From: "Julie Burnham" Subject: "Kalle Part 22" Date: Mon, 30 Mar 1998 20:12:50 +0000 This isn't exactly the same style that I've been using before, and the next part won't be either. I hope you like this temporary change of pace. Standard disclaimers apply. Dedication: To everyone who has sent feedback about the story. I am very grateful. And to Travis for letting me use him in this story. I told you you'd be sorry! Oh, and to the people on the casualty list (some of whom actually paid money to be put in). Casualty lists are *fun* to write! Kalle part 22 Julie Burnham trekker@webmart.net ------------ [ISN Newscast-Geneva] "In our top story today, Earth traitor Travis Gillis has finally confessed after seventeen years. We go now live to where he is confessing." [Gillis is looking frail, as if all the life has been drained out of him. His eyes are looking down from the screen] "I, Travis Gillis, confess to the crime of sedish... what's that word? I can't read it..." [A voice comes from off-screen] "You idiot!" [A bright orange burst hits Travis and he slumps over] [Goes back to ISN-Geneva] "We have just gotten word that a ship carrying Rangers ans Koob refugees has been destroyed. We go now to a press conference called by Interstellar Alliance President Sheridan." [Conference room in the headquarters on the Interstellar Alliance in Tuzanor. Sheridan is standing behind a podium with Delenn to his right. His hair is greying and he looks as if he and Delenn are bother trying not to cry. David is in the background looking sullen] "At fifteen thirty-two hours Earth Standard time, White Star Fourty Seven was destroyed by an unknown force. Casualties listed of the Koob refugess are: Eoj Bredin, Neelhtak Cnagirra, Enilorac Cbbo, Tam Cyblo, Hsoj Bedlebbu, Adama Frehctel, Mailliw Gholneur, Htebazile Hyelwo, Yasdnil Hseny, Acceber Jnosnho, Nerak Jnosnho, Nairb Mrelli, Alicili Papa, Ikcin Pnamyrre, Kram Sekanhc, Eoj Tgimeh, Ellehcim Wrekla, Nahgaem Wdragni. Casualties of the Rangers are: Aufmuth, Bajjalieh, Katrina Becker, Brilley, Teddy Brinkoetter, David Bugga, Patrick Carrigan, Carmosina, Matthew Colby, Julie Dawson, Erika Flynn, Justin Gadberry, Garthaus, Michael Gogerty, Jake Gottemoller, Nathan Hill, Holthaus, Tim Ielase, Jankowaik, Diana Jedell, Dan Jedlika, J.D. Lipe, Mari, Mikolaj, Katherine Mitchell, Justin Morrison, Amanda Newell, Vince Plyman, Oscar Reiser, Schrishuhn, Christopher Scroth, Michael Schwarze, Kalle Sheridan..." [A reporter raises his hand to ask a question, and Sheridan acknowledges him] "Kalle Sheridan? Is she any relation to you Mr. President?" [Sheridan looks saddened, but nods] "Yeah, she is... was... my daughter, and David's twin sister." [Sheridan goes back to reading the list of casualties] "Skelly, Tenna, Nathan Tooley, Nathan Tutko, Collin Vaux, Vighi, Jared Woodward Wroz." [ISN-Geneva] "For those of you just tuning in, we've just recieved word that President Sheridan's daughter was one of the Rangers killed when White Star 47 was destroyed by an unknown force. For updates, stay tuned to ISN, your source of information. [Screen winks off] ------------- My appologies to the casualty list, though none of you will read it. From: "Julie Burnham" Subject: "Kalle Part 23" Date: Mon, 30 Mar 1998 20:12:50 +0000 Standard disclaimers apply. My appologies for infringing upon the rights of David Sheridan by quoting from his book _Unwanted Legend_ copyrighted 2300. Sorry bro. Kalle Part 23 Julie Burnham trekker@webmart.net ------------------ [Excerpted from _Unwanted Legend_ by David Sheridan, copyrighted 2300] "The ISN newscast and the press conference had just finished up when Momma, Dad and I went back to the house. The relatives that were still there when we got back were all crying. I think it shook Momma really hard because she's Entil'zha and so many Anla-shok, especially young ones, died on the mission. Within a few minutes, everyone was crying. Uncle Marc, Aunt Susan, and Laura were able to come over to console Momma and Dad. They weren't there when we got home, but they came as soon as they heard the news. "I really had to feel bad for Laura because she didn't know what was going on. She was so young. I made my decision in that moment, while everyone was crying. I had to finish what my sister had started, to protect my family, to protect Laura. "Momma was trying to supress her grief and disbelief over the death of my sister. She went through all of the traditional Minbari rituals that go along with a family member passing beyond the veil. Uncle Draal projected himself to help with the rituals. After they finished, I asked Momma and Dad if I could talk with them. I think they thought I wanted to talk about Kay. "We went into the kitchen and I told them to sit down. 'I have something important to tell you,' I said. 'I want to join the Anla-shok.' For a moment, confussion crossed their faces. Momma instantly denied it. 'You do not know what you are doing. I do not what to lose my other child to the Anla-shok,' she said. I felt a calling in my heart to join. Momma, of all people, should have recognized the importance of a heart calling. "But she didn't understand. Neither did Dad. 'It is something I must do. I have felt a calling in my heart,' I told them. 