(disclaimers and associated descriptions in overture)
* * *
<<ACT THREE>>
"Where are you going?" - Galen
* * *
#There#
This world had once been known only by a number... before the Darkness had come, before the Wars had torn the galaxy apart. But then, one man had seen, reflected in the eyes of his enemies, the extinction of all those he cared for, all those telepaths who lived within the borders of the Interstellar Alliance. And with a voice louder then any of those he contended with, this man had ordered his operatives behind the front lines as the Admiral had commanded... because there was no longer any other choice. Because the rebel telepaths under the Empire's control could not be allowed to win... because the Shadows and their murderous ships needed to be defeated. And while those operatives had worked their magics and died to preserve their kind, he had lead most of his people to safety, and hidden them away from the prying eyes of the galaxy.
And in the years since then? The man had not forgotten the bargain he had made with the forces of Alliance, had not forgotten that his Imperial opposite continued to train his own to hunt him down - and so, the operatives, Sheynell and John among them, continued their work... seeking out the enemy, and undermining the work of the normals who served their Master. In the end, one side or the other would fall to defeat, and Alfred Bester had long ago decided that his would be that winning side. And after that victory? Bester smiled -- well, that was for the future to reveal. The Empire was falling, but it had not fallen yet, and for the present, there was still a great deal of work to do.
He turned then, as another man entered his inner sanctum. This man was a normal of course, and yet... and yet, he had proven himself useful to the cause, over the years. Again and again, Bester had sent Eilerson out to the Rim looking for ancient alien technology to use in the battle against his opposite... the battle against the Empire. And when Eilerson had returned with such riches, Bester had ensured that his servant was well rewarded. For now, however, he was displeased. And it was, of course, for the *usual* reasons.
While Max Eilerson enjoyed *making* deals, he didn't enjoy making ones that didn't bring money or alien gadgetry into his ever-ready pockets. This time, Bester had found it necessary to insist his communications and archeological specialist be the one to deal with the Ranger and his... needs, from the moment they had landed on his world until the moment they had left. The reason for this, of course, had not been the stated one -- Eilerson's ego had been getting just a little too big for comfort in the last little while, and there were, of course, means of taking care of that didn't involve... tampering.
"Ah, Max! You have something to report?"
"I do, sir. As expected, the Ranger Lennier and his companions arrived a short time ago with their captive..."
"Sha'var Alyt John Sheridan of the Imperial First Order."
"Correct. Soon after we opened the discussion, Anla'shok Lennier requested that Sheridan be... scanned to prove the authenticity of his claims of defection."
"As expected. And did Mr. Lennier approve of Ms. Kelsey's examination of his subject?"
"As near as I could tell, he did... even after our agent assured Lennier of Sheridan's sincerity, our Ranger colleague still doesn't trust him."
"That is to be expected -- it is not enough any longer, in this day and age, to simply rely on the old adage of 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend'. Not when this particular enemy has ordered the deaths of so many of *his* closest comrades."
"One thing I still don't understand, though... why didn't you charge him a fee for our services?"
"A long time ago, Max," Bester informed his underling, "The Rangers performed a service for me. As of this moment, that repayment for that service has been performed in *full*."
"Ah. Now I think I understand..."
Bester smiled thinly at that remark. "I sincerely doubt that you do understand -- in time, maybe, but not yet, and not *now*."
There was a long pause, then. "Ah... yes, sir. Will that be all?"
Bester nodded, saying nothing... and after a moment, Eilerson left him alone with his thoughts. A few minutes passed, then, minutes which Bester used to compose himself for his next visitor, and then he turned and smiled, as a tall, dark-haired woman entered his inner sanctum... the woman who was, even after all these years, still one of his favorite operatives. <So, Ms. Kelsey -- did we make the right decision?>
Kelsey nodded. <Yes, sir. Sheridan, he is clearly the one we have been waiting for.>
<Excellent!> Bester sat back in his chair, and laughed. The future awaited.
* * *
"An encore?" Julia exclaimed.
"Why, yes!" Galen replied. "While you handled asking the first question quite well, and presently have your opponent at a disadvantage, there are still four questions to ask, four keys to be turned before you are freed to return to your own domain. Again we remind you -- the questions must be the right ones, or all will be lost."
