| Well, I often wondered whether G'Kar had an
idea of what would happen when he sent Marcus back to B5 in "Whatever Happened
to Mr. Garibaldi". I wondered until I had a whole story to write.
This is my first attempt on fanfic. The story takes place during the beginning of the fourth season (Whatever Happened To Mr. Garibaldi through to Atonement). So there *are* spoilers, of course. At least for newcomers to the show. Don't blame *me* for bad English but my English teachers and beta readers. The whole story is titled "Awaking To the Sound of Footsteps" and I tried really hard to begin one part of each chapter with this line. Maybe it sounds not convincing sometimes but it is really my first piece of fiction and I still have to learn a lot. Thanks to all who encouraged me with their curiosity and flattered me into working further on the story. Also thanks to all who lent their names to my characters especially to my favourite author Ruth Owen. I had to twist her name a little to make it match the "planetality" of my characters but you'll find it all right. And as I mentioned before: virtual roses to clare!!!
Chapter 1: Dawn He awoke to the sound of footsteps and he cursed the source of them.
He had returned home late last night after a night in town with other recruits
and senior guardsmen. And now it could hardly be dawn.
Chapter 2: Noon The STATIST studied the material carefully. This was a little out of the way of his usual business. No assassination. No blackmailing. No copying or stealing documents so secret that no ten people knew they existed. Not finding new data for the feared purple files. Not finding out who the purple or green Drazi leader was (Both sides asked him each time to do so). No conspiracy among Human telepaths. No raiders asking about new trading routes to plunder. Only setting a trap for a Narn who was rifling through no less than the whole universe looking for a disappeared Starfury and a Human. Well, all Narns were fools. No. Not exactly fools. Rather children who could only think of one thing at one time. *Almost* all Narns were. So where was this one likely to appear? The STATIST studied the facts again. It was a small list but enough to start on it. This time he considered which of his allies and agents could be helpful in solving the problem. Facts: The Human had disappeared in the retreat of the Shadows from Babylon 5 space. >>>Of course he had connections to *them*. No problem to ask *them* about the Narn. *If* necessary. He had flown a Starfury. >>>The Narn was looking for the Starfury or the man. Logical. Questions: What was the number of the starfury? >>>His informers on Babylon 5 could surely help. What kind of ship was the Narn in? >>>That could also come from his Babylon 5 informers. What number does it have? ...Well, it wasn't really necessary to find out very much about the Narn or his ship. Just enough to make sure he would take the bait he would put out for him. So let's forget about the Narn's ship at the moment. How could he get the Narn into some place where he was in easy reach of the emperor? Narns... They looked very much alike to other races. So he had to search for a place where few Narns stayed to make a mistake almost impossible. The STATIST put stress on the fact that his work was a service and had to be done to the very satisfaction of the customer. It always paid. To think of such little details satisfied his customers as well as it scared them from checking out his identity. He seemed to know too much about them... <Back to the problem,> he told himself. No, it wasn't too complicated after all. All he had to do was to put up a track for the Narn he would duly follow to a place where the Centauri could capture him. Where? Best in Centauri space he thought jokingly. He would surely be the only Narn there... Why not? There was the world that was set up for tourists just on the border of Centauri space... What was its name? He even had an agent there... Yes, Immolan V. Very well. Easy to reach, very close to the borders of Centauri space. Even if the Narn considered it a risk to enter Centauri space he would be reassured by the fact that he could slip out of it as fast as he had slipped in. He would go to Immolan V if he believed he could find a clue to the whereabouts of his friend. This would be the end of the *free* journey of the Narn. And the emperor would be very pleased. There remained only the question of *how*? After thinking about various possibilties the STATIST called a certain number on Babylon 5. After an hour he got the answer he wanted. It ran <SF 0162/GX 81249>. That was the registration number of the starfury vessel a man named Michael Garibaldi had disappeared in. Then he issued a message to all traders who were on his pay roll and were likely to have a stock of starfury parts. He told them to fake the number on several of them making them match the number he had just learned and that they should give the name of his agent on Immolan 5 if a certain Narn would ask about any of those parts. The STATIST checked the time difference, found it convenient and called his agent on Immolan V. Better to inform everyone as soon as possible was one of his mottos. The screen showed the face of a young man, but it was a standing picture and the voice was synthesized. "Well? Isaac here. Please speak." He awoke to the sound of footsteps and wondered who would be walking around in his quarters until he remembered that he should not be in his quarters but in his shuttle. There was no space in it to walk around. And he had been being definitely alone during his flight. He began to feel a little uneasy. Where was he? He shook off his desire to get back to sleep and opened his eyes. He *was* aboard his shuttle. So who was there? He pushed his seat round. There was nobody. <Ridiculous> he thought. <There can't be anybody. Especially not walking around. There isn't even enough space for me alone.