Inauguration - Chapter Six

It was nearing the early hours of the following morning, and the new President had spoken to nearly everyone at the reception. He had shown himself to be a capable speaker, and someone who was able to put his views across. But as the night went on Watt began to feel tired. Even immortals needed their rest. As it neared midnight the visiting dignitaries began to slowly return to their quarters. Watt sat on the podium with Duncan McCloud.
    “It’s been a long night.” Watt yawned.
    “Perhaps it’s time you got to bed.” said McCloud. “You’ve got a big day ahead of your tomorrow…I mean this evening.”
    “Perhaps you’re right Duncan.”
    Then the younger Watt approached the podium.
    “Jim!” said Watt. “How are you? I’m sorry I couldn’t speak to you, but you know how it is.”
    “I understand.” said Captain Watt. “I just wanted to say goodnight before I return to the Valkyrie. Have you seen Magus anywhere?”
    The elder Watt pointed to a corner of the hall where sat Magus and Mollari, laughing and joking with each other.
    “It might be a good idea to leave them to it.” said Watt. “They haven’t seen each other in a while.”
    “You’re probably right.” said Captain Watt. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

    And with that Captain Watt left the hall. In another part of the hall, near one of the buffet tables, Captain Queeg was talking to his second officer, Lieutenant Commander Chavez.
    “Now may be the time.” said Chavez. “With everyone going to sleep no one will notice.”
    “Agreed.” said Queeg. “First, go and see Commander Mograk. He will tell you what must be done.”
    Chavez nodded to his captain and walked out of the hall. Queeg then looked around to see if anyone was watching him. They were not. He then activated his communicator.
    “Queeg to Gorun.”
    “Gorun here. I’m back aboard the Aswan.”
    “Good. You may contact the Warchief. But make sure it’s on a secure channel.”
    “You don’t need to tell me that Tarak, just make sure your men do their job.”

    It was about ten minutes later when Chavez was walking down the corridor of the security area, towards Garibaldi’s office. He knew that the station’s security chief would now be in bed, trying to get enough sleep before the busy day. He soon found Garibaldi’s office and saw the computer panel next to it. He also saw the security card reader and reached into his pocket, taking out a fake security card and putting it into the reader. There was a pause of a few seconds as the computer tried to identify the card. Luckily for Chavez the fake was almost perfect and the door soon opened. Chavez soon entered, and soon found the lights so he could see what he was doing. Even though the office was empty the computers were still switched on. Chavez seated himself in the chair and looked at the panels in front of him. He then began to operate the computer, trying to get something that only a few of the station personnel had access to.

    Sound suddenly rang out in the ambassadorial sector of Babylon 5, the sound of two men in very high spirits, the spirits in question being alcoholic in nature. It was probably best that no one saw a very tipsy Magus and Mollari walking through the corridors, both of them trying to sing. In their current state neither of them could carry a tune in a bucket.
    “What was that song you tried to teach me?” asked Mollari. “How did it go?”
    Mollari took in a deep breath and began to sing.
    “La Donna E Mobile…”
    “No, no, no!” said Magus. “I was teaching you songs from Turandot, not Rigoletto.”
    Magus then took in a deep breath and then began to sing himself.
    “Nessun Dorma…Nessun Dorma…”
    “Wait!” said Mollari. “Before you sing, can you tell me the main plot of this opera? All Earth opera seems to involve a man falling in love with a woman, a woman having an affair with another man, and then killing herself, leaving the man feeling suicidal himself, not forgetting hundreds of people who seem to do nothing but stand around!”
    “Isn’t that what Centauri opera is all about?” asked Magus.
    Suddenly another noise could be heard, the sound of footsteps.
    “Do you hear that?” asked Mollari.
    “All I hear is you.” said Magus. “I just wish you’d give up singing and stick to your day job!”
    “No, wait Phineas. I was sure I heard something. Be quiet for a minute.”
    The sound of footsteps then stopped, but a few seconds later they heard another sound. It sounded as if someone was putting down a large container of some sort.
    “That was different.” said Mollari.
    “Don’t worry about it Londo.” said Magus. “It’s probably just something to do with the inauguration. Come on, let’s go back to your place. We have a lot to talk about.”
    Magus and Mollari continued on their way down the corridor. As they went two heads peered round a corner and watched the two departing ambassadors. They were officers from the Yorktown and the Aswan, Sergeant Kinner and Sergeant Brokk.
    “That was a close shave.” said Kinner. “You should be more careful next time. These explosives could go off.”
    “Don’t worry about it.” said Brokk. “The only thing we have to worry about is the security scanners. I just hope Chavez saw to them!”

