We´ve never seen David Endawi, the EarthForce investigator, interview other ambassadors. I´ve expanded a bit on his investigations. I hope you like it.

Imperial City, Centauri Prime, during the events of "Dawn of the Long Night"

Vir Cotto waited in the atrium of the city residence for House Mollari. A fountain bubbled under a ceiling open to the sky. Pillars supported the ceiling while tapestries, paintings and statues decorated the entrance atrium of this palatial mansion. Vir once more wished he was back on Babylon 5.

A servant finally appeared through a curtain covering a doorway. The wizened man announced, "The Lady Timov, daughter of Lord Algul, first and sole wife of Lord Londo Mollari, Ambassador for the Great Centauri Republic, High Seat of House Mollari, and—"

"Oh, go away!"

The old servant bowed his way back through the curtained doorway. The short Centauri lady, once called a Malignity and vomit by Ambassador Londo, critically looked up and down at Vir. She pursed her lips at what she saw, making Vir grow even more nervous. "Humpf. Stuffy propriety. Don't you have something for me?"

Vir's eyes widened as he held his hands up over his chest. "Wha.... I...don't...."

Timov rolled her eyes heavenward, as if beseeching the Great Maker to grant her mercy. "Not that, Vir. Men! Do they always think like that? I mean the crystal. Have you forgotten already? Give me it!"

Vir fumbled inside his coat and fished a conical crystal from a pocket. The datacrystal soon dropped from his hand into Timov's open outstretched hand. Timov then held the datacrystal up to the light. She inspected how the light refracted through the crystal. She pursed her lips once more, causing Vir to wonder what flaw the lady caught in the crystal.

Timov sighed exasperately. "I have never had any interest in the vagaries of politics and social climbing. That was more...the field of my former sister-wives Daggair and Mariel. But, here I am, holding a copy of Londo's Purple Files!"

Vir gasped. The Purple Files! Every Centauri house worth its salt collected dirt and secrets on each other for generations, if not centuries. It was said that House Mollari's Purple Files had enough dirt to ruin the entire Centauri Republic. And he had been carrying them all the way from Babylon 5!

Timov carelessly tossed the crystal onto a standtable. Vir's eyes bulged. So careless! Anyone could find it and take it, and ruin their whole society! Timov gave a faint smirk at Vir's reaction. "We are busy. I can look at it and use it later."

"W-we, madame?"

"Yes. Busy. We. I wonder why you were assigned to Londo, though it doesn't take much brains to see how superior he needs to feel." She held out a hand for Vir to pick up. "Come. We have been invited to the Royal Court. A lady does not go anywhere without a man to escort her."

"T-t-the R-royal Court?" Vir fearfully took a short step backward. Even on Babylon 5, he'd heard rumors about the new Emperor. "I...I thought I'd just go back.... Londo needs me..."

Timov tsk-tsked. "Londo can handle himself for a few days. Here! Take me to the Royal Palace. It should be an education for you. And for me, if I am to carry out dear Londo's...instructions."

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Vir was overwhelmed by the whirlwinds of the Royal Court. So many lords and ladies to meet, nearly all of them trying to gain the Emperors favor. Nearly all dismissed Vir, apparently thinking him as not a threat to either themselves or to their houses. Nearly all appeared to work hard on maintaining facades of friendliness around Lady Timov. That was exceeded only by their attitude around Cartagia himself.

Vir was scandalized by Cartagias appearance and bearing. Such short hair on the emperor! As if Cartagia was a menial peasant worker rather than the Emperor! And dressed as if he was visiting a nightclub rather than presiding over the Royal Court itself!

And there was Lord Antono Refa standing beside the throne as if he was the prime minister and looking smug. Vir didn't like him. He was a much darker version of Londo and that was dangerous for the Republic.

Then Cartagia reached a hand behind one of the four white-veiled telepath women flanking the throne, causing her to start and take a short step forward. Vir bulged his eyes and choked on the brivari he was sipping. Turning away from the sight of the chuckling Emperor to avoid offending the Imperial Personage, Vir made sure he didnt make a mess on his court dress.

"Great Maker!" he whispered to himself. "Harassing the Emperor's Own!" He felt someone looking at him. Frightened that some courtier caught his careless words, he looked up. Words had power at court, especially the power to send someone to the headmans block. He recognized the person looking straight at him through the crowd. He felt like choking again.

It was Lady Morella. The late Emperor Turhan's third wife and prophetess. The Voice of Turhan herself. Vir felt like running for a commscreen and ordering jars of valium from Earth.

Lady Morella glided to Vir, the crowd of lords, ladies, servants and courtiers parting easily around the famed widow of Turhan and aunt of Cartagia. She smiled, radiating strength rarely seen in a Centauri woman. "Don't worry. I share your sentiment. When Cartagia was young, a boy before his Rite of Ascension, really...." She leaned closer conspiratorially to Vir, her expression turning into one of distaste. "I once found him in bed with a sister and a cousin."

Vir frowned. "Isn't that...normal? Family bond and all that.

Morella smiled at Vir's naivette and shook her head. "They were naked."

Vir stared at Lady Morella, speechless. She said, "Might I have the honor of knowing your name?"

Vir found it difficult to breathe. As Garibaldi would say, was she for real? Was she going to report him? An image of his head on a pike flashed into his mind. To cover up his expression of terrified horror, he bowed low. "Ah...m-milady. Its Vir. Vir Cotto."

"Ah yes. Vir...attache to Ambassador Londo Mollari, isn't it?" Morella laid a hand on Vir's hand that was holding the tiny glass of brivari. Upon touching his hand, Morella gasped and closed her eyes.

Concerned, Vir peered closely at Turhan's widow and nervously glanced around. Someone could mistake her reaction as an effect of a touch-poison. Fortunately, no one was looking.

Morella labored to keep her expression under stern control so as not to betray anything. "Vir Cotto. If you would live in the light after the darkness, you must be stupid."

Unsure whether he was being insulted, Vir blinked and glanced down at the dark redness of the brivari in his glass. He never liked that color. It was too...bloody. "I...do not understand."

"People think you are a fool. Exaggerate your nervousness, exaggerate your insecurity, exaggerate whatever makes people think you are foolish and you will survive."

Vir was feeling very stupid at this moment. Perhaps Lady Morella should sit and exchange notes with Lady Timov. He merely gave a blank look at the widow of the late emperor.

