Chapter Twenty-Six

Babylon Five:

Observation Dome:

Unity.

But not in the manner that 'he' expected.

Vorlons treasured the light instead of darkness, order instead of chaos, civilization rather than barbarianism. There wasn't one Vorlon born that believed what was coming would arrive in such a spectacular fashion. A lesson there. Things never turned out the way you expected them to.

Unity was coming… not out of the power of control, not out of the purity of light, not out of enlightened self-consciousness, but out of fear steeped in chaos.

The mountains had crumbled away, leaving the pebbles alone in the darkness to fend off the storms for themselves.

His people were gone. His enemies had run away with them. The Rim offered protection, they believed. Let the rest survive if they could or burn they said. His people assumed that this time they would lose against the great enemy and in so doing they lost the war before the battle had begun.

Cowards, all of them.

There was nothing wrong with being afraid. Guinan had told him that many times.

He almost believed it.

The other Vorlons and Shadows had not.

But fear or not, there came a time where one had to take a stand because there was no choice. They young ones had no where to go. So they were coming together whether they wanted to or not. They wanted to live.

So did Kosh.

Ancient or not, he had made a choice. He along with one other were left alone with the young races; he by choice, she because she had none. They were together and alone, different yet the same. The circumstances forced upon them demanded unity, demanded order…in the mists of chaos.

Babylon Five was a beacon of light surrounded by darkness. It drew those that knew not the light to its embrace. Minbari and Human, brethren fated to war and then fated to peace. The Narn and Centauri, two races locked in hatred. Would the presence of the great enemy be enough to change that hatred into unity, or would they die cursing one another even as the enemy killed their worlds? In the light of those realities was unity even possible?

The Vorlons had never understood unity. They understood order, but unity?

No, Kosh concluded. His people were unified among themselves. They felt they were above such things such as unity with lower life forms. Everyone else was pebbles.

That belief had been the beginning of true arrogance. They began to think of themselves as gods. That was the beginning of arrogance's more dangerous brother coming to the fore.

Pride, the first of all sins.

Because of pride, the doorway was opened. And then 'they' came.

His people fought back but they retreated against power beyond comprehension. The enemy advanced. The Vorlons threw the younger races, telepathic ones, at the Sinhindrea. Entire races died or were driven to near extinction while the Vorlons made ready to push the enemy back. Through blood and tears had his people won. They forced the Sinhindrea back through the gate, or killed tem all as the fled not wanting the infection to re-establish itself. No quarter was given, none was expected.

The Vorlons won.

…After a fashion.

Arrogance was victorious – after a fashion.

In their arrogance and in the disastrous intrusion the Vorlons had chosen foolishly. They had not asked for help of the Old Races. Asking would have made them appear weak in front of them. Pride the first of all sins. The Sinhindrea had threatened them all and the sin of pride had almost cost everyone everything.

The others were furious. The schism between the Vorlons and the old races had begun. The hatred was raw.

It still was.

One mistake among so many.

It wasn't over. As long as there is life, there will be mistakes. Life was a testament to it. His people had never fully understood that the chaotic rule of Order. Black or white wasn't the answer. Chaotic rule was the order of the universe…after a fashion. That was the only thing that allowed the freedom to choose.

The observation window was relatively small, but by looking through it, one could see a lot more than it would first appear to the casual observer. There were four people in the room at this moment, simply watching as worker-bees and ships performing cleanup. They watched the ships on patrol, mostly fighters and medium class vessels near the station. Farther out the bigger ones were doing the same. The Great Machine rearmed itself, making improvements from what was learned from the previous battle. In the medical section, Draal instructed Wesley on the art of accessing more of the weapons systems. The refugee civilian ships were slowly returning to their assigned positions and that was proving to be a problem. Many of the returning refugees were being rightfully skittish at best. A few had left the sanctuary completely and were now being hunted down and forcefully returned. Unknown alien ships, flying around during this time of uncertainly, was a recipe for disaster. Fortunately, Wesley was able to direct Earthforce ships towards the fleeing vessels.