> But the tapping sound remained there. It seemed to come from everywhere. Or nowhere. He turned the seat again to watch the control panel. The shuttle was flying in hyperspace still four Earth hours from the jumpgate he wanted to use. Exactly in the time schedule. So nothing unusual there. Everything was fine. Was somebody tapping at the outside of the shuttle? Was it a signal? From whom? <Nonsense. Am I becoming mad?> he wondered. <Too long in hyperspace hunting a phantom?> He felt curiously light-headed but blamed it on the fact that he had been asleep so sound and awakened so abruptly. Clumsily he tapped on the keyboard to ask the computer if anything was wrong. The answer was positive: Firstly: Leak at outer airlock door. Secondly: Continuous loss of athmosphere. Reason for leak undiscovered. Reason for loss of athmosphere undiscovered. Inner airlock door closed. He turned his head. The inner airlock door wasn't closed. Of course not. He never closed it he remembered vaguely. It gave him a feeling of a little more space to move this tiny tin can. He unstrapped himself and tried to close the door hastily. It seemed hours until he was out of his seat and at the door. Twice he missed the handle when he reached for it. At last he felt his way along the edge of the door until he got hold of the handle and locked the door. After a little while the pressure in the shuttle returned to normal, the tapping alarm sound of the computer stopped and his head became a lot clearer. <About time,> he thought. <I don't think I could have lived much longer in that thin air. I wonder how long the alarm had been active when I awoke.> Then he started to laugh hysterically. Na'Toth had predicted exactly such a situation when he had told her he wanted to change the shrieking alarm sound into something more agreeable to hear. "The shuttle will fall to pieces and you will be lulled into a sound slumber by the agreeable sound of your alarm," she had said. "Nonsense," he had retorted. "It will still be an unusual sound and I will awake." And she had been absolutely shocked at the idea of the open airlock door. "Are you planning suicide, G'Kar? Don't you remember what happened to Ko D'Ath?" she had asked. Finally she had given up arguing with him. Not because she had been convinced, but because he had been her superior. And it had been really very easy to override the control devices – for Na'Toth. He himself had tried it before, but his attempt had ended with the alarm signal shrieking continously and he had shut down the power supply to silence it - only to find himself trapped in a pitch dark shuttle with tightly shut doors. Fumbling for hours for candles which had to be somewhere in the shuttle he had grundgingly decided at last to ask Na'Toth about the problem. And after a week of occasional fierce arguing she had finally given in and fixed the override for the door control as well as the sound of the alarm. But since then she had been very careful about all occasions when he had to go to the homeworld and she had always managed to fix his appointments there when a larger and faster transport would leave Babylon 5 at a convenient time for him. He had used his shuttle only twice since she had tricked the computer according to his wish he remembered. Anyway he was glad that she wasn't there at the moment. He couldn't stand one of her "I told you so long before"-glances right now. And nothing really bad had occurred. He still had enough resources of the athmospherical gas and since he had closed the inner airlock door the computer hadn't reported any further loss of athmosphere. If the worst came to the worst he would have to keep the door closed throughout his entire journey. But with a little luck he would find a trader who was able to fix the leak. "Well? Isaac here. Please speak." The man in front of the screen heard the synthesized voice and frowned. "Oh, Mr. Isaac, please don't try to tell me you aren't at home. You wouldn't cheat an old friend in this way, would you? I have to tell you something of great importance for you and me, *and* it is urgent. I think you are listening so you can as well talk to me." After some moments the standing picture disappeared and Isaac appeared on the screen. "I'm so sorry, Mr. Montagne," he said, "if I had known it was you I would doubtless have been on the screen from the beginning. But unfortunately there are so many idle callers that I prefer to choose with whom I talk." "I am glad to be on this list," Montagne said. "and I am sure you have a lot to do therefore I will come to the point immediately. I have heard you are to play the scapegoat for a Narn who is searching for a Human." "The first I’ve heard of it," Isaac said cautiously. "Why should I play the scapegoat for anybody? I wouldn't even like to be one. It is much too dangerous for my taste. Especially with Narns." "I'm so sorry," Montagne answered. "Somebody must have tried to hoax me. I am sorry I believed it. If you could please excuse my mistake." Isaac