CHAPTER FIVE: Shadow's Of Distance Stars

The entire crew is in C&C, Nanette looks at them and them begins her emotional speech. "Thank you for coming, I just got done talking to high fleet command of the Shadow, Liberator, and Vorlon Empires, they have agreed to take on the rest of the war so I am going to take you all home, now I just want to say what a great crew you were and I am proud to have served with excellent people. On a personal note, I want to do is apologies for all the change on the Invincible, and that there wont by any big celebrations when you get home."

Deylnn looks at Nanette, "Why can't we remain here with this ship?"

Nanette looks at the Shadow technology that makes up the ship. "That is a great question, with its new abilities, my people would tear it apart and use it for evil, so I have decided to give it to the Liberator's of X'ha'dum, there it will wait till the dark enemy returns, because evil never dies, it only mutates into a greater power."

Spurr is curious where Nanette will call home. "And what about you, wont your government see this as treason?"

Nanette looks at Spurr. "They wont know, I have asked Mirra to send them a copy of my crew before you, to at least give something to their families, this is a hard choice, but it has been decided! Now I have checked with habitat command to see where you all may fit best, but because your living, thinking people, I will let you decide where to want to go. So I will call your name and you state the planet." Nanette looks at Arimira. "Arimira?"

Arimira thinks of a place. "Epsilon 3."

Nanette nods, she's been there twice, the once home of the legendary space station Babylon 5. Nanette looks at Casthmatic. "Casthmatic?"

Casthmatic is uncertain, but with her new found abilities in breathing fluid she decides to go to Anterian. "Anterian."

Nanette looks at Deylnn. "Deylnn?"

Deylnn looks at Mirra. "Minbar."

Nanette looks at Gram next. "Gram?"

Gram looks at Arimira then at Delenn. "Epsilon 3."

Nanette looks at her child Iris, even her will choose where he will go. "Iris?"

Iris is shocked, he does not know where to go, but since Deylnn is going to Minbar so will he. "Minbar."

Nanette looks at Jake. "Jake?"

Jake looks at the ground and decides it is best to go with his friend Casthmatic. "Anterian."

Nanette looks at Mira, Nanette has an idea were she wants to go. "Mira?"

Mira smiles, thinking of home. "Anterian."

Nanette looks at Spurr, expecting him to also be going to Minbar with Deylnn. "Spurr?"

Spurr looks at Mira, "Anterian."

Nanette is surprised, but moves to Mirra. "And Mirra?"

Mirra looks at Nanette and smiles. "Back to Minbar."

Nanette nods, "Okay, you may go back to your quarters; I will notify you when we approach your planet."

The nervous and frighten crew go to their quarters awaiting departure notice, as the Invincible approaches Epsilon 3, Nanette calls for Arimira and Gram, as they pay their last dues towards Nanette, Nanette puts them in a shuttle and lets them go. As the shuttle nears Epsilon 3, Nanette can not think of why they chose Epsilon 3, but Nanette respects there due's. Next stop is Anterian, home world of the Asmaraqua's, Nanette calls Casthmatic, Jake, Mira, and Spurr to board the shuttle, and they too say a few last words and leave. The last planet Nanette stops at is Minbar, home world of the Minbari. Nanette calls Deylnn, Iris, and Mirra. They too say a few last words and board a shuttle to Minbar. As Nanette pulls away she sets off for X'ha'dum.

Yedor, Minbar—3261. Mirra calls Earth, he brings bad news to the Earther's. "Hello, this is Mirra of Minbar I believe I have some tragic news."

One of the Human's of the high command does not even seem worried, he is calm. "Of what origin?"

Mirra puts a data crystal into the transmitter. "Of your Capital ship the Invincible, I am sending all data to you now."

Mirra shuts off the com. Iris looks at Mirra. "Did you read it?"

Mirra shakes her head as she sits down at the table. "No, I was only to restate that statement then give the information."

Iris looks at the situation oddly. "Well that is strange."

Oceana, Anterian—3261. Mira is welcoming the others. "Welcome to Anterian, we are located at Oceana shuttle port in the Capital of Oceana."

A voice comes behind her. "I don't want to be prudent, but were the capital?"

Mira turns around to see her father, she runs to him a hugs him. "This is my father everyone, dad these are crew of the ill fated Invincible there names are Casthmatic of the ill fated CX Valdi, and Spurr of the ill fated Dolshire."

The father is still soaking wet, "Yes well," he pulls Mira closer and whispers. "But what happens?" Looking at the hybrid crew.

Mira is uncertain what her father is implying, and looks at the group. "Oh yes, the transformation. Do you remember the Hand?"

Mira's father nods. "Yes everyone is at war with them."

Mira shakes her head. "Not anymore, we destroyed the Artifact, but paid with our flesh."

Mira's father looks at his daughters deformity. "Well as I see it I can't complain, we have tried to hybrid you for over five years!"

Mira's facial complexion change. "Yes all we need now is a doctor who can implant aqua respirators. Father we all can breath underwater!"

Mira's father looks at them surprised. "You can?"

Mira smiles. "Yes, we were adjusted on X'ha'dum."

Casthmatic looks at the island they are on, there is no buildings. "I have one question, why are there no building on land.

Mira looks at Casthmatic. "It's because the lack of trees, the CO2 levels are extremely high, that is one reason this planet is band from non-scaled species, the second is a thin atmosphere hence is why we have scales and inner gills, we are free to breathe underwater and above the water."

Casthmatic still does not understand why no one lives above land. "But why are there no old buildings?"

Mira's father fills in the history. "This ties with our history, when your race the Human invented the light bulb we had noted a rapid evolutional change, hence is why we have many birth defects, we were like you, but we destroyed our planet with green house gasses. If your planet continues on its same path it will cause the Human body to rapidly mutate into a form it can survive away from your sun, and usually that is your ocean. Your planet is covered by 79 percent of salt water so was ours almost 200 years ago, Every 100 years we lost 10 percent of our land to water with our harmful gasses. You see, the Human body is almost identical to that of the Asmaraqua's body—carbon—because we are you, we left this planet to find a planet with similar gasses and we found Earth in 3061 and implanted nearly 3 billion of our people in a continent called North America, and Europe—this is why Humans can easily transform into Asmaraqua and Minbari."

