**Things have not all been going our way, but we are nearly done with the necessities. The mid range colonies, minus the rebellious fools at Orion VII and Proxima III, have safely fallen under our control, and the outer range colonies will soon follow, all being well. The one problem remaining to us is the dark thorn of Babylon 5 and its traitorous crew...but not for much longer. I have every intention of boarding that station myself to remove John Sheridan from the command he no longer deserves. It will be a pleasure, both to serve Earth, and to put Sheridan in his place."**
From the Command Log of the EAS Agrippa, Apr 12, 2260
* * *
The First Context of The Follower. 2260...Reflections.
Between the worlds, there is rarely reason for visits, and as such, movements in the shadows are never seen. A different context then was used later, but at the time, I had yet to see the real horror behind those words. I was young, but thought myself so wise. How harsh the lessons that were learned, both Mother's, and mine, in the months to come. As for who I am, it should be fairly clear by now; at the time, I was the girl with the 250 IQ; now, so many years later, the intelligence sadly remains, but youth has passed me by.
When William jumped into Proxima III's atmosphere that day to save me and his father, it was a pivot of change in all our lives. Brianna called me the 'Prodigal Daughter' upon our first meeting, and being naive, I ignored the context of that statement, not understanding, not wanting to, that being beyond my worldview. Not a smart choice, Julia, I told myself later on; everything connected to the Vorlons was more important then it seemed, and like so many others connected to the nexus called Babylon 5, I ended up being sucked in by that force of nature that called itself Kosh.
To start with, though, things were far from easy to understand. Less then seven hours after leaving Proxima III, we rendezvoused with the Minbari War Cruiser VALENTHA, the flagship of the just, I later learned, broken Grey Council. And that of course, was the first time Delenn and I met one another, although she didn't consider me important at the time...and why should she of? A dark-haired wisp of a human girl, unknown, unknowing, for all she knew, a pawn.
But ah, you say, another pawn of the Vorlons; an important distinction, but not right away.
In any case, let's get back to what everyone wants to know. Apr 13, 2260; a day of distinction, terror, hope, failure and death; the day all reason shattered, the day that the fallacy of the Alliance being one happy family was finally buried six feet under, as if the battles within Earthforce that Mother fought in the days beforehand weren't enough proof. The people who guided that change were many, the leaders few, and I had the oppurtunity to observe, first had, the movements of prophecy, right from the start of the change.
William Westcastle. Such a simple name, you say, but so important, so much change wrapped up in one small package. Everybody wants to remember that Sheridan made his stand that day, and whether you call him a traitor or not is not important to me in the slightest. Everyone knows that Delenn jumped in to save him at the last, that the other minor players that day did everything they could, but most everyone ignored, as usual, the Rest of the Story.
I shake my head in exasperation when I write this; it is a date imprinted in my mind, a day I will never forget, but Jennifer and I have been fighting this fight for over thirty years now, trying to make sure everyone knows the truth, that the truth isn't ignored to make way for those sometimes silly dramatics that everyone enjoys so much. That's my job...always has been, always will be, til' death do us part, me and the Truth.
For now, though, I'm going to sit back, and let the Story tell itself. It's done a good job of doing it so far, let's let it carry on for a while longer, yet, shall we?
* * *
The Earth-Minbari Frontier...
In near silence, the small Minbari fleet sailed through space, the three Religious Caste controlled War cruisers surrounding the green-tinged flagship of their race's greatest body, the Grey Council. But now, tradition had been shattered, for within the past twelve hours, that body, which had existed for a thousand years, had been broken by Delenn of Mir, onetime Satai, and present ambassador to Babylon 5. And now, some of the Minbari were taking a definite first step in the battle against the Darkness; the attempt would be made to save the only home that one Minbari and several Human Rangers had left...
Behind and above the fleet, space twisted into a tiny, but extremely focused jump point, out of which appeared a White Star, to be precise, the second...the command of he who was called, amongst the Anla'shok, Sha'vei, commander of Babylon 5's Rangers...and, of course, and perhaps most importantly, the Rimstalker.
Action was immediate; within three minutes of the White Star 2's arrival, a flyer pulled away from the 'Valentha' and moved toward the smaller warship with purpose. Meanwhile, the three attendant cruisers organized themselves into a flying wedge, deadly and waiting.
The time was growing near; expectations were high...
* * *
"In due course, perhaps we will be allowed time to discuss exactly why Kosh sent you to retrieve who you did." Delenn said, as William walked with her down the main corridor of the White Star. "But for now, time is short, and growing shorter."
"Agreed; The President of the Earth Alliance is trapped within a cycle of fear, and the fear of the unknown has spread, at the hands of the Enemy, to include many of his Generals. The battles have been fierce in places, and Babylon 5 will logically be the next target on their list."
