From: dgolding@connect.ab.ca Subject: STAR AND CIRCLE: "The Seeker's Fire", Episode IX, Overture Date: Mon, 27 Dec 1999 17:51:37 Writer's Note -- parts of this episode will be seen from the viewpoint of the creatures encountered by Gideon & crew in the CRUSADE episode 'Well of Forever'... and will also deal with Max Eilerson's comment about them being the 'bottom of the hyperspace food chain'. Many thanks, as usual, go to jms for giving me a wonderful hanging plot thread to play with... and the rest of the 'gang' for putting up with my labyrinth of plot threads. And with that said... on with the show! * * * White Star 121, on search in Sector 606 -- the Perseus 'rift'. June 11th, 2267, 11:30 hrs, E.S.T. "You look worried about something," Val'na Maerann began, as Elai Sakalia, her human first officer, set down his end-of-watch meal at her table, the table that was reserved for them more often then not. "You will not mind if I ask *what* the matter is this time?" Sakalia laughed -- and yet again, Maerann recalled the day he had come aboard her White Star, almost six years before... and all that had transpired since then. "Well, I never really *have* liked going this deep into hyperspace looking for beacons that might or might not really exist. Even with the Vorlon technology built into these ships, we still might get lost, you know." "This is... an unlikely outcome, as I have told you before." she reminded him. "And since the mission at hand is a serious one, occasionally we must take chances. It is our... duty to keep Captain Gideon and his crew busy with 'clues' that they may investigate, after all -- and this area of space..." "Is a mystery that needs to be solved." Sakalia agreed. "I mean, why, with all the inhabited worlds around the Perseus Rift, aren't there any jumpgates in orbit around the resource-rich worlds in this area? We're talking about an area almost two hundred light years across and a hundred wide centred on the Double Cluster... do you think there could have been a First Ones race out here before Lorien and all the rest of them went beyond the Rim at the end of the War?" "That is one possibility we must consider," Maerann replied. "Additionally, there is the tale that comes to us courtesy of a race named the Xzalei... a legend that speaks 'deep-dwellers' moving amongst the gravimetric clouds in this part of the galaxy." "And the Xzalei would be... what, exactly?" "They are a race of explorers who move among the stars more often then they stay on planetary surfaces," the Minbari patiently explained, "We have encountered them from time in our centuries of co-existence of walking amongst the stars. It is clear that there are many places in the Unknown Regions that they have visited -- and apparent from their journey logs that they visited this area once and once only... and never again. If pressed, they will speak only of the 'deep-dwellers' and their places of power, far from the beacons... and the dark dangers that surround them." "Translation," Sakalia replied, "Here be dragons?" "A curious phrase of your kind." Maerann replied, "But in this case, perhaps an accurate one." "Always comes down to that, doesn't it?" Sakalia mused. "The 'monsters in hyperspace' routine. Sure, the Shadows used to come through here like ghosts, while the Vorlons learned to wrap their fleets in moving hyperspace pockets... but they're gone -- why should we have to pay attention to this stuff, in this day and age?" "Behind every rumour is a fragment of truth." Maelann replied. "And I mean to *understand* the reason this region of space is shunned -- the truth behind the stories of these 'deep-dwellers'..." "And also, along the way," Sakalia slyly added, "A clue or two to throw in the direction of the EXCALIBUR crew, when they arrive at the agreed-upon rendezvous point in this area." "Indeed..." "Val'na Maelann, this is Anla'shok Daeshael on the bridge, please respond." Maelann sighed. Daeshael, a young Religious Caste Minbari who had joined her crew slightly more then a cycle ago, while a competent bridge officer, did not handle... crises very well. "This is important, I trust?" "We have encountered something in hyperspace." the younger Minbari replied, his tone full of mystery and wonder. "Something... unexpected." "Show me." she commanded, and a moment later, both she *and* Sakalia rose to their feet in consternation as an image was relayed down from the bridge to be projected from the holographic unit in the tabletop. "Well, they're not exactly monsters," Sakalia finally allowed, "But what in Valen's Name are they doing here? And what the heck do things that big *eat*?" "This," Maerann replied, as the two Rangers moved out of the room at speed, "Is a question I would like answered myself." * * * <*Look, look, look! Another comes*> <#Not like us -- flock of eldest sister proved this#> <*Smaller, yes*> A shudder. <*No, no, no! Wrong shape -- has holes in body, eaters have no holes.*> <#Sure?#> Suddenly, a rumble from above, and the three younglings shuddered. <--Make noise, will attract eaters. Be quiet!--> <*Look, look, look! Visitor thing!*> Discontent. <--Sharp eyes, youngling. Proudness, we have--> <--No. Run, will pursue--> <*Always*?> <--Or worse. In memory is hunters that come out of redholes, many Fen killed, taken back into blueholes. This kind we not see before, may not be hunters. May not be eaters.--> <--But true, youngling. Now... be... quiet!--> A moment passed. Then... <--What this time?--> <**EATER!**> * * * ISAS SHARD OF NIGHT -- on patrol near starship EXCALIBUR. 14:05 hrs, E.S.T. "A distress signal, you said." Julia began, as she arrived on the bridge, Larieken and Dasouri close behind her. "More specifically," Klarika replied, "An Interstellar Alliance distress signal -- and since the White Star that was due to rendezvous with the EXCALIBUR now appears to be late, and given that our sensor grid is somewhat more precise then Captain Gideon's..." "You're thinking that something attacked them out here." she replied, as the other two Rangers took their stations. "And that they made it almost all the way to the rendezvous before giving up the ghost. If that's true, the something that attacked them's about to get a *nasty* surprise. Our position, Dasouri?" "At our current rate of closure," the Drazi replied, as the SHARD continued its dash through hyperspace towards the source of the distress signal, "Will be there in less then five standard minutes." "How many more people will have to die out here, I wonder," Sheynell suddenly commented, "Before the races of the Alliance begin to realize that going into the Perseus Rift is bad for your health?" Her statement prompted a sudden laugh from the back of the bridge. "Doesn't matter how dangerous a place is," Nicholas caustically commented, "That just makes it more of a draw for a select few. And the more people that die, the more there are that convince themselves *they* can be the one to make it past whatever's killed everyone else... to get the 'buried' treasure, har har." "I will," Klairika whispered, for only Julia to hear, "Come to understand his sense of humour eventually, I'm sure." "Contact!" Sheynell suddenly exclaimed, and all too abruptly, the crew of the SHARD became all business as the familiar form of a White Star became visible through the shifting mists of hyperspace. Only there seemed to be something decidedly wrong with *this* White Star... Because everything to the rear of the outboard engines was missing. "What the *Hell* happened to that White Star?" Dawson exploded. "Those look like..." "Larieken!" Julia suddenly commanded, as she rose to her feet and moved back to stand in front of the holographic imager in the rear bridge hemisphere, "I want an image of that ship called up in the imager. Now." A moment later, the Minbari complied with her order, and in short order, the senior crew gathered around the imager to gaze upon the image of the wreck as it slowly tumbled through hyperspace. "We need to enhance and enlarge this image, Larieken." Klairika said, "Before we can be *sure*..." "Done." Larieken replied, and then it was that Julia clenched her left fist hard enough to draw blood... for Dawson's earlier guess seemed to have been the correct one. The rear half of the Alliance wreck in front of them seemed to be covered in *teeth* marks. And if that conclusion was the correct one -- well, then the entire engine assembly of an Alliance White Star had just been bitten off by... what? "Yum, yum." Dawson muttered, always the one to have the last word, as usual. "Loved the appetizer -- now where's the main course?" * * * [Cue Dramatic Music] KLAIRIKA ALIDIAE We are the Watchers... [Klairika standing on the bridge of the SHARD OF NIGHT, an image of the EXCALIBUR hanging in the air in front of her.] SHEYNELL KEYNES We are the Warriors. [Images: Sheynell at the tactical station, the battlecruiser firing its main gun and destroying a Drakh capital ship] LARIEKEN We are the Guardians... [Image: Larieken defending his Captain against Z'shailyl attackers, warrior pike in hand] VEYSHAHK We are the Healers. [Image: Veyshahk at his desk in MedSection, an image of the Drakh virus on his computer screen.] DASOURI and NICHOLAS DAWSON We are the exiles... [Image: Nicholas in Engineering, Dasouri at the helm of the SHARD] JULIA TIKOPAI And I am the Seeker. [Image: Julia's face, lit by candles, the stars of the Galaxy beyond] KLAIRIKA ALIDIAE We are the Rangers of the SHARD OF NIGHT, in this, the Earth Year 2267. [Image: The SHARD OF NIGHT enters, from the left...] JULIA TIKOPAI This is our story. [... before engaging darklight mode, and going into hyperspace.] S T A R A N D C I R C L E "T H E S E E K E R' S F I R E" * * * STAR AND CIRCLE created by David Goldingay * * * Legal Disclaimer: BABYLON 5, CRUSADE and all characters and situations thereof are the creations and copyrighted property of J. Michael Straczynski and Babylonian Productions. This series is a non-profit creation for the purposes of private entertainment only. Original characters and situations are copyright of the author, 1997-99. * * * Coming soon: Act I of Episode IX: "The Wolves of the Deep" * * * http://www.connect.ab.ca/dgolding/index.htm From: dgolding@connect.ab.ca Subject: STAR AND CIRCLE: "The Seeker's Fire", Episode IX, Act I Date: Thu, 30 Dec 1999 00:38:25 Writer's note -- conversations between the various creatures in hyperspace (Fen and others) are assumed to be translated to 