The Long Trial, Part Two
Chapter Thirteen: Becoming Alyt
by R. Bernstein

The Anla Shok induction ceremony was simple and short. Havah was dressed in formal uniform, as was Sinclair. He had already been inducted as Entilzah, the leader of the Rangers. So it was he, with the instructors in attendance, who pinned the symbol of the Anla Shok to Havah's uniform. It was an elegant pin, with a Minbari and a Human figure each flanking a large aquamarine stone. It shimmered like abalone shell, but had the depth of sapphire. The pins must have been altered. Havah doubted that there had been a Human figure included a thousand years ago. Sinclair beamed at her and handed her the denn bok that was to be hers as long as she lived. She glanced over at Sech Durhan. There was the barest hint of a smirk on his face. Sinclair bowed deeply and gave the salute. She returned it. She went before her instructors and bowed to them. After the ceremony Sinclair gave her a hug. "Congratulations! I heard you had quite a trial! The Anla Shok who tested you are still talking about it. Although, Sech Turval said that he will continue to work with you on meditation."

"No doubt! I almost blew the whole thing! But I'm just glad it's over." Havah snorted. "Man, they used a changeling net! I tried it on. Those things are horrible! I wanted to claw all my skin off afterwards."

"I heard! Tirhan has been snickering for the past three days about the sight of you appearing in front of him and doing your 'Get this thing off me!' dance."

Havah looked sheepish. "Well, I'm glad that I could provide entertainment at least. I guess that I shouldn't call you 'man' or 'dude', now that you're Entilzah, sir!"

Sinclair grabbed her around the neck with one arm and hugged her in a rough brotherly gesture. "I don't mind being 'dude' in private. I'm going to get enough 'Yes, Entilzah', 'No, Entilzah' the rest of the time. It's nice to hear a remnant of home every once in a while, to remind me that I'm still Human!"

She grinned at him. "So what now?"

"Now, I continue to recruit and get the first new 'graduating class' ready for assignment, and review the information we have so far and the information we still need. You will be able to help me with this planning, after you've gone through the 'officer' training. You've never had a command position before, so you'll need some additional training in that area. This will be focused on commanding fleets."

"Thank you, sir!"

"You'll have a few days before the training starts, so if you'd like to do any traveling, or visit with anyone, or just relax, now would be the time to do so."

"Ok, thank you sir. I think I'll see if I can get in touch with a couple friends."

On the way to her shuttle to Yedor, she encountered a couple of other incoming shuttles of people of new recruits, in particular, a couple of those friends whom she wanted to visit, Trell and Birin. She couldn't contain her excitement at seeing both of them, and ran up to them giving each an exuberant hug.

"Oh my God, Hi! Trell, where have you been? I left a couple messages, but I figured you were out of town doing your thing. I'm glad I ran into you here! Oh, wow, hey, do you two know each other?"

Trell grinned at her and then dropped his gaze, as did Birin. "No, we have not met yet."

"Oh, well, this is Birin, a friend from Yedor. I'm sorry, I never knew your family name. Birin, this is Trell, I met him in New York City of all places, about six or seven years ago." She had never been good at introductions, and now noticed that both Minbari were looking down rather than at her face. Had she committed some faux pas? "Is everything alright? I hope I didn't just do something to offend you?"

"No, no, of course not!" They both piped up, glancing at her, shocked, and Birin continued. "It is very nice to see you! I had heard of your assignment here! That was further incentive to come, although I have been wanting to do this for some time."

Havah sighed with relief. "Whew, well, I'm glad. I just wasn't sure sinceŠ"

"Since, we did not look at you for a moment?"

"Yeah."

"I am sorry for that. I have been reading on some Human cultures, and I understand now that many Humans are uncomfortable if they do not have direct eye contact, that it is a symbol of trust. But among the Minbari, it is a symbol of respect to avoid direct eye contact, and it is a hard habit to break when one is raised that way. And I learned that you will be the Entilzah's second in command. I will try to remember to look at you, at least when we are not in a formal setting.".

Birin turned to Trell. "I am Birin, of the family of Mir." She bowed.

He returned the bow. "I am Trel, of the family of Tokar." They smiled at each other, and Havah thought she caught a glimpse of mutual approval and a spark of something more dramatic between them for a moment. Trell explained to Havah. "I am sorry for not returning your call. I was off-world until after you left. I am very happy to be here! You are looking very well!" He indicated her new Anla Shok uniform. "You look like one of our soldiers."

"You better not tell any of them that."

Trell and Birin both laughed, and Havah returned to something that had caught her ear. "Mir? Isn't that Delenn's family?"

"Yes. We areŠI think it would be second or third cousins, in your cultureŠI cannot remember whichŠI did not realize until recently that not all peoples counted kin in the same way."

"Ah. So what is it according to the Minbari?"

