"STAR AND CIRCLE: THE SEEKER'S FIRE"
EPISODE NINETEEN: "AT THE HEART OF THE STORM"

* * *
        (disclaimers and associated descriptions in overture)

* * *

        <<Act Two>>

        For every darkness there must always be a heart - and the heart of General Ari Ben Zayn's fleet of Shadow technology vessels was his own flagship, a vessel whose construction he had personally supervised from the beginning... the mile and a half long leviathan he had long ago christened the Cain. While all the vessels under his command were heavily armed, the Cain was... unique in both its quantity of weaponry, and also that it was the only vessel in Ben Zayn's arsenal capable of directly phasing between hyper- and realspace... this, of course, due to the incorporation of the Shadow base that Mordechai had acquired for him several days before.

        And now, Ben Zayn watched from his vantage point in hyperspace, and smiled the smile of the predator as jump points opened in the skies of Greater and Lesser Krindar, and the vessels under Guttricht Haaker's command began again the mission that the others before Ben Zayn had failed to complete. This time there would be no mistakes and no margin for error - and even if Sheridan chose to send against him the means by which his predecessors had been defeated... well, he was prepared for that, too. The General knew that Sheridan had ordered the Rangers to mass a fleet at Babylon 5, but soon enough, if everything went as planned, that fleet and any that followed it would become irrelevant.

        But back to the assault - which appeared to be going as planned, as ships under Haaker's command were joined first by Drakh vessels loyal to Palakz, then by Rahkeel's ship the Stormwind, and finally by the more... unique warships loyal to the Eloi'a named Aeilyn - and together, the sometimes-reluctant allies moved to the attack. Ben Zayn had, of course, listened to the reasons the others had given for attacking the target of their choice, and while those reasons were sound, and they would attack that world eventually... the time was not yet.

        The keys to victory were threefold - first, to draw Sheridan's fleet away from Babylon 5 and divide it, to keep the Interstellar Alliance warriors occupied even as Haaker and the others continued their series of hit and run attacks throughout Alliance space. Second, to separate from the others first the Shard of Night and then the Excalibur. Through their investigations the crews of both ships were becoming a threat to him and his plans - and the General knew he could not allow that if he wanted those plans to succeed - so, both one-of-a-kind ships would have to be destroyed, and due to the hatreds of his allies, the Ranger warship would almost certainly be no more soon enough.

        And the third key? Only when the Alliance fleet was no longer in a position to threaten him would Ben Zayn unleash the full might of his armada at the target chosen by his allies - to show the Alliance exactly what he was capable of. Then come a peace, but at a price - a price that President Luchenko, her cabinet and the Earthforce Joint Chiefs of Staff would almost certainly agree to... if they wanted to live, that was.

        <ping> Ben Zayn's eyes narrowed as an image of his adjutant came into view. "I'm assuming you have a good reason for disturbing me at this time?"

        The adjutant nodded. "Yes, sir - a small vessel has arrived at the fleet perimeter - the... commander of that vessel is requesting permission to come aboard."

        Ben Zayn cursed, and then nodded - of course. "So, he's back then, is he?"

        "Sir?"

        "Never mind, Commander - put the signal through." Ben Zayn's lip curled in an expression of distaste as another image appeared, of a silver haired man with a faint hint of a smile on his face. "Molyneux - as you may or may not know, I'm very busy at the moment. What do you want?"

        "May I come aboard your vessel, General?" the other man inquired. "There is something we must discuss."

        "Would you care to be more specific?"

        Molyneux nodded. "As it turns out, an... item has come into my possession, an item I believe you will find useful, given that you seem set on carving out a little empire for yourself before all is said and done."

        "Do you mock me, sir? - I would be more careful with your words, if I were you. Remember that I am sitting on enough firepower to grind your pitiful little ship down into dust and beyond."

        "Something which is quite impossible to forget, given the size of your flagship, General. And while you could 'grind me down to dust', don't you want to know what I've got? Aren't you even a little bit curious?"

        With a barely restrained snarl, Ben Zayn clamped down on his anger... and finally nodded. "Very well - I suppose I can allow your ship to dock."

        "An wise move, General." Molyneux allowed. "We'll be seeing you soon."

        "We?" Ben Zayn exclaimed, "What do you mean, we?"

