**"While there is no doubt that the Three of John Sheridan, Jeffrey Sinclair and Delenn were the most important 'One' of the Great War, it seems equally clear that the Shadows placed a great deal of emphasis on several other triads, to use the Minbari term. The primary example I will use here one that has been well covered in many other texts, including my previous work on the history of the Army of Light, and that example is the triad of William and Jennifer Westcastle, and their companion and fellow Ranger, the Telepath Brianna Tolmanes.
Especially during the middle months of 2259, the Shadows deviated remarkably from their prior actions in pushing Westcastle towards his destiny, and abruptly began to try and remove him from consideration. The now well-known example of the Shadow assassin attack in Narn space during the summer of 2259 has been well discussed. What is little known is that there were at least two more attempts on Westcastle's life before the Shadows changed their tactics yet again. The first was..."**
From Amanda Zefram Teague's "The Other Side of Darkness"
* * *
August 4th, 2259. Tuzanor...the Ranger Compound.
Things were going remarkably well, Sinclair considered thoughtfully, better in most respects then they should have been. Catherine and Marcus were well on their way to becoming Rangers, and sooner, rather then later, they would take the vows that all Rangers did. It still concerned him, even now, to see Catherine going in this direction... but she had sworn that she would never leave him again. He feared that vow would place her in the path of the Shadow advance before too much longer...and that there would be absolutely nothing he could do to help when the inevitable happened.
What would he do, if she died in the service of the Rangers? Would he be able to continue? *Did* he have any other choice??
Sinclair knew the answers...and didn't like them one little bit. But for now, a greater problem faced him, a problem he had to find a solution to. The Shadows had, by the look of things, managed to subvert a former accomplice of what were almost his most valuable Rangers...and despite all, including the warnings of Ambassador Ulkesh, Sinclair refused to stand by and let Walther Gideon surprise them...and, quite possibly, destroy those he had once stood by. Face grim, he touched the toggle on his desk. "Send him in."
A youthful, blonde haired man stepped into the room: Talion Quintara, one of the more promising recruits from the late spring. Sinclair had been reluctant to send Talion offworld until now, he had been more valuable in helping to train the now near-deluge of new recruits. But now, the time had come.
"Entil'zha. You sent for me...and so I have come."
"Good morning, Talion...take a seat." After they both sat down, Sinclair cut straight to the point. "Talion, we have a problem...a problem I've known about for some time now. Do you know of William Westcastle and his group of Rangers??"
Talion's eyes came alight. "Yes, Entil'zha!...the Rimstalker and his companions are well known to us all, and stand as examples for us to follow. They have stood against the Night, gathered information and knowledge in your name, and even defeated a dark servant of the Enemy. They are as a light for us all!"
Sinclair frowned. The *Rim*stalker?? Interesting...it seemed that the title the Vorlons had for William had leaked into the general Ranger population...changed somewhat, but this was both an interesting, and also a useful happening, given the role that William would eventually play. He would not stand in the way of destiny...especially given that it wasn't his own he was dealing with, for a change.
"Agreed, for the most part, Talion. However, William and his team are now threatened by a force we've known about for some time, now...a insidious force that in the past, has not been touched for risk of igniting the wrath of their masters. But now the Shadows have subverted one of Westcastle's former colleagues..."
"Entil'zha!" Talion sprang to his feet, face full of alarm. "And the Rimstalker does not know of this??"
"No. You must recall that William and his team have only just returned from Narn space. There has been no time, and far more important things were required of them...and us. But now, they have returned to a place where we can warn them, and thus, Talion, I charge you with finding them, joining Westcastle's cadre, and warning them of this threat."
"It shall be done, Entil'zha. Do I have your permission to depart?"
"You do."
"Then, I go." Talion bowed. "Entil'zha veni! In Valen's name."
"Godspeed, Talion." As the young Ranger left, Sinclair allowed himself to recline in his chair, fingers steepled in thought. Soon enough, the one he was waiting for would arrive, now this action had been taken... a few minutes passed. And then...
"##You were warned.##" the deep, sonorous, and seemingly now *angry* voice intoned, and Sinclair turned to see the bulk of Ambassador Ulkesh enter the room. "##Matters will not now go as easily. The Darkness will react. Dangerous!##."
"I expected you to say that, Ulkesh...but I refuse to let them face that fate without any warning. I watch over them *all*, and if they are to die as a result of the battles to come...then they will at *least* have warning."
"##Your warning is irrevelant##"
"We'll see." Sinclair commented, and turned away.
