I AM... NIKO: CHAPTER 1

Disclaimers: *Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers* is copyright 1986-present to Sir Robert Mandrell, Gaylord Productions, Transcom Media Inc., ITF Enterprises Inc., Hearst Entertainment, and KOCH Vision. The characters of Daley, Locke, and Rowley are respectfully named after some of that show’s staff; they first made their debut in “Rogue Arm.” *Kung Fu* is copyright 1972-present to Ed Spielman and Warner Brothers Television. The author makes no claim of ownership 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 me at Jayce6@gte.net -- flames will be forwarded to the Queen of the Crown and the Chinese Imperial Court.

Author's Notes: Many thanks to LadyNiko, Kat, and Jess for their praise and suggestions. My deepest gratitude to LN for encouraging me throughout the course of writing this story! :) And yes, Shaolin nuns really did exist.

Genre: Alternate Universe with an Action/Angst focus, plus some Z/E and G/N mixed in. This is my interpretation of what the Galaxy Ranger characters would be like in the Kung Fu universe, with Niko in Kwai Chang Caine’s role.

*Asterisks* = Dreams, thoughts, and visions.

CAPITALS and _Underlining_ = Emphasis in dialogue.

Sand dunes shimmered in the light of the rising Sun, gold on gold vying for brightness against a painfully blue sky. Already the heat waves promised this summer day to be a scorcher.

A lone figure rose above the dunes, then walked slowly down at an unhurried pace. The slim shape revealed itself to be a woman clad in a slightly worn white shirt and pants. A long knitted blue belt tied the loose shirt in place and sported a large canteen off her right hip. Sturdy blue boots protected her feet and an old white Stetson shielded her lowered face from the sun. She stopped under the trees of a nearby oasis and raised her head. Sharp green eyes missed nothing as they scanned the landscape. Satisfied that she was alone for the moment, the lady walked deeper inside. She drank deeply from a clear pool and filled her canteen with water. Moving further into the shade, she sank into a cross-legged position. She removed a flat brown bag strapped diagonally across her torso and unstrapped a double-barreled shotgun from her left leg. Closing her eyes and breathing deeply, she entered a restful trance as the wind blew hip-length russet hair behind her like a cape. As she swam in meditation, her mind drifted back across the miles, over the sinking sands and endless waters -- back to the land of her youth, back to China...

A terrible crash shattered the stillness of the night. Rising from their beds, the Shaolin nuns approached the heavy double doors to help out.

Beyond the Xanadu Temple’s entrance, which was built as a training center after the second and final time the main Shaolin Temple had been destroyed, they found the shattered remains of an overturned cart. A red-haired American man and graceful Chinese woman lay dead inside. Blood and bruises completely covered their bodies. Beneath them lay an unconscious girl, barely six years old. One of the oldest nuns, a bespectacled, colorfully garbed woman who wore her thick white hair cut short, gently removed the child and took her inside the temple. She murmured instructions to the others; they hastened to clean up the area and remove the bodies for funeral rites.

The girl awoke several hours later to a grandmotherly face that swam amidst bright pastels in her blurred vision. After rapidly blinking, her green eyes focused enough to see the soft greens and blues solidify into long robes.

She bolted up and looked frantically around the sparsely furnished room. She opened and closed her mouth several times, but no sound came out. Finally she said, "My parents are gone."

"Yes, child," the older woman replied kindly. "I am Ariel. What is your name?"

"Niko," the girl replied.

"What happened?"

Niko scrunched up her face, straining to remember. A panicked look crept over her features as she exclaimed, "I-I don't know... it's all in pieces!"

"Breathe deeply, in and out," Ariel soothed as she brushed away a straight lock of short reddish hair from the girl’s pale face.

Niko did so and calmed down.

"Now, take a look at your memories and tell me what you see. Know they cannot harm you now; you are safe here."

Niko tried her best, but all she could remember was that she and her parents had been traveling somewhere.

Ariel got a curious look in her eyes. "How did you know your parents were dead?"