        The only answer he received to that question, however, was the sound of a comm channel being severed.

* * *

        Greater Krindar Nearspace - 10:25 hrs, EST - Dec 10th, 2267.

        "You appear displeased, Tirivail..." Rahkeel observed, as the renegade Alyt's first officer stalked back and forth across the bridge of the Stormwind. "Would you care to tell me what is bothering you?"

        "What is bothering me? Alyt, there is nothing about this operation that I like - from the technology they are using, to their methods, to the fact that we now find ourselves in an alliance with former servants of the Shadows..."

        "Enough!" Rahkeel replied, his voice sharp as a knife. "Your concerns are noted - but as well you know, we have travelled too far down this dark road to turn aside now... we must follow it to the end or be destroyed. And I think you know who would be the ones to do that."

        Tirivail nodded, her expression now becoming bleak. "If we betray the forces loyal to Haaker and his General - I have no doubt they would send Shadow technology warships after us. And even if we were to survive and return home, the Shai Alyt..."

        "Would not be kind. Besides, if we turn aside now, the opportunity to see the changeling and her crew pay for their crime of thievery will be denied us. It is... an elegant trap we have crafted for them, a trap built with aid from both our crew, Ben Zayn's forces and Palakz's Centauri agent."

        A chime sounded, and in an instant the two Minbari turned away from their discussion and back towards the task at hand. "All orbital facilities save for one orbital comm relay have been destroyed." Tirivail reported. "The forces loyal to the Drakh and the Eloi'a are leaving the system, Haaker sends word that we should do the same."

        "I agree." The younger renegade inclined her head and waved her hands over the control crystals - a moment later, a exit jump point shimmered into view at the Stormwind's bow. "We have accomplished what we set out to achieve in this place - and now... I believe it is time for us to head to the rendezvous point."

* * *

        Babylon 5 - Transit Lounge One. 11:35 hrs, EST.

        "Well, isn't this just typical." Lochley muttered, as together with Gideon and Matheson, she allowed herself to be carried on the tide of Interstellar Alliance personnel making their way towards the docking bays and, eventually, their respective warships. "You just get here, and no sooner do we make plans for a lunch with one another..."

        "When the bad guys decide to get restless and turn the orbital facilities of an agricultural colony into spacedust. Yep, that's usually how it works around these parts - it doesn't just rain, it pours."

        "The only thing I don't understand, though, is why the enemy sent their ships against the Krindar colonies. I mean, there isn't really anything there that's worth attacking!"

        "Maybe not, Captain," Matheson agreed, "But what if this isn't about territory or property? What if this attack was made simply for terror's sake?"

        Lochley nodded, her expression bleak. "Given the circumstances of this attack, combined with the little we do know about the enemy, you're probably right, Lieutenant. And the more often these Shadow technology ships attack, the more nervous the various Alliance governments are going to get. Looks like someone's got to do something, before this situation gets out of hand."

        "And that would be where we come in, I think." Gideon finalized, as they reached the exit portal. "Now - as for that lunch date - when I get back, I promise I'll stop by, and we'll..."

        "Ah, Captain?"

        "What now, Lieutenant?" an exasperated Gideon replied... even as he followed Matheson's gaze over to the corner - and the dark cloaked individual standing there. "Ah, Hell - Captain, do you mind?"

        "Not at... all." a somewhat perplexed Lochley replied. "I'll see you after the crisis is over, then?" Gideon nodded absent mindedly, already focused on other matters, and the first was...

        "Galen! Where the Hell have you been?"

        "I've been... busy - and I'm afraid my life shows no sign of becoming less busy any time soon. Matthew, I must travel apart from you for a time - there are matters I must take care of in person before our voyage together can continue."

        "Damnit, Galen, you do realize what we're going up against out there, don't you? We need... I need your help on this one. Badly."

        "And you will have it - but not here, and not now. Do not press me on this issue, Captain - everything, for now, is in the balance - and until that balance is restored..."

        "You don't say - and what 'balance' would that be?"

        A faint smile appeared on the Technomage's face at those words. "You will understand, soon enough - and when that moment is at hand, I will be there." And with that Galen turned away, and melted into the crowd.

        "You know what?" Matheson observed. "I really hate it when he does that."

