The Third Side
Good Bad were the guys with the bigger guns-Earth Alliance quote
Disclaimer. B5 is not owned by me I think Paramount or JMS owns it.
Chapter 1
During a scan of the Sol testing out new scanners being used by all new Earth Alliance Ships multiple anomalies keeping showing up.
1st group-Dead space on Mars and Ganymede. Even when scanned from just above them they appear as non items. (A/N this would be shadow ships buried and hidden)
2nd group-South Pole and Many Location on Ocean floor-Similar reading to spaceships (A/N Ancient ships that don't use Jump tech.)
3rd group-Multiple frozen probes near Pluto (A/N Knowledge archive- had Alien language and Latin allowing for translation)
The South Pole find was dated to about 800-900 years old. The other items are not easily dated but seem to be from the same timeframe.
For the next 80 years all non-sol travel is banned. (Both civilian and military). As this travel was just starting before the discoveries that was easy to implement and enforce. Using knowledge from the 3 groups' terraforming on many moons is done but domes are still needed for Mars and Moon settlements. Ships are vastly improved and asteroids are heavily mined. Sensors monitor almost all of the system. Dead spots (mostly over magnetic poles are monitored by real time video feeds). 2 different types of ships are spotted and repulsed many times, one looked like a squid and the second one looked like an old sci-fi flying saucer.
2156
Centauri ships jump into a system, that was very hard to get into as Hyperspace seemed to be in constant storms. Debate on lead ship over whether to control this system for the emperor or for the glory of House Mollari. During the most heated yelling multiple massive ships show up in front of the lead Centauri ship. Captain asks his crew were did this fleet jump in from? Umm nowhere they just showed up. You mean like Minbari stealth? No is the only response given.
Centauri captain is about to try and bluff into a controlling position when all centauri ships are given a warning shot across their bows. Simple message follows in Interlac stating "Leave". Over the next 2 weeks Centauri comes back 3 times each time shots get closer and message becomes more forceful. Finally given up on this system they leave but the Captain on a hunch, and hoping for a massive profit someday, gives basic info about a minor colony run by house Mollari nearby. The Captain doesn't include this in his official report.
2156-2220 Earth progress
Mars crab agrees to 'remove' humans from the game. During later discussions also tells how to remove the Vorlon god gene without remove telepathy. Juvenile Ganymede crab follow mars lead and 'talks' to humans. Mars crab agrees to this to allow for him later to return to Z'ha'dum to tell Shadow Elders about Vorlon genetic modifications of humans and to get the elders to see how wide spread these modifications are in the galaxy. Humans that are exposed to both crabs build up a natural mental defense. New ships begin to get greater defenses but not to a level to stop the crabs.
During talks Hidden ones are mentioned. Ganymede crab provides info about former Vorlon allies that have abandoned them and become hidden. 1st group mentioned are the Walkers. Basic contact occurs with Hidden Ones. Beginning message is the same "do you still hate the Vorlons?" As soon as this is asked most Hidden ones decided to talk to Humans.
Earths hacker culture is let loose on aliens. Most Hacks are directed towards Centuari and Minbari assets. Other races are mostly used to validate items. Corporations are given hacking contracts while individuals are given rewards for new intel. One individuals discovers that the Vree have Earths exact location in some of the historical files. Roughly translated the file is called Jokes on Yokels. Later translations make it more like Jokes on Lesser Races. It is decided to delete all references and replace it Centauri porn. Earth decides not to deal with the Vree. Some call this action the no D-bag rule.
2220
Centauris begin to notice many weird items happen 1st near a minor Mollari colony and then empire wide. Narn spies get proof of this and mistakenly believe this is actually related to testing of a secret fleet. Narn military decides to assign hunter-killer groups to remove these secret fleets.
This goes very bad for the Narn. Instead of easy kills they instead start a small scale war. War expands greatly when Earth regroups and hits back. Narn Military bases are destroyed and colonies are invaded. Centauris watch this and are glad then did not provoke these humans. Narn spies send info back to Narn military stating that they are not fighting Centauris. Narns are confused, then who are we fighting? Then a declaration of war is sent by an unknown race. Kha'ri thinks they are called Dirters, but no one knows for sure.
Narn agents on Centauri Prime are asked to find out more about these people. They are able to find their name Humans and Earth Alliance is their military. Also find out they have an extreme (almost Minbari) desire to be left alone. Narns believe that unlike the Minbari these newcomers can be defeated easily. No matter the incentive no agent can find out details about the Humans home world.
