The Night-Stalker
There is a legend among my people, handed down from generations ago. The legend of the Night-Stalker. Centuries ago, our world was visited by demons. They claimed they were fighting a war to control the stars. They were cruel creatures, with hideous grey skin. My people were primitive then, our swords and axes were no match for these demons and the staffs they carried which cast lightning that killed men.
For months, my people were little more than slaves of the demons. Then, one day, came our deliverance.
A group of six demons were in one of the far villages, looking for those who had stolen food from the stores in the nearby town. As one of the demons threatened the village elder, his face suddenly exploded, spraying blood and bone. Before the other foul creatures could respond, another perished in the same way. Then, a third fell as it turned away from the elder.
In seconds, six of the mighty demons lay dead. The villagers were terrified, but didn’t know what to do.
Then, she came. Where she came from, no one knew. She was clearly not of our people, nor was she one of the demons. She dressed in black from neck to feet, with one gleaming yellow eye and one dark brown one. She simply strode into the village and collected the demons’ staffs. One, she turned on the demons in turn, vanishing their bodies. Without a single word, she strode back out of the village.
Some time later, as the moons neared their zenith, more of the demons arrived, searching for their lost comrades. As they tore the village apart, the poor folk fled in terror. Then, one by one, no matter where they were, the demons fell dead.
Again, she came. Collecting their staffs and disappearing the bodies, as though by magic.
A short time later, in the town, the demons there fell dead. Of course, the townspeople knew nothing of the mysterious events in the village. All they knew was that everywhere throughout their town, nearly forty demons had died. In the pub, in their offices in the town centre, in the streets, everywhere.
Then, she came. Again, she collected their staffs and then vanished the bodies.
The demons were in uproar the next day. The leader of the demons, ‘Gul’, visited the town and had a dozen people rounded up and said they would be executed.
Gul suffered the same fate as his comrades. The execution squad fell as well.
Over the next few days, the mystery woman appeared after more of the demons died in towns and villages around the capital. Most of the demons died during the night.
After three weeks, all of the demons were dead. Finally, the leader of the council of elders confronted the woman after she had vanished the last demon’s body.
“Who are you?” the Elder demanded. “Where are you from? Why have you slain these demons?”
The woman regarded him for a while before replying, “My name and where I come from are not important. My deeds speak for me. The demons are my enemy as they were your enemy. I have slain them and taken their weapons that you may not have them. The demons will never return to your world, be assured of that.”
Then she left the capital and strode into the woods, never to be seen again.
But ever since, my people have told the story of the woman known as the Night-Stalker.
“Nice story, Captain,” commented one of the aliens that filled the Captain’s Table.
“It’s no story, it is the truth,” replied the storyteller as conversation returned to previous levels.
“You mean it’s not just a legend?” asked another.
“No, no. Since my people developed warp-drive, we have met others like the Night-Stalker in appearance. Humans, they call themselves. Humans from the United Federation of Planets. We were even more surprised to meet the demons again.”
“The demons?” asked the first commentator.
“Yes, they were aliens like the Night-Stalker. Cardassians. Apparently they eventually joined the Federation years after the war that brought them to our world. We believe the Night-Stalker was a member of Starfleet. It seems to tie in with the Federation’s records of the Dominion War.”
“The Dominion War!” exclaimed the second alien. “That was only twenty years ago!”
The bartender leaned forward, interjecting himself into the conversation.
“Don’t forget, Captain, time works differently here.”
The captain glanced around, taking in the varied uniforms of the patrons.
This much, he readily recognised.
Further along the bar, unheeded by the storyteller or his companions, Captain Roberta ‘Bobbi’ March finished her drink. A smile played at her lips. ‘The Night-Stalker’. Well, she’d been called worse, she mused as she nodded to the bartender, Cap, and left.
Bobbi March will return…
