From: Price Subject: Babylon 5: IA Sheridan Date: Sat, 06 Jun 1998 21:52:00 -0700 Babylon 5: IA Sheridan - http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Rampart/8842/index.html The following stories are part of a Play By Email role playing simulation. The setting is the Babylon 5 universe in the current fifth season. Events and references in these stories may contain spoilers for prior and future episodes of B5. Additional information, character back ground, etcetera can be obtained by visiting the above website. We live for the one. We die for the one. Enjoy. ***** "Informing the boss" by Commander Kem Zaelea 9805.1 *** Babylon 5 *** Garibaldi opens his eyes slowly. The first thing his blurry vision clears to see is the garbage shoot a few yards away. Shaking his head, the Chief Intelligence officer of Babylon 5 starts to pull himself up off of the floor. He winces in pain from the lump on the back of his head where the raggedy man had clobbered him with the butt of his PPG. Again Garibaldi cursed at his present state. Had he not been so badly bruised and beaten from the other day and not hung over from last night, he may have been able to stop the tattered clothed hoodlum from knocking him out. Slowly Garibaldi made it to his feet. He removed his hand and was surprised to see that it was not covered with blood. The way his temples were pounding he half expected it would be. Finally he shook the cobwebs out and tried to focus on what he had just learned. The man had claimed that Psi-Corps was in possession of Edgars' virus and that they were working on reversing it's effects, causing it to infect only non-telepaths so they could use Edgars' diabolical plan against mankind and enslave all non-telepaths the way Edgar Industries would have enslaved them. Garibaldi didn't like the plan when Edgars thought it up. He liked it even less now that the Psi-Corps were using it. Steadying himself, Garibaldi began walking out of the access alley back to the main bazaar and on to see President Sheridan to inform him of this new development. ***** *** Canyon recesses on Aloc *** Amile and four other men from the settlement came walking up the canyon trail at a quickened pace. When they neared the spot where the young woman left the pole and water skins on the trail, they knew they were very close. "She should be over that ridge with the thing we found." Amile pointed. After a moment they could hear Gatty's voice laughing cheerfully. They soon rounded the crest of the canyon. Gatty was sitting at N'Graz' side. The Narn was sitting up somewhat but it was obvious that his leg was giving him a lot of pain. Gatty seemed to be enjoying herself and singing childhood songs. "Gatty, are you all right?" Amile called out as she and the four men from her settlement started descending the slope of the canyon. N'Graz, though still groggy, turned to look at the strange people descending upon him and the little girl. "I'm fine Amile. I have just been singing to my new friend here." The young girl replied. Amile and the four men reached the spot where N'Graz and the girl were sitting. Amile paused for a moment to catch her breath from the long, hurried journey and then pointed to N'Graz' leg. "See, it's been hurt. I don't think it can walk." N'Graz struggled to remain conscious, but it was becoming more difficult with each passing moment. His head injury was making him extremely tired. His memories had already been lost from the injury. "I think we can carry him out." one of the four men said, "If we use the cloth that we brought, we should be able to rig a cradle to place him upon. That should help to distribute the weight." One of the others nodded his agreement before starting to unravel a large tan piece of cloth he'd brought. "It's okay." Gatty explained to N'Graz, "These are my friends. They are here to help. You don't need to be afraid." N'Graz looked at the little girl with a blank stare. With his loss of memory and the pain from his injuries, the normally robust Narn was struggling just to remain awake. He couldn't fully understand what the little girl was saying, but he knew that she didn't mean him any harm. For the last several minutes she'd given him water and sung some alien melodies to keep him company. He couldn't understand their meaning, nor most of the words even, but they sounded like happy songs and they did comfort him. With a slight nod, N'Graz expressed that he understood they were trying to help him. He laid back and allowed the men to pick him up and carry him back to their settlement. The little girl walked by his cradle, holding N'Graz hand the whole time. The pain finally over came the Narn, and the last thing he remembered seeing other than the spinning clouds he stared at surrounded by canyon walls, was that little girls face... he then fell unconscious. ***** *** IA Sheridan *** "Have we learned anything more from the Gaim wreckage Commander?" Captain Yawashita asked. Kem could tell by Senji's tone that he was growing impatient for answers. Answers like who could have wiped out an entire wing of Red Dragon and where was the fifth ship? "The top scientists are still working on it sir." Commander Zaelea replied, "Chief Scientist Caple says that this entire region of space has been bombarded with gamma radiation to cover the attacker's tracks. That will make it impossible to detect any ion trails leading away from the battle." Senji's eyes narrowed. "These bastards are as thorough as the Shadows themselves." He snapped. "So you are saying that we will never know what happened to Red one, is that it Commander?" Kem was beginning to get a little defensive