**"For most of the months between when we saw him last, and when we next heard from him, it had been a source of concern for us what had happened. The Narn Homeworld and all of their colonies had been devastated by the Centauri occupation, and yet, in November, we would find that close to a dozen Narn ships of the line had survived the war in hiding, far from prying eyes. The reason this had occured was initially unclear, but then, in time, despite Na'kal's lack of communication on the matter, it was absolutely clear who had been responsible for saving what then remained of the Narn fleet. I have commented elsewhere that we would not see him again until the Darkness had begun its passing, but that did not mean that he wasn't thinking of us...or that he could also pass messages our way.
And that, alone, was a ray of hope against the night that had already fallen, to know that one of our friends, the one who had made the most difference when it counted, still lived. The next two months would show us so much pain, but in the end, it was the little things that kept us alive..."**
- From "Storm Crossing: The Shadow War, and Other Responsibilities"
* * *
Feb 22, 2260; Narhlak System, the Narn Rim.
G'kael sat back in his chair, and grimly considered the possibilities at hand. It had been only a matter of months since the fall of Narn, and things, while they weren't getting any worse, weren't getting much better, either. This place was the last refuge of Free Narn, and as that went, it wasn't spectacular in the slightest. He turned his gaze to the lowering orange suns of this place, and sighed; there was almost certainly another dust storm coming tonight.
Narhlak Base had been developed by the Intelligence Agency at its height, and as such, had remained secret while everything else had fallen. It was so far beyond the Central systems as to be a blip on Centauri sensors, an unimportant trifle, a system with no value.
Just, as the humans would say, what the Doctor ordered; a fascinating phrase, but curiously apt at times like this. He allowed himself a brief, bitter smile..resources were strained, but hope was not gone yet.
In orbit above, stationed geosynchronously opposite from the archaic system jump gate hung what remained of the Narn navy, a collection of perhaps twenty vessels. Half of those would never fight again, in any battle; indeed, it had been a struggle for several of those to even maneuver out of hyperspace to reach this place. But the other half?...now *they* were worth saving.
Chief among those resources were six G'Quon class Heavy cruisers, in various states of repair, with lighter ships and dreadnaughts making up the remainder. There was enough spare parts in the orbiting wrecks to ensure the small force would be back to full operating capability sometime within the next eight months, but the work was not easy. The crews were working double shifts as it was to bring their vessels back online, with reduced food and no spacedock facilities. And silence was paramount...if the Centauri even *considered* that there were rebels hiding here, they would bring a large enough fleet to *crush* those who hid here.
That was not, of course, an option to be considered.
There was a brief grinding noise, and then N'rothhak, his long standing aide, and once Third onboard his lost ship, the 'N'blis', entered the chamber. Like everyone here in these times of strain, N'rothak had lost weight, but his expression was anything but defeated.
"G'kael, the latest report from the orbital units has just been downloaded. The drive units onboard the 'G'tok' are well on their way to being repaired, and the crew estimates they will be fully operational in about three weeks. The structural repair will take a little while longer; however, it is clear, by G'quan, that we will have at least THREE fully operational vessels in a month's time!"
"Four, my friend; you forget the 'Shi'no'kan'."
N'rothak nodded. "Of course; however, the firepower we need will only be represented in our larger ships; the remaining N'roth'cka class vessels have, more or less, been cannibalized to repair the heavy cruisers...ours is the last, besides the larger ships."
"The firepower *they* represent is all that we will have to retake Homeworld, N'rothak; and I fear, despite Na'kal's protestations to the contrary, that those will not suffice."
"It is only your standing in the Intelligence force that kept Na'kal from assuming command of this operation outright, G'kael!"
"Is that so? Without our help, the Military would have been fully decimated by the Centauri. Na'kal and his crew were wandering and lost two months ago, we intercepted them, and brought them to a place where they could possess at least a modicum of safety, a hiding place in which to rebuild and regroup. My standing means nothing to Na'kal, his *continued existence* does!!"
"Of course; forgive me."
"There is nothing to forgive." G'kael reached down, and carefully removed a message crystal, and raised it into N'rothak's view. "An interesting missive arrived two days ago, N'rothak, in the personage of a Ranger."
"A Ranger? You did not tell me of this before, G'kael!! Why?"
"There were too many eager ears to listen, my friend; even now, we have to be very careful, and very discerning of who should know the truth. The time may come, and it will, very soon, that secrecy will no longer be important, but that time is not yet. In any case, I have news.
Two of our mutual friends have assumed a greater responsibility then I would have initially believed; command of the Babylon 5 Ranger population has been passed to them, and I do not doubt that Jeffrey Sinclair, he who they call Entil'zha, has greater plans in store for them, yet."
N'rothak thought about this for a minute, and then smiled. "I understand!...both the need for secrecy, and the meaning of this. I agree, G'kael, this *is* good news, and shows that we are not alone in this fight. You must tell me, if you can, what goes on in the outside universe? We have spent so much time worrying about the status of our military assets, that attention on other matters has lagged."
