This, then, would be my take on "THIRDSPACE", ladies and gentlemen. Enjoy!
RIMSTALKER: THE RIDERS ON THE STORM; PART 11
"THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS, DARKLY" ACT I OF III
**"Besides...it is mine, I told myself; and that, as it turned out, was one of the biggest mistakes I will ever admit to making, and it nearly killed us all..."
From John Sheridan's "No Retreat, No Surrender."
* * *
I am the Observer, and once again, I speak of what was.
History has fated me to this task, among the Rangers; to tell the story of something that should never have happened, an event of terror and of compromises. This event was brought about by uncontrollable pride, by mistakes ancient, and through promises that should never have been made. But happen it did, and regret it, we *all* did, in the end.
For after the joy that was found, the pain lead us into a path that none of us would have willingly chosen.
To the tale, itself, then; it was the middle of the Earth Year 2261, and our honeymoon was about to come to a sharp, and terrifying end.
* * *
It was another, seemingly ordinary day on Babylon 5; a day of low traffic, and of abscences, and once again, this left *him* in charge of C&C. David Corwin leant against the main board, and did his best not to laugh; three years ago, for him to be commanding the station traffic would have been impossible; but after this, who knew what the future would bring?
"Jumpgate coming online.." one of the techs in the pit annouced. "We've got a single small transport coming out, ID says it's out of Jericho III."
Interesting, indeed; it seemed as if Clark wasn’t blockading a lot of the colonies in the Outer Rim territories as closely as he might; not terribly surprising really; between the President's concern over keeping control of the Alliance's Core worlds, and the loss of so many carrier groups under the command of Captain Tikopai, from time to time, that let a ship slip through...
And now that the Captain and the Commander had both moved to take care of the latest Raider threat, such events might happen more often, despite the blockade.
"Message coming in, sir."
#"Delta Squadron to Babylon Control; do you copy, Babylon Control?"#
Corwin sighed; even while the Commander was out in her Starfury, her thoughts were *never* far from her station. "Confirmed, Delta Squadron, this is Babylon Control..."
* * *
The group that came onboard a few moments later *appeared* to be fairly nondescript, but appearances, in this case, were deceiving. There were four of them, a pale haired man of Oriental descent; a shorter woman with dark hair that appeared quite pretty, until you saw the coldness in her eyes; and a set of twin women, their matched, fiery red hair unusual enough for many second glances. None of this mattered to these four, however; they had come to Babylon 5 for a very specific reason.
The leader raised his hand, and began to speak into the device secured there. "Initial report; we have attained entry into Babylon 5, and will now progress to a location from where we can begin to assess the current location of the target."
"Understood.." a faint voice replied in his ear. "Move carefully, and do not attract attention, and above all, be *careful*. Remember that all that you are is now hidden, and that the attitudes you find common must not be displayed. If she even begins to suspect that we are hunting her, then all that you have done to this point, all the weeks you have spent constructing your cover, will have been for nought. Remember, always; the Corps is Mother, the Corps is Father...do not fail us in this."
"We understand." the connection was swiftly cut, and the leader met the gaze of each member of his team in turn. The job they had been sent to do was made far harder by the fact that while *each* of them were, of course, Bloodhounds in the employ of the Psi Corps, their chief and only job to hunt down and retrieve rogue telepaths, the command staff of this place were notorious in their dislike of most anyone in the Corps (and especially the 'mentor' who had sent them here) and additionally, the target they were searching for, one Brianna Tolmanes, was a member of a quasireligious organization that called itself the Rangers; this made their task harder then would be normal, but their mentor had ordered it so.
It was, the leader decided, a game that *he* played with the leaders of Babylon 5; a deadly game, and of deadlier relations. But it was one that he seemed to enjoy, in some way. And so, before they had left Headquarters, back home, each member of his team, including himself, had willingly endured being implanted with a technology only recently developed; a technology so secret that if the normals realized it existed, they would, more then likely, immediately attempt to subjugate them or the technology, in some way, as they had tried to do so many times before, since the founding of the Corps.
