"We were quite a pair, even though we operated mostly in separate theaters of operations, Lyta and I; we didn't even met face to face until it was nearly all over, until we found out what the choices we had made meant; the choice, in her case, to serve the only Vorlon who allowed himself goodwill towards the younger races, and in mine, to serve the Vorlon she would later come to distrust; enough so, that she would eventually help Captain John Sheridan to kill him.
I was less lucky, on all fronts; I made the choice to serve Ulkesh from the beginning, he who later called himself falsely by the name of he who died, and as I'm sure you can understand, I barely escaped to tell you this tale now..."
Brianna Tolmanes, from Michael S. Haskin's "The Lords of Order"
* * *
Jan 14th, 2260; the outer Earth Frontier.
Brianna roused to fitful wakefulness once more, disturbed by something... but what? The capsule had long ago ceased to possess the ability to maneuver, and she and her thoughts wheeled through the stars, alone. Not so long ago, the onboard computer had warned her that there was now less then three days of onboard air remaining; that had been before the last sleep.
And now she woke, and a shimmer of song passed across her mind; a familiar shimmer...and she smiled in anticipation; at last!
Directly ahead of the capsule, space twisted, and opened into a tightly focused jump point, out of which poured a small squadron of Vorlon ships, consisting of several dozen fighters and one of their enormous war cruisers. With astonished trepidation, she watched the fighters pass and then enclose her, and then...then, the four enormous, mile or more long tines of the war cruiser enclosed her world.
There was a slight shudder, and the capsule silently oriented itself towards the vast mass of the cruiser's central body, and then fell towards it at great speed. Brianna closed her eyes, feeling the fear and exultation fight one another within her. Ulkesh had brought her to this point; he had made her what she was, and given her the path to where she was going.
She looked again, and shuddered; the face of the cruiser's shimmery, violet and yellow surface was so close, and the capsule was moving SO fast. She was going to hit! She was...
Time stopped.
* * *
She stood, transfixed, in a pool of darkness surrounded by light; on what, she was not sure, but standing, she was. The light around her whirled in a glorious wheel of fire, and then shrank to a searing point of light as the darkness overtook the world...
Within the darkness, a harsh melody shimmered, a melody she knew all too well; the melody of the soul. The light ahead of her vibrated, and a familiar voice spoke.
"#Who are you?#"
She spoke without pause: "The Follower, the Leader, the Guide."
"#All and none; you have betrayed both darkness and light; trust should be denied you; you will give us a reason why you should not be destroyed, here and now#"
"I do not argue with your viewpoint of what is, I only believe that if given the chance to serve you, I can make up for my past mistakes. Ulkesh has shown me the way of things, the way things must be if I am to serve him, to honor his commands at all times."
"#The Stalker and the Watcher interfere with this; you will prove that you can serve both us and them at the same time without destroying yourself, or once more serving that called Chaos. If this is allowed to occur, you will be of no use to us#"
"This is understandable, and allowed. Ulkesh believes that those you speak of will become key to his plans; he has not as yet told me everything, but that is the way it must be; a servant cannot second-guess her master."
"#We have seen that which will come to pass in due course, come to pass through our efforts. Your answers are appropriate, and just, and most importantly, to us, ordered#"
She nodded calmly. "Then I have passed your test, great ones?"
"#Yes#"
"Then what comes next?"
"#Pain#"
She gasped, as the light expanded once more, and filled her world, first with light, and then, far worse...
* * *
Jan 17th, 2260; Babylon 5.
William stood near the edge of the great twisted hole, and grimly surveyed the epic destruction, while clean up crews continued the work at hand. A scant hour before, the bomber who had terrorized the station for more then twenty four hours had finally been caught, ending the threat of imminent death that hung over everyone aboard. Tashann and Tharvonn had both, just about simultaneously, informed him that the bomber had installed a large device on the station's fusion reactor; a device that had been ejected into deep space, just in time. Word had come down, via Marcus, how Sheridan's staff had once again worked together to end the threat; an enviable record, thus far.
A touch to his arm, and he turned away, drawing his hood over his face as he retreated into the reddish, half-lit darkness beyond the damaged area. "Armand. Report."
The human Ranger, one of the newest under William's command, and chief among those assigned to courier duties between his command and those Earthward, nodded, and began. "Colvhar has sent on what he can, Val'na, as the situation is becoming increasingly tense back on Earth; what he knows of the situation, for now, indicates that we are now quite possibly within what the Great Valen sometimes referred to as 'The Time of Chaos'; that period of deception that will precede the Enemy's first open thrust, in the none too distant future. Their agents, working behind the scenes, have brought hate and distrust to the forefront, and open war cannot be far behind."
William nodded. "Does he care to comment, Armand, on what the immediate outcome may be for Earth?"
