**"If we had all been living in an ideal world, then the amnesty that President Luchenko and then-Captain Sheridan worked out at the end of the war would have given everyone what they wanted; but ideologies never equal reality, and hates sometimes follow you to the end of your days. And in the corridors of power, those who sought revenge got what they wanted, even if the methods were subtle.
But in the end, after the dust had settled, most everybody admitted, if not in public, that maybe some of us managed to have the last laugh, after all..."
Captain Bethany Tikopai(ret), as quoted in Michelle Yanwar's "Hopelessless and Despair: Rebels, Generals and Prophets, 2258-2269"
* * *
Jupiter orbit...the Earthforce fleet yards; the last week of January, 2262.
Not so many days after the departure of the first vessel of the Warlock class, a vessel that had moved away on a long trail of fusion fire, hull black against the night that had given it birth, a jump point opened, and a ship that was all but twin to the one that had recently departed passed through that hole in space...but different, just the same.
A field trial had just finished; a field trial that *everyone* in the Earth Alliance was supposed to know about. As far as ISN and certain other news agencies understood, this arrival was only the second of the new Warlock Class destroyers, just returned from field trial; a class that repesented a quantum leap over the older Omega Class...but while bigger and more powerful, it was made clear to those agencies that the Warlock Class was still, after all, a ship of Earth.
And yet, the first thing that almost everyone commented on was the distinctive *colour* of this destroyer...or rather, the lack of colour. And the response they received was one that seemed to make sense; think of what we have just been through, ladies and gentlemen, thew were told...wars in which our older, more visible, weaker warships were the ones to die first. In these times, the ships of Earthforce must be harder to kill, not easier. More defendable...not less. And if those ships cannot be seen, if they are stealthy enough to do the job that must be done, then we will have succeeded in our mission, the only mission that matters.
A great many heard these words, and nodded thoughtfully; at the same time, the newshounds were also consistently reminded that the first Warlock Class destroyer, the SAINT-GERMAIN, presently under the command of Captain Susan Ivanova, had already departed towards the Rim, and would not be heard from for some time...a few years, at the very least.
Certain *other* powers in Earthgov knew better, of course; and while the news agencies found it a bit strange that this was the first Warlock Class ship to appear in the media, they didn't push too hard. After the nightmares they had endured during Clark's reign, this was a trait that had been almost bred out of them.
Onboard the new arrival, the hundreds of engineers, technicians and other personnel made their final reports, and nodded solemnly to one another. They had succeeded in their aims; indeed, it *could* be said that while certain 'attributes' were missing from this capital ship, in the end, it wouldn't matter all that much. As long as the job got done, as long as Earth, and Earth's best interests, were protected, then they would have succeeded in their aims.
Later on, they would talk with those of their comrades who had worked on Captain Ivanova's command, and what they said to one another seemed to share several similarities.
That the Warlock Project was the biggest, most exciting thing they had ever worked on before.
And that there was a very good reason that the *first* Warlock Class Destroyer had not appeared clearly on ISN. Or a handful of the others that might yet be.
A very good reason *indeed*.
* * *
Earthforce Headquarters; Earthdome, Geneva; January 30th, 2262.
East Wing, Level Seven. 1315 hrs, local time.
Keeping her face carefully controlled, Bethany strode down the corridor towards the transport tube alone, her thoughts troubled, as she went back over what had brought her to this place, at this time. For almost three months now, the restored government had been busy cleaning away the wrack of Clark's dictatorship, and while on the surface, some on both sides of the war could be civil to one another, the rest were clearly *forcing* themselves to be pleasant to those who had fought on the other side.
The complicated tangle of hates, reprisals and bitterness would take a long time to play out...but in her case, given that she had been the primary rebel fleet commander beneath John Sheridan during the final run to Earth, time had finally run out, so to speak; a doom delayed by her recent medical leave, but that doom was finally about to come home to her.
