A Highlander/Starman Crossover
by: Effie Burton Copyright 1996
DISCLAIMER:
The concepts of Immortality, and the characters used in this work are from HIGHLANDER: THE SERIES which is the property of Davis/Panzer Productions, Inc., Rysher Entertainment and Gaumont Television, and are used without permission. This is an amateur publication intended solely for the entertainment of its readers. No copyright infringement is intended.
The concepts of aliens as used here, and the characters used in this work are from STARMAN which is the property of James Henerson, James Hirsh, ABC Television, and Columbia TriStar Television, and are used without permission. This is an amateur publication intended solely for the entertainment of its readers. No copyright infringement is intended.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Dialog from the third season Highlander episode "Courage" written by Nancy Heiken is quoted in this work. The idea of MacLeod being a rock is taken from the third season Highlander episode, "Shadows" written by David Tynan.
CREDITS AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS:
I want to thank all the people who edited "A Reason to Live" and helped me with suggestions and advice. They are: Michele Martin, Todd Andrews, Linda Ratoff, Lynda Sappington, Joyce Fossek, Sonja van den Ende, Janine Shahinian, Russet McMillan, Helen Keckler.
All the people who read this work provided ideas, feedback, and helped me keep the characters from going off on tangents. But a special thanks goes to Michele Martin for her invaluable assistance. Throughout the writing and editing process I called her my second brain. In order for this story to work, I had to have a plausible reason for Duncan MacLeod to get into the state we find him in. It had to be something believable for this very strong character. Michele gave me the idea that became the centerpiece of "A Reason to Live". Thank you Michele.
"A Reason to Live" will be published in the new Starman crossover fanzine, STARCROSSED 2 (September 1996). The editor of that publication, Bruce Jividen, has graciously given me permission to post this story to the Highlander fiction list.
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
I use a quotation from Samuel Clemens in this story. According to 'The Merriam-Webster Dictionary of Quotations', Samuel Clemens actually said, "The report of my death was an exaggeration". The book continues on to say the line is often mis-quoted as "Reports of my death are greatly exaggerated." Since Sam was a friend of Duncan's, he would use the right line. :))
What is STARMAN? For those of you not familiar with this series, here is a brief synopsis taken from STARCROSSED 2:
This 1986-1987 series was inspired by the 1984 movie, in which space travelers from another solar system intercept a human space probe and one of them comes to visit, only to be shot down by American defensive aircraft. Unable to survive in his natural form (all energy that appears as a blue light) until his comrades rescue him, the alien clones the body of a woman's dead husband. The woman, Jenny Hayden, embarks on a cross-country trip with the alien to rendezvous with his spacecraft. Along the way they are pursued by government forces, led by agent George Fox, and Jenny teaches the Starman amount life on Earth. She finds herself falling in love with him, and he gives her a child before leaving. The TV series happens 14 years later, when Starman returns to help Scott Hayden, the son he left behind. Fox's pursuit forced Jenny to give up her son when he was young, and Scott's foster parents die in a car accident, leaving him alone. This time, Starman stays on Earth in the cloned body of Paul Forrester, a wild-living photojournalist who was killed during a helicopter crash. Father and son travel across the country searching for Jenny and out-running agent Fox, who's still after them, accompanied by his bumbling assistant, Wylie. Starman and Scott both have small silver marbles called "spheres" that glow blue when they are activated. The spheres are capable of projecting illusions, manipulating objects, locating people or things, healing injuries, etc. Starman and his son are touch empaths. In their travels, Starman and Scott bring hope, understanding, and a catalyst for positive change into the lives of those they meet.
What is HIGHLANDER? For those of you not familiar with this series, here is a brief synopsis:
Highlander is a first-run syndicated program that, as of the summer of 1996, is in its fifth year of production. It is the story of a race of beings who are virtually Immortal. Simple injuries heal almost instantly. If they are 'killed', they will revive. The only way to kill an Immortal is to take their head. Immortals are driven to battle each other until there is only one left. No one knows why. Some Immortals are trying to be that one, while others would rather be left in peace. When an Immortal dies, his life force, the Quickening, is released. This manifests itself as a violent electrical discharge that enters the body of the victorious Immortal. The sheer power of the Quickening also destroys anything breakable in the near vicinity of the transfer. All Immortals can 'feel' one another, though exactly how this manifests itself isn't clearly defined. This sixth sense is how Immortals identify each other. All Immortals are foundlings. No one knows where they come from.
The primary character in the television series is Duncan MacLeod, an Immortal who was born in 1592 in the Highlands of Scotland. He died the first time in 1622. For thirteen years he lived with a mortal woman, Tessa Noel, until she was killed in a random act of violence. Richie Ryan became Immortal in 1993, killed in the same attack that took Tessa's life. Connor MacLeod, (born in 1518, first death in 1536), is an Immortal who was raised by the same clan as Duncan. Connor found Duncan in 1636 and taught him what it means to be an Immortal.
The Watchers are a group of mortals who have observed and recorded the lives of Immortals for thousands of years. The documents they keep are called chronicles. Watchers are not supposed to interfere in Immortal affairs. Joe Dawson is Duncan MacLeod's Watcher. Against all the rules, he has revealed the existence of Watchers to MacLeod, and they have become friends. Until this revelation in 1993, there was no clear evidence that any Immortal knew about the Watchers. The Hunters are a renegade group of Watchers. Hunters believe all Immortals are inhuman abominations that must be cleansed from the earth. They believe that killing Immortals will save the human race from domination. James Horton was their leader until MacLeod killed him.
Go to Part One of "A Reason to Live"
Written by Effie Burton. If you have any comments on this story please E-mail them.