"We are just cousins, there is no division into first, second or third, in the same way. If one is the child of your mother's or grandparent's sibling on the mother's side, then you are simply 'cousin'. There is more attention to elder generation or younger, than how far removed one is. Although, if you are the child of your father's or grandparent's sibling on the father's side, then that would correspond more closely to what you think of as second cousin, because the maternal relations take precedence."

Havah shook her head, wishing there had been more time for ethnography. She was positive Bir had elaborated that before. But even though Havah had probably written it down, Bir would probably have to remind her a dozen more times. Family trees were always confusing.

The recruits were being herded to the compound. They said goodbye and Havah boarded to return to Yedor.

* * * * * * * *

Nohri bounded up and wrapped herself around Havah's knees as Havah arrived. "Hey kiddo! How are you doing?" Havah said in a bizarre patois of Minbari and English, since there was no Minbari equivalent for 'kiddo'. She picked up the little girl who smiled and began talking animatedly about her gokh and how he was very bad and father put him outside again. "Well, you know, he wouldn't do that if you wouldn't keep encouraging him and feeding him." Havah teased her.

Nohri stuck out her tongue as Katani's voice carried from the doorway. "Nohri! How impolite to behave so to an honored guest, especially one who is absolutely correct! You know your father has told you not to play with it indoors! Greetings, Havah Lassee! I am glad to see you! Please come in and tell me how you are!" She inclined her head and placed her hand over Havah's heart in the traditional gesture of close friends meeting, and then ushered Havah inside and laid out a pitcher of herb tea and fruit. She grasped Havah's arms and looked her up and down, taking in the uniform. "You lookŠlike a Minbari, Miss Anlashok! Even with the hair! SoŠ" She sat Havah down and took a seat next to her. "You must tell me all about the training and how things were with you! I have always been curious. I am familiar with some of it, but I want to hear your stories!"

Havah took the next couple hours and told Katani everything, from the beginning of the training to the end of the trial. Katani listened raptly, interjecting frequent questions, especially about Sech Turval and Sech Durhan. She had heard, of course, of both of them. Some of her family knew Sech Turval. After a couple of hours, Sorail came home from the Temple and greeted Havah. During the meal, Katani invited Havah to take a trip with them the next day to one of the coastal towns. "It isŠwe have a holiday that best corresponds to your Thanksgiving, and we will be visiting some of my relations in Tuvuri. It is good that you came when you did, as we will be gone tomorrow. Now you can come with us! I think you will be very interested in the ritual."

"I would be thrilled! Thank you!"

"Well, you are practically a Minbari now. You are Anla Shok, a part of our culture, and a part of this family."

Tears sprung to Havah's eyes, she was so touched by Katani's inclusion.

Katani looked at her fondly. "Eat your meal. You have grown even thinner than when you left. Have they not fed you?"

Havah smiled. "They fed me, I just ran it off." Havah looked at Nohri. Her little headbone had sharpened and the ridges were more distinct. And she seemed to have grown two inches in the few weeks Havah had been gone. "Nohri's taller!"

"Yes, she is growing like a little tree. You will see someday when you have children." Katani looked mournfully at the child for a moment, then she shifted with a significant gaze at Havah.

"WhoaŠno, no."

"As you say, Miss Havah." Katani smirked and looked thoroughly unconvinced. Sorail endured such comments as many Human fathers and husbands: in silence, casting Havah a look of sympathy while burying himself meditatively in his meal.

He smiled fondly at his wife's back when she went into the kitchen to retrieve some more tea. "We are happy that you can come with us. It means a great deal to Katani. We will go to the coast tomorrow in the morning. It takes a few hours to get there. The ritual is in the evening after dark."

* * * * * * * *

The next day they traveled to the coast through some flurries of snow. Nohri chattered away about the snow, the sky, and everything that she saw out the window. Havah just watched her and laughed, as Sorail took his turn to ask Havah about training. When they arrived in the village, the snow had turned to a chilly windy rain. Ignoring the inclement weather, Katani's relatives teemed outside to greet them. They all went to a central meeting hall. It was covered in sea-side brush and mica. The granite walls blended with the sandy hummocks surrounding it. If there had been sun, the flakes of mica and pyrite would have cast brilliant dark rainbow hues. When they went inside, it was not cold at all as she would have expected a large stone hall to be. Body heat alone would have been enough to warm the room. There was an enormous table laden with more food than would fit on it, and somehow, members of the entire village tried to find some spot on the table to squeeze an eating platter. Many just gave up and stood behind their fellows at the table with their plates in hand, socializing and waiting for the meditation to begin. And it was not possible to distinguish between castes here, aside from the occasional religious robe or military uniform. Even those whom Havah could identify as warrior caste seemed less hostile than any others she had met, although not loquacious by any means. Katani rushed around with Havah in tow, introducing her to various friends. Many of Katani's relatives were fascinated by Havah, both her initiation into the Anla Shok, and by her Humanity. They couldn't ask questions fast enough about Humans, Human culture, Human television programs, Human religious rituals, Human food, Human schools and temples and gods. One of the very young 'cousins' asked Havah what it was like to fight at Proxima Three, and was immediately shushed by his mother. Despite their curiosity about this topic as well, it was considered extremely ill-mannered to ask, unless Havah brought it up first, because it could cause their guest distress, and that would be thoughtless. But children couldn't resist and kept firing questions at Havah when their parents were otherwise engaged.

