A Dark, Distorted Mirror. Volume 5 : Among the Stars, like Giants. Prologue : The Missing Year addm-5 Read online

  A Dark, Distorted Mirror. Volume 5 : Among the Stars, like Giants. Prologue : The Missing Year

  ( A Dark, Distorted Mirror - 5 )

  Gareth D. Williams

  2261 was the year the war ended. 2262 was the year the peace began. But for some people the difference between peace and war is very small indeed. Decisions made in wartime look harder in the cold light of day, and the greater the light shining in the galaxy, the greater the shadows cast by it.

  2261 was the year the war ended.

  2263 was the year the peace fell apart.

  2262 was the year in between. The year the dream was born.

  Gareth D. Williams

  A Dark, Distorted Mirror.

  Volume 5: Among the Stars, like Giants. Prologue: The Missing Year

  The Shadow War ended in 2261, as did all the other wars that had been raging in the galaxy at the time — a result, directly or indirectly, of the Shadows and their involvement with the younger races. The longstanding conflict between the Narn and the Centauri that had resumed in 2259 came to a close with the Kazomi Treaty. The Human / Minbari War formally ended with both races joining the United Alliance. The Human civil war also formally ended with that event, as the new Proxima Government entered the Alliance.

  It was a time of relative optimism, at least briefly. After all the wars and bloodshed of the preceding years, a period of peace was welcomed by almost everyone. There were of course numerous skirmishes, raids and attempts to hunt down those wanted for various war crimes during the previous decade, but except for the Drazi Conflict (q. v., chapter 7) 2262 was a year of peace.

  It is easy to overlook those twelve months in the light of the events that followed, but the collapse of the peace and even of the Alliance itself cannot be considered in isolation. The formation of the Alliance and the circumstances that gave it birth have already been studied, and the next volume will deal with its downfall. Now, however, the twelve months during which the Alliance effectively ruled the galaxy unchallenged will be examined.

  Note: all dates given in this volume are Earth standard unless specifically stated otherwise.

  GILLESPIE, E. (2293) The Light Ages. Chapter 1 of The Rise and Fall of the

  United Alliance, the End of the Second Age and the Beginning of the Third,

  vol. 3, 2262: The Missing Year. Ed: S. Barringer, G. Boshears, A. E.

  Clements, D. G. Goldingay & M. G. Kerr.

  * * *

  The ultimate focus of 2262 was undoubtedly the building of the new centre of the Alliance: the space station called Babylon 5, a continuation, most probably, of Ha'Cormar'ah G'Kar's ultimately failed attempt at providing a central gathering place for those fighting the Shadows in 2260: the Babylon 4 space station, destroyed at the Battle of the Third Line.?

  Babylon 5 was constructed in high spirits, with representatives from all the major races involved in the effort. While this was clearly used as a public relations spectacle — the sight of former enemies working together to create a home of peace was then a welcome one — practical necessities were also a concern. No one race had the resources to fund a station of that size and capacity on its own, and neither did the Alliance as a whole. There were many complaints about the vast resources needed to complete the station, seen by many as unnecessary given that Kazomi 7 was still perfectly capable of housing the Alliance Government and bureaucracy. However, others had more personal misgivings.?

  ? WILLIAMS, G. D. (2291) A Line in the Sand. Chapter 4 of The Rise and Fall of

  the United Alliance, the End of the Second Age and the Beginning of the

  Third, vol. 2, The Years of Battle. Ed: S. Barringer, G. Boshears, A. E.

  Clements, D. G. Goldingay & M. G. Kerr.

  ? See also Learning at the Prophet's Feet, by L'Neer of Narn, and One Eye to the

  Future by G'Dan (based on interviews with Commander Ta'Lon), for more

  details concerning Ha'Cormar'ah G'Kar's personal feelings about the

  construction of Babylon 5.

