Crusade Chapter 9: T\'N\'T\'ha\'dum\'a
Disclaimer:You can find various humorous disclaimers by clicking here, here, or here.
--------------------------------------
Previously on Crusade:
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR>These TNT-Shadow hybrids were trying to trick him. But were they?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR>And then, they saw it. A ship appeared in the sky above. A black ship of death and destruction.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR>Eilerson gave the order. "Fire," he said coldy.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR>
"I'm going," Gideon said.
"Where?"
"Where else? To T'N'T'ha'dum'a."
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
--------------------------------------
T Minus Two Days
Gideon stood in a small circular chamber in Galen's ship. He stared out of a tiny circular window into the currents of hyperspace.
"You can't go," came Ivanova's voice from behind.
Gideon refused to turn and aknowledge her. "Why not?"
"Kosh has already said..."
"Kosh. Some say his few words have deep meaning. I say his words are few and have even less meaning."
"You're wrong."
"Maybe," Gideon said. "I'll find out soon enough."
*****
The Excalibur waited in the exact place Gideon had left her.
Then, a brightness in space appeared. A bright blue jump point suddenly shot open. Galen's ship sped out, a shadow against the light of the jump point.
*****
"Captain!" Matheson exclaimed as Gideon stepped out of Galen's ship. "We're glad to see you back in one piece. Dureena and I went to help you..."
"That was stupid, Lieutenant. A very stupid thing to do."
"Yes sir. But may I ask how you escaped?"
"You may not." Gideon was in too much of a hurry to stop and chat with his first officer. "I'll need a Whitestar. Contact the office of John Sheridan and inform them of the situation."
"What...situation, sir?"
Gideon turned to Matheson and narrowed his eyes. "You'll tell them I need a Whitestar, Lieutenant. And you'll tell them to send a skeleton crew with it. When they arrive the crew will be transferred onboard the Exaclibur and then I will proceed on mission."
"What mission, Captain?"
Gideon said nothing. He had a mission to accomplish.
*****
T Minus One Day
As soon as Matthew reached his quarters, he collapsed on his bed. Although he dared not show it to the others, he was tired.
Suddenly he sensed something. The Apocalypse Box.
The cabinet seemed to glow in the corner of Gideon's eye.
"What the hell do you want?" Gideon frowned as he got up to reach the cabinet. "We're really going to have to talk about this. You're going to have to grow some type of limbs. This is getting old."
As soon as he pulled the Box out, it spoke. The voice was somehow different since Gideon had last spoken with it. It seemed to strangely echo his own voice. "You must go."
"Where?" Gideon said in a whisper.
"T'N'T'ha'dum'a."
"Why?"
"As I have said before, things change."
That was the end of the conversation, Gideon realized.
*****
T Minus 23 Hours
"Captain," Matheson's voice came over a small speaker near Gideon's bed, "the Whitestar you requested has arrived. The crew is being moved onboard the Excalibur."
Gideon gathered his thoughts and woke himself up. "Very well. Make sure a shuttle is ready. I'll be on the docking bay within the hour."
"Yes sir."
The signal went silent.
Gideon slowly rose from his bed and approached his monitor. "Computer, prepare recording to be sent to Captain Ivanova."
*****
As Gideon reached the docking bay, he noticed Kosh waiting for him.
When he approached, Kosh nodded.
"If you're here to give disapproval Kosh, I really don't care. You can escort yourself out the airlock."
"You do not understand."
"I do understand. You're just afraid to admit that."
"No," Kosh said.
"Get out of my way, or by God I'll kick you in the ass!"
"Impudent!"
"Listen, you fat excuse for a Vorlon. Do you realize that millions of people are going to die...again? I refuse to simply sit by and watch! Unless you get off your plastic ass and do something, millions...billions will die. Now get out of my way."
"Intolerable!" Kosh said as he formed a small cut on Gideon's left cheek.
"All right, smart ass. You want some of this? Huh?"
Kosh stood silent for a moment and finally answered. "No." He then slid out of Gideon's way.
*****
T Minus 1 Hour
"Destination confirmed," the computer said.
"All right. Jump to normal space," Gideon ordered from the command chair of Whitestar 103.
As he felt the ship shake a bit from the jump, he brought up the viewscreen.
To his surprise, not one ship orbited T'N'T'ha'dum'a. It seemed empty; alone. But why?
The planet shined in the distance. Gideon would soon arrive and execute his plan.
*****
The small shuttle roared through the atmosphere of T'N'T'ha'dum'a.
Then, as a bird, it softly touched down on the surface.
Gideon emerged soon after.
*****
He found an ancient stone door not far away. He had no idea how to open it, or even where he was going. He just knew what he had to accomplish.
Then, as they knew he was there, the door slid open. He entered.
