To Save a Lost Soul

This novella takes place about 17 years after the Interstellar Alliance is established and Season 5's episodes. It started out dealing mostly w/Delenn and John, but as time progressed became also Susan and Marcus (I know, I know he is cryogenically frozen, but you'll understand when you read it), it also started as a story, but again as time progressed I think it became more of a novelette. My E-mail is j_organa feel free to write me and tell me what you think, give constructive criticism, or to say hi, or whatever. I will ask that you not just tell me it stinks because i am an aspiring writer and I am very proud of my story. whether you like the work or not so please be gentle.

As always anything pertaining to B5 is property of jms, Warner Bros. and

whoever else has a claim.

All except little Jade he exists in my mind alone.

Writing is what I love to do so I hope this is adequate. Read and Enjoy.

To Save a Lost Soul.

The boy lay on the cold deck, in a tight ball, in the corner of cabin 12a of the star liner Enchantment. He could feel the bruises already beginning to form on his tender body. The beating father had given him had been horrible, but at least he wasn't bleeding this time. His eyes were shut tightly, so if father was awake he would think the boy unconscious, the boy didn't want him to know because he was afraid the beating would begin again. Sometimes it did, and sometimes it didn't. He knew he shouldn't have challenged father but he hated to call him that. The man was NOT his father, but for now it would be better if he didn't give the man cause to beat him again. Not so soon after the last one; if he did it might be like last time and he didn't want to get sick again. Last time when he had tried to run away, the boy had been beaten so badly that he had been taken to the hospital after throwing up his own blood, and his breathing had stopped. Father had made him lie to the doctors and say he'd gotten into a fight at school, even though he hadn't been to school since father had taken him from home. Suddenly the deck moved and caused him to wince in pain as he bumped the chair next to him. It was then he noticed that the ship wasn't moving anymore.

He wondered where father had taken them this time. He kept them on the move so much the boy had lost track of the places they had been. The last had been a planet he had never learned the name of, and had only seen a little of on the way to and from the spaceport. What he'd been able to see had been very beautiful. There had been one structure that stood out above all he'd seen though. It had been a crystalline building surrounded by waterfalls. He had been in awe of it's spires as the car passed it. It was even worth the beating he'd received for letting his eyes wander. He wondered where it had been and if he might get the chance to see it again. He doubted that though, father rarely returned to a place that they had been to before.

He felt a sharp pain in his back as father kicked him. The bruises would fade but the pain, physical and psychological, would remain. He held his eyes tightly shut in case father was watching him.

"We're here get changed out of those dirty clothes and do it fast. We're getting off."

The boy grabbed the offered clothing and began to change quickly. If he looked up, and father caught him, he was in for another beating. Neither, did he look up at anyone they passed and watched his feet as they exited the cabin and made their way out into the customs area of wherever they were now. He followed submissively carrying both his bag and father's. They got into the line they were directed to and stood waiting for the rich and famous to get off and go through customs. He was a small boy, though, and he was curious about the new place where he found himself. His name was Jade. He quickly lowered his eyes and stared at his shoes for a few minutes. Then keeping his head low, but still raised enough for him to see he moved his eyes around, and looked around them. He saw many different races around him some were human, most were not. The one nearest him was a Pak' Ma' Ra, and he'd remembered seeing them almost every place they had been so far, and then there was another that looked like a metallic bee. He could only identify a few races by name and he was curious about the being he saw on the other side of the Pak'Ma'Ra. She looked Minbari, he knew what they were, father hated them, and had shown him what they were telling him they should all be killed. Jade didn't think so, he thought they looked beautiful, especially the bonecrest around their heads, it made them look regal to his way of thinking. The being he saw had a bonecrest, but she had hair, all the Minbari father had shown him had been bald like the one standing not far from her. She was standing with a human man, holding his hand, and looking around the area. In front of her were members of two different races he couldn't name. One of them had hair swept upwards like a fan. The other was bald and had dark spots on his head. His color was a rusty brown. As he watched the two of them arguing he felt her eyes come to rest on him and he quickly lowered his head again. Then the line began moving and they were through customs. Father grabbed his neck and dug his fingers into the tender flesh. He'd seen Jade looking around. Jade felt the fear inside seize him; he knew what was coming as soon as they were alone in father's quarters.

