CHAPTER TWO: The Shadow's Of X'ha'dum, Part 2

When Nanette finally woke up, she was asleep. She touched the pillow where her mouth was laying on and it was damp by carbon dioxide exhaled gasses from the act of simple respiration, and salivation. Nanette is grossed out by the reality of drooling, she had never drooled, but now she noticed the sore throat, and the swelling of mucus glands. Nanette looks at her watch and sees that she had been asleep for an hour. When she is pulling in information her thought patterns are interrupted by the calling by Mira. "Nanette?"

Wipes the sleep and mucus from her eyes and looks at the com, Nanette orders the com to only receive audio. "Nanette here go."

"This is Mira, were you asleep Nanette?"

Nanette is almost ready to crack a wise one, but decides to leave jokes alone. "Yes, for about an hour."

"So was Gram and Arimira, I haven't heard from Mirra or Incevi."

The com comes on in Mira's room. "This is Mirra; I'm with Incevi, is everyone all right?"

Nanette hears the com. "Nice to hear you Mirra, if you see anyone else, tell them to prepare to exit ship."

Mirra complies. "Yes I will inform Incevi. Mirra out."

The com goes out, Nanette looks at her com, the only one on it is Mira. "Better get ready, we leave in five minutes."

The com goes off, Mira has a tendency to leave in mid-conversation. Jake and Casthmatic enter the bridge where Mira and Nanette are. As Casthmatic looks at Nanette, she is glad to see people again. "Hello."

Nanette turns to look at to individuals covered in the plasma that covered Incevi and Mira, as Nanette looks at the goo in is light blue, as Nanette clears her mouth it too emits a lightly bluish-white fluid. As Nanette notices this, she wipes it off on her vest and looks at her guest and sports a smile to welcome them. "Oh, hello, you must be Jake and Casthmatic; I am Nanette, Former captain of the Invincible."

Jake nods, "Yes we know, we have gave all you advanced respiratory systems, it was a strain on the Vorlon ship, but it will survive…now is it true that we are going to find these Liberators?"

Nanette thinks to herself, so that is what caused my drooling, but ushers away that though to comply with the question. "Yes it is, the Liberators have greeted us and as it looks we have no chance of escape from X'ha'dum, so we should make contact."

Jake, Casthmatic, and Arimira seem worried. As Nanette gets up, in comes the other, they are already suited up and ready to make the trek, and Nanette zips up her suit, she hand one to Casthmatic and one to Jake. As they put their suits on, they all walk towards the airlocks. Mirra unlocks to security lockdown codes and as the group of nine put on their breathers, Nanette unlocks the airlock doors, and as the door opens Arimira, Nanette, Mirra, Gram, Mira, Incevi, Jake, and Casthmatic walk outside in the hostile environment. The feeling of the atmosphere is thick and it is very hot, as they step onto the planet X'ha'dum the ground moves, they all move violently back to the ship. As they look outside the ship they see spidery figures moving towards them. They try not to panic, but their fear is calmed when the Liberator greets them again. So with patients they move from the protection of the ship and enter a large pillar. As they walk in, the place is dimly lighten, they watch Shadow's working everywhere, but the design of the building is smooth and clean unlike Z'ha'dum. As there trek ends they walk over a sky bridge over a 360 circle of lava fall and on the other side a water fall which makes a lot of water vapor over this bridge, as Incevi whispers to Nanette, he calls this place the gate way to hell! But as they walk through the vapor they enter in a glass dome surrounded by water and at the top is a bright light about 30 thousand feet up. "Welcome, this is where we take all over visitors, of course many don't come." Mirra walks forward. "Please don't come closer…it's for over security. We only want to welcome you to X'ha'dum. So tell us this, do you know about the planet Z'ha'dum?"

Mirra looks not directly at the Shadow, not wanting to make eye contact with its eyes. "Z'ha'dum, you speak of the planet of chaos!"

The eight new comers look confused at one another. "What do you mean?"

Mirra continues, "The inhabits of Z'ha'dum were upset of the failure of the Great War so they wanted to form a union of destruction and chaos, they wanted revenge!"

The Shadow's contest the argument. "But we conspired to the use of the Epsilon grid to help find a new home world, Z'ha'dum's cities were all destroyed by the Vorlon's, the other first ones and a few of the younger races. So with help we found this place and named it X'ha'dum, the "x" stands for neutral space. Here we would isolate ourselves from others to build our great cities once again, of course we were beaten in the Great War so we built a massive fleet of the old fleet in the Great War and upgraded our planet to be dead looking, now you know our side—tell us yours!"

Nanette walks forward to the position of Mirra. "Incevi and I come from Earth, or what is left of it."

The Shadow's clearly do not know of the current present times. "What do you mean?"

Nanette continues. "Well after the last Shadow war in 2261, Z'ha'dum was attacked by one ship carrying two thermal nuclear bombs into the Shadow's major capital city of Z'ha'dum and this gave time to prepare the younger races to fight the Shadow's and Vorlon's."

The Shadow's seemed to remember the Vorlon's. "Vorlon's, you were enemies of the Vorlon's—why?"

