Thanks for the reviews everyone, sorry this chapter tooka while to get out
R1: At the end of the last chapter i said 10 percent not five.
JonnyG: Because they refused to give the other races shield technology, he's now in stasis and once hes healed they are going to transport him to Olympus (he'll play a big role later on).
Verse12 & others: Yes like i said im not really versed on B5 so baxter is bester, ive corrected the name for this chapter.
R1: The device on Dekara breaks all matter apart into its constiuent atoms and reformats that back into life (its a large scale version of what Olympus did to all the planets in the beta-durani system). I call it a weapon because the ancients used it as a weapon against the plague.
tatsu.zzmage: the Orions are mothership class vessels (the size of motherships from homeworld) the dreadnaughts are on par with scaffolds and the Olympus herself is a mega captial ship.
Ancients: The Olympus cannot be destroyed by anything the vorlons or shadows posses, but the Orion class ships dont have ZPM's and can get whacked. The Dreadnaughts could be taken out by constant bombardment from the planet killers but the vorlons would never get close enough. In a couple chapters imá introduce a more powerful alien species (possibly another crossover, im thinking species 8472).
LOCATION: Babylon 5
AREA: Cargo bay
Garibaldi eyed the Furlings with great curiosity. A section of the cargo hold had been quartered off and the Furlings were very busily building what appeared to be a larger version of their ring transporter, only this time it stood vertically.
'What is it?' he whispered questionably to Rancor who stood at his side.
'You will see' Rancor replied.
'Oh great, I love surprises' Garibaldi stated in an overly sarcastic tone.
The pair then left the cargo area to the Furlings, and headed back down the corridors to the command center. For the most part Garibaldi was impressed by the Alterians security precautions. They had in fact, cut the crime levels well below anything he could have dreamed, and the station was looking much better.
The Alterians had found the prospect of centrifugally generated artificial gravity preposterous and had immediately set about creating graviton field emitters. As a result the stations rotational abilities had been deactivated. In every corridor of every area of the station odd looking crystalline devices had been installed. According to the Alterian scientists the devices had multiple functions. First, they were able to disable any sort of weaponry on the station. Second they had advanced sensors that could penetrate the most advanced stealth fields, allow the command center to keep track of every person on the station. Third, they allowed species of different environments to interact without the need for breathing masks. They wouldn't go too far into the specifics of that technology, only stating that the devices enveloped each individual in a self contained environment, so with the devices in every part of the station, humans and aliens could interact freely. There were other abilities that the Alterians felt he would not be able to comprehend so spared him.
Upon reaching the command center Rancor's gauntlet immediately began chirping. Across its smooth polished surface strange patterns began to emerge. These patterns meant very little to the others in the control room, but to Rancor they were very important. His hand moved to the gauntlet and began tapping on the smooth polished surface, after a second a holographic projection of Captain Darren appeared on the command center.
'Captain' Rancor greeted, as the others were taken captive by the life like projection. Delenn had seen this technology used once before but even then the image did not appear as life like.
'I have orders from Olympus, they want to meet Captain Sheridan, ambassador Delenn and the telepath Alexander Bester, as soon as the Furlings have completed their stargate' Darren announced.
'What is a stargate?' Sheridan stuttered, having come out of the initial shock of seeing a life like hologram.
'I think it's the device they are building down in the cargo bay!' Garibaldi answered.
'Yes' Darren replied.
'It looks like the structure we saw on the video feed from the Minbari probe… that shield generator thing' Garibaldi continued.
'I'm afraid you are mistaken, the stargate is used for interplanetary travel, it does not generate the planetary shields' Rancor corrected.
'Interplanetary travel… how?' Delenn was intrigued.
'The specifics is beyond your understanding for the moment. Once it is completed you will use the stargate to travel to Olympus where you will appear before the Council.' The captain stated, then promptly vanished before the others could say anything further.
'What is this council?' Sheridan asked Rancor.
'It is the Council that leads my people'
'And they are on Olympus?'
'No, they will appear on Olympus as captain Darren appeared before you' Rancor replied. 'It is they, whom you will have to convince in order to bring my people into your war'
'I understand why we are being brought to Olympus, but why Bester? Sheridan asked.
'I do not know, but it is most likely because of his telepathic ability that the scientists on Olympus have requested his presence'
'To be studied?' Garibaldi stated with a huge smiled.
'Yes' Rancor replied.
LOCATION: Babylon 5
Alexander Bester had spent the better part of the day trying to find a way to get a sample of the telepaths DNA. Though he had been released from the brig, he had found it very difficult to get anywhere near the more important parts of the station. Even the insect like creature that ran the black market in the lower levels, had gone out of business. The alien technology that had cropped up around the station, seemingly over night, apparently made crime a near impossibility on the station. At times he thought he had made it into a secure area of the station without being caught, a security detail would show up seconds later and escort him out. It was as though they kept track of every movement he was making.
It's was even more surprising that he was now being escorted to cargo bay, a section of the station that only the most highly authorized people were allowed into.
