**"The involvement of the First Ones in the War is little understood, and what we do know has been passed on in rumour and guesses. It is *is* known that during the final phase of the War, Captain Sheridan and his immediate crew were seen in the company of a mysterious, seemingly all-knowing alien apparently known as 'Lorien'...and that Lorien played an important part in how the War was ended, and victory arrived at. Further evidence of First One involvement in the War is difficult to come by, although evidence suggests that on several occasions, help was provided when it was most needed, as in the case of..."**
From "Holding the Line."
* * *
August 15th, 2259. The edge of Minbar System...Hyperspace.
Without sound, the dark violet and yellow transport that belonged to Ulkesh rushed through the shimmering maroon darkness and light of hyperspace. Within, the shimmering orange curtain of light that was the Vorlon wrapped itself in thought...part brooding...but all decisive. Ulkesh did not enjoy being pressed into a decision in this manner, but in this case, there was no choice. Several days before, he had sent a message that no other present could hear or understand...a messge meant for only *one* being...a being Ulkesh believed to be now alone in the universe. A being he would have otherwise elliminated, in accordance with the laws laid down long ago by the Many.
But that was no longer an option. The V'zag that called itself 'Taaldon' (and *that* was *far* from the correct translation, but as acceptable as any other) was coming, but a bargain would be needed...and Ulkesh expected the bargain to be followed.
Or else 'Taaldon' would quietly and efficently**die**.
Rather abruptly, a vessel shaped like an eight-pointed blue star shimmered into view, and came abruptly to rest less then a full shiplength ahead of Ulkesh's vessel. The song darkened...even the ship recognized *that* other...but Ulkesh bid it be silent, and the song quieted. Soon enough, a spinning ultramarine glow appeared in front of him.
*You should not have returned*
*I felt myself summoned, you might say.* the dry response came. *One last time, perhaps, before my departure beyond the Rim to join the others...if all goes as planned, that is. I will play my part in what is to come, and have started with the other side, as required. You will see that I am right in time. For you, yourself, Vorlon, cannot act as needed...and know it. I can and will.*
*The law stands. We should not even be dealing with you. But there is no other choice. Those you have interfered with are in danger...this is intolerable...and must be corrected. We demand this of you, before your departure. And you #will# depart...or we will hunt you down, and you will join the rest*
The bluet glow steadied harshly. *You threaten us, Vorlon!... we should have expected this. But we are nearly done with this place...and thus, your terms are acceptable. I have seen what is to come, and may not stay to face it. However!...if you continue, I fear that you will awake the Oldest...and I would #not# want to be you, Ulkesh, when and if that happens*
*The Oldest will not interfere in our affairs* Ulkesh coldly replied. *It has been long...and the Oldest sleeps. The problems of the Young are not its concern*
*That remains to be seen. We take our life from you, Vorlon, in exchange for the past, right or wrong.* The V'zag vanished from sight, and the living blue carrier, last of its kind, turned in mid-spin...and vanished. Shortly thereafter, the Vorlon transport made its own turn, and made for Minbar.
It was done.
* * *
August 16th, 2259. Babylon 5.
Eyes wide, Talion joined the rest, having received a message that he found hard to believe...a message from *Ulkesh* himself!"Everyone had better sit down. The Vorlon ORDERED me to pass this on to you, William, in understanding that he supports this investigation...but not without assistance. We all understand that Corrolan and Gideon are waiting for us in Sector 700...but it is equally likely that a trap waits for us, also.
But, he told me that assistance will be provided by this mysterious being named Taaldon...he who told us of this place. We have been given permission to investigate...and assurances of our safety made."
"You've *got* to be kidding." William mused, his expression cleanly telling how much he trusted this information.
"I'm *not*!! That's what the message says!!" Talion insisted. "Would Ulkesh lie to us?"
"No..." Brianna replied, her eyes dark. "He would not...and he is nominally required to support the Rangers in any case."
"Well I'll be damned...can't hurt, I guess. IF it's true."
"Taaldon said, " Jennie mused, "That he had been observing, with interest, mind you!...the stand of the Vorlons against the Shadows for 'some' time now. What if..."
"A First One?" Tashann cut in, eyes disbelieving. "In Valen's Name, that is doubtful!...and I still don't believe we should do this thing. However, Val'na..." the Minbari inclined his head briefly at William, "The final decision is, as always, yours."
* * *
Aug 20th, 2259. Sector 700.
"That may be so." And at that, William met all their eyes, most resolute, and Jennie's rueful and final gaze, "But the matter stands as it does. We are Rangers. We live for the One...we die for the One." Now, the die had been cast, and they would all soon see if Ulkesh's assurances held any value, or not.
