("A Cry in the Dark", Act III)

        <<Act Three>>

        IPX Vessel Charlemagne - downgradient from Acheson IV colony. 12:21 hrs, EST - Dec 11th, 2267.

        "Okay, first things first," Renly Moreau began, coming straight to the point as usual, "Can he be trusted?"

        "Who, Miller?" Max Eilerson inquired. The other IPX scientist nodded. "Yeah, he knows when to keep his mouth shut and also how to keep himself out of enemy hands. There's... been a few situations I've been in over the past few months that might have resulted in a unpleasant early retirement had Mr. Miller not stepped in to help out..."

        "What he's trying to say, Doc," Miller interrupted, "Is that he owes me one - several times over. So in return, maybe I should whistle real loudly while you two are talking about company secrets?"

        "That shouldn't be necessary, if we handle this right." Moreau replied after a moment's thought. "To cut to the chase, Max - I've done some sifting through the company database, hacking into files that a few of our executives don't even know have been hacked. I've found out a few things... things that surprised me and things that scared the Hell out of me."

        "So what's so new about that? Remember, Renly, it's our job to acquire technologies to improve the lot of Earth related to the rest of the Alliance governments, most specificially the more advanced governments like the Centauri and Minbari. But enough pep talks... these things you've found out - there wouldn't happen to be any pattern to them, would they? Something, for instance, involving the Shadow technology these anti-Alliance types seem to be using?"

        Moreau nodded. "You remember the guy who was in charge of the Warlock project, 'bout five years ago?"

        "Remember?" Eilerson snorted. "To tell you the truth, it's pretty damn hard to forget that megalomaniac... wait a minute! Are you trying to tell me that..."

        "The ships that Gideon and the rest are fighting were built by humans? In part, that's exactly what I'm trying to say, Max. And even though the ISA investigators in charge of the inquiry into that whole mess in '62 and '63 were sure all the bad apples from those days were either dead or in the slammer, no way in Hell did they get 'em all. That, combined with the various renegade groups of Shadow servants still on the prowl, was bound to be a recipe for trouble - which is exactly what we've got."

        "All right, fair enough - we've explored cause, and touched on effect... but what I really need from you now is a name. Who's in charge of the enemy force, Renly? Who's the guy that wants the Alliance to fail so badly?"

        "I really shouldn't be telling you this, you know - if the bosses up on high ever find out about this little talk, I'll be dead and so will you."

        "And that isn't gonna happen if these renegades and their Shadowtech warships catch up to us? The name, Renly... now."

        "All right, Max - but after this, no more favours... agreed?" Eilerson nodded - and then Moreau gave Eilerson what he was looking for. "Now get the Hell off of my ship - and let's pretend this never happened."

        "Son of a bitch." Eilerson managed, as he and Miller made their way back to the shuttle. "I should've known that bastard would turn up again sooner or later."

        "You know this guy that Moreau was talking about, then?"

        "Know him, no. Know of him, oh yes!" Eilerson shook his head grimly - Ari Ben Zayn. "Wasn't enough for him to learn about everyone's dirty little secrets, now was it?" he muttered. "Hell no - he had to try and take over the galaxy as an encore just for good measure."

* * *

        The Shard of Night - adrift in hyperspace. 12:33 hrs, EST.

        A proud smile on her face, Sheynell gazed upwards to take in the slightly shimmery forms of the not quite full-grown Fen hanging several kilometres above them, each of which were more than twice the size of the Shard - and then she glanced over at the arc-light glow being flung off by the antennae Nicholas and Lesaki had unspooled only minutes before - a glow whose origin lay in the tremendous bolts of electricity being cast off by their benefactors.

        Luckily for everyone involved, It hadn't taken her long to explain to her... ('friends' was probably the best description) what she'd wanted them to do, nor had it taken much encouragement for them to run with the idea. Apparently the elders among the Fen were very strict about their youthlings not shooting defensive bolts off at random, so what this situation was giving them was a chance to show off.

