Babylon5: The Short Stories

by J. Michael Straczynski

  Tra'Kar suddenly got very, very quiet. "Did you hear something?" Terror, in a Narn, is a robust and strange thing.

  "No," the other Narn whispered, if Narn could whisper.

  Alisa thought nothing, did nothing, held her breath and became as empty as the wall she leaned against. Moments passed and silence engulfed the area.

  "I swear I heard something," Tra'Kar insisted.

  "Let's get out of here. This is giving me the bristles!"

  The two shuffled out of the room, right past Alisa, who was so empty with thought she was beginning to feel like a stone slab and she tried not to let her teeth chatter from the chill.

  A few levels down, when the Narn thought they were out of danger, she could hear them continuing their conversation.

  "I want to go there and take care of her myself," Tra'Kar said. "I'll do the job tight and there'll be an end to this."

  "A tragic accident?"

  "Something like that."

  Alisa growled under her breath. She didn't have time to chide herself for her error, but as she ran down the hall to follow the two, she did so anyway.

  Never think really loud obscenities when you're in a person's mind. Bad Alisa! Bad!

  Outside the headquarters, she let the two Narn gain a little distance on her, because she was still steaming about Na'Toth taking Jerrica out — to a bar, no less — when her very life was at stake. If Alisa got too close to them, they'd feel her anger, because she was livid and could not contain it.

  She watched the two Narn part company. Tra'Kar went on to Red Dust Cavern while the little guy went to the left, presumably back home. The little guy had been given a nice-sized credit chit for his pains.

  Little weasel, she glowered. It's people like you that make this stuff actually happen. So, I'm gonna teach you a lesson in reverse, she decided. She stalked after him.

  It didn't take long at all. Two blocks down and a few dark alleys later, Alisa had cornered the little guy, whose name she discovered was Ka'Dal, and pushed him up against the wall, shutting down the conscious part of his brain for a moment, long enough to implant a suggestion within his mind.

  It was a harmless suggestion, she figured. Minbari are taught never to harm anyone with their telepathy. And this wasn't really a harmful suggestion. Humans would call it ... a fetish. The Minbari had a nicer phrase for it: "altering his appreciative bias."

  She made Ka'Dal interested only in Centauri women. He would be destined to roam the Narn Homeworld perpetually frustrated, unable to confess his fetish for their captors, and if he ventured off Narn for any reason, he'd have to head to Centauri Prime in order to find himself a worthy mate. The Centauri had become so insular it was rare to even see a handful of them at places as populated as Babylon 5. Poor little weasel, she snickered.

  * * * * *

  Alisa had no problem spotting the Red Dust Cavern. It was the only bar where the patrons were flying out the windows, causing glass explosions to cascade onto the street beyond. This wasn't usually the way Narns hung out at their drinking establishments. Sometimes they'd have a brawl, or two, or eight. But not like this.

  "Aw, hell," Alisa realized and ran as fast as she could to the entrance.

  Avoiding a chair flying straight through the doorway, she ducked down and entered the bar. The entire place was huge mess of swinging arms, biting teeth, kicking boots. It was a Narn slugfest. Where were Na'Toth and Jerrica?

  More importantly, where was Tra'Kar?

  Alisa slunk along the walls, avoiding crazed Narn with fists flailing until she had spotted the threesome. Na'Toth was clinging to Tra'Kar's back, biting his neck. Tra'Kar was whapping her with his arms, trying to get her off him. Jerrica was huddled in a corner with red eyes wide in fright.

  Alisa dove over them just as Na'Toth went flying back into a table and Tra'Kar turned around, catching his breath momentarily.

  Na'Toth shouted, "You were an idiot for assuming you could take me on, Tra'Kar! You're nothing!"

  "I'm not here for you, I'm here for her!" He pointed to Jerrica and was about to go for her when a chair smashed down on his back from behind. It hurt. Bad.

  When he turned around, Alisa stood behind him, like a small child before a giant. As Alisa backed away, Na'Toth took the opportunity to rush Tra'Kar and tackled him, pushing against his ribs to throw him back several feet. The fist fight began all over again.

