Tools of Dishonor
by Sunraven, June, 2001
The door chime pulled Dr. Terra McClare out of a deep sleep. She sat up and
looked around at her quarters, blinking confusedly. Then it rang out again,
impatient insistence sounding in its smooth tones.
"Computer, what time is it?"
The impersonal voice responded "It is 0200, Earth Standard Time."
Now who the hell would be at her door at two in the morning? If any of her
usual patients had an emergency, they would contact her by vid.
"Damn! Computer, activate door audio, enhanced volume."
"Activated."
Terra spoke to the unknown visitor while getting out of bed and pulling on
a robe. "Yes? What is it?"
"A voice from your past."
She would recognize that baritone voice even if she were three days dead.
"Neroon? Open." She went over to the opening door. Sure enough, it was him,
standing there in his usual high ranking Warrior Caste armor. "What in Valen's
name are you doing here? It's 2:00 in the morning!"
"Now is that any way to treat an old friend come calling, Terra? Aren't you
going to invite me in, or are we going to converse for the rest of the night
in this doorway?" He leered at her, his eyes twinkling. "If we are, then
I must insist that you go change into something that won't attract every male
on Babylon 5. I do not want to have to beat them off all night."
She was tempted to tell him to take two aspirin and come back in the morning,
but she restrained herself. Her robe was an old favorite one made of pink chanill.
Against her will she pulled the frayed pieces together at her breast. "Sure.
Uh, come on in. I look more like something the cat dragged in. Really awful.
I wish that you had notified me that you were coming, Neroon."
He walked in and turned around to look her up and down, rather insolently,
she thought. "Awful is not the description I would use with regards to your
appearance." The light that often smoldered behind his dark eyes (most often
when he was fighting or sparring) was there at full kilowatt level as he looked
at her.
She had to smile at that. "I believe that's a compliment, Neroon?" She
moved into his arms for a kiss then, not able to keep away from him. He was
like a magnet to her iron. When he had sufficiently woke her up, she pulled
away a bit and smiled up at him. "Are you going to give me an explanation
as to why you're here and how you got on the station, since I'm sure you didn't
come all this way to tell me I look good in my sleeping robe?"
She separated herself from him then, feeling suddenly shy, and went to her
kitchenette and put some water on to boil.
"I'll make some tea for us while you talk." Since she could sense that he was
hungry as well, she pulled together a quick snack for him made up of a mixture
of Minbari and Earther foods that she knew were palatable and safe for Minbari
consumption.
He sat down on her couch and made himself at home. For Neroon, home was wherever
his august presence was.
As she brought in the tea and food, he looked at her quizically. "I would have
thought that you would be expecting me. I was informed that Delenn told you
about the series of biochemical illnesses that have occurred on Korun."
"Yes, she did, right after she got the word from the Gray Council a day ago.
I've packed up my equipment and the other things I'll need and am just waiting
for transportation. She said that the earliest they would be able to get here
would be tomorrow at about 1500 EST."
Looking very arrogant suddenly, he smiled. "Well, it didn't take as long as
all that."
"You mean you are my transportation? Why? And how did you convince the
Gray Council to let their newest Satai out of the circle to act as a taxi service?"
"You do know then, that I was elected to the Gray Council, just as you predicted
when the Shi Alyt died?"
Terra's normal friendliness cooled distinctly as she glared at the warrior
sitting next to her on the couch. "Yes, I heard. And I also heard of the cruel
words you said to Delenn when she was thrown off the Council."
He returned her glare. "Delenn has a big mouth. What happens in the Gray Council
is private, and not supposed to be spread, especially not to Ö" He bit his words
off before he went too far.
Hurt coursed through her down to her very bones. She jumped in quickly to finish
his statement. "To outworlders, wasn't that what you were going to say, Satai
Neroon?" The honorific was definitely said rudely. "You do know that saying
that would be justification enough for my clan to challenge you to the Denn-sha?
My adoption into the Diun clan was approved by the Gray Council and the Council
of Religious Caste Elders, and as such, is legal and binding to any succeeding
member of the Gray Council."
His anger flared right back, and quickly burned up the shame he felt for his
thoughts and words. "There is no one in your pathetic Religious Caste clan who
could hope to win if they challenged me to the Denn-Sha."
The glass globe on her chest burned a dark emerald color to match her anger.
"I suspect that Fleet Captain Lenann and Sech Durhan might have something to
say about that braggardly comment. I'm told Lenann beat you seven times out
of ten at the academy."
The fire in his dark eyes flared to solar proportions. "That was a long
time ago. We were children then." He snarled.
The red heat of his anger washed over her, augmenting her own through her life
bond with him. She jumped to her feet and snarled back at him, "Alyt Neroon,
go find another place to puff up your chest and brag like a Brajerian Blowfish.