"Yes; it is clear that President Clark's zenophobic tendencies are becoming more acute as of late; the Enemy has fostered this in him through the action of unseen agents, or so Colvhar Vendim believes. The Earth government is beginning to resolve itself into broad factions; on one side are those who support the President, those that run the Ministries and Nightwatch, and on the other, the groups who wait to see what will happen...and those who plot, in secret, to fight what the President has become.
Eventually, President Clark and his allies will seize the reins of power for themselves, and any democratic action will become impossible. What is more worrying, perhaps, is that he appears to have a sizable fraction of the Fleet on his side."
"I understand; Armand, this is something that's been coming for some time now. Additionally, through contacts of my own, it's been made clear to us that those within Earthforce, and elsewhere, will face a difficult task when the other glove finally drops; and as you say, Armand, that's almost guaranteed, and could happen any time now."
Armand nodded, his expression grave. "Do you, for now, ave any orders to pass on to Colvhar, Val'na?"
"Yes; I wish to make it quite clear that none of the men or women under his command are to be endangered by their reconnaissance of Earth system, and if there's ANY sign that President Clark is about to invoke a plan of totalitarian nature, the Rangers in Earthspace are to immediately make plans to come to this place. I will not allow any of them to come to ill ends, Armand. Is this clear?"
"Very clear, Val'na." Armand inclined his head, and melted into the shadows. William knew that he would only see the Ranger again if and when Colvhar and the rest of the scouts were able to escape from Earthspace. And if they could not...
Then he would never see Armand again, in this life.
* * *
January 18th, 2260; (Place Unknown, the Vorlon Empire)
The memories stung from within their hidden places, but she had been given what she was looking for...or so it seemed. With a slightly trembling hand, she ran her hand across her neck, and the barely visible scars that only she knew were there. At command, she could call into use what could only be called GILLS, in order that she could breathe atmospheres usually hostile to her kind. It was a great responsibility, and a greater terror, as well.
But she was no longer overwhelmed; no longer in that place that frightened her so terribly. It had not been what she had originally thought, the end of that quest. And now, she was being returned to her master, it seemed.
There was a slight shudder, and the bubblefield that held her in place rotated slightly, as the wall puckered open. Eyes wide, she saw the vastness beyond, and almost closed her eyes, lest the terror return.
Privileged, some would have said; not her, not now. The vast gulf of space around her shimmered with movement and purpose, dozens of Vorlon fighters quiescent within the belly of their mother ship, yellow and red and brown...and SO alive. Between the cocoon behind her and the waiting transport below, a tube of energies stretched, a tube protecting her from that beyond, for even SHE could not survive the deadly vacuum of space. In an instant, she fell a mile or more, drawn along the tube, and was allowed to feel nothing but peace towards her benefactors, if that was the right way of putting it, after what she had seen.
No, not the right words. There were no words for what she had been through, what she had endured at the hands of the Vorlon Empire.
And now, she sighed, as the side of the approaching transport, Ulkesh's ship, yawned wide in anticipation of her arrival. Was it right to place herself between Ulkesh and those she counted as comrades, and perhaps even as friends?
As time stopped again, she understood that the answer to that question was far from determined.
* * *
"There is a problem."
"Yes. The group assigned to join us did not arrive as planned. This is, for now, a grave concern to our associates, far graver then it originally seemed to you. The fighter units are usually more then capable of taking care of themselves against anything up to and including many of the younger races capital ships...their lack of arrival implies something far worse."
"The Vorlons?"
A pause to confer. "No. Our associates would have known if that was the case; the Vorlons have not moved yet. But we must accurately detemine the nature of this problem...and as such, our associates are aware of no one better to investigate the matter then you. Something stopped those fighters from joining the greater Whole, and our associates need to find out what that something is. Nothing must be allowed to alter their plans."
"That is our purpose here, as we both already realize."
"Of course."
"Very well then; were our associates or their allies able to collect any clues as to the cause of this problem? We need a starting point; even WE cannot stab blindly, not this close to the turning point!"
"No, only suspicions, although suspicions are sometimes enough to act on."
"I SEE. Then if there is nothing else?"
Another spoke up, and Walther turned to address him. "It is regrettable that you should be called upon to leave Z'ha'dum so soon after your return, but for now, we have no other choice."
"There will be other times for contemplation beneath the Beams of Zha'vul; for now, as has happened in the past, and will happen again in the future, I am needed elsewhere, needed to perform tasks that our Associates would trust to no one else. Perhaps they see me as expendable, but the War is coming, gentlemen, and we all die...eventually."
"We are pleased that you see it that way."
"Pleased has nothing to do with it; Good day, gentlemen, the Circle is closed!"
* * *
Next: The sands continue to shift, as rebellion burns within the heart of a Earthforce carrier group...
