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and word use, they were essentially the same language. Indeed, members of the worker caste had to be absolutely fluent in both religious- and warrior-caste dialects, since the members of those castes would never speak worker dialect, even to a worker. But Sinclair, out of courtesy, wanted to give it a try.
    “Am I keeping you from your work?” he said, or at least hoped he said, in the worker dialect.
    The Minbari did a most unexpected thing: he tilted his head up and looked Sinclair in the eyes. And smiled.
    “I am happy to wait until you are ready to go, Ambassador,” he said in flawless English. “I didn’t mean to disturb you. We worker caste are usually invisible to members of the other castes.”
    “You know who I am?” Sinclair responded, genuinely surprised.
    “Oh, yes, Ambassador Sinclair. Your presence here is known.”
    “Well, then you have me at a disadvantage. You know my name and I don’t know yours.”
    “Inesval, of the F’tach Islands.”
    “And where did you learn to speak English, Inesval? You speak it far better than I can speak your language.”
    “You honored me with your attempt, Ambassador,” the Minbari replied with a bow. “I spent three years on Earth with my father, after the war. He was a merchant. I very much like your world.”
    Sinclair’s watch chimed at him, telling him it was time to head back. For the first time since coming to Minbar, Sinclair was having a real conversation with a Minbari other than a Grey Council member, and he had to break it off, had to get back to his duties. What would Catherine say? He knew only too well.
    But he was also keeping the Minbari from his work, and had no idea what the worker might suffer as a consequence.
    “It’s been a pleasure talking with you, Inesval, but I had better let you get back to your work, and–“ Sinclair stopped in mid-sentence. The Minbari had a welder’s torch!
    “Is it possible,” Sinclair asked slowly, “and please tell me if this violates any rules or customs I’m not aware of, but could you perhaps do a job for me?”
    Inesval looked amazed.
    “I’m afraid I won’t be able to pay you for a while, but I assure you that you will be compensated.”
    “Ambassador, it would be my great pleasure to be of service to you in any way I can, and I do not wish compensation.”
    Sinclair bowed in delighted gratitude, then explained the job he wanted done.
    Sinclair returned to the government palace to find an ashen-faced Rathenn anxiously waiting for him in his office.
    “Forgive me, but it is only out of concern when I say that the Ambassador shouldn’t just walk off like that.”
    “Afraid I’ll get mugged, Rathenn?”
    “Mugged? I don’t understand–“
    “I just took a walk,” said Sinclair, “and don’t even think of reprimanding Venak. There was nothing he could’ve done to stop me. Now it looks to me like there’s a waiting room full of people to talk to and register as visitors. That is what you want me doing, isn’t it?”
    Rathenn bowed and left without another word.
    When Sinclair returned to his quarters that evening, he went straight to the bedroom. A faint smell of ozone told him Inesval had been there and gone already. The Minbari had done a first-rate job. The mechanism of the bed was now permanently welded into the horizontal position.
    At last, Sinclair thought, he just might get a good night’s sleep.

C HAPTER 4
    “Stay in formation! Hold the line. No one gets through, no matter what!”
    “Alpha Leader! You’ve got a Minbari fighter on your tail! I’m on him.”
    “No! Mitchell! Stay in formation! It might be a–“
    The shadow of the massive Minbari fighter fell across Sinclair’s Starfury. “Oh my God. It’s a trap!”
    “Mitchell! Break off! Break off!”
    Too late. Starfury after Starfury blown to bits, exploding like miniature suns around him. Every ship of his squadron gone. Every Earth ship in his field of view destroyed.
    “Not like this! Not like this! If