(disclaimers and associated descriptions in overture)
* * *
<<ACT FOUR>>
"It's gotten awfully quiet in there all of a sudden, John..." William muttered, as he and Sheridan waited for Aeilyn's interview with his wife and the captain of the SHARD OF NIGHT to conclude. "What do you suppose this is really all about?"
"Well, even after five years of running the Alliance, and three years before that dealing with plenty of situations like this one on Babylon 5," Sheridan replied, "The honest truth is, I have to say the answer to that question's different with just about every race I've come across. Everyone always wants something a little bit different from their neighbours -- as for our esteemed visitor the Speaker, however, I suspect that his all-but-jump in your wife's direction upon her arrival here has a *great* deal to do with the answer to your question..."
And then, the explosion came.
"WHAT?" the Speaker for the Cradle of Stars exclaimed, as the doors burst open, and Jennifer all but stalked out, one Westcastle child in each hand, a worried-looking Julia walking close behind her. "You cannot mean that... it is simply not..."
"Done?" was Jennifer's immediate reply, as she abruptly turned to face the Speaker for the Cradle of Stars, her eyes sparkling with barely restrained anger. Aeilyn's cool and expectant, professional facade had been completely *shattered* by her response -- an answer he he had clearly not been expecting to hear. It was such a simple word, but with so much meaning... while behind the Eloi'a leader, the expression on the face of his daughter Nirisha grew more mournful by the minute.
That word, of course, was *no*. "Then perhaps you do not understand us nearly as well as you think you do... Speaker. I'm truly sorry if I've offended you in any way, but in this, I'm afraid that our way is not your way. They are my children, she is my daughter!..." and at that, Jennifer's grip upon the hand of Celia Westcastle abruptly tightened, "And she isn't even five of our years old, yet!"
"Yes!" the Speaker exclaimed, his expression now somewhat strained, "The perfect time for her training to begin, Saarlveii'! If wait too long you do, the moment of perfect timing is lost... the talent that could be, it will be gone forever!"
"And what makes you think I *want* her to have the life I've lead?" Jennifer snapped. "My husband and I stood as leaders to the Anla'shok during the greatest war this galaxy has ever seen!... and more then once, we nearly died because of our beliefs, facing the same enemy you faced yourself! We helped to drive them away... and when it was over, I swore that my children would not share my experiences, would not endure the pain that I have endured. It is bad enough that the woman who was once my protege has been called upon to protect our greatest warship during this time of trial and search... bad enough that she must walk with her Rangers in dark places I will never see. I will not give up my child to you, Speaker!... she is too precious to my heart. If you had asked in ten years, fifteen perhaps, my answer might have been different... but now? I am sorry, truly sorry...
But the answer is still no."
Another moment of silence fell, then, a moment that William used to restrain the abrupt and sudden anger that had sprung to life within him, as his wife had made known to him the intent of this visitor from the darkness beyond the Rim. As much as this revelation had surprised him, as much as it had clearly even surprised John Sheridan, if any one human in the room chose to go farther down that road then his wife already had, the promised Alliance with these Eloi'a would be doomed. A mistake had been made, an assumption on the part of the Speaker that should never have occurred... but now feathers would have to be smoothed (quite literally, in this case) and tempers cooled.
Sheridan abruptly cleared his throat. "Speaker, Sech Westcastle... perhaps it would be a good idea if we paused on this discussion for the time being?"
"An excellent suggestion, Mr. President..." Jennifer replied, her face now pale as anger faded, and he saw her finally begin to realize the damage she might have done to the negotiations between the Alliance and the Eloi'a. "If you will please allow my children and I to retire from this place?"
Sheridan nodded, a trifle shaply, and even as Jennifer and her children left the room, Julia close behind, the President turned his gaze towards Aeilyn and the other avian Observer at his side. "Now then, Speaker!... would you care to explain why you used this meeting as a cover for your own personal agenda with respect to Sech Westcastle and her family?"
"It would appeaar, Mr. President," Aeilyn replied with no small amount of hesitation, "That I have made somewhat of a tactical error -- and that the approach taken was not the correct one to make. I assure you, however, that I will *not* make the same mistake twice." And at that, the Eloi'a Observer bowed in William's direction. "As brood-father and life-partner to those I hold dear among you even now, will you accept my apologies in relation to this matter, High Councillor Westcastle?"
"This time, yes." he replied, a trace of ice in his tone. "I would appreciate it, however, if you would try not to make this a common occurence?"
"I am quite sure that can be arranged." Aeilyn drolly agreed, the tone of finality in his voice signaling that for now at least, the subject could be safely closed. "And now that I have commited what you humans term, I believe, a 'faux pas', perhaps now we should press on to discuss the terms of our Alliance?"