'Why don't you understand?' I asked. "But they wouldn't listen. I finally convinced them by saying that what happened to Kalle would not happen to me. We went back out into the living room, but what greeted our eyes was even worse. "Uncle Stephen was sitting on the sofa crying his eyes out saying, 'It's all my fault. If I hadn't let her leave, she'd be here now. It's all my fault.' Aunt Susan was trying to console him, but it wasn't helping. "At just that moment, the StellarCom beeped. Gamma and Gampa called to express their condolences. They both looked really old and tired of living. No one knew that this would be thier last comunication before they both died. Kay and I hardly ever got to see them, but there was a lot of love nonetheless. Everyone that Kalle met said that she was really friendly. She was shy, but treated everyone fairly and mercifully. Gamma couldn't understand how Kay could have died so young. "'I can't believe my sister's gone,' I thought. Momma said I joined up for all the wrong reasons. How could I live with myself if I had a chance and a calling to join the Rangers, but I didn't take it? The answer is, I couldn't." --------------------- If anyone wants to read _Unwanted Legend_ in its entirety, I have a copy and can send bits and pieces when I can. Jules Julie Burnham http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Rampart/5347/ "Sandberg inhabits a rather strange and unusual world. Do you want to go there?" Jim Ellison _Sentinel_ From: "Julie Burnham" Subject: "Kalle part 24" (01/01) Date: Sat, 25 Apr 1998 19:59:30 +0000 Author's Note: Sorry it's been a while. RL intervened for far too long. Dedication: Dave Dustin for nagging me until I posted this. It's been done for a while, I just haven't had the chance to post it. Rating, disclaimer, et al in previous Kalle story parts. Summary: Sometimes the Universe requires a change of perspective. "Kalle" 24 by Julie Burnham trekker@webmart.net =========================== circa 2277 (directly before the events in the future time of "War Without End 1 and 2) [External "Zhalen" monitor] The ship takes off, leaving the planet far below. Once in space, a yellowish-orange light engulfs the ship and the two people in it. [Internal "Zhalen" securecam] There are two figures in the cockpit. One, a man, is asleep in his seat. The other, a woman, is piloting the small ship from the seat next to him. While he sleeps, shes sends a signal asking if Stephen Franklin would mind watching David for a few days. Soon, a distress call is recieved near the Centauri border. The woman changes her course to intercept. Within a few minutes, the small ship is captured by a much larger Centauri ship. [Delenn's Point of View] We are being boarded by the Centauri. We must tell them nothing. Oh John, I am so sorry. I should have never answered that distress call. John is saying that I did what I thought was right, and if I had not answered it I wouldn't be who I am. He quotes something he told me once before, long ago: "Can I love this much and not forgive?" Then he is the one apologizing, for anything and everything so that if this is the end, he will know that he has recieved forgiveness for anything that he's ever done. He apologizes for going to Z'Ha'Dum, for having at most three more years left to live if we get out of here alive, for getting me into some of the worst messes, for not being perfect. "You are the right person in the right place at the right time," I reply. I do not think that he believes me. [John's Point of View] Delenn can be so infuriating in her logic sometimes. I don't want to put her through what I know is coming. I love her too much to do that to her. Oh no, what's happening? I'm slippin......... Where am I? *Who* am I? The last thing I remember is being on the White Star. I'm being dragged into a room by Centauri guards. Londo's here, but he looks so much older. * * * * * And so it begins... =============== Feedback welcomed graciously. Jules From: "Julie Burnham" Subject: "Kalle" part 25 Date: Sat, 25 Apr 1998 19:59:30 +0000 Another non-Kalle PoV Kalle. There'll be one or two more, and then it'll go back to Kalle. Nothing really exciting is going on down on the planet anyway, okay? Dedication: To everyone who bugged me about, "When are we going to find out what happened to Kalle when she was sick?" Oh, did I just give away the plot? Nope. Summary: See dedication Rating/Category/disclaimer in previous Kalles (gee, are these clones now since they're all named Kalle?) Kalle part 25 Julie Burnham trekker@webmart.net ==================== [Excerpted from _Unwanted Legend_ by David Sheridan, copyrighted 2300] I didn't find out until much later why Uncle Stephen took it so hard when he heard about the White Star that Kalle was on being destroyed. It was tied into what was wrong with her just before she was assigned the mission. Someone at the Ranger Academy had tried to poison her. Well, more than tried, actually. It worked, too. No one wanted to tell me that for a while when Uncle Stephen said she was in a coma, she was really dead. Something in Kay's anatomyy was able to stop the poison and the rest of the coma was more like a healing trance. What is it with people in my family and coming back from the dead? I remember thinking then, "Kay's being a copycat again." She knew Dad came back from the dead, so she just *had* to try it. Uncle Stephen thoroughly checked her out after she woke up, but couldn't find anything wrong with her, besides the fact that by all rights she should have been dead. If she had been fully human or fully Minbari, the poison would have done it's job completely, but somehow, the hybridization was enough to make her body able to rid itself of the toxin naturally. Since she came back from the dead, we didn't know how long she'd have left, barring injury or illness. And then, things started going crazy. After her ship was destroyed, Momma and Dad were called in for a peace mission, but that didn't go at all like it was planned. ---------- feedback? trekker@webmart.net Jules