Chess Game in the B5-Universe , anyone ?

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Black Queen C4xC3

<font color="yellow">Story</font color>

Lazily cruising hyperspace on the edges of the Epsilon system, Ziirq noticed a lone White Star. Having recently heard of an enemy diplomat departing from Babylon 5, it decided to take no chances. If this was her, opportunity had come to remove an opponent.

All weapons employed entropy, artificially fastening the decay of matter and information into energy. This was no exception, just exceptionally efficient. Before any sensor registered anything, space folded in on the White Star. Having insufficient mass to maintain itself, the miniature black hole evaporated, blinding flash indicating matter converted into energy.

<font color="yellow">Chess move</font color>

Black Queen C4xC3

 

[dawnchild]

White Queen H4-G5 Check

<font color="blue">Roleplay</font color>: Delenn found it good to be back on Minbar. She hadn`t been there for a long while and it was good to talk to her old friends and advisors in the Religious Cast.

Her oldest friend , Servath , looked at her and said "Delenn , you are troubled within." She stared back at him and replied "You know me too well , Servath." A Pause. "Yes , I am troubled .. over this war. And other things." He did not press her but let the silence last before he said , "The Ancient Enemy is back , 1000 years have passed and the war is begun anew." Much had been kept secret in the time that had gone by , recent and not , but it was time to face facts.

For victory.

"We must strike them at Zha`dum , centre of their power." Servath`s words made shivers run down Delenn`s back. She knew however that it was true. The same thought had been in her own head. "You are right , Servath" she said , "it is our only choice though the danger is immense."

"Sometimes we must step into the fire , Delenn" the old and wise Minbari said with conviction ,"and be the light that withstands the heat."

She bowed to him , valuing his advice and that of her Cast immensely , and he bowed back to his Cast-Leader.

"It shall be done." Her last words echoed in the hall for a long time.

And the Light be with us.

Not long after a huge fleet of ships from the Army of Light left Babylon 5 in the direction of Zha`dum. Delenn`s Whitestar-ship met up with Sheridan`s on the way and they headed onward toward the homeplanet of the enemy , hoping that their surprise-attack would go almost undetected .. until it was too late atleast.

<font color="red">Chess-move</font color>: White Queen H4-G5 Check

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Black King G8-F8

<font color="yellow">Story</font color>

Noticing the enemy fleet assembling and departing from Babylon 5, Ziirq decided not to interfere.

Even for a Shadow, to move without adequate tools against several thousand ships was unwise. Without a singularity bomb to drop into the fleet, without a disinfector backing your move, destroying a significant portion of such a fleet might place you in danger.

It would mean personal risk. Personal risk was considered inefficient. It was inefficient for a Shadow to risk one's life for a fleet, a little fleet which time would destroy soon, if Shadow weapons would not claim it sooner.

Also, it was unacceptable to interfere directly. In this Change, the border between direct and indirect had grown thin, but it still existed. Removing leaders, removing servants of the enemy... acceptable measures of persuasion.

Removing the Machine and its Guardian was acceptable. However, stopping a coalition that wide, forcibly quenching their common desire... was unacceptable. Especially now -- when they had finally chosen conflict, seen the right path.

The conflict they sought was misdirected, but it was conflict -- thus better than nothing. It sent the alert to prepare their reception at Z'ha'dum. They would fight, no matter which principles they fought for. Chaos would see to itself. They would come to Z'ha'dum. If they would leave, they would leave changed.

They might overcome the defense. Despite dimly remembered exaggerations, ancient horror stories winding their way across the collective memory of several species...

...Z'ha'dum was not heavily defended, at least from Shadow perspective. It could defeat most attackers. So far, only one had tricked the Shadows, used their own force against them, escaping without bitter losses.

For the Shadows, defense was a learned language, something they would translate and emulate, yet failed to speak natively. They had never stood on the line of no retreat. For them, loss simply mean disappearing, learning, preparing, waiting a while.

Just like loss was not a matter of life and death, neither did victory mean much for Shadows. For this reason, they were feared. When they fought, they fought pragmatically and efficiently, carefully weighing each trade-off.

