From: creative-archive@anxst.com
Subject: Masychi Part 8
Date: Sat, 15 Nov 1997 23:29:49 -0800 (PST)

name = David J Baker
email = DAVID_J_BAKER@compuserve.com
title = MASYNCHI: PART 8 (Hall of Cards)
warnings = 
story = Hall of Cards

The Vorlon fleet travelled through masynchi space on a mission that would give them 
mastery of the Universe.  Soolin and Susan were in a cryo-stasis chamber.  The 
Vorlons had something very sinister in store for them.  They were to be their tools of 
total mastery...
"How far to the Hall of Cards?"
"We are arriving..."
"Good, then it is almost complete."
The lead Vorlon ship passed into a giant cube of space 10 parsecs across.  Within this 
cube was the Hall of cards.  The place were every known mystical symbol is stored, a 
place where these symbols manifest in reality.  The Hall of Cards is the centre of the 
masynchi continuum.  Who so-ever controls the Hall of Cards has total mastery of 
everything, absolutely *everything*.  With this awesome power comes an awesome 
risk.  If the cards are not used correctly then entire universes can blink out of 
existence.  There are many cards with very similar, but subtly different meanings.  
Confusing them can cost you your entire reality.  This is why only Masynchi Masters, 
after millennia of training, are allowed to use the Hall of Cards.  The Vorlons, although 
a vastly advanced race, are not Masynchi Masters.  They are sorcerers and 
opportunists.
The Vorlon ship approached a tiny cube only one metre square.  This is the Hall of 
Cards.  Despite its apparent small size, it is infinitely large as it exists in infinite 
dimensions.
"Bring the Hall of Cards aboard."
"At once."
The cargo bay doors opened and swallowed up this tiny cube of awesome power.  It 
stood in the cargo deck.  It was very bright and spun slowly.  As it did so it emitted 
flashes of light accompanied by strange whirring sounds.  It had a golden aura and 
tantalised anyone who looked upon it.  The commanding Vorlon leader walked in.
"With this we have total power."
"Yes."
"Set a course for the planet Earth.  I have some unfinished business I wish to take care 
of."
"At once."
"We will use the humans to enter the cube.  They are disciples of the Masynchi Master 
Zenchi and will therefore be allowed access.  When inside the cube they will obey any 
commands given to them.  They can fetch the appropriate cards and invoke their 
magic.  They will be our means of total mastery...  They will be obliged to carry out 
my orders wiping Earth out of existence, in this and every other universe...  Defrost 
them at once."
It is common practice for a Masynchi Master to send his disciples into the Hall of 
Cards.  There they must obey every command given to them.  In the absence of Zenchi 
they will have no choice but to obey the Vorlons.
The Vorlons opened up the cryogenic chamber revealing the frozen bodies of Soolin 
and Susan.    They were standing in vertical tubes surrounded by a white mist, their 
bodies were pure white with frost and resembled statues.
"Begin the re-animation process."
One of the Vorlons telepathically operated the control panel.  The tubes lit up with an 
orange light and the two bodies began to come back to life.  Chunks of ice fell off and 
the frost turned to water.  They began to breath, displacing more ice.  The monitor 
sprung to life showing their vital signs.  Their skin changed from the colour of icing 
sugar to that of pink flesh as they began to animate.  Their eyes, which were glazed 
over, cleared.  They both looked around and began to wake up.
"Bring them to the cube."
The two vertical columns lifted into the roof of the Vorlon ship.  Soolin was the first to 
speak.
"I've had just about enough of cryo-stasis for one life."
Susan returned with a quip.
"Huh!  Wait until they petrify you...  Give me my clothes it is freezing in this 
dungeon!"
They were handed their clothes and promptly marched to the cargo bay.  Their in front 
of them they saw the great cube, the Hall of Cards.  
"Wow!  What on Earth is that!"  Remarked Susan.
"Your new home."
The Vorlon leader was deadpan.
"You work for us now."
"Not on your life!"
They were marched to the cube.
"Proceed."
Susan was first.  She entered the barrier of light, the area that was like the event 
horizon of a black hole.  She shrunk and sped towards the cube, disappearing from 
view. She quickly reached the point of zero physical size and entered the dimensional 
portal of the cube.   She landed in the cube, which was a huge, endless, white maze of 
rooms.  Shortly after Soolin joined her, almost landing on top of her!  
"Where are we?"  Asked Susan.
"This looks like the Hall of Cards, the most powerful force in existence.  It contains 
symbol cards for every mystical symbol.  It is the centre of the Masynchi Continuum 
itself!"
"Oh!  Glad I asked."
Then, in front of them they saw a being screaming.  It was running wildly about pulling 
its hair out.
"What happened to him?" Susan asked with a hint of worry in her voice.
"The Hall of Cards is very powerful.  If you so much as look at a symbol card that you 
are not ready for then..."
"Then what?"
"Lets just say he has got off mildly.  His madness will wear off in a century or two.  
You see in the Hall of Cards, symbols have total power.  They can effect your mind, 
your body, your entire existence."
They looked up to find a stray, wandering woman.  Susan approached her from 
behind.
"Excuse me!"  She said, touching the woman lightly on her shoulder.
The woman turned around, she had a flat plate made of plastic in place of her face.  
One of the symbols had partially transformed her into a doll.   
Susan stood back and shuddered.  As they wandered deeper into the Hall of Cards they 
found many examples of beings that could not handle the symbols correctly.  Many 
were petrified into statues, using one of the many STOP symbols.  Some had 
undergone more bizarre transformations.  Any transformation imaginable was possible.  
It was absolutely essential to chose the right symbol *and* concentrate totally.  One 
stray though is all it takes in the Hall of Cards.  
The cards themselves looked like post cards and were stacked on white shelves and 
wire displays.  Each one of the many rooms was for cards of one command.  Soolin 
and Susan were in the STOP room.  There were millions of cards, each with different 
variations of the command stop.  Every type of event in the Masynchi continuum had a 
card.  There was a virtually limitless number of them. 

