PART 4 - Tools of Darkness
by Sunraven, Mar 1999

Terra finished up packing up her equipment, then went back to her quarters to catch up on a little lost sleep. But she couldn't relax. Relinn's words kept running through her mind like whirlwinds. All of the doubts that she had about a long term agreement with Neroon came back to roost like gore-crows over a battlefield.

The com vid chimed. Neroon's face came on, and he smiled and said, "Were you resting?"

"I was trying to. It has been a busy week. What's up?"

"I have the list of arriving and departing ships. Lenann, Durhan and I are going over it. Would you like to be present?"

"Not especially if you don't need my expertise, no. I've finished packing my equipment for return to Babylon 5. If you're taking the Ingata to go after any suspicious aliens, then I guess I'll have to arrange my own ride home."

"I was expecting you to go with us on the Ingata, Terra." He didn't sound pleased at all.

"I'm a healer, Neroon, not a warrior. I would be out of place on a mission like that."

"But who will escort you if Lenann is with us? And what if they should use another biological agent against us? They may have designed more than one type."

"I don't think they will try that again, and getting it aboard the Ingata would be nigh onto impossible. And I have left so much important work on Babylon 5, I hate to leave it for the time it would take to chase around the galaxy looking for virus planters. Satai Relinn or one of the Anla'shok can escort me back, since I'm sure you could use Lenann with you on the Ingata. I know Relinn wouldn't mind escorting me back to Babylon 5."

"No, I expect he wouldn't." His tone of voice said exactly what he thought about that idea.

Terra said gently, "Neroon, really, if I thought I would be useful, I'd go, you know that. But I'd be out of place with all those warriors on a mission of war, even with Lenann there as well."

"Terra, do not make your decision to leave yet. Let us talk face to face first." Yah, right. And he can turn his persuasive abilities on her, and all her doubts will just melt, like usual.

"Neroon, I've made up my mind. There is no point waiting. I've got my research and patients to get back to, and the mediator jobs that are constantly waiting for me. Please don't be angry with me. I have to do what I am meant to do. Let me know when you decide to leave, and I'll see you off, okay?"

"Yes, I will do that." Then he signed off abruptly. She sighed, feeling like a coward and a very nasty person, brushing him off like that. Running away from the problem was really what it was. After a few minutes she got back on the vid and started setting up a ride home.

After about a half an hour, her door chime sounded. Half expecting it to be Neroon, she said, "Come!"

Lenann stood there smiling at her, and for once her breath didn't catch. She must be getting used to him. "Hello, Terra."

"Lenann, I thought you were trying to figure out who to chase after with Neroon and Sech Durhan."

"I was, but Neroon left the room after he talked with you. He hasn't returned, as of yet."

"He'll settle down once there are bad guys to demolish. He always gets mad when he can't get his way."

"Terra, you hurt him with your determination to leave and return to Babylon 5."

Avoiding the fact of Neroon's hurt feelings, Terra answered, "I have a career that I have neglected in order to come here, Lenann, and patients that have serious biochemical problems that need to be resolved on Babylon 5. I am glad I could help the Korunians, but I don't see any reason to stay with the Ingata for its mission. I wouldn't be of much use."

"I disagree with you, Terra. Your empathy and mediating skills could be very helpful if we are going to encounter an enemy."

"Why in Valen's name would you need a mediator? You all are just going to blow whoever it was out of the sky, aren't you?"

He looked at her, concern on his handsome face. "Terra, is something wrong? This doesn't sound like how you usually talk."

Before she could answer, the com vid chimed. God, not Neroon again, she thought.

"That should be the call from Delenn. I informed her of your intention to return to Babylon 5, and expected that she might want to discuss it with you."

Terra looked at her clansman angrily. "You had no right to spread tales to Delenn!"

"On the contrary. I wished to know if she agreed that it would be best for you to go or to stay with us. I had every right to do so as your escort for our caste." He remained outwardly calm, but she could sense his irritation, which was unusual for the usually unflappable Minbari.

"Activate com channel."

"Hello, Terra, Lenann."

"Hello Delenn."

"Thank you for your wonderful work on Korun, Terra. If not for you, we might have lost many more of the people there."

"I was happy to assist, Delenn, you know that. But I am not as happy with the way I've been argued with regarding my decision to return to Babylon 5 from here. First Neroon, then Lenann, and now you. Isn't that why you are calling?"

"Yes, and I'm sorry you feel defensive about your decision. It is of course your right to return here if you wish. But I would like you to consider staying with the Ingata, Terra."

Terra sighed. "And why is that, Delenn?"

