The Standard Disclaimer applies. I own nothing related to Highlander. I sometimes wish I did, but alas. I am merely a fan creating my own characters to play in this reality.
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Secondary Disclaimer : I do not own the first chapter. That belongs to Vega. I am merely a guest writing in Vega's AU called SwordBearer. There are several stories. The original that led to this collective AU can be found under the name SwordBearer by Arkaidy.
The only requirement Vega gave was that I use the first chapter. I have left it as I found it. All other characters that are not Highlander Cannon or Vega's are mine. Basically that means? Chapter Two forward is all original material from HK.
Chapter One: Backdrop
In March of the year 2005, FBI agent Harold G. Myers is shot between the eyes. Upon delivery of the corpse to the morgue at the Pentagon - a short stop over between the site of death and the hometown where the bachelor was to be buried - Agent Myers proceeds to sit up, apologize profusely to the resident pathologist for startling him, and begs the doctor not to 'tell'.
Unaware of the surveillance camera that captures the event, Myers goes on to explain to the startled mortician that he is in fact a human being with a specific genetic defect, known to his kind only as "An Immortal". Myers, due to some freak sequencing of his genetic structure, has an immune system so efficient that his body is in a perpetual state of renewal, rather than the mortal state of perpetual decay.
Myers professes to being over three hundred years old. The pathologist swears to secrecy and aids Myers in his escape. He is arrested three days later.
In April, the Federal Bureau of Investigations captures the fugitive Agent Myers and submits him to extensive interrogations and testing, resulting in the accidental 'permanent' death of Myers upon decapitation, and the destruction of most of the information gathered on Immortality in the resulting backlash of energy bombardments that surge from the body of Myers and rip through the compound.
Before the FBI can repair the lab and uncover more test subjects, a secret international society known as the "Watchers" come forward and reveal their extensive tomes of research and libraries to the United States Government. All testing on Immortals ceases within legal circles.
The next four months are spent in secret talks with the major political figureheads of all the countries of the world, and this mysterious "Watchers" organization. No information on the discussions themselves is revealed to the mass media.
In August of 2005, the United Nations releases an official statement to the world: There Are Immortals Among Us.
Believing that this new era of multimedia and informations technology is straining the survival of the Immortal Species, the Watchers oust themselves and their subjects. Specific names and information is not distributed, although the chronicles of deceased Immortals do become available in published novel form. Many history text books are re-written.
The backlash is minimal. Several religious groups oppose the existence of Immortals and there are witch hunts in several major cities and some remote countries. The United Nations declare Immortals 'Human Beings' under the law and any formal persecution is ceased.
A disturbingly high rate of violent suicides follow, as mortals attempt to trigger their latent Immortality - less than 2% actually become Immortal. Before laws are required to keep this in check, the pattern dies away.
Immortals who do not approve of their new public personas either arrange for friends to decapitate them, or find ways of releasing their own Quickenings. Immortals with extensive criminal records are hunted by the law and turned over to the Watchers, who then select suitable vessels to receive their Quickenings.
The Game continues, although many Immortals no longer feel the need to participate.
An 'International Immortal Government' is formed in January of 2006, and in March of that same year, all Immortals are issued "Identification of Immortal Status" cards. These cards act as Age of Majority Cards for Immortals who appear younger than they are, and allow Immortals who had been hiding behind mountains of falsified documents to reclaim their original identities, and in some cases, fortunes. A small cut on the thumb is required as proof of Immortality for those skeptical of the Card's verity - for this reason, very few Fake Immortal Ids are employed by teenagers.
One Duncan McLeod, an Immortal of approximately four hundred years, becomes Avatar of Brotherhood between Immortal and Mortal Humans. Universities all over the world begin to seek out Immortals to teach their History and Language classes. Sword-smith shops spring up in all the major cities.
March 26th, the day of the True Death of Harold G. Myers is declared an International Holiday.
Guidelines for Appropriate Challenges are issued in June of 2006 as the number of deaths by electrocution rise alarmingly when mortals attempt to witness battles in The Game. Formal Combat Areas are established in most major cities to keep watching Mortals at a safe distance.
Violent crimes rise in many North American cities as Mortals posing as Immortals utilize blades to commit robberies, muggings, etc.
To counter act this rise in crime, in October of 2006 a law is passed by the United Nations requiring all weaponry must be worn on in plain sight, and may only be carried by Card-Carrying Immortals. At first there is opposition to this. One Adam Peirson, an Immortal of approximately thirty five years of age, citing the lynches of the previous year, lobbies that the Visible Weaponry Law would make Immortals targets to Hate Groups.
Punishments regarding Racist Crimes are increased, and Peirson backs down.
As of midnight, October 17th, 2006, all Immortals must wear their weaponry in plain sight. Failure to do so will result in a five year prison term.