In the last several hours, she had been forced to endure what had probably been the most direct attack against her career and choices that she had ever been forced to face in her life, not that this had been a surprise, by any means; but at the same time, a new hope, and a shocking turn of fate, had been revealed to her...
* * *
Less then ten minutes before...
"Sir, if I may interject!"
"Captain Tikopai..." General Veyan Shatoku replied, his expression stern, "You must understand, that in this case, we unfortunately cannot listen to as many of your arguments as we would like! The interrogative questions you have answered for us reveal everything we need to know and understand about this situation."
Her heart became cold. "I...see, sir."
"Captain!...keep your responses civil, until you hear what we have to say to you! This board of inquiry has very little time to spend on this matter, due to the great number of destroyers and cruisers either heavily damaged or completely crippled during the civil war, and as such, we have arrived at a decision, regarding your situation."
She stood then, her position formal, her chin high. "Then I am ready to hear it...sir"
Shatoku smiled briefly...if bitterly. "This board of inquiry has finished its deliberations regarding the loss of the Block Seventeen Omega Class Destroyer NIOBE, lost in combat while destroying Defense Platform A-Y 17 early on the morning of November 2nd, 2261, Earth Standard Time.
Before you hear our decision, Captain, let me remind you that as per Earthforce law, the Captain of any Earthforce capital ship must nominally answer for the loss of that vessel, whether it be in rightful combat with an enemy of Earth, or, alternately, destroyed through mistakes made by its captain. In either case, the capital ship's actions are determined by the will of its captain.; do you understand the meaning of those words?"
She nodded. "I do, sir."
"Very well, then; the findings of this board can be summarized, as follows.
One: In following the former Earthforce officer and Commander of Babylon 5, one-time Captain and now President of the Interstellar Alliance, John Sheridan, you, Captain, demonstrated willing cooperation with a noted conspiracy against what was, at the time, the rightful Earth government.
Under normal circumstances, this action would have been considered treasonous!...but, the circumstances as noted are as far from normal as we could possibly imagine. In following Captain Sheridan to destroy the platforms orbiting Earth, you managed to prevent the deaths of billions of civilians at the hands of President Clark, who, upon realizing he could no longer control Earth, sought to destroy it, instead. Ironically enough, we find that you should be commended for your actions, Captain; but the matter of your stand against Earth must *still* be answered for, in whatever manner we, and in tandem, the Chiefs of Staff, deem appropriate.
But to continue....Two: During combat with aforementioned Platform A-Y 17, the destroyer EAS NIOBE sustained critical and crippling damage to its engineering and fighter bay sections, forcing your executive officer, Commander Deitrich Alwhin, to detach the engineering section and move the habitat section to a safe distance before your command's fusion reactor could explode, and kill you and your crew. This action was performed with all due speed, at your order.
The end result is thus noted: while the orders you gave ensured that the great cities of Asia survived President Clark's final rebutal, the serious damage your command suffered during the last battle for Earth required that the NIOBE be scrapped, sharing a fate that many other destroyers in Earthforce have faced, during this conflict.
This has been a hard time for Earth and her fleet, Captain, a hard time indeed, and the decision of whether you should be blamed for the loss of your command was the hardest one we have *ever* had to make...and President Luchenko's guarentee of amnesty has not made the task any easier, I assure you!..but a decision was made, and it is *this*.
Captain Bethany Tikopai...it is the decision of this board that through your orders, you are ultimately responsible for the loss of your command, the Earthforce Omega Class Destroyer NIOBE; and yet, we also find that the actions you performed as her captain were both right and honourable ones. As such, and due in part to the amnesty agreed to between Presidents Luchenko and Sheridan, the nominal dismissal from Earthforce, or worse, courtmartial normally assigned against a line officer such as yourself in situations like these, will be waived, at this time."
"SIR?" What the *Hell*?
General Shatoku nodded grimly. "Indeed, Captain. While we were not pleased that you lost your command, the actions you took in the name of that loss have, shall we say, saved what is left of your career."
"Thank you, sir!"