Meanwhile, the Vorlons had detected a stray Shadow ship.
"Bring it in, hold it with a tractor beam."
The Vorlons put a tractor beam on the Shadow ship.  It had a small amount of engine 
power left, so the Vorlon ship was pushing it away very slightly instead of actually 
towing it.  This was a problem, as the engines needed to be neutralised in order for the 
ship to be impounded.  The Vorlons tried directed energy weapons, but the Shadow 
ship seemed impervious.  In the Masynchi continuum a different approach is often 
called for.
"Do you wish it destroyed?"
An eager Vorlon asked.
"Yes...  No.  We can use this as a test for the Hall of Cards."
The Vorlon approached the cube and gave the command.  
"STOP!"
In his eagerness he forgot that commands were literal and needed many days of 
contemplation.  He assumed that Soolin and Susan would do what he had in mind, as 
he also sent a telepathic image of the Shadow ship and desired effect.  In fact it was 
only obligatory for them to follow the *exact* spoken command.  This was intended as 
a learning device to make Masynchi Masters think deeply upon their commands.
Soolin and Susan were compelled to use the STOP command.  They could neither 
physically nor mentally resist.  It was quite simply natural for them to carry out the 
instructions.
Soolin looked at Susan.
"You know, we could use this to our advantage.  He called for STOP but did not 
elaborate."
Soolin frantically looked for a STOP command fitting of her plan.  After a seeming 
eternity she smiled broadly.
"This one will do!"
She concentrated on the card.  It was a STOP card all right, but the one that calls for 
the destruction of a species.  The Vorlons.
"STOP...   STOP...   STOP..."
She cleared her mind and activated the symbol.
The entire Vorlon fleet began to petrify into stone.  The Vorlon leader stood there and 
in a flash was a stone statue.  The fleet drifted through the Masynchi continuum on 
course for Earth.  The Shadow ship preceded it due to its slight engine power.
"Now we need to get home"
Soolin smiled broadly at Susan.
"We have defeated the Vorlons.  They have been turned to stone.  All we need now is 
the correct HOME card.  This should release us and send us home."
Susan smiled back, "Is that all!?"
They journey through the Hall of Cards trying to locate the HOME card room.  After a 
number of days, they eventually found it.
"Here it is!"
After a few hours Susan found a home card and her face lit up excitedly.
"Soolin, over here!"
Susan looked at the card contentedly.
"No Susan, wait!"
It was too late.  The symbol had been activated.  The HOME card was for Earth, but 
for the time of Susan’s birth...