Then the meditation began. The entire hall full of talking Minbari went silent instantly. All that could be heard was the rain on the roof stone and the moaning wind around the walls. An old priestess spoke from the head of the room. Her powerful voice boomed out across the crowd of ears. "As a village we gather, as a people we gather to remember that we are a people, we are One. Born in the Sea, Fostered by the Land, we thank the Universe for our Home and our lives. We thank Dol'An for the ability to build, and protect, and learn from our world, and delight in it." Three older caste members, presumably members of the local councils, each placed candles on an altar at the head of the room. And all of the Minbari bowed their heads in silent meditation. Havah noticed a little boy standing in a meditative pose fast asleep, his mother too deep in meditation to notice her son's disposition. About fifteen minutes later, the priestess chimed out. "Eat with one another and share delight!" The entire crowd re-animated, and Katani put a plate in Havah's hands, piled with more food than even Havah thought she could eat. But she managed to down a large portion of it, punctuated by the conversations of interested relatives and the constant questions of curious children. One young boy in particular, 'sleeping-boy', was insatiable. "Are you a Human?"

"Yes, I'm from Earth."

He stared wide-eyed at her. "My father said that Humans tempt death every night! First in the War, and then sleeping lying flat! Do you really do that?"

Havah had no idea how to respond to that. "Uh, yeah. Yeah, we do lie flat, but it's not dangerous to us. Most Humans find it very comfortable actually."

He let out his breath in awe. "Have you ever killed people?"

Havah knew that question was coming sooner or later. "Yes."

"What was it like?"

"Well," Havah blew out and pursed her lips, in thought of how to frame her answer. "It felt bad because I knew that me and the person I killed could never be friends, and I like being friends."

He thought about that intensely for a moment, furrowing his little brow. And then a question that made Havah choke. "How do Humans mate?"

"UhŠ" Havah looked desperately about for Katani, or really any adult Minbari to rescue her. As Murphy's Law would have it, there were several animated conversations going on around Havah that she didn't want to interrupt. "Uh..,ehehe, wellŠweŠmate, I guess probably similar to Minbari."

"But how?"

"UmŠwellŠthe male and the femaleŠumŠyou know, your mom could probably answer this better than me. I don't have a mate. See?"

"Oh."

Just as he was getting ready to ask another question, Nohri ran up and tugged on Havah's fingers to get her to follow. Havah gratefully followed Nohri outside. There were Minbari beginning to trickle out of the hall. The rain had abated, and the wind had softened into a persistent salt-breeze off the ocean. A man in the uniform of a soldier approached the priestess. Perhaps he did not realize that Havah could just make out his words, but he asked if it was appropriate for the Human to be present for the next ritual. The wizened crone gave him a withering look that answered his question. He respectfully bowed and returned to watching the sky, and conversing.

When a large crowd had collected, candles shielded by clear holders were distributed, and everyone filed slowly to the shore where a raft was waiting. The candles were all placed in twig and leaf baskets to shield them from the wind, and then each person placed their votives on the raft. A single ferryman tugged the raft out past the undertow and surf to let it ride the waves that would carry their bright cargo to the bottom of the sea. A sound rose around Havah like none she had ever heard before except once. A music crystal she had listened to a long time ago from deep in the forgotten steppes of Asia had emitted such a sound. A tri-tonal melody from deep in the throat, swelled around her now. Some sang higher, impossibly high, so high she could barely hear them. Some sang lower, deep rumblings like a tectonic hum. But all sang around her. They sang the candles to the sea, and remembered that it had been their own once. They sang to thank the sea for their birth, and for feeding them. They sang to old friends in the sea for their continuing friendship. And they sang to the wind, the breath of Dol'An and to the Universe itself. The sound swelled through Havah and vibrated into her bones and into some part of her that she never thought about, and she sank to her knees. It was the sound of sea-creatures, wordless but complex, and far more ancient than any of the Minbari languages. There were times in the past few weeks that the Minbari had seemed so Human, and she had begun to forget that they weren't simply Humans with bone crests instead of hair. And then a moment like this would hit Havah with the force of a freighter that these beings were undeniably alien, as similar as their faces and mannerisms seemed to hers. And yetŠWhen she had heard the throat harmonics all of those years ago, she could have sworn the sound was from a wind instrument, a dijeridoo or pan pipe, but no. They had come, to her amazement, from Human voices, a part of Humanity that had almost been forgotten in the bustle of technology. Whether it was the old Minbari in her, or the old Human in her that responded to the song she didn't know, but she felt the sea and the wind and the stars, and some part of her heart turned over and woke up. Then the song faded and Katani found her there, on her knees, cheeks streaked with tears.

