Last Call -- Chapter 8: Comfort In The Cold
Author's Note: After much debate, I decided to include this chapter.
It could be easily skipped without taking anything away from the story;
I just had a point to make. In regards to the established plot in B5:
If Minbari souls, either in entirety or in part, are being reborn into
Humans, who is to say one race could not find a soulmate in the other
(of course ignoring the fact that procreation would be impossible)?
The greatest chance for success on this theory would be among the Rangers.
Just as Humans can find their soulmates in members of different cultures
other than their own, romance could bloom between a Minbari and a Human.
After all, both races are spiritual in their own rights as well as
compasionate and loving. I doubt I am the first to consider this and I
doubt within the realms of the B5 universe, John Sheridan and Delenn
(hybrid or not) are the only ones to realize this possibility.
Additionally, this chapter does contain very minor spoilers for Kathryn
Drennan's book, "To Dream In The City Of Sorrows." If you haven't read
the book, you won't be missing out.
On with the only bit of sappiness you will see in this story....
"This is the last." The Minbari drifted closer into the small alcove
adjacent to the storage area as he carried two EVA suits with him. She took
them from his hands and inspected each; one had a gap in the zipper well
and the other had a large slice though the material that made up the
left leg.
"So far we have three-fourths of an entire suit. Are you sure there
aren't any more in the storage closet?" Naomi frowned. It was her own
fault she hadn't checked the suits in the cabin before they departed, an
oversight in thinking that those in the cargo hold would be sufficient.
She now wished she had exchanged the two groups.
"Yes. What parts are you missing?" Drefen pulled closer by grabbing
onto a strap fastened to the wall. He tethered himself to the strap,
stabilizing himself as he hung in the air beside Naomi. She was
stationary with her own tether tied at her belt, keeping her close to
the suits she was working on.
"Right glove, right boot, and a throat seal. I think this last one will
provide the seal and some tape should take care of the rest." She
fisted the thin rubber-like fabric in her hand angrily. "If I had only
checked these damn suits before we left."
"It is pointless to blame yourself now. What happened has happened and
there is nothing you can do about the past. You must look toward the
future and make the most of the situation." Drefen spoke calmly, and
even if he was Worker caste, to Naomi he sounded annoyingly like one
from the Religious caste.
"That doesn't make me feel any better. I was supposed to be the
principal contact on this mission and look at us-stranded in the middle
of nowhere without even one fully functional EVA suit. Who am I
supposed to blame but myself?" Anger clenched her throat, making her
voice sound strained. She hid her face from the Minbari, not wanting
him to see her upset.
"Why must you blame? It was unforeseeable for the engine to malfunction
as it did. You followed standard procedures to exit hyperspace and make
repairs. I see no reason for you to be so upset." Even though Drefen
had occasionally seen the behavior in Naomi before, it made him
uncomfortable in not knowing how to help her. It was something Human to
him; Minbari usually did not act the same when angered or upset. Most
of his race wished to be alone to reflect with meditation, but he knew
of no particular rituals for Humans.
"Just call it a Human shortcoming, all right?" Angrily Naomi tossed
aside the ruined parts of the last suit before swiping the back of her
hand beneath her nose. "I hate the fact this could have all been
avoided. I was totally stupid."
"Is berating oneself a Human shortcoming as well?" Drefen reached
steadily, curling his hand around her shoulder. The pressure was firm
and unmoving, instantly making her uncomfortable.
"Don't patronize me, Drefen. I like you too much to start hating you
now." Her eyes lifted from her empty hand to stare at the wall straight
ahead, her jaw setting hard.
"Is that what you think?" His grip tightened momentarily before it
loosened, finally drawing away. "I would have thought that in the six
years we have worked together, you would know me better than that. I am
sorry to hear I was wrong."
"Oh, no you don't. You don't get off that easy. Like I haven't had my
fair share of that high and mighty Minbari attitude of yours?" Finally
Naomi turned around, eyes narrowing as her hand lifted to point a finger
at the Minbari. "I'm due a good, old fashioned Human tantrum, and if
that means I want to blame myself for what has happened, then dammit,
I'm going to!"
Drefen slowly smiled. Stress, lack of sleep, and oxygen deprivation had
all served to shorten her temper and he was embarrassed to find himself
a victim of the condition as well. He watched her with curiosity as a
heated flush rose in her cheeks, her eyes bright with emotion. The more
he stared at her, the further the anger began to diminish.