RIMSTALKER: DARK CIRCLE, PART 2
"THE SHIFTING SANDS" ACT II OF III
**" After all this time, I still find it hard to look back on the things we did in that terrible pair of years; it's equally impossible, though, to forgive those who thought to enslave the human race, to bend everyone into a set of principles so harsh it allowed no freedoms of any kind, and thus, I suppose, we did what we had to, when we had to do it. The other side argues, even now, that we were all traitors to Earth, that in following Sheridan, we should have all hung...some wounds don't heal easily, or in short order, and this might follow us to the grave, and even down to our descendants, and beyond....
This, then, is the legacy of Man; the legacy of a hate that has yet to be defeated. But it is ALSO the legacy of the belief that a spark evermore shall remain to fight against the boot, and thus, we live in the best and worst of both possible worlds. And we cannot escape from our nature, no matter how much we might want to."
Captain Bethany Tikopai (ret), as quoted in Michelle Yanwar's "Hopelessless and Despair: Rebels, Generals and Prophets, 2258-2269"
* * *
Jan 24th, 2260; Earth Alliance Colony Proxima III; high orbit.
Proxima system was a system the colour of blood, all of its worlds coated in the dim glare of its dwarf primary. Less then a light year away, the glare of the double star that Mankind called Alpha Centauri, and that other races called something entirely different, dominated the heavens. But the Earth Alliance's first extrasolar colony had, over the years, become far more important, as a significant majority of the orbital industrial complex had shifted to this system from Homeward; the only contracts not usually served here were the choice warship construction contracts...those stayed close to Home. And now, as the NIOBE passed onto the nightside of the world that the Proximans called home, the bloody sun sank slowly through the atmosphere of Proxima III, and faded from sight.
Instantly, the many orbital facilities flared into view, their nightside running lights coming on. While none of them were as large as Babylon 5, there were a choice few that were close to three kilometers long, great spindly frameworks and truss groupings, housing the familiar shapes of Earthforce warships, both old and new. The NIOBE had just finished a standard refurbishment of stores and parts, and all being well, her engineers would clear them for departure any time now, once the parts swapout was complete.
All of this, Bethany watched from the security of her desktop. The Omega Class Destroyer was a warship, and as such, direct visuals, a prime plot point of space drama both old and new, were nowhere to be found on her command. From stem to stern, the NIOBE was armour and weapons...all business, all the time.
She sighed, and turned off the screen. Where Earthforce Command would order them now was fairly unclear; but where the COMMAND CREW of her destroyer was going was very clearcut, however. Ever since General Hague and the ALEXANDER had intercepted them near Deneb IV late the previous year, she and her crew had set a course towards rebellion and conspiracy; but this was a conspiracy against a darkness growing within the soul of her race, a darkness that would swallow them all whole if not stopped!
She absently took hold of her dark braid and began twining it between her fingers. The number of vessels and officers who would follow Hague was, by all appearances, distressingly small at the moment. The General was only one man, and if the reports were true, the task ahead of them was enormous, and perhaps, not possible to complete if they didn't all pull their weight. Her gaze went back to the viewscreen, and with a couple of keystrokes, identified the dozen or so destroyers and cruisers that were currently insystem...and then, focused on ENDYMION and VIGILANT, the two heavy cruisers that stood by NIOBE's side as members of Earthforce Carrier Group 39.
The Fleet, while it had grown back significantly since the end of the Earth-Minbari War, was still almost a factor of ten smaller in ship numbers then it had been. The Omega Class destroyers were twice the ship the previous Nova and Roosevelt Class vessels had been, of course, with the added advantage of rotational ship gravity and multiple high output fusion lasers, but the shipbuilders could only do so much.
So MANY of the Novas and Roosevelts had been destroyed by the Minbari; And if the President did what General Hague believed he would, then there would undoubtedly be a civil war...and an Earthforce, believing in different beliefs, fighting, and destroying one another. And most of them, and ALL of the ships insystem but those in her carrier group, would very likely follow the government in what it did, even IF the end result was fascism.
She was taking a chance, but worse lay ahead of them all; the captains of the ENDYMION and VIGILANT would be joining her shortly. Both those ships were post-war modified Roosevelt-B's with twin fusion lasers, but the numbers...the numbers were so small, compared to those who would stay loyal.
She sighed. So soon after a war that had nearly extinguished Mankind, here they were, about to do it all over again; it was just SO much of a waste.
There was a faint chime, and she turned, her contemplation broken, to find her exec, Commander Dietrich Alwhin, on the commscreen. "Yes, Commander?"
"Captains McCurdy and Francis have just just entered the habitat section, Captain; sorry for the delay."
"Not a problem Commander; it seems we're going to have to kick Lieutenant Commander Gauthier into doing something about that transfer centrifuge. It's been, shall we say, a little bit *cranky*, just lately."
Deitrich Alwhin smiled, and nodded. "Yes, ma'am..I'm sure the Chief Engineer can be *guided* in that direction of thought."