She sighed and pointed at a man at the edge of the crowd. The man, dressed in elaborate court clothes looked foolish, nervously picking at the food laid on a table and making foolish lopsided grins at those who looked at him. His eyes looked nervous yet vapid. Vir wondered if he was looking at a mirror of himself at an old age. Morella whispered, "Foppish, isn't he? That's Milo Virini, Minister of Protocol."

"Minister? Him?"

"Exactly. No one takes him seriously, but he has outlived almost all who dismissed him. And he will outlive others like Ministers Vitari and Chorlini. He's your role model, Vir. Watch and learn." With that, Lady Morella vanished into the crowd.

A loud cough attracted Vir's attention toward the throne. Cartagia was making a face of annoyance at a lord who was having a coughing fit. Seeing the Emperor's displeasure, Lord Dugari hurriedly covered his mouth with an ornate silk handkerchief and made his way deeper into the crowd. Lord Antono Refa, who was standing beside the throne, frowned and smirked at the same time.

Lady Timov suddenly reappeared beside Vir. She stood on her toes to whisper into his ear. "Vir, something's happening at Tolonius VII. The Court doesn't know what, but listen for anything related to House Tavari."

Vir nodded, uncertain about whether he could do that. House Tavari held the Tolonius System fief and therefore responsible for the Republic's main shipyards there.

The crowd quieted when Cartagia stood up from his throne. Lord Refa appeared puzzled at what the Emperor was going to do. Lady Timov didnt appear to know what Cartagia was going to do, looking as puzzled and concerned as Refa.

The Emperor of the Great Centauri Republic spoke.

"Friends! The Great Republic, as you all know, is rising again! A grand empire on the way to being the Lion of the Galaxy once more! A golden star dawns on the galaxy! But such a renaissance is not without sacrifices. Our prisons now overflow with criminals not fit for the slave market! We cannot tolerate such a state of affairs anymore. As a solution, I proclaim Sha'je!"

The crowds murmur indicated puzzlement and confusion. Lord Refa, however, was looking nervous and his shifty eyes were now gauging the crowds reaction. He knew what that meant.

"Yes.... It is fitting that we should look to the beginning of our Great Republic, to the early Emperors for a solution." Cartagia's eyes gleamed and one corner of his lips curled almost dementically. "To the old god-emperors! Sha'je, as some of you may have missed in your history lessons, is a traditional way of getting rid of prisoners and criminals through public duels. A duel of two people, each armed with two daggers in their hands. Each left-hand and right-hand dagger is tipped and edged with a slow-acting poison. Rare was it that a clear winner ever emerged in the old days!" Emperor Cartagia clapped his hands with glee. "The cost of the Great Republic's glory should be entertaining! I invite all of you to the Amphitheater of Gon for the first sha'je duel of my reign! Come!"

The crowd's noise became one of nervous anticipation as the Royal Guards swung open the doors of the Grand Hall of the Royal Court. As would be traditional, the Emperor had already gathered carriages pulled by dromes at the front gates of the Royal Palace for his guests.

Vir looked into Timov's eyes with a sick feeling. This...sha'je duel didnt sound too entertaining to him even though he applauded such an important personage as the Emperor for trying find a solution for prison overpopulation. The Amphitheater of Gon was a circular open-air theater or small stadium built in honor of Gon, the god of soldiers, and used for public games and executions in Imperial City. Every major city in the Republic had such an amphitheater. Then Vir Cotto and Lady Timov were swept along by the crowd making its way to the grand doors.

Vir wished he could use one of Earth's old game phrases and shout over Timov's head at the Royal Court, "Time off!"

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Shouts, cheers and jeers filled the deep crater-like setting of the amphitheater as Vir watched from his seat close to the Imperial Box. Lady Timov was watching with an expression of stoic disapproval beside him. In the sand-covered arena, two Narns were facing each other off, each armed with two daggers that glinted in the Centauri sun. Already, both of them had short lines of blood all over themselves, their clothes torn by the fight. One wore red and the other green. Vir knew that each wound meant a poisoned injury. The red Narn lept forward, slashing with a dagger, quickly slashing the green Narn's thumb. The wounded green Narn dropped his left-hand dagger, unable to hold it.

Snarling, the green Narn kicked at where the attacker's legs met. Screaming, the red attacker doubled over. The audience of Centauri nobles and commoners screamed their approval, many of them laughing at the cheap trick.

Emperor Cartagia was positively sitting on the edge of his seat, his face an expression of thrilled excitement. He shouted, "If that's a Centauri, he would kick at his chest!" Laughing at his own joke, he fell back into his throne, kicking his legs in the air. The court sycophants gathered around laughed with the Emperor. A Royal Guardsman appeared at the Emperor's side, urgently calling for the Imperial attention. "Sire, news from Babylon 5—" But Cartagia impatiently waved the guardsman off, prefering to have his full attention on the sha'je duel in the arena. Vir was watching it all, feeling queasy.

As the doubled over red Narn was groaning at his pain, the green Narn jumped in, seizing the opportunity of the kill. But his jump met the moaning red Narn's dagger in the stomach. Angered by his mistake, the green Narn allowed the dagger to remain in his stomach and stabbed at the kneeling Narn's other arm, forcing him to drop his free dagger. Pulling the dagger out of his stomach, the green Narn used his thumbless hand to yank the red Narn's chin up to the sky and deeply, quickly slashed his neck. The red Narn gurgled and coughed, and collapsed on the bloodied sand of the arena while the green Narn held his dagger up to Emperor Cartagia. Wounded and poisoned as he was, the green Narn soon dropped to his knees to die slowly beside his dead fellow countryman.

Vir couldn't take the sick excitement anymore. He fainted in his seat, his hair crest making a fan covering Lady Timov's bare upper part of her bosom.

USS Enterprise, a day after "Dawn of the Long Night"

Captain Kirk watched as the main viewscreen filled with the whirlpool-like vista of the open jumpgate, and felt his starship and himself stretch out into hyperspace. Immediately, the Enterprise began shaking in the gravity currents and eddies of hyperspace. The inertial dampeners kicked in, reducing the stressful shaking into a mere vibration. Kirk remembered trying out a stimulation of a passenger aircraft from the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries at Starfleet Academy as part of the history courses. Hyperspace made his starship vibrate and jump like an airplane. He decided he didn't like that.

He turned to look at the mysterious human dressed in a black robe. "Where is this Bel-Nar?"