Either way, no matter the outcome, some who attacked Z'ha'dum would return, carrying with them the message the Shadows sought to deliver. Only in competition, preferably in conflict can progress be made.

This message, once loss would seal it in place, could not be erased, even by several generations. It could only be circumvented, but Ziirq was sure it couldn't be circumvented this time.

On Z'ha'dum, hasty preparations were made, allies from younger races warned to stay clear, matters of importance finished, things of value moved off.

<font color="yellow">Chess move</font color>

Black King G8-F8

 

[dawnchild]

White Queen G5-F5 Check

<font color="blue">Roleplay</font color>: Onwards they sped through hyperspace toward the homeworld of the Shadows. So far they had not encountered enemy-vessels but Delenn felt sure that they would before arrival.

Into the fire we go. This is destiny.

The huge fleet swept through the ocean in-between that was hyperspace.

<font color="red">Chess-move</font color>: White Queen G5-F5 Check

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Black King F8-E8

<font color="yellow">Story</font color>

Determined to play their cards well, the Shadows not only siphoned off everything valuable from Z'ha'dum, but also dissolved, one by one, every outpost which might resist the incoming fleet.

They anticipated, wished the enemy would arrive sooner. Arrive in full power, with their original intentions and motivations still intact. Only then could Shadow sociohistorians learn what they desired. Most associates, no matter their specialty, saw a challenge approaching and welcomed it. In their everyday business, challenges were too rare.

Ten years ago, Humans had spent everything they could to delay the arrival of the Minbari fleet at their homeworld. In those years, eyes which observed the galaxy ages before... were focused on Minbar and Earth.

Ever observant, always watching from the shadows, they had noticed this tragedy with grief and unease. Even from the futile and inefficient struggle of simple and temporary creatures could things be learned. From mistakes, things could always be learned.

Humans had made a mistake. They had defended, clung to their territory, homeworld, heritage. They had delayed the Minbari, giving them reason to fight, time to adapt. Associates had considered recommending to Humans a wise course of action. However, time was not right. Humans and Minbari would have to find their own way.

Had the Minbari fleet arrived at Earth without any resistance... had the Earth fleet and most Humans disappeared without fighting... Earth would have been a mere symbol, attracting at most economic exploitation. Should the latter happen, it would tie up Minbari resources.

If a planet would refuse to resist, inviting the attacker to benefit from its resources without adverse consequences, sane enemies would not fight. Those whose sought to exploit would stay and exploit, making themselves a target, toys to be played with and learned from. Few would realize they are holding the narrow end.

Those whose true goal would be fighting... would leave, try finding those who resist them. If those who resist move like shadows, finding them is not efficient. While moving around, shadows only gather more strength, more knowledge. Those who try to follow... only waste their energy.

Applied to the Earth-Minbari war, this simple principle meant that when encountering such a situation, the Minbari would have either stopped the war, or tried to occupy Earth. The first choice would have resolved the conflict, the second would even odds. Most likely, the war would have stopped. Casualties were insufficient to drive it.

Had the Minbari short-sightedly destroyed a mostly evacuated Earth, they would have tilted the interstellar opinion against themselves. Moreover, while doing it, they would have revealed their exact military strength and weakness, perception and limit. After this test, moving against them would have been easier.

If an enemy would arrive at its main target early, without normal resistance, it would be deprived of possibilities to adapt. In such a situation, Shadow strategy deemed it essential to help the enemy move quicker. Accept the main battle with an open mind, more like scientific experiment than real battle.

Moving quickly, every enemy would make errors.
Shadows sought to master the art of moving quickly.
Errors could be learned from.

<font color="yellow">Chess move</font color>

Black King F8-E8

 

[dawnchild]

White Queen F5-H5 Check

<font color="blue">Roleplay</font color>: It had happened 1000 years before and now history repeated itself. In a Wheel of Time , ever spinning in a dynasty of ages , the conflict returned - to be fought and died over.

Anew.

Though many secrets remained hidden to the Minbari , they had the heritage of Valen and understood the importance of this. That understanding came in part through the influence - though discreet and tactful - of the ancient race of the Vorlons through the centuries was undeniable.