        At the same time, their output was also correspondingly smaller then that of their fullgrown cousins, thus no bigger then the conventional and completely random discharges that filled hyperspace anyways... another piece of luck. Even if Rahkeel and the rest were still looking for them, those discharges probably wouldn't attract any attention. And once Nicholas and his people finished recharging the batteries, not only was the Shard's chief engineer going to try the Minbari equivalent of a 'reboot' on the battlecruiser's secondary computer core, but shortly threafter a restart of one of the Shard's fusion reactors, as well!

        <#Sure you are, that we cannot grasp hold of your vessel-of-light, and take you to place of safety?#> one of the Fen asked her. <#Nothing we have not done before#>

        <That's very true,> she assured the Fen, <But if there's any constant to hold to in this situation, anything we've learned over the centuries, it's that once you get lost and in trouble, it's usually a good idea to stay in one place until help arrives.>

        <!Home is not a stable place!> the slightly more impetuous of the three Fen pointed out. <!Drift takes us from place to place, towards and away from sources of food... you call this 'currents'?!> There was a pause, and then the giant creature added, <!Like currents in your places like our home, places you call... seas? Places where you saw things-like-us?!>

        Sheynell's eyes widened as she realized what {!} was getting at. Just for a moment she'd thought back on a series of dives she'd taken in the seas off Kauai during a holiday on Earth, years before - before the Telepath War, that had been. And on one of those dives she'd actually seen some jellyfish - creatures of a very different sea given a close resemblance to the Fen by genetic chance. <You have a point, but I don't think we've gone very far just yet - while I've made contact with another ship... it's coming this way.>

        <-Ship of humans?-> the third Fen inquired.

        Sheynell nodded, even as she bit her lip in worry, thinking yet again of the secret she was keeping from the rest. <Yes - and one your kind has met already... or so I understand?>

        <#Ship you name...#>

        <Excalibur...>

        "Sheynell - is everything all right out there?"

        Sheynell shuddered as she turned away from the voices of the Fen and back to the real world. "Everything's fine," she told Julia, "Do Nick and Lesaki have enough stored energy to start miracle working yet?"

        "They say yes - and would you ask the Fen to 'cease fire' for the time being?"

        That taken care of, the captain of the Shard immediately pressed on to the next item on her agenda. "Now... what about this warship you managed to contact? Were you able to figure out which race the ship belonged to?"

        Tell her, tell her... the words almost came, but at the last minute Sheynell changed her mind, and decided to tell a white lie instead. "I think... Minbari. The contact wasn't very clear - the telepath said he would try and convince his captain to change course - but didn't say how long it would take them to get here." Some of which was the truth, and some of which was a truth concealed behind a web of something else entirely...

        "Fair enough - at least between Nicholas' plan and the Minbari riding to our rescue, we're keeping our options open."

* * *

        The Excalibur - main bridge. 12:51 hrs, EST.

        "Rangers, huh?" Matthew Gideon mused, as Matheson watched the wheels of calculation whirling in his captain's eyes. "And this telepath you contacted, Lieutenant, you believe..."

        "She's human, sir - I'm sure of it."

        "A human telepath on a Ranger ship. Tell me something, John - you wouldn't happen to have any idea who this might be, would you?"

        Matheson frowned. "Ah - well, to be honest, sir... there's only ever been one rogue that joined up with them that I know of, and I'm fairly sure she came back to the Corps before the Telepath War - the rumour mill had it that Bester was involved..."

        "Rumours are a dime a dozen during wartime, Lieutenant - but I don't suppose it really matters who this telepath is... we'll find out her identity soon enough once we track that ship down."

        "So we're going, then?"

        Gideon nodded, his expression determined as he beckoned in the direction of his comm officer. "We are indeed going. Ensign, open me a channel to the Carthage, if you please."

        "Channel open, sir."

        "Gideon to Carthage - Reidinger, we need to have a little chat."

        "Oh great," Captain Michael Reidinger ground out, as he saw the expression on Gideon's face, "You've come up with a plan, haven't you? Would it make any difference at all at this point for me to tell you this is a bad idea?"

        "Nope, 'fraid not. Seems my XO's made contact with a Ranger ship in distress, and since we're the only battlegroup in the area, and he's the only telepath in our little formation..."

