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******************************

   Lyta looked around the laboratory. It had been a huge warehouse, but in the 
months that she and the scientists had been on Slor, the government had managed 
to refurbish the building and install all the components that would be needed 
to support long-term genetic research into the life forms that had been brought 
back from Slor.

   Standing beside her, referring to the facility, Jerl Sthul, the president�s 
top aide, said, �Impressive isn�t it?� 

   �Considering the short time available, your people have made remarkable 
progress.�

   �Would you care to meet some of the people who will be using what you and 
your crew brought back? I have to admit that the Slorians you brought back are 
both frightening and intimidating.�

   Lyta spent the next two hours meeting scientists and technicians and being 
informally briefed about their plans. It was interesting. Lyta just hoped they 
found something that would assist her in making a final judgment concerning the 
Slorians. 

******************************

   As Lyta left the facility, Meltin Flou and several people accompanying him 
accosted her.

   �I see you made the trip in spite of my warnings.�

   �You are quickly becoming a bore, Mr. Flou. I strongly suggest you and your 
associates go about your business and leave well enough alone.�

   �What do you think the IA ambassador will say when he learns that you have 
not only been to Slor, in violation of the planet�s being quarantined, but that 
you have actually brought Slorians back to Ghor?� 

   �I really don�t care, Mr. Flou. Go ahead and inform him. You may not get the 
response that you�re expecting. Who�re your friends?�

   �Just some other concerned citizens of Ghor.�

   �Have a good day, Mr. Flou. Oh, yes, please give the IA ambassador my best 
when you go to visit him.�

   Flou was incensed. He and his associates walked away from Lyta.

   Jerl Sthul walked up to Lyta and asked, �What was that all about?�

   �Mr. Flou and his friends are off to see the IA ambassador and tell him what 
I have done.�

   �That could cause problems.�

   �No it won�t. As soon as the ambassador communicates with John and Delenn 
Sheridan, the matter will be dropped.�

   Looking at Lyta with a puzzled expression on his face, Sthul asked, �How can 
you be so sure?�

   �Because, I�m the person who broke the quarantine. Take my word for it, Mr. 
Flou will be seen and heard and then ignored.�

******************************

   Meltin Flou was as good as his threat. He went to see the IA ambassador and 
found himself sitting in the gentleman�s office.

   �What can I do for you, Professor Flou.�

   �I have information that one of your citizens has brazenly violated the 
quarantine of Slor.�

   The ambassador�s expression showed interest in Flous� words. 

   �Have you heard of a Human woman named Lyta Alexander?�

   �Of course. She�s responsible for your planet being allowed to join the IA. 
She�s also responsible for the quarantine of Slor.�

   �She is?�

   �You didn�t know that? I suppose I shouldn�t be surprised. We let G�Kar take 
the credit for both of those things. It was what the Alexander woman wanted. 
There is some bad blood so-to-speak between her and President Sheridan. I 
believe it�s personal, but no one seems to know anything about it.�

   Flou looked confused. 

   The ambassador stepped over to what looked like a communications console. He 
worked with its controls for a minute then sat back down at his desk. When the 
display warmed up, the face of a middle-aged Minbari looked out of the screen 
at the ambassador and his guests. �How may I be of service, Ambassador Kolun?�

   �Is it possible to speak with either President Sheridan or Delenn?�

   �A moment, please.�

   A minute later, a blond haired woman�s face occupied the display screen. �I 
am Tessa Halloran, Delenn�s chief aide. Delenn is unavailable at the present 
time. What can I do for you?�

   The ambassador introduced Flou and then stood aside.

   Flou looked at the woman and replied, �I wanted to report that Lyta 
Alexander has broken the quarantine of the planet Slor and has brought live 
Slorians back to Ghor. These entities are being held in a laboratory and they 
intend to experiment on them.�

   �The Slorians and their predicament are the responsibility of your planet�s 
central government. We will handle the Alexander woman. Thank you for the 
information.�

   �You mean you are just going to let them experiment on the beings. They are 
sentient. The Alexander woman kidnapped them from their home planet.�

   �I have already stated the official position of the IA on this matter, sir. 
If you wish to pursue the well being of the Slorians, you will have to pursue 
it with your own planetary government.�

   Disappointed, Flou and his associates left the ambassador�s office. As soon 
as he left the room, the ambassador looked at the display and said, �Thanks, 
Tessa. What do you want me to do about Lyta?�

   �Nothing at all. She�s doing exactly what we need done.�

******************************

Elsewhere in IA headquarters:

   �How long until we can expect a complete analysis of what Whitestar 89 sent 
us?� asked Delenn.  

   �I don�t know. Hopefully, Tessa�s people will have something before the week 
is out,� replied John Sheridan. �You watched and heard Alyt Nelan�s log 
entries. I want to know what is going on out there. Lyta may have gone too far 
this time.�

   �Just what do you propose we do about it, John?�

   Sheridan looked at Delenn and said nothing. An expression of confusion on 
his face was her only answer. He hated to admit that there was most likely 
nothing that they could do.

