**"It was in the early days of 2261 that our tale finds the nadir of the Army of Light's belief in themselves. It seemed that the worst had occured... and the silence on the Rim only seemed to confirm this fact. Captain John Sheridan, full of his belief in doing the right thing, had attacked the Shadow homeworld of Z'ha'dum in the final days of 2260, and while he could not know it, Sha'vei William Westcastle, the human commander of the White Star Fleet, had very nearly done the same thing to save his Observer, and fiancee, Jennifer Clifford. One, trapped by fate, the other, by the only option left open to him, and both, it seemed, to those who followed them, dead as a result of those actions.
And so, for a brief period, both the Army of Light and the human commanders in the White Star Fleet found themselves without their leaders. It was good that this bold thrust badly disorganized the Shadows, as well, for when they moved again to counter the deadly, dramatic actions of the Vorlons..."**
- From "Holding The Line: A History of the Army of Light"
* * *
Personal Log of Anla'shok Val'na Tashann.
It is now the equivalent of two human weeks since my commander and my friend, the only human I have ever trusted with my life, William Westcastle, he who the Anla'shok named Rimstalker, left for the world named Z'ha'dum; his purpose, to save the only thing worth more to him then life itself...the love he held for She who he could not live without.
He left us, and shortly thereafter, she who Followed the Observer returned, but not the same...now she walks alone among us; a dark angel in gray and black.
This is something I would not have credited, the first time I met Julia Tikopai; the greater part of a cycle it has been now, since she came to us the day Babylon 5 seceded from the Earth Alliance; a child full of wonder at what the Universe had given her.
That wonder is gone now; the innocence has passed, never to return. And in that time period, she has matured both inside and out; I have seen the humans among the Anla'shok look at what Julia has become, and their eyes show both amazement...and concern. It is has been said that she appears as a human of *sixteen* or *seventeen* Terran years would, and yet, it is clear she has only stood on this side of the Veil for slightly more then THIRTEEN human years, for she was brought into this Life as we nearly committed our greatest mistake of all...
What the Humans call the Battle of the Line.
What it all means, I am not sure, but one thing is certain...the hope we initially held is fading quickly. Those who Stayed Behind, primarily Sha'vei Shival, Dreann, and myself, those who were closest to the Rimstalker and his Right Hand, discovered the Truth, although in different ways. Our curse was to hear She who Followed tell us the terrible truth that Lennier, Delenn's aide, had passed on to her, it seemed, in a moment of terrible surprise...
That Captain John Sheridan, the Leader of the Armies of Light, had gone to Z'ha'dum as well, slightly after William had, accompanied by a woman who appeared to be his long lost wife, Anna. 'Appeared' is the right word, I am afraid, for all Anla'shok know that those who go to Z'ha'dum are always changed by their visit.
Shortly thereafter, the Shadows briefly threatened Babylon 5...and then, mysteriously left, their haste quite apparent to those who watched. Other listeners learned that contact with White Star One was abruptly lost around the same time...and also, that Sheridan had, it seemed, taken several rather large fusion weapons with him when he left.
And so, it is clear what MAY have happened at Z'ha'dum, if Sheridan did what we suspect he did, and William and Jennifer could not escape from the clutches of the Shadows in time. They certainly *may* have been there when Captain Sheridan attacked Z'ha'dum.
And if so...they are surely, quite surely, all dead.
And we are all the worse for it.
* * *
My name is Larieken.
Once, in a simpler age, I was an adept preparing for the coming of adulthood, readying myself for the tasks that laid ahead of me, as a warrior of the Wind Swords Clan. Gladly was I prepared to ride the winds of space with our fleet, to guard the borders of what is...what Valen had helped give back to us, so long ago.
That was, of course, before the Shadows came...before the true calling of my heart made itself clear. And so, I came to Tuzanor, to unlearn what I had learnt, to do better with what I had not...and to apply the knowledge to the only thing that mattered.
Or so I thought, at the time.
Along the road I chose to travel, I beheld the coming of the humans to Minbar. At first, I looked upon this with scorn and disbelief, like the rest...but in time, I came to see their true hearts, especially, the three who shone beyond the rest. The first two were linked souls, and now, it seems, may be lost to us. They were, along with Sha'vei Vikotal, the ones most responsible for making of the White Star Fleet what it now is. The third is now, on orders from the High Council, my primary concern.
