Author's note
The following deviates from the 'original' Arisia massacre as described in the book 'To Dream in the City of Sorrows' because our personal beliefs are different to the ones followed in the novel, especially concerning timelines. We hope you are open to this new scenario!
The Arisia massacre – part I
Naroon arrived on the bridge, calm and controlled. Out the window he noticed several chunks of debris floating around.
"Report', he spoke to his second.
Fara turned around, but hesitated for a split second to reply. She was overcome by a sudden sense of comfort, of safety. Naroon had the power to do that to people, especially to her. Whenever he appeared on the bridge, the crew was different, as if infected by a flood of reassurance.
To a stranger it would appear like she was some crazed groupie admiring her teen-loved pop star, but even though her reaction was intensified by her feelings towards him, she was not the first to stop and stare at his presence.
Startled by her own reflex, she shook herself out of the trance the Shai Alyt had unwillingly put upon her and informed him of the situation.
"We just jumped to normal space and landed in this debris field. We're scanning it right now, but we don't know what it is – or supposed to be", she replied with haste.
Naroon studied the field on the scanners and view screens further until Fara spoke again:
"I think it was one of those class F stations. We destroyed a few of those during the war"
The Shai Alyt walked over to the control panel that was analysing the rubble and putting it all together again.
"It's a class D", he corrected, "It belongs to a mining colony"
"Mining? That explains the low presence of weapons", the elderly Suveni reasoned out loud.
"Bah, Human stations. They still look the same", Fara tried clearing up her misstep.
A positive chuckle followed from the slightly amused crew, but was put to seriousness again by their Shai Alyt.
"Never mind the previous appearance of the station, what happened to it? Another malfunction?"
"We're still analysing the energy readings Shai Alyt. They're inconclusive"
"What do the life form readings say?"
"Nothing much…", Kor Suveni replied.
"What about on the um rock", Naroon considered what he was looking at no planet, barely a moon at that.
It was nothing more than a charred piece of rubble. It's pretty hard to believe people would actually – voluntarily – live on it.
"We tried, but we can't get through that", Suveni pointed at the giant dust cloud covering the rock's surface.
"I read the planet has its share of sand storms, but this looks a bit much", he concluded.
"What is that?", Fara spoke up.
"Enlarge", she said hovering over the crystals.
The scene showed a large chasm following a straight line going from one part of a continent, through a settlement and halfway through the middle of that continent.
It was wide enough to be noticed from space, so its actual diameter had to be enormous.
The settlement was a large bunker complex covered by a now partially broken dome, undeniably Earthgov technology.
As the Shai Alyt suspected, the bunkers were not of the military type. Withstanding storms and temperature fluctuations was their main objective, keeping the people alive in comfort came secondly.
"The space station did not malfunction. Look", Fara spoke and showed her superior the readings.
"From the energy readings and debris marks we have so far, we can make up something hit it", she explained.
"Why would anyone attack an unarmed Human colony? Out here?", Naroon spoke out loud.
"Maybe they ticked off the wrong species again", Fara's cunning reply came.
Again laughter filled the bridge and it was up to Naroon to keep the nostalgic Warriors from getting too battle ready.
"However possible that may be, I seriously doubt Arisia colony would be the first place we would strike. It has no tactical value whatsoever", he replied.
Fara snickered at the Shai Alyt's little slip of the tongue, but maintained her professionalism.
"Something about this still doesn't add up", she quickly reset the mood, "What do they mine? Quantium 40?"
"No, some ore that is useful for their weapons according to this", Suveni replied while going through the records of the colony.
"Something metallic from what I can tell"
"Who else would that be valuable to?", the Alyt investigated further.
"The Centauri don't use it, the Narn use Centauri, the Drazi have no interest in it at all, the Brakiri are not up to the task and the Vree are simply based too far away for an action this large. Perhaps raiders, but it's too big for a raider attack as well", Fara summed up all possibilities.
"This is of course assuming they were mining some ore down there", Naroon pointed out, " We know the Humans: they often have something covering their real base of operations. Perhaps they were doing something else down there, other than mining"
He paused for a minute and pondered.
