Babylon Squared.

Characters: OFC, Franklin, Sinclair, Garibaldi, David Sheridan.

Disclaimer: I don't own it. I don't get money from it. Sue me and I'll laugh. And hide.

Warnings: AU. Minor violence and swearwords.

Summary: Unusual emanations attract Vicki and the boys to trouble.

Author's Note: I do not think that I can do a better, equal or even passable imitation of The Great Maker Stracysnski. This is just for fun. The first scene is in honour of what StellerCat said about Vicki's frequent trips to MedBay ;)

***

July 2258

***

Yawning, Vicki answered her bleeping monitor. "This is Sergeant Sheridan."

"Sheridan, it's Jack Gibbs. Your financial accounts manager?" She nodded, half asleep. "I have something to tell you."

Ten minutes later Vicki was in MedLab.

"HOW THE HELL DID THIS HAPPEN!?!"

"Just calm down Vicki-"

"NO, I WILL NOT CALM DOWN!!! THIS IS RIDICULOUS!!!"

"Calm down or I will sedate you." Said Stephen, spacing his words a little for emphasis. Breathing through her nose loudly, Vicki sat on the Med Bed heavily. "Now, I have told you this repeatedly. You problems would be solved so much better if you just took fewer risks-"

"Yeah but I thought you meant my problems with getting suspended and whined at by you and the others, not financial problems. If I pay the damn med bills I'll be broke!"

"Yeah, well, unfortunately EarthForce slashed everyone's health benefits in various areas. You'll have to pay for the non-routine stuff." He frowned at her, concerned. "Surely your pay from EarthForce should cover this."

"Well, yeah... Except I'm also paying for all of my food, clothes, plant tools, books, sending money home for my horse..."

"What?" Snorted Stephen. "You have a horse?"

"Yeah." Vicki said, surrendering to the inevitable. "His names Johnny."

"As in-"

"He was foaled by my Dad's horse. Big Mama."

She waited for the hysterics to end.

Coughing slightly to recover, he concluded his side of the argument. "If you have such a problem with you medical bills, stop getting injured. God knows, it would make everyone else happy."

"What, you don't like my company?" Pouted Vicki.

Sniggering, Stephen retorted, "Not at work I don't." His voice becoming more concerned, he said, "Do you need a loan? I could front you some money-"

Gasping, Vicki stammered "No! I'll... I'll figure something out. I hate owing money."

He nodded as Vicki smiled goodbye and left.

***

As Vicki entered Sec Hub, she heard Garibaldi say, "I'm sure Vicki's up for it."

"You better start explaining, Garibaldi." She said in fake rage. Then she saw Sinclair standing across the desk from Garibaldi. As she looked at him she went pink.

"I need an escort for a trip."

"Where to Sir?" She asked, trying not to squeak. She was unsuccessful.

"Babylon 4."

"Huh?"

He smiled, and little jump points opened up around him in Vicki's eyes. She tried to ignore the twinkling lights and focus on the words coming out of his mouth. "We received a signal that came from Babylon 4. Records confirmed the channel identity. The scout we sent there came back dead- old age."

"How old was he?" She asked.

"35."

"Uh huh."

"I'm going with him." Said Garibaldi. "But Susan blew up smoke about regulations so we need a third man." She glared at him. "Hey, her words, not mine. Go take it out with her."

Vicki shuddered. "No thanks. It'll be safer to take my chances with you."

"OK, let's go."

An hour later the three of them were in a shuttle, headed for the sector of space that was emanating trouble. On the way, Garibaldi tortured Vicki with embarrassing topics of conversation that Jeff- just to humiliate Vicki, she was sure- joined in with. Starting with a question about fastenings and zips that had Vicki wishing the shuttle had a bottle of bleach in it so she could clean her mind out. It went downhill from there.

It ended when Garibaldi asked Sinclair about his 'first', with raised eyebrows, and Vicki started screaming. She managed to stop just as they received the first signals from Babylon 4.

Resolving fiercely to do something painful and traumatizing to Garibaldi at the earliest opportunity, Vicki readied herself for whatever came next.

***

The station sounded like it was going to hell. Support struts were collapsing all around him and people were screaming- in his ears, which didn't help- and the crush of fear-soaked bodies were driving the air out of his lungs. Hell, it felt like his alveoli were being squeezed separately. He needed clear air now, before he passed out. Jeff and Vicki might need his help with the alien.

As he staggered out of the crowd, signalling to the station's scant security forces to keep threading people through to the evacuation shuttles, he took several deep breaths. When he finally reached the edge of the crowd and collapsed against the wall, he heaved a sigh of relief. Then, suddenly, he felt a tap on his shoulder. Turning around, he saw a somewhat familiar looking woman standing before him. She was very old- white hair fell to halfway down her back, many wrinkles creased her face and her back was stooped. Despite this, she wore a heavy duty tool belt and a dark uniform with blue lines he'd never seen before.

She looked at him with bright blue eyes that looked both hesitant and yet, somehow yearning. She wanted something, but was afraid to ask?

"Can I help you?" Said Garibaldi, raising his voice to be heard over the din. The old woman smiled widely, shocking Garibaldi. There was something about that smile...

"I was just preparing to leave." She said in a loud, clear voice. Again, familiarity itched like a flea. He knew this woman from somewhere. He knew he did. "I just wanted to say... Watch your back Michael. Literally."

"What?!" He gasped. How could she know her name?

"Hey!" Looking over the woman's shoulder, he saw a slim, lethal looking woman with dark, curly hair, a green badge and a very pissed expression on her face. "What are you doing?!"

Looking at the old woman, he met her stunning and stunningly familiar smile again. She turned and, with a lot of energy for someone so old, bounded off. He overheard her tell the younger woman, "Well, I had to try..."

