(disclaimers and associated descriptions in overture)
* * *
<<ACT TWO>>
Minbari Colony Xax'the Major - high orbit. May 15th, 2267, human reckoning.
"Observers?" Alyt Norann of the Minbari war cruiser SILAHTI ground out, his disbelief plain, as Julia leant back in her chair and tried desperately to avoid the urge to start shouting into the holographic receiver. "I will assume you have proof of these claims, Val'na Tikopai -- that these creatures you name the Eloi'a do indeed mean us no harm?"
"The proof you seek will not be easy to give, I am afraid," she carefully replied. "The only thing I can tell you at this moment is the following: Aielyn-Trakande-Xexus, the commander of the Eloi'a expeditionary force that crossed the Shadow territories to reach Alliance space, is the Speaker for an organization of races he names the Cradle of Stars. It also seems clear that they have come a very long way to meet both myself and my former Anla'shok teacher Sech Westcastle... as well as discover why and how the Shadows were banished beyond the Rim -- and who was responsible for this feat."
"Then why," Norann continued, "Did this *Speaker* choose to isolate one of our colonies and also the war cruiser ELOSHANN from the rest of Minbari territory, if this *expedition* is one of peace... and why did he bring so many vessels of war with him?"
"To gain our attention in a fashion we could not hope to ignore, Alyt." Julia succintly replied. "And to ensure that your Shai Alyt sent enough military force to this system to that neither side 'jumped the gun' as my kind says. As you may noticed and he had hoped, the forces loyal to Minbar and the Cradle of Stars are more or less balanced at the moment.
Finally, it was belief that President Sheridan would also feel the need to send my command to this region, so that he would be able to make contact with *me*."
"And you claim that he is one of these 'Observers' I have heard mentioned on Minbar from time to time, then..." Norann's eyes narrowed, then. "As are you, if memory serves."
"You are correct..." she allowed. "Up until this point, Sech Westcastle and myself had been lead to believe that 'Observing' only involved the need to write of the important events in recent history, and record them for posterity's sake. It is now becoming increasingly evident that is not the case... if this trait is shared among as many species as Speaker Aeilyn claims it is."
"I see. So what is the next step in this progression, then?"
"In a few moments time, myself and my first officer will be making the trip to the Eloi'a flagship TIELDA'S PRIDE, at which point we will begin to negotiate a continuation to our relationship with the representatives from the Cradle of Stars... a relationship that may, if all goes well, be quite a valuable one for all concerned."
"Yes..." Norann pondered, "Their technology is evidently quite advanced, perhaps even more advanced then our own in some respects. Very well, Val'na Tikopai, I will keep you from your duties no longer."
"Thank you, Alyt."
"Only remember this!..." Norann cautioned. "Negotiate well, and do not make too many concessions before we can maneuver these Eloi'a into an arena where experience is more readily available then enthusiasm!"
She bowed slightly in his direction at those words. "I hear your advice and will take it to heart, Alyt. Good day." And even as Norann's image faded away, she sighed in relief -- at last, that was over! And now it was time to get ready for the trip over to the mammoth Eloi'a flagship...
<chime> Julia frowned -- now who could this be? "Yes?"
The door slid open, and she involuntarily smiled as Tharvonn stepped through the door, his expression serious, precise and to the point... as usual. "Now *this* was quite a sudden turn of events, wasn't it? And while I do understand you haven't had time until now to think about much anything but whether you were going to be fighting these 'Eloi'a' or not, perhaps now things have calmed down a little, I can be of service here."
She smiled, and gestured him to the nearby chair in front of her desk. "I will admit, Sech, that the events of the last hour have taken me somewhat by surprise -- and even more surprising is the fact they want *me* to open negotiations with them!"
"Hmm, yes..." Tharvonn thoughtfully replied, "Let me be honest with you at this time-- despite your recent bold ascent to command rank and your status as Observer-on-station, the reason they wish to meet with you may also be a cover set in place to take advantage of your inexperience with negotiation."
