Babylon 5: Legions of Fire – Out of the Darkness

Overview

The story concludes the trilogy Legions of Fire by Peter David and wraps up most unfinished plot lines from the main "Babylon 5" TV series.

The novel covers the period from May 2274 to January 2278, although most events concern December 2277-January 2278, roughly 15 years after the founding of the Interstellar Alliance and roughly 14 years after the events at the end of Season 5 of the Babylon 5 TV series.

The novel is considered canonical as its plot is reportedly based in large part on J. Michael Straczynski's script notes.

The book was reviewed by "The 11-th hour" web magazine. The review was critical of the literary merits of the novel but stated that its main strength lies in providing closure to all the unresolved plots lines of the Babylon 5 TV series.

Basic story background

At the outset of the novel, Londo Mollari is still the Centauri Emperor. He is still controlled by the "keeper" that a Drakh named Shiv'kala put on Londo in Episode The Fall of Centauri Prime of the Babylon 5 TV series. Much of the novel is written in the form of Londo Mollari's secret diaries, which he wrote over the years in the short periods while his keeper was unconscious after Londo's heavy alcohol consumption.

The Drakh have built a power base on Centauri Prime, directed from a giant structure called the "Tower of Power". However, the Drakh still operate in secret and have not revealed their presence to the Centauri public. The Drakh's main instrument is the power-hungry and megalomaniac Centauri Prime Minister Durla. Through telepathic manipulation the Drakh influence Durla's dreams and feed his megalomania by projecting grand visions of conquest and revenge against the Interstellar Alliance. With the Centauri economy largely rebuilt after the devastating assault of Drazi and Narn fleets in The Fall of Centauri Prime of the TV series, Durla is overseeing a secret construction of a giant military armada. Durla's and the Drakh's efforts are frustrated by the Centauri resistance movement called "The Legions of Fire" led by the ambassador to Babylon 5 Vir Cotto. Durla's populist, militaristic and xenophobic policies are supported by the Centauri military, and he unleashes a reign of terror intended to marginalize and destroy all internal opposition and now directed even at the once powerful Centauri noble houses.

Several familiar characters from the Babylon 5 universe make appearances here and are given greater role. Thus Londo's ex-wife Mariel, who tried to poison him in episode Soul Mates of the TV series, is now a much pampered wife of Prime Minister Durla. Mariel is in love with Vir, possibly due to a technomage spell that Vir put on her years earlier in a moment of frustration. Mariel is beaten savagely by Durla who wants to demonstrate that, despite his affection for Mariel, he is not being controlled by her or by anyone else. Subsequently Londo takes Mariel under his protection.

A beautiful Centauri woman called Senna, who made her first appearance in TV movie Babylon 5: In the Beginning as the caretaker of the two Centauri children Luc and Lyssa, is revealed to be the daughter of Lord Refa. Senna is now a prominent courtier close to the emperor. She is in love with Vir and is helping him with the work of the resistance. Vir is also assisted by two technomages, Gwynn and Finian. Vir and the technomages know about the presence of the Drakh and their control over Londo, but are as yet unaware of the Drakh fusion bombs planted all over Centauri Prime.

Main events

While Durla's grand fleet is being built, the Centauri expand their sphere of influence by attacking numerous smaller worlds at the edges of the Alliance' space. Although John Sheridan and Delenn realize the danger posed by the Centauri military expansion, they are, for the time being, unable to convince the Alliance to act.

G'Kar operates secretly on Centauri Prime, disguised as a Centauri using a changeling net. He collects intelligence about the Centauri military build-up and shares it with Sheridan. During Durla's public speech attended by Londo, a disgruntled Centauri nobleman attempts to assassinate Durla and slightly injures Londo in the process. The assassin is stopped by G'Kar, whose identity is revealed. G'Kar is arrested but is given protection by Londo. G'Kar spends a year as Londo's "guest", but is not allowed to leave.

Meanwhile, on Minbar, during a birthday party for Sheridan and Delenn's son David, his parents give David an urn that Emperor Londo Mollari presented to them years earlier, in Objects at Rest of the TV series. Unbeknownst to them, the urn contains a Drakh keeper at the bottom. Later, when David is in his room alone, the keeper jumps out of the urn and attaches itself to David's shoulder. Under the keeper's influence, David steals a ship and travels to Centauri Prime, where he is delivered into Durla's hands.

Upon learning of this, Londo has a physical confrontation with Durla but is prevented from substantive action by his keeper. As revenge for Londo's outburst, Durla imprisons G'Kar and takes out his (synthetic) eye.

