**"They came from all walks of life, from all disciplines, they came not knowing what drew them, only that there was something that needed to be done. They came...and they made themselves first watchers, and then warriors, and then the border patrol along the frontiers of what was to be. First in makeshift, archaic shuttles and transports, and then in their myriad ships of war, they would hold the key to changing the destinies of dozens of races, and in cataclysmic battles that will be remembered for hundreds of years to come, they helped to bring about a New Age..."**
- quote from a Martian Newservice in the Earth Year 2264
* * *
Feb 16, 2259...
Rest was still needed for the two under his care...it was, unfortunately, taking longer then had been expected for Miss Tolmanes to make a full recovery. But G'kael was anything but impatient except when it was necessary. And he would wait until *ALL* three were ready to go.
There was no other option...not now Westcastle and Clifford had made the choice he had wanted them to.
Word had, however come down that what was intended had finally come about. This place, all being well, would eventually fulfill a purpose it had never been intended for...but that time was not yet. The Enemy...the Shadows, he supposed he could now openly call them, were still, most of the time, making preliminary moves behind the scenes. That would not last forever...but when the time came that the Shadows stretched forth their hand and sent their murderous ships between the stars once again, someone would be waiting to stand against them...
* * *
Feb 18th, 2259...
"Where...am I?" the whisper came, and Jennie sprang to her feet.
"Will! She's awake!!"
"I'm on it!." came the reply, and Jennie watched, her expression tight, as the man she had come to treat as far more then just a friend approached the bed that this mystery, this cypher named Brianna Tolmanes was laying on. Irritably, she ran a hand back through her hair..finally *beginning* to return to its right colour after G'kael and his followers had dyed it, three months before. Never again...but she had railed on about *another* topic to *that* Narn the other day...the supposedly 'temporary' scar...wasn't!
And now, *that* Narn had thrown another mess in their lap, and told them to 'deal' with the problem. What *exactly* the solution would be was another question entirely.
"How do you feel, Brianna?" William asked, as the woman slowly put her feet to the floor and raised herself upright to face them.
Tolmanes focussed on William's face, and her face twisted into an angry frown. "You! But..." The Anger faded away just as quickly, and honest puzzlement replaced it. "I...what have I been..." Tolmanes hid her face in her hands. "What have I done?"
"Enough. We stopped it! Both of us...you *and* me. But there’s always a price for deeds of madness. And that you are a rogue telepath only made the madness worse. There are those who used you, amplified the worst in you, and drew out a falsehood...a thing of chaos."
"Is that what I was, mad? But..." Brianna's head snapped up, and she fixed Will with a fiery gaze. "Corrolan!" she hissed.
Jen narrowed her eyes, as William momentarily found himself at a loss for words. "Ah...who?"
"He did this to me...him and his thing! I *trusted* him, and he betrayed all that I was: made me into a monster. And now..." Brianna's head whipped around. "You don't trust me, do you? I don't blame you for that, after what I almost did to you...a second longer, and I could've *killed you* as well."
It was enough for her to echo what had come before. "That may be as such, but there will be a price for what you have done...and not what you may believe. We are not judge, jury and executioner...you cannot, Miss Tolmanes, be so easily pardoned, for what you have done. This was a crime of revenge, and a crime of darkness...even bought on by what we have come to call, and what you apparently saw next to this man you used to trust...the Shadows."
That stopped her cold. "That thing next to Corrolan...it hissed at me, and worse! It didn't even really seem to be there! What are these things...demons??"
"It isn't that simple." Will interjected, his eyes flashing. "But while they can be devious, some of the actions of those things are also far deadlier and more destructive. Their ships nearly killed both Jennifer and I... while you were attacked within your mind. And so, it comes down to this: we have dedicated ourselves to tracking, observing and destroying these things wherever we can find them and in whatever manner is possible, we would like you to join us in this quest."
"Do I have any choice?"
