Chapter 12
During that night while Lena slept, Susan Ivanova was working the night shift for Babylon control on the observation deck. Since the quarantine rule had been put in place, traffic was slow and few, so Susan was hoping for a quiet night's work. The only other person working with her on the command was Corwin, who was minding his own business as usual at his post. All seemed to be going quiet and to plan until Corwin picked up some energy levels coming through.
"Energy serge!" he proclaimed. "The Jumpgate is opening."
"What ship is it?" Susan asked.
"You're not going to believe this. It's a Vorlon transport."
"What?"
The blue portal formed within the Jumpgate and, as predicted, a Vorlon transport came out of hyperspace. It looked exactly like Kosh's old ship; coloured a mysterious organic green with blue on the underside of the wings.
"Is there anyone aboard?" asked Susan.
"Negative," Corwin replied. "The only life form is the ship."
"Then how did it get all the way out here?"
Susan glanced back to Corwin, who shrugged.
"I'll inform the Captain," she said.
"Shall I let it dock?" Corwin asked.
"I'll see what John has to say first."
Susan left her post at the front of the deck and walked over to the Captain's station. She brought up the communication screen and sent a transmission to John Sheridan's quarters. Eventually, after some time, a bleary eyed John Sheridan appeared on the screen.
"Susan," he noted. "Do you have any idea what time this is?"
"I'm sorry John," she explained. "But this is important."
"What is it?"
"A Vorlon ship has just jumped out of hyperspace."
"What? Where has it come from?"
"I don't know, there's no one onboard."
"Then what's it doing here?"
"I have no idea. Should we let it dock?"
John sighed. "I guess we have no choice."
"Alright, I'll give the order."
"It's too early now, I'll see to it in the morning."
"Of course. Good night, sir."
"Good night."
John shut off the transmission from Susan and sighed, walking across his room and getting back into bed. For a while, he lay staring at the ceiling. A Vorlon ship. What was that doing here seeing as they had all gone beyond the Rim? He didn't know, but he certainly knew who did.
----
Lena was in her chamber on the Vorlon home world. It was late at night and she was lying in bed ready to sleep. She was staring up at the stars through green mist out of the dome, listening to the ever present song of the Vorlon ships. There was some movement in a dark area of the room opposite to where she was lying. She sat up and looked at it, watching as the encounter suited form of Drakosh walked towards her. She smiled at his usual warm greeting.
"You've been away for a while," she told him.
"I have always been here," Drakosh replied.
"I thought you'd say that."
"You are learning fast."
"I have enjoyed learning the Vorlon ways."
"I have come to inform you of a change in your position."
"Oh? What is that?"
"You are now being assigned to me. You are to be my eyes and ears."
"Then I will look forwards to working with you."
"As you are permanently here, I will need to assess something else."
"More tests?"
"Not exactly."
"Then what?"
"You are not to know yet. The assessment I do alone without your knowledge to see if you are appropriate for the task I am to set you. I do not believe you will fail, but I wish to make sure. For your sake as well as mine."
Lena smiled. "You seem to take me seriously."
"We all do. We have accepted to take you in as one of our own."
"So, the evolution of my psyche is complete?"
"Yes. And I wish to test that evolution through compatibility."
"Is that how Vorlons chat people up then, eh?"
Drakosh tilted his head. "Chat up? I am not familiar with that term."
"No, I guess you wouldn't be."
"But I understand the concept."
"Are you fond of me, Drakosh?"
"In what way would you mean?"
"I'm sure you understand."
There was a pause. "Yes."
"Then I openly accept any test you ask me to complete."
"Good."
Drakosh turned round to leave, leaving Lena to lie back down.
"It is time."
That was not in context with the dream.
Lena opened her eyes as she woke up, back in her quarters in Babylon 5's green sector. She sat up quickly, her heart sinking once again at the sound of silence. It had only been a dream. A recollection of some of her past years on the Vorlon home world. She got out of bed and changed quickly, knowing exactly where it was Drakosh needed her to be. But as she left her quarters, she heard the sound anyway. It was singing; the singing of a Vorlon transport she had spent so much time aboard.
