<<Act Four>>
Sometimes it's the simplest things that start long-term friendships. Friendships that survive through war and through peace, through darkness and fire - and down through the years. And sometimes friendships come out of nowhere and surprise you.
This friendship began with a word..."
- comments attributed to Kaitlyn Hughes during one of her sabbaticals at Refuge Xanxibaar in High Chayankeer, Minbar - Summer 2284
* * *
Technomage flyer - enroute in hyperspace. 17:55 hrs, EST - Dec 11th, 2267.
In the only slightly more then six days since Mr. Molyneux's people had kidnapped her from Colorado Springs, Kaitlyn Hughes had seen a lot of things, and gone through more - been cured of the dreaded Drakh plague, seen a battlefleet of black warships and endured the gaze of the horrible man that commanded that fleet. Predicted the future and endured the present.
There was a term she'd read about in school, a mental state that soldiers in the bad old days were supposed to have entered after enduring too much on the battlefield - 'shellshocked'. That word, she supposed, applied to her better than any other at the moment. Too much had happened to her in too short a time... and now, all she really wanted to do was shut herself away from the world and never come out again. Though she supposed she *should* thank the man whose ship this was for carrying her in here after she'd fainted!
It was then that she heard the door open, and furtive footsteps approach. While an appealing idea, shutting oneself away from the world wasn't really practical, all things considered. After a moment more thought, Kaitlyn let out a sigh and threw the covers back - to find herself face to face with the Centauri girl that had rescued her from Mr. Molyneux's ship. "Uh... hi!" her visitor tried. "So are you feeling any better?"
"If you're wondering whether or not I'm going to keel over again, the answer's probably not." she finally replied. "Is that..."
"Tea. Not the most popular product I deal in back home, but I guess Vejar's kinda fond of it... you want some?"
"So if you don't mind me asking, "Kaitlyn tried, ignoring the other part of the comment at least for the time being, "Where's home? Mars? Proxima? Um..."
The Centauri grinned, and Kaitlyn found it infectious enough that she ended up with one on her face as well. "My name's Jaida - and home's Babylon Five - when I'm not running 'round the galaxy rescuing people like you, that is."
"Kaitlyn. You're kidding! Were you there during the, well..."
"Shadow War?" Jaida finished for her, as Kaitlyn got out of bed and took the cup of tea being passed to her. "Yeah. It was pretty scary at times, but my friends and I all stuck together during the worst parts, both during the War and after. Like for instance, there was one time when these guys in red suits invaded the station... but Mr. Allan and his men fought 'em off, and then the Rangers came and saved the day!"
"Rangers." Kaitlyn shivered suddenly as an image of a dark-haired woman suddenly flashed through her mind, a woman all in black with a emerald jewel on her breast. "She's in danger, the woman they asked me about - they ambushed her and everyone she serves with. Jaida, she's in terrible, terrible danger - we have to do something!"
"You're talking about the Ranger some of us call the Seeker, right? The one named Julia?" Her expression wary, Kaitlyn nodded. "I figured that might be the case." Jaida replied, her expression thoughtful as she set down her cup of tea. "I've watched her come and go from B5 a few times over the years, and she even saved my life once. I guess... maybe it's time I helped return the favour."
"But... what are we going to do? I mean, now you've rescued me from Mr. Molyneux, what can you do? Apart from, well..."
"This?" Jaida's grin widened again, and even though she was expecting it, Kaitlyn still jumped when her new companion's light globe shimmered into view over the tabletop between them. "That's a good question. I think it'll probably involve us helping to save the day in some way, though."
"So, um... if you don't mind me asking, who exactly are you people, anyways? I mean there's you, this Vejar guy plus the man who visited me in my dreams..."
"Oh, that's just Galen." Jaida deadpanned, as her mage globe winked out. "Him and Vejar are technomages - I guess I'm going to be a mage too, one of these days. Right now, though, I'm just a first-level apprentice. And aren't you supposed to be...?"
"An Observer?" Kaitlyn sighed again, and then shrugged for good measure. "I guess I am - even though I don't know what it all really means, and I don't have a whole lot of control over my, um..."
"Whatever you do, don't say the p-word 'round the mages." Jaida warned. "I only ever did it once, and was that ever a mistake."
"Um... p-word?"
"Powers." Jaida enunciated. "'Abilities' is a good choice, even 'gifts' - but let me see if I can remember the important parts of his lecture... 'we are not "superheroes" from an net-vid, girl," Jaida continued, her voice taking on hints of Vejar's accent, "We have been chosen because of our character, our wisdom and our abililities, as I have chosen you in turn.' And on like that for a bit."
Kaitlyn's smile became a nervous one. "Gotcha. So, um, wherever we're going, are we there yet?"
"I don't think so... but it doesn't hurt to ask!"