The bald human waved a hand in the air. "Ah, it's in the Arcturus Sector. 150 lightyears or so away. You said you need more dilithium crystals. Your Mr. Scott told me that trilithium is a byproduct of dilithium after high energy passes through the crystal. I remember seeing in my travels trilithium compounds in the markets of Bel-Nar. It would have been better and quicker to just go to Centauri Prime and buy some dilithium from the mines on the planet's second moon, but obviously, the Centauri Republic is closed to you." Galen gave Kirk an admonitory smirk.

Kirk's face darkened. He didn't like being reminded of mistakes and broken up relations. "Well, with our impulse engines, the trip through jumpspace should be quick enough."

Galen grinned at Spock who stared back and then went back to his science instruments. He looked back down at Kirk, eyes agleam with recognition of the emotions involved between the two Newcomers. "Amazing what people would come up with if they want to go as fast as possible. The trip should indeed be fast enough, seeing how you don't need the hyperspace beacons anymore."

Kirk frowned again at Galen's underlying meaning. This...'technomage' irked him, but he was useful. He was generous enough to allow Scotty and Spock to tie the Enterprise's navigation system to the hyperspace navigation system of Galen's...what did the technomage call it? Ah! A no-ship.

He wasn't sure he understood the definition of a no-ship. He wasn't sure Spock did either. A ship that was there, yet not there either, and capable of shifting between the two states. And it was sitting there, barely fitting in the shuttle bay.

"All right, Mr. Redpath and Mr. Chekov. Keep the shields up. Make as straight a path to Bel-Nar as possible in hyperspace and take us to maximum impulse."

Babylon 5, a week later

David Endawi of the EarthForce Special Intelligence Division looked at Delenn with concern, then looked back at the record playing on the wall monitor as he spoke. "Ambassador, our research division has been studying this record for the last ten days. It's hard to gauge size in hyperspace, but it's big and it's powerful, and it's totally unknown to us. It attacked and killed one of our pilots. It's clearly from a highly advanced civilization."

Sheridan and Ivanova exchanged glances as Endawi gazed at the repeated play of a spider-like black ship moving in the red maelstrom of hyperspace. The intelligence agent turned back to Delenn, taking in the two Babylon 5 officers in his look.

"We are downplaying this at home, trying to convince the public that we know what it is, where it's from, and that we're not worried. But we don't have a clue. And we are worried. The public knows about those new ships in Babylon 5 space and they don't need another possibly dangerous unknown. My job is to find out what you or any of the other races know about this ship."

Delenn bowed her head in a formal expression of apologetic regard. "I'm sorry, Mr. Endawi, I wish I could be of some help to you, but this is the first time I've seen a ship like this."

Endawi frowned. He had hoped that since the Minbari were one of the oldest of the races, they would know something. "You're sure? Take a good look."

Delenn got up from the office sofa, crossed the room and watched as the recording repeated again and again. Even though it was merely a recording, she superstitiously kept herself at arm's length away from the wall monitor. Her eyes flashed with emotion at the sight.

In Valen's name, it IS them. Just like the old records described.

Delenn composed herself, schooling her face to show indifferent neutrality. She turned back to Endawi and said, "Yes, I'm quite sure."

Endawi turned to the two officers. "I assume nothing like this has entered Babylon 5 space lately?"

"No," answered Sheridan. "Something like that I'd recognize."

"You sure it's not connected in any way to those extra-universal ships?"

"I seriously doubt that. If it is, the Newcomers would have called in that ship for help against the Centauri and...." Sheridan grimaced here. "...and EarthForce."

Endawi nodded, mistaking Sheridan's expression as distaste for the Newcomers. "All right, that's reasonable. Well, I shouldn't have expected to hit it right off the bat. I'll need to speak with all the other ambassadors about this, Captain, strictly on the q.t. Of course, I would ask the Newcomer ambassador, but PsiCorps couldn't spare anyone at this moment. For my safety, of course. This may take a while, so if you could find me a place to stay...."

Ivanova stepped forward. "That's already taken care of. If you'll just follow me."

"Thank you." Endawi turned to regard Delenn. "Ambassador." Then he left Sheridan's office with Commander Ivanova.

Sheridan stood from his chair and walked around his desk to watch the wall monitor with Delenn. Her closeness comforted his nervousness about EarthDome and the spidery black ship.

"A few months ago, you told me about an ancient race. The Shadows. This is one of theirs, isn't it?"

Delenn nodded and Sheridan let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. He had been worried that the black ship was connected to the Newcomers, even came from their universe.

Perhaps it would have been better that way.

Delenn looked into Sheridan's eyes, feeling out his emotions in them. "I'm sorry I could not tell him the truth. But our only chance is in allowing the Shadows to think we are unaware of their return while we prepare our own forces."

"But you said you've never seen one before!"

Delenn took a breath. "That part was true. Descriptions of these ships have come down to us from the last Great War, but I have never actually seen one until this moment. These ships—once they target you, they never stop, never slow down, never give up until they have destroyed you! They are nearly invincible." She wondered about the Newcomers. Have they fallen to the Shadows' temptations yet? If they are Darkfriends, servants and minions of the Shadows, the forces of the Light should tread carefully around the Newcomers. Captain Kirk did say that the Excelsior had some knowledge of the Shadows....

Sheridan frowned at Delenn's words. He remembered the Yolu ambassador saying that Minbari never lie, but the truth they say may not be the truth you think you hear. "I don't believe that. Every ship has a weakness."

"Believe what you will, until experience changes your mind." Pointing at the monitor, Delenn continued. "Take a good look, John, and remember it well. That is the face of our enemy!"

The spiny black ship wheeled around in the red hell of hyperspace once more and its purple concentration of destruction swept towards Lieutenant Warren Keffer's Starfury and the image dissolved once more into snowy static.

xxxxxxxxx

David Endawi came out of Ambassador Londo's quarters, shaking his head. Useless testimony! Seeing the black ship in a dream of all things! Turning a corner in the corridor, he nearly bumped into two aliens. From his work in EarthForce Intelligence, Endawi recognized them as a Yolu and a Markab.

Amazing. A Markab. From all accounts, the Markab people should have been extinct, but those...interlopers from another universe saved them.

"Ambassador Fashar, how are you feeling?"

The Markab ambassador said, "As well as I can be! My world teeters on the edge of civil war. The Markab Provisional Government is having difficulties with rebels on the colony world of Faile Jah. A good thing I hasn't been recalled to Homeworld! So, yes, I am feeling fine!"

Endawi had the grace to look embarassed. "I'm sorry about that. Earth is doing all it can for the Markab people. Perhaps I can put in a word with EarthForce about your problems."

"No. It is an internal matter. No military. Just food and medicine."

"All right then. Can I see both of you in my quarters?"

