Out of the darkness he came, and those who thought him dead quailed at the sight. Back from the dead, he came, and with him walked the Ancient One, the one who would help to change everything. I remember that day well, for I was there, a member of that crowd... I remember the words that John Sheridan spoke upon the bridge, as I remember everything that is important and everywhere that matters most... such is my curse. Such is my legacy.
Such is my fate.
The words mattered, as so often they did with our President in those years. 'The only man to *survive* Z'ha'dum sends this message,' he said... 'We can end this, not just for now, not *just* for the next thousand years...but forever. I stand before you as proof that it can be done -- we can fight, and we can win, but only if we do it together.'
Those who followed him thought they understood the words... and they followed him into Hell, not once, not twice... but three times. I was one of that host.. one of those who believed. The choices he made helped to guide us through the Fire... and now, years later, as I go to stand upon the bridge of the battlecruiser he has given into my care... I also think upon the vows I made in Tuzanor four and a half years ago, and wonder where they will lead me in the times to come.
I thought I understood the words when I first spoke them. I thought I knew what they meant -- and on that fateful morning, I remember hoping that nothing could be so painful as what I had already endured in the name of those words. In the name of my vows.
I was wrong... but I am what I am; I cannot change what is, I cannot alter what was. I can only serve to build the future that may yet be. Thus I write what may be my final entry, on this ninth day of July in the Earth Year Twenty two Sixty Seven. For the Drakh are moving -- a movement we can see from our place in the shadows... and we go now to stand in their path, to deny them the victory they seek.
Julia rose to her feet, then, a specter in the darkness -- her face cast in silouette against that darkness by the light that came from the candlestand before her, as she set down her pen and gently closed her book of Observance. "I am a Ranger." she whispered. "I walk in the dark places no others will enter. I stand on the bridge, and no one shall pass. I live for the One...
I would die for the One."
And with that said, she blew out a long, steady breath... and darkness consumed her.
* * *
From time to time as she moved around the galaxy at the command of he who now owned her, body and soul, Islane would come close to pleading with those she knew to *see* the thing that lived upon her. They never did, of course... the Drakh had their ways of ensuring that no one saw what needed to be seen -- and they always succeeded, it had told her, months before. Islane's mouth tightened into a bitter smile at that thought as she left the arrivals lounge of Babylon 5 behind her, and the faint skittering upon her senses told her the Keeper had returned to its usual place upon her left collarbone. Chief Allan's people had not known what they were looking for, therefore they had not seen what was. Weapons, yes... these they would look for -- but not a creature hiding in the shadows, a creature apparently capable of defeating casual scans whenever it wanted to.
She shivered -- the last time they had met, Palakz had gone so far as to inform her that an individual under their control had even walked into the heart of Alliance headquarters on Minbar several years in the past -- that individual's keeper had not been noticed, he had informed her in the whispery dry voice she depised, and neither would hers be noticed... no would *ever* suspect what had been done. No one would ever know -- and if she tried to tell, he had warned her...
She had only tried once, back on Homeworld -- and shortly thereafter, the Drakh had arranged a demonstration... and even now, she cringed from that memory -- the memory of what it had done to show her what would happen to her if she ever stepped out of line again. There would be no mercy, and no second chances given... and the pain?
The pain would be eternal -- until she died from it, that was.
Nine seconds she had lasted -- seconds that had seemed an eternity. She looked down... her hands were trembling again -- why had the Great Maker chosen to send her into this hell of pain and whispering voices and no second chances? What had she done to deserve this?
<survived> the mocking whisper came to her. <Death did not claim you, so ours you are>
She wiped away the tear that had fallen from one eye as she made her way down the corridor towards her destination. Was it that simple? So many of her family had died five years ago in the bombing... and she had not. Word had reached her just afterwards that her cousin Senna, first daughter of the house, still lived... a surprise really, given how long the list of the dead had been from the night the Alliance fleet had struck. Senna had made her choices, and so had she -- and those choices had lead her to this moment and into this tragedy of a life... for all intents and purposes, she had become nothing more then a pawn of darkness!
