The Recognition We Deserve – FanFiction

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the rights to Babylon 5, the worlds created there or even these fanfiction stories. All rights are the sole property of the creator of Babylon 5, J. Michael Straczynski. These stories are merely for entertainment and are speculative. There is no basis for them in the world that Straczynski created. Nonetheless, if you are a fan of Babylon 5, I hope you will enjoy my interpretations of the Minbari culture. Much has been shown on Babylon 5 of the Religious and Warrior castes, but little of the Workers caste. My stories will focus on the Workers.

The Recognition We Deserve

Nemara took her oath to the Council seriously. Her first act as a new member was to organize the Workers into a cohesive force. They’d long been scattered across ideological lines. Some wanted sole credit for the work they did, even to the point of having their names listed on placards in buildings and aboard ships. Others wanted equal recognition in the victories of the Warrior caste. After all, they built the weapons and the ships. Didn’t they deserve recognition? It was to be a delicate balance for Nemara and the other four Workers who bore the Satai title.

“We have to give them something,” Oltol declared as the five members gathered to discuss the situation. He represented the artists and designers among the Workers caste.

Everyone nodded.

“We’ve long been suppressed and unrecognized and yet, we do all of the work.” Renair echoed the sentiment of the majority of the Worker caste. It was for this reason that he was chosen for the Council.

Nemara stood up at the head of the table. “Delenn trusts each and every one of us to find a solution. To give the Workers a sense of pride that has been lacking for millennium. But we cannot put forth bold proposals without angering the Warrior caste. The last thing we need is a civil war.”

“Then what do you propose, Nemara? That we bow down and be complaisant? That we give in to the Warrior caste though our numbers be greater than theirs? This is why we’ve been suppressed for so long.” Arnelle had led the most rebellious of factions among the Worker caste.

“No, of course not. But I can assure you, the Warriors will not give equal recognition, nor will they allow their ships to bear the names of workers. They have too much pride and arrogance for that.”

“Then how do we gain recognition?” Amora represented the clothing industry and was chosen for her calm demeanor and reasoning skills. Traits that would have served her well if she had chosen to join the Religious caste as was her birthright. Her ‘calling of the heart’ led her to join the Workers caste instead.

“Delenn spent a good deal of time among Humans. She learned all about their traditions and mannerisms. Many human workers operate under what is called a union. Although these unions for humans are much more political in nature, this does allow them to be recognized collectively under one name. If we can come up with similar collectives, then we could brand our work with just one name that represents all who shared in the work. One name! Surely the Warriors could tolerate that.”

The other four nodded their heads.

“Should we consult with the workers? Or organize this for them?” Dentuk asked.

Nemara weighed the questions carefully. As Grey Council members, they had the authority to do what they felt was in the best interest of the workers, but their power would be greatly diminished if they came across as dictatorial.

“We should hold meetings and let the workers vote on a collective title for their particular skills. Are we in agreement?”

Everyone nodded their heads. Jointly, they set schedules to meet with the workers and concluded their meeting.

Nemara was satisfied with what transpired. She just hoped that she was right about the Warrior caste. If not, there could be serious consequences.

(Note: to keep up with past and future stories, please check out the Babylon 5 FanFiction category.)

---

Each day in May, I will be participating in the StoryADay in May. Here is today’s prompt:

Via Julie – Write a Fan Fiction Story