But what do the Vorlons plan to do now I wonder , Delenn thought a little fearfully to herself. They have not responded to our plea of aid in this war. They seem to be on their own secretive path and if the rumours are true their path is a destructive one.

The First Ones acted as they saw fit , whether Shadows or Vorlons , and it was hard to understand their reasoning.

We must continue on our path , whatever the Vorlons are doing , and hope it leads to victory!

<font color="red">Chess-move</font color>: White Queen F5-H5 Check

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Black King E8-E7

<font color="yellow">Story</font color>

Amid less than organized preparation, typical of the Shadows when they did something, somebody had left stray ships, incomplete products onto the enemy way. To gain a better strategic position, this waste was acceptable. Hopefully this would not slow down the incoming offensive. Even if it would, this might have certain benefits. The Eye would be better prepared to accomplish some rather interesting tricks.

<font color="yellow">Chess move</font color>

Black King E8-E7

 

[dawnchild]

White Queen H5xH7 Check

<font color="blue">Roleplay</font color>: They encountered the first ships further away from Zha`dum than they had expected and though these enemy-ships fought back resiliently they were destroyed fairly easily.

But those ships were small and seemingly unprepared for our coming. The next time they will be prepared thought Delenn with conviction as they sped onwards toward their chosen sector.

<font color="red">Chess-move</font color>: White Queen H5xH7 Check

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Black King E7-D6

<font color="yellow">Story</font color>

The decisive moment had come. When the first Alliance scouting vessels jumped in, Z'ha'dum had become almost completely worthless -- a barren and empty rock, with only deadly traps awaiting anyone who would come. Reluctant to interrupt the Change for minor inconvenience, Shadows had moved their operations elsewhere. They were now watching how the enemy would react.

Soon enough, after fighting some mock resistance, the enemy would face a difficult question. Is it truly over? Is this surrender, or just another trick? Holding the Alliance together would become increasingly difficult. Different factions, now heavily armed due to fear of an ancient enemy, might soon turn their arms against each other.

<font color="yellow">Chess move</font color>

Black King E7-D6

 

[dawnchild]

White Queen H7-H6 Check

<font color="blue">Roleplay</font color>: The attack on Zha`dum did not go as planned. First of all the resistance they met was much smaller than expected. Only some enemy-ships but far from the fleet they had anticipated. Secondly they were not ready for the aerial boobytraps the Shadows had left behind. Several of the ships of the Alliance of Light were destroyed.

Where are they gone ?

Delenn could not believe that the enemy had abandonded its homeworld and she almost expected them to burst through jumpgates at any second and take them in the back. That did not happen however. Still she felt sure they would return to their home when they decided to.

And when will that be ?

Making a strategic decision Delenn ordered the fleet to look for signs of the huge fleet they were sure the Shadows posessed. It was too dangerous to land on Zha`dum to investigate , atleast for the moment. It was sure to be boobytrapped in a dangerous fashion. And so after the small resistance-force that was there was dealt with , with only minor losses , Delenn waited for confirmation of a sighting.

What is going on ? she wondered as she stared into the blackness of space. Are we pawns in a greater game ?

<font color="red">Chess-move</font color>: White Queen H7-H6 Check

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Black King D6-C5

<font color="yellow">Story</font color>

"What are you planning", 13 demanded to know. Ziirq was not exactly the most social Shadow, but it usually spoke of its plans. This time, it was silent.

"You keep bothering me. Help you convince others. Lend assistance with your formulas. Move the Eye here. Install a replacement here. Place a backup there. Yet you insist you would discard the Eye, given a chance."

"Yes. They can maintain their own Eye, several if they want. The nodes I am building can operate without the Eye. I'm trying to rebuild the network, damn forever its cost. I need help with the formulas to increase the degree of self-assembly, achieve a balanced system without excessive price."

"Then explain why. Regardless of your compensations and favours, I am growing impatient. I can guess several paths from here onward, but which are you trying to follow? Do you think others will support? Why the network? Why do we need it?"

