the Darkness
Chapter 2
�Are you sure he is the One, Delenn?� said a voice behind his back.
Zorro turned to the group of . . . creatures behind him, eyeing them with apprehension and awe. The speaker resembled Delenn with his comb-like growth on the head. But Delenn�s face looked human, this one did not. His head had no hair at all � the comb-like growth covered half of his skull. The creature that stood next to him reminded Zorro of a big lizard that stood upright on its two hind legs. Its body was of a dark brownish color covered with black spots all over. Its eyes were beady and red like two burning coals.
Only one among that strange group looked completely human: He stood right next to Delenn, dressed in what seemed to be some kind of a uniform. All of them eyed Zorro with intense curiosity. And their hard stares made Diego glad that he had his Zorro mask to hide behind. Delenn noticed the desperate bewildered look on the outlaw�s face and walked up to him with a smile.
�Yes, I am sure, Lennier,� she replied to the one who spoke to her first. �The Vorlons showed him to be the One.� She took Zorro by the arm, �Let me introduce everyone to you.� She pointed to the creature with the comb, �This is Lennier. He is Minbari like myself ��
�What is Minbari?� Zorro interrupted.
She stopped short in confusion, unsure how to explain to this man from the 19th century something that was so plainly obvious to everyone in the 23rd.
�You see,� she began finally, �there are many planets apart from Earth. You are from Earth, and you are called an Earthman. He,� she pointed to Lenier, �and I are from a planet called Minbar; we are Minbari.�
She was about to continue, when the lizard-like creature interrupted her and said with a slight bow: �My name is G�Kar. I am from the planet called Narn.�
�And I,� said the uniformed man, �am John Sheridan, the captain of Babylon 5 . . .. I am from Earth.� He walked over to the masked man and added with an admiring smile, �You really are Zorro?�
�How do you know who I am?�
�Wh� are you kidding? When I was a kid, I used to watch movies about �� he cut himself short, noticing the dumbfounded stare of his listener. �Did I forget to mention that this is the year 2260?� he asked cautiously.
�22� . . . You mean�� Zorro choked as he realized what was it exactly that the captain was saying.
After a short pause, Sheridan added quickly, �Why don�t we all go to my quarters where we can sit down and discuss this calmly. Alright with you, Diego?�
He nodded absently; his mind was so overwhelmed with the fact that he has just been transported four hundred years into the future amidst the most strangely looking creatures, that he did not even realize that the captain called him by his name. It came to him later, when they were all seated at the round metal table in the captain�s quarters, and he said half-questioningly half-confirming, �You have called me Diego just now?�
�Yes, I did . . . I . . . hope you do not mind. If you prefer��
�No, no,� he shook his head, figuring that after what has happened he should not be surprised by anything.
�We are all aware of your identity, Diego,� Delenn said calmly. �The Vorlons have given us all the information about you that they felt we needed to know.�
�Vorlons, eh?�
�Yes, they are the��
�Um,� he interrupted her, raising his left hand to his mask. �Perhaps I should better remove this first,� he said, pulling down the mask. �And this,� he removed his hat and bandana and put them in front of himself on the table. �Since I do not have to keep secrecy any longer, I believe that to continue wearing them would be improper.�
Delenn smiled softly. �Thank you. It is much easier to talk to you this way.�
Diego nodded. Then he took a deep breath and said, �Well, I am ready. What was it that you were going to explain to me?