Those on and around the Anla'Shok headquarters and training camp at Tuzanor were mildly surprised when the Soulwalker, Vorlons, newest arrivals from Z'al finally broke up their marathon gathering fest and emerged into the general population. Dr. Franklin went back to the medical facility with Talenn and the other healers where they were working on revising the training manual for Minbari medics treating human patients and vice versa. No big shocker there but kinda anti climatic for those watching. The Vorlons disappeared. Again, no big shocker and no one paid that the slightest bit of attention. They were all certain that if not those, some others would be back in the near future. It really was turning into a Vorlon pit stop and road side stand. They assumed that the Z'al arrivals would go to Selene for some kind of briefing or instruction. That happened. What no one, including those from Babylon 5, expected is that G'Kar and the other 50 Kha'Ri would follow. Zack and Mai'lenn took careful note but considered how close the groups were and that they lived together for over a year so they let it go. To an extent.

They had some time. They didn't have much time before the war would start in full. Before the Warrior Shryne would come to Minbar just as G'Quon warned, but they had time. There was much for them to discuss and come to terms with between themselves. There was also the matter of their instruction. Truladi and Na'thal weren't the least bit subtle when they broached the subject with G'Kar. They also weren't discreet since they brought it up in front of everyone in their meeting place on a separate floor of the barracks they would all share with Betla'Nal. Truladi glanced at Na'thal but the other man shrugged and gave him the 'be my guest' look.

"Sir?"

"Yes, Truladi."

"Those of us who remained on the station after the War Council first came to Minbar had to modify our schedules in your absence."

G'Kar has no clue where this is going or what Truladi is talking about.

"I'm afraid you have me at a loss. Are you speaking of your projects on board the station?"

"Partly. There have also been numerous complaints from all of the relocation centers."

That gets G'Kar's attention and he is gravely concerned. He glances at Selene but she didn't know any of that. She is alarmed and needs more information.

"Has something happened, Truladi, that we weren't aware of?"

"No you both are aware of it."

"What?"

G'Kar is deeply concerned by this now. There is a great deal of work to be done and many things coming in the future. He does not want anything to jeopardize that and if all his people at the various locations are unhappy about something he needs to know.

"Please, Truladi, tell me what the problem is so that I can do whatever is necessary to either address the situation or help mediate a peaceful solution."

"We have not had a nightly lesson in almost 2 months. The directors at each relocation center have been fielding complaints for weeks because the recordings stopped without warning. They are backed up and they forwarded them all to me on the station. I'm lodging my complaint along with the rest of them."

Selene smirks and sits back. G'Kar narrows his eyes at being set up. When he glances over at Na'thal and the rest of the Kha'Ri he sees them nodding profusely right along with Truladi and Z'al.

"That was not nice."

"With all due respect, sir, its still true."

Na'thal decides to go ahead and jump into the hot seat.

"In addition to the complaints, there are a few questions from individuals who would like more understanding on certain topics and areas."

G'Kar nods his head slightly because he can understand that a question or two might have arisen over the past year. That makes sense and he is more than willing to assist in this area. He sits back comfortably and turns to Frick and Frack assuming they wrote out the questions for his review. Truladi turns to Na'thal but he simply shrugs.

"That is understandable. What are the questions?"

"There are quite a few. We downloaded them onto data crystals by subject area for your review."

"Data crystals? How many questions or request are there?"

G'Kar is thinking they were a bit too meticulous putting each question on a separate data crystal but assumes they thought he would respond to them personally and send it back to the individual so he figures that's efficient.

"46,285."

G'Kar's eyes bulged and he can't help stuttering in the process.

"46,285 questions??!!"

Always helpful and eager to be of assistance, Na'thal chimes in.

"And requests."

Then he hands G'Kar the box of data crystals and a portable viewer so he can hop to it.

G'Kar sat silently for a few minutes then moved to set the viewer and data crystals aside. Selene took in the shift in his demeanor and reached for his burden quickly. She would always see herself as his assistant and was always ready, anticipating his needs and concerns. Everyone sat silently because they knew something was weighing on him. And they all understood that the winds of change blowing across the universe at that moment would shift them as well in a way that they only prayed they were ready to understand. Na'thal knew what was coming so he went ahead and pressed the record button, not wanting to miss a single moment of what would be shared. After several heavy minutes of silence, G'Kar began without preamble.

"No dictator, no invader, can hold a population by force of arms. There is no greater power in the universe than the need for freedom. Against that power, governments and tyrants and armies cannot stand. But power is a relative term. It can define the driving force or catalyst, if you will. It can describe the opposing side. The resistance to that action. I have seen what power does and I have seen what power costs. The one is never equal to the other. So what price freedom? When do we decide that the cost is too high? What do I mean by the need for freedom? Is it simply release from the physical restraints that bind us? Those forced upon us by others? What of the ones we place on ourselves? The shackles of thought and desire. The chains of our individual motivations and whims. Which freedom is more precious and more elusive?"

When G'Kar got to the last few sentences, he along with the other Narns witnessed a shift within those Z'al who all seemed to be struggling with his words at that moment. He stopped speaking because he understood. He was the only one outside their Order who knew their true mission and purpose but he also realizes that until those 10 came to Minbar, they did not truly understand the meaning behind the words or the true price they would be required to pay for their willingness to accept the charge.

"But we will never be free until we learn to laugh at ourselves. Once we look in the mirror and see just how foolish we can be, laughter is inevitable. And from laughter comes wisdom."

