Title: A Bridge of Flames
Author: Third Charm
Fandom: Babylon 5
Pairings: Marcus/Neroon, Susan/OC
Story Type: Drama, Romance
Current Rating: M
Disclaimer: Babylon 5 and all subsequent major characters, plots, and ideas are the property of J. Michael Straczynski, Babylonian Inc. and Warner Brothers. The following story was written only for the purposes of entertainment. No income has been made.
Warnings: AU and AT and going for broke! Combat, profanity, slash, dark themes, mentions sexual assault.
Spoilers: All though this story is set before "Grey Seventeen is Missing", there will still be too many to count.
Summary: After "the mission from hell", Marcus and Susan change the course of history and find a way to rekindle hope and love in the most surprising of places.
Acknowledgments: I must thank ckl for taking the time to beta read this story.
Author's Note: One Earth year equals 0.74 Minbari cycles. The Minbari words and phrases were found at the "JumpNow" website in John Hightower's Minbari dictionary, though not all are direct translations.
A Bridge of Flames
Chapter Three
At the combined roar coming from the entryway, the entirety of the medlab turned their attention to that direction. The sight that greeted them all induced an immediate silence, made the Minbari drop their eyes and the Humans flush, for there in the doorway stood two legends and one very irate Healer. Healer Rama'Fi had indeed been able to get reinforcements. Those reinforcements, though, consisted of Denn'bok (Minbari pike) Masters Turval and Durhann! These two Minbari Elders were not only the most knowledgeable denn'bok instructors in the history of the Minbari race, but were also members of the Warrior's Council AND held two of the three current governing seats of the Anla'Shok – a duality of service that had never before been allowed by Minbari Law.
Marcus was the first to recover from his embarrassment. He dropped his eyes in respect to his superior officers before greeting them. "Master Turval, Master Durhann. Please forgive the, ah, exuberance of our previous… discussion. I though have to admit to some surprise at seeing you here," Marcus said quietly and with as much a bow as his medical state and position on the rigged medical platform would allow.
The two Elders looked at each other smiled slightly at their youngest protégé's attempt to pour oil over troubled waters. "Exuberant discussion" indeed! Now there was an understatement if they had ever heard one! The so-called "discussion" had been so heated that no one had noticed that they'd been at the door since Neroon had opened his mouth only to insert his Satai-sized boot into it! By Valen, had no one ever taught that hulking brute any manners? Oh yes! And how could either Elder forget about the language that Rama'Fi had said Sarhat had flung about before that?
Was it any wonder that the Human Commander was so highly insulted? Was it any wonder that she was ready to destroy the very fabric of the Minbari government? Well, insulted or not, the Commander had to be brought to heel. They did not dare have any instability within the Minbari Warrior Caste with the war against the Sher'shok Dum (Shadows) looming. Not that Neroon or his brother would be let off the hook. Their behavior had been simply atrocious! They would also be taken to task - and severely - though in private. It would not do to have an Alyt and a Satai be reprimanded in public.
Master Turval nodded slightly to his esteemed colleague as if to say that he had the lead in what was coming and then stepped back to watch the "patented Durhann ass kicking" as Jeffery had so eloquently put it such a short time ago. The old Warrior sighed. Ah, but Turval missed Valen's Human incarnation. That dry, acerbaric wit and that keen mind that had used Shakiri, the Marka'ri Minsa (Council of Clans) and half of the Warrior's Council - including Neroon - as a whet stone had kept him and Durhann very well entertained indeed. Now that he had gone to meet his destiny, well now they had to settle for playing with these foolish little goklings instead! After all that came before, it was such a let down.
As Turval mourned the loss of Jeffery Sinclair's entertainment value, Durhann smiled very kindly toward the Humans. It was that smile that had the Minbari - Satai or not - all literally shivering in fear. They all knew better than to believe in its benevolence, especially those that had been under the Master's tutelage. Marcus was also very versed in it and paled while swallowing heavily. Oh, but the poor Ranger knew he was in for it now!
Susan, on the other hand, narrowed her eyes, took a steadying breadth, shored up her defenses and girded for continued battle. She may have not fought in the War, but when it came to the Minbari, she took Jeff and Michael's lessons on "never letting them see weakness" and "never trusting a smiling bone-head" (Delenn not withstanding; even as manipulative as the priestess was, she truly meant well and besides, even after all these years, Delenn STILL couldn't block her mind worth anything) straight to heart. Well, that and the fact that the mental waves coming off the old Minbari screamed trouble with a capital "T". In fact, all the mental waves coming off the Minbari screamed either abject fear and/or trouble. And that meant that Susan was going to pull out the heavy artillery. If she had known Jeff at all, then it meant that he couldn't resist pulling one last one over these two. Oh, but she couldn't wait to be the one to drop the bomb on them – and Neroon!
Neither of the Elders took Susan's closed expression into account as Durhann zeroed in on person he considered the weakest link in the room. The old Master thought that he could use Marcus's sense of honesty and fair play against him. He did not take into account just how angry both of the Humans were, just how upset Marcus was, nor how protective Susan had become of her "little brother". That mistake was going to cost him. It was going to cost him and cost him dearly. It was also going to cost Neroon his weight in dignity. While Durhann stalked his prey and blithely ignored the "insulted Human Lady", the prey took control of his fear and sharpened his proverbial claws while the "Lady" planned her own hunt.
