09 Alpha Team vs. Kosh

"I'm beat," Lee said as she walked down the Zocalo corridor.

Browning said, "I know what you mean. All these fights mean many injuries. I'm glad that Lieutenant Colonel Collins is back."

Lee asked, "Will he be all right?"

Browning said, "He'll feel better once he awakens. He's got a lot of things to sort out but now he knows what really happened."

Kosh 2 stepped into the corridor and blocked their path. Browning said, "Excuse us ambassador but we need to return to the Med-Lab. Or did you need something?"

"I need you to die," Kosh 2 menacingly said.

As the two women began to scream in agony, the crowd began to run in horror. Zack contacted Garibaldi and said, "Kosh is attacking Doctor Browning and Private Lee! I think he's killing them!"

Garibaldi said, "I'm on my way. Try to stop him."

Zack tried firing his PPG but it had no effect on the Vorlon. He felt himself forced against a wall and fell in pain. Garibaldi arrived with reinforcements but the Vorlon would not relent.

Lee thought, "COLONEL! KOSH IS KILLING US!"

#B5#

Fiona was making sure Collins had a blanket when she received Lee's telepathic report. She immediately issued telepathic orders for Alpha Team to reassemble in full combat gear. Collins would be asleep for hours. There was little he could do to help with this matter, she thought.

She was running down the hall with the rest of Alpha Team. In the lift she said, "Kosh has gone mad. He's killing Doctor Browning and Private Lee in the Zocalo. Charge all weapons."

Resultan said, "We'll take that bastard down."

Carpenter asked, "Why is he doing this?"

Fiona said, "I don't know son but we'll make him pay."

Alpha Team burst out of the elevator. They saw Browning and Lee fall to the ground and knew the two were dead. Garibaldi shouted to them as they ran, "Don't! He's insane!"

Fiona shouted as she kept running closer to the Vorlon, "WOLVES ATTACK!" The team began to unleash massive weapons fire on the Vorlon that was now madly laughing. He had some kind of shielding and continued with his laughter. Carpenter clutched in agony.

Fiona cried, "LINK!" For a brief moment, she could feel Carpenter's pain. It had to be a telepathic battle. With their powers combined, they were a deadly force. The Vorlon stopped laughing when he was repelled backward a few feet. He did not anticipate that approach. As he cried the team was forced apart and the link temporarily broken.

Garibaldi was frantic when he reached Sheridan on the link. He said, "Alpha Team's here! They're trying to take out Kosh."

Sheridan snapped, "What the hell are they doing there?"

Garibaldi said, "How the hell should I know? Maybe she got a telepathic report. They do that crap all the time. The situation is out of control."

"I'm on my way," Sheridan replied.

Fiona started forming massive fireballs and launched them against the Vorlon. She managed a few good hits but it seemed only to amuse the Vorlon. Carpenter once again seized up in agony, and when he fell, Fiona knew he was dead. Now Resultan seized in agony. Fiona tried to block Kosh from the assault and found herself thrown against the wall.

Anderson concentrated his efforts against Kosh as he tried to use his mind shredding abilities. The Vorlon was just too powerful and forced him against a wall. Resultan fell down dead. Fiona continued with her pyrokinesis. She was determined to eliminate Kosh. She joined hands with Dell and Anderson. Together they formed a massive fireball and launched it against the Vorlon.

Kosh was quick to retaliate and he broke the link joining the three survivors. Dell and Anderson were pinned against the wall. As they struggled to free themselves, their noses began to bleed. Fiona levitated in the air and formed an even larger fireball. It struck Kosh and the Vorlon fell back. Dell and Anderson fell but were unable to continue with the fight.

Kosh cried, "The Wolf Pack must die!"

Fiona shouted, "You're going to pay for what you've done you bastard!"

Fiona continued moving closer to Kosh. She was crying tears of blood. The Vorlon was not going down easy. She launched a barrage of massive fireballs and the Vorlon began to retreat. She managed to wound him! Then she felt a strong wave of telekinetic energy and flew back against a wall. She was angry.

The Vorlon started to run away. Fiona angrily stormed toward the departing Vorlon, and with each step, the new fireball grew in size. She launched it and heard the Vorlon scream in pain. She felt another retaliatory telekinetic wave. Again, she flew back against a wall. She tried to fight the effects of being stunned.