* * *
Earth Alliance transport - in orbit around Acheson IV colony. 18:15 hrs, EST.
"I say again, this Dr. Max Eilerson to Excalibur. Captain Gideon, if you can hear me, please respond."
"All our operators are presently busy taking calls at the moment," Trace Miller wisecracked. "Please stay on the line, your call is important to us..."
"Mr. Miller, in case you weren't aware, the last time that joke was funny, your grandfather was in diapers. Damnit, where has Gideon gone this time?"
"Well at least we were able to get through to Captain Reidinger on the Carthage." Miller said. "I guess the XO received a telepathic distress signal from a Ranger ship, and they went off looking for it with a few White Stars and strike cruisers in tow."
"Which means they could be just about anywhere by now." Eilerson snapped. "I should've known this would happen. Here we have the intrepid archeologist, assigned to uncover the identity of the mastermind behind the fleet attacking the Interstellar Alliance, and when he makes the score, the Earthforce captain he works with has gone off on yet another wild goose chase..."
"Gentlemen," a voice from the ether announced, "I just might be able to help you with that problem."
Eilerson and Miller exchanged a quick and confused glance, and then the pilot leant forward, quickly determined what frequency the incoming message had been on, and replied, "Ah... and who are we talking to, if you don't mind me asking?"
"A friend in need is a friend indeed, Mr. Miller - and trust me, you need friends like me." Eilerson all but jumped out of his skin as a rapier-thin black needle shape suddenly shimmered into view no more than half a mile in front of the transport, followed shortly thereafter by an image of a pleasant featured, dark-haired man on the viewscreen in front of them. "My name's Kavanagh, and between myself and your friend Dr. Eilerson, we possess enough dirt on our esteemed friend the General to take him and all his followers down for the count - but only if we can get to a place of safety first. That place, of course, being the one and only starship Excalibur."
"Mr. Kavanagh, if that's really your name - are you trying to say...?"
"I am indeed, Doctor." Kavanagh replied with a short laugh. "Take me to your leader."
* * *
Somewhere deep inside the hull of the Shadow technology warship named the Cain, General Ari Ben Zayn carefully went through the reports from his various subordinates, and while certain of those individuals had been expecting an explosion shortly thereafter, Ben Zayn, while furious, chose not to outwardly display his anger... instead funneling it into an intense examination of the situation as it now stood.
Item One - the sabotage of the Ranger vessel named Shard of Night, while at least partially successful, had not resulted in its capture by Rahkeel and his allies. Those allies had now rejoined the fold, to be used in whatever fashion he saw fit.
Item Two - one of the stealth technology projects being worked on by his people had apparently been stolen by its creator. The present whereabouts of that vessel was not known.
Item's Three and Four - pretty much simultaneously, an unknown force had attacked one of his secondary staging areas, resulting in the disappearance of Mr. Molyneux and his young... ally - while the starship Excalibur and a number of Ranger vessels had also coincidentally gone missing.
Ben Zayn had learnt the hard way over the years not to jump to conclusions about his enemies, not to place them in identifiable boxes and classes, believing them incapable of change nor unexpected action... but in this case, the conclusion seemed obvious. "So," the General muttered, his eyes glittering in the darkness, "You maneuver against me, do you. Perhaps this game will be a far more interesting one than I had originally thought."
<chime> "This is Ben Zayn, go ahead."
"General," one of his subordinates reported, "The last of the scout groups have returned to the main fleet. Do we proceed to the primary objective at this time?"
For a moment, Ben Zayn thought to delay, to send his ships out to hunt for those vanished enemies and crews... but then decided against that option. If Gideon and his Ranger guardian were to join forces and move against him, he would deal with them in his own way, a fate measured not by deception and subterfuge, as his advisors and allies had promised would work... but instead by direct force. "Let them come." he whispered, before raising his voice to say, "Take us to the target, Commander...
Best possible speed."
* * *
Strike Cruiser Night's Dagger - entering formation with Ranger forces surrounding the Excalibur. 18:55 hrs, EST.
"So let me see if I've got this straight," Gardinier mused, as Vellani gazed stoicly down at him from the bridge of the Trikaain - "You think Lieutenant Matheson's made contact with Sheynell Keynes, and he's presently standing on the outer hull of the Excalibur guiding them towards her telepathic beacon?"
"That would be an accurate assessment of the situation, yes."
"Forgive me for pointing out the obvious, Vellani - but have you forgotten the itsy-bitsy tiny little order that President Sheridan gave to a certain starship commander a while back? Do you have any idea what will happen when Julia and Matthew Gideon have a face-to-face meeting, what'll happen when Gideon finds out her ship has been following him around for the past year?"
"I have not." the Minbari replied, his expression grave but with a small smile on his lips as the final member vessels of Gardinier's squadron joined the force englobing the Excalibur. "I believe that we will find out the consequences of that encounter soon enough, however."
