- This article is about the Dilgar war criminal. For the first season episode of Babylon 5, see: Deathwalker
“"The billions who live forever will be a testimony to my work, and the billions that are murdered to provide that immortality will be the continuance of that work. That will be my monument!"
- – Jha'Dur
Jha'dur, also known as Deathwalker, was one of the leaders of the Dilgar invasion force of the 2230s, a war criminal and the last of her species.[1]
Personality
Jha'dur was a sociopath, brutal and ruthless, without conscience or remorse. Both a warlord and a brilliant scientist, she had no qualms with deploying weapons of mass destruction against civilian populations nor using people as fodder in her experiments. She advanced the cause of scientific progress on the bones of innocents. She was also sadistic and seemed to enjoy watching people suffer or squirm. The destruction of her race only served to make her even more callous and cruel.
History
Early Life And War Record
In the Earth year 2195, Jha'dur was born on the planet Omelos and would eventually rise to the rank of War Master, specializing in biochemical, biogenetic and cyberorganic weapons research.
In 2228 as a prelude to the invasion of the Non Aligned Sectors, the Dilgar occupied the Narn colony world Hilak VII. Jha'dur performed various experiments on the population there, before some were able to flee and return to Narn.
During the Dilgar invasion of the Non-Aligned Sectors in 2230, Jha'dur lead the conquest of sectors 24, 39, 43 & 58, Jha'dur infected the entire population of Latig IV with Stafford's Plague just to determine how long it would take them all to die. In 2231 alone, she was responsible for the destruction of the planets Tirolus, Comac IV, and Halax, earning herself the epiphet "Deathwalker". She was also involved the invasion of Balos.
Following the end of the Dilgar War in 2232, Jha'dur, unlike the other Dilgar leaders, escaped capture by League and Alliance forces, and when Omelos' star went nova, wiping out all life in the system, Jha'dur was left as the only known survivor of her race.
A Life In Hiding
In 2232 she was granted shelter by the Wind Swords, a particularly militant Minbari warrior clan. In return for their protection, Jha'dur provided them with her weapons research. Her presence in the Minbari Federation remained secret until the outbreak of the Earth-Minbari War in 2245 when the Wind Swords came to the Grey Council with Jha'dur's weapon designs and they discovered her presence. During this time, she was able to develop what she would come to consider her life's work: the universal anti-agapic, a serum that retards the aging process and prevents disease. Though unstable and difficult to produce in significant quantity, she successfully tested a dose on herself and was rewarded with renewed youth and vitality.
A Monument To Her Legacy
In 2258, Jha'dur chose to come out of hiding and offer her discovery to the Earth Alliance. After arranging with Earthgov to a meeting, she traveled to Babylon 5 in a Minbari flyer. After passing through customs under the alias "Gyla Lobos" using a Minbari identicard and dressed in clothing of the Minbari warrior caste, she was recognized in the Passenger Lounge by the Narn attaché Na'Toth. Na'Toth's grandfather had been on Hilak VII and was one of the victims of Jha'dur's cyberorganic experiments. Following her family's Shon-kar, she viciously attacked Jha'dur. Unknown to Na'Toth, however, the person she had been sent to meet in the immigration lounge, a Counselor Ha'rok, was to have approached Jha'dur on behalf of the Kha'Ri, as the Narn Regime had gotten word of her arrival and of her serum. With the Regime's attempt to intercept her scuppered, Ha'rok returned to Narn leaving the situation to Ambassador G'Kar. G'Kar approached Jha'dur with a formal apology and reparations for the attack along with a handsome offer to triple whatever Earth had offered her for the anti-agapic serum. Jha'dur agreed to consider the offer, on the condition that G'Kar deliver to her Na'Toth's head within the hour. G'Kar did not accept this.
Kalika petitions the B5 Council for justice.
It did not take long for B5's staff to discover her true identity and under direct orders from Earthdome Commander Sinclair attempted to have her quietly taken off the station and transferred to an Earthforce ship bound for Earth. This attempt was thwarted after League representatives led by Abbai Ambassador Kalika Qwal'Mizra (having been tipped off by G'Kar) confronted them and demanded an assembly to discuss her trial of crimes against sentient races. Sinclair relented and convened a session of the Babylon 5 Advisory Council.
The Price Of Immortality
During the council meeting, the League moved to have Jha'dur put on trial, asking the advisory council to approve their decision. The Centauri Republic voted "no", citing that the Dilgar had committed no crimes against them, though the real reason was that the Republic had aided the Dilgar during the War. The Narn Regime proposed to vote "yes" on the condition that she be tried on Narn, claiming their neutrality assured fairness. When the League, who were well aware that the Narn had also collaborated, rejected this condition, the Narn voted "no". With the Vorlon Empire abstaining, the Earth Alliance voted "yes". The surprise came however when the Minbari Federation unexpectedly voted "no", saying that since they were not a part of the Dilgar War, they had no right to judge Jha'dur. In reality, the Grey Council was afraid that a trial would reveal the truth that one of their Clans had not only sheltered a war criminal, but also benefited doing so by gaining weapons designed by her. The voting at three to two against a trial with one abstention, Sinclair ruled that they must find another solution. An outraged Kalika refused to accept any further compromise and withdrew the League from the assembly.
Jha'dur's demise
Shortly afterward, several warships from the League worlds Ikos, Zhabar and Vreetan arrived in B5 space, each demanding Jha'dur's extradition. The situation was eventually defused when Sinclair revealed to the League the existence of Jha'dur's universal anti-agapic serum and offered the League the opportunity to participate in developing it, after which Jha'dur would answer for her crimes. The League agreed and Jha'dur prepared to depart for Earth, though not before taunting Sinclair with the truth that a necessary component of the serum must be fatally harvested from other sentient beings, smugly predicting that the races that have condemned her would fall upon each other like wolves, far surpassing any slaughter committed by her own people. Thus both the immortal and the dead would become a monument to her work. This, however, was not to be, as just before her ship was about to enter the local Jumpgate, a Vorlon cruiser jumped in and destroyed it, along with Jha'dur and her serum while an astonished Council looked on.
Ambassador Kosh, who had entered the Council chamber moments before said simply "You are not ready for immortality."
Earth Central Data File
| SUBJECT: | Jha'dur |
| RACE: | Dilgar |
| AKA: | Deathwalker |
| BORN | 2195 |
| ORIGIN | Omelos, Caliban Sector |
| MILITARY RANK | War Master, Dilgar Invasion Force |
| Specialist in biochemical and cyberorganic weaponry | |
| CRIMINAL HISTORY |
| 2230 Led invasion and conquest of sectors 24, 39, 43, 58. Performed experiments on inhabitants of Latig Four, destroyed entire population thru infection of Stafford's Plague |
| 2231 Responsible for destruction of planets Tirolus, Comac Four and Halax |
| 2232 Fled the Non-Aligned Sectors after Battle of Balos |
WHEREABOUTS Unknown
WANTED FOR CRIMES AGAINST SENTIENCE
Appearances
- Novels
- Thirdspace (Novelization) (Mentioned only)