Chapter 5: Anla'Shok
"Our Holy War against the Humans goes well," Council member Shanar said from his place in the circle, the light illuminating each of the Nine, "At least thirteen planets and system have fallen to us in these eight months alone."
"Our losses?" another member asked.
"Minimal," Shanar was proud to report, "We have lost an estimated six hundred killed and seventeen hundred warriors wounded. We haven't lost a single heavy cruiser during this war, and we have not lost any of our fighters either."
"The humans?" the same member asked.
"Seven thousand dead," Shanar nodded his head, "And that's just their ground forces. They've also lost sixty capitol ships, about seven hundred fighters and those that have escaped have been heavily damaged."
"Not very balanced," another member sighed.
"Shalak is correct," another Council member interjected, "The Humans have been unable to do us any damage. They cannot fight us."
"But they do," the Shanar replied with a shrug, "And they die."
"They can do no more harm to us then an insect to a great beast," Shalak commented.
"This is a war," yet another member of the Council interjected, "A holy war. People die in wars. It's the way of things."
"War implies both sides have an equal chance of success," Shalak's supported pointed out, "And the Humans have no chance of success against us."
"It's their problem," Delenn finally spoke from the position that had been set aside for her. While not a member of the Council, she did have a great voice in their meetings.
"How so?" he asked.
"They fired the first shot of this war," she reminded them, "They started this war. And by Valen we will finish it."
"You seem to forget," Colenn, a member of the council who had remained silent this entire time, "Dukhat wanted peace. We have disobeyed his most basic of principles."
Lennon stood in the circular command deck of the station. The view port was opened to space, and he could see far off a planet. Tan soiled and white polar caps. Epsilon 3 was a great place. And refugees from the Earth Alliance that could not get back to the inner worlds were streaming towards the planet. They did not see or even know that the station was there. The tacion emissions prevented that from happening.
"It's a sad thing really," he shook his head, "Imagine. All those people fleeing here. And why?"
"Your people declared Holy War against them," the man that stood next to him said, arms folded, "And they have nowhere else to go."
"I hope Kosh was right about my people not coming here," Lennon sighed, "Even with the Rangers currently being stationed on this station and the Centauri military presence, we will never be able to hold off an attack by them."
The man turned to him with a smug smile, "Why Lennon. You know the Minbari better then that, being one yourself."
"I hope my people will just observe the fact we have a non-aggression treaty with the Centauri," Lennon remarked.
"Oh they will," the man replied.
Silence fell among the both of them as they withdrew into thier own thoughts. At last, the silence was broken by the man.
"How is the human?" he asked.
"Sinclair will have no memory of this visit when the Vorlon releases him back to his people," Lennon replied.
The man nodded his head. "Good," he said, "Otherwise, it would interfere with the future."