"Assembling a force of nature takes a little bit of prior planning..."
* * *
The Office of Sha'vei No'raden William Westcastle.
Tuzanor, Minbar. Late November, 2265.
With as peaceful an expression as could be managed under the circumstances, William Westcastle, the man that some among the Anla'shok still, even to this day, named Rimstalker, stood in the tall window that occupied one whole corner of his office in the Tower of the Council, and tried not to worry about what needed to be done, and how it *should* be done.
He looked out upon the surroundings...and sighed; it was a fine day outside, more then fine for this season on Minbar. A few puffy clouds drifted across an otherwise completely clear sky, and the sunlight shone down cleanly upon the brown and gray cloth of his robes. He shook his head regretfully; in weather such as this, it was only the duties of state and position that kept him from being out there, playing with his son and daughter, as was *right*.
But those duties were a clear and present necessity, for the present; and until the Telepath Crisis back on Earth resolved itself, one way *or* the other, he would see his children far less then he might have wished.
Far less.
At that point, the all too familiar sound of the doors to his office opening alerted him that the task at hand was about to begin, and he turned from the view to note the arrival of two young women into his chambers. The first, her long black hair tightly braided, as usual, her Ranger uniform spotless, was dear to him; in some respects, he supposed that he almost treated Julia as he would his own daughter, by now. The other, however, was the prime concern of this meeting; Sheynell Keynes, former member of the Psi Corps, now recovered from the injuries she had suffered during her defection from the organization that had created her.
"Summoned into your presence by Anla'shok Tikopai, I have come." the young telepath began, fixing him with a steady gaze. "As is proper. I have asked for sanctuary, and Citizenship within the Interstellar Alliance...and now that this has been conditionally approved, sir, due to the Crisis back home...how may I use my gifts to aid you and yours?"
"Well, now!..." he replied, "That *is* the question of the hour, isn't it, Miss Keynes? You understand that we must find an answer to to that question, before you leave this room, don’t you?"
"I do."
"Then take a seat, both of you." Once his two guests had done just that, William took a deep breath, and began. "Miss Keynes; now that you’ve sufficiently recovered from the injuries you suffered during your recent escape from the Corps, the time has come, as you indicated, to discuss the conditions of your sanctuary amongst the Anla'shok, and within the Alliance. For starters...the High Council has decided that you should tell us all you can about the Crisis, as it currently stands..."
At that, Sheynell reached inside her pocket, and withdrew a data crystal. "During my period of convalescence, Anla'shok Tikopai suggested that I spend several hours dictating a copy of the information you need, sir...it's all there, everything you'll possibly need to know, about the...current situation back home."
William raised one eyebrow; well that had been quick and painless, hadn't it? "Your openness is appreciated, Miss Keynes, though I do wonder *why* this is so; is it not one of the principles of the Psi Corps that its telepaths shall not reveal things to normals, that those normals don't need to know or hear?"
"That is correct, High Councillor...but I’m no longer a member of that organization, now am I?"
He smiled at that barb. "So it would seem, Miss Keynes...so it would seem." William turned his attention to Julia, then. "Anla'shok Tikopai! ...it is my understanding that upon her rescue, Miss Keynes requested that you should be the one, above all others, to know about her defection from the Psi Corps. As such, it is my hope that you have, shall we say, researched this matter to the full extent of your abilities.
I will now accept your input on this situation."
The Ranger that he and Jennifer had helped to train, several years before, straightened in her seat. "Sir!... during my initial conversations with Miss Keynes, it quickly become apparent that she could aid us in matters above and beyond her generous offer of inside information about the Crisis. For instance...I have learned that she has spent the majority of the past three years serving as an assistant to a somewhat infamous, and certainly senior, member of the Corps.
A P12 telepath named Alfred Bester."
"Interesting..." he muttered. "Miss Keynes, I would be very interested to know how you managed to survive *that* period of service."
