** "And then the word came down, a word that none of us, at first, could believe, that fateful day when the White Star Fleet came pouring back through Epsilon 3's jumpgate...and the news came that the Shadows and the Vorlons were both gone, departed beyond the Rim. It was impossible, it was implausible...and it was true, at the same time!
And then, the celebration began; a party that enveloped the station, a party I watched from the edge, a scared young writer on the run, with nowhere else to go but up. I watched the pass of the White Star Fleet on its return, and dared to believe that there could now be a next week, or month...that forever was no longer measured between the passing moments.
And then, I relaxed enough to begin writing my views on what had just happened; to begin collecting reports from the many, and various sources available, and the end result, of course, is the history you are just beginning to read. Learn from it what was, what is, and why; and try to understand.
That is all that can be asked, or expected."
- From the Foreword to 'Holding The Line, a History of the Army of Light' by Amanda Zefram Teague
* * *
It was over, and we had, unbelievably enough, survived the crucible, passed through the Fire, and come out the other side, not unbowed, not unshaken, but alive...most of us, anyways...and standing, for the first time, alone in our galaxy. John Sheridan and Delenn had done the impossible, but amongst all of the celebration, there were those that had already begun to evaluate the possible repurcussions of their actions, some far faster then others.
For as we would discover to our dismay, in the years to come, banish one variety of Darkness, no matter, it seems, the apparent completeness of the victory, and another waits, and plots, and dreams of revenge; and eventually steps forward to take their place in the bloodbaths of history.
But I jump ahead of myself, once again; the month was February, 2261; and the party to end all parties was underway...and silly me, that was the moment I decided, as they say, to really let my hair down for the first time.
* * *
The Starfuries flew outside, and the fireworks reflected in Julia's eyes. For the first time in a long time, she was relaxed, and happy...after all, the greatest threat the Younger Races had ever known was gone, now; and while the universe was, she guessed, now a smaller and less mysterious place, that was quite all right on her part, at least for the time being!
She caught her reflection in a nearby mirror, as the party raged on around her, and sighed. A dark haired, serious young woman looked back out of the reflection; she was no longer the girl she had been a year before, when this had all started...in the background, there was still the question hovering, of how far Kosh had gone, in dragging her, politely kicking and screaming, into near adulthood four years ahead of schedule.
But argue with this she could not; it was a fact. Because of being in the right place at the right time, and being rescued by the right somebody when the time was *exactly* right, and allying herself with the Rangers, she had witnessed the greatest battle the galaxy had seen, in a millenium...and they had WON!!
She allowed her smile to widen; in the end, even after all the debates about 'growing up and casting off the parents' that was all that really mattered, to her, right at that instant.
Now where was that drink a certain somebody had promised her? Now *here* was where looking significantly older then her age came to good use...
"You will pardon the delay..." Lareiken's voice whispered from nearby, and she turned, to take hold of the tall, thin glass of champagne he gave her, "And forgive me if I do not join you in your, ah, *partaking*, Julia..."
"Relax, Larieken...it's not going to stop me, though." And with that, Julia took a deep breath, tipped the glass into her mouth, and drank.
Nearby, Talion leaned in close to a faintly smiling Larieken, observed the moment, and wryly commented, "Larieken...is that such a good idea?"
"We will, no doubt," the Minbari replied, "Discover the answer to *that* question, in due course."
* * *
Later on.
It had been one HELL of a party, Jennie decided, as behind her, Will turned over in his sleep, a slight smile still on his face, but sooner or later, to everyone's great sadness, they all came to an end. The party had spilled into every nook, cranny and bar on the station, and there would be many nasty headaches tomorrow. Thankfully enough, though, there would be no such thing in *these* quarters...although, getting to finally unload what seemed to be an eon of stress had given her cause to keep a close eye on her other half for the duration of the event.
Still, in the end, everyone would probably come to their senses, and the worrying would begin anew...but that time was not now She smiled, as she slid out of her Ranger uniform, and into something a little more comfortable; for now, there was time for another decent night's sleep...
And soon enough, there would be another matter to deal with; with a slight smile, she raised one hand to the necklace of diamond and firestone around her neck (it having had survived the madness at Z'ha'dum, and since, was a miracle, in itself) but it paid not to ignore miracles, and she hadn't forgotten his promise!