It came upon her in an instant, then -- how tiring this all was, how exhausting it was to be the focus of so much... purpose. And before she could take it back, the words came out. "Why me?"
"Why... you?" She squirmed, then, as Galen's smile twisted slightly out of phase, taking on bitter and sarcastic qualities in an instant. "Anla'shok Tikopai, have you ever heard the phrase 'curiousity killed the cat'?"
"Unfortunately," she muttered, "I have."
"Then please, let me be blunt with you. The Gatekeeper chose you because you were the one, out of all the possible realities, that chose to touch the obelisk when the Keeper made his move... you *are* the Traveller predicted by Valen. You must do what you must, or you will never see your home again."
"Why," she muttered, "Do I feel like I've just had my knuckles rapped?"
"Even teachers must have a Headmaster."
"Oh, *very* droll."
A laugh stopped her then, and she angrily whirled to meet the revived, mocking smile of the Other. "How easily you fall to arguing with one another -- do you truly believe his claim that asking questions will allow you to escape from this place?" Julia narrowed her eyes in thought as she took in the situation -- at the surface, her doppelganger still appeared the same. But if one looked closely, traces of desperation and of fear were there that hadn't been there before... her laugh, a little shakier then it had been.
It was time to end this -- to end the endless banter, the fighting, to cut to the heart of the matter. Because unless this was done, the mysterious 'Gatekeeper' would not let her go -- and that was not an acceptable solution. Forcing her anger aside, she strode up to the mirror, her gaze intent, and nodded briskly, as the Other's smile faded away into uncertainty. "If they are the right ones, then the answer to your question is yes. And while I'm afraid you're not going to enjoy the experience, I'm actually fairly sure I know which questions they want me to ask you.
You see, it doesn't matter where we grow up, whether it be in my reality's Interstellar Alliance or your Empire, there comes a moment in all our lives when we have to make a choice as what career we're going to pursue, what path we're going to follow. My path opened to me when the man my Ranger comrades named Rimstalker jumped his White Star into Proxima III's atmosphere to save me and his father -- and while that path has given me pain and joy in near equal measure over the last seven years, while there has been moments when I wasn't sure I could continue, in the end I did, because the path chosen was the right path, chosen for the right reasons.
The path you've followed, however...it's given you pain, so you've lead yourself to believe that giving in pain in return is acceptable. It is not. Your leader and his Council of Ascension wish to rule the galaxy with an iron fist, and those that think the same as they do are rewarded. In their eyes, you *do* think the same, but I know better. You want everyone to think you enjoy the things you do, that destroying the enemies of the Empire is what you've been born for. But that isn't true at all, is it?"
"I don't know what you're talking about!"
"Don't you? What loss did you suffer that made you hate the Alliance so? What tragedy caused you to turn away from the training that would have made you simply another officer, another daughter of your empire, and step onto the path that lead to the Drakh? To the day when you became the Lady Darkness Born?
Where is the place where you went wrong?"
Rather abruptly, the Other turned away. "I don't have to answer your questions, any of them!"
"That," Galen sharply noted. "Is no longer your choice to make, I am afraid. What was said earlier is the truth, you who share her name. Unless you tell us what we want to hear, you will never be alone again. And if we cannot convince you to move aside from the path, both you and your opposite will die, and sooner rather then later."
"What?" Julia exclaimed, turning to face the Technomage. "You can't be ser..."
"Be silent, Ranger." Galen warned her. "This is the moment we have all been waiting for."
"What you, what I..." the Other abruptly stopped, and turned around, and all those present were surprised to find her face ashen and streaked with tears... the imperious shell suddenly gone. "I don't how how to give you what you want -- I've never done something like this before!"
"There is a first time for everything. Now, you must tell us your tale, tell us of the moment when you set your foot on this path, the moment where you made the wrong choice -- for the wrong reasons."
"I must?"
Isabelle nodded. "Save yourself now, child, or not at all."
The Other sighed, and lowered her head in the mirror, even as Julia watched on, astonished yet again by the sudden turn of events... the sudden shift in her opposite's mood, as the wall of defeat in front of her was suddenly replaced by something entirely surprising -- an open hand, offering help. "Where must I begin?"