  LAKER, A. (2293) A Shining Beacon in Space. Chapter 14 of The Rise and Fall of

  the United Alliance, the End of the Second Age and the Beginning of the

  Third, vol. 3, 2262: The Missing Year. Ed: S. Barringer, G. Boshears, A. E.

  Clements, D. G. Goldingay & M. G. Kerr.

  * * *

  It would be a shining beacon in space, a dream given form, a place of peace in a galaxy that had known only war. It would be a symbol of the new age, an age which would at last no longer need to fear shadows.

  And it would be called Babylon 5.

  G'Kar said the name to himself softly. "Babylon Five." The name sounded right, somehow. Appropriate. He had tried to create a similar dream once before with Babylon 4, but that project had ended in fire and destruction and so many deaths. The cost had drained him, both financially and emotionally. After it had gone he had done…. so little, as if that station had been his greatest and only contribution to the future.

  And now it was going to be bettered.

  "Babylon Five," he said again.

  It was Sheridan's idea, devised by him and Delenn. A new place, unbound by the symbols and memories and imagery of all the old. A completely new centre for the galaxy.

  A dream, given birth by people who had long ago forgotten how to dream.

  "Dreams are for people who sleep," he whispered, trying remember who had once told him that. The answer came to him soon enough. Londo, of course. "And where are you now, old friend? On the throne you always professed to hate, sending us diplomats and spies in your stead. Why do you not come in person?

  "What do you fear so, Londo?"

  He looked at the early drawings for Babylon 5 and shivered suddenly. He started and looked around. Kazomi 7 was a hot world, almost as hot as Narn itself. There were no draughts here.

  But if not a breeze, then what?

  A feeling.

  "What do any of us fear?" he asked, his words as hollow as the grave.

  There were only graves to answer him.

  * * *

  The existence of ancient races with vastly superior technology had long been rumoured among the younger races. Humanity's own love of myths and legends and conspiracies had given rise to numerous stories, most of which were expansions into space of old Earth legends such as the Bermuda Triangle, the Loch Ness Monster and the Abominable Snowman.

  Other races had similar stories. Young Drazi warriors would go 'hunting the First Ones' as a rite of passage and a display of bravado. The Markab had numerous legends based on the events of the last Shadow War. The Narns had witnessed many inexplicable occurrences on their border at Sigma 957, and believed it to be a haunted world.

  Some of these stories had a basis in fact. Others were no more than corruptions of old legends. The Shadow War, however, led to a resurgence of interest in First One myths, as many of the stories could be explained by connections to either the Shadows or the Vorlons.

  2262, however, saw the rest of the legends become reality. Slowly at first, but with increasing frequency, awesomely powerful ships were sighted in forgotten areas of space. Initially these were ignored or disbelieved, but over time even the Alliance itself had to take action.

  One of the first accepted sightings occurred in February 2262, at the Narn world of Sigma 957….

  GOLDINGAY, D. G. (2293) Stalkers on the Rim. Chapter 4 of The Rise and Fall of

  the United Alliance, the End of the Second Age and the Beginning of the />
  Third, vol. 3, 2262: The Missing Year. Ed: S. Barringer, G. Boshears, A. E.

  Clements, D. G. Goldingay & M. G. Kerr.

  * * *

  Captain Jack could be described in many different ways. He himself often used the words 'entrepreneur' or 'wheeler — dealer' or 'a bit o' this, a bit o' that'. Others used the words 'rogue', 'criminal', 'nuisance' and 'a right shifty bastard'. He was, however, definitely a man with an eye on the main chance.

  Which had brought him here, to a dead world whose name he could not remember — usually a good thing as far as his employers were concerned — for a rendezvous with a group of Narns even shiftier than he was, on a mission that was both very illegal and very highly paid.

  There were numerous political issues involved, which he did not even pretend to understand, it usually being safer that way. Despite having met and — sort of — befriended individuals as powerful as the Blessed Delenn, Emperor Londo Mollari II, Minister Lethke zum Bartrado and General John Sheridan the Shadowkiller, Captain Jack had a profound lack of interest in politics except where it related to his personal solvency.