<A pawn, yes.> the keeper informed her, as she climbed the stairs and then turned aside into a side passage that lead to the alcove where the meeting was to take place. <The command.>
The command. Islane nodded sadly as her destination loomed in front of her -- it was time to do what the Drakh wanted her to do. Palakz had 'heard' of a dark force moving amongst the stars, a force it was interested in. And Palakz had chosen her to be the one to make contact with this force.
And then she froze, as without warning, the point of a dagger was laid up against her throat. "Move, Centauri..." a voice whispered,
"And you shall certainly die."
* * *
"The moment has come that we have been waiting for..." the Sha'drakh announced, as Palakz gazed back upon his image with a scowl. "Needed you are by the Entire, Palakz."
"Needed?" the Vekh'shivalht muttered under his breath, before he raised his voice to speak to the elder. "The Drakh Entire is not known for calling upon my kind, nor for *needing* those which the Council perceives as pursuing foolish ambitions or dreams. Nor," he concluded acidly, "For dealing often with those to whom you must speak with words, not thoughts!" For just such a reason had he been banished into the military -- a banishment he had taken in stride, for in time, success had come. Expected... and by some, unwanted.
"Indeed this is so." the Sha'drakh allowed. "But even thought you are Zha'vanare, Palakh, in this age, we cannot stand apart -- the fight is a necessary one, and the Entire has concluded that it is best for you and your order to take part in this operation."
So he had been named from his youth, of course... 'Zha'vanare', a member of the part of his species who were known as 'the ones who stood apart'. They were not common, being somewhat of a genetic throwback to earlier times, but on occasion it was known for Zha'vanare to be fiercer warriors then the Drakh majority, those who stood within the Entire on a regular basis... some Zha'vanare had even been known to say that it was better to fight without your equals 'watching you from behind'... and there were always secrets to be kept, of course.
Even from the Entire.
"You ask a great deal."
"I ask no more then is expected from any other Drakh." the Councillor insisted, his eyes now narrowing with incipient anger. "Your experience in battle is reknowned, Palakz... turn aside from your search for this 'Adversary' for a time -- for the time being, there is a greater foe to pursue."
"You will explain your comments, I trust?"
The elder nodded. "Evidence has come to us suggesting that the Earthers are drawing close to learning the truth behind their... affliction. That an.. experiment is being conducted onboard their daggership, the craft they name EXCALIBUR. This experiment *cannot* be allowed to succeed, Palakz."
"Then we are to attack the daggership, then?" he bluntly inquired.
"The Entire has assigned this task to three orders... yours is the final one to be chosen. Vekh'shivalht La'skaa will lead the initial assault -- he is to be followed by your brother-in-battle A'aveilz. And you and your warships will attack the daggership last of all. No mercy shall we give them... and no quarter. This mission of theirs must not succeed -- the Drakh Entire expects your cooperation in this matter, Palakz."
"The Entire shall have it, then -- but I fight this battle *my* way." he replied. "And no other."
"The renegades, some name you..." the elder critically replied. "And upstarts, as well. Are you so quick to confirm their suspicions?"
Palakz bared his teeth. "As need be, yes. I am *Zha'vanare*, Elder -- I cannot change what I am. I will fight for you as I always have -- but the Entire should not presume to dictate the means by which I conduct this assault -- that way lies failure."
"So be it, then, Palakz." the Sha'drakh mused, his eyes glittering darkly. "This will, however, be remembered." And with that, the image of the elder faded from sight, and Palakz rose to his feet with a contented smile on his face -- contented for a Drakh, that was... which meant of course that most of the races in the Interstellar Alliance would have considered it a snarl.
"I will remember my brothers-in-battle when they are gone." he replied to the blank space where his elder had been. Palakz, of course, had other ideas -- for this attack upon the daggership-of-search named EXCALIBUR would almost certainly draw the attention of the warleader who commanded the ship he named... Adversary.
And *this* time... this time, if all went well, he, Palakz, would be there to face the Adversary in battle. Directly.
And if all went well, only one of them would leave the field of battle alive.
* * *
[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, 1997-2000.
* * *
Coming soon: Act I of Episode 10: "And No One Shall Pass"