Spurr, how is from the dry planet Sigma 957, can't believe his ancestors are fish. "So literally you've used us!"

Mira's father shakes his head. "No we thought our race was doomed, when we begin living under water we sent word back to Earth to come back, but most found compassion on Earth and created family. Most of Earth is hybrids and they don't ever know how to tap into their other biological abilities, our scientist believe your race will be fully transformed by the year 4000. We were so ashamed of ourselves that we even changed our races name to those who breathe air to those who were scaly and breathe in air and in water."

Casthmatic finally speaks. "What were they called?"

Mira's father looks at the Russian. "Before my worlds mutation we were called the Anterians we were as powerful as the Minbari, but no as clean, the ones transformed were named Asmaraqua which means Asmara ancient fish, aquaof water."

Casthmatic looks at the water. "So your race is still evolving?"

Mira's father continues. "Yes and no, we now evolve within our technology and we mutate in our bodies, our scientists say that we have left mutation to evolution. The newest evolution transformation happened 70 years ago, when we were able to survive on land for over two days we had to reliquefy our gills and scales and about 20 years ago that time limit was extended to a week with moisture only on the gills every 4 days, but my people will not rebuild on land, it is best to remain underwater."

Spurr nods, "Yes I see the benefit of that, but your father said one race could harm you, who are they?"

Mira replies knowing that answer. "It was called a Shadow Cloud used by the ancients on one of our distance moons over 1000 years ago, the entire population laid dead."

Spurr insists the questions. "From what?"

Mira looks at the ground. "Planetary disruption, the moon was destroyed from the inside out. Our scholars called it a Shadow Cloud because that is what it is, a giant black cloud."

"Interesting." Says Spurr.

Mira looks over to Spurr. "What's wrong Spurr?"

Spurr's facial complexion changes. "Frighten, we crashed on Sigma 957, I was told we could never leave because of spiders in the sky, now I am here I am once again alone with that fear of knowing that the race that forced us down is prowling the universe."

The father looks at Mira. "What do you mean?"

Mira interrupts Spurr who does not know all the answers. "When we came here we met up with the Shadow's, Liberator's, and Vorlon's—what I want to know is how long does it take a master to become master once again?"

The group now understands Spurr's frustration. Jake decides to talk. "As nervous as we all are, we should be grateful we are even alive, we've just went through hell and high water—no offence of course." Jake looking at Mira's father. "What I am saying is that Casthmatic and I were experiments of the Vorlon's, we were never completed, but we had a life on Earth in two warring countries, but now even we get along, we will make this planet our home and will embrace the gifts we were given."

Mira smiles. "Well said." The others clap their scaly hands that make a sloshing sound.

Landing Port, Epsilon 3. Arimira and Gram walk side by side with fear of why they came. As they turn the corner they run into a ravage five-foot, hairy man. "Good—Good you came Draal will be pleased."

Gram looks at this species, like a miniature big foot. "Who are you?"

The furry creature pauses and laughs. "What—oh, ha-ha-ha, name is Zat'hrus."

Arimira is not sure if that is a name. "Z'athrus, is that your races name or your name?"

"Yes…" Zat'hrus stops suddenly thinking and looks at them. "No-no-no-no--, there are eight of us."

Gram looks at the Zat'hrus. "Eight of you!"

Zat'hrus nods, fidgeting around. "Yes all pronounced different ways—Z'athrus, Za'thrus, Zat'thrus, Zath'rus, Zathr'us, Zathru's, Zathrus', and Zathrus—you understand?"

Gram looks at Arimira, Arimira is as confused as he is. Gram looks at Zat'hrus. "Ya—sure?" Gram looks highly confused towards Arimira. "So what do you do here Zath'rus."

Zat'hrus quickly yells at Gram. "No, Zat'hrus, Zath'rus no more, and I fix for Draal."

Arimira relieves Gram who is about to strangle this fur ball. "Okay—who is Draal?"

Draal appears behind them in holographic. "I am Draal, welcome Arimira and Gram we have lots to do!"

Yedor, Minbar. Mirra is preparing to begin a ritual for the welcoming of Deylnn and Iris, but Mirra can't help but see the agony Iris is in. "Are you all right Iris?"

Iris is having a terrible time with his autism, it keeps setting in, and second his skin keeps moving, changing. "No, it feels as if I am undergoing reformation when the Vorlon's began adjusting me."

Mirra sets down his papers and ritual items. "What do you mean?"

Iris rolls up to expose drying out scales. "The scales are burning and I can't breathe!"

As Iris gets up he passes out from the lack of oxygen and the constant pain. Mirra rushes to his aide and calls for a healer. In two seconds a group of Minbari are around Iris and a bed is brought in, the Minbari pick him up and lay him in bed then rush him to their hospital. As they enter they tell Mirra to stay with Deylnn because his service would only slow down the Minbari doctors. As the Minbari doctors remove the robes to clear any obstructions they are befuddled by the change and reformation of this child, as they search over the entire body they make notes sketches and cliff notes of this person's biology. The bone structure turned out to be quite remarkable, the patient held a Minbari bone crest, but also held an Asmaraqua bone structure complexion. Some of the flesh was covered in dry scales that easily cracked when pressure was applied, thus to the trillion of scales that spread from hairline to foot with no pattern, just blotches where salt and mucus membranes were present like the throat, nose, mouth and so on, but the doctors were about to receive a bigger shock from his mouth, when they checked the trachea and lower throat the entire throat was rearranged. Usually with Minbar and Humans the mouth leads to the trachea which divides into two tubes, the esophagus and the bronchial, but he had three, the esophagus was separated by two tubes leading to his lungs, but even they did not appear to be lungs for most of the sac's were covered in sputum, but most questionable is the skin flaps with tiny bumps, it was as if they were gills, but they were sealed, when one gill was opened and mist was passed through the peak flow monitor raised somewhat. As the doctors thought for awhile it soon became clear, the gills needed to be opened and the patient needed to inhale water at least once a week, second when the patient awoke they submerged Iris's body with water and in twenty seconds the pain was gone. The final prognosis was that Iris was a new breed called Asmarminbari or Asmarbari for short. When Iris learned of his gills and scales had to be constantly moist, he was considering on leaving Minbar to Anterian, but Mirra was asking him to stay.

