"In the beginning, she stood alone, singular to her task among the people of the Younger Races.... but then I joined her, as acolyte to a greater light. We thought ourselves unique... annointed we were by the Vorlons, named to our calling by their most peaceful member -- and soon enough, we dared to think ourselves alone in the universe.
As the spring of 2267 drew to a close, however, we were about to find out *exactly* how wrong we could be..."
* * *
Zax'the Major -- the edge of Minbari territory.
The Rim. Alyt Vahnell of the Wind Swords Clan, the master of the Minbari War Cruiser ELOSHANN, smiled wryly as he gazed out upon the frontier that was. Not so many years ago, the Rim had been equated with ultimate danger, and rightly so -- the threat of the Shadows had come from here, from lost Z'ha'dum... but now the Shadows were gone, their warships banished, their home destroyed. And even though their former servants, the Drakh, continued the work of their vanished masters (a case in point, the continuing crisis on the Earther homeworld) the Rim was now a far more friendly place then it had been -- and in recent cycles, there had been few if any incursions into his people's territory.
No one, even the Drakh, would now dare face the might of what was arguably the greatest military force in the known galaxy...
"Alyt." Vahnell turned on one foot as his First, Maelaid, emerged out of the darkness. "Our forces in-system claim that they have detected a disturbance near the worldlet Par'amon. Should we investigate?"
"A disturbance, you say?" he replied, running one finger along the blade that was forever at his side. "Were they not more specific, Maelaid?"
"No, Alyt. They do, however, suspect *jump* activity."
"Ah. And can you confirm whether or not there are any of our ships in the area?"
"There are not." Maelaid darkly replied.
"So..." Vahnell mused, a bright light coming into his eyes, "This may very well be what the Warrior Caste has been waiting for ever since the end of the Shadow war... this 'disturbance' *may* signal the arrival of the lead elements of an aggressor force coming into our territory!"
"It has been many years since any force has done what you suggest," Maelaid thoughtfully replied, "And since we are allied with most of the other Younger Races, perhaps you are being... hasty in assuming this disturbance signals a prelude to invasion."
"And perhaps *you* have grown over-accustomed to peace!" Vahnell sharply retorted. "Even when one adds together the territories of all the local powers, a great deal of our home galaxy remains unexplored and unknown. And that does even begin to touch upon the numerous star clusters orbiting above the galactic plane, as well as the two satellite systems that some among us name the Flames of Yedrae, and the humans the Magellanic Clouds..."
"The travel time in hyperspace required to reach the Flames is longer then any that has yet been made..." the younger Minbari replied, after a moment.
"That does not mean that it is not possible, however. But observe! -- we now draw near to Par'amon. What, if anything, is present?"
"Our sensors detect nothing... hold!" Maelaid frowned, then. "I take back my previous comment, Alyt. One vessel in Par'amon's shadow makes itself known to us... heavily stealthed -- it's configuration, unknown."
Unknown. Alyt Vahnell smiled at that remark -- the probability of engagement with an unknown foe appeared to be increasing with every passing moment. "Very well -- take us in towards them on an approach vector -- very slowly. Do nothing that will seem... threatening to them."
Maelaid nodded curtly at that remark -- this time, the gunports would remain *closed*, of course... that was a given. "We are approaching Par'amon's Shadow, Alyt -- surely they must realize that we have detected them by now?"
Vahnell was about to reply, when all of a sudden, the 'first contact' turned ugly, as he had feared. The ship they were slowly approaching abruptly wheeled in space towards them, and two things happened in quick succession.
The first, the insistent *screech* of a scan-field penetrating the systems of a Minbari Sharlin class cruiser... the first time such a thing had happened to a Minbari ship of the line in hundreds of cycles.
And the second? The opening of many, *many* jump points around the ELOSHANN. And in that singularly unpleasant instant, only one thought was going through Vahnell's mind...
Was this how war began?
* * *
ISAS SHARD OF NIGHT -- resupply stopover at Minbari outer colony Shelaya. May 14th, 2267.
Her eyes bright with anticipation of the reunion to come, Julia entered the SHARD's hangar bay, most of her command staff behind her, and paused just beyond the doors to take in the sight of the recently arrived Minbari flyer that had just come over from White Star 135. The pilot of that flyer, when he had discovered from High Councillor Westcastle that she intended to stop over at Shelaya for some much-needed supplies and a brief shore leave for her crew, had moved with unexpected *haste* to order a White Star to 'ferry' him to the colony forthwith, before the SHARD and her crew were once again called back to duty.
"So..." Nicholas began, as was his way, "What's the big deal about this Ranger, anyways?"
"Once again..." Klairika replied dryly, "Our esteemed chief engineer proves to one and all that he still has much to learn about the Anla'shok and our ways."
"Could we maybe skip the lecture just once?"
"As you wish, Mr. Dawson. For your information, the just-arrived flyer is commanded by one of the original members of the Babylon 5 Anla'shok Council. This member served with distinction on that station until the year 2263 by your reckoning, when he followed his superior, Sha'vei No'Raden Shival to Minbar to help instruct the latest generation of Rangers in the holy city of Tuzanor.