"Don't thank me just yet, Captain...at least not until you have heard what General Lefcourt has to say to you about your next assignment.
Good day, Captain...you are dismissed. The General is waiting for you in his office."
* * *
1330 hrs.
Her heart pounding, Bethany paused before the entrance to what was, officially, the pinacle of authority in Earthforce. On this, the fifteenth and highest level of Earthforce Headquarters, here the Joint Chiefs of Staff could be found, when they weren't busy dealing with problems of state over in Senate Hall, or elsewhere. For now, however, the man she had been sent here to meet with *was* present, this she knew without question. General Lefcourt, the flag officer who had stood against her and John at Mars, and the same man who had later taken his command out of hyperspace to save the AGAMEMNON and all her crew from what would certainly have been a ship-destroying ramming action.
With more or less sure step, although she *still* wasn't sure what it was she would find here, she went through the door, and as it clicked shut behind her, she quickly glanced around the wood-panelled rooms within, before settling on the figure of the officer standing at the edge of the reception area...
Captain Erilyn Devaie, Lefcourt's aide-de-camp since the start of the New Year, and until then, commander of the destroyer PERSEUS, one of those that had suffered the attentions of a telepath during the battle in Mars orbit. She winced, and met Devaie's cool, near hateful gaze.
"Captain Tikopai; you will forgive me if I do not congratulate you on surviving the board of inquiry on the loss of your destroyer. You see, I don't believe congratulations are in order, and even though we may both agree that your actions helped to remove the monster that Clark had become, I still don't approve of the stand that you and your former commander, John Sherdian, took against Earth.
In addition, I will add, it seems to me that you have lived somewhat of a charmed life; as a rebel, you and all who *followed* you should have died, long before this moment. Perhaps, if you had, and Fate had looked the other way, we would not be having this conversation, now, and my day...would have gone, how shall I put it?...far more smoothly.
But that is, of course, *my* opinion, and does not reflect the opinions of other, stronger voices within the Force, such as the man I have been called upon to serve. Regardless, General Lefcourt awaits you within."
Quite wisely, she decided to refrain from responding to those remarks. Feelings continued to be strained between the two sides in Earthforce, and that would, all things considered, continue to be the case for some time yet. There were captains who had been courtmartialed and dismissed; captains who had been lucky enough to have their commands repaired in short order, and were even now back out on nominal patrol...and, captains, like herself, who through the luck of chance had found their commands shot out from under them.
Some captains like her would have to wait for months, if not years, to receive their next command, and had found themselves relegated to desk jobs all across the Alliance. With resolute stride, she moved across the reception area, and into the inner sanctum of what was, most of the time, one of the most powerful man in Earthforce. What *her* fate would be, was about to be answered.
"Captain..." General Lefcourt greeted her, his expression all too serious, after they had finished saluting one another, "Before we begin, let me say how much I regret what you just went through. Both you *and* Sheridan were brilliant understudies in your time; but life, and the choices we've made, guide us on to new and different destinies. Sheridan has found his, running this new Alliance of his; now, I'm afraid that it's finally time for you to face yours."
She nodded firmly, taking the seat the General gestured to. "Of course, sir; I'm not ashamed of the actions I took to remove President Clark from power; what I needed to do, needed to be done. And yet, at the same time, my respect for you remains undiminished. You taught both me and the President what it was to be loyal members of Earthforce, and you saw fit to give help to the President and his final command, when he needed it the most.
As such, I come here today, hoping that whatever you’ve decided, whatever duty you feel I must perform, in the name of Earth and her people, will be a just one, and that I will continue to be treated with the same respect you gave the President, during his career beneath you.
The decision is yours, sir; I await it."
Lefcourt sighed, and cast her an all-too frank gaze. "Never fails, does it? Both you and John Sheridan have always had a way with words; both your greatest accomplishment, and, at the same time, your greatest hindrance."
"Sir?"
