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

the path you were on then, perhaps that would have occurred. Now.... perhaps he will live longer. Perhaps he will still die.

Can.... Could you take me to him?

Yes.

No! No.... do not. I.... I sent him a message.

Yes. I know.

I told him that I loved him, and that I had come here to strike against the Shadows, to give my life for the greater good. How could I tell him that was the price of his recovery? I could not tell him that. He knows I love him, and will always love him, and he now thinks I am dead. Let me be dead to him.

Where do you wish to go?

I will go to Proxima Three. I will let them put me on trial. I will let them do with me as they wish. And.... maybe I will be able to reach someone there.... just one person.... who will be able to forgive me.

A wise decision. Do you wish me to take you there now?

No, return me to Ambassador Sheridan. He will be able to arrange everything.

Indeed he will. You have chosen wisely. I fear you have a difficult road ahead of you, but the future will be a little bit brighter.

I love John.... If the universe is kind, there will be a better place for both of us....

Farewell.... little mother. Farewell.

Delenn opened her eyes.

* * *

Lyta Alexander's eyes were closed. There was the faintest tear of blood in her right eye. Gently, Commander Corwin reached out and brushed it away.

They had only just arrived back at Kazomi 7. The Babylon was in planetary orbit, and the crew had been given leave to go down to the planet. The official status of the ship was unclear. Corwin had been in charge during the Captain's.... incapacitation, and the Captain had taken it back for this emergency mission. What would happen now.... no one seemed to know. The Captain was sorting matters out with the Council now. He would also no doubt have met with Sinoval. That was a meeting Corwin did not want to be anywhere near.

He did not want to lead. He did not want to be responsible for the course of this war. All he wanted was a good ship, a good crew, and a chance to be absolutely sure who the enemy was.

He looked again at the woman before him, and sighed. She was one of the few people he could actually talk to these days. The old crew just seemed to.... have broken apart. A great many had died of course, or returned to Proxima, or given up on their previous lives. Neeoma Connally was still around somewhere, but she was on the Babylon less and less. She had been assigned to teach Starfury combat to anyone who wanted to learn.

Then there was Lyta.

She had spent the entire journey back from Z'ha'dum in a coma brought on by her exertions during their escape. She had been transferred to the Medlab here, and the doctors had not been able to discern any improvement, or for that matter offer much treatment. She would recover, or she would not.

'It was so much simpler before,' Corwin said, with another sigh. 'Everything used to be so simple.' He turned and walked away, deep in thought.

The alien figure watching from the shadows waited for some minutes after Corwin had gone, and then manifested itself. The Vorlon loomed over the unconscious body of Lyta Alexander, studying her closely. It had not been able to attend the Council meeting, not with the Accursed Sinoval there. In some strange way it could not fully define, it was wary of him. He was everything their Enemies hoped to create in these mortals, and yet he fought them as passionately as he fought all others he opposed.

It did not matter. Sinoval the Accursed would be gone now. It could return to business.

<Wake,> it said.

Lyta's eyes opened and she immediately sat up, a strangled scream in her throat. 'I can....' She stopped, and took a deep breath. 'I could.... feel her,' she whispered. She turned and saw the Vorlon beside her. 'I could feel her. When I was asleep. Delenn. She's.... Is she dead?'

<Irrelevant. Come.>

'I'm tired! I can't.... I just.... can't....' Her eyes closed, and she swayed for a moment. She gripped the bedcovers tightly. 'I held them back.... It.... hurt....'

<Irrelevant. Come.>

'I need some rest!'

The Vorlon's eye glowed. <Irrelevant. Now!>

She tried to scream, but the sound would not come. Finally she stumbled out of bed. 'Stop!' she whispered. 'S.... S.... Stop.'

<Follow.> It turned and made towards the exit. Hesitantly, painfully, in confusion and agony, Lyta Alexander followed.

* * *

There was a soft and comfortable silence as the two of them lay side by side, thinking quietly. Smith's arm was bandaged and stitched now. He flexed it gently. There was slight pain and a dull ache, but Talia had handled it well.

'What next?' he said after a while.

'Hmm?'

'What do we do next?' he repeated. 'Do we have some sort of plan, or would that be a little bit too much to hope for?'

'I'm sorry, I wasn't.... IPX Headquarters perhaps. Whatever's going on will be based there. That's where we can find out just what they're up to.... just what they want with the people they've been taking.'

'What do you think they're doing?'

'I don't know. Some sort of genetic alteration perhaps. Maybe a virus of some kind. Maybe they want their own group of telepath slaves.'

'Hmm.' He paused. 'This means a lot to you, doesn't it? Helping telepaths like this.'

'It's.... my identity. It's the only thing I've ever been good at.' She sat up, resting on her elbow to look at him. 'I never knew my parents. For as long as I can remember the Corps has been my home and my family. The Corps is Mother, the Corps is Father.'

'Still, it must have been.... lonely.'

'Sometimes. Not always. I've had some friends. Some very good friends. Lovers. A child. I'm in a position where I can use my skills to do some good. Life.... hasn't been all that bad, really.'

'What would you have done.... if you hadn't been a telepath? What would you want to do?'

She closed her eyes, thinking. 'I don't know. I've never thought about it. What's the point? I am a telepath, I always will be. But.... for a while.... Promise you won't laugh.'

'I promise.'

'I'll know if you're lying.'

'No you won't. Not unless the sleepers have worn off.' She swore. 'Anyway, I promise not to laugh.'

'There was a time I thought it might have been nice to be a film star. Hey! You promised not to laugh!'

'Sorry,' he said, chuckling. He coughed, and tried to look serious. She elbowed him in the stomach. 'Hey, I said I was sorry.'

'Well? What did you want to be?'

'Oh, no. I'm not answering that one.'

'Come on.'

'No.'

'Fine. I can wait. The sleepers should be wearing off soon.'

'You wouldn't dare!'

'Wouldn't I?' she said, smiling.