The girl shrugged. "Always could feel Mama and Papa -- till now. Sometimes see stories in things I touch." Her eyes dropped as she sniffled.

Ariel looked at her in concern. "Mourn, Niko. There is no shame in crying when you lose people you love."

The young child hugged herself tightly while her body shook with suppressed sobs. Tears squeezed their way out as the tremors got worse. Ariel pulled her into a strong embrace, and Niko sobbed loudly for several minutes before falling asleep in exhaustion.

Ariel gently laid Niko down on the small bed. She reached into her robes and tied a small jade pendant, the only salvageable thing from her mother's body, around the girl's neck. Adjusting her glasses, her blue eyes got intense as she stared at the slumbering child. "You are special in more ways than one, Niko," Ariel softly whispered. "I will train you myself, and do my best to help you see that your Gifts are a blessing -- never a curse." Placing a hand on the child's forehead, she did her best to soften the pain and heal the mental trauma. She privately doubted that Niko would fully regain her memory until she was much older. In the meantime, however, Ariel could teach her the techniques needed to resolve the suppressed anguish. Silently leaving the chamber, she told the other nuns that they had a new student.

Niko sensed the scuffle before she heard it. Opening her eyes, the Sun's position told her that several hours had passed. She rose and gathered her belongings before heading to the source of the sound. Slipping through the place like a white specter, she saw a fight erupt just outside the oasis.

Ten scruffy men chased a staggering, brown-haired woman who fired at them with a pistol. Two dead horses and a wounded bandit several meters away pointed to her escape. Her wrists and ankles had deep rope-burns, the sweat-soaked dusty white dress was badly torn around the knees, and she was nearing exhaustion. The men taunted her as they rode up on their mounts. Their green-clad leader, who was a real ugly sort with bloodshot eyes and a huge centipede tattoo on his bare right shoulder, shot the gun out of her hands. Despite the impossible odds, the woman's strong blue eyes screamed anger, defiance, independence -- anything save surrender.

As they closed in, shots rang out from the trees. They neatly sliced through saddle straps, throwing three of the bandits yelling to the ground. The tattooed man growled and fired back, but had no idea where the first shots had come from. During the confusion, the woman dashed into the oasis and ran for her life.

Niko stepped out from behind a tree and pulled her down into some thick bushes beside it. When she tried to struggle, Niko shushed her. The lady became as quiet as a mouse. Long minutes ticked away as they waited.

The posse crashed through the area, swearing loudly and sending the native animals into flight. They passed by the women's hiding place without a second glance.

Waiting for half an hour more, they could no longer hear the men.

The older woman stood up and brushed herself off. "Thank you," she smiled gratefully. Reaching down a hand, she pulled the other to her feet. "My name's Eliza Foxx. Who are you?"

"I am... Niko," she replied, bowing from the waist. She spoke in a low, calm tone, choosing her words carefully.

"Pleased to meet you. What are you doing out here?" the newcomer asked curiously.

"Wandering. Travelling. Searching for work."

"Hmmm, I might be able to help you out when we get back to New Phoenix," Eliza replied.

"I am grateful," Niko replied humbly. "Why were those men chasing you? Who are they?"

A sad look settled like a worn mask onto Eliza's face. "They're Raiders, working for the Queen." At Niko's puzzled expression, she chuckled, "You really aren't from these parts, are you? The Queen's leader of the most viscous gang of thieves and cutthroats in this territory. Thanks to them, she's carved out her own little empire. If it weren't for the Rangers and lawmen, her borders would probably stretch into Mexico by now. Her gang kidnapped a whole bunch of townsfolk a year back to force Zach, my husband, to hand over some treasure he'd captured on a raid. The Queen double-crossed everyone at the last second, but he and his boys rescued the hostages. I was helping some children get away when she knocked me out and retreated. She's been dangling me on a noose in front of Zach ever since. I've run off on a few occasions and he's lead some posses to get me back, but this is the first time I escaped -- thanks to you."

Niko smiled gently. "You are welcome. Do you know where this 'New Phoenix' is? I would be honored to escort you there."