with the Captain's tone. She was just giving a report on what was being discovered and yet, Yawashita seemed to be taking the tone that it was all her fault. She didn't like that. She didn't like that at all. "What I am doing is telling you what our top scientists have told me. I'm sorry the news is not very positive, but it is what has been discovered none the less." Senji gave a slight grunt in acknowledgment to the Commander's rebuttal. Kem watched for a moment and when it appeared that the Captain had no more to say, she asked if she could leave the bridge to take a break. Senji glanced at the Commander and rocked his head slightly. "Yes of course. But first, have another flight of Red Dragon launch and begin patrolling the area. Gamma radiation or not, we still have our own eyes with which to locate passing ships or additional wreckage." Commander Zaelea nodded. "I'll see to it at once Captain." with a slight bow, Kem left the bridge. ***** *** Babylon 5, President Sheridan's office *** Garibaldi came limping into Sheridan's office looking like a living hell. His face was still covered with butterfly bandages from his skirmish with the hooded Centari assassins, and after his little talk down on the bazaar, he had another lump on his head and dirt on most of his face. "What the blazes happened to you?" Sheridan immediately asked. Garibaldi continued to limp into John's office and then stood there and glanced his eyes at Sheridan finally. "It's a long story. Never mind about that now." John knew Garibaldi. He seldom came to see him in his office unless it was an important matter. And judging on the way the Chief Intelligence officer looked and probably felt, John was certain that whatever Garibaldi had to talk about must be more important to him then how he got beaten up. "Have a seat." John motioned to a chair. Garibaldi glanced at the seat and seemed to be pondering over if it would be more painful to remain standing or more painful to sit down. Finally, he decided, gingerly easing himself into the seat. "What's on your mind mister Garibaldi?" President Sheridan asked. Garibaldi adjusted his weight in the chair and turned his head slightly as if getting a crick out of his neck. John could hear Garibaldi's back crack from across the room. He continued to wait for his Chief Intelligence Officer to speak. "I just had an interesting conversation with a man that claims that Psi-Corps is working on a virus that only affects non-telepaths." John lifted his head a bit. It wasn't bad enough that the entire Interplanetary Alliance was falling apart all around him over these mysterious attacks. But now his Chief Intelligence Officer was informing him of a virus the telepaths were developing to use as a weapon against the rest of mankind. After the recent trouble they had on Babylon 5 with Byron's colony of telepaths, John was not exactly prepared for this news. "A virus that affects only non-telepaths? That sounds like the opposite of what Edgars' was working on." Garibaldi nodded. "It should, that is what they are using as a starting point." He explained. John seemed stunned by this news. While he was thinking of what to say or how to respond, Ambassador Delenn stepped into the room. "I hope I am not interrupting?" Delenn asked. John shook his head. "No. In fact, you may want to join us." Sheridan's tone was an indication that whatever he and mister Garibaldi were discussing, it was very serious. Delenn pulled up a chair and sat down. "I'm listening John." "Mister Garibaldi has just received word that Psi-Corps is working on some sort of virus that only affects non-telepaths." Sheridan repeated for Delenn. The half Minbari Ambassador turned and looked at mister Garibaldi without saying anything. "The man I spoke to claims that Psi-Corps is mutating Edgars' virus for their own use. This is supposed to be happening at a secret laboratory on Ganymede." Garibaldi explained. "Ganymede?" Delenn asked, looking back at John. "It's the largest moon orbiting the planet Jupiter." Sheridan explained to Delenn. She gave a slight nod, while John turned back to Garibaldi. "How reliable is this source that told you this?" Garibaldi rolled his eyes at the question. "Well you see, that's the thing. I don't know anything about the guy that told me this information. He jumped me in the bazaar, took me out at gun point, then told me about what Psi-Corps were doing and to check out Ganymede. Then he belted be over the head and disappeared." "That doesn't sound like the most reliable of sources." Delenn commented. Garibaldi nodded in agreement. "No it doesn't." His eyes then turned and locked with Sheridan's. "But what if it is true? I don't think we can take that chance. Edgars virus was real. I saw it. It was also missing along with most of his research when he was killed...." Garibaldi let out a loud sigh, looking down at Sheridan's desk for a moment. With a distant look in his eyes, he added, "I just have a bad feeling about all of this John. I can't explain it...." looking back into Sheridan's eyes, he finished, "I believe the guy." John nodded at Garibaldi indicating he understood. His eyes then glanced over at Delenn. She too seemed to comprehend the seriousness of what this could mean if Psi-Corps was indeed allowed to unleash such a virus in their galaxy. "Well then I think we should look into it then..." Sheridan committed. He was about to go on when an emergency communication buzzed in and interrupted his train of thought. It was Chief of Security, Zack Allan. ["Sheridan. You better get down here. There's been a murder on the station."] Zack explained. Glancing at the others in the