From: "Sel" Subject: The Secret of Arias - Prologue Date: Tue, 24 Nov 1998 00:24:40 +1030 This is the beginning of my new story, entitled The Secret of Arias. This tale follows on from Reunion, and another story I am still writing. However it is not necessary to read the ealier stories before this one as all the necessary background information can be found in Chapter One (coming soon). This is the first story in a series, entitled the Legacy of the Vorlons. The other two stories in the series will appear later. For other stories, as well as properly formatted chapters of this tale see my webpage http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Troy/9933/stories1.html Spoilers: There are spoilers for seasons 1-4. This story is set in 2262, but takes place well outside the normal Babylon 5 universe. Disclaimers: The various B5 characters that I use in my story remain the property of Waner Brothers, TNT, JMS, and whoever else wants to claim them. The rest however are the proporty of my imagination and you can do what you will with them. ------------------------------------------------------------ The Secret of Arias - Prologue By Sel Vecantie ------------------------------------------------------------ 1462, Unclaimed Space. A little over two hundred years ago, as the people of a certain primate world registered time, chaos had reigned throughout this tiny portion of the galaxy. Two ancient powers, who had fought on and off for millennia, had risen once more to do battle. While seeking to destroy each other, they also sought to guide the younger races down the path they each imagined was right. Now, the war over, one of those races sought to create powerful servants to fight for it in the next war. Above a primitive blue-green world, two massive Vorlon ships hung in space, appearing to the inhabitants of that world as little more than small, but bright, stars. The people of this primitive world were very susceptible to superstition and omen and the sudden appearance of the new stars two days ago had been taken as a sign that their god was smiling on them. Astrologers from two dozen empires gathered their star charts and made predictions of what was to come. On this small world, wars could be started for much less, and this time was no exception. The Vorlons however, were oblivious to these happenings, they had more important problems. The larger of the two vessels, the gigantic research ship, was dying. Across much of its green hull, patches of darkness had appear, spreading like some horrible disease down the thick veins of energy that ran through the organic metal. In two places the hull had already buckled, exploding outwards as the metal crumbled and the pressure of the atmosphere inside broke through. The smaller of the ships, a kilometre long battle cruiser hung back from the research ship, as if it fear catching the disease that had stricken its larger cousin. In the council chambers of the battle cruiser five Vorlons had gathered. Four were scientists who had, until recently, been stationed on board the research vessel, now force to flee in the face of their creation's fury. The last was an Elder, sent from the Vorlon homeworld to carry the wisdom of Vorlons from across the Empire. The Elder faced off against the others, scientists who had conducted experiments on a creature taken from the world below, a creature they had raised from birth to serve as a warrior against their ancient enemy. Had the Elder been human, it would have sighed with disappointment. Instead, it could only sing its anger. "I warned you," it sang, the normally musical tones carrying an undercurrent of disapproval. "They are too primitive. You could never hope to control them, yet still you tried. In time they will serve, when they have outgrown their violent nature. But now they are not ready, and the council must deal with your mistake." The other Vorlons bowed in submission, their pain visible in their glowing auras. "We will talk to the warrior," the leader of the scientists sang. "It must agree to reason. We will explain to it the reasons for our actions and convince it to follow the path of order once more. It will follow if we lead." The Elder was not so sure. "You have created something that could destroy us all. Worse, you have betrayed the order you sought to serve. It will not talk, it can not sing with us, it will only destroy. You sought to defeat the darkness but you have created something worse instead, a creature that does not feel remorse for the deaths it causes. This one will not serve our cause, only defeat it." "What must we do," the scientists sang sadly. The Elder considered the problem. "Soon it will tire of its rage and wish to return to the world below, and if we do not agree to its demands, it will come to end our existence. If we return it to the planet, then it will cause destruction unlike anything ever seen there before. It knows many things its kind were never meant to know. If returned, it will use this knowledge to advance its people far beyond what can be allowed. They are still a violent species, constantly warring amongst each other. The warrior you created possesses knowledge which will only make these wars worse, and then, when it has conquered its world it will reach for the stars, seeking to conquer that which we guard." "You must do what must be done," the Elder sang. "The council has made a decision. To save all, one of us must die. Those who do not choose to die must live forever with the knowledge of what their mistake has cost. Choose now, and choose wisely." One of the scientists flew slowly forward, although he was careful not to come to close to the Elder and appear disrespectful. "I will go," he sang with sudden determination. "Let it take me instead of another. I will give my life freely so the cause may be saved." The Elder appeared to consider this before responding. "It is agreed," he sang sadly. "You must meet with the warrior, and agree to its demands. Then you must give your life so that we may be saved. Only then will your mistakes be repaired." The scientist bowed low in submission, knowing now that the others would not be punished for their mistakes. It would, however, be forced to face a nightmare of its own making, one that could kill even the most powerful Vorlon with little effort. As the Elder returned to its encounter suit the scientist recalled the effort that had been put into creating the warrior. The idea, like so many others, had been good. Create a powerful warrior to fight the darkness, one that would be invulnerable to any weapon or energy. For two centuries ten scientists had worked on the primitive planet, searching for one who might serve as their warrior when the darkness returned and the war resumed. Finally, one had been found, young as its kind measured things, but strong of mind, body, and most importantly, faith. From the moment of its birth the Vorlon's had spoken to it, guiding the young warrior to become a leader, a soldier. It had surpassed all of their expectations, becoming a warrior of skill and compassion. But, as often happened, things did not all go well for the warrior. Although it was strong and skilful it was also deeply religious and believed the lies that were told to it by its elders. Finally after winning the war it had fought so hard, it was captured by the enemy of its nation and sentenced to death. Before the sentence could be carried out the Vorlon had come, alone in the night, when the others of the warrior's kind lay sleeping. There, in that dark dingy cell, they had offered it a choice, to live and serve them, or to go to its death the next morning, burning in the fire its enemies had planned for it. Believing the Vorlons to be agents of its god, the warrior had chosen to live - and to serve - as the Vorlons knew it would. Transporting it to the research ship, they had begun to alter it, slowly over many years, creating their ultimate warrior. However, things started to go wrong. The Vorlons, in their attempt to create the ultimate weapon, made a basic error. They had made it too intelligent! As its intelligence grew, so did the warrior's disdain for both the Vorlons and their cause. Then, finally, just three weeks ago, it had broken out of its cell and, through its newly enhanced senses, saw the Vorlons as they truly were. The warrior's rage was incredible. For thirty one years it had served the Vorlons on their ship, allowing itself to be altered because it believed they were messengers of its god. Now, seeing the Vorlons for the first time without their disguises, the warrior 'knew' them to be demons sent to trick it. In the ensuing battle, six of the ten scientists had been killed and the other four had fled in one of the research ship's transports. Now, with the Elder's arrival, and with it, the decision from the Vorlon homeworld, another of the scientists was to die. This death was to be an act of self sacrifice, a giving of life so the cause could continue. Reaching the edge of the council chambers the doomed scientist commanded the cruiser's outer hull to become opaque, so it could look down on the vessel that had been its home for the past two hundred years. Soon the huge research vessel would die, plunging into the atmosphere of the world below, no doubt providing another omen for the world's astrologers to debate. It had been suggested that the warrior be left to fall with it, but the scientist knew that would not work. A creature as powerful as the one they had created would not die that easily. Then the Elder had suggested another plan, one that stung the scientist's soul even to think of it, but it was the only possibility available. The warrior, who strength was such that it could destroy entire worlds, must be imprisoned. A distant world had been found, one where no sentient life existed. There it would be sent, to be locked away from the universe forever. It was a sad end to a once noble creature of order, but the Vorlons saw no other option. Soon the scientist would sacrifice its life, providing the final key in the lock that would enchain their greatest creation, but also imprison their greatest threat. ------------------------------------------------------------ Alone in chaos of Hyperspace, the large yellow-green shape of a Vorlon transport stood out like a beacon against the red mists that swirled around it. Looking closer, it was possible to see the living ship was slowly dying, its formerly brightly coloured organic hull was now covered with dark patches. It appeared that the organic metal of the hull had been drained of the life energy that normally flowed through it, and dark cracks were now beginning to form on the normally smooth hull. Inside, things were even worse. The once beautiful veins of energy that had fed power across the ship were thick with darkness, their life and strength long gone. The transport's Vorlon master was still alive, but even it was feeling the effect of being so close to the monster that sat calmly at the back of the command deck. The Vorlon scientist was hidden within it's encounter suit, but even that could not protect it from the warrior who was clearly enjoying tormenting both the Vorlon and the ship. The Vorlon already knew it was dying, as was the ship, but there would be time yet to end the nightmare it had helped to create. This would be the last trip it, or its companion transport ever took, but it was perhaps the most important journey of its long life. Failure was not an option, that would mean the destruction of order the Vorlons sought to create across this small part of the galaxy. Instead the chaos of war would erupt and the darkness would have found a powerful new ally of the Vorlon's own making. The creature that rested comfortably on the ship's navigation console, its wiry arms tucked behind its head, was the embodiment of all that the Vorlons sought to fight. They had tried to create a creature of order, but instead what had been born out of the fire and conflict they had put it through was a being of chaos, one that cared nothing for the lives it took. Having seen the true face of the Vorlons, it no longer obeyed them, no longer feared them. Instead, it now sought to destroy them. The scientist felt a sudden chill running through its entire being and knew, without having to look around, that the warrior had arisen from its rest. Cat-like it padded across the floor, its bare feet leaving behind swirls of darkness wherever they touched the organic metal. "When do we arrive, Vorlon," it asked in the tongue of its people. "I grow bored with this endless waiting." The Vorlon turned to face the warrior - and its own fear - while at the same time trying to avoid shuddering. It felt a painful pull on its life-force as the pale-skinned warrior drew closer. The warrior smiled up at the scientist, and with dark humour increased the drain on the ship and the Vorlon, tearing away even more energy. "Soon," the Vorlon sang, its translator converting the beautiful song into the harsh language of the warrior's people. "Good," the warrior replied leaving the side of the Vorlon to return to its makeshift seat. "When we get there you will leave me in peace. I never want to see another of your kind on my world ever again. We will serve as your slaves no longer, I will see to that." The Vorlon turned to follow the warrior's path, the small iris in the head of its encounter suit clicking open and shut as it observed the warrior. "We only seek to help you," it sang, trying one last time to convince the warrior of the purity of the cause. "Soon the darkness will return, and your world will be in its path. The people you seek to protect will fall into darkness and fire, and your holy cause will be lost amid the destruction." The warrior yawned, stretching its limbs as if tired, which of course it wasn't. It was never tired, not any more. "I have heard all this before, Vorlon. Your arguments no longer convince me. I have fought a holy war much of my life, why should I fight now in yours, especially when my people need to be helped into the light of God." "You must," the Vorlon sang. "The darkness will destroy your people as much as mine. We have tried to help your people in the past, sheltered them from those who sought to kill them. We seek to aid you, not destroy you." The warriors dark eyes narrowed, and almost seemed to gleam in the light. "My people will fight the darkness as they will fight you. With this technology that you have given me I will raise my people into the light, free them from the chains that bind them. I now have the power to right the wrongs that have been done, to bring the radiance of God to the entire galaxy, destroying all those who follow evil. Without me, my people will fall to hundreds of years of war and chaos. With me, they will join into a single army of justice that will sweep across these worlds you speak of, cleaning away the corrupt and the impure. I thank you for that gift, but you no longer have the right to stand before me and preach your lost cause." "We must try," the Vorlon said sadly, knowing its fate was now sealed. "Your people are not ready for the power you will give them. You must wait, in time they will learn." "I will teach them," the warrior replied. "I may have been away for many years, but there are many who will remember my name, and honour the sacrifice I made for them. When I call they will come and we will create a holy army unlike any ever seen before. All the world shall hear our cries for justice and freedom, and then we shall bring our armies to this darkness you speak off and destroy it, along with all other evil." "It will destroy you," the Vorlon scientist argued. "You are not ready. Remain with us and we will teach you until you are ready." "Who are you to say when I am ready," the warrior responded angrily. "I who have fought much of my life. I know more of the ways of battle than you, Vorlon." "Yes, but do you understand the reasons of battle." "I fight for God, for justice, and for freedom. I do not fight for ideology, nor for a cause that no longer has any reason. Your kind fights only because you have forgotten how to live. I do not fight for those who no longer know why they are fighting. You are nothing but a coward, a creature who seeks to have others battle for you, because you no longer wish to die in honourable battle. Instead you wish to hide behind a shield of innocents, sending them out to die for you. Those of noble heart should lead from the fore, battling the evil themselves, instead of sending servants out to fight." The Vorlon scientist realised at last that no amount of argument would change the warrior's mind. Like all primitive creatures it was full of its own self importance, believing that its holy cause was the only one worth fighting, and because of this, it was no longer capable of seeing the true picture. Somewhere, on dark, forgotten worlds, the darkness waited. Soon it would come again, seeking to destroy the order the Vorlons had created. Chaos must not be allowed to win, never could that be allowed. Order must always triumph over the darkness or the very structure of universe would be lost. "How long now?" the warrior asked, its attention turned from the argument back to more important matter, such as its return home. "Soon," the Vorlon replied again. "It seems longer this time," the warrior said. "You would not be attempting to trick me again, would you. You have already agreed to my requests, you would not be trying to wriggle out of them would you? Lies are the last resort of the evil and unjust. Those who are pure have no cause to speak anything but the truth." "It has been agreed," the Vorlon responded, while its mind tried to hide the truth. Inside, the Vorlon knew it did not really need to worry, for one thing the warrior had failed to learn was the power of telepathy. However it had proven more intelligent than they had originally thought and, given the knowledge to fight and adapt, it had created a defence against their telepathic powers. The scientists had not planned for this, nor had they planned for the warrior to escape the tests and destroy the entire research vessel, along with six of the researchers. The scientist returned to the controls of the transport ship. He could feel the pain the ship was in, even above his own agony, but knew it would continue to obey him, even if it meant both their deaths. Vorlon ships were grown to serve, as the younger races should serve, and unlike the warrior, it would not betray him in this hour of need. Ignoring the pain, and the warrior that was the cause, the Vorlon concentrated instead on the plan laid out before it. ------------------------------------------------------------ 1462, Vorlon Space. The small green world of Arias hung peacefully between the gas giant it orbited, and the two other tiny worlds that were its constant companions. It was a hot jungle world, the entire surface covered by a thick growth of plant life, while beneath that canopy lived hundreds of scurrying reptilian creatures. In a universe of barren lifeless worlds it was an oasis, a world with its own, naturally occurring, life forms. However, Arias was situated on the edge of the Vorlon Empire, and as a world that had yet to be settled by any known sentient race, to the Vorlons it was expendable. Close to the northern magnetic pole, where the jungle faded to become a vast grassy plain, something descended through the moisture filled atmosphere. The grass began to rustle violently in a sudden breeze as the huge shape of a Vorlon transport came down through the thick clouds, its long, squid-like shape casting a dark shadow across the ground. On the edge of the jungle, watching native creatures screeched in primitive terror and ran for the safety of the trees. Like a vast bird of prey, the transport hung above the plain, its gravimetric engines flattening the grass, forming large circular depressions. Then the four huge, petal-like wings folded inward, until they almost touched the hull, and the transport gently dropped to the ground near a large outcropping of rock that rose above the plain. Inside the rocky surface of the hill, tiny six-legged lizards shot off into their burrows, eager to escape the strange new monster that had just arrived near their homes. On the side of the transport a spiral opening suddenly appeared and through that opening walked two creatures. One was a Vorlon, safely encased in its encounter suit, its body seeming to glide across the surface of the world, while at the same time it also swayed slightly as if it was walking. The second creature was a lot shorter, small compared to the tall Vorlon encounter suit. It was also thin and wiry, unlike the large, bulky shape of the Vorlon's shell. The smaller creature walked on two legs, as most creatures in this section of the galaxy did. Its black eyes scanned around the field and then it seemed to pause as if it didn't find what it was looking for. It spun around to face the Vorlon. "This is not my world," it cried. "You have tricked me. I will destroy you for this betrayal." The Vorlon nodded slowly, inclining the head of its encounter suit in the direction of the smaller creature. "The mistake must be fixed." "You think me a mistake?" the warrior snarled, its face twisting in almost uncontrollable anger. "You can not destroy me this easily. I will kill you and then, using your ship, I will find and destroy every last one of your kind." "You will die," the Vorlon sang calmly, now secure in its fate. Behind it the huge shape of the transport lifted off from the planet's surface on silent engines, gliding smoothly away from the grass plain where the two antagonists faced each other. "It is over." "I don't think so," the warrior replied. "I will build another ship, I know how now. Then I will still return back to my home. You made me immortal, and doing so gave me the power to destroy you. Even should it take me another thirty years, another hundred, even another thousand I will destroy you, and all of your kind. My people will never again be your slaves. We will master our own destiny, rise up from our world and drive away those who seek to threaten us." "No," was the curt reply from the Vorlon as it swung around to look at the departing transport. Its voice grew sadder, the musical tones becoming darker and lower. "You will die." With a fierce war cry the warrior leapt across the gap between them and dug its black claw-like nails into the Vorlon's encounter suit. It sliced through the organic metal as if it were little thicker than paper, and its claws then cut into the Vorlon's true body. Trapped inside, the Vorlon's ethereal body shuddered and slowly began to darken as its life-force was drained away. To weak to fight back, it let its mind wander across the skies to the waiting fleet. "Now," was its last song as the few remaining remnants of its life were drained away to feed the hunger of its attacker. The warrior released the now empty shell of the Vorlon scientist and stepped back, searching around for a weapon to use, anything that it could use to fight against the Vorlon. Its roving eyes landed on the rocky hill, and the dark opening of a cave that lay, almost hidden, behind a small clump of low bushes. Realising that the Vorlon's must have a trap planned for it, the warrior ran, its legs carrying faster than it had ever run before. Increasing its speed even futher, it fled across the grassy plain towards the possible sanctuary. Above the sky turned red with fire as the gathered Vorlon fleet turned their weapons against the planet below. Huge chunks of rock, torn from the surface of the planet's companion worlds, were manoeuvred by gravimetric forces and sent plunging down through the thick atmosphere, seeking the warrior's position. The once beautiful, life-filled jungle burst into flame as vast balls of fire plunged down and impacted all around the landing site of the Vorlon transport. The warrior felt the ground heave violently beneath it, and then found itself flying through the air, straight towards the dark opening of the cave. It tried to roll into the dive, but struck the jagged, rocky floor hard, slicing open its pale flesh and spraying the floor and