Writer's Note -- parts of this episode will be seen from the viewpoint of the creatures encountered by Gideon & crew in the CRUSADE episode 'Well of Forever'... and will also deal with Max Eilerson's comment about them being the 'bottom of the hyperspace food chain'. Many thanks, as usual, go to jms for giving me a wonderful hanging plot thread to play with... and the rest of the 'gang' for putting up with my labyrinth of plot threads.
And with that said... on with the show!
* * *
White Star 121, on search in Sector 606 -- the Perseus 'rift'. June 11th, 2267, 11:30 hrs, E.S.T.
"You look worried about something," Val'na Maerann began, as Elai Sakalia, her human first officer, set down his end-of-watch meal at her table, the table that was reserved for them more often then not. "You will not mind if I ask *what* the matter is this time?"
Sakalia laughed -- and yet again, Maerann recalled the day he had come aboard her White Star, almost six years before... and all that had transpired since then. "Well, I never really *have* liked going this deep into hyperspace looking for beacons that might or might not really exist. Even with the Vorlon technology built into these ships, we still might get lost, you know."
"This is... an unlikely outcome, as I have told you before." she reminded him. "And since the mission at hand is a serious one, occasionally we must take chances. It is our... duty to keep Captain Gideon and his crew busy with 'clues' that they may investigate, after all -- and this area of space..."
"Is a mystery that needs to be solved." Sakalia agreed. "I mean, why, with all the inhabited worlds around the Perseus Rift, aren't there any jumpgates in orbit around the resource-rich worlds in this area? We're talking about an area almost two hundred light years across and a hundred wide centred on the Double Cluster... do you think there could have been a First Ones race out here before Lorien and all the rest of them went beyond the Rim at the end of the War?"
"That is one possibility we must consider," Maerann replied. "Additionally, there is the tale that comes to us courtesy of a race named the Xzalei... a legend that speaks of 'deep-dwellers' moving amongst the gravimetric clouds in this part of the galaxy."
"And the Xzalei would be... what, exactly?"
"They are a race of explorers who move among the stars more often then they stay on planetary surfaces," the Minbari patiently explained, "We have encountered them from time in our centuries of co-existence of walking amongst the stars. It is clear that there are many places in the Unknown Regions that they have visited -- and apparent from their journey logs that they visited this area once and once only... and never again. If pressed, they will speak only of the 'deep-dwellers' and their places of power, far from the beacons... and the dark dangers that surround them."
"Translation," Sakalia replied, "Here be dragons?"
"A curious phrase of your kind." Maerann replied, "But in this case, perhaps an accurate one."
"Always comes down to that, doesn't it?" Sakalia mused. "The 'monsters in hyperspace' routine. Sure, the Shadows used to come through here like ghosts, while the Vorlons learned to wrap their fleets in moving hyperspace pockets... but they're gone -- why should we have to pay attention to this stuff, in this day and age?"
"Behind every rumour is a fragment of truth." Maerann replied. "And I mean to *understand* the reason this region of space is shunned -- the truth behind the stories of these 'deep-dwellers'..."
"And also, along the way," Sakalia slyly added, "A clue or two to throw in the direction of the EXCALIBUR crew, when they arrive at the agreed-upon rendezvous point in this area."
"Indeed..." <chime>
"Val'na Maerann, this is Anla'shok Daeshael on the bridge, please respond."
Maerann sighed. Daeshael, a young Religious Caste Minbari who had joined her crew slightly more then a cycle ago, while a competent bridge officer, did not handle... crises very well. "This is important, I trust?"
"We have encountered something in hyperspace." the younger Minbari replied, his tone full of mystery and wonder. "Something... unexpected."
"Show me." she commanded, and a moment later, both she *and* Sakalia rose to their feet in consternation as an image was relayed down from the bridge to be projected from the holographic unit in the tabletop.
"Well, they're not exactly monsters," Sakalia finally allowed, "But what in Valen's Name are they doing here? And what the heck do things that big *eat*?"