Fiona realized she could not walk but she was determined to get the Vorlon. She was crawling when Sheridan arrived and said, "He's gone Colonel."

She looked up at him and asked, "Why? Why would he do this to us? We're allies!" Sheridan helped her up. Franklin arrived and began assessing the situation. The Zocalo beset with debris and crews were putting out small fires all over the place.

"Get her in the gurney," Franklin ordered.

"My team," Fiona sobbed. "Take care of them first. I must protect my crew. I must keep them safe." Then she rather wilted. Zack helped her into the gurney.

Sheridan was horrified. Browning, Lee, Carpenter, and Resultan were dead at the scene. Anderson, Dell, and Fiona badly wounded. Lorien looked around and suggested they talk in private, so Sheridan and Lorien returned to his quarters.

Sheridan asked, "Why'd he do that?"

Lorien explained, "The Vorlons must have agreed to destroy Alpha Team in exchange for the Shadows to destroy some sort of a weapon. Perhaps their death would have meant one less Shadow planet killer."

Sheridan said, "You told me there were rules to this war."

Lorien said, "That is true. Part of the rules entails periodic negotiations. If both sides agree the war must be prolonged through the destruction of certain weapons, they will do so relentlessly."

Sheridan said, "But they are telepaths!"

Lorien said, "Telepaths that are created by the artificial insertion of the telepath gene are classified as weapons and thus subject to destruction. Most Human telepaths were created in such a manner. Kosh therefore was obligated to destroy Alpha Team. However, he had no right to attempt to destroy Fiona Mathers. Her lineage predates Vorlon influence and as such, she is a natural product of the universe. You can see how powerful she is. She is clearly on her way to evolving to a higher form of existence."

Sheridan asked, "Are you sure about that?"

Lorien smiled, "I am sure. The Vorlons were very careful to mark the genes they inserted into your kind, just as your kind likes to mark your vessels and weaponry. She does not bear that mark. As I said, her line predates the Vorlon influence. She will someday take her place among the first ones as long as she does not die from injury or sickness. They had no right to order her destruction as a weapon for she is not their weapon. It would have been different if they chose to battle her for whom she is rather than what she is."

Sheridan asked, "What is she?"

Lorien smiled, "Right now she is a member of Alpha Team." The comment confused Sheridan. Lorien continued, "She has a long way to go. She has wounded the Vorlon. Only a first one can kill another first one but she has managed to wound him."

Sheridan said, "It's time to get Kosh off my station."

#B5#

Fiona laid weakly in her bed in the Med-Lab. She felt drained physically and emotionally. Dell and Anderson were still asleep. Franklin was concerned about neurological damage. She was not sure how long she had been asleep. She had the strangest dream that the first Kosh had returned and defeated the second Kosh. It had seemed so real. She was surprised when Collins arrived for a visit.

"Hello John," Fiona said as she weakly smiled.

"Just take it easy," Collins said when he held her hand. "Doctor Franklin says you need rest."

Fiona said, "I need to find that damned Vorlon."

Collins said, "It's too late for that. He's dead."

"Dead?"

Collins said, "Captain Sheridan managed it somehow. Garibaldi and his men went to throw Kosh off the station. Kosh had managed to regenerate from your counterattack. He had some kind of shielding that prevented the PPG shots from getting through his suit. Captain Sheridan laid a trap."

Fiona said, "I see. I understand now. It wasn't a dream."

Collins asked, "What kind of dream did you have?"

Fiona replied, "I dreamed I saw Mister Garibaldi and his men in the alien sector. They were trying to order Kosh off the station. Lyta tricked Kosh into coming out. She said she found Kosh. That didn't make any sense to me but it got Kosh out of the quarters and she lured him into a trap. Kosh struck Captain Sheridan. Now this is the strange part. The original Kosh – you know the one that is supposed to be dead. Well he was not dead. Well, not all of him. He's been living inside of Captain Sheridan. He came out and fought the other Kosh."

Collins said, "Uh I think your imagination is getting the best of you."

Franklin came over and said, "Don't let my patient get upset now."

Collins laughed, "She'll be all right. In any event, Kosh is dead."

Fiona asked, "How are Lieutenants Anderson and Dell?"

Franklin said, "They'll be fine."

