Free The Long Night of Centauri Prime by Babylon 5 Page B

all that, without your help. So I think I'm more than capable of attending to my own safety."
    "As you wish, young lady. But do be careful. If something were to happen to you, I know the emperor would be most upset. And I doubt that he would be overly enthused by my presenting, as an excuse, the notion that you simply wished to continue taking the air while learning at the feet of Telis Elaris."
    "Your job is not without risks, Minister Durla. Certainly you must have known that before assuming the position."
    "All of life is risk, young lady Senna." He bowed and began to walk away.
    And then Senna – somewhat to her surprise – stopped him as she asked, "Minister have you noticed a reduction in the number of writers, artists ... creative individuals ... in residence on Centauri Prime?"
    "No more so than usual, young lady."
    "Than usual?" She found the phrasing rather rather odd.
    "Why yes. Such types are notoriously undependable and prone to difficulties. They starve for their art and so are lost ... or they require dangerous drugs or drink in order to achieve their `creative vision,' and come to harm through improper dosage.
    "And then, of course, there are those of a radical bent. A thoroughly pugnacious and bellicose type, given to unfortunate accidents through altercations with others who possess opposing viewpoints. A rather sordid crowd, truly," he sighed. "Oh, I suppose that handsome, loquacious types such as Elaris make them seem ... romantic. But as a group, they are quite unstable. If you do research, I think you'll find that many of them tend to come to rather bad ends. Let us hope that Elaris is not among those." Something in his last statement chilled Senna slightly.
    "What do you mean by that, Minister?"
    "Why, nothing, young lady. Nothing at all. Enjoy your ... outdoor chats." He bowed and then went on down the hall. Senna considered his words – and then went straight to the room that was usually used for her assorted lessons. She went over the room as meticulously as she could, searching for some sign of a listening device, to see if her lessons and conversations were being monitored. But she found nothing. Finally, exhausted from looking, she flopped down in a chair and sat there, wondering what Telis would say when she told him of the exchange she had just had with Durla.

5 .
    She only caught the flash of light from the corner of her eye. It was several days later and Senna was seated upon the hillside, wondering when Telis Elaris would show up. She was becoming somewhat apprehensive, for Telis was never late. In fact, he was so punctual that it bordered on the annoying. She realized that they had never finished their "game" of seeing images in the clouds. Fortunately, this day was as nicely cloudy as the other had been, and so she let her mind wander as she gazed upon the billowing fluff high overhead. She decided that one of them had taken on the shape of a giant spider. And another, with the odd crest to it and the curious convergence of shapes, looked like the emperor's face, only scowling. Scowling at the giant spider. She found that amusing for some reason.
    So absorbed was she in her game that she barely noticed the light flash coming from the direction of the city. However, notice it she did, and she sat up quickly. It was then that she heard the explosion that had accompanied the flash. She could tell from the sound of the explosion that something large had gone up, though, and naturally her first thought was that Centauri Prime was once again under attack by the Alliance. She scanned the heavens, preparing herself for some follow-up blast, but all remained silent. Then there was a second, even louder explosion, and by that point a column of thick black smoke had begun rising from the source.
    Now Senna was on her feet, shading her eyes with one hand as she tried to make out precisely where the explosion had come from. Her breath caught in her throat, and she staggered slightly. Even from where