There should have been more people in the observation deck at this time but it was curiously empty. The quiet evacuation of the popular deck wasn't an organized affair. It simply happened when the four entered and began staring out the small window into the space beyond. The others in the room knew instinctively that it was time to go.

Lorien, Kosh, Barkesh, and Guinan, stood there almost an hour in quiet contemplation, neither speaking nor turning towards one another. Finally, an infuriated Kosh turned to his Vorlon counterpart.

"You have learned nothing," he growled. The iris in his encounter suit had narrowed considerably until it was barely a slit but from that tiny opening the light was laser-like.

"I learned enough to save you," she countered using their native language.

"To save yourself."

"I would not have you fall into darkness," Barkesh said with absolute sincerity. "You should thank me," she told him.

"I thank you," he hissed back in the same tongue. "And I thank you again."

"She's evading, Kosh," intoned Guinan.

"I know," he answered. "Barkesh," he snapped. "The Orieni. Why?"

"You know the reason why," the female Vorlon countered. "They were coming here. I directed them to a place where they will be more useful. The pebbles will do what the mountain tells them to."

"Oh, please," snapped Guinan in flawless Vorlon. "You could care less about the Orieni. They're just expendable items to you."

"It has always been understood that some have to be sacrificed in order for others to survive," Barkesh said.

"I didn't see you sacrificing yourself to save Kosh until your own life was directly threatened. The Orieni all but worship you and you've done this to them. But, then," she added slowly, allowing the sarcasm to drip through, "what is the price of a life of a Vorlon compared to the life of one member of a younger race you're supposed to be guiding and nurturing?"

"What indeed?" asked Lorien, echoing Guinan's sarcasm.

"When the mountain shakes the pebbles are expendable."

"For such an old, ancient, well-traveled and relatively intelligent female Vorlon, you're a fool," Guinan told her. "What would a mountain range be without pebbles? Can you figure that one out?"

"You insolent creature," spat Barkesh. "Who are you to tell me anything?"

"She is who she is and she's right," Kosh countered before Guinan could say anything.

"Barkesh, you've just complicated everything," Lorien said. "Your actions have interfered with my plans. Unity, as the Humans say, may have just flown out the window because of this decision of yours and you may have just helped to destroy the Minbari home world."

"What I've done will ultimately help the Minbari," defended the female Vorlon. "The Orieni would not have been allowed to enter Minbari space."

"The Orieni are not prepared to attack such a force," Lorien said.

"Their Red Guard monks tried to destroy Babylon Five a little more than a year and a half ago," Guinan coolly informed her. The Monks had come to cleanse B5 because of the belief that it was too advanced and a threat to the natural order of things. Furthermore, it had been believed that the Humans there were not following the correct path, the Vorlon path as they understood it. "It was an embarrassment. If it was an embarrassment here, can you imagine what will happen when they throw their forces against the Sinhindrea?"

Yes," Barkesh answered. "They will not prevail. The Sinhindrea will focus on them, track them back to their worlds and destroy them, giving us valuable time to bring the younger races together into an effective force that can withstand their attacks."

"Your logic is faulty," Guinan said. "They're concentrating on the main powers in this sector of space. There is no time left. They're going after Earth. They're on Minbar and they're reportedly heading towards Centauri Prime exactly where you sent the Orieni. You're assuming that the Sinhindrea will abandon their plans and go off and attack the Orieni. As I said earlier, your logic needs fine tuning." She glared at the Vorlon who in turn tried to be as intimidating as possible. She failed. "And of course, I do find your choice of destinations fascinating."

"I find your presence here among us irritating," Barkesh said coldly. "You're not a First One."

"Not senile either," Guinan countered, "and you have to be senile to place the Orieni and Centauri in the same space!"