*********************************B5*****************************

Delenn stood beside John holding his hand as they waited for the customs officers on duty to process the I.D.s given to them. 'It is good to be visiting here again. It's been too long since the last time we were here.' Ahead of them in line Emperor Londo Mollari and G'kar, the Narn's latest religious icon, were arguing over the same old trivial things. Their attaches Vir Cotto and Na'toth stood resolutely silent near by. She looked around, and her eyes fell on a small human boy who appeared to be watching them argue. Then as if sensing her eyes on him, his head snapped down to stare at the floor. She found that odd behavior for a child and was about to walk over to see if anything was wrong when the man behind him put a hand on his neck and pushed him past the customs officer. She leaned closer to John as their line moved on and it was their turn to hand over IDs. She searched the area outside customs looking for David. Ivanova had recently returned from commanding her ship, the Titans, and been appointed to head the station after Lochley became an admiral and decided to go back to Earth. David was already on board, had been for a month, learning about and from all his parents' closest and dearest friends. Well, the ones who were here anyway. Those included Captain Susan Ivanova, Chief of Security Zack Allen, and the President of the Independent Telepath Government, Lyta Alexander. Mr. Garibaldi was enroute from Mars, where his wife was Head of Edgar's industries, and had been reappointed Head of Covert Intelligence. He had come to Minbar after his marriage had fallen apart again because of his hatred of the planet, and his need to be 'in the thick of things' had surfaced once more. Dr. Franklin had long ago become comfortable with his position on Earth and elected to stay out of the public eye as much as was warranted for the man who had saved the dying Hyak race. Delenn was jolted out of her reverie as they stepped through the customs exit, and her son hugged her and greeted both his parents. John hugged his son briefly and left him to his mother as his attention was captured by a friend he hadn't seen in far too long. Captain Susan Ivanova, she had passed all other promotions by so she could come back to B5 one day, looked much the same as she had at the end of the war. Her hair was as raven black as ever, and in the ever-present pony-tail. She looked well compared with the last time anyone had seen her, about a year after Marcus had passed beyond. John seized her in a hug and smiled as she returned the favor. Ivanova stepped back and looked him over. He was just as tall and proud as he always had been, but his eyes weren't as innocent now as they had been, and his hair was almost completely white, as was the beard he wore neatly clipped. It was still John Sheridan though, smile and all.

Delenn and John were here not only for David's birthday surprise, but also for talks on new trade routes with the Alliance world representatives. They planned to be on the station at least two weeks. David's party was a week and three days away, while his actual birthday was two days away. She shook her head in wonder. Her son was turning sixteen. The years had gone by too fast. Her thoughts were interrupted by her son's hugs and kisses. She returned his greeting, kisses and all and let him go to his father. Ivanova stood near by, and when Delenn turned her attention to the Captain she received a stiff salute. "None of that, old friend, you are part of this family too." Then Ivanova found herself in the embrace of Entil'zha Delenn. She returned the smaller woman's greeting and noticed the gray in her elaborately, as always, styled hair. As well as the wrinkles of life in her face; the ones of laughter at the corners of her eyes and mouth, and the ones of worries on her forehead.

"Welcome back to Babylon 5 my friends. David has been a delight to have around." Delenn's eyes flicked to her son and filled with pride. He looked very much like John except for the eyes and hair. He had dark hair the same as Delenn, and his eyes were the same penetrating green as hers. His build was like John's as well, and though he wasn't as tall as his father yet he was getting there, and had broad shoulders; the Minbari DNA hadn't been strong enough for him to support a bonecrest. It seemed he had grown a foot since she had last seen him. She hugged him again unable to help herself. She loved him as much as she loved John, and no mother was more proud of her son than was Delenn.

"How was your trip Mr. President?" Susan asked them.

"Blissfully uneventful." Delenn smiled at that not entirely true statement, but these two didn't need the details. John caught her smile and returned it.

"Well, lets go and get settled in." John said, and they all walked to the lift talking of old times and catching up on what had happened in their lives.

*********************************B5*****************************

Jade lay on the floor of the rooms father had rented. His small body ached all over and he was bleeding from several cuts and he couldn't touch anything or move because of the agony of the bruises, still in horrible pain from the beating father had given him for letting his eyes wander in customs. He lay very still even though father had left long ago. He was afraid that if he came back and he'd moved he'd be beaten again. That was to be avoided at all costs. Jade did however open his eyes and look at his surroundings. The room was not all that impressive. A table in the center of the room, couch and a chair near one wall facing the babcom screen, bed at the back of the room, and a small refresher room off to the side of the bed. He shut his eyes and hoped that he would get a little sleep before father got back.

He didn't know how long he'd slept when the pain shot up his back. Father was home and he didn't look happy. The beating started once again. When, finally, it was over he drifted off into sleep in this new place and had no idea he was on the station that was a shining beacon for hopes and dreams. A place he had longed to see for many years.

*********************************B5*****************************

Delenn sat at breakfast and watched her husband and son in the sitting area watching cartoons on the vid. She smiled at the memory of Mr. Garibaldi's attempt to explain the concept of the cartoon to her. At the time, the concept had escaped her, but after David started to watch them on a regular basis she'd finally caught on. Even began to enjoy them. She hated to break up their time together, but John had a meeting to attend. Luckily her own meetings didn't start until the next day, so she could spend some time with David. She got up from the table and walked over behind John, and kissed the back of his neck. He took her hands and guided her to sit on his lap, and he kissed her lips until she disengaged and said, "You have a meeting Mr. President, and you don't want to be late for it."

He sighed, "I know, I just wish I could spend the day with you two. It's not fair that you get to have all the fun."