* * *
William found himself returning to consciousness all of a sudden, or so it seemed, and he rose quietly, to try and determine what it was that had caused him to wake. Without sound, he looked across the bed to Jennifer’s deeply sleeping form, and shook his head in wonder. There, in one slender package, was one of the core reasons he had done all he had done, in the name of the One. If the Shadows or the Vorlons had succeeded in their aims, the peace they had earned for each other, the chance to continue what had been begun, would not have been given...
"A wonderful sight, isn't it?" a familiar voice intruded, and he whirled in astonishment, to see a figure there he had not expected to see again. Word had come down from the Minbari that the Cha'hal'zhamon had vanished from their abodes in the hyperspace realm ajoining Minbar nearspace, and he had not been surprised, for Lorien *had* arranged for the complete departure of all the First Ones.... "And one we are priveleged to witness, for in the ultimate sacrifice you both made, John Sheridan and yourself have done remarkable...but there you have it.
Congratulations, Rimstalker. You have more then earned the right to accept the burden of that most important and fragile human emotion, called love."
He paused for a moment to gather his admittedly scattered thoughts. "I thank you for the compliment, but all things considered, I'm more glad to see you still alive, one last time. Can I assume...?"
The Other nodded, his expression now partly regretful. "Yes; the Eldest, who helped us, in the Beginning, to find a place on this Side, would not let us stay behind; it would prove too disruptive...for given temptation, the Guardians might find reason to stay behind, as well, and that could not be allowed.
And so, we also went beyond the Rim, with the rest, and yet apart; it will take a great deal of time for all the animosity to vanish...but now that it is over, time is all we have. In any case, I doubt very much that we shall meet again in your lifetime, William Westcastle, but there is a boon to pass on, if you so desire it.
Before you pass beyond the Veil, we request that you tell one of your descendants, if any you so have, about us; in memory, in faith of what is, in rapport with what may *yet* be...for if your race joins us, beyond the Rim, in the times to come, there may be, among them, a descendant of yours who will encounter us; and we may yet catch up on events past...and renew our alliance, and our friendship."
He nodded solemnly. "What you ask may be difficult, for my race tends to have short and difficult memories of such things; but I *will* try, in memory of the aid you gave me, when I needed it the most."
The Other nodded in return, and bowed. "That is as much as can be hoped for, and we look forward to that time, and will wait, grow and multiply, between the galaxies, until that moment arrives. Farewell then, Rimstalker...
And remember."
With a start, he came awake then, and turned to look into Jennifer's aware and waiting eyes. "What..."
"I heard you, murmuring in your sleep; was it...THEM again?"
He paused, and then nodded."Yes, it was; for the last time, though, I think."
Jennifer frowned. "And the reason for their visit was *what*, this time?"
"To say goodbye; and to remind me of something I can never forget."
"And what's that?"
He smiled, and drew her close. "That promises made on sworn vows must *always* be made to come to pass." He saw delighted realization arise in her eyes, and nodded. "I believe your words were, 'In Valen's Name, under Valeria's gaze, I bind you to it', yes?"
"You have a good memory...now when, exactly, do we...want to do this?"
"I have a good suggestion."
* * *
The next day...Babylon 5's Ranger compound.
"We could have warned you." Talion commented, as a grumpy Julia stalked by, breakfast in hand. "But that would have ruined the message."
"I'm not talking to EITHER of you right now!"
Talion turned to an-all-too calm Larieken, who had decided to join him and observe morning events. "You do, I'm sure, have an opinion on this?"
"I believe, Anla'shok Quintara, that sometimes, as your kind say, lessons must be learnt the *hard* way."
Talion paused, thought about those words, and nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah; that just about covers it, I guess."
* * *
As you may note from the above recollection, Andreas, nobody's perfect, least of all *I*.
* * *
Narn...four days after the end of the War.
G'lahk was skilled at his profession, and quietly amazed that any materials and ships remained to get the job done, but while the Centauri had gone in some haste from Narn, they had disabled or destroyed most of the facilities in orbit that remained from when Homeworld had fallen, so many months before. Now the jumpgate had been one thing even the Centauri, for now, would not bow to destroying; damage yes, but destroy, no.
And so, in the memory of all those who had died, all those who had felt the oppressive hand of the enemies of Narn, he had stepped forward, and with a select group of skilled survivors, survivors who, like him, had hidden themselves cleverly away from Centauri eyes, he had taken control of an orbital craft left behind, and they had gone on to repair the jump gate. G'lahk smiled as he witnessed the dramatic industry of those before him; they would have the gate back online sooner then he would have DREAMED possible...
