The Other Half of my Soul addm-1

by Gareth D. Williams

  She was crying now, softly and silently, but she was crying all the same. Welles smiled. “Now, tell me the names of the other members of the Grey Council.”

  Quietly, so quietly that he could barely hear it: “Sinoval.”

  “Caste?”

  “Warrior.”

  “Clan?”

  “Wind Swords.”

  “Ah, that sounds interesting. We will return to him later. Another?”

  “Hedronn.”

  “Caste…?”

  * * * * * * *

  “We are sorry, Captain Sheridan,” the Narn was saying, “but we can find no evidence to support your theory that the Minbari were behind the attack on Vega Seven. This was definitely a Centauri attack, designed to push us into conflict against another enemy. They are duplicitous.”

  “Centauri? Councillor Kha’Mak, the Centauri wouldn’t go within ten light years of Vega Seven. This was Minbari.”

  “I am afraid that seems unlikely, Captain. The Centauri have been rebuilding their fleets since we defeated them so completely two years ago. We have been expecting something like this for a long time.”

  Defeated them so completely? Sheridan nearly gave an audible groan. The Narn / Centauri War had been a stand-off, bloody and devastating, but a stand-off all the same. Neither side had been happy with the result – which was not so much a cease-fire as a mutual cessation of hostilities while they sorted their armies out for another go. Had it not been for Sheridan’s personal involvement on the side of the Narns, things might have been even worse.

  “I have a witness who says that the Minbari were responsible.”

  “We have read your report, Captain,” said a testy old Councillor named Du’Rog. “The human you mention is a habitual drunkard who was arrested several times for drunken offences in the past year. We checked with the records sent to us periodically by Administrator Na’Far. There is little evidence to support your theory. It is merely your desire to embroil us in your war with the Minbari.”

  His desire to embroil them in a war? Sheridan had little doubt that the instant the Narn and Centauri met in combat again, he would be sent a message begging for the Babylon.

  “And there are some of us, Du’Rog,” spoke up a Councillor whom Sheridan did not recognise, “who are little better than habitual drunkards ourselves. We both know full well that the Centauri are not capable of a strike like this, and nor are the Minbari. This was the Ancient Enemy at work, and you are all too blinded to admit it.”

  “H’Klo!” snapped Na’Toth angrily. “We have no time for your petty scaremongering.” She turned to Sheridan. “We are sorry, Captain, but we cannot interfere in this matter.”

  But Sheridan barely heard her. H’Klo’s words had awakened something within him. An ancient enemy? Na’Far had whispered the same thing as he died, and Lyta had pulled the same thing from Delenn’s mind. Delenn had tried to warn him about something on Vega 7. An ancient enemy? “Who is this Ancient Enemy?” he asked softly, trying to make the question appear casual.

  “Myths and legends,” Na’Toth replied scornfully. “Nothing more. I am sorry, Captain, but we can do nothing more for you.” Sheridan looked up at her. She was lying. He knew that for a fact, but people had been lying to him for years. The truth would come out, because sooner or later, it always did.

  “I thank you for your time,” he said, in as neutral a tone as he could manage. “Circles, Councillors.” He pressed his fists against his chest in the Narn salute, and stalked from the chamber. Inside his mind, things were ticking away. Secrets never stayed secret long, and Na’Toth was certainly keeping a few of her own. Had she been the one to order his betrayal? Was she even in collusion with this Ancient Enemy? A sudden thought struck him. Were Susan’s friends this ’Ancient Enemy’? They were old, powerful, and made him uncomfortable, and the Minbari certainly knew about them.

  Susan and Marcus were waiting for him outside the chamber. “How did it go, John?” Susan asked.

  “Typically Narn behaviour,” he snapped in reply. “Come on. I intend to enjoy myself on this waste hole before we leave.” The truth had a way of getting out, and Sheridan resolved to keep a very close eye on Ivanova. Sooner or later, the truth always got out.

