lurkers-guide/comic/013

<!-- TITLE In Valen's Name, Part 2 -->

<h2><a name="OV">Overview</a></h2>

<blockquote><cite>
The return of Babylon 4 leads the crew to a dangerous encounter and Delenn
to revelations about the life of Valen.
</cite></blockquote>

<p>
Issue 13 (February 1998)

<p>
Setting: Season four, after
<a href="/lurk/guide/072.html">"Into the Fire"</a>

<pre>    Writer: Peter David
    Artist: Mike Collins</pre>

<p>
<hr>
<p>

<h2><a name="SY">Synopsis</a></h2>

<p>
Aboard the flagship of a Tak'Cha fleet, Ramdela Cozon informs Ramde Haxtur
that a problem has arisen, requiring that they abandon their salvage of
several Pakkel ships.  They have lost contact with Ende X'ton (what they
call Babylon 4) and suspect the presence of alien savages on the station.
Angry at the galaxy's capacity for violence, Haxtur recalls his salvage team
and sets out to stop the savages.  However, this will mean that the Pakkel will
eventually die without their help, and so he orders their destruction as a
"mercy killing."

<p>
Ivanova dozes off briefly, and is startled when Sheridan awakens her.  She
chastises herself for sleeping during an emergency, vowing to stay focused.
Concerned, Sheridan checks her wrist readout and discovers that her
rebreathing gear is feeding her too much carbon dioxide.  He adjusts her air
levels, and she is no longer sleepy.

<p>
Sheridan invites Delenn to take a break after so many hours of studying the
tapes.  She turns to him, crying, and recounts what she has learned: Nukenn,
upon learning that his son Tulan died fighting for Valen, had flown into
a fit of rage and shattered a plate glass window, cursing Valen's name.
Valen watched him do this, then asked Nukenn to accompany him to Mount
H'leya, a peak from which Valen had delivered his holy "Times to Come"
speech.  Valen spoke to Nukenn of the battle, of the castes' potential
uniting, and of the Shadows' eventual return.  Finally, he said:

<p>
"Your son... should not have come with me," because he was a gentle soul who
was transformed by battle from something delicate to something hard and
unyielding.  He offered to let Nukenn take his rage out on him, but when
Nukenn saw that Valen had somehow had the window rebuilt during the short
span of their talk, his faith in Valen was renewed.

<p>
Garibaldi informs Sheridan that he has discovered rock patterns left in the
wall of the station, which he believes might be ancient graffiti.
Strangely, it is written in an ancient style of Minbari (similar to Earth's
Old English) and translates as "Z'ondar."  Delenn does not know what the
word means, and so she returns to her studies of Valen's disciples as
Sheridan and Garibaldi head to the launch bay to see if any fighter ships
are still functional.

<p>
Delenn finds another account from Rashok, as follows:  Rashok once felt that
his people were doomed, but found new faith under Valen and relished the
chance to fight alongside him, "for he was unafraid to lead us into the
heart of the battle.  It was as if he knew that triumph was inevitable.
From his confidence... flowed our own."

<p>
In the name of Valen, according to Rashok's recording, the Minbari took on
the Shadows with the aid of various alien allies.  Later, when Rashok tried
to tell Valen that the castes (inspired by Valen's victory over the Shadows)
had finally united, he found Valen weeping for the many who had died on all
sides during the battle.  Zathras asked Rashok to wait until a later time to
tell him the news; Rashok had little use for this strange alien and
attempted to continue on to Valen, but Zathras knocked him down forcefully
and refused to let him pass.  Rashok, impressed by Zathras' loyalty and
strength, conceded.

<p>
Delenn stops studying the tapes to tell Sheridan that she has found many
references to a race called the Tak'Cha.  She says she is not familiar with
this race.  Meanwhile, Garibaldi is getting frustrated at his complete lack
of success in getting any of the fighters operational.  He hits one of the
ships, and to his surprise, it starts up.  Sheridan delivers the good news
to Ivanova, who replies, "That's... real good, sir... Now if you can fix
another two dozen or so within the next thirty seconds, we should be in
great shape."  Sheridan looks outside... to find an entire fleet of Tak'Cha
ships facing them down.


<H2><A NAME="BP">Plot Points</A></H2>

<H2><A NAME="UQ">Unanswered Questions</A></H2>

<H2><A NAME="AN">Analysis</A></H2>

<H2><A NAME="NO">Notes</A></H2>
<ul>
   <li> This story first appeared in the official B5 magazine in
	the UK.  It wasn't published standalone in the US until three months
	later.

   <li> Synopsis by Rich Handley
	<a href="mailto:cardsafe@unix.asb.com">cardsafe@unix.asb.com</a>.

</ul>


<H2><A NAME="JMS">jms speaks</A></H2>

<pre>

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