My fifth annual Halloween contribution. This time I have to thank my Sci-fi meet for giving me the idea for this one in the first place. It was written in one sitting late on Halloween night, so I think I've missed the midnight deadline.

As usual, I don't own anything you recognise as from B5. All hail to JMS, the great maker.

In Possession

by

Hilary Weston

Halloween.

Lyta hadn't thought much about it before. To the Mundanes, Psi-corps was the bogeyman, and Teeps had their own bogeyman in Psi-cops. This year though, the festivities on the Zocalo had attracted her attention more than usual.

Perhaps it was the feeling of being abandoned after the Vorlons went beyond the Rim, or Bester stalking her, but right now she just wanted to feel part of something that demanded nothing from her. Something fun. So there she was, sitting at the bar, drinking something that smoked ominously, watching the costumed children chasing each other with squeals of delight.

Slowly, more adult laughter became audible. Before long, it was hard to ignore, and a crowd had gathered around a trader's stall further down from the bar. Intrigued, Lyta strolled along to see what was causing the hilarity. As she got closer, the voices became clearer.

"Ask something else." A child demanded.

"Who's going to win the World Series?" A boy asked.

Lyta strained to see what was causing the commotion. Everyone was looking at a pumpkin that a stallholder had carved out for Halloween. He had cleverly set up lights inside that made it look as if it was glowing, and now she heard a voice as well.

"Bats dodge with sound in the moonlight." It sang; some synthesiser that had been set up to change the voice. Lyta stayed to hear another couple of strange answers, then decided to return to her drink.

Wait

She didn't need to turn around. That order, cast into her mind could only come from one source.

She went back to her drink.

Later, after everyone had tired of the strange talking pumpkin, she did return. She stood in front of the vegetable, the carved grin a mockery of what it held, and she confronted Kosh.

Not her Kosh. The other Kosh, and then only part of it. A weak splinter of its essence.

"You were killed." She stated.

Yes

"So how come you are here now?"

I have always been here

"Don't say that! You are not him! Don't ever say what he said!"

Help

"Help?" At that Lyta laughed. "The great all powerful Vorlons; First Ones and shepherds of the galaxy; asking me for help?"

I have been left

"Too right. I bet you broke off a piece during that last fight, just as Kosh did. But this time there was no one willing to hide you, so you've drifted until you became trapped in that pumpkin."

Help

"How? I refuse to carry a Vorlon in my head again, and even if I did, what then? All the rest have gone beyond the Rim. We are alone now."

Alone

"Horrible feeling isn't it?" Lyta surprised herself at how calm she was being, "Cut off from everyone; no one willing to get close to you, because they are afraid. Now you know how it feels to be me. This is what you made me."

And with that she turned, and walked away from the Vorlons. They may have made her what she was, but she was their slave no longer.