Chapter 47

Small Casino in Geneva suburb: Lando Mollari was very surprised tonight, it seems that no matter which game of chance he tried to play, he won. He was also drinking the best Brevari that they had in stock, and he had a beautiful woman on his arm. He was wondering which god of the multitudinous pantheon he should be thanking. Then he remembered the woman on his arm, and he just didn't care. After a few more hours, she whispered in his ear, and then she kissed his neck. He felt it was time to leave the casino.

He had his driver take them to her apartment, which was in one of the slightly darker sides of the city. Then he dismissed him for the night. Now the two of them were headed to her apartment.

When they arrived, she put on some soft slow music, and she seductively ground against him as they kissed. He was definitely going to have to thank several gods in the morning. Now she separated from him and walked slowly toward the bedroom. As he started to follow her, she looked at him, "Fix us a drink and bring them in with you."

Always the gentleman, especially if it meant he was going to 'get lucky' as the humans put it. He went over to her bar and fixed two drinks. He then went into the bedroom, "Here you are my dear."

The bedside lamp came on and he saw an older man sitting in the chair by the bed, and the young woman passed out on the bed. "No thank you ambassador, that's not my brand."

Now Mollari was tempted to drop the drinks and run, but he heard a PPG power up behind him. He looked at the man in the chair, "Whatever you're getting paid, I'll triple it."

The man smiled at him, and Mollari felt a chill go down his spine. "Ambassador, if I was going to kill you, you'd already be dead."

...
Now Mollari gulped down one of the drinks and looked at the man in the chair. "Well since I take it you're not here to kill me, why are you here?"

"Lets just call this a friendly little chat."

The man slowly reached into the pocket of his coat, and pulled out a data reader. He tossed it on the bed near Mollari. Now he tossed a small data crystal next to him. "Play this Ambassador."

Mollari placed the crystal in the reader and turned it on. He saw nothing but static on the small screen. "There is nothing here." he then tossed the reader on the bed.

The man smiled again, "Oh yeah, I forgot to give you the cipher for it,"

He then looked Mollari in the eye, "Put in your private code ambassador."

Now Mollari sat on the edge of the bed and picked up the reader. He slowly input his private code and hit the start button. Now the screen showed himself giving orders to one of his associates to stop an arms shipment between the Narns and the Humans. He also saw the coordinates that he had given his operative. He watched as he told his operative that he wanted no evidence of the deal or the ships involved to remain. He also watched as he told the operative which ship he should use, so that in case anything went wrong, it would be harder to trace it back to house Mollari.

...
He stopped the reader and looked at the man. "Name your price."

The man just looked at him, and took a second crystal from his pocket. "This is to let you know that there are a few copies of this ambassador."

Now the man sat up a little in the chair. "My price is your discrete cooperation."

"For what?"

"Tomorrow morning, President Levy will ask to see you, and she will bring a proposal to your government. And we want you to look it over, and then agree to it. But make it look convincing ambassador."

"And if I don't?"

"Well then, my people will see to it that a copy of this crystal somehow finds its way to House Kalebar on Centauri Prime, or maybe to the Narns. After that, well who knows what will happen after that."

...
Mollari looked at the man, "How do I know that you won't give the crystal to House Kalebar or the Narns even if I do this?"

Now the man looked at Mollari, and as he did, Mollari felt that chill in his spine again. "You don't."

Mollari looked at him for a moment and realizing he had no choice nodded his head. "Alright, I'll do it."

"You're a smart man ambassador."

The man got up and walked toward the door. He turned and smiled at the ambassador once more, "Remember to be convincing." and he left the room.

Mollari now gulped down the second drink, and was silently thanking the great maker that he was still alive. He heard the young woman moan, and he looked at her. He then noticed a cloth by her head, and he picked it up and carefully sniffed it. He recognized the smell of a sleep agent, and then he looked at the woman again.

Now he thought, "Ah my dear, we could have had such a glorious time tonight." He then pulled the covers of the bed over her and left the bedroom. He called his driver and had him pick him up. When he arrived at his office, he immediately changed all of his encryption codes.

...
President Levy's office: Lando entered the office, and saw the human president sitting on one of the couches. He bowed to her, and she just nodded her head. "I'm glad you could make it ambassador. I have an interesting proposal for your Emperor, and I would like to get your opinion on it."

Lando sat down across from her, "What sort of proposal madam president?"