"This," Maerann replied, as the two Rangers moved out of the room at speed, "Is a question I would like answered myself."
* * *
<*Look, look, look! Another comes*>
<#Not like us -- flock of eldest sister proved this#>
<!Smaller, this one!>
<*Smaller, yes*>
A shudder. <!Look like eaters!>
<*No, no, no! Wrong shape -- has holes in body, eaters have no holes.*>
<!Yes, wrong!>
<#Sure?#>
Suddenly, a rumble from above, and the three younglings shuddered. <--Make noise, will attract eaters. Be quiet!-->
<*Look, look, look! Visitor thing!*>
Discontent. <--Sharp eyes, youngling. Proudness, we have-->
<!Do we run, do we run?!>
<--No. Run, will pursue-->
<*Always*?>
<--Or worse. In memory is hunters that come out of redholes, many Fen killed, taken back into blueholes. This kind we not see before, may not be hunters. May not be eaters.-->
<!Scary stories!>
<--But true, youngling. Now... be... quiet!-->
A moment passed. Then... <!Look, look, look!>
<--What this time?-->
<**EATER!**>
* * *
ISAS SHARD OF NIGHT -- on patrol near starship EXCALIBUR. 14:05 hrs, E.S.T.
"A distress signal, you said." Julia began, as she arrived on the bridge, Larieken and Dasouri close behind her.
"More specifically," Klarika replied, "An Interstellar Alliance distress signal -- and since the White Star that was due to rendezvous with the EXCALIBUR now appears to be late, and given that our sensor grid is somewhat more precise then Captain Gideon's..."
"You're thinking that something attacked them out here." she replied, as the other two Rangers took their stations. "And that they made it almost all the way to the rendezvous before giving up the ghost. If that's true, the something that attacked them's about to get a *nasty* surprise. Our position, Dasouri?"
"At our current rate of closure," the Drazi replied, as the SHARD continued its dash through hyperspace towards the source of the distress signal, "Will be there in less then five standard minutes."
"How many more people will have to die out here, I wonder," Sheynell suddenly commented, "Before the races of the Alliance begin to realize that going into the Perseus Rift is bad for your health?"
Her statement prompted a sudden laugh from the back of the bridge. "Doesn't matter how dangerous a place is," Nicholas caustically commented, "That just makes it more of a draw for a select few. And the more people that die, the more there are that convince themselves *they* can be the one to make it past whatever's killed everyone else... to get the 'buried' treasure, har har."
"I will," Klairika whispered, for only Julia to hear, "Come to understand his sense of humour eventually, I'm sure."
"Contact!" Sheynell suddenly exclaimed, and all too abruptly, the crew of the SHARD became all business as the familiar form of a White Star became visible through the shifting mists of hyperspace. Only there seemed to be something decidedly wrong with *this* White Star...
Because everything to the rear of the outboard engines was missing.
"What the *Hell* happened to that White Star?" Dawson exploded. "Those look like..."
"Larieken!" Julia suddenly commanded, as she rose to her feet and moved back to stand in front of the holographic imager in the rear bridge hemisphere, "I want an image of that ship called up in the imager. Now."
A moment later, the Minbari complied with her order, and in short order, the senior crew gathered around the imager to gaze upon the image of the wreck as it slowly tumbled through hyperspace. "We need to enhance and enlarge this image, Larieken." Klairika said, "Before we can be *sure*..."
"Done." Larieken replied, and then it was that Julia clenched her left fist hard enough to draw blood... for Dawson's earlier guess seemed to have been the correct one. The rear half of the Alliance wreck in front of them seemed to be covered in *teeth* marks.
And if that conclusion was the correct one -- well, then the entire engine assembly of an Alliance White Star had just been bitten off by... what?
"Yum, yum." Dawson muttered, always the one to have the last word, as usual. "Loved the appetizer -- now where's the main course?"
* * *
[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"
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STAR AND CIRCLE created by
David Goldingay <dgolding@connect.ab.ca>
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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.
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Coming soon: Act I of Episode IX: "The Wolves of the Deep "