** "And in the end, most of the players, great and small, walked peacefully away from what they had been, but not without a great deal of sorrow in the doing. The memories remain, of a man standing proudly at salute, those he had known, facing him, from the place that had been his home, for so long. And of another, his child in hand, enduring a final farewell. And of the women who stood behind them both, for different reasons, and in different circumstances.
Who could have predicted, when this chronicle started, where it would go, and how noble, the ending would be?"
- From the afterword to "Holding the Line: A History of the Army of Light"
* * *
Chronicles Log; Finales...and new beginnings.
There is closure, after all. I have moved through sadness, and past bitterness, and with the help of my new family, I have found acceptance. The man I was, when all this began, would not have been able to do such a thing, but I have learnt much, in the service of the Anla'shok, and this may have been the wisest thing. Certainly, what we did resounds in the memories of billions of lives on a hundred worlds; certainly, some of them will write of what happened, and let them, I say. I'd like to believe that I've fought the battles I've had to fight, by now; everything that's happened has managed, by happenstance, to teach me a little humility. And this is one reason, among many, why I accepted my present position...one among many.
Less then a day ago, in this log, I spoke of love and life being among the only things that matter; while this is true, at the same time, I can never forget those coming behind, striding in our footsteps. And so, here I am, back at the place where it all began. Something very special is about to happen, you see, something that's been too long delayed.
* * *
December 26th, 2262, Human Reckoning.
Primary Arrivals Facility; Yedor, Minbar.
Amidst the bustle of travellers coming and going, (but mostly coming) two comrades came together. For all their lives, they had been Worker Caste, and they had worked on, and seen, a great many things come to pass over the last five years that would never come again. "So, my friend; what do you make of *this*?"
A smile. "It is as we have always said; there are those who do not fear to tread in the path of giants. Ever since the President of the Interstellar Alliance and the Entil'zha of the Rangers came to this place, a steady flock of followers have come to us. Perhaps they do not yet understand the real reason why they have come, but in time, as they walk among us, and learn our ways, and learn what they mean to do, in this place, perhaps they will understand. And perhaps, they will go away, having learned of the real reasons they came."
"Perhaps. But at the same time, the sheer scale, and nature, of some of the recent arrivals, deserves some mention..."
* * *
"It has been *too* long since I have last been here..." Shival declared, as he strode forth from the transport, into the milky light and sun over the mountains of the Valley of Sorrows. "Too long, by far."
Tharvonn smiled, and nodded at his superior. "And yet, we have been busy, Sha'vei. Babylon 5 has, for a very long time, been the center of the whole affair; and while that time is now beginning to pass, for obvious reasons, the work will continue, for as long as is necessary."
Shival snorted. "Work! Trust *you* to remind me of that, my friend. No!...for now, in this day, and the next, I set work aside to deal with the more important issues of relaxation! I am here to see something come to pass that has long been intended, Tharvonn. Too long we have held her back...held back by bars of ritual and training. But Larieken and I will have words, this evening, and if what he tells me is what I suspect, then there is nothing to hold her back, any longer."
"Perhaps you are right..." the other Minbari replied. "She is a gift we must never forget; even though I cannot help but remember the stripling human that she was, when first she came to us; she has come far, aided both by her belief that she was doing the right thing, but also by the aid of the Vorlon Kosh, when his help was needed the most..."
"Yes..." Shival's eyes went distant, and he sighed. "He gave his life in the name of our struggle, and there is much we still do not know about him and what he was, but in that, Tharvonn, I will not argue with you. But most importantly, we must remember that she has also been through the Fire that has tempered us all. She is a survivor; and all survivors eventually learn to play the game that is life...or die. She has lived, grown stronger, wiser, and more mature. This is, in the end, the greatest gift she has received."
* * *
The Worker Caste Minbari looked at one another, and then one sighed, and spoke. "One Sha'vei of the Anla'shok was bad enough, and an important portent; but a short time later, another came, he who now flies in the footsteps of the human some Anla'shok call....
Rimstalker"
* * *
"All is well out there, I trust?" Larieken inquired, as he fell in at Tashann's side. "It would not do, after all, for there to be an upset...so close to the arrival of something that means a great deal to us both."
The older Minbari nodded gruffly, but then allowed a smile to come to his face. "All is quiet on the far Reaches, Larieken, and so, I can, for a little while, return to my home, return to the side of the humans who mean more to me then any others I know. And, at the same time, observe the 'matter' you speak of. How is she?"
Larieken sighed. "She has...secluded herself, Sha'vei, and will see no one, until the time is right. But it is her right to do such a thing; before moving forward, one must reflect on what has been. She has been through much to reach this place, at this time, on this day."
"Much, indeed. However, we must speak of another matter, now, Larieken, an important matter. For after her Ceremony, she must begin her full duties as Anla'shok, and I would not have such talent wasted unnecessarily..."