While I do respect you, Captain, and much of what you did, both before the war, and during it, there are still too many people here in Earthdome who don't share that respect. They know you followed John Sheridan on his crusade; they know that in the beginning, you broke away from the rest of Earthforce in the name of General William Hague. They *know*, Captain, and because they know, if we keep you here, sooner or later, one of them will act to hurt you and what you represent. And because I respect you, and what you represent, I cannot allow the experience you have gained over the years to be wasted in such a manner.
But at the same time, Captain, I must, unfortunately, say some of the same things to you that I was forced to say to newly promoted Captain Ivanova, a month ago. There is a command waiting for you, out at the Jupiter yards; and while she's powerful enough to take on the task awaiting you, the other elements in government, the elements who would rather destroy you and all you represent, have to be, shall we say, bribed. They want you to fail, Captain, and if you disappear or are killed on this mission, they won't be disappointed, in the slightest.
But I expect better from you then that, Captain; better results from someone I've invested a lot of time in, during my career." Lefcourt opened a drawer in his desk, and drew out a small, thin, datafile player, and passed it into her waiting hand. "Those are your orders, Captain; and I do expect you to fulfill them, without question. And remember, if you do reject them, I might not be able to protect you from those who would like to destroy you."
With breath slightly held, she ran through the files...and sighed deeply. It was certainly clear what was happening; most if not *all* of the officers who had served beneath John Sheridan during the civil war were becoming pariahs, of one sort or another. If they couldn't be destroyed, then they could be removed. And if they couldn't be removed, then what the Hell! Why not send them to the Rim, or beyond, and let the aliens destroy them?
The implications...were clear. But she was *damned* if she would let implications rule her life. She never had before, and she wasn't about to start now. And as for her command...the just completed, second Warlock Class Destroyer EAS DE'MOLAY...she was an experimental, overpowered unknown. Second of her kind, behind the destroyer given to Captain Ivanova, back at the year's turnover; a ship even now vanished on its own, improbable, unknown mission, and harbinger of those yet to come.
"These orders..."
"Are part and parcel of the most difficult task you will have ever faced in your life." General Lefcourt replied, his smile grim. "The mission statement is to the point; certain elements within Earthforce and the government, including myself, were able to discover some of the things that happened while Earth was sealed away from the galaxy, tied by the strings of President Clark's dictatorship. That a war of apocalyptic proportions occurred between the Vorlons and another, equal or more powerful race; a war that President Sheridan and all who followed him at Babylon 5 were partially responsible for stopping..."
"You knew?" she blurted out, before realizing what she was saying. "You *knew*, sir?...and you did nothing?"
"Captain, remember your place!" the General warned her, a scowl on his face...and then, the General's expression cooled back down towards normalcy. "Yes, Captain, we suspected some things..but if we'd acted on those suspicions, then Clark would have moved to remove us from the offices we hold, and would have replaced us with those he trusted, more...and Earth would have fallen farther then it did. However, to our advantage, this didn't happen...we've survived, and now, we're free to act, but in a limited fashion.
Your orders are clear, Captain; some among us suspect that the alien race that opposed the Vorlons *may* have had allies of some sort. But suspicions do us no good at all; if these hypothetical creatures pose any threat to the Earth Alliance, we must attempt to identify their current location, and if the threat is clear and present, we may, in due course, be able to pull together a strike force to repel that threat...for instance, when more Warlock Class destroyers have been completed, over the next several years.
But that time is *not* now; for the next several years, we must work *hard* to rebuild our fleet, to replace the ships that were lost in the war just finished; and to add to the number of Warlock Class destroyers, beyond those commanded by yourself and Captain Ivanova. It will be a difficult task, Captain, but not an impossible one...if these aliens exist, we have to find them. And if you prevail..."
She nodded, and rose to her feet, even as a cold lump of doubt settled within her. "I understand, sir."
Lefcourt smiled again...finally. "Excellent! I knew that I could count on you, Captain. For now, however, you have to hurry; an orbital shuttle is waiting for you at the Earthdome primary port, *and* someone who knows you all too well; someone who has stood at your side, ever since this whole mess began, is waiting for you on Station Prime, with a few other members of your old crew."