appeared angry. "You believe everything anybody tells you. But you should really know me better by now. So would you tell me *please* what do you want? I am about to go out." "I am really sorry about my mistake. Well, my problem is the following: We found a man named Michael Garibaldi. He was ill, his vessel floating in hyperspace. We took him into our ship. It seems he belongs to the staff of Babylon 5. For several reasons we cannot go there and bring him home and we can't even contact them. Diplomatic matters are sometimes a little difficult to explain. Then I thought of you and how you could help us by knowing and meeting all kinds of people through your job. So if... *anybody* happens to ask you about a Michael Garibaldi, could you give him my name? It would be a great help for us... Naturally I can't blame you for being angry with me and holding this message back *as long as possible*. But it would be just great if you could deliver it at all. O yes, it *should* reach Babylon 5, so they can get him back there. Could you see to it, Mr. Isaac? Pleeeease. You'd be doing me a very great favor. If you could arrange it I would be *very* generous and forget about the rumour I mentioned to you. Have a very nice day, Mr. Isaac." <Oh my,> Isaac thought <things are becoming rapidly worse nowadays. Am I a wishing well with legs or what? I should quit my business with the STATIST but it isn't possible. Then I should try and avoid seeing this guy Montagne, but it is *he* who seems to follow me. I wonder whether he can read my thoughts. He doesn't dress like a Psi-Cop at all. Does it matter? Of course they have to use plainclothes men, too. Any special unit does. And I ran practically into him after the call about the Narn. So it is very likely he found out. O Lord, I pray that the STATIST will never get to know that there is a nosy telepath around me. I wouldn't like the consequences for me at all. And I hope I will be able to deliver this message without any harm befalling me. This is the very kind of things I don’t like to do. It is so damned risky, but with the STATIST you do not have a choice of your own. Well, maybe it’s only two years more and I will have saved enough money to retire as a respectable man. This job will help it a great deal if I am guessing right.>
Chapter 3: Evening Keldare Assecco watched the message together with the other guardsmen. Officer Oveni had invited them all to see for themselves their complete orders.Assecco wondered why. It wasn't exactly what he expected from this officer. But the order was surely unusual. It came directly from the emperor. Shortly it said: <Contact local officer of the guards to search for the Narn G'Kar who is *sure* to come to Immolan V, capture him, bring him back to the Homeworld in as good health as possible immediately, but give him neither food nor drink and make this journey in any other way as uncomfortable as you can but without unnecessary torture. I will see to *that* myself.> There were pictures and warrants and descriptions as well and Assecco tried to read as much as possible of them. They all had heard of G'Kar. At least the senior guardsmen had. When he had beaten up their ambassador Mollari the government had thought about an attack on Babylon 5 to capture him. They dismissed the idea, though. Babylon 5 was too important a trading point and the chances for this action were too bad. So they tried to get their revenge on the Narns at the planet. And of course it had been in the news everywhere as a prove that all Narn were barbarians, even the more civilized of them. So even the recruit should have heard of him. "So what do you think we can do about it, guardsmen?" The officer had waited until he was sure that each of his men had gathered what he thought enough information for himself. And he had noted for himself how much information they thought necessary for their task. "I'd like you to discuss what we will do with him and tell me your opinion afterwards. Let's say in one hour." "Officer", one of the guardsmen dared to ask, just as he was about to leave the room. "Yes?" Oveni had expected that someone would call after him though he had thought it would be his nephew who asked. "Wouldn't it be much easier for *all* involved if you just ordered what we have to do?" The officer frowned. He had expected another question. "Of course," he said. "And you can be sure that I will order all that is necessary, guardsman Assecco. But we have a long before us, so it doesn't do any harm to use the brain between the meals." Assecco frowned. Was it really necessary to mock at his preference for a good meal? "Besides the emperor ordered to make the journey for the Narn as uncomfortable as we can - maybe you will find one or two helpful ideas between yourselves. You can tell me your ideas afterwards and I will decide what we will do. - Anyhing else?" Silence. The officer left wondering whether there was a second meaning behind the question. When the door had closed behind him the guardsmen began to chat. "It would be much easier to kill him at once." "That is out of discussion." "Why would he come to Immolan?" "I think the emperor is sure about it so you needn't worry, yes?" "I would like to beat him up just a little, you know? Who can say how much was really necessary to quiet him?" "Where will we transport him?" "In the fusion reactor." Laughter. "Stick him into his own pouch and wind a tape around. If you use toppits as well he stays fresh