The Shadow ship came to a standstill.  Sheridan stirred from his sleep.  It had been 
over a month now.  The strange buzzing stopped and a door opened.  Sheridan went 
over to the door and looked out.  In front of him was a field of grass.  The smell of 
spring filled his lungs.  The sun shone down on him.  It felt so good to feel the sun 
again.  As it hit his skin it brought back many memories of his fathers farm.   The wind 
too, was most welcome as it caressed his face.  He stretched and smiled, 
"Home Sweet Home!", he said.  He walked out of the ship and towards a barn.  
Enjoying the feeling of walking in the grass.  When he reached the barn, he looked 
back towards the shadow ship.  It had disappeared!  
"What?"
"John, pass me that hay fork."
Sheridan looked up.
"Dad?!  Is that you?"
"Of course it is me, hurry up with that fork will ya."
"Dad.. Dad.."
He walked over and hugged him.
"Dad, it is so good to see you again."
"Aren't you supposed to be on Babylon 5?"
"Yes I was, but then...  I don’t know what happened."
Sheridan looked worried.
"I was there, fighting the Shadows, disabling a ship...  then?  I don't remember.  You 
know Dad, I just don’t know what happened."
"Calm down son, I am sure there is a rational explanation."
Then, suddenly, there was a great whistling sound.  They both ran outside and looked 
up.  Towards them a giant meteor hurtled.  It was glowing red hot and had a long tail.
"What the..."
PSSSSSSSSS!  BOOOOOM!!!
Sheridan’s Dad looked over.
"I'll get the transport!"
Sheridan stood there for a minute, just looking, then turned and ran towards his fathers 
transport.  
"Come on John, hurry up!"
The both jumped into the transport, a cross between a car and a shuttle craft.  They 
sped towards the impact site.  There was a great trench gouged out by the meteor.  
They followed the trench to find the meteor itself.  
"Grab the flash light."
They went down to the meteor.  It became apparent that it was not a meteor, but a 
ship.  A Vorlon ship.  It was partially encased in rock and was completely lifeless.  By 
the state of it, it looked like it had been drifting through space for thousands of years.
"Look!"
They both looked up.  There were hundreds of similar objects showering down on the 
Earth.  The ground shook as they impacted.  A very large ship probably a planet killer, 
hurtled towards them.
"Take cover!"
They both ran for cover.  There was a deafening roar followed by a huge boom.  It was 
like an Earthquake.
After the dust had settled, they took the transport to the crash site.  The Vorlon Star 
Killer had broken into hundreds of large fragments.  The inside of the ship was 
exposed.  They were greeted by the bizarre sight of petrified Vorlons.  Their light 
bodies had been frozen in time and turned to stone.  Their ships had suffered a similar 
fate.  One of the Vorlons had shattered into pieces.  There was a strange dust around.  
Sheridan took a sledge hammer from the transport and hammered a Vorlon.  It 
shattered into dust.
"What the hell type of being could do this...  to the Vorlons?"
Sheridan looked perplexed.  It seemed like the entire Vorlon species had been wiped 
out by some god-like force.
A few hours later a salvage team arrived.  It was time for Sheridan and his father to 
leave.  They did not need the Psi Cops exploring their minds.  Sheridan watched ISN 
for any news of the Vorlons.
He was shocked to hear it passed off as a freak meteor storm.  The next evening, he 
and his father took a trip over to the crash site.  There was nothing left!  The 
authorities had cleared up ALL of the Vorlon fleet.  Some task.  In fact, an almost 
impossible task without some kind of miraculous help!  Sheridan looked very worried.
"I thought that we had destroyed the Shadows?"
He paced up and down the room.
"There is something else going on here, something dark...  A new alliance with an alien 
species?"
Suddenly....
Boom!  Tat-Tat-Tat...
The lights went off...
"Do Not Move...  Or We Will Shoot!"
A team of crack troops had stormed Sheridan’s home.
"John Sheridan, we know you are here...  We have a warrant for your arrest."
Sheridan walked out with his hands in the air.  He walked into a beam of intense light 
emanating from a troops gun.  
"On the floor!"
"Wait! I have rights!"
They pushed him onto the floor and thumped him across the head.  he was out cold...
He awoke in a cold, dark room.  It was some kind of barbaric holding cell.
"Sheridan!  Is that you?"
Sheridan awoke to find Avon leaning over him.
"Avon..."
Sheridan tried to focus his eyes.
"What happened Avon?...   Where are the others?"
"Myself and Vila were on a routine patrol in the Deliverance, then a extremely 
powerful, hostile force ceased control and boarded us."
"Delenn, Susan..."
"Delenn is still on Babylon 5.  Susan and Soolin are still missing after the Vorlons took 
them into the Masynchi Continuum."
"The Vorlon fleet was turned to stone and bombarded Earth a couple of days ago...  
The entire species has been wiped out."
Avon looked worried.
"The *entire* species..."
Avon spoke with a low hiss.
At that moment the door of the cell opened and Vila was thrown back in.  He landed 
on the floor with a thud!
"Vila..  Vila..  Wake up Vila."
Vila had a blank expression on his face.  He slowly came to.
"Avon is that you?  He grabbed Avon’s arm very tightly."
"Yes!  Let go you are breaking my arm."
"Sorry."
Vila looked over to Sheridan.  He tried to focus his eyes.
"Captain Sheridan?"
"Hello Vila, nice to have you back."
"I thought that you had disappeared into that continuum thing with that ugly looking 