"At the beginning, of course."
* * *
Aboard White Star 750, things were finally beginning to move towards some sort of resolution -- which meant, of course, that Lennier were calmly sitting in his command chair awaiting the arrival of those he was waiting for... while Franklin had spent most of the time since the White Star and its fellow ships had left Bester's stronghold pacing back and forth across the bridge.
"Stephen, have I ever mentioned to you that you worry too much? As I had hoped, the telepaths were able to confirm Sheridan's claims, and now we await the arrival of those I contacted, a short time ago. All is going as we had hoped."
"Not quite." Franklin replied. "In case you've forgotten, Lennier, there's still at least one Imperial wolfpack out there somewhere looking for Sheridan, and by now, they must *know* we were the ones that picked him up."
"And your point being?"
"Lennier, one thing I've learned, after helping Tessa oversee the deep-cover Intelligence operation these last few years, is that you *never* stay still for an instant, because just when you think you're safe, that's when they get you."
"Ah. I see." It was then, of course, that the jump-warning rang out in the White Star's bridge. "In that case, Stephen, we no longer have anything to worry about; it appears that those I have been waiting for have finally arrived."
"Sir." the Ranger at Ops reported a moment later, "Four Alliance war cruisers and several smaller escorsts have just emerged from hyperspace. Shai Alyt Sinoval is waiting on the link to speak to you."
"You did that on purpose, didn't you?"
* * *
"Amazing it is," Sinoval mused some time later, as a resigned-looking Sheridan walked by, surrounded by Rangers, "How one so great as he could fall so low. There was a time when I would have gladly killed him in a moment like this, Delenn... but that moment has now passed us by."
"And well for you that it has, Sinoval." came his leader's reply, as she, too, watched the fallen leader of the Empire's First Order taken away to one of the more 'comfortable' cells onboard the VELANN. "His destiny, and ours, awaits at the world named Valennei'vi -- we should not be late for that appointment."
"The world where Valen first appeared, so long ago?" Sinoval replied with a frown. "That place is dangerously close to the Imperial border, Delenn."
"I know, but go we must -- the EXCALIBUR and its fleet will be joining us shortly after our arrival. And time is running out."
"So be it." Sinoval said, before turning to face his waiting, expectant first officer. Tirivail..."
"Shai Alyt!"
"You will set course for Valennei'vi. Best possible speed."
* * *
"Mistress." the Huntsman began again, as he slowly, *deliberately* came to a halt in front of Ivanova's command-chair, "Again, you have let the prey slip away... and the barrier of Alliance firepower around him continues to thicken. Why?"
"Surely you're not questioning my ability to command?" Ivanova icily replied, fixing the Huntsman with a sharp glare. "Because if that were the case..."
"No, Mistress!" the Huntsman quickly exclaimed, "Never that. I only wish to understand what we are doing here. For hours now, we have silently followed the captors of Sheridan, first the Rangers and their White Stars, and now the command-ship and squadron commanded by Sinoval himself, and still we have not attacked. From this, I must assume that the final target you seek has not yet revealed itself..."
"Precisely!" Ivanova replied, as on the bridge-screen, the VELANN and its screen of warships opened a jump point, and fled into hyperspace. "But now, the final movement is close at hand, the moment I've been waiting for. Would you care to examine the course those Alliance ships laid in, before they jumped?"
The Huntsman did, and a moment later, his confusion increased. "Why are they going *there*?"
"A mistake is about to be made, a mistake that my Master has ordered me to correct. Now that Sheridan has drawn in his captors as was intended, we will follow Sinoval and his fleet to *Valennei'vi*." This said caustically. "The rest of the Pack will join us there. And while the enemy attempt to fulfill their pathetic destinies, there will come a moment of weakness. And it is in that moment of weakness that their true destiny will be revealed, and ours will be fulfilled."
"And there will be no mercy..." the Huntsman stated in finality.
"None at all." Ivanova whispered, as the Pack leapt through into hyperspace to continue the pursuit. She was going to enjoy this.
&nsp; Immensely.
