The Excalibur receives a hail from what appears to be a Techno-Mage ship.  The ship docks and a Techno-Mage comes aboard, startling the crew.  Dark and mysterious, she requests to see Galen.  Gideon informs him that Galen is not aboard at the moment.  No one is thrilled with her reply:  "Then I will wait."

Talia Winters arrives at Mars Dome and visits Michael Garibaldi, who is about to launch his operation against Pro-Zeta Corporation.  Garibaldi was always fond of Talia and promises to help in any way he can, but first he must finish the operation against Pro-Zeta.  Talia volunteers to go with him and help.  Together, they break into Pro-Zeta's headquarters and search through records.  Garibaldi subdues a couple of officials in the building and Talia mentally probes them.  They learn that the poisoned food was part of a larger plot to weaken the hold of Mars over what's left of the Earth Alliance.  The destruction of Earth's biosphere has apparently done little to curb the open dislike and even hostility of the other EA worlds towards Mars, and many now resent the Red Planet having become the de facto seat of Human government.  Garibaldi vows revenge.

The Excalibur continues on to a remote world, and within hours of arrival, Max and Dureena begin to notice strange newcomers aboard.  These people--mostly Human and Minbari--appear in various guises (or disguises), but both Max and Dureena guess they're probably Rangers.

On Minbar, the Human telepath Alisa Beldon watches the situation go from bad to worse.  Minbar has left the Interstellar Alliance and the mood among Minbari toward Humans has deteriorated.  She resolves to leave the planet as soon as she is able, but transportation offworld is difficult at the moment.

Galen arrives aboard the Excalibur and finds the other Techno-Mage, Lyndi, waiting.  They confer in private, with Lyndi warning Galen that he can expect no help from the other Mages, who in fact believe Galen is contributing to a coming galactic conflagration.  "You are now truly on your own," she tells him.  "We will have nothing more to do with you."  To this Galen shrugs and replies, "As usual.  No matter."  She departs.

Galen talks later with Gideon and warns him that all evidence now points to a growing darkness on Mars.  With the murder of President-Elect Redway, it may have been delayed, but it has taken root and grows stronger each day.  Gideon discusses this news with Matheson and decides that, from this point forward, he can no longer trust the orders of the Earth Alliance in any way.  Matheson confirms that over the past few months, they have been very successful in rotating off crewmembers with strong loyalty to the EA, and rotating aboard those who are more closely connected to the ISA.  If and when an open break must occur, Matheson believes they will have little trouble from the crew.

Dureena and Max sit in the lounge and talk over drinks.  Max has already heard rumors that Gideon and company may be distancing themselves from the EA, and he is angry about this at first, but Dureena reminds him that the two of them both essentially do the same job-- find interesting things, and take what's worth taking-- and they don't need a government behind them to do that.  Max shrugs-- Interplanetary Expeditions is scarcely tied to the EA, anyway, and they sign his checks.  Dureena can tell that something other than this actually bothers Eilerson, but she doesn't pry.  Before they separate, Max and Dureena vow to look out for one another in the future--as a professional courtesy, they both say.

On Centauri Prime, Londo enjoys--as much as he is able-- a dinner with the visiting Vir.  It's the first time he's seen Vir in months, and it's painful to Londo to be unable to thank Vir for his role in saving the Excalibur from destruction earlier in the year.  Vir does manage to convey a message, however--or at least the idea behind it:  Something extraordinary will happen soon on Centauri Prime.  The end of the current status quo for Londo and his world may be very near.

After leaving the palace, Vir transmits a secret message, relaying what he has said and learned.

The many strangers aboard the Excalibur convene in a large conference room and Marcus and Neroon sit at the head of the table.  Gideon and Galen are invited to sit in, and they learn that these are "Renegade Rangers" who have decided to follow their consciences and thus follow Neroon instead of Forrell.  Marcus reveals that a very large number of Rangers have sided with them--larger even than Neroon had hoped.

Marcus reveals to Neroon and the others what he has learned:  All of the Minbari on Forrell's "hit-list" are related to Delenn.  Not only that, they all descend along one particular branch.  