"Could something on the surface of have destroyed the space station? Does it match the energy readings? Perhaps one of their own experiments turned against them"
"Inconclusive", Suveni reported, "The readings are still scrambled due to the high energy bursts. Whatever happened here Shai Alyt happened recently…"
"Alright", he kept the crew in suspense while considering the options.
"How's the environment down there?"
"Hostile at best", Suveni replied, "Pressure is just above acceptable. As long as exposure is in limited amounts, it shouldn't do any damage, but I wouldn't recommend a leisurely walk around the block"
"Oxygen?"
"Breathers only. I presume those domes on the surface have their own oxygen supplies, but as some of them have been heavily damaged, it will be a miracle if they hold the pressure together, let alone the oxygen level", revealed the diagnosis.
"Good. That means we can send a scouting party down there and be the first to figure out what happened", Naroon concluded.
"Shai Alyt, the chasm near the dust cloud still worry me. If that was not the result of some failed Human experiment, it can have no other origin than a hostile attack. Bearing in mind that everything points to a recent occurrence…", Suveni cautioned his leader.
Naroon nodded in agreement and spoke: "I'll go and find out what the Anla'Shok knows about this before we send anyone down"
"Why don't we send the Anla'Shok?", Fara suggested as Naroon left.
"Good idea, I'll take her with me", he replied and left Fara annoyed, beaten at her own game.
Renati sat comfortably in her quarters, going through the documentation she had on William's missions and Arisia colony. She was rather confident the alarm was the product of a Warrior drill. Besides, she was on a Minbari war cruiser, what could happen?
She flicked through some personal information on William, recalling his profile.
His native planet, really?
Then, something caught her attention in the corner of her eye.
"Ce'fa Bar(1)?", she wondered, seeing a chunk of debris floating by her window.
I'll check it out, just to be sure, she though and ran out the door.
When the door opened, Renati felt like she hit a brick wall and fell down onto her behind.
"Oomfh", she complained, unprepared for whatever it was she hit.
"Going somewhere?", a puzzled Shai Alyt looked down to her. He didn't even budge! Bloody Warrior sturdiness…
"Shai Alyt", she bowed and got up, embarrassed.
"What's the hurry?", he asked, reconsidering his aid to get her up. She seemed uncomfortable and troubled.
Renati pointed at the now multiple parts of debris floating innocently by her window. The Warrior smiled. "I was just coming to get you. We have a few questions for you", he spoke and gestured for her to follow.
They stepped onto one of the platforms in a shaft that acts as a lift and rode it down. In the meantime, Naroon projected a mini-display of the damaged colony from his arm guard.
"Do you know of any weapon that can do this kind of damage?"
Renati studied it closely before replying.
"Not out of personal experience… but yes", she could not lie.
"But where's the station? There should be a station", she did not give him the choice to inquire further.
He zoomed out and noted the debris floating around everything, including the ship.
"Don't give me that look, it was like that when I got here!", he smiled, but Renati missed his Warrior humour.
"We must go down there", Renati replied.
"Alyt Fara is assembling a squadron", he confirmed.
"I would like to volunteer to join. I have to find him", she asked.
"Oh you were the first to be selected"
"Really? Thank you", she replied pleased.
"I'm sure your excellent stealth skills will be of good use"
Renati just looked puzzled, missing how her Anla'Shok stealth would benefit the mission. After an uneasy silence, it was Naroon who picked up the conversation again.
"I'm sorry you are so bored the past few days"
"I beg your pardon?"
The Warrior was confusing her more and more by the minute. Why would she be bored?
"I know you have visited my ship several times before, but to not leave your quarters for the past three days, that's just ridiculous. Have I offended you in any way?", he confronted her.
Renati was shocked and startled, unable to control her facial expression. She hit her eyes to the floor, thinking up a believable but truthful way out of the situation. Naroon waited patiently for her answer.
"It's just, I was-"
"At last. Can we go?", the annoyed voice of Fara broke up the conversation when they reached the docking bay.
"We have only two more hours of day time, or one and a half – I can't tell", she specified.
The planet's internal core had been corrupted by the intensive mining the Humans exercised. At one time, they had gone too far and had disrupted something deep within.
Ever since, the planet suffers from an irregular rotating pattern, giving days of 48 hours at some times and days of 5 at others. The pattern was irregular and impossible to accurately predict.
Along with that came the sandstorms and many more geological issues. Naroon wondered once again why anyone would have the patience for a life on that rock.