"Are you aware of how silly you look and sound at this moment?" He
asked softly, reeling himself closer to Naomi by pulling on his tether.
"I have an idea." She released a deep breath, trying to make the last
of her anger disappear. "Look, I'm sorry I snapped at you, but I feel
responsible for you, Daniel and Karnier, this ship, and the mission.
Can you at least understand that part of my frustration?"
"Yes. That is reasonable." They floated together, their bodies close
enough to easily touch each other. Gently Drefen placed his hand on her
shoulder again. "But when will you realize that you do not have to do
it all yourself? We are a team, working together for a purpose. For
instance, with your arm, do you honestly think you will be able to
proficiently put on that EVA suit and bring the others forward from the
hold?"
He could tell from the look in her eyes that she hadn't even considered
it, planning from the beginning to do it herself. Realizing how correct
he was, she bowed her head, shaking it slowly side to side.
"Have I told you lately I hate it when you're right?" Naomi sighed,
corrected once again with the consistent logic the Minbari possessed.
"But I can't ask you to do this yourself."
"No one said you had to; I will do it regardless. This is also my
mission, Naomi. I am just as eager to complete it as you are." Over
her shoulder, he briefly watched as the pieced EVA suit floated away
from the wall. "I will need an additional oxitab to keep my mind clear,
and assistance to put the suit on."
"Drefen-"
"Naomi, have we not been in situations such as these before?
'Apparently hopeless' has never been in your vocabulary."
"I have no fear of dying, you know that." Naomi raised her hand, a
finger tracing the stitching detail of the fabric across his chest.
"What I do fear is losing those I have sworn to protect because of my
ill thought out actions."
"If it is prophecy for me to die here, allow me to make good use of my
life. You would ask the same thing, but for this task I am better
suited." Drefen's light eyes were intent, his head bowing slightly as
if asking for permission. He would do it with our without her blessing,
but it was his nature to have it. His eyes finally lowered from hers,
closing slowly. Drefen felt the gentle pressure of her hand against his
bone crest, her fingers trailing over the ridges as it traveled towards
his ear. Naomi's touch was soothing and delicate, relaying all of her
emotions with the slightest of grazes. Memories replayed in his mind as
he leaned into her hand, each choice that he had made led him to his
current life.
Drefen's family had come from a long line of shipbuilders, experts in
design and manufacture among his clan, influencing the Minbari destiny
among the stars. His apprenticeship ended in the last year of the
Earth-Minbari War, pushing him immediately into work as an engineer.
Naagar, his mentor and friend knew the young Minbari would do well in
whatever he decided to pursue, and Drefen found his niche reverse
engineering Earth-tech. The systems were fascinating to him; so
different from the technology the Worker caste had developed over
generations to complete their War Cruisers and Frigates, Fighters and
Transports.
He was just as intrigued as the rest of his clan when the Religious
caste demanded the surrender. Without much explanation they laid down
their tools and stopped new production and research. Drefen thought he
would never receive a reason why; it was typical to be told only what
others thought you needed to know, but the lack of an explanation
angered him. He had friends and clan members who died on the ships the
Humans had destroyed, and he wanted to know why the Religious caste so
suddenly changed their mind, especially since they were the first to
have the thirst of revenge; Dukhat had been Satai and one of the
greatest who ever held the honor of the title.
It took nearly ten years before the Religious caste revealed their
reasons and immediately the Warriors scorned them for the foolish idea.
Drefen had never been overly preoccupied with religious beliefs-his
interests were in circuits and microprocessors-but the concept of the
soul form was universal. To try and understand how Minbari souls were
being born into Humans was almost beyond comprehension.
Perhaps it was because he hadn't seen the battles from the firing lines,
or served aboard a star craft during the war, that Drefen didn't find
the idea as objectionable as some of his peers. Like all Minbari, he
lived by the teachings of Valen; to serve the whole and to serve
something greater. Minbar began to prepare for the coming darkness as
told by prophecy, and Drefen found himself at the crossroads.
Naagar began to speak of the An'la'shok, a gathering of Minbari and
Humans to stand against the darkness, and it piqued his interest.
Drefen's training was no longer needed to dismantle Earth-tech for the
war, but perhaps he could use it to strengthen resources between the two
races. His mentor quickly sent him to the ancient city of Tuzanor to
see Jeffrey Sinclair, and to talk about his possible future.
