Watcher (2/3)
Title: Watcher (2/3)
Author: Rowen
Fandom: Babylon 5
Rating: MA
Spoilers: Small spoiler for 'Grey 17 is Missing,' but nothing major.
Synopsis: The events leading up to and included in 'Minbari, Incense and Myrrh' as seen through Lennier's eyes. No naughty stuff in first 2 parts. Only a *little* in the third.
Pairing: John/Delenn
Genre:
Disclaimer: Babylon 5 belongs to whomever.
Notes:
This is a companion piece to my story "Minbari, Incense and Myrrh." Thanks for this one should go to Chevron, who gave me the idea. I haven't really written Lennier before, so I've spent the last few weeks trying to get a handle on him.
This story was written somewhere between 1993 and 1997
-----------------------------------------
Part 2
Lennier wandered through the station with no particular destination in mind. His thoughts were jumbled and instead of reigning them in through techniques and discipline he had practiced for years, he allowed them to carry his mind where they would.
John Sheridan.
Captain John Sheridan.
John Sheridan, *Starkiller* as he was named by the Warrior Caste.
The one Delenn had chosen...
Lennier had known somewhere in the recesses of his mind that it had been inevitable, but that didn't lessen the impact when the event actually occurred.
A human.
He passed the vocal traders plying their wares in the Zocalo with barely more than a glance and moved into quieter corridors.
Since Sheridan's arrival on the station, Delenn had been seeking the human out: talking with him, learning about him. Studying him. At first he had been puzzled by her actions, but Delenn had merely smiled and quoted something Valen had once said. He had not understood how the quote was applicable at the time, and had expended much time in meditation seeking enlightenment. He still wasn't sure he understood.
John Sheridan....
...and Delenn.
The delicate sound of music wafting through the corridor interrupted his musing and he halted, surprised to find where his subconscious had brought him.
The chapel. Not a Minbari religious shrine but a human one. He paused in his ruminations for a moment, considering the carved and polished wooden doors before him: perhaps this was the appropriate place to make his decision.
The doors swung open easily under his touch, allowing him entrance to the dark, mysterious recesses of the human place of worship. The music from the choir swirled around him, permeating his body as much as his mind with an almost tangible sensation. After waiting a moment for his eyes to adjust to the gloom, he made his way to a pew in a dimly lit corner, drawing the hood of his robe over his head just as he would have in a Minbari temple. It was not only a sign of respect but also served a more practical reason - to disguise his non-human appearance. He had once been assured by one of the priests that everyone was welcome in God's house, but other humans may not have felt the same if they saw a Minbari in their place of worship.
The chapel was empty save the choir, who were practicing in the loft above him. Candles gave the room a burnished glow as they burned in sconces along the fake stone walls between intricate stained glass windows. The history and tradition imparted by the ancient design were obvious even to an outsider. There was an amalgam of smells in the air that was similar yet different to that of a Minbari temple. Candle wax was the easiest to identify and the most similar. The incense was pungent, but of a different flavor to those he was accustomed to. The polish used on the wooden pews and finally the wood of the seating itself. Similar, yet different.
Lennier allowed his eyes to drift shut, listening to the unaccompanied choir. He often came here to listen to them sing. The music was alien to his ear but still breathtakingly beautiful. He recalled the first time he had wandered into the chapel by accident, the music breaking through his troubled thoughts. It had been just after that incident with Levell, when the recording he'd assisted making had cleared Captain Sheridan of deliberate murder.
Lennier had been certain the human captain had been lying about the events that had taken place - after all, he *was* the man who had lured the Black Star to its destruction. Such tactics were dishonorable in the extreme to the Minbari, and on a more personal level members of Lennier's family had died as a result. Still, following Delenn's instructions - she believed Sheridan - he had investigated the matter.
As Sheridan confronted Ishan in the Minbari Federation Office, Lennier had fully expected his clan and thus himself to be dishonored by the proof that Sheridan now held in his hands. But he had done it for Delenn, and would have done so again had she asked him to.
Sheridan had been more perceptive than Lennier had expected for a human of his reputation. "If we reveal this, it will disgrace you, won't it? And your clan." The Captain had proceeded to 'cut a deal' - as he had expressed it - with Delenn. Lennier remembered staring at the human, as the man had outlined his 'deal' which cleared him while simultaneously allowing the Minbari to save face.
Afterwards, stunned and seeking - exactly what he was seeking, he did not know - Lennier had wandered the station and been drawn into the chapel by the magnificent alien music. He had been loathe to stay, once he had realized it was a human place of worship, but the chaplain's smile and gesture for him to be seated had overcome the reluctance. He had closed his eyes then as he did now, and opened them to find....
