“Weak, but still alive. He’s resting at the moment.”

“We do not want him burning out on us.” Good telepaths were always very hard to replace.

“No, Uncle Londo. I had worked that out. You’re so patronising when you’re drunk, did you know that?”

“Bah! And what would you know about being drunk? I was drowning myself in brivare before you were even born!”

“My father said that you used to pass out after a few sniffs of the brivare. You didn’t even have to drink any, he said.”

“The next time I see your father, remind me to have him lynched, Carn. What word from our Narn friends?”

“Na’Kal’s telepaths are pretty much out of things. Narn telepaths are much more… unstable than ours. They’ve been operating on blind faith for quite some time.”

That was another thing G’Kar had been doing. Somehow – the Great Maker alone knew the exact details – G’Kar had found a way to create Narn telepaths. Weak and unstable, true, but telepaths were telepaths. Now if only any of them survived long enough to have children it might have been worthwhile…

“Well, Uncle? What’s the plan?”

“Plan? Why am I the one who has to come up with a plan? You’re the Captain!”

“Yes, but you are the one who got me and my ship into this mess in the first place.”

“Carn, may I remind you that I am your uncle and… as… such… worthy… of… all right, what is it?”

Carn’s face had grown white. “There are two of the enemy ships. Coming directly for us.”

Ta’Lon started. He would have to learn not to underestimate humans again. He should have learned that lesson with Sheridan. Humans possessed a subtlety and a way of thinking that were totally unknown to Narns – whose politics tended to consist of the Thenta Ma’Kur and a lot of lying.

Some humans were nearly as bad as the Centauri.

“I do not know him,” Ta’Lon said. “I know of him, certainly…”

“Don’t lie to me,” Welles snapped angrily. “I’m not an idiot. I know about a new force being formed, and I have heard G’Kar’s name far too often to believe that he is anything but the leader of this force. I wouldn’t be surprised if a Mr. Bester were involved as well. Now, as of yet, I haven’t shared this information with the Resistance Government. Let us say I have a few… doubts about President Clark’s motives. To say nothing about Ambassador Ivanova. Now, can you give me a reason why I shouldn’t tell the President?”

“Ah,” Ta’Lon said. “How did you know of my involvement?” Ta’Lon had never been much of a politician.

“Your papers were authorised by someone whom my agents in the Narn court have been investigating. And after that, of course, I guessed, and struck lucky. Well, what can you tell me?”

Ta’Lon blinked. He could try to kill Mr. Welles, but he doubted that would be a good idea. “You are correct. Ha’Cormar’ah G’Kar has formed a small network of agents, designed to maintain order in the galaxy. He believes that this constant warfare will weaken us all, to no good purpose.”

“I see. Really? A humanitarian, then? Or should it be Narn-itarian? And what were you doing here?”

“Two of his agents are here. I was sent in to free them, and to watch the events of the battle.”

“Oh? When you next see Ha’Cormar’ah G’Kar, tell him that he now owes me a favour, and unless he wants me to reveal everything I’ve found, he’d better pay up. Do you know where to find Miss Alexander and Mr. Cole?”

“I… do.”

“Then go and do so. And… there is a message for Miss Alexander as well. If she ever comes back here, I will personally have her executed. Understood?”

“Perfectly.”

“Glad to hear it. Your G’Kar isn’t the only one worried about these Shadows, you know. Good day.”

Ta’Lon watched as he left. Welles was nothing if not dangerous. Ta’Lon wondered what G’Kar would say to this. But any problem with Welles would have to wait. Ta’Lon had a mission to perform for G’Kar, and then a second mission to perform for Neroon…

The first would be far less painful than the second…

Sinoval stood alone in his personal chambers, watching the ebb and flow of the battle from there. The fleet was pulling back slowly, but he had not as yet ordered a full retreat into hyperspace. This would be largely ineffectual against the Shadows and he had not yet raised the courage to give such an order. He knew he would have to, but to stand in front of the Grey Council and order his ships to retreat – to make all these deaths mean nothing – he was not yet ready.

He sighed and bowed his head, turning to leave.

Jha’dur was fast, yes, but Sinoval had been a warrior all his life. He was faster.

He spun around and extended his pike, kept always at his belt. One of Durhan’s fabled nine weapons, it possessed one of the proudest histories of any weapon, almost as great as that borne by Valen himself.

Jha’dur fell on to his block and stumbled backwards. She scrambled to her feet.

“How stupid did you take me for?” Sinoval spat. “You were trained well, yes, by Shakiri and Matokh and even Durhan, but none of them, not even Durhan, was ever my equal.”

Jha’dur extended her own pike, the one Shakiri had given her when the Wind Swords had given her secrets to the Star Riders. It was a fine weapon, and thoroughly wasted in the hands of such a creature. Of course, it had been wasted in the hands of Shakiri as well.

Jha’dur sprang forward, but Sinoval blocked and parried her strikes. She was quite skilled, but he was better. He sent her falling backwards again.

“What a pitiful thing you are,” he spat. “A foul, malignant creature. Almost a tumour. Your race is gone, Jha’dur. Your time in this galaxy is at an end. I would have been content to let you live, but now… now you will die, and for what? Well, Jha’dur? For what?”

She smiled, and lunged forward again. Sinoval parried her whirlwind of blows and waited for the one chink in her defences. Finding it, he lashed out at her arm and knocked the pike from her grip. It fell, and then he kicked her, sending her falling backwards, prone at his feet.

Sinoval placed the end of the pike at her throat and knelt down over her. “Was it worth it? All those dreams of immortality – only to end here?”

She smiled.

It was just a small prick, hardly noticeable, except for her smile.

Sinoval felt his limbs grow leaden. He fell back, tumbling to the ground. His pike fell, none of his muscles strong enough to let him hold it. His head struck the floor and jarred. He could not move, not even a little.

“Yes, Sinoval,” she said, rising to her feet and retrieving her weapon. “It was. You’ve just been touched by one of my very special concoctions. A paralysing agent. Not fatal, unlike the one I used on poor Rathenn. This one will only keep you here for a while, out of the way and quiet while I proceed to destroy everything you hold dear.”

Sinoval found he could still talk, but only with great effort. “You… are… cursed!”

She made a gesture of surprise. “My commendations on your strength, Sinoval. I would bet your Grey Council isn’t as strong. Don’t worry. I’ve something entirely different in mind for them.”

“Why?”

“The humans,” she replied. “This is all for their benefit. I’m sure you remember Sheridan’s capture last year? All that effort I went to arranging it. You always thought I was up to something. Well, I was. I was setting him up with the Enemy who is even now tearing your fleet apart. I was setting up all of humanity.

“They destroyed my people. And why? Not for territory or money or power, but because we were evil. They could never act like we did. We appalled their sense of morality… Guess what, Sinoval? They will become us. With the Shadows at their side, humanity will spread chaos and death across the galaxy, bringing death on a scale that we could scarcely even hope for. And they will begin with you.”