"Taskleader!!" one of his assistants exclaimed over the primary working band, "Observe!"
Braced on one strut, G'lahk half twisted, and nodded with a more ready smile. In the near distance, space had twisted in three places, and then sprang open into the familiar shape of jump points; could it be?
Of course it was!
The portals to hyperspace shrank and vanished, and in their place hung close to a dozen warships; ships that some below believed had all been destroyed. G'lahk had known better then that, this return was no surprise to him, but instead, was more then a little inevitable.
The Warriors of Narn had returned to their home at last.
* * *
The Narn capital...a short time later.
"I don't believe it!" G'kael exclaimed, as N'rothak and several other aides walked behind the former Spymaster, their positions one of reverence, their expressions anything BUT. "That they could do this...to me!"
"Must I remind you..." N'rothak replied, his manner precise, but a laugh hidden behind his eyes, "That the great, revered G'kar, upon given the same chance, opted, instead, to resume his former duties on Babylon 5? What fragments exist of our former government needs every leader it can get its hands on, to pull together the shattered reins of power, to rebuild and reenergize the people of Narn!"
G'kael grunted sourly. "That is more or less what *they* said, too, N'rothak...’the Kha'rhi must be reborn, G'kael, and as one of the heroes of the war, G'kael, the one who drew together the scattered fragments of our great navy, who hid them from the prying eyes of the Centauri, who protected them when all else was tossed in chaos by the Great Enemy...we recognize you, G'kael, and require your services among the First Circle of the Kha'rhi, reborn!'"
"No nobler words, have I recently heard!"
"Noble? Bah! More like a analogy that the human, Bethany Tikopai, explained to me one evening, quite late...when all else have managed to hide themselves, the remaining noble souls find themselves 'railroaded' into doing things they have no desire to undertake!"
"And what, exactly..." N'rothak inquired, his expression one of puzzlement, "Is a 'railroad'?"
G'kael sighed. "I shall have to study the matter, in due course...but enough of this, for now!...while certain duties must be dealt with for the time being, G'kar has heard of my condition and old injuries, and has invited me to Babylon 5...to visit, to talk of what has occurred; and at the same time, he insists that the chief physician onboard the station, one Stephen Franklin, may be able to do something for me that our doctors could not..."
"Hmm, now..." N'rothak observed, in one final, parting comment, "Shirking your duties already, are you, Councillor?"
G'kael smiled, and adjusted his eye patch accordingly. "I could almost refer to the matter as a 'state visit', could I not? But I doubt that the good Captain would appreciate that, after all that has happened..."
N'rothak sighed, and gazed heavenward...what, by G'quan, had he done to deserve *this* fate?
* * *
To be continued...
Next time: The Earthforce rebels debate their courses of action, now that the Great War is finished...and William, Vikotal and Delenn meet to decide what next should be the tasks of the White Star Fleet. Coming soon.
RIMSTALKER: THE RIDERS ON THE STORM; PART 7
"THE LEGENDS OF THE NEWBORN" ACT II OF II
**"After the end of the Shadow War, and once the celebrations had finished, the cold realities of life beginning to once more intrude upon our lives (though in my case, a certain proposition shaded me from many of the 'colder' aspects), and there came a moment where the Rangers, and more specifically, the crews of the White Star Fleet, would need to find a new purpose for themselves. To no great surprise, from those who knew him well, William was getting an itch to find something important to do, as well; after fighting the Shadows for more then two years, it was a drastic change to go from constant subterfuge and command in battles that changed the shape of the galaxy...to the surprising peace of mid winter, 2261.
But events were marching on regardless, and as we would soon find out, the universe had more then a few surprises, still waiting to shamble out onto the stage of history..."**
- From "Storm Crossing: The Shadow War, and Other Responsibilities"
* * *
February 4th, 2261; Babylon 5, the Ranger Compound.
The party was *definitely* over now, Julia realized, as she stood, close to attention (*that* position she knew quite well, from the tongue lashings her mother had given her, from time in time, in the short periods they had been together in her youth). She had, in a moment of weakness, and with Larieken as a willing accomplice, taken advantage of the gifts that Kosh had given her (in a matter of speaking) and now, it was time to pay the piper. Word had, quite understandably, escaped up the chain of command after her escapades at the party; and now she was here...
