From skabax@istar.ca Sun Dec 22 23:16:25 1996 Date: Fri, 13 Sep 1996 14:35:14 -0700 From: Patrick Sky Courtemanche To: akosut@ace.nueva.pvt.k12.ca.us Subject: Forgiveness & Redemption (ver. 1.3) (story form) Legal Stuff: The B5 crew and everything native to the B5 universe belongs to JMS and Babylonion prod. The Blockade Runner, the fighters its carrying, lightsabers, the term 'The Force', and anything that has to do with Star Wars belongs to LucasArts and good old George Lucas himself. All the Beta Caeli stuff belongs to Sierra Online. Sky and Phoenix belong to me but can be used with my aproval(Just e-mail me at skabax@istar.ca) Story oriented stuff: Chapter 1 of Forgiveness & Redemption is the first chapter of my first on-line novella. It is also the first B5 fan fic that I`ve posted, so keep that in mind when you read it. Also, I have the habit of constantly writing and re-writing my stories to improve them, that`s why I`ve got that (ver. 1.3) thingy next to my titles. I`m trying to post my two first fan fic`s ever at an x-file web site, I`ll let you know how that turns out, the first one introduces Sky, the second features Sky&Phoenix when they first became partners. Now, for those fellow surfer`s out there who like Sky and Phoenix I plan to make a series of stories that chronicle their cross-time and dimentional adventures, heck, one of these days(if theres enough demand) I might even reveal where they really come from and where and when they really met. Until then here`s a vague clue: The bogus origines Sky and Phoenix TELL people about are merely myths. And there is always some degree of truth! to all myths. Now if your interested, just check out various fan fic sites on the web, I`m posting stories and more chapters to Forgiv&Redemp as fast as I can write them. If you can`t find any, just e-mail me during the weekends. As always, ideas, comments and sugestions are always welcome and highly apreciated. Thanks, and I`ll see you on the flip side! Forgiveness and Redemption (ver. 1.3) CHAPTER 1 "The universe is often a cruel and sad place, but other times it hold such beauty and joy that are beyond simple words."(Patrick Courtemanche) That's the current theory anyway. Epsilon Eridani 3 On approach to Babylon 5 "Babylon control, this is Modified CR90 Blockade Runner 'Liberty Bell' requesting permission to dock." "Denied 'Liberty Bell', docks for Starships larger than 100 meters are reserved for cargo carriers, you'll have to send over your shuttle." *our only shuttle, shit.* "Understood Commander Ivanova. When can you shoe horn us in?" "In four hours." *great, just great.* "Understood. Out." Well, to quote one of my favourite Fan Fiction authors, Jon Souza, things were going into a hell and a hand basked. Ever since the Vorlon victory over the Shadows a few months back, the incoming traffic had quadrupled over night. Most of it was war materials and troops being redeployed along the front lines, Narn and Non-Aligned war refuges, and Human political refugees. But there was also traders and tourists, not as many as before, but there were some. As I looked at the space born traffic jam that was around B5 we got buzzed by a flashing flying saucer, did I forget to mention the nearly 100 Non-Aligned warships patrolling B5 space? My redheaded partner and long time friend Gaeriel Phoenix spoke up from her co-pilot seat next to me "Hell in a hand basket?" "You got it right." I answered "Its going to be a long day, isn't it?" "What other kind is there?." ___________________________ Babylon 5 C&C Ivanova was tired as one could be without dropping dead of exaustion as her shift ended, but something was bothering her. She checked with the station data banks but, not finding what she was looking for, she decided to ask the Captain. As she walked in she asked "Sir, are you busy?" "No, why." he said as he looked up from the piles of paperwork. "Sir, during your time in the Non-Aligned worlds with the 'Agamemnon' did you ever hear about or see a class of ships called CR90 Blockade Runners?" "CR90's...No, it doesn't ring any bells, why?" "Well, our computers don't recognize it either, and one just went into a holding pattern just outside the station. It's called the 'Liberty Bell'." Sheridan frowned. "How big is it?" "150 meters." "A completely unknown Capital class Starship? Custom job? That would cost a few billion creds!" "No, not a custom, from what the scanners can tell its a production job with a few mods." "A totally unknown massed produced ship? Technology?" "Unknown, it's got jammers that prevent any detailed scans." now the Captain was really curious. "I think I'd like a word with her Captain." _________________________________ Hanger Alpha 12 As I was disembarking from my shuttle when I felt more than notice Sheridan and Ivanova striding toward us. Dammit! I wanted to pick the time and place for this eventual meeting. Oh well, shit happens, I just have to deal with it and if I have to lie in the process, well... "Good day Captain Sheridan. Nice weather out, ain't it?" I said with a tight grin. "Welcome to Babylon 5, eh...." so this is how it's going to go down, eh? Get chummy with me, check my name with your EarthForce files and the Rangers. Fine, I'm game to play along. "Commander Skybax, Patrick. You can call me Sky" ________________________________ Zocalo "This is a fine Battle Station you have here Captain Sheridan." I said as we walked through the Zocalo, I wasn't lying either. I've seen Holovids of this place, the intel reports, the ISN broadcasts, the computer recreations that chronicle the many adventures and misadventures that happened here or had some connections with the station, still, no mater how impressed I had been or how great the sense of wonder this place generated nothing