Minbar:

Point Rishio-lan

As beautiful as the surrounding scenery was, there was no escaping the feelings of dread that permeated the entire area. Thousands of travelers had converged on the roads passing through desperate to escape the spreading holocaust that followed them. All of them could see the tens of thousands following the first waves. Already the once pristine, beautiful landscaping was marred by the escaping refugees. Flowers, plants, small trees, were already being trampled. Those who maintained the beauty of the land for generations said nothing. There was an eerie quiet as the Minbari continued on. The far majority were on foot clutching only the possessions that they could carry, but there were no shortage of ground transports carrying escapees to perceived safety.

It wasn't just the people either. There were animals, some of them well known to shy away from people, moving in the same direction along with the people as if in some unspoken agreement. Predators and prey animals studiously ignored each other in their trek to get away from the invaders and their plague, being more interested in survival than each other. The Minbari equivalent of birds was seen flying in the same general directions as were the refugees. Flying insect-like creatures joined them creating an eerie effect than almost blotted out the sky. Some distance away, smaller land creatures followed a similar direction.

The warrior caste found themselves in the surprising position of becoming traffic directors, desperately ushering the people passed the military convoys converging on the area and in some cases physically helping to move the infirmed and vehicles that inconveniently decided to stall at the worst possible moment. Everywhere the other castes instinctively looked to them for safety and the warriors, unused to such absolute deference but proud to receive it, threw themselves into their roles. They were being looked to as saviors and not one of them could imagine denying their newfound responsibilities. Five kilometers north, a makeshift airport was forming and there thousands of Minbari civilians were being airlifted to safety even while military transports arrived to drop off their supplies and warriors.

Just as the civilians were moving away from the encroaching fighting, the warriors were moving forward. Thousands of heavily armed Minbari, male and female, supported by increasing numbers of medium and heavy armored divisions prepared to head towards the front lines. No one had ever seen anything like this on the planet in tens of generations. Most of the warrior castes were space borne, however much of the weapons and equipment were based on Minbar so the warriors didn't lack for armaments.

The strain that had to be on Shai Alyt-Nan, Launan-li wasn't shown by the professional soldier. Instead he projected an intensity that encouraged the others looking to him to command. "Commanders, in three hours, four armored divisions will converge here and here," he said pointing to a small square on the three-dimensional map illuminating the center space being surrounded by the military group.

"Our latest intelligence indicates that the enemy has broken through here and here," he told them. "Last night they've landed nine troop carriers at the edge of the death zone. They've deployed their heavy armor." Another four squadrons of fighters passed overhead heading in the same direction as had the previous aircraft. "We've confirmed that everything within the fifteen kilometers surrounding the infestation growing in the mountains is dead, dying, or destroyed. Whatever the creatures are using to create their cities destroys everything. Even the very ground changes color, turning as lifeless as the dead. We've tried to collect samples from the edge of the zone but our containment vessels were destroyed by the unknown agents. Whatever it is doesn't discriminate between materials organic or inorganic. Everything is being used to create their dark city. They've overran our defenses here and here," he said again pointing at different squares that appeared on the map. "We're going to take it back and use it as a base of operation to keep these creatures contained. Apparently they want our world intact and have chosen not to use weapons capable of mass destruction on Minbar and we haven't chosen t use them– yet. Now, the edge of the quarantine zone is here," he continued. His emotions slipped as he remembered.

He had flown over the area, surveying the desolation first hand. The recordings proved a harrowing sight. Buildings had lost their color and were crumbling. Steel support structures seem to dissolve. Crystalline skyscrapers were melting into the soil. The soil it self had lost its color, turning a dull, lifeless grayish powder.

"In four hours all of our forces will attack along a forty kilometer front. We'll have heavy re-enforcements, but we can't expect help from our space borne brothers yet." He looked to the sky. "Their battle is going badly."

William raised his hand to interrupt. The Minbari officers glared at him. Some were angered and more than a few were irritated at the perceived insult. Only a couple of them seemed curious as to what he might say.