'human-standard' for convenience's sake. While I enjoy writing this opus, I'm not *quite* up to inventing whole languages just yet! * * * "STAR AND CIRCLE: THE SEEKER'S FIRE" EPISODE NINE "THE WOLVES OF THE DEEP" (disclaimers and associated descriptions in overture) GUEST STARRING CHRIS NOTH as ELAI SAKALIA *and* DANA DELANY as MAERANN * * * <> White Star 121 -- adrift in hyperspace. June 11th, 2267, 13:55 hrs, E.S.T. "Ixeai," Elai Sakalia inquired as he moved slowly through the rubble that still filled the corridors of his White Star even now, several hours after they had been... unexpectedly attacked. "What's the prognosis?" "The timing," Physicain Ixeai replied, "Was most unfortunate, Anla'shok Sakalia... most unfortunate indeed." The Minbari sighed, then, before bending down to inspect a patch of blood left behind from the crisis just past... a crisis whose aftermath looked set to continue for some time, however. "A good deal of debris fell directly upon her during the attack -- Val'na Maerann endures the pain of at least seven fractured bones, and it would appear that there is some internal bleeding, as well." "What about the rest of the crew?" "Approximately two-ninths of your crew also suffered injuries of varying severity during the assault." the Minbari informed him. "Tell me again how this happened -- I would hear your own side of the tale." "There's not much to tell, unfortunately," the taller, dark haired human grimly replied. "We were pretty much set for our rendezvous with the EXCALIBUR when we came across this goddamn *flock* of things in hyperspace -- looked for all the world like jellyfishes, but they were huge! Easily more then a mile high... I've never seen the like, and I've done a lot of travelling in hyperspace the past few years." "Curious this is," Ixeai observed, "Did not the crew of the EXCALIBUR encounter a similar group of these creatures in this domain, several of your months ago?" "Yeah," Sakalia replied, "Now that you mention it, I *do* remember Captain Gideon forwarding the report of that encounter to the Alliance Advisory Council. What did he call them... the Fen?" "While... someone among Gideon's crew was heard to refer to them as 'harmless', I believe." Ixeai carefully replied. "Something we should consider -- If these 'Fen' creatures are harmless, then how is it we lie adrift in hyperspace?" "They weren't the ones who attacked us." Sakalia replied. "Something came up behind us while we were observing the jellyfish -- it shot right out of the hyperspace mists and latched onto our rear end before we even knew it was there... and a moment later, whatever it was decided to tear a rather sizable chunk of the ship off and wandered away with it." "Anla'shok Sakalia, this is Daeshael." The Minbari sounded... almost excited. "Are you going to tell me that *someone's* actually noticed our distress signal, Daeshael? Because that would make me a very happy man." "Not just anyone, sir." Daeshael replied, and Sakalia frowned at that -- his voice now seemed to be full of... awe. "May I suggest that you come to the bridge? The captain of the vessel that has discovered us wishes to speak to you." A few moments later, he began to realize *why* Daeshael had spoken the way he had... Hell, even *he* was having trouble believing what he was seeing! Less then a kilometer off of their bow, an enormous, pearlish-gray warship hung stationary in hyperspace -- it's White Star ancestry only too obvious to any Ranger that looked. "What," he muttered, as the image of the vessel that had just arrived in front of them was relayed to the still-operational holographic bridge imager, "Is THAT?" "Val'na Tikopai will explain." Daeshael allowed. "Tikopai?" Sakalia frowned -- he *knew* that name... now where the hell had he... oh boy. *Now* he remembered -- six years before, he had briefly trained beneath Val'na Tharvonn on Babylon 5... and had walked in the same circles as a frantic whirlwind of dark hair and gray and black robes that went by that name. Julia Tikopai... wasn't she the one who looked five years older then she really was? The girl who had swallowed a lucky horseshoe, and ended up walking in Westcastle's shadow for almost three years? "All-righty, then." he replied, settling into the now more-or-less righted captain's chair, "Comm link?" "Open." Daeshael replied. "This is Anla'shok Elai Sakalia of White Star 121 to -- Val'na Tikopai. If you can hear us, please..." "We read you loud and clear, Mr. Sakalia." the voice he remembered from six years before replied -- only the timbre of that voice had now settled from girl's into woman's, and his eyes widened as the viewscreen rippled down to reveal the bridge of the ship that had come to his rescue... and the serious, black-and-silver uniformed individual who went with the voice, in the captain's chair of that bridge. "Forgive me if I point out the obvious... but it looks like something tried to *eat* you and your crew in the recent past." "Something, yes." he replied. "Ah, if you don't mind me asking..." A laugh. "Her name is SHARD OF NIGHT, Mr. Sakalia -- battlecruiser class, Interstellar Alliance... while you and your crew now belong to the select group who actually know we exist." "I see. Wellll, let's get down to the nitty-gritty, shall we? My White Star's not in very good shape since whatever-it-was tried to eat us for lunch -- we've lost both main and jump engines and power's down to a bare minumum. I'd greatly appreciate it if we could transfer some of our injured to your vessel." "Including your commander?" "Maybe... she's not in very good shape, I'm afraid." Tikopai nodded. "We'll have to try and do something about that. Are the doors on your hangar bay operational, by any chance?" "Barely." "Barely is better then not at all. My chief physician Veyshahk and his team, as well as my first officer, will be joining you in short order... while I suspect a 'small' towing job will also be required." "Small?" he retorted. "In case you haven't noticed, we not exactly in the Alliance heartworlds, you know!" "You may be surprised by how quickly we can get you and yours home, Mr. Sakalia... don't let my command's resemblance to your own fool you -- the SHARD's a lot more powerful then she looks." "I don't doubt it. Okay, look, why don't you give me the grand tour *once* I've taken care of my injured?" "A fair reqeust -- while the story of your 'encounter' is something I also wish to discuss. Until then, I bid you good day, Mr. Sakalia. SHARD OF NIGHT out." * * * a youngling Fen complained, as the flock moved through hyperspace away from the site of the recent encounter with the eater. <*Our fault, yes*> a conspirator observed. <*Things were hurt?*> <--Blame seek not--> an elder growled. <--Chance encounter allowed escape to occur--> <#Escape matters not if there are creatures inside thing... creatures that died because of us!#> another of the troublemakers piped up. <#Sister's flock spoke of this after encounter they had -- tiny little creatures moving around inside long-thing with spikes! Elder, go back we must and see if help we can -- you speak of time when hunters took us out of the homeplace through redholes -- if visitors that eater attacked go back through holes with story of cowardly Fen, visitors may come to hate -- may not hunts then start again#> The elder grumbled -- but finally the flock realigned as the rest of the senior members drew close together to discuss the admittedly *serious* point that had just been brought up. After much rumbling and a good deal of heated discussion, a consensus was reached, and the now *deadly* serious elder returned to where the younglings awaited the decision of those who lead them. <--Hasty was I to make judgement so, youngling... your case, accepted we have. We return to site of attack to see if visitors, aid we can.--> <*We take them, we take them to exit place, where light shines bright and strange?*> <--We do what is best for all -- current coming soon, if visitors still here when current strengthens, help we cannot... all will be taken to place of feeding--> the elder thoughtfully replied. <--Long have we considered that visitors know nothing about currents -- will soon discover if we are hasty in returning to aid as you have suggested. Now quiet be all!... return to attack-site we shall.> As one, the flock of Fen realigned their flight sacs and tendrils, and after a moment, swept back the way they had come. * * * Some distance away, a pair of the creatures the Fen named 'eaters' spun lazily through the gravimetric mists. Like the lifeforms they hunted, the eaters were not small... each torpedo-shaped creature was almost a quarter of a human mile long from nose to twitching barbed tail, their razor-lined mouths presently sealed shut against the hostile environment of hyperspace. Like the rest of the creatures that lived in this place, the eaters could, for a time at least, draw sustenence from the wildly variant gravimetric energy storms that filled the hyperspace domain... but they did not care to survive thus for *too* long -- not so long as there was prey to hunt. Thoughts passed between the creatures, for they too could not speak as such... and the thoughts were not happy ones. the smaller one hooted. the larger eater replied, as it turned a fifty-yard wide vacuum-shielded and all-too baleful eye upon its companion, the other eater dubiously replied. The eater closed its eyes, then, and its mind as well, and simply drifted on the ripples of its domain. Something interesting would come along soon, this was certain... maybe prey, maybe not. But now it knew what to look for, the eater would *not* make the same mistake again. * * * "Well I'll be..." Sakalia began, as Klairika and Sheynell emerged from the SHARD's flyer, Veyshahk and his people close behind, "You're the first officer?" "I am." Klairika coolly replied. "Anla'shok Na'lai Klairika Alidiae, at your service -- while this is Sheynell Keynes, the SHARD's tactical officer, and Veyshahk, our chief physician." Sakalia blinked. "Are you trying to tell me that the three most senior positions on that newfangled ship of yours are all..." "The answer to your question," Sheynell interrupted, her smile still, for the moment, pleasant, "Is yes, Mr. Sakalia -- the President himself made the choices, if you must know." "Now hold on, how'd you do that... ah Hell!" Sakalia shook his head bitterly, as Veyshahk moved past the human trying *very* hard to keep a straight