"First, I will try to finish this Change. Patch the hull breach, as they said in the old times. After that, I hope to convince others. The time of periodic Changes is over. They are no longer efficient."

"For a long time, changes have been deemed the best measure. Why would you suddenly deem them inefficient? Can you not notice the benefits they have brought?"

"Recent Changes have been inefficient and boring, if not outright failiures. Each time, we have used more force. Things should develop with less inteference. Those who try teaching have learnt previous lessons. Repetition is boring. For them, also hurtful. It diminishes their creativity, and ours.

The disease of rigidity, order, doing what you are told... it still lives. Vorlons are spreading it with intolerable measures, forcing us to respond in equal degree. This needs to stop.

After finishing this round, showing sufficiently many of the younger races the right path, convincing Vorlon minions of their error, or removing them if they work against us, we will take some cycles off... and prepare measures to alter the overall situation."

<font color="yellow">Chess move</font color>

Black King D6-C5

 

[dawnchild]

White Left Castle E1-C1

<font color="blue">Roleplay</font color>: Commander Ivanova`s plan had been simple. And yet far from easy. The plan was to infiltrate the enemy. And it had paid off.

Not the Shadows or their direct allies , that was too difficult and unrealistic , but their human allies for such they had. One of Ivanova`s trusted friends had joined a group of people working with associates of the Shadows , infiltrating their network and gaining secret information on enemy-strongholds.

They had acted swiftly upon this information , parallell with the fleet`s attack on Zha`dum , with great success and now it looked like the tide was turning in this war.

This may change the tide indeed , Ivanova thought with a half-smile upon her lips. If the Light wills , it will.

<font color="red">Chess-move</font color>: White Left Castle E1-C1

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Black Pawn A7-A5

<font color="yellow">Story</font color>

"It is somewhat disappointing," Ziirq wrote. "I will not recommend calling off the Change. Via careless action, we have compromised information which matters. Information of extremely sensitive nature. Atlhough the people who hold it are not direct servants of the enemy... although they have not yet managed to decode it... that information is too important to take any risk. It shall be destroyed without taking any chances.

I will personally ensure its destruction. It may cost a bit. Due to difficulty, possibly great cost, I have chosen to split my path. Should I return, I will be one again. But currently, I am divided. Should one half be lost, the other will become independent and grow. The part which will continue is the part I would prefer to continue, one holding my understanding and convictions.

The other part is simply a tool, a living environment I have used for a long time. It has become familiar, and I have become experienced in using it. Regardless of experience, regardless of all enhancements added with time, that part remains a tool and weapon. Most probably, it will be lost in battle.

For a while, the other part cannot fully assist you. I cannot create a copy of myself, only split which I deem important from what is irrelevant. The part which continues will have everything I consider adaptable and valuable, but it needs time to develop. We will speak again soon enough. I would like if meanwhile, you would support my direction."

----

Regardless of defenses, regardless of the number of backups, agents, ships, possibilities... regardless of Draal, regardless of the station... regardless of anything commanded by the Army of Light... they would not stop it.

While its old body, along with part of its personality, did the fighting, tracked down the materials, quickly and efficiently destroyed everything and everyone who either knew or contained the information... anything which could hold a trace of the precious data, before the enemy might have it... Ziirq started modifying and building its new body.

Such a quick transfer was uncomfortable, but necessary. Speed was essential, even if acting immediately meant losing a large portion of your personality. Time would pass before it could configure itself properly, regain old abilities. To some degree, it looked forward to changing itself...

...changing some things which were inconvenient to change with the baggage of past times with you. More or less knowingly, it kept its fighting half on the line of fire longer than needed, knowing it could extract minor benefit from such a manouver.

<font color="yellow">Chess move</font color>

Black Pawn A7-A5

 

[dawnchild]

White Left Castle C1xC3 Check

<font color="blue">Roleplay</font color>: One of the largest enemy-strongholds was destroyed. This could very well be a terrible blow to the enemy.

This information caused jubilation onboard Babylon 5 when it was announced on ISN and boosted morale.

