From: "Daniel Collins" <encol@nsw.bigpond.net.au>
Subject: Agents Of The Dark, Second Attempt, 5.1
Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 17:43:33 +1000

~ ~ ~ Agents Of The Dark ~ ~ ~
Series Five: Second Attempt
Part One: Rebuilding From Scratch
By:  Daniel Collins

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The destruction of the Babylon Station echoed throughout the galaxy as
every world that had funded it began to ask the question “Why?” No one
realised the forces working against them, no one knew the reasons for it’s
original destruction, but it didn’t matter. With the first station destroyed
before even going online, everyone was very reluctant to fund the rebuilding
of a second Babylon Station. The Earth Alliance was determined to make this
work, and the Minbari pitched in to help as well. Eventually the other races
decided to fund the station’s cause once again.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
“Following the unexplained destruction of the Babylon Station,
Earth decided on building another one,
To continue what had been started,
And to make sure it would hold.
But there were forces out there that no one knew about,
Forces that wanted to prevent the station’s construction.
It was a destiny to be upheld.
This is the story of the second Babylon Station,
The year is 2251,
The name of the place is Babylon 2…”
  - Major Thomas Rockwell

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
With so many supply ships flooding into the Epsilon system for the new
Babylon Station, hardly anyone would notice a few stray hitchhikers
expecting to find some temporary accommodation on board the station. That
was why this was so perfect. Although the last station’s destruction cost
them so greatly, not only with the loss of Turner, but the loss of the
transport carrying his “associates” away as the station exploded. This time,
it was imperative that everything went according to the exact time
specified.
Everything relied on time.
Corrolan and Barrett arrived on Babylon 2 three hours ago and were already
searching the station for the most vulnerable places, and the most suitable
places. In the meantime, their “associates” would use their own methods in a
similar search. For a station that hadn’t already gone online, the place was
filled with people, many of them supposedly much like themselves. Finding a
place to stay.
Nothing around them really bothered Corrolan or Barrett though. They had a
mission to carry out, and they intended to do so without delay – and without
mishap. Turner was one of their closest friends, and he died for the cause,
for the coming of shadows – and for the future…

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Workmen filled the area as Corrolan approached the Reactor Core – which was
the most obvious place to place any device that would destroy the station.
This time, the Core was heavily guarded, as they must have realised it was
the Reactor Core that destroyed the original Babylon Station last time. It
was good to see they were taking no chances, but it made Corrolan’s job a
lot harder.
Barrett was walking in the park on the inner layer of the circular wall of
the station. He looked up at the walls, and everything to lakes and trees.
Then his eyes strayed to the long ‘beam’ going straight through the middle
of the station. Attached to five other beams that supported it from the
outer wall. It would eventually become the station’s monorail link, but for
now, it was the next best thing…

There was only one problem…

How would he get up there?

Corrolan agreed that Barrett’s idea would most definitely work, and with
the approval of their associates, they set about trying to find access to
the closed Monorail link which went through the center of Babylon 2. It
almost appeared to be impossible as every access point to that level was
closed off, and the stations were still under construction, meaning that
they were covered with technicians and workmen.
However, their associates did know of a way to work around that…

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Work was extremely stressful when things never went your way – and when
working on a high level platform with zero gravity, it was supposed to be
easier, but it was only made harder. These were the pains the technicians at
monorail station five were presented with as they attempted to construct the
platform.
Dakka’s many workmates all felt the same way, but they tried not to show it
to the others. With everyone under so much stress, the added stress of
trying to hide something that everyone else knew made things unbearable.
Perhaps they were working too hard, and perhaps they deserved a holiday, but
they wouldn’t get one until Babylon Two went online without a glitch, and
with the reputation of the Babylon Curse already sweeping throughout the
galaxy, that time would probably never come.
As he continued complaining to himself, Dakka was distracted by a slight
buzzing in the air. He looked up and saw his other workmates continuing
their work, so he assumed it was nothing. But then he heard it again.
“What is that?” one of them asked. “Dak, do you know what it is?”
“No.” he replied, wiping the sweat away from his eyes. “I heard it before,
but I never heard it in my life before that.”
Then the buzzing returned.
“Whatever it is, it’s no insect!” another one commented.
But when the buzzing came back again, it’s sound had changed to a fierce
tone and one of the worker’s was thrown into the air. With what appeared to
be a stake going through his chest, he was thrown off the platform where he
plummeted to the ground below.
The other workmen looked in surprise.
“Would someone tell me what the Hell that was!?” one of them yelled in
terror.
“What on Earth was that?” another asked, as another worker appeared to be
stabbed in the chest again and thrown off.
“Get the hell outta here!” Dakka called to his team.
Two more workmen were grabbed and thrown off with their blood streaming all
over the deck. The buzzing continuously growing louder as the worker’s fled
the area.
“Shit! What the hell is going on here!?” one of the remaining worker’s
asked, and then he was stabbed. Dakka looked closely and almost made out a
shape. A shape that he had never seen before, ripping through his workmen’s
bodies as though they were rag-dolls.
“Leave my men alone you bastard!” Dakka called. The shape dropped its
victim to the ground and buzzed again. As Dakka concentrated, another shape
appeared behind the first. Trying to focus his eyes on the two shapes, Dakka
’s last sight was the two of them jumping at him. His eyes never forgetting
the sight of his own body falling to shreds and the pain never to leave his
head as he saw the platform leave so quickly and his remains entered a
freefall to the station’s wall.
The last thing he saw was the several few remaining workmen fall to death
straight after him…