Sinclair was the first Human Drefen had ever met in person and the quiet
man surprised the Minbari. The new Ambassador had an easy inner calm
about him backed by a deep integrity that Drefen only had seen in other
Minbari. Sinclair was genuinely interested in Drefen's work, asking
pointed questions in his best attempt at the Worker caste dialect as he
practiced the language. Despite the Ambassador's role in the
Earth-Minbari War, Drefen didn't find him anywhere near the barbarian he
had been made out to be.
The evidence of the Shadows return grew as the small numbers of
An'la'shok gathered reconnaissance, the surveillance recordings and
first-hand testimonies awakening a terror within Drefen he had never
felt before. With Naagar's and his clan's blessings, Drefen joined the
growing group, the ranks finally opened for the first time to members of
his caste. As his training began, he met more Humans, most of whom were
hand selected by Sinclair himself. Few things individualized one
Minbari from another, but with the Humans it was different. They came
in all shapes and sizes as well as skin and hair colors, but one thing
was common among them all; the worse the odds, the stronger they fought.
What made that tendency even brighter was if the particular Human had
what they referred to as a chip on the shoulder. However confusing the
term, Drefen witnessed it first hand in many, including Naomi Cohen.
She arrived in Tuzanor several months after his initiation, her quiet
anger seething beneath a forced calmness. Naomi was at one time a
member of Earthforce, her military background showing during weapons and
intelligence gathering training. She earned her right to use the sacred
fighting pike, the denn'bok, as did all of her race after several trips
to the infirmary at the hand of Sech Durhan. Over time, Drefen had
developed many friendships with Humans, learning and observing as he
often did with other Minbari.
At times, he began to see things within his Human friends that made him
reassess the Religious caste's revelation. Perhaps it wasn't Minbari
souls that were being born into Humans, but both races had souls that
intertwined, made of the same molecules and particles as they moved
between the two to enrich the whole. And beyond all else much to his
chagrin, he found himself developing an embarrassing crush on Naomi.
She wasn't overtly beautiful, even in Human standards, just plain, and
overruled by her pride and confidence. But once someone earned her
trust, her loyalty was undying. Drefen found that the most appealing.
His discomfort with himself over the juvenile feelings diminished as he
reflected on it; what was so shameful about his emotions towards another
caring and devoted being regardless of her race? They never dwindled,
but deepened until she was as dear to him as his fellow clan members,
and he gladly pledged to give up his life for her if the occasion
arose. The sentiment was genuinely reflected every time he gazed into
her eyes.
The hand along his jaw moved slightly, lifting his face. Gradually
Drefen glanced up and caught her eyes, moist again with unshed tears.
Naomi smiled widely as her hand slipped down over his neck to rest
gently at his shoulder.
"I don't know why my possible impending death makes me so maudlin.
Maybe it's the lack of oxygen to my brain that's making me loopy." She
managed a small laugh and Drefen matched her smile. "But only one thing
comes to mind at this point, something I picked up while reading Minbari
religious texts. Separated we may become, but I will see you again in
the place where no shadows fall."
Deeply touched by the sentiment, Drefen bowed his head again, leaning
forward to press his forehead to Naomi's. She sighed at the touch of
his cool skin against hers.
"Yes, extremely maudlin. You sound more and more like a Minbari every
day." Drefen joked, trying to lighten her mood.
"I don't know whether that's a complement or not."
Their limbs became intertwined, drawing the Minbari and the Human closer
in an embrace as they floated together, finding comfort in one another.
Smiling against the plume of Naomi's hair that fanned out around his
face, Drefen reached for their tethers keeping them near the wall and
pulled. With a small movement of his wrist, he managed to unlatch hers
and reeled it in to attach to his. Once he unclipped himself, he became
dependent on her tether, now lengthened by the two combined. Giving a
gentle push off from the wall, Drefen allowed their bodies to drift
further out than where they had been before.
"What are you doing?" Naomi pulled away slightly to look at the
Minbari. His hand lifted to tuck the strands of hair behind her ear
away from his face. They didn't stay there for long.
"Maybe I am sensing my own mortality as well. Having another living
being beside me reduces the feeling. I'm sure you understand."
"More than you know." Naomi whispered against Drefen's dark tunic as
she relaxed in his arms. Raising her face to the ceiling, she gazed out
of a small viewing hatch into the depth of space. If it was the end,
she could think of no one she would rather be beside, or for that
matter, any place she would be more willing to die, than in the vastness
of space.
