A Dark, Distorted Mirror. Volume 4. A Future, Born in Pain

'How is homeworld?'

'Wounded. Streib attack bad. Very bad. We live still, but many dead. Too many dead.'

'No help from Dark Stars?'

'None. Dark Star fleet too busy to aid us. We were here from start, but no aid for us. And more. Orders from Sheridan. More ships are needed. More soldiers to go and die somewhere else. More deaths while homeworld suffers.'

'Delenn is back now. Talk to her. She understands.'

'Not Delenn that is problem. Sheridan. Vorlons. Everywhere we look, Vorlons are.'

'Still, talk to Delenn. She will help.'

'No! You think she will help us, when her lover will not? She wants war over. She grieves for dead, yes, but they are still dead. And behind her, are Vorlons, yes.'

'Then what do we do? Cannot leave the Alliance.'

'Some at home say just that. But no, not yet. We need watch, and learn. And wait. Watch for Vorlons. There are.... ways, things that can be done. Talk to technomage. Vorlons be just as bad as Shadows. If Alliance is to hold, if Drazi are to survive, then Vorlons need to be defeated.'

'We cannot war with Vorlons.'

'No. Another can. We find Sinoval. He will help.'

The shadows twitched around them. Neither noticed.

* * *

A million sparks of light flitted from world to world. Somewhere, in a place beyond any mortal comprehension, decisions were made, conclusions reached, consensus achieved.

Wait until the war is over. Then the Drazi will learn what it means to challenge us.

Wait.

Such was the way of the Vorlons.

* * *

Time passed. On Proxima 3, General Edward Ryan was murdered. In his secret hideout, Sonovar set himself on the road that would destroy him, as he schemed with Forell. On Centauri Prime, Lord Kiro waited, and plotted, and fed his monstrous son.

And for a few days there was motion - frantic, terrible motion. Ryan's murderer was found. Sonovar attacked the shipyards at Greater Krindar and was defeated. Morden arrived on Centauri Prime.

And a black cloud left a hidden world that the Shadows had claimed millennia ago, a black cloud aiming for Kazomi 7.

* * *

The old man sat down on his chair and looked at his companions. The Round Table had been hastily assembled. Some were absent of course, but there were enough here.

In a simple, matter–of–fact voice, he explained that the murderer of General Ryan had been located and interrogated. He was merely a tainted agent, primed for this one mission, his objective to cause chaos and distract from the main concern. He was to be handed over to Proxima Security in such a way as to not draw undue attention to where he had come from.

One of the Knights sat forward. In a clipped tone, he asked what other matter was this agent distracting everyone from.

The old man's reply was simple. The utter destruction of Kazomi 7.

More than one Knight inquired what action was to be taken.

The old man replied with one word. None.

When pressed for clarification, he obliged. Orders had been sent from the Vorlons. No action was to be taken. Kazomi 7 was to face this threat alone. And if it was destroyed, so be it. No help was to be given. No one was to be told.

But there was one thing the old man did not tell them, one thing they did not need to know.

The interrogation of the Shadow agent had been done through the network. Once Mr. Byron had pulled the information from the man's mind, it would be free in the network, floating around, transmitted between countless nodes, as indeed it had been to the Vorlon High Command.

Somewhere in that vast network, the information could be accessed by one with the sensitivity to do so.

But surely no one existed. No one attuned enough to the nodes to access them without the Vorlons' permission.

No, there was no such person. There was nothing to worry about.

* * *

Kazomi 7.

That was it. Corwin did not know how he knew, but that was it. The information just leapt into his mind. The attack on Greater Krindar was all a distraction aimed at keeping them away from Kazomi 7.

'You know this, don't you?' he asked. Several of his bridge crew started, but he was not talking to them. There was no answer, none that he wanted to hear. 'Carolyn. You know about this, don't you.'

From nowhere, from the edges of his mind, came a reply, a soft whisper from the horizon. Yes.

'What is it? What are they going to do?'

Must not.... say....

'Carolyn, please! We need to know. I won't let you be hurt.'

Destroy it.

'Destroy what?'

Kazomi Seven.

The General had once told Corwin that what marked out a great leader from a good one was that a great leader could react within a split second. There was no time for arguments, no time for debate, no time for thought. Time only for action.

'Get me through to Daro and Kulomani,' he snapped quickly. 'Muster every ship from the area. Get a signal to Proxima, Kazomi Seven, everywhere. Recall all Starfuries.'

'What is it, Captain?'

'We're going to Kazomi Seven. And quickly.'

* * *

Vejar looked up and smiled humourlessly. 'I have been expecting you, brother,' he said softly.

'Of course you have,' said another voice, one that left no echoes, carried no breath. A voice that came from light years away. 'Why else the spirit circle, the prepared drink?'

Vejar shrugged. 'A premonition, no more. I do not believe the others are happy that you are involving yourself.'

'Oh, I plan on involving myself in much more than just this, brother. I will not be hidden in the shadows forever.'

'I doubt there are any shadows big enough for you to hide in.'

'You always did have a way with words.'

Vejar sighed. 'Why have you come here, brother? I have been here ever since you all left for your sanctuary, and you have not deigned to visit me before.'

'Things are changing, and quickly. The war is almost over. I will argue that we may be able to return once the Lords of Chaos have departed from this galaxy. I will of course be denied that request, but I will at least try.'

'The peace will not bring any greater safety for us than the war did. Less, even.'

'I know, but we will at least be able to act. An alliance is forming, a secret alliance, a secret commonwealth of races and peoples and factions. It is just beginning, tiny strands across the stars, little threads between one person and another. They do not know each other yet, but it is there. Their leader has already been named, has already chosen the destiny. Through them, we can act.'

'I know. I have sensed something similar. Some have come to me, requesting my aid. Delenn, the Drazi....