"I'll leave that in your capable hands, Commander. For now, would you have our chief of security show the captains to my ready room?"
"Lieutenant Barris has already rendezoused with them, Captain...they will be joining you shortly."
"Excellent. Tikopai out." Bethany reclined in her seat, deep in thought, as more minutes passed. Randolph McCurdy and Victor Francis were both young Captains; so many of the Fleet today was young, the war's fault, once again, and their cruisers were first commands, passed on to them both only two weeks ago, this after a service of barely twelve years. They were both go-getters, according to their records; whether or not this was a good thing or not had yet to be determined, though.
She, of course, had entered Earthforce in the middle stages of the Earth-Minbari War, and had stood, then a Lieutenant in the last stages of carrying her now teenage daughter, to watch the sparks of the Line flare against the twilight sky all those years before.
She had wanted to join the Line, but the timing had been horrific and yet wonderful; she had survived, and Julia had come of that survival; one of the few things her ex-husband Jonathan had pleased her with, though that had not, of course, been her response at the time.
A bitter smile; Julia did not, it seem, understand her mother, and she had every right to feel that way, for in the twelve years of her daughter's life, Bethany had spent less then a year of that with her. Bitterness and distance had been the result, as she had commanded first a Cotton Class penetration tender, and then the Roosevelt Class cruiser DAUNTLESS, and, finallly, for three years now, the NIOBE.
Julia Tikopai possessed a living mother, but as a deep space captain, the distances were just too great, and Earthforce Command too strict. Such were the pains of service...such were the griefs of lost love.
The doorchime bought her back to the here and now, and she started; it was time, at long last, to do what had to be done...
"Tikopai. Go ahead."
"This is Lieutenant Barris, ma'am. Captain's Francis and McCurdy are with me outside, and they appear quite eager to take up the conference you have scheduled with them."
She allowed herself a small, brief smile. "Show them in, then, Lieutenant." The door swung open, briefly revealing the stocky face of her Chief of Security behind it, and then, the youthful, but firm figures of her escort Captains. She gritted her teeth; time to forge forward with guns blazing.
"Gentlemen...take a seat, please, both of you. We have a LOT to discuss; and a plan to implement. This will take a great deal of courage from us all, but General Hague has, as I understand it, already had some words with you on this topic."
Captain McCurdy, his face grim behind a full beard, was the first to speak. "Captain, with all due respect, the General helped both Captain Francis and I to become what we are today, and in the process of fast-tracking us towards our cruiser commands, he instilled in us some of his own set of beliefs, a system that I'm sure you're familiar with by now."
She nodded. "I believe you could say that, yes. But with beliefs comes the need to perform tasks some would consider impossible. Can I count on you to do what has to be done?"
"You can, Captain. Our senior crews have been made well aware of the secret information currently available to only a few of the officers close to General Hague, and they are, quite frankly, appalled at what the President intends for the Earth Alliance; a private playground of power, for him and others...guided by fear and ruthlessness.
It is clear that a majority of the Fleet supports the Government for now, but when the fur begins to fly, Captain, both Captain Francis and myself, along with our heavy cruisers, will stand by the NIOBE through thick and thin, even unto death. It's a great responsibility, and we may yet all die in the attempt, but what President Clark is doing is *wrong*."
"You DO realize, gentlemen, do you not, that this is tanamount to treason? President Clark represents the government, and the government, traditionally, orders us through the Chiefs of Staff. Be very careful of this decision; if you're with me, the other side could declare us all traitors to Earth?"
"He has to be stopped, Captain." Captain Francis put in, his clean-shaven, ebony face resolute. "We are but few, but even if we fail in the beginning, we will stand as examples of Right, and when it is time, when and if Clark and his autocrats begin to make mistakes, we can draw the undecided to our side, and do what needs to be done. As junior captains, we will obey your seniority in this action; there is no other option left open to us, if freedom is to be maintained."
"We're with you, Captain..." McCurdy put in with finality, and they both stood. "Through fire, and to the end. The General would have wished it no other way."
Bethany stood, also, her heart thumping, and smiled at them. "Thank you, gentlemen. I wasn't sure until now, but you've responded as I'd hoped you would, and I thank you for that trust. The road ahead of us will be a long and hard one, but I think we've just made a beginning here...a beginning that will in the long run, make a difference not just for us, but for all the people of the Earth Alliance."
"Then let us begin." Francis rumbled, a small smile showing on his face now. "There is a great deal to do, and very little time to do it in, if we are to have any hope of succeeding. Earthforce will, in the next several hours, order us to our next location, now that resupply is complete. It will, for now, be our goal to fit the GREATER task into this framework without anyone noticing."
"It will be difficult..." McCurdy added pointedly, "But we are one team, and it can be done."
