G'Kar said the name to himself softly. "Babylon Five." The name sounded right, somehow. Appropriate. He had tried to create a similar dream once before with Babylon 4, but that project had ended in fire and destruction and so many deaths. The cost had drained him, both financially and emotionally. After it had gone he had done…. so little, as if that station had been his greatest and only contribution to the future.
And now it was going to be bettered.
"Babylon Five," he said again.
It was Sheridan's idea, devised by him and Delenn. A new place, unbound by the symbols and memories and imagery of all the old. A completely new centre for the galaxy.
A dream, given birth by people who had long ago forgotten how to dream.
"Dreams are for people who sleep," he whispered, trying remember who had once told him that. The answer came to him soon enough. Londo, of course. "And where are you now, old friend? On the throne you always professed to hate, sending us diplomats and spies in your stead. Why do you not come in person?
"What do you fear so, Londo?"
He looked at the early drawings for Babylon 5 and shivered suddenly. He started and looked around. Kazomi 7 was a hot world, almost as hot as Narn itself. There were no draughts here.
But if not a breeze, then what?
A feeling.
"What do any of us fear?" he asked, his words as hollow as the grave.
There were only graves to answer him.
* * *
The existence of ancient races with vastly superior technology had long been rumoured among the younger races. Humanity's own love of myths and legends and conspiracies had given rise to numerous stories, most of which were expansions into space of old Earth legends such as the Bermuda Triangle, the Loch Ness Monster and the Abominable Snowman.
Other races had similar stories. Young Drazi warriors would go 'hunting the First Ones' as a rite of passage and a display of bravado. The Markab had numerous legends based on the events of the last Shadow War. The Narns had witnessed many inexplicable occurrences on their border at Sigma 957, and believed it to be a haunted world.
Some of these stories had a basis in fact. Others were no more than corruptions of old legends. The Shadow War, however, led to a resurgence of interest in First One myths, as many of the stories could be explained by connections to either the Shadows or the Vorlons.
2262, however, saw the rest of the legends become reality. Slowly at first, but with increasing frequency, awesomely powerful ships were sighted in forgotten areas of space. Initially these were ignored or disbelieved, but over time even the Alliance itself had to take action.