"Thank you Alyt. You have the bridge", he dismissed her.
Armed and ready in full battle gear, Fara watched with grinding teeth as Naroon accompanied the Anla'Shok himself into the shuttle and sat on the spot she had reserved for her own.
Given, the Shai Alyt would usually accompany a scouting crew down to the surface, but just this one time she wanted to go, if only to keep an eye on her.
Descending down to a planet in a Minbari shuttle would be quite the experience for a Human soldier. They did not suffer from the gravitational difference like the Human systems did, technology took care of that. It was not a rollercoaster ride for a Minbari, but a pleasant trip downwards.
The scenery below was impressive, to say the least. Giant domes held an intricate web of civilian housing.
The mining was probably done deeper into the surface, Kujar figured. He too was impressed by man's ability to live down here.
Sure, the Minbari had some inhospitable colony worlds like Shengol for example, which was frozen across the entire surface.
But even the small teams of Workers sent down there were not stationed there permanently. Half a cycle at most.
Aside from the Night Walker Clan testing their weapons on the other side of the planet, no one enjoyed their stay there.
"I'm nearing a clearing, I'm going to try to put us down here, Shai Alyt", the pilot warned his commander.
He turned the vessel around with swift movement, variations in level practically immeasurable.
The rear of the ship now faced one of the Human docking bays, however the ship could not fit on the platform.
"Requesting permission to knock some debris over"
"Knock away", replied the Shai Alyt.
Using the landing gear of the shuttle, the pilot knocked over the debris blocking their way.
When he descended, one of the winds of the storm blew a chunk back, scratching the ship's hull with an eerie sound.
"You're going to paint that!", Moran joked from the back, knowing the ship's engineer Durlan will have his bone for scratching the beauty.
When the vessel finally rested on the ground, Naroon ordered his squadron ready. "Breathers on, weapons hot"
Without further explanation, Kujar and Moran took the lead, followed by Naroon who stayed by their guest's side and closed again by the other two Warriors assigned by Fara, one of them being the pilot.
"Scan immediate environment", Naroon ordered.
"Scan complete. No life signs"
"Open pressure door"
Another door faced them, this one Human made. Kujar turned to Renati, who made a circular motion with her finger. He turned the bolt in the direction the Anla'Shok indicated and the door opened.
The Warriors including Renati dashed forward, thus infiltrating the facility. The hallways were broad and rather high for a compound of its size.
The inner walls were curved, not suited for any kind of tactical deployment. Because of its circular built corners were practically absent, leaving out the possibility of convenient covering places.
It was clearly a civilian compound, for these Warriors impractical at best.
"They never stood a chance", Renati muttered under her breath.
Suddenly, her arm guard vibrated, giving her a faint signal of life. She signalled the others, who followed its direction.
Somewhat further down the tunnel, the rampage that had happened here became clear.
Electrical cables bucketed dangerously about, still sizzling. Debris from collapsed supportive pillars blocked some of the doors and so it went on.
When they reached a large glass outside wall, the first two Warriors stopped.
There it was: the gaping wound of the planet. The diameter twice the size of their shuttle took their breath away. The cutting pattern was so clean, even the Shai Alyt swallowed. They could not see the end of the pit, it seemed to go on forever downward.
This had not been done by Human technology. This was no accident.
"Let's just hope whoever it was, they've gone", Moran commented dryly, adding to the general consensus.
"And hope we never run into them again", Renati added without faith in her words.
She continued on to the end of the hallway where a pile of rubble too dense to cross blocked her path.
"The signal is coming from the other side", she spoke with eager eyes.
"Can we blast through?", she asked when she saw the Shai Alyt touching the surface.
"We would do more damage than good. It's very likely the rest of the structure collapses if we attempt to do so. I advise going around the other side", replied while consulting his at-real-time generated floor plan.
The other side would take longer, but would eventually lead them to their destination. All the more time for finding survivors and interrogating them. But first, someone else needed to be grilled.
"Perhaps you would like to explain what happened here before we dash ourselves into the unknown?", Moran insisted.
"Exactly", Kujar added while the five cornered her against the wall.
"If I'm going first in on this, I want to know what we are facing. Or you go first"
Renati considered his offer, but wisely declined.