"You speak truly," she ruefully admitted. "But is there is a solution to this problem, Sech?"
"Perhaps," Tharvonn replied, an amused glint now in his eyes, "The Eloi'a would not be offended if yourself and Na'lai Alidiae were accompanied by an 'advisor' during this difficult, early stage..."
* * *
<aside: Nirisha private text - locked.>
Historical noting for my Great Work -- the meeting I have feared all my life is about to occur... and my father is about to make the greatest mistake of his career. He believes, of course, that what he is doing is the right thing to do... that we will be able to treat these two Lost Ones as members of our Order -- that the Code of the Crystal Towers can be applied to them, and that they will accept him as their leader once the 'shock of reunion with your own kind' has worn off.
And that the tithing will occur as it has always occured.
I wish I could believe that this was the right thing for us to do... but in my hearts, I know that it is not... and that my father Aeilyn is about to do something that once undertaken, cannot be turned away from. I have done all I can to help him avoid what is to come... but he is my father, and he is our leader, while my standing is merely that of the Clairion's Tower... lowest among our kind. I can advise, but he does not have to listen to me, now does he? No, not at all.
He has, you see, already made the decision that will break us... and all I have done, it will not be enough to avoid the darkness to come. These Lost Ones are about to prove my father completely, tragically wrong in his need to assume 'all will be as it should be'. While beyond that moment of sundering, I cam see only pain and loss, for all concerned.
"Have you noticed, my Lord," the TIELDA'S Wingleader commented, as Aeilyn patiently awaited the arrival of the 'flyer' from the Lost One's battlecruiser command, "The dependence of these 'Alliance' races upon tiny one-pilot warcraft?"
"I have, yes..." Aeilyn replied. "Curious this is that the Minbari, in addition to this other race named 'humans', are so willing to send their warriors out in craft so frail and undermanned. I will assume of course, that you have an opinion on this matter?"
"I do, yes." the Wingleader replied. "The drive technology used by the races of this Interstellar Alliance does not seem to be as *advanced* as our own -- or their projectile technology, for that matter. The Minbari in particular, and the Alliance fleet warships as well to a great degree, appear to have developed a dependence upon energy weaponry -- and therefore, are willing to fight battles at close quarters. Hence, their use of one-pilot warcraft -- it is... advantangeous, my Lord, under such circumstances, to send out swarms of highly maneuverable fightercraft to damage the capital ships of one's opponent."
"While we, on the other hand," Aeilyn noted, "Have learned from long experience the following wisdom -- if one is willing to let one's enemy get that close, one will almost *surely* die."
He was, of course, referring to the deadly weapons the Dark Ones had employed in their age-long wars against the races of the Cradle -- even now, Eloi'a broods were frightened in the times before sleep by the tales of brave warriors and warfleets decimated by the purple knife-rays of the Great Enemy... before the lesson had been taught, and the builders and creators had begun acting instead of *re*-acting. The many heavily defended orbital missile platforms throughout the Cradle of Stars and even in the approach lanes of the Gap-between were a legacy of those times, as well as the gravitic drive systems that could effortlessly accelerate their militarist ships and missiles at over eight-cubed homeworld gravities for minimal periods.
In other words, the one advantage the Eloi'a had held over the Dark Ones for a very long time was the ability to run away from them effortlessly, lead them into range of the missile platforms and backup energy weapons grids, and live to tell the tale. The tactic hadn't always worked, of course... but it had worked often enough for the Cradle to survive four cycles of the war against their enemy.
And now, the Speaker pondered gravely, they had come upon this Interstellar Alliance... a group of races that (beyond the Minbari) did not seem to possess nearly as advanced a technology base as the Cradle of Stars... an Alliance willing to send out its warriors to die at close range in warcraft too frail to protect their pilots, but numerous enough to do damage to the foe.