2221
Humans make official contact with Centauri Empire through centauri intelligence. Centauri are shocked by humans' appearance but terrified by their ability to contact high level intelligence agents. Centauri try to set up many meeting about various items but are only able to get the Humans to agree to one item an Intel swap. Centauri give all their military and political Intel on the Narns in exchange for info on 50 Narn agents located in the empire. 1 week later Kha'ri is horrified when all of the agents in the Empire are publically executed. Kha'ri is just about to approve an invasion of Ragesh when they are informed by their military leadership that they cannot afford a 2 front war at the current time.
Dilgar officially contact Earth (had to use Centauri as middlemen though) they ask for a favour from Earth. We need to expand our empire, but don't want any trouble from you. Earth only makes one request to Dilgar. It states take no inhabited space. Attack another race and suffer like the Narns. Dilgar take this to me either Negotiate or just take empty spaces and earth won't care. Dilgar military briefly debates annexation but is narrowly defeated when full details of Narn defeats are made publically known. Multiple small powers agree to give up claims on marginally good systems and Dilgar also make claims on 4 other systems. Dilgar decide to contact earth directly as a few of them are near suspected earth territory. The meeting are to discuss possible shared resources. Materials needed for ship construction are agreed to be split but Dilgar are shocked when earth never mentions Q40, therefore Dilgar will get all of the Q40 in this systems.
Narn military is weakened and can only defend its home system. Plans for a final bloody defense are made. But instead of warships they get an announcement. "Let's stop the fighting now". After many days of audio negotiations the war ends. Earth gains all of the systems it current controls and Narns on those worlds will be sent back to Narn home world. Narns are given a warning though "attack us again and your home world will suffer greatly.
2222-2230
Narn try to send recon (i.e. not military ships) vessels to its now lost colonies. They are surprised when they see many Dilgar ships are there but no Human ones. Narns try to make demands but Dilgar ignore them. Dilgar then respond that Earth has sold its claim to this system to them and made the Narn deportation our problem.
With its new found wealth Dilgar are able to begin major trade deals with Centauri. Nearby minor races hear about this and are able to get a few minor deals signed also. Many overhear the drunken lead Dilgar complaining about being assigned to this minor deal instead of a coveted position. Then he states that all of these deals are barely 10% of the deals with the Humans.
Dilgar Negotiations with Earth
After many meetings it was agreed to 3 levels of trade/dealings. These levels are informally referred to as Mine, Ours and Whoever can pay
Mine-Level 1-Advanced Military
Nothing in this level can be traded/sold or given to the Dilgar or Human. This allows both races to keep their best secrets to themselves. In addition to Military cutting edge Genetics as falls into this category
Ours-Level 2-Military
This level allows for open trade between Humans and Dilgar, but not to anyone else. Military hardware and non-level 1 secrets fall easily into this category. Due to Dilgar insistence Medical advances also fall into this category
Whoever can Pay-Level 3-Civilian
This level is the easily traded level open to the rest of the galaxy with one caveat, earth made products can be sold in the open market. But Dilgar versions of them can be. Dilgar can also license races to make copies of their version of earth products (ie a copy of a copy) but can only sell one license for a product. Example would be if Brakiri get contract to make a widget then Narn can't legally make them under penalty of revoking all of their other licenses. During early trades Dilgar are amazed by Earth Entertainment and this becomes a big money maker for earth. Dilgar 1st just buys then license their own versions of movies/tv etc. Earth talent is then used to teach Dilgar (mostly Actors/Directors and Producers). Dilgar begin making massive number of various entertainment products with visible talent being Dilgar and behind the scenes being split between Humans and Dilgars. Other races are amazed by this new and completely different type of entertainment. Seemingly overnight Dilgar actors become household names on many planets. A few richer races even license the most popular items for their own version. Most everyone agrees that the Dilgar versions are better than the licensed version. Ironically Dilgar themselves are torn between human and Dilgar versions.