"Alright, you can explain as we walk there", Naroon set the group in motion.
Once in formation, he turned his attention towards his guest and asked her to speak up.
"You won't believe me anyhow", she shrugged.
"You were chosen for this party for a reason"
"Your reason being?"
"You being Anla'Shok, information gatherer", he clarified, "You were not the least bit surprised by the havoc. You have seen this before"
"It is as I have feared", Renati admitted, "This is a Shadow attack"
"What's a shadow attack?", Kujar asked without looking behind him. "Is it some kind of new technique? I know shadowing, shadow tag, but no plain shadow attack"
"No, an attack by the Shadows. The species", she explained.
"The Shadows? They have been gone for a thousand years, we defeated them", Moran said.
"We didn't", Renati argued.
"Valen defeated them, it's in the scriptures", he insisted.
"We did not defeat them Moran, we merely drove them away. And Valen also said they would come back in a thousand years.
There have been many signs over the past Rilz'Valzha(2), but this is the first massive move on a planet", she stressed.
"Apparently weapons testing", she added with a sarcastic tone.
"So you're saying the Shadows have returned to destroy a Human away station?", Kujar replied with heavy suspicion.
"The Shadows have returned, but they will build their empire more carefully this time. It is as Valen has predicted", she replied.
"They're very obvious about it!"
"No they're not", Renati argued. "Who cares about Arisia colony?"
"Well I don't", the pilot of the shuttle replied, but was met by a disciplinary look of his commander
"If it weren't for the Anla'Shok that had gone missing, we would not have known. This would have been overlooked for a long time, erasing the traces of the attack.
We would have ascribed this tragedy to a malfunction or Human error. Because this place has no weapons worth mentioning and is of no real value to anyone, this was the perfect place for them to strike unnoticed.
Unfortunately for them, coincidence decided to intervene"
The Warriors went quiet for a moment, realising any opposition had probably been eradicated already.
"Civilians or not, these are still Humans. Keep your bones up", Naroon ordered, anticipating the thoughts of his men.
As they continued down the hallway, Naroon's arm guard received a scrambled transmission.
"Sending a file through krrrrrsh", Fara's voice announced.
"Patch it through, and boost the signal. You're breaking up", Naroon rolled his eyes in annoyance.
"Can you hear me now?", she asked, poking Suveni to regulate the controls.
"Yes, that's better. Set all to receive"
"I picked this up from a Human tachyon stream"
A small video display appeared on their mini monitors.
'This is ISN Broadcast, bringing you the news of the galaxy.
We have just heard of a tragedy on Arisia colony. One of the sub reactors controlling the mining operation malfunctioned and caused a chain reaction of events. Both main reactors on the ground facility as well as the overlooking station overloaded do to this error and caused a massive explosion.
Family members of any of the inhabitants may contact(…)'
"What by Shintavi!? When did you receive this?", Naroon asked in disbelief.
"A few minutes ago", she said, enjoying his surprise.
"I was astonished as you are"
"How could they even know? We're the only ones here, are we not?", Kujar protested.
"The answer has been given, now let's search for the question. Welcome to the world of the Anla'Shok", Renati smiled and pressed them onwards.
"Do you think the Humans could be joining heads with the Shadows?", Moran asked as they continued their fruitless search for the missing Anla'Shok.
Renati couldn't hold her laughter, but quickly apologised.
"No, the Shadows would wipe them out simply for thinking that. I think what we have here is a classic example of Human cover up missions.
There probably was something else going on around here, something other than the mining. Rather than take the chance of their secrets being unveiled by an investigation crew, they cover everything up as an accident.
Given the damage, it's not difficult to believe one of their reactors did sing its last song.
No, the Shadow attack and the Human cover up are purely coincidental", she clarified.
"All the more reason to be on our toes. What could they have been doing here besides mining?", Naroon wondered out loud.
"I do not think you would like to ponder on that", Renati advised as they continued.
They stepped into a large courtyard, somewhat of an interior garden. The room reached until the very top of the dome, with a balcony on every one of the four levels.
There were many plants and trees scattered about, most of them torn out of their regular place in the garden frame.
Moran looked puzzled at the vegetation. "Now what's this?"
"I told you this is a civilian outpost. This is their… well the closest thing they have to nature", Renati explained.
