FIC: Dauntless: Forgotten Heroes (2/?)

["Shadowlander" <Shadowlander1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Title: Dauntless: Forgotten Heroes (2/?)
Author: Shadowlander
Email: Shadowlander1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx - or - Tankesly@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters commonly associated with
Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Star Trek: The Next Generation, or the X-Men
or their sister team the New Mutants; they belong to others and are used
without permission. No copyright infringement is intended.
Rating: PG
Summary: Three universes have been combined into one; now one starship
is trying to repair the damage.
Archive: The usual places all others ask first.

DAUNTLESS: FORGOTTEN HEROES (2/?)

Sickbay -

"She called you Spike?" Captain Erik Lensherr questioned his long-time
friend with an arched eyebrow. Unsure what to make of the recent turn
of events, he had been in his ready room going over the mountain of
reports from Starfleet Command that always seemed to pile up on his desk
when he wasn't looking, when the call of a medical team to report to the
bridge sounded over the ship's intercom.

"Aye mate", came the reply from the Commander, "no one has called me
that in over fifteen years, not since we shut down Maggie Walsh and her
little Initiative program." He finished with a sneer, his hatred for
the long dead woman and her "genetic experiments" clear in his voice.

"I know old friend and no one outside of the Brotherhood even calls you
by that name now," the white haired Captain agreed with a nod, forcing
aside memories of the inhuman experiments conducted in the name of
science by the deceased Walsh. He had lost a lot of good friends thanks
to that woman and her mad plan to make humans the most powerful species
in the galaxy. He still woke up at night reliving the day his best
friend died in his arms thanks to that woman. He had sworn that day to
get them all out of that hellhole and shut the lab down for good.
Because he was a mutant Walsh had reserved the most heinous experiments
for him, trying in vain to reproduce his talent of magnetism. "That
name has never been spoken on this ship... so where did Cordelia hear
it?" he wondered aloud, knowing that Starfleet Security had classified
the whole incident determined to keep the unsanctioned project far from
the public's eyes as possible. More out of respect for the people that
lost their lives thanks to the renegade scientist, then to cover their
own failure in not discovering and shutting down the program before Erik
Lensherr led a revolt capturing the lab and all the scientists.

"There is more mate, Rahne says the chit was terrified of me," William
Blood reported shifting uncomfortably at the thought. While he did like
to be feared, he was the great big bad after all, he didn't like that
fear coming from "his" kids, the cadets in the Academy's "hands-on"
training program. Torturing ensigns and green JGs was another matter,
they were supposed to know that was going on, and were fair game for the
legendary temper of William "Spike" Blood. Besides he knew full well
that his Captain would have no problem with beaming him into the nearest
sun if he even thought of giving the cadets too much of a hard time
during their first deep space mission.

"Terrified?" Erik questioned his silver gray eyes hardening a bit. "Did
you?" he asked making a motion with his hand over his face.

"No! That insane first officer of ours would put holy water in my blood
if I even thought about growling at the kids," came the response,
"besides I'm not in all that big a hurry to get a suntan." No matter
how many times he was told that the personal force field surrounding him
would protect him from the effects of direct sunlight, he was still a
bit leery about actually moving around in board daylight, a little
nagging voice in the back of his head telling him that the field could
fail and he would be a walking torch in seconds.

For the first time in several hours Lensherr found himself smiling at
his friend's words. 'I have a vampire as tactical officer', he told
himself once again awed by the fact that not only do the legendary creat
ures of the night really exists; but one of them is like a brother to
him. "Don't worry William, I'll protect you from the wrath of Natasha
Yar."

"Oh sure... like she's afraid of you", the white- blonde haired
Commander replied with a smirk. Knowing full well that the human first
officer wasn't scared of any mutant, alien, demon, or vampire, no matter
how powerful they were. While apart of the centuries old vampire
respected that about the human, another found if infuriating.
Especially when he would attack her in full game face and she would
still wipe the deck with him, sometimes he was sure she had to be a
Slayer. She just had to; no human was that strong without a little help
from some supernatural force.

Doctor Beverly Crusher looked up as the Captain and the vampire
approached her, noting once again how much the two really did look
related to one another. 'Must be the hair and eyes', she reasoned
before shaking off her wondering thoughts.

"How is she?" Lensherr asked coming to a stop beside the bed holding the
young woman in question.

"She's in a near catatonic state... almost like she is under some kind
of telepathic attack", the auburn haired doctor reported in a steady
calm voice, putting her hands in her medical jacket. It never failed if
you wanted to be in the coldest place on a starship go to sickbay it was
always a degree or two cooler there.

"Telepathic attack? Cordelia is not a mutant or even part Betazed", the
Captain commented with a frown.

"And she has no sign of being psychic either, but she is showing all the
signs of experiencing some type of telepathic communication... her
brainwaves are off the scale", the chief medical officer commented
gesturing to the bio-sensor mounted to the wall over the head of the
bed.

"What the devil is going on?" Lensherr questioned his eyes hardening as
he looked at the near meaningless display for a moment. Someone or
something was attacking a member of his crew and he didn't like it... he
wanted answers and he wanted them now.

"Maybe I can explain that", a new voice said as a stranger appeared in
the nearly empty sickbay effectively getting everyone's attention. Out
of instinct the vampire called William Blood let his demon face surface
taking a defensive posture between the three humans and the stranger. A
deeper growl following his, as the young, medic who had been coming
around the corner from one of the labs, shifted forms from human to
werewolf ready to pounce at a moments notice onto the intruder.

"Security to sickbay!" Crusher called out moving closer to her patient
to protect her from the intruder who was dressed rather outlandishly.

"I assure you that I'm not here to harm anyone... my name is Whistler
and I need your help."

"You did this to one of our crew and THEN you want our help!" Commander
Blood growled in outrage, his demon roaring for the blood of the
garishly dressed creature in front of him. Out of the corner of his
yellow/gold eyes he could see the werewolf, Rahne moving into position
ready to take the intruder down at his signal.

"Steady", Lensherr ordered expending his magnetic force field around the
bed its occupant and the doctor ensuring that they would, at least, be
safe if there was going to be any fighting. "You have five minutes...
make sure you get to your point for boarding my ship without
permission."

End Part Two -


Shadow --
Director of Public Safety of the Senior Executive Committee on List
Gutter Affairs and vampire teddy bear; Official Dungeon Keeper and Big
Bad. Official woods outback vampire fruit bat.