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

The lights came on, and he saw two people standing across the room from him at either side of the door. One, the man, was pointing a gun directly at him. The woman had no visible weapon, but then she didn't need one.

'Oh, look,' he said. 'Don't I recognise you two from somewhere? Oh, yes, you were on Crimewatch last night, weren't you?' He reached for the pizza.

'Drop it,' said the man.

Zack sighed. 'Pepperoni, anchovies and olives,' he said, flipping the lid open. 'Hardly a deadly weapon.' He paused. 'Well, not yet. You could wait until I've eaten it, and then let me breathe on you. Vid on, sports channel. You don't mind, do you? Only I missed the end of the game today. Someone went and got beaten up, and I had to go out and deal with it.'

'Poor you,' observed the woman.

'Yeah, what I can say? It's a tough job, but somebody's gotta do it. So,' he said, taking a bite of the pizza and leaning back. 'You do realise that breaking and entering with intent to threaten, or with intent to commit grievous bodily harm, carries a prison sentence under the.... oh, under some law somewhere. Of course, when we have a murderer here, I guess that's not too much to worry about. Hey, look at that, the Archers lost. That's good to hear.'

'It was self defence,' said the man.

Zack shrugged. 'I'm not gonna say I agree with you, just in case you've got some sort of recording device there. You say it was self defence, witnesses say it was an unprovoked attack.'

'Witnesses intimidated by Trace.'

'Hey, Trace is a good man.'

'You don't believe that.'

'I don't believe much of anything.' He took another bite of the pizza. 'Do you want any? This is pretty good. They must be back to using real olives.'

'What's Trace's deal with IPX?' asked the woman suddenly.

'I have no idea. I didn't know he had anything to do with them. And yeah, I know you're a telepath. There's probably something I could bring you in on, if I really put my mind to it.'

'Tell us what we want to know, and we'll leave you alone.'

'Oh, gee.... you mean you won't kill me? Here's a question, Mr. Big War Hero. Do you think I care? Take a look around. This is my life. This is it! Someone dumped me right here because I didn't fit in his beloved ship. This is all my life at the moment, and it's probably all my life's ever gonna be. Do you think this is what I had in mind as a kid? Do you think this is what I wanted?

'So go on, shoot me. No one's gonna care. And it ain't like another murder's gonna do too much to you. They can only mind-wipe you once.'

'What do you know about Compass Deliveries?' asked the woman.

'Never heard of them.'

'I didn't want you on the Babylon because I had doubts about your fitness to do your job, Allan. Looking at this, can you tell me I was wrong?' Zack looked at the man. 'I mean.... for God's sake, look at yourself. I never thought you'd fall this far. You're abusing these people here, and you know it.'

'Yeah? Quick lesson for you, Mr. Silver Star Man. No one cares! If anyone here's getting the short end of the stick.... well, hey! Tough! They shouldn't be here in the first place. You think there's gonna be anyone coming to pay respects to my name on the plaque when I'm dead? Hah! Yeah, right. Go ahead and shoot me. I'm not telling you anything, and I don't know anything anyway.

'And I'm certainly not gonna see the error of my ways and become a righteous social crusader for the poor, downtrodden masses.

'Well?'

The man turned to look at the woman. Neither of them said anything.

Zack's attention was suddenly drawn away by the voice from the viewscreen.

We interrupt the sports news with a very special announcement. President Clark formally announced today the apprehension and capture of the notorious war criminal and mass murderer Satai Delenn of the Minbari Grey Council, leader of the United Alliance of Kazomi Seven.

A further statement is expected to be forthcoming later tonight, but it is widely believed she will be put on trial as soon as possible.

We will return to this story as soon as there are any further developments. We repeat....

Zack sat back, smiling broadly. 'Well, I'll be damned,' he said.

* * *

The dream was the same. It was always the same. Every time.

The sky rained fire. She crawled out of her hiding place high in the mountains to look up, and saw the heavens begin to pour with flame. She could hear screams, and hasty prayers to Valen. She had not been sure there was anything to pray for.

And after the flames there had come the sickness. She saw them again every night in her dreams. Skin flaking away, eyes filled with blood and pus, muscles trembling, blood seeping from every pore. She had watched them die. For weeks she had watched them die, unable to go for help, not knowing if there was even anyone to get help from.

And then she had been the last one left. She had started to sicken herself. They had said it was the food, the water, the ground, even the air.

Then they had come. The light had filled her mind, and the voice had echoed in her ears.

With a scream, Sherann woke.

Again. Every night she dreamed about it. Kalain's genocidal purge. Hiding for so long.

And then.... the flames, the sickness, and the light.

Slowly she rose from her bed and walked to the little shrine in the corner of the room. Sitting before it, she tried to focus her will enough to meditate, but she could not. Whenever she closed her eyes, all she could see was the light.

There was a gentle chime from the door, and Sherann turned. 'Yes?'

'Sherann? Are you well?'

She breathed out slowly. Kats. 'Yes. Enter.'

The door opened and Sherann's cousin walked in. She looked dignified and composed. It was still a marvel that a worker could walk about so free here, in a society ruled by a warrior. Sherann could never forget the months of the purging.

'I was worried that you slept so late,' Kats said. 'It is past noon.'

'Really? I.... ah.... bad dreams.'

Kats nodded, and sat down beside her. 'The same ones?'

'Yes. Always.... the same.... ones.'

'I used to dream as well. About.... Kalain, and the Council. It doesn't last forever.' Sherann marvelled that her cousin could speak of this with such calmness. Kats had told her about what she had suffered during the purges. All those months of torture and humiliation.

'Do you still.... have the dreams?'

'Not those, no. Now I dream of someone.... something completely different.' She looked down demurely. 'You do not need to know.'

Sherann smiled. It was almost as it had been in their childhood, talking happily about their dreams, goals, ambitions. Kats had wanted to serve, always. She had not wanted to lead.

'I had a message today,' Kats said suddenly, breaking the mood. 'It was from Sinoval.'

'Is he coming back?' Sherann asked breathlessly. She had come here to find him, to find the legendary Primarch Sinoval, only to discover she had missed him by a matter of days. He had been on Kazomi Seven for weeks.

'Yes. He will be here tomorrow.'

Sherann breathed out slowly and bowed her head, almost crying. 'And he will help us?' she whispered. 'He.... will.... help us?'