lurkers-guide/novels/008

<!-- TITLE Personal Agendas -->

<p>
<strong>Written by Al Sarrantonio</strong><br>
Release date: April 21, 1997<br>
ISBN: 0-440-22351-2 (US)<br>
ISBN: 0-7522-2344-5 (UK)

<br clear>

<blockquote><cite>
A band of Narns take Londo hostage, determined to exchange him for
G'Kar who is imprisoned in Centauri Prime.
</cite>
</blockquote>

<p>
Reader reviews, and online ordering, can be found at
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0440223512/thelurkersguidet">Amazon.com</a>.

<p>
<hr>

<h2><a name="BC">Back Cover</a></h2>

<H3 ALIGN=CENTER>Links in the Chain</H3>

<P>
G'Kar, once the Narn ambassador to Babylon 5, is a warrior's
warrior. Now, with his homeworld enslaved by the Centauri, he is a
prisoner on his enemy's planet. Despite the chains that bind him, he
keeps the one freedom that fate allows - to choose to live, or die,
with courage. But a secret alliance with his nemesis, the Centauri
Londo, will test his strength to the limit.

<H3 ALIGN=CENTER>Personal Agendas</H3>

<P>
The agreement is simple: G'Kar will help kill the mad emperor
Cartagia. In exchange, Londo will end the Centauri rule of the Narn
world. No one foresees a deadly complication - a band of fierce Narns,
determined to rescue G'Kar, takes Londo hostage. Suddenly, Londo's
life and the liberation of the Narn homeworld rest on a razor's
edge. It will take a hero to convince the Narns that G'Kar must stay
in prison... to rescue Londo... to help the Narns escape. It will
take... <i>Vir?</i> With all their hopes pinned on Londo's meek,
nervous assistant, Londo a G'Kar have something else in common... a
snowball's chance in hell.

<H2><A NAME="SY">Synopsis</A></H2>

<P>
The book opens with G'Kar doing conversions from human light-years to
Narn light-years. He is being tortured in front of Cartagia, and is
using this distraction to keep himself from screaming. The
spectacle soon bores the Emperor, and he orders G'Kar taken back his cell.
</P>

<P>
Elsewhere in Centauri Prime, five newly arrived Narn miner-slaves
escape from the rest of the group and go into hiding. Led by L'Kan,
they are a band of Narn soldiers sworn to the task of freeing
G'Kar. They go quickly into hiding in the tunnels below the capital to
make their plans.
</P>

<P>
Vir tells Londo that G'Kar needs to speak to him. After arranging for
some privacy, Londo enters the cell. G'Kar has learned of the attempt
to rescue him, and tells Londo that it must fail for the good of
Narn. Londo is slightly surprised to see that G'Kar is willing to
sacrifice his people, but G'Kar interrupts to put a condition: the
five Narn must not be harmed. If they are, he will renege on their
deal to kill Cartagia and free Narn. While G'Kar is willing to
sacrifice himself for his people, he will not sacrifice others for his
sake.
</P>

<P>
Meanwhile in Babylon 5, Sheridan has a meeting with Ivanova and
Garibaldi. He knows about G'Kar's imprisonment, and is trying to
figure out if there
is something they can do to help. They have tried to get Londo back on
the station for a face-to-face but he has refused. Even Garibaldi
seems out of ideas. Later, Garibaldi tells the Captain that he has
learned of the mission to free G'Kar, but that there is nothing he can
do to help: the five soldiers are very good, but they are on their own
while they are on Centauri Prime.
</P>

<P>
Vir receives a surprise visit that night in his quarters from his bride-to-be,
Lyndisty (see <A HREF="/lurk/guide/056.html">Sic Transit Vir</A>). 
She agrees it isn't proper, but neither is Vir's silence or
failure to contact her at his arrival to Centauri Prime. She isn't
there to do anything improper, but rather to inform him that her
parents are throwing a party in Vir's honor. Vir is trying to find a
way to say no when she kisses him.  Confused and not thinking clearly,
he accepts the invitation. He is still torn between the physical
attraction he feels for Lyndisty and his horror at her past actions
and attitudes towards Narns. Also, it is very likely that Lyndisty's
family will use the party to officially announce the engagement and
the wedding date.
</P>