******************************

   Tessa Halloran sat watching the presentation her lead analyst was giving. 
She kept thinking that Lyta Alexander was involved; she wondered to what 
extent. The cut-away views of the underground installation built by the 
Slorians was, to say the least, impressive. �Just what do we know about this 
installation, Will?�

   �As you can see,� here he brought up a close-up view of a part of a cave 
floor support, �this section of floor support seems to be made of something 
similar to granite. The entire mountain range is essentially small variations 
on this rock structure. It is for all practical purposes impregnable. According 
to our calculations, the mass drivers the Centauri used on Narn would be 
useless unless you can find a good supply of solid iron asteroids and then they 
would have to be at least a kilometer in diameter. That size solid iron 
asteroids are the exception rather than the rule. Even thermonuclear weapons 
would be a waste of time.�

   �You aren�t being very helpful, Will. Do you have any more suggestions?�

   �You might try a shadow planet killer. Nothing short of those kinds of bombs 
will do the job.�

   �Have your people come up with any ideas about how the Whitestar 89 suddenly 
became equipped with super sensors?�

   �As you may or may not know, parts of the whitestars� computer systems were 
supplied as intact units by the Vorlons. When we use the last of those, we�ll 
be between a rock and a hard place to produce more whitestars. They gave us the 
directions for making more of them, but we still haven�t been able to mass-
produce them. Right now, it takes six months to �grow� a navigation computer, 
and we still don�t know what we�re doing. We�re like workers in a kitchen who 
can only follow the orders of the chef. We know what to do, but we have no real 
idea why it works.�

   �What about Alyt Nelan�s logs?�

   �We don�t have a clue. He must have been hallucinating.�

   �What about the missing island?�

   �Now that�s really odd. When Nelan�s whitestar made a complete survey of the 
planet, the results indicated that there was something with some kind of power 
source located there. Whatever it was, the improved sensors on Whitestar 89 
couldn�t penetrate it. With the island gone, we�ll probably never know what was 
there.�

   �Explain to me exactly what happened to the island.�

   �Short and simple; it was there, then it wasn�t.�

   �What happened to it?�

   �Something appears to have blown it away.�

   �What makes you say that?�

   �Whitestar 89 was in low orbit directly over the island when it was 
destroyed. It detected absolutely nothing unusual right up to and including the 
time the island was destroyed. There was no meteor or asteroid or anything like 
that. Whatever happened it was on the planet itself.�

   Tessa watched the image of the island being blown into dust particles the 
consistence of talcum powder and the water around it being vaporized by having 
its molecular structure ripped into its constituent elements and combusting in 
the heat and recombining into water. She found it hard to realize that the 
destruction covered an area larger than the area of the North American state of 
Massachusetts. �What other effects did this event have on the planet?�

   �It generated what we Humans would call a fourteen earthquake on the Richter 
scale. It shook the entire planet. It generated a tsunami that devastated 
seventy per cent of the planet�s coastline. It cracked the upper mantle 
directly under the blast area. The dust it put into the atmosphere will most 
likely affect the weather for the next decade or so. Tessa, this was one hell 
of a big bang.�

   �Are you ready to present this to John, Delenn, and the IA ambassadors?�

   �Considering what we don�t know about it, yes. There�s no way to soft pedal 
this, Tessa. There is someone nasty in town and they have the ability to play 
really rough.�

******************************

   Later that morning, William Caine made the presentation to John, Delenn, and 
to the IA ambassadors. It turned into a shouting match with the Drazi 
ambassador demanding to know who was responsible. The arguing went on for a 
short while then President Sheridan got everyone�s attention.

   �Considering all that we do know about this event, do any of you really want 
to take on whomever is responsible. One bomb like this one would devastate a 
major portion of any of your planets as a result of earthquakes and tidal 
waves, not to mention the effects of the weather changes. Remember, this was 
not a thermonuclear device. Whatever it was, it left no residual radiation.�

   After giving Sheridan�s statement some additional thought, the ambassadors 
grumbled, �No.�

   After the meeting ended, Tessa approached John and Delenn.  �I had a 
communication with our ambassador on Ghor. It seems that Lyta Alexander has 
been on the planet Slor recently, such as within the last week or so. It seems 
that she took some Ghorian scientists with her and they brought back a large 
quantity of specimens, including a number of live Slorians. The specimens have 
been turned over to the Ghorian government for study.�

   Thoughtfully, John said, �We now know who was responsible for the island 
removal project.� Looking at Delenn he continued, �I know there is nothing we 
can do about it. This is why you suggested delaying taking action about this 
planet.�

   �Yes, it is, John. Let Lyta handle it. She solves the problem however she 
decides is most effective, and the IA has clean hands.�

   �It is a plan, Mr. President,� said Tessa.

******************************

At the IA embassy on Ghor:

   The ambassador was just having his second cup of coffee; it was a luxury 
item he had shipped in from Earth � an expensive perk. He was reading the first 
of numerous reports that routinely found their way onto his desk.