Havah quickly climbed to her feet and wiped her face. "ThatŠumŠthat was beautiful." She couldn't say anything else as another tear coursed down her face and she coughed and swiped at it.

Katani tilted her head, clucked, and pulled Havah into a hug. "Dear Havah! It gives me great joy to see it affect you so. You feel what we feel, it makes you one of us. I am so glad that you came and listened!"

The crowd trickled back to the hall for another period of meditation, and then the plates of food were all cleared away for storage. Cubes of wood with niches and strange-shaped crystal pieces were brought out, a strategy game for adults, and large mats were spread out with different markings for children to play a coordination and strategy game with hard beans and colored stones. And the village whiled away the evening in the warm hall playing games and talking. There were open story-telling sessions, for anyone to contribute. The stories were surprisingly candid, some were almost bawdy. But none of them were scathing. It seemed to be an unspoken rule that if one told a story involving someone else who was present, it could make fun only as long as it did not offend or damage. The night whiled until children began yawning and dragging about, and then families began to leave. Katani collected Nohri, who was rubbing her eyes and drooping, and they all retired to the home of Katani's brother, who had prepared a room for guests.

That night Havah dreamed of the sea and the sound of whales calling, and the dream was washed with nostalgia, deep sadness, and homesickness for places she had never been. She saluted the part of her that yearned and then lapsed into another dream, as the singing became stranger, even more alien.

It was the ship. The ship was singing around her, to her, like a live thing. She could see the vast black and the wobbling stars, and she could feel the ship moving through space like a giant loktar in the ocean. She could feel where it was going with sensors that were not hers, but that she knew just by extending her consciousness outward. She could not see the ship inside. It wouldn't let her. She saw only what it let her see, and it wanted her to know the path and nothing more. They approached a planet in a deserted solar system. It was dead. The Devourers, the race they were now calling the Shadows, had blasted it until the surviving inhabitants fled and the atmosphere desiccated and dissolved. This would be the safest place, if things should go badly. There was no reason for the enemy to return here. Nothing was here for them, until now. The ship docked deep in a cave shielded from outside sensors by some substance Turanni didn't recognize. It was smooth and seemed to shift as she watched it. So did the ship. She didn't leave the ship as much as it melted away around her, leaving her standing, with her environmental system. If she stared at the ship long enough, she could almost swear that it breathed. She took tunnels marked by the sign of Nine Stars until coming to a rugged rock face. She put her hand on a rock shaped slightly like the head of a fol, and then crouched and breathed on its snout. A door slid open and a verdant grotto opened before her. It was a self-contained eco-system, complete with a cataract spilling into and recycling in a narrow little river and pool. There was something moving the water, some kind of system, but she couldn't imagine what that might be. She was no scientist. She removed her breather. There was very little life on the surface, but there was still water. This terra-formed grotto was to be their shelter if Valen and the military failed in this war. It was almost beautiful, if one could forget the barrenness of the rest of this world. She walked past the river, through strange purple plants, until she found another rock face. Again, she placed her hand on one of the rocks and then touched it with her breath, and another invisible door whispered open. She entered the tunnel beyond, following the sign of the Council, until she came to a third door. Behind this door, was a dark vault. At the sound of her voice, wall lamps illuminated the cavern.

And sunlight streamed into Havah's face, seeping into the dark behind her eyelids. For the first time since the beginning of these enigmatic dreams, she did not want to be wakened. Why do I always wake up from the interesting ones! She snorted in exasperation. At least show me what's behind Door Number Three! She rose and shook off the rest of sleep. She couldn't get back to the dream anyway. Katani and her family were all up and chatting in the kitchen with her brother and his family.

They all ate leftover food from the feast, as were every family in the village that day. Havah helped to clean up, with Katani. The rain had stopped, but the wind kept up, and the sky was overcast, the air frigid, and the wind-blown brush was rimed with ice. But Nohri played outside, sliding on slick ice in the courtyard as if it were a balmy summer day, shedding half the clothes Katani had stuffed her into. Kids! Havah thought, and bundled up and went outside to join her. Havah took a running start and slid halfway across the courtyard and then tripped on a patch of un-iced ground and went flying, landed on her belly and kept sliding. Nohri dissolved into hysterical giggles and imitated her, landing in a little spread-eagle bundle of clothes in the middle of the yard, and then scrambled up and did it again. Pretty soon a few other children of various ages were running, leaping and sliding, on their feet, on their stomachs and on flat container lids. Finally Katani came out and called Nohri back inside. Nohri began to come in but Katani stared her down, fighting a smile, pointing to the little pile of discarded coats. Nohri slunk back and picked them up. It was time to go home. The trip back was pleasant. Havah enjoyed the landscape, rolling plains covered in snow, dotted with herds of some type of bulky furred animal. She didn't ask Katani what they were, although she was curious. She just felt like being quiet and thinking for a while about what she had seen and heard. And the Minbari were more than comfortable with long contemplative silences, so they noticed quickly when someone was lost in thought, and rarely intruded. As her mind wandered, she realized that she was content here, something she had not felt for a long time, even on Earth. The ways were so alien in some respects, and she didn't think she could settle down in a place with such a structure as a caste system. It was too contrary to the way she had been raised. But right here, right now, she was happy. That's enough for now.