Oceana, Anterian, As they enter the water for the first time they begin breathing in salt water, the water is not ice cold, but it isn't warm nether, as Casthmatic, Jake, Mira, and Spurr reach the city they enter a massive cave.

Minbar, Yedor. It is almost 10:41pm and Deylnn, Iris, and Mirra are heading towards the legendary City of Sorrows where the Interstellar Alliance was officed. It is extremely late on Minbar because the day ended about 41 minutes ago, so if on Earth it would be 2:41am. Which means you lose four hours. Deylnn slept all the way to the City of Sorrows, Iris stayed awake to view the city at night. The city is gigantic and colorful, mostly light blue, pink, white, yellow, and purple. When the shuttle landed at the City of Sorrows it was evident why this place has been named City of Sorrows—it's old and depressing looking. When Deylnn was finally awakening they all exited the shuttle and walked towards the main ISA building. Mirra showed where Iris and Deylnn were to sleep and they went to bed to be up in five to six hours. Mirra goes to "Church" temple for a private meeting. Once inside it is dark all of a sudden a light comes on and there are eight standing in a circle. "Welcome back Sati Mirra, has the Hand's main's Artifact been destroyed?"

Mirra looks at the Grey Council, he really hates when they surprise him like that. "Yes honored council."

The council members ask again. "And have you've found the replacements for the ISA?"

Mirra nods, "I believe so honorable council."

One of the Worker Caste Members speak to Mirra. "What happened to your personal flier Mirra?"

Mirra answers. "When I landed on the Invincible the crews were embarked for Sigma 957, we then picked up a few new crews and lost the original crew to prisoners, later the Invincible went through the Artifact and we were all altered."

The leader looks at the other two aliens. "Who are the other two with you?"

Mirra looks at them. "The first is Deylnn of Sigma 957, he has experienced in first contact situation and some navigation, and he is very young! The second is Iris of X'ha'dum; he has much experience with medical, but has expressed politics sometimes."

The Leader does not like incomplete information, even incomplete names. "Do these people have full names?"

Mirra nods, "Yes, Deylnn is known as Deylnn Mir, and Iris is known as Iris Ulleskesh Ishermaaltabrutle."

The council looks surprised at one another. "So whom do you have in mind for ISA president?"

Mirra looks at Deylnn. "I was considering Deylnn as president of ISA, and would like to have Iris trained to act the role of Ranger One."

One of the Warrior Caste Members speak up. "Ranger One, are you sure?"

Mirra nods, "Yes, if we are to rebuild Minbar we need diversity!"

A Worker Caste, Grey Council member walks forward to talk to the council. "If I may speak, I agree with Mirra, prophecy says we would need new forms of leaders to strength Minbar."

The head leader walks forward. "Then they will be tested."

Mirra looks at the leader. "How?"

The leader looks at the Warrior Caste. "Take two-caste member of the Warrior Caste, and please be careful, they are part of the Children of Light. Then bring them here; we'll do the rest."

The Warrior Caste nods. "Yes respected leader."

The Warrior Caste member leaves to full-fill his mission. "Tedumshai' and Fakduv—come!"

Tedumshai nods. "Yes sir!"

The Warrior Caste member looks at them. "I have a mission for you." Inside Iris's room Iris remains awake listening to the breathing of his own. Iris has felt uneasy since he has arrived on Minbar, but the main reason why he can't sleep is because of the events at Sigma 957. He lost his home and his friends in a battle he could not comprehend! And now with the others of the Invincible relocated he feels alone in the darkness and Iris watches Shadow's on the wall, he hears chatter outside the wall. It is a deep voice, about late 40s speaking a language he somewhat knew due to the transformation. When Iris tries to listen in by quieting down his breathing the talking ends. As natural as being on the Furrore, Iris gets out of bed and remembers a tight airshaft hidden in the wall. Iris quietly opens the mesh and climbs in closing the mesh behind him. A few seconds latter the doors flung open and two dark figures barge into the room. "Search the room!"

Tedumshai looks around but does not see them. "He's not here!"

The Warrior Caste member rushes in, he is surprised. "Impossible!" The leader enters the room. "I will go to the Grey Council, you two stay here, if he comes here arrest him and call me!"

Tedumshai bows, "Yes sect!"

