The Whisper of Ghosts and Shadows

by Marie Day

This is an alternate time line story. I have taken material up to the end of Season Four pretty much as it stands, but most of Season Five is either ignored or glossed over.

THE WHISPER OF GHOSTS AND SHADOWS
By Marie Day

Story Line note:

Babylon 5, both the universe and all the characters, belong to JMS and other holders of the copyright. I do not wish to infringe on his copyright, but like many others who became involved in the show (a person never just watched Babylon 5) I have felt a compelling need to tell a story of my own.

This is an alternate time line story. I have taken material up to the end of Season Four pretty much as it stands, but most of Season Five is either ignored or glossed over.

As much as I took pleasure in the series, I felt that at the end of Season Four, none of the characters I had enjoyed were left. There were still the same actors using the same names, but most of the characters I had found so fascinating were not the same. Some were actually gone -- like Ivanova and Marcus, of course -- and others had undergone such psychological manipulations that I found them outright unpleasant to watch.

I did not stick through much of season five. I wanted a different story. I wanted the old characters back.

So, after several years, I finally sat down and recreated them for me. They are not perfect. Fan Fiction never can truly recreate the feel of the shows.



I respect that JMS had his vision and saw it through to the end. But nevertheless, I am presenting my own vision of his universe. At least now I can get this story out of my head.







PART 1: THE WHISPER

PRELUDE

The planet was hardly anything to draw notice. Even the Centauri, who coveted worlds like some people coveted jewels, took little notice in Mai Epsilon 6.

Captain Cora tapped in the scan code on his screen and frowned. He hated these missions; the endless boredom of traveling to dead worlds, running routine checks, heading for the next spot. He wished the Centauri had protested, but Emperor Molari liked the Earthers, and was intent on making amends. And so three ships of Earthers came to map worlds that no one wanted.

He was bored.

"Captain, we have an anomaly," DK said. "Something really strange."

"Get me a long range scan," Cora said, sitting up and taking notice. "Do the Fancy and Milton pick anything up?"

"Yes sir. Confirmation. I have long-range scanners -- what the hell is that? What are those?"

He looked and saw -- death.

"Get us out of here! Tell the other ships to pull back -- Warn the Otis --"

But it was already too late. The Fancy and the Milton were already destroyed, and even as they turned, the Blythe took a hit. They still tried to make the jump point they had just come through only moments before. The universe went red, and the ship shuddered. Sirens screamed as fires exploded, internal atmosphere was ripped away.

Cora leapt at his station, keyed in the vid from the scanner and sent it off with a prayer --

And then the Blythe exploded.


1

Bediwyr lived in a little shack at the end of a dark and vermin infested alley. The vermin came mostly in humanoid form and were, by far, the most unpleasant part of his life in this place. The city around him was dirty and noisy, and filled with enough crime that the local guard rarely had time to look into this dank little corner of their world. The alley was a place of illicit trade and black market deals made by desperate people who needed more than they could afford. It was a good place for Bediwyr to sell his occasional odd wares from far worlds. It was a better place for him to sit and listen.

Bediwyr wasn't his real name. He'd used many in the last two years: Drudwyn, Palamedes, Mabon. The choice of Bediwyr, it seemed, was proving prophetic in ways that only he could appreciate. No one here appreciated old Earth legends very much.

Bediwyr hadn't believed when he first heard the whisper of news, and then didn't want to believe when he heard it again. However, by the third time some drunken traveler repeated the tale in a run-down slum of a bar, Bediwyr knew that he had to find the true answer.

It was no easy task. He'd once been very good at finding answers, but now his body was twisted and weak, and betrayed him at every turn. He walked with difficulty, and hands that once could work any delicate lock, or untie any knot, now shook just at the barest taping of a keyboard.

People thought he was an old man, and he left them to that illusion, keeping himself beneath his hooded cloak, and hiding in the shadows. He saw the occasional young tough eyeing his goods, but Bediwyr slept lightly and guarded well. His single ppg, while crude, was enough to frighten away the rabble.

But tonight -- tonight Bediwyr went hunting in ways that he hadn't done in a long time. Tonight he moved as quietly as he could, listening at shadowed corners, moving on. A dozen places, half dozen alien languages -- he knew them all -- and Bediwyr had at least part of the answer. It was not good, and it pressed him to go on even over weakness.

He spent another week looking for the next piece, trading much of his hoarded goods on a single small data crystal. He finally bought barely a minute of video -- badly scrambled, but clear enough to see both the enemy and the destruction of the ships. As he watched on one of the two last pieces of tech equipment left, he felt a little whisper of rage that had been alien to him in a long time. It was unfair. It should not have happened again.

The others didn't know. Surely they didn't know.

And he had to tell them. He had to contact -- someone. There were a half dozen to whom he could pass the information, but only one he could reach with any ease. Only one person who could come quickly enough to get the data crystal before someone else found him and took it away again.

He knew there were others already looking. He'd heard those whispers as well. He knew there was no time to waste. Bediwyr pulled a small gray metal box from beneath the bed, gasping at the little exertion. He wore the key around his neck and he opened it carefully.

The power cubes were still good. The comm equipment was fully operational and stronger than just about anything that could be found on this backwater world.

Bediwyr's hands shook as he keyed it on, and it wasn't because of weakness this time. He was about to betray himself and others. He paused --

And he looked at the data crystal still sitting on the makeshift table. There was no choice.


2

"Captain," her second said as she came up to the deck.

"Daniel," Susan said with a nod in return. He had come from Earth Force to join the Alliance, and brought both good and bad with him. It was hard to break the military types of their hard line adherence to protocol. Susan Ivanova longed for a time when people called her by name, when friends --

She buried that thought and began going over the roster with Daniel Rule. There was nothing outstanding. Nothing out of place, nothing -- unusual.

She missed Babylon 5. Honestly missed it in ways that made her think she was stark raving mad. She wanted to throw herself into a fistfight with Narn and Centauri. She wanted to discuss religion with Delenn. She wanted to do anything but go over another damn duty roster and reassign the ship's cafeteria staff.

How had Sheridan managed it? How had he stayed sane -- ah, but it hadn't been the same. There had been a war in his day --

"Captain Ivonova," someone said.

It was not on the roster for someone to talk to her right then. She looked up with surprise and found the Minbari communication's officer, Besha, watching her with a frown.

Something, finally, out of place. It had been days. Susan pushed the roster into Daniel's hand and walked over to the woman, grateful for the interruption.

"Problem?" she asked, and trusted that she didn't sound too hopeful.

"Not exactly. I have a priority message that just came in for you, but it didn't come in on any of the regular lines, and it's in a strange code."

Better and better. "Let's see it."

The woman keyed up the information on her screen.

To Captain Susan Ivanova, WCC Cesar.

Code 7-R, Stardust Bright.

Symbols and marks followed, apparently a random scattering that slowly filled the screen. She knew better, and could almost have read it right then -- but her heart was pounding too hard and her head swimming. "That's an old Babylon 5 code," she said. "A code we used during the war. Key it over to my station. I'll open it there."

"Yes, Captain." A curious little look. No doubt she sounded as strange as she felt. The last thing Susan had expected was a whisper from the past.

She walked slowly back to her station, calming herself with every step. There were damn few people who had known that code -- only the members of the War Council. If one of them were sending her private messages it could only mean trouble.

President Sheridan, perhaps? Delenn? Garibaldi? Franklin? G'Kar? They might have need of a ship. And she would go to them --

She sat down and opened up the message again, then began to retype it, stumbling only a couple times on the translation. It was complex, a code within a code, words that were finally rendered into Markab, a dead language, and one that she hadn't been very good at. But after an hour of intense work she had the message.

It was not signed.

I have vid that you must see, but not the ability to encode and send it. Come to Gallis Colony in the Iola system. In the port city you will find Blackmarket Alley. Ask for Bediwyr.

When you consider whether or not to follow these instructions, remember that I know this code. Trust that this is important for me to use it.

"Damn," she whispered, but even that soft word drew looks all around. She bit at her lip, knowing that she couldn't just tell her pilots to re-plot their course. These were military people. They didn't go kiting off on a whim, or at the vague suggestion of some strange message.

She needed higher authority.

Fine. She would get it.

"Besha, put a priority one message straight to Commander Sher -- to President Sheridan. If he is not available, I want to talk to Delenn instead. Immediately."

"Yes Captain," Besha said. A moment's pause, that was all. These people still had trouble accepting her former status, and the friends she had kept from that time.

It might be hours before she reached Sheridan or Delenn. She tried not to pace. She went back to the roster, did her other duties.

"I have President Sheridan on-line for you," Besha said, and even she sounded surprised. Hard to do with a Minbari.

Barely half an hour. That was impressive. The screen beside her brightened and then Sheridan looked up and grinned. Damn it was good to see him.

"Susan! You look good!"

"Thank you Commander -- President," she said, and shook her head. "I've got a bit of a problem. Did you get a message today? Something using the old B5 War Council code?"

"No," he said. He put down whatever papers had been in his hands, completely interested now. "What was it?"

"Odd. Just a message to go to some backwater world to pick up a video that this person seems to think is very important."

"This person?"

"No signature, no ID tag, and nothing I can pick up from the message. There weren't many of us who knew that code, though."

"No, not many at all. I don't like it. I don't think anyone who knew it is missing."

"I -- I think I had better go and look into it, John. It might be nothing, but the use of that code makes me damn uneasy."

He pursed his lips and then nodded. "Where are you going?"

"Gallis Colony in the Iola System."

He keyed something into his computer, and then nodded again. "I'll put the orders through authorizing The Cesar to pursue this. Delenn and I are heading for Babylon 5 tomorrow morning. I believe Garibaldi is still there and Dr. Franklin has taken over medlab again, under my suggestion. They might know something. Contact me there, Captain Ivonova. I'll want to know the answer as soon as you have one."

"Yes sir," she said. It was, in an odd way, good to have him playing superior officer again. "I'll talk to you as soon as I have this sorted out."

"Be careful," he said. And then he grinned more brightly. "And if you get into too much trouble, be sure to call me. I wouldn't want you to have all the fun."

She laughed as the line went dark. Everyone on the deck had heard the conversation. They had a rather dazed and shocked look, as though they really hadn't thought she could talk to the President like that.

"Start plotting the jump points to this place," she said to the pilot. "The shortest possible route, people. I don't want to waste time on this if it does prove to be nothing more than a crank message."

"You could send a message, have someone else pick up this video," Rule said. Practical, of course.

"Yes, I could. But I'm not going to. The person used a very important and private code to get my attention. He has it. We're going to the Iola system, and I'm going to take care of this, one way or another."


3

Someone in the Gallis Government had picked up the operation of a such a sophisticated communications device, and they were more than a little interested in who was using it and why. They had even managed to trace the source of the power to the proper sector of the city. Bediwyr watched as they searched through the rambling buildings, turning out hive after hive of beings who did not want to be seen in the light of day. The government soldiers were not making friends.

He didn't worry about the local guards. They'd be busy with the buildings for a long time, and Captain Ivanova would be here long before they thought to check in the alley. The guards were not a problem.

However, he had drawn the attention of someone -- or perhaps something -- else. People asked after him in places that he sometimes frequented. Asked, rather, about whomever had bought the crystal. Bediwyr had been careful though. The person he'd gotten it from had already left world, and Bediwyr knew he'd be safe for a little while longer. They knew the crystal had passed hands here, but they didn't know to whom. All he needed was time.

He couldn't be sure what the newcomers represented. They might be another group interested in the same way he was, or they might be something far more sinister. At any rate, he knew better than to stay in one place where they might find him. He moved from alley to alley, avoiding the main streets, shambling along with the use of a worn cane and cursing under his breath.

He checked the port often and listened at the bars, spending his few horded credits on drinks he did not do more than sip.

One day, half another -- he was worn and weaker. The others were growing more persistent, and even the local guard were starting to look to the streets. He began to fear that his message hadn't gotten through. He began to fear that he wouldn't last long enough --

And then he heard the news that made him grin. The Cesar was in orbit and a shuttle had put down.

He had played many roles in his life. Percival, Gawain, and now Bediwyr. His Lady of the Lake was on world. It was time he gave her back her sword.


4

Susan straightened her clothing -- devoid of rank and any other tie to the Alliance Military -- and looked at the two who came down with her. Lan and Daklin were not high-ranking officers. They were two crewmembers who had a penchant for getting into trouble on leave, and somehow surviving it. When she said she was taking these two with her, Rule had come as close to being shocked as Susan had ever seen him.

Rule didn't know about trouble, not the kind you found on the streets of backwater port towns. These two did, though they were still a little leery of looking for it with their Captain. She hoped she didn't need them, but she wasn't one to take chances.

"As worlds go, this isn't exactly the most appealing one I've ever visited," Ivanova said as they came out of the port compound.

She scowled when a Drazi, pulling at a suitcase, almost stumbled into her. His eyes went wide, and he backed away.

"Your pardon Commander, your pardon -- a thousand pardons --"

"I am not who you think I am," she said. They were light years away from Babylon 5, but it figured that the first person she saw would know her.

"No, of course you aren't. A thousand pardons for thinking you were that august person. Forgive me --"

"You didn't see me here," she said, a hand on the Drazi's arm. He went quite still.

"No, of course not. I never saw who I thought you were here at all. In fact, I think I was not even on this world when that person wasn't here, as soon as I can catch a shuttle away. Immediately."

"Good decision," she said. Daklin had a hand to his mouth and was biting his knuckles to keep from laughing. "Can you tell me where Blackmarket Alley is?"

"Yes." The Drazi gave very precise instructions, then bowed a half dozen times, and headed back into the port. She knew he'd be off world as quickly as he could find a ship that would take him, and she doubted he would care what world he was heading for, either.

"You have a remarkable affect on people, Captain," Lan said. He watched the Drazi with a little interest.

Daklin was gasping for breath, and wiping tears from his eyes. He raised both his hands in a gesture of peace when she turned on him. "We had heard rumors about your ... background on the ship," he said. "I have to admit that I never really believed until now. You should have brought Rule down. He could have used that little show."

Susan only made a little sound of agreement, even though the man was right. Unfortunately, Rule was not the kind of person you took into dark alleys past people making illicit deals. He was too much enamored of his rank and position and believed that there was a strict line between right and wrong. Ivanova had seen that line blurred far too many times. It made her mistrust the ones who thought the line was straight and even.

She didn't much trust the people in the alley when they found it, either. That wasn't very surprising. There were damn few people she had ever trusted completely.

"Bediwyr," she said to a dark skinned woman who glared at her. The woman lifted her chin toward the far end of the alley. Susan could barely see a dark, slipshod shack in the shadows. There was no one around that she could see.

