These Blue Remembered Hills
Part XI
It can hardly come as a surprise to anyone that Louisa was not open to the idea of travelling to, as she put it, "outer space". She argued, she cried, she pleaded and eventually resorted to sulking in the final quarter of an hour before they reached the base at Lancaster. Tommy, on the other hand, was quite delighted, chiefly because he saw in this adventure his opportunity to become Master of the Galaxy for real.
Stranger things have happened.
"If those people are after us, what's going to happen when they check our idents?" asked Louisa suddenly as they neared the base, glaring pointedly at Sarah and Garibaldi, as if to emphasise that this was entirely their fault. Tony shrugged.
"Garibaldi?"
"Let's just say the pilot's a friend. You don't need to worry about a thing." Louisa snorted. It was quite plain that she placed no reliance whatsoever on Garibaldi's words.
"I'm sorry, Tony, but I still don't see why we need to go into space, for Heaven's sake! Why can't we go to my parents'?"
"Because they'll check your parents' place first off," explained Tony, his formerly patient tone having morphed into something less patient and more pissed off. "Jeez, Louisa, just trust me, will you? It'll be fine."
"How?" demanded Louisa. "How is it going to be fine, hmm? I mean, what's going to happen to make them stop looking for us? We should just go home, tell them what happened, and everything will be back to normal."
"You willing to bet Tommy's life on that?" said Garibaldi sharply, hoping to high heaven that the implied threat would silence Louisa. It worked, though he felt a shimmer of guilt as a shadow darkened Louisa's eyes and she hugged Tommy tighter until he squirmed and protested. "Look," he said, conciliatory. "Once we get to the station, Stephen – Dr Franklin – will run some tests on Sarah, confirm that she's really Ivanova, and release the information to the media. I'll do some checking, but at that stage you should be good to go back."
"This all seems so fantastical," murmured Sarah dreamily, gazing out of the window at the Lancaster atmo base. "I'm about to go in a real spaceship."
"You ever see one before?" asked Garibaldi, curiously. It was almost too bizarre to see this woman as Ivanova. Ivanova, who had learned to fly when she was a kid. Ivanova, who had clocked up more hours flying Starfuries than any other officer he knew. Ivanova, who had commanded White Star ships against the Shadows, and then against Earth's own forces.
"I usually bring the KG class in the summer. The base has an educational programme – it's great for the kids. I've never been in one actually going anywhere."
"Why would anyone want to?" asked Louisa bitterly. "If we had never gone into space, I tell you, this planet would have a lot less problems. Did you see that report about the money that gets spent on Babylon 5?"
"Yeah," replied Garibaldi sympathetically. "All those pesky aliens, taking jobs that should be for humans. Living off the government! The record never changes."
"We're here," interrupted Tony, anxious to head off another argument. "Where's our shuttle?" Garibaldi checked his data pad.
"Hangar 29. Should be down the other end." They reached the hangar without incident, and climbed out of the transpo. Garibaldi hailed the pilot, who was lolling lazily against a maintenance panel.
"Hey, Jack, you ready?" Jack shifted so that he was upright and raised a hand in greeting.
"Garibaldi," he said laconically, glancing at the others. "You all going?" Garibaldi nodded.
"Yep. That OK?" Jack shrugged and remained silent, hitting the door release. He went forward to the pilot's seat, and Garibaldi motioned the others to climb aboard.
"How long is this going to take?" grumbled Louisa as she settled Tommy in.
"About six hours in hyperspace," replied Sarah absently as she looked about her with interest. Garibaldi's eyebrows quirked, but he said nothing. No point in making her self-conscious about it. The journey passed uneventfully, largely in silence. The circumstances were such that none of the travellers felt particularly chatty. Except Tommy, of course, but he was happy to hold a conversation with very little response. After about six hours, Jack's voice startled them as he announced briefly that they were approaching the jump gate for Babylon 5. Sarah clutched the arm of her seat, her stomach roiling with anticipation: excitement and a little fear washed in adrenaline. The jump point formed; they sailed through.
Backlit against stars and suns, Babylon 5 hung, seemingly motionless except for the rotating blocks providing the artificial gravity. It was a huge metallic cylinder, inanimate, soulless.
But Sarah felt it in her very heart: home.
To be continued...