"Marcus, it is good to see you recovering form your ordeal. Though I could have used less of an example of how well your lungs are healing," Durhann said with a slight chuckle. "Perhaps, as the, ah, calmest of those assembled here, you could explain to me what had happened?" he asked quietly.
Marcus's mind whirled at the gently laid trap. Oh, yes. It was indeed a trap. The Ranger knew the Minbari culture well and knew that any explanation he gave would be double edged. Not only would the two brothers be cut, but so would he and Susan - and the Ranger would never allow his "sister" to be hurt again.
Yes, Neroon had started the mess, but Susan had baited him. Yes, Neroon's actions and reactions were both inexcusable, but Susan had threatened what was tantamount by Minbari standards to the blackmail of a Satai. Yes, Neroon had been about to issue a Challenge to a wounded guest and a female one at that, but Marcus was the one to formally issue the Challenge instead.
There was no way for him to gloss over any of this without letting that bloody bastard and his idiot brother off the hook. And if he truly explained what happened, there would be no way they could escape the situation without both him and Susan catching any flack and after everything they had been through, that just wasn't acceptable! As much as Marcus respected the two Elders, there was no way in bloody hell he would allow them to paint him and Susan into a corner where they would be forced to apologize to those two brainless, foul-mouthed, black suited gorillas!
As Marcus mind worked at lightning speed to find a solution, Susan jumped into the fray with both feet. "It would behoove you, honored Elder, to question me not my executive officer if you wish to be answered," Susan practically growled out.
Durhann was taken aback by Susan's statement. What did the Human Warrior mean by saying her "executive officer"? The White Star fleet was a fleet of Anla'Shok ships. Marcus was Anla'Shok. Had he not been the Shok'Na (Ranger Captain) of the destroyed White Star?
"Your executive officer?" he asked the Commander.
Susan smiled a vicious little smile. "Yes, Master Durhann, is it?" When the old teacher nodded, she went on, "I commanded the White Star and Marcus was my XO. Therefore, as the ranking officer of the Army of Light here, you will direct your questions to me."
Durhann smiled as he thought he understood the situation. Obviously Delenn had asked this Human to work for her. "You misunderstand, Commander -"
Susan cut him off. "No, Elder, you misunderstand. Whatever you believe is the current ranking of the Army of Light, whatever you seem to think your rank is, or whatever command you have of Marcus, you are wrong. I don't think you have read the fine print in all those letters Jeffery left behind before taking his little trip to save you collective behinds."
"Read them again, and you will find that all though Delenn will be named Entil'Zha (Ranger Commander), -"
Susan was cut off by a screamed out, "WHAT?" from Neroon. He was immediately silenced by a look from Durhann.
"As I was saying, even though Delenn will be named Entil'Zha, the Captain will hold the titles of Anla'Shok Na (Ranger One) and Shok'Shah Na (Ranger War Leader). These were Jeff's express orders. And if you all really want to beat the Shadows, you won't try to screw with them. And if you know what's good for you, you really won't push the issue with John either. We all know he's NOT as forgiving as Jeff was," Susan said and gave that little crocodile smile again.
"And, I'm John's XO. Hence, I now outrank you, both you AND the glowering Master Turval over there. At least I think that's Master Turval. The Intel stills from the War were rather grainy and the last time I saw them I was still at the Academy," she said as she twisted the knife just a little deeper. "Now, if you want to know what happened, you will question me, not MY XO, got it? Oh, by he way, you may question, but that doesn't mean I will answer. Or answer completely. After all, what good for the goose is good for the gander too."
There was a stunned silence as the Minbari in the room processed what the Commander had said. Both of the Masters felt a wave of nausea hit them as they realized that neither had had the time available to actually go through the last of Sinclair's orders as closely as they had wanted to. They had both known that he had probably hidden a few strings in those orders. Valen was absolutely notorious for such things when it came to his sealed letters. Why would Sinclair not be as well? But this; even Valen had never been so vicious!
Entil'Zha Sinclair had handed over the command of the Army of Light to the Humans of Babylon 5? He had reinstated the rank of Shok'Shah Na? AND he'd given that rank to Sheridan StarKiller? And they now all reported to HIM? And this Human Lady Warrior was StarKiller's War Second? Neroon had been stupid enough to lay an insult foul enough to restart the old blood feuds had it been laid at a Minbari woman's feet at the feet of StarKiller's War Second? By Valen, how in the Vale of the Shadows were they going to pull the idiot's fat of this fire?
Sech Turval finally broke the silence by quietly asking a question he REALLY didn't want to ask, for he knew in his heart of hearts that he really DIDN'T want to know the answer. "And did Entil'Zha Sinclair leave any specific orders for Ranger Cole?"
Susan and Marcus looked at each other. Marcus had known that there were specific orders for him, but did not know what they were yet. Susan and the Captain did though, and had told him that they would be given to him at Delenn's elevation ceremony. Marcus simply raised an eyebrow at his "sister" who rolled her eyes sighed in resignation at Marcus's curiosity.
"Yes. He is to be Entil'Zha Delenn's Shai Be'Tri (personal bodyguard or "Champion") when the time comes." Susan answered. If it had been silent before, you could hear a pin drop on Minbar after Susan was finished speaking.