The Sect leaves, the two other Warriors stay behind. Iris backs down the air intake duct to the roof. When Iris crawled out his hands were cut up and his outfit dusty., but at least there was no one on the roof. When Iris looked over the glassy ledge he measures about a 150-foot drop off to the ground and escape off this ledge would be fatal so Iris went to plan "B", look for another air vent that may lead to a confined area in the superstructure. As Iris found the air duct he climbs in, it was much larger and steeper then the one he came out of, also it was much darker and the bottom could not be seen! But Iris saw no other way and climbed in, the duct was slippery and he slid down the duct for about 80 feet, but thank god there was no sharp crystals or Iris would have been sliced up like a fresh tomato. When the falling subsided Iris crawled through an extremely dusty duct, but at least no spider's webs because spiders don't live on Minbar. As Iris crawled it reminded him of his escape attempt from a Vorlon Lab just before they altered him, but Iris hurried to clear his thoughts and he thought of only Vorlon medical chemistry, thus to confuse any telepath who may pick up his thoughts and if he was found Iris would protect himself by thinking of the machine, its song, its empty promises, and the quotes that can control ones mind: 'Every light casts a Shadow,' 'What is desired,' 'All that is desired,' and 'Time present and time past are both perhaps present in time future, and time future contained in time past.' Even Iris is highly confused by the statement. When Iris reached a room it contained Deylnn—the Grey Council captured him. They're were doing something to him, he had wires and tubes all over him and the constant steady beeps of machines reminded Iris of the machine of X'ha'dum even though he was never harmed by it. As Iris looked in a corner there was a triangle device that was literally shooting spider webs on Deylnn. As Iris decided not to save Deylnn—figuring it as a trap, he continued to an empty room. Iris removed the mesh and climbed down into the room, when Iris opened the door there was no one outside so he rushed down the corridor and out the door into the street. When Iris was outside he was weary of the Minbari citizens, but the Minbari either moved to the side or bowed when he approached them. This worried Iris extremely for he was extremely alert! As he went down the street he tried to communicate with one young Minbari. "Nie Iris. Nie zhalen sim oore, Yedor." Translations: I am Iris. I am alone in city, Yedor.

The Minbari is listening, and tries to figure out what Iris is saying. "Su E'san, Min'entil?" Translation: Are you all right, ambassador?

Iris is about to reply, but he gives up. "I am sorry; my Minbari is not well developed!"

The Minbari looks at him, and talks again. "Min'entil is ambassador, are you all right?"

Iris is almost to jump with glee, he speaks English. "Good you speak English!"

The Minbari nods, "Yes I do, it is required that we practice English."

Iris' glee ends, and Iris looks around. "I see, is their an Human or Earth embassy?"

The Minbari points to the building Iris had just escaped from. "Yes ambassador, you had to come through there if you were to live on Minbar."

Iris looks at the place, "No, you don't understand, I was kidnapped I seek refuge and safety!"

The young Minbari is extremely concerned. "Follow me, hurry."

They enter a small crystal building. "Rama, why are you home early?"

Rama looks for his mother but does not see her yet. "This is a ambassador seeking help."

The elder Minbari sound upset at her son and enters the room. When she sees Iris she stops suddenly and gets on her knees and lowers her head where she can only see the floor. Iris is confused. "Rama get on your knees now, you're being very disrespectable to the Ier'ma Valen!"

Rama looks at Iris, the Minbari almost freaks out and he drops to his knees. Iris is not use to this God like state. Nanette was right, respect yourself and everyone will be jealous of you. "Ier'ma Valen, in Valen's name it is true you are the Ier'ma Valen."

Iris looks at this he is horrible confused, Kosh once told him that those altered by the Vorlon's are seen as messengers of God, and if they totally mutate you, you becomes God yourself. Iris, being a devoted Christian gazes upon this manner is unhappy. "I am Iris; do you speak English miss's?"

The elder Minbari, mother to Rama nods, but only inches from banging her bone on the floor. "Yes Ier'ma Valen."

Iris continues this interrogation like approach. "Do you know where the Earth embassy is?"

The elder Minbari once again replies. "Yes Ier'ma Valen. "

Iris is totally confused by their actions. "Not to be disrespectable, but why are you both staring at the floor?"

The ender Minbari responds. "It is disrespectable to look a pond you Ier'ma Valen."

Iris kneels on the crystal floor, but they refuse to look at him. "What is a Ier'ma Valen?"

The elder Minbari pauses for a second, is it possible for the Ier'ma Valen to have been memory washed of his own title. "You don't know?"

Iris looks at Rama, Rama does not even look at Iris. "I just arrived on Minbar a day ago!"

The mother continues the questioning. "Where did you come from?"

Iris is now the one pondering the questions, his memory is tainted by horrible memories of his autistic life. "Well I was born on Earth about 1351 years ago, but with a few years of my life my world was invaded by a race called the Vorlon's. I was taken to there homeworld and altered. When the Vorlon's left with the Shadow's of Z'ha'dum, the Liberator's of X'ha'dum came to Vorlon and reaped the technology including a few cryonic tubes."

Rama's mothers tone changes, fear comes into her voice. "So you are Liberator?"

Iris shakes his head. "No, the Liberator's are not like the Shadow's, they were banished by the Shadow's because the Liberator's were trying to be peaceful."

Rama now is asking questions. "So where are the Liberator's?"

Iris turns hoping that Rama will look at him, but he is just like his mother. "Hunting the stray Hand vessels."

Rama speaks out once again. "How do you know this, asking respectively?"

Iris looks at Rama. "I was the med engineer of the Human research vessel, Invincible."

Rama does not even move, "I see."

Iris back tracks. "You spoke of a word to direct me, and you've haven't answered my question?"

Rama continues speaking. "In our prophecy there were major leaders, one is our most holy leader, Valen. He ended the Great War with the Shadow's and he married a Human secretly and she gave life to three Ier'ma Valen's, which are Children of Valen. They were mix breeds or also called hybrids. They all made a prophecy that they would return to end major wars. The first Ier'ma Valen was Delenn Mir Sheridan, she appeared as whole Minbari, but was influenced by a Vorlon named Kosh Nanarke. Delenn ended the Shadow war and created peace with all species. Delenn married John Sheridan and they had two children, David Sheridan named after John Sheridan's father, and Delenn 2nd who was the Ier'sa Sheridan, she ended the Drakh war and founded the cure to the Earth-Drakh plague. Now we await the Ier'sa Sheridan's return with the Ier'ma Valen who was to banish the ancient darkness forever. The Hand was that darkness and if you're right you defeated the Hand."

Iris shakes his head, "I had help with me."