  Alisa followed the two, tried to get in a few good pounds on Tra'Kar, but took a punch, square in the jaw. The force of it sent her spinning to the ground. Na'Toth clobbered Tra'Kar.

  Jerrica rushed over to Alisa to try and help her but the telepath immediately grabbed the girl by the arms.

  "Get under that table! Now!" Alisa commanded. Jerrica huddled under the table and Alisa stood back up.

  Now she was angry. She had tried to fight fair but now being fair didn't matter. She reached out with her mind and started to work into Tra'Kar's own slippery, cold thoughts.

  Within moments, he was slowing down and Na'Toth was continuing to pound him. Tra'Kar turned his eyes to Alisa's and realized that she was grabbing onto his mind and affecting him. He tried to vocalize words but couldn't speak. Alisa just stared at him, determined to put him down.

  Unfortunately, she didn't get a chance. The Narn Guard appeared, rushing through the doorway of the bar with heavy weaponry. They were shouting, commanding all patrons to put their hands up in the air or be shot and killed on the spot.

  The Narn Guard didn't mess around. Alisa let go of Tra'Kar's mind and stepped back. All around she saw patrons growing quiet, some taking longer because of the battle frenzy, but finally realizing that heavy artillery was pointed at them point blank. Na'Toth got up off the floor and dusted herself off. Tra'Kar, realizing he could move his hands and legs again, followed soon after. He was casting leery glances at Alisa.

  It didn't take long to assess who'd started the fight in the bar. Everyone was pointing at Na'Toth and Tra'Kar. So, Alisa, Na'Toth, and Tra'Kar were hauled away by a squadron of Narn Guards. Jerrica called after, and Alisa tried to silence her, but the young Narn would not be left behind. She called after the troops and was soon taken to the Narn Cells with the rest of them.

  "You should have stayed out of this," Alisa scolded Jerrica. "You wouldn't be here right now."

  Jerrica looked up from her notepad where she had scribbled down some words. She shrugged. "I wasn't safe outside. At least here, I'm with you guys and no one can get me."

  Na'Toth chuckled through a split lip. "She's got a point."

  "You should talk. I told you to take care of her. I expressly told you to keep her at home." Alisa was hot.

  "I do as I please, Alisa Beldon," Na'Toth shot back. "The girl needed a decent lesson in Narn life. She hasn't seen any of Narn proper since her arrival. How's she supposed to learn about her world locked away in someone's house?"

  "There'll be plenty of time for her to learn about Narn after her life is no longer in danger."

  "Na'Toth was taking care of that guy," Jerrica chimed in. Alisa glared at the young Narn. Na'Toth on the other hand was grinning like a savage beast. When Narn grinned, it always made Alisa uneasy.

  "We're in it now, worse than we would have been before. They took the datacrystal I'd stolen from the Kha'Ri headquarters." Alisa ran a hand through her dark brown hair. "I am so busted."

  "Possession is only one-tenths of the law here on Narn. Just say someone handed it to you, they'll never know." Na'Toth casually picked at her lip.

  Alisa decided it was better not to argue, she already had a splitting headache. The cell stank of stagnant water and perspiration. Or, something like perspiration anyway, she wasn't even sure if Narn could sweat. She looked past the bars of their cell at Tra'Kar, seated in a cell just across the narrow hallway.

  He was actually resting in his cell. His eyes were closed lightly and he was breathing calmly. She had forgotten how predisposed the Narn were to being in trouble. To them, this was nothing. A night in jail for a
beat-em-up. Even Jerrica seemed distinctly at ease. It must have been genetic hard-wiring. It made Alisa even more depressed. She leaned her head back against the wall and looked at the world through half-closed eyes.

  Alisa was not sure how long had passed. She must have dozed a bit. A guard was at the cell door, opening it. Na'Toth and Jerrica both looked up at in his leather uniform and his shock stick in hand. Alisa jolted awake from a drowsing state where she was half-thinking, half-snoozing. Her hands pressed against the cold, grainy cement floor of the cell. Dirt squirmed under her fingers as she rose to stand.

  "The First Circle of the Kha'Ri will see you all in court, now," the Guard said.

