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"We Play With Fire, We Get Burned"

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Legend: "Excerpt from an Earth Historical Figure, Sixteenth President of the United States of America, Abraham Lincoln–

Those who deny freedom to others, deserve it not for themselves; and, under a just God, can not long retain it.

–End of Excerpt"

:::FADE IN on a split screen with two alien faces occupying the two different slots:::

Adat'Oma: "Your campaign of media manipulation must stop. Why do you persist in throwing out baseless accusations against me? I risked everything to save the Consortium Fleet six months ago. Now I must face you every time I dare speak in public."

Admiral Sterling: "You are a traitor to the Consortium! You gave the Dilgar everything they needed to setup the ambush in the first place, so stop acting so pious!"

Adat'Oma: "If I wanted to feel your wrath, then I would have done what you do: send out a statement to the media. But instead I went to the trouble of setting up this private dialogue regarding this matter. The Consortium is in more danger than ever, and all you are doing is exacerbating the real problem–distrust."

Admiral Sterling: "Because of you and the Belladon’s betrayal!"

Adat'Oma: "If I had not stepped up and unmasked the whole plan, then you would be finding out the details from an angel in the afterlife, not from me. Why? because Lenton would have butchered you all! If I never entered the picture, then the Belladon would still be helping Lenton sabotage you, and the rest of the Consortium, to this day!"

Admiral Sterling (Sarcastic): "Oh, our hero."

Adat'Oma (Aggravated): "Does Cairn Davargia’s word mean nothing to you?"

Admiral Sterling: "Of course it does. Davargia is the most respected person in the Galaxy, and I consider him a personal friend. How you beguiled a personal endorsement out of him remains a mystery."

Adat'Oma: "Davargia knows me, and knows Lenton. He understands the truth, and does not allow petty ambition to blind him!"

Admiral Sterling (Actually): "Are you actually implying jealousy on my part?"

Adat'Oma: "I doubt you want to hear me psychoanalyze you."

Admiral Sterling: "No, go ahead. This ought to be good."

Adat'Oma: "No, this is pointless. You will just ignore the facts, and use my words to fuel the fire already burning within you."

Admiral Sterling: "Tell me, or else you will never convince me to stop releasing press statements about your treason continuing to this day."

Adat'Oma: "You already know what I will say. You just want me to verbalize it so that you can blame me for all your problems. Luckily for you, I do not care what your reaction will be, anymore.

"People are not stupid, and they can see your attempts to look brave and heroic are just that–attempts. You are afraid of everyone discovering how you live every moment of your life in fear, believing no one loves you for who you really are, but only the projection you make of yourself. You are searching desperately for recognition, not knowing you only need to be yourself to earn respect.

"You loved Cairn as a Brother. When you saw him place more faith in my abilities at the last High Council Election than yours, even considering my mistakes of the past, you knew that he respected me more than you."

Admiral Sterling (Boiling): "You know nothing! I paid my dues! I beat you for the position! They hated me, but they knew I was the person to trust as a decision-maker and Fleet Commander. It does not take a popularity contest to lead, but unbridled strength!"

Adat'Oma: "All your power is aimed right back at yourself. You know the truth, even if you never admit it. You arouse fear in people as well as any great demagogue, but you will just be used by other people who know all the right buttons to push in order to manipulate you. And I do not like the fact that I am one of those buttons!

"I worked with Lenton for a long time, and he knows how to provoke your fear and hostility like–"

:::A bead of sweat ran down Admiral Sterling’s Deneth face just before his side of the screen went completely black. Once Adat’Oma realized Sterling cut off further communications, his face disappeared from his half of the screen too.

:::Zoom out from the darkness, to reveal the entire conversation being studied by two dozen aliens in a classroom. The student body was composed of Humans, Centauri, Minbari, and even three members of Adat’Oma’s Race, Rowgans. These Aliens all sat on the ground on top of their crossed legs. They were each afforded an excellent view of the screen where the recording just played. Each of them were similarly attired, their main article of clothing being dark robes.

Legend: "Zontus Prime - Advanced Military Training Facility - August 6, 2263"

:::Only one person in the group stood, an aged Minbari Male, who was apparently this group’s teacher. The teacher gave adequate time for this conversation to absorb in his student’s minds, then spoke out:::

Ranger Turval: "Adat'Oma sent us this recording for analysis. Why did he? Yes, Marcus?"

