First Officer's Log, Interstellar Alliance Space Station Babylon 5 - Dec 9, 2267.

        Every time I think things are beginning to quiet down - something like this happens, another crisis rearing its ugly head - and this one look like it's going to be bad. There's not much coming out of Minbar publicly just yet... but what the rumour mill is saying is enough to scare the Hell out of some of us, enough to remind those of us in the know what happened in Earthspace during the Warlock crisis.

        Except - the only thing this crisis seems to share with that one is that the enemy is using Shadow technology in their warships. This enemy, whoever they are, seem to be far more numerous - while the Alliance's Director of Covert Intelligence has also passed on word of a possible alliance with the Drakh... and others.

        Are we in trouble? It'd be easy to make that call - but we've gone through situations like this before and come out okay... mostly because when the going gets tough, we tend to stick together and get the job done. And also because once again our old CO has shown he hasn't lost the knack of putting the fear of God into people...

* * *

        Babylon 5 - Command and Control - 17:45 hrs, EST.

        "Jump gate's coming online again, Commander." the weary gate tech reported. From her position at Babylon 5's main command and control board, Lieutenant Commander Amanda Kreies muttered a German curse her 'Opa' had taught her before she'd joined Earthforce and turned to face her subordinate. "Fine, fine - so who's coming out this time?"

        "Reading five of the new Alliance strike cruisers, six White Stars and fighter escort." The tech informed the station's senior watch officer. Kreies nodded briskly before turning her gaze out towards the mass of ships already on station - there were ships from half a dozen of the ISA member worlds here already, including almost twenty Earthforce mainline capital ships and heavy cruisers - while with the latest arrivals, more than three dozen warships from the first and second Alliance White Star fleets had arrived as well - and more were still supposed to be on the way.

        Kreies shook her head in amazement - this was quickly shaping up to be the largest Alliance fleet assembled since the end of the Shadow War - and that in itself was the problem, wasn't it, she reminded herself, that this new enemy was rumored to be using Shadow technology in their ships...

        "Lieutenant Commander - how goes the battle?" Kreies turned towards the entrance of C&C with a ready smile as Babylon 5's executive officer, Commander David Corwin, made his entrance, giving his black and silver Army of Light uniform a single sharp tug as he did so. Kreies glanced down at her own version of that uniform, the one she'd earned from the Commander only nine months ago when Corwin had promoted her, and her smile abruptly became a grin. There had been a time just after Captain Lochley had first come onboard that it had looked as if this uniform would vanish into history with all the rest that had come before it, but the Commander had really turned things around in the time since he'd taken on command of the Army of Light, had given them back the respect they'd had in the glory days under Sheridan and Ivanova, in her opinion...

        "Commander?" Corwin tried again.

        Kreies jumped. "Oh, sorry, sir - my mind was elsewhere. It's been... hellaciously busy up here since this all started, actually. We've been having military jump outs for over thirty-six hours now, but it actually does look as if things are finally starting to calm down a bit out there... for now, at least."

        Corwin took a glance at the stats on the ships on station, and whistled. "Three Warlock Class destroyers? We've never had more than two of those visit the station at once... until now."

        "No, sir." Kreies confirmed.

        "Well, one thing's for certain - the President sure seems to have stirred up one Hell of a hornet's nest with his talk at Council." Corwin said, as several dozen Thunderbolts roared past the windows of C&C accompanied by several older-model Starfuries and a flight of Minbari fighters. "And to quote something I heard someone say here, once: 'we've got the muscle - now, all we need is the target'."

        What neither officer was aware of, however, was the other hornet's nest presently erupting down in the offices of Babylon 5's commanding officer.

* * *

        18:05 hrs, EST.

        "Damnit, Jamie! - I've tried calling him a half dozen times since this little circus starting showing up outside - and has he returned my calls, yet? Hell, no!"

        "You can blame our latest enemy and the fact our President's got a bad habit of trying to save the galaxy single-handedly for that, I think." Jamie Pratchett retorted from her now-familiar resting place on one of the couches in Lochley's office. "Councillor Westcastle told me a while ago that the President hasn't taken any time for sleep and barely any time to eat since this started."