Brakiri and Abbai both immediately begin to try and find out more about the Humans. All they know about them is they defeated the Narns. Brakiri assumed that they were paid by the Centauri to do this. Brakiri, Abbai and Drazi decide to join together into a League of Non Aligned worlds. The league goes to the Centauri to get more info on these humans. Centauri refuse to tell them anything of value. After many heated arguments the centauri state "look we have a deal with them… simply put we don't talk about them and we don't end up like the Narns". Just before the league representatives are leaving they do get one unofficial message "It would be better to talk to the Dilgar about the Humans"
Vree join the league, but only the Abbai are able to get any contact info from the Dilgar. Abbai try to push for face to face meeting but are refused then they try to trade deals these also are refused, lastly Abbai try to get more contact to discuss items later this also is refused. Due to Narn war League decides to stop trying for more contact with these secretive humans.
Anla'shok gets reports of activity on or near dead worlds and from systems marked as dangerous; like Sigma957 near former Narn space. They send ships to these places but none return. Grey council decrees that all alien contact is to be avoided. Only exemption is for spying purposes. Anla'shok hears from a few member of the council that massive hacking has occurred to them and many Archives. Anla'shok assumes that these events are related.
2230
Zha'dum Old Battle crab phases into system with a message from the humans.
Earth claims Epsilon Eridani. No other race cares enough to even wonder why they did this. Dilgar are contacted about running an Earth constructed trade station there. Dilgar agree to this as long as the can profit from it. Dilgar announce to league that soon there will a trade station and ask for ambassadors to be sent there to make deals easier to make. Earth tells Dilgar that no Humans will be based there. (No Ambassadors or Staff) Dilgar will be doing basic upkeep and can call on humans only for emergency teams.
Earth tells Dilgar to contact Centauri about providing funding for stations upkeep (not construction), Dilgar ask how Humans know they will do this, Earth mentions that is has control over a small but economically powerfully house they don't mention its name though. Dilgar try to figure out if Humans run this house or just finance it.
Zha'dum Non-interference agreement made between Earth and Shadows but Shadow Minions are not included in it. A second minor deal is made with Earth telling shadows who among the Narn Kha'ri are most likely to accept Shadow and Drakh help. In exchange for this Shadow provide detailed information about the Vorlons.
2232
Dilgar station opens, due to centauri financial support they are given preferred nation status (ie just below Dilgar in hierarchy on board) League is able to get an ambassador assigned (but only 1 for all 4 races) but this does given them equal voting to Dilgar and Centauri on 3 person board. Narn and many other minor races get observer status only. Minbari never bother to acknowledge invitation. Earth doesn't even bother to ask for any representation.
Anla'shok though is able to get an agent to the station. They notice that the station doesn't match Dilgar designs or any other race they are familiar with. It also appears to be lower tech than it should be with gravity being created by rotating sections. Anla'shok decides to get council to approve contacting Vorlon one question "is this shadow related". Response is one word "no" Minbari decide to completely ignore the station.
Narn/Shadow Deals
A single Drazi appears in the offices on leading Hawks in the Kha'ri and powerful Warleaders, surprising them he only asks one question. "What do you want?" Just as quick as he shown up he disappeared. Members of the Kha'ri are very surprised when Counsellor Ha'Rok begins gaining influence. He begins to make public speeches stating that the Centauri should be made extinct just like the Xon and he also adds that now is not the time to try and attack earth. This statements surprise member of the Kha'ri as they want to make Earth lifeless.
Drakh make informal contact with Narns and offer help to get the Narns their prestige back by helping in three ways.
1. Help build fleets in empty areas (Drakh offer a couple of locations) Narns learn building Drakh techniques allowing for bigger ships and better weapons.
2. Lone Drazi reappears again to Ha'Rok, tells him of easy way to get more intel on the Centauris. Use merchants but not their captains but their underpaid crews also use many different races but only a few ships per race. This allows for deniability on the Narns part.
3. Final part just before the real attacks start use Misdirection. For the year before the massive invasion no Narns ship should be near Centauri space.
Kha'ri seeing a rise in their galactic prestige they quickly agree.
2240
Narn military is able to regain power with no race noticing this until they take over many centauri colonies. On station Dilgar ask the Narn Ambassador not to be stupid enough to start anything over their former holdings. Narn Agrees to this in exchange for seat on Council. Dilgar try to add Humans to make the number uneven. Earth refuses this. Many other races also ask Dilgar to forward their request for either contact or even Ambassador Exchanges with the humans. These are also refused.