Nanette wonders if being enemies of the Vorlon's makes then potential allies, or if it is just one of a thousand questions these Shadow's are going to ask. "We only declared war against the Vorlon Empire because they were destroying entire worlds with their planet killers and when the Shadow's allies were being destroyed the Shadow's sent out there Shadow Clouds to destroy entire planets."

The Shadow's look at one another in disbelief. "No wonder why you're scared of us, but why come to X'ha'dum and how did you know it existed?"

Nanette thinks for a second then continues, "Well that's the second half, after all the present first ones went beyond the rim they blew up Z'ha'dum leaving their two main allies behind, the Shrib and the Drakh."

"Drakh, we've have heard of that name before—ah—that's right the once creation of the Vorlon's."

Nanette nods, but is then shocked, caught off guard, she did not know the Drakh were creations of the Vorlon's. "The Vorlon's created the Drakh also?"

"Also, you mean there are others?"

Nanette notices that the Shadow's clearly do not know about the younger races, or they would notice the hybrids. But Mirra takes control of this question. "Yes we know that in 2161 the first telepath came from Vorlon and the first genetic changed happened to one person named Valen over 1000 years previous to the Shadow War of 2261. Thus Valen married a human whose race had no existence for the next 10 years and they created the term "Child of Valen", a hybrid of half Human half Minbari, her name was Delenn she died after the creation of the Grey Council, but she returned in 2230 under the family of Mir, her name was Delenn. In 2259 she transformed herself into a hybrid to convince the Grey Council of you people's return thus she had a male and female child and they have a male child and a female and this created me, my name is Delenn 3 Mirra Mir of Minbar."

"I see and you were made of Vorlon?"

Mirra shakes his head. "No, of Minbari."

"All right, well I suppose that is only the haunting past. Well have a seat; the council is awaiting our explanations to why you're here."As the darkness lights up then a table with nine Liberators, nine seats appear in front of the guest and all eight take a seat."So who is in charge of the vessel that brought you here?"

Nanette speaks. "I am, we were manned by a crew of two thousand staff all killed on Space Station Altavice"

"So how did you and the others survive?"

Nanette looks at Incevi, "Only Incevi and I were alive of the original crew. I was under the watch of two Vorlon's, as Mr. Incevi was hidden away in a tight space in the ship called security. After the Hand killed the prisoners mentally they strangely left us alone but we figured they would be back. So we made a risky jump into Shadow space and we found a massive fleet asleep then we finally jumped into your space. Then the CX Valdi jumped and was destroyed by your weaponry. Our defense grid was damaged and we lost Shadow skin." Nanette thinks awhile on what the Shadow Council said. "You said that others have been here?"

"Yes, once, the vessel arrived here almost 1351 years ago. It was taken from Vorlon Empire, the vessel had a malfunction in the engines and blew up, but only ten live pods were fired off, and nine were fried, one barely remained intact. We hurried to isolate the gasses to preserve the life form, we studied it and begun to learn how it lived, we made our Northern City from its memory and formed a basic government. So who are these Hands?"

Nanette continues hoping this will be the last question. "The Hand is an ancient enemy of everyone's, the Race of Darkness, the Shadow's and Vorlon's worked together to lock away the Hand into a place of eternal darkness called Thirdspace. As we know, the Hand vessels are literally invincible."

"Invincible—no everything can be destroyed. You let the ancient enemy out?"

Nanette shakes her head. "No, it was the gate that did."

"But state your purpose!"

Nanette takes a deep breath. "We need to find the nine we are missing one."

"We already know, we made that myth up and even convinced the Vorlon's to believe it, if they knew it was all true the universe would panic and billions will die!"

Mira noticed the ninth chair—empty. "So you knew all along, if you are prophet then tell us, where is the ninth?"

"Patient my friend, we know who you all are, that's why we brought you here, to learn the truth. The Vorlon's and us were to act as watchmen—watching for the return of these Hands, of course we called them "the race of forgetfulness". We were to remain to protect you all"

Nanette looks at the Shadow's, "Well it's too late for that, the Hand are ripping up the galaxy."

"Maybe not, we have the ninth and last."

A child being escorted by four Shadow's surprised the other eight. Expecting to be dressed in black he was dressed it white, his skin was white and clear of scars, blemishes, or anything darker then white. The hair is grayish white. The eyes are the only dark colors, a deep blue. As he walks closer he stops only a few feet away. Nanette looks at the young child wondering if this is a trick, for it can't be this easy! "What's your name child?"

The child looks at the Liberator for help. "Go on and answer them."

The child looks at the eight. "My name is Iris Ulleskesh Ishermaaltabrutle.

The look on there faces are confused, Nanette looks at the other, only Iris is the only name they understood." Ah—do you have a nickname?"

Iris is confused, "What is a nickname?"

Nanette thinks of a definition. "Ah—an easier name to pronounce."

Iris smiles and quickly answers. "Oh I see, on Earth they just called me Iris."

Nanette smiles and looks at Iris. "All right so we will just call you Iris, but where did you get the other two names?"

Iris continues, "Well Ulleskesh comes from my Vorlon master who altered me, and Ishermaaltabrutle is a respective title from the Liberators, the one's who live here!"

Mirra looks at the purity of this child, it seems unnatural, robotic like. "So what are you?"

