everything was gone, replaced only by a child–like sense of wonder, a sense that even the oldest who lived could find something new.
'Beautiful,' was all he said. 'Truly beautiful.'
Then the body slumped to the ground, dead once more. Sinoval smiled slightly, and turned to leave.
Once again, and for ever more, it was a ship only of the dead.
It was going to be a beautiful day.
The sun rose slowly, the sky becoming crimson, the land becoming alive again. A dead world, one devastated and torn and poisoned, was now coming slowly, ever so slowly, back to life.
Satai Kats saw the sun rise as she arrived back on Minbar, and she smiled. This world was her home again. It was the home of all her people again. It was the home of the new Grey Council.
For a thousand years they had remained among the stars, distant from their people, both literally and figuratively. No longer. The Grey Council were of the people now, and would be so always. They would work with the people, live and die with the people.
It was ironic, she thought. But after Kalain's purge, and the bombardment and the wars and all the grief and the loss and the torture, it was the worker caste who had changed Minbar. It was their philosophies and beliefs that had changed the Minbari people.
Oh, some of the warriors lived still, but Takier was the last vestige of an old way, and he knew it. Also, unlike many of his caste, he had accepted it. Tirivail and Lanniel were the new order of warriors, changed, stronger, wiser.
And, although no one mentioned his name, although he was reviled and hated, everyone knew who was responsible.
They called him the Cursed, but Kats would never think of him that way. Never.
Her heart soared at seeing her home again. Kazomi 7 was a wonderful place, filled with majesty and power and hope, but Minbar was her home. It was good to be back.
Of course, her good mood had more than just her return home to recommend it. Someone was waiting for her.
Her husband. Ah, that felt good, just imagining it. Her true love, her protector. Her husband, the man who had abandoned caste simply to be with her.
She knew exactly where he would be this morning. On the balcony of their quarters, watching the sun rise, marvelling at the joy of life. She wished nothing more than to be with him now, looking at their brave new world together, not talking in words, but communicating in ways for which words would never suffice.
She moved through their home quickly. There were servants, a concept she did not entirely like, but accepted. It was a noble position to work, was it not? She smiled at them, and shared a few words with each. She was not surprised to be told that her Kozorr was on the balcony.
The sun hit her eyes as she stepped out onto it, and blinked quickly. He was there, sitting still and silent, looking out across the horizon at their world. His leg had been crippled two years ago, protecting her, but he preferred to stand rather than sit where possible. Now he sat anyway. Once he would have been too proud to admit he needed to sit, and would have stood until his leg gave way and he collapsed.
Now he was different, changed. Both of them were.
She moved up beside him and knelt down at his side, looking up into his face.
He was still, and his eyes were staring directly at the sun, unblinking.
His hand was cold.
Somehow, she had always known this day would come. Sinoval had not told her everything, she had sensed that, but she had not wanted to ask, not wanted to know. Kozorr had been brought back to life surely that could not have been forever, but equally surely they deserved a chance at their new life.
Gently, Kats kissed his cold hand, and laid her head against it, looking at the sun until a cloud passed over it. Then she began to make preparations for the funeral.
The news of her death hit him suddenly and unexpectedly, completely out of the blue. It should have been over now. There should not have had to be any more deaths. Not one.
But this?
'I'm sorry, David,' Lianna said softly. 'It was just.... one of those things. She must have been feeling ill for months, but she didn't tell anyone. Not even me. We needed doctors and she just kept working. But.... then.... it was too late....'
'There's nothing.... nothing anyone can do,' Corwin whispered. 'Nothing.'
Lianna shook her head. 'She didn't even want me telling you, but.... You have a right to know, I think. It's too late now anyway. I got her a nice plaque on the wall. There isn't room for graves, you see.'
'I understand. I'd.... I'd like to come and see it. If that's all right?'
'Of course it is. Why wouldn't it be?'
'Given the way we ended it. And well.... with Michael....'
Lianna shrugged. 'Old news now. Not that I don't miss him, but.... No, I do miss him. every single day I miss him, but mostly I can get by. I'm even.... well, I'm seeing someone new. He's nice.'
'Oh.'
'Don't judge me, David. Please. It's been a year and a half now. Besides, Frank needs a father. Believe me. I know.'
'I know. I wasn't. How is Frank?'
'Boisterous,' Lianna smiled. 'He's going to be a lot like his father. I can't tell whether that's a good thing or not yet, though. And you. I've been hearing things. Even all the way out here. The war never got to us, but you did. Mary read everything she could find about you, and insisted on boring us all with it.'
'It was.... mostly over–rated.'
'Come on. If even half of what we heard was true.... Well.... a lot of people owe you a lot.'
'I didn't do half as much as I could have. It doesn't matter now. It's over. It's all over.'
'The war?'
'Everything. It's going to be different now. Very different. All most of us have ever known is how to fight. Now.... we're going to have to learn something much harder. How to live.'
'You'll be fine. It gets easier, David. Believe me. It never stops hurting, but it does get easier.' Lianna paused. 'Mary never stopped loving you.'
'I don't think I ever stopped loving her. I'll.... I'll come over and see you and Frank as soon as I can. There's still a bit of mopping up to do over here. The
'You deserve it.'
He paused. 'Lianna. Have you heard anything about.... Bester?'
'No, not a word. People are saying he's dead.'
'I don't believe that.'
'No, me neither. I guess he'll come back when he's ready. Whatever he's done.... he never did anything wrong by me or Michael.'
'I guess not. Look, I'd better go. Something's bound to come up soon that needs my attention.'
'Yeah, probably. David?'
'Yes.'
'Take care.'
The signal ended, and Corwin stepped back from the screen. Slowly, each movement jerky and painful, he went over to his desk and pulled something out. It was a small box. He opened it. Inside was a wedding ring.
He had never stopped loving her, but sometimes love involved letting go. Right? He had told himself that a thousand times, and he had never hated her for leaving. Never. She had just seen her best friend's husband die in an ultimately pointless display of heroism, and she could not bear being with someone likely to die in the same way.
He had told himself the war would soon be over, and that when it was.... he would find her, go to her, and ask her again. He would give up being a soldier, give it all up and just live peacefully.