  However, he did understand that some Narns were very unhappy about the Kazomi Treaty that had sealed the peace between them and the Centauri, and wanted to make clear to everyone just how displeased they were. Certain…. artefacts needed shipping to certain Centauri worlds where certain things might be done to make that clear. And for obvious reasons, a non — Narn courier was needed.

  Jack preferred not to think of these things as politics because if he didn't, he tended not to think of them as involving real people either. It was a lot easier that way.

  And so all this was why he was at Sigma 957, waiting alone in his ship for a Narn ship that was very very late.

  That was when he began to pick up the signal.

  His communications equipment was specially modified to receive signals across a much wider band than that carried by most ships of his size, but this was nothing he had ever come across before. Muttering to himself, he started trying to tune into it, wondering if the Narns had had to resort to extraordinary measures to get in touch with him.

  There were words in there, he was sure of it, even a conversation, but the language, the voices…. all these were beyond him. He felt like an ant trying to understand the words of angels. Falling silent, something touching what remained of his soul, he tried to tune in more clearly, working at the limits of his equipment. All thoughts of his mission left his mind. All he could think of was discovering the nature of this conversation.

  He could pick up a little of one of the parties now. It seemed like countless voices speaking through one mouth. Or was it countless mouths speaking with one voice?

  Everything stopped, and in one instant all the lights in his ship went out. He started, and began frantically trying to restore power.

  Then he looked out at the scene before him.

  There was a ship moving across the ecliptic, something so big and so vast it blocked out everything, space and light and stars and all. It glided through the planet's atmosphere, ignoring him utterly, an insect beneath the feet of giants.

  Jack hardly dared to breathe, a wise move. As the alien ship moved forward a rent opened in the fabric of space, a vast jump point, bigger than anything he had ever imagined. The image of hyperspace beyond flickered with countless colours, very different from the usual red. Clouds of mist shimmered through the gap in space, and there were flickers of lightning.

  Something was waiting in there, in hyperspace. Smaller than the vast alien ship, it was still huge, much bigger than Jack's diminutive shuttle. It looked slightly familiar, almost like a….

  A castle?

  The vast ship moved slowly into hyperspace, its every manoeuvre beautifully graceful. The gateway closed, and Jack was alone once more.

  Alone in a dying ship above a dead world whose name he could not remember.

  Fortunately, after a few hours of creative engineering with life support, a squadron of ships from the Narn fleet arrived and picked him up. Jack was so grateful to be rescued that he only had a few seconds to think up some suitably inventive lies.

  * * *

  After we joined the Alliance, affairs on Centauri Prime grew, not better, but slowly and steadily worse. With the death of Lord Kiro the riots had ended and the Shadow Criers fallen apart, but their legacies remained. There was widespread famine and hunger, the cost of the war and the reparations had almost bankrupted the Republic, and the costs of the repairs to the homeworld and to the regained colonies were almost impossible to meet. The Centarum eventually swallowed its pride and borrowed vast sums of money from the Alliance.

  There was already resentment towards the Alliance, well before the burnings and the Inquisitors. The only Alliance representatives the Centauri had really seen were the strange Ambassador Morden and the equally strange Lennier, the Emperor's bodyguard. The fact that Lennier had not been seen for several months gave rise to many rumours, but his return to Alliance space was not noticed for some time.

  Emperor Mollari found himself very unpopular, partly for all the reasons outlined above, but also because of his exile of the former Lord — General Marrago. The Emperor was spending more and more time in the palace and was seldom seen in public. Even his goodwill tour of the newly regained colonies ended prematurely after a fourth assassination attempt was foiled. His Lady Consort, Timov, was however often seen in public, and she was commonly believed to be one of the best things about the Court.