I grow weary of it, and of your presence. I will ask Delenn to find me other
transportation to Korun. I wouldn't ride with you if you had the last starshuttle
in the galaxy. If it weren't for the thought of what a possible plague gone
rampant would do to that lovely world, and the ten million Minbari there, I'd
even be of half a mind to just unpack my things and let you find someone else
to solve your little problem. After all, why should an outworlder help
the Minbari?"
At that, his anger died completely, being replaced with genuine fear for his
people on Korun.
"But, there is no other Minbari as experienced as you in dealing with biochemical
illnesses like the one on Korun, Terra. You know that." The urge to say he was
sorry shot to his lips, but stubborness and pride chased it back inside again.
She had been born on another planet. Technically she was an outworlder, and
he'd just stated a fact. He had to get her help for his people on Korun!
She sighed tiredly. "Yes. I know that. Go away, Neroon. I'm tired and I wish
to go back to sleep. I will deal with you in the morning. Oh, and set the door
back on lock status when you leave."
To forestall any argument, she untied her robe and took it off, laying it over
a chair. She climbed back into bed and turned on her side away from where she
could tell that he still stood, radiating irritation, arousal, shock at her
boldness, and other feelings, and willed her body to sleep. Within moments she
was deep in an empathically forced sleep.
When the computer sounded her wake-up call, Terra came immediately awake. The
whole nasty conversation of the night before played again in her mind. Her first
response was a deep hurt that after all Neroon and she had been through with
each other, that he could call her outworlder with that casual disdain in his
voice. It didn't matter that he didn't actually say it. He'd thought it, and
that was bad enough. Then came the anger again. As she sat up in bed, she sensed
another's presence in her quarters. It was Neroon. That idiot had never left
after she fell asleep! She got out of bed, her head filling with anger and a
feeling of violation, and hurried into the kitchen.
Neroon was in her kitchenette cooking something and making tea. He seemed
perfectly at home, like he owned the place. He had removed his outer armor and
his boots, and was dressed only in the black undertunic and trousers of his
caste.
"What are you still doing here? I asked you to leave last night. Why did you
disobey me? You have shown me great disrespect!" She practically screamed at
him.
He turned to her with an unusually mild expression on his face. "I decided
to stay and watch for your true face. I wanted to see it again."
He handed her a mug of tea. Automatically she took it, disarmed by his gentle
attitude.
"Neroon, most people ask permission first before they perform the true face
watch." She thought about what else he might have seen, with her habit of throwing
her blankets off of her in the night, and blushed crimson.
"Would you have given it to me after the way I talked to you last night?"
"Hell, no! Even if you hadn't talked to me like that, I still wouldn't have
let you do it. Our relationship is not so close any more that you would have
the right to do that. You were extremely disrespectful!"
He grinned at her, totally unrepentant. "Yes, I suppose I was. But I did get
to see what I wanted." His smile turned sly, "Among other quite interesting
things. " His face turned serious. "After my rash words last night, I realized
that I have been listening to Shakiri too much. He is very persuasive, and some
of his ideas had infiltrated my mind without me knowing it. The truth of it
is, Terra, that in my heart I haven't really thought of you as an alien since
the peace talks. I know his words were wrong, but they must have infiltrated
my mind anyway."
Is that the equivalent of a Warrior Caste apology, Neroon?" She asked, a small
smile turning her lips up at the corners. In female fashion, she wasn't quite
ready to forgive him.
"No. It is the equivalent of a Satai's apology, Terra." A smile quirked
on his face. "Of course, if you ever told anyone about it, I would deny it."
She warmed her hands on the hot mug. "I've never done anything to Shakiri.
He has no reason to hate me."
"Oh, yes he has. After you brought back the death recordings from the crew
of the Trigati, many of my caste finally accepted your adoption as a Minbari.
They knew Kalain, and that he would have never agreed to order his crew to make
those recordings and give them to an alien, and a Human one at that, to return
to their clans. The fact that he gave them to you caused great awe among my
people. Shakiri had been trying to use you as the focus of the hatred a lot
of my caste has had for the Religious Caste and for Humans since the war. After
the Trigati recordings were brought back, he lost a good portion of his support."
She frowned up at the large warrior. "So are you trying to use Shakiri's influence
as the excuse for your horrible behavior to me last night, Neroon? And to Delenn,
who is my friend, when she was physically vulnerable after her transformation?
Has your promotion to Satai changed you so much from the annoying but sweet
warrior that I knew, andÖand cared for?" The sadness in her eyes gripped his
heart.
He reached out and stroked her face with his thumb. "It isn't dignified to
describe a warrior as sweet, Terra. But what I said to Delenn was Öregretful.
I had just learned about why they ordered us to surrender to the Humans, and
I didn't want to believe their religious squealings. Humans with Minbari souls?
It was too much to believe. I lashed out at her to relieve my own sense of shame
and horror." He looked away from her eyes, and the hurt within them. "I had
forgotten about what I have always seen of your true face when I have been with
you."
"And what is that?"
