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

Tomorrow will be as today.

I had heard of Babylon Five before I saw it for the first time, but my comprehension had been limited. My parents had spoken of it darkly, as a place where people lived who claimed to rule us. I tried to question them about it once, for I had thought we were ruled by the Kha'Ri, a Council of our greatest leaders and thinkers.

My father then told me his version of the Alliance. It was a council dominated by aliens. He did not distinguish between different kinds. They were aliens. I had heard of some other races and I had even seen a Drazi on the streets. And of course I knew of the Centauri, although I was not sure if they were real or not, since my mother used their name as a threat to persuade me to obey her.

The first alien I had met and spoken to was Lennier, and he was different from what I had expected. He was nice to me, and he apologised for almost running into me. At the time, I thought that was the most exciting moment of my life. Now that I have spoken with Emperors, Lords, Generals, the Well of Souls and of course the Prophet G'Kar himself, I still look back at that first meeting with a child's wide–eyed wonder. Every journey must begin somewhere.

But I digress. I fear you will have to put up with a great deal of digression in my words, dear reader. I am not sure if I am writing a holy book as G'Kar so often dreamed of doing, or simply the tale of a young Narn girl who, by chance or destiny, became something greater.

Anyway, my father told me that the Alliance was a group of aliens who had got together and decided to rule us all. Some of the Kha'Ri were cowards and traitors and were content to let them. Others were heroes who tried to fight these aliens. G'Kar, it seemed, was a good man, a holy man, who had been tricked by the aliens into helping them. That was the only possible explanation my father could give for why G'Kar sought peace with the Centauri when we could have destroyed them. These aliens lived at a place called Babylon Five, far, far away, and they had a mighty army they used to make sure everyone did as they said.

I was not sure where this Babylon Five could be, but as my father had said it was far, far away, I believed it was on the other side of the G'Khorazar Mountains. I gave these aliens appearances in my mind, appearances of horror and nightmare, monsters from legend. Babylon Five itself I imagined as a tall dark castle, made of black stone, from which fire burned and soared, filling the sky with smoke.

And then I saw it.

The point of this story, dear reader, is to relate my wonder at that first sighting of Babylon Five. As I said, I have seen so many wonders that they threaten to become commonplace. I hope they never will, for then I will know that it is time to die. But when I look back on that first visit to Babylon Five, in spite of all the horror that happened there, I remember the image of all those lights, shining so brightly in the night sky. At first I was afraid we had come to the wrong place, for this was hardly the castle of horrors I had envisaged.

This was instead a beacon of light and hope, truly a place of wonders....

But as G'Kar taught me, evil can live in the most beautiful of environments.

L'Neer of Narn, Learning at the Prophet's Feet.

At home the atrocity had seemed so far away, as they always did. Minbar was a world scarred by war and devastation, her people divided and fractured. Kats remembered her first steps on the torn and brutalised world she had called home, and the memory had horrified her. That was war and the price of war. y o

She remembered also what her race had done to another, and she remembered the vicious counterstrike that had poisoned her home. She knew better than to seek retribution. She knew that revenge was a path with no ending, just an eternal cycle. u w

Home was so far away, and the Grey Council was concerned with itself and their own people. But Kats was here, on Babylon 5, and here the threat was close. i l

Everyone moved quietly, faces downcast, scurrying about their business. Tirivail, who normally had to match her long stride to Kats' more sedate steps, seemed to find it more of an ordeal than usual. Her face was clouded by constant wariness, one hand always on the hilt of her weapon. l o

Tirivail remained outside for this meeting, of course. It was a private affair, between allies and powers and.... friends. b e

"It is good to see you again," Delenn said, gesturing to Kats to enter her office. The room looked.... uncharacteristically untidy. There were reports scattered everywhere, unfinished drinks and so on. Kats sat by the door, away from the desk, and Delenn sat opposite her. An expression of equality and friendship. y u

"It is good to be here," Kats replied. "Although I wish it could have been under happier circumstances." s y

"So do I. Is this meeting personal, or business–related?" o u

"A little of both. I thought it appropriate to forewarn you of the Grey Council's proposals for this.... problem." w i

"I do not think I will like the sound of this." l l

"I do not blame you. I do not. Satai Takier proposes the complete closure of our borders and the recall of all Minbari ships to defend our own space. He wants all our jump gates closely monitored, and the expulsion of all aliens in our territory. The Grey Council has voted in my absence to grant no aid to the Narns, either financial or asylum for refugees." o b

"And this has all been voted on?" e y

"I had hoped for the final decision to be delayed until I reported back, but I contacted the Council upon my arrival. An emissary has been sent from the Alliance demanding full access rights for Inquisitors and Dark Star patrols throughout our space. Takier took it to the rest of the Council, and they voted, almost unanimously, to refuse them. Takier plans to make it very clear that Alliance ships, military or merchant, pass through our territory without express permission at their peril. He has never liked the Alliance, and agreed to join only grudgingly." u s

"Do you think the Federation will abandon the Alliance?" y o

Kats looked down, her fingertips pressed tightly together. "I would say it is almost a certainty. There has been a great deal of unrest ever since the Inquisitors pursued their search for Sinoval last year. This incident is just the impetus Takier needed." u w

"You will not be the last to leave. The Narns.... I do not know about the Narns. I have not been able to speak to any of them, but G'Kar is on his way here, and should arrive soon. I hope he will be able to talk.... some sense, or peace, or something, into them. But the Drazi, the Centauri.... The Drazi have already tried to leave us once. The knowledge they are not alone this time may give them a greater incentive. And the Centauri.... Ambassador Durano is a very clever man. He has been talking to a great many people. He can be a powerful ally, but his greatest loyalty is to his people. An admirable trait in an Ambassador, to be sure, but I am certain he is not happy with what has been done to his people...." i l

"You have left someone out," Kats noted. l o

"Yes, I am afraid to talk about.... him. I had hoped he had gone forever, but the reports from Centauri Prime...." b e

"Sinoval." y u

"I swore never to let him win. I swore that his black vision for this galaxy would never come to pass. He must be laughing at me." s y

"He would never do that, Delenn. He is.... a good man, at heart. I have not seen him in years, but he is a good man, and if there is war, there is no one I would rather have fighting for us. I just hope there will not be war." o u