"Emperor Cartagia. Of all the possible people who could come back to speak to me, it had to be you." G'Kar's voice held hatred and contempt.

Cartagia gave a flippant shrug. "Yes. It's me. The Living God Cartagia." His tone held irony. "Or at least I could have been, if it hadn't been for Londo and that pathetic assistant of his."

G'Kar was surprised. "Vir? Vir Cotto?"

"Yes," Cartagia said as he inspected G'Kar's quarters. "Even if it was Londo's plan to kill me, Vir Cotto was the one who actually 'pulled the trigger', if you will." Cartagia turned to G'Kar. "Just because I was allowing the Shadows to raise me to Godhood. Yes, yes,yes," he said casually, "the Vorlons were coming to destroy Centauri Prime. But it was their duty to allow it to happen. I was the Emperor, and it was the duty of every Centauri to take their place on the pyre as it was lit in tribute to my Godhood!"

Cartagia looked around. "You know? These are very depressing rooms."

G'Kar was astounded that Cartagia was just as crazy in death as he was in life. "I'm sorry. If I had known I would have a guest of such a divine nature, I would have ensured that things were more prepared for you."

Cartagia gave a happy smile at that. "You see? We can get along." Cartagia flounced to a seat.

"Now. As to the reason why I am here."

"Go on, go on," G'Kar said in a faux friendly voice.

Cartagia said most importantly, "Now, you remember Mr. Morden."

"Oh, yes. I remember him. He worked for the Shadowsm if I recall correctly."

"Well, when he was killed by Mollari, he promised that Centauri Prime would pay the price for what was done to his associates. Mollari was warned," Cartagia said in a remonstrative voice, "and so if the Shadow's allies come and ensure Centauri pays the price, it is no one's fault but Mollari's. Am I right or am I right?"

G'Kar replied, "Oh, yes. I can see that. Certainly. It is on Mollari's head. And it will be quite deserved." G'Kar was using an obsequious tone. "He definitely needs to pay for not accepting your divine command."

"Exactly right!" Cartagia seemed so happy that someone understood. "Yes. Yes. Yes! Now, the Drak. You've heard of them?"

"Yes, I think so." G'Kar said uncertainly.

"Yes. They used to live on the Shadow home world. They worked for them. When their world was destroyed, they had to go somewhere. Well, they remembered Londo's part in the defeat of their Masters. And they began a plan to ensure that Londo and the Centauri would pay for their temerity." Cartagia's happy expression turned to one that was more somber. "But there's a problem now."

G'Kar said in a voice showing fear. "Oh, no! What happened?"

"Somehow, and I don't know how, I know that these new Humans will do something. The Drak are working day and night to ensure that everyone will believe that the Centauri are being wicked, wicked. And if are to go as planned, it will ensure that Centauri Prime is isolated and can then be exploited by the Drak. But somehow, the Alliance will be alerted. And while many Centauri will die, the truth will be made known before the Drak are ready for everyone to know. And so, I have come here to ensure that you make certain that these new Humans are kept out of it. After all, you're a Narn. And certainly, you wish the Centauri to suffer, right?" Cartagia gave an encouraging look.

G'Kar replied, "Oh, yes. I would definitely like to see them suffer."

"Right. I knew you would be a valuable ally when I arrived here. Now, I don't know what has happened since I died – the last I remember was Vir Cotto stabbing me with a needle – but when I saw you, I just knew so much. It must be my divine nature finally taking hold. Anyway, I also get the idea that you almost weren't here tonight. Imagine how hoooorrible it would have been if that were so. I couldn't give you the warning. And that would have been terrible."

G'Kar nodded. "Yes, yes. Someone finally convinced me to face my reticence. And so here I am."

"Good. You should make certain you pass on my thanks. As I said, if you weren't here, the new Humans would have done something and the Draks' plans would be thwarted in part. And we can't have that."

"No, no; we can't," G'Kar said in a light tone.

"Now. Tell me of what is happening in the Galaxy. Tell me of how Narn suffers." Cartagia sat back comfortably.

As he began speaking, G'Kar reflected that it was quite frightening that insanity could follow one into death.

Tory had heard Daniel's story as to how Cavil had taken over the collective. "Ellen, Mum, had decided I was her favorite. Which actually was why John hated me. He made sure that the amniotic fluid used for my model was corrupted, which caused me to be unable to be reborn. And in his jealousy, he moved to defy the Final Five their goal of ensuring the Cylon-Human conflicts of the past didn't repeat. And then he put you in with the Humans so you could share their fate."

