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lurkers-guide



								<!-- TITLE Betrayals -->


								<p>

								<strong>Written by S. M. Stirling</strong><br>

								Release date: May 1996<br>

								ISBN: 0-440-22234-6 (US)<br>

								ISBN: 0-7522-0163-8 (UK)


								<br clear>


								<blockquote><cite>

								When Babylon 5 becomes the site of a peace summit between the

								universe's two warring super powers, Captain Sheridan and the

								EarthForce personnel have a security nightmare on their hands.

								</cite>

								</blockquote>


								<p>

								Reader reviews, and online ordering, can be found at

								<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0440222346/thelurkersguidet">Amazon.com</a>.


								<p>

								<hr>


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


								<H3 ALIGN=CENTER>By Any Means Necessary...</H3>


								<P>

								When diplomats from the universe's two warring superpowers come to

								Babylon 5 for a peace summit, Captain Sheridan and the

								Earthforce Personnel know that security is paramount. But

								a brilliant con woman is making plans of her own - plans

								for the ambassadors of both Centauri and Narn - and in the belly

								of B5 the seeds of rebellion are being sewn....


								<H3 ALIGN=CENTER>Betrayals</H3>


								<P>

								A twin brother and sister, equally committed to their cause but

								divided by strategy, seek liberation for the planet, T'll. Then a

								T'llin exile is murdered, and violence erupts on Babylon 5, its

								internal communications hopelessly scrambled. With rebels

								threatening to bathe the peace conference in blood, and hostile

								warships approaching, Garibaldi must plot a rescue of Sheridan

								and the diplomats. But it may be too late. The T'llin

								have learned the art of destruction from masters, and for them

								freedom is worth any price: even self-annihilation.


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


								<P>

								The book opens in Sheridan's office with Garibaldi, Ivanova and Franklin

								in

								attendance.  Plans are arduously being reviewed for the upcoming peace

								conference between the Narn and the Centauri.  Sheridan expresses to

								Garibaldi some of the concerns that added security drills have had to the

								population of the station.  The discussion is interrupted by Both G'Kar

								and

								Londo who separately are checking that both delegations have been given

								equally sized quarters among other important concerns.  Privately, G'Kar

								expresses to Na'Toth a desire for peace, since he had always hoped that

								the battle could be fought at a time of the Narn's choosing.  Both the

								Centauri and the Narn begin elaborate preparations of their respective

								delegations quarters.

								</P>


								<P>

								Down Below, the T'llin where in hiding, but preparing for the visit of

								the

								Primes, a brother and sister who were the rulers of the T'll.  T'llin

								homeworld had been decimated and dominated by the Narns using the

								techniques they had learned from the Centauri.  The T'llin already

								onboard

								the station prepare to rent more suitable quarters for the arrival of

								their leader.

								</P>


								<P>

								Garibaldi is training his new arrivals in hostage situations; Sergeant

								Kobayashi is one of the hostages.  The recruits fail miserably, and the

								'dead' Sergeant offers the advice that they should have used gas to knock

								everyone out before coming in.  Back at Command and Control (C&C), the

								situation is tense as usual, Ivanova is finding that the new officer,

								Larkin who is serving C&C just can't hack the work.  Larkin is somewhat

								mentally unstable from the internal monologue given and resents being

								talked down to and resolves to put Ivanova in her place.  Sheridan

								continues to be besieged by diplomatic requests of various sorts.  The

								Narn

								and the Centauri are discussing every issue from who should debark first

								to who should land first.  While shopping for goods for their leaders,

								the

								T'llin encounter Na'Toth.  Na'Toth attacks and ends up injured.  G'Kar

								charges Na'Toth with investigating the situation since the Narn do not

								want their treatment of the T'llin publicized.

								</P>


								<P>

								Garibaldi is preparing the new recruits for their first shift at the

								customs area.  Each new recruit will be paired with an experienced

								security officer.  After depositing his charges, he meets Semana

								MacBride,

								she is wearing a Minbari like dress and her attractive appearance is

								calculated to draw the interest of men.  She is arguing with the security

								officers about entering the station with the sculpture that is to be

								donated to the station.  Garibaldi assists her in getting through customs

								and also finds himself concerned about her.  After she departs, he puts

								in

								a priority one request for her records from Earth Central.  MacBride is

								similarly

								concerned, and grateful, that she was able to encounter Garibaldi so

								early

								on to warn her of the dangers.  Ivanova is simultaneously relieved and

								more

								concerned by Larkin's clean bill of health.  She had required him to get

								a

								physical, but not a psych evaluation because she did not want to subject

								him to a telepathic scan.  Larkin returns to his quarters and sits down

								at

								his personal computer and resolves that it is time to put Ivanova in her

								place.