Rama interrupts Iris. "So did everyone else, the second result is the description of the children, when there were debate if Delenn was Sati we used the ancient scrolls to determine if the descriptions of the Ier'ma Valen was Delenn—and it was. They also state names of the children they are as stated—Delenn, Deltalenn, and Casthmatic, the Children of Light are as stated—David Sheridan and Delenn 2nd, the Children of time are as stated—Deliris, who was created by the marriage of Deltalenn and Iris, this is what fits you in the Children of Valen. The last child we know is the Prosperity of Light, which created one child—Ananette. It also states that Iris was the second to the last father of the Children of Valen and Iris received his reformation from a crumbling world named Z'ha'dum. It state here that Iris lead a fleet to the lush green planet is sector 1257 and turned it into a burning pit of plasma, it say that Z'ha'dum glowed of years with molten rock. The last actions were to destroy their sun to hopefully collapse sector 1257 including the allied worlds of X'ha'dum, and Z'ha'dum, but something went horribly wrong and the suns energy was soaked up by some type of black matter that formed a yellowish—red nebula that swallowed X'ha'dum in a sigma out of distorted time. It was if the Great War had ended the Shadow's vessels and their masters were dissolved into ash. The only way to investigate if the Shadow's were gone was to send someone with enough advancement to survive Z'ha'dum's environment. So the Vorlon's transformed Iris from a full Human to a hybrid. It says that the advancement aloud Iris to move on Z'ha'dum and to chemically breathe the deadly gasses of nitrogen, oxygen, lead, carbon, hydrogen, and sulfur. The other advancement was scales and bone structure. The planet Z'ha'dum was still semi molten and rocks could even crush a Minbari's arm. The scales would reflect heat and add armor if Iris was to come in contact with a Shadow, we did not know that even the Shadow's encounter suit was one giant weapon. To give you an idea one Shadow has the strength and ability to wipe out the entire Warrior Caste. The last entry of advancements was fins and gills in the inner throat; this was added because the Shadow's use a plasma egg to suffocate their victims. With the inner gill slits the victim can breathe the plasma and move within the plasma. The Shadow's went against Iris and something weird happen as Iris was cornered the legend states that 24 glowing eyes engulfed Iris and took him to X'ha'dum to sleep till the time was right for the ancients to get revenge against every species."

Iris is frozen in fear, could the autistic pain been just a cover-up of his past. "And this occurred when?"

Rama answers, "About the Earth year 2010 when the Vorlon's took Iris from Earth to survey Z'ha'dum. That is why we believe you're the Ier'ma Valen Iris; you've awakened from X'ha'dum to cast the ancients into eternal darkness," Iris is shell shock. "But what I want to know is why are you fleeing from Minbar, you're needed here!"

Iris remembers what he saw with Deylnn. "I arrived on Minbar to begin my life over because my past life was on the hellish planet X'ha'dum, which I did not have any freedom. I came here with Mirra and Deylnn, we were locked in rooms and I could hear chatter in religious dialect. They were discussing about test and even pain, so I escaped through the air ducts and found Deylnn, he was hooked to a machine and was being cocooned by spider webs. As I watched my eyes couldn't believe what they were seeing. I was endangered!" Rama looks at his mother with concern. Iris was concern why they remained on knee's head down. "Please get up, and face me, it's not disrespectable to me."

Rama's mother, and Rama do not comply, thinking it is a test. Rama's mother replies. "I'm sorry Ier'ma Valen."

Iris is becoming frustrated and takes off his robes to only one robe to shelter his rather deformed body, he walks to the older female Minbari, he takes off her outer robes and puts on his robes on her and her robes on him, the mother is shocked and speechless. Iris is worried that the mother may hurt him, but Iris gets on his knees and lowers his head to mimic to elder Minbari. Iris tells her that she needs to get to her feet because she is the Ier'ma Valen." You are the Ier'ma Valen, why do you bow with me. Get on your feet!"

The woman is refusing and is trying to tell Iris that she is not Ier'ma Valen, but Iris insists that she is. "No Iris, it's a test, I can't be Ier'ma Valen, I'm not pure!"

Iris insists. You are foolish, the Ier'ma Valen would never submit to you, if you are not equal. If you do not get on your feet, then I will have to remain here bowed over till one of you submits to equal us out!" The woman stagers to her feet and begins flaying off the robes in sheer embarrassment. Iris does the same and they trade clothes. Iris had won the argument; he got both Rama and his mother on their feet. When the woman begins to drop to her knees again Iris grabs her by the hand to stop her descent. Rama is shocked, holds his position. The woman looks at Iris in the face and Iris slowly lets go. "Thank you, you don't know how annoying it is to watch only the back of ones head."

The mother is confused, it was not a test? "So you did this only to get my attention?"

Iris nods, "Yes, only to show that we are equal."

The woman looks at Rama and Rama looks back to his mother. "Rama go get so flarn for the Ier'ma Valen!"

Rama nods, "Yes mother." Rama leaves the room only to arrive with a plate of non-smelling flarn. Rama places the plate on the table and bows at Iris. The mother asks Iris to sit on the right side as Rama and his mother sit on the left. Rama and his mother give Iris one piece of flarn and picks up their fork with their right hand.

Anterian, near Oceana. The swim to Oceana provided to be very relaxing, the water is so cold, but it does not seem to trigger any shivering. The water also takes off the extra weight of the bones and scales. Breathing also seems to subside hunger, every time they breathe they swallow small animals that get captured in the mucus and is swallowed, but Jake tries not to think of it. As they approach Oceana the city is like no other, the buildings are glass. There are hundreds of people welcoming Casthmatic, Jake, Mira, and Spurr to their city. As they enter the second tallest building named the Ministry of Visitors, Mira's father shows them to their rooms where they are to read the rules of Oceana. They are home.

Epsilon 3, heading towards the Great Machine. Arimira and Gram are talking to Draal. "Hello, my name is Arimira and this is Gram."

Draal nods, his stern face never changing. "I know, I have observed you and your friends for quite some time, trying to point you the right way, but I never expected you to destroy the Hand's main capital city!"

Arimira nods and smiles. "Neither did I, I thought the Hand would destroy us all, but if it weren't for the Dolshire and Furrore we'd all be dead."