face. "You're a telepath, I suppose?" "Yes, I am." Sheynell replied, a sadistic glitter now in her eyes. "A P12, as a matter of fact." "P12?" Sakalia choked. "But, but... wouldn't that mean..." "It would. Are you *quite* finished realigning you worldview now, Mr. Sakalia? As I recalled from your initial transmission, there's a great deal of work that needs to be done over here before we can be reasonably certain we'll get your ship back to Alliance space in one piece." "But before we do," Klairika intruded, as she tried to bring the situation back under control, "I would very much like to have a word with Val'na Maerann, if she is 'up to it', that is." Sakalia sighed, before nodding ruefully. "Her condition's not great, but she should be up to talking to you. And while we're enroute, I guess I owe you ladies an apology..." * * * "I do not like this." Larieken muttered, as his station board chimed its way through another analysis of the local region. "There appears to be, for want of a better description, something *wrong* about this area of hyperspace." "We're in the Perseus Rift, Larieken." Julia reminded her Minbari friend. "The 'Bermuda Triangle' of hyperspace -- I can think of a great deal of hypothetical 'wrongs' to throw in your direction... can you maybe be a little more specific?" "I believe that can be arranged, yes. Although we are technically at rest, there appears to be a large scale *drift* suffusing the entire region..." "A drift to where?" "The centre of the 'rift', as a matter of fact." Larieken replied. "If one were to open a jump point there, one's vessel would emerge within the stellar association your kind name, the 'Double Cluster'?" "Is it constant?" "Not... entirely. There are times when I can barely detect it, and others at which the drift is most obvious. For the present, the former condition applies." "Okay -- well, unless we're about to get sucked into a hyperspace hurricane, I wouldn't worry about it." Larieken inclined his head gravely in Julia's direction. "I will take that under advisement." "And now, for something *completely* different... Mr. Dawson, how goes the grappling operation?" "Lesaki and his crews are over there making sure we don't lose anything else off the rear end of White Star 121, ma'am." the chief engineer replied a moment later. "Once he give the all-clear, we can grapple her at your convience and be on our way." "Tell him to expedite the process." Julia informed her Chief. "If Larieken's right, we don't want to stay here longer then we absolutely have to." * * * Elsewhere. "They're late." Matthew Gideon observed, his eyes narrow with thought. "They're *never* late." "Guess there's a first time for everything." John Matheson thoughtfully replied. "I told you that coming here was going to be a bad idea!" Max Eilerson exclaimed, his expression showing his complete *disgust* at the rendezvous point the Rangers had chosen. "But does anyone listen to me... Hell, no! I'm just the civilian around here, that would be expecting too much, wouldn't it?" "Oh *do* calm down, Max." an amused voice from the corner observed... the voice that belonged to the EXCALIBUR's resident Technomage. "For now, Captain, I suggest we hold our position -- if we go tearing off to look for them and the Rangers show up at the rendezvous point, they might be... a trifle upset." "You're not going to listen to him again, are you?" Eilerson spat. "Don't you remember what happened the *last* time we listened to him?" "What *I* choose to remember is the times he's saved us since we've begun this little odyssey." Gideon replied. "And in case you've forgotten, what I say... goes. For now, we hold our position." And that... was that. * * * "I have heard of you." Maerann whispered, as Klairika and Sheynell bent low over her bed to hear the words. "The rumour of the 'unseen guardians' is beginning to work its way throughout the White Star Fleet -- and while details are scarce, the stories that follow the rumour around are interesting ones, to say the least." Maerann paused to cough, then, but even as a worried Ixeai bent low over his commander to ensure she was up to continuing the conversation, White Star 121's mistress did just that. "You will have to forgive my present condition, Na'lai... but we were more careless then we should have been in coming into this area, in investigating its 'anomalies' before our planned rendezvous with the EXCALIBUR." "That will be unnecessary." the Brakiri replied, as she knelt to bring herself down to Maerann's level. "In this case, it is perhaps a good thing that the 'rumour', as you call it, also happens to be the truth." "So you are guarding the EXCALIBUR, then." Klairika sighed, before nodding briskly. "Our travels occasionally take us to areas of concern that are distant from Captain Gideon's command, but our greatest task is the one you have just mentioned... and this is a secret that our enemies cannot learn." "Ah," Sakalia intruded, "In that case, you don't mind if I ask you a question, do you?" "Ask if you must, Mr. Sakalia." "Were you and your crew at the Battle of Sinzar, by any chance?" Klairika was about to answer that question, when all of a sudden every standing Ranger in the room suddenly stumbled, as a sharp, reverbarating shock passed through the body of Maerann's White Star. "Sakalia to bridge... Daeshael, what the Hell's going on?" "The situation has changed, sir." Daeshael replied, after a momentary hesitation. "I regret to inform you that... *they* have returned." "They?" Sheynell said with a frown. "They who?" "Oh... no!" Having said that, Sakalia ran out of the room at speed, and as he went, the telepath got a momentary glimpse of a flock of vast, jellyfish-like creatures floating in the red mists of hyperspace. "The Fen." Sheynell and Klairika said to one another, as they moved off in pursuit of White Star 121's first officer. * * * "What are they doing?" Julia asked, as Dasouri whirled the SHARD around to bring their batteries to bear upon the approaching group of hyperspace creatures. "Why did they come back?" "To your first question, I will simply say they are approaching and surrounding us," Larieken replied. "And as to your second? I do not know... it is a mystery, however." "How many of them are out there?" "Six nines and two." A shiver passed through her at that moment -- forty-four mile-high jellyfish were *more* then sufficient to box them in and prevent their escape... if that was their intent, of course. "They continue to close their shell around us, Val'na -- thus far, however, their actions appear to be benign." "Remember that when Captain Gideon and his crew encountered them," Julia reminded him, "One of them grabbed the EXCALIBUR." "And we are considerably smaller then that." Larieken replied. "Your point is taken -- if they should attempt to capture us, what are your orders?" "Stand fast, Larieken," Julia replied, as she reached out with her Observer's talent to try and deduce what the Fen were up to. "Let's see what they do before we come to any conclusions." * * * To be continued... * * * http://www.connect.ab.ca/~dgolding/index.htm From: dgolding@connect.ab.ca Subject: STAR AND CIRCLE: "The Seeker's Fire", Episode IX, Act II Date: Sat, 1 Jan 100 19:06:11 -700 Well... happy New Year, everyone! And since it now appears the world *isn't* going to end, on we go into the second year of adventures with Ms. Tikopai and crew. A small note -- this chunk won't reach the website until probably Weds, as I am presently upgrading my computer from a PII to a PIII... "STAR AND CIRCLE: THE SEEKER'S FIRE"   EPISODE NINE: "THE WOLVES OF THE DEEP"          (disclaimers and associated descriptions in overture) * * * <> <--See, we do--> the elder thoughtfully replied, as the mists-of-home parted to reveal the location they had fled from some time before. <--The damaged one still there, is -- but larger mate has come to rescue! Perhaps unneeded we are?--> another elder cautioned, as the flock settled into position around the two visitors to their domain. The elder remembered the frightening times, of course -- when he had been the youngling, and other elders guided the flock through the currents. He remembered the black-screamers who had hunted the Fen, and the other creatures who had walked through the Home-mists, the Singers and the Others. There was the legend, of course, that told of the time when the Others and the Fen had spoken with one another on a regular basis. The time-of-peace that had ended in the chaos-wars -- the generations in which the black-screamers and the Singers had walked in increasing numbers between the bright-places where the blue- and red-holes were most numerous. The age that had come to a sudden and astonishing end when he had been young. During those times, legends had also come to them of other flocks seeing metal-craft being attacked by the black-screamers and killed. The elders and wild-ones of those flocks had investigated afterwards -- and their senses had often revealed small-things trapped within, some living, but most dead. While every metal-craft they had witnessed trapped by the currents had been destroyed. <--Remember we do. Current is coming... is almost here! Even greater metal-craft may not survive if we do not help -- younger one that eater attacked will almost certainly be destroyed.--> <#What we do?> one of the youngling troop asked. <#We help, we help?#> The elder paused for a moment -- but then, a ripple of current passed across the flock, and its tendrils tightened decisively. <--Feel the current coming, do you? It is near, now.--> <*Feel it, feel it, yes!*> another youngling sang. <*Ride coming real-soon-now?*> the other elder observed with no small amusement. <*Ready, yes!*> The youngling shuddered, then, as the tendrils of current around them began to increase in strength. <*Right we were to return... help we must!