A blond-haired man with long hair stood in the doorway. "Hello Captain."
"Who are you?"
"My name is Fabyron."
"What do you want?"
He smiled. "You shall soon find out."
*****
The mysterious man showed him down numerous granite hallways until they at last came to the end of the tunnel. An especially large entrance demanded his attention.
Fabyron closed his eyes and the door opened. He extended his hand, motioning Gideon to go in.
Gideon reluctantly entered. A small couch and table awaited the two. On the table were two cups of coffee, and two bagels.
"Please Captain, sit down."
Gideon sat on the comfortable couch. "Now...you were about to tell me what you want?"
The man smiled again. "That is an interesting question. I work for the TNTites. They are an ancient race, devoted to increasing their allies. They also seek more money and power. Always."
"I see," Gideon said.
"They wish to add you to their side. You would make a powerful ally," Fabyron whispered.
"I will not join with the TNTites. Under no circumstances. I have to find a cure for the Drakh plague."
Fabyron dismissed the idea with a wave of the hand. "We could cure the plague within a week."
Gideon's voice grew louder. "Then why haven't you?"
"They say it is not yet time."
Gideon looked at Fabyron with an evil eye. "This has got to come to an end, now.."
Fabyron laughed and then took a sip of coffee. "What do you mean by that?"
Gideon quickly activated his link. He put in a code and activated the Whitestar. It screamed toward the planet with a load of 30 nuclear explosives.
"Oh," Fabyron said in a whisper, "that."
Gideon heard an explosion above him.
"Did you really think that would work again? We learned many important lessons from the Shadows."
Gideon sneered. "You bastards!"
Fabyron. "And now, Captain, it's time for you to join our cause. You must join our campaign of violence and sex. We will have allies."
"Well," Gideon said. "That's an interesting concept, but I'm going to have to kindly decline," Gideon said as he flipped Fabyron off.
Fabyron no longer smiled. "You'll do what you're told!"
Then, in an instant, a stone door opened behind Gideon. Out came the same spiky figures he and Ivanova had faced on Mars.
Gideon was ready. He turned quickly and shot at it with his PPG. He then followed up with foul language.
"You can't stop us all," Fabyron said, smiling again. "Not alone, anyway."
"Yes," Kosh said as he slid in.
"In Tessiejddiejanvkeodciv's name! A Vorlon!" Fabyron said with unending anger.
"Yes," Kosh said as he exploded Fabyron's head.
"Kosh!" Gideon said. "You..."
"Yes. We must leave. Now.."
But the TNTites were none to meddle with. All but one of the stone doors slammed shut.
"Go," Kosh said.
"Wait...!"
"No. Go."
"But..."
"Impudent! Go!"
Gideon turned, nervous about leaving Kosh behind.
*****
"You have one new message," the computer said.
"Play," Ivanova ordered.
Gideon appeared on the screen. "Susan, by the time you get this message I will be at T'N'T'ha'dum'a. Susan, I've never known anyone else like you. I...love you."
"Oh please!" Ivanova yelled at the screen. "What a bunch of bull!"
"Goodbye," Gideon said.
*****
Gideon ran down a long hallway, trying to get away. Kosh...but Kosh was still back there.
Suddenly Gideon saw an image in his mind. It was almost like a dream.
His father appeared in front of him. "Son...I--" he said as he tried to maintain his balance. "There was no time to tell you...I...I'm proud of you, and I love you."
Gideon attempted to help his father, but it was too late. The image faded.
Finally, Gideon came to an exit. However, he soon discovered this was no exit. The TNTites had led him to a trap. There was only that which lay behind and that which was ahead--a 50 foot crevice.
Spiky figures began to appear at a distance. Gideon knew he had to do something. He wouldn't let the TNTites control him.
He looked over the edge. He would surely break his neck if he jumped.
Then a voice seemed to echo through his mind. "Jump. Jump now."
"Are you crazy?" Gideon asked.
"No."
"My God! I can't jump. I'll die."
"Yes."
"All right then. This should be intersting..."
Gideon jumped off the edge into the abyss.
*****
Ivanova sat alone in her quarters, in deep thought.
It was the end of the Earth month November, and the war had paused, suddenly and unexpectedly. All around us, it was as if the universe were holding its breath. Waiting... All of life can be broken down into moments of transition or moments of revelation. This had the feeling of both..."
G'Kar said, quoting some other Narn 'There is a greater darkness than the one we fight. It is the darkness of the soul that has lost its way. The war we fight is not against powers and principalities, it is against chaos and despair. Greater than the death of flesh is the death of stories, the threat of cancellation. Against this peril we can never surrender. The future is all around us, waiting, in moments of transition, to be born in moments of revelation. No one knows the shape of that future or where it will take us. We know only that it is always born in pain.'"