By far the most important piece of information for you to digest about this individual, however, is the following -- he was instrumental in instructing our Val'na in the ways of the Anla'shok when first she came to the side of the Rimstalker and Sech Westcastle during the early stages of the Shadow War."
"And the name of this teacher of prodigies would be what?" Dawson inquired with a frown, as the flyer's entry hatch finished opening in front of them.
"She knows my name, Nicholas Dawson." a calm yet amused voice replied. "So why don't we let your Val'na take care of the introductions?"
"Welcome aboard my command, Sech Tharvonn..." Julia said, her smile now brilliant, as she moved forward to meet her former teacher and friend of long standing. "Your trip from Minbar was a pleasant one, I trust?"
Tharvonn snorted at that remark, as Klairika and the rest stepped forward to introduce themselves. "The commander of White Star 135 was a trifle, shall we say, 'miffed' at being diverted to Shelaya for what he termed a 'non-strategic' reason, but yes, the trip was pleasant overall. Enough about travelling, however!... I did not come all this way to talk about that -- I came to see *you*, and to meet the crew you have assembled around you... and lastly, to take a good look at this warship I have heard so much about in the last little while."
"And what do you think?" she replied, slowly twirling on one foot to take in the hangar bay and fighters around them, as Tharvonn and the rest finished greeting one another.
"First impressions are not necessarily correct ones, as I told you long ago. But thus far," Tharvonn continued, "I am... tentatively impressed with what I have seen here, my former student. This, together with the reports you have been forwarding to the High Council, allows me to believe that you may yet succeed in the tasks that President Sheridan has assigned you."
"Yet?"
"Yes, indeed!" Tharvonn cautioned, as they moved out of the hangar by together. "You've had it easy thus far, Julia... Captain Gideon and his crew have yet to encounter a threat sufficiently powerful to make it necessary for you to intercede on their behalf. I have no doubt that this day is coming soon... but it has not happened *yet*. And until it does, the experiment must be deemed incomplete..."
<chime> Julia turned away from Tharvonn in astonishment then, as that tone sounded -- the tone that meant one thing, and one thing only.
Battle stations.
"Anla'shok Keynes!" she snapped. "Report!"
Without a beat, the ship's systems responded to her commands, and a holographic image of the SHARD's bridge promptly shimmered into being in the corridor, centred on Sheynell, who had volunteered to take on the duty of Watch officer so the rest of the staff could greet Sech Tharvonn. "President Sheridan is on the link for you, Val'na -- may I suggest that you and the rest of the senior staff come to the bridge at speed?"
* * *
"Ah, Captain Tikopai..." President Sheridan began as Julia, Klairika and the rest arrived at their stations, "At last."
"Mr. President," Julia replied, a trifle curtly, "Would you care to explain to me why my tactical officer has placed the SHARD OF NIGHT at full combat readiness?"
"As a matter of fact, I would, actually. Captain, less then five minutes ago, several members of the Grey Council, in addition to Shai Alyt Kozorr of the Warrior Caste, were present in my office to relay what may be a fairly disturbing piece of information. Less then a hour ago, the early warning satellites in place around the Minbari Colony Xax'the Major registered what the warriors on station there believed to be jump activity. As such, the Minbari war cruiser ELOSHANN was diverted from its normal patrol pattern to investigate the situation.
Shortly after that order was given, all contact with both the colony and the ELOSHANN was abruptly terminated." Sheridan took a deep breath, before continuing. "The Grey Council has at this time asked me to divert elements of the White Star Fleet to Xaxthe nearspace to support the war cruiser squadron that Shai Alyt Kozorr is sending in to investigate the situation.
I have also, at this time, decided to send you and the SHARD in as well, Captain. If this is a prelude to war with a new and unknown power beyond Alliance boundaries, we need to have as much firepower on the spot as is reasonably possible."
"And since we're already in Minbari space resupplying," Julia finished for him, "We'll be able to get there ahead of most of the White Star Fleet, in any case."
"Exactly." Sheridan concluded. "Any other questions, Captain?"
"None at this time, Mr. President. SHARD OF NIGHT out." And as Sheridan's figure faded from sight in front of her, Julia cast a rather pointed glance in Klairika's direction. "Our crew?"
"Will all be back aboard in ten standard minutes..." the Brakiri replied. "Your orders?"
"As soon as they're aboard, we jump for Xax'the Major, of course." Julia concluded, her expression determined. "Best possible speed."
* * *
Elsewhere.
"The bait has been laid, my daughter. Now, the question is, *will* they take it?"
An eye glistened in the near-dark of the Sanctum, and then the daughter in question joined her father on the viewing point of their domain, her wings easily supporting her weight against the reduced gravity field of the Nai'shrawn dreadnought that had carried them so far away from their home in the Cradle of Stars. "They will, my father," the Observer named Nirisha-Shalios- Trakande declared, her expression almost... sad.
I have seen it."
"And so shall it be."
"So shall it be."
* * *
[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.