Previously, in STAR AND CIRCLE, 'The Seeker's Fire'...
The arrival of a heavily armed battlegroup in Interstellar Alliance territory from beyond the Rim raises fears of war until it is revealed that the species in control of the warships, an avian race named the Eloi'a, have arrived in search of the force that drove away their enemies, the Shadows.
Additionally, as Anla'shok Val'na Julia Tikopai, captain of the ISAS SHARD OF NIGHT, soon discovers, both Speaker Aeilyn of the Eloi'a and his daughter Nirisha are Observers just as she is... part and parcel of an order of watchers created by forces unknown. After a certain amount of negotiation takes place, President John Sheridan invites Aeilyn and his flagship to come to Minbar to take place to continue the talks that may lead to an Alliance between Aeilyn's Crade of Stars and the Interstellar Alliance.
All is not as it seems, however, for the wily elder Observer has a hidden agenda. Upon arrival at Tuzanor, the visitors soon come into contact with the man that some name Rimstalker, Ranger High Councillor William Westcastle... as well as his wife Jennifer and their twin children. Aeilyn eventually shocks everyone when he all but demands that the 'circle-head' of the human Observers turn over to him her daughter for training in her craft... a demand that Jennifer refuses to accept.
At the same time this is going on, the Minbari Ranger Larieken finds himself summoned back to his Wind Sword homeland beneath the mountainous Wall of Daggers... and the reason for the summons is not a pleasant one. As he soon discovers from his father, Larieken's eldest brother has been banished from Minbar by the Grey Council, and a debate is about to begin on who shall be chosen to lead the family once Larieken's father passes on... a debate that his brother Ariekaas seeks to short circuit by demanding that Larieken leave Minbar and return to the Anla'shok...
And while this is all going on, Aeilyn, bitter at the turn of events that fate has dealt him yet still set in the ways and traditions of his kind, makes a decision that may doom his order for all time, as he sends his dark minion Saakli to kidnap Jennifer's daughter -- a decision that also results in the banishment of *his* daughter Nirisha as she decides to make a stand for what she believes is right. And even as the stolen child is spirited away, Nirisha summons Julia to her side, a spot at which they are shortly joined by an all too angry William, as well as an unexpected guest...
The Technomage named Alwyn.
* * *
And now -- the conclusion...
* * *
"There is justice, and then there is vendetta..." Alwyn allowed, as Julia, Nirisha and William, surrounded by their Ranger escort, reclined at their ease as the Minbari transport that the High Councillor had 'borrowed' for his descent minutes before quietly made its way back towards Tuzanor through the midnight darkness. "If you allow your rage at what has happened to eclipse common sense, High Councillor, those you would call enemy may well take advantage of your lapse of common sense." The older man paused for a moment, then, before a smile curled his lips. "And as much as I *know* part of you wishes to chase off in pursuit of the Eloi'a 'guns blazing', as they say, perhaps this time, may not the need for justice in this matter overcome the need for vendetta?"
William took a deep breath, and then raised his eyes to meet the piercing gaze of the Technomage. "You speak wisely... and even I must admit that you arrived at an opportune moment. If you had not, and I had spoken in anger, or even..."
"If you had done such a thing," Alwyn replied, "All the good you have wrought in your time amongst the Anla'shok would have been for nought. As we all know, the line between light and dark is often blurred into shadow -- it is very easy to slip down into darkness when one is balanced upon a cusp that one cannot *see*."
"So... if I cannot act, who can?"
"Who indeed?" Alwyn thoughtfully considered, as his eyes came to rest upon the serious countenence of the young, dark haired captain of the SHARD OF NIGHT... as well as the exhausted winged visitor who stood at her side. "The search will be a difficult one... and while your resources are spread far and wide, there is *yet* hope. They are the future, Rimstalker -- one who dreams of a better future for all her kind -- and one who acts as the hawk cast from your hand, the daughter of a woman you name friend. Together, they stand a very real chance of tracking down the individuals who have done this deed... but only if you allow this to be.
What say you then, Rimstalker?" the Technomage finalized, his eyes now narrow. "Which path will you choose?"
There was a moment of silence, and then William began to laugh. "As if you're giving me a choice!"
"There are *always* choices, sir..." Julia wryly noted. "But it does help that we have guides to help us make the right ones, though!"
"It does, indeed. So how soon can you begin the pursuit?"
"Well, therin lies the problem, I'm afraid." Julia replied. "We don't know who took Celia, and where they're going..."
"In that you are wrong, my circle-partner," Nirisha intruded, her eyes bright. "The minion of my father who stole your partner's child, his name is Saakli, and he is Skier'g to his hand, what you would term an... operative, yes?"
"Assassin?"
"As necessary."
"Thief?"
"As he has already proven."
"And bodyguard."
"Yes." Nirisha admitted. "And he is among the best at what he does. I have no doubt that he is at this very moment on his way to the TIELDA'S PRIDE with his captive, and that my father's flagship will soon be making its way back to the fleet. If we cannot reach them before that reunion occurs, any attempt we make to reclaim your daughter, William-stalker, will surely fail -- the defense systems of my father's vessel and fleet are... impressive."
"While this may be the case," Julia reminded her fellow Observer, "Know that the *offensive* weapons of my command, in addition to its countermeasures array, are equally powerful."