ship?"
"I had, but suddenly I found myself on Earth..."
Vila looked puzzled.
"I don't understand?"
Avon brushed himself off and stood up.
"None of us understand.  yet..."
Sheridan stood up and helped Vila to his feet.
"We need to know what exactly is going on.  What happened when they took you?"
"They took me to this room.  A sort of operating theatre.  It was horrible.  I heard a 
voice,  it sounded like Soolin, a bit."
"Then what happened?"
"There was this voice...  It was horrible Avon...  I don't want to remember."
Avon looked very stern.
"You must Vila, you *must*!"
Vila turned away and sat an the corner of the cell.  He sucked the side of his hand for 
comfort.  Avon came up behind him and put his and on his shoulder gently.
"Come on Vila..."
"OK...  It was a mans voice.  It was in my head, I could not get it out."
"What did it say."
"It was telling me that it was going to destroy my mind..."
"Then?"
"Then I heard the voice like Soolin’s.  It said I will never serve you."
"Then?"
"Then I let you go.  There are more persuasive arguments."
Standing in the doorway was an evil psi-cop dressed completely in black.  
"Sheridan and Avon...  You should get me what I want.  You see I have a problem...  
Soolin and Susan will not give me what I want.  They have no choice but to obey my 
commands, but are being rather *difficult*.  They are *deliberately* misinterpreting my 
orders."
Sheridan walked over to the dark figure.
"So you want to use us as a bargaining chips?"
"Give me what I want and I might let you live.  One way or another I *will* control 
the cube."
The psi-cop stood back and two guards entered.  They pushed Sheridan out of the way 
and took Avon to the interrogation room.  There they immobilised him and prepared 
him for telepathic scanning.  Avon heard Soolin’s voice in his head.  
"Avon.. Avon..  Say out loud..  I command destruction."
Avon was injected with a will draining drug.  He began to pass out of consciousness.  
"Avon.. Avon..  Say out loud..  I command destruction."
Avon fought against the drug as the psi-cop entered his mind.
"Surrender your will to me...  Open your mind!"
"Avon..  Avon.."
Avon whispered under his breath.
"Soolin..."
He was barely conscious.  He was in that dreamy stage that takes a miracle of will to 
break from.
"Avon..  Avon..  Command Destruction!"
He fought against the drug and the psi-cop.
"Surrender there is no escape."
An image came to his mind.  It was of the final moments on Guada Prime.  He was 
standing above Blake's lifeless body.
"No..  No.."
He whispered to himself.
"AVON!"
With a monumentous effort of will he whispered.
"I....   I....  com..ma..nd...  des...truction."
He passed out cold.  The psi-cop entered his mind.
"Now you are mine, Ker Avon!"
Soolin quickly found the correct DESTRUCTION card and concentrated on the 
symbol.  It a sudden flash the psi-cop, the guards and all of the personnel at the base 
were burned to a crisp.  Their bodies were reduced to ashes which were dispersed by 
the four winds.  Their cries could be heard reverberating telepathically as they were 
wiped from existence.  Not a trace of them was to remain.
A couple of hours later the drug wore off and Avon awoke from his sleep.
"Oh my head!"
He held it in his hands and peered through his fingers.  His eyes took a moment to 
focus.  When they did he saw the great cube of light.  He was inside the aura and 
therefore had command of the cube.  Again he heard Soolin, telepathically.
"Avon.  Listen very carefully."
"I'm listening"
He said out loud.
"Good.  You must repeat the following command, verbally.  It must be precise.  OK!"
"I'll try my best."
Soolin composed herself.
"Sun-Ya-Chi  Portal Release...  Zenchi."
"OK Soolin, I have got it."
It was Avon’s turn to concentrate.
"SUN..  YA..  CHI..  Portal Release.. *Zenchi*"
With that the forms of Soolin and Susan arose from a tiny portal in the cube.  They 
manifest in front of him.
Avon looked bemused.
"I must stop socialising with Vila.  He is teaching me bad habits!"
The cube, in the absence of inhabitants, returned to the masynchi continuum.  Avon 
looked on as it vanished through a portal.
Susan spoke up.
"We must return to the Deliverance and Babylon 5."
Avon sprang to his feet.
"Yes, she is right.  First we must liberate Sheridan and Vila."
They ran down the corridor to the holding cell.  Avon found the door already open.  
Vila and Sheridan were waiting for them.
"I see you haven’t lost your touch, Vila!"
Vila looked at his hands proudly. 
"A master at work!"  He proclaimed.
They ran through the base to the central control room.  There they located the 
Deliverance and instituted the launch sequence.
"Come on!  We don't have time to waste!"
Avon was anxious to get back to the ship.
They boarded the Deliverance and put into action the final launch procedure.  It lifted 
off and into orbit.
"Zen, Babylon 5, Maximum speed!"
"Confirmed."
As they made their way to Babylon 5, they filled each other in about their part of the 
story. 
"You see, we had no choice but to capture the Deliverance.  The order was very 
specific."
Captain Sheridan added his piece.
"While all this was going on, I was in stasis aboard a Shadow ship."
Avon looked out into space.  He turned and seemed angry.
"You mean that *cube* would have given us...  *me* mastery of the Universe...  And 
you *let* it go!"
Soolin returned comment.
"Look what it did to the Vorlons."
Susan. "And the psi-cops."
Vila looked up from his glass of Aldebaran Ale.
"So it is a lot better back where it belongs..."
Avon looked intense for a minute, then he smiled...


