From: Price Subject: Babylon 5: IA Sheridan - "To Ganymede" & "Deployment" Date: Wed, 10 Jun 1998 08:09:21 -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. ***** "To Ganymede" by Commander Kem Zaelea 9805.28 *** Hangar Deck, IA Sheridan *** Senji deposited the last of the gear into the cargo hold of the Flyer before turning to face Ranger Drakov. He regarded the brave pilot for a moment, looking past the cross shaped scar over his right eyebrow and into his deep blue eyes. "Not this time Piotr." The Captain answered flatly. "We are down to just four Red Dragon fighters since the battle in Gaim space. I won't risk sending any more out to be clay pigeons for the local Psi-Corps to shoot down. Besides, as you've pointed out, our gaining entrance to the laboratory will be relying on our own covertness. A handful of fighters mulling about would only serve to raise an alarm and possibly increase the guards around the laboratory. If indeed this is the laboratory we have come to locate." Senji paused, "No, I want the remaining fighters to stay with the Sheridan, along with qualified pilots to fly them, should something go wrong and Psi-Corps goes after the ship." Captain Yawashita took a small step forward and rested his hand on Piotr's shoulder, "Don't worry Drakov, you'll get your chance." He reassured. Ranger Drakov gave the Captain a nod. He was still worried over the danger of the mission, and the possibility that the infiltration team could be discovered and quickly find themselves trapped in the narrow passageways under network of ecodomes on the surface of Ganymede. But he understood what Senji was saying. If Psi-Corps sent ships after the Sheridan, there were only a few fighters available to be launched to help counter the offensive. Captain Yawashita rubbed his hands together, satisfied that the last of the equipment and supplied had been packed. Looking over to the entrance to the hangar bay, Senji could see the rest of the infiltration team heading for the flyer, ready for final loading and the away team's departure. Removing his PPG sidearm, the Captain checked the cells, glanced down the sites on the barrel and then returned it to his holster. "We are all here Shai'Alyt." Ranger Lennor said in a very Minbari like tone. Senji nodded. "Very well, let's load onto the transport flyer. Coghlan will be piloting her. When we arrive on the lunar surface, Monroe, Lennor and myself will scout out the area first, then the rest of you will follow. Coghlan," Captain Yawashita said turning to the Pilot, "you'll be staying with the flyer to act as a relay point with the Sheridan and to make sure nothing happens to our way off this rock." Ranger Coghlan nodded, "You can count on me Captain." Glancing around, Senji could see everyone understood their assignments. His eyes then found Ranger Pierce's. "Antil'Alyt, have you manufactured these telepathic blocking devices for the mission?" The Chief Engineer nodded. "Yes Captain. Doctor Angel helped to test the devices. Here..." Pierce said handing out small electronic modules to each person on the team. Doctor Angel grabbed a few and helped the Engineer pass them out. "These are small enough to fit in your pocket, or clip to your uniform. These tiny sensors need to be fastened onto your temples like so..." The engineer demonstrated how to remove the tape off of the small electrode sensor pads and stick them to the temple area. "The device gathers information from these probes and adjusts the output of the device accordingly to help block out telepathic transmissions. It sort of washes the transmitted thoughts out, enough to avoid detection." Pierce explained. "Anyone who is a telepath must be careful not to try and use your abilities to reach out through the interference." Doctor Angel warned, "If you do, it would be like shouting in a quiet room, and any other telepaths that are running Psi-scans will pick you up as easily as if you were not wearing the device. It is passive protection at best." Angel commented. "My god!" declared Ranger Bacht, causing everyone to turn and stare. He'd attached the electrodes on his head and had activated the device. Glancing up, he could see everyone looking at him as he smiled widely, "For the first time, I can't hear the Sheridan talking to me. It's all quiet. What a pleasant surprise." Ivan declares happily. Pierce nods. "The device is effectively blocking the telepathic signals. 