* * *
My name is Julia Katherine Tikopai, and in my time I have been many things. I have been a dutiful daughter of the Empire, a daughter taught by her mother how to fight, and how to kill. I have stood in the doorway of the Great House, one Ring among many, and in that standing decided myself their better. I have grown arrogant in my successes, and been whipped for that crime. I have felt resentment, but at the same time, I have betrayed my own kind in the Game to become what the Drakh wanted me to be.
I am not of your world, a world of light compared to my dark, the dark I have loved -- and now, what I do this day may tear that darkness asunder. My world is a world of whispers, of alien creatures standing at my bedside before dawn, their whispers intruding on my dreams. My world is a world of levels, of cutting down one's competitors before you yourself are cut down... and of learning how to hate. Of listening to the words of my secret ally the Shadowman, and clawing my way higher up the levels.
The Drakh taught me to hate the Alliance, because I only knew the Alliance as the enemy who had banished our precious Dark Ones. And I knew a name, a name screamed out across the light years from the dying throat of my mother. And that name was KALAIN, the rogue Minbari who had killed her, who had ripped her ship apart in the name of his Alliance. I rose high on that hate, and swore to avenge her death, swore to destroy the Alliance that had destroyed her. In time, I rose far enough that others followed me through the darkness, Vaar'la fighter units swarming at my beck and call, tiny motes of hate swarming over the ship commanded by Kalain. Destroy his ship, I told them, and destroy it we did... and it was good.
But the hate was not satisfied with that -- the hate had been fueled by that fire, instead. Time and again, I was sent in to succeed when others could not, and as you now know, I earned the name 'Darkness Born'. I liked the name... the part of me that hated loved the name. And in time, a delusion came upon me, the thought that I could not be defeated, that it simply wasn't possible. And the Drakh fueled these thoughts, until, in the end, I was given command of the SHARD OF NIGHT, and ordered into battle one last time.
The rest...
* * *
"The rest I know." Julia whispered, as the end of her counterpart's lengthy tale finally concluded. "The rest, I've seen."
"And now, you know my secret," the Other admitted, her tone weary, her face fearful. "And what will you do to me, now that you do know?"
"She will ask you one more question, I'm afraid..." a voice intruded, and Julia turned and smiled, as Sinclair entered the sanctum. "And I'm afraid that it will be the most difficult one of all for you to bear.
But before that happens, there is something I must show you -- something important. Something that show you just how much really is at stake here. You will meet the two individuals most responsible for bringing your counterpart into this reality, and learn of your own destiny."
"Ah," Galen mused, "Nearly there, are we?"
Sinclair nodded. "Almost."
"Well, then -- I suppose we'd better get ready for the battle, then."
"Oh *no*..." Julia muttered, "Not again!"
"Did you think the Empire had forgotten about us, Anla'shok Tikopai?"
"No." she replied, somewhat tartly, "But it would nice, just once, to go through one of these moments of revelation *without* fighting for our lives at the same time!"
They were nearer to the gate's edge that he, but that didn't stop Galen from gritting his teeth. It would be so *very* easy to fall into THAT body this close to the moment of transition, but that could not be allowed. But now, another moment was coming that he and the Soul Hunters had been concerned about -- the two Rangers, Keynes and Alidiae, having learned the rules of the search, were about to come across their target, and when that happened...
* * *
Below her, the Maelstrom whirled, but in the (hours?) they had been doing this, it had gradually dawned on her and Sheynell that the vortex of light below them had other patterns within it, smaller whirlpools gyrating back and forth. She didn't know what these were, but over time, a particularly large and complicated one had begun to catch her attention, until finally...
Until finally, she had figured out another critical piece of information... that the whole vision of the other reality the Gate was projecting to her was ONE colour, and deep in that complicated whirlpool was a fleck of ANOTHER...
