To Dream in the City of Sorrows by Babylon 5 Read Free Book Online

Rathenn’s claim that the Minbari surrendered even though winning the war because they had discovered some Humans possessed Minbari souls. That he, Sinclair, had a Minbari soul.
    Sinclair hadn’t known what to believe. Certainly, he rejected the notion that he had a Minbari soul, or even that the Minbari could be capable of determining such a thing with any kind of machine or device. So what could he trust of the memories the Triluminary had produced? He wasn’t sure.
    But since then, new versions of his nightmare had emerged out of his subconscious with a violent fury, dreams different from what he had endured before, even more intense and disorienting. Now his experiences at the Battle of the Line and while prisoner of the Minbari mixed freely with other experiences and with bizarre nightmare images, reality and nightmare logic jumbling together chaotically.
    Sinclair didn’t know what time it was, but it didn’t matter. He wouldn’t be getting any more sleep this night. He got up to get ready for another day.
    “Forgive me for saying so, Ambassador, but you look rather tired. Are you not sleeping well?” Sinclair looked at Rathenn, and felt a ridiculous urge to laugh. “No. Not particularly.”
    “That is unfortunate. Is there anything I can do?” This time Sinclair did laugh, clearly puzzling the Minbari. This had been the first morning Rathenn had not walked him to the government palace, but had sent his aide, instead, who had walked silently one pace behind Sinclair the entire way. Rathenn was there to greet him, however, as he walked into his offices.
    “Yes, you can tell me my uplink to StellarCom has been restored. Or have I been kidnapped and just don’t know it?”
    “Kidnapped?” Rathenn looked puzzled. “I’m afraid I don’t understand.”
    “Neither do I. The uplink, Rathenn. Has it been restored? Do you know?”
    “I will look into it.” And the Minbari hurried off.
    That wasn’t a good sign. Sinclair went to his computer and quickly confirmed the worst. He wouldn’t be contacting Earth, Babylon 5, or anyplace else, at least not this morning.
    Sinclair was slowly coming to a difficult decision. Aside from acting as a glorified official greeter, what was he doing here? Wasting his time, as far as he could see.
    Venak came in, bowing. “Your first appointment is here, Ambassador.”
    Apparently they weren’t going to leave him any time on his own today. The second passenger ship they had been expecting, the one arriving from Earth, had finally docked during the night, and twenty-three new visitors needed to be greeted by their ambassador on Minbar. It was the first ship to arrive from Earth since Sinclair had himself arrived, and he was looking forward to finally getting some news as to how things were going on Earth. And, perhaps, someone might even know some news from Babylon 5.
    “All right,” Sinclair said. “Send ‘em in.”
    A young man in his twenties walked in, almost bouncing with every step, a look of pure delight on his face. He was slightly built, with a pale complexion offset by a shock of dark black hair, and radiating enthusiasm and energy. He carried a satchel over his shoulder that Sinclair suspected was the sum total of his luggage – especially as he seemed to be wearing, in a great many layers, what was probably half of the clothing he possessed. An old trick to save space when traveling that Sinclair himself had used when he spent the two years before entering the Earthforce Academy to travel, work, and “find” himself.
    Sinclair got up and came from around his desk to shake hands.
    “It is an honor to meet you. Ambassador,” said the young man stepping up quickly to shake hands. “You’re a genuine hero, sir, if I may say so.”
    Sinclair had never gotten used to being called that, had never figured out what to say in response. He had certainly never felt like a hero. He was just a soldier doing his duty, just a man doing his best. But somehow it sounded