------------------
[This message has been edited by BlackStar (edited November 16, 2001).]
Disclaimer:You can find various humorous disclaimers by clicking here, here, or here.
--------------------------------------
Previously on Crusade:
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR>These TNT-Shadow hybrids were trying to trick him. But were they?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR>And then, they saw it. A ship appeared in the sky above. A black ship of death and destruction.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR>Eilerson gave the order. "Fire," he said coldy.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR>
"I'm going," Gideon said.
"Where?"
"Where else? To T'N'T'ha'dum'a."
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
--------------------------------------
T Minus Two Days
Gideon stood in a small circular chamber in Galen's ship. He stared out of a tiny circular window into the currents of hyperspace.
"You can't go," came Ivanova's voice from behind.
Gideon refused to turn and aknowledge her. "Why not?"
"Kosh has already said..."
"Kosh. Some say his few words have deep meaning. I say his words are few and have even less meaning."
"You're wrong."
"Maybe," Gideon said. "I'll find out soon enough."
*****
The Excalibur waited in the exact place Gideon had left her.
Then, a brightness in space appeared. A bright blue jump point suddenly shot open. Galen's ship sped out, a shadow against the light of the jump point.
*****
"Captain!" Matheson exclaimed as Gideon stepped out of Galen's ship. "We're glad to see you back in one piece. Dureena and I went to help you..."
"That was stupid, Lieutenant. A very stupid thing to do."
"Yes sir. But may I ask how you escaped?"
"You may not." Gideon was in too much of a hurry to stop and chat with his first officer. "I'll need a Whitestar. Contact the office of John Sheridan and inform them of the situation."
"What...situation, sir?"
Gideon turned to Matheson and narrowed his eyes. "You'll tell them I need a Whitestar, Lieutenant. And you'll tell them to send a skeleton crew with it. When they arrive the crew will be transferred onboard the Exaclibur and then I will proceed on mission."
"What mission, Captain?"
Gideon said nothing. He had a mission to accomplish.
*****
T Minus One Day
As soon as Matthew reached his quarters, he collapsed on his bed. Although he dared not show it to the others, he was tired.
Suddenly he sensed something. The Apocalypse Box.
The cabinet seemed to glow in the corner of Gideon's eye.
"What the hell do you want?" Gideon frowned as he got up to reach the cabinet. "We're really going to have to talk about this. You're going to have to grow some type of limbs. This is getting old."
As soon as he pulled the Box out, it spoke. The voice was somehow different since Gideon had last spoken with it. It seemed to strangely echo his own voice. "You must go."
"Where?" Gideon said in a whisper.
"T'N'T'ha'dum'a."
"Why?"
"As I have said before, things change."
That was the end of the conversation, Gideon realized.
*****
T Minus 23 Hours
"Captain," Matheson's voice came over a small speaker near Gideon's bed, "the Whitestar you requested has arrived. The crew is being moved onboard the Excalibur."
Gideon gathered his thoughts and woke himself up. "Very well. Make sure a shuttle is ready. I'll be on the docking bay within the hour."
"Yes sir."
The signal went silent.
Gideon slowly rose from his bed and approached his monitor. "Computer, prepare recording to be sent to Captain Ivanova."
*****
As Gideon reached the docking bay, he noticed Kosh waiting for him.
When he approached, Kosh nodded.
"If you're here to give disapproval Kosh, I really don't care. You can escort yourself out the airlock."
"You do not understand."
"I do understand. You're just afraid to admit that."
"No," Kosh said.
"Get out of my way, or by God I'll kick you in the ass!"
"Impudent!"
"Listen, you fat excuse for a Vorlon. Do you realize that millions of people are going to die...again? I refuse to simply sit by and watch! Unless you get off your plastic ass and do something, millions...billions will die. Now get out of my way."
"Intolerable!" Kosh said as he formed a small cut on Gideon's left cheek.
"All right, smart ass. You want some of this? Huh?"
Kosh stood silent for a moment and finally answered. "No." He then slid out of Gideon's way.
*****
T Minus 1 Hour
"Destination confirmed," the computer said.
"All right. Jump to normal space," Gideon ordered from the command chair of Whitestar 103.
As he felt the ship shake a bit from the jump, he brought up the viewscreen.
To his surprise, not one ship orbited T'N'T'ha'dum'a. It seemed empty; alone. But why?
The planet shined in the distance. Gideon would soon arrive and execute his plan.
*****
The small shuttle roared through the atmosphere of T'N'T'ha'dum'a.
Then, as a bird, it softly touched down on the surface.
Gideon emerged soon after.
*****
He found an ancient stone door not far away. He had no idea how to open it, or even where he was going. He just knew what he had to accomplish.
Then, as they knew he was there, the door slid open. He entered.
A blond-haired man with long hair stood in the doorway. "Hello Captain."