Her eyes widened; he couldn't mean..."Commander ALWHIN?"
"Exactly; while the other powers in Earthdome were looking the other way, I was able to convince the rest of the Chiefs of Staff to keep you together, as well as a number of other more junior officers from your former command. The argument I used, is one you won't want to hear...but you were also lucky, Captain; over the last two months, ISN has done its best to get back at the government that hurt it...doesn't matter if the face have changed, the news carries on regardless, doesn't it?
And since ISN decided to 'exclusively' cover the story of how you and your crew survived the war, and all you did to reach the position you did...at the moment, Captain, it would be politically...difficult for them to break up your senior crew...but that doesn’t mean they don't want you gone. And if, out on the Rim, you happen to run into some of those aliens, and the toss is lost..."
She nodded, her gaze bitter...the message was clear. Whether Deitrich, or Mariallah, or Paul Telluride, or even her former fleet CAG, Arietta Gage, would appreciate all these horrific subtleties, was not something she was going to address, for the time being.
"Agreed, sir; until things cool down here a little bit, it only makes sense for us to be as far away from the center of things as possible; these orders do *just* that, of course. And if we happen to come across any of these hypothetical aliens of yours...then my command will hold her own, sir; I guarantee it."
"Of course, Captain; I wish you the best of luck in your endeavours, and once your tour of duty is completed, perhaps we'll meet again."
The implication of that statement was clear, as she moved out of the General's office, and past Devaie's chilly gaze. 'Perhaps'. *If* she succeeded.
Too many ifs.
Far too many ifs for *her* liking.
* * *
Station Prime; February 1st, 2262.
"Explain to me again, why they're doing this?" Alwhin demanded, as Bethany slowly strode down the corridor, a small gaggle of her new crew moving behind. "This never happens...ever; it's simply *not* done."
"You would have prefered a courtmartial, Commander?"
Alwhin winced. "That was uncalled for, and you *know* it."
At that, she drew him aside, while beyond, Paul Telluride winked knowingly and directed the rest to a respectable waiting distance. "Snap out of it, damnit!; I know you, I've worked with you for years now, Deitrich!...and this charade you're putting on, it simply isn't you!"
Alwhin threw her a bitter glance. "Under ordinary circumstances, as you well understand, I *would* have received my own command by now!"
She sighed; so that was it. Given the *huge* number of line captains killed in the Earth-Minbari War, and now all those disgraced during the course of the civil War, it was only justified that he had been hoping for a command of his own. And but for one *unfortunate* matter, he might have received that command. The unfortunate matter being that Deitrich Alwhin was now infamous for being the right hand to the woman who had stood at John Sheridan's side during the final battle for Earth. No one presently alive, courtesy of ISN, would ever be able to forget that.
And now the legacy of that fame was about to come crashing home.
"These are *not* ordinary circumstances, Commander, and you know it. One by one, the big boys on Earth are tidying up the mess the only way they know how; by making their problems disappear, they don't have to think about them anymore. Oh sure!...the Presidents may have made their deal, but don't assume for a minute that means the Powers that Be still won't get their way. They can't courtmartial us, they certainly can't *kill* us, so their next, best alternative it to throw us in the river together, the famed crew of a dead ship, and hope that it drowns us.
But as I just said, I know you better then that...because behind all that bitterness is a man who has faced the Shadows...and lived. Who has seen beginnings, and endings, and change beyond measure. Once before, I called you to my side, Commander; and now, the fiery heights await!...a new ship, deadly, unknown...a difficult task, but not impossible."
At that, she extended her hand. "My new command is a difficult one, Deitrich; an untested ship, a crew of unknowns. If half of what I've heard about the Warlock Class is true, I'm going to need you, every second, of every day, from now until our mission is complete.
Please!...I would have no other stand by our side, in what is to come."