"Is this what you expected?" Daklin asked. He had his hand in his pocket, and she didn't doubt that his fingers were curled around some sort of weapon.

"Which, the alley? The guards who are moving in behind us? Or the others who have been following us since the port?" she asked. "Never mind. The answer is yes: I expected them all. Once I got that code I expected anything to happen."

She looked at the shack. Someone moved there, a shadow barely seen. It was time to get this over with.


5

Susan Ivanova was coming toward his shack.

His heart pounded. If he could have run, he would have tossed her the crystal and sprinted for his life, hoping that his better knowledge of the area saved him.

But he couldn't. He barely made it to the chair by the table before his legs gave way. He sat and bowed his head, hoping that she would take the crystal he held out to her and leave without question.

She wouldn't. He knew she would want answers. Would want to know how some broken pauper on a back water world got hold of one of the most closely guarded codes ever created.

She was coming closer, moving past trash and a drunk who had passed out early this morning. Two men walked with her. Military, but not hard line. They knew how to move around dangerous people. Behind the three, at the far end of the alley, he could see both soldiers and a small group of the others who had been searching for him. That close.

He wondered if he should wish for a brawl, or an outright attack to take Ivanova's attention away from him. He didn't want --

"You're Bediwyr?" she said.

He nodded his head in agreement, never daring to look up, hardly even daring to breathe. He pulled the crystal from beneath his cloak handing it out to her.

"I don't deal with people I can't look in the eyes," she said and reached forward.

He jerked away. "No," he whispered. "Take it. Go."

Her hand paused. For a moment, at least, she considered his words.

"You used a code you should not have," she said.

"I know. Go. Trouble."

She looked over her shoulder -- he could see the movement of her head from the corner of his eye. The local guards were pushing their way past recalcitrant people. But she turned back.

"I can't go without knowing."

He couldn't move fast enough to stop her.


6

There was trouble coming, but she'd deal with that when it arrived. No use prolonging this any further.

"I can't go without knowing." There was the safety of other friends to consider. How did this wretch get the code? How many others knew as well?

She swept the hooded cloak back. He tried to pull away, nearly falling from the chair. She caught his arm.

The world narrowed to a face, to bright eyes that looked at her with fear and --

"You bastard," she said, her voice so soft that it startled the two men with her.

Then she slugged Marcus Cole.

He tumbled back off the chair and hit the table behind him, not even trying to break his fall. She grabbed the chair and threw it aside and kicked.

"Get up. Get up!"

"I can't," he said softly, one hand going to his bleeding lip.

"How dare you -- how could you -- Get up right now!" She kicked again. It was either that or she would draw her ppg and kill him.

"I can't get up," he said, still speaking softly. "Susan -- I'm sorry. I am truly sorry --"

Susan reached down and grabbed his shirt, pulling him upward. She had trouble speaking, and each word came in a soft, hard growl of sound. "How could you do that to me? How could you make me think you were dead?"

"I had no choice," he said. "Please. Go. They'll be here any moment."

"I told you to get up --"

"And I told you that I can't."

She heard the words this time, and the sound of regret and pain that came with them. His left arm had not moved much, and she could see some sort of brace across the hand. When she looked at his legs she could see the outline of more braces on both legs.

She felt ill. Anger, regret, guilt -- fear that she knew why he wore those braces --

"Take the crystal. Go." He said. He held it out with his right hand. He met her eyes this time. "Go."

She shook her head and pulled him up. He couldn't stay there, but Daklin was fast enough to move in and wrap an arm around Cole's waist. The crewman looked very confused.

There was more trouble at the end of the alley. Weapons were out, and she didn't think she wanted to run that obstacle course.

"I'm going to want answers, Marcus," she said. "When we get to safety --"

"Leave me here. This is my place."

"No," she said and kicked the makeshift table. It collapsed with a clatter of wood and pieces of junk metal. "No, this isn't your place. You never deserved this."

He looked startled. She still wanted to reach over and strangle him, but her professionalism, and a want to survive, kicked in. She looked around the little area and shook her head.

"Captain?" Lan said. He had his ppg out, though he kept it low and out of sight.

"I assume there's a reason you have your shack at the end of the alley. Where's your back door?"

"This way," he said.

He sounded like the Marcus she remembered, even if he had to grab a cane from beside the table to walk. Daklin let go of him but hovered nearby as Marcus ducked his head and headed into the shack. She followed just in time to see him gather a few items from the top of a crate; his Minbari fighting staff, a single rose, and the broach that marked him as a ranger. He threw off the dirty, much mended cloak, and then grabbed at the wall and pulled.

"Get that," she said to Vin. He moved in and did the work, leaving Marcus to the side, his head bowed again. There was trouble in the alley, but Daklin was watching. Lan was working with the opening. For a moment she could only look at the man who stood before her.

"You were dead," she said. "You used the damned alien device to save me, and you were dead -- and I was angry that you did it. I never asked you to do that Marcus."

"I know," he said, looking up briefly. "My choice, Susan."

Lan cast one curious glance from Susan to Marcus before he pulled the last of the metal away from the wall. There was a small crawl space there, leading into the darkness.

"That's it," Lan said. Susan realized she had been staring at Marcus again, though most of her mind had been listening to the growing trouble behind them. "Let's go if we're going."

"You first," she said to Vin. "Be careful and be ready for trouble on the other side."

"You'll come out in a small space between two buildings," Marcus said. "There's a brick wall to the right around a trash yard. Climb over the wall and then skirt along the edge of it to the left, and out the side gate. Get into the crowds as soon as possible."

"You are not staying here," Susan said. He started to say something, his hand going to his arm. "No. I don't care if I have to carry you out. And you know better than to argue with me, don't you Ranger?"

"Yes ma'am," he said with a little hint of a smile.

"Vin, Daklin -- you make certain he makes it through. If anything happens to me, you get him to Babylon 5 and Sheridan."

"Susan --"

"They have their orders. They'll obey them. Now stop wasting time."

The fight in the alley was growing intense. She saw Marcus look over her shoulder and nod.


7

Lan went into the crawlspace first. Marcus tried to get Daklin to follow, but he pushed the ranger down and into the hole. He had no choice. If he didn't move fast enough, then Susan would be left alone to fight the enemy. He hadn't done everything he had to cause her death now.

It was no easy task to crawl through the jagged bricks. He tried to scramble forward and keep up with Vin. The escape route was not a straight line -- at least the enemy coming behind them would not be able to just point in and shoot. It wasn't far to the exit. He just had to keep going.

The brace on his right leg caught on some protrusion.

"Damn!" he said jerking forward, and wedged too tightly to reach back.

"Hold still," Daklin said. "I'll get it loose! Just hold still before you make it worse!"

He stopped, gasping for breath, and thought he ought to be grateful for the little rest. His arms were shaking from the exertion.

He heard something rip and realized that Daklin must have cut away part of the pant leg. He refrained from telling the man to hurry. Marcus suspected that Daklin had his own reasons for wanting to survive, and didn't need his curses to move any faster.

"There," Daklin said. "I have the brace off. Can you go on without it?"

"As long as I'm crawling," Marcus said. He began to move again.

"How much farther?" Ivanova said from somewhere not far away.

"Only a couple more turns. Your other man will have made it out already."

"Good. It won't take them long to get a scan on this tunnel and find out where we're going."

"I know. I'm sorry."

"I didn't mean --" she began, then stopped. "You have a hell of a lot to answer for, Marcus Cole. I want answers."

"You'll -- have them." He gasped, crawling as fast as he could. "Pro-viding any of us -- sur-vive."

"Even if I don't survive, you had better be prepared to give me answers," she said. "Because I'll be back to ask for them, no matter where you are or if you're dead or alive. I will get answers from you. You can count on that."

He laughed a little. "Ah, Susan, it's -- good to hear your enduring -- promises again."

"Remember that I have a weapon."

"I'm -- safe. You're man is be-tween us." He turned another corner and saw the opening. "There. Al-most -- there."

When his hand reached the opening, Lan caught hold of his arms and pulled him out, leaning him against the wall to the side. He gasped and looked around just to make certain nothing had changed. Daklin came out next, his leg brace in hand. Susan was a moment later.

"We're being followed through there," she said, waving her hand back to the opening.

"Local military or someone else?"

"I don't know. They were both not far behind me."

"No matter," Marcus said. He grabbed at the wall with his fingers and pulled out a couple bricks. "Any of you have a knife?"

"Here," Daklin said, pulling a blade from his boot and handing it to him.

"Thank you. Nice weapon." He reached in the little hole he'd made and pulled out a rope. "Stay back."

Lan and Susan were already to the wall and starting to climb up, weapons in hand. Marcus sliced through the rope with hardly any effort. Very good weapon.

Rock, brick and dirt fell, filling the opening to the hole. The entire building shuddered but he trusted that the people would be retreating now. They had a few minutes more, at least.

"Nice," Ivanova said. "You haven't lost your touch."

He smiled as he gave the blade back to Daklin. Maybe it was worth it to see her again, even if he did suspect that he wasn't going to survive the meeting, one way or another.

"Here," Daklin said. He pushed the brace back up over Cole's boot and tightened it. "That good?"

"As good as it's going to get," he said and looked up where Susan and Lan were clinging to the wall. "Is it clear?"

"So far. Vin, you go over the top. Keep guard. Daklin, hand him up."

Marcus wanted to argue and didn't. It would only slow them down even more, and suddenly he thought that they were going to escape and that they would survive. Why not? He was with Ivanova, and by every god and greater being, nothing could stop her.

She grabbed hold of his good arm and pulled him up. For the first time in more than two years, he let himself hold to hope.


8

Every time she looked into his face, Susan wanted to reach over and kill the man who had saved her life. It was irrational. It was useless, but it would have been, at least momentarily, very satisfying.

She had to put her personal feelings behind her. Marcus Cole had answers that she wanted. He had called her here for a reason, and she knew it had to have been damned important. And second -- she still wanted to know how he got to be here. She wanted answers that only he could give her, and that was going to save his life.

They scurried through the trash yard, past piles of stinking debris. He stopped once and knelt -- waving away hands to help him back up.

"Got something to get out," he said, and pulled a metal box up. High tech, coded, it opened and he handed up some comp cards. "This will get us into the port, at least, through a maintenance gate. We'll have to wing it from there."

"Fine," she said and caught his arm, pulling him back up.

He pulled out his Minbari fighting staff and used it for a cane, making good time as they headed for the gate. She thought, in fact, that there was more strength in him than there had been back at that shack.

As if, perhaps, he was coming alive again. She walked behind him, watching his head move from side to side as he kept guard. Coming alive as she had when faced with trouble? When dealing with -- old friends?

"We're about a kilometer from the port," Marcus said, as they slipped out of the side gate and onto a quiet street. He waved his braced arm toward the distant tower. A shuttle took off even as Susan shaded her eyes and looked. "I think we can make it that far, but security is better there."

"No matter. You and I can handle it."

"I'm not the man I used to be, Commander. Don't count on me for too much."

She looked into his face. "Why, Marcus? Just tell me that to begin with. Why did you do it?"

"Because -- In thy face I see, the map of honor, truth and loyalty."

"Marcus," she said again, her eyes flashing.

"Because I had failed everyone else I ever cared about," he said and didn't flinch at her look. "I wasn't going to do it again."

"I never gave you any reason to think that you and I --"

"It had nothing to do with you and I," he answered, keeping pace with her as they moved out into the walkways. "This had to do with me. My choice, my decision. What you thought about me and about my decision was not important. All that was important was that you lived."

"You are a fool," she said softly. "And with that kind of logic, I suspect you'd been hanging around the Minbari far too much. Or maybe the Vorlons."

He looked back at her as they paused at the first intersection. "Maybe I am a fool," he said. "But I've never regretted the choice I made."

There were shouts, and the sound of weapons fire not far away. Susan dropped the conversation again. They were heading back into trouble.

Lan and Daklin were doing an admirable job of keeping guard. However, the situation wasn't good -- people looked at them and knew they were trouble, and tried to move out of their way. She wanted to meld with the crowd and that wasn't going to happen. On the other hand, the trouble they left behind sounded as though it was turning into a full-fledged riot, and that would slow the enemy down, at least the military one. She wasn't sure about the others.

Getting to the port -- even getting through the gate -- was not difficult, but then they ran into trouble. The local port guards were out in force.

"Probably just routine when there's trouble in town," Susan said. The four of them stood at the edge of the passenger ramp where a few others milled. So far no one had looked very closely at them, but it wouldn't be long before the locals began checking Ids and asking questions.

"That shuttle is yours, right?" Marcus said with a little nod to a craft far out on the right.

"Yes. We can't just hike out there and grab it. We'd never make it that far," she said.

"And I'll slow you down," Marcus said, his voice softening.

"No you won't," she said and looked around until she found at least half the answer. "Vin, I want that little vehicle over there, the one for carrying cargo. Get it for us."

"Yes, ma'am," he said and almost smiled.

"We still can't just --"

"We need a diversion," Susan said. "And I see how we can get one."

She took Marcus by the arm, and nodded for Daklin to follow. Marcus looked startled, and a little worried, as she took him up the little ramp, talking trivialities about the building, the city -- sounding like a tourist. The poor Drazi didn't even see them coming until they had effectively cut him off from the others.

Then he looked at her and panicked. She caught his arm and he swayed. She was afraid he would faint.

"You know who I am," she said softly.

"No, no. I do not know. I wasn't here. I don't know --" he looked at Marcus and his eyes widened. "No! I did not see either of you! I know nothing of the riots -- I --"

"No, listen to me. You know who I am. I know I told you before that you didn't, but now you do."

"I do? I know who you are? Great Drusala, why was my flight delayed? I do not want to be here if I really do know who you are!"

"You're very wise, my friend," Marcus said and put a hand on the Drazi's shoulder. The man shuddered. "We need your help."

"Help?" His voice rose a little.

"We need you to create a distraction," Susan said. "I want you to do that for me."

"Distraction?"

"Yes, we'd be very grateful," Marcus said. He smiled. "We'd be in your debt --"

"No! Gods, be kind! No!"

The Drazi pulled away and ran screaming into the port building. It was, in fact, a very good distraction. The guards charged in after him, and Lan brought the motorized wagon right up to the ramp. The three of them leapt in and slid down, and they were heading for the shuttle before anyone had even noticed.

"Do you have any idea who that Drazi was? He seemed to know you and me far too well," Susan said, keeping watch toward the building where only a couple people were looking their way.

"Oh yes. He used to sell little wind up toys for children on the Zacolo. Quite a nice chap. I wonder what happened to him. Seems a bit on edge."

Daklin was biting at his knuckles again.