"As you no *doubt* realize." Shival lectured her, in his driest and drollest tone, "Now that the war is over, we of the Anla'shok must deal with the necessities of a galaxy at peace. With our enemies banished beyond the Rim, the individual, day-to-day things we would otherwise not notice have advanced to new importance; and as the commander of the Rangers on Babylon 5, it falls to me to further your education towards your Ceremony...and also to help refine your views on the lives we lead.
Please note, Lakotal Tikopai, that this *definitely* includes your recent escapades at the celebrations surrounding the return of Captain Sheridan and the Entil'zha to this place. For the first time, I find that you have, despite the intelligence and correct thinking you have displayed in the year just past, fallen victim to...shall we say, an episode of 'adolescent' foolishness. Anla'shok Larieken has testified as to his part in this, and while he is *clearly* also at fault, you served as the instigator, in this matter!"
While she showed no outward sign, inside, she cringed. It was a well-known fact that the Minbari did not indulge in any drinks including alcohol; and as such, it was not a surprise to find that Shival had taken it upon himself to correct this matter. What the punishment would be, was another question entirely...
Shival sighed, and shook his head. "To come so far, and fall so quickly; the onus is now on you, young human, to take back the honour you have lost in the eyes of your commanders; to practice, to meditate, to learn, to *exist* in the ways of the Anla'shok; to fast, as need be, to be as one with our ways! This you will do alone, but observed; without help...but watched, and if you falter, then we will have to discuss whether or not your place is truly with us, or not! This, you will do, for the next human month..."
"Month!"
Shival nodded, still all seriousness. "Indeed, my young human charge! Now go, in Valen's Name; you have a great deal to do to redeem yourself, in our eyes: you had best begin *now*."
* * *
A few short minutes after the departure of the chastened, still youthful Observer, Shival turned once more, to find Larieken waiting before him, his expression calm, but anticipatory.
"So...she has accepted her punishment, then, Sha'vei?"
Shival snorted. "Too calmly for my own peace of mind, Larieken; what you did, at the celebration...was it, in any way, intentional?"
The young Ranger nodded. "Perhaps in part, yes. Young Julia, while she is intelligent, forceful in her ways and beliefs, and skillful in her growing talents as an Observer, has not, as yet, attained the full maturity she requires to be a Ranger...this even though she did, with some subterfuge and a great deal of beseechment, work her way onto the bridge of Val'na Tashann's White Star to take part in the battle at Corianna VI.
But now, it is my opinion, Sha'vei, that she must be reined back a little until maturity comes; that this will not take as long as is normal with the humans is a given; due to the gift of accelerated maturity passed on by the Vorlons, I suspect that within two more human years, she will be ready to advance, and join us."
"Time will tell." was the elder Minbari's only response. "For now, though, Larieken, I must pass onto you a task you have, no doubt, been expecting; while the time up to now has been no more then an introduction, for the duration of her punishment, you must watch her, to ensure she stays on the Path, and afterwards, to continue to stand by her side, in what is to come; for be sure!...as there will be more wars and conflicts in our future, we must think towards the future of the Anla'shok, as well. But you must excuse me for now, Larieken; there is an important meeting I must now attend to."
* * *
A short time later; Babylon 5's Ranger council chamber.
The meeting had been convened, this day, to decide the future of what was, to arrive at the structure of what would be. William glanced across the assembled mass of Val'nae that sat beneath and around them, and then over towards those who sat behind and beside their Entil'zha; for many of the Anla'shok High Council had deigned to come, this day, as well. An auspicious sign...or perhaps, an ominous one?
But the *reason* the Assembly had occurred was important beyond those who had come to include themselves in it. The purpose for which The Rangers had been created could now be declared complete; the Shadows were gone beyond the Rim, along with their counterparts, and this left the Rangers, for the time being, in a state of flux.
This would not last, of course; sooner or later some power would step forward to fill the vacuum the Shadows had left behind them; but that time was not yet, and until it occurred, other tasks awaited them.
A slight gesture from Delenn was all that was required to bring instant, obedient silence to the gathering, and the Minbari commander of the White Star Fleet, foremost among the Sha'vei'e , arose to speak. He would be the first, but not the last, to briefly review for the assembled Rangers their new and improved *mission statement*.