Iris looks at the Liberators again as if seeking permission, they telepathically agree. "They say to me that I am a hybrid of three species, but two are genetically tied. It is half Minbari, 1/3 Asmaraqua, and 1/3 Human—who are you?"

Nanette looks at Iris. "My name is Nanette, the captain of the Invincible, my friend is Incevi, and he is our security officer. Next is Gram and Mira from Anterian, the one over by the entrance is Delenn 3rd Mirra Mir. The other two are from the Vorlon homeworld there names are Jake and Casthmatic."

Iris nods looking at all, then focuses on Nanette, "I see, and you must be all the nine?"

Nanette looks at Incevi, then looks at Iris, "Well if you join it will be nine and then we go to Thirdspace."

Iris nods, "Yes, only if you have the correct nine."

Nanette looks concern, how does Iris know all this? "The correct?"

Iris replies, "If you do not have the correct nine the entire crew will pay the price."

Nanette is unsure what Iris is entitling. "What do you mean crew, and what is the punishment?"

Iris points at all of them. "I have contacted the secret forces that have been waiting for this time, they find it as an honor to serve to the death, but they rather live."

Nanette looks at Iris no longer as a simple child, their is more to this child then meets the eye! "How many?"

Iris thinks of the number, "Only 100, they are on the only planet in Sigma 957."

Incevi interrupts Iris, he does not trust the Shadow spawn. "Sigma 957, wait a minute that is where the Hands jump gate is to Thirdspace."

Iris replies back at Incevi's reply. "I know, but they are important, very skilled in single topics—like a research crew."

Nanette looks at Incevi who is sitting right next to her, "Okay now that does not sound to bad!"

Iris chimes in with some more news. "There is more to this travel, if one of you are not the nine everyone will pay the price."

Incevi looks at Iris, "How?"

Iris thinks for a second, "The jump gate is super powered to aloud fast travel, but the mortal flesh can not handle the energy therefore we would mix together, the ratio is 1 to 1, so worse case is if lets say Jake was not the one and Delenn 3rd Mirra Mir and Nanette were closes all would be balanced; so Delenn 3rd Mirra Mir what would be your genetic makeup?"

Mirra looks at Iris, he does not understand. "First just call me only Mirra and I am half Human half Minbari."

Iris looks at Nanette. "And Nanette?"

Nanette looks at Iris, "Half Human and half Asmaraqua."

Iris then looks at Jake. "And you Jake?"

Jake thinks, he is really not sure of what he is becoming. "Just human—of the moment with some Anterian."

Iris nods, "Okay so what would happen is genetic passive is when the process can't happen twice in one year but with the species laid out the mathematics spell this 50 percent is Human, 25 percent is Minbari, and 25 percent is Asmaraqua, so makeup would look sort of like this—ah what are characteristics of Minbari and Asmaraqua's?"

Mirra replies, "Minbari have a crest bone" touching the bone on his head, "arm plates; no sweat glands."

Iris has enough information of the Minbari. "Thank you Mirra, now anyone knows the Asmaraqua characteristics?"

Mira replies, "I was born on Anterian, my people can breathe underwater, and we have gills inside our respiratory system. We have petrol, dorsal, and wrist fins. A hybrid body is covered 50 percent of scales a regular Asmaraqua is covered 75 percent of scales. The main characteristic is the born structure over the face."

Iris has enough information of the Asmaraqua that he can only imagine the result species would be quite freaky looking! "Thank you Mira, so as the figures build up the new make up would be scales, crest bone, hair, and fins."

Incevi is growing restless, "This is interesting but only speculation."

Iris looks at the individual, he has forgotten his name. "You're?"

"My name is Incevi."

Iris looks at Incevi and a strange nausea comes over him, but Iris ignores it, it usually occurs because of his genetic mutation. "Nice to meet you Incevi." Iris looking at the Liberators. "I am ready to go."

The Shadow Council whispers to themselves and looks at Iris. "If it's your desire—go, if it's your mission—lead, if it's your want—pursue it, if it's your obligation—be your best."

Iris bows and looks at the Shadow Council. "Thank you honored council."

The spikiest looking Liberator rises, as the other eight remain seated. "Under the council's approval we give Iris to you, he is your responsibility, your health, and your life. If any oppose then say Na—"

Silence"As it stands Iris Ulleskesh Ishermaaltabrutle you are relieved of X'ha'dum to the nine's vessel Invincible, only one demand!"

Nanette speaks. "Yes?"

"You must all rest, you will go to Northern City, Iris you will guide them there to your home rest for eleven standard Earth hours, eat and leave"

Nanette nods, "Yes council."

The light dims out and the council is gone, standing alone is the newly formed nine. Nanette looks at her now adopted child, she never imagined ever adopting an alien, mostly from the universes greatest enemy. "So Iris why don't you take us to the Northern City?"

