Темное, кривое зеркало. Том 3 : След на песке.

And then a coldness swept across her mind, and she stiffened. What was the point? He wouldn't listen. They knew that. They had told her as much. "But no. Don't bother answering. I know you. You're worse now than you will be in the future. I know you won't help me, at least not willingly.

"They're coming for you. Your little Minbari whore and the one who betrayed us all, the entire human race, by becoming one of them. They're going to come for you, and we're going to kill them."

"Delenn…." he rasped. "No…." He stumbled forward and fell, blinking, his body swallowed in the mist.

Susan sighed. Another time flash. How many was that? What was he seeing? Past, future…. what? She briefly wished she could share his visions. Oh, to know the future, to know if she would be successful here, that would be….

She turned, warned by her guardians. They began to shimmer into view, just as Valen appeared at the far side of the hall.

He stopped, and stood stock still.

* * *

"Mollari! Mollari!"

Valo was furious. He was also bleeding profusely. Cartagia. That complete madman Cartagia. What was he up to? What…?

"Aaagh!" Valo continued limping forward. Two of his soldiers were at his side, helping him. He knew both of them well, had done since the Immolan campaign. Good men, both of them. They deserved better than to be led by that feeble-minded Cartagia, or the rest of the weak Court.

And Malachi was still alive. That was the worst bit, but…. ah well. He was an old man, and would probably die from his injuries. And Valo's forces still controlled the majority of the palace compound as well. They would track down Cartagia soon enough. And then…. he didn't know. What would that bastard do if he had Valo in his power?

He dreaded to think.

"Mollari! Where are you?"

This was absurd. Carn had been given an express task. He was to stay at the back, co-ordinating things from the central base. He would receive reports on which nobles had been killed, which areas of the palace had been taken and so forth. Carn was a loyal man, so where in the Gods' Names was he?

"Mollari!"

"Here I am, Lord." Carn came into view from a nearby doorway. Valo recognised it as leading into a large barracks. Carn must have moved the base there. Perhaps there had been more wounded than they had expected.

"I need a medic, and quickly. Cartagia…. got to me."

"Yes, in here, Lord. Hurry."

Limping forward as fast as he could, supported by his two companions, Valo made for the door and entered the room. It was a typical barracks, a place where the Palace Guards slept, rested and did…. whatever it was they did when they were not on duty. This one was just like every other barracks room Valo had seen, except for one small detail.

Most of the other barracks did not contain Lord-General Marrago, accompanied by twelve soldiers bearing the seal of the island of Selini.

"Valo. I wish we could have met under different circumstances, but we take what we are given, hmm?"

"Marrago! What are you doing here? Mollari, what is the meaning of…?"

"I arrived here a few moments ago, accompanied by as many of the Selini Guard and militia from Gallia and Sphodria as we could muster. I will give them credit. There were more than I had anticipated. They must be grateful that we saved their cities. And now we will save the capital. You will stand down your weapons, and your men."

"Joking, of course, Marrago. Join me. The Republic needs strength, you can see that. We're both soldiers, and we were both betrayed by this Court. You know what the Republic needs."

"Yes, I do." Marrago stepped forward slowly. "And the Republic does not need you. You will issue an order to your men to stand down, now."

"No! The Court is ours now. I will rule here. I…." Marrago reached out and struck him hard across the face. Valo fell sprawling, crying out as his wound tore open again. His two guards went for their weapons, but Marrago's Selini Guard trained theirs on them. They paused.

"You will issue that order, Valo."

"Mollari…. help me. What…. what are you…?"

"I'm…. sorry, my Lord, but I was with the Lord-General from the beginning. I had hoped matters would not go this far, but…." Carn bowed his head. "I am sorry, my Lord."

"Damn you, Mollari! Damn…. you!"

"You will recall your men now. You will give them all an order to stand down their arms and report to me personally. I assure you, Valo, that only the commanders will be held responsible for what has happened here today. Those soldiers who were merely following orders…. they will be permitted to rejoin their regiments. The divisions within this Court, and this Republic…. they all end today.

"We should not be fighting each other, Valo."

"We…. needed…. strength."

"And we shall have it. But not under you. You brought only chaos and anarchy. Issue that order."

"You will…. protect…. my men…?"

"Yes, Valo. You have my word as a soldier, and as a General. Only the commanders and those who refuse to stand down will be punished."

"Damn you, Marrago…. and…. damn you…. Mollari…. I will…. give…. your order…."

Marrago nodded, smiling.

* * *

The heavens opened, blazing with a myriad of colours. For some the sight might be a thing of beauty, an image to inspire words and verse and more things of beauty.

Not for Sonovar. Like the man who had trained him, one of the few things they had in common…. like Sinoval, Sonovar was no poet.

He could see them all. Minbari warships, led by those who had sworn fealty to Sinoval, some of those ships that had been assigned to guard and protect the other worlds. There were the Soul Hunter ships, for so long instruments of fear to the Minbari. It was ironic that they would now be bringing salvation.

And there was Cathedral, the massive vessel that housed the Soul Hunters and their souls…. and their Primarch.

"There are many of them, my lord," spoke Forell, at his side. "More than us, perhaps?"

"Numerically, yes," Sonovar acknowledged. "But then I knew that when I started this. The relative firepower of the Tak'cha and the Shagh Toth has yet to be determined, however, and I would rather not test it out here. We have done what we came for, after all. No, there will be no battle here today."