The Yolu ambassador spoke up. "We know of which you seek. The ship in hyperspace."

Endawi began to look hopeful. The Yolu were said to be a starfaring people for about three thousand years, far longer than even the Minbari. And the Markab were also in space for a long time, although a few centuries shorter than the Minbari. "You know, ambassadors? What is it?"

The Yolu glanced at Fashar. "We see what Earth media show and tell of. Warn your government. Warn of shadows in the night. They mean darkness at noon."

Fashar smiled at Endawi. "Please excuse my friend. He is quoting, more or less, from his people's sacred scripture. I do not know the ship that your media showed. But descriptions have come down to us from a thousand years ago. The owners of that ship are the masters of the Soldiers of Darkness."

Endawi looked skeptical. "Soldiers of Darkness?"

"Yes. My world was part of an alliance that fought in a war. Soldiers of Darkness almost ruined my world before their masters left."

The Yolu added, "My people have walked among the stars for so long. But even so, we were frightened of the power of the Darkness. It was the power to disrupt the Coo-tah. The Coo-tah surrounds us and penetrates us. It binds the galaxy together. The Darkness seeks to break that binding. Shamefully, we tried to withdraw from that alliance. One of those in the alliance, the Tak'cha, punished us for our weak will. Since then, we would not look for the Darkness. Better for the Light to burn our souls than the Darkness to touch us. Earther, beware of shadows dancing among the stars."

Fashar said, "The forces of Darkness do not move openly. They work through others. Use others. When the Darkness was defeated long ago, they scattered, hid themselves in secret places, and waited. Now, the dark hand is reaching out and recalling them from their sleep."

Endawi nervously thanked the ambassadors and quickly walked away. These aliens may be ambassadors, but putting such testimonies in his report would seem the ranting of a madman. But he must put their words down nontheless. Especially the Yolu's. Such an old people. EarthForce had tried to figure out the Yolu weapon technology which included the molecular disassociator but they had failed to achieve that powerful weapon. Can a people so old become...senile? Endawi didn't like that thought. If the aging process of a people reflects the aging process of a single person, God save the universe from the Minbari going senile.

And now for the ambassador of another ancient and powerful star nation. The Vorlon Empire.

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Wearing a breather mask, Endawi stood before a door among the mists of the alien sector of Babylon 5. "Ambassador Kosh, can I speak with you?"

Silence.

"Ambassador? Earth urgently needs to speak with you."

Finally a noise came out of the speaker beside the door. The sound of...a windchime? "You do not know who you are."

The Earth representative stood straight and puffed out his chest even though Kosh couldn't see him. Could never know with the Vorlons' legendary high technology. "Of course I do! I am David Endawi, EarthForce Special Intelligence Division."

"A puppet of puppets. Follow the strings and the truth will hold perils."

Endawi was feeling frustrated at the Vorlon ambassador. This is the ambassador of the legendary Vorlon Empire? He scoffed. He didn't have time for his intelligence to be insulted by arrogant aliens! He quickly went to the airlock dividing the alien sector from the rest of the station. Just as the airlock cycled close behind Endawi, the door to the Vorlon diplomatic quarters opened and Kosh gazed at where Endawi had been.

USS Excelsior

Lojur frowned at what he was seeing. Now this was unusual. "Sir? An Earth shuttle and a Minbari flyer are departing Babylon 5 and making their way to the jumpgate. Together."

Captain Sulu leaned forward in his command chair. Usually in this universe, aliens avoid each other in traffic except at great need. "Mr. Akaar?"

The Capellan security officer checked the sensor readings at Tactical. "Bioreadings show the occupants to be Captain Sheridan, Commander Ivanova, Ambassador Delenn, Lennier and another unidentified human."

Sulu stroked his chin as he watched the shuttle and flyer enter the open jumpgate and disappear into another dimension. There must be a great need indeed. "Ms. Rand. Send the information to Enterprise. Send on subspace in normal space toward Bel-Nar and on tachyon through our sensor array in hyperspace. Keep adding the array's reading of their direction in jumpspace to the message."

Babylon 5

Morden took out a small black device and set it on Londo's coffee table. "Since you feel strongly about going our separate ways, I wanted to be sure we understood the terms of our separation." The handsome human sat down in Londo's sofa as he activated the device through a small remote control. A hologram of a slowly rotating galaxy appeared in the air above the low table.

Londo noticed that it had none of the gaseous blurs of normal galactic maps. Every star in the holographic map was clear and distinct. Had Mr. Morden's associates explored and charted every parsec in the galaxy? The Royal Admiralty on Centauri Prime would love to have its hands on this holomap device. Of course, that would mean those associates turning their power onto the Centauri worlds, so he wouldn't think of stealing the device at all. Morden continued to speak as the holographic galaxy rotated as if it was a living thing.

"Ah, here we are! This area over here is for the Centauri." A fence of flame burned through the holomap, separating most of one spiral arm from the rest of the galaxy. The stars of this fenced off area turned green. Londo was pleased to see that all of the stars ever held by the Republic throughout its long history were contained within that area. And many more that were not explored or charted yet within and beyond Known Space.

"Conquer all the worlds you like. We won't bother you. As long as it's understood that this area is ours." Morden pressed the remote control again and a second flaming fence replaced the first, this time enclosing the rest of the galaxy outside the indicated Centauri sphere of influence and the stars enclosed turned red. Londo squinted at the holomap. Could Morden's associates truly include the Minbari Federation and the Vorlon Empire within their own sphere of influence? Troubling....

"You can take anything in your area, and we'll have everything we want over there."

Londo had one concern about the inequity implied in the holomap. "What guarantee do we have that your forces will not decide to turn around and attack us?"

"None. Ambassador, we both know what promises and treaties mean. All I can tell you is we have what we want. The rest is of no concern to us."

Londo mulled that answer over in his mind. While Morden's answer made sense and seemed honest, it sounded a little too much like what Lord Refa once said to him. "Treaty? Ink on a page!" With this much space assigned over to the Centauri, it would take the Royal Navy and the noble Houses centuries to Centaurize all the worlds contained in that space.

"Done! We go our separate ways, and we owe each other nothing."

Morden flashed his white teeth through a smile, looking glad of Londo's capability to understand. "Of course. Oh! One small exception hardly worth mentioning...this world?" He pressed the remote control once more and a pinpoint of starry light began flashing in the holomap. "It's on the border of your space, but we have a vested interest in it."

