Lennier entered the tube transport after Dr. Carter. There was only a couple of
other people on board, and she led him to the other end and sat down. He sat
down across from her and looked around. The transport was the same kind that
was on Mars. It left the main complex and entered the wilderness beyond.

They were passing through what almost looked like a desert, but had wild plants
growing everywhere. The mountains loomed in the distance, looking pale against
the red sky. Lightening flickered behind them, but here it was still sunny.

"Great," Dr. Carter breathed, "another storm." She began rummaging through her
bag and said, "probably won't hit until tonight anyway." She pulled out some
cloth and tied it around her head, pulling her hair out of her face. Then she
stared at him for a few moments before asking, "So are you always this quiet?"

He smiled, "I only speak when I have something to say."

She chuckled, "Well, you haven't asked me anything about the dig. Most people
would have hit me with a barrage of questions. I mean, for all you know my
intruding on this site could be against your religion, or something," she leaned
forward and said with a gleam in her eyes, "aren't you at all interested?"

He gazed at her and said, "I was lucky enough to get this job, there are those who
would not question such fortune, merely accept it." She looked slightly disappointed
and he continued, "but if you wish to tell me about it, I will gladly listen."

She smiled, sat up, and gazed out the front window, "They were digging, way north of
here when they found it. It looks something like a temple or a tomb or something.
There was writing on the walls and on some manuscripts. At first we thought it was
some arcane ancient language, that is until a passing monk told us it was Minbari.
Apparently, he'd made a study of it, and he said it was ancient," she shrugged, "he
couldn't translate it and suggested I get a temple acolyte or scholar from Minbar
to do it. I put in a request, and I was given a lot of beurocratic bull."

Carter scowled, "They said they would see if anyone who met the requirements came
along through processing." She looked back at him and smiled, "I guess I really lucked
out when you came along."

Lennier sighed, "Luck, or faith."

She gave him a look that said "what?"

"Someone once said to me, 'Faith manages'," he shrugged.

She raised her eyebrows, "Lennier," she said, "that is the most ridiculous thing I've ever
heard, and I've heard some bad ones." She sat back with a bit of a huff and continued her
musings.

Lennier's first reaction was of slight anger, the way he'd always been when someone had
insulted her or her teachings. He almost jumped to defend it, but stopped himself short.
That wasn't his job, he realized, not anymore. It also occurred to him that he should be
depressed by this, but instead he felt better, like a weight had been lifted from his s
houlders.

'Faith manages'. He remembered when she'd said that to him, when she sent him to find the
Markab child's mother, he'd been skeptical about it. He also remembered being impressed when
it worked, he had faith that he would find the girl's mother, and he did. He'd actually been
optimistic that everything would be alright.

Then the Markabs died, all off them. They had faith that they would not die, because they
were good people, but they died anyways. At the time, he'd been too horrified to question
her about it, she probably would have given him more advise which would elaborate on the
first piece of wisdom and he would've left feeling like he'd learned a valuable lesson.

Now, he wasn't so sure. He'd been horribly naive, he realized that now. Her teachings may
have been useful for the sheltered acolyte he once was, but now he needed more to survive.
Mollari's teachings might be more useful out here, on his own.

The thought was at once both disturbing and wonderful. The idea that she might, quite
possibly, had been wrong about something put her in a whole new light. He'd placed her on
this pedestal because he'd thought she was almost divine. Now she seemed less like a goddess
and more like a person, and he could re-evaluate his feelings for her. Perhaps that was the
road to redeeming himself.

"Lennier?" Carter was saying, "Are you listening?"

He blinked and realized that she'd been talking to him while he was lost in thought.
"I'm sorry," he said, "please continue."

She grinned, "That's okay, I do that too. Anyways, the dig was progressing well, but
now we've hit a major stumbling block."

"What is it?"

"A door, it won't open. We've tried just about everything but explosives. I don't want
to try and blow it. A, because it may damage the surrounding structure, and B, because,"
she sighed, "I don't think it will work anyways."

"Why not?" he asked curiously.

She shook her head, looking doubtful, "I don't know, just a feeling in my gut. Besides,
I'll I need to do is find the key," she smiled smugly.

He was confused. "I don't-"

She cut him off, "You'll have to see it to understand." Then she stretched out on the s
eat and made herself comfortable. "We won't be there for a few hours, it's way beyond the
ass end of nowhere," she then pulled out a pocket watch and looked at it, "We should know
eachother pretty well by the time we get there."