* * *
The Excalibur - outer hull. 19:00 hrs, EST.
"Speak to me, Lieutenant - how's our vector?"
John Matheson closed his eyes, in the process filtering out the excess visual noise of hyperspace to focus on the faint but slowly strengthening mental beacon of the telepath on the Ranger ship - close now, and getting closer. "Not bad, but hold on." He concentrated, focusing all his will on 'feeling' the direction of that beacon. "Four degrees to starboard, five degrees down plane."
"Thank you, Lieutenant. I'm assuming this course tweaking will be coming to an end in the very near future?"
"Yes, sir." <Anla'shok Keynes, can you hear me?>
<Loud and clear, Lieutenant.> the reply came. <Just out of curiousity, how many ships have joined your little hunting party?>
<Quite a few, actually - all Rangers besides ourselves.> Then it was that Matheson got up the nerve to ask the question again. <You're sure you can't tell me what ship you're serving on?>
<I'm afraid not.> the other telepath replied, her mental tone tinged with regret and something else... fear? <When you arrive, you'll see why I can't give you the answer to that question. And please, Lieutenant - tell none of this to Captain Gideon until that moment arrives.>
<Of course.> Matheson promised. He shook his head in amazement as the direct contact faded away. It had only been a short time before that the 'Excalibur' had gotten close enough for he and the other telepath to begin a more long-term conversation, one unhindered by hyperspace static, and when she'd told him her name, he'd instantly found himself flashing back to when he'd still been a serving member of the Psi Corps, before the Crisis... before the War.
To a time when he'd stood in an audience, and listened to Alfred Bester tell them all the way it was going to be. Found himself remembering the young woman that had been standing at Bester's side that day, her blonde hair braided, and expression severe. Sheynell Keynes - the P12 telepath Bester had chosen as his successor... his brilliant, ruthless young protege, a woman who'd disappeared when the Telepath War had been at its height. Keynes's fate had been debated amongst the more junior members of the Bureau of Telepathic Integration ever since the end of the War - some said she'd gone rogue, some had suggested she'd been killed. The truth, as far as he was concerned, was stranger then any of the suggestions. "How did you do it?" he whispered. "Why did you do it?
And why won't you tell me the name of your ship?"
* * *
The Excalibur - Captain's quarters. 19:20 hrs, EST.
His expression preoccupied, Matthew Gideon reclined in the most comfortable chair he owned (which, given that they were provided by an Earthforce subcontractor, wasn't saying much) and did his best to relax. Now that his XO had all but promised the Excalibur was pointing in the right direction, and that soon enough they would reach the ship they were trying to find, he'd gone down for a bite to eat and then to his quarters to think over things...
"Answers."
Gideon almost fell out of his chair. "What the Hell - was that you?" he demanded of the apocalypse box, as he quickly took it out of its hiding place. "Answers to what?"
"To what you seek." the box said. "Innocence will end, dreams will shatter."
"Whose innocence?"
"Yours."
"Why?"
"When the Seeker and the Warrior unite, the darkness shall tremble." the box replied. "The veil shall be removed and night shall dawn."
"Captain Gideon?"
Gideon shook his head, still trying to make sense of what the box had told him as he quickly put it away, out of sight if not out of mind. "This is Gideon, go ahead."
"Sir, I think you should get back up to the bridge and pronto." the watch officer warned. "Our sensors have detected Galen's flyer on final approach."
"Well, well - 'bout time he showed up."
"Ah, Captain?"
"Yes?"
"He's not alone."
* * *
"Oh wow." Jaida breathed, as Vejar's flyer followed Galen's into the massive hangar bay of the ship Vejar had named Excalibur, "This just can't be happening. Selene is going to go bananas when I tell her about this!"
"Then perhaps you should learn to hold your tongue." Vejar replied, as the two technomage flyers gently set down in the hangar bay interior. "You have earned the right to be witness to this moment, girl - but perhaps not the right to tell the universe all about it."
"I understand, Master." Jaida apologized, as she and Kaitlyn followed the mage out of the flyer. "So what happens now?"
"That happens." Vejar tilted his head towards two figures moving towards them at speed, one in a black uniform, the other wearing a spacesuit. "Brace yourselves..."
"Galen!" the older officer barked, "What the Hell is going on here? I wasn't aware my ship was going to be used for a technomage convention!"
"Hardly that, Captain." Galen replied, his tone matter of fact. "There is very little time left, and so I will come straight to the point. This is my fellow mage Vejar and his apprentice, the other child the reason I have been absent from the 'Excalibur'. Certain powers sought to use her talents to their own advantage - in turn, we chose to deny them that right. And now we have returned to aid you in your time of need."