---------------------------
***.....John Sheridan had slid silently into the pew beside him, and was listening to the music.
"I often sometimes come here when I'm troubled," Sheridan offered during a break between hymns, looking sideways at him, "To listen to the music and think about things."
"You do not pray here?" Lennier asked quietly, surprised. He had thought this was a human holy place where they held their ceremonies and prayed.
"Some people do that," Sheridan replied easily, with a smile. "It's different from person to person. Some people never set foot in a church."
There was silence for a few minutes as both men sat, lost in their thoughts.
"I want to... thank you for what you did," Lennier said, placing a hand over his heart and half-bowing. "It was... I did not expect..."
"Lennier, just because I'm human, doesn't mean I have no honor - no sense of decency." The human's face darkened.
"I apologize - I did not mean to offend," Lennier replied. "I... I do not understand human ways sometimes."
"That's what this station is for," Sheridan said, waving a hand about to encompass all that was around them. "So the different races can meet on neutral ground, learn about each other - how we think, what our customs are..." His face became solemn. "To learn to understand one another and avoid a war like the one between our people."
The two men, Minbari and human, held each other's gaze, awareness flickering between them. Then music began again - a single, high female voice that was gradually joined by the other voices. Lennier recognized some of the words, although he found it difficult to make out everything they were saying. The song seemed to be about love, compassion and forgiveness. An appropriate song? Perhaps.
"Do you have music like this on Minbar?" Sheridan asked leaning back in the pew, as the song swelled into an exultant final chord.
"There are temple chants and songs, but it sounds very different. I heard something... similar once." Lennier's mind drifted for a moment recalling the event, but the expression on Sheridan's face prompted him to explain further.
"When I was a child, I was visiting the First Temple, and the Ambassador for Neranis was there. She had just acquired her seventh voice, and sang a hymn of praise from her world. It was... similar to what you hear now, but more..." Lennier broke off. "I am afraid I cannot explain exactly."
Sheridan raised an eyebrow. "Neranis? Seventh voice?"
"The Neranis are a reclusive race," Lennier explained. "When they are young children, they have only one voice - like you or I. As they mature and gain wisdom, they physically attain new voices which are able to speak independently at the same time. I think they are considered to be adults when they have nine voices."
Sheridan had an expression of curiosity and wonder on his face. "Ah... There's always so much to learn. So many new and varied cultures." He paused, as if lost in thought. "Will they come here? Will they join with us in the war?"
Lennier held his hands out in a gesture equivalent to a human shrug.
"She has not traveled to Minbar since the early days of the war between our people and she is the only member of her race who leaves their home system." He halted, considering how much he should reveal, then decided against saying anything further. It was not his place to impart the information. If Delenn thought the Captain needed to know, she would tell him herself. "Perhaps. Perhaps not. It is difficult to say."
The sounds from the loft indicated the choir was leaving, and Sheridan stood.
"I have to be getting back to work," he announced, leading them towards the exit. He paused by a bank of candles, taking some fresh tapers from a box and lighting them. His head was bowed as he inserted them into unoccupied slots, and Lennier had the distinct impression he was praying. Lennier also bowed his head in respect and reverence for the beliefs of another and waited at the human's side.
"We light candles in remembrance of those who have passed on," Sheridan explained quietly, his eyes staring into the flames but not seeming to see them. "Lost friends, colleagues. My wife." He said the last almost inaudibly, touching a finger to a burning taper then wincing as tallow dripped over his skin.
"My people have a similar custom," Lennier said, regarding the candles. "Who would have thought our peoples were so similar?"
Sheridan's head lifted, and a strange smiled curved his lips as he regarded Lennier. "Who would have thought?" he echoed.....**
----------------------------------------
The choir had long since stopped singing and departed by the time Lennier exited his meditative trance. The silence of the chapel absolute, and Lennier allowed himself to appreciate the beauty of the silence as before he had appreciated the music. He felt tranquil and refreshed, realizing that during his contemplations his decision on Delenn's request had been made.
He had always known Delenn was destined for another, but that did not make knowing that the particular moment had arrived any easier. He knew he would forever hold Delenn in his heart and cherish her there, but she had made her choice and had turned to him for support. He felt honored to have earned her trust and respect so, and could not fail her. It was not only his duty to support her, but he did so willingly out of friendship and love. From what Lennier had observed John Sheridan, whether he was Minbari or not, truly loved Delenn. He was honorable, courageous, kind and brave. A worthy match for her.