        Lochley snorted. "What's new - by the time this is all over, he'll probably have a stack of paperwork a foot thick covering his desk and several hundred new grey hairs, for good measure. So what about you?"

        Jamie grimaced. "Helping assemble this 'little circus', as you put it, hasn't been the simplest job in the world, what with the Rangers spread out over Hell's half acre searching for the cure. While there's only so many times you can wave a magic wand in front of the ISA Ambassadors, and swear that this time, it really is 'the end of the world as they know it.'"

        Lochley nodded at that, and even managed a small smile. "So... is it?"

        "Maybe." Jamie confirmed, her expression grim - and at that Lochley's smile faded. "'Kay, Liz, here's the facts - about four days ago, a joint Narn-Ranger expedition was out on the edge of Shadow space investigating rumours of a possible base or weapons cache- and this is what they found." Jamie tapped in a command on her link and a moment later an image appeared on the wall monitor of a slick black lens shape studded with spikes hanging in what looked to Lochley like the atmosphere of some sort of gas giant world. "While a short time later, these ships came for the base and its secrets."

        Another command, another set of images - and all of a sudden Lochley found herself beginning to understand what it was had caused John to move so quickly on this one - to concentrate on this crisis, to the exclusion of all the rest of his duties. "My God!" she managed, as the depiction showed the handful of spiky, obviously deadly as Hell warships turning to jump, "Do we know yet who built these ships, who they're working for?"

        "Not yet we don't, no..." Jamie replied, "But we have a lot of suspicions. Some of the Rangers, myself included, found it just a bit convenient that the Earth Alliance government was so quick to declare that 'everyone involved who hadn't been killed' had been brought to trial at the end of the Warlock Crisis. The thing is, Liz... I didn't believe it then, and I sure as Hell don't believe it now, not with these new ships at large."

        "And that base you showed me?"

        "They took it with them, of course, while pretty much outgunning and outclassing every ship we had on station in the process. One other thing - they didn't bother to destroy any of our ships... almost as if we weren't worth their time - like they had better things to do then fight us."

        "So when the hammer finally does fall, it's probably going to be bad." Lochley shook her head wearily. "Why is it that no matter how hard we try and keep the peace, there's always someone ready to light the next fuse? And what is it with all this Shadow technology, anyways? Where is it all coming from?"

        "From bases just like the one I showed you," Jamie told her, "Bases the Shadows left seeded around the galaxy both before and after their departure. Anyways, it's almost come to the point now where all you have to do is say the word shadowtech, and the 'shoot first and ask questions later' group show up en masse."

        "And you include yourself in that group, do you?"

        "I do indeed." The Ranger confirmed, her expression growing even more grim, if that was possible. "Unless we stop this steamroller before it really gets underway, there's a more than even chance these bastards will be able to tear the Alliance apart from the inside out. Our only saving grace is that they haven't attacked anyone yet."

        "While from B5, the fleet that Sheridan's building can reach any trouble spots with a minimum of effort."

        "Exactly." And then it was that Jamie's expression brightened. "So, Liz... are you ready to dust the war room off, again?"

        Lochley sighed, and nodded. That was a part of the station she'd been hoping they'd never have to use again, but what with one thing or another, mostly due to Corwin's repeated outbursts on the matter every time she'd tried to bring the subject up, they'd never quite gotten around to dismantling it. "Am I right in thinking there's a big conference on the horizon?"

        "Exactly." Jamie confirmed. "09:00 hrs tomorrow morning - and trust me, Cap, this is not one you'll want to miss."

* * *

        Just outside Transfer Lounge 1 - 18:15 hrs, EST.

        "So tell me..." Dawson inquired, as together with Julia and several of the Shard of Night's senior Rangers, he made his way through the passage leading from the docking bay into the station proper, "Just what is it about this place that's so exciting? I mean, it's only another space station, you know..."

        "Is that right?" Julia replied, as she and Sheynell shared a single, amused glance, and then laughed as one. "Well, Nicholas, the only thing I can say is that if you didn't live through it yourself, you wouldn't understand..."