I am not the only member of the Anla'shok to look on the changes within the Third with both disbelief and trepidation. I say this with care, for it may be that she is the only Observer now left to us that is useful...the other, Alkanion Verah, has yet to recover his memories or full faculties. And so, part of our hopes rest on this human stripling female...
The human I have now SWORN to protect, with my life.
* * *
The first hours of 2261. The Valley of Sorrows, Morning.
New Year's Day had come to Tuzanor with its usual brilliance...and although Minbar's year had little synchrony with that of Earth's, the coolness of the air was appropriate. With measured step, Julia walked out to stand, once again, on the Place where her Mistress had once practiced, so hard, not only to protect He that she stood beside, but also to hone herself, harder and harsher, to make herself, in the end, a living weapon, in body and in words.
Had it been enough, she wondered, gazing into the fiery rays of the sunrise, at Z'ha'dum, in the end? Perhaps nothing had been enough to escape the trap that Captain Sheridan had planned...Lennier had been quite clear in his remarks, on that score.
In any case, the reason she had come here this morning was not to reminisce and to grieve still more; with measured hand, she drew out the light, but if wielded correctly, deadly staff of ash, silver and steel that had come to her, shortly after her departure from the medical facility, and set aside her cloak and tunic. A small note had been attached to it, a note in a script all too familiar...
**In the Hope, though you may not find peace this season, of all seasons, that you may at least understand that all things come, and all things go, and having a reason to die for is not the same as having a reason to lose all hope**
***The Guide***
Where she had got the ASH from was the question that still bothered her, even now...
With the measured grace that had only begun coming to her shortly before the attack that had nearly killed her (and of that, she now felt very little...Minbari medical science, even when applied to humans, was near advanced enough to seem magical) she began moving into the patterns that Jennifer had taught her, in between her other studies, a cat's cradle of fire that her Mistress had almost been born to...so very graceful, but that grace could, in an instant, translate into something VERY deadly.
If there was one thing she would not abandon, it was the goal to attain the warrior pike, just like Jennifer had. And with that, would come the sign that was destined...
An indeterminate amount of time passed, and then, a slight tapping sound distracted her, and she whirled round, staff at the ready.
To meet the all too ready, but gentle, block, of just such a weapon.
"You progress admirably." the owner of the pike commented, and Julia looked up in astonishment, to meet the eyes of a young Minbari male in the black of the Anla'shok... so similar to that which she, with the aid of William, had earned the honour to wear, but at the same time, still quite different.
She bowed, and was met, appropriately so...paused a moment, made a guess (look at his headbone, Julia) and then spoke, in the tongue of the Warrior Caste. "Greetings, Anla'shok; to what do I owe the pleasure this morning?"
A slight widening of the eyes was all he displayed, and then, the Minbari smiled. "Greetings to you, as well, Observer Tikopai; I am named Larieken. I regret to have interrupted your practice, but there are matters that you must, with all honour, deal with, and while they may not all be pleasant ones, they are necessary on this day, and in this age of conflict and betrayal."
She sighed, and slid her short staff into the back pocket on her new tunic designed for that purpose. "Acolyte only, Anla'shok Larieken; I have neither the age nor the experience to justify the full title as of yet."
Larieken laughed. "You call doubt upon yourself, I see!...perhaps your youth partly explains this; but let me be blunt for now, although I will not strive to do that overmuch in the times to come. You must set aside your griefs on what has occurred!.. what is past cannot be changed, and there is still a great deal to be done. Captain Sheridan and Sha'vei Westcastle may have died for us on Z'ha'dum, but their work lies unfinished... they would not have wanted us to abandon all hope.
The Shadows are still out there...waiting..watching for us to make our next mistake, and soon enough, the time must come when they will bring the war to us once again, to draw retribution for the attack on their heart. When that time comes, we *will* be ready...we must, there is no other choice. And as such, we of Light require...no, *need* your services, Observer! If we are to survive this, there must be someone to tell the generations yet to come what this all meant, what the death, the pain, and the destruction were all about.
And why this must never, ever...happen again."
She very nearly cried at that point...but the urge receded. "That was to have been Val'na Clifford's task, you know."
Larieken nodded politely. "Yes..but she is also lost to us, Observer; the tasks therefore, fall to you."