   He was on his second sip of coffee and finishing up the latest report from 
Whitestar 89 when his phone rang and he was informed that a Ms. Alexander 
wished an audience. At this point, he was very wide-awake wondering what she 
might want. He had been instructed to not interfere with whatever she was 
doing. He wasn�t about to irritate Tessa Halloran. She had the power to have 
him reassigned because of her position and her relationship with the Sheridans.

******************************

   Lyta was shown into the ambassador�s office.

   �How may I be of service, Ms. Alexander?�

   �How much do you know about the history of the planet Slor?�

   �Have a seat and a cup of coffee.�

   She had a suspicious look when he said that.

   �It�s the real McCoy as you humans like to say. It�s quite good. It�s one of 
the perks of the office.�

   Lyta smiled. �In that case, I�d appreciate it very much, Mr. Ambassador.�

   �My name is Kolun. I�m a distant cousin of Entil�za Delenn.� He spoke into 
his intercom and a minute later his aide brought in a small coffee carafe, a 
coffee cup, and various fixings on a small tray.

   Lyta helped herself. �Really, sir. How much have you been told?�

   �I know that you are why the planet is quarantined. I know that the local 
sentients there are little more than intelligent predators with modern weapons. 
Other than that, I�m totally in the dark.�

   Lyta knew that he was telling her a half-truth. �I thought that you were 
privy to the special briefing that was given to the president of Ghor.�

   �I was, but that is highly classified.�

   �Who do you think provided him the data for that presentation?�

   The ambassador stared at her. �You?�

   �Of course. Who else?�

   �You did that after going to the planet.�

   �Actually, I did it after the good professor and his staff supplied me a 
great deal of data from their astronomical observation records of the planet.�

   �You provided the finished product. I�m impressed, Ms. Alexander. I�m quite 
sure that isn�t the purpose for this visit.�

   �You also know that I recently returned from a short trip to Slor. I believe 
a Professor Flou and some of his friends informed you of as much.�

   �They were here day before yesterday. Well-meaning fellow, but a bit 
provincial and totally ignorant of the remainder of creation.�

   �I have some material that needs to be transported to IA headquarters on 
Minbar. It�s too important to send any way except with a full whitestar escort.�

   The ambassador looked interested. �Really? Why?�

   �How much do you really want to know, ambassador?�

   Lyta�s tone caused Kolun to think very hard. How much did he really want to 
know? He wasn�t sure. �Just give me an outline, Ms. Alexander?�

   �Did you hear about the island in the southern hemisphere of Slor that has 
gone missing?�

   Kolun admitted that he hadn�t heard anything about it.

   �I blew it off the planet. There was a leftover Shadow genetics laboratory 
located on the island. It was still fully operational. It doesn�t exist 
anymore.�

   �That�s a shame. We could have used the information they had amassed.�

   �You still can.�

   Now she had his totally undivided attention.

   �How?�

   �Several weeks before I destroyed it, I had the beings running it make 
copies of all their programs and databases in several languages. They even made 
instructional manuals for the programs, complete with original program code. In 
other words, ambassador, I have the whole enchilada.�

   Kolun didn�t respond. Instead, he tried to get his thoughts wrapped around 
what Lyta had just told him. Then he asked what to him seemed the obvious 
question. �What do you want in return for the data?�

   �Absolutely nothing, ambassador. The local scientists are very good in the 
genetics department. They have about fifty metric tons of samples of life from 
Slor, including live specimens of both the original Slorians and the modified 
ones. I want the locals to be involved. They will need modern computers and 
other items for lab work and such. I think that�s a small price for what I�m 
offering the IA.�

   �Where is this data?�

   �It�s in the back of the large truck that I parked in your courtyard.�

   �Isn�t that a bit risky? Someone could have hi-jacked it from you.�

   Deadpan, Lyta responded, �No one alive in this galaxy.�

   Her response sent a shiver up his spine. �I�ll need to contact IA 
headquarters.�

   �I�ll wait. At the moment, I have nothing but time to spare.�

******************************

   Tessa Halloran looked at the image on the viewer display. �Say that again, 
Ambassador.�

   Ambassador Kolun repeated his statement. �I have a very large truck parked 
in my courtyard. It has just over fifteen metric tons of data crystals and 
whatnot inside its cargo container. I�m told by Lyta Alexander that it is the 
computer programs and data that was developed over the last few hundred years 
by a former Shadow genetics laboratory located on an island in the planet 
Slor�s southern hemisphere. She says it includes what amounts to programs and 
program code documentation and manuals detailing what was being attempted. She 
also informed me that she blew the island away as an object lesson for Alyt 
Nelan, the commanding officer of Whitestar 89.�

   [There it is. She did it. I wonder in Valen�s name how in hell she managed 
it? We have no proof other than �her� word for it.] Tessa thought about the 
videos of Lyta in action and knew damned well that she was a most formidable 
woman. She was decidedly glad that Lyta was on good terms with the IA, even if 
she and John Sheridan weren�t friends. 