a little longer." They roared at this joke. "Assecco, that's just great..." Tralio Oveni was disgusted. He had known that Keldare Assecco was mean but that went further than he could imagine. But they were senior guardsmen and he was only a recruit so he kept his peace while they continued their vile talk and laughter. When they paused for a moment he said quietly: "I think we could put him into the second refrigerating room." "Impossible," said one of the others, "think of how cold it is there!" "I think of it. It will surely be uncomfortable even for a Narn." "No," decided Keldare Assecco. "Think of what will await us if he catches a bad cold in there. And besides we can't even lock the doors. It is much too dangerous." The others nodded. But now they began to talk seriously about what to do with the Narn. When the bar owner had finally decided to cooperate, they had no problems to make out the whereabouts of the Narn. As often before the head of the local military guard on Immolan V wondered how effective his men really were. They had been searching for the Narn for two whole days and found not so much as a hint. But this bar owner was able to say at once where he was. Should be, at least. Right now he and some of his men were preparing to capture the Narn. Or kill him if necessary. Officer Taren did not think much of taking prisoners when it was much more effective to solve a problem once and for all. Well he would decide that when they had him for sure. The guardsmen cursed the steady rain while they dressed. Duty on Immolan V was mostly not agreeable. The guardsmen tried to avoid being sent there. It was no reward to be stationed on this planet to be honest. It was rather the final station for ineffective guardsmen who could not get down any further but could not be fired because there was always a lack of men. The officer wondered how his order to Immolan V had taken place. He had been promoted and had got this new command as head of the local guardsmen. So it *seemed* to be alright but one never knew. Just as they were about to leave a call came in. The officer ordered one of his men to take the call and began to leave with the others. But the man called him back almost immediately. He was the one the caller wanted to talk to. The caller was an officer Oveni of the royal guardsmen. His ship was landing on Immolan V right now. He apologized briefly that he hadn't been able to call sooner and asked the help of the military guard to capture the Narn G'Kar to bring him to the homeworld. "Have you already heard whether this Narn is on the planet?" he asked. <Not too hopefully,> Officer Taren thought. <Well, we have quite a bad reputation with everyone.> "Of course we have. You see it is our duty to get to know and to fix things that have gone wrong. And if a Narn travels around in Centauri space and molests honest traders there is surely something to fix." His answer sounded exactly as he wanted it to sound. Partly bored, partly indignant on the assumption they hadn't heard of the Narn yet. And partly as though he was speaking about something that had happend long ago. It created exactly the impression he had wanted. "And have you already fixed this something?" Officer Oveni was not only a little uneasy at the thought that the Narn could be already dead by now. <Damn those slow vessels,> he thought. <The emperor could have given us a faster one. Because it will be regarded *our* fault if we don't bring the Narn home.> Officer Taren coughed to hide a smile. He had to cough quite a while. "The rain and the moist air, you know. Please excuse my little indisposition." he explained. "Well, officer Oveni, you are lucky. We were just leaving to fix the problem with the Narn once and for all when your call came. But if the emperor himself wants to see him we will have to be careful not to handle him too hard , of course. If you'd like to participate in capturing him you are of course welcome to do so." Officer Oveni had regained his usual selfassurance. "Oh, I am so glad that you can help us. The emperor will be quite pleased to hear how effective you handled the problem. Though I'd like us to participate I think you are quite able to do it alone. And I wouldn't like to take the credits from you for capturing him. ...Besides it would take too much time until we were with you. Customs and such things. You know how it is with smugglers and lurkers at a place like this,don't you? There's no way to avoid all those security checks. Not even with the emperor's special order. But we would be quite obliged to you if you could bring the Narn here to the shipyard. It would give us time to replenish our provisions. Maybe we can start right back this night. It would save us half a day's journey. And the emperor is awaiting us back very impatiently." Though he was well aware of the foul excuses officer Taren agreed. Oveni he remembered now was rumoured to be quite close to the emperor. If he was lucky officer Oveni's report would give him another command. <Tomorrow,> he decided <tomorrow I will read the mails that have come since last week. I've got a feeling that this party was announced. Luck I didn't give us away.