The holographic display zoomed into that flashing pinpoint of light. Londo, for a moment, felt like he was on a starship traveling at impossible speeds, as the display pushed the stars of the galaxy into nothingness until ringed gas giant with moons quickly grew into existence. The device had the ability to pinpoint and show any world in the map! What a device! Londo had a mind to advice the Royal Court and the Royal Admiralty to try recreating this device. It would be extremely useful for Royal cartographers and ship navigators.

"I've taken the liberty of asking Lord Refa to secure it for us."

Londo snapped his attention back to Morden, unpleasantly surprised. "Refa?"

Morden grinned at Londo's surprise. "Well, you said you wanted nothing more to do with us, and he was quite open to my request. He secured the planet for us, and now my associates will take custody of it."

Londo was now breathing hard. Refa! The biggest hole in his plans to save the Great Republic. He once heard of an Earth saying: 'Give a bit and your whole hand will be bitten.' Refa! One of the biggest ducks capable of nibbling the Republic to death. Refa! With access to the power of Morden's associates in addition to the troubling rumors of House Refa's connections to House Tavari's secret activities, he could be emperor instead of the Emperor! Already, Londo could see Centauri Prime burning because of the idiocy of Refa. He remembered his terrible dream of meeting the woman in white who worked for the terrible Morgoth. Refa would make a much better Darkfriend for that woman and Morgoth. He really should do something about Refa before Homeworld burns.

Morden was saying, "The rest is yours. Good day, Ambassador."

Londo remembered what Mr. Endawi showed him. A black spider in the red hell of hyperspace. "Mr. Morden, I was thinking, I've never really seen the ships that you and your associates have used in...helping us. Perhaps one of these days...."

Morden's smile evaporated unsympathetically. "Perhaps. Meanwhile, as I said, tell your forces to leave the blockade mines but to move their ships out of that area. You don't want them or anyone else hanging around when my associates come for Zagros 7!"

Somewhere at the edge of Minbari space

Sheridan gazed with awe at the ship waiting for them. While it wasn't as big as most of the ships of the races of the Advisory Council and the League, its sleek lines suggested speed in a way that the boxy Earth ships couldn't hope to attain. The Newcomer starships had similar sleek lines, but they didn't have the smooth beauty of this vessel. It was as if EarthForce hired the 20th century Barcelona architect Gaudi to design a ship, with Salvador Dali as an adviser. For quite a while, in the back of his mind, Sheridan had wanted to take any one of the Newcomer starships for a spin, but now he wanted this particular vessel.

"My God! It's beautiful!"

Marcus Cole smiled. "Her name is the White Star. And she's yours, Captain."

Sheridan's face lit up as if he just got the best Christmas present he ever had.

Babylon 5

David Endawi was still not satisfied. He just came from Citizen G'Kar with a story of 'Shadows' on the Narn homeworld and a war in space a thousand years ago. Not very useful even though it fit many other stories, especially from the Yolu and Markab ambassadors. But these were just that: stories. Like the story told by the Arnassian ambassador of a ship like the black ship appearing over a battlefield on her homeworld of JesVikla to help a royal family gain supremacy in return for having a base on the planet. She said something about the black ship being a "manifestation of Hevess, Queen of the Deep." Hard to believe considering that the Arnassians had been in space for almost longer than the Earth Alliance, only since the 2020's.

He wondered who else he could ask. The so-called Newcomers? He didn't feel comfortable about coming in person to their telepathic ambassador. Then again, he could take Garibaldi's suggestion of meeting G'Kar unofficially a step further....

Zagros 7

The White Star flew gracefully, blasting battle stations out of the skies of Zagros 7 to allow the trapped Rangers to escape. The mission to free the Rangers of Camp Zagros was looking to be a success. Although John Sheridan was worried that they hadn't detected any Centauri warship. The Centauri had thought it worthwhile to set up this blockade around Zagros 7 but then abandon the planet? It didn't fit what he knew of the Centauri mindset.

"Lennier, are the scanners working properly?"

The Minbari diplomatic aide appeared to take it as a criticism. "Would you like to see for yourself?"

"Yes!"

Lennier tinkered with his controls and a holographic projection dropped down at the front of the bridge, showing a wide view of everything around the White Star. Sheridan was once more amazed.

"Oh, this is—this is w.... Delenn, what else can this ship do?"

Delenn was enjoying Sheridan's reaction to the newest of the Minbari-Vorlon hybrid ships. "All in good time, Captain. All in good time."

Ivanova spoke loudly for everyone's attention. "We're picking up a disturbance! One ship, unknown configuration."

"Show me!" ordered Sheridan.

The holographic display zoomed in on the area of disturbance. Silhouetted against the rings of the gas giant, a spidery black ship was turning around to present its front to the White Star.

Delenn recognized the ship from Minbari descriptions and Lt. Keffer's video capture that David Endawi showed her. She whispered fearfully, "Shadows! In Valen's name!"

USS Enterprise

The Federation starship was once more in hyperspace, the mists roiling around the nearly invisible shield bubble around the white starship. Its cargo holds held crates of the precious and ridiculously expensive dilithium crystals from Bel-Nar. On the bridge, Galen groaned, using his staff to keep himself from falling over.

Kirk looked at the technomage with concern.

"My no-ship...it has detected an enemy. An ancient enemy." Galen squeezed his eyes shut once more. Usually, when a technomage senses a Shadow or one of its servants, it was a sensation of a far-off dread. Now...the sensation is like black slime so filthy it turned his stomach merely knowing that it's there. A taint. Like a thin slick of rancid oil upon the feeling of dread. The order had suspected that the essence of the Shadows would be changed by the touch of the Dark One, as if the Shadows were not foul enough. Galen had not thought that the Shadows' essence could be changed so much. He reached through his no-ship's sensors to probe the Shadow presence in hyperspace.

"So...foul," whispered Galen. He fought an urge to retch. "Captain Kirk, we must go to the enemy. It's chasing something important to the Light."

Kirk glanced back at Spock. Has the war that the galaxy been waiting for come already? "Maximize the subspace sensors and augment with tachyon scanners," ordered the starship captain. "Is the location noted in your no-ship's systems?" Receiving a nod from Galen, he pressed the intercom button in his command chair.

"Scotty, can the engines handle warp speeds in jumpspace yet?"

"Ach, Cap'n! We canna do that! The Excelsior is more advanced than the wee lass, but it nearly tore itself apart in the hyperwarp experiment. I'll have to open up a whole crate of those third-rate Bel-Nar dilithium. And that's not knowing if the dilithium will act like trilithium and kill us all!"