  * * * * * * *

  Na’Toth went directly to the communications screen in her chambers. Austere and simple as they were, it was the one thing which stood out. It took her a few moments to patch the signal through, moments in which she tapped her fingers against her side angrily. Na’Toth had never been patient. When the viewscreen activated and the face of Ha’Cormar’ah G’Kar appeared, she nearly knelt. It was an absurd reaction. Na’Toth had never knelt before anything – Narn, prophet or deity – in her life, but when in the presence, even remote, of Ha’Cormar’ah G’Kar, it was an almost impossible urge to resist. He projected an aura of such… greatness and power, that it was almost overwhelming. She had heard that G’Quan had been the same.

  “Yes, Na’Toth,” he said. “What news?”

  She immediately regained her senses. This had to be done quickly. “Captain Sheridan has recently left the Hall of the Kha’Ri. Unsatisfied. They refused to believe that the Minbari were behind the destruction of Vega Seven.”

  “As indeed they were not.”

  “Exactly. The Kha’Ri, on the other hand, blame the Centauri, except for H’Klo. He mentioned the Enemy to Sheridan. The Earther seemed… intrigued, to say the least.”

  “H’Klo,” G’Kar sighed. “When will he ever learn? He is fixated on the past. He sees the Enemy purely as a means to gain glory for himself. No, he is another matter. Will Sheridan pose a problem to us?”

  “I do not know. He has a reputation for skill at solving mysteries and uncovering secrets. It may be difficult to keep this from him, and it will cause problems if he investigates too far.”

  “I know. Very well, Na’Toth. Are Neroon and Ta’Lon still in G’Khamazad?”

  “Yes.”

  “Arrange to meet with Sheridan. Have Neroon and Ta’Lon present, but hidden. They will know if he is touched by the Shadow or not. It may be that his thread will come to ours, after all. He may be a valuable ally.”

  “Or a dangerous enemy?”

  “If that is the case, he will be dealt with. Have Neroon and Ta’Lon told you about the… other matter?”

  “The one who ordered Sheridan’s betrayal on Vega Seven? They believe they have uncovered leads, but surely I could have done that…”

  “Your place on the Kha’Ri is too important, Na’Toth, and too visible. If your loyalties were uncovered, the results would be… unpleasant, to say the least. I still have many enemies on the Kha’Ri. Neroon and Ta’Lon are my best agents, and they will uncover what needs to be found. We all have our place, Na’Toth. The universe puts us in places where we may do the most good. You are necessary to me where you are. G’Quan bless you, Na’Toth.”

  “And you.” The viewscreen went blank and Na’Toth stepped backwards. A meeting with Sheridan? What would the Kha’Ri make of that if they learned about it? There were so many games and innuendoes among the Kha’Ri that it might cause suspicion, or it might be seen as just another step in the power games, and deflect attention from her true intentions. At least there were no listening devices in her rooms. She checked three times a day, and all her communications were double coded.

  But maybe another check would be useful. Just to be sure.

  * * * * * * *

  “I’ll admit I was surprised when you requested this meeting, Councillor,” Sheridan said, looking around him with polite interest. Not that there was a great deal to look at. Na’Toth’s quarters were the most spartan he had ever seen. Then he looked at the Councillor of the Third Circle herself. She certainly seemed interested in him. He wondered if this was more than a professional meeting. He had heard that Narns and humans could be sexually compatible. He almost chuckled as he considered the thought.

  “Oh?” she said. “I simply want to… hear again your reasoning
for the attack on Vega Seven. Unlike my colleagues in the Kha’Ri, I am not short-sighted.”

  Beside Sheridan, Marcus was also looking around the room. Marcus had not been invited to the meeting, but he had come anyway, and Na’Toth had not seemed to object. Susan had returned to her quarters, feigning fatigue, an excuse Sheridan did not entirely believe.

  “Everything you need to know was in my report, Councillor.”

  “Except for one small detail. What were three of your men doing on the colony when you and your ship were so far away? Do you commonly allow your men shore leave on planets such as Vega Seven?”

  Sheridan raised an eyebrow slowly. Nonchalantly, he slid his hand down to his belt – and his PPG. He had deliberately left details of Na’Far’s actions out of his report, hoping that someone would notice it, and be panicked into making a move. It seemed that someone had.