"Understandable, but not acceptable. Very well...I will tell you, but the news is not good. Everywhere, the signs are clear; what happened with our people is beginning to happen everywhere. Not only are many of the League worlds and their colonies fighting skirmishes with one another, but it is increasingly clear that the humans are about to join in this downward spiral. William's thoughts on this matter are very clear, and to the point; there is evidence that certain units in the human Earthforce are just about ready to fight their own government...and it is equally clear, that it will take very little to push the Earth President and his junta from fear into desperation."
"I see; they are afraid, and from this fear will be born the seeds of a new war."
"Very likely." G'kael sighed, and turned his one eye to the barren desert outside his command post. "All around us are born the fears of the past, born anew in the eyes of the current generation. Sooner or later, the fears incited by this crisis will explode into a great Fire, and I fear more to see it, then to be denied that sight."
"Your fears are unjustified, Spymaster..." the sardonic voice of Na'kal announced, as the commander of the 'G'Tok' stepped into the chamber. "Despite your aide's concerns to the contrary, I have no wish to assume command of this, our last hope for survival, our ONLY hope to retake Narn, unless a better alternative presents itself. We will rebuild our ships, strip those that cannot be saved, and when it is time, when and if the crisis you speak of has passed us by, we will stride forward to do what must be done."
"You oversimplify matters, Na'kal."
"Perhaps that is so, G'kael, but your concerns regarding the other the races of this galaxy do not excuse you from the duty at hand."
"I did not *ask* for this leadership!!"
"Perhaps not; but I cannot think of anyone more qualified, for now, to lead us. G'kar is bound by his obligation to lead the Narns of Babylon 5, and is thus unavailable. The Ka'rhi, with that exception, are dead at the hands of the Centauri. You, G'kael, and the remains of your Intelligence operation, are our last hope."
He laughed. "I had never thought to hear such words from you, Na'kal; perhaps there is some hope for us, after all."
Na'kal bowed slightly, the same, thin, sardonic smile still on his face. "Perhaps that is so; good day to you, Spymaster."
"And what did you make of that, then, N'rothak?" G'kael inquired of his aide.
"I wish I knew."
* * *
Feb 25th, 2260.
"I had not expected to see your return so soon, Ericsson, but in any case, it is pleasing to see that you and your team succeeded in your efforts, and returned so swiftly."
Ericcson smiled. "There will come a time in the none too distant future when we will move even more swiftly, G'kael; but that time is not yet, that is all I wll say for now. In any case, our survey of the Narn Rim indicates that there is little, if any, Shadow activity in this area; they appear content to let the Centauri consolidate their hold on the region, and in any case, the Centauri care not for this place, which is, as they say, your hole card."
"Precisely. For now, however, I would appreciate it, Ericcson, if you would do me a favor. On your first waystop on our bold little world, you dropped off a message from Anla'shok Sha'vei Westcastle, a message I have now produced a response to. I would appreciate it if you or those you trust could convey the message to Babylon 5. The Sha'vei and I have a special relationship, given, as you know, that I played a special part in his beginnings with the Rangers...I suspect it would please him greatly to know that I and N'rothak still live."
Ericsson nodded. "A bargain is a bargain; you gave us permission to use this place as a staging area for our investigations along the Rim, G'kael; it's the least we can do to courier a message to Babylon 5."
"Excellent; may G'Quan watch over you in your travels, Ericsson."
"And Valen over yours; we'll see you soon, G'kael. Stay silent, stay safe, and above all...keep Na'kal close to your side, he's a bit of a loose cannon, you know..."
G'kael laughed. "You understand us all too well, Ranger; until next time, then."
* * *
Feb 28th, 2260. Earthdome.
A conversation in passing...
"Report."
"Matters have advanced to the point where we can prepare for the New Order. Nightwatch units in many locations have assumed key positions in stations, on colonies and on many of the ships in the Fleet. Once the project at Ganymede reaches its final stage, the President will act, and we will act with him. This is a game that has taken a long time to reach checkmate, but final closure is now at hand."
A nod. "Does it not feel *wonderful* to know that so few can so easily control so many? The correct and careful application of fear is all that is necessary to control the masses."
"And this, friend, is that application taken to the extreme." A check of the time. "Enough; there is a meeting I am due for."
"Then I will not delay you."
* * *
Mar 3rd, 2260. Babylon 5, the Ranger Council Chambers.
"Ladies and gentlemen..." William darkly pronounced, as he strode slowly back and forth, "We're just about out of time, here; it's clear that matters in Earthspace are about to come to a head, and when that happens, the long arm of President Clark will probably reach out to touch this place directly, if the reports I've received from Captain Sheridan are accurate. Before that happens, there are a few decisions we need to make, and they have to be made right NOW, before everything spins out of control. Reports." With a minimum of effort, Shival began recording what followed.