  Alisa felt herself breathe a sigh. Anything was better than sitting in a cell that smelled like a Narn armpit. Even if it meant getting into worse situations with the Kha'Ri. At least there, she could talk her way out of a situation.

  "I demand to be present as well!" Tra'Kar shouted from his cell. His hands were wrapped around the bars like he wanted to strangle them.

  "They will be coming for you presently," the Guard said. It was monotonous, as if he'd said it a hundred times before to a hundred other prisoners.

  Alisa asked, "May I ask what the court is assembling to discuss?"

  The Guard pointed at Jerrica. "The Heir Apparent to G'Kar's seat in the First Circle of the Kha'Ri."

  Na'Toth took a step back in shock and turned to look at Jerrica, who looked up from her little notebook in utter horrified surprise. Then pen fell from her fingers and rolled down the sheet of paper and onto the floor.

  "Well," Na'Toth finally spoke. "Like father, like daughter. At least they both know how to pass the time in a cell."

  * * * * *

  The Kha'Ri trial was long, lasting several days. The First, Second, and Third circles of the Kha'Ri made up the primary initial decision makers for all of the Narn Homeworld. Positions of power reserved for only the cultural elite, the First Circle was the most revered and respected symbol of Narn authority. To be First Circle was the highest honor any Narn could ever attain.

  Jerrica,Alisa, and Na'Toth were given comfortable quarters during the deliberations. The court hearings lasted from dawn until dinner. Dinner being proclaimed by the loudest complainer of the First Circle shouting he or she was hungry and asking the court to be adjourned for the day.

  Alisa was finally able to shower and tend to her sore jaw. It was well-bruised by the punch that Tra'Kar had given her. Pending the outcome of the trial, all other charges had been put on hold and Delenn had a hand in clearing Alisa of any charges when she learned that the Narn were using pirated Minbari software. The Narn retracted their charges of burglary, claiming there were larger issues at stake.

  The long, highly-publicized trial was starting to look bleak for Jerrica. The council met once again in the orange-toned room, that was shaped much like an amphitheater, but with softer seats, and it had octagonal depressions in its round formation. Many members were seated in large rings stemming from the very bottom of the amphitheater where the First Circle was seated. The Second Circle was just behind, one step up, one step removed from the rest.

  "Isn't it obvious?!!" Counselor Na'Farl was saying to the other members of the First Circle. "She has been Earthanized in everything, including her name. Jerrica." He said it was such disdain. "It's a bastardization of G'Ryka! G' being the pronoun of her father, the Holy G'Kar, and Ryka being a conglomeration of her mother's name and a unique suffix. Yet the Humans cannot deign to pronounce anything alien in correct fashion, so they bastardized her name with the spelling and pronunciation Jerrica. If they did this to her name, think what they did to her upbringing and all that makes her Narn!"

  There was a great bustle at this argument. "I say we use Tra'Kar. Sure, he's a more distant heir, but at least he is truly full-blooded Narn!"

  Na'Toth stood up to object. "I object to this! Jerrica — or to use her formal name — G'Ryka is Narn! Look at her! She's the same as you or I!I'm here to support G'Kar in this and I believe he would want his own Heir and daughter to take his place! I speak for him—"

  "Have you spoken to him about this matter, citizen Na'Toth?" another, older council member asked pointedly.

  "No, but I know G'Kar!—"

  "Then you cannot speak for him!" This time it was Tra'Kar piping in from across the room.

  "Yes, but I can speak for myself."

  As Moses parted the Red Sea, so this voice from the top of the amphitheater parted the sea of Narn bodies congregated in this place. The tide of Narn parted to reveal none other than G'Kar standing at the highest level of the amphitheater. He slowly descended the bleacher-like stairs.

  "It is G'Kar!" came the various cries, many people bowing in reverence, or backing away with their heads down. The entirety of the Inner Circles of the Kha'Ri stood aghast or amazed at his very presence.

  "G'Kar," the first council member spoke. "How ... good of you to come in person. It has been, what, six years?"

  "Your lack of accuracy is touching, Council member Na'Farl." G'Kar extended his hands, looked at everyone around him on the bottom level and continued. "I left Narn in the Fall of 2262, Earth time, and it is now Winter of 2269, that makes for seven years, a month and some change, roughly. Naturally, you've all missed me. I'm touched."

