B5 Ficlet: Preparations
Title: Preparations
Fandom: Babylon 5
Author: badly_knitted
Characters: Delenn.
Rating: G
Word Count: 581
Spoilers: Chrysalis.
Summary: Delenn is making the final preparation before she begins her transformation.
Written For: Challenge 273: Amnesty at fan_flashworks, using Challenge 2: Triangle.
Disclaimer: I don’t own Babylon 5, or the characters. They belong to J. Michael Straczynski.
Three is a sacred number to the Minbari; everything is arranged in threes, or multiples of that number. There are the three castes: Warrior, Religious, and Worker. The Grey Council numbers three times three, each caste having three representatives among the nine who ultimately rule their people.
Delenn has heard other races speculate that Minbari might also have three separate genders, something that, when asked outright, she always refuses to either confirm or deny. It would not do for all their secrets to become public knowledge; it is often useful to maintain a degree of mystery.
The Triluminary now in her keeping is also one of three. She should, perhaps, not have it, almost certainly it should not be here on Babylon 5, but it was given freely into her hands by one of her closest friends on the Grey Council, and she does indeed have great need of it. Without it she would have no way to do what she believes must now be done.
Time is short; soon she must decide whether or not to embark on a transformation that no Minbari has ever attempted. The last time a Triluminary was put to this use was back when Valen…
She halts that train of thought; what occurred back then was different and it has no bearing on her own endeavours. If she takes this path there is a chance she may not survive, and even if she does, she will never again be as she is now.
When all is ready, she must go to Sinclair; there are things he needs to be told about his role in what is to come, but it is not yet time, not quite. There are a few final preparations to make, and Kosh must be consulted. Before Delenn commits herself irrevocably to this course of action, she needs to be completely sure that it is the right thing to do, because once begun there can be no turning back.
She will send Lennier to the Vorlon with her question, perhaps tomorrow.
Carefully she places another crystal on the tower that dominates her quarters; it has been a long time in the building, involving a great deal of prayer and meditation, but at last it is almost ready. It could be completed within hours, and yet she draws the process out for as long as she can, because when it is complete she will only have two choices left: to proceed, or not, and either way, she cannot tell what the outcome of her actions will be.
That uncertainty gives her pause. If she is wrong… And yet, all signs point the same way. She feels she is right, but she is not omniscient. Some people would say she is acting out of pride, a desire to be of greater importance than she merits. Perhaps they are right.
She picks up the Triluminary and studies it, a deceptively simple triangle that mirrors the one that appeared on her forehead when the human, Mr Morden, approached her. She knew then what he was, an agent of dark and ancient forces newly awakened from their long sleep. In that at least she is not mistaken; the Shadows have returned, meaning a great war is coming.
Delenn has followed the calling of her heart this far, and if she must take this next uncertain step she will not falter, she will face her destiny not unafraid but with a steadfast determination.
Such is the Minbari way.
The End
Fandom: Babylon 5
Author: badly_knitted
Characters: Delenn.
Rating: G
Word Count: 581
Spoilers: Chrysalis.
Summary: Delenn is making the final preparation before she begins her transformation.
Written For: Challenge 273: Amnesty at fan_flashworks, using Challenge 2: Triangle.
Disclaimer: I don’t own Babylon 5, or the characters. They belong to J. Michael Straczynski.
Three is a sacred number to the Minbari; everything is arranged in threes, or multiples of that number. There are the three castes: Warrior, Religious, and Worker. The Grey Council numbers three times three, each caste having three representatives among the nine who ultimately rule their people.
Delenn has heard other races speculate that Minbari might also have three separate genders, something that, when asked outright, she always refuses to either confirm or deny. It would not do for all their secrets to become public knowledge; it is often useful to maintain a degree of mystery.
The Triluminary now in her keeping is also one of three. She should, perhaps, not have it, almost certainly it should not be here on Babylon 5, but it was given freely into her hands by one of her closest friends on the Grey Council, and she does indeed have great need of it. Without it she would have no way to do what she believes must now be done.
Time is short; soon she must decide whether or not to embark on a transformation that no Minbari has ever attempted. The last time a Triluminary was put to this use was back when Valen…
She halts that train of thought; what occurred back then was different and it has no bearing on her own endeavours. If she takes this path there is a chance she may not survive, and even if she does, she will never again be as she is now.
When all is ready, she must go to Sinclair; there are things he needs to be told about his role in what is to come, but it is not yet time, not quite. There are a few final preparations to make, and Kosh must be consulted. Before Delenn commits herself irrevocably to this course of action, she needs to be completely sure that it is the right thing to do, because once begun there can be no turning back.
She will send Lennier to the Vorlon with her question, perhaps tomorrow.
Carefully she places another crystal on the tower that dominates her quarters; it has been a long time in the building, involving a great deal of prayer and meditation, but at last it is almost ready. It could be completed within hours, and yet she draws the process out for as long as she can, because when it is complete she will only have two choices left: to proceed, or not, and either way, she cannot tell what the outcome of her actions will be.
That uncertainty gives her pause. If she is wrong… And yet, all signs point the same way. She feels she is right, but she is not omniscient. Some people would say she is acting out of pride, a desire to be of greater importance than she merits. Perhaps they are right.
She picks up the Triluminary and studies it, a deceptively simple triangle that mirrors the one that appeared on her forehead when the human, Mr Morden, approached her. She knew then what he was, an agent of dark and ancient forces newly awakened from their long sleep. In that at least she is not mistaken; the Shadows have returned, meaning a great war is coming.
Delenn has followed the calling of her heart this far, and if she must take this next uncertain step she will not falter, she will face her destiny not unafraid but with a steadfast determination.
Such is the Minbari way.
The End