"Very well, then gentlemen; it's time to stop talking...and start ACTING."
* * *
"This is Nightwatch Prime to NIOBE Mole. Report."
"It is as bad as we feared. Tikopai and her two junior captains are, from all appearances, solidly in Hague's camp. This is unfortunate, as Tikopai would have made an excellent addition to those who currently support the New Order, but we can live without her. When the time comes, it will be necessary, unfortunately, to hunt down and capture, and if not capture, then destroy outright, Carrier Group 39 and all its personnel."
"Unfortunate, indeed; the investment in the NIOBE itself was significant. But there are a number of rebel destroyers that we know of already through contacts such as yourself. The Nightwatch is pleased with your efforts, and you will, in due course, be rewarded."
"Of course; for now, however, I will assume that I am to remain and observe the actions of Captain Tikopai and her rebellious crew?"
"That is correct. President Clark is, as of yet, not yet ready to move on the Master Plan; that time is coming, but not yet. When the time *does* come, though, if you can disable the NIOBE and make it easier for our forces to capture her, we will be pleased. Keep your true mission secret, and above all, do NOT reveal your loyalties to the rest of the crew. If they discover you, all will be lost."
"You need not fear that result; Captain Tikopai and I have been together from WAY back. She suspects nothing, for now."
"Excellent. Your next report will be due in no later then ten days from now. Ensure that you are not late in reporting, otherwise the Nightwatch will assume you have been captured, and our security compromised."
"I *assure* you, sir, that will not be allowed to occur. I would sooner kill myself then reveal the nature of our plans to the Captain."
"Your diligence to duty is greatly appreciated; do not be late in your report. Nightwatch Prime *out*."
* * *
To be continued...
RIMSTALKER: DARK CIRCLE, PART 2
"THE SHIFTING SANDS" ACT III OF III
**"There will be jealousy, old friend, but they must be allowed to deal with it in their own way...and they will, but perhaps not in the fashion you would expect. They will have to earn the respect of both Minbari and Human before we pass to them that task, and you were resourceful enough to ensure they found the command that they needed when it needed them the most. Their names spread from world to world among us, and they are already spoken of with admiration, and, eventually, I expect, with some of what we are weighed down with. And when we are ready, he will stand at the forefront, carrying out your commands, and she will stand by your side and chronicle the madness, so that this will never be allowed to happen again.**"
-From a portion of a message sent from Jeffrey Sinclair to Delenn in late January, 2260
* * *
January 28th, 2260, the Central Garden.
It had been nearly seven months since he had seen him last, but some things never changed. "Shival.." William stated, his bow correct and perfunctory. "You are well, I trust?"
"Indeed." Shival replied, his gaze far-reaching, his return bow slightly deeper, "Anla'shok Sha'vei Westcastle." The title refered to William's *new* rank, as leader of the Rangers and Val'nae of Babylon 5. "And now that we have that small piece of ritual out of the way, let us move directly to the reason you have summoned me to this place."
"Agreed." William looked around him, and nodded in approval, once again, at the surroundings he had chosen for the meeting at hand. It was inevitable that since the Minbari had held such a large part in the construction of Babylon 5, that certain parts of the station architecture showed some of their style, and this complex of buildings, located just to spinward of the largest farming plot in the Garden, possessed far more tapered forms then was standard, and, of course, were also partially surfaced with crystal imported from Minbar itself.
Across and below, other skybridges arced from building to building; perfectly safe, but very distinctive. Motioning to the other Ranger, he lead the way to a set of contemplation benches on the end of the skybridge they had met on.
Shival had come to the Rangers even before Jennifer and himself, but his talents lay in very different directions. Shival was an administrator of the highest caliber, and even though he had readily absorbed the teachings given to him Durhan and the others, at the center of it all, Shival was still best at what he had originally specialized in during his service within the Warrior Caste. And that was why William needed him, here and now.
"Shival, as well you know, I was given this command by Sheridan and Delenn only a few days ago, and already, I'm finding the workload to be too much. It's time, I think, to form a Council; a group that will work together to solve the problems that need solving, but will be equally ready to step forward as individuals, and find solutions to problems that are best suited for their talents. I'm only one man, and the Council I describe will allow me to, shall we say, remain sane."
Shival nodded. "Your arguments have merit, Sha'vei. But you do not describe the Council, only what it must do; you must make clear to me your vision of what shall be, for if I am to help you, I must understand it as well as you do."
"Of course. Among all the Rangers on this station, there are six outside of Jennifer, myself and you who will serve, but we do not, for now, know who they are. We have to find them, choose them based on their merits and on the opinions of others. It is my wish for you to assist in this search, it is my belief that you will be ideal for the job of administering the day-to-day details of this command, and it is my hope that we can work together on what must be done...for I can think of no one else as ideal for these tasks as you, Shival."