"Sir, I believe that what you're seeing in the plague zone is what we would describe as a radical destruction-construction event caused by nano-technology. As you know, nanites are microscopic machines designed to perform specific duties. Some will break down materials, others construct necessary materials. Another set will build what's necessary while others act as transporters, bringing the reconstructed materials to the 'nest'; or the city that they're building." The Minbari were less angered now and a few began showing interest in what he was speaking of. "This requires a lot of power and I believe that the explosion that reduced the mountain at the site of the city, supplied the needed energy necessary and acted as a catalyst for the nanites to fulfill their programming."

"There's also the problem with the water in these parts," Rii Mytarin mentioned. Another series of explosions and counter explosions were heard, this time much closer. The civilians instinctively began moving faster. "The water table at this site and the other are being lowered at an alarming rate."

The Human nodded, mentally adding that to the list. "These aliens were originally aquatic. The accumulation of water would be a natural part of the process."

"Yes, that follows," the commander agreed. "How do we stop these nanites?"

"You'll have to get a sample to determine their composition. We don't know what type of nanites these are – if that's what they are at all. Are they inorganic or organically based like the Shadow ones that hit Earth," he explained. "The Shadow plague was a composed of a combination or organic and inorganic components. We may be dealing with the same situation here, or it may be something entirely different."

Furthermore," added Ruth speaking for the first time, "we're not sure how to contain them. So far the zone is about fifteen kilometers in diameter. That may be the limiting distance from the center of the 'nest'. Or, maybe the communication between the core and the outermost area of conversion is limited to that distance. They may be programmed to cease activity at that specific distance. It may have stopped because of an energy requirement. Until we study it, we don't know."

The commander took in the information in silence. The aliens were the main thrust, their immediate problem; however the plague was just as deadly if not worse. A large swath of land had become uninhabitable and no one knew for how long or if it could even be reclaimed if they survived this war. On the other side of the world they were having the same problem and no one knew if it was a distance limit or if the plague was just 'resting'.

"It's something that our scientists will endeavor to find out," Launan-li finally said. "If this plague is used as a primary weapon…"

He didn't finish. The darkened sky turned bright blue as a small sun shown briefly overhead. The stars disappeared and it looked as if it were almost noon-time. The brilliance faded after a few moments and the stars reappeared once more indifferent to incident that had occurred moments earlier.

"That was one of the big ones," an older Minbari warrior muttered. He was of the Star Shields clan and had understood exactly what it was that had just happened.

The light faded completely, however the results were pronounced. Minbari warrior and civilian alike looked to the sky in fear and wonder. A few understood what had occurred. Most didn't.

"When one of their capital ships is destroyed, the plasma containment unit explodes destroying everything around them," the Star Shield warrior explained for those who didn't know. "How many of our ships, how many of our people did we just lose?"

A cool breeze swept through the area. Both Humans shivered but Minbari felt invigorated.

Sandra hadn't notice the cold. Something had caught her attention and she was looking pointedly at the huge numbers of animals that had changed direction and were now headed at an angle away from their original path. "That's weird," she muttered.

Rii Mytarin heard the bare whisper. "The animals were clearly moving away from us. It is their nature to avoid us when they can."

As they watched, the herds separated even more leaving a clear opening between the different groups but were still continuing on their original path. Several more Minbari turned to watch the scene unfold.

"Curious."

"What are we seeing?" asked Sandra.

"I don't know," Mytarin answered. "I've never seen any behavior from those animals like this before but what they're doing now doesn't look right."

"Are they evading something?" Ruth asked. "Looks like they're moving away from something."

Behind them, Launan-li and his commanders had noticed the same thing and harbored similar suspicions. "Move the Whitestar personnel away from the area. Get them to Vytris," he ordered. "Now!" He picked up his communicator, gave a chipped order.

The three Shriek battle tanks turned their scanners towards the fleeing animals. Other vehicles with more advanced sensors followed suit.

