Carter's head was pounding as she came round. She became aware of several
sensations such as her hands bound behind her back, the cold floor she was
lying on, the itch on her nose, and the fact that someone was calling her name.

"Pris! Wake up!"

She opened her eyes with a groan, and looked around her to see that she was in
the cave where the door was. It was wide open.

She gasped and sat up. Kendle was sitting on the floor next to her, her hands
also bound.

"What's happening?" Carter asked.

"I was going to ask you that! Huntington's lost it, he grabbed me and tied me
up here. The quake ended an hour ago, everyone ran outside when it started, but
no one's come back yet."

Carter started to struggle in her bonds, in an attempt to break them, but
Huntington had done an admirable job with them. She gave up and sighed, even if
they could get out, where would they go? Outside was out of the question, those
plants would be waiting for them.

"How did the door get opened?" she asked, but Kendle shook her head.

"Your new boyfriend opened it," Huntington came in, grinning.

Carter looked up at him obvious hate in her eyes, "Why did you kill Foster?"

Huntington bent down, turned her and shoved her roughly against the wall. He
began untying her hands while he spoke, "Bastard gave me a bad prognosis."

He finished untying her and then backed away, with her pistol drawn and pointed
at her, "Untie Kendle," he ordered. She continued to eye him with burning hate
and slowly indid Kendle, who was looking at Huntington with fear.

"Get her up," he hissed when she was finished. Carter hoisted her friend up
slowly and allowed Kendle to put her wait on her and off her broken leg.
Huntington continued to grin maliciously. He indicated the door with the
gun, "I wanted you to be awake to see this. Move."

They moved slowly, as Kendle was in considerable pain, with Huntington behind
them. Before they got to the door, though, a figure emerged from it.

It was Lennier, he didn't seem to notice Huntington or the gun, but instead
rushed over to Carter. "No, don't go in there," he looked like he'd seen a
ghost, "we need to get out of here."

Huntiington cleared his throat, Lennier looked up and finally noticed the gun.
He shot and inquiring look at Carter who said, "I'm afraid he insists."

"Pick her up," Huntington said, indicating Kendle.

Lennier dd as he was told, but eyed Huntington with suspicion. Finally he
spoke, "You know what's in there." It wasn't a question.

Huntington nodded, "I've known all along, but I couldn't get the bloody door
open. That bastard Minbari wanted to make sure no one could get in."

"He had good reason," Lennier answered, "he was trying to keep people like you
away from it."

The other man sneered, "Move it," he shouted. They moved on ahead of them, in
suppressed silence.

The tunnel sloped gently downward for several feet before opening up into
another chamber which was unfathomably huge, as it had to be to hold what was
inside.

Carter forgot all else as she gazed at it in a sort of horrific wonder. It's
dimensions defied the imagination, and it stirred all sorts of half-forgotten
fears within her.

She reached out to touch it.

"Don't," Lennier hissed, "It's a shadow vessel."