"STAR AND CIRCLE: THE SEEKER'S FIRE"
EPISODE NINETEEN: "AT THE HEART OF THE STORM"
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(disclaimers and associated descriptions in overture)
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<<Envoi>>
Alliance strike cruiser Night's Dagger - in primary rendezvous point - 07:17 hrs, EST - Dec 11th, 2267.
"So let me see if I've got this straight," Nathan Gardinier began, as he paced back and forth across the bridge of the 'Dagger with a frown, "Somewhere right around the time the enemy jammers starting interfering with communications, we lost contact with the Shard. With all due respect, sir... why didn't you tell us about this during the night?"
"You know very well why." Tashann replied, his back turned away from the younger Ranger and out towards the stars from his position in the 'Dagger's observation area. "There are... a great many of us who care for Val'na Tikopai, who have tried not to interfere as she walks upon her path - but who, at the same time, have watched her grow up among us. A great many who would become quite angry should her death become common knowledge. The Anla'shok cannot afford such a madness at this time, Nathan - and thus the matter of their disappearance must remain a closely guarded secret known only to a few... at least for the time being."
Gardinier drew in a deep breath - and finally nodded. "I understand, sir - and now you want us to go looking for them."
"You, and a few others." Tashann confirmed. "Talion Quintara and his triad will assist you, as will Araella Dechene and her scout ship squadron. Together, Nathan, you are collectively all we can spare from the war effort... for as long as the enemy continues their hit and run attacks across Alliance space, we are needed elsewhere. And when the moment comes when the enemy finally tells us in their own way what their primary target is..."
Gardinier nodded. "You'll have to be there, to hold the line. But so will we... and if I have anything to say about it, so will she. Your permission to depart the fleet, Sha'vei?"
Tashann nodded, as he made to leave the bridge. "Good hunting to you then, Val'na - good hunting to you all."
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In the heart of the darkness...
"So - my intelligence reports tell me that your kind are able to communicate with one another across great distances." Kaitlyn flinched as Ben Zayn crouched down next to her, his eyes piercing. "Prove it."
She briefly glanced in Molyneux's direction - and shuddered as the silver haired man nodded sharply. "The... servant of your ally has played her final move, General - the ship she has attacked is dead - and no one you know of can save them. What more do you want me to say?"
"Nothing more and nothing less than what you have already told me." Ben Zayn replied. "You've merely confirmed what I already know... Observer. And for that, I thank you. Mr. Molyneux! - you have done as I have asked - I am pleased. However, while I shall relent from my earlier threat of throwing you off the Cain by force, this ship is not a place for children. Perhaps you and Miss Hughes might retire to a more secure location - perhaps our secondary staging area would suffice?"
Molyneux inclined his head thoughtfully. "A wise suggestion, General - I have, generally speaking, never been one to stand at the heart of the storm... because sooner or later, one must always leave the eye."
Ben Zayn's eyes darkened - and for a moment Kaitlyn feared that the General would once again unleash his hair-trigger temper... but finally he nodded. "As you say. Good day to you then, Molyneux - we'll speak again once this is all over."
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Some moments later, after Mr. Molyneux and his charge had retired to their own vessel, the head of Bureau 13 decided it was now safe to ask a question of his young associate. "So - what you told him... it was true, then?"
Kaitlyn nodded. "After a fashion. If I'd lied to him, he would have known it in an instant... and so would you. No... no one he knows of, I said - and that was the truth. But what about the rest?"
Molyneux laughed, before turning towards the fast-retreating swarm of Shadowtech vessels behind them. "What, indeed? It's your move now - General."
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ISAS Shard of Night - adrift in hyperspace. 08:17 hrs, EST.
"All right, Nicholas... tell it to me straight - no candy coating, no beating around the bush. Do we have a hope of getting ourselves out of this mess?"
"A hope, she says." the engineer muttered, as Julia and the rest of the Shard's command staff stood around him in the dimly-lit darkness of Main Engineering. "Yeah - we've got a hope... but for this to work, I need power. And unless someone finds us before we run out of air..."
"Without a working distress beacon?" Klairika interrupted, her expression forbidding. "Forgive me for pointing this out, Nicholas - but wouldn't that require a miracle at this point?"
"A miracle..." Dawson agreed, as he turned in Sheynell's direction, "Or an ace in the hole."
The telepath frowned. "All right, Nicholas, what are you getting at this time..." A pause. "Oh.
Oh!"
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Technomage Flyers - in hyperspace. 08:41 hrs, EST.
"Ah, Jaida - there you are. I was wondering whether or not you were going to join us..."
Jaida yawned as she came to Vejar's side, now dressed in the clothing the Technomage had given her earlier. "I... fell asleep again. Sorry!"
"No apologies are required - you needed the sleep, and in any case, the hours were spent reaching our destination."
"We're almost there, are we?"
"Indeed." Vejar made a gesture, and the young Centauri girl jumped as the interior of the flyer shimmered out of view around them to be replaced by their surroundings - the red-and-black vista of hyperspace, off to one side Galen's flyer, while in front of them...
Jaida's eyes widened as a singularly peculiar looking ship appeared out of the hyperspace mists in front of them - a ship that seemed to have battlements, and turrets - a ship that almost looked like the castles Selene had told her about once - the ancient fortresses the humans had used to build before they'd gone to the stars. "What's... that?"
"Tell me, Jaida... have you ever heard of the Soul Hunters?"
"Um... I live on Babylon 5, remember?"
Vejar nodded. "I had not forgotten. As for what it is... the ship appears to have many names and many purposes - but we do know of one name and one purpose. It is their home, Jaida."
"Their home?" Jaida raised one eyebrow as they drew nearer to the flying fortress. "Okay... fine! Put me out of my misery, already - so what's it called?"
"As you wish." the mage replied. "We know it as...
Cathedral."
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TO BE CONTINUED...
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