TITLE: The Saving of the Technomages
DISCLAIMER: This Universe belongs to another- J M Straczynski, and Warner Brothers own the rights to the universe and most of the characters contained in this story. I've also borrowed, man-handled, twisted beyond recognition, the technomages that managed to live through Jeanne Cavelos' Technomage Trilogy books and Peter David's awesome Legions of Fire, Centauri Trilogy (So Galen, Federico, Gwynn, Herazade etc.).
I wrote this for my own amusement and am only posting this because it seems likely now that very little new Babylon 5 material will ever make its way to us. I needed closure on the Crusade arc and what the ultimate fate of the technomages might be, so I decided to write it. I am disclaiming any and all intent to profit by this story. I intend no offense nor do I wish to decrease another's intellectual property value.
RATING: M for language and sexual content.
SUMMARY: This is a story about what happened to the technomages in hiding. The main plot starts in 2269 with a cure having just been found. There are many asides.
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Prologue
Vorlon Homeworld - 2255
A lone Vorlon suspended itself in a cavernous dark chamber. Trillions of tiny spheres locked into a giant lattice surrounded it. They spread seemingly into infinity in all directions. Its body shimmered the displeased shades of orange-yellow as it began again and chose one sphere, then connected drawing a line to another, then to another. Its pace quickened through hundreds, thousands and finally millions of spheres. When it found the path to its goal, it became still to study the connections. Some of the spheres had not fully solidified yet out of the quantum foam. And they would not until they passed the immutable points and the nexuses forced the spheres to wholeness by their choices. Troubling uncertainty.
Its musing stopped when a piercing light of another but far smaller Vorlon illuminated the chamber. The new tiny Vorlon flew straight to the first. Its tentacles of light whipped about excitedly. A complex series of musical chimes disturbed the harmony of the spheres.
The little Vorlon chimed: /Two faiths come seeking coadunation. Noticing the completed path the small Vorlon stilled to examine the path of connected spheres. It intoned again but this time softly: /Is this the path across?
/Yes but understanding alludes. Who communes for the faiths?
The small Vorlon flashed the purple of amusement. /Are there ever any others? Righteous Fury and Oblique Truth. They bring their usual discordance.
The pair left the dark chamber and descended down a long light filled shaft. At the bottom a third Vorlon, that towered over both, joined the pair. Unified by space and purpose, the three glided into an attached chamber and up onto a small raised dais and aligned themselves by size. Waiting for the three, two more Vorlons in opaque white, floated below the base.
The three Vorlon bodies on the dais shimmered in unison the dark-blue for warm greeting and then went neutral white as they intoned as one: /The Unifex welcome communion.
The two Vorlons at the base mimicked their greeting and intoned together: /Diverging faiths seek the one path of perfect coadunation.
Immediately, the left Vorlon turned the orange-red of vengeful anger and started: /For a season the Vorlon have felt the new cycle dawn. The First Shadow stirs out of its sleep. The Host is certain that the Shadows will reclaim the fabulists before their chaos erupts. Balance, order demand the simplest solution- eliminate the remnant at their current gathering. The Host prepares the orbital bombardment.
Only the slightest trace of annoyed yellow rippled through the other Vorlon before it intoned: /The fabulists have moved toward order since the humans held sway over them. Muses should consider alternative solution- continued reserved watchfulness.
The left Vorlon turned dark red in a clash of sound: /They were a wave of death upon the Host in the last cycle. They hunted us relentlessly for their Masters.
The right Vorlon remained a still yellow-white as it chimed: /In the last cycle they numbered like stars. They are in waning at 506.
The left one vibrated with pulsing red from within, as the sound shifted low and deep: /One is too many. The Shadows will corrupt the strongest to multiply their chaos.
The right Vorlon turned the green-yellow of thoughtful suggestion: /Many would serve order with obedience if we but manifest to them.
The harsh clash sounded from the left Vorlon, as it darkened from red toward black: /Never! They all carry the seed of the Shadows and can only sow chaos.
Still green-yellow, the right Vorlon did not give up: /This dark seed has grown toward light. The humans infuse beauty, order and obedience to the fabulists.
The left Vorlon went black: /They are the Abaddon!
The Vorlons on the dais chimed in unison the single hard note of shattering. In obedience, the two Vorlons at the base turned instantly the silent white.
Together the three on the dias sang together: /The Naranek of the faiths bare witness to the judgment of the Unifex. The Host will come back to peace. Oblique Truth will go forth to watch as Kosh, our face to the little scurrying ones.
The right Vorlon, Kosh, intoned perfect acceptance in neutral white. One of its tendrils looped about itself and gently sang: /The Truth will not be swayed. The same tendril whipped at the three on the dias and intoned: /Muses are intrigued and seek possibilities.
Its message delivered, Kosh glided smoothly out leaving behind the left Vorlon, which rippled every shade of red.
Once they were only four, the middle Vorlon on the dais chimed: /Bring forth your true purpose.
The rippling red Vorlon at the base intoned: /My faith is steadfast with the spheres. Your judgment leads the Host to seek sanction.
As one, the three responded: /We continue our communion.
/The Host would draw a sample of the fabulists, to study and prepare the new Furies. We will acquire the holy number starting with the one that worships us. Will the Unifex sanction?
/We must consider the spheres.
The three Vorlons on the dais isolated themselves inside a perfect hollow diamond sphere that coalesced about them to create opaque isolation.
The largest Vorlon began: /The Unifex should not sanction. This will bring cruelty, contamination to the new Furies and will place Righteous Fury in ascension.
The smallest chimed in harmony: /Perfect agreement. The Furies grind all to dust.
The middle Vorlon intoned: /We will sanction and ask more of the Host.
The two other Vorlons flashed the bright pink of surprise. The largest Vorlon chimed: /Then Atoning has seen the final path across the spheres. Show us that we may follow.
As an answer a complex matrix enveloped them. They studied it silently in neutral white for a long time. The enormous Vorlon turned the sorrowful green as it chimed: /This path reeks of death. The humans stand at the center but too many of their spheres are unresolved. The end is impenetrable. Understanding alludes.
The tiny Vorlon turned purple-green for amused sadness. /The cycles come to an end with the Minbari once again in ascension. Can it mean anything other than order is finally imposed? We must obey without understanding. Perhaps the spheres will reveal themselves further as we come upon the immutable points and the nexuses reveal themselves. I will follow the path of Atoning.
The middle Vorlon chimed towards the largest Vorlon: /The Glorious Sun decides if we are one.
The largest began flashing the yellow-orange of perturbation as it oscillated in silence. Gradually it settled to the white of acceptance: /One path is no choice, but I will follow the path of Atoning, and Amused Spirit.
The diamond sphere dissolved into nothingness. In unison, three Vorlons descended to surround the lone Vorlon, encircling it. Each sent a tendril to link with the center Vorlon. Together they pulsed with the purple of agreement.
They intoned at the Vorlon at the center: /The Unifex sanction the Host to draw forth a sample of fabulists. The spheres sing of further preparations to commence this season. The Oblique Truth, as Kosh, guides the lesser ones against the coming darkness in the fifth human citadel. You, Righteous Fury, are Ulkesh, create new Furies and lead the Host to birth battleships, and sing to the Minbari to obey the call toward glorious order.
All the Vorlons turned the purple-blue of pleasurable agreement and intoned together: /Obedience to the spheres is our greatest joy.