> He awoke to the sound of footsteps. His head ached. When he wonderingly tried to touch the sore area something unpleasantly hard stopped the movement of his arm. *Now* he remembered. There was no need for Asseco's voice to remind him where he was. "Ah, G'Kar, *sorry* I woke you up. Though I wonder how you can sleep at all. Your position must be *quite* uncomfortable I think. We had a lot of trouble thinking of it but well, *I* think it was worth-while." Of course, the Narn prentended not to have heard anything. But he was uncomfortable no doubt. Keldare Assecco grinned at Tralio Oveni who had had the last watch. "I *do* hope he didn't snore, Oveni. Though it would have been a little more entertaining than his silence I guess." "You're late again, Assecco," the recruit snapped back. "Yes I am." He admitted. "Do you have the slightest idea how it is to sit through a four hour watch with a full bladder, Oveni? Can be quite a kind of torture. That's why I'm late. To avoid this experience." He threw a thoughtful glance at the Narn. "Well, anything I should know of, Oveni?" "Nothing. What do you think can happen here? It is really a silly question." "No it isn't. Imagine he'd offer you a million credits if you let him escape. What would you do then?" Oveni laughed. "A million credits! You're joking. Do you want to tell me he is worth a million credits? Under *these* circumstances I would surrender to the charme of the money I'm afraid." Keldare Assecco nodded. "Yes I thought you would. You are always short of money, aren't you? And yes, he is worth as much. At least if you use the last official exchange rate with the mark. And if you wait until he can get the money. And that will be only when we will have left Narn. But I am afraid the exchange rate will be much more disadvantageous then." Tralio Oveni shook his head in astonishment forgetting the jibe. "How do you know that?" "Oh it was in the files," Keldare Assecco said lightly. "Alright I take over. Dinner is almost ready. There'll be something fine today. Be a darling and bring me my share, will you, Oveni? It tastes like a whore's butt if it is cold," he called after the retreating figure. He saw that G'Kar had turned his head away. "Hungry , huh? I'd *like* to give you some of my food but *unluckily* the emperor's orders are contrary. But," he added hesitatingly when the thought hit his mind, "there was no specific order concerning... hmm, going to the bathroom." He could tell that the other was listening. He paused. Then he said in a totally diferent tone "If you promise me not to try anything mad I'll take you there." Silence. He shrugged his shoulders. Then he checked the shackles just for routine. They had chained the Narn spread-eagle to the floor of the cargo room. There was a kind of narrow rails running across the floor used to fasten the containers to them. They had laid him across one of them and chained him to the neighboring rails. This way he had not much room to move. When he did not find anything wrong he took out the book he was always reading during his watch and began to read. G'Kar tried to find a somewhat less uncomfortable position. It was almost useless. He could only move a hand's breadth in each direction. That was too little. He had been here for almost two days by now and every inch of his back near the rail was sore from it. Keldare Assecco had put down his book and was watching him with a wry grin. Just as he wanted to get back to read Tralio Oveni kicked the door open. "Here. Your share. It's hot like Li, revered goddess of passion. I hope you'll burn your vile mouth." He put the tray down and turned. Keldare Assecco tried the food and found it really too hot to eat. Well, maybe he could as well make another attempt. "So what, G'Kar? Have you made up your mind?" "About what?" Tralio Oveni asked from the door. "Nothing of your concern, Oveni." Tralio shut the door and leaned against it. "What are you up to, Assecco? You know the orders. What do you want?" Keldare Assecco gave him a long look obviously considering something. "'Thought he'd like to go to the bathroom you know," he said slowly at last. "But of course he is too proud to admit it." Tralio Oveni stared at him in utter disbelieve. "You... would... You're kidding. I can't imagine that you're really concerned." "Why is it so hard to believe?" Tralio looked uneasy. "Well, you are always... you always say unpleasant things, you always taunt people, you never take anything or anyone serious and when we discussed what to do... " he threw a look at the Narn "... you suggested... really vile things." Keldare Assecco nodded. "Yes, I did. Vile and absolutely not feasable. Have you never considered that that could have been a way to avoid solutions like this one?" He nodded over to G'Kar. Tralio Oveni blushed heavily. This solution had been *his* idea. And after the last two days he wasn't as proud of it as before. "But it was the emperor's order to ... why couldn't you just say 'No'?" he stuttered. "Because I can't contradict the emperor's order," Keldare Assecco said softly. He sat down and began to eat pretending not to notice the recruit any more. Tralio Oveni stood thinking for a while. Then he ordered: "Stop eating." "WHAT?" "If we want to have a chance to do it we have to do it now when everybody else is having dinner." "WE?!" "Yes. I wouldn't trust anybody not to try something desperate in *his* position. So one of us has to watch." And now the famous CASABLANCA final quote, spoken by Keldare Assecco: "I think this is the beginning of a wonderful friendship." Of course this is satire but I just could not resist to do it. (if anybody can give me the original line I'd be glad. This is a backward translation from the German synchronization.)
