Chapter 4: The Emperor Takes a Stand
In white and crème silk robes, Emperor Turin looked nothing if not the image of purity. He was not as painfully arrogant as some people in his court. His kind eyes were full of regrets. Regrets of things he could and should have done. And to add to it all, he was dying. Slowly and surely. Oh, his doctors assured him at least another thirteen years of life, but what would those years mean?
He walked beside a woman, a couple inches shorter then he himself. Her frizzy brown hair seemed unnatural compared to any of the women on all of Centauri Prime. Not because she had hair, most women on Centauri Prime had it. But because it covered all her head, and was not at all sleek like the women of his people. If he was not so familiar and accustomed to the sight of it, he would have been scandalized. Her brown eyes were so full of sorrow though, and that was something he could relate to himself. She was trapped between fire and destruction.
Also, she was the only women on the planet with this many guards that followed her around. Not even his wives had such an entourage of men. Soldiers in grey dress uniforms with braided loops over their right shoulders, newly invented phase plasma guns in their holsters, within easy drawing range. Most likely those guns had been reversed engineered by the Narns first from the weapons the Centauri used, then they had sold some to the humans and the specifics on how to build them.
At any rate, the guards eyed uneasily his own guards who eyed them just as uneasily. But his guards also wore creamy white and gold silk uniforms and bronze helmets and long barreled laser guns. It was laughable that they were at such odds with each other.
"I understand your position Madame President," he assured her as they rounded one of the corners in his hall, "But we cannot become involved in your war with the Minbari."
"But Your Majesty," President Elizabeth Levy said, in a voice that spoke of command, "Eight months. In eight months we've been pushed back on all fronts. Our analysts say we have no more than two years at most to survive unless something changes. Your Republic is one of the only allies we've ever had that has real strength behind it. We need your help."
"If the risks were not so great I would go for it myself," he shook his head, "But believe me, Madame President, if we go to war with the Minbari, we also will be systematically destroyed as you are."
"But, together we might have a chance," she reasoned, "Our forces have spirit in them, and you have a mighty empire with which to draw from."
"All would be meaningless against a race that was old even when we were young," Turin replied, "They are at least a thousand years more advanced then we are. Even during the height of our Republic we never entangled ourselves with the Minbari."
"It's easy to side with someone when the risks aren't great," she pointed out, "The real test is when it is a risk."
Turin chuckled. "Indeed," he agreed, "But, as a leader yourself, you must realize I must do what is best for my people."
"I know," she sighed, "But it is frustrating. Knowing that all is lost."
"Not all," he said.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"We have a system under our control called Epsilon 3," he said, stopping his walking, "I have decreed that the Epsilon System be given to any human refugees that flee there. We will protect them."
"Do you have any guarantees?" Levy asked, "What is not to keep the Minbari from chasing them into the system? You would be brought into the war just as we are. I thought you wanted to avoid that."
"The Minbari are not at war with us," Turin pointed out, "The Minbari have a caste system. Warrior, Worker and Religious. One of thier most highly time honored beliefs is that serving others is the noblest thing to be done. Believe me when I say, it is all I can get for you. And it's better then no help at all."
Levy sighed. "Then it will have to do, I guess."