9

By the time they reached the shuttle, the guards were coming after them. Marcus watched Susan draw her weapon and take one shot back toward the mass of troops, scattering them. Lan and Daklin got him up to the airlock, but Marcus wouldn't go any farther until Susan was aboard as well. They sealed the door, but that wouldn't hold long against the local troops.

"Captain?" Lan said as he looked around the craft. "I hope you can pilot this thing."

"Not a craft I'm used to, but I think I can handle it. And I'm sure Marcus can."

Marcus nodded, already heading through the empty passenger cabin and to the pilot's controls. He slid into the seat grateful at least to be off his feet.

"Do you have the control codes?" Marcus asked, his hands running over the boards.

"What? You think I'd fly in a craft that I couldn't take over?" she said and sat down at the station beside him. "Vin, Daklin -- one of you take comm and the other monitor ships readings. I get the feeling that this is going to be rough."

She reached over and keyed on the computer, the engines, the weapons. She, of course, was sitting at the weapons' station.

Marcus watched the readings and bit at his lip. "It's a bit slow," he said. "How's it look out there?"

"They're firing up the port laser canon," she said, her hand tapping the scanner screen.

"They're scrambling three fighters," Daklin added from communications.

"Only three?" Marcus and Susan chorused.

"Well, it's obvious they don't know who we are," Marcus added. "Apparently the Drazi passed out before he could pass on that information."

"Must have. Ready to launch?"

"Ready. Do we head for The Cesar?"

"No. So far this little incident hasn't been tied to the Alliance or my ship. I'd rather keep it that way. We came down with a half dozen others, so we won't be missed when the locals check into it. And my second has orders that he is not to get involved, nor mention that I am here."

"Probably wise," Marcus said. He fired up the engines, feeling the ship tremble with power. "So where do we go?"

"We're taking the shuttle all the way home."

"Home?" he said, his heart pounding a little harder.

"Sheridan and Delenn will meet us at the station," she said and met his look. Her eyes had brightened again. "We're going to Babylon 5."

"I don't want to go back there," he said and shook his head. "I don't --"

"Yes you do, Marcus," she said. "You can't lie to me."

She was right. He closed his eyes for a moment, calmed the surge of emotions that had hit him. Then he looked back at his boards. "Prepare for launch. How's it look at the jump gate?" he asked softly.

"There's a merchant convoy heading that way. Three ships. If we move fast, we can jump right after them, and they won't have a chance to take a shot at us for fear of hitting the others."

"What about your ship?" he asked. "They're the ones we really have to worry about. Prepare to launch."

"As soon as we're up, I'll send a code that will hold them back. Launch, Marcus."

He nodded, punched in the engines, and took them upward. The pull of the gravity tore at his body. He hadn't done this in over a year, and it wasn't easy. It didn't help that the ship was not yet fully powered, but he knew that they didn't dare wait any longer. That laser canon was coming on line faster than their little craft could fully power.

"Shields full back," he said. "And hold on."


10

They went up. Susan kept her hands on the weapons but knew she couldn't fire on the port, at least not in a way that would damage the facilities or put any one down there in danger. They were not the enemy. She had to remember that, because her blood was hot and she had felt, suddenly, as though they were back to the old days. She and Marcus, fighting for their lives, running in a ship facing the enemy.

She pulled her hands back from the weapon's controls. Marcus saw the move, looked into her face, and nodded. He said nothing.

They took a hit to the rear of the shuttle, but the shields held against the laser canon. Then they were up above the clouds and out of range of that weapon, at least.

He was a damned good pilot, even still. Susan leaned back and watched as he out flew the three fighters that had scrambled to come after the stolen shuttle. In fact, he flew so well that the fighters got themselves in trouble.

Two of the fighters came in, firing at them but Marcus dodged as best he could. They took hits, and there was weakened hull integrity in the rear of the craft, but Susan sealed off all but the pilot's cabin. If the back went, they'd still be safe as long as the engines --

Susan could see her ship off on the horizon and coded in the tight beam orders that would hold them off. That at least would help --

"Oh damn," Marcus said softly.

She felt a shiver all the way up her spine even before she looked up and saw the two fighters coming in, and coming in far too closely to one another.

"Pull back!" Marcus shouted, hitting the comm button. She didn't try to stop him. "This is the pilot of the shuttle! I've got a clear line on your trajectory and you're going to collide! Pull away!"

Maybe they listened to him. The pilot on the right was turning -- but the other clipped him. They were both rolling.

"Life signs?" Marcus asked.

"Both survived. One's ejected," Daklin said. "I think the other's unconscious. And he's in trouble. His ship is tumbling straight for the gravity well. Unless he comes around, he's going to crash."

"Damn." Marcus ran his braced hand over his hair. He looked at Susan. "We can't let him crash."

"You have some sort of brilliant plan?"

"I have a plan," he said, and was already turning the craft back around, even though they had a clear run at the jump point. "I won't say it's brilliant. Though, if it doesn't work, I'm sure anyone on the ground will think we make a quite brilliant star."

"Do you have time to explain to me what the hell is going on and why you called me here first?" Susan asked.

"No."

"Then we better not die."

He grinned. His hands moved over the controls, adjusting and adjusting again. "Shields full up on the back upper hull," he said.

She looked at the readings, at his boards and out at the sky. Her ship was in view again. Rule knew she was aboard now.

"What are you going to do?" Lan finally asked.

"He's going to let the fighter hit our tail and rebound it back out into space where someone can pick the pilot up," Susan said.

"Hit us?" Daklin said.

"Well, theoretically, we should be able to just bounce the fighter off, sort of like playing bat ball," Marcus said, his hands never slowing. "A bit more explosive if we miss, but still, the theory is the same."

"Almost there," Susan said. She thought maybe Lan or Daklin was whispering a prayer.

"Almost," Marcus said. Susan could see the fighter, still tumbling as it came toward them. "Prepare for collision."

She braced herself and silently prayed as well.

It was, quite seriously, as perfect a maneuver as she'd ever seen. The fighter hit, the sound of metal against metal. Her mouth went dry as alarms rang everywhere, power surged and the board beside Marcus sparked, but she redirected power again, and the fault died quickly. Their screens were flickering. She couldn't tell --

"He's safe," Marcus said. "I can't be as certain about us."

"Head for the ship if it looks as though we can't make the jump," she said.

"Before we decide where we're going, take this," Marcus said, and pulled that crystal from his pocket. "Look at it."

She took the little data crystal and pushed it into the nearest slot. Marcus redirected the power to that board and she looked up at the screen.

At first the picture was blurred and she couldn't make out --

"What the hell are those?" Daklin asked from behind her.

"Shadow ships," she said, the words spoken even while her mind refused to believe. She'd never seen so many shadow ships. Hundreds? Thousands? They were on the ground, line after line --

The vid stopped. She remembered to breathe again. "This can't be real. It can't be -- current," she said, looking at Marcus.

"It's a few months old. That was taken on a recon mission to some desolate backwater world near the Centauri border. There were three recon ships that went in. Only one made it out, and it was so badly damaged that they barely got that bit of vid out before they exploded."

"They can't be back!" she said, denying the truth.

"No, I don't think they are. I think this group never left."

"Oh my god," she whispered. "I don't -- I don't want that war back, Marcus. I can't face them again. I'd rather fight Earth Force, the Centauri -- bring on the Vorlons! I don't want --"

Marcus looked at her. "Where do we go? Your ship? Remember that there were people looking for me. I can't be certain they weren't of Morden's type. I don't know if the Shadows realize they've been found out. But if they have --"

"My ship isn't ready for this war, and if they're just one step behind you, I can't risk it. No ship is ready. Can you get us to the station, Marcus? Do we have the power? Can the shuttle stand up to this?"

"At best, shuttles are only made for short range jumps. This one --" He stopped and bit at his lip. "I think I can take us through. But it's not going to be a pleasant trip."

"There's nothing in life that's going to be pleasant," Susan said. "Not if the Shadows are on the move again. Take us out of here, Marcus."

He nodded and began to program the course back to the jump gate.

"Captain," Daklin said. "The port commander has sent his personal thanks for saving the pilot, and says that if we put down, he will guarantee that our actions will count in our favor at a trial."

"Relay my thanks to the commander, but tell him that we just don't have time for a trial. Request that the jump gate be cleared because we are going through -- but we can't guarantee that the shuttle will survive the stress. Daklin, Lan -- I didn't mean to draw you into this kind of trouble --"

Daklin lifted a hand and waved that away. "I haven't served with you for long, Captain, but I can tell from your reaction to that data crystal that we are in real trouble. I'd rather be on the side that knows what's going on."

"Vin?" she asked.

"I'm with you. Besides, I've always wanted to see the Babylon station."

She nodded and looked at Marcus. "Take us home."


11

Marcus kept his mind locked on the problem at hand. He directed and redirected power. He purposely blew out part of the back half of the shuttle rather than let it go at an inconvenient time. The engines survived. Barely. The readings on the jump engines read fairly good, at least when he could get any reading at all.

He didn't ask Ivanova if she had reconsidered. He knew what her answer would be.

"Five minutes to jump point. Prepare," he said. His hand shook when he reached for the controls. He pulled back and shook his head. "I can't. Susan --"

"You can do it," she said. "I have my hands full keeping the engines powered."

"I'm not up to it --"

"Marcus, did I ever tell you that right after you arrived at the station, I went down to see the ship you came in on? It was in a hell of a lot worse shape than this one. You had out flown a Centauri blockade, Marcus. You can do this."

"No." He put his hands on the boards, away from the controls and his fingers quite still. "No, I can't. I'm not the same man, Susan."

"Look at me."

He did, finally meeting her stare. He flinched when she reached out and ran her fingers down his arm, pausing at the hand and the web-like brace that he wore there.

"That's the second time you've said you're not the same man. I can guess how this happened. I'll want the full answer later. But right now all I can say is that you look like the same man to me. Take us through this jump point, Marcus." She stopped and grinned quite suddenly. "I'm putting my life in your hands."

He groaned and looked back at the controls. He suddenly knew why the Drazi had run screaming.

"Captain," Daklin said. "Another ship has just left from Gallis. The port says they have not given the ship permission to launch, and they don't know what their intentions are. It's a Centauri ship."

"And the Shadows are on the edge of Centauri space," Susan said. She reached out and touched his hand again. Marcus shivered this time. "Let's go."

"Prepare to jump," he answered. His hands moved and this time they did not tremble. He keyed in the sequence. He looked at the scanner and saw that the Centauri ship was coming up very fast behind them. No time to reconsider. No time for anything but action.

"Jump sequence initiated."

The shuttle shook. The universe changed and the ship shuddered. He heard metal tear and the boards around him began to spark and go dead one at a time.

The shuttle spun. He fought for control while Susan redirected what little power they had, fed it just where he needed it --

The ship lurched, and bounced, such a violent movement that for a moment he feared he was going to pass out. Marcus held to the thought that he had Ivanova's life in his hands again. He wouldn't fail.

He got control of the ship but he was losing the fight for his own consciousness. His good arm had gone numb and his head was pounding.

"Su-san," he said softly. "I can't -- I --"

"Rest. I can hold it for a while. Vin, Daklin -- one of you bring the medkit over here and see what you can do for him. We need Marcus to get us out the other side because I'm going to have my hands full with the power grid again."

"We lost part of the hull back there," he said softly, leaning back and closing his eyes. "With luck, the Centauri craft will think we blew ourselves to hell. We need to get away from here before they come in and look."

"I'll get us moving. Just rest. We really are going to need you when we reach the other side."

The other side. Babylon 5.

The war.


PART 2: OF GHOSTS

PRELUDE

"You don't look happy, Mr. Allen," Dawe said as he came into the landing bay.

"I'm not happy," he told the woman as he stopped beside her, looking at the dozen other security guards who were ready for trouble. "I was at a private dinner party."

"Was she pretty?" Dawe said, grinning.

"Not that kind of party," he said, shaking his head. "I was with Captain Loxley at a party with President Sheridan, Delenn, Lennier, Garibaldi, Franklin. It was -- old friends. And the food they were making looked damn good. Do you know how often I get to eat for free around here? And I got called away to see about this damn shuttle."

"You're surprised?" Dawe asked.

"No," he said and leaned against the rail. "It does make me wonder why I came back, though. Well, at least it was good to be with the others. Wounds are healing."

"Wounds?"

"There were -- things that happened back in the war." He stopped and shook his head. "That's the past. How bad does the shuttle look? Are they going to make dock, or blow themselves to hell on the side of the station?"

"No one's taking bets either way," Dawe said, handing him a link with the info. "The shuttle never should have made it this far, not with the damage it's showing."

"Is it the one reported stolen from Gallis?" he asked.

"We think so. There's not enough left to make a positive ID."

He looked at the vid and whistled. He wouldn't have even realized that it was a shuttle if someone hadn't told him.

"That thing shouldn't be coming into the bay," he said. "It should have held off, and we could have gone out and picked up survivors. Who authorized it to come in?"

"I'm not sure. But it is cleared, straight from C and C."

"Emergency docking procedure beginning," the computer said, just before he was about to order an abort. "Please stand by."

"I'm going to have someone's hide for this."

"Yes sir," Dawe said. "I've got an external feed if you want to see it come in."

Zack Allen leaned over the woman's shoulder and watched the wreck fire engines, move in a little spurt that made him clinch his teeth -- but it worked. They were very nearly perfectly on-line as they came in. It was a miracle.

Someone was coming at a run into the bay. He looked up in surprise to find Lt. Corwin rounding the corner, a few guards in tow.

"Something else wrong?" Zack asked.

"I don't know how, but we've got a real security glitch," Corwin said, stopping beside Zack. "Somehow that shuttle overrode computer control, and got access to this bay. I thought I'd come down here and tell you in person. I don't know how far the problem runs."

"I wondered how it got this far. Scans show any explosives? Weapons? Anything unusual?" Zack asked.

"No," Dawe answered. "Minimal life support. Looks like four humans."

"I want answers."

"You're going to get them real soon, sir," Dawe said. "It's coming in."

He heard the clang and bangs of a shuttle coming down -- normal sounds, but they felt ominous this time. So far there was no warning of trouble, but since the shuttle crew had already overridden computer controls, he couldn't be sure that meant they were safe or not.

"I was having such a nice dinner," he said with a sigh.

"The joys of life on Babylon 5," Corwin said. "I was just going off duty to join you."

The platform was coming down. The shuttle -- what was left of it -- was a mass of burn-scored and twisted metal. He could see a fire on the underside, but the bay's auto controls were already spraying a retardant on that part.

"Damn," Corwin said, shaking his head. "Well, I'm impressed that they got this far."

"I don't think there's a way out," Zack said, running a scanner over the craft. "The pilot's bay door is twisted. We're going to have to cut them out."

