Author's Notes: While watching "And Now For A Word" again, I wondered what everyone's reaction to this comparatively inoffensive ISN broadcast might be. This is what I came up with.
"Hey, Susan. Where ya going?" Ivanova turned around to see Garibaldi striding forward in his usual casual gait.
She sighed expansively. "To get extremely drunk." When he raised an eyebrow inquisitively, she expanded. "This has been one of the longest days of my life. We've got Drazi political activists acting up again, Narn complaints about the latest Centauri transports coming through, the computer system in C&C is acting up again, and on top of all that, that…that damned ISN report that just aired…"
"Oh, I didn't think it was that bad," Garibaldi said with a grin, deliberately playing devil's advocate.
"Not that bad?" Susan was incredulous. "Londo and G'Kar are going to throw fits over those interviews. That senator made us all look like idiots. And did you see what she did to Delenn!"
Garibaldi shrugged casually, enjoying the fury of temper his offhandedness was producing. "Hey, it was nothing too big. Nothing that won't blow over in a couple of days."
Ivanova shook her auburn head furiously. "That woman is undoubtedly the most ridiculous, incompetent, idiotic reporter I have ever met in my life! Perky," Garibaldi heard her mutter as she stalked off in the general direction of Earhearts'. He just grinned, and ambled off towards his office.
**
"Yes?" Delenn's voice was tremulous and uncertain.
Sheridan bit his lip, unsure if he should continue, but then said, "It's me."
The door slid open with the usual sound of hydraulics, and Sheridan stepped into the Minbari ambassador's quarters. Despite the fact that the layout of the rooms were almost identical to his own, the fascinating crystal sculptures, the smell of hot tea, and something else in the very air always served to make the room extremely alien. Delenn, as human as she now seemed, still fit perfectly into the very Minbari atmosphere.
And that was the problem now, wasn't it. Sheridan glanced at her, then away again uneasily. She looked as though she were trying very hard to hold herself together. "I, uh…I saw the ISN report a few minutes ago. I wanted to apologize for the way that reporter handled herself." He shook his head; that hadn't really been what he'd wanted to say. "I'm sure what she was doing - what she said - was a direct result of a personal grudge. She certainly wasn't speaking for everyone."
The Minbari woman had a tight smile on her face that expressed no humor whatsoever. "There was, perhaps, a certain amount of truth in what she said." Delenn spoke carefully, keeping her eyes focused on her folded hands. "When I underwent this change, I did not consider the effects it might have on those unwilling to make peace. It was…near-sighted, on my part."
Sheridan shook his head, unconsciously moving a few steps forward. "No, it wasn't. You can't just overlook all the good you've done, just because one person hints otherwise! What you've achieved here goes far beyond any prejudice anyone on Earth or Minbar might still have." He stopped short, embarrassed, realizing he was starting to take on his "speech" tone of voice. Delenn looked up at him, and though there were still tears in her eyes, her smile was more sincere.
"Thank you," she said quietly. "I…thank you." Then she blinked sharply and her demeanor changed abruptly. "I…I'm sorry, would you…" She looked a bit confused as to what to do with him, now. "Would you perhaps like some tea?"
Sheridan felt a grin spread across his face. "Yes," he said, moving to sit down, "I'd like that."
**
G'Kar was sitting calmly at a bar in the Zocalo, his back straight, gazing casually at the drink in front of him. If it seemed unusual for him to be there, no one commented.
From the corner of his eye, he saw a soberly-dressed figure come up to the bar. He heard a familiar voice say, "One of the usual, please," in a very tired tone. Staunchly, he kept his gaze focused forward, refusing to look at the Centauri beside him.
He could almost feel the tension and apprehension rolling off the Centauri ambassador. He let it build for a few minutes until finally he said, "Your pathetic attempts at propaganda did not go unnoticed, Mollari."
"There was little enough propaganda in what I said." Though he sounded stubbornly defensive, he did not sound as if this was an unanticipated argument.
"Claiming that everything you have done to my people was for our own good? That you would have left Narn whenever we had asked? This is not propaganda?" It was becoming obvious to the other patrons in the bar that, although Londo was remaining relatively calm, G'Kar was spoiling for a fight. Having had previous experiences with the Narn, the bartender began to slowly edge away.
G'Kar, in the meantime, had lost his aloofness in his fury and had finally turned to glare at his opponent. Londo did not appear disturbed.
"That was politics, not propaganda," he said dismissively. He then looked at G'Kar over the top of his glass. "Besides, can you claim to be innocent of the same crime, hmm? Those were some very cruel things you said about my people." Londo drained his glass and called for another drink.
"There were some very cruel things done to mine," G'Kar retorted, "and not only in the distant past. You recall, perhaps, Ragesh 3? Quadrant 37? Quadrant 14?" Londo went pale at the mention of the last. "Hah!" exclaimed G'Kar in triumph. Finding he had nothing else to say to the Centauri, and noticing the security officers beginning to notice him, G'Kar set his glass down with a pronounced thump and stalked off toward Green Sector.
Londo did not watch him go, but rather stared moodily at the bar for a few moments more. Then he lifted his glass and, without hesitation, drained it in one motion, gesturing for another almost before the first glass was empty.
**
Cynthia Torqueman clicked off her vid set, leaning back into her comfortable sofa. After she had gotten off work, she'd finally had the chance to see the finished B5 report her team had put together. She really had to commend herself, she decided, on a job well done. The report had been detailed, concise, and informative; it had had just enough input from "authorities" to make it credible, without becoming as tedious as interviewing all those "authorities" had been. That Narn attack on a Centauri vessel had been a lucky break, she had to admit. The ratings on this should be phenomenal.
The people on Babylon 5 were a real group of characters, she reflected. And the captain almost the worst of the lot. They were obviously not used to the press, any of them. Well, they'd have to be, if they expected to keep on doing what they were doing. Her visit had probably been good for them all.
Yes, she thought to herself, definitely a job well done. They'd be thanking her right now, if they could. Cynthia smiled to herself as she leaned back in her chair and went to sleep.