* * *
Ulkesh drifted down the corridor, his thoughts in turmoil. *He* had been warned, and he had ignored the warning. However!...what was done was done, and Ulkesh had been told by the Many that too much interference would divert the One who Was from his own destiny...and if that occurred, then all would be lost. The path of the lesser ones would now be brought into conflict with the Lost One in a manner not anticipated..a great many things could change. Ulkesh considered the changes carefully, and the turmoil within his mind intensified. Chaos stood to triumph in this matter unless a greater hand was played in events...something *they* were not ready for. But there was now no longer any choice.
For once the Stalker was warned, he would by nature act on the warning...and the pattern might be disrupted. *That* could not be allowed...so be it. The iris of Ulkesh's encounter suit narrowed in thought. *If* the pattern was to take this form, then he had to act.
* * *
August 11th, 2259. Babylon 5 nearspace.
"What a mess..." Jennie whispered, as she leant on William's shoulder, her eyes wide. Far off to the side, lights moved against the darkness...the lights of hazmat recovery teams from the Narn, Earth and Centauri governments, swarming over the wrecks of the two opposing cruisers that had destroyed each other near Babylon 5 less then twenty-four hours before. Megatons of wreckage would need to be removed before the shipping lane leading from the jumpgate could be made entirely safe again.
William shook his head. It was a sign of the times when the conflict now occurring over thousands of cubic lightyears could spread into neutral territory with such frightening velocity. And what was *worse*, or so the Ranger contacts on Babylon 5 had reported, was that there had been an ISN team on Babylon 5 reporting on the civilian hostilities that had lead up to the firefight...and the media would *not* display what needed to be told...they never did, especially not ISN.
He turned his gaze to the slowly growing station, and put that situation out of his mind. He was, of course, happy to be returning here, but what would they find aboard? The Entil'zha had told them to return here, and that a message or messenger would soon arrive.
It would not be good news...it never was. William's lips tightened. Sooner or later, the Shadows would not just ignite wars from the background, they would step out into the open. But for now, the greatest concern of the Rangers was observing that background maneuvering, and if possible, stopping it.
* * *
"So..." Emil Trask, the dark, sardonic representative that the Organization had sent to Babylon 5 to replace him, commented, "Now that you've gone up in the world, Gideon, it seems that I will be dealing with you to a much greater extent then I have in the past. No matter...as long as your 'associates', as you call them, continue to give us what we need and want, the situation will unravel as *we* require. You're just the messenger boy, aren't you?? A high placed messenger boy, but nevertheless..."
Gideon allowed himself to continue smiling, even as a dark, bitter anger surged within. This man, Trask, was a simpleton, and displayed it often. Surprising that the Organization employed such a man, but then again, perhaps not. Those that headed the Organization were slowly becoming more visible as time went on (take the Nightwatch, for instance) and those at the Top rarely wanted followers with *brains*, after all.
"Trask, you should watch your words more carefully, my friend. You never do know when someone might be, shall we say, *watching or listening*...now do you?"
Trask rather abruptly looked around, and then the smile returned. "And I'm supposed to believe everything you say, is that it?"
"It is in your best interest to believe, Trask. Additionally, my associates have also instructed me to pass on a message to you. I expect that this message will be passed on to your superiors, without any alterations on your part...and if the message is changed in any way, my associates will, I assure you, know of it...and they will *respond*. I trust, Mr. Trask, that you are smart enough not to want that outcome??"
Emile Trask's face was now a little sweaty. Full of bluster he was, *unless* someone stood up to him, and threatened him with a fate worse then he wanted. Trask had *seen* images of the warship recovered by Gideon's masters on the planet Mars...and the sheer *power* behind even ONE of those ships was enough to make him pause. He had just needed a little...
Reminding.
"Speak your message."
"To date, my associates have freely given their help to the Organization, in the hope that the Earth Alliance will benefit. But now, there may be a price tag...a small one, but in the turmoil that will be coming, your superiors must be prepared for us to ask...a small favour of the Organization and her men. If this favour is asked, we expect an instant acceptance...or the deal will be changed even further. And *that* change, Trask, is *not* one you and your masters will like. Do I make myself quite clear on this matter?" By this point, Gideon was displaying the cold, threatening expression that served Corrolan and Morden so well.
"You do." Trask reached out, and abruptly grabbed the containers. "Will that be all..." and after a brief pause, "Sir?"
Gideon smiled.
* * *
Aug 12th, 2259.