William's eyes hardened. "We saved you from your madness, now you must *do as we say*. Or, we could just as easily turn you over to Mr. Garibaldi and his team...or, alternately, the Psi Corps. Which option do you prefer?"
Jennie shivered. William was being hard again...something she was seeing more and more, just lately. But at the same time, the leader in him was beginning to come out. This would be important in due course...she *knew* it would. And the descriptions this woman was making...she shivered harder. It was inevitable that the Shadows themselves would have to look *something* like their ships.
Meanwhile, Brianna, having gone whiter and whiter as each choice was listed out, had made her choice; the only one she could. "So...shall I call it a penance for what I've done here, in the name of these Shadows?"
"If you like."
"So be it." the woman held her head high...higher, it seemed, then she had in a great long time. "I, Brianna Enyae Tolmanes, do swear to follow you, William Westcastle, in whatever endeavour you so choose, in order to work off my crimes of madness and chaos. Once I was a Lurker in this place, then an agent of Darkness, against my will...now, I will work against these Shadows, in the years and the battles to come. "
Another amazing breakthrough, but Brianna had gotten right to the point...and Will nodded, his face stern. "There can be no other option, not now, not ever...not after what the Shadows have done to Jennifer and I, and now you. We will stalk them, follow them, watch them...and when we can, we will destroy them. That is our destiny."
"Then I follow you both, to the ends of the universe...if need be."
* * *
Feb 20th, 2259...
It was a place of calm...a place of peace, in the face of the storm that was coming. There was absolutely no choices left to make, and they would not be able to put off G'kael for much longer, either. Ever since the pivotal conversation with Brianna three days before, a conversation where the rogue telepath had sworn herself into his service(that had surprised him in more then one way...but *oh*, was he going to have to be careful about the situation) the Narn had been becoming more and more insistent about them leaving...and in where they were going, there was absolutely no option.
Minbar...Elric had predicted it, after all.
There were still loose ends to clear up here, however.
William gazed up, and to the side, out of the windows of the Sanctuary. Less then 3 km away, the absolutely staggering length of the Explorer Class vessel CORTEZ looked back at him. A vessel dedicated to exploring the Rim, the CORTEZ and her crew were dancing with the Devil. But of course, they didn't know that the Shadows were out there. William was afraid that everyone would find *that* out soon enough.
There was a movement behind him, and William turned as Walther strode into the Sanctuary, a determined expression on his face.
"You can't do this, Will! This obsesssion with those things...it will destroy you!"
"It's not an obsession, Walther, and I *do* have to do it. We all do. It's not enough for us to wait for them to act...because if we wait, it will be too late. We have to act now, Walther, I'm hoping I can change your mind enough for you to follow us, too."
"Follow 'us', you say? Don't you mean 'follow you?'"
Will gritted his teeth. "*That* was uncalled for."
"Doesn't matter!... I can see that I've wasted my time here. I'm far too busy making a new life for myself to want to run any longer...or search for vast conspiracies that probably don't even exist. I have to live *my own life* now, Will. I have to live my own LIFE!" Walther angrily turned and strode away, and William turned back to the view, shaking his head in anger. It wasn't enough for him to remind Walther of what was coming, when Walther didn't want to see it...wanted, instead, to ignore it. He clenched his hand in frustration.
"You appear to be troubled." a soft voice inquired.
"Troubled..." he replied, eyes now fixed on the distant stars. "Lady, you have no idea. And I probably have no business telling you in any case. I don't know you...you don't know me. No, I *definitely* have no business telling you about my troubles."
"You have every reason to try." the voice replied. "As you will shortly understand."
He whirled, then, as what at first appeared to be a elegantly dressed woman emerged from the side corridor leading into the Sanctuary...and then, he looked again, and saw his own misconceptions leap out into the open.
"I..." He stopped, and tried again. "You know, of course. How much?"
"Enough. Enough to know that you doing the right thing. Enough to believe that you will not fail in what you and those who stand with you and follow you are about to attempt. This is our first conversation, but I assure you, it will be far from our last, if your attempt succeeds."