        "You're not the only one, Lieutenant." Gideon replied, as the two made their way out of the transit lounge. "He'll be back when he's ready, though, and not a moment before. For now, we've got bigger fish to fry."

* * *

        Behind the departing Earthforce officers, Galen inclined his head as he heard those words. "The thing you have to remember, Matthew, is that the bigger issues, when weaved together with smaller ones... tend to form a pattern."

        "They do not see the pattern yet, Galen." Vejar said, as he came to Galen's side, "But they will, soon enough. And perhaps they will even understand their way out of this situation, before it kills them."

        "Perhaps."

* * *

        "He wants you to do what? And he's sending you where?"

        "Father's sending me off station," Jaida repeated, as at the other end of the comm link, the incredulous expression on the face of her best friend and business associate Selene O'Hara deepened. "To Minbar, to stay with one of his friends in the business community there until this whole crisis blows over."

        "But, but... that could be weeks, or even - and what about our business? What about..."

        Jaida made a face, and after a moment, Selene fell silent, her expression still a little resentful. "As much as I hate to admit it, Selene, I think he might be right about this. After all, almost every time we have a big galactic crisis, the station gets attacked..."

        "Well yeah, but..."

        "And as for IGOT, I'm quite sure you can take care of the business for me until this all blows over. You know how these things go - sooner or later the Rangers and the rest will find the enemy, they'll be a big battle, and then everything will return to normal!"

        "You hope." Selene muttered. "So you're going, then."

        "I gotta, yeah - it'll only be for a few days, though... promise!"

        To that, Selene nodded grumpily. "So when's your flight leave?"

        "At 16:00 hrs, Station Time, this afternoon."

        Selene groaned. "Oh, for the... that's when my practice is supposed to start! Now I gotta go ask HaaTuzTef for permission to come say goodbye to you. I gotta go... talk to you later?"

        Jaida nodded glumly - and even as Selene's image faded from view, another thought snuck into her mind - "And maybe," she muttered, "Once this is all over, they’ll actually let me tell you the real reason I agreed to Father's plan so easily."

* * *

        Shadow Technology Flagship Cain - Flag Officer's ready room. 12:10 hrs, EST.

        "Sir - Mr. Molyneux..."

        "Has arrived." Ben Zayn replied, as he set down the latest report detailing the fleet's operational status, and rose to his feet. "And the 'package', Commander... has he brought that with him?"

        The other officer cleared his throat uncomfortably. "That all depends on how you define the term. Sir."

        Ben Zayn scowled - he didn't like the sound of this... he didn't like the sound of this at all. "Show him in, then, Commander - soon enough, we'll see what this is all about - and whether he even earns the right to leave this place as he has come."

        The door opened - and a moment later the man who called himself Molyneux (though after some checking, Ben Zayn had finally come to the conclusion that this could not possibly be his real name) appeared in the doorway, the suit he was wearing dark, simple but elegant... and shortly thereafter another figure appeared in the door... and that was when the General lost his temper.

        "Molyneux, what the Hell..."

        "Now, now - if you keep losing your temper like this, you're liable to start making mistakes, General. We wouldn't want that, now would we?"

        Ben Zayn took a deep breath as the dark-haired young woman at Molyneux's side gazed at him like one would look at a snake, not knowing whether or not that snake would bite. And just like that his mood improved - he could, of course, order their deaths if he so chose, but Molyneux had been right about one thing, at least - Ben Zayn now found himself curious to learn why Bureau 13's mastermind had brought this apparently unremarkable child into the heart of his domain. And as such - "No, of course not - though I do believe an explanation or two is in order?"

        Molyneux smiled - a smile that did not reach his eyes. "Of course. All is not as it seems... while my young companion Miss Hughes here may be more valuable to you and your cause than you can possibly imagine."

        "I see - and why would that be?"

        "Tell me, General - have you ever heard of the Observers?"

        Ben Zayn's eyes widened as he put two and two together. "Yes... wait! Are you trying to tell me that this child is one of these metasensories we've heard so much about? Are you aware that every human Observer located to date is either a Ranger or working for Sheridan's Alliance?"

        "The answer to both your questions, General, is yes. Sheridan and his allies were quick to recognize the value of Jennifer Westcastle and her, shall we say, energetic protege - while the recent Eloi'a incursion into Alliance space all but proved they are capable, in some way, of communicating with one another across great distances..."