Iris looks at Nanette, "Sure follow me." As the nine walk through the plasma walls the sights once again are frightened, steam rising over the path as lava meets with water. As they walk through they go through a wall out of the major city. As they walk through rock it seems to go on forever. As the end is in sight they exit the tunnel and they are on a parchment to see a city of stone, bluish purple plasma and what appears to be water. This must be the source of the waterfalls. And the knowledge of these Liberators makes us think twice of their violent past. The sounds are of low pitch chimes of a hellish tone, a tone of shear terror. The smell is of musty—stagnate water, but that's impossible there is no source of known sunlight, but maybe the UV rays cause the water to smell like a steamy swamp. The heat in this area is humid, only about 97 degrees from the lava flows on the other side of the rock wall that separates beauty over hell. As they descend into this bluish purple city the smell dissipates and the heat is turned to cold. It is a giant thunderbird egg! Thick crystals with giant monoliths that carry giant objects like the ship Invincible. It is like the dark side of Minbar. As they arrive to a small building the nine descend into the glassy building and as Nanette lights a candle given to her by Iris something strange happens to the light, it is amplified and reflected, not captured by the rock! This again is a major difference of Z'ha'dum and X'ha'dum, how does it work? As they keep descending the hall gets bigger. The size dwarfs Nanette's little candle, but Iris assures that that light can light the entire building and the other eight are skeptical. "I assure you all that that light can light this entire building."

Nanette looks at the small dinky candle. "Not to be rude Iris, but I am skeptical of that!"

Iris turns and looks at Nanette. "Skepticism is the language of the mind, what does your heart tell you Nanette?"

Nanette at first says nothing but then questions Iris again. "What do you want me to do with this candle?"

Iris point to the small slot on the wall. "Just put it on the crystal slot over there."

Nanette looks at the small hole, "Sure." Nanette wondering if this is a weapon walks nervously over to a small circular slot and carefully not as to break the candle places it in the slot. At first nothing happens, but then the light reflects off the crystal and begins a chain reaction the walls are made to bounce light rays and the entire room is a light bluish purple glow. "Remarkable illusion your friends created!"

Iris looks at the light. "It's all about ideology Nanette!"

Nanette looks at the candle. "Ideology—exactly!"

As they look at one another they relax. As the time goes by dinner is served and they are sitting around a table, it was the first time the nine except Iris has had a hot meal. The food was remarkable, almost like everything they liked. "This looks great Iris, but how did you know our interests?"

Iris looks at Mira. "The Eye had made a scan of all of you to make sure you weren't hostile. The ones who live here only want your comfort, it's bad to treat guest wrong when they have not seen younger races for over 1351 years."

Incevi looks at Iris, he is still uncomfortable about Iris. "If you're so knowledgeable and old by what--1351 years, why are you still young?"

Iris looks at Incevi. "The Liberators as you call them at first did not have advanced technology to support Human or hybrid life so they had to learn, so I remained in cryonic freeze for awhile, once and awhile I would be waken to be tested with experiments, we younger races had much complex bodies then the first ones."

Incevi has another question. "Did the Liberators ever talk about a person named Lorien?"

Iris thinks of the name. "Lorien, oh yes many times, they resent him, but also respect him, you see Lorien is the first of the first."

Nanette looks up from her plate. "The first of the first, I don't understand, there is no records."

Iris smiles, "Of course not it probably died on Babylon 5 with Captain John J. Sheridan. The ones who live here don't consider Lorien as a great guy. So the ones of Z'ha'dum went to find Lorien and put him down there till he was needed. I suppose that was Mr. Sheridan, the one who died then came alive?"

Arimira interrupts the conversation. "Was it a myth?"

Nanette answers, probably knowing the best answer. "Well according to Mirra and Iris, it is not."

Mirra looks at everyone, "Well if it makes any of you feel better I am the third generations of great-great-great grandfather Sheridan, first name John."

Mira looks at Mirra, "You're related to John Sheridan?"

Mirra looks at Mira and nods, "In bloodline, yes."

Incevi is boarded. "As interesting as it sounds, what do we do now?"

They look at one another, Nanette leads Incevi's question. "Ah—well we go to Sigma 957 to the planet, pick up the crew and pray to God we survive in one piece."

Incevi looks at Nanette, "Ah—well—how do we leave here?"

Nanette is not sure why Incevi is acting so rudely, "By the way you came..." Nanette beeper goes off. "What the" She whispers, "ah something has came up, I need to go back to the ship, Incevi please stay with the others, Iris can you guide me to my ship?"

Iris stands up. "Sure, follow me."

Nanette and Iris stand up and move towards the entrance, but Incevi calls out to her. "Is everything all right?"

Nanette looks at Incevi, for some reason something does not seem right about him at this moment. "Yes Incevi, I just forgot to report to my quarters to receive orders, nothing more."

Iris and Nanette go outside to the docking bay and Nanette and Iris go inside the Invincible. Iris looks at the ship amazed by the reality of the vessel. As Nanette near her quarters she is considering if she should let Iris in, the Knowledge could hurt him, but she figured if he was to be part of the crew she was going to have to trust him. "Now Iris, only a handful know most of the truth of this mission, I was driven to Sigma 957 by an outside force, and the truth lies behind this door, I need your word and honor to remain silent till the correct time."

Iris nods, "Sure, on Vorlon I was programmed not to lie, so if the truth is in that room, it will remain with me till my death, or I will be dead if I lie."

Nanette looks at Iris, "Minbari rules."

Iris nods, "Minbari rules, I don't understand?"

Nanette looks at Iris, why would any creature create another creature and not tell them who they are? "You don't know the culture of your genetics?"