"Change has been part of us from the very beginning.." Vikotal declared, his gaze stern. "From a dozen cycles ago, when our leader attempted a desperate rapport with the humans to end the Earth-Minbari War, and failed, leaving a scattered, desperate remnant barely tolerated by the Castes...to what we have become today: an army dedicated to maintaining the peace, no matter the cost. We have changed, and we have grown, and we have matured. And now, we must stride forward, and change ourselves yet again."
Now Shival arose. "What Entil'zha Sinclair began, before he passed beyond our sight, has brought us to this junction. Ahead of us, the future awaits, uncertain; and yet, at the same time, we can perceive the troubles that lie ahead of us; the League stands close to collapse, after the harrowing of the Shadow War, and the darkness of Earth's tyranny remains a concern. In due course, I do not doubt that the Earth President will undertake some deed that will draw Captain Sheridan into action yet again...an action that will either end in his death, or the defeat of the Earth dictatorship; a task in which we will, under his command, once again play a most important role."
Then, it was *his* turn to speak. "This is only one of our concerns, however; for at the core of our doctrines, we find the following truth; the Anla'shok were created to *watch* for troubles brewing, to gather information and report back, to plan for troubles ahead, and respond accordingly. Those among our cadres who performed these tasks did so admirably during the war, and must continue; but now, those of you among the White Star Fleet can assist in this task, as well; we must know what remains behind, out on the Rim, in the rubble left behind by the departure of the First Ones.
A few things, we do know; in recent days, as reliable sources reveal, Z'ha'dum has been destroyed; one among many such worlds destroyed by the planetkillers of our departed enemies. But among the ruins of War, survivors may yet exist; amidst the chaos, information may reside; and on the far reaches, we may find clues as to the whereabouts of the Shadow servants who escaped from Z'ha'dum, before its destruction.
But all of the above, as you must understand, exists only as a moment of transition. We, as Rangers, stride from one phase to the next; a phase in which, if all goes well, we will become a force that will hold all together...as One."
And finally, Delenn, their Entil'zha, arose. "This then, is the dream we work towards; a dream as yet unfulfilled, for many things stand in its way. But what we do, and what we decide, brings this dream ever closer; and as darkness is banished, does the dream become...reality."
Then Delenn turned away to speak with the members of the High Council, and the gathering broke down into smaller groups, as the Ranger commanders and Triad leaders began animated, if well disciplined meetings to discuss the allotment of duties. He turned, and to no great surprise, found Jennifer beside him. "It always astounds me.." she whispered in his ear, "How every time our Entil'zha gives a speech, no matter its size, we are all called upon to search for the true *meaning* behind her words."
He smiled, and nodded. "That is her way, Jen; take it or leave it, but don't, of course, ignore it."
"I guess you may be right..." Jennifer conceded with a sigh, and then, her gaze grew alert, if amused. "Pardon, oh fearless leader, but it appears that Shival and Vikotal are summoning us to divide the spoils of duty among our followers..."
* * *
Narhlak System; February 8th, 2261.
With a delighted grin, Deitrich Alwhin entered the office of his CO, comm crystal in hand, and Bethany half turned, and then decided to give her full attention to her exec, as she saw the expression on his face. "Deitrich; I'm going to assume you're going to tell me why you're smiling like the Cheshire Cat?"
"*Yes, ma'am*. A few minutes ago, one of the Ranger White Stars jumped into the system, and immediately downloaded a message crystal from Sha'vei Westcastle, describing what has happened...ah, in the outside, shall we say, over the last little while."
"Good news?" she inquired, a smile growing on her own face as she pondered the possibilities. Could the Shadows possibly have been defeated, somehow?
"Oh, you *could* say that, yes; and the message also explains why G'kael and his Narns ran off in such a Godawful hurry, a couple of days back..."
"And left *us* in the lurch, unsure as to whether it was safe to proceed outside our hiding place, or not." she replied, her voice tart. "A situation I did not enjoy."
Alwhin shook his head. "Neither did I; but it seems things have changed."
At that, she couldn't wait any longer, and plunged the crystal into the nearby reader. With a slight flash, the image of the Ranger commander, Westcastle, popped onto the screen, and she frowned; it seemed that Westcastle now looked *quite* a bit older then he had, the first time they had met, the year before. NOW, a thin but prominent streak of silver ran through his dark hair, and he looked...tired, for want of a better description.