"It was not easy at times, High Councillor...but I managed." Sheynell rose then, and walked over to the window, before looking back at the two Rangers. "In fact, for a very long time, I saw Mr. Bester almost as a hero, someone to look up to... someone to, shall we say, *emulate*." The telepath shook her head, almost sadly. "In the end, that blind spot the Corps programmed into me almost got me killed."
William nodded darkly. "That, I can understand, from what I know about Mr. Bester. Anla'shok Tikopai...if you would be so kind as to continue?"
A nod. "Sir. It would also seem that Miss Keynes has chosen to specialize in battle tactics and rules of engagement with enemy forces. From her testimony, it seems likely that the Corps had been preparing for this Crisis for some time, now...and it is all too probable that they intended to her to lead groups of other telepaths on strike missions, deep into enemy territory.
Why this did *not* come to pass is another question we must have answered; a matter that Miss Keynes would not address until our meeting today. It comes down to this, sir...what caused her loyalties to shift away from an organization she was serving willingly, and without question, the last time we encountered one another?"
William turned his attention back to his other guest, his gaze now hard. "I would have the answer to this, question, Miss Keynes!...*now*, if you don't mind."
The telepath nodded somberly, before turning to Julia. "I hope that you will forgive my earlier reluctance, but this had to wait until we reached the High Councillor; now, perhaps you will understand why that is so. The answer you are looking for, sir, is simpler then you might expect; since the one most responsible for my defection is known to you both."
William rose from his seat, then...could it be? "This telepath; would her name, by any chance, be Brianna Tolmanes?"
"That is correct." Sheynell replied, a surprisingly warm smile now on her face. "Now, do you understand why, and more importantly *how*, I was able to break away from the Corps?"
He exchanged a quick glance with Julia, and found, as expected, that she was as astonished and relieved to hear about this as he was; Brianna had been a friend to Julia, as well, in her time among the Rangers...and it was *good* to hear that she was still alive, fighting the battle against the Darkness, if in her own way. "This is remarkable news, Miss Keynes...remarkable indeed!"
But Sheynell's smile faded, then, as she rose from her seat, and walked slowly over to the window to gaze down on the Compound, and the Rangers moving about their duties below. "I can see that you’re both pleased to hear that she aided me in my escape...but I fear I *cannot* confirm what you most want to hear. When I left Earthspace, the hounds of War were right on our heels; things didn't look too good, sir...and Brianna, she was always one to place herself right in the middle of things...right in harm's way..."
At that, Julia rose, and moved to comfort the now emotional telepath, which gave William the moment he needed to make up his mind about the whole situation. "I understand, Sheynell, all too well, why you’re upset about this situation. Brianna was a friend to us all, and when Mr. Bester forced her to leave us behind, it was a dark day for the Rangers...a dark day indeed.
But in bringing you to us, Sheynell, Brianna has both hurt the Psi Corps and possibly given us back the edge we possessed when she was one of us, during the Shadow War...and after. An edge that the Rangers need, if we are to survive, prosper, and continue to pursue the war against the Darkness that lives beyond our borders...to guard against the enemies of the Alliance we have sworn to protect, with our lives.
I ask you this now, Sheynell Keynes; in exchange for our protection, will you serve us, as Brianna Tolmanes once did? Will *you* become Anla'shok, and begin to fulfill a different and better destiny under our banner, and the Alliance's?"
After a moment, a now quite shocked Sheynell turned her tear-streaked face to meet his gaze once again. "This offer of yours...I wasn't expecting...I didn't think you would take me, after..."
"The sins of the past cannot be ignored, Sheynell." he replied, smiling patiently. "But with hard work, and service in the right places, for the right reasons, those blemishes can eventually be erased from your conscience.
To put it most simply, if you choose to serve with us as a Ranger, you’re serving in the name of justice, and for the forces of Light. You can, if you wish, choose to see this service as a redemption of sorts...and in my opinion, it can certainly be considered as a positive change of career, yes?"
