EMAIL: macx@nexgo.de
RATING: NC-17
PAIRING: Chris/Ezra (Buck/Vin) for Magnificent 7, Tyler/Burt for Tremors
ARCHIVE: yes
DISCLAIMER: The Magnificent Seven belong to Mirisch, CBS, MGM and Trilogy. Not making any money with this. The Borderlines universe was created by Macx. Tremors belongs to Stampede and whoever else claims them.
TYPE: slash
STATUS: done
AU TYPE: M7 Borderlines
AU STATUS: Open.
WARNINGS: Crossover: Tremors the Series (yep, you read correctly.) and Magnificent 7 Borderlines AU
Macx's Voice of Warning (aka Authors' Note): English is not our first language; it's German. This is the best we can do. Any mistakes you find in here, collect them and you might win a prize The spell-checker said everything's okay, but you know how trustworthy those thingies are.....
Feedback: empty inbox seeks emails
This whole idea arose out of the stupid remark by Macx that Tyler would be a paint horse if he ever ended up as a Kiowata, while watching an episode of Tremors. As you can see, the bunnies went a-hopping.
THIS IS AN AU!
This whole idea arose out of the stupid remark by Macx that Tyler would be a paint horse if he ever ended up as a Kiowata, while watching an episode of Tremors. As you can see, the bunnies went a-hopping.
For more on Borderlines and/or the characters go to
http://home.arcor.de/macx/tremors/borderlines_tremors.html
Allegiance by Macx and Lara Bee
The planet's official designation was G77-45, but was generally known as Draeger's Point after the man who had spent all his life exploring it. Tomas Winston Drager, explorer, adventurer, and today very much dead after meeting his end as an old man sitting on the porch of his hut somewhere on thi splanet. G77-45 was sparsely settled, mainly with a few naturalists, some New Life advocates, and those who thought adventure meant the great outdoors where people lived from what they found in nature. The planet was one of five in a small solar system, surrounded by three moons. While normally not of much interest, is was currently the focal point of an Agency Section 7 operation. Section 7 dealt with Smuggling and Piracy and was part of the Criminal Investigative Division headed by Assistant Director Orrin Travis. Two ships, the Chimera, an Agency team ship, and a transporter had landed on the wide plains that surrounded a medium-sized ranch house in the middle of nowhere. Long rows of stables were attached to the main building. The corrals were holding unnumbered, large sentient equines known as Kiowata. A Kiowata was an impressive sight, its sheer size remarkable. The two horns just above the eyes made them look even dangerous. They were a picture of beauty in grace – if it hadn't been for the terrified whinnies and nervous prancing.
Regulators and Agency handlers were walking along the corrals, counting heads, making notes and starting with the loading process. It was a controlled chaos altogether, with some members of the Chimera team among them.
Ezra Standish let his eyes wander over the herd. The Kiowata had been found in an illegal breeder’s hidey-hole, just about ready to be clipped. The breeder and his handlers hadn’t treated the animals well.
Some of them had been dehydrated and starved, some were showing signs of heavy beating. Ezra's heart clenched when he spotted several pregnant mares, and he was pretty sure they hadn’t chosen their mate on their own.
And not every one was an animal.
Kiowata were a life form indigenous to a world called Prima 2, which was light years from this place. There had always been those who paid an extraordinary large amount of money for the Kiowata, even though they were under protection by an Act of the Joined Governments. Ruthless hunting had decimated the species. Prima 2 was looking after its population of Kiowata and whoever hunted or caught them was prosecuted quite severely.
Years ago someone had developed a process to change human beings into these wonderful creatures, but only for nether purposes – to be sold or killed. Chris and his team had been assigned to find the man responsible. Someone who had a high disregard for human life. And Chris Larabee had become one of the victims. Thanks to a thief called Ezra Standish he had been spared the fate of being clipped – the removal of the magnificent horns, which erased all will and personality of the Kiowata; or tagged – driving nails into the base of the horn, effectively destroying the spirit of the wonderful animals; or even killed.
Still, even after destroying Guy Royal's operation, trade went on.
Kiowata were rare and beautiful, and their horns were ground into chips to be sold in apothecaries as aphrodisiaca.
Ezra knew that there were former humans among the herd they had rescued.