Commander Ivanova left the station onboard a Whitestar-ship a few earth-hours after the broadcast en route to a rendesvouz-point in sector 7. They were to meet up with a Draazi transport-vessel which had experienced some enemy-fire , with the result of a partly-damaged hull , and needed aid. Ivanova would not normally have gone on this rescue-mission but she felt jubilant and on impulse decided she wanted to "stretch her legs in space" as it were. She often missed combat-flying and this flight made her joyous , unusually so.

When they suddenly out of nowhere encountered enemy-fighters where no such were supposed to be , her smile was wiped off her face.

We are in trouble. Oh darn!

<font color="red">Chess-move</font color>: White Left Castle C1xC3 Check

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Black Castle E3xC3

<font color="yellow">Story:</font color>

Noticing the enemy, the fighters disappeared. While the crew of the White Star anticipated harm, no signs of threat were visible. Nothing would be... until too late. A missile from the Shadow planetkiller simply ripped through the ship, slowed down and returned to its place.

The planetkiller faded from normal space and cruised onward. In the wake of recent events, it had more important duties than dispatching enemy ships. Bothering with one enemy vessel was a secondary task.

This planetkiller followed instructions from the one who had built and taught it. Independent of the rest of Shadow forces, it was attending its own business, serving as representative in matters demanding power.

<font color="yellow">Chess move:</font color>

Black Castle E3xC3

 

[dawnchild]

White Queen H6-F8 Check

<font color="blue">Roleplay</font color>: The huge Alliance Fleet , the Army of Light as they were also called , sped onwards through hyperspace looking for the enemy-fleet which had departed from Zha`dum. Delenn had conferred with Sheridan but neither of them could understand what strategic move this was on the part of their adversary.

What were the Shadows up to ?

Both Sheridan and Delenn feared they might be lead into a trap , but they had to chance it. Such a chance to end this war might never return.

But if we stumble upon that awful Planetkiller of theirs , thought Delenn with a shudder , we might be destroyed.

Reports had suggested the Vorlons were fighting the Shadows as well , but those were rumours as much as fact. Still , if the Shadows were fighting a war on two sides that might give the Army of Light the edge. They had to count on the Shadows being weakened from all this strife.

Please let it be so.

<font color="red">Chess-move</font color>: White Queen H6-F8 Check

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Black King C5-B6

<font color="yellow">Story</font color>

Even without support from its main proponent, the network grew well. Unlikely as it was, 13 had convinced many associates. The fact that Ziirq had been willing to part with so much to destroy prematurely leaked data... it had impressed them. Perhaps truly, soon enough the Eye might be considered an antiquated remnant. Even without that, possibilities were countless...

<font color="yellow">Chess move</font color>

Black King C5-B6

<font color="red">Sorry for total confusion... I plan a move and then tell the wrong letter. Then I correct it and tell the wrong number. Aargh. I just made one impossble move, then hastily corrected it into the wrong move, then corrected it again. Now it is complete. No more corrections. I cannot find suitable words to apologize for such clumsyness.</font color>

 

[dawnchild]

White Right Castle F1-B1 Check

<font color="green">Comment</font color>: No need to apologize Lennier. I have days like that sometimes too /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

<font color="blue">Roleplay</font color>: Ambassador Sinclair listened to the stranger for a long time and nodded at times without speaking. When the hooded man was through with his news he got to his feet and casually left the cafè which was situated on a lower level of the Babylon 5 station.

How to sift fact from rumour?

The stranger had parted with knowledge - for a fee of course - about supposed Vorlon fleet-manouvers in sectors 8 and 9. If it were true that could mean an imminent clash between Vorlon and Shadow forces fairly soon. It could all be a ruse though. What was certain though was that the Vorlons just like their adversaries had associates and allies in many places. Not all things could go undetected always.

The Minbari have respected the Vorlons who where there from the very beginning , he thought to himself. But lately the Vorlons have become secretive and now they are unreachable , keeping to their own council. The question is whether they are posing as a threath to us as well , or if they will aid us in destroying the Shadows.