"Do it, Sheynell!..." Julia entreated, as the telepath wavered, torn between two worlds, between the past she had known, and a future yet uncertain. "I *know* you can. You can trust my word, and the High Councillor's...we would never lie to you. We are Rangers...it is, after all, against our code!"
"Well, Sheynell?" he entreated, one last time. "What will it be?"
There was an infitesimal pause, and then, the telepath turned back towards them, her expression now one of gratitude. "It’s a most generous offer, High Councillor!...and the bargain is, I will admit, a just one. To work off the sins of my past in such a manner was not something I was expecting...but I've always liked new challenges, and this certainly qualifies as one, doesn’t it?"
At that point, Sheynell finally smiled again, and began to wipe the tears off of her cheeks. "And in the final analysis, it honours the memory of what she did, in service to your One...am I right?"
"More then right, Sheynell..." he reassured her, as Julia breathed a sigh of obvious relief. "On *all* counts!"
"And now this has been decided to everyone's satisfaction..." Sheynell inquired shakedly, "What comes next?"
"Anla'shok Tikopai!"
"High Councillor!"
"You may start explaining to *Lakotal* Keynes what will now be expected of her."
"With pleasure, sir." Julia replied, before turning to the prospective new Ranger. "If you will please follow me?"
* * *
Another office, later that day.
"Mr. President." William inquired, as he stuck his head into the office of the President of the Interstellar Alliance, "May I speak with you, if you're not too busy?"
"William." Sheridan replied, his attention half on other matters. "Come on in. You will, however, have to be brief this time around...it seems like I've got a hundred different things to attend to right now, and your weekly report on Ranger matters is *way* down towards the bottom of the totem pole, at the moment."
"Perhaps I may be able to change that opinion, sir."
Sheridan smiled wryly at that comment. "This I've got to see."
William nodded calmly, in return. "I believe I may have begun to determine a solution for your problem regarding the covert prototype starship known, in human terms, as the SHARD OF NIGHT...sir."
At that, the President stopped what he was doing, and raised his gaze to meet the Ranger's. "You know what?...over the time I've known you, William, I've noticed that you seem to have a knack for getting my full attention, when the matter actually *is* important. And I've also learned, from experience, that when you say you've 'begun' to find a solution to something, that solution is usually going to be one Hell of a good one!"
"So I would like to believe, Mr. President. If you will just let me explain..."
* * *
Early December, 2265...Primary Ranger Training Facility, Tuzanor, Minbar.
"Ah!...Turval, there you are!" Durhan declared, as he strode briskly into the meditation chamber, which was, of course, packed full of meditating Ranger trainees from the various races in the Interstellar Alliance. "You wished to speak to me about one of our recent recruits?"
"Yes...now how shall I put it?" Turval mused, as he moved aside to speak to the other Minbari. "He worries me, Durhan...certainly, we have had a number of Drazi recruits in the past several cycles, but never one quite like *this*!"
"Hmm...yes, I can see what you mean." Durhan inclined his head towards a Drazi meditating in the corner of the chamber. "That's him, over there, I suppose?"
"Yes...it seems scarcely imaginable! He is a member of a race notable for their aggressive tendencies and problems with finding peaceful solutions to matters..."
"Or, for that matter, keeping their calm, on general principles, when it comes time for them to decide which, ah, *party* will rule their homeworld..."
"And yet, here we seem to have a Drazi who *enjoys* meditating."
"Does look that way, doesn't it?" Durhan paused, thought about that for a moment, and then looked at Turval again, a little more thoughtfully, now. "Now I think I understand why you’re so worried, Turval."
"Enough!" Turval declared. "Before we go any further with his training, we must discover the reason behind this apparent peacefulness. Dasouri!"
The Drazi in the corner rose to his feet, his expression maddeningly calm, and approached the two Minbari. "Master. You summoned me?"