walls of the cave with drops of its pale, almost luminescent blood. Unable to control its roll, the warrior tumbled down a steep slope, falling into the bowels of the hill. Above, the world's surface burst into flame, and much of the hill vanished as a massive chunk rock smashed into it, transmuting the rocks, along with their tiny reptilian inhabitants, into a cloud of dust and molten rock. Deep beneath the surface the rock cracked open, and molten lava began to rise to the surface, flowing down barren tunnels, heading straight towards the warrior, who lay wounded and bleeding in its path. The warrior stood on unsteady legs, noticing the red glow approaching down a side passage. Unlike most sane creatures it did not flee, instead it closed its eyes and slowly began to absorb the heat that was growing with every passing second. The Vorlon scientists had done their job well, and the warrior's skin was now capable of absorbing energy of all kind. After a few minutes the warrior opened its eyes, looking out over the mass of now cooling rock, with a satisfied smile on its lips. It held out its arms, examining the wounds it had received during the mad dive into the cave. As it expected, they were gone, the pale, almost translucent skin now smooth and clean. It smiled again and, turning away from the chunk of glassy rock that had, only moments before, been a river of lava, it strode down the tunnel. Above, on the surface of the world, the bombardment seemed to have stopped, although the silence gave no indication on what else might be occurring. The warrior knew the Vorlons, despite their other flaws, would never leave a job half done, so it still suspected more was to come. The warrior's eyes, enhanced by the Vorlons to see in almost all conditions, had no trouble seeking out its path, lines of heat left from the lava lighting the way up to the surface. Its mind still bent on revenge against the Vorlons, the warrior began to run, using up a tiny amount of the energy it had just absorbed. Ahead, it could smell the stench of the fire that filled the air, the breeze from the surface carrying the smells of the burning jungle to assault the warrior's senses. Ten minutes later it finally made it up to the surface, and exited from another cave, this one on the opposite side of the hill from where it had landed. The scene that confronted it was one of horror and death. The plain of grass was gone, as was much of the nearby jungle, and in its place was a landscape of fire and destruction, pockmarked with large craters. Even to the warrior, its heart frozen by years of war and betrayal, it was a devastating sight. Two glowing tears fell from its eyes, tracing lines of fire down its cheeks before they fell from its face to land on the ground below. Never before had it seen such destruction and death, an entire world burnt, just to kill it. Its heart began to thaw, pain and sadness welling up inside at the sight. The warrior knew that all this devastation had been done for one cause, to kill it, and a tiny part of its heart, a remnant of its former, mortal life, would have preferred to sacrifice its life and avoid this destruction. Another, larger part, said that the Vorlons were responsible for the destruction, and it was they who must be made to suffer. Then, high above the warrior's location, the night sky began to darken, a cold cloud of blackness beginning to work its way across the world's surface, extinguishing the fires as it came. At first the warrior didn't notice the cloud's arrive, but then it felt a chill in its body, something that should not be there when it stood so close to a burning forest. The chill grew stronger, and the warrior's body began to shake as fear began to grow inside. The only things in the universe it feared were cold, and darkness. As long as there was light, as long as there was heat, it could not die. Now both were vanishing, both light and heat being sucked up by the cloud of darkness that spread across the northern half of Arias. "Vorlon bastards!" the warrior screamed angrily, letting out all of its pain in one single cry that echoed around the tiny cave, and across the nearby fiery plain. It edged its way back inside the cave, away from the cold that began to fill the outside world. Inside it was warmer, closer to the burning centre of the world. It was not much, but it might just be enough to enable the warrior to survive, at least until it could work out a way to escape. It turned and ran, trying to get as deep as possible before the cloud of darkness arrived. As it ran, It reached into a dark, hidden pocket of its robe and fingered the glowing yellow-green seed that rested there. "One day, Vorlons," it whispered to itself. "One day I will escape and then you will pay for this betrayal with your lives." Outside the black cloud began to crackle with green energy, as the Vorlon fleet fired new weapons into their creation, creating an electromagnetic shield that would prevent anyone from ever reaching, or escaping from, the world's surface again. That done, their mistake imprisoned for all time, the fleet turned and flew away from the destroyed world, sadness at what they had been forced to do welling up in the hearts of every Vorlon involved. It had been a necessary act, or their goals for every species in this part of the galaxy would have been ruined. That didn't make it any easier though. On the command vessel, the Vorlon Elder watched the world retreat into the distance, the head of its encounter suit dropping in sadness. It wondered if the right thing had been done, and if altering the younger races was the right way after all. So many had died this time, including six Vorlons, all because of a single mistake. Despite possessing only an ethereal form, the Vorlon Elder shivered in fear as it thought about what would happen if the warrior ever escaped its prison. If it did, then the galaxy would know terror unlike anything it had faced before, and next time there would be no escape. ------------------------------------------------------------ Sel Vecantie e-mail: vecantie@geocities.com homepage: http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Troy/9933/ ICQ: 23223547 From: "Sel" Subject: The Secret of Arias - Chapter 1/10, Part A Date: Sun, 6 Dec 1998 00:28:00 +1030 Here is chapter 1 of my new story, following on from the prologue I posted recently. This chapter is fairly slow, but from here on in it become more interesting. For other stories, as well as properly formatted chapters of this tale see my webpage http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Troy/9933/stories1.html Spoilers: There are spoilers for seasons 1-4. This story is set in 2262, but takes place well outside the normal Babylon 5 universe. Disclaimers: The various B5 characters that I use in my story remain the property of Waner Brothers, TNT, JMS, and whoever else wants to claim them. The rest however are the proporty of my imagination and you can do what you will with them. ------------------------------------------------------------ The Secret of Arias - Chapter 1 By Sel Vecantie ------------------------------------------------------------ March 25, 2262, Earth. The bullet train sped east from Paris, entering the mountainous landscape of what had once been eastern France. Once, long ago, the trains travelling this route might have been slowed considerably by the steep hills and mountains, but this modern, twenty-third century train didn't ease off its speed at all, not even as it swept through a series of tunnels and gentle rises. Cruising at nearly seven hundred kilometres an hour, the bullet train passed the first mountain range in less than fifteen minutes and was soon snaking its way downwards again, towards the city of Lyons. The city, built around the confluence of the Rhône and Saône Rivers, was a major light industrial centre, with a population of just over three million. Normally that would be enough to warrant a stopover on the train's route, but not this time. This early morning bullet train was an express, London to Rome, and then back again, stopping at only two other cities along its long route. So, instead of slowing as it approached the city, it sped up, hovering just beneath the sound barrier as it crossed the Saône River before slowing again as it began the short, winding journey up towards the capital, Geneva. Birds dunking for fish along the Rhône didn't even look up as the train sped past. Magnetically levitated above the rails, it was almost silent, the only noise, the sound of wind rushing along its sleek aerodynamic form. As it travelled along the river bank, its white shape glistened in the early dawn light. Over the mountains to the east, the sun was just beginning its climb across the sky, heralding the coming of the new day. The train didn't have time to enjoy the warmth of its light though, only a few brief seconds before plunging into the darkness of the long tunnel leading up toward Geneva. The tunnel was pitch black, with only the occasional glowing distance marker and the lights of the train itself to provide any illumination. Despite the tunnel's length, the darkness did not last long, and seven minutes later the train exited into the now bright sunlight. Almost immediately it began to slow, its track joining several others leading into the largest transport hub on the entire planet. The few tourists on board had a brief glimpse of the towering structure of Earthdome before another tunnel beckoned, this one leading to the lowest level of Earthdome's transit centre, where hundreds of trains and shuttles would carry passengers from across the planet into the capital every day. Gliding gently to a stop at the main platform, the doors of the train opened and disgorged its cargo of officials, businessmen, workers, and visitors. On the next platform, the transcontinental from Beijing had also just recently arrived, both trains combining to fill the transit centre with over a thousand new arrivals. The platforms on the opposite side of each train were already crowded with those waiting to board, workers returning home from the previous night's shift. Despite the rush, barely ten minutes later, both trains would be off again, one heading west towards Paris and London, the other south towards Rome. Right now though, the train's current passengers were busy trying to find their way along the platform and up the stairs into the transit centre. Geneva might be the capital of the Earth Alliance, but its permanent population numbered just over a hundred thousand, meaning that many times every day this scene was repeated, as the office workers and officials that made the Alliance run smoothly arrived for work. Later, in the afternoon and early evening similar scenes would occur as those who had arrived this morning took the late train back to their homes in the larger cities. Right in the centre of this crush, two women were trying to find their way down the platform without loosing track of each other. One was an attractive woman of medium-height, clad in Earthforce blue, the insignia on her shoulders indicating her rank of Captain. By her side was a slightly shorter, but no less attractive, blonde woman, dressed in a smart grey business suit, the symbol of Psi-Corps on her collar. The taller of the two women, Earth Alliance Captain Susan Ivanova, was wondering if taking the express train from Paris had been such a good idea after all. Her hand tightly clutching her companion's, she was struggling to make headway through the busy crowd of passengers, all whom seemed have a much better knowledge of where they were going than she did. Eventually she gave up, standing rock-still in the centre of the concourse, waiting until everyone else had passed by. "I told you we should have taken the later train," Talia Winters muttered as she allowed herself to be dragged aside by Susan. Around the two women, the other passengers looked at them in annoyance as they were forced to sidestep the pair to continue their journey. Beside them the doors of their train slid shut again and with barely a whisper of noise it hurtled off down the track, toward the end of its journey in the crowded city of Rome. "It's been a while since I've taken a civilian train into Geneva," Susan admitted as the crowd of passengers moved on up the platform. "Usually I just take a shuttle to Earthforce Headquarters." "Typical soldier," Talia said with a loving smile, slipping her hand through the crook of Susan's arm. "You never know how bad us civilians have things." "If I don't get to Earthdome soon I might be finding out a lot more about civilian life," Susan said, frowning as she checked the time displayed on the board above the platform. "We have plenty of time, Susan," Talia told her, glancing at the watch she wore around her wrist. "We could stop for breakfast and still be in Earthdome with plenty of time to spare before for your meeting. Of course, if you had wanted to get here earlier you shouldn't have stayed up so late last night." Susan blushed, remembering exactly why she had been up so late. "Looks like it's a little quieter now," she said, changing the subject. "We might as well get moving. If we remain around here for too much longer another train is sure to arrive." Talia took Susan's hand in her own. Even through the soft Minbari fabric her glove was made of, she still felt a connection with the other woman, something neither could explain or ignore. "Come on," she said. "I will show you the way." Susan nodded and allowed Talia to lead her along the platform, and up the wide marble steps that led into the main transit area. As they walked, both thought back on the events that had led them here. It had been nearly a month since Susan had freed Talia from the manipulative Psi-Corp implanted personality that had been controlling her. That event had happened shortly after what was now being called the Battle for Proxima. That battle had been the climatic ending to a conspiracy that stretched back to the days of the Clark administration, one that was rumoured to have had powerful commercial backers. A collection of Earth's powerful mega-corporations, upset with the loss of business to companies based on other worlds, had financed the construction of a new, incredibly powerful warship, capable of destroying entire colonies with its oversized mass driver. Unfortunately for the companies, the man they chose to command their warship, the former Psi-Cop Harvey Kiel, had plans of his own with very different objectives. After killing off the businessmen who had financed the ship, he had set off on a voyage of death and destruction. Thousands had died, both when he attacked the poorly defended Flinn's Colony and later during the battle in near Proxima III. Susan had commanded the fleet opposing him, after the fleet's original commander, Vice-Admiral Emmerton, had her flagship shot out from beneath her at the start of the battle. Joined by several older destroyers, Susan's vessel, the EAS Rasputin, first production model of the new Warlock class destroyers, soon disabled the enemy vessel's main weapon. Then, along with a crack team of EAS Marines, Susan and Talia had boarded the huge warship. There though, they had both been wounded, Talia by a PPG shot to her shoulder, and Susan by a brutal assault on her mind by the enemy commander. However, they had survived, and with her newly discovered telepathic powers, Susan had been able to free Talia from the artificial personality that had taken over her mind. After the victory both women had deep wounds to recover from. Susan had to learn to deal with her awakened telepathic abilities, and Talia had memories of things she had never done, horrible, evil things. Together they had journeyed to the Minbari colony world of Shiraka, and the unnamed island haven that housed a small colony of Minbari telepaths. There they had explored the depth of their feelings for each other, and Susan had finally learned enough control of her abilities to survive without going insane or alerting Psi-Corps of her existence. That brief oasis of peace in their troubled lives hadn't lasted as long as either had wanted, or needed. During the trip back, they had enjoyed an overnight visit to Babylon 5, before catching the next liner back to Earth. Susan had been most surprised to find that instead of being ordered to Io, where the Rasputin was undergoing repairs and adjustments, she had been recalled to Earth. After a brief stop over in Paris the previous night, they were on the way to Earthdome to meet with Susan's superior, Admiral Mellor. Consequently, this beautiful, early spring morning, the two women found themselves walking up the stairs that led to the Geneva transit centre. For Talia it was the first time in the city in close to five years, having spent nearly two years on Babylon 5, followed by another two on Mars, attached to a Psi-Corps research centre. They were not pleasant memories for her though, and on such a beautiful morning she preferred to dwell on more pleasant things, such as the woman who walked beside her, and the happiness they had found together. She looked forward to walking the streets of Earth's capital, with Susan on her arm, showing all the world how lucky she was. But first, there was the busy transit centre to navigate. Upstairs, the transit centre was nearly as crowded as the platform below had been. Although only official Earthforce shuttles were ever permitted within the airspace over Earthdome, it was still a busy centre of transport for other civilian traffic. Unlike the domes on Proxima III, Earth did not have, or rather could not afford, the expensive roads designed solely for magnetically levitated vehicles. Instead the planet had very large numbers of electrically powered vehicles, which travelled the old road networks. This meant that the trains that arrived every few minutes were not the only form of transport available. They were the cheapest and fastest, but by no means the only one. Outside the transit centre electric buses, and even the occasional private car, were common, most bringing commuters from the nearby towns and cities around of Lake Geneva. Even the lake itself was used as a form of transport. As Susan and Talia finally made their way out of the transit centre and onto the balcony that ringed the main level of Earthdome, they could see the tiny shapes of sailing boats in the distance, most likely city workers looking for a more pleasant journey to their workplaces. Geneva itself was now little more than a city of monuments, any industry that had once existed moved away long ago when the price of land grew too expensive. Now government buildings, statues, museums, and restaurants seemed to be the only structures that occupied the capital. Largest of these monuments was the glittering shape of Earthdome itself, the home of the Earth Alliance government. Completed in 2158, a few short years after first contact with the Centauri, the building was a massive structure that towered over the city like a giant spider, the buildings and park lands gathered around, as if stuck in its web. Unlike most of Earth cities, Geneva had few tall buildings, apart from Earthdome of course. Instead, time had been taken to improve the appearance of the city, making it a worthy capital of one of the major powers in the known universe. Of course, there were only three major powers left on the board, with the Vorlon's vanishing beyond the galactic rim, and the Narn still recovering from the Centauri invasion of their world. The architects had done a beautiful job. Back in the mid twenty-first century, Geneva, like all the cities of its time, had been a completely different place, choked by pollution and over crowding. But now, a mere two hundred and ten years after the global renewal program had begun, the city sparkled, the white buildings and the great dome reflecting the light with all the glory a spring morning could muster. In the distance rose a tall range of snow-capped peaks, and below them, the picturesque scene of racing yachts on Lake Geneva, slowing making their way towards the old docks district. Even Susan, used to sights of strange alien wonders on distant worlds, felt her breath taken away by the sight. Below them was the first tier of Earthdome, the ring of gardens and parks, while back behind them was the dome itself. Then beyond, stretching from the edge of Earthdome all the way off to the mountains in the east, was the city itself. Glancing over at her companion, she saw that Talia was even more amazed by what she saw, the beauty of the capital surpassing even the wonders of the Minbari colony they had recently visited. Certainly compared to the crowded city of Paris, where their shuttle had landed them last night, it was another world altogether. "I had forgotten how beautiful it is, Susan," Talia said, almost breathless with delight. "Look, you can even see the snow on the mountains. I haven't seen snow in so many years." "Well, if I get kicked out of Earthforce, we might just get a chance to go up to the mountains," Susan replied, her tenseness about the sudden summons to Earthdome snatching away the brief enjoyment she had found from the scenery. Still, despite her concerns, she agreed that there was something about the city, and even Earthdome itself, that made Geneva seem more impressive than any of the other places she had visited. "Don't be such a pessimist," Talia replied, whacking Susan gently in the arm. "Come on, lets go for a walk. It's too nice a day to waste waiting in some stuffy office. And don't worry, there is still plenty of time for you to get to your meeting." "How about a cup of coffee," Susan offered, eyeing the restaurants and cafes that were just opening along this level. The second tier of Earthdome was a popular dining place for those who worked inside the dome, or the many visitors who came to see the sights. It looked down on the gardens and park lands of the first tier, and beyond them, to the magnificent sight of the lake and the distant mountains. Talia looked at her in exasperation. "You really are terrible, Susan. I was thinking of a peaceful walk through the park. It looks so beautiful down there this early in the morning." "And cold," Susan complained, feeling the chill in the air coming down from the mountains. In fact, it was more than just a little cold. It might be early spring in the northern hemisphere, but the chill of winter still hung heavy in the air. The mountains and hills on both sides of the city were still white with snow, and although the sky was clear of clouds, the shade of blue was a lot paler than it would be during the heart of summer. Talia frowned. Then she also felt the chilly wind flowing across lake from the snow-covered peaks off in the distance. "Yes, it is a little cold," she agreed, shivering slightly. "Maybe a warm drink wouldn't be a bad idea after all." Susan smiled. "How about that place over there?" she asked, pointing out the only cafe that was open at the moment, probably to serve early arrivals like herself. When Talia agreed they made their way over to the cafe and went inside, out of the chilly morning and into the warm, heated interior. Only two other customers were in the cafe, businessmen by the look of them. As they talking quietly in one corner over cups of coffee, Susan found herself running a standard threat assessment, before dismissing them as unimportant. The two women took a seat closer to the door and ordered their drinks. Susan picked up the copy of yesterdays Universe Today sitting on a nearby chair and began to leaf through it. "Anything interesting?" Talia asked. Susan shook her head, before putting the paper back where she had found it. "Not really, just the usual." "Nothing about you?" Talia asked, a teasing smile on her lips. Before Susan could reply the waiter arrived with their drinks. After Susan had paid with her credit chit, she picked up the cup and breathed in the strong aroma of the hot coffee. "This is something I really miss in space," she told Talia, who was already sipping her own drink. "I know what you mean," Talia replied. "The synthetic just doesn't taste the same. It's just as hot, but they can't seem to replicate