Neroon gasps.  "They are all Children of Valen."

"What could this mean?" Marcus asks.  "Why would Forrell want to eliminate the entire current generation that is descended from Valen?"

Neroon shakes his head.  "I do not know.  But this is grave news indeed."  He and Marcus vow to stop Forrell and bring down these Dark Rangers.

Galen purses his lips, deep in thought, but says nothing concerning this... for now.

Neroon growls that the time has come to strike--and he wants nothing less than the liberation of Minbar.  Both Gideon and Galen point out that Minbar is far too difficult a first target.  They must remove the enemy's support structure first, leaving the Drakh with nowhere to turn.

G'Kar points out that while he has needed to keep what they've learned about the Drakh on Centauri Prime secret from most of the ISA, he has managed to bring a few trusted commanders from some of the member races in on the secret.  Though some were--not surprisingly-- not terribly overjoyed at the notion of sacrificing anything to help the Centauri, some have pledged a small number of warships to any effort to liberate Centauri Prime, should a decision be reached to attempt it.  "The Brakiri... the Vree... perhaps the Gaim... I would not expect much more than that, and only a few ships from each," G'Kar states, "but it is better than nothing."

Galen then reveals that he has agents in place on Centauri Prime, and that with the help of the Renegade Rangers, they may be ready to strike there.  Vir has set up a network of operatives ready to lay down their lives to destroy the Drakh infestation and free their homeworld.  Galen has been in contact with him and supports the plan.

Neroon and Marcus agree.  Gideon promises the support of the Excalibur.  "I may have a few tricks up my sleeve, too," he tells them.  "When you need us, we will be there."

After the meeting, Galen, Neroon, Marcus, and the Renegade Rangers depart, dispersing in their various directions to prepare for the coming battle.

Gideon returns to his quarters and draws the Apocalypse Box out of its hidden compartment.  He tells it of their plans for Centauri Prime, and the Box gives him numerous secret access codes and other planetary security information.  Gideon asks how it has current information on something like this.  "Many places at once," it replies.  "Not reunited... yet."  And then, "Beware of sickness... from the sky."  After that, it will say no more, and a puzzled Gideon stores it away.

A few days later, word comes in from the Ranger forces massing near Centauri Prime.  They are very nearly ready to strike.  Suddenly Matheson reacts to a new signal:  "One moment...  New contact, Captain.  Unknown ship entering this sector."

The ship appears on the bridge screen:  A black Shadow-looking ship, apparently a hybrid of Shadow and other technology.  The Shadow Hybrid senses them and whirls, zooming away.

"That's it!  That's the ship!"  Gideon leaps to his feet.  "The one that destroyed my old ship, the Cerberus."

"It's moving fast," Matheson reports.  "It'll be out of range in a few moments."

Marcus's face hovers on another screen.  "We will need you here at Centauri Prime very shortly, Captain."

Gideon appears to be weighing a tremendous decision.  He decides, and issues the order over all objections.  "Follow that ship, Lieutenant.  Whatever you do, do not lose it."

"But, Captain-- the Rangers--  What if we're too--"

"Now.  It can't get away again."  He glares.  "I want that ship, John."

Matheson nods once and issues the order to engineering.  The Excalibur rockets after the Shadow Hybrid.

Meanwhile...

On a desolate world, a lone figure trudges along, searching for something... or someone. 

As the galaxy rushed once more towards war, those of us with true power and true understanding faced momentous decisions.  Would we stand with the few remaining bastions of Light?  Or would we flee into the void, chasing our own fears, our own personal demons?  Would we stand resolute in the face of the enemy, or would we abandon our homes, our very worlds, to the Darkness?  At the end of the Earth year 2269, the battle lines were drawn, and all that remained was war... and its terrible, terrible aftermath."  --Galen

DarkCrusade is the Crusade Alternate Universe story--
the complete, five-year Crusade saga, following one slight change in 2261, "the year everything changed."
Story, design, and layout by Van Allen Plexico. Send correspondence and comments to vplexico@bellsouth.net
Babylon 5 and Crusade created by J. Michael Straczynski and property of Warner Communications.