								</P>


								<P>

								Garibaldi and Na'Toth argue about why she did not report the incident

								with

								T'llin immediately and explains that none are recorded as residents.  The

								computer record does not indicate that <EM>any</EM> T'llin have come

								aboard

								the station, but this contradicts Garibaldi and other's own experiences

								of

								seeing families of T'llin around.  In Semana's quarters, she feeds a

								bizarre plant-like creature named Tiko.  Tiko seems to have ability to

								disguise itself as a variety of objects successfully.

								Na'Toth uses informers to try and get information about the T'llin

								downbelow, but in the process ends up their prisoner.

								The furnishing Londo ended up ordering for himself rather than the

								delegates arrives and he seems very satisfied since the accountants seem

								hell bent on preventing him from enjoying his new stature.

								</P>


								<P>

								The next morning, Ivanova finds a data crystal outside her door.  She

								immediately summons Garibaldi and they view it together.  The crystal

								suggests that her brother was a traitor on Io and shows "him" meeting

								with

								a spy on Io during the Earth-Minbari war.  The T'llin decide to release

								Na'Toth rather than kill her after some debate.  And, from Earth,

								Sheridan

								receives a communique that the president's niece will be visiting as a

								reporter.  At C&C, Ivanova arrives late, but composed, which upsets

								Larkin

								greatly.

								</P>


								<P>

								Sheridan is selected to unveil Semana MacBride's statue.  Garibaldi

								returns

								to security to find G'Kar on the screen demanding the Garibaldi come to

								his quarters immediately.  G'Kar explains the assault on Na'Toth and

								demands that Garibaldi handle it immediately.  After some discussion,

								Garibaldi resolves to look into this by going down below alone and in

								disguise.  The T'llin manage to rent an office suite using a human agent

								to

								sign the deal.

								</P>


								<P>

								Garibaldi gets attacked down below and is rescued.  Franklin manages to

								patch him up a bit.  Garibaldi explains it could not have been the T'llin

								who have all completely disappeared.  Sheridan arrives in Medlab and says

								we have to talk.  Ivanova sets up a private interview with Larkin to try

								and assess what might be the problem.  Ivanova has no success in trying

								to

								get Larkin to talk in any significant way and ends up leaving him in

								tears.  Larkin resolves that he must really get her for talking to him

								like that.  Garibaldi brings the somewhat aggravated Captain up to speed

								on the situation with the T'llin.

								</P>


								<P>

								Semana was all ready for the unveiling.  Semana applies her charms

								vigorously to the Narn ambassador, much to Na'Toth's chagrin.  Semana

								also

								dotes on Londo, also to Vir's chagrin.  Na'Toth and Vir

								exchange knowing glances sharing for a brief moment the same thought.

								Garibaldi takes a moment to approach MacBride and inquire about her

								previous misunderstanding with the law over an earlier art deal.  After

								being revealed, the statue has two T'llin sculpted on the side.  This

								causes G'Kar to loose his temper and Semana promises that they will be

								removed.  Sergeant Midori Kobayashi finally approaches Delenn and invites

								her to a tea ceremony.  Delenn asks Lennier to make inquiries about the

								sergeant.

								</P>


								<P>

								After the party, Semana returns to the site and loosens the T'llin from

								the

								statue, the Primes step free and Semana provides Minbari disguises for

								them and some credits.  Lennier manages to get a hold of Garibaldi.  In

								discussing the statue he notes that the disappearance of the T'llin

								figures

								was due to the fact that they probably walked away.  Lennier advises

								Garibaldi to inquire with the lady, Semana, to find out more.  Lennier

								then proceeds to ask about the sergeant and the tea ceremony.  Garibaldi

								heartily endorses the sergeant, describing her as absolutely trustworthy.


								Semana takes a private moment with G'Kar to offer the Centauri Eye, see

								<A

								HREF="/lurk/guide/013.html">Signs and Portents</A>.  Semana shows G'Kar

								the Eye, actually

								it is her pet disguising itself as the eye.  G'Kar returns to his quarters

								excited and Na'Toth is appropriately skeptical that it could be the

								actual

								eye.

								</P>


								<P>

								The next morning, Susan found yet another data crystal outside the door.

