Delenn walked along the corridor, every once and awhile reaching her hand out to feel the wall. Her vision was still poor after the Starfire Wheel. Lennier walked alongside her, steadying her when she faltered. He was concerned, she could tell.
Eventually, Lennier spoke up. "I still think you should wait a while longer before doing this. You're not yet fully healed..."
She stopped him. "The other castes are waiting to see what I do. The longer we wait, the more questioning may turn to fear. Is everything ready?"
"Yes," he said, "As soon as you enter a record of this will be relayed all across Minbar."
Straightening up, she removed her hand from the wall. "Then let us get this over with." She strode into the dark chamber. She reached the center column of light, and waited a moment, to be sure the recorders had turned on. Then she began.
"Today, we rebuild what was broken. Today, we restore the Grey Council. I summon the Nine, as Valen called them together long ago.
"Dhaliri, of the Religious caste.
"Matsdicth, of the Warrior caste.
"Burli, of the Religious caste.
"Shakat, of the Warrior caste."
She paused. This was the moment she was going to break the tradition set down by Valen long ago. But it had to be done. Now, as she had told John after the war, they would build the future.
"In the past, it has been our tradition to seek balance. We have called three from each caste; Worker, Warrior, Religious. But now, that changes.
"I call forth Dulann, Katz, Zhakat, Noornn, and Varenn, of the Worker caste.
"You had forgotten them, hadn't you? When our two sides fight, they are the ones caught in the middle. Forgotten, until it is their time to serve, to build, and to die. They build the temples we pray in; the ships you fight in. They look to us to guide their hands. But prayers are fleeting, and wars forgotten; what is built endures. They do not wish to conquer, or convert, only to build the future. And now, they will have that chance. The Religious caste and the Warrior caste will advise and council. We will serve, as is proper. Religion and war must act in the service of the people, not the other way around." She paused for a moment, and stepped out of the center circle. Dizziness overtook her for a moment, and she realized that she had to finish soon. Her body was rebelling against her. Lennier had been right. She wasn't fully healed. "And this place," she trudged on, "this place is reserved in memory of Neroon, until the day it is taken by the one who is to come." She then turned to the new Satai, and adressed them, "You are the heart, the hands, and the voice of our people. Judge wisely, and well."
She strode out of the council chambers, leaving the new councilors to begin their work. Lennier met her as she stepped back into the corridor. He had not known that she would speak so strongly, and her words had touched him, the same way they must have touched anyone listening to it.
Delenn was barely aware of Lennier's presence. Her minimal vision was swimming from the effort she had expended. As she left the chamber, she reached out for him. "Lennier..." That was all she said before she fainted.