title: "Ask the Question" part 3 - END
author: Rodlox
Pairing: Lyta/Sebastian
summary: from a week in the life of this not-quite-odd couple, we see if the station can survive them both
dedication: to Gok, who let me ask the question.
the +++++ are Vorlon non-English words. you know, the chirp-warble- stuff?*
The successor was Jeff Sinclair, recalled from Minbar to retake the helm of Babylon Five after the death of Sheridan. As much as he'd thought his destiny would lay elsewhere, Sinclair had willingly re- took the helm of B5.
It was half an hour after speaking with Bester, and now Lyta was in the brig, talking with the Captain.
"I don't care what you think he did!" Sinclair said. "There were three dozen civilians in the immediate area alone, to say nothing of all the other people in mindshot!"
"Mendes..." Lyta muttered.
Lyta had, speaking aloud at the time, sworn to get Mendes, sworn to get her child back.
And one unlikely angel had heard her...
~~~~~.
BROWN SECTOR:
Morden walked into the Byronite stronghole on the station. "I have come for the child," he announced. "I advise you to surrender.""We'll do no such thing," Mendes said, swaggering into the room as best he could - given what Lyta'd done to him. There were other Byronites all around, though they gave Morden a very wide berth.
"What do you want?" Mendes asked.
"I used to ask that very thing," Morden remarked.
"Answer the question!"
"Though I never raised my voice."
"You don't know what you're doing down here, do you? So just turn around and run home."
"I know why I am, and why I am here," Morden replied. "Do you?"
"You don't have your precious masters now," Mendes taunted. "So what do you think you're going to do to me?"
Morden shook his head, closing his eyes.
"You see?" Mendes said to the others. "He can do nothing."
Morden stopped moving his head, and opened his eyes. Completely ink black eyes. "Is that so?" he asked, his voice altered.
Photopathy was rare, rarer than even telepaths and telekinetics, leading to it considered not even a myth among the Corps and Rogues. When his photopathy had appeared, Morden could only lengthen and shorten a person's shadow; but the Shadows had enhanced him, made him stronger.
Morden now used that strength to bring a rush of intense light and utter dark to Mendes' eyes. More than blinding, this first sent intense pains through the brain, triggering neural failure.
He was no telepath, but Morden compensated in other ways. He was thankful that Mollari hadn't needed this sort of punishment.
The other Byronites, fearing for themselves, handed over the Alexanders' baby.
"You'll be home soon," Morden - voice and eyes returned to normal - promised the child. He paid no heed to the solid-toned eyes of the infant, nor the bioelectric patterns - like a Vorlon ship's own - racing across baby skin.
~~~~~.DOWNBELOW:
"Where is your wife?" Byron asked as they circled each other, walking through spots of light and dark."I do not see how that is your concern," Sebastian said ever- calmly. "Do you prefer that the both of us tackle you? Would that relieve your manhood?"
Not liking anyone to talk about his manhood, Byron shot a telepathic bullet at Sebastian's mind, only for it to strike -
...And to fall harmlessly into nothingness, a thought diffused.
"We will find out," Byron vowed, frustrated at that result.
"I very much doubt so. Do you know where to begin?"
"With a dissection."
"To do so," Sebastian said, "you would have to first pass me."
"Not a problem."
"Am I not? I am no Ranger, true. But I am the broken bridge which none can cross, the very razor edge of light and dark, the lethal draw of all things."
"Nothing more than fancy words," Byron said, ignoring any hypocrisy on his part. "But you're only that much - if even that much - with that Vorlon staff of yours!"
Sebastian looked to the staff in his one hand. "This? Is this the thing you fear most?"
"I fear nothing."
"No?" Sebastian asked, tempted to ask 'what about right? what about wrong?' and all the rest. Instead, "Then use it as you will," tossing it to Byron, who caught it.
"I wonder how this thing works," Byron said, nearly salivating while looking at it.
"You could always find out," Sebastian said in that single tone of his.
"How do I do that?"
"Simply pound one end on the floor," Sebastian enunciated.
Grinning evilly, Byron did so. Electricity arced all along the floor in the room, running up Sebastian's shoes - to no effect.
But there was an effect upon Byron: though not outwardsly visible, electricity and telekinetic forces were racing all through his body. Distortions and shock were the least of his worries as he fell to his knees, no longer able to balance or to see straight. Even his hearing echoed.
"Wwwwwwhy?" he pleaded as Sebastian approached.
"Nothing changed," Sebastian granted, retaking his walking stick. "Did you think I knew how to deactivate it?" Pain could be grown accustomed to, particularly after centuries of it.
Sebastian watched as Byron's face grew startled, then the palor left as he died; Sebastian ever-watching, then shook his head afterwards, with an emotion that was almost sadness. "Begin - in the beginning," he said, and went to reunite with his family.
~~~~~.
THE END.