Gideon shook his head wearily. "Westcastle, you are a fool. Then die you shall." The signal roughly cut.
"Enemy Fighters approaching on attack vector." Talion tersely reported from the rear station. "Estimate ninety seconds to firing range."
"Are they Shadow?" Jennie asked, her eyes narrow.
"No...but we *know* that the Enemy possesses many allies, and most are not well known. These are such, I suspect."
"How close do we let them get?" Brianna asked.
"That's more then close enough." William determined, his gaze sharp. "Send the signal."
A finger came down on a button, and without pause, a signal passed from the mid-sized Ranger craft, off the local jumpgate, and into hyperspace. And short seconds later, as if it had been waiting for just that signal, space shimmered behind the black as night fighters of the Shadow allies, and coalesced into a half mile wide blue starfish...and the watching Rangers gaped at the vision they saw.
"It is true, then..." Tashann whispered knowingly, as a deep ruby ray struck out from the starfish craft, and began to cut the fighters to shreds. "Taaldon *is* a First One."
"Precisely. Now...let's do the job we're to do, and get the Hell out of here!"
Brianna turned to agree...and then, the universe darkened around
her.
* * *
Below...
Corrolan roughly turned on a now unsure Vendant, as all around, their angry companions shimmered into view, thoughts dark...and angry. "Vendant! You were supposed to *ensure* that something like this didn't happen...EXPLAIN!"
"The V'zag...it has betrayed us!"
<zzzarft>
Corrolan nodded at that comment. "Liars...the oppurtunity presented itself, and we took it. I will not make the same mistake again. As for you, Vendant, I fear that our friends are about to make that point stick with you..."
A long barbed talon reached out with blinding speed, and what had been the man named Vendant only seconds before fell to the deck, and blood began to pool on the metal beneath him. Behind, Gideon watched on with detached horror. Far inside, someone was screaming...but he was not. Corrolan turned to him, expression dark. "You understand?"
"Yes. Disappointing. Tell me..was this, in some small part, a test for him?"
"Indeed. Vendant was, in his time, correct for our use, but with your arrival and ascendance, it was only a matter of time until he made a large enough mistake to annoy our associates into the inevitable."
Gideon nodded ruefully. "Then it was never really about my former accomplices at all?"
Corrolan shrugged. "There was a possibility...but *now*, as we all know..." And then, Gideon jumped, for whatever Corrolan had been about to say was quite unfinished...as the ceiling overhead rippled, and a harsh violet beam stabbed down, encased the hapless Shadow agent, and before anyone, Shadow *or* human, could act, Corrolan vanished from sight.
And in unison, the four Shadows screamed, and turned their burning gaze upon Gideon.
{{You are now alone. You are ours. We act...now}}
The breath caught in Gideon's lungs. Disagreement was impossible.
* * *
Above.
"No!!" Dreann and Tashann exclaimed as one, as a near desperate Jennifer reached out to touch the apparently unconscious Brianna, now encased in a web of crackling light. "Do not touch it!...death waits for any who try."
"What *is* this?" William demanded, as Talion watched on.
"That is for the First One to know, and for us to observe." Dreann added, somewhat harshly. "Do not interfere!"
* * *
[No time, no place]
Brianna turned in the light and the darkness...simultaneously, it seemed...and Taaldon was there. "You." she breathed, and then, her surroundings sank in. "What is this place? And what of your earlier comment, that we would not see you again, unless you wished it? Assistance I can understand, but this!"
"It was necessary, to maintain the balance. Observe." Taaldon waved one hand, and the nemesis of her life, past and present, appeared as if a vision...a vision desperate to escape. The one who had once been Michael Corrolan struggled in a box of air, his gaze frightened, evil and desperate. "You see before you the demon of your existence. The agreement required this to occur...and so it has been made to pass."
The hate surged within her, and then receded against Ulkesh's distant song...of course. Not hate...that was *their* way. "And I am to be...what?"
"Judge, jury and executioner, if you so wish." Taaldon calmly replied. "I am merely the messenger." The First One waved a hand, and Corrolan fell to the 'floor' of the domain, and looked up at them, gaze scathing. "He is yours, do as you will."
Corrolan laughed...a nasty sound. "You fail to impress me, First One, fool that you are. My associates will reach out their hand, and destroy you where you stand. And as for you, Miss Tolmanes!...a most interesting course to take. Last time we met, I brought upon you the darkness of your soul, and only the intervention of Westcastle saved you. As for now, I doubt that you have the *guts* to do what you want to..and next time we meet, I will ensure that you are not given this chance again. The darkness will see you live in Hell forever, woman!"