Galen spoke urgently into the intercom. "Check your instruments. I've instructed my ship to allow your ship to draw power from it."

"Ach, from that small wee vessel? It be like sipping power from a shuttlecraft!"

"Mr. Scott, it will be enough. Pinnace-class technomage vessels are equipped with a ZPM, a Zero Point Module."

Spock raised both eyebrows. His surprise was reflected by Scotty's voice. "Why didn't ye say so?! Zero Point Energy! It might be enough! Thank ye, Mr. Technomage!" After a pause, Scotty spoke once more. "Cap'n, we have power! Structural integrity field, shields, the works! We can go to warp in hyperspace! Warp 1, just to be safe."

Captain Kirk smiled as he glanced at Galen. It certainly helps to have more than one miracle worker on his starship. "It will be enough. Mr. Redpath, take us to warp...no...hyperwarp 1. Go!"

The starship Enterprise stretched and hyperspace saw its first rainbow colors of an engine warping space around a starship and attaining great speed. The nova-like warp-flash was quickly obliterated by the distortions of hyperspace.

USS Excelsior

David Endawi had shuttled over to the gleaming starship. The trip, although not within his orders from EarthDome, would be most informative for the Special Intelligence Division! Artificial gravity! Dozens of different aliens working together as a military ship crew! So bright and clean! Even a bit on the luxurious side. Although he knew this was a military vessel, it didn't feel very military. At least, not as military as the dark cramped militancy of EarthForce ships.

He shivered once more at the knowledge that some of these aliens were telepaths working openly and closely with normals.

Endawi frowned as he thought about the humans aboard. These humans, although allegedly from another universe, would be badly contaminated by those aliens. He looked to his side at his assigned bodyguard and escort. A human man with dark blond hair dressed in the same wine-red military uniform, except his belt was a sash woven of gold threads with tasseled edges. The guard had identified himself as the ship's chief of security, a human from Capella IV and a son of some dead man who sounded like a chief of chiefs of the Capellan tribes. What was his name? Leonard James Akaar. A comfortably familiar, yet odd, name.

He turned his attention back to the human that appeared Japanese sitting on a plush armchair in his office. Endawi continued to speak. "....since you are from another universe, I know it is a very long shot, Captain Sulu, but if there is anything you know about this ship, in the name of our common Earth origin, you could tell me...?"

Captain Sulu sipped at his tea and peered at his desk monitor which was playing the recording of the spidery black ship in hyperspace. He smiled up at the EarthForce Intelligence representative. "An extremely long shot indeed, Mr. Endawi. Are you sure you don't want some of this tea? It's very good, a blend invented by our resident Vulcan, Mr. Tuvok."

Endawi shook his head. He preferred pure Earth tea made by wholly human hands.Sulu continued. "And another thing. 'Our common Earth origin'? Quite a stretch, considering you admit in the same breath that we're from another universe."

Endawi shifted nervously on his feet, but he was determined to present as good a face as any Earther could.

Sulu smiled brightly. These extra-universals smile entirely too much, thought Endawi. "I was born in San Francisco on Earth. It's just not your Earth. No matter. You're in luck, Mr. Endawi. We do have information about that ship you're so curious about."

Endawi stared in surprise as Sulu pulled the datacrystal out of the dataport recently added to his desk computer. Pecking on the computer screen with his fingers, Sulu ordered it to bring up a specific file then turned the monitor to face Endawi.

The Earther stared in shock as the computer played a recording of not one, but four ships clearly belonging to the same civilization as the black ship in hyperspace. They appeared to shimmer into existence and fight some unknown alien fleet in close proximity to what was clearly a Centauri fleet.

He watched in awe, his mouth open, as the black ships totally destroyed the unknown alien fleet and left the Centauri alone. He looked back at Sulu.

Jackpot!

White Star

"The Shadow is still on our tail!" shouted Ivanova.

"Good!" said Sheridan.

Delenn was frightened, her fears ingrained by her temple education on the Ancient Enemy. "Listen to me, Captain! You don't know what you're dealing with! The weapons on this ship aren't strong enough to hurt a Shadow vessel of that size! We must find help! We cannot hope to destroy a ship like that alone!"

If the situation wasn't so serious, Sheridan would have thought that Delenn was being funny. Clearly, she had forgotten about his fame as 'Starkiller' among the Minbari. "With all due respect, Ambassador.... I've heard that before!"

Lennier was watching his instruments tell him about how fast the Ancient Enemy was closing on their tail. Sheridan's explanation to Ivanova about why they should hide the White Star's ability to make independent jumppoints made sense to him. A weapon to be used as long as the Shadows didn't know about the small ship's ability. Then a question from Sheridan perked Lennier's ears. He looked up to follow the conversation more closely.

"Tell me, Commander, have you ever wondered what would happen if you opened a jumppoint while inside a jumpgate?"

Ivanova gasped. "No! And neither should you! EarthForce experimented with the idea during the Minbari War. They called it the "bonehead maneuver." No offense!" That was directed at Lennier.

Amused and fascinated at where the conversation was going, Lennier only said, "None taken."

"Because it's suicide! Forming a jumppoint inside a jumpgate releases a staggering amount of energy! None of our ships could clear the blast range before being blown to bits!"

"But this isn't one of our ships!" countered Sheridan. "Mr. Lennier, what do you think? Is this ship fast enough to get out before the gate blows?"

"I have no idea."

Sheridan wasn't reassured. So be it. If they die, they die. The Shadows cannot know about this ship's capabilities and the identity of its owners. "Well, it'll do. Where's the nearest abandoned jumpgate, Mr. Lennier?"

After consulting his instruments while keeping an eye out for the closing Shadow vessel, Lenner looked up and answered. "There is an abandoned jumpgate at Salos on the edge of the Caliban Sector."

Ivanova's eyes widened. "The Caliban Sector! That's quite a way from here! Can we make it?"

Sheridan grimly said, "We'll find out soon enough. Lennier, tell them to head for the Salos Jumpgate, best speed!"

Delenn glanced at Sheridan nervously. Ivanova was right. The Caliban Sector was far from here. The Shadow vessel was still closing in on their tail. Added to the problem was the remnants of the supernova that destroyed the Dilgar homeworld of Omelos in the Caliban Sector. Ships nowadays made a wide berth around the sector to avoid the remaining dangers of the supernova. The only vessels that dared the dangers of Caliban were those looking to scavenge for Dilgar artifacts on abandoned outposts and outlying colonies like Salos and those looking for first-hand evidence for their research into the Dilgar War. It was oddly poetic. Earth and the League of Non-Aligned Worlds defeated the Dilgars in a titanic battle at Salos and they were about to test a weapon against the Shadows at that old battle site.

