(Babylon 5 and its characters were created by J. Michael Straczynski, and belong to Joe and Warner Bros, and are used without permission. The rest belongs to Cathy Faye Rudolph.)

"Ah, MISter GariBALdi!"

Garibaldi cringed at the wheedlingly suave tones of Londo Mollari. The sight of the Centauri ambassador's toothy beaming face and upholstered bulk bearing down on him made the meatball sub in his stomach do a double back-flip. He swallowed hard, and winced as the Ambassador grasped his hand and pumped it enthusiastically. Any more energy in that greeting, and Londo would end up with Garibaldi's entire arm as a souvenir.

"Thank you! No--'thank you' is simply inadequate, Mr. Garibaldi. The Centarum, the entire Centauri people are truly in your debt!"

Garibaldi rolled his eyes. "Lower your voice, will you? You're scaring away potential customers."

"Mister Garibaldi! Cannot a satisfied, grateful customer pay his bill?" Mollari fished about in an interior coat pocket. With a sigh of satisfaction, he held up a crystal of credit transfer. "See, proof of the Jello, as you humans say. Payment of my bill. Actually, the bill of the Centauri government." With that, Mollari presented it with a flourish to a nonplussed Garibaldi.

His eyes travelled from the facets of the crystal to the Centauri's face and back again. Garibaldi, failing to wrap his mind around the concept of a satisfied _and_ grateful Centauri, shrugged. "Ambassador, I'm happy that you're happy, but they were just some old videos."

"Just? Just?! An air of innocent confusion exuded from Londo, then he laughed heartily and poked Garibaldi in the chest with a wiry finger. "Ah, my friend, you are not only talented at your profession, you are also modest. A charming Earth attribute, or so I am told."

The Ambassador's arm encircled Garibaldi's shoulders, hugging him close. "It is always so amusing talking with you, Mr. Garibaldi. Always I have the feeling there is just the tiniest hint of sardonic humor, yes? Are you quite sure you are not part Centauri? Yes, well, obviously I was not thinking of your hair, past or present."

"Londo..." Garibaldi looked around, and then leaned close to Mollari to speak in a hushed voice. "I don't get it. Those videos, they weren't...I mean, Centauri don't....well, I don't understand their significance to the Centauri."

The Ambassador manuevered Garibaldi away from those close enough to hear. "The Centauri people need a revitalization of their spirit. Losing an Emperor and a captured world all in one day tends to leave a people rather depressed. Some Centauri believe that Earth might be a lost Centauri colony. Bah! I don't believe it, but... the honor, the regal nature, the wisdom, the self-possession of the woman in those videos? Ah, Mr. Garibaldi--" Londo wagged his finger at him good-naturedly, "you humans have much potential!"

.......Vir Cotto sat before the viewer in Londo's quarters, transfixed. Londo had been absolutely right--for once--these videos _would_ inspire the Centauri people, would infuse them with confidence. Such authoritative bearing, such command! From a human, and in an era before Centauri contact!

Vir knew he would be there for hours more, cataloging, taking notes. No matter. *This* would be the inspired salvation of the Centauri people. A new role model, a vision, provided by their friends from Earth. Vir shuddered in awed anticipation. He replayed each of the videos again, taking notes, every time to the final sequence and the human female's departing admonition--

--"This is Julia Child. Bon appetit!"

© 1997 Cathy Faye Rudolph