She placed a folder on the table between them, and looked at him. "We have recently entered into negotiations with the Minbari Federation, to end the difficulties between us. One of the idea's discussed was setting up a neutral space station where the different races could meet, and discuss their problems with each other. In the hope that they can then work out their differences peacefully, instead of shooting at each other."

Mollari looked at her, "A grand idea. But who would run this station?"

She smiled, "It has been suggested that the station be run by a central council of ambassadors of the strongest races. This would be the Minbari, the Narns, the Humans, and the Centauri."

...
Now Mollari looked at her, "I don't know if having the Narns there would be good."

President Levy sat back a little, "Well we need the Narns there, so that we have on odd number on the central council."

Mollari quickly mumbled the races she had mentioned, and as he did so, he was raising his fingers. "Excuse me Madam President, but you only mentioned four races."

She smiled at him, "Oh that's right, I forgot about the other race that would be a part of the council."

President Levy looked him directly in the eyes. "That would be the Vorlons."

Mollari nearly gasped, and then quickly regained his composure. "The Vorlons?"

"Yes, they've expressed an interest in this idea, and as the Minbari have had friendly relations with them for a long time. They agreed to send an ambassador to this station."

Now Mollari was genuinely looking at the proposal. "Madam President, I will forward this proposal to my government immediately. I should have an answer for you in a day or two."

President Levy stood up, and Mollari did the same. "Thank you Mr. Mollari. Please let us know as soon as possible what the emperor thinks of this proposal."

Mollari was nodding his head, "Of course, as quickly as I can."

...
Lando Mollari's office: Lando carefully read the proposal and found that the idea, while a good one, would probably not work out. Now he thought about not forwarding the proposal to Centauri Prime, then he remembered that mans smile. He felt that same chill, and he thought about what could happen if he didn't. Now he pressed a button on his desk. "I want a private channel to the Prime Minister on Centauri Prime. Tell him that this is of the highest priority."

"Yes sir."

Half an hour later, he saw the face of the Prime Minister on his monitor. "What do you want Mollari?"

"Ah, Prime Minister, I'm so glad you could take my call. The human President has given me a proposal that she would like to submit to the Emperor."

"Have you seen this proposal?"

"Yes sir, I have. And I find it a very interesting idea."

Lando then spent the next twenty minutes explaining the proposal, and telling the Prime minister what President Levy had told him. It was when he mentioned the Vorlons that the Prime minister sat up and took notice.

"The Vorlons are interested in this idea?"

"That is what the president said. And the way she said it makes me believe it is true."

"Alright Mollari, send the proposal on highest scramble encryption. I'll review it and then submit it to the Emperor for his decision."

"Thank you Mr. Prime Minister."

After he had made the call, Lando felt a sense of relief, now he sat back, "I think I need a drink."

...
Centauri Prime, Office of the Prime Minister: As he was reading the proposal from the human President, his attaché informed him that two Minbari were waiting to see him. He set the proposal down, and he told him to show them in. The two Minbari men entered and bowed deeply. "Greetings Mr. Prime Minister, we thank you for seeing us so quickly."

He looked at them for a moment, and he smiled at them, "I am meeting you because an old friend recommended that I see you."

The one Minbari smiled, "Yes, Lord Urza is a wise man, and a very clever negotiator. We have had many good dealings with him."

Prime Minister Malachi offered them a seat on the couch in his office, and then sat in a chair across from them. Not being one to waist time, he looked at them. "So what brings you to see me?"

"The older Minbari smiled, "Yes, the reason of this visit. We Minbari have been conferring with a few of the other younger races, and an idea has been forwarded that the Gray council approves of."

"What sort of idea?"

The three of them spoke for the next half hour, and Malachi found that the idea was indeed appealing to the Centauri.

...
"Gentlemen, I must admit that this idea that you and the humans are proposing is an interesting one. I believe that I will forward this to Emperor Turhan, and I will tell him of the many possible benefits it could offer to our people."

"We are glad that you see the wisdom of this idea Prime Minister."

Prime Minister Malachi then stood up, as did the Minbari. "I will inform you and the humans of the Emperors decision as soon as possible."

Both of the Minbari bowed, as did the Prime Minister. Once they had left, Malachi took the proposal that Mollari had sent him, and proceeded to the Emperors Private office. As he was heading there, he thought, "If the Emperor doesn't like it, I can always blame Mollari. Emperor Turhan doesn't like him that much anyway."