Iris looks at the door then at Nanette. "No, the Vorlon's don't care about culture of your genetics?"

Nanette whispers in relief of her own trials of Vorlon's. "No, the Vorlon's don't care about culture it is one of there biggest downfalls." Nanette looks at Iris, and before she opens the doors she asks the question, "and what is your feeling about the Vorlon's?"

Iris thinks and as he looks at Nanette, his face is emotionless as if an program shuts down all though when that question comes up. "I don't have one I was created on Vorlon."

Nanette looks at this with caution. "I thought you told the Shadow Council you were born on Earth?"

Iris looks, he knows Nanette is catching on. "The truth there you did not need to know, if I told you that I was born on Vorlon would you treat me as you do now?"

Nanette is not sure who to trust anymore. "I don't know, but you did lie!"

Iris shakes his head. "No, saved my honor, you would good chance have a negative view of me."

Nanette looks at Iris's confusion on identity. "To tell you the truth Iris, you know Jake and Casthmatic are also from the Vorlon Empire?"

Iris looks at this new information with surprise. "No I did not, where?"

Nanette looks at the door as if expecting it to open. "I do not know, we only found them when the Liberator defense grid destroyed the vessel CX Valdi."

Iris looks at the ground. "I see, well I suppose there are more to expect then I had expected of you."

Nanette is wondering. "What you said about you being here on X'ha'dum is that true?"

Iris looks up, "Oh yes, most," Iris looks change where he is troubled, "you see Nanette when the Shadow's and Vorlon's of Vorlon and Z'ha'dum left the entire universe, the Vorlon Empire homeworld was shut down except for supports to keep the planet stable, but the ones here came to Vorlon before the defense grid could come on, they took some things."

Nanette looks at the clothing Iris is wearing, it is not of the Vorlon Empire on Z'ha'dum, or X'ha'dum as she knows. "But why you?"

Iris looks at the door, "The Shadow Council knew you would be coming, they know about the Hand; they are much older than the ones of Z'ha'dum."

Nanette thinks to herself. "Now it makes sense!"

Iris looks up and smiles, "Yes, I'm glad for you, I was hoping you would understand."

Nanette looks at the door. "Are you ready to go?"

Iris looks at Nanette. "To the truth, yes indeed with secretly!"

Nanette pushes the button and slides her card in the security slot. "Then lets go in." As the door opens they walk in.

Back in Iris's home the other seven are eating, Casthmatic, Mira, and Arimira are talking together in a little group as for Mirra, Gram and Jake they still are eating their meal, but as for Incevi he is worried and does not trust Iris, he does not trust Shadow's good or bad. "Incevi?" Says Mirra.

Incevi looks up from the food, "Yes Delenn 3rd Mirra Mir?"

Mirra looks at Incevi, "Just call me Mirra, and what's wrong, you have been jumpy since Nanette and Iris left and I don't have to be a Minbari to know that Incevi."

Incevi looks at Mirra's pity. "Sorry for my attitude Delenn 3rd Mirra Mir" Mirra gives a plea look to his name, "but I just don't trust the Shadow's or trust the Liberators."

Mirra backs Incevi into a corner. "So you don't trust Arimira or Gram?"

Incevi looks to the side, "No, they're different Mirra they ushered their service to us."

Mirra interrupts Incevi, "So has Iris, Incevi you need to trust or you will hurt yourself."

Incevi gets up and walks into another empty room. Mirra follows. "You can't change my mind Mirra, Iris is bad news…now leave—let me be alone Mirra."

Mirra stops at the door, "All right Incevi, if that's what you want Incevi, but I came to you first Incevi."

Incevi yells, most of the others hear it, but pay no mind. "Leave me alone!"

Mirra feels there is something horribly wrong with Incevi. As for Incevi he sits on the wall alone. Back on the Invincible, Nanette and Iris have entered the room; it is dark, but no odor for space vessels use a recycling air system. The door closes and the bright light dissipates into blackness, in relevance it is dark. As Nanette looks around, Iris is confused of Nanette's actions and wonders where is this truth? Nanette is just looking—looking for the source of information, but does not find it. As they wait, waiting for something to happen something moves then comes out of the darkness. "Kosh?" Says Nanette. The Vorlon is in twilight, but its color is blue. "Ulkesh Kosh?" Says Nanette in shock. Iris looks in terror.

"YES?"

Nanette looks for Kosh Nanarke, "Where's your friend?" He does not answer back. "This is Iris, come forward Iris, this is the truth."

Iris walks slowly to Nanette's side, but Iris does not take his eyes off the Vorlon. "That's a Vorlon!"

Nanette looks down and nods as she places her hands on his shoulders, the coolness of Iris outfit is surprising for the igneosis environment in which Iris lives in, but regarding the silky outfit, she hold Iris who is trembling at the sight of his mutator. "Correct Iris, this is a Vorlon he and his friend Kosh Nanarke saved my life, I trust them."

The second Vorlon comes out its Kosh Nanarke. "IRIS."

Iris turns around. "Kosh, master."

Iris gets behind Nanette, this Vorlon of all frightens him, as Nanette looks at the frighten child, she turns to look at Iris who hides in Nanette shadows. "Iris what are you doing?" Iris does not answer, he is too frighten. "Kosh, what is Iris to you?" Kosh Nanarke does not answer either. "Okay some one better make since!"