   �What do you need, Ambassador Kolun?�

   �I need transportation for the material, so I can send it to you. Lyta 
suggested three whitestars, one to carry the material and the other two for 
protection.�

   �What does she want in return?�

   �She wants us to provide advanced computers and programmers to work with the 
Ghorian scientists who are going to be doing research on the fifty metric tons 
of genetic material she procured for the Ghorian government, which includes the 
live Slorians, both natural and modified. She thought it might be a good idea 
for us to provide some genetics specialists, too. It will give us a first hand 
look at some very interesting information.�

   [She�s giving us a front seat. We�d have to be maximum stupid to not jump at 
this opportunity.]

   �Let me call you back, ambassador. I think I can convince John and Delenn of 
the worth of this situation.�

******************************

   Ambassador Kolun returned to his office. Lyta was taking a sip of coffee and 
looking out of his office window. �Very nice place you have here, Ambassador 
Kolun.�

   �I like it. It�s not Minbar, but it is very pleasant. The IA representative 
is going to call me back. Will you wait?�

   �They�ll take the offer, ambassador. I�ll unload the truck. You can notify 
Jerl Sthul, the president�s top aide, about the IA response to my offer. His 
number is on his business card.� She handed him a business card that was very 
neatly scrolled letters and numbers on imitation parchment. It spoke of quiet 
class.

   Twenty minutes later, Lyta having unloaded the truck, drove away from the IA 
embassy compound.

******************************

   Jason was sitting with his between Emily�s legs, the back of his head 
resting on her pubis. The training video had finished several minutes earlier. 
He was fidgeting, trying to get more comfortable. After few minutes, he quit 
moving and relaxed. Emily lowered her mental barriers and listened to his stray 
thoughts. He was thinking about the information the video had provided and was 
assimilating it with what he had been learning from earlier videos. It didn�t 
take very long.

   After sitting still for almost thirty minutes, Jason started rubbing his 
cheek against Emily�s inner thigh. She had her mental barriers lowered, but 
there was no overt sexual component to his thoughts. What he was thinking 
confused her. He was thinking of a woman, somewhat older than herself. 

   As Jason continued to rub his cheeks against her inner thighs, Emily began 
to get a general feeling of warmth through her body. This confused her almost 
as much as Jason�s thoughts. Her thoughts drifted to the recent past.

******************************

Several weeks earlier in the apartment:

   �What did you want to discuss, Jason?� asked Emily.

   �Remember, I told you that I didn�t find any of the women available sexually 
attractive, but that I keep having dreams about a woman I used to date?�

   �Yeah. What about it?�

   Handing her a cup of tea, he took his seat at the breakfast table and 
studied his cup of tea as he put cream and sugar in it. �I have never been one 
to go for one�night stands. I mean I suppose that what I�m saying is that I 
need more than sex from a woman. Without feelings, for me, it reduces it to 
nothing more than two sweating, grunting bodies. From that perspective, it�s 
repulsive to me. I know a lot of people who think I need to have my head 
examined, but not everyone likes bananas.�

   Emily just studied him without responding. She had a feeling that he really 
wasn�t looking for a discussion. She was determined to let him take the 
conversation; such as it was, wherever it might go.

   He finished fixing his tea and took a tentative sip. He wasn�t in any hurry. 
Besides, he didn�t want to give her the idea that he might be interested in 
her; he wasn�t, but a mistake on his part could bring a response similar to the 
one she had visited on the psi cop. He hated to admit it, but she scared the 
hell out of him when it came to the idea of sex. He had told her as much a few 
weeks earlier.

   �During my career in Earthforce, I had five female companions � girlfriends 
if you will. The shortest relationship was about six months; the longest just 
lasted just over six years. They all ended amicably.�

   Emily said nothing, waiting for him to continue.

   Jason took another sip of tea and then went to the refrigerator and got a 
sweet roll. Taking a bite of the roll and another sip of tea, he said, �In each 
of my early relationships neither my girlfriend nor I wanted children or 
anything like that. We both wanted companionship without any permanent 
attachments. One of the things you learn by observation is that when two people 
are both concentrating on their respective careers, family ties are not 
desirable. When both parties are in agreement, breakups � and they are as 
certain as day following night � will occur. It�s how it�s handled that�s 
important. I was lucky. All my breakups were caused by career interference. The 
one that really hurt was the last one.�

   Emily looked at him expectantly, but Jason had gotten a faraway, glazed-over 
look in his eyes. Emily was sure that he was fighting back tears, but 
maintained her silence. 

   �Would it be safe to assume that your last relationship was more than just 
casual companionship?�

   In a soft, semi-choked voice, Jason replied, �Yes. Much more � at least for 
me.�

   Her ears perked up at this revelation.

