Disclaimers: none of these characters are mine…unfortunately…
Key of Darkness: Wow, my first venture into the incredible world of Star Trek.
Justin: One small step of a fanfic writer, one giant leap for Key of Darkness. / sips coffee, then frowns /
Key of Darkness: to bitter for you Diddums?
Justin: I AM NOT DIDDUMS! And no, it's not to bitter, I'm just wondering why the hell you are writing fanfic when you've got to work today.
Key of Darkness: well one, I'm not at work yet and two, Dad isn't ready to give me a lift yet. It's a bummer to be too young to drive… well, legally anyway.
Justin/ snorts / I'm too young to drive, but that doesn't stop me.
Key of Darkness: You're a character off Power Rangers for gods' sake! T.V doesn't go by the rules. / Stops/ why am I using you a muse for Star Trek?
Justin: Because I'm the only muse you have.
Adam/looks up from book / and what am I? Invisible?
Key of Darkness: I refuse to answer that question on the grounds that I may get hurt.
Wesley/ knocks on the door, then pokes his head into the room / um, who do I talk to about applying for the job of Star Trek Muse?
Key of Darkness/ smiles / me. You've got the job.
Wesley: Great! How soon do I start?
Key of Darkness: Now.
Justin/turns to Adam/ we're being replaced. /sniff/
Adam: …
Key of Darkness: No, you've just got a new partner in crime. Wesley, meet Justin and Adam. Justin and Adam, meet Wesley. Now, on to my first Star Trek story…
----ST----
11 years ago…
Wesley sighed and put down the book he was reading. He was bored, very bored and there was nothing that he could do to stop being bored. He'd read all the books in the house three time's over, there was nothing on at the Holo Cinema's and it was raining. Of all the days to rain, it had to be the day when there was zero to do. So he was stuck inside with nothing to do and he was bored out of his mind. And when Wesley was bored, that was the time when things would always go wrong.
"There has to be something to do in this god forsaken house!" Wesley said as he got up and walked out of his room. "This is Star Fleet for heavens sake! There's got to be something happening somewhere." He walked out the front door of the house he shared with his mother and was promptly soaked by the downpour of water. "Damn it."
Sighing again, Wesley was about to go back inside when he saw something move in the garden that his mother had planted in a lame attempt to try and bring a little colour to the Academy dorm houses.
"What the…"
Again, something moved, this time, among the rose bushes. He took a step closer to the bush.
"Ow!' someone hissed quietly. "I told you this wasn't a good idea Wes! He's… no you… well, Wesley, he's seen us. The traveller is going to have us killed! You know the rules! Ye shall not be seen!"
Wesley took a few steps closer.
"Just wait a little longer. I want him to see what I saw." Another voice whispered.
Wesley frowned. He could now make out the shape of two figures huddled inside the thorny rose bushes. He reached forward and pulled back a couple of branches. "Hello?" he asked, and then he gasped. He was looking into the brilliant blue eyes of an older version of himself.
"Wesley! What are you doing out here in the rain. You'll make yourself ill!" his mother yelled at him from the gate.
Wesley turned; "Mum there's…" he turned back to the bush. The two people had disappeared.
"What's wrong Wesley?" Beverly said as she walked over to her son. "Is there something wrong?"
"No. Nothing, it's fine." He said as his mother placed a hand on his shoulder. "It's fine."
As she led him back inside, he looked back and swore he saw the rose bush move again. Silently, he made a promise to himself. I'll find out what that was. Even if I die trying to do it. I'll find out. And I'll find out why it was me that looked back up at me. I will find out…
2 years ago…
Wesley and Kaworu shifted back into Wild Force Academy.
"That was too close Wes. Way to close. I am never, ever going to do that again." Kaworu said as he pealed off his sodden jacket. "Remind me never to go along with you on one of you crazy expedition's again."
"Koa, calm down…"
"How can I? We changed time!"
"No we didn't. Just calm down." Wesley grabbed some towels out of the cupboard and threw one at Kaworu, which he caught. "Here. I'll go and make some hot coco."
Kaworu reached out and grabbed his arm before he could even turn to face the door. "What do you mean we didn't change time?"
Wesley sighed. "Ko, when I was twelve, I saw myself. On that day and at that time…I saw myself… I looked into my own eyes and was amazed at who I have become. Look, I know it's weird, but it's true. Everything we said back there, it's what I remember hearing. From you're complaining to me telling you I wanted him to see what I saw. I guess I just sent a message to my past self…I don't really know. All I know is that some things wouldn't have happened if I hadn't gone back in time and let myself be seen. By not going back I would have changed history. But for now, it stays as it is. Come on, let me make that coco."
This is where the story really begins… a tale of truth… a tale of trial….a tale of trust…
THE NAMELESS
4 years ago…
"Hurry up Wesley! We don't have much time!" the Traveller yelled at his apprentice. They were hurrying through a crowded market place on a plant who name was so long and complicated that Wesley couldn't remember it, tell alone pronounce it. "You don't want to get lost. Not here on this place…" Wesley sped up and kept close to his master. He had experienced some pretty horrific things on the odd occasion when he didn't pay attention to where he was going.
"Just where are we headed master." He asked quietly.
"Seen and not heard Wes. We're here. Stay close." They had stopped outside of a small building. To Wesley, it looked like some sort of club or bar.
Don't judge what you don't know young one. Wesley spun round, looking or whoever had invaded his mind. You look lost. Everyone looked the same. All of them hurrying, scurrying to get to wherever they were going. Strayed from your master young Torain. Wesley began to panic. One step to far away.