Eliza's eyes widened. "Generous offer -- mind if I accept immediately?" She gestured sheepishly at her ruined dress. "Uh, I don't suppose I can borrow a change of clothes...?"

Niko led her to the pool. She set her spare outfit, hat, and boots on the shore and averted her eyes to give Eliza privacy as she cleaned up. She searched nearby for edible and medicinal plants, washing them off with water from a canteen hung behind her right hip and storing them in her pouch. Underneath it was a box of shells hooked on the belt that she reloaded her shotgun with.

Reaching into her bag, she pulled out a collapsible staff and assembled the six-foot long weapon. Niko whirled it in the air a few times, pleased that it was still in good condition. The eerie whistling sound it made brought back another memory...

Niko was eight years old. Shoulder-length black hair, dyed to hide her from the Chinese persecutions of foreigners, waved over her left shoulder in the brisk morning breeze. She stood in the courtyard among other gray-clad novices, quietly watching two nuns parry with long staffs.

Her gaze was drawn to a rude teenaged student, Pai Tan, who seemed to live only to humiliate her. Her continual scoffing hadn't won her many friends but that also meant most of the children avoided Niko. Niko's gaze darkened as she angrily wished she could beat her up...

"Catch!" a voice called out challengingly.

Niko whirled around in an instant, grabbing the staff before it could slam into her.

"Good, very good!" Ariel laughed. She assumed a combat stance, twirling her staff. "Now fight me."

"But-But it would be disrespectful!" Niko protested. "I have no reason to hurt you!"

"I am glad. Is there anyone here you _do_ want to inflict pain on?"

Niko's gaze was involuntarily drawn to Tan, who looked back at her with contempt.

"Ah, I see," Ariel nodded. "A bit of advice, my student: NEVER let your emotions lower your defenses!" With a cry of attack, Ariel lunged at Niko.

The others scattered as Niko clumsily parried her mentor's blows. Ariel tripped her over twice and swatted her backside a few times. Whenever Niko got mad or tried to go on the offensive, Ariel danced out of the way and soundly trounced her. Soon Niko blocked out the pain, focused only on the fight. She started imitating Ariel's flowing style, finding that she didn't get tired as quickly.

Ariel won in the end, but Niko got in some good moves.

"Now, Novice Niko, what did that teach you?"

"To... never fight... out of anger?" Niko panted.

"What else?"

"Always... finish a fight... even when... I have not... begun it?"

"Yes, and also remember," Ariel said as she turned to address the group at large, "that a Shaolin acts instead of reacts. Ideally, we are merely observers. But when we are called upon to resolve a conflict, we MUST think it through before committing ourselves. If we do choose to get involved, then use the least amount of force possible -- save your energy by reflecting that of your attacker back at her. That way, you are still at full strength for whatever comes. " Ariel chuckled at Niko's groaning. Putting a hand on her student's shoulder, she ended with "Come, Mantis. Let's see how many of your healing lessons you remember."

As they left, Niko saw a glimmer of respect in Tan's eyes -- deeply buried, but it was there...

Niko smiled wistfully. Oh, how she missed Ariel. Some of her lessons went a bit overboard, but Niko would gladly go through them again to see her mentor once more.

"Nice staff," a voice commented from behind her.

She turned to see Eliza fully dressed. Putting down her melee weapon, Niko brought out a small jar of ointment to help heal the rope-burns. When she was finished, it was placed back inside the bag. Niko strapped her staff on her back and handed over the shotgun.

"This makes me feel a lot better!" Eliza declared, weighing the weapon in her hands. Reaching into her discarded clothes, she pulled out a small map of New Phoenix and the surrounding area. Pointing out some routes sketched in colorful ink, she said "This is the Queen's plan for attacking the old homestead that I, ah, 'borrowed' when I escaped. Apparently there's a shipment of gold bars heading back East that she would love to get her hands on. The First Bank of New Phoenix is holding 'em till the Rangers pick it up on Monday. She’ll strike while most folks attend Sunday services." Eliza shook her head in disgust. "Just her style, to attack like a craven coward while the decent people are minding their own business! We have two days to get back and warn 'em." She studied the map, frowning at the shaded areas between the oasis and town. "Problem is, most of the land between here and there is patrolled by her boys. Any ideas on how we can get by?"