Draal looks at the walls of Epsilon 3, then at Arimira. "That is true, the Hand survivors must be quite upset with you?"

Arimira feels this cold shiver go down her spine, fear of revenge. "Yes they are! So why did you want to see us?"

Draal leads them to a door to which it takes them directly into the heart of the Great Machine. "There is something bothering me."

Gram looks at the massive light show, but the next room will be the most terrifying! "So what does that have to do with us?"

Draal, Arimira, and Gram enter the room, Draal looks at the place. "A lot!" Draal gets up and walks over to a room, Arimira and Gram follow. As they walk through the narrow rocky passage they enter a large machine with electricity everywhere. "You see this?"

Arimira has seen machines, but this is impressive. "Yes it's amazing Draal, what is it?"

Draal looks at the superstructure. "It's called the Great Machine, made by the ancients! When the Shadow war was ended and the space was quiet—so was the Great Machine, but with the Hand gone something has triggered the Great Machine."

Gram looks at the massive pillars which seem to float near the electrified walls. "What's wrong with that?"

Draal looks at Gram, "have you've ever heard stories of Sector 14?"

Gram shakes his head. "No, should I have?"

Draal looks at the steady lightening storm within this gigantic generator. "I guess not, during the Shadow war in 2261 I could not control the machine and a magnetic rift was open. The war could have been altered because the Shadow's were massing fleets for a large-scale attack. Luckily we closed the rift but lost two people in the process. Sinclair and his wife. Now with the rift reopened who knows what it will let in or let out."

Arimira asks the same question again. "So this has to do with us because…?"

Draal turns to look at Arimira. "Because of a second wave of chaos, I will explain, after scanning the universe I found a point in space that was weak then a month latter another point. I used as much energy to penetrate that weak point in space and found a hidden bases and planets. The strongest area is in Sigma 1257KX19. There is a black planet there and the vessels around that planet are made of more advanced Shadow technology."

Arimira looks at Gram in a concern approach. "You spoke of a second base?"

Draal nods. "Yes in Sigma 1980VX18. It appears to be Vorlon." Draal looks at their faces. "What's wrong?"

Arimira looks at Draal, sickness spreads through her, the truth revealed. "We came from that sector."

Draal looks at Arimira. "Which one?"

Arimira looks at the ground. "Sigma 1257KX19, or short for X'ha'dum…the Liberators were banished there by the Shadow's of Z'ha'dum. They're supposed to be the civil ones of the Shadow's."

Draal pause as if a download was just complete, then Draal speaks of his new found knowledge. "Well according to the Great Machine—the Liberators of X'ha'dum were ten times more ruthless than the Shadow's of Z'ha'dum. They even killed their own kind—one thing the Shadow's of Z'ha'dum never did, it was unlawful!"

Arimira looks up, "But the Liberators said they were banished because they were trying to end the war."

Draal nods, "They were correct, they were ending the war, and they were wiping out entire systems in days. The Hand even feared the Liberator's they were pure chaos. The second base is a Vorlon outpost."

Arimira looks at the ground again, she can't believe they trusted the Liberator's. "So?"

Draal looks at the depressed Arimira. "It dates to be the first outpost built to protect their most vital secrets."

Arimira looks up, her face twisted with hatred for herself. "So what do you want us to do?"

Draal looks at the Great Machine. "I have a device that will send an electrical change to disrupt the rift and close it for good, but it has top be taken through."

Arimira now understands the nature of this meeting. "You want us to go, right?"

Draal nods, "That is what I'd hope for!"

Arimira looks at Gram. "We really can't go anywhere, we have no home and if Draal is correct Shadow's, Liberators, and Vorlon's will be hunting soon for us…we'll go, but when?"

Draal looks at Gram and Arimira. "Soon."

Minbar, City of Sorrows. Iris is eating with Rama and his mother. The food is prepared very well and Iris is being treated with the type of respect he has never seen before. As they eat, Rama asks what X'ha'dum really looks like. "Well X'ha'dum is a dark planet like Sigma 957 and Z'ha'dum. When I arrived on the planet I was preparing myself for more altering because every time I was awaken it was to be met with pain, but as I looked up I notice that the room I was in was dark an the box like figures had transformed into giant spiders about six feet tall and six and a half feet wide by the length of its six legs. I should not really be telling you this."

The mother replies. "That's all right, go on."

Iris pause to think then continues with the story. "Well when I was on the planet the creatures told me that I was not a danger if I made myself loyal to them, I was of course young so I did not decline, life meant much to me, but as my stay progressed I learned more of their culture and who they really were. They told me that I was to call them the Liberator's because they tried to liberate so many planets from their children."

Rama interrupts. "Their children?"

Iris nods, a depressed look comes over Iris' face. "Yes, you called them the Shadow's; understand the Liberator's were ancient when the first ones were young. They ruled over every star and when one planet was about to evolve they destroyed that planet, but they used tactics like the Shadow's. In history before 2260 every 1,000 years the Shadow's would blacken planets and destroy advancing races. In 1260 one race slipped through the cracks with the aide of the Vorlon Empire and organized a massive fleet against Z'ha'dum. Sadly the battle was lost, but with Z'ha'dum smoldering the young races with a few first ones were able to hunt out the evil."

Rama interrupts again. "Nobody returns from Z'ha'dum."

Iris nods, "That's correct Rama—nobody…a fleet of 3 to 4 thousand vessels destroyed in a matter of minutes. At this time the Liberator's were punished by the Shadow's and cast them away into eternal darkness. When star chart mapping was finished the Sector 1257 and its planet finally had a name and the Grey Council called it by two words Z'ha meaning broken because of the Shadow's defeat and Dum meaning enemy. The Shadow's were also named; it was Sher'shok dum or meaning ancient enemy."

The mother has a question. "How do you know the ancient dialect?"