She sighed, and nodded in reply. So much for one so young, some would have said...but her youth was passing her by, had maybe already passed her by, in the instant that woman, her face full of evil, had fired on her, on the Point of Gajn'darahl.
"Very well...Lareiken. May I assume that a plan is underway to make sure I do just exactly *that*?"
Larieken nodded. "More or less, yes."
* * *
Tashann entered the final command into the comm terminal, and still, the face that appeared on the screen took him slightly aback. The face of One who had seen the Darkness, and whom hope had nearly abandoned.
But not quite. *Someone* had acted to stop that fall...who that someone had been, he was not sure, but that was besides the point.
He bowed. "Entil'zha; your aide, Lennier, instructed that I contact you. What is your command??"
"Val'na Tashann. The situation is dire, and the time available to speak to you is, by necessity, short, but the task you must perform is important to us all...and I will say this once, and once only. Do you understand?"
"I do."
A slight smile. "Good. The Observer's acolyte...Julia Tikopai, is her name?..."
He nodded. "That is correct, Entil'zha."
"You must bring her to Babylon 5; and while I may not be present when you arrive, the conversation we shall have is valuable both to the future as it will be, and to *her* future, as well."
Tashann smiled slightly...so, it was as he had suspected. "To that end, Entil'zha, several of my cadre are working to bring Observer Tikopai back to the Light, as we speak. When we come to you, she will be ready."
"We shall see." The link was abruptly cut, but Tashann was already acting, and making another connection. Shortly thereafter, the bridge of White Star Eleven, his command, appeared on the screen.
"Dreann."
His Second turned, and smiled. William had bought them together in this fight, and besides those regretfully unable to join them, Dreann was the one he would most trust with his life. "Yes, Val'na??"
"You will make our command ready for departure within a sixteenth; myself, Anla'shok Larieken and Observer Tikopai will be joining you shortly."
"And our destination??"
"As you no doubt have already guessed, Dreann; we go to Babylon 5...with ALL possible speed."
"It is beginning, then?"
"Indeed it is." Tashann cut the link.
He rose from the station, expression grim with purpose. There was still *much* work to be done.
* * *
Babylon 5. 0900 hrs, Jan 2nd, 2261.
She couldn't believe it...she wouldn't!!
"It can't be true, Shival!! You can't tell me..."
Shival nodded solemnly. "I regret this news as much as you do, but it is the truth...and while you have, for a time, been forced to set aside your true calling, Brianna Tolmanes, I felt it necessary to tell you, for it was quite clear you did not know the truth; the truth that cannot be changed, or avoided. The calls have been made, the allowances taken...and neither Captain Sheridan nor Sha'vei Westcastle have replied to those hails. We must assume the worst, after so much time has passed."
"I *see*."
"In Valen's Name, child, I honestly regret what has happened! But we must carry on to do what must be done, in his name, if no other..."
Shival glanced up, and with a start, realized he was by himself.
* * *
"How could you let this happen?? It's bad enough that Sheridan went to Z'ha'dum! You could have stopped him from trying something that was *clearly* futile from the start!" A pause, and then...another set of words."And don't you *dare* start quoting to me on the principles of servant to master right now, Ulkesh, I'm not in the mood!"
The Vorlon almost seemed...amused at her outbursts, which surprised her, but then again, maybe not. ##The choices were made, the Fire observed. They have encountered the Other, and lived between the moments##
"What are you saying?? Are you saying...that *maybe*, they're still alive?"
Silence.
"Answer me!!" she nearly screamed.
A cold turn of red iris, a glare if one was ever encountered. ##You have no hold on us; the actions of the Stalker and The Watcher are now without purpose; they have done what must be done; they are now irrevelant##
"Irrevelant?" She laughed, and turned away. "You pretend to understand us so well...if that is what you think, then maybe you don't understand us at all."
The pain when it came was quite understandable. He had punished her for her impetuousness before, and would do again. Each time it was worse...and each time, her resolve to resist him grew. Without intending to, she blinked, and found herself on the floor, face mashed into the metal.
##Learn your place## was the Vorlon's final rejoinder, and then, he departed, leaving her a tangled mess on the deck plates.