   �Her name was Linda Bachman. We were together almost seven years. We broke 
up a little over two years ago � two years, three months, and ten days ago to 
be exact � but who�s counting?�

   His manner of comment caused Emily to smile. �Why did you call it quits?�

   �Career interference again. Things were starting to get really serious from 
my end of the setup when she was transferred to the other side of the 
continent. I told her that I was willing to chuck the Earthforce career and go 
to work in a civilian law firm located where she was transferring. She wouldn�t 
hear of me throwing away more than twenty years of a good career. She had good 
valid arguments and I finally relented and that was the end of that.�

   �What was so serious about this particular relationship that made it 
different from the others, except its length?�

   �I wanted a family. I wanted children. After carefully considering all the 
various angles, I have come to the conclusion � using my newly upgraded and 
improved brain � that the mention of a family was the kiss of death. I realize 
now that if she had become pregnant, with all that entails, it would have put a 
serious crimp in her career plans. The idea of a family wasn�t in her deck of 
life�s playing cards. I honestly believe that if I hadn�t brought up children 
and a family, we would still be sharing an apartment; considering how things, 
such as my vaunted military career, have played out, I think being a 
househusband and raising children would have been a definitely positive career 
move.�

   �You can still have a family. I�m sure that there is a woman somewhere who�s 
willing to help you with making that a fact of life.�

   �Let�s see, now. Where might I find an eligible mundane female? There is 
Babylon 5, but that�s quite a trip. There are the various Earth and former 
Earth colonies, Mars or even Earth itself. Yeah. That�s what I�ll do. I�ll put 
an ad in the local help wanted section of the newspapers and on the various 
Internets � wanted: female to fulfill role of wife. Must be of childbearing age 
and willing to have children. Submit resume to Jason Conrad care of your local 
Glenthorian embassy branch office.�

   �That�s not really funny, Jason.�

   �Really. There are no unattached mundane females on this planet. So, I don�t 
have much choice. It�s either I forget ever being a husband and father or try 
to entice some mundane female to travel all the way out here for matrimonial 
purposes. Somehow, I don�t think that�s likely to happen.�

   �At least you still have an option open for having children.�

   �You mean the Psi Corps thing.�

   �Yes. Lyta showed you some images, but I�m sure she never gave you the whole 
story.�

   Jason looked at her expectantly and took another bite of his sweet roll. 
After thinking it over for a few minutes, Emily told him her tale of woe with 
Psi Corps.

   She had just finished her tale and Jason was stunned. He couldn�t think of 
anything to say. If there had ever been true horror stories, this was surely 
one of them.

   After some minutes, Jason asked, �When was your last physical examination?�

   �Before I left Psi Corps. Why� 

   �I think you should let one of our doctors run a complete physical with 
tests to see what exactly the corps did to your reproductive system.�

   �Why do you care?�

   �Actually, I don�t, but it might help for you to know whatever truth there 
is to know. I wouldn�t trust anything a corps doctor told me � especially 
considering how vindictive they apparently were.�

   �I�ll check about it.�

   �Personally, judging from what I�ve seen of your interactions with children, 
I think you�d make a great mom.�

******************************

   Emily relaxed and was enjoying the warm feelings Jason�s actions were 
eliciting within her. She thought of his statement from several weeks 
earlier, �I think you�d make a great mom.� There was a shortage of eligible 
bachelors or other unattached Human males available. 

   She realized that Jason was daydreaming of the last woman with whom he had a 
relationship. He was imagining how much she would enjoy what he was doing and 
in imagining this was actually doing it to Emily. His rubbing and other actions 
were becoming more intense. She said, �Jason!�

   He didn�t respond. Instead, he kissed her inner thigh and turned his head 
until his cheek was rubbing against her crotch. In his mind, Linda Bachman was 
responding to his efforts. The thoughts that he was radiating were purely how 
much Linda was enjoying his efforts. He was entirely unaware of where he was 
and whom he was with. Emily hated to admit it to herself, but she was enjoying 
what Jason was doing. The problem she had was she didn�t know how to respond. 

   Emily had seen porn videos before; so, she knew what the mechanics of the 
various sex acts were, but she had no ideas at all about the emotional contexts.

   Shaking his head, Emily said, �Jason! Wake Up!�

   Jason stopped what he was doing and turned to look at Emily. He had a 
confused and lost look on his face. In his mind, he was still groggy and a bit 
lost. He had been with Linda. How did he get here? His expression slowly 
changed to one of horror as he realized where he was and what he had been 
doing. He quickly moved away from Emily. Seating himself on the opposite end of 
the couch, he mumbled apologies for his actions.

   In her mind, Emily was amused at Jason�s reaction. Outwardly, she regarded 
him with a look of mild distain on her face. Without changing her facial 
expression � she, thinking she was being humorous, said, �Remind me to not wear 
my underwear next time.�

   Emily and Jason had always had a strictly formal working relationship. 
Outwardly toward one another, they had never engaged in light-hearted banter or 
any other kind of humor. The expression on Emily�s face and the tone of her 
voice when she spoke struck fear into Jason�s heart. He immediately saw the 
mental images of the psi cop and knew he had made a very bad mistake. He knew 
that he had been daydreaming of Linda, but that would only sound like a lame 
excuse to Emily.