A technology that allowed the members of his team to conceal, fully and completely, their telepathic nature, on command; experimental, and only just recently made possible; but this had seemed an ideal opportunity for an initial field test of the devices...and so far, all had gone well. And if all continued to go well, then while the job of tracking the rogue would be made far more difficult, given that while activated, they could not use their telepathic abilities either...
Tolmanes herself, however, would have no warning of their approach, until it was *far* too late to do anything about it.
* * *
The Ranger Compound; Day One; Darkness falling...
"Something is happening, Shival." Tharvonn commented, as he fell in beside his Master. "Something unusual; and with the Rimstalker and his command due to return to the station in less then six hours time, I feel that we must closely observe this occurence, and as necessary, act to prevent any harm that may come to those we count as comrades."
Shival immediately noted the seriousness in Tharvonn's voice; normally quite good natured, Tharvonn's tone, this day, spoke only to him of unsettling concern. "Explain your comments, if you please."
"A short time ago, most of the shuttle and Starfury compliment of this place departed into hyperspace, and word has come back that the Starfury Delta Squadron has discovered something...unusual in hyperspace, an artifact of some sort, it would seem; a large artifact, of some kind."
Shival frowned. "And what, Tharvonn, do *you* define as large?"
"It is, if rumour holds true, bigger even then one of our war cruisers."
He stopped in mid-step. "And they are bringing it *here*?"
Tharvonn nodded. "Perhaps, now, you see my concern?"
* * *
The doorway of the Sanctuary, a short time later.
The word had come down...'IT' was coming through; Julia near ran through the corridors, so familiar to her now, her tunic and robe abandoned in her haste to see; and where better to see the arrival of the artifact, then in the place where William and Jennifer had come together, less then a month before? Almost, she rushed into the chamber, and then, abruptly, came to a halt; for someone was already there...someone she recognized, and a knew a little about, through what Brianna had deigned to tell her.
Lyta Alexander. Around the edge of the door, she peeked, and out beyond; her gaze, soon enough, came on the distant struts of the jumpgate, farther apart then they normally were; and she blinked, as the distant sparks of the gate resolved into the point itself.
<Waiting, waiting for you, young fire, young brilliance, searching so long, searching so hard, the wait is over, now over.>
Almost she cried out, but not quite; *it* was coming out, dragged invisibly by ships she could not see, but it was unmistakable, long, black against the blue fire of the gate, an oblong cross shape on edge, spiny, so spiny, twisted against space, against time.
Colder then space, older then all of them, it had to be; but what was *this* she was feeling?
&It;There is no danger, brilliant fire, brilliant future, brilliant ONE; no danger.>
All the way out, now. And then, Julia jumped, as Lyta whirled, her eyes horribly intense beneath fiery hair, and rushed by her, nearly colliding with her; collide with another man behind her, Lyta did; but Julia did not wait to see the outcome of that collsion, but faded into the Sanctuary, and out towards the window.
<No danger.>
Julia rubbed her arm, the arm that Lyta had touched, and shivered.
<No danger.>
* * *
White Star Four. Five minutes out from the Epsilon 3 jumpgate.
"The gate's off limits?" William exclaimed, his tone incredulous, as Jennifer and several other of the Rangers manning the bridge rose, at his arrival. "Would someone care to tell me why?"
"It is surprising, yes..." Dreann replied. "But expected, given the current situation."
"That, Dreann," Talion drolly added from Operations, "Is the understatement of the year."
Dreann nodded wry acknowledgement of the younger Ranger's barb. "Nevertheless, the message that Babylon Control has just passed on to us indicates that Commander Ivanova and a squadron of their Starfuries discovered something...unusual in hyperspace, earlier this day. They decided to bring it out of hyperspace in Epsilon system, and as such, this...object is currently near enough to the gate that it is blocking all entry into the system."
"The situation..." Jennifer added, as they paused and kissed briefly, before he took the captain's chair, "Would seem to only be temporary, William. However, Babylon Control has requested that we come out of hyperspace by ourselves...and out of the way of this 'artifact', if we would please!"