"What about this stagecoach route? It is near here, and the surrounding cliffs would provide cover," Niko asked as she pointed to a squiggly red line on the map.

Eliza studied it. "Looks like our best bet. If we get lucky, maybe someone will give us a ride. Let's go!"

After Niko refilled her canteen, the two women moved out. They walked over alternating stretches of burning desert and rocky wasteland. A strong wind erased their tracks every few seconds, and cloud cover helped them avoid overheating. Within a couple of hours, they saw the route in the far distance.

Niko suddenly stiffened, jerking her head towards a cloud of dust approaching from the south.

"Raiders!" Eliza hissed angrily. She raised the shotgun and aimed. "They're not taking us without a fight!"

"Wait," Niko replied, pulling down the gun barrel. "There is a better way."

"Is that so? I can't wait to hear THIS..."

Niko motioned then over to a huge stand of cacti. When they were hidden as much as possible, which was about halfway out of sight, she whispered "I can hide us from them -- if you will trust me."

"With my life, hon. What do I do?"

"Relax. Make no moves or sounds."

"Okay, for whatever good it'll do." Eliza hunkered down as much as possible while avoiding the sharp needles. Niko did the same and concentrated, her open eyes turning deep violet with the effort.

The same gang stopped right in front of them, looking around.

"See that frail anywhere, MaCross?" a squat, dog faced man asked.

"Nah -- just this wild bunch o' cactuses. I ain't goin' back till we get that troublemaker! The Queen told me not to bother returning unless we do..." the tattooed leader replied.

"In those exact words?" the white-haired man with an eye patch snickered.

"Watch it, Patch -- don't be stupid enough to test HER! I swear, some of that cockamamie stuff she does... it's like black magic."

The entire group shuddered and departed posthaste.

Ten minutes later, the two women stepped out. Hurrying over to shadows beneath the cliffs, they took a breather behind some large two-ton rocks beside the trail.

"I don't believe this!" Eliza exclaimed. "Here we are, trekking across no-man's land while hiding from a band of outlaws, and you barely break a sweat while I'm dripping buckets! On top of that, you hide us from sight even when they're eyeballing us! What's your secret?"

"I was trained was to work with my body and mind, to merge the two into one to overcome all obstacles," Niko replied softly.

Eliza raised an eyebrow. "Where are you from, anyway?"

"China," the young woman painfully whispered.

"Why are you here?"

"I made a mistake. I avenged my Master's death."

Eliza drew closer, putting a hand on Niko's shoulder as she silently urged the younger woman to go on.

Niko looked into the older woman’s warm eyes and told her story. She was raised and trained as a Shaolin priestess, becoming one of the few to pass the rigorous final tests to do so. In the Temple, she had learned everything from martial arts to weapons mastery to healing wounds to mediating conflicts. After her training there was over, she traveled all over the land for three years and helped people. That idyllic time ended with the death of her beloved Master Ariel...

It was the Festival of Kwan Yin, Chinese Goddess of Compassion, Mercy, and Tolerance. The streets were happy and joyful in the normally somber Forbidden City. Bright banners fluttered in the late afternoon breeze. People were friendlier and more understanding towards each other, going about their business as children played around them. Dozens of colorful kites decorated the sky as people flew them from the parks. There were huge crowds packed into the impromptu marketplace haggling for wares, watching outdoor plays, and dancing around. Offerings of incense and oranges practically buried Kwan Yin's sacred public shrines as people gave thanks and asked for help.

Niko ran into Ariel shortly after sunrise, easily spotting those bright green-and-blue pastel robes a mile away. The younger woman was dressed in the standard orange clerical robes, with a long braid of dyed black hair reaching halfway down the back and a string of simple brown beads adorning her neck. Student and Teacher had a fine time reminiscing and laughing amidst the festival.