"You will get your day of fun tomorrow while I am at meetings and you have the day off. One of us had to go first. The delegates just decided it should be you, have a good day, and don't lose your temper." They both chuckled at that. He'd learned long ago the fine art of diplomacy, but she still teased him about the meetings in the beginning when he'd lost his temper more than once. "I love you, and we'll see you at dinner."

"Wouldn't miss it. And I love you too."

They stood and John gathered his things for the day told David goodbye and kissed Delenn once more. Then he was out the door, David turned off the screen and looked at his mother. "Well, what do we want to do now."

"It's your day David, you tell me."

"Oh no, mom, I get days off all the time, you pick what you want and I will try not to complain about it." He gave her a stern look that she'd always associated with John when he wasn't taking no for an answer. "All right, all right, I think I would first like to go shopping in the Zocalo."

"Sounds good to me."

****************************B5**********************************

Jade found movement was a major discouragement. He didn't even want to breathe because of the pain. He curled up on the mat in the corner near the entrance. He was asleep, and his dreams were horrible; the remembered beatings, and other horrors he'd witnessed. Father was away again like everyday. Jade didn't know how long he'd been here, but he knew he didn't want to stay here much longer. If he didn't get away father would kill him, but he was afraid to run because he'd just be caught and brought back to father then he'd be beaten again. So he'd curled up tighter and cried himself into a deeper sleep.

Bishop was on his way to the Zen garden for a meeting with his contacts, when he saw a woman and teenage boy occupying the lift, as he entered, but he didn't pay them much attention. They didn't appear to be paying him any either, as they spoke in hushed tones. The woman looked Minbari but for the hair. 'Must be Councilor Delenn' he thought.

She and David noticed him as well. Delenn thought she'd seen him before but couldn't place him. She soon forgot about him though in anticipation of spending the day with her son, and doing things with him they hadn't done in a long time.

The lift stopped and the man exited, then the lift moved on to the Zocalo. Delenn and David stepped out and she headed for her favorite stores, as David followed.

*****************************B5*********************************

Jade slept fitfully on the mat tossing and turning. He dreamed of the last time he'd tried to run from father he'd been beaten so badly he'd almost died. Father had taken him to a hospital and told them he had been jumped by someone on his way home from school. Jade moved around on the mat, he crawled into the corner it was in and curled up into a ball, but soon he was moving again this time he headed for the door, and somehow, while still asleep, he cycled the door and left the room.

********************************B5******************************

Delenn and David made their way into the Zen garden and maze on their way home. As they walked Delenn told David of the things that had happened in certain places in the garden. He liked to listen to her talk about her and Dad when they had fallen in love. He was actually seeing the places they happened. To him the stories were almost magical. He was listening to her talk of the first time that she and his father had met in the garden, as a man walked into the entrance of the maze with two other men. He began watching them closely; steering his mother toward the maze to try to hear what they were talking about, but Delenn said, "It is getting late in the day and we should have dinner ready for your father when he gets home."

"Yeah, lets go." He watched the men until they were out of the garden and on the lift that took them blue level where their quarters were located.

*******************************B5*******************************

He had finished with business for the day and was on his way back to his

place in Brown Sector when he saw that Kid wandering around like a drunken

ambassador. Father grabbed the boy by the neck and pushed him into the

rooms he'd rented. Once inside he put the boy on the deck, and he landed the first swing on the left side of Jade's face.

************************************B5**************************

Jade woke in a blinding flash of pain as the first stroke hit him. He stood absolutely still, not knowing what was happening or why, but he knew that if he moved the beating would get worse. "I told you to stay in the rooms!" With every word the slaps got harder and then they were no longer slaps. They were punches. "Why can't you take orders like I give 'em?!" The blows were becoming harder and harder. The boy caught one of the punches in the nose and it began to bleed.

"I, I, I didn't, I didn't leave! I, I, promise I didn't!"

"Then why did I have to drag you in here when I got back! Never talk back to me. Are you saying I am a liar!"

"No, no, of course not, I, I, j j j just-" with that father began the full beating and grabbed a rod that was near the door to remind the boy what would happen if he left while father was gone. The rod left large angry welts on the boy where ever it landed and father didn't care where it landed so long as it was on the boy.

His legs finally buckled and he found himself on the floor. He instinctively curled into a protective ball, and his arms were around his head to protect it as best he could. Still father hit and kicked him. He closed his eyes and through it all didn't utter one sound. This only made Bishop more angry, and his blows more vicious. Then, finally, pain took over and Jade passed out. And a little while later the beating stopped, even though he wasn't conscious to appreciate it. Bishop pulled off his boots and shirt and pants and climbed into bed. Soon he was unconscious too, although they were in two different states of unconsciousness.

*****************************B5*********************************

That night Delenn and David had a wonderful dinner ready for John when he got home. They ate and had a pleasent time together as they cleaned up after themselves. Then settled down to their own work and interests. The next day Delenn had meetings in the morning and would need to be up early. So she decided to call it a night relatively quickly and went to bed leaving the guys to do what they wished.