The Lady of Downbelow
May 2258 – "Deathwalker"
Talia's head jerked as a blast of profound anger washed over her. She watched as a relatively nondescript woman stomped over to where Kosh and Abbut were using her services. Though as far as she could tell, neither male had said anything intelligible that needed a telepath. Calling them 'negotiations' was the best joke Kosh had ever told.
The approaching woman didn't seem to care that they were in the middle of something. Even if she knew their entire conversation had been idioms or complete non-sequitur statements, Talia didn't think it would slow her down in the slightest. The woman echoed with tightly controlled rage. Talia clutched the side of her head as the emotion overwhelmed her shields.
"Jha'Dur. Deathwalker." The words were growled, but not at the group. No, she was focused entirely on Kosh!
"We take no interest in the affairs of others," Kosh said as if the words were a question.
Talia registered that the woman was speaking of the Dilgar war criminal that had recently come to the station. Rumors were going around Babylon 5 with a speed only reached since the Soul Hunter had come aboard. There had been a full assembly held, where the majority had voted not to try the general. A whole host of League ships were there to extradite Deathwalker. All of them wanted to hold a kangaroo court for the criminal, but none could agree on what race would do the deed. However, there were also rumors of deals with Narns and Earth Force to provide amnesty in trade for something the Dilgar scientist had discovered worth more than a thousand planets combined. She'd heard some sort of compromise had been reached where the woman would be put on trial anyway as well as her discovery being distributed amongst the races.
"You better damn well 'take an interest'," the woman poked a finger in the center of the Vorlon's encounter suit. She said 'take an interest' full of growled snark. She flung out a hand, pointing in a seemingly random direction. "That concoction is an abomination and an affront to everything I safeguard!"
The Vorlon said nothing.
"By the light of Kasterborous! Do you have NO understanding of what those CHILDREN will DO with it?" she half-yelled. "It's your JOB to stop them from such STUPIDITY!"
Still, the ambassador did not reply.
"FINE," she glared, biting out each word. "I'll rephrase: You. OWE. Me."
The encounter suit's 'head' bowed in acknowledgment. A pause. Then a slight shift in the shoulders and his entire suit inclined forward a few inches.
"Good," she leaned back though her blue-purple eyes still spit fire, "SO glad we agree." Without another word, the woman stomped away.
After a short pause, their group got back to the so-called negotiations.
Hours later, when Talia learned that a Vorlon ship had destroyed the cruiser with Jha'Dur inside, she couldn't help but remember the earlier encounter. Especially when she heard that Kosh had not mentioned the woman at all, instead only commenting, "You are not ready for immortality."
10.01.2021
+++B5+DW+B5+++
June 2258 – "Believers"
Nova blinked in confusion when she heard the alarm, then surprise as she realized it was from the transmitter that she'd given the doctor almost 18 months previous. "Jack, Charlie, I've got to go to MedLab in Green Sector. Would you like to come with me or stay here?" The now twelve-year-old's head popped upright with a big 'duh' expression, while the sixteen-year-old rolled her eyes. Nova laughed. "Alright then, let's go."
"You sure it's safe?" Charlie asked. Jack said nothing but obviously agreed with the sentiment.
"Should be," she reassured with a gentle smile. Ever since the Soul Hunter incident, her littles, as well as most of her Downbelow regulars, had been paranoid about her safety.
"What do ya' think it is?"
"We'll find out together." That response was not appreciated, but it was the best she could do. The transmitter only told her that someone hit it, nothing more. It didn't even have a tracker, so their current destination was only an assumption.
When they reached the clinic, Jack stayed by the entrance to play guard while Charlie stayed close. Their entrance was noticed and Dr. Steven Franklin gestured her forward. He was beside an ill boy about Charlie's age, and presumably the parents. "Dr. Franklin, I got your call."
"Yes, thank you so much for coming. This is Shon," he gestured to the boy, then to the mother and father respectively, "and his parents M'Ola and Tharg." He looked to the non-humans and gestured to Nova, "May I introduce Nova Morganson, the Lady of Downbelow." Nova's eyebrows rose at the title but didn't dispute it. At this point, why bother?
The woman held her clasped hands to her chest while the male showed a flat affect. M'Ola said, "We are grateful you came so quickly. Dr. Franklin has spoken of your extensive knowledge, that you may have a way to save our son."
Nova's eyebrows creased. What had Franklin been telling these people? "I can't perform miracles, but I'll do what I can." She focused on the doctor. "What's wrong with Shon?"
In just a few short sentences, the xenobiologist outlined the problem. The three were Onteen and had a series of internal air bladders. One of Shon's bladders had become blocked, possibly as a result of infection or injury.
Nova frowned as she studied the internal scan. It looked like a simple fix to her. She quirked a brow, "Is your equipment broken?"
Franklin winced, "Not at all."
"Then what's the problem?" Being unable to repair broken medical supplies, or being unable to repair them before the boy died, was about the only reason she could think that they would call her when, as far as she knew, the equipment and techniques already existed to save the child. It should be a relatively easy outpatient procedure with only a 2% fatality rate…and 1.75% of it was due to the possible complications of the anesthetic!
The doctor sighed. "I was hoping you had an alternative to surgery."
Nova blinked, "Why?" She peered back at the images. "Does he have other pre-existing conditions that prevent surgery or increase his risk?"
"No…"
M'Ola came forward again, her hands to her chest as before. "We are the Children of Time and if our skin is punctured, our spirit will leave our bodies."