<P> 
Sheridan is having a nightmare. He is standing alone in the
blasted streets of the Narn homeworld. Suddenly behind him G'Kar
appears and tells him "Yes, Captain, I have been standing behind you
all along-" He awakes with a start, knowing what to do. G'Kar has
always stood behind him, helping him even when they broke away from
Earth. He calls Delenn and the command staff to his office and lets
them know he has decided to help G'Kar directly. They cannot do an
assault on Centauri Prime - that would be a declaration of war, and
they have enough enemies with the Vorlons and the Shadows
already. Instead, they will try a covert operation. The Narn may fail,
or they may be able to use their help in freeing G'Kar. Sheridan and
Delenn must stay on the station because of rumors that the Shadows and
Vorlons are stirring up again. Franklin, Garibaldi and Ivanova
volunteer to go. They disguise themselves as Centauri, and posing as
jewelers, they travel to Centauri Prime. Ivanova and Sheridan decide
not to try contacting Vir, since it will put him in too much danger.
</P>

<P>
Meanwhile, L'Kan and his four soldiers sneak into the Imperial
Palace. They scouted it in the morning (nobody pays attention to a
bunch of Narns, provided they are carrying buckets and mops), and
located the cell where G'Kar is being held. The Centauri are
over-confident, and both the grounds and the cell are only lightly
guarded. The only thing that is being carefully guarded in Centauri
Prime is the person of Emperor Cartagia. But when they arrive at the
cell it is empty. Londo arranged to have G'Kar moved to foil the
rescue attempt. They escape back to their hiding place in the
tunnels, but three guards loyal to Londo are waiting for them. Since
they have strict orders not to harm the Narn, the latter make short
work of them. Their hiding place discovered, the Narn must change
their plan. They locate a different section of the tunnels to use as a
base.
</P>

<P>
Back in G'Kar's cell, Londo tells him that the Narn tried to rescue
him, and have killed Centauri. He can no longer guarantee their
safety. If he tries to protect them, the Emperor will know something
is amiss. G'Kar must break his word, and allow them to take the fall
for these murders. Otherwise, all will be lost in any case. G'Kar
agrees reluctantly.
</P>

<P>
Garibaldi, Franklin and Ivanova have, in the meantime, 
been selling precious stones
confiscated at Babylon 5; they were due to be shipped back to Earth
before the station seceded from the Earth Alliance. They are
selling them very cheap, which soon catches the attention of a
minister from the Royal Court who arranges for an audience with the
Emperor. They use the audience to scout the grounds, and they promise
to come back the day after with more and better stones. Cartagia,
however, is suspicious. These traders are too good to be true, so he
orders his minister to look into their backgrounds.
</P>

<P>
In the station, Sheridan is restless. Things are back under control,
and he is sorry he didn't get to go on the mission to rescue G'Kar. He
decides to take a break, or as close to one as he can get. He and
Delenn will pretend to be secret agents inside the station. There is a
toy-smuggling operation running in Babylon 5, shipping alien toys to
Mars. It is no big deal, so Security hasn't looked into it. Sheridan
decides to go undercover and try to find the smugglers, and so
participate in his own brand of cloak-and-dagger. Delenn finds the
idea mildly amusing and agrees to go with him. 
</P>

<P> 
And back in Centauri Prime, L'Kan puts his plan in motion. They
kidnap Londo from his quarters and take him to their new hiding
place. They contact Vir with their demands: a simple exchange, Londo
for G'Kar. To further complicate matters, the date they give for the
exchange coincides with the date of the party Lyndisty's parents are
giving in Vir's honor. Both Londo and Vir try to explain to the Narns
that G'Kar cannot be freed, and that G'Kar's imprisonment is the only
hope they have of a free Narn. Of course, L'Kan does not believe
either of them. Vir realizes that it is up to him to free Londo and
make the Narns see reason. At least, he muses, if he fails and dies, he
won't have to go to Lyndisty's party, and he won't have to get married.
</P>