<Sheynell! Isn't that her?>
<We've had plenty of false alarms in the last little while, remember...>
the telepath warned her. <We have to be sure it's her, before we leap.>
<Look closely... can't you see?> Klairika squinted her eyes, and almost by magic, the whirlpool seemed to spring closer and slow down a little, which allowed her to focus in on that tiny fragment of *wrong*-ness. It seemed to be paired, somehow, with another part of the whirlpool, a regular part. <You've touched her mind... let that be the final factor.>
Sheynell focused, then, and reached down to 'touch' that spiralling paired fragment, and jumped, as a jumbled sense of duality sprang back at her... but also, the familiar *sense* of being that was Julia's and Julia's alone. <You were right... it is her! We've found her!>
<At last!> Klairika shouted. <Now we just have to...>
<STOP!> a voice insisted, and both Rangers winced, before angrily whirling to face the fiery glow that was Galen, suspended above them in the darkness.
<Stop? But we've...>
<Found her, yes. But we cannot take her out of the alternate reality -- not yet.>
<But why?>
<All in good time.> the Technomage replied, somewhat distantly.
<That's not good enough, Galen!> Klairika angrily replied. <Not this time!>
<Oh. You want the truth, do you?>
<I insist.>
<Insist?> Galen replied, sounding almost amused. <Oh very well, then... if it's the truth you want, then I *suppose* I'll just have to give it to you.>
<Klairika.>
<What?>
<Didn't any of your family ever teach you not to shout at a Technomage?>
An instant later, the darkness around the two Rangers erupted into light, and they both screamed...
* * *
"Jumpout complete, sir." Captain Gideon announced, as Sinclair, followed by Julia and the Technomages, emerged onto the bridge of the EXCALIBUR. "And since there's already a complete Minbari battlegroup and several Victory-class destroyers in orbit around Epsilon 3, with several shuttles requesting docking clearances, may I assume the reason you've brought us all here is about to be revealed?"
"All in good time, Captain. For now, however, the time has come to introduce to you the two individuals most responsible for this whole affair." And a moment later, one of those 'individuals' decided to make his presence known...
"Ah, Sinclair," an exasperated, accented voice accused, "Here you are at last... late, as usual! -- and with the annoying young human in tow, as well."
Julia winced -- she knew that voice. "Annoying?" she exclaimed.
"Annoying, yes!" the voice insisted, and a moment later, the voice's owner sprang into existence, an accusing finger pointed in her direction. "You are worse then the rest of them put together for getting yourself into trouble! When I look at the definition of this word in one of your dictionaries, there your picture can be found."
"Oh come now, Mollari..." another voice announced, "You exaggerate, as usual. Miss Tikopai simply has a knack, as the humans say, for being in the right place, for the right reasons, at the worst possible time. If this had not been the case, I would not have been able to draw her here, now would I?"
"And of course..." Julia wearily noted, as the image of a Narn sprang into being next to the Centauri, "Where *one* is, the other must also be."
"Would *somebody*," Gideon exclaimed, "Like to tell me exactly who these two are, and why they've suddenly appeared on my bridge?"
Sinclair nodded, a faint smile on his face. "I have the honour of introducing to you all the current Guardian of Epsilon 3's Great Machine, Londo Mollari. As well as his close comrade G'kar.
The Gatekeeper."
"And the explanation for all this..."
"Must now be given, yes." Everyone turned, then, to take in the sight of Zathras, with all four Technomages arrayed behind him. "All pieces nearly in place -- the *time* draws near for us to act. Follow Zathras to conference room, Zathras and the ONE will tell all what they need to hear."
* * *
They were nearly home, if anywhere could be called home. In her time, she had been the greatest Ring of her house -- in the history of the Empire, only one other human had done better, and she had eventually married that man. And now she was going home, having turned on him for the good of the Empire -- and to ensure her own survival.
In the darkness, Lochley clenched one hand and slowly opened her eyes. What she was feeling, it could not *possibly* be guilt, could it? Any love she had for the man had vanished long ago, wiped away by the call of duty. And now, for the first time in more then five years, she was about to set foot on Minbar, the throneworld of the Empire. And if not guilt, then could this be *fear* she was feeling?
No, not possible.
<chime> "Sha'var Alyt?"
"Yes!" she snapped, suddenly irritated that the peace of her inner sanctum had been shattered. "What is it, Pa'trakar?"
"We've got a signal coming in from Minbar for you, Sha'var Alyt -- priority Ultraviolet-Omega. Do you wish the transmission to be routed to your sanctum?"