Iris ponders on the question. "The Liberator's taught it to me." Iris whispers softly. "Listen carefully; the Liberator's are free in the universe again. It won't take long before they try to reclaim the role as overall master and god. They are first going to alter the past by going to a place called Sector 14." The Minbari look at one another nervously again. "Have you've heard of Sector 14?"

Rama's mother nods her head slowly, and puts her hands up to her chin. "Yes, it's a mythical place where Valen saved the past by taking Babylon 4 1,000 years in the past to create a final base against the Shadow's."

Rama thinks, "So we need to get to sector 14 before the Liberator's arrive there?"

Iris nods, "Yes, we need to first find a ship, then go."

Anterian, Oceania. Mira is talking to her father. Casthmatic and Jake have called Minbar but get no reply of Deylnn, Iris, or Mirra. So they contact Arimira and Gram to ask if they have heard from Deylnn, Iris, or Mirra. When calling they get in touch with Arimira who seems quite content with herself. She tells them the bad news and stresses to get to Sector 14 to stop full out pacifisms. They tell they will try to get to Sector 14.

Sector 14, they year is 2261, two year before the legendary Shadow war. As a Z'ha'dum Shadow scout nears the rift it hold its place away from the rifts core, there it begins transmitting codes into the rift then foils back into Shadow space. A few minutes latter a vessel of Shadow appears out of the rift—it's the Liberators! Back in 3261, a small vessel approaches the rift; its origin is that of a Minbari war vessel that looks like a combination of Human, Vorlon, and Shadow technology. The ancient vessels of Minbar were destroyed in the last major Drakh raids. As the Minbari war vessel holds its position on the left, a jump point opens and a smaller vessel comes out about the size of a White Star—it's a Anterian vessel, to see an Anterian vessel it's quite a rare sight to see, Rama and his mother just are amazed of the aquatic looking vessel. As the two vessels come together a much larger vessel jumps out of hyperspace, it is from Epsilon 3. All three ships are holding their position and the crews are chatting, Rama is wondering why they have moved off the hyperspace jump gate path when they're nearly six miles away from the jump gate. As the space begins to literally open up out come a vessel nearly five miles long, its size mammoths out the other vessels making them look like star furies. As Rama and his mother look back at Iris, Iris smiles and get out of his seat to first hand see the five mile long, Shadow, Vorlon, and Human design vessel. When Rama's mother ask what's the vessels name Iris point to the printed name on the front of the titanic ship, it spells out Invincible. On the com is Captain Nanette. Nanette stops the Invincible outside the rift with the other vessels; Nanette says that she has a new member named Charisma, one of the Liberator's first victims. The name Charisma seems to not fit his character, he is somewhat shy and nervous. Iris sees Nanette over the com, "Well welcome back Iris, and welcome to the crew my new friends." Nanette referring to Rama and his mother.

Iris looks at Nanette over the com. "May we dock in the Invincible's docking bay Nanette?"

Nanette nods, "Go ahead." The vessels land and the crew take their position, as new comers are welcomed. "Welcome to the Invincible, my name is Nanette" As Nanette turns around to view the Vorlon's. "This is Kosh Nanarke, and Ulkesh Kosh. Please state your name and where you come from and why you're here."

Charisma walks forward. "Nanette all ready knows me, but left I left after the Liberator's have devastated the colony I call home, my being on this vessel is to end the war of the Liberator's. My skills are learning the cultures of Vorlon, Minbari, and Shadow. Right now my goal is to gain enough information on the race called Drakh to complete my knowledge of the greatest empires."

Charisma steps back to aloud the next to come forward. Rama walks forward. "My name is Rama, Religious Caste of Minbar; I translate all languages and serve the ancient order of the Anla'shok."

Delteine walks forward. "My name is Delteine, I am the mother to Rama, I also serve the order of the Anla'shok and am Religious Caste."

Nanette nods and smiles. "Thank you all for coming to the Invincible, we may never survive this war, but if we fail the galaxy will be no more. Charisma, please go to Navigation, I need your help."

Charisma nods, "Yes captain."

Nanette goes to her com as the others take their station and prepare for role call. "This is role call; please all call in one at a time for role."

Gram punches the com, glad to be back. "Gram here, engineer in engine room."

Arimira presses the weapons com. "Arimira here, weapons control."

Iris goes over to the Med Bay com. "Iris here, Med Bay healer."

Rama goes to the come, his mother watches. "Rama and Delteine here, mess hall—daily meal is at 5—don't be late."

Casthmatic nods agreeing with Rama, and walks over to Rama. "Casthmatic reporting in, mess halls cook also."

Jake looks at the Mess Hall com. "I'm last, Jake here, mess hall also, but willing to take over security."

Nanette thinks. "Sure, some see me for door code." Nanette looks at Charisma and turns off the com.. "Are you sure you want to follow, we may not be able to return and with biologic microstructure the energy may cause this ship to alter you—it did it to us!"

Charisma smile but shakes his head. "Thanks for the offer, but I am afraid I will have to decline it I have no life no more; I'm only walking grievance and anyway why miss my only chance to go on an adventure?"

Nanette smiles and nods slightly. "Well if I can't change your mind, you better strap in." Nanette goes back to her com. "This is Captain Nanette, all crew strap in—that includes you also Vorlon's—this is going to be a bumpy ride."

Ulkesh Kosh in Nanette's quarters with Kosh Nanarke. "IRRELEVANT."

Ulkesh Kosh remains standing while Kosh Nanarke moves into a corner an crystallizes himself in his chrysalis material. Back on the bridge Nanette gives the go ahead to enter the rift. As they go through, the ride is bumpy, as Nanette had predicted—but Kosh Nanarke knows what is next—time flashes. When Nanette gets up she feels herself pulled backwards and then there is a flash. 3251, "Nanette kept locked on." Nanette is startled, she does not know where she is, when she looks at her hands she has all flesh again—no scales. When she turns her head she sees her Earth Force crew. As the Memories flood back she remembers—this was the moment of the hunt and the Invincible was grounded on a moon outside Earth's Solar System. They were luckily to even be alive. "Nanette dang-it—fire or be removed!"