A brief, fleeting smile passed across the Minbari's face. "Brave words to speak, when you know only of my reputation. But I have chosen to fight the Darkness in any way I can, and this, it appears, is the place from which we may stride forth, and challenge their right to threaten our ways of life. Very well, then, Sha'vei, you who are called the Rimstalker by some; I accept your proposal."
He shook his head sadly. "I thank you, Shival, but I wish that title felt more proper...even though it seems, between the Rangers and the Vorlons, I have very little choice in the matter!"
"The things you have done already are rapidly becoming legend. And if you cannot escape from them, then you must, instead, embrace what you are, and what others *see* you as. In this way, you will be able to master that which haunts you in this command, and revive your true talents."
At this, William nodded somberly. It was all true, there was no denying that.
"If you do not mind me saying this," Shival commented, "It surprises me to see you without your constant companion, Anla'shok Clifford, she who Observes and stands by your right hand. Did the Entil'zha call her away from your side for some reason?"
"Not quite; Ambassador Ulkesh summoned her to Minbar four days ago. He wouldn't tell her why, only that she would be 'surprised' when she came, and 'terrified' if she did not."
"And he would not let you accompany her?"
"No." William bitterly replied, as the two began to make their way down to the ground below. "He would not."
* * *
Minbari orbital facility "Vashonn", January 29th, 2260, early morning.
The changing of the shift was a galaxy-wide affair, and high in orbit around the glowing blue and white orb of Minbar, this was almost a day like any other. Eyes narrowed in exasperation, Shavanor quietly took his place, as always. How was it that Nevek always seemed to leave things in a uproar? Three war cruisers were awaiting clearance to depart, while a long string of transports had been emerging from the jump gate for several hours, according to the report in the computer. It looked like it was going to be one of those days...again.
A clearing of throat, and Shavanor looked up, to meet the icy gaze of a human female, her dark hair drawn tightly back into a thin braid, wearing the uniform of the Anla'shok, and the aura of command. Shavanor sighed; so many things were changing; to see humans in that uniform would have been impossible two cycles ago, but now, even the Entil'zha was a human; so many changes, and so little time to understand or appreciate them. "Good day, Anla'shok; how may I serve?"
"I have been summoned here by Ambassador Ulkesh Naranek of the Vorlon Empire; you will release the lock on his transport bay, and you will do so immediately."
Shavanor gritted his teeth; definitely one of those days. "Logs indicate that the Vorlon ambassador has not as yet returned to this system. Perhaps if you would return later?"
Shavanor smiled smugly to see the human female grow annoyed, they were such an upstart race. Aside from the ones who had aided Minbari, such as the Entil'zha, and, apparently, one who the Rangers called "Rimstalker", it was very difficult to take them seriously...
A faint chime sounded, and Shavanor glanced up, to see the more then furious face of his superior, Natall, appear in the view-curtain. "Natall, what is it?"
"In Valen's Name, Shavanor, clear the gate at once! The Vorlon Ambassador's transport has just signaled our facility, he will be arriving insystem shortly, and he demands that the gate be cleared of all obstacles." Natall's eyes widened as he caught side of the human female beyond.
"Shavanor!...first this, and now I find you obstructing the duties of the an aide to one of the Anla'shok Sha'vei, as well? Correct this matter immediately, or find yourself relieved of duty!"
Shavanor's bubble of self-importance abruptly popped, as simulaneously, those words registering in his brain, the Vorlon Ambassador's ship rushed out of the jump gate, disrupting traffic, and he, completely by accident, remet the now furious gaze of the human Ranger. "Aide?" he whispered.
"To the Rimstalker himself, Worker," the human female replied, in Shavanor's caste language, no less! "I will assume you have heard of him?"
Shavanor winced; could things possibly get any worse?
* * *
"I assure you..." Natall insisted, as Jennifer strode to the edge of the bay, gaze harsh, "That Shavanor meant nothing by his remarks. He is merely a minor functionary in the chain of command, and sometimes pays little attention to important matters beyond his immediate environment. There must be some like him in your race, must there not?"
"There is, but it's a sad occasion to find them here." Jennifer's gaze ran across the harshly red and vividly alive form of Ulkesh's transport, even now approaching the dock. "For now, however, I have more important matters to attend to, at the command of the Vorlons."
"Valen willing, you shall come away from that meeting intact..." Natall replied, his bow sharp, which she of course returned, a wry smile at the corner of her lips. As the Minbari retreated, her gaze returned to the Vorlon ship; What did Ulkesh consider 'surprising'?
The docking transport smoothly came to a halt, and as she strode out onto the gantryway leading up to it, the side of the transport smoothly irised open, and the ominous form of the Vorlon ambassador emerged. Jennifer bowed deeply. "Ambassador."