"Yes..." Durhan began. "Dasouri, of the Drazi, there are a number of concerns we have regarding your background. Nothing terribly complicated, I assure you!...but before we continue with your training, we would...appreciate it if you would answer a question or two, for us..."
"This is...not good!" Dasouri replied, his expression now alarmed. "Honored instructors, both!...it seems to me that I have, somehow, given you cause to doubt my sincerity in coming here! I do not know how this might have occurred...but I, Dasouri, will work hard to calm your concerns.
Ask your questions, and I will answer them, to the best of my abilities. I will *not* disappoint you...I cannot disappoint you, if I am to succeed in my quest."
Durhan and Turval looked questioningly at one another...quest? "Do not worry, Dasouri...I’m sure that once you have answered our questions, everything will be fine." And then, Durhan pointedly turned and glared at his fellow Sech. "Turval?"
"When first you came here..." Turval began, "We did not inquire into your reasons for coming, as closely as we should have. But over time, we’ve noticed that you seem to be, well, far calmer then many of your fellow Drazi...and more accepting of the ways of the Anla'shok...and of the teachings of Valen. Why is this so?"
"Ah!" Dasouri replied, his relief very apparent. "I should have expected this question...but I did not think to wonder why it had not been asked, so happy was I to have arrived in the right place, to do the right thing!
Now, what is the best way to explain?...ah, *yes*." Dasouri straightened. "Honoured instructors!...to understand my nature, you must understand my concerns. Drazi known to be very warlike people; need to fight gets Drazi in trouble far more then I, Dasouri, can bear; there are too many examples of conflict between Drazi and other races...so I, Dasouri, decided to act. Decided to speak to rest of Drazi...to try and make warlike Drazi think of more peaceful ways to their problems."
"It does make sense to want to try, doesn't it?" Turval mused. "But I can guess the sort of response you may have received..."
Dasouri nodded his head sadly. "Too many times, Drazi have come close to destruction...bad enough, that every five years, tradition calls on us to fight one another in battle of Green and Purple, but worse has happened recently, this you know. So, I left Drazi homeworld, left because Drazi people not want to listen to words of peace. Left, because slowly but surely, I became an outcast from family and from people, because of my beliefs. Very disheartening...but because I could not reason with warlike Drazi, I decided to search elsewhere, to look for Drazi who thought as I do.
Initially, thought to travel to Babylon 5, to try and speak of peace in that place. But most Drazi on Babylon 5 the same as *everywhere* else, come too easy to anger, too ready to fight." Dasouri sighed. "Finding this out, almost I decided to travel elsewhere, there and then...but before I could leave Babylon 5, I discovered something astonishing! Learned of great work named Book of *G'kar*."
"Well, now..." Durhan murmured in Turval's ear, "This may be the most surprising revelation of all."
"G'kar, in his book..." Dasouri continued, "Spoke of the way of Peace, and need to find purposes other then fighting. Also, G'kar spoke of pointlessness of seeking revenge to redress past mistakes. Drazi have not learned this lesson, honored instructors, perhaps they never will...but then again, perhaps I am too quick to judge them. But in any case, I was very happy to discover great writer and speaker, who thought as I do." Dasouri sighed, then. "I would *very* much like to meet G'kar, but G'kar cannot be found easily!"
"No..." Turval warmly replied, "And that is for a very good reason, Dasouri. Several years ago, a great many of G'kar's followers decided that idolizing the *writer* was more important then understanding the principles of the work."
"Ah!" Dasouri mused darkly, "I suspected, from what the Narns on Babylon 5 told me, that this might have been the case. But did not wish to inquire too closely, did not want Narns in that place to get angry at me!...but now, I must conclude my tale; having discovered the way of G'kar, I then learned of the Rangers, and decided that the best way to help my people would be to become a Ranger. Once this has happened, honored sirs, I will be able to help keep the peace between Drazi and the rest of the Alliance, and practice the ways of G'kar at the same time."