Dilgar points out that if any of these races do get formal contact don't call the Humans "pink skins". Trust us they really hate that term. Just ask the Centauri or the Narns how much they hate that term. League hears a story of a massive bar fight that destroyed most of group of buildings near the bar. Both Narn and Centauri talk about this story. League is unable to determine whether this happened to both of them or just one of them.
2245
With their minor Centauri prizes and a seat on the council most races assume that the Narns are content. Kha'ri is pleased about this and also that the new Drakh inspired ships are still unknown to the galaxy. They now begin to mobilize these behemoths in hyperspace (but off the beaten path) near major Centauri locations including Centauri Prime itself.
During an early whitestar prototype test in deep hyperspace one of this ships are found. A hidden Vorlon subroutine takes control of ship and shadow tainted appears on all visual devices. Skelton Crew fights for hours to get control back and set course for Minbar to forward this information to the Anla'shok leaders. Vorlons decide to have open contact with Grey Council in preparation for the upcoming war.
Earth research on Shadow inspire technologies is starting to pay off and military states that it should be in small production runs soon. Hidden 1st ones have agreed to have walkers talk for them and discuss strategies with Earth, but all refuse to trade any tech with earth. During 1st official meeting walkers hand over massive amount of information on Vorlons including their tactics and favoured strategies and most important for Earth Vorlon weaknesses, then set up a war games using ai controlled ships as Vorlon stand ins. After 3 years of these games Walkers deem humans ready. Now the talks are about how to integrate their combined forces. Finally just decided to stay as simple as possible Starfuries are the only small ship available so they will be tasked with attacks on small Vorlon vessels. Earth Ships will be tasked with normal Vorlon vessels and 1st ones will target Planet Killers and their protectors. More simulations and War games occur and late in 2249 they are War Ready.
Shadow War-2250
Narn begin all-out attack on Major Centauri holdings. Anla'shok is able to get proof of Drakh support. Grey council approves whitestar prototype ship n addition to Valen'tha will go to Zha'dum to look for shadow activity. Whitestar is destroyed and Valen'tha is heavily damaged. Dukhat is killed. Minbari join Centauri in declaring war on Narn/Drakh. (Minbari also begin targeting suspected Shadow related sites). Earth and Dilgar refuse to support either side. League and minor races are openly being courted by both sides. Vorlons are furious that both the Humans and Dilgar refuse to oppose the shadows. They almost openly threaten both with extermination. Humans simply respond by declaring war on the Vorlons. Vorlons actually laugh at this. Then the remaining 1st ones begin siding with the Humans against the Vorlons. Shadow are content to watch this (non-interference pact is stated as the reason for this inactivity), also they are happy to see Vorlons in an ugly fight without them being involved in it. Dilgar are asked by humans not to join the Vorlon war.
Preview of Part 2-Universe on Fire
After Minbari attacks on minor shadow holding, Shadow crabs begin to openly attack Minbari military bases/ships. Warrior Caste complains to council and all but demands Vorlons military support. Vorlon are unable to send help due to their war.
League joins in with Minbari, partly due to implied threats from warrior caste if they don't join. Dilgar begin selling weapons to both sides of Shadow war. They don't care who wins as they have issues with both sides. Races with grievances against the Centauri refuse to join Minbari and instead join narn in attacks on Centauri assets, but go out of their way to avoid Minbari assets. Warrior caste doesn't see the difference and now declares war on their minor races also. These races respond by contacting the Dilgar for weapons capable of destroying Minbari ships.
Vorlons severely pissed that 1st ones are going against them and responds by sending planet killers to their suspected home system (planet killers are not heard from again)
Unseen by Vorlons, many stealth ships enter Vorlon systems. Over half a million high explosive and dirty bomb are placed on Vorlon assets. Human like biosigns are found on storage and lab worlds. Nukes are placed on these worlds but not before a crazy man begs them to finally let him die after almost 400 years of penance. When he tries to forcibly move an engineer his request is granted. Thanks to the shadows intel viruses are created that will infect Vorlons and their ships. Even better one virus is created that plays havoc with Vorlon telepathic abilities and slowly drive them insane.
1 year into both wars
Vorlons send unofficial contact to Z'ha'dum. Officially this is to contact Shadow Elders to try and stop the madness but really they only want to plead to Lorien to help them. Lorien's only response is "you never listen before so NO I won't help you" and then he banishes them. This action anger the Vorlons and seem to show them that Lorien has been tainted and therefore Z'ha'dum must be destroyed.