Shaking his head, he turned to continue his duties and almost ran Vicki Sheridan over. "Nuts! Vicki, seriously- don't do that."

"Sorry Michael." Her voice sent off alarm bells in his head. Her voice and that of the old lady were incredibly similar... "Hey, who was that lady you were chatting to?"

"I dunno. Why?"

"Oh, nothing. She just looked a lot like my Grandma, that's all." Garibaldi nodded and went back to his work, thinking hard. It couldn't be...

Vicki looked in the direction the old lady had gone. She had looked a lot like Grandma, but she certainly wasn't. It would bear some thinking...

Suddenly a wave of dizziness washed over her and she put her hands to her face. The next thing she knew, her lower parts were in agony. She was laying on a bed somewhere, people around her shouting things.

"She's early..."

"Not due for two months..."

"Might have to prepare for the worst..."

Suddenly there was an incredible pressure inside her and Vicki found herself pushing hard, screaming even louder. Someone took hold of her hand, encouraging her. Several agonising moments went by, then something dislodged and the pain went away. She collapsed to the bed, gasping. She vaguely heard: "Hand the baby to her father. We must tend to Sergeant Lochley-Sheridan first."

Feeling oddly bemused and as if she were swimming, she raised her head...

Only to see a room full of Minbari healers. One of them held a squalling bundle of fabric, and appeared to be handing it over to a tall Minbari Warrior.

Vicki cried out, throwing her arms out to take her child back when her ears suddenly roared. She blinked, a wave of blinding white light coming over her, before opening her eyes to the chaos of Babylon 4. She looked around, fighting tears. Where was her baby? Where was she? What was happening?

"Vicki!" Jeff's voice rang out over the crowd's screams as he fought his way through to her. "We need your help moving Zathras- Are you alright?" She shook her head, completely pole axed. She had no idea if she was alright or not. "Come on, you look like you need to sit down." As he guided her away through the corridors to the cell, his eyes were caught by a sight he didn't expect to see.

A very young girl, couldn't have been older than eight, stood at the edge of the next corridor. She was dainty and small, and looked at Jeff with an odd look of terror. He stepped towards her, but she took off down the corridor. Cursing, he signalled to one of the station's Sergeants who were standing by the cell door. Vicki turned to look at what Jeff was swearing at.

"Sergeant! Go after the little girl I just saw. Get her on the next shuttle out. No delays."

"Yes Sir."

"What little girl?" Vicki asked.

"I saw a little girl. Must be one of the Workers daughters or something." He frowned, thinking. "It's funny... she looked very familiar."

***

Vicki sighed, straightening her shoulders as the call connected.

"Vicki!"

She smiled at her grandfather. "Hey, Dadatoo." He laughed. "I hope I'm not calling at a bad time."

"No, no, never a bad time for family. What's wrong?"

She tried to look indignant. "Wrong?! There has to be something wrong for me to..." She stopped at the 'get real' expression on his face. "OK, yeah, I usually do. I have this... problem... and I was hoping you could help me."

He leaned forward, his eyes softening. "Anything, wild card."

She smiled faintly. Shifting her shoulders again, she cleared her throat and said, "I was hoping you could give me... a loan. A very small, highly temporary loan which I would pay off ASAP."

"Absolutely kiddo. However much you need for however long you need it. You family Vicki, I'm not a bank- I'm your grandfather. Just tell me."

She gritted her teeth in hesitation and said, "5'000 credits. I don't know exactly when I can pay you back."

He raised his eyebrows. "With the farm and our investments, the money isn't a problem. And you don't need to pay it back- I make as much money as I can so, no matter what happens to my children- or grandchildren- money won't ever be an issue. But why do you need so much?"

"Medical bills." She answered gloomily. "Health benefits, which were never good, were slashed in the last cuts. We've got to pay for any treatment that's not routine or demanded by a superior officer. Mine are... pretty high."

"I'm guessing I shouldn't mention this to your father?" She smiled hopefully. "Your secret's safe with me. Though I certainly wouldn't object if you didn't end up in your hospital- or MedBay, whatever- quite so often. And not for financial reasons."

She nodded into her chest, the old argument having been dragged to death long ago. After a moment she looked through her bangs and grinned. "Thanks Dadatoo. I really owe you."

"He waved her statement away, laughing. "Forget it. Hearing that old nickname is payment enough." They smiled at each other for a long moment. Finally, he said, "See you soon, kiddo."

"See you, Dadatoo." The connection cut off and Vicki fought off an onslaught of tears. The door chime went off. Cursing, she said, "Who is it?"

"It's Jeff."

Breathing heavily, trying to keep her longing and pain under control, she wiped her eyes and said, "Come on in."

He came, smiling at her. "How are you doing? You looked pretty shaken for a moment on B4, did you go to MedBay?"

She shook her head. "No, by the time we got back to the station I felt fine."

He pursed his lips in consideration, examining her face. She pulled one of her funny faces, sticking her lips out and crossing her eyes, making him laugh. "Well," he said, getting himself under control. "If you're sure you're OK, I wanted to ask you out to dinner."

Something very large and ungainly dropped into her throat. "Uhh... Dinner? Sir? With you?"

Apparently realising his mistake, he hurried to say "and Susan and Michael too!"

Breathing a little easier now, Vicki smiled again. "Sure, sure. I'll just get changed- meet you at Earhart's?" He nodded as she went into the bedroom and turned to leave. His eyes caught a picture that stood on Vicki's kitchen table. It showed a pretty young girl enveloped in the arms of Captain Sheridan. The Captain was easily recognisable. The girl took a moment to identify.

It was Vicki when she was much younger.

And it was also the girl he'd seen on B4.