        "ID card, please."

        Julia began to grin as she turned her attention away from the engineer to face the craggy-faced man in black and silver standing in front of her. "Mr. Allan! -- how are you?"

        Babylon 5's chief of security raised his eyebrows as he took stock of the slight figure in Ranger black standing in front of him, and then he laughed, as well. "Well I'll be damned - if it isn't Trouble and her friends..." That, of course, was when Zack Allan figured out who was standing at Julia's side. "Hey, wait a minute!"

        Sheynell sighed. "Yes, Mr. Allan... you see correctly. It really is me."

        "So when the Hell did you become a Ranger, if you don't mind me asking?" Allan inquired with a frown, as he waved one of his people over and wandered off with Julia and her group.

        "It's a long story, actually..."

        "I'm all ears." Allan replied, his interest plain.

        "Julia!" another voice suddenly cried, and just as simple as that every other thing on her mind was forgotten as she raced through the crowd towards an equally tall and dark-haired woman in a brand new business suit - a woman who also happened to be her mother. "Oh, Julia!" Bethany Tikopai managed, as she swept her daughter into a tight embrace, "I didn't think I'd see you again, not this soon!"

        "Mother, I heard what you did - I didn't want to believe... how could you?"

        "I had to - the Powers that Be didn't give me any choice. It was their way, or the highway." At that point, however, Bethany's eyes brightened. "That was when President Sheridan decided to step in and give me another option."

        "It's still going to take me a long time to get used to this... I can count on one hand the times I've seen you out of uniform since I was born!"

        "I know - but for everything, there is a season... and it was time for me to make a fresh start. Now!... let me guess - you've gotten yourself involved in this mess, right?" Julia nodded resignedly. "So where's your ship?"

        Julia leant up to her mother's ear, and whispered, "In its usual spot, just off the Euphrates jump beacon. Just as soon as we figure out which way we're going on this... we'll be in there just as quickly as the rest."

        Bethany nodded. "Of course you will - though for now it looks like we'll be able to spend at least an evening together before you and the rest go off to war. And by the way - I think there's someone over by the wall who'd like to have a word with you, as well."

        Julia peeked over her mother's shoulder... and her eyes widened. Oh no! - she couldn't have!... but she had. "Will?"

        "Hey, kiddo." the helmsman of the De’Molay replied, a jaunty grin on his face. "Did you miss me?"

* * *

        Elsewhere in the transit lounge, a tall, thin figure in gray departed into one of the nearby corridors, and then, after making sure no one was watching her, raised her wrist to her mouth. "She has arrived. Your orders?"

        "The one within will meet with you soon enough." a harsh and sibilant voice replied. "You know what it is you have to do?"

        Islane Refa nodded, her eyes bleak beneath the hood of her cloak. "I do." The individual at the other end of the commlink nodded his understanding, and then faded from sight. It was then that Islane said one more thing.

        "May the Great Maker forgive me... I do."

* * *

        What Islane could not possibly know, however, was that there was not one member of her race watching the arrival of the Rangers at that moment... but two. The other watcher was only deemed a child by Centauri standards - but all the same, knew things that certain individuals would find most interesting - things that her latest... associates had ordered her to keep secret... at any cost. And soon enough, the girl found her own hiding place, and made her own report - though not in the same fashion. Not at all.

        Her eyes wide, Jaida Tefano uncovered the tiny crystal sphere that they had given into her care, and let out a sigh as the sphere began to glow. "It's happened," she whispered, "The Seeker is here."

        "You remember all that I have told you, and all that you have learnt yourself." the voice of her teacher replied - a voice that was pleasant, and yet full of authority. "This is well. Has she changed from the last time you dealt with her?"

        Jaida nodded dutifully. "For good or for ill, that is the question, though... isn't it?"

        She frowned. "Sir?"

        A laugh. "Never mind - I will join you soon enough, and we will talk of this matter. While there is one other you will soon have the opportunity to meet. He is coming, Jaida... and there is much you can learn from him."

        "He is one of... you, then?"

