A Universe of Change

Record keeping:It's been a while since I wrote this but RPIS has dominated my mind for a while. The surgery went well although I can still feel a multitude of sutures in my eye every time i move them. But it is slowly getting better. Typing is slow, but the backups can be worked on for short periods of time.

The emails kicked in! Then I think it has died again. Oh, well.

In RPIS: The colonials are about to receive a crash course in beam weaponry and the Colonial marine are about to receive a crash course fighting Drakh soldiers infiltrating someone's battlestar.

In Master Xander, someone is threatening Alex in his own store. This is a bad thing. Plus, with Dolores Umbridge dare to dance the Bamboleo with Alex on a dare? (I would have him ask if she wanted to dance to the song Ain't gonna bump no more with a big fat woman, but she be offended and try to hex him- nice song look it up.). How will Skeeter react? How will Dumbledore and Harry and the others react? I have to be careful here (heh, heh). Umbridge has to prove a point and she can't show weakness but can she trust the spell Alex gives to her to dance. Is she passionate enough to try. Is her growing desire for the American strong enough to show up Skeeter? Does she have the strength to try? We shall see.

But that is for those stories and their future. Please enjoy this story here and now.

AlbertG

By Candle light Defiance

chapter seventeen

Deep Hyperspace

Nine Months post Vorlon and Shadow Exodus

Kosh Ura, the supreme head of what was left of the Vorlon Empire, observed jump space through the sensors that served as his eyes. The beauty of the red swirling unending uniqueness of jump space served to give him some measure of peace, something he desperately needed.

Peace for him was still elusive. He was a male filled with hatred.

Traveling submerged in a deeper layer of the other dimensional space, allowed for faster travel, but was also inherently more dangerous than regular jump space travel as used by the younger, lesser races. The other-dimensional energies possessed the possibility of generating insanity. Their technology wasn't sufficiently advanced enough to protect them. The Minbari were close, but they still had to work out some critical details. So, they weren't immune to the deleterious effects, yet.

Kosh Ura didn't care. It was their problem. The younger races rejected Vorlon wisdom. They chose to embrace chaos… the way of the Shadows.

He hated it.

He hated them.

The younger races were all useless pebbles, not even worthy of protection by the mountains. Let them be ground down into nothing by the incoming storm.

The Vorlon people had cut all ties with those wretched primitives who rejected them and Vorlon teachings. They had accepted the Shadow philosophy of strength through chaos, not the Vorlon ways of order. The young races' insolence gave the Shadows victory. After all the empire had done for the lesser races, after all the work the Vorlon people did and sacrificed, the primitives rejected them! His people had guided them for tens of thousands of years and in a matter of months, those primitives rejected them.

The Minbari turned their backs on the Vorlons, and he hated them. Those wretched Minbari, those ungrateful children, had no idea what they'd done. He considered them ungrateful hypocrites, who turned their backs on their benefactors. Worse, they did so in front of the shadows. That humiliation hurt more than he had possibly imagined it would.

He hated the Shadows as well, but that was different. Those creatures killed billions of his people, and destroyed Vorlon worlds, and then had the nerve to exult in the ultimate victory–the age-old conflict. The bitterness of their victory threatened to engulf his people, but they took solace in the destruction of the Shadows and their worlds by the Sinhindrea, their mutual enemies. With the loss of so many on both sides, the loss of the debate seemed to be a minor issue. The irony hadn't escaped him. The great debate was decided.

The Vorlons lost.

XXX

The debate was decided on that human station, Babylon Five, and here he despised the very word 'human'. They were worse than the Minbari. While he was on the station, he was almost killed and his terror filled the station, which furthered humiliated him in front of his once-enemies. Ura had accepted that. It was embarrassing, but only natural.

However, there were some whom he hated more. Those Federationists creatures, and especially the one called Guinan. He couldn't determine exactly what she was, only that she was duality. A first One who wasn't a First One. She was mortal, but timeless. Time had passed and still, he despised that creature. Her and her Federationists allies were abomination. They remained a mystery, and Vorlons hated not knowing.

Those abominations were protected by other First Ones. That, he understood. Lorien had made that clear. And there were other mysteries that couldn't be easily explained. The young races of the Federationists' quantum signature were that of this universe. But the signal, intercepted by both his people and the Shadows, originated from another universe. At first, he assumed that the abominations were from another universe, because of the signal. However, the more the Vorlons and Shadows discussed it, the more complex the questions became.

The Picard human had a local quantum signature, and the Vorlons chose not to scan Voyager's signature. At the time, there was no need to. Both elders assumed that they were from this universe. But why did they receive communication signatures from outside the universe? And how could they possibly achieve such a feat when the Vorlons had difficulty doing so?

He hated them!