:::A Human Ranger Trainee’s hand was up, but he lowered it back down after he was called on by the instructor. This Human Male was in his mid thirties, and his voice was marked by a heavy British accent:::

Trainee Marcus Cole: "Adat’Oma believes Sterling was holding something back, but his own people cannot figure it out what that might be."

Ranger Turval: "Correct, Adat’Oma is placing faith in our ability to read Sterling’s reactions with the powers of perception being hammered into your fresh minds. But what is Sterling hiding, if anything? Adam, you think you know the answer?"

:::Another Human Trainee lowered his raised hand, this Male in his early twenties. At the teacher’s permission, this Human revealed his suspicions with the rest of the class:::

Trainee Adam Thomas: "Sterling is afraid of Adat’Oma being so closely ingratiated with Cairn Davargia. Sterling knows Davargia is the key to power in the Consortium, so he must suspect Adat’Oma is collaborating secretly with Emperor Davargia. Sterling is afraid he is being left out."

Ranger Turval: "And we are all proof Sterling is correct in that assumption. The Rangers began as a purely elite Minbari Warrior Training Regimen. But with Davargia, Adat’Oma, and President Jankowski’s influence, our training program now accommodates four different Species into one clandestine army of light. Yes, Tannier?"

Minbari Trainee Tannier: "Adam is new to this base, and I found out he is a Telepath. He has an unfair advantage when answering your questions. He can just read your mind for the answer."

Ranger Turval: "I assure you, Adam did not use Telepathy to answer."

Minbari Trainee Tannier: "But how would you know?"

Ranger Turval (After a Brief Hesitation): "I am also a Telepath, and we know when others of our kind are scanning our minds."

:::Most of the class looked shocked to hear this piece of news. They had been taught and guided by Turval for months without knowing of their instructor’s unique genetic trait:::

Ranger Turval: "Reading thoughts is extremely helpful to someone in my position. Most of our Instructors are limited to diagnosing your problems based purely upon the actions they visibly see you performing. However, I can see your very thought process at work, giving me ample evidence to determine what exactly is holding you back mentally and emotionally.

"Your Bodies, your Minds, and your Spirits combined together comprise your Souls. Rangers are more than special operation soldiers, more than commanders and leaders, more than philosophers, more than scientists, more than messengers, and more than spiritualists. Why? Because you are all of those things combined, giving you synergetic power within you to overcome the seemingly insurmountable.

"Now, back to the subject at hand. Why would Sterling be afraid of Cairn Davargia and Adat’Oma joining forces? Sanchator?"

Rowgan Trainee Sanchator: "Sterling is afraid Adat’Oma will gain more influence over the Consortium Joint Fleet than he does. Sterling is desperate for public recognition, and does not want Adat’Oma to steal the glory of victory away from him in the progressing Shadow War. Sterling has always been desperate for good publicity, and is afraid Adat’Oma will steal his thunder in the upcoming campaign."

Ranger Turval: "Sterling is a vain creature, true. But vanity is not only thing apparent in his visage. Tell me, what else lurked behind his eyes, Tannier?."

Minbari Trainee Tannier: "Sterling appears privy to some piece of knowledge of vital importance regarding the Dilgar Emperor, J’Thon of Lenton. Before Sterling cut off transmission, his eyes revealed a moment of perplexed fear. He grew uneasy at the suggestion Lenton could manipulate him. Sterling must suspect Lenton is manipulating him, otherwise why would he react so strongly?"

Ranger Turval: "As far as we know, Emperor Lenton only manipulated Sterling in the past by provoking him to release precipitous and controversial press statements. What would cause Sterling so much worry now, though?"

:::The classroom of Trainees considered the question carefully, but were stumped:::

Ranger Turval: "Tonight’s assignment: write an essay that explains in detail at least one plausible cause for Sterling’s reaction. As usual, there is no minimal text requirements for your essay. Your essay will be judged solely on the merits of your arguments. Your essay is due by sunset tonight. Class dismissed."

:::DISSOLVE TO an exterior shot of the training facility on Zontus Prime at dusk. The Human Trainee, Adam Thomas, planted his elbows against a railing, which braced his body from falling off the sheer face of the nearby cliff. He took in the beautiful view of the darkening mountain ranges, which extended out in the isolated distance.

:::Ranger Instructor Turval walked to Adam’s side, and joined the Human at the railing. They both stared out at the dimming blue skies quickly being replaced by the black of night. This particular night brought a storm along with it. A dark patch of onrushing cumulonimbus clouds approached with rapidity. A bolt of lightning shot out from the oppressive clouds, confirming the storm’s intentions:::

Legend: "That Night . . ."

