A fighting pike
Marcus Cole's pike was a Minbari denn'bok, several centuries old, and his principle hand-to-hand weapon.[1]
History
Denn'bok were common weapons, but rarely made. Most denn'bok ages were measured in centuries, and this pike was no exception, being several centuries old.[2]
Marcus was trained in the use of the denn'bok by Sech Durhan, himself. Durhan was one of the most well-respected F'hursna - master of the pike - on Minbar, having trained many of the Anla'Shok and even Alyt Neroon of the Warrior Caste.[3]
In 2259, after their mission to Sector 14, Entil'Zha Jeffrey Sinclair gave this pike to Marcus as a sign of thanks. The pike had been intended for Catherine Sakai, who had fallen into the time distortion. Sinclair gave it to Marcus because he felt Catherine would have wanted it that way.[4]
Marcus carried the pike with him everywhere he went, including coming to Babylon 5 in early 2260.[1] It made its first appearance when Marcus pulled it to fend off some hoodlums in Downbelow from attacking him, Delenn, and Lennier.
He continued to use the pike over the next two years, though at times he would resort to more "tactile" means.[5] It annoyed some (Stephen Franklin[6]) and interested others (G'Kar[2]). He even used it to invoke denn-shah - a fight to the death - against a warrior far more skilled and experienced than he.[3] On more than one occasion, it got Marcus out of a jam.[7]
After Marcus' death in 2261, the pike passed to Susan Ivanova, who kept it as a keepsake of the man who had loved her. By 2281, it hung in its deployed form on the wall of the office of now-General Ivanova, being displayed in a place of honor along with other trophies and keepsakes of her years in Earthforce. When Ivanova was asked to become the new Anla'Shok Na, she took the pike with her to Minbar.[8]