Chapter 4: Rain He awoke to the sound of footsteps. No, somebody was knocking hard at his door and now he recognized the rolling bariton of Londo Mollari. "Vir! Vir, wake up... Great Maker, wake him up please... Vir! Get up. It is important." More knocking. Vir palmed the light on. After a glance at his watch he groaned. "Londo! What do you want at this time of the night?" "Ah, Vir, good you are awake at last. Dress and come over to my quarters. We have something to celebrate. I've got a generous gift from the emperor." - "But, Londo, it is past..." - "I know what time it is Vir. I knew the clock before you were even born. Do as I told you. And *try* at least to appear a little happy." While waiting for his attaché Londo Mollari searched carefully his quarters for bugs. "Londo," Vir complained "if you are making a habit out of waking me late at night maybe we could put up a schedule for it. Let's say Wednesdays for instance. And I promise you I will get up as quickly as in the morning. At least I'll try to. Really, Londo." The latter looked sphinx-like at him. "Close the door please." Vir did it. "And now sit down, take your glass, and toast with me to our newly found ally. Three is a holy number with Minbari maybe it will be at least a lucky one with us." Vir did as he had been told, now completely confused. "Londo," he begged "please tell me what you have in mind. What are you talking about? It is not your habit to run around late at night and wake up people and talk like a Vorlon. At least, it hasn't been until lately. Are you well?" "I couldn't be better Vir. Now listen:," Londo lowered his voice "G'Kar will help us against Cartagia." "G'... - Great Maker " Vir gasped. "Londo, how... why... I mean what can he do at Babylon 5? Are you sure that you are alright?" he whispered, almost kneeling at Londo's lap. "Vir!" - "Yes Londo?" - "Let me do the talking now. Have another glass. That's right... G'Kar is here. *He* is my gift from the emperor. I was in his cell and asked to him to help us against Cartagia. He agreed at last but he asked a high price. I promised to pay it." "Londo... How is he? How did he come here? What will happen to him?" Vir's eyes were wide with terror. <Your heart is too soft.> Londo thought. Aloud he said: "That fool was caught while searching for Michael Garibaldi. Why had he to leave Babylon 5 at all? When they brought him into the throne room he was wearing a *yoke*. Vir, you know him as well as I do. You know he wouldn't wear it of his own free will. They must have beaten him up thoroughly to make him wear it. And that's how he looked like and how he is. Physically at least. His mind is somewhere up in the clouds right now if I'm guessing right." <And I hope it stays there a while,> he thought. <it will make the next days much easier for him.> "And what will happen to him? You know it, Vir. And there is nothing we can do about it. We can't expose ourselves in an act of interplanetary charity. Not with the things we plan. We must let it happen or everything will be lost." Vir bit his lower lip and nodded at last, reluctantly. "What *did* you promise G'Kar, Londo?" Vir stared at him. Londo avoided the question. "Well, it was a hard piece of work to get him listening at all," he mused. "And somehow I wish I hadn't to do it this way. But it was necessary, Vir. When I knew finally that he listened to me I offered to try to save his life in exchange for his help. He said nothing. I thought all was in vain and started to leave. But he... was just *thinking*. I was at the door when he spoke out. With one sentence he gave me his definition of the whole situation. Do you know what he said?" "No Londo, unless you tell me." But Londo didn't come to the point at once. "You must know I had told him bluntly I could use him as a *means* in our conspiration. And somehow I had liked the situation: This arrogant Narn depending on my mercy." "Yes, Londo, I can imagine that you enjoyed the scene. But what did he say?" Vir insisted. "He simply reminded me that I had forgotten to ask the price for his *co-operation* as he put it." Vir smiled. "I knew you would like that,Vir. And you will like to hear that he is still well enough to speak a flawless Centauri. Just to show me that he is fine and doesn't need anyone's help at all..." Londo sighed. "A *price*. Great Maker. When he should be glad if he gets away alive he has the guts to demand a *price*. I tried to reason with him. Told him that he was hardly in a position to bargain. He just remarked it was the same with me. And he was so damned right with it. Why must I always feel his teeth at my throat, Vir? Why?" "And what *did* he ask for his help, Londo?" "It is safer you don't know it. Good night, Vir." "Londo, if it is such a burden you should share it with somebody. *And* you called me your friend or almost your friend. So you will tell me what you promised G'Kar, won't you?" It was dark in the cell. Outside it was still night and it was raining and he could hear the heavy drops falling onto the leaves and further down onto the soil. When the wind changed some