Attempting to rescue David, Sheridan and Delenn secretly travel to the Centauri Prime where they are apprehended by Durla, who intends to use their deaths to humiliate and demoralize the Alliance.

At the same time Michael Garibaldi meets with Vir Cotto on Babylon 5 and Vir finally reveals to him the presence of the Drakh on Centauri Prime and their role in the events of both the past 15 years and the last few days.

Vir travels urgently to Centauri Prime, intending to help rescue David. There Vir has a dinner with Londo. Speaking metaphorically to fool his keeper and invoking the imagery of Cervantes' Don Quixote, Londo lets Vir know that the "Tower of Power" is the main center of the Drakh influence on Centauri Prime.

Durla's grand armada is almost ready to launch a devastating frontal attack on the home-worlds of the main Alliance worlds. When Durla is giving a speech to the adoring public before the start of the attack, Vir's "Legions of Fire" explode a huge bomb deep in the underground tunnels underneath the "Tower of Power". The "Tower" is destroyed and the presence of the Drakh is finally revealed to all. Vir addresses the Centauri public using the holographic broadcast system and explains that the Drakh had secretly duped and manipulated the Centauri for years.

In spite of all the evidence, Durla refuses to believe his eyes and to accept that his "grand visions" were caused by the Drakh manipulations. Durla guns down his ministers, who tried to reason with him, and intends to transmit the attack "go" orders to the military armada waiting in the hyperspace. Mariel stops him, and in a struggle they both fall from a balcony to their deaths.

The Drakh Shiv'kala then demands that Londo tell the public that the Drakh have been "secret friends" helping the Centauri and that Londo continue with Durla's plans, including attacking the Alliance and executing Sheridan and Delenn. Londo refuses, mistakenly believing that Vir's resistance movement already knows about the Drakh's fusion bombs and has de-activated them. Shiv'kala detonates one third of the bombs and Centauri Prime is devastated. Horrified, Londo agrees to the Drakh's demands. The technomages helping Vir quickly find and neutralize the remaining Drakh bombs.

While heavily drunk to keep his keeper unconscious, Londo summons G'Kar, who finally learns the truth about Londo's keeper. While G'Kar is hiding in a small dressing chamber, Sheridan and Delenn are brought before Londo on his orders. With the keeper still asleep, Londo asks Sheridan and Delenn for their help to free the Centauri in exchange for their freedom, and they finally see Londo's keeper on his shoulder. Here the novel closely follows parts of the TV series episode "War Without End" where Sheridan saw flashes of his future, including talking to Delenn in a jail cell and the meeting with Londo where Londo's keeper is revealed.

Sheridan and Delenn are then taken by the guards to Londo's private ship where they are reunited with David, who is unconscious and has been heavily sedated to control his keeper. The three of them escape to Minbar.

In the throne-room Londo asks G'Kar to kill him to prevent the Drakh from thwarting Londo's plans. G'Kar reluctantly agrees but, while he is attempting to strangle Londo, the keeper awakes and fights back. Londo and G'Kar are locked into a furious struggle and they both die.

Vir returns to the throne room hoping to help Londo and finds both Londo and G'Kar dead. There Shiv'kala confronts Vir and tries to kill him but Vir manages to escape and travels to Minbar. The Drakh leave the Centauri Prime and a power vacuum is created.

On Minbar Dr Stephen Franklin examines David, who is being physically restrained to neutralize his keeper. Franklin tells David's parents that the only way to free David is to kill the Drakh who created the keeper controlling the boy.

Aftermath

Vir makes a claim for the title of the Centauri Emperor. With the support of Sheridan, the Alliance and the technomages, Vir's claim is accepted by the Centauri noble houses. The mighty Centauri fleet is given a new task: to hunt and destroy the Drakh.

Vir returns to Centauri Prime as emperor and marries Senna. While in his private room, Vir is accosted by Shiv'kala. Shiv'kala has been shunned by the other Drakh for his failure to control Londo and he has returned to take revenge on Vir. Shiv'kala reveals to Vir that he is the Drakh who produced David Sheridan's keeper. Before Shiv'kala has a chance to kill Vir, Michael Garibaldi jumps out of a closet where he has been hiding and fires two fatal PPG shots at the Drakh. Vir tells the dying Shiv'kala that he and Garibaldi set a trap for him, expecting his pride and vengefulness to overcome his common sense. Vir finishes Shiv'kala off with a PPG shot to the head, and at the same moment David Sheridan is freed from his keeper.

With the Alliance's help, Vir and Senna set out to rebuild Centauri Prime. They plan giant statues of Londo and G'Kar to be built at the two ends of the capital city, standing symbolic guard over it.