"Communications?" Corwin said.

"None that appear to be working. I've got a team coming to laser cut the door open. Would you rather I had them drill a probe in first so we can talk?"

"No. Just get them out. I want to see these fools face-to-face. How long?"

The team was already arriving at a run. Zack looked over the schematics and nodded. "Less than ten minutes, but it's going to get very hot in there before we get them out."

"Not as hot as it's going to be for them when we get them out," Corwin said. "When Captain Loxley is through with them --"

"Yeah," Zack said and shook his head. "We could do them a favor, and just kick them back out into space."

"It would be the only humane thing to do," Corwin said.

The team was already cutting at the door. Sparks flew, and they all backed up a few paces. Zack looked at his watch and shook his head. There was no way he could make it back for the dinner. Maybe dessert.

"Almost there," Dawe shouted from the spot she'd taken near the door. "We'll have them out in a moment."

"About time," Zack said, though not as an attack against anyone. "I'll be taking them straight to interrogation."

Corwin nodded. "Unless we need to get them to medlab."

"True."

The first of the people were coming out. He was a tall, dark haired man who reached back and pulled another one out. They reached back and pulled an unconscious or dead body up, helping each other carry it down the scaffolding. Zack headed that way, noting that Dawe was reaching for someone else.

"I want answers," Zack said as he came to the first of the men. "I want --"

"You better ask our Captain," the man said. He looked spent. "We're just along for the ride."

"And you wanted to see Babylon 5," the one behind him said. He was carrying the body and stumbled, nodding gratefully when Corwin caught hold of him.

"I want answers," Zack said again, turning back to the ladder as the last person came down and landed beside him.

"Allen. Good. Are Sheridan and the others here?" Ivanova asked.

"God help us," Corwin whispered.

"Sheridan. Here." Zack said. He was trying to breathe, think, and speak at the same time. That hadn't ever seemed so difficult before. "Sheridan. Delenn. The others."

"Good. I'll need to see them immediately. Corwin, you better put the station on a low level alert -- no use upsetting everyone. But if a Centuari craft follows us through from Gallis, don't let them dock. If they show any hostility, scramble the Star Furies."

"Yes ma'am. God help us."

"He's coming around," the man holding the body said.

"Medlab?" Zack asked.

"No, not yet. It was the heat that finally did him in, and I need him to explain things," she said. "Get him on his feet, Daklin. Zack, can you help us?"

"Sure," he said, took hold of an arm and felt the person shudder and gasp before his head lifted. Zack nearly let go. "You -- but -- you died -- how?"

"He's not going to tell you," Ivanova said as she started toward the bay exit. "He hasn't told me yet, and he's sure as hell not going to tell anyone else before he tells me."

Marcus nodded. "I'm already treading a thin line, Mr. Allen. You'll have to wait."

Zack nodded. Corwin was walking beside him, the lieutenant looking pale and worried as he relayed quiet orders to C and C.

"Ivanova is back," Zack said. "Marcus returns from the dead. We're in a damn lot of trouble, aren't we?"

"That's what I like about Babylon 5," Marcus said. He was gasping, but his head came up and he smiled. "Everyone here knows trouble when they see it."


1

They headed into the diplomatic sector. Marcus really hadn't spent much time in this area. He'd never been comfortable here. He'd preferred down below -- brown sector, mostly, living among the lurkers, listening to their secrets, and their dreams. It was nice to share their dreams, since he had none of his own.

But here ... he didn't belong here and never had. He wasn't a diplomat. Marcus tried to brush at his crumpled clothing, maybe unsnarl a little of his hair, but he stopped when he saw Corwin still looking at him with shock and surprise. Given the circumstances, people weren't likely to notice how he was dressed.

There were two guards on either side of the door. They stepped forward, hands on weapons.

"Oh, come on," Zack said, sounding exasperated.

Susan pushed her way in front of Allen and faced the two men. "You really aren't even thinking about trying to stop us from going in there, are you?" she asked.

"No. No ma'am. Not at all."

The guards stepped aside and they went in.

And they stood amid friends. Marcus hadn't felt as though he had been with friends in a long time. He felt something flutter in his chest, and felt a little whisper of a smile at his lips.

"Susan!" Sheridan crossed the room and greeted her with a hand on her shoulder. "When I heard there was trouble about a stolen shuttle, I thought it must be you arriving."

"Well, you know me. I hate to miss a party."

"Did you pick up anything on Gallis?" he asked.

"Oh yes," she said and grabbed hold of Marcus's arm, pulling him out in front. "Does someone here want to explain this to me."

"Good God!" Sheridan said.

"In Valen's name -- I can not believe --"

"How the hell --" Garibaldi began.

They stopped and stared at him. Marcus kept to his feet out of sheer stubbornness, and looked back at the others. "Well, I must say I prefer your reaction to Susan's. She hit me. Quite hard, too."

"And I'll do it again if I don't get an answer soon," Susan said.

"We have other --"

"This first. We'll make it fast. Dr. Stephen Franklin, you want to step forward and explain things, because it's obvious you're not as surprised as the others."

Faces turned to Franklin. He sat down a glass and sighed. "Well that's it. I'm a dead man."

"You knew?" Sheridan said, looking shocked and a little betrayed.

"Only -- after he'd done the damage. Then it was a matter of deciding what was best for him, for Ivanova, and everyone else involved. You remember the coma he was in when he arrived on Babylon 5 the first time? Well, he managed to take that one step further. I thought he was dead, until I got him into medlab."

"But you knew, and you didn't tell me --" Susan said.

"Excuse me," Marcus said.

"You keep quiet. I want to hear what he says first. You'll have your turn," Susan said.

"It didn't kill him, but he didn't walk away without paying some price. I'm surprised he can even stand, given the amount of damage to his entire body. Muscles, bones, nervous system --"

"But you didn't tell me," Susan said.

"No, I didn't. Because he asked me not to, and under the circumstances, I had to agree."

"Why?" she said, and then turned the question to Marcus. "Why not tell me?"

"Because the one thing I never wanted from you was your pity, or a relationship based on your feelings of guilt. No." He looked her in the face and saw her eyes narrow. "You would have done the same."

"You had no right --"

"I had every right to make my own decisions and I did. That's past, Ivanova. That's done. If the universe hadn't conspired against me, you never would have known."

"How the hell did you get him off the station?" Garibaldi asked.

"I didn't," Franklin said. "The fool disappeared before I could complete my studies to see if I could help him. You are an idiot, Marcus."

"Well, that's something we can both agree on," Susan said. "I'm not happy about this, Stephen. I'm not --"

"Excuse me!" Marcus said. He grabbed at a nearby table as his legs gave way. "Does anyone mind if I sit down?"

"God," Sheridan said. He caught Marcus by the arm. "Come and join us at the table. Dinner is about to be served."

"There are other problems. Real problems," Susan said, and took hold of Marcus around the waist. He looked at her, worried. "Don't panic. There are witnesses. I won't kill you here. These are two of my crewmen, Lan and Daklin. They said they wanted to see the station."

"Welcome to Babylon 5," Sheridan said. The two just nodded. Marcus found it amusing. "Now, let's have that party."

"I think we have reason for celebration," Lennier said, pulling a chair out from the table. The others helped Marcus sit down. It was a relief.

"Yes, we do," Delenn said. She waited until Marcus was sitting and then she knelt beside him, startling him. "You were much missed. There was none who could replace you."

"I was only a ranger," he said, shaking his head.

"You were never only anything. And you are still a Ranger, Marcus Cole. I will not judge what you did. That is judged in your heart. But the universe was a poorer place without you. I missed our discussions on poetry and the way the sun sets on different worlds. I missed having someone I could trust, implicitly, to go on missions that needed done."

"I couldn't do the work any longer. I was of no use --"

"Never tell me that," Delenn said.

"But --"

"But it's obviously not true," Susan said. She took the chair beside Marcus. "You are still a ranger, and you can still do the work. If you couldn't, I wouldn't have this."

She held out the data crystal and then tossed it to Garibaldi. "We better look at this. Now."

"I hate to ruin everyone's dinner," Marcus said.

Garibaldi went to the wall, opened a panel that showed a screen and pushed the crystal in. For the next minute there was silence. Delenn's hand found his, and her fingers tightened as she watched. Only afterward did she let go and look at the brace he wore. She frowned, but she stood and said nothing.

"What can you tell me?" Sheridan said, looking at Marcus.

He took a deep breath and related everything he had heard, from the first whisper of a rumor, to how he finally bought the data crystal, and the escape from Gallis with Susan and her men. By then everyone was seated at the table. They were shocked, dismayed -- afraid.

"Centauri space," Captain Lockley said. She was an unknown to Marcus, but he judged her by the company she kept here. "There's no way we can send in someone official to find out what's going on."

"No, and it would be too dangerous to be that blatant anyway. But we can have Centauri officials find out a bit more information for us," Sheridan said.

"And I know just who we need," Garibaldi added.

"Londo. Vir, if we can't get Londo," Sheridan said with a nod.

"G'Kar, too," Allen said, and drew looks of surprise. "He usually knows more about what's going on in Centauri space than the Centauri do -- though I can bet he doesn't know about this. He'd be here already."

"Very true on both accounts. Can we get priority messages out to them right away?"

"Yes sir," Corwin said. "I can take care of it."

"Good. Thank you. Now -- let's have dinner."

"Dinner?" Susan said, looking startled.

"Dinner. A celebration." He looked across at Marcus. "There's nothing more we can do for the moment. We need to get more information first. So tonight we are going to celebrate. It isn't often that friends return from the dead."
2

Susan followed them up to medlab, telling herself that she really didn't have anything else to do. Marcus could barely keep to his feet now, but he'd asked that they let him walk there rather than be carried. All in all, it seemed a small concession. Nonetheless, he would not have made it without Lennier's aid.

Franklin kept looking at the Ranger and shaking his head. Susan wasn't sure that Marcus noticed. She still wasn't used to the idea of him being alive, but she had finally admitted that she liked it better than the idea of him being dead. There was hope while he was alive.

Medlab was calm when they entered, and then chaos in the next moment. Some of the people were new and didn't know who Marcus was, but the others were shocked, surprised -- pleased.

Pleased. Everyone was happy to see him. She'd known Marcus was popular, of course. He seemed more surprised by the show than she was.

Franklin took him straight to intensive care and by then Marcus didn't even argue. He grateful laid down and his eyes closed, and when she looked at him, Susan remembered him dead. She shivered.

"He'll be all right?" she asked, standing beside Franklin as he looked over the readings. "Stephen?"

"He never should have left," he said. "I wanted to help him. He deserved --"

"Can you help him now?"

"I don't know," he said. Then he looked at her and suddenly patted her arm. "It's all right. He's mostly exhausted, bruised, battered -- malnourished as well, from the looks of these readings. I can help with that. We'll worry about what else I can do later. I do see that there is more strength in his body then when he disappeared. He's tough, Susan."

"Good," she said. "I'm not happy with what happened. Not happy with either of you for it."

"I knew you wouldn't be if you ever found out," he said. He had pulled a hypo from the supplies and went into the cubicle, Susan trailing along. He didn't try to stop her. "But the worst of the deed was already done, Susan. I couldn't see making both you suffer more for it. And he would have, you know."

"And he hasn't suffered, living like this, away from his friends and people who could have helped him?"

"I -- " Marcus began, then stopped and shook his head. His eyes were fluttering, and he was obviously fighting just to stay conscious. Franklin gently put the hypo against Cole's neck, but he didn't even seem to notice. "I couldn't face you, Susan. I couldn't. And if I had stayed, you would have found out that I was alive. Nothing happens on the station -- happened on the station without you knowing it. So I had lurkers get me out. I knew Stephen would keep quiet about my disappearance, having gone -- that far already. I can't -- I won't make excuses, Commander. I -- it was the best I could do."

"We can't change the past," Susan said. "Well, at least not without help from Dral and Zastros, and a whole hell of lot more work than I'm willing to go through again. So, it's done. But I'm going to tell you this only once, Ranger. Are you listening to me?"

"Yes," he said softly, his eyes focused on her again.

"You had better never again die saving my life. Is that clear?"

"Yes Commander," he said and seemed to take her very seriously.

"Good. I'll let Stephen take care of you. I'll come back -- later."

He nodded. She stepped out of the room, out of medlab and all the way to the hall before her legs began to shake and she stopped, a hand to the wall.

"Is it the miracle that affects you so, Susan?" Delenn asked.

She should have known that Delenn would be here. The Minbari woman had a knack for showing up just when she needed a moment alone.

"Miracle? Maybe," Susan said. She straightened and looked at Delenn, Lennier at her side. It was good to see them again. At least Delenn had always been easy to talk to. "But it's more a reaction of anger and frustration, and fear."

"And no happiness to see your friend returned?"

"Marcus was never --"

"I have heard a saying of your people. Greater love hath no man than this; that he lay down his life for his friends. That is what he did, you know. He didn't know he would survive, but having survived -- he still gave up his life, because you were his friend, and he would not burden you, nor any of the rest of us."

"He was a fool."

"Yes, he was. And likely still is. And my heart sings to have such a fool and friend back among us. He nearly died once for me, too, you know, when he went up against Neroon. I had not wished it either. I'm glad he survived, both times."

"Yes," Susan said. "Yes, you're right. I keep trying to tell myself that I wish he'd never shown back up -- but that's not how I really feel. At least here, maybe Stephen can help him. Maybe there's hope."

"Maybe there is," Delenn agreed. "And we are in need of hope and miracles just now, are we not? Maybe the return of Marcus Cole is a sign."

"Well, whatever you do, don't tell him that. I think he's become a bit too messianic as it is."

"You are probably right," Delenn said and even smiled. "I go to sit with him now. And you?"

"I'm going to C and C. I might be able to help if that ship does still show up."

"Each to our own place," Delenn said. "I see patterns emerging from the chaos of the last two years. I see old wounds healed. I see -- I sense a need for us to be here again."

"Why?" Susan said.

"Because -- this is our place."


3

He slept, but not well. There was darkness at the edge of his dreams, shadows that moved and moved and came for him and his friends, and he was helpless to stop them.

"Rest, my friend," Delenn's voice whispered at his ear. "Rest and be well. We are here. We will keep you safe."

He shivered and heard the whisper of shadows, felt the coldness of death coming closer.

"Rest," she whispered again and her warm fingers brushed against the side of his face.

He was the one who should have been on guard, not her. He should have been --

"You are not resting, Marcus."

He had never disobeyed her before. This wasn't the time to start. He let himself drift back into the deeper dreams, even with the shadows there. It didn't matter. Delenn would protect him.