"What is the use of this? These plants don't generate enough oxygen to support this environment", he complained.
"This one isn't a plant at all", Kujar added, stroking his fingers over a plastic leaf.
"All these plants have been chosen purely for esthetical reasons. There is nothing more to this garden than relaxation of the mind", she explained.
The Warriors were puzzled at her notion. Why would someone go through the trouble of building a complex vegetation filled room and then fill it with useless plants? Never mind the aesthetics, it's far more efficient if the plants did actually add to the oxygen production of the station.
"You know a lot about the Humans", Moran noted her more intimate knowledge of things. The flora preference of the species was not exactly something they found out about during the war…
She did not pay attention to the remark. They knew very well she has trained Human Anla'Shok, let them do the math.
"All I need to know is where to find them and how to kill them" , Kujar joked but was told off by Naroon.
"Behave"
Suddenly something rustled in the bushes. Kujar and Moran moved in attack formation toward the sound. In the blink of an eye, Kujar launched a plasma burst from his armguard – eliminating the threat.
"Got it!", he exclaimed victoriously.
The two rear warriors were ordered to accompany Moran and Kujar in the investigation of the body, but returned laughter instead.
"Shai Alyt, you have to come and see this", the pilot urged.
Naroon walked over to the dead corpse of some sort of animal.
"How… precise of you", Renati commented when she arrived at the scene.
"Indeed, you killed a-", but Naroon wasn't sure what it was.
"Cat. The Human equivalent of a Gok. Just smaller and less efficient", Renati added.
"Did it pose a threat?", Moran asked trying to at least save the honour of his friend.
"It has retractable claws", she replied.
"But surely they were poisonous?"
"No"
Naroon rolled his eyes at the overconfidence of his soldier. He killed a domesticated animal, how warrior of him…
"Set your weapons to stun, we want to interrogate the survivors for what happened here. Remember your mission", he spoke to his troop.
"Move on"
They continued down the courtyard, making use of the wrecked flora for cover. Renati looked at the silent fountain in the middle of a small pool they passed by. Inefficient, but it did carry esthetical value.
Of course, if it were Minbari made, the fountain would be part of a water purification system or something useful aside from being a pretty addition...
Suddenly a voice cried out to them from behind a tree:
"You filthy Minbari! I knew it was you! You didn't get me last time, you won't get me now either!"
"Watch out!", Naroon warned Renati and pushed her aside as the man fired his gun. He carried some ancient relic – the Shai Alyt identified it as a shot gun of some kind – but with no indication of time or type.
The Human jumped backwards from the backfire, but was disappointed he had hit nothing but plant.
Kujar and Moran did not falter in the opening moment and frontally assaulted the man. It was Kujar who fired the first – and only – shot.
The Human took the burst to the chest and fell to the floor.
"Was that shoot or stun?", he asked.
"Stun"
Kujar moaned in regret.
"Is everyone alright?", the Shai Alyt made sure none of his men got hit by stray fire. Affirmatives can from all but one.
"What happened to you?", Naroon asked in surprise when he noticed a soaking wet Renati.
She did not reply, but accepted his hand that helped her out of the fountain.
"My apologies, I assumed the thread to be more….. threatening", he cowered.
"At least it wasn't a Gok"
"Is this at all dangerous?", Moran asked no one in particular when he picked up the gun from the clenching human hand.
"It is at close range", Naroon warned them and took it.
He efficiently disarmed the gun by removing its cartridges and then dropped it to the floor, blowing off the tip of the double barrel with a plasma blast.
"In case he wakes up before we're gone"
The party continued further into the complex, following the faint indication of the missing Anla'Shok.
Their path was not without obstacles. Here and there, parts of the structure were still on fire. The Warriors had put out the parts they could, but this was not a major rescue mission. There was no time for playing fireman.
The goal was to get in, get the Anla'Shok – or in the Warriors' eyes whatever is left of him – and get out. If they could – reluctantly – assist the Humans in easing their suffering in the mean time, fine, but they would not go through great lengths to achieve it. That was not the mission.
"I'm reading life signs in that room up ahead, Shai Alyt", the pilot informed Naroon in a based voice. He signalled the two front men to open the door.
The big dented steel door groaned under the movement, but opened nonetheless.
