Peter David - Legions of Fire 01 by The Long Night of Centauri Prime

Author:The Long Night of Centauri Prime [Prime, The Long Night of Centauri]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 2011-04-05T04:53:37.297000+00:00

12.

Londo had known it was a test. There was absolutely no doubt in his mind at all.

“Sheridan is to die, you know,” the Drakh had said. The comment had snapped Londo from his reverie. There, in his throne room-the place that was the symbol of his power and, for him, the further symbol of the sham that he was-he was startled as the now-familiar voice spoke from the shadows. What was truly chilling was that Londo had realized he was, in fact, aware that Shiv’kala was watching him. At least, he’d been aware on some sort of subconscious level. And it hadn’t even disturbed him. The notion that he could actually get used to this half life he was living-even take it for granted-terrified Londo more than anything that had come before. It had taken a few moments for the comment to sink in.

“What?” Londo had said. The Drakh had laid it all out for him. Told him the plan, told him about Rem Lanas. Told him about the creature that lived within Lanas. He had been picked at random, taken off the streets. It was the randomness that they had felt would be the greatest strength. Someone with no established grudge toward Sheridan, no particular hostility toward the Interstellar Alliance. Lanas was just a nobody. A nobody who wasn’t particularly strong willed, not particularly intelligent. All he was, in the final analysis, was useful. When the Drakh had finally stopped speaking, Londo squinted in the darkness at him. Shiv’kala just stood there, unmoving, unblinking, that same, frightening little smile in place.

“And you have told me this … why?”

“He was your friend. I wished to let you know of his impending fate … so that if you desired to say your goodbyes … you would have the opportunity.”

A test. No … not just a test. A trap. Londo had known it, had been positive of it. The Drakh could just as easily have said, “Sheridan is to die soon. Drop him a nice note,” and been done with it.

No, he had told Londo everything there was to know because he wanted Londo to have that knowledge … in order to see what he would do with it.

Londo had not slept. For two days, he did not sleep. He had gone back and forth in his head, envisioning Sheridan as his great enemy, as the leader of an Alliance that had mercilessly assaulted his beloved Centauri Prime. Someone who had turned his back on them. And Delenn, his wife … she had a way of looking at Londo in the most insultingly pitying way. But try as he might, he had not been able to erase from his memory all the times when Sheridan had been of service to him. Those years on Babylon 5 had been the best years of his life. He had not realized it at the time; it had merely seemed a period of slow, steady descent into darkness. But the fact was, Sheridan and Delenn had indeed been there for him on a number of occasions.

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