Author's Note: After much debate, I decided to include this chapter.
It could be easily skipped without taking anything away from the story;
I just had a point to make. In regards to the established plot in B5:
If Minbari souls, either in entirety or in part, are being reborn into
Humans, who is to say one race could not find a soulmate in the other
(of course ignoring the fact that procreation would be impossible)?
The greatest chance for success on this theory would be among the Rangers.
Just as Humans can find their soulmates in members of different cultures
other than their own, romance could bloom between a Minbari and a Human.
After all, both races are spiritual in their own rights as well as
compasionate and loving. I doubt I am the first to consider this and I
doubt within the realms of the B5 universe, John Sheridan and Delenn
(hybrid or not) are the only ones to realize this possibility.
Additionally, this chapter does contain very minor spoilers for Kathryn
Drennan's book, "To Dream In The City Of Sorrows." If you haven't read
the book, you won't be missing out.
On with the only bit of sappiness you will see in this story....
"This is the last." The Minbari drifted closer into the small alcove
adjacent to the storage area as he carried two EVA suits with him. She took
them from his hands and inspected each; one had a gap in the zipper well
and the other had a large slice though the material that made up the
left leg.
"So far we have three-fourths of an entire suit. Are you sure there
aren't any more in the storage closet?" Naomi frowned. It was her own
fault she hadn't checked the suits in the cabin before they departed, an
oversight in thinking that those in the cargo hold would be sufficient.
She now wished she had exchanged the two groups.
"Yes. What parts are you missing?" Drefen pulled closer by grabbing
onto a strap fastened to the wall. He tethered himself to the strap,
stabilizing himself as he hung in the air beside Naomi. She was
stationary with her own tether tied at her belt, keeping her close to
the suits she was working on.
"Right glove, right boot, and a throat seal. I think this last one will
provide the seal and some tape should take care of the rest." She
fisted the thin rubber-like fabric in her hand angrily. "If I had only
checked these damn suits before we left."
"It is pointless to blame yourself now. What happened has happened and
there is nothing you can do about the past. You must look toward the
future and make the most of the situation." Drefen spoke calmly, and
even if he was Worker caste, to Naomi he sounded annoyingly like one
from the Religious caste.
"That doesn't make me feel any better. I was supposed to be the
principal contact on this mission and look at us-stranded in the middle
of nowhere without even one fully functional EVA suit. Who am I
supposed to blame but myself?" Anger clenched her throat, making her
voice sound strained. She hid her face from the Minbari, not wanting
him to see her upset.
"Why must you blame? It was unforeseeable for the engine to malfunction
as it did. You followed standard procedures to exit hyperspace and make
repairs. I see no reason for you to be so upset." Even though Drefen
had occasionally seen the behavior in Naomi before, it made him
uncomfortable in not knowing how to help her. It was something Human to
him; Minbari usually did not act the same when angered or upset. Most
of his race wished to be alone to reflect with meditation, but he knew
of no particular rituals for Humans.
"Just call it a Human shortcoming, all right?" Angrily Naomi tossed
aside the ruined parts of the last suit before swiping the back of her
hand beneath her nose. "I hate the fact this could have all been
avoided. I was totally stupid."
"Is berating oneself a Human shortcoming as well?" Drefen reached
steadily, curling his hand around her shoulder. The pressure was firm
and unmoving, instantly making her uncomfortable.
"Don't patronize me, Drefen. I like you too much to start hating you
now." Her eyes lifted from her empty hand to stare at the wall straight
ahead, her jaw setting hard.
"Is that what you think?" His grip tightened momentarily before it
loosened, finally drawing away. "I would have thought that in the six
years we have worked together, you would know me better than that. I am
sorry to hear I was wrong."
"Oh, no you don't. You don't get off that easy. Like I haven't had my
fair share of that high and mighty Minbari attitude of yours?" Finally
Naomi turned around, eyes narrowing as her hand lifted to point a finger
at the Minbari. "I'm due a good, old fashioned Human tantrum, and if
that means I want to blame myself for what has happened, then dammit,
I'm going to!"
Drefen slowly smiled. Stress, lack of sleep, and oxygen deprivation had
all served to shorten her temper and he was embarrassed to find himself
a victim of the condition as well. He watched her with curiosity as a
heated flush rose in her cheeks, her eyes bright with emotion. The more
he stared at her, the further the anger began to diminish.