Finally Sinclair got up and left the cafè and took the elevator up to the level where Command Centre was situated. Entering the room he saw Sheridan sitting to the right , his face drawn and tired , and Sinclair seated himself quietly beside him. He understood the man`s grief after Ivanova`s shocking death a few days before. He shared that grief.

At last Sheridan looked up and exchanged a long look with Sinclair. "Hello Jeffrey" , Sheridan began , "I hope your meeting went well." Sinclair replied that it had gone well. He would give Sheridan the details later on. Sheridan nodded but said nothing more for a long while.

Then at last he spoke but it was more like a whisper. "She is gone , Jeffrey. She is gone , darn be it so - I can`t quite seem to reconcile myself with that fact."

I will miss you , Susan.

Sinclair replied with compassion in his voice. "I know it is hard", he began. "But she died valiantly , John - and both of us know she wanted it no other way." They had indeed fought hard but had had no chance against the weapon of mass-destruction that the enemy had used. Sheridan knew that Sinclair was speaking the truth but it was still hard to accept. All reports had shown that there were no enemy-forces in that sector , darn it - but this showed that nothing was ever certain. Sheridan said as much and Sinclair nodded.

Nothing is indeed ever certain , that is the only thing that is certain in life , my friend.

"You are right. Let us remember Ivanova for the great soldier and officer she was" , Sheridan said finally , pulling himself together and his strength of character reappearing , "and let us make her sacrifice worthwhile. We shall strike back and hard!"

Find them , Delenn. Find them and strike back - for us all!

<font color="red">Chess-move</font color>: White Right Castle F1-B1 Check

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Black King B6-A7

Double-checked my coordinates.
Hopefully this time, without errors. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

<font color="yellow">Story:</font color>

Shadows continued to prepare, constantly moving their still undissolved command centres to avoid detection. Already, the Army of Light had been forced to split, in their deperate attempt to find the only things they could strike at... while they could.

For anyone wishing to strike at the Shadows, it was the wrong time. Shortly, it would be an even worse time. They were remodeling the old, errant, centralized system into a new, elegant, distributed, flexible one.

Random ships visited random planets, nobody recording their travels. This time, nobody memorized where seeds of new fleets were being sown. Even statistics were partly dropped, approximates and estimates presented with multiple levels of misdirection and error.

Information would be hidden... not only in noise, but several layers of false information. Shadows relied on moving better in confused situations. At the moment, their main goal was to create such a sitiation -- with minimum resources wasted, maximum resources gained.

Studying the recent, costly mistakes, they had agreed to keep no centralized record. The future they wanted excluded centralisation. Vorlon minions were trying to track the last movements of their centralized structures. Barely, with precision of about four sectors, could they approximate the location of the Eye.

Vorlons posed greater threat. Now aware that something noteworthy was happening, their observers were investigating... and failing to keep track. Space was big. Vessels moving randomly in something as big... were overwhelming for any tracker.

Vorlon battle groups were helplessly scuttling back and forth through the galaxy, trying to detect and block which could not be detected or blocked. The enemy empire had boosted its industry, colonized new planets, established new defenses. However, Shadow nanomachines were colonizing several times more planets per day.

It was overwhelming, even for Shadows themselves. Nobody knew how many ships, how many planetkillers, how many singularity bombs, how many new bases would harvest bring. Only this was considered certain... when time would come, there would be many.

There was still time. Notable amounts of time, before the results would start showing. That time would be spent in the strangest (and shortest in recent history) hibernation known.

<font color="yellow">Chess move:</font color>

Black King B6-A7

 

[dawnchild]

White Queen F8-F5

<font color="blue">Roleplay</font color>: The Army of Light , a huge fleet of Alliance-ships , kept on their search for the enemy. Inside though Delenn was having serious doubts.

They are gone , that is the truth. Like the humans say , this is like searching for a needle in a haystack.

Conferring with Sheridan for a long time over the intercom in her private chambers she nevertheless decided to stay on the chosen path.

Atleast for a while.

I am sorry , John. Ivanova was a great loss. We shall make them pay in the end!

<font color="red">Chess-move</font color>: White Queen F8-F5