Gareth Williams - A Dark, Distorted Mirror. Volume 5 - Among the Stars, like Giants. Part 5 - The Three–Edged Sword

"And I'm afraid no one will actually learn any lessons from all this. That's the greatest weakness we 'ephemeral' beings have, you see. We don't learn from the past.

"But I'm not afraid of dying, and if the choice is death or kneeling before you and kissing your shiny encounter–suited boots, then I'd rather die."

The encounter suit opened, and the blazing light poured out.

The Vorlon spoke in a chill, precise, judicial tone.

They all saw it, and every one of them felt it.

Every single one of them died with him, for just a moment.

And then, as the pain receded, the anger began.

"Son of a bitch!" Susan roared. "You son of a bitch!"

The image stopped with that awful rush of pain through her body. The words faded, along with the powerful surge of emotion that had accompanied them. The anger remained of course. That was hers, not his.

"You worthless son of a bitch!"

That is the price of receiving what you asked for, spoke the eternally level voice of Lorien in her mind.

"They killed him! Just like that! Just because he wouldn't do what they said!"

Yes, they did. That, as was once said, is the problem with mortals. They tend to die.

"How can you be so bloody smug?"

Would anger help?

"Anger always helps."

You have not been close to him for many years. Both of you are very different people from when last you met. What was he to you that you grieve so?

"Listen. This isn't grief. This is anger."

I always believed the two to be one and the same.

"Not on your life. And it doesn't matter what I thought of him. God, I knew Anna. She was my friend, and she's dead as well. And he and I.... we once.... that's not the sort of thing you.... Dammit, I want to kill every last damned one of them!"

Yes, that is anger.

"Can't you help, or were you just going to stand there mouthing platitudes?"

I have done all I can, and I think you will find it was enough for now. As you will soon see. It was a pleasure to know you, Susan Ivanova. I go now with reason to feel proud. You have exceeded my highest expectations.

"What the...? Lorien, what...?"

Time returned, and with it a pause of a single second, and then the furious, shocked voice of the outmanoeuvred white Vorlon.

She did not cry.

She had thought she would cry. This was a moment she had thought about for many years.

This was war. It was a fact of war, a necessity of war, that people died.

He had been ill, some years ago. Terminally ill. She had been prepared for his death.

She could have cried then.

But not now.

As the Blessed Delenn of Mir watched General John Sheridan die, she found she could not cry at all.

She looked around at her companions, searching for their reactions. Na'Toth still stood guard at the door, weapon ready. Kulomani was continuing to work at his console. Perhaps neither of them had seen.

G'Kar's single eye was closed, and he was muttering a prayer in his own language. L'Neer clung tightly to him, and Delenn felt an intense pang of sympathy for the child. After all she had been through recently, this must all be so bewildering for her.

"It's a lie," hissed David's voice. She turned to look at him. Angry tears were pouring down his face. "It's a lie. It's all some trick...."

"A trick to demonstrate how lost they are?" Delenn asked coldly. "A trick to reveal to us their weaknesses, their foolish pride? No, this is no trick. It is real."

"I don't believe it."

"That is your prerogative. I know it is true. It has the feel of a real thing."

She stared at him, and she could see the betrayal in his eyes, the anger and the grief at the loss of a friend and a mentor. Why could she feel none of these things? Why could she feel....

.... nothing?

"It is done," Kulomani said. He had continued working throughout the conversation, throughout the blaze of light and the burst of pain, and throughout the dull, dead silence that had followed. Perhaps he had not heard.

"It is done," he said again. "I heard, and I saw, but I had a task, and it is done." His words were stronger than she had expected, but perhaps the visions had given him strength.

"You can talk to everyone on the station, to the fleets, to anyone you wish," he said. Then he closed his eyes and breathed out slowly. The sounds coming from his chest were chilling, but Delenn said nothing. She walked slowly over to one of the terminals and activated the newly–freed commpanel.

What to say?

What to say?

There were no words....

It is done. We are defeated.

No, Cardinal. We have won. We have slain their hope. We have killed the one who defied us, as you have killed those who would conspire against us.

It is done. We are defeated. You will not dispute me again.

Yes, Cardinal.

You have been a loyal servant, but loyalty is not a shield, and a hundred loyal acts do not outweigh one disloyal one. We are defeated.

Yes, Cardinal.

You wish to speak.

He is fallen, Cardinal. My prey. He is fallen. I have him.

This was his doing. They all watched, and they all saw our weakness. Anger is a flaw. They all saw this, and that was at his bidding. We have acted in anger once already this day. We shall not do so again. When he is to be destroyed, it shall be an act of purity. You have become too bound up with this one, our servant.

Yes, Cardinal. It is true.

We have been defeated this day. Not by war, nor by arms, but by ourselves. This is not a war for their worlds or their lands or their ships. This is a war for their hearts.

What are your orders, Cardinal?

We have shown them our power. Now we shall show them our mercy. We are creating a sanctuary here, a place of perfection. We desire only those who wish to stay. Those who wish to go may leave. They shall depart unmolested, but they shall be forevermore denied our sanctuary. We saved them from the Darkness, and if they choose to turn their backs on us, then so be it. All who depart this day shall be denied paradise.

He will not stop, Cardinal. He will continue to oppose us.

And we will destroy him - but not from anger. We will remove him because that must be done, and we shall do it in the correct manner, at the correct time. Let him depart.

Yes, Cardinal.

For all his power he is tied to his emotions, and that will destroy him. The female. Already she is dying. She was his reason for fighting, although he never knew it. Mortals understand so little of why they do what they do. He will lead them, and his flaws will become more apparent. He will destroy himself over time, as Chaos always does. You have served us well, in this as in all things. Do not let anger overwhelm you now.

Yes, Cardinal.

You questioned our will, and for that you are to be punished.

Yes, Cardinal. I accept your decision.

He is to live. Leave him, now. Before he wakes.

Yes, Cardinal.

Have no fear. Victory shall be ours, in time. He shall destroy himself.

Sebastian slowly and deliberately lowered his staff, taking two precise steps backwards. Sinoval still lay semi–conscious, twitching and shaking. It would be so easy. A single strike, and it would be done.

No. The thought disappeared as soon as it arose. His Masters had ordered otherwise. They had ordered him to leave, and so he would leave.

There would be another time. Sinoval would destroy himself.