Dasouri bowed, then, to the two Minbari. "I hope, that this explanation helps you to *understand*? I am not like most Drazi, wish, instead, to help work in way of peace."
"Yes..." Turval replied, a tone of near astonishment in his voice, "I believe that it does, Dasouri; in fact, it is a pleasant change to find, once in a while, a Drazi such as yourself. You may return to your meditation."
"There!..." Durhan stated, his grin broad. "As I've always said, Turval, you are far too quick to worry about matters such as these. He will, in my opinion, make a *fine* Ranger eventually, although, the question that must be answered, in my opinion, is how will the Rangers use his talents?"
"Oh, I'm sure the Council will come up with something appropriate for Dasouri to do when the time comes, Durhan..."
* * *
The Westcastle Household; Christmas Day, 2265.
"This tradition of yours..." Klairika commented, as two dark-haired, nearly four year old demons of destruction ran howling around the house, playing with their new toys, "Is something I’ve always found somewhat confusing; Jennifer, you must explain to me how giving gifts to one's family equates with honoring the birth of one of your race's religious icons...?"
"It's a long story, I'm afraid!" Jennifer wryly replied, as she bent rapidly down and intercepted the headlong rush of her daughter, Celia. "William!..."
"I've got him!..." Her husband called from the kitchen, where unique smells (to Klairika) had been emanating for some time, now. "Now, getting Richard to stay still when the other guests arrive is going to be a tough one, however."
"I'm sure we'll manage, somehow."
William snorted, as Klairika moved by, towards the balcony beyond. "Ironic, isn't it? I've commanded dozens of White Stars in the largest battles the galaxy has ever seen, and I can't even get my own son and daughter to sit still for more then a minute."
"Comes with the season, love."
"I suppose." William muttered. It was then, of course, that the long chime of the door signal sounded. "Jennifer!...I believe that young Miss Tikopai and her guests have arrived."
"I'm on it!..." came the faint call from the other end of the tower.
Klairika smiled, as she moved out onto the balcony, and gazed out across the vista of crystal towers that was central Tuzanor, and into another of the brilliantly coloured sunsets that this part of Minbar was famous for. Even though the Westcastle children seemed, at times, to be an almost unstoppable force of nature, she was happy for both Jennifer and her husband. They had their children, and each other...who did she have?
"Hello...I don't believe we've been introduced." Klairika turned on one foot, to see a young human woman appraising her with interest from the doorway to the balcony. "Although, Jennifer has spoken of you from time to time...you would be Klairika, of the Brakiri House Alidiae?"
"Yes...although from time to time, that house connection is one I would rather forget. And in turn, please let me practice *my* knowledge of those that our hosts would be certain to invite to meal, on this day, your greatest of festivals. I am pleased to have finally met you...
Julia Tikopai."
"Interesting..." the other Ranger murmured, one eyebrow inclined. "That was a good guess on your part."
"It seemed *easy* to deduce, from the High Councillor's bellow, who you might be. I would also be interested, however, to learn who you have brought with you to what will be, as far as I can tell, one of the most interesting evening meals I have yet to experience."
At that comment, Julia nodded, a devious smile on her face. "William and Jennifer are trying to honour the holiday customs of both Earth *and* Minbar in this meal, not the most easy of tasks, but I'm guessing they'll manage somehow. And as for who I've brought with me, well...here they are!"
Klarika turned, to see a young Minbari male and another human woman arrive on the balcony. "Klairika...this is Larieken, onetime member of the Wind Swords Clan...and a Ranger who has stood loyally by my side, for longer then I have deserved..."
"She exaggerates, of course..." Larieken commented, a small smile on his face. "It is an honour to meet you at last, Anla'shok Alidiae; I have heard of your work among the Rangers, and what I hear is good."
"And this..." Julia continued, "Is someone I am *very* pleased to have join us here on this night, at this meal; one of our newest recruits...and someone that Larieken, I, and a number of other Rangers have decided to befriend...perhaps you will be another. Klairika, this is Sheynell Keynes..."