He looked at her again. "I saw what Satai Relinn has always seen in you, and
why he gave you this." He reached out and touched the crystal sphere she always
wore with one callused finger. "He thought you had the soul of his wife Sador.
I don't know if you have Sador's soul or not, but you do have the soul of a
Minbari. Last night as you slept, I saw again that it was true. Your Minbari
soul shines from you like our homeworld sun. No one who saw that could ever
believe you aren't one of us."
"Hmmm." She sniffed the air. "Something's burning!"
They rushed to the stove and managed to rescue his creation before it became
inedible.
"I can see why my mother always told me never to let a man into my kitchen.
She said you all are too easily distracted, and make a big mess of things."
She said.
He dished out the stir-fry mixture of Minbari vegetables onto two dishes and
gave her one. It was actually good, and after she complimented him on it, she
scarfed it down like she was starving. Fighting with Neroon always had made
her hungry. Among other things.
After finishing the meal, she stood up from the table. "I'd better get a shower.
What time do we leave? We aren't taking a shuttle all the way to Korun are we?"
"No. The Ingata is on a rendezvous course. If we leave by about 1000 EST, we
will arrive at the rendezvous point in plenty of time to meet them. It is the
fastest ship that we have."
"I guess I see how you talked the Gray Council into letting one of their own
escort me. All's you had to do was offer them the Ingata. What I still don't
understand is why."
"It is simple, really. I explained to you how some of my caste feels about
you, and frankly, I don't trust your safety on the trip to Korun, or back here.
Someone loyal to Shakiri may decide to rid him of the thorn in his side by taking
your life. My presence there should discourage that, and if it doesn't, then
I will be there to protect you. In helping us, you are again doing a great deal
for our people. It is the least I can do to protect you while you do it." He
smiled. "Officially, of course, I am going along to ascertain the real situation
on Korun."
Right then, the vid chime sounded. Terra put it on limited view and saw it
was Delenn. The person standing next to her almost gave her a heart attack.
Ledann! She thought she was seeing a ghost of her lost husband. But no. She
saw the small differences now, the small scar under his left cheek, the fuller
face. It was his cousin, Fleet Captain Lenann.
"Good morning, Terra."
"Good morning, Delenn. And a good morning to you, Lenann. I didn't realize
you were anywhere near Babylon 5."
He smiled a breathtaking smile. Ledann's smile. "Terra, good morning to you
also. I am here at Delenn's request." He even sounded like her dead husband.
Delenn said, "Has Neroon contacted you, Terra? His shuttle arrived in the early
morning, I've been told."
Aware of him standing almost naked (by Minbari standards) just outside of vid
range, she answered. "Yes he has made his presence known. We will be leaving
to rendezvous with the Ingata at 1000 EST."
"Because of the friction between the Warrior Caste and the Religious Caste,
I have asked Fleet Captain Lenann to go along as escort for you to Korun."
Terra could sense Neroon's anger at Delenn's distrust like a heat wave behind
her. "I thought that Satai Neroon was to be my escort, Delenn. It could be contrived
as an insult to him if you bring in another to serve in that capacity."
"I do not care what Neroon likes or dislikes. He is much in Shakiri's presence
lately, and because of that, I want someone from our caste there with you. Someone
of high rank, and from your own clan. Lenann volunteered, but I would have chosen
him even if he had not, because of the respect the Warrior Caste hold for him.
He will be accompanying you and Neroon in the shuttle when you leave, Terra.
Please do not argue with me on this."
She knew better than to argue with Delenn when she spoke in that tone. Terra
smiled. "I never can argue with you when you get in that mood. And I will welcome
exchanging clan news with you, Lenann."
The beautiful smile flashed again. "And I with you, Terra. Shall I meet you
at the shuttle at 9:45?
"That would be fine. Thank you." Terra signed off and turned to the very angry
warrior behind her.
"How dare she! She has no right to treat me this way. It is disrespectful!
She isn't Satai any more!"
"You can take Delenn out of the gray robes, Neroon, but you can't take the
gray robes out of her heart. She leads the Religious Caste, and so I must obey.
It will be good to see Lenann again. And it will be a reunion for you two also.
So look on the bright side, you might even get to prove to me that you are better
than him in the denn-bok now. Here's your chance!"
She went out of the room, calling over her shoulder, "You could make yourself
useful by calling Delenn. Please be polite to her, Neroon! And arrange to have
her send some people to get my equipment from my lab. The boxes are all marked,
and for Valen's sake, tell them to be careful with them!"
"Oh, and don't forget to put on your armor before you call! No use causing
a scandal." She went into the sonic shower, and when she was done, she finished
packing up her final belongings to get ready for the trip. Neroon was rather
shocked that she could order him around so casually when he outranked her by
so many levels. And she would probably have been surprised at the chuckle he
let out before he turned to do as she had bidden him.
Part 2 - square off: 1 Warrior Caste Satai, 1 Religious Caste warrior, and
one Human with a Minbari soul.
She heals, he prays, and they fight!