"**I will walk through fire for you, Delenn,**" he whispered, uttering a traditional oath of fealty, "**Into storm. Into darkness. Into Death. I will die friendless and alone. For you.**"
-----------------------------------------------------
Author: Rowen
Fandom: Babylon 5
Rating: MA
Spoilers: Small spoiler for 'Grey 17 is Missing,' but nothing major.
Synopsis: The events leading up to and included in 'Minbari, Incense and Myrrh' as seen through Lennier's eyes. No naughty stuff in first 2 parts. Only a *little* in the third.
Pairing: John/Delenn
Genre:
Disclaimer: Babylon 5 belongs to whomever.
Notes:
This is a companion piece to my story "Minbari, Incense and Myrrh." Thanks for this one should go to Chevron, who gave me the idea. I haven't really written Lennier before, so I've spent the last few weeks trying to get a handle on him.
This story was written somewhere between 1993 and 1997
-----------------------------------------
Part 2
Lennier wandered through the station with no particular destination in mind. His thoughts were jumbled and instead of reigning them in through techniques and discipline he had practiced for years, he allowed them to carry his mind where they would.
John Sheridan.
Captain John Sheridan.
John Sheridan, *Starkiller* as he was named by the Warrior Caste.
The one Delenn had chosen...
Lennier had known somewhere in the recesses of his mind that it had been inevitable, but that didn't lessen the impact when the event actually occurred.
A human.
He passed the vocal traders plying their wares in the Zocalo with barely more than a glance and moved into quieter corridors.
Since Sheridan's arrival on the station, Delenn had been seeking the human out: talking with him, learning about him. Studying him. At first he had been puzzled by her actions, but Delenn had merely smiled and quoted something Valen had once said. He had not understood how the quote was applicable at the time, and had expended much time in meditation seeking enlightenment. He still wasn't sure he understood.
John Sheridan....
...and Delenn.
The delicate sound of music wafting through the corridor interrupted his musing and he halted, surprised to find where his subconscious had brought him.
The chapel. Not a Minbari religious shrine but a human one. He paused in his ruminations for a moment, considering the carved and polished wooden doors before him: perhaps this was the appropriate place to make his decision.
The doors swung open easily under his touch, allowing him entrance to the dark, mysterious recesses of the human place of worship. The music from the choir swirled around him, permeating his body as much as his mind with an almost tangible sensation. After waiting a moment for his eyes to adjust to the gloom, he made his way to a pew in a dimly lit corner, drawing the hood of his robe over his head just as he would have in a Minbari temple. It was not only a sign of respect but also served a more practical reason - to disguise his non-human appearance. He had once been assured by one of the priests that everyone was welcome in God's house, but other humans may not have felt the same if they saw a Minbari in their place of worship.
The chapel was empty save the choir, who were practicing in the loft above him. Candles gave the room a burnished glow as they burned in sconces along the fake stone walls between intricate stained glass windows. The history and tradition imparted by the ancient design were obvious even to an outsider. There was an amalgam of smells in the air that was similar yet different to that of a Minbari temple. Candle wax was the easiest to identify and the most similar. The incense was pungent, but of a different flavor to those he was accustomed to. The polish used on the wooden pews and finally the wood of the seating itself. Similar, yet different.
Lennier allowed his eyes to drift shut, listening to the unaccompanied choir. He often came here to listen to them sing. The music was alien to his ear but still breathtakingly beautiful. He recalled the first time he had wandered into the chapel by accident, the music breaking through his troubled thoughts. It had been just after that incident with Levell, when the recording he'd assisted making had cleared Captain Sheridan of deliberate murder.
Lennier had been certain the human captain had been lying about the events that had taken place - after all, he *was* the man who had lured the Black Star to its destruction. Such tactics were dishonorable in the extreme to the Minbari, and on a more personal level members of Lennier's family had died as a result. Still, following Delenn's instructions - she believed Sheridan - he had investigated the matter.
As Sheridan confronted Ishan in the Minbari Federation Office, Lennier had fully expected his clan and thus himself to be dishonored by the proof that Sheridan now held in his hands. But he had done it for Delenn, and would have done so again had she asked him to.
Sheridan had been more perceptive than Lennier had expected for a human of his reputation. "If we reveal this, it will disgrace you, won't it? And your clan." The Captain had proceeded to 'cut a deal' - as he had expressed it - with Delenn. Lennier remembered staring at the human, as the man had outlined his 'deal' which cleared him while simultaneously allowing the Minbari to save face.
Afterwards, stunned and seeking - exactly what he was seeking, he did not know - Lennier had wandered the station and been drawn into the chapel by the magnificent alien music. He had been loathe to stay, once he had realized it was a human place of worship, but the chaplain's smile and gesture for him to be seated had overcome the reluctance. He had closed his eyes then as he did now, and opened them to find....