"Who are you?"
"My name is Fabyron."
"What do you want?"
He smiled. "You shall soon find out."
*****
The mysterious man showed him down numerous granite hallways until they at last came to the end of the tunnel. An especially large entrance demanded his attention.
Fabyron closed his eyes and the door opened. He extended his hand, motioning Gideon to go in.
Gideon reluctantly entered. A small couch and table awaited the two. On the table were two cups of coffee, and two bagels.
"Please Captain, sit down."
Gideon sat on the comfortable couch. "Now...you were about to tell me what you want?"
The man smiled again. "That is an interesting question. I work for the TNTites. They are an ancient race, devoted to increasing their allies. They also seek more money and power. Always."
"I see," Gideon said.
"They wish to add you to their side. You would make a powerful ally," Fabyron whispered.
"I will not join with the TNTites. Under no circumstances. I have to find a cure for the Drakh plague."
Fabyron dismissed the idea with a wave of the hand. "We could cure the plague within a week."
Gideon's voice grew louder. "Then why haven't you?"
"They say it is not yet time."
Gideon looked at Fabyron with an evil eye. "This has got to come to an end, now.."
Fabyron laughed and then took a sip of coffee. "What do you mean by that?"
Gideon quickly activated his link. He put in a code and activated the Whitestar. It screamed toward the planet with a load of 30 nuclear explosives.
"Oh," Fabyron said in a whisper, "that."
Gideon heard an explosion above him.
"Did you really think that would work again? We learned many important lessons from the Shadows."
Gideon sneered. "You bastards!"
Fabyron. "And now, Captain, it's time for you to join our cause. You must join our campaign of violence and sex. We will have allies."
"Well," Gideon said. "That's an interesting concept, but I'm going to have to kindly decline," Gideon said as he flipped Fabyron off.
Fabyron no longer smiled. "You'll do what you're told!"
Then, in an instant, a stone door opened behind Gideon. Out came the same spiky figures he and Ivanova had faced on Mars.
Gideon was ready. He turned quickly and shot at it with his PPG. He then followed up with foul language.
"You can't stop us all," Fabyron said, smiling again. "Not alone, anyway."
"Yes," Kosh said as he slid in.
"In Tessiejddiejanvkeodciv's name! A Vorlon!" Fabyron said with unending anger.
"Yes," Kosh said as he exploded Fabyron's head.
"Kosh!" Gideon said. "You..."
"Yes. We must leave. Now.."
But the TNTites were none to meddle with. All but one of the stone doors slammed shut.
"Go," Kosh said.
"Wait...!"
"No. Go."
"But..."
"Impudent! Go!"
Gideon turned, nervous about leaving Kosh behind.
*****
"You have one new message," the computer said.
"Play," Ivanova ordered.
Gideon appeared on the screen. "Susan, by the time you get this message I will be at T'N'T'ha'dum'a. Susan, I've never known anyone else like you. I...love you."
"Oh please!" Ivanova yelled at the screen. "What a bunch of bull!"
"Goodbye," Gideon said.
*****
Gideon ran down a long hallway, trying to get away. Kosh...but Kosh was still back there.
Suddenly Gideon saw an image in his mind. It was almost like a dream.
His father appeared in front of him. "Son...I--" he said as he tried to maintain his balance. "There was no time to tell you...I...I'm proud of you, and I love you."
Gideon attempted to help his father, but it was too late. The image faded.
Finally, Gideon came to an exit. However, he soon discovered this was no exit. The TNTites had led him to a trap. There was only that which lay behind and that which was ahead--a 50 foot crevice.
Spiky figures began to appear at a distance. Gideon knew he had to do something. He wouldn't let the TNTites control him.
He looked over the edge. He would surely break his neck if he jumped.
Then a voice seemed to echo through his mind. "Jump. Jump now."
"Are you crazy?" Gideon asked.
"No."
"My God! I can't jump. I'll die."
"Yes."
"All right then. This should be intersting..."
Gideon jumped off the edge into the abyss.
*****
Ivanova sat alone in her quarters, in deep thought.
It was the end of the Earth month November, and the war had paused, suddenly and unexpectedly. All around us, it was as if the universe were holding its breath. Waiting... All of life can be broken down into moments of transition or moments of revelation. This had the feeling of both..."
G'Kar said, quoting some other Narn 'There is a greater darkness than the one we fight. It is the darkness of the soul that has lost its way. The war we fight is not against powers and principalities, it is against chaos and despair. Greater than the death of flesh is the death of stories, the threat of cancellation. Against this peril we can never surrender. The future is all around us, waiting, in moments of transition, to be born in moments of revelation. No one knows the shape of that future or where it will take us. We know only that it is always born in pain.'"
------------------
[This message has been edited by BlackStar (edited November 16, 2001).]