A small object was propelled outward as soon as the opening became large enough.
"Erac!(3)", Kujar bellowed and dashed backwards.
The five Warriors retreated with admirable reflexes, leaving Renati wide open. Anla'Shok or not, her task was to stay out of trouble, hence she lacked the reflexes sometimes when she did get into a pickle.
Naroon saw the danger for one of his and returned, jumping in front of her right before the blast. The force of the air pressure pushed them over, Renati safely covered by Naroon's warmth.
"Careful", he urged her with a kind look into her eyes.
Vreni, the pilot, walked up to his Shai Alyt and broke a crystal by smashing it onto his back.
Liquid smoke covered the back of his padded armour, extinguishing the flames.
"Nusen'taal", he thanked his subordinate. When he got up and saw the damage his suit had suffered, agitation boiled his blood.
Humans
"Allow me the pleasure", the Shai Alyt spoke and passed his men by.
With precise shots he stunned three more that tried opposing him, but the fourth dropped his weapon in surrender.
Not that he was much of a challenge: the dark purple bruise on his head told the Shai Alyt that something heavy had struck this creature during the attack. It was remarkable he was still within his senses.
The Shaibar'nik walked over to the victim, impressive as any Minbari Warrior appears to a Human. The man paced a couple of steps backward, but tumbled over the limb of one of his sedated friends.
The yelp of mercy did not impress Naroon, nor did it anger him. It did not matter now that this was a Human. This was a creature in distress and right now, he was the predator.
"What happened", Naroon tried in a neutral voice.
"Minbari bastards!", the Human spat.
The Moon Shield rolled his eyes and got on one knee in front of his prey: "No, before that"
"Lost contact with the station…. Then everything came down", he sat and coughed up some blood on his ash-blackened clothes. The Minbari studied the Human, but saw no further vital wounds aside from the blow to the head. Perhaps he would survive, given proper care.
"Do with me as you wish", the Human spoke frightened, "But please, stay away from the children"
"Where are the children", Naroon asked curiously.
The man stared into nothingness, imagining his afterlife spent in hell. Had he just revealed the presence of the innocent to this monster? How would he explain that to his maker? How could he justify it?
I will not let him have them!
They were better off starving to death than in the hands of a Minbari. He kept his lips sealed and looked away from the eyes prying him for information. He flinched when the Warrior got up, expecting an excruciating break of some facial bone, but it did not follow.
"Useless, we'll find them anyway", Naroon said neutral and in effect meaning no harm.
"Stay away from them you murderous beast!", he squealed, confused by the Warrior's lack of aggression and spat in his face.
Sheer willpower held the Shai Alyt back from finishing off the Human right there. But the creature knew of no other way. His stupidity was no reason for his death – not this time.
Angered nevertheless, he got up and flared at Renati: "You deal with this!"
The Anla'Shok walked over to the Human, who was frightened even more now that the Warriors left the room to calm their commander.
"I will ask you again, what happened?", she tried with a gentle voice.
Before the Human got a chance to make another snite remark, Renati made use of his surface thoughts to enter his mind.
The mind was chaotic and… green. She could not make heads or tails of it first, but persisted nonetheless. Memories of youth as well as of late went by.
She saw a communiqué between himself and his aunt, whose post was on the orbital station.
"Something's here! They are……. …… ……. Under attack! Must……… Julie…….. get to….."
The transmission went blank.
Renati shook her head at the explosion of memories that came her way and fought hard not to scream.
The children, where are the children?
Then she saw it: a small group – no larger than a classroom – of children being guided into the underground tunnels by two panic-stricken females.
"Why didn't you kill him Shai Alyt? He deserves it", a voice from the outside disrupted Renati's concentration.
"There was nothing to be gained from his death. He was merely protecting his offspring", Naroon replied as a wise Shai Alyt should.
He hid the feelings of vengeance he fostered nonetheless. But that's what made him a Shai Alyt and them his followers: he knew when to strike wrongful feelings down.
Just before they could reply, Renati interrupted the scene: "They're in the tunnels"
Footnotes
(1) - Ce'fa Bar (Adrenato): What in the world?
(2) - Rilz'Valzha (Adrenato): Minbari equivalent of decade
(3) - Erac (Vik): Grenade
Part II coming very soon!