From 101646.276@compuserve.com Sun Aug  4 01:24:53 1996
Date: 10 Jul 96 14:47:21 EDT
From: Ruth King <101646.276@compuserve.com>
Reply-To: b5-creative@lists.best.com
To: b5-creative@lists.best.com
Subject: Not To Yield

An epilog to Violation, for Jenny and all us Sinclair obsessives.


Not To Yield
By  Ruth King
101646.276@compuserve.com


 Babylon 5 is copyright 1996 PTEN & Babylonian Productions.  This story is
     not intended to infringe on these copyrights
'We are now not that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are;
One equal temper of heroic heats,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find  and not to yield.'

"Computer rewind and play."

'It little profits that an idle king,
By this still hearth, amoung these barren crags.......'

The words formed music in his mind. He tried to relax to its symphony. How close
had he come to losing all of  this ? Too damn close. 

'Match'd with an aged wife I mete and dole,
Unequal laws onto a savage race,'

He wished Catherine was here. When did she return ? Three more days.  It wasn'r
fair he needed her here, needed her now. Who councils the Commander ? 

'That hoard and sleep, and feed and know not me
I canot rest from travel: I will drink'

The door signal. He roused himself,

" Open, "

" Hello Commander,"

" Delenn, this isn't a good time,"

" Actually I think it is the perfect time. May I come in ?"

" Of course."

She entered the room,

'Life to the lees : all times I have enjoy'd
Greatly, have suffer'd greatly, both with those '

" Ahh this poem again,"

" You know me too well old friend."

" That is quite correct. " She stepped closer to him, touching his face, " I
know when you are happy, when you are sad. The times when you cannot admit these
things to anyone else."

He smiled but the expression was not a cheerful one. " We nearly lost it all
today,"

" Yes but you didn't. We are still here, thanks to you."

" Thanks to Garibaldi and Ivanova.  "

His mind flicked back to the time of his imprisonment. The pain was very real.
Every muscle, tortured. He staggered, his knees buckling beneath him. 

Delenn was there her arms supporting him, helping him. She lead him to the couch
and gently lowered him down. He buried his face in his hands....

" No Jeffrey," She said gently, " Don't try to hide. Let me see your tears,
share your grief."

He looked up at her and nodded. Delenn took the seat beside him, putting
comforting arms around him, resting his head on her shoulder,

'We are now not that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are;
One equal temper of heroic heats,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find  and not to yield.'