								This one she did not view, but gave directly to Garibaldi.  This one had

								a

								surprising ring of truth because it concerned actions of Vanya Ivanov

								during the war, and the ship shown was one destroyed in battle by the

								Minbari, but it could have been destroyed by sabotage perhaps.

								Londo is busy decorating his quarters with just two weeks left to the

								conference.  At Vir's expression of concern, Londo explains the Centauri

								have no intention of negotiating peace.  G'Kar meanwhile has obtained a

								diplomatic pouch with crystals showing Centauri attacks on Narn

								civilians.

								</P>


								<P>

								Phina and Olorasin Primes, the brother and sister leaders of the T'llin,

								begin making their rounds of the diplomats aboard Babylon 5.  Phina, the

								brother, would like to do something to show the Narns he meant business.

								At his sister's request, they are visiting the ambassadors.  Delenn

								agrees

								to meet with them, but is unable to offer any help.  When they leave, she

								expresses her regrets to Lennier.  Lennier offers that he knows that if there

								is anything Delenn can do for them she will.  They visit Captain Sheridan

								who can only offer to relay their request to Earth Dome, and then head

								towards the Centauri ambassador's quarters.  G'Kar makes a call to a loan

								shark for money to purchase the Eye from Semana.  The phone's privacy

								screen is out of order and Londo is able to overhear the conversation.


								</P>


								<P>

								Back in C&C, Ivanova manages to piss Larkin off even further by thanking

								him for a job particularly well done.  His internal psychopathy

								transforms

								this into a deeper insult steeling his resolve to send another crystal.

								Londo approaches Semana in a burst of energy, wanting to talk with her.

								She agrees to have cocktails with Londo just prior to her dinner with

								G'Kar.

								</P>


								<P>

								Londo arrives on time, but Semana was already there.  When Londo

								expresses

								his interest in the Eye obliquely, she is surprised since she can not

								understand how he would have found out about it.  Londo still is not

								certain what Semana has for sale but, given the importance of the Eye and

								the asking price, the thought comes to him.  A later call to Centauri

								Prime

								seems to confirm his suspicions that it is the Eye and that it was in

								fact

								perhaps missing from the Palace.  Semana puts the squeeze on G'Kar for

								the

								money sooner than G'Kar seems to be able to obtain it.  Prima Phina

								meanwhile was secretly trying to meet with the Centauri ambassador.

								While

								in the hall outside he removes his mask and Na'Toth comes upon him and

								kills him.  Even Garibaldi feels he must concede that this situation does

								not seem to have been provoked by Na'Toth, e.g. Phina could have been

								reaching for a weapon.

								</P>


								<P>

								The next morning, Ivanova finds a third data crystal in her office.

								Garibaldi arrives and expresses some surprise that she even uses her

								office.

								Garibaldi explains that they haven't yet proved the others forgeries, but

								something still feels wrong, scripted, about them.  She insists on seeing

								this crystal, it suggests that her father together with the Psi Corps

								doctor conspired to kill her mother.  Their discussion is interrupted by

								Sheridan who is upset that Garibaldi did not involve him in the T'llin

								death the previous evening.  Upon finding out about her brother's death,

								Olorasin breaks down.  The two were very closely linked twins, perhaps

								somewhat

								telepathically, and she collapses.

								</P>


								<P>

								Londo and Semana finally meet so he can see the object, she shows him the

								Eye, cautioning against touching, allegedly for his own safety against

								being traced, but mostly to prevent the truth from coming out about her

								creature if it were to bite the Ambassador.  The creature shows up

								properly even under a scan as the Eye.  Londo immediately goes to

								Garibaldi and the two return to Semana's quarters with a search warrant.

								She shows papers for a miniature she had bought elsewhere and gets a good

								one over on Londo after she has managed to get Garibaldi convinced that

								at

								most she was trying to overcharge.  Meanwhile the T'llin are discovered

								in

								the rented office and will have to return to Down Below.

								</P>


								<P>

								The Japanese tea ceremony prepared by Kobayashi was no small feat.  It

								turns out it is from a respect she gained for the Minbari when they

								spared

								her colony during the war.  Kobayashi also explains that she probably

								would not

								have been able to approach Delenn had she not undergone the

								transformation

								to the human-like form.  Delenn and Lennier leave feeling significantly

								lighter, younger and more refreshed.

