From: Jason Krish Subject: The Measure of a Soul Act 5 Date: Sat, 25 Sep 1999 22:23:07 -0600 Hello all, sorry for the delay. Here is the rest of my story: The Measure of a Soul. I have most of the next installment written, but not typed up. Let me know what you think. Thanks =) The Measure of a Soul Act 5 Walker watched the shuttle pick up the first pilot and started off to the next craft before he continued after Deran. Deran had granted him his request to watch the first pickup to satisfy himself that they wouldn't just leave them there to die. Deran led him further into the field before heading to one of the larger asteroids. He didn't see the base until they were almost upon it. Walker was impressed. The Minbari had it hidden well. He conceded to himself that they likely would never have found it without help. What he also noticed was that it appeared to have suffered some damage. That would explain the flash. He reasoned that either an accident had occurred or more likely, some rogue rocks had gotten through and well… He followed Deran into a cavern, which he assumed led to a hangar bay of some sort. Just then the fighter was shaken by some unknown force. "Tractor beam," he guessed and then let go of the controls and waited to see where it would take him. If they wanted to kill him, they already had plenty of opportunities to just that. His ship was led further into the back of the cavern where he saw several other Minbari craft in their bays. After it deposited him into one of the empty bays, he powered down his craft and opened the hatch and left. He pushed himself over to an airlock and waited for it to cycle open. When he was in and waiting for it to cycle shut he saw the shuttle return to another of the empty bays. He found Deran waiting for him on the other side of the door. "Not all of your pilots fared well," he said to Walker, sensing the question ever before it was asked. "I gave my men strict orders to only disable your craft, but…" Walker acknowledged that he understood with a nod of his head. Anticipating Walker's next question he replied "four of your men survived with varying injuries. They are being taken to our medical rooms. I will take you there before proceeding with business." "To let you know, two more pilots are out there, but scans show they are dead, so we only recovered the ones who could still be saved. The shuttle is heading back out to recover the bodies of your fallen comrades. As for them, we believe that they died after collisions with asteroids. "Now, if you like, I'll bring you to the medical room." ********** After watching them walk off a figure stepped out of the shadows and commented "Are you sure he is one of the Travelers?" "YES" The figure just nodded his head and disappeared back into the shadows… ********** Walker watched bright eyed with amazement as the Minbari doctors worked on his men. He didn't understand how their equipment worked, nor did he care as long as it helped the doctors do their job. Once he was satisfied he followed Deran to a small room. Deran in turn motioned for him to sit down before talking. "You are likely wondering why you are still alive?" "Yes, that thought had occurred to me. Why are we still alive when pretty well every other encounter with your race has ended in our death and destruction. Yes, why are we still alive unlike so many of my race? Hmmm??? What makes us so special?? Deran held Walker's gaze throughout the conversation until now. Now, all he could feel was shame. "We are not the real enemy, you know. There are those of us who know this war to be wrong. Tell me, do you know the how and why this war started?" Walker lowered his head and thought about it. "All I know is really what Command tells us. What I have also heard through scuttlebutt is that the man in charge of the task force didn't follow protocol for the situation he faced, a 'First Contact' situation. If anyone else was in command then maybe the situation would have been different. But right now, all I know is that if this damnable war continues at its present course, then my race, the Human race, is facing its twilight existence. But tell me please, how do you think this war started?" Deran sat there before proceeding with the answer. "It was all a matter of misunderstanding. Let me explain. The ship, once it detected your vessels, did approach. We were curious, as we did not know yet who you were. We approached with our gun ports open, which to some of us, is a sign of respect. However, from what I have heard, our leader Dukhat, may Valen watch his soul, did not approve of it as he was worried. He actually was interested in finding and contacting your race, but just not yet. Once he learned of the open gun ports though, he became afraid of how your race might respond to it. Sadly, there is no point in continuing as we all know the outcome of that fateful first meeting." Deran just looked down and shook his head. "One question, what does 'Anla'Shok Val'Na' mean?" Deran smiled, "Val'Na roughly translates into Captain and as for Anla'Shok. I belong to an ancient group called the Anla'Shok, which in your tongue translates into the Rangers. We are an old group who watch, listen, learn, and wait for the coming darkness." Several minutes later Walker piped up with another question. "The one thing none of us can figure out to this day is what exactly what were your people doing there?" Deran looked up from his recollections and cocked and eyebrow. May he was right about this one after all. "Have you ever heard of a place Z'Ha'Dum?" Walker just shook his head, "should I have?" "Its name roughly translates into 'dark future'. There are several different translations, but that one will suffice for now. It is a dead world, or so we hope…" "What do you mean, 'or so you hope?'" "Let me finish, all questions will be answered in