*> <--Yes--> the elder replied. And shortly thereafter, the flock-masters gave their instructions, and the eager-if-cautious troop of Younglings swept towards the metal-things, their purpose clear. * * * "What are they doing?" Sakalia roared, as the smaller jellyfish-creatures in the flock of Fen surrounding his White Star suddenly swept towards them. "Ah, Hell, this is what I was afraid of. Do we have enough power to..." "No!" Sheynell suddenly cried out, "Don't try to break away. They mean us no harm, Mr. Sakalia -- what they're doing, it's for a reason!" "And how," Sakalia retorted, his expression suspicious, "Did you happen to come to that conclusion?" "I..." Of course -- they were in hyperspace, and that meant only one thing. "As I told you when we came aboard, I'm a P12 -- don't you remember what you learned in Tuzanor and on Babylon 5?" Sakalia grimaced. "Oh yeah... your abilities are stronger in hyperspace, right?" She nodded. "So what's the connection?" "I think they're telepaths!" Sheynell carefully explained, as she whirled towards Sakalia's first. "Dashael, can you get me a..." "Val'na Tikopai..." the Minbari wryly replied, "Wishes to speak to you, Anla'shok Keynes." She laughed -- there Julia went, one step ahead of the power curve, as usual. "What a surprise..." "Sheynell," her captain inquired a moment later, as two of the massive jellyfish creatures settled into position above White Star 121, and four more did the same above the nearby SHARD OF NIGHT, "You wouldn't happen to be receiving anything from these things, would you?" "Nothing concrete, yet," she replied, "But what I *am* getting loud and clear is that the Fen are worried about us, Val'na -- while some of the smaller ones above us seem to be, for want of a better description, *guilty* about something, as well. And also, that whatever they're about to do is for our own good -- something's about to happen, I'm sure of it!" "Guilty?" Sakalia mused. "What do they have to be guilty about?" Sheynell closed her eyes... and gasped, as a *vivid* image suddenly came into her mind -- a vision of a torpedo-like creature with rows of silvery metal teeth. "Oh!" "Here, sit down." Still shuddering slightly from her contact with the almost frighteningly alien minds of the Fen, she wasn't about to argue with Sakalia's suggestion. "What did you see?" "A predator, I think -- perhaps the thing that attacked you. They.... I think they came back to help because they're guilty about the predator attacking you by mistake!" "Can you talk to them?" "Not yet." she replied, as the headache she'd been afraid of began to arrive full-force. "It was bad enough receiving the images..." That, of course, was the moment the Fen chose to wrap their tendrils carefully around White Star 121, and every Ranger on the bridge stumbled as the gravity-control systems compensated for the sudden upwards *rush* as the jellyfish proceeded to hoist the warship closer to their bodies. "Damage report!" Sakalia barked, as a faint slithering sound vibrated its way through the hull... and everyone tensed as the tentacles of their 'resucers' tightened around them. "Damage is... negligible, sir." a surprised Dashael replied a moment later. "The Fen appear to be exercising a great deal of caution -- the hull, even in its present state, is more then capable of standing up to the pressure exerted by their tendrils." "Okay," Sakalia continued, "Now, the question is, *why* have they grabbed us?" * * * "We are safe, if captured." Larieken indicated, while Julia looked out upon the massive forms of the creatures surrounding them, and tried to figure out what was going through the minds of those *gigantic* creatures of the hyperspace sea. Now that Sheynell had assured them the intent of the Fen was benign, her Observer's talent had come out full-force, as she began trying to figure out what was going on here. "I cannot, however, answer the rest of your question for the time being... hold." "What's going on?" "May I suggest you return to your seat?" Larieken replied, his eyes widening as the SHARD's wide-spread sensor net suddenly began sending what turned out to be a *much-needed* alert of a change in the pattern. "The whiskers appear to have detected your 'hurricane', Val'na... coming this way." Oh... dear. "You're sure?" "Very." the now grim-faced Minbari replied, as his fingers flew over the controls at his station. "A vector change of over five hundred percent is expected at this time. It will be necessary to compensate for the bow-shock to come..." Larieken paused then, however, his surprise evident to all. "Fascinating -- the main computer has ordered a *full* retraction of the sensor network, while the gravity control systems have become more focused..." Julia let out a long breath as she settled into her chair at speed -- another aspect of the mysterious reverse-engineered Vorlon technology built into the SHARD by the Minbari named Varsak had just revealed itself -- and if the situation hadn't been more critical, she knew she would have immediately ordered a study of the new and surprising revelation... but it looked like time was something they were about to run of. "A crash field." she whispered. "Fascinating is right!" "And useful, of course." Larieken reminded her, as the reddish fog of hyperspace began to brighten towards orange in front of them. "Stand by -- the hyperspace front is less then thirty seconds distant." "All hands, this is the captain!" Julia exclaimed, as Larieken, anticipating her move as usual, opened a channel ship-wide. "Move to collision stations, I say again, move to collision stations! Hyperspace wave impact imminent!" "That, I suppose, will have to do." Larieken drolly commented, as the final seconds ticked by... as the veil in front of them ripped apart to reveal a *huge* orange-white bubble of energy moving towards them -- a bubble that quickly expanded to fill half their sky. "Twenty seconds to impact." "You're not complaining about my delivery style again, are you?" "Now why would I have cause to complain about that? Ten seconds." "Now hold on just a..." "Zero." She'd told herself she was ready, of course... but even though the Fen were holding them tight, even though the ship *itself* had reacted to the threat, a sudden, shocking wave of gravitational force still swept across the SHARD's interior... and Julia had not even time to gasp as that wave slammed through her, and she sank down into darkness, fighting that reaction all the way. * * * the youngling Fen sang, as the current-front reached the flock, grabbed them and the visitors to their domain, and swept them towards their distant goal. <--Hold strong!--> the elder reminded the youngling-troop, as the wave front disappeared in front of them, and the flock settled down into the current-stream behind it, their bodies now axial with the direction of current. <--If lose hold you do, creatures inside metal-things will be torn by tide! This fate, they do not deserve to suffer--> <*Did you hear Singer before current came?*> another youngling suddenly asked. The elder paused, his thought-stream shocked by the question. Was time now to look once again into memories-of-event -- yes, the youngling had been right, again!.. much strength-of-thought there was in the new generation to be right so often. <--Strong you are to sense this, youngling... many surprises you give us.--> Interesting this was, the elder considered... so concerned had he been with the capture operation prior to the arrival of the current that he had not noticed the presence of a *Singer* amidst the small-creatures... had not detected the song within the confines of the visitor-craft the eater had attacked -- very rare, this was. <--Cannot detect song now... all is silent within the things-you-hold.--> <#The current harmed them#?> <--Perhaps--> the now worried elder replied. What if the shock-of-current had killed the small-creatures and the Singer in the things-they-held? If true this was, his intent-to-save might have failed. The thought was a grim one... but no, he was again being overly hasty -- the elder decided to settle his thoughts and waited for some sign that all was well within the shells they held... that the small-creatures and the Singer yet lived. * * * "Who are you?" a voice asked, as Julia stood upon the black ground and gazed towards a lightning-filled horizon. "What do you want?" "Galen?" "Who do you trust?" "Are you talking about the Fen?" she screamed into the wind. "Should we trust them?" "Your decision." the voice replied, its tone now amused. "For now, however, it is time for you to..." "...Wake up!" another voice shouted, and she blinked -- and then she cried out at the pain... her head! "What... what happened?" "Hold very still." Larieken told her, as she opened her eyes, and then quickly closed them again, as nimble fingers reached out to place someting cool on her forehead. "Anla'shok Nividia is presently sealing the cut you received during the impact... while headache complaints are being reported ship-wide -- do not be surprised if you received a concussion during our collision with the hyperspace bubble." A few moments later, and despite Larieken's protestations, she was back on her feet -- a protest she responded to by indicating that the painkillers Taylene Nividia had given her were working fine, thank you very much, and what was the situation? "I cannot give you a 'concrete' answer, for now." Larieken eventually replied, as the bridge slowly began returning to normal. "The Fen are still holding us tightly, however -- while we appear to be moving along in the wake of the hyperspace wave-front... our speed appears to be considerable." "And our destination, brave sailor?" she replied with a smile. "We appear," Larieken replied, taking her joke in stride as usual, "To be moving towards the node I mentioned to you previously -- the heart-point of this entire region." "The Perseus Clusters." "As you call them, yes. We must, however, consider the possibility that the current passes through that area and out the other side." "But you don't believe that, do you?" "Beliefs and reality do not always coincide." Larieken reminded her. "How long until we reach the clusters?" she bluntly asked him. "At our present rate of closure, I estimate no more then nine standard hours." "Then I guess we'll find out in nine hours which hypothesis is the right one, won't we?" Julia stated with finality, as she moved to leave the bridge. "While since we appear to have a little bit of time to kill, I prescribe a meal and a nap... for both of us." "Ah." Larieken said, as a grinning Dasouri moved to take the conn, "That reminds me of something I have been meaning to ask you about for some time -- this confusing Earth proverb that refers to 'the chicken and the egg'." "Later, okay?" she replied, now with a smile, as they left the bridge together. "I'm *starved.