"I see; well, if the Captain felt it interesting enough to drag this out here, then this is something I've definitely got to see for myself."
"Understood." Jennifer replied, now amused; ever curious, was he, and this would never change; not, of course, that she wanted it to! "Course change enabled, jump engines online."
"Then take us out!"
* * *
Chronicles Log; observations.
Soon after our arrival, and before we disembarked, I decided to contact both my Entil'zha and the Captain, and requested permission to undertake a close pass of the artifact, *close*, in this case, being about five kilometers or so away from the surface.
As of yet, the scaffolding that would later grow around the object had not been assembled, and it hung, all alone in space, its mysteriousness unique. Both of them cautioned us that the object might be very dangerous; but I countered with the argument that it was our duty, as Rangers, to observe and record events, and report back with all we had learned. This was accepted, and so, many on the station watched as a single tiny moth decided to be the first to bear the possible flame that this thing represented.
In this case, however, the pass did little more then give us reasons to understand the artifact was like nothing we had ever seen before; curves, spirals and other organic details were visible down to the limits of vision, with a hatched set of angled spires on its crest, and a tiny, by comparision, incised circle at its heart. I looked upon this, and incredibly enough, my first thought, a thought I later dismissed, was that this circle seemed almost to be a *seal* of some sort.
If only I had paid attention to that thought, some of the pain later endured might have been avoided; but the moment came and went, and as we moved ourselves into a more distant parking orbit, a group of Starfuries moved in, together with a couple of the station's worker bots, to undertake the first stage of the station investigation.
That was when we should have rightfully been watching; as the first mistake was made...the first *new* mistake; a worker bot sent too close, an observation missed; a clue so easily overlooked.
So many mistakes, we made, and there was so little time to react to what was still to come...
* * *
The Garden Maze; early in Day Two;
Ever since she had returned, the experiences had grown stronger, more concerted in their focus. Brianna wandered along the paths, her destination unimportant, her focus only on trying to determine what she was feeling. This was different, but what was causing it?
<Welcome, Darkness...we have been waiting so long for you, soul so needed, so like *us*, we are, you are, there is no difference. Waiting, so long.>
She stumbled; stronger, that time, almost a whisper, but who was doing the whispering? Or *What*?
>>Wrongness<<
<No wrongness, there is no concern, no danger, only love, only loving kindness, OUR love.>
>>Stop them...ancient mistakes...stop them; the memory, the curse, the ancient curse, remember, there is danger; all will die, destroyed, destroyers, destroy them, destroy them all!<<
<Ignore them, darkness rising; there is peace, there is joy, there is service, you are ours.>
"No..." she whispered, almost a whimper, and gazed about the corridors of green, the terror growing within. She had believed this gone, the madness, the ugliness that William had banished from her, so long ago...but it was back.
A single tear trickled down her left cheek; it was back.
And then, bad swiftly went to *worse*.
* * *
A select few other visitors to the Maze that morning were somewhat astonished to see a Ranger stride by them; a human woman, in darkest black. But while it was normal to see Rangers moving with purpose, as this one was, there was something different, in this case, something that attracted attention...
For all were given cause to see the emptiness, the terribly frightening *emptiness* in this Ranger's eyes...and hear the words she was whispering.
"They are coming; I remember, there is danger; they are coming..."
* * *
The Ranger Council Chambers...that evening.
"So." Shival pondered, as William paced from one side of the chamber, making his irritation plain. "An interesting turn of events, this is." Unsettling things seemed to be happening, things that seemed to give indication of, he felt, worse to come; but there was, as yet, no proof; it was just a feeling.
Now, the question was, what would William say on this?
"That's not the words I would use, Shival, and you know it! Interplanetary Expeditions, and their expedition leader, that Trent woman, have ensured that they are the only ones to have access to the artifact! I can't *believe* that the Captain would have agreed to this!"
"The Entil'zha told us that this was so, and the reasons behind it."
"Yes!...and as you know, Shival, in some things, she defers to the Captain, because of their bond."
