Matters hung suspended, in the balance. On their side, four Earthforce capital ships, the Babylon, the Morningstar, the Corinthian and the Marten. Plus, hopefully, the resources of the Great Machine. The signal indicated that the Machine had been taken, but there had been no word since. This had not been unexpected, but Smith was still troubled. He had been readying a crew to visit the planet and ascertain its status when he had received word of Sheridan's arrival.

On their side, one human capital ship, one Drazi Sunhawk, and one Brakiri vessel. Plus the greatest human captain of recent times.

"This is Captain Sheridan of the Parmenion," came the voice over open comm channels. His voice. Smith straightened when he heard it. He was still breathing heavily from his mad dash back to his ship, but his exhaustion did not bother him at all. "Babylon Four and Epsilon Three are under my protection. You are to leave, now."

"Captain Sheridan," came a reply. A voice Smith recognised. General Ryan. He had command of this mission, but it was very clear that he was in some disfavour with the Resistance Government. "You are wanted for war crimes against the Resistance Government. Stand down your ship now, and we promise to spare those of your crew who are innocent of any wrongs against humanity."

"That is not an option, General."

There was a silence. Smith waited, visualising his opponent. He had never met Sheridan personally, but he knew everything about the infamous Starkiller. He was reckoned the greatest human strategist alive. He had saved the day at the Battle of Mars, many observers held that it was his intervention that had saved the Narns during their first war with the Centauri, and while reports of his more recent activities were highly confidential, Smith had heard rumours of skirmishes with the Streibs and Drakh.

"Launch all remaining Starfury squadrons," came Ryan's order over a coded channel. Two of the Babylon's four squadrons had been launched already, upon arrival at the station, and the other two were held in strict readiness. Something similar would have been done on board the other ships. Smith gave the order.

"Do not engage unless we are attacked first," Ryan ordered. "Repeat…. do not engage unless engaged. If conflict does begin, targets are: the destruction of Sheridan's ship, no survivors taken or mercy offered; the disabling or destruction of the Alliance ships, with survivors taken on board and treated well; and attacks on the station are to be directed at weaponry and Starfuries only. The destruction of the station should come as a very last resort.

"Smith, how is our presence on the station?"

"Enough to hold the command deck, hopefully. I ordered my men to secure and control it, but whether it can be held is uncertain, sir."

"And Satai Delenn?"

"In custody, but on the station, sir. I…. thought it imprudent to bring her on board the Babylon. She has been here before after all…. and there may be sympathisers among my crew."

"Can your men guarantee that she will be kept safe on board the station?"

"Not for certain, sir."

"Damn! You may have to answer for that, Smith, but there's nothing we can do now. It was your task to secure the station and placate the ambassadors there, remember?

"Philby, what signs of activity from the planet?"

Smith closed his eyes and leaned back heavily in his chair. What Ryan had said was true…. he should have remained on the station, he should have taken more security on board, and he should have brought Delenn to the Babylon when he came. But how could he tell Ryan just how much he had been haunted by Sheridan ever since taking over this post? How could he explain how much humanity he had seen in Delenn's deep green eyes? How could he…?

He started as Franklin looked up, speaking. "Captain, something's coming up from the planet. It's…."

The ship rocked, shaking in a blast that seemed almost to tear it apart. Smith fell forward, his head smashing against his forward commpanel. His ears started ringing. Desperately he scrambled to his feet, wiping away the blood from his forehead and glancing at Franklin.

"What was that?"

"A missile of some sort…. from the planet, somewhere below the surface."

"Something powerful enough to come from below the planet's surface…. and reach this high into orbit? What sort of…?" He grimaced, wincing as his head pounded. "What's our status?"

"Hull integrity pretty much intact, engines intact, jump engines at eighty percent capacity…. ship-to-ship communications are down entirely. The missile didn't impact on us, but it did send out some sort of pulse which shut down the comm."

Smith sat back, trying to take it in. "Are the sensors working?" What was happening? The Machine was supposed to be under control.

"Yes…. it looks like it anyway…. Captain, the Drazi ship has started attacking the Corinthian!"

Smith closed his eyes and whispered a swift prayer. "You heard the General's orders, Lieutenant…. we attack."

This was not what Michael Garibaldi had been expecting when he arrived on Babylon 4. He remembered Bester's orders, as well as the manner in which they had been delivered: cursory, peremptory, and to-the-point.

As he looked mutely at the scene before him, he began to feel very sick at the thought that Bester might have been involved in this. Garibaldi recognised Donne, one of the Boss's favourite telepaths, given the plum job of head of the embassy at Proxima. She had been recalled from there amidst much speculation. Garibaldi now knew the reason for that move.

Everything fitted together too neatly. All of it. Sheridan's recall to Sanctuary…. the Boss's supposed 'illness' preventing him from being at G'Kar's summit.

How long had the Boss been planning this?

Garibaldi tried to think, tried to recall the moment where things had changed. Bester had been kind and…. his old self when Frank had been born. He had seemed almost…. touched by the child. He had also been happy ever since his return from Proxima. Few people knew the details, but Garibaldi did know that he had brought someone back with him.

So when had he changed? Perhaps it had always been like this, and he just hadn't noticed before.

But still, it was hard to reconcile the Boss who had cried when holding a newborn baby with the man who could so callously have ordered this great betrayal. Garibaldi looked on in stunned horror, unable to think or do anything, while two Narns were tortured right in front of his eyes.

How am I going to tell Lianna what I saw here? And Mary, she looks…. I don't know, but she can't have anything left in her stomach to throw up.

There was a sudden movement, and a loud scream that brought his mind back to the scene at the Heart of the Machine. The scream did not come from either of the Narns, however, but from the other man there.

He was hovering in mid-air directly before Donne. His arms and legs were spreadeagled and his mouth was wide open.

"This Machine has so many attributes," Donne said, smiling. "I'm so happy it's finally sharing some of them with me. Tell me, Number Two…. did you know that one of those attributes is enhanced telepathy? I could read your thoughts as if you were screaming them across the room at me. Do you think I'm a fool?"

"I…. I…." He was trying to speak, but each time a word left his mouth his body jerked and his next words were lost in choking fits.

"Telekinesis as well. I was never able to master that art…. it's a pity. I always felt I disappointed Al by not being a teek as well as a teep. But look at this, and without even trying…. This is a truly wonderful device you have here, G'Kar. You can't have been using the half of it."