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
When the dust had settled, Corrolan and Barrett received word that
everything was clear for them to do their work. The platform was a mess of
flesh, blood and what appeared to be bones. Their “associates” had certainly
done an effective job of removing any resistance, or obstructions to their
goals.
A mess was a kind word for what had occurred up there, and it wouldn’t be
long before station authorities would find out that something was wrong and
send a work team to investigate the situation. Given that the communications
systems weren’t fully operational, and how hard it would be to get to their
location, Corrolan and Barrett gave themselves ten minutes to complete their
work.
Corrolan moved down towards the tunnel leading into the platform and
started laying the explosives, Barrett concentrated on the platform, and
made sure everything was in place, and that everything would occur on time.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Time was quickly running out, and Corrolan and Barrett were hardly finished
their work. Suddenly, they were alerted to the sound of footsteps and voices
and could only conclude that security would be swarming this place in a
matter of minutes. Realising there was nothing more that could be done,
Corrolan quickly placed the last explosive, and Barrett tied up the final
circuit.
“That should be enough,” Barrett said. “Let’s hope it does the job.”
“Let’s get outta here before we see it first hand!” Corrolan replied, and
they grabbed their things and made for the opposite exit to the sounds of
security.
Corrolan looked at the clocks around the station and tried to find out if
the next supply ship would make it out in time, and if they could get on
that ship in time. A departure list was found at Customs, and Corrolan and
Barrett made for the gantry.
The security officer looked over their Identicards, and gave a strange
look.
“We need to return on the next available ship. My associate’s wife has
suffered a terrible stroke.” Corrolan tried to justify.
“Really?” the security officer replied, “Okay, I hope she gets better.”
Corrolan and Barrett boarded the ship which was due to depart within a few
minutes. It was their ticket off the station. Barrett had the control, and
Corrolan waited impatiently as the ship powered away from the docking bay of
the station.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Cunningham was surprised when his communicator beeped him and the Chief of
Security came in.
“What’s up Chief?” Cunningham asked.
“Cunningham, this is an emergency, there’s a hostile force on this station,
I don’t want anyone to get in or out until we find out what’s happened here.
Have any ships left the station in the last half hour?”
“Yes, a supply ship left two minutes ago carrying two people heading back
home.” Cunningham replied.
“Bring that ship back, I’m locking down the station.”
“Isn’t that a bit drastic considering the station hasn’t gone online yet?”
Cunningham asked.
“If you were up here, you’d feel the same way.” The Chief replied. “Chief
out.”

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Barrett noticed the change in the ships direction when Babylon Two moved
out of view from the window he was sitting at. When the ship had realigned
itself, the station was in front of them.
“What’s happening?” Barrett asked.
“We’ve been ordered to return to the station.” The pilot replied. “Must be
a security investigation or something.”
Barrett looked at Corrolan, and Corrolan shared his gaze. Babylon Two grew
larger in the forward window and Barrett looked at Corrolan once more, only
to have his glance bounced back. Then, a buzzing in his ear told Barrett
that he had to do what they came out here for. Corrolan heard it too and
looked at Barrett to get it done.
Barrett pulled out the control and moved his finger into position over the
switch. He took one final look at the Babylon Station, and pressed the
switch…

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The security team had just left the platform when a spark was heard, and
then an explosion erupted behind them. The explosion was so large that it
took every last one of the security team with it.
>From the deck, technicians looked up and saw the yellow eruption emanating
from the platform. The fire continued along the circuitry throughout the
beam and it spread rapidly to the supports holding the station’s outer hull
in place. The station began to rock and the beam was completely engulfed in
flames when the outer hull collapsed towards the middle as each support fell
into flames.
Hole’s in the outer wall began to form and everything inside the station
began to quickly fly out into space as the decompression continued to flow
throughout the station’s infrastructure.

A group of technicians near the docking bay, away from the explosion were
alerted by the station’s rocking, and when a wall of fire flew through the
bulkheads behind them, they realised they needed to escape. Quickly climbing
into the nearest escape pod, the crew ejected and watched the station fall
into pieces.

Corrolan looked out of his viewing window and watched as the station’s
insides exploded and the outer wall fell into the middle. The forward
section exploded as it rotated and the flames continued to engulf the
station. He noticed several specks leave the station, whether they were
debris or escape pods wasn’t certain.
The final sight of Babylon Two was the rotating sections explode and the
outer hull plates scattered throughout the Epsilon system…

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
“Star Hauler to Babylon Two, do you read?” The pilot called through his
communicator. “Star Hauler to Babylon Two, do you read?”
Corrolan sat there, staring out at the window, focussing on the small
specks that had evacuated the station before its death. Barrett looked at
the pilot, frightened and trying to piece together what had just happened.
“Star Hauler to any ship in Grid Epsilon? Do you read?” he tried in vain.
“This is Star Hauler, we require assistance. Need access to local jumpgate
at Epsilon Three. Cannot access jumpgate due to destruction of Babylon Two.
Repeat, we need access to the local jumpgate…”
“It’s no use.” Barrett said to the pilot. “I don’t think anyone will hear
you.”
“This is the Star Hauler to any ship, we are in need of immediate
assistance.” The pilot continued to try.

Corrolan and Barrett could only hope that his message did eventually find
someone, they couldn’t wait to return home – and make a full report of what
had happened…

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The End

Now that Earthforce has lost it’s second Babylon Station, the darkness knows
that there may still be more. Staying ever alert, they continue to be
prepared…
Stay tuned for the next Agents Of The Dark installment…