'Washing them out' like I said before. If you try hard enough, you can punch through and use your abilities, but for this mission we will want to avoid that, cause if you can sense telepathically, so can the Psi-Corps scanners." "I'm just enjoying the peace and quiet Antil'Alyt, thank you." Ivan said, still amused at the effectiveness of the newest contraption. "Okay. Let's get loaded and head for the target zone." The Captain finally insisted. Everyone began entering the flyer and taking up seats. Senji paused and tapped the triangular communicator on the back of his left hand. "Captain Yawashita to the bridge." ["Commander Zaelea here Captain, go ahead."] Kem's voice responded. "We are getting ready to depart for Ganymede Commander. The Sheridan is yours until we return. Ranger Coghlan will be remaining with the flyer when we land. If anything important comes up while we are incognito, you can use him as a relay point. Understood?" ["I understand Captain. Good luck with your mission sir."] Commander Zaelea wished. Senji nodded. "We live for the one. We die for the one. Captain Senji Yawashita out." the Shai'Alyt responded before closing the channel and joining the others on the flyer. The drop door to the flyer closed, while Captain Yawashita took his seat in the rear and buckled himself in. Glancing around, he could see up front Coghlan was preparing the flyer for departure. Glancing around he looked at the brave faces of those Rangers that had volunteered for this dangerous assignment. Ranger Holden Monroe, Ranger Leron, Doctor Angel, Ranger Pierce, Ranger Lennor, Ranger Bacht, Ranger Coghlan, who was piloting the flyer, and of course, Captain Senji Yawashita himself. With a deep, calming breath, Senji prepared himself for the launch of the flyer. Within a minute, Ranger Coghlan had launched, sending the tiny flyer streaking towards the huge lunar surface of Ganymede. The trip was relatively smooth. Just twenty minutes later, Ranger Coghlan had located the landing site for the mission. "Hang on folks." Coghlan called back, "I can see the landing site and am taking us in." With that the skilled pilot began the flyers final descent towards the surface of Ganymede. The target, a small, outer ecodome that neighbored the actual target site. A dome they believed to contain the secret Psi-Corps laboratory where work to reverse engineer Edgar's virus to affect non-telepaths was allegedly taking place. "Deployment" by Commander Kem Zaelea 9806.1 The small transport flyer pitched as Ranger Richard Coghlan piloted the ship into position for landing at the target zone. Out the small view portals in the sides of the flyer, Captain Yawashita could see the sparse, desert like surface of Ganymede. "Hold on back there, making final descent." Coghlan called out over the noise of the flyers thrust engines that moaned against the gravity of the huge lunar body. When the flyer grew closer to the surface, the details of the ecodomes could be made out. A network of tube transport ways connected the ecodomes, providing a way of moving from dome to dome, some of which were miles apart on the giant Jupiter moon. "Touchdown in four,... three,... two,... one..." Coghlan called out through gritted teeth. The flyer landed with a thud, sending a jolt through the cabin and shaking all of the away team. It was a hard landing, but not a particularly bad one given the narrow angle of descent and Coghlan's desire to park the flyer out of sight and near the access tunnel to the subterranean conduits the team would be using to gain access to the suspected Psi-Corps laboratory. "Shesh Coghlan, think you could have landed any harder?" sniped Pierce. "Sorry folks," Coghlan explained, "I had to take a difficult angle to stay out of view of the target dome and still get us close enough to the access tunnels." "Good work Coghlan." Captain Yawashita called up from the rear of the flyer. He'd already gotten out of his safety harness and was getting things ready for the mission. The rest of the Rangers followed suit and were soon ready to exit the flyer. Senji made his way up to the front of the flyer. Placing a hand on Coghlan's shoulder he gained the Ranger's attention. "I want you to contact the Sheridan and let them know we landed safely and have gotten under way." "Will do Captain." Coghlan replied, "You be careful down there sir." Senji nodded, "We will Ranger. Just keep thinking good thoughts and everything should turn out fine." The Captain winked and patted Richard on the shoulder. Coghlan sighed, "Think no thoughts sir... that's Psi-Corps out there remember?" he smiled. Senji gave a nod and then turned to make his way to the exit of the flyer. Working his way to the hatch, he glanced around while checking his PPG. "Okay, just like I said in the briefing. Myself, Monroe and Lennor will exit first and make sure the conduit is secure. We will signal you to follow when we have verified the coast is clear." Captain Yawashita glanced at the faces of the infiltration team and saw he had their attention. He then turned to Antil'Alyt Pierce, "Is the hatch coupled James?" The Engineer double checked the readout panel next to the main hatch to the flyer. "I'm showing a green light Captain. There's pressure down there, but I can't attest to the quality of the air. Be prepared sir." Senji gave a nod. "Let's open it Pierce." The hatch gave out a hissing moan when the mechanism began to activate, pulling the inner and outer doors to each side and opening up the central seal. Looking out the hatch, all that could be seen was darkness. Captain Senji shinned a light down the passageway. It looked dusty and like it hadn't been opened in eons. The look was reinforced by the musty smell of stale air. "Let's go." The Captain called out, and hopped off the flyer and into the inclining passage way. Ranger Monroe and Lennor followed behind. Within a few minutes, word came back to the rest of the team that the coast was