The Returning

[crispin_xavier001 0]

No, Oz never did give nothing to the Tin Man

That he didn't, didn't already have

And Cause never was the reason for the evening

Or the tropic of Sir Galahad

 

So please believe in me

The Tin Man – America

 

Juhdia made his way to his cabin in the mountains of Washington State, a few miles outside of Seattle. When he arrived, he surveyed the land. Lush trees, spring hued green grass, the lake reflecting the setting sun. If this place did not hold such painful memories, then Juhdia would be taken back by the beauty of it all. But no, like so many places on Earth, the memories were filled with pain and death, death that Juhdia often brought about.

 

Juhdia stood by the door, his hand on the doorknob. Something was holding him back, but he knew he had to continue. “You came this far Juhdia.” He turned the knob and opened the door.

 

 

 

Juhdia dropped his bag on the floor as Zanna ran to him, she jumped on him, wrapping her legs around his back and her arms around his neck and kissed him. Juhdia placed his right hand on her back and his left hand to brace her neck as he kissed her back..

 

After a warm greeting Juhdia and Zanna sat down for dinner. The two ate silently, until they were both done Zanna spoke up, “Okay, now for dessert. Come into the kitchen.”

 

Juhdia followed Zanna, she stopped by the counter and picked up two jars, “Chocolate or Cherry?”

 

Juhdia smiled, “Cherry.”

 

Zanna opened her robe and poured the cherry syrup across her shoulders and down her chest. Juhdia licked the syrup from Zanna’s neck and tilted his head up and whispered in her ear, “Now I remember why I love you so much.”

 

Yes, Zanna was only eighteen, but as George Burns would often say, “I’d date women my own age, if I can find any.” And to Juhdia it went beyond a physical love, yes she had a lithe but muscular body as Juhdia liked. But there was more, the spark in her eyes when would welcome Juhdia home. The lilt in her voice when she said ‘G’ words. The way her brow would crinkle when she watched sad news. These and so much more were the reason why after millenniums, Juhdia believed he had found the one thing that all men and women searched for, true love.

 

 

Angus’ chirping awoke Juhdia from his little daydream. Juhdia placed Angus’ cage on the floor and opened it up, “All right, don’t eat the walls.” Juhdia then went about placing his belongings away and started to make dinner, honey rice and pork tempura. Once he was finished making his supper, he cleaned up the kitchen and sat down for his meal. Half way through his dinner, Juhdia stopped, he sensed another Immortal. Having lived for so long, Juhdia could tell which Immortal he sensed, having sensed them before. Juhdia heard the door open. “Gustav, come in.”

 

Gustav did not answer, but came in.

 

Juhdia brushed the rice into the bowel from his chop sticks and placed the eating utensils down on a napkin. He stood up and faced Gustav, then Juhdia sat himself on to the table, keeping his hands on the rim of the table. “Well, aren’t you going to say anything?”

 

Gustav looked at Juhdia with disgust. At one time the two Immortals were a part of a small group that held high rank with in the Nazi party. But when the Reich began to wane the, the group of Immortals planned their escape, however Juhdia came back after his death as Reihard Heydrich and killed everyone except for Gustav, who knew of Juhdia’s past and refused to trust him. In Immortal circles, it was known as ‘The Berlin Massacre.’ And the only two Immortals to survive it stood face to face now.

 

Juhdia slumped his shoulders, “Come on Gustav, is this any way to treat an old friend?”

 

Gustav spat at Juhdia, “Old friends? It seems that your friends have a habit of dieing.”

 

Juhdia looked up, then back at Gustav, “Yes, you do have a point there Gustav.” Juhdia looked around, “Say, you didn’t by chance see a Denubian Ferret did you.” Gustav said nothing. “Well, I’m sure he will turn up. Now, to you. You have heard that this house is consecrated. One of the benefits of having been a Rabbi and a Brother. Not to mention the leader of my own Dooms Day Cult. But I digress. You Gustav, you were not the best of men. Smuggling Romulan Ale, selling Orion females on the Black Market. And, worst of all. Selling Delpin meat to the Klingons. Yes, they did find it to be a delicacy. That’s what got you put away. Now, who informed Starfleet that you were selling a sentient race, a race that was a member of the Federation no less. Oh, wait, it was me.”