        "Are you trying to tell me the distress signal's being sent out by a telepath?"

        "Exactly - and as such, the ship that telepath is serving on is probably in a whole lot of trouble. We have to go - as I recall, when Earth signed on as a member of the ISA, one of the clauses was we help out the other races when the going gets tough - like right now, for instance. And we don't get to them first..."

        "The enemy's probably going to be next in line." Reidinger sighed, and nodded his head. "I don't like splitting the group up, Captain - but the Rangers have saved our skins too many times for us to ignore this. Let me make a call before you go, though - we probably should try and send at least a couple Ranger ships with you as escort..."

        Shortly thereafter, as promised, the commander of the Carthage had another short chat, this time with the commander of the battlegroup's Ranger contingent.

        That warrior, needless to say, was none too pleased to hear what was going on.

* * *

        Strike Cruiser ISAS Trikaain. 13:02 hrs, EST.

        "You can't be serious."

        Kellani of Ve'shaht, former member of the Star Riders Clan and now for two of his homeworld's seasons the commander of the Trikaain, turned to face the holoimage cast from the bridge of the Trikaain’s sister ship Pandora, and nodded. "Gideon appears intent on this fool plan of his - and given the amount of leverage given to him by the Earth Alliance Senate as well as Sheridan and the ISA Advisory council, at this stage there probably isn't anyone who can stop him from carrying it out. At the same time, however, the captain of the Earther destroyer Carthage has requested Anla'shok protection for the Excalibur for, I quote, 'as long as it takes to reach the vessel in distress.' "

        "And you've decided to place yourself in charge of the defending squadron."

        "I have." Vellani confirmed. "Should the enemy decide to attack the Excalibur, the Anla'shok defending that vessel should have a commander with as much battle experience as possible. As you no doubt agree, I fall into that category."

        "Which leaves me in charge of defending the other Earth ships." the other Ranger observed.

        "I can think of no one better suited to taking on such a task, my friend." Vellani nodded in the direction of his First, and a moment later the file indicating the division of forces was tranferred between the two ships. "Even with our forces divided, all should go as we originally planned - the Carthage and the other ships in the battlegroup are now only three jumps from the rendezvous point in any case."

        "But..."

        "If my suspicions regarding the ship Lieutenant Matheson has contacted are proven accurate... the more ships we involve in Captain Gideon's latest crusade, the better."

        "It would seem we think alike on that score, Vellani. First the Sha'vei'e pass on word that the Shard may have fallen to the enemy advance - now we learn that the Excalibur's first officer has made contact with a telepath on a Ranger ship..."

        "And since there are only two human telepaths presently serving within the Anla'shok, and one of those safe on Minbar... as your kind would say, it is a 'safe bet' that Lieutenant Matheson has made contact with the Shard's tactical officer."

        "If their secret is revealed," the other Ranger warned, "The Entil'zha and her council may not be pleased."

        "Which is another reason why I should be the one to go on this mission - if we can reach the Shard ahead of Captain Gideon, their secret may yet be kept."

        "That's a big if, Vellani."

        "If destiny has decreed the coming together of their crews, we cannot stand in the way - we can only 'roll with the punches' and carry on regardless." The captain of the Pandora acknoledged that concluding comment, and a moment later communication ceased between the two Ranger cruisers - which allowed Vellani to get down to the business at hand at last, even as the Excalibur slowly moved out of the battlegroup and headed off into hyperspace. "This is Vellani to all ships - assume standard englobement formation. White Star's 71 and 107 are to take point. And now," the warrior muttered, "Let us see if we can contact the captain of the Night's Dagger - I believe there is something that Val'na Gardinier and I need to discuss."

* * *

        Bureau 13 vessel - entering secondary staging area. 13:27 hrs, EST.

        "Welcome to my parlour, said the spider to the fly." Paul Molyneux whispered, as his vessel came out of hyperspace and entered the secondary staging area assigned to him by Ben Zayn - which, at least for the time being, consisted of an asteroid base surrounded by several dozen well-armed weapons platforms. No vessels were, of course, present in the staging area apart from his own... just the way he liked it. "Of course, this would all be so much easier if the fly actually realized its place in the pecking order."