Tory sighed. "We actually figured that out. The Earth Humans have something called Death of Personality to replace capital punishment. We deduced that this was what had been done to us."

Daniel considered that. "That would be a good summary. But there is something that can be done to help you remember."

"What?" Tory asked. "Lyta Alexander, a telepath, could find no trace of any other memories."

"I know. But they are still there – they are just under a lockdown tied to the Cavil voice pattern. He has to recite a certain combination of words. Somehow, these match up to an Earth song from a few hundred years ago."

"How does that work?" Tory asked. "We haven't been in contact with Earth for over two centuries. That should be impossible."

Daniel gave a delighted smile. "There was a song that was known on Kobol, and then on the Cylon Earth. The Human Earth had someone who 'wrote it' three hundred years ago. Maybe artists have a special connection and there is some kind of 'universal mind'. I don't know. All I know is that for some reason, the song has been repeated in all Human and Cylon civilizations. It's the only one. In fact, when I started playing it, Mum was absolutely shocked."

"What is the song?"

Daniel sighed. "I don't know. I only remember one line which caught my memory. 'The thief he spoke kindly' – something about a kind thief fired my imagination."

Tory shrugged. "I don't remember it. But that may just be because the memories are locked."

Daniel had spoken his piece. "Now. What's been happening since you all left the Colonies?"

G'Kar had gotten very tired of pandering to the mad dead Emperor he had been confronted with. Just as he was about to scream, Cartagia gasped. "Oh, no! Something is happening! I can feel the night ending!" He looked at G'Kar with some horror, and some regret. "I guess that my ascension will have to wait until the next time I am recalled. I only hope that it will be someone who can do something to assist me. I know you would have done something if you could have, but, in the end you're only a Narn. It's not like you have any true power."

G'Kar was tempted, oh so very tempted, to throw back so much in the face of this being who had so harmed his people. At the end, he chose to let the dead rest.

"Well, perhaps next time," he said in a reasonable tone. "Have a good 're-death' – I hope that it proves more satisfying than the last."

With that, suddenly Cartagia disappeared right before him. Even as he peered around the room to ensure that the madman was truly gone a few short minutes later, the regular lights that had turned off the night before turned back on.

G'Kar checked the time. 5:42. In the normal course of things, he would still be asleep. He decided that he didn't want to retreat into the oblivion of sleep. He wanted to get out and be among more normal people.

It was time, he decided, to go and eat breakfast.

Tory looked around her quarters after Daniel had disappeared. It was so similar and so different from what she remembered of her life in the colonies. So much of what Earth did was similar to what was done there. And yet, there was so much that was different as well.

The casual use of electronics, computers, and technology in everyday life was far more pervasive with Earth Humans than had been the case with the Colonies.

It had not always been so. The Colonies, ironically, had gone much further with computer technology. But that had ended with the creation of Cylons. And so, once their creations had attacked, the Colonies had reverted to a low-tech base.

All advances in technology had halted toward a more physical base and less virtual. All of that had been done to protect themselves from possible hacking by machine intelligences.

And now she knew that Kobol had suffered the same fate, as had the Cylon-settled Earth. Every time that Kobol-descended beings had made leaps into more advanced computers, they had veered off into the development of machine intelligence. And it had almost always ended in catastrophe.

She and her friends, apparently, had done all they could to prevent the same from happening to the colonies and, having found the Cylon-Human conflict already begun, they had negotiated with the Cylons to stop the fighting.

Their efforts, however, had been co-opted by the vindictive nature of their creations. One creation specifically: John Cavil. Their first new Humanform model since the original creation on Kobol.

Kobol Cylons had left and created a society which had, eventually, morphed into a biological path. They had lived, and loved, and reproduced, just as their creators had done. And then they had forgotten the lessons of the past and created their own mechanical Cylons.

And that had led to their destruction.

She hoped that she could, using what she had been told, help retrieve her memories as well as those of the other four. She hoped there was something there which could be used to prevent it from repeating.

Earth Humans had a saying: "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."

She had heard a variation from Sheridan (Those who ignore the mistakes of history are doomed to repeat them) and had looked it up in the Earth database.