   For whatever reason, Emily was not �listening� to Jason�s surface thoughts 
and totally missed the true effect of her attempt at friendly humor.

   Jason forced a smile on his face and replied, �That won�t be necessary. It 
won�t happen again.�

   Emily was satisfied that her attempt at friendly humor had succeeded. She 
was still enjoying the feeling of warmth that Jason�s actions had elicited. 

   She took Jason�s advice and saw the doctor. She learned that her 
reproductive system was intact and that her honest belief in being sterile had 
provided the stress necessary to cause her lack of menstrual periods. All she 
had to do was believe that she was able to have children and biology would see 
to the rest.

******************************
     
   The next day was uneventful; Emily and Jason attended several meetings and 
everything was apparently normal. However, the evening was definitely different.

   Emily had started the evening�s training video and assumed her position on 
the couch, but Jason didn�t. Instead, he sat in a recliner a meter from one end 
of the couch.

   �Is there something wrong?� asked Emily.

   �Not at all. I just don�t want any repeats of last evening. The best way not 
to get burned is to not play with fire.�

   Emily didn�t reply. [I guess I wasn�t as funny as I thought last night.] She 
wasn�t sure of what went wrong, but all she said was, �Whatever makes you feel 
most comfortable.�

   Jason had been having some thoughts of his own, but he didn�t dare think 
about them in her presence. He could never be sure when she might be listening 
to his stray thoughts. This desire for his own health and safety had dictated 
his thought patterns ever since he had learned about what she had done to the 
psi cop. He didn�t want to ever give her any reason to strike at him like that. 
Unlike the psi cop, he wouldn�t survive such an assault. The problem was he had 
no idea what, other than a sexual assault, she might deem a reason to attack.

******************************
   
   Tessa Halloran sat eating her lunch and looking at John and Delenn Sheridan.

   �That�s what was relayed to me by our ambassador on Ghor. I really don�t 
know enough about Lyta to make a judgment call. My only interaction with her 
was on Mars when we were going to kill Garibaldi for luring you into Clark�s 
trap. I know just enough to be very afraid of her.�

   �There�s no reason for that fear, Tessa,� replied Delenn.

   �Her proposal seems straightforward enough,� said John. �The only question I 
have is the data worth the price?� 

   �I ran her proposal by our lab boys. They think it would be one hell of a 
bargain, especially when considered in view of the data in the astronomical 
package that Draal gave us. We now know who generated that.�

   John Sheridan sat quietly considering the situation. He had come down hard 
on Lyta after she had caused the destruction of Z�ha�dum. He had threatened to 
turn her over to the Psi Corps. Just the kind of thing guaranteed to garner 
someone�s love and trust. Then when Lyta had pulled her stunt in the Zocalo, he 
had threatened to blow her brains out. All Lyta had been doing was posturing 
for Captain Lockley�s benefit. There was never any real threat in what she had 
done. That was another prime example of how to win friends and garner love and 
trust. If he behaved like that with all the people he had to deal with, he 
believed he would be the loneliest man in the galaxy.

   �What�s on your mind, John?�

   �I was just thinking; this wouldn�t be the first time that Lyta was 
responsible for the destruction of a planet.�

   �We don�t know if that�ll be necessary, Mr. President.�

   �True enough, Tessa, but if it is � she�s the right person for the job.�

   �Keep in mind, John, how she handled the Drakh invasion force that attacked 
Babylon 5. She killed the crews without destroying the ships. Maybe she can 
just destroy the sentient Slorians.�

   �I�m sure she�s thought about the available options.�

   �Pardon me, but the two of you seem to think Lyta�s handling this problem is 
a foregone conclusion. If I might ask, what makes you so sure?�

   �Your doubts only show how little you know about Lyta, Tessa.�

   �John is correct, Tessa. Lyta will look for any way to solve the problem 
without destroying the Slorians. When she comes to the conclusion that it is 
not a viable option, she will do what is necessary. The Vorlons made sure of 
that. In spite of her abilities, she still considers life sacred � if that is 
the correct term to use for her beliefs.�

   �Which whitestars do you want sent?�

   �Have the whitestars that fought at Mars recently been repaired yet? If so, 
send three of them.�

   �I�ll coordinate it with your chief of staff.�

******************************

   Tessa looked at the chief of staff. �Are three of the whitestars from the 
Mars battle able to do full duty?�

   �All of them are ready, Tessa. Which ones do you want?�

   �Any three of them.�

   �You can have 71, 44 and 65. They will be underway for Ghor before the day 
is over.�

   �I�ll notify Ambassador Kolun.�

******************************   

   It had been four days since Lyta had approached the lead scientist with her 
offer of a unique experience with the Slorians that was guaranteed to produce a 
new understanding of them for the Ghorians.

   Doctor Hult Doran, the lead scientist in charge of the new labs that had 
been built to facilitate studying of the multitude of samples that had been 
returned from Slor, had sent out invitations for the event. The guests were 
assembled in the main conference room. He had made sure that Professor Flou and 
a few of his friends were included on the guest list.