The blue Vorlon, Ulkesh Kosh approaches. "HE IS RESOURCE, A TOOL."

Nanette freezes in pure anger and understanding to why Iris cowards at these creatures. "I don't understand?"

The other Vorlon, Kosh Nanarke speaks. "GOOD."

Iris slowly emerges out of Nanette's shadow, he looks at the Vorlon and then turns to face Nanette who is the utmost confused. "You don't understand because you don't understand the forces at work. I was taken yes from Earth in 2010, but was reshaped by the Vorlon's; my every once of flesh, bone, and fluid has been reterraformed to there needs, sterilization of purity it was the only way Vorlon's were going to let me live. I am a hybrid yes, but to your eyes you see what was my Human form."

Nanette looks at Iris worried she will see this horrifying creature, sort of like the Earth myth of the creature Sauron, a shape shifter who can make himself beautiful and attractive even though he is a horrifying disfigured creature. "So what is your origin now?"

As Nanette gazes upon Iris, she still sees the same, Iris looks at Nanette. "Hybrid of Human and Asmaraqua, but the Vorlon's made a problem."

Nanette looks up at the Vorlon's. "A problem," Nanette says as she looks at both Kosh Nanarke and Ulkesh Kosh, "what type?"

Iris lifts up the white robe to his uppermost part of his arm, and it is blotchy with scales mixed with flesh. "The hybrid process was not completed it was half done."

Nanette looks at the disconformities on Iris' flesh. "Logically isn't suppose to be that way?"

Iris nods, "Yes logically, but genetically it now causes pain!"

Nanette looks at Iris and ushers his eyes to meet with hers, possibly one of his greatest weaknesses, even as she has him look at he still can't look at her directly, this is because the hybriding caused the nerve ending in Iris' brain to make him develop an artificial autism, this is part of the pain. As Nanette sees this, she knows, her own children were autistic due to minerals in the area when she was pregnant on Earth. As Nanette looks it is horrifying to see this occurring to another child. "Look at me Iris" Iris' eyes correct and is much better, but not completely looking at Nanette, but Iris does not notice. "So why are you dependent on me?"

As Iris looks at the Vorlon's, and then looks at the disconformities developing in him, he looks back at Delenn, much better this time then the first, but still showing the characteristics of being autistic. "I need you to take me into Thirdspace, there the process can be completed and you yourself had to make a transformation, which you too haven't finished. Now we can go to Thirdspace to stop the Hand and to cure my pain."

Nanette looks at this situation. "I see, but you did not tell why me?"

Iris knows of what he was in the past, and the same creature that liberated him from it created a much more painful disorder. "The Vorlon's made an error, but then realize it to be necessary to travel...Nanette I am autistic...I was autistic until the Vorlon's found me, but the process I had to undergo, and now this, I would rather be my normal self, even if I would not be normal...but then again, look at me...I am a hybrid...an becoming autistic freak!"

Nanette is spell bound, the first view she saw of Iris she did not see any disorder or freakiness, it is because Iris aloud himself to be taken to become normal and instead the Vorlon's screwed up and now the mutation that created him is taking over, and because of his falling self-esteem it is alluding the disease to return, this is certainly more then even Nanette ever imagine. "Well, okay, now why was I sent Kosh?"

The Vorlon's paying no attention to Iris or Nanette's argument finally takes siege to the opportunity. The brown Vorlon, Kosh Nanarke glides forwards. "TO PREPARE."

Nanette emotionally worked up, almost forgot the Hand situation. "To prepare me for what?"

The brown Vorlon does not reply, instead the blue one, Ulkesh Kosh does. "X'HA'DUM HAS OPEN AN UNEXPECTED DOOR." As referring to the return of Iris, and the awaking of the Liberator's.

Nanette does not know the Vorlon's mean Iris, but the only thought that comes to mind is the great enemy. "The Liberators?"

"YES." Says Kosh Nanarke.

Nanette can not see how the Liberator's could have been one of the universes most feared species, they seemed nicer then the Shadow's, except for, the Shadow's never gave her, and made her the mother of a nine year old boy who is becoming more and more autistic by the hour and to top it off his body is transforming into a multilayered species and that transformation is making him become autistic quicker...the one thing Nanette really hates is puzzles, mostly when they become personal like the one with Iris. "There's no threat, they have welcomed us, we spoke with them, ventured within their cities and most of all were granted to leave by tomorrow."

"IRRELEVANT—DANGER." The blue Vorlon turn and glides slowly away from the presence of Nanette, Iris, and Kosh Nanarke.

Nanette turns and looks at Kosh Nanarke, "So Kosh, you tell me why I was sent!" The Vorlon just stands there watching. Nanette is becoming erratic. "All right—never mind, tell me latter like when it is too late!"

Nanette walks out of the room, but Kosh Nanarke figures to speak. "WHEN THE TIME IS RIGHT CALL OUT OF THE DARKNESS."

Nanette turns with Kosh Nanarke almost in her face; Iris turns to face Kosh Nanarke. "What?" There is no reply from Kosh Nanarke. "I see, but call out of what?"

"THE DARKNESS…IS CLOSE!"

