Exception to Every Rule

Standard disclaimer applies; not my characters or settings or backgrounds. But they are my words.

There were six Minbari crew members in the command section of the White Star. Two were Religious caste; the others were Worker caste. None were Anla'Shok, but all shared the Rangers' dedication and sense of mission.

Ushan was at his normal station, awaiting orders for the next part of their journey. The ship had left hyperspace and was holding position among the fleet of the newest generation of White Stars. Only occasional minute corrections were required at the helm, and nothing was required of navigation. Ushan was occupying himself plotting the positions of the fleet as they circled the flagship, and trying to predict their future positions from their respective trajectories and speeds. The mathematic calculations required were trivial but served to occupy his mind.

Everyone in the crew knew that they would be going into battle soon, and that they would be facing the ancient enemies out of legend. Encounters so far had been mere feints, exercises in sounding out the enemy's capabilities and testing theories of possible offense and defense. Ushan listened carefully when strategy was discussed; he had an interest in all things military. At least he had developed one when he had begun the joining rituals with Fallon.

His clan elders, his parents, his guild brothers; everyone he knew had spoken against their relationship. But from the first moment Ushan had seen Fallon at the Anla'Shok training academy in Tuzanoor, he had known the calling of his heart. He had been chosen straight out of the Temple School in his village for training in stellar navigation. Transported to one of the planet's larger cities, he had been enthralled by the people, the buildings, and most of all, by his studies. After a few years of hard work, he had been chosen to work on a secret project of the Religious caste, learning a new system of navigation, for a new kind of ship.

Working on the White Star nav system had led him to working with the Anla'Shok, and working with the Anla'Shok had led him to Fallon.

Fallon was Warrior caste, a slim straight female, deceptively delicate-looking, with whipcord muscles and a grace that made hand-to-hand combat look like the fluid motion of a rinsha performance. Fallon taught sala'din, the silencing, techniques designed to take out enemies while remaining unseen and unheard. Ushan had to walk past the glass-walled session rooms on his way to and from the computer labs and the dormitories. He couldn't help noticing the beautiful combat instructor, and when the opportunity had arisen at the midday meal to share her table, he had taken it.

After that encounter, he managed to run into Fallon at least once or twice a week. To his intense surprise and delight, she had found him as interesting as he found her. After Entil'zha Delenn had broken the Council and events in the Great Unspoken War had started heating up, Ushan found himself assigned to White Star One. In the lab back on Minbar, he had modified the original navigation systems which had been based on a Vorlon design, and then tested his systems on the newer ships being built. His superiors now wanted him to install it on the flagship and had sent him to Babylon Five to do so. In between missions, Ushan had done just that. Now he was on permanent assignment to White Star One, and he felt the honor deeply, even if it kept him from returning to Minbar as often as he would like.

Before he had left Minbar, he had asked Fallon to join with him. Her affirmative response and knowledge of their imminent parting had brought him to a state of tin'sa'la, dancing on the knive-edge between sorrow and joy. It was perhaps the ultimate irony that he, the worker and mathematician, would be the one to see battle while his warrior-lover stayed behind. Lost in his calculations, his unconscious mind still noted the sudden silence that filled the command center of the White Star. It was never a noisy place, but there was always a low hum of activity as his fellow crew members went about their assigned duties. Looking up, he saw Captain Sheridan and Entil'zha Delenn in a tight embrace. Glancing about, he saw everyone else either staring, open-mouthed, or averting their eyes.

Ushan looked back at his superiors, who were displaying a total lack of concern for anyone observing their behavior. His face creased in a soft smile; he knew that hunger well, the overwhelming desire that both consumed and shut out the world. A dry cough behind him alerted him to the presence of Relnor, senior member on board of the Religious caste. Ushan had little liking for the tall stick-like man. His nose was too long, and he seemed to spend a good deal of time inserting it in the private doings of everyone aboard the ship.

Captain Sheridan was suddenly in front of the two Minbari, and Ushan abruptly stood to attention. The Captain gave terse orders for them to set a course back to the station, and then he pulled Entil'zha Delenn after him as he left the bridge, his hand tightly wrapped around hers. Relnor sniffed behind him, seemingly in disdain or at the least, disapproval, but Ushan had caught a glimpse of Entil'zha's face as she followed the Captain. It was alight with happiness.