the taste properly. Those Minbari drinks are even worse." "You weren't the one you had to drink them though," Susan said, remembering the various substances the Minbari telepath Raekenn had insisted she had to drink or eat as part of her telepathic training. Eventually she had reminded the dour old monk that she only had three weeks and didn't have time to become ill due to food poisoning. "I thought Raekenn was going to explode when you refused to drink that green stuff," Talia giggled. "He spent the rest the day walking around muttering about primitive humans." "I still think it was seaweed," Susan said. "It certainly smelt like it." "It was all worth it though," Talia said, reaching over and taking Susan's bare hand in her gloved one. Susan nodded, lowering the blocks in her mind just a little to let Talia inside. she agreed, sending her thoughts into Talia's mind instead of speaking out loud. She thought back to the exercises the Minbari telepath had put her through, exercises that had taught her how to block out the thoughts of others. Less than a month ago she wouldn't have been able to walk through a crowded city like Geneva without a painful throbbing in her head, caused by the thoughts and emotions of all those around her. Now the voices in her head were just a distant mummer, almost undetectable most of the time. She took another sip of her drink, while at the same time gently stroked the back of Talia's hand. she told Talia, deciding to keep communicating telepathically. Talia nodded understandingly. Susan said, glancing nervously around the room. There were no black-uniformed figures lurking in the corners though, just the two customers still busy with their own conversation, and the staff. Talia assured her. A flicker of a smile crossed Susan's lips. Talia reminded her. Susan said. Talia agreed. Susan said softly, looking faintly embarrassed by her thoughts at the same time. Talia squeezed Susan's hand to show she felt the same way, and went back to finishing off her drink. As they both sat there, looking lovingly at each other, the two men at the back of the cafe pushed their chairs aside and headed towards the exit. Susan glanced up as they passed, and was a little surprised to see a senator's pin stuck through the lapel of one of the men. She didn't know him, so assumed he was probably one of the new senators elected since the end of the Clark administration. The senator, however, obviously knew her, and gave her a brief nod of recognition as he passed. The second man, looking concerned and nervous about something, quickly followed the senator out the door. "Do you have any idea who that was?" she asked Talia, as soon as the two men had left. There was something about the second man that made her suspicious. She dismissed those thoughts quickly though, realising that she would probably be off the planet again by the end of the day, and this wasn't the time to be looking everywhere for new conspiracies. Talia shrugged. "I have never seen either of them before. But then, I don't really spent much time around the senate." "That was Senator Harrison of the Pacific Alliance," their waiter informed them as he arrived at their table. "He often comes in here." Noticing that both had finished their drinks, he asked, "will there be anything else ladies?" Susan checked the time on her link, and then over at Talia who shook her head. "No, that will be all," she told the waiter who quickly cleared away the two cups. "I think we should be going," she told Talia. "I am supposed to meet the Admiral in an hour." "And it will take you about fifteen minutes to get to Earthforce HQ from here," Talia reminded her with a teasing smile. "I like to be early," Susan said, with an answering smile. Talia nodded and the two women set off towards the closest entrance into the main dome. The cafe they had just left was on the balcony that stretched around the entire dome, the perfect place to just sit, eat, and look out over the beautiful scenery of Geneva and the surrounding countryside. Once through the entrance, they were inside Earthdome proper. Below, into the underground levels, and inside the base of the dome itself stretched the labyrinthine network of the central archives. There, on a thousand shelves in nearly as many rooms, were millions of books, data crystals and other storage devices that maintained a record of everything that occurred inside the alliance and beyond. Above, inside the atmospheric dome, were the buildings that housed the offices of the bureaucracy responsible for the mass of information in the archives. The interior of the dome was a little like a small city, except no-one lived here, not even the president, she had an official residence in the old city. Instead, there were buildings dedicated solely to the various departments of the government, including Psi-Corps, Earthforce, and a myriad of others. Alien governments with relations with Earth, currently nearly two dozen different races, were also given quarters within the ambassadorial building, a tall structure located near the senate building. Despite its size, no vehicles were permitted beneath the dome, not even for the president, who used an official shuttle from the landing area at the top of Earthdome. This enclosed city was designed solely for pedestrian traffic and not powered vehicles. Of course, that didn't stop the designers from putting in elevators and mobile walkways from the transit centre to the various buildings inside Earthdome, all hidden away beneath the artificial ground of the main level. Even above ground, thousands of people moved around, following the stone paths and plazas from building to building. Perhaps a little surprisingly, especially considering how many people worked inside, there appeared to be no large entrances into the dome. Instead, most were like the one Susan and Talia had just pass through, small passageways leading from the second level, or stairs leading down to the ring of parks around the dome. This was because most people arrived at the transit centre and simply took an elevator from there up to their destination. "What are you going to do while I am meeting the Admiral?" Susan asked Talia as they made their way across Victory Square towards the Central Administration Building, which rose like some great monolith from the centre of the dome. Talia looked across towards the Psi-Corps building, just visible behind several other central buildings. "I thought I might make a quick trip to Psi-Corps headquarters. There are some things I need to do before we leave Earth again." "Do you have to go in there?" Susan asked, staring nervously at the towering structure of Psi-Corps headquarters. Despite the building outer splendour, Susan didn't consider it attractive. Instead it seemed a cheap facade, an attempt to cover the deep rooted evil that lurked within. Talia smiled at her companion's concern. "I am just going to check up on what my status is," she replied. "I also want to know if they are sending anyone to replace Anderson. I might copy some of the teaching material for you. I thought it might be a good idea so you can practice your abilities." "Can you do that?" Susan asked in a worried tone, still eyeing off the Psi-Corps building. "Won't they find out if you copy anything?" "I will just copy some of the basic material," Talia replied. "It is done all the time, so we can practice our skills. I think Psi-Corps is hoping that somehow they can increase telepathic ability that way, so I shouldn't have any trouble copying what I need to teach you a little more about your powers. You go to your meeting with the Admiral and I will join you later. Perhaps we can meet for lunch at one of the restaurants down in the old city. I probably won't be long, and you could be some time." "How about the Bluewater Cafe then?" Susan suggested, deciding that if Talia wasn't going to get nervous about Psi-Corps, then she shouldn't either, at least until the next time she came into contact with a Psi-Cop. "I don't think I know that one," Talia said. "Of course it has been a long time since I was in Geneva. In fact I haven't spent much time here at all." "It's down on the lakefront," Susan told her. "You will love it. It is nearly a hundred years old, and one of the best restaurants in the whole city. It is the only place I eat when I am here." "The Bluewater Cafe it is," Talia agreed, before leaning forward and kissing Susan lightly on the cheek. "I will meet you there at midday." "Assuming I am free by then," Susan said as Talia turned away and began walking towards the Psi-Corps building. Talia paused for a second and looked back at Susan. "Then I will wait until you arrive, even if you take the rest of the day." A flicker of smile broke across Susan face, watching until Talia had almost disappeared behind one of the buildings. A warm feeling washed through her as she realised that Talia would probably do just that if she was stuck in her meeting with Mellor. When they had first been reunited Susan had been unsure if it was going to be possible to get back anything like what they had enjoyed before Talia had been taken away from her. But, after the vacation to the Minbari colony, both had realised that there was something between them, something so strong neither could deny it for long. Raekenn, the Minbari monk in charge of the colony, had said she had a destiny to fulfil, and that Talia was part of that destiny. Susan didn't know if she believed in destiny, but she certainly wasn't going to argue if it bought her closer to Talia. Not that either woman needed an excuse. Their long separation seemed to have only fuelled their passion for each other, growing to the point where they could barely bear to be apart. She wasn't complaining. This was probably the first proper relationship she had ever had, the first time she had ever felt this strongly about anyone. Because of that fact, Susan felt even more concerned about everything Talia did, worried that Psi-Corps would try to take her away again. Even the thought of Talia going into the heart of Psi-Corps power on Earth was troubling, and although she knew Talia could take care of herself, Susan couldn't help but worry. Right now though, she had her own concerns, specifically why Admiral Mellor would want to see her in his Earthdome office this early in the morning. Apart from one meeting shortly after the civil war, when she had returned from Babylon 5, all her discussions with the Admiral had taken place via the communications link, or on her ship. Why he would suddenly summon her directly to Earth was a nagging concern that had been worrying her ever since she had first received the message. Susan knew she probably had nothing to worry about, and certainly that is what Talia had told her several times over the past day, but she couldn't help but feel concerned. She hoped that nothing was wrong, that she wasn't going to have her command stripped away or anything like that. If that was what happened then she would probably hold the new record for the shortest serving captain in Earthforce. As she walked towards the Central Administration building, she tried to dismiss all these recurring negative thoughts. It wouldn't do for an Earthforce captain to appear before her superior looking nervous and unsure of herself. Leaving Victory Square behind her, Susan entered the massive glass and stone structure of the Central Administration Building, home to the bureaucracy of the Earth Alliance's civilian government. It rose from nearly twenty levels beneath the earth all the way up to the dome itself. There, it joined the huge structure of Earthforce Headquarters, which was located at the very top of the dome, along with the defence and communications systems. After passing her identicard through the security scanner she entered the elevator up to the upper levels. The modern elevator was a lot quicker that others she had been in recently, and a few seconds later the door opened to the display the marble floors of Earthforce Headquarter. Remembering the location of the Admiral's office from her previous visit, Susan walked straight past the reception desk and down the corridor leading to her destination. Walking into the waiting room outside the Admiral's office, she found it much the same as she remembered it. The floor was covered with a dark carpet, with the emblem of the Earth Alliance imprinted brightly in the centre. A row of chairs was down one side, while a reception desk and tired looking secretary were located opposite. The lieutenant behind the desk looked up as she walked across the carpet towards him. "Captain Ivanova?" he asked. When she nodded he continued. "The Admiral is in an important meeting at the moment. If you will just take a seat." He indicated the row of comfortable seats along the opposite wall of the waiting room. "Do you know why he wants to see me?" Susan asked the lieutenant, hoping to put her concerns to rest. "I believe it is inform you of your next assignment," the lieutenant, who's nametag gave his last name as Haines. "He hasn't told me what it is yet though, secrecy and all that. If you will just take a seat I am sure he will be free in a minute." Susan nodded and sat down in one of the seats along the opposite wall, which were just as comfortable as she remembered. One of her concerns had been eased - the Admiral didn't want to sack her. Now she just had to wait and see exactly what her new assignment was to be. She hoped it was still going to involve the Rasputin, especially as Talia was still assigned to the warship as a military liaison. She didn't even want to think about the possibility of being transferred right now. She glanced up at the clock that was mounted on the wall above the desk. It gave the time as fifteen minutes to eight, which meant she still had at least half an hour before her meeting was even scheduled. With a sigh, Susan leaned back and scanned the room, looking for something interesting to keep her occupied. The paintings of several old sailing ships caught her attention, and she began to trace their outlines with her eyes as she settled back and prepared for a long wait. ------------------------------------------------------------ Sel Vecantie e-mail: vecantie@geocities.com homepage: http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Troy/9933/ ICQ: 23223547 From: "Sel" Subject: The Secret of Arias, Chapter 1/10, Part B Date: Sun, 6 Dec 1998 00:28:43 +1030 ------------------------------------------------------------ It took exactly sixty seven minutes before the Admiral was ready to see her, giving Susan plenty of time to regret her need to be punctual. Every jerky movement of the hands on the old style clock hanging on the wall opposite her chair documented her rising frustration, and adding another minute to the anxiety she'd bought with her to the meeting. Finally, just when Susan thought she was going to have to wait forever, Lieutenant Haines informed her that Admiral Mellor was ready for her now. With a sigh of relief, she hauled herself out of the comfortable black chair and walked through the wooden doors into Mellor's office. Admiral Mellor looked much as she had seen him last, a tall, broad-shouldered man of military bearing, with dark, grey-streaked hair that was testament to his age and experience. The desk he sat behind, much like the man himself, was kept orderly and neat, with only a few important items taking up any space. The only thing that looked out of place was a small black device that was lying close to Mellor's right hand. "Please sit down, Captain," Mellor said, recognising Susan's entrance with a genuine smile. He pushed aside the single sheet of paper he'd been working on and waved her to one of the chairs in front of the desk. "I am sorry to have kept you waiting for so long, but I had to deal with a communique from one of the newly elected senators first." Susan, relieved to see the smile, nodded understandingly and took her place in the seat he offered. "I was a little surprised that you asked me to come here," she said, bringing up the subject that had been worrying her ever since she had received the Admiral's message back on Babylon 5. "I hope nothing is wrong." "Not at all, Captain," he replied. "As you are still officially on leave until tomorrow, I thought I would call you in here so that, together, me might discuss some critical changes to your assignment. Also, your ship is already in orbit around Earth, so you coming to Earthdome actually saves us time - and that's an essential part of this assignment." Susan raised her eyebrows at that piece of news. "The Rasputin is already here?" Mellor nodded. "Yes. The repairs and alterations that the tech boys wanted done were completed last week, so I ordered her ferried here. Your crew has already returned from leave and, as soon as we are finished here, you can join them and your ship. I want this mission under way as soon as possible, so I won't be keeping you long." "And what mission is that, Sir?" Susan asked, feeling a lot more comfortable now that she knew nothing serious was wrong, and that she had been worrying unnecessarily. As she waited for Mellor's reply, she made a mental note not to waste so much of energy and time with unresolved anxieties in the future. "We have an important rescue mission for you, Captain," Mellor replied, a serious look suddenly transforming his face. He pushed his chair back and stood up, at the same time picking up the small control device Susan had noticed earlier. "If you will just follow me over to the map table, I will explain what you must accomplish." Mellor walked over to the large, rectangular black table and clicking the remote control towards it, he activated the display. The table glowed faintly for a second and then a large holographic representation appeared above it, displaying the entire know galaxy. Compared to the total size of the galaxy, consisting of an estimated two hundred billion star systems, the map showed up little more than a minuscule slice. In a hundred years of exploration the Earth Alliance had only fully explored around a thousand systems, although that number was growing rapidly. Give how long it took to build new jumpgates, Susan felt a quiet pride at the achievement. All of these worlds, as well as the unexplored star systems know to belong to other regional powers, were displayed on the holographic map. The Admiral tapped another button on the remote control a couple times and the view zoomed in showing the closer star systems, their allegiances clearly marked on the map by means of a colour code. In the centre was a small patch of blue, representing the fourteen colonised systems of the Earth Alliance. Clustered around Earth's territory were the other empires, the Centauri, the Minbari, and finally the smaller powers like the Narn and the Drazi. Dominating much of the map though, was a broad swath of green, the unexplored dominion of the now abandoned Vorlon Empire. Perhaps as many as two hundred stars fell within the Empire's borders, although no-one knew for sure just how much territory the Vorlons had controlled. Activating a thin beam of light that shot out from the remote control, Admiral Mellor highlighted a section of the Vorlon Empire closest to the Earth Alliance border, just barely over a week's jump away. He zoomed the map inwards again, this time showing only a few of the border worlds, including one that was flashing brightly. "This is the world we are interested in," he said to Susan, who had by now joined him at the map table. "Is that system inside Vorlon space?" she asked cautiously. "That is correct, Captain," Mellor replied, as he zoomed in the map further just to just display that system, then again until only a single world was shown. "The world of Arias. Actually it's full name is Arias Va, but the world we are interested in is the only habitable planet in the system, so therefore, the only one of concern to us at the moment." "And you want me to lead a rescue mission... there?" Susan asked incredulously. "Go inside Vorlon Space? To that world?" Mellor nodded. "Yes, to rescue an Interplanetary Expeditions survey ship which has gone missing on the planet." Susan frowned. "Isn't that going to be very dangerous? No ship entering Vorlon space has ever returned, and if anything, this disappearance only reinforces the danger. The Vorlon's might be gone, but no-one knows what they left behind." "I assure you, there is only minimal danger," Mellor promised her. "IPX sent out a probe eight months ago, and it did a full survey of the solar system. It reported no colony, active or abandoned, within the system, and located no planetary defensive systems of any kind. They would not have followed it up with a manned mission, unless they thought it was safe." "With respect, Admiral, I would disagree. I have had some experience with IPX before. In my opinion, they never check anything thoroughly. That incident with the alien probe we found in hyperspace near Babylon 5 should be more than enough to convince everyone to stay well clear when IPX is around." "I have been assured that was an isolated incident, Captain," Mellor said, a frown beginning to spread across his face in response to her arguments. "Anyway, we don't have much choice. Earthforce has been asked by the President to look into this matter personally, apparently there was a relative of hers on board the survey vessel. When it was mentioned that your ship was available, she asked for you personally." "What is the exact mission then?" she asked with a sigh, realising that arguing wasn't going to get the mission cancelled. If she refused, she was likely to be relieved of her position, and someone else would just be sent in her place. Besides, she could hardly ignore a personal request from the President. Mellor nodded, as if pleased with Susan's change of attitude. He turned off the image of the map and walked over to a wall mounted vid screen instead. Once there he said, "Computer, display file IPX 1a." The screen blinked into life, the Earthforce logo vanishing, replaced by the image of a small survey vessel. "This is the Sturt, a long range survey vessel commissioned by IPX three years ago. It has a crew of a hundred and seventy, mostly scientists, but also carrying three telepaths hired from Psi-Corps especially for this mission. It set out from Io just over five weeks ago, and to start with, all went well. Then, two weeks into the mission, IPX headquarters in New York received a message from the Sturt saying that they were going to make planetfall." "I assume no-one has heard anything from them since," Susan cut in, already imagining where this story was going to end. "Not exactly, Captain," Mellor said, not seeming at all troubled by her interruption. "For the next two weeks messages were received daily from the planet, but then, at the start of last week, a distress call was received by one of our listening posts along the border. Since then... nothing but static." "How do you know anyone is still alive?" Susan asked. "If they sent a distress call, then they may already be dead." "Well..." Mellor paused, as if he was considering her question. "Perhaps it would be easier to explain if I let you hear the distress call," he said finally, turning back to the screen. "Computer play file IPX 1b." The screen changed to show the flickering image of a man, at least Susan thought it was a man, the image quality was so poor it could have been anything. "...elp us. The cre... Arias is..." the sender's voice said, the meaning of the words impossible to determine. "This isn't much..." Susan began, before Mellor held up his hand to interrupt her. On the screen the image had quality improved markedly, and it was now possible to see that it was indeed a man who was talking. The speaker was maybe forty years old, with reddish-blonde hair and a neatly trimmed beard. He was wearing a civilian flight suit, but the gold wings of his shoulder informed Susan that he was, at the very least, a pilot. "...energy drain to all systems. We request emergency assistance. Repeating, an unknown force has drained all reserves of energy from the ship's systems..." Another burst of static cut into the