He slept better than he had for more than two years and awoke startled -- frightened that he had been so vulnerable for so long.

But Delenn was still beside him. He wasn't sure how long she had been there, if she had left him for a while -- no. She said she would protect him. He knew she would not have left before he relieved her of that duty.

"You need not stay longer, Entil'za Delenn. I'm awake now," he said softly. He felt weaker, cold and half ill.

"So you are," Delenn said. She had been sitting on a chair beside the bed, and he thought perhaps she had been sleeping there. It made him uncomfortable. "Tell me what you dream, Marcus."

"No. It's nothing good."

She only nodded. "Marcus, why didn't you come to me rather than run? Did you think that your use to me as a Ranger was all that I cared about? For that matter, did you think that you would be turned out of the Rangers? Did you think we were that shallow?"

"Delenn," Franklin said, coming into the little cubicle. "He's -- stressed. I think you should wait to ask your questions --"

"No," Marcus said. He took a breath, calmed again. "No, she has a right to know. I should have gone to you, Entil'za. For that you have my profound apology. Later, when I looked back, I realized that my choice to run rather than seek shelter from you meant that I had not been -- Ranger enough. But at the time I left --" He stopped and took another breath, trying to banish the horrible memory of that time, of the helplessness, the weakness, the fear. "At the time I left, I was focused so completely on Susan Ivanova that I could not think of anything except that I had to get away before she learned the truth."

Delenn nodded and looked pensive.

"I beg your forgiveness," he said formally. "I acted unwisely and compounded --"

"And compounded the love you felt for one with the fear that you would hurt both her and others. I neither judge nor condemn what you did, Marcus. Such actions are beyond the realm of my understanding."

"Are they? If it had been Captain Sheridan, and the choice had been yours --"

She bowed her head in agreement and Franklin shook his and began poking and prodding him until Marcus winced and looked back at the doctor with a frown.

"Did that hurt?" Franklin asked.

"Yes it bloody well hurt," Marcus said.

"Good." Franklin reached up and turned Marcus' head to the side and back again. "Nasty bruise. That where Susan hit you?"

"Yes." He lifted his good hand and rubbed at his jaw. "I was just lucky she didn't have a ppg in her hand at the time."

"True enough," Franklin said. He stopped and folded his arms in front of him; a sure sign, Marcus knew, that he was about to be lectured. "You should have taken better care of yourself. Those makeshift braces you made helped, but you still pushed too hard, at least lately. And you sure as hell should have been eating better. That weakened your system even more, Marcus."

"I had no choice," he said, and knew that wasn't the answer Franklin wanted to hear.

"You did. There had to be some clinics, even on Gallis."

"There were. But I was on world illegally, you know. And my injuries were not easily explained. I couldn't risk it, Stephen. I couldn't."

"You risked dying instead."

"Yes, but I was used to that by then, wasn't I?"

Franklin's mouth clamped shut, and Marcus knew when it opened again that he would be told things in no uncertain terms --

He was saved by the arrival of G'Kar, who came rushing into the little room and yelled so loudly that everyone jumped, and Marcus was trying to get up to save them all from the berserker --

"G'Quon is good! My friend truly is alive! I had not believed it when Garibaldi said --"

And then Garibaldi arrived at a run and slid into the Narn. They tumbled and both landed on the floor, neither looking very dignified.

Marcus laughed. It was, honestly, the first time he had laughed in a long, long time. Franklin had started toward the two newcomers, looking stern, but when he looked back at Marcus, he stopped and grinned as well.

G'Kar stood, pulling Garibaldi up as well, both them brushing at their clothing, trying to look dignified. It only made Marcus laugh more. Even Delenn joined, which was a surprise. And then Franklin.

"Well, I'm glad you people are so easily amused," Garibaldi said.

"For-give me," Delenn said. "It was -- impolite."

"It was wonderful," G'Kar said. He came to the edge of the bed and took Marcus's hand in his own, holding it very gently. "I am pleased, my friend. I -- I have not felt anything so right in the universe in a long time. It is a wonder that the stars themselves do not sing in joy."

"Do you not hear them do so?" Delenn said, looking up at the Narn.

G'kar closed his eyes, his hand still holding to Marcus. "Yes," he whispered at last. "Yes, you are right, Lady Delenn. They do sing."

"You're both mad," Marcus said.

"It is a finer madness than I have suffered in many long years," G'Kar answered. He finally released the fingers and stepped back.

"You don't know what brought me back," Marcus said. "If you knew --"

"Mr. Garibaldi and Captain -- President Sheridan have told me about the Shadows. I have seen the video. Do you believe the knowledge of their existence should diminish this moment for me? No, Marcus Cole. The stars sing. I hear them and I rejoice. Tomorrow may bring other sorrows, but not today."

"You have friends, Marcus," Franklin said. "I think that's the one thing that you never realized --"

Lennier arrived carrying a gray box, two more Minbari with him. He looked around the group and bowed properly, the others mimicking his movement --

"This isn't a party room, you know," Franklin said, but didn't tell them to leave.

"I have been to Minbar and back," Lennier said. "I brought that which you requested, Delenn."

"Show him," she said, nodding to Marcus.

Lennier handed the box to one of the Minbari and opened the lid. He pulled out clothing -- familiar clothing, the dark blacks and browns, the long cloak. The uniform of the Ranger.

"I thought you should like to dress properly again, when the time comes for you to leave Medlab," Delenn said. She took the clothing and sat them on the chair beside her.

"I am grateful, Entil'za," he said and bowed his head. He hadn't thought that clothing would make him cry, not when he had gone through so much else. "I still have my broach."

"I never doubted it. Lennier. The other?"

"I have brought it," Lennier said. "And these two to help make the adjustments."

He pulled something else from the box. It looked like a metal collar and strands of wires. Marcus had never seen anything like it before.

"What is that?" Franklin asked.

"That, I hope, is a miracle all our own," Delenn said.


4

Susan came into the room just behind Captain Loxley. She had spent most of the last two days with the woman, going over old history, strategies, knowledge that might help the Captain in defense of the station if it came to that trouble again.

She should have come back to Medlab before now. Instead, it took the interest of this stranger to draw her down here.

Sheridan was in the room, along with Delenn, Lennier, two Minbari she didn't know, and Franklin. Marcus sat on a chair with his head bowed, dark hair across his face. Lennier was fastening something around the Ranger's neck. Marcus was dressed like a ranger again. That took her a little by surprise and sent a surprising flutter through her stomach. Rangers put themselves in danger. She didn't think she wanted to see that --

"It is done," Lennier said. He stepped around Marcus and nodded. "We've made the adjustments we can. Dr. Franklin?"

He came over, scanner in hand as Marcus looked up. For a moment the doctor said nothing.

"It's -- promising," Franklin said. "Do you want to give it a try?"

"I'm quite -- unsteady," Marcus said. "I --"

"Look for the calm in the storm, Marcus," Delenn said.

He nodded, bowed his head again for a moment -- and then he stood. No cane, no staff. Marcus saw Susan and he looked away, swayed for a moment -- and then took a step forward. And another.

"Good," Franklin said. "How does it feel?"

"Tingly," Marcus said. He turned and walked back to the chair, putting his hand on it to steady himself. "But -- but it doesn't hurt to move. I don't feel the weakness in my legs, as though they will give way at any moment. I think -- Delenn, I have much to thank you for."

"How does this work?" Sheridan asked. "It's wonderful!"

"It is," Delenn agreed.

"The system consists of an organic wire that is slipped through the muscles where it grows and grafts itself to the person's internal structure," Lennier said. "And the inputs are then attached the collar, which has another input into the brain. It works like a secondary nervous system, boosting power where it has failed. Minbari genetics has bypassed the need for such a device, but Delenn knew that it had been used in the past. I went to hunt one down, and the people who could not only make it work, but hope to make it work for a human."

"It's not a perfect answer, Marcus," Franklin said. "It's a vast improvement, but it doesn't make your body stronger, only removes the worst of the impediments. And it draws energy from you body as well, which will cause other problems. Delenn, I will want to know more about this technology, and not just for Marcus."

"It is a gift we shall give with all our hearts," Delenn said. She stood and held out her hand to Marcus.

He walked those dozen steps without pause, took her hand in his, and knelt before her. His head rested on the back of her hand and he spoke in Minbari. Susan noted that the two Minbari with Lennier looked startled, but Lennier and Delenn did not. Susan wished she knew what was said.

"Stand," Delenn said. She didn't help him up and it took him two tries. "You give too many gifts of yourself, Marcus. It was time that a gift was given in return."

"Now that you can walk out of here, I'm not going to try and stop you," Franklin said. Marcus grinned. "I'll want to see you every day for the time being, though. It's going to take a bit more work to get the balance of nutrients right that you'll need. Can I trust you to come back here?"

"Yes," Marcus said.

"Good," Sheridan was the one who answered. "Good. We'll find you quarters --"

"I know a place," Susan said, drawing their attention. "I know just the place for him."


5

The others came with Marcus and Susan: Franklin, Captain Loxley, Delenn, Lennier and Sheridan. Marcus walked at her side and they drew looks where they passed. Whispers echoed behind them. At the lift he saw the way Captain Loxley looked around, as though she wondered what sort of people she was keeping company with these days.

Susan took them down to quarters, around the curves and to a door --

"This was my room," Marcus said, looking at her with a little frown. "How odd that it is available again. How did you know?"

"I had the room sealed after you died," she said. "I took it off the station records and made sure that no one would ever have the room again." She pulled the identicard from her pocket and handed it to him.

He looked at her in silence for a moment, then pushed the key into place and the door slid open. He stepped inside.

Home. His small altar to The Three was still glowing on the wall. He went to it, his hand lifted. He could not think the words to say, and let his emotions fill that void instead. Then he looked back, finding the others still crowded around.

"The rooms a little small," Captain Loxley said. "I could arrange --"

"No," Marcus said. "Thank you, but this was always my place. Thank you, Susan."

"When I did it, I never thought you'd be back, you know."

"I know. And you didn't have to tell me that this room was still mine, either. I'm grateful. I feel peace here. I feel a sense of place and being --"

"You spend too much time with the Minbari," Franklin said.

"People keep telling me --"

He felt dizzy and caught hold of the chair. Franklin was instantly by his side, scanner running even as he helped Marcus sit.

"What happened?" Sheridan asked.

"What I'd been expecting," Franklin said. "Your body is still weak, Marcus. It will never have the full strength that you once did. That was a warning sign that you've gone as far as you should. I suggest that you sleep for a while. You need to learn the signs and replenish your system. The Minbari's gift takes power from your body and you haven't any to spare."

"Rest," Delenn said. "Tomorrow we shall have the first of G'Kar's reports and either Vir Kotto or Londo will be here as well. I expect you to join us, Marcus, but I want you to be rested and ready for such work."

"I will be," he said. Her words had lifted a last fear; that he would be cut off from the work because of his condition.

"Come to see me first thing in the morning," Franklin said. "I'm working up a new nutrient supplement that should help."

"I'll be there. Thank you."

They took it as a dismissal. He wasn't sure he wanted to be alone -- completely alone with himself again. But it was better here. He could rest in this room and not fear the darkness.

When he looked up, he the door sealed closed and he shivered a little. He sat in the silence, letting his fingers run across the table top, remembering the feel. It was easy to let himself be here. He stood and went to the room's single cupboard and pulled it open. Empty -- but then it had always been -- except for the single object wrapped in cloth on the floor. He unwrapped the hilt, and then the blade.

"Excalibur," he said softly and smiled. "Still here. I shall have to ask G'kar about your master."

He wrapped it again, then slowly made his way to the bed.

And there he found something curious -- a single piece of paper, a scattering of dried red rose petals. The real thing, he realized with a start. There were words on the paper, written with an unsteady hand.

He gave honors to the world again,

His blessed part to heaven, and slept in peace.

He held the paper for a long time, then carefully collected each petal and folded them into the paper and held it in his hand as he finally laid down to sleep.

He slept very well.


PART 3: AND SHADOWS

PRELUDE

Vir Kotto stepped out of the ship and took a deep breath of -- freedom. Babylon 5. His step was lighter as he headed for the debarkation area. He was glad for this excuse to come back and he hoped he could stay longer this time, unless whatever President Sheridan wanted to talk to him about wasn't pleasant.

There was a party waiting for him at the end of the walkway. That was good, too, and not because he wanted to impress the two guards Londo had sent with him. It was just good to see a familiar face, and to feel welcome.

"Ambassdor," President Sheridan said, bowing his head in greeting.

"Vir," he corrected falling into pace beside Sheridan and his own two guards. The man was obviously in a hurry. "Just Vir. I know, I know -- it's not proper and we should observe protocols. But still, I like to be Vir when I'm on Babylon 5. To me, the Ambassador to Babylon 5 will always be Londo Mollari. I can't take his place. Well, maybe I can, but that's for the future and another prophecy."

"How is Lon- The Emperor?"

"The Emperor is not as happy with his work as he had thought he would be," Vir said. He glanced back at the guards and lowered his voice. It was easy to talk to Sheridan because Vir knew it was safe. He could trust this human, more so than he could trust most Centauri. If something needed fixed... "I think, if Londo had a choice, he would give up the position and come back here. But he can't. The one thing Londo Molari has always understood and accepted was duty to his people. He may have had a perverted vision of that duty sometimes, but he never strayed from the heart of belief."

Sheridan glanced at him, the man looking surprised.

"Yes?" Vir asked as they paused at the lift. The four guards had taken their places near by again. He would have to curb his tongue.

"You surprise me, Ambassador. Vir. You always surprise me. Welcome back to Babylon 5."

"Thank you," he smiled brightly. Then he looked at the two guards and made a little shooing motion with his hands. "Go collect my baggage and get my quarters ready. I'll be there soon."

"Ambassador," one of them began.

Vir straightened and met the man's eyes. "Go get my quarters ready. I'll be there as soon as I've met with President Sheridan."

"Yes, Ambassador," the guard said, bowing his head and stepping away.

Sheridan, he noted, gave his own guards a little sign and they headed off down the hall on their own business. The lift had stopped and they slipped inside, just the two of them. When the door closed, they were alone.

"Thank you for your trust," Sheridan said after he had started the lift on its way.

"Sometimes I just have to put my foot down. I know they're Londo's spies. Londo knows that I know. If I let them just trail along, everyone would think I was a fool."

"And you are not a fool."

"Not all the time." He shook his head. They were alone and he didn't want to waste the time. "What's the problem? War reparations? Trouble between the Centuari and Narn again? The dozen war cruisers that were turned out on one of the colony worlds --"

"War Cruisers?" Sheridan said, his eyebrows lifting.