-----------------------------------------------
From: creative-archive@anxst.com
Subject: MASYNCHI: Part 9 (The Last Word)
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 1997 13:30:46 -0800 (PST)


name = David J Baker
email = DAVID_J_BAKER@compuserve.com
title = MASYNCHI: Part 9 (The Last Word)
warnings = 
story = The Last Word

The Deliverance slid through space on another routine patrol.  Its technology was far 
in advance of anything this universe had seen, even Vorlon technology.  It was adopted 
as the flagship of the Army Of Light.  Commander Susan Ivanova was given official 
command, as one of the most senior officers.  
Avon spent his time learning and probing the technology aboard.  Not a day seemed to 
go by when he did not find something of great fascination.
He was adamant, however that the Deliverance was his ship, in which he would rule 
*his* universe.
He merely appeased Sheridan and his exploits.  Sheridan reminded Avon too much of 
Blake.  Blake with a god complex.  
Vila spent his time drinking and playing with the ships extravagant facilities.  He was 
not much use to anyone, but shared Avon’s wish to return.  He had his own pleasure 
planet and was regarded as a great hero back home.  He winged a great deal, especially 
when given duties to perform.
Soolin spent most of her time in meditation.  She had reached her objective given by 
Zenchi.  The Shadows and the Vorlons were out of the picture.  She and Susan spent 
many long hours together.  They explored their common linkage, as two sides of one 
soul.  They knew that one day they must join together to become one being in the 
Masynchi Continuum.  For the moment though, they served the Army Of Light.  Their 
presence brought a stabilising force to the Galaxy.  
It was a Wednesday afternoon.  As much as that meant in space.  They were patrolling 
the rim, and as usual, had nothing unusual to report.
Susan stood in the Commanders position.  
"Set a course 312.3, TD 5...  I want to explore that planet a little."
Zen replied in his usual tone.
"Confirmed.  Course laid in."
Vila was sitting on one of the comfortable chairs, staring into space.  He had a glass of 
Adrenaline and Soma in his hand.
"A dead planet...  That should be an interesting diversion."
Vila mumbled sarcastically.
Avon interjected with a stern voice.
"If you are bored you can help me with this teleport."
"Why?  Is it broken?"
"No Vila.  I have found some crystals in one of the consoles.  I assume they have some 
sort of teleport function."
"If it works, leave it alone.  That's my motto."
Said Vila with the glass to his lips.
The ship entered orbit around the dead planet.  Susan arose from her position.
"Put on a suite Vila.  You are coming with me to explore the planet."
Vila pulled a face, then pulled himself up.
"Do I have to?"
Avon laughed.
"That sounds like the Vila I know."
Susan scorned Avon.
"You just make sure you do not trash the teleport.  Remember what you did to the 
Soloric Projector."
"That was not my fault.  The solar oscillator was badly out of alignment."
It was Vila's opportunity to return Avon's insult.
"So were we once you had finished!"
Avon through down his teleprobe and ventured over to the teleport controls.
"All set?"
Vila was standing holding the suit, but had not had time to change.  Susan was in the 
process of putting hers on.  Avon did not wait for them, he operated the teleport.
Their molecules spun around and disappeared into the teleport vortex.  Susan scowled 
as she vanished.  Avon smiled broadly.
"There was no need for that."
Soolin’s voice echoed through the flight deck.
"Oh, it relieves the tedium.  When are we returning to our universe?"
"In time..."