*" * * * To be continued... * * * http://www.connect.ab.ca/~dgolding/index.htm From: David Goldingay Subject: STAR AND CIRCLE: "The Seeker's Fire", Episode IX, Act III Date: Thu, 06 Jan 2000 23:09:16 -0700 "STAR AND CIRCLE: THE SEEKER'S FIRE"   EPISODE NINE: "THE WOLVES OF THE DEEP"          (disclaimers and associated descriptions in overture) * * * <> Aboard the starship EXCALIBUR, the technomage named Galen sat alone, as he often did at this time of night, while the transport car whisked him from place to place within the body of the mighty starship. A good deal of the rest of the crew were asleep, of course... including Matthew. They were still waiting at the rendezvous point, , as he had suggested... holding position, but for how much longer would the game be allowed to continue? He knew what was going on, of course... that the Rangers who crewed the Ranger vessel named SHARD OF NIGHT were now undertaking another right of passage -- but even Matthew's patience would run out eventually. And then, inevitably, they would move from this place. Not that it mattered... the crisis moment would be behind them by that point. Although, to be sure, the time when Matthew and young Julia crossed paths for the first time was still a notable signpost to be observed in the future. That time was coming... but it was not yet here. * * * The flock did not have individual names, as such -- this was unnecessary for a species that spoke to one another the way the Fen did. All had their own voices, and all the voices were known. Nevertheless, their personalities were distinct ones... and the youngling Fen who cried out {!} with every thought was growing ever more inquisitive, as the gradually weakening current reminded {!} that they were drawing near to the feeding-ground at long last. The Fen of its-flock had been holding the visitor-things tight for some time now... would the small-creatures inside those shells survive if they let them go now, before they reached the feeding-ground? {!} shivered then, its tendrils shaking in the current. The Elder would be most displeased if letting-go they did, so that was not a path to pursue at this time.... it did not wish to be cast into the jaws of the eaters quite yet (something the Elders threatened the younglings with before learning-all they had). It wished to die the peaceful death at the place of Final Resting... but that time was not yet -- life was yet long. For now there was much current riding to pursue, and fun to enjoy... much to see, and much to do! And then... it remembered something it had forgotten during the long ride from the place-of-discovery. It remembered the Singer that lived within the shell it was holding with its fellow-Fen. And finally, it grew brave enough to extend a tendril-of-thought down into that shell's interior, looking for the curious light in the darkness-within that was the Singer. Where.... where.... There. Quietness, necessary, it thought furiously -- the elders would speak *harshly* unless this was handled properly. * * * "Don't you ever sleep?" Sakalia asked as he emerged onto the bridge of White Star 121 to find Sheynell standing in the observation area on the bridge, looking out on the vast congregation of hyperspace creatures drifting along upon the hyperspace current. The creatures that had captured them over eight hours before. "I will sleep," she informed her fellow Ranger, as she took a deep sip out of the thermal mug of coffee that another member of the crew had given her some time before, "When we are out of danger, Mr. Sakalia. Remember that we do not even know what we will find at the hyperspace 'node' we are moving towards -- the node that represents the heart of this entire region..." She blinked then, however, and had to steady herself as a sudden flash of headache passed across her, and was gone... an episode that seemed to be accompanied by a distant *whining* sound of some sort. "Did I, or did I not just see you nearly fall over?" Sakalia retorted, as she carefully set the cup down. "You may be third in command of a much larger crew, Miss Keynes, but until Maerann recovers this is *my* command, and as such..." Oh... my. Sheynell whirled away from Sakalia, then, to look out at the creatures that were gently, if *firmly* holding them on this odyssey through hyperspace. "Did you say that?" she whispered, her eyes wide. "Are you trying to speak to me?" "Oh, *yes*!" she replied, as a confused Sakalia watched on from outside the conversation. "We're very grateful! Did you know the bubble was coming, is that why you came back?" "What's going on?" Sakalia finally managed. "You're not..." "Yes, I *am*!" She insisted. "I told you they were telepaths -- now be *quiet while I talk to it!" the Fen replied with the mental equivalent of a shrug. This last sending was an emphatic one, and she winced. The Fen were *so* alien -- it was then that a thought came to her. Lt. Matheson, the EXCALIBUR's first officer, was also a telepath... why hadn't he heard the mental voices of the flock they'd encountered? Perhaps it was because he was a weaker telepath then she was... "Oh!" the Fen who had reached out to touch her had suddenly become alarmed. "What's wrong?" The mindvoice of the Fen abruptly faded away, and Sheynell whirled away from the view, and grinned at White Star 121's still-nonplussed commander. "Why don't I put us all out of our misery," Sakalia noted a moment later, "And get your captain on the line?" * * * <--What you do?--> the elder angrily exclaimed, as the flock prepared itself for the final approach to the feeding ground. <--Not permission you had to reach out to speak to Singer!--> the upstart youngling defiantly replied. The elder writhed its tentacles in irritation -- youngling was smart... too smart for own good -- for all-Fen good! Now no going back there was... ah, hasty, hasty! Many fears there were, return to time of black-screamers and brave Fen lost to deathcolours -- but was youngling right in insisting that this alien voice named sheynellkeynes (long name!) seemed to be a friend to the Fen? Perhaps... so be it. <--Re-establish touch, then, you shortly will.--> it resignedly allowed. the shocked youngling replied. <--Some good... but careful you will be, and scrutinize the conversation most closely, we will. Speak with Singer I may as well, if all goes well...--> it finally allowed, much to the delight of the youngling troop. <--But time grows short -- near to feeding-ground we draw.--> * * * Above and behind the swarm of prey, the two eaters had watched events progress with great interest. The metal-thing that had been attacked by mistake had been met by what appeared to be a senior, more evolved version of the same species -- and then, shortly before the arrival of the expected current, the flock of prey they had been pursuing for some time now had returned... and before the eyes of the astonished eaters, the younger prey in the swarm had enfolded the metal-craft in their tendrils, and when the current had come, had taken them away upon it! A most unusual situation, this was... not seen before in memory was this action. the smaller eater sent to its comrade. The larger eater rumbled ominously at this thought but then grew quiet as it considered the matter more thoroughly. Unlike its more junior partner, this eater had direct memories of the time-refered-to... and the more it thought on the matter, the angrier it became. it insisted, the other eater hooted. All it said was the truth... an action was required -- not a common one, but sometimes necessary. This much prey had not been seen in one place for a very long time... the lure could not be ignored. And if its comrade was correct? If an alliance had been made between the prey and the outsiders, what then? The eater shivered. There was no other choice -- it opened itself to the currents-of-thought, and sent out the call to its brothers-of-pack. * * * "You haven't slept yet, have you?" Julia critically observed. Sheynell gritted her teeth, and tried very hard not to scream. "All right, fine, okay... so what if a *few* of the things I learned during my time with Mr. Bester are still with me after all this time? He didn't sleep much *either* when he was focused on something as important as this, as I recall!" "Says the lady with the inside angle on the whole situation." Dawson wisecracked from outside the field of view. "You worked with *who*?" Sakalia managed. "Mr. Alfred Bester, P12, former Psi Cop." she replied. "You heard correctly." "Dateline, hyperspace..." Sakalia wisecracked, "Ranger ships saved by former protege of war criminal. More news to come as events warrant." "My oh my..." Julia replied, with a twinkle in her eye for only Sheynell to see, "He does take his time getting to the point, doesn't he?" "Don't mind me." the male Ranger finally said, as he threw up his hands and went back to sit down in the captain's chair. "The peanut gallery is now shutting up before the third witch gets herself involved." Luckily for Sakalia, Klairika was asleep. "...The important thing," Sheynell finally managed, "Is that I've actually made contact with the Fen -- and as near as I can tell, they're pretty intelligent as well as more-or-less friendly -- sure, they make mistakes once in a while, but once we've talked for a bit, I'm sure all the misunderstandings can be worked out." "I suppose," Julia allowed, "That we *should* thank them for saving them from the worst of the hyperspace current. If we'd hit that gravimetric front without their help..." "It would've been bad, let's just leave it at that, shall we?" Sakalia commented. "The wave-front would have probably turned this ship into paste, and I don't really believe you would've done much better... Val'na. Anyways -- once we can actually get off of this rollercoaster, can't we just politely thank the Fen for their aid, and then go on our way?" "I'm not so sure it's that simple..." Sheynell critically replied. "As near as I can tell, this 'feeding ground' the Fen mentioned seems to be a popular hangout for packs of 'eaters' like the one you ran into earlier." "Oh... you mean the buzzsaw that tried to eat us for lunch? The critter that started this whole ball rolling?" "That's right. And once we reach the feeding ground, my guess is that 'buzzsaw' or one very much like him will attack the Fen, probably accompanied by several of his friends..." And that was when a light flashed in front of her eyes -- and Sakalia erupted out of his seat to catch her as she fell. "A little..." she whispered. "The elder wasn't too angry with you, I hope?" the Fen confirmed, its mental tone apologetic. "Decision change?" she replied, curious to find out exactly what the giant hyperspace creature was getting at this time around, as she got back onto her feet with Sakalia's help. "What do you mean?" <--GREETINGS, SINGER--> another voice rumbled. <--HONORED WE ARE TO MEET YOU, SHEYNELLKEYNES--> Oh... boy. "Are you... the elder?" <--So we are called by the younglings, yes--> the elder replied, its tone now amused... and *much* quieter. <--Bold they are, hasty also... but time we do not have to discuss freely the actions of those-who-follow. We come to the feeding-ground, warn you we do that tide of life is about to fail. Talk more we may once arrival is complete, sheynellkeynes... but for now must concentrate on arrival-action. Inform small-creatures all will be well -- Fen will release you once current has departed.