The Doorway Version 3 Final Version Fully Revised and Edited.
The Doorway 3.0
DISCLAIMER: Babylon Five and Star Trek are the Property of their prospective owners. I do not own either of them and I am not receiving any money for this story. This story is public domain. Anyone who wants to post it on their own website is welcome too. Just drop me a line so I can check out your archives myself! lol.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is a revised story, from my first attempt. I've given this a great deal of thought and decided to completely revise the story to do several things: One, to make it more consistent, Two, to add more detail and depth to the story, and Three, to just make the story better all the way around. Some things are going to be moved, deleted or added to, to make the timeline more accurate. I've added a LOT more detail about different characters in the story. Delenn will be at B5 this time around as she was in the show. I've tweaked the timeline a little bit as to when Thirdspace takes place. Marcus will be gone. (He wasn't in Thirdspace.) Instead he will arrive in time to be sent to Mars with Franklin. Lyta Alexander will play a much bigger role in this version. She was mostly overlooked in previous versions of the story and I wanted to reflect her reactions to the Doorway as it opens a Wormhole to the ST Universe. A few interludes in the form of flashbacks will also be added to give more insight about the characters and why they react to certain things as the story progresses. I just hope you all enjoy the changes and I DO want feedback! Thank you all for your comments. They have gone a LONG way in helping me flesh out this story. A Special thanks goes out to the following writers: Skeet (Albert Green Jr.) for his comments and suggestions. WMD Minor +2 and Zarathos, for their comments and helping me focus the story so it is more consistent. LightningCount for his technical expertise in both Universes of technobabble! For their comments on the story and encouragement to make it a good one: AJW, Hyperion51, and Gyre.
EXTRA SPECIAL THANKS: Lastly I want to thank Robo Jesus for sticking to his opinions despite great criticism from the vast majority of writers on the various websites he's posted on. Even if you don't agree with what he has to say, you have to give him respect for sticking to his views. He has a right to them the same as anyone else. Flaming can be a good motivator to writers. It gets their creative juices flowing most of the time and helps us to keep our stories consistent, thank you Robo Jesus for that. Flames are welcome! lol.
SUMMARY: (Same as always…) The Vorlon-made Gate blows up on schedule, but instead of destroying the portal to the Thirdspace domain it just destroys the gate itself, ripping space-time to shreds in the process. While the Thirdspace ships are cut off from the B5 universe, a hole in reality now exists near the station…
Now on with the story!
PRELUDE: Breaches In Reality
Babylon 5's Observation Deck
Lyta Alexander watched as the Gate was destroyed by Sheridan's Nuke. When the debris cleared, she could see an angry red nebula had replaced it. She screamed "NO!" and fainted dead away…
B5: Zocalo
Vir held his jaw tenderly. He couldn't understand how he had one moment been in the transport tube talking to Ivanova, to the next moment fighting with Zack Allen in the Zocalo. "What's happening? Why are you hitting me?" he asked Zack with a scowl.
"Sorry Vir, but you were attacking ME!" Zack replied.
"I don't understand…" said Vir. "I was just talking to Ivanova a moment ago in a transport tube…"
"Things have been crazy ever since that Gate was activated. Come on, I'll take you to Medlab so you can have your jaw checked out and have my hand checked too. What's your jaw made of anyway? Felt like I hit a steel wall…" said Zack shaking his hand and inspecting it for cuts. He noticed a tear in his new uniform. 'Great now I'll have to have this thing fixed. Maybe I'll ask them for a refitting, it doesn't seem to fit my shoulders right.' he thought.
"It has to do with our homeworld's gravity. Our bone structure is very dense." Vir supplied helpfully.
"Remind me not to try that again, without a crow bar!" Zack joked.
"I'll be sure to remember you said that, Mr. Allen. IF there IS a next time…" muttered Vir, now holding his jaw again. "That really HURT!"
"Come on you ninny…" replied Zack with a smile.
"What's a 'ninny'?" asked Vir with an utterly strait face…
B5 Space
John Sheridan tumbled in space, his space suit was all there was between him and oblivion, and its power was almost gone after getting away from the gate's blast range. He turned himself around with a short burst to see what was left of the Gate.