        "More than you will ever know." the voice assured her, and with that the conversation ended. Jaida raised her eyebrows, gathered her dark cloak more closely around her body, and left her hiding place at speed. "Why can't he ever give me a straight answer?" she muttered, as she dashed down the corridor. "Why, why, why?"

* * *

        C&C - 18:52 hrs, EST.

        "And here they are," Corwin said, "Right on schedule... for once."

        "Yes, sir." Kreies confirmed, as she tried not to groan. "The biggest lightning rod in the galaxy - for trouble, that is."

        Corwin grinned, as the more than mile long razor sharp bulk of the Excalibur emerged from the gate surrounded by its fighter group. "You've noticed that too, huh?"

        "Yes, sir." Kreies confirmed, as she counted down - three, two, one... <beep>

        "Captain Gideon," Corwin began, "Nice to see you and your crew could make it, sir."

        "We heard that the Rangers were organizing this little get together." the master of the 'Excalibur' replied. "And after some thought, the Joint Chiefs thought we should take part as well."

* * *

        'Excalibur' Main Bridge - 18:55 hrs, EST.

        "That's good to hear, sir - with your destroyer a part of the strike group, we're only increasing the likelihood of winning the battle against our new enemy."

        "New, are they?" Galen muttered from his position at Gideon's right hand. "Don't be so sure about that, Commander."

        "That's was what I was thinking, as well." Gideon replied, as he cast a narrow-eyed glare in the direction of the Technomage. "My XO and I will be over in the morning for the planning session. Excalibur out."

        "Just what are you up to, Matthew?" Galen inquired.

        Gideon smiled - and the expression was anything but friendly. "The bastards in charge of the enemy force were the ones responsible for destroying the Cerberus, Galen - and by God, I mean to destroy their ships, track them down, and ask them one question before they die."

        "Why?" Gideon nodded. "A dangerous question to ask, that is. Understand, also, that the task you have set yourself will not be an easy one."

        Gideon nodded, his mouth set into a thin and deadly line as the Excalibur assumed its position in the joint Alliance fleet. "I know that - I've always known."

        The Technomage inclined his head. "In that case, Captain... let this game of chance...

        Begin."


* * *

        [Cue Dramatic Music]

        KLAIRIKA ALIDIAE
        We are the Watchers...

        [Klairika standing on the bridge of the SHARD OF NIGHT, an image of the EXCALIBUR hanging in the air in
        front of her.]

        SHEYNELL KEYNES
        We are the Warriors.

        [Images: Sheynell at the tactical station, the battlecruiser firing its main gun and destroying a Drakh capital ship]

        LARIEKEN
        We are the Guardians...

        [Image: Larieken defending his Captain against Z'shailyl attackers, warrior pike in hand]

        VEYSHAHK
        We are the Healers.

        [Image: Veyshahk at his desk in MedSection, an image of the Drakh virus on his computer screen.]

        DASOURI and NICHOLAS DAWSON
        We are the exiles...

        [Image: Nicholas in Engineering, Dasouri at the helm of the SHARD]

        JULIA TIKOPAI
        And I am the Seeker.

        [Image: Julia's face, lit by candles, the stars of the Galaxy beyond]

        KLAIRIKA ALIDIAE
        We are the Rangers of the SHARD OF NIGHT, in this, the Earth Year 2267.

        [Image: The SHARD OF NIGHT enters, from the left...]

        JULIA TIKOPAI
        This is our story.

        [... before engaging darklight mode, and going into hyperspace.]

* * *

STAR AND CIRCLE:
“THE SEEKER’S FIRE”

* * *

‘STAR AND CIRCLE’ created by David Goldingay
<dgolding@connect.ab.ca>

* * *

Legal Disclaimer:

BABYLON 5, CRUSADE and all characters and situations thereof are the creations and copyrighted property of J. Michael Straczynski and Babylonian Productions, "BUREAU 13" the copyrighted property of Tritac Games (1983). All other characters and situations on this site are the copyrighted property (1997-2001] of David G. Goldingay. These non-profit creations are for the purposes of private entertainment only. Original characters and situations are copyright of the author.

* * *

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