  “They were being held prisoner there, Councillor,” he said, noticing that Marcus had similarly tensed himself. Here would be a chance to test the man’s worth as a guard. Did Na’Toth have guards of her own nearby? If so, how many? Were other members of the Kha’Ri in on this, or just her alone? “We were… betrayed by Administrator Na’Far.”

  “Oh? That seems unlike him. He was always very loyal.”

  “Loyal? Yes, I suppose he was. And so if any orders… say from a member of the Kha’Ri, came for him to betray me to the Minbari, he would act upon them, wouldn’t you say?”

  “I suppose he would.” She was acting very cool. She must have an ace hidden somewhere. Where was it possible to hide anything in this room? There was only one door, over which Marcus was surreptitiously positioning himself. There were no closets or cupboards of any kind. It was plain, almost too plain for a member of the Kha’Ri… There. A tiny crack in the wall, almost unnoticeable. A secret door.

  Na’Toth clearly noticed the direction of his eyes. She made ready to act, but Sheridan darted forward, knocking her off balance. She fell, and he pinned his PPG to her head. “Come out or she dies,” he barked. “Did you really think I’d fall for the same trap twice?”

  Na’Toth barked out something in a Narn dialect Sheridan did not recognise, and the door opened. Two people stepped out. One was a Narn, whose simple browns and greys made him appear less than he was, but whose bearing marked him out as a warrior. The second… was a Minbari, and dressed as one, prideful in his warrior black, carrying a metal staff just like the one Susan had taken from Delenn.

  Marcus cried out something Sheridan did not hear, and darted forward. The Minbari turned to meet his onslaught, and with a swift blur of motion, Marcus was lying face down on the floor. He tried to rise, but the Narn placed a booted foot on the small of his back. Sheridan looked down at the two of them.

  “Move and she dies,” he muttered, but then all he felt was the breath rushing from his body as a great force thudded into his stomach. Staggering backwards, Na’Toth pulled herself free of his grasp and watched as he fell. She recovered his PPG and held it distastefully.

  “For a great captain, you are not very smart,” she said.

  “No,” whispered the Minbari. “He is merely not a diplomat, that is all. He is a warrior. I see it in his eyes.”

  “Stuff your talk of warrior spirit and honour,” Sheridan spat. “It was you, then,” he said to Na’Toth. “You sent Na’Far the order to betray me.”

  “No, actually,” she replied. “It was not me, but I do know who it was. I have a question to ask you, whenever you start breathing again.” He glared at her and she shrugged. “You recognised what H’Klo said in Council today. Where did you hear of the Ancient Enemy before?”

  “Na’Far… he whispered it as…” Sheridan breathed in hard. “As he died. And Delenn.” The Minbari showed no overt reaction, but something subtle changed in his posture. “She… I don’t know. She said it too.”

  Na’Toth looked at the Narn and the Minbari. The Narn hesitated. The Minbari was silent.

  “It was black,” came a soft, harsh voice. Marcus’. “So black that my eyes sort of slid off it. A cross between a spider and my worst nightmare. As it awoke, I heard it screaming in my mind.” Na’Toth made a gesture, and the Narn took his foot away from Marcus’ back. “I saw it. I saw it rising from the ground. Oh God, I thought I’d forgotten it.”

  “What?” whispered Sheridan. “What was it?”

  “The Ancient Enemy,” Na’Toth replied. “Vega Seven was not destroyed by the Minbari, Captain, nor by the Centauri, nor by any other race with which you are familiar. It was destroyed by a race timeless and ancient, dark and terrible. They are rising again. Vega Seven was proof of that. One of their ships was hidden there, and they returned to collect it. We are the last bastion of hope, the last line drawn against the return of that enemy. They are gathering power once again on their homeworld of Z’ha’dum, drawing their ships back to them. We have to stand ready for when they come, and so must you.”

  Z’ha’dum? He had heard that name before. Susan had mentioned it… Susan had… “I don’t… believe… you,” he muttered. “Don’t…” A booted foot crashed into his skull and he lost consciousness.

  Na’Toth looked at her two companions. “Get him out of here. Ha’Cormar’ah G’Kar will have to see him.”