Because of the direction of the wind, they made poorer time than on the way there, and there was enough time to get Havah to her shuttle, but not much more. Katani and Sorail said goodbye and hugged her, and Katani insisted on sending her back with food, since the Anla Shok were 'obviously starving her'. She unattached Nohri from her neck and gave her back to her parents and joined the shuttle, waving.

* * * * * * * *

She began fleet training after she returned to the compound. Another instructor, Sech Mirenn, was a master strategist of the Religious Caste, formerly of the Warrior Caste. She was extremely unusual in that she had been one of the few warriors to resign her post as Alyt under a prominent general during the War, out of objection to the plans for the Line. She had been punished, shamed, and called a coward before a tribunal, and then incarcerated, but had maintained that she did not believe that Dukhat would have sanctioned their actions. She held that she did not believe that there was any victory to be had because the Humans could not hope to win, making her people's holy war dishonorable. She had stood up to the Council of Caste Elders itself. Even after the Grey Council's order to surrender, she had remained in military stockade for five years after the ending of the War, never acceding her opinion once. Finally, the Grey Council heard of it and ordered her release, another point of contention between the Grey Council and the Warrior Caste to add to the anger of surrender. Sinclair had corralled her assistance with the Anla Shok because she had stood by her belief under duress, and also because she was the only commander among the Warrior Caste, save a few members in the Anla Shok, who had both the expertise to train more commanders, and was willing to train a Human one. Having heard her story, Havah could only stare at the woman's embittered face in utter awe before she realized that she was being disrespectful and dropped her gaze to the floor immediately. "I'mŠI apologize, Na! It isŠa great honor to meet you!"

Mirenn studied the Human woman up and down, the 'changeling' of Proxima Three. She was impudent, and immature, but she strove to be proper, and appeared very eager to learn. And despite Havah's breach in protocol, Mirenn had not missed the expression in Havah's too-inquisitive eyes before they lowered. She pursed her lips and replied dryly. "There is little time. Let us begin."

Her training went well. Sech Mirenn proved not only to be a good instructor, but her tactics were frankly brilliant. It was no wonder that the military was so infuriated with her for resigning. Havah avidly soaked up everything the woman taught. Mirenn, for her part, was satisfied to be engaging in strategy again, and glad to have someone to instruct. She had missed the execution of military solutions. Weeks later, at the conclusion of the training, there was a small ceremony in which Havah was given a new over-coat, only slightly different from the traditional one for the other Anla Shok, signifying someone who is alyt, executive officer, or second-in-command. After the ceremony, her and Sinclair met to discuss her duties.

"I know you are familiar with emergency management. Well, as you now know, this is no different. Logistics, Planning, Operations. While you have been training, I've assigned veteran Rangers to begin procurement and set up supply lines for strengthening and expanding our listening posts. We will both be working on planning, along with Sech Mirenn. I need you to act as my chief of operations. Delenn has returned to Babylon 5, where she is continuing as Ambassador. She will also be assisting in planning and logistics/financial, with her ties to the Council and her support among the Religious Caste. My priority is to develop a consistent surveillance plan. We NEED information, and if the Minbari are right about their supposition and their timing, then that information will begin to make itself available soon. Do you still have access to the emergency management plan, the enhanced surveillance protocols that the task force developed?"

"Yeah, Carmen has them, and Doug probably does too."

"Get me another copy, there's no point re-inventing the wheel. It will have to be altered of course, but we can use much of it. I have a list of our current listening posts." He pulled out a sector chart. "And there aren't nearly enough. We need more, here, here, all of these marked spots."

"For influenza surveillance, I reported every week during flu season back on earth, but I could just call the different health care providers. This is going to be different. 1. This is information I may not be able to just call you on, and 2. To report personally even every month may use up more resources than the benefit would provide."

"Agreed, 'no news is good news' may be the best policy in this case, although we will need some system of formal reporting. It will just not be as frequent as I might prefer."

"Also, we can't do this alone. The Anla Shok are good listeners, but they need to get more talkers to listen to. We need more collaborations, we need a network. The best way to get information is buy-in from other people. But we need to know who we are going to ask. And that is going to be different for different areas. We need social mapping of the different areas we send people to. On Babylon 5, I know from working there and spending time with people that everything, everything passes the ears of the people in Down Below."

"Good. What else?"

"UmŠWe need to develop a case definition. We say we are trying to collect information. Well, what constitutes 'information'? What are the boundaries of 'relevant', and how much can go on hunch? Also, we need to set up some way of storing, cataloging and analyzing the data we gather."