Lochley stiffened, and heard all too clearly the *fear* in Keffer's voice -- and he was right to be afraid, for there was only one individual in the Empire who held that authority. "Immediately." And then it was that she went down on one knee before the suddenly activated holographic projector, and shuddered as its light filled the room around her.
"My Master," she whispered, "Command me!"
"Arise then, my Mistress of Battles!" the deep, commanding voice of the Tyrant announced. "We have a great deal to discuss, you and I -- matters that cannot wait for your arrival here on Homeworld. There is a purpose to this, they have said.
This game is barely begun."
* * *
<I don't believe it!> the Other exclaimed, as a meeting that had included many important Alliance leaders and allies, in addition to a certain defected Imperial Warlord, finally came to a close. <It simply isn't possible!>
Julia smiled -- she'd been expecting this all along, of course -- even in this reality, that particular circle still needed to be closed. <And why not? We all have our purposes in life, even if sometimes we don't see or understand them at first. In my reality, Jeffrey Sinclair went back in time to bring together the Alliance that would ultimately defeat the Shadows... and in doing so, became the great Minbari leader Valen. In this reality, however... things went just a little differently.>
<Our historians -- they name him Traitor, and Betrayer, as well. A thousand years ago, he appeared out of nowhere to lead the remnants of the Religious Caste into exile. The Warriors, they were forever trying to catch him, but it was as if he was untouchable. They were never able to catch him, and in the end, what he accomplished sowed the seeds from which your Alliance sprouted.>
She laughed. <My Alliance? No... I'm afraid not. MY Alliance was forged out of the ashes of the Shadow War -- this Alliance was forged to protect the free peoples of the Galaxy from *your* Empire.>
<My Empire.> The Other paused for a moment, then, and took a deep breath... in a mental sense, at least. <Only now, after so many revelations and surprises, do I begin to realize how *wrong* that sounds... and how long I've been asleep, brainwashed by my teachers... my mother... my friends. How will this all end?>
"A very good question, that is." Julia jumped and turned on one heel, to find G'kar, or 'The Gatekeeper' as he was known in this reality, critically gazing at her from a spot on the wall that had been empty a moment before. "Oh yes, don't be so suprised, Miss Tikopai -- I am more then capable of hearing both of you at the same time if I so wish."
"They called you the Gatekeeper -- does that mean..."
"Yes, indeed. When the Shadow War was at its height in this reality, a Vorlon we both know well asked me to guard the gates of the world you know as Amaranth, while also arranging for Mollari to become the Guardian of the Machine within Epsilon 3. Everything has proceeded more or less according to plan thus far -- but the critical moment is approaching... and much can go wrong if we are not careful. Now that *she* understands what is to come, you must accompany those who are about to descend into the Machine."
"But the time rift..."
"Is moving, I am afraid." G'kar confided. "It formed in Sector 14, of course, as it did in your own reality -- but time has passed, and with that passing, the rift has moved. In addition, it is now much smaller then it was, and lies quite close to the planetary surface. The time has come for us to act."
"Exactly." Sinclair declared, as he came to their side. "Anla'shok Tikopai, I'm going to ask you and your counterpart to join the rest of us down in the Machine for the final phase of this operation. There's something you have to do, and something you have to say while we're down there -- and G'kar is right. Sooner or later the Imperials are going to figure out what's going on here, and when that happens they're bound to attack..."
As if on cue, a siren immediately began to wail. "Sinclair," Londo sarcastically noted, "You never did know when to keep your mouth shut, now did you?"
"Sinclair to Bridge... what's our status?"
"Not good, Admiral." the reply came, a moment later. "Several Imperial Wolfpacks have just come out of hyperspace right on top of us. Their commander is ordering us to surrender, or be destroyed."
"Well, that sounds a little familiar, doesn't it?" At that point, Sinclair turned to Gideon. "Captain, you have your marching orders -- we're descending to the planet to end this, once and for all. It's going to be up to you and Sinoval to keep those Wolfpacks off our backs until this is all over. Can you do it?"
"Leave it up to us, Admiral -- we'll get the job done. And Admiral... good luck."