But the news the Ranger spoke of was nothing short of astonishing.
Less then two weeks before, it seemed that Captain Sheridan had assembled a gigantic force of League and Minbari ships, and gone out to face the combined forces of the Vorlons and Shadows in a final, titanic showdown...and in some bizarre, mythical half twist, had somehow *banished* both races from the galaxy, with the help, it seemed, of an ancient being named Lorien.
Around the same time, the Prime Minister of the Centauri Republic, the infamous Londo Mollari, had decreed that Narn should be freed, since their emperor, Cartagia, had died there; a completely logical, and at the same time, astounding turnabout for the man, from the little she had studied about the Centauri Ambassador to Babylon 5.
But both these pieces of information revealed that she needed to make a decision, and soon; the cruisers and destroyers under her command were no longer limited to this system, now that the Shadows and Vorlons had departed. Now, there was even a distinct possibility the struggle against President Clark could resume, and soon!
But before that happened, the decision needed to be made, with all her captains present; and if they agreed, there was someone she would like to visit, before they did anything else...
* * *
Babylon 5. The Zen Garden: February 8th, evening rotations.
It had been a long day, but it was, at long last, close to being over, and the initial deployment of the White Star Fleet had begun, with the majority of them moving out to patrol and investigate the systems whose planets had either been partially or completely destroyed by the Vorlon and Shadow planetkillers. At the same time, small forces had both been set aside to stand ready in hyperspace, should anyone feel the need to attack Babylon 5, and also to serve the needs of the Entil'zha or her most senior commanders, and, of course, Captain Sheridan.
His vow to the Entil'zha still, of course, stood.
He sighed, and drank deeply of the steaming cup of...whatever it was he had been served in the Zocalo, and had brought here with him; coffee and tea were unavailable due to the current standoff with Earth; as such, one had to take what one could get. Once this was done, he would retire, of course, as Jennifer had done, over an hour before.
And then, a tickling at the back of his mind alerted him to the presence of another behind him, and he turned, to find a tall man in the entrance to the garden.
"Ah, there you are, Ranger Westcastle; I thought that I might find you here." The tall man had a somewhat curious accent...
He sighed; it looked like it was going to be yet another of *those* nights. "You did, did you? I see. Well, it's late, so whatever it is you want, would you please come to straight to the point?"
The tall man had a slightly leathery, well lined face, but showed no animosity towards him; instead, he smiled, and bowed. "Of course...it shall be as you say. I deemed it prudent that we meet now, for the first time, in a place where you would be at peace; and here, we can discuss the reason for this meeting, before you and I retire for the evening.
Unfortunately, for now, I must deny you that most basic courtesy...the giving of my name; I assure you that you will discover the reason behind this in due course. Secondly, I must tell you that I was among the last to escape from the world called Nighthawk before its destruction..."
William found himself *instantly* becoming more alert. "What?"
The tall man sighed, and nodded. "It is so, I am afraid; I was given premonition of the destruction of that world before it happened, and was able to convince one shipload of colonists that the danger was real enough to escape from." A sigh. "Even as we departed, the Vorlons came..." The tall man shrugged, his sadness plain. "I could predict it, but I couldn't prevent it; and since we arrived here in the midst of the madness that preceded the end of the War, and since you were so *very* busy during that time, I felt it, shall we say, *best* to delay this meeting until things had calmed down a little."
"You now have my attention; and while I don't understand your need to conceal your name from me, I will ignore that matter...for now. Again, I must ask you to come to the point...it is late!"
"Many apologies, but there were preliminaries to deal with. Having guided those refugees to this place, I now wish to use my talents for other, equally honourable purposes. But this will be impossible unless I make connections, and soon. I have little in the way of resources, and unless this changes soon..."
"I understand...if my order can help you, we will. These premonitions of yours...do you wish to use this talent to help the Rangers, by any chance?"
The tall man nodded. "That is indeed my wish; but for now, as you have said, it is late, and we will talk again; but not now. . It is enough to know, for the moment, that we are both children of Nighthawk, and that in us, what she was will never be forgotten..."
With that, the tall man turned abruptly, and strode into the corridor. After a slight pause, he followed, and then paused in astonishment.
For the tall man had quite *throughly* disappeared.
* * *
February 9th, 2261: Omega Class Destroyer NIOBE; Narhlak orbit.