---------------------------
***.....John Sheridan had slid silently into the pew beside him, and was listening to the music.
"I often sometimes come here when I'm troubled," Sheridan offered during a break between hymns, looking sideways at him, "To listen to the music and think about things."
"You do not pray here?" Lennier asked quietly, surprised. He had thought this was a human holy place where they held their ceremonies and prayed.
"Some people do that," Sheridan replied easily, with a smile. "It's different from person to person. Some people never set foot in a church."
There was silence for a few minutes as both men sat, lost in their thoughts.
"I want to... thank you for what you did," Lennier said, placing a hand over his heart and half-bowing. "It was... I did not expect..."
"Lennier, just because I'm human, doesn't mean I have no honor - no sense of decency." The human's face darkened.
"I apologize - I did not mean to offend," Lennier replied. "I... I do not understand human ways sometimes."
"That's what this station is for," Sheridan said, waving a hand about to encompass all that was around them. "So the different races can meet on neutral ground, learn about each other - how we think, what our customs are..." His face became solemn. "To learn to understand one another and avoid a war like the one between our people."
The two men, Minbari and human, held each other's gaze, awareness flickering between them. Then music began again - a single, high female voice that was gradually joined by the other voices. Lennier recognized some of the words, although he found it difficult to make out everything they were saying. The song seemed to be about love, compassion and forgiveness. An appropriate song? Perhaps.
"Do you have music like this on Minbar?" Sheridan asked leaning back in the pew, as the song swelled into an exultant final chord.
"There are temple chants and songs, but it sounds very different. I heard something... similar once." Lennier's mind drifted for a moment recalling the event, but the expression on Sheridan's face prompted him to explain further.
"When I was a child, I was visiting the First Temple, and the Ambassador for Neranis was there. She had just acquired her seventh voice, and sang a hymn of praise from her world. It was... similar to what you hear now, but more..." Lennier broke off. "I am afraid I cannot explain exactly."
Sheridan raised an eyebrow. "Neranis? Seventh voice?"
"The Neranis are a reclusive race," Lennier explained. "When they are young children, they have only one voice - like you or I. As they mature and gain wisdom, they physically attain new voices which are able to speak independently at the same time. I think they are considered to be adults when they have nine voices."
Sheridan had an expression of curiosity and wonder on his face. "Ah... There's always so much to learn. So many new and varied cultures." He paused, as if lost in thought. "Will they come here? Will they join with us in the war?"
Lennier held his hands out in a gesture equivalent to a human shrug.
"She has not traveled to Minbar since the early days of the war between our people and she is the only member of her race who leaves their home system." He halted, considering how much he should reveal, then decided against saying anything further. It was not his place to impart the information. If Delenn thought the Captain needed to know, she would tell him herself. "Perhaps. Perhaps not. It is difficult to say."
The sounds from the loft indicated the choir was leaving, and Sheridan stood.
"I have to be getting back to work," he announced, leading them towards the exit. He paused by a bank of candles, taking some fresh tapers from a box and lighting them. His head was bowed as he inserted them into unoccupied slots, and Lennier had the distinct impression he was praying. Lennier also bowed his head in respect and reverence for the beliefs of another and waited at the human's side.
"We light candles in remembrance of those who have passed on," Sheridan explained quietly, his eyes staring into the flames but not seeming to see them. "Lost friends, colleagues. My wife." He said the last almost inaudibly, touching a finger to a burning taper then wincing as tallow dripped over his skin.
"My people have a similar custom," Lennier said, regarding the candles. "Who would have thought our peoples were so similar?"
Sheridan's head lifted, and a strange smiled curved his lips as he regarded Lennier. "Who would have thought?" he echoed.....**
----------------------------------------
The choir had long since stopped singing and departed by the time Lennier exited his meditative trance. The silence of the chapel absolute, and Lennier allowed himself to appreciate the beauty of the silence as before he had appreciated the music. He felt tranquil and refreshed, realizing that during his contemplations his decision on Delenn's request had been made.
He had always known Delenn was destined for another, but that did not make knowing that the particular moment had arrived any easier. He knew he would forever hold Delenn in his heart and cherish her there, but she had made her choice and had turned to him for support. He felt honored to have earned her trust and respect so, and could not fail her. It was not only his duty to support her, but he did so willingly out of friendship and love. From what Lennier had observed John Sheridan, whether he was Minbari or not, truly loved Delenn. He was honorable, courageous, kind and brave. A worthy match for her.
"**I will walk through fire for you, Delenn,**" he whispered, uttering a traditional oath of fealty, "**Into storm. Into darkness. Into Death. I will die friendless and alone. For you.**"
-----------------------------------------------------