Launan-Li's communicator hummed gently. "Rii Aynnon," the voice reported from his post in the forward command vision tank. The missile launcher used its powerful scan and lock sensors to probe the area "SAL Passive scanner's negative."

"Understood," the Shai Alyt-Nan answered. The Minbar made a hand gesture. He wasn't sure what, if anything was going on.

Syndars and Lynason fleet-runners rarely if ever associated with one another under normal circumstances. Both species were grazers with the Syndars preferring the more mountainous regions. Fleet-runners favored the opened range.

Alyt Nan Kiryl, standing next to the Shai Alyt-Nan stared at the same scene. "The transports will be here momentarily. The crew will be moved out of the area."

"Acknowledged," Launan-Li said slowly. "Scanners are negative," he said, still looking at the scene being played out in the distance. "It looks wrong, somehow."

"They're fleeing," Kiryl responded carefully. He too was captivated by the huge numbers of animals clearly now separated into two clear groups. "That they'd separate is only natural." He stared again. "But…" He signed. "I don't know enough about animal behavior to determine if what we're seeing is wrong."

The leader nodded. Less than twenty kilometers away, another attack was in progress. The Minbari sky fighters were performing another bombing run. In return bright, sickly-looking yellow pulses knocked several of the flyers from the sky. The pulses were bright enough to be seen from the distance. The deep sound of war rumbled in the distance. Suddenly both males were jolted by the scream of one of the warriors acting as personal guards.

"In Valens name! How did they have gotten so close?" the female warrior roared. She had completely ignored both commanders as she repositioned her weapon.

Several other guards tensed, looking for some unseen enemy but seeing nothing. Eyes turned towards her, demanding an explanation.

"I understand. The animals have separated leaving that space between them," she practically yelled, although she was speaking more to herself than to anyone in particular. She turned facing her commanders. "They've separated," she explained, repeating herself once more. "They've separated, not by species but by grouping to get away from something. Look," she said quickly. "The Fleet runners and Syndars have moved away together. Both kinds of animals are stilled moving together but there's a space in between." Most of the Minbari were still confused by her explanation however a few were beginning to understand what she was trying to say. "They're avoiding the space in between!"

"Scanners, full active!" Kiry ordered.

The tank commanders were already on it. The Shai Alyt-Nan's communicator hummed again.

"Active scans negative," reported Rii Aynnon. "Infrared red negative, heat scans negative. High beam ultraviolet, negative." There was a moment's silence. "Motion tracking, inconclusive…adjusting. Still inconclusive. Actuating gravity sensor suite…"

"Rii Aynnon..."

"A moment, Alyt Nan. Using G-emitters. Baseline confirmed. Adjusting for standardized gravity anomalies…"

The Minbari were quiet experts in the understanding and use of gravimetric physics, able to manipulate gravity waves as a form of tracking was a technology relatively unknown to those outside of the Minbari Federation. Gravity emitters, small enough to be worn as rings by a select few gave proof to the advanced understanding to the science.

Sandra Hiroshi and the others knew the instant the emitters were active with both Lieutenant Rannslow and Ensign Hendricks recognizing the graviton particle emissions for what they were. The tingling inside the middle ear and the noticeable feelings of faint nausea, the result of being exposed to gravitons was unmistakable.

"Contact!"

"Shai Alyt-Nan, we're being scanned from the area avoided by the animals," announced another tank commander through the comms device. "Scans intensifying! They have shields. Shields going up!"

"Transmitting combat data coordinates. Locking onto targets."

"Fire for effect!"

Bare seconds later, six Windsword Heavy Assault tanks, supported by another half dozen Shrieks fired the neutron and disruptor cannons fired as one directly into the center mass of the space being avoided by the animals.

Several hundred animals were blown to vapor as weapons fire splashed off energy shields protecting close to a hundred of the Sinhindrea closing in on the closest enemy force they had detected.

"All units prepare for combat. Fire for effect!"

The battle for Rishio-Lan had begun.