Gareth Williams - A Dark, Distorted Mirror. Volume 5 - Among the Stars, like Giants. Part 1 - Learning How to Live

He heard things on his walks. He spoke most of the Minbari dialects well enough, and little rumours reached his ears. Many, particularly the warriors, spoke about Sinoval. Some seemed in favour of him, others not. There were whispers of 'Inquisitors', feared aliens who were seeking out those who had bargained with the Shadows. One of them had come here, it was said, but only one.

Aliens were regarded suspiciously during these conversations. The new Grey Council was trying to attract other races to their homeworld, and the number of aliens was growing slowly. However, some of them had been attacked and beaten by warriors, possibly on suspicion of being these Inquisitors. No one dared to touch Corwin, though. His strange friendship with Kats was common knowledge, and the warriors all seemed in awe of her, either because of her marriage to a warrior or through the respect accorded her by one of the Satai, Tirivail.

Regardless, Corwin let life outside pass him by. He buried himself in simple labour, and was content to live one day to the next, repairing some of the things he had done and taking satisfaction from that.

His walk took him past the Temple of Varenni and he looked up at the ancient building in wonder, as he always did. It was there, he knew, that Valen had returned to the Minbari. Some of the religious caste argued that Valen had left them again as punishment for their sins, and that he would return when they had atoned. Corwin, knowing full well that would not happen, passed on.

And then he stopped, looking back. The front gates of the temple were open, as they always were. There were people moving about inside, praying silently, lighting candles in memory of loved ones gone, talking quietly with one another. Most of them were Minbari, but there was also a pair of Narns wearing the Ranger sunburst symbol, a Brakiri, two Abbai....

.... and a human. Corwin frowned, not knowing that any other humans were here, certainly not in this part of Yedor. He stood on the steps of the temple, still staring in. It was a woman, wearing a long grey hooded cloak. It was pulled far enough forward that most people would not have been able to tell her race, but from the way she was moving, the way she was sitting, everything indicated to Corwin that she was human.

She was also oddly familiar.

She was talking in hushed tones to a Minbari warrior, which was also strange. The warriors hated humanity and barely tolerated even Corwin.

Slowly, drawn by something he could not understand, Corwin began to walk up the steps. He caught a glimpse of black hair beneath the hood, framing a firm jaw. He knew he recognised her now, but who could he know who would be here?

Suddenly he caught a glimpse of one grey eye and the name came to him in a thunderbolt. He took a step backwards and nearly fell. It was impossible! But he watched her again, holding onto the balustrade for support.

Impossible or not, it was true. He could see a faint pattern of scars across the other side of her face.

Susan!

She was still asleep. She had been asleep for hours. Marrago had spent much of that time watching her. She had hardly moved.

He had done what he could to patch up the girl's wounds, although he was no medic. The damage that had been done to her appalled him. He was a soldier, and had been all his life. The notion of deliberately wounding an enemy was hardly anathema to him, but this.... The deliberate and callous torture of a young girl. What could anyone possibly gain from this?

Her sleep showed no sign of the horrors she must have endured. He listened closely for any dream-cries or screams, but there were none. There was no sign of any dreams at all, bad or otherwise.

She was pretty, and her torture had done nothing to mar that. Her face and arms and front were untouched. Her torturer had clearly not wanted to spoil her beauty.

"Was she worth it?" asked a familiar voice. Dasouri spoke Centauri perfectly, with only a slight trace of his Drazi accent. That was an unusual talent in itself. Most of Marrago's mercenaries spoke only their native languages and the common Trade-speak. Very few of them spoke his tongue, but then Dasouri was unusual in more ways than one. It was no wonder that he had become Marrago's second.

"What do you mean?"

"This will cause trouble. The ways of these mercenaries are.... not complex. The Centauri took her, therefore she belonged to him. He could do with her whatever he wished. By taking her, you have broken that law. There may be trouble."

"What else should I have done?"

"Was she worth risking all this for? You have seen the operation of these people just as I have. You could lead them all in a sixmonth. Within twice that, you could have a force of outcasts big enough to take on the Alliance itself. Why risk that for one girl?"

"Ambition is a powerful thing," Marrago admitted. "And yes, you are right. This may risk everything, even our lives. But I will not stand by and watch a young girl tortured and beaten. If that risks my life, then so be it."

"You are a noble no longer. Remember that. Now you are an outcast like the rest of us. Have you ever thought that your old ways may not match your new life?"

"All the time. But some things are right, and some things are wrong, and what was done to her was wrong. There is no doubt about it."

"Ah. As I expected. Well, I leave you to your lady. The others need training."

Marrago nodded as Dasouri left, feeling both bolstered and weakened by what the Drazi had said. Every word was correct, every argument justified. Marrago had risked a lot by this action. It was not the work of a tactician, or a strategist, but it was simply right.

It was not as if she even looked like Lyndisty. Her hair was darker, her eyes a different shade. She was a little taller, a little younger.

She stirred, and sat up in one instant, her eyes darting around. She had awakened immediately, without weariness or confusion or disorientation.

She looked at him, and pulled the cloth around her like a shield. He thought she was trembling a little.

"Who are you?" she said at last, after a long pause.

"My name is Jorah Marrago," he said, his first name feeling strange in his mouth. Jorah was the name of a stranger, a young and ambitious man. He had not used that name since his father had died. "Once I was Lord-General. Now.... I am just an outcast."

"I've heard of you," she said slowly, pulling the sheet tighter around her. She said nothing more, merely continuing to stare. He was impressed. There was no fear there, no silent pleas, just a grim determination. You will not break me, the stare said. You may do whatever you wish to me, but you will not break me. She had learned pain, and a great deal of it.

"Might I have the honour of knowing your name?" he said at last.

She looked a little surprised. "My name is.... I am Senna. I used to be a lot of things, but now I'm just Senna."

He nodded. "It is an honour to meet you."

"You.... rescued me?"

"Yes."

"Did you kill him?"

"No."

"Why?"

"I have killed too much. I am tired of it. I will kill if I must, but not otherwise. Your.... captor was a weak man. He was no threat to me, and I have made sure he will not bother you again."

"No," she said firmly. "Why did you rescue me? What do you hope to gain from me? There will be no ransom."

"I do not want ransom," he said flatly.

"Then what? Revenge? Or perhaps.... a little.... something for night-time?"

"Neither," he said, his words hard. "That man. Did he...." A simmering anger was burning within him, but he fought to keep it down. He was not even sure who he was angry with. He was just angry. "Did he...?"

"Rape me?" she finished, in a harsh, sardonic half-laugh. "Would you have wanted him to? Would that give you an excuse to go to him and beat him to a bloody pulp? Would you have liked to watch?" He was silent. There was no reply he could give, and she seemed to sense this, instantly regretting her sarcasm. "No, he didn't," she said finally. "He thought it would be.... more fun for me to beg him to touch me."