He prayed that it was closed and no more of those strange ships were going to come through it. Only a few ships of his fleet remained to defend the station if that were the case. To his dismay the gate was gone, but a strange vortex of energy now remained in its place.
He tapped his Link. "Sheridan to C&C." John gasped.
"Online." Lt. Corwin replied.
"Are you seeing what I'm seeing? What the hell is that?"
"We're having trouble scanning the area that the gate occupied Captain. Our readings are completely scrambled, all we are picking up are power readings that are off the charts!" Corwin relayed.
"Warn all remaining ships to stay clear of that area. We don't want to lose any more ships than we already have today." Sheridan ordered.
"Already done. We barely had to ask them." replied Corwin.
"Good, where is Delenn?" he asked.
"She's on the Drala Fi. I'll patch her through." said Corwin.
"John, are you enjoying yourself?" Delenn laughed.
"Delenn, this is NOT funny…" said Sheridan.
"Yes it is…" Delenn laughed again.
"No it's NOT! Can you pick me up?" he asked.
"I'm afraid I cannot. I'm overdue on Minbar. Perhaps you can ask Susan?" Delenn replied.
"I wish you'd tell me why you have to go now. Can't it wait?" Sheridan asked.
"I'm afraid not John. My clan has asked to speak with me, I cannot refuse them." she said, giving him more information without realizing it.
"Okay, but please keep me informed if you can. You ARE the Minbari Ambassador after all." John said.
"I will, John. If I can." was all Delenn was willing to say.
The Drala Fi opened a Jump point and left B5 space.
"Sheridan to Whitestar Two." he said.
"Here Captain." replied Susan.
"I need a ride ASAP!" Sheridan ordered.
"On my Captain, are you okay?" Ivanova replied.
"So far so good, but I am running out of air. I'll meet with you as soon you can pick me up. Are you getting any reading on that anomaly where the gate used to be?" asked Sheridan.
"All I can say is it's BIG! None of the Minbari on board know what to make of it. I've got the Minbari on board analyzing the data now. they'll brief you when we pick you up."
"Okay Susan, but make it soon, I'm getting colder. The Suits power is almost completely drained now. Sheridan out." John said as he began shivering. It was really getting cold.
Ivanova quickly moved in and retrieved the captain and helped him out of his suit.
"I forgot how much fun these things are." Sheridan said. Sarcasm was dripping off every word.
"It's not like you never wear them, you did recently 'take a walk outside' after all." Susan laughed.
"True, but I had plenty of power and oxygen on that walk. That I can handle, not being tossed around like a Frisbee after that explosion. How are the Minbari doing on those readings I asked for?" Sheridan hoped they were up to the task.
"They should have a preliminary report for you when we get to the bridge. Are you feeling okay? You really took a beating when that Gate blew." said Susan concernedly.
"I'll be fine, I was clear enough that I only had the wind knocked out of me. Shall we get going or do you want to read me the riot act for pulling that stunt?" Sheridan smirked.
"Hey! It's not THAT funny, we could've lost you to that thing. Then I'd have to run Babylon 5 and you know I don't want that particular duty. I'd end up spacing half the diplomats for aggravating me and shooting the other half on general principles." laughed Ivanova.
Grinning from ear to ear, Sheridan led the way up to the bridge.
A Minbari was waiting patiently, as they entered. LeVar was of the Worker Caste and assigned to Navigation and Engineering aboard the Whitestar Two. He was seriously thinking of joining the Rangers since he had come here. He had learned much so far and was looking forward to learning more while on board this new class of ship.
"Greetings Captain, I'm still working on the details, but I can report that anomaly is different from anything The Minbari Federation, the Earth Alliance, or for that matter anyone I know of has ever seen before. Maybe the Vorlons could've shed some light on what we're seeing, but I doubt they will come back from beyond the Rim to help us. The anomaly is putting out all kinds of energy readings, none of them appear to be harmful though, thank Valen. Our best guess as to what it is, given the fact that the Gate was open when you blew it up, is that it's some sort of doorway to someplace else…" said LeVar.
