Time to Begin
Dragonlots aka Dana Bell
Chapter 4
Lyta studied the financial records Garibaldi had given her. He'd kept his word. Too bad she was so far away and couldn't keep her promise. She might not have liked the situation she'd found herself in, but she did have a sense of honor. Stronger now because of G'Kar's gentle guidance.
"Hope you found what you were looking for," she told her absent mentor.
The pair hadn't been back on Babylon 5 for more than a couple of days before the Rangers had come for her. All they had explained was that Draal had wanted to see her. Curious, she'd gone with them to the planet.
"Now I wish I hadn't," she remarked, pulling the data crystal and putting it away for safekeeping.
Rising from the terminal, she strolled to the bed and sat down. At least it wasn't slanted like the Minbari used. Some aspects of the ship had been designed with human comfort in mind. Not doubt by the influence of some the crew.
Her buzzer sounded. "Enter."
Elizabeth stuck her head in. "I'm going to get dinner. Care to join me?"
"I'm surprised you aren't still on the bridge."
"Wouldn't serve any purpose. Besides, It's night in Atlantis."
"Where's that annoying Time Lord?"
The dark haired woman laughed. "He retreated back into his TARDIS which promptly vanished. I'm kind of hoping we don't see him for long while."
"Wouldn't that be nice." She got up. "I love to join you. I'm starving."
The two went through the gleaming passageways. They passed several rangers who smiled and nodded at them.
"Friendly enough," Dr. Weir commented.
"A bit aloof." Lyta had resisted the temptation to scan any of them. She sensed they were just performing their duties and once she and Elizabeth left, they would go on to their next assignment without a second thought about the two women.
"Have you thought about where you might want to live?"
"From what little I've learned, this isn't exactly a safe galaxy to live in."
"Not that my Earth is any safer."
She chuckled without any humor. "Nor mine."
They arrived in the cafeteria. A few tables were scattered about the room and bolted to the gray floor. The walls bore the illusion of being in a vast forest with shapes that fluttered now and again.
"I would love," Elizabeth said taking a salad and a cup for tea, "to know how they accomplished this affect."
"The Minbari have always been rather secretive." Lyta took a sandwich and coffee.
Without speaking they sat near the back of the room. They ate in silence before Weir spoke up again. "I suspect I won't be allowed back on Atlantis."
"You can't be certain of that."
"You don't know the past history." Elizabeth sounded sad.
"Granted I don't know all the facts, but they didn't shot at us."
"They thought about it."
Lyta extended her hand and placed it on Weir's. "At least it you have people who care about you."
"Don't you?"
She wanted to close off her face but knew she hadn't succeeded when she saw Elizabeth's pitying look. "No." In all honesty, she knew that probably wasn't true. If G'Kar hadn't, he would never have taken her with him as he toured the galaxy.
"Well, none that will really miss me."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be." She pulled back her hand. "I made some bad decisions and now I'm paying for them."
"I had someone on my team, Rodney McKay, who blew up a solar system once." She smiled fondly at the memory. "He got a lecture from me about it."
"He ever do it again?"
"Not that I know of."
"I'll have to keep that in mind if I get to meet him."
"Rodney is just arrogant and always sure he's right. Comes with him being brilliant."
"Sort of reminds me of someone I knew once." She sipped her coffee. "Several someone's actually. The problem with being on a station filled with diplomatic officers and ambassadors."
"You know," Weir toyed with her remains of her food. "We really haven't had a chance to talk much."
"You're assuming I'm going to chose to stay with you."
"I'm hoping." She pushed her plate aside. "We could use your abilities against the Wraith."
"You have no idea what I'm capable of."
"That's true." Elizabeth met Lyta's eyes. "But I trust you."
"You really shouldn't."
"I disagree. Think about it."
"Aren't we getting ahead of ourselves. We still don't know if your people will take you back. Even you aren't sure."
"I'm hopeful. It depends on a lot of factors."
IOA drifted to the surface and despite herself Lyta read it. The impression she got was that they had the final say and they might just decide to dissect Weir or lock her away for the rest of her life. That angered the telepath and she swore right then and there, she would never allow that to happen.
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Sheba sat up in her bed with a gasp. She placed her hand on her breast trying to calm her pounding heart.
"You alright?" Apollo reached over and activated the light. The faint light illuminated the room filling the corners with shadows.
"Fine. Just a bad dream."
"That's the third this secton." He sat up and put his arm around her. She leaned against his shoulder trying to relax. "Tell me about it."
"I keep seeing horrible beings overtaking the Galactica. They swarm aboard and we can't stop them. Most of us die." She touched a spot on her chest. "They…they eat us."
"Sounds like what we've heard the Wraith do." He frowned. "Including making us see things that are not really there."
"Do you think," she took a deep breath. "That's what they're doing now? To me?"
"I don't know, Sheba. We don't know enough about them." Her husband gently guided her back into the bed, pulling the covers up over them. He kept an arm around her. "I'll talk to Cassie and see if anyone else has reported having bad dreams."
"She might not know."
He smiled. "Everyone talks to her."
"Guess she was a good choice to succeed Dr. Salik."
