To Dream in the City of Sorrows by Babylon 5 Page A

secretly arranged to have me assigned to Babylon 5 for the sole purpose of ascertaining whether or not I really was the fulfillment of your prophecy. You wanted to take your time with it, but when the Shadows attacked the Narns, you had to step up your timetable. So you had me assigned to Minbar and isolated me from all contact with Earth or Babylon 5 so that you could introduce me to the Minbari way of doing things and slowly get me used to the idea that I am indeed the fulfillment of your prophecy. Have I got it right so far?”
    “We feared it was a great deal to absorb all at once,” said Jenimer quietly. “What we ask of you will be difficult. We thought it best to reveal it to you bit by bit, as you became ready to accept it.”
    “Did you?” Sinclair said evenly. “It was only when I threw a monkey wrench into your plans by resigning that you finally decided to lay your cards on the table. Now my cards are down as well. You know exactly what I do and don’t believe in, and that I don’t believe in prophecies, yours or anybody else’s. Are you still sure I’m the one who is supposed to lead the Anla’shok?”
    “Yes,” said Jenimer. “There is no other. There are many more prophecies that you will not believe in that must be fulfilled.”
    Sinclair laughed. It was an unexpected bit of humor that made him like the Minbari leader even more.
    “The most important prophecy says that the species that holds the other half of our soul will join with us in this fight. We are among those who believe that Humanity is that other half. Because of that the newly awakened Anla’shok must recruit Humans as well as Minbari to join its ranks.”
    Once again, the Minbari had managed to utterly astound Sinclair. He was sure that the normally insular and chauvinistic Minbari had never attempted quite so cooperative a venture with any other species – other than the enigmatic Vorlons, who seemed to dictate rather than cooperate anyway – and certainly never involving an institution like the Rangers, so central to the heart and soul of Minbari history and tradition.
    “You are the only one who can make this possible,” Jenimer insisted softly. “You fulfill all the requirements of the prophecy for the new Entil’Zha. You are first and foremost a warrior, a proven military leader who commands great respect among both Humans and Minbari. Even those among our military caste who hate you nevertheless respect you. You also have the mind of a scholar and priest, as you have demonstrated once again here today. This has earned you the respect of many in the religious caste. Your unpretentious air and common touch has earned you the respect of many in our worker caste. Finally, you have proven your skill at diplomacy, a trait necessary if you are to reach out to Minbari of all three castes and to Humanity and bring them all together to work for the common goal – defeat of the Shadows and the restoration of peace and justice throughout the galaxy. There is simply no one else who has all of these attributes. You alone can bridge our two worlds.
    “If you cannot believe prophecy, then we ask you to join with us to defeat a proven, ruthless enemy who will massacre whole populations and lay waste entire star systems if not stopped.”
    How much did the Minbari believe their own rhetoric, and how much was said for the purpose of manipulation? It was difficult to know what to trust, especially with the Vorlons glowering over the scene like silent alien watchtowers. He looked to Delenn, who was watching him with an expression of such expectant hope that he knew he could not distrust her motives. She clearly believed in what Jenimer had said, and had she not already put herself on the line for him?
    Maybe he would have to wait just a little while longer before going home.
    “If I say yes, how will the Rangers be selected?” They had said it themselves. He was a military man. He wanted some practical questions answered first. Exactly