It was their job to pick out these humans and turn them back into their original shape. Communication with Kiowata was easy once you had a translating device. The animals were highly intelligent and the former humans could use the translator to 'talk'. All they had to do was calm them down and Ezra knew how hard that was. He personally knew how much the panic could overwhelm one's mind.
Ezra?
The voice in his mind was soft and warm, like velvet and honey, and he relaxed back into an invisible embrace that Chris, who had obviously noticed his emotional turmoil over the soul bond they shared, sent over.
It’s just – I can’t believe there are still breeders out there, still people who force others into Kiowata form, and then cripple them!
Shhh, love. It’s okay
Ezra sighed and forced himself to calm down.
This one tried to breed with humans, too. There are at least four humans in this herd, Chris, some of them female and pregnant. If they want to have the child…
Ezra didn’t need to finish his sentence; it was clear to his lover. The women who wanted their child would have to stay Kiowata until the baby was born; it was impossible to change an expecting female.
Warm hands closed on his shoulders, massaging the tension away, and Ezra sighed again, leaning back briefly into the now very solid body. Chris was finally there.
“It’s a shame,” he whispered.
“I know.”
Ezra turned in the embrace of the taller, blond man, whose hazel eyes held compassion and shared pain.
Suddenly there was a commotion among the herd. Someone was pushing his way through a group of handlers, a determined expression on his features and striding toward a corral where several Kiowata were in the process of being handled into the transporter.
"What the…?" Chris started, then Ezra felt recognition flood through the bond.
He looked at the man who caused such commotion. He was tall, slender, his face almost haggard, receding hairline hidden under a cap, and maybe in his mid-forties. Not much older than Chris. Dressed in simple pants and a dark shirt, he didn't look like part of any handling team. The dark eyes held an intense expression and they scanned the two dozen Kiowata for something.
"Chris?" he queried. "You know him?"
"I don't know… he looks like…" Chris had already started walking. "Burt?" he called.
The tall man turned halfway, sharp brown eyes regarding Chris with surprise.
“Larabee?”
“What the hell… ? Gummer, is that you?”
“Affirmative.”
The man was radiating wariness, but seemed to trust Chris to a degree. Still, the almost haunted expression in his eyes was something that set Ezra on alert. Something was wrong with him and it wasn't just a few sleepless nights.
“Chris Larabee. Haven’t heard from you in a while.”
“Same here, Burt. Where have you been? There were rumors…”
“Of course there were rumors. What did you expect when one leaves this sudden?”
Chris?
It’s okay, Ezra. I know him
Figured. Who is he?
Burt Gummer. When I joined the Agency he was my boss
Oh? Ezra knew there was a story behind that single line, and that he would get to hear that story in time, so he just leaned back and listened.
“Burt, this is Ezra Standish, my – partner.”
Gummer didn’t hold out his hand and Ezra hadn’t really expected him to. For the first time he noticed that the man was wearing gloves. They simply nodded at each other.
“Partner?” Gummer asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Long story. What are you doing here, Burt?"
A high-pitched, terrified whinny cut the air before Gummer could answer. The three men turned to the source of the disturbance and Ezra discovered several handlers trying to guide a obviously panicking Kiowata out of the corral and toward the ship. At the same time the expression in those cool brown eyes changed, concern clearly showing in Gummer's face.
And then Burt simply started to walk over there, almost running.
"Burt?" Chris called, following.
Gummer ignored him, fighting past a handler who was trying to stop him.
"Burt!" Larabee snapped and grabbed the other man's arm, whirling him around. "What are you doing? This is an Agency operation and…"
He stopped, hazel eyes boring into brown ones that were awash with emotions.
The Kiowata screamed in terror and Burt flinched, tearing his arm out of Chris's grasp, stumbling away. Ezra saw the grimace of pain and something else, then the thin lips moved. He turned to look at the panicking animal, whispering softly.
“Come on, let me in. It’s okay, just … no, don’t do … “
Again, the Kiowata reared, throwing off a handler who had managed to get a rope around its neck. It was a Pinto or paint. Brown and white, the two sharp horns as colored as its coat, whinnying and kicking with all it was worth, fought against the men who were trying to hold it down. The large animal used everything it got, and Ezra could see it wasn’t in a good shape. Blood was trickling down its flanks where it had been beaten by the rogue handlers who had worked with the breeder, wounds reopened by its fight, ribs sticking through the skin clearly indicating it had been starved; obviously in an effort to break it. And despite its state there was still fire in it.