Nanette is now once again confused. "What is the darkness you speak of?"

"GO NOW."

Nanette turns around fact to view Ulkesh Kosh. Kosh Nanarke speaks after Ulkesh short two-word statement. "GO, GO BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE!"

Nanette turns around to face the door and rushes out of it. Her curiosity and fear overwhelms her actions to the ballistics of the two Vorlon's. Iris walks in a fast pace with Nanette as they head back to Iris's house on X'ha'dum, but Iris is not feeling well, nausea to the stomach with cold sweats running down his forehead and back, then the pain is so urgent that he falls to his feet screaming as he grabs hold of his own skin as if he was on fire. When Nanette is alarmed she rushes to his aide, but his shape or form was not staying exactly solid his skin shafting liquefying tearing apart as if an virus was killing him. As Nanette touched him currents of electricity current throughout her body paralyzing her for a moment. It was as if Iris's body was completely fluxing under pressure of two personalities and as fast as it started it ended. "Iris are you all right?"

As Iris lies on the ground it takes him awhile to sum up the words to speak with, as he looks at his arms, the scales have moved down his arm, and as he faces Nanette, scales cover the shadow of the eyes, and as pain runs down his back He touches his back to feel his spine, it has swelled up forming a sensitive ridge. As Nanette looks at it, she does not know what to say. As Iris looks at Delenn, the almost perfect eye to eye contact has become a thing of the past. He can't control where he looks without any guidance. "Yes I will be fine, and you all right?"

Nanette does not know how to respond, what happens if this happens again, does he grow a crest bone, sprout gills and fins, or worse become a Shadow or those pesky Vorlon's? Nanette's mind is filled with billions of question, and everything can't be summed to words, sort of like he own children. "I am doing fine Iris, what happened to you?"

Iris is beginning to gain control and almost has his autism hidden again. "That was the Vorlon's mistake that you saw."

Nanette still feels the energy that was passed from Iris to her...hoping it has no affect as she rubs the numb out of her hands. "What is it?"

Iris looks at his hands, "Two energies fighting to take control of my body, it does not know that it is to get along with the other DNA. That is why it is important to get to Thirdspace, the energy there will correct the mistake the Vorlon's made, that is why I want to go soon before the flux get too urgent and mutates me where I can't become 'fixed'."

Iris gets up, he is covered in sweat, not one inch of his clothes is not covered in sweat, and also his complexion has changed—younger. Nanette notices this change but did not attempt to suggest her thoughts. As they reach the house the other seven meet them and notice Iris's damp clothes. Mirra is the first to comment. "What happened to Iris?"

Nanette pacts up her stuff. "We need to get off X'ha'dum now."

Mirra watches in sheer confusion, so does the others. "That's what I was trying to tell all of you!"

Nanette looks at Iris who is sitting at the table clicking an antique pen over and over again. As Nanette watches, she breaks the trance he is in, the others are confused, Iris has changed since they last saw him about and hour ago. It takes Nanette awhile to get out of the pattern Iris is creating, the steady sound, soothing, comforting...it finally dawns what Iris meant that she like him needed to get to Thirdspace, she is also becoming autistic, and now it is speeding up due to the contact she had with Iris, or worse, the energy that is met morphing Iris is now in her. As she touches Iris, it is like a rude awaking. "can you Iris tell the Liberators about this urgency?"

Iris notices the embarrassment and it enables him to gain complete control, it seems for him his autism takes over when he becomes frighten. As for Nanette, when she becomes bored. "Yes I will--."

"There is nothing you have to tell us, we were listening to all the conversations and yes you must leave—leave now, we will see you beyond the rim if you don't kill yourselves or one another in a dishonorable ways." The Liberators voice dissipates.

Nanette looks at the other, first up is actually Mirra, ever since her encounter with Incevi, she just wants to go to her room to meditate, but now as she watches Nanette, she notices that she too has changed, becoming more memortive. "Lets go now!" Say Mirra.

Nanette nods, "Yes I agree, we have a mission to complete."

The nine are on the Invincible and once Nanette and Mirra take their post on the bridge of C&C they activate the vessel for take off. As the vessel lifts off the environment around them shivers as the engines creates heat in forms of clear waves. As the ship rises the volcanic landscape comes back into view and Nanette and Mirra are wondering where they will go. As they hover over the small city the tracking beam captures the ship and the vessel begins to move towards the volcanic ash column, closer to the column the ship shakes more. As the ship passes through the volcanic ash cloud, Iris comes on the bridge. Iris has never been this high in the atmosphere of X'ha'dum and has never been this high while awake; Iris is worried to go through the violent cloud! As they finally pass through the ash cloud they reenter the atmosphere of the planet of X'ha'dum, Nanette notices that this is not the same side of the planet, where they had entered they were facing the planet, now they face the reddish yellow nebula. As Nanette tries to calculate the distance to where they have entered the space, but as they panic the Liberators talk to them. "Do not worry, go straight for one mile and use jump gate sequence into hyperspace, wait two minutes and then jump, you'll be at Sigma 957—good luck!"

Nanette replies on the com. "Thank you for your help."

"Yes it was an honor; once you've entered Thirdspace send off the high frequency, we will assist your war with the Hand."

Nanette presses the com button once again. "Thank you very much; we will need your help."

