The Captain took his seat and activated his link. "Engineering, get those jump engines working as soon as possible." Without waiting to hear the reply, he looked around the bridge, barking out orders.
"Captain," said one of the technicians. "There's an incoming signal. It's from the surface."
"Put it on. Audio only."
--- John, what's going on? — -- came the angry voice of his father. --- What's happened? — --
"You know what's happened. You killed Delenn and expected me to fall into the same trap she did."
--- What? We didn't kill her. She's still alive. I promise you.... — --
"Then prove it. Let me talk to her. Let me see her. Now."
--- We.... We can't do that. She isn't.... — --
"I knew it. We're getting out of here, and if you try to stop us we'll cut a path straight through anything you put in the way. We'll be back though, and then we're going to blow that entire planet of yours apart. I'll turn each and every one of your ships into a funeral pyre for Delenn!"
--- Son, listen to me! — --
"My father's dead. I don't know who you are, but you're not him." He flicked a quick glance at the technician. "Shut off the signal. How much longer for the jump engines?"
"They're almost on-line."
"Almost isn't good enough!"
"Captain," said Lyta, her eyes glowing. "They're here."
A moment later one of the techs said, "I'm picking up their ships, Sir. A lot of them."
The Babylon was surrounded.
"What do you think this is all about, then? I mean, he could have been a little more descriptive about just what could possibly be so important as to be worth dragging me out of bed at this hour of the morning. I don't know about you, and I certainly don't know about him, but I am an old man with a great many responsibilities, and I need my sleep!"
G'Kar sighed, looking at his companion. Their relationship might have become a little chillier in recent days, but there were some things that had not changed. One of these was his exasperation at his friend's never-ending habit of finding something to complain about even at times of great wonder.
"Mollari, do not think that just because you wear fancy clothes and expensive trappings of power and sit on a big chair, that you have seen everything there is to see. For myself, the chance to set foot inside a place such as this is worth getting up a little bit earlier than usual.
"Besides, I can assure you I was still awake working last night long after you were snoring in your cups."
"I do not snore, and if Timov were here she would be happy to confirm that for you. Trust me, you will never get a chance to find out for yourself. And yes, I will admit to some curiosity, mild curiosity mind, about Cathedral, but all I have seen so far is a large docking bay and a very dark waiting room, populated by some of the rudest servants I have seen this side of Lady Elrisia's last candlelit dinner." He shivered. "Now there is an experience I would not want to repeat. Fortunately, I do not have to."
"I wonder what he wants."
"I dread to think. Which side is he even on in this war of yours, G'Kar?"
"He follows the same path as you, I think. He is on no side but his own."
"I am not on my own side, G'Kar. I made that very clear. I do what it best for my people, nothing more."
"I misspoke myself. My apologies, Great and August Emperor."
"You left out a title or twelve. But I accept your apology all the same." He looked around, not that there was a great deal to look at. "I swear, all my advisors would have panic attacks at the thought that I was here, alone, with a member of a race with whom we are still at war. Not even Lennier was permitted aboard." He paused. "How old do you think this place is?"
The air seemed to rise at that moment, the floor beneath their feet trembling, and the dim light sources blazing up. The first Londo knew about the arrival of the lord of this place was his voice, a deep, booming tone filled with power and strength.
"Cathedral is older than any of our civilisations," came the reply. "It existed when the earliest foundations at Yedor had yet to be laid, when the Narns were struggling to use edged weapons and when the Centauri were still living in mud huts."
"Mud huts might be an improvement over the places we live in at the moment," muttered Londo under his breath.
"And I apologise for requesting your presence so early. I.... do not sleep these days, and I sometimes forget that others have the need to do so. However, I hoped to keep this meeting secret from certain eyes and ears, and the only way to do that was to hold it here, on Cathedral."
"Oh, no need to apologise, Primarch Sinoval," said G'Kar. "I wanted very much to see Cathedral when you came to my summit at Babylon Four. Alas, events ran away from us. I am very glad to have the opportunity to set foot inside it now."
A slow smile crept over Sinoval's face. "You will soon have an opportunity you never dreamed of," he said. "And you may not thank me for it, but.... there is something I need to show you first. What do you know about Delenn's disappearance ?"
G'Kar thought briefly before responding. "The current belief is that she was abducted by an agent of the Enemy and taken to Z'ha'dum. However.... no trace of her abductor has been found, and.... No, foolish suspicions, that is all."
"You have suspicions?"
"Everything seemed too easy, the abduction too clean. Unfortunately I was not at Kazomi Seven when the kidnapping occurred, or I might have been able to prevent it. However, my Rangers have been turning up some.... disquieting details. There was no sign of force, no trace of where she was taken from.... I am sure that something will have been discovered by now. Perhaps we will know more when Captain Sheridan returns from Z'ha'dum."
"If he returns. Your suspicions are entirely accurate, Ha'Cormar'ah G'Kar. And there is a very good reason for them. Delenn was not abducted. She went to Z'ha'dum willingly, to fulfill a bargain and save the life of another."
"What? How do you know this?"
"She sent me a message before she left. Here, listen to this...."
"I am sending you this message because I will soon be dead.
"I do not understand the full details, Sinoval. I do not fully understand why my allies should wish to kill me, or what they can hope to gain...."
G'Kar listened to the message with mounting horror. He flicked a glance at Londo, whose eyes were wide. When it was finished, he sat back.
"You are sure this message is genuine?"
"I would stake my soul on it.... if someone else did not have a prior claim."
"She spoke of other messages. Do you have any idea to whom they might have been sent?"
"I could guess, but I could not say with certainty. I assume no one else you know has received any such message?"
"I would have heard if anyone had. This.... is disturbing. The Vorlons are our friends.... our allies. They have stood beside me for.... ever since I began this. Why.... why would they do this?"
"I have my suspicions, but nothing definite. I am sure Sheridan is the key. I had hoped to catch him here and show him this message. He and I have never been.... friends, but I do respect him. Once he learns the cost of his cure, then he might be more inclined to trust me on this one." Sinoval turned his head and focussed his dark, infinite eyes on Londo. "And you, Emperor Mollari, what do you think of this?"
"I.... I do not know what to say. Delenn is very dear to me, and if this is true.... And yet, how much can I trust you, Primarch Sinoval? I would wager.... well, the entire contents of my treasury, that you have a personal stake in this, and I am not sure just how objective that makes you.