And then it hit him.
“Stop it! At once!” he yelled.
“Mr. Standish… “ the handler closest to him started.
“I said stop! Leave him alone!”
Ezra?
Trust me Chris!
Larabee simply stepped forward and pulled the men fighting with the terrified Kiowata off the ropes.
"Sir…" another protested.
"Leave," Chris only said. "We'll handle this."
They didn't object to the orders of an Agency commander and dropped the ropes.
Gummer approached the trembling Kiowata, then pulled off his gloves and touched the sweaty coat.
Burt would have cried if his emotions weren't so caught up by anger and hatred towards those who had done this to Tyler. He felt the tremors racing through the beautiful Kiowata, heard the mind whimper in so much pain it took his breath away. His hands glided over the uninjured side of the paint, holding back on the bile wanting to rise inside him.
Tyler had been beaten, whipped and starved. His body was too weak to withstand any more mistreatment, and right now he was trying to run even though he was too exhausted to get more than a few steps.
"What have they done to you?" he whispered.
The Kiowata whimpered, trying to step away as a Regulator came closer.
Burt was about to snarl something at him when Ezra intervened, neatly placing himself between the two. Tyler's mind was a confused mess and he gently soothed it, then took the lead and tried to get his partner over to the corral. Away from the transport, away from the confining space.
Tyler stumbled, but he followed – until his legs truly gave out. He was just inside the corral when he lay down, a whimper escaping from the tortured body.
Burt was aware of the spectators he had, of the Regulators and Agency handlers who wanted to help Tyler, but right now the frightened Kiowata wouldn't let anyone close.
"Mr. Gummer?"
The soft voice reached his ears and he looked up at the man Chris Larabee had introduced as his partner. Compassionate green eyes met his.
"He needs help. I know how he feels," Ezra went on. "Chris and I… we went through the same."
Burt's eyes bore into the other man's, searching for the truth.
"Mr. Gummer, I'm Borderline," Ezra said flat-out, completely serious.
"Among other things, I can shape-change into a Kiowata form, so can Chris. Neither one of us wants to harm him…"
"Burt?" Chris's voice was soothing and calm. "Let us help."
And he did.
Reluctantly, but he did. Burt felt too tired to fight any more.
Everything was overwhelming now that he had found Tyler, had touched the mind that had been separated from his, and the connection between them, while still weak, was firmer than ever before. He suppressed a shiver, concentrating on Tyler to keep from keeling over, from giving in to oblivion.
Using his abilities to keep his frightened partner calm, he let the vet on site take a look at the injured Kiowata, always close by, never losing his connection.
It was his life-line.
Part 2
Night had fallen and with it some peace had settled over the encampment. The transporter was still there and Captain Wally Davis had decided to lift off come dawn. Handlers were taking care of the frightened Kiowata, trying to talk to those who had been human once, determining their state of mind. Only one was separate from the group. Tyler had been left in the corral, Dr. Julia McCormack, their vet, coming by in intervals to check on him. Burt had refused to sleep aboard the transporter or in the small building the breeder's men had used.
In their own room in the building, Chris and Ezra lay together, both still awake.
Chris?
Hm?
Ezra drew long lazy circles over his lover's chest.
What is it with Gummer?
Chris sighed. He was my superior when I joined the Agency. He taught me everything I know. Buck was on his team, too, and we were damn successful
Ezra smiled at the pride in his partner's voice.
He had this uncanny ability to know when someone was lying. Gave us a run for our money Chris chuckled. We couldn't figure it out. And there was his ability to find missing persons; but I think it went far deeper than that. And then.
What happened? Ezra asked quietly. He could read his lover easily, and right at the moment Chris was radiating uneasiness.
Our last assignment together. We went undercover, but we were lacking vital information. We weren't told everything, so we ran into it unprepared. Burt was always someone to step into the line of fire for his men, and that time wasn't any different. He saved my life, you know.
But it cost him his?