The Shadow was now close enough to shoot. A purple beam of destruction narrowly missed one of the White Star's wings. Delenn gasped. The Ancient Enemy would risk battle in hyperspace itself to find out about them!

"How long to Salos?" asked Sheridan urgently.

Lennier grimly shook his head. "Not long enough for us to escape another shot like that." A crystal lit up in Lennier's console and he looked up in surprise. "Another ship, closing fast!"

Another! The chasing Shadow must have called for reinforcements to cut off their escape. Morbidly, Sheridan wondered what would have happened had the Markab people all died off from the Drafa Plague. That would have made the much closer Markab jumpgate available for their 'bonehead' escape.

Sheridan went to stand beside Delenn, not caring about propriety in front of others anymore. His hand found her hand and they held hands tightly as they stood side by side, prepared to die in Shadow fire.

A flash of light bloomed in hyperspace through the bridge's front windows. Sheridan started. Had the Shadow fired some kind of missile and missed?

Lennier made a noise of surprise. "Captain! It's the Enterprise!"

USS Enterprise

Kirk could just see the huge black ship bearing down on that strange, yet beautiful, small ship as the Enterprise came out of 'hyperwarp'. The skin of the black ship appeared to ripple like oil. It was so slippery black that Kirk had a hard time keeping his eyes on it. He narrowed his eyes and made a fist in front of his face.

"I do not like bullies. Mr. Chekov, FIRE!"

Two of the starship's phaser cannons opened fire and red bolts found their mark on one of the Shadow's spines. The organic armor on the spine glowed, dispersing the phaser fire over itself. The Shadow veered off course, wobbling. A piercing scream of pain sounded in everyone's mind.

Kirk winced. Now this was different from any other ship he had ever fought. And it fit Sulu's descriptions of the terrible black ships in the battle at the transit point, as well as that ship that ISN showed last week.

Uhura turned around, looking a bit dazed from the psychic scream. "Sir, the small alien vessel is hailing us on tachyon."

"Onscreen."

The main viewscreen blinked to the image of the alien vessel's bridge. Kirk was mildly surprised to see it was Captain Sheridan. "It's a small galaxy, Captain!"

Sheridan grinned. "Thanks yet again for the rescue, Captain! Follow us. The White Star will need your help just a bit more."

Kirk nodded his agreement curtly and the main viewscreen blinked back to the image of the Shadow correcting its course and began to bear down on the White Star once more. The Federation starship swerved to place itself behind the White Star, putting itself between the two fighting ships.

Kirk thought it was odd that from above, the beautiful ship had the shape of an angel with a peaked hood or hat. It made him think of Ambassador Kosh's angelic appearance the week before.

The starship shook as the Shadow shot at it, causing the shields to glow. A phaser lashed between the pylons supporting the ship's warp nacelles. It impacted directly on the Shadow's broad front. It wobbled, but remained on course. Another psychic scream sounded as the Shadow fell behind before regaining its speed.

What the hell? thought Kirk as he watched the black ship on the main viewscreen. Is it bleeding

Spock said, "The unknown alien is resisting our scans. The most I can detect is that it is organic and appears to contain a single life sign inside. No engine or power source is detectable. The White Star is also organic, but only on the surface. It appears to be the result of a blending of Minbari crystalline technology and a form of biotechnology. The biotechnology appears similar to what we have seen with the Vorlon ambassador's personal ship."

Kirk raised his eyebrows. "An alliance between the Minbari and the Vorlons?"

"Possibly."

Mr. Chekov called out. "The black wessel is still closing."

Uhura said, "Captain Sheridan is signaling that they're opening a jumpgate. He's asking that as soon as they open a jumppoint, we run with him away as fast as possible."

Kirk was puzzled. He signaled his agreement at Uhura. He thought opening a jumpgate was enough and didn't need a jumppoint. "Spock, what would happen if a ship activates its warp drive within an already active warp field?"

"The warp field would continue to function although it would be disrupted drastically. It would have an adverse influence on any starship not as finely tuned as a Starfleet vessel. Simply put, the starship whose warp drive is not so finely tuned would...be destroyed. Or seriously disabled at best."

"Mmmm...does hyperspace technology function on similar principles?"

"That, Jim, I do not know."

"The black ship is huge and very powerful. The blast radius of such a ship blowing would be...big. Can Captain Sheridan escape the blast fast enough?"

"Again, I do not know. However, from the sensor readings of his ship's engines, I doubt it."

"All right, then. Mr. Chekov, ready the tractor beam. Uhura, signal them that we will assist in their escape speed."

Redpath called out, "Jumpgate vortex opening!"

"Follow them closely! Mr. Chekov, tractor them as soon as a jumppoint forms!" ordered Kirk.

"Aye, aye, Keptin!"

Kirk could see a blue vortex opening in front of the White Star. He didn't understand why conduits into and out of hyperspace would have a color code. Blue for exits and yellow for entrances. It made things easier, he thought.

As soon as the stretching feeling of transiting between the dimensions ceased, Kirk could see the struts of a jumpgate. An extremely bright nebula nearly covered everything and appeared to be full of dangerous energies. He guessed that the jumpgate was at the edge of a supernova event. A dark burned-looking planet hung in the distance, appearing to mark the border between the nebula and the void of black space.

Then a bright light pierced the side of the still open jumpgate, indicating the beginning of a jumppoint. Chekov and Redpath did their jobs almost before Kirk yelled out his order.

"Tractor beam! Warp 1, NOW!"

The Federation starship latched onto the White Star with the shimmering blue-white light of a tractor beam and began to accelerate towards the warp threshold. In the same instant, the Shadow ship began to phase into normal space. The jumpgate exploded. The mini-nova was puny compared to the nova that destroyed the nearby extinct Dilgar homeworld, but it was spectacular enough to vaporize the Shadow ship.

The Enterprise treated the White Star to the experience of rainbow-colored speed just beyond the limit of the speed of light. They successfully outran the expanding shockwave. The starship, once certain of the dissipation of the unexpectedly powerful blast, soon dropped back out of warp and released Sheridan's ship which drifted aimlessly for a moment before righting itself.

White Star

Dazed, Sheridan looked around. "Everyone all right?"

Ivanova quipped as she shakily held onto the back of the command chair and looked at Marcus, "I don't feel squished into the back of the bridge, do you? I feel fine."