due course. There are those among us that believe an ancient prophecy of ours is coming to pass. However, the few of us who believe are few and we needed to prove to our leaders that the writings and old warnings were true. It was eventually agreed upon that a vessel would be sent to Z'Ha'Dum to investigate as that planet figures prominently in our writings. The vessel took a series of jumps to throw off any 'unwanted attention' shall we say. I believe they were preparing for the last of the jumps when…well, now you know the rest of the story." Walker shook his head. All this death, chaos, and destruction over some old stories and fairy tales. The two men sat there in silence for a few minutes before Deran spoke up. "You understand the predicament I am in now, don't you? Because of what I have told you, I can't let you go. Also, I can't keep you here prisoner. And since I've given you my word, I can't, won't, kill you either. There has already been enough bloodshed by both sides already. But, come now and rest while I decide what to do with you and your men. With that almost imperceptible nod of his head that accompanied that last statement, Walker 'slept'. Deran lowered his head again as several cloaked Minbari stepped out from the shadows and carried off the now 'resting' form of Walker away. "Observations, my friend?" asked one of the shadows, "or more questions?" "You sure about him? We are taking an awful risk you know. I can't let him go knowing what he does know, but I can't keep him either. I'm just not sure what to do." "The transport is due here soon, is it not? Transfer his men to it when it arrives, and give him the choice. I'm sure he will make the right one at that time. But for now, we need to evacuate this base and 'dismantle' it. We both know that in its present condition we would be fools to think we could hold off an assault from an Earth cruiser. Coupled with the fact that we do not know the strength of the vessel or how many for that matter, and we cannot let this base fall to them. The results of that could be…" the sentence was left hanging. Deran just sighed, shook his head and looked up, "I just hope you are right." ********** 0800 EST The Coventry Corin woke up to his alarm ringing. He had been dreaming. It was strange. He couldn't remember the specifics, but he could remember a voyage of…stars??? Yes, that was how to describe it. A long one, far away, on an alien vessel, yet familiar somehow. Images of people, both Human and…Minbari??? Just images, no particulars, and there he was in the middle of madness, the order in the chaos. The images seemed so real, yet he knew they were only dreams, weren't they? What he also knew is that he wasn't afraid, not afraid of either the present or the future, whatever it held for him. A feeling of comfort, of knowing he would live to experience the madness and chaos. He just shook his head clear, dressed, and left for the mess… ********** Meanwhile, elsewhere… "The last of the shuttles are on their way, and download of base computers almost complete. Reactor on standby." "Thank you, that is all. Oh, when all is done, you know what to do." "Yes…" Deran noted an air of sadness in his Na'Lai's voice. It was understandable. This had been a Ranger base for as long as Deran could remember, one of the precious few left to them these last few years. Deran knew the Council, other than Dukhat, may Valen bless his soul, and the people had always respected the Anla'Shok, but lately that their respect was starting to disappear, to wane. To make matters worse, if they knew he harbored a human, well there was no telling what they might do or how they might react. He shook himself from his reverie and walked over to a viewport. After a brief period he turned around. There was that feeling of someone else there in the room. Slowly he did do and HE was there. "Greetings" "LEARN" ********** "Deran?" Was all he heard, much like a disembodied voice. It was the shock to bring him back to his senses. What in Valen's name happened? Try as he might, he simply wasn't sure. "Deran?" The voice again, it was more urgent this time he noted. "Yes," was all he could say, not sure if it was him saying it. "You alright?" "Yes, yes. I'm fine. I'm just tired is all. But enough of that, what is it?" "We are getting ready to jump, we have set the reactor to overload. I thought you might want to see it." "No, thank you but no. The memories are too much. The pain would be too great." Deran watched his fellow Anla'Shok disappear down the corridor, quiet as the wind. Deran nodded, to no one in particular. Truth be told, he was tired. It had been a long day, what with the Earth contact and subsequent quick evacuation of their base. He lay down on his bed and laughed, half-hearted at that. He had laughed because the shadow was again right. He knew he took an awful risk giving that Walker fellow the choice to leave. He almost did leave, but he didn't. when asked why he stayed, his answer was to say the least cryptic. The journey starts here The voyage set in motion The time of travel is upon us The madness, begun Fate has cast her lot! One, is to lead One, is to fight One, is to sacrifice One, is to join One, is to turn One, is to tell Two, are to find All, are to journey What is now was then And what was then is there The Travelers journey And the journey has begun Destiny Unfolds…WATCH, LEARN, BE Deran had listened and didn't like what he had heard. Walker sounded like a Vorlon, and that thought alone bothered him. That got him thinking, what are they up to, what game is afoot? BAH! He knew they would not reveal themselves until they were ready to. Rest now he thought, and rest he did… ********** Stay tuned for the next installment of The Travelers…The Existence of Being THIS IS THEIR SONG… -- Jason Krish jkrish@icrossroads.com Ranger(Edmonton)