In a way. He went missing, and when we found him after a week, he wasn't the same man anymore. He was. mentally unstable, almost psychotic. It was.
Chris stopped, and the emotions he sent were clear. It had been hard for him to have seen his superior, even friend the way he had.
We never got to know what exactly had happened that one week, but as far as rumors went he must have been tortured, and bad. After that he . he never really recovered. Several months later he left
Ezra was silent, still drawing lazy circled on the smooth skin. Chris, back then - did he touch people?
Now that you ask, no he didn't, not without gloves. Why?
That explains it. Chris, he's Borderline, but no ordinary one. I think he's a telepath
Ezra felt Chris stiffen as the true meaning of that sunk in. Telepaths were the rarest form of Borderlines, and usually after some time they simply went insane, not able to take the onslaught of other people's thoughts and emotions anymore. Scientists hadn't been able to explain why telepaths weren't able to control their ability after some time anymore.
Are you sure?
No, but it's a good guess Ezra buried into the warm embrace. Back when I still worked with Maude. we ran into a telepath. He was younger than me but already going insane from all the voices in his head. He was psychotic, schizophrenic, took drugs to suppress his ability. Ezra stopped and Chris stroked over his arm and side. Telepaths. they have shields, but they can't maintain them he finally went on. After a while they erode
Holy. Chris murmured. But he's still alive! And sane. How.?
He's bonded, Chris. Maybe. maybe the bond.?
You sure about the bond?
Ezra smiled. Yes. I'm no expert, but all the signs are there
How?
Ask him Ezra teased.
Chris chuckled. You don't know Burt. Questions never get answers if he doesn't like them
Green eyes regarded him seriously. This time he has to like them because otherwise he won't get Tyler back. His partner is a Kiowata at the moment and this Kiowata is very much reduced to instinct
* * *
Chris sat with his back against the shelter, Ezra at his side but not touching, and looked at his old-time friend and boss. He didn't really look much older than the last time he had seen him. Maybe his hair was dabbled with more gray, but his face was smooth, sun-tanned and the eyes clear of the haunting memories of the past.
The transporter had left this morning. Captain Davis had left them with enough food and water to last a month and if all went well, the Chimera would be here by tomorrow. They had medical supplies and firm instructions to treat Tyler's wounds from the vet. Knowing Burt, he would follow them by the letter.
"What happened, Burt?" Chris simply asked.
Gummer gazed at the paint Kiowata grazing not far away. "I made a mistake."
Sandy eyebrows rose in a silent question.
"When I left the Agency I swore never to come back, Chris. The mistake was that I did."
"Why?"
Burt sighed deeply, eyes never wavering from the paint.
The bond Ezra whispered again. Tightening quickly
You know what that implies Chris answered.
Of course. The question is, is your friend even aware of it happening that quickly?
"Because of the Kiowata, Chris. The Agency approached me, asked if I would help them find the hiding place of the rumored Kiowata breeder."
"You're no longer an active Agent, Burt," Chris reminded him.
"That doesn't stop them from reassigning you." Anger spoke from the few words, but it was quickly smothered. "But I also couldn't just stand by and watch more of those beautiful animals being slaughtered. clipped and tagged and sold as pets. So I agreed."
"And Tyler?" Chris prodded carefully.
"We're partners. He knows a lot about Kiowata," Burt murmured. "More than anyone I know. He was rather insistent to come along and I agreed. It was another mistake."
Ezra suddenly tilted his head. Chris. he started ominously.
What is it?
Before Ezra could answer, Burt's eyes fell on the paint. "We went in undercover. Tyler as a Kiowata, me as a handler."
Chris's mouth dropped open. "They changed him?" he blurted, shocked.
"Yes."
And I let them, was the silent addition.
I never heard of any part of the Agency using the machines to send Agents in undercover! Chris hissed.
Now we know why this was such a secret operation..
"Who reassigned you?"
"Jack McBain."
Chris's features tightened. "I know him."
That said it all. It also explained why a civilian had been part of the operation. McBain would use anyone and anything to get what he wanted, in this a herd of Kiowata and an illegal breeder.
"He didn't coordinate his actions with Travis," Larabee went on. "We didn't know there was an undercover team out there, Burt. We didn't know it was you."