LOCATION: Babylon 5
AREA: Corridors
Gailic join the human and Minbari representatives on their way to the newly constructed stargate. He was hoping beyond hope that the Alterian council would be swayed by their pleas, but knew that the council very rarely took actions that would cause the deaths of other life forms. Support from his own people was dwindling as news of the Vorlon tragedy spread throughout the evacuees. Many could not bare the thought that they, no matter how indirectly, were responsible for the lives lost that day.
'Ambassador' A voice greeted followed by a curt nod. It was the Captain Sheridan, the greeting was then echoed by the Minbari ambassador Delenn.
Gailic bowed slightly, and then the threesome continued on their way with Rancor, Garibaldi and Ivoniva in tow, who were followed by 2 Alterian guards.
'So ambassador, I was wondering if you might explain how this stargate will allow us to travel to Olympus' Delenn questioned.
'The technicalities are very difficult to explain but in simplest terms, the device creates a doorway, stepping through this door leads directly to a door on Olympus' Gailic replied.
'So the travel is instantaneous?' Sheridan asked.
'Almost'
'Facinating, what is the maximum range of these stargates?' Delenn pressed.
'Range is only limited by the amount of energy you can provide. A standard charge will allow travel to any planet in this galaxy'
'Well, I guess we hyperspace travel is going to become obsolete' Sheridan remarked.
The group now entered the cargo bay where Mr. Bester stood silently beside an Alterian guard. He was looking very upset.
'Captain Sheridan, I demand to know what I am doing here…' his voice trailed off as he caught sight of the Furling.
'Apparently, Mr Bester, you are coming with us to visit the Alterian city ship Olympus' Sheridan smiled at the look of shock on Besters face. It took a few second for Bester to compose himself.
'Why am I going to visit the Alterians?' Bester demanded.
Sheridan wondered for a moment why Bester was not taking the information from his surface thoughts, then realized that one of the Guards escorting Bester must have been a telepath.
'We wish to study you!' Rancor interrupted.
Bester was shocked once again, why was this human saying we as though he were an Alterian, and then it clicked. 'You are an Alterian, that's where all these telepaths came from, the Alterians are some kind of entirely telepathic human society!'
Rancor looked at human quizzically, if only he knew exactly how far Alterians were for humans, but he knew he could not reveal that kind of information without authorization. 'We are not a human society, we may look human but I assure you we are not human' he replied.
'I will not be a Lab rat!' Bester shouted.
'You have no choice' Ivonniva smirked with pure delight shining on her face.
Bester made as though he were going to run then promptly froze in place. A guard standing behind Bester had lifted a gauntleted hand pointing his palm towards Bester. A red gem at the center was glowing bright red and beams of yellow energy seemed to flow from the gem into Besters back, holding him in place like a puppet on a string.
'Woe, what the heck is that' Garibaldi gasped.
'It is an immobilization field, designed to subdue aggressive behavior' Rancor replied as he nodded to the guard who promptly swung his gauntleted hand around forcing Bester to move along with the motion. 'It also allows the guard to take full control of the detainee's body'
'Wow, my security staff could sure use some of those' Garibaldi continued.
'Alterian technology is not available to you, and the Furlings have not reached the level required to build such devices' Rancor smirked.
'Let us continue' Gailic interrupted and led the way to the DHD.
'What happens now? Delenn asked, staring at the device with wonder. Engraved upon the device appeared 39 symbols arranged around a red dome in two circles.
'Now we dial Olympus' Gailic replied 'By inputting seven symbols on this device you can dial billions of stargates'
'Like a telephone number?' Sheridan offered.
'I am not familiar with telephones' Gailic replied 'But if it requires different cominations to contact other "telephones" then yes. Of course as the Alterians will probably tell you, these devices are only used by us younger races' he continued disdain evident in his voice.
Gailic began inputting the sequence for Beta-Durani 4, and the humans/Minbari watched the stargate in awe as each of the corresponding chevrons activated then suddenly ducked as the splash formed.
'What the heck was that!' Garibaldi shouted as alarm systems began going off, Sheridan's com link buzzed moments later and an irate voice came over the line.
'Captain are you there?'
'Yes' Sheridan replied 'What's with the alarms?'
'We detected a massive energy surge in the cargo area sir, we assumed it was some kind of bomb. The energy readings went off the scale!' the voice retorted.
'It's okay… its not an alarm' Sheridan replied.
'Aye sir' the voice replied and moments later the alarms turned off.
The group approached the event horizon and gaped in awe at the shimmering pool of what looked like water.
'What is this?' Sheridan asked.
'It is the event horizon of a extra dimensional tunnel linking this gate with another aboard Olympus' Gailic replied 'It is how we will travel to Olympus'
'How?' Delenn asked.
Rancor nodded towards the guard holding Bester immobile. The guard immediately made towards the event horizon. 'Like this' Rancor concluded as both the guard and Bester disappeared into the event horizon.