"Something important's about to happen, isn't it?" Matheson asked.
"Do not ask questions for which you already have the answers, Lieutenant." the mage frostily replied. "The time is near."
Vejar glanced at Kaitlyn Hughes, took in her expression, and said, "That comment is perhaps not entirely accurate, Galen."
"How so?"
"The time is now."
* * *
The Shard of Night - adrift in hyperspace. 19:59 hrs, EST.
"Ladies and gentlemen," Nicholas yelled, "Start your engines!"
"Well, at least one, that is." Lesaki wryly amended as the engineers and their now re-energized followers hovered over the now-theoretically cleansed crystals that controlled one of the Shard's many fusion reactors. "More will follow, should our luck continue to hold."
"It will." Julia confidently replied, her mood brighter then it had been in ages. "We're just lucky the Fen came along when they did - without their help we might never have powered up the computer core..."
"Which, in turn, let us attempt an engine restart." the Minbari agreed. "Now, even if help wasn't coming, we probably would be able to extracate ourselves from this predicament..."
"Val'na, this is the bridge, please respond." With a brisk nod, Julia moved to the nearest comm station - Klairika's communication, while clear, wasn't holographic in form just yet - that would require a great deal more power then they presently had with only one reactor online. Soon enough, though, the Shard would be back in top operating form - Nicholas had never let her down, and how would this time be any different? "This is she - what's up?"
"What little sensor coverage we have, given that we lost control over most of our whisker drones when the power failed, suggests that a rather large group of ships is approaching. Perhaps you should come to the bridge?"
* * *
The Excalibur - main bridge. 20:01 hrs, EST.
"Captain, we've got a contact on long range sensors - its energy signature suggests it's adrift."
"Is that our Ranger ship, Lieutenant?" Gideon asked his first officer. Matheson reached out with his telepathic senses for a moment, found the bright glow that was Sheynell Keynes' mind, and nodded. "Yes, sir - I do believe it is."
"Sensors are returning a silouette, sir..." the tech paused then, however, and when he spoke next, it was to say, "What the Hell?"
"Is there a problem, Ensign?"
"Uh, I'm not sure if this should be classed as a problem as such, sir. It's just that I don't, well... I don't think this ship is a White Star, sir... or a strike cruiser, either."
"And what makes you say that, Ensign?" Gideon inquired. The younger officer showed him.
The next words to come out of Matthew Gideon's mouth were better imagined then witnessed.
* * *
"Julia," Sheynell began as she managed to intercept her captain's course enroute to the bridge, "I've heard that there's some ships enroute to our position. Looks like our change of luck is holding up. Except..."
Julia glanced her friend in that moment and instantly felt her sixth sense shift into high gear. "Except... what?"
"There's... something you don't know," Sheynell replied - and from Julia's viewpoint, she was obviously struggling with the words, looking for a way to tell her something she wouldn't want to hear. "I've been looking for a way to tell you this for hours, now. The ship I contacted, the telepath I reached - Julia, he isn’t serving on a Minbari ship. He's..."
"Serving on a ship the Minbari helped to build?" a suddenly horrified Julia finished for her, not wanting to believe that one of her own had betrayed her in this fashion. "You don't mean - you can't mean... how could you?"
"I had to!" Sheynell replied, her tone fierce and expression desperate. "The condition we were in, he was the only telepath within range of my gifts..."
She didn't hear the rest of Sheynell's apology and explanations - instead Julia found herself running, a course that quickly brought her to the still dimly lit bridge. "Val'na," Klairika hesitantly began when the Brakiri took in the expression on her captain's face, "Is something wrong?"
"Is something wrong, she asks." Julia exclaimed, as she stalked into the bridge observation area. She pointed out into hyperspace, as the fleet come to save them began emerging from the hyperspace mists. "How's that for starters?"
"Oh dear," Larieken began.
"It is the Excalibur." Dasouri observed.
"It would appear that the mission President Sheridan gave to us is over." Klairika concluded, her expression thoughtful. "Though I must admit this was not when I expected that ending would take place."
"And this doesn't bother any of you?"
"Bother?" Larieken asked. "No. It is a surprise, I must admit... but only the latest in a long string. It would seem that all Anla'shok who serve under you are fated - ah, how does that old Earth curse go..."
"To live in interesting times." another voice finished for him, and all the Rangers turned as one as Sheynell entered the bridge. "I think this qualifies as such, don't you?"
Julia wanted to be mad at her - but eventually decided she couldn't be. A new door had been opened - and whatever came next, they would be there to face it. "Sheynell?"
"Yes, Val'na?" the telepath replied, her expression serious.
Julia smiled. "Apology accepted."
* * *
"In that moment, the shakedown cruise of the Interstellar Alliance battlecruiser Shard of Night came to an end.
In that moment, did our real mission begin."
* * *
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