Delenn shakily looked out of the window to be sure they weren't moving at the recent impossible speed. "Fine, I think. Lennier?"

Getting no answer from her aide, she turned to look at him. Lennier was holding onto his console tightly, his eyes showing white all around the pupils, his mouth partly open. Delenn rushed over to shake him out of his shock. "Lennier! Are you all right?"

"I was just thinking that, uhh, in all my years in temple, nothing ever prepared me for this sort of experience! And perhaps that when this is all over, that I will submit a proposal to revise the program."

Delenn cried out with good-humored relief.

"I think that would be a very good idea," added Lennier.

Babylon 5

Sheridan's Earth shuttle and Delenn's Minbari flyer returned to the space station even as the Enterprise parked herself beside the Excelsior, flanking the civilian ship Hakudo Maru.

Soon, Captains Kirk, Spock, Sulu and Doctor McCoy joined Captain Sheridan, Ivanova, Garibaldi, Dr. Franklin, Delenn and Marcus Cole in the EarthForce Briefing Room. Both groups looked at each other with curiosity except for Garibaldi who looked at the Newcomers with a little suspicion even though he was grateful for their rescue of his captain yet again. Delenn was relieved to know that the Newcomers weren't Darkfriends.

After thanks were made, Sheridan spoke. "Although some of us, like Susan here, make it a point to watch everything that happens on Babylon 5, most of the rest don't have that option. Now, up until now, Delenn and I, and maybe Garibaldi here, have had all the pieces to what's going on out there. The return of the Shadows, the Rangers, the loss of my wife on Z'ha'dum. The first thing I learned at the Academy was that a lack of information can kill you. We can't afford that! So I'm creating a War Council. We'll meet every two weeks for now, unless something urgent comes up. The War Council will consist of each of us, whichever Ranger is stationed here at the time, and a few others I hope to add later. Whatever knowledge or information we have will be shared among the rest. There are no ground rules. Anyone can say anything he or she wants to say!"

Kirk nodded. "Starfleet Academy taught that lesson too. I don't like the sound of having a War Council. But even I, an outsider, can see the need for that. I can see that the galaxy, your galaxy, needs all the help it can get. The United Federation of Planets is represented by only two starships and a civilian research vessel. Not much of a fleet, I know, but we agree and we are grateful to be part of this War Council."

Drs. McCoy and Franklin began to speak at the same time. Startled and embarassed, they looked at each other, seeing a fellow doctor bridged by the common bond of the Hippocratic Oath. Franklin smiled and conceded the floor to McCoy.

"I'm usually the last to know what's happening on my ship—"

Franklin laughingly interrupted. "As am I here on Babylon 5!"

McCoy rolled his eyes theatrically. "I'm sure other doctors have the same problem. We save people's lives and heal hurts. The least you, as our damned patients, can do for us is to tell us what's going on." He whirled around to Sheridan. "Now. What the hell are these 'Shadows'?"

Sheridan nodded at Delenn who then took a posture of a temple teacher. "There are beings in the universe billions of years older than any of our races. They walked among the stars like giants, vast and timeless. They created great empires, taught the new races, explored beyond the Rim. The oldest of the ancients are the Shadows. We have no other name for them...."

EarthDome, Geneva, Switzerland, Earth

A senator was sitting at her desk, looking over the summary she just got from David Endawi.

"You'll find the report quite complete, Senator," said Endawi. He took out a datacrystal from a pocket in his suit. "This contains the recordings given me by one of the extra-universal ship captains."

The senator took the crystal in her hand and set it on top of the papers containing Endawi's report. She looked back up at the Special Intelligence agent. "And no one else knows what this ship is or where it came from?"

"Not that I could determine. I came across some interesting stories here and there. Most of it from a thousand years ago. I don't know whether it has any relevance or not. The only concrete evidence is in that datacrystal on your desk, Senator."

The senator arched an eyebrow. "Quite. We'll leave all of this for the experts. Good work on this, Endawi! We'll let you know what we find." She shook hands with Endawi who then departed her office. As soon as the door closed behind Endawi, her face expression turned into one of contempt and the senator sat down at her desk. A door opened on another side of the office and two men came out to sit at the visitors' chairs in front of the senator's desk.

As a welcome for these two men, the senator lashed out with annoyance. "I told you to wait outside! You could have been seen!"

Morden gave the senator of his best winning smiles and held up both hands. "No harm! No one knows who I am."

The senator frowned at him. "It's all here. They don't have much to go on. A little from the Narns."

Morden dipped his head with a smile. This man smiles entirely too much, thought the senator. "Yes, well, that's to be expected. But I think we've neutralized that problem. Nothing else, then?"

The senator leaned back into her chair, smiling. She would enjoy wiping that smile off Morden's face. "Well, there's the extra-universals, the so-called Newcomers."

Morden waved a hand as if warding off an annoying insect. "How can they be a problem? They're from another universe. They can't possibly know about the ship or my associates."

The senator's smile widened. "Oh really?" She held up the datacrystal. "Mr. Endawi got this from them. Watch." She inserted the crystal into a wall monitor behind her. She watched Morden carefully as his smile faded at what the monitor showed. Four black ships appearing and eliminating an unknown alien fleet, clearly helping the Centauri fleet depicted within the recording.

She certainly enjoyed wiping the smile off of Mr. Morden's face.

Morden fingered his pendant. "My associates will be disappointed about this development. They will deal with the extra-universals soon enough. They don't matter." His damnable smile flashed back onto his face. "Your government can dismiss this as an isolated incident."

The PsiCop sitting beside Morden leaned forward. "I don't know. There's something about this idea of a threat to planetary security I find very appealing. As long as we keep the real truth to ourselves, there's no reason we can't use this situation to speed up the program here at home. And use it to get at those intruders."

Morden turned and leaned forward in his chair to give the PsiCop his full attention. "Interesting. What exactly do you have in mind?"

Somewhere far to the anti-spinward ("east") of Earth's Solar System

A Romulan R'Derex-class warbird swooped to avoid a shot, narrowly succeeding. The warbird shot back at the unseen enemy in retaliation. Even so, the feral-looking warbird was already trailing plasma from a nacelle. It was soon apparent that the unseen enemy was large enough to cast a shadow upon the fleeing warbird. If sound could travel in the vacuum of space, a viewer would feel from the enemy vessel a powerful rumble deeper than a volcano could make before its eruption.

A green beam finally found its mark on the warbird, destructively disabling it. The enemy vessel moved on, causing the drifting warbird to disappear into the shadow of its underside.