A short time passed, and then, a hand reached across her shoulders, and a gentle touch on her mind. "Damn him..." a voice whispered, a voice she was *sure* she knew. "You slipped up, this time, 'Kosh'...and maybe, it won't be the last time. We both serve you, she and I, and now, finally, we meet."
* * *
C&C, some time later.
Among the interplay of ship movements around the station, this one was barely noticed, but the hyperspace probes never lied. Of course, *they* had all left, to search for the Captain...and for the first time, maybe ever, that left him in charge of C&C.
He sighed. Not a complimentary thing, the way things were. Even with the Minbari war cruisers protecting the station, knowing that the Shadows were out there, watching and waiting, and planning their next move, was not something he enjoyed. Any time they wished, the Shadows could flicker in, open fire..and the station would cease to exist. They hadn't yet, of course...
Probably a sign of what had happened at Z'ha'dum recently, he guessed.
But what was about to come through the jump gate was a sign that at least there was a *little* hope. The familiar chime-in rang out, and he smiled. So many times, he had stood at that station, working, and watching, and helping the Captain and the Commander at their duties. For the Captain, he had stood there during the Secession of the station..and now, he stood...
In command, as out there, the gate irised open, and spat out a single White Star.
"This is Babylon Control to incoming White Star; identify your status and intentions."
"Babylon Control." a clipped, fully in control voice replied, and he turned to the monitor to quickly receive a view of the warship's bridge, and the Minbari who commanded there."This is Tashann, commander of White Star Eleven; we have been commanded here by the Entil'zha, on business of the Rangers."
"The Ambassador is currently off station..."
The Ranger named Tashann nodded curtly. "That is understood, Lieutenant. However, we will await her return, and soon enough, I fear, my command will not be the only White Star in this place. Eleven...out."
He frowned. Now *how* was he supposed to take that comment??
* * *
Hyperspace.
The path it had taken was far from certain, but the object presently approaching Minbari space from the Rim was certainly moving with purpose. For now, it moved silently, and its scored, pitted, almost melted skin suggested that something quite terrible had happened to it, and fairly recently.
A closer examination would reveal the eight stubs on the outer edge of the object, suggestion that something more had once existed there. What those something's had been was harder to say, but the most important factor in the object's movement was not outside...
But inside.
* * *
Babylon 5. 3 Jan 2261...near the quarters of the Entil'zha.
"You didn't have to do this." Julia insisted, as together with Larieken, she moved down the corridor towards her ultimate destination, uniform perfect, as far she could determine. This felt...important, somehow.
Besides her, Larieken shrugged slightly. "You are the Observer, and it has been made clear to me, both by Val'na Tashann, and *others*, that your continued survival takes precedence over any other thing I must do. Also, it is my belief, Julia Tikopai, Observer, Anla'shok-to-be, that you stand far too alone in the world, now that those you Followed willingly may have travelled beyond the Veil. You must build new connections and new alliances...and, it would be hoped, new comradeships of your own. I offer my friendship willingly as the first; it may be hoped that more will come, in the cycles yet ahead of us both."
She allowed herself to smile...a little. "I thank you, Larieken, with all my heart, for that. In Valen's Name! I should instead consider it luck that you offer yourself as such, and for the continued assistance of Tashann and Dreann..."
"*Val'na* Tashann could do no other thing."
She winced; Larieken was right, of course; it would not do to forget their ranks while talking to the head of the Rangers...the Entil'zha. "I thank you for that reminder, Larieken."
"Within the cycles of the Anla'shok, we are as one, Julia Tikopai." The Minbari bowed to her, as they arrived at the door in question. "I will wait here, and *stand*, until your business with the Entil'zha is complete."
She turned, then, and with hand slightly trembling, reached out, and touched the signal toggle. The door immediately swung open, to reveal the now-familiar face of Lennier beyond. He bowed slightly, his stance radiating respect. "Ah...Observer Tikopai; please, come in; you are...expected."
She entered slowly, and with Lennier's direction, passed on into the larger room beyond. The faint sound of chimes sang in the air, and in the faint light, she could only barely make out the figure standing in the corner, beside a set of tall, white candles.
"I come, as instructed." she said, barely above a whisper, her stance respectful...*had* she gotten the uniform perfect? "Entil'zha; you command me this day, in Valen's Name. Speak to me, I beeseech you, of what must be."