        "The question is," Ben Zayn interrupted, "Can this... girl predict the movements of our enemies before they happen - can she, for instance, tell us when the Rangers under Tikopai's command have fallen victim to the little trap our allies are setting for them, hmm?"

        At that Molyneux's eyes narrowed, while Kaitlyn Hughes let out a short breath of shock. "It would not do at this stage to give away the game plan completely if I were you, General."

        "Molyneux, are you implying that... Miss Hughes cannot be trusted?"

        "Not at all. As it turns out, she owes me a great debt - and until and if that debt is repaid, she is my servant in all things related to her... shall we say, special talent."

        "Well, then - I can be a generous man if service is provided in the name of my cause - but I warn you, Molyneux, do not wait too long to provide the service you have promised. I will have the proof you have promised, or I will have you thrown off this ship. Do you follow?"

        "Perfectly. And now, if it's not too much trouble..."

        Ben Zayn laughed. "There are, I'm afraid, no rooms available at the 'inn' at this time."

        Molyneux shook his head. "You misunderstand, General - I will not ask for that which is not yours to give. An return escort to my ship will suffice for the time being."

* * *

        Shortly thereafter...

        "So, Miss Hughes - now do you understand the gravity of this situation?"

        "You want to know what I understand? I understand you're out of your mind - and I understand that you're trying to get us both killed..."

        "Now, now, that's no way to speak to someone who's saved your life - while I have no intention of dying, any time soon. Miss Hughes, we are here for a reason - and perhaps it is time for you to know that my reason for being here is not necessarily the same as the General's."

        Kaitlyn closed her eyes and muttered a curse. "Okay, now I'm really confused."

        "Ah - in that case, perhaps another of our little lessons is in order..."

* * *

        Hyperspace, two jumps from Babylon 5. 18:55 hrs, EST.

        "Is that the ship?"

        Galen nodded, his gaze intent upon the small passenger liner presently no more than five hundred kilometres ahead of his flyer. "Indeed it is. And now that we are sufficiently far away from Babylon 5, the time has come for us to act. I will request that you and the others surround the vessel and then cast your spells. Once the crew and passengers have been rendered unconscious, I will come alongside and enter the vessel."

        "Their records and their memories will have to be altered." Vejar observed.

        Galen nodded. "I will handle the matter personally. At least for now, the crew of the Providence will not realize they are missing a passenger."

        "And what of the father? He will, no doubt, try to call his associates on Minbar, and once he realizes his daughter never arrived..."

        "Our opponents will take care of that problem for us."

        "How so?"

        Galen smiled. "Review what you know about his actions to date - and then deduce what he and the others may do next."

        There was a moment of silence - and then Vejar smiled as well, conceding his fellow mage's point. "Ah, yes... of course. I should have realized that he would want to do that."

        "His action will disturb Sheridan and his followers greatly - but will benefit us in turn. Eventually, if all goes as I have planned, those he would destroy will end up destroying him in turn." Then it was that Galen's smile thinned and became something more menacing. "He has forgotten his history, it seems.

        Sometimes all it takes is a slight rearrangement of forces to topple a kingdom."

* * *

        Krindar Nearspace - 21:17 hrs, EST.

        "I don't like this, Julia," Sheynell said, as she joined her captain in the Shard’s bridge observation area. "The enemy ran rings around us during that gas giant battle - and now this? We're supposed to have the fastest ships in the galaxy, but given the current situation I'm not so sure that's an asset, any longer."

        Julia nodded, her expression grim. The Rangers had scrambled from Babylon 5 within half an hour of the attack report reaching the station, the heavier but slower capital ships of the various Alliance races just behind them - but her friend was right... being fast was useless unless one had a target - and that, for now, was something that no one on the Alliance side had. "Whoever's in charge of the Shadow hybrid warships seems to be echoing the motives of the Shadows themselves - maximum chaos and maximum disorder in the least possible time while making sure we don't know where the bulk of their forces are. We could spend weeks hunting for them, and then when our backs are turned, that’s when they'll pop out of hyperspace and conduct another hit and run attack."

        "All the same," Klairika added, as she came to their side, "As Rangers it is our job to hunt for the enemy, no matter how long it takes or how hard the search."

