Chapter 37

"Eighteen hours"

(fanfiction net only)

Babylon Five:

Hour Fourteen:

What the others hadn't seen, Galen saw.

Guinan had once again astounded him. The woman was phenomenal, her power extraordinary. Using everything at his disposal he had tried to analyze her and to his surprise she had allowed him to. He found nothing out of the ordinary and he was amused. She seemed perfectly normal for whatever species she was. But even that was a deception. She played the game well, even allowing the Kosh leader to take credit for what she had done. The Vorlon leader now despised here even more.

This was the most entertainment that he had had in a very long time. He suppressed his urge to clap and yell for more, but he kept himself reserved. He lost it briefly however when one of the Soul Hunters joined the party. His single laugh was enough draw the ire of Guinan who seemed to peer into his soul. He understood, quietly chastened by this unusual woman he respected more than any other he'd ever met. He sat back to watch. And what he saw, so did the rest of the techno-mages.

As these people were coming together, therein lay the seeds of the technomages' fate as well. No longer could the masters of magic and science continue to simply observe on the sidelines. If the Soul Hunters-even the Soul Hunters! - were involving themselves in this unprecedented meeting of the powers that be, then how could the technomages continue to hide in the dark? Yes, their secrets were their own, but the Shadows, Vorlons, Humans, Centauri, Minbari and a dozen other races were at the very edge of pooling their resources for a common cause. The Soul Hunter was most likely here for the same reason. With this unprecedented gathering of powers taking place, how long would it be before their respective technologies began to merge? Without the Vorlon's interference, the merged technologies would advance at a phenomenal rate. And that would mean that the Technomages would be left behind, still trying to horde their antiquated secrets.. The Starfleet other-universal Humans would share theirs, how could his people not do the same?

00-00

The Soul Hunter was relatively young, as his species considered age, and he was very uncomfortable being around so many people-who incidentally hated everything he was and everything he represented. His sect wasn't honored, respected, or even liked by any of the races, all because they misunderstood the Soul Hunter's purpose for existing. So his people were shunned, hated and even sometimes killed while performing their sacred duty. So this-event- was something so unusual that he didn't really know how to react and he didn't know what the people's responses would be to his presence. As he walked slowly towards the podium, he took the time to gather his thoughts. He saw the Minbari glaring at him with unmitigated hatred and loathing. The other races exhibited undiluted fear. Even the Vorlons were somewhat wary of his presence. The enormity of it all frightened him somewhat.

But the Humans, both of the Alliance and the so-called Federation didn't show any fear at all. There was a curiosity shown by the Earthers, yes. But the other Humans seemed unconcerned by his presence and that was oddly refreshing in ways he had never really experienced before.

The alien, whose appearance looked somewhat like Lorien, paused for a final second as he basked in the silence dominating in a room full of people. "As I speak to you now, I speak for all of my Order," he started. "They are listening even as I speak. To understand us is to first realize that we harm no one unless it is absolutely necessary when we perform our most sacred duty. We have come to Babylon Five because we are taught to understand that we are to go to wherever the spirit moves us. It is also curiosity, and an opportunity to learn from all of you. Our Order rarely has contact with any others and we barely speak to others except to those we come to save. Despite your misconceptions concerning our ways, we are not thieves. That is not our purpose," he emphasized. "We preserve, we do not destroy. But your erroneous perceptions should be discussed at another, more appropriate time."

As he spoke those last words, there was a collective wave of disgust and hatred so focused that it seemed like a physical force battering him. He ignored that and continued. "It is known to everyone here that there is a great darkness preparing to move. If something is not done soon then death will suffocate this galaxy. We have information that you need to know in order to survive this, this plague of death. Our sect has watched as the ones you call the Sinhindrea have established themselves at Z'ha'dum. They have brought death and destruction to the four star system of the Kor-Lya Federation. The Rial system has fallen, as has the Thrakalla, Torlig, Llesirta, Tokat, Trivor, and a half dozen populated star systems. There is no life other than theirs in those systems now. We have observed Z'ha'Dum and we have estimated that there are 'eleven billion' Sinhindrea there and increasing in numbers. They require food for their young and they consume everything. These creatures are telepathic and they use that ability to sedate their prey, lull them into a sense of complacency before they consume them. The gateway from their space to ours has been denied them by them," he said pointing to the Federation representatives. "They were unprepared for that eventuality. And they are filled with unleashed rage. They are building warships that no government alone can hope to match. Your people and mine cannot survive separately, so we offer our services so that we might all have a chance to continue."

"Exactly what are you offering?" the one called Sheridan asked him.

"Complete, full access to 'all of our' intelligence on these invaders," was his response, which was rewarded with dead silence.

"Will your people fight with us?"

The gasps of horror were audible to security outside the sealed doors. "You cannot ask those creatures to fight along side us," Delenn shouted.