"Are you aware of how silly you look and sound at this moment?" He
asked softly, reeling himself closer to Naomi by pulling on his tether.
"I have an idea." She released a deep breath, trying to make the last
of her anger disappear. "Look, I'm sorry I snapped at you, but I feel
responsible for you, Daniel and Karnier, this ship, and the mission.
Can you at least understand that part of my frustration?"
"Yes. That is reasonable." They floated together, their bodies close
enough to easily touch each other. Gently Drefen placed his hand on her
shoulder again. "But when will you realize that you do not have to do
it all yourself? We are a team, working together for a purpose. For
instance, with your arm, do you honestly think you will be able to
proficiently put on that EVA suit and bring the others forward from the
hold?"
He could tell from the look in her eyes that she hadn't even considered
it, planning from the beginning to do it herself. Realizing how correct
he was, she bowed her head, shaking it slowly side to side.
"Have I told you lately I hate it when you're right?" Naomi sighed,
corrected once again with the consistent logic the Minbari possessed.
"But I can't ask you to do this yourself."
"No one said you had to; I will do it regardless. This is also my
mission, Naomi. I am just as eager to complete it as you are." Over
her shoulder, he briefly watched as the pieced EVA suit floated away
from the wall. "I will need an additional oxitab to keep my mind clear,
and assistance to put the suit on."
"Drefen-"
"Naomi, have we not been in situations such as these before?
'Apparently hopeless' has never been in your vocabulary."
"I have no fear of dying, you know that." Naomi raised her hand, a
finger tracing the stitching detail of the fabric across his chest.
"What I do fear is losing those I have sworn to protect because of my
ill thought out actions."
"If it is prophecy for me to die here, allow me to make good use of my
life. You would ask the same thing, but for this task I am better
suited." Drefen's light eyes were intent, his head bowing slightly as
if asking for permission. He would do it with our without her blessing,
but it was his nature to have it. His eyes finally lowered from hers,
closing slowly. Drefen felt the gentle pressure of her hand against his
bone crest, her fingers trailing over the ridges as it traveled towards
his ear. Naomi's touch was soothing and delicate, relaying all of her
emotions with the slightest of grazes. Memories replayed in his mind as
he leaned into her hand, each choice that he had made led him to his
current life.
Drefen's family had come from a long line of shipbuilders, experts in
design and manufacture among his clan, influencing the Minbari destiny
among the stars. His apprenticeship ended in the last year of the
Earth-Minbari War, pushing him immediately into work as an engineer.
Naagar, his mentor and friend knew the young Minbari would do well in
whatever he decided to pursue, and Drefen found his niche reverse
engineering Earth-tech. The systems were fascinating to him; so
different from the technology the Worker caste had developed over
generations to complete their War Cruisers and Frigates, Fighters and
Transports.
He was just as intrigued as the rest of his clan when the Religious
caste demanded the surrender. Without much explanation they laid down
their tools and stopped new production and research. Drefen thought he
would never receive a reason why; it was typical to be told only what
others thought you needed to know, but the lack of an explanation
angered him. He had friends and clan members who died on the ships the
Humans had destroyed, and he wanted to know why the Religious caste so
suddenly changed their mind, especially since they were the first to
have the thirst of revenge; Dukhat had been Satai and one of the
greatest who ever held the honor of the title.
It took nearly ten years before the Religious caste revealed their
reasons and immediately the Warriors scorned them for the foolish idea.
Drefen had never been overly preoccupied with religious beliefs-his
interests were in circuits and microprocessors-but the concept of the
soul form was universal. To try and understand how Minbari souls were
being born into Humans was almost beyond comprehension.
Perhaps it was because he hadn't seen the battles from the firing lines,
or served aboard a star craft during the war, that Drefen didn't find
the idea as objectionable as some of his peers. Like all Minbari, he
lived by the teachings of Valen; to serve the whole and to serve
something greater. Minbar began to prepare for the coming darkness as
told by prophecy, and Drefen found himself at the crossroads.
Naagar began to speak of the An'la'shok, a gathering of Minbari and
Humans to stand against the darkness, and it piqued his interest.
Drefen's training was no longer needed to dismantle Earth-tech for the
war, but perhaps he could use it to strengthen resources between the two
races. His mentor quickly sent him to the ancient city of Tuzanor to
see Jeffrey Sinclair, and to talk about his possible future.