* * *
<aside: Nirisha private text - locked.>
He did it... I warned him not to, but did he listen to me? No. Full of his belief that his way is always the right way, he did what should never have been done... he asked the question that should never have been asked with these humans who are also of our kind. And what was the result? Why, it was exactly what I was expecting, *exactly* what I have been fearing all along. Before the moment of asking, two roads lay before us, but now only one remains -- a path of sorrows built upon the foundations of my father's pride.
But this, of course, is only the beginning. Shocked he is now, by the refusal given to us by the human female Westcastle... but this will not last, for I know him to the core. He will obey our traditions even to the exclusion of all reason... even though this may destroy him in the end, he will obey our traditions because he has *never* known any other way. As inevitable as the burning paak'li rivers that emerge from the mountains of Home, he has chosen his path, and soon enough, the summons will be made. Saakli will come, his seeker of darkness... his stealer of dreams, the Eloi who walks in the shadows that are.
For someone so bright, is it just to have a servant so dark? No, it is not... but the path of sorrows is open before us, now... and there is no turning back from our fate.
<end text>
* * *
Home. Larieken stood upon the black lava cliffs, and watched the waves pound against the rocks below him, while the moons cast twinned paths of silver across the ocean beyond. It had been too long since he had last been here... too long since he had been welcome in this place. His mother and his sister had greeted him, while not warmly, at least with sincerity... although with a touch of warning. He had asked them, of course, to tell him what this was all about, but they had refused that honour, explaining only that 'the Alyt will tell you of this matter in his own manner, and in his own time'.
And in the place where his father and he had most often discussed the future to come, before the War... when still the family had been unbroken. Where the Wall came down to the sea, and shattered itself upon the water.
"Larieken."
He turned. "Father."
"While others among us may not share this viewpoint, I am glad that you have come to this place. Ariekaas, for one, did not believe you would come... believed that the call of the Anla'shok would be greater then the call of the heart. It pleases me that you have proved him wrong."
"And now that this is the case, the time has come for you to explain the reason for this summons," was Larieken's reminder.
"Indeed... and would I could avoid this matter, but I cannot. Your eldest brother, Mallarain, has been exiled from Minbar, never to return."
"Exiled?" he breathed out. "But why? And how?"
"The legacy of what was done during the civil war will haunt us to the end our days, I am afraid," his father replied with heavy tone. "Isolated from this within the Anla'shok you were, but for Mallarain, what happened could not have been avoided. For a time, as well you know, we all went mad, Larieken... the war raged amongst the Castes until Delenn returned to us -- until the day the Starfire Wheel was opened, the day that *most* of us returned to our senses.
Understand that Mallarain, like so many others of our caste, killed more then he should have during this terrible time... and even though the Grey Council commanded that the Peace of Valen return upon the face of the land, there were among us, and among the other castes as well, those whose hates and need for revenge could not be so easily curbed.
Among the high orbitals he was, when his opponent came upon him. Of the Religious Caste this Minbari was, but sound of body and harder trained then most of their kind. Both of his brothers, this Minbari claimed, had been killed during the war... murdered by Mallarain when the peace was not upon us. Whether or not this was true, who can say... but he was called upon to defend himself, and the attack, it was a savage one. Several times during the duel others came to try and end the match before things proceeded too far, but the opponent, he was most set in his ways... that it should be kill or be killed, and no other outcome."
"And Mallarain, he lives then, does he?" Larieken inquired, a dark and terrible sorrow coming upon him now that he began to realize what this was *really* about.
"He lives... though badly injured even now. The Grey Council, however, was called upon to render judgement on this matter... not the first time this has happened since the end of the war, and probably not the last. All sides were considered, and judgement was rendered."
"Exile it was, then." Larieken stated. Plainly. With finality. "Never to see family, clan or home again in this lifetime?"
"Yes." A simple word, it was, but with so much meaning. "And now, a decision must be made, my son... a decision I thought you would never have to face in my lifetime. We must decide who will lead the family when I am gone, Larieken... and who will not."
"You would offer this to me?" he asked, not quite believing what he was hearing. "After all that I have done, after the vows I have made as Anla'shok? Are you asking me to give up all that I have become, all that I might yet become?"
"I ask nothing of anyone!" his father replied, tone more sharp then it had been before. "For now. I ask only that you *consider* which loyalties are more important to you when all is said and done... to consider that there may indeed be a life for you in this place after your time in the Anla'shok is done. There are no ultimatums for the time being... only questions to be asked.
And answers given."
"I must think on this matter." he replied, after a long moment.
"There is time for this," his father allowed. "But not a great deal of time, Larieken. Before you leave this place and return to your warship, I must have your answer on this matter, one way or the other. Do you understand these words?"
"I... understand, Father."
"Then until we speak again, my son... sleep well." And with that, his father faded back into the night -- but the damage, Larieken was forced to admit, even as he returned to his contemplation of the waves and the night...
The damage was done.