* * *
"Marvelous." G'kael declared, as William and the Narn stood together, on the point of Gajn'Darahl, and watched the great sun of Minbar slowly sink out of sight in the west. "I never believed I would find the time to come to this place, to see the things you have spoken of to me, in your letters over the past year and a half. But then, a time came when a High Councillor sent a missive to another High Councillor, and this Councillor decided, with all speed, that the duties of his station should be set aside for a time. It took a great deal of convincing, mind you, on the part of my followers....but eventually, they came to realize that I would have my own way, in the end!"
William smiled. "The day when we become figureheads is the day I will give this all up as having been a waste of time, my friend. We've both been through enough in our callings...from time to time, it's good to remember we can stand aside from all that, and simply...get our own way, as you say. Let the bureaucrats argue, G'kael; that's the opportunity we can always use to slip away, unnoticed."
"Ah yes!...indeed!" The Narn turned then, to fix his human friend with a knowing gaze. "You have learned a great deal since the first time I met you, William, a great deal indeed. You grew from a man broken and discarded by his superiors, to command the greatest force ever known, the force of spirit!...the force that says, 'We will NOT give up our right to live, to exist. To be! I learned this the hard way, and now that the engines of war have fallen silent for a time, I come to pay witness to another beginning..."
* * *
"They're far more of a handful then even I might have guessed; but then again, I did have to go and have two at once, didn't I?"
"A handful, you say?" Bethany succintly replied, as Jennifer ever-so-gently set her finally sleeping daughter down to her rest, as beyond, Celia's brother rolled over in his own slumber. "This I can believe. In the short time I had with my daughter before I was called away to duty...it was almost the same thing. I'm only sorry I didn't get to see more of her childhood; before I knew it, the child I had known was stolen away, and a young woman was returned, in her place..."
"Though I wouldn't try to equate the Vorlons with the mythical fairies of yesteryear, if I were you, although, in many respects, Julia is somewhat of a changeling, isn't she?"
A slightly bitter laugh, but then the bitterness faded. "I suppose so. But at the same time, the letters she's sent me over the last couple of years only remind me that when she needed a helping hand the most, there you both were. Although there isn't possibly any way I can repay you two for all you've done for her...and although I wasn't there for all of it, thankfully enough!... there's something I'm going to say now that I couldn't before.
*Thank you*."
Jennifer sighed, and then nodded, thinking to herself, be glad you weren't there for some of what your daughter had to go through; there's some things that she hasn't told you yet; maybe she will, one day, but that day's not yet..."The simplest compliment, and yet, at the same time, simplicity sometimes works the best. But now that's past us, Bethany, why don't you tell me what you've been up to, since the last time we talked?"
"Oh...this and that. My new command, the DE'MOLAY, keeps me busier then you can possibly imagine, and while I can't, unfortunately, tell you where I've been, and where I've yet to go, it's been an interesting ride, thus far, and I don't doubt that the most interesting parts are yet to come."
"Of course." It was clear that pursuing *that* avenue would get her nowhere, however. Best to let bygones be bygones.
"And what about you?" Bethany inquired, her gaze speculative. "I've heard that you're beginning to write your account of the War, what we all went through, what we all did. An enormous undertaking...too big for this girl."
"Almost too big for this one, as well!...but it *needs* to be told, and while I've had a few offers from Homeworld already, the biggest hurdle I've faced so far in talking to them is trying to equate Ranger ranks with something the people Earthside will understand...I think I'll manage to sneak it past them eventually, but it's best to start slowly, I think."
"And which name will you write it under...your's, or your husband's?"
Jennifer smiled wryly. "Mine. My husband is already known for enough things around this galaxy, Bethany; this has to be my story.
"Although, he will, by force of nature, be playing a rather large role in it."
* * *
Elsewhere...
"Do you want to tell me again why we're doing this?"
A smile. "Of course. Tomorrow, at first light, as the shadows pass into day, a Ceremony will occur, welcoming a new member of the Rangers into her calling. I have seen this young human grow, and learn, as we have, together, and I will be there, to honour her day of what you would call, I suppose, *ascension*."
A pause, and then, a smile in return. "I can see how much this means to you; how could I say no?"
* * *
December 27th, 2262...sunrise.
Julia stirred, and felt the warmth of the rising sun touch her face, at last. The long dark night of her soul was over; and while she knew there would always be questions, this was something she could not have avoided, even if she had wanted to. There were ghosts to be exorcised, many ghosts; she suspected that she would spend a good deal of her life in that task, but it was...a beginning. With sure movements, she rose to her feet, and with slow, careful stride, walked down off of the ledge, and across the grounds of that which had become her past, was her present, and had given birth to what would be her future. There was no hurry, but the appointment she had was one she could not, would not...miss.