drops of rain would splutter through the narrow window. The rain distracted his thoughts from the unpleasant things he had been thinking about. The sound the heavy raindrops made reminded him of Narn. When it rained there it was like this, too. When the usual storm was over that is. He remembered how he had always gone into the open and let the rain soak him. The only occasions he had missed this ritual had been the sessions of the Kha'Ri. It all seemed ages ago. Even the incredibly steady rain on Immolan seemed to be a dream by now. How long was it ago? More or less three days. He tried to remember exactly how long he had been on the Centauri vessel but he wasn't too sure about it. He had lost count during his frequent periods of unpleasant unconsciousness. But right now it would be a great relief to be unconscious. No hunger, no thirst, no pain... Well, at least the latter would lessen soon. He could ignore pain to a certain extend if he concentrated hard on something else. He remembered Keldare Assecco's question: "Was that little show really necessary, G'Kar?" *That little show* had been no show at all. When the guardsmen tried to put a yoke on him at the emperor's order he started a desperate fight. He wanted to attack the emperor himself, but there were to many well trained guardsmen around. And though some of them including Assecco would remember the fight for quite a while they beat him up at last. <Was it necessary?> he asked himself. <What did you get out of it except two broken ribs, a terrible headache, a sore throat, and the yoke to wear? Not to mention the bruises all over your body. You can't even flex your toes without feeling pain. And it was only the beginning, remember.> Though it should have been the end. When he attacked the emperor he wanted to force the guardsmen to kill him. But their orders were to keep him alive. And so they did. When he was sure they would not kill him even by mistake he surrendered saving his strength for the time to come. When they put the yoke on his shoulders and chained his hands to it he thought he would die with the shame of it. He thought it again when he was brought before the emperor ...and Mollari. He had dreaded to meet this Centauri since he had awoke in the hands of the Immolan guardsmen. And of course he had to be there to see him like this... He had no clear remembrance of how he had been brought to this cell. He knew vaguely that he had fought not to be chained to the wall but that he had probably been easy game for the guardsmen... Later Mollari entered the cell. Uneasy, apparently not used to those gloomy surroundings. At first he thought that the Centauri had come to mock at him but it was soon clear that he had had another reason. Elaborating how the emperor would have him tortured to death slowly the centauri even managed to scare him enough to make him talk. Nothing important. He simply had to say something to break the spell of fear that had seized him during Mollari's vivid description. It worked. For both of them he realized now. Mollari wanted him to listen to his suggestion and he could hardly had found a better way. And his suggestion was extraordinary: he would try to save his life in exchange for help assassinating the Centauri emperor. G'Kar's first reaction was an urge to laugh out loudly. <Can't you never settle your affaires alone, Mollari? Do you always need a *means*?> he thought. <First Refa, now your emperor. And you'll *try* to save my life. Thank you, I can *try* that a least as effectively as you. At any rate it should be me who's got a vital interest in my life.> While the Centauri talked on several stray thoughts floated through the mind of the Narn. <You must be desperate, *Londo*. Absolutely desperate to ask your chained, beaten up dearest enemy for help. Poor man, you can't even rely on your own people... Well, it's a pity for you but *I am not the means of anybody*... I don't mind if there is a monster on your throne. Or a Centauri. These words are synonyms, did you know that?... I don't care removing a Centauri from the Centauri throne. Learn to settle your own affaires... If I cared removing monsters from anywhere it would be homeworld. Though I do not desire to die I vow I will even sacrifice my life to do that. By the way, *you* could be my means to...> The full meaning of his idle thoughts struck him almost too late. He had guessed right. This Centauri was desperate. Almost without subterfuge Mollari agreed to set the Narn homeworld free if G'Kar helped him against Cartagia leaving the Narn overwhelmed with joy... Well, this feeling had retreated to the back of his consciousness soon giving room to hunger, thirst, and pain again. And also to a solid amount of fear that he tried to repress in vain. It would be a long, agonizing time for him until homeworld was free. And Mollari had made it crystalclear that he could not expect any help at all. "...Oh, he is quite a pet." Emperor Cartagia was circling the chained
Narn in secure distance and making deliberately offending comments watching
their effects on his captive with pleasure.