The original, she felt, was a much more precise definition of the problems between Humans and Cylons. If only the Cavils had such explained to them. Or maybe they had, but had ignored it in their quest to punish their creators.

When the lights had come back on, her first step was to move to contact New Kobol. She had new information that was vital for those in charge to be aware of.

The next step would be to find out what the Earth song that Daniel had referenced was. She hoped it wasn't too hard to track down.

Sheridan had spoken to Lochley, having verified what had been supposed; and that there had been no other explanation available which could be verified.

Sheridan had his moment with Zooty and, seeing G'Kar next to him, asked, "And if it's not too personal, what did you experience?"

G'Kar huffed. "I'm going to beat myself for doing this, but I will need to speak to the entire advisory board. The Ambassador for New Kobol should be there as well. What I learned … it has wide consequences."

Sheridan saw that G'Kar was not happy in speaking about it. But if there were valid concerns, he would listen.

And so it was a few hours later, after Rebo and Zooty had been farewelled and the entire station was involved in recovering from the visit or the Day of the Dead that Sheridan's office saw a meeting of the most powerful members plus New Kobol.

Sheridan looked out at the others. "So. I hear that we had a very … interesting night last night. Most of you, from what I understand, had some very interesting experiences."

There were nods all around. Tory Foster looked distracted. Londo Mollari was jovial. G'Kar was annoyed.

"G'Kar asked me to bring you all together because what he experienced has relevance for the Alliance. G'Kar?"

G'Kar sighed and then looked for a long moment at Londo, who finally said, "What?" in an innocent tone.

G'Kar sighed again. "I was, perchance, in Captain Lochley's office when the agreement was made with the Brakiri. Having some sense of what would happen, I had moved to prevent it."

Sheridan asked, "So this isn't the first time this has happened?"

"No," G'Kar replied. "As I told Ambassador Foster and Captain Lochley, the Narn had heard tales of previous Days of the Dead. We knew of the tales of the Dead coming back. Often it was loved ones, friends. And, at times, enemies. The Narn consider interactions with the previously deceased to be a matter of extreme caution. I had resolved to ensure I was no where near the phenomenon. Until Ambassador Foster got involved."

Everyone looked at her. "I just asked him to tell me what he knew. And although I was skeptical, and Captain Lochley was dismissive of the actual possibility, my reaction was only that there was nothing to be afraid of by experiencing it. No tales of violence or death; only possible wisdom or possible dire warnings but nothing physically harmful. I pointed out that succumbing to fear was illogical."

G'Kar commented, "And she was right. I don't know what others experienced, but I was faced with, of all things, a former enemy."

Delenn, who had been listening intently, asked, "And who did you see?"

G'Kar looked at Londo and said, "Emperor Cartagia."

Londo looked completely astonished. "Cartagia? That madman?"

"Yes. That madman. And he was still quite put out with the Centauri people, you in particular, and Vir Cotto."

Sheridan asked, "Vir? What could he possible be upset with about Vir? Vir is as inoffensive a Centauri as you could possible find."

Londo, however, had looked worried. "Did he say why he was so upset with us?"

"Oh, yes. And I think it better that why he disliked Vir be a matter of concern for the Centauri only. Mollari knows why, and that should be enough."

Everyone looked at Londo, who was relieved. "Yes. It is enough. He did a necessary thing, something which even now he regrets being necessary. I will only say that Vir was instrumental in the freeing of Narn, in the defeat of the Shadows upon Centauri Prime, their agent Mr. Morden, and even, in a way, with distracting the Vorlons sufficiently for your battle at Coriana. And although many would call for him to be killed for it out of misguided belief, it was a very good thing."

G'Kar nodded. "And with that, I completely agree. It was a very good thing."

Sheridan huffed. "Well, it sounds like an internal Centauri matter, so I won't ask for more details. But G'Kar. Go on. Tell us more of what you experienced."

G'Kar nodded. "Yes. Well, he was just as deluded in death as he was in life. You see, according to him, he remembered his death, and then the next moment, he was speaking to me. And when he saw me, he suddenly knew things. He knew that the Drak have begun making plans to punish Mollari for what he did to the Shadows. And that, in the normal course of things, it would ensure that everyone hated the Centauri and they would be isolated from everyone else. This would, if nothing had changed, have ensured that the Centauri were ripe to be used by them."

