A Dream Given Form: A Babylon 5 Self Insert

[DarkDestroyer]

Warner Brothers Discovery Owns Babylon 5. For Entertainment Purposes Only. Non-Profit.

On one of my days off it is just around the anniversary of my Arrival now. I spot Brother Theo sitting in the Zocalo enjoying a cup of Cappuccino. I exhale and decide to introduce myself.

"Brother Theo...I hope I'm not disturbing you?"

"Ah. Mr. Young, isn't it? No. Not at all. Please sit."

"Thank you. I'm sure you're wondering why I've come."

"I must admit that yours was a presence I wasn't expecting. What can I do for you?"

"I know you've come to Babylon 5 to study all the religions here. I can respect that. I---" I frown...I'm not sure how to express what i want to

Brother Theo grins though.

"You've come to ask me what seeing Kosh means for you? Haven't you?" he asks

"Yes. I have struggled with the notion of faith, and spirituality over the years. My brother and I when we were young, attended Sunday school, but it was never something we were raised in. I have---most times rejected the notion of God, and yet--"

"You have questions?" he offers

"Yes."

"Having questions about one's faith and what that means is as common as it is for me to be here sitting with my cup of Cap. What specifically did you have in mind, Mr. Young?"

"I know that Kosh was telepathically projecting himself--everyone saw---whatever spiritual avatar appeared to them. I was not expecting to see anything....because..."

"Because you felt like you didn't believe." Theo answers and I nod

"Yes. But now that I have seen him, I've struggled---"

"You are trying to determine if seeing Kosh means you HAVE been a believer all this time and just been denying it." he asks

"Yes."

"Well...I can not speak on that, but what I can say is that I think you believe in Kosh himself...having faith is not just about believing in doctrine, or in an all powerful, all seeing being...it is simply believing in others. You believe in Kosh. I don't think that makes you particularly religious."

"Thank you Brother Theo." I get up

"Leaving so soon? I was rather enjoying your company. Plus I wanted to discuss something else with you." he says

"Oh?"

"Commander Ivanova confided in me about your...abilities. I wanted to talk to you about---"

Ah.

"Brother Theo...I understand about Brother Edward..." but he puts his hand on my arm

"You understand the surface context about him yes...but not the depth. I'd like to talk about the man I know, and then you can decide what you will do afterwards about this."

I see the sincerity and the plea in his eyes. I sigh. A waiter comes by.

"I'll have a French Vanilla please. Light milk."

Plus I can't help but like Theo. There's something about him...

 

[DarkDestroyer]

Warner Brothers Discovery Own Babylon 5. For Entertainment Purposes Only.

Jan 28, 2260. It has been One Year since My Arrival in the Babylon 5 universe. A year since I was saved by possible death from hooligans, by Security Chief Michael Garibaldi. Before we enact the plan to capture Nightwatch, I invite the senior staff, Marcus, Delenn, Lennier, and Kat to a gathering in my quarters to mark the occasion. Normally I would have invited Doug, Tim, and the staff from Doug's but they don't know about me yet, and I'd rather keep it that way. Zack is not a friend...yet. I cook and entertain and we talk about not work . Sheridan and Delenn continue to become closer to each other.

"This is pretty good Lasagna, Adam." Garibaldi says through mouthfuls.

"Thanks. I learned to cook from my mom's partner, she wasn't a chef or anything but could cook like one. I eat a lot of pasta based foods."

"You must think about your family and friends a lot." Susan offers

"I think about them all the time. Wonder what is going on there, if things weren't like they are on Earth right now, I'd imagine a bunch of think tanks would have get together and work on why this has happened."

Stephen lights up at that.

"Oh yes. There would be symposiums on you! All the greatest minds in the galaxy would likely converge on Earth to study err you---and come up with theories as to why you're here, and how to return you. You'd likely spark a brand new scientific revolution."

"Instead we have a despot, who wants to isolate Earth, and oppress the people." Garibaldi comments

"How'd Clark happen, Adam? Surely you can tell us that without violating any kind of fixed destiny." Susan asks

I look at Delenn and Lennier and turn back to Sheridan and the others, and exhale.

"The Shadows are largely responsible for the events transpiring on Earth. Mr. Morden approached Morgan Clark. Morden is largely responsible for planning the assassination attempt, all Clark had to do was let things happen...and they did."

I let them digest this. Susan will discover this while in the Great Machine in a few weeks time, so it can't hurt to give them this information now. We can't do anything with it.

"I wish you'd arrived two years ago. We could have stopped this from happening." Sheridan mutters

"I've wondered about that. The Shadows are involved right now with many of the younger races. They've been interested in us, obviously for quite a while. I could have helped stop Earth Force One from exploding, and I certainly could have stopped Jack from shooting Michael---" the Chief nods back

"They would have found another way to kill Santiago." Susan states

"But it would have given us time, the knowledge that someone else was manipulating events to their favor, we could have exposed that and had ALL of Earth on our side." Sheridan surmises.

"It's possible. The thing is that the Shadows, Clark, and Psi-Corp only inflamed issues that were bubbling under the surface. It is what that ideology does. Where I came from, we're experiencing it, not to the extent you guys are but close. This was all written as a warning, a lesson if you will, and of course as humans, we never learn from history. We just repeat it, over and over again."

An uncomfortable silence follows as they contemplate my words.

"But we win." Garibaldi says bringing everyone out of their funk, looking at me.

"We win. You'd be a whole lot more gloomier if we didn't win. I've come to know you pretty well in the last year Adam, I know you can't tell us everything for whatever ridiculous reasons you have, and I've come to begrudgingly respect that, but we end up winning. We beat the Shadows, and we win back Earth. I am not so sure you'd be here if neither of those things didn't occur." Sheridan states

"Yes, you do win, both wars, but at the cost of a lot of lives, and a lot of suffering. I've been trying to mitigate some of that, but it's not a given that will still happen just because I have seen it. A lot of hard work and sacrifice still needs to happen. A lot of pain. A lot of change. I will help where I can but nothing is ever guaranteed, especially in war, let alone two wars at the same time, but there's hope. Always is hope."

"Hope alone is sometimes not enough." Sheridan says putting down his glass.

"Sometimes, hope isn't enough. We need to start going on the offensive. Waiting around until something happens, isn't cutting it for me." Sheridan says annoyed

"Yeah. I get that sir. But Clark is too powerful at the moment. If we move NOW---he's strong enough to end any chance of us winning this. We need to build, and our focus for the time being, needs to be on the Shadows."

Getting Nightwatch off of Babylon 5 is a high priority. There could be Presidential backlash from Clark's forces, but I highly doubt that. Nightwatch are goons, and thugs that have infested Earth Alliance and need to be routed out as quickly as possible. Getting them off the station is especially important so we can get around to starting our greater work. Tip toing around them has been annoying to say the least

"Well, hasn't this turned out to be festive." Marcus laments

"It's all right. The Captain asked, and I replied. But it's time to celebrate...me." I say with some snark and everyone laughs except the Minbari.

Time enough to get around to what needs to be done still.