G'Kar saw that he kind of lost them with that last one so he wasn't surprised by the sea of hands that shot up in the air. He took the first one that caught his eye.

"Yes, Na'Feel?"

"Huh?"

G'Kar kind of rolls his eyes slightly to that but gets it so he explains.

"G'Quon said the third principle of sentient life is its capacity for self-sacrifice. The conscious ability to override evolution and self preservation for a cause, a loved one, a friend. The humans have a saying similar to this. 'No greater love hath a man than he lay down his life for his friend.' It is the same basic theory. Not for millions, not for glory, not for fame but for one person. In the dark. Where no one will ever know or see.

But we must look beyond that. Beyond the singularity of the moment and the person. Beyond the bond of blood, kinship, clan, or friend. All life is precious and all life is created by the same Creator. Who are we to assign a greater value to one over another when the Universe does not?

Narn was a peaceful agrarian society prior to the arrival of the Centauri. While we took to the stars prior to their arrival, we had not stepped beyond our own system and the Centauri were our first contact with another race. There is nothing intrinsically wrong or evil about their species. They could have been one of a thousand other species to have done the same thing. They are one of a thousand to have done the same thing. All of us here know the particulars of the history and what the end result was. Or do we? Once we attained physical freedom we completely altered the very foundation of our society. One that existed for 1,000 years. We changed it ourselves. There was no foreign power preventing us from rebuilding what was broken and moving on as a people. The phrase 'never again' became our mantra and a military regime was established to replace what served us well for a millennium. Power. That is what we said was needed for protection. To prevent history from repeating itself. What did we choose to become in our quest for power? Arms dealers. Information brokers. Technology to prevent the re-enslavement of our world and our people became our driving force. But what happened in the expansion? We ended up taking over former Centauri colonies. We stretched out our hand in a similar manner. No, not to the same extent but do degrees really matter?

The first night we met, during the early days of the Shadow war, I said something to you all. Do you remember? I said the greatest darkness that we must fight is the darkness of the soul that has lost its way. The war we fight is not against powers and principalities–––––it is against chaos and despair. Greater than the death of flesh is the death of hope, the death of dreams. Against this peril we can never surrender."

With the exception of Truladi and the other 8 station Z'al, they all remember his words and nod their recognition. These were the words that convinced Na'thal to start recording G'Kar's talks so they resonate with him as well. But, G'Kar is not finished with them.

"At some point, our people surrendered. At some point, I surrendered to that as well. I am not saying that there is anything wrong with military readiness or the ability to defend ourselves as a people. We should strive to become saints not martyrs. But that is not what led to our current situation. Clinging to the hatred and obsessing over the need for revenge distracted us. Distracted me from seeing exactly what G'Quon warned us 1,000 years ago would come. Sequestering ourselves from understanding the affairs of other races because of our single-minded focus on protecting and preserving, uplifting ourselves to the exclusion of others distracted us from G'Quon's other warnings. From what we know to be true. And it is that truth we are about to face. That prophecy we are about to see realized.

But when the Shadows began to move, as a people, we were not aware. All the signs were there. Carefully laid out in front of us. There were too many skirmishes between various factions and races. Too much strife and conflict. Little things, not so grand and sweeping as a full out war but it was enough. That is the work of chaos and disorder. And the singularity of caring only for the needs and concerns of our species, our race, our affairs, assisted the architects of controversy and destruction. We declared war against the Centauri without knowing of their alliance with the Shadows and the superior technologically advanced weapons that were used against us. That caused our physical downfall. It led to the reoccupation of our world and the re-enslavement of our people. But we weren't free before that. Physically, yes. For over 100 years, yes, we were free of Centauri restraints but we bound ourselves in a different set of chains. We became the very thing we swore never to submit to and we exhausted and expended a great deal of resources and personal energy focusing our minds and attention on that. When the Universe began to shift the balance we were not paying attention. Once the avalanche starts it is too late for the pebbles to vote.

In the past we had little to do with other races. Evolution teaches us that we must fight that which is different in order secure land, food, and mates for ourselves. But we must reach a point when the nobility of intellect asserts itself and says: No. We need not be afraid of those who are different, we can embrace that difference and learn from it. The Universe puts us in places where we can learn. They are never easy places, but they are the right places. Wherever we are, it's the right place and the right time. Great change and progress are born in pain. That pain is a necessary part of the process but the true test of our understanding and growth comes from how we endure and rise above the pain. It is rooted in our commitment to our path and our conviction to continue in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds.

The humans have another saying which is appropriate; the road to hell is paved with good intentions. What we must always remember, what we must never forget is that the destination is not what the Universe intends for us to focus on...the journey is. How we walk the path is just as important...more important than the path we select. Failure to accept that simple truth will signal the collective dying of our souls. Darkness is not abstract. It is not waiting...out there somewhere. And it did not pack up and leave at the end of the Gathering. The potential to be swept away by the darkness of the soul that has lost its way is real and concrete. It is still alive and it is a threat to each of us. Something we must continuously rage against.

That is why I said we will never be free until we can laugh at ourselves. Until we are able to see the folly of our previous choices. To admit that the cycle will continue unless we are prepared to break free and step outside of it. When we are able to identify the foolishness of our actions for what they were and what they are, then and only then will we gain wisdom and achieve a higher level of enlightenment. I have seen what power does and I have seen what power costs. The one will never be equal to the other."