They were both silent. The doctor had been killed in a Cylon attack. After much discussion, Adama had appointed Cassie to the post. She'd advanced from the position of medtech and had just completed her full training. Some had accused the commander of playing favorites, since she could be considered a member of his family because she was Starbuck's wife. The talk had died down after a yahren of two when it became evident he had chosen wisely with her natural instincts and high recovery rate.
"Think you can go back to sleep now?"
She nodded. "I think so."
"Good." He reached over and shut off the light. "Boxey is going to be up early and I need to get my report finished."
"Not to mention I'm on patrol." She closed her eyes. Her husband's warm body soothed her and soon she fell asleep.
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Cain stared up at the stars. He'd been given a room in Atlantis and it had a small balcony. Over come with curiosity and unable to sleep without the comforting rumble of the Pegasus under him, he'd given up trying to rest.
He stood there with his feet slightly spread apart, still in full uniform. He couldn't see the sky as clearly as he could in space. The brightness seemed to be muted by the atmosphere. Or maybe it was the shield the people here insisted on keeping up, even though the ship commanded by Weir had already proven itself not a threat.
Someone knocked and he strutted across the bare floor to answer it. "Enter."
Teyla stood there. Her loose black dress fluttered slightly from the momentary breeze. "May I come in?"
He motioned her in. "Have a seat." He took the other chair and sat across from her at the table.
"I apologize for the lateness of the hour."
"You want to know about your people."
"Yes. I have waited a long time to find them."
His face shadowed. "I won't say the Cylon fighter was the only threat they faced."
"Tell me."
He took a deep breath. "If we were on the Pegasus, I'd offer you a drink."
"I need none."
"I could use one." He got up and paced back and forth across the small room. "My warriors were chasing a Cylon fighter that had somehow managed to find us."
"What are Cylons?"
"A robot race who are responsible for the destruction of our home worlds."
"I'm sorry."
"So am I."
"Please, continue." Teyla sat back, lightly resting her hand on her stomach.
With a gulp, Cain remembered his own wife doing that when she'd been expecting Sheba. "You comfortable?"
"I am fine."
With a nod, he continued. "We damaged the Cylon fighter and were pursuing it when, for some reason, it decided to head for the nearest planet." The image flashed across his mind. "There was another ship there already. One of those Wraith hives, I think you call them."
She suddenly sat up very straight. "A Wraith hive ship?"
"Yeah." He sat back down. "It didn't seem to be aware of us." His fingers drummed on the table. "Colonel Tollen reported a human settlement on the surface and some sort of smaller ship flying over."
"A Wraith dart." Her dark face paled. "A culling."
"Since my fighters were already heading down, I ordered them to engage the ship. They didn't stop it, but once there was opposition, it retreated."
"And?"
He frowned. "Here's the odd part, the hive ship left, almost like it was afraid of being found out."
"They did not attack you?" She sounded puzzled.
"No. It just left. I ordered a shuttle down and we rescued the survivors."
"And resettled them."
"Seemed like a good plan at the time."
"You will tell me where."
"I'm prepared to do that." He didn't really like her demanding attitude, although he could understand her reason for being so. "I'll tell you."
Her body relaxed. "It seems I have much to thank you for."
"Don't thank me yet. I didn't save all of them."
"But you saved many. Thank you."
"You're welcome." He glanced down. "Look, I don't know how you figure coordinates and location of worlds."
"Dr. McKay can assist you."
"I'll talk to him in the morning."
"That will be fine." She slowly maneuvered out of the chair. "I think perhaps I can sleep now."
He got up as well. "I didn't mean to be the reason for keeping you up."
"I have not slept well since my people disappeared."
"Believe it or not, I understand."
"John told me you were also seeking your people." She paused as if considering telling him something. "I can ask my many contacts if they have seen them."
"They may not recognize them. Adama's warriors are very good at blending in when they have to."
"Perhaps if I had a few names?"
"Well, Apollo and Starbuck are usually the first he assigns."
Her face paled. "Apollo and Starbuck?"
"Yes." He wasn't sure why she was reacting as she was.
"I…I wish I had known."
"What?"
"When I went to find a gift for John," she blushed. "I met two men with the names you just told me."
"By the Lords of Kobol!" He grinned broadly. "The fleet is here!"
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The doctor stood before the heart of the great machine staring at Draal's body ensconced there, feeding it and keeping it alive.
"You're back, Doctor." The holograph popped in and stared at him, arms akimbo.
"I told you I recognized it."
"Doctor," Draal's voice held a warning.
"Amazing really." He walked closer examining the various arteries leading outward. "They actually accomplished it."
"And it was used for the purpose for which it was built."
"Of that, I have no doubt." He faced Draal, a silly grin on his face. "Didn't tell them, your human allies, did you?"
"I thought it prudent not to."
"Wonder if they would agree." He rocked back on his heels, plunging his hands into the pockets of his brown coat.
"Events had to unfold as they supposed to."
"Yes." He bounced on his feet. "I met him, you know."
"Who?"
"Valen, of course. Jeff Sinclair, too." The Time Lord shook his head. "I knew what his fate was."
"It is said, Valen will return."
"That's the popular mythology."
"You have some purpose for being here, Doctor?"
"Don't I always?"