"#Observer#"
"I have come, as you commanded. Your message explained that I would be 'surprised' if I came, and 'terrified' if I did not. I would be...appreciative if you would explain those comments, Ambassador, or demonstrate their meaning to me."
"#Surprise. Terror. The Future is outlined in fire#" The Vorlon turned sharply, his iris opening wide. "#Learn the pattern of the Newborn.#"
Surprise indeed, as she watched, and relief, as an apparently exhausted Brianna Tolmanes emerged from the organic darkness of the transport.
"Brianna!." she exclaimed, and the two Rangers met halfway, and, surprisingly, for her, embraced...an embrace instigated by the telepath. "You're..."
"Fine, I think." Brianna frowned, and turned towards the Vorlon. "It's been a long month, but I'm back now; Is William...?"
"Busy setting up a command structure to run the Ranger operations on Babylon 5, and impatient for your return." Jennie's gaze quickly passed across the Vorlon, and then back to Brianna. "What has changed?"
"Everything...nothing, I wish I could explain, but I can't!" Brianna sighed. "What I've seen, you would not understand, or want to understand...but it's enough to know, for now, that if Ulkesh summons me, then I must leave you again, regardless of William's wishes. That was the bargain of the Vorlons helping me to control my abilities; I must fulfill my end of that bargain, now that they've fulfilled theirs."
"I see."
"No." Brianna replied, her voice cool. "You do not; but I do not fault you for that lapse." Jennie winced slightly; this was a side of her companion that the Vorlons had undoubtedly helped to create.
"#Observer#"
She turned, her gaze and voice sharp; there was no peace to be had around *this* Vorlon. "Yes, Ambassador?"
#Follow the deceptions of destiny, and feel the wrath of the Dead. Protect that which is needed, and you may yet survive#" The Vorlon turned away.
She sighed, and turned to Brianna, who shrugged at her. "I hate it when they do that."
"That is their nature, you cannot change it."
"Oh, of course...shall we go?"
"Please!"
* * *
Feb 3rd, 2260; Primary Docking Bay.
"I'm sure I don't see why this is necessary, Sha'vei." Talion reproachfully declared, as William and the younger Ranger watched the transfer car arc over from the just docked Minbari shuttle. "You and your other half are about to reunite, why is it necessary for me to be present?"
"Keep your peace, Talion." he replied. "All will be revealed in due course." Shortly thereaftet, the car opened, and to his satisfaction, and Talion's surprise, revealed the figures of Jennifer and Brianna Tolmanes. Jennie *had* been right!
"Brianna; I'm glad to see that you've returned to us. Was your quest successful?"
"Of course; the Vorlons are not ones to let threads dangle." Brianna's head whipped around, and she nailed Talion with a sniperlike stare. "Talion."
"Miss Tolmanes?"
"You have a problem that needs solving; I can help you with that problem."
William met Jennie's eye, and they nodded at one another, with a barely hidden smile thrown in for good measure.
* * *
As one, the seven Rangers stood upon William's entrance, and with Jennifer close behind, he approached the table. At the head of the table stood Shival, his gaze stony, and in quick succession, he ran his eyes across the others present at this first meeting of the Babylon 5 Anla'Shok council. Some he knew, most he was familiar with, but this was Shival's ceremony, and ceremonies, to the Minbari, were not things to be trifled with.
"Observe." Shival's crisp voice rang out, a voice of decisiveness, and of right. "Some among you know this human, some among you have heard of his name. Some among you know of his accomplishments, some of you are blind to these things. But all of you have done things to aid the war against the Great Enemy, and all of you have come to lead, and are considered Anla'shok Val'na by your own accomplishments and deeds.
But this is not enough; this human, he who has been named by the Entil'zha Sha'vei of this place, requires more of you then you have given already. He will require of you the dedication you have shown to your fellow Anla'shok, to our cause, and to the fight ahead. He will require of you advice, for although he is our Commander, he is only One, and we are Nine, and together we will stand against the Darkness."
Shival's face grew stern. "Four and four we are, beneath the Sha'vei, of Earth, and of Minbar as well. Nine, and One." Shival turned to William expectantly, and Jennie beside him, he entered the circle, and began to speak.
"Some among you, I know; most among you have talents I need, for as the Darkness draws closer, more and more will the Anla'shok need this place as a focus for our efforts." He quickly ran his gaze across those he knew, Shival, Tharvonn, Tashann and Colvhar, just returned with his group from out of Earthspace, and those he did not, but knew by recommendation.
Among those three was Viridal, a former member of the Warrior Caste, and an ideal choice for in-station weapons training, while the other two, Miriam and Erica Dorval, black haired twins from the Orion VII colony, were almost as good as Jennie at reporting on the movements of the Enemy, and equally important, knew how to *teach* others to do as well as they.
The rest had association with him, long or short, and he knew their strengths and limitations, and they, his. They would all work well together; Shival had chosen well, as expected.