        "This is Asteroid Base Epsilon Mu Niner to Bureau 13 vessel." a harsh voice crackled down the communications channel. "Be aware that at this time your vessel is being tracked by all of the weapons platforms at our disposal - any deviation from the course assigned to you by General Ben Zayn will not be tolerated."

        Molyneux sighed, and shook his head sadly. "Where do you find them, General? 'Will not be tolerated', he says... once we are done here, commander, it will become very clear to you indeed what I do and do not tolerate."

        "I'm sorry..." a voice whispered behind him, "But there's something you've forgotten."

        Molyneux whirled, and for a moment found himself considering the somewhat attractive notion of snarling at the girl he'd saved from certain death - but then quickly banished the notion from his mind, and forced a smile onto his face instead. "Miss Hughes - did I or did I not mention that the bridge of this vessel was off limits to you until further notice?"

        "Yes," Kaitlyn replied, her tone matter of fact and gaze steady, "You did. But there's something you've forgotten, Mr. Molyneux - I had to at least tell you, before it happened. I'm sorry it has to be this way... but they gave me a choice - a choice between this life and another."

        "What the Hell are you talking about, girl?"

        "This."

        Darkness consumed them both.

* * *

        "Good morning, ladies and gentlemen," Vejar said, as his flyer smoothly came to rest beneath the docking port of Mr. Molyneux's transport, "You appear to have hit an unexpected bump in the road - please stand by while we step in to correct this problem."

        "While the theatrics are amusing," Galen said, "I believe we have a job to do?"

        "And of course, now he wants to be serious." Vejar turned to face his apprentice, even as outer hull of his flyer peeled away above them, the only thing protecting them from the vacuum of space the shield cylinder surrounding them both. "Are you ready?"

        "I... think so."

        "Thinking is useful," Vejar acknowledged, "But in the here and now, so is action." And with that said, the technomage cast out his will and extended the shield cylinder across the void to touch the docking port on the other ship, which, as it turned out, just happened to be tumbling, as well. "Steady yourself, Jaida - this may be a trifle disorienting."

        Jaida took a deep breath and closed her eyes even as a small flying platform formed under her feet and carried her across the gulf between the two ships and into the now-opened docking port in the other ship - an entrance darkened by the effects of Galen's spell. While it would also do at this time to remember the other effects Vejar had mentioned - the Bureau 13 vessel possessed an artificial gravity field, but that field was now temporarily disabled, which meant... "I bring my own gravity with me."

        She paused then to cast the simple spell Vejar had taught her - a spell which acted as a trigger for a more important one the mage had loaded into her crystal. Jaida grinned nervously as a force bubble formed around her, and then after another moment's thought added her mage globe so she could see what was going on. "Which way do I go?"

        "That way." Vejar's voice whispered in her ear. "The master of this vessel has just had a rather rude shock, while the object of our attentions is coming this way. It would probably be a good idea if we met her in the middle." Jaida nodded, and a moment later floated off down the corridor, the crystal responding to her wishes just as it had every other time she'd tried.

        And that was when she heard the voices. "Jaida," Vejar warned, "The globe - extuinguish it, now!"

* * *

        The man in Kaitlyn's dreams had warned her this would happen - that when they came for her the lights would fail and then the gravity... and when his prediction came true the first thing that had come into her head was to get away from Molyneux as fast as possible. He'd been surprised when the power had failed, of course, which had given her a head start - but she was losing that now because... because this zero gravity stuff, while fun to watch in the vids, was beginning to make her sick - and also probably because HE had experienced this plenty of times before.

        Kaitlyn shivered as she glanced back down the corridor at the figure following her. What she needed now was a miracle.

        "You can run, girl, but you can't hide from me." the master of Bureau 13 called out, as Kaitlyn slowly climbed up the side of the corridor away from the front of the slowly tumbling ship. "The interior of this ship is not infinite in size, and beyond its confines there is only the void. So why bother running, Miss Hughes?... where can you possibly go?"

        "Away." she managed, as she reached a corridor junction, and prepared to go round the bend. "Away from you."