William sauntered through the Zocalo with intent...but displaying no specific destination. He would wander, until Talion, who had contacted them enroute late last night, showed up. Any time now...
The touch on his arm alerted him, and without pause, William took a hard right, and climbed out of the main corridor. Only after descending several dozen flights of stairs, and several levels to an area less populated, did he allow himself to turn and speak.
"Talion...it's good to see you again."
"And I will say the same, William...it's also good to see that your mission along the front lines of the Narn-Centauri War went well, and that none of you were harmed...but why don't we get to the real reason I've come here to join you? The Entil'zha is pleased with your successes, and therefore, he's decided to place me under your command for the forseeable future. The Entil'zha cannot do everything by himself, as you realize..."
"I'm honored to serve, and to lead, and Valen willing, I will be pleased to work with you in the months to come, Talion. But I can also see on your face that you're leading up to something...something perhaps that you feel uncomfortable discussing?"
Talion nodded his head curtly. "There is disturbing news. Approximately three months ago, your former accomplice and fellow officer, Walther Gideon, was seen together with the known agent of the Shadows named Corrolan."
William stiffened. Corrolan...the man who had sent Brianna over the edge into madness...and Walther had fallen in with him?? He liked the sound of *this* not at all. "Continue."
"Slightly less then a month after that, Corrolan and Gideon vanished from Babylon 5. It is the opinion of all that they went to Z'ha'dum...sir. And enroute to this place, I received word that Gideon has returned..and that he changed for the worse. William...this is quite serious, enough so that the Entil'zha ordered me to tell you this. Gideon *knows* you and Jennifer, especially her, and the Shadows may order him to act against you. You must be ready for such an assault, if it does come."
Unbelievable! William turned and slammed his fist into the wall in frustration, ignoring the pain that resulted. He had *warned* Gideon this might happen...but Walther had gone sailing out of their lives, and into the hands of the Shadows, regardless. And now it was more then likely that what he had been was now twisted into a dark image of the Gideon he had known...colder, manipulative and evil.
"I can see this news does not please you, sir; I feared that would be the case. We must find Anla'shok Clifford and Tolmanes; if Gideon is on the station, they could be in danger. Where, might I ask, are they??"
"In conference with our contact on the station, a friend of the Entil'zha's, Chief Michael Garibaldi. That should now be concluded, however, and we should be able to find them in our quarters, below."
"Let us proceed there with all speed," Talion suggested, "And pray we are not too late."
"But for now, " Jennie replied, "He is, as the Entil'zha suggested, the ideal contact person on the station. Eventually, it's our intent that the other officers know of this threat... but that time's not yet. And until it is, Mr. Garibaldi requires that any and all Ranger activity on the station go thorugh him...a most acceptable request. The Entil'zha trusts him...and so must we."
"Agreed...." Brianna's gaze wandered through the crowd, and then, she rather abruptly grabbed Jennie's shoulder, and yanked off into a side passage.
"What the..."
"Be silent!" Brianna hissed, "And observe!" Jennie did...and stiffened. Walking together in the main corridor, in a manner that would have caused them to meet, was Corrolan, Brianna's nemesis.
And Walther Gideon.
"In Valen's Name..." she whispered. "Together!"
"This is bad." Brianna intently replied, drawing her hood up over her head. "Very bad. We must assume, if they are together, that your former commanding officer now serves those that Corrolan does."
"The others have to know."
"Agreed. Let us go. *Now*"
* * *
"You saw?" Corrolan commented, as with a polite nod, Vendant fell at their side.
"Yes." Gideon distantly replied. "Jennifer Clifford and Brianna Tolmanes. They saw us, right after we saw them. So; they are back on the station at last, then."
Corrolan nodded. "And as you know, our associates have required us to take action should they appear. That that is quicker then we expected is of no concern to us...and indeed, can be taken advantage of." Corrolan turned to a now expectant Vendant. "You understand what must be done?"
Vendant bowed. "I do."
Corrolan smiled his smile. "Very well, then. The game we've been playing must be set aside for the time being, and replaced with a far more interesting one...one I will enjoy playing. Those who serve Order are becoming a threat to us.
And now we must, if possible, act to *remove* this threat. That is our prime concern for now...all else must fall by the wayside."
Gideon watched this all with thoughts cold and distant. Unfortunate that his former accomplices had gone this way...*most* unfortunate. But that was the way of things. In the distance, his companion whispered thoughts of death. And Gideon leaned forward to embrace those thoughts.