They materialized on the far side of the park, in the middle of the bushes. A bit disconcerted as they could here a great deal of people nearby, Xander signaled that Doyle, Beckett and Beth accompany him, armed but on the sly.
Xander casually walked up, his strange attire garnering a few looks, but the event to follow was what brought them here today. Noting what seemed to be the equivalent of news organizations near him as two groups were approaching the field, he turned and ask.
"Excuse me, we were wandering through and wanted to know what's going on?"
"Then you're the only ones who don't," the newswoman said, "It's a duel, apparently an officer and a civilian had differences in a lounge, so here they are."
"A duel?" Alexander asked, the memories of Ramirez suddenly coming to the fore as he recognized a few on the field , "He's going against, Denver Summervale? The Traitor who was working for the Havenites at Basilisk Station!" Several news people and a constable turned to him in surprise at the accusation.
"Can ya' back that up, mister?" the policeman let the question dangle.
"Harris, and I might be able to at least open an investigation."
"Well Mister Harris, why haven't you come forward more recently, then?" the suspicious officer asked as he escorted Xander through the small group of duel watchers toward the parties that were beginning to meet. He couldn't quite make out a commotion toward the left and behind him as the group moved forward.
"My family and I are from Earth, officer, and as we were in the dubious vicinity of the consular staff of Haven, thought it more prudent to get out of there," Xander sighed, "And I'd heard that you'd managed to get those responsible. So I'm quite surprised to see the ringleader in front of me, especially one the North Hollows have been paying as their killer for some time now."
As they reached the group, where the outlining of rules was taking place, a tall woman pushed into their midst, striking Summervale twice, destroying his nose and teeth. She coldly directed her words loudly at the grounded man.
"I'm the woman Earl North Hollow hired you to kill, as he hired you to kill Paul Tankersley." Her voice carried clearly, and shocked silence splashed out across the field, "You're a hired killer, aren't you, Mr. Summervale? Scum like you doesn't challenge people unless the odds and money are both right, does it?"
"You can't do this, and I've never met this Earl North Hollow! How dare you accuse me of being some—some sort of hired assassin! I don't know why you should want to force a quarrel on me, but no one can talk to me this way!"
"I can," Xander moved in, and with the mass of Tomas Ramirez, that was saying quite a bit, "and it will nicely reopen the charges previously quashed through the political machinations of North Hollow and the pressure he applied to save your male lover's life. Prostitution, along with treason and hired murder, you and Young are disgusting. I can't believe even the Legislaturalists recruited and hired you. Young's repeated rape of female officers and the political hush-ups enforced by his father would make even your masters squirm in distaste." Denver sought to get up.
"I demand satisfaction!" the killer cried out, reaching for a firearm. Xander kicked him in the face, nearly enraged as the proximity to Ramirez ignited his memories in full.
"After you and Young are shot for treason, feel free to look me up," Alexander continued, the group fascinated as he kept up with the charges that none of the 'locals' suspected, even in the future, "The real question is how much involvement did Young have in your drug sales among the natives?" He drew out a weapon and held it loosely in the direction of the officers, and kicked the traitor in the privates, "Did you enjoy murdering the Marines that kicked your worthless ass out of the service while Young deserted his post for you?" Kick.
"Yes I did you bastard," the downed man hissed, enraged at the pain he couldn't control, "It was wonderful…" Xander kicked him again, in the same place, rendering him unconscious. All were quiet for a moment. He turned to the officer.
"Excuse me, officer, I believe you were supposed to take this from me on a field of dishonor so please, finally, check my weapon?" Xander smiled as he pretended to accidentally stumble over Summervale's head, "Oops. Oh, hello, Honor Harrington, Tomas Ramirez. I'm sorry, were you going to add anything? I mean, I know you're here to see justice served, perhaps you'll allow me to serve as your seconds if the cowardly and evil North Hollow eludes a traitor's execution once again?"
The police swarmed in at this time, taking Summervale away. Ramirez turned to the officers, "Since the greater charges are treason and mass-murder of Manticoran Royal Marines, please let GHQ-JAG know of the disposition of that…person.."
"Of course, Sir," the lieutenant replied, and began to move away.
"Lieutenant," Xander interrupted, causing the police to hold, "And charges have been made in connection with North Hollow when he was in the military. And Summervale did just agree that Young did desert his post for him…"
They all looked at him with nasty smiles; even the police hated the Young family.
"Lunch anyone?" Xander Harris smiled, letting his 'Methosness' go in favor of his normal self, "Lady Harrington's treat, I believe?" Alistair laughed.
"Sounds good to me," Paul interjected, hugging his girl. "At least he didn't ask us to help him move…"
"Well, actually," Xander sighed and smiled his lop-sided grin, "funny you should say that…" And he gestured to where Joyce and the others were waving from the brush. The group walked over, Willow addressing Xander.