Vila and Susan found themselves in a damp cave, knee deep in water.
"Ugh..."
"Yuk...  Wait until I get my hands on Avon.  I will throttle him!"
A voice came through the teleport bracelets.  It was Avon with a wicked laugh.
"Deliverance to Ivanova.  Happy landings?"
"Avon! You nincum poop, wait 'till I get my hands on you!"
The cave smelt vial and was freezing cold.  
"Do we have to stay here?" winged Vila.
"Come on, where is your explorers spirit."
"I drank it all!"
They drudged their way through the cave.  The lights they had seemed dim.  Suddenly 
Vila screamed.
Susan drew her trusty PPG.
"Get Down!"
She fired...
There was a blood curdling screech.  She walked over to find a dead bat like creature.    
Vila was still cowering in the corner.
"Cry baby."

Avon was having a fascinating time with his new found toy.  He held one of the 
crystals in the air and examined it.  It was bright red in colour, cylindrical and about 10 
centimetres long.  He placed it in a receptacle and a board illuminated.  
"Bingo!" 
He activated the teleport control.  It sprang into action.  The cycle took a little longer 
than usual and the crystal glowed very brightly.  Then forms started to appear.  There 
were three of them.  Avon suddenly recognised them as Servalan’s elite personal 
guard.
"OHHH!"
He frantically tried to reverse the process, but it was too late.  He dived behind the 
console for cover, just as one of the guards fired a shot.

Status: RO

?"
"Avon! You nincum poop, wait 'till I get my hands on you!"
The cave smelt vial and was freezing cold.  
"Do we have to stay here?" winged Vila.
"Come on, where is your explorers spirit."
"I drank it all!"
They drudged their way through the cave.  The lights they had seemed dim.  Suddenly 
Vila screamed.
Susan drew her trusty PPG.
"Get Down!"
She fired...
There was a blood curdling screech.  She walked over to find a dead bat like creature.    
Vila was still cowering in the corner.
"Cry baby."

Avon was having a fascinating time with his new found toy.  He held one of the 
crystals in the air and examined it.  It was bright red in colour, cylindrical and about 10 
centimetres long.  He placed it in a receptacle and a board illuminated.  
"Bingo!" 
He activated the teleport control.  It sprang into action.  The cycle took a little longer 
than usual and the crystal glowed very brightly.  Then forms started to appear.  There 
were three of them.  Avon suddenly recognised them as Servalan’s elite personal 
guard.
"OHHH!"
He frantically tried to reverse the process, but it was too late.  He dived behind the 
console for cover, just as one of the guards fired a shot.
ZZAP
It hit him in the right shoulder.  Avon lay on the ground looking aghast.  The elite 
guards surrounded him and placed the muzzles of their neutron blasters to his head.
Soolin rushed through.  
"What's happening?!"
One of the guards took aim at her.
"Stay still!" He commanded.
Soolin was unarmed, if she had been armed she would have dropped the three of them 
where they stood.
They picked Avon off the floor.  He was bleeding from his gaping wound.  
The leader took a data crystal from a pouch on his belt.  They dragged Avon to the 
front view-screen while keeping Soolin under close guard.
Avon felt a stabbing pain across his chest and could taste blood.
They leader put the data crystal into the player.  There, on the screen, stood Servalan.  
She had a broad smile and was gloating uncontrollably.
"My dear Avon...
If you are watching this I will be dead.
You would have imagined for these few months that you had one, but like I said, your 
and my deaths are linked.  Handy little device, no doubt your own curiosity got the 
better of you!"
Servalan held up one of the teleport receptor crystals.  She examined it gleefully.
"This is a teleport receptor crystal.  It stores teleport patterns in a state of suspension.  
My men were stored in one until you so kindly released them.  This one here is very 
special, Avon, very special indeed.  You see, this is the crystal I have kept for you!"
Servalan kissed the crystal and stroked it gently.
"You will be teleported into this stasis crystal, where you will be transported to Guada 
Prime.  After a trial, that of course will be fixed, the crystal will be crushed....  and you 
will be destroyed.  Your pattern will disintegrate.  My only regret is that I will not be 
able to witness it personally.
Of course I will have the last word.  I have recorded a ullage for you.  It ends with the 
order to crush the crystal."
Servalan laughed, a wicked laugh.
"See you in Hell Avon!"
The guards took him to the teleport and inserted the crystal into the receptacle.  Soolin 
lunged forward, but stopped at the point of a gun.  Avon stood with his hands in the 
air.
"So long...  Soolin."
The leader operated the teleport.  Avon’s molecules spun around into a vortex and 
disappeared.  The crystal, which was perfectly clear, began to glow brightly.  A loud 
vibrating noise could be heard and the crystal changed to a deep red colour.  The 
leader picked up the crystal and examined it in the light.  He laughed.
"So this is the great Ker Avon!"
He placed the crystal into a device that Avon had not previously understood.  There, 
projected in holographic form was Avon’s form, frozen in time.  He had the look of 
horror on his face.  The leader snatched the crystal out and threw it over to one of his 
men.  Soolin gasped as the man almost dropped it.  The leader snapped.
"Careful, or you will be next!"
The guard put it into a special container.  The leader walked over to Zen.
"You must be THOR?"
There was no response.
Soolin spoke.  "There have been one or two changes since Servalan last had control!"
The leader snapped his fingers and the guard placed Avon's crystal into his hand.
"Then you had better hope you don’t make any mistakes!  Set a course for Guada 
Prime!"
Soolin, tongue in cheek, ordered Zen.
"Zen, set a course for Guada Prime,  TD 17."
"Confirmed."
"Proceed"
"Confirmed."
The Deliverance left orbit and headed towards Guada Prime.