* * *
Later that evening...
"The meal was excellent, sir..." Sheynell declared, as Jennifer cleared off the remains from the candlelit table, leaving her husband the task of keeping the children under control, and their guests, sufficiently entertained. "I thank you for your hospitality, this night."
The High Councillor smiled, in return. "For now, Sheynell, we’re off duty, and the training day is concluded; there’s no need for such formalities." The young telepath smiled her understanding at that comment...it was clear to him that her new existence among the Rangers would be a greater freedom then she had ever experienced before, and he would do everything in his power to continue that pattern...bringing her into Julia's circle of companions had *clearly* been the right thing to do. "Julia and Larieken tell me that you have very nearly recovered from the injuries you sustained during your escape."
"Yes..." Sheynell replied matter of factly, "And there are several Rangers here in Tuzanor that are more or less responsible for that. The first is one of your physicians, a Minbari named Veyshahk."
"Ah, yes; Veyshahk is known to me. He takes his calling *very* seriously, and for it to be him who helped you recover is a good omen, Sheynell...a good omen indeed."
"So it would seem; even when I judged myself sufficiently recovered from my ordeal, Veyshahk cautioned me against using my abilities, until we knew for *sure* that I hadn't suffered permanant damage at the hands of the Corps...and that was where another Ranger, Vahzil, offered his aid."
"Isn't Vahzil a telepath, as well?" Julia inquired, from the other side of the table.
"Exactly..." Larieken commented. "A rarity among our kind...for normally, Minbari telepaths are not allowed to join the Anla'shok. Vahzil, however, was *persuasive* about the matter when it came time for him to choose his path, and surprisingly enough, the elders of his family acceded to the request."
"In my opinion..." Klairika commented, "This has only been a good thing for you, Sheynell. I will assume that Vahzil's aid revealed you had recovered properly, else, you would not be smiling as you now are..."
"Yes..." Sheynell mused. "It was fascinating to touch the mind of a telepath *not* of the Corps. And for the first time in my experience, the touch was not what I expected; you have to understand that part of the Corps training that Brianna Tolmanes helped to break was our distrust of telepaths from other races. This experience, of course, only reinforced the truths she taught me..."
"That was Vahzil's intent, I suspect...to aid you in your recovery. Never forget, Sheynell!...you are one of *us* now, and the Rangers will do everything in their power to help you now that you have joined us."
Shenell nodded. "That, I suppose, could be one of the better Christmas gifts that I've ever received..."
Smiling a secret little smile, William moved off towards the kitchen for a moment, one of his children in each hand, to meet another one of his wife's 'I know what you're up to' looks. "I told you so."
Jennifer smiled, and nodded in return. "Okay...so once in a while I *am* wrong. Nobody's perfect...so what plot are you spinning out, this time around?"
"Maybe not just yet...but in a couple more years, *that* will be the NUCLEUS of the Ranger command crew the President is expecting me to build for him."
"And what, do you suppose, will be Julia's response, when the President gives her command of this new ship?"
"Surprise..." William mused. "Reflection. Consideration. And, I believe...
Appreciation."
* * *
"...and the wait can sometimes be a trying one..."
* * *
Interstellar Alliance Starship SHARD OF NIGHT; patrol near the Drazi/Centauri border...December 31st, 2265. Night Watch...Engineering.
Assistant Engineer Nicolas Dawson reclined in his chair as far it would go, and scowled. Director Halloran had sent Captain Rahkeel and his crew out along the edge of Centauri space...through what could be theoretically considered as hostile territory, since he seriously doubted the Centauri would be happy to find them there...and wouldn't you know it? The Minbari didn't celebrate *anything* at this time of year, it was just another day on the job for the lot of them. Nicholas shook his head bitterly...the good Director has completely forgotten about the sole human member of the crew, now hadn't she?