"Shut your mouth, worm!" she harshly cut in, advancing on him. "Is that what you believe? You will now learn otherwise. I've changed, Michael; I'm not the woman I was. I've been through your Hell, and out the other side. I've endured damnation...and been released from it. I am a Ranger...and now, Michael, you will see what Hell is...what you put me through, and what I endured."
In one great stride, she closed the distance between, and reached out her hand. And only in the final second, did she see the belief in his eyes...and then, her hand met his face.
And Michael Corrolan screamed...for a very, very long time. And then stopped.
Brianna turned to Taaldon, stood over the body, and knew. It was over...at last, as Ulkesh had *promised*, so long ago...and only NOW just realized. My God. I never knew...
"What will you do with him?" she asked. "When he awakes...he will be mad. Uncontrollably mad."
Taaldon nodded. "He will find himself in a place alien to him...to any of your kind. He will be as a wanderer in the wilderness, and he shall have no shelter...and his associates will never find him. This is acceptable to you?"
"Yes..." she whispered, nodding. "*Oh* yes."
"Then we are done with this place." Taaldon turned, and gazed upwards, and Brianna followed the gaze. The medium above was darkening. "I must go...and you must do the same. They are coming for the Lost One in strength..and they are *angry*. I cannot protect you from that wrath."
"I understand. Will I see you again?"
Taaldon inclined one eyebrow, and smiled.
* * *
Brianna blinked...and opened her eyes, to see the rest huddled around her. "Why are you all standing over me?" she murmured.
"You were...surrounded by an energy field!" Jennie exclaimed. "What happened to you...was it Taaldon that did this?"
She nodded wearily. "Taaldon gave me Corrolan to judge...and I *did*" she responded; not triumphantly...but sadly...so sad. So *final*, his fate had been.
"I don't believe it! You mean?..."
"Don't say it, Jennifer, it's not like you think. Corrolan will no longer concern us, and that's all you need to know, for now. Also, I suggest, quite strongly, that we depart. Is Taaldon's ship..."
"Gone." Dreann explained. "It vanished not long before you awoke."
"Then we *MUST* leave, as well. The Shadows have summoned their fleet to come and reclaim Gideon. And when that happens...we must *not* be here!"
"Fair advice." William determined, his gaze stern. "We've survived this...and easily determined the nature of the trap. There's nothing of value in this place...nothing to learn, and strangely enough, a victory's been arrived at. Let's not ignore our present good luck, hey?"
* * *
One Hour later.
Low over the surface of the barren fourth world of a system with no name, only a number, a great dark shimmering resolved, with intent, into the now all too familiar shape, to Walther, of one of his associate's warships. He knew, without asking, that others searched above...to no avail. Both the Rangers and Taaldon were gone. A dark blob detached from the surface of the vessel, and with a small scream, dropped towards him.
{Prepare yourself} they warned. {There will be a time of nothingness, before the next task}
"I am so prepared." he replied, as the dark, scaly blob filled his vision. "Take me where you will." Alone. I am alone. Like Morden. I passed the *final* test. Now I am FREE to act on my own. "I will assume, friends, that this is not the end."
{No. Never. Only the Beginning.}
"Then let us play the next move." he whispered, as the landing craft filled his world, and sent him into oblivion.
* * *
Epsilon Three. The Great Machine. Aug 23, 2259.
"They must not know..." Draal told himself, shaking his head. "But that does not mean, Zathras, that we cannot do anything about this!"
"Zathras knows this, yes he does!" the other insisted, his gaze steady. "Knows what must be done."
"We can use this place to hide your departure, Zathras. But you must hurry... those you helped before will require your assistance yet again if we are to succeed in this. The Enemy is already moving to take advantage of the situation...and we must use the resources we have...and so, Zathras, *go* with all speed!"
And shortly thereafter, Draal found himself alone with his thoughts once more. A *great* concern...but it was *bound* to happen eventually. The rift in Sector 14 was difficult enough to control in any case, and what the Great Machine told Draal about hyperspace was enough to make him uneasy by itself...but *now*, a resonance had occurred...a dangerous resonance.
Hyperspace, it was said, mapped itself to the real universe with fair efficiency...fair enough for the races of the galaxy to use. But that was not it at all, as Draal now knew. Hyperspace was *far* more complex then that...
* * *
Next: In any time, Walther Gideon is now a dangerous man, as any who serves the Shadows is dangerous. And now, the Shadows have found yet another oppurtunity to change history for their betterment, and Gideon will do as he is ordered. In his path stands the only force that can stop him...the force called(you guessed it) the Rimstalker! "Epsilon Squared" the eleventh part of "Destiny's Call", coming soon.