--> "We're coming to the end of the current, Julia!" she cried out. "The Fen say to get ready for arrival." "That is confirmed." Dashael announced, his eyes wide. "The gravimetric current is beginning to subside. There is... something ahead of us, Anla'shok Sakalia. Something...*big*." Sheynell turned around, then, adrift between two worlds, and walked out into the observation area. And she watched with the rest as the glow of the current began to fade around them, back down towards the familiar hyperspace background glow as the tendrils of current parted around the obstruction ahead of them like water around a rock. And a moment later, the two Interstellar Alliance warships, still held securely by their Fen comrades, fell out of the flow and into the bubble of relative calm around that 'obstruction'. And silence fell. But only for a moment, as Sheynell began to laugh, as she reached out her hand to touch the crystal in front of her, transfixed by the sight she was seeing. "The feeding ground?" she asked. her suddenly-humbled Fen contact replied a moment later. * * * "They have released us..." Larieken confirmed, as Julia finally tore her eyes away from the sight of the feeding-ground and moved over to the holographic imager, where another member of the bridge crew had already called up a three-dimensional representation of the hyperspace 'artifact' the now-dissipated current had carried them to. "Can now actually *pilot* this ship again?" her grumpy helmsman inquired. Out of all of them, she noted, Dasouri had been the *most* upset to be captured by the Fen. She laughed. "To your heart's content, Dasouri -- keep us within the swarm for now, however. Larieken?" "Val'na?" "Take White Star 121 in tow -- we probably shouldn't let them stray too far away, in case there's more of those 'eaters' lurking nearby." Her eyes narrowed then, however, as Larieken complied with her order... was this thing an artifact, or was it natural? The 'current' or maybe it was 'currents', had likely been carrying debris to this location from elsewhere in hyperspace for millenia... if not longer. What did it look like... now *that* was hard... She squinted... and then she nodded. But of course! Dawson, being the engineer, got it almost the same time she did. "Well I'll be damned..." he muttered. "Every time I think I've seen it all, we go and find something even weirder. It's a giant buckyball, isn't it?" "Not... precisely." Larieken drolly replied, as the SHARD and its companion vessel, still surrounded by the Fen, slowly fell towards the multi-sided hollow geometric sphere ahead of them. "Since the molecule your race calls 'buckminster-fullerene' does not form at this scale -- but the resemblance *is* a close one, I will admit." "How big is it?" she asked. "Somewhat more then thirty human miles in diameter." the Minbari replied a moment later. "While thin, by comparison, projections extend from the surface of the artifact for approximately another one hundred and twenty-six miles." "Thin?" Dawson exclaimed. "In comparison to what? Each one of those things has a bigger diameter at its base then Babylon 5!" "In comparison," Larieken clarified, "To the artifact itself... interesting." "What *now*?" Julia asked. "The Fen are moving down towards the outer surface of the artifact -- it would appear that the hypothesis made by the IPX agent serving on the EXCALIBUR was not entirely correct. Our sensor network has detected several hundred large swarms of small creatures near to the artifact's surface. Correction, several *thousand*..." "Now, we know why the Fen call it 'the feeding ground'. But what about the eaters? Can you see any?" "Not yet." Larieken replied, his tone now ominous. "We should be watchful -- the encounter that Anla'shok Sakalia and his crew had with the 'eater' that attacked them suggests that these creatures are capable of great bursts of speed. And in this place, they may be more numerous..." * * * <--Stay close...> the elder warned, as the younglings descended towards the feeding-ground, towards the feeding-clouds that hung above the hollow-place far below. <--Eaters very quick -- if careless we are, they will take. Even if careful we are, and all goes well, some almost always taken.--> The last said, with regret. <#But what of Singer and new friends?#> one youngling insisted. <#If eaters come, will not newfriends help Fen?#> Trust was hard to come by in this hostile life, the elder realized. The old stories told by his elders and their elders before them were engraved deep upon the consciousness of the Fen -- how the small-creatures were not to be trusted... that all who came and went through the holes-in-home would turn on them eventually. <--Soon enough, we will see--> it gravely replied, as the flock entered the feeding-cloud, their new-shelled friends close behind. <--Soon enough--> * * * Far above, the two eaters hung stationary, pondering the scene below. The prey were feeding, now... always most vulnerable at this time, they were -- while the visitors were nearby, the small one they had attacked and the larger as well, connected to each other by lines-of-bright... and still, the more experienced eater was not sure how the visitors would react to the prey-hunt. Would the hunt proceed as it always had? The outcome was uncertain... and because this was so, the call had been made... and now, that call had been answered. Out of the red murk, the pack emerged -- brothers, all... and quietly they exchanged word, looked down upon the prey below... and made their plans. And soon enough, a decision was arrived at. The time to strike was coming... very soon now. *Very* soon indeed. * * * "And they walked upon the waves." Julia whispered, as she watched the Fen feed. "And they watched, and they waited... and hoped for the best. But this was not their day -- for the wolves of the deep were watching. And they hungered..." "That is original, I take it," Larieken observed, "And not a quote?" * * * To be continued... * * * http://www.connect.ab.ca/~dgolding/index.htm From: David Goldingay Subject: STAR AND CIRCLE: "The Seeker's Fire", Episode IX, Act IV Date: Wed, 12 Jan 2000 18:37:31 -0700 "STAR AND CIRCLE: THE SEEKER'S FIRE"   EPISODE NINE: "THE WOLVES OF THE DEEP"          (disclaimers and associated descriptions in overture) * * * <> Captain's Log, I.S.A.S 'Shard of Night' - personal observations. 'For the first time in this voyage, I have encountered a situation that may be unsolvable... for any move I might make in this crossroads hidden away from the rest of the galaxy appears to lead to a certain unavoidable doom. The most obvious doom, of course, is death -- for below and around us, the Fen, those jellyfish-like creatures who saved us during our encounter with the domain-current, those hyperspace creatures that offered their help when we needed help the most, feed upon the much smaller things that inhabit this enormous hollow node-structure at the heart of the Perseus Rift. I've come to the conclusion that somewhere in the area the rest of the wolfpack of predators the Fen name 'eaters' is lurking... and that sooner or later, they're going to attack. If we do nothing, and let this attack occur, then one or several of our new allies will certainly die. Some would argue that this is the way of things... that nature must be obeyed. But what call is greater -- the call of nature, or the call of alliance? If we allow the Fen to be attacked and killed, their suspicions about us, about the 'creatures from beyond the holes' will surely be confirmed. They worry that we cannot be trusted -- if we allow the expected attack to occur, we will give them every reason never to trust the races of the Alliance again. This, to me, is an unacceptable option. Another doom to observe is the doom of interference. If I choose to engage the eaters in combat and accept the task of protecting the Fen, someone back home will learn of what we have done, and, no doubt, will try and bring me up on charges of some sort... which will probably lead to the President being forced to relieve me of this command. Given the current circumstances in addition to our prior commitment to protect the starship EXCALIBUR, this is also an unacceptable option. And finally... there is the doom of exploitation. Now that we have discovered the secret behind this region that eats ships -- what should be revealed to the galaxy at large? What compromise can we arrive at to ensure these creatures are not denied the habitat that is rightfully theirs? So here I find myself, surrounded on all sides by dooms. If there is a way out, I do not see it...' "You're worried, aren't you," a voice quietly observed, and Julia looked up from her desk as the now-familiar figure of her tactical officer, recently returned from White Star 121, came into the ready room. "About the Fen as well as the eaters -- about how much help we should give... and when. And about what you should report to the President... and what should only be told to our Entil'zha." "Worried?" she replied with a bitter laugh. "That word doesn't *begin* to address this situation, Sheynell. Sooner rather then later, the eaters are going attack the Fen -- if I was a predator with *this* much prey around, not even our presence would delay my attack for long!" "You want a way out of this that's best for everyone..." Sheynell mused, "A way that will preserve the lives of those who aided us... and also one that's not going to land you in hot water in the process." "You're not peeking again, are you?" The other woman smiled. "Maybe only a *little* -- okay, look, I've got an idea that might work... I've been thinking about this ever since I left Sakalia's