Vila and Susan had ventured out of the cave into a very hostile jungle.  Susan pressed 
the communicator button on the teleport bracelet.
"Ivanova to Deliverance, come in Avon."
She waited a couple of seconds, nothing but static.
"Ivanova to Deliverance, COME IN AVON!"
Vila looked visibly worried.
"TTThats great.  Now were stranded here!"
"Stop winging Vila."
They walked down through vines to a river.  There they stopped.  They were both 
soaking wet after their trip in the damp cave.  Vila took off a boot and emptied out 
some muddy looking water.
"UGH!"
Vila looked on in disgust as he saw little wriggling things in the puddle it left behind.
Susan undressed and dived into the crystal clear river.  She swam for a while and then 
motioned Vila.
"Come on in, the water is lovely and fresh!"
Susan always enjoyed swimming and had little inhibitions.  She luxuriated in the warm 
water, enjoying the feel of it against her skin.  The smell of rich tropical fruits filled the 
air and the sky way crystal clear, save a few wispy clouds.
Vila shouted to her.
"This is strange, I thought it was a dead planet?!"
Susan dived under the water and swam close to the river be.  Vila assumed it must be 
one of her many secrets.  He followed her into the water.

The Deliverance arrived in orbit around Guada Prime.  The leader went over to the 
communications console.  
"Deliverance to GP, come in GP."
There was an eire silence, not even static.
"That's strange?"
Soolin walked over to him.
"No, not really.  We are in a parallel universe.  I am the only one with the power to 
return us."
The leader held Avon's crystal between thumb and forefinger.  
"You had better get us back then!"
Soolin took the opportunity to bargain.
"There are two people we left on the planet.  We must take them back."
The leader did not flinch.
"No deal.  You can alert your base to pick them up."
"But...  That will take weeks, months even.  This ship is the only one that has been out 
this far.  They don't have the charts.  They may never find them!"
"You can send them the charts.  Lets get on with it!"
Soolin sent a message back to Babylon 5.  It would take a few hours to reach there.  
She sent all the star charts, locations, everything.  This together with a very detailed 
explanation, the only thing missing was the end!
"It will take me a while to open the portal.  We must return to Xenon.  It is the 
masynchi focus."
The leader did not look convinced.
"It is the only way I can guarantee our arrival in the correct universe."
"Oh, very well then."
They set a course for Xenon, which in this universe was the now destroyed Shadow 
homeworld!  It took several days to reach the destination.  Soolin spent these days 
staring out into space, contacting the energies of the parallel universe.  She sat on the 
throne like chair in Servalan’s quarters.  The guards were a constant irritation, but 
Zenchi's training helped her to keep her cool.
The Deliverance stopped.  The leader activated the view-screen.  There was nothing 
but empty space out there.  He marched into Soolin’s room and demanded an 
explanation.
"Soolin.  I am warning you, I can turn you into a crystal as well you know!"
Soolin replied.
"We have arrived then?"
"Arrived.  Empty space."
Soolin smiled.
"Set the following course at sub light speed.  A portal will appear there soon."
The leader looked perplexed but went along with her instructions.
Soolin concentrated very hard.  She contacted the energies of Xenon and opened the 
portal.  The Deliverance slowly passed through.  It shrunk to sub atomic size, until the 
point of singularity, it then traversed the masynchi continuum into its home universe.  
"Here we are."  Said Soolin.
The leader set another course for Guada Prime.  They arrived after a few days.
The leader teleported to the surface along with Avon's crystal.  He left orders to 
crystallise Soolin.
Soolin was ordered into the teleport chamber.  They attempted to crystallise her, but 
due to her status as a masynchi being, it did not work.  The teleport beam was 
reflected back.  The guards were caught in the reflection and were instantly 
disintegrated at a sub-quantum level.  The would-be crystal shattered and Soolin’s 
physical body turned to stone.  She was transported into the masynchi continuum. In 
an instant she passed through every point in time and space...
Avon’s 'trial' was set for two months hence.  This would give enough time to gather all 
the representatives and schedule the screening of his execution.