Nova felt herself still at the information. So…this had nothing to do with medicine or ability. This was religion and belief. She mentally glared daggers at Franklin for pulling her into this, though she understood why he had done so. Nova's eyes drifted to where the boy was and saw that he and Charlie were chatting quietly together, both smiling as if they had known each other for years. Simple, as children were wont to do.
Long moments passed as she thought of their options. She did have a relatively non-invasive method that might work, but it would still puncture the skin. The skin of all three of them actually since she would have to draw blood from both parents as well as the child. "Define puncture."
M'Ola had little hope this woman had a solution but was willing to try for her son. "If our bodies are cut open, then our soul will rejoin the Egg."
"What about little scratches?"
"What are you thinking?" Franklin asked.
"If it was an infection that caused the blockage, then chances are his parents got it too. But their bodies were able to fight it off without incident. Theoretically, with a blood draw from all of them, we could figure out which it was, isolate the antigens the parents produced, then give them to the kid."
"IF it was due to an infection…"
"Yeah, and even if it was, this is highly theoretical and at best would have a 20-30% chance of success." She focused back on the parents, particularly the mother who seemed to be the speaker for the pair, "At least it would be four needle sticks, 2 each for you for the pint of blood needed, and then 2 for Shon to both take the blood and then give him the antigens. So…I guess it comes down to if a pinprick counts as a puncture?"
The doctor had caught on to what she was implying. "What does your beliefs say about normal injuries - scratches, broken bones, cuts, scrapes, nosebleeds? Those would all do far more damage than what Lady Nova is offering." If it was only the amount of damage that they objected to, then this was a possible solution, even if it wasn't a guarantee. No one could go throughout their entire life without any injuries, it was impossible.
However, just as Franklin was getting hope that the parents would be persuaded, the mother shook her head. "You would be removing parts of his soul with his blood, and the rest would follow."
Nova sighed, "Then there's nothing I can do. I'm sorry." She moved to leave.
"What?" Franklin hissed, stunned that she would just give up.
The Lady of Downbelow turned, looking at him with sad, sad eyes. "This has nothing to do with ability, techniques that haven't been discovered, broken equipment, or a lack of time. This is about belief and faith. It's their faith, their choice." She looked at Shon and gave a small gentle sad smile. "Do you believe that your soul will go if you bleed?" The boy nodded. Nova looked back at Franklin, "He's old enough to choose for himself, and his parents agree.
"There's nothing we can do, because it's not our decision."
"He's only a child!"
Nova gave a great heaving heavy sigh that she felt from her head to her toes. This was one part of her responsibilities that she didn't enjoy at all. She understood the principle, but having it in her face was rather different. However, this was beyond her. "This isn't my area… Go ask the Vorlon."
"How can that be all you have to say?!"
She stopped for long moments, when she finally looked back for the last time, they could all see the tears in her eyes. "Life has a beginning, a middle…and an end. Everything dies. The best any of us can do is make the most of the time we have."
Much later, Nova learned that Dr. Steven Franklin had gone against the wishes of both parents, child, and his superior, and done the procedure anyway. He had saved the boy's life…but afterward his parents had killed their child, claiming that it was just a demon-inhabited shell that needed to be put out of its misery. She was unsurprised on all counts… and she cried herself to sleep.
Nova was also unsurprised when she heard that Franklin had set up a small free medclinic on the other side of Downbelow from her own.
10.01.2021
+++B5+DW+B5+++
August 3, 2258 – "Signs and Portents"
The man looked around steadily, the controlled chaos of Brown-12 working around him but not seeming to touch him. An odd little smile that disturbed anyone who understood the idea behind it. "I'm here to see the Lady of Downbelow."
Her head tilted slightly in confusion, but still didn't look at him. Her hands were busy holding the segments together, waiting for adhesion to cement the work-around. "You found her," a brief glance at him before she went back to holding wires, "but I don't know what I could possibly do for you. You're certainly not my usual clientele."
"Actually, Lady, I'm here for you. What do you want?" he smiled that odd smile.
Nova blinked, hands pausing momentarily before resuming their tinkering. "Pardon?"
The smile didn't falter. "What do you want?"
Her hands stopped completely, setting them in her lap as she turned to give him her full attention. Her blue-purple eyes stared at him, then seemed to stare into him for long seconds. She blinked and the feeling vanished. She thought of a hundred things she wanted to say, but all of them were shades of the same. Instead, she redirected, "I think that you've been misinformed."
"Perhaps you can enlighten me then."
Nova shook her head and her hands went back over her head to continue working on the transformer. "Go tell your bosses that I'm a Gallifreyan who takes her duties VERY seriously. If they interfere with my responsibilities…then I'll be forced to return the favor." She tilted her head down to look him squarely in the eye. "Understood?"
"Lady, I can't leave until you answer my question."
She smirked, "I want you to tell your bosses my message. Verbatim. I would very much like that."
He was obviously confused, but he gave a small bow, "As you wish, Lady," and walked away.
"He was really scary," little Charlie observed as she came out of hiding behind a crate.
"Oh, you don't have to worry about him, little one," Nova grinned reassuringly and kissed the girl's forehead. "I highly doubt he'll be back."
09.27.2021
+++++B5+DW+B5+++++
***Anyone notice that the B5 episodes are NOT in chronological order?! Yeah, me neither…until I tried to put these in the same order. Finally decided that if M.S. can ignore chronological order in favor of the story, so can I. *****This is all I have prepare to post (as of 10.07.2021).
Thanks go to denise3 and BarbedCaress for their awesome betaing! Special thanks to BarbedCaress for his help with Kosh dialogue!
This is my first Babylon5 fic, please be kind as I know it's not perfect.
Reviews are love and help keep me motivated to write more!