room, John turned his wrist over and activated the channel. "Who is it Zack?" ["I don't know sir. Some vagrant from the looks of it. But I've never seen anything like this in my entire career. We're near customs just past the main airlock."] "We're on our way Zack. Sheridan out." John replied. He, Garibaldi and Delenn then all got up and made their way to the murder scene. ***** "Ganymede? What is happening in Ganymede?" by Commander Kem Zaelea 9805.4 *** Customs , Babylon 5 *** President John Sheridan, Ambassador Delenn and Mister Garibaldi made their way to the customs area just beyond the main air lock of Babylon 5. Zack's security forces had already begun crown control, clearing the scene of bystanders to keep them from disturbing the area. An attempt to preserve whatever evidence that might remain. Sheridan was leading the way. The security officers gave the President and those with him a wide birth to let him pass. When they made it through the gathering crowd to the inner, roped off area, Sheridan immediately saw Zack standing there directing the others. "Zack." Sheridan called out. The Chief of Security turned and saw the President, Ambassador Delenn and mister Garibaldi approaching. He immediately turned and began walking towards them. "Sheridan. You might want to prepare yourselves. It's not a pretty sight." Mister Allan explained. John glanced into Zack's eyes and gave an understanding nod. Then slowly, He, Delenn and mister Garibaldi walked the last few steps to where the vagrant's body was laying. Garibaldi immediately recognized him as the same man he'd spoken to earlier. The one that tried to warn him about the alleged Psi-Corps laboratory on Ganymede. Being the former head of Security for the Station, and now Chief Intelligence officer, Garibaldi was more prepared for the gruesome sight that Zack revealed to them. Ambassador Delenn and President Sheridan were not so prepared. On the floor laid this man that they'd never before seen. He was wearing tattered cloths that looked old and dirty, but that is not what caught their attention. The man, who had long, unkempt hair had a look of utter horror frozen on his face. Deep claw marks scored the sides of his temples, terminated in deep black-red pools where his empty eye sockets dripped with blood. His arms locked in an arthritic outstretch. Fingers dripping with his own blood from having plucked his eyes from their sockets. The discarded organs were on the floor near by. What ever he had saw, appeared to have terrified him so much he ripped out his own eyes to stop it. The sight was too horrible for Delenn to bare. She clung to John and buried her face in his chest. Sheridan glanced at the dead man for a moment longer, wondering who could have done this, or why. Then he too turned away, comforting Delenn. Garibaldi stood there and took in the sight. He barely even knew this dead man having only met him a few hours before and at gun point no less. But he had a feeling that he was an okay sort of guy. Had they gotten to know each other under different circumstances, he they might even had become friends. But now he was dead. Garibaldi didn't know why he'd contacted him about the possible laboratory Psi-Corps was allegedly operating on Ganymede, but his gut told him this murder probably had something to do with it. "I've never seen anything like this before." Zack says softly to Garibaldi. Garibaldi nods slightly, to acknowledge mister Allan's comments without taking his eyes off the body. He was scanning the area for signs of anything that might lend a clue as to who was behind this. "I've heard of similar accidents happening in stim booths. Self mutilations, even people drowning because they thought they were under water, but this guy wasn't even wired into any VR equipment. Nothing." Zack commented. Garibaldi continued to stand there scoping out the crime scene. "It's almost like the images he saw were entirely in his own mind..." No sooner than Garibaldi had spoken the words, his glance spotted three figures that looked out of place. While the masses of the crowd around the customs area were either watching the crime scene closely, trying to gain a glimpse of the body, or hanging around waiting to be admitted onto Babylon 5, these three black outfitted people were walking away from the area and trying to exit the station out the main airlock. Garibaldi watched with a renewed sense of purpose. His distant glance gained the attention of mister Allan who also began to watch. "Isn't that Bestor and his goons?" Zack asked. Garibaldi's eyes narrowed when the Psi-Cop turned and saw Garibaldi watching over the crowd. Bestor gave a slight grin as a sort of taunt while he and the two other Psi-Cops continued heading towards the airlock. "John." Garibaldi called back just before he started marching towards the airlock to intercept Bestor. Zack was close on his heals and signaled for security to head them off before they got off the station. Sheridan was holding Delenn in his arms when Garibaldi called his name. Glancing up, he was the Chief Intelligence officer and mister Allan march off towards the airlock. Soon after he could see Bestor and his Psi-Cops trying to leave. "I've got to go." He explained. Delenn just nodded and let John catch up. "Hold it right there Bestor." Garibaldi ordered. The black outfitted Psi-Cop stopped walking along with his two companions, a tall blond male with straight, shoulder length hair and a short hared brunette both of which were not familiar to anyone on the station. "Ah, Mister Garibaldi. An unexpected pleasure." "Can it Bestor. What are you doing here on Babylon 5 and why