   Lyta walked into the room and looked around at the guests. �I�m happy all of 
you could make it here this morning. The bags that have been provided to you 
are for you to use if you can�t hold your stomach contents down. Be warned that 
what you are about to experience will be beyond anything you can imagine. I 
don�t say this lightly. Some of you will be sick; that�s a promise.�

   �Just what are we going to experience, Ms. Alexander?� asked Professor Flou.

   �The doctor has suspended feeding the Slorians for the last three days. You 
are going to experience their thoughts as they come to grips with their 
situation and how they deal with it when they finally get food. I�m sure it�s 
going to be very enlightening. All you have to do is sit back, close your eyes, 
and relax. I�ll do the rest. If you will, doctor, please project the images 
from the first cage onto the screen.�

   The images started to be shown on the large screen set up against one wall 
of the room. It showed the life-sized images of the Slorians in the first cage. 
It was obvious that the two beings were warily circling one another, looking 
for an opening.

   �If I didn�t have blocks implanted in their minds, they would be trying to 
tear one another apart. In extreme circumstances, they will behave in a 
cannibalistic fashion. They don�t know when, if ever, we will provide any more 
food. We have a pair of ferousimids in another cage for a comparison of 
behavior. I�m going to allow the Slorians to act naturally up to the point 
where they actually try to eat one another, then we�re going to allow live food 
into the cage.�

   Flou looked a bit ill, but kept his mouth shut.

   �If all of you will sit back and relax. Close your eyes, I�ll do the rest.�

   All of the guests relaxed and closed their eyes. Immediately, their 
perspective changed. They felt intense hunger and found themselves circling the 
animal on the other side of the cage. The scent of meat permeated their sense 
of smell. The only coherent thoughts they had were about how to successfully 
attack the other animal in the cage.

   In a flash, and without any warning, the other animal was on top of them and 
trying to sink its teeth into their throats. Just as quickly they threw the 
attacker off and lunged for its throat. Something stopped them just as their 
jaws closed on their adversary.

   A moment later, a small door in the back of the cage opened; a groit, 
similar to an Earth goat, was pushed into the cage. Immediately, both Slorians 
lunged at the helpless animal. Its screams were cut short as they tore the 
animal in half and began to rip large mouthfuls of flesh from the carcass. In 
the conference room the images, smells, and taste of warm blood in their minds 
made six of the guests vomit. A few minutes later, the images halted.

   Lyta looked at the group and asked, �Well, any thoughts, gentlemen?�

   Flou didn�t hesitate. �What kind of trick was that. You can�t believe we�ll 
be taken in by some cheap parlor magic.�

   �That gentlemen was you experiencing what the larger Slorian was thinking 
for the period of time you were seeing and feeling it. Contrary to what 
Professor Flou and his friends may believe, you saw, felt, smelled and tasted 
what was happening in the mind of that being. For what it�s worth, he is one of 
the modified Slorians. I�m going to allow those of you who wish to experience 
what is in the mind of one of the ferousimids. You can then compare them. I 
think you will find the results most enlightening. Are you and your friends up 
for it, Professor Flou?�

   Flou and three of his four friends got up and left.

   Lyta looked at the fourth man. �You�re staying?�
 
   �I don�t think it was any trick, and I am interested, Ms. Alexander.�

   Lyta smiled. �Just sit back, relax and close your eyes again, gentlemen.�

   The demonstration was similar to the first one, except that the ferousimids 
waited and bided their time until the groit was put into their cage. They then 
carefully checked it out before attacking and quickly killing it. The larger 
female took a larger portion, but left plenty for her cage mate.

   The demonstrations were over and Lyta was again standing in front of the 
guests. �I�m open for questions, gentlemen and women.�

   The man who had come with Flou said, �My name�s Lmer D�out. I�m a social 
philosopher by trade and training. I�m sure there were lessons to be learned 
from this morning�s experiences. It would seem that in spite of their apparent 
intelligence advantage, the Slorians, from a social perspective, are much less 
advanced than even one of our most vicious predators.�

   Lyta looked around and said, �You make a seemingly valid point Professor 
D�out. Would any of you care to comment on his statement or make one of your 
own? This is intended to be a learning experience.�

   �What is your part in all this, Ms. Alexander?� asked  Elion Moina, one of 
the doctors involved in the genetics testing program.