"Wes!" He turned seeking out his master, but his fear blinded him from all but the throng of people. He felt a hand on his shoulder and he lashed out at the being behind him. His hand was caught in a strong yet gentle grip. It was his master, the traveller.
"Forget our mission, we're going home, or at least out of this place. It was a mistake to bring you here." He took off his cloak and wrapped around his apprentices shoulders. "Too much too soon. Come on." He whispered. "Now stay close."
Wesley walked right at his master side until they rounder the corner of the last street before they came to the inn they were staying at. It was then that he stumbled, and fell to the ground, and in doing so, lost sight of his master.
Wesley suddenly found himself pulled to his feet. "Well what have we here? A lone one taking a fall. Well, well." He was facing a large, and rather ugly, being, about a head and a half taller than him. "You're coming with me."
"Let me go." Wesley said; sounding far more confident that he felt.
He was back handed across the mouth and lifted off his feet by the scruff of his neck to he was eye level with the foul being in front of him. "You had better to keep your tongue in check you little brat."
He lower Wesley back to the ground and still keeping a firm hold on the back of his neck, dragged him towards a rickety old cart. "Hey! Mike! I got another one for yah!" Another equally ugly man sauntered over to them and looked Wesley over.
"Bit old. He trained or wild?"
"Wild, but he will learn in time."
"Let me…" Wesley received another back hand.
"Hey, don't damage the merchandise. I'll give you fifty for him."
"Ten more it's a done deal."
"Five more and it's final."
"You drive a hard bargain, but fine. I just picked him up off the streets anyway. Take him. Keep a grip on him though; he's likely to bolt on you." The Mike grabbed a rope noose from out of the back of the cart and placed it over Wesley's head, then used the other end to tie up his hands.
"You struggle; the noose around your neck gets tighter, so stay still." He gave Wesley a shove towards the other side of the cart. "Get up and on." Wesley clambered up bed of the cart and sat down. "Don't try and jump either."
Mike swung himself up behind the horse-like being that was pulling the cart and clicked it on. The cart lurched forward, soon picking up speed as it left the crowded streets of the market place and took to the back alleys. The cart wasted no time in leaving the city behind and starting is journey along the country roads.
Night fell and Wesley began to tire. He was emotionally exhausted and he was frightened. The cart was bumping along a road to god knows where and there was no way he could escape. He couldn't shift to different places yet like his master could and every time he tried to move his hands, the noose around his neck got tighter.
Suddenly, the cart stopped, snapping Wesley back to reality. "Get up." Mike said as he climbed down from behind the beast of burden. Wesley stood. "Now climb down, slowly." Wesley did as he was told.
Mike tied another piece of rope to his hands, like a lead, and pulled him towards the grey, stone building in front of them. He was dragged inside, the noose around his neck getting tighter each time the lead was yanked on. The building was made of cold marble and Wesley shivered when they entered to room. He paused for a moment, but the lead was yanked on once again and he staggered forward.
"New one, Mike?" a man yelled from across the hall. "Give him here and I'll take him out back." The rope was handed over and he was taken through a door off the side of the room and into a shadowed passageway.
"Welcome to the life of a pleasure slave."
Wesley stopped and dug in his heals. The rope was jerked on and the noose around his neck became so tight that he could hardly breathe. But still he would not move.
"Don't like the idea, do you? Well, you have no choice." He yanked on the rope harder and Wesleys' air supply was cut off completely.
Wesley sank to his knees, desperately trying to get air into his lungs. Finally the blackness over came him and he drifted off into oblivion.
2 Years Ago…
Wesley sat huddled in a small cramped cage in the middle of a bustling market. There were rows of cages just like his and people walked past them, staring in at them. Wesley sat still, trying to keep cool clam and collected. He would give none of these people a reason to look twice at him, and none did.
"This one's a real bargain Mr Cothwell. Quiet, meek and mild, but the best pleasure slave from here to Taltor."
Great, just great. He was being pointed at. He put his head down and pretended he hadn't heard what had just been said. He tried to just disappear. But it wasn't working.
"I don't do meek and mild and certainly not quiet…"
Thank God…
Loud voices sounded all around him and his ears were assaulted with a barrage of noise. He was getting a head ache and he just wanted this nightmare to end.
"…over here…"
"…oh that looks good…"
"…what about that one?"
"…come back here and stay away from those cages, they could be dangerous…"
"…have a look around Kaworu; pick out a couple, the one's who look as if they really need help."
The whisper came from behind him and he was sure he knew that voice. But he just couldn't place it. What the hell were they talking about?
A young man walked past him, he looked no more than twenty. His face was sullen and pale as if he didn't want to be here. His hair was a stunning silvery white and his eyes were bright blue. He looked at every cage in turn, some times crouching down to get a better view of their occupants.
He walked back past Wesley, looking as if he had made his decision, but he paused just as he past him, then turned back and Wesley's eyes were suddenly locked with the white haired mans.
The man reached out a hand and placed it on the bars. Wesley shrank away.
"I won't hurt you." The voice was gentle. "I'm here to help." He noted down the number on Wesley's cage and got up again. A few minutes later he was back with the dealer.
"For twenty Glaks he's yours."
"Fifteen." The man offered.
"Eighteen and that's my final offer." He shrugged his shoulders and pulled out a money bag, handing over some coins.
The dealer opened the cage door and for a moment, Wesley thought of bolting. But he paused. Something about that man was familiar, but he couldn't place it.
A rope slipped around his neck and he realized that he had no choice but to go with him.
The rope was handed over and was lightly pulled on to get him to stand. He stood and followed where his new mater lead him.
--ST--
Key of Darkness: I promise this will get better, just bear with me.