Chapter 3: Moving Narn and Centauri
The steel grip of the fingers clenched around his throat, squeezing shut the windpipe. He collapsed onto the throne as slowly the grip was killing him. But he wouldn't be killed so easily, and he reached around, his own hands gripping with an intensity he hadn't felt in so long. Slowly his hearts were stopping and his vision was being painted in a color of dark red.
Mollari started from his sleep, his breath heavy and ragged. Sweat covered his face, but slowly he wiped it away, his hands trembling as he did so. What a terrible dream. The same dream that had haunted him for years. The death dream.
Emperor Londo Mollari the Second threw back the heavy sheets and swinging his legs around, moved to the computer console and typed in a command. As the computer awaited the call to be patched through he called out around him, "Lights." The lights turned on with a vicious intensity and squeezing shut his eyes added, "Low."
The door opened and the helmeted head of one of the guards peered in. "Are you in need of assistance?" he asked.
"No," he shook his head, "Thank you."
The guard made one more quick glance, then nodded. "Of course sire," he said, closing the door as he stepped back out.
The computer screen let out a series of beeps. He turned and the white coated, completed shaved front desk nurse of Centuari Prime Hospital looked at the screen. She was the stereotypical hospital matron, down to the eye-pieces. Over two centuries had passed since the Centauri had perfected retinal surgery, but there were many who held onto these pieces of a bygone era.
"May I help you?" she asked.
"Can you tell me how the Lady Timov is currently doing?" he asked.
"Timov?" she let out an annoyed sigh, looking at a paper list of patients, "She's still in intensive care. Would you like me to call you back if her status changes?"
Mollari stared at the screen. Timov was perhaps one of the few women he really cared about. Once, long ago, Malachi had asked him if he could have one wish, what would it be. He had replied with a 'Divorce Mariel and Daggir'. When asked why only those two, he hadn't had a good reason. He still didn't have a good reason.
"No," he said, holding up his hand, "Thank you."
He pushed a button to end communications. He turned to look back at his bed and began moving towards it. Sheridan might have built a vast Empire, but would the peace he promised be more then the wishful thinkings of a naive human? Who knew. He was going back to sleep.
The Centauri warship flew around for another pass, the three civilian transports hurrying as fast as they could to the jump gate. Lasers passed through them, missing them but coming dangerously close. The Centauri ship leveled off and fired back a response, one of the five long Selvan ships rupturing as it was hit with several consecutive hits.
The Narn Heavy Cruiser tried to speed past the warship, only to have to turn as the elegantly shaped Centauri cruiser swooped around, and began firing a stream of pulse weapons at the cruiser. But, even as several sections of the Heavy Cruisers hull tore off with the explosion, the Selvan fired several lancing blows at the Centauri ship, destroying it's starboard engine. The Centauri ship began to list to port, continually firing, tearing apart the Narn ship, which was now able to return fire itself.
The jumpgate began to activate, the vortex opening blessedly to allow them to escape the clutches of their enemies.
"Thank you for the help," the captain of the lead cruiser called out, "Gods bless you."
"Just get out of here!" the Captain of the Centauri cruiser replied, as explosions announced the shearing off the right circular "wing" of his ship, the Selvan carving into his ship like a ham or roast.
The vortex closed behind them, not showing them the final fate of the Centauri cruiser. But, all in their memories would stand an image of the Centauri ship, it's swivel pulse cannons firing in multiple directions, one of the Selvan ships exploding dead center, but the rest moving in on it's wounded prey.
G'Kar was Grand Master of the Narn Regime. He had overthrown the cowardly members of the Kha'Ri. They had sold their planet out to aliens. Now he had set himself upon the throne, sole ruler of the Narn people and it's mighty war machine. Only a fifth of the Narn military had participated in the Second Narn-Centauri War and the subsequent Narn Occupation. It was only right they use the might they had.
What had been the charge that Human Technomage, Galen/Gideon, whatever his name was had said? "Rule the Centauri until the one who was to be Emperor was ready." That man was Vir Cotto. And Londo Mollari was not him.
So, he would fight wars unmeasurable against Mollari. He would tear the teeth from the "Lion of the Galaxy". He would turn it into an amusement park, open for 10 to 5 Human time. He would turn the Centauri into an endangered species. He would fight until Vir Cotto was on the throne.
G'Kar held up the plate of fresh spew and sniffed it. The Centauri were like the spew on his plate. Meant to be eaten. He had given so much for his people, and now it was time the Centauri repaid the debt. Who was to stop him? He took his fork and stabbed into the white block of goo and put it in his mouth, chewing on it. And wishing it was the bones of Mollari he was eating.