An Alliance which had, on the other hand, somehow managed to drive the Dark Ones (in this part of the galaxy, named the Shadows) completely out of the galaxy. How they had done such a thing was a question to even make him pause -- the records they had downloaded during the initial datascan of the Minbari war cruiser ELOSHANN had but not been terribly clear on how it had been accomplished, only that a being named 'Lorien' had been involved... but had been *quite* clear on which Alliance world-members had been primarily responsible for the feat -- a Minbari named Delenn -- and her life-partner, the human named John Sheridan... who was (not coincidentally, in his opinion) presently the leader of the Interstellar Alliance.
Now *this* was a warrior he keenly wished to meet! But first, Aeilyn mentally added, as the graceful purple-white Alliance flyer arrived on the docking-floor below, there was the matter of this Tikopai female... this *youthling* outcast Observer who commanded what was almost certainly one of the most advanced warships in the Alliance arsenal.
The female his daughter had named Breaker of Rules, Maker of Destinies, and Seeker of change. What these titles referred to, he did not yet know... but Aeilyn nevertheless feared that he was about to find out *exactly* how the isolation imposed upon this Lost One would affect her obeyance of the rules of the Order.
Part of him was not looking to these revelations in the slightest. But only a part -- the rest? The rest of him was looking forward to the greatest challenge of his career.
"Enact hi-gravity bubble!" he commanded, as the pressure door of the Alliance flyer began opening. "Stand ready to receive our guests!"
Julia gazed up and around, almost but not *quite* restraining herself from a mild gape at their surroundings. The outer hull of the Eloi'a dreadnought TIELDA'S PRIDE, a double-spindled silver splinter more then three kilometres long, had proven to be a thick shield above what amounted to a hollow interior full of metal lace. Nodes and great arcing strands of superstructure filled the void over her head... while above and towards the bow from her perspective, a larger black and silver node dominated the interior of the warship -- no doubt the 'command sphere' they had seen in the first transmission from this vessel.
The other thing she had noticed immediately was the following -- while she, Klairika and Tharvonn were quite clearly within a gravitational environment suitable for their needs, just beyond the platform they were standing on, Eloi'a could be seen drifting from place to place within a warship on their wide, often multi-colored wings.
"Greetings to you, Lost One." She turned aside from her preocupation with the ship, then, as the leader she had spoken with before, the Eloi'a that named himself Aeilyn-Trakande-Xexus, approached from above and almost silently set his clawed feet down upon the platform she was standing on and approached. "I sense your interest in this vessel, and also a question. The answer to your question is this -- the flight-engineers of my kind have elected to create a gravitational bubble around you and your aides. I fear," the Speaker added almost matter-of-factly, "That you find our normal environment difficult to deal with."
"If you do not mind me asking," she politely replied, "Your homeworld..."
"Is not a world such as yours. My world-home is a smaller and lighter place then yours, Lost One -- which allows us, as you have already seen, to glide upon the currents of air from place to place, as is natural with our kind.
But enough of such matters... the time has come for us to speak of what is to come. When your leader, the one named Sheridan, elected to send you to this place, he opened the door we wished opened. The battlegroup that accompanied us through the territories of the Dark Ones will now retreat and return to our own space, the path now known, the fear of unknown danger banished. It is our wish for this vessel and several escorts of honor to continue onwards to the capital world of your Alliance, there to open negotiations both with your leader and also with the other Observer amongst you."
A clearing throat was heard at that point, and Julia turned towards her companions, and smiled as Tharvonn began to speak. "Speaker, if I may address you?"
"Observer Tikopai," Aeilyn inquired, "Who is this Minbari you have brought with you? Yourself and your First I specified -- but young you are," the Eloi'a finally allowed, "Advisor to you then, is he?"
"Indeed that is the case," she confirmed. "This is Sech Tharvonn, one of the more senior Anla'shok among us, and most valued for his even-handed judgement on most matters."
"I will hear his words, then."
"Thank you, Speaker Aeilyn." Tharvonn continued. "What you request, it may be allowed... but only if certain requirements are met."
"Explain."