Delenn asked, "If nothing had changed. That implies something has."

"Yes. You see, Cartagia was all for Centauri Prime and Mollari paying the price for not allowing themselves to be killed by the Vorlons as a tribute to his godhood. And he was upset that these new Humans would do something which would out the Drak efforts before they were ready for it to be known. Cartagia didn't know what, but he wanted to make certain to ask me to ensure the new Humans were kept out of it. To make certain the Drak plans would come to fruition."

Tory asked, "Us? But what could we possibly do? We're just rebuilding. We haven't even dealt with your people, Ambassador Mollari. And it is likely that we will have to concentrate on the Cylon sector soon which means that we won't be doing as much in the grand scheme of the galaxy."

Londo said, "I don't know, dear lady. But, if what has said is true, then the Centauri will owe you a great debt. I cannot imagine what it could be that you will do, but we can certainly watch out for it."

Delenn asked G'Kar, "Did he say what they would do?"

G'Kar, reluctantly, answered, "Actually. I think they have already done it."

Everyone looked at G'Kar. Tory asked, "And what have we done?"

G'Kar had a smile as he replied, "Who convinced me to sleep in my own quarters, this giving me the chance to hear this warning? Cartagia may have been trying to convince me to ensure that the Centauri, and Londo, were punished. But all he really did was alert me to the involvement of the Drak." G'kar gave a long sigh. "I was tempted. So very tempted. I could have said nothing. And maybe, by saying nothing, the situation would have meant those that raped my world would pay a price. But then I remembered something."

Delenn asked gently, "And what did you remember?"

G'Kar stared straight ahead. "Londo apologized to me. Unasked. Unlooked for. He was outraged on my behalf. He could not apologize for the Centauri, but he apologized for himself." He looked at Londo. "And that meant much to me. I could not, in good conscience, ignore it. And so, I could not, in good conscience all the Centauri to suffer for sins not their own." He added as a last jibe, "They have enough of them already to pay for."

Londo looked off in thought. His voice was soulful as he spoke. "I remember. It was at that meeting where we learned of these new Humans. I saw their Admiral, Adama. I saw his quiet dignity, his certitude in the face of possible destruction. I had been there, where he was, when the Vorlons were coming to destroy my people. I remember how, even when working to save my people, I still kept that selfish joy at 'getting over on' my enemies. And then. Then I met Adama."

Londo looked back at the others. "With all that had happened to him, to his people, he seemed to decide to keep to his best self. To give up revenge. For the betterment of his people. I am a Centauri of Noble Blood, even Royal Blood. I will not be the first Mollari Emperor. And Adama reminded me of what it means to be noble. Perhaps, if those he had led had suffered even further, if he had continued to lose even more, he would have lost a part of himself. Become what he hated. But I heard what that Narn said to you. Of Adama's words, of his deeds. And in that moment, I wanted to once again feel noble. To remember what it was to be of the Blood. I wanted to once again be worthy of the Purple. And so I did something that I have never done before, or since. I apologized. And I meant it."

G'Kar nodded. "And that, perhaps, is the other thing that they have done. The galaxy is changed for their presence." He looked at Tory. "You represent a curious people, Ambassador Foster. Perhaps it will matter little in the end, but for my part, I am most heartily grateful that we have come to know you."

Sheridan and Delenn didn't want to break the mood – it was a far more hopeful mood than had been present before – but the circumstances required it. Delenn spoke. "Yes. Our Warrior Caste was also much influenced by your arrival. But we must get back to the matter at hand." She looked at Londo. "Your trip to Centauri Prime takes on new significance. You will have to look out for influences. But you can't say anything."

Londo asked, "What do you mean?"

"We do not know how the Drak are operating. They might even have ways of monitoring all that happens in the Palace. They left Zha'ha'dum and disappeared. Where did they go?"

Sheridan also had a thoughtful look. "I'm remembering something now."

Delenn asked, "What is it?"

Sheridan looked at Delenn. "Remember the mission to retrieve Babylon 4? How I was unstuck in time?"

Delenn nodded. The others were confused. Tory said, "What mission? I've never heard of Babylon 4."

Sheridan sighed and looked at the others. "What I'm going to tell you is a secret from the Shadow War. It doesn't mean much, in the grand order of things, but for a number of reasons, we have never told anyone who wasn't there. It has to do with how Babylon 4, this stations predecessor, disappeared – and why."