  “What about his ship?” asked Neroon. “They may wonder where he is.”

  “Then let them wonder. I will arrange a cover. If they get too suspicious, it may be easier to just have it shot down.”

  “And this one?” Ta’Lon said, indicating the equally unconscious Marcus.

  “Take him with you. He has seen the enemy also, and may prove a better choice to serve alongside us than Sheridan.”

  “And what about his companion? The woman?”

  “I will explain Sheridan’s disappearance to her also. If need be, she will disappear as well. I have contacts within the Thenta Ma’Kur.”

  “And what if Sheridan does not return from Ha’Cormar’ah G’Kar’s shrine in the G’Khorazhar Mountains?”

  “Then we shall deal with that when it happens. G’Quan walk with you both, and with G’Kar.”

  * * * * * * *

  Seated in her quarters, Susan Ivanova smiled. After all Na’Toth’s undoubted checks for listening devices, she had missed the smallest one of all, placed inside Sheridan himself by means of Susan’s kisses. It was powerful, and even partially alive, just the smallest example of her friends’ technology.

  “You heard?” she said. Despite appearances to the contrary, she was not alone. She was never alone. “Good. The G’Khorazhar Mountains are just to the west of here, or so I believe. It should be easy enough to locate this shrine of G’Kar’s. We can simply follow the signal from Sheridan’s transmitter.”

  …

  “Yes, I think so too. A Warrior would be best. Can you get one here in time? Ah, good. I don’t think even G’Kar can deal with a Warrior. At least not without his two trusted servants. The Warrior can follow us as we follow Sheridan, and when we get close enough, it should be easy to sniff out G’Kar.”

  …

  “Sheridan? Leave him to me. He knows a little, that’s all. Certainly not enough to pose a real threat. I can make him believe that Na’Toth was the one who arranged to have him betrayed on Vega Seven, and that G’Kar was working with the Minbari. Sheridan knows a little about the Rangers already, and he knows that you and the Minbari are old enemies. It might be a stretch, but I can keep him from poking too far. All he needs to know is that you are enemies to the Minbari and are willing to help him against them. With G’Kar dead, that should be easy enough, and you will be rid of an irritating problem.”

  …

  “Delenn? Don’t worry. I’ve made arrangements to take care of that problem.

  “Trust me.”

  Chapter 3

  Minister Londo Mollari was not having a good day. His beloved wife Number One – Timov – was in an especially foul mood and trying her best to irritate everyone within several miles of her. Endeavouring to esca
pe her caustic jibes and well-thrown jars, Londo had inadvertently stumbled across beloved wife Number Two – Daggair – who was clearly plotting something. He could practically see the little wheels turning in her head. Unable to cope with her obviously false smiles that still managed to hide whatever it was she was trying to hide, he had tried again to escape. He had heard that Daggair had been in meetings with that triple-damned harpy Lady Elrisia, and he shuddered to think what that was about. Great Maker, women shouldn’t get themselves involved in politics. It never did anyone any good. And beloved wife Number Three – Mariel – was in her bedchamber, thinking, which was always a cause for concern. Women weren’t put in this universe to think.

  On top of that, First Minister Urza Jaddo was enclosed in private meetings with the Emperor – may the Great Maker enable everyone to remember his name. Turhan had been a great man, but his son was such a nonentity that few people even noticed him. Marrit was not actually that bad as Emperor, but when the best word you could give to the supreme ruler of the entire Centauri Republic was ‘competent’, then you were in trouble. Everyone remembered the great rulers, and everyone remembered the insane rulers, but no one ever cared about the competent ones.

  Of course, with both the Prime Minister and the Emperor unavailable all day, Minister Mollari had become the subject for every groveller, parasite and hanger-on anywhere in the whole city, and that was quite a few people. After promising to speak to the Emperor on matters ranging from the taxes and import duties on spoo, to dissolving an unarranged marriage, to the Narn raiders attacking Centauri frontier worlds, to trying to force the Drazi traders who visited Centauri prime to speak in proper sentences for a change, Londo was quite ready to kill someone. Probably himself.