"The weapons systems of this vessel are, how shall I say it without offending?... somewhat *dramatic*. The warriors among my people will be loath to allow a ship such as this into orbit around our homeworld with operational weapons systems such as yours, let alone three!"
"You wish, therefore, to have our weapons systems deactivated?" Aeilyn responded, his tone now cool. "You would ask us to do something a Speaker such as myself has not done in all our history?"
"If trust is to be established between our peoples," Tharvonn replied, "I must ask this of you, yes."
"Observer, do you concur with his... assessment of the situation?"
"I must, yes."
"And will you then guarentee the safety of my crews and followers during our stay in Alliance space?"
"I will." she firmly replied. "In Valen's Name, I swear they will be kept safe."
The Eloi'a snorted at that remark, and paused for a long moment, then. "It is a fair request..." Aeilyn finally admitted. "It shall be as you say, then, Tharvonn of the Minbari -- Observer Tikopai has guarenteed our safety during the course of this affair... as such, the TIELDA'S PRIDE will make its way into Minbar space unarmed and *without* the escort I previously mentioned. We do, however, demand that your Anla'shok provide escort for my flagship at this time."
"We have very little in the way of resources along such lines at the moment, Speaker, but I will do what I can. At the very least I can promise that my own command will be guarding your vessel during the voyage ahead."
"This is an acceptable compromise, although the militarists among us will no doubt disagree with that assessment." Aeilyn replied, his tone now full of humour. "We will hold our position here until you have assembled your guard of honor, Observer Tikopai... we will then follow you to the capital of the Alliance, and there our discussions will continue."
Sensing that the initial phase was now over, Julia bowed in the Speaker's direction, a movement that Klairika and Tharvonn soon emulated. "I will contact you when we are ready to proceed, Speaker -- if I may now have your leave to depart?"
"Depart as you have come, then, Observer Tikopai... in good faith, and as a friend to my people. Until next we speak."
* * *
A short time later.
"Okay, let me see if I've got this straight, Captain..." John Sheridan wearily began, after Julia had fully explained the situation, "They want to come to Minbar to meet with me and your Entil'zha as well as High Councillor Westcastle's wife -- you think they'd like to establish a pact of alliance with us... and they want a few White Stars to help you protect their ship on the way here, because they're busily disarming their flagship as we speak?"
"That's pretty much an accurate assessment of the situation, Mr. President." she replied. "I get the impression they don't much care for being vulnerable at the best of times, and after fighting against the Shadows in the Great Wars of the past few thousand years..."
"While I understand their concerns, Captain," the President explained, his expression tight, "As you know, under the present circumstances we don't have a Hell of a lot of White Stars on hand to help out. I'm afraid the few out there with you will have to suffice for the time being."
"I understand, Mr. President. How soon can you have the orders cut and in the hands of Anla'shok Levann?"
"If all goes well, within the next half an hour or so."
"In that case, I hope to be enroute towards Minbar with our... guests within two standard hours, Mr. President."
"Understood, Captain. We'll speak again when you arrive. ISA Headquarters out."
And with that, Julia immediately signaled the main bridge. "Klairika?"
"Yes, Val'na?"
"If you would please get me a channel to the TIELDA'S PRIDE?"
* * *
Minbar.
In a dark place, two cloaked and hooded warriors met, their expressions grim. "It is confirmed," one began without pause. "Our forces, along with the Anla'shok loyal to Sheridan, including the upstart Tikopai and her followers aboard 'Vi'dalae An'shaka', have encountered a new alien race out on the deep range."
"And will they be escorting the envoys of this new race here, so that they might negotiate with Sheridan and his agents of diplomacy?"
"That appears likely, yes."
A sigh. "So. Alyt Kendraii, my father, will no doubt soon discover that my elder brother Anla'shok Larieken will soon be returning to Minbar, and when he does, the inevitable will occur, now that my eldest brother has managed to have himself dishonorably exiled and denied the birthright that is his."
The Minbari named Ariekaas smiled a tight and bitter smile. "The battle for the future of my family is about to begin, friend. Can I count on you to aid me in my time of need?"