* * *
"He's coming, isn't he?" Nirisha accused her father.
"He is." Aeilyn replied, a reply full of resolution, and no small amount of anger. "The decision made was not the correct one to make, and in time, *she* will come to understand that what we are about to do is the right thing to do! When the daughter is returned to this place, trained as is proper, all will be as it should be... the daughter, more loyal to the Order then to family..."
"Father, please forgive me for saying this... but you *cannot* do this! These humans and their allies, they are not like us, not like any of the species of the Cradle! If you do this thing, any hope we have of alliance may be shattered forever!"
"Cannot?" the Speaker exclaimed, his anger now plain. "You, of the Clairion's Tower, you would *dare* to tell your Circle-Prime what he can and cannot do? Daughter of my blood you may be, but you have not the right to say such things to me!"
"I have *every* right to point out that what you doing will only cast us farther down the road we now walk upon! A single chance you yet have to avoid disaster... a single chance, only! I beg you, abandon this quest for the daughter of the human Westcastle, before it is too late!"
"You will remove yourself from my presence, *daughter*," Aeilyn hissed, "Before I do something that I will truly regret. In fact," he added, almost as an afterthought, "Since you are so eager to take their side in all things, perhaps I should leave you here on the world of the Minbari for a time..."
"You would not dare!"
"But come, there is precedence," her father coldly reminded her. "Do not the worlds of the Interstellar Alliance send ambassadors to this place to deal with Sheridan and those who serve him? Yes... you will do nicely in such a role -- *after* the fact."
"I will tell them what it is you intend, I will *tell*..."
"Oh I am sure that you will, yes," Aeilyn coldly noted, "But not until it is far too late for them to do *anything* about the situation." And with that, the Speaker beckoned with one long, taloned finger, and Nirisha suddenly realized, as dark-winged servants with cold eyes emerged from the darkness around her, that her question about Saakli and his minions was slightly inaccurate. He wasn't coming... HE was already here.
And at that, she finally gave cry to her fears.
* * *
"Master... command us."
Aeilyn cast a single glance down upon the crumpled figure of the Fallen One who had once been his daughter, and then looked away to meet the amused gaze of his most trusted servant. "Saakli... this thing we intend, there must be no mistakes, and no one to suspect. Sheridan and Westcastle now believe this alliance a firm one, and very shortly, I and this vessel will be leaving orbit to return to the Cradle of Stars."
"While we, on the other hand," the operative replied, his expression now somewhat malicious, "Will descend to the surface of the Minbar-world unseen, to play the move that must be played. Do you wish us to take... that with us?"
"You will remove her from my sight." Aeilyn coldly replied. "Our time together is done... her time among the Order, now ended. As of now, she is Fallen... as the human Jennifer Westcastle is now also declared Fallen."
"And what of the one named Tikopai?"
A curious and thoughtful expression came upon Aeilyn's face at those words. "A difficult reading to make, my friend... difficult indeed. I sense that one has a long and difficult road to walk upon -- but the road is clouded to me, and all she touches is also clouded. For now, I cannot say if she is friend to us...
Or foe."
"Then the road walked may be a difficult one."
"All roads are, my friend... all roads are. Now go, and do not return to my side until you have the human child in hand."
"By your command, my Master." Saakli replied, as he faded back into the shadows.
* * *
"So is that it?" Klairika asked, as Julia came to her side, beneath the thundering cataracts of Gajn'darahl. "They're leaving already?"
She sighed. "I don't think they got what they came for. They may be Observers, Klairika, and this Aeilyn may be the leader of the greatest assemblage of my kind in this galaxy..."
"But he could not convince your former mistress and my friend to give up her child into his care." the Brakiri commented. "Therefore, has not part of his mission to this place failed?"
"Sure looks like it." she admitted. "Although, I can't help but reflect on something Jennifer said to Speaker Aeilyn yesterday -- how 'you don't understand us nearly as well as you think'. The honest truth is, Klairika, the same goes for them relative to us... now that one of their greatest traditions has been shattered by my dearest friend, what will they do now?
They may be leaving us, but *what* comes next?"
* * *
The farewells made, the massive Eloi'a starship slid smoothly out of Minbar orbit, the departure coming far sooner then some had expected, or wanted. On the bridge of that warship, a father planned and plotted, his thoughts still laced with the anger he felt at the impetuousness of the human who had chosen to thwart his will. On a dark and stealthed commando ship desending towards the world below, his daughter cried out and strained against her bonds, but to no avail.
While on the world below, a child played and a mother relaxed, both unaware of the terror still to come. In time, everyone involved would come to treat this as a point of no return, as a line that should never have been crossed.
While others, Observers and Fallen alike, would nod wisely in the months and years ahead, and say the following...
"This, my children, was where the Schism began -- the day when the Dreamer and the Daughter chose to begin their war against the Old Order.