"Well, I suppose it is up to me to do it," said Relnor. His voice was tight and stretched.

Ushan turned to stare at him. Relnor's eyes held a fanatical gleam, and a sneaking look of pleasure. "To what duty are you referring, Relnor?" he asked with apprehension.

"Someone must recall Delenn to her responsibilities and her position," replied Relnor pompously.

"I believe Entil'zha Delenn is aware of her position, and she is well guided by her own conscience," relied Ushan stiffly.

"But you saw them!" said Relnor, gesturing at the viewport in front of which the couple had stood. He looked around at the others. "I am the eldest member of her caste present. I am certain a word will recall her to herself. There is a traditional way to do these things..." With lips pursed, he added, "If such a pairing has to happen, the rituals should at least be performed properly."

Ushan stared at him, then looked around at his fellow crew members. "It is not our place to question such a one as Delenn. Or Sheridan, for that matter." He saw the doubt and residual shock in the others' eyes. Searching for something to convince them, he tried to remember what he knew of Religious caste rituals. It wasn't much.

Relnor was speaking quietly but urgently with Trenell, the other member of the Religious caste. Trenell was shaking his head, but his posture was submissive and Ushan knew he would side with Relnor. He had to speak quickly and win the others to his side. He was still a little surprised that he had a side in this, but his sympathies were engaged and he felt he had to fight. Maybe that was Fallon's influence.

A thought occurred to him, and Ushan smiled inwardly.

"It is not solely the place of the Religious caste to decide which rituals Delenn must follow," stated Ushan solemnly. "In the case where two castes are joined, rituals of both castes must be followed. Which rituals are chosen is decided by the participants, and their decision blessed by the elders." A few of his fellow Workers were nodding. This was familiar territory. Joinings between castes were not exactly common, but they were not rare either.

Relnor stood even straighter, moving next to Ushan, looming over him. "Sheridan is not of any caste, in case you had not noticed. His rituals, whatever they may be, have no place in this."

Ushan looked up at Relnor, started to speak, and then stopped. He gave a short laugh. "Sheridan's place in Minbari society is no longer a question of if, but of when, and of how. He is the chosen of Delenn, Relnor, and he is a warrior. Surely you can see that. And if you have no respect for human rituals, at least have some for those of the Warrior caste."

Relnor sputtered, but Trenell held up one hand to silence his fellow caste member. "Let the navigator speak. What would a warrior do in this situation?"

Ushan swallowed. Speaking to groups was not something he enjoyed. Numbers were easier to deal with by far. "The Warrior caste rituals of joining are more...flexible. In times of war." The others clustered around him. He started again, trying to explain. "When life is precarious, a flame bending with each breath, it is important to nurture the flame, to maintain a memory of light amidst the blood-madness of war. The Warrior must walk a dark path and while duty and honor keep him from straying, love also has a role."

Relnor snorted, "This is not our way, and Delenn is of our caste."

"But Sheridan is not," replied Ushan firmly. "You yourself have made that clear. Warriors may abjure the bulk of the rituals, moving ahead to the binding, if one or both is called to war. I know because I have done this myself." It pained him to bring forth such a personal admission, making it open to the scrutiny, and gossip, of others. He hoped Fallon would understand. Then again, it had been her idea to perform the intimacies of the Isil'kas'fal his last trip home. The light she had set afire in his heart would call him back to her from wherever this war took him; perhaps even from beyond the rim.

Trenell shook his head. "These are times when traditions must bend, and even break. They are never good times, but they are here. Let us decide among ourselves, we who were witness to their transgression, if such it was. Who speaks in protest?"

None raised a hand or spoke. Relnor looked as if he had tasted something not to his liking, but he remained silent. Trenell looked around, and announced. "Well and done." He turned his attention to Ushan, who looked back in sudden apprehension. "As Relnor has pointed out, Sheridan is not one of us, and in all likelihood knows but little of our rituals. It may be that Entil'zha Delenn is also ignorant of the finer points of the Warrior caste rules. You must make them aware."

Ushan almost stuttered his reply, "Me?"

Trenell nodded. Ushan saw a few of his fellow Workers hiding wide grins. "But what should I say?" he asked plaintively.

"Tell them they are the exception that proves the rule," replied Trenell. "Now hurry. It is only a short trip back to Babylon Five."