"He…. was my friend."

"He was a great man."

"So…. is that it, Marrago? Is it all over now? Did…. did all this bloodshed have some sort of meaning?"

"It is never over. Elrisia is still free, and there is the matter of what to do with Jarno. Lord Kiro is threatening a dire revenge…. once he recovers sufficiently. The Shadow Criers are still a threat, of course. And…. there are always the Narns."

"So…. did we accomplish anything by this?"

"Of course we did. The Court is united and pacified. We have saved the Republic from Hell, Majesty…. now we will help her to Heaven. The restoration will begin here…. it has to begin somewhere, after all."

"So…. what now?"

"Now…. Now there are a great many people who wish to speak to their Emperor."

<She is gone.>

Valen stiffened. He began to say something, but then he realised he did not know what to say. He had felt it, somehow. He had known. He had tried to warn her…. but….

He had known. Somehow he had always known.

In all his memories of the past yet to come, Catherine had been in none of them.

<She is gone.>

"No," he whispered. "She is not gone. I will remember her…. I…. will…. find her again."

The Vorlon gave a look that might have been quizzical. <We were…. wrong. We have been wrong in so much…. but never more so than here.>

"I…. don't understand."

<Footsteps in the sand.>

Now, he did understand.

The Shadows were gathering. They had Sheridan. Delenn was wavering. Ta'Lon was fighting a desperate holding action. Outside, the rift was collapsing. People were dying.

"I am ready," he said simply. "I am Valen now, aren't I? Completely and utterly."

"<Click, click>"

Zathras moved up beside him. "You are wrong. Valen is wrong. Sinclair is wrong. You are not Valen. No. <Click, click> You are not Sinclair. You are…. both. Yes. Joining of two. Combination of two. Greatest leader Minbari will ever know. But…. human as well as Minbari. That is important detail. Zathras know these things. See…. people should listen to Zathras more."

"So…. what now?"

"Problems outside. Problems inside also, but bigger ones outside. Rift is…. collapsing. Will not hold much longer. Zathras is afraid something has happened to Great Machine, but nothing Zathras can do about that now. We must free Captain Sheridan…. send him and Delenn back to their ship, and…. must do one other thing. Then…. we get back in time quickly."

"Do we have time?"

"There is always time…. but Zathras understand you, yes. We have time…. if the rift can be kept open long enough. Zathras…. cannot do that, but Zathras knows Vorlon who can."

"Kosh." The Vorlon turned. "You can keep the rift open?"

<Yes.>

But Valen understood just how.

"Life energy," said Zathras sadly. "Powerful thing…. if used properly. If used by one who knows how."

<A bargain was made…. long ago. I go to do my part.>

The Vorlon moved to the docking bays. Helplessly, still burdened by the weights of destiny and duty, Valen followed. Delenn and Zathras were just behind. Kosh turned to Delenn, and spoke just one word.

All around them, the Shadows began to appear. Ivanova was in the middle of them, as was Sheridan.

Kosh was still, and then…. his encounter suit began to open.

The others there would no doubt see it in different ways. Delenn would witness a confirmation of futures past and present, and a reaffirmation of the path she was to take. Susan Ivanova would see the sorrows of her life, and all those waiting for her at her death, and she would be drawn closer to her redemption. Zathras saw…. who could tell?

But as Kosh purged his essence, channelling his life energy, sacrificing his life for the good of the past and the future, it was the man called Jeffrey Sinclair, the Minbari called Valen, who saw most, and understood most.

I am Valen.

I am Valen!

I AM VALEN!

I am Jeffrey Sinclair.

I am Jeffrey Sinclair!

I AM JEFFREY SINCLAIR!

Catherine…. I will find you. Wherever you are, whatever you become, I will find you.

The mistakes of the past opened up to him. Marrain's hubris, the Tak'cha's misinterpretations, Parlonn's tragedy. But he knew them now for what they were. He would build a future, a great destiny. He would save a people from destruction. Those mistakes…. they were not fatal, they were stepping stones on the way to that future.

Marrain's fate would lead to his redemption a thousand years later. Parlonn would learn a terrible truth and save his soul. The Tak'cha would gain a focus and a duty through his words.

Good and evil. Right and wrong. Both were a part of him. There had to be a balance. Always a balance.

Human and Minbari. A balance.

The light faded. The Shadows were gone.

He was standing still, tears streaming down his face.

The arrow that springs from the bow. At long last, he was ready.

She ran, terrified, everything awake in her mind. Her mother, her brother, her father, her first love…. She could see them all. All dead. Each and every one of them dead. She had to do something. She had to do something.

The Vorlon…. his light…. it was taking her to pieces….

She stumbled and almost fell, but managed to right herself. She had lost her weapon. She felt she had lost her mind. There was…. pain…. in some part of her, a part she could not quite identify.

I have to get away from here!

The Vorlon was everywhere. It was this station, it surrounded this station. It was…. everywhere.

She had to get away.

And Susan Ivanova ran, making for the docking bays. Perhaps she could reach a shuttle, or even go for a space walk. She had to get away from here. She had to get away from the Vorlon.

"Where is she?" Delenn asked, looking up from Sheridan. He was groaning and wincing. "Where…. has she gone?"

"She will not be allowed to escape," Valen said. "No, Delenn…. she…. she has something else to learn first. This was a journey of discovery for all of us. For her most of all."

"So…. you're just going to let her get away?" protested Sheridan. "I don't…. aaagh! I don't…. understand."

"She has to learn something. One day…. you will all need her, and when that day comes, what she learns today will save both her, and you." Valen looked at both of them. Sheridan and Delenn. He could see what lay ahead of them now, one last gift from Kosh. Prophecy, or foresight, or footsteps…. He could see the chains that bound them all together.

Sheridan to Delenn to Neroon to Ta'Lon to G'Kar to Zathras to Valen to Delenn to Sheridan to Corwin to Ivanova…. A thin, fragile series of connections that would preserve and guide the future.

"What about the rift?" Delenn asked. "It was…. degrading. Do we have time?"

"Yes," said Zathras sadly. "Yes…. we have time. All the time we need. Time…. is infinite."

The streets were dark as Elrisia claimed her hiding place. It took her a moment to catch her breath, but at least she was warm in here. It was too cold outside, and her courtly clothes provided little protection.

The humiliation of it! A Lady of her rank forced to hide in a hovel like some worthless peasant! Damn Cartagia, and damn Mollari. She had heard the cries of his acclamation as she fled, and that must mean Cartagia had been killed. The only satisfaction she had was the news of Valo's capture. At least that was one pretender removed from contention.