Sheridan nodded. "That makes sense, but a doorway to where? I hope no more of those ships come through it! The last thing we need right now is another fight on our hands. We'll have our hands full cleaning up the mess outside the station as it is, not to mention the station itself."
"I wish I could be more helpful Captain, but I'm still trying to make sense of these readings. Maybe if we tied all the ships and B5's sensors together we could get more accurate and detailed readings, but it's a long shot. My Worker class training may not be up to the task."
"Well do the best you can LeVar. I know I can count on you." Sheridan acknowledged.
LeVar bowed respectfully and returned to the Navigation Station.
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Vulcan Space: Near orbit of Valdena, Third Planet of that system.
The USS T'Pol of the Vulcan Defense Force was on routine patrol of the inner planets. As she began to pass Valdena, the Colony called them to report that a strange phenomenon had appeared in near orbit.
"Captain T'Fal, a Reddish Nebula has appeared near our planet. Our power readings are off the scale. If they are correct a rip in the Space-Time Continuum has occurred." reported Governor Sarrid.
"We will investigate. Thank you for bringing this to our attention Governor." replied T'Fal.
"It is my duty. Please keep me informed of this event as it unfolds. Sarrid Out."
"Mr. Makol, set course for this anomaly. Mr. Sorik, prepare a sensor probe." ordered T'Fal.
Momentarily they reached the Anomaly. "Scans indicate a Wormhole Captain, on a scale unheard of before. There is debris around the anomaly that appears to have come from several vessels. Some of it is Organic in nature." reported Ensign Savla.
"Analyze the debris. Can you determine a point of origin?" asked T'Fal.
"Negative Captain, the debris does not conform to any known vessel. Captain, the Quantum Signature of the debris does not match our own. The debris appears to be from another universe, make that two Universes. The Organic Debris differs from the metals present." Savla said, one eyebrow going up.
"Interesting, forward your analysis to the Vulcan Science Directorate and Starfleet Command for further study. Mr. Sorik, Launch the probe. Have it enter the wormhole and scan the other side. When it is finished, have it return here." T'Fal ordered, firmly quelling her emotions with cold Vulcan Logic.
"Probe's parameters set, launching." replied her First Officer, Sorik.
The Probe promptly began scans and entered the wormhole…
B5 Space: Whitestar Two
For several hours Sheridan and Ivanova supervised the clean up operation around Babylon 5, while being sure to have everyone steer clear of the new anomaly not far from the station.
It's too bad we couldn't pull the gate further away from the station before I blew it up! thought Sheridan. I'd feel much easier and safer if that had been the case. As it is, the station looks way too close for my comfort!
"It's going to take several more days to clear this much debris Captain, but we do have a clear corridor now between B5 and the Jumpgate." Ivanova said.
"Widen that corridor as much as you can Susan. We need B5 back in business ASAP if we're going to remain independent. Commerce with the League of Non-Aligned Worlds is our main life line at the moment. If we lose that, we lose everything." Sheridan ordered.
"Yes sir, I'm confident that we can resume normal docking procedures with incoming ships within about an hour. Routing for so many ships is going to be fun for a while though." Susan replied.
"Just do the best you can. I'm counting on you." smiled Sheridan.
"Not a problem sir. I'll just being jumping out the nearest airlock if you need me." Susan joked.
"Ha, Ha, Susan, do you have anything new to report LeVar?"
"Nothing as yet Captain. One moment please, getting something strange now. Captain! Energy spike! It appears that something is coming through the opening!"
"Show me!" shouted Sheridan.
The Holo Matrix unfolded to display the space around Whitestar Two. They all stared towards the anomaly in dismay. Something was coming through the doorway. Something small… but what was it? A scout for invasion? Or more of the Thirdspace Aliens seeking revenge…?
TBC
Author's Note: I know this is kinda short, but it IS a prelude after all. LeVar is my own creation. I hope you'll like him and I'll add more detail on him as the story unfolds. A side plot of his Ranger training may be added to the story along with his point of view about things as they occur on B5 and Minbar.
What do you think of the changes? Feel free to comment on the changes and flames are welcome!