"Did I say that? Never mind, never mind. You know how it is with colonies, President Sheridan. Sometimes they go their own way for a while and it's hard to get them back in line. But don't worry." Vir looked up and met the man's eyes at last. "Londo is seeing to it."

"Is he? Good. But that's not why I asked you to come here. There are others involved. We've been waiting for your arrival."

"Others?"

He nodded, his lips pursed. Vir remembered that look and didn't ask more. The human would get to the matter at hand when he was ready.

They went to a private room, reminding Vir that Sheridan was not the head of the station. Vir had worked with Captain Loxley, who was sitting at the table when they entered, but he couldn't get used to her being in charge here. It never felt right.

Much like him being the Centauri Ambassador to Babylon 5.

"I think you know everyone here, Ambassador Kotto."

"Yes, yes. It's good to see all of you! And it's Vir. We've all known each other too long to stand by titles," he said, looking from face to face. Ivanonva, G'Kar, Delenn, Lennier, Loxley, Garibaldi, Zack, Marcus --

Marcus?

"Excuse me," Vir said as he was about to take a seat beside Sheridan. "You, there at the end of the table. Aren't you supposed to be dead?"

"Well, yes, actually" Marcus said. "I was, anyway."

"You were dead?"

"Mostly dead. But that's a long story and not really applicable to what's happening here, except that I learned something and had to bring it back."

"You brought back news from the dead," Vir said, sitting down. "I don't think I like this."

"It's not good," Sheridan said. "Mr. Garibaldi, if you would?"

The lights dimmed and the screen at the end of the table brightened.

And the shadows came back to haunt him again.


1

After she woke up and dressed, Susan had started to head for C and C. She stopped herself two levels shy of that goal and turned around, heading down for the gardens instead. It wasn't that she wanted to go to the gardens -- it was that she wanted to go to C and C too much.

This wasn't her place. This wasn't her station now.

It worried and bothered her that she was so obsessed with Babylon 5. Once The Cesar arrived she could leave -- go off and help search or other Shadow posts. Go off and fight the damn war again. As long as she was here, all she could do was haunt C and C and offer advice for the coming war that she really hoped no one would need.

It came down to the fact that Captain Loxley could run Babylon 5 just fine without her. She had enjoyed talking with the woman, including the occasional gossip about old friends, but she hated feeling useless.

Susan didn't expect that sitting in the garden would help in that regard, but it did keep her out from under everyone's feet. It also gave her time to think. That wasn't really something Susan had wanted, but it was needed. Time to think of the past and the war to come, of loss and battles, victories and --

"There you are, Captain Ivanova. You're a hard woman to track down," Captain Loxley said as she came into the garden.

The commander of Babylon 5 station settled unceremoniously beside Ivanova. Despite the look of the calm and relaxed greeting, Susan could read something more in the woman's stance. She was nervous, or uneasy around Susan -- or worried about something else entirely. Susan tried to remind herself not to be so paranoid about how people reacted to her.

"You were looking for me?" Susan asked.

"I waited for you up in C and C this morning and I was surprised when you didn't show up. I wanted to continue our discussion about the power grid and the other matters. There's till far too much of this that I don't know. I don't have your experience with the shadows for even the station. I want to learn everything I can before it's too late."

Loxley was sincere. That helped salve her pride even while Susan felt a little childish about her own behavior. "I'm sorry you had to come looking for me," she said. "I thought you might appreciate not having me standing there like the place was mine."

"I don't mind," she said and leaned back. "You never took advantage of it, even when Corwin kept looking to you for orders."

"Old habits," she said and smiled. Lt. Corwin had been very embarrassed by his lapses.

"Well, I hope the peace and quiet here helped you, because you're not going to get it again," Catherine Loxley grinned as she dropped a link into Susan's lap. "Welcome back into the loop."

"I'm not B5 crew," she protested.

"As long as you're here, I want to be able to reach you if I need your advice. I gave badges to most everyone else in your group, including G'Kar and Ambassador Kotto. I was wondering about Marcus Cole, though. I don't know where he fits into the line of command."

Susan laughed and stood. "Do you have a couple more free minutes to spare? I've got something in storage here. It'll explain just where Marcus stands."

"Will it?" she said, eyebrows raised.

"Well, more or less. He gave it to me when I said the same thing to him."

Captain Loxley stood. She shrugged as she looked over the garden. "I seem to have the time. It's been an uncommonly quiet morning."

"Those are the ones to watch out for, you know."

"Oh yes, I do know that. But I figure all hell isn't going to break loose until President Sheridan's meeting, and that isn't for another hour. After that -- I don't know what to expect."

"Neither do I," Susan said. She looked at the comm bade in her hand and finally pushed it into place. She and the Captain headed back toward the lift, leaving the serenity of the garden behind. Susan looked at her hand. Back in the loop. Full circle -- she couldn't hide any longer.


2

Marcus walked with Dr. Franklin up to the meeting room. He found it unnerving the way people kept turning and looking at him. He'd never thought he was that well known -- before. Notoriety was one thing he'd never looked for, either.

The Zacolo buzzed with activity. People gathered around the vidcast sites or in small groups, looking worried and whispering. They likely didn't know what was happening yet, he knew. But the word would get out soon. If the shadows were on the move --

"Marcus? You all right?" Franklin asked.

"Yes," he said and tried not to feel annoyed at the question. "Just thinking about the future and the past, and wondering what will happen this time."

"We won once," Franklin said.

"Did we? I think we just embarrassed them into going away," he answered. Then he shrugged and started forward again, watching the people in the Zacolo as they walked. "But it was a win, you're right. I'm feeling a bit bleak today for some reason. I shouldn't be, all things considered."

"We thought we were done with this madness," Franklin said, keeping pace beside him. "None of us want to start this over again."

He nodded and tried to feel better that he wasn't alone in this madness. He had done the right thing, making the proper people aware of what was happening. Even so, as they walked through the crowd where nervous people turned and stared, he couldn't help but feel that he'd rather not have come back.

Susan, Captain Loxley, Zack Allen and Garibaldi were already in the meeting room when he and Franklin arrived. Ivanova and Loxley both looked up and grinned when he entered. He wasn't at all sure what that was about, and it made him very nervous. He decided to sit beside Michael and across the table from the two women who went back to their own conversation. Franklin sat the other side of him and leaned back, looking around the room, though his mind clearly not what was here.

Garibaldi looked at Marcus and shook his head. "It's a wonder she didn't kill you, you know."

"I know. I'm sure the possibility is still not far from her thoughts," Marcus said. Susan looked over and smiled again -- not a very reassuring, that look. He had known she could hear them, though, and wasn't very surprised.

"I can't decide if you are very brave or the worst fool I've ever had the pleasure to meet," Michael continued.

"Oh, a fool, surely," Marcus answered.

"I'm willing to take your word for it," Michael said.

President Sheridan, Delenn and Lennier were just entering the room with G'Kar and Vir Kotto just behind them. They all looked dour, and Marcus prepared himself for the news. This wasn't going to be good.

John Sheridan sat down, Delenn beside him and the others finding empty chairs around the table. Sheridan put his hands on the table and took a deep breath as he looked around.

"Using every resource we could find, we tried to learn what survey ships are missing. There's nothing we can trace, but then survey ships are often out of touch for long periods," he said. "Failing that, we started looking at what we could glean from the video and see if we could somehow match a location. We've culled reports for most of the night and believe there are three possible locations where that Shadow fleet might have been based. I've dispatched ships to look, but I think it may already be too late. I've had five reports of missing ships in the last seven hours. Something is on the move."

"Damn," Garibaldi mumbled.

Sheridan called up a hologram and began highlighting areas as he spoke. "These are the last known locations of the missing ships. Here were the two Centauri Merchant ships, one Alliance Scout, a Drazi private ship, and one Narn transport. All but one of the disappearances -- the Drazi craft -- were within a couple sectors of Centauri space. It looks as though they must be massing along a line from here to about here. That means that they are likely heading for Narn space."

"Because we are weaker," G'Kar said. He almost glared at Vir, but the Ambassador was already looking at his hands. Kotto had never been an enemy of the Narn and even G'Kar didn't pursue his verbal attack.

"That may be true," Susan said. "In which case we need to move --"

"No," Marcus said.

He hadn't really intended to speak aloud, but he continued now that he had their attention. He stood, one hand on the back of Garibaldi's chair while he found his balance again, and then stepped around to the holo, looking it over more carefully.

"There's something here that doesn't fit," he finally said. "The shadows we've dealt with in the past were never that obvious. I don't like the feel of this. If the Shadows have made that obvious of a move to draw our attention --"

"Then we should be looking anywhere but there," Susan said. "He could be right."

"Unless the Shadows expect us to believe they wouldn't be so obvious," Michael added.

"Trying to double think the Shadows makes my head ache," Franklin said. "Can we know an answer? Is there anyway to figure this out?"

"What about that Drazi ship," Marcus said, pointing at that location. "It's not part of the larger pattern."

"It's very likely an unrelated incident," Sheridan said.

"Perhaps."

"These are not the same Shadows with which we have dealt in the past," G'Kar said. "It is possible that they are not as cunning."

"But none of us believe that, do we?" Michael Garibaldi asked as Marcus came back to his chair.

"We know they are cunning and that is something we should never doubt," Delenn said. "Always remember that."

"So if this is a ploy to draw all our forces toward Narn space, then --" Franklin said, leaning forward.

"Then the incident with the Drazi ship may be of far more importance than we thought," Sheridan concluded. He didn't look any happier for it.

"There's only one object of any strategic value anywhere near where the Drazi ship disappeared," Susan added. "Us."

"But --" Vir began, looking worried as he glanced from face to face.

"But if we're being too devious for our own good, we could risk disaster in the Narn sector," Marcus said.

"The ships are already dispatched to that area," Sheridan said. "We know that something is out there, even if it isn't the main shadow fleet. That doesn't mean we have to be unprepared for trouble here. The Cesar will be through the jump gate within the hour, Susan. We'll hold on to that one here. Vir came on a war cruiser and so did Delenn and I. I'll put out a call for whatever else might be close."

"We aren't unprotected here," Delenn said with a nod. She looked thoughtful. "and if the Shadows do expect us to be defenseless, that might work well in our favor."

"That's a dangerous game," G'Kar said.

"But one we're already being forced to play," Sheridan said. "I don't like it much either, but unfortunately, no one asked us if we wanted these rules. We'll have to do the best we can. Captain Loxley -- you said you wanted to have a few words with this group?"

"Yes, thank you." She stood, a tall stern looking woman who looked up and down the table before she spoke. "None of you, with the exception of Dr. Franklin, are officially crew on Babylon 5. However, all of you have considerably more experience with both the station and the Shadows than I do. I have already issued a station-wide directive that crew and civilians are to take orders from any of you in case of an emergency. I don't want needless delays while orders are passed through the chain of command. I can't guarantee that you'll be obeyed, but that does make it official. I've already given you the comm links. Marcus, this one is for you."

She tossed the link across the table toward him and he easily caught it, though he wasn't sure he wanted that much of an official standing here.

"Thank you, Captain Loxley," Sheridan said. "That very well might help. Do any of the rest of you have any other thoughts? Marcus?"

"I'm going to head into down below," he said. "See if I can find people still willing to talk to me."

"What do you expect to learn there?" Loxley asked.

"Probably not much -- but it was from people like those down in Brown Sector where I first learned about the return of the Shadows. There are times when word of trouble will pass more quickly outside of official channels."

"Excellent point, Marcus," Sheridan said. He stared at the Ranger for a long moment and then looked at Franklin. "Is he up to that kind of work?"

"I'd like to say no, but I don't think I could keep him from going. I'd prefer if someone went with you Marcus. We really don't know how well this Minbari device is going to work with you."

"I'll go," Zack said. "If he's willing to have me."

"I'd be glad of the company," Marcus said. "And it's not a bad idea to have back up for this first run through. People are going to be surprised enough as it is."

"Then I suppose we all better get back to work," Garibaldi said. He was the first to stand, then looked around the room and shook his head. "This shouldn't be happening again."

"We survived the last time and we can survive again," Sheridan said.

"And we aren't without warning," Delenn added. "I should not like to think what would have happened if Marcus hadn't brought us the news of this new rising. Now we must make the best of our resources, each in our own way. I fear we do not have much time left."


3

Susan trailed out behind Vir. Marcus and Zack were already gone from the hall. She frowned, thinking she should have wished them luck or something. Her feelings about Marcus kept swaying drastically from one extreme to the other. She needed to get them grounded and move on. This wasn't the time for that sort of distraction.

"Susan," Sheridan said, dropping back to walk beside her. "Your ship will be here soon. Are you going to head straight out to her?"

"Captain Loxley asked me to go over a couple things about the power grid first, but that shouldn't take more than a couple hours. Why?"

"Just checking out the various positions of the players. Delenn has sent to the warrior class on Minbar, hoping for some more reinforcements. I'd feel better if we had a few more ships near by."

"We may have time," she said, walking beside him. "You think Marcus is right, don't you?"

"I don't know. But it feels right. What are they going after in Narn space? And why would they ruin all chance of surprise at taking us by moving on the larger front first? Strategically, it would be far wiser to take out the station first. We are the greater danger to any plans they have for conquering worlds. We may be small, but we have the ability to forge the others into an alliance."

"They may not know that," Susan said.

"The Shadows have always known what's important to them. From that little piece of Vid that Marcus brought us, I'd say that we're still facing the same technology, the same forces. There's nothing I've seen yet to make me believe these are lesser beings."

Susan sighed and nodded. "But we are no less than we were, as well."

"Somehow, I don't think I'm just going to talk my way out of this war," Sheridan said. He met Susan's startled look and offered a little smile. "I guess we'll just have to show them how tough we are this time."

"That suits me. I'll be up in C and C -- looking for trouble."

He gave a little laugh as they parted company. It was reassuring, even at a time like this. They were not in the same situation they had been in the first time the Shadows showed themselves. She was actually in a better mood by the time she reached the Control and Command -- and even more amused when that seemed to worry Corwin. Lan and Daklin were there as well and she was glad to see. The two had stayed out of trouble since they arrived. Susan was glad they took the situation so seriously.

"Jump gate opening," Corwin said a moment later.

She looked up and smiled as her ship came through. Funny how she knew it was hers, even at this distance.

She felt better having it there, close by.

"You two prepare to go back," she told the two members of her crew. "I've arranged for some supplies to be shipped over as well. The shuttle's ready to go out."

"How will you get back, Captain?" Lan asked.

"As soon as I'm finished here, I'll either come in another shuttle or in a fighter. Lt. Corwin, send the info over now."

"Yes ma'am."

"There. That explains everything to Rule. He's bound to ask you for more info. Tell him anything you think is important. Just try to convince him that this is a serious situation."