recording before it stabilised again. "...made a forced landing inside the cloud covered region. Power is low, and our solar recharging systems are now almost useless. We predict complete failure of all ship's...." "Is that it?" Susan asked, as the screen changed to flickering static, the rest of the message lost. Mellor nodded. "That all that was received. I have had some of the tech boys go over it, and IPX has investigated it as well. Both think that what happened is that the planet somehow caused a slow energy drain on the Sturt's systems, gradually cutting into their energy reserves. Then by the time the crew noticed it, too much had already been drained. They probably tried to take off, but were unable to get out of the gravity well and were forced down again." Susan nodded slowly, although she still wasn't sure the explanation that IPX had come up with was the correct one. Arias was, after all, a Vorlon world, which meant that anything could have been housed, stored, or hidden on it. The Vorlon's were still the most mysterious known race, even if they had left the galaxy. "What about this energy drain," she asked. "Do you have any information about it? I wouldn't want a rescue shuttle to get trapped as well." "IPX doesn't have any exact information about it, but they believe it may be only slow acting." "What do they base that assumption on?" Susan queried suspiciously. "The fact that the Sturt was on the planet for two weeks without any problems," Mellor said. Then he frowned, "I thought that you would have worked that out yourself, Captain." "With the Vorlons, nothing is ever that straightforward or simple," Susan told him. "Which is why we are sending you, Captain." Mellor said. "You have the most experienced of any Earthforce officer in relation to the Vorlons. That, and the fact that your ship is available at the moment. We want this rescue carried out as soon as possible." Susan looked less than pleased by that fact. "What exactly do you want the Rasputin to do, Admiral?" she asked. "It is a warship, and is not really cut out for exploration and rescue missions. Perhaps another survey vessel would be better suited, or even and Explorer ship, if one is available." Admiral Mellor nodded his agreement. "Perhaps, but your ship is the fastest, and most heavily armed Earthforce vessel within range at the moment. IPX is sending a team along as well, to assist you with the rescue." "Are you sure that is wise, Admiral?" Susan queried, her frown growing deeper by the minute. "IPX has a tendency to try and take over everything it is involved in, and they rarely follow orders. I have had some experience with the company before." "I have been given assurances by the director of the company himself that they will obey any orders given to them by Earthforce personal," Mellor promised her. "I don't think this mission would be possible without the technical expertise they will bring, as well as the equipment they are supplying. The Rasputin is primarily a warship, so it doesn't have any of the larger atmospheric capable shuttles needed for this mission, or the rovers and specialists that IPX will be supplying." Susan nodded, conceding that point. She had been wondering how the Rasputin was going to rescue a possible hundred and seventy survivors in its four, small atmospheric capable shuttles. "I assume all of these specialists and their equipment are already on board?" she asked. Mellor nodded. "Almost all," he replied. "I believe there is just a couple more shuttle loads of equipment to bring on board, and then everything will be ready. In fact, as soon as you get back to your ship, you should be nearly ready to leave. I have a shuttle waiting for you at our base at Nyon." He paused, as if considering something, before adding. "That's just north of Geneva, along the northern shore of the lake." Susan's frown returned. "Wouldn't it have been quicker just to say all this in the message you sent me, especially if time is so important." "Not really, Captain," Mellor said. "Besides, we don't really want this getting out to the news networks just yet. I am not sure that you know this yet, but while you were away there was a big scandal after one of the networks hacked into the Earthforce secure channels and started downloading sensitive material. Those responsible have been apprehended, but until a complete security check can be done, we can't rely on the secure channels for important messages. Of course, this hardly qualifies as an important communication or briefing, but I thought you wouldn't mind the trip to Geneva." "I see," Susan replied. "Is there anything else then, Sir? If not, I would like to return to my ship as soon as possible and begin this mission." "Nothing else, Captain," Mellor said. "My adjutant, Lieutenant Haines, has a copy of all the important information relating to this mission, including a copy of the message we received, profiles of all the IPX crew and data on the Sturt herself. The only other thing I have to say, apart from good luck of course, is not to put your ship and crew into too much danger over this rescue. While I would prefer it if you returned with all one hundred and seventy of the Sturt's crew alive, I would be most upset if you don't return at all. I guess what I am trying to say is to try as hard as you can to succeed, but not at the risk of your ship." "Understood, Sir," Susan said, with a smart salute. Mellor returned her salute. "Good luck then, Captain." Susan nodded and left the Admiral's office. As she went back into the waiting room, she felt more than a little annoyed at being summoned all the way to Earth just to receive a mission briefing. Then her thoughts drifted to Talia, and she remembered that they still had to meet for lunch. Somehow, that thought managed to dissolve her feelings of annoyance and by the time she left Earthforce Headquarters, her pockets weighed down with several new data crystals, Susan was even smiling, and really looking forward to lunch. ------------------------------------------------------------ The Bluewater Cafe was one of a myriad of small restaurants and cafes along the shore of Lake Geneva. It was a small, but cosy structure built right on the edge of the lake. The side of the restaurant that faced the lake was made almost entirely of glass, allowing an unrestricted view across the lake, a view totally unspoiled by any other structure. Made of the same artificial, white stone as most of the other structures in the city, it was an attractive building. Its appearance was also improved by a large number of climbing vines, many just beginning to flower, that were encouraged to climb up the outside of the building. The Restaurant was located some distance from Earthdome, in the eastern half of what is called the old city. This meant that it catered mainly to tourists and other visitors, and certainly not the crowds of office workers that were common in the restaurants closer to the dome. While this might normally be bad for business the Bluewater Cafe kept its customers returning through good service and even better food. By the time Susan arrived from Earthdome, most of the tables were already filled. She quickly scanned around the dining room, and had no trouble spotting Talia. The blonde telepath was sitting alone at a table right at the far end of the room, overlooking the waters of the lake below. After making her way across the room, Susan sat down at the table, trying not to look as though she had been hurrying to get here before the midday crush, which of course she had been. Talia looked up at Susan's arrival, thinking it was the waiter coming to take her order. Instead, when she saw Susan, her face broke out in a happy smile. "That didn't take you long," she said as Susan leaned down and kissed her. "I thought you said it was going to take all day." "It didn't turn out like that," Susan replied, taking the seat opposite. "The Admiral only wanted to give my a briefing on the Rasputin's next mission." "Isn't that what I said last night?" Talia said teasingly, reminding Susan of the conversation of the previous night. Susan nodded. "I know, I was worrying about nothing. The Admiral said something about a breach in the gold channel security system as the reason he summoned me to Earthdome instead of sending a message direct." Talia nodded, and her face grew serious. "I know. I read an article about that in the Psi-Corps journal," she said, before lowering her voice so that none of the other restaurant patrons could hear her. "It said that the breach was from inside Earthdome. The rumour is that one of the smaller Earth nations forced to join the Alliance during Clark's reign sold passwords to one of the news networks." Susan replied telepathically, not wanting anyone around them to catch even a portion of what they were discussing. Talia paused and then continued aloud. "What do you want to order." "The trout," Susan replied, pointing out the item on the menu. "You should to try it as well." Talia nodded and, accepting Susan's recommendation, she signalled for the waiter to come over. Once he had taken their orders and left, she turned back to Susan and asked, "so, what did the Admiral want?" Susan looked a little annoyed at the mention of Mellor. "A rescue mission," she replied. "We have to go and rescue an Interplanetary Expedition's ship that has gone missing just inside Vorlon space." "It sounds like it could interesting," Talia commented. "And dangerous," Susan added. "The Vorlon's aren't likely to leave one of their world's undefended, and the fact that a vessel has already been disabled, or perhaps even destroyed there, makes me even more concerned." "I am sure we'll be fine," Talia said, with an almost hidden smile. "We?" Susan asked. "Does that mean you are still assigned to the Rasputin?" Talia nodded happily. "Yes, at least up until the end of the year anyway. Psi-Corps isn't going to send anyone else to replace Anderson either." "That is a relief," Susan said. "I was worried they would reassign you or something." Before Talia could reply the waiter arrived with their meals. Susan made a move towards her credit chit, knowing Talia had very little money in her account, but to her surprise Talia already had hers in her hand. "I thought you didn't have any money," Susan said as soon as the waiter had left. "I do now," Talia replied, slipping the credit chit back into a pocket. "I checked with Psi-Corp and it seems they owed me six months payment for the work I did on Mars. My memories from that time are still a little vague so I didn't know about it." Susan nodded understandingly, realising that Talia was talking about a period when her mind had still been under the control of the Psi-Corps implanted personality. After her real personality had been freed, the memories of the past two and a half years had become vague, and, thankfully, somewhat unreal. Talia occasionally had trouble remembering the smaller details of what had occurred. Many of the memories she did remember, were of things she would sooner forget, especially the searingly painful recollections of the experiments Psi-Corps had conducted on her shortly after she had left Babylon 5. "They didn't ask you about... ?" Susan asked, her words trailing off as she was unable to finish the sentence. Talia shook her head. "No, they still think I am the same as I was when I left Mars, and because they can't scan me..." Talia left the rest unsaid, knowing that Susan already knew what she meant. The gift Jason Ironheart had left in her mind had done a lot more than just increase her telepathic abilities, it had also allowed her to hide away her thoughts from anyone. Even a powerful Psi-Cop couldn't break through her block, if she didn't want him to. Susan smiled, leaving her meal untouched for the moment. "I guess that means we have the rest of the year together, and hopefully this mission will be over without any trouble." "I certainly hope so," Talia replied. She leaned a little closer, her hand creeping across the table to softly stroke Susan's. "When do we leave?" "There is a shuttle waiting at the Earthforce base north of the city," Susan replied, a shiver running through her at Talia's gentle touch. "I said I would be there by fourteen hundred." Talia pulled her hand away, and glanced down at her watch. "We had better finish lunch then. Otherwise we are going to miss that shuttle." Susan nodded, more than a little disappointed as Talia pulled away. "I wish we had more time," she said wistfully. "This is a such a nice place to eat, and the food is really great." "Mm, it certainly is," Talia replied between mouthfuls of fish. Her eyes opened wide at the wonderfully subtle tapestry of tastes that built with every bite. "This sauce is incredible." Susan just smiled, and began her own meal, although she seemed to spend more time watching Talia enjoy her meal, than she spent enjoying hers. She really prized the moments they had together, and knew that being back in command of the Rasputin meant she would probably be seeing Talia only when she was off duty. After three wonderful weeks of spending almost all their time together, it was going to be difficult to adjust to the protocols and regimens of her warship. Still, she felt a lot better knowing that Talia was going to be along with her. Susan didn't know how she would have coped if Talia had been reassigned, and taken away from her again. As long as Talia was with her she knew she could survive anything, do anything, just as long as she could go to bed at night with Talia's beautiful body cradled against hers. ------------------------------------------------------------ Sel Vecantie e-mail: vecantie@geocities.com homepage: http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Troy/9933/ ICQ: 23223547 From: "Sel" Subject: The Secret of Arias, Chapter 1/10, Part C Date: Sun, 6 Dec 1998 00:29:22 +1030 ------------------------------------------------------------ Like some tiny insect, the Earthforce shuttle manoeuvred its way through the crowded space above Earth. Construction platforms for the new defence grid dominated the lower orbits, while swarming above them was a large number of small shuttles, and the looming shapes of several Omega Class destroyers on patrol. The shuttle ignored all of these vessels, and wove its way towards the largest of the warships above the planet, the silver-hulled EAS Rasputin. >From her seat in the shuttle's passenger cabin, Susan examined the warship with a critical eye. The monitor in front of her had been set to allow a perfect view of the Rasputin as the shuttle manoeuvred toward the warship's shuttle bay. What she saw impressed her greatly, for the battle wounds and scars had been "erased" in the repair yards at Io. Gone were the dark patches on the hull where the thin outer skin had been shattered during the battle above Proxima III. Also, the missing solar panels had been replaced, leaving the ship looking as good as the day Susan had first taken command. Not that the Rasputin was actually that old. In fact, less than two months had passed since it had been commissioned, but considering the battle it had been through, it was looking surprisingly unblemished. There were no signs of any of the alterations that the Admiral had mentioned, but Susan imagined she would soon be given a full report by her executive officer, assuming he was still on board. Her internal security protocols, hard lessons learned during the dangerous years abroad Babylon 5, had helped her decide that something as innocuous as a review of the crew lists should wait until she was safely aboard her ship. 'That's taking security more than one step into the paranoid,' she thought to herself. A mirthless smile crossed her face as Susan recognised that she might need a retrofit as well. The shuttle shuddered slightly, and the hull of the Rasputin vanished off the monitor, indicating that the small vessel was beginning to brake in preparation for its docking manoeuvres. Susan checked the thin strap that held her in place, making sure it was still secure. That worry out of the way, she glanced over at Talia, the only other passenger on board. Talia looked a little nervous, as she always did when flying on anything as small as a shuttle. Susan gave her a reassuring smile and then settled back to wait for the docking sequence to deposit their ride in the Rasputin's main shuttle bay. Less than a minute, she was home, and the feeling of weightlessness began to fade away as the shuttle came under the effect of the Rasputin's artificial gravity system. Although she was now free to undo the strap that held her to her seat, Susan chose not to do so until the shuttle came to rest in the main bay, just in case. There were no accidents though, and as soon as the outer door opened she made her way down the ladder into the shuttle bay, pausing only briefly to help Talia down. At the bottom of the steps, his arms full of data pads, was her executive officer, Commander Gregor Petrov. His tall, lanky frame was unchanged from the last time she had seen him, and he looked just as unwavering in his posture as always. "Captain," he said in his normal neutral tone of voice. "Good to have you back." "Good to be back, Commander," she replied, before looking around to see what, if anything, had changed in the shuttle bay since she had last been here, just under three weeks ago. One thing, or rather two very large things, stood out at once. Gone were the standard Phoenix Class shuttles, and in their place where two new vessels, both large atmospheric shuttles with civilian markings. "They are the IPX shuttles," Petrov explained, noticing her interest in the new arrivals. He passed across one of his many data pads. "All the information on the equipment they have bought on board is right here." "You know about our mission then?" Susan asked. Petrov nodded. "I was informed of the basics at a meeting with Admiral Mellor two days ago. Since then, I have been working with Dr. Melis from Interplanetary Expeditions, mainly helping him store all the equipment his team seems to need. All the information is on that data pad, along with a few personal notes." "Thank you, Commander," Susan replied, flipping through the first few pages of information, before shutting down the data pad and tucking it under one arm. "I will take a look at it later." She turned around to face Talia, who was waiting patiently behind her. "I will probably be some time," she told her companion apologetically. Talia looked sympathetic. "I will go and unpack, then." She then turned around to face Petrov, who was standing quietly watching the two women. "Did our luggage arrive from Io?" she asked. Petrov nodded in confirmation. "Yes, it came in this morning, on a shuttle full of crew members returning from leave. I have sent your bags up to the guest room you had before, and the Captain's to hers. "Thank you, Commander," Talia replied, looking pleased. She had been concerned about the bags they had bought back on the liner from Babylon 5. The trip had already been booked, so when Admiral Mellor's message had arrived, there had not been time to transfer them to one bound for Earth. Instead, as they made last minute plans to catch an Earthforce shuttle, their luggage made an unaccompanied trip to the Rasputin. After learning that the warship had been sent on to Earth, both women had been concerned about the "lost" luggage, Talia especially, as most of her clothes had been in her bags. "I will see you later, Susan," Talia said, her voice and facial expressions leaving no doubt as to just where she would be meeting the Rasputin's Captain. She followed up her words with a gentle mental caress, just so Susan knew she was thinking about her. Susan smiled faintly as she felt Talia's feelings in her mind, and then nodded. "I will try not to be too long." Talia signalled her approval and left, Susan's eyes following her as she made her way across the platform towards the elevators to the upper decks. Her vision, however, was soon blocked a large man in an expensive looking suit who appeared out of nowhere and started waving a data pad angrily at Petrov. "Commander," the tall man was saying. "I demand to know why my team has been forced to share rooms. This is an intolerable arrangement! Why, some of the rooms have four bunks in them. How can we be expected to work under these conditions." "I believe you will find that they are all that is available," Susan cut in, just before Petrov was about to explain the situation. "This is a warship; not a star liner. The rooms your team had been given are some of the best on the ship." Actually she didn't know this for sure, but assumed that Petrov would assign the civilians to empty quarters on deck 6, which were much like the rest of the crew quarters. The man, who's name-tag read Dr. Melis, looked a extremely annoyed by her interruption, and was about to respond, when he noticed her rank and bit off the words he had been about to utter. "Captain Ivanova?" he queried. She nodded in confirmation and his manner changed completely, becoming almost obsequious, especially when compared to the way he had been shouting at Petrov. "I was not informed that you had arrived." "I have only just returned from Earth," she informed him. "I haven't had time to make a formal announcement yet." He nodded, missing the hint of sarcasm in her last sentence. "I am Dr. Jack Melis, head of the IPX rescue mission." He stuck out his hand for Susan to shake, which she did. As their hand touched briefly, Susan allowed the walls inside her mind to lower just a little, attempting to pick up on what kind of man he was. The emotion she felt was very strange indeed, part greed, part respect, and mixed in were several other, darker emotions. In other words, Dr. Melis was a strange creature indeed, and Susan didn't know quite what to make of him. She wasn't about to let that get in the way of her annoyance at his presence though. "Are all of your team on board?" she asked. "Yes, but..." Melis said. Susan cut him off. "And all your equipment has been stowed away securely?" "The last shuttle just arrived," Melis replied, his moustache appearing to quiver as he spoke. "I did want to talk about..." "Then you can tell your team that we will be leaving within the hour," she informed him, again cutting the doctor off before he could finish his sentence. She turned back to Petrov. "I assume all of our crew are on board," she asked. He nodded. "All present and accounted for, Captain. We even have a full compliment of replacements for the pilots and marines we lost at Proxima. You were the last to arrive." She nodded. "Then we have work to do. Commander, I want to see you on the bridge as soon as possible. I want to go over a few things before we depart." She turned back and glared at the Melis. "Doctor, I think you should return to your quarters for now. If you have any questions, you can direct them to the shuttle bay duty officer. I will be available from eighteen hundred hours tonight, if you wish to schedule a appointment." "But..." he tried to argue, his face turning red with frustration at the way he was being treated. Susan wasn't taking any notice. "Commander," she said, saluting Petrov. "I'll be along in a couple of minutes," he replied, with an answering Salute. With a brief nod, Susan left Melis still standing around looking a little confused. Petrov quickly took advantage of the doctor's astonishment to make a quick escape. He looked at Melis and shrugged, as if to say his captain's behaviour was out of his hands, and then he ran off to catch up with her, just as she was walking beneath one of the huge IPX shuttles. "Thanks, Captain," he said. "I have been having trouble with him all day." "Well if he gives you any more, lock him in the brig," she replied, only half joking. Then more serious she added, "this mission is going to be enough trouble without civilians trying to give orders. Remember that this ship is a military vessel, therefore all Earthforce personal outrank the civilian passengers, no matter how loudly they shout." "I will circulate a memo to the crew," Petrov said. "Is there anything else you would like to add, perhaps something about our mission." "You