Both Vorlons and Shadows searched for that Federation and their Klingon allies and had found nothing before they fled for the Rim. If they were from this universe, they had to be within forty thousand light-years. Other evidence indicated that they were extra-universal. It was a contradiction. The signature was conclusive. The Vorlon consciousness was in error. Those creatures were from this universe, sequestered and protected by some First One playing their own game. But those same unknowns had transferred humans and aliens to another universe, trained them and gave them forbidden technology far beyond their station. The Shadows and his people couldn't find them because they were transferred to another universe and then brought back. That was why that cursed know-it-all Admiral knew so much about Vorlon and Shadow secrets and why the Federation and others hadn't been found. That explained why they knew so much about the Sinhindrea and why their technology was so much more advanced than their station should have been allowed. Therefore, the Federation did exist somewhere in the galaxy. This was the only explanation that fit the facts. They just hadn't been found. And they never would be, not by his people or his once enemies. But still-

Again, his people were humiliated by other unknowns, and he hated those unknown entities for it. He yearned for revenge that would never come now. His only hope now was that the Sinhindrea would kill them all while his people were safely in the Rim.

The Rim called and he couldn't help but answer. The remains of three Vorlon fleets, and two Shadow fleets, were pushing hard to join the main group of surviving Vorlon and Shadows already heading for the rim. Contrary to the belief of the younger races, the Rim wasn't the edge of the galaxy, as many assumed. Kosh Ura would best describe it as a nexus, a rift that allowed one to enter a place where uncounted millions of First Ones dwelled.

If he was honest, he had no idea what the rim was, just that he and his people yearned for it, to join those others. To not be alone.

The Shadows felt the same way. Both would enter together. Perhaps it was the way it was always meant to be. Both races were ruined, each having only two to four million survivors of their race. Ura counted it a blessing that so many on both sides, still lived.

The Rim gave hope their flight would offer safety, and joining with the other Firs Ones would offer protection from the Terrors. He felt comfortable that they would offer protection and escape.

Travel in deeper level jump space was difficult with the supplies the fleet had, but he and the others were positive that they could travel the next three hundred years without too much hardship. Long range sensors detected the Vorlon and Shadow main fleets a few hours ago, and he was pleased that the others had waited for them.

Five hours later, the Vorlons were close enough to connect to the collective consciousness. The Shadows were within range of their telepathic Unity, as well.

Kosh Uresh contacted Kosh Ura as soon as he felt the connection strengthen enough for full communication. "Leader, we are blocked."

Ura couldn't comprehend the communication. "What?"

For a moment his fear was that the Terrors had somehow, impossibly, intercepted them.

"We are unable to continue our journey," Uresh explained. "We have remained here for the last two months. Our fleets were intercepted by a probe." The Vorlon sent a mental image, and sensor data to the leader's ship. The circular object, green and blue, glowed majestically in front of both the Vorlon and Shadow fleets. "It stopped all forward movement. We tried to go around it, but it would not allow us to. We attempted to communicate with it, but its response contained one word. 'Stay'. The communication itself was very unusual. It was projected mentally as well as physically. We felt it everywhere within our ships, within our very beings, and within our minds. One of our ships, and one of the Shadow motherships, attempted to destroy it. The attempt failed. The two ships were rendered into nonexistence, ripped apart at the quantum level. It hasn't been determined if the crews are dead. We can still hear them screaming in our minds. We postulate that they are being continually ripped apart and reformed."

Ura could feel the terror coming from the other Vorlon.

"We stayed and had did not move. We received another transmission again is only one word. 'Wait'. There was no further explanation, but we believe they wanted us to wait for you to arrive."

Kosh Ura was frightened. He and his ship tried to analyze the probe and were unable to do it. It was as if the probe wasn't there. The only thing he could think of was, First One. This had to be one of their constructs. It was also a demonstration of power that both the Shadows and Vorlons could not ignore.

"We will be there shortly."

Kosh Ura suspected that whoever or whatever had created the probe, one of them all together, for what reason, he didn't have any idea. Perhaps it would be some sort of test, to see if they were worthy to continue on. But he was unsure.

When the second fleet finally arrived to join the first fleet, the probe began to glow more intensely. The construct grew to five times its normal size. Then it spoke. The voice was powerful, deep, and held an authority that no one could dispute, or ignore.

"You have violated the terms of your agreement, the promised to the elders," the voice said. "Vorlon and shadow were to remain and teach the younger races, to guide them, so that they could mature safely. Instead of guiding them, you subjugated them to suffer in your petty games. The elders are not pleased because you have abandoned your responsibility. You will not be allowed to proceed to the rim. You're not worthy. Your elders do not want you because you have broken your promise."

The probe continued to glow, and there was no communication for the next several minutes. Both Shadow and Vorlon held their collective breaths. Both acknowledged that this was indeed a test, and both awaited the outcome. For six long hours, the two young First One fleets waited in hyperspace and all the while the tension grew. Knowing the importance of the outcome, they were willing to wait for years if necessary. For their future existence, it was too important for them not to wait.

Two hours later, sensors screamed in every ship as the living entities detected another disturbance approaching. What approached was a power like nothing they'd experience before. Not even the ships of the Furst Ones of Old felt like this. As the disturbance moved closer, sensors could see jump space being warped around it. On the Shadow vessels, the telepathic computers, human and alien, shriveled and threatened to burn out as their ship's sensors refused to analyze what they were seeing. On the Vorlon ships, those vessels screamed in terror and refused to use their sensors to scan what approached lest the living vessels went mad.