Gummer smiled humorlessly. "Good old times, hm?"
Chris laughed softly, darkly. "Yeah."
Dark eyes strayed to Tyler again and the features softened slightly. "We got into the organization, but our cover was blown," Burt went on, voice far away. "I got the special treatment. they put me through the machine.
Tyler, since he was already Kiowata, was separated from me. He was still himself, he knew who he was -- unlike me. I only came back the moment one of your Regulator teams changed me back. By then the breeder and his men had shipped their last batch off, including Tyler."
"Which we intercepted," Ezra said quietly.
A nod. "It took me over a week to find Tyler."
There was a flash of dark memories in Burt's eyes and Ezra leaned forward. "Mr. Gummer?"
Brown eyes met green ones.
"Are you aware of the fact you and Tyler have started to bond?"
And the brown eyes hardened.
And the answer is yes Ezra breathed along their soul bond.
Which implies he knows about bonds in general.
Which also implies. Ezra stopped, looking at Burt. "You are," he said out loud. "Very much so. That also implies that one of you is not human."
And Burt's features froze up.
Tyler Chris whispered.
Hija? Ezra mused.
The Hija were a wide-spread, mostly nomadic people who possessed the ability to form soul bonds. They were humanoid in appearance, but with no links to Earth, and while they represented a substantial population within the Joined Governments they couldn't be fixed to one planet of origin. Using varying degrees of technology, some even traveling through space, they kept out of political matters, except to insure that their home worlds were safe from outsiders. One of their team, Vin, had had a soul partner once who had been Hija, of the Kray Clan on Myrrh, and they had been bonded before Chanu had died so suddenly. If Tyler was of a Hija clan, too.
"Burt we know about soul bonds," Chris said calmly. "Intimately."
Gummer shot them a narrow-eyed look.
"We're bonded," Ezra added, smiling.
That got them open amazement and shock. Burt stared at Chris as if he tried to determine the amount of truth in that statement.
Burt jumped to his feet, startling the Kiowata, which whinnied nervously, prancing where he stood. Gummer inhaled sharply, then screwed his eyes shut.
"Burt, what happened to you?" Larabee asked as he came to his feet, too.
"Nothing!"
"You're Borderline, Mr. Gummer," Ezra told him firmly, joining his lover. "And from the feel of things, as well as your behavior, right down to the gloves, you're a telepath."
Brown eyes flared with emotions, then Burt almost physically drew back.
Chris raised his hands in a calming, appeasing gesture. "You're safe here, Burt. Both of you. We're not going to tell anyone."
"Oh really?" came the sarcastic reply. "As if the Agency could let go of a fully telepathic Agent!"
"They can because they don't know you are." Ezra smiled. "You left the Agency because of a psychological problem and retired. Nothing more, nothing less."
Brows dipped deeper. "Right," he growled. "And you two have no problems whatsoever with a mind-reader among you."
"Nope, none at all," the thief stated openly.
"Trust us," Chris added. When Burt's stance didn't change he went on, "Ezra and I are both Borderline, Burt. I never was before I met Ezra. It's a long story and I'll tell you if you want to know, but right now this is about you and Tyler. He's Hija?"
A sharp nod. "Par Clan. They live on Perfection, a small backwater planet I moved to after I left the service."
"Protected planet," Ezra immediately supplied.
Another nod. "Because of the Kiowata and because of the Graboid worms. The Par live in a symbiotic relationship with the Kiowata and they agreed to letting me live there."
"You left because of the telepathy? And moved to a planet with people?"
Burt smiled sadly. "Yes, I did. The last assignment. let's just say things happened and I was triggered. I barely made it out alive, Chris. That was enough for me to quit. Especially since I couldn't keep my developing abilities under control any more."
He's had them before Ezra sent. You were right that he had a sixth sense, Chris
"Perfection was so remote, it sounded just perfect. The Par, being the indigenous species along with the worms and the Kiowata, had a say in whether or not I could settle. I don't know why, but they let me."
"It's how you met Tyler?"
"Affirmative, but not right away. The Par are nomadic and there are several groups of them on this planet. They and the Kiowata who freely choose to live among them cross the large deserts or the mountains at intervals. Some came by my place now and then. One day, he was among one group. That was about eight months before the assignment."