mean the crew haven't been informed yet?" Susan asked, a frown creeping across her face. "Not yet, Captain," Petrov replied as they reached the elevators. "They know the basics of the mission, but not the exact destination. Dr. Melis thought it best, as it was a classified exploration mission." She pressed the button that signalled the elevator. "Then send out all the necessary information to senior officers," she replied, as the elevator doors opened and both officers stepped inside. "We don't know exactly what we are going to encounter on this Vorlon world. So, at least as far as I am concerned, the more people we have clued in and working on this the better. I will schedule a meeting for all senior officers in the conference room tomorrow morning to discuss the mission, and, given what is known, make what contingency plans we can." "Shall I invite Dr. Melis," Petrov asked, before turning to the elevator's computer. "Deck one." The doors closed and a slight hum signalled the beginning of their journey up to the command deck. "Yes," Susan replied as the elevator ended its journey. "As well as any others of his team that you think might be useful. I want to make sure about this one. Admiral Mellor seemed to think we should have little trouble rescuing this survey vessel, but I am not so certain. This is a Vorlon world we are talking about here." "And no expedition has ever returned from the Vorlon's Empire," Petrov finished for her. "That is correct, Commander," Susan said, as the elevator doors opened and they both stepped out, heading for the bridge. "However, this world is only just inside Vorlon space. Hopefully, that means there are no defences waiting to destroy us as soon as we arrive." "I thought the IPX probe reported that there were no defensive systems in operation around the planet." Susan nodded in confirmation. "The information I saw said that. However, I have learned not to trust reports like that, especially when it comes to the Vorlons. There is still a lot we don't know about them, and will probably never learn. So for the duration of this mission, I suggest we treat everything we encounter very cautiously indeed." Petrov signalled his understanding, and noted that comment down on a data pad, nearly dropping three others in the process. He managed to catch them in time though, and gather the stack back up into a neat pile. "Information for all the senior officers," he explained, recognising the unvoiced question in Susan's stare. "I thought it would be useful to prepare a information package for everyone, as a preliminary mission brief." "Are all the senior officers on board?" Susan asked, realising that she hadn't seen anyone except Petrov and the crew down in the shuttle bay. He nodded. "All except Dr. Kozlowski, but he won't be returning. Major Logan and Lt. Commander Schmitt are currently down in the hanger bay I believe. Lt. Commander Moore is in engineering, and the last time I saw Lt. Commander Dreyer he was heading off to test the main gun's targeting systems, to see if the repairs have been completed correctly." He paused for a second before adding, "that was two days ago." "I will need to see all of them in the conference room tomorrow morning," Susan said, before considering the exact details of what she wanted to discuss. "Let's make it ten hundred hours, tomorrow. Don't worry about informing everyone, I will send a message to them tonight." "What would you like me to do in the meantime?" Petrov asked, as they reached the closed doors leading onto the bridge. Susan paused in front of the doors. "You can continue with what you are already doing. That should do for now. I want to make sure everyone if ready for whatever we might face when we get to Arias. I am hoping that there won't be any problems, but it never pays to be too careful." "Understood," he replied, reaching out and pressing his thumb again the control that opened the bridge doors. Susan noticed the difference immediately. Before the doors had required a passcard to open them, but now they had a new lock that seemed to require physical contact before it would open. "That's new," she commented to Petrov as they made their way onto the bridge. Her executive officer nodded. "That is one of the minor alterations that have been made during the three weeks we had off," he said as the two officers made their way across to the command station, ignoring the junior officer who leapt to attention and announced Susan's arrival. Susan tossed off a quick, "As you were," and returned her attention to Commander Petrov's explanation. "It is a small genetic scanner that reads your DNA and matches it to the record on file." He paused, and then smiled for the first time since Susan had arrived. "It keeps unwanted guests out." Susan looked pleased with the improvement. "Were the new locks installed across the entire ship?" she asked. Petrov shook his head. "No, just along the command deck. Earthforce R&D wants a field trial for them, before they become standard." "I gather there is some way to allow more DNA codes to be accepted by each lock?" Susan asked as she took her seat, remembering that she had given Talia the old passcard for her quarters, which was, of course, now useless. "Quite easily, Captain," Petrov replied. The information is on the computer in your office, along with all the other reports about the new improvements and upgrades the technicians made during the repairs. "Where there many?" "Not a lot," Petrov said. "The main change has been upgrades to some of the software for the sensors and the weapons systems. According to the report I got, they are supposed to have ironed out some of the bugs they detected after looking over the data from the battle." "So we are still being used as guinea pigs," Susan said with a faint smile, as she looked around the bridge. At least nothing there had changed, the bridge crew looking as familiar as before. She noticed they were all sneaking glances up at the command officers, as if trying to determine what the Rasputin's new mission was. Susan wondered what they would think when they found out. Susan glanced down at her console, and noting that the trip from Earth had taken nearly an hour. She looked up again. "Is everything ready for departure, Commander?" "Yes, Captain," he replied. "All of the crew are ready to go. The IPX team probably aren't happy, but then I doubt they will ever be completely happy. Apart from that, we can depart as soon as you like." Susan looked over at Lieutenant Heneker, noticing that the red-haired woman had managed to somehow pick up a nice tan during her three weeks leave. "Do we have clearance to depart orbit?" she asked the communication officer. Heneker quickly checked with Earth Central traffic control. "We are clear to depart, Captain," she replied, as soon as the console in front of her reported on the Rasputin's status. Susan turned around towards Petrov again. "Do you have our destination's coordinates?" she asked. When he nodded she continued, "give them to navigation then." Petrov nodded again, and hurried down to sunken forward section. As he passed on the information to the navigation officer she pressed the control that would allow her to address the entire crew. "This is Captain Ivanova," she said, trying to sound as authoritative as she could. "We are preparing to leave Earth orbit. All department heads, report current status." That message sent, she sat back and watched the console in front of her as a series of green lights appeared on the screen, as each section of the warship lit up its readiness. By the time all the lights had appeared, all green fortunately, Petrov had returned. "Navigation reports that coordinates have been entered into the computer." Susan nodded, looking up from her console, and over at the Rasputin's helmsman. "Helm, take us out of orbit. When we are clear of Earth's gravity, and any nearby ships, then activate jump engines." "Aye, Aye, Captain," was the helmsman's response, as he turned his attention to his console. Susan leaned back against her soft, padded chair and watched as the other nearby vessels, all visible on the bridge's holographic display screen, slowly slipped away. It took less than five minutes before the warship had left Earth space and entered the chaotic realm of Hyperspace. "Hopefully, we didn't leave anyone behind," Susan said as the navigation officer set course for the distant Hyperspace beacon that corresponded to their destination. "You don't need to worry about that, Captain," Petrov assured her. "I made sure everyone was on board, either in their quarters, or at their posts, before you arrived. Anyway, urgency is important in rescue missions." "Assuming there is still someone left to rescue," Susan mused. "You think they are all dead," Petrov asked with a surprised look. Susan nodded slowly. "I think it is a possibility. But, even if they are, we will still do our best to find them and bring them back. That is our mission, after all." Petrov nodded his agreement, and leaned back against the railing that bordered the raised command section. "All we can do is follow our orders," he agreed. Susan didn't reply. Instead, she just looked out at the mists of Hyperspace. The swirling red mists seemed to clutch at the Rasputin's hull as it ploughed onwards towards its distant destination. The warship barely even appeared to be moving, but Susan knew that they were travelling at over half a light year every hour. If they returned to real space now, Earth would just be a distant sphere, and with every second they went further and further into the unknown, away from the security of home and towards the dangers of the abandoned worlds of the Vorlon Empire. Glancing over at her executive officer Susan wondered if he was thinking the same thing as he stared at the holographic display that covered the ceiling of the bridge. Her mind soon turned away from speculation; focusing instead on the tough mission that lay ahead. She knew it wasn't going to be easy, regardless of what the Admiral's assurances. As she had told Mellor in their meeting, nothing about the Vorlon's was ever that simple. All Susan could hope for was that she was able to rescue the survivors, assuming there were any, and make it out alive. ------------------------------------------------------------ On the world of Arias, the Rasputin's destination, Alex Kurmis huddled beneath a crumbling log, trying to avoid the creatures he knew were searching for him. They had already killed the rest of the scouting party, or at least that is what he assumed had happened. As soon as the attack had started he had fled, but the screams of his two companions left little doubt in his mind as to what had occurred. He hadn't stuck around to find out for sure, running as fast as he could towards the swamp, and the raft that would hopefully carry him to freedom. Now, as he hid from the aliens searching for him, Alex cursed the day he accepted the job with IPX. He should have know better, but when he read the advertisement in the Psi-Corps journal asking for telepaths, he had let his greed get the better of him. Now here he was, being hunted across some alien swamp by god only knew what, all because he had wanted to earn a few extra credits and get to see the galaxy at the same time. A loud cracking sound echoed across the dank swamp, reaching his ears despite the continuous buzzing from the myriad of insects and reptilian life that seemed to make the still waters of the swamp their home. Alex glanced up, looking over the black water towards the massive shape of the survey ship, which rested undamaged in the middle of the swamp. Closer to him, only a few metres away, was the small raft the scouting party had used to cross the swamp. One quick dash and he would be there. He steeled his nerves and prepared to chance his luck, anything to get out of the swamp and back into the relative security of the ship. Then a fluttering sound reached his ears. He looked up, straight into the gleaming green eyes of a small bird-like creature, its feathery wings disguising its reptilian origin. Using his telepathic powers, Alex reached out, trying to scare the bird into flying off, to prevent it from giving away his location to the aliens that hunting him through the dark jungle. He sighed with relief as the creature watching him flapped its wings wildly and flew away over the swamp. Then he heard the sounds of something large approaching him from behind. Summoning the last of his courage he leapt up from his hiding place and ran as fast as he could towards the raft, almost falling as he stumbled across the soggy black soil. The distant radiance from the survey ship's emergency lights were the only illumination in this dark hell, but it was just enough for him to find his way to the small raft. With an almost Herculean effort, he hurled himself in the direction of the raft, hoping his momentum would be enough to shove it into the water, and away from the monsters he imagined were bearing down on him. It wasn't. Instead, he slid straight across the raft's smooth plastic surface and into the foul smelling waters of the swamp. Gasping for air, and spitting out the water he had almost swallowed, Alex looked back at the raft to see why it hadn't moved. Sticking through one corner was a large spear, made of a yellow-green metal, a metal that glowed faintly despite the complete lack of light in the immediate vicinity. It had been driven straight through the hard plastic of the raft and deep into the ground below, securing the raft firmly. A loud crashing noise sounded from the edge of the rotting jungle and the creature that had thrown the spear came into view. Alex barely even had time to scream before the huge alien monster leapt towards him, one hand outstretched, with four incredibly sharp claws reaching for the telepath's throat. ------------------------------------------------------------ Sel Vecantie e-mail: vecantie@geocities.com homepage: http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Troy/9933/ ICQ: 23223547 From: "Sel" Subject: The Secret of Arias - Chapter 2, Part A Date: Fri, 11 Dec 1998 01:42:05 +1030 For other stories, as well as properly formatted chapters of this tale see my webpage http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Troy/9933/stories1.html Spoilers: There are spoilers for seasons 1-4. This story is set in 2262, but takes place well outside the normal Babylon 5 universe. Disclaimers: The various B5 characters that I use in my story remain the property of Waner Brothers, TNT, JMS, and whoever else wants to claim them. The rest however are the proporty of my imagination and you can do what you will with them. ------------------------------------------------------------ The Secret of Arias - Chapter 2 By Sel Vecantie ------------------------------------------------------------ April 1, 2262, Arias System. Susan seemed to exude an aura of confidence as she sat in the command chair, slowly sipping from a cup of coffee. Despite this calm outward appearance, she found herself caught between anticipation and dread over what they would discover at Arias, now just ten minutes Hyperspace travel away. Shortly, the red mists of Hyperspace would be broken by the orange vortex of the jump point, and the Rasputin would be plunged into the unknown. Over the past six days she had scheduled a series of meetings and discussion sessions among her senior officers and members of the Interplanetary Expeditions team, with the purpose of investigating every detail of the information available to them. Despite this effort, she still didn't know much more than what Admiral Mellor had told her back on Earth. This was a major source of her concern, knowing that soon the Rasputin would be arriving in a system they knew almost nothing about. She scrutinised Petrov, trying to determine what he was feeling, but the Commander was as impassive as always. "How long until we are ready to open a jump point?" she asked him, trying to ease the tension that had built up in the bridge crew. The rest of the officers and crewmen on the bridge looked nervous and agitated, and the lightest of telepathic scans confirmed they, too, were worried about what was waiting on the other side of the vortex. "Just under five minutes now, Captain," her executive officer replied, looking down at the console in front of him. He was down in the aft bridge area, supervising the sensors and the navigation computers. She nodded, turning back to face the front of the bridge. "All right everyone listen up," she ordered. "We don't know exactly what is out there, so I want everyone ready just in case. We are coming in on the opposite side of the gas giant as our destination, but just in case I want the jump engines kept on line for an emergency escape." The small bridge crew signalled their readiness, and hunched over the computer consoles, preparing for the arrival back in real space. Susan sat back and watched the holographic display. The seconds seem to creep by, although the lack of any visible chronometer spared her from having to watch as each individual second passed. Finally the helmsmen called out, informing Susan and everyone else on the bridge that the Rasputin had reached the Hyperspace junction corresponding to the coordinates for Arias. "Activate jump engines," she said calmly, trying to ignore the strong feeling of trepidation that was welling up inside her. The helmsman pressed a control on his panel, transferring the huge amounts of energy needed to open a jump point from the reactors into the jump engines. A spark of orange light appeared in front of the ship, and moments later the powerful warship exited the chaos of Hyperspace and was flung back into real space. Directly ahead of them a huge, bluish-white sphere leapt out of the darkness, seeming to be on a direct collision course. Then the Rasputin exited the vortex, immediately decelerating to its normal speed and entering a high orbit above the massive gas giant. Susan examined the world briefly as her eyes swept across the space in front of them, searching for any visible enemies. It was a calm looking world compared to most gas giants, with fluffy white clouds drifting quietly about in the upper atmosphere, while far below were dark blue clouds of tiny ice particles and inert gases. It was a beautiful scene, a peaceful, tranquil world floating in the darkness of space like some multicoloured crystal globe. Had Susan been sightseeing, this was the kind of planet that seemed to invite leiserly investigation. Instead she had other, more important, concerns to deal with. "Any targets located," she asked, turning around in her chair to face Petrov, who was busily examining the sensor readouts, his hands tapping the keyboard as he bought up the information requested. "Nothing yet, Captain," he replied, looking up from his console for a second. "How long until we come within sensor range of Arias?" Petrov called up the requested information on his screen. "At this speed?" Susan nodded. "Eleven minutes then. I am extending sensor range to maximum. That should allow us to spot anything before they see us." "Unless they have better sensors," Susan muttered darkly to herself as she turned back to face the bow. Petrov heard her comment, but chose not to comment, instead just smiling faintly to himself. On the main screen the sphere of Arias Five was rotating slowly below them, now beginning to darken on one side as the warship moved towards the part of the planet facing away from the sun. While she waited for their destination to come into view, Susan opened her mind and reached out to find Talia. she asked telepathically, the strong connection between the two women enabling them to communicate no matter where they were on the ship. Talia replied, from her current location in the pilot's ready room, positioned in the bow of the warship. Susan had allowed the IPX team to set up their equipment there, mainly so they were well out of her way. Susan smiled to herself, and for the first time since they entered the system she recognised the beauty of the world they were orbiting. she agreed. Then she noticed a small dark sphere appearing on the horizon of the gas giant. She felt Talia's amusement in her mind as she turned her attention back to the holographic screen located on the dome-like ceiling of the bridge. "Is that it?" she asked Petrov, watching the small moon beginning to rise out of the darkness behind the huge gaseous world it orbited. "No, Captain," Petrov said. "That is the second moon. Our destination should be coming up shortly." As he spoke another, larger planet, appeared just behind the first. Although both moons were in the shadow of the gas giant, the second moon somehow looked darker than the first had. "Order a full stop," Susan said suddenly, as a sudden thought came to mind. The helmsman quickly tapped the controls on his console, bringing the warship's forward motion to a complete halt. Petrov looked up at Susan, a question mark on his face. "We will wait here," she explained. "That moon is orbiting in this direction so if we remain here we have longer to scan it before making a close approach." Petrov nodded, and glanced back to his console for a second. "The sensors don't report anything of interest yet." "Give them time," she replied. "I want to make sure there is nothing dangerous out there, before we get any closer." She paused and looked up at the shape of the smaller moon, which was slowly making it way around the gas giant in a high orbit, higher even that the Rasputin's current location. "Do a sensor sweep of that moon as well," she ordered, pointing it out to Petrov. "Use our active sensors. If there is anything waiting for us out there, it probably already knows we are here." Petrov nodded and activated the mass of powerful sensors that hung beneath the warship. "Active sensors on-line," he replied. Then everyone waited nervously as the sensor array probed the small rocky moon, searching for any sign of active power sources or life forms. "Nothing found," he said finally, after nearly five minutes of searching. He sounded a little relieved by that finding. "Good," Susan replied, turning attention towards the larger of the two moons. "Keep an eye on it just in case. There may be some hidden system that is operating at only minimal power." "This close, we should be able to pick anything like that up," Petrov argued. Then seeing the look in his Captain's eyes, he quickly added. "I will keep an eye on it though. It never hurts to be too careful." Susan smiled faintly as she turned back to watch the larger moon's slow - almost stately - approach. A slightly desperate voice in her head suddenly broke into her thoughts. Talia asked. Susan replied. In response she felt an appreciative feeling from Talia, passing on the other woman's thanks for her assistance. Susan had initially been a bit doubtful when Talia had first said she wanted to work with the IPX team, but after Talia had explained that she didn't really have a lot else to do, she had finally agreed. Surprisingly, it had worked out quite well. Dr. Melis, the team leader, was happy and Susan could contact Talia telepathically if she needed to pass on any information, without having to deal with the aggravating scientist personally. "Arias is now within scanner range," Petrov suddenly called out from behind her. Susan glanced over her shoulder at the Commander. "Anything yet." He shook his head. "Not yet. I am picking up what looks like life form readings, but I expected that. There haven't been any major energy readings at all. Although, we are still too far away for an accurate reading." Susan nodded and went back to watching the planet slowly approaching. It was coming ever closer to the point where it would cross out of eclipse and into the light of the system's sun, giving the bridge crew their first proper visual sighting of their destination. She wasn't sure what to expect, despite having examined the messages IPX had received from the Sturt. They had described a strange world, with almost one third of it hidden beneath a vast storm cloud, while the rest was lush jungle. Finally, almost exactly three minutes later, Arias crossed out of the