"Gentlemen..." Bethany declared, as she cast her glance across the fourteen captains either sitting around the conference table(as was the case for the more senior ones, such as Iain McRobert, Robert Hardishane, and Edward Ryan, still, even now, the master of ALEXANDER) or crammed in behind, using up every other square centimeter of floor space; not a surprise, in the close confines of an Omega Class Destroyer. "You've all read the report passed onto us by the Rangers, and it reveals, as we all now know, that the universe outside has become somewhat more of a friendly place then it was before the Shadow War began.
Now that War is over, we may once again be free to continue towards our goals of freeing the people of the Earth Alliance from the tyranny that oppresses them, under President Clark. But that's probably a little bit more then we should try and bite off, for now; until *somebody*, be it us, Captain Sheridan, or anyone else in the Force, for that matter, gathers up the popular support to evict the President and his followers, an attack would be worse then futile."
"A fine rundown of the situation, Bethany..." Iain McRobert declared, his face crinkly with a smile. "And to the point, as usual. But the rest of the captains and I have been discussing this matter, and we believe it prudent, now that Captain Sheridan has *somehow* managed to drive away those Shadow things, that we really should, well, go and pay him a visit! After all, it's been a long time since we've put in anywhere else but here, and I, personally, never managed to visit Babylon 5 before it seceded. So, now that everything seems to have calmed down a bit, this seems like the best time to make the attempt!"
"Plus..." Major Ryan put in, his expression frank, "Just after they seceded, the Captain indicated that we would always be welcome at his station; I second Captain McRobert's choice, Commodore; it seems the prudent thing to do, at this stage." At that, the rest of the captains nodded, the decision had already been made, it seemed.
She smiled. "Thank you, gentlemen! Once in a while, you almost make me believe you can read my mind, like our resident telepath, Miss Vadim...but that's beside the point; while I'm sure Captain Sheridan will be happy to see us, we also have to make several key decisions before we jump for Babylon 5; what will our goals be after the visit, and, more importantly, for now, how will we be able to convince the Captain we're not President Clark's forces, come in to make an overwhelming, sneak attack on his station?"
"I may have a suggestion with regards to that problem..." Ryan replied. "Let my destroyer be the first to jump out, when we get there. Then, once we've calmed everyone down and convinced them they're not about to be fired upon, you can bring the rest of the fleet out."
"Sounds good..." McRobert mused. "Now, to get there is going to be a little tricky, I'm afraid; we're going to have to go the long way around. And because that's true, we may not get there for several weeks, at best."
Psi Corps Headquarters, Earthdome; Feb 10th, 2261;
"This meeting is, of course, in the strictest confidentiality."
"We understand, sir." the leader, a pale haired telepath of oriental descent, replied, his gaze steady and frank; for, of course, there was a task to undertake...a hunt to run...a secret hunt.
"Of course you do; during my recent visit to Babylon 5, which as you all understand, occurred without direct approval, not that I, of course, require such approval!...I was able to discern the telepathic signature of a blip we've been after, for some time now. She's come and gone from the station, since it seems she has, for some time now, been a member of that Ranger organization; but for the present, it seems clear that Miss Tolmanes is there more often then not."
Another spoke up, a young woman, dark of hair, but cold of eye. "We have reviewed the report of the last attempt against this...Brianna Tolmanes. It seems quite clear that she has been manipulated in some way by the Vorlons, enough so that two undercover Corps members were basically mindwiped during that capture attempt. I will assume we will be undertaking measures to prevent such a reoccurence?"
A smile. "Remember, if you will, that the Vorlons are no longer available to assist Miss Tolmanes, and if there’s enough of us trying to get to her, the power she possesses will prove to be no resistance to our aims. Additionally, you know the sort of place that Babylon 5 is!...all *sorts* of distractions. Catch her off guard, and away from her commanders...."
The implication was obvious, and the leader bowed, his manner perfunctory. "We understand, sir, and will succeed; you can be assured of that."
A nod. "I shall expect nothing else from you, this time.
Be seeing you, then."
* * *
To be continued...
* * *
Next: Between a fleet of paradoxically friendly Earthforce starships descending on Babylon 5, and the arrival of a member of the Kha'rhi to visit G'kar, there is barely time for William and Tashann to proceed on an important mission for Delenn before all hell breaks loose ..."The Stars of The Captains" the next part of "The Riders on the Storm" coming soon...