"Happy New Year to me..." he muttered. Yee ha...and Happy Holidays too, for good measure. On top of everything else, Nicholas seemed to have been cursed with a superior who didn't seem to believe in the concept of holidays from the job. Varsak was brilliant, but once in while, he could also be a serious pain...and most of the time, the Director was no better. Because while they’d undertaken a couple of interesting missions since September, for now things were quiet.
And that, of course, just meant *another* long patrol.
Ah, well!...it wasn't as if the Centauri even had the technology to detect the SHARD OF NIGHT...Varsak had made sure of that. And there hadn't been a mission the Director had given them yet that they had needed to fight their way out of.
Although Nicholas had been impressed with the weapons trials they had conducted using the primary and secondary weapons arrays. He smiled; the main gun, by itself, was certainly comparable in strength to the main guns on those new destroyers the ISA was building...maybe not quite so jarringly powerful, but the SHARD's weaponry packed a hell of a punch, for her size.
And for now, everything seemed to be in order...Nicholas rose to his feet. "Lesaki!"
"Yes, sir?" his Minbari assistant replied.
"Lesaki, I'm think I'm going to go for a walk; if anything goes *terribly* wrong, link in and let me know. In any case, I'll be back in five...wouldn't want to upset the Chief after all, now would we?"
The Minbari smiled a patient, understanding smile. "Of *course*." Nicholas grinned at a little, at that response...Lesaki had, to his great surprise, been very understanding about the situation, and if anyone could be considered a friend aboard, the Minbari would be that friend.
Soon enough, Nicholas came to an observation area; beyond the pressure-treated viewport, the ruddy unforgiving Hell of hyperspace glared back at him...just how *had* he gotten himself into this? Was this what it was all going to be like?...every holiday, between now and...when? It had been enjoyable designing this ship with Varsak and his team...but was he really enjoying things as they were now?
He didn't know anymore...wasn't sure how much more of this loneliness he could take. A hundred light years from the nearest member of his kind, surrounded by darkness, working with members of a race he still didn't really understand. Damn it all!...he had to admit, if only to himself, that he missed his world...and his family, too.
And in the end, it seemed as if he had sacrificed everything he cared for to have everything he wanted. Not a fair bargain...not a fair bargain, at all.
But there was worse; because of the vows he’d made to Varsak, the secret pact taken at the beginning of this trial...there didn't seem to be any way out. And he *seriously* doubted that Varsak would give him one, in any case.
It was then, of course, that his chronometer alerted him, a chime speaking of the unknown yet to come...
* * *
In the darkness, things were moving...enormous things. And there were those, of course, who saw this as a wonderful thing. They were creatures who had served with dignity for millenia, and then had seen that dignity torn away and destroyed by a race that knew not the meaning of the word ‘service’.
The Highest of these beings smiled to one another, and saw their work to be good...everything they’d attempted, thus far, had succeeded...the greatest example, of course, being their manipulation of the race named by some, 'Centauri'...and the punishment and subjugation of that race's Emperor, Londo Mollari.
That success had lead them believe their next objective would also succeed; that the race most responsible for exiling their Masters beyond the Rim could be made to suffer for their crimes.
Yes!...the Humans would be punished for what one of their kind had done...in a manner both devious, destructive...
And final.
For the Drakh had been working towards this for a *very* long time, now.
And as far as the Drakh knew, there was no one in the universe who knew of what they were planning.
Fortunately, of course, the Drakh were *not* infallible.
Cruel, yes...but not infallible.
* * *
Was I bold enough, at the end of the beginning, to make a prediction of what would yet be? How wrong I would end up being, and yet, at the same time, how right...because, as everyone now knows, the Earth Year 2266, a year of Light, a year of possibililities, would lead us inexorably into a time of pain greater then mankind had ever endured, before...and also usher in something I *never* could have predicted.
Because, you see, despite my Calling, I still had so much to learn, and I had yet, of course, to meet the Instructors who would tell me everything I needed to know, and nothing that I wanted to hear...