dark shroud of night, and came into the light of its dawn. To Susan's surprise, instead of the expected green shades of a jungle world, the surface remained dark, a slight reflective glow the only change wrought by its emergence into sunlight. "What the hell," one of the bridge crew muttered, before quickly shutting his mouth and glancing nervously back at the command platform. Susan ignored his interruption, her mind occupied by what she was seeing in front of her. The entire surface of the planet seemed to be covered by a cloud of darkness, a black so sombre that she imagined that no light would be penetrating through to the surface. It reminded her a little of a giant metallic ball, the blackness seeming to reflect the sunlight rather than let it through to the planet's surface. Then, as the world came fully into the sunlight, a thin strip of green appeared, running along the southern part of Arias. "Sensors report minor energy readings from that cloud, Captain," Petrov informed her, after reading the information of his console. "It looks like lightning or something similar." As if in answer to his words, bright sheets of green energy seemed to play across the surface of the world as it began to warm from the direct sunlight now shining down on the upper atmosphere. Susan was reminded a little of the Shadow's planet killer, the murky cloud of darkness that could surround an entire world and bombard it with thousands of missiles. The resemblance soon passed, the planet surface changing with every second it spent in the light. Now, what had once been a cloud of pure darkness, seemed to thin a little, and it was lit up by rapid explosions of an unknown energy, arching across hundreds of kilometres before dying out. In several places the energy discharges seemed to swirl about a focal point, almost as if that spot was a nexus for their activity. There was something contrived about it, though. It seemed too clean, to regular for it to be natural. Susan didn't know much about weather patterns, but even to her untrained eye it appeared almost artificial in its regularity, the edges of the storm, where the tiny ribbon of green jungle was visible, seemed far too perfect to be natural. "Is the probe ready," she asked, referring to the small IPX planetary survey satellite that was waiting in the Rasputin's flight bay. It was one of the many pieces of equipment that the exploration company had insisted were absolutely necessary for the mission's success. Now she was beginning to see just why the huge piles of equipment might be necessary. "Ready to go as soon as you order it deployed," Petrov replied. "Shall I order it loaded into the launch bay?" "Ye..." Susan began. "Just a minute," the crewman working on the console next Petrov cut in suddenly. "I am getting an energy spike." "From the planet," Susan asked, glancing back at the main screen, but seeing nothing unusual. The energy discharges wracking the planet still appeared much the same as they did before. "No," the crewman replied slowly, reading the information off his screen. "It appears to be in orbit above the planet. Somewhere over the northern magnetic pole by the look of it." "Combat sensors have a partial reading, Captain," Petrov informed her. "I can display it on the screen if you like." "Do so," Susan replied, spinning around again to look at the planet. As she watched a small section of the holographic screen suddenly zoomed in, displaying the wire-frame image of a large satellite. It reminded her at once of the Vorlon warships, only this one was small and looked squashed, compared to the beautiful transport ship she had spent so many hours watching on Babylon 5. It was roughly spherical in shape, but the four tentacle-like prongs protruding from one end left no doubt as to its origin. "It looks like a weapons platform," she said finally, after examining the satellite cautiously. Actually she wasn't sure that her analysis was correct, but the only time she had even seen a protrusion like that had been the weapons array on the Vorlon ships. Petrov frowned. "I don't understand it. The Sturt didn't mention seeing this when it arrived, the records I examined showed no mention of any defensive systems, and neither did the IPX probe sent earlier." "Maybe it only activated when we approached," Susan said, considering his comments. "Inactive, it was probably impossible for the sensors to pick up." "That's a possible explanation," Petrov agreed. "But then, why did it activate now. Why not when the probe went past, or when the Sturt arrived." A sudden chilling thought registered itself in the back of Susan's mind, and she almost froze in fear as she realised what was about to happen. Frantically she stabbed at one of the buttons on her console, one programmed to connect her directly to the link of Lieutenant-Commander Dreyer, the Rasputin's gunnery commander. As she pressed the control she almost shouted to Petrov. "Transfer the targeting information on that satellite to all weapons stations at once." "Lt. Commander Dreyer," a voice responded over the link, while Petrov looked questioningly at her. "This is the Captain," Susan said quickly. "Order the main gun to be prepared to fire. I am having information on the target transferred to you now." She looked back at Petrov who nodded in understanding and began working on his console as if his life depended on it, which if Susan's guess was right, it probably did. "Activate all of our interceptors as well," she continued. "Right away, Captain," Dreyer responded, sounding almost excited by the prospect of battle. Susan didn't have time to think out his reaction though, something else had just caught her attention. On the holographic screen the wire-frame representation of the satellite could slowly be seen rotating around until the four prongs of its weapon were facing the Rasputin. Then it fired, a brilliant beam of green energy that sliced across space and smashed into the warship somewhere near the flight deck. Shards of silvery metal, and small chunks of the glistening organic inner hull, exploded into space as the hull was breached. A shudder ran through the entire ship as the rapid decompression of one section of the ship began to move the stationary vessel to starboard. "Damage report," Susan ordered, as another shudder ran through the hull, the starboard thrusters firing to maintained the Rasputin's position. Before the report could arrive two powerful beams of purple energy shot out from beneath the warship, signalling that Dreyer had powered up the main gun. A brief flare of light high above the surface of the world confirmed a direct hit, and the wire-frame image of the defence satellite vanished from the screen. ------------------------------------------------------------ On the planet's surface, inside a huge, dismal fortress that lurked, like some great beast, at the bottom of an ancient impact crater, a small group of alien creatures suddenly looked up in surprise. The screen above them, which had, until moment ago, been showing a relay of the ISN feed from Earth, suddenly went blank. For a second they wondered if this was like the time, two years ago now, when it had been black for several weeks. One of the largest of the creatures was more suspicious though, realising that something serious had gone wrong this time. This in itself was surprising as nothing ever went wrong with the devices his people had been provided. He rose from his cushioned seat and padded his way quietly through the maze of passages leading into the fortress' throne room, and the being that waited within. "Mistress?" he asked cautiously, as he poked his massive, scaly head through the golden doors, not really wanting to disturb his mistress during her time of rejuvenation. The being sitting on the shadowy throne was looking at another of the large screens, one that was suspended from the vaulted ceiling of the room on a thin arm of dark metal. "Very interesting," was all she said, her soft feminine voice echoing around the darkened chamber and sending a shiver down the spine of the creature who patiently awaited her response. ------------------------------------------------------------ Breathing a sigh of relief at their narrow escape from disaster, Susan quickly scanned the bridge to see if everyone was all right. "Hull breach on the flight deck," spoke up the crewman in charge of damage control. "No reports of injury, and the hull sealant has closed off the breech. There has been no reported major damage, and a repair team is on their way." Susan nodded, relieved that no-one had died. "And the target?" she asked Petrov, who was still busy working on his console, his hands flying across the glowing surface of the console. "Destroyed," he replied, as soon as the computer spat up the information he required. "I doubt there is much left, but I can order a scout out to examine the area if you like." "Not yet," she replied. "I want a full scan of the planet's orbit first. Make sure there aren't any more of those things out there." Petrov nodded and went back to work. Susan pressed the control on her console again. "Good work, Lt. Commander," she told Dreyer, as soon as he answered the summons. "Keep your guns hot though, we may still need them." "No more satellites detected, Captain," Petrov called out as the Rasputin's sensors finally finished their scan of the planet. "It looks like that was the only one." "Keep looking," she replied. "And get Lt. Commander Schmitt to launch a scouting party of starfuries. I want every inch of that planet examined closely before we get anywhere near it." Telepathically she reached out for Talia's mind. Susan asked urgently, her concern for Talia's well-being impossible to hide, especially when they communicated telepathically. Susan felt relief wash over her as the calm mental voice of Talia's mind responded. Susan replied. She could almost feel Talia nodding in understanding. The telepathic voice paused for a while, although Susan could feel the shadows of a conversation going on and realised that Talia must be talking out loud to someone else in the same room. Susan replied, her annoyance over the presence of the IPX team resurfacing with vengeance. "Scout party launching, Captain," Petrov informed her. Susan glanced up and saw the distinct shapes of three starfuries moving rapidly away from the stationary warship, heading towards the planet, which by now was quite close. she informed Talia. Then turning to Petrov she said, "If they don't discover any more defensive weapons, then order them back." After Petrov has signalled his understanding, she continued. "If you don't find anything new then meet me in the conference room. I am going to get Dr. Melis and his team of experts to explain exactly what they have found out about this world before we proceed further." She paused before leaving the bridge, and looked up again at the planet that seemed to hover above them, although in reality it was moving almost imperceptibly, following its orbit around the large gas giant below them. The planet had rotated a little more now, and the darkness no longer covered the entire surface. Instead, the green of a vast jungle was just becoming visible at the bottom of the dark sphere. That, at least, gave her some hope that the crew of the survey ship they had been sent to rescue might still be alive, although it was a very slim hope. One look at the rest of the world, where the dark storm still raged, took away much of that hope though, as she realised that if they had come down inside that area, it was unlikely they were still alive. In fact, one look at the explosions of green energy rippling across the surface, and she was sure that nothing could survive down there for long. She could only hope they were somewhere inside the jungle covered section. ------------------------------------------------------------ Beneath the dark cloud, in the cheerless fortress at the very centre of the storm, two creatures were examining a darkened screen with some interest. One, a massive creature with clawed feet and a thick, scaly hide, tapped the metal of the screen once with a sharp claw. "It does not work, Mistress," he said nervously, afraid she would blame him for the fault. "Something is wrong." "It still functions, Azrak" the small creature standing just behind him replied, in a voice so soft it was little more than a whisper. "The signal is no longer there." "What does it mean?" the reptilian monstrosity asked, stepping away from the screen as if it would bite him. There was still much in the fortress that he did not understand, and, despite being the highest ranked of the mistress' servants, she told him little about the functions of the technology she had gifted his people with. The shorter creature's eyes narrowed and with slow, almost cautious movements she made her way back to the large throne. "It means that the last of the satellites has been destroyed," she said softly as she took her seat again. Compared to the throne, her small frame appeared tiny, almost swallowed by the darkness that curled about her resting place like a cloak. "By what?" Azrak looked even more nervous, realising that the mistress had left that one satellite intact for the sole purpose of receiving the signals from the alien worlds. Now that it was gone, she may become angry, although he knew that she rarely ever felt anger any more, just resignation at her fate. "That is a very good question," she mused softly. Then, in a different voice, one stronger than Azrak had heard in many years, she said, "summon the scouting parties. I think it is time we took another look at the ship of our visitors. Perhaps the answers are to be found there." As her servant hurried from the room, heading off towards the barracks, she looked up at the dark screen that hung in front of her. With a delicate flick of her fingers, it rose out of sight, back to its hidden alcove in the high ceiling, leaving her with nothing to look at except the glittering array of gemstones set into the walls and ceiling of the throne room, and they had long ago lost any attraction. ------------------------------------------------------------ Sel Vecantie e-mail: vecantie@geocities.com homepage: http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Troy/9933/ ICQ: 23223547 From: "Sel" Subject: The Secret of Arias - chapter 2, Part B Date: Fri, 11 Dec 1998 01:42:51 +1030 ------------------------------------------------------------ "What the blazes is going on, Captain Ivanova," Dr. Melis demanded as he marched into the conference room, looking a lot like an angry rooster, all puffed up and red faced. "Your carelessness has cost me an extremely valuable data recorder. It's intolerable that such a thing should be allowed to happen." To illustrate the point he waved the shattered remains of the device in front of her, showering the carpeted floor with pieces of electronics and broken plastic. "Sit down, Doctor," Susan said with a sigh, waving him in the direction of one of the chairs. Melis looked even angrier at being brushed off. "No! I want to know what the hell happened. Someone could have been injured. I thought this was supposed to be the best ship in the fleet. I didn't expect to find myself thrown halfway across the room, because whoever is driving this thing can't keep it flying straight." Susan's eyes narrowed in annoyance. She was used to dealing with belligerent civilians, especially after four years working in C&C on Babylon 5, but for some reason still felt the urge to cause serious bodily harm to the doctor. "What happened, Dr. Melis," she said, a insincere smile on her lips. "Is that this ship came under attack. Perhaps if you had informed me that this planet had defensive satellites we might have been more prepared." Melis turned white with shock, which at least seemed to drain away his anger. "Attacked?" he asked in a small voice, as he allowed Susan to guide him in the direction of the chair she had indicated earlier. "Who attacked us?" "It would appear that the Vorlons were responsible," She replied, after Melis had taken his seat. "Fortunately my gunnery officer was prepared, and we were able to return fire before it got off more than one shot. We were hit on the flight deck, but there was no major damage. However, it was close to your location. That is why you felt the ship shake violently." "Was there any wreckage?" Melis asked, his professional curiosity beginning to reassert itself, along with a good portion of greed. "A Vorlon defence satellite would be very interesting to study. We should send out a shuttle at once to recover any debris" "I believe it was totally destroyed," Susan replied. Then, when Melis' face clouded over, and he looked ready to start arguing again, she said, "I will have the fighters I sent out recover any wreckage for you to study." The doctor looked satisfied with that, and any further conversation was interrupted by the arrival of the rest of the IPX scientists. With them came Talia, her presence enough to drive away the annoyance she had felt over Melis' argumentative nature. Talia asked telepathically, as Susan showed the rest of Melis' team to their chairs. Susan replied, taking her seat at the head of the table. As Talia sat down next to her, Susan asked, Talia reassured her with a faint smile, although the weary look on her face showed that the morning had been a tiring one. Movement near the door distracted her, and her attention shifted to the entrance. Susan glanced up, just in time to see Commander Petrov walking through the door, followed closely by Lt. Commander Alister Schmitt. The flight commander was wearing a portable headset, and had large data pad tucked under one arm. "Sit down," she ordered. "We were just about to begin this meeting." The two officers nodded and took the last two available seats. "Any more news?" she asked as soon as they were comfortable. Alister Schmitt shook his head. "It looks like that was the only satellite. The scouts haven't located anything else in orbit." He pointed to his headset. "Shall I ask them to return now?" Susan thought about that question for a moment, but then shook her head. "No, not yet. Get them to make a sweep through the upper atmosphere. I want to make absolutely certain there is nothing else out there before proceeding any further. And, a second mission for a two-ship team: Do a close fly-by and complete scan of the platform's wreckage. Look for any pieces big enough to provide interesting salvage." After a brief glance at Melis'' head nodding in agreement," She looked over at Petrov. "Commander, what is our position relative to the planet?" "I have put us in a lower orbit around the gas giant, travelling at approximately the same speed as Arias. That should enable us to keep track of the planet, without coming within range of any more defensive systems." "Good," Susan replied. Then she scanned around the table, examining the gathered scientists, noticing they were all looking back at her with hopeful, almost expectant faces. She sighed, wishing she could tell them that the survey ship had been found. It hadn't though, and instead she now had a new problem. As she prepared to start the meeting she said a silent prayer to the crew of the Sturt, wherever they might be. ------------------------------------------------------------ Captain Hal Lawton stared despondently at the glowing screen of the Sturt's electronic log. The lines of writing seemed to blur as he sat there, merging into one word, hopeless. With a deep sigh he ran his fingers through his thick mop of fiery red hair, before resting his head in his hands, just staring at the dirty floor of his quarters. The only interesting item down there was a black strap, used to secure his body during zero-gee. It lay forgotten on the floor, no longer needed as the Sturt still remained bogged in the endless swamp that seemed to make up much of this world's surface. Of course, it wasn't really stuck, a simple burst of the ship's powerful thrusters would have been enough to haul it up out of the mud and off into space. But those thrusters were running on empty fuel tanks, as was much of the ship. Somehow, the ship had been drained, tapped of all its stored electricity. While the reactors still seemed to have a raw fuel supply, the ship didn't have electrical reserves to monitor their safe operation, let alone risk a cold start-up." Normally, that wouldn't be too much of a problem, as the Sturt carried large solar panels designed to recharge the reactor if necessary. However, beneath the storm cloud which covered a third of the tiny world, there was almost no light. Not even a single ray of sunlight ever made its way down to the surface. If fact, apart from the ship's emergency lighting, the only illumination came from the flashes of green lightning that crashed across the darkened sky ever few seconds. As good as they might be, the solar panels were designed to absorb the gentler sunlight, and not the powerful discharges of electrical energy. One of the collectors had already been reduced to tiny shards of metal and glass, after a lightning strike had hit the ship itself, instead of the ground. Lawton blamed himself for the predicament the survey ship now found itself in. If he hadn't panicked and ordered an emergency take off when the energy drain had first been detected, they might still have been able to escape. His first thought had been to escape, but there had been too little energy left for the Sturt to achieve escape velocity, and it had been pulled down again. It had only been luck and quick thinking that had allowed their survival. As soon as Lawton had seen that the ship wasn't going to make it into orbit, he had switched all available power to the landing thrusters and bought the Sturt down in an almost controlled emergency landing in the swamp. The escape from death had been short lived though. Over the past two weeks nearly forty of the crew had vanished, snatched away by a monstrous alien race that seemed to lurk into the shadows of the rotting trunks of ancient trees. Each disappearance was another dagger in Lawton's heart, another example of his failure. He could only hope that somehow the one message they had managed to send, had been received by someone... anyone. The sound of boots running along the metal of the corridor outside his room woke Lawton from his misery. No-one ever ran any more, unless it was important. With a tired sigh he hauled himself off his bed and opened the door, just in time to allow Dr. Janet Petrilli, the head of the IPX researchers on the Sturt, to rush in, looking out of breath, but still bubbling over with excitement. "Captain, you have to come at once," she managed to get out, breathing heavily after her run through the ship. Her face was animated with excitement, and her eyes sparkled brightly, making Lawton wonder what she wanted. Instead of explaining, she grabbed hold of his arm and began to drag him out into the corridor beyond. "Hurry." "Who's gone missing this time," he asked with a sigh, his mind now numb to any feelings of loss. Too many had gone missing since their forced landing, including most of his senior officers and all three of the telepaths. He blamed himself for their loss as well, realising that if he hadn't sent them out to scout the landscape, they would still be alive and part of the crew. Actually, he didn't know for sure if they were dead, but he had already given up hope. "No-one," she replied. "We think there may be a rescue ship in orbit." That got Lawton moving, at least after his jaw had picked itself up off the ground. "A rescue ship?" he asked in amazement. Before Petrilli had time to nod he had leapt out of the room and was hurrying off down the corridor towards the darkened bridge. All the hours of blaming himself were swept away, as he allowed a small amount of hope back into his heart, hope that they would be rescued and he could go home again. The small bridge was crowded by the time he arrived, all the crew who had heard the news hurrying there to find out if it was true. In the dim, reddish glow of the emergency lighting, their identities were difficult to determine, but the look of hope on their faces was impossible to