								</P>


								<P>

								Ivanova had spent hours going over personnel records looking at people

								who

								would have access to get at her office.  She intentionally saved Larkin's

								record for last.  She decides to check on whether any of the commanders

								who Larkin had previously responded to her message, she discovers that

								the

								messages were never sent.  Further research indicates that two have had

								serious psychological problems and the third gives less than a ringing

								endorsement.  The researchalso reveals that his hobby as a

								teenager

								was the creation of ultra-realistic vids, and that both of his

								parents

								were telepaths, but he wasn't.  Both realize that being an untalented kid at

								a

								Corps school would be especially cruel.  They decide that they must

								confront Larkin and Ivanova asks him to be present.

								</P>


								<P>

								Cray who had previously helped the T'llin set up and was acting as

								G'Kar's

								loan shark, informed on the T'llin to G'Kar who immediately calls

								Garibaldi to round them up.  Olorasin awakens as the other T'llin begin

								to try

								and move her somewhere safer.  At that moment she resolves to carry out

								her brother's plan because she realizes that if they are to be turned

								over

								to the Narn eventually, the choice is to die now, or die later.

								</P>


								<P>

								Wrapped in his own fantasies, Larkin reports to Ivanova's office.  She

								confronts him with the changed recommendation from a previous officer as

								well as the various incidents.  After he breaks up some about discussions

								of his parents, Ivanova orders him for a psych-evaluation and takes him

								off

								duty.  Garibaldi tells Larkin that he will be watching and Larkin is sent

								on his way.  Garibaldi explains that the suggestion of vid equipment was

								a

								security trick that Larkin fell for, and that there was no video

								equipment

								on the manifests.  Larkin begins losing it further because he thinks

								Garibaldi actually looked at his quarters.  Sheridan greets the

								president's niece, Chancy Clark.  Chancy immediately buttonholes Lennier

								for a tour of the station relieving Sheridan of the rather unpleasant

								duty.  While trying to deal with the T'llin, a call comes in of an

								officer

								down from PPG fire.  A guy in an EA uniform fired upon the security guard.

								</P>


								<P>

								From the description, Garibaldi recognizes it is Larkin and puts out an

								APB.  Larkin is trying to get into the escape pods.  Ivanova immediately

								heads towards the pods on a hunch that it would be the best way for a

								civilian unfamiliar with the Starfuries to exit the station.  Ivanova

								and

								a technician arrive as Larkin gets himself into the airlock.  She and Hal

								try to explain the lock has malfunctioned and no pod is present.  No

								luck,

								Larkin eats the vacuum of space in just seconds.

								</P>


								<P>

								After realizing that the various members of the press couldn't reach any

								sort of agreement on broadcast arrangements, Sheridan decides that it

								will

								be shown over video to the press from a remote camera.  Sheridan

								encounters

								Lennier waiting outside the press room and Lennier explains that he finds

								Chancy Clark's behavior confusing and intriguing.  Clark's niece

								ingratiates herself with Lennier and also observes to Sheridan that she

								will be attending in the arrival in person.  Sheridan discusses the

								Larkin

								situation with Ivanova and Garibaldi; he is upset that he was not

								involved

								with the situation.  Garibaldi explains the T'llin situation to G'Kar and

								says that they feel like they have gotten all of the T'llin rounded up

								into the brig.  G'Kar insists on seeing Semana in spite of Na'Toth's

								attempt to cancel the lunch meeting they had.  Up in C&C the arrival of a

								freighter with a friend brings an urgent message to Ivanova.  The friend

								tells Ivanova of a Centauri "fleet" of sorts near the jumpgate the Narns

								will be using.  Londo says he did not know of the "welcoming committee"

								and

								Sheridan has Ivanova take Alpha Wing to the gate to get the Centauri away

								from there.  The remaining T'llin capture Cray and recruit him for their

								plan demanding maps and security codes for the station.

								</P>


								<P>

								Alpha Wing arrives at the Centauri yacht fleet and attempts to contact

								them.  They seem like a bunch of bozo Centauri looking for trouble or a

								good time.  Londo's cousin Sodev is on board one of the yachts and Londo

								himself consents to having them blown out of the sky.  G'Kar meets with

								Semana and explains that he has obtained most of the asking price, she

								rebuffs the offer because she does not want to be traced and wants to be

								off the station as soon as possible.  Before they can negotiate further,

								Na'Toth drags the ambassador away.  Mollari arrive immediately and Semana

								seems ready to sell to him.   The Primes' plan is to conceal themselves

								in

								the docking bay in hibernation till the delegates arrive.  Ivanova's

								group

								uses some trickery to get the Centauri to leave without a fight.