White Star a short time ago, as a matter of fact. Fact -- hyperspace is essentially a vacuum, so speech as we know it is impossible. Fact -- the Fen are telepathic creatures, which is what allows them to communicate with one another. Hypothesis -- the eaters are *also* telepathic..." "You can contact them?" Julia breathed out. "Of course!" "I don't think that telling them to go away and play nice is going to work, actually... I've got something else in mind." At which point, Sheynell began to explain her theory... and as the explanation proceeded, Julia felt her fears began to evaporate. To the Shadows with what she'd just written! -- it looked as if there actually *was* a way out of this situation, after all. "So what do you think?" Sheynell asked her, after the explanation of the plan was done. Julia grinned. "'Make it so', Miss Keynes..." she intoned. Sheynell sighed. "Mr Dawson's been telling you stories about the dawn of the television age again, hasn't he?" Both of them jumped then, however, as the sharp chime of battle warning sounded. "Val'na Tikopai, Larieken announced, his tone rather tenser then it usually was, "Could you and Anla'shok Keynes join us at this time? We have... visitors." "The eaters?" "As the Fen name them, yes." "Sheynell -- how soon can you suit up?" "It shouldn't take me more then fifteen minutes if all goes well..." the now-concerned telepath replied as they both moved out of the ready room at speed. "Can you keep the eaters busy that long?" "Said predators," she replied, "Are about to find out they've bitten off more then they can chew..." Which, of course, was when she got a look at the group of creatures hovering in hyperspace more then a thousand kilometres 'above' them. "...oh *my* -- Larieken, is..." "The scale is accurate, yes." the Minbari replied. "The *smallest* of the creatures the Fen think of as 'eaters' is hardly smaller then a White Star -- while the largest..." Was bigger then the SHARD, Julia quietly finished for him as Sheynell vanished from the bridge. "Your analysis?" "One wonders," Larieken carefully replied, "How such creatures could have evolved in this setting -- but we cannot argue with what we see before us. That these 'eaters' possess a body structure capable of withstanding the hyperspace vacuuum is a given... their outer skin, for instance, appears to contain a strong web of metal fibers." "Surprise, this is not." Dasouri bluntly commented. "Living ships of Shadows and Vorlons we have witnessed in our lifetimes -- Drazi scientists have long pondered concept of creatures with genetic code based on *metals*, not organics. May not creatures named 'eaters' be first possible example of such lifeforms we have encountered in our search?" "That is a possibility I had also considered..." Larieken's voice trailed off, then, however... for that was the moment the eaters chose to move. "Fascinating -- these predators appear to possess at least *three* rotational propulsion organs. Their accelerative and maneuvering characteristics appear to be exceptional." "Terrific." Dawson growled from his domain down below -- the engineer, of course, had been eavesdropping on the conversation, as often he did during times of crisis. "First jellyfish, then hyperspace currents, now predators with home-grown propellers? What are we going to run into next, the Loch Ness Monster?" "Let's hope *not*," Julia replied, as she cast a critical gaze upon the tactical disposition of the eater wolfpack, as well as the now-contracted Fen swarm hanging above the hollow-world below. "I don't think I really want to meet the *next* step up the hyperspace evolutionary ladder right now... isn't one set of monsters at a time enough?" "You got that right." Dawson fervently agreed, even as the crew watched one of the eaters open its mouth to reveal a long row of silvery buzzsaw teeth... each of which was many times the height of any of her crew. "If we are going to do something," Larieken observed, his face now furrowed with concern, "We had best do it soon. The eaters are beginning to break up into pairs -- one set appears to be observing us closely, while the rest are moving in towards the Fen swarm..." And then, all of a sudden, the jellyfish in question showed decided to show the Rangers they weren't *quite* so defenceless as everyone had assumed, as a brilliant greenish flash suddenly lit up the bridge. * * * The time-of-defence had arrived, as always it did in such circumstances. The elder-Fen knew what to do, of course... they had used this tactic against the eaters for as long as any of them could remember -- the knowledge of the defence being passed from generation to generation so that the People might survive. With the rest of its fellow guardians, the Elder had formed a sphere around their nervous offspring, and after a short discussion, proceeded to extend its tendrils out into the charged atmosphere-that-was along with the rest. Even here in the feeding ground, the charge was present... not so useful as it was outside what their new small-friend had thought of as an 'oasis' in the homeplace, but present nevertheless. Ready to be used. As a fascinated Larieken would tell the rest of his comrades later on, the tips of the Fen 'tendrils' contained nodes that the huge creatures could charge at will, nodes that served to gather in the excess present charge of the hyperspace domain -- nodes that could, as Julia and her startled crew soon found out, cast out hundred kilometer long 'lightning bolts' at their enemies. The method was not entirely precise, of course... but even a full wolfpack of eaters was known to grow cautious when the angry Fen elders starting spitting electromagnetic fire in all directions... for even the *fastest* eater could be skewered on one of those bolts. Unfortunately, of course, the same was true for the Interstellar Alliance ships commanded by Julia and Elai Sakalia, as well. * * * "Hell's Bells!" Sakalia swore, as hyperspace crackled with electric fire around his command, "Are they trying to get us all killed?" Klairika, who had soon woken from her 'nap' after the two Ranger ships had arrived at the feeding ground, smiled mirthlessly in the direction of White Star 121's interim commander... it appeared that Mr. Sakalia would be sorely in need of some meditation after they departed from this place. But he was a human, of course... and as she already learned, that race was almost always inclined to make outbursts of this sort when faced with crises. "Observe closely, Mr. Sakalia -- note that the Fen are making a concerted effort to direct their... discharges away from our present location." "Well I'll be damned -- I guess you're right. Do you suppose this will drive away those torpedoes-with-teeth?" "I do not believe it will be that easy." she replied after a moment. "The eaters no doubt have expected this defence mechanism, and if too much time passes, and the Fen begin to tire, they may find a weak spot in the defence, and break through to make one or several kills." "Doesn't sound to me," Sakalia observed, "Like your captain is willing to let that happen." Klairika nodded. "As we have learned from her most recent communique to this vessel, Anla'shok Keynes will shortly be weaving her own defense into the matrix the Fen have constructed." Klairika watched Sakalia's eyes darken at that point, and she knew why -- they had both read accounts of what Lyta Alexander had done for the Army of Light during the Shadow War... how she had once stopped a Shadow warship dead in space. Sheynell wasn't that powerful, of course... but she *was* among the most powerful P12 telepaths in her generation, and up until this point, she'd never unleashed her abilities in hyperspace. That this was about to change was not in doubt -- how the eaters would respond to her presence, though, was the question of the hour. * * * She remembered the ceremonies, remembered the accolades. Remembered his words. "Even in the beginning, I knew you held the potential to become one of the strongest telepaths the Corps had ever seen..." Bester told her, his smile thin and enigmatic. "And that the future I forsaw would in no small part depend upon your actions. You came to me unsharpened, but with my guidance, you have become a fine-edged blade, Sheynell. Don't you agree?" She had agreed, of course, before learning of the price she would have to pay for that agreement. Afterwards had come the penance -- for only by doing good could she exorcise the demons of her past. She clenched one hand tightly as the outer door of the airlock that lead to the hull shimmered and then pulled aside, and then she stepped out onto the semi-living skin of the warship she had come to call home, the boots of her Ranger survival suit automatically latching onto the hull as she took that first fateful step. Above and behind her loomed the silvery-gray arch superstructure of the bridge.... to each side the barely seen sweep of the SHARD's port and starboard engine mounts -- and before her, the graceful sweep of the battlecruiser's mainline superstructure, terminating in the diamond tines of the main gun, almost half a kilometer distant at the prow. She looked up, then, keeping her breathing steady and sure as she gazed out upon the lightning-filled hyperspace realm around her. Reached out a little farther... And then it was that she shivered, from head to toe. Bester had told her about the sensation, of course -- she had, of course, distantly noted the slight expansion of her abilities every time they'd moved through hyperspace in the past six months... but to experience this expansion from the interior of the SHARD was a candle compared to the flame she was sensing at this moment -- the flame her abilities had become, the instant she'd stepped outside into the hyperspace realm. "Sheynell, can you hear me?" Her captain... her friend. Worried about her, of course, but confident that she could get the job done... that everything would turn out all right in the end. On occasion, she found Julia's omnipresent confidence and maturity a little irritating -- but not right now. For the time being, any candle to illuminate the darkness was a welcome one. "I hear you," she whispered, as she extended her arms palms up -- her hands, were they trembling? Yes, they were... just a little. "This is... extraordinary, Julia -- I can sense everyone in the ship so clearly, I can hear the Fen talking to one another, their worries for their young, their