"Why aren't you telling him yourself?" Captain Loxley asked, joining the two.

"Because Rule is hard line military, Earth Force. I know he won't have approved of what I did and how I got here, but given the full information, he'll get past that. I've learned to present him with what he needs to know before we face each other. So I'm giving him everything I've learned and he'll be ready by the time I get back."

Loxley nodded. "Daniel Rule, isn't it? I worked with him. Your shuttle is cleared to launch as soon as you get down there, gentlemen."

"Thank you," Susan said. She walked with the two back to the lift. "I expect, even if Rule is recalcitrant, that you will spread word that there is serious trouble heading our way."

"Ma'am?" Daklin said, frowning.

"I'm your Captain -- remember that. No matter what Rule's reaction to this, I want the crew to be ready for the worst. He's a good officer, but this war won't be won by following proper procedure and drills. I've been here before. I know."

They saluted before they turned to leave. They hadn't done that before, and it made her feel odd. The lift doors closed and they were gone -- and she went back to work with Captain Loxley, looking over defense plans and hoping that a few more ships showed up very quickly.

They were running out of time.







4

Zack was nervous as they started down to the lower sectors. He fidgeted with his clothing -- having left his uniform behind -- and rubbed at his hand where his link was no longer placed.

"Sorry," he said when Marcus looked at him. "I don't get out much. I'll do better once we're actually down there working."

"Do you go down to Brown sector often?" Marcus asked. He leaned back, conserving energy. They wouldn't be working for long. He wasn't up to it.

"I've been down a few times checking things out. Unofficially. People knew who I was, but as long as I didn't bring down half of security with me, they were always friendly enough."

"Good. I don't like taking a novice down here, but I do appreciate the back up."

The lift began to slow. Marcus brushed at his shirt, ran a hand through his hair, and grinned when he saw Zack give him a surprised look. "Yes, I'm a bit nervous," Marcus admitted. "I had friends down here a few years ago, but life among the lurkers changes quickly sometimes. I had enemies here as well. If they've gotten the upper hand --"

"Then we get the hell back out and you find another way to reach your friends," Zack said.

It was sound advice, or at least it would have been if they had more time. They didn't. The best they could do was try to learn what they could on this trip. If people knew anything, he hoped that they would talk to him.

As they stepped out into the darker corridors, Marcus felt a strange little thrill. This was home to him, in an odd way. This was where he had done his best work, helping others. He hoped that counted for something now.

They walked silently down one long corridor, around a corner, and then another --

And they found people at the next intersection of corridors. There were more than a dozen, silently waiting. Marcus put a hand on Zack's arm, stopping the man from automatically drawing his ppg.

"Lee," he greeted the first person in the line, a tall, dark haired man who had seldom come out of his little corner of the world. "It's good to see you again."

"And a surprise to see you. Is it you?"

"It is," Marcus said, then tilted his head. "Is there a reason why you might think otherwise?"

"Other than you were dead?"

"Surely you had heard otherwise. I had friends from down here help smuggle me out."

Lee nodded. He looked bothered and Marcus felt the skin on his arms start to tingle. There was something wrong.

"What's happened?" he asked. "Is it about the Shadows?"

"There were four ships," Lee said. "One of them is here. Some of their people are -- very close. They ask odd questions."

"Like?" Zack asked.

"They want to know what we want. It's a dangerous question to ask people who have nothing at all."

"You said there were four ships --" Marcus said. Then he stopped and grabbed at the link that he had in his pocket. "Marcus to C and C!"

"Marcus?" Susan answered. "What's wrong?"

"I just found out why you can't trace the three missing ships! There were four ships in that survey -- not just the three that were destroyed. I suspect the one that survived has been covering for the loss of the others! Find out what the forth one was! I think they're already here --"

He saw unexpected movement at the corridor to the right. Dark movement, and then heard a strange a high-pitched chittering sound that he didn't like. Marcus automatically moved to put himself between what was there and the people who had come out to meet him. Zack had done the same, and this time he did have his weapon out.

"Marcus," Susan said over the link. "Can you tell me anything else about the ships -- what's that noise?"

"Trouble," Marcus said. He was herding the people back. "Warn the others. We have Shadows down here."

"Oh hell!"

"Run a check on the ships in dock," Zack said. "Find out which one of them was on survey work."

"I'm sending down security and as many troops as I can get. We'll be there in a couple minutes! Captain Loxley --"

"I heard," the captain said, a faint voice on the link. "The troops will meet you at the lift. I'm letting the others know --"

"I'm on my way! Keep the lines open!"

"We will," Marcus said. He looked back at Lee. "Why did you come out here? You knew they were waiting for us, didn't you?"

"Yes. We had to fight them sometime, Ranger. I'd just as soon it was at your side."

"I'm grateful you didn't let us fall into an ambush. Susan -- do you have a fix on us?"

"Yes," she said breathlessly. He could hear her running. "The first group -- heading down. Not long --"

Marcus could see the first of the creatures as it came into the light. Spiders -- he didn't like spiders.

"We haven't really seen them before," Lee said. "I don't know what drew them out. We just knew they were heading this way, with the people who brought them. Watch out for that group. I don't see them yet."

"Lee," he said and handed his ppg over to the man. "Do the best you can."

"Marcus?" Zack said, looking worried.

"I have my weapon," he said. He drew his Minbari fighting staff and snapped it open. "I'm ready for them."


5

Shadows already on the station.

Susan Ivanova knew that if she'd had any sort of sense she would have been running for her ship right now rather than heading for a battle she didn't want to fight, not hand to hand in the pit of the station.

But she charged down the halls, through the Zacolo, which was the shortest route to meet up with the troops. People scattered and she heard the sound of panic as she passed. Susan regretted that but only because they would need calm if matters got worse.

If they could get worse.

Garibaldi arrived at the lift almost the same moment she did. He didn't look any happier either, but he must not have run as far. He still had the breath to shout orders to the group of soldiers and security people who were going down with them.

She crowded in with the rest of them, gasping for breath and pulling the link up to her ear so she could hear.

"Keep back against the wall!" Marcus yelled. "Don't let them get behind you! Get -- back!"

"Careful!" Zack shouted from somewhere else. "Looks like their human friends have arrived!"

"Hell," Garibaldi said, a hand going to Ivanonva's shoulder. "How do we tell the good guys from the bad guys?"

She shook her head, not trusting her voice and pretending that she was still breathless from the run. Susan had faced danger before and without qualms, but her job had always been to keep it out. She hated fighting an enemy that was already inside, and especially one this dangerous.

Two more levels to go. She couldn't hear any words from the fight now; just the sound of ppg's, the high-pitched cry of the shadows, and the grunts of humans.

The lift opened. There were humans here, but they were running from the fight so she didn't think they were enemies. Susan let Garibaldi take charge of the men they brought with them. She moved ahead -- though not far ahead -- to see if she could scout out the trouble.

It wasn't hard to find. A small group of humans were pressed against the wall, Marcus and Zack standing before them, fighting back a line of spindle-legged nightmares that screamed at a pitch that made her head pound. Behind the Shadows was another line of humans. Allies of the shadows?

Garibaldi and the soldiers arrived behind her, and that drew attention her way. She saw Marcus look up and grin. His face was bathed in sweat and she could see that he was swaying, but he used that Minbari staff too good account. She wasn't sure he was killing the creatures with it, but he knocked them back and the two with ppg's did the rest of the work.

She had her own weapon in hand and took careful aim at the nearest. She saw the head turn her way as she fired, and a feel of cold dread washed over her. It wasn't that these creatures were aliens. They were different in ways she could only feel and never explain.

She killed one, and then another. They were growing more frantic. Garibaldi was helping, while the soldiers and security people took on the humans who turned on them. Another --

"Marcus!" an unfamiliar voice called. Frightened.

She looked to see the Ranger go to his knees. She couldn't tell if he was hurt or just so worn he couldn't stay up any longer. The Shadows weren't hesitant to take advantage. Two leaped at him, but her ppg took down one, and the tall oriental behind Marcus shot at the second -- but he was a moment too slow. The shadow was close enough that it's claw slapped at Marcus even as the creature died.

Marcus tumbled back, blood on his forehead, and his eyes closed --

And the Shadows disappeared.

"What the hell!" Garibaldi shouted. "Where are they? What happened?"

"I don't know!" Susan took one careful step forward, her weapon moving from side to side. The soldiers had the other people in hand, at least, but she didn't trust it. "Are they gone? Or can't we see them? Damn! Is he all right?"

Zack had dropped down on his heels beside Marcus. He kept his ppg in one hand, while he reached over and put a hand on the Ranger's chest.

"His heart is pounding like mad, but I guess that means he's still alive," Zack said. He turned the Ranger's head to the side and Susan could see blood flowing down his cheek. "That looks worse than it is. He was going down before he was hit."

"We better get him out of here," Michael said.

Garibaldi looked nervously around the area, obviously expecting Shadows to leap out from any corner. Susan felt the same way as she knelt down by Marcus and helped Zack get him up. He was limp at first, but then his body responded and his head lifted.

And the Shadows reappeared. Susan saw them heading down the side corridor, but they stopped and turned, chittering and racing back toward them.

"Oh hell," Zack said. He had one arm around Marcus and his ppg up. He fired and fired again.

"Get me -- get me my staff --" Marcus said and tried to pull away, but even that little bit of movement sent his eyes fluttering closed again --

And the Shadows disappeared.

She and Zack were both staring at the Ranger who hung limply in their arms. When Marcus began to move again, it was Zack who bit at his bottom lip and lifted a fist --

"No!" Susan yelled, stopping him. Marcus focused on Zack, looking very confused. The Shadows were coming back again as well, but for the moment Garibaldi and the soldiers were holding them back. "No! We want him conscious!"

"What's going on?" Marcus asked.

"Every time you pass out, the Shadows disappear. There's something about you -- maybe that Minbari device that Delenn brought you -- that's drawing the Shadows out into the open. Stay awake! I'd rather have them where I can see them!"

Marcus looked at her, his eyes gone wide. "Get me my staff!"

The tall oriental handed it to him, and took over for Susan. She was grateful since the Shadows were nearly on top of them. She aimed and took out one, then another -- it was worse with them charging at her then it had been coming up behind the battle. Looking at them was like looking into an abyss. It would suck her down.

If she let it. She fired and fired again and prayed that none of their people got in the way. She wasn't sure, just then, that she could stop herself.

They weren't easy to kill and there must have been more arriving. There hadn't been that many when they started --

And they began to fade.

"Marcus!"

They snapped back into focus. She fired and cursed and fired.

There were less of them. They were dying. Dying... and then they were dead.

"I -- I need to get to Delenn," Marcus said. His voice was soft and when she looked at him, Susan wasn't sure how he was still staying to his feet, let alone remaining conscious. Zack had caught hold of him again.

This was madness. She was gasping and wondering what to do next. Were their more shadows out there? Was there danger elsewhere?

"Captain Loxley?" Susan said, speaking into the link she had forgotten she even wore until that moment. "Can you hear me?"

"Trouble!" the woman said. "We have a jump point forming -- Shadow ship --"

"Hell!" Garibaldi yelled. He was already heading back toward the lift, but he stopped and looked at the fallen bodies, Shadow and human.

"Go!" Zack said. He shoved Marcus into Susan's unexpected hold. "Take him and go. I'll do what I can here. Chief -- Garibaldi! I expect you to keep things in order up there!"

Garibaldi had come back to help Susan with the Ranger, but Marcus was unexpectedly recalcitrant. Susan grabbed his arm and yanked.

"No!" he said. "It's not safe -- to be with me --"

"Shut up and come on! We've Shadow ships out there! Nothing is safe!"

He didn't argue.


6

Alarms were ringing throughout the station by the time they reached the lift. Marcus knew there would be panic at the upper levels. Down here the lurkers just take to ground and hold out as best they could.

He wasn't sure how much longer he could remain conscious. His vision faded and came back, faded and came back, almost in time with his breathing. He ached in every bone and muscle. He hoped he hadn't done damage to Delenn's gift. He hoped --

"You know, I always said you were trouble," Susan said as she pushed him inside the lift. "You didn't have to go to these lengths to prove it."

"That's the problem, you know. It's so hard to impress anyone these days." He slid back against the wall and would have gone down if Garibaldi hadn't caught hold of him. "Thank you."

"You've got a problem, friend," Garibaldi said.

"What? Just one?"

"It's going to be damn hard to keep you alive if you're now a Shadow magnet," Michael continued, ignoring Marcus.

"But, on the other hand, it might be a helpful talent," Susan said. "As long as we can keep him alive, I suspect we can find any Shadows in his vicinity. There won't be any surprises like Morden this time around."

"True," Garibaldi said. He looked up at the ceiling. "Come on -- let's go!"

But they weren't destined to get their any quicker. In fact, in the next moment the alarms wailed, the lights flickered and the lift stopped.

"Damn!" Michael shouted and kicked the wall.

"I bet that hurt," Marcus said. "Excuse me. I have to sit down."

He slid down to the floor. The lights flickered again and Susan made a slight growling noise that coincided almost perfectly with the grinding sound that lift made as it tried an aborted attempt to move. He had always known she was in tune with the station. However, he didn't think now was the time to mention it.

"We have to get out of here!" she said and lifted her hand. "Ivanova to C and C! What's going on? We're trapped in a lift --"

"Attack," Corwin said. He sounded breathless. "We have trouble up here!"

The link squealed and she lost contact. Marcus could see that her eyes were wide and her face pale. He tried to stand and couldn't get his feet under him this time.

"I should be on the deck," she said softly. "I was there -- before."

"Susan?"

"No," Marcus said. He felt a whisper of fear and deja vu. She looked down, her eyes hooded. He knew what she was thinking. "No, not this time. It's not like that."

"What the hell are you two talking about?" Michael demanded.

"There was that message we picked up," Marcus said. He started to stand and changed his mind. "Before, when we went back in time -- Susan on the bridge, and the station destroyed."

"I should be up there," she said again, looking up at the ceiling.

"Actually, I'd say that's just the reason we don't want you up there," Michael replied. "Is there some reason you want to replay that scene?"

Susan looked startled. Then she frowned, which was much better. Marcus knew that an angry Susan Ivanova was unstoppable.

"You're right," she said. "I should be out in a Starfury."

"Against Shadow ships?" Garibaldi said. "Right. What is this, a death wish?"

Maybe -- maybe Michael had stumbled onto something there. Marcus looked up just as Susan looked down to avoid Michael's eyes. Looking at Marcus obviously wasn't a help.

"I should have died," she said, so quietly that it was nearly lost in the wail of the alarms. She looked at him and for the first time her eyes didn't show rage at what he'd done. There was sorrow and confusion and fear.