The grounds of the Ranger compound were silent, this brilliant dawn; but the silence meant little; she could feel the eyes watching her, all around. Knowing eyes, measuring her worth; pleased to see a child of Earth come to this point, far on the path that Kosh, and her, had chosen, so long ago, and far away, on the place that *none* of them would ever forget, for as long as they lived.
Babylon 5. Last of the Babylon stations. William and Jennifer, and all the rest, had been drawn there, as if by a magic none of them could resist, and from that place, they had strode forth to shake the foundations of history. Something *better* had come of that upheaval, but the struggle hadn't finished yet, oh no.
Julia set her mouth into a tighter line; the chaos surrounding the now cloistered Centauri Republic underlined that understanding, all too well. The allies of the Shadows were still out there, somewhere, and back on Earth, the Psi Corps remained...a force that had stolen away a friend, never to be reclaimed. And as long as the Darkness remained, *any* kind of darkness, there the Rangers would be. Hidden, or openly flying in the Fleet that her mentor's husband, the man some named Rimstalker, had helped to build; there they would be; there she would be.
She looked up, and sighed. Before her, now, was the place where thousands of Ranger boots had tread, over the last five years; to all outward appearances, the place of assemblage appeared dark, this early in the day, but she knew better, far better then that. And with heart in her mouth, but gaze and stride still firm, she pushed against the stone door, and slipped within...
...to find the great chamber *full* of Rangers, and others, as well, all of them holding candles. Out of the crowd, she was able to pick faces she knew so well; the measured, if pleased, faces of Sha'vei'e Shival and Tashann; the well bearded face of Talion Quintara, now a Val'na, and White Star commander in his own right; up front and off to one side, Larieken stood against the wall, his face expressionless, but watchful, while near the front, her mother sat, her expression disciplined, and true, her Earthforce dress uniform sharper then she had ever seen it...
And in the front row, in Ranger brown and black, William and Jennifer, together, as should be.
More shocking, however, were the special guests. Sitting beside William was a face she knew well, by association; the Narn Councillor G'kael...the one who had, more then any other, been responsible for starting William and Jennifer on their travels.
And then, she very *nearly* turned around and walked out, for on the other side of the central aisle, her face solemn, but with a touch of smile at the same time, sat the Entil'zha, her husband, President Sheridan, beside her. She closed her eyes for a moment; courage, she told herself...I *will* have the courage to do this. If not for me, then for all of them...and especially, for them.
"Who stands in the doorway?" came a voice, a voice she knew well, a voice that called down complete silence upon all those assembled. She looked up from her indecision, and saw Sech Turval standing at the center of the chamber, his expression peaceful, and appreciative. "Who stands?"
"It is I..." she whispered, but the whisper carried, so all could hear it. "I have walked through the Long Night, I have seen what must be seen, known what must be known. I have walked through the Fire, at the side of and beneath those assembled here, this day; I come, to claim my heritage."
Turval smiled, then. "Then, approach, young human, and show us your worth." And approach, she did, past all the serried ranks of Anla'shok come to see this impossibility...this miracle, come to pass. A miracle given birth through faith and by the magic of a Vorlon now lost forever, she walked, through the silence, between the watchers. And as she walked, she briefly met the gazes of all those who had come; associates to her commanders, friends to them, and to her, in turn. William and Jennifer, their expressions supportive, and finally, the Entil'zha. What Julia saw in her eyes was enough to make all the fears go away; they were all here for her, all of them; how, in Valen's Name, could she possibly think to disapoint them?
And then, the walk complete, she knelt, alone, before Turval.
It was time.
"It is a great thing, to see such as this come to pass..." Turval declared, his voice carrying clearly to all those present. "What she who kneels before me has done, in her travels, and in her training, to make us *all* understand the worth of what she attempts, this day. We cannot deny her what is hers, and although the road ahead of her may be long, and difficult, she has reached the point where we can hold her back, no longer." With fingers sure and deft, Turval gently reached forth, and removed the Circle and the Star from the place it had held, waiting for another, and replaced it on her collar...before replacing it with something that meant so much more.
"You will repeat after me.
I am a Ranger.
I walk in the dark places no others will enter. I stand on the bridge, and no one may pass..."
As she spoke the words, Julia realized that Turval was gradually lowering his voice, allowing hers to come to the fore, until it was *her* voice that filled the emptiness. "I live for the One...
...I would die for the One."
* * *
Though it is my hope that she will not come to that fate easily, or willingly. I have done well with her, better then I could have possibly believed, when first we met, on Babylon 5. She will fly for us; she will fly for me, and in the years still to come, she will draw a great fellowship around her, in our next time of need. It has happened before; it will happen again. And while we fade into the background, our greatest duties complete, her story is only beginning. I know this...I feel this to be the truth, a truth that words cannot describe. For what we have built in this place, and the other, out among the stars, *shall* endure.
As long as there are hands to guide, and winds to follow.