Again the brown eyes strayed to the paint, who had come closer.
Attentive gray eyes watched them, but the Kiowata was still running too much on instinct. Tyler was there, inside the intelligent mind, but not yet in control.
The started to bond right away Ezra murmured, watching them.
I doubt he was aware of it
Yes
"I could talk to the Par without having these overwhelming voices in my mind," Burt went on softly. "I didn't touch them without protection, but I didn't care. Tyler came by more and more often. He taught me about his people, about their relationship to the Kiowata, and the Graboids."
"And you could touch him," Ezra supplied gently.
It earned him a sharp look, which he met calmly.
"You heard about the bond from the Par, too?" Chris queried.
"Yes. I realized what was happening and I couldn't stop it. In a way I wanted it to happen."
Burt looked at the two men, one which he knew from his Agency past, the other a total stranger to him, though he picked up things from the younger man that told him he had more than just shape-changing abilities. Then there was the fact that he was partnered with Chris Larabee.
Two Borderlines -- bonded.
Looking at his own partner, Burt felt himself reach out to the Kiowata, running soothing touches over the instinctual mind. Tyler reacted to him, snorting softly, even though the human was still a backseat driver in the Kiowata mind. Yes, he had been aware of the connection between the two of them. There was no missing the warmth that had suddenly resided within him whenever the younger man had been at his home on Perfection. As a telepath he had known back then how another person felt to him, but the Par were such disciplined minds, it had been easy to be around them.
And Tyler. he had simply slipped past all his barriers within hours of meeting him. Passing under the radar, so to speak, and sliding into an empty spot Burt hadn't known he possessed.
When he had felt the first signs of the bond, he hadn't fought it. Why fight anyway? It felt so natural, so normal, he had simply accepted it - unaware that it might go deeper.
Maybe Tyler's decision to stay with him while his clan traveled on should have been a first indicator, but as before, it had felt so right.
So he had stayed, teaching Burt about the Kiowata and they had spent days riding, watching Graboids, studying the impressive subterranean predators, and speculating about their origin since no other life form on Perfection seemed to be related to the blind but highly sound sensitive creatures.
Maybe the looks Burt had gotten from the Par clan should have told him even more. They were used to soul bonds and saw nothing wrong in an outsider joining with one of theirs. Burt had never known just how deeply such a bond ran, he had simply thought that this was it. Tyler's background presence; nothing more.
God, he had been so wrong.
A soft snort drew him out of his reverie and he discovered that Tyler had come carefully closer, unsure of Ezra and Chris with the human he knew.
Burt slowly got to his feet, ignoring the others, and he approached the paint. Gray eyes watched him attentively, but there was wariness lurking in the background, and he reached out, soothing the large equine.
Tyler crossed the last few feet and snorted softly.
"You're beautiful," Burt murmured, stroking the uninjured skin, letting the warmth of his touch suffuse into the tortured mind, calming the Kiowata. "Very beautiful."
Tyler's patterns were graceful and clear defined, a dark brown and white. The Kiowata's horns looked almost like art work, the white streaking up with the brown, twisting and twirling like a chocolate swirl. The mane was brown and white, too. All four legs were white up to the knees, then smoothly changed into brown.
Tyler snorted softly, then nuzzled his hair in a gesture of acceptance.
Burt was part of his herd, a recognized member. He smiled and stroked across one strong jaw.
"You'll be okay again. I promise."
Chris and Ezra watched the tender display, and Chris reached for his lover through the bond, holding him close.
Amazing he murmured.
What? That they're like us? Ezra asked.
Yes. What are the chances of finding what you were looking for on some backwater planet?
Ezra laughed softly and leaned closer. Like us? he teased.
Chris turned his head and looked into the sparkling green eyes. Like them. So much like them. He had found exactly what and who he had needed on BP-379, under the most unlikeliest of situations. Burt in turn had fled from civilization to find his peace, finding Tyler as well.
Chris gently rubbed a hand over Ezra's thigh as they sat together, watching Burt and Tyler, how gently Gummer treated the injured Kiowata.
His whole concentration was focused on the mistreated paint, his ungloved hands running gently over the brown and white fur.