disguise. Finding his way across the crowded room to the captain's chair, Lawton took his seat. "All right, what's this about a rescue ship?" he asked, looking around to see who had any information. He hoped this wasn't a false alarm. "Harry detected it, Sir," his second officer, Terry Maloney, informed him, referring to the electronics specialist who had been sent along by IPX, on the off chance that they might find some sort of alien technology. "That radar system he built finally paid off. It detected a starfury flying overhead, at least we think it is a starfury, no-one had used this sort of technology for over two hundred years, so we can't be really sure." "So, it could be anything?" Lawton asked, not wanting to raise hopes too high, at least not just yet. "Even a meteor, or something similar." "We should know more when Harry gets back," Maloney replied. "He is up on top of the ship checking the readings, just to make sure of his findings, you know how he is about accuracy." The sound of running footsteps sounded down the corridor and a breathless Harry Skeet ran onto the bridge, waving a data pad about. "It is a Thunderbolt," he cried out, much to the joy of the gathering of crew, who broke out into loud cheers. "Are you sure?" Lawton asked. He didn't really want to be the party pooper, but he was a man who demanded accuracy from both his crew, and the wild bunch of scientists who populated the survey vessel. "Positive," Harry beamed, shoving the data pad in his direction. "See, you can identify its distinct shape, I am not mistaken about this one." The Captain took the data pad in his hands and switched it on. All the remaining electrical equipment was switched off when not in use, to save what little power their batteries still contained. On the glowing screen the blurry, but still familiar image of the Thunderbolt starfury appeared, its atmospheric wings extended, which probably indicated it was making a sweep of the upper atmosphere. "Can we be sure they are here looking for us?" he asked cautiously, still not sure if he believed that rescue could be so close. "It might just be a passing ship doing a survey run." "Not here," Maloney reminded him. "Remember than no Earthforce vessels were going to be allowed inside Vorlon space until we made a full survey of this planet. They have to be here looking for us, there is no-one else out here." Lawton nodded, remembering the directive from Earthdome that he had read, just before they left Earth on this ill fated mission. Earth must have sent out a rescue mission. For a brief moment he felt relief and joy filling him, feelings that disappeared as soon as he remembered exactly where they were. "They can't detect us. We are invisible under this cloud" he informed the crew. "Unless we find a way of signalling them, they will not find us, and fly away, leaving us here." "My rocket is ready," Janet Petrilli spoke up suddenly, excitement in her voice. "I finished it two days ago. If we fire it into the atmosphere, it will let them know we are down here. They probably have rovers, or some sort of vehicle that they can rescue us with. All we have to do is let the know we are down here." Lawton cringed at the mention of the rocket. When she had first mentioned it he had told Janet it was a foolish idea, that she was only going to blow up the crew, and probably the rest of the ship. She had insisted though, saying it could be done, and many of the crew had agreed with her. Finally, more in the interests of the crew's morale than any improved potential of rescue, he had allowed it. While the crew had something to work on, he hoped that they would be less worried about the unseen menace that lurked beneath the dark waters of the swamp. "OK, Petrilli," he said. "You can launch it. But make sure it is well away from the ship before you fire it, otherwise it could kill us all." The scientist nodded, and everyone rushed out off the bridge, enthusiastically working to move the small rocket to a safe distance, although there was not a lot of room on the isolated patch of solid ground they'd landed on. A small island of relative safety, completely surrounded by menacing, untraceable swamp. Lawton shook his head sadly as the makeshift device was shifted into position at the far end of the island, its rickety framework looking ready to fall apart at any time. It was constructed from one of the ships survey probes, the sort that are launched to examine a planet before making a landing. The Sturt had one left, and after a week of work, Dr. Petrilli had removed the propulsion systems, which were too weak to make it into orbit, and built her own, using some of the fuel reserves from the main reactor. Then she had rigged up a basic guidance system, and announced that it was ready. Lawton wasn't so sure, but at the moment, with the possibility of rescue close, he was willing to give it a try. As he watched, hiding safely behind a pile of crates, Petrilli ignited the rocket's engines and then ran as if her life depended on it. Just as she leapt over the crates the rocket's engines fired a massive, but for the moment controlled, explosion of energy. Like some huge, solitary fireworks salute, it leapt into the air, quickly powering away from the ground with a stream of fire tailing out behind it. The gathered scientists and ships crew cheered loudly as it became evident that the rocket was flying straight up, right towards the cloud that blocked the sunlight, and their only way of escape. Seconds later it pieced the cloud, creating tiny sparks of green energy as it passed through the storm and out of sight. 'Now all we have to do is hope they see it,' Lawton thought as he watched the glow from the rocket's engine fade away. He looked around at his crew and saw the hopeful gleam in their eyes. 'Please let this work, God,' he prayed silently, hoping that somewhere some power was smiling on him today. After all that had gone wrong, they deserved something to go their way for a change. ------------------------------------------------------------ "This is a waste of time, Captain," Melis argued belligerently, stalking around the table like some hungry cat prowling for its next meal. He slammed the data pad down on the table with such force that Susan was sure it would shatter. It didn't though, the metal of its casing proving stronger than even the doctor's anger. He placed one hand on the conference table as if to steady himself while he used the other to gesticulate wildly in her direction. "I demand to be allowed to lead an expedition down to the surface at once." Susan looked calmly back at the angry scientist, barely even moving in her seat. "There will be no landing until I authorise it," she replied, her voice low, but filled with a strong undertone of authority. "And, if you even think of going without my authorisation, I will have you arrested and tossed in the brig. Until I have the all clear from the scout fighters, I can not consider moving my ship closer to the planet than it already is. Neither am I going to allow a landing party, until I am sure that what happened to the Sturt, won't happen again." Melis threw his hands up in the air and went back to his chair. "I don't know why I bother," he said dramatically, shaking his head in frustration. "Your Earthforce types are all alike, always concerned with rules and regulations." His voice suddenly grew louder again. "There are people's lives at stake, Captain. This is not just about money, it is about a hundred and seventy good men and woman. Surely that is worth some risk. If we don't do something soon, they'll probably all be dead by the time we do act." "I am aware of the stakes here, Doctor," Susan replied. "But this warship has over a thousand crew and I will not risk all of their lives in a blind rush into a Vorlon defended environment, unless I can be sure that some of the crew of your survey ship are still alive. Until then, we remain right where we are." "I can see this is hopeless," Melis groaned, walking towards the door. Before leaving he paused, and looked back at Susan. "When you decide to do something, instead of sitting here sucking your thumb, let me know." Then he stalked out of the room, muttering something about Earthforce fools, and several other comments that let Susan know exactly what he was feeling. One of the other scientists, a Laura Altmann, if Susan was remembering correctly, suddenly spoke up. "I am sorry about Dr. Melis, Captain," she said apologetically. "He is used to the university back on Earth, and doesn't get out much. I think he didn't like discovering that you can't be ordered around like one of his students. With time, I am sure he will calm down." "I hope you are right, Ms. Altmann," Susan replied. "I have enough trouble without having to deal with a belligerent scientist. If he can't behave himself I will have him confined to quarters. Make sure you tell him that when you next see him." "Yes, Captain," Laura replied meekly. "Captain," the suddenly excited voice of Alister Schmitt called out. "One of the scout vessels has discovered something." He tapped the headset, as if trying to improve the reception, although with modern technology, the voice of the pilot should have been transmitted with no trouble, no matter where in the system he was. "There seems to be some interference, probably from the storm cloud. It seems he is saying that he has found a missile or something like that." "A missile?" Susan queried, suddenly looking concerned. "Was it fired at him." "Just a second, Captain," Alister said, before relaying her question. He nodded a couple of time, listening to the starfury pilot's reply. "No, it wasn't. At least he doesn't think so. The pilot reports that it appeared out of the cloud, just achieving orbit before running out of fuel. He has grappled it, and says that it looks like some sort of probe... apparently of Earth origin." "From the survey ship?" Susan asked, hoping for a positive answer. "Possibly," Alister replied, his voice sounding unsure. "I will order him to bring it back and we'll go over it properly. There may be some sort of message inside, if it is from the Sturt." As the flight commander sent the orders to his pilot, Susan quickly ran all the possibilities through her head. If the rocket did come from the survey vessel, and it came from beneath the cloud, then that meant that a least one person had to be alive down there, despite the deplorable conditions that were thought to exist beneath the storm. If it didn't come from the survey ship, then there was something else down on the planet, something that had Earth technology. That sounded a little unlikely, so she dismissed that possibility and made a quick decision on their next move. As soon as Schmitt had finished talking she gave her orders. "Commander Petrov, I want you to go to the bridge and supervise a full sensor sweep of the planet. Check for any sign of a vessel, or anything else that might be of Earth origin." "We will have to go closer for that," he reminded her. "Do so," Susan replied. "The starfuries haven't been attacked, and they also haven't found anything. Well, at least nothing dangerous. I am willing to stake this ship that the satellite we encountered was the only one. Move us into orbit." Petrov nodded and stood up. "I will get right on it, Captain," he said, before making his way out the door and off towards the bridge. She looked around at the scientists gathered around the table. "The rest of you can help by taking a look at this missile, or whatever it is. I want to know everything about it. I also want to know everything there is to know about the planet below, including possible landing sites. If there is anyone alive down there, I want to get them off Arias as much as Dr. Melis does. I am not, however, willing to take foolish risks. We are not going to end up with even more people to rescue. Is that understood by everyone?" After everyone had signalled their agreement, Susan dismissed them, watching as they all filed out of the room, heading towards the front of the elevators down to the main deck. Finally only Talia remained, and Susan looked over at her with a tired smile of her face. "Well that didn't go too badly," she said, her voice betraying how tired she felt. She rubbed her shoulder, trying to ease the ache that seemed to have developed there. With a poignant half-smile of loving concern, Talia moved behind Susan and began to massage her lover's shoulders. "You did the right thing," she whispered, as Susan moaned beneath the healing touch of her fingers. "Dr. Melis will have calmed by the morning, and he probably will have forgotten all about the argument. You were right, you can't afford to risk this ship, not even for the crew of the Sturt." "I just hope they are still alive," Susan said, pulling away from Talia to gather up her papers and data pad. "They are," Talia replied. "I am sure of it." "Can you pick up anything?" Susan asked, looking back at her. "I have tired scanning the planet, but it is either too far away, or I am not powerful enough to pick up anything." Talia shook her head. "No, I can't either. And it's a matter of distance. We are too far away from the planet." Susan nodded, and then leaned back, allowing Talia wonderful massage to relax her. A smile of contentment spread across her face as the ache in her muscles began to recede, while in her mind she could hear Talia's whispered voice calling to her, caressing her, and comforting her. It was rare moments like this that made Susan realise that not everything about her telepathic powers was bad, or evil. When she was this close to Talia, when their minds became almost as one, Susan truly accepted her abilities, and herself. ------------------------------------------------------------ Azrak raised his massive, clawed hand, calling a halt to the march. Ahead, rising out of the dead jungle, was a bright streak of yellow fire. It lasted for only a few seconds before it shot into the dark clouds, but that was enough for the leader of the Chosen to see that it had originated in the camp of the strangers. "Interesting," he mused to himself, wondering what the alien creatures were up to now. "What is it?" one of the scouts asked, a little fearful, as many of the Chosen were when they encountered something new or strange. "I do not know," Azrak admitted, staring in the direction of the crashed starship, wondering what the strangers had devised now. They were indeed bizarre creatures, as the interrogation of the few that had been captured had proven. Fortunately they had also proven to be strong workers, and their efforts in the mines beneath the fortress had pleased the Mistress. Despite their weak outer appearance, they had a hidden strength which had surprise many in the mines. "Perhaps we should go back," the scout continued. "The Mistress should be informed. She may know what it is. It could be a new weapon." Azrak shook his head. "No," he said firmly. "We have our orders. We are to scout the camp of the strangers, and discover more about their purpose here on our world. The mistress would not be happy if we returned with the mission incomplete. Where the Mistress points, I follow... as should you." A murmur of agreement ran through the small collection of young warriors. Azrak was the leader of all the Chosen, and one of the few allowed to speak to the Mistress, the mysterious ruler of this world. His word carried her law among the lower ranks, and if he said the mistress wanted them to scout the stranger's camp, then that was what they would do. The Mistress had given them too much for the Chosen to disobey her now. "Come," Azrak said slowly, waving his clawed hand in the direction of the camp. The scouts, smaller warriors than the mighty leader, spread out across the wide, shallow trench, before continuing their march towards the distant camp. Azrak, and the three handlers who cared for the scout party's sword hawk, set off down the centre of the trench, following the glowing green line of the power transfer cable. A party of workers, returning from the construction site, stood aside as they approached, allowing the warriors to run past. Workers were the youngest of the Chosen, some barely a thousand cycles old. In time they would grow to become miners, and then servants. Finally, if they survived that long, they could join the ranks of the scouts and perhaps one day, become warriors like Azrak. Until that time, many cycles from now, they served their elders, as the Mistress decreed, one of her ten sacred laws. An hour later they reached the end of the trench, where nearly fifty workers were busy extending the line towards the edges of the cloud. After two hundred years of work they had managed to extend the power network across half the area covered by the storm cloud. It would take another one hundred year, or seven generations of the chosen, before the power network at last reached the jungles, but that would be a glorious day. On that day the Mistress had promised that light would again spread across the whole world, and they would rise up from the darkness and destroy the evil ones who had ravaged their world, and created the cloud. Pausing near the newest of the energy collectors, Azrak ordered the first of the sword hawks to be released. After checking the recording devices mounted on the flying creature's tiny head, the handler threw the hawk into the air. It spread its feathery wings and glided off across the swampy landscape. As it flew away, the handler unslung the flat metallic panel, which allowed him to control the hawk, and placed it on a metal tripod. Azrak waved in the direction of the scouts, who were almost hidden along the ridge above, pointing towards the sword hawk, and then in the direction of the camp. They nodded once and slipped off into the forest of giant fungus, heading in the direction of the alien ship. As soon as he was sure they were on their way, Azrak knelt down next to the sword hawk handler, watching the image projected on the screen. Soon the hawk would be gliding over the stranger's camp, which they conveniently kept illuminated, and then he would see what they were up to now. Above a gigantic bolt of green lightning smashed into the energy collector, arching its was down the massive tower before being absorbed by the organic metal before reaching the ground and directed off down the power cable towards the fortress. Azrak watched the pulse of energy retreating off into the distance for a couple of seconds, before turning his attention back to the screen. He noticed the image displayed was growing dimmer, announcing the approaching night. Although there was little difference between night and day beneath the massive storm cloud, the lightning did fade away at night, taking away the only available source of light. In the clouds above, the explosions of energy began to fade away, the chill of night cooling the violent reaction responsible for the lightning. The return of morning bought the lightning back again as the invisible sun, which few of the Chosen ever saw, began to heat the atmosphere again. The Chosen were untroubled by the coming of the all encompassing darkness, their bodies stored all the heat they would need to survive the night. Not that it ever became cold, the crust of the planet was thin here and pools of boiling mud abounded. It was the one thing that made life beneath the cloud bearable. "It is there," the sword hawk handler said, pointing to the screen. Azrak nodded, and watched as the tiny forms scurried about on the screen, busy preparing for the night. They were flimsy creatures, and could not stand the cool air that flowed across the planet during the night. If cold, the Chosen would bathe in a pool of boiling mud, but these creature always hid away inside their ship during the night, as if they feared they would be injured. This night though, something was different. "Make it go closer," Azrak ordered, tapping the handler on the shoulder with his largest claw. The handler nodded and sent the command to the sword hawk's helmet, forcing the flying scout closer to the stranger's camp. "Interesting," Azrak said, indicating one of the alien's, a tall one with strange coloured markings. "That is their leader, but I have not seem him outside their camp for many days." He watched the alien leader was standing near one of the other aliens, and both looked very excited about something, flapping their puny arms about, and pointing towards the sky. Azrak was confused, what could they find interesting in the sky, there was nothing there except darkness. "Go closer," he said again. The handler complied and this time the hawk moved close enough for its recording devices to pick up the speech of the aliens. "Did the rocket reach orbit?" one of the creatures was saying. Azrak wondered what a rocket was, that was not among the words the Mistress had taught the Chosen. Perhaps it was something new, something dangerous. Further speech was cut off abruptly. Something spooked the sword hawk and it flew out of range. Azrak considered sending it back again, but the images it was still transmitting would have to do. He moved away from the three handlers, and pulled the transmitter the Mistress had gifted him off his belt. It was only small, but very powerful, more powerful even than the device that controlled the sword hawk. He held it in his hands, pressed the control, and then released the transmitter. The small spherical device did not fall as he had expected the first time he used it. Instead, it floated in the air, glowing faintly. "What have you discovered, Azrak," the soft voice of his Mistress asked. "The strangers are acting oddly, Mistress," he replied. "They mentioned something about a rocket. The leader said, 'did the rocket reach orbit'." "Interesting," was her reply, then came a long pause. Azrak stood still, knowing that the Mistress was probably considering his findings. Finally, a full five minutes later, her orders came. "Bring me one of them," she said. "I would like to speak to one." Azrak had been expecting her to order one of the aliens captured, but not her request to actually speak to one. Of the many they had already captured, the Mistress had never spoken to even one, preferring to allow one of the Chosen to interrogate them for her. The only time she had interceded in the interrogations had been when the first of the three tainted ones had been discovered. Then all she had done was order Azrak to have it be purified, so its taint could not infect the others. Despite his surprise at her request, Azrak answered quickly, informing the Mistress that her commands would be carried out. With her acceptance, the transmitter went dead, dropping into the muddy ground. After picking it up, and wiping away the flecks of dirt that marred its surface, he reattached it to his belt and returned to the waiting handlers. The screen still showed the scene of the camp, although there were fewer of the aliens now. He knew that his scouts would be in place by now, their skill at travelling through the swamps unmatched. He examined the scattered aliens, who were busy preparing for the night, while trying to decide which one to capture. Then he noticed one in a white covering. The Mistress said that they were the most intelligent of the aliens, so he knew at once that it was the one to pick. "That one," he said, pointing out the target with a claw. "Bring me that one." The handler controlling the hawk nodded, and quickly relayed the orders. The view of the screen changed as the hawk glided away from the enemy camp and down to where the nearest scout waited, almost hidden at the edge of the water. After relaying the message, it flew back up to where the entire camp could be seen. Azrak watched as a thin trail of bubbles headed across the water, and then a minute later a the body of the scout exploded from the swamp, wrapped an arm around the target and dragged it back into the water. By the time the other aliens turned around, both the scout and his captive had vanished beneath the murky water. Azrak nodded, pleased with the night's efforts. "Good," he said. "Recall the scouts. We must return to the fortress, the Mistress is waiting for us." The handlers