 

Gustav face was turning red with rage, “I spent sixty long years in a Federation penal colony for that. Now you will pay.”

 

“You cannot fight me here. What were you going to do. Beat me to a pulp then drag me off this land and take my head there?”

 

Gustav nodded, “Yes, that was the plan.”

 

Juhdia laughed. “Now let me see. As the story goes….” Juhdia flick a switch under the table and a throwing dagger popped out. Juhdia grabbed the dagger and threw it into Gustav’s heart, cutting two of the four chambers.

 

 

 

Juhdia waited for Gustav to come back to life. Gustav’s body began to jerk and he opened his eye.

 

“What? Are you so much a coward that you have to tie me up?”

 

Juhdia circled the chair that Gustav was now bound to. “Let me see, where was I? Ah, yes. As the story goes, I took Zanna’s head here in this house. But I’ve had this house for at least forty years before I took her in. So then, if I took her head here, how could it be consecrated ground? Over three hundred years and not one of my fellow Immortals figured it out.” Juhdia stopped when he was in front of Gustav.

 

“You lying bastard. Your day will come.”

 

Juhdia laughed, “Yes, I think you are right. My day will come, when this Galaxy bows down in before me. Proclaiming me their God. I will then weed out the weak from the strong, and as the centuries pass and we venture out of this Galaxy, my strength will grow. The Breen already have accepted me as their God, soon others will. I am not a fascist as you and the others were. I am now and always have been an Anarchist. I didn’t realize it till I helped the rebellion on Ariel IV, but I know what I am. I will give you the rest of your life to think it over. All three seconds.”

 

With a swift stroke Juhdia took Gustav’s head. And then, like so many times before, the lifeforce of Gustav left his body and entered Juhdia’s.

 

Juhdia fell to his knees. And when the transfer was complete, Juhdia with his head hung low, raised his eyes to the headless body of Gustav and Juhdia smiled, a wide malicious smile, “Better than sex.”

 

 

 

“What is it like?” Juhdia thought hard, “Okay, it’s like being electrocuted and having every nerve in your body pulled every which way. There, does that answer your question?”

 

Zanna scrunched her face and threw one of the couch pillows at Juhdia. “No. When do I get the chance to take on another Immortal. I mean, I have the advantage being Transeugenic and all.” She laid her head in Juhdia’s lap.

 

Juhdia brushed his fingers through her long flaxen hair, “Yes, but you need more training.”

 

Zanna sat up, “Well, if we cut down on the sex, then we’d have more time to train. I mean, you are gone half the time with the WHO (World Health Organization). I only get to see you a few days a month, if even that.”

 

“Fine, put your training gear on and meet me in the Zendo garden.”

 

 

 

Juhdia put his black Hakama and gray flannel Hakama Kimono on and went to the garden. Zanna was dressed in her black Hakama and blue Keikogi, draped in her Obi was her Tachi and Katana, as was Juhdia.

 

“Now remember, two swords are better than one and one head is better than two. As is the rules of the Quickening. There can be only one.”

 

Juhdia drew his Tachi with his left hand blade facing down. Then he drew his Katana with his right hand, blade facing up. “Now with one blade you can use as defense and the other for offense. Holding the blades in this fashion allows you to change offense to defense and vise versa.”

 

The two practiced well into the night, Juhdia was impressed with Zanna’s skill and stamina. Each moved their swords with fluid motion.

Juhdia carried Gustav’s body out of the house, then he went back in and brought out a Type Three Phaser Rifle and disposed of Gustav’s body leaving no trace.

 

Juhdia then went into the house and made some Phaser burns on the Gustav’s sword with a Type One Phaser.