"I've organized for the creation of a database with security clearance for assigned individuals. We need to specify the structure of the storage fields, and how we want the data organized. We will work on that with the database administrator tomorrow. Case definition?"

"Well, either we cast a really broad net, lessen our chances of missing anything important, and also get a whole lot of insignificant dreck, OR we go for specificity and accept that we may miss something. I guess what we decide would have to depend on what we know about the aliens we're looking for."

"Yes. And we know the configuration of their ships, their potential fire-power, at least that the lower limit is much higher than ours, and some of their capabilities. We know that their home-world is located on the Rim, and that the Minbari call it Z'hadum. We know that a few other worlds have had negative encounters with them. And in all probability they use organic technology. We know that they possess some kind of cloaking technology for their ships, or possess the ability to phase in and out of hyperspace without jump technology. And if the creatures we saw on that vid recording were actually in connection with those ships, then they possess the technology to go unseen themselves."

"Yikes. Well, I'd say that we should probably cast a wide net then, and put up with the dreck."

"Agreed, so we will give our agents the profile of the aliens that we have developed, and based on that and their training, they can report their observations appropriately. They should keep daily data journals, just like you do in your ethnographies. What may seem insignificant at one time may prove useful in retrospect."

"At what point do you want data from these journals, and when do you want formal reports?"

"For now, monthly as far as formal compilations, unless something unusual presents itself. None of that is to go over the link until we have a better idea of what we may be dealing with. In the event that we start getting a couple of unusual reports, we will institute enhanced surveillance, and I will want reports more often. We will just have to see. I know that this seems very nebulous, but since we don't have a good idea what we are looking for, this is going to have to develop, to a certain degree, as we go along."

"Yes sir, I understand. We have no clue what these aliens will do. Speaking of which, what do you have in mind for analysis of the data?"

"Well, you're the anthropologist, what are your thoughts?"

"Most of the data we get will be qualitative. And since we know very little about what we expect to find yet, we should consider using grounded theory methods." She paused and scratched her head. "Grounded theory uses a bottom up approach to formulating a theory. Most science forms hypotheses and then collects data that either corroborates or weakens the likelihood that those hypotheses are incorrect. You can never prove a theory, only disprove the null hypothesisŠAnywayŠGrounded theory, on the other hand, collects data first, and then builds hypotheses out of the themes that emerge from the data, as it is being reviewed. Then, instead of using parametric statistical tests, which depend on random sampling and the assumption of a normal distribution, the hypotheses become stronger based on saturation, the extent to which certain themes arise in sample after sample."

"That sounds reasonable. You can inform the database administrator of your ideas tomorrow. It may be that they are familiar with these methods."

"Yes sir. What about security clearance?"

"No one but the Anla Shok, the Grey Council, and it is very likely that Michael Garibaldi will need to know something if we expect to use Babylon 5. And we need him."

"Definitely! He'll blow a gasket if he finds out people have been sneaking around the station and he doesn't know about it."

At this, Sinclair let out a bellowing laugh. "Yes, he will. I've drafted a message for him that I'll send out this month with the next deployment there."

Havah had been taking detailed notes. "I'll have the action steps for our surveillance network by our meeting tomorrow. Timeline for full readiness?"

"Well, I estimate that the social networking will have to take place along the way. The supply lines for our agents are mostly in place. The database can be set up within a day, so I would sayŠby the end of this month, for the most part. Our veteran agents do have some allies, and many of our new Rangers have their own contacts and networks they can access. I need you to help me organize their deployment. You will be in charge primarily of the Rangers on Earth, and overall, you will act in my absence, and report to me, since I can't be in two places at once."

"Understood."

* * * * * * * *

The next day, as Havah met with Sinclair again, to go over the structure of the database, Satai Neroon swept in. He glowered at both of them. But Entilzah Sinclair merely smiled graciously and asked, "Is there something I can do for you, Satai?"

"It is not appropriate that Humans be allowed membership to the Anla Shok, but since they have been," his tone dripped with disdain and irritation, "the Warrior Caste members of the Council are sanctioned to inspect the organization under its newŠHuman leadership, to see that it isŠsufficient."

"The instructors remain the same as they were, Satai, including Sech Durhan. Shall I pass along your concern so that they make certain to double their efforts with the Humans?" Not very diplomatic, Sinclair admitted, but he was very tired and very busy, and didn't have time for disgruntled warriors fishing for arguments.

Neroon halted, fully aware of all of the implications. He did not wish to insult his former teacher, Sech Durhan, so he chose his words carefully. "It is not the revered instructors of this academy that I take issue with. It is your assumption of this leadership. You have no place assuming control of a Minbari military organization. That belongs to the Warrior Caste. However, since that decision has already been made, over our heads, I am doing what I can to mitigate the damage you will do and see to it that you do not bring shame to the Warrior Caste and to the MINBARI Anla Shok!"