Fiona knew she had to allow the comment to reassure her. She was pleasantly surprised when Sheridan arrived. He wanted to talk to her privately. Collins was slightly frustrated but he left the room with Franklin.

Sheridan said, "I wanted to thank you for weakening Kosh for us. He's dead."

Fiona said, "I know. Lieutenant Colonel Collins told me. So is the original Kosh."

Sheridan said, "I didn't realize he knew about that."

Fiona said, "He didn't. I was dreaming. I saw the fight. The original Kosh was living inside of you."

Sheridan said, "Yes. Vorlons are interesting. They're able to break apart into smaller pieces. It wasn't all of Kosh but it was a piece of him."

Fiona said, "Curious. I don't understand why the other Kosh was so determined to kill us."

Sheridan explained what Lorien had about the rules of the war and the agreements to destroy certain pieces of weaponry to prolong the war. Fiona did not like the sound of that at all. He then explained how the Vorlons had artificially introduced the telepath gene into the Human species.

Fiona said, "You're saying I'm a Vorlon weapon of war."

Sheridan said, "No. According to Lorien, your lineage predates Vorlon interference. I don't understand why you're the only natural Human telepath. I think Lorien does but he is not ready to explain it just yet. He says you're on your way to evolving to a higher level of existence."

Fiona said, "You trust Lorien."

Sheridan said, "I do. He insists that you are a natural product of the universe and one day you'll join the other first ones beyond the rim of the galaxy."

Fiona said, "It sounds unbelievable."

Sheridan said, "Doctor Franklin will be releasing you soon. I'll be putting you in charge of the station."

Fiona asked, "Why me?"

Sheridan replied, "We're organizing the fleet. The Vorlons have been destroying worlds touched by the Shadows. They are headed toward Corianas 6, which is a pre-space faring world. They had no choice but to allow the Shadows to establish a base there. We're going to end this war once and for all."

Fiona said, "I want to join you."

Sheridan said, "No. I need you here. Listen to me Colonel. You need time to regenerate and heal. So do Anderson and Dell. If we fail, all hell is going to break loose. I am hoping that if the Vorlons or the Shadows decide to double-back and attack Babylon 5 that you will be strong enough to repel them. I can't leave Babylon 5 defenseless."

Fiona said, "Very well sir. You will be back. You just don't know how to stay dead."

Sheridan had to laugh at the comment.

#B5#

Fiona found it strange as she stood in the command center and watched the fleet depart for Corianas 6. Everyone was going and she was in charge of the store. Anderson and Dell stood next to her. If they had wanted to go, they said nothing. Sheridan wanted them to remain so they could heal.

Corwin said, "I know they'll be back."

Fiona casually said, "Maybe when they return you'll tell Commander Ivanova who left her the synth roses." Corwin stammered and Fiona added, "Mister Garibaldi knows it was you."

Corwin finally said, "I shouldn't have. I should have known better."

Anderson said, "You took a chance. There's nothing wrong with that but you failed to follow through."

Corwin sighed, "I know."

Fiona monitored the various reports. A Vorlon planet killer was reportedly over Centauri Prime but had left orbit, presumably to join the fleet at Corianas 6. Sheridan reported the Vorlons and the Shadows were so engrossed in the battle that they practically ignored the fleets of allies standing by.

Shadows arrived at the station. Fiona sent out imagery. She wanted them to know she stood ready for battle. Collins arrived and understood the circumstances. Corwin forgot his awkwardness and stood ready to command the fighter squadrons.

Collins said, "They're just sitting there."

Fiona said, "The fleet is at Corianas 6. The Shadows are hoping to convince Sheridan to surrender. I can hear them, John. The Vorlons and the Shadows, Lorien, the other first ones – they want us to obey. They want us to prove which of them is right."

Collins said, "Uh, okay, but snap back to reality in case those Shadow ships start to attack."

Fiona smiled, "I'm not that careless."

Yet the strange encounter soon diminished as the Shadow vessels left without a word. Fiona understood. Sheridan contacted Babylon 5 and announced the war was over. Fiona felt a sense of relief. She waited in C & C until Sheridan returned. She saw the look on his face: hope. She understood. The first ones left.

Fiona asked, "Do you think we're ready?"

Sheridan laughed, "I hope so. We just told mom and dad to get the hell out of Dodge."