Ranger Turval: "How are you holding up?

Trainee Adam Thomas: "She warned me about getting into a relationship with her, but I didn’t listen. She was just so amazing, I couldn’t help but marry her. I knew better than to get seriously involved with an apprentice Techno-Mage."

Ranger Turval: "Gwynn is a beautiful young woman, within as well as without. But unfortunately her commitments to the Mages meant she had to leave for the safety of her Order. It’s not anyone’s fault. You won’t be the first person in this troubled Universe to experience problems with your marriage."

Adam Thomas: "Husbands and wives stay together! They don’t just leave each other to fulfill old obligations!"

Ranger Turval: "She offered to take you with her. You would be together that way."

Adam Thomas: "The Shadows are wiping out millions of lives! I can’t just abandon all my Ranger Training so I could stay with her! People out there are counting on me!"

Ranger Turval: "And she couldn’t just abandon her Order! Don’t you think there were people counting on her, too? That is just the way of life, and no amount of moping and groaning is going to summon her back here! You’ll tear yourself apart if you persist this way!"

Adam Thomas: "Are you worried I’ll lose it? Is that why you’re talking with me?"

Ranger Turval: "No, I think you already have lost it."

Adam Thomas: "What? Didn’t care for my essay on Admiral Sterling?"

Ranger Turval: "I passed your essay out to the other Instructors. Not one of them managed to restrain their laughter."

Adam Thomas: "I’ve always been told I have a good ear for comedy."

Ranger Turval: "I did not find it very funny."

Adam Thomas: "Good, because my speculations were completely serious."

Ranger Turval: "I know you are dealing with some difficult personal problems, but Rangers will need to overcome their own internal struggles when out in the field. Your absurd essay demonstrates your are completely emotionally unprepared to deal with it."

Adam Thomas: "There is nothing absurd about it. Sterling’s ego balances on his own sense superiority. And for someone who has had two years of being mocked, ridiculed, and belittled by the different Races, including the Consortium, he has snapped.

"He feels Cairn Davargia has turned against him, allying with his public enemy, Adat’Oma. The entire Consortium’s resources are backing up Cairn, and Cairn is backing up Adat’Oma. Sterling will have to look for outside support. Since Lenton and the Shadows are the only ones stronger than Davargia, they are the only logical people to support him. Now we know why Sterling was worried about Lenton manipulating him! Because Sterling is dealing with Lenton behind the scenes!"

Ranger Turval: "There is not one person in the Consortium who has fought more ferociously against Lenton than Admiral Sterling. Sterling’s pride would prevent him from humiliating himself by dramatically contradicting his formerly staunch political positions with the Consortium."

Adam Thomas: "Sterling wants revenge for being shunned by the Consortium, and sees Lenton as a stronger leader than Davargia."

Ranger Turval: "Where did you get such a ridiculous idea?"

Adam Thomas: "On an unconscious level, Sterling knows Davargia is the best leader in the Galaxy. But Sterling’s pride is so extreme that if he consciously believed Davargia to be the best, it would mean he was rejected by the best. Sterling’s mind could never accept such an ego-shattering option, so he convinces himself Lenton is the better of the two.

"Facilitating this outlook is the unparalleled hatred Sterling and Lenton share for Adat'Oma. Sterling hates Adat’Oma for the feelings of inferiority provoked by Davargia’s choice. And Lenton hates Adat’Oma for the betrayal, crippling Lenton’s chances for an easy victory over the Consortium.

"If it’s okay with you, I want to stop talking about it?"

:::Turval sighed, took a sideways glance at the beautiful dusk view, then reluctantly returned his attention back to Adam:::

Ranger Turval: "I was sent by the other Instructors to inform you that you must retract your essay, and write a new one by tomorrow morning. Otherwise, you will be expelled from the Ranger Training Program."

:::After Adam carefully considered this grave demand, he responded back with unveiled anger present in his voice:::

Adam Thomas: "I will voluntarily leave any organization that stifles free thought, and ignores the very skills they publicly espouse, all for the sake of repressing unpopular ideas. Now do I need to sign some formal letter of resignation, or can I just go?"

:::Turval bowed down his head and tightly closed his eyes, as if filled with great emotion over Adam’s response. When Turval raised his face back up, there was an out of place look of relief, not grief:::

Ranger Turval: "Thank you for not disappointing me. You graduate, Ranger Thomas."