Sinclair bit down on the caustic reply that kept wanting to escape and said instead, "Well, Satai, please inspect as you wish, and let me know if you desire any assistance." If Neroon had been sanctioned by the rest of the Grey Council, then it was likely that the Warrior Caste members, now numbering four instead of three, were stymieing the Council's progress in some way, or threatening to, if not placated. It would be best to try to cooperate for now, and save trouble. The political situation was incendiary at best, and he knew all too well how quickly funding and support could disappear in troubled times, as the balance of power shifted. He had been assigned to this task and he wanted to complete it.

Neroon had completely ignored Havah's existence until now, when he turned a scathing eye on her.

She realized that she had been staring at her father openly again, and dropped her gaze, but not soon enough.

"You can begin by teaching your impudent executive officer," the words were saturated with sarcasm "how to demonstrate respect to a member of the Grey Council."

Before Havah could speak, Sinclair handled the comment evenly. "I can assure you that my executive officer meant no offense, Satai. But I will make certain that all of the Human Anla Shok understand and follow issues of protocol."

Neroon narrowed his eyes and left, to peruse the compound. Not the least of his quarrels with the assignment of the Humans was this woman. He remembered her clearly from the station. Even had she not been Human, how could such a slack-jawed goggle-eyed youngster command any respect from anyone! And to make matters worse, it appeared that her curiosity had not been thrashed out of her yet. She had not a single quality necessary for command! He had not known during his encounter at the station that this annoying girl had been the Human warrior responsible for Proxima Three, and had been on the Line. It filled him with consternation that so many members of the military had fallen to her. They must have taken one look at her and dismissed her as an easily dispensable nuisance. But at least that was something, he supposed. She has no command experience at all and merely a couple of years of simple infantry training, but at least she had seen a war and battle. In any case, he would not win that argument. He had already tried, and the new leader of the Grey Council, Religious Caste, had maintained that it was Sinclair's decision to choose his officer, and he had made his choice. That choice had been already approved by the Council prior to Neroon's initiation and would not be changed now. He had expected more support from the Warrior Caste members of the Council, but two of them seemed to believe the wild story that Delenn had put forth that some of the Humans had Minbari souls, and believed, based on their encounter with her during the Battle of the Line, that she was one of the displaced. Worse! They actually believed that this woman's soul was the fallen Turanni, one of the members of the first Grey Council! Unimaginably preposterous! That was an insult not only to his intelligence, but to his family bloodline! Turanni had been a Star Rider of the family of Callier, HIS family! He had swallowed that insult, however, because it was an argument that he would not win, at least not currently, and another bit of information had been presented to him that gave him pause. There was apparently genetic evidence that this woman was half-Minbari, on her father's side. That man was so far unknown.

"So", Satai Rathenn had said, "not only is it possible for her to have inherited a Minbari soul, but it is even possible, since no one knows her genetic heritageŠ" If they had not in chambers, he and Neroon would have come to blows.

"You dare make such an implication of my clan?!" He had been outraged.

"I am merely stating a clinical possibility. I do not question the honor of your clan. There are no answers. And even if there were, no shame would be imputed to the 'contributor'. It is unlikely to have been done with his consent. She has been engineered." Rathenn had added innocently.

Neroon had barely contained his rage, returned to his composure and accepted the concession, glaring at Rathenn. In truth, though he was certain it couldn't be anyone from his family, he didn't want to think about it much. Not then and not now. Every time he looked at her or thought about her face, a strange unsettled feeling stirred in the pit of his gut. And he kept dreaming and ruminating about someone with her face, but piercing golden eyes. There was something peculiar about that Human, half-Minbari or otherwise!

He stalked around the training grounds, greeted his venerable former teacher properly, and then watched the performance of the recruits, knowing that his presence was making them nervous.

* * * * * * * *

"Mr. Sunshine." Havah said.

Entilzah Sinclair just sighed. "We need to focus on our plan and let him go about his business. There's a lot to do. If he has complaints, I will deal with them later. And, I'm not pointing a finger at you, yet, but we need to make sure to pacify the Warrior Caste members as much as possible right now. I'm not saying bend over backwards. The Council as a whole asked me to take command of the Rangers, and I made it clear that if they want me, I'm calling the shots that I need to call, to do this right. But we need to be diplomats here too. We're working on a razor's edge, as you know."

"Nothing is simple."

"You got it."

"I stink at diplomacy. How did I get myself into this?"

Sinclair laughed, his broad smile lighting the room. "I wanted to share the joy. You'll learn. It'll be good for you!" He clapped her on the shoulder.

"Like liver and brussel sprouts? Thanks, Entilzah!"

* * * * * * * *

Neroon's sleep was unquiet.