"Um, the park ranger says we have to get our stuff out of the bushes or he'll fine us."
"That's okay Wills, I brought help."
"Good, 'cause we're here for like three months," she replied. She looked up suddenly, met eyes with both Nimitz and Honor. 'Wow,' she thought, 'I know I could really feel Phil, who became a tree-cat after that night, but…I can feel both of you!'
The emotional link between Willow and Honor nearly approached words, but Tara turned to her and surprised her, "I can understand you clearly! Is it because Nimitz is like a hub for us?"
'I don't think this has ever happened before,' Honor thought at both of them.
'It must be because of the Halloween thing, where I dressed as you,' Willow thought with a frown, 'So when Tara dressed as me, she must have the same connection since nobody else seems to be noticing us.'
'Hmm,' they all thought at the same time.
Those who'd been the costumes filled in their compatriots as to that night, and that somehow they'd ended up at this point in time instead of later, and all could see it in the eyes of those involved, that it meant Paul had fallen on the field.
The first thing the combined group had done once they'd come across a public comm., was to borrow a few credits to make a call. Alexander put on his 'Horseman' face while the others stood out of visual range of the unit. A moment later, the particular individual at North Hollow's mansion had been paged.
"This is Georgia Sakristos," the woman stated after a brief moment of recognition. It was, after all, her responsibility to keep track of everything.
"Is your current master around…Elaine?" Alexander Harris asked without expression, as her eyes widened at his word usage, then recovered, "Because this is really something you'll want to discuss immediately. The ports are covered unless I give the go ahead to let you through."
"The line is secure for now, make it fast," she said.
"Can you dump all of his special files to the media?"
"Yes, though I can't necessarily access all of them yet," she replied, "To me, I only have 'read' access."
"Do you have access to his finances?"
"To about half I do, he didn't think to secure that, as well as he could."
"My dream is that half his liquidity disappears with you deep into the Solar League, maybe the other side from where we are now. The other half should be transferred to whatever charities Her Majesty seems to prefer at the moment," Alexander smiled coldly, "With me so far?" She nodded, easing a bit as she seemed to be permitted an escape.
"I want every media organization and law enforcement organization to be sent copies of North Hollow's dirty little secrets. Especially flag Baron High Ridge's cartel stock sell-off as a must read, and all blackmail by Young since he took them over. Especially his hiring of Summervale. If you can similarly break into that bastard's files please likewise spread the good cheer, except half the monies go to the families of people who suffered at Basilisk."
"What guarantees do I get?"
"The fact that I could have simply said all of this for the journalists already? The fact is I don't believe in masters."
"You'll let me go?"
"Let you go? Well that would be part of the dream right? Because none of this conversation is real, and if I'm delightfully surprised tomorrow morning to find that the dream came true? That's enough for me." He smiled, and disconnected.
Willow looked at him, as did the others, in surprise as he dropped back to Xander again.
"It's scary when you do that," she told him.
"Do what?"
"That Methos thing? Then you change back like it never happened? It's just so sudden." Tara and Dawn nodded as the Manticorans remained quiet.
"Hmm, well, it works on the bad guys, so until we get home, I can't promise not to do it again." The girls nodded. Ramirez cleared his throat.
"What exactly is going to happen?" the marine asked, "and how do you know all of that when you just got here?
"All of North Hollow's blackmail is going public, which will damn him and his family be implication if not outright, charges for what he's done in his short time with the files should be enough to imprison if not execute, his paying to murder two officers in war time should seal the deal, the sudden illiquidity should prevent him from buying any of his lawyers not already to be investigated as part of his blackmail. High Ridge and a bunch of other Opposition members will be out of position if not jailed. And I'm hoping for pre-war Peep contacts to do even more damage."
"That's all!" McKeon exclaimed, "You've in one hour shredded them!"
"And maybe some supporters as well, though I hope not," Alexander responded, "Though any election should have the result of a Government landslide and reforms by Her Majesty. As to how I knew, we're from a little in the future, and I remember just enough to get this going."
"Why'd you do it," Honor asked as they opened the doors of a storage place they'd just rented, "You're not here very long."
"Despite the chaos and the harm it might cause to the families of the guilty, it's the right thing to do, and the right time to do it," he replied, "I'm kinda hoping for a trip to the Steading, to a certain wedding of Crown officers and maybe a trip to Nimitz's homeland. Oh, and about what I said regarding Honor's buying lunch…let's be about it, people, 'cause afterwards, I imagine several rounds of debriefing will take place that your leaders will need to consider in winning this war of yours."
Groans greeted everyone, though Paul snickered at the good-natured mocking of his lady-love, which reset the mood as almost celebratory.