There was a pause, and then, she realized Alwhin was laughing...and then, the German took her hand, and shook it firmly. "I always thought it would come down to this. Some call it loyalty, some foolishness, but to Hell with all of them. When I first came to the NIOBE, I saw a glimpse of the future in a young captain who would have things her way, and no other...a captain with a destiny. I've heard some of the things that have been said about your daughter, Julia...now I know where she gets 'it' from!"
At that, she shook her head, and nearly laughed herself. "Very well, then, Commander, now that you've finished making up your mind, and getting back on my good side, how long until we can get out of here, and back out to where we belong?"
"Not so long, Captain; not so long at all. In fact, a good chunk of the crew is already out at the Callisto yards, running simulations, battening down the hatches, painting crests on their Thunderbolts...that sort of thing; and while we will have to stop at a few stoppovers along the way, to pick up the rest..."
"I...see, even though I don't understand. Any warship can run on a skeleton crew, Commander; if we're here, *why* wasn't my command brought to Station Prime?"
Alwhin cast a knowing gaze at her, and her joy at returning to space momentarily evaporated. "Oh no...they wouldn't....they *couldn't*! Could they?"
"Indeed. It seems that ISN has been informed, by the Earthforce Office of Public Relations, that the Earth Alliance Warlock Class Destroyer DE'MOLAY launches from Callisto at 0900 hrs, February 7th, 2262, to depart through the Tranfer Point at Io. It seems that the 'people' have a right to know, and to see the launching of their latest, greatest protector, and then, of course, the novelty is gone, and the Force can move on to do what it does best..."
"I *see*."
Little did she know, how the meaning of those words would come home, in the months and years yet to come. But ever and always, she had never been known as someone who played by the rules.
Since it seemed that commanders who played by the rules tended to die, in sometimes spectacular ways.
* * *
Late the following evening, as the twilight began to fade towards darkness in the skies over Geneva, and the Gardens around Earthdome grew quiet, two men met, once again. Somehow, they had survived Clark's fall, survived it by vanishing into the shadows that had, in some way, protected them in the past, and would, if all went well, protect them again in the times ahead.
Even though the Shadows themselves were gone, other shades waited in the wings. Both men knew this for a certainty.
"So!...I have heard that Tikopai is, even now, enroute to Callisto."
"Yes; *they* are playing a dangerous game; but there you have it, if the game is to be played, better, by far, to play for high stakes."
The other snorted. "High? Come now, old friend, you know the realities of what is. We are, essentially, starting afresh, and while the new technology destroyers will come under our control if we wait long enough...for now, we have to be *careful*."
"Although I still fail to understand why the first Warlock was given to... *Ivanova*." Bitterly.
"There is a reason behind all things, as you will see; hands must be played, and Presidents appeased. Slowly we will build up our force of Loyalists again, and even if we have to wait until our decendents in the Game appear to hold the reins, we will have it all back again...in time. But before this happens, those with strong will in the Fleet, commanders such as Ivanova, and Tikopai, must be brought to heel. And so, yes, while it does appear we have given them ultimate power in the name of their commands, matters are not always as they seem.
Listen, now...and hear of the way things will be..."
* * *
**This is ISN special reporter Roger Ireland reporting to you from the Transfer Point station off of Io; Dateline...February 7th, 2262. At this very moment, a moment measured in history, the image I see is breathtaking, one I will not soon forget. On one side of the station, Jupiter fills the sky, a thin crescent facing the sun, while beyond and behind the dark side of this enormous planet, two of the four Galilean moons look back at me.
From this spot, a little more then three years ago, thousands watched as Earth Force One, with President Luis Santiago aboard, pinwheeled to destruction, and dreams died, squashed beneath the authoritarian boot of President Morgan Clark, with billions more tuning in to the horror from across the Alliance. Today, however, a very different ship will make its appearance; the newest guardian of Earth, the Warlock Class Destroyer DE'MOLAY, her guiding hand, the hand of one of the heroes of the Civil War, Captain Bethany Tikopai.