Everything was a blur. He could feel some device attached to his head. It felt like it was boring into his mind. But then he lost notice of it to the creature before him. The woman facing him was irresistible, and he was lost in the hunger of her yellow-green eyes. They were the fierce eyes of a gokar, and her body had the same sinuous grace, but slender. She moved towards him like an inexorable river, and he couldn't but reach for her and run his hands along the soft warm olive skin. Her lips yielded to his like water. She was a sea maiden of myth, with a long veil of sea-weed draped from her head. He wanted to pull her body into his own. He needed her, her lips, her golden gaze. The pleasure faded, and the dream shifted. The strange female lying in front of him was in peril. He pulled the bonds off of her wrists and ankles with his bare hands, the metal slicing his palms, and they ran, gray walls encompassing them. They entered a room full of horrors. He could not see the distorted figures clearly, only feel the impression of terrible wrongness. They couldn't escape, they had to escape. He tried to release as many of the broken creatures as he could, but his hands were filled with lead and he couldn't move fast enough. Drugs. The air was drugged. The beautiful girl was motioning to him and holding her breath as they ran to the entrance. But the doors closed and they were trapped. He shoved through frightened people and tore at the door controls as the lovely female sank to her knees and stopped moving. No!

Neroon jolted awake, even as the fine points of the dream began fading. His heart was pounding as he thrust off the cover and stormed out to the patio in his sleeping robe. The cold air brushed away the stark reality of the dream, and most of the details, but did not relieve the dark fear, or the wrenching sadness when he thought of those beautiful eyes. It also didn't relieve the annoyance at the need he now experienced. Other parts of him were unquiet now as well.

* * * * * * * *

Turanni ran as fast as her short young legs would carry her, stopping and hiding whenever she saw an adult. She had run away from her mother's family. She peered around a tree at the sight of garrisons of soldiers and medics, combing the body-strewn field for survivors. She could hear the groans and smell the blood. It was coppery and sickeningly strong. She had looked everywhere for her father, except here. He couldn't be here, he couldn't. She scanned the field but couldn't tell. When most of the combers had left, and before more would come to collect the dead, she crept out to look for him among the fallen. Minbari history had never seen such a terrible day since the Cold Times. The Star Riders and Wind Swords had finally clashed openly. Her father had been called and he went. And now, she had to find him. He was a great warrior, how could he be here? But it was only one of two places she hadn't looked yet. Her stomach writhed as she scanned body after body. And then found him. He lay slightly twisted, but staring at the sky with unseeing eyes. His throat had been slit. It had been quick. Wrenching pain gripped Turanni's stomach as she looked at him and she hunkered down next to him, clutching her belly and speaking to him, hoping he would turn and look at her, but knowing he wouldn't.

She shook him. "Father, father, wake up. Please wake up, it's Turanni!" She touched his nose and then his cheek. It was blue and cold. "FATHER WAKE UP!" She screamed, putting her arms on either side of his head and hugging him. "Pleeeaase wake up!" She sobbed quietly, as medics ran up, having seen her.

They were shouting to each other. "How did she get here? She cannot be more than seven summers, by Dol'An! Get her away from this!" She felt powerful hands pulling her, and heard someone trying to talk kindly to her, but she decided to stay. The hands were insistent and picked her up. She clawed at them, screaming and fighting the arms around her, but they were too strong and two soldiers carried her from the still body, his blood covering the backs of her arms where she had hugged him. They deposited her, and someone tried talking to her, but she didn't notice, or see where she was, through hysterical tears.

Phaal, her mother's sister, came and took her home, admonishing her for disobedience. "You could have been killed! You have caused great trouble here, when there was already trouble enough! Come now, this has been a terrible sorrow for us all. But you must remember that your father was a warrior. He knew what was expected, as did your mother." But she had never known her mother. Something had gone wrong during her birth and her mother had died. Her mother's family said that her father coddled Turanni and never gave her any discipline, because she was all he had of his wife, but that wasn't true. She just didn't want to be alone.

Then the scene changed and she was at a large stone temple. It was called Varenni. She knew that in the dream. Except that it wasn't certain whether Turanni knew it, or whether Havah did. She walked inside and in the center of the great darkness was a pile of ashes that had once been a person.

"Father, wake upŠ" Havah woke with a wave of nausea and rushed to the bathroom and leaned, with her forehead on her arm at the edge of the toilet until it passed. And then sat for a while on the floor, rocking back and forth and shivering. Finally, when she was sure there would be no mad dashes for the bathroom again, she went and linked in to Earth. It was daytime there, and her mother was always complaining that she never called.

Her mother's thin cheerful face appeared. "To what do I owe this pleasure? It's nice to hear from youŠfinally!"

"Hi mom." Havah said tiredly.

"Darling, are you alright? You look like you've been crying, is everything alright?"

"Yeah, everything's fine. I just wanted to make sureŠI just wanted to see how you were. I do miss you, you know, as much as you complain that I don't."

"I know, but it's a mother's privilege. We are doing well, your father is in his den working as usual. Do you want me to put him on, in a few?"

"Yeah."

Her father's happy befuddled face appeared on the screen.

-- continued in chapter fourteen --