        "Please, Kaitlyn - all I want to do is talk. All I want is to know who did this to us - who is responsible. Who they are."

        And that, as it turned out, was the moment Kaitlyn got her miracle, as an orange light suddenly flared into being, revealing the figure of a girl floating in mid air besides her, a girl she could've sworn hadn't been there a moment before. A girl in black clothes and wearing a black cloak - a Centauri? And then Kaitlyn gasped, because the light was coming from... a sphere floating above the girl's hand?

* * *

        "Who we are?" Jaida asked, as the man Vejar had named 'Molyneux' paused in his climb, his expression showing exactly how perturbed he was by current events. "Care to make a guess?"

        "Now, now," Vejar warned her, "Showing off in the here and now will only get you killed."

        "Right." Jaida gestured, and the girl she'd come here to rescue cried out as the spell pulled her away from the wall and into the force bubble. "Woah!"

        "You, a Technomage?" Molyneux sneered. "Don't make me laugh, girl - you're not old enough to be a member of that order. And now, I think it's time you returned Miss Hughes into my care."

        "Um... sorry, but I can't do that."

        "Oh, but I insist." Jaida paled as a small but obviously deadly weapon appeared in Molyneux's hand. "Your move."

        "Uh, Vejar?"

        "I believe this calls for an exit, stage right." A pale violet force shield appeared out of nowhere to cover the corridor between the two girls and Mr. Molyneux, who was now beginning to realize that this time, he'd actually been outsmarted at his own game. An event which was followed by the force bubble with the two girls inside it spinning around and racing off down the corridor to the waiting airlock, across the void gap and into Vejar's flyer.

        "Mission accomplished." Vejar said, as Jaida and Kaitlyn all but collapsed on the floor. "Shall we go?"

        "Oh, by all means," Galen replied, "After you."

        A grin appeared on Kaitlyn's face as she connected the face of the man hovering in the air above her with the face of the man in her dream. "Uh... hi?"

        The mage inclined his head in Kaitlyn's direction as Vejar's flyer rapidly retreated from Mr. Molyneux's still tumbling ship. "Miss Hughes. You're well, I trust?"

        "Uh - yeah, I think so..." Which was, of course, when Kaitlyn fainted.

        "Oh dear," Vejar said, "I suppose we should have seen that coming."

        "Is she okay?" Jaida asked.

        "She will recover," Vejar replied, as he bent down and gathered the slight figure of the young Observer into his arms, "And when she does, a few explanations may be in order."

* * *

        "Technomages." Molyneux mused, his eyes glittering darkly within the greater darkness his ship had become. "So! - the rumours were accurate, it seems. Once again they begin to meddle in things that do not concern them."

        Rather abruptly at that point, power and gravity returned, and without a moment's hesitation the master of Bureau 13 twisted his body to bring his shoes smartly to rest on the corridor floor. <chime> "Ah, yes - now the cavalry comes riding over the hill."

        "Sir!" the operative asked Molyneux a few moments later after he'd arrived on the bridge of his ship, "What happened? All of our ships experienced total power failures just as we were commencing the assault..."

        "What happened, you ask?" A smile appeared on Molyneux's face. "Why, the technomages happened."

        "Sir?"

        "Once we get the Hell out of here, I will explain...

        Everything."

* * *

        Shortly thereafter, an explanation of a different sort was being saught by the commander of the strike group sent by General Ben Zayn to destroy Matthew Gideon's ship. A man who, together with all the warriors and ships under his command, watched the Interstellar Alliance battlegroup they'd been assigned to attack emerge from hyperspace on its latest transfer point jump... minus a few critical ingredients.

        "Where is the Excalibur, damnit?"

        "Unknown, sir." one of the more junior officers on the commander's bridge replied. "All our intelligence indicates that Gideon's ship was a part of this taskforce as of two hours ago..."

        "And now it is not, Lieutenant!" the commander interrupted, his tone harsh. "Now it is not. Get me the Cain." It took only a moment to establish the commlink with the Project's flagship, and only a moment more after that for the face of General Ben Zayn to appear.

        "Commander - what the Hell's going on?"

        The commander drew in a deep breath. "General.

        We may... have a problem."

* * *

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