'please follow me' Gailic urged as he followed the guard through the stargate.
Sheridan and Delenn looked at each other then faced the event horizon and jumped through. Garibaldi, Rancor and Ivonnava stood in silence as the gate disengaged.
'So they are on Olympus right now?' Garibaldi questioned.
'Yes' Rancor replied.
'What did the Furling mean by your people not requiring that device' Ivonnava asked pointing towards the DHD.
Rancor thought he might as well give them a demonstration. He stood a meter from the stargate facing the pair while they watched the stargate, his hands resting at his side. 'Because we can do this' he stated sweeping his arms up above his head in a circular motion. As his arms moved from his side to meet above his head, all chevrons glowed bright red and the event horizon magically formed without the splash.
LOCATION: Earth Dome
'Damn it!' President Clark fumed. He had just received a report that Bester had disappeared from Babylon five after being escorted to a restricted area.
'Sir, I suggest we go to plan B' his chief of staff replied.
'Sir, if you declare marshal law there will be riots from Mars to the Sigma system.' An aide interjected.
'Redeploy the fleet' Clark ordered 'I want Mars taken by force as an example for the other colonies'
LOCATION: Somewhere in Vorlon Space
SHIP: ZEUS Dreadnaught class heavy cruiser
Captain Efraities sat at her command chair watching the main display. She was both amazed and terrified at how the races of this dimension used hyperspace. On the main viewer lay the swirling orange sea of chaos of raw hyperspace, and at the center of the sea lay a fleet of thousands of Vorlon vessels.
The Zeus had adapted her hyper drive to allow the ship to enter and track vessels in hyperspace in this dimension. She had launched a dozen long range probes and picked up many Vorlon vessels dispersed throughout hyperspace, and then picked up two large concentratrions. She had engaged her stealth field before approaching this concentration of ships to engage detailed scans.
'What the hell is that?' Efraities gasped at the sight of a vessel that dwarfed the Zeus in size. It was almost a half the size of Olympus, yet twice her height and solid all they way up.
'It's a… I don't know, sensors are having a tough time penetrating the haul of that thing!' her science officer replied. 'We need to get closer!'
'Helm, take us in as close as possible without crashing into one of their ships' Efraities ordered.
The image on screen grew larger and larger until it could no longer contain the entire fleet. The image then came to rest on the mega ship they had detected.
'This is close enough… scans are detecting high yield weapons on that thing, very high yield weapons!' The science officer reported.
'Sir, the ships are exiting hyperspace!' another voice cried just as her own vessel shook from gravitational eddies of the jump points forming.
The Zeus followed the fleet as it exited hyperspace and watched as they entered orbit of a blue green world. Strange looking vessels and space stations orbited the planet, and at the sudden appearance of the Vorlons they opened fire.
The exchange of fire did not last long as the Vorlon fleet cut through the alien craft and their space stations. Then the crew watched in horror as the mega Vorlon vessel moved into position directly above the planet. It then fired thousands of missiles and particle beams that rained down upon the planet leaving great gashes in their wake. The force of the detonations was ferocious, and within an hour the entire surface was cleansed of all life.
Efraities gasped in horror at how callous these Vorlons were. They had extinguished an entire planet of all life, for no apparent reason. 'Death toll?' she asked, emotion deep in her voice.
'1.8 billion inhabitants, all dead!' the science officer replied.
'Contact Olympus and upload everything we have on the Vorlons, and get me Zeraus on the line!' Efraities barked.
On the view screen the Vorlons had re-entered hyperspace, no doubt moving on to another planet, while the Zeus remained in orbit of the dead planet.
LOCAITON: Hyperspace, on route to Babylon 5
SHIP: UEA Neptune
General Tan sat strapped to his command chair, he had opted to take control of one of the older Hyperion class destroyers. The Destroyer of course, had undergone a refit to accommodate the General, and was probably now the most powerful ship in the fleet. 40 Hyperion and 20 Omega class vessels made up the work horse of the fleet. He would send half of the fleet in first and keep the other half in reserve in case the Alterians decided to intervene.
Multiple jump points now opened and the first half of the fleet emerged to be greeted by a strange sight. Millions of bright yellow stars surrounded the station like a mine field, and they had just exited into the heat of the minefield.
'This is General Tan of the United Earth Alliance vessel Neptune, under the laws of the Earth Alliance, Babylon 5 is now under our control.' The general announced.
'This is Captain Sheridan of Babylon 5, we have broken away from Earth Alliance and declared our independence, you have no jurisdiction here!' the reply came.
'Then you leave us no other option but to take the station by force!' the general shouted as his ships began launching their starfury compliments. He just prayed that the glowing stars were only there for decoration and would not intervene in this internal affair.
TBC
NOTE: In light of episode 109 of atlantis (the aurora) I will explain in later chapters (after i deal with the babylon 4 issue) why the ancients of Pegasus dont live millions of years like these ones (the way i got it worked out in my head should actually tie it right into stargate cannon).