Feeling pleased that she was soon about to go back aboard Drakosh's transport, Lena hurried down to the lift at the end of the corridor. She could hear the ship calling her name as the lift move down through the station to where she needed to go. She also felt the energy of Drakosh warming inside at the sound of his ship which had been sleeping for a while. These feelings propelled her forwards off the lift and down towards the docking bay where the Vorlon transport was waiting for her. But when she arrived, she was not the only one there.
John Sheridan and Susan Ivanova were also there, keeping a distance from the ship. By the looks of it, they had been entranced by the changing colours on the hull of the transport. But they were soon drawn back to attention by the sound of Lena entering the hanger.
"I thought you'd turn up," John told Lena.
She nodded. "Indeed, someone must have noticed the ship arrive."
"Who does this ship belong to? Is it yours?"
"No. It is the ship belonging to my instructor, Drakosh."
"Where has it come from?"
"Vorlon space. The ship had been sleeping there."
"Why has it come to Babylon 5?"
"Because it is time."
John paused. "Time for what?"
"My time. The time you know things about me."
"I'm glad you have decided to tell me."
"I will not tell you here. Drakosh's ship came to me from the Vorlon home world to do a job for its master. My mission here is to take you and Lyta Alexander to Sigma 957 where I will explain everything about my instructor's mission."
"When do we go to Sigma 957?"
"Now."
John looked over to Susan, who nodded.
"I'll send Lyta down here," she stated.
Susan left the hanger, leaving Lena and John alone with the mysterious ship. Lena approached it, a smile on her face as she concentrated fully on its song. This was a sound she had been waiting to hear for a long time. For it signalled the moment when the silence would stop. After this day, she and Drakosh would no longer be alone, but with their family again. Soon, the voices and the music would be heard again.
----
Onboard the Noxx Command Carrier, General Vrychka had been woken up by a communication coming from Babylon 5. Annoyed at being disturbed, seeing as she had been trying to sleep properly all night, she crossed the room swiftly and hit the computer screen, not too pleased to see the face of Ambassador Myka.
"What do you want?" Vrychka snapped.
"I have bad news General," Myka replied.
"Bad enough to wake me from my sleep?"
"Yes. A Vorlon ship turned up last night."
Vrychka's face fell. "What class?"
"A transport."
"Then the enemy is moving."
"So it would seem. Do you want me to declare war yet?"
"Not yet. We'll wait to see what happens. With tactics, we might have a chance of outwitting the Vorlons. If we get some good allies who can help us fight them when the time comes, we may have a hope of fighting them back to the Rim."
"I'll work on General."
The transmission ended and Vrychka began to get changed into her uniform. There was no point in attempting to get more rest now, especially when the Vorlon ship could leave at any time. Once ready, Vrychka left her quarters and made it onto the command deck, immediately being greeted by Byshon.
"A Vorlon transport…" he began.
"I know, Myka told me a moment ago," Vrychka replied.
"Has she told you that it's preparing to leave Babylon 5?"
"No, she failed to mention that."
"She wouldn't be aware. Out scans have just detected it leaving. Look."
Vrychka walked over to forward porthole on the deck, watching the small shape of the Vorlon transport heading towards the Jumpgate. The yellow vortex appeared within the gate, and the ship closed its wings, jumping into Thirdspace. Vrychka sighed as the vortex disappeared, turning back to Byshon.
"Notify Lord Syfonn," she ordered.
"Yes sir," Byshon replied.
"And tell him we need to change our tactics. The Vorlon threat has come sooner than we believed it would, so we can't go head to head with them alone. We need to think about getting allies and turning them against the Vorlons. Because we asked them for help trying to get rid of Draganek, we should make our first alliance with the Drazi."
"I'm afraid they won't be possible now."
"Why not?"
"Lord Syfonn had been informed that the two Drazi he hired to take care of our problem had failed. He knew you had killed them for that, and he panicked because he thought the Drazi would retaliate. He launched an overnight offensive against a Drazi military base. There were no survivors."
"What in Mychka's name did he do that for?"
"He thought it was the best option."
Vrychka let out a cry of anger, kicking one of the control panels.
"That is what happens when you make a male Lord!" she snarled.
"Then… what do we… err… do now?"
"We go back home. I need to correct a mistake."