"Babylon 5 cannot be allowed to fall into their hands, it is too important in what is to come." At that point, Delenn turned to look at him directly. "I do not do this lightly, Sha'vei, but I must, for now, request that you give up command of the White Star Two to me; the Fleet will follow me to do what must be done."
He bowed, and kept firm control on the doubts within; Jennie was still on the station, and as such, was in grave danger...they had to stop the President's forces from boarding Babylon 5! There was no other option. "Of course; however, while we stand in battle, I will request a station on the bridge."
A brief, flickering smile passed across Delenn's face. "Of course; you fight to protect that which *you* hold dear. We fight for the same thing; I would have no other serve with me. Come. We go...*now*."
* * *
As the Ranger and his commander moved off down the passage, Julia stepped out from behind a corner, and smiled a secret smile.
"And so it begins.." she whispered, as the howl of hyperspace transition shuddered briefly through the White Star's body. She didn't know where she had heard that, only that it sounded right!
* * *
#On the cusp of darkness and defeat, I greet you, Enti'zha, from the sanctuary you once called home. I write this, not knowing whether or not it will actually reach you, but it is a comfort in the darkness surrounding us. Less then ten minutes ago, a fleet of mixed warships loyal to President Clark emerged from the jumpgate, and the Rebel destroyers ALEXANDER and CHURCHILL, along with Babylon 5's Starfury squadrons, engaged them almost immediately thereafter. The sirens wail around us, and the station shakes in accordance with the battle outside. I do not know whether or not we will survive this battle, but I have my suspicions.
The Loyalists attacked us because of their orders, not because of their beliefs; those who stand against them, whether it be in capital ship or fighter, or manning cannons and interceptor batteries in this place, believe in a very important word...FREEDOM. Freedom from the darkness that strikes at us, freedom from the jackboots of despots, freedom to do what we must, the freedom to plan the battles yet to come.
A violent shudder; the lights flicker, I grit my teeth, and continue. My Rangers stand ready; I decided, long hours ago, to stand with Captain Sheridan in his battle; we cannot fight openly, but if the Loyalists enter the station, we will surround them, and strike when not seen, until the end. We will not give up easily, we will not stand down, we do not stand for what THEY stand for.
A pause; can it be? A message arrives from Viridal, who had decided to watch the battle from the Sanctuary. The guns, for now, have fallen silent; but the news is grim. The CHURCHILL, the loss, so much sadness, and for what? What does it all mean?
And are we safe?
Was that the only wave of ships assigned to attack this place? Because it is clear, from the amount of maintenance people moving about, that the damage from the battle is substantial.
The answer will come, soon enough.#
* * *
Gaze harsh, Captain Nathaniel Drake grimly surveyed the wreckage ahead, and shook his head in exasperation, as his command, the Omega Class Destroyer OLYMPIC, jumped into Epsilon system, followed shortly by the rest of his carrier group. Sheridan had guts, that much he would admit...but the battle had been meaningless, and regardless of the fact that the rebels had managed to destroy the AGRIPPA, the ROANOKE and their escorts...the game was now up, as intended.
As per standard tactics, the first wave had served to weaken Babylon 5's defenses to the breaking point, and now, his wave had arrived to mop up. His finger came down resolutely on the comm switch. There was a clear procedure to follow, announce intentions and expected response in accordance with orders.
That task now done, there was time to consider. The problem was this: was Sheridan stupid enough to fight to the bitter end, leaving his station a wreck?? Drake didn't think so; there was still close to a quarter of a million sentients aboard. With a smile, he made ready the order to launch boarding craft and his fighter squadrons. This was going to be all too easy.
"Captain!!" his exec announced with a start of surprise, "Four jump points opening up, behind the station!"
"What?" Drake rose from his seat, and turned. "It was my understanding that there was to be no more backups from the Rim!"
"Yes, sir." A response hung on the tip of his tongue, but then, the four points sprang open...and what he had been about to say froze in his mouth when he saw the ships emerging.
* * *
William watched from the side stations, seeing in this moment what could only be called a paradigm shift occuring. Delenn had, in the space of a few moments, transformed from the leader he knew into a force of nature. He looked squarely at the Earth destroyers hanging above Babylon 5, and willed them to make the right choice.
"...*you* are in front of me. If you value your lives, be somewhere else!"
"They will make the right decision, William." Brianna whispered beside him. "They have no other choice, now."
