Chair Person

Set after the end of the series.

"Our leaders have stood for a thousand years," Delenn said.

"Then their feet must be tired too," Sheridan replied. He touched a button and the holographic sales display rotated the image of the chairs.

"What if you want to look in the other direction? The viewing room is a three dimensional representation of space."

"Ah, look. Swivel chairs!"

"It seems undignified."

"Not at all. Without a chair, how do you know who's the Chair?"

"Chairs are objects. I know your language well by now. They are not who, they are what."

"Well, it used to be Chairperson. You know, the person who chairs the meeting."

"What does it mean, to chair?"

"Well, to lead. To run the meeting."

"So a chair is a symbol of leadership in your culture?"

"Yes." Sheridan smiled. He was finally getting somewhere. He had been after some seating for the Whitestars' viewing room for years.

"Like a king's throne," Delenn concluded. "I see."

Sheridan nodded encouragingly.

She took the sales viewer and looked at the chairs on display more seriously. "I see. I remember reading some human literature once, in which there was a reference to a 'Chairman'. Are there many words like this in your language?"

"Words where the 'man' was erased, you mean? Yes, there are. Chairman. Policeman. Ombudsman."

Delenn nodded. After a while, she asked, "So, what does it mean, to Ombuds?"