:::FADE OUT on the shot of Adam’s face, which was first surprised, then ecstatic:::

:::FADE IN on a Human Male News Anchor:::

Legend: "February 12, 2313"

"The Great Burn War ended fifty Earth Years ago. Great Burn is an apt title for the War leaving nearly all inhabited worlds in flames. The Burn was so wide scale and destructive that not even media outlets were immune from its searing heat.

"Not even InterStellar Network News Headquarters could avoid the firing line. However, not all was lost. Many of the surviving ISN personnel were fortunate enough to find sanctuary with the Great Machine on Epsilon III, and continued broadcasting until the War’s conclusion.

"The Great Machine was created by an unknown alien race for the purpose of preserving historical information. The technology behind the Machine’s seemingly omniscient sensors, and the length of time the Machine has been in operation, are both still unknown at this time. The massive, wide reaching Machine operates by merging with an intelligent, moral sentient life form, who we refer to as a ‘Guardian’. An alien, named Varn, was the Guardian of the Great Machine at the time of the ISN migration, and continues with us to this day.

"Many of Varn’s People live on Epsilon III to help maintain the powerful Machine, and were quite hospitable to the ISN Survivors. Varn then provided these Journalists with generous access to the Machine’s advanced equipment, dramatically helping ISN carry on the important task of keeping the jeopardized galaxy informed.

"All of us associated with tonight’s broadcast are the sons and daughters of those original ISN Survivors. We pay our keep by assisting Varn’s People maintain the massive equipment comprising the Great Machine, which amazingly fills up most of this planet’s core.

"After the Great Burn ended, there was little point in ISN continuing to broadcast, because there were very few people out there able to receive our transmissions. Those who did not die in the Great War were almost entirely left without the equipment necessary to see what we were broadcasting.

"This War was so devastating that most computer and electrical systems were wiped out on any planet lucky enough to survive the initial conflict. The past five decades have been a valiant battle for the surviving Races just to rebuild the technology and machinery lost.

"But Varn recently informed us that many Worlds are just now regaining their Faster-Than-Light Communications. Hence, we are sending this broadcast to everyone with the ability to watch and listen. We will keep this program, and all programs for that matter, archived for later viewing for those who develop F.T.L. Communications at a later time."

:::The Human Male Anchor paused and turned himself to yet a different camera. CUT TO this new camera angle, which gives us a slightly different perspective of both the Anchor and the wall resting in the background:::

"I am Stephen Randall, and you are watching the first in a series of documentaries created to accurately explain the events of the Great Burn War. Tonight’s program, ‘We Play with Fire, We Get Burned,’ will reveal the primary causes of the War. The programs to follow will illustrate the War itself.

"Before we go any further, we will lightly delve into a short history of the Galaxy, as it is known to us. Dozens of Alien Species lived during the Pre-Burn Days. Most were approximately as old as each other, each with around six to ten thousand years of recorded history. But there were some Species much older than the rest of us. These Races existed for millions, and in some cases, billions of years. These ancient Races have come to be known, collectively, as the First Ones; simply because they were here first.

"For reasons of their own, most First Ones chose to ignore the Younger Races of Aliens. However, there were two First One Races who took it upon themselves to intervene with the development of the Younger Races. These two First Ones are referred to as the Shadows and the Vorlons. Varn told us that their actual names are different, but these titles were more appropriate for the linguistic vocabulary of the Younger Races. Little of these two Race’s History is known, but it is clear they warred with one another for several hundred millennia, with pauses in this perpetual conflict lasting as long as millennia.

"Both the Shadows and Vorlons believed they could advance the Younger Races to new heights of wisdom and power. Although an altruistic goal, in and of itself, the means they used to attain their goals created a destructive rift in the Galaxy, which regularly consumed all of their protégés at sporadic intervals in this Galaxy’s History.

"The Shadows and Vorlons’ specific reasons for these extreme actions is far too complicated to be fairly discussed in this program, but we will give a brief summation of these two Race’s Motis Operandi:

"The Shadows were dedicated to advancing Younger Races through a ‘Baptism by Fire’. The Shadows would manipulate and attack Races to prod along their development, believing this would speed up the natural evolutionary process of the Galaxy. They believe the only way to grow stronger is through trial and opposition. ‘Survival of the Fittest’ on a Galactic scale. The Races unfortunate enough to die, were weak, their deaths clearing the way for a stronger Species to take their place.

