Read To Dream in the City of Sorrows for Free Online

that you can so obviously rely on their goodwill. Now, I fear I have a very busy schedule today, so if there’s nothing else I can help you with ...”
    “There is another matter. I had been assured by your office that my personal effects, which had been sent to Earth from Babylon 5, would be forwarded to me here, but I have not yet received anything. When might I expect them?”
    This seemed to take the aide by surprise. “Your personal effects? A moment please.” He put Sinclair on hold. After a long moment, he returned. “I am afraid there has been something of a mix-up regarding your belongings. I’m informed that it was all forwarded to your family here on Earth. A brother, I believe? Perhaps you should take it up with him. Now if you will excuse me. Good day.”
    Meugnot’s image was replaced by the StellarCom logo. Sinclair sat back perplexed. What was Clark’s game? He had been so eager to send him to Minbar, so full of platitudes about how important the job was and how only he could do it.
    Sinclair had a working relationship with at least three current senators, all of them with a good deal of influence. If the link was still up–
    “Computer, reestablish link with EarthDome.”
    To Sinclair’s relief, it was instantly reestablished. It proved a short-lived victory. Three calls to three senators. Three senatorial aides telling Sinclair the senator was unavailable, but would be informed he had called.
    Then Sinclair’s link to StellarCom went down altogether, and on the screen appeared an advisory message written in concise worker-caste Minbari indicating there was a problem with the main transmission station on Minbar’s second moon.
    He was seething. He needed to take a walk. Now.
    Venak looked up in surprise as Sinclair strode briskly toward the door. “Ambassador, you have a full schedule for the day–“
    “I’ll be back in an hour,” Sinclair said.
     
    A stiff breeze was blowing through the streets of Yedor, causing Sinclair to regret leaving his overcoat behind, but he was in no mood to go back now. He turned his collar up, and quickened his pace.
    He needed a plan of action. He needed options. He had come to Minbar with what he had believed to be a clear mandate, but now nothing was clear. Neither EarthGov nor the Minbari government seemed to want him to function as an ambassador, and yet both had nearly fallen over themselves to get him sent here. Why? Though both Clark and Rathenn had implied a friendly cooperation between the two governments, Sinclair’s deepest instincts told him they had very different reasons for wanting him on Minbar. But what were they?
    Sinclair found he had walked to the central fountain of the government sector, an elaborate display of rock, crystal, precious gems, mirrored metal, waterfalls, pools, and fountain sprays, all engineered to be pleasing to the eye and soothing to the ear. He found himself face-to-face with his own reflection in a narrow strip of mirror on one wall. He still found it disconcerting to see himself in civilian clothes rather than an Earthforce uniform. He recalled Catherine saying something similar to him back on Babylon 5. Only she hadn’t meant it quite the same way. An old argument over his devotion to duty always taking precedence over his personal life.
    A quick movement in the mirrored surface told Sinclair there was someone behind him. He turned to find a worker-caste Minbari standing there, holding a welding torch and mask, his head tilted down in the familiar pose of courtesy. But unlike most of the Minbari workers and acolytes he encountered, this Minbari’s eyes continually darted up to look at him.
    Sinclair searched for the proper phrase in the worker dialect, of which he knew even less than the religious dialect. It wasn’t necessary, he knew. All Minbari could understand the dialects of all three castes, at least in their pure, official form untainted by regional differences. In spite of all the differences in syntax