"You were not meant to die," Marcus said. "If you had been, I couldn't have saved you."

She frowned, then looked at the ceiling again when the lighting flickered again, and died to a soft glow. There were odd sounds around them. Susan shook her head, looked down at him again, and then shook her head once more. Resolve chased away any look of confusion and fear.

"We have to get out of here," she said, her voice firm. Steady. Susan Ivanova the way Marcus had always remembered her in those bleak days after he left the station. She was the very image of what he had wanted to give back, of what was important to him. She would never understand, and that didn't matter. He knew what he'd done and why.

"You have any suggestions?" Michael asked. He hit the control panel again.

"Yes," Susan said "Give me a boost."

Michael looked up, nodded, and laced his fingers. Susan stepped into his hold and then rose upward, finally reaching the ceiling piece. She used her ppg to cut out part of the ceiling while Garibaldi grunted and pushed her upward. She scrambled through the opening, cursing softly.

"How's it look?"

"Not far to the next level. Can't tell which one it is, though. Were you paying attention?" she asked, her voice muffled.

"No, sorry," Garibaldi said. He looked down at Marcus.

"I was preoccupied with trying to remain conscious."

"Ah. Good point."

"We can make it that far," Susan said. Her face appeared in the opening above. "Marcus --"

"I'll stay here," he said.

"No way in hell," they chorused.

"But --"

Michael leaned down and caught him under the arms, lifting him upward with ease until they were face-to-face. "You are coming with us, Cole. If I left you behind, Susan would be unhappy with me. I don't want to be out there with Susan Ivanova unhappy with me."

Marcus looked up. Susan grinned. He nodded reluctantly and let Garibaldi bodily lift him upward. The former head of security barely grunted with the effort and even Susan didn't seem to have much difficulty catching hold of his hands and pulling him upward. He didn't do much of the work at all, but it still left him breathless and his head spinning. He watched as Michael Garibaldi made a couple leaps upward and finally caught at the opening. It probably cut his hand but he pulled himself through, muscles bulging, while Marcus fought just to sit up.

"It's not far," Susan said. He looked up to find her staring at him. "Can you climb at all?"

"Yes," he said and meant it. "I'm a bit worn, but the longer I sit still, the better it is. Give me a minute. You two can start up --"

"No, we'll wait," Susan said, leaning against the wall.

"You really should trust me," he said.

"No, I shouldn't. I know better."

Marcus smiled and looked upward. The next level was barely a meter above them. He wouldn't have a very hard time making that, even now. After a couple more deep breaths, he stood.

"We can --" Garibaldi began.

"Go now," Marcus said. "We haven't time to waste."

Neither argued. He caught hold of the bracing at the side of the lift and began to climb upward, taking careful breaths as he moved. It was easy and he reached the door well ahead of the other two. That gave him time to rest again. He was learning how to pace himself.

"Great, we're here," Garibaldi said. "How do we get out? I don't think the manual override will work."

"Like this," Marcus said. He reached to the side of the wall, found the pressure points, and hoped there was enough power to make this work. It did -- barely. The door opened enough to get an arm through, at least.

"How the hell did you do that?" Michael asked. "Some more of that arcane, Minbari tricks they taught you as a ranger?"

"Actually, my brother taught me that one," he said and grinned. "Here, use my Arcane Minbari staff. It'll give you better leverage."

Garibaldi took it with a grunt of approval and amusement and shoved it into the opening. They were precariously perched on the edge of the wall and getting the leverage was not easy. Michael leaned back, Susan holding to him. Marcus hoped they didn't fall, though at least it wasn't far if they did.

The door slid open a little, a little more. Marcus added his small strength to the work and they finally slid the door open far enough that he could slip through. He cast one quick look around, but the area was surprisingly empty, considering where he stood.

"Hey!" Susan said, breathless and worried.

"What?" Marcus said, peeking back in. "Afraid I'm going to run off without my staff?"

"He has a point," Garibaldi said, and handed the staff to Susan as he reached through and shoved at the doors a little more. "You're too thin Marcus. I can't get through here."

"Clean living," Marcus said. "That and being very poor."

"Usually amounts to the same thing," Michael said and finally made it through, with Susan just a moment behind him. "Well this doesn't look good."

They were only a couple turns from the Zocalo but the place was all but silent and deserted. Even the alarms that had been so loud in the lift and the tunnel were nearly silent here, as though someone had thrown a blanket over everything and muffled the sounds. Marcus felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.

They were quiet as they came around the corner, not that it did much good in the end. The Zocalo was filled with Shadows, and as Marcus appeared, they turned as one toward him.

"Oh hell," Susan said softly.


7

She should have expected it. If there had been Shadows in downbelow, why not here? And of course it would be now, when they were least prepared to fight.

She brought up her ppg, casting one bleak look at the low power level.

"I don't think this is a good plan," Marcus said.

"You have a better one?" Garibaldi said.

"I'm working on it," he said, leaning against his staff. He looked steadier, but she thought it was all show.

The shadows had already started to move toward them, so many that they were actually slowed by their numbers. Susan didn't want to face them again, but she would not run. There was no where to escape to, not from here, and they would just have to come back and fight them again anyway.

Nevertheless, she did turn to Marcus. "If you have any great Ranger tricks to get us out of this, I wouldn't mind seeing them."

"Well, does it have to be great?" he asked.

"I'll settle for mediocre," Michael said. He fired and one of the creatures reared up and then fell over, twitching but not quite dead. "I'm about out of power. Susan?"

"Me, too," she said. "All right. I'll settle for mediocre as well."

"Never that," Marcus said. "Not mediocre, just not a great plan. Wish me luck."

"Luck?" Susan said, looking at him with worry.

"Thank you. I'll need it."

And he charged off straight into the Shadows.

"Marcus you - -" and Garibaldi went in after him.

"Fools!" she shouted and began firing.

Then she realized that the creatures were no longer moving in on her. They had, once again, fixated on Marcus. And despite the idiocy of his actions, it did seem to be working. Even Garibaldi had stopped and was taking shots at the creatures who took virtually no notice of him, their backs to the two as they went for their prey.

She killed a half dozen before Marcus somehow made it to one of the kiosks and was battling back the spider-like creatures on all sides. She didn't think he could hold out for long, one way or another.

"What the hell."

She charged in as well. She was doing very well, too -- until her ppg lost power and she found that some of the shadows had closed in behind her. She glanced once at Marcus and felt a little whisper of regret -- not exactly for anything that could have been between them, but because everything that had happened meant nothing at all.

She used her ppg as a club. One grabbed her leg and she felt a searing pain and almost went down -- but suddenly Marcus was there, using that staff of his with much better results than she'd had. He caught her around the waist, but she didn't know how he could hold both of them up when he was so ready to collapse as well. Garibaldi made it to their side. His weapon no longer held power as well.

"I told you it wasn't a great plan," Marcus said.

"Great last words," Garibaldi said with a sigh.

Then -- a whisper of hope. Actually, it was a shout.

"You three get down!" Sheridan ordered.

And they dropped.

The world exploded above them, a hail of sound and light -- and the scream of shadows dying all around them. Marcus threw himself half across her. She was really going to have a long discussion with him about this behavior.

"Careful," Franklin said. "There, turn him over. Susan?"

She lifted her head. "Remind me never to let Marcus Cole plan any attacks."

"You're damn lucky we arrived when we did. There was more coming. How is he Franklin?"

"Worn and wasted, but coming around again."

"Get ready. Every time he wakes up, if there's a Shadow around it goes for him," Garibaldi said. "Some one have a free power cap for my ppg?"

"And for mine," Susan said, sitting up and carefully moving her leg out in front of her. Someone handed her the power supply and she nodded her thanks, feeling better once she had a fully loaded weapon in her hands. She hardly noticed what Franklin was doing. She reached over and touched Marcus on the arm. "You can wake up now. We're ready for them."

As she expected, he reacted. Franklin frowned, shook his head and went to work on her leg. Susan, along with the others, kept their heads up and eyes open.

Three Shadows showed themselves, but they died before they got anywhere near Marcus.

"I think that's the lot of them," Sheridan said. He looked down at the two again. "We've still got trouble, though. I was heading for C and C. That's where we'll learn how the ships are doing in the battle."

"From battle to battle," Marcus said. He let someone help him up. "Will there never be an end to them?"

No one answered.


8

He was weary by the time they reached C and C. Weary and not at all prepared for the madness that they found when the very slow lift finally opened. Alarms still rang loudly here, and the taste of acrid smoke tainted the air. People were shouting and the assault of noise almost felt like a physical blow. He braced himself with his staff while his eyes took in the scene, focusing finally at the end of the room where he could see --

Chaos beyond the station. Debris floated by, and laser's flashed. There would be many deaths out there and, despite the illogic of the reaction, he felt to blame. He had brought news of the Shadows here.

But not the Shadows themselves. From the looks of things, they had already been aboard before he arrived.

"You made it. Good." Captain Loxley signaled the group over to her location by the weapon's grid.

"How's it look out there?" Sheridan asked, his eyes scanning the equipment expertly.

"Better than we could have hoped for," she said. "The Minbari arrived just in time to push back the worst of the attack. We couldn't have stood this long without them."

Entil'za Deleen was standing by communications, obviously dealing with the Minbari ships. She looked up and met his eyes, nodding once. There was a wealth of communication in that single nod. A shame he didn't have the time to read it all.

"We had the scanners on in the Zocalo and saw most of what happened," Loxley said, drawing his attention back. "You did a good job President Sheridan. "You --" She poked a finger at Marcus, "--are crazy."

Susan smirked and Marcus didn't argue. Neither did anyone else.

"The Minbari have fought the two shadow ships back from the station," Corwin said. "We're out of range. They're going to jump."

"The Minbari ask for assistance in following them," Delenn said. She came to stand by Sheridan but she looked, wisely, to Loxley who was in command here. "They say that they have damage and only three of the ships are fit to follow. They would like two to one odds, considering that they may well be heading for more trouble."

"The Cesar," Susan said. "I'll go --"

She started to head straight for the lift, but one step away and her leg gave out. Franklin caught her, shaking his head.

"You can't do it, Susan," he said and met her angry eyes. "You'll never make it there in time."

"We'll send the ship without you," Sheridan said. "Your second can --"

"Daniel Rule," Susan said. "He's a good man -- but he's only been second for a few months and --"

"And he's strictly by the book," Loxley added. "He won't work well with people who don't even know what the book is."

"Damn. It's the only ship out there still capable of giving the Minbari backup," Sheridan said. "We'll have to send them --"

Susan tried to take a step away from Franklin. This time her face went white and Marcus saw the resignation in her eyes.

"I can't do it," she said, which were words Marcus never heard from Susan Ivanova. "I'd pass out in the Starfury before I ever reached the ship, and with that much debris out there, I'd never survive. But --"

She looked passed Franklin toward someone else. Marcus turned and found Captain Loxley nodding.

"I'll go," Loxley said. She put a hand on Sheridan's shoulder. "I know Daniel and I can work with him. I know the situation, and I know how to command a ship, even one I've never been on before. And most importantly, I know that Babylon 5 is left in good hands. You people all know what to do here. It's the best answer."

"Go," Sheridan said. "Thank you."

She started away, but stopped when Susan caught her arm. "Thank you."

"I'll do my best."

Then she was gone. Ivanova watched the lift doors long after they were closed.

"Susan."

She looked back, at him, eyes narrowed. Marcus wanted to move and stand by her side, give her his support, such little as it was.

"It's the best answer," Sheridan said. "And -- I want you to take over for Loxley here. She was right about that: The station is in good hands. I'm going to be knee deep in work with the League of Non-Aligned Worlds while we try to get the defenses ready, prepare for the battle again. Until we know how many Shadows we're really facing --"

"Each to their own place," Susan said.

Marcus grinned. It had a Minbari sound to it.


9

Marcus strolled through the Zocalo, nodding hello to total strangers, taking in the scent and sounds of life. It was quieter here than it used to be, but there was still enough of the old faces that he felt -- at home. He took it in, moving slowly and enjoying every moment. Franklin had insisted that he rest and take it easy. He was doing just that, in his own way. He felt better than he had since his arrival on Babylon 5, and certainly better than he had since the battle, four days before.

Life continued. Someone new was setting up a booth with pretty bits of crystal and glowing things that caught his eyes. He loved babbles but never bought them for himself. He did let his fingers play among the glass, looking through the prisms --

Ivanova -- twenty Ivanova's caught in the glass. It startled him.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

He put down the crystal and looked around with a smile. "I like walking here, among humanity --" a Drazi scurried past -- "and other things. And you?"

"Just taking a tour, getting a feel for things," she said. "It's good to see them setting up again. I want this place back to normal when Loxley returns."

Marcus nodded and managed not to let his smile falter at the thought of Captain Loxley returning and Ivanova leaving. Instead he fell in beside her and walked along. She didn't argue.

They discussed the station for a bit, and what he was doing in Downbelow. All of the crew of the Otis had been dealt with. There were no Shadows left on Babylon 5. Franklin was still trying to figure out why the Minbari device drew them to Marcus, though. It could prove useful to anyone else who was suicidal and wanted to go out in a blaze of glory.

He shook his head and moved along from one stop to another. This was pleasant. He felt better for it, even if he was wearing down. It made him feel as though there was a hope of acceptance.

"Loxley sent word. They're still following the ships," she said. She looked at Marcus as they stood on the balcony. "There's no telling when The Cesar will be back. Sheridan is suggesting that maybe we should make this arrangement more official for the time being."

"Really?" he said. There was hope and relief in his eyes. He couldn't help it. "Probably help to keep things stable here. We don't need upsets and uncertainty on the station, especially when he's trying to get the League to move."

"Just what he said," she replied and met his eyes. "Marcus, I --"

"I can leave, if you like," he said. "There's plenty of work to do be done elsewhere, especially for someone with my rather unique new talents. I was thinking I might even try a bit of scouting on Earth, just to get the feel of things --"

"Shut up," she said. "I was about to say that I was going to Earharts for dinner and wondered if you'd like to join me."

"What?" he said. He let his voice rise. "Captain Ivanova, are you asking me out on a date."

Her eyes went wide. The area around them went silent. Marcus ducked just as she swung.

"You are -- you are --"

"Be kind."

She clamped her mouth shut and spun toward the lift. He grinned as she looked back, her arms crossed across her chest, glaring at him.

"Well, are you coming or not?"

"Coming," he said.

"We're going to have to get something straight, Marcus. Whatever our relationship is --"

He held out his hand. "Ever the best of friends."

She smiled and took her hand in his with a steady grip. "Ever the best of friends," she agreed.



The End


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