Now, we have a very special announcement for all our listeners. The Earthforce Joint Chiefs of Staff have issued a statement describing for the listeners of ISN the background and capabilities of this new, and very different warship, an exclusive to ISN watchers near and far! It reads, as follows:
'Over the past fourty years, Earthforce engineers have learned their lessons, a lesson earned in blood and the lives of lost men and women of Earth. In the past, it was sufficient for the Earth Alliance to operate a military in which simple, straight-forward technology was enough to protect Earth's interests. As time has passed, however, it is becoming increasingly clear that this is no longer sufficient to protect our families; our children. In a galaxy full of hostile enemies, we now find it necessary to reach beyond that which we know; to believe in the impossible, to create a force strong enough to make most enemies pause, and consider, before attacking our worlds.
From this policy, a new design has sprung forth, based upon the best elements of Earthforce ships past, and utilizing the most modern, up-to-date technologies available. This new design is the Warlock Class Destroyer..."**
* * *
EAS DE'MOLAY; Earthforce Callisto Fleet Yards, Platform Number Two; 0847 hrs, February 7th, 2262.
Absurdly enough, the leather in the captain's chair was uncomfortable as Hell. Bethany grimaced, and cast a glance across at Alwhin, who nodded in response; they both realized that what they had on their last command could never be reclaimed...for in the moment they had made their final approach to the DE'MOLAY, it had been made clear how very *different* a command this was going to be then any ship she had commanded before.
The Warlock Class had, of course, been designed before the promise that Ambassador Delenn of Minbar had made, several months before. Artificial gravity ships-of-the-line were several years away at the least, and probably more..and until that happened, the basic design that had been born in the Omega Class would continue to serve the Alliance. The Warlock Class was an obvious outgrowth of that tried-and-true design; longer, meaner and, of course...
Darker.
That was, by *far*, the most obvious facet of the new design, in her opinion, beyond the more advanced weaponry, beyond the still (to her) truly *strange* carbo-silicate the whole ship was constructed out of...if one looked *closely* at the walls, one could see faint tendrils of something even *darker* woven through nearly everything. And from outside the ship, upon their approach, her new command had nearly melted into the space beyond, a black hammerhead shadow against the night; and if she so choose to extuinguish the running lights, her Warlock Class destroyer would be nearly invisible...a mere shadow.
Which, of course, reminded her of things she wanted to forget. Where *exactly* had the designers found their ideas? The black, screaming ships of the Shadows resounded too closely in her memories for her own liking, along with the rumours of the advanced destroyers that Clark had thrown against William Westcastle and his myriad Ranger-crewed White Stars. Echoes of the past becoming shadows of the present?
She sighed, and shook her head. She had *no* doubt that she would find out the truth in due course. But that was for later...not now.
But back to the matter at hand. Her Chief Engineer, Lieutenant Jaiena Mithrush, yet another of the apparently enormous clutch of enthuiastic engineers who had brought the Warlock Project into being, had explained to her that there was a whole *network* of chained polymer fibers built into her destroyer. Woven together with the rest, it made the hull at least three times more resistant to attack, even up to the neutron cannons of the more advanced races, then any of the ships that had come before it. Not that, Mithrush had assured her, anything in the known Galaxy, as far as she was concerned, would *want* to fight them, if they had a choice.
Which was, partly, the point.
The DE'MOLAY was faster, larger, more powerful, and packed a harder punch then anything Earth had ever built before.
Besides, perhaps, she mentally added, the DE'MOLAY's sister ship, the now vanished SAINT-GERMAIN.
She sighed; Where they were going, they would need every edge the new destroyer and its technology would give them. Her orders were about to take the DE’MOLAY far out towards the edge of Alliance territory, out into the territory covered by the massive Explorer ships...and beyond. Out towards the far reaches.
Such was the price of fame.
And then, Alwhin nodded at her; the time had come, and she grinned, a bit too fiercely, it seemed, for some on the bridge, who widened their eyes and looked the other way. They would learn her moods, in due course, and realize what those fierce smiles meant...