Sinclair was the first Human Drefen had ever met in person and the quiet
man surprised the Minbari. The new Ambassador had an easy inner calm
about him backed by a deep integrity that Drefen only had seen in other
Minbari. Sinclair was genuinely interested in Drefen's work, asking
pointed questions in his best attempt at the Worker caste dialect as he
practiced the language. Despite the Ambassador's role in the
Earth-Minbari War, Drefen didn't find him anywhere near the barbarian he
had been made out to be.
The evidence of the Shadows return grew as the small numbers of
An'la'shok gathered reconnaissance, the surveillance recordings and
first-hand testimonies awakening a terror within Drefen he had never
felt before. With Naagar's and his clan's blessings, Drefen joined the
growing group, the ranks finally opened for the first time to members of
his caste. As his training began, he met more Humans, most of whom were
hand selected by Sinclair himself. Few things individualized one
Minbari from another, but with the Humans it was different. They came
in all shapes and sizes as well as skin and hair colors, but one thing
was common among them all; the worse the odds, the stronger they fought.
What made that tendency even brighter was if the particular Human had
what they referred to as a chip on the shoulder. However confusing the
term, Drefen witnessed it first hand in many, including Naomi Cohen.
She arrived in Tuzanor several months after his initiation, her quiet
anger seething beneath a forced calmness. Naomi was at one time a
member of Earthforce, her military background showing during weapons and
intelligence gathering training. She earned her right to use the sacred
fighting pike, the denn'bok, as did all of her race after several trips
to the infirmary at the hand of Sech Durhan. Over time, Drefen had
developed many friendships with Humans, learning and observing as he
often did with other Minbari.
At times, he began to see things within his Human friends that made him
reassess the Religious caste's revelation. Perhaps it wasn't Minbari
souls that were being born into Humans, but both races had souls that
intertwined, made of the same molecules and particles as they moved
between the two to enrich the whole. And beyond all else much to his
chagrin, he found himself developing an embarrassing crush on Naomi.
She wasn't overtly beautiful, even in Human standards, just plain, and
overruled by her pride and confidence. But once someone earned her
trust, her loyalty was undying. Drefen found that the most appealing.
His discomfort with himself over the juvenile feelings diminished as he
reflected on it; what was so shameful about his emotions towards another
caring and devoted being regardless of her race? They never dwindled,
but deepened until she was as dear to him as his fellow clan members,
and he gladly pledged to give up his life for her if the occasion
arose. The sentiment was genuinely reflected every time he gazed into
her eyes.
The hand along his jaw moved slightly, lifting his face. Gradually
Drefen glanced up and caught her eyes, moist again with unshed tears.
Naomi smiled widely as her hand slipped down over his neck to rest
gently at his shoulder.
"I don't know why my possible impending death makes me so maudlin.
Maybe it's the lack of oxygen to my brain that's making me loopy." She
managed a small laugh and Drefen matched her smile. "But only one thing
comes to mind at this point, something I picked up while reading Minbari
religious texts. Separated we may become, but I will see you again in
the place where no shadows fall."
Deeply touched by the sentiment, Drefen bowed his head again, leaning
forward to press his forehead to Naomi's. She sighed at the touch of
his cool skin against hers.
"Yes, extremely maudlin. You sound more and more like a Minbari every
day." Drefen joked, trying to lighten her mood.
"I don't know whether that's a complement or not."
Their limbs became intertwined, drawing the Minbari and the Human closer
in an embrace as they floated together, finding comfort in one another.
Smiling against the plume of Naomi's hair that fanned out around his
face, Drefen reached for their tethers keeping them near the wall and
pulled. With a small movement of his wrist, he managed to unlatch hers
and reeled it in to attach to his. Once he unclipped himself, he became
dependent on her tether, now lengthened by the two combined. Giving a
gentle push off from the wall, Drefen allowed their bodies to drift
further out than where they had been before.
"What are you doing?" Naomi pulled away slightly to look at the
Minbari. His hand lifted to tuck the strands of hair behind her ear
away from his face. They didn't stay there for long.
"Maybe I am sensing my own mortality as well. Having another living
being beside me reduces the feeling. I'm sure you understand."
"More than you know." Naomi whispered against Drefen's dark tunic as
she relaxed in his arms. Raising her face to the ceiling, she gazed out
of a small viewing hatch into the depth of space. If it was the end,
she could think of no one she would rather be beside, or for that
matter, any place she would be more willing to die, than in the vastness
of space.