After many weeks on the planet, they still had no contact with any rescue mission.  
Susan and Vila were getting along a bit better.  They had no choice but to live of the 
land using low technology.  Vila was delighted to find deposits of precious minerals 
and stones.
"When they find us I will be rich!!!"
"If they find us!"
Susan was enjoying living off the land.  It was almost like a survival course she went 
on during her Earth Force training.  She had fashioned a bow and arrow out of vines 
and wood.  She had built a primitive shelter, and was becoming a dab hand at 
campfires.  In the evenings, her and Vila sat underneath the stars telling each other 
stories from their universes.  Neither thought of themselves as particularly romantic, 
but it did remind Vila of times past.  The smell of wood smoke and the shimmering 
moons were very provocative.  Vila's home made alcohol was also very intoxicating!

It was the day of Avon's trial.  He was to be temporarily rematerialised in order to face 
the charges, and Servalan’s message.   The room was grand, at least one thousand 
hand picked dignitaries lined the sides of the great hall. 
In the middle was a teleport chamber, like the one in the Deliverance.  The only 
difference being that it was enclosed.  A impenetrable cylinder two meters across stood 
there, illuminated.  High on one of the great walls was a throne on a balcony.  Sitting 
there was the administrator.  She was a very old woman dressed in ceremonial 
clothing.  There was no jury, just a defence and prosecution council.   A great picture 
of Empress Servalan hung on the wall.  The place was very lavish.  A computer stood 
against one wall, this was the judgement computer.
"Bring in the defendant!"
A small crystal was brought through in a velvet box.  It was placed in a teleport unit. 
"Re-animate!"

Status: RO

nly
"Your rendevouz is waiting for you. 3 days will be tough as it is to
make it on time. We have no more time to wait for the Ranger." He eyes
said more than he spoke. He was scared and wanted the hell out.
Susan Ivanova paced in front of the Drazi trading ship's loading doors.
She looked at her timewindow for the 32nd time. 32. She counted. He was
late. Very late. Marcus was never late. He was always early, annoyingly
so. Irritatingly so. Something was wrong. Very Wrong. Her Russian
instincts always knew the feeling of doom. This felt like armeggeddon.
Enough had gone wrong in this supposed "simple" mission. If they all
survived, she’d see someone paid for it dearly.
     The Drazi captain joined her side. "We must leave." He said 
sternly "Your rendevouz is waiting for you. 3 days will be tough as it
is to make it on time. We have no more time to wait for the Ranger." He
eyes said more than he spoke. He was scared and wanted the hell out.
     Ivanova nodded. He was right, they had to go. The mission could not
be sacrificed for a single member. Something had happened she was sure,
but if she knew Marcus. He was amazingly resourceful. He'd find his way
back to Babylon 5. She was sure of it. She placed her hand on the wall
to support her as she stepped over the threshold into the entry to the
ship. 
     "SUSAN!" Marcus' voice screamed into her brain. She froze, shaking.
It was loud, very loud. "HELP ME!" Her heart raced. How did he know? How
long had he known? What else did he know? She closed her eyes trying to
concentrate on him despite her fears about him entering her thoughts.
Focus damn it! she screamed at herself, FOCUS! She could see him. Level
13, he was on level 13! But where... A coffin? What? She unholstered her
gun. "Ngrash! I need some of your men, if you can spare them, there's a
problem." She turned and headed full bore for the nearest lifttube.


END OF PAR ONE PART TWO COMING SOON
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