  As for the former Lord — General, he had disappeared following his exile, and was widely believed to have been murdered by agents of the Court. However, while there was a large bounty on his head and assassination attempts had been made, he was very far from dead, and was engaged in very private dealings elsewhere.

  LADY KEELA SHARNI (2293) Republic in Flames. Chapter 9 of The Rise and Fall

  of the United Alliance, the End of the Second Age and the Beginning of the

  Third, vol. 3, 2262: The Missing Year. Ed: S. Barringer, G. Boshears, A. E.

  Clements, D. G. Goldingay & M. G. Kerr.

  * * *

  He still saw her eyes all the time. They were shining in his mind, brilliant stars in the heavens of his soul. And sometimes he saw them dull and red, cold and lifeless.

  I could not protect you, Lyndisty.

  Marrago was old, and he was alone, but he was no longer tired. Indeed, he felt stronger than he ever had. At long last he had a purpose, a goal, a mission. And a simple, unequivocal one at that.

  Free Centauri Prime.

  It was the beginning of an alliance, a new alliance. A small one admittedly, only three at present, but then a night of a thousand drinks begins with a single sip. Marrago had heard a similar human phrase about miles and steps, which he preferred.

  A Minbari, a human, a Centauri, and a flying castle full of Soul Hunters. Perhaps not such a small start after all.

  And it would only grow.

  Marrago was a tactician and he understood that not everything can be achieved at once. Sinoval understood that as well. It would take time, and in any case this was not a war of force of arms, but a war of ideas and beliefs and understanding.

  But there were some similarities in both types of war. They both needed people.

  Sinoval had said he would be busy elsewhere, but Marrago knew exactly what to do. He approved.

  Mercenaries were easy to find these days. The entire galaxy had been at war for years, and a sudden outbreak of peace was very bad for professional soldiers. All manner of different people, of all different races and armies, were looking for work. Narns would not work for Marrago of course, and nor would many Drazi, but there were some.

  It had taken a couple of months, but he had assembled a ten — strong unit, useful for hire as security, bodyguards and the like. Six of them were Centauri, with one Drazi, two Brakiri and a human. A small group, but a good beginning.

  "You can…. find things, yes?" the alien was saying, twit
ching its forelimbs slowly. "Things that…. need finding?"

  "We can do that," Marrago replied. "We need to know what it is, and a rough estimate of the risk involved, before we can set a price, of course."

  "It is…. a delicate matter. A data crystal, with…. valuable information…. of a not altogether legal nature."

  "I see. And what can you tell us about where it is now?"

  "I had to leave Istakhr Station in rather…. awkward circumstances. An individual named Stoner took the crystal…. for safe keeping. He has…. vanished. Find him…. and the crystal, and bring the crystal to me."

  Marrago nodded. "We can do that."

  "And the price?"

  "Will be reasonable. We can discuss that later."

  "I am not a fool."

  "I never believed you were, n'Grath. I hope to do business with you again."

  And the price would be reasonable again, Marrago thought. n'Grath was a prominent crimelord, with influence in all sorts of places. He would be a useful ally. It was well worth losing a few ducats here for potential advantage later.

  Marrago actually found he was enjoying this new life. No politicking, no dancing around, fearful of saying the wrong thing. All he had to do was complete the commissions he won, build an alliance and an armed force, and stay true to those who served with him.

  He found he missed only two things: his garden, and his daughter.

  His garden could be rebuilt, and as for Lyndisty…. well, she would not be returning to him, but she would be avenged before this was over.

  She would be avenged.

  * * *

  Although there had been many rumours of the existence of the sinister Vorlon 'enforcers' known as the Inquisitors, there was no confirmed report until 2259, when Kosh Naranek sent an Inquisitor called Charles Dexter to Kazomi 7 to test the loyalty of John Sheridan and Delenn. Many authorities now believe this to have been a subtle attempt by Kosh to warn Sheridan and Delenn about the true nature of his brethren, but if this is so, the warning, like so many others, went unheeded.