How Entil'Zha Sinclair Got the Scar
by Sunraven, Jan 1999

Summary: This story covers a little bit of Anla-Shok history while Jeffery David Sinclair is Entil’Zha. Some unanswered questions during the B-5 series are answered. The questions are: 1. How does Sech Durhan, the best pike fighting Master on Minbar, who formerly trained Warrior Caste (e.g. Alyt Neroon), end up teaching the Anla-Shok? 2. How did Sinclair become so Zen during his two years as Entil’Zha? 3. How did he get the scar that shows up for the first time in War Without End?

Conversation between Ambassador Delenn and her aide Lennier. This is set after "Legacies" in Season 1 where the Shi Alyt of the Warrior Caste Branmer dies while on a diplomatic mission.

"Delenn, that message from home appears to trouble you. Is there something I can do to help?"

"No, Lennier, but thank you. It is a report from the Gray Council. The Warrior Caste have elected a new Shi Alyt."

"Is it Neroon, as you expected?"

"No. I would prefer that over the truth."

"Who?"

She looked at her aide, her face troubled.

"They have elected Shakiri as Shi Alyt."

"Shakiri! How did he ever get enough power in the caste elders council to get himself elected? His rabid anti-religious caste and isolationist beliefs have usually kept him out of the running for high position."

"Apparently things are changing more than we realized within the Warrior Caste. They look to the warriors who would divide the castes even further for leadership, rather than those who would try to mend the bridges."

"And the Star Riders allowed this? I thought that Shi Alyt Branmer was training Alyt Neroon to take his place as Shi Alyt."

"They have protested, as much as they could. The decision caused Sech Durhan to withdraw from teaching the pike in the warrior caste training academy, in protest. He has great power on the Warrior Caste council. But his retirement did not appear to change what happened."

"But I am surprised that Neroon would not fight the decision."

"Neroon is headstrong, Lennier, but he is honorable. He would abide by his caste council’s decision.

"Apparently the majority of the warrior caste council didn’t like the idea of two Star Riders in a row holding such an important position as the Shi Alyt. My real concern, Lennier, is that Shakiri cares for nothing except his own glory and honor. He will do whatever he can to perpetuate that, even if he has to sacrifice peace between our castes to get it."

"Yes, it is a grave day for our people, Delenn."

We skip to the future, after Sinclair is assigned to Minbar, and Delenn has decided to reactivate the Anla-Shok.

"Sech Durhan, I greet you."

On the com vid, Delenn’s changed appearance was a shock to the elderly warrior. But he knew of the prophesy, and understood why she had done it.

"Satai Delenn, you honor me."

"I would choose to honor you even more, Sech Durhan. The Gray Council is reactivating the Anla-Shok to prepare for the great war ahead of us that was predicted by Valen. They need masters in all disciplines to begin their training. But it will be a new Anla-Shok, one in which humans and Minbari will work side by side in the great fight. Our people and the Humans must start working together to fight this war."

"Humans in the Anla-Shok? That is a grave change, Delenn. I am surprised that the Warrior Caste has gone along with it."

"Their opinions were not considered in this decision, and their representatives on the Gray Council were outvoted. Shakiri has sent a general refusal to allow any warrior caste to join the Anla-Shok, but that is all he was able to do."

The rotund warrior smiled. "And you would wish that I go against Shakiri, who leads my caste, and teach your Anla-Shok? He will not be too happy with that."

"No, he will not, Sech Durhan. Your loss to the Warrior Caste Academy because of your "retirement" has already been a sore spot to him which is constantly rubbed."

"And you would give me an opportunity to rub the wound a little more, Delenn?"

"That will only be a side pleasure for you, Sech Durhan. What I offer you is a challenge. To train not only Minbari, as you are accustomed, but to train humans as well. They are very different from us, yet the same in a lot of ways."

"Well, I always did like a challenge, Delenn, as do most Star Riders. And to tell you the truth, I was becoming a little tired of retirement, anyway. When do you wish me to start?"

And so, the Anla-Shok was reactivated.

Jeff Sinclair sat up straight in his desk chair, attempting to stretch his cramping shoulders. Paperwork! Reports! AGHHHHHH! There were times when running a group of rangers made him feel as though he was buried up to his ass in them, and today was definitely one of them. Maybe he should work out, or something.

His com line beeped.

"Sinclair"

Sech Durhan’s face came on the screen. "I was just wondering, Entil'Zha, if you would like another lesson in the use of the Denn-bok?"

Jeff smiled. He must’ve read his mind. "I’ll be in the training grounds in 10 minutes, Sech Durhan. Thank you. I could use a break from all this paperwork."

After their workouts, the two men had become accustomed to meeting in Jeff’s quarters to have tea.

"The plans for the special training exercise for the latest graduates that I discussed with you, Entil’Zha, has now come to fruition. The Drazi have again agreed to let us hold it on Lackt’ha, a desert world in their sector of space, as was done under the last Entil’Zha, Lenonn."

"Good. The Ratha Hactchala (trans. Death of Fear of Death) is a tradition which has been held to from Valen’s time until the Anla-Shok was disbanded after the war, and I feel it is important for our students’ morale to revert back to the good traditions of the past."

"Yes. They are all, human as well as Minbari, excited about the chance to prove their skills before they officially become Rangers. It must be nice to be young. It has been so long for me that I’ve quite forgotten how thrilling the thought of a life or death challenge can be."

"160 cycles is not that old for a Minbari, Durhan. You’ve got at least a hundred or more cycles left where you can beat up on us Rangers with impunity." Jeff twisted his right shoulder where the Denn-bok master had nailed him in a moment of inattention. The only good thing about the match was that Durhan was "lessoning" him less now that his skill was improving. Now he even got a grudging "Not a bad move, for a human" every once in a while. It was funny, though. He had taken to the Denn-bok like a fish to water. Had felt that it was somehow right that he held one in his hands.

"The students would benefit from the Entil’Zha’s presence for this first exercise on Lackt’ha, Jeffrey. You have been training for two years almost as intently as any of our students. You going would not only increase their morale and their loyalty, but would shut up the comments from my caste about a human Entil’Zha not being as good as a Minbari one."

"I don’t know, Durhan. From what you have told me about the Ratha Hactchala, it sounds like a young man’s game, not for a warrior in his late forties. I am in good training, that’s true, but am I good enough for that?"

"I have researched past Ratha Hactchalas, and I feel you are in good enough training to survive the experience. I would not approve you to go if I did not feel so. The same goes for my students. Only those that I feel have a very good chance of surviving are invited to go, and no loss of honor or face would be entailed if they chose not to participate. Of course," with this he rolled his eyes, "Not that any one of them said no."

The old warrior leaned forward, his hazel eyes looking into Jeff’s brown ones intently. "It is important that you seriously consider going with them, Entil’Zha. We must send the warrior caste a message that the Anla-Shok are stronger than before, not weaker. If you feel it in your heart to go through the Ratha Hactchala, that would go a long way towards sending that message."

"Let me think about it, Durhan. I will let you know tomorrow, is that all right?"

"Yes, Jeffrey. That is more than sufficient."

In the end, Jeffrey David Sinclair, Entil’Zha of the Anla-Shok, was as genetically incapable of resisting a challenge or a fight as a Star Rider was. He decided to go through the Ratha Hactchala.