"This is the Bridge; Engineering, you're going to tell me we're ready for departure, aren't you?"
"Acknowledged on that request, Bridge!" came Mithrush's throaty, and still, it seemed, *excited* reply. "All systems are stable, reactors reading at full output. All systems in the green, we're ready to go when you are, Captain!"
One hurdle down, several to go."Bridge to Platform Command; this is the EAS DE'MOLAY; we are standing by, ready for departure, on your word."
"DE'MOLAY, this is Platform Control, your request is acknowledged; stand by for release."
Mere seconds after that, Alwhin cut into the ship's intercom systems, overruning the computer...he was damned, as usual, if he was going to let a *computer* announce something this important. "All decks, this is the executive officer; stand by for zero gravity...I say again, stand by for zero-G."
Not the part she enjoyed the most about ship's operations, but once you'd served on a heavy cruiser, you could put up with just about anything, she thought as the destroyer slowly pulled away from the Platform, first on inertia, and then on maneuvering thrusters, all they were allowed at this stage. "Commander??"
Alwhin grinned, and nodded. "Initiating spin gravity...*now*."
Slowly, and then, with gradually increasing speed, the central section of the DE'MOLAY brought the relief of returned gravity to the bridge. And after a brief check to ensure they were well clear of the Platform."Engineering, this is the Bridge; anytime you're ready."
"Main engines are champing at the bit, Captain!" came the reply from Engineering. "And the Jump Engines are ready anytime you are."
She laughed silently to herself; when was her new chief engineer going to calm down below 'buzzed' was the question of the day. "Mr. Telluride; bring us up to one and a half gravities... slowly. Our course, to the Io Jump Station. It seems that half of the Jovian system, and a billion more besides, want to see us jump into history, or so I've heard. I suppose it wouldn't do to disappoint them, now would it?"
* * *
**"...What we've just seen, out here at Io, tells us all that even after all that's happened, all the battles, all the war that the people of Earth have been through, there's someone watching out for us. Slightly more then ten minutes ago, in what I'm *sure* was somewhat of a breach of regulations, Captain Tikopai swept her new command by us at a range of what I would have to say was far less then a kilometer. Everyone here was able to get a *nice* close look at the DE'MOLAY, and an impressive looking ship it is. All I'm going to say is, I'm *very* glad she's on our side, very glad indeed, and best of luck and Godspeed to the Captain and all her crew. I'm sure they'll need it, going where they are.
This is Roger Ireland, signing off, for ISN News."**
* * *
All around her, the deep thrum of the DE'MOLAY's engines resounded; such a familiar sound, and yet different at the same time, as she laid her head back on her pillow. Both the pillow and her precious Tolkien novels had survived the destruction of her last command. Whatever she did, wherever she went, from this time on, she meant to ensure that would not be repeated. And all those who served with her, past, present and future, were, somehow, it seemed, dedicated to the same. She had made it, escaped into a fate far different then she could have imagined, even a week before.
She smiled; Erilyn Devaie had named her 'charmed', after all; it almost made sense, for in the old days, 'charmed' was equated with otherworldly abilities, abilities arcane in nature.
Ironic, she supposed, for a witch to be commanding a Warlock.
All too ironic.
And then, the door chime sounded, and she rose, casting an irritated glance at the time; far too late. As usual, she *really* needed to do less thinking and more sleeping... "Yes?"
"Captain, this is Lieutenant Mithrush; may I come in?"
"It's late, Lieutenant; can't this wait?"
"I'm afraid not, Captain...now that we're away from Earth...
There's something you should know."
* * *
To be continued...
* * *
Next time: As the spring of 2262 dawns, and William continues to guide the White Star Fleet through crises at the Enfeeli Homeworld, at Babylon 5 and elsewhere, it is becoming increasingly clear that a new destiny is waiting for the Rimstalker on Minbar..."Reflections in Shadow" the next part of "The Walkers in the Darkness" coming soon.