To Dream in the City of Sorrows by Babylon 5

individual soul melts into the greater species soul form, losing its individual identity in any meaningful way, but adding its knowledge to the greater soul form, which then produces new souls to be born. That is how the soul form of our species evolves, and how the Minbari people evolve and grow. Therefore, it is of great significance to the evolution of both species that Minbari soul forms are being born into Human bodies.”
    “But what is that significance?” Sinclair asked. “Isn’t it just as possible, by that logic, that Minbari souls are being born into Human bodies because they want to be Human now and not Minbari? How do you know you’re not doing me a disservice by asking me to accept a Minbari role?”
    “That is not how we interpret these events,” said Rathenn.
    “That’s my point,” Sinclair replied. “This is all about our different interpretations of matters that have no sure answers. We interpret many things differently. You prize above all else a life of service to Minbari society, and look with disfavor on the growing trend among your people to want to live more for themselves because you believe the individual doesn’t really exist, just the species soul form, which itself is only one of many species soul forms that are all just fragments of the greater Universal soul form. The only true individual consciousness, you believe, is that of the Universe, which somehow became sentient out of nonsentient matter and is in essence what could be called God, but a God whose existence is the Universe. When the Universe fades into the cold, eternal darkness of entropy, everything, including God, will die.”
    At Rathenn’s surprised look that he would know all this, Sinclair smiled. “I’ve studied Minbari culture. But you have to understand, I don’t agree. If there is a God, I believe He has always existed and that He created this Universe, not the other way around, and that He ‘will be, when all the stars are dead,’ as the poet Rilke once wrote.
    “Just as we will, because I also believe the soul to be immortal, and that we retain our individuality and essential personality after death. I don’t believe there are distinct soul forms, or that a soul belongs to any species. The particular form a soul is born into is chosen to move that soul along the path of spiritual evolution or salvation, whatever you want to call it. The individual soul does not exist only to serve society or the evolution of any one species. So I find your people’s growing wish to live more individual lives to be a positive sign, not a negative one.”
    For the first time, Jenimer looked astonished. “You truly believe that the individual’s needs are supreme to that of society? That would cause anarchy!”
    “It’s something of a paradox, actually. I was taught that we are in this life to achieve our own individual salvation or evolution, depending on your belief, but that we can only do so by also serving our fellow creatures. In other words, the trick is to find the proper balance between the two.”
    Sinclair paused. He suddenly remembered how Garibaldi used to kid him that there were times he thought and argued like a Jesuit lawyer, the worst combination Garibaldi could think of. Given the situation, the thought now amused him greatly.
    “I want to be sure we are absolutely clear with each other,” said Sinclair. “If I take on this job, we’ll need to understand each other.”
    For the first time, Rathenn looked hopeful. “Then you will join with us and accept leadership of the Anla’shok?”
    Was that in fact what he was saying? Sinclair was a little surprised to realize that it just might be. He looked at each of the Minbari in turn: Rathenn, Delenn, Jenimer, and Turval.
    “If I do, you will have to trust me, and I have to be able to trust you. But you’ve been less than completely truthful with me from the moment I was taken aboard your cruiser. First, you wiped my memories of what happened. Then you