Nanette looks at the controls of the Drakh enemy. "Yes, Captain, but I suggest the ship to the right."

The captain shakes his head violently. "No Nanette keep to the ones attacking Earth we will have our pants tied over our heads if we verge off!"

Nanette looks at her console. "But Captain!" Time flash ends.

"Nanette are you all right?" As Charisma rush over to her.

Nanette looks at her hands and sees scales. "I was back on this ship when we hunted down the Hand after the Great Burn."

In the Mess hall, Jake go set up the table. Then is caught in a time flash. 1945, "Get down!" The sound of rockets hitting the buildings across the street and it explodes and Jake crawls through shattered glass. Jake now remembers where he is he is in Frankfort Germany. As Jake crawls further down the ally he is hit by plasma. When he awakens he is in a glass tube filled with fluids. The scene is horrifying—there are miles of glass tubes with unclothed species hooked with tubes sleeping in an artificial coma. Jake looks towards his right and sees for the first time his medical advisors—Vorlon's; it looks like Kosh Nanarke, and Ulkesh Kosh. When Jake begins to bang on the glass the time rift ends. When Jake look at Casthmatic, Casthmatic knows that Jake is unwell.

In the engine room Gram was alone, when he got up there was a feeling of a forward thrush and the time flash. 3341, "Gram get up, we're leaving!" Gram has aged extremely about 80-years. He has also changed again he has more aquatic features. He has a deep scar on his face to his neck. When he looks outside the city was made up of glass. It is Minbar. The time flash end. Gram goes to his com and patches into the bridge. "Nanette!"

Nanette still shocked presses the com. "Nanette here, what's up Gram?"

Gram looks around afraid the flash may come back. "Something weird has happened it is hard to explain, but it is as if the scenes of my future came alive!"

Nanette nods and looks at Charisma who is staring at the console. "Don't worry I had the flux to this is probably common."

Gram still shook up looks at the monitors and looking around for an apparition. "All right Nanette, Gram out!"

Nanette looks at Charisma. "Charisma, what's our reading?"

Charisma reports. "We have about four more minutes, we're almost out—recommend everyone to remain seated." 2289, Charisma is lying in bed, it is cold and his head is highly compressed under pressure. When he looks at his watch the date was 2289, that's impossible, but then Charisma remembers the time flash. When he gets up he notices that the skin on his hands is much smoother and softer, but the biggest surprise came when he got on his feet—he's only four feet high, and his feet were as tiny as his hands. He had reversed in age and the effects seemed to also alter his complexion. When he moved down the hall to open a door he was in a giant vessel in space. The vessel was crying to him about the lack of fuel and backup energy cells were destroyed. When he looked at his watch it was now the year 2301. The smooth skin had been transformed into rugged scaly rough flesh, but as he looked at his clothes they were robes that custom of the Minbari. His hands and arms were decked out in wires and tubes from his mouth to a machine that supplied some form of bitter gas. The sides of his neck to his ears were covered with an organic shell. When he waved his hand over the console it turned on and said that ships vitals were critical and subjects life critical, it was apparent that he went through a war. When the space rippled in front of him a fleet of slug like vessels came out of the stars. As they locked on they did not fire—they waited. Charisma found this to be strange then the space turned to liquid and a bluish vessel gulped him up. Time flash ends.

As Charisma looks at Nanette he wonders if this is reality or part of the time flash, but if this is, then it feels very wicked! Nanette looks at Charisma and wonders if he is okay. "You to Charisma?"

Charisma nods, "Yes, but I don't remember even doing whatever the rift showed me."

Nanette looks at Charisma surprised he saw his future, she only saw her past. "You mean you saw your own future?"

Charisma thinks for a second and can't relate anything he has just witnessed to his past memories. "Maybe, if it is so—I hope not!"

Nanette looks confused. "Why?"

Charisma looks at the console. "I was killed, and transformed! It also looks as if the Liberators and Shadow's won the war…what if we'd changed history?"

Nanette shakes her head. "Impossible, we are only to set up a magnetic device to close the past entrance to stop the Liberator's." Nanette is considering the possibility.

In the mess hall, Rama, Delteine, and Casthmatic are comforting Jake. Jake has been shocked and is so scared that he can't talk. As Delteine turns to look at the food she feels herself threshed forward. 2261, Rama is injured badly as metal falls all around her and sparks fly all over the mess hall of the Invincible. It would seem that the Invincible has been damaged badly, but Delteine then notices that there on a planet. As Delteine looks through a hole she sees a yellowish-blue sky—the sky is like that of Minbar. Delteine moves a little and the destroyed ship transformed into a Med Bay—a Minbari Med Bay. As Delteine turns her head, she sees her son—but he has been formed into a female Minbari hybrid.

"IT'S ISIL'ZAH NA DELTALENN, YOUR DAUGHTER DELTEINE—YOU HAVE TO SURVIVE THE CRASH."

Delteine looks around for the voice, the voice in her head. "How, where are you?" Delteine looks out the corner of her eye to see Kosh Nanarke. The time flash ends.

Delteine then sees Jake and her eyes remain wide open. Rama notices his mothers actions and asks if she's okay. "Are you all right?"

Delteine looks at her son, expecting to see her son become a female. As Delteine looks around for Kosh Nanarke, she looks back at Rama, her beloved child. "I am Rama." Rama knows his mother is not completely telling the truth, but respects her reply.

When Rama looks at Jake he feels himself thrusted forward. 2301, As Rama walks outside he notices something wrong with his clothing—it female clothes, as he looks for a mirror, he sees a female hybrid Minbari looking at him. There are cuts on her forehead from large crystal fragments. As she stagers outside there is the smell of burning flesh of dead Minbari. As Rama looks off in the distance she sees blue spidery vessels ripping the city apart. End of time flux.

As Rama looks at his mother he is scared what the future may hold for him and he sees the same fear in his mothers eyes.