"Because the Anla'shok will be there, and there may be difficulties between them and the Warrior Caste crew of the Ingata. A mediator would come in useful, if only to keep them from declaring Denn-sha on each other." She smiled at her little joke.

"This will be a serious mission, Delenn. Neroon and Chakur won't let the crew of the Ingata get out of hand. And Sech Durhan has complete control over his Angla'shok."

"There is another reason, Terra. The Gray Council wishes you to stay with the mission as well. They feel your empathic abilities will come in handy when dealing with the shadow allies who did this to Korun. "

"You expect me to stand by and use my gift while the Warrior Caste and Neroon are beating some poor alien prisoners up? I'm sorry, Delenn, but I am a healer, not a warrior. I could never take part in that!"

"Terra, this is unlike you. What has happened to cause this strong negative opinion? I thought you were comfortable with Neroon."

"Neroon isn't the problem, Delenn. You know that I was almost attacked on the Ingata, don't you? I don't want to have to deal with something like that again."

"Shakiri won't move against you again, Terra. He is already embarrassed enough. Neroon essentially told him that if something unnatural happened to you while you were on Gray Council business, he would petition the Gray Council to have Shakiri expulsed from our society, dishonored and made outcaste and outclan."

"He did? That was a big political risk he took doing that!" Her purposely frozen heart melted a little when she heard that.

"Yes it was. And I am still wondering why he did it. But for now it is enough that he did. You don't have to worry about Shakiri sending another person to kill you, at least for now. Will you go?"

"I gather since you are arguing so hard that it is what you want me to do, isn't it, my friend?"

"Yes. I would feel better if you were there to mediate if things get complex. But I will not pressure you any more if your heart should tell you to come home."

"I never can refuse you anything when you ask so nicely, and you know it. All right, Delenn, I'll stay with the Ingata for the mission. Please have Stephen take over my patient list, will you. That will ease my concerns to return a little. My files for them are under the password cypher "Ledann is dead.""

"I will let Dr. Franklin know. Thank you, Terra. Be well, my friend." Her image faded out.

Terra turned to the Fleet Captain. "All right, Lenann. Tell Neroon that he has won. I will go with you all to find these allies of the darkness. If someone could ask Chakur to have my equipment placed aboard the Ingata before we leave, I would appreciate it."

He looked for a moment as if he wanted to ask her more about her attitude, but since she wasn't very encouraging, he bowed and left.

Neroon had apparently returned and plunged himself again into winnowing through the clues to find out the most likely people to plant the virus. It wasn't an easy process. A world that had starship building as its major industry needed many types of materials, and these had to be brought in by assorted traders making up a varied number of races. Terra had set a time frame for the virus to have been in the water supply of about three weeks, give or take a few days. Assuming that the planters arrived within the first week's window (before the illnesses started showing up), that gave a list of almost fifty ships to come and go during that time. Narrowing it down by subtracting out the League of Non Aligned Worlds members brought the number down to four. Two ships from the Tracoi home world dropped off loads of lightweight metal. The Tracoi were members of a medium sized federation of planets who did a lot of trading with the Minbari worker caste. Relinn, who was consulted by the three warriors, felt that the longstanding alliance between the Minbari and the Tracoi would cut them out of suspicion. The Lachtht, a hive-type insectile race, were dismissed for similar reasons. That left a ship piloted by the Daherna, a humanoid group of space nomads who traversed many of the known as well as the barely explored areas of the galaxy. Traders and scavengers by nature, they claimed no home planet. They had opened up trading contacts with the Minbari on Korun just recently, about a year ago, by offering to supply them with Selesium magnate, a rare mineral that was used in the production of jump drives for war cruisers. The price they offered was good, and the Minbari ship builders began trading with them. The Daherna didn't do much business with the League, they did some with the Centauri and the Narn, but otherwise, not much was known of them. The flight plan they had filed was leading them towards an area known to be prime shadow territory during the last great war.

Terra came aboard with Lenann and a mostly recuperated Sech Durhan and his Anla'Shok. Neroon was already on board. She had finally talked Satai Relinn into going back to the Gray Council, and not following her on the Ingata. The last thing she needed was Relinn poking his headbone into her problems.

Sorat met them at the docking area, apologized that Chakur was preparing the Ingata for the jump into hyperspace and so couldn't be there to meet them. She took them to their quarters, the now familiar VIP quarters for Lenann and Terra, and Durhan to quarters near them. The 16 Anla'shok would be housed in crew quarters on the same deck. Terra was relieved that Neroon would not be staying with her and Lenann. But apparently, to show his trust of Chakur after the assassination attempt, he had agreed to stay in Shi Alyt Branmer's old quarters for the duration.

It was time for the Ingata to go on the hunt.

 

The End of Tools of Darkness



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