Chapter 5: Pride She awoke to the sound of footsteps. The steps were stealthy and cautious and she recognized them at once. "She’Ruth! You shouldn’t be here." She got up from the bed quickly and embraced her sister. "Let me have a look at you. You look hungrier than ever. Wait, I’ll have something ready for you in a minute. Sit down at the table and tell me how you are doing out there while I prepare your food." She’Ruth sat down awkwardly by the low old-style table and rested her head on her folded arms. By the time Na’Lynn came with her plate she was already fast asleep. Na’Lynn considered whether she should put her sister onto the bed but the latter was tall and almost as heavily as a male Narn. It would have been a hard piece of work and she would wake up during the procedure anyway. So she sat down beside her sister and pulled her gently against herself considering the floor too hard to sleep upon. She wondered whether something had happened to one of the resistance groups. But if that had been the case She’Ruth would have spoken out at once. So it must had been something very unusual that brought her into G’Kamazad in broad daylight. But nothing pressing. She could wait until She’Ruth began to speak about it. After what she estimated to be an hour she gently woke her sister. She felt better by now and ravenously consumed all Na’Lynn had prepared for her. "I think you’re getting fat with all this good food, Na’Lynn," she teased when she had finished it all. "No, She’Ruth," Na’Lynn stated quietly. "You are slowly starving. Each time I see you you are thinner and your eyes are bigger. No wonder you think I’m getting fat when you all are starving... Maybe I can do something to prevent it now. There is a lot of food at the court. I think they wouldn’t notice it if I take out some. I’ll bring it out to our old hiding spot at night." "We won’t eat the food the Centauri provide. We are not their slaves. We are free. We can take care of our own food." She’Ruth was determined. Na’Lynn shook her head and smiled. "You cannot take care of your food and fight the Centauri at the same time. Listen: The food will not be *provided* by the Centauri. It will be stolen from them. You cannot fight them if you are starved to death. Why not take the means from them to fight them? We did so during the first occupation as well, and we won. We will do it now and we will win again. Consider it an order." "We will do it if you say so," She’Ruth bowed politely to her sister. Then she said: "I have not come to feed myself up. I have to know everything about G’Kar. Has this healer mentioned him already?" Na’Lynn was astonished. "G’Kar? The... ambassador to Babylon 5? What’s wrong with him?" She’Ruth gave her a queer look. "Yes. The ambassador. We heard rumors that he had been taken prisoner by the Centauri. You have to get to know whether it is true and how we can help him if it is true. We cannot loose our last leader!" Na’Lynn pondered at what she had just heard. Then she said slowly: "G’Kai hasn’t mentioned him yet. If he has already been killed we would have heard it. The Centauri wouldn’t waste the chance to humiliate us by rubbing his death into our faces. So he is either still on Babylon 5 or alive in the hands of the Centauri. I will find it out." She’Ruth bowed formally requesting her leave. But Na’Lynn would not let her go without a supply of food and drugs. The latter she took freely from G’Kai’s store. While doing so she admitted: "You know that I am very ashamed that I live here in safety and am able to fill my stomach and to sleep in a comfortable bed and still order around all of you who have to live out there." She’Ruth protested. "Na’Lynn, you do things nobody else could do. None of us would be capable to live with that spotted Centauri to gain information, not even for some hours. It must be horrible for you to be so near to this blood traitor. I am proud that I have such a strong sister. You must be rewarded in some way. This is your reward. Everybody thinks so." Na’Lynn looked thoughtfully at her. "Well, at least he saved my live. And you trusted him to do so though you call him a blood traitor now. I am getting to know him a little better daily. He is not as bad a Narn as you think him to be. And he is very lonely you know. I think it cheers him up when I am here. – Speaking of the lonely ones: How is my husband?" she changed the topic abruptly. She’Ruth shook her head sadly. "He is very badly off," she admitted. "You remember that pouchling we found in his dead father’s pouch? He died four nights ago. G’Lorn is still mourning for him. He accuses himself for the death of the little one. He thinks he could have done more for him." "But that is wrong. The pouchling was injured inwardly. It was only a matter of time before he would die." "*I* know that, Na’Lynn. But G’Lorn does not want to hear about it. He’d never accepted that fact, as you know. He is very bitter and calls himself a cipher for not even being able to care for a pouchling." Na’Lynn sighed. "I should come out to see him, but it will be hard to manage. No, send him to fetch the food... the night after tomorrow. Then I will know about G’Kar and can talk with him about the pouchling as well." "Do you think that is wise?" She’Ruth was sceptical. "After you.." she broke off. "After I lost *his* pouchling when I was wounded? You think it wouldn’t do him any good to be reminded of it? Oh yes, it will. He will accuse me again instead of himself and he will start telling me what I should have done to avoid it. He is always stronger when he can blame things on others. You should know him better by now. - But that’s not what your relationship is for, is it?" she teased. "Na’Lynn, are you saying that we... " "Yes, I am saying that you... And I don’t mind, remember. I told you so long before." After that she hugged her bewildered sister for a long time. "Take care of you. And of G’Lorn. I would miss both of you badly," she whispered before she bowed formally to She’Ruth. Her sister returned the bow and left without a further glance back. G’Kar settled back against the wall and began to think of how he would
rebuild the western quarters of G’Kamazad. He had finished planning the
central parts this afternoon. G’Kamazad had been badly destroyed by the
asteroid bombing of Narn so it was something very necessary to do anyway;
and it focused and calmed his mind better than praying as he had soon found
out. If he did it for long enough he would forget the pain and hunger and
discomfort and could get some kind of sleep at last.
When G'Kai opened the door to his house Na’Lynn came to meet him. As
always she helped him out of his coat and waited patiently while he caressed
her.
Chapter 6: Mirth to be coming soon
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