<P>
The minister has looked into the personas adopted by Garibaldi,
Ivanova and Franklin. He discovered they didn't have any of the
necessary permits or papers to sell gemstones in Centauri Prime. He
approaches them with this information, and hints that a bribe of some
of the better stones might make him forget it. They pay him off and
enter the Royal Palace once again. They find G'Kar, and manage to free
him and get him out of the Palace, despite G'Kar's protests.
</P>

<P>
Meanwhile, back in Babylon 5, Sheridan and Delenn are playing at being
spies. They find the trail of the toy-smugglers, and while Sheridan
follows a little boy to find out how they are getting the toys off the
station, Delenn discovers that the toys are being used to hide 
weapon components
and explosives. Sheridan is spotted by one of the smugglers, who
knocks him out. Delenn discovers this, but as she is about to go
inform security of Sheridan's location, she too is captured. The
captors do not believe her when she says she is Ambassador Delenn, and
the man is Captain Sheridan.  The smugglers decide the spies have to
be killed.
</P>

<P>
L'Kan and the Narns have heard that G'Kar has escaped. They don't know who is
holding him, or for what purpose. But if they can get him without
exchanging him for Londo, then they will gladly kill Londo. Meanwhile,
Garibaldi, Ivanova and Franklin are astounded to hear G'Kar tell them
that they must return him to his cell. Franklin examines him carefully
to make sure he hasn't been drugged or altered, which he has
not. G'Kar tells them that Vir informed him of the kidnapping of
Londo. G'Kar also tells them that he must be returned to his cell, and
that Londo must be freed. If they can help with that, and if they can
help the Narn soldiers get off the planet, that will be all the help he
needs. Garibaldi still doesn't understand what is going on, but
agrees. They go to the Royal Palace, and leave G'Kar in the care of
the guards at the Gate, before running away in search of Mollari.
</P>

<P>
Meanwhile, Vir has hired someone to locate the Narns. He decides to go
tell Lyndisty he will not be at the party, and to say goodbye to
her. At the door, out of earshot of her father and the guests, he
decides that since he is going to die anyway, he will tell her that it
would have been very difficult to marry her in any case. He is still
very disturbed by her and her family's actions in Narn, and he doesn't
know if will ever be able to get past it. Lyndisty is heartbroken, and
Vir leaves to go to the Narn's hideout.
</P>

<P>
Garibaldi, Ivanova and Franklin beat him to the Narn
hideout. Unfortunately, the Narns only know them as the Centauri who
freed G'Kar, only to deliver him again to the hands of the mad
emperor. Although L'Kan is intrigued that they would use the same lies
that Londo and Vir tried on them, he is nonetheless in no mood for
them. After G'Kar is freed, he will execute Londo and the three
accomplices. 
</P>

<P>
Back in Babylon 5, Sheridan and Delenn have been placed inside a cargo
container full of the smuggled toys. The container is airtight and
about to be loaded to a freighter destined for Mars. As the container
is being loaded, the air begins to run out. Among the toys are some
crystal balls, which Sheridan begins to break, releasing the air and
oxygen trapped inside. While he does this, Delenn finally tells him about
the smuggled weapons inside the toys. Finding some components in the
balls, and looking through the rest of the cargo, he finds enough
components to build a crude bomb. He sets it off, and blows the
container open. When the smugglers come from the front of the
freighter to investigate, they are overpowered by Delenn and Sheridan,
who then call back to an anxious Zach to tell him where they are. The
freighter is towed back to the station, and the smugglers are
arrested. Sheridan arranges for a ship to land on Centauri Prime to
pick up Garibaldi and company, with a cover story of a diplomatic
mission from Babylon 5 in case they are questioned.
</P>

<P> 
Vir follows the map he got from his detective and finds the hideout of
the Narn, who have meanwhile gone to the arranged meeting place. Vir
is surprised to find Garibaldi and company there. After being told
what they are doing there, he mentions that Franklin missed some
details when he made the disguises. Before he can continue, Londo
suggests they leave the hideout. Vir cannot find the map at first, and
after running around for a bit they end up back in the hideout, just
as the five Narn led by L'Kan are returning from their unsuccessful
rendezvous. Vir attempts once again to explain the situation to them,
but L'Kan will have none of it. They failed to get G'Kar out, but at
least they will get to kill two Centauri and three meddling
humans. L'Kan still doesn't understand what Garibaldi and company are
doing there, or why they sold G'Kar back, or why they are telling him
these stories about G'Kar wanting to stay in prison. But it does not
matter. He will grant them quick deaths, all except Londo.
</P>