        "Oh yeah?" Sheynell spat. "In case you've forgotten, the longer this search goes on, the less time we'll have to hunt for a cure to the plague. I'm sorry, but that's just a little too convient for me."

        "Val'na..." Larieken suddenly warned from his station, thereby neatly interrupting the brewing argument between the two, "There is a signal incoming from White Star 4."

        Without hesitation Sheynell and Klairika assumed their stations, while Julia held her ground between Larieken's station and the helm as an image of Lanniel's bridge rippled down. She'd already pretty much figured out what they'd be up to in the area, now the only question was... where would their own personal search for the enemy be taking place? "Sha'vei - your orders?"

        "Val'na Tikopai - as you may or may not have noticed, the majority of the Ranger vessels assigned to this operation have been broken down into triads or in the case of the newer strike cruisers, pairs - each group assigned to search a sector at a time. However, since your command is one of a kind and unique..."

        "You want us to search individual sectors by ourselves." Julia inclined her head respectfully. "Not a problem - we're, ah..."

        "Used to operating by yourself in any case." the Minbari finished for her, a faint smile touching her lips. "Yes - but remember, Val'na, should you encounter the enemy do not take them on by yourself. They have already demonstrated a capability for detecting your vessel when it is in stealth mode, and while your defensive and offensive armaments are significant... do not make the mistake of thinking yourself invincible."

        "I hear your words, and will comply." To that Lanniel nodded, and a moment later, a series of search coordinates passed between the two Ranger vessels. "If we find them, you'll be the first to know."

        "A fair response - good hunting to you all. White Star 4 out."

        "And now," Sheynell muttered, as Klairika relayed the coordinates to Dasouri, and the Drazi moved the Shard away from the fleet and prepared to open a jump point, "The fun begins."

        And with that, the Shard vanished from Krindar nearspace, and shortly thereafter, a shift change on the Ranger battlecruiser followed, a change that would in its own way set up everything that would follow.

* * *

        <chime>

        "Oh my gosh..." Courtney muttered, as she rushed to put on a fresh tunic, "I know, I know - I'm late for my shift... open!"

        The blonde haired human Ranger just had enough time to turn around when the thing that had happened to her once before happened again - just enough time to see the figure in her door before the blackness that had touched her before, a darkness she could not remember, consumed her again. A darkness brought on by a single word - so simple, and in the wrong hands...

        So deadly.

* * *

        "You know what you have to do, then."

        "Yes..."

        "Tell me, then. Reveal to me the means by which this ship shall meet its fate."

        Courtney Ellis blinked, her eyes vacant... and voice numb. "I will go to the secondary computer core, and put this crystal into the interface - and download its contents into the core?"

        "Yes. And what will you do if you meet resistance from the Rangers on duty there?"

        "I will... I will..."

        "You will not allow the Rangers to interrupt your mission, my tool." Illithan suggested. "If they interfere, incapacitate them - by any means necessary. Do you understand?"

        "I..."

        "Do you *understand*?"

        Again the hollow-eyed human nodded, her mind a prisoner of the programming within it as she turned to leave. "I understand."

        Illithan nodded, and then spoke another word - the word that would wipe from Ellis's mind the memory of their conversation, but not that of the mission she was about to undertake. "Then go - fulfill your destiny... and mine."

        Illithan bared her teeth in a smile of triumph as Ellis left her quarters. Now, at last, would she have her final revenge upon the engineer who had slighted her so long ago - and as Rahkeel and his allies had said to her so many times since they'd left Minbar, if Tikopai and her Rangers were destroyed in the process, so much... the better.

* * *

        In hyperspace.

        "Galen - it has begun."

        The Technomage nodded, his expression calm as he gently laid the slight weight of Vejar's apprentice upon the mat and pillow he and the others had set aside for this purpose. Jaida would wake soon enough, and when she did they would talk of what would come next... a mission which would take them far from Tikopai's ship, into the very heart of the darkness descending upon Sheridan's Alliance. "So - the enemies of the Shard of Night's crew have finally put their plans in motion, then."

        "Indeed they have."

        "So be it. We are, however, needed elsewhere at this time - we cannot help them, even though there are times when I wish we could." The technomage sighed. "They must find their way out of this crisis themselves, Vejar - or perish."

        "As might we all," Vejar darkly mused, "If our own mission fails."

* * *

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