compared to the real thing. "Thank you, but this is hardly a battle station." I gave him a quizzical look "Are you kidding me? This station is the central hub for the war effort and the military headquarters of the Conspiracy of light." it was his turn to give the look "You seem to know a lot about us." it was a statement, not a question. "Well, the Rebel Alliance is not without resources." "The Rebel Alliance?" "Yes." What? I can be cryptic to you know! He didn't say anything, I could tell that he was reassessing his opinion of me. Good. One step at a time. Ivanova finally spoke up above the perpetual din of the Zocalo "So, were are you two from?" my erstwhile partner took this one, she seamed to have a more than a keen interest in the Commander(even if she did have strict orders to the contrary) "The Beta Caeli system, I was born on Rhea and Sky on Gaea." "I'm sorry, I've never heard of it." well time to tell em the cover story "Not surprising, it's on the other side of the Galactic Core." now that really surprised them "What? I've never heard of ANY Earth colonies close to the Core, let alone on the other side!" my turn to wear out my tong "One week into the Human & Mimbary war the Senate passed a classified bill to build four Odessy class 'Seed Starships' giant Arks 3.5 miles long, designed to carry mankind from the cradle of Earth as far away as possible and specially designed Orpheus class Carriers and Arion class Frigates as escorts. Carefully chosen and cryofreezed colonists and workers, elite officers, crewers, soldiers pilots and their famelies were taken to the far side, as we call it, in less than one month for a one way trip in order to assure the survival of the Human race. So secret in fact that the bill called for, that once the were ships launched(one year exactly after the acceptance of the bill), everyone that had anything to do with it would get their memory wiped of the entire affair by Psi-Core, the telepath's involved would be hunted down by prepaid assassins, and all related document destroyed. The only persons who where supposed to know about it where the Vice-President and President proper, this info was supposed to be passed down to their successors." a lot to absorb in one shot, but still, the Captain was curious. "How could you get on the far side in one month? The core is a navigational nightmare, even in hyperspace and it would take years to go around it, let alone reach it?" "Like I said before, one way trip. We used an unstable wormhole out on the far rim of Human explored space, it stabilised for two years for some reason, allowing the Seeder fleet to passe through it. And for some reason that were at a losse to explain it stabilised a few months ago and we where contacted, or should we say invaded, by an Earth Alliance battle fleet. Now we didn't survive on the frontier by being weak and poor warriors so as soon as we realised what Clark had turned the Alliance into, we rebelled, within a week of contact and had won in a single day. That's why we call ourselves the Rebel Alliance. Before we fought under the same banner for survival in a hostile world, we still do so now if not for different reasons and against different enemies." _____________________________________ B5 War Council As Phoenix spoke before them, telling them what I told Sheridan and the Commander, I sensed their reactions; fasination(Marcus), hope(G'kar), suspicion(Garibaldi), hostility(Delenn)? Uh oh, this aint good, we need her approval to be admited to the Conspiracy Of Light..., damn, she's probably pissed about the Zeus debacle, it's gonna take my personel attention to salvage the situation. Unfortunetly Delenn beat me to the punch. Once Gaeriel was finished, she stood, in all her regalness and said in a tone that left no room for discussion "I wish to speak to Commander Skybax, ALONE...." Everyone got the message, including Sheridan, and left the room. Gaeriel shot me a worried look but left, knowing this would have happened sooner or later and only I could deal with it. Once we were left alone she gave me one of those stares that made me think I was going through the fires of hell all over again. I simply looked at her with a cool gaze, showing her that I wasn't impressed. "If you want an apology your not going to get one." NOW she was mad. "A fleet of Heavy Cuisers who were flying a flag of truce where destroyed!" "The wormhole stabelized right next to our biggest and most valuable space born gas siphening and production colonies and almost into the gas giants atmosphere! Considering the fact that we've been at war with the local's since day one of our arival there and as far as we knew you, personely, had instagated genocide on our home.." SLAP!!! She slaped me! I know, I couldn't believe it myself! My sense's didn't warn me at all! Looking back I don't know why I was surprised, considering she had almost wiped out an entire race because of a mistake and a lie, both made by the same incompetant idiot. She was mad as hell now, that's for damn sure, her nostrils frared and her chest rose and fell quickly "They died a needless death and you stand there, refusing to apologize.." "Are you talking about me or yourself Delenn? You, who went into madness and led your people into madness because of the mistake and lie of a single human being. You, who led your people into Jihad which almost resulted into genocide, only to stop at the last moment, not because of compasion or pity or even a fleeting moment of sanety, but because you where afraid of harming former Mimbari souls!" what was anger turned into sadness and anguish, and she ran out weeping and sobing. I wasn't about to let it end there, so I sent out a mental message to her mind. End chapter 1 __________________________________