  "You've come just in time, for we were discussing your—"

  G'Kar cut him off. "Yes, I am aware of this. I have been keeping up with the headlines, no need to fill me in. I'm here only because I am keeping you all from making another fatal mistake in the progress of our civilization."

  Na'Farl bowed his head reverently and backed away.

  "I've been listening to your arguments and I quite disagree." G'Kar walked over to Jerrica and looked at her kindly. The young Narn looked back at G'Kar with awe and amazement reflected in her eyes. "I find Jerrica to be entirely 100 percent Narn."

  G'Kar turned around to address the First Circle again. "If we are to gauge our cultural leaders by the percentage of alien thoughts they have, what percentage would you stop at? Is it fair to deprive you of your seat in the Kha'Ri because you might have one alien thought in your head?"

  Another Narn stood and interrupted. He was old, his red eyes heavily wrinkled at the corners. He spoke softly and G'Kar listened with respect. "It is not percentage we worry about, G'Kar. We have had specific traditions since the dawn of our civilization. We set ourselves up for failure when we allow someone into our most sacred circle of leadership who does not understand these traditions."

  "Although I respect you, D'Paur, that is pure poppycock," G'Kar replied. "When I spent time on Babylon 5, it did not make me any less Narn. In fact, the longer I spent time among other races,the more Narn I became. By being exposed to other thoughts, I more firmly appreciated my own Narn thoughts."

  "But how worthy can this girl be? She has not seen enough of life or Narn to be a truly good member of the First Circle," came the last member's argument.

  "You roll out of bed, buff your spots, put on your pants and come to this place two blocks from your home, in order to embrace your heritage." G'Kar took Jerrica by her hand and led her to the center of the First Circle. He held onto her shoulders and looked at each member.

  "Jerrica has come light years to attain her heritage. She has risked life and limb to embrace her birthright. She nearly died to become Narn. I'd say that being Narn means a lot more to her than it does to all of you."

  There was silence in the entire amphitheater as G'Kar's words settled in. He stood, completely comfortable, before the thousands gathered. When bodies finally began to stir, after long deliberation, the lead Kha'Ri council member replied.

  "We must gather, alone, to discuss this." And the Kha'Ri was dismissed. G'Kar wandered out of the council chambers and Na'Toth kept Alisa and Jerrica from following him.

  "He needs time," Na'Toth said solemnly. Jerrica and Alisa nodded and did not move.

  The council reassembled a few hours later. Alisa couldn't help but wonder
if their decision-making session was akin to Twelve Angry Narns — like the old Earth vidflick she'd once watched. They filed into the hall and took their respective seats. GKar came down the stairs from outside and sat on the edge of a seat on the second tier.

  "We have made a decision based on all that you have provided us." There was a great pause. Then, "We have decided that we want you, G'Kar, back in the Kha'Ri. Your place is open for your return to our leadership. We do not ask you to rule. Or to do anything but simply advise, as you once asked eight years ago."

  G'Kar seemed to sag a bit and his eyes softened. The council representative continued, "What do you say to this, G'Kar?"

  G'Kar stood up. "I say no. I'm going back among the stars." He motioned with his gloved finger to Jerrica, sitting down at the base of the amphitheater. "And I am taking Jerrica with me."

  The entire assembly went crazy at this. There was shouting and mayhem. The Second and Third Tiers were crying out at the First Circle. The Council representative was trying to keep order. "Hush! Silence! Now!"

  The room had died down a bit by the time Jerrica made her way to G'Kar on the Second Tier.

  "Citizen G'Kar. Do not leave us again. Please! We will do whatever you wish, if you will just stay on Narn."

  "You wish me to stay as an advisor, yet you heed nothing I say. Why stay?" he asked simply.

  "What do you want?" the Council member asked.

  "That is a very dangerous question." G'Kar shook a gloved finger at the man at the center of the assembly. "But I will tell you anyway. Jerrica must take my place at the Kha'Ri First Circle. It is law that my closest heir take the seat. It is tradition."