determination to protect them from the enemy..." The enemy. With that, her eyes grew cold and hard, and she whirled away from her prior contemplation and reached out towards the tiny pack of torpedo-like creatures whirling around the Fen, passing between the fiery lashes of their lightning. This looked like it would be more difficult then making contact with the Fen had been, but then again, this time she wasn't trying to talk to them... She was only trying to frighten them away. Was it a matter of different telepathic wavelengths, or was the situation more complicated then it appeared? They were out there, she could feel them -- in Valen's Name, she *had* to concentrate! Sheynell closed her eyes as she allowed herself to range out into the void, searching, searching... Her eyes snapped open, and she smiled. There. "*Burn*." she whispered. * * * The eater whirled through the all-too expected electric fire cast out by the prey, and opened its metal-edged mouth -- soon enough, the sweet taste of the kill would come. The prey were beginning to tire, this was obvious -- the fire was beginning to reduce, and soon, very soon now, the gap would come -- and the time would come to dive upon the young prey, so *very* tasty they were... And that was when it happened -- that was when the pain came upon it so unexpectedly. So shocked was it by the occurence that the eater abruptly lost control over its spinners, and began to tumble through the home-domain, crying out its pain to the rest of the suddenly confused pack. What had caused this? Was this some new defense the prey had devised, something unheard of in the memories of the Greater pack? It could not be... and yet the pain *continued*, on and on and... And then, quite suddenly, the pain was gone -- but even as it considered what the origin could have been, two other members of the pain cried out their own distress, and the chaos spread. The eater ground its teeth before sealing its mouth shut against the cold-of-home... inevitably, if this unexpected attack continued, one or more members of the pack would wander into the path of a prey-discharge, and if that happened... The consensus, when it came, was swift, although heatedly argued at first -- an argument that broke off in an agonized bellow when the hunter in question was swiped by a ribbon of prey-charge. Knowledge of this new prey-weapon would have to be shared with the Greater pack. The hunger continued unabated... but for the time being, it was better to be safe then sorry. Irritated as it was, the eater made the only decision it could for the time being and with the rest, made its way down into a cloud of prey-food, gulping down the (far less tasty) morsels that lived in that cloud of tiny creatures. And then, the pack gathered together as one, casting baleful glances down at the swarm-of-prey below, as well as at the metal-things that accompanied them in the here-and-now. The hunter had its suspicions... but for now, the decison had been made, and could not be *un*-made. There would be other times, and other hunts... but even as the pack turned and sullenly swam away into the mists, another consensus was arrived at. They would remember this outrage -- and the prey? Their day would come. * * * the youngling Fen asked Sheynell, as it hovered above the SHARD with the rest of its troop, the elders waiting patiently beyond. she replied. <#Singer very powerful!#> another Fen commented. <#Friend of ours, now?#> <--A FRIEND INDEED--> the now-familiar rumble of the elder came down from above into her mind. <--The debt is now paid in full, sheynellkeynes -- what now you do? And where you go?--> She smiled, as the Fen began to gather together. <--Admirable task, this is--> the elder admitted. <--But now time has come to depart -- if Fen stay in place for too long, eaters will certainly gather, and try again their attacks... may not go so well for us next time -- for you must leave us, sheynellkeynes, to search for that which must be found.--> She nodded ruefully. The Fen waved their tendrils, and something suspiciously like laughter came down to her along their link. <--Together, we are, always--...> the elder reprovingly informed her. <--Think of us when you move through the homeplace, and we will hear you--> she replied. <#Farewell, mean what?#> Then they understood. "Farewell." Sheynell whispered, as she turned away from the sight of the departing Fen. "But not goodbye." * * * To be concluded! * * * http://www.connect.ab.ca/~dgolding/index.htm From: David Goldingay Subject: STAR AND CIRCLE - "The Seeker's Fire", Episode IX, Envoi Date: Wed, 12 Jan 2000 21:34:00 -0700 "STAR AND CIRCLE: THE SEEKER'S FIRE"   EPISODE NINE: "THE WOLVES OF THE DEEP"          (disclaimers and associated descriptions in overture) * * * <> June 13th, 2267 -- enroute in hyperspace. "If you do not mind me asking," Klairika inquired, as she stuck her head through the door of Julia's ready room to find her captain paused thoughtfully in mid-dictation, "How goes your report to the President and the Entil'zha on what we have discovered?" "Slowly, if you must know." she muttered, pausing to take a sip of the hot tea sitting close by her elbow as the Brakiri came in and took a seat. "We learned a lot more in this encounter with the Fen then Captain Gideon and his crew did in theirs -- we've encountered the creatures that prey upon them, for one thing.. and we've also learned that hyperspace is a far stranger place then any of us could possibly have imagined, as well." "It is fair to compare this situation with some of the histories of your race that I have been studying in the recent past -- in the early days of travel upon your world, was it not true that the humans who sailed upon the seas of Earth were at first afraid to travel beyond sight of the land? -- afraid of the storms, and of the creatures that lurked beneath the waves? They were frightened of what they did not know and what they could not see -- and some of them died because of those fears..." "But in the end," she finished, "The bravest of those explorers forced themselves to go beyond the fear... and as a result, the world, and later on, the galaxy, was opened up before them." "Indeed." "The pathfinders." Julia concluded. "Well, if you look in the book for our job description, I'm pretty sure you'll find that word in there somewhere. As for what I think should be done... it's my hope that the President and his Advisory Council will keep the news of the sanctuary at the heart of the Perseus Rift a closely guarded secret for the time being... especially since Sheynell helped us prove that the Fen are probably just as intelligent as us, in their own way..." "Which means, capable of making mistakes..." Klairika drolly added, "Just like the rest of us." Both women laughed. "Though hopefully not so many from now on." "One would hope *not*. And what of the eaters?" "Well... hopefully my report will help convince our leaders that continuing to conduct a search among the worlds in the Rift will only mean more encounters with them... and I think that's something we should try to avoid, at least for the short term. It's a big galaxy, after all -- there's plenty of other places to search for the ancient ruins that might contain the cure we're looking for." "Very big." Klairka regretfully confirmed, "And the clock, as your people have been known to say from time to time, is 'ticking'." Julia sighed and nodded, before turning off her desk computer and rising to her feet. "Speaking of which... how long until that Minbari cruiser rendezvous with us?" "Alyt Berrain assured me that he and his crew would be at the rendezvous point on schedule, just over six standard hours from now..." * * * Wrapped in a simple robe of black, Sheynell sat at her desk, and continued to write the letter she'd been working on for some time now... almost from the day she'd become Anla'shok, as a matter of fact -- a letter that would, in the end, in *some* form, eventually reach the niece she'd never even met... a birth she learned about during her time in the Corps. Cordelia... the eldest daughter of her brother and his wife... someone else she knew of only from the picture she'd obtained through... unofficial channels. She shook her head sadly at that thought -- she did not even know how her brother had changed in the nearly two decades since she had seen him last. This would have to be remedied in time... but that time was not yet. For now, there were the words... the meanings, and the hidden truths to address. 'And on that day, another veil was cast aside,' she wrote. 'Another fear banished -- for that day, we established an alliance with the very thing that so many humans have feared since first we came into this place between the stars. Where once Shadows walked, now one may find a race that drifts upon the currents of hyperspace, a race ever watchful for the predators that would do them harm. They have learned of a way to talk to us... and perhaps in time, Cordelia, they will return to aid us again. It's a long shot, a hope you might say... but as long as this goes on, as long as the people of the Earth stand under the shadow of death, as long as the crew of the EXCALIBUR and the rest of us are searching for a cure to the Drakh plague... We're going to need all the hope we can find.' * * * the bold youngster inquired to his fellow-Fen, as the flock moved through hyperspace, They remembered... they knew. Soon enough, the youngsters would become seniors and then elders in their own right -- soon enough, if all went well and they did not fall to the teeth of the eaters, they would be leading the flock in its travels. They remembered the promise... and if the Singer called, the youngsters had decided they would give their aid -- and maybe she would help in their struggle with the eaters, if trouble once again arose. Maybe, in time, the Singer would even tell them what it was she was hunting for. * * * Next time: Having learned that an operation is afoot to try and deduce the nature of the virus afflicting mankind, the Drakh come to the conclusion that only the destruction of the starship EXCALIBUR will ensure this does not come to pass. But even as Drakh battle squadrons move to destroy Matthew Gideon's command, another vessel lurks in wait, its Rangers ready and willing to take the battle to their foe. "And No One Shall Pass" - the 10th episode of 'The Seeker's Fire', coming soon. * * * http://www.connect.ab.ca/~dgolding/index.htm