Everyone looked at her surprised by her outburst. But those who knew her understood her reluctance. The attempted stealing of Dukhat's soul and the experience of having one of their kind trying to steal her own soul had marked her. Besides her, a silent, hostile Neroon was in complete agreement.

"We need everyone," Sheridan countered. "We are all in this no matter what our personal feeling about one another we must come together to survive this and we have to start now, this very second."

"I understand," the Soul Hunter said. "We are universally feared and hated and most of you would surely want us all dead, because you fail to understand the nobility of our mission. But we are offering what we can."

He nodded at the young Soul Hunter, then defiantly glared at the Vorlon and the Shadow Lords who both went out of their way not to notice. "Now, I will repeat myself. Will you fight with us?"

"My people have discussed this at length. Our conclusion is that, in order for us to continue, everyone else must continue. We will fight with you."

"Thank you," John said simply yet very sincerely. "We'll take everything we can get."

The Soul Hunter could feel the warmth of that simple statement and that gave him the strength to continue on. "We-- can offer something else, but…" He hesitated, unsure how these people would respond to his proposal. "…There is a price. We will share some of our technology."

"What type of technology are you offering to us?" G'Kar asked politely.

"In order for our sect to save the honored souls, we have developed ways to gain access to any ship by burning through its hull. We have called this device the inferno shield. It allows us to burn through the hull but it also allows us to re-seal the damage done. We don't kill unnecessarily and our purpose is no to damage anything around us as we perform our sacred missions. We will give the proposed coalition an earlier version of that shield which will allow you to burrow into any enemy vessel. As you can clearly see, this technology can be put to many practical uses when fighting an enemy. We can also provide you with a jump engine half the size of your currently model."

There was a quiet mummer among most of the people in the room. However, the Vorlon leader was furious at him for suggesting such a radical move.

"We do not approve," the Vorlon leader said. "The balance will be upset. The young races will spread too far, too quickly. It will lead to ruin. There are dangers that you are unprepared to encounter without guidance. You will die."

As expected, the noise died down a bit as the different races took into account who was speaking. When a Vorlon spoke, the younger races listened he thought bitterly. His own people had been tampered with by the Vorlons as well, but after more than forty thousand years his people managed to undo the damage. The Vorlons were not happy about that but had chosen not to retaliate against his kind.

As Admiral Janeway stood up the Soul Hunter scrutinized her carefully. He was very interested in hearing what she had to say. "As an acquaintance once told my people, 'it's dangerous out here, full of wonders both subtle and gross but it is not for the timid." She spared a quick glance at an uncomprehending Picard and the Soul Hunter wondered why. "Danger is always present in one form or another Ambassador. Whether we hid under our beds or go boldly forth it will always be present. Life is not static, it doesn't move slowly because we wish it to be so. If we force things to stay where they are, events will overrun us. Both you and your Shadow counterparts have manipulated the races in this region long enough. It's time to let go."

The Vorlon didn't respond but everyone staring at him saw his encounter suit trembling with rage.

The Soul Hunter thought furiously. Both the Vorlons and Shadows had tentatively agreed to help in the coming war, a stunning revelation in itself, but the Shadows had made it clear that they would not provide the cure for the plague on Earth. However his sect did have the cure. If the Shadows wouldn't provide it, maybe they would. That would do wonders for relations with the Humans.

However, the thoughts of extremely angry Shadows hunting his people in retaliation gave him pause and he was unsure if he should even offer the cure without discussing it with his superiors. Nearly a hundred worlds had been destroyed during the last Shadow war, dozens of races rendered extinct. The very name Shadow was enough inspire fear among all of the races, including his own. His own people had chosen not to enter the war and by some miracle of neutrality, they had survived most of the devastation. The Vorlons weren't innocent of atrocities either; but then, history is always written by the victors.

He decided to wait. Besides this Federation group were well on their way to finding the cure independently of his help. If they had difficulty completing the cure then he resolved to add it as an incentive when he began negotiations with them. And they didn't fear the Shadows, making them either fools, or a very powerful organization that could deal with the Shadows if necessary. That thought alone surprised him and filled him with wonder and more than a bit of dread. He wondered what these Humans were like in that other universe. He could almost see the intensities of their spirits residing inside them. The Captain called Picard, Admiral Janeway, Captain Sisko, Captain Garrett, Commander Sheridan, Delenn, there were so many here. What would it be like to have so many of those souls protected in the Order's collection?

The instant the thought formed within his mind, he felt eyes boring into him. It was the Guinan female. He nodded quickly acknowledging that he knew of their true origins. There secrets were their own, but…

"What are you asking for?" Sheridan asked.

"That is something that I will discuss with the representatives of the Federation privately. If they agree, then we will provide the technology I have promised. But I will provide you with the data now." He pulled out a small crystal and handed to Commander Sheridan.

Sheridan looked at it as if it were the Holy Grail.

"Thank you," he whispered.