"Now, now," Alwyn warned, "Why don't we try and remember that the coming contest will not be about whose gun make the loudest *bang*... although," the Technomage added with a sigh, "I fear that it will inevitably come to that in any case."
"Doesn't matter," Julia insisted, "What it comes down to is this -- the *Speaker* for the Cradles of Stars is shortly going to regret his recent actions. He is going to return the child he has stolen from us, and if he decides to run, I will follow him. If he decides to attack, my Rangers will turn that assault aside, and carry on. If he makes it necessary, we will board his oh-so wonderful flagship, and *if* he makes it necessary, we will tear that ship apart from the inside out until the stolen child is returned to us."
"Just remember, though, Julia..." William cautioned, "One thing we don't need right now is another war."
"There will be war sooner or later, I am afraid," Nirisha suddenly admitted, "But you will not have to fight it... at least not at first."
"And now," Alwyn noted, "The truth emerges at last."
"If not us," Julia suspiciously asked, "Then who?"
"We are not alone." the Eloi'a replied. "And now that 'I' and 'we' are one, we are free to act at last."
"We... who?"
"The Fallen, of course." was the avian's next, more confident reply. "Welcome to our circle, Julia Tikopai.
Now that we are one, anything is possible."
* * *
"You will not leave."
"I will not leave." Larieken confirmed, his expression polite and neutral, as opposed to the fury his younger brother was displaying. "This demand you have made, Ariekaas... this is *not* the way that things are done. Now that our father has explained the situation to us both, we must go before the elders of the clan and demonstrate who is more worthy to lead our family into the future... when our father is no longer with us."
"I gave you a way out, brother," Ariekaas reminded him, as he visibly reined in his anger. "A chance to turn aside from this, to avoid a debate that may tear our family apart. One last time I will ask you -- you will not leave?"
"I will not."
"So be it, then. You wish a contest of wills, do you!... you will get one. And by the time we are done with this, you will wish you had never returned!" And with that sharp warning, Ariekaas finally vanished back into the darkness... leaving Larieken to grimly consider what it was he had done. What choice had there been, really? His father, the warrior who had cast him out for his choice over six cycles before, had opened the door for his return -- honour now demanded he fulfill his part of the bargain.
"Larieken... so it *is* you!" a whisper came out of the darkness, and with heavy yet yearning heart, he turned towards the final visitor he would receive this night... a visitor that he knew, above all others, would come to him once she had learned of his return. "They said that you had come... I did not believe it, but find that it is the truth! -- you *have* come to face your brother, to stand before the clan... to claim the birthright that is yours, now that Mallarain is banished. You have come to do what must be done!"
"Belaii," he began... but then he suddenly fell silent as she moved forward to reveal her mysterious smile in the moonlight... a smile he remembered all too well. And her face?... the face he had seen in every candle during his long cycles of service in the darkness between the stars. "And so the circle closes."
"Come to me then, my dark flame of memory," Belaii replied, as she extended a hand in his direction, as consort would to warrior. "Tell me of your plan... tell me of what you have seen in your time amongst the stars, in the service of Valen.
Come... walk with me. We have much to talk about, you and I."
* * *
While many light years distant from these events, the black claw of a ship controlled by the Eloi'a named Saakli raced towards its destination. Saakli knew that things had gone well on this mission thus far, but also could admit to himself that the easiest phase of the operation was also the one just past. The human child stolen by his master's order, this had not been a difficult task to accomplish... what lay ahead, however, was another matter entirely. In time, perhaps he would convince the Master that this was true, but for now, all they could do was run... run and hope they would reach the TIELDA'S PRIDE before She who would Pursue caught them.
Saakli's mouth tightened at these thoughts, and he abruptly rose to his feet and left the bridge of his vessel, leaving his concerned underlings to their thoughts. The facts could not be ignored -- two of the three Observers who served the Interstellar Alliance was militarists as well... a combination unheard of in the recorded history of his race. A dangerous combination.
Could it be, he asked himself? Could the greatest operative of the Cradle, Skier'g Saakli, admit he feared someone other then his Master? Yes, it had to be admitted... he did. She who would Pursue was coming... and was there anyone in the universe to stop her?
* * *
She had cried out for hours, now, and no one had come to take her out of the dark place. The nightbirds had put her into this place, and no one would answer, not Mother, not Father... not even David, the boy she had played with in Tuzanor once in a while. Too exhausted to cry any more, Celia could only sit down, and wait. No one was going to come, the nightbirds, they...
<Be silent, child! *I* am here for you.>
"Who said that?" she yelped, scrambling to her feet.
<Why, *I* did, of course!>
"Who are you? Where are you?"
<A friend among enemies. And nearer then they think... but farther away then I like.>
"You talk just like Father's friends." she complained.
<And this is a bad thing?>
"Well... I guess not." she finally admitted. "Nice to have someone to talk to... even though I can't see you."
<We will meet soon enough, child. And when we do, *everything* will change.>
[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.]
S T A R A N D C I R C L E
"T H E S E E K E R' S F I R E"
* * *
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. This series is a non-profit creation for the purposes of private entertainment only. Original characters and situations are copyright of the author, 1997-99.