are you in such a hurry to leave?" Garibaldi snapped back. Rolling his eyes, Bestor glanced at Mister Allan, President Sheridan and the hand full of security forces that had suddenly appeared between the three Psi-Cops and the exit to Babylon 5. "Not that it's any business of yours mister Garibaldi, but if you must know I came to meet my two companions here and escort them back to Psi-Corp." "How convenient." Zack commented, "I suppose you have transport logs to confirm this?" Bestor glanced at the newest Chief of Security on Babylon 5. With a wry grin he nodded, "But of course mister Allan. If you check the docking records you'll see that I am telling you the truth." "You didn't answer my question Bestor. Why are you in such a hurry to leave Babylon 5?" Garibaldi barked back. Barely able to restrain the personal rage that was building up inside of him. Between the beating he'd received a short time ago, his hang over from last night and his own deep rooted hatred for this telepath, Garibaldi was on the edge of loosing it. "Exactly for this reason mister Garibaldi. The Psi-Corps have never been very welcome on this space station. I was hoping to avoid any personality conflicts." Bestor smiled, noticing President Sheridan standing back and observing the conversation like a hawk. "I see you and Sheridan have made up. That's nice...." Bestor's comments made Garibaldi loose it. Lunging out for the Psi-Cop, he began screaming, "You bastard! I know you are behind this whole thing! You murdered that man back there just like you murdered Edgars..." Garibaldi was trying to grab Bestor but Zack quickly got between them and was holding him back. President Sheridan seeing this had a couple of security officers come and help to restrain Garibaldi. Bestor took a step back, but for some strange reason he didn't appear to be frightened by the chief's outburst. In fact Sheridan almost got the feeling Bestor was enjoying it. Sure, he pretended to look like he was fearful, but there was something in the Psi-Cops eyes that said that something else was going on in that mind of his. Sheridan hated what he had to do next. "I assure you that I know nothing of what you are talking about." Bestor stated calmly. "Now if you gentlemen will excuse me, I have to transport my companions here back to the Corps." Bestor stood there defiantly, waiting on President Sheridan to authorize their departure or place then under arrest. Bestor's eyes never left Sheridan's. "Let them go." John finally ordered. Garibaldi, Zack, even a couple of the security officers gave the President a glance, but none questioned his orders. Bestor just smiled. "Thank you." he said smugly. Then, after giving everyone a quick glance, he motioned for the two other Psi-Cops to follow him out the airlock. "Good day gentlemen." They watched the Psi-Cops depart as they marched out the airlock and exited the station. Garibaldi managed to turn around, wrestling from the arm lock restraints the two burly security officers were holding him in, to face Sheridan. "Why John? Why did you let him go. You know he's behind that man's murder." Sheridan motioned to the security officers to release mister Garibaldi. "Probably. But there is no proof of it. Without proof, Bestor and his Psi-Cops would walk anyway." "Maybe. But I still don't think that justifies letting a murder walk free." Garibaldi quipped back. "Your outburst didn't help matters." John snapped back, "What is wrong with you? You looked like you wanted to rip Bestor's head off a moment ago?" Garibaldi thought about it for a quiet moment. He then looked at Sheridan dead in the eyes and said, "I did want to John. But you don't have to worry about that. No so long as Bestor has his way at least." He then stomped off leaving the customs area. "What was that all about?" Zack asked Sheridan. John rocked his head side to side, "I don't know Zack. I don't know." Stepping to where Sheridan and Zack were standing, Delenn, who had been watching from afar, commented, "I don't think Mister Garibaldi has been himself lately John." Sheridan and Zack both glanced at Ambassador Delenn, noticing she had joined them. John nodded slightly. "Given mister Garibaldi's present condition, I do not think it would be wise to send him to Ganymede." Delenn added. Again Sheridan reluctantly gave a nod. "You are probably right Delenn." "Ganymede? What is happening in Ganymede?" Zack asked. Ignoring Mister Allan's query, John looks at Delenn, "If not Garibaldi then who do you have in mind?" Delenn holds John's gaze for a moment and then replies, "I think you already know who I would send John. Captain Yawashita and the Rangers." "He's not going to like being reassigned again." John commented. "At least not before they have discovered what happened to the missing Red Dragon Fighter." "Senji is a Ranger. He will go where he is ordered to go. And if Ganymede is as important as mister Garibaldi believes, then we should not delay looking for one lost fighter." "What is this Ganymede?" Zack again asked. John thought a moment, then decided. "Very well. Contact Captain Yawashita and give him the new orders. One way or another we need to find out if these rumors are true or not." Delenn smiled and gave a slight bow. "I'll see to it immediately John." She then watched as the President turned and walked out of the customs area to return back to the C&C. "Ganymede? What is all this about Ganymede?" Zack asked Delenn a third time. Delenn turned and looked at the Chief of security and gave a Minbari smile before turning and walking away without letting Zack know what was going on, or what "Ganymede" had to do with anything.