nodded, and sent the recall order. Azrak walked toward the gigantic tower of the energy collector. For some reason he was feeling strange, as if something momentous was about to happen. Azrak was one of the oldest of the Chosen. Nearly fifty thousand cycles had passed since he had been hatched, and never, in all that time, had he seen the Mistress behaving as she was now. Ever since the arrival of the strangers she had been acting differently. At first he had thought it was because she welcomed their company, but she never spoke to them, at least until now. Instead it was something else, there was a new look to her dark eyes, an emotion he had never seen before. Even though he was troubled he pledged to aid the Mistress in whatever she sought from these creatures, and perhaps, soon, she would be well again. Free walk once more among these stars she had told them so much about. ------------------------------------------------------------ Sel Vecantie e-mail: vecantie@geocities.com homepage: http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Troy/9933/ ICQ: 23223547 From: "Sel" Subject: The Secret of Arias - chapter 2, Part C Date: Fri, 11 Dec 1998 01:43:23 +1030 ------------------------------------------------------------ Dr. Janet Petrilli awoke to find herself shivering in some cold, dark place. She had no idea where she was, or how she had found her way here. The last thing she remembered was walking along the edge of the swamp, watching the lightning die away. It was a sight she observed every night since the crash landing, part professional curiosity, part idle sightseeing. However her memories of the previous night were nothing but a scattered collection of vague images, an explosion in the water, a dark figure looming over her, and then nothing but a chilling darkness. Now she found herself somewhere dark, with nothing to keep her company but her growing fear, and a bitter cold that seemed to fill her entire body. She hugged herself tight, trying to keep her body warm. But it wasn't arm strength, she recognised, that was going to stop the head to toe shivers that wracked her body. Mindful of the dangers of hypothermia, she began to strip off her wet clothing, laying them out on the hard floor to dry, while at the same time feeling around the dark room for something to wrap herself in. To her complete surprise her hand touched something, a warm something. She pulled it closer, and found herself holding a feathery blanket, which was somehow radiating heat. Too cold to be concerned with how it did this right now, she wrapped it around her body, sighing with contentment as the shivering began to fade, replaced by an all encompassing warmth. How long she lay there, snuggled up with the strange blanket, she couldn't judge. But, by the time she next moved, her clothing was nearly completely dry. She pulled them on again, willing to put up with a little dampness now that the chill had faded. She left her white coat to dry further though, relying on the blanket she had found to keep her warm for now. With her most immediate needs taken care of, she began to look around the room in the hope of finding an exit. Even before any exploration of the chamber, she'd had the feeling of being in a small room. Now, despite being unable to see absolutely anything, she felt her way around the room, in an attempt to feel out the boundaries. The first thing she discovered was that the floor, the walls, and she assumed the ceiling as well, were all made of metal. For a moment Janet felt a surge of hope from that, imagining that she was somewhere on the Sturt. When she touched the metal with her hand though, that hope quickly disappeared. Unlike most metal objects she had ever touched, none of the surfaces in this room felt cold. Instead the metal seemed to hold an inner warmth, totally unlike anything she had ever encountered before. Her professional curiosity piqued she began to examine the floor in closer detail, wondering if it wasn't made of a material other than metal. It certainly felt like other metals, it had a smoothness that was not found in other material, and when she tapped with her fingernails it sounded as she would expect metal to sound. However, despite all this information, Janet was struck by the unshakable feeling that there was something she was overlooking. For the moment though, she was willing to forget about the strange metal that made up the floor and walls and concentrate instead on finding a way out of this room. Her exploration had, so far, located nothing apart from the blanket. The room was maybe five metres square, with no exits, or at least none Janet could find. Unable to find an exit, or anything even resembling one along the walls, Janet tried to reach the ceiling, but it was far too high for her reach without assistance. Finally, realising that there was no exit within reach, Janet decided to get some sleep, figuring that whoever had put her in the room had to come back sometime. Using her coat as a pillow she curled up on the floor, the blanket drawn around her. Surprisingly, especially considering that she was lying on a cold metal floor, sleep came fairly easily. Her dreams, filled with strange, frightening images, conspired to deny her the benefits of a restful sleep. Finally, she was driven awake, and to her surprise found light in the room. Gone was the thick cloak of darkness that had been her constant companion since first waking in this room, and in its place was a dim light. Shrugging off the blanket Janet looked around the room. It didn't take her long to find it, a small globe sitting on the floor just a short distance from where she had been sleeping. Taking no chances, she examined it thoroughly before touching it, wary of anything in this strange place. Not identifying anything dangerous, she picked it up and examined it more closely. It was very small, and the light it generated was not strong, barely even enough to see by. It was also quite cold to touch, generating absolutely no heat whatsoever. Still, it was light. Right now, Janet didn't really care about where it had come from, only that it now allowed her to see, and to examine her prison in greater detail. Given light, Janet could see that the walls were a strange green colour, although in a few places she could see dark splotches, almost like some sort of growth on the metal. When she touched one of the darker patches though, it still felt exactly the same as the rest of the wall, which seemed to disprove her theory. No matter how much she poked or prodded the dark colourations, they didn't feel any different that the rest of the wall's surface. The marks appeared to be part of the metal too, as it didn't have the feel of a painted surface. Then, Janet made another, more important discovery. She was walking around the edge of the room, shining the light on every surface in the hope of finding a seam in the metal, or anything that could indicate a way out of here. Just as she was beginning to lose hope, she noticed something strange. A small section of the wall began to change colour as she approached. Originally it had been the same green colour as the rest of the surface, but as she came closer a pattern seemed to form on its surface, becoming some sort control panel. Eagerly she examined the panel, hoping that it held the key to her escape. It was quite small, presenting fifteen thumbnail sized buttons, all a slightly different shade of purple. There were no marking of any kind to tell her what each button did, so taking a chance she pressed one. Then when nothing happened, she pressed another, and then another, trying to get some sort of reaction. Finally, after pressing all of the buttons, she gave up and went back to looking for an exit. It was then she discovered that her room had been altered quite considerably while she had been playing with the control panel. Instead of the empty room that Janet had expected to see, she found was a room full of furniture. There was a bed up against one wall, and next to another, a table with a plate of food sitting on it. In fact, everything she needed to survive was now in the room. Janet blinked, wondering how everything had been moved into the room without her hearing even the slightest sound. Then a thought hit her and she went back to the control panel, pushing one of the buttons. A chair next to the table suddenly became fluid and flowed into the floor, vanishing completely. She pushed the same button again and the opposite occurred, the chair seemed to flow from the metal of the floor and reform in front of her eyes. Amazed, she walked over to the chair to examine it closer. After several hesitant false starts, she reached out and touched it. To her astonishment, it felt solid, appearing to be made of the same metal as the floor. The only difference beings its colour, a more greenish-yellow than the deep green of the floor. Janet grabbed it solidly, trying to move it. The chair wouldn't budge. Leaning down, she found that it was attached to the floor, almost as if it was still part of it. There didn't even seem to be a join or seam. Instead, the chair appeared to have grown out of the floor. Quickly she checked all the remaining furniture and found that it was constructed the same way. Everything appeared to have grown out of the floor, with the exception of two items. One was the blanket, still sitting on the floor, and the other was the plate of food resting on the table. She looked at the plate, and noticed for the first time that it wasn't made of the metal everything else was. Instead, it appeared to be constructed of a dark wood, although there was no indication of where it had come from. Cautiously, she examined the food, which appeared to be chunks of some unrecognisable plant root and thin strips of a dark meat, again from some unknown source. Despite her misgiving over its source, her hunger eventually got the better of her and she tried a small portion of the meat. It was bland, and a little tough, but apart from that it appeared edible. There was nothing in the way of utensils, so she'd be forced to use her hands, were she to eat the remainder of the food. Next she 'tested' some of the tiny chunks of vegetable, finding them equally tasteless. But they were very juicy, which helped relieve her thirst. Taking a seat on the chair provided, Janet quickly polished off the meal. As she ate she wondered over her situation. She had obviously been captured by someone, a very advanced someone if this room was anything to go by. When members of the crew had first started to go missing, Lawton and the others had blamed it on a hidden menace, a monster of some kind, that lurked beneath the waters of the swamp. Now, after her examination of the room, Janet wasn't so sure. Obviously something had grabbed her, but whatever it was had a lot more intelligence than a mere animal. The technology she had witnessed in this room alone was enough to convince her of that, as well as leave her a little scared over exactly what she would find when her captors came for her. Of course, that was assuming that they would come for her. For all she knew they could be watching her even now, studying her as humans studied insects. Nervously, she glanced around, her mind trying to convince her that every shadow held a hidden camera. When she checked though there was nothing, just the smooth walls of her cell. Finally she gave up searching and decided that there was nothing to do but wait until her captors showed their hand. After examining the control panel she quickly worked out which button did what, and removed all of her furniture except the bed. Lying down, she was surprised at how soft the bed felt. She had been expecting a hard metal surface like the floor and walls, but instead the bed seemed to shape itself to fit her form. Leaving the light globe sitting next to the bed she curled up beneath the feathery blanket and let sleep claim her again. As she drifted off to sleep the light from the globe began to fade away, while a small opening in the wall suddenly appeared, allowing a large, clawed hand to reach through and snatch the plate away, all without waking Janet. ------------------------------------------------------------ On board the warship Rasputin, the command staff was just sitting down in the conference room to discuss the findings of the detailed search of the planet conducted over the previous twenty four hours. Unlike the earlier meetings, the IPX team was conspicuous by their absence, Susan preferring to make a decision on the next move of the rescue mission without having to listen to the constant arguments of the team leader, Dr. Melis. "Is that everyone?" Susan asked Petrov, looking around the table. "Everyone that's coming," he replied. "Lt. Commanders Dreyer and Schmitt will remain at their stations, just in case someone decided to attack us. Not that I am expecting anything, but it does pay to be careful, especially while we are inside Vorlon space. They haven't been involved with this matter anyway, so they wouldn't have much to add." Susan nodded in agreement. "Lets begin. Commander, you can start by reporting on the latest findings of the sensor sweeps." "I am afraid there is not much more to report from our last meeting. We have good readings from the two thirds of the moon not covered by that cloud, but we know nothing about what lies underneath it. Our sensors can't seem to penetrate the storm cloud." "Any progress on working out the reason why?" Susan asked. Philip Moore, the chief engineer jumped in to answer that question. "I think it might have something to do with the nature of the cloud itself," he said. "We have tried modifying the sensors about twenty times, but so far nothing. I suspect it has something to do with the electrical discharges we are witnessing. There is certainly nothing wrong with our systems, I have checked them thoroughly several times." "Dr. Melis had an interesting theory about that," Talia offered, speaking up for the first time. "He said that the activity in the atmosphere is creating some sort of energy disruption over that entire section of the planet, a little like a shield. Anything electrical, including the Rasputin's sensors, is disrupted by the lightning and won't function." "That could explain something I have been worried about," Petrov said, nodding in agreement. When he saw the questioning look on Susan's face, he quickly continued. "Do you remember that I said the fighter sent we into the cloud nearly crashed?" Susan nodded. "You mentioned that it suffered electrical problems when it entered the atmosphere, and had to pull up suddenly to avoid crashing." "I had a repair crew do a full check, and they found that something had scrambled the fighter's computers. I suspect the interference was caused by the electrical activity in the cloud. That could explain what happened to the rocket from the Sturt as well." "Perhaps," Susan mused, remembering what they had discovered when the Thunderbolt pilot had bought back the rocket. Every electrical circuit, including the data crystal inside, had been burnt out, rendering the message from the survey ship's crew completely useless. "But does the effect extend all the way down to the surface, or is it only in the upper atmosphere?" "Only the upper atmosphere," Petrov said assuredly. "I had another fighter sent down into the area not covered by the cloud, and that caused no problems at all. It was also able to fly into the region beneath the storm cloud without any electrical failure. It didn't stay there for long though, the conditions were not suitable for flight, too dark and windy. I choose not to order the pilot to try again, just in case." "I agree," Susan said. "I don't want to risk too many lives in this venture." She looked over at Talia. "What did the doctor and his team say about landing elsewhere on the planet?" "He said it should be possible," Talia replied. "In fact, he mentioned there are several clearings along the edge of the cloud where it would be possible for an atmospheric shuttle to set down without any trouble." "There is a problem with those clearings though, Captain," Petrov cut in, pushing a data pad across to her. "I just received the information the sensors picked up about them before coming here. These readings show large amounts of background radiation, completely inconsistent with the rest of the jungle. If could explain why there is almost no plant life in those regions." "Did Dr. Melis mention that?" Susan asked Talia. Talia nodded. "Yes, he said that might have been responsible for the energy drain on the Sturt. The doctor thinks that is should be possible to land and then take off again without draining the shuttles systems too much." While Susan was considering that possibility, Petrov asked, "would you like me to order a shuttle be sent down. It might be possible to rig up a remote control system so we could fly it from here without causing any risk to a crew. That should enable us to test the doctor's hypothesis without risking any lives." "Good idea," Susan replied. "Get that organised straight away, after this meeting is finished. If it's possible to land a team on the planet, and they won't end up trapped down there like the Sturt, then I want it done. Have you located the Sturt yet?" Petrov shook his head. "We have found the general area where it might be, but as our sensors have been unable to penetrate the cloud, we haven't pin-pointed its location yet. However, it's a big vessel, so it should be impossible to miss from the ground. It should tower above any vegetation in the area, so all the team we send has to do, is get close to the general location and climb a tree." Susan smiled at that comment, then asked, "how far from the edge of the cloud do you think it is?" After considering his notes, Petrov replied, "it looks like it is about a day's travel by rover, assuming the ground is flat and clear. If it isn't, it could take a fair bit longer, possibly even two or three days. We are lucky that this is only a small planet, little more than a moon." "That is the one things in our favour," Susan said. "It means that it should be possible to reach the Sturt and rescue everyone on board within a couple of days. Given that fact, and assuming that the test with the shuttle works out fine, I am beginning to edge towards allowing a mission to the planet. Before do so we must be sure we can get off again." "Well, if we test the landing area with a single, unmanned shuttle first, then I think we can safely assume that anyone we get down there can get off again." Petrov considered his notes again for a second. "I have checked the messages sent back from the Sturt before it went missing, and they contain no mention of any dangerous life forms in the jungles, at least nothing that would harm an armoured rover." "I guess that just leaves the question of who is going," Talia said, a strange tone creeping into her voice, as if she already knew the answer. "I am thinking of sending two teams," Susan replied. "That way we can guarantee the mission's success. Of course, both would be accompanied by a force of marines armed with heavy weapons. That should ensure that even if we do find something dangerous, we will be able to take it out before it does any damage." "We, Captain?" Petrov asked. "You are not thinking of going yourself, are you. I can't agree with that, it is an unnecessary risk to your life. I would advise sending someone else, and that you remain up here to direct the mission." "I volunteer to go," Major Logan suddenly spoke up, after having sat quietly at the back of the room for the entire meeting. "It is my job, after all. I will lead one of the teams, and I will organise ten of my best soldiers to be assigned to each of the rovers. They should be able to take care of anything that might be waiting down there for them." "And I will lead the other one," Susan said, ignoring Petrov advise. When he looked like he was about to continue arguing, she added, "I want to make sure that I am kept up to date with everything that is happening. We haven't been able to get any communications through to the Sturt, so I am assuming that once we travel beneath that cloud we won't be able to pick up communications from anyone we send either. So, unless I am down there with the landing party, I won't have a clue what is going on." "That doesn't mean that you have to go," Petrov argued, and the worried look on Talia's face showed that she also agreed with the Commander. "No it doesn't," Susan agreed. "But I will still be going, as will Dr. Melis and his team." "What!" Petrov asked incredulously. "You want to send civilians along on this mission?" "I think we will need them," Susan replied. "You are forgetting, Commander, that this is a Vorlon world. There could be things down there unlike anything we have ever seen before. Dr. Melis' team are experts in what they do, and as much as I might dislike them personally, I think we will need them down on the planet" "Can the rover's hold that many?" Talia asked, interrupting Petrov before he could respond. "They can hold forty passengers each," Philip Moore answered for Susan. "I took a good look at them while we were travelling from Earth. They are basically large ground transports, with armour plating, airlocks, and other all terrain features. I understand they are fairly standard IPX issue." "And Dr. Melis' team is only twenty strong," Susan continued. "Which leaves us enough space for around twenty additional passengers on the return trip, thirty if we leave the marines guarding the Sturt. Assuming nothing goes wrong, then we can strip down the number of crew, and get all of the Sturt's crew out in about three round trips." "That still seems like it is going to take a long time," Petrov said cautiously. Susan nodded. "I agree, but that is the best we are going to be able to do. I have spoken to Admiral Mellor in Earthdome, and he agrees with this plan. So, assuming we can land a shuttle safely, I want this mission to begin first thing tomorrow morning. Major Logan, I will need you to pick a team of marines to accompany us. Commander, I want you to take care of the shuttle test you mentioned. If everything is successful, then we will meet in the shuttle bay tomorrow at eight hundred hours to organise the two landing parties." While the others considered this, Susan gathered up her notes and her data pad. "You should all know what you are to do," she said as she stood up. "I will see you all tomorrow morning." The others nodded, and Moore and Logan quickly followed her out of the conference room. Petrov and Talia, however, remained behind a little while longer. "I don't like this, Ms. Winters," Petrov said, as soon as Susan was out of sight. "I don't know what the Admiral said to the Captain in their chat this morning, but she shouldn't be risking her life like this." "She is always like this, Commander," Talia replied. "Susan doesn't like to let others do the job, not when she thinks she can do it better." "Her place is on the Rasputin," Petrov argued. "She shouldn't be leading the mission to the surface." "I agree," Talia said softly. "I will speak to her. I don't think I will be able to change her mind though." "Thank you Ms. Winters," Petrov said gratefully. "I only hope she listens to you. She certainly doesn't seem to be interesting in listening to any of my recommendations. But then my previous Captain never listened to anything his junior officers said either." "Well, she will listen to me," Talia said firmly as she headed towards the door of the room. Despite her feelings for Susan, she felt a little angry at the way the Captain was willing to risk her life like this. She intended to have a long talk with Susan before tomorrow morning, and, at the very least, she wanted to be allowed along on the mission. There was no way she was going to wait up here, worrying, while Susan was down on the surface. A determined look on her face, she walked down the corridor leading to the captain's quarters. ------------------------------------------------------------ Sel Vecantie e-mail: vecantie@geocities.com homepage: http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Troy/9933/ ICQ: 23223547