The giant Eye disappears. As the Invincible nears towards the one-mile postmark they jump into hyperspace leaving the plasma filled environment into hyperspace. Nanette looks at Iris and smiles. "Welcome to your beginning and probably your end if we don't get the upper hand on the Hand."

Iris now completely under control of himself looks at Nanette, the scales under his eyes reflect the fleshes of the monitors on the bridge. "Well I will remember to call you if I need to be depressed."

Mirra watches the monitor as it sounds off. "We have reached our designation Captain Nanette."

Nanette looks at Mirra, "Good jump and be alert Mirra, the Hand are out there."

As the Invincible jumps into regular space there is a blue beam of light that hits Invincible and the ship loses power and begins it's descend to Sigma 957. As Nanette, Mirra, and Iris fall forward to the ground they climb up to their chairs, but as Nanette looks at Mirra he lies on the floor knocked out by the fall. Iris rushes to Mirra to help him, but Nanette tells Iris that he is needed at the navigations control; Iris is hesitant but does as he is told. As Iris looks at the switches, buttons, and pictures he is confused on how to operate the machine, so he calls for Nanette's assistance. Nanette rushes over holding the railing as the planets surface is coming into view. As for Arimira, she is also knocked out when the sudden impact thrashed her forward and she in result hit her head. Casthmatic and Jake who were in the mess hall staying out of trouble are thrown out of their chairs and to the floor, as Casthmatic tries to get to Jake, the cabinet falls over onto Casthmatic's legs pinning her down. Jake is trying not to be smashed by the advancing table. Incevi who was in the security office was the smart one; he had strapped himself to his chair and is violently being thrashed side to side. Mira, who was in the Med Lab was also lucky, she just dodged a tray of needles and knives, but fell down on a tipped over med bed. Gram is located in the engine room, enough said, but he is probably feeling he is on a boat with explosives shooting off all around him for this is where the blue energy beam hit. And last but lease in Nanette's quarters the two Vorlon's fall over very mad! Back on the bridge Nanette is programming the vessel for a emergency landing, but the systems does not respond so Nanette overrides the system and programs the ship to land in a crashing sort of way. As the thrusters pull the ships descend the shaking is much harsher now and the whiplash sends a metal beam about the size of Nanette's scaly hand crashing down on Iris, but killing the navigation console! As the ship crashes and stops Nanette removes Iris from the seat and places his dead like body on the floor by Mirra. As Nanette calls Mira, Mira crawls to her console, as she opens the channel, Nanette can't see Mira, the visual is blocked by debris, but Mira clears the debris. "Nanette go ahead." Said Mira.

Nanette being thrashed around and watching in horror as the ground approaches looks at the com as she tries to gain control over the ship. A strike to the engines should have not blown the navigation, but it has oddly enough. "Mira I need you up to the bridge ASAP, Mirra and Iris are badly injured, head contact."

Mira who has minor lacerations to her head replies. "Head contact to Mirra?"

Nanette looks at the landscape is coming in view. "Yes, why?"

Mira pleads for a location when Nanette should be more concern about the crash, but with no navigation, the Invincible is one gigantic rock. "Where?" Nanette crawls to Mirra, "Near the crest bone."

As Mira thinks she can overhear the computer on the bridge state. '20 seconds till impact', "All right Nanette listen to me, the Minbari genealogy states that if a Minbari has crest bone injury it can be fatal, so try not to move him, I will be right there after we land—if we land, Mira out!" Mira braces herself for the contact to the ground.

The console goes out; as Nanette looks outside she begins to hear the count down and goes over to Mirra and Iris to protect them as the vessel hit the ground like dropping a pencil on soil, the force throws everything that was now nailed down about 50 feet to the left. As the impact causes fires and the lights go out, the emergency red lights come on, smoke fills the bridge, wires explode, the sound of hissing of pipes, and the groaning of the superstructure and the massive three mile long Invincible lies in the sand. As Nanette gets up the com comes on again. "This is Gram to the bridge, is anyone there?"

Nanette pushes the voice button. "Nanette here, are you all right Gram?"

Gram is badly injured, but he is more excited as sparks fly all around him. "I will survive, but I can say this; I have been though hell, it was like the Forth of July down here!"

Nanette looks at Gram, her arm aches. "Can the engines run?"

"Let me check," Gram goes to the console and brings up the data. "With proper repairs we'll be airborne in a few hours."

Nanette smiles, "Good, do as much as you can."

Incevi patches in. "Nanette, this is Incevi, I have been monitoring our situation, and we have hostiles."

Nanette nods, "I know they shot us down!"

Incevi replies quickly. "No we have hostiles outside this ship, form is…Human?"

Nanette is surprised. "Human, but this is Sigma 957?"

Incevi concurs. "I know, also I have monitored communications—Nanette someone has patched a transmitter to this location explaining our arrival. Nanette, we have a mole!"

Nanette stands there in shock. "All right Incevi do what you can, Nanette out." Nanette turns off the console in anger. And she throws a runic file in anger wondering who was the mole. As she looks at Mirra and Iris, she can feel herself losing control, the curse passed to her by Iris is taking over, but as she looks at her arms, the autism is not the only thing taking over her, she to is transgressing.