<P>
In a final attempt to save Londo and G'Kar's plans, Vir offers his
life in exchange for the other four's. Londo must live, if the Narn
homeworld is to be saved. L'Kan is puzzled, and after a moment's
thought he takes out his <i>ka'toc</i> and asks Vir if he has any
regrets. Londo yells to Vir not to do it, but Vir turns to L'Kan and
tells him L'Kan must do what he must. The blade comes down...
</P>

<P>
... and stops just short of the neck. He nicks Vir's chin, drawing a
tiny drop of blood, and then sheaths the sword. Vir asks why is he
still alive. L'Kan tells him it is because of his honor, and because
what he said must be true. No other Centauri would sacrifice himself
for another. Until Vir was truly willing to die, L'Kan could not
believe him. But the inescapable truth is that the cause Vir spoke of
must truly be greater than his own life. He regrets being unable to
cut Mollari's throat, but he understands and believes now that Londo
must be freed, and G'Kar must remain in prison. 
Garibaldi offers to take the Narns with them. They can pretend they
are his slaves while they get to their own rendezvous point. Londo
offers them free passage off Centauri Prime. L'Kan tells Londo that if
they ever meet again, he will kill him. Just as they are leaving,
L'Kan puts his arm around Vir and asks him if he is sure he is not
part Narn.
</P>

<P>
Once back in the station, Sheridan has a meeting with Garibaldi,
Ivanova, Franklin and Delenn. He reminds them that their recent
escapades, for obvious reasons, must be kept a secret. The mission
never happened, and in fact this last meeting never happened.
</P>

<P>
Back in Centauri Prime, Cartagia is once again torturing G'Kar. G'Kar
concentrates on one thought: the Narn homeworld, to deaden the
pain. Cartagia expresses his amazement that even a Narn could take so
much pain. And in his room, Vir is dreaming about
Lyndisty. She just heard what he did, how he saved Londo's life. She
says both her and her parents were confused by Vir's actions the night
of the gala, but it is all clear now. Vir is a hero, and Lyndisty's
parents have now a higher regard for him than ever before. And that's
why they've rescheduled the gala.
</P>

<P> Just as he awakes with a shout, covered in cold sweat, the
curtains rustle, and a dark form steppes out from behind
them... Lyndisty.
</P>


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

<UL>
<LI>
How did G'Kar find out about the attempt to rescue him?
</LI>
<LI>
What details did Franklin miss, and why weren't they spotted by the
guards or the minister?
</LI>
<LI>
What will happen to L'Kan and his soldiers? They were sworn to the
task of freeing G'Kar, and they failed.
</LI>

</UL>


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

<H2><A NAME="NO">Notes</A></H2>

<UL>

<li>
This novel is set in 2261, the fourth season, before the episode <a
HREF="/lurk/guide/070.html">Falling Toward Apotheosis</a>.
</li>

<LI>
The book makes entering and leaving the Royal Palace in Centauri Prime
seem too easy. It is unlikely that the grounds would be so badly
guarded, even if Cartagia has no concern for anything but himself. 
</LI>



</UL>

<h2><a name="JS">JMS Speaks</a></h2>
<ul>

<li> 
I've said that while this one is okay, the characterization
is off, and it tries 'way too hard to be funny, ignoring the notion
that if everything is funny then *nothing* is funny.
Unfortunately, I didn't get the actual manuscript until it was too
late to do anything short of commissioning a full rewrite, which they
wouldn't do.
<p>
Anyway...as I said, it's okay.  But for my money, the Anna
Sheridan and Jeffrey Sinclair books are the two real gems of
this batch.

</ul>

<pre>

</pre>
<hr>
<hr>
Written by Arturo Magidin
&lt;<A
HREF="mailto:magidin@math.berkeley.edu">magidin@math.berkeley.edu</A>&gt;.