals. The MacLeods' screams rose
above the thunderclaps, crying out in pain and pleasure at the same time.
The energy pushed itself into the two Scotsmen, merging with their flesh,
minds, and souls to make them stronger than before. Just when it looked
like the whole room would explode... it ended. Miraculously, the Rangers
and their sheltering crates remained untouched. Likewise, the Station did
not suffer another quake. The rest of the chamber, however, was a black
smoking ruin. When the haze cleared long minutes later, the Rangers saw
their friends sprawled face down on the charred deck with two swords and
three brown, drained, dead psychocrystals surrounding them.
After the Rangers dragged them to the safe spot, tore the bloodstains off
their clothes, and placed the swords beside them, Zach called the medics
and clean-up crews in.
"...When I touched the psychocrystals, those three souls telepathically
called out to me. They knew what had happened, knew they could never return
to their own bodies. Filled with pain and rage, their only desire was to
avenge themselves. But to do that, they needed someone who could channel
and focus the psychic power trapped within the crystals, make it her own
for a time. In essence, she would act as the 'glue' to let them combine
their strength; as their energy merged with hers, so too would theirs mix
with each other until they could function independently. Because of my
Gifts, they asked for my help. I agreed if they _only_ destroyed the
assassin and left the 'mini-Psychocrypt' intact for study so that no one
would ever die like that again. They kept their word."
"As did you. Are there any lasting effects?" Connor asked, concern shading
his calm tone as he sat on the couch beside her.
"My abilities are a bit stronger for the moment, like my implant's been
supercharged with energy -- I sensed you and Duncan coming here five
minutes before you guys knocked on the door. I can feel the excess power
fading away, though; my guess is that I'll be back to normal in a few
days."
"I feel guilty leaving you like this," Duncan admitted, crossing his arms
while leaning in the corner nearest to her.
"Don't," Niko shook her head firmly. "I'm a Galaxy Ranger; it's my job to
do strange things on a daily basis."
Connor softly laughed in response. He squeezed her hand as she sat in a
recliner, clothed in a green summer dress.
She still looked tired, but a hint of mischief lurked in her eyes. After
the various questions had been answered, Dr. Shinjen had ordered a week's
bedrest for Niko, given the fact that the young woman was completely
drained. For once, she was happy to follow doctor's orders, snoozing the
hours away in her station quarters. While Zach and Doc took care of the
clean up and reported to Walsh, Goose stayed with Niko to make sure no one
disturbed her. She woke up at 1930 hours to eat dinner with him; the door
chime rang right after they finished. Connor and Duncan had come to say
their good-byes because their ship was leaving soon. They had checked in
several times while packing, but she was always deep in dreamland. It was
only at her insistence that Goose allowed Duncan in at all; the Ranger
stood some distance away, gazing out the living room windows.
"What happens now?" Connor wanted to know.
"The usual hearings, reports, cross examinations," Niko shrugged, "but I
seriously doubt you gents will be called in, on account of the fact that
you've been inconvenienced enough."
"That's a relief," Duncan smiled. "Thanks for letting us keep our swords."
"It was our pleasure." Her eyes focused intently on the pair. "Will you two
be all right?"
"I think so. Strong Quickenings always pack a punch, but you get used to
them after a few centuries," Connor winked.
"But HOW did you survive them in the _first_ place?" Goose demanded,
looking over at him.
"Oh... it's a kind of magic," the elder Highlander mysteriously replied.
"Where's that Psychocrypt now?" Duncan asked.
"Q-Ball's tinkering with it and the scimitar," Goose replied as he walked
up. "Between him and Doc tearing them apart, they'll find a way to make
sure the Queen can't use 'em again."
"I hope so," Niko whispered. "I sure hope so."
The blond Ranger was immediately at her side, kneeling down to rest his
hand on her cheek. "You should get some more sleep," he gently chided.
"Like THAT ever stopped you before!" she teased back. "I'll see my friends
off, then hibernate for the next six days. Satisfied?"
"Well... I _guess_ that'll have to do," he chuckled.
Niko grabbed the large pillow behind her back, smacking him in the face
with it before he could react. Laughing, they got up and walked the
MacLeods to the door.
"See you in a few months, Niko," Connor smiled as he kissed her hand.
"I look forward to your next series of classes, Professor MacLeod," she
grinned back, hugging him.
He shook Goose's hand firmly. "My respects to you and the team, Ranger
Gooseman. Thank you all for saving our necks."
"No problem," he smiled back. "Don't get into _too_ much trouble; Doc owes
you a rematch after you guys fought to a tie today!"
"We'll try," Connor snickered. Saluting the Rangers, he turned around and
left.
"I have to go," Duncan said sadly, his eyes boring into Niko's. Before she
could ask what was wrong, he hugged her tightly. Loneliness and isolation
rolled off him in waves, overwhelming her senses. "Be safe, Niko-san. Have
a good life."
"Will I ever see you again?" she asked with a catch in her voice.
"To echo your own words, I hope so. Watch over him, hear?" he replied,
gesturing at Goose.
"I will," she promised.
Duncan held out his hand to Goose. "My thanks to everyone as well. Just
promise me one thing."
"What's that?" he asked warily.
"Take good care of her."
Goose looked at him in surprise, then shifted his glance to Niko. Without a
word, he held out his arm to her, She slipped hers through his, her emerald
eyes strong. He then shook Duncan's hand, giving it a good grip.
The Immortal smiled, then departed quietly. His footsteps echoed down the
halls as the last of the Conference-goers got ready to head for Granna.
"Will he be all right?" Goose asked Niko.
Her eyes brimmed with tears. "Yes. He's just so alone."
His eyebrows shot clear up to his hairline. "Alone?! Then you two
never...?"
"No," she replied. "We weren't right for each other." She sniffled for a
bit before going on. "Can you imagine it, Shane -- outliving your loved
ones for centuries on end?"
"I'd rather not. My life's complicated enough." He brought his hand up to
catch the tears flowing down her face. "Hey, don't worry. They're both
survivors; they'll be back."
"I know," she smiled. "Can we see the last ships take off? I promise to go
straight to bed after that!"
"The things I let you get away with," he laughed.
They settled on the couch overlooking the West Docking Bay, watching the
vessels depart. Somewhere along the line, Niko used Goose's left shoulder
as a pillow. Sometime after _that_, he eased his arm around her... to keep
her warm, he told himself, although he couldn't deny that it raised his
body temperature as well. He patiently waited for the deep, even breathing
to indicate she was asleep before carrying her to bed.
Tucking her in, he paused while brushing a stray strand of hair from her
cheek. He protected her with his life and would gladly give it up to save
hers. Goose already knew that he would die for Niko, but now he faced a
greater challenge: living for her.
He smiled as he settled into the chair beside her bed, ready to begin the
vigil again.
THE END!
RETURN TO BLASTER BOLTS: CHAPTER 4
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