"Well spoken, for one so young." the stern-voiced reply came, out of the shadows. "But, perhaps, a little *too* practiced. I have heard it said that you train in the ways of the Rangers...I know full *well* that you are an Observer, in the mold of she who molded you, and yet, you stand before me untried, forever in her shadow.
Until now, that is; and therin, lies our concern." The Entil'zha leant forward into the candlelight abruptly, and Julia nearly gasped out loud from seeing the force of purpose in that gaze. "It seems clear, that despite your youth, we no longer have any choice in the matter of what must be. If we are to attain victory in this conflict, there must be *someone* to pass down to our descendants the message that this cannot be allowed to happen again!...that we must have greater wisdom, greater thought, and greater understanding of what we do.
Until, and if, a better candidate is found, and despite your youth, the majority of this task may fall to you."
Wasn't my idea, she told herself. I didn't ask to grow up this quickly, but what choice was there, anyway?? "You speak truly, Entil'zha, and, indeed, I will not argue with your judgement. Now that Val'na Clifford has, if the worst is to be believed, sacrificed her life in combating the Shadows, we must press on, towards the future.
As such, the task you describe is suited for an Observer; of the three that were known, one is surely dead, and other even now lies amnesiac and partially mad. This leaves *me*...and as one who will, in due course, attain the Ceremony, you must *know* that I would do anything for you...and if necessary, with the rest, I *will* die for the One...
If that should be my fate."
There was another, longer pause, and then, the Entil'zha spoke again. "That was...better spoken; less practiced, and far more wise. And as for dying in our name, let us hope not; for the time being, I am content to let you continue to serve beneath Val'na Tashann on his White Star...perhaps there, you will learn things you otherwise would not. And in due course, perhaps we will talk again...and you will tell me whether or not the decisions we made here today were the right ones...
Or not."
Was that it? Apparently it was. "I understand. Entil'zha, and in Valen's Name, I will comply with your wishes. May I have your leave to depart?"
"You may." The Entil'zha turned away, and with barely a pause, she turned, and fled, along the way, finding Lennier's almost amused gaze upon her (typical, that), before exiting with all the haste she could manage.
As she rushed away, Larieken fell in beside her, and turned one, long contemplative glance upon her. "I see that you survived."
"*Don't ask*."
* * *
"Delenn. You did not frighten her TOO much, I hope?"
"No. She learns, Lennier, as do we all. Perhaps in the end, it will be enough to let us do what we must."
* * *
Minbar orbit.
The message had been clear, even from as far away as the transfer beacon could receive the message. The object approaching Minbar system was signalling with a private code reserved only for messages between the Sha'vei'e of the Rangers and their Entil'zha. There were only a very limited number of Rangers living who knew that code, and as such, the Minbari War Cruiser VASHOKK was already approaching the jump gate as it irised open to spit out the small capsule approaching Minbar from a decidedly Rimwards direction.
Moving carefully, the captain of the VASHOKK ordered a sensor sweep of the projectile. Within a short time period, it became very evident that the object was *not* a Shadow weapon of any kind...rather, it appeared to be the remnant core of a space vehicle of unknown type, given that its surface was quite damaged. Further sweeps detected faint signs of life within the object...life signs that were, it seemed...waning.
*Human* life signs.
Action after that was considerably swifter, although not without argument against the actions taken. With casual grace, the VASHOKK drew into near formation with the object, and after matching velocities, captured the capsule with its forward gravimetric projectors, drawing it into its flyer bay, which was, for the most part, quite empty at that particular moment.
Shortly after that, the Captain, along with his chief medical officer, observed the object from a distance, as other medical crews, with several warriors accompanying (just in case) approached the craft.
*What do you believe they will find?*
*I do not know; only that it may be important. Word has arrived here of what Sheridan, the human that some still name Starkiller, has done at Z'ha'dum.*
*Do you believe that Sheridan, and another, lie within?*
*We shall see, soon enough* the Captain turned away, his expression grim, as the teams moved inside the object. Soon enough, the truth would be revealed.
To be continued...
* * *
Next: the Rimstalker and the Observer have returned from their trial at Z'ha'dum, but how have they been changed by the experience? And what will Delenn's response be, once she knows that William lives? "Prices of Fire and Loyalty" the second part of "The Riders on the Storm", coming soon...