"Things in Earthspace are getting really hot...." Colvhar replied, his gaze strained. "The Senate and the President have come close to blows on a number of matters in the last few weeks, and it is absolutely clear that something's about to give. I anticipate the Entil'zha, within about the next week or so, giving the order for my agents to pull back towards Babylon 5 and beyond. There is very little safety on Earth for us, anymore...or just about anywhere in the Alliance, for that matter."
"Things towards the Rim are hardly better..." Erica Dorval added, her midnight black, French braided tresses a harsh contrast to the Minbari sitting around her. "While the Shadows themselves aren't, for now, actively attacking anybody, their agents have managed, through deceit and deception, to begin brushfire wars between dozens of races. It's beginning to look like this place is one of the few calm eyes left in the Storm around us."
"Precisely." William ground out. "But that storm is about to break over Babylon 5, regardless, and when that happens, a number of contigency plans must already be in place." He turned. "Jennifer?"
Gaze firm, Jennie stood. "It is inevitable, given the evidence, that President Clark will attempt to seize Babylon 5, and I believe that Captain Sheridan and his crew will move to stop this from happening, with the, we hope, aid of at least a few of the Earthforce units who will, shall we say, 'disagree' with the President's policies.
There are several possible outcomes to this action. One...the Captain succeeds in this mission. Two....the Captain and his crew fail, are courtmartialed, possibly shot on sight, and the President assumes full control of this place. Three...Babylon 5 is destroyed in the battle."
"Option One..." Tashann dryly replied, "Is the preferred one; however, the question we must answer, and guide our groups towards the answer for, is the following...if Option Two is the result, do we fight, or do we retreat from this place?"
"The answer is clear." Tharvonn added, "In my opinion, at least, Sha'vei. If Babylon 5 falls, then our safe haven no longer exists. We must retreat from this place if that occurs, but we can make it a fighting retreat, and we can make the invaders *pay* for that space...that is, if you wish it so."
Viridal laughed. "If he wishes it so, Tharvonn? I do not see, in my opinion, that there is any choice in the matter. We are Rangers, we fight the Darkness in all its forms, and such invaders are paramount examples of that Darkness. If we leave, we leave in order, in good spirit, BUT we leave an Enemy hurt by their conquest, not victorious in it."
"Very well." William finalized with a sigh, "Sheridan said it best...and some of us were here to hear him say it! Here is the place where we draw the line against the Darkness...here is the place from which we make a new beginning. If Babylon 5 falls, then we will have failed; if Sheridan and his crew succeed, then we have a fighting chance. If we are forced to leave, however, we will leave an Enemy disillusioned, with spirit broken, with beliefs unsure. We will, if necessary, work to free those captured unjustly...and if necssary, help to deny that which our Enemy would use against us."
A quick glance passed between the Council members...and then, as one, they stood. "We stand on the Bridge." Jennie whispered, "And no one may pass."
He nodded. "Then let it begin."
* * *
"Well." Jennie murmured sleepily, as beside her, William snored, "Now it get's interesting."
<Beep>
"What the He..." She sprang out of bed, and hit the answer key. "Shival?"
"Forgive me, Jennifer, but I thought this sufficiently important to wake the Sha'vei, despite the late hour. A group of Rangers lead by Val'na Ericsson has just arrived from the Rim. Ericsson has, on his person, a message of some import, from a Narn I believe he calls...G'kael?"
Jennie *just* managed to stop her mouth from dropping open...the message *had* gotten through, then! And all rumours to the contrary, it seemed that their friend was still alive. "Sufficient, Shival? I'll wake him myself!"
* * *
Focusing mightily, William rubbed the sleep from his eyes, read the letter...and then smiled.
"What does it say?" a whisper from the bed inquired.
"I'll read it to you."
<<The Fourth Cycle of G'quon, Day Seventeen>>
<<This day finds a message in my hand of some great import; a message from those I have the pleasure to call friends. The Darkness is upon us, but we can still find time, amidst the madness, to write a message to those we know will appreciate the matter, those who understand what we have been through, where we are, and where we are going.>>
<<You are two such, and I would never forgive myself if I ignored this matter. Your inquiries are appreciated, and just; I hold together the reins of those who would reclaim Narn in the name of her people...but if they moved now, they would be crushed; this cannot be allowed. I have learned of what is to come for you, yours, your world and all that matters in the name of Earth, and it is not an easy time, or an easy task...but if you should come to survive, then know that I expect this to continue.>>
<<Between the Darkness and the Fire, there they will find us, the steadfast Narns and Humans of Belief. We know what we have to do, do we not? Do what you must, William and Jennifer of Earth, and we will speak again, through the power of the written word.>>
<<<G'kael>>>
* * *
Within the circle of his arms, Jennie slept, an ironic reversal of earlier that night...but the power of G'kael's writing had not ebbed with the months of seperation, and if anyone could keep the Narns in check until they were needed, it was he. G'kar, what little he had seen of him, would do the same here...and in time, there would come a moment when everything would come together.
Everything...
To be continued...in a war of words, a reversal of fortunes, and a new beginning, in the Stars united!