"Some of the Shadow’s Human Proponents made the following analogy: ‘The only difference between a worthless lump of coal and a priceless diamond is the amount of pressure exerted on it over a given amount of time. Coal will turn to a beautiful diamond after being subjected to extreme amounts of pressure for prolonged periods of time. This is as true for Humans as with coal. As evident by our tests of Humans raised in Zero Gravity Environments, the only way a person can gain physical strength is by having an external force press upon it, forcing the person to adapt and oppose this force. And in a more philosophical sense, without opposition from enemies, we live in stagnation, eventually degenerating into weak life forms, who grow more susceptible to total destruction when suddenly facing a superior force.’

"The Vorlons, on the other hand, believe People could only better themselves when cared for in an orderly, peaceful society. Discipline allows People to attain more control over their surroundings.

"Some Human Philosophers equate the Vorlon Creed to the logic that a basic house can only be built in multiple stages: 1. Firm ground must be found. 2. A strong foundation must be built. 3. An infrastructure must be carefully built upon that foundation. 4. Wiring, plumbing, and ventilation must be accommodated. 5. Walls, floors, and insulation are added. 6. Paint and protective coatings are applied to everything.

"If one step is overlooked, or ignored, then the whole house will never be stable enough to safely house People inside. The Vorlons looked at us like seeds to be nurtured. Once we have grown to sufficient maturity we would be securely rooted into the wild’s soil, able to take on the wind and storms of life by ourselves.

"It is unknown exactly how long this ideological conflict has raged between these two super powers, but modern archeology makes it abundantly clear that many advanced prehistoric Races were wiped out as a result of their terrible struggle."

:::The Anchor paused, then faced a different camera. The Anchor’s tone changed, his line of dialogue changing tracks:::

"Varn revealed to us that many civilizations are now living in ignorance about the history of the Great Burn War. An Earth Writer from Russia, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, wrote, "If we fail to learn from history, we are doomed to repeat it." It is all our hope here at ISN that supplying you with the truth about the Great Burn will help preserve the Future for us all.

"ISN owes a great debt of gratitude to Varn for him allowing us to gleam information out of the Great Machine’s Databanks. Tonight’s program intends to fully explore the major events occurring which started the Great Burn War, and will consist of dozens of excerpts from audio/video records vintage from the Pre-Burn era.

"Some may speculate the veracity of the Great Machine’s Data, believing the Machine is manufacturing this information for its own ends. For this reason, when possible, we use records gathered from sources other than the Great Machine.

"With the footage we gathered over the past five decades, we tried our best to reconstruct the events preceding the Burn in meticulous detail. At first glance, some of the things we will show you may not appear particularly relevant to the Burn, but we believe these ostensibly extraneous pieces of information will help explain the reasons for different people’s actions, serving to add further detail too a relatively unclear picture of the past.

"We are using four major sources of information on the Burn, which provide the majority of what we watch in tonight’s program:

"Our first major source was an ISN weekly news program, "A Week in the Galaxy." It was one of our News program that lasted well into the Great Burn. Unless otherwise noted, all of the footage in tonight’s program is being re-broadcasted from that show.

"Our second source is our own private collection of excerpts gleaned from the Great Machine’s Database. This information tends to be the most detailed and accurate. However, these records also have the disadvantage of being difficult to verify.

"Our third source is a Techno-Mage database referred to as, "The Chronicles of the Techno-Mages." This was the most useful resource, which was gathered independently of the Great Machine.

"The Techno-Mages were an ancient Order, whose ranks are filled with members of various Races. The Techno-Mages were devoted to the study of science, history, politics, and used their technology to simulate the effect of magic. The Techno-Mages had many ways of recording events that transpired around them in a very comprehensive fashion.

"The Techno-Mage Galen compiled and abridged many of his Order’s records regarding the events before, during, and after the Great Burn. He then uploaded this information into the ISN database before his death. It is a treasure trove of information, priceless in lieu of the fact that full video and audio records are rare to find from that era.

"And the fourth major source is footage gathered from a variety of different camera records that survived the War. Some from Gun Cameras and audio recordings recovered from those ancient battles; others from Security Cameras.

"Tonight’s program will reveal what started that horrific War. Our future programs will reveal what actually occurred during the monstrous War, itself. This is an ISN Special Report: We Play with Fire, We Get Burned."

:::FADE OUT to a blank black screen:::

All text copyrighted by Michael Warren Novemember 16, 2001. The text on this website is his property. However, he does freely share all images and sound files on his website, regardless of whether he made them, or not.