"And about..."
A flash in those eyes. "Do not say their name!...it is not the time, or the place for that, yet. Go. Succeed. And we *will* talk again."
And then she was gone. William shook his head in wonder. Wonder that talking to her had been *so easy*. He had heard about her, of course, through 'covert' channels... but enough! Thoughts now firm, he strode from the Sanctuary. The ties that bound him here were either coming along for the ride or had been shattered already. It was time to go.
* * *
"He has great promise. You were right to suggest that I meet him at this time."
"##Yes. They are the Three. They are the Darkness...they are the Light##"
She frowned. "Then, they are going to the right place, it seems."
* * *
12 hours later.
"It is as I predicted." N'rothak harshly pointed out, as nearby, G'kael sourly looked over the reports. "Despite our best efforts, despite Zathras trying to warn him in his own way, Walther Gideon is succeeding quite admirably in his quest of Descent. The Shadows have him...and things will only get worse."
"Gideon does not know what he is getting into. Perhaps it will come to pass that he will see what Vendant and the others represent."
"It will be too late by then." N'rothak shook his head wearily. "So much *time* wasted. You assumed that he was to be one of the Three we were assigned to guide, G'kael. You were *wrong*."
"Perhaps...perhaps not. It is of course unfortunate that Gideon will not play the role we intended for him, but he has a different destiny now. Two of the Three we were right about...and apart from those who control *ALL* destinies, regardless of whether or not they yet know it, *this* Three will play an equally important role. No matter....we will assign a small group of operatives to continue to observe Gideon in the months to come, and should he realize he is now working for the Shadows, we will give him an opportunity to redeem himself. In all else, we have succeeded. We have done what the Vorlon required of us...it is over and it is done!"
"Then we may return to the 'N'blis'??"
"Of course. Did you truly believe I would abandon my other duties for long?"
* * *
14 hours later.
Walther shouldered his bag forcefully as he passed through the checkpoint. The Organization, beyond all hope, had seen that he was doing well. They had recalled him to Earth, travelling on a courier ship carrying cargo from Mr. Vendant and his associates. He was going *home*!
* * *
17 hrs later.
"How did it go?" Corrolan inquired, as, above and far forward, the pilot of their unremarkable, unnoticed ship prepared for the departure from Babylon 5.
"As well as could be expected." Vendant replied, his trademark smile still in place. "Morden will be pleased with us, I hope?"
"I would say so..." Corrolan mused, as, around the two men, a quartet of dark, sinister, spiderlike creatures began to shimmer into being. "I would say so, indeed."
* * *
"I am leaving this place!" Brianna exclaimed, as the trio moved down the corridor towards the cargo bay, the few possessions they owned in hand, or worn.
Jennie scowled from beneath the hood of her black cloak, and Will shrugged, and turned to address their new, and now decidedly exuberant companion. "You are, Brianna. But remember, you will keep your promises, won't you?"
"I will. No unauthorized scans. No lying. I told you, William, and I will not lie...I serve your cause willingly, now."
"And for now, I believe you." At that, Will switched his gaze to Jennifer. "Are you sure they'll be here?"
"He promised. One good cargo run to check the 'old girl' out, or so he said, and then back to check on me. I'm holding him to his promise...we have to go somewhere, after all."
Up ahead, a tall, grizzled figure hove into view, and Jennie smiled. "What a surprise...you're on time, after all!"
"I heard word, girl, that you were leaving this tin can." Lyamn Mantrell barked, his face beginning to crinkle into a grin. "On a 'mission', no less!"
"I'm afraid so; and we're looking for a ride!" Jen announced, her eye beginning to sparkle. "What can you do for us...Captain??"
* * *
Next: the three phase part "Sorrows of the Past, Burdens of the Future" begins as the Rimstalker, the Observer, and Brianna Tolmanes, as yet unsure of her destiny, but sure she is doing the right thing, arrive at Minbar to meet with the man who will show them what is now to come for them all.