"This is true, and yet..."
"...and while IPX has traditionally had the greatest experience in dealing with xenoarcheological problems like this..."
"You do not believe it fair that we, and in 'we', meaning 'you', should not have at least a little access to the artifact, yes?" Shival laughed then, at William's angry gaze. "In Valen's Name, my friend, do not give me that look, for it is true, is it not?"
William's gaze softened, and he sighed. "You do that to me far too often, Shival."
Shival conceded the point. "Perhaps this is so; but while the mystery in this object is clear, I, among others, have now been given a clear mandate to keep you safe; for if you perished due to an error we were unable to prevent, your lifemate would, as you humans say, no doubt take it 'out of our hides.'"
William paused, and then laughed in turn. "You do have a point, I guess."
"Yes; now go to her, William; tomorrow will bring more news to our ears on this mystery."
"As you say." On the way out, William paused, and turned back. "By the way, Shival; have you seen Brianna recently?"
A cold doubt began to assert itself in Shival's heart; another thing to add to the list...
* * *
Outside, in the darkness, the men and women of Interplanetary Expeditions, who had, in their travels, but without meaning to, already awakened enough pain and terror to last a hundred generations, were about to make what would almost be their greatest mistake. The human-built structure around the artifact was finally finished; and after a command from their leader, back on the Station, the lighting grid around the artifact came alive; stayed that way for a moment, and then began to flicker and fade, before intensifying once more, on a call for more power.
This was the second clue, and like the first, it was ignored; for IPX only saw the beauty in the artifact.
Not the horror.
* * *
Between the Waking moments.
Julia's eyes opened, and she saw light; but this was...impossible, wasn't it? Light in the doorway, a light as dark and brilliant as...she didn't know what to compare it to. Julia rose from her bed, intensely curious, and walked forward.
<The light draws you, Follower, Prodigal Daughter, you see the light, and you are curious; that is good, we have been waiting for you for a very long time. You walk through the door, and you are cold, yes, but now you wear the full uniform you have earned, protection is, after all, allowed. The door closes behind you; the door is gone, but you do not care.
You do not care, for what you see is beyond anything you have ever experienced before. Far into the distance the City stretches, and at its heart is a Tower of Darkness, spires unending, it rises towards the abyss above. Even more amazing are the cone-like spires floating around the Tower, unsupported; magical. Amazing, incredible; and so *beautiful*. You go down on one knee, for it is unlike anything you have ever seen before.
So BEAUTIFUL.
We know why are you here, of course; lost in the abyss between the beginning and the end, without purpose, without focus. We will give you the focus you need, provide the missing link to all that you are. You look upon the Tower, and you feel joy, because you know that it is true, all so true. We will help you, the loneliness will pass when we come for you; poor little Observer, lost in the Shadows, you will never be lonely again.
The Tower draws your gaze every moment; you reach out, yearning to touch the Tower, to be there; we understand your loneliness, we are waiting for you; all is possible, here.
Now you stand at the base of the Tower, and within the Tower you can see the future, see what will be. Look at the image of what you will be, Julia, see what we can do for you. For we love you, love you more then any you know, more then those you serve. They cannot love you, they are prisoners of their own beliefs. The beliefs will be broken, there is only our love, Julia.
Nothing else.
Reach out, now, and touch the Tower. See the reflection within, see what you will become, in the embrace of our Love.
You touch the Tower, and you and the reflection become as one...
* * *
Julia's eye snapped open, and she smiled. A smile of emptiness, a smile of possession.
"I will wait for you." she whispered. Soon it would be, soon, they would come, as they had promised, to give her what she wanted, what she would be. To give her the love that no one else would give. The love that even her mother had denied her.
And she would *never* be alone again, not as long as They were with her.
Never.
* * *
To be continued...
Next time: As Brianna descends once more into madness, William and Jennifer must deal with Julia, who has, of course, been unlucky enough to be a member of that group possessed by the nightmare beyond the door into Thirdspace, while everything else begins to come apart at the seams, as "Through the Looking Glass, Darkly." continues..