The Shadows saw absolute order and were terrified. The Vorlons saw absolute chaos and withered before it.

The eyes of both species couldn't properly interpret what they were seeing. It could have been a ship, but the Vorlons and shadows didn't know for sure what it was. It pulsated with colors never seen before. And both species were allowed to see those new colors, and the Vorlons and Shadows were amazed and afraid.

The entity/ship stopped less than a kilometer from the almost panicked fleets. Communications opened, and the disturbance spoke to them in voice as well as in their minds.

Kosh, Ura and the Shadow Lord felt the communication was more primal than what they initially thought. Every living cell in their bodies could hear and understand the words being spoken. Undoubtedly, this was judgement time.

"Vorlon and Shadow. Order and chaos. Light and dark. Betrayers of trust," the disturbance said. "Few mature Races are given the responsibility you so callously threw away. Your orders were to nurture the younger races until they could stand on their own. You chose instead to manipulate them for your own amusement and petty games. You did not help. You pitted them against one another." Both races shrank away, but there was no place to go. "How many races are extinguished because of you? Nature chooses, not you. Vorlons, you have released a plague because you did not destroy the gate when you had a chance to do so. Shadows, you could have stayed and fought with those you played with and turned into little more than savages. The Drakh are a dying race. The Minbari would be extinguished because of Vorlon indifference. So many errors, which could be corrected for if you had tried. You could have failed, but you could have tried. The others, as you call them, will come together with the younger races and together they will fight. They will suffer and mature without your manipulation from you."

Kosh Ura was frightened. "We did what we believed was best."

The Shadow Lord echoed those words.

"We do not fault you for your mistakes. Life is filled with mistakes. You are rejected because you did not learn from them. Pride is the first and greatest of all sins from which all others come from. You ran when you were supposed to stay and stand with the younger races."

Both Shadow and Vorlon almost collectively died. They were being rejected! They would not be allowed to join with the others in the Rim. All of their work, all of their waiting, was for nothing! Each one was preparing to blame the other!

"Instead of helping," the entity/device continued, "you showed only disdain. Instead of supporting them, you blamed them for your mistakes and left them to die, while you searched for the Rim. it is hubris. It is arrogance. But it is correctable."

Within a heartbeat, the Shadow Lord understood. "If we go back, we will die!"

"You can stand with your charges and show them you have honor. You can honor them."

"The pebbles spurn us. Why would be stand with them now?" the panicked Kosh screamed. "The others will stand against us. They are not trainable."

"The others do not need to be trained. Further training will be for you, not them. Learn from them, if you can."

"What can we learn from them?" the supremely angry Kosh Ura spat. "How to die?"

"You can learn humility." The voice continued. "And responsibility. Return and finish what was begun."

"If we return, we will die!" the Vorlon spat. The alien glowed brightly as terror overtook him.

"Then you will die fulfilling your responsibility. The Rim rejects you until you fulfill your responsibility. Those few who survive after fulfilling their duty shall be accepted."

The First Ones experienced a fresh wave of unbridled fear. "The Sinhindi will destroy us all!" the Shadow lamented. "This is the fault of the Vorlons. Why should we suffer because of them?"

"Return," the disturbance said. "You are rejected. Return and redeem yourselves."

It took an hour before the First Ones could summon the strength to respond. "We will return and follow the letter of the law as described by the elder First Ones who gave us our charges."

"The letter of the law? If that is your choice," the voice said, as if there was any choice at all. "Learn from the others," the voice carefully advised.

Both leaders recoiled, fighting to control their anger as he slowly ordered their fleet to return, a voyage that would take months. Ura wanted to procrastinate, but didn't dare to do so, lest it be counted against them.

And there were so many questions. Where would they go? Where would their base of operation be? Would they openly work with the younger races? Would they freely sacrifice themselves for those pebbles, the same pebbles who despised them and didn't listen to them as they should have? How would they defend themselves against the Sinhindrea, whom surely would have swept through the races by the time they returned? Ura was almost hoping that had already happened. If there was nothing left, then his people could leave without guilt. Those were questions that required answering and prepared for before they returned.

Life was now so chaotic. But the Vorlon Kosh Ura almost went insane with fear and revulsion. He knew exactly what the voice meant by learning from the others.

The creature Guinan.

"We will grant you a boon," the voice said. "We will allow the ones who attacked us to die."

Without another word, the disturbance and the probe disappeared into the void, leaving the terrified First Ones to turn back. The journey would take months, but there was little choice, none at all. Needless to say, the Koshs were livid and terrified. They needed someone to blame and that blame now began to focus on one person, that Kosh hated most of all. The human that was not human. The one that was duality. The one that Kosh cared for. The one that defied him. The one that hinted that the Rim would be denied his people. the First One who was not a First One.

The one he feared.

And the hatred would fester.

A