    It was the early hours of the morning, about six, and Ro sat in Garibaldi’s office waiting for the security chief to arrive. She waited, and waited, and waited. Eventually, at seven, a rather pale looking Garibaldi entered.
    “What are you doing here?” he whispered. “Don’t you know it’s only seven?”
    “It’s inauguration day, Chief>“ said Ro. “We have a lot to get through.”
    Garibaldi winced slightly and walked in gingerly fashion over to his chair.
    “There’s no need to shout Commander.” he said. “Now, where do we begin?”
    “We begin with me telling you that you left your lights on in here last night. When I came in at six they were blazing away.”
    “My lights were on? Are you sure? I could have sworn I turned them off before I went to the reception. Maybe it just slipped my mind. Anyway, let’s get down to work.”
    Garibaldi looked down at his computer screen. He looked at the screen for a minute or two, and then looked slightly puzzled.
    “What’s wrong?” asked Ro.
    “It’s nothing.” said Garibaldi. “I just have this strange feeling that someone was trying to get into my system. You haven’t been tampering with the computer have you?”
    “I’ve spent the last hour staring at the walls and ceiling. How do you know someone’s been here?”
    “I don’t.” said Garibaldi. “But I can soon find out. The motion sensors would have picked anything up. Computer, has anyone been in this office between the hours of seventeen hundred last night and o-six hundred this morning?”
    There was a slight pause.
    “No one has been in the security office between those hours.”
    “See.” said Ro. “I said it’s nothing to worry about.”
    “That may be, but I’ve still got this uneasy feeling about something, and it’s nothing to do with my hangover!”

    Ivanova sat at her console in Ops, carrying out her normal routine, when suddenly her sensor panel lighted up. She looked at the panel and saw that the jump-gate had been activated. As she saw this Sinclair entered.
    “Commander!” she called. “We’ve got something entering the jump-gate.”
    Ivanova watched as the small ship emerged from the other side of the jump-gate.
    “What sort of ship is it?” asked Ivanova. “I’ve never seen one like it before.”
    “That, Lieutenant Commander, is the last arrival, the Eldars.” said Sinclair. “Direct them to docking bay four. I’ll greet them as soon as they’ve come through customs.”
    “Aye Commander. I’ve never seen an Eldar before.”
    Before Sinclair left he turned to Ivanova.
    “You’ve seen Ensign Greenleaf on the Valkyrie.” he said. “Eldars are just off-shoots of Elves, in the same way that Romulans are off-shoots of Vulcans.”

    A few minutes later Sinclair was making his way towards the customs point. From a distance he saw the Eldars making their way through customs, and as he got closer he was surprised not by what he saw but by who he saw. The Eldar in front was none other than Lanriel Nightland, the Eldar Clan Lord.
    “Lord Nightland!” said Sinclair. “I was not expecting you. I was led to believe that a low-ranking Eldar official would be attending the inauguration.”
    “This event is of great significance to the entire quadrant.” said Nightland. “An event of such importance warranted my attendance. May I introduce you to my party?”
    Nightland turned slightly and ushered in his entourage.
    “My number two, Tyrell of Arden, my chief of security, Dendanth Moonstalker, my guard, Elliath Starbrow, and my friend, Mordin.”
    Sinclair looked somewhat disturbed by Mordin. Mordin was dressed in long flowing black robes which completely covered his face so Sinclair could not see it.
    “I am honoured by your presence.” said Sinclair. “My security team will show you to your quarters.”
    Sinclair raised his hand and ushered two guards over. The led the Eldar party away. Sinclair watched as they walked down the corridor. He watched as the strange Mordin seemed to shuffle off down the corridor behind Nightland. There was indeed something very strange about Mordin. Sinclair did not know what it was but it sent a chill down his spine.