   Looking thoughtful, Lyta replied, �The modified Slorians present a great 
threat to you. In time, they will provide a totally unacceptable threat to 
other star systems in the galaxy. The Interstellar Alliance is unable to 
respond to this problem, because of the various treaties that are in place. I 
may be of some assistance in solving this problem, but exactly what response is 
appropriate is one of the many things to which this project is intended supply 
answers.�

   �What kind of answer do you expect, Ms. Alexander. Meltin told us that you 
are prepared to exterminate the modified Slorians. Is that true?�

   Lyta didn�t hesitate. �He told you the truth as he understands it. Think 
about what you experienced a short while ago. Do you want beings like that 
loose in the galaxy with advanced weapons? Are you ready to be killed and eaten 
by them? How about your families?�

   �How can what is going to be done here help you with your decision?�

   �If this project manages to determine that the modified Slorians can be 
further genetically modified to allow them to have something resembling a 
conscience, then we only have to destroy their present weapons and isolate them 
while the modifications are being made. If it doesn�t appear to be possible to 
do that, then I�ll exterminate them.�

   �What if the IA stops you?�

   Lyta smiled a cold smile. �They can�t.�

   �They can keep you away from the planet.�

   �It doesn�t matter. I don�t need to get any closer to Slor than I am now. 
Actually, I can do the job from anywhere in this solar system.�

   �They could prosecute you.�

   �To prosecute someone, you must have proof that a crime or whatever has been 
committed. For murder, you need a body or proof that the person did exist. This 
is not a discussion I wish to continue. Is there anything else you wish to 
discuss?�

   �How long do you expect it to take for us to develop this data, Ms. 
Alexander?�

   �Maybe six standard months, maybe a year. What you haven�t been told yet is 
that the IA is going to supply your staff with a large amount of test and 
experiment data, the programs needed to help use the data, and modern computers 
from Minbar, Earth and several other advanced races. The technicians needed to 
setup and run the computers, and genetics specialists are going to be part of 
the package, doctor. I insisted on it. I need answers; you need answers; the IA 
needs answers, and the only way to get them is a synchronized effort that is 
properly supported. When decision time comes, I want options, whatever they may 
be. Contrary to popular belief, I don�t operate in a vacuum.�

   Professor D�out said, �I assume that Meltin didn�t understand this?�

   �I explained it in terms very much like these to him and a number of others 
in the recent past. He can�t seem to get past the idea that I can destroy an 
entire species or the planet they live on. He couldn�t understand because he 
had no information to work with. You saw his reaction earlier this morning. His 
mind is already made up and anything that undermines his belief is obviously a 
lie or some kind of trick. There is no way to discuss logic and reason with 
someone whose mind is closed.�

   After this exchange, several other guests made statements and asked 
questions. Lyta left the meeting to the guests and members of the project staff.

******************************

   Onboard Whitestar 71, Shai Alyt Sheraun was inspecting repairs that had just 
been finished on his ship. They had taken one hell of a beating at Mars. If not 
for the Ares, Susan Ivanova-Wayne, and her crack crew, he and his comrades on 
the Whitestar 71 and the other ships under his command on that day would be so 
much bad history. He reluctantly admitted that she had done a remarkable job 
with her ship and crew. She, her ship, and crew could hold their own against 
the best the Minbari fleet could field; of that he had no doubts. He had voiced 
that opinion to many who did not want to hear such blasphemy.

   Sheraun looked at the image on his main bridge display. �How can I be of 
service, Entil�za?�

   �Shai Alyt Sheraun. I have a task for you; Whitestars 71, 44, and 87 are 
detailed to the planet Ghor. There you will pick up about fifteen metric tons 
of highly sensitive materials and return them to IA headquarters.�

   �Why three whitestars, Entil�za?�

   �One will transport the materials and the other two will be escorts. It is 
important that you return as soon as possible. Do not let anything distract 
you. The information and other data contained within this material are non-
replaceable. The material is in the custody of our ambassador there.�

   �Is there anything else, Entil�za?�

   �Yes. Connect us with the other whitestar commanders.�

   The connection was made and Delenn had the undivided attention of the three 
whitestar commanders. �There is one thing that you must be aware of. Lyta 
Alexander is in the Ghorian solar system. Under no circumstances will you have 
any contact with her. In spite of Earth Alliance notices about her being wanted 
for detention and questioning, you will avoid her at all costs.�

   The commander of Whitestar 44 looked perplexed. �Your orders are confusing, 
Entil�za. She is wanted by the Earth Alliance, but we are to avoid her. I don�t 
understand.�

   �Understanding is not required, alyt; obedience is. This mission is of the 
utmost importance; do not make me reconsider your recent advancement.�

   Sheraun had perked up at the mention of Lyta�s name. He had just as quickly 
come back to reality when Delenn had issued the orders to avoid her at all 
costs.

   The pictures Delenn had sent him and his fellow ship commanders of the 
island on Slor being destroyed was enough to convince him that the orders made 
good sense.

    It took Sheraun�s triad three full weeks to reach Ghor.   

******************************

   Lyta sat in the pilot�s seat of her shuttle and watched the video message 
for a third time. She rechecked its date of origin. It had been sent more than 
a month ago. She decided to make a quick trip to Earth as soon as she finished 
working with the Ghorian scientists who were operating the new genetics 
research labs.

   She thought about her experience with LtGen. Sanchez. There had been nothing 
to indicate that he would try to have Susan killed. To the contrary, her 
impression had been that he had great respect for her and was to all 
appearances one of Susan�s cheerleaders. Something had gone badly wrong, she 
would find out what it was and take care of it, and Susan would never know.

******************************
   
END PART 18

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