clear. One by one they entered the subterranean conduits until the last of the team was down there, aside from Ranger Coghlan who stayed with the flyer and secured the main hatch soon as the last Ranger had entered the tunnels. Rubbing his hands together with a brisk wiping motion, Richard made his way back to the flight controls of the flyer and prepared to contact the Sheridan and let them know the mission was under way. ***** *** IA Sheridan in orbit of Ganymede *** "Incoming transmission Commander. It's Ranger Coghlan on the flyer." A Minbari ranger informed Commander Zaelea. Kem swiveled in the command chair of the Sheridan and looked at the Navigator. "Let's hear it Ranger." ["Ranger Coghlan to the Sheridan. Come in please."] came Richard's voice. "We read you Coghlan. This is Commander Zaelea. What is your current status? Over." Kem asked. ["Elvis has left the building."] Richard said with an odd accent, as if he were trying to imitate someone else. Kem glanced strangely at the Navigator, but figured that was some sort of code that meant the away team have gotten underway. In a half uncertain tone, Commander Zaelea replied, "Understood Coghlan. Please inform when Elvis returns." ["Why thank you. Thank you very much."] Coghlan replied before closing with, ["This is the king, signing off."] and with a chuckle he closed the channel. Kem shook her head, not understanding what Ranger Coghlan was talking about, or why he spoke in such an odd voice, but she was fairly certain that Captain Yawashita and the rest of the team had gotten underway. "Commander?" the Navigator asked. Kem looked at the Minbari and beckoned her to continue. "Who is this Elvis person Ranger Coghlan speaks of?" "I can't say I know Milena. I'm sure Ranger Coghlan will explain it to us later when he and the others return." Kem reassured and then returned to monitoring the Sheridan's orbit around Ganymede. ***** *** Subterranean tunnels on Ganymede *** It was dark, cramped and dusty in the access conduits. The passages were rough cut into the shear rock surface of the lunar moon just as Pierce had suggested. Other than bundles of optical cables, power conduits, water and sewage lines, there was nothing of interest in the access tunnels. And there wasn't a lot of room either. The hole that had been bored through the lunar surface was round and rough cut. At it's widest diameter the tunnel couldn't be more than two meters across, making movement difficult at best. Most of the power and utility lines ran along the bottom of the tunnel, with some anchored to the sides of the access way, further reducing the room allowed for movement in the passage ways. The Rangers had fallen into single file, each negotiating the conduits one by one. Everyone had to crouch and waddle their way through the tunnels, being careful where they stepped so as not to trip on one of the optical cables at their feet. Doctor Angel seemed to be having the most trouble moving over the obstacle course like conduits with her many tentacles. Rather than her normal undulation used to propel her, the Belladon had resorted to using her many arms to lift and move her from spot to spot, often using the sides of the narrow tunnel to aid her in getting past the obstacles under foot. The infiltration team traveled for nearly a half hour in these cramped, stinky tunnels before they came to the first junction. "This is junction P4J." Ranger Pierce explained, "The ecodome we want should be on the left, up about three clicks." Captain Yawashita looked down the passageway James pointed and gave a nod. "Good. So far so good. How is everyone doing?" Senji asked, glancing at the faces of the away team. "Okay Captain." Monroe replied, "A bit cramped, but none the worse for wear I think." Senji gave a nod and listened to similar replies from a few of the others before motioning up ahead. "Okay Rangers, let's double check our telepathic blockers. This last tunnel leads to the lion's den." Each Ranger checked their equipment and made sure their electrode sensors were firmly mounted on their temples before the Captain agreed to continue. "Let's go. This is where the fun begins." Captain Yawashita stated, motioning for the others to follow him with a wave of his PPG. The Rangers did as the Captain asked and marched down the access tunnel to directly beneath the target ecodome. When Senji reached the access hatch, he paused long enough for everyone to catch up and get situated. The quiet chit-chat and snide remarks that were present a few miles down the tunnel had ceased. Now, everyone in that dank, dark access conduit were growing deadly serious. A pin drop could have been heard it was so quiet. Senji glanced over the team in silence. The look of pride filled his almond shaped eyes as he took a deep, calming breath and released it slowly. He then blinked his eyes as if to signal they were going, opened the access hatch and proceeded to climb out of the conduit and into the alleged Psi-Corps ecodome. The others followed suit. Adrenaline pumping over what they may have to face in the way of Psi-Cops inside, but also glad to be out of those cramped subterranean access tunnels burrowed in the lunar surface.