I blame Catherine and Christina entirely, and both of them will take great delight in admitting it's their fault. Because I never intended to write this.
Okay, so I had problems with major parts of Season Four of Babylon 5, largely because of the horrible, awful, no-good, very bad things that happen to Garibaldi (not to mention Marcus!), although all of the Earth Civil war stuff kicked butt! But I'm also not wild about the things that were done to Sheridan's character, and there were a lot of other characters that got wasted all along the line, not to mention plot points. And I really, really loathe Lise Edgars... but that's an entirely different rant.
So I was watching the show in its reruns on TNT, and getting a much higher dose of B5 than is really recommended for anyone. That's Catherine's fault. And I was hopelessly, helplessly, completely in love with one Michael Garibaldi. That's Jerry Doyle's fault. And there was this character chasing herself around inside my head, pointing out little ways that everything could have been changed if anyone besides Zack and G'Kar had actually given a damn about Garibaldi during fourth season. That's my fault -- I've always been susceptible to Mary Sues.
Then I started writing it down. That's Chris's fault. Because she was also toying with B5 fic, fic that turned into Freedom Network. So we bounced ideas off each other, and giggled, and plotted and generally bullied each other into writing, and the Babylon 5.14159 universe began. But that's an entirely different story.
On my end, Scenes started out as an unabashed Mary Sue from Hell, a way to write myself into the show and into Michael Garibaldi's life (and arms, and bed...). Then my character started taking her own twists and turns, and flatly declaring she wasn't going to do it that way, and no, she wasn't going to say that and what was I on that I thought she'd believe that? Ever had a fictional five-foot-nothing Brit stand up in your head, put her hands on her hips, and inform you that you're insane?
No? Lucky you. Want one? :P
Mostly to amuse and entertain Chris and get one Sinjun Ross to shut up, I started writing it down. And, as I was writing and gleefully working my way into some sticky situations, Zack Allan and Warren Keffer and David Corwin and Ta'Lon came wandering in, looked over my shoulder, and very gently pointed out that they'd missed a lot of screen time, and they'd been doing things then, and shouldn't I tell a little bit of their stories? Okay, they spoke the truth. So they got written in.
Which opened up the door for William Cole to start bitching he'd gotten killed before he ever got on screen -- and when the Bouncing Baby Ranger Babble Boy starts talking at you, you have no choice but to give in. And then along came Kell Reardon ("I never even got a name! They just call me 'the Ranger'!") and Paulie ("It's my bar."), and Joe Ericsson and Sarah Jamison and Damita Winchester and Nalenn and Manny Chang and Tashal.... My brain had become a clearing house for Rangers, Minbari, and other people who wanted to tell their part of the story.
So, I am. And this is the result, or it will be eventually, since this is going to go on for a while -- I'm breaking the rule of a lifetime to make the story available while it's still in progress, or it's gonna be in progress for the rest of my life. But it's not like I have a choice. As all of the people in my head are happy to tell me, there was too much story to tell on screen -- it's got to come out somewhere.
So I guess, ultimately, it's all J. Michael Straczynski's fault.
But if you're looking for a faithful, straight-from-canon view of Babylon 5 -- sorry, this ain't the place. I play it straight through most of second and third seasons, but there are some major changes in fourth -- and, of course, there's this Brit Ranger (no, a different one!) wandering around.... So if you worship Bester (hi, Cath!), or think JMS's every word is holy writ, or just can't handle something that started life as a Mary Sue and evolved from there, better find another fic.
On the other hand, if you're looking for bright shiny happy endings where no one ever dies and the good guys always win -- sorry, this ain't the place for you, either.
So, what is this? Well, it's a story about this bar in the middle of a space station, and the rebellion that winds up happening around it. It's a story about the Rangers -- some of the names and people behind the uniforms, and what they were getting into behind the scenes during those years. If you want to get really poetic (or pompous), it's a story about how one person can change things -- a life, a space station, even a universe. And maybe, just maybe, it's a story with a happy ending or two.
Sinjun and I will see what we can do.
Perri Smith
Babylon 5.14159 Ranger in Residence
Acknowledgements
I. Marc Carlson and company for the Timeline of the Babylon 5 Universe. While I have made a few adjustments, either through disagreements with their reasoning or necessary literary license, the dates and information so painstakingly collected here were absolutely invaluable for helping me keep my own timeline straight.
Kathryn M. Drennen, for To Dream in the City of Sorrows, which not only gave me vital information about Minbar (specifically Tuzanor), Sinclair, Marcus and the Anla'Shok, but also introduced me to the likes of Turval, Rathenn and, of course, William Cole, for whom I am eternally grateful.
Jim Mortimore, Allen Adams and Roger Clark, for the Babylon 5 Security Manual, including such wonderful things as a station map, security codes, ship schematics, information on every alien race, and a few really insane in-jokes (Disaster Area CDs?!?).
The incredible (and unfortunately defunct) Voltayre's Encyclopedia Xenobiologica and, of course, the infinitely useful and wonderful in all ways, shapes and forms Lurker's Guide to Babylon 5, for cultural and organizational information, synopses, and reminders of just which episode Rangers started showing up in.
The Geidi Prime Fonts page and Eric Kinzle for help with the cool graphics.
Miss Fitz, Lady Day and the Piano Man -- Ella Fitzgerald, for the voice; Billie Holiday, for the attitude; and the Great God Billy Joel, for the title, the lyrics, inspiration beyond price and everything I ever learned about rock and roll.
And last but never ever least, my beta-readers and co-conspirators:
And always, my Trill, Catherine 'No, Bester is God' Boone, for trying to keep us honest. Well, as honest as someone who worships that rat-bastard Bester can get. < g >
Back to Scenes from a Spaceside Bar
Back to Babylon 5.14159