* * *
It was categoriclly unfair; they had been so close...but what choice did they have, Drake told himself, an expression of disbelief still on his face. THREE Minbari War cruisers, along with a tiny but blindingly fast (and probably overarmed for its size) pocket cruiser, had jumped in on top of them, and *that Minbari*, Delenn, her face full of wrath, had bluntly told him to depart, or be destroyed. Drake met the eyes of his exec, and saw the fear there. If they engaged them, it would be the Earth-Minbari War all over again, just on a much shorter timeframe amd scale...and they would join the dead already floating around them.
There was no other choice, and damn both his orders and the Minbari. "Open jump point, Commander; we're getting out of here...now!"
"*Yes*, sir!!" his relieved exec replied.
* * *
Sinclair opened the second section of the letter from Babylon 5, and a small smile began to grow on his face...a smile both of relief, and something more.
##Call it what you will, call it a miracle, call it destiny, but when they were needed the most, Delenn and William arrived over the hill, in classic style. I didn't know that Minbari understood the concept of the cavalry; maybe William told her, or maybe she just understood enough to make it work when it was needed. In any case, I am pleased to report that we have survived what can be called the First Battle of Euphrates(there will undoubtedly be more) not without loss, but with the knowledge that freedom won this day. We have begun something that will be remembered throughout the ages to come...that here is where we drew the line...here is where we began to turn it around. It won't happen quickly, and it won't be easy, but we have started.
And that will make all the difference it the long run.
So I have Observed, so it shall be.
Entil'zha Veni, In Valen's name I write, this thirteenth day of April, 2260.
The Observer##
"It was good news, Entil'zha?" Rathenn inquired politely from the doorway. "You seemed intent, and I did not wish to intrude until you were finished."
"The Choices we made, the chances we took, are finally paying off, Rathenn. Babylon 5 remains free...*now*, we can do what we need to do."
* * *
Another meeting, another place.
A message read, a curse spoken. "So; the hoped for result has been...denied us. Unfortunate."
"Explain your comment...quickly, if you don't mind."
"Westcastle and his followers have acted again, behind the scenes, as is their wont...and the worst has resulted. In interacting with Sheridan and his Minbari ally, they have allowed Babylon 5's secession to stand. The example could not have been timed worse!"
"I see; and we cannot set aside forces to remake the attempt?"
"We dare not; it will be difficut enough to retain control over what we do hold, and there are several colonies, Proxima III among them, that actively resist us still. Additionally, we have received reports that three of those damned Minbari cruisers protect the station. A direct assault would be... ill-advised, at this time."
"Very well, then; Babylon 5 must wait, we have greater concerns, for now. Eventually, given much preparation, we may be able to convince our associates to help with this problem, but that time is not yet. Do you understand?"
"I do. Good day to you, then."
* * *
"Welcome to Babylon 5."
"Thank you." Julia murmured, and turned, to find herself smiling again. William was entwined with a tall, auburn-haired woman, no doubt the 'Jennifer' that Brianna had mentioned a couple of times on the White Star;William's other half. To one side, Brianna stood, tapping her foot, and smiling as well.
It was interesting, but she had found herselves hitting it off right away with these "Rangers". Their beliefs were sound, if a little strange, and she was sure they hadn't told her everything yet. But that didn't matter as much as it should have...since for the first time in a very long time, even with the friends she had stayed with over the years, Julia found herself in a place that seemed to fit. And then, the woman turned around, and she gasped out loud.
"I **know** you!!"
"What??" the woman frowned, and glanced a quick glance at William, who shrugged. "How?? I've never met you before; I would remember."
"He showed me!"
"He **who**?"
She frowned, a little bit, and then harder; these thoughts didn't make any sense, but they were undoubtedly true! "The man in my dreams. He sang to me."
She watched the three Rangers look at one another, and then William sighed. "Here we go again."
"You should have guessed, after Proxima III." Brianna added pointedly. "He has a finger in every pie."
"And what do you have to say for yourself...Julia?" the woman named Jennifer pointedly inquired.
There was a pause, and then, the answer shone clear in her mind!...of course, so simple. She bowed. "I come to serve; I am yours, do with me what you will." What WAS she doing, an inner voice yelped, but the action was the right one, something ELSE said.
"Great." William darkly muttered. "That's all we needed. I'm quite sure that the Entil'zha did not have *junior* Rangers in mind when he set about expanding the Anla'shok to its present size and status."
"Do you propose to argue with what a Vorlon wishes, Sha'vei?" the telepath shot back. "I would have thought that the events of the past year would have shown you the futility of that by now."
Jennifer laughed, and reached out to take hold of Julia's tentative, at first, handshake, as the other two Rangers departed, still arguing. "Pleased to meet you, Miss Tikopai. It seems we have a great deal to discuss.
Now where to start?"
"At the beginning??"
Jennifer laughed. Somewhere people were cheering, and Julia thought she knew why. It was a new start...