								</P>


								<P>

								Garibaldi realizes that Olorasin is missing and sets off to find out her

								whereabouts as the reception is getting ready to start.  Semana dupes

								Londo with a cake in a Chinese-style puzzle box and exits the station

								quickly on the last

								transport out.  All of the ambassadors except Kosh are present for the

								reception and security is continuing to look around for any problems in

								the docking area.  The two delegations enter the docking area

								simultaneously and head down to the platform to be greeted.  In moments,

								the hull breach warnings sounded and air began escaping.  The delegates

								and guests crowded into the hull breach area to wait out the problems.

								Additionally, breach doors came down sealing the docking area from the

								rest

								of the station.  After keeping the camera out, they closed the breach

								area.

								</P>


								<P>

								The T'llin had come out of hibernation in their fake Earthforce uniforms

								with PPGs in hand.  Olorasin announces that they are her prisoners and

								Sheridan spots one with a bomb rigged to a dead man's switch.  Garibaldi

								determines that the communications to the docking area have been disabled

								and readies his team for action.  In the docking bay, the Centauri are

								confused as to why the T'llin do not consider them friends, but Olorasin

								explains that it is because they taught the Narns to be the way they are.


								Olorasin explains that they too have learned, but perhaps more quickly

								than the Narn and are willing to kill everyone to make their point.

								</P>


								<P>

								Sheridan asks Olorasin what she wants, she explains they want the Narn to

								leave their world.  Delenn attempts to intervene, with little apparent

								effect.  Seeing that arguing was going nowhere, the delegations at

								Olorasin's insistence begin discussing peace as they sit waiting.

								Olorasin rather effectively cuts through the posturing between the

								parties

								as Garibaldi's team comes through the outer hull into the docking bay.

								Na'Toth makes a foolish attempt to change the situation which results in

								her being shot by a PPG.  As Olorasin hovers over Na'Toth ready to kill

								perhaps because of the murder of her brother, Garibaldi's team becomes

								ready to operate and their charges go off on the breach door.

								</P>


								<P>

								At that moment, Olorasin decides to surrender and orders her troops to

								give up

								their weapons.  The T'llin with the dead man's switch lets it go and Midori

								throws herself against the T'llin, sparing the others' lives at the cost of

								her own.  Sheridan expresses some thoughts to the Narn about the T'llin

								and getting out of their world.  He also explains that the remaining

								Prime

								will be granted asylum and Delenn explains that the Centauri have agreed

								to

								be the second sponsor.  Delenn and Sheridan leave hand in hand to discuss

								the T'llin situation suggesting that Delenn may be able to offer some aid.

								</P>


								<P>

								As the officers make a toast to Midori, Garibaldi explains that Delenn

								had

								offered to write her family, calling it an obligation.

								</P>


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


								<UL>

								<LI>

								Who attacked Garibaldi down below?

								</LI>

								<LI>

								How did Larkin manage to gain so much access to the systems and create

								such

								sophisticated forgeries?  The book suggests a high level of experience on

								his part, but also hints that there may be more back doors in Earth

								Alliance

								systems than are readily apparent.

								</LI>


								<LI>

								How did Lennier know the figurines of the T'llin had walked away?  Do the

								Minbari have more knowledge of T'llin physiology and their ability to

								hibernate, or is it just a suspicion?

								</LI>


								<LI>

								Having G'Kar make the call to the loan shark from a public phone seems to

								be a bit too convenient.  Why would G'Kar use a public phone to make the

								call?

								</LI>


								<LI>

								Was the Eye actually stolen from Centauri Prime or is Londo being played

								for a complete fool?  The Centauri already have lost this valuable object

								once before, to loose it again does not seem that unthinkable.

								</LI>


								</UL>


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


								<UL>

								<LI>

								The Narn may not have had significant space capabilities prior to

								encountering the Centauri.  Why though when the Centauri met the humans

								much more recently, did they not enslave the planet?  This suggests that

								the Centauri have been in decline for quite some time.

								</LI>


								</UL>


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


								<UL>

								<LI>

								This novel is set in 2259, the second season, prior to the destruction

								of the Narn Homeworld

								</LI>

								<LI>

								This book portrays Garibaldi and Sheridan as not entirely getting along,

								it

								is unclear what this is based upon, but is not entirely out of character

								either, at the least Sheridan and Garibaldi do not have the relationship

								that Sinclair and Garibaldi did.

								</LI>

								</UL>


								<h2><a name="JS">The Author Speaks</a></h2>