"In the next month, it will be necessary to prepare this command for the war ahead, for while the relative quiet lasts, we will have time to prepare, but this will not endure. By the start of our month of March, we must be fully ready for the Storm ahead; do what you must to make this happen, but it must, we have no other choice."
"All the Sha'vei says makes sense." Tashann commented dryly. "And of you all, I have worked with him the longest, and I will assure you that he has not reached his current position through what you humans sometimes refer to as 'sheer luck'. With the assistance of Anla'shok Clifford, myself and others, he has struck repeatedly against the Enemy and their agents, and as such, he deserves our full support in organizing, firstly, protection for this place that Sheridan and his staff cannot provide, and then, to continue the war against the Shadows, as it becomes possible."
Conversation picked up into a low but spirited banter after this spirited input, and William nodded his thanks at Tashann, which the Minbari calmly accepted. Finally, it was time to conclude; one by one, the Council members stood.
"I am Tashann, of the Minbari, Anla'shok, scholar, and now leader. I follow this human, as Valen wills, it is the right thing to do, if we are to survive."
"I am Colvhar Vendim, Anla'shok, watcher and spy. I follow this human, as Valen wills, for when it mattered the most, he provided me and mine a means to return to a place of safety, and thus, held my life in his hands."
"I am Tharvonn, of the Minbari, Anla'shok, Instructor of the noble arts. We are an army, and armies require both instructors *and* leaders; I am both."
"We are Watchers..." Erica and Miriam Dorval stated, their gaze steady. "Along the borders of the Nightmarch, against the darkness of the Night, we observe, and follow she who stands at your right hand; we watch and advise, and thus, we are yours."
"The training," Viridal rumbled, his face stony, "Never ends, Valen willing. And as such, I stand ready to serve as taskmaster, advisor and warrior, for warriors we will need, before too long; I am yours."
"The rest is assumed..." Shival finalized, his gaze sure. "The tasks allotted; Together we stand, all aspects addressed. I am yours, we are yours."
Jennie smiled a quick smile at him, and he nodded. "We are the Council, and we are Nine, and act as One. In the Memory of he who has passed beyond, we strive to do what needs to be done, we ready ourselves for the lightning's coming." He cast a long glance across the members. "The tasks begin; this session is concluded."
Jennie touched his arm as the members began to either leave to rejoin their respective teams, or discuss what needed to be done, and William finally noticed a familiar figure in the doorway of the chamber.
"Marcus; what brings you here?"
"I wish I had better news for you, William, given that it looks like you've already been through one hell of a day setting this all up, but that's not the way things work around here, I'm afraid."
He ruefully nodded. "So, which will be first, the bad news, or the worse news?"
"Hard to tell between the two, at this point. Captain Sheridan instructed me to pass on to you a report gathered by certain sources within the Rangers. Reports of ships going missing in hyperspace seems to rising alarmingly over the last little while, and now, a group of Starfuries from Babylon 5 has joined this Bermuda Triangle of space, and not that far from the station, either. The Captain would appreciate it if we would take the 'White Star' out to investigate the matter, and if possible, find the missing ships."
He grimaced. "Sounds like the Shadows are on the move again; this sounds like something they'd do."
"Agreed; and because that's so, the Captain also told me to tell you not to get in too deeply. It does us no good at all if, in the process of investigating, we end up being captured or destroyed."
"Of course." William turned to an expectant Shival and Jennie. "It's best if we get onto this problem as soon as possible; the sooner we solve it, the sooner we can return. Hold the fort until then, would you?"
"No problem." Jennie whispered, wrapping her arms around him, and earning a deep kiss for her trouble. "Stay safe; I don't want to have to come out and rescue you."
"Not likely!" he retorted, before turning to face a now broadly grinning Marcus. "Shall we?"
* * *
Operating on full stealth, the small group of Shadow fighters, together with Walther's ship and one of the powerful war cruisers, moved slowly through hyperspace. Deep in thought, the Shadow agent paced slowly back and forth in the small bridge, his associates near at hand. The group was operating deep in the gravitational incline, for it was clear that was where the group of fighters had disapepared, before...and now, a group of Drakh ships approaching Z'ha'dum had vanished as well, under similar circumstances.
This was a far more serious problem then his associates had initially thought, and as such, it was becoming imperative that it be solved and soon, before the irritant grew any worse.
Chaos was normally fine from his associates's viewpoint.
But not when it was applied *against* them. Walther smiled to himself; there were clues as to who the instigator might be, and one way or another, the problem would be solved, even if it took a full fleet to end the crisis...
* * *
To be continued in DARK CIRCLE Part 3, "Movements of Gravity and Treachery" in which both William and Walther find the answer to the riddle of the hyperspace disappearances, and Captain Tipokai discovers that a certain member of her crew may be less loyal then he or she declares themselves to be.