Ariel impressed upon Niko the value of compassion, praising it as one of the noblest virtues. "You can never cultivate too much compassion, Mantis," the older woman had smiled, using the childhood nickname she had given Niko once upon a time, "for that reaps a never-ending bounty!"

Niko grinned and was about to reply when a deadly hush settled over the area. People melted out of the way as a gaudy Royal Entourage, consisting of the Emperor's nephew surrounded by a platoon of guards, marched down the street.

Just as the procession passed the Shaolin, someone knocked into Ariel who in turn bumped into one of the guards. He was none too happy with that, snarling "You DARE to touch an escort of the Imperial House?!"

"Humble apologies... no harm was meant," Ariel replied gently.

"Who are you? Where are you from?"

"I am Ariel... lowly priestess from the Honan Province."

The guard turned to Niko. "And you?" he demanded.

"Niko," she bowed, "also a priestess from the Honan Province."

The Emperor's nephew was watching this with much interest. At a hand signal from him, the guard brutally slapped Ariel's face.

When he tried to do it a second time, Ariel caught his wrist in mid-swing. Pressing a nerve on it between her pinky and thumb, she forced him to his knees while soberly stating "One should not punish an old woman twice for the same crime..."

Thunder crashed.

Ariel fell bleeding to the earth.

The Emperor's nephew smiled malevolently as he lowered his smoking pistol.

Niko cried out and caught Ariel by the shoulders before her head could hit the stones.

Quicker than thought, her eyes turned deep violet as she instinctively channeled Ariel's pain into a flaming golden spear of pure agony thrown straight into the murderer's mind. He started to shake and convulse uncontrollably. Within seconds, his brain overloaded and he died.

"She has killed the Emperor's nephew!" the guard screamed.

The Royal entourage yelled and surrounded the body.

The surrounding crowd panicked and scattered in all directions.

In the confusion, the two Shaolin were lost to sight.

Niko cradled Ariel in her arms, ashamed at her actions. Examining the huge gaping hole in her chest, she knew her beloved Master would be gone within minutes. "After all you taught me, I have failed. I have betrayed my training. I have disgraced myself, you, and the Shaolin."

Ariel shook her head forcefully. "No. Sometimes... one must take a stand... against injustice... no matter the personal cost. You are... good at that," she smiled faintly. "There will be... a price on your head. You MUST leave China at once... go someplace... they will never find you. I am sorry, my precious Niko... sorry for this exile."

"Do not be. You are not to blame."

"Please... lay me to rest in... my beloved garden. Niko... all my worldly possessions... are in this bag. I give it to you... as my daughter-in-spirit." Ariel handed the bag to Niko with a shaking hand, raising it to touch her student’s face once her gift had been taken. "Be well... Be safe... Be strong..." Ariel's voice trailed off as she closed her eyes for the last time.

Gently adjusting Ariel's glasses so they wouldn't fall, Niko carried her back to the Temple. She left right after the funeral. After several narrow escapes from the Emperor's hired assassins, Niko stowed away on a boat bound for America...

TO BE CONTINUED

GO ON TO I AM... NIKO: CHAPTER 2

DISCLAIMERS: Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers is copyright 1986-present to Sir Robert Mandrell, Gaylord Productions, Transcom Media Inc., ITF Enterprises Inc., Hearst Entertainment, and KOCH Vision. The creator/author of this and related websites makes NO claims of ownership to any of the artwork, characters, events, images, locations, quotes, pics, situations, stories, tales, and thumbnails associated with the following animations, audio cassettes/CDs, books, cartoons, comics, graphic novels, people, programs, movies, and videotapes. ALL original addresses, character profiles, characters, episode information/profiles/summaries, events, fan fictions, FAQ answers, gallery reviews, humor, lines, lists, locations, opinions, quotes, pages, personal biographies, sites, situations, statistics, stories, tales, and vehicle profiles are the creator's/author's property and CANNOT be used without permission. No profit is made off these fan pages. Please send all inquiries to Jayce6@gte.net.