Beneath their feet the ground began to shake. Almost as if the planet itself was shouting. Corwin stumbled and almost fell. As he staggered to his feet he saw another Drakh come round the corner towards them. This one was not alone.
'Congratulations,' said Smith hurriedly. 'You've just won the award for most irritating clich? of the day.'
'What can I say? I'm an old-fashioned sort of guy. You aren't going to resist, are you? Only, I just had the place recarpeted, and blood would be very hard to shift. Play along nicely, and I promise you a reasonably easy demise. Try to kick up a fuss, and.... Well, there's a lady present, so I really can't go into details.'
'I think my stomach's strong enough for the details,' Talia replied. 'Who's your contact at Interplanetary Expeditions?'
He swiftly raised his gun and shot it in her direction in one fluid motion. It struck her arm and she fell, wincing. 'Not that old trick,' he snapped irritably. 'It's an 'ooh, let's ask him a sudden question so he thinks about the answer and you read his mind and find out everything' sort of thing, isn't it? Well, that was a 'let's shoot the telepath with a sleeper bolt so she loses her telepathic powers and couldn't read the mind of a Shredded Wheat' sort of response.'
'What can I say?' she replied, trying to struggle to her feet. There was blood on her arm, and her eyes were unfocussed. 'I'm an old-fashioned sort of girl.'
'Actually, that's a fairly new response. There are other ways around telepathic scans, of course. Filling your mind with all sorts of gibberish, I'm told that works. You know, humming stuff, advertising jingles, maths. But then I was never any good at maths and I got fed up with all the jingles staying in my head. There's the psionic jammer I showed your friend of course, but that gives me a bloody awful headache, so I took it out. No, these work much better. Leave you with unpleasant reactions as well, or so I understand. Well, nausea, headaches, that sort of thing. How are you, anyway?'
'Just.... fine....' she replied.
'Good. I always like to hand on the merchandise in good condition. My contact gets very upset with me if they're a bit beaten up.'
'We couldn't have that now, could we?' muttered Smith. Trace turned his gaze on him.
'Oh, look. It's the social crusader. What brings you here, then? Her, I can understand. She's poking around in my private affairs to see what I'm doing with her people, but you.... Just trying to impress a pretty lady, is it? Get inside her skirts, hmm?'
'I was looking for evidence I could use to bring you down,' he said calmly.
'Why do you care, for God's sake? I've never done anything to you. At least, I don't think so. What, did I kill your brother or something and this is a revenge gig?'
'No. It's just knowing what's right. You're abusing these people. You're a coward and a sadist who lives off other people's misery, and I won't rest until you're finished.'
'Oh, I was right the first time. A social crusader. Listen up, Superman, nobody cares! Sector Three-o-one is a dumping ground. It's where Main Dome throws everyone they can't be bothered sorting out. The Government's got enough problems up there without having to worry about a mass of gormless morons. I know these people, and they can be split into two groups: the people at the top, and the people at the bottom. It'll always be that way, and I'm damned if I'm going to be at the bottom. It's that simple.
'Now, people like you don't understand that, and you never will. Boys, take him outside and get rid of him. Don't do it in here, I don't want blood on the carpet. As for the body.... no lakes around here. Damn! Call me old- fashioned, but there's nothing like a good lake to dump a body into. Oh well, go for the second best. Find a construction site and lay him in the foundations or something.
'As for me....' He looked at Talia. 'I've an appointment with a pretty lady.'
Delenn's breath burned her throat, her blood seemed to have thickened in her veins, her mind was fogged, her vision unclear.
The whole planet seemed wrong to her, especially as they moved deeper and deeper into it, as if they were making for the very centre of Z'ha'dum itself. Ivanova seemed convinced this was the way to go, even when Neroon had to admit he had never been this far into the depths of the Shadow cities. Not even they liked going this far down.
There were no alarms, no klaxons blazing, no sounds of running feet chasing or cries of 'Hey, you!' Still, Delenn knew they were being chased. She could feel it, hear the whispered cries of the Shadows in her mind, feel the wrath of the ancient Enemies at her escape.
'He's this way,' Ivanova kept saying. 'I can.... I can hear him. He's been waiting for us. Damn, he couldn't have been a bit clearer with the directions, could he? How about arranging a taxi for us?'
Delenn did not stop to wonder at the wisdom of trusting someone who had tried to kill her so many times. Ivanova had her own personal demons to fight, and they had conquered her. It seemed that only now was she beginning to find some surcease from her private pains.
Neroon was silent, his face dark. The third betrayal. The completion of his doom. He would not leave this world alive, he knew that. So did Delenn, although she did not want to admit it even to herself. He had made his decision, but it hurt.... Oh, Valen, it hurt....
The tunnels they were in seemed to be growing narrower, and hotter. The downward slant had become less pronounced now, and the path was more level. They might even have been ascending slightly. There was a faint light, but barely enough for Delenn to see by. Neroon seemed to be managing better, although she did not have time to wonder about that.
There was a scuffling noise from above them, and a muttered curse from Ivanova. 'Tripped over something,' she explained, as Neroon helped her to rise. Delenn could feel a strange sense of.... of holiness. Something she had only experienced before in the shrines at Yedor and Tuzanor. She walked forward slowly, and knelt down.
There was a stone slab there, with a candle raised above it. There was something engraved on the slab, in a bold hand, but an ancient style. It was her own tongue! It was an ancient dialect of the warrior caste. She strained to make out the words.
''Here was slain Parlonn, of the First Fane of the warrior caste of the Minbari peoples, at the hand of Marrain, now of no fane, no caste and no people. May Parlonn's soul ascend to the old Gods of his fane, to join his brethren there. May they forgive him his choices, just as they will surely never forgive mine.'' Neroon's voice grew still, as he looked at the last sentence.
''Thus he was saved from his third betrayal, and thus his doom is averted, and taken upon my shoulders instead.''
'This is where Marrain killed Parlonn,' whispered Delenn. 'A thousand years ago.'
Neroon bent down over the candle. It was untouched, having never once been lit. 'Marrain knew he was not worthy to light this,' he said softly. 'He set it here for someone to come and light for him.' He raised his hand, and the candle burst into flame.
'Ascend, Parlonn,' he said. 'Find some peace at last.'
'Very pretty,' said Ivanova. 'They're coming for us. We don't have much time.'
Delenn turned and closed her eyes. She could feel the pursuit nearing. 'She's right. There is nothing more either of us can do here, Neroon. How much further is it?'
'Not much, I think. Just around that corridor and through that archway.' Ivanova ran forward with Delenn and Neroon chasing after her. 'Here we....' There was a sudden, startled cry, and as Delenn reached the archway she understood why.
There was a small balcony overlooking a vast chasm. Ivanova was perched precariously, trying to regain her balance. Slowly Delenn stepped out onto the balcony, very much aware that there was no parapet. She glanced down into the chasm and could see no bottom. Looking up, she saw faint glints of light a vast distance above their heads. A dome leading to the sky.
The sounds of pursuit neared, and Neroon stepped out to meet them. 'They are here,' he said in a hollow voice.
Corwin was limping and clutching at his arm as he arrived back on the