G'kar and Londo were astonished. Tory was interested. They listened with growing awe at what had happened, and what these two had experienced.

Tory finally said, "That is a great story. The kind of thing that sticks with you. But what does it have to do with out discussion?"

Sheridan said, "During the time I was unstuck, I appeared in different points in my life. So did the others. One of the things I experienced was a far future. I had been taken before Londo as Emperor. He was set to have me executed, along with Delenn. He said it was to pay for my crime of ignoring what had happened because of the my war with the Shadows and the Vorlons. I had forgotten about their allies. And because of it, Centauri Prime was burning. I was sent to the cells to await my fate."

Tory, listening, asked, "What happened next?"

He was putting effort to remembering, which showed on his face. "When I was brought back, Londo was …different. More like how he really is." He looked at Londo. "But you were drunk. You said to me, 'We all have our keepers.' And you were amused amused at how they couldn't hold their drink." Sheridan thought for a long moment more. Finally he said, "There was something on your shoulder, some type of growth, or parasite. You were careful about not waking it up. And so, with it incapacitated, you let me and Delenn go. You asked me to save your people. And then sent me off to the ship you had waiting."

Londo asked, "Why have I never heard of this? Why have you never spoken to me of it?"

Sheridan huffed. "Remember that back then, the Centauri were allies of the Shadows. I was still pissed with you. At the decisions you were making. And at the time of the mission, I had no idea of what was going on. I was more astonished at the fact I was married to Delenn, and had a son. This was before the end of the Shadow War, before I even went to Zha'ha'dum. There were other things of more immediate consequence. It was only G'Kar talking about a plan to isolate the Centauri which even prodded me to remember it."

Delenn then gasped. "Mars!"

Everyone looked at her. "What about Mars?"

Delenn looked at Sheridan. "When Marcus and Stephen returned from Mars, he made a full report to me, in my role of En'til'zha', about what had happened. He made a passing comment about a man that had been controlled which almost got him and Stephen killed. What you just said was very much like what he described to me." She paused. "I don't even know why I didn't get more details."

"Can we ask him about it?" Sheridan asked.

"Marcus is acting as a Training Officer back on Minbar and watching over Ranger facilities being built on various worlds. It would take too long to get him here. Londo has to leave soon – he has already put off his departure and it might give signal to someone paying attention if he put it off again."

"But Stephen was there," Sheridan said with a triumphant voice. He hit his link. "Sheridan to Dr. Franklin."

When Franklin showed up and was asked for details about Captain Jack, he gave as much information as he could remember. Those present thanked him and sent him off.

Delenn said, "It sounds exactly like what you described in that future memory."

Londo looked frightened. "This does not bode well for my future. Or the future of my people. I am going to be entering, as you Humans say, the belly of the beast. If these things are already present … it could go very badly for me."

Delenn looked at Londo for a long moment. She then asked John, "The Shadows weren't telepathic were they? When you went to Zha'ha'dum, they didn't know what you were thinking?"

"No," he said. "If they knew my backup plans, they would never have allowed me to get so close."

"So it's unlikely their allies are telepathic either." She looked at Londo and G'Kar. "What would you two say if I suggested a safeguard?"

G'Kar and Londo were wary. G'Kar asked, "What do you have in mind?"

Delenn said in a serious tone, "You have to go the Centauri Prime. We can't avoid it. While you are there, you might see things. If you are somehow interrogated, it might be that they might find out that we have an idea of what is happening. I want to suggest that we bring Lyta in. Ask her to put in a block, if at all possible, to hide the information. A block from speaking about it if possible, or a temporary block in remembering it if necessary. And when you come back, we remove the block and you correlate what you know now with what you find out."

Londo said, "Such a thing is … it goes against all that I am to submit to such a thing. Any Centauri noble, especially one in my positions, would refuse."

"Which is why they will not expect it," Delenn replied earnestly.

Londo sat and thought for a long moment. The rest gave him time.

Finally, he looked at Delenn. "You are asking much of me." He looked at Sheridan and then back to her. "But if